A/N: Taking a break from my other story for a quick fluffy Halloween one-shot that I'd had brewing in my head. Also I refuse to believe Jyuushiro is dead as there was no flashback so deal with it.
Shunsui signed the last requisition form and leaned back in his chair absently rubbing at a neck muscle that had cramped up. It was late and he was looking forward to going home and enjoying the weekend. He'd have liked to see Yama-jii's face if he'd witnessed him in that moment – late and alone in the office on a Friday night doing paperwork. Okikiba and Nanao handled the bulk of the paperwork that came through the 1st, but there were certain things that no one could handle except for the Soutaicho, not even his Nanao-chan.
He thought wistfully of his days at the 8th when he would have already been out and drunk with friends by now, but he crushed the thought ruthlessly. It didn't do any good dwelling on the past, and besides he'd lived that way for years precisely because he'd known one day he'd have to step up and take more responsibility. Well, that and because sweet Nanao-chan had enabled him and indulged him more than any Fukutaicho should. She seemed to know what was coming one day too despite them never talking about it outright. She'd certainly had all of her reasons why she was following him to the 1st and not taking no for an answer prepared and ready. He doubted she could have come up with quite so many right on the spot, but then again Nanao was delightfully quick on her feet so perhaps she had.
Now that the sternritter invasion had been put down almost a year ago and everything was calming down they'd found themselves in reversed positions. Despite the 1st being a larger workload than the 8th Nanao had found herself with free time on her hands. Between her being unable to help much with his work and splitting her duties with another Fukutaicho she finally had sane work hours, whereas he was spending full days in the office for the first time in centuries. Now it was Nanao who brought him dinners during late nights on the job and made sure he ate them instead of the other way around.
Unable to stop herself, and being completely averse to being idle, she'd taken up a variety of new hobbies as he liked to call them. She'd stay late with him some nights working on her own kido side projects or quietly practicing calligraphy as she'd joined the calligraphy club. He'd also been delighted to find out she'd signed up for a cooking class which resulted in home cooked meals being brought to him some days. They weren't always the best thing he'd ever tasted, but she put such work into them that he didn't mind. Besides Nanao was always a fast learner and they were getting better and more elaborate by the day.
The real change was that Nanao had finally been forced into a more active social life. With no excuses to avoid her friends from the SWA or fellow Fukutaichos she'd been dragged out to more events and activities than ever before. While he wished he was there with her he was happy to see her come a bit more out of her protective shell. It was good for her to get out and relax.
Unfortunately Rangiku had also seized the opportunity to force her friend into the dating arena. Nanao had been coming in for weeks griping about Rangiku's latest love scheme whether it was a new blind date, double dates, or friendly introductions made before ditching Nanao alone with the guy.
Shunsui had struggled to keep his advice platonic and his emotions neutral on the whole subject. There had been little time for flirting at the 1st and Nanao deserved to have the chance to meet someone nice who could offer her all of his attention, as she deserved. He'd never be able to do that again. When making a choice between the Gotei 13 and a loved one, the choice for the Soutaicho always had to be the Gotei 13 first. Half the reason he'd never seriously pursued Nanao was because somewhere in the back of his mind he'd always known it would come to this. He had to be willing to send people he loved to the slaughter if it was the best decision for the Seireitei. How were you supposed to date, love, marry, and have a family with a woman you might one day send to her death? How do you explain to your children that they're first in your heart, but not in your actions? There was a reason most of the Taichos were unattached and people within the Gotei 13 slept around so much without commitment. It was just amplified for the Soutaicho.
Shaking his head of those dreary thoughts he stood up and stretched his aching back. Perhaps he could convince Nanao-chan to take up massage therapy as another hobby if she was really lacking things to do.
He blinked confusedly as a hell butterfly drifted into the room. It was awfully late for the Central 46 to be summoning him. He sighed and braced himself for bad news as he extended a finger.
Rangiku's laughing voice drifted out and he relaxed. "Soutaichoooo, you're needed at the Ryoka Rebellion bar in the 1st district. Someone had too much to drink at my super secret, super fun, not-for-Taichos Halloween party and needs an escort home. Okikiba was boring and old and went home hours ago otherwise I'd have made him do it. As you're technically not a Taicho anymore I'll make an exception for you and let you stop by. The password is, 'our paychecks should be larger'."
He smiled at that. Nanao had been grumbling about that party all week and had refused to tell him what her costume was. Rangiku had decided to throw the party to lift morale among the seats and Fukutaichos and had forbidden Taichos from attending so that everyone could get, to quote Rangiku, properly smashed without judgment. Apparently she'd succeeded in her goal at least with Nanao.
Stacking the paperwork and putting his pens away he sent his reiatsu searching for his wayward Fukutaicho. It was bright and happy like a lit birthday candle and he shunpoed towards her location.
At the bar he was led back to a private room and forced to knock before entering. Matsumoto's cheerful and tipsy voice drifted towards the door and he found it opened a crack. "Password?"
"Our paychecks should be larger."
She threw the door open and grinned up at him. "Hello Kyouraku Soutaicho. Have you come for your inebriated second?"
He raised an eyebrow at her costume. She wore a white wig that was now slightly lopsided, her shinigami uniform with a cheap white haori, and a teal belt. She had to be the sexiest version of Hitsugaya he'd ever seen.
"Does your Taicho know that he's your Halloween costume?"
"Of course not, that's why no Taichos were invited. It was a themed costume party. Everyone had to come as their Taichos." Shunsui scanned the room behind her and found that it did indeed consist of a room full of Taicho doppelgangers with varying degrees of accuracy. He laughed outright when he caught sight of Omeada dressed up as Soi Fon chatting with some of the lower seats in a corner. Renji drifted by with Rukia on their way to the bar and Shunsui wished he had his camera to capture the image. Renji with his hair done down in Byakuya's style and Rukia with a long white wig on looking like a miniaturized Jyuushiro.
"And did my Nanao-chan participate?"
"I told her I'd set up omais with a matchmaker for her if she refused," Rangiku told him conspiratorially. "She should dress up like you every day. The guys love it."
He raised an eyebrow at that. "My style isn't really that risqué. Is there a particular reason why this has them interested?"
"Well, you aren't exactly known for wearing your uniform closed and buttoned up," Rangiku laughed and started leading him into the room. "She doesn't have a huge rack, but it's enough to keep them interested. Especially when she's tipsy and doesn't look like she could blast them through a wall at any moment with kido." She pointed to a booth off to the side and Shunsui saw it did indeed host more men than women.
His Nanao-chan was holding court in a parody of his own drinking days and he had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping. She looked more beautiful and younger than ever without her severe Fukutaicho armor as defense. He knew she'd made a conscious decision all those years ago to dress and look the way she did in order to gain more respect from the troops when she was promoted so young, but he hadn't realized quite how effective it was. Sitting there in a rumpled uniform with white and pink haoris draped over her shoulders she looked tiny and carefree. The uniform top gapped open at her chest just enough to give a glimpse of creamy cleavage and her hair was down and loosely curled into a low ponytail. Just then she looked up and her sparkling violet eyes caught his. Unguarded by glasses he could read every little emotion. They lit up with a smile that made his heart stop and then shudder back to a start. Then a frown creased her brow and he could function again.
"Taicho, you're not supposed to be allowed here." The people surrounding her followed her attentions and the 1st's drunk 4th seat also dressed like him choked on his beer and nearly fell off his stool.
"I gave him a pass since he's technically a Soutaicho and not a Taicho," Rangiku cooed.
Nanao merely nodded her understanding and motioned for people to move so she could get out of the booth. She tripped over a foot as she struggled out of the seat and he grit his teeth as the 5th seat from the 9th reached out to steady her and pressed up against her more than was altogether necessary while staring down her shirt.
"Ready to go home, Nanao-chan?" He gave the 5th seat a stern look and even drunk the man got the hint and dropped his hands from her.
"Is the party over?" she asked looking at Rangiku.
"No sweetie, but you'll thank us in the morning. It's your Taicho's turn to drag you home from a party for once."
Nanao blinked at that and seemed to think it over for a second. "Does that mean he's going as me for Halloween?"
That got a laugh from everyone. "It's not a bad idea, Nanao-chan. Want to go trick or treating together tomorrow night?"
"You can't call me that if you're me," she pointed out.
"Quite right, Ise Fukutaicho," he corrected smiling. "Now it's time for you to head back to your home before you drink yourself into an early grave and embarrass the whole division. I swear if you blackout on the way home I'll shave your head."
"Not bad," she complimented as everyone around them laughed again. "But Shunsui-chan," she whined and he tried to ignore how nice the endearment sounded on her tongue. "It's early still and everyone's having such a good time. Won't you come sit in your Nanao-chan's lap and share a drink with us?"
"I absolutely will not, sir. Now it's time to leave." He folded his arms over his chest and did his best impression of her death glare.
"But Shunsui-chan it's good for you to get out of that stuffy dreary office. It'll put a blush in your cheeks that the boys won't be able to resist."
"Nanao-san," Kiyone piped up next to her dressed as Ukitake and doing her best impression. "Stop torturing the poor boy and head home now. If Kyouraku-san says it's time to go it's probably time to go."
"Traitor!" she cried pointing an accusatory finger at her friend.
"Don't make me throw you over my shoulder and drag you home, sir," Shunsui said keeping up the game.
"Do you promise?" Nanao asked with a positively lascivious leer that did terrible things to him. He struggled to keep up the farce.
"Don't make me threaten again." He started building a harmless kido spell around his fist that sent off a worrisome glow.
Nanao gave a very dramatic sigh and turned back to the rest of the occupants at the table. "Do you all see how cruel he is to his loving Nanao-chan? Well it looks like I'll have to go now as Shunsui-chan wants me all to himself tonight." Shunsui watched the men's faces around her fall. He wondered if the women who usually surrounded him looked as crestfallen when Nanao berated him into leaving parties. He never noticed one way or another because when Nanao was in his presence she always commanded all of his attention.
"Don't give him too hard of a time," Kiyone called cheerfully.
"Nanao-chan's getting quite popular now that she can relax a little," Rangiku pointed out unnecessarily. "I don't think anybody but a few of us who are closest to her knew how funny she can be."
"Good." He grinned as his Fukutaicho snagged a hat that looked much like his own off the table where it had been discarded and plopped it on her head. "She deserves to have more fun."
"She still hates all the men I set her up with though."
"Nanao-chan can be very particular about her friends. I'm not surprised it extends to her romantic interests as well."
"What do you think about Kuchiki Taicho? Think I'd be able to finagle it? The two of them would make one hell of a power couple. I could probably get Rukia on-board to help get him to agree."
Shunsui growled internally. Kuchiki was a fine Taicho and a good man, but he wouldn't ever let her have any fun. His fussy family would certainly ruin his Nanao-chan. "Perhaps you should let Nanao-chan manage her own love life." She'd stopped on her way to them to readjust her haoris on her shoulders
"Nonsense. If you're not going to make a move then I'm going to have to force her into someone else's arms." He shot her a surprised look. "What? It's not like everyone hasn't been waiting for you to make a concentrated effort to woo her for ages. If Ukitake Taicho and I have to have one more conversation about you two's ineptitude, I'll scream."
"It's not that easy."
"It never is." Rangiku's carefree demeanor dropped and she looked suddenly sad. "Doesn't mean you have to spend the rest of your life alone and scared of what ifs. You're not Yamamoto Soutaicho. You'll need more than duty and honor to get you through." He started to interrupt her and she switched back to a humorous tone. "Besides she's probably going to die at your side anyway. You know she's stubborn like that. You two might as well be screwing like rabbits before you go."
He'd have responded, but Nanao was suddenly holding herself upright by his arm and looking up at him with a disarming smile. He glanced down to make sure she had her balance and was charmed to see her pretty bare feet in her sandals; her toenails painted a delicate pink to match the haori. She really was a perfectionist.
"Get her home safe." Rangiku slapped his shoulder and wiggled her eyebrows at him before wandering off.
He shook his head at her retreating back before guiding Nanao through the still raucous party. She kept her hold on his arm and fit herself closer to his side. Her uniform opened a little lower and he fought the urge to reach over and pull the material tightly closed. If Rangiku was going to be making this party an annual Halloween tradition he was going to have to start wearing his uniform closer to regulation.
They made it outside and Nanao stumbled and giggled. He thought he could count the number of times Nanao had actually giggled on one hand.
"I might have to throw you over my shoulder after all," he joked.
"It might be faster if you want to use shunpo." She stopped and effectively brought him to a stand still. "I certainly can't do it myself right now."
"You'll have to hold on tight," he teased thinking she would slap him away. Instead she stepped into his personal space and wrapped her arms around his waist. His hands came up against his will and pulled her closer. They'd hugged before, but he'd never get tired of her tiny fame pressed up against his. "Ready, Nanao-chan?"
"Always," she said snuggling into him. He ignored the way it made his heart flutter and tightened his hold on her before shunpoing them both back to her small cottage that she'd bought about forty years ago. They'd both opted to remain in their respective homes rather than move into the 1st division barracks. Her because she'd wanted Okikiba to have the Fukutaicho's rooms and him because he couldn't stand the thought of moving into Yama-jiis.
"This is where, if I were you, I'd invite you in for a cup of sake," she said as she fumbled with her keys.
"And this is where you would decline me and force me to bed before leaving a hangover cure at my bedside."
She got the lock and moved inside. "So do you have a hangover cure?"
"I didn't know I'd need one tonight," he said steading her as she took off her shoes.
She shifted in his hands and big violet eyes stared up at him rendering him defenseless. "What did I do?"
"Huh?" He tried to form a coherent question, but ended up pressing the loose strand of hair she'd freed in imitation of his hairstyle behind her ear instead.
"What did I do that made you not want me?"
That stopped him cold. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"I get it," she said with a sigh. "I get it if you fell in love with someone else, but there doesn't seem to be anyone else that anyone has noted. So what did I do that turned you off? Maybe I could fix it?"
"Nanao, what in the world are you talking about?"
"What did I do that made you fall out of love with me?"
"Nanao, I didn't," and then he paused. He'd never seriously confessed his love in the first place. What was he supposed to say?
"Of course you did," she said sourly, shedding the haoris and dropping the hat on the floor of her entryway as she headed further into her house. He picked them up as he followed her and laid them more neatly over a chair as he knew the mess would bother her in the morning. "You used to flirt with me. You used to actually want to spend time with me and get jealous when I went out without you. Then all of a sudden it was paperwork this, and training schedule that, and you hardly cared at all what I did. I get that you have more responsibility, but it doesn't seem to affect your friendships with anyone else besides you having slightly less time to spare. With me it's different. You don't even try to spend time with me anymore. It's me making up excuses to stay with you, and you could have cared less if I'd taken home every date that Rangiku set me up on."
He sighed. How the hell was he supposed to answer that? Lie and say he'd found someone else? Tell the truth and let her know that he wanted to fight any man that touched her and that he missed her something awful?
"It's ok, you know," she comforted patting his arm. "I don't mean to make you feel guilty. You're not required to feel anything towards me at all. I didn't think I could keep your attention forever, but it hurts you know? It hurts to try and move on. So it'd be nice to know if it was something specific or if you just got bored of me as a whole. It'd be a learning experience for future relationships. Not that we had a relationship, but you know what I mean."
He stared at her stunned. Did she really believe he wasn't interested in her? "Nanao-chan, you didn't do anything. If I were anyone other than who I am I'd be relentless in my pursuit of you."
"You used to be," she said sadly. She dropped down on her couch and the uniform opened a little wider.
"Things changed."
"Yeah, but you didn't have to." She reached a hand out for him and he took it. "At least not as much as you did. That's why I came with you after all, so that you didn't have to get old and fussy like Yamamoto Soutaicho. I guess I didn't help much in the end."
He sighed and sat down next to her on the couch wanting nothing more than to cuddle her into his lap. "It's not the workload, Nanao-chan."
She snorted. "Obviously. You make time for Ukitake Taicho just fine. It's me. That's exactly what I'm saying." She sat up straighter and looked at him seriously. "So give me a performance review. You can't get better at anything without constructive criticisms. Lisa-san says I should have put out and that you can't hold a man's attention forever without sleeping with them. Is that why you finally gave up? Because I didn't sleep with you?"
He laughed at that. "That would be Lisa-chan's advice regardless of the relationship and who was involved. Nanao-chan, you did nothing wrong. There is nothing to criticize. This is all on me. It's different now that I'm the Soutaicho. I can't have real relationships anymore."
"Is that a rule?" she asked confused. "I've never read that and I thought I had them all memorized, but I suppose I could have missed it. Perhaps we could petition the Central 46?"
He smiled and dared to reach over and adjust her uniform so it was covering her more. She blinked down at his hands but didn't chastise him. "It's not a rule sweetheart, but it just makes sense. How am I supposed to love you right if I might have to send you out to die one day."
"But that's always been that way."
"It was different at the 8th. There I could protect you. I could make decisions based on my own desires and not take the larger Gotei 13 into account."
"This is because of what you had to do to Unohana Taicho," she said softly. He didn't deny it. "You still maintain your friendship with Ukitake Taicho."
"It's different."
"It's not," she argued. "In fact I'm less likely to force you into that situation. I'm less powerful than him."
"Nanao-chan, it isn't just about that. I'm not going to have a family with Jyuu. I'm not going to have to worry about sending the mother of my children to her death with him." He blurted it out before he could really stop and think about what he was saying.
"We have children?"
That almost caused him to blush. "I'm just saying a relationship with a lover is different than that of a best friend."
"You've thought about us having children," she accused, unwilling to let the point go.
"I didn't say that."
"I wasn't even sure you wanted children. It was actually a problem, because I do," she confessed. "I thought maybe if you didn't that would be the end of that. Not that it's easy for shinigami to conceive, but I'd like to try all the same. I've always had a feeling we'd be lucky."
"Nanao-chan, you're very drunk." He tried to ignore the lump in his throat the words caused. She wanted children with him. If only Yama-jii had survived the fight maybe this could have ended differently.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"You're saying things you don't mean."
"I do that mainly when I'm sober. If all you're worried about is your new position that can be fixed."
"How so?"
"Just ignore it," she advised with a serious look on her face.
"Nanao-chan."
"I'm serious," she said tugging on his haori for emphasis. "Just ignore it. Sure it might come down to a decision like that one day, but what are the odds? I'm not the strongest person in the Gotei 13. You'll have to go through a lot of Taichos to get to throwing me into the line of fire without any chance of you trying to protect me. So ignore it. If you don't you'll definitely end up alone and wrinkly, and that isn't what either of us want."
He chuckled at that. "It's too dangerous, Nanao-chan."
"So you'll have some whimpering noble women instead?" she asked heatedly. "Someone you'll never have to worry about putting themselves in danger other than a needle prick to the finger? Is that what you want?" She stood up and started pacing. "It's fine if you do. I'll never be that. It's what you're supposed to want after all. Not some Rukongai gutter rat who happened to have an affinity for kido. Your family will be pleased at the very least."
"Stop it," he commanded standing up and reaching for her arms. She stilled under his hands but still vibrated like a snake ready to strike. "I won't have anyone. It's what the post requires."
"Fine, then I suppose I'll just start convincing myself that Kuchiki Taicho is what I want." She crossed her arms and looked at him defiantly. "Rangiku wants to set us up and I was against it, but if you're completely off the market then I suppose he'd do. We have similar interests after all, and we're much closer in age. We'd probably make very elegant babies, and Rukia-chan would be a wonderful aunt. His family wouldn't be thrilled at yet another Rukongai peasant, but at least I have power to back it up. Hell, the new Soutaicho himself was convinced enough of my value that he took me with him when he moved divisions. I'd probably produce wonderful little Kuchiki heirs."
He snarled at that. He knew she'd said it to rile him up and that he shouldn't let her win, but the mental image of her with Kuchiki was enough to make him forget himself. She shouldn't be having silent dark haired babies with serious eyes. She should be having chubby little cherubs that lit up at the sight of their parents. She should be with someone that would bring her out of her shell not force her further back into it.
Suddenly and without his real logical consent he'd pulled her into his arms and was kissing her. And gods what a kiss. She was hot and pliant against him and he wanted to throw her down and do everything he could think of to her, but the taste of alcohol on her lips pulled him back.
"You're drunk."
"So what?"
"You're not in control of what you're doing."
"It doesn't change the fact that I don't want Kuchiki's babies. I want yours."
She was going to destroy him. "And when those children ask where their mother is after I've sent her on a suicide mission?"
"You'll tell them that their mother was essential to the mission and she died with honor."
"It's not that easy."
"It's all hypothetical so it is that easy. You aren't allowed to stop living just because you got promoted. I won't allow it."
"Be serious."
She laughed at his admonishment. "I'm always serious about the children."
"Nanao."
"You aren't going to send me to my death unless it's an absolute requirement. We both know that. If it's gotten to that point there's something terrible happening, and I'd rather die than let everyone I love get hurt. Especially my children. Your reasoning is flawed."
"We'll talk about this in the morning if you still want to."
"I'll only want to talk about it if there is any hope," she said tracing her fingers up his neckline and the column of his throat. "So if you don't love me, you should just say. There's nothing I can argue about that. I'll simply have to reassess Kuchiki. But if you do love me, and the only thing holding you back is worrying about what the future may hold, I feel like I can dispute that. I'm very good at arguing after all."
He sighed. He should lie and be done with this, but somewhere deep down he wanted her to talk him out of the decision. He certainly didn't want to show up to a Kuchiki wedding. He'd have to get ragingly drunk to make it through that. Jyuu would probably not appreciate having to handle him at that particular event. "You should get some sleep, Nanao-chan."
"So we'll talk about it in the morning then," she said with a sharp nod retracting her hands from him. He instantly felt their loss.
"Nanao-chan, I just said you should get some sleep."
"Avoidance. It's your number one tactic for not answering a question you don't want to answer. If you didn't love me, you'd be kind enough to just say. It's not like you're worried I'd leave you professionally. You know I never would." She shrugged and the uniform pulled open again. "Your second tactic is to pretend you're too drunk to deal with the problem, but we both know I'm the drunk one tonight."
"I'm sorry I led you on," he said as a half-truth.
"Still avoidance. Say it. Say you don't love me."
He stayed silent. To say it outright seemed impossible. The image of her and Kuchiki strolling through a garden on a moonlight evening flitted across her mind. He wanted to throttle the noble and take his place at her side.
"You can't." She smiled and moved forward wrapping her arms around him and snuggling into him. He stood limply in her hold trying to fight his arms' desire to return the hug. "Well then, as your Soutaicho for the evening I command you to stop being stupid."
He laughed a real full belly laugh at that. "Was that the trick all these years, Nanao-chan? Just order you to stop being stupid?"
"No, I'm never stupid," she mumbled into his chest. She yawned. "So it wouldn't have worked. But you are being very very stupid. You should follow orders."
He sighed and bent scooping her into his arms. She went willingly enough and nestled into him. "Off to bed with you." She was asleep in his arms before he made it to her bed. He settled her down gently, but all the same it woke her up again.
"Stay with me," she said gripping his sleeve.
"Nanao-chan, I have to go."
"It's a direct order from your commanding officer."
"Would that have ever worked on you?" He laughed as she scrunched up her nose.
"No. I would have told you you were abusing your power, but you'd have never ordered me in the first place."
"Well then you're not doing a very good impression anymore." He gently tugged the loose hair tie and the pink pins she must have found in some gaudy jewelry shop out of her hair and set them on the bed stand next to her.
She sighed and sat up, popping contacts out of her eyes and sticking them to the bed stand. He gave her a questioning look and she shrugged. "They're good for one time use. Also I stayed at your house plenty of times without you commanding me in order to make sure you were ok."
He picked up the discarded lenses and put them in her trash. "Not in my bed."
"Who told you to stay in my bed?" He sputtered at that. "You can if you want, but I wasn't commanding you to stay in my bed. Only if you do, you can't try anything funny. After all I am a little drunk."
He smiled at that and stroked the hair back from her face. "I wouldn't stay in Okikiba's bed."
"I would hope not," she murmured. "We'd have to have a talk if you wanted to sleep with Okikiba. He's competent enough, but he's old and doesn't seem like he'd be particularly inventive in bed. He'd probably report you to the Central 46."
He chuckled as he reached down and pulled the covers up over her pink painted toe nails and uniform clad body. She snuggled down into the blanket. He knew he should resist, but he couldn't help it, "And you think Kuchiki is?"
"Of course not," Nanao said glaring at him over the blanket. "But Lisa-san says you can teach men things like that. She offered me a wide collection of hentai to read and learn from. She said that men like it when you teach them, although she suggested I get more practice first. I think she just said that so I'd have a threesome with her though."
"And did you?"
"No." She snorted and gave him a sleepy glare. "I was still sort of hoping you'd want me and I wouldn't have to teach Kuchiki anything."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "We'll talk about it in the morning."
She smiled as her eyes slipped shut. "I knew you loved me."
"I'll be on the couch if you need anything." He couldn't believe he was caving this easily. She really was his greatest weakness. At least if this all worked out he wouldn't be relegated to her tiny couch in the future. One thing was for certain, next year he was going as Nanao-chan for Halloween.
A/N: Happy early Halloween! Let me know what you think :)