Serenade
Title: Serenade
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: AU
Pairing: Shunsui Kyoraku x Nanao Ise
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Theme: #28 - Infra Dignitatum (Beneath One's Dignity)
Summery: Nanao's boss has a few quirks.
Serenade
Nanao heard the noise in the hall and sighed. It sounded like her boss was back. Shunsui Kyoraku might be a good boss, and his music company was one of the best in the country, but the man did not seem to be able to actually work. He was always goofing off or lazing around or flirting with her. It was not how one expected a business executive to act. When it came to things like paperwork or really anything administrative, Mr. Kyoraku was a hopeless case. But he did know music, and he himself was a wonderful musician.
He just drove her crazy sometimes. It didn't help he seemed to have decided that romancing her was one of his highest priorities. Nanao did her best to remain immune, but Kyoraku really could be charming and sweet at times. She had been a last minute appointment as his personal assistant. His previous one had quit in a fit of pique without any notice. It had taken Nanao an entire week to bring order to the office. At the end of the week she had found a violet ipod engraved with her name on her desk along with a note of approval and thanks from her new boss.
She was genuinely fond of the man, and Nanao knew that if she let herself, her feelings could become something more than fondness. If she was honest with herself, they already had. But it was just so cliché the personal assistant falling in love with her boss, and really, she hadn't known the man all that long. Nanao would wait and see before she really made any decisions about the whole mess.
The problem was or at least one of the problems was the fact one of the ways Shunsui insisted on wooing her was through song. It wasn't that she disliked music. She loved music, but it was embarrassing to be followed around all the time by her singing boss. She wished he came with a mute button. He had a lovely singing voice, but there was only so much she could take.
"Nanao-chan!" Shunsui strode into the room. "How is my lovely assistant today?"
She rolled her eyes. "You're late, sir."
"Nonsense, sweetheart. The meeting isn't for another fifteen minutes."
She rose from her chair, gathering up some files.
"Five minutes, Mr. Kyoraku. I've told you before that you're watch runs ten minutes late." She handed him the files and adjusted his tie so it was tied properly. "You're in the boardroom down the hall. I trust you can get there without me holding your hand?"
Shunsui laughed and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Nanao-chan."
As he headed out the door, Nanao was still frozen in shock. In the six months that she had worked for him, he hadn't actually managed land a kiss on her. He had teasingly tried, yes, but Nanao was good at deflecting him. And that particular kiss had not been preceded by the teasing Kyoraku normally indulged in. It also caused a warm fluttery feeling in her stomach that Nanao hadn't quite expected.
Two months later, Nanao would blame the warm fluttery feeling for the predicament she was in. Somehow, she had been talked into coming along on a night out to celebrate Retsu Ukitake's birthday. Nanao wasn't quite sure how she had gotten invited to join Shunsui and the others. Mrs. Ukitake was the wife of Shunsui's best fried, and while Nanao had met the woman a number of times, they weren't exactly close. To be fair, she had been invited to join Shunsui and his friends when they went out a number of times. Nanao usually refused citing that she had too much work to get done. But tonight both Retsu and Rangiku (a publicist had insisted, and Nanao had found herself giving in.
So here she was sharing a fair sized karaoke room with her boss and his friends. Nanao sipped at her drink and tried to blend into to the furniture. She did have to admit that it was sort of fun. And most of those here were good singers. Though Nanao rather doubted that anyone would be asking Shinji Hirako to take a turn singing ever again. Currently, Rangiku was belting out 'Shut Up and Kiss Me' while Shunsui and Jyuushiro were debating over song selections. Shunsui really did have a nice group of friends, and they had gone out of their way to include her.
It was easy to relax and be drawn into conversations, and that was probably why she made the mistake that she did. Yoruichi happened to be singing a song Nanao was fond of, and she found herself humming along with the song and then singing it softly to herself.
"My Nanao-chan can sing?"
She blinked and then actually realized just what she had been doing. Her boss looked like a cat that had gotten the canary. She had never given him any indication that she was musical before and for good reason. Someone, namely Shunsui, would try and get her to sing. Nanao didn't sing in public. Ever. But there was something to be said about persistence. After nearly an hour of cajoling from multiple parties (and a couple more drinks), Nanao sighed and gave in. Retsu handed her the microphone with a mischievous smile, and that was when Nanao got a look at what song was up.
It was a duet for one thing. And oddly enough, it was rather appropriate for herself and Shunsui. At least that was who she guessed would be singing with her. Nanao sighed and turned her attention to the screen. The male part started the song, and sure enough Shunsui was the one singing it.
"Love is a many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!"
Nanao rolled her eyes and played along. "Please, don't start that again."
"All you need is love."
"A girl has got to eat."
"All you need is love."
"Or she'll wind up in the street."
"All you need is love."
She couldn't help it. The corners of Nanao's mouth twitched up in a smile. "Love is just a game."
Shunsui grinned at her. "I was made for loving you baby. You were made for loving me."
Nanao shook her head. "The only way of loving me baby is to pay a lovely fee."
"Just one night. Give me just one night."
"There's no way cause you can't pay."
"In the name of love! One night in the name of love!"
"You crazy fool. I won't give in to you." Nanao shrugged deciding to enjoy this the best she could. She might not sing in public often, but she did enjoying singing, and Shunsui made for a good partner. After all, it wasn't like this would happen again."
"Don't leave me this way. I can't survive, without your sweet love. Oh baby, don't leave me this way."
Nanao smiled at him and shook her head. "You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs."
Shunsui reached for her hand. "I look around me, and I see it isn't so. Oh no."
Nanao tried to tug her hand out of his grip. "Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs."
He didn't let go. "Well what's wrong with that? I like to know. Cause here I go again. Love lifts us up where we belong! Where eagles fly on a mountain high!"
"Love makes us act like we are fools. Throw our lives away for one happy day." Nanao gave him a look.
"We could be heroes. Just for one day."
Nanao rolled her eyes once again. "You, you will be mean."
"No, I won't."
"And I, I'll drink all the time."
"We should be lovers."
Nanao gave him a look. "We can't do that."
"We should be lovers! And that's a fact."
Nanao realized that everyone was watching the two of them at this point with rapt attention. She started to blush. Why were they looking at her like that? She really wasn't that good of a singer. But when they finished the duet and the last notes had died away, Nanao found herself receiving an overwhelming amount of applause and compliments. Nanao blushed and found herself rather tongue tied. Shunsui just wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"I didn't know you could sing like that, Nanao-chan. We'll have to sing together more often."
Nanao felt a wave of horror wash over her. Bad enough that her boss serenaded her at work, but if she was expected to participate, there was no way she would be able to face her co-workers. And so, Nanao took a step that she had only really been considering and not planning on act on.
"I only sing on dates or when I'm out with friends."
Shunsui just smiled and kissed her cheek. "You'll just have to join us more often then. And don't think I'll let you use work as an excuse next time we invite you to come."
Nanao could live with that.
Rating: PG
Fandom: Bleach
Spoilers/Warnings: AU
Pairing: Shunsui Kyoraku x Nanao Ise
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.
Theme: #28 - Infra Dignitatum (Beneath One's Dignity)
Summery: Nanao's boss has a few quirks.
Serenade
Nanao heard the noise in the hall and sighed. It sounded like her boss was back. Shunsui Kyoraku might be a good boss, and his music company was one of the best in the country, but the man did not seem to be able to actually work. He was always goofing off or lazing around or flirting with her. It was not how one expected a business executive to act. When it came to things like paperwork or really anything administrative, Mr. Kyoraku was a hopeless case. But he did know music, and he himself was a wonderful musician.
He just drove her crazy sometimes. It didn't help he seemed to have decided that romancing her was one of his highest priorities. Nanao did her best to remain immune, but Kyoraku really could be charming and sweet at times. She had been a last minute appointment as his personal assistant. His previous one had quit in a fit of pique without any notice. It had taken Nanao an entire week to bring order to the office. At the end of the week she had found a violet ipod engraved with her name on her desk along with a note of approval and thanks from her new boss.
She was genuinely fond of the man, and Nanao knew that if she let herself, her feelings could become something more than fondness. If she was honest with herself, they already had. But it was just so cliché the personal assistant falling in love with her boss, and really, she hadn't known the man all that long. Nanao would wait and see before she really made any decisions about the whole mess.
The problem was or at least one of the problems was the fact one of the ways Shunsui insisted on wooing her was through song. It wasn't that she disliked music. She loved music, but it was embarrassing to be followed around all the time by her singing boss. She wished he came with a mute button. He had a lovely singing voice, but there was only so much she could take.
"Nanao-chan!" Shunsui strode into the room. "How is my lovely assistant today?"
She rolled her eyes. "You're late, sir."
"Nonsense, sweetheart. The meeting isn't for another fifteen minutes."
She rose from her chair, gathering up some files.
"Five minutes, Mr. Kyoraku. I've told you before that you're watch runs ten minutes late." She handed him the files and adjusted his tie so it was tied properly. "You're in the boardroom down the hall. I trust you can get there without me holding your hand?"
Shunsui laughed and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Nanao-chan."
As he headed out the door, Nanao was still frozen in shock. In the six months that she had worked for him, he hadn't actually managed land a kiss on her. He had teasingly tried, yes, but Nanao was good at deflecting him. And that particular kiss had not been preceded by the teasing Kyoraku normally indulged in. It also caused a warm fluttery feeling in her stomach that Nanao hadn't quite expected.
Two months later, Nanao would blame the warm fluttery feeling for the predicament she was in. Somehow, she had been talked into coming along on a night out to celebrate Retsu Ukitake's birthday. Nanao wasn't quite sure how she had gotten invited to join Shunsui and the others. Mrs. Ukitake was the wife of Shunsui's best fried, and while Nanao had met the woman a number of times, they weren't exactly close. To be fair, she had been invited to join Shunsui and his friends when they went out a number of times. Nanao usually refused citing that she had too much work to get done. But tonight both Retsu and Rangiku (a publicist had insisted, and Nanao had found herself giving in.
So here she was sharing a fair sized karaoke room with her boss and his friends. Nanao sipped at her drink and tried to blend into to the furniture. She did have to admit that it was sort of fun. And most of those here were good singers. Though Nanao rather doubted that anyone would be asking Shinji Hirako to take a turn singing ever again. Currently, Rangiku was belting out 'Shut Up and Kiss Me' while Shunsui and Jyuushiro were debating over song selections. Shunsui really did have a nice group of friends, and they had gone out of their way to include her.
It was easy to relax and be drawn into conversations, and that was probably why she made the mistake that she did. Yoruichi happened to be singing a song Nanao was fond of, and she found herself humming along with the song and then singing it softly to herself.
"My Nanao-chan can sing?"
She blinked and then actually realized just what she had been doing. Her boss looked like a cat that had gotten the canary. She had never given him any indication that she was musical before and for good reason. Someone, namely Shunsui, would try and get her to sing. Nanao didn't sing in public. Ever. But there was something to be said about persistence. After nearly an hour of cajoling from multiple parties (and a couple more drinks), Nanao sighed and gave in. Retsu handed her the microphone with a mischievous smile, and that was when Nanao got a look at what song was up.
It was a duet for one thing. And oddly enough, it was rather appropriate for herself and Shunsui. At least that was who she guessed would be singing with her. Nanao sighed and turned her attention to the screen. The male part started the song, and sure enough Shunsui was the one singing it.
"Love is a many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!"
Nanao rolled her eyes and played along. "Please, don't start that again."
"All you need is love."
"A girl has got to eat."
"All you need is love."
"Or she'll wind up in the street."
"All you need is love."
She couldn't help it. The corners of Nanao's mouth twitched up in a smile. "Love is just a game."
Shunsui grinned at her. "I was made for loving you baby. You were made for loving me."
Nanao shook her head. "The only way of loving me baby is to pay a lovely fee."
"Just one night. Give me just one night."
"There's no way cause you can't pay."
"In the name of love! One night in the name of love!"
"You crazy fool. I won't give in to you." Nanao shrugged deciding to enjoy this the best she could. She might not sing in public often, but she did enjoying singing, and Shunsui made for a good partner. After all, it wasn't like this would happen again."
"Don't leave me this way. I can't survive, without your sweet love. Oh baby, don't leave me this way."
Nanao smiled at him and shook her head. "You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs."
Shunsui reached for her hand. "I look around me, and I see it isn't so. Oh no."
Nanao tried to tug her hand out of his grip. "Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs."
He didn't let go. "Well what's wrong with that? I like to know. Cause here I go again. Love lifts us up where we belong! Where eagles fly on a mountain high!"
"Love makes us act like we are fools. Throw our lives away for one happy day." Nanao gave him a look.
"We could be heroes. Just for one day."
Nanao rolled her eyes once again. "You, you will be mean."
"No, I won't."
"And I, I'll drink all the time."
"We should be lovers."
Nanao gave him a look. "We can't do that."
"We should be lovers! And that's a fact."
Nanao realized that everyone was watching the two of them at this point with rapt attention. She started to blush. Why were they looking at her like that? She really wasn't that good of a singer. But when they finished the duet and the last notes had died away, Nanao found herself receiving an overwhelming amount of applause and compliments. Nanao blushed and found herself rather tongue tied. Shunsui just wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"I didn't know you could sing like that, Nanao-chan. We'll have to sing together more often."
Nanao felt a wave of horror wash over her. Bad enough that her boss serenaded her at work, but if she was expected to participate, there was no way she would be able to face her co-workers. And so, Nanao took a step that she had only really been considering and not planning on act on.
"I only sing on dates or when I'm out with friends."
Shunsui just smiled and kissed her cheek. "You'll just have to join us more often then. And don't think I'll let you use work as an excuse next time we invite you to come."
Nanao could live with that.