A/N: The song "The Call" by Regina Spektor inspired this story. It must be so tough to be the only one left behind.

The Call

The skies of Seretei grew dark with the oncoming winter and the war that would soon come with it. Feelings of dread and determination strengthened with each day that passed. Most divisions would see their captain and vice captains leave for the front lines, but the 8th division of the Gotei 13 fell under different circumstances. Where most vice captains went to fight along with their captains, one would stay behind in Soul Society.

As the elite gathered at the fake Karakura town in the far reaches of Rukongai, sadness crept in along with the parting of ways.

"Nanao-chan..."

Kyouraku Shunsui rumbled softly to his petite vice captain. He couldn't bear to see the look in her eyes.

"There's no need to say goodbye, I'll come back when it's over"

Nanao struggled as she blinked back her tears, she couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her beloved captain again. As the logical one, many situations run through her head, and too many of them include the possibility that her captain, one of the strongest of the Gotei, falling in battle. Her longest friend, the man who's always been there for her in her life, who watched her grow up into the confident young shinigami she is today. She didn't like the idea of her captain, the most influential person in her life, walking off to war, possibly never to come back. All she could do was just look up into those deep sad brown eyes as he whispers,

"I'll come back, when you call me."

"Hai, Taicho"

She couldn't hold it in any longer and a stray tear fell down her cheek. Shunsui raised his hand to her face and rubbed it away with his thumb. Part of him was surprised that his cute little Nanao-chan didn't beat his hand away, but the other part savored how she leaned into his hand. He decided it was worth the chance and moved closer and tenderly kissed his vice's forehead.

"I'll come back, Nanao, don't worry."

Nanao fought to regain her composure and whispered the words he said to give her another moment.

"You'll come back, when it's over."

Logical nanao knew that Shunsui meant what he said and that he will be back. Yet she knew that everyone is able to break a promise and if this promise is broken, she'll likely be broken too. Nanao had to shove away the emotions that finally got a taste of his proximity and his sincerity. She had to get through this moment and be stronger than she wanted to be. She wiped her emotions off her face and nodded but couldn't hide the sadness lurking in her indigo eyes.

Reluctantly, Shunsui drew away and gave nanao the best reassuring smile he could, and turned quickly, started walking to the gate and closed his eyes before Nanao could see the tears in his eyes. Jyuushiro came up alongside him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You know we'll come back when it's over, Shunsui."

Shunsui sniffed quietly and wiped his eyes discreetly. He looked over to his long-time friend and nodded,

"Yes, we need to... I need to."

After they had left for the front lines, Nanao quickly went back to the 8th division office to finish some more paperwork before any action started. She couldn't help but dwell on what her captain said. Their short yet intimate moment had felt so real and so natural. Had he been serious behind all his silliness over all these years? Was he just waiting for her to catch up? Nanao felt in her heart that was the undeniable truth. And if she was truthful with herself, Nanao loved her captain more than anything. He just slowly became such an integral part of her life that she felt if he ever left, she would never be whole again. Yes, Nanao told herself, she and Captain Kyouraku were indeed in love with each other.

Nanao shook herself out of these thoughts and decided to turn in for the night. As the last beams of the day sympathized with Nanao and prolong the day, possibly the last day she would see the man she loved. She got ready for bed and as she lie there trying to etch the day's events in her head a soft "Kyouraku-taicho" escaped from her lips before she drifted to sleep.

Nanao kept up with the events in the war as closely as she possibly could, but there were many things to attend to in a captain-less Soul Society. The battle dragged too long for her comfort. In moments when she missed his snores coming from the corner of her office, Nanao would dare to whisper "Kyouraku-Taicho."

As she drudged through paperwork halfheartedly, she came across a weird report to realize it was a handwritten note from her captain.

"Lovely Nanao, just remember, I'll come back when you call me."

Nanao paused, and thought darkly, that hasn't worked, stupid man, and continued to read

"Yours always, my Nanao-chan, Shunsui."

Underneath Nanao found a strip of pink fabric, but upon closer inspection, it was a strip cut off from her captain's favorite haori. She always called him Shunsui in her mind but never dared to say it aloud, but she couldn't help but breathe out "Shunsui" into the empty room and run her fingers along the soft silk.

She was disturbed from her musings by a hell butterfly with a short message indicating the return of battle worn shinigami from the front lines. Nanao clutched the long ribbon in her hand and shunpoed as fast as she could to the gate. With her chest heaving she saw the blinding light behind them but her captain's silhoutte was distinctive.

Nanao gasped, "Shunsui!" and she started running.

"Nanao…" Shunsui breathed and took as long strides as his battle worn body would let him take. He saw the happiness and disbelief in her eyes and couldn't help but notice the ribbon fluttering in her hands. Shunsui's smile threatened to take over his face until he finally reached nanao and picked her up as she ran. He twirled her around once before putting her down and looking into her eyes. He took a big breath in and drew her in quickly as she reached out for him. He kissed her as if his life depended on it and she returned the sentiment with fervor that he knew she kept hidden under all her layers. She knew that this wasn't appropriate, that she was in front of her superiors kissing another superior in an almost degradingly passionate way. But right now it didn't matter, nor did she care.

He pulled away for a moment to whisper, "You called?" he smiled that smile that just made her melt.

"I came back."

Nanao could have sworn he wanted to add "for you." So she drew him in for another kiss and Shunsui laughed a bit and playfully reprimanded her lightly.

"Ah ah, wouldn't it be more appropriate to save this for a more private location, my darling Nanao-chan?"

Nanao blushed furiously but Shunsui was delighted with entirely new side of her he was seeing. He swept her up into his arms and turned and flashed Jyuushiro a big grin and shunpoed himself and his second back the privacy of the 8th division.

Jyuushiro just shook his head and smiled "It's about time."