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 tried to keep the smile from forming on her lips. She had been trying to read but Shunsui was making that nearly impossible.
Shunsui had a blanket laid out on the floor with pillows surrounding his tall frame as he was laying back and watching an old black and white movie on the television.
Nanao was sitting comfortably on the big couch and had her feet resting softly on Shunsui's chest. She had been reading the same sentence for the past ten minutes as Shunsui's wonderful hands ran over her feet, shins, and calves, though he continued to watch his movie.
Shunsui gave Nanao a curious look as his fingers grazed the underside of one of her feet causing a small giggle to emanate from Nanao. "Are you ticklish Nanao?" Shunsui asked wondering how they could have lived together for a month before he found this out.
"No!" Nanao stated sternly.
Shunsui quickly grabbed a hold of Nanao's ankle and prevented her from moving both feet from him. He then proceeded to torture her.
Nanao thrashed on the couch as she laughed uncontrollably. She moved to fight against him as she flew to the floor. She straddled his stomach grasping both of his wrists to keep him from finding other ticklish spots.
Shunsui sat up to try and maneuver into a better position but when Nanao slid down into his lap they both froze. It had been so long since Shunsui had sex and his body was very happy with the position they were now in. He was damn sure that Nanao could feel how much his body liked having her there.
Nanao blushed as she realized their current predicament. She released his wrists and shifted her position, blushing even more as Shunsui hands flew to her hips.
"Nanao don't move like that please!" Shunsui groaned.
Nanao stared at his closed eyes and realized how much he was having to hold himself back and Nanao didn't like that he felt he had to be that way around her. She leaned forward tracing her hand up across his chest and smiled tentatively as she stared into his intense gaze. She knew she loved him and she wanted to prove how much she trusted him.
Shunsui stared at her barely breathing as her thumb ran along his bottom lip. "Nanao what are doing?"
Nanao brought her head closer to his. "Shhh….just feel." Nanao stated before pulling her nerves together and kissing him.
"I believe that's my line!" Shunsui said, smirking as Nanao's lips reached his.
Nanao woke a couple of hours later and felt Shunsui's arm tighten around her, letting her know that he was already awake. She noticed that he had positioned them on the floor so that he could watch his old movies while holding her as he waited for her to wake up. She was thankful that he had draped a light blanket over their unclothed bodies.
Nanao turned in Shunsui's arms and realized she didn't know what to do. Was she supposed to say something? Did he enjoy himself? Was she okay or did she totally embarrass herself? Nanao stared at his chest trying to figure out what she was supposed to do now.
Shunsui could see how vulnerable Nanao was feeling at the moment. He placed a finger under Nanao's chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Nanao, you were well worth the wait!"
Nanao smiled softly before moving to place her head against his chest. She sighed contentedly as Shunsui's hand moved across her back in gentle caresses. The smile didn't leave Nanao's face as she recounted how Shunsui had taken over and quite literally worshipped her body. She had never thought in a million years that it could be like this.
Nanao moved as Shunsui repositioned her against the pillows as he leaned over her, resting on one of his elbows and his other hand resting on her face as his thumb gently stroked her cheek. "Nanao, I need to tell you something."
Nanao stared up into his eyes wondering why he had a serious look on his face all of a sudden. "What's wrong?"
Shunsui stopped stroking her face for a second and then chuckled. "Nothing's wrong Nanao. Or at least I hope not!"
Nanao was confused now. Shunsui looking serious and nothing being wrong was something that didn't go together. She just looked at him and waited for him to continue.
"Nanao, I have never told another woman this before and I feel that I need to tell you especially after what we've just done and I want you to know that I don't take what just happened lightly and I…." Shunsui sighed as he watched Nanao try not to smile at his babbling and he tried not to acknowledge that that was what he was doing. "Nanao, I love you."
Nanao lifted herself up onto her elbows and she stared into his eyes. "Really?"
Shunsui lowered himself closer to her, his lips a breadth away from Nanao's. "I would never joke about something like that Nanao." He paused for a minute, then repeated the words. "I love you."
"I love you too Shunsui." Nanao said before she closed the gap and kissed him.
Nanao was swiftly pulled into Rangiku's office late Monday morning. She tried to utter a protest as the door was slammed shut. Nanao tried not to laugh as Rangiku turned to her with a strange look in her eyes. "What's going on?"
"That's what I should be asking you!" Rangiku said moving closer to Nanao. Rangiku had noticed a change in Nanao immediately and had decided to wait until Shunsui was out of the office for a meeting to pounce on Nanao for some answers. "Okay, spill!"
"Spill what?" Nanao asked, still trying not to smile.
"Oh let's see, the fact that you have been unable to keep that smile off your face all morning. You had sex didn't you?" Rangiku asked with a serious look on her face.
"What? Did he tell you or something?" Nanao asked, shocked that Rangiku knew.
Rangiku just started laughing. "No! But you just did!"
Nanao just crossed her arms over her chest. She should have known better, Rangiku had always been able to get anything out of her. "That's not funny Rangiku!"
Rangiku was still chuckling as she went over and hugged Nanao. "So how was he?"
Nanao smiled before turning her head from Rangiku's all-knowing gaze.
"That good, huh?" Rangiku said smiling.
Nanao moved to head out of the office, stopping as she held onto the door handle. She turned her head back to Rangiku. "He made me feel loved."
Rangiku smiled as she sat down at her desk and watched as Nanao closed the door on her way out. "It's about damn time!"
It took Shunsui about two months to find the perfect ring, the one that spoke to him and reminded him of his Nanao. He patted his jeans' pocket to make sure the ring was still in there as both him and Nanao headed out into their backyard for one of their 'lazy afternoons'.
Shunsui had started this particular activity when he had just wanted to sit down with a drink and with Nanao in his lap. Nanao found that she rather enjoyed this activity as long as she had a good book with her to keep herself occupied while Shunsui napped.
Shunsui sat down beneath one of the tall trees that were scattered across their backyard and gently pulled Nanao down. Shunsui made sure to sit upright for the moment as Nanao positioned the book on her thighs as a prop stand for her new book.
Shunsui pulled Nanao back somewhat so that she was fitted against him. He snuck his right hand around Nanao's waist and rested it on her stomach. Shunsui moved to rest his chin on Nanao's shoulder as if to read over her shoulder.
Nanao wondered briefly what Shunsui was up to but soon started to lose herself in her new book as she finally started to read.
Shunsui waited until Nanao was thoroughly lost in her book before he made his move. He fished the ring out of his pocket with his left hand and slipped it onto the tip of one finger on his right hand and moved his left hand forward to capture her left hand in his. He gently massaged her hand as he moved it slowly away from her book and when he had moved it far enough he slipped the ring on her finger. Shunsui chuckled slightly when Nanao wrenched her hand from his to move to turn a page in her book.
It was the reflected light that made Nanao pull away from the world the book was showing her. She looked for the cause of the light and realized it was coming from a stunning diamond ring on her left hand.
Nanao quickly shifted her position so she was staring into Shunsui's amused eyes. "Is this what I think it is?" Nanao asked hoping she wasn't reading the situation wrong.
Shunsui leaned forward grasping her hands into his. "Nanao, no one has ever made me feel anything the way you do. I love seeing the smile on your face like the one you're giving me now." Shunsui said to Nanao's smile and then blush. "I want to spend every moment making you smile. I love you Nanao, will you marry me?"
Nanao moved forward crushing him in a deep kiss. Shunsui marveled in the way she could make him feel with just a mere kiss. As the kiss broke, he smiled brightly at her. "I take that as a yes?"
Nanao laughed heartily. "Yes!"
Shunsui smiled as he heard the doorbell ring and walked over to answer the door as he knew Nanao was out on the back deck.
"Mom, Dad!" Shunsui said as he hugged his parents. "So good of you to come!"
Seira eyed her son for a moment. "What are you up to Shunsui?"
Shunsui chuckled as he closed the door after letting his parents into his home. "Why would you automatically assume I am up to something?"
Seira pushed a lock of light silvery gray hair behind her ear and turned a stern eye to her son. "You're always up to something."
"Nice house." Kazuhiko said to his son as he took in the recent renovations done to the old Victorian house. "How much more work do you still have to do on it?"
Shunsui sighed as he looked around. "Quite a bit still, but there was something else I asked you to stop by for other than to inspect my house." He stated before turning back to his father who was an older version of Shunsui himself, but with short dark gray hair and a clean shaven face.
Seira, who was only a couple of inches shorter than her husband and son, took her first look around her son's new home. They lived a good half a day's drive away and this was their first chance to get away and come see where their son was living now. "So have you met any decent women yet?"
Shunsui smiled. His mother always asked the same question. "Do you want to come out back for a little bit and enjoy the sunset before we start on dinner?"
Seira and Kazuhiko looked at their son suspiciously before following him out back.
Shunsui wrapped his arms ceremoniously around Nanao. "My beautiful Nanao!"
Nanao rolled her eyes at him. She took a sip of the pink lemonade that she had been holding and wondered briefly how she fell for a man with an obsession for the color pink. She just considered herself lucky that he hadn't painted the house pink…yet. "Who was at the door?"
Shunsui pulled Nanao with him as he turned to his 'guests.'
"Nanao these are my parents, Seira and Kazuhiko. Mom and Dad, this is my Nanao, my fiancée." Shunsui stated trying not to laugh at the stunned look on his parents faces.
Seira leaned over to her husband. "Kaz, did I hear him correctly?"
Kazuhiko started chuckling. "Unless I misheard the exact same thing, you heard him correctly!"
Nanao was shook out of her own shock when her soon to be father-in-law had started laughing. Nanao moved out of Shunsui's embrace and took a step forward. "It's nice to meet you."
Seira waved off Nanao's greeting and took a few steps forward and pulled her into a hug. "You don't know how happy I am that my son is finally getting married. Now maybe I can have some grandchildren to spoil."
Shunsui laughed at his mother. That had been her biggest complaint the past couple of years. "Don't scare her off yet!"
"Nonsense, if you haven't scared her off by the way you behave, then she'll be perfectly fine with me!" Seira scolded her son, which earned her an indignant shout from said person.
Nanao laughed while Shunsui gave her an amused glance.
About four months later Nanao, on the eighth of August, was walking down the aisle on the arm of her step-father Tomoya Ise as she made her way to her soon to be husband. Nanao smiled at the thought that she didn't realize what she was getting into when she agreed to marry Shunsui. They were currently at his parent's estate and with Shunsui being an only child; he was the single heir to his father's business empire.
Nanao's smile never left her face as Shunsui slid on her wedding ring repeating his vows. Nanao had never thought she could be so happy, she tried not to dwell on the fact that she would have loved to have her brother here. This was her day though and she had promised herself not to think any negative thoughts. She looked into Shunsui's eyes as she slid his wedding ring onto his hand and repeated her vows. She smiled as she saw the happiness in his eyes.
Nanao held her breath as Shunsui lifted the veil over her head and leaned in for the kiss to seal their union. Nanao rejoiced in the feel of his loving lips over her own. She also realized that he was up to something too late.
Shunsui being just Shunsui could not just kiss Nanao chastely in front of everyone. He wanted everyone to know that she was his. He wrapped his arms around her and smirked at her sudden realization and dipped her deepening their kiss.
Nanao blushed as Shunsui set her upright and took her hand into his own. She could hear the applause from the crowd as they were announced as Mr.& Mrs. Shunsui Kyoraku.
During the reception, Rangiku walked up to her step-father and mother, Tomoya and Miaka. "How are you feeling?"
Tomoya sighed briefly before answering. "Old."
Tomoya felt really old. Both of his girls were now married. He turned to his wife and gave her a small smile. He had always been the one to protect them, more Nanao than Rangiku, but they were his girls and now he had passed that duty on to the two men that his daughters had fallen in love with. One he was surer of than the other, but he had to hand it to Shunsui, because Tomoya had given the man a real test when he had found out about their engagement. Tomoya had been surprised that the man had held true to Nanao and that was the only reason that Tomoya had not voiced any objections.
Miaka smiled softly at her husband. "She's just married, it's not like you won't ever see her again."
Tomoya chuckled lightly. "I know. I can only hope that she receives all the happiness that she deserves."
Miaka nodded her head along with Rangiku. "Yes, I agree."
Tomoya turned to Rangiku. "That goes for you too."
"Thanks Dad." Rangiku said hugging him before heading off to find her own husband.
The next day, one particular jail cell radiated with extreme anger as the newspapers were circulated around the place. Everyone wondered what had set off the occupant of that cell and none would have ever suspected it was from an editorial in the society section of the paper.
A few days before Shunsui and Nanao were due to return from their two week honeymoon, Rangiku was watching the news in Shunsui's office with Jyuushiro and Miyako sitting across from her.
The daring escape of the prisoner found guilty for the kidnapping of Kiyomi Hinamori and was still on trial for the murders of several women in Tokyo was splashed over all broadcasting stations asking for people to be cautious as he was considered armed and dangerous.
Rangiku sneered. "I don't know what it is, but I really wish he had not gotten out of prison!"
Miyako nodded her head in agreement. "I know, Kaien won't even let me go anywhere alone until this guy is caught. He's afraid since he was one of the prosecuting attorneys that he might come after me!"
"Yeah, Hisagi said the same thing. I still don't listen to him, but I also heard that the two agents that apprehended him are taking the same precautions." Rangiku replied while twirling a pencil around in her hand.
"It never hurts to be safe." Jyuushiro finally commented feeling the same kind of apprehension at this escape as Rangiku had voiced.
A month after Nanao returned from her honeymoon, she could be found running errands around town. She had just come from her appointment with her doctor, who had drawn some blood to run some tests. She felt like she had been being followed all morning but around noon she no longer had that feeling and so decided that maybe she would head home, especially now that her hands were full from her errands.
As Nanao placed the items in the trunk of Shunsui's car she heard her cell phone ring and answered it as she saw her husband's name.
Ichigo stood in Hisagi's office waiting for his cousin to come back from calling his wife for his lunch check-up. The only reason Ichigo was not teasing Kaien about it was the fact that he had called Rukia himself not too long ago to check on her.
Ichigo really wished they had some kind of lead on Sosuke Aizen. "Where are you Nanao?" Ichigo muttered out loud, knowing that they needed to find her fast.
Hisagi gave Ichigo a confused look. "Why don't you just call her office if you want to know where she is?"
Ichigo turned to Hisagi to bite back that if he knew where she was than he could do just that, but something in Hisagi's face made Ichigo think for a moment. "You know someone named Nanao?"
Hisagi was really starting to get irritated with Ichigo. "Well, duh! Geez, I'm only married to her sister."
Ichigo pondered this for a moment. "I know this might be out of the ordinary, but are they real sisters? I mean biological?"
Hisagi started to get an idea of what Ichigo was looking for. Hisagi moved to some of the pictures Ranigku put up in his office and looked for one of their wedding. He finally found what he was looking for and pointed Nanao out in the photo. "That's her."
Ichigo couldn't believe his eyes. She looked almost the same from the picture Toushirou had of her when she was fifteen. He couldn't believe that it could be so easy. "How? Where?"
Hisagi knew now for sure that it was what he had thought. "Her name was changed to Nanao Ise; well it's Nanao Kyoraku now that she got married."
Ichigo nearly choked on his own breathe. "She married the playboy attorney?"
Hisagi laughed. "Yeah, I'll call Rangiku and find out where Nanao is right now."
"Great, I'm going to call Toushirou right now!" Ichigo stated as he started dialing on his cell.
Nanao had just arrived home and carried everything inside when she made her way to the couch and laid down. She was so tired and the day was just barely half-way over with. She twitched at a small noise but wrote it off in her mind as the house was old and often made odd noises.
Nanao fluttered her eyes open at the soft graze on her cheek and screamed before she felt a small pain and her world went black.
A/N : Sorry for the long wait everybody - college plus work equals a very busy me!! I hope this chapter at least made up for it somewhat!!:) A little cliffie there for you!:) Getting very close to the end!! Please review and let me know what you think!!:)