kitsune_moonstar | Jan. 22nd, 2012

Jan. 22nd, 2012

Title: In the End
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: Slightly AU. Minor spoilers for 414 and 415.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: In the end, Gin had what he wanted.

In the End

It was over with. Gin let out a sigh and cuddled Rangiku closer. She was fine. Weak, but fine. It had been the hardest part of this whole mess to injure her enough that Aizen would believe she was dead. No matter what else happened Rangiku's safety had been the most important thing to him. And while he had hated deceiving her, it had been necessary. Now they were both safe. Well, Rangiku was at least. Gin knew that he would have to answer for his actions at some point. Then again he had helped kill Aizen, so hopefully they weren't going to kill him.

But quite honestly, it wouldn't matter to Gin if they killed him as long as Rangiku was all right. He hadn't actually entirely expected to be alive at this point. But he was and so was Ran. They had this moment together, and he would enjoy it for what it was. Their future had never been certain or even clear at any point in their lives. Why should that change now? But Rangiku had been his constant and the only home he'd ever really had. And that was how wars were supposed end: with people going home.

Title: In the Eye of the Beholder
Rating: NC-17
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Some gossip finds Nanao doubting herself, leading to a meeting with her captain and perhaps a step forward that Nanao has been afraid to take.

( In the Eye of the Beholder )

Title: Inked
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: An evening spent drinking with Rangiku leaves Nanao with something she'll carry with her for the rest of her life.

Inked

Nanao had forgotten why she thought this was such a bad idea. She giggled as Rangiku drank yet another man under the table. Her friend had insisted that the two of them go out and celebrate. Today was the fifth anniversary of Nanao making lieutenant, and her friend hadn't been willing to take no for an answer. Nanao had tried to impose some limits on her friend, so it was just the two of them instead of the whole mob that Rangiku had wanted to originally bring. Nanao had been unsure at first, but after her first three drinks (something that was bright green), she had gotten into the spirit of things. She was on her seventh or eighth drink by now; she wasn't quite sure which. Rangiku had ordered her something called a Bridesmaid which was lemony and fizzy and quite good.

Rangiku clapped her hands together and surveyed the bar. It seemed like she had run out of people willing to challenge her to a drinking contest. Shooting a mischievous smile at her friend, Rangiku rose to her feet and pulled Nanao up after her.

"Come on, Nanao-chan. I've got an idea."

The pair of them couldn't seem to stop laughing as Rangiku led them through the streets of the Rukongai. The little shop Rangiku brought them to wasn't any place that Nanao had ever been before, but the alcohol in her system kept her mellow, even when she realized that this was a tattoo shop. Rangiku was already chatting with the owner. It was clear that she knew what she wanted. Nanao idly leafed through some of the books of designs while Rangiku got situated. Maybe she should get a tattoo too.

Within half an hour, Rangiku had a silver chrysanthemum tattoo on her back that was just low enough that the collar of uniform would cover it. It was about the size of Nanao's first, and she thought it was rather pretty. And it did suit Rangiku. But Nanao knew what she wanted for herself. There was this odd feeling in the back of her mind that there was something about all this that she should really remember, but she was too busy explaining her design to the man to really think about it.

She groaned. Why wasn't someone killing all the little hollows attacking her skull? Nanao barely opened her eyes only to slam them back shut. It was far too bright. Whose bright idea had been to put her bed in the path of the morning sun streaming through her bedroom window? Nanao whimpered and pulled the covers over her head. She needed to kill Rangiku. That way this would never happen again. Her friend was the only one that could talk her into these situations.

Nanao managed to heave herself out of bed and make it to her bathroom. She washed her mouth out with some water and winced at her reflection. A night spent drinking did not agree with her. Thankfully, there was aspirin in her medicine cabinet. Nanao quickly downed two of the white pills. Thank goodness she had today off. She had absolutely no desire to go into the office in this state.

By the time she had finished fixing herself a cup of tea, Nanao's headache had died down to a dull ache, and she had become aware of an ache on her back accompanied by some slight itchiness, like one would get with a healing wound. She frowned at that. She couldn't remember getting injured last night. And there was another itchy patch down by her tailbone. Nanao slipped her hand down the collar of the yukata she slept to find a gauze bandage just an inch or two below the edge of the collar.

What on earth had she done last night? Nanao retreated back to the bathroom to try and get a better look. What she found, with the help of a mirror, were two bandages. Nanao frowned. Clearly she hadn't been badly injured, but it was very odd placement to get hurt in the first place. She'd leave them there for now though. She shook her head and sighed. She really should know better than to go out drinking with Rangiku.

After dressing, Nanao moved on to fixing herself breakfast. She didn't really want anything more than toast, and she needed to figure a few things out. Somehow, asking Rangiku just what they had done last night didn't seem like a very good idea to her. Hopefully, some memory of last night would come back to her. Nanao had not been extremely drunk very often, but losing entire chunks of time was not typical even when she did get completely wasted. Then again, she didn't know just how much she had drunk last night either.

Nanao sighed. There really wasn't much she could do at this point except remember not to let Rangiku drag her out drinking again. The injuries thankfully were not serious, and she had all day to recover. By tomorrow she would probably be back to normal and could go back to work without needing to worry about anything.

It was two days later when Nanao finally took the bandages off. She had always been careful with injuries, and it had been clear to her eye that the bandages had been professionally done. The itching had stopped, and she had hoped by this point that the two injuries were mostly healed. So after work Nanao planned on a nice hot bath to relax. She had undressed and then went to work on removing the bandages. It was never a pleasant task but best done quickly.

The one on her lower back was the first she pulled off, and Nanao frowned when she found black smudges on it. That didn't seem right. Still, she reached back and pulled the other one off. When that bandage had not only black smudges but also some pink and what looked like a trace of green and yellow, a sinking feeling settled in her stomach. She maneuvered herself, so she could see her back in the mirror, thankful that her hair was still pinned up.

"Damn it, Rangiku!" Nanao hissed; she just knew this was her friends fault.

Right above Nanao's tailbone the bird of paradise symbol that was the Eighth Division's logo was tattooed in black ink. It was no bigger than Nanao's thumbprint, but it was still there. And that was the more modest of the two tattoos. Right below her neck, just low enough to be hidden by her uniform, was a tattoo the size of her fist. A pink cherry blossom in full bloom. Artistically, it was beautiful. Nanao's issue was the fact that it was on her skin. And it probably wouldn't come off easily either.

She groaned and turned away from the mirror. What was she going to do about this? Besides kill Rangiku. That was a given. Unwilling to let her new discovery ruin her planned relaxation, Nanao stepped into the bath, her mind awhirl. She thanked whatever deity that had been looking after her that neither of the tattoos were in easy to see places. It was just as well. She definitely didn't want to explain the tattoos to anyone else.

Because they did have significance. Nanao knew exactly why she had chosen those particular designs. She wouldn't lie to herself about that, but she would prefer not to discuss it with any one else. The Bird of Paradise was the easiest to explain. It was the symbol of the Eighth, and the Eighth was very much part of who Nanao was. It had been her home and family since she had graduated from the academy, and it was there were she felt she belonged. Nanao probably could have lived it down if that was the only tattoo she had.

But the second tattoo, that would be harder to explain away. It would be hard to not to make a connection to her captain given that it was a cherry blossom. And it probably had been chosen with Shunsui Kyoraku in mind. However, while Nanao no longer denied to herself that she was very much in love with her captain, it was not something she felt like sharing with anyone. Especially her captain. She could see that turning out several ways, and none of them were very good in the long run. Men like Shunsui Kyoraku did not fall head over heels in love with women like her. Once the thrill of the chase was gone, the affection soon followed.

Nanao sighed and rubbed her temples. Well, what was done was done. There wasn't anything she could do about it now. She would just have to hope Rangiku was discreet about her newly acquired tattoos and keep them to herself.

Nanao never really forgot about her tattoos as much as they became less of an issue at the forefront of her mind. Rangiku thankfully had never mentioned them when the two women were in company, and no one had ever actually seen either of the tattoos. So Nanao resigned herself to their existence, and they simply became a fact of life. Something like her feelings for her captain.

Rangiku did tease her some about the tattoos in private, but her friend was surprisingly considerate about the whole topic. Then again, given the state of Rangiku's relationship with Captain Ichimaru (Nanao assumed that they had a relationship even if neither of them seemed to want anyone to realize it.), maybe that wasn't so surprising. Ran had shown off her own tattoo to Nanao, though for the most part, the woman didn't make a big deal of hers either. In fact, Nanao would guess she was one of the few people who knew about Rangiku's tattoo.

In some ways, Nanao was rather fond of the tattoos. They did mean something special to her. And they satisfied a little part of her that liked to be rebellious. So the years passed, and Nanao's tattoos remained a secret. She also managed to somehow fall even more in love with her captain. And she still refused to mention any word of that to the man. She would be content with being his lieutenant. Or at least that's what she told herself. There were some nights when Nanao wanted to just give into her feelings, but morning's light put her in a less lonely mood. Besides, Nanao wasn't sure if she wanted to trade decades of friendship for a little romance, and she was still fairly sure that was what would happen.

But the tattoos really weren't at the front of her mind most of the time. Especially not before, during, and after a battle.

They were the victors in the battle. Worn, exhausted, injured victors, but still the victors. Nanao herself had some minor injuries, but she was more concern with the condition of her fellow division members. Even her captain was exhausted. Nanao had quickly taken control of arranging their return to the Seireitei and making sure all the injured were triaged and taken care of. In was only as she was sending the last group back through the gate that she really became aware of her captain's eyes on her.

"Are you ready to go home, my Nanao-chan?"

She nodded, for once not reprimanding him for the nickname. "Yes, sir."

They had barely made it to the other side of the gate when Nanao found herself trapped in Kyoraku's arms, held tight against him. She allowed the embrace for a few moments, knowing that she had probably worried him when she'd gone charging into two Menos Grande without backup. Nanao hadn't seen any other choice; it was either that or let their Eighth and Ninth Seats be killed. Still, she knew that her captain was a little overprotective of her.

However, when she tried to wiggle free of the embrace after a minute or so, Nanao found that she was well and truly trapped. One of her captain's arms held her firmly against him while his other hand gently explored the ruined areas of her uniform, checking for injuries. His warm hand on her bare skin was oddly soothing. At least until it paused just below her neck where her collar had been caught and then ripped free. The moment Nanao realized he'd found her tattoo, she tensed.

"My Nanao-chan has been keeping secrets from her Shunsui," his voice was gently teasing.

Nanao couldn't find any words to say as he turned her around to examine the tattoo. Soon his fingers were lightly tracing the flower.

"An interesting choice for my Nanao," Shunsui's voice was a low rumble. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "And here I thought I was alone in my affections, but it seems I'm not the only one marked by love."

It took a moment for Nanao to process that not only had he figured out what her tattoo meant, but he was also admitting that he might have done something similar in regards to her. Shunsui took advantage of her momentary confusion to turn her so he could kiss her lips. And Nanao kissed him back, too tired to fight her own feelings for once. Besides, it felt so good to be held by Shunsui. He pulled away after a moment and cupped her face in his hands.

"Are you sure you want this, Nanao? Once I have you, I'm not about to let you go."

She met his eyes. "Yes."

She had wanted this since before she had gotten a cherry blossom tattooed on her back. Nanao still was a little uncertain and scared about just what might happen if she let this happen, but she trusted Shunsui not to hurt her. And she couldn't keep trying to avoid this any longer. It was what she wanted even if it scared her a little. This time she would let her heart lead instead of her head.

So Nanao took the imitative, pushed up on her toes, and kissed him thoroughly. Shunsui kissed her back, pulled away and then kissed her nose.

"Let's get you to the Fourth. We can celebrate after Retsu checks you out."

Nanao just smiled and shook her head. Some things would never change; Shunsui wouldn't be Shunsui if he wasn't overprotective. And she wouldn't be herself if she didn't love him, so this hopefully was a step in the right direction. As Shunsui began to herd her towards the Fourth Division buildings, Nanao's curiosity couldn't help but wanting to know.

"So what is your tattoo of?"

Shunsui blushed.

It was actually several months later when she discovered just what Shunsui's tattoo was. In part that was because of the insanity that came after major battles, and in part it was because Shunsui seemed to think if he moved their relationship forward too fast she would revert back to old habits. That wasn't likely, but Nanao was willing to take her time with this relationship; she was planning on it lasting for quite awhile.

But they had eventually ended up in bed together, and that had been when Nanao had discovered that he had the constellations of Lyra and Aquila, each with the stars Vega and Altair emphasized, tattooed on his left shoulder. Vega was in the same color as Nanao's eyes while Altair was in a shade of green that Nanao had often associated with her captain's reaitsu. And given that the romantic legend those two stars were associated with was also associated with Nanao's birthday, it was easy to infer why Shunsui had chosen the design. And it did fit his romantic and sentimental side.

It also quite clearly marked his interest in her, and that satisfied a little possessive part of Nanao that she hadn't realized she had. All in all, Nanao was quite content to be curled up in bed beside Shunsui. She could hear rain on the roof above them, but she was warm and snug beside Shunsui, and there was no reason to get out of bed until much later. Shunsui kissed the back of her neck, just above her tattoo.

"Love you, Nanao-chan," he murmured sleepily.

Nanao just snuggled deeper into his embrace and smiled; there was no place she would rather be.

Title: Morningside
Rating: NC-17
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: Set after the Winter War
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Nanao had planned on using the week her captain was gone on a mission to get ahead in the paperwork and plan him a proper homecoming. However, she wasn't the only one with plans.

( Morningside )

Title: My Lady Muse
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: AU
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Shunsui Kyoraku might be a world renowned artist, but he had one major inspiration.

My Lady Muse

"So tell us about this new show, Mr. Kyoraku? Is it really true that none of these works have been viewed by the public before?"

Shunsui smiled easily at the reporter. He was used to doing these interviews. Being a world renowned artist would do that to you. However, this particular show held a spot close to his heart. Every single one of the pictures in this collection featured his lady muse. It spanned from some of his earliest work to a picture that had been finished just last week.

"Until today, they've all been in a private collection; that is true. I have to say, though, these are some of my best work. I didn't really want to show them until the series was complete."

"Just what is the basis for this collection? I notice that you have a wide variety of materials represented here."

"Given that these span my entire career so far, that's not too surprising." Shunsui smiled. "But the unifying theme for this collection is my lady muse. She appears in every single one of these works."

He had first seen her on a spring afternoon in a park. Shunsui had been sixteen and out working with his sketchbook. He had already known that he wanted to make his living as an artist. He had been looking for inspiration when he spotted her. The girl couldn't have been more than six years old. Her raven hair was cut short, and she wore wire rimmed glasses that were too large for her face. Dressed in her school uniform, she clutched a book to her chest as she looked up at the falling cherry blossoms. The look on her face was sad and wistful. What Shunsui really wanted to was go over and hug her. Instead, he had sketched every detail of her that he could see.

Shunsui hadn't exactly forgotten about her after that, but the sketches didn't get looked at again until he was in need of an entry for an art competition. He was searching his sketchbook for ideas when he had stumbled upon her. The submission had ended up being a charcoal and color pencil drawing of her dressed for Tanabata and looking up at fireworks. He had won first place with it. And after that he had adopted the girl as his muse. Every year since then there had been a Tanabata picture with her in it.

She had grown older in each picture, and the medium had changed over the years. There was a watercolor of her playing the fish scoop game and an oil painting of her amidst Tanabata decorations. His lady muse had found her way into other works as well, but she was always in the Tanabata pieces. Shunsui hadn't actually run into her again until he had already been established as an artist. In fact, it had been ten years later when he finally actually met his muse.

At that point his work was exclusively in his friend Jyuushiro's gallery. It was just a little place in Hiroshima, but it had a good reputation, and Shunsui trusted Jyuu. His friend had the tendency of hiring local students to help run the place, and one Saturday Shunsui had walked into the gallery to find his muse manning the front counter. It had taken Shunsui several minutes to get over his shock and find out that her name was Nanao Ise and she was sixteen.

It took some time, but he and his Nanao-chan developed a teasing friendship. He teased; she ignored him. He flirted with her; she hit him. Life was good. Nanao was still an inspiration, but he didn't mention that fact to her. And she still showed up in his yearly Tanabata picture. It was also that year that he learned that Tanabata, July seventh, was Nanao's birthday. The image of her in a navy blue yukata patterned with fireworks would stay with him for years. He had come into the gallery to see if Jyuu had any plans for the evening to find Nanao manning the front counter in her yukata. When questioned about her attire, Nanao had blushed and admitted that it was her birthday and she was going out with some friends later.

That year his Tanabata picture ended up being a group of girls in yukata laughing together. It had also been then that Shunsui had discovered what he felt for Nanao wasn't strictly friendship. He and Nanao had walked to the festival together, and Shunsui had insisted on buying her a birthday present before they parted ways. A pair of sandalwood combs craved with cherry blossoms and maple leaves proved to be perfect for her as she liked to wear her hair up. Nanao had blushed and insisted it was too much. Shunsui had won the argument in the end though, and she had kissed his cheek in thank you.

As he watched her run off to meet with her friends, Shunsui was struck with the realization that he had never met a woman quite like Nanao, and that he wasn't sure what he'd do if she wasn't around. It was something he tried to ignore for the next few years. He was ten years older than she was after all. It wasn't appropriate for him to be mooning over her like a lovesick teenager. But Shunsui couldn't help notice that she was in his pictures more often than not anymore.

The year Nanao turned eighteen and announced she had received a full scholarship to study at Kyoto Women's University, Shunsui finally accepted the fact that he was in love with her. Her first summer in Kyoto, Shunsui was deliberately there for Tanabata. He had the pretext of a meeting about a painting commission, but he was really there to see her. He bribed her with her favorite sweet, momiji manju, to let him take her out to the festival for the evening. That year was the first time he himself had been in one of the pictures. He had done a depiction of the weaver princess and her cowherd.

Shunsui kissed her that night. It wasn't much of a kiss, but it was a start. And Nanao hadn't hit him because of it. Of course, it would be another year before they had a proper date. Of course, it did have to be mentioned that their relationship did not follow the normal pattern. Two years later two months after Nanao's twentieth birthday, and after about five dates all together, Shunsui married his muse. Nanao had actually been the one to propose to him. She had marched into his studio, interrupted his work on that year's Tanabata picture, and informed him that if he wanted to marry her, he should stop pussyfooting around and just do it. Shunsui had been trying to subtly sound her out about the idea.

Once they had gotten married, Nanao became the first person besides himself to see the entire collection of art so far. It was probably a good thing that he had already admitted to Nanao about her being his muse for all these years. Otherwise, it might have come off a little stalkerish. Shunsui ended up painting the wedding of the weaver princess and her cowherd for the next year's picture, once again using Nanao and himself for models. It had taken him a little longer than he expected to finish. Of course, that had to due with the fact that as he was finishing the painting, Nanao had made the announcement that she was pregnant, and he had been a little distracted.

Their son, Tatsuyoshi, had made his debut in the next Tanabata picture, and Shunsui realized that, looking back, this collection of works was really an example of art imitating life. Almost every single important event in his life since he had met Nanao was reflected somehow in the Tanabata works. These pictures had chronicled his friendship and romance with Nanao. It was a little mind-boggling when he actually thought about it. Tatsuyoshi would be a fixture in the artworks from that point on along with Nanao. The last few years had seemed to just fly by. Shunsui couldn't believe how quickly his son seemed to grow. He had actually started elementary school just this last year.

Shunsui wasn't sure which of the twenty-one paintings was his favorite, but the last one was probably one of the top candidates for that. It showed the entire family dressed for the festival and watching the fireworks. Tatsuyoshi was perched on his father's shoulders while Nanao held Miyako, who would have been all of three months old at the time. He hadn't quite captured the look on Nanao's face, but Shunsui wasn't sure that anyone could really capture the quiet love that she expressed. It was one of the things that was unique to Nanao.

"So, what makes your muse such an inspiration?"

Shunsui smiled, glancing over at the elegant dark haired woman standing with Jyuushiro and the others who had helped put on this exhibition.

"Everything."

Title: My Lonely Days Are Over
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: Set directly after chapter 361 of the manga. It was mostly written before the chapter came out so there are few inconsistencies to current events.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Facing the Espada that embodies loneliness is not an easy task, and Shunsui knows it. However, he isn't alone.

My Lonely Days Are Over

Shunsui dodged another one of Stark's attacks. This was wearing on him more than he showed. He cursed his luck in facing the Espada whose aspect was one of his greatest fears. Shunsui wasn't sure if Stark had realized his advantage yet, but it was only a matter of time. They were parallels even if Stark didn't know it. Even with his tendency to surround himself with other people, there were very few people who actually knew Shunsui, and very few that made him feel like he wasn't alone. Jyuushiro was one of them, and Shunsui knew that one of his greatest fears was what would happen when his friend's disease finally claimed him.

He shook his head, trying to clear it of melancholy thoughts. That would not help him win this battle. Still, Shunsui was wary. He didn't really know enough of Stark or his abilities to be cocky in this battle. The Espada began to speak again, and Shunsui tried not to listen. He didn't need to hear these words about death and being left alive. That was his true nightmare: to be the only one who survived. But he heard the words anyway, and they ate at him, weighing him down. Shunsui wanted to curse. He didn't know how to counteract this, and he wouldn't, couldn't lose this fight.

Losing this fight would mean his death, and he wasn't ready to die yet. Shunsui might be afraid of being the only one to survive, but there were times when that paled in comparison to his fear of what might happen to Nanao if she was left alone. His beautiful, fierce Nanao-chan had lost nearly everyone she had allowed into her heart, and Shunsui did not know if she might survive it again if she lost him. Very few people knew quite just how vulnerable Nanao could be to loss, and the fact that Nanao had let him into her heart made Shunsui all the more determined to protect her.

Still, Shunsui was in trouble, and he knew it. Jyuu still might be needed for one of the other fights, and he didn't want to risk pulling him away. Shunsui truthfully wasn't sure that more firepower was the answer in this fight. Stark had not really been able to harm him yet, but Shunsui hadn't had much luck with harming his opponent either. Right now it was a stalemate, but that couldn't last forever. Stark smirked at him.

"Ready to put an end to this yet?"

Shunsui shook his head, not bothering to answer. He didn't have one. He just had to keep moving. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite fast enough. He managed to dodge one blow but not the next. It wasn't a severe wound, but it was the first time Stark had actually hurt him.

"You could just give in. Do you really want to be the last one standing?"

A precise blast of kidou took off the arm of Stark's jacket. A familiar, gentle reiatsu brushed across Shunsui's awareness.

"If you think my captain has the tendency to give up on something, then you clearly do not know him."

Nanao stood slightly behind him from the direction of her voice. Shunsui spared a glance her way. His beautiful lieutenant looked as precise and neat as ever with only two changes to her appearance. Her glasses were no where in sight, and in her hand, she held a delicate wakizashi. Shunsui could tell that she had not yet released Yamazakurakaze's shikai, but that was probably only a matter of time. Nanao met his eyes with a calm smile.

Stark raised an eyebrow. "This is not your fight, little girl."

His Nanao-chan didn't even bother answering that comment. Instead, she simply flung another blast of kidou at the Espada. Stark dodged, and Shunsui launched himself back into the fight. As he faced Stark with his swords, Nanao flitted around the edges of their fight tossing out a kidou incantation wherever she saw an opening. She needed no instructions or commands from Shunsui. Very few people outside of the Eighth Division had seen them fight together, but anyone who had always commented on the fact that they seemed to read each other's minds. Truthfully, it was years of working together and sparring together that had given them this ability to fight perfectly in synch with one another, though Shunsui doubts there are many people he would ever be able to develop such a skill with besides Nanao and Jyuushiro.

They continued their deadly dance as Stark once again began to his talk of loneliness and death. Nanao didn't a falter a step, his words seeming to roll right off her, and Shunsui couldn't help but wonder at her strength. Of course, his Nanao-chan had plenty of experience ignoring what people where saying to her. With a soft murmur, she released her zanpakuto, and Shunsui took the offensive in the sword fight. Stark decided he needed a change in tactics. He blocked Shunsui's strike and instead of attacking Shunsui again, he changed his target.

Nanao's expression didn't change as Stark struck at her. She simply whirled out of his path, raising her sword into a defensive position. Nanao was light on her feet and moved quickly. It was something that they had worked on when she trained with him. Nanao might not have the physical strength to match many of the opponents she faced, but her speed and agility could help make up for it. Still, he wasn't going to let her face Stark in a sword battle for long. Nanao might be good, but he was a master at the sword just as much as she was one at kidou.

As Shunsui moved forward, Nanao executed a maneuver that looked very much like she was stepping between himself and Stark, but then she pivoted, slipping under his guard and behind him. Moments later another blast of kidou caught Stark in the ankle, throwing off his balance. There had been not incantation. That was the benefit of Nanao's shikai. She merely had to form the incantation in her mind and the kidou flowed from her fingertips. She didn't use it in most situations simply because Nanao considered that being lazy. It also meant that most people never expected her attacks when using shikai.

Stark was powerful and dangerous. He had been before he had merged with Lilinette, and he was even more so now. But while Stark and Lilinette might be one being, Shunsui was practically one soul with his Nanao-chan. They complemented and completed each other's strengths and abilities. And as much as Shunsui wanted his beloved lieutenant safe and far away from this fight, he would not force her to watch from the sidelines. To her that would be a far crueler fate.

Shunsui lost track of time in the fight. All he was aware of was his opponent and his partner. The deadly dance continued, and pressure built until suddenly it was over. Shunsui barely caught Stark's last words, and he wasn't sure he understood the question. But Nanao seemed to.

"I can live with being lonely," her voice was soft but sure. "I do not think I can live in a world where Shunsui Kyoraku does not live."

And this particular battle was over, even if the war was not. Shunsui turned to Nanao. She stood beside him, looking far more ruffled and disordered than usual. Her eyes held his gaze. Uncaring of the battles going on around them, he gathered her up in his arms, holding her tightly. Nanao let him, bouncing up on her toes to press a kiss to his stubbly cheek.

"We might want to save celebrations for a more appropriate time, Captain." Ever his sensible Nanao-chan.

Shunsui kissed her forehead. "That means you promise to celebrate with me afterwards.

She nodded and disentangled herself from him. Shunsui collected his haori from Ukitake with a smile. He already had plans. A cherry orchard, sake, and his Nanao-chan. What more could he want? But first they had a war to win.

Title: Piece of Cake
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: AU.
Pairing: Shunsui Kyoraku x Nanao Ise
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Nanao muses on her current job and how she got there.

Piece of Cake

Nanao could hear laughter coming from the kitchen. That was not exactly uncommon. For the most part, Soul Society Cakes was a pretty happy place. It was an unconventional bakery for sure, but that was part of its charm. However, Nanao was well aware that the only people in the building right now were the three co-owners. Well, technically, the business belonged to Jyuushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku, but Retsu Ukitake basically owned the place too given that she was married to Jyuu and made sure that everyone who worked here ate, slept, and generally took care of themselves.

Soul Society Cakes was the result of two men who loved to bake and didn't feel inclined to follow the rules. You didn't go to Soul Society Cakes if you just wanted a cake. You went to Soul Society Cakes if you wanted a cake that would knock the socks off everyone who saw it. They had done everything from cakes that looked like the Titanic to a four tier wedding cake that was based on an RPG video game. In effect, the bakery had started with two friends who somehow ended up making custom cakes out of Shunsui's home. It hadn't taken long for them to realize that: A – they had a small business going here and B – they needed more space and perhaps another few people to help out. Oh and the proper permits and licensing to run a bakery.

So Shunsui and Jyuushiro had bought and renovated an old community building. It had once been part of a church and used for dances and socials. They had also hired Rangiku Matsumoto to help out. Jyuushiro did most of the baking, Shunsui did the decorating, and Rangiku helped out where needed. Nearly every cake had gone to an extremely satisfied customer, and Shunsui and Jyuushiro had gained attention on national scale. Within two years, the bakery was producing on average one to two dozen cakes a week and a staff of eight besides Shunsui and Jyuushiro. They also were having increased difficulty dealing with the logistical and organizational side of the business.

And that was where Nanao came in. Nanao had been an office administrator for a large corporation, and she quite honestly hated her job. The only reason she hadn't quit before then was the fact that she didn't have any leads for a new job. She had found that having a degree in Celtic and Norse Studies hadn't exactly led to many job opportunities. It had just happened that one of the departments in her building had ordered a Soul Society cake to celebrate a newly completed project. Quick thinking and action on Nanao's part had kept some of the idiots she worked with from ruining the cake which had led to a conversation with Shunsui that had somehow led to a job offer.

Given that she had been rather desperate to get out of her work environment at the time, Nanao had accepted and two weeks later had started working as Soul Society Cakes' receptionist and administrator. It was a rather different environment than Nanao was used to (far more laid back and eccentric), but she had adapted, and it was definitely more fun to work here. But it didn't explain what was going on tonight. Nanao had come in early in order to get some things put together and set up. It was the beginning of May, and that meant that the bakery's busy season was starting. They had about three times as many wedding cakes as usual from May to September among other things.

The bakery's day often started early, even if most of the decorators didn't arrive until later. The staff pretty much set their own hours as long as the cakes were ready on schedule, and so, Nanao had come in this early in order to get some work done without people distracting her. Still, Jyuushiro didn't normally come in to start back until at least five in the morning, and Shunsui almost never arrived before ten. But both of them were here at three in the morning along with Retsu. Clearly something was going on.

Nanao tried not to let their laughter distract her as she started putting together schedules and orders for the next month and a half. It wasn't hard work, just time consuming and not that interesting. That why she liked to do it when no one else was here. It was easy to get distracted by the antics of the decorators. They were a rather eccentric bunch. Talented for sure, and they enjoyed their work. That was one of the reasons it was so much fun to work here.

It didn't take Nanao long to immerse herself in schedules and plans, and Nanao starts a little when some one place a steaming mug on the coaster beside her computer. Retsu just smiles at her.

"Raspberry hot chocolate complete with whipped cream. Shunsui says if you're going to insist on coming in this early that you deserve a treat."

Nanao smiled. "Thanks. What are you three doing here so early? I didn't think it was possible for Shunsui to be conscious this early in the morning."

Retsu laughed. "The boys had a special project. I'm supervising to make sure they don't destroy the bakery."

Nanao just shook her head. She knew that Retsu could keep them in line, though she was a little curious about what they might be working on. It wasn't that usual for Shunsui and Jyuushiro to have a project that she didn't know about. Still, she could always peek in and see what they were up to before she headed home. Nanao's plan was to work until she war done or it was around eight in the morning, so she could get a little more sleep and then eat something before she returned to the bakery around noon.

She sipped at her hot chocolate and got back to work. It was nearly an hour later, and her hot chocolate was long gone when Nanao finished her work for the morning. She stretched and began collecting her things.

"Nanao, precious, come see what I made." Shunsui was leaning against the door frame that separated the reception area from the decorating area of the bakery.

Nanao raised an eyebrow, but she let him lead her further into the bakery. She had long ago learned that being Shunsui's test subject for various cake related experiments was definitely worth it. But that didn't prepare her for the cake that was waiting for them, sitting in isolated splendor on one of the counters.

It was three tiers tall. Nanao was silent as she started examining the first tier. The fondant was an extremely pale lavender, and there were a number of scenes painted on it. There were the distinctive buildings of Oxford University where Nanao had done her undergraduate degree and Torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima island where Nanao had spent her summers as a child. There was also a picture of Mt. Fuji which Nanao had climbed with her roommate during the summer of her first year of university. The two women had flown back to Japan to specifically do that. And the fourth picture on that first tier was the outside of Soul Society Cakes.

The second tier was a medium shade of violet and was covered with gum paste pictures of books (with some of Nanao's favorite titles on them), various types of coffee and tea cups, Nanao's two cats, and various blossoms of Nanao's favorite flowers. The final tier was a dark purple and decorated with the words 'Thank You Nanao'. And topping the cake was a figure of Nanao with a crown and a sash that read 'Queen of the Cakes'.

"You do realize you've been with us nearly three years, Nanao," there was suppressed laughter in Jyuushiro's voice. "I doubt we would have lasted this long without your organizational skills and practicalness."

Shunsui kissed her cheek and handed her a knife to cut the cake with. "Besides, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Nanao knew she was blushing, but at their urging, she cut into the cake. Once it was cut, it was easy to see that it was chocolate raspberry, probably her favorite flavor that the bakery offered. Retsu produced plates, and Nanao served everyone a piece. Jyuushiro passed around cups of milk, and the quartet made a breakfast out of cake. The conversation turned to college stories and Retsu had some amazing accounts to tell about the boys.

Licking her fork clean of icing, Nanao leaned against Shunsui with a smile. This was not the career she had planned on or even looked for, but she was pretty sure that this was the right place for her. Shunsui wrapped an arm around her shoulders and then leaned in to kiss her cheek again.

"You had a little icing there," he claimed.

Nanao just laughed. Yes, this was definitely the right place for her.

Title: Renewing
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: Set right after the Turn Back the Pendulum arc
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Nanao might be young, but she isn't stupid, and someone needs to something about their captain before the division falls apart.

Renewing

Nanao Ise might be extremely young for a shinigami, but she wasn't stupid. So despite what those around her told her, she knew that something was wrong with Captain Kyoraku. Nanao was well aware that things were wrong in the Seireitei in general right now, but those troubles were of less importance to her. Nanao was more concerned about her own division. Things had not been right here since Lieutenant Yadomaru had gone out on that mission and hadn't come back.

She pushed back the wave of sadness that threatened to overwhelm her every time she had that thought. Nanao would miss Lisa. She had been the only one to really to take an interest in the young shinigami, and Nanao had finally felt not so alone. Some mornings it was hard to get up and go about her duties it hurt so much. Nanao frowned at that idea. Was that what was wrong with Captain Kyoraku?

After all Lieutenant Yadomaru was his friend too. Maybe that was why he'd been holed up in his office for the past week. Nanao had overheard people saying that it wasn't his fault and that he couldn't have known what would happen, but had anyone offered him sympathy for losing his friend or acknowledged that she would be missed? Nanao wasn't sure, but she thought that she would get sick of people saying it wasn't her fault if all she wanted to do was mourn her loss.

With that on her mind, Nanao made her way towards the captain's office. While she had only met the man a handful of times, there seemed something wrong about the division when he wasn't in a jovial, teasing mood. He had always been kind to her when they had met, and that was more than Nanao could say of many shinigami. She didn't quite approve of his lackadaisical habits, but he seemed to be a good man and a good captain.

It was easy enough for her to slip into the captain's office. Most people didn't pay any attention to her, and Nanao had learned how to move silently early on in her education as a shinigami. The office was dark, and it took her a moment to locate Captain Kyoraku in the gloom. He was sitting on the floor over by the far wall. There were a great number of sake bottles lying around as well. He didn't appear to have noticed her.

Nanao carefully made her way across the floor and over to her captain. She knelt beside him.

"Captain Kyoraku?" her voice was soft. She didn't really get a response. Nanao gently reached out and touched his arm. "Captain?"

"What do you want?" His response was gruff, but Nanao could see the pain in his eyes.

She bit her lip. "I wanted to tell you that I miss Lieutenant Yadomaru too. And it's okay to be sad about it. We just don't want to lose you too."

To Nanao's horror she had started crying. Simply saying those words had brought back all the hurt and grief over losing Lisa, and now she couldn't stop crying. A pair of strong arms wrapped around, and she was lifted into her captain's lap. He made soft, soothing noises and called her 'Nanao-chan', and she wasn't the only one crying anymore.

Jyuushiro quietly entered the office of the Eighth Division to once more try and pull Shunsui out of the funk he was in. He blinked and then started to smile. For the first time since all of this had happened, Shunsui was asleep on the couch instead on passed out on the floor. Sprawled across his chest, also asleep, was a little girl dressed as a shinigami. Jyuushiro vaguely remembered seeing her tagging after Lisa on several occasions. Shunsui had one arm holding the girl in place, and they were both covered with Shunsui's pink haori. Jyuushiro smiled and took his leave, letting them both sleep. Maybe he wouldn't have to worry about Shunsui after all.

Title: Songs of Silver and Gold
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: Some of the following drabbles are AU, and none of them are in any sort of sequence.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Gin and Rangiku drabbles inspired by music.

Songs of Silver and Gold

Something to Talk About – Bonnie Raitt

Rangiku was the kind of woman people talked about. That had always been true. In part it had to do with her looks, and in part it had to do with her friendly personality. Of course, just because there was a lot of talk about her floating around, didn't mean it was mostly true. For example, while Rangiku flirted with just about every male shinigami there was, there was only one man who was anything more than a friend or an acquaintance. Gin might never be talked about in conjunction with herself for the most part, but he was the one who had Rangiku's heart.

Shut Up and Kiss Me – Mary Chapin Carpenter

Rangiku was not fond of meetings. Especially the meetings that required all the captains and lieutenants to be in attendance. They were boring, and people tended to be long winded. People also seemed to get offended if she drank during the meetings too. And while Rangiku had a number of coping techniques, three hours into the meeting she was getting rather bored. Of course, it didn't help that Gin was seated just opposite her. Rangiku could think of much more entertaining things to do with him. She wondered what the others' response would be if she lunged across the table and kissed the man.

Save the Last Dance for Me – Michael Bublé

Gin watched as Rangiku laughed and flirted with any number of the guests at the reception. She was enjoying her duties as maid of honor, and her bright, bubbly personality made her perfect for the job. Nanao Ise, well it was Kyoraku now, had known what she was doing when she chose Rangiku for the job. Gin wasn't nearly as sociable as his girlfriend, but that was fine. He enjoyed watching her as she made her way around the room. He wasn't worried. He knew exactly where Rangiku's heart lay. Before the night was over, she would be in his arms for the last dance, and he was the one who would be taking her home. He didn't know how he had ended up with her heart, but it was his completely, and he wasn't giving it back now. After all, Ran had had his from the start.

Fairytale – Sara Bareilles

Rangiku was no fairytale princess. She had too much personality for that. She enjoyed drinking and flirting too much, and she was far from helpless. Besides, she probably had much more fun than most princesses ever did. And quite truthfully, she didn't want a prince, and she wouldn't settle for anything other than her heart's desire when it came to love. And that was Gin. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't always happy, but Rangiku knew that it was what she needed. Anything else wouldn't be true to her. Rangiku might not ever get ever get a happy ending, but she had his heart, and that was a fair exchange.

Fidelity – Regina Spektor

Gin Ichimaru wasn't not exactly someone people associated with the idea of loyalty. And in some ways that was true. But it wasn't when it came to Rangiku. She had always been the most precious thing in his life, and if forced to choose, she was what would be chosen every time. There was a lot that Gin could do without qualm, but Rangiku's safety and well being was not something he would ever be willing to risk. Even if that meant leaving her behind sometimes. As much as he hated the hurt he knew that action would cause her, Gin also knew that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if something should happen to her.

Many the Miles – Sara Bareilles

Rangiku sighed as she completed a piece of paperwork. It wasn't really a good distraction, but unlike Kira and Hisagi, Rangiku was not able to drink away her troubles. She had known that when she had proposed the drinking session the other day. It was something the two men had needed, and Rangiku had been willing to help them. Even if it wouldn't help the hole in her heart. She knew that sooner or later Nanao would corner her, and maybe the discussion and sob session that that would lead to would help. The truth of the matter was Rangiku missed Gin, even now, even after what he had done, and she didn't think that anything could change that.

Things I'll Never Say – Avril Lavigne

There were a great number of things unspoken when it came to herself and Gin. It was something that Rangiku had always accepted. It was unspoken that Gin cared for her; he had never said those words, but his actions did. They had never acknowledged that they were in a relationship either to tell the truth. If you listening to gossip, you would certainly think that Rangiku wasn't in one. The fact that her heart was his alone had never been spoken aloud. But she knew it, and he knew it, and that really was enough for her.

The Way I Am – Ingrid Michaelson

She had never tried to change Gin. Rangiku had always accepted her quirks as part of who he was and dealt with them, even when they did annoy her. But one of the things she wouldn't admit to others is that she had never tried to change Gin because he had never tried to change her. Rangiku knew she wasn't exactly the perfect model of feminine charms. She might have the physical looks and assets, but she drank too much, flirted too much, and had too much of sense of humor to be a proper lady. But Gin loved her the way she was, and Rangiku was happy to just be herself because of that.

Morningside – Sara Bareilles

The one thing that Rangiku truly hated about their relationship was waking up alone in bed when she hadn't gone to sleep that way. Gin tried to avoid it if possible, but it wasn't always possible unfortunately for them both. She did understand the necessity of it at times, Gin was a spy after all, but that didn't mean she had to like it. There was nothing Rangiku liked more than to wake up with Gin's arms wrapped around her and their legs entangled. It was the safest and most secure place that she knew.

Breathless – The Corrs

Rangiku was more than a little breathless as she waited to hear her marks. It had been a hell of a free skate, and she was pretty pleased with herself, even though she absolutely hated skating last. She figured she had made the podium for sure, even if she didn't take gold. Not bad since she was ranked fifth in the world overall. This Olympics was definitely turning out to be a rather amazing an intoxicating experience. Shunsui and Nanao had stunned almost everyone by taking the gold medal in ice dance, and Ichigo and Rukia had taken the bronze in the pairs competition. Her own Gin had pulled off a silver medal in the mens. Taking a deep breath, Rangiku reached up to touch the pendant she wore for good luck. Gin had given it to her before her first senior competition. No matter what happened, she was pleased with how she had skated. And the figure skaters were definitely holding a party in the Olympic village tonight. Her marks were announced, and Rangiku lost her breath all together. She was taking home silver.

Wonder – Natalie Merchant

Sometimes Gin wondered if Rangiku knew just how special she was. She didn't seem to realize that she was anything out of the ordinary for the most part. But she had a warmth to her that Gin had never found in anyone else, and she had the biggest heart of anyone he knew. Admittedly, he wasn't entirely happy about sharing her at times, but it was hard to dislike the fact that she treated Hitsugaya like a little brother and played older sister to Hinamori and Ise when they let her get away with it. She was a lovely, loving person, and she probably deserved better than him. But he was the one who made her happy, and that was all Gin needed.

The Game of Love – Michelle Branch with Santana

They had never really grown up in many ways. Their interactions were still of the teasing and the fun that they had been when they had truly been children. Shinigami lived hard lives, and Rangiku knew that the two of them were no longer innocent if they ever had been. And no one other than herself would know that Gin was a playful trickster at heart rather than a dangerous one. The fun and joy of their younger days had been locked away, hidden for only her to see. But still, it was there. Rangiku saw it every time they were alone together. And while they both might have grown older, she wasn't sure that they had really grown up.

Some Hearts – Carrie Underwood

Rangiku knew she was lucky. She had been lucky that Gin had found her and saved her from dying of starvation. She had been lucky to have some sort of bond with him. She had been lucky to become a shinigami, and she had been lucky to succeed as one. There were bad parts of her life, but Rangiku didn't regret the path she had taken. There was too much good in her life to do so. Even though her relationship with Gin was quiet and rather undefined, it still warmed her heart. It was enough for now. And she could have picked a worse person to fall in love with.

When You Say Nothing At All – Alison Krauss/Union Station

Rangiku rarely needed words for Gin. Besides, words were easily given and easily twisted. It was his actions that had always spoke the most. The fact that he always made sure that she had enough to eat to keep her from starving. The way that he protected her when they fought hollows together. The way that he refused to fight her when Aizen's plan was revealed. And they way he allowed her to catch him. Those were the things that Rangiku remembered.

This Shirt – Mary Chapin Carpenter

With a sigh, Rangiku wrapped the too large men's shirt around herself and climbed into bed. It had been a really awful day, and it didn't help that her boyfriend was out of town. She didn't blame him exactly, but he was one of the few things that might make her day better. The shirt was a poor substitute, but it was all she had at the moment, so it would have to do. At least it did smell like Gin. Rangiku took a deep breath and pulled the covers up over her head. She didn't care that it was only five o'clock. She was going to bed now, and with any luck, Gin would be here when she woke up.

Penitent – Suzanne Vega

Gin didn't really have much in the way of regrets. He was who he was, and he did what he needed to in order to survive. And in order to make sure Rangiku survived. He did regret when he had to hurt her though. If it were up to him, she would be kept safe and happy all the time. She was the one person that Gin knew that had accepted him just as he was. She somehow saw something in him that made her stay with him and care for him. And so, hurting her hurt him. But he didn't always have a choice.

Fuyu no Hanabi – Gin Ichimaru & Rangiku Matsumoto

"Come on, Gin," Rangiku called as she made her way through the crowds.

He caught her hand, drawing her back against him.

"We have plenty of time before they start, Ran-chan," he laughed.

The two of them were dressed in their New Year's finery, and Rangiku wore Gin's coat on top of her golden kimono. He had insisted on that so she wouldn't catch a chill. It had been a lovely day so far and had put Rangiku in a joyful mood for the coming year. There was just one thing left to top off the day: the fireworks. The young couple found their viewing spot quickly. It was a special New Year for them both, their first as a married couple. As the bright splashes of color filled the sky, Rangiku leaned into her husband's embrace. She knew it was going to be a good year.

She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5

Many people admired Rangiku Matsumoto and lusted after her. Many people would call themselves Rangiku's friends, but she could count on one had how many people really knew her. And there was really only one person that Rangiku knew for sure loved her just for herself, and that was Gin. Gin had always seen more of her than others. Rangiku didn't know if that was because of all their years together or simply because he knew her better than anyone else. But he had always seen past her pretty face and attractive figure. He loved her and all of her little quirks and imperfections. And that mean so much to Rangiku.

Boum-Boum – Voyageur

The two of them made quite a sight on the dance floor. Rangiku always attracted attention when she danced, but no one had ever seen her with this partner before. His hair was silver to her red-gold, and they moved together like they had been partners for years. The man was her only partner for the entire night despite the throng of men who wanted to dance with her. But Rangiku favored none but the man in her arms, and whether it was on the dance floor or sitting at the bar, he was the only company she kept. In some ways it was rather appropriate. He matched her in away that no one else did, and no one would forget the way the two of them danced.

This Love – アンジェラアキ

It wasn't understood by everyone, nor did everyone believe in it. But the bonds had been their since their first meeting, and they held true over the years even if not everyone could see it. The two of them had known what it was that held them together in part, and there had always been a few outsiders who recognized it for what it was. The love that had bound them was hard to explain, and Rangiku had never actually tried to do so. She didn't see the point in trying to explain love. It simply was. It didn't necessarily have a rhyme or reason, and it could cause pain as well as pleasure, but it was there. And as long as she loved, she knew that she was still alive, and so was a part of Gin.

The Book of Love – Peter Gabriel

Rangiku let out a soft sigh and leaned back into Gin's embrace. There was something about the quiet moments spent in their own home that Rangiku truly enjoyed. Just the two of them in their own little world for the moment without any worries or hassles. Of course, life never stayed simple, but those moments were always something Rangiku cherished.

Come What May – Ewan McGregor/Nicole Kidman

Rangiku was not at all happy, but she would play her part. She actually wasn't even supposed to know that Gin was a double agent for the Gotei Thirteen, but he hadn't been willing to leave her in the dark. Not when he was leaving. So Rangiku knew, even if most shinigami didn't, that Gin was still on their side. That didn't make what he was doing any less dangerous. Aizen would kill him if he was found out, and someone from their side could kill him because they didn't know any better. Rangiku did not like that at all. But she respected Gin's need to see this through, and she was determined that she would still be waiting for him when it was over.

Hanging By a Moment – Lifehouse

His arms wrapped around her, and Gin held on tight. He wouldn't let go. He wouldn't leave her. Not this time. Rangiku's grip on him was just as fierce. The two of them clung to one another with all the strength they possessed. The world narrowed to each other, and neither was willing to let go.

Time After Time – Mark Williams/Tara Morice

Gin had left her before. In fact, it was something that Gin had done many times. It seemed he was always disappearing off somewhere without telling her where he was going or how long he was gone. And it did irk Rangiku to some extent. However, he also had always come back to her. No matter what the reason he left, inevitably he would reappear in her life. And Rangiku held on to that fact. She couldn't stop him from leaving her. She didn't know how. But she could be here when he came back, and she believed that he would come back.

Eternity – Dreams Come True

Gin wasn't sure what had compelled him to save Rangiku, but he knew that it had changed things for him. Once Rangiku had come into his life, Gin wasn't able to let her leave. She was the one person, the one thing that he had never been able to completely abandon. That was a fact that he went to some pains to conceal. He wasn't about to give Aizen that sort of leverage. Gin didn't think he'd ever be able to give Rangiku up, and more over, he didn't want to.

You and Me – Lifehouse

The two danced together, oblivious of anything else. That's how it should be in Nanao's mind. The bride and groom being unaware of anything but one another is exactly how their first dance should go. The maid of honor watched them dance with a smile. They newlyweds had not had an easy path to reach this day. There were many times when most people would have never believed that they would make it here. Nanao quite honestly isn't sure why she has always believed in them. She just knows that she has. And she hopes that when it is her turn to be in Rangiku's shoes, that she and Shunsui will look like Rangiku and Gin in this moment: caught up completely in each other and their love.

Fields of Gold – Sting

Rangiku couldn't remember how they had gotten from the battle to here, but she found that she didn't really care either. She didn't even know where here was. There was blue sky and endless fields of golden grass as far as she could see. But what really matter was the fact that Gin was here walking beside her and holding her hand. She didn't know where they were going or what would happen next, but she was content for the moment.

Rule the World – Knights Bridge

Gin had to admit that he liked watching Rangiku sleep. She curled herself around him and wouldn't let go. He liked watching her without any of the masks she often wore. Rangiku hid more of herself than people guessed, but she had always allowed him to see what lay beneath her cheerful and teasing. And she was the only one he allowed to see anything other than the carefully crafted persona he used. She was also the only person who he knew really trusted him, and he saw that when she slept.

Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want to Get Over You) – Norah Jones/Willie Nelson

Rangiku sighed. She hadn't meant to start a tradition with these drinking sessions, but Kira and Hisagi seemed to need them. And they were helping those to cope with the departure and betrayal of their captains. The weekly drinking binge sessions seemed to help those two forget and move on.

But Rangiku didn't want to forget. Not really. Because forgetting and moving on meant getting over Gin, and Rangiku knew she didn't want to do that. Hell, she didn't even know if that was possible. So she drank and remembered, and she still missed him.

Kiss From a Rose – アンジェラアキ

Rangiku's fingers slid over the piano keys, and she began to play her final encore piece. The singer was incredibly found of the bittersweet song even if her manager thought she should switch to something more up beat. But this song reminder her both of Gin and of the hope that maybe one day things would work out for them. She had been encouraged to get over him any number of times, but Rangiku could not let him go. He was the first and probably the only man she'd ever loved. He had encouraged her when no one else had, and even if he'd made more than a few mistakes in his past, she still loved him.

Why Don't You and I – Chad Kroeger; Santana

Gin was well aware that really the best thing about him was Rangiku. Rangiku was the reason he cared. She was probably the only redeeming thing about him. But Gin didn't really care. As long as she loved him, he was happy. As long as she was safe and happy, he was happy. He didn't really expect to be forgiven about his part in things, but at least he would be able to see her one last time. She was as close to paradise as he would ever get, and that was enough.

Into the Night – Chad Kroeger/Santana

The girl on the dance floor drew him like a moth to the flame. Gin was well aware that he wasn't at the club to pick up girls, but he couldn't help but make his way over to her. She tossed red-gold hair over her shoulder as she turned towards him, and Gin found himself confronted with a familiar pair of grey eyes. He might not have seen Rangiku in at least five years now, but he would know her anywhere. Her entire face lit up when she smiled at him, and she held out her hands. Gin let her pull him into the dance and let himself forget anything except her.

Title: This Shirt
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: minor spoilers for recent manga chapters, AU
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: The shirt was old and worn and the bright pink had faded over the years, but Nanao would never get rid of it.

This Shirt

Nanao absently tugged at the collar of the faded pink men's shirt she was wearing over her tank top. Momo caught the motion.

"You always wear that shirt when we do festival prep, Nanao-san. It's close to falling apart. Why don't you replace it?"

Rangiku overhead the question and laughed. The women's association of Shinigami Inc. was preparing for their annual spring festival. It was the association's main fundraiser for the year.

"Nanao won't ever replace that shirt. If she did, it would mean the apocalypse was approaching or something of the sort." The older woman smiled. "It would be like me taking off my necklace or Shunsui giving up sake. It's just not done."

Momo just looked confused. Nanao smiled. The young woman was still young enough that she probably didn't understand. The sheer amount of memories wrapped up in this shirt made it too precious to even think about discarding. It had been with her for a long time now and had gone through more events than she cared to remember. In so many ways this shirt was a tangible reminder of all she had been through and all she had gained since coming to work here.

The first time she had seen this shirt, it hadn't been hers. It had been on her boss. Nanao had just started at Shinigami Inc. as an intern. Lisa Yadomaru, the assistant department head at the time, had been showing her around the office when they had run into Shunsui Kyoraku, the head of the department. The man had looked more like someone who played music in a coffee shop than a corporate executive. The shirt had been bright pink then and worn over a black undershirt. He had immediately beamed at her catching her hand in both of his and inquired who this lovely young lady was and would she like to join him for a drink. Nanao had been even more horrified when Lisa had whacked the man in the shoulder with a thick book and ordered him to get back to work.

Nanao had quickly learned though that physical violence was one of the few ways to keep Kyoraku on track when it came to work, and that it really didn't hurt him all that much. She would grow accustomed to his constant flirting as well, though Nanao also would later realize that she was on the receiving end of far more of that than any other woman who came into contact with the man.

The second time she really remembered the shirt had been one of the few times she had actually lost her temper with Shunsui. It had been just after Lisa had left the company rather abruptly. Nanao hadn't known the details, but there had been rumors about corporate espionage. Nanao hadn't believed them, but they were there. Lisa had been her mentor, and her leaving without even a goodbye had hurt. Kyoraku had been depressed and useless since as well, and Nanao found herself holding the department together and running by herself for the most part despite the fact that she was technically only an intern. She had stalked into the office where Kyoraku had been brooding to ream him out. Nanao honestly didn't remember what she had said. One minute she had been screaming at him, and the next she was enfolded in his arms, sobbing into his pink shirt.

That had really been their beginning. It hadn't been more than a few weeks after that incident that Nanao found herself being hired. In less than a year she was the new assistant department head. The shirt began a regular sight for Nanao. It was clearly one of Kyoraku's favorite pieces of close. The shirt was a part of his identity along with the flirting, laziness, and drinking habits. They all soon became familiar to her. And some point along the way, they became endearing to her as well. She couldn't help becoming fond of her boss over the years despite the trouble and hassle he caused her.

And some where along the way, Nanao's feelings for him went from general affection to actual love. The shirt had been there when she realized that she was in love with Shunsui as well. They had been on a business trip to Italy and had been on the train four nearly four hours. Nanao kept dozing off then waking up because she couldn't get comfortable. About the third time it happened, Kyoraku had pulled off the pink shirt (he was wearing it over an undershirt) and folded it into a pillow for her. The shirt had smelled like him, sandalwood and cherry blossoms, and Nanao suddenly had realized that she wouldn't know what do if he wasn't there. Her nap had proved difficult after that, Nanao's mind awhirl with her new discoveries about her feeling for him.

However, it was quite a bit longer before any thing actually happened between them. Nanao was cautious when it came to her heart, and she had no reason to believe that she would hold Shunsui's interest once the chase was over. She wasn't the type of woman most men were interested in once she gave in to their advances. So instead, Nanao simply dedicated herself to her job with more intensity than usual and did her level best to keep any hint of her feelings from showing. She was pretty sure it hadn't completely worked, but Shunsui could be a patient man. It nearly a year and half after she had realized her feelings for him that things really changed.

Shunsui actually hadn't been wearing the shirt when that happened. He had been just about ready to leave for a political event his family was hosting. Nanao was actually running late and was dropping off his dry cleaning, which included the pink silk shirt, off at his house. His parents had also just shown up along with one of the things Nanao knew Shunsui dreaded: the parent chosen date. This time it was a tall, leggy brunette if Nanao remembered correctly; she hadn't exactly been paying attention. The woman had brush passed Nanao forcefully on the stairs, and Nanao, with her arms full of dry cleaning and her day timer, had stumbled then fallen a full eight stairs before landing. She could have sworn she heard something crack when she did.

It had hurt quite a bit, and Nanao had let out an involuntary whimper. The next thing she had known she had been scooped up in Shunsui's arms and carried over to a plush arm chair so he could inspect her injury. Despite her protests, Shunsui had insisted on personally taking her to the emergency room where she was admitted overnight and diagnosed with a broken ankle as well as a torn ligament. Shunsui had stayed with her the entire time, completely missing the event his family had wanted him at. She had tried to get him to leave, but he had replied that he needed to make sure she was going to be all right. Nanao had been rather affected by the pain medication which probably accounted for the flippant comment she made next.

"Because it would such a burden to have to do your own paperwork."

Shunsui had met her eyes then, capturing her attention even in the fog caused by the drugs.

"I can always get someone else to run my office. You are not replaceable in anyway."

It was the look in his eyes that convinced her. The drugs pulled her into sleep before she could really do anything, but when she woke the next morning, Shunsui was still there, and Nanao was willing to take a chance on him. Things had progressed from there. It was slow going because she was cautious by nature. Nanao soon found that it in deed had been worth the risk. She couldn't remember being as happy as she was. She enjoyed her work, and now she had something other than a cat and a good book to come home to.

It was shortly after she had started spending her nights at his place that the shirt became her shirt. Nanao's internal clock did not allow for sleeping in most mornings, and she had simply grabbed what was most convenient when she got up and headed to the kitchen to fix her morning tea. Shunsui had come upon her about twenty minutes later perched in the breakfast nook and dressed only in the shirt and a pair of socks. He stared at her for a minute, a look of awe and love on his face, before declaring that it was her shirt now and he expected her to wear it on a regular basis. Nanao had laughed and let him kiss her.

Nanao tugged at her collar again, shaking her head to clear it of memories. There was still much to do before she could go home. She fingered the worn fabric and smiled. The shirt should probably be replaced, but there too many memories tied up in for her to even try. Besides, she still got the same reaction out of Shunsui whenever she wore it.

"Nanao, quit daydreaming and help met get the booths set up!" Rangiku called.

She laughed and got back to work.

Title: Vigil
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: Turn Back the Pendulum Arc
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Nanao waits for the battle to end.

Vigil

It was hardest when she had time on her hands. While most of the time Nanao was kept too busy to breath, there were also moments where she had nothing but time on her hands. And those were the worst. Nanao had not liked being left behind while most everyone else had gone to participate in the battle. However, she also knew that she was the logical choice to leave behind in charge of the Seireitei's defenses. She had more logistics experience than most of the other vice-captains, and the Eighth was known for its strategists.

But none of that made her feel any better when left alone to wonder how things were going. The people she loved always ended up leaving her, and she was terrified that it was about to happen again. Nanao knew that her captain was one of the strongest shinigami that they had, but she also knew that they were pretty much going into this battle blind to what they might face. And she hated not being able to be at his side. She knew that Captain Ukitake would watch his back, but she would prefer to be there to do it herself.

Normally, when she was worrying like this, Nanao solution was to work herself to exhaustion. But she couldn't afford to do that now. She needed to be in the best condition she could be if something happened. But Nanao also found that she couldn't get any sleep in her quarters either. She had taken to napping on the couch in the office. Nanao couldn't help noticing the irony in that, but at least it was some place that she could be at easy. It also didn't hurt that its cushions smelled like Shunsui.

She honestly didn't know what she would do if he didn't come back. The idea of existing in a world without Shunsui Kyoraku was completely terrifying to her. Nanao could admit to herself that she was in love with the man, though there was more to it than just that. Shunsui had been one of the few constants she'd had in her life. In fact, that was one of the reasons that she was reluctant to let him know how much she loved him. If she screwed up their relationship somehow, she would lose him. And Nanao wasn't sure that she was really enough to hold a man's interest when the chase was over. She was almost sure that Shunsui cared for her more than that, but that little trace of fear had kept her from saying anything.

Nanao gave herself a little shake, and once again promised herself that when Shunsui came back, she was going to do something about the whole situation. She glanced around the empty office and sighed. She just wanted her captain back where he belonged. With another sigh, she closed her eyes in order to try to get another hour of sleep.

And in the end, hers was an uneventful post. Nanao woke from her nap several hours later to find a familiar pink garment spread over her as a blanket. Her fingers grasped the familiar pink silk, and Nanao sat up, scanning the room for the person she knew had to be here. She did not find her captain anywhere in the room, but sitting behind her own desk was a familiar face that Nanao had not seen in a century.

"Lieutenant Yadomaru?" it slipped out of her mouth without her realizing it.

The other woman started then took a closer look at her. "Nanao? Is that you? Shunsui got pulled into a meeting or he'd be here. He's been hovering over you like a mother hen since we arrived."

Nanao blinked, unsure of quite how to reply. To any of it really. She had never expected to see Lisa again. It was something she had once hoped for, but Nanao had never expected to see it actually happen. However, Lisa kept speaking, so Nanao found that she didn't have to come up with anything.

"He did say that I'd approve of his new lieutenant. I always knew you had potential. How long have you been the Eighth's lieutenant?"

"Technically, seventy-five years, but Nanao-chan's acted as my lieutenant for closer to ninety."

Her eyes flew to the doorway where her captain stood. He was exhausted, and she could tell that he had been injured by the way he stood, but he was standing. He smiled warmly at her. Nanao had no memory of moving or even thinking of moving, but she suddenly found herself across the room and wrapped in her captain's arms. She didn't even care that they had an audience to witness her display of affection. Shunsui was holding her just as tightly, and Nanao let him. Being surrounded by his familiar scent and the presence of his reaitsu was all the comfort she needed.

She didn't know what had happened in the battle or what Shunsui had been through, but she felt the way his body relaxed once she was in his arms. They stayed that way for several long moments before Shunsui sighed and dropped a kiss on the top of her head then released her. He did keep an arm around her though.

"We weren't expecting a fully organized welcome home though. Retsu appreciated the fact that you already had triage teams ready for her though." Shunsui smirked. "Kiyone may have mentioned plans for every conceivable outcome including needing to set up a Seireitei wide party on an hour's notice."

Nanao unsuccessfully fought the urge to blush. "I needed something to keep everyone's minds occupied."

A thought occurred to her. "Is there something that you need to be doing right now?"

"You mean is there paperwork that needs to be filled out after the battle?" he was teasing her now. "There's nothing that needs to be done before rest and recuperation."

Nanao gave him a stern look. She could understand why he wasn't at the Fourth; they were probably overwhelmed with more seriously injured shinigami right now, but that didn't explain why he hadn't sought his own bed. If he was injured, he didn't need to be gallivanting around. Shunsui smiled and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"No need to fret, Nanao-chan. I'm off to rest. I just needed to make sure my beloved lieutenant was fine before heading off to bed. Unless my Nanao-chan would like to join-"

She thwapped him with her fan, feeling relieved more than anything. Shunsui brushed a kiss across her forehead before leaving. Lisa watched all of this with interested eyes. Once Shunsui was out of sight, the older woman smiled at her.

"So, tell me everything that's happened."

Nanao sighed and felt herself relax. "Where should I start?"

Her captain was home, safe and sound. Everything else could wait until tomorrow.

Title: Way Out West
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: AU. This was inspired by Celulind's fabulous artwork "Here's to You".
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Shunsui has no regrets about coming out west.

Way Out West

Shunsui had given up on his patrol halfway through and headed back to Rangiku's place. It was just too hot to stay outside any longer. So Shunsui headed home, hoping for a cold drink and some shade. Rangiku's saloon was the only entertainment in this little town on the frontier, and it wasn't the typical saloon. Rangiku's girls provided drinks and entertainment, but that was it. If you went up to one of their rooms, it was their choice. And no one messed with them. If Rangiku didn't go after the offender, Gin Ichimaru would. The man wasn't quite an outlaw, but he wasn't entirely law abiding either, and he would go to any lengths when it came to Rangiku.

Most of the people in this area were shades of grey rather than black and white. Shunsui was quite aware that his wealthy East Coast elite family would be appalled by the company he currently kept. Shunsui couldn't care less. This was a good place for second chances and new beginnings. That was what had brought him here, and that was why he stayed. And he wasn't the only one. Almost everyone had some sort of story. From Retsu Unohana, the only certified doctor in the area, to Uryuu Ishida, the town tailor, everyone had some sort of past.

It was rather refreshing actually. People here tended to respect secrets and leave well enough alone. Shunsui let out a sigh as he entered the cool bar. There weren't many people in this afternoon. Rangiku looked up from the bar with a smile.

"Decided that the heat was too much for you?" Rangiku filled a glass with ice and then poured the whiskey. "Nanao called it a day as well. Why don't you head up to your room?"

He took the drink. "Thanks, Ran."

She waved off his thanks. "Go upstairs and see your girl."

Shunsui grinned at that and followed her orders. It still caused a warm feeling in his chest to hear Nanao referred to as his girl. It probably always would. His wife was not at all what Shunsui's family or even he himself would have expected. Shunsui smiled as he unlocked the door to their room. Nanao Ise, now Nanao Kyoraku, had completely taken him by surprise. The young woman had been Rangiku's main musician as well as her bookkeeper when Shunsui had arrived in this town.

She had fascinated Shunsui from the start with her sharp tongue and sharp wit. Nanao was nothing like the sleek beauties that had fawned over him back East. It had taken Shunsui quite a while to win her over and even longer to convince her that he was serious about her. But he had somehow managed that, and it had been completely worth it. His wife looked up from her book as he entered their room.

Nanao hadn't changed out of her working clothes, but the top two buttons of her corset were undone. She smiled at him.

"Home from patrol already?"

Shunsui leaned down for a kiss. "It's too hot."

Nanao kissed him back then wrinkled her nose at him. "Go take a shower."

"Maybe if you join me."

She laughed and set her book aside. "I can agree to that."

Shunsui kissed her again. No, there was nothing that he had left behind that could ever make him regret coming west. Not when this was where his Nanao was.

Title: You've Got a Friend
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: AU
Pairing: Shunsui Kyoraku x Nanao Ise
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Nanao finds that being her friend's maid of honor perhaps brings a change in her relationship with the best man. That is if she doesn't kill him before the wedding.

You've Got a Friend

The autumn day was pleasantly warm, and their table outside the little café was perfectly placed for the pair of women to enjoy the sunshine without being blinded by it. None of that mattered at the moment. Had her former college roommate really just asked her that?

Nanao blinked. "Are you sure?"

Retsu Unohana nodded. "I know you won't let anything go wrong, and you're the best person to be at my right hand in this."

"But shouldn't someone like Isane be your maid of honor?"

The older woman waved aside Nanao's protests. "She's got enough on her plate with starting her residency. She's not going to be offended. Please, Nanao?"

"All right." Nanao reached for her cup of tea. "How far have you and Jyuushiro gotten with the wedding planning?"

Her friend laughed. "Well, we've got a location, and I have my dress. We've also picked a date as well. It won't be until the spring thanks to our schedules. It's really not going to be that large of a wedding though. Neither Jyuu nor I wanted a bunch of strangers or acquaintances there just so we had more guests. It'll just be his family, mine, and our friends. You, Isane, and Miyako are my attendants. Shunsui's going to be the best man, and Kaien and Seinosuke are the groomsmen."

"You're joking," Nanao sighed; she should have known that there would be a catch to this. As much as she admired and respected Shunsui Kyoraku, the man drove her absolutely crazy most of the time. He was in many ways her complete opposite, and he seemed to delight in irritating her. And in flirting with her. Nanao rather doubted that he was actually interested in her.

"He's Jyuushiro's best friend," Retsu offered sympathetically. "I know you two don't exactly get along, but you're not going to have to spend that much time with him. Besides, Shunsui promised to behave for the wedding."

"Don't worry about it," Nanao told her friend. "Now, what do you need me to do?"

Retsu had been one of her closest friends since they had met in college, and she and Jyuushiro made a lovely couple together. Nanao could put up Jyuushiro's best friend in order to help them have the wedding they wanted. Besides, the few times when Shunsui Kyoraku had managed not to irritate her or hit on her, they had turned out to have quite a bit in common and got along quite well. She could survive this.

Being the maid of honor had turned out to be less work than Nanao had anticipated. It helped that Retsu was pretty well organized with her wedding planning and didn't want one of those monstrous, complicated weddings. Simplicity really was in many ways the theme of the wedding. However, there was work to be done. Nanao was spending Saturday helping Retsu decided on bridesmaid dresses, and there was still the bridal shower to be planned. Given the floral theme of the wedding, a high tea seemed appropriate for the shower. It would easy enough to organize at one of the little tea shops that Retsu liked to frequent, and Nanao also had to plan the hen party, and she wasn't quite sure she had any ideas for that.

However, at the moment Nanao was preoccupied with finding both a wedding gift for Retsu and Jyuushiro as well as finding the bakery Retsu had read about in a magazine. It was supposed to be in this neighborhood, and for some reason, Nanao was having trouble finding the address she had written down in her normally well organized purse. She was supposed meet with the bakery's manager in order to set up a tasting and to get an idea about what a cake might cost for Retsu. She was busy enough searching through her purse for the piece of paper that had that address on it that she walked right into someone.

"I'm sorry." Nanao looked up.

"That's all right, sweetheart." Shunsui Kyoraku grinned down at her.

Nanao stifled the urge to rake a hand through her hair. "Hello, Mr. Kyoraku. Can I help you?"

"Well, if you know where Charm City Cakes is, that would help. Jyuu didn't exactly give great directions."

Nanao sighed. She should have expected something like this. Neither Retsu nor Jyuushiro could resist matchmaking. Why they thought it would work on the sixteenth try was beyond her.

"I have the address somewhere in my purse." She turned her attention back to sifting through the contents of her purse.

"Great. I wanted to talk to you anyway."

Nanao shot him a glance, raising an eyebrow at him. "About what?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the bachelor party."

"I see." She also rather doubted that she wanted to hear about this. At least she had found the address of the bakery. "We're looking for 4813 Carlton St. What about the bachelor party?"

The man fidgeted, making Nanao frown slightly.

"Well, you know that Jyuu's not really into the whole drinking and debauchery thing, and that it probably wouldn't be good for his health anyway, but the guys will give him a really hard time if he doesn't have one of those parties, so can you just act like you're furious at me for throwing one, and I'll just get Kaien and Seinosuke roaring drunk, and then Jyuu and I can escape to have a nice quiet private party, and no one will know better."

She didn't think he had breathed once during that sentence. Still, it was a fairly reasonable request. And it was definitely a better idea that actually having a wild bachelor party. Especially since Jyuushiro probably wouldn't enjoy one of those anyway. Nanao doubted it would be too hard for her to act irritated with the man, though admittedly, this would be far more useful than the normal shenanigans he pulled. She would never forget the time she'd had to bail him and Jyuushiro out of jail when they were both dressed in drag.

"I think I can manage that."

Shunsui beamed at her. "Perfect. Now let's find that cake."

With a gallant gesture, he offered her his arm. And while Nanao did roll her eyes at him, she also took it.

Talking on the phone and juggling multiple shopping bags was a skill Nanao had never really mastered. However, today was her only day off this week, and with the wedding only a month away, she had plenty to do. According to her mental checklist, Nanao still had to pick up the shoes that were being dyed to match the bridesmaids' dresses, drop off a check at the florist, collect the order of custom bottles of bubbles for the reception, and see if she could find earrings that went with the bridesmaids' dresses. And she also needed to eat lunch at some point.

"Don't worry, Ayame. I'll be back at work tomorrow. I'm sure you can handle the after school story time today." Nanao shifted, trying to get the cell phone tucked between her ear and her shoulder in a more comfortable position. "No, you don't need to get anything ready for my toddler story time tomorrow. The picture books for the main display are all on my desk. You don't need to work on the display unless you have a lot of free time on your hands. Look, Ayame, I really have to go now. Yes, I remember there's a staff meeting tomorrow morning. No-"

Nanao stumbled over the curb and nearly crashed into one of the other pedestrians.

"I'm sorry-"

She froze when she looked up. Nanao had been studiously avoiding Kaname Tousen since he had nearly destroyed her life. He had been a T.A. when she was doing her Masters of Library Science, and over the course of a term the man had proceed to gain her trust and steal her research for her thesis. Nanao hadn't known what was going on until she had been called up in front an academic board to be accused of plagiarism. Things had gotten sorted out in the end, but it had taken nearly two terms, and Nanao had been academic probation for both of them, and the whole situation had given her an undeserved reputation that had followed her until she had graduated. And Tousen had been long gone by then. But the damage he'd done to her had lasted far beyond his absence from her life.

"Well, if it isn't little miss library student. Did you ever manage to get your degree or did they throw you out finally?"

Nanao found that she didn't know how to respond. She had never expected to see Tousen again, and she found her tongue was as frozen as the rest of her. She didn't know what she wanted to say. If she wanted to yell at him or just ignore him or flaunt her success in his face. Mostly, she had tried not to think about him and move on with her life. And now here he was standing in front of her.

"Nanao-chan! There you are."

For the first time, Kyoraku's use of that nickname didn't immediately annoy her. Before she knew what was going on Shunsui had relieved her of the bulk of her bags, slipping an arm around her waist. Nanao shook herself free of her frozen state. She had no idea what he was doing here, but she wasn't going to complain.

"Shunsui?"

He grinned at her, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Retsu sent me to help with your errands. She suggested I could carry things. How about we get lunch first?"

She nodded. Any excuse to get away from Tousen was appreciated. And with a sudden flash of insight, Nanao knew how she was going to deal with the man. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of bothering her.

"That was next on my list."

She glanced at Tousen as Shunsui led her away; she couldn't say it was nice seeing him again, but seeing him again hadn't turned her into a hysterical crying mess or really done anything except give her a momentary shock. He didn't have power over her anymore. She had moved on with her life, and Tousen really wasn't anything except a regrettable footnote.

"Are you all right, Nanao?" Shunsui asked her as soon as they were out of earshot, his tone worried.

"I am." She let out a deep breath. It surprised her, but it was true. After those first few moments of horror and panic, she found she really was. Though she still appreciated the rescue. "Lunch?"

He gave her a long look then gave her a rueful smile. "All right. I'm stuck carrying your bags all afternoon, aren't I?"

Nanao just smiled.

There were days when her friends completely baffled her. Today was definitely one of them. Nanao was perched on the sidelines watching as Retsu and Jyuushiro listened to their instructor. Beside her, Shunsui shook his head.

"So, tell me again why they're doing this?"

"Retsu and Jyuushiro wanted to be able to dance a waltz at their wedding."

"Is there a reason they didn't pick a sane dance teacher?"

Nanao shrugged. "I think she's the cousin of someone at the hospital that Retsu didn't want to offend."

"I see. And we're here why?"

"Moral support and entertainment value," she answered promptly.

Nanao caught his eyes, and suddenly they were both holding back laughter. The dance instructor glanced over at them, and Nanao tried to keep her face blank. The woman appeared to be a nightmare to work with. In fact, Nanao would say that Retsu and Jyuushiro had gotten worse at dancing in the space of the last thirty minutes. Of course, the only reason that Nanao and Shunsui were stuck out there with their friends was the fact that both of them already knew how to ballroom dance. Shunsui blamed being from a society family, Nanao would admit it had been the only part of P.E. class that she had liked. So instead of suffering through Madame Rochefort's instruction, they got to watch.

It was rather amusing, though Nanao was sure that it was also frustrating for the happy couple. Still, it wasn't like the situation was unsalvageable. Nanao was fairly certain that even if Made Rochefort could not teach the pair to dance, she and Shunsui could probably do so. Or find someone competent to do the job.

"So, what do you say? If that by the end of this, neither of them can dance any better, you'll go out to dinner with me?" Shunsui grinned at her.

"I don't take sucker bets."

"Oh, Nanao-chan, you're always ruining my fun. How about I-"

Madame Rochefort cleared her throat interrupting them. Hands on her hips, the woman looked rather put out with the two of them.

"If you two are not going to do anything helpful, you can at least be quiet. My students don't need any distractions from learning the art of dancing."

Nanao refrained from commenting that right now it looked like rather bad modern art. The woman just continued.

"I rather doubt that either of you even care about such art let alone have the ability to perform it, but others do, and they do not need uneducated fools interrupting their lesson."

Shunsui arched an eyebrow at the woman before turning to Nanao. "I believe that was a challenge, precious."

The next thing Nanao knew Shunsui had replaced Madame Rochefort's ipod with his own and was holding out a hand to her. Nanao took it, and as the music began, she followed Shunsui into the steps of the waltz. Dancing came as naturally as breathing to Nanao, and Shunsui was an excellent partner. And the look on Madame Rochefort's face was definitely worth it.

Nanao could admit that she was hiding. The rehearsal dinner was in full swing, and she was avoiding returning to the table. For some reason, Isane, Miyako, and Rangiku (the musical soloist for the wedding) had decided that teasing Nanao was a great way to spend the evening. So Nanao had taken any excuse she could come up with in order to get a break. Her current one was making sure that the flowers for the reception tables (which had arrived that afternoon) were put away properly.

It was much more peaceful in the kitchen of the hall where the reception would be held. Nanao leaned against one of the counters and sighed. She should have snagged one of the cartons of Chinese food and brought it with her when she made her escape. At least then she would manage to get part of her meal in peace. It was a rather informal dinner, even if it was being held at the same hall as the reception. What it had amounted to was one very large order of take out Chinese. She smoothed the folds of her rose colored dress. Shunsui had teased her when she arrived about wearing his favorite color. And Nanao had to admit that she had thought of him when she'd pulled it out of the closet.

The man had proved to be more help with the wedding than Nanao had expected. He had also toned down his teasing quite a bit. Of he still teased her, but he also seemed to exactly when to back off now as well. And it was nice that not every single conversation they had now consisted of him flirting with her and her scolding him. Of course, Retsu and Jyuushiro still seemed to be throwing the two of them together whenever possible. The wonders of matchmaking friends never ceased to amaze Nanao. It was like they thought that if they stuck the two of them together enough, something would happen. Then again, both the bride and groom were hopeless romantics.

"Nanao-chan?" Shunsui appeared in the doorway. "So this is where you're hiding. Retsu was beginning to worry about you. You're missing dinner. At this rate, there won't be much left for you to eat."

She shrugged. "There are a few more things that I need to get done."

And she didn't think going back out there would lead to anything besides her own embarrassment.

The man rolled his eyes at her answer. "Why am I not surprised? You always have 'a few more things to get done', Nanao. That's why I brought you this."

He held out a carton and a pair of chopsticks. Nanao blinked as she took it, a little surprised to that it was full of fried wantons with sweet and sour sauce. They were her favorite, though she wasn't sure if Shunsui had known that.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, precious. Rangiku and Miyako have turned on Isane at this point though I can't guarantee that they'll leave you alone if you come back."

She nibbled at a wanton. "Well, that's an incentive to rejoin the party."

He laughed and stole a wanton out of the box. "True enough. But you should come back anyway. We started recounting the saga of Retsu and Jyuu, and you need to be there to tell the part about the proposal of doom."

Nanao smiled; she had been the only witness to the time when Retsu had been proposed to by someone else and in front of Jyuushiro. It had not gone well. For anyone.

Shunsui offered her his arm. "Come on. I'll even tell the story about the lengths Jyuu went to in order to get Retsu's phone number the first time."

Nanao laughed and took his arm.

Nanao took a deep breath and tried to relax. Everything was running smoothly so far. Miyako was putting the finishing touches on Retsu's hair while Isane wrangled the flower girl and the ring bearer. Nanao just needed to make sure that the guys were ready. The wedding was supposed to start in about fifteen minutes. She only hoped that the rest of the wedding would go as smoothly. Nanao wasn't sure why she was so paranoid about something going wrong, but the feeling that something was going to happen kept niggling at the back of her mind.

She slipped into the room designated for the groom and his attendants, and found the place in rather controlled chaos. The guys were all dressed, but it seemed like at least half of them were fighting with their ties. Kaien was fine, but then Miyako had probably done his for him, and Jyuushiro never had any trouble with this sort of thing. With a sigh and a shake of her head, Nanao headed over to Seinosuke to fix his tie. Then she turned to Shunsui. She raised an eyebrow at his pale pink tie. Unlike the rest of the men, it didn't match the pale blue of the bridesmaid dresses.

"What?" He asked. "Do you think that Jyuu would be so cruel as to make me forgo my trademark color?"

Nanao just shook her head as she tied his tie. "Do you still have the rings?

Shunsui patted his pocket. "The rings are safe with me."

"I need Jyuushiro's."

He grinned at her. "I don't think it will fit you, sweetheart."

She just glared at him, and Shunsui produced the thick gold band from his breast pocket. Nanao slipped it onto her thumb (it was the finger the ring would fit on) and gave Shunsui a serious look.

"You all need to be in place in ten minutes. Do you think you can manage that?"

"Not to fret, Nanao-chan. Jyuu will be there."

The wedding itself went perfectly. Retsu was a vision in her silver-grey gown with her dark curls and the blue and purple of the hydrangeas in her hair and her bouquet. The ceremony was simple and elegant like the couple it was for. Nanao had a brief moment of panic when it felt like the ring was stuck on her thumb, but it came off easily a moment later, and she handed it over to the bride. Shunsui had winked at her when he handed Jyuushiro the ring for Retsu.

Before long they were processing down the aisle, and it was off to the hall next door for the reception. Nanao's maid of honor speech went off without a hitch, even if it wasn't as funny as Shunsui's. Retsu and Jyuushiro made a lovely picture out on the dance floor. Once their first dance was finished, the dance floor quickly filled up. Nanao was content to sit and watch for the most part, but Shunsui demanded that she dance with him at least once. Nanao couldn't say that she minded. Then it was time to cut the cake and prepare for the final two events of the reception: the bouquet toss and the garter toss.

Nanao helped round up the women for the bouquet toss and then hung back, keeping at the edge of the group. She wasn't really paying attention to what was going on, making a mental list of the duties she still had left this evening. She caught what was tossed at her instinctively, and then Nanao bothered to look at what it was.

Her arms were full of hydrangeas. The bouquet had landed right in her hands. Nanao let Isane lead her to the chair set up for the catcher of the bouquet as the garter toss began. She was still in shock when the garter practically hit Shunsui in the face. Retsu and Jyuushiro shared conspiratorial smiles. Shunsui twirled the garter around his finger. Nanao just wrinkled her nose at him. He grinned at her then kissed her nose before kneeling down in front of her chair. Shunsui slid the garter up her slender leg. Nanao knew she had to be blushing furiously.

"I guess we're next, Nanao-chan. I knew I'd convince you to marry me eventually."

She couldn't help it. She hit him with the bouquet, unaware of the camera going off at that moment. The scene was immortalized in the wedding pictures. A year and a half later, they used it on their engagement announcement.

Title: No Reservations
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: This was inspired by Celulind's artwork "It's Hers".
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Summery: Shunsui has to clear up a few of Nanao's misconceptions after Lisa returns to the Seireitei.

No Reservations

His Nanao-chan was the stubbornest woman he knew. Shunsui sighed as he looked at his desk. Nanao's lieutenant badge was sitting in the middle of the desk, its tie neatly folded. Why wouldn't she listen to him? This was not the first time that Nanao had tried to turn in her badge of office since Lisa had returned to the Seireitei. Shunsui had been very clear about his opinion on the subject. He closed his eyes, remembering the scene.

She had stood there in front of him holding out her badge of office. "Take it."

He'd held his hands up, unwilling to even think about it. "Nanao-chan."

"She'll be wanting it back," Nanao had insisted.

Shunsui winced at her flat voice.

"Nanao-"

"Take it!" She insisted.

"I gave it to you for a reason, Nanao, and it wasn't because you'd give it back freely."

Shunsui had refused to accept the badge back then, and he wasn't about to accept it now. But it looked like he needed to make some things very clear to his lovely Nanao-chan. But first he would have to find her. Apparently, since she knew he wouldn't accept her resignation in person, she had left the badge for him and disappeared.

It took him the better part of an hour to find her. For all that he knew Nanao quite well, she was surprisingly hard to find today. When he did finally find her, she was perched on a rock in the Sixth Division's formal gardens. Shunsui frowned slightly, trying to figure out how best to approach this. He needed Nanao to really listen to him this time. Deciding on a course of action, Shunsui flash stepped forward, scooped Nanao up in his arms, and flash off again.

He finally settled on the roof of his private quarters, Nanao in his lap, trapped where he could make sure she looked him in the eye.

"Have I ever lied to you, Nanao?"

Eyes wide, she shook her head.

"Remember that. I need you to listen to me." He freed one hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Looking directly into her indigo eyes, he tried to find the right words. "You are not a replacement. You never were. Yes, you did take over the same job that Lisa had. That is because you were the best qualified for the position and the best fit to work with me. I had two lieutenants in between you and Lisa. Neither lasted long if you remember. You earned you position, and I will not replace you. I can't replace you. Lisa is my friend, and I have blamed myself for years for her death. I'm glad she is alive. But she cannot replace you either in the Eighth Division or in my life. You are my Nanao-chan. Nothing will ever change that."

He held her gaze, willing her to believe him. Shunsui understood her vulnerability. The Eighth had been Nanao's only real home for years, and now her place there felt threatened. But it was being threatened by someone she loved and respected. And he knew that Nanao had always harbored the suspicion that she was simply Lisa's replacement and nothing more. Of course she wasn't. Nanao and Lisa were different people, and while Shunsui loved both of them, it was in rather different ways. The thing was Nanao couldn't be replaced in his eyes, no matter what she thought, and she was the best choice for the Lieutenant of the Eighth Division at the moment. And he wouldn't let her suffer or lose her because of her misconceptions of her own importance.

Nanao stared back, unblinking. But whatever she was looking for, she seemed to find it.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

Shunsui nodded. "Yes, Nanao."

"All right."

With a smile, Shunsui pulled the badge from his pocket and tied it back around her arm. He kissed Nanao's forehead. She was his Nanao-chan, and he didn't know what he would do without her.

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Jan. 22nd, 2012

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