Smack!
Nanao's large, heavy volume made a satisfying thunk when she hit her captain the second time in a row. He whimpered, withdrew his hand from where he'd been about to touch some random passing
woman's bottom and rubbed his head. "Nanao-chan!
What was that for?" he whined.
"Behave yourself," she replied, rather than answering.
Ukitake chuckled. He was sitting crosslegged on the
blanket they'd laid down in order to watch the fireworks, sipping some tea that Kiyone, arguing with Sentaro all the while,
had brought for him. "This is very good, Kiyone, thank you," he told his subordinate.
"Thank you, taicho!" both Kiyone and Sentaro shouted at once.
"Why are you saying 'thank you'!?" Sentaro shouted at her.
"I made it!"
Kiyone glared at him. "But he thanked me, you dumbass!"
"That doesn't mean you get all the credit!" Sentaro retorted.
Ukitake coughed slightly to hide his amusement. Both
were suddenly at his side, asking if the tea was warm enough, or if he needed a blanket.
Kiyone ran off to get him a snow suit, and Sentaro followed, shouting and calling her an idiot.
"You did that on purpose, Jyuu-chan," Shunsui accused, before taking a large gulp of his sake jug.
Ukitake gave him an innocent look. "I assure you, dear
Shu-chan, that I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied, his eyes dancing.
"Uh-huh, just like Byakushi." At his friend's confused
look, he explained. "You cough to hide the fact that you are indeed in much better
health than everyone assumes, and he dresses girly to hide his masculinity."
Nanao hit him in the head with her book again.
"Nanao-chan!"
"Behave, taicho," she ordered tersely before opening her book and beginning to read it. She may as well, it was due to the library the day after tomorrow.
Shunsui pouted. "Nanao-chan's so mean to me... Lisa was mean, too, now that I think of it..."
He tipped his head thoughtfully, considering. "They're probably carbon
copies..."
Thwack!
"Stop being an idiot."
Jyuushiro chuckled. "Perhaps you should behave, hm,
Shu-chan?"
Shunsui deflated and crossed his arms, sulking. Nanao
rolled her eyes and looked up as a bright explosion of red caught her attention. For
some reason, her captain behaved mostly for the rest of the evening, giving them some time to enjoy the fireworks, and Nanao
found herself grateful. She really didn't know how Ukitake taicho got her captain
to behave, but as long as he shut up, she didn't care.
