I have no excuses really. This is my lame attempt at forcing my nonexistant creativity back to the surface. Going this long without anything is ridiculous. This could qualify as a drabble at best, I think. Still, it wouldn't quite leave me alone while I was doing laundry. Thought I would share something. Secrets of the Scorned is being worked on, albeit very slowly. Life likes to keep my occupied.

Good, not good? Let me know. Seriously, I'm going to start needed ideas soon. I don't bite.

Disclaimer: Oh yeah, right, this thing. Sure...you can believe whatever you want, but it still doesn't change the fact that I'm a poor college student not making any money for any of this.

--KG


After

The morning after is always the best, he thinks.

At first, Shunsui was beyond frightened of what the day would bring, though it didn't show much. It just wasn't everyday that his dear lieutenant accepted his many proclamations of his love. As a result, he had subconsciously worried himself out of his post-coital rest in the process, waking to a too bright room from the recently risen sun.

He hadn't expected to wake this early, but as he shifted his arm to the side and found the previously occupied spot bare, he was glad he did. It was still slightly warm from the crumpled, slept-in covers pulled down from that side. He had leaned up in confusion and slight panic, negativity already starting to consume him.

It would figure that she wouldn't be there, he thought.

He was going to mournfully return to his solitary rest when he heard the barest muffles of movement from the other room. He felt a wave of relief wash over him as Nanao walked back into the room, two tea cups in hand.

She was trying to make the least amount of noise, he noticed, as she padded lightly from the connecting room. She stilled in the doorway for a moment as their eyes met, and he allowed himself to relax when she offered a small smile, as if she knew what he was previously thinking. Knowing her, she probably did.

She slowly walked over to him, and handed him a cup of tea, saying good morning and that she didn't think he'd be up yet. He took it with a smile of his own and watched appreciatively as she sat down at one of the small tables by the window. She sipped her tea mindlessly as she stared out at the dawn, and Shunsui couldn't help but love how relaxed she looked.

He admired her features for a while before taking his first drink of the tea she brewed. Her glasses were still sitting on the bedside table, making him wonder if she really needed them or if she used them much like Kenpachi used his eye patch. If she really did need them, by leaving them off, it further said how much she was at ease around him. He smiled again, thankful that she trusted him so much.

He took a little pride in her garb too, as the soft pink of his haori complimented her skin quite nicely. Especially since it was just his haori covering her.

That was how it usually went now. She would always wake before him, but he would always wake after she left the warmth of his embrace. After, he would join her at the small stand and together they would sip tea and watch the sun rise fully in the sky. He didn't mind getting up with her at this time if it meant spending quality time with her. Besides, there were plenty other opportunities in the day for napping.

It was frequent now, that they spent their days and nights together. He noticed too that she always came to him, instead of letting him go to her.

She still had her own place, and he was fine with that. He thought that maybe by keeping it, she thought that it meant she hadn't dedicated her whole life to him, and that she could still have a part of her own. Shunsui didn't have a problem with that. If she wanted her own space too, then he would be more than happy to give it, as long as it had a place as well.

He also knew that if he asked her, she would give up that space and her other home for him. He wouldn't do that though, not until she was ready. He didn't want to corner her, especially if that distanced her. He had worked too long and too hard to chase her away now.

So as long as he had those moments with her, it was okay. They had all the time in the world to get used to one another.

He smiled at her when he reached over to enclose his hand over hers on the surface and she didn't pull away. The look she gave in return was enough to make his heart soar as he caught the loving gaze that mirror his own. He squeezed gently before glancing back out the window.

The sunrises helped.

-Fin