Week of Love 6 - By Meroko26
meroko26 wasn't able to post today, so I am posting her entry for her.
Title: Always
Author: meroko26
Rating: PG
(Sequel to Book light)
Prompt: Birthday
It was a special night in the squad 8 barracks. Their captain was celebrating another birthday and the party was loud and noisy as squad members partied and gave gifts. The guest of honor Shunsui Kyoraku sat in a chair as he received gifts from both subordinates and friends. His vice-captain stood off to his left monitoring the goings on, eyes narrowed at the ruckus crowd.
“More sake!” Shunsui cheered as he opened another gift containing another jug to join the large pile to the right.
Nanao snorted as she looked at the pile. “You have to admire their originality,” she humped under her breath. Really! Did none of them even consider that he couldn’t possibly drink all that! Although most of them were being drunk tonight which would make the members useless in the morning, she sighed to herself.
Shunsui chuckled at her vehemence. “Ah come on Nanao-chan. It’s a great present.”
“If you say so,” she replied. “You do know you can’t drink the remainder in the office, right?” she asked icily.
“Nanao-chan,” he whined probably about to start on his usual pleading and whimpering when a young woman approached with a box.
Grinning broadly and batting her eyelashes the girl was obviously smitten with the captain Nanao deduced studying her. She had a nice figure covered in a beautiful blue yukata that complimented eyes of the same color and bright red hair pulled back with pins. Nanao shifted feeling suddenly uncomfortable in her squad uniform. Near everyone else had dressed up but between working late and nothing nice in her closet she had shown up as is.
“Happy birthday captain,” the girl said brightly holding out her gift. “I hope you like it.”
Her captain grinned obviously happy with the attention from her and gave a quick “Thank you” before opening the gift. The girl in front of them practically bounced with excitement as he revealed a box containing two hairpins.
“Do you like them?” she asked shyly, looking up and down nervously. “I know you’ve had the other ones for a while so I’d thought you’d like a change.”
“I see,” her captain responded absently touching the pinwheel hairpins in his hair.
Nanao bit her lip as he fiddled with them wondering if he'd change them. Not that it mattered, the promise he had made then had been to a small child not this gorgeous woman. Looking off into the crowd, unable to watch anymore, she let her mind take her back to that night long ago.
The party had been much like this one, people partying and drinking everywhere and her captain sitting at the center of it all accepting gifts. At that time Yadaomaru had been hi Vice-Captain and she'd walked among everyone, chatting and flirting with drink in hand. Nanao had watched her mesmerized, wishing she could be like that one day, as she'd moved along with the line.
The person behind her coughed and she blushed realizing the line had moved along and she had been standing still. Quickly she closed the gap and instead decided to watch her captain as he received gifts. Most were sake with the occasional bowl, flower or some other strange knick-knack. But for all of them her captain gave a grand than you even though she could tell some of the gifts he clearly didn't like.
Clutching the small box to her chest she suddenly felt uncertain about her gift. She didn't want him to "thank you" and not mean it but she hadn't wanted to give him sake like everyone else and even if she had she was too young to buy it. Then an even worse thought struck her. What if just didn't like it but laughed or threw it away later!
Another cough brought her head up making her realize she was the next person to give her present. Swallowing she slowly approached knowing she couldn't leave now that the captain was looking straight at her.
Stopping in front of him she offered the box with lowered head and a barely heard "Happy Birthday Captain."
"Thank you, Ise-san," he responded using the formal name he used in public.
Keeping he eyes on her feet she listened to the sounds of him ripping open the paper then opening the box. A small hmm was his response as he looked inside at the pinwheel hairpins before taking them out. Behind her she heard a couple of members snicker.
Nanao felt sick with embarrassment. Just because she had seen him looking at them in the window of a shop didn't mean he had wanted them! They could've been for a girlfriend or something. But she had felt obligated to get him something for the book and the reading sessions and had saved up for the pins. She was so stupid!
"Ise-san," her captain started gently surely about to tell her they were a bad gift.
"I'm sorry! I'll get you a better gift, Captain!" she rushed out not raising her head.
"Ise-san please raise your head," he told her gently.
Raising her head she cautiously peeked at her captain. Instead of looking appalled or offended he looked overjoyed with a big smile on his face. "Thank you Ise-san," he told her.
"Really?" she asked disbelievingly. Surely he had to be lying.
"Really. I'll always wear them," he told her taking them out of the box and putting them in his blue hair tie.
"I...You don't have to," she said softly feeling embarrassed since everyone was now staring.
"I will," he said firmly using his captain's voice. "Thank you."
"Ah. You're welcome captain," she responded softly blushing and looking down again.
"Enjoy the party Ise-san," he told her.
"I will, sir," she replied cheerfully, happy he had enjoyed the present.
She had had fun thanks to Captain Ukitake and Vice-Captain Yadomaru. The others had either ignored or shunned her but she hadn't minded, happy that the captain had liked her gift so much and had worn them ever since.
Nanao sighed as her mind came back to the present. He had worn them, until now. Looking back at him she watched the hand continue to toy with the pins and prepared herself for him to take them out.
The girl in front of him also waited anxiously, hoping he’d accept her gift and the unspoken feelings included with them. Both of them gasped as he pulled his hand away leaving the pins where they were and pushed the box back towards her.
"I'm sorry. But I can't accept these," he told her gently causing the crowd to gasp since he had never refused a gift before. "But...thank you," he told her sincerely.
Taking the box back the girl clutched it to her chest as her shoulders shook her head lowered. Raising it she smiled through watery eyes. "I see. You're welcome," she told him walking off, giving Nanao a glare as she passed by.
Nanao ignored the look as she watched her walk off before looking back at her captain. "She was cute. I wouldn't have minded if you accepted them," she told him awkwardly feeling oddly guilty.
"No, it's okay Nanao-chan. I’ll keep these" -he told her touching the pins "because they're from someone special" he said winking at her.
Blushing she looked away. "Idiot," she muttered softly but couldn't help a small smile.
Getting up from his chair her captain stretched hugely before giving her a broad grin. "Now it's time for us to join the celebration. Will you join me Nanao-chan?" he asked holding out his hand.
Grinning she shook her head but took his hand. "I believe I will." Clutching his hand they walked together into the crowd greeting guests.
Many things had changed since that night but she hoped to always be by his side like the two pins his hair. That had always been the best gift.
(meroko26 A/N: When I first read about Shun's pins being expensive in vol 18 I figured Nanao had given them to him. And when I didn't see them during TBTP it really struck. Didn't see them for a while but they back. Hopefully we'll hear the real story but I still like this concept best. Hope you enjoyed it. Read and Review. Thanx.)