The rain was the first thing he made out, when he became conscious. The soft, rhythmic tapping of the raindrops on the thin walls of the fourth division was soothing, a sound he had always enjoyed.

Rain reminded him of Nanao-chan, after all.

Not winter rain, or the cold steel sleet that came at the end of winter, but the warm spring showers or quiet summer afternoon rains. She wasn't cold, however much people might think so; she gave life and purpose to those around her. She just didn't do it with the sunshine and warmth that so many others seemed to think mattered.

Rain was important. Without it, the cherry blossoms would never bloom, and the rainbows wouldn't shine. Most people probably didn't set much store by those things, but Shunsui knew better. He knew that sometimes you had to take the small, petty blessings, because life wasn't going to give you much more than that.

That sometimes, when the blood was running down his face and getting in his eyes, he would die for cherry blossoms and rain.

She wasn't sunshine or warmth, but he could provide that, as long as she would stay with him. And sometimes he needed her to rain on his parades.

Shunsui couldn't remember traveling to the fourth division, but he knew he was there. He could feel the soft, familiar sheets, and the weight of the quiet, still air on him, heavy with healing reiatsu. More important than his current setting, however, was Nanao's. He couldn't recall much from his battle with Tousen, but he knew that she had been there. That he had made sure she was safe.

That, of course, meant that his loyal Nanao-chan was somewhere around the Fourth, waiting for him to wake up. Was she worried? He hated it when she worried, or cried...

But a small part of me hopes that she worries anyway.

No doubt Nanao would bury him under a mountain of paperwork for getting himself injured in such a crucial time. She believed that he should be punished for his idiocy often, to discourage him from doing anything stupid again.

It was a silly way of saying that she was worried, but it meant a lot to him that she cared.

Still, paperwork was worth it to see him lovely Nanao-chan – she was as beautiful and refreshing as the rain, and just as necessary.

There was no spring without the rain.

-

It was some hours (or days, or minutes) before Shunsui actually opened his eyes. As always, the whiteness of the room blinded him at first – he was always rather grateful for Nanao-chan peering over him like that, and blocking the light. Plus, her expression of concern made him feel quite special, before she returned to her usual professional self. He loved that curious little wrinkle she would get in her brow when she was concentrating hard on something other than paperwork.

Eventually, after much blinking, Shunsui's eyes cleared, and he looked up at the woman above him. A lazy smile started spreading across his lips, but it quickly stopped when he realised that his Nanao-chan was missing.

"Kyouarku-taichou, it's good to see that you're awake." Unohana looked tired and worried, with dark bags under her eyes. "It will be some time before you can get out of bed, and back to your squad, but we expect you to make a full recovery. I'll need to check some of your test res-"

"Where is she?" he rasped. Shunsui didn't normally cut off Unohana, but this was no longer a normal situation. Nanao was always there when he woke up in the Fourth. Always. Even if it was just a hangover. He tried to sit up, but Unohana gently pushed him back down.

"Kyouraku-taichou, your wounds were very serious. Although they have been somewhat healed, moving around right now will cause almost certain death." Shunsui stilled: Nanao would be angry at him if he died.

He laid still as he listened to Unohana's quiet voice, unable to comprehend her words. His hands slowly fisted in the white sheets, but he made no other movements, no sound.

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

-

Nanao could hear the rain too, and it took her by surprise. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but it certainly hadn't been rain.

A very small part of her – the part that still believed in hope and redemption and magic - had expected eternity under a large cherry blossom tree beneath the sun, curled up with Kyouraku-taichou and a good book.

Instead there was only darkness; darkness and rain.

So far, death was cold.

-

It took Shunsui four days to convince Unohana to let him visit Nanao. She was in the room next to his, but Unohana had been worried on the effect it would have on his recovery – not that she said so of course. When you knew someone for that many centuries, words didn't mean as much.

"She shoved all her reiatsu into you, Shunsui - all of it, and something more. There's still a chance, and she is still alive, but I don't think she'll ever wake up."

Words didn't mean as much, but sometimes they still meant the world.

He stared anxiously at her face, as though wishing hard enough would make her open her eyes. Her skin was paler than usual, and she looked thinner – like she was collapsing under her own weight. The bags under her eyes were no longer the slight blue that came from too much paperwork too late, but a deep black. She was still beautiful, but it was more ... tragic, now. Her hair had been brushed and washed, but no one had put it up since moving her into the room, since her reiatsu had shattered her hair clip.

She did it to save you – it's your fault. You did this to her. You killed her.

He shook the thought away. It was his fault, that was undeniable, but she was not dead yet.

"Nanao-chan," he whispered softly. "Come back, Nanao-chan. Who will run our division? Who will make sure I do my work?"

Who will make me laugh, and feel relaxed, and wash away all the evils in the world? Who will be my rain now?

She didn't stir. He held one of her hands in his. He could feel the warmth, could just make out a heartbeat. It was steady, but slower and fainter than he had hoped.

"Who will I love?" His voice broke a little, and he felt something wet on his cheek.

It wasn't the rain, and Shunsui knew he might never know that feeling again, just as he knew that he would surely die with her if she went.

There was no spring without rain.

/AN: Melancholy, yek. This is why I should not write unless I'm in a good mood. Happier chapter next time, I promise. As always, review! Pretty please with Szayel on top, review!. I love constructive criticism and suggestions, but no flamers please. Thanks a ton to those who have already reviewed, especially sunfire1180 for reviewing both chapters and Butterfliesinthewind for the constructive criticism (and reviewing both chapters too).

Also, what do you guys think? Shorter chapters and faster updates, or longer, less frequent ones? This one is really short, but I didn't want to kill the mood with anything else. I'm new! Guide me!

Bleach doesn't belong to me. Not even a little.