beautiful happiness
Most people weren't suspicious. Nanao planned to keep it that way; better she saw her lover in secret, even if she hadn't been a criminal under a heavy death sentence.
Shunsui, of course, was well aware of the reasons Nanao was constantly not around. Why she tended to keep to herself, and why she was not even remotely as well-known as most of the other lieutenants.
In fact, he had accompanied her on numerous trips to that forbidding warehouse in the human world. She had politely accepted his companionship, though he understood her annoyance. She wanted to be alone with the one that gave her purpose.
And often enough she was. Now, today, Shunsui lay in his usual spot on the roof, hat lying on his face. Ukitake was lying next to him, white hair splayed and eyes closed against the oppressive sunlight. Sometimes Nanao would join them, coming to the roof with a stack of paperwork just to keep them company for a bit.
Yesterday Shunsui had signed the papers for a three-day release to the human world. It was common enough that nobody seemed to mind much anymore when Nanao left the division, small bag packed and swinging from her shoulders, a premature blush barely concealed on her pale cheeks.
Aloneness here wasn't true aloneness; he had Ukitake, after all. But still he missed Nanao's presence, the fresh-linen-scent she left where she sat, the comforting reiatsu that was so familiar.
She was with someone she loved. Someone he loved, though not in the same way. So he was all right with that.
And yet, days like this, in the summer heat, he missed Nanao almost as much as he had missed her lover the first few years after the incident.
His thoughts went out to them. Nanao, his fingers traced the name in the air. They began a new name. Lisa.
Ukitake noticed this and let his arms tighten a little around Shunsui's waist. He heard the slight rush of breath from his friend and lover, and he nestled his head in the space between his arm and torso. Intent on distraction.
-o-o-o-
It was ordinary now for Shinji to open the warehouse door and see a beautiful young woman there, with pale skin and dark hair put up into three careful spikes, smiling dark eyes behind sensible square glasses and a hopeful expression.
"Hello, Nanao," Shinji said. He reached out to take her bag, but she politely declined and stepped inside without a word.
Nanao surveyed the warehouse. No different from it always was. The four different levels with a few living areas on each platform, the miscellaneous furniture scattered about the floor. She remembered going out with the group, into dumps, finding the least disgusting furniture and bringing it back to clean up and use.
Her eyes scanned the top level. There, there she was. Her mouth curved into a satisfied smile, before it opened and she called, "Lisa!"
The dark-haired woman looked up at once, eyes marked by red glasses lighting up, and she jumped down from her high position, landing on the floor with an audible thump. "Nanao!"
Nanao felt the familiar warmth of Lisa's arms encircle her, and she let out breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Hey."
"Hey, baby," Lisa said, holding Nanao at arm's length. "How long are you here for?"
"I managed three days, does that sound all right?" Nanao said, leaping up in the air to Lisa's little living area, relaxing into her comfort zone.
"Three days!" Lisa grinned. "You're amazing as usual, baby."
"Can you cut the mushy crap?" Kensei yelled from across the level he shared with Lisa. "Mashiro and I are trying to have a serious conversation."
"Oh, fuck off, mister grumpy pants," Lisa said teasingly. "We all know what your serious conversations are about and they're not that different from mine and Nana's."
"Mmf," was all Kensei said, before he became involved in something else he found more important than arguing hypocritcally.
"C'mon, settle in," Lisa said, wrapping her arms around Nanao, just below her breasts.
"I am completely unable to focus when you're doing that," Nanao informed her.
"Oops." Lisa withdrew her arms. "Put your crap down and then we can talk."
Nanao obeyed readily and lay down in Lisa's bed, pulling the blankets over her and reaching for Lisa. The other woman reacted, scooting closer and running her hands over Nanao's side. An ecstatic shiver ran along Nanao's skin where Lisa's fingers had smoothed the fabric.
"What's new?" Lisa asked in a quiet voice, as if anything louder would disturb the atmosphere. And it probably would.
"Shunsui asked me to bring you a few new books, and I brought the new edition of the SWA magazine," Nanao said. "They're in my bag. But you can wait for presents, can't you?"
"Of course," Lisa whispered. She drew closer, pressing her lips against Nanao's neck. "As long as we need to get caught up, baby."
-o-o-o-
There was some faint guilt in the back of Lisa's mind that somehow she had spoiled the virgin innocence of her Nanao. But it was faint. She loved Nanao too much for it to be heard very clearly.
After she'd been forced to leave there hadn't been much correspondence at all. Not until a year or two in had Yoruichi offered to send messages between her old family and her new one. She was the only one with any lasting connections; therefore the subject hadn't really come up before then.
Messages were exchanged. And then one day Shunsui and Nanao showed up at the door. Nanao had still been fairly small then, at least one hundred but only looking about ten. Still, her emotional maturity was simply amazing.
But then, she'd been born in a bad part of Rukongai. It was no surprise that she'd grown to be such a responsible girl. Even so young she was probably going to be the new lieutenant.
For years she came. Sometimes with Shunsui, sometimes not. And slowly she developed into an independent young woman. Somewhere along the one hundred thirty mark she hit puberty, somewhere along the one hundred fifty she told Lisa that she loved her.
It wasn't pedophilia, really. Sure, Lisa was much older, but Nanao was old enough to take care of herself. She had chosen this relationship, and Lisa had agreed. There was nothing wrong with the fact that Lisa was the only person Nanao had ever really been with.
Sure, Nanao had dated others. But none like Lisa.
Lisa thought of this as hands roamed her bare back, as her own hands roamed another bare back. The warehouse was dark. If they kept quiet, they were free to do as they liked. They just couldn't disturb anyone.
There wasn't anything in the world that could keep them apart. And Lisa planned to keep it that way.
-o-o-o-
When Nanao returned she didn't say anything about it. But she had a permanent smile on her face for the next several weeks. So Shunsui took that as a good sign.
She would leave every month and come back happy. Shunsui didn't argue.
If they were happy, that was okay - he could deal with the paperwork for once.
A/N: this may be the last happy thing I'll feel up to doing for a while...I don't know, we'll see how it goes, but brace yourself for some kinda hardcore angst in case it comes up. Reviews are loved.