Jealousy, An Expression Of Love

“Nanao-chan!!” A whiny voice rang across the quiet hall, shattering the peaceful silence it had provided just seconds before.

A tall dark-haired Vice-captain was pointedly trying to ignore a certain flirtatious Captain. His pink flowery coat swirled and flared behind him magnificently as he took off after her in an incredible speed no human, Shinigami or Hollow had ever seen before. Shunsui was being stupid again. And Nanao could care less.

“Nanao-chan!! Why are you so mean!?” The Eighth Division Captain pouted.

“…”

Shunsui was about to continue whining to his Vice-captain when something caught his ultra-alert eye. A flash of silver hair, glistening in the sun. A glimpse of the long flowing robe that was the Captain’s uniform. A familiar cough, so warm to his ears. Ukitake was stomping away from him again. Shunsui sighed. What had he done to anger the graceful man this time?

“Ne, Nanao-chan, there’s something I need to see to now. Let’s continue our talk later,” Brown eyes twinkled mischievously at serious ones hiding behind spectacles.

All Nanao could do was shake her head and sigh both in relief and resignation as she saw her flamboyant Captain waltz away into the distance.

‘Why’s he always doing that? What’s wrong with him? Though I know he has a reputation, but he should at least try to control himself at times!! Am I not enough?’

A hand on his shoulder startled the gentle man out of his troubling thoughts. Thinking it to be an enemy, Ukitake whipped around and came face to face with the very object of his thoughts. Taken by surprise, the silver-haired man fell victim to another bout of his coughs. Amusement transformed instantaneously into concern as Shunsui witnessed the frail man suffer from yet another coughing fit.

Putting one arm around Ukitake’s slender shoulders and another on the Thirteenth Division Captain’s arm to support him, worry laced his usually frivolous voice, “Are you all right? Did I scare you? I apologize.”

Trying to stop his coughs to reassure the taller man in front of him, Ukitake answered in a faint voice, “I’m fine. You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault…”

Relief flooded Shunsui when he heard Ukitake. However, he still could not help worrying about the silver-haired man. He just did not know how to take care of himself. Suppressing a sigh, Shunsui proceeded to lead the smaller man towards a bench just a few steps away. Sitting him down gently on the bench, Shunsui settled himself beside his silver-haired angel.

“What’s wrong?”

Stricken eyes locked onto loving brown ones before settling once again on two slender hands placed demurely on his lap. Ukitake thought he had averted his gaze in time but he did not realize that the longing, the desolation in his eyes had not, could not escape the notice of ever-alert brown ones.

“…”

Sighing heavily, Shunsui could guess what the root of his angel’s woes was. When Ukitake had that despondent look in otherwise bright black orbs, it only meant one thing. Preparing himself for yet another flowery speech to set Ukitake’s mind at rest, Shunsui braced himself for all the numerous questions that were sure to be hurled at him in the next half an hour. Why could his lover not be a little more secure with him?

“Juushirou, I…”

Before Shunsui could get another word out with his glib tongue, he was unexpectedly interrupted, “Ne, Shunsui, let’s take a break in the human world, shall we? We’ve been working too hard anyway, and it’ll be a nice break to visit Rukia and that boy for a change.”

Intelligent brown eyes looked deeply into hopeful orbs and found a silent plea. Shunsui understood. He could comprehend his lover’s doubts. He guessed he was at fault. He should have known self-control, should have known when to stop. Well, the deed had been committed and now, the only way to make up to the gentle silver-haired angel was to grant him this one most simple request. Gracing his face with a serene smile, Shunsui nodded minutely to express his agreement at Ukitake’s plea.

Black spheres previously filled with angst throbbed with vibrancy yet again at so slight an action. Ukitake beamed. Words could not express the overwhelming ecstasy he felt then. Jumping up with delight, the sickly captain repressed the urge to cough. No, he would not let his Shunsui worry about him at such a moment as wonderful as this. Looking down at the seated man’s unruly locks falling all over his face, Ukitake could not help but frown in disapproval. Reaching out with two pale hands, the Thirteenth Division Captain pulled Shunsui’s blue hair tie free and removed the larger man’s ever-present hat to let wavy brown tresses fly free in the slight breeze.

Shunsui closed his eyes as he felt Ukitake gather his hair neatly and bounded them affectionately with his hair tie. The Eighth Division Captain knew that the other man liked to indulge in such simple pleasure and Shunsui was only too content to oblige him. Besides, having his lover neaten his unruly hair was nothing less than soothing. Who knew that such an ostentatious man would actually enjoy such soft caresses?

When Ukitake was satisfied with the result of his handiwork, he replaced the hat in its rightful place on top of Shunsui’s head and beseeched the taller man to make haste with him to the human world. Truth was, he had not been to the human world in a very long time. He yearned to see what had become of it in his extended absence. Also, he wanted to visit Rukia and Ichigo. No matter what taboos the both of them had broken, he nonetheless admired and envied them from the bottom of his heart. How he wished he could be like the two of them, so free, so fearless. Oh well, some things were just not meant to be. At least he had gotten a taste of that minuscule bit of freedom with Shunsui when they were rescuing Rukia. He should know contentment.

Shunsui felt the ends of his lips tug up slightly at the sight of Ukitake being so delighted. He could not help it. Though he seemed to fool around a lot, but he knew where his heart belonged. He knew that there was only one place he would truly call home. Looking at Ukitake opening the gate to the human world, Shunsui knew that all he ever wanted in his immortal life was Ukitake’s happiness. As long as Ukitake lived in bliss, he would be happy too.

Both Captains were warmly welcomed by Ichigo, Rukia and their friends. It felt totally right, as if everything was in the correct place. Everything felt so comfortable. Dinner was sumptuous. All of them had it at Urahara’s shop house. Of course, one would expect no less from the great Tessai, but for even Ukitake to praise his culinary skills, Shunsui had to admit that he was very awed. However, no matter how good Tessai got, he could never hope to compete with his silver-haired angel. Ukitake’s cooking was one of the most anticipated phenomena in Soul Society. And Shunsui was very smug over the fact that Ukitake would cook almost all his meals. Overly smug, in Ukitake’s opinion.

After dinner, Shunsui and Ukitake bid Ichigo and his friends farewell. They had decided to stay at Urahara’s house for a night before returning to Soul Society the next day. After taking a most relaxing bath, Ururu, the girl working for Urahara, showed them to their room. Apparently, there was only one room left, since Renji had taken the other spare room ever since he had been dispatched to watch over Karakura Town. Not that any of them minded. In fact, they were glad that they were actually sharing a room, though Ukitake could not really hide the faint tinge of pink that colored his cheeks. Shunsui smirked. It was always nice to see his angel blush so bashfully like that.

Once in their room, both men found that they could not sleep. Much as he appeared to be cheerful, Ukitake could not help the nagging thought of Shunsui flirting around, be it behind his back or right in front of him. Shunsui, also, was fretting. He did not know how long his lover was going to agonize over his flirtatious nature. He knew that given Ukitake’s kind and caring nature, he would not mention a single word to him, even though he may be hurting inside. He recognized that he would have to take the initiative. Heavy eyelids slammed shut brown orbs in defeat.

“Ne, Juushirou…”

“Shunsui…”

Both men turned to look at each other at the same time, surprised that the other had tried to initiate a talk. Looking at Shunsui staring so lovingly and warmly at him, Ukitake felt a splendid blush spread across his cheeks as he lowered his gaze.

“…You go first,” Was the soft comment the smaller man made.

Gazing at Ukitake with his head lowered looking so shy, Shunsui did not fail to notice silky silver locks cascading down the smooth arc of his lover’s back, tempting him to run his fingers through them. And Shunsui gave in to the temptation without a fight. Picking up a brush from one side of their room, Shunsui started to run the brush through Ukitake’s silky hair. The Eighth Division Captain knew that Ukitake enjoyed the feel of the brush on the silver waterfall falling from his head. When he had completed brushing, the unusually quiet Captain tenderly wound his hand in the silky tresses presented before him and drew it through his fingers gently. Knowing that Shunsui was watching him from behind made Ukitake feel his cheeks heating up again. Shutting clear black spheres to fully enjoy the close proximity with his lover, Ukitake was shocked out of his reverie by Shunsui’s words.

“Juushirou, you know my nature. I’m not really serious about all those. There’s only one relationship I’m truly serious about. You know that, don’t you? There can only be one angel in my life.”

Turning his stunned lover around by the shoulders, Shunsui proceeded to plant thin lips onto soft petal lips chastely. When that tender moment passed and they broke apart, Ukitake already had tears tugging at his expressive eyes. Wanting to convey his feelings of total bliss, Ukitake fell into Shunsui’s waiting arms and embraced him tightly.

‘I’m such a baka. Truly a foolish man. I’ve always known his true feelings, yet I still doubted him. I know now, I can never live without him. I won’t even spend my time imagining a life without him. Because there is no point in imagining what it will be like to be maimed.’

Outside, Urahara was chuckling along with his assistants. Renji had tagged along but had not known what Urahara was smirking at throughout dinner until that moment. Renji could feel his cheeks burning up as he escaped into his room.

“Isn’t it great that we moved all the things into the other spare rooms just in time?” Urahara mused aloud to the others, who nodded in agreement.

In the end, they stayed on for a whole week. Shunsui wanted Ukitake to be happy and so was only too glad to indulge him in those little whims of his. When they finally returned to Soul Society, Ukitake was pleased that they had grown even closer in the past week. He was basking in his newfound happiness when he heard something,

“Nanao-chan!! I missed you!!” Shunsui ostensibly exclaimed to his lovely Vice-captain with twinkling eyes.

‘I change my mind!!’

Unbeknown to Ukitake, Shunsui had been watching him with a tiny gentle smile the entire time the sickly Captain had stormed off.

~Owari~


ShirouKamui: I wrote this for a friend for her birthday. She is not a fan of this pairing but I am, so I wrote this to tease her as well as to satisfy my need for this pairing. Reviews, anyone?