Getting Nanao to join him at the bar was a once-in-a-lifetime honor, usually reserved for rare summer evenings when she was more likely to be lenient with his schemes. So, he was delighted when he was able to strike a bargain for her company — all it would take for her to join him tonight was completing his late paperwork before eight.
"Staring won't fill those papers out, sir," she chimed in from her desk. "You have three hours left." He could hear her fighting off a grin. "I suggest you get working."
"Yes, Ise Fukutaicho," he said in his most serious voice, returning his focus to his desk.
He could practically hear her rolling her eyes.
There was no way he was wasting this opportunity. After much negotiation, she had agreed to his wager: if he completed his paperwork by Friday at eight in the evening, she would accompany him on a night out.
"What's this?" Ukitake's voice sounded from the door. "Is that where you've been all day? Doing paperwork?"
"Yes, I need to finish everything before eight." Looking up from his papers, he flashed Nanao a wolfish smile. "And when I do, my lovely Nanao-chan will join us for drinks tonight."
"Ah." Ukitake moved to sit on the couch. "That makes more sense. Well played, Ise-san."
"Thank you, Ukitake Taicho." She walked to the door and paused at the threshold to look over her shoulder, smirking. "We'll see if he can keep up his end of the bargain — I'll be back at Eight."
"I'll have everything ready!" He called after her.
"So, you got Ise-san to wager having a drink with you; how did you manage that — aside from the promise of paperwork?"
"That is simple; our love burns so bright that she couldn't help but agree. It gives her a cover to bask in the light of my love."
"Sure." Ukitake paused and smirked. "The fact that she agreed is enough of an achievement."
"Isn't it?"
"What exactly is going on between the two of you? You fought for a month, and now it's like nothing happened. Now you're running around with lists, and she's agreeing to bets. If I were a betting man, I would bet something going on."
He rolled his eyes. Ever since he reconciled with Nanao, Ukitake had been a bloodhound, prying into the state of his relationship with Nanao — whatever it was. He'd successfully dodged any questions. However, centuries of friendship told him that his friend would get his answers — one way or another.
"I apologized," he said as convincingly as he could.
Ukitake's eyes narrowed. "Hmmm. I know Ise-san well enough to know that a simple apology would not get you back in her good graces."
"It was a very thorough apology — it involved pastries and lists."
Ukitake grinned at the mention of the now-famous weekly lists. "Ah. I see."
"Now, help me with these forms."
"Is that allowed?"
"She didn't say one way or another, so it's fair game."
"She won't like this." Ukitake walked up to his desk and looked over a form.
"Well, come on — hurry up. We don't have that much time."
"Fine, fine, fine — I'll help, but only because Ise-san needs to relax." Ukitake picked up a pile of paperwork and, sitting at Nanao's desk, began to fill out papers.
It was astounding how time, which usually moved at a snail's pace when he was doing paperwork, suddenly sped up. When they'd made their bet, Kyouraku knew it would take all his diligence to complete his end of the deal. Luckily for him, he was a rather diligent man. Once his mind was made up, it was nearly impossible to stop him, and nothing spurred his diligence like his darling Nanao-chan.
He reached for the next sheet of paper without looking up, only to find the tall stack of paper gone.
"Ukitake! I've finished!" His friend had long since finished his half and was quietly reading a book Nanao had left by the couch.
His friend looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow. "I'm impressed! I didn't think that you were going finish in time."
"You have such little faith in me. You know, I would move mountains when it comes to my Nanao-chan. Now, I'm going to nap; she had me up all day, and I can't feel sleepy tonight." Stretching, he stood and draped himself on the couch next to Ukitake.
As he relaxed, his thoughts again drifted toward the promise of the night. It was just a night out with friends, and, of course, nothing would happen between him and Nanao — they'd set their rules. However, recently, especially after his conversation with Ukitake, he felt a constant undercurrent of hope that they might have a future together. He wondered if she felt the same. Regardless, it was an undercurrent that he was quick to stifle.
He heard her footsteps approaching, "Taicho, it's eight on the dot, and I see you've given up and decided to nap?" She said, her voice smug. He couldn't hold back a grin of his own — it was so rare that she played along with his antics that it always delighted him when she did.
Ukitake chuckled at his side.
"Now, now, precious." He sat up and stretched before gesturing to the papers on his desk. "I told you I would have everything finished. It's all done."
"What?" She asked, her sharp eyebrows lifting in her apparent disbelief as she walked to his desk and took in the neatly stacked pile of papers.
"I'm sure you'll find everything completed to your satisfaction." He walked up to lean on his desk — it was his turn to be smug.
"It would seem you are correct," She said after several minutes of inspecting the papers.
"See, Nanao-chan, I can do the paperwork." He raised a hand to her shoulders, his grin widening when she didn't immediately push him off.
She looked up and gave him the weakest imitation of her glare he'd seen all day. "And yet, you never seem to find the will to do said paperwork."
"You're just so much more skilled than me, and it wouldn't be fair for me to do it." He loved this particular argument; it always got her so riled up.
This time, her glare was real. "You know that argument doesn't work on me."
"Regardless, I've kept my end of the bargain; now you have to keep yours."
She removed her glasses and pinched her nose before sighing, "I suppose."
"Cheer up, Nanao-chan, we're gonna have so much fun!" He leaned in to kiss her, but she quickly pushed him away, and he was met with a fan in the face — to his delight, it seemed to lack the usual strength.
She readjusted her glasses and returned her attention to the papers. "Let me just organize these."
"No stalling, Nanao-chan," he dramatically showed his displeasure and moved to sit beside Ukitake. "Ukitake, you're coming too, right? It'll be the usual group."
"I suppose I can go for an hour or two so Ise-san has reasonable company."
"Thank you, Ukitake Taicho," Nanao said calmly, looking up from her papers.
"You wound me, Ukitake!"
Nanao smirked at his indignation. "I think Ukitake Taicho is making a good point."
"Nanao-chan!"
"See, Ise-san prefers spending time with me. In fact, Ise-san, would you like to accompany me tonight?"
"Ukitake!"
"That would be splendid, Ukitake Taicho!" Her voice was saccharine in mockery.
"Nanao-chan!"
"Surely, you understand, Taicho." She approached him and patted his arm. "Ukitake Taicho and I just have more in common."
"You don't mean that, Nanao-chan," He was quick to warp his arms around her, holding her to his chest.
She only laughed and pushed away from his chest.
While he loved her laughter, this conversation simply would not do.
He leaned down to brush his lips against her ear. "But darling," he spoke low in her ear, "You are my Nanao-chan. Not Ukitake's."
She shuddered before she quickly regained her composure.
"Taicho," she warned, her hand lighting dangerously with kido.
Laughing, he released her, only to catch Ukitake's suspicious glance. Pointedly ignoring his friend, he returned to his position on the couch.
Ukitake only rolled his eyes. "I'll meet you at the usual spot — I need to wrap some things up beforehand."
"See you there."
She glared at him. "Taicho, you can't just go around grabbing me when there are people in the room."
"So," he drawled out, "you mean that I can grab you when there aren't people in the room?"
"No! Taicho!" She turned her head, avoiding his eyes, a blush creeping up her neck. "Obviously Not!"
He ran his reiatsu across hers and watched her blush deepen further. "If you want my touch so badly, all you have to do is ask."
"I think I'm all alright, Taicho," she said, rebuffing him and walking over to her desk.
He felt a surge of warmth spread through his chest as he listened to her quietly reciting their next day's schedule. All his teasing mirth melted away, and he allowed himself to sit with the feelings. He watched her hands run through the agenda, her fingers tracing down the columns. Her hands were so delicate, and even though they were scarred from years of kido work, they were so soft. Her gentle smile had his heart doing things he'd rather not name. Her eyes, so sharp and violet, never failed to draw him in. Her dedication to their department brought out a pride and affection he could barely contain.
After That Night, his attention and thoughts drifted increasingly to Nanao and the feelings she invoked. It was dangerous to allow himself to linger on those feelings, especially after his talk to Ukitake. No matter how joyful his memory of that night was, it inevitably led him to dark places.
He didn't know how to categorize what they had. His most brazen attempts to make sense of them, whatever they were, filled him with anxiety. Not only was he haunted by the loss of their potential future, but he was also terrified of losing their existing relationship. The idea of not seeing her every day was unthinkable.
For years, he had been haunted by the idea that Nanao would one day decide she'd had enough of his antics. During those spells of melancholy, he would catch himself wondering if Nanao wouldn't be happier at the Kido Corps. There were endless reasons why she should transfer. She'd long surpassed his kido capabilities, and he wondered if she would be happier being somewhere where she could dedicate time to her craft. He wondered if she would be happier somewhere with more structure, less paperwork, and less babysitting. She wouldn't have to put as many hours in as she did at the Eighth. She wouldn't work herself to exhaustion. She would have more free time.
He would respect her decision and support her without question. Her happiness mattered more than his feelings. It would take years — decades — to recover from her loss. He wasn't sure he could recover fully from such a loss. She was integral to his life, someone he'd long considered a permanent fixture. Her loss would leave him unmoored. He survived; however, he would be a shadow of the person he was with her.
"What's wrong?" He returned his focus to the present and found her suddenly in front of him.
"Nothing — Nothing, I was just thinking." He grinned and reached to adjust her hair.
"Taicho," she warned but let him tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear.
"Ready to go?" He brought his hand to her upper back.
She sighed, "Yes, I suppose so."
"Don't look so glum," He cheered and ushered her out the door in a flourish. "You're going to have so much fun, Nanao-chan!"
On the crisp spring night, the bar was packed, and it took skill to navigate. So, he was delighted when Nanao allowed him to rest his hands on her upper arms and guide her through the busy bar.
"Nanao! You're here!" Matsumoto exclaimed, rightfully shocked, as she stood up to greet Nanao.
Nanao moved away from his hands towards her friend. "We made a bet, and here I am."
"It was so hard, too," Kyouraku whined and reached for Nanao again, only to be swatted away. "My lovely Nanao-chan left her loving Taicho with three whole stacks of paperwork to do in one day."
"Wow!" Matsumoto said, her voice light and jovial and her eyes shining with a predatory glee. "That's far too much work for a Friday; you're so devoted to your Nanao-chan," She teased and reached for Nanao's hand. "But! I will be taking her from you."
"What! I did all that work to spend time with my Nanao-chan!"
"Taicho," Nanao warned.
"Sorry, Kyouraku Taicho. I'm stealing my best friend for an undetermined amount of time. You're welcome to your own best friend." She gestured to Ukitake and led Nanao by the hand.
"Don't pout, Taicho. It's unbecoming," Nanao said over her shoulder as Matsumoto pulled her away.
"I'm not pouting."
"Sure." She returned her focus to Matsumoto, and they fell into conversation.
"I'll be back to collect my Nanao-chan within the hour." He called out and sat beside Ukitake.
He had done so much work in the name of enjoying Nanao's company. Yet, here he was, sitting across the room from Nanao. It was a small conciliation that she was sitting facing him, and he could openly watch her.
"Man, she has you whipped," said an already tipsy Hirako.
"That he is." A grinning Ukitake was quick to pile on.
"I am not — why does everyone keep saying that!"
Both men held up their hands. "I don't know, but you look pretty whipped from where I'm sitting. First, the lists, now Ukitake said you were doing paperwork. Paperwork? On a Friday afternoon?"
"I am not whipped." He cleared his throat. "There were some forms that absolutely needed filling out."
"I did nearly half of them, and I can assure you that none of those forms needed to be filled out by the end of the day."
"Ukitake!"
"Oh. Damn. You're down bad." Hirako grinned.
"It's not — I mean. Okay, yes. Maybe a little." He was reluctant to admit how badly whipped he was, but there was no point in saying a bald-faced lie. Especially a lie that could be so easily disproven.
"So," Hirako began, dropping the volume of his voice and leaning in so Kyouraku and Ukitake would mimic him. "It's that good, huh?"
"What?" Kyouraku looked around for clarification.
"Oh, this is going to be good," Ukitake said through a cough that sounded suspiciously like laughter.
"What are you talking about?"
"The sex — it's good?" Hirako's grin was now bordered on predatory.
"What?" He hadn't been with anyone for a while — longer than he'd ever admit to in his current company. Recently, there was not a single woman sparked his attention. Well. Not quite. His ears perked up reflexively when he caught the laughter of the woman who seemed to captivate every ounce of his attention.
"Oh! Oh wow — it's that good!" Hirako cackled and pointedly turned to face the table where a laughing Matsumoto and Nanao sat.
He followed Hirako's gaze to the women's table. "What!" He squeaked loudly enough that it got Matsumoto and Nanao's attention.
He smiled and waved at the women, pointedly ignoring the two men who had fallen into hysterics.
"There is no sex," He hissed.
"Right. Sure, sure, sure. 'No sex.'" Hirako grinned. "Is that what the kids call it these days?"
"I'm serious. There's nothing like that. We're just friends." An interrogation had not been on his night's plan. Especially not one about the status of his relationship with Nanao. He wasn't sure he could answer the questions truthfully, even if he had the answers.
"What?" Hirako looked at Ukitake, who just shrugged. "No? You? You're telling me that you — you!— are whipped and aren't even getting any? You!?" Hirako's laugh drew Kensei's attention from the next table over.
"You know how Kyouraku's whipped, yeah?" He asked.
"Famously so." Kensei didn't miss a beat.
"He says they're just friends — he's not getting any."
"Those two?" Kensei's eyebrows shot up, and he motioned between Kyouraku and Nanao, "Those two? Huh. Are you sure? Because that doesn't make any sense."
"Hey!" Kyouraku tried to cut them off.
"All that work and for what?" Hirako nodded in agreement.
Kensei studied Kyouraku seriously. "Why not?"
Kyouraku could hardly keep up. "What?"
"Why aren't you sleeping together?" Kensei annunciated.
"We're — we don't —- We're friends." Kyouraku held his hand up.
"Sure. But that's never stopped you before? So, what gives?"
"This is just different. We just don't — don't do those things."
"You two just don't do those things?" Ukitake repeated back, his eyes gleaming. "those things?"
Damnit. Would the man ever give up?
"I — "
"Is she into women?" Kensei asked, and the table looked at him dumbfounded. Well, Lisa certainly swings both ways, and the two of them are so alike, so why not?"
The men slowly turned to observe the two women.
"Oh," Hirako said pensively. "Oh, yes. I'd like to see that."
"I wonder if they'd be up for a third." Kensei nodded absent absentmindedly.
"Oh, I bet I could convince them of the benefits of a third." Hirako grinned wickedly at the women.
"Now," Ukitake said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I know Ise-san best, so if they were to pick a third, I think I would be the most logical choice."
"Now, just hold on a minute." Kyouraku put just enough force in his tone to draw their attention away from the women and back to him. It was also just enough force to draw the women's attention. He briefly made eye contact with Nanao and turned back to the men.
"Enough, it's not like that," he stressed, feeling Nanao's reiatsu brush against his inquisitiveness. Right. They weren't like that, but they weren't exactly innocent of inappropriate behavior.
Out of his periphery, he saw Nanao's eyes glance in his direction, but he kept his gaze fixed on the men. "We're not like that. Not because she — we just don't — that's just not us."
He received a mix of pitying and amused looks from the men at the table.
He caught a glint in Ukitake's eyes, and before he could stop his friend from worsening the situation, he'd already spoken. "You know how he is — it's all fun and games. And Ise-san is too professional."
"Ukitake —"
"Kyouraku Taicho!" A voice from across the bar.
Sitting beside a flustered Nanao, Matsumoto waved her hand to get his attention. "Kyouraku Taicho." She waved him over. "Come here; we need your opinion on something!"
"We're fine, Taicho. We don't need your opinion on this, sir," Nanao protested, but her open smile betrayed any anger in her tone.
"Coming!" He was quick to leave his seat. Walking away, he heard their conversation start up again.
"Are you sure? Them? They're not together" … "No, that's what I'm saying"… "How the fuck?"
Nanao was not going to like the fact that a conversation like the one he'd just had was taking place in public. However, right now, he was dead set on getting away from the men. Right now, all that mattered was that she was smiling at him over her shoulder as he walked towards her.
He sat beside Nanao and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "How can I help, darling?"
Nanao shrugged his arm off her shoulder, and before he could complain, Matsumoto shoved a magazine at his chest, "Pick! Which one do you think will look best on Nanao-chan?"
"Oh!" he said, opening the magazine. "This is excellent! I can surely be of much assistance."
Holding the magazine beyond Nanao's reach, he flipped through the pages studiously, pointedly ignoring Nanao's protests.
"This one." He pointed to a white bikini with pink and lilac embroidered flowers. "I like this one for my lovely Nanao-chan. It'll match her electrifying eyes." He fawned.
"Ooh, you're right - it will go nicely with her eyes." Taking back the magazine, Matsumoto said, "Duly noted, I'll make sure to get that one."
"You will do no such thing," Nanao tried her best to glare.
"Now, now, Nanao-chan." He grinned at her and tapped her nose. "Don't pout — It's unbecoming."
"Taicho." She gave a warning glare and quickly removed his finger.
"Why do you need a bathing suit? Are we planning an outing?"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Yes, we are, Nanao." Matsumoto glared at Nanao and turned to face Kyouraku. "The Women's Association is considering a beach trip."
"The Beach! The others are going to want to hear about this. Ukitake!" He said, waving over Ukitake and the other men. "We're planning a trip!" He called out over the crowd.
"There is no we," Nanao grumbled, "and we're not going to the beach."
"Move over Nanao-chan." He said, motioning for her to move one seat over so he could take her seat.
"What? No — you have your own seat."
"Please? That way, Ukitake doesn't have to search for a seat." He motioned to Ukitake, who was conveniently coughing. She looked at him suspiciously but moved nonetheless.
He beamed at her as he sat next to Nanao. Again, he felt warmth spread through him as she rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile on her lips. His bubble of warmth burst when he heard Hirako and Kensei snicker as they relocated to join the table. He glared in warning to the men: their previous line of inquiry would not be acceptable in the company of Nanao.
Hirako rolled his eyes and addressed the women. "So, where are we going?"
Matsumoto pulled out a brochure and handed it to him. "The beach!"
Kyouraku turned his attention to Nanao. "Nanao-chan, do you want something to drink? I was thinking about heading up to the bar."
Her eyes were calculating as she contemplated. "Well, I did say I would have a drink..."
"Excellent! So, plum wine?" He grinned
"Yes, I suppose plum wine would be nice." She moved to stand up, and he placed a hand on her arm.
"No need. I'll go," he said cheerfully before standing up.
It was still early enough that the line to the bar was reasonable, and he could get their drinks quickly. Or so he assumed. Returning to the table, he found that Hirako had taken it upon himself to take his seat in his short absence. Devoting more attention to Nanao than Kyouraku was entirely comfortable watching.
"Shinji." He knew he was glaring but couldn't bring himself to care. "You're in my seat."
The man grinned. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, but I think you do."
"Hmm, no. There was a vacant seat next to a lovely woman. Who, from what I've heard around town, is single?" He motioned at Nanao, and his grin widened at Kyouraku's narrowed eyes.
Nanao looked distinctly uncomfortable, and the others had stopped their conversations to watch the two men spar.
"There was no vacant seat; that seat next to my Nanao-chan is my seat." His tone is more serious than he had intended.
"I'm not your Nanao-chan." Nanao finally recovered enough to join the conversation.
"Hirako-san — it might be best to move back this way." Ukitake mercifully stepped in on his behalf. Finally, his friend was being helpful.
Hirako glared at Kyouraku and turned back to Nanao. "I'll be just over there, my lovely. For when you get bored."
"Move." Kyouraku glared and quickly sat beside Nanao once Hirako had moved to his previous seat.
"Taicho." Nanao scolded Kyouraku.
"Yes, darling?" He looked feigned innocence.
"Don't call me —"
"Here you go, precious." He passed her the cup, letting their fingers brush lightly.
"Taicho," she hissed. "Thank you, but you must stop calling me those names."
"Yes, dear," he said, grinning at her. "Now, cheers?"
"Cheers," she said dubiously, raising her cup to meet his before sipping it. "This is good." She hummed in appreciation and set her cup down on the table.
"I'm glad you like it!" He said, placing his cup by hers and their fingers brushing. Gods. He itched to reach for her hand. However, this was not the time or place to push boundaries. He could tell she knew what he was thinking based on the warning look she was giving him.
"When are we going, Nanao?" Matsumoto's voice broke through their staring competition.
He could have groaned when Nanao's attention shifted back to the group, and she became engrossed in the planning conversation. But, Catching Ukitake's grin, he decided against giving any sort of indication that he was disappointed with this current outcome.