Wind's Calling

Budding Plum Blossoms

Shunsui was lounging in her office for the fourth time this week, his hat covering the upper half of his face. Last week he had visited twice near the end with sweet buns and sake. It had barely been two days since the week started and all she could do was glare at him from her desk. "Aren't you going to go do something," she sniffed.
"I am. You refuse to get up from your desk so I'm bringing the dates here," her face grew a bright red as she stared down at the paperwork. Training with the old man had proven to extend her timespan with her visor activated but it also left her already broken body sore to two point she couldn't stand up even if she wanted to.
"Captain Kyōraku. We are at work," (Y/n) huffed. She jumped when she looked up, his face inches from hers.
"You can spare a break, you know," he snorted.
"Yes-yes sure but my reputation is trashed among the other soul reapers," she sighed. "I have to rebuild it. Otherwise it's nepotism to everyone else."
"A bit of nepotism doesn't hurt anyone," he chuckled. "Besides, you've still been doing your job and then some." (Y/n) sighed and stared at the couch, forcing herself to stand up.
"I'm not going outside but I can take a break," she muttered. She sat down facing the door and put her head back, Shunsui sitting across from her.
"Have you gotten the latest news letters? I guess it's a new project run by eighth divisions Lieutenant," Shunsui chuckled.
"I actually haven't. What's it cover," (Y/n) looked up when she heard glasses being poured, eyeing Shunsui with a raised brow.
"Everything that's going on around here I guess. I haven't read it myself yet," he pulled a magazine from his sleeve and handed it to her. She pulled it close and flipped through the pages, giving a small laugh at the contents.
"The girls must be eating this up huh? I get there's a lot of gossip but this is just centralizing it," she stopped on a page with her photo on it, staring at the article. "Yeah, eating every last bit of this thing up." Shunsui peeked over the top of the magazine and quickly took it away before she could read more.
"Come on, this is old news," he whistled. "Soi Feng is probably going to have a fit if she sees this. You've already been cleared."
"To maybe a few people," she sniffed. "I don't think everyone agrees and this is going to draw more attention."
"Do you think you should stay deployed in the world of the living," he asked slowly.
"A bit. At least I know Karakura Town," (Y/n) stared at the magazine and took it back from him as he read it over. "I should give this to the guys back there, they'd love to read this."
"Who's back there," Shunsui sipped at the tea he had poured.
"Just those guys sent out to prep for the arrancar," (Y/n) stated. She'd had to cover for the Visored Army but this type of stuff could keep them informed about home. She smiled a bit at the thought and set the paper down only to meet a soft gaze from the man across from her. The brown eyes seemed deeper than normal, none of the superficial flirting that would normally pass his lips ruining the deceptively intelligent gaze.
"You seem a bit more like your normal self these days," he hummed. (Y/n) stared at her tea, the familiar butterflies she had gotten when she was younger coming back to fill her chest. It was calmer now, though. More of a soft tickle than the beat of wings on her sternum. It felt safer.
"How can I not be," she sighed. "You, Captain Jushiro, even Captain Unohana and Captain Soi Feng have treated me like one of you. Like how I used to be treated."
"And the hollow isn't a threat," he nodded. If anyone else had said that, her heart would have fallen but it only made her smile more with him.
"Someone pointed out my fighting style was rugged," she chuckled. "That it was less than what it had been."
"Is that right," he stared at her cup and tilted his head a bit. "Need sugar?"
"I didn't even notice it was missing," (Y/n) nodded. "Gramps would probably be upset though since I've been training with him. You know how he can get."
"You're training with him again," Shunsui had genuine surprise on his face as he put his elbow on his knee.
"Yeah, the boundary was that he couldn't use my abilities as he pleased," she nodded. She leaned back again and stretched out, her feet on the table. "I need to go back to the world of the living at some point. Captain Hitsugaya said he wanted to recruit me for the mission they're on."
"And her right thought you'd get to enjoy the peace here," he sighed. Shunsui leaned back himself and stared a bit. "Let's go for a walk tonight. We can drink like we did in the old days and cause some mischief."

The headache wasn't helping any when her grandfather batted her aside, the mask crumbling a bit from the impact of his sheath. "The request for you back in the world of the living has been made by Captain Hitsugaya," (Y/n) stared at him and sighed softly.
"Am I to go," she asked.
Her grandfather made his zanpakuto conceal itself once more with a small smile, "You can do more there than here."
"That brings up a problem," (Y/n) stared at him, pulling her blades back together and holding them up. "I know we agreed on the restrictions because of the effects it had."
"But you're looking to go all out against this enemy," he nodded. "Consider the agreement void. This is a dire time." It was a small nod that came in reply, a soft smile on (Y/n) face. It felt good to not have to hide from him, to be the flawed person she actually felt she was inside. No more secrets from the one person she wanted to look at her. It made her shiver, Shunsui coming to mind. He saw her from the very beginning, didn't he?
"How are you and Shunsui getting along," the question made her blush and she jumped.
"Just-just like we used to," (Y/n) nodded. "He's been really proactive in readjusting me."
"(Y/n), do you take me for an old fool," he laughed. She stared at her grandfather and rubbed her neck as he walked closer to her.
"No-no," (Y/n) replied. "I just- I'm unsure of what's going on between us." She let out a sigh and he patted her head with a small laugh.
"Just like your father," he hummed softly. "You'll figure it out soon enough,  and I don't disapprove of something does build between you two." She was speechless as he made his way back inside the house.
"Why are you like this," she cried out. It only made the old man laugh louder as she stormed after him.