After a long day of running around and playing, there was nothing that the twins liked than to settled down side by side and close their sleepy green eyes. There was something that they liked even more; they loved it actually, and that was on a night like this.

Snuggled up on their laps, the two children smiled in their half-asleep state, holding each others' hands. They looked like Shinto priests in that they wore small, blue robes over pale kimonos, with triangle-shaped hats. Said hats were now crooked and slipping off, revealing fluffy silver tresses hiding beneath that looked like the bodies of silver koi swimming at the surface of a pond.

Shunsui glanced at Juushiro in amusement at his zanpakutō slept on their laps. Kyōraku had no idea which was which; the identical twins were just that. Identical. But Juushiro knew which was which. Somehow he always did, and while this was both confusing for Kyōraku, he could understand it. It was the same with Katen Kyōkotsu, the only other twin zanpakutō in Soul Society. Somehow he just knew which of the two was which.

Though he had to say, Sōgyo no Kotowari was a lot cuter than Katen Kyōkotsu. At least, when they were soft and fluffy and warm from sleep, and not racing around on a natural sugar high.

Juushiro's hand started stroking Kotowari gently, ruffling his silver hair. Shunsui caught a wider smile pass over the twin's face and heard a relaxed sigh, and he had to admit. "Okay, I admit, Juu-chan. It is adorable."

His rumbling, jovial voice caused Juushiro to chuckle quietly. "Koto-chan and Sogy-chan love this, I've found." Purring, Juushiro coaxed a few fluffy strands of delicate silver behind the child's small ear. Kotowari leaned into the touch eagerly and slowly, almost as if he were a cat.

Sōgyo let out a demanding, sleepy squeak on Shunsui's lap. Green eyes opened just a fraction and he tugged wantonly on Shunsui's pink floral kimono. "Yare yare," laughed Shunsui under his breath. He began to mimic Juushiro's gentle movements. Sōgyo relaxed, nuzzled into Shunsui's stomach and sighed.

"Awww," Juushiro grinned. One hand continued to spoil his zanpakutō by stroking the side of his head. The other was supporting his back, making sure he didn't fall off.

"Yeah," Shunsui nudged his straw hat back slightly.

Juushiro was dressed in a neatly flowing purple kimono with golden swirls at the hem. Long sleeves draped over his slender, pale arms, and his long, snowy hair fell over his shoulders like a blizzard.

Shunsui was dressed in his black shinigami robes, though his captain's haori was missing and he just had his pink floral kimono draped over his shoulders. Neither had shoes or socks on, and were warming their feet by the fire on Juushiro's front porch.

"I wish Katen Kyōkotsu acted this way around me," sighed Shunsui.

Juushiro choked on his breath and looked at his friend incredulously. "I don't!"

"But you're innocent, Juu-chan. An angel." That familiar leery grin spread over Shunsui's face. "I'm-"

"Naughty," Juushiro finished with an airy laugh.

"Not as naughty as these little monsters," Shunsui pointed out, frowning down at Sōgyo no Kotowari.

There were protestant squeaks from said little monsters, but they were too tired from running around all day to actually do anything at that point.

"Don't provoke them, Shun," Juushiro warned. "Believe me, you don't want to wake up tomorrow morning to find yourself hanging upside down over a frozen lake."

Shunsui groaned something inaudible. There were a few moments of silence between them. "Would be fun though."

"Naked." Juushiro finished pointedly.

Shunsui squinted at him suspiciously, smirking suggestively. "My dear Juu-chan, are you speaking from experience per chance?"

Juushiro spluttered over his hot chocolate and had to wipe the liquid from his chin. "I- N- No!"

Shunsui laughed rambunctiously and leaned back slightly on his hand. "Sure, sure."

Juushiro's cheeks flushed a slight shade of red and emerald eyes widened. Shunsui knew he wasn't talking from experience; he was embarrassed and shy, and quite flustered at being teased. Shunsui knew he should feel guilty, and by all means his best friend's aversion to meet his cheeky grey eyes made him want to dim it down a little bit.

"Pervert," Juushiro rasped exasperatedly.

"I am what I am," Shunsui drawled cosily. He yelped and made an 'aht-atatat!' sound as Juu-chan jabbed him in the shoulder. His shoulder raised defensively. "Ow!"

Sōgyo no Kotowari made dual squeaks in their sleep. The two settled down, gazing at the resting children. Juushiro did sneak a glance at his drunkard of a friend, who smiled at him lazily.

Quietly the two captains talked, just about various things like work, friends, even gossip. It ended slowly with Juushiro stretching out and resting his head beside Sōgyo on Shunsui's lap, with Kotowari on the white-haired man's lap in turn.

The two started to become drowsy until it ended up with Shunsui lying flat out on the ground with Juushiro's head on his stomach. Kotowari was on Juushiro's chest while his twin brother was clinging to Juushiro's head, lying on his side on Shunsui's chest and arm. Somehow Sogy-chan and Koto-chan had still managed to keep their hands locked, fingers intertwined, though their hats had fallen off. Koto-chan had woken briefly to plop his on Juushiro's head, so his face was hidden beneath a floppy cone of blue, while Sogy-chan plonked his on Shunsui's.

The twins smiled dreamily on top of their friends, one who could even be considered their father or elder brother. Before they fell asleep for the night, their hands tightened around each other and they nuzzled deeper in search of comfort. Both were soft and warm, their fluffy hair swirling around them.

"Night Sogy-chan," mumbled Koto-chan. "Love you."

"Night Koto-chan," Sogy-chan's sudden yawn was punctuated with a squeak. "Love you too."