Under the Weather- The Fourth Date?
After the fireworks ended the festival began to draw to a close, the crowds thinning out as the music got quieter. Shunsui stood up after Nanao decided she was ready to head on and they headed back to the festival, playing a few of the games that were available. Shunsui was able to show off his "skills" with the darts and after popping a certain amount of balloons was handed a little stuffed panda as a prize which he handed off to Nanao. After they had some fun at the game booths, the moon was now high in the sky and Nanao was feeling herself growing tired. Shunsui was ready to leave when she was and when she gave him the signal the two returned to the senkaimon. They both decided to keep their gigai with them. If they were going to return to the Living World for dates there was no reason to keep leaving them at Urahara's. They could keep them just fine in their own homes. As they walked Nanao could feel the charms tickling her ear, making her smile lightly at the gesture. He was spoiling her alright. First the library, then the extravagant kimono, and now the beautiful comb that matched it. It was too much really but she couldn't say no. Not when he gave her such a cute pout with those grey eyes of his. Together they headed back to the Soul Society and, as Shunsui always did, walked her back to her home safe and sound, "Did you have a fun time?" She asked him since he'd never been to that festival before.
He nodded to her and gave her a smile, leaning against the pole on her front porch that supported the awning, "I did. I enjoyed it greatly. Though I enjoyed my beautiful date more." He said which made her blush. It seemed like she was doing that a lot lately. She was certain he did it on purpose. Which, wasn't a complete lie. He liked seeing her cheeks turn rosy like that when she was complimented, "The dancers were nice but I think the fireworks were my favorite thing to see. Besides you in that beautiful kimono," he continued to say which only had her growing more flustered. She fumbled with the key to her door until she was able to open it and she smiled shyly at him.
"It's getting late... I should probably get ready for bed." She said, Shunsui raising an eyebrow as he checked the time stamp on his phone.
"Yare yare. Even on the weekends you're early to bed and early to rise huh?" He asked her and she chuckled and nodded.
"Yes. I particularly like the mornings. I'm very much a morning person. It was very fun. I haven't had that much fun at a festival in a while." She said to him which really made him happy. Knowing she had such a good time and had a good time with him excited him and made him hope that she'd keep agreeing to dates.
Shunsui bent down to kiss her forehead and he pulled away before she could protest, "I'll see you Monday then. I'm very glad to know you had a good time." He said to her, Nanao nodding as she opened the door to head inside. However, both of them blinked when they heard a soft patter and they glanced out into the yard to see it was starting to rain, "I didn't know it was supposed to rain." He mused, glancing back to Nanao with a smile, "Have you ever played in the rain?" He asked her, Nanao raising an eyebrow as she shook her head, "Whaaat? You've never played in the rain?! Well, there's always a first for everything!" He said, reaching out to grab her hand and before she could protest he was pulling her out into the yard where the rain was coming down harder.
"C-captain! The kimono!" She said as she was yanked out into the yard and Shunsui laughed softly as he pulled her to him.
"It'll be fine. It can be sent out to be cleaned." He answered her, starting to dance with her in the rain, "Have a little fun Nanao-chan~!" He chimed happily. Nanao looked up at him and saw the big goofy grin on his face and soon she was laughing as he swung her around jovially.
"We've been having fun all evening! We'll catch our death of cold!" She tried to be the voice of reason but she was actually having a little fun "dancing" like they were. She didn't care she was getting soaked to the bone and her hair was now dripping wet and sticking to her features. It was a good thing Rangiku gave her waterproof makeup. After a minute or two she managed to pull away and she smiled at him, "Okay! We've had our fun. Now it's time to call it an evening and get dried off." She said, Shunsui giving her a smile. His own clothes were soaked and his hair was slicked back in that ponytail, the one bang sticking down along his nose.
He gave a cute pout before it was replaced with that smile once again and he nodded, letting her run back up to the porch, "Very well~ Good night Nanao-chan~" he chimed quietly as he smiled at her, Nanao nodding to him.
"Good night... Shunsui..." she said quietly to him with a chuckle before closing the door behind her to head upstairs and get to bed. She almost hated taking the kimono off. It was so beautiful and took so long to put on it almost made her want to sleep in it. But, since she was wet from the rain she decided to ultimately take it off and hang it up, slipping into a simple yakuta after drying off. She sat down at her vanity and smiled as she saw the beautiful comb still tucked on the side of her head. Slowly her fingers reached up to pluck it from her hair, gently placing it down on the vanity. She smiled as she ran her fingers along the enamel finish of the cherry blossom, sighing softly before getting up to go to her bed, crawling beneath the covers and closing her eyes as her body easily slipped into slumber, the panda plush tucked under her arm. She had to admit it. She had fun. A lot of fun. The rain was definitely a surprise but Shunsui managed to make that fun as well. She thought it wouldn't be that bad to dance in the rain again.
When Nanao woke up a few days later, dancing in the rain was definitely not something she wanted to do again. She woke up Monday morning feeling terrible with barely enough strength to even sit up in bed. When she had her bearings she reached over to get her phone, checking the time stamp. It was nearly 9 AM! She should be at work and deep into her papers by now! Nanao quickly sat up but got incredibly dizzy and so she laid back down, groaning softly as her free hand pressed to her forehead. She was burning up, "Dammit..." she griped softly, closing her eyes as she laid on her side, shivering as she curled up.
At the barracks, Shunsui was heading inside to get to his office and he went to open the door when he noticed it was still locked, "Mnn? It's locked?" He asked quietly, turning to one of the division members walking by, "Is Nanao-chan here?" He asked her, the seated shinigami shaking her head.
"No captain. I haven't seen her at all this morning. It's odd though. Usually she's one of the first ones here." she told him, Shunsui thanking her before he pulled out his phone to dial her up.
After a few moments the line clicked and he heard a pitiful voice on the phone, "H-hello...?" Came the almost timid voice before he heard coughing on the other line. His eyes widened and he blinked.
"Nanao-chan? Are you sick?" He asked her quietly to which he heard another cough.
"Does it sound like I'm healthy?" Came the sarcastic surprise which made him chuckle softly, "Yes I'm sick... I told you... we'd catch a cold out in the rain..." she said to him in a weak voice and he heard a sneeze next. She sounded cute when she sneezed. He frowned and closed his eyes, "So I guess I'm not coming to the office today..." she murmured quietly as she sniffled, coughing again. He felt sorry for the poor thing. Nanao was never sick. At least it had been years since she was sick enough to call into work, "I've got a headache so I'm going to hang up now... try not to burn the barracks down..." she said quietly before she hung up, groaning quietly as she face planted her pillow.
With a frown, Shunsui sighed and he closed his phone, slipping it back into his pocket. He went to his third seat's office and he opened the door, "Enjoji-san. Nanao-chan seems to be ill. I'm going to her home to make sure she's all right. Can I trust you with the division today?" He asked the third seat nodding to him which made Shunsui give him a friendly smile, "Great! Thank you." He said, swiftly making his leave. He left the barracks and quickly flashed to Nanao's home. When he arrived he knocked on her door.
After receiving no answer he pulled out his phone and called hers again, it ringing a few times longer than usual before he heard the clock, "What?!" He heard, wincing a bit at the sharp tone.
"Nanao-chan is mean when she's sick~ Will you answer your door?" He asked her, hearing a deep sigh on the other end after a few moments of silence.
"I should have known you'd come by... there's a key hidden in the bush by my front door... it's under the little lawn ornament..." she told him, figuring it was useless to argue and try to get him to go away so she'd let him come in for a little while at least. Shunsui looked around the front door and quickly found the ornament, lifting it up to find the key beneath it.
"Found it. I'll be inside." He told her, hearing a 'mnnn' before the line went dead. He unlocked her door and quietly went inside, taking his straw hat off as well as his shoes. He took off the pink kimono and draped it on the coat hook by the door and then he made his way to her bedroom where he saw a lump beneath the covers, "My poor Nanao-chan." He said as he walked to the bed, sitting down on her side where she was facing him. Her eyes were closed and the blankets were pulled up to her nose.
"Yeah... poor Nanao-chan let her captain pull her out into the rain and now she's sick..." she muttered quietly, coughing roughly which shook her bed a little. He reached out and pressed the back of his large hand to her forehead, frowning deeply when he felt heat.
"You're burning up... you need some medicine." He said quietly, Nanao humming before peeking her eyes open to look up at him.
"My medicine cabinet is... in the kitchen... above the fridge." She told him, Shunsui nodding before he immediately got up and went to the specific room, digging around in the cabinet before he found a fever reducer. He grabbed a glass of cold water and put her kettle on the stove to start making her some hot tea before making his way back to her room.
He sat back down and held out the two little pills and the glass of water, "Here... take these. I'm making some tea as well." He said, helping her sit up so she could take the pills and then he eased her back down. When the water was hot it made the kettle steam and he went to the kitchen to pour it over her favorite blend of tea leaves, making it just the way she liked it. He carried it to her room and sat back down at the edge of the bed, placing the cup of tea on the dresser, "Here sweetheart. You need to drink fluids..." he murmured, making sure he kept his voice down since she said she had a headache. The fever reducer he gave her also had a pain killer element so hopefully that would help. She groaned softly and pulled the covers more around her, "Heh, and even though I know you hate staying in bed all day, you need to rest." He said, reaching up to stroke her hair that was tussled from tossing and turning the night before. She slowly nodded and sniffled, causing Shunsui to glance around him until he spotted a box of tissues on her vanity. He got up and retrieved them, bringing them back to the bed. He plucked one from the box and held it to her nose, "Blow." He instructed and Nanao did as told, giving a weak blow but it was effective. He pulled the small waste basket over and dropped the soiled tissue into it, "That's my girl. You just rest okay? I'll get you whatever you need." He said quietly, Nanao just nodding again as she closed her eyes. She hated this. She looked and felt so weak and to top it off Shunsui was taking care of her. Nanao found it sweet but also embarrassing at the same time. She never wanted to look vulnerable in front of him.
He tucked the blankets around her and he stood back up, walking over to the couch nearby, "You don't have to stay... there's work that needs to be done at our squad..." came a weak voice a few moments later, Shunsui looking over to her with a warm smile.
"The paperwork can wait. Enjoji-san is taking care of everything for us. My job right now is to make sure you're taken care of." He said, clearly letting her know that he wasn't going anywhere any time soon. She just let it drop. She didn't have the energy to talk, let alone argue with him when she knew he was going to be stubborn and would do whatever he wanted to anyways. Which, would be him staying right where he was in her room.
A few hours passed and Nanao dozed on an off, Shunsui napping as well. He wasn't going to waste the chance to get in a mid-morning nap. Nanao was too sick and not in the mood to scold him and she'd wake him if she needed anything. When she did wake though he was awake as well and when he saw her stirring he had her full attention, "Is there any soup?" He heard her ask in a quiet, weak voice. Her headache was dulled but it was still there, though it didn't hurt nearly as bad as it did when she woke up. He stood up and he hummed, motioning to her that he was going to go check.
He came back a few minutes later with a small smile on his face, "There are a few packages of soup. But if you'd like I can go get some freshly made soup." He offered her as he knelt down beside her bed. She looked up at him, her normally bright blue eyes dull from sickness. Nanao just gave him a little nod before coughing.
"That's fine... you know what I like..." she said simply and Shunsui was off, heading out to go to the Rukongai to get her some soup. He knew just the place to go to and he would get plenty for them both and enough to have leftovers for later if that was all she could stomach. Shunsui was only gone for twenty or so minutes before he returned. She was still curled up under the covers, coughing and sniffling and groaning in frustration. She hated being sick. She didn't like being holed up doing nothing. She liked to keep busy and staying in bed was /not/ keeping busy.
She peeked over to the door when Shunsui walked in and he gave her a little smile, "Think you can sit up?" He asked her, Nanao humming in protest at first before she slowly began to move. Shunsui helped her, tucking pillows behind her back to keep her propped up, "There we go... I brought your favorite. Gimme one second and I'll bring it in here." He told her before he got up and went back to the kitchen, reappearing a minute or so later with a tray in his hands that had a large bowl of soup in the middle and a glass of water with it, a sleeve of crackers tucked under his arm, "Here you go~ Nice and hot soup~" he said as he put the tray in her lap, putting the glass of water on her bedside table and the crackers on the tray. She sniffled softly and grabbed another tissue to dab her nose before picking up the spoon, murmuring a "Thank you" to him before she began to eat her soup, closing her eyes with a deep hum as the hot liquid ran down her throat, soothing the scratchiness quite a bit.
While she silently ate he watched her. He'd never seen her like this before. It was just so... pure. Her hair was tussled and she was still in her yakuta and even though this was mainly because she was sick, he couldn't stop watching her. That is until she broke his concentration by coughing, which jolted the tray but his swift hands balanced the bowl before he contents could slosh out, "Sorry..." she murmured softly, her speech becoming a little less clear due to her stuffy nose. In a way it was cute though.
He slowly released the bowl so she could continue to eat, a small smile on his face, "It's okay Nanao-chan. I'd hate for it to spill and burn you. Then I'd have to give you a bath." He said with an impish grin which got a slight glare from Nanao. Her cheeks were already flushed from the fever so he couldn't tell if she was blushing or not. He hoped she was.
"Thank you... you don't have to stay... I can take care of myself." She told him as she straightened up a little bit, making him chuckle as he leaned back on one of his palms.
"And miss the opportunity to take care of Nanao-chan~? Never! After all the times you've taken care of me it's the least I can do." He told her, Nanao humming softly as she sipped on her soup.
"You mean when I collect you from the bars and take your drunk ass to your own home?" She asked him, Shunsui placing his other hand over his chest with a dramatic sigh.
"Nanao-chan wounds me so~" he teased, casting her a wink and a smirk which made her roll her eyes slightly. Once she finished her soup Shunsui took the empty dishes back to the kitchen, washing them and placing them on the drying mat before returning to her side. She'd laid back down at that point and pulled the covers back over her, "Would you like a bath Nanao-chan? I can draw it for you and give you some privacy." He said to her, Nanao thinking about it with her eyes closed. A bath did sound rather nice. Maybe the hot water and the steam could help her nose unstuff itself.
"Okay... but no funny business..." she told him, Shunsui laughing softly as he stood up from the bed and headed into the bathroom.
"Fine fine Nanao-chan~ No tricks." He mused, going to the bathroom where her tub awaited. He turned the water on and made sure it was hot but not too hot, digging around in the sink cabinet until he found a little collection of bath bombs. He dug around them, sniffing each one until he found one with mint extract, popping it into the tub and watched with fascination as it fizzled and turned the water a soft blue shade. That was certainly new. The smell of mint filled the bathroom and once the tub was filled he got up and walked back into the bedroom with a towel, "The bath is ready, slip into the towel and I'll help you into the bathroom." He said, Nanao managing to cough out a chuckle.
"You're funny... my robe is hanging on the hook behind the door." She said, Shunsui blinking before finding the robe in the spot where she said it would be, quickly taking it back over to her. She took it and sat up again, twirling her finger, "Turn around..." she said to him and he did as she asked, turning so he couldn't watch her change. He even closed his eyes so he wouldn't peek in the mirror, "Okay... I'm ready." He heard her say and he opened his eyes turning back around. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her robe tied closed around her but one hand was fisted at her chest to make sure her robe left every inch of skin covered to her neck. He wrapped an arm around her and easily helped her to her feet, walking with her to the bathroom and she stepped into the tub.
"Just let me know when you're ready to get out and I'll help okay?" He asked, Nanao nodding slightly and she sat on the edge of the tub, waiting for him to leave before she slipped her robe off and sank down into the water, sighing deeply as the warmth enveloped her body. She sank down to her chin, closing her eyes as the smell of mint relaxed her. The mint was a nice choice she thought. It was helping to open her sinuses and helped clear her head a little bit. Her blue eyes opened slightly when she heard the deep humming sound Shunsui was making as he sat outside the bathroom. It was some random tune in his head but it made Nanao smile softly. She thought it was a sweet gesture... he was going out of his way to take care of her and he did it all on his own decisions. She kept thinking back to her conversation with Rangiku that morning a few days before the festival.
I don't know when I began to have feelings for him... I thought it was a silly crush at first.
So keep going on the dates and see how it goes.
Have you kissed yet?
I won't rush it Rangiku.
"Nanao-chan~?" Shunsui's voice sudden broke her thoughts and with a small splash she sat up a bit.
"Y-yes?" She asked him before starting to cough, sinking back down into the water.
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't fall asleep in there. You weren't answering me." He said to her, tipping his head back against the door of the bathroom with a little smile.
Nanao shook her head and cleared her throats softly, sinking back down to her chin in the water, "Sorry... I was just thinking... kind of got lost in thought." She told him, hearing a faint chuckle on the side of the door.
"It's okay. Just as long as you're okay." Came his answer before he fell quiet once more and Nanao closed her eyes again. She reached around until she felt the soft terry cloth rag hanging on the handle and she dunked it in the water, slowly gliding it along her arms and shoulders and then down her chest and stomach to her legs. Clearing her throat, she tipped her head back as she lifted the rag above her head and draped it over her features, breathing in the minty smell of it.
She was in there another ten minutes or so before she finally figured she should get out and she opened her eyes, "I'm not exactly sure how this is gonna work but I'm finished with the bath." She called out quietly, hearing shuffling outside the door before it cracked open. She was low enough in the tub to block his view of anything inappropriate. Shunsui grabbed her robe off the hook and he held it out, closing his eyes.
"Here you go. Just stand up and slip on your robe and then I'll help you back to bed." He said to her, Nanao nipping her lip as if in thought before she nodded and unplugged the tub to drain the water, then she slowly stood up and she slipped her robe on.
When she had it secured and tied she looked up at him, "Okay... it's on." She said, Shunsui opening his eyes again and before she could protest he swept her into his arms bridal style, "C-captain!" She tried to protest but he just smiled at her as he carried her back into the bedroom.
"Nanao-chan!" He said back in the same exasperated tone she did just to tease her a little and she glared at him which made him laugh, "Oh come now. I'm here to take care of you. That includes transportation from room to room." He said simply to which made Nanao roll her eyes and sigh in defeat. At this point she was just going to let him do what he wished and so she'd stop protesting. He sat her back down on the bed and then stood back up, "Do you want another yakuta to put on?" He asked her to which she nodded.
"Yes please... they're in my closet on the left." She told him as she pointed to said closet. Shunsui went and found her another yakuta and brought it to her, turning around again like a good boy so she could change and once she did he went and hung her robe up before returning to her.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her, reaching up to press his hand against her forehead, "You still feel warm. Not as bad as earlier but you still have a fever." He commented as Nanao settled back beneath the covers.
She shrugged slightly as she reached over for a tissue to dab her nose, "I still feel like a bus hit me... the bath helped clear my sinuses a bit though... but my nose is still quite runny." She said right before blowing her nose which made him wince. At least she wasn't throwing up. He was at least grateful for that. He thought for a moment before he smiled, reaching up to pat her head.
"How about I find a nice book and we read?" He asked her, causing her to raise an eyebrow as she glanced up at him.
"Read together? I don't think I've done that since I read with Lisa when she was still your lieutenant." She murmured quietly, a little frown on her face. After Lisa left she began to keep to herself more. She stayed in her room and read by herself. It just wasn't the same to read with someone if it wasn't with Lisa. She wouldn't even read with Shunsui though he'd offered many a time. She thought about it for a little while before she looked back up at him, "I guess so... feel free to choose whichever book you'd like. Since it's my collection I won't be picky... and there aren't any erotica genres for you to choose from." She added which made him pout.
"Ohhh but those are the most fun~" he mused as he stood, heading to her den to scour the books until one caught his interest and he smiled, picking the thick, leather bound book out from one of the far right shelves. He dusted it off as he carried it back to Nanao's room and he sat down beside her, leaning against the pile of pillows he'd put there for her comfort.
When she saw what book he'd chosen her eyes widened slightly, "The Divine Comedy? I never pegged you for a Dante kind of guy." She said, Shunsui smiling as he opened the book.
"It's actually my favorite. Like The Phantom of the Opera is to you. I guess I just like the aspect of the Nine Circles of Hell. What humans expect in the after life." He told her, flipping the pages until he propped a leg up so he could rest the book against his thigh, "Shall I begin?" He asked her and she nodded, hugging a pillow to her as he began to read in his soft and deep voice, fluidly speaking every line of the epic poem. He decided to begin well into the book with Dante entering the first of the nine circles, Limbo, where those who committed no sin but did not accept Christ reside. Nanao didn't mean to. It just happened. He'd been reading for just over fifteen minutes and she found herself dozing. By the time Shunsui noticed she was fast asleep with her forehead pressed against his arm. He smiled softly and quietly closed the book, laying it on the bedside table before he pulled the covers over her to tuck her in. He bent down to gently place a soft kiss on her warm forehead and pulled back with a soft smile on his lips, "Sleep well Nanao-chan..." he murmured quietly to her, pulling away so he could go turn off the overhead light, then he headed to the loveseat by the window to sit down, taking the book with him so he could read on his own until she woke.
She slept for only an hour or so before she began to stir and when she stirred it erupted into a coughing fit. Within seconds Shunsui was at her side and he was helping prop her up, giving her a tissue to cover her mouth with and to also blow her nose. When her coughing fit finally settled down he smiled lightly at her and she looked up at him, "How long was I asleep?" She asked him quietly, clearing her scratchy throat.
Shunsui looked at his phone and hummed, "Roughly an hour. You fell asleep not long after I started reading to you." He told her as she relaxed back against the fluffy pillows, tipping her head back as she closed her eyes and pinched her nose with her index finger and thumb.
"I see... reading always does put me to sleep..." she murmured quietly, trying to keep her voice down so it wouldn't cause another coughing attack, "You probably shouldn't be so close... you might catch whatever I have... really, I'll be fine. You can go home." She tried to say but Shunsui wouldn't have it. He always was a stubborn man.
"I'll be okay. I take vitamin C every day so I think I'll be fine. You just worry about getting yourself better okay?" He asked with a small smile as he reached up to pat her head softly, "Are you feeling any better?" He asked her, Nanao pondering the question for a moment or two before shaking her head.
"Not really... my throat is still scratchy and my head is starting to hurt again..." she murmured and he put his large palm against her forehead which really ended up covering the entire thing.
"Hmm... your fever has gone down but it's still there. It hasn't been six hours yet so I can't get you another pill to take. Should I call Captain Unohana and see what she suggests?" He asked her to which she shook her head.
"No... don't bother her with something trivial." She said which made Shunsui raise an eyebrow.
"Your health isn't trivial."
"It's a cold, captain... she'll probably just suggest fluids and rest which is exactly what I'm doing at the moment." She retorted as she motioned to herself laying in the bed, making Shunsui chuckle as he shook his head.
"And you call me stubborn." he teased to which she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "And what happened to you calling me Shunsui?" He asked her to which she blushed faintly and looked away.
"You are stubborn... and you only said that in reference to the dates we went on." She reminded him and he leaned against the pillows, propping an elbow up on the headboard as he smirked at her, "And I'm pretty sure this doesn't count as a date."
He shrugged his broad shoulders and smiled lightly at her, "It could be. We're spending time together. I mean, it isn't the best of circumstances but I get the chance to take care of my Nanao-chan. I never get to do that." He mused, Nanao looking at him inquisitively before she sighed quietly.
"I guess you're right... but I never wanna go on this kind of date again." She said which made him laugh brightly.
"Then we'll have to make sure you stay in tip top shape." He told her, going to make her some more tea since she'd mentioned fluids.
As the day progressed Nanao's illness didn't really get much better. In fact it seemed to get worse. Towards dinner time she could barely stomach food so Shunsui was pretty much only able to feed her crackers and ginger ale. She still hadn't thrown up but her appetite had gone down to basically zero. He hated seeing her like this. She was still in her room beneath the covers but the poor thing just couldn't warm up for the life of her. He'd found nearly all the blankets he could and she had at least a pile that went up six inches but her chills were persistent. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her hair, "I'm sorry Nanao-chan... I hate seeing you so ill..." he murmured quietly, Nanao whimpering softly which only made him frown deeper.
"Trust me... I don't like being sick either..." she managed to say, her voice even showing how sick she was. With her stopped up nose her normal voice sounded a little deeper and groggy. At this point she was on her second box of tissues and her waste basket had been changed out and was empty once more. Shunsui had gone on a quick run to the fourth despite Nanao's protests and got some decongestants as well as some cough drops and a more powerful fever reducer. All of which were now sitting in bottles on her beside dresser. He fixed her some broth to go with the crackers so she could eat a little something else for dinner than just crackers alone. When he went out to the fourth he also made a quick stop at his own home to get a few things for himself and now had a pallet set up on the couch in her room, determined to stay by her side in case she needed him.
He was at a loss for a moment. She was having such a cold chill but she was literally covered in over a dozen blankets. Shunsui thought for a moment before an idea struck him. Though... it was a complete long shot and he highly doubted Nanao would go along with his idea, "Nanao-chan... I have an idea that might take away the chills." He said to her, Nanao glancing up at him with her eyes barely open.
"Mnnn...? And what is that...?" She asked quietly, dabbing at her nose with the tissue.
Shunsui cleared his throat softly and he smiled faintly at her, "You can say no. It's a bit far fetched. But I think it'll work... you have the chills but the blankets aren't helping you. Your hands are ice cold and I can only imagine your feet are as well. If... you let me lay down beside you my body heat might warm you up." He said, finally getting to his point which made her eyes widen.
"W-what?! What gave you that idea-?" She began to ask but the sudden spike in volume in her voice made her cough again, holding the tissue to her mouth. Was he serious? Surely he wasn't. She didn't think he'd actually try to make a move while she was sick. Would he? Her thoughts were interrupted when he spoke again.
"I know. It sound crazy. But I think it would work. You can just try it for a bit and if your chills don't go away I'll move to the couch and leave you be." He said, Nanao pondering it for a moment before she sighed, giving him a slight nod.
"Okay..." she barely whispered and Shunsui smiled lightly. She really just didn't want to argue anymore. She just wanted to sleep and if this would shut him up then she'd let him try it. Shunsui smiled lightly at her and he moved off the bed, grabbing his bag that had a pair of sleeping trousers, heading into the bathroom to change. He came back out a few moments later and if Nanao wasn't already flushed from her fever seeing him emerge from the bathroom definitely would have had her turning crimson. He had on a simple black pair of sleeping pants that hung low on his hips, not wearing a shirt which gave her a full view of his bare upper body that had brown curls along his chest, her eyes glancing downward along his abs to see those curls appear again at his naval to extend down in a little happy trail that disappeared beneath his trousers. Nanao couldn't tell if it was the fever making her body hot or what but she adverted her eyes before anything else happened. Shunsui reached up to pull the delicate pins out of his hair and then the tie, letting his mane of brown locks free.
At this point Nanao had her eyes squeezed shut but her heart was racing inside her chest. She felt the covers shift and Shunsui turned down most of them from the other half of the bed simply so he wouldn't suffocate under them. He seemed to hesitate for a moment as he looked down at her, "Are you sure this is okay?" He asked, just wanting to give her one more chance to back out in case she had second thoughts. She gave a quick little nod followed by a sniffle and Shunsui reached over to turn the lamp off, then he settled beneath the covers. The next thing Nanao felt was two strong arms wrapping around her and soon she felt his overly warm torso pressing against her back, immediately flooding her own body with his warmth. Shunsui couldn't help but smile lightly. He could feel her racing pulse in the way he held her. It was a loose but secure hold. Almost like a protective one, "There... try to get some sleep okay?" He murmured to her, chills running down her spine as she felt his breath tickle her ear.
By the gods he would be the death of her.
Nanao managed to nod and squeaked out an "I will" before clearing her throat and falling silent. Though she was amazed that his idea actually began to work. In only fifteen minutes she could feel her chills ceasing and she felt her hands and feet and other spots that felt cold began to feel like a normal temperature. Her shivering came to a stop and after about half an hour she was silent and still. After a while her heart finally calmed down and when Shunsui ever so softly murmured her name, there wasn't a reply.
Nanao was fast asleep.
It made him smile lightly. It also made him think. He wondered if Nanao was enjoying the dates as much as she said she was. Was she actually giving him a chance at courting her? He knew he didn't have the best track record when it came to dating but never once did he stray to others if he was in a relationship. He never cheated on a lover and never planned to start. He just hoped she was giving him a real chance. But now wasn't the time to bring that up. He was going to take care of his Nanao-chan and nurse her back to health. Even if it got him sick. He wanted to care for her. She took care of him on way too many occasions for him to count. It was the least he could do and now she was sleeping peacefully. In his arms.
The thought made him smile.
Ever so slowly he reached up to stroke her hair, Nanao stirring lightly but only to readjust herself a bit, "Good night Nanao-chan..." he whispered quietly to her before his grey eyes closed, going to try and get some sleep himself. It didn't take long at all. Within a few minutes the master of sleep was passed out as well, contently snuggled up with his poor sick Nanao. Hopefully when she woke the next morning she would remember she agreed to this arrangement and wouldn't freak out. But at the moment, Shunsui would just enjoy sleeping curled up next to her. He would take whatever consequences happened to him in the morning.
They would be worth it.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING
To Nanao's shock she actually slept through the night without waking up from being sick. She slept well into the next morning, a couple of hours later than when she normally woke up anyways. She was content, warm and... curled up to someone. She opened her eyes slightly, letting them adjust to the light that managed to sneak past the curtains. When her eyes adjusted she realized just what kind of position she was in. She'd moved during the night, turning around so that she was now partially laying atop him with her head tucked against his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his broad chest with his own wrapped securely around her in return, his large palms propped on her back. Her cheeks turned a rosy red and she slowly moved to pull away but Shunsui merely shifted and with a small pull of his arms she found herself right back where she started. When did I roll over like this...? she asked herself as she swallowed lightly, laying her head back down on his shoulder. She wasn't going to fight it. If she got herself worked up then she'd go into a coughing fit and would wake him up in the process so she was just going to lay there for a bit longer and just enjoy the silence.
But while she did so she took the moment to look him over. His hair was still messy and curly, some hanging down in his face as he slept, which, really kind of looked attractive. His features were soft as he slept peacefully, his lips slightly parted as he breathed in and out. Her eyes trailed down to his throat and shoulders and then to his chest. Before her brain had a moment to process her movements, her hand was already on the move, gently brushing over the brown curls that covered his chest. She'd never paid too close attention to him like this. Then again she'd never seen him this... unclothed before. His chest hair extended down to his abs, not as heavily but there was a little bit. He was certainly built, as she expected. Her fingers trailed to his arm that also had a thin layer of fine hair, nipping on her lip. Nanao had never admitted this to anyone but she found body hair (especially on the arms) extremely attractive. She didn't know why. It was just a quirk of hers but Shunsui definitely fit the bill for that requirement and then some.
Her eyes then really began to wander and they slowly ran past his naval to the trail of hair that dipped beneath his sleeping trousers that were still hanging low on his hips, showing off those definition lines. She quickly realized she'd been staring and with a heavy blush she closed her eyes again. Calm down Nanao... stop ogling him... she berated herself, taking a breath before she let it out. Despite her blushing and being flustered, she didn't really want to move. At least not yet. She was warm and content like this and wasn't necessarily ready for it to be over yet.
Shunsui slept soundly with Nanao in his arms for another hour or so until he finally began to stir and slowly his eyes began to flutter open, a soft hum coming from his lips which she felt vibrating through his chest. When Shunsui got his bearings he glanced down to the person wrapped in his arms and he smiled softly, "Good morning Nanao-chan..." he murmured softly in a sleepy, deep voice, one of his hands rubbing her back, "How did you sleep? How are you feeling?" He asked her quietly, stretching a little bit which made her rise up with him since she was curled up to him.
She pulled away after a few more moments and she slowly sat up, running her fingers through her hair, "Actually... pretty well... I didn't wake up any..." she said, grabbing a tissue from the box so she could blow her nose, grunting in disgust at how much came out, "Your crazy idea worked... thank you." She said to him with a small smile of gratitude, Shunsui sitting up beside her so she wouldn't have to crane her neck to look at him.
"That's great. Do you feel any better?" He asked her, reaching up to press his hand against her forehead, "Your fever is gone. It must have broken last night while you slept." He said, glad for that. She even looked better. The color was returning to her features and her eyes were clear. Maybe she wouldn't be sick for too long.
She blew her nose again and she nodded to him, "Probably... I feel so much better. Thank you for taking care of me captain. Though, you'd better get to the office." She said which made him pout. Then she flashed him a small smile, "You're already behind on your paperwork. I'll be better by tomorrow hopefully so I'll be right as rain by Friday. Which means you need to get a move on with your paperwork if you want a date this week." She teased him, making him laugh brightly before he grinned at her, taking her hand to kiss it, a gesture she'd discovered he must like doing because he'd done it to her at least thrice now.
"I'll even get yours completed too~"
And there you have it! I randomly got this idea while laying in bed one evening and I had to write it out! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Drop a review if you can and let me know what you think! ^3^ Also! If you see any spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes, PLEASE let me know! Recently I upgraded to a MacBook that likes to autocorrect EVERYTHING when I type so it will change certain words without me realizing it. I usually catch them when I proofread it but some still escape me sometimes anyways! I hope you enjoyed and please review! :)
Byakuya'sGirl90210
