Tsukimori enjoyed a night of celebrations with her friends, but it was well into the earliest hours of the morning. Most everyone else had gone home already, but a few stayed to keep drinking. By the time she and Shuhei left, Rangiku had gotten her drunk to the point of passing out and Shuhei had to carry her back to the barracks. Renji helped get her onto his back and he carried her off into the night, hoping that the fresh air would help her sober up. Then again, he was hoping the same would work for him as drunk as he was.

Somewhere along the way, Tsukimori stirred and found herself being carried on Shuhei's back. She smiled and leaned forward. "What's this now? Did my knight in shining armor come to my rescue again?"

Shuhei blushed- and not from the alcohol- when her warm breath tickled his ear. He glanced back at her and smiled. "Someone had to, otherwise Rangiku would have kept you there all weekend."

Tsukimori smiled at that, then it faded a bit and she asked, "What is she to you, Shu?"

Shuhei stopped, taken aback by her question. "What do you mean?"

Tsukimori slid down from his back, sober enough to walk on her own. "Do you have feelings for her?"

"Tsuki..."

Tsukimori sighed, rubbing her brow for a moment before shaking her head. "What am I saying... it's none of my business." She walked passed him, her hands clasped in front of her. 'What am I thinking... I was gone for ten years and before that I completely shut everyone out after Yoshirou died. When could he have ever had the time to have feelings for me..?'

"Tsuki, wait, it's not like that." Shuhei said, stopping her.

"I saw her hanging all over you, Shu." She turned to face him, tears brimming her eyes. "What else am I supposed to think? I've seen how you look at her and it's never changed once."

Shuhei looked down at her, his chest tight. "It's not like that..."

"I'm so stupid..." Tsukimori shook her head and laughed in defeat. "So stupid to think that maybe, just maybe, you would like at me the way you look at her, that you would feel the same way about me as I do about you..."

"Tsuki..."

"Forget I said anything, Shu." She turned away, offering an apology before disappearing.

Shuhei stood alone in the streets, knowing he screwed up. He just couldn't think of anything to say to make her understand. Sighing, he made his way back to the barracks and headed towards his room. He stopped when he saw that Tsukimori's light was on, but when he knocked on her door the light shut off and no answer came. Defeated, he went to his room and shut the door, his back to the door as he slid onto the floor with his head in his hands. He knew he needed to fix this somehow, but there was nothing he could until they had both gotten some sleep and sobered up.

The following morning, Tsukimori woke to a knock at her door.

"Tsuki? It's Toshiyuki."

Tsukimori got up and opened the door. "What is it?"

"I have a message for you from Lieutenant Hinamori." He said, handing her to note. "Are you alright?"

Tsukimori read through the note, seeing that Momo wanted to have brunch with her and would wait for her at the west gate into town. "Ya... I'm fine..." She looked up at Toshiyuki and offered a weary smile. "Thanks for bringing this, Toshiyuki."

"Of course, Tsuki." He turned to leave, but then stopped and looked at her adding, "If you need anything, even to talk, I'm always here for you."

Tsukimori nodded, thanking him once more before closing the door and hopping into the shower.

Out in the barracks, just down the hall, Shuhei had returned from his walk and bumped into Toshiyuki. Knowing that he and Tsukimori were good friends and she turned to him for nearly everything, he asked if he had seen her yet. His heart sank when Toshiyuki said that he had, but he was worried because it looked like she had cried herself to sleep. He thanked him and made his way to Tsukimori's room, but he hesitated knocking on her door and decided that it would be best not to. Instead, he hurried to find someone he could talk to, someone who knew how to fix things with Tsukimori.

Tsukimori found Momo waiting for her and tried to put on a happy face for her. They walked through town to their favorite brunch spot and sat down at one of the tables.

"Is everything alright, Tsuki?"

Tsukimori sighed. "I don't know, Momo."

Momo scooted closer to her and put her arm through Tsukimori's. "Why don't you tell me what's going on."

Shuhei found Renji and Izuru lounging near the river and asked to join them.

"Everything OK, Shuhei?"

"I don't know. I screwed up last night."

Renji and Izuru looked at each other, then sat up and gave Shuhei their full attention.

"What happened?"

Tsukimori and Shuhei explained the events of the night before, how Tsukimori had asked how Shuhei felt about Rangiku and felt stupid for thinking he could feel anything for her. Momo, Renji, and Izuru all knew that this might happen, but they were disappointed that it didn't go better.

Momo had asked Tsukimori exactly what she felt for Shuhei, not surprised to hear that she cared for him a great deal more than just friends.

Renji and Izuru had asked Shuhei what he felt towards Rangiku and then what he felt towards Tsukimori, not surprised that he had at one point had a crush on Rangiku but was beginning to have feelings for Tsukimori instead and just didn't know how to tell her.

Momo suggested that Tsukimori take some time away from Shuhei if she could to sort through her thoughts and feelings while Renji and Izuru suggested that Shuhei find Tsukimori and fix things with her, tell her how he feel about her. Either way though, neither one of them was ready to face each other yet.