"And then I grabbed Ukitake and jumped bravely off the cliff. Yama-jii was the most powerful shinigami in the world, and we were already fighting against immense odds. I didn't want anyone else getting hurt.
"We went a long way. I remember the wind whipping through my hair as we ran," he said.
"How fast were you going, Dad?" Shuuichi asked.
Shunsui scratched his head. "I'm not sure, but it was fast enough to get all the way out to the abandoned part of Seireitei in a matter of minutes."
"Probably well over a hundred kilometers per hour," Nanao said. "Your father can move very quickly when he actually wants to."
"Of course," Kaito said complacently, "Dad's the best."
"What happened then?" Hana asked, trying to be polite, but still eager to know what happened next.
"Well, Ukitake and I landed far out in Seireitei—a dusty abandoned place with empty buildings everywhere. Yama-jii was already there, waiting for us," he brought his voice down to an ominous whisper, as Shuuichi and Kaito leaned in excitedly, and Hana bit her lip nervously.
"And that," Nanao said, "Is where we're going to leave it for tonight."
There was a chorus of 'Aw, Mom,' but Nanao shook her head firmly.
"It's already well past your bedtimes—especially yours, Hana," she said. "Your father can pick up the story tomorrow. Besides, you all know that he and Ukitake were fine."
They glanced towards Shunsui, hoping he'd plead on their behalf, but he grinned at them and at Nanao. "You heard what your mother said. Go get your teeth brushed and head for bed," he said.
They reluctantly got up and headed towards the bathroom. Nanao took Hana's hand to help her get into her nightgown and brush her teeth—she wasn't old enough to do it by herself. Shunsui went to the boy's room and tidied up. Nanao didn't like having the children go to bed in a dirty room. She seemed to think it was bad for their character. He would point out that his room was rarely neat when he was a boy, but she'd probably say that was her point.
Smiling to himself, he picked up blocks and toy shinigami and hollows and put them in a box. He returned their toy zanpakuto to their place on the shelf and lit the night light. By the time he was finished, the boys had come in and were changing into their pajamas. Hana was standing in the door, too, expecting their nightly fun. "What are you all looking at?" he said innocently.
"Daddy," Hana said in a mock-patient voice. "You know why!"
"We want you to play hollow!" Shuuichi said. Kaito nodded, looking half-embarrassed to be playing a 'little kid's game,' but unwilling to give up the fun.
"Oh, all right," Shunsui said, pretending to be reluctant (as if he wouldn't be devastated if the children didn't want to play it anymore), "We can play, but just once."
"Yay!" they all chorused, jumping into their beds.
Shunsui left the room and closed the door behind them, counting to five, before turning around and stomping his feet, and fake-growling. "Rawr! I'm a hungry hollow, and I want some children to eat!" he said through the door.
Delighted squeals and giggles came through in response. "I wonder if there are any to eat here." he said. He stomped to the door and pulled it open. The children were all giggling madly under the covers as they hid from the 'hollow.'
"Hm..." Shunsui said. "I can smell them. Maybe they're over here!" he said as he pulled the blanket off Shuuichi. "Or here!" He pulled the blanket off Kaito. "Or maybe here!" He pulled the blanket off Hana. "I found you!" he said.
"Get him!" Kaito yelled, and all three children jumped on him. Shunsui carefully 'fell' to the floor, tickling them by turns as they all laughed like crazy. Finally, he collapsed on the ground, closing his eyes and pretending to be 'dead.' The three children sat on him.
"Do you give up, Hollow?" Kaito demanded.
"I don't know. Should I give up, Nanao-chan?" he asked, cracking an eye open.
"I think it'd be wise," she said, a smile dancing around her face as she stood in the doorway. "They seem to have you surrounded."
"All right," Shunsui said, "I give up."
"Yay!" they all said, and danced around a little before climbing into bed.
Nanao tidied up the beds (which had gotten kind of messed up while they were horsing around) and tucked the Shuuichi, Kaito, and Hana into bed with a soft kiss. Shunsui turned down the lights and gave all three children a much less soft and much more scratchy kiss—he always had a stubble going by evening, no matter what he (or Nanao) did.
"Good night, Shuuichi. Good night, Kaito. Good night, Hana," he said as he kissed them good night.
"Goodnight, Dad," Shuuichi and Kaito said. "Goodnight, Mom."
"Goodnight, Daddy," Hana said. "Goodnight, Mommy."
"Sweet dreams," Shunsui said, as he and Nanao left the children's room, hand in hand.