Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Six
Shunsui could read the writing on the wall. He was hopelessly, completely head over heels in love with Nanao Ise. His best friend found this amusing. Shunsui wasn't so sure. After Jyuu, Nanao was probably his best friend, and knowing Nanao as he did, the idea would probably scare her off right now. And Shunsui really couldn't deal with that right now. Not after last week.
He stole a glance at her laughing with Retsu and Rangiku. The bandages on her arms were just barely visible, peeking out from the sleeves of her yukata. She had scared him quite badly last Friday, and while she was recovering quickly, Shunsui doubted he would be able to let her out of his sight without worrying for another few weeks. Nanao had gone out to answer and emergency call from a team in the real world. She had handled it, but she had also managed to get injured in the process. Shunsui's first sight of her as she stepped through the gate was focused solely on her missing sleeve and bloody arm. And he had been terrified. The idea that he could have lost her shook him to the core. He didn't want to have to live without her.
Nanao caught his eye and smiled at him. Shunsui smiled back. He needed a plan. He was in love with Nanao Ise, and he was not going to give up on making her see that. He would just have to figure out how to convince her without sending her running in the other direction.