Author's Note: It's about time those two got together... and by those two, I mean the Shunsui/Nanao and Unohana/Ukitake pairings!

"Nanao-chan! Are you ready?"

"Coming, Captain."

Nanao hurried to fall into step beside Kyouraku as he strode towards the Fourth Division infirmary. It was only ever on his way there that his face wore the serious expression Nanao saw. She had seen it many times. Sometimes it was for their injured or fallen subordinates, but most often it was for his chronically ill best friend, as it was today. Ever since Nanao had first noticed that sad, weary expression, she had never let her captain make this walk alone again.

They walked in silence. Kyouraku didn't need a lot of comforting words, but Nanao did notice that he walked just a little closer to her than usual. The sleeve of his pink haori occasionally brushed her arm as they walked; the hem brushed her ankle. That, at least, comforted her. She knew Kyouraku's worry for his friend was too deep to compare with her own, but even so, Ukitake was a good friend and mentor to Nanao, and his pain hurt her considerably. It helped to know that her own best friend, her captain, was beside her both literally and figuratively.

When they arrived at the infirmary, they met Unohana in the hallway. She was on her way to Ukitake's room with fresh handkerchiefs and washcloths, and she reported in his condition as she walked with Shunsui and Nanao.

"The initial onset was more serious than usual," she informed them in a tired voice, "but the illness seems to have worn itself out with a strong first attack, and Ukitake-san is making a promising recovery. I hope to release him to a few days rest at Ugendo after tomorrow."

Kyouraku nodded his thanks to the devoted healer. She had made it clear long ago that he was not to thank her for doing her job, but Kyouraku knew her care for Ukitake went above and beyond the call of duty, so all that meant to him was that he wouldn't express his gratitude in literal words.

The trio arrived at the room to be greeted by a weak, but cheerful grin from Ukitake. "My three favorite visitors!" he exclaimed hoarsely.

From the looks of things, he had had many more visitors. There were bunches of flowers all over the room, and even a giant greeting card with a drawing of a smiling chappy bunny. It was signed by both Rukia and Byakuya. Most of the flowers lined the wall under the far window, but two corners seemed to be having a war with bouquets increasing in size and dramatic arrangement. Nanao sighed. Kiyone and Sentarou must have spent a month's worth of wages on the flowers. There was also a large bowl of candy that Unohana had seen Hitsugaya deliver earlier in the day. From the wrappers on the bedside table, it seemed Ukitake had been working his way through it.

"Ukitake-san," she reproached, placing the cloths aside, "I believe I advised you against eating too many sweets. Your system needs healthy nourishment right now."

"I'm sorry, Unohana-san," Ukitake said with a sheepish grin. "Sucking on candies makes my throat feel better."

Unohana sighed, though her expression seemed to betray amusement. "Very well. I will fetch you some tea with extra honey for your throat. I am sure Toushirou-sama meant well, but the candies will have to wait."

As Unohana left the room, Kyouraku and Ise noticed another gift. A colorful origami fish sat on the windowsill over Ukitake's bed. The paper was thin, and it cast flecks of orange and yellow light over the sick captain. The flowers would wither and the candy would be eaten, but they both knew that the little fish would be placed on a shelf in Juushirou's home with quite a few more of different colors and patterns.

"I see Retsu-chan has made you another charming little fish for your pond," Shunsui remarked with a grin. "She's so attentive!"

Nanao smacked his arm only half-heartedly, preferring an obnoxious Shunsui to a somber one.

Juushirou blushed. "Only you, Shunsui, could enter a room filled with flowers and candy and then make a fuss about one little piece of origami," he deflected.

"Well, someone had better make a fuss about it," Shunsui retorted, "or our dear Retsu-chan will think her attentions have gone unnoticed."

"They have not gone unnoticed!" Ukitake exclaimed, "I've told her repeatedly how much I appreciate her treating my illness."

"That's what I'm talking about," Shunsui muttered to Nanao. She simply sighed. Her captain was ridiculous, yes, but he wasn't blind. And it didn't take someone with his particular gift for seeing the truth of things to see that Unohana paid special attention to her snowy-haired patient, and that Ukitake enjoyed every moment of it.

She reached over to touch the fin of the fish gently, the pattern of which lined up with the body of the fish perfectly. "Please be sure to thank Unohana-taicho specifically for this, Ukitake-taicho. It is a marvelous piece, very intricate. She must have spent a good deal of time on it."

Ukitake picked up the little fish as if to inspect it, but Nanao noticed that his eyes never focused on any particular detail. Clearly, he had already looked it over quite carefully. He simply turned it in his hands, delicately. He was holding it when Unohana returned with a steaming cup of tea, a sweet scent of peppermint wafting before her. Setting the origami down with utmost care, Ukitake accepted the cup from Unohana.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're feeling better, Juu-chan!" Kyouraku suddenly said. "Nanao-chan and I will be back later to visit some more!" He winked at his friend and swept Nanao into the crook of his arm as he headed for the door.

"Captain!" Nanao exclaimed as Shunsui guided her away. She tried to pry herself from his grasp, but despite his gentleness, she couldn't get free, and she was swept from Ukitake's room in a swirl of pink.

The door shut behind them, Kyouraku looked down at Nanao and grinned mischievously. "I think we ought to give those two a little time alone, ne?"

Nanao rolled her eyes and walked on. She, too, believed that Unohana and Ukitake could stand to realize their regard for each other, even if she didn't agree with her captain's meddling. If Kyouraku was preoccupied with his scheming, though, he probably wouldn't put quite so much effort into scheming up ways to get Nanao to admit regard for him. It seemed advantageous to her to follow along with his plot.

Kyouraku's lack of attention in that regard was compensated for, however. With the door shut on them, Ukitake grinned at Unohana. "When are those two going to get over the theatrics and just get together?" he mused over his tea.

Unohana chuckled lightly from her seat on the edge of his bed. "It may be sooner than you think, Ukitake-san. You saw that Nanao-san didn't smack him with her fan when he scooped her up and swept her out of here?"

Ukitake waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, but she always lets her guard down a little when Shunsui is being serious, which he always is when I'm in the infirmary."

Unohana smiled. "Oh? Perhaps you should spend some more time here."

"I could live with that," Ukitake agreed.