Author's note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is for the 30 Kisses challenge using list gamma. Theme 4: Shriek; Shout.

Kill It!

There were very few things that actually scared Nanao. And for the most part, they were reasonable fears. Things like not being able to protect her division in the upcoming battles. So when confronted with one of her few irrational fears, Nanao did what any logical person would. She climbed up on to her desk and shrieked.

In Shunsui's opinion, it was a pretty good day. There had been a captain's meeting, but it was short and to the point, and now he was headed back to the office to annoy his Nanao-chan for awhile. Jyuushiro was walking with as they debated where they wanted to eat this week for their weekly meal out together. It was a long standing tradition between the two of them, dating back to the early years of their captaincy.

There was a shriek from inside the Eighth Division office. Jyuushiro blinked.

"Was that Ise-san?"

It sounded a little like Nanao, but then, Shunsui had never heard Nanao shriek before. It wasn't the type of thing his normally stoic lieutenant would do. However, when he stepped into the office, Shunsui had to do a double taken. Then he blinked at the sight of his Nanao-chan huddled on top of her desk. It was clear that she had been working her way through the piles of paperwork as several of them had been disturbed by her assent to the desk. But what struck Shunsui the most was her face. Nanao was terrified, and she wasn't hiding it.

That concerned Shunsui. His fierce Nanao was rarely afraid. However, he couldn't see anything in the immediate area that would prompt that sort of response.

"Nanao-chan?"

She raised her face to meet his eyes.

"Kill it!" Nanao demanded.

Shunsui blinked. He didn't see anything that needed to be killed. Nanao pointed towards the floor by her chair. Shunsui scooted a little closer to investigate. It took him several minutes to locate the source of Nanao's apprehension. He kept from laughing. Barely. It was just a little hairy caterpillar. Clearly, however, Nanao had problems with it.

He wasn't about to kill it though. That was hardly necessary. Shunsui gently picked up the caterpillar and walked backed towards Jyuu. Jyuushiro raised an eyebrow. He carefully set the insect outside the window.

"There you are, Nanao-chan. All gone."

She craned her head, eyes darting all around the office to make sure. Then his lieutenant climbed off her desk. Nanao smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Captain."

And with that she got back to work. Shunsui blinked again. It was as if the whole incident had never happened. Maybe he needed a drink.