Birthdays, Memories, Worry. Surprise!
Title: Birthdays, Memories, Worry. Surprise!
Characters: Ise Nanao
Rating: G
Word Count: 909
A/N: Written for Shunsui and Nanao's Week of Love. Over at Bleach Asylum
A normal at the Seireitei Library. Nothing really out of the ordinary here, save for a few less customers than usual. Nanao glanced over to the calendar on her desk while taking a break from her normal shelf work. Her eyes widened with an expression of shock as she saw today's date. It was her birthday. July 7th. How could she not have remembered? Maybe it was her busy schedule. Maybe it was her lack of interest. I mean, everyone knew her motto: Personal matters should never come before duty.
Even if she didn't “care” about her birthday, staring at that calendar, though, seemed to have an affect on her. She casually stood up and lingered over to the lone window in her office. How old was she now? She couldn't even remember. Nanao contemplated for a while, gazing into the beautiful sky. Her glasses protecting her eyes from the suns rays. Her memories of her time as an officer of the Gotei 13 seemed to almost flash by. Was this what a birthday was supposed to feel like?
Her daydream was interrupted moments later by a knock on the door that brought her back to reality. She must have forgotten where she was. In order to maintain her focus, she gave herself a lecture about why she must not let this distract her.
At the door was one of her assistants informing her that they had just got a new shipment of History books. She gave him signal (he must have known what it meant because he just rolled the stack of books towards the back end of the library).
“Wait.” She called to him.
“Yes, Vice Captain Ise,” he took a gulp of his own saliva out of nervousness, “is there anything I can do for you?”
“I'll take that shipment to the back, thank you.” She smiled at him, which she rarely did anymore and gladly took his place en route to the back end of the library.
She hadn't been this far back in who knows how long. It seemed rather foreign even to her. What kind of head librarian was she? As she was arranging the History books on the right shelves, something caught her eye. It was the book that Vice Captain Yadomaru was supposed to read her the night she... vanished.
She hesitated for a moment before picking the book up. This was not a time for leisure. She definitely had work to do. She put a single finger on the book's spine and read the title aloud, “Ways of the World”. A slight smile spread across her face as she pulled it off the shelf and stared at the front cover.
The hours flew by as she turned the book page after page, indulged in the book itself as well as the memories it brought her.
“Where is Vice Captain Nanao?!” She heard someone scream from the front of the library. What had happened? How long have I been back here? Most importantly, who was it and what did they want?
“I think she's in the back.” Said one of the assistants. A few moments later, a startled Kira came rushing toward her.
“We must hurry. Something has happened to Vice Captain Matsumoto!” He yelled, grabbing Nanao's arm and practically dragging her out of the library.
“Why.. where... who...” She barely got out before being interrupted by Kira.
“We don't have time for that. We must get to the 8th division Headquarters!” He was nearly out of breath at this point.
What was Rangiku doing in the 8th division? Was she drinking with Captain Kyouraku again? If so, where was he now? And what happened to her?
“Has the 4th division been contacted?!”
“Yes, they're on their way as well.”
The duo finally reached the 8th Division barracks. Out of breath and tired. Where was this big emergency?
“Follow me!” Said Kira.
Why are we headed towards my room?
“What's this all about, Kira? Why are...” Something seemed a little suspicious. There had to be something else going on here. Was this really Kira?
“Just be quiet. We must hurry.”
Just as they reached the door to Nanao's quarters, Kira stopped and pressed his fingers to his lips.
They opened the door to pitch darkness. There was nothing out of the ordinary. She didn't have her Zanpakutou on her and was worried that he would make an attempt to strike her.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”
That was all she heard as the lights came on and nearly every seated officer was there with gifts, cakes, drinks, and everything else under the sun. Even Commander Yamamoto was there with his party hat on. She could feel the tears coming but didn't want to show it.
“I'm so sorry about that Nanao-chan! I didn't want to be the one, but they made me do it! They said that I was the most convincing liar. Whatever that means.” Kira said, giving her a bear hug.
This was all too good to be true, she thought as everyone surrounded her, begging for her to try the cake and open their gifts.
Something seemed to be missing. She glanced around the room but didn't see the pink haori anywhere. Where was Captain Kyouraku?
“May I borrow her for just a moment?” Said a familiar voice from behind. It was Captain Ukitake.
“We couldn't find him anywhere. I'm really sorry.”
“No, it's fine.” She said, forcing a smile.
Characters: Ise Nanao
Rating: G
Word Count: 909
A/N: Written for Shunsui and Nanao's Week of Love. Over at Bleach Asylum
A normal at the Seireitei Library. Nothing really out of the ordinary here, save for a few less customers than usual. Nanao glanced over to the calendar on her desk while taking a break from her normal shelf work. Her eyes widened with an expression of shock as she saw today's date. It was her birthday. July 7th. How could she not have remembered? Maybe it was her busy schedule. Maybe it was her lack of interest. I mean, everyone knew her motto: Personal matters should never come before duty.
Even if she didn't “care” about her birthday, staring at that calendar, though, seemed to have an affect on her. She casually stood up and lingered over to the lone window in her office. How old was she now? She couldn't even remember. Nanao contemplated for a while, gazing into the beautiful sky. Her glasses protecting her eyes from the suns rays. Her memories of her time as an officer of the Gotei 13 seemed to almost flash by. Was this what a birthday was supposed to feel like?
Her daydream was interrupted moments later by a knock on the door that brought her back to reality. She must have forgotten where she was. In order to maintain her focus, she gave herself a lecture about why she must not let this distract her.
At the door was one of her assistants informing her that they had just got a new shipment of History books. She gave him signal (he must have known what it meant because he just rolled the stack of books towards the back end of the library).
“Wait.” She called to him.
“Yes, Vice Captain Ise,” he took a gulp of his own saliva out of nervousness, “is there anything I can do for you?”
“I'll take that shipment to the back, thank you.” She smiled at him, which she rarely did anymore and gladly took his place en route to the back end of the library.
She hadn't been this far back in who knows how long. It seemed rather foreign even to her. What kind of head librarian was she? As she was arranging the History books on the right shelves, something caught her eye. It was the book that Vice Captain Yadomaru was supposed to read her the night she... vanished.
She hesitated for a moment before picking the book up. This was not a time for leisure. She definitely had work to do. She put a single finger on the book's spine and read the title aloud, “Ways of the World”. A slight smile spread across her face as she pulled it off the shelf and stared at the front cover.
The hours flew by as she turned the book page after page, indulged in the book itself as well as the memories it brought her.
“Where is Vice Captain Nanao?!” She heard someone scream from the front of the library. What had happened? How long have I been back here? Most importantly, who was it and what did they want?
“I think she's in the back.” Said one of the assistants. A few moments later, a startled Kira came rushing toward her.
“We must hurry. Something has happened to Vice Captain Matsumoto!” He yelled, grabbing Nanao's arm and practically dragging her out of the library.
“Why.. where... who...” She barely got out before being interrupted by Kira.
“We don't have time for that. We must get to the 8th division Headquarters!” He was nearly out of breath at this point.
What was Rangiku doing in the 8th division? Was she drinking with Captain Kyouraku again? If so, where was he now? And what happened to her?
“Has the 4th division been contacted?!”
“Yes, they're on their way as well.”
The duo finally reached the 8th Division barracks. Out of breath and tired. Where was this big emergency?
“Follow me!” Said Kira.
Why are we headed towards my room?
“What's this all about, Kira? Why are...” Something seemed a little suspicious. There had to be something else going on here. Was this really Kira?
“Just be quiet. We must hurry.”
Just as they reached the door to Nanao's quarters, Kira stopped and pressed his fingers to his lips.
They opened the door to pitch darkness. There was nothing out of the ordinary. She didn't have her Zanpakutou on her and was worried that he would make an attempt to strike her.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”
That was all she heard as the lights came on and nearly every seated officer was there with gifts, cakes, drinks, and everything else under the sun. Even Commander Yamamoto was there with his party hat on. She could feel the tears coming but didn't want to show it.
“I'm so sorry about that Nanao-chan! I didn't want to be the one, but they made me do it! They said that I was the most convincing liar. Whatever that means.” Kira said, giving her a bear hug.
This was all too good to be true, she thought as everyone surrounded her, begging for her to try the cake and open their gifts.
Something seemed to be missing. She glanced around the room but didn't see the pink haori anywhere. Where was Captain Kyouraku?
“May I borrow her for just a moment?” Said a familiar voice from behind. It was Captain Ukitake.
“We couldn't find him anywhere. I'm really sorry.”
“No, it's fine.” She said, forcing a smile.