When they arrived at the meeting, they found that they were the first ones there, except for Rangiku, Yachiru and Nemu, who was sat in the corner quietly minding her own business.
"Nanao!" cried Rangiku and pulled her into a hug that left her breathless.
"Matsumoto-fukutaichou, p-please" she gasped and Rangiku let go of the small lieutenant. "You're looking good, showing a bit of leg, I see." Matsumoto commented on Lisa's shihakushō. They assembled into their positions and waited for the others to arrive.
When everyone was seated, Yachiru started the meeting and Rangiku stood up and cleared her throat, as if she was preparing to make an announcement.
"Now I know last meeting didn't end on a very good note..." Matsumoto began.
"How did she know?" wondered Nanao and then it hit her..."Shunsui!" she thought angrily.
Rangiku continued. "Well, I want to make an apology to a certain someone. Nanao... forgive me? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings- it was meant as a harmless joke."
Nanao nodded, speechless.
Rangiku walked over to Nanao and pulled her into another hug that lifted her off of the floor. "Err... Matsumoto?" said Nanao, breathlessly. Seeing Nanao's red face she let go of the fellow lieutenant and placed her back on the ground.
The meeting ended and Kusajishi-fukutaichou skipped over to Nanao and said "Hey! I never got that lollipop you promised me!"
Ise-fukutaichou blushed and searched around for an excuse. "W-well I thought it might be nice to pick it out together! Y-you know I don't know your favourite flavour so I was going to take you shopping." It seemed to have worked because Yachiru started bouncing around, singing "Yay! We're going LOLLIPOP SHOPPING!"
The next morning, Nanao was regretting her decision. Shunsui had insisted on joining them and Yachiru was jumping up and down, tugging on Ise-fukutaichou's sleeve.
She was slightly unused to showing this much skin and she could feel Shunsui's eyes on her. "Great, the inner pervert has been awakened again" she thought, sarcastically.
Kusajishi-fukutaichou dragged them in the direction of her favourite sweet shop and pointed out the lollipop she wanted. It was a huge rainbow-coloured monstrosity of sugar.
"I can share this with Bya-kun..." she whispered to herself.
Unfortunately, the lollipop was on the top shelf and Nanao, not being the tallest of people, couldn't reach it. However, Shunsui picked up Yachiru so she could reach. Her tiny fist closed around the stick and a large smile appeared on her face.
Rikichi from the 6th division was passing by and he leaned in and said to Shunsui: "You'd make a good father someday."
A shocked expression appeared on the former captain's face as he put down Kusajishi-fukutaichou.
They paid for the lollipop and exited the shop. The couple dropped off Yachiru back at the Squad 11 barracks and decided to take a detour home through a public garden.
They walked for a while until Nanao found a bench and said: "Sh-shunsui-kun? I have something to tell you..."
They sat down and Kyōraku-san held Ise-fukutaichou's hand. "What is it?" he asked, concerned.
Nanao stammered "Shunsui-kun, I-I'm p-pr-pregnant."
At these words, Kyōraku-san's vision went black. "Shunsui? SHUNSUI!" cried Ise-fukutaichou.
A couple of hours later he woke up in the Squad 4 barracks, Ukitake and Unohana's concerned faces leaning over him. "Na-nao-chan..." he whispered.
Ukitake opened the door to the ward and said: "Ise-fukutachou... Shunsui's awake. He's asking for you."
The small woman ran in, tears streaming down her face.
"Shunsui-kun!" she sobbed "D-does this m-mean you don't want me a-anymore? Th-that you don't want th-this baby?"
"Let the man breathe Ise-fukutaichou!" exclaimed Ukitake.
The former captain raised a hand and brushed a tear from her cheek. "It's fine, Jūshirō. It means nothing of the sort- just a big shock, that's all" he sighed.
Nanao breathed a sigh of relief, then gave him a slap with her fan. "How dare you make me worry! I thought you didn't love me anymore!"
When Shunsui was discharged, he went for a celebratory drink with Ukitake and Matsumoto.
Kyōraku-san had gotten through four bottles of sake before he drew breath. "Slow down Shunsui!" cried Ukitake, concerned. Noticing the melancholic expression on the former captain's face Rangiku said: "Cheer up! You've got a face like a slapped pansy!" "Are you kidding? It's the beginning of the end!" replied Shunsui
"What is?" asked Ukitake "If it's about the baby- I thought that's what you wanted! Anyway, look at the bright side: at least you're not having twins- it's bad enough controlling the manifestation of my zanpakutō!"
"Yeah- you're right! Thanks Jūshirō!" said Shunsui, his face significantly brighter. "I propose a toast: to Nanao and our baby!" They drank to the unborn child until Ukitake started choking.
He placed his hand over his mouth to stop blood covering the table. "Oooh, we'd better get you home, Ukitake-taichou!" sang Rangiku "We'll get Kiyone and Sentaro to look after you!"
They departed and headed back to their respective squads. However, Shunsui had something to take care of first...
The next morning, Nanao woke up beside her Shunsui-kun. She yawned and thought "I'd better get some paperwork done" but before she could a wave of nausea overcame her. As she ran to bathroom, Kyōraku-san awoke and followed her.
Ise-fukutaichou's eyes watered after vomiting fiercely. "Oh god, it's coming again" she thought and suddenly felt a cool hand on her cheek. "Shunsui-k" was all she had time for. He held back her hair and whispered: "Shhh...It'll be fine. We'll get through this together."
With this he kissed the top of her head.
"Tell you what; let's go out for a meal tonight- anything you want!" said Shunsui.
Nanao wiped her mouth. "Y'know what? I feel like paella! I really want paella right now."
So that night they went to a Spanish restaurant on the outskirts of the Seireitei. Candles were lit and a band was playing the song 'Por una Cabeza' by Carlos Gardel.
Shunsui made sure they got a table for two in the middle of the restaurant. Shunsui was dressed in a white suit with a red shirt and Nanao was in a matching red kimono. The former captain was clearly nervous and shaky, but Ise-fukutaichou disregarded this; it was obvious he was apprehensive about their child. They sat down, silently.
"This song suits you very well" stated Nanao, browsing through the menu. Shunsui blinked. "I didn't know you spoke Spanish!" exclaimed Shunsui.
She looked at him from under her eyelashes, over the top of the menu. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Shunsui-kun" she said mysteriously.
Kyōraku-san couldn't help noticing a faint pinkness on the lieutenant's cheeks.
He wanted her more than anything in the world and that moment he stiffened his resolve. He gave a brief nod to the band and they changed songs to a slow, mellow tune. Nanao gasped. "This is my favourite song!" she breathed.
"Yes! It's all going to plan" thought Shunsui.
Kyōraku-san took Ise-fukutaichou by the hand, her small, delicate fingers encased in his large, tender ones. "Nanao-chan, m-my li-little Nanao-chan..." he began shakily. He took a large breath, swallowed and continued, slightly braver than before. "I love you more than anyone, no anything in the world and I want you to know how much you mean to me."
Tears welled up in Ise-fukutaichou's eyes as Shunsui got down on one knee and extracted a small pink box out of his suit pocket.
"You are the only woman who I had ever dreamed of bearing my children and now that dream is a reality. That's why I'm going to ask you something I have never asked any other woman before in my life. Ise Nanao: will you marry me?"
Nanao gasped again, covering her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
"Y-yes... Sh-shunsui-k-kun" she whispered between sobs. Kyōraku-san showed her the ring and she gasped for the third time. It was beautiful. Of course it was extravagant- Shunsui picked it, but it wasn't too fancy and something about it screamed elegance. He had found the perfect ring.
Shunsui slipped the diamond onto her finger and swept her up in his arms. They kissed passionately and Nanao realised why Shunsui had picked a table in the middle of the restaurant. All eyes were on them, but she didn't care.
"Um...sir? Your order is here" interrupted the waiter. They sat down and Nanao, suddenly starving, lifted her fork eagerly. Halfway through the meal Ise-fukutaichou placed her fork on her plate and admired her ring. "It's unbelievable" she whispered. "Shunsui-kun?"
"Yes, Nanao-chan?" replied the former captain.
"Did Matsumoto-fukutaichou help you pick out the ring?" she asked. He fidgeted with the collar of his shirt, uncomfortable. "Err...yes" he admitted.
Nanao giggled. "What's so funny?" asked Kyōraku-san. "Nothing, it's just...you're hopeless Shunsui-kun...but I love you" she replied.
They finshed their meal and Shunsui paid. He stood behind Nanao and she rose from the table. The former captain wrapped his arms around his fiancee and rubbed her stomach.
"Arigatō" he whispered.
They left the restaurant, hand in hand. When they were halfway home, they found Matsumoto dragging Ukitake out of a bush.
"We've been waiting for you!" called the lieutenant. "So...?" "She said yes!" said Shunsui, excitedly, and Nanao blushed, her glasses askew.
"YAY!" shouted Rangiku. "That's great news." wheezed Ukitake. Kyōraku-san leaned towards his best friend.
"How did you know that was her favourite song?"
"Rukia, she's very, um, perceptive." whispered Jushiro.
"Well, bye!"called Rangiku "I'll be wanting all the details at the next meeting!" She dragged Ukitake away, who waved awkardly.
When they arrived back at the Squad 8 barracks, Nanao attempted to return to her bedroom but was stopped by her fiancé.
"Uh-uh-uh!" he said in a teasing manner, waving his finger. "You're staying with me tonight." So that night, she fell asleep in her ex-captain's arms, their unborn child placed snugly between them.