Nanao could not help but stare at what she saw that morning. It was the middle of summer. It was the time of year when her captain spent even more time than usual napping and avoiding work. But there, on his desk, sat the full stack of the days paper work, filled out in his neat, lazy handwriting. Beside the pile was a letter. Hesitantly, she picked it up.

My Dear Nanao

Happy Birthday! I've taken care of all of your duties for the day and ensured that Momo and Rangiku are likewise unhindered. Go out and have some fun today. Relax, and I'll be the adult for once. I expect you to have a good time and not pick up an official document until 10 AM tomorrow. There is Anmitsu and Yokan for you in kitchen, try to get it before someone else takes it! You have a free pass to the living world for shopping and a weeks pay to spend on books and clothes. Karakura Town has a nice library, I'm told.

Sincerely, Shunsui

She smiled and folded the letter neatly, slipping it into the pocket of her uniform and taking out a blank piece of paper from the desk. She sat in her captain's chair and took his pen, writing a note for him to find when he returned.

Captain

Thank you for your hard work and generosity. I can not express how much I appreciate this. The key to your stash of sake has been taped to the bottom of your desk since I confiscated it. I thought it would be one of the last places you would look.

Lieutenant Ise

Nanao sighed and resigned herself to her decision. That key had been a heavy bargaining chip for weeks, but her captain and certainly won it back this time. Picking up the envelope of money and her written pass to the living world, she went to the kitchen to find her sweet bean jelly treats and then go collect her friends.

Line -

"Hey Juushiro!" Shunsui grinned as he waved to his friend.

"Hey Shunsui. Out of the office already?" The white haired captain asked, looking up from the miniature tree he had been trimming.

"Yeah, turns out paper work really isn't all that terrible if you're sober enough to read but drunk enough not to notice your hand hurting." Shunsui sat down on the floor near his fellow captain and leaned his back against the wall. "Think I should send someone from the stealth force to make sure she doesn't try to do work on her day off?"

"I don't think you need to worry. She's a very serious girl, but I think she has the sense to know when to take a break, especially when the man she's crazy for goes out of his way to give her a day off. You decided what you're going to do about that yet?" The white haired captain came to sit by his friend and then looked at him pointedly. "You can't just let them both keep hoping for you. You'll have to make a choice."

"I know, Juushiro, I know. But how am I supposed to do that? Lisa and Nanao are like sisters, and I care about them both. Lisa was gone for so long, and I'm around Nanao all day, every day. She would be the logical choice. But I don't want to give Lisa reason to resent Nanao. What would you do?"

"I would like to say that I would tell them each the complete truth and hope for the best, but as I have not been fully honest with Kiyone, I would feel like a hypocrite. But I still believe that would be your best option. You started behaving like a responsible adult once you became captain commander, and Nanao immediately stopped trying to resist your charms. And of course, Lisa's return to the Gotei 13 caused her no small degree of mixed feelings, especially when you began spending time with your old Lieutenant."

"They both deserve better... Ha! That's it, Juushiro! All I have to do is get one of them to fall for someone else, then it's not a problem at all!" Shunsui laughed. Juushiro sighed and then laughed as well.

"Of course, a scheme like that would appeal more than risking someone having their heart broken. I'll help any way I can."

"Thanks. I'm glad I can always count on you. But you need to keep getting better and see to your own romantic struggles, my friend. Are Isshin's treatments really working?" Shunsui asked.

"Yes! I haven't felt this well since I was a child! I haven't coughed up blood in over a year now, and I was able to actually gain a few pounds. Apparently it was similar enough to a human condition that he was able to work with Urahara and Kurotsuchi to create a medication. He says it could take as long as five years, given the length of time I have been afflicted, but I should make a full recovery."

"I'm glad to hear it. As soon as he signs your clean bill of health, we're throwing a party that will be written down in history for the academy to study for centuries to come." Shunui laughed and patted his friend's shoulder. "Having any problems with your Lieutenant marrying outside your division?"

"None. Rukia has always had a strong sense of duty and Ichigo has only balanced her out, rather than completely turning her away from her official obligations. In fact, I was rather impressed by how much he matured in his first year as captain. He was every bit the hot headed kid he always was even his last decade in the living world, but a year of responsibility and a wife balanced him out as well."

"Lisa thinks very highly of him.