Shunsui Kyoraku, Taicho of the 8th squad in the Seretei, always knew that his Nanao-chan was a literate woman. Somebody who loved to read and always carried that heavy tome around with her. So he was surprised when he sensed her reiatsu down by the river instead of in her quarters, snug where she would normally be. He wound his way around the trees as his shunpo carried him towards her. The river lay deep in the woods and he was once again surprised that his Nanao-chan would bother herself by coming this far. He soon reached the river. He saw Nanao sitting by the riverside, legs pulled up against her chest and arms wrapped around them, her chin resting on her knees. He noticed that she was wearing a lavender yukata instead of her lieutenant's He had made sure that he had hidden his reiatsu and wondered why Nanao hadn't. He took a careful step out from behind the sakura tree he had been using as coverage. But quickly stepped back when she spoke.
"Ay me." It came in a soft whisper. He wondered where he'd heard that line before. She spoke again.
"O
Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse
thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll
no longer be a Capulet."
He then realized where he had heard them. Romeo and Juliet.
'Ah. My Nanao-chan is truly a genius.' He thought to himself. He sat quietly, making sure not to break any branches, otherwise alerting her to his presence.
"'Tis but thy name
that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's
Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any
other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in
a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as
sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that
dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy
name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all
myself."
Shunsui was entranced by her. The moonlight reflected off of the water in front of her, giving it crystal like appearance. Her violet eyes shone as if lit by an internal fire. Her beauty shone and he was more enamored with her than ever. He rested his cheek on his fist before he decided that he had hidden long enough.
"I take thee at thy
word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth I
never will be Romeo."
Nanao jumped and whirled around. She unknowingly used the next lines of Romeo and Juliet. Asking who had disrupted her peace.
"What man art thou
that thus bescreen'd in night
so stumblest on my counsel?!" She
gasped when her Taicho stepped into the moonlight, his pink haori
a comforting sight.
"I never knew that you like Shakespeare Nanao-chan." He said with his usual grin. She blushed and looked away. He joined her at the riverbank. Well…he sat behind her. Sliding his legs outside of her's, trapping her body under his. Wrapping his arms around her. Her cheeks grew warmer but let it be for the moment. After an akward silence, Shunsui said;
"By a name
I know not how to tell
thee who I am:
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
Because
it is an enemy to thee;
Had I it written, I would tear the word."
He felt her jerk and smiled at her surprise.
"You're not the only literate one Nanao-chan. I just prefer spending my time napping and drinking my sake." He said with another grin. She looked away and after a moment she whispered another line.
"My ears have not yet
drunk a hundred words
Of that tongue's utterance, yet I know the
sound:
Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?" Without hesitation,
he murmured Romeo's next line close to her ear.
"Neither, fair saint, if either thee dislike." He felt the shiver that slid down her back and smiled against her cheek, his rough chin making her inhale sharply. He had always known that she was ticklish there.
"How camest thou
hither, tell me, and wherefore?
The orchard walls are high and
hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
If
any of my kinsmen find thee here." She tugged herself out of his
arms and stood, spun and faced him, putting her hands to her chest.
'She's finally putting emotion into her lines.' He though with a smile. He stood up himself and tried to pull her back into his embrace.
"With love's light
wings did I o'er-perch these walls;
For stony limits cannot hold
love out,
And what love can do that dares love attempt;
Therefore
thy kinsmen are no let to me." She placed her hands on his chest.
"If they do see thee, they will murder thee."
She resisted his arms and turned her head. Walking over to the closest sakura tree, she put her hand on it and faced him again.
"Alack, there lies
more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords: look thou but
sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity." He once again
followed her but she twirled around the trunk of the tree before he
reached her.
"I would not for the world they saw thee here." She peeked around the trunk and looked around.
'Where did he go?' she asked herself.
"I have night's cloak
to hide me from their sight;
And but thou love me, let them find
me here:
My life were better ended by their hate,
Than death
prorogued, wanting of thy love." It was the second time he had made
her jump that night. She whirled to face him and found herself pinned
against the tree, his hands on either side of her head and his face
dangerously close to hers. Gulping, her next line came out breathily.
"By whose direction found'st thou out this place?"
"By love, who first
did prompt me to inquire;
He lent me counsel and I lent him
eyes.
I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
As that vast shore
wash'd with the farthest sea,
I would adventure for such
merchandise." One of his hands roamed to the side of her face.
"Thou know'st the
mask of night is on my face,
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my
cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night
Fain
would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke: but
farewell compliment!
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say
'Ay,'
And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st,
Thou
mayst prove false; at lovers' perjuries
Then say, Jove laughs. O
gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if
thou think'st I am too quickly won,
I'll frown and be perverse an
say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.
In
truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou mayst
think my 'havior light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more
true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should
have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou
overheard'st, ere I was ware,
My true love's passion: therefore
pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which
the dark night hath so discovered." She had ducked under his arms
and escaped once more, making her way back to the riverbank and
jumping onto a rock in the calm water, arms behind her back and
looking up at the moon.
"Lady, by yonder
blessed moon I swear
that tips with silver all these fruit-tree
tops" He stood at the edge of the river. She swiveled on her rock,
cutting him off.
"O, swear not by the
moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled
orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable." He was amazed
by his Nanao-chan. He had never known her to be this way. She
was so different than she was in the office. She had forgotten that
he was her Taicho and it made him happy.
