Author's Note: I'm usually a reader and not very often a writer, but I have had this bit of fluff stuck in my head for a while now. Shunsui and Nanao are one of my favorite Bleach pairings but there are just not very many fic's dedicated to them. I figured the only way I would change this is to do my part and write something dedicated to two of my favorite characters. I apologize in advance if any characters seem ocd, sorry ooc. I hope you enjoy it.
"Captain Kyouraku, I left a few forms on your desk that need your signature," Nanao Ise informed her superior as she gathered the rest of her cleaning supplies.
When she didn't get a reply she closed the door to the cleaning supplies cabinet with more force than needed, but it did have the desired effect as she heard her captain wake. "Yare, Yare. Nanao-chan. Why did you have to slam the cabinet like that. I had just begun to have this wonderful dream and I was looking forward to the ending."
Deciding she would try one more time before just giving up completely she replied, "Captain Kyouraku, I left a few forms on your desk that need your signature." Having delivered her missive she gathered up her cleaning supplies and put them in the box with her duster. With her other hand she opened the door and grabbed the broom before she walked out of the office.
By the time she had walked the few steps to the storage closet she turned around just in time to see her captain stop just in front of her, his pink haori flowing out behind him and swishing when he came to an abrupt halt.
"Nanao-chan what are you doing? It's the weekend. You have the weekends off remember. When you agreed to come in on your day off I agreed on the basis that all the paperwork has a deadline, but it is silly for you to come in on your day off to clean the storage closet. You can delegate that job to a member of the squad that is unseated. It isn't a job that you have to do my beautiful Nanao-chan."
Nanao after having been with her captain for more than a few decades knew the discussion that was coming replied, "Captain I know that I can delegate this job to another member of the squad, but how can I expect someone else to do a job that I myself is unwilling to do. Not to mention that every time I have this particular job down on someone's schedule, something always happens and they don't get to it. Captain it will only take me a few hours and then I will be able to have the rest of the day off. Providing of course that the forms I left on the desk will have your signature on them by the time that I am done."
Shunsui who picks his battle's with his lovely Nanao-chan very carefully decided it would be in his best interest to give in. "Yare, Yare. Nanao-chan. I relent. But next Friday you are going to take half the day off."
Realizing that this was probably the best offer she was likely to get she agreed and opened the door to the storage room. Nanao couldn't help the expression of disgust that crossed her face as she glared at the huge pile of boxes that were stacked haphazardly everywhere in the space. There was also pieces of junk placed on any available surface. She also discovered what had happened to the decorations for the last five parties that the eight squad and had. As she turned back to her captain she saw a small smirk on her captain's face.
He was just about the remind her that she didn't have to do the particular job when she just sighed and started to wade through the mess. Realizing that this job was something his ever efficient vice-captain was intent on finishing, he pouted and said, "I'll just be in the office signing those papers then." With that said he turned around and headed back to the office and his half full bottle of sake.
For a few moments Nanao just stood in the middle of the small room and stared at the complete disaster that had become the storage room. Thinking to herself she decided, "I am just going to have to relocate all of these boxes and go through them." Having decided on a plan of action she began clearing out the boxes and taking them to the unused Vice-Captain's office. Unused because she did all the paperwork and everyone knew it so she had learned very early on that she might as well just use the Captain's office as her captain rarely used the desk in the office anyway.
As she returned to the storage room after depositing the third box in the office she was going for the fourth box when she thought she heard a noise in the back of the room. Not being sure what had found it's way into the eighth squad storage room she stood still and waited to hear it again. She waited for a few minutes and then felt silly when she didn't hear it again. Nanao chuckled quietly at her unfounded speculations and continued to clear out the boxes.
Nanao had cleared out about half the room when she heard the noise again. It was again coming from the back of the room. Deciding that maybe she wasn't silly after all she made her way to the back of the room while navigating over and around the remaining boxes and piles of junk. As she got closer she heard the noise again. It sounded like a high pitched whining noise. As she came closer and closer to the source of the noise she accidentally tripped over a sake bottle someone had left on the floor and grabbed onto one of the shelving units trying to regain her balance. This caused her to yelp in surprise, and inadvertently caused a box to fall of the top shelf. As soon as the box crashed to the floor something shot out from under the shelving unit to her left and under the shelving unit on the opposite side of the room.
Hearing his wonderful Nanao-chan's distress. Shunsui shunpoed to the storage room wondering what could have happened in the storage room of all places. Having gotten there in just a few seconds he saw his Nanao-chan sitting on the floor facing one of the shelving units looking flustered.
Still not knowing what was going on he asked, "Nanao-chan, are you o.k.? Are your hurt?"
She looked up at him, shook her head, and replied, "No, I am not hurt."
Now that Shunsui knew that his Vice-Captain wasn't hurt he wanted to know what had happened to make her so flustered. "Nanao-chan what happened?"
"Captain Kyouraku, there is something in here," she replied while still staring at the shelving unit.
This didn't seem like distressing news to Shunsui seeing how it was a storage room. There were lots of things in here. Thinking that he still didn't have the full story he tried again, "Nanao-chan, there is a lot of junk in here but that doesn't usually distress you."
Having heard this, Nanao realized that her captain still didn't understand so she tried to clarify the situation, "Captain Kyouraku, there is something in here and it is alive. I tripped and knocked a box off and something ran under this shelving unit. It startled me."
Finally beginning to get to whole picture Shunsui came farther into the room and right up to the shelving unit. He knelt down and looked under it, and saw a small dark gray furry ball huddled in the far corner. Whispering assurances to the small fur ball he reached back into the corner.
When his hand reappeared Nanao could see a small fur ball and to tiny pointed ears. Shunsui began to chuckle as the small kitten started to purr. Nanao shook her head and smiled at the fact that she had been startled by the small orange and white kitten. With his other hand Shunsui helped Nanao to her feet, but when she tried to put her wait on her right foot she stumbled. Realizing that all was not well, Shunsui wrapped his arm around his vice-captain so she wouldn't fall back down.
"Yare. Yare. Nanao-chan. It appears that you are not o.k. at all."
"Sir. I will be fine it is just a small sprain and it will be fine as soon as I put some ice on it."
Noticing her blush of embracement he relented and left her to lean on him. Captain Kyouraku having had a great idea, handed his small, furry, bundle to his vice-captain.
With a small bit of confusion, she took the kitten in her free hand, wondering what her Captain was up to. Nanao was not left to puzzle over this turn of events very long. It was just a few seconds before she felt her weight being lifted off her feet, and it appears to her utter embarrassment, into her captain's arms.
"Sir. What are you doing?"
"Nanao-chan. I couldn't carry both you and the kitten at the same time. So this was a great compromise."
"But sir. You don't need to carry me at all."
"Now. Now. My lovely Nanao. You are not going to walk to the office on your own on a sprained ankle. I think it is time to take a break."
Hearing the lack of the usual suffix on her name Nanao knew she was just going to have to give in. This appeared to be one of is few serious moments. Nanao knew that at this rate she was not going to get very much more work done on the storage room, she replied, " Yes sir. I think that a break is in order."
Since Nanao had readily agreed to a break they made their way back down to the office. Nanao still holding the still purring kitten. When they reached the office Shunsui sat Nanao down on the small couch and put a pillow on under her foot. Since she still had the tiny kitten in her arms she began petting the little ball of fur and she smiled at how the purr got louder. She also couldn't help but wonder how the little guy had gotten stuck in the storage room, and how long he had been in there. Nanao paused in her speculation as her Captain began to speak.
"Nanao-chan. I am going to get you some ice for your ankle. I will also try to find something for this little guy to eat. There is no telling how long he was in that storage room. He must be hungry. Don't move until I come back."
"Captain. There is no need for you to trouble yourself. I will be fine in a little bit."
"Ah, but Nanao-chan. I will feel better much faster if it doesn't swell and to stop that from happening we need to put some ice on it. Plus I would be there any was to get some food for tumbles."
"Tumbles? Sir."
"Yes Nanao-chan. All little kittens have to have a name," Captain Kyouraku replied as if it was obvious.
"Sir, we can't keep him. It is against the rules for any squad to house any wildlife or pets. We will have to find him a home."
"My wonderful Nanao-chan. We will discuss this after I have gotten you some ice for your injury," with those parting words Captain Kyouraku left in search of ice and food.
Sitting there with the small cat snuggling closer into her arms Nanao continued to pet it while waiting for her captain to return. She was thinking that her captain was a great lover of nature and wildlife. He was no doubt going to want to keep the diminutive fur ball. That was against the rules however, and she was just going to have to continue to remind him of that.
She continued to look at the small kitten that was purring louder than she had thought possible given it's size she couldn't help thinking, " It is so adorable and sweet tempered. I wish that we didn't have to turn you out but rules are rules.
Nanao continued to sit there with her foot elevated on the pillow and petting the kitten and it was only about ten minutes latter that her Captain returned carrying a handful of ice wrapped in a towel and a bowl of milk.
"Nanao-chan I have brought some ice to make your ankle feel better."
Having announced his return he placed the ice on her ankle very carefully lest her cause her pain, and lay the bowl of milk on the floor beside the couch. Picking the kitten up out of Nanao's lap he sat it on the floor so it could have it's meal.
After sitting in companionable silence watching the kitten eat, Shunsui noticed that Nanao was shivering.
"Nanao-chan are you cold?"
Not wanting to inconvenience her captain any more on his day off she replied, "No Captain, I'm fine."
Realizing that Nanao was uncomfortable at appearing weak in front of him, he let the subject drop."
After lapping up most of the milk the orange ball of fluff jumped back on the couch and into Nanao's lap once again. After her initial shock and finding the cat chose her over her fun loving captain, she began to pet it again.
Nanao was starting to get drowsy due to the chill of the ice and the late night she had had the night before, and she snuggled closer to her new friend.
Seeing this, Shunsui stood and stretched. When he saw that he had drawn his vice-captain's attention he said, "I'll just go get something to make him up a bed."
Knowing she was fighting a losing battle with her commanding officer Nanao said, while trying to be stern with her big hearted captain, "Sir. We can't keep him in the office. It is against section 4."
Smiling as if the information didn't bother him in the least, Shunsui continued, "Beautiful Nanao-chan. One night is not going to hurt. Besides he has nowhere to go and he has been stuck in our storage room for who knows how long."
When Shunsui saw the indecision on her face he knew he had won this particular battle. When he heard her agree he smiled, nodded and headed for the door. When he had reached it he looked back at her and assured her, "I will return shortly with some bedding. Don't do anything strenuous before I return." With that being said he continued out the door.
Nanao continued to snuggle with what appeared to be her Captain's newest attempt at getting away with not doing work. She couldn't help but notice that it was by far is cutest yet. She continued to lay there as she listed to the little kitten purr. She decided that it was a very calming sound, and just let her mind wander.
When Shunsui found a blanket suitable for what he needed he headed back to the office and his waiting vice-captain. Upon his return Shunsui found his vice-captain curled up in a ball around the small bundle of purring fur and fast asleep.
Chuckling to himself at the sight of them, he covered them both with the blanket he had retrieved. Before moving into the unused vice-captain's office to complete the rest of the paperwork so his lovely Nanao-chan wouldn't have to do it when she woke on her day off, he bent down toward the surprise they had found in the storage room and whispered, "You just might be the youngest member of our squad yet, Mr. Tumbles."
Still chuckling softly to himself Shunsui left the room with his paperwork in hand.
Author's Note: Comments are most welcome and appreciated. Please read and rate.