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Kitsune Moonstar, wisdom-jewel, peckforever, Meesch, akirk85029, WinterVines, darkangel1910, JenovaJuice97 (for 2 dif chapters), Ngoc Chau, Devatron2000 (for 3 dif chapters) , Brighit R. Gauthier & sorchalov

And now on with the story…

ENJOY!


Chapter 11: Drunken Feelings

Shunsui took his time while going to the meeting. He knew what it was about, anyways. But this gave him some time to process the things that had occurred up until now because frankly the happenings of the last few days had been strange at best. It was still like one of his more elaborate fantasies than reality.

He had his Nanao-chan. Finally. And he wouldn't let her get away again, come what may, he swore to himself.

But he also knew that Nanao was still holding a part of herself back until everything was resolved. She was a woman that protected herself well but then again too much was at stake for the both of them. Shunsui couldn't imagine his life without Nanao, now that he had had a taste and he wanted more. He wanted to sleep next to her, wanted to know that she slept in his arms and wanted to wake with their combined smell on his skin.

His Nanao-chan was even more complex than he could have ever imagined, although he had been pretty sure she was a handful to begin with. So many different layers in such a small person.

He chuckled.

But she was everything he could have hoped for and more. He had of course known that she was fiercely intelligent and sexy as hell but he could have never imagined in his wildest imagination the extent of the passionate being that was hidden under her strict exterior. Even while she was still holding back a part of herself, she gave more than he had ever received in his life.

Once all those obstacles were overcome smoothly they could concentrate on the after.

He smiled mischievously. He looked forward to the after.

You couldn't just find a woman like Nanao anytime and everywhere. Someone like her came along only once in a lifetime and considering the length of a Shinigami's life, that said a lot.

The afternoon had been beautiful. He had spent it in the arms of nature and his Nanao-chan. Could there be anything better? He had actually been a bit hesitant to show Nanao-chan his sanctuary, at first, because not even Ukitake knew about that place. He had found it once entirely by accident while wandering around on a beautiful and sunny day on which he should have been in the office doing some god-awful paperwork but honestly, who'd want to stay inside some stuffy, dark and entirely boring office when the sun was shining, and the birds were singing? Certainly not him.

You could discover so much in nature just by opening your eyes and letting your eyes take in the sights. He loved nature and if a slight breeze happened to waft around you playfully, all the better.

He felt a slight tingle emanating from his Katen Kyōkotsu and knew that his zanpakuto was ready to fight if absolutely necessary. Shunsui tried not to imagine how the meeting could get violent but with Yama-ji you never knew.

He stroked along the handles of his swords to have something to do with his hand and to reassure his swords. He would never admit it but he was actually a bit nervous. Shunsui didn't know how the tide would turn and that made him tense but he knew for sure that he wouldn't give up Nanao. Never.

xxxoxxx

Shunsui was not the first to arrive at the meeting. But then again, when was he ever? Ukitake was already waiting for him at the doors to the meeting room, looking worried.

"I guess this is about you?" The 13th Division taicho asked straight-away without preamble.

"What? I don't get a hello, now?" Shunsui asked jovially not letting on about his nervousness in the least. He wasn't too sure that it'd work on Ukitake, him having known Shunsui for centuries but he would try.

"Ah, Shunsui, why I even bother with you I don't know. You're only trouble." said Ukitake exasperated.

Shunsui slung his arm around Ukitake's shoulder in a friendly manner and sang,"Because I'm your best friend. And you wouldn't know what to do without me. You'd be so bored!" He said bored as if it was an abomination of life.

With all the jostling he nearly rammed into Kuchiki Byakuya who was just entering the room. Just… By the gods, could it be? Could it actually be that Kuchiki Byakuya was coming after him? Inconceivable.

"Are my eyes and brain already so damaged from all my drinking that I get hallucinations or is that really little Byakuya who came in after me?" Shunsui stared with wide eyes after the retreating taicho. Ukitake was also looking kind of dumbstruck but only for a moment. With a shake of his head he announced,

"Come on, let's get into positions."

And from one second to the next, Shunsui got serious. "You're with me?"

Ukitake sighed, "Yes, you troublemaker, of course, and now let's go."

They went to their designated spots and waited for the soutaicho to start the meeting. They didn't have to wait long until the soutaicho sat down into his chair and let his staff smash into the floor to create a booming noise in the hollow room. The sign to start the meeting.

"This meeting is convened and will attend to a serious transgression of one of the Gotei13's taichos."

"Now it comes." Was heard, but one couldn't be too sure from where it originated.

"It has come to my attention," The soutaicho began, not acknowledging the interruption, "that one taicho has broken one the Gotei13's laws of fraternization. Therefore the Central 46 has passed a judgement. It is now pronounced that the guilty parties will immediately stop all acquaintance."

Shunsui dared to interrupt the soutaicho then, "That isn't so easy, Yama-ji, me and Nanao-chan working together daily." Shunsui knew that it was about him, so why play dumb?

The soutaicho shot him a mean look. You didn't want a look like that directed at you for long.

"Furthermore, the fukutaicho of Division 8 will be reassigned to the Kido Corps where they will need her assistance."

And then it was silent.

"Alright, if that's what the Central 46 declares than I have no choice but to veto it." Shunsui's voice boomed.

"That is not up to option." The soutaicho snapped.

"According to the Gotei13's Law it is the privilege of the assembled taicho to veto a decision made by the Central 46." Intoned Byakuya without inflection or looking at anybody in the big room.

Silence.

And then everybody looked at the stoic taicho of the 6th Division at the same time.

Shunsui leaned down to the 10th Division Taicho, Hitsugaya and whispered, "Did that actually just happen? Did Kuchiki Byakuya step in for me?" Shunsui was truly perplexed.

"Hn, seems like." Hitsugaya answered bored.

Shunsui looked over at Byakuya who was staring straight ahead seemingly not noticing all the looks directed at him. The soutaicho was quiet for a moment. He was also looking at Byakuya strangely.

"Then proceed. Who will veto the decision of the Central 46?" And he let his staff crash to the floor once again.

As was protocol the 2nd Division taicho would start and then the soutaicho would give the final vote.

"Oh, by the by should the vote not turn out in my favour I'm going to leave the Gotei13. Just to give you a heads up, so to speak." said Shunsui blithely.

"That is unacceptable. A taicho cannot simply resign. You either get killed or promoted to the King's Guard. You do not simply resign." answered the soutaicho in his garbled voice.

"Actually, I can because it says nowhere that I can't simply leave. The laws only say how to become a taicho but not how to "unbecome" one. Therefore I guess that's open for interpretation."

"Because something like this has never happened." The soutaicho was getting a bit angry by now. Uh oh.

Shunsui knew good and well that it was a first. He wasn't one of the oldest taichos for nothing. He may not seem like a well-read scholar or anything but he knew the laws better than most especially since the time he had fully dedicated himself to winning over Nanao. Shunsui knew that Nanao was a stickler for rules and duty, and he had read and reread the pertaining laws and devised a scheme on how they could make it work a long time ago. Plan A would logically be that both of them stayed in their positions as leaders of the 8th Division, being together without shame and hiding but his Plan B would be to turn their backs on the Gotei13.

Nanao, of course, didn't know anything about his plans because he didn't want to worry her and he would certainly prefer to go with Plan A. He loved being a Shinigami as much as he knew that Nanao did. As Shinigami they helped souls go their way in the circle of life and destroyed those that preyed upon them. It was an honour to be a Shinigami but he wouldn't risk a life without Nanao. If he had to make a choice between being a taicho and Nanao, it would be Nanao.

But he desperately hoped that he didn't have to make that choice.

It was silent in the big room and he could feel the gazes on him but he tried hard not to seem ruffled by any of this. He had a reputation to keep. At least until now, anyways.

But the soutaicho called for a vote with a grim face and they began soon enough.

The taicho of the 2nd Division Soi Fon was first to cast her vote, and she did so in a manner very much her, "I don't see how this demands all the taichos attention but I really don't care. Let them do what they want. Ise-fukutaicho is a hard-working fukutaicho, unlike some of them and if that doesn't change then Kyōraku-taicho has got my vote."

Shunsui took a deep breath. So far so good.

4th Division's taicho Unohana simply stated, "Love is too precious in this life. I won't be responsible for destroying it."

Ahh, Retsu. Wouldn't wish anything bad on anybody.

When it was Byakuya's turn Shunsui held his breath. He really couldn't be sure how Byakuya would decide. Byakuya loved his rules even more than Nanao did. But when Byakuya announced his decision Shunsui contemplated passing out, so surprised was he.

"You have my vote."

Simple yet to the point, that was Byakuya and Shunsui was unimaginably glad. Thanks little Byakuya.

The 7th Division-taicho Komamura waited the longest and Shunsui was only seconds away from just shouting, "Well, what's it gonna be?" Komamura directed lots of looks on the soutaicho but in the end he sighed, "It's your private life."

There was so much tension inside Shunsui which he hoped he would never have to endure again. It was not him to be so on edge. But this was important for him.

Since it had been Shunsui who had instigated the vote he didn't have to veto it and next was the boy genius from the 10th Division.

"This is so troublesome, you know that, right? What does it matter if they're doing private stuff, when they're private? I veto it." He said with a bored and icy voice.

Shunsui knew he liked the boy for a reason.

Zaraki looked kind of exasperated to have to be here enclosed in this room when he could be out being responsible for the destruction of a good part of walls and buildings in his Division Territory.

Everybody looked at him and Zaraki looked back unperturbed, "Please, as if I keep any of those pathetic rules. Veto."

The freakish taicho of the 12th Division was next and Shunsui knew that Kurotsuchi wasn't interested in anything so mundane and would probably want to be in his laboratory soon to disembowel one of his subjects or something else, Shunsui wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what Kurotsuchi did for his science.

"Uhh, I have better things to do than vote about this and since I want to be in my laboratory post-haste I veto it too." Kurotsuchi said with a look at Shunsui.

Shunsui took a deep breath. He knew for sure that Ukitake would veto the decision of the Central 46. Thank God one of the taichos was his best friend. The other taichos also thought so and Hitsugaya asked bluntly, "Do we really have to ask him? We all know what he's going to do." But nobody was really listening to him; instead they were all looking at Ukitake.

"I know that Ise-san is a most reliable person and Shinigami and if you'd know what she does on a regular basis in the 8th Division you'd beg on your knees to have her as your fukutaicho. But Shunsui deserves her." There was a shared look between the two taichos and Ukitake concluded with a smile, "You have my vote, my friend."

Nothing really surprising there and everybody turned their gazes to the soutaicho. Now it was really make or break.

The soutaicho looked from one face to the next and then bent down with his upper body and used one arm to get an enormous ledger out from under his seat. It looked well worn and pieces of paper were stuck in between. He opened it and looked through it for a few minutes. Turning page for page.

Shunsui was ready to bolt and Hitsugaya next to him stepped a bit away from him. Understandable since he was a bit vibrating with his reiatsu.

Until Yamamoto-soutaicho fixed his gaze on his former pupil and actually opened both of his eyes (!!) which had always been particularly unnerving for Shunsui. Yama-ji had eyes that saw everything, or at least they seemed that way to him.

"Veto." His voice boomed.

Shunsui couldn't breathe for a moment. Had he really just heard…? After another moment and a clap on his shoulder from someone he started to believe that Yama-ji had actually voted in his favour.

He took his first breath after the revelation and closed his eyes. Finally.

"Quiet." The Soutaicho called for order. "This meeting is not finished yet."

Shunsui felt like jumping and doing a silly dance, but then he could still do that later after he had told his Nanao-chan that everything would be alright. He felt so immensely lighter for knowing that everything would be alright now. He would get his Nanao and she wouldn't have any reason to hold back from him anymore.

He looked at Yama-ji (who was his favourite person, after Nanao of course, at the moment) when the old man started to speak again.

"Kuchiki-taicho, inform your fukutaicho that he has won the pot."

"Sir?" asked Byakuya inquiringly with a slightly elevated eyebrow.

The soutaicho held up the ledger and explained, "Years ago I set up a betting pool and Abarai-fukutaicho wins it now."

Now everybody was even more confused than before.

Shunsui looked at Yama-ji uncomprehendingly until an idea formed in his mind. An idea so absurd that he nearly cast it away immediately but…

"Was it you that set up the "Shunsui-and-Nanao-will-get-together" pot?" After a slight chuckle out of the soutaicho Shunsui shook his head and roared with laughter. This couldn't be happening. He should be seething mad but somehow the situation just called for humour.

"You- and then…and after that…" Shunsui couldn't bring forth anything intelligible even if his life depended on it. He nearly suffocated he was laughing so hard.

But he collected himself soon enough and stared at his mentor, "You canny old geezer! You put us on edge on purpose to see if we would budge from our path!"

Shunsui shook his head again. The old battleaxe! He should know better by now. You just couldn't see into Yama-ji's cards. If he wanted to keep something secret, he would manage it.

"This meeting is finished. Dismissed."

And the taichos started to trickle out of the room, seemingly not noticing all the curious Shinigami loitering around outside the room, pretending to be busy.

Ukitake stayed back and went over to his friend.

"Did you know about this, Ukitake?" Shunsui asked jovially. He could hug the world at the moment. But most of all he wanted to hug his Nanao.

"No not a single thing, Shunsui." Ukitake hugged his friend for a moment and ended it with a clap on his shoulder. "Good Luck. And don't hurt her." Ukitake reminded him.

"Don't worry, if I hurt her than you're very welcome to hurt me bad." Ukitake nodded and smiling for his friend he went out into the sunny afternoon.

Now, only Shunsui and the soutaicho remained.

Shunsui looked at him for a second very intently and said seriously.

"Thanks, Yama-ji." And not waiting for a response went out to tell his Nanao-chan the news.

xxxoxxx

Byakuya went into the office of his fukutaicho without knocking and was actually a bit astonished to see him doing some paperwork at his desk.

Renji looked up at him startled and instantly his face became animated.

"So, what happened, taicho?" He was burning from curiosity.

"Yamamoto-soutaicho has asked me to tell you that you have won the betting pool, Abarai-fukutaicho." First Renji looked very worried when he heard that the soutaicho wanted his taicho to tell him something and then he frowned uncomprehendingly.

But after a second it somehow dawned on him and Renji jumped into the air in exuberant joy. Then he had to stand next to his desk with one hand bracing some of his weight on it and looked awestruck.

"Oh, my god. I- I- I'm filthy rich!" Renji brought out with wide open eyes.

Byakuya looked at him with a question in his eyes. One he promised himself he wouldn't voice. And as expected, Renji explained without Byakuya having to press the matter.

"I bet on them getting together a few years ago. Everybody did. And now, can you imagine how much money must be in it after about a hundred years? A hundred years worth of bets. Can you believe it? Oh, I have to sit down." And he did just that. "Wow. I mean, wow."

And the fukutaicho seemed to be staring into space dreamily.

"That does not give you the right to slack-off, Abarai-fukutaicho. I would welcome it if you would finish your tasks for today. After that you may take the rest of the day off. And do not bother to come in before noon tomorrow. I do not want a hung-over fukutaicho in my office."

And with that Byakuya turned around and walked away, his haori trailing dramatically behind him.

"Oh, my god. Did my taicho just give me a day off? Am I really rich, now? Will wonders never cease?!" Then a thought occurred to him,

"The soutaicho set up the bet?!"

xxxoxxx

Nanao was on tenterhooks. She couldn't concentrate on work one bit and was currently walking a hole into the wooden floor of the office.

This was not an acceptable state. This would not do. She refused to be reduced to some lunatic that couldn't accomplish anything on her own. She was an independent woman who knew what she wanted and if Shunsui couldn't accept that, well, then he would be hearing it from her!

She still didn't quite know why she was so unbelievably attracted to him even after satisfying her curiosity. If possible she was even more attracted to him than before, and there was more…but she didn't dare delve deeper into this elusive more at the moment since she had no idea what would happen now. With her, with Shunsui…with them.

Ahh, she wouldn't think about that! Once again she took off her hair clip and bound her hair in her usual style, the movements so familiar to her by now that she didn't even have to use a mirror anymore. She went over to the windows and looked out at the street and the passing Shinigami. One especially drew her attention. He was gesticulating wildly and as he came nearer Nanao was also able to hear him.

"…and then we could hear hysterical laughter. It was scary, I tell you. When the doors opened we didn't stay around to get caught by the taichos."

Nanao didn't know what to think about that. She guessed immediately that the passing-by Shinigami had been talking about the captain's meeting. Someone had been laughing? That was a good sign, wasn't it? But hysterical? That wasn't so good, her mind supplied.

She couldn't stand the wait! She was just about to run outside but as soon as she touched the door it was opened and she looked into a partly exposed chest which she knew intimately by now. She looked up into the face of her taicho and as soon as she saw his enormous grin she jumped him. She jumped on him and slung her legs around his waist and hugged him to her tightly. She didn't know what she was doing but in that moment it was as if something had uncoiled in her and she had simply reacted. In that moment she did what she felt.

Shunsui meanwhile wasn't idle. Far from it. He had been looking forward to telling his Nanao-chan about the good news but it turned out that he didn't have to. He must have been wearing such a silly grin that he didn't have to say a single thing. Nanao had jumped him, Nanao had jumped him (!!), as soon as he had walked into the office.

Well, what did you do if your beautiful Nanao-chan jumped and hugged you? You hugged her back, of course. Tightly and inappropriately. And the best thing was she wasn't complaining one bit! Nanao was also hugging him to herself so tightly that he was having trouble breathing but he wasn't complaining one bit either!

Only then did the catcalls and whistles register. He turned back with Nanao in his arms and saw the whole office in an uproar.

"Sorry kiddies, this is not for open viewing." and closed the door.

Nanao didn't think at all about her reputation and that the Shinigami in residence had seen her in such an undignified position in her taicho's arms. She didn't care a bit!

But she cared about the way that Shunsui held her. Possessively and lovingly. She didn't mind that his hands were roaming over her ass at the moment, pressing her body even tighter against his.

"Get us away from here." Nanao whispered desperately in his ear, nibbling on the lobe.

Shunsui stepped to the windows, opened two and stepped through them without hesitation and then they were rushing through the air with Shunsui's superb shunpo.

Shunsui stopped at some windows and Nanao had to think for a moment to recognise the surroundings and wasn't too surprised that they were heading into Shunsui's living room.

As soon as Nanao saw the state of said room she looked away, not wanting to be put off by the untidiness of it but she didn't have to worry because Shunsui stepped surely into the next room and Nanao held her breath. She had never seen his bedroom before thinking that it was an intrusion into his privacy to walk into it but she could have never imagined anything like this anyways. It was beautiful … and made for seduction.

It contained a big bed against a wall which was magnificent. Nanao had never seen the like before. No simple futon for Shunsui or even a simple high, western style bed like she had. No, it was a large four poster made from heavy dark oak with stylized and beautiful ornamental carvings all around it.

There was a comfy corner with soft looking pillows and throws arranged with thought and it looked very inviting to simply lounge on them. There was actually a bookshelf against one wall and it was filled to over brimming with books and scrolls which surprised Nanao a bit.

But Shunsui didn't stop in his stride and so Nanao couldn't finish her assessment of his bedroom since Shunsui's steps led them straight to his large bed and when Nanao sank into the soft mattress and Shunsui followed instantly she didn't really care about anything else.

He abraded her cheek with his delectable stubble which made Nanao shiver and goose bumps break out across her skin. Shunsui didn't wait and started quickly on her belt which he disposed of swiftly and efficiently and started on taking off the layers to her uniform. Nanao too was pulling on his robes. Quite successfully too.

"I can't be gentle at the moment." Shunsui whispered into Nanao's ear roughly, biting along the pulse at her neck freeing her arms and legs from her uniform.

"Then don't be." Gave Nanao back in a husky voice she barely recognised.

Shunsui couldn't form coherent thoughts. The only thing on his mind was Nanao. Her skin pressed flush against his. Her body responding to his. She was magnificent.

Soon enough they were rid of their clothes and rolled around the bed looking for the best position. Shunsui managed to stay on top and Nanao cried with pleasure at the strokes of his tongue down from her neck to her breasts, nibbling at some intervals using his stubble for maximum pleasure over her sensitive skin.

Shunsui loved the feeling of her skin on his tongue, loved running his stubble over her smooth and silky cheeks, eliciting moan after moan from her. Every sexual experience to date had been a prelude to this. He had been training and practicing all those centuries to give her pleasure. And to feel the pleasure she gave him. To worship her as she deserved.

Shunsui used his hands and tongue so forcefully that Nanao got so dizzy from it she had to close her eyes against all the waves of emotions rolling through her. He had never been like this with her. Demanding, forceful, powerful and holding nothing back.

His reiatsu loosened and crackled around him. It shivered over her body and…into it. Forcing her reiatsu to a response on such an intimate level that Nanao cried out in sheer, overwhelmed, ecstasy.

Where was the lazy, relaxed taicho she knew? In that moment there was not a hint of it in him. He was as if possessed, urging her body into a state which she had never experienced before. Shivers wrecked her slender frame and she was seized by his reiatsu in a maelstrom of heat.

Shunsui felt free for once. Free to love and to care and he wanted to show her how much he felt for her. He loosened his control to show her that he trusted her to be able to handle it. But what he hadn't expected was to feel his reiatsu drifting its way into her body, making her reiatsu respond in kind. His reiatsu pulled hers forth until they meshed and tangled around their bodies.

When he finally entered her, his reiatsu filled every single molecule of her body and Nanao wasn't sure she could finish this dance without passing out.

But her body moved on its own accord. Following his lead and balancing him. Nanao hadn't known that sex could be so intense, so intimate, and so beautiful.

Shunsui couldn't comprehend the sheer intimacy of the moment. He felt Nanao all around and even in him and couldn't suppress his feelings any longer. He felt drunk on all the feelings stored inside him. He shared his body with her at the moment and wanted to share his feelings with her too.

It was then that Nanao heard Shunsui gasping into the crook of her neck, over and over, "I love you, I love you, I love you…"

But what surprised Shunsui most was her reaction to it.

Nanao pulled him closer.


A/N: I hope you're at least a bit surprised by the little twist I put in the middle. The old man is just too fun to play with. lol

As requested by one of my lovely reviewers (yes it's you darkangel!) I tried to put a bit more thought into Shunsui's thoughts and I hope I succeeded. If not, tell me.

I liked where I ended this chapter because I think that it's a sure indication that Nanao feels for Shunsui too on a deeper level which she isn't quite ready to voice but she's finally able to show it.

And thanks to akirk85029 for the "margin-thingy". lol

And also, I'm only a few reviews away from my 100th review, can you believe it? Well, I can't but whoever it is will get a special mention in my next chapter. So try hard!!