"You'll both have to fight for the invite," Matsumoto cooed at Hisagi and Izuru. "It really is going to be so much fun. It'd be a shame to miss it."

Nanao snorted as she handed her column for the Seireitei Communication off to the secretary. She had a very good idea what Matsumoto was using as leverage. The SWA had voted to use some of the excess funds from their successful bake sale a few months ago to have an outing in the living world and had gotten it approved by the Soutiacho. They'd planned an evening of drinking and dancing and were each allowed to invite one guest. It was always fun to visit the living world with no duties involved so Nanao could understand how it would be a powerful bargaining chip.

"So what are each of you willing to do?" Matsumoto asked flirtatiously.

"Hisagi-san?" Nanao called. He turned his head away from the current conversation and focused on her. "Would you like to go to the living world with me and go dancing tomorrow night? The SWA is hosting an event."

He smiled at her and Matsumoto frowned. "I'd be delighted Ise-san."

"Nanao-chan, way to ruin all my fun! I was definitely going to get at least a few bottles of sake out of them for this."

Nanao shrugged. "I wanted Hisagi-san to attend with me. If you wanted him to go with you you should have asked first."

Matsumoto pouted and put her hands on her hips. "Won't Kyouraku Taicho be upset if you're taking someone else?

Nanao felt herself bristle at that. "No more so than he ever is when I ignore him."

"Yeah, but it's sort of like a date this time. He'll be devastated."

Nanao arched an eyebrow at her. "Kyouraku Taicho and I are not involved. I am free to invite whoever I wish to the event."

"Whatever you say, Nanao-chan. So Kira-kun what'll you do to get to go?"

Nanao shook her head and headed out. She hadn't really planned on inviting anyone, but at least Hisagi would be pleasant company for the evening. Prior to overhearing that conversation she wasn't sure she was going to attend at all if she could think of an appropriate way out, but it wouldn't be so bad if she could have a few glasses of wine with Hisagi and then head home.

"Ise-san, wait up." Nanao paused on the street waiting for Hisagi to catch up with her. "Are you sure this is ok?"

She shot him a quizzical look. "Am I sure what's ok?"

"You know," he said gesturing between them. "Are you sure it's ok that you invited me to the SWA outing?"

"Oh, not you too," she sighed.

"Are you not still sleeping with him?"

"I told you, its just sex."

"Still?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I just," Hisagi started and the rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean it's been a while now. I guess I figured at some point you'd probably-"

"Probably what?" she snapped.

"I don't know. I guess I assumed somewhere deep down you did have some feelings for him."

"I do. We're friends. I care about him, but not like that. This is exactly why I didn't want to go public with it. We're not dating and I'm free to spend my time with whomever I see fit. Despite what everyone seems to think he doesn't own me."

Hisagi looked appropriately chastised at that. "That's not what I meant. And if it makes you feel better, Kyouraku Taicho has never said anything of the sort in my presence or anyone else's I've ever heard of."

"He never had to. Everyone just assumes he owns me no matter what he does. He could fuck half the Seireitei in front of everyone and they'd still assume I'm his property. Do you know how chafing that can be?"

"I'm sorry. I went about this all wrong. As long as you wouldn't prefer someone else's company I'd love to go dancing with you," he said with a weak smile.

"Good, I'll meet you at the Senkaimon gate tomorrow at 8 PM. We're leaving from there." Nanao turned on her heel and headed back to her own division.

She tried to ignore how irritated she was. It was absolutely ridiculous the way people tiptoed around whatever they thought her and Shunsui's relationship was. She had the right to have other interests. She had the right to have other men if she so chose. Regardless of how enjoyable the sex had been between them, he did not own her. What bothered her more than anything was that, to Hisagi's point, Shunsui had never done anything actively to claim her other than flirt ridiculously. For the life of her she couldn't figure out when everyone had decided that they were soul mates or whatever other silly rumors they whispered. The only silver lining to today was that she knew Shunsui already had plans tonight and wouldn't be bugging her when she was in such a mood. She'd be even more annoyed if he were to show up this evening and do something that would make her forget how annoyed she was. He had a particular gift for that.

"I think I should be insulted you know," a voice whispered low in her ear.

"And why is that?"

"I practically had to beg Retsu-san for an invitation when my first choice so clearly passed on me."

"I was under no obligation to invite you, Taicho."

"I would hope if you did it would not be an obligation, Nanao-chan. And might I say you look lovely this evening?"

Nanao tugged on the edge of her red dress. It was flattering without being flashy or particularly revealing, but it definitely clung in the right ways. She ignored his compliment. "How did you even know about this event?"

"Jyuu was invited by his sweet third seat," Shunsui said easily. She turned around to face him and gave him a once over. There was no denying he was an attractive man in black pants and a white button down. He'd forgone his usual pink and his hair was tied back with just a solid black band. If there wasn't an audience amassing she'd have reached out and touched the skin exposed by the undone buttons at the top of his shirt. Then again if there wasn't a crowd she'd probably do a lot more than that. She shook that thought away before her hand betrayed her. It was obnoxious how much he could affect her. "I was rather hoping you'd invite me, but then Ran-chan said you stole her fun and invited Hisagi-kun. While I appreciate helping a friend out, I can't say I wasn't disappointed."

"I'd never planned to invite you anyway," she said with a shrug.

"I've gone with you to SWA events before."

"That was then, this is now," she retorted looking around for Hisagi. She'd kill him if he was late. She really didn't want to be having this conversation, and if Hisagi wasn't coming she was going to go home.

Shunsui sighed. "So we'll never be able to just have fun together again because we're sleeping with one another?"

Nanao felt her neck pinch at how fast she turned back to hiss at him to be quiet. Looking around she didn't think anyone was close enough to have heard his low comment, but that wasn't a risk she was willing to take. "What is wrong with you?"

"No one heard. Just answer the question."

"We have plenty of fun," she said disdainfully shifting in her heels. Such impractical shoes, she should have worn flats.

"You know what I'm asking."

"Ise-san! Sorry I'm late." Nanao smiled as Hisagi jogged up to them.

"It's no problem," she said with a warm smile. He could be forgiven for being late when he had such impeccable timing. "I think we finally have everyone." She glanced around and added up the people in her head. "We should get going." Veering off she weaved through the small crowd to tell the kido corps members they could open the gate. The men got to it and Nanao watched as their group started to pile through. Unohana and Kyouraku led the way and she shifted her eyes when he tried to catch her gaze.

"Shall we?" Hisagi gave her a short bow as the last of the group went through the gate and offered her his arm with a cheeky smile. She laughed at his flattery and reached out to take it.

"I guess so."

"You look great tonight," Hisagi commented. "Dressing to impress little old me?"

"Oh, you know it," she said with a laugh, happy to move on to lighter topics and forget her conversation with Shunsui. "Think I'm going to get lucky tonight?"

"I don't think luck would have anything to do with it if you wanted to take someone home tonight."

"Flatterer. I knew I invited you for a reason."

"I thought the reason you invited me was to ruin Rangiku-chan's little game."

"Well that too," she agreed laughing.

"She'll get you back for that someday you know."

"Oh, she already knows it was me getting her back for pitching the whole stupid idea of this night out dancing. We're even now."

"What did you want to do instead?'

"I thought the money should go to the Academy's scholarship fund for women."

"Very responsible."

"I was clearly overruled. I don't even know why they bothered making me the Vice President when I'm obviously the only one who thinks we should actually help promote Shinigami women."

"I thought the SWA has given a lot of money back to the Academy and women's groups."

"We do, but it's mainly because I lie about the profits from most events, or the few rare times I can get the responsible members to vote my way. There was no way I was winning out on a living world outing though, and once Matsumoto-san brought up bringing dates it was over."

"Well for my selfish sake I'm pleased the vote went against you."

"The SMA doesn't afford for fun outings?" she asked with a smirk.

"Iba-san is still just trying to find enough funds for the club to even exist," he chuckled, "but I'm guessing you already knew that considering the way you like to torture him about it."

"He deserves it," she said with a shrug. "Who needs a Shinigami men's association? Just look around, all of the Seireitei is a men's club."

"Everyone was always surprised Ukitake Taicho couldn't convinced Kyouraku Taicho to join."

"Ukitake Taicho tried to convince him on Iba's behalf. I told Kyouraku Taicho that he was free to join if he wanted to, so don't look at me like that."

"But did you say it in the tone that implied he would die if he did so?"

"I have no idea what tone you're talking about. My Taicho is free to join any club he wishes." She was very aware of the tone and had most definitely used it when she'd overheard Ukitake trying to persuade him. Kyouraku had laughed and told Ukitake he nearly always avoided a battle when he could, and this would be one of those. Then he'd told her that since all his friends were busy with a club he wouldn't join he'd need company for the evening and wouldn't she accompany him to dinner? She'd acquiesced that time to give him some positive reinforcement for making the smart choice.

"You really are just as bad as him." They stepped out into the safe house in the living world and everyone started collecting their gigais.

"Excuse you," she huffed. "Iba-san and I are nothing alike."

"I meant you and Kyouraku Taicho."

Nanao snorted. "This should be good. Explain."

"You both control each other's lives without even thinking about it. He may have scared off the male populace with all his flirting and insinuations, but it goes both ways. Everyone knows Kyouraku Taicho doesn't make a move without you."

"Yeah, right."

"It's true. Even if he chooses to ignore it, everyone knows he'll at least take into account how you'll react."

"With work things, of course. He knows he'd be screwed if I transferred," she said as she pulled the gigai on. It was always an unusual sensation stepping into those bodies.

"With life things too," Hisagi countered. "I know you've dragged him home from bars before when we've all gotten out of hand, but you don't know how many times over the years he's left early because you needed something from him the next day or had seriously asked him not to stay out. I know more than a few pissed off females who were trying to bag a Taicho only to get shot down because of you. And the few times you have come out with us, when he's begged and pleaded, have any women been dumb enough to approach?"

"Sure they have," Nanao argued. She tried to think back over the years. She'd really only agreed to getting a drink with her Taicho and his friends a handful of times. The first couple times a few women had approached, but come to think of it, anytime in the last fifty or so years no one had tried anything with her Taicho when she was out with him. "So maybe not recently, but that doesn't mean anything."

"All I'm saying is that you have a lot of influence on his personal life too. I never had anything to do with Tousen's finances, or household help, or healer appointments. Kotetsu-san told me once you literally set his 4th appointments up, drag him in for them, wait in the waiting room while they happen, and then manage all his medical paperwork and any medication that needs to be administered."

Nanao blushed at that and felt her gigai's cheeks warm. Stupid contraption. "It's only because he wouldn't do it on his own."

"He did it for a few hundred years before you were his Fukutaicho."

"He did it poorly for a few hundred years before I was there," she defended.

"Nanao-san, you went shopping with him for his bedroom furniture two years ago when that 11th division fight got out of control and wrecked the side of his house and his room."

"So what? He'd have slept on the floor with the wall busted down if I'd let him." Besides she'd picked out an extremely comfortable bed that she'd been enjoying very much recently. Not that that had been her thought process at the time. At the time she just hadn't wanted him to get sick essentially sleeping outside in his bedroom and force her to not only nurse him better, but also deal with everything in the office.

"Nanao-san, I didn't even know Tousen's exact home address, and I'm guessing most of the Fukutaicho's wouldn't know their Taicho's either."

"That's only because the other Taichos actually show up to work."

Hisagi held up his hands in defeat. "You'll have an excuse for everything, and honestly I don't care what you do. I'm just saying there isn't one person in the Seireitei that thinks Kyouraku Taicho is a free agent."

She opened her mouth to argue, but Hisagi grabbed Renji's arm as he went to pass them with Rukia. "Renji, Kyouraku Taicho said there's a good strip club around the corner from the place we're going and that he can get our stay extended and we should head over later. Are you interested?"

Renji looked flustered as hell glancing between Hisagi, Nanao, and Rukia. For her part, Rukia looked like she was waiting to tear him a new one based on his answer. "Um, I think I'd rather not. Early day tomorrow, you know?"

"Tomorrow is Saturday," Hisagi countered with a grin.

"All the same, I think I'm good not going," Renji said looking relieved as Rukia relaxed next to him. Then he glanced at Nanao. "Are you really ok with him going, Nanao-san?"

"Hisagi-san is free to do whatever he wants."

"I meant Kyouraku Taicho."

Nanao wanted to scream in frustration and knock the smug smile off Hisagi's face. Instead she stilled her face and said coldly, "Kyouraku Taicho is also free to do whatever and whomever he wants." Rukia frowned and Nanao put an end to the conversation "Shall we go? Everyone is headed out."

The group started to move and Nanao ignored Kyouraku as he held the door open for everyone passing through. He probably would have made a comment of some kind if he didn't look so startled by Rukia's nasty glare.

They walked in silence to the club for a few minutes before Hisagi broke first. "Oh don't be so uptight about it," Hisagi said and Nanao continued to ignore him. "It's not that big of a deal. It just proved my point that everyone knows you have Kyouraku Taicho on a short leash."

"I said what?" Kyouraku yelped from behind them.

"I hope you enjoyed winning that fight, because that was a stupid lie to tell in front of Rukia-san," Nanao commented lightly glancing back to see Matsumoto at Kyouraku's side and him vigorously shaking his head no. "Gossip travels fast in the SWA."

"Oh man," Hisagi groaned as Kyouraku glanced over and glared at him. "How much trouble do you think I'm in?"

"Depends on if he thinks I believed what you said was true or not," she said calmly. "After all, as you just elegantly pointed out to me, he values my good opinion."

"This one's really going to bite me in the ass, huh? What am I going to owe you to keep him from killing me?"

She felt Kyouraku headed their way as they entered the club and gave Hisagi an evil little smile. "I'm not in any particular need right now, but a future favor might not go amiss." Hisagi groaned. Nanao was very good at collecting favors, and no one wanted to owe her. Her Taicho had taught her very young to never take a deal unless you knew the exact cost upfront, but other people had clearly not learned that lesson. She had a gift for getting out of the grunt work Fukutaichos had to take on due to a backlog of favors owed. "Of course, you could always try to explain yourself to Kyouraku Taicho."

"I've kept your secret," he argued. "I could tell everyone right now you're sleeping with him and I walked in on you in the office."

"Who would ever believe I'd do something as unprofessional as sleeping with my Taicho in the office?"

Hisagi growled under his breath and Kyouraku caught up to them as they made their way past the bouncer and into the club. "Fine, deal."

"Nanao-chan, Hisagi-kun," Kyouraku sang, although the second name was at a decidedly more threatening pitch. "May I have a word?"

"What is it Kyouraku Taicho?"

"Nanao-chan, I don't know what he told you, but I never had any plans to go to a strip club after this."

"First of all," she said making sure to keep her body between him and Hisagi just in case. It wouldn't do to lose a friend over something so stupid. "You may do whatever you like. Second of all, I am well aware you had no such plans. Hisagi-san made the whole thing up as an attempt to show Rukia-san what a good guy Abarai-san is." Kyouraku quirked an eyebrow at her and she elaborated. "Abarai-san is interested in Rukia-san, but so far she only sees him as a friend. Hisagi-san just wanted to give her another reason to think Abarai-san is a good man and he knew that Abarai-san would turn down the offer of a strip club."

"I see," Kyouraku said somewhat disbelieving. He didn't seem to care what the actual story behind the lie was though as long as she didn't think it was true. "I'm all for being a good wingman Hisagi-san, but perhaps next time only use your own name to make Abarai-kun look better."

"Yes, sir. Sorry about that, sir. I told Nanao-san it was a lie right away, sir."

"Glad that's sorted. Shall we?" Nanao gestured towards where the SWA and their guests were filing into couches and chairs surrounding two big tables. The club had seating on the upper floor and a few steps down to a large dance floor. Nanao could already feel a headache coming on from the loudness of the music. She didn't know how she got roped into these things. Maybe she could feign tiredness in an hour or two and escape home. Kyouraku pulled out a chair for her and she purposefully ignored it, sitting down next to Hisagi on the end of a couch.

A half hour later Nanao had almost finished off her second drink and was starting to feel more relaxed until Matsumoto declared it was time for dancing. She politely declined Hisagi as he was dragged with several others to the dance floor. Kyouraku stayed and Nanao tensed. "I think I'll go get another drink," she announced and fled the table.

Standing at the bar she quickly regretted her actions as she realized she'd moved away from any of the remaining people at the table and had opened herself up to a frontal attack with no gossiping ears to protect her from a discussion she didn't want to have. Nanao groaned internally as she felt Kyouraku's reiatsu weaving his way towards her through the crowded bar.

"Buy you a drink?"

Nanao glanced over at the man smiling hopefully at her and was pleasantly surprised. She'd expected to have to shoot down a creep. The man was clean-shaven with dark hair and eyes. She was about to politely tell him no when she felt Shunsui come up behind her. "You know what, I'd really rather dance if you're willing."

The man looked delighted. "Of course," he said offering his arm. "I'm Kenta by the way."

"Nanao," she offered up as they brushed past Shunsui.

"Very nice to meet you, Nanao-san."

Nanao spent the next hour dancing and drinking with Kenta, effectively avoiding her group and Shunsui. Kenta proved to be pleasant company and were the situation different she would have seriously considered going home with him that evening. He was attractive enough and sweeter than many of the men she'd gone to bed with in the past. Meanwhile Shunsui was probably regretting the years of dance classes he'd forced on the division. He always claimed it was to help their footwork for fighting, but Nanao was pretty sure it was an excuse to dance her around in front of their division as, according to him, it was only right that the Taicho and Fukutaicho got paired together for lessons. Him needing dance lessons was a joke if she'd ever heard one, as he'd been taught to dance since he was a young child and he'd had to put up with three solid months of her stepping on his toes before she'd started to get better. Now though, she was a pretty good dancer, and Kenta was keeping up admirably well.

Kenta excused himself to the bathroom and Nanao told him she'd be outside getting some air. She was overheated and the drinks were starting to seriously go to her head.

Stepping outside she gulped down some fresh evening air and wondered hazily how best to make her escape. She knew she was on the edge of very drunk and didn't particularly want to take that final leap. It seemed as good a time as any to head home.

"Alright, Nanao-chan?"

She whipped her head to the right and wondered if she was drunker than her previous assessment since she'd completely failed to notice Kyouraku and Ukitake standing out front of the club talking. Ukitake shook his head and clapped his friend on the shoulder before brushing past her and going back inside the bar with barely a nod of acknowledgement in her direction. Nanao frowned lightly. Ukitake had been unfailing polite to her whenever they'd interacted over the past couple months, but it'd lacked a certain warmth she'd become accustomed to from her Taicho's best friend.

"Did I do something to make him angry?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Shunsui said with a shrug. "He's frustrated with me, not you. Are you doing ok?"

"I'm fine," she said swaying lightly on her feet.

"You're drunk," he stated with a small sad smile.

"Barely," she defended crossing her arms. "I'll be sober in a moment."

He laughed slightly at that. "Of course, Nanao-chan. Maybe you should head home?"

"I'm fine. I could stay out all night." She didn't know why she said it. She'd been wanting to go home anyway, but something about his tone had reminded her of when he humored her and thought he knew better and it pissed her off. She was maybe too drunk for this conversation.

"Of course, Nanao-chan." He reached out as if to touch her cheek, but let his hand drop before he made contact. "Either way I think I'll be leaving shortly."

"Getting old?" she teased losing her defensive stance. She didn't think she'd ever outstayed him on a night out. Not that she particularly actually wanted to, but it'd prove that she could.

"Something like that. Nanao-chan," he paused and for a second he seemed torn between saying anything else. "Do you like the man you've been spending time with tonight?"

"Kenta-kun? He's very nice." She shifted and wondered where this was going. Was he going to get upset with her again? He really had no right. They hadn't agreed to anything other than sex, and she wasn't sleeping with Kenta. "I'd have gone to bed with him before we started this, but we promised we wouldn't while we sere still sleeping together. It was just dancing. I haven't forgotten if you're worried, Taicho."

"I'm not. I think you should sleep with him if you want."

Nanao started at that. "What? But we had an agreement."

"And I'm ending it," he said and she could read the sadness in his face. "Nanao-chan, we can't keep this up, or at least I can't. I want more than you can give, and it's unfair of me. I was hoping you'd come around, but that was ridiculous of me. You are who you are and I wouldn't love you if you weren't. I miss our friendship. I miss being able to just be with you. I love having sex with you, Nanao-chan, but I unfortunately love you more. I hate watching you take someone else to events and actively avoid me."

"I've always been upfront about what I wanted." She could feel her blood boiling. She hadn't misled him in anyway. Was he really going to end it now over a stupid SWA event? It was idiotic.

"I know, and I'm not mad, and none of this is your fault. I knew the terms when I agreed, and I thought I could handle them, but I can't. I've never been so happy and so miserable all at once, Nanao. I'm always going to want more from you if we're allowed those intimacies. That's why we have to go back to being just friends. I'm not saying it will be easy for me, but I won't mope about it or push you into anything you're uncomfortable with. Give me a couple weeks and it'll be like none of this happened. I promise. Although I will ask that you keep your liaisons private from me as you did before. It might be unfair, but I don't think I can stand to hear about them, not even as your friend."

Something lurched inside her chest as she realized he was serious. Perhaps she could turn his decision though. "That's silly. I'm sorry I didn't dance with you. I didn't realize it was such a big deal. Come on." She grabbed his hand and turned back to the door intent on tugging him inside and having one grudging dance with him. It's not like she hadn't at other events with the SWA. Usually by the end of the night she'd had enough of his puppy eyes and loud declarations of her cruelty and would let him take her out on to the dance floor. Tonight though it was different, there were no jokes or pleading, he just looked sad. She frowned when she tugged his hand again and he remained stationary. She turned around giving his hand another slight pull. "We'll go and dance. You don't have to play this game. We'll go dance and then we'll go home together."

"Nanao," he sighed and she ignored the lack of an affectionate suffix again. It was becoming increasingly clear this wasn't some stupid little game to get back at her for not dancing with him. "I can't go in there and pretend nothing is wrong. I can't hold you and not have you."

"There's nothing going on between me and Kenta-san. I wasn't going to sleep with him."

"This isn't about anyone else. I'm in love with you, and that's my problem to deal with, but I can't give you what you want anymore. If you care for me at all you must understand what a tough position I'm in."

Nanao dropped his hand. He was serious. "You don't love me."

His lips quirked up at that. "Nanao-chan, I don't think this is one of the things you get to decide. I do love you. But I can curb it. I can be friends with you if that's all you'll allow me, but I can't sleep with you at the same time."

"You're a man whore," she said venomously, and he flinched. "You've slept with tons of women and it's meant nothing. Everyone knows it. Why should I be any different?"

"It always means nothing until it doesn't," he said frustration leaking into his tone. "Trust me, if I could figure out how to sleep with you and not love you I would have done it. You're beautiful, and intelligent, and a man would have to be insane not to want you. I know all of these things. I wish you were another Lisa-chan, but you aren't."

Those words stung and felt oddly freeing all at once. They hurt because she'd always feared not being able to live up to her mentor's status, and at the same time they were liberating because it implied she was something more than Lisa had been to him. "Its just sex."

"It has never been just sex with you," he said finally touching her cheek and meeting her eyes. There was pain in his expression and she wanted to destroy it. She'd never meant to hurt him. She hated seeing him hurt.

"I thought it'd give us both what we wanted," she murmured.

His hands cupped her face and he gave her a sad smile. "It'll be fine, Nanao-chan. You'll see. It'll be back to normal in no time, and one day you'll find a man you truly love and you'll understand the difference." He kissed her then and she fisted her hands in his shirt, missing the haoris that gave her more leverage. She tried to follow his mouth as he pulled back from her all too soon. "You deserve to fall in love Nanao-chan, even if it isn't with me. Give me some time and it will be like this never happened."

Her chest ached at the thought. She didn't want to pretend it never happened. She might not be his best friend, but he was certainly hers. How had she made such a mess of their friendship? "Shunsui, I'll invite you to the next event, I swear. I didn't know it meant so much to you."

He sighed and dropped his hands from her. "No, Nanao, you won't. You're not that cruel. If you can't love me, you'll let me go."

"You're ancient, you must have thought you've been in love before," she accused getting frustrated and lashing out again. He couldn't love her. She hadn't been this emotionally unraveled since Lisa went missing it seemed. "And it clearly didn't last, so why is it so important? Why can't we just be friends with benefits and that be enough?"

"I have fallen in love before," he admitted. "And it's always ended poorly. It's why Jyuu is so upset at me. He tends to see it coming before I do. But I'm not going to lose you that way and just because it's ended badly in the past doesn't mean you should give up trying. That's why it has to end here. I can still recover from here. We can still recover from here."

"What did I do so wrong tonight?" She fought back unbidden tears with sheer force of will.

"You did nothing wrong, it just made me understand things more clearly. It forced me to decide what I really want. I'm not willing to sacrifice our friendship for a warm cunt," he said crudely. "I can find that anywhere, but I can't find another you anywhere. It ends tonight. Sleep with the boy if you need a rebound, Nanao. I'm not going to get in the way. I'm sure he can fulfill whatever it is you need. I'll see you in the office on Monday."

He turned on his heel and walked away from her and Nanao stood in shock. She'd seen him be cutting before. Everyone thought he was so easy going and kind, but she knew that was just because that was how he wanted to be seen. It was easier to find people's weaknesses if they were relaxed around you. When he aimed to hurt he never missed. It had just never been aimed at her before. He'd been upset and disappointed with her in the past, but never intentionally nasty to her. Logically she knew he was doing it because he knew she would react badly and not follow him. He probably thought it was the quickest way to get a clean break and easier for both of them. In fact her first instinct was to curse at him inside her head and sleep with Kenta just to prove how much what he said didn't matter to her, which he probably also knew would be her reaction. She'd never handled emotional stress that well. Work stress was easy to compartmentalize, but emotional stress always made her do something stupid. It's why she avoided it at all costs. Holy hell, she wished she were less drunk right now.

"Nanao-san?" She turned around to see Kenta approaching her. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," she said dazed. He smiled at her uncertainly and he really was handsome. "We should get out of here. Let me tell my friends I'm leaving."

He looked surprised but nodded his agreement and held the door before following her back into the overheated club. She made her way back over to the table finding it occupied by Ukitake, Hisagi, Matsumoto, Kuchiki, and Abarai.

"Oh, Nanao-chan," Masumoto sang. "Do you know where Shunsui-kun got off too? I just ordered more sake on his tab."

"He went home I think," she said trying to ignore Ukitake's hard stare.

"Pity," Matsumoto said with a pout. "Oh well, he left his tab open, more for us!"

"As long as it's his and not the 8th's," Nanao spat annoyed and Matsumoto blinked at the venom in her voice. The idiot couldn't even be trusted to remember to close his own tab. Why in the world was she upset about that moron walking away from her? He was more bother than he was worth. "Kenta-kun and I are leaving. I just wanted to tell you so you weren't looking for me." She slipped her arm through Kenta's and pretended not to notice the shocked looks on the table's occupants' faces. Ise Nanao did not leave bars drunk with random men. At least not the Ise Nanao she'd ever let them see. Good, she hoped they gossiped about it and Ukitake ran straight back to Kyouraku. She was just doing as her commanding officer had suggested after all. "Well, bye then." She tugged Kenta's arm and dragged him out of the club behind her.

They got about two blocks away before he spoke up. "So I actually live in the other direction."

"Oh," she said dropping his arm. "Sorry." She really hadn't been thinking. She just knew she needed to get away from the club.

"Do you want to grab a coffee?" he asked jerking his finger to a nearby diner.

"Maybe that would be best," she conceded. Despite it all she had no desire to sleep with him. They made their way inside and ordered two coffees when the waitress came by.

"So is that guy an ex? Or something more current?" Kenta asked after a few moments of silence.

Nanao sighed, there was no point pretending she didn't know who he was talking about. "We're just friends."

"Didn't seem that way to me, considering how riled you both looked when I came outside at the end of your conversation and the way he was glaring at me all night. Your friends also seemed surprised you were leaving with me."

Nanao debated lying, but honestly what did it matter? She'd probably never see Kenta again and he didn't know anyone from Soul Society to gossip to. "We've been friends with benefits for a few months."

Kenta snorted. "Well that would explain that. His idea or yours?"

"Mine."

"And who wants out?"

"He does," she admitted. "Said he was in love with me, which isn't true."

"Why isn't it true?"

"He can't possibly love me. He's a flirt and a notorious skirt chaser. He's had many open relationships over the years."

"Did it ever occur to you that he might have been that way because he wasn't in love yet? I mean I don't know the situation, but just knowing you for a few hours I don't know many men who would willingly stop sleeping with a beautiful woman like you with no strings attached unless they were in love with someone. In fact I think most men would kill for the opportunity."

Nanao blushed at that and stared down at her coffee. "I'm not looking for love. It makes everything too complicated."

"Because the current situation is easy?"

She sighed and wished again she could sober up faster and get her wits back. Instead honesty she hadn't even really let fully form in her own secret thoughts burbled over. "If I fall in love with him its over. We either don't work out and everything goes to hell, or we do work out and we get married and have children and my whole life is already written."

"And that'd be a terrible future?"

"I'm just not ready for it with anyone. He's older than me. It's not fair that he's gotten to play around for centuries, of course he's sure of what he wants, he's had time to try everything." Kenta raised an eyebrow at the centuries comment, but seemed to let it go.

"Well then it's probably better to end it. How hard could it be? I had a friend I slept with once. We just avoided each other for a few months after and then one day it wasn't such a big deal and we moved on and we're good friends again."

"Did I mention he's my boss?"

Kenta gave a low whistle at that. "You don't do things by half do you?"

"I'm sorry, this probably wasn't how you wanted your evening to go. Talking to a total stranger about their relationship or lack there of."

Kenta shrugged. "I don't mind so much. My roommate already took a girl home so hopefully they're passed out by the time I get there and I won't have to hear anything through the wall. Do you mind terribly if I lie and say I got lucky?"

Nanao smiled at that. It's not like she had a reputation to protect here. Besides that's what she'd wanted her friends to think too when she'd dragged him out of there. It was only fair. "Feel free."

"Will he fire you?"

"Oh, of course not," she said. She'd honestly never worried about that. "He said he'd find a way to be just friends again and I believe him."

"Not even to get back at you?"

"He's not petty like that." Well he could be, but he generally tried to control that tendency. If he took any action like that it'd be bringing whatever new woman he was sleeping with around in an attempt to make her jealous. The fact that just the thought of it did make her jealous and hurt was neither here nor there.

"Well then it sounds like the problem is solved."

"How so?"

"I mean if it hurts him to be in a sex only relationship with you it obviously can't continue, and if you have no intention of ever being in a serious relationship with him then you can't change it. The only real option is to either stop fraternizing all together, which seems impossible with your jobs or to go back to being just friends and forgetting about it. He's just pulling the plug sooner so it's less painful."

Nanao sighed. He wasn't wrong, but if she'd known two days ago that that was the last time she'd get to have sex with Shunsui they'd certainly have gotten less sleep and she would have requested a lot more things. She was going to miss that talented mouth, hell she was going to miss his talented everything. She pushed the thought away that she was going to miss just him most of all. "Of all the stupid things to make him do it. I should have just danced with him tonight."

Kenta smiled at that. "Sorry I added to the problem.

She shook her head. "No, I was trying to avoid him. If it hadn't been you it would have been someone else."

"Ouch."

"Sorry, I'm terrible company tonight."

"Do you need me to walk you home?" Kenta asked gesturing at their empty mugs. "Or another cup of coffee?"

"I'm fine," she said with a small smile thinking of him walking her home to Soul Society. Not that he'd be able to see the gate, but he'd be plenty freaked out when her gigai 'dropped dead.' It'd be an interesting urban legend to start if nothing else. "Thank you for the coffee and the listening ear."

They parted ways and Nanao made it back to the safe house noticing all the other gigais had been returned and she was the last to go home. She wondered what rumors were flying when the others had noticed she still hadn't gone back. Well, she was sure to hear them sooner or later. She sighed and started the lonely journey home.

A/N: First of all thank you all for the reviews helping me through the past week. I literally woke up in the middle of the night to read some and was like, "I'm not alone!" But now I'm still not sure what to do with the last chapter. Spoilers clearly if you aren't caught up to 651 (i.e. stop reading if you hate spoilers).

I've seen all the arguments for and against her actually being his blood niece, and I'm hoping that him being a kid when he Nanao's mom was married to his brother and the time lapse between that and Nanao being a kid proves she's not his niece. I also instantly read her lines at the end as a confession especially with the close up of the smile, but then I read an argument that it was just her saying love (whenever she fell into it) would counteract the curse - not necessarily a confession to him directly. Going back, I can read the scene either way and I'm not sure what Kubo intended. I really wish Kubo had just been like "and many years later when your mother had you I made a promise" and settled that shit. Like how ok is Japan with incest? Because frankly there was a whole omake where he tried to see her boob.

Urgh. I'm honestly still not sure what to do with all my feelings. Hope everyone else is managing better than me considering I literally couldn't work this morning and spent the first two hours obsessively reading everyone's reactions. Someone posted a gif of Nick Fury's quote from the Avengers movie on one of the boards and for now I'm going to have to agree if it is incest – "I recognize the Council has made a decision. But given that it's a stupid ass decision, I've elected to ignore it." Guess that means I'm finishing this story even if there is incest and declaring cannon AU in my head. Let me know what you all think of the Bleach chapter and my story chapter and sorry for the long author's note. #ShippersUnite