So, here I am, I hope I didn't keep you guys waiting for too long.
An old friend
Shunsui woke up late, feeling really, really sick. He jumped out of bed, running to the bathroom to vomit. The sudden change of position paid off almost immediately, as his head started to pound. What happened? Did he get drunk again? No, he went to bed, right after dinner. Nanao chan had kept her room; she was feeling sick….Nanao chan!
Suddenly, fragments from last night came back to him. A pale, tired face, surrounded by long locks of black hair. A small hand in his. An angel holding him in her arms in his worst moment. Shunsui turned his eyes to the mirror and removed some locks of hair from his forehead. The wound had started to heal, but that didn't mean he wasn't in danger.
He stared at his face in the mirror, as if he was seeing it for the first time-his features were unaltered, and yet they didn't seem his. The sore looked like a big red rose, stuffed in his hair, and there was a three days beard on his chin. Shunsui studied his reflection in the mirror, trying desperately to understand where the matter was. And then he saw the deep shadows in his eyes, a darkness that turned his irises almost black.
What had happened? Everything seemed like a distant dream, like a memory he had stocked in the farthest, darkest corner of his brain. He was in a poorly-lit room, he could barley see his own hands. But the face of the woman was clear like a summer sky. It was a lovely face, exceedingly beautiful and delicate by its innocence. He knew that woman; it was his Nanao-chan. But what made him remember that all of the sudden? Why was he mixing up her face with the one from his dreams?
Shunsui groaned and cupped his head. The pain was too much! Maybe it was best to lie down until he was capable of thinking.
Getting out of the bathroom, he stopped dead in his tracks. Nanao was in his room with a tray in her hands and a towel thrown across her shoulder. She was wearing a simple blue gown…ok, maybe not exactly. In truth, it looked like something she would wear to chase after a pig. But it still looked good on her. Her hair was tied in its usual high bun, and her cheeks were slightly red.
"I didn't expect you to be up." She mumbled "Are you all right?"
"Sure I am, my sweet Nanao-chan." Shunsui looked at her carefully. There was something different about her.
"You shouldn't be standing like that, it's dangerous." Nanao put the tray down on the dressing table and helped him lay down. "You suffered a really bad blow last night, you may get worse if you don't rest."
"You're so caring, Nanao-chan." Shunsui smiled "I bet you'd make a perfect wife."
"Please don't say such things." Nanao blushed slightly "I am not in a mood to talk about this….marriage business."
"You're still thinking about breaking it off?" He asked, a little too anxious than usual.
Nanao didn't answer. Instead, she shoved a mug of warm milk in his face and made him drink it. Shunsui obeyed, and watched her with the corner of his eye as she quickly put his room to order, brought him more pillows and fetched some books from the library so he would not get bored-everything done in perfect silence. Then she walked out of his quarters, leaving him to wonder.
Why was she so…unpredictable? Saying she was cold was like insisting that the sky was green-Nanao Ise was anything but cold, however, she restrained her passionate, wonderful side with everything she had. Why? Why was it so hard for her to show her feelings? Or maybe she didn't know what she wanted?
Nevertheless, she was extremely nice to him. She came over every hour to check on him, asking him if he needed something. They had lunch together, or at least Shunsui ate and Nanao watched. She was helping the servants in the kitchen, so she was either covered in flower, or was about to go out and collect the eggs from the chickens, or something like that-but no matter what she had been doing, she looked exquisite.
In the early morning of the second day, they received a messenger. A young man brought Byakuya-san some mail and a notice to Shunsui-his best friend was going to come for a visit. An hour later, even before Shunsui had even woken up, the friend himself arrived.
Ukitake Jushiro was a young farmer from a village not far away. He wasn't much older than Shunsui, but his eyes had a serious, stern look, and his hair was pure white, which gave him the air of an old man.
The first to notice him was actually the messenger, who was taking his breakfast in the kitchen with Nanao, who had insisted on it. The boy was indeed very young, around Rukia-chan's age, and he was tall and skinny, with bright orange hair. He had a grim look on his face and refused to tell anyone his name.
They were all sitting around the table-Hisana and Matsumoto were peeling potatoes, while teasing Hisagi about seeing Isane in her nightgown. The latter was blushing furiously, while she was pouring the boy another bowl of milk. Nanao was carrying in a big copper, filled with water, and called Rukia to help her out. But the girl was too busy having a staring contest with the messenger-the two had decided that they hate each other the moment their eyes met.
"Oi, there's Ukitake-san." The boy pointed out the window. A man with white hair was dismounting his horse and was about to come in through the servant's entry. Hisana got up from the table and ran out to greet him. A few moments later he came in, removing his hat and bowing to the ladies in the room before they were able to stand up.
"Hello there, Rukia-chan!" The girl gave him a big smile, while the boy rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath. Rukia looked like she would kill him, but fortunately Hisana cut in and made her sister go and help Nanao. "I see Ichigo-kun and Rukia-chan are going on well." Ukitake grinned.
"Ichigo? As in strawberry?" Matsumoto chipped.
"As in 'he who protects'" politely, but firmly, Ukitake corrected her. "Oh, let me help you with that." He rushed out to help Nanao and Rukia. Then he turned to Hisana "Is Shunsui awake?"
"I don't know." The black-haired woman looked confused at the bell, hanging on a cord in the opposite end of the room "He hasn't called to ask for his breakfast yet…."
"He hasn't? Well, that must change immediately!" Ukitake bowed to Nanao, and without waiting to hear her thanks he showed himself to the stairs, leading to the bedrooms "It is a shame to sleep through such a beautiful day!"
Shunsui was asleep, but Jushiro quickly changed that. After waking up with a start, and going through all the greets and hugs, the two friends sat down to play chess and talk.
"Good God, what happened to your head?" Jushiro asked, when Shunsui brushed the mane of brown hair off his face. "Did you hit yourself somewhere?"
"No….no, I actually fell. I think."
"You think?"
"I…don't remember very well. I must've gone out to the bathroom and the next thing I know my head is bleeding and I'm in the arms of my Nanao-chan?"
"Is Nanao-chan your fiancée or a servant girl?"
"My fiancée of course. Why would I be calling a servant girl "my", Juu-kun?"
"I can never know with you, Shunsui."
"That was before. I am a new man right now."
There was a knock on the door and Nanao came in through the door, carrying a tea pot and some cups.
"I am sorry to interrupt, but the doctor insisted that you keep track of your fluids." She said, bowing politely.
"No, no, Nanao-chan, come here! Let me introduce you to my dear friend, Jushiro Ukitake!"
"We have already met." Nanao said, bowing again. Jushiro's expression was priceless. He just looked blankly.
"There, let me serve you." Nanao said, pouring them some tea and making sure Shunsui drinks his. "Oh, please be careful!" she exclaimed when he spilled some, while tryingto tell her something. She took a napkin and wiped his chin "You should know better than to speak while drinking."
"Oh, but Nanao-chan, you just have this power over me. I cannot think rationally when you are around."
Nanao rolled her eyes, bowed for the nth time and left them alone.
"Well, isn't she exquisite?"
"She is indeed….but honestly, I thought she was a servant."
"Well, at least you didn't think she was a cold-hearted person."
"That's what you thought?"
"Not exactly…"
"What….oh, God, Shunsui, what did you do?"
Slowly, he told Jushiro everything-from their first meeting in the garden, through all their little perils, up to that night when he hit his head. Jushiro listened, at some point his jaw dropped.
"You say Isane-chan got whipped because she attacked your fiancée? But she looked so well…."
"That's because she left Nanao mend her wounds. And you'd never believe it-she has the kindest of hearts."
"You sound like a man in love."
"I am indeed, but she is not. Oh, Juu-kun, what should I do?"
"There's no point telling you what you should've done. I've told you many times before. But do you really love her?"
"I do." Shunsui said softly
"Do you love her enough to marry her? I know you, the concept of marriage terrifies you."
"NO, no, you are wrong! I do love her and if she could love me back and marry me, I'd be on cloud nine."
"Then why are you standing there, letting her go away? Checkmate."
Hisana was early for the lesson with Nanao, so she sat down to play a little. After a while, she got carried away, and didn't even notice when the door opened and Byakuya went in.
He watched her, without being noticed. This is silly, he thought, why should he be standing there, as if he had to beg for permission to walk in the room….or even to look at her. But the serene expression on her face, when she played, made him suddenly feel weak and insignificant…something that rarely occurred. But…
He coughed, making his presence known to her. She snapped out of her reverie, jumped on her feet and bowed.
"I am sorry, lord Kuchiki, for not noticing you and…." He cut off her excuses and motioned her to come to the window with him. Down in the garden, Rukia and Ichigo were playing tag. From time to time, they wrestled a little, before resuming their chase.
"I…wanted to apologize for my behavior to you the other night, Hisana-san."
"Oh, no, you mustn't descend so low as to apologize to somebody as unworthy as I am."
"Because you're a servant? Please. No man is worthy enough to be called a true gentleman if he dares to be rude with a woman. So please, accept my apology."
Hisana didn't know what to say. Then she bowed again.
"Good." Byakuya looked down to the garden where Isane was trying to stop Ichigo and Rukia with the help of Hisagi. "That was….a fine song you just played."
"Thank you."
"You may….play it again; I have something to tell Ise dono, so please, don't be bothered by me."
Hisana nodded and sat down on the piano again. Byakuya leaned against the window frame and closed his eyes, enjoying the sounds of her voice, singing.
A/N-So, thank you again for your reviews and I want to tell you that they are all taken to consideration. You'll see! I hope I don't dissappoint you.
