Nanao gripped her pen a little harder as she heard something else shatter down the hall. This deal may have been ill advised on her part. The entire 8th division was solely focused on preparing for Shunsui's birthday bash that evening. She should have never agreed to letting it back in the division. Then again she supposed Shunsui had earned it over the last week. They'd spent Saturday and Sunday dealing with her family's problems. Her father was now a barn manager for Jyuushiro's brother, her mother an accountant at a small boutique Shunsui's third cousin owned, her sister a nanny to a lower noble family that Kuchiki Taicho had advised was looking, and her brother-in-law a gainfully employed waiter at a restaurant who's owner had owed Shunsui a favor. No one in her family, apart from her father, was particularly pleased with this state of affairs, but she'd threatened not to help them at all if they didn't take the jobs and make an effort to keep them. As for Nanao, she'd be tutoring Shunsui's nephews in kido and hand to hand every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Nanao was pretty sure they hadn't actually been looking for a tutor and that she was being highly overpaid, but she was willing to let that one slide in the name of her sanity.
"Nanao-chan!" The birthday boy burst into the room with his normal enthusiasm and she rolled her eyes as she went back to her paperwork.
"Do you need something, sir?"
Shunsui pouted and planted his hands on the edge of her desk. "I missed you last night, didn't you miss me?"
She glanced towards the doorway furtively, but the secretaries were off overseeing decorations. She'd had nowhere to house her family in her tiny apartment so they'd ended up staying the rest of the weekend with Shunusi. Last night had been the first night she'd gone back to her own home after seeing her family off. He was supposed to be on the couch the last two nights in his house, but he'd taken such joy into sneaking back into bed she hadn't been able to deny him even if the early morning alarm was annoying. "I was perfectly fine, Taicho. I didn't expect you in today."
"Nanao-chan," he whined. "You can't be mean to me. It's my birthday."
"Am I being mean?"
"What's with all this Taicho and sir stuff? I like the way you say my name much better."
She shot him an annoyed look. Professionalism needed to be reestablished in their relationship or she really would start to believe something foolish. "Since when is addressing you properly being mean? I'm your subordinate, not your lover." He pouted and opened his mouth to argue, but there was nothing he could say that would make such familiarity in the office ok. "You should check out the mess hall, Taicho. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the decorations as that's all that's happened today."
"Nanao-chan is in a bad mood."
"I'm not in a bad mood, sir. I simply have a lot to do and no one here to help do it."
"Perhaps Nanao-chan didn't sleep well?"
He was lucky it was his birthday and he'd gone so above and beyond the last week or she would have thrown a kido at him. She was glad she hadn't decided to take the loan from him or she'd never have felt out of debt. Her savings had been decimated, but she supposed that was what savings were for and she'd just have to be careful with her finances from now on. With as much sarcasm and distaste as she could muster she cooed, "Yes, Shunsui, you've caught me. I couldn't sleep at all last night. I spent the whole night desperate for your arms around me and pining for you."
"That's more like it!" He grinned widely and circled the desk clearly going in for a hug.
Unfortunately for him that's when two of their secretaries chose to return and she's wasn't about to get caught letting him get away with public displays of affection now that their deal was over, especially not by their subordinates. Instead of wrapping his arms around her he got wacked with a hefty book to the chest. The women giggled and he sulked. Things truly were back to the way they were before.
Nanao felt a slight twinge at that. While she had slept fine last night she'd be lying if she said she hadn't missed him. Despite her protests it'd been nice to fall asleep and wake up in his arms. But she'd known it wasn't going to last forever and he'd never let her hear the end of it if he had even the smallest inkling that was true. He wasn't hers, he'd never been hers, and she needed to firmly remind herself of that. "Really Kyouraku Taicho you have two weeks of no paperwork ahead of you. You don't even need to be in the office. Why don't you go oversee the preparations?"
He pouted again and sat on her desk as she snatched papers out of the way. "You don't want me around?"
"Not when I'm trying to do two people's paperwork." Also not when she was desperately trying to settle back into their old dynamic, which used to be so comfortable but now felt awkward and restricting. She'd never realized how much effort it took to stay formal and removed from this man until she hadn't had to.
"I can help?"
"Absolutely not. We made a deal."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "You aren't going to try to use this deal to get out of coming to my party tonight, are you?"
"Of course not. I always come to your parties."
"And you always leave early."
"I think I've done enough drinking this past week. Besides you wouldn't want me there when everyone gets sloppy. I'd just ruin your fun."
"Never." He held a hand to his heart and looked scandalized.
"Aren't you sick of spending every waking moment with me?"
"No. Why? Are you? Is this your subtle way of telling me you're over spending time with me?" He looked sincerely hurt, but she knew it was just his normal dramatics.
Nanao snorted and shook her head. She couldn't outright lie to him. "I like spending time with you Taicho, but I'll pass on that special period when drinks are being spilled everywhere, women are crawling in and out of your lap, and everyone's slurring so hard I don't know what they're saying." She stood up to file some forms and skirted around him as he frowned.
"We had fun drinking the other night."
"Yes, but that was with a smaller group of closer friends and no one was messy drunk except perhaps me. It also wasn't a party full of people who report into me and need to respect me the next morning. Besides I knew I was going home with you so I didn't have to be as careful as usual about making sure I was capable of getting myself home safely." She scowled at the filing cabinet. Someone had been in here and files were out of order. She'd warned the secretaries multiple times to watch their filing. She hated party days in the office. Everyone got so careless.
"You could come home with me tonight?" The question sounded oddly sincere and made her stomach flip and her hand pause.
"Taicho-"
"The guest bedroom is open, and that way you wouldn't have to worry about going home alone," he added hearing the rejection in her voice.
"You and I both know that's inappropriate and not going to happen, sir."
"I could walk you home?"
"You say that now, but you're not going to want to when there is some cute blonde shoving her boobs into you. It's fine, Taicho. I'm coming to your party, and when I leave you'll have plenty of people to entertain you." She quickly resorted the files and glanced up to find him looking distressed. "What?"
"I wouldn't put you in danger or ignore you for a pair of breasts."
She balked at the reprimand in his voice. "Taicho, I didn't mean. I mean I know. It was a joke. If I asked you to leave someone to accompany me home because I felt unsafe I know you would. The point is I'd never ask you to. Besides it's not just about getting home safely. I hate being alone and drunk. It's a terrible feeling and if I'm honest I tend to get morose when drunk and left to my own devices. It was fine the other night because," she paused to make sure the secretaries were still chattering away and not paying attention, "because I knew I was spending the night with you. I would never request you be my babysitter on your birthday, and I certainly don't have any intentions of taking a man home tonight so it's just better that I avoid it."
He reached for her either to cup her chin or brush her hair behind her ear, but she shied away from his hand. He couldn't touch her like that anymore and certainly not with the door open and witnesses nearby. His hand hovered awkwardly for a moment before dropping.
"You should check the decorations, Taicho. They've been working hard on them and they'll be excited to see you. You know how hard it is to see everyone in the 8th once all the partygoers start arriving."
"Fine, Nanao-chan, but don't work too hard. We have partying to do later."
Waving him off with a smile, Nanao skirted around him and back to her desk. She had quite a bit of paperwork to get through, and she only had till five to do it. The second the offices started closing people started trickling into the 8th. No one lingered at work when there was an epic Kyouraku party to get to.
Shunsui returned at five on the dot, proving yet again the man was capable of telling time and being punctual, he just chose not to. She'd suspected he wouldn't trust her to give up work so easily and would come to collect her, so she was already putting the last form in the messenger box.
"I'm done. Calm down." He tried to slip an arm around her waist to guide her down to the mess hall, but she moved to the side. "Taicho."
"I don't have cooties, Nanao-chan."
"It's unprofessional."
"It was your plan."
"For a week in private and its over. I believe your party is being held in the 8th as we speak and you haven't touched a single piece of paperwork. My part of the agreement is being fulfilled in full."
"It's my birthday," he whined.
She wavered for a moment and then shook her head. If she let him be that familiar with her and didn't quit cold turkey it'd be downhill from here. It'd been nice pretending they were together and taking comfort in him, but that wasn't for her. If she wanted physical contact she needed to look elsewhere, because with him it could only be casual and probably fleeting and thus would only end in pain.
"Fine," he muttered but he quietly brooded the rest of the way to the party. Given that was only a few halls down and he perked up as they entered the room and the 8th gave a cheer. The division burst into the birthday song and Nanao joined in gamely as this was really the only part of his birthday she enjoyed – when it was just the 8th and no one was drunk to the point of being sick yet.
Suki-san wheeled out a big overdone pink cake and Kyouraku laughed at the amount of candles placed on it. It'd become a bit of a joke that no one knew his real age so the division had taken to making a game of seeing how many candles they could fit on the cake. They'd outdone themselves this year. He attempted to blow out the candles, puffing his cheeks dramatically and circling the cake.
"Nanao-chan! I need help!"
Everyone turned to her expectantly and she rolled her eyes. The first year they'd decided to jam a million candles on the cake he'd gotten too close and set his haori on fire. He'd yelled for help and Nanao being young and not realizing he wasn't in any real immediate danger had done a water kido that'd flooded the room in her panic. After that it'd become tradition to yell for help and she'd come up with a different kido each year to entertain the masses, albeit less wet so they could actually enjoy the cake.
This year she'd decided to show off a bit and she chanted a spell she'd designed based off a kido that let you take control of other people's released fire spells. The original spell was a blunt piece of work that turned the fire kido and let you toss it back at your opponent. She'd figured out a difficult piece of spell work to make one that you could work with delicately. It didn't have much use in the field as it took too much concentration and didn't help cause any more damage than the blunt spell would have, but it could make a pretty show. She'd asked Suki to light the candles with kido this year in preparation.
The candle flames flickered and then combined to form a floating river of fire flowing from candlewick to candlewick as she concentrated. A small ooh rose up from the division and Nanao smirked. Adjusting her spell the concentric rings of flowing fire rose into the air and ran together creating one large circle before twisting into simple shapes as she desired. She finished the procession off with a flaming bird of paradise, which she'd had to practice for nearly six months to get just right before letting the fire flicker out to nothing. A roar of approval rose up around her and despite her pleasure at their enjoyment she couldn't stop a blush from tingeing her cheeks. That is until she was unceremoniously scooped off the ground by her waist and twirled around.
"Taicho, you'll put me down this instant."
"It was awesome, Nanao-chan!" She slapped the top of his hat to the delight of their division and he settled her back down on her feet. "Well dig in everyone, people are going to start arriving and we don't want anyone in the 8th to miss out on Suki-chan's excellent cake!"
There was a crush as everyone surged forward and Shunsui put an arm up hovering around her waist to keep the division from smushing her in their enthusiasm for cake. "It really was great," he said quietly in the vicinity of her ear. "Maybe your best yet."
"Thank you, Taicho." She navigated out of his protective stance as the crush thinned and he dropped his arm.
"Shunsui-kun!" a cry broke out behind them.
"Lisa-chan!"
"Happy birthday, you old fart." Shunsui started to grumble but Lisa closed the distance between them and tugged him forcefully down into a kiss leaning him back and bending him over her arm like Nanao had seen the men do to the leading lady in those old movies Hinamori loved so well.
There was a pain deep in her belly and Nanao struggled to remain neutral on the outside as the rest of the vizards caught up and the crowd around them whistled catcalls. It was stupid of her to be jealous. Lisa got to do things like that because that was the sort of relationship they had. Lisa could go to bed with her Taicho tonight if she wanted to and they could both walk away in the morning with no hurt feelings or regrets. When it didn't mean anything you could kiss someone however long or hard as you liked. Nanao's mind flashed to the drunken kiss on her birthday and she pushed the thought away forcing herself to focus on the display in front of her. Shunsui hadn't brought up the kiss and she was sure it was to save her the embarrassment of rejection. That or the kiss had been of so little note that he hadn't thought to speak about it at all. She wasn't sure which hurt more. That kiss was an alcohol-fueled dream, and this was reality. Lisa released him with a flourish and took a bow to her cheering audience. It would be the first of many kisses tonight Nanao knew. Girls had a habit of pawning off kisses as birthday presents to her Taicho – at least those women usually stuck to the cheek.
"Nanao-chan!" The woman advanced on her and Nanao took a step back before giving her a slight bow.
"Yadomaru-san. It's good of you to come."
"Is that really the best you can do?"
"I don't think I could live through your other greeting."
"Oh please? It could be my birthday present," Shunsui shouted. Both Lisa and Nanao shot him a glare and he cowered.
"A hug?" Nanao smiled and stepped into the woman's open arms returning the embrace.
"Oh come on, I'm with Shunsui-kun. Give her a kiss, Lisa!" Hirako Taicho yelled.
"Shut up, baldy." Hiyori came out of nowhere to tackle the blond Taicho to the ground. They tussled briefly until Rose and Love pulled them apart.
Lisa slung one arm around Nanao's shoulders and one around Shunsui's waist pulling them further into the room. "Well? Let's get this party started."
The party didn't need much help from Lisa. Two hours in the place was packed, music was thumping from every part of the division, and the booze was flowing. Nanao was vaguely following the conversation running around her, but it was hard with all the noise. Another giggling woman, she thought from the 4th, made her way over and flirted outrageously with Kyouraku before leaning in to kiss his cheek. Nanao glanced away and wondered if she could sneak out of the party in a half hour or so. Her gaze wandered over the crowd and she perked up when she spotted Kuchiki Taicho. Nanao wormed her way out of the arm Lisa had thrown around her waist, which Shunsui had protested vehemently was unfair since he wasn't allowed, and gave her old Fukutaicho a placating smile before heading over to the noble man who looked completely out of place.
"Kuchiki Taicho, I didn't expect to see you here."
"Ise Fukutaicho. I thought I'd come and pay my respects." She looked in the same direction as his line of sight and saw yet another girl kissing on her Taicho.
"Planning on offering the standard birthday gift?"
"He's not my type." Nanao grinned at that. Kuchiki had a very dry sense of humor that she appreciated.
"I meant to thank you for my birthday flowers. They were absolutely lovely."
"It was nothing."
"It's not nothing. You don't have to, but I enjoy them every year."
Kuchiki nodded and stepped aside as an 8th division member went barreling past to greet some friends. "I'm surprised you've let this party back into your division. I thought you'd banned it."
Nanao shrugged. "I made a bad deal with Kyouraku Taicho."
"Ah, in exchange for help with your family?" Panic gripped her chest, how did he know about that? "Did you sister end up accepting that job?" Right he'd recommended that noble family to Shunsui that her sister was now a nanny for. Well, best he thought that rather than the real reason.
"Yes, and yes she did. Thank you again for the recommendation."
"Of course. If your sister is even half the worker you are I'm sure she'll do an excellent job."
Nanao could only hope. She honestly had no clue how her sister would take to working. Kuchiki's attention shifted and Nanao noticed Renji and Rukia entering the party yelling at each other. "Looks like they're having fun."
"Yes," Kuchiki said neutrally. "I believe that is Abarai Fukutaicho's form of courting."
"Perhaps my Taicho should give him lessons."
Kuchiki grimaced faintly. "I prefer the screaming."
Nanao snorted. "Abarai-san is a good man."
"He's an even better man when he thinks I might unleash my bankai on him at the slightest provocation." Nanao laughed outright at that getting a few looks from the shinigami milling around them. Kuchiki gave her a stony look that held no actual heat to it. "If you continue to be so comfortable with me people will get the wrong idea and believe I have a sense of humor."
"Sorry," she said lifting her hand to her mouth and making the motion for a key closing a lock even as she stifled a giggle. "Your secret is safe with me."
"Can I get you a drink, Ise Fukutaicho?" He motioned to a massive drink table near them and she eyed it.
"I wasn't planning on it, but honestly if I have to listen to this din for another minute I might go insane so perhaps it will help. Any plum wine?"
He scanned the table "Only sake, I'm afraid."
No real surprise there. "Sake it is then."
Kuchiki poured the cup and nearly had it jostled out of his hands as he turned back to hand it to her. Only his quick reflexes stopped him from spilling a drop and stabilizing the cup as Kyouraku threw a rough arm around his fellow Taicho's shoulders.
"Byakuya-san, I didn't realize you were coming to my party."
"It would be impolite not to wish you a happy birthday after receiving the invitation." Kuchiki extended the cup of sake and Nanao accepted it, though she suddenly felt awkward about it with the way Kyouraku was staring at her. What was his problem?
"Where are my birthday flowers?"
Kuchiki didn't look startled, but she was sure he was. She knew one of the reason he liked her was her discretion, and she didn't want him thinking she was going around bragging that Kuchiki Taicho sent her flowers on her birthday. "He was with me when I received the flower delivery this year."
"Ah. I did not order you any, but if you would like some I can oblige."
"No," Shunsui said waving him off. "I suppose that's fine. You graced us with your presence after all – that will have to be gift enough."
Applause broke out and Nanao glanced over her shoulder to see Renji with Rukia in a headlock as the little woman fought him. It looked like good fun as they were both laughing, but Kuchiki simply asked to be excused for a moment and went sweeping towards the young pair.
"Well Abarai-san is in for a fright," Nanao commented.
"I thought you weren't drinking tonight," her Taicho said abruptly.
She looked down at the sake in her hand and back up at him. "I said I wasn't going to get drunk. One drink will not make me drunk."
Her Taicho looked skeptical. "You're a lightweight."
"It's one drink. What are you suddenly worried about? You wanted me to drink."
"You didn't accept one from me."
"I didn't want one at the time."
"But when Byakuya-san asks you do?"
"Taicho, get to the point because I'm not following."
"You said you weren't going to get drunk because you don't like being drunk and alone, nor were you planning on taking a man home."
She lifted an eyebrow severely. "Are you accusing me of trying to bed Kuchiki Taicho?"
"You're drinking with him."
"I don't sleep with every man I drink with," she hissed. They were interrupted by a tipsy red head pressing up against him, wishing him a happy birthday, and planting a kiss on his cheek before running away giggling with her friends. "Unlike some people. Besides what do you care?"
He floundered for an answer and she crossed her arms. "I just want the best for you."
"While your friendship is appreciated," Nanao said severely, "Your opinion on who I sleep with is unnecessary." He jerked back as if she'd slapped him and she wondered if she'd gone too far. Then again he really had no right to comment on who she was or wasn't dating. What would he even understand about long-term relationships? At least Kuchiki Taicho had shown himself capable of a committed relationship. All the same she relented. "It's just a drink. He was being polite to offer and the ruckus is giving me a headache. I'm not interested in sleeping with Kuchiki Taicho."
He stepped closer again and growled in her ear, "We could leave if it's too loud."
She shivered and tried to ignore her body heating up. She was reading too much into it. "It's your party. You can't leave."
"Ask me to."
Holy hell she wanted to. The heat in his voice made her want to drag him home and never leave his bed. She should have never started this. It had put such ridiculous ideas in her head. She could have one night, but nothing more. She was a silly idiot. Another woman grabbed her Taicho's arm giving him birthday wishes and effectively breaking the spell by pulling him back from her. Nanao took the opportunity to walk away and towards Kuchiki Taicho where Rukia and Renji were slinking off. He really was a handsome man, but she felt no longing for him. He didn't inspire her to stupidity like a certain someone.
"I hope you weren't too hard on him."
"Is there such a thing?"
She sipped her sake. "Supposedly."
"As I've paid my respects it's about time I leave."
"Lucky you."
"Must you stay?"
"He'll whine if I don't."
"Anytime you're interested in a transfer please let me know."
She glanced over his shoulder at her Taicho who currently had women hanging off of him, but had his gaze fixed on Kuchiki's back. He did not look pleased. Though she was probably one of the few that could read the hard glint in Kyouraku's eyes. "I think he'd be moved to kill you if he had to do his own paperwork."
Kuchiki glanced over his shoulder and turned back to her with a thin smile. "I didn't realize he was so passionate about paperwork." Something in his tone made her think he was talking about something else entirely, but she didn't have the wherewithal to discover what that was.
"Oh, he's very zealous about not doing it. You don't have to worry about me. I'm quite used to these parties."
"As you wish. Do have a pleasant evening." Kuchiki bowed to her and she returned it before he strode out of the room.
Nanao took a drink of her sake and sighed. An arm looped around her waist and she found Lisa by her side. "What the hell was that about?"
"I don't understand why everyone thinks Kuchiki Taicho is incapable of friendship."
"I wasn't asking about Kuchiki-san. I was asking why Shunsui-kun got all huffy when he saw you talking to him. Are you looking to transfer?"
"No," Nanao said shaking her head. At least no one else thought she was trying to sleep with Kuchiki. Not Ise Nanao, she was only interested in her work. The small irritation at people thinking that about her was overridden by the fact that she didn't actually want people to think she was one of those pathetic Kuchiki fan girls. "Taicho just can't stand not having everyone's attention always on him. Especially on his birthday. You know that."
"Seems like it's only your attention he's particularly concerned with tonight."
"Are you trying to say something?"
"Not really. I'm genuinely curious. I've never seen him more preoccupied. I'd think he was trying to bed you, but Shunsui-kun doesn't like to work hard for his bed partners when so many women trip over themselves to volunteer, and he knows better than to go after serious girls like you who'd want something more. So what's the deal?"
"You'd have to ask him," Nanao said looking over at the man in question as he accepted a drink from a squad member and started heading their way. "He probably just had a fight about propriety or something with Kuchiki Taicho and viewed me talking to Kuchiki as not taking his side."
"Nanao-chan, you have to try this sake. It's better than the kind you have. It's one of my favorites." Shunsui reached for her cup to switch it out and she pulled her hand back.
"I'm fine with my drink, sir." She gave him a warning look and sipped her sake to further make her point. Lisa looked between the two of them with interest.
"Am I wrong? Are you two fucking?" Nanao choked on her drink. "Holy shit, you're fucking. What the hell is wrong with you?" The last question was aimed at Shunsui and Lisa looked pissed.
"Lisa-chan-"
"Don't you Lisa-chan me! How could you? What lies have you told her? She's not the type to just sleep with you and go about her way."
"I didn't lie!"
"You must have implied some sort of long term commitment in order to seduce her. One you certainly can't live up to. That's lower than low." Lisa was fired up and looked like she was ready to leap at him.
"Yadomaru-san," Nanao hissed urgently grabbing her arm to pull the woman back from her Taicho. They were starting to draw attention and Nanao really didn't want that. "We're not sleeping together. I'm well aware Kyouraku Taicho isn't the type to date or get married, and he's never implied otherwise."
Lisa looked at both of them suspiciously, but seemed to calm down. "So what's the deal then? Why are you acting like a jealous lover?"
"I am not," Shunsui defended looking horrified.
"Sure you are. What do you care if she has a drink with Kuchiki Taicho? It's not like he's some scummy dude that'd just try to get in her pants. He'd treat her right, better than alright probably. You'd think you'd be happy she'd chosen such a stable and loyal bedmate. It's at least sure to keep her in the Gotei 13 and acting as your Fukutaicho."
"Byakuya-san is boring. I just didn't want him talking her into leaving the party."
"It probably wouldn't be boring for Nanao if he was talking her into leaving to have some steamy sex with a man who probably has enough pent up sexual frustration to deliciously take it out on her all night long. Besides what do you care if she leaves?"
"She's my friend, and I want her here."
Lisa narrowed her eyes at him and then turned to Nanao. "Is he preventing you from having sex?"
Nanao was gobsmacked. "What?"
Lisa turned back to Shunsui and prodded him in the chest hard with her finger. "She's not a little girl, you overprotective idiot. She's an independent woman and this isn't the era of virgin brides. Nanao-chan can have sexual relations with whomever she pleases and you have absolutely no right to get in the way of that." Lisa turned back and linked her arm with Nanao's. "Come on. I'm sure we can find you something even better than Kuchiki Taicho. Have you met Kensei? He seems a bit serious and rough around the edges at first, but he's a good man. He swings both ways, but prefers monogamous relationships either way. I don't think he's seeing anyone right now."
"Yadomaru-san," Nanao stuttered trying to dig in her feet and not spill her sake.
"Stop," Shunsui said seriously stepping into Lisa's intended path. "I know what you're doing and it isn't going to work. You're not going to goad me into whatever confession you think you're going to get. Nanao-chan and I don't owe you any explanation about our relationship one way or the other. As you said, Nanao-chan isn't a little girl and she can decide what she does and doesn't allow from me. Trust me, I've gotten more books to the face and elbows to the gut than I care to admit over the years. So, Nanao-chan, am I behaving inappropriately?"
His eyes were grave and Nanao shifted uneasily under their weight. Was he being inappropriate? Probably. Everything between them was inappropriate. But was she upset by it? Did she really care if he wanted to throw a fit over Kuchiki Taicho giving her a drink? Not particularly. As she had no interest in Kuchiki romantically it was sort of flattering that Kyouraku cared about it at all. She knew she overindulged his intrusions into her personal life, but then again she'd done the same to him and he'd not only allowed it but also embraced it. They constantly overstepped each other's professional boundaries. So they weren't sleeping together or able to date. She was probably the closet thing Shunsui'd ever had to a long-term commitment with a woman. So what if he got a little jealous over her attentions? He got jealous over Jyuushiro's attentions too. Shunsui had pouted for a week when Jyuushiro had gone with Kaien to the living world on a weekend holiday without him, and he wasn't above competing with Jyuushiro's third seats for his friend's notice. If it was another man she'd tell him to stop meddling with kido to back the threat up, but Shunsui was different.
"No, you're just being you. If I wanted to sleep with Kuchiki Taicho I would have left with him and you wouldn't have stopped me. But I don't, want to that is. It's really ok, Yadomaru-san. I'm not looking for a relationship right now, and Kyouraku Taicho isn't stopping me from having one."
"Fine." Lisa removed her arm from Nanao's but looked a bit hurt. "Sorry I even asked."
"Yadomaru-san, I do appreciate your concern," Nanao said quickly trying to sooth the woman's feelings. "But I learned from the best how to handle Kyouraku Taicho."
"I was fucking him."
Nanao laughed. "I learned from the best how to scream, and kick, and throw kido."
"I was pretty good at it," Lisa preened a bit.
"The best," Nanao agreed, "And you could even occasionally get him to help with the annual review."
"Yeah, well that was where the sex came in handy. The annual review usually required costumes and role-play."
"I can be bought," Shunsui crowed happily going back to his usual playful demeanor.
Nanao laughed. "Guess I'll be continuing to handle those."
"No fun, Nanao-chan." A cheer went up from the other side of the room. "Looks like they're starting the drinking games! Come on!" He reached for her and she side stepped.
"I'm going to see if I can find some of the SWA." He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes. "I promise I won't leave the party without saying goodbye." Shunsui grinned, gave her a nod, and darted across the room.
"I don't care what either of you say, you're both acting weird."
"It's good seeing you, Yadomaru-san. You should come visit more often. Perhaps attend an SWA meeting? Yourichi-san occasionally comes and it's fun."
"Maybe," the former Fukutaicho said still eying her suspiciously. Another cheer went up as Kyouraku joined the game.
"You better hurry or you'll never beat him." That was enough prodding and the woman dragged her into another hug and then bounded off.
Nanao finished her drink quickly and weaved her way out of the mess hall. The party spilled throughout the division, but thinned out as she got closer to her offices. She passed her third seat's office and heard some moaning and groaning. She wondered if Enjoji was getting lucky or if someone had just commandeered his office for their own purposes. Nanao ignored it and move on to her own office unlocking the door as she wasn't unwise enough to leave it open when parties were going on. She breathed a sigh of relief at the silence and re-locked it. It'd been an emotionally draining week and she just wasn't up for anymore parties, conversations, or questions. So she took a page out of her Taicho's book and settled in for a nap on the couch.
"Nanao-chan." A hand brushed over her cheek and she grumbled before turning over and burying her face in the pillow. "Come on sweetheart, you can't sleep here all night."
"Watch me," she mumbled.
"Come on, I'll take you home."
"It's your party, you can't leave." She fought sleep and tried to wake herself up, pulling herself into a sitting position. "How long have I been out?"
"About two hours, and we're going to have to leave anyway."
"Oh?" She stretched her arms over her head and stood up.
"Seems someone got the order wrong and we've run out of alcohol so we're moving to a bar. It's strange because they swear they ordered more."
"Well, you know how careless our division can be with paperwork."
"You wouldn't have had anything to do with it at all."
"Of course not. But it's probably best if the celebrations move on since it's hitting that point in the evening where everyone gets sloppy."
"Mmm-hmm." He was clearly not buying it and she didn't care. She'd told him he could have his birthday party at the division. She didn't say how long that would last nor had she broken her word and kicked them out. They were welcome to stay here and drink water. "You missed all the fun. I thought you were going to find your friends."
"I was tired."
"You should have told me. I would have come and napped with you."
"How many times do I have to tell you that it's rude to leave your own party?"
"At least once more I suppose. Will you come to the bars with us?"
"Kyouraku Taicho."
"Shunsui."
"Kyouraku Taicho," she reiterated. That intimacy was no longer on the table for everyday use. "I'm officially saying happy birthday and goodnight."
He pouted. "No birthday gift?" She blushed and turned away. She'd hoped he wouldn't notice the curious lack of one. "Don't tell me Nanao-chan forgot? I'll accept a kiss!" He moved in front of her and presented a cheek. Nanao laughed and pushed him away with her fingertips.
"I didn't forget, but it's no longer an appropriate gift and I didn't have the money or the time to correct it. I'll get you a belated birthday gift."
"Nanao-chan, whatever the original gift was is fine! I'm sure whatever it is, is in fact, appropriate." She fingered her necklace and looked away. He grabbed her hand gently. "Gifts do not have to be equal in monetary value."
"It's a stupid gift. If my family hadn't been so bothersome I would have rectified the situation."
"I want it. Stupid or not."
"It's at my house. I can give it to you later."
"I'll walk you home."
"The bar-"
"Can wait, come on." He tried to loop an arm around her waist and she slipped free. There would be no way out of this so she simply headed for the door.
A quick announcement to the troops that he'd meet them at the bar after he walked cute Nanao-chan home met with a drunken cheer and Nanao flash stepped off before she could hear any of the rude comments that were sure to follow. No one actually believed what they said, but the crowd was just drunk enough not to hold back on what they thought Kyouraku would do or should do on the walk home.
She left the door open and Shunsui came in a few minutes behind her as she came out of her room carrying the wrapped gift. "Don't expect much."
Shunsui eagerly took the gift out of her hands and ripped the paper off. "Nanao-chan." She shifted anxiously and fiddled with the necklace again. "It's wonderful. Did you paint it?"
"It's ok."
"Stop. It's great. It's my napping tree isn't it? Up through the branches when it blooms as if you were laying underneath it for a nap."
She shrugged. "You complained last winter that you didn't have a good view for your naps. I thought maybe you could put it over the couch or somewhere in your house so it'd seem like…" Nanao trailed off since it sounded infinitely stupid out loud.
"I love it."
"It's no necklace."
"No, it's better. I'm going to have to get you a makeup gift." She gave him a look of disbelief. "Seriously, that necklace took me five minutes of effort. Nanao-chan, this is amazing."
"It's just a painting." She could feel the heat rising up to her cheeks. The fact that it had taken her months and numerous tries to get it just right was neither here nor there.
"How'd you get it so perfect? Did you lay under my napping tree and sketch?"
He'd like that, she thought. "No. I took a camera and took pictures. I worked from those."
"It's the best birthday gift ever." He set it down carefully and then dragged her into a hug. "Don't you dare try to get me something else either. This is all I want."
She thought about pushing him away, but it was in the privacy of her home and it was his birthday. She wrapped her arms around his waist and relented on all her earlier commitments to propriety. "Happy birthday, Shunsui."
She felt him kiss the top of her head and she squeezed him once. It'd be a long haul till next year as their birthdays were one of the only times she allowed him to hug her. It was one of those rare times she wished she was more frivolous and could just indulge her impulses – drag him to her bed and let him go in the morning without looking back.
"You're sure you won't come out with us?" His voice was warm and cajoling and she wanted to give him whatever would make him happiest.
She shook her head and pressed her palm to his chest leveraging him backwards. "You can leave the painting here, and I'll bring it to the office tomorrow. I'm going to bed."
"All alone?"
"Obviously."
"I missed you last night."
"Sure, you did. It must have been awful being able to sprawl out on that big bed."
"You forget that you're the one who enjoys spreading out. I like cuddling with a beautiful woman." His hand trailed up her arm and she knew she had to distance herself from the hormones it sent rushing through her bloodstream.
"Well, I'm sure there will be someone up to the challenge tonight." She tried to ignore the sting that her own words caused her. It was true enough. She was easily replaceable outside the office. He hesitated as if to argue, and she didn't want to know what he would say. Whatever it was would only make it harder to let him go and go back to the way things were. "Go, they'll be missing you, and the longer you linger the more outrageous the stories will become. You don't want Yadomaru-san to actually start a fight."
She ushered him to the door and bid him goodnight before heading back to her own room. For some reason, spreading out in her bed didn't seem as appealing as usual.
A/N: An extra long one with my two favorite idiot babies! Only a couple more chapters to go :( I also haven't started a new story yet, which I need to get on otherwise I'm not sure where I'm going to get my Shunsui/Nanao fix, ha. Hope you all have a wonderful week and for the Americans out there, have a happy Thanksgiving!