"What are you doing?" Nanao asked him from the doorway of his room.

He pulled his face out of where he'd been digging through the back of his closet and smiled at her as he looked her over. She'd gone home after a thorough cleaning to his house and changed into a dark purple yukata that she hadn't brought with her. She looked lovely.

"I'm looking for that blue haori my mother bought me forever ago."

"Why?" she asked arching an eyebrow.

"I figured I'd try to look presentable for your family," he admitted with a shrug. If he was going to take part in this charade he might as well do it to the best of his abilities. He also thought it'd be quite a bit of fun to make her ex-fiancée jealous. He knew he wasn't a modest man, but he did believe he had an accurate gauge on his own attractiveness, and whatever this guy brought to the table he could compete.

She sighed. "Wear the normal pink one. I really don't care what they think of you. Also I believe you cut that blue one up for a costume for that play you had the division members put on for my 125th birthday."

He laughed at that memory. "I'd almost forgotten that play."

"I certainly didn't," she growled picking his normal pink haori off the bed and throwing it at his face.

"I knew you enjoyed it!"

"Sir, I simply remember being embarrassed when the division member playing me turned into a weepy mess at the sight of a hollow and your character swept in to save her before they made out and then fell off the stage."

"Hindsight, I shouldn't have let them drink before the production," he said warmly, slipping his arms into the haori. His division was nothing if not exuberant.

"Hindsight, you shouldn't have put that ridiculous show together at all."

"Hey, it was a masterpiece. And the division members who played us are married now," he defended with a grin. She was so easy and fun to rile. "So how do I look?"

"You look like you always look," she said simply, rolling her eyes at his bare feet.

"That good, huh?" he teased. There was a knock at his door and everything about her instantly tensed up. At least no matter how mad he'd made her in the past he'd never elicited this reaction from her. "It'll be fine, Nanao-chan," he comforted putting his hand on her lower back and guiding her back to the front door. It was a sign of how badly her family threw her off balance that she didn't push him away. "Ready?"

She nodded but looked more upset than she usually did when he blew the budget. He couldn't hold it back and he laughed. Nanao glared up at him and he leaned down and kissed her quickly pulling back before she could shove him or berate him. "I did warn you about that look," he said with a wink before tugging the door open to greet her family and cutting off any verbal attack before she could launch it.

Nanao's parents were much as he imagined they would be. Her mother prim and proper and her father a nicely dressed older gentleman. Her mother greeted them formally while her father eyed him critically. Shunsui shrugged off the instant judgment; he'd had enough people in his life look at him disapprovingly to care too much and he had a talent for winning over even the harshest critic. If he was honest with himself he was more interested in seeing the man Nanao had been willing to marry and the sister who had stolen him away. Shunsui went along with the formal greetings and played along as Nanao made small pleasantries with her parents, but his eyes strayed to the couple standing respectfully behind her parents.

The girl had Nanao's dark long hair, but deep brown eyes where Nanao's were such a stunning shade of indigo. He supposed he could see where people would think her sister was the more beautiful of the two. She was delicate with her long hair bound in an elaborate style and deep red lips. The girl looked soft and helpless. She didn't have the frown lines that Nanao often sported, the defensive glasses, or the strict posture and crisp mannerisms her sister displayed, but Shunsui wasn't being kind when he decided he preferred Nanao's looks of the two. The girl in front of him was a gorgeous hothouse flower meant to be looked at and handled delicately when necessary, his Nanao-chan was as beautiful and harsh as the kido she wielded. She was awe, wonder, and dangerous heat. He'd take that over a fleeting exotic bloom any day.

His curiosity moved on to the man standing next to Nanao's sister. To be honest, the man was good looking. He was everything Shunsui was not. Blonde, blue eyed, clean-shaven, and groomed to the nines. Intelligent eyes met his, and Shunsui quirked an eyebrow at the man. He had no shame in being caught staring. They were broken out of their staring match as Nanao led them through the obligatory introductions. They all bowed at the right moments and Nanao moved back into the house telling the carriage driver where to take the luggage down the hall.

"Kyouraku-san," Nanao's mother said moving closer to him. "It's so kind of you to host us for the week."

"Nanao-chan's family is my family," he said with a shrug and knew he'd said the wrong thing when the woman's eyes lit up with that gleam people often got when they found out he was noble or wealthy.

"That is so good to hear," her mother said flatteringly. "You don't know how we worry about her being looked after in the Gotei 13."

"Nanao-chan tends to look after herself just fine," he said with an appeasing smile, "But I'm happy to pitch in where I can."

"From your reputation, sounds like you'll always pitch in where a pretty girl is concerned," Hachiro said softly. His tone was polite, but his eyes were hard. Shunsui could understand Nanao's dad hating him, but he wasn't sure what he'd done to piss off her brother-in-law.

"It's true," Shunsui said easily. "I've never turned down a damsel in distress. Are you implying it's better to turn a blind eye when a lady is in trouble?"

"Of course he isn't," Nanao snapped rejoining the conversation. Her mother glared at her and Shunsui felt Nanao's tension raise another notch through her reiatsu.

"Nanao, tone," her mother reprimanded sharply. Shunsui had to stifle a laugh at the hypocritical nature of the criticism, but he didn't find it nearly as funny when he noticed how Nanao wilted under the comment. Nanao didn't wilt for anything, she fought tooth and nail even when she knew she'd lose. Her family had been here less than ten minutes and he already wanted to sweep her out of their presence.

"It's fine, Ise-san," he said pacifyingly. "I've been known to get out of line. If it weren't for Nanao-chan's quick and accurate admonishments I'd be dead or arrested by now. She always knocks the sense into me." He reached for her hand and tugged her into his side. Nanao flushed prettily and he could tell she was struggling against her first reaction to ram her elbow into his ribs. All the same some of the tension dissipated and his purpose was served.

"Yes, well, you all must be hungry," Nanao said trying to discreetly dislodge his arm from where it had settled around her waist. "We could go to the 1st district?"

"I simply can't travel another foot," her mother said with a sniff. "Just have the cooks put something together, would you darling? We'll settle in until it's ready."

"We don't have cooks.".

"Well then how do you eat, dear?" her mother asked looking put out. "Certainly not with your abominable cooking skills."

"Haruka, surly you are alright to make one more short trip," Nanao's father tried to intervene.

"I don't see why we should have to, shouldn't they have help?" Nanao's mother argued.

"It's fine," Shunsui said stopping the argument before it could get bigger. "I can make dinner for everyone. Nanao-chan can show you the guest rooms and the bath if you want to relax before dinner."

"You don't have to do that," Nanao said instantly, looking up at him with big horrified eyes. His Nanao-chan was not used to making anyone go out of their way for her.

"You know I never do things I have to do, just things I want to," he said with a quick grin. "Really, it's fine."

"Kyouraku-san, you really should hire some help," Haruka advised gently. "I know my daughter isn't any help in the kitchen, but you shouldn't have to be forced to cook because of that."

"Honestly, I enjoy cooking." He glanced at Nanao and wondered if she would snap if she held herself any more rigidly. Shunsui hadn't seen her this upset since the Soutaicho had reprimanded them for the whole Kuchiki fiasco. No wonder she usually burned her mother's letters. He touched her hand softly and she turned to him slightly startled. "Why don't you show your family around and then you can help me in the kitchen?"

Nanao opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by her mother. "Just as long as you don't actually let her cook. She burns everything, even rice."

"You must be tired, mother," Nanao said frostily. "Why don't I take you all to your rooms now."

"Yes, yes, dear," Haruka said seemingly unaware of how much she'd upset her daughter, though how she could be so oblivious Shunsui wasn't sure. "And you must show Katsumi-chan and I those lovely bath that Kyouraku-san mentioned."

Shunsui let them all file past him and received one more cold look from Hachiro who kept a hand on his wife's back to guide her down the hallway as if someone was going to reach out and try to attack them. Shunsui just shook his head and went into the kitchen hoping he had enough food in the house to make a decent dinner. He grabbed ingredients as he mused on Nanao's family. So far he was just grateful she'd been sent to the academy as young as she was. Who knew how she would have turned out under her mother's constant berating, probably as meek and silent as her sister. Really if that was what her ex-fiancé had wanted in a woman then Nanao-chan had dodged a bullet, although he was wise enough to never say that to her face.

Shunsui poured a glass of wine and set it on the counter turning back to the ingredients and trying to decide what to make. He figured from her mother something more traditional was a safe bet, although he was contemplating making something more modern just to throw the woman off. Considering he wasn't actually dating their daughter, he didn't have any real reason to make a good impression on them other than Nanao's sanity.

"I'm going to kill myself before the week is done," Nanao said coming into the kitchen behind him. Traditional it was.

"Don't you dare," he said grinning as he turned to her. "I'm earning two whole weeks of paperwork freedom, so you aren't allowed to kill yourself."

"She didn't like the color of the room, Taicho. We had to switch my parent's and my sister's luggage and then she made me change all the sheets although I assured her we had done it before she got here."

"Nanao-chan, breathe," he said with a laugh. "And it's Shunsui." She rolled her eyes and he planted his hands on her waist and quickly picked her up and deposited her on the end of the counter. Turning back to the wine glass he poured earlier he held it out to her.

"I don't drink." She crossed her arms and frowned at him.

"You do too."

"Fine, I don't generally drink around you," she corrected.

"Worried you might try to take advantage of me?" he asked setting the glass down next to her.

She snorted, but picked up the glass all the same. "Now my mother will just complain I've become a drunken lush."

"But you'll be a happy drunken lush," he teased. "Now just sit there and look pretty while I put dinner together."

"Thank you," she said after a moment. "For doing this. It's above and beyond what I asked of you."

"It really isn't a big deal. I enjoy cooking." He turned back to the ingredients and set to work.

"Still I thought I'd be able to get them to eat out."

"Keep me company and we'll consider it a fair exchange."

"You pick the topic," she said taking another sip of her wine. It was a game they had started ages ago when one of them had to do a task they didn't like, given it was usually him that was being forced into doing something. Whoever was being forced into the undesired task got to pick the topic of conversation and the other person had to answer honestly when asked questions. Nanao had been last to pick a topic as Shunsui had made her attend a dinner with his family and some of the higher nobles. He'd feared it was going to be dreadfully boring and snooty, hence why he'd dragged her along, and he'd been one hundred percent correct, so he'd given her a topic choice on the way out to the dinner. She'd picked his relationship with his brother, which he rarely spoke about. It wasn't that they didn't care for each other, but they just had very little in common beyond their blood. He supposed seeing her sister he now knew why she was so interested. The two couldn't be further apart unless the girl was suddenly going to surprise him and open up. Although he supposed other people saw Nanao the way he viewed her sister. Quiet, withdrawn, and pretty. Perhaps Katsumi was just as ferocious deep down as Nanao-chan, but somehow he got the feeling she was not.

"You know what I'm going to pick."

"There's nothing else to say about Hachiro-san."

"Oh come on! He looks so boring. What did you want with him?"

"If you haven't noticed, Taicho, I am often also described as boring."

He waved that comment off. "Only by people who don't know anything about you."

"And the same couldn't possibly apply to him?"

"Does it?"

She sighed and shifted on the counter looking down at her wine. "I'm sure you would find him very boring, sir." He made a small noise at her and she grumbled. "Shunsui."

"Better."

"But he's really very kind and polite. We had similar taste in music, food, and literature. I thought I could be content being his wife. He would have made a good husband. Well, I suppose he did, just not for me."

"You liked him enough to quit your job?" Shunsui was making a leap, but he didn't think a man like that would be ok with his wife working, especially not as a soldier, and the way she'd said content made him think she'd contemplated giving something up.

She took another large sip of the wine and looked away from him. "It wasn't the plan at the start. I thought he'd be another awful set up, but it didn't turn out that way. He even claimed not to mind my job, but once actual marriage negotiations started he made it clear he wanted a wife who would help him manage the home and his family's business as well as have children. I didn't have time for all that with the Gotei 13 and honestly it didn't seem like it would be that much of a change. One set of paperwork for another, you know? And I did want kids. I put off the decision for a while all the same. I guess I waited too long because by the time I told him I would do it he broke it off with me. Guess you lucked out."

Shunsui wiped his hands on a towel and gently raised her chin so she had to look at him. "You are more than paperwork to me. You know that, right? That's not why I would have missed you."

She gave him a soft smile. "I know that, idiot. And you'd have survived without me just fine too. It's not like we would have had to stop being friends just because I got married."

"Oh, I have a very strict no married friends rule," Shunsui joked going back to the food. "They suck the fun out of everything. Why do you think Jyuu is still a bachelor? He just loves me too much to give me up for some woman."

She snorted at that and he was glad to feel the atmosphere lift a little. "Poor Ukitake Taicho. I should set him up with someone."

"He'd turn you down. I'm telling you the man is in love with me. Seriously though, that's the type of guy you're into? You should have Rangiku-chan set you up with Kira-san. They have a similar look about them."

"He's sweet, but there's no chemistry there."

"You've gone on a date with him?" he asked surprised.

"No, but we've interacted enough times to know. Sometimes it's just obvious that you wouldn't ever make it as more than friends. I mean why haven't you gone after Rangiku-san? On paper you'd seem like a good match."

"Eh, that's not so much a lack of chemistry as it is us both recognizing we'd be terrible for each other. Could you imagine?"

Nanao laughed. "I imagine it'd be one long sake-fueled orgy. I would definitely have to swap divisions with her. I'd feel bad for the 8th, but not even I could save that."

"So you see my point."

"So you believe in opposites attract then?"

"Not always. Me and Byakuya-san would make a terrible couple."

"Wouldn't that give the gossip mill a thrill?" She grinned at him. "Maybe I'd get some rest if you had a boyfriend like him to whip you into shape."

"Byakuya-san couldn't whip me if he tried."

"Bribe you then," she corrected. "I bet Kuchiki Taicho has some kinks you'd find interesting."

"You think so? I always imagined he'd be pure missionary."

"It's always the quiet ones."

He shot her a grin. "People say you're a quiet one."

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Nanao-chan?" a voice interrupted.

Nanao smiled, leaning back and calling through the door, "In here, Dad."

"You can tell me later," Shunsui teased pouring her more wine. A tipsy Nanao-chan was a friendly, relaxed, and talkative Nanao-chan.

Nanao's father came into the kitchen and scanned the activities quickly. "You're cooking."

"Yes?"

"Did you think he had a secret chef stashed in here?" Nanao asked with a charming little laugh. "He does know how to cook."

"It's just a surprising skill for a noble to pick up."

"I've spent most of my life in the Gotei 13. I actually enjoy cooking," Shunsui said reaching for a pan.

"Did you come out just to see if we were lying?"

"Of course not," Nanao's father said shaking his head. "You're mom was fussing around the room so I decided to get out of her way."

Nanao snorted into her wine. "Fussing is Dad's code word for 'being a total bitch.'"

"Ise Nanao," her father rebuked and Nanao winced. "She is your mother."

Nanao seemed properly chastised and looked down submissively. "Sorry, Dad."

Shunsui laughed and stifled it quickly once both Ises sent an interrogating look his way. He shrugged. "It's just not often I get to see Nanao-chan on the receiving end of reproach. Usually it's me taking a tongue lashing from her."

"Perhaps it is well deserved," her father said leaping to his daughter's defense.

"Oh," Shunsui replied waving him off. "It's always well deserved. I'm terribly difficult to manage."

"You're all talk and no walk. You're not that hard to manage."

"Ten Fukutaichos before you took office would beg to disagree."

"They just didn't know the right tricks." She lifted her glass in a sarcastic toast and he smiled.

"I should up my game then."

"Good luck, I know all your moves."
"I'll make up some new ones."

"You're too old to make up new ones."

"Ouch, Nanao-chan, you wound me."

"Aw, need me to kiss it better?" she teased. Tipsy Nanao-chan was definitely a lot of fun, although he already knew that from the very few times he'd managed to get her to have drinks with him over the years. Most of those times had only happened with the combined forces of himself, Jyuushiro, and Rangiku.

"Yes, actually." A throat clearing sound broke them out of their flirtation. Nanao turned a pretty shade of pink as she remembered her dad was in the room and Shunsui grinned. He couldn't help himself. "Later then."

Nanao turned even redder and jumped down from her perch on the counter. "Are you almost done? I can set the table."

"Yep."

"I'll go get everyone else," her father said sending them one last suspicious look before heading off.

Nanao sighed morosely as she watched him go. "Hey, it's going to be fine. Its just dinner and then we'll all turn in for the night, Nanao-chan. How bad can it be?"

"I should have had you lie and say I was dead."

He laughed at that. "Now who's the over dramatic one? Would you just set the table and soldier up? You're a Fukutaicho. Men twice your size wilt under your glare. I'm sure you can handle your family."

"Perhaps we should start deploying my mother at the 8th. If you think I make people cower you should see her in action." Nanao reached for the plates and headed off to set the table.

The dinner wasn't as bad as she'd expected it to be. Everyone made polite conversation about nothing and her mother took every opportunity to flatter Kyouraku that she could. She'd have been annoyed it was going to his head, but he clearly found the flattery as painful as she did. Her Taicho knew well enough the difference between true fawning and someone sucking up for potential gain. He smiled and played along gamely, but she saw his foot tapping underneath the table in annoyance. Maybe two weeks of paperwork hadn't been a fair trade.

"Would anyone like some dessert?" Shunsui asked. "I don't have a lot, but I do have some cake left over that one of our subordinates made."

"It's really good," Nanao added. "Suki-san is an excellent baker."

"An excellent skill to catch a husband with," her mother observed. "Are you sure she doesn't have a crush on you Kyouraku-san?"

"The entire division has a crush on him," Nanao said with a snort.

"That's not true. Nanao-chan-" and then he cut himself off. She quickly realized he'd been about to say that she didn't have a crush on him, but realized he shouldn't and covered. "I'm pretty sure our third seat, at least, has no romantic feelings for me. For Nanao-chan though…" he trailed off and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Oh stop," she laughed. "He brought me back tea from the living world once and you never let him hear the end of it. He was just being polite. I'll get the cake."

"Who is this man? Does he still work for you? That's completely inappropriate," her mother said as Nanao stood.

"It was no big deal."

"What a completely inappropriate way to interact with your superior."

Nanao chose not to comment on the fact that her mother was fine with her supposedly sleeping with her superior as long as he had the right name. "Enjoji-san is a good third seat and has no romantic feelings towards me." She grabbed the cake off the counter where her Taicho had left it out in preparation for dessert.

"I'm not too worried about it," Kyouraku said as she re-entered the room, standing to take the plate from her. "After all Nanao-chan is too in love with me to notice her admirers." He grinned at her in that way he did when he was up to something and she really supposed she should have expected it when he leaned in and captured her lips in a quick kiss. She didn't though, and was completely unable to fight the blush that sprang to her cheeks. He winked at her and set the cake on the table. "So who wants a piece?"

Nanao collected herself quickly and ignored her mother's delighted look as she sat back down and helped Shunsui pass the plates of cake around the table.

"This really is excellent," Katsumi complimented kindly. "Would you be able to get the recipe for me? I'd love to make it some time."

Nanao struggled to keep herself from rolling her eyes. Of course her sister would take the opportunity to point out that she actually was an excellent cook.

"I'm sure Nanao can get it for you, though they'll be shocked that she asked," her mother said and her mother and her sister giggled.

Nanao grit her teeth and gave them a pained smile. "Of course. I'll ask Suki-san on Monday."

"Are you going into work this week?"

"Yes, we can't take the entire week off. Had you given me a little more warning before you arrived I could have possibly made alternative plans, but as it is we can't. The offices are closed on Thursday and Friday for Tanabata though. Other than that I'm sure we can find you a guide to the local tourist attractions."

"Oh, but we'd so hoped you and Kyouraku-san could show us around."

Nanao saw Kyouraku start to open his mouth and she stepped on his foot and gave him a warning look. If he so much as breathed a hint of the fact that only one of them needed to be in the office she was going to leave him to be her family's tour guide. He changed his mind and shoved a bit of cake in his mouth.

"Well, we'll have to make the most of tomorrow then won't we? Katsumi-chan, are you going to share?"

Uh oh. Her mother's tone was delighted and Katsumi had that shy secret smile on. That combination always meant bad news for Nanao. Hachiro captured her sister's hand in his and looked proud of himself. Nanao glanced at her dad who looked pleased, but guilty and Nanao braced herself. She nearly jumped out of her seat when she felt Kyouraku's hand on her knee. He gave her knee a gentle squeeze and she composed her face into her best calmly interested Fukutaicho mask she could muster.

"Hachiro and I are pregnant."

Her stomach fell. It was inevitable she supposed. Nanao forced a smile as Kyouraku gave her knee another soft squeeze. "Congratulations Katsumi, Hachiro-san."

"I'd say this calls for a celebratory drink, but since Katsumi-chan can't participate it seems unfair," Shunsui declared. Nanao saw a few eyebrows go up at the affectionate suffix and her brother-in-law's face darken and she almost laughed out loud. She should have warned her family about Shunsui's overly familiar tendencies, but she had a feeling he was employing it right now to distract from her and give her some time to get herself together.

"Yes, well, we were hoping that you could guide us to the best baby stores in the 1st district and help us shop," her mother said, obviously unwilling to chastise Kyouraku. "There just aren't any good stores near us."

Nanao would actually rather train with the 11th than spend a whole day baby shopping with her mother and sister, but couldn't think of an excuse. Shunsui jumped in for her. "I can ask my sister-in-law in the morning for some recommendations. It'll be fun." The last was said more to Nanao than her family and she supposed she could survive with Shunsui there to distract her.

"Excellent." Her mother clapped her hands together and smiled. "And Kyouraku-san you simply must join Tadao and Hachiro-kun at the boar races tomorrow."

Oh no. Nanao tried to think of a way to save him. She really did, but much like her own situation she just didn't have an out.

"I really don't mind helping you ladies shop," Shunsui offered. He hated boar racing, and Nanao didn't blame him. It was such a stupid sport and she couldn't figure out why the upper class was so obsessed with it. Shunsui's brother even owned some prize-winning racing boars, but Shunsui had never gotten into the sport. Nanao had accompanied him to one race his family had begged him to go to and they'd spent the entire thing quietly making fun of everything.

"Nonsense. There's no reason for you to be bored and go baby shopping with the women. No, you men should get to know each other. Besides we already got you a ticket as our way of saying thank you for hosting us." Nanao patted Shunsui's hand, still resting on her knee, sympathetically. There'd be no way around her mother's assigned gender norms. She'd been trying for over a hundred years and her mother still hadn't loosened up about it.

"But who will carry your bags?" A nice last-ditch effort Nanao thought.

"We'll have them delivered to the house if necessary," her mother said waving him off. "Now then, Katsumi-chan you must tell us all about your last doctor's visit and how wonderful the baby is doing. I'm sure Nanao is dying to hear."

The rest of dessert passed with Nanao trying to nod politely and look excited for her sister. It wasn't that she wasn't happy for Katsumi. She was. It was just hard not to think that this was supposed to be her life, her child. She wished Katsumi could have fallen for anyone else. Hachiro looked so proud of her sister it made her heart ache.

Nanao suddenly wanted to get away from the table more than anything. She stood and started collecting their empty plates as her family debated the sex of the baby. Her dad shot her a sympathetic smile and she returned it weakly.

"I'll help you, Nanao-chan."

"No," she said. The last thing she wanted right now was comfort. It'd make her cry and she didn't want that. "You cooked so I'll clean. Relax."

She slipped away into the kitchen and regained her composure as she washed the dishes quickly. It was silly of her to be upset. So she'd thought a few times about her and Hachiro's future when they were together, so what? It was all just ridiculous daydreams. Her life was with the Gotei 13. She was a soldier not a mother. Family was for women like her mother and her sister. How many high-ranking female officers successfully had families? She could count them on her fingers. It was what it was and it was the path she'd chosen. She shouldn't be upset about something that was never meant to be.

"Nanao-chan?"

She was relieved to hear her father's voice instead of Shunsui's. "Hi Dad."

"You ok?"

"Fine. I'm happy for them. I really am."

Her father analyzed her with his eyes, but let her statement stand. He was always a quiet introspective man. "Kyouraku-san seems like a very outgoing man."

Nanao snorted. "He's not as bad as you think."

"He's clearly very used to people being charmed by him."

"He's everything Mother wants for me ignoring his profession."

"Is he everything that you want?"

"He's a good man."

"You can do better."

Nanao laughed outright at that. Only her father would think she could do better than Kyouraku. Women would give their right leg to be with him. "I know you've heard bad things about him, but not every rumor is true."

Her father grunted but let the argument go. "Do you need help?"

"No, I'm done here. It's getting late. Everyone should settle in." She headed back into the dining room and announced her intention to turn in for the night. Everyone started moving towards their rooms.

"Any interest in some hand to hand training before bed?" Shunsui asked coming up behind her.

She smiled. It was the best thing he could offer. She didn't want his comfort right now. She wanted a distraction and he knew it. At times it was useful how easily he could read her. "Sure. I'll change and meet you in the training room?" He nodded and headed off. Nanao darted back to his room and changed before moving down the hall. It was a small training room, but adequate for two people to practice.

"Ready, Nanao-chan? I won't go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want you to," she said getting into a ready stance.

An hour later they were both sweating and stripped to the essentials – him to his hakama and her to chest bindings and hakama. He struck again and she blocked stepping back. She tried to slip under his arms and instead felt him grasp her wrists and knock her to the floor.

"Too slow, Nanao-chan."

She twisted trying to slip loose of him and he pinned her more firmly to the floor. "You're slow on your left side. You're leaving yourself open." She huffed and tried to get a knee in his groin, which he quickly countered. "Naughty, Nanao-chan."

"Nanao," her mother yelled as she threw the door to the training room open. "Oh my!"
Nanao glanced over at the door from under her Taicho's hold and thumped her head against the floor as her sister poked her head around her mother. Nothing about this situation looked appropriate for a proper young woman. One more disappointment for her mother in a long string of them. "Yes? Do you need something?"

"Um, Katsumi-chan needed some tea to get to sleep and it didn't feel right to raid the kitchen without consent."

Kyouraku moved off of her and offered her a hand. She took it and let him pull her to her feet. They both looked a right mess she was sure.

"Make yourself at home," Kyouraku said kindly as he shrugged back into his top. "While you're staying here feel free to take anything you need. Come, I'll show you where the tea is. Nanao-chan, why don't you take the shower first and I'll join you shortly."

Nanao blushed bright red and was relieved that she was so flushed from exercise it was probably hard to tell. Of course he had to say it in a way that implied he'd be joining her in the shower. Oh well, if she had to be embarrassed at least she didn't have to deal with her mother's demands. She slipped off and took the fastest shower she had in her entire life and that was counting the barrack where if you didn't move fast enough the hot water ran out.

Dressed in an oversized t-shirt and shorts, that she had bought on a shopping trip in the living world with Matsumoto, she moved back into the bedroom and contemplated the bed. She wasn't going to force him to take the floor in his own home and she didn't particularly want to do it either. Besides he'd probably spend an hour fighting with her over it if she tried and then they'd both wind up on the floor in a stupid stalemate. Really it wouldn't be any different than when they'd slept in the same tent on away patrols. She picked up the book she always carried with her and a charcoal pencil and slipped into the bed.

She knew most people thought the book was a rulebook or something equally as ridiculous, but it was actually a sketchbook. She'd always enjoyed art and drew and painted often in her free time. It was soothing and not something many people knew about her, but Kyouraku had of course noticed and begged to see some of her art decades ago. The begging had eventually gotten pathetic and she'd finally shyly shown him a few pieces. To her delight he'd been complimentary, but not overdramatic and had actually been honest about the pieces he liked and disliked. He'd treated it seriously and as such she'd rewarded him over the years by sharing here and there.

She was so absorbed in her sketch of a hollow that resembled a fox she'd almost forgotten her strange predicament when he entered the room. "Awww, Nanao-chan, you were supposed to still be in the shower."

"Sorry to disappoint." She glanced at him over the brim of her glasses and noticed he was carrying a mug. She lifted an eyebrow and he brought it to the bedside table.

"Thought you might like some tea."

"Thank you." They both knew she was thanking him for more than the tea.

"Anytime Nanao-chan. I'll take a shower and be back quickly."

He came back out 15 minutes later towel drying his hair and stripped down to pajama pants she'd gotten him for Christmas years ago. She ignored him as he struggled to work a brush through his tangled hair. He put on a show though to catch her attention and she sighed before putting her sketch aside.

"Would you stop already?" She shifted across the bed and stole the brush out of his hands. She started up a drying kido on her fingers and started working them through his scalp and hair. She'd learned years ago after helping take care of him during a particularly brutal cold that he was a sucker for having his hair played with and a good scalp massage. "I'm honestly shocked you haven't gone bald yanking on your head like that."

He leaned into her hands and sighed. "My head thanks my merciful Nanao-chan."

They fell into a comfortable silence as she stroked through his hair drying and detangling it all at once. It didn't take long before the task was done. She let the kido die out and slipped her hands away from his head. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"It's fine, Nanao-chan, although I think I would have negotiated better if I'd known it'd include an entire day of boar racing."

She winced at that. "I swear I'll make it up to you somehow. I really had no idea they were going to spring that on you." Burrowing her way back under the covers she tried to think of a fair trade. "I can cover the next monthly Taicho meeting for you, say you're sick and I'm there to take notes?"

"You don't have to." He got up to return the towel to the bathroom and then came back to climb into the bed. "It's really fine. I'll just sneak some sake into the races with me." She'd chastise him not to get drunk and give her father a further bad impression, but she honestly couldn't fault him. She had no idea what her father enjoyed about boar racing. "Did you want to keep drawing?"

"Oh, no I'm fine." He reached over and turned off the light as Nanao took off her glasses and they settled down quietly in the darkness.

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Taicho." He grunted at that with clear disbelief. "I always knew they'd have children eventually. It's not a shock."

"But you didn't know eventually was right now, and you're still allowed to have hurt feelings in the situation. I know I would if my brother had ended up with a woman I'd cared about and imagined a future with."

Nanao readjusted and tried to steady herself. "I'm happy for them."

"Again, you can be happy for them and still be hurt."

"Taicho I really don't want to talk about it."

He rolled to his side and she could feel him staring at her as she resolutely kept her eyes on the ceiling. "You never want to talk about anything important."

"Talking doesn't make it less painful."

His arm dropped around her waist and pulled her to him. She sighed but didn't fight him. It was pointless anyway. The man was a snuggler. She remembered being young on her first away mission with a platoon and waking up to her Taicho cuddling their 3rd seat at the time. She'd been shocked, but everyone else had acted like it was nothing. Apparently it was a well-known fact that her Taicho would cuddle up to whoever was near him in his sleep. She'd experienced it herself years later on a different away mission. She'd beaten him silly when she'd woken up to him pressed up against her side, but it hadn't been anything personal. He'd once snuggled up to a wild boar in his sleep, or so they said, and she'd found him curled around his passed out drinking buddies male or female more times then she could count.

"Taicho, this is inappropriate."

"You're family is staying at my house under the impression that we're together and you're sleeping in my bed. I think we've already long passed inappropriate."

"What do you want me to do? Cry my eyes out?"

"I want you to make me believe you when you say you're fine. I want to make it better if I can."

Nanao twisted into his hold and buried her face in his chest. She knew she shouldn't but he was warm and real and there, and she couldn't help it. She needed the comfort. "There's nothing to do about it. I don't want to spoil her joy just because I feel a little hurt." A hand stroked through her loose hair and she squeezed her eyes shut fighting off the tears that threatened. "I would have been a terrible mother anyway. I'm better on a battlefield."

"Nanao-chan, that's not true. You'd be a wonderful mother, perhaps a bit strict, but wonderful all the same. You're basically already a mother to all of our division."

"That's different. I wouldn't know what to do with a little baby. And staying at home and managing the household? What was I even thinking? It's ridiculous."

"You'd be wonderful with a baby. In fact there is no one I'd trust more with one besides perhaps Retsu-san, but that doesn't really count as she's medically trained. As for managing a household, you're overqualified. Hachiro must have been an idiot to choose your sister."

"Hey," she protested smacking his arm half-heartedly. "My sister is exactly what a man would want in a wife." Her sister might drive her crazy, but she was still her sister and only she could talk badly about her.

"All I know is that I've met a million noble women like your sister and I wouldn't want one as a wife or a mother. If Nanao-chan wants to be a wife and a mother then she should be, and I know you'll be excellent at both. They'll adore you. It's impossible not to."

Nanao smiled and relaxed into him. "You don't know that. It'll probably be like my swordplay and my cooking skills. Besides who will do your paperwork if I ever left?"

He pulled back from her and cupped her face tilting her head up so their eyes could meet. "Don't you ever let me or the 8th stand in the way of something you think will make you happy. If you want to settle down and start a family you have the right to do that. Although please note based on recent information, I've now decided I'll have to thoroughly evaluate the man before you marry him."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I don't want it anymore."

"One broken heart shouldn't stop you."

"It was just a silly little dream. I got caught up in the moment. My strengths are here."

He sighed. "Will you really be alright tomorrow?"

"Better than boar racing. I really am happy for them. Do I want to spend the entire day baby shopping? No. But they're family so I guess that's just the price you pay."

"You could fake sick? Then I could stay home to take care of you and we'd both be off the hook?"

"My mother would know in an instant."

He groaned. "Boar racing it is I suppose." He flopped back dramatically and she shifted away from him now free of his arms. "At least it will give me time to win your father over."

She laughed out loud. "Good luck with that."

"I'm going to make it happen. Just you watch. Your father is going to love me and be begging me to marry you."

"My father loves boar racing, one of his only faults. He's not going to suddenly be impressed by you tomorrow." A grunt was his only answer. "Go to sleep. I'll pick up some of your favorite sake when we're out shopping. Consider it a reward for surviving."

"You're a dream, Nanao-chan." He reached for her again and she batted away his hands. "You know it's a lost cause. I'm going to wind up with you in my arms."

"Yes, but it happening in our sleep and me actively allowing it are two very different things." She rolled over on her side and put her back to him. He grumbled but settled down on his side of the bed without a fight. "Goodnight Taicho."

"Try again."

She took a deep dramatic breath. "Good night, Shunsui."

"Good night, Nanao-chan. I'll see you in the morning."

A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying the last few weeks of summer! I really don't have much to add this time other than I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you all for reading and reviewing :)