Final installment of this fic! I can't believe I finally posted this story online. It has been sitting in my computer for years, but I had lots of fun writing it. There's also a brief cameo in this fic from an obscure anime (though it's not intended to be a crossover). Enjoy!
Nanao peered into the mirror, hardly recognizing the face staring back at her.
"Are you sure this isn't too much?"
"Ho-ney," Rangiku chastised, "This is your first date with Shunsui. He's head over heels for you, so a makeover will just make you all the more irresistible! Trust me."
Upon learning that Nanao and Shunsui were "finally" going to be an item, Matsumoto offered—or rather, foisted—her services onto Nanao.
"You HAVE to let me help you pick out an outfit! Please! And you HAVE to let me do your make up! And you HAVE to let me style your hair!"
There were a lot of things that Matsumoto felt she HAD to do, Nanao noted. She didn't have the heart to refuse, though she regretted her acquiescence as soon as she had uttered the word "okay."
Nanao had to admit that the idea of going on any sort of social outing with the Captain gave her a bit of an anxiety attack. And while she did want to look appealing, it took quite a bit of haggling to convince Matsumoto that the electric pink mini-mini skirt and matching crop top was just a tad too much. Eventually, the two women settled on a red qipao-style dress that was slightly more fitted than Nanao would have liked, and with a slit slightly higher than Nanao would have normally allowed. But as soon as she tried it on, even she could see that it looked stunning on her. And, well, she had a feeling that the Captain would love it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of teasing him just by virtue of wearing the dress.
The eyebrow plucking was probably the worst part of it, but all in all, Nanao was surprised to find she enjoyed the pampering, despite Rangiku's persistent squealing. It took more haggling to convince her not to go overboard with the makeup and hair. Simple curls, a bit of black on the eyes, and natural cheeks would do. But Matsumoto insisted on fiery red lipstick to match the dress.
"You just can't do the smoky eye without it! Especially with a dress like that!"
"But I want the Captain to recognize me!"
"The hell you do! Look, he's already seen you in uniform, in battle, and rolling into work after no sleep and cleaning him up after a hangover. Why not shine tonight by accentuating your inner beauty with your outer beauty?"
"But I'm not beautiful, Rangiku."
"What kind of nonsense is that? I would kill for shiny straight hair like yours! Do you have any idea how much work it takes to keep this mane of mine under control? I've seriously thought about chopping it off so many times! And your skin is so smooth! I literally have to scrub my face every night and lather on the night cream so I don't get any zits! Honey, all of this," Rangiku said, gesturing from head to toe, "takes work. But you know what you already have?"
Nanao just blinked.
"Why do you think he likes you? Because you know exactly who you are. All you need is a little confidence. And when we put in a little effort to look our best, it really does boost our confidence. With that kind of attitude, and your stunning makeover thanks to moi, he'll find you irresistible. Men always find confidence irresistible. Trust me."
Nanao couldn't really argue with that. And when it came to the subject of men, she had to admit that it was an area of knowledge in which Matsumoto bested her.
After several hours of transformative aesthetics, Matsumoto was shedding legitimate tears.
"I'm so proud of myself!"
After her obligatory chorus of thanks, Nanao admitted, "I don't know how to act. All of this is so new to me. After I gave him the letter, he was at my house in less than thirty minutes! He asked me to dinner today, and he didn't even give me a chance to say yes before he shunpoed away. That man hasn't given me any time to prepare myself."
"You're overthinking this. Just be yourself."
"That's reassuring," Nanao said dryly.
A knock on the door interrupted them.
It's him.
"It's him!" Matsumoto echoed, as though reading Nanao's mind.
"Quick! Hide!"
"Nanao, he'll sense my reiatsu!"
"I don't care! Hide!"
With Matsumoto safely stuffed in the restroom, Nanao took one more glance at the mirror and headed over to open the door.
The Captain's mouth draped open the moment he laid eyes on her. After all her years working for him, this was the first time she could ever recall him being speechless. Maybe she should have done this a long time ago.
"Taicho," was all she said, a shy smile spreading across her lips.
He took her in, from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. He cleared his throat and seemed to struggle with finding words. "Nanao, you—"
"SHE LOOKS AMAZING!" came Matsumoto's squeal from inside the bathroom.
Nanao grimaced, gesturing towards the door. "Rangiku assisted."
Shunsui only nodded, his eyes fixed on Nanao's face. She started to feel her cheeks tingling, so she excused herself to go grab her purse, ever conscious of the slit at the side of her dress. Curse Matsumoto and her fashion style! When she returned to the doorway to meet the Captain, his familiar, mischievous smile had swept across his face.
"I love that red lipstick on you," he murmured.
The statement was genuine, but Nanao wrestled with the compliment. It was new and awkward, accepting what he was saying without reprimand. Normally she'd brush him off or give him a hard tap with her fan for such forwardness, but here she was, one foot out the door for a night of romance with him. Decorum dictated that she should be polite. She mumbled her thanks in a quiet voice, and her heart fluttered when his eyes brightened.
His tone softened a bit more. "And you're wearing the perfume."
"Yes, I actually quite love the scent. It also…" she paused. "It reminds me of you whenever I wear it."
Nanao could swear she saw a slight flush to his cheeks at that. The energy between them had shifted into something different…and it was unexpectedly comfortable. An ancient, impeding wall was swiftly crumbling, with the two of them standing at the threshold of an uncharted domain.
Their stroll was slow. They took their time walking the lesser-known pathways of the city to wherever destination they were headed. Nanao had no idea what the end point was, but she couldn't care less. As they walked and talked, she was enjoying just being in his company. She also couldn't help but sneak glances in his direction. Notably, he'd discarded the pink haori for a navy blue dress shirt and tan slacks. His hair was a little more neatly tied back than usual, and perhaps most striking of all, he'd cleaned up his facial hair so that the lines of his goatee were more pronounced. As she gazed at him, she allowed herself to acknowledge that he looked…quite handsome.
"Is there something on my face?"
"What?"
"You keep staring at me."
She flushed. "I do not."
"I don't mind at all. And, well, it just makes us even, because I haven't been able to keep my eyes off you tonight."
Nanao just stared dumbly at him, her cheeks ablaze.
Shunsui raised a corner of his mouth in a half smile. "It's so nice being able to tell you about how beautiful you are without getting smacked in the face with a sharp object, Nanao."
She flushed harder. She was about to respond to him when he abruptly stopped walking.
"We're here."
"Here? Where?"
The street was poorly lit, but they stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned coffee shop. It looked to Nanao like it hadn't been in business for years. Shunsui walked over to the door and rapped three times. To Nanao's amazement, someone behind the door rapped back with another three taps. Shunsui responded with two. Then, a reply of two quick knocks from the other side. Finally, one last knock from Shunsui and the responder.
The door opened and a shinigami in an odd-looking uniform greeted them both. She recognized this lower-seat from the Twelfth Division.
Nanao turned to the Captain. "What is this place?"
A wily smile made its way across his lips. "You'll see."
Shunsui and Nanao followed the lower-seat to a darkened room. Scattered around them was a sea of tables covered in black tablecloths, with ebony chairs neatly paired across each table. The primary source of light in the room was a single, bright candle placed in the center of each table, though there were also a few lamps peppered across the walls for extra illumination. Most noticeable was the set up at the front of the room—a small stage with a wooden stool and a tall stand holding a black microphone.
Nanao's eyes wandered admiringly as they took their seats. "How is it that I've never known about this place? Is someone performing tonight?"
"Maybe," Shunsui smirked. "I've been wanting to take you here for a while."
"Why didn't you tell me about it before? You're always inviting me out to sake with the upper seats."
He cleared his throat. "A long time ago, I decided I'd only take a woman here if I was really interested in her."
"Oh."
As time passed, more souls trickled in. Nanao was relieved to find she didn't recognize anyone else, and even more grateful that the Captain had chosen not to wear his uniform. It made things feel more open. Shunsui ordered an appetizer, and when he offered to buy a bottle of wine for the table, Nanao agreed, but only on one condition.
"You have to promise you won't get drunk."
Despite the dim light, Nanao could see Shunsui's eyes twinkle. "There isn't a sacrifice too large for my Nano-chan."
Her eyes twitched in annoyance at his honorific, but she let it pass.
As the evening went on, and a series of performers took the stage, Nanao soon understood that the Captain had taken her to a poetry event. They munched on appetizers and sipped wine as the poets showcased their impressive skills. Some appeared to be scheduled speakers, but every once in a while, others from the crowd volunteered. Just as the waiter arrived with their entrees, the emcee made a shocking announcement.
"It is my greatest pleasure, and indeed, a great honor, that we should welcome a talent that we've not heard in probably over a decade. We all know him as a regular patron, and as many of you are aware, he has stepped in on more than one occasion as we were on the brink of bankruptcy. We at Shijin House are strong believers in developing local talent. We're ever grateful, and proud and excited, to finally have our own," he said, making a grand gesture in Nanao's general direction, "Captain of the Eighth Division, Kyouraku-taicho!"
Nanao's jaw dropped, her rice-packed chopsticks held midair. The audience roared to life at an intensity unlike any she'd heard all night. The Captain, oddly, averted his gaze from her as he pushed his chair back and walked to the front of the stage. Nanao gulped down the rice and set her chopsticks back on the holder, staring intensely at the man now positioning himself in front of the microphone. Nanao had suffered through countless "poems" in all her years serving at the side of the taicho. Not once had she suffered through an entire recitation, as each one generally ended with her book or fan lobbed at the Captain's face. She hoped against hope he wasn't about to embarrass her with one of his "favorites"—a lecherous rendition of Make You Feel My Love. He was imaginative with his language, she had to give him that.
The dim light cast dark shadows across the Captain's sharp features and long silhouettes across the floor. He appeared solemn. Sober. "I'd like to dedicate this to my companion for the night," Shunsui began, meeting Nanao's eyes at last. "I wrote it recently, after a friend knocked me to my senses. I call it, 'Forfeit.'"
Nanao's breath hitched. She braced herself for a night of discomfort and embarrassment, regretting her decision to have ever agreed to an outing with him. Her hands balled into fists and she narrowed her eyes in preparation for the barrage of cloying carnality surely headed her way.
"We desire to win what we can't obtain
Many mornings, I've nearly forfeited
But the inspiration of your resolve
The motivation from your diligence
Your striking beauty and feminine grace
Womanly tenor and that punchy sass
Can you blame me for wanting to win you?
When you think I'm playing with you, you're right
But not in the way that you think that I am
I've kept it up, and you've stayed by my side
By playing, I win. By winning, you stay
So if I stop playing these wicked games
Fold, and drop this old poker face of mine,
You'd win, and that means I'd be losing—you."
A round of snapping and hooting concluded his sonnet. Nothing inappropriate. It was raw and real; the poem was clever, too, though not anywhere near his best. But Nanao soon learned he was just getting started. He recited about ten different poems in total, each with their own theme, and each one cleverer than the last. Refreshingly, few were about her. Nanao rather liked this artistic version of the Captain. Why did he waste all his time on lascivious rubbish if he could write like this? Then she remembered the last few lines of his first poem.
By opening himself up to me, he would have risked losing me.
While she still disapproved of his past "works," she gained a new appreciation for their meaning.
When Shunsui reached the end of his performance, the audience roared once more. Nanao opted to stand, along with a few others. Shunsui noticed. He locked his eyes on hers as she smirked at him, slightly shaking her head as if to say, "You sneaky dog. Why couldn't you have recited those poems to me all these years? I would have tolerated you more."
Shunsui made his way to the table and said not a word to her as he sat down. By that time, his entree had gotten cold, but the restaurant replaced his meal as a courtesy. As Shunsui was the final performer of the night, restaurant patrons began trickling out, some stopping to chat with the Captain.
"I've really missed hearing you, hon. Has it really been ten years since you've performed?" said one shapely woman, leaning in a little too close to him.
"You've gotta come back next week! Ol' Gama-ji's performing! You guys could do your famous Casanova routine!" said one man.
"Nice work tonight, Kyoraku-san. Loved the big motif changes. I've been waiting for you to move past that…flowery phase of yours. It shows you've grown and showcases what you can really do," said an older woman.
At that last one, Shunsui gave a slight bow to his head. "That's quite a compliment coming from you, Tsukikage-san!"
"Don't let it go to your head, sonny." She glanced at Nanao, gave the Captain a slight wink, and stalked off.
When the clamor died down, Shunsui ate his meal in peace. Nanao had already finished hers throughout his performance. She twirled a glass of wine around and pursed her lips.
"Casanova routine?"
Shunsui nearly choked. "Oh, trust me, you don't want to hear that. It was a phase I went through…A Series of Suggestive Limericks. It was kind of a comedy act, nothing you'd be interested in."
"Oh? What makes you think I don't like comedy?"
"Not this kind of comedy."
"I actually remember you getting up a while back—wow, maybe it really was ten years ago—and reciting a bunch of appalling poems at one of the sake bars in town." She shook her head disapprovingly. "You were drunk, of course, but that didn't stop the crowd from cheering you on."
He gave her a teasing grin. "Naturally."
Nanao narrowed her eyes and took another sip of wine.
Shunsui took a few more bites. He appeared to be deep in thought about something. "So. Nanao-chan likes comedy?"
"What's so surprising about that?"
"Well, now I'm curious about what kind of comedy you like."
"Oh, you know."
"I actually don't." He leaned back in his chair. "I can't imagine you like slapstick. I could see you enjoying a lot of dry humor, but something tells me that's not what you're thinking of. Obviously you're not a fan of the risqué modern stuff."
"Obviously."
He thought for several more moments. "I'd peg you at something like old fashioned sit-coms."
Her jaw dropped. "My, my. You're right. I do like dry humor, but the old sit-coms have a classic appeal."
Nanao was impressed. Though surprised to learn of her tastes, the Captain had immediately guessed them. Nanao was embarrassed to realize that she couldn't do the same. She thought back to the perfume he'd given her, how it seemed like second nature for him to identify her tastes with such accuracy, even though it was a gift she never would have chosen for herself. How deeply had the Captain been paying attention all this time?
Shunsui scanned her face. "What is Nanao thinking about?"
Nanao could feel the heat flushing throughout her face. In the soft light, she hoped he wouldn't notice. She was compelled to give him one of her customary biting retorts, but after such a performance, and after such a lovely (and fun) night, she knew it would be more respectful to oblige. "I didn't realize how much you've noticed about me all these years. I'm touched, Captain."
It was charming, really, the Captain's expression of surprise. He finished the rest of his meal in silence and a grin, with Nanao wordlessly finishing off the rest of her glass. She paid her compliments to the waiter when he returned with the bill, conscious of Shunsui's delight when she mentioned she was excited to return.
"Next Saturday?"
"I'll have to check my calendar. There's a lot of paperwork in that wretched office of yours that needs to get done. It's over a month overdue."
In all her years of fending off his advances, Nanao had never seen him deflate so fast. "Nanao-chan, you've officially just killed this evening."
"Well then, we'd better get moving."
. / . \ .
Like the rest of dinner, their stroll home was quiet but companionable. Shunsui, despite the years-long, near inaccessible wait for his Vice Captain, was still acclimating to a changing dynamic between them. The initial jolt from her appearance left him breathless, and it took a great deal of restraint throughout the night not to kiss those captivating, ruby red lips. He had to keep reminding himself that this was Nanao. He had to meet her where she was, or else he could risk losing her. Navigating the initial walk, the poetry, and the meal had given him something to focus on, but now that they were walking home, he agonized over whether he would dare follow through with the daunting task of brushing his lips against hers.
No, not tonight. He would wait. As long as he needed.
As they reached her living quarters, she shocked him again with her new candidness. He was swiftly coming to love it.
"I truly enjoyed the experience tonight, Captain."
He really needed to stop staring at her mouth. That cursed fan was sure to be hidden somewhere in her purse.
"Thank you for a lovely evening," she said. "I'll be, um—"
The pitch in Nanao's voice was rising noticeably higher. Though he adored the womanly tone of her normal speaking voice, this new, sweet sound was signaling that he had succeeded in winning her admiration for the night. She fiddled with her purse a bit, as though searching for something. She met his eyes, and he could sense that there was fear behind them. Was she nervous, too? Why? She had nothing to worry about.
"I, um…"
He narrowed his eyebrows a bit, trying to understand. "What is it, Nanao?"
She moved a lock of hair behind her ear and gave him a brief glance. After some more fiddling, she pulled her keys out of her purse and mumbled, "Found them."
He gave her a nod. He would wait until she locked the door behind her before leaving. He smiled as she turned to the door, blissful that the night had ended on such a triumphant note. He was already planning where he was going to take her next, when Nanao spun around.
"Forget some—"
But Shunsui never finished his sentence, because faster than he ever could have dreamed, Nanao planted the sweetest, most tender, hesitant, and absolutely delicious kiss on his lips. It took him a few seconds to grasp what was happening, and for the first time in centuries, he had no idea what to do with a woman. Should he put his hands on her waist? Do nothing? Hold her? Do nothing? Respond more assertively? Do nothing?
A soft sigh from Nanao.
That was all it took to give him courage. Natural responses soon substituted his clumsiness, and he just moved. His hands first, then his arms as they held her close, then his lips, savoring hers. She responded in kind, perfectly—he couldn't have imagined it any better. She kissed exactly how he loved to be kissed. Despite all of his flamboyant antics, he went crazy for tempered, yet intentional movements like the ones Nanao was gifting him.
And just as swiftly as it started, it was over. In a lingering move, she pulled away. It was over much too soon for his liking, but he would wait eagerly for the next one. Nanao, flushing prettily, imparted a high-pitched adieu before retreating into her apartment.
And their first date was over.
The Captain, too full of energy to retire for the night, shunpoed in circles around Seireitei for a while. He eventually found himself on Ukitake's favorite hillside. The night was crisp, the moon aglow, and the Captain understood a little better why his best friend often preferred this spot for his reflections. A new chapter of Shunsui's life had begun this evening, and it all started with the very good decision of bestowing a scandalous little Valentine's Day gift upon his austere, taciturn, and unrelenting Vice Captain.
And Christmas was soon on its way.
. / Fin \ .