Characters: Nanao, Nemu, Yachiru, Unohana
Summary: "I feel like I'm their mother or something."
Pairings: None
Warnings/Spoilers: No spoilers
Timeline: No timeline needed
Author's Note: I had to write it. I just had to.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Nanao fiddles—a nervous tic—with the sleeve of her kosode, shaking her head in exasperation at Nemu and Yachiru, both sitting down in the grass, handling a mass of—something—that's leaving brownish-red stains the color of rust. Both are enthusiastic, in their own ways.
And neither Yachiru nor Nemu notice Nanao or Unohana standing at the edge of the field, watching them examine whatever it is they've caught, and Nanao's sure she'd be better off not knowing what it is they've got with them.
"And you found them like this?" Unohana is, as ever, incredibly serene under any and every circumstances, smooth brow not even slightly creased by what she witnesses in front of her. But, then again, Nanao supposes, Unohana has to deal with the nut jobs every day, so that's doubtless why she remains unfazed by the sight of Yachiru giggling as her small fingernails dig into flesh and Nemu holds a hunk of what looks like liver up to the sun to examine it more closely.
"Yes!" Nanao's infuriated voice is just as parched as the hard earth beneath them; there hasn't been rain in nearly a month and the breeze is dusty and dry, hot on their faces. Nanao wipes her perspiring brow. "I'd been looking for them both for hours, and then I found them just like this, Unohana-taicho." She casts one bespectacled eye to their prize and shudders. "I'm sure I don't want to know if the remains are human."
Unohana smiles slightly at the sight, still unfazed. The strong, heady aroma of blood and death doesn't affect her at all. "It does surprise me," she murmurs, surveying the two girls, "that Yachiru-chan and Kurotsuchi-san have become such good friends."
Nanao nods, still twisting her sleeve in her small hands, something Unohana takes note of and resolves to ask her about later. "Yes, it surprises me too." She laughs weakly. "Oh, well. When Kusajishi-san takes to someone, they become her friend whether they want to or not. Kurotsuchi-san's no exception."
A bit of blood spurts from the hunk of flesh Yachiru's holding and she giggles as it splatters on her face.
"I'll have to give her disinfectant later," Unohana murmurs absently, and Nanao snarls at the thought.
"Prepare to be thoroughly bitten then, Unohana-taicho."
Unohana smiles again, a little tightly, and rubs Nanao's shoulder comfortingly as the younger woman hides her face in her hands and groans. "You can't know how often I have to run all over Seireitei looking for them! I feel like I'm their mother or something."
Unohana attempts at propping Nanao up with a bracing comment. "Is that really such a bad thing, Ise-san?"
"It is when they're behaving like homicidal maniacs! Again!"
Her somewhat hysterical shouting finally attracts the attention of the two much-younger girls.
Nemu hops to her feet and executes a respectful bow, and Yachiru looks over and waves exuberantly.
"Hi! You wanna come over here and play with me?"
Nanao groans again. Yachiru's palms are painted with browned blood.