Disclaimer: Do not own Bleach, but it would be awesome for me if I did!
Warnings: This is an AU story. This story goes along my story Astounding Revelations. I suggest you read that story before starting this one.
Pairings: Mainly Shunsui/Nanao
A/N: Many thanks to my beta, ForeverSam, for everything.
Arrival
By: akirk85029
Nanao glided back into her apartment with her fingers lightly tracing her lips. She barely registered the fact that Rangiku was sitting in the living room waiting for her return. Nanao sat down on the couch and narrowed her eyes at her so-called friend. "So where is all of my stuff?"
Rangiku chuckled before moving to sit next to Nanao. "Well your glasses are back in your bathroom, but as for your old clothes….I really got rid of them." Rangiku said giving Nanao her biggest puppy-dog eyes.
Nanao crossed her arms over her chest and had to turn her head away so she wouldn't give in to Rangiku's look.
Rangiku smiled before moving closer to Nanao, leaning forward from her seated position. "So did you have a good time?"
Nanao spun her head around and nearly head-butted Rangiku because she was that close to her. "Maybe."
Rangiku smirked. "Did he kiss you good-night?"
Nanao blushed before turning her head away from Rangiku again. She was afraid to admit that she had liked it, that she had liked it a lot.
Rangiku sighed before sitting back down and resting her head against Nanao's shoulder. "Nan, you're allowed to enjoy it! You're allowed to be happy! You're allowed to move on!"
Nanao smiled softly but didn't reply. She just moved her head to lay against Rangiku's, her cheek resting lightly against the top of Rangiku's head.
"Nan, what that guy, your cousin, and your parents did was unforgivable, and do you think your brother would be happy knowing that you've let what they did keep you from being happy?" Rangiku asked.
"I just wish I knew if he was okay!" Nanao said, feeling resigned.
Rangiku didn't say anything for a moment. She wasn't sure what to exactly say to give comfort to her adoptive sister. "Maybe he has some kind of job where having his name, number or address listed anywhere could be dangerous or something, unlike your parents who changed everything so you couldn't find them."
Nanao sighed, remembering when she had turned eighteen and gone back home to get Toushirou only to find that her parents had moved and her old house was empty. She sometimes wondered if her brother would be better off if she didn't find him.
Nanao shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Who knows, and I thought I told you to stop calling them my parents, they are nothing but DNA donors to me! Tomoya and Miaka are more my parents than those two ever were."
A little over a month later Shunsui was escorting Nanao into one of the bars that he frequented with Jyuushiro and Rangiku. His hand was holding her's firmly as they made their way through the crowd to where Jyuushiro and Rangiku were sitting with their dates.
Shunsui noticed several curious looks from some of the female patrons; he looked over to see Nanao following closely behind him. He squeezed her hand and smiled as she looked up to his face. Shunsui bent down and kissed her lips lightly.
Nanao gave Shunsui a quizzical look. "What was that for?"
Shunsui chuckled. "Do I need to have a reason for every time I decide to give you a kiss?"
Nanao rolled her eyes, momentarily forgetting her discomfort at being in such a crowded place.
Shunsui pulled her forward and made her walk in front of him with his hands on her hips almost guiding her as they walked. They soon reached their destination and Shunsui let Nanao slide into the large round booth everyone was sitting in so she would be next to Rangiku. Shunsui sat down next to her placing an arm around Nanao's waist.
Nanao had spent the first hour just drinking water and listening to everyone tell funny stories, but after the first hour Rangiku talked her into a drink. She decided on a small strawberry daiquiri hoping that it would satisfy her friend. Nanao didn't mind the small drink because she couldn't taste the liquor that was in it.
Shunsui told their waiter not to bring Nanao anymore after he noticed she was already starting to get a buzz on. He couldn't help but grin knowing that she was his complete opposite in even that regard as she couldn't hold any amount of liquor.
After a few minutes Shunsui had to get up to let Nanao go to the restroom as the liquor was making it way through her system. He chuckled as he watched Nanao stumble her way to the back. He watched as she turned the last corner; he wanted to know that no one had bothered her. As he was about to return his attention back to the rest of the people there he noticed an older man turn around the same corner. Shunsui suddenly had a very bad feeling; he looked over to Jyuushiro and nodded his head.
Nanao was currently washing her hands, letting the cool water run over them as she attempted to keep the world from spinning. She couldn't believe that two daiquiri's had that much of an effect on her. She was embarrassed that it doesn't take much to make her drunk.
Nanao reached over and shut the water off and walked to the automatic dryer to dry her hands off. She really wished the world would stop spinning. It was making her dizzy. She barely registered the fact that the door opened and someone entered the women's restroom. She waited for the person to pass to enter one of the stalls but as the footsteps had stopped, she turned to find a man staring at her with a familiar hunger in his eyes.
"Even with the glasses I still recognize you, Nanao. Your parents told me of your new profession." The gray haired man said taking a step towards Nanao.
Nanao took a step back and then tried to run to the door, but the older man caught her before she could make it and shoved her against the wall. "Leave me alone!" Nanao demanded.
"Now I know the man out there must be paying you a pretty penny for the night, but I'm sure you can take a few minutes to earn this hundred dollar bill I have here." The man stated, taking out the bill from his pocket and he kept a firm grip on Nanao with his other hand.
Nanao couldn't hide the shudder of revulsion that went through her. She couldn't believe that her biological parents were still telling people that story. She didn't understand why they refused to believe the truth. "Remove…"
Nanao was stopped from ordering him off of her as he grabbed her jaw rather fiercely, effectively shutting off her ability to speak. The man leaned in, his beer belly pressing her further into the wall, and smelled her. "You smell so wonderful!"
Nanao tried to push him away as he leaned in further trying to yell, but was unsuccessful in her attempt because of the guy's firm grip on her face.
As the guy leaned in to kiss her the bathroom door slammed open, causing the guy to almost let Nanao go because he had jumped so high from being scared half to death.
"Let her go!" Shunsui growled when he saw what was going on.
The older guy just grinned and tightened his grip on her. "Just let her be a good little whore and do what I'm paying her to do and get on her knees. You'll have her back shortly and…"
The guy didn't even get to finish as Shunsui moved forward quickly and just decked the guy. Shunsui had never felt such satisfaction from feeling his fist connect with another person's face as this hit had given him. The guy was lying on his back on the white tiled floor completely unconscious.
Shunsui gave the guy one last fleeting look before he pulled Nanao into his arms. "Are you okay?"
Nanao nodded her head yes into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his torso. She couldn't believe that he was here, that he had saved her.
Jyuushiro walked into the room after Shunsui and looked at the unconscious guy. "Get her out of here. I'll take care of everything."
Shunsui nodded before picking Nanao up and carrying her out the back way. He and Jyuushiro knew the owners of the bar very well; they were one of the few that were allowed to leave through the back exit.
After Shunsui drove them to Nanao's apartment, he led her up keeping an arm tight around her to assure her that she was safe. Shunsui took the keys from her as her hands were still shaking. After seeing that guy trying to assault his Nanao, Shunsui had sobered up immediately.
Nanao entered the apartment and finally let out a sigh of relief when Shunsui locked the door behind them. Nanao turned to look at him as he leaned against the front door. "I guess you want an explanation?"
Shunsui opened his eyes and stared at her. "No Nanao, I know he wasn't telling the truth."
Nanao smiled softly at him. "No, but there is a reason for the way he acted. He knew my biological parents."
Shunsui looked at her confused now. He didn't know what that had to do with anything. He followed Nanao as she made her way to the couch and sat down next to her.
"I guess to tell you this; I need to start at the beginning." Nanao stated as she leaned into Shunsui resting her head against his chest. She relaxed a little as his arm wrapped around her. She was still amazed at how safe she felt in his arms.
"My real parents were never really around. They were and probably still are work-a-holics. I practically raised my brother. It was just me and him most of the time except for when they would show up for an occasional dinner or something. Well when I was fifteen, they told us that our cousin was going to stay the summer with us. My brother and I never liked him, he was pure evil and we both felt it, but couldn't do anything about it either. One day he introduced his friend to us and he took an interest in me." Nanao paused for a moment hoping that Shunsui wouldn't leave once he heard the whole story.
"One day after coming home from dance practice, I was looking around for my brother. I hated leaving him home by himself. Well I found him in my room being held in a chair by our cousin. He held him there with a knife. I finally noticed that our cousin's friend was also in the room when he ordered me to close the door. I didn't move and he didn't like that, well they basically threatened my brother's life if I didn't do exactly as told….and I did as I was told to keep them from killing my brother." Nanao stated as a few tears slid down her cheek, she hadn't talked about this in so long. Shunsui just held onto her tighter, he knew the story wasn't over yet.
"After he was….finished, my parents walked in and I wasn't finished getting dressed yet. My cousin's friend used that to his advantage pushing cash into my hand and asking everyone if that was the correct amount for the current going rate. My father believed him and basically disowned me believing that I was really sleeping with men for money. And I…" Nanao couldn't go on, it was too much for her at the moment and she just cried. She let out all the pent up anger, frustration, and hurt she had held in for so long.
Shunsui just held Nanao in his arms long after she had cried herself to sleep. He couldn't believe she held so much in for so long. He looked up as the door was pushed sharply open. He held a hand up for Rangiku to be quiet as everyone finally made their way in.
Rangiku had tried to rush out of there as fast as she could when Jyuushiro had told her what had happened. She pulled Hisagi with her into the living room as Jyuushiro closed the door after entering.
Jyuushiro led his date to a chair and offered it to her before sitting down himself next to her. He turned to his cousin and best friend. "How is she?"
Shunsui looked at Jyuushiro and gave him a forced smile. "She'll be okay."
Rangiku looked at Nanao and then Shunsui. "She told you didn't she?"
Shunsui nodded his head in the affirmative as he clutched Nanao tighter to him. He didn't want to let her go, not tonight. He wasn't leaving her side tonight.
Rangiku leaned back into her chair. "I'm glad she told you. It shows how much she trusts you, you know?"
Shunsui just looked back at her. He was still in shock. He couldn't believe that someone's own parents would believe a stranger over their own child.
Nanao stirred early the next morning and was surprised to find the living room full of people and not just her and Shunsui. She felt bad for worrying them so much but she was thankful for them caring about her. It was something she was not used to. She turned her head to look at Shunsui and was surprised to see that he was not still asleep. "Why did you stay?"
Shunsui looked at her and pulled her up and closer to him. "Why wouldn't I stay?" Shunsui whispered in her ear as he brought one hand to caress her cheek.
Nanao was about to respond with some quip remark when Shunsui leaned in and captured her lips with his.
They were interrupted though when a pillow landed right on their heads.
Shunsui pulled the soft pink pillow from their heads and glared at the sleeping forms spread out around them.
"Take that to the other room!" Rangiku ordered. "It's too early in the morning for you two to be at it already!"
Shunsui chuckled before throwing the pillow right back at Rangiku. He turned to see a smile on Nanao's blushing face. He brushed her hair back. "Let's make breakfast!"
Nanao rolled her eyes at him. "You make breakfast, I'll supervise."
Shunsui grinned. "Whatever m'lady wishes." He stated before Nanao got up, pulling him up along with her.
Shunsui and Nanao stopped in their tracks as they heard orders being called out for blueberry pancakes, French toast, and Belgian waffles.
About a month later found Toushirou smiling as he watched Momo chase after Kiyomi around the park. The white haired little girl was laughing with total delight as she was being chased.
Kiyomi ran straight for her father and laughed with glee as he lifted her up into his arms. She turned around in his arms, breathing heavily, so she could see her mother. "I'm safe Mommy!"
"So you are, you beat me to him!" Momo stated with a laugh of her own. She smiled at her new husband as he held their daughter in his arms. They had just been married a few days ago and she couldn't believe how happy she was at this moment. She should have known something would disrupt it when she felt her husband's stance stiffen next to her.
"Take Ki, Momo and stay behind me." Toushirou stated as he handed Kiyomi over to Momo and pushed them both behind him. He turned to give his parents a fierce look.
"What? We can't even congratulate you or seen our own grandchild?" Toushirou's father asked of his son.
"No, not after what you did to Nanao, you're not ever going to know my wife or child." Toushirou said through clenched teeth.
"Son, you shouldn't be so disrespectful to us!" Toushirou's father replied adamantly. "Besides Nanao got what she deserved and we don't make mistakes."
Toushirou couldn't hold back any more. He decked his father and he couldn't believe how great that felt. He had wanted to do that for so long. He watched as his mother ran to his father's side. Toushirou turned to Momo and walked away with them. He had every intention of talking with Kiyomi's daycare to never let anyone claiming to be his parents even talk to his daughter.
Rangiku walked into her parent's home and finally found them in the kitchen. She smiled brightly at her mother, Miaka, and took the cup of coffee that was being offered to her. "Thanks mom!"
Miaka was almost an older version of Rangiku except that her chest wasn't quite as ample and her hair was a deep shade of red versus her daughter's strawberry blonde color. "I've heard through the grapevine that our Nanao is dating your friend Shunsui?"
Rangiku stole a quick glance at her step-father who was scowling in the corner at the breakfast table. She looked back at her mother with a questioning look.
"Don't worry about him!" Miaka stated. "He's just upset because the rumors are in Shunsui and Nanao's favor, in which he's finally off the market."
Rangiku smiled at her mother. "I think they fit well together and Shunsui has shown himself several times to be trustworthy. He has had several women still throw themselves at him and he's turned them all down. He has no idea I know about this either." Rangiku said smiling.
Miaka grinned at her daughter. "Good, Nanao deserves a little happiness." It was then that Miaka looked down at her daughter's hand and saw the ring. "Ran, is that what I think it is?"
Rangiku just smiled. "Of course."
"I knew I liked Hisagi." Miaka stated as she hugged her daughter. "I'm so happy for you."
Rangiku moved over to her step-father and received a hug from him as well.
"It's about time you settled down." Tomoya stated giving her a kiss on the forehead before congratulating her.
Nanao stood facing Shunsui in his backyard as he was trying to teach her some fighting techniques. She was glaring at him as he talked to her. She had been being nice trying not to hurt him but he just had to make that comment.
"Nanao you hit like a girl." Shunsui stated trying to get Nanao to really take this seriously. He wasn't expecting what came next though.
Nanao punched him right in the jaw. She winced as she pulled her hand away. She wondered what his head was made of. She couldn't believe she had hurt her hand in the process.
Shunsui grabbed his jaw and tried to stop the lashing pain running through his jaw. He couldn't believe she got a hit in on him. "Much better."
Later in the evening as Shunsui was making dinner, Nanao walked into the kitchen to see Shunsui tenderly touching his jaw. She smirked at him. "So do I still hit like a girl?"
Shunsui grunted at her. "I think you need to kiss it and make it all better."
To both of their surprise, Nanao did just that.
A few months later Toushirou and Momo sat Kiyomi down in their living room as they proceeded to tell her that she was going to become a big sister.
Kiyomi stared at her parents for a few moments. "Are you going to get big like Aunt Rukia?"
Momo smiled at her daughter and the mention of her best friend's very recent pregnancy. "Yes, we will have a new baby around too just like Aunt Rukia too."
Kiyomi thought over this before finally responded. "Okay, I would like a sister."
Toushirou stopped Kiyomi from getting up. "You might have a brother instead of a sister though." Toushirou stated wondering if Ki thought she might get a sister because Rukia had just recently had a baby girl.
Kiyomi stared back at her father's mirror eyes and just shrugged her shoulders before finally getting up from the couch to go play.
Momo giggled before turning to her husband. "She'll understand later."
Toushirou just nodded his head before grinning at his wife and giving her a deep kiss.
Several months later Nanao was standing at Rangiku's side as she was getting married. They were having a small ceremony in Tomoya and Miaka's backyard. Only family and close friends were in attendance. Tomoya's brother and his two boys were there along with Jyuushiro and his girlfriend, and Shunsui, and Kaien and Miyako.
Miaka smiled brightly at the pictures on her digital camera of Tomoya leading Rangiku down the aisle. She looked up as her daughter exchanged vows and became Hisagi's wife.
As the small party ensued after the wedding ceremony, Nanao made her way over to Shunsui and smiled as he led her out onto the dance area as a waltz began to play. Nanao was swept away with the music as Shunsui led her in the dance. She was amazed that she still remembered all the steps.
As the music ended they received applause from everyone around them. Shunsui kissed Nanao's forehead before he led her away. He had had a long talk with Tomoya before Rangiku's ceremony today and after a very heated discussion he finally received some sort of truce with the man. He was sure he was about to destroy it though when Tomoya found out about this. "Nanao, I want to know if you will consider moving in with me?"
Nanao looked at him startled. "Why?"
"Well, Ran and Hisagi will be rather busy now and I want you with me!" Shunsui stated, feeling vulnerable for the first time in a long time.
Nanao smiled at him. "So exactly how would that work?"
Shunsui pulled her closer to him as they sat down on a concrete bench a little bit a ways from the rest of the group. "Well, you don't have to stay in the same room. You can have your own room." Shunsui said, even though that was most definitely not what he wanted. "And even if you do stay in the same room, it won't be any different than when we sleep on the couch together. I told you I can wait until you are ready."
Nanao turned to him and smiled. She had never seen him so nervous before. She linked her hand with his. "I will agree as long as I can stay in your room." Nanao replied with a blush.
Shunsui grinned now. "Our room." He stated before leaning down and giving her a soft kiss.
A/N : I hope this was okay for everyone! I tried to move the time forward a little bit to get closer to where Astounding Revelations left off! And I brought it a lot closer - hopefully I didn't mess anything up:) Please review and let me know what you think!!:)