Bleach Fanfic: Practicing Marriage, Chapter 15
Title: Practicing Marriage
Pairing: Shunsui/Nanao
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: T
Status: Multi-Chapter, Ongoing
Contains: Spoilers through Bleach manga chapter 515.
Summary: When Nanao's family asks her to consider an arranged marriage, Captain Kyōraku decides to interfere.
"Thank you for coming out to the dojo with me, Nanao-san." Midori Kyōraku smiled as she opened the door of the dojo.
"It's an honor to be invited, Kyōraku-san." Nanao climbed the few stairs to enter the dojo. She still wore her silk kimono, but Kyōraku's mother hadn't changed out of her elegant clothes yet, so Nanao assumed they'd change before sparring.
"Please, call me Midori." Midori gestured for Nanao to sit. A tea tray was set up in the center of the dojo, which was smaller than Nanao expected. A four character scroll reading ichigo ichie hung on the back wall, a phrase Nanao would have expected to see at a tea ceremony, but otherwise the dojo was empty of the kind of inspirational sayings Nanao anticipated seeing.
Midori sat on her heels neatly. She was a tall, elegant woman with an athletic frame and sharp gray eyes. Her hair was gray as well, which deepened the impression of dignified strength that she projected. She poured tea into the cups, her nails short on her long fingers.
Nanao could see the faintest touch of bruising on Midori's knuckles, and it made her relax a little. Even this woman, so intimidating and beautiful, carried the marks of her work. That was something they had in common.
"Thank you, Midori-san." Nanao accepted a cup of tea. "Your dojo is lovely," she said, because it was something of a surprise. The space was scrupulously clean and smelled of flowers.
Midori nodded. "Thank you. We have a much larger dojo where we teach classes. This is more of a private space, where I meditate and practice."
"You are very committed to your work in the martial arts?" Nanao asked, sipping her tea.
"Yes. I'm sure Shunsui has told you that martial arts are a family tradition. I myself was a student here briefly before I married into the Kyōraku family."
"You were a student of the dojo?" How interesting. Nanao had assumed the marriage between Shunsui's parents was arranged, the way most marriages of nobles were.
"Yes. I'd studied elsewhere before, when I was a child. My parents began to press me towards an arranged marriage when I came of age, and I wanted to put that off as long as I could. There was a special intensive course here on meditation that I told my parents I needed to take before I could consider any important decisions, but I was only trying to delay the inevitable."
"So you came here and found someone that you wanted to marry instead?" Nanao asked.
Midori smiled. "Yes. I married my teacher. I was an adult, but it was still quite the scandal at the time. That fades with the years." She patted her hair, steel-colored and silky, pulled back into a neat bun with hairpins. "I always thought I knew what my life would be, but my marriage was a drastic deviation from the plan. It couldn't be helped, though. The Kyōraku men have a certain appeal that only seems to grow as they age."
"Yes," Nanao said immediately, and then thought better of it. "That is-"
Midori waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "If it's the truth for you, don't pretend otherwise, Nanao-san. It's a bit of a relief, actually. You were very formal and cool earlier when we were with my son. It's much better to know that you find him attractive, since you wish to marry him."
"Yes." Nanao felt a blush settle on her cheeks despite her best efforts to maintain her composure. It was uncomfortable to tell the mother of the man she wished to marry that she was attracted to him physically.
"I am curious about why you'd use a matchmaker, Nanao-san. Did your family insist on the formality of a match making process?" Midori's tone was only curious, but her eyes had the same sharp quality as her son's.
"My family did request that I consider an arranged marriage." Nanao wasn't sure if she should say more, but it was inevitable that Shunsui's mother would find out about the Ise family's financial status. Perhaps it would be better to be open from the beginning, and hopefully avoid any feelings of betrayal or deception later. "If I may be honest, my family's finances are not in the best condition currently, Midori-san."
She raised one fine gray brow. "I'm surprised that you would tell me about this at our first meeting."
"It would be pointless to try and hide it," Nanao said. "My family's finances are the motivating factor behind the arranged marriage, and many people know that already. Maintaining any privacy would be impossible." She looked down at her tea. It was embarrassing to be exposed this way in front of this woman, to show such base motivations in this room. The tea set was exquisitely fine, thin and painted with tasteful and exquisite flowers. It likely cost more than a year of Nanao's salary as a Vice Captain.
"It is not my intention to be unkind, Nanao-san, but you must understand that as a mother, I find it very disheartening to hear that my son has been chosen for match meetings because of his money." Midori sipped her tea, her expression neutral.
Nanao's flush deepened. "I understand entirely, Midori-san. It's never been my intention to deceive your son for his money. I was as clear and honest with him about my family's needs as I could be. I can't pretend that there is no financial motivation underlying these meetings, but it's not the only reason they are moving forward."
"So there are other reasons that you placed my son on your list of potential matches? Please tell me about those reasons," Midori said, quietly compelling.
"Actually, Shunsui was not on the initial list of candidates for marriage." Nanao drank a sip of tea, anxiety churning in her stomach.
"No? I'd assumed that the two of you had a personal relationship in advance of the match making." Midori tilted her head slightly.
"We were not romantically involved with one another before my family began the match matching process. Given the drastic difference in the social standings of our families, the matchmaker naturally excluded Shunsui as a possibility." Nanao held her cup with both hands to keep from fidgeting.
"But since we are meeting now, under these circumstances, my son must have become a possibility at some point," Midori said.
Nanao raised her teacup to her lips, stalling, looking for the best wording. "Shunsui decided that he wished to have a match meeting with me, and made arrangements with the matchmaker independently, without notifying us first."
Midori raised her brows. "That was very willful of him. He just imposed what he wanted on you and your family?"
Nanao stiffened. "He did not impose on us. He requested consideration, which I have given him. I have always found him to be a man of good character and now an excellent choice as a potential husband. He is willful, of course. As the leader of the Eighth Division, he needs to be a willful man. Leading hundreds of soldiers requires a strong guiding force."
"Is that so?" Midori asked with her face unreadable.
"Yes," Nanao said firmly. This was an unfortunate turn for the meeting to take, but she couldn't allow Shunsui to be disparaged for things he hadn't done, not even by his mother.
There was silence for a moment, the air tense, before Midori smiled suddenly. "I see. Please tell me more about your reasons for considering marriage to my son."
"What?" Nanao blinked, surprised by the sudden warming of the atmosphere. "Oh-there are a number of reasons-well, points that he's won, really. I have a list."
"You have an actual list? A written list?" Midori asked, curiosity in her voice.
"Yes." Nanao swallowed. "I understand that it isn't the most conventional approach to considering marriage."
Midori waved that off. "Actually, making a list strikes me as a very sensible thing to do. Do you have this list with you?"
Nanao shook her head. "No. I don't know how much the list would mean to anyone else. The reasons are mostly very personal."
"Surely you can share a few with me, Nanao-san?" Midori smiled, her tone gently prodding.
Nanao hesitated, looking for the right words. "Shunsui has good taste, and he's a good cook as well. He has a generous heart. He's generous in a lot of ways, actually. I know you were concerned by the money that my family needs, but your son has known about it from the beginning, and he's promised me that he'll never use money as leverage over me. He wants me to be an equal in our relationship. That's very important to me."
Midori nodded. "I'm glad to hear you say those things about Shunsui. And I was very surprised that you would be so honest about the financial situation of your family, but I'm glad. I knew already, of course."
"You knew already?" Nanao asked, surprised.
"Information is a commodity like any other. It was only prudent to obtain some information in advance of this meeting. After all, my son said that you are very important to him," Midori said. She sipped her tea.
"He said that?" Nanao felt warm for reasons very different from her agonizing embarrassment earlier.
Midori leaned forward slightly, as if she was about to share a secret. "The money could have been a marker for a serious concern, but I find that it is not, after meeting you."
"That's-thank you, Midori-san." The tension in Nanao's back eased a few notches.
"You've spoken of the things you like about my son. But what are his flaws?" Midori poured fresh tea into their cups.
Nanao drank her tea, seeking a little time. "I'm not going to suggest that Shunsui is a man without flaws, but they aren't things that I can't accept."
"Nonetheless, I'd like to know which flaws of his you see." Midori's eyes were sharp on Nanao's face.
Was this the way these meetings normally went? Nanao didn't think so. Still, she should continue to be honest, that was what Shunsui had recommended and it seemed to be working up to this point. "Well, he procrastinates and avoids paperwork as much as possible, putting it off until I force him to do it. He spends too much time drinking and goofing around. He's chronically late and unconcerned with schedules. But he makes rounds every day at the division to visit with our troops. He knows everyone, and he cares about them, although he doesn't care about papers. He cheers up his subordinates and goes to great lengths for his friends, and he's always reliable if you really need him. He doesn't care about schedules, but when you're with him, he's never watching the time. He always gives his full attention to you when you talk to him seriously. He's incorrigible in some ways, but-I'd never want him to change."
"You feel that way, even though you care about organization and schedules and work?" Midori's lips curved up.
"Yes. I care about schedules and organization and work, because he needs me to care about them. Someone has to take care of the things that he doesn't, even if the things that he does take care of are important, too." She shrugged. "It's in my nature to be organized and well-scheduled, and it's difficult for me to accept his blatant rejection of those principles, but we make it work."
"It seems that you do. Actually, I think he's very lucky to have you, Nanao-san. I have genuinely despaired of Shunsui finding a worthy companion to share a future with at times."
"Thank you, Midori-san." Nanao looked away, touched. "It's very kind of you to say that."
"You're welcome." Midori smiled, her teeth flashing in the sunlight. Her smile resembled Shunsui's more than Nanao had noticed before. "Would you mind if I asked a few things about your plans after marriage, Nanao-san?"
"Not at all," Nanao said, a small curl of anxiety still in her stomach.
"Will you continue to work, after you're married?" Midori asked, her mild curiosity very similar to the kind that Shunsui used often when asking difficult questions.
"Yes. I enjoy my work, and I can't imagine leaving the Eighth Division." But these questions weren't very difficult, and they put Nanao on more comfortable ground.
"And when you have children, will you continue to work then?"
Or perhaps the ground was shifting fast. Nanao hesitated. "I haven't considered children."
Midori set down her teacup delicately. "Are you opposed to having children, Nanao-san? I hope you'll forgive the intrusive question, but this is a matter of some importance for me."
"I understand." Nanao floundered, drinking tea to gain a few seconds. "I am not opposed to the idea of having children; it's just not something I've thought about in detail. I would need to make plans, schedules, lists. I hadn't considered marriage at all until very recently."
"So you would have children with my son in the future? It's just that I've waited a very, very long time for grandchildren." Midori smiled, a bit self-deprecating.
Given Shunsui's age, Midori had been kept waiting for a very long time. But she'd have to wait a while longer. "Shunsui and I haven't discussed children yet. I would have children with him, if we both agreed that was what we wanted and it was an appropriate time in our lives for that. But I think that is something we wouldn't do for several years, at least. And I would want to continue to work afterward."
Midori nodded. "You'll have very fine children, Nanao-san. The Kyōraku family makes very handsome babies." Her voice was rich with nostalgia. "Shunsui was a very sweet child."
"What was he like when he was young?" Nanao asked.
"Oh, he was mischievous, adventurous, and incorrigible, as you'd mentioned. He never outgrew that. For a long time I blamed the influence of Captain Yamamoto for the way Shunsui was and for his refusal to become a martial artist, but the truth is, he's always been following his own path, despite the forces pushing him in other directions. I accepted that eventually, begrudgingly. His willfulness is an inherited trait, you know."
Nanao smiled. "I see." She thought of Shunsui as a boy with curling dark hair and a wide grin. If she had a boy with Shunsui, would he be like that? She felt unsteady suddenly and pressed a hand to her stomach to steady herself. There were really a lot of things she'd never thought about before that related to a marriage.
"The one thing that I am certain that Shunsui took from his training here is that." Midori gestured to the ichigo ichie scroll.
"One chance in a lifetime?"
"Yes, that's a fair way to say it. Each experience is unique, and must be focused on, as all things are transient. Shunsui has always grasped the idea of living each experience fully, in the dojo and outside of it."
Nanao nodded. "He teaches it to our division members when he does combat training. There's a scroll like that one in all of the training rooms at the Eighth."
Midori looked surprised, and then pleased. "Did he teach you that as well, Nanao-san?"
"Yes. I had training at the Academy, but Shunsui focused personally on my combat skills when I became his Vice Captain."
"I confess that I'm curious to see your martial arts skills, Nanao-san. My son professed no great interest in our family's work, but I do want to know what he may have learned from us and found worth teaching to others. Would you indulge me in a sparring match, please?" Midori smiled winningly, the lines around her eyes deepening. She was a woman who wore her age the way that Kasumi did, with grace and charm and without denial. She was beautiful to Nanao.
"I would be glad to spar with you, Midori-san. I brought a change of clothes, in fact." Nanao shifted to rise.
Midori stood and went to the door. "I think we're going to get along very well, Nanao-san. It would be a great pleasure to be close to my daughter-in-law."
"I agree, Midori-san." Nanao smiled. The sparring match was yet to come, but she felt as if she'd already survived a hard test. Sparring couldn't compare to tea with Midori.
Shunsui strolled along the paths in his family's gardens, with no particular destination in mind. He'd spent most of the morning with his mother and Nanao, and then he'd been unceremoniously booted so that the two women could go to the dojo for some private conversation. He'd tried to intervene, but Nanao had given him a look that made it clear his rescue was not welcome.
After that he'd checked in with various workers and tenants he remembered, and then begun to wander the gardens, as it was well into the afternoon and he hadn't seen his mother or Nanao for hours. He leaned over the rail of a small bridge over the river that bisected his family's land, looking down at the fish.
The sound of Nanao's platform sandals drew him, and he looked up to see her crossing to the bridge in her blue kimono with a landscape featuring a river patterning the silk. It was an incredibly detailed, delicate scene, and he knew it must be silk from the Ise estate. Her hair was damp and her cheeks bright. She was lovely.
"At last, sweet Nanao-chan returns to me. Did you spar with my mother?" he asked when she reached the bridge.
"Yes, and then we went to the bathhouse. Did you know you have private baths in the main house and a separate bathhouse?" She leaned against the bridge railing.
"I did know that, although I haven't thought of it in particular before." The anxiety that had driven him to the gardens was relieved by Nanao's easy demeanor.
"I think the entire Ise estate main house could fit in your bathhouse." Her lips curved up.
"Some ancestor thought a huge bathhouse would be a good addition to the property, I imagine." But he was less interested in the bathhouse than in what might have happened there. "If you went to the bathhouse after you sparred with my mother, can I assume that you were getting along well?"
"Your mother asked a lot of questions, but she was very kind. I didn't win our sparring match, but I didn't embarrass myself, either, so there's that." She smiled at him.
His heart jumped like a young boy's would have. He wondered if she would always move him this way. "I'm glad to hear that, Nanao-chan." He lifted her hand gently; the knuckles were faintly bruised. "It looks like it was a tough match."
"Your mother is very, very skilled. She was pleased with what she called my 'ruthless cleverness,' though."
He kissed her fingers. "I like that, ruthless cleverness." It suited her.
"I told her that it was something that you taught me. She was pleased by that."
"That's a rarity. But what else did you talk about? I'm sure you must have spoken about more than martial arts in the dojo and the bath." He leaned closer, sniffing her hair. The scent was roses, probably from soaps made on the estate.
She gave him a level look. "Obviously we talked about you, and about me. You really should have told me that your mother married her teacher. I was anticipating a barrage of questions on our age difference and the power dynamic of our work and personal relationship, but she asked nothing like that. I imagine her own situation made her more understanding of these things."
"She told you about that? I'm sorry, I was under the impression it wasn't something my parents wanted to discuss with people. It's not a secret, but it's not something they bring up much, either." He ran his fingers down the curve of her cheek. "She must have liked you. I knew that she would."
"I think Midori-san and I will get on well. We have many points of agreement on many things." She shifted, leaning slightly into his touch.
He didn't need any further encouragement to drape an arm around her waist and pull her in. "Like what?" he asked. Their privacy was probably limited, given the number of gardeners on the estate, so he contented himself with pressing one kiss to the curve of her neck before pulling back.
"We both take our work very seriously, and agree women should work after marriage if they wish. And we both agree that you are disorganized, schedule-breaking, mischievous, and incorrigible." She glanced away from him, smiling.
He winced. "I keep hoping for the women in my life to give you positive recommendations of me, so that you'll think well of me as a potential husband. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be lucky in that regard."
Nanao laughed. "It's not that Rangiku-san or your mother gave you negative recommendations. I would say that they both gave honest assessments that leaned towards the positive."
"Still, if there was anyone that I would hope to encourage you into this marriage, it's my mother." He pouted, exaggerating the shape of his lips.
She looked at his expression and shook her head. "Don't sulk. Your mother was quite encouraging of our marriage, I assure you. She even asked when we would have children."
"What?"
"She wanted to know when we would have children."
"Children? First Yama-jii, and then my mother." He shook his head.
"You talked about children with Captain Yamamoto?" Nanao asked, frowning.
Shunsui tipped his hat back. "He was interested in the circumstances of our possible engagement."
"What?" She blushed when she realized what he meant, looking appalled. "The Captain Commander asked you if I was pregnant?"
"It isn't as if I wanted to discuss sex with Yama-jii. I'm sure that you didn't want to discuss it with my mother, either," he said, scratching the back of his neck.
"I did not talk about sex with your mother. We were speaking in general terms about the future. There was no discussion of the specifics." She narrowed her eyes at him. "What did you tell Captain Yamamoto?"
"Yare, Nanao-chan. It's not a conversation I'd like to have with him often, but it wasn't bad. I just told him that you aren't pregnant now, and maybe we would have children in the future." Shunsui shrugged. "I'm surprised my mother brought it up at your first meeting."
"Yes. I was also surprised that she asked, although it is a natural topic to arise with marriage. I hadn't given it any thought before."
"What did you tell her, Nanao-chan?" he asked softly. This was a subject he hadn't expected to broach with her until well after marriage.
She turned to gaze out over the water, her hands fidgeting with the rail. "I told her that I have no objection to children, but that I have no plans or schedules prepared yet for that eventuality, since you and I have never talked about it."
He detected tension in the set of her shoulders and moved behind her, folding her into his arms. "I'm sorry that I didn't mention the talk with Yama-jii before and that I didn't realize my mother might bring up children. I've been focused on more immediate issues related to our marriage."
She relaxed against him by degrees. "I understand. But if you could refrain from discussing our private relationship with Captain Yamamoto, I would appreciate that. I have to see him sometimes, too, you know."
He grinned. "Believe me, Nanao-chan, Yama-jii is the last person in the world that I want to discuss sex with. But our conversation about children was good, after the beginning."
"What did you tell him?" she asked. Her voice was curious but not too tense, which was a relief to him.
"That I'd be happy to have children with my Nanao-chan in the future. But I want you to decide when it's the right time, and I want to make sure you have everything you need to feel comfortable with a decision like that." He kissed her temple.
She studied her hands on the rail. "I haven't given this much thought before, but we'd need a second Third Seat and perhaps another Fourth Seat. Obviously I wouldn't want to give up my work, but it's likely I'd need to do more delegating. You'd have to do more work, too. There are so many plans and schedules and lists that I'd need to make."
"Sure," he agreed easily.
"I think it'll be a very long time before I'd want to really consider it, though. There are a lot of things I want to do first, and I would want us to be settled in with each other before thinking about making changes." Her back was stiff against this chest.
He murmured into her ear. "Nanao-chan, we can do anything that you want on whatever schedule you prefer. There's no rush, is there? It might be an interesting adventure to have children with you someday. But I'm happy to have you to myself for a while." He slid his hand down to the curve of her belly, imagining her slender figure round with his child. "I'm happy," he said, awash with tenderness.
She sighed. Her hand left the railing to cover his hand. "This is a conversation I never thought I'd have with you."
"We've been having a lot of those lately." He kissed her hair.
"Yes." She watched the fish swim.
"Let's have another, Nanao-chan. What sort of things do you want to do?"
She twisted to look at him. "What?"
"You said there were a lot of things that you want to do first, before you'd consider having children. What things do you want to do?"
"Your mother is expecting us for dinner," she said, moving away from him to the path back to the house.
"Dinner isn't for an hour, at least." He grinned at her, spinning her back to the path leading deeper into the garden, and tucking her beside him with an arm around her waist. "Tell me. I want to know what kinds of things my Nanao-chan dreams about doing."
"It's nothing so interesting," she protested, even as she walked in step with him into the garden.
"Indulge me," he cajoled. "I'll indulge you," he murmured in a lower tone.
She smiled slightly, her eyes lit from within. "This is only between us," she said in a conspiratorial whisper, leaning in close.
"I'll keep your secrets." He loved that she would share her secrets with him, whether they were large or small.
She laughed, a beautiful, airy sound, and then tipped his head down to whisper in his ear.
He listened avidly, his grin widening until he burst into surprised laughter.
"It's been such a pleasure to meet you, Nanao-san. I hope to see you again soon," Midori said.
"Thank you for inviting me into your home, Midori-san." It was very late, when Nanao and Shunsui finally left the Kyōraku estate.
Shunsui was pleased, though, because Nanao and his mother did get along as well as he'd hoped. They'd lingered over dinner and talked over tea well past nightfall. "Thanks for being so gracious to Nanao-chan," he murmured to his mother while making his goodbyes. "We'll see you again soon."
He and Nanao left the house, her steps slow. She stifled a yawn with her hand.
"You're tired, Nanao-chan?"
She glanced at him apologetically. "I go to bed pretty early normally. This is quite late for me."
"It's quite late for anyone," he said, looking at the heavy moon. "Let me take you home. My flash step is faster."
She hesitated. "I don't want to risk damage to my kimono."
"It's a beautiful silk, Nanao-chan. I'll be careful." He scooped her up into his arms, bridal style, to minimize the possibility of snagging or tearing her garment. It was hundreds of flash steps back to his house, a great distance, but he covered it quickly. At his house he set her back on her feet easily.
Nanao stepped out of her sandals and entered the house, going to the bedroom. She shuffled to the bed and fell down into it by neat degrees, until she was on her stomach with her hands fisted in the blankets, her glasses folded beside her. "I love this bed."
"I had it made. I wanted something big and plush and comfortable, and it was surprisingly hard to find." He sat down on the bed, fascinated by her tired abandon.
"This bed makes my bed seem like a stingy little rock." She sighed.
"There's an obvious solution. Just stay in my bed forever."
"When this is over, I'm going to take a week off just to sleep," she said, her eyes closed.
"I'll join you, Nanao-chan. I think that's usually called a honeymoon, isn't it?"
She rolled to her side to look at him. "You're supposed to go places on a honeymoon, aren't you? Exotic, exhausting places." She yawned widely, covering her mouth delicately.
"We can honeymoon in bed if we want, Nanao-chan. I think we'd both enjoy it more than exotic, exhausting places." He smiled slowly. They could both be happy here, exploring things together with no travel needed.
She rolled to her stomach. "I'll think about it. Do you think you can figure out my obi? It's the middle of the night and I don't want to bother Rangiku-san at this hour."
"I'm sure I can get it." Her bow wasn't too complicated in appearance. He shifted on his knees to study the knot and bent to the task, savoring the feeling of undressing Nanao in his bed.
Her breathing was deep and even, her eyes closed.
"Nanao-chan? I've untied your obi."
She roused herself, sitting up with his help. "I need to wash my face," she said, her voice blurry.
He stood, bringing her up with him. "Give me your kimono, I'll take care of it."
She slid out of her garment, meandering to the bathroom in her white juban, barely awake.
He took care of her silk clothes and lowered the light in the bedroom. When she emerged from the bathroom in her night robe she went directly to the bed, climbing in immediately. He shed his formal clothes and put them away.
"Are you coming to bed now?" she asked.
"Yes, in a minute, Nanao-chan." He'd thought she was already sleeping.
It was a pleasure to have her here like this, to know that she wanted him close. He got into bed, moving his pillow closer to her and then tugging her back to him, spooning her.
She shifted a little, getting comfortable. "You're warm," she murmured.
He savored the feeling of having her in his arms. When they were married, he'd hold her like this with both of them naked, skin to skin. She'd be shy at first, skittish, but he could coax her out of that. Wasn't he holding her close now, when only a few weeks ago she'd have cracked a fan across his hand for touching her waist?
He pushed down the throbbing heat of arousal, as he had for all of the marriage practice with her. Nanao wanted to choose a husband for logical, practical reasons. Given her apparent lack of romantic experience, he thought lovemaking might muddy the clear list of good reasons he'd given her for choosing him, might make her question her decision. But he wanted Nanao to choose him without regrets or doubts.
He studied her face in the moonlight. She was beautiful; her pink lips were parted slightly, her eyelashes dark against her pale skin. "Good night, sweet Nanao-chan," he whispered, kissing her temple.
Pairing: Shunsui/Nanao
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: T
Status: Multi-Chapter, Ongoing
Contains: Spoilers through Bleach manga chapter 515.
Summary: When Nanao's family asks her to consider an arranged marriage, Captain Kyōraku decides to interfere.
"Thank you for coming out to the dojo with me, Nanao-san." Midori Kyōraku smiled as she opened the door of the dojo.
"It's an honor to be invited, Kyōraku-san." Nanao climbed the few stairs to enter the dojo. She still wore her silk kimono, but Kyōraku's mother hadn't changed out of her elegant clothes yet, so Nanao assumed they'd change before sparring.
"Please, call me Midori." Midori gestured for Nanao to sit. A tea tray was set up in the center of the dojo, which was smaller than Nanao expected. A four character scroll reading ichigo ichie hung on the back wall, a phrase Nanao would have expected to see at a tea ceremony, but otherwise the dojo was empty of the kind of inspirational sayings Nanao anticipated seeing.
Midori sat on her heels neatly. She was a tall, elegant woman with an athletic frame and sharp gray eyes. Her hair was gray as well, which deepened the impression of dignified strength that she projected. She poured tea into the cups, her nails short on her long fingers.
Nanao could see the faintest touch of bruising on Midori's knuckles, and it made her relax a little. Even this woman, so intimidating and beautiful, carried the marks of her work. That was something they had in common.
"Thank you, Midori-san." Nanao accepted a cup of tea. "Your dojo is lovely," she said, because it was something of a surprise. The space was scrupulously clean and smelled of flowers.
Midori nodded. "Thank you. We have a much larger dojo where we teach classes. This is more of a private space, where I meditate and practice."
"You are very committed to your work in the martial arts?" Nanao asked, sipping her tea.
"Yes. I'm sure Shunsui has told you that martial arts are a family tradition. I myself was a student here briefly before I married into the Kyōraku family."
"You were a student of the dojo?" How interesting. Nanao had assumed the marriage between Shunsui's parents was arranged, the way most marriages of nobles were.
"Yes. I'd studied elsewhere before, when I was a child. My parents began to press me towards an arranged marriage when I came of age, and I wanted to put that off as long as I could. There was a special intensive course here on meditation that I told my parents I needed to take before I could consider any important decisions, but I was only trying to delay the inevitable."
"So you came here and found someone that you wanted to marry instead?" Nanao asked.
Midori smiled. "Yes. I married my teacher. I was an adult, but it was still quite the scandal at the time. That fades with the years." She patted her hair, steel-colored and silky, pulled back into a neat bun with hairpins. "I always thought I knew what my life would be, but my marriage was a drastic deviation from the plan. It couldn't be helped, though. The Kyōraku men have a certain appeal that only seems to grow as they age."
"Yes," Nanao said immediately, and then thought better of it. "That is-"
Midori waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "If it's the truth for you, don't pretend otherwise, Nanao-san. It's a bit of a relief, actually. You were very formal and cool earlier when we were with my son. It's much better to know that you find him attractive, since you wish to marry him."
"Yes." Nanao felt a blush settle on her cheeks despite her best efforts to maintain her composure. It was uncomfortable to tell the mother of the man she wished to marry that she was attracted to him physically.
"I am curious about why you'd use a matchmaker, Nanao-san. Did your family insist on the formality of a match making process?" Midori's tone was only curious, but her eyes had the same sharp quality as her son's.
"My family did request that I consider an arranged marriage." Nanao wasn't sure if she should say more, but it was inevitable that Shunsui's mother would find out about the Ise family's financial status. Perhaps it would be better to be open from the beginning, and hopefully avoid any feelings of betrayal or deception later. "If I may be honest, my family's finances are not in the best condition currently, Midori-san."
She raised one fine gray brow. "I'm surprised that you would tell me about this at our first meeting."
"It would be pointless to try and hide it," Nanao said. "My family's finances are the motivating factor behind the arranged marriage, and many people know that already. Maintaining any privacy would be impossible." She looked down at her tea. It was embarrassing to be exposed this way in front of this woman, to show such base motivations in this room. The tea set was exquisitely fine, thin and painted with tasteful and exquisite flowers. It likely cost more than a year of Nanao's salary as a Vice Captain.
"It is not my intention to be unkind, Nanao-san, but you must understand that as a mother, I find it very disheartening to hear that my son has been chosen for match meetings because of his money." Midori sipped her tea, her expression neutral.
Nanao's flush deepened. "I understand entirely, Midori-san. It's never been my intention to deceive your son for his money. I was as clear and honest with him about my family's needs as I could be. I can't pretend that there is no financial motivation underlying these meetings, but it's not the only reason they are moving forward."
"So there are other reasons that you placed my son on your list of potential matches? Please tell me about those reasons," Midori said, quietly compelling.
"Actually, Shunsui was not on the initial list of candidates for marriage." Nanao drank a sip of tea, anxiety churning in her stomach.
"No? I'd assumed that the two of you had a personal relationship in advance of the match making." Midori tilted her head slightly.
"We were not romantically involved with one another before my family began the match matching process. Given the drastic difference in the social standings of our families, the matchmaker naturally excluded Shunsui as a possibility." Nanao held her cup with both hands to keep from fidgeting.
"But since we are meeting now, under these circumstances, my son must have become a possibility at some point," Midori said.
Nanao raised her teacup to her lips, stalling, looking for the best wording. "Shunsui decided that he wished to have a match meeting with me, and made arrangements with the matchmaker independently, without notifying us first."
Midori raised her brows. "That was very willful of him. He just imposed what he wanted on you and your family?"
Nanao stiffened. "He did not impose on us. He requested consideration, which I have given him. I have always found him to be a man of good character and now an excellent choice as a potential husband. He is willful, of course. As the leader of the Eighth Division, he needs to be a willful man. Leading hundreds of soldiers requires a strong guiding force."
"Is that so?" Midori asked with her face unreadable.
"Yes," Nanao said firmly. This was an unfortunate turn for the meeting to take, but she couldn't allow Shunsui to be disparaged for things he hadn't done, not even by his mother.
There was silence for a moment, the air tense, before Midori smiled suddenly. "I see. Please tell me more about your reasons for considering marriage to my son."
"What?" Nanao blinked, surprised by the sudden warming of the atmosphere. "Oh-there are a number of reasons-well, points that he's won, really. I have a list."
"You have an actual list? A written list?" Midori asked, curiosity in her voice.
"Yes." Nanao swallowed. "I understand that it isn't the most conventional approach to considering marriage."
Midori waved that off. "Actually, making a list strikes me as a very sensible thing to do. Do you have this list with you?"
Nanao shook her head. "No. I don't know how much the list would mean to anyone else. The reasons are mostly very personal."
"Surely you can share a few with me, Nanao-san?" Midori smiled, her tone gently prodding.
Nanao hesitated, looking for the right words. "Shunsui has good taste, and he's a good cook as well. He has a generous heart. He's generous in a lot of ways, actually. I know you were concerned by the money that my family needs, but your son has known about it from the beginning, and he's promised me that he'll never use money as leverage over me. He wants me to be an equal in our relationship. That's very important to me."
Midori nodded. "I'm glad to hear you say those things about Shunsui. And I was very surprised that you would be so honest about the financial situation of your family, but I'm glad. I knew already, of course."
"You knew already?" Nanao asked, surprised.
"Information is a commodity like any other. It was only prudent to obtain some information in advance of this meeting. After all, my son said that you are very important to him," Midori said. She sipped her tea.
"He said that?" Nanao felt warm for reasons very different from her agonizing embarrassment earlier.
Midori leaned forward slightly, as if she was about to share a secret. "The money could have been a marker for a serious concern, but I find that it is not, after meeting you."
"That's-thank you, Midori-san." The tension in Nanao's back eased a few notches.
"You've spoken of the things you like about my son. But what are his flaws?" Midori poured fresh tea into their cups.
Nanao drank her tea, seeking a little time. "I'm not going to suggest that Shunsui is a man without flaws, but they aren't things that I can't accept."
"Nonetheless, I'd like to know which flaws of his you see." Midori's eyes were sharp on Nanao's face.
Was this the way these meetings normally went? Nanao didn't think so. Still, she should continue to be honest, that was what Shunsui had recommended and it seemed to be working up to this point. "Well, he procrastinates and avoids paperwork as much as possible, putting it off until I force him to do it. He spends too much time drinking and goofing around. He's chronically late and unconcerned with schedules. But he makes rounds every day at the division to visit with our troops. He knows everyone, and he cares about them, although he doesn't care about papers. He cheers up his subordinates and goes to great lengths for his friends, and he's always reliable if you really need him. He doesn't care about schedules, but when you're with him, he's never watching the time. He always gives his full attention to you when you talk to him seriously. He's incorrigible in some ways, but-I'd never want him to change."
"You feel that way, even though you care about organization and schedules and work?" Midori's lips curved up.
"Yes. I care about schedules and organization and work, because he needs me to care about them. Someone has to take care of the things that he doesn't, even if the things that he does take care of are important, too." She shrugged. "It's in my nature to be organized and well-scheduled, and it's difficult for me to accept his blatant rejection of those principles, but we make it work."
"It seems that you do. Actually, I think he's very lucky to have you, Nanao-san. I have genuinely despaired of Shunsui finding a worthy companion to share a future with at times."
"Thank you, Midori-san." Nanao looked away, touched. "It's very kind of you to say that."
"You're welcome." Midori smiled, her teeth flashing in the sunlight. Her smile resembled Shunsui's more than Nanao had noticed before. "Would you mind if I asked a few things about your plans after marriage, Nanao-san?"
"Not at all," Nanao said, a small curl of anxiety still in her stomach.
"Will you continue to work, after you're married?" Midori asked, her mild curiosity very similar to the kind that Shunsui used often when asking difficult questions.
"Yes. I enjoy my work, and I can't imagine leaving the Eighth Division." But these questions weren't very difficult, and they put Nanao on more comfortable ground.
"And when you have children, will you continue to work then?"
Or perhaps the ground was shifting fast. Nanao hesitated. "I haven't considered children."
Midori set down her teacup delicately. "Are you opposed to having children, Nanao-san? I hope you'll forgive the intrusive question, but this is a matter of some importance for me."
"I understand." Nanao floundered, drinking tea to gain a few seconds. "I am not opposed to the idea of having children; it's just not something I've thought about in detail. I would need to make plans, schedules, lists. I hadn't considered marriage at all until very recently."
"So you would have children with my son in the future? It's just that I've waited a very, very long time for grandchildren." Midori smiled, a bit self-deprecating.
Given Shunsui's age, Midori had been kept waiting for a very long time. But she'd have to wait a while longer. "Shunsui and I haven't discussed children yet. I would have children with him, if we both agreed that was what we wanted and it was an appropriate time in our lives for that. But I think that is something we wouldn't do for several years, at least. And I would want to continue to work afterward."
Midori nodded. "You'll have very fine children, Nanao-san. The Kyōraku family makes very handsome babies." Her voice was rich with nostalgia. "Shunsui was a very sweet child."
"What was he like when he was young?" Nanao asked.
"Oh, he was mischievous, adventurous, and incorrigible, as you'd mentioned. He never outgrew that. For a long time I blamed the influence of Captain Yamamoto for the way Shunsui was and for his refusal to become a martial artist, but the truth is, he's always been following his own path, despite the forces pushing him in other directions. I accepted that eventually, begrudgingly. His willfulness is an inherited trait, you know."
Nanao smiled. "I see." She thought of Shunsui as a boy with curling dark hair and a wide grin. If she had a boy with Shunsui, would he be like that? She felt unsteady suddenly and pressed a hand to her stomach to steady herself. There were really a lot of things she'd never thought about before that related to a marriage.
"The one thing that I am certain that Shunsui took from his training here is that." Midori gestured to the ichigo ichie scroll.
"One chance in a lifetime?"
"Yes, that's a fair way to say it. Each experience is unique, and must be focused on, as all things are transient. Shunsui has always grasped the idea of living each experience fully, in the dojo and outside of it."
Nanao nodded. "He teaches it to our division members when he does combat training. There's a scroll like that one in all of the training rooms at the Eighth."
Midori looked surprised, and then pleased. "Did he teach you that as well, Nanao-san?"
"Yes. I had training at the Academy, but Shunsui focused personally on my combat skills when I became his Vice Captain."
"I confess that I'm curious to see your martial arts skills, Nanao-san. My son professed no great interest in our family's work, but I do want to know what he may have learned from us and found worth teaching to others. Would you indulge me in a sparring match, please?" Midori smiled winningly, the lines around her eyes deepening. She was a woman who wore her age the way that Kasumi did, with grace and charm and without denial. She was beautiful to Nanao.
"I would be glad to spar with you, Midori-san. I brought a change of clothes, in fact." Nanao shifted to rise.
Midori stood and went to the door. "I think we're going to get along very well, Nanao-san. It would be a great pleasure to be close to my daughter-in-law."
"I agree, Midori-san." Nanao smiled. The sparring match was yet to come, but she felt as if she'd already survived a hard test. Sparring couldn't compare to tea with Midori.
Shunsui strolled along the paths in his family's gardens, with no particular destination in mind. He'd spent most of the morning with his mother and Nanao, and then he'd been unceremoniously booted so that the two women could go to the dojo for some private conversation. He'd tried to intervene, but Nanao had given him a look that made it clear his rescue was not welcome.
After that he'd checked in with various workers and tenants he remembered, and then begun to wander the gardens, as it was well into the afternoon and he hadn't seen his mother or Nanao for hours. He leaned over the rail of a small bridge over the river that bisected his family's land, looking down at the fish.
The sound of Nanao's platform sandals drew him, and he looked up to see her crossing to the bridge in her blue kimono with a landscape featuring a river patterning the silk. It was an incredibly detailed, delicate scene, and he knew it must be silk from the Ise estate. Her hair was damp and her cheeks bright. She was lovely.
"At last, sweet Nanao-chan returns to me. Did you spar with my mother?" he asked when she reached the bridge.
"Yes, and then we went to the bathhouse. Did you know you have private baths in the main house and a separate bathhouse?" She leaned against the bridge railing.
"I did know that, although I haven't thought of it in particular before." The anxiety that had driven him to the gardens was relieved by Nanao's easy demeanor.
"I think the entire Ise estate main house could fit in your bathhouse." Her lips curved up.
"Some ancestor thought a huge bathhouse would be a good addition to the property, I imagine." But he was less interested in the bathhouse than in what might have happened there. "If you went to the bathhouse after you sparred with my mother, can I assume that you were getting along well?"
"Your mother asked a lot of questions, but she was very kind. I didn't win our sparring match, but I didn't embarrass myself, either, so there's that." She smiled at him.
His heart jumped like a young boy's would have. He wondered if she would always move him this way. "I'm glad to hear that, Nanao-chan." He lifted her hand gently; the knuckles were faintly bruised. "It looks like it was a tough match."
"Your mother is very, very skilled. She was pleased with what she called my 'ruthless cleverness,' though."
He kissed her fingers. "I like that, ruthless cleverness." It suited her.
"I told her that it was something that you taught me. She was pleased by that."
"That's a rarity. But what else did you talk about? I'm sure you must have spoken about more than martial arts in the dojo and the bath." He leaned closer, sniffing her hair. The scent was roses, probably from soaps made on the estate.
She gave him a level look. "Obviously we talked about you, and about me. You really should have told me that your mother married her teacher. I was anticipating a barrage of questions on our age difference and the power dynamic of our work and personal relationship, but she asked nothing like that. I imagine her own situation made her more understanding of these things."
"She told you about that? I'm sorry, I was under the impression it wasn't something my parents wanted to discuss with people. It's not a secret, but it's not something they bring up much, either." He ran his fingers down the curve of her cheek. "She must have liked you. I knew that she would."
"I think Midori-san and I will get on well. We have many points of agreement on many things." She shifted, leaning slightly into his touch.
He didn't need any further encouragement to drape an arm around her waist and pull her in. "Like what?" he asked. Their privacy was probably limited, given the number of gardeners on the estate, so he contented himself with pressing one kiss to the curve of her neck before pulling back.
"We both take our work very seriously, and agree women should work after marriage if they wish. And we both agree that you are disorganized, schedule-breaking, mischievous, and incorrigible." She glanced away from him, smiling.
He winced. "I keep hoping for the women in my life to give you positive recommendations of me, so that you'll think well of me as a potential husband. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be lucky in that regard."
Nanao laughed. "It's not that Rangiku-san or your mother gave you negative recommendations. I would say that they both gave honest assessments that leaned towards the positive."
"Still, if there was anyone that I would hope to encourage you into this marriage, it's my mother." He pouted, exaggerating the shape of his lips.
She looked at his expression and shook her head. "Don't sulk. Your mother was quite encouraging of our marriage, I assure you. She even asked when we would have children."
"What?"
"She wanted to know when we would have children."
"Children? First Yama-jii, and then my mother." He shook his head.
"You talked about children with Captain Yamamoto?" Nanao asked, frowning.
Shunsui tipped his hat back. "He was interested in the circumstances of our possible engagement."
"What?" She blushed when she realized what he meant, looking appalled. "The Captain Commander asked you if I was pregnant?"
"It isn't as if I wanted to discuss sex with Yama-jii. I'm sure that you didn't want to discuss it with my mother, either," he said, scratching the back of his neck.
"I did not talk about sex with your mother. We were speaking in general terms about the future. There was no discussion of the specifics." She narrowed her eyes at him. "What did you tell Captain Yamamoto?"
"Yare, Nanao-chan. It's not a conversation I'd like to have with him often, but it wasn't bad. I just told him that you aren't pregnant now, and maybe we would have children in the future." Shunsui shrugged. "I'm surprised my mother brought it up at your first meeting."
"Yes. I was also surprised that she asked, although it is a natural topic to arise with marriage. I hadn't given it any thought before."
"What did you tell her, Nanao-chan?" he asked softly. This was a subject he hadn't expected to broach with her until well after marriage.
She turned to gaze out over the water, her hands fidgeting with the rail. "I told her that I have no objection to children, but that I have no plans or schedules prepared yet for that eventuality, since you and I have never talked about it."
He detected tension in the set of her shoulders and moved behind her, folding her into his arms. "I'm sorry that I didn't mention the talk with Yama-jii before and that I didn't realize my mother might bring up children. I've been focused on more immediate issues related to our marriage."
She relaxed against him by degrees. "I understand. But if you could refrain from discussing our private relationship with Captain Yamamoto, I would appreciate that. I have to see him sometimes, too, you know."
He grinned. "Believe me, Nanao-chan, Yama-jii is the last person in the world that I want to discuss sex with. But our conversation about children was good, after the beginning."
"What did you tell him?" she asked. Her voice was curious but not too tense, which was a relief to him.
"That I'd be happy to have children with my Nanao-chan in the future. But I want you to decide when it's the right time, and I want to make sure you have everything you need to feel comfortable with a decision like that." He kissed her temple.
She studied her hands on the rail. "I haven't given this much thought before, but we'd need a second Third Seat and perhaps another Fourth Seat. Obviously I wouldn't want to give up my work, but it's likely I'd need to do more delegating. You'd have to do more work, too. There are so many plans and schedules and lists that I'd need to make."
"Sure," he agreed easily.
"I think it'll be a very long time before I'd want to really consider it, though. There are a lot of things I want to do first, and I would want us to be settled in with each other before thinking about making changes." Her back was stiff against this chest.
He murmured into her ear. "Nanao-chan, we can do anything that you want on whatever schedule you prefer. There's no rush, is there? It might be an interesting adventure to have children with you someday. But I'm happy to have you to myself for a while." He slid his hand down to the curve of her belly, imagining her slender figure round with his child. "I'm happy," he said, awash with tenderness.
She sighed. Her hand left the railing to cover his hand. "This is a conversation I never thought I'd have with you."
"We've been having a lot of those lately." He kissed her hair.
"Yes." She watched the fish swim.
"Let's have another, Nanao-chan. What sort of things do you want to do?"
She twisted to look at him. "What?"
"You said there were a lot of things that you want to do first, before you'd consider having children. What things do you want to do?"
"Your mother is expecting us for dinner," she said, moving away from him to the path back to the house.
"Dinner isn't for an hour, at least." He grinned at her, spinning her back to the path leading deeper into the garden, and tucking her beside him with an arm around her waist. "Tell me. I want to know what kinds of things my Nanao-chan dreams about doing."
"It's nothing so interesting," she protested, even as she walked in step with him into the garden.
"Indulge me," he cajoled. "I'll indulge you," he murmured in a lower tone.
She smiled slightly, her eyes lit from within. "This is only between us," she said in a conspiratorial whisper, leaning in close.
"I'll keep your secrets." He loved that she would share her secrets with him, whether they were large or small.
She laughed, a beautiful, airy sound, and then tipped his head down to whisper in his ear.
He listened avidly, his grin widening until he burst into surprised laughter.
"It's been such a pleasure to meet you, Nanao-san. I hope to see you again soon," Midori said.
"Thank you for inviting me into your home, Midori-san." It was very late, when Nanao and Shunsui finally left the Kyōraku estate.
Shunsui was pleased, though, because Nanao and his mother did get along as well as he'd hoped. They'd lingered over dinner and talked over tea well past nightfall. "Thanks for being so gracious to Nanao-chan," he murmured to his mother while making his goodbyes. "We'll see you again soon."
He and Nanao left the house, her steps slow. She stifled a yawn with her hand.
"You're tired, Nanao-chan?"
She glanced at him apologetically. "I go to bed pretty early normally. This is quite late for me."
"It's quite late for anyone," he said, looking at the heavy moon. "Let me take you home. My flash step is faster."
She hesitated. "I don't want to risk damage to my kimono."
"It's a beautiful silk, Nanao-chan. I'll be careful." He scooped her up into his arms, bridal style, to minimize the possibility of snagging or tearing her garment. It was hundreds of flash steps back to his house, a great distance, but he covered it quickly. At his house he set her back on her feet easily.
Nanao stepped out of her sandals and entered the house, going to the bedroom. She shuffled to the bed and fell down into it by neat degrees, until she was on her stomach with her hands fisted in the blankets, her glasses folded beside her. "I love this bed."
"I had it made. I wanted something big and plush and comfortable, and it was surprisingly hard to find." He sat down on the bed, fascinated by her tired abandon.
"This bed makes my bed seem like a stingy little rock." She sighed.
"There's an obvious solution. Just stay in my bed forever."
"When this is over, I'm going to take a week off just to sleep," she said, her eyes closed.
"I'll join you, Nanao-chan. I think that's usually called a honeymoon, isn't it?"
She rolled to her side to look at him. "You're supposed to go places on a honeymoon, aren't you? Exotic, exhausting places." She yawned widely, covering her mouth delicately.
"We can honeymoon in bed if we want, Nanao-chan. I think we'd both enjoy it more than exotic, exhausting places." He smiled slowly. They could both be happy here, exploring things together with no travel needed.
She rolled to her stomach. "I'll think about it. Do you think you can figure out my obi? It's the middle of the night and I don't want to bother Rangiku-san at this hour."
"I'm sure I can get it." Her bow wasn't too complicated in appearance. He shifted on his knees to study the knot and bent to the task, savoring the feeling of undressing Nanao in his bed.
Her breathing was deep and even, her eyes closed.
"Nanao-chan? I've untied your obi."
She roused herself, sitting up with his help. "I need to wash my face," she said, her voice blurry.
He stood, bringing her up with him. "Give me your kimono, I'll take care of it."
She slid out of her garment, meandering to the bathroom in her white juban, barely awake.
He took care of her silk clothes and lowered the light in the bedroom. When she emerged from the bathroom in her night robe she went directly to the bed, climbing in immediately. He shed his formal clothes and put them away.
"Are you coming to bed now?" she asked.
"Yes, in a minute, Nanao-chan." He'd thought she was already sleeping.
It was a pleasure to have her here like this, to know that she wanted him close. He got into bed, moving his pillow closer to her and then tugging her back to him, spooning her.
She shifted a little, getting comfortable. "You're warm," she murmured.
He savored the feeling of having her in his arms. When they were married, he'd hold her like this with both of them naked, skin to skin. She'd be shy at first, skittish, but he could coax her out of that. Wasn't he holding her close now, when only a few weeks ago she'd have cracked a fan across his hand for touching her waist?
He pushed down the throbbing heat of arousal, as he had for all of the marriage practice with her. Nanao wanted to choose a husband for logical, practical reasons. Given her apparent lack of romantic experience, he thought lovemaking might muddy the clear list of good reasons he'd given her for choosing him, might make her question her decision. But he wanted Nanao to choose him without regrets or doubts.
He studied her face in the moonlight. She was beautiful; her pink lips were parted slightly, her eyelashes dark against her pale skin. "Good night, sweet Nanao-chan," he whispered, kissing her temple.