[ooc: sorry for the prosing, screen reader makes html kinda not worth the effort /ooc]
He couldn't say he was altogether surprised when he heard the doors to the main office area slide open. Quietly, because Nanao had learned quickly how to make herself not easily detectable. But he'd grown so familiar with all the sounds surrounding his very sparse private rooms at the First that there was really no way she could sneak past him. Not today, anyway.
Still , the sun had barely risen and he decided to give her a little time. If he interrupted her too soon, she'd just be even more grumpy about the lack of work being done, and he didn't want to have to pull rank first thing in the morning.
Not that he'd slept. He didn't do much of that, anymore, but his bed was comfortable enough and he had no real complaints, other than the fact that his fukutaichou had once again disobeyed a direct order. But it was such a habit for her by now that he couldn't really be upset. And it would be a fool's errand to try to hold it against her, anyway, when she was acting Soutaichou in all but name.
Still, today was a special day, and before too long he shrugged on his kimono and made his way slowly to the little kitchen area to make some tea for her. He was quite happy to let the strong black tea with a hint of spice steep, wondering again at his luck in finding a fukutaichou who shared his aversion to matcha powder.
When it was ready and he'd tied his hair back and put the pins in place, he headed to the office with two of the more modern coffee mugs that Ichigo-kun had brought filled almost to the brim. Hoping she wouldn't look up right away, since she always chastised him for it, he slid the door open with his foot.
"I thought I ordered the entire division to take the day off. In fact, I seem to remember it being an order for the entire Seireitei. May I ask why you're here?"
His tone was light, and while not entirely joking, she would easily be able to tell that he wasn't truly upset. Not that she would care if he was, but...
"I really did get caught up this past week. If you want to look my figures over then that's more than fine, but please, out of respect to Juu-chan let's do this another day, eh?"
Setting her tea down on the edge of the desk, he paused to rub his chin thoughtfully for a second.
"I was thinking we might have a picnic, if you'd be willing to give me the pleasure of your company. I think Juu might like that."
Was he guilting her? Well, maybe a little, but this was the eleventh anniversary of his funeral ceremony and Shunsui had enacted it into law immediately after the war had been won that that date was to be a holiday every year.
Perhaps to Shunsui's surprise, Nanao is not dressed in her habitual uniform, instead wearing a soft blue kimono with a mulberry obi.
"You did order the day off, and I'm observing it." Sitting on his desk, not far from the mugs, is a nicely-wrapped box from a sweet shop she knows he likes. "But I knew that coming in would get you up earlier."
She smiles, a soft and tender thing that she keeps for when it's just the two of them.
"Ahhh, that's rather devious, Nanao-chan. And couldn't you tell that I was awake? All you needed to do was send for me, there was no need to come into the office."
He grinned when she smiled, unable to help himself. He always felt like such a child around her. She made him feel young, and after the past fifteen years he needed that more than he'd realized.
He did notice her kimono, and had left his haori hanging in his rooms himself, shihakusho replaced with a deep green yukata that clashed terribly with his kimono. But he'd never cared much about things matching!
"That color is lovely on you. Brings out your eyes. How's your shoulder doing?"
She'd been training with him in zanjutsu quite extensively since the war had ended, and was progressing at a rate that surprised even him. She'd been able to fight him to a standstill a few days ago, and he'd had to bring his own sword up to block much more quickly and roughly than he'd planned, resulting in her arm and shoulder taking the blow far too hard. It was a fairly common injury in that type of training, but he still felt horrible about it.
"Well, I felt like walking into your bedroom would be... a little too forward." She tucks her hair behind her ear, looks away for just a moment.
She'd confessed to loving him fifteen years ago, but things had been slow and sweet between them, knowing that no matter what, the Seireitei came first. But that love was still there. It kept her warm in cold weather.
"Ah, thank you." She rotates said shoulder slowly, wincing just a little. "It's sore, but I had a heat pack on it last night and it's getting better."
Hakkyouken isn't a traditional zanpakutou; but Shunsui knows this, and between the two of them have come up with a style that works... fairly well. There's still kinks to work out, but given the fact that the last time she'd used a bladed weapon was back in her Academy days, she was doing fairly well.
"Forward? Not at all. I like to think we were friends for quite some time, and you were always welcome to come seek me out if you needed me for anything. Of course, should you wish to curl up in my extremely comfortable bed you're more than welcome, I rarely use it and it's quite a shame. No expectations are ever placed upon you for simply being in the presence of my bed, Nanao-chan."
He was smiling, but it did worry him a bit that she'd be concerned over things like that! Still, there was nothing for it now. He did love the slowness, and appreciated the buildup of feelings between them. It gave him comfort and peace.
He saw that wince, and his smile turned a bit rueful from guilt. "I can massage it for you later, if you like. Kidou-warmed hands and everything!"
And for once in his life, it wasn't a come-on. Oh, if she was of the mind to let it lead to something he wouldn't disagree, but he was genuinely concerned about her shoulder.
She doesn't reply immediately, but does turn a lovely shade of pink across her face and ears. Nanao can't quite bring herself to meet his gaze again - which is equal parts frustrating and adorable, even to herself. She likes the slowness, but... well.
"I'd really like that." Her fingers trace idle patterns over the surface of his desk, reishi flickering momentarily in their wake and then subsiding again. Then she pauses.
"Hang on, you're not using your bed? Are you not sleeping again?" She's paid... perhaps more attention than is proper to Shunsui's nocturnal habits over the years, but their quarters are far enough apart in the First that she can't keep a metaphorical eye on him any more.
He adored that blush. Oh, she was always adorable, but in moments like this
he just wanted to pull her into his arms and keep her there for the rest of
forever. She'd hate it, but the urge never left entirely even so.
"Good! Would you care for some dinner first? That new donburi place toward
the Fifth is reputed to be pretty decent." That, and there was a cute
little sweets shop right next to it. Juushirou's favorite ohagi had come
from there, as a matter of fact!
He paused, considering her question. He could have made any number of
excuses, but decided it was simply better to be honest with her.
"I haven't. My mind tends to conjure up images I'd rather not see when I
make the attempt. Not all of them are sad, but even so."
"Picnic lunch first though, please. It's a lovely day." She picked the sweets herself!! That said, she poked his tea mug, a curl of energy reheating it. "Or perhaps breakfast, seeing as you just got up."
She frowns, and then moves over to Shunsui, hugging him. Her reishi thrums under her skin, but whatever emotion is running high, she's not talking about it.
"Of course! I'd never say no to a picnic with a beautiful lady." He grinned when she hugged him, returning the embrace without comment about whatever emotional upset she was dealing with. She'd tell him in time.
She gently bonks her head against his chest, sighing.
"I know you're used to it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it." She pulls back a little, hands still resting on him. There's a little furrow between her eyebrows, the kind that means they're going to have to talk about this.
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calling you out about all these FEELINGS sheesh how dare
He couldn't say he was altogether surprised when he heard the doors to the main office area slide open. Quietly, because Nanao had learned quickly how to make herself not easily detectable. But he'd grown so familiar with all the sounds surrounding his very sparse private rooms at the First that there was really no way she could sneak past him. Not today, anyway.
Still , the sun had barely risen and he decided to give her a little time. If he interrupted her too soon, she'd just be even more grumpy about the lack of work being done, and he didn't want to have to pull rank first thing in the morning.
Not that he'd slept. He didn't do much of that, anymore, but his bed was comfortable enough and he had no real complaints, other than the fact that his fukutaichou had once again disobeyed a direct order. But it was such a habit for her by now that he couldn't really be upset. And it would be a fool's errand to try to hold it against her, anyway, when she was acting Soutaichou in all but name.
Still, today was a special day, and before too long he shrugged on his kimono and made his way slowly to the little kitchen area to make some tea for her. He was quite happy to let the strong black tea with a hint of spice steep, wondering again at his luck in finding a fukutaichou who shared his aversion to matcha powder.
When it was ready and he'd tied his hair back and put the pins in place, he headed to the office with two of the more modern coffee mugs that Ichigo-kun had brought filled almost to the brim. Hoping she wouldn't look up right away, since she always chastised him for it, he slid the door open with his foot.
"I thought I ordered the entire division to take the day off. In fact, I seem to remember it being an order for the entire Seireitei. May I ask why you're here?"
His tone was light, and while not entirely joking, she would easily be able to tell that he wasn't truly upset. Not that she would care if he was, but...
"I really did get caught up this past week. If you want to look my figures over then that's more than fine, but please, out of respect to Juu-chan let's do this another day, eh?"
Setting her tea down on the edge of the desk, he paused to rub his chin thoughtfully for a second.
"I was thinking we might have a picnic, if you'd be willing to give me the pleasure of your company. I think Juu might like that."
Was he guilting her? Well, maybe a little, but this was the eleventh anniversary of his funeral ceremony and Shunsui had enacted it into law immediately after the war had been won that that date was to be a holiday every year.
prose is fine!! also how dare
"You did order the day off, and I'm observing it." Sitting on his desk, not far from the mugs, is a nicely-wrapped box from a sweet shop she knows he likes. "But I knew that coming in would get you up earlier."
She smiles, a soft and tender thing that she keeps for when it's just the two of them.
"I'd love to have picnic with you, Shunsui."
no subject
He grinned when she smiled, unable to help himself. He always felt like such a child around her. She made him feel young, and after the past fifteen years he needed that more than he'd realized.
He did notice her kimono, and had left his haori hanging in his rooms himself, shihakusho replaced with a deep green yukata that clashed terribly with his kimono. But he'd never cared much about things matching!
"That color is lovely on you. Brings out your eyes. How's your shoulder doing?"
She'd been training with him in zanjutsu quite extensively since the war had ended, and was progressing at a rate that surprised even him. She'd been able to fight him to a standstill a few days ago, and he'd had to bring his own sword up to block much more quickly and roughly than he'd planned, resulting in her arm and shoulder taking the blow far too hard. It was a fairly common injury in that type of training, but he still felt horrible about it.
no subject
She'd confessed to loving him fifteen years ago, but things had been slow and sweet between them, knowing that no matter what, the Seireitei came first. But that love was still there. It kept her warm in cold weather.
"Ah, thank you." She rotates said shoulder slowly, wincing just a little. "It's sore, but I had a heat pack on it last night and it's getting better."
Hakkyouken isn't a traditional zanpakutou; but Shunsui knows this, and between the two of them have come up with a style that works... fairly well. There's still kinks to work out, but given the fact that the last time she'd used a bladed weapon was back in her Academy days, she was doing fairly well.
no subject
He was smiling, but it did worry him a bit that she'd be concerned over things like that! Still, there was nothing for it now. He did love the slowness, and appreciated the buildup of feelings between them. It gave him comfort and peace.
He saw that wince, and his smile turned a bit rueful from guilt. "I can massage it for you later, if you like. Kidou-warmed hands and everything!"
And for once in his life, it wasn't a come-on. Oh, if she was of the mind to let it lead to something he wouldn't disagree, but he was genuinely concerned about her shoulder.
no subject
"I'd really like that." Her fingers trace idle patterns over the surface of his desk, reishi flickering momentarily in their wake and then subsiding again. Then she pauses.
"Hang on, you're not using your bed? Are you not sleeping again?" She's paid... perhaps more attention than is proper to Shunsui's nocturnal habits over the years, but their quarters are far enough apart in the First that she can't keep a metaphorical eye on him any more.
no subject
He adored that blush. Oh, she was always adorable, but in moments like this he just wanted to pull her into his arms and keep her there for the rest of forever. She'd hate it, but the urge never left entirely even so.
"Good! Would you care for some dinner first? That new donburi place toward the Fifth is reputed to be pretty decent." That, and there was a cute little sweets shop right next to it. Juushirou's favorite ohagi had come from there, as a matter of fact!
He paused, considering her question. He could have made any number of excuses, but decided it was simply better to be honest with her.
"I haven't. My mind tends to conjure up images I'd rather not see when I make the attempt. Not all of them are sad, but even so."
no subject
She frowns, and then moves over to Shunsui, hugging him. Her reishi thrums under her skin, but whatever emotion is running high, she's not talking about it.
"I'm sorry, dear."
no subject
"It's all right. I'm rather used to it by now."
no subject
"I know you're used to it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it." She pulls back a little, hands still resting on him. There's a little furrow between her eyebrows, the kind that means they're going to have to talk about this.
Later, though.