I didn't think I could do it, but here it is! On time! It's a little short but it's done.

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Chp.7: Lost In A Fairytale

It was few days later and Jushiro had not come to work those few days. Shunsui thought that he might have taken a few days off or had quit his job but was informed by his secretary that Jushiro had not called in or informed anyone that he wasn't going to be at work. Yamamoto called Shunsui and told him that if his employees don't show up for work, that he or she should get fired.

"C'mon, Shunsui…It's been four days already? Don't you think he would have called by now. Personally, I'm worried about him."

"I'm sure he'll call in. Let's just wait it out."

"Are you sure that you wanna do that? What if he really left? Would you wait for him to some back?" Shunsui had to admit that Nanao had a point. Did Jushiro really dislike him that he felt the need to get away? Some people could leave without saying anything to anyone and be perfectly fine with it. He just hoped that Jushiro wasn't that kind of person.

"…..Fine. We'll go visit his place after work. I'll need you to get the address though…"

"I'll have it ready by time we are ready to go. See ya then." Nanao almost jumped in victory but settled for laughing maniacally in her head, she wanted the two together and if Jushiro wasn't here, how was that supposed to work. By giving in, easily (Nanao thought so) and say that they were going to go visit Jushiro, Shunsui showed that he was worried but not visibly upset that Jushiro didn't come to work.

Jushiro lay in bed wondering what he did to deserve being sick. Sure, his tuberculosis was fully cured but that didn't' mean that he couldn't get sick from time to time. His whole body felt like a pile of mush and he really couldn't do anything. Thank goodness his kids always took care of him when it got like this.

"Dad…" His first born son, Kazuo, poked his head in his father's bedroom and Jushiro gave him a slight smile. "You need anything before we leave and go to school?" He could tell that his eldest son was worried about him, but it didn't show on his face. Kazuo was more of the quiet and collected twin, someone who liked to keep everything to himself.

"Kazu! We're going to be late! Dad! You need anything?" His second born son, Kenji, burst into his room, almost knocking Kazuo down as he rushed to his father's bedside. Compared to Kazuo, Kenji was loud and excitable twin, often expressing his thoughts and ideals to everyone.

Jushiro started laughing at the look that Kazuo was giving Kenji. Both boys gave him a strange look but started to laugh alongside him.

"No, I'll be O.K. I'll just get some rest. Love you both." The twins gave their father a hug and left out of their apartment for school.

"Mmm…Sleepy…"Jushiro rolled in his bed a few minutes after he heard the door shut and went into a peaceful sleep.

Driving in Nanao's car, after they stopped by Shunsui's house to drop off his car and get changed out of their work clothes, to which Shunsui gave Nanao another repulsive, as Nanao would put it, strip show. They were now headed to the place Jushiro lived and even though it was well into the evening, they thought that they should go see what's up with him. Shunsui was driving, almost lost in thought, when Nanao asked him a question.

"What if his twins are there? I can't wait to meet them!" Yes, what if his twins were there? Sure he had seen the few picture that Jushiro must have brought from home to put in his office, both boys having silver hair and stunning green eyes, which was somewhat like their father, who had white hair and green eyes. Shunsui questioned what the rest of his family must have looked like.

"Stop day dreaming and c'mon. It's already late and we don't want to be more of a bother." Nanao's firm voice did stop Shunsui out of his thoughts, not his daydreams.

Climbing into the elevator and going up to the 13th floor, Nanao and Shunsui looked for the apartment number 1301, which was located at the far east end of the hallway.

Nanao knocked twice but there was no answer, she looked back to Shunsui, who just nodded his head, as if telling her to try again. She was about to lift her hand and knock once more but both heard the door locks click and the door groan open.

"Um…." That was the only word that left the two adults mouth as they looked down into a pair of green eyes. The kids face looked aggravated and his ajar eyes looked bored as he looked up into the adult's faces.

"Yea? What do you want?" The boys' voice clearly irritated Nanao, judging by the way she jerked. Shunsui started inwardly laughing; Nanao hated kids with rude behavior.

"We're looking for Jushiro Ukitake. Does he live here?" Shunsui quickly interceded, seeing as though Nanao was about to grab the little and scare him for life.

"Dad? He's here, but what do you want him for?"

"Well, we're his co-workers and we're concerned because he hasn't called into the office. Can we see him?" Nanao anger seemed to clam down as she bent over a little to be at eye level with the kid in front over her.

"I told him to call…"The boy mumbled to himself, "Fine you can come in. What are you're names?"

"I'm Nanao Ise and this is Shunsui Kyoraku."

"So you're Shunsui?"

"What?" Shunsui's puzzled expression was quickly forgotton as the kid responded.

"Nothing. Ken! Go make some tea, we have visitors!" Sounds of running feet came closer as both Nanao and Shunsui stepped into the front hallway of the apartment and took their shoes off.

"Are they for us?"

"Why would two adult want to come see a couple of kids?"

"Oh….They must be for dad then! He's not feeling good; he's been in bed for a couple of days! He told us not to worry! Did you two come to check on him?" This little midget of noisy, Shunsui had put it, was definitely the opposite of his twin who was standing beside him. His wide eyes and hanging mouth almost made Shunsui laugh.

"Be quiet! You'll wake Dad! Go make the tea too!"

"Do you like our father?" Nanao almost spit out her tea and Shunsui started coughing callously. They both stared, incredulously, at the older twin, who introduced himself as Kazuo.

"What?"

"Do you like our father?" Nanao glanced over to Shunsui and almost laughed at the pleading look in his eyes, and in return gave him a look that said 'you're on your own this time'.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well…Dad's always talking about this man with really long brown hair and chocolate eyes. We know that he's gay and he said that he's attracted to the guy. You fit the description to a T and he said that his name was Shunsui, his boss." The younger twin, who introduced himself as Kenji, gave Shunsui an innocent look as he explained what his father had told him about Shunsui.

"Nothing to say, Shunsui?"

"So you're father likes me?"

"Yea. He probably won't admit it to anyone else and he'll be too scared to tell you."

"Do you like him too?"

Shunsui had to sit and contemplate about what he was going to tell Jushiro kids. He did like Jushiro as in an 'I want to be your boyfriend' kind of way and he was planning to ask Jushiro out. He just didn't expect his kids to ask or even know about it.

"Let's just say that I do like your father and if possible… I would like to date him."

Lost in a Fairytail...

Jushiro had woken up when he heard the doorbell ring and as he approached his slightly open bedroom door he could hear the voices of Kenji, Kazuo, Nanao and Shunsui.

What are Nanao and Shunsui doing here? Damn…that's right I forgot to call in sick for the last two days.

He could hear the sound of shuffling feet and the four of them moved around the apartment and Jushiro scooted closer to the door.

"Nice place Jushiro has. How big is it?"

"2 bed, 2 bath. We're planning to move soon. Kenji and I feel like we need our own space, so dad said that he's planning to move into a 3bed, and 2 bath, once he gets the money.

"Remind me to give him a raise." He could hear Shunsui mumble and he tried to fight off the laughter threatening to erupt from his mouth.

"There's something that we want to ask before you go see our father.'

"What's that kiddo?"

"Do you like our father?" He could hear Nanao almost spitting out her tea and Shunsui's wild coughing. He was about to move out of his room when he heard the tone of Shunsui's voice which made him stop in his tracks. It almost sounded like he was unsure about how to answer that, and that worried Jushiro.

"What makes you think that?" Those five words hurt Jushiro. To him, it was like he didn't even have a chance with Shunsui.

"Well…Dad's always talking about this man with really long brown hair and chocolate eyes. We know that he's gay and he said that he's attracted to the guy. You fit the description to a T and he said that his name was Shunsui, his boss." Jushiro's mood then went from sad to shocked, he knew how blunt Kazuo could be but he didn't expect Kenji to reveal any information.

"Nothing to say, Shunsui?" He could hear the amusement in Nanao's voice when she asked Shunsui the question.

"So you're father likes me?"

"Yea. He probably won't admit it to anyone else and he'll be too scared to tell you." Jushiro had to admit that his

"Do you like him too?"

Jushiro hoped for a positive answer, he was really hoping for it. He wanted to have a possible chance….

"Let's just say that I do like your father and if possible… I would like to date him."

"Well, you can go see him now, I'm pretty sure that he's still sleeping. That's what his medication does to him. It's the last door on the left."

Getting up, Nanao followed Shunsui into Jushiro bedroom. They peeked in and found a simple setting, nothing too fancy, but their eyes locked on the figure soundly sleeping on the bed in the middle of the room. Jushiro was facing them, laying on his hands, mouth slightly opened. Nanao voiced that it was cute, while Shunsui kept the same opinion inside his head, knowing that if he said it out loud, it could be turned against him by Nanao.

Nanao stepped in and walked over to Jushiro's bed, sitting on it and brushing the long white strand out of Jushiro's face.

"He doesn't have fever from what I can tell, I'm pretty sure he'll come to work on Monday."

"Hopefully, or else, Old Man Yama will call me over and over again. I'm glad that it's nothing too serious."

"We should get going. I'm sure you have plenty of stuff to do over the weekend. Lisa is going out on a date and I plan to go along."

"You mean stalk, right?"

"Same thing…Let's go!" As Nanao got off the bed and walked out of the bedroom door, Shunsui looked back at Jushiro and smiled. He left too quickly though, because he missed the smile that appeared on Jushiro face soon afterwards.

He walked to the hallway, where he could see Nanao putting on her coat, scarf, gloves and shoes, as she talked to the two boys standing in front of her. "So you boys make sure your father drinks some herbal tea and get some more rest! We'll see you some other time. Take care!" Nanao enthusiastic good-bye was reciprocated by Kenji, who gave her a hug and told her that she should come again soon. Kazuo just nodded his head as a good-bye and he could help but to compare Karin and Yuzu to the two.

They left the building soon after but while walking to the car Nanao asked him a question.

"So…what next?"

Shunsui silently chuckled as they walked to her car. "What do you think?"

Everyone knows how Sasuke from Naruto is always like 'Hn." I'm starting to realize that I do that too. When people talk, I don't feel the need to respond so I just say 'Hn.' as some sort of understanding.

Next one out by Dec.17, 18 or 19th. Depends on school and how I feel.

I'm thinking about writing a Christmas and New Year's short. Tell me what ya think!

-Kihana