Luckily I had enough time this morning to post this so enjoy.

Act 4.1

"Hello. Where is everyone?"

They had shunpo'd into the division and found it barren. No one was around. It was like a ghost town as Shunsui guided his visually impaired vice captain.

"O, well. Welcome my sweet little Nanao!"

"Ise…" she too tired, hungry and dejected to argue further.

"Sorry, no welcome party. Probably out celebrating," he said as helped her up the path and into the main building through a long corridor.

"You mean getting drunk," she replied quietly.

"Come, we'll have something to eat," he dragged her into a room to the side of the corridor which from the various blurs revealed a kitchen.

"That would be nice." It would be more than nice. She was starving.

He let her go and moved to something very large and lifted it's cover.

"Mmm, All we have is tomato soup."

"O"

"You do not like Tomato soup?"

"No, it's not that. I'm allergic to tomatoes."

"O. Well there is nothing else so we can wait till morning, it'll be fine."

"Please don't fast on my account captain. I would rather get changed into my uniform," she was getting cold wearing the damp and muddy clothes.

"Ah, well, there's a problem."

"Problem? What problem?" she felt queasy again.

"I forget to order your uniform. You have to wear what you have on at the moment… or I could lend you some of my own clothes."

"WHAT!" she actually had to continue wearing her dirty academy uniform, this was unbelievable.

"But you look lovely in your muddy shihakusho," this was all a joke to him and she really wanted to hit him now.

"I--I--" she tried to draw on the right thing to say but came up blank.

"Let me show you your personal quarters," she was unsure whether to be thankful or be worried. "It's just down here," he took up her arm again and led her from the kitchen down the corridor, "this way. Wait no!" stopping and pulling her down another corridor. "Here they are… O…"

Though her vision was impaired she could enough why he said 'O'. The room was stacked high with boxes.

"This is my room?" she asked hoping he had made a mistake.

"Yes well. There was suppose to be someone to be someone here to clear the place but they must have been in a rush to go out. At least they put out a futon."

She could just about see the futon he was speaking of right against the entrance to the room.

"Well, I suppose that's one good thing," she had to look on the bright side and so far that was the only bright side for the whole day.

"Come and have a drink with me."

"Thank you for the invitation Captain Kyōraku--"

"Shunsui, please."

"- - but I'm very tired. Would you mind if I just go to sleep?" she continued

"Fine, fine. Sweet Dreams my little Nanao," he let go of her arm and disappeared down one of the corridors.

"Ise," she lamely said as she entered the crammed room and shut the door. She didn't bother removing her uniform just in case her captain decided to check up on her so she uncomfortable crawled under the sheets of the futon. At least she could get some rest.

She felt cold, wet, hungry and tired. Exhausted, she stirred from her slumber by loud talking and laughter. After a few minutes of the noise increasing, she couldn't take it any longer. She rolled off the futon, opened the sliding screen door and looked both ways. From her blurred vision she saw no one. She listened careful to the noise. She could tell that one of the voices was definitely her captain but couldn't make out the quieter voice. She listened carefully and deciding which direction the voices were coming from, tentatively edged her way through the corridors.

Shunsui looked up as her heard the quiet fumble and shuffle of someone approaching. His fell up on his vice captain who waked bare foot towards him. Her hair cascaded loosely from the clasp which usually held it so tightly in place but was now slipping. She had her eyes closed but used her hands and feet to guide her path. Her cheeks were flushed which he realised was because she had been asleep. He smiled as she suddenly stopped aware of his presence.

"Ah my lovely new vice captain is awake," he rose up from where he sat on the porch outside his office. "Here let me help you," coming up beside her, he held out his arm.

Hesitantly she took his arm, "thank you captain."

He led her towards a large platform strewn with cushions and partially lit by the light casting from a room. Gently he guided her down to sit on one of the cushions.

"How are you Vice Captain Ise?"

"Captain Ukitake?" she had forgotten there was someone else with her captain and now it made sense it would be his close friend.

"Yes?" he sounded confused.

"I'm sorry. I've mislaid my spectacles," she explained.

"O, I see."

"I see you know each other," Shunsui said happily taking a seat close to her.

"We spoke while you were delayed this afternoon," Jūshirō revealed.

"Ah. It's nice to have my two favourite people, friends with each other."

Nanao was unable to catch the yawn that escaped from her lips.

"Ise, you are tired. You should go back to sleep," Jūshirō said gently.

"No no.. She's fine. She wants to join our company," Shunsui protested and received an accosting look from his friend.

"Yes. If it's no trouble, I would like to sit here for a while." She wasn't sure why she said she would stay. She should have gone back to sleep but maybe Shunsui was right. Maybe she did want their company. But her body protested again this time with grumbles and rumbling from her stomach protesting against her hunger.

It was a shock to hear her stomach growl so much. He felt the guilt he had felt earlier when he had left her to sleep come back ten fold. Then he saw the furious blush spread across her soft cheeks.

"Your stomach seems to be trying to tell us something," Jūshirō amused.

"No no. It's nothing," she replied quietly. She felt exhaustion hit her again. She wanted to go to sleep. But then her stomach grumbled once again. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry my little Nanao? Jūshirō was enough to bring the extra tempura his 4ths make." Though he sounded cheerful as he said this to her, his friend could hear the worry in his voice, saw his brows furrow and his hands quiver for a moment as he decided what to do.

"They are a competitive pair which means I end up with a double helping. Here," he took the bento box with chopsticks and passed it other to her.

She took it and gave a bow. But as she took up the chopsticks her hands began to tremble. Embarrassed by the action she swiftly replaced the utensils and stuffed her hands in her lap. Her action did not go unnoticed.

"No, it's okay. Thank you very much," she closed her eyes but through tiredness she couldn't open them again.

She felt warmth radiate at her said. "Don't be silly Nanao."

"No sir. I can wait," her stomach grumbled once again.

"Your stomach says you can't," taking up the chopsticks he grabbed some of the tempura and lifted it up to her lips, "open up." She didn't move. "Nanao! Do I have to make it an order," reluctantly she opened her mouth. She delicately munched on the crispy battered vegetable as he readied another piece.

"Thank you sir," she quietly said before munching on another piece.

Jūshirō watched admiringly at the pair while he drank his tea.

"It's my pleasure, Nanao."

The resistance she had put up against Shunsui had almost disappeared as he assisted her. He, himself, was almost back to his usual caring and kind self which pleased Jūshirō the most. He hated to see his dear close friend act in such crude ways which lost him respect.

As Shunsui continued to feed his vice captain he felt gradual pressure on his arm. He moved his arm allowing the pressure to momentarily rest on his chest. He laced his arm round to her waist pulling her in a little more but with a little shake.

"Nanao! Stay awake."

She stirred for a moment allowing more tempura to enter her month but sleepily chewed on the piece. She stopped chewing after a while, resting her head on his chest. Her breathing was low and steady, grazing the hair on his chest.

"Nanao, Nanao," he gently called to her but she was into a deep sleep now.

"Shunsui, you have gone too far. She looks and must feel terrible," Jūshirō berated his friend.

"I know," he looked down at the sleep form. A stray strand of hair slipped from behind her ear and tickled her noise for a second until he brushed it back behind her ear. He stroked her hair, running his hand down till his thumb trailed her jaw line. "The worst is over," he said.

He looked across to his friend. Jūshirō was stunned by the look his friend showed. He had never seen that look before and wasn't sure how to describe it. There was a smile but it smothered with hurt and guilt. And… possible something else.

With one swift tender, he lowered and turned her, slipped one arm under her knees and the other behind her shoulders. Holding her firmly to his chest he rose from the cushions his pink sake stained haori billowed behind him as he vanished down one of the corridors.

A/N: Just when you think he's a complte arsehole... he did something sweet...