AN: Thank you, people, for the reviews I had warmly received! It is very much helpful in dragging me back from a hectic schedule to my computer for an update. As a standard procedure, please feel free to tell me of any mistakes I might've missed, opinions, etc. This would be for you guys with love from a very frustrated writer.

Chapt. 2

The Meeting Incident

The strong torrent of warm water soaked her from head to foot. Nanao closed her eyes, letting the water run down her body. The pressure was soothing, and she let herself savor the pleasure. It was a new day, another new beginning where she can start over and forget the yesterday's events. And nothing started a morning better than a hot shower. She has to be prepared, focused, disciplined, and at the top of her game all over again. All possible distractions must be swept off her mind. The past is past.

With a mind set on the day ahead, Ise Nanao stepped out of the shower and prepared for the rest of her morning routines. She dressed herself with care, studying her uniform for wrinkles or creases that might've escaped the hot iron. Coffee and toast easily satisfied her stomach, and her hair pin meticulously clipping her hair completed her look.

By eight o'clock, she was washed, combed, dressed, and ready to leave. Now, if she could only get her captain to do the same…

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The lieutenant marched her way to her captain's quarters and gave the door three forceful knocks. Nothing stirred within the apartment; so she resorted to letting herself in with the key he insisted she keep just in case of 'emergencies' and 'midnight talks.' Though she knew that what he was thinking had been far from appropriate, the key came very handy on her alarm clock duties.

The place was asleep like its tenant, but Nanao needn't depend on the sunlight to get around. She found his room in sure strides still shielded from the light outside. The gentle snoring emitted by the big lump on the bed confirmed a sleeping captain.

"Sir, it's time to wake up," she loudly informed the man, throwing back the drapes to let the day in. She was welcomed by the sight of the lying figure with his tanned back showing for the pleasure of her viewing. A groan was heard from the bed accompanied by a shuffling of blankets and a mumble of "Too bright…Nanao-chan, why are you up so early? Get back in bed…."

"I will do no such thing, Taicho. It's eight in the morning, and we have a joint captain-lieutenant meeting at the First's in thirty minutes. I need you awake and dressed by that time." Shunsui responded with more incoherent jargon. "The clock is ticking, Sir. Get dressed immediately, please."

The man finally stirred and lazily stretched his sleeping limbs. "Ah Nanao-chan, what a lovely day it is when I see your gorgeous face first when I open my eyes." The sheets fell to his waist to reveal a handsome torso when he sat up.

Nanao blushed. "Get dressed. I'll wait for you outside." If he had the nerve to flirt, he must be awake enough to get moving. She removed herself from the place before he could parade more of himself. And seeing more of his anatomy wasn't something she wanted to witness so early in the morning.

They arrived three minutes later than the call time and joined the assembly after a moment's acknowledgement from the First. No later than ten minutes through the meeting, Shunsui found himself wishing it to be over. It was injustice! How can his Nanao-chan drag him out of bed at this time in the morning for this! He bitterly watched Soi Fon deliver her report on their division's progress with the new training regiments implemented weeks ago. There were still eleven more members waiting to make a report before they could be dismissed. His youth could well be wasted by that time!

He found time best spent by looking at his alert lieutenant at the opposite end of the long table. Though that made him feel much better, it grew tiring once his looks of admiration went unnoticed. When Kira stood next for his turn, Shunsui groaned in utter boredom. He busied himself by tracing patterns on the table, paused, and chuckled when a genius idea came into mind. He indulged at the thought and formed a plan, feeling a new found energy scourging through his body. Surely, he could entertain himself at the least.

While all eyes were on the speaker, Shunsui pulled out a piece of fabric from his pink sleeve. He meant to keep it as a souvenir to amuse him on idle times. And of course, there's no better time than a meeting where he'll need amusement the most. He smiled wickedly at the thrill as he smoothed out the wrinkles on the table. It was the childish desire for the forbidden that made it more pleasurable in committing the act.

He heard a restrained snicker from the Tenth's lieutenant who shared his passion for meetings. This drew a warning glance form her little captain who in turn stared at the fabric in disbelief. Yachiru nudged her captain, attracting more on-lookers from the Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, Twelfth, and Thirteenth who hid his chuckle with a cough. The Second, Fourth, and Fifth were the last to notice only due when Kira stopped his speech abruptly to stare at Shunsui's secret treasure. Nanao was last to react to her captain's misbehavior. She felt her jaw drop suddenly and eyes ready to kill when she caught the peach frills and lace on the opposite side of the table—her captain's side of the table.

Hitsugaya was bold enough to break the silence. "Is that a…" Matsumoto giggled at her captain's incapability to pronounce the word. He's still such a child sometimes.

"It's a lady's knickers." Zaraki offered the information hardly with any shame, stating it as some weather report instead of finding a woman's undergarments disrupting the joint meeting.

"It's so….small. It always amazed me how girls could fit themselves into something so…tiny…" Shuuhei followed, blushing slightly. The majority of male lieutenants agreed, opening a new topic of conversation for the group.

"It's a small!" Iba confirmed in awe after checking the size tag.

"Shunsui must've had a petite and sexy companion in the bedroom," Matsumoto teased, adding fuel to the fire. She winked, and he confirmed her suspicions in a matter of eye connection.

"It's very feminine," Renji supported shyly. "The lace and frills produces a very sexy image...It's kind of a turn on." The group of male judged the underwear with a thumbs-up, concluding it to be indeed sexy.

If there is a point even higher than the highest of embarrassments, Nanao would've been on that stage of melting point. She watched in horror as the eager men took turns in discussing her underwear and wished to disappear on that very spot. After she butchered her captain and burned him to ashes of course. It had slipped her mind that she had forgotten her underwear in her haste of departure that morning. Unfortunately, she had to learn it the hard way that leaving things—particularly undergarments—in Shunsui's bedroom would have disastrous results. She stamped murderous glares at the pink-wearing criminal listening to more interesting topics from the males who had taken a fancy with her panties.

"She must've been some chick!" One whistled. "Kyouraku Taicho always gets the best!"

"Kyouraku Taicho, what's your secret? Man, if I can meet a girl who can wear the same kind of knickers…"

Shunsui could only flash a knowing grin. It was just the right kind of adjectives she needed to hear…

"Wait! Wait" Matsumoto interrupted the excited assembly with a loud tap on the table. "Kyouraku Taicho haven't even told us how he ended up having the panties. It must've been a night! C'mon, dish!"

Nanao gasped. He wouldn't dare….

"Was it the girl you were chatting up the other night?"

Nanao's ears pricked. What girl? She raked her eyes suspiciously at her captain. He would need a good tongue lashing for that…

"Of course not!" Shunsui retorted with a grimace. "No offense, but that woman had no grace or brains at all. We men need something more than the physical (despite what women say.) Besides, she wasn't my type."

Much better, Nanao thought. The men hid their disappointment in finding that their mentor didn't approve of what they considered attractive. They craned their necks to hear what their Casanova captain had to say to his faithful students.

The captain smiled a soft smile. "She was amazing. Everything else pales in comparison. When you're with her," He boldly looked her in the eye, initiating a sizzling connection. "There's just no one else."

Nanao reddened and shifted her eyes away from him to fight for focus. Remembering the past—specifically last night—would only cause her another distraction. And it's still too early for such distractions!

Shunsui continued, sighing. "Though the night itself was great, someone it seemed was in too much of a hurry this morning to leave that she forgot her precious undergarment in my bed." He pressed the fabric to his lips but was still unable to hide his coy smile. "I suppose she'd have to come get it later this evening all because she accidentally left it. " He clicked his tongue patronizingly. Although his looks were directed to the group, she knew that his little message is for her and her alone. "Time is more wasted when you lose it to careless rushing. The whole incident could've been avoided had she not been in such a hurry to go home. Don't you agree, Nanao-chan?" he drawled in his most innocent of voices.

Nanao almost felt her heart stop when curious eyes turned toward her for her say on the matter. He was teasing her! She made up her mind to have him whipped till he bleeds. Luckily, the commander general had gotten over the shock on such scandalous conversation and interceded in time with a very loud and uncomfortable cough. The old captain looked abashed at the turn of the conversation (accompanied by his lieutenant and Kuchiki Taicho) and held no humor for it as he hinted a long discussion on meeting etiquettes to his delinquent student.

With the issue of underwear left aside, the real meeting resumed on the topic of the new training regiments. But it wasn't the same anymore for the brunette as she tried her best to focus on the topic at hand. Last night was something she rather left at the dark recesses of her memory until she can draw them out later in the comforts of the night. It seemed, however, that Shunsui wasn't the type to keep things quiet over their relationship. She had lost her train of thoughts to the memory, and most likely, it would continue haunting her all day till she could put herself to rest at night.

Shunsui snuck his treasure back up his sleeve. The meeting could last for the entire duration of the morning and he still wouldn't get bored—not with the memory of her priceless expression when he showcased her underwear and even had a discussion over it!

No, life is good and he has taken an enjoyment with the meeting…that is, until her foot found his from under the table.

That's the end of chapter two! Since we all know Shunsui to be the lazy type, I couldn't help but wonder how he could ever survive such dull meetings. Thus, I gave poor Shunsui an effective source of entertainment. Hope this all worked out to your liking! Please leave a review with some constructed criticism. It can be short or as long as your heart desires. Much hugs and kissed to you guys till my next update! Bear with me for my slow updating. As I said before, school really takes a lot of my time (and energy) but I'll keep it in mind to do it as soon as possible.

--Gen