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"Nanao-Chwan!" Called the swaying brunette with a half-lidded gaze, amusement was clear in his slurred tone as he stood in front of the ryouka.
From the distance, your y/e/c eyes caught the sight, a normalcy you had grown to disdain. An aggravated sigh slipped past your lips as you stood back, no other ryouka in sight, nor spiritual pressure abnormalities to investigate. Though it had been a war-time order, you found yourself less than enthusiastic to harm those who simply seemed to be on a rescue mission. Though you had no desire to simply jump into action and help end the execution of Rukia Kuchiki, her supposed friends hadn't seemed to wish to do any real harm to the seireitei, nor anyone in it.
Y/e/c eyes watched as Nanao seemingly popped out of nowhere, above the clearly drunken captain with a steady rain of cherry blossoms. Grazing his shoulders with falling petals, the woman held a clearly distasteful look upon her features. Even as the man called that the rain had been enough, the scene properly accounted for, the tumble of the cherry blossom petals fell at a much more alarming rate, followed shortly by the wicker basket that held them.
You found yourself nearly chuckling as he sifted himself out of the pile of pink, a pout clear against his lips. "You're so cruel, beautiful Nanao," he called up, forcing the chuckle to die in your throat, quickly replaced with the falling of your lips. As the compliments continued onwards, you wondered why you still stood by, still watched the man shower another in loving affection.
Teeth began to clench under the weight of your own aggravation, no matter how quickly the woman shut each and every compliment down. Fists balled, you finally found yourself at your fill, though your feet would not carry you away. With time, your tears dried upon your cheeks, your legs giving way to slump against the wall behind you. Still unnoticed, your mind raced, wondering why it was that you still allowed yourself to care. You could not help musing over the fact that you allowed him of all people to pull tightly at your heart.
Those loving eyes, when they're locked with mine, you could not help thinking to yourself, y/e/c eyes closed as your lips attempted to curl upwards, before plummeting down into a grimace. He's just a damn flirt, Y/N, snap out of it.
In your fit of mixed emotions swirling, you paid no heed to the added presence beside you. Snow white locks bellowed in the breeze beside you, nearly tickling your face as he sat down. His tone was soft, a hint of playful kindness laced in his words as he spoke. "Thinking about him again, aren’t you, Y/N/N?" He asked, brown eyes shifted over to you as an apologetic smile held place upon his lips.
Instead of copping to your inner monolog, or the feelings that tightened their grip around your beating heart, you shook your head in denial. "No," you spoke far too quickly, tripping over such a simple word. "I was just…" As you attempted to think of an excuse, you found yourself falling short. Finally, you simply breathed the captain's name as a greeting, formality tying your words together.
Jushiro sighed, a half serious look plastered against his face as his gaze met your own y/e/c eyes once more. "Here," he spoke, fishing into the pocket of his uniform, grabbing your favorite candy and holding it out to you. "I thought thinking may make you a bit hungry."
A hollow laugh slipped past your lips as you took the offering, offering in return a half smile. "Thank you, Captain," you replied as you delicately took the candy offered.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to be so formal?" He teased, nudging you gently as he attempted to lighten your mood. "It's Jushiro to you, Y/N/N." As your lips formed an embarrassed gape for a moment, the snow white haired captain could not help the smile that tugged upon his lips.
Your lips quickly formed a smile to match his, the happiness of the white haired captain always contagious to you. "If that's the case, Jushiro," you spoke, unwrapping the candy before splitting it in half, offering one side as your y/e/c eyes flickered from the candy to his brown eyes, "would you like to share with me?"
Jushiro had seemed almost floored by the offer to share the treat, though he had seen your mannerisms more often than not. If there had been anyone in the seireitei who knew you, from what you were thinking to what you would and wouldn't do for someone, it had been him. His shock had been as quickly replaced with a kind smile and a soft tint of crimson against his pale cheeks.
“That sounds delightful,” he spoke, followed quickly by, “if it isn't a bother.”
“It's the least I can do,” you replied softly, offering him a piece that he graciously took, before placing a piece of candy into your own mouth. Allowing your favorite flavor to pierce your senses, you indulged in the moment of sweet flavor, chewing and swallowing it before you glanced back upon Jushiro. For a moment, you caught yourself staring, watching those brown eyes light up with a brightness you never quite understood.
“I'm sorry,” he offered you as he swallowed his piece, wrapping an arm delicately around your shoulders. “You're deserving…and I am not sure why his sights are not solely sought upon you.”
You found yourself resting your head against the white locked male's shoulder as you relished in his affections. “You're far too kind, Jushiro…” you hummed out softly. “I feel…lacking as of late. Like I only exist when I'm the only one around.”
“You should never have to feel like that,” his voice held a seriousness you had hardly seen with Jushiro, and yet, it had been firm and warming all the same. “You are beautiful, strong, funny…amazing, really.”
“You really think that?” You blinked in disbelief, though you had yet to move your head from his shoulder.
“Yes…” he replied, as if it had been a known fact. In his mind, it had been, and the soft gaze of his brown eyes solidified that as you spared yourself a glimpse. “Only a fool wouldn't see that. I wouldn't call Shunsui a fool, but…I suppose he hasn't opened his eyes to the real you, Y/N/N.”
Your hand moved to intertwine with Jushiro's as you rested against his shoulder, something he had hastily indulged as the two of you sat. You stole another glance, bashfully so, as you realized perhaps you really had been stuck on the wrong person all along. “You know…” your words were hardly above a whisper. “You're pretty amazing yourself, Jushiro.”
He laughed, though as he had, he moved to press a kiss against the crown of your head. You hated the fact that maybe it had been time to move on, and yet, you found a little ache in your chest any time you had thought of the white haired Captain. It had been an ache you couldn't ignore and you couldn't help wondering with that knowledge, what it was you'd do from here.
“You don’t know how much that means to me,” he murmured, a smile stretched wide against his lips.