The week had been a discouraging one. Everyone in the Higurashi family was civil and happy to help, but no one would take even a hesitant step beyond that. She was effectively getting the most polite cold shoulder that had ever been given. While Nanao had known it was going to happen, she had at least hoped that her previous acquaintances within the family would help the process along faster. She'd been decidedly wrong in that hope. Even Shin had taken on a slightly chillier demeanor, at least in his willingness to share.

Because of that, she was pleased it was Friday as she made her way out to the Rukongai. All the market sellers in the first were setting up their stands in the early morning air, and she waved to a few that she knew personally. A man exited his sake house and called a greeting to her by name, as she had often trailed behind her Taicho there if only to keep his spending reasonable. She waved back and thought about how her weekend was going to consist of a long bath and a good book and not much else. Pure bliss.

"Nanao-chan!" she heard from her right, and she whipped around half expecting to find Shunsui. Instead she saw Kei striding towards her.

"I thought I told you I hate that name," she said dryly.

"Right, I forgot," he said with a quicksilver grin. "My apologies Shinigami-chan."

"What are you doing in the 1st?" she asked, ignoring the stupid nickname as he matched her stride.

"Just out strolling," he said stuffing his hands in his pockets. "How's your first week been?"

"Fine," she said perfunctorily.

"Sounds like you're really enjoying yourself," he said with a laugh.

"Everyone has been very cooperative," she answered simply.

"But not very open," he countered with a knowing grin.

"I was warned," she said shrugging.

"You should come out with us tomorrow night, Shinigami-chan," he offered.

"Come out where?" she asked suspiciously.

"They're holding the fights," he explained.

"What does that entail?"

"It entails you not saying words like cooperative and entail and instead relaxing for a bit and enjoying the fun," he replied. "People will be much more open with you if you make them forget for a moment that you're working."

She glared at him and then sighed. "What fights?"

"Just battles of strength," he said. "A chance to show off really. It's when a lot of the family gets together and people have hand to hand matches. Lots of betting and drinking really. A good time overall."

"Sounds fun," she said insincerely. A lot of the divisions within the Gotei 13 had similar skirmishes several times a year, but the 8th had not really been one of them. Shunsui had always preferred drinking parties and games rather than displays of strength for bonding.

Kei laughed next to her and went to throw his arm around her shoulder before remembering she didn't like to be touched and stopping himself a moment before making contact. "Try it. You might surprise yourself and like it. Your brother might even participate in a match tomorrow which is always a treat."

"Is he good?" she asked finding herself instantly more interested.

"Very," Kei said with a smirk.

"I suppose I could."

"No hot date tomorrow night then?" he asked.

"I don't see how that is any of your business," she answered dryly.

"You're brother said you just got out of a relationship," he said with a shrug. "I guess I just figured it was time for you to be hitting the rebound stage."

"I'm not a rebound type of girl," she said frostily. At least she didn't think she was a rebound type of girl. She honestly wasn't sure, as she'd never had to decide whether or not to rebound before.

"Pity," he said casually. "There are plenty of men that would volunteer."

Nanao snorted at that. "They'd be volunteering for an ass kicking."

"The ex still hung up on you then?" Kei asked casually, and suddenly she didn't like how much personal information he was getting out of her.

"When's the fight?" she asked, bluntly switching the topic.

Kei merely chuckled and went along with her. "I'll tell my nephew to pick you up if you like. He knows where you live. Well, this is where I head off. See you later, Shinigami-chan."

"Until tomorrow Yakuza-kun," she said sourly.

"Hey!" he said as he started away. "I kind of like the sound of that."

Nanao just shook her head and continued on her way. She'd decided to spend some time in the Higurashi's medical facilities with Shin this morning and then see if he could find someone that would take her on rounds with them. She'd quickly discovered that each Yakuza family had a very distinct territory they controlled and that they constantly had men patrolling. The closest family to the Higurashi was the Sasakis and they had a mainly friendly rivalry that mirrored the relationship of many of the divisions within the Gotei 13. The difference seemed to be that at the end of the day, all the divisions of the Gotei 13 would be expected to work together in a crisis, whereas both Yakuzu families knew they would just as soon destroy each other if a war broke out between them.

She hadn't seen too much of her brother, but she figured he was probably doing that as much for her own protection as his. Snide comments had been muttered throughout the week, many of them aimed at Shin when he was with her. She was surprised to discover that all the teasing and hazing she had endured as a child and the gossiping she'd ignored as an adult had trained her well for the passive aggressive hostility. Shin himself had almost reamed one of his men when a particularly foul word had been used to describe her as they passed. She'd gotten them out of the situation quickly before Shin could react and make the family start whispering traitor behind his back. Being an ice princess had always been her specialty, and much like it had helped as she was working her way up the ranks it was again working to her advantage.

The rest of the day passed like all the ones before it, and she walked home debating the ways to integrate herself. She'd have to hand in a report the following Monday, detailing the week, and she didn't think the Soutaicho was going to appreciate her making no progress for long. Maybe the fights really were a good idea.

"Nanao-san, are you coming?" a female voice called as she ambled through the Seireitei.

"Kotetsu-san," Nanao greeted the short blonde woman.

"Aren't we going to be late?"

"Late for what?" Nanao asked.

"The SWA meeting," Kiyone said easily. "Didn't you hear that Yachiru called a last minute meeting?"

"No, I suppose I didn't get the memo," Nanao said darkly. Whenever she didn't know there was a meeting it meant that Yachiru had called it without her in the hopes of getting all the women to do something highly inappropriate that Nanao would no doubt quash before it began. "Shall we?"

Kiyone nodded nervously, hearing the danger in her tone, and bolted off for the meeting room. Nanao followed a step behind and sighed as her dreams of going home and straight to bed disappeared. Oh well, it'd be nice to see all the girls.

"Kiyone-chan, you're late," Rangiku shouted over the general ruckus as Kotetsu went in first and Nanao followed. "Nanao-chan, you're here too."

The room went silent quickly and Nanao scanned the guilty faces. There weren't any plans posted on the board or covert pictures spread out on the table so she didn't instantly surmise what they were up to. "Ladies," she greeted suspiciously.

"Hello Glasses," Yachiru greeted cheerfully. "You weren't supposed to come."

"So I gathered," Nanao said darkly.

"The ladies thought the subject of the dance may be a bit touchy," Unohana supplied calmly and honestly.

"The dance?" Nanao asked, honestly surprised. She hadn't thought about the thing in weeks. "I already know about the dance, why would I care? Unless you all are planning on making it clothing optional."

"Ooo can we do that?" Rangiku asked excitedly.

"No," Nanao snapped. "What is going on?"

We just thought you might not be going now, since you know," Isane put in nervously.

"No, I don't know," Nanao replied coldly.

"Well, you and Kyouraku Taicho broke up, right?" Rukia put in bravely. "And we didn't know if it'd still be held at the Kyouraku estate, so we thought we should maybe figure something out first."

Nanao caught on after that. "It's fine," she said lightly, trying to put everyone at ease, which was her Taicho's strength and definitely not hers. "Just because Kyouraku-san and I aren't together doesn't change anything. The dance is still on, and I haven't heard anything different from his mother. I'm sure she'd still be happy to host it."

"Is that really ok?" Isane asked softly.

"Can you think of a better place to hold it?" Nanao asked logically. "Everything is fine. Besides the dance is still a while away. No reason to worry about it now."

"You're so patient and understanding," Kiyone wailed suddenly. "How could he cheat on you?"

The room gave a collective wince and Nanao sighed. "I don't know, Kiyone-san," she said with a shrug. "Now do we still need to plan something? As I wasn't informed this was happening, I'm not entirely sure of the meeting's agenda."

"You're so brave hosting a party at your ex's," Kiyone cried, not letting the matter drop and wrapping her arms around Nanao's waist. She stiffened against the hysterical girl's hold and tried not to get annoyed. "Even Ukitake Taicho was terribly mad at him. I mean you're perfect for him, and then he was an idiot and went and slept with that girl! What was he thinking?"

"I'm sure I don't know," Nanao said attempting to be civil. She loved Jyuushiro, and his 3rd seats were occasionally amusing, but she had no idea how he put up with it all the time.

"He was thinking with the wrong head is all," Yachiru added pleasantly.

"He what?" Nanao asked shocked as all the older women turned to gape at the pink haired child.

"He was thinking with the wrong head," Yachiru repeated, happy to be the center of attention. "That's what Ken-chan said, although he didn't say which head was the wrong one. Does Pink man have two heads?"

The SWA breathed a collective sigh of relief as they realized that once again the child had no idea what she was talking about. Nanao was a touch disturbed that Zaraki had been commenting on her private life at all though. "It's probably just an expression," Unohana soothed quickly.

"She's got a point though," Matsumoto muttered.

"It is natural for men to seek more than one sexual partner," Nemu added tonelessly. "I do not understand why everyone is so confused."

"Nemu-san, how can you say that?" Kiyone demanded. "He was her boyfriend! He cheated on her and got another woman pregnant!"

"Hasn't he been sleeping with multiple women his entire life? He has not made a secret of it. I do not understand why you all expected this to be different," Nemu stated, obviously completely lost on why they'd all become so hostile.

"Because he told her it would be different," Rukia tried to explain. "He lied to Nanao-san."

"I still do not comprehend the confusion. Men often lie to fulfill their sexual needs," Nemu replied blinking.

"That's because men are scum," Soi Fon said bitterly. "They're basically like impulsive children only with a sex drive."

"They aren't all like that," Rukia defended. "Not all of them lie."

"That just means you're young enough to still believe them," Soi Fon glowered.

"Ukitake Taicho never lies!" Kiyone yelled, at last unwrapping herself from around Nanao. "He isn't at all like Kyouraku."

"If that is the case, and honesty is considered necessary to the relationship, then Nanao-san should go out with Ukitake Taicho instead," Nemu said logically. "You are both relatively close, are you not? Even with Ukitake Taicho's illness, a sexual encounter would not prove difficult to arrange between the two of you and more than likely would not have a detrimental effect on either one of your health."

"You wouldn't," Kiyone said, looking stricken. "Would you?"

"No, Kotetsu-san, I," Nanao started, wanting desperately to change the topic.

"Of course she wouldn't," Rangiku put in gleefully. "She needs someone that is going to be amazing in bed. I vote for Hisagi."

"Hey, Ukitake Taicho is amazing in bed!" Kiyone yelled.

"You know?" Isane asked her little sister shocked.

The girl blushed crimson and shook her head. "Not from personal experience. It's just that he's good at everything he does so it can be assumed!"

"Nah, he seems like the type to like gentle sex," Soi Fon said dismissively. There was a moment of silence as that comment was absorbed.

"What's wrong with gentle sex?" Isane asked blushing.

"It gets old," Rangiku said shrugging. "Sometimes you just want them to take you fast and furious up against a wall. Leave a few bruises, you know."

"Where are they taking you to?" Yachiru asked curiously.

"Paradise," Rangiku covered with a giggle.

"Sounds pansy," Yachiru said frowning.

"Ladies," Nanao said, trying to intercede.

"Against a wall seems so impersonal," Isane said thoughtfully.

"It can also end poorly," Unohana put in pleasantly. "You'd be surprised at the amount of injuries the 4th sees due to people attempting intimate positions they can't quite sustain. Things can be broken."

"Ooo, like what?" Rangiku demanded.

"Ran!" Nanao put in harshly. "Really not the time."

"I'm sure Ukitake Taicho could put you in the 4th too," Kiyone pouted.

"Yeah, from an overdose on sweet nothings and gentle petting," Soi Fon said rolling her eyes.

"Hey, you never know. He hangs out with Kyouraku after all. Maybe he's a freak in bed. A real sheet ripper," Rangiku supplied. Nanao was pretty sure she was going to have nightmares. "It's always the quiet ones."

"If he is taking cues from Kyouraku Taicho, would it not also stand to reason that he would be a cheater as well?" Nemu asked rationally.

"He's not a cheater!" Kiyone yelled.

"Basically it boils down to all men are bastards. Kyouraku especially," Soi Fon said dismissively.

"Regardless of all men," Rukia said trying to smooth out the situation. "Nanao-san can do much better than Kyouraku Taicho."

"Yes," Isane agreed. "You shouldn't even think about what he did."

"He'll probably die all alone with some horrible sexually transmitted disease," Kiyone comforted. "Well, maybe not alone as Ukitake Taicho would sit with him, but that's it!"

"I could put a hit out on him?" Yachiru offered.

"It'd be best to grind him and all men into the ground," Soi Fon agreed. "Who'd miss 'em anyway?" All of them looked up at Nanao anxiously, and she tried desperately not to show how upset she was.

"No hit, no fighting, no dating Ukitake-san, it's fine," Nanao said resolutely. "Was this meeting simply about the dance? Everything is on track. Kyouraku Taicho's mother is handling pretty much all of it, and I can check in with her to see how it's going. She was thrilled to hold the dance."

"Meaning she completely took over without being asked," Rangiku snorted.

"I'm sure it will be lovely," Nanao said calmly. "Hana-sama is very good at hosting parties. There is no need for any of you to worry."

"Meeting dismissed then," Yachiru said excitedly. "We're having game night in the 11th tonight. Got to go!"

The women quickly filed out of the room still arguing amongst themselves, and Nanao sat down in an abandoned chair tiredly.

"Nanao-chan, are you alright?" Rangiku asked scrutinizing her after the room emptied.

"Fine, why wouldn't I be?" she asked.

"Liar," Rangiku said plopping into the seat next to her. "They weren't trying to upset you. They're all on your side. Kyouraku's a bastard."

"Would you stop?" Nanao asked sharply. "He isn't a bastard."

"Nanao."

"He isn't anything they think he is. So he cheated on me and he screwed up, but really Nemu's right. He's always been this way. I was a moron for thinking it would be different."

"You can't possibly be blaming yourself for this!" Rangiku said darkly.

"I'm not. It's just that nothing has changed. He hasn't changed. He's still just himself, and I can't listen to everyone say horrible things about him when he isn't a bad man. He just can't be monogamous, and I should have known better."

"Nanao, he told you he would be," Rangiku said sadly.

"I know," she replied. "And it's awful, and I'm pissed at him, and I don't want him back, but I still love him. I know that sounds crazy, and I know I'm not supposed to, but he's part of me no matter how much I wish otherwise right now. He was my mentor, and my friend, and my family long before he was my lover. I can't just turn that off. I can't just hate him."

"Oh Nanao," Rangiku said quietly, pulling her into a hug.

"He's still Shunsui," she said pathetically.

"I know the feeling," Rangiku comforted, and they sat in silence for a few moments. "Why didn't you ever say anything bad to me about Gin after he left?"

"Because you loved him," Nanao said equally as softly. "And he loved you. I didn't know him very well, but I did believe that, Ran. Just because he didn't love the Gotei 13 doesn't mean he didn't love you. You can be a good man in some ways and not in others. He did what he felt he had to. The fact that you both were on opposite sides had nothing to do with that."

"I still don't hate him," Rangiku admitted slowly.

"You shouldn't, Ran," Nanao said returning the woman's comforting hug. Regardless of what the facts were, Nanao truly didn't believe Rangiku forcing herself to wallow in all the bad things Gin did to her would help anything, especially now that the man was dead. "He loved you and protected you for years. One bad moment doesn't erase all the good ones."

Rangiku had never said much about her childhood in the Rukongai. It was one of the reasons the two women had gotten along so well. They'd always operated under a strict don't ask, don't tell policy. Rangiku had always been an attractive girl though, and the lower districts of the Rukongai were no place for attractive girls. Nanao hadn't known Gin very well, and she'd not trusted what she did know of him, but she'd never doubted he'd loved Rangiku in the only way he was capable of loving. The handful of times she'd hung out with both of them, his affection had been quiet and unwavering.

One of those times had been when they'd all gone out to a bar together. Rangiku had been set on hooking her up with a 'fun' man as she put it and had been flitting all over the bar trying to introduce Nanao to potential suitors. She'd finally gotten into a drinking match with a group of men, and Nanao had been more than happy to be left alone at the bar with Gin. The man had been mostly quiet through the course of the evening and simply smiled tolerantly at all of Rangiku's antics. Nanao had been glad for the silent companionship.

It wasn't until the men started forgetting that Rangiku had come there on another man's arm that it started to become a problem. Jokes started up, slowly becoming raunchier and raunchier, and suddenly hands started straying where they weren't welcome. Gin had gamely let Rangiku handle herself and fend the men off as she chose until one particularly overzealous suitor called her a teasing bitch and tried to force her up against a wall and his tongue down her throat. Nanao had been on her feet in an instant, but it hadn't mattered as Gin had already thrown the man to the floor and made it clear that another attempt wouldn't be tolerated, always with that unnerving smile on his face. The troublemakers had quickly apologized and retreated to the other end of the bar.

They had decided to stay and relax a while longer, and shortly after some other shingiami that Rangiku knew had entered the bar. The night had progressed smoothly from there, and Nanao had finally decided it was safe for her to slip out the back unnoticed. She'd always humored her friend's failed attempts to set her up, but more often than not tried to get out of the whole situation as soon as humanly possible.

When she'd excused herself to the bathroom, she'd quickly made a detour for the back exit. Nanao had stepped into the night air and breathed a sigh of relief before she'd heard a noise and had turned her head sharply putting herself on the defensive. What she'd witnessed was Gin standing over the body of a dead man.

"Ise-san," he'd said lightly, the moonlight glowing eerily off his hair, smile, and sword.

"Ichimaru-san," she'd replied nodding formally.

"Going for a night walk?" he'd asked pleasantly.

"I was headed home," she'd said glancing again at the dead man. It was the same man who had harassed Rangiku earlier on in the evening.

"And now?" he'd asked passively.

"Now I suppose I'm still headed home," she'd said calmly.

"To your peace loving Taicho," he'd said with a grin. "I doubt he'd approve."

"He goes out to bars all the time," she'd said with a shrug, although she knew he was referencing the dead man. "I doubt he'll care."

"You don't share his peaceful ideals then?" Gin had asked calmly, cleaning the blood off his blade.

"He didn't grow up in the Rukongai," she'd stated, trying to forget her own history. "Sometimes the only answer is violence."

"Then you approve?" he'd asked raising an eyebrow.

"No, this situation was already diffused," she said firmly. "It was unnecessary."

"Then you'll report what you think you saw?" he'd asked seemingly indifferent.

"What's there to tell?" she'd questioned with a shrug. "I see a dead man in a dark alley. Happens all the time in this district."

"It'll probably happen again," he'd said simply.

"The world doesn't need men like that," she'd answered meeting his smiling eyes.

"Know from personal experience do ya?" he'd asked grinning wider.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she'd said, repressing the shiver his smile seemed to cause. "I'll be headed home now."

"Ise," he'd drawled calmly, and she stopped as she walked away, but didn't turn back to him. "Your Taicho definitely wouldn't approve."

"My Taicho isn't right about everything," she'd stated coldly, and then left.

She'd never told anyone what she'd seen, her Taicho most of all. When Gin had come to her years later and tried to recruit her to the third, she'd politely declined. Beyond his attachment to Rangiku, she'd never trusted the man. She was also well aware her Taicho didn't trust him either, and while Shunsui might not be right about everything, she'd had the feeling he was right about Gin. To this day she wondered if Gin had been trying to recruit her simply for his squad or for something bigger altogether. It was another thing she'd never shared with her friends.

"Are you really ok with the dance being at the Kyouraku estates?" Rangiku asked, finally pulling away from the embrace and tugging Nanao out of her memories.

"I don't even care about the dance," Nanao said honestly. "Its months away."

"But he's sure to be there, probably with that woman," Rangiku said. "She does live at his family's house right now doesn't she?"

"I don't know," Nanao said with a shrug. "It doesn't matter. It'll be fine."

"Everyone would hate him if you only asked," Rangiku said softly.

"Did everyone hating Gin help you?"

"No," Rangiku admitted.

"Then let's not waste everyone's time," Nanao said softly. "Come on, let's go back to my apartment. I'll make dinner."

"For real?" Rangiku asked excitedly, obviously allowing her to change the subject.

"Sure," Nanao said happily, standing up. "It's no fun cooking for one, and I'm sure Boo would love the extra attention."

"Can we bring more friends?"

"Like who?" Nanao asked suspiciously.

"I'm sure Hisagi would enjoy a home cooked meal," Rangiku replied wiggling her eyebrows.

"Would you leave off about Hisagi-san, you big idiot," Nanao said with a laugh moving towards the door.

"What? You're going to need a date to the dance," Rangiku defended. "Just because you don't hate him doesn't mean you can't make him jealous out of his mind."

"I'll think about it, but not tonight" she answered, knowing that simply saying no would get her nowhere. "Come on then, I'm hungry."

A/N: I'm trying hard to keep my updates coming. Hope you liked it. Please review!