Jushiro Ukitake and Shunsui Kyoraku have been friends for many years. So when Jushiro received and invitation to breakfast the next morning, he was happy to join his long time friend. Ukitake had chose not to drink the night before for a couple of reasons. For one he did want to not want to aggravate his illness. Secondly he wanted to make sure that his large, sometimes rowdy group of friends didn't get out of hand. When he arrived at his friends house it was ten o'clock. He knocked on the door and was a little surprised that it was Shunsui that opened it.

"Shun, I'm a little surprised to see you to see you looking so lively after all the sake you drank last night."

"Yar, yar Ju, you know that it takes a lot more than what I drank last night to set me hung over."

"Where's Nanao? Normally she rises with the sun doesn't she?"

Shunsui chuckled

"She drank a little to much last night."

As Shunsui finished his sentence, they heard a groan from behind them. Nanao emerged from the bedroom wearing Shunsui's pink kimono.

"Shunsui, the next time I decide to drink that much stop me. Oh Captain Ukitake I didn't realize you were here."

"Good morning Nanao. Please call me Jushiro. We are not in the office. No need for the formality."

She smiled warmly at the friendly captain.

"Of course, please excuse me I'm going to clean up a bit. I will join you shortly."

With that she turned back to their bedroom and disappeared.

"Silly Nanao-chan. If she think I'm going to stop her, she has another thing coming!"

Both men laughed and carried on until Nanao reappeared about thirty minuets later. She smiled at them

"We did a good thing last night, Rangiku looked like she was feeling better."

"Better? What happened to her?"

Well Capt... I mean Jushiro, she was ordered by Head Captain Yamamoto to clean Gin Ichimaru's old quarters. While cleaning she found a letter that he wrote to her. When she read it, it shook her up pretty bad. When I went to her house for our lunch date yesterday she was a mess. That's why after reading the letter myself and talking to her, I thought it was good idea to try and take her mind off of things. Hence our little get together.

"See my little Nanao-Chan is such a good friend!" Shunsui exclaimed as he came to hug her. Jushiro couldn't help but smile at the couple.

"It's really nice of you to do that for her. We don't need her emotionally drained as will as her captain. "

"That's what she told me yesterday. She is really worried about him."

"I know but at least she it thinking clearly enough to help him."

"I'm just happy everyone had a good time last night."

At that moment Nanao remembered something that she had noticed the night before.

"Did either of you notice anything strange last night."

"What, the fact that Byakuya joined us? " Jushiro asked.

"Well yes that, and the fact that he seemed a little distracted."

"You are right Nanao. Normally if Ichigo is anywhere near Rukia, he wont take his eyes off the two if them."

"So you noticed him watching Rangiku too?"

"I did. I also noticed her looking at him every chance that she got."

"I noticed her as well. I know that she knows I saw her too."

"Where was I when the two of you were noticing all of this?"

"You Shun, were busying yourself with Nanao and sake."

The last statement made her blush. To take the attention from herself she added.

"I think what I found even more strange was the fact that he didn't jerk away from her when she grabbed him."

"You're right. Normally he wouldn't allow any one to hold on to him for as long as she did. Hell for that matter, normally no one would be allowed to even touch him."

"Do you guys think that maybe it was the sake?"

"To tell you the truth Shun, I have known Byakuya since he was very young, and if there is one thing that I know about him or any other Kuchiki for that matter, is that the amount of sake that he drank last night had no affect on him at all."

"Hmm, I guess we will have to wait and see if this strange behavior keeps up or if we were imagining it.

"Well with Byakuya Kuchiki you never know!"

As they continued to eat they were having a pleasant time, Nanao asked

"Speaking of Kuchiki how is Rukia this morning?"

"I''m not sure. She and Ichigo were still asleep when I left this morning."

"Where did they sleep?"

"In the Lieutenant's quarters."

"Byakuya is not going to be pleased if he finds that out."

"They will have to cross that bridge when they come to it."

Nanao finished her meal and took her plate to the sink. When she came back she smiled at the two men still sitting at the table.

"If you two will excuse me. I'm going to go and check on Rangiku this morning"

she gave Shunsui a kiss, waved goodbye to Ukitake and was on her way.

When she finally reach Rangiku's quarters she knock lightly on the door. She know better that to pound on the door just in case Rangiku had a hang over. There was no answer. Then she remembered that when she and Shunsui left they did not lock the door. She carefully push it open. The whole apartment was still dark. Nanao headed for Rangiku's room to check in her. As she peeked in on her friend she noticed that she was still sleeping like a baby. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"She looks so innocent when she is sleeping"

Nanao decided to let her friend sleep just a little bit longer. Then she left her friends room and head to the kitchen to cook some breakfast for her.

A/N – This story takes place a year after the winter war ends. Just thought I should add that so there something of a timeline