Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. This is a story I got an idea from my friends for. The song Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi was playing at my sister's wedding. Litakino22 and Serena-Tsukino66 were talking about how it fit Byakuya, but I thought they were talking about Shunsui. And, so looking over the lyrics, I decided to fit it to three captains. Shunsui, Byakuya, and Hitsugaya. Looking back, there are other members of Soul Society this idea could work for, including Ichimaru, Renji, etc. If you have anyone you'd like to read about later on, let me know and I might do it.

Shunsui is pretty OOC here, and he might be the only one I do that to. I had a story planned where he wasn't always so happy and calm, and I decided instead to use the idea here.

Sitting here wasted and wounded
At this old piano
Trying hard to capture
The moment this morning I don't know
'Cause a bottle of vodka
Is still lodged in my head
And some blonde gave me nightmares
I think that she's still in my bed
As I dream about movies
They won't make of me when I'm dead

He was a wreck.

The face he showed all the others was nothing but a mask. A mask to show everyone that he was alright, that he wasn't something to worry about.

At night, the feelings he had kept from his friends and subordinates came out. No longer stood the lazy, happy man that frustrated his lieutenant and caused most to frown at him. Instead he was more than just a drunk, he was a man who wallowed in self pity. A man who used his mask to hide all of his past he wanted to forget.

The ones he couldn't protect. The ones he was too late to save.

All these years he had become a shell of a person. One that not even his closest friend Ukitake could fix. And he had made a fatal mistake.

He had fallen in love.

Nanao was unbelievably perfect. Strong headed, forceful when she needed to be. And she did what no one else would do. She pushed him forward, argued with him in a manor that everyone was too afraid to address their captain.

He couldn't be with her. As much as he cared for her, he wouldn't even try. They said if you truly loved someone, you would set them free. And he did, he pushed her away so that his life wouldn't bring her down, so she could stay strong.

He tried to bury his thoughts of her with women he'd meet at night. They only made her face burn inside his mind.

He treated her like all the other girls. Flirted endlessly, to an embarrassing level. He tried, at least.

But unlike all the other girls--no matter how strong she was, he wouldn't let her fight. He'd hold her back, just a little. If she was ever hurt, he wouldn't be able to stand himself.

For now, however, that would have to do. Because the look in her eyes as he diswayed her from another fight nearly made him want to forget it all. To drop the act. To show her that he could love her for more than just her beauty.

That he could love her because in all ways, she was perfect.

With an ironclad fist I wake up and
French kiss the morning
While some marching band keeps
Its own beat in my head
While we're talking
About all of the things that I long to believe
About love the truth and
What you mean to me
And the truth is
baby you're all that I need

I want to lay you down in a bed of roses
For tonite I sleep on a bed of nails
I want to be just as close as the Holy Ghost is
And lay you down on a bed of roses


There's that, next is Byakuya. If you're interested drop a review or something!