"You're what now?" Rangiku shrieked.
"Inside voice," Nanao chastised wincing. "The Soutaicho wanted me to take the job so I did. Would you stop pulling?"
"Sorry," Rangiku said, putting the curler down. She'd been helping Nanao get ready for a night out and had insisted her stick straight hair needed some curl to it. "But you are going to need to explain this better."
So Nanao took a deep breath and plunged into the explanation of the job while the woman continued to futz with her hair.
"How'd Kyouraku take it?" Rangiku asked quietly at the end of her tale.
"Not too well," Nanao admitted, "but there was nothing he could do. The Soutaicho only bends so far to Shunsui's whims, and I'm sure his family donated generously to the Gotei 13 to get what they wanted, which was stupid since I'm pretty sure the Soutaicho had been considering asking me to take this job regardless of what happened."
"Hmm," Rangiku hummed to herself. "Well, I suppose it's for the best. You did want to avoid the whole situation after all, besides some of your brother's friends are hot. Nothing better for a broken heart than a good rebound. Although I'm sure Hisagi would be up to the job if you'd prefer."
"Doesn't Hisagi-san have a crush on you?" Nanao asked with a confused face.
"Like a decade ago," Rangiku said rolling her eyes. "We went on like two dates, had a few fun nights, and then figured out that besides some wild animal sex we didn't have a whole lot together to maintain a relationship. But I highly recommend him in the bedroom department. Very energetic and anxious to please. Also has the stamina to keep up with some of the more adventurous positions."
"Great," Nanao said with a laugh. "I'll look into that."
"You really should," Rangiku encouraged. "He's sweet and he seems to have a legitimate crush on you. He's been asking after you whenever we've hung out for like half a year."
"I was still dating Kyouraku at that time. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps he was just being friendly?" Nanao asked rolling her eyes.
"Just because a woman is taken doesn't mean a man can't dream," Rangiku said warmly. "Besides boys being friendly generally means they'd be willing to jump you. Ask him to do the tongue ripple thing. It's a little slice of heaven.
"Ran," she yelled laughing. "Knock it off. I'm not going to sleep with Hisagi-san."
"Your loss," she said shrugging her shoulders. "Although I suppose you're doing him a favor, what with making it so Kyouraku doesn't try to kill him and all."
"Against my better judgment, what's the tongue ripple thing?" Nanao asked. Rangiku smiled naughtily and opened her mouth and then Nanao thought better of it. "Never mind, I changed my mind, I don't want to know."
"It's one of those things you have to experience to understand anyway," Rangiku said with a shrug. "Where is that blue shirt with the thin straps?"
"It's at Shunsui's house," Nanao admitted fidgeting with some of the odds and ends on her bureau. "I actually have a lot left at his house. I guess I'll have to go get it at some point."
"Or that's what shopping trips are for. There's got to be something good left here," Rangiku said, pointedly trying to avoid conversations about bad breakups. "Here we go!"
"I'm not wearing that," Nanao said sharply.
"Come on, it's hot," Rangiku whined.
"Shunsui bought that for me, knowing I'd never wear it," she said simply. "He just got it to piss me off."
"Time to shake things up," Rangiku pushed. The top was a bright red corset top that laced up the front. It was form hugging and made to make even the most modest of chests look appealing.
"I'm not wearing it," she said firmly.
"Nanao, come on," Rangiku said. "You're newly single, just got a new job and a raise, shouldn't you try something new in the wardrobe department too?"
An hour later they were leaving the house and Nanao pulled the light jacket she wore closer around her. "I don't know how I let you talk me into this," she muttered.
"Hey, it was a compromise," Rangiku replied with a smile. "If I'd had my way you'd be in the slutty skirt I bought you three years ago too."
"Why are we friends again?" she pouted.
"Mainly so you don't get old and wrinkly before your time," Rangiku answered mock seriously. "Now come on, we're going to be late."
"I really should change," Nanao wavered.
"March, soldier," Rangiku commanded pushing on her shoulders to get her moving.
They arrived at the bar late, but it really didn't matter as Hisagi and Kira had started drinking without them anyway.
"Ladies," Hisagi greeted standing up at the table. Kira did as well giving them a slight bow. Nanao returned the bow, but was quickly and informally dumped into a seat at the table by Matsumoto. Hisagi held up his hand for the bartender and ordered another round. "I'm only buying your first one, Ran."
"Aw, come on," she pouted. "You're a Taicho. You get paid much better than me. Aren't you supposed to take care of your subordinates?"
"You aren't my subordinate, thank kami," he said with a laugh.
"But I even brought you a present," Rangiku whined.
"I don't see any present," he commented, taking another swig of his drink and glancing pointedly at her empty hands.
"It's right here," Rangiku said, and before Nanao could stop her, Rangiku had tugged Nanao's concealing jacket down off her shoulders. Nanao flushed bright red and reminded herself to kill Rangiku when she managed to get her wrist free from the jacket sleeves. "See, isn't that worth paying for my drinks? It was very hard to get her to come out in that."
"I think all that deserves is poor Ise fukutaicho getting a few extra shots for her friend being a total abuser," Hisagi said with a laugh. Nanao desperately continued to try and untangle herself from the coat, if only just to kido blast her friend off her chair. "You look quite lovely though, Ise fukutaicho," he added, and then stomped on Kira's foot under the table.
"The color suits you," Kira said with a quick wince and an agreeing nod.
"Thanks," she muttered as she got free, knowing she was flushing red to match the top all over again. She was going to shave Rangiku's head in her sleep.
"No more formalities!" Rangiku announced happily. "Nanao-chan isn't a fukutaicho anymore so you can't call her that!"
"What is she talking about?" Hisagi asked, looking at her curiously. She gave him credit that his eyes stayed on her face, and he did look genuinely interested.
"The Soutaicho thought I could serve the Gotei 13 better by being a liaison to the Rukongai," she said.
"Ah, right, your brother lives out there doesn't he?" Hisagi inquired.
"Yes, he works with the Higurashi family," she confirmed.
"Well that's going to be interesting," Hisagi said thoughtfully. "And a hell of a lot less paperwork for you. Think they need another person?"
The table laughed and the waitress came over again when Hisagi caught her eye. "So what kind of shot, Ise-san?"
"Oh, no I couldn't," she said waving him off.
"Come on, it's free," he argued giving her a half smile.
"Yeah, you can't turn down free," Matsumoto said nudging her side.
"I don't think it's a good idea," Nanao said frowning. "I've never done shots before."
That raised a big protest from the table and Hisagi finally said, "Why not?"
"I'm a lightweight," Nanao admitted ruefully. "Shu-," she started and then corrected, "Kyouraku Taicho didn't think it'd be a good idea. Especially when all it takes is a couple mixed drinks and I'm under the table."
"You'll never know until you try," he replied grinning wider. "And I don't see Kyouraku Taicho anywhere around do you?"
"Live a little," Kira added, and it was probably the fact that the morose boy was telling her to live a little that convinced her the most.
"Something that doesn't taste like piss," she said finally.
"You heard the lady," he said winking at the waitress. "A shot that's better than piss."
"You are getting me home," she said to Rangiku.
"Sure, hunny, although I'm going to be as wasted as you are if we do this right," Rangiku said. "Got to give the ol' liver a work out. If it gets real bad I'll just send a reiatsu burst Taicho's way and he'll come get us. He's almost as bad as you were with Kyouraku-san."
"If I wake up in a ditch I'm burning your closet," she said, while in her mind adding, along with shaving your head.
"You won't wake up in a ditch," Hisagi comforted. "Though I can't promise you won't wind up on the floor of a stranger's home."
"Or a stranger's bed," Rangiku sang.
"I volunteer to be that stranger," a shinigami said coming up to the table and having only heard the last part.
"But I know you," Rangiku whined. Suddenly it seemed like the table was surrounded to Nanao, and she watched the three friends easily fall into conversation with the shinigami they obviously knew from many other nights out. She was content to observe as always, but after a bit of time she wondered if she'd been missing something all these years being as isolated as she was. Yes, she loved her close friends, but when one went away she didn't have much to fall back on. Being desperately faithful and completely in love with Shunsui all these years obviously hadn't done her any good.
"Ise-san?" she heard finally, and snapped her attention back to Hisagi who was holding a shot out to her.
"Oh, thanks," she said, taking it reluctantly and setting it down on the table. Shots made their way around the group, and she stared down at her own torn.
"To new beginnings," Rangiku said, picking up the tiny glass and pushing it back into her hands.
"Just hold your breath and toss it back," Hisagi advised.
"To new beginnings," Nanao agreed, uncomfortably aware she was the focus of attention. She threw the shot back and coughed violently as it burned down her throat.
"That a girl," Hisagi said fondly. "Another round!" The resulting cheers around her made her smile slightly. What the hell? She didn't have anything to lose, and there was no work the next day.
A few hours later she was not regretting the decision although the world was spinning as she tried to make her way to the bathroom. Nanao knew she wouldn't love it come morning, but she was surprisingly having a lot of fun, and it was much easier to talk to total strangers when you were slightly plastered. It probably also helped that there wasn't a Taicho that could break them in half around to monitor what they were saying. Conversation got funny and raunchy fast after the first comment was made and everyone figured out she wasn't about to rain kido fire down upon their heads for not being polite and civil. Given, everyone still had enough brains about them not to make overt sexual comments about her and her relationship with Kyouraku. That may have gotten them blasted through a wall.
"Ise-fukutaicho?" a voice called hesitantly as she washed her hands. She turned her head and blinked, trying to remember the 8th's squad member's name who stood next to her.
She finally gave up and simply said, "Yes?"
"Oh nothing," the girl said looking embarrassed. "I was just surprised to see you here."
Nanao just rolled her eyes and walked out of the bathroom, making a face as people pushed and jostled her. She may be drunk, but she still didn't like total strangers invading all of her personal space. Now where had her group been sitting?
"Ah, Nanao-san, there you are," Hisagi said coming up next to her. "We decided to bar hop. Everyone is waiting for us outside, but I told Ran I'd find you."
"Thanks," she said lightly, though in her head she was again using some choice words for the pushy manipulative woman. She'd told Rangiku she was going to the bathroom so there had been no need to send Hisagi searching. The fresh night air hit them as they walked out the doors and she relaxed even further. Everything was buzzing warmly in her head and she kept smiling for no reason, although having to run to the bathroom every fifteen minutes did get old. Yet another reason to be happy she wasn't pregnant. She shook that thought away, avoiding the other thoughts that would eventually come with it.
The group argued for a few seconds about which bar in the area would be best to go to and finally Nanao put in, "The Naughty Hollow has karaoke competitions on Saturday nights. If you win you get free drinks on the following Saturday night."
The group was silent for a moment and then Hisagi lifted an eyebrow and said, "You go there often?"
"Of course not," she replied. "Shunsui just always liked it and would drag me along occasionally." A few of their group members started at the informal name, especially since Nanao never used it in public, but said nothing.
"Well, was he going tonight?" Rangiku asked.
"How should I know?" Nanao snapped feeling irritated at the group's sudden weirdness. "I was just giving a suggestion. Don't go there if you don't want to."
"Who's up for karaoke?" Hisagi called, trying to turn the conversation. An agreeing mumble swept through the group and they all started off in that direction. Hisagi walked with her as she trailed behind the group. "Are you going to sing then?"
"Oh, no," she said with a laugh. "I'm still not that drunk, and I am as a whole pretty drunk."
"A few more shots should get you up on the stage," he agreed with a laugh.
"All I want is some noodles," she said plaintively. "Think the next bar will have food?"
"If not we can stop at a ramen shop on the street somewhere," he offered.
"Thanks," she said and truly meant it.
"No problem, hey didn't you have a coat?"
She glanced down at herself and cursed her slow moving mind. "I must have left it on the back of the chair at the bar. I'll catch up."
"Right," he said with disbelief in his tone. "Guys, were going back for Nanao-san's coat."
"Take your time!" Rangiku called cheerily. "In fact, we'll understand if you both get 'lost' somewhere along the way." The rest of the group joined in on the cheering and catcalls, and Nanao flushed lightly as Hisagi flipped them off.
"Well meet you there," he called. "Come on, Nanao-san, ignore them."
"Aren't you afraid of getting your ass kicked?" she asked finally as they wandered back to their original location.
"By you?" he asked confused.
"By Shunsui," she clarified, hating how her thoughts, even drunk, always circled back to him.
"What right does he have to kick my ass?" Hisagi asked with a shrug. "You're allowed to talk to other men."
"It's different now," she said pointedly.
"Yeah, now he was an idiot and really has no right to dictate who you hang out with," Hisagi said.
"Rangiku said you like me," she blurted and then reminded herself to drink less.
"I think you're interesting," he said thoughtfully. "But I suppose I don't really know you. I'd like to though. Know you that is."
"Get to know me or perform the tongue ripple?" she asked curiously and then mentally slapped herself. Nanao had never been good with flirting, and one of the things she'd enjoyed so much about being with Shunsui was that he knew her bluntness was usually just her way of being embarrassed and uncomfortable and not necessarily a come on.
Hisagi just laughed though. "Well, it's nice to know I have good reviews regardless of the fact that its creepy how much women tell each other. I think I'm going to go with get to know you, and not just because I know it's the correct answer in this situation. I think I could probably like you more than being a rebound, and I know right now that's all I would be."
"I've never had a rebound," she said thoughtfully. "Guess I've never had anything to rebound from."
"Sucks right?" he asked comfortably.
"A lot," she agreed. "Does random sex make it better?"
"At least sometimes for a little while," Hisagi said with a shrug. "Depending on the situation. I'm not thinking you're the type that would enjoy it too much. I had a girl use me as a rebound, even though I didn't know it at the time, and then spend the whole next morning crying in my apartment. Eventually her ex actually had to come and get her. Crazy mess that was."
"So you think I'm a crier?" she asked in a serious tone.
"What? Oh no, I wasn't saying that'd be you," he said trying to backtrack.
She just laughed and he relaxed discovering it was a joke. "You're probably right. I'd probably cry. Hell, I still cry now randomly."
"It's only been a week," he pointed out.
"Still," she said looking up at the sky. "I don't like feeling this way due to something that was completely out of my control."
"Yeah," he agreed and said no more. She appreciated him not trying to talk her out of her morose mood or cheer her up. Sometimes you just had to mourn. Hisagi, probably knew that best of anyone. He'd had his faith and loyalty betrayed too.
"Ise-san," a voice called out, and she prayed it wasn't another division member as she turned to the sound. Oh, this was worse.
"Kyouraku-san," she said coldly to Shunsui's brother, giving him a curt nod. Hisagi stopped walking next to her, and she was suddenly grateful she wasn't alone.
"You look," his brother said, and then paused sweeping his eyes up her body. She fought hard not to try and cover herself up with her arms. "well," he finished nastily.
"Do you need something?" Hisagi asked stonily next to her.
"Have you seen my brother?" he asked Nanao, not even acknowledging Hisagi's existence.
"I don't know why I would have," she said. "It's not a work day, and even if it was, your family made sure I wouldn't have contact with him then either. So I don't know why you're asking me."
Seichii snorted at that. "Regardless of what we attempt to do for his own good, Shunsui will still try to rut with you. So it was a natural assumption to believe he'd been after you tonight too."
She felt more than saw Hisagi's hand go to the hilt of his sword and she took a step in front of him to block his path. Apparently now that she and Shunsui were no longer dating, Seichii saw no reason to maintain even a middling level of decorum. "Well, he hasn't been around."
"I can see that," his brother sneered, looking over at Hisagi for the first time.
"Good luck finding him," she said, turning to continue to the bar, which was a few yards away.
"Ise-san," Seichii sighed a moment later. "I apologize for being rude. It's been a long night. Would you mind looking for him? I'd greatly appreciate it."
Everything in her screamed not to do him the favor, but as it was, she'd been itching to search Shunsui out all night, and now she'd been given the perfect platonic opening to do so. "Fine," she spat. She sent her reiatsu seeking in the way she'd done a million times before. If she'd been sober she'd have just sent it to locate him and not interact with him, but she couldn't help the need to just feel some small part of his being. So she reached out like they had hundreds of times over the past year and a half and brushed her reiatsu up against his own. His reiatsu instantly flared back in that protective questioning way it always did when he wasn't expecting her to signal him. She sent out her own feeling of well being to stop him from doing anything stupid and tried to hide the irritation she was feeling due to his brother being so near. She felt his own reiatsu jump with the pleasure of being in contact with her, and she suddenly knew she'd been stupid to do it. Nanao retracted her reiatsu quickly from the contact as she felt her own depression seep into her all over again.
"He's at the bar three blocks down that way," she pointed miserably. Cursing herself for giving into the impulse.
"Great," Seichii said, quickly capturing her outstretched arm and tugging her towards him. She gave a little yelp of surprise and took a stumbling step forward. The movement was accompanied by the sound of Hisagi's sword hissing out of it sheath. Nanao was surprised to hear the sound of other swords accompanying it though, and turned to see that their drinking party had looped back around to them.
"We were spying," Rangiku admitted without question, as Nanao glanced at them.
"What are you doing?" Hisagi requested calmly.
"Put your swords away right now," Seichii commanded narrowing his eyes. "This is between me, my brother, and the woman."
"Nanao-san is with us tonight," Hisagi said lightly. "Whatever problem you have with her, you have with us."
Some nods of agreement went around and Nanao felt their drunken camaraderie swell. "What do you want, Kyouraku?" she demanded, dropping the polite suffix off his name.
"My brother's been bolting from me all night," he admitted looking pissed. "He'll be far less likely to do so again with you accompanying me."
"I'm not his keeper," she growled. "If he wants to run from you, I don't blame him. Now let go of my arm."
"You're an uncouth Rukongai nothing, and you will do as I say," he stated arrogantly, turning to tug her further down the street.
"Not anymore," she snarled. If she'd been sober she'd have found a better more diplomatic solution, but as it was she just didn't care anymore. This family was no longer allowed to screw with her. And she was suddenly mad at everything, mad at Seichii, mad at Shunsui, mad at the whole shitty situation. She raised the kido before he could react and blasted him off her arm and into a bench on the side of the road.
"You filthy Rukongai bitch," he roared as he picked himself up from the splintered wood.
"Say that again," Rangiku requested darkly, instantly next to her. In fact the whole group had swarmed up to stand defensively around her.
"Considering you're speaking to a whole lot of Rukongai 'filth' as you put it," Hisagi cautioned, "I think it'd be wise to be on your way."
"What's going on?" Shunsui demanded as he rounded the corner with Jyuushiro a step behind.
"Not strong enough to stand up on your own?" Seichii demanded of Nanao, ignoring Shunsui's question.
She laughed at that and signaled for the rest of the group to back off. They reluctantly did so, although many kept their swords out. "I don't think I'm the one that's worried about it. Come on then, they won't interfere," she goaded, pissed off to hell and back at her own stupidity in pausing to give this man the time of day.
"Seichii, don't you dare touch her," Shunsui threatened.
"Stay out of it damn it," she snapped at him. "I'm not under your protection anymore, and I sure as hell don't have to put up with your family's shit." Shunsui looked shocked at the rude reprimand and paused in his movements towards his brother. "So?" she asked Seichii. "Show me what you nobles' have got."
"There will be severe repercussions for this," his brother stated glaring.
"I think we can deal with the slap on the wrist we'll get," Hisagi said comfortably. "Because frankly a group of shinigami that also contains a Taicho and three fukutaichos is infinitely more useful to the Gotei 13 than one more whiney ass, money grubbing noble."
"What is it, Seichii? Now's your chance to put me in my place like you wanted to so many years ago," she said disgusted. "I promise, Shunsui won't stop you from trying to hit me this time. Although I must warn, I'm not a little girl anymore."
"Like I would waste my time with you heathens," he snarled. "Stay away from the Kyouraku family."
"With pleasure," she said, giving him a mocking bow. "We have better things to be doing anyway." That said, she turned on her heel and started back towards the bar. Her adrenaline rush was overcoming her drunkenness, and she felt it instantly when Seichii fired off his own kido blast at her back. She glared over her shoulder and threw up a shield instantly without saying a word or making any sort of accompanying motion. His blast exploded off the shield in a rain of red sparks. "Pathetic," she commented viciously and then continued on her way, feeling the rest of her group form up behind her.
They got back into the bar and suddenly everyone was talking at once. For her part, Nanao felt her legs go a little weak as the adrenaline started to fade. She couldn't even begin to make out what everyone was saying around her. What in the hell had she been thinking doing that?
"That was amazing, Nanao!" Rangiku cooed throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Welcome to the next stage of grief; anger." She called for another round and everyone started bouncing around again.
Rangiku moved off as someone asked her what was going on, and Hisagi moved forward to take her place. "You alright?"
"Besides wanting to throw up?" she asked trying to focus. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Will Kyouraku Taicho be angry at you?" he asked, grabbing a shot the waitress was bringing around and pushing it into her hands.
Nanao downed it without thinking and took the next one he handed her. "Not for fighting with his brother, no."
"Then because you basically told him and his entire family to take a hike?"
"It doesn't matter," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "It was the truth, they don't have anything to do with me anymore."
"Except for the fact that you're still in love with him," Hisagi observed.
"Nothing I can do about that," she agreed.
He tapped the bottom of the second shot glass she was still holding. "It'll solve all your problems at least for a few hours."
She finally glanced over at him, and saw her own sadness reflected there. Sometimes you had to make a stand for what was right, regardless of what you wanted to do or who you wanted to be with. Didn't mean it didn't feel like shit though. "To oblivion," she said and downed the shot. "I need another."
A/N: Sorry it took me a bit to get this out. I've been lacking motivation to edit and write recently :( Anyway thanks for all the kind reviews and I'm glad you all like the change!
Reviews to keep me motivated, pretty please!