a/n: This chapter is told from Ukitake's POV..
Chapter II – I Wish You Wouldn't…
It had been ages since I'd been Shunsui like this… I could see his body shaking while he cried silently. I wanted to say something but I couldn't…
". . . . " I kept silent, hugging Shunsui like a child. He'd done this to me a couple years back when I needed it. I pulled him close, not wanting for him to feel alone.
"Kyoura-kun… I'm here…" I felt like a mother, which I hopefully would never be, comforting my best friend like this… it was …
Suddenly, a hell butterfly interrupted the stillness of our scene, I lifted a hand from Shunsui and let it land. He finally looked up, tears staining his stubbly cheeks. The hell butterfly told me to report back to my office since a new load of paperwork had arrived and the same for Shunsui.
"I should do it for Nanao-chan I suppose…" He mumbled, sighing slightly as he stood up. I too sighed, and looked up as Shunsui offered a hand to help me up. Smiling warmly, I took his hand and stood up. When I did although, I wobbled and stumbled over my own two feet. Shunsui's reaction was him grabbing me by the waist before I fell flat on my face. We stayed there, not moving, probably not breathing until I squirmed and thrashed around to make Shunsui drop me. My hair covered my face thankfully, since it was more than likely beet red, and it also prevented me from seeing Shunsui's face.
"Um… I'll be going now…!" I dashed off, in the opposite direction of my division but I didn't care, in fact I couldn't even hear what Shunsui was shouting about because of the thoughts pounding in my ears. The ideas and thoughts going through my head ranged from memories of Kaien's death to why my face was every shade of red.
I sat, glum, in my office scribbling my name in every box that I saw, not bothering to read the papers like usual. Kiyone scrambled in and set down a tray of two cups of tea then rushed off. Bewildered, I looked around, why two? There was just me and… me in the office. Shrugging it off, I crossed my arms on the desk and laid my head down. Soon enough, another person entered the room. Slowly, I lifted up my head, tired from the mountains of paperwork I had just completed.
"Jyuu-kun…" Shunsui mumbled, I immediately took notice of his outfit. He no longer wore his flowered haori nor his hat, not to mention the fact that his chest was covered. Blinking, I stood up and went over to get a better look at him. I tilted my head up, then let it fall to look up and down Shunsui…
"That's embarrassing…" Gulping, I stopped not wanting to offend my good friend with my curiosity about the sudden change in appearance.
"Gomen…" I apologized and he nodded, I then realized that Kiyone and Sentaro must've been told that he was coming over, 'And they didn't bother saying, aye? . . .'
"Um… about earlier sorry… " I turned around, leaning against the desk where I'd gone to stand once again. Might as well… I thought didn't want him feeling uncomfortable…
"What?" I asked, smirking as if he was joking around.
"For catching you like that…" He seemed to emphasize on 'that'
"Tch… Why're you sorry for catching me when I was about to break my face, silly!!" I laughed, trying to blow it off like it was nothing but a silly remark.
"Well… You rushed off like I did something wrong…" He had sat down by now, on the couch. Now, I pretty much had to explain…""