Happy Birthday Shunsui!

This was gonna be another essay-ish, introspective-type thing like Nanao's, but I decided against it.

Thanks again for all the reviews, and I wanted to thank Kitsune Moonstar for her wonderful comments on each chapter (and who also has some of the best Shunsui/Nanao fics I've ever read!)

Theme: Nap (Shunsui-centric)

Warnings: Stuff that may not make sense.

Shunsui gazed at the clouds, swimming lazily on the air far above him. He sighed. The sky was like a river, he thought. The clouds just drift along and do nothing until they wither and fall like rain. They do nothing but enjoy the breeze and their never-ending river of a pale blue sky, out of reach from all obligation and danger.

He imagined what it would be like, to float on a cloud. A pink one, like his haori. A cloud of sakura petals. Oh, wouldn't that be lovely? He would swim around in the sky, and then he would fall with the sakura petals to the lush, green grass beneath. He would do nothing but float.

He thought back to his pink cloud. What shape would it be? A heart, he decided. It would be a large, pink fluffy heart. And I would share it with Nanao-chan! he thought, a smile spreading on face. My Nanao-chan and I would share a cloud. We would float in the sky together. And we would hold onto each other so we won't fall off. We would share a cup of sake- the cloud would be stocked with sake. And steamed buns. And I know my Nanao-chan likes those sweet-bean pastries, so we'd have those on the cloud too. Perhaps there'd be chocolates too…

His body began to rise, floating up to the sky. He looked down at the tree he had been relaxing under, quickly growing smaller and smaller. Returning his gaze to the sky, a pink cloud came into sight. He laughed delightedly. It was his cloud! His cloud was waiting for him!

He reached for it, grasping the pink, silky substance. He climbed atop of it, only to find a smiling Nanao-chan seated on the cloud with a large bottle of sake lying beside her.

"Ah, Nanao-chan, I'm so glad you could join me!" he said with a large grin, wrapping his arms around her. Looking up at him, she returned his grin.

"I'm glad I could be here… Shunsui," she said.

He chuckled, stroking her face. "I've waited for you to call me that."

Nanao beamed, her eyes sparkling. He smiled, and leaned down to kiss her. Happiness swelled inside of him- she was not pushing him away! She was kissing him! He pulled away to embrace her, cherishing the feeling of his Nanao-chan in his arms.

"Taicho," she muttered, wrapping her arms around him.

"My darling, you don't need to call me 'Taicho' anymore," Shunsui replied, stroking her hair.

"Taicho?" Her eyes were still closed from the kiss, her mouth set in a small, satisfied smile. Shunsui frowned.

"Taicho!" He blinked. His Nanao-chan wasn't saying anything. Where was that voice coming from?

"Taicho! WAKE UP, KYORAKU!" A sharp pain exploded in his side. He gasped. The Nanao-chan he was holding poofed into pink smoke. He gaped at the spot where Nanao-chan just sat. What was happening? The pink cloud he was floating on started to fade. Was he going to fall…? He was falling! The sake! He must save the sake! He couldn't let it…

"TAICHO!"

His eyes snapped open. A furious, very real Nanao was looking down at him, blocking his view of the clouds.

"Nanao-chan…?" he muttered.

"Sir," she said. "You have a meeting in ten minutes."

He groaned. "But my dear Nanao-chan! I was dreaming of you! Why did you wake me up at the best part?"

The real Nanao adjusted her glasses. "I'm terribly sorry sir, but it was important that I wake you so you can get ready."

Shunsui groaned again, covering his face with his hands. He wanted to go back to his pink cloud.