Preceding Calm
Title: Preceding Calm
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor am I making money off my fic.
Challenge #: 2
Category: Best Dramatic piece
Summary: Set sometime in the distant future when everything is in turmoil.
Notes: For the contest in
shunsui_nanao.
Preceding Calm
When she finds him, he is uncharacteristically sober for once. When she speaks, her words fly out of her mouth and then land with a thump on the floor. It's heavy, her words, and laden with meaning. Shunsui can only nod before glancing at her. It is then when he catches it (Nanao's always been wrong when thinking her captain doesn't notice; Shunsui always notices): the failing twitch of her stoic expression, the extra firm way her lips are pressed together, the way her knuckles turn white from just holding onto her papers, his orders.
Nanao seems to shake it off because when she continues, there is no noticeable shake or tremble to her voice. Her expression is stony and severe for the moments after and Shunsui can only sigh, as if the coming danger is simply a nuisance. But then he speaks and Nanao has to bite her tongue.
"Are you certain, Nanao?"
There is no laughter in his voice, no light-hearted teasing, only seriousness. Nanao wasn't even sure her captain new what serious meant, but now he uses that tone, not even bothering to affix his favorite endearment to her name and it scares her (but she won't ever admit it).
Her nod is slow at first; shaky at best and soon her resolve steels and her eyes turn as cold and hard as marbles. She is soft only for a brief moment, one bittersweet moment Shunsui cherishes and hates at the same time.
His expression darkens for a second before he picks up his hat and perches it on top of his head. Carefully, he stands and adjusts his pink haori before placing a hand on Nanao's shoulder, squeezing it. He walks out of the room without saying another word and she can only listen as his steps echo louder than her own pounding heart.
Nanao is terrified, yes, as she stiffly pushes up her glasses. Her fingers brush against her cheeks and she is surprised to find it dry, not wet and slick with tears. Another beat and she begins to move, just as deliberately, picks up her papers (when had she dropped them? She wonders but finds that fact trivial and unimportant), and heads out the door.
In the distance, she can see the ends of his pink haori flutter past a corner as he makes a turn at his own leisurely pace. Everything else around him is in chaos, frantic and frenzied as the smoke continues to fill the red sky. Nanao holds onto her papers tighter, until her palms can feel the paper bite into her skin, and fights the urge to chase after him.
"Are you certain, Nanao?"
His voice rings throughout her mind, clear and strong as if he whispers it against her ear in a totally different context. She subconsciously rubs it now, tries to erase these impossible memories from her mind. Crisply and without a flourish, she turns and walks in the other direction, not bothering to linger another moment because this war feels like it'll be the end for them both.