Music to my Heart (A Bleach/Ulquihime fic)

Chapter 8

This story belongs to Cerice Belle at FanFiction.net. I am only publishing it in order to share it with more people. All credits go to her.
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Cirucci put down her fork and silently took a sip of wine from a crystal glass, taking the opportunity to look around the deathly silent dining room. It was huge, often used for large company events, although Aizen insisted they always eat in there as a sign of their wealth. The walls were polished, sculpted wood as was the floor and the long, reflected table. Statues and busts lined the walls, alternated with servants waiting with napkins, water jugs, and spare cutlery. A string quartet played tinkling music next to the windows behind her that revealed a spectacular view of the town. She placed her glass down, causing the candles in the centre of the table to flicker slightly, casting a hollow light over Ulquiorra's pale face. Aizen was away at a business meeting and would be back late. She tapped her Black-Current-painted nails lightly on the smooth wood then smiled at her son.

"How was school today Ulquiorra?" she asked in a falsely happy voice.

He said nothing but continued eating his lamb cutlet.

"Ulquiorra?" she continued, keeping the smile plastered on her face.

"Fine," he said shortly, without looking up from the plate.

There was an awkward silence until Loly broke it.

"Mine was great!" she exclaimed. "I talked with Luppi today; I really think he's going to ask me to the school dance!"

Ulquiorra made a derisive noise, "You and that gay, cologne-wearing, badminton-playing retard."

Loly opened her mouth but Cirucci interjected, "Ulquiorra that's not very nice. At least your sister is going with someone. Are you going to the dance?"

"If this is another comment about my inept social-life then maybe I would be going if you actually let me have one," he snapped.

"We would let you have one if you only made friends with people your father did not want to kill," she said, trying to be diplomatic.

"He's not my father," he said, he voice reducing to a deadpan tone.

There was a silence as he took a drink of water and placed his knife and on the plate.

"I am done, may I be excused?" he asked quietly.

She frowned at the mocking edge to it.

"No Ulquiorra, you may not leave. Why don't we try to have a nice, family conversation for once?"

He finally looked up at her his green eyes flashing, "What, so we can try to be a nice, happy family? You're deluding yourself."

She pursed her red-painted lips tightly, "At least we have a family, there are many people who have none."

"I wouldn't call us a family."

Loly gasped indignantly, "Ulquiorra, how can you say that? Sosuke has done so much for us; he has made us a family again. We don't have to worry about anything anymore!"

There was a bang as the teen stood up quickly, jerking his chair back so fast that it clattered to the floor. The string quartet stopped their playing, staring at him with gaping mouths