He wondered if he threw himself in front of the boars if it would kill him. Probably not considering he'd taken worse hits from hollows, but he hadn't completely dismissed the idea yet. Shunsui just couldn't figure out the appeal. Tadao and Hachiro seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly, gambling small sums of money. Shunsui had many vices, but gambling was not one of them. He'd never understood the thrill of losing money. He'd much rather lose it to a fine bottle of sake or impressing a woman. That was probably why he'd never liked boar racing. Its main point was betting not skill.

All the same he plastered on a smile and tried to be a good sport. He'd even feigned interest in Tadao and Hachiro's conversations about the best jockeys and boars. He knew enough from his brother to at least pretend he knew or cared about what was going on. He had a feeling Nanao's father was less than impressed with his limited knowledge though. The man really was set on hating him, which irked Shunsui to no end. Nanao's father was the only member of her family she actually liked. It seemed like a bad reflection on him that Shunsui could only win her mother over. So once again he tried to get himself interested in the races.

Hachiro cheered when the boar he bet on won the most recent race and Shunsui wondered how much longer they were going to be here. It was late in the afternoon. The women must be done shopping soon. That made his thoughts circle back to Nanao and wonder how she was doing. She could say whatever she liked, but it was obvious the pregnancy revelation had upset her. He couldn't fault her for that either. He'd be upset too if his brother was married and having a child with a woman he'd cared for and had those dreams with.

Shunsui gave Hachiro another once over and sighed. He really didn't see the appeal of the man and nothing about today had changed his opinion. The man seemed like a run of the mill wealthy, overconfident, businessman. Not nearly good enough for his hard working intelligent Nanao-chan. She really needed to work on her self-confidence. She could do better than Hachiro any day. Perhaps he could find someone to set her up with when this was all over, although most of the men he enjoyed hanging out with were perverts. Well, that was a bit harsh. They weren't perverts it's just that they'd all been brutally honest with each other about what they liked and had done with women and none of them were touching Nanao-chan. Jyuushiro might be the only man who he knew well who he'd be willing to let court her and he didn't think they were interested in each other that way even if Jyuushiro would be willing to consider it, which he wouldn't be with his illness. Although wouldn't it be cute if they did? Nanao-chan and Jyuu would make adorable babies. Oh well, he'd just have to ask Rukia-chan or one of the other girls if they had recommendations of men he hadn't heard the drunken confessions of.

"You're very lucky to live so close to such a great boar racing track," Hachiro said suddenly. "You should really consider getting a membership." Shunsui gave the man a fake smile and nodded.

"It's obvious Kyouraku-san doesn't enjoy the races," Nanao's father said with a snort. Well, clearly he wasn't doing as well as he'd thought faking it.

"No? Is that right Kyouraku-san?"

Shunsui gave a weak smile. "It's not that I dislike it," he lied. "I just never got into it and I'm not familiar with the strategies for betting." He felt like that sounded nice without betraying how stupid he thought it all was. What boar racing fans called strategies he generally termed superstitions, but that was neither here nor there.

"You don't have to lie to impress us," Tadao said gruffly. "If you'd rather go to the bars we could just meet up later. Don't worry, I won't tell Nanao-chan."

Was that all her father thought he did? Drink? It usually wouldn't offend him, but he didn't want this man thinking his daughter would have the bad sense to live with some irresponsible drunk who didn't treat her right. "I don't go to the bars during the day." It was mostly the truth. "Nanao-chan wouldn't be with me if I were that sort of man."

"My daughter seems to have a blind spot when it comes to you," Tadao huffed watching as the next race started. "Not that I can figure out why."

"I'd think it would be obvious," Hachiro said with a smug little smile that Shunsui wanted to knock off his face. What exactly did the little twerp think was obvious? "You're her superior, aren't you? It's not like she can say no."

Shunsui struggled to conceal his rage, but something must have slipped through because Tadao's eyes widened and Hachiro took a nervous step backwards. "I am not using my position to blackmail Nanao-chan. And if you think for a moment she'd let someone do that to her you really didn't know her at all."

"It was a joke," Hachiro said holding his hands up.

"It wasn't funny." He brought his anger back under control and turned his attention back to the boar racing. "I don't know why Nanao-chan decided to give me a chance, but whatever it was I'm grateful every day. I know I don't deserve her, and I would never use my position to force her into anything she didn't want. She could end it tomorrow and it wouldn't affect our working relationship."

Hachiro wisely kept his mouth shut and Tadao gave a huff, but said nothing. Shunsui didn't get offended easily, but the implication that he'd treat a woman wrong, especially Nanao-chan, and abuse his position of authority in that way was downright infuriating. This day was going even poorer than he'd imagined, which he would have said last night was impossible.

Something lit up at the edge of his senses and Shunsui jerked out of his melancholy thoughts. "Nanao." Her reiatsu was nearby, not panicked, but definitely putting up a fight. He started heading for the door.

"Kyouraku-san?"

"Seems like the ladies are outside and have run into a bit of trouble." He didn't turn to see if they were following. Nanao-chan seemed to have the situation under control, but that didn't mean he didn't want to be near at hand in case something went wrong. He felt her reiatsu spark up against his senses and grinned. Oh she was well and truly pissed.

He exited the racetrack and saw her mother and sister clutching each other near a pile of shopping bags. Nanao stood alone and defiant, kido glowing at her fingertips, in the middle of the field surrounding the racetrack. One hollow was dissolving at her feet while another roared in anger. Her reiatsu swirled and he felt her pulling in power for her next attack. He kept moving towards her, but figured he'd let her have this one. It'd let her blow off some steam if nothing else. Besides, who was he to rob the world of the vision that was his deadly dangerous Nanao-chan?

"Aren't you going to do something?" her father demanded. Shunsui glanced over at the man who had bravely paced him. Looking back he noticed Hachiro had hung back near the women comforting his wife.
"There's no reason to. Nanao-chan can defeat hollows of this power level easily enough."

A burst of power struck out from her hands and hit the hollow full force. It screamed as it was thrown backwards. It recovered from the hit but a crack was forming down its mask. She was playing with it. Drawing out its death. Usually he'd chastise her for putting herself in any sort of danger for a moment longer than absolutely necessary and giving potential openings, no matter how small, to the enemy, but today he could understand where she was coming from. She must be in a terrible mood.

"Who cares if she can handle it?" her father insisted panicking as the creature charged his daughter again. "If you love her you'll help her!"

"I won't let her be harmed," he answered placing his hands on the hilt of his swords. "But she doesn't need me. You're daughter is an artist."

Raw power crackled up through her hands and Shunsui smiled. Nanao formed kido like a dance. It was lovely to watch and belied its difficultly with its grace. She shifted the power in her hands and fired off a blast that incinerated the remaining hollow. He felt the contentment at a job well done radiating off her and clapped her father on the shoulder. "Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?"

Her father gave him a strange look, but Shunsui shrugged it off and kido stepped to her side. "Nanao-chan, what a lovely display."

"They were low level hollows." She shrugged at his praise and pulled her power back in.

"You're being modest. How was your day, darling?"

She rolled her eyes. "About as enjoyable as yours, I assume." She glanced at her family over his shoulder. "If I have to go in one more baby shop or listen to one more sarcastic comment about the way I choose to live my life I'll scream."

"Fair enough, if I have to watch one more boar race I'll do the same."

"I really am sorry. I got you the sake I promised."

"Maybe keep that to yourself. Your dad seems to think I'm drunk more often than I'm sober and Hachiro-san has accused me of using my position to force you into a relationship."

"I'm so sorry I dragged you into this," she said looking contrite. It made him want to pull her into a hug, and he suddenly realized he could. Stepping forward he tucked her into his front, and she didn't push him off. "I could tell them the truth?"

"And have your family lord it over you? Absolutely not. I told you, I'm going to win your father over." She laughed and he kissed the crown of her head. He kept it to himself that he also had no intention of giving Hachiro an additional ego boost of knowing he'd hurt her and she'd lied. Whatever Nanao had seen in the man he certainly didn't. Shunsui hadn't realized until now what a bullet he had dodged. If she'd come to him saying she was marrying a man he would have demanded to meet him. Upon meeting Hachiro he would have promptly tried to talk her out of it. It would have been awfully messy. "If you could put in a good word though, it wouldn't go astray. Your father didn't believe for a second I was interested in boar racing."

She laughed into his chest and pushed him away. "That could be because I told him we both hate boar racing ages ago."

"Could have warned me."

"I didn't know you'd fake it," she said grinning at him. The grin quickly faded though. "At least you didn't have to hear about how your child bearing days were limited all day."

He winced on her behalf and tried to lighten the mood. "If you want I could get you pregnant?"

She laughed and smacked his chest pulling away from him completely. "Who'd want to raise the holy terrors your genetics would create?"

"Hey!" he gave her a pouty look and she backed away from him heading towards her family. "We'd make delightful children."

"Only if they favored me. And don't argue, even your mother would agree with me."

He snorted and trailed after her. "We can't all be goody two shoes." He took the excuse to drop his hand on her lower back. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying being able to be so familiar with her. His Nanao-chan was a lovely woman and he enjoyed the subtle shift of her hips under his palm as they walked.

"Nanao, what were you thinking?" her mother demanded when they drew near. "You nearly scared your sister half to death."

"I'm very sorry. Next time I'll just let the hollows eat us."

"Now there's no reason to be rude, but you could have taken your sister's condition into account."

Nanao radiated anger under his hand and he got a firmer hold on one hip tucking her into his side. "Hollows are fast. Nanao-chan definitely took the most appropriate course of action. If she'd waited for someone else to come you might have been injured or worse. There was little to fear with Nanao-chan's kido skills. She has a gift for disintegrating hollows. I never worry with Nanao-chan at my back."

"You'd think it'd be the Taicho taking care of his people instead of the other way around," Tadao said holding his shaking wife.

Shunsui wanted to slam his head into a wall in frustration. He couldn't do anything right with her father apparently.

"A Taicho's job is to protect the Gotei 13 and the innocents protected by it, not his soldiers who should be able to hold their own. If I can't defeat a few low level hollows I don't have the right to claim the title Fukutaicho."

"Not that a woman should aspire to that anyway," her mother muttered clinging to her father.

Shunsui squeezed Nanao's hip and tried to stay calm himself. Nanao had worked hard for her position and it was a shame her mother couldn't find anything to be proud of in it. "It seems like it's been an emotionally exhausting day. Shall we head home? We can get a carriage."

"Thank you, Kyouraku-san," her mother said shakily. How Nanao could be related to these two wilting women he didn't understand. It was like Nanao had absorbed all the fierceness in her family. Then again he supposed he was the outlier in his family too. Shunsui scooped up bags alongside her father and frowned when Nanao took her fair share too. Her mother and Hachiro just helped guide her sister along to the carriage line.

"I can-" he started.

"I'm fine," Nanao said shortly. She marched off and he sighed. At least her anger wasn't directed at him for once.

"You worry about her carrying bags but not fighting monsters?" her father asked staring at him intently.

"Nanao-chan is a solider and I know her abilities well. She wouldn't thank me for taking on a fight she can handle," he said watching her stalk away. "But as a woman," he paused and then clarified, "My woman, I don't want her to have to do anything I could do for her. You'll forgive me if I want to pamper her just a bit when I can, which she'd certainly never let me do on a battlefield. Of course she can handle everything on her own, that doesn't mean she should have to."

"It's not like she's in a delicate state," her father said watching him in a casual way that immediately set off warning bells in Shunsui's head. It was clearly a test he shouldn't fail, but probably would anyway the way the day had been going so he just settled on honesty.

"If Nanao-chan were pregnant and I tried to treat her differently I'd get whacked in the back of the head so many times I'd be concussed. Regardless of her state, I'll always want to help her. She's not a broodmare, only worthy of notice when she's carrying a baby."

"A lot of noble men seem to have that opinion of women," Tadao said neutrally, but Shunsui could tell the man was pleased with his answer.

Delighted he'd finally seemed to do something right Shunsui added, "Well I'm not one of them. Besides I certainly don't want to make the kind of commitment a child would need anytime soon so Nanao doesn't have to worry about my attentions being anything less than purely about her." He realized his mistake almost as soon as it was out of his mouth. Tadao's mouth pinched into a thin line and Shunsui could have hit himself. Maybe Tadao didn't think his daughter's only worth was her baby making ability, but he certainly couldn't be pleased she was living with a man who wasn't willing to commit to her in seemingly any fashion. Shunsui scrambled to cover. "It's just Nanao-chan and I have enough on our plates with the division as it is."

Her father merely made a displeased noise and picked up his pace. There was no winning this day. Shunsui caught up and helped them load bags into the carriage.

"Oh my, it looks like we might need two," her mother said frowning.

Shunsui leapt at the chance to give himself and Nanao a small window of recovery. "Why don't the four of you take it and Nanao-chan and I can shunpo home?" Nanao glanced up hopefully and he was pleased he could still make at least one person happy. "It'll be faster for us that way anyway. It's about a 45 minute carriage ride, but Nanao-chan and I can make it home in five. We could order dinner for delivery and that way by the time you got home it should be arriving?"

"Oh." Her mother pursed her lips and Shunsui couldn't imagine what her argument against it would be. "I was sort of hoping we could go to Kozue for dinner."

He felt Nanao's reiatsu flame into a rage next to him and he settled a hand on her lower back to stop her from whatever tirade she was about to launch into. Kozue was one of the most exclusive restaurants in the 1st district, and only the upper echelons of society frequented it. It was incredibly expensive and even more difficult to get a reservation if you didn't have the right last name. "I don't think even I could get us into Kozue tonight on such late notice," he said jovially pinching Nanao's side lightly when she opened her mouth to say something. "Perhaps tomorrow night though? I could make a few calls."

Haruka gave a little clap of excitement. "Oh, that would just be wonderful if you could Kyouraku-san. Shall we meet you at home then?"

He nodded and offered a hand helping her step up into the carriage. The other three followed after her and the carriage finally started heading home.

"Shunsui–"

"Come on, Nanao-chan. Let's go home." He leapt into shunpo before she could say another word. A few minutes later they were home and slipping out of their shoes. "Alright, have at it."

"I cannot believe my mother. You absolutely do not have to get us into Kozue. It was rude of her to even ask, and she most certainly expects you to buy, which you also absolutely do not have to do. This is a new low even for her."

"It's fine."

"It's not fine at all!" she yelled throwing up her hands in frustration. "It's presumptuous and rude. You aren't a meal ticket or her personal in with high society."

"If we were dating–"

"If we were dating I'd be even more horrified; I would never let her treat a man I love this way. She can't just use people like this. She doesn't even know you. I should have never dragged you into this. I should have known she would try to use you. I'm so sorry. I know you hate when people suck up to you just because of your name or money. I'll tell her that under no circumstances are we going to Kozue, and that if she even so much as smiles the wrong way in your direction they can all pack their things and go home. You shouldn't be abused this way in your own home when you're doing me a favor. I should have lied and told her I was dating Zaraki. She'd have disowned me and that would have been just fine with me."

Shunsui was grinning. He couldn't help it. She'd started pacing the house in her rage, and a worked up Nanao-chan was an adorable Nanao-chan – more so when the anger wasn't aimed at him. He gently grabbed her arms to stop her movements. The smile dropped off his face when he realized she was literally shaking with fury.

"Nanao-chan, it's fine."

"It isn't. She shouldn't be able to come here and insult me and treat you like a prop and a piggy bank. I would have never done this if I thought she'd actually have the audacity to do something like this. I knew she'd want you for your money and name, but I'd hoped she'd be subtler about it and at least treat you with some respect in your own home."

"It's a game, Nanao-chan, and it's one I know well. I've interacted with people like your mother my whole life. It isn't a big deal."

"It's a big deal, because this person is related to me and doing it to someone they think I'm in love with. You'd think if she thought I was in a committed relationship with you she'd actually want to know a bit about who you are, but she doesn't care if you're smart, or funny, or considerate. She doesn't care that we move as a team, or you support my career, or that we share interests, or that you can make me laugh at the most inappropriate of times despites some of my best efforts. All she cares about is the stuff that doesn't matter, things I barely even remember to associate with you most days. Even if we aren't dating, you're still my friend, and I would never let someone treat my friends this way."

"It's nothing. We'll go to Kozue and have a nice dinner. If we were in a relationship I'd want to impress your family. I'd be happy to take them there. It's really no trouble." And if it prompted her to say such kind things about him then all the better. He didn't think he'd heard that many compliments about himself from Nanao ever. It was nice.

She sighed and leaned forward dropping her forehead against his chest. Her action surprised him, but not willing to let the opportunity slip by he dropped his hands from her arms and instead pulled her into a loose hug.

"Sometimes I don't know how I could be related to her." There was a waver to her voice that suggested tears.

"She's not so bad." Nanao snorted. "A bit selfish and conniving, but I've met much much worse. She just wants her daughters well married and a fancy dinner. Now the insulting you bit I'd like to revisit."

"Oh, of all the things to focus on," she said pushing away from him. "I have years of practice ignoring it."

"It clearly affects you, which isn't shocking. If my mother was constantly making disparaging comments about me I'd be upset too. Honestly I can't think of any other reason for you thinking Hachiro remotely deserved you other than that woman having given you a hard case of self doubt."

"Now Hachiro-san hasn't done anything to you. Why drag him into this?"

"The man is completely common, Nanao-chan. If that's what you want to marry I can have a dozen more of the exact same thing lined up for you by the end of the week. He's dull and average."

"Because I'm so special and unique?" she spat and he shook his head. He'd always noticed a downturn in her mood after she'd spoken to her mother or received a letter, but he'd always been too dense to connect those interactions to her periods of particularly low self-confidence. Now that he thought back over the years he could pinpoint so many times she was especially hard on herself that coincided with contact with her mother.

He dropped a hand on her shoulder and used the other to lift her chin and force her to look him in the eye and see how serious he was. "Nanao you're one of the highest-ranking females in the Gotei 13 and that is no easy task. You belong to a club, excuse me, basically run a club that is dedicated to the fact that it's harder for women to get ahead in the Gotei 13 and helping them. Not only that, you got where you are without a club or a support system to help you. You're one of the most talented kido masters in the whole Seireitei. The Kido Corps have been gagging to get you for decades. I've seen you do things with kido spells I never even conceived could be done. You're smarter then people decades older than you, not to mention possessing humor and wit that keep even me on my toes. And then to top it all off you're positively beautiful, and I'm not saying that because we're friends. If I met you in a bar I would definitely try to get you in my bed. That man is so far from what you could have he might as well be in another universe. And if you want someone like that then it's fine, you should have them, but don't you dare tell me even for a second that you think that boring little toadstool is out of your league."

"None of it seems to matter to her," she said quietly dropping her eyes.

"Fuck her." Nanao's head snapped back up at the harsh reprimand. Shunsui very rarely cursed at someone, and never at a woman. "You could walk out tomorrow and achieve everything her and your sister have achieved with a snap of your fingers. They could spend the rest of their lives working and never catch up to you. You're going to be an amazing wife and mother when you want to be with a man who actually deserves it, as well as a Fukutaicho, and a kido master, and an accomplished, intelligent, beautiful woman. Don't you ever let your mother convince you of anything less. So let her have her fancy dinner and her little high-society thrill. That's all she's got in her life. But you, oh Nanao-chan, you've got so so much more."

"You really mean all that." It was said with conviction rather than as a question and her eyes looked a bit watery, but for a different reason then they were before. "Thank you."

"I didn't say anything that isn't true. Whenever you doubt it just remember that they may be your family, but they sent you off to the shinigami when you were just a kid. Your friends here know you better than they ever could, just like you and Jyuu know me better than even my blood relations, and absolutely no one in the Gotei 13 shares your mother's opinion about you. Perhaps you should threaten her with kido and see how quickly she changes her tune."

Nanao laughed and pulled away from him. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't be dealing with my personal drama. Thank you again for helping me."

"What are friends for? Although if you think I won't be guilting you into going with me to boring formal affairs I have to attend for a very long time, you are very much mistaken."

She laughed again and he smiled. Nanao had a lovely laugh when she wasn't trying to hold it back. "Fair enough, and I will pay you back for tomorrow's dinner. It may take me a few years and payment installments, but I'll do it."

"Nonsense, consider it your overtime pay that you don't receive," he answered. The money really meant nothing to him, and if it would keep Nanao-chan's mother happy and off their backs he'd pay triple what the dinner was going to cost him. In fact, he wondered if he could pay them off to go home early? That would probably make her father hate him even more though.

"It's too much."

"If it were too much I'd say. Honestly Nanao-chan, how many times have you gotten in early or stayed late because I refuse to do my work? And how many times have you had to dash around the Rukongai trying to get me to meetings on time? Or how about all the times you've gotten up at the wee hours of the morning to get me home or nursed me through a bad hangover? I figure you should have some compensation for that."

"We're colleagues and friends. You don't owe me anything for any of that. If I felt like you did I would have transferred years ago."

"Regardless, consider it a thank you."

"If you're sure," she said hesitantly. The meal would be expensive, he certainly wasn't going to lord that over her.

"I am. Now come on let's order dinner so it actually arrives when they get here. What are you in the mood for?" He started to head towards the kitchen where he'd left his phone. Most of the restaurants had at least adopted landlines for deliveries. Soul Society didn't take to technology quickly but the phone had proved to be a desirable convenience especially in the upper districts where shinigami spent their money. He stopped when she grabbed his hand. Standing up on her tip toes she placed a quick chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Shunsui." She pulled away from him just as quickly and slipped into the kitchen. He smiled and touched his cheek where she'd pressed her lips. Leave it to Nanao-chan to make such a simple gesture such a big compliment. Who cared if he was impressing her father when he was putting himself so far into her good graces?

A/N: A little early Labor Day present. Hope all my American readers enjoy the day off tomorrow. I know I will (almost as much as I enjoy making Shunsui and Nanao give each other little pep talks – what can I say, I'm a fluff purist)!