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A door creaked open. Footsteps. Ulquiorra shifted on the futon, not fully awake, but not asleep either. Grimmjow grunted near his ear. Tried to drag him back.
Someone opened a cabinet.
“Good morning, Addie.” That was his mother’s voice.
“Good morning, Evie.” One of the bar stools squeaked. “Have you finalized the menu?”
“We will need to go to market soon.”
Market? Menu? Ulquiorra’s eyes opened. It was still dark out. The only source of light came from the kitchen. He couldn’t see much of his mother or Adelaide, but he could hear his mother milling about at the stove.
Adelaide said, “We will have many mouths to feed. Do you have all of the boys’ contacts?”
“Shūhei sent me the list.”
Traitor. Ulquiorra wiggled until Grimmjow let him go. He sat up and blinked the sleep from his eyes.
“Mama?”
Yvonne cooed, and he watched her blurry shape hurry over. She smoothed her hands through his hair and kissed his forehead.
“Oh, my love. Go back to sleep.”
Ulquiorra felt his body trying to relax. “You’re plotting.”
Yvonne hummed. “Silly boy. No plots. Only breakfast. Go back to sleep.” She kissed his forehead again.
Ulquiorra struggled against his mother’s warm hands as she guided him back down onto his futon. She gave him a final kiss and tugged the blanket over Ulquiorra’s shoulder. His eyes closed.
Yvonne murmured, “We should speak downstairs.”
“Agreed.” Adelaide said.
The front door opened and closed. Grimmjow turned over to wrap his arms around Ulquiorra’s waist. Heat buffeted his back, and Ulquiorra drifted back to sleep.
~*~
Ulquiorra woke up to the smell of eggs and chorizo. He no longer felt Grimmjow’s weight against his side. Instead, he looked to see Pantera and Murcielago resting against his hips. Ulquiorra sat up and watched the cats stretch. They wandered off the futon to their bed under the television stand.
“Good morning, my love.” Yvonne called from the kitchen.
Ulquiorra scratched the back of his neck and stood up. He saw his mother and Adelaide both at the stove. Grimmjow sat at the bar with a plate of food and orange juice in front of him.
He flicked his hand at Ulquiorra. “Morning, princess.”
Ulquiorra padded toward the bar to sit. His mother placed a plate in front of him along with a cup of coffee, already prepared with cream.
Yvonne smiled at him. Her braid was pinned at the back of her head, and she wore one of Ulquiorra’s aprons. “Addie is making crepes. Isn’t that nice?”
Ulquiorra glanced at Adelaide who wore his spare apron. He watched her ladle out the batter. Crepes did sound nice. He liked when Grimmjow made them. Ulquiorra turned to Grimmjow who shoveled a forkful of eggs and sausage into his mouth. And… didn’t look at him. Or kiss him good morning. Ulquiorra’s eyes narrowed.
Ulquiorra took his mug and held it to his lips. His mother returned to Adelaide’s side at the stove to stir the chorizo. “Mother.”
“Yes, my darling?”
“What were you discussing this morning?”
The pair shared a look and leaned their heads close, chuckling like conspiring teens. Yvonne took an egg from the carton to break over the sausage.
She didn’t look back when she said, “A party, my beloved.”
Ulquiorra’s fingers tightened on the porcelain. “A party.”
“Mhm. I know you never cared for the family gatherings at your abuela’s, but Addie and I thought it would be nice to host Christmas dinner with the family you’ve made.”
“The family I’ve… what?”
Grimmjow shoved another bite into his mouth and spoke around it, “The cafe’s your family, princess.”
Ulquiorra shot Grimmjow a look, but the fool glutton didn’t take his eyes off his plate. He even beamed when Adelaide placed two crepes full of whipped cream in front of him.
“Mother, you’ve been misinformed. I have no interest in hosting a Christmas party.” Ulquiorra shook his head.
Yvonne turned away from the stove and came around to touch his cheek. “Ulquiorra, give your mother this? I so rarely see you happy.”
He met her eyes, eyes so similar to his own. Her thumb stroked the apple of his cheek. It reminded him of his youth. When he would sit on her lap, and she would hold him. How warm it felt. How… safe.
Adelaide piled his plate with eggs and sausage. She also added two crepes filled with chocolate cream.
“My son tells me that your workers have become your family. Christmas is a time to have family close.” Adelaide returned the pan to the stove.
Ulquiorra glanced at his plate and felt three sets of eyes on him, though Grimmjow remained focused on his food. He thought back to the last few years. The good and the bad. His wrist twinged with a phantom ache he hadn’t felt in so long.
You were going to die for them, doesn’t that mean your mother’s right? Aren’t they your family?
Ulquiorra sighed and speared a piece of sausage. He knew he’d lost before he’d ever known there was a fight. “Do as you please.”
His mother came around the bar to pepper him with kisses. “My sweet boy. And you will help your poor mothers in the kitchen?”
Ulquiorra spared Adelaide a look to see her eyes crinkle in amusement. Grimmjow said she’d claimed him years ago. He supposed this was the fallout of being loved.
“I’m not working alone. If my staff wants to be fed, they cook.” Ulquiorra put his fork down and walked back to the coffee table for his phone. He pulled up the cafe group chat. “And they will clean my kitchen.”
Yvonne held her hands over her heart and watched Ulquiorra with a mix of pride and smug satisfaction. Adelaide took the skillet off the stove and piled more food onto both his and Grimmjow’s plates. Grimmjow looked delighted.
Ignorant pantero. He’d also be helping.
~*~
The invitation spread from Ulquiorra’s staff to their extended families. Orihime invited Ichigo and his family. Nel and her partners were invited along with the members of her practice. Uryu, Yumichika, Ikkaku, Dr. Retsu’s family. Shawlong and Grimmjow's former roommates. Grimmjow even sent an invitation to Dr. Granz through his brother. That surprised Ulquiorra most of all. Even more when Dr. Granz agreed to come.
Ulquiorra hurried through his morning routine at the same time Shūhei appeared. They wrote a shopping list together, and before Shūhei could head downstairs for preparations, Ulquiorra grabbed his arm.
“You conspired against me, Hisagi. You will not run my kitchen while I’m away.” And then Ulquiorra thrust a tote bag into Shūhei’s hands and grabbed his coat.
“It wasn’t really conspiring, Ulqu. Just… Your mother asked, and I provided.” Shūhei shrugged.
Ulquiorra led them down the street toward the market. “You provided her with a weapon. I am removing her source of ammunition.”
Grimmjow bumped their hips and grabbed a cart. “I thought you would have put up more of a fight over this.”
Ulquiorra snorted. His eyes flickered down to the ring on his finger. Didn’t Grimmjow know him well enough now? To know when Ulquiorra knew there was no point in carrying on with a fight he had so clearly lost?
“I conceded my losses with considerably less bloodshed than anticipated.” Ulquiorra glanced at his list. At least he would be able to collect proper ingredients. He still had his standards to uphold after all.
“And they were going to do this with or without us, too.” Grimmjow pointed out.
“Yes.” Ulquiorra could agree to that.
Shūhei returned with three large ducks gathered in his arms. His eyes were wild. “Your mother said Kenpachi agreed. We’re going to have to double everything.”
“Then collect another two. That will mean all of our ovens in the kitchen will be occupied. I will have to retain my apartment oven for the desserts.” Ulquiorra added another bag of potatoes to his cart.
Ulquiorra spied his mother at the entrance with Adelaide.
“Orihime is bringing over some things she purchased!” Yvonne beamed.
Ulquiorra glanced at the cart, frowned, and went to get an extra container of butter. He would have to put in a rush order with his deliveryman before the new year.
~*~
The wait at the checkout was long. Ulquiorra tried to spy the total amount, but his mother stepped in the way. When it came due, Ulquiorra had barely moved his hand for his wallet when his mother produced a wad of bills from her purse. She smiled at him and collected the receipt before he could.
They walked outside to find Anton sitting behind the wheel of his rental car. He climbed out to help load the groceries into the trunk. Ulquiorra wondered exactly how long his mother had planned this. He imagined far, far too long. Perhaps when he and Grimmjow announced their engagement earlier in the year?
The drive back to the cafe was silent, and he watched as Anton went inside to collect Javier, Kenpachi, and Dr. Kurosaki. There was another man brought out with them who introduced himself as Dr. Ishida Ryuken, Uryu’s father. They helped unload the car and carry everything into the kitchen. Once they were finished, they sat about moving the cafe tables together to make one long space.
Yuzu wandered by with Kazui and Ichika in her arms. “Is it alright if I take the kids upstairs, Ulquiorra? I’ll keep an eye on them!”
“That’s fine. The door should be unlocked.” Ulquiorra nodded.
Kazui stretched out his chubby hands to Ulquiorra. “Tio! Tio!”
Ulquiorra walked over to ruffle his messy hair. “Hello, mi sobrino. Be good for your tia?”
Kazui giggled and clapped his hands. Yuzu smiled and carried them both outside. Yachiru followed close behind.
Ulquiorra headed into the kitchen in time to see Izuru and Chad gathering drink mixes from the coolers.
Izuru hurried to say, “Nothing alcoholic, Chef. We don’t want anyone decorating blitzed.”
Ulquiorra hummed. “Or the children to mistake a spiked drink. Thank you.”
They walked past him into the dining room. Ulquiorra spied Momo and Hanataro hanging decorations with Nelliel and the new girl at the clinic. Giselle, he thought was her name. Things were… moving at a far faster speed than Ulquiorra had ever seen at his abuela’s house. No one was milling about or wasting time. Everyone had a job.
Which meant Ulquiorra could help his mother prepare the ducks. They would take the longest to finish, so it was best to put them on now. Orihime nudged his arm in passing. She'd sat up to work on appetizers with Kiyone and Sentarou. Even Isane had come to help. Though she seemed out of place with a kitchen knife. Ulquiorra chuckled. He imagined had they asked her to shoot their dinner, she would have been a natural.
“Excuse me, Chef.”
Ulquiorra turned to see Byakuya in the doorway. His hair was pulled back, and he wore a pink and white apron covered in cherry blossom branches. “I was told you needed extra hands.”
Ulquiorra considered the kitchen and nodded toward Renji at the sink. “Can you wash dishes?”
Byakuya nodded. “I can.” He went to stand beside Renji, rolling back his sleeves. “Is Ichika upstairs?”
“Mhm. Ichigo’s sister is watching the kids.” Renji leaned up for a kiss.
“Good.” Byakuya returned the peck.
Ulquiorra couldn't recall any of his cousins willingly choosing to wash dishes. It almost made him smile to see Byakuya offering. He turned away to help his mother baste the birds. The kitchen began to take on a smell of food, and that helped to pull out older memories from Ulquiorra's youth. Of learning to cook while standing on a step stool.
He stepped away from the sounds of work and walked back into the dining room with the first plate of appetizers. This was not like his teenage or young adult years. Jobs weren't left to him because he "was the family chef". Slack was not left lax. He felt a sort of peace while he passed out the little cocktail sausages and dumplings. A peace he never knew existed.
Someone plucked a weenie from the tray, and Ulquiorra followed the hand up an arm to see Shūhei. His chef coat hung open, and he popped the weenie in his mouth to chew.
"This is nice," he said around his mouthful, "Can't remember the last time my parents were out of the house."
Ulquiorra's eyes moved across the room until he found the Hisagis speaking with his father. They were seated at one of the booths, and his father appeared to be shuffling a deck of cards.
"It's been a long time since I've seen them myself." Ulquiorra admitted.
The door opened, and he spied both Momo and Toshiro coming through the door. Between them was their grandmother, Sachiko. Ulquiorra brightened to see her. Ichigo's other sister, Karin, followed close behind. Ulquiorra wondered when they would make the proper announcement about their engagement. He'd known since May that Toshiro intended to propose. Momo couldn't keep it in. She had to tell someone, and of course he could keep a secret.
"Weird to see the dining room full of people we know." Shūhei reached for another weenie.
"It is, yes." Ulquiorra placed the tray down on the counter. "Not a strange feeling."
"Ulquiorra!"
Ulquiorra turned his head to see Ukitake and Kyoraku weaving around the tables. Ukitake looked to be in much better spirits than his last visit.
"Jushiro, Shunsui. It's good to see you." Ulquiorra tipped his head forward. "You're looking well, both of you."
Ukitake chuckled. "I've been admitted to a new clinical trial. It's doing wonders. We brought a cider. Is that alright? Shunsui wanted to bring wine, but I told him this would be better."
"That's perfectly fine. Thank you. Izuru and Chad are handling the drinks." Ulquiorra motioned toward the end of the counter where Chad dumped a bag of ice into a cooler. "Help yourself to the appetizers. Dinner will be ready in a few hours."
Ukitake smiled and moved to the end of the counter to present the bottle. Ulquiorra watched and listened to the sound of laughter and conversation. It didn't make his skin crawl, it didn't even twist his insides. He felt... warm. Warmer than he had in years. He touched the band on his ring finger, turned it once, twice.
The people gathered in Las Noches today were the people he had allowed in his life. The people who had come into it by chance, not by birth. They had chosen to stay.
Shawlong and Di Roy carried the projector out of the storage room, and he watched Momo place a stack of board games on one of the booth tables. Yuzu returned with the children while Dr. Kurosaki put on a children's movie.
His cafe felt different than being in his abuela's home. It felt different than being in his own. He felt different.
"My love?" His mother touched his shoulder.
Ulquiorra turned to look at her. "You were right, Mama."
She smiled and slid her arm around his waist. She felt warm, too. Even smelled like sugar cookies. "I'm always right, my boy. I told you that you had found your family."
Ulquiorra looked around the room again. Something Orihime had said to him years ago made sense now. About finding a family. About connection. He searched the crowd until he spotted a shock of blue hair. His eyes settled on Grimmjow who tossed his head back to laugh at something Ichigo said.
Ulquiorra sighed. "We should start on the desserts then. Make sure everything moves on schedule."
Yvonne gave him one more squeeze before following him into the kitchen. There was still so much to do. A warm hand touched his back, and he turned to see Grimmjow at his side.
"Here to help, little bat."
Ulquiorra hummed. "You'll regret that."
Grimmjow laughed. Laughed until he saw just how many desserts Ulquiorra intended to make. Then he tried to run back to Ichigo. But Ulquiorra drug him back by his apron strings. Tapped his ring, and kissed Grimmjow once.
"No take backs, mi pantero."
For better, or for worse.