A/N: Well, here's another chapter. The muses struck last night and I finally know exactly where I'm going with the rest of the story. I apologize for the delay but my homework load was not cooperating. I'll attempt to update as soon as possible but it could be later in the week due to the fact that my write up of the fetal pig dissection is due on Wednesday. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!
Tossed Aside
Chapter Five: A Best Friend's Help
Matsumoto and Nanao's faces whipped around to see Shunsui standing, arms folded, eyebrows raised, just outside the curtain. Nanao's eyes widened in panic for a moment. From behind her flashing spectacles she sent Matsumoto a look which clearly read, 'HELP!'
"N-nothing Kyōraku Taichō," Nanao stammered.
Shunsui swept over to Nanao's side in a flurry of pink.
"Really, Nanao-chan? You're blushing," he remarked skeptically before his tone turned teasing. "You are so cute when you blush!" Shunsui reached out with a calloused hand to touch her flushed cheek.
"Taichō!" Nanao reprimanded, swiftly deflecting him with a quick rap to the hand with the book that had been resting in her lap. "What do you think you are doing?"
Shunsui cradled his hand, a large smile on his face. "Ah, Nanao-chan, you are feeling better, aren't you? Did you forget the other night, Nanao? You were not nearly so resistant to me then!" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Nanao glared at him over the rim of her spectacles. She knew he must be in an especially good mood as he was acting even more ridiculous than usual.
"How many times must I tell you not to call me by that demeaning nickname, Taichō?" she said testily. "And," she continued, her voice swiftly dropping in volume as she avoided his gaze. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't mention the other night again."
Matsumoto glanced between them, noting the quick flash of hurt across his features. He replaced it quickly with his broad grin.
"How cruel you are to me Nanao-chan!" he exclaimed gripping his chest in mock-agony. "But don't think you can change the subject on me, Nanao," he said, wagging a finger at her playfully. "You had something you wanted to tell me?"
"Kyōraku-san," Matsumoto began with a large smile, "Nanao was just telling me that the painkillers Unohnana Taichō gave her are not very effective but she did not want to worry you. I suggested that the best medicine for any ache is sake!" Nanao gave Matsumoto a look of sincere gratitude and Matsumoto winked imperceptibly in return.
"So true, Rangiku, so true," Shunsui sighed in agreement. "You are in pain, my wonderful Nanao-chan? Maybe it is best that you stay here another night instead of returning to Eighth Division like Unohana Taichō said you could."
Nanao blinked up at her captain. "I have permission to leave?"
"Did I forget to tell you Nanao-chan? Your beauty must have distracted me," he proclaimed, arching an eyebrow suggestively. This statement earned a prominent eye-roll from Nanao and a giggle from Matsumoto.
"So, I can leave?" Nanao prompted, adjusting her glasses.
"Yes you may," replied a much healthier-looking Unohana as she came to stand on the other side of Nanao's bed. "I would like to check your wounds once more, but as long as you feel well enough to walk around a little, you are free to return to the Eighth Division. You must promise to rest, however. That means no training with the squad or too much paperwork." The healer turned her benign gaze on Matsumoto. "Matsumoto Fukutaichō, I wonder if it would be too much of an imposition to ask you to remain for a few moments and walk Nanao over to the Eighth?"
Matsumoto fairly glowed at the excuse to avoid the office and its perpetual stack of paperwork. "I'd be happy too walk with Nanao, Unohana Taichō!" she replied, grinning.
"I too shall remain to escort my lovely Nanao-chan back to the office," Shunsui said, batting his eyelashes outrageously at Nanao. "For what should happen if my darling Nanao-chan should stumble and I am not there to sweep her into the protective circle of my arms?"
Nanao closed her eyes and took a deep breath. While it appeared outwardly that she was merely annoyed at the return of her Captain's annoying, flirtatious banter, the true reason was that Nanao could no longer deny, even to herself, that she wouldn't mind being swept up in his arms at all.
- - -
Twenty minutes later, wearing a fresh uniform with fresh bandages underneath, Nanao emerged into the sunshine outside of the infirmary. Allowing herself a small smile, she began walking with measured strides toward the Eighth Division. She tried to ignore the fact that her Taichō was walking just a little too close and slightly behind her. Nanao knew it was only because he was trying to be helpful, but after almost a week of feeling like a useless invalid, she was not in the mood to be babied.
"Taichō," she said, pressing her lips together slightly. "I am not going to fall over anytime soon, there is no need to walk so closely to me."
She missed the widening of Shunsui's eyes behind her back, as well as the smirk that crossed Matsumoto's face as she walked beside her, swinging Nanao's book back and forth.
"Yare, yare, Nanao," Shunsui commented, tucking his arms into his sleeves. "Sometimes I think you can read minds."
"No, Taichō," Nanao replied rolling her eyes. "I have only served under you for over a century. If I didn't know you well by now, then I am not observant enough to be your fukutaichō."
"Ah, so you enjoy watching me, Nanao-chan?" he teased as Nanao flushed and Matsumoto covered a girly giggle with a graceful hand. He leaned over and whispered dramatically to Matsumoto. "It's a good thing that she can't truly read minds or else I would get hit with that book a lot more."
Matsumoto laughed out loud at this and Nanao's face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. She adjusted her glasses perfunctorily to hide her embarrassment. "Taichō!" she began, but was cut off as Matsumoto skipped forward a few paces.
"Oh, Ise," she said, smiling widely. "Don't be so uptight! Kyōraku-san was only teasing."
"I don't care," Nanao stated primly. "It's improper for a Taichō to talk like that to his subordinate." Shunsui moved to walk next to Nanao.
"Ah, but Nanao-chan," he stated with a flourish, "You are so much more than a subordinate to me!"
Rangiku smiled as the two began to bicker, the same argument that always seemed to crop up between the two. As Shunsui rattled on about how it was impossible for him to think of Nanao in only a professional capacity when she had such wonderful violet-blue eyes, Rangiku seized her chance.
Falling behind slightly, she eyed Nanao's stride, which was much smaller and slower than usual. While Nanao usually walked like a woman on a mission, her injury had taken a toll on her and she was forced to pace herself in order to make it to Eighth Division without growing too tired.
Matsumoto gauged the pattern of Nanao's footfalls and taking a calculated risk, stuck her foot out just as Nanao picked hers up.
Nanao tripped and stumbled, bracing herself for impact against the dusty street. Faster than the eye could follow however, she was swept off of the ground by her captain. Nanao emitted a small shriek of surprise upon suddenly finding herself airborne. She quickly wound her arms around her captain's neck for balance.
"Yare, yare, Nanao-chan," Shunsui said, gazing down at her in concern. "You should have told me you were getting tired," he scolded, misinterpreting her stumble. "You probably shouldn't be walking so far after you just left Unohana-san's."
"Taichō, put me down." Nanao demanded, embarrassed as she became all too aware of what their current pose probably looked like to all of the passing shinigami. Glancing around, Nanao was mortified to discover just how many of them just happened to be out. She visibly winced when she saw a passing group exchange wide eyed glances and whispers hidden behind their hands. Why, oh, why? Nanao thought, did I have to be released during lunch break?
"Nanao," Shunsui said, his voice deep and commanding. Nanao ceased her protests, eyes wide. Was this why Kyōraku Taichō was made a captain? "I am carrying you back to Eighth Division whether you want to be carried or not. Now be a good Nanao-chan and stop squirming. That's an order." He winked at Matsumoto. From her perch in Shunsui's arms, Nanao glared at her best friend in a way which usually had most shinigami in Seireitei running as far away from her as possible, knowing full well why she had tripped so suddenly.
Leaning close to her best friends ear Matsumoto whispered just loud enough for Nanao to hear, "You can thank me, later." She giggled slightly at the disgruntled Nanao.
"Rangiku-san," Shunsui asked grinning. "Seeing as you had to walk so far, would you care for a drink when we get back to the office?"
"Of course, Kyōraku-san," Matsumoto agreed. "Perhaps Nanao, would like some sake as well, for the pain?" She patted Nanao, cheerfully on the head, smirking.
Shunsui grinned broadly. He had his Nanao in his arms and the prospect of a large bottle of sake with his favorite drinking partner. Even more enticing was the prospect of his Nanao drinking sake. His grin broadened as the image of his upright fukutaichō sprawled out, sipping his choice beverage while wearing his haori and only his haori, swam across his imagination, delighting him with the prospect.
A/N: Review…or I'll…lock you in a one-bathroom apartment with Yumichika! You'll never see the fluorescent light of the bathroom…ever!