"Does my Nanao-chan need a shoulder rub?" came a lazy voice from behind her.

"Absolutely not, sir," she said sharply, not bothering to turn around and face him.

"But you look so stressed," he said, bending down to kiss her on the temple. She smacked him with her fan before he could get there. "Mean," he whined rubbing his forehead.

"I thought I made it clear that you aren't allowed to touch me while we're in the office," she sighed, pushing her fingers up under her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"No one is even here," he pouted, motioning towards the silent front office. It was about 7 in the evening and everyone had packed up and gone home at promptly 5 o'clock. It was a Friday and the first week she'd been back in the office after almost a month of testing and combat trials. It'd been a long and stressful week, and she didn't begrudge her subordinates fleeing at the first chance they got.

"Give you an inch, and you take a mile," she commented lightly, repositioning her glasses and turning back to her paperwork. Kyouraku had given her a hard time when she'd shown up to work on Monday with the glasses back on, but frankly it never hurt to look a few years older in her position. She'd finally gotten him to back off by pointing out that this way he was one of the few people that got the pleasure of seeing her without them.

"Come on Nanao-chan, let's go out to dinner," he wheedled moving around to the front of her desk. "You can finish those on Monday."

"Monday there will just be more," she said, frowning at the form in front of her. "Just because you all caught up on the backlogged paperwork doesn't mean anything was really put back in working order. We're going to have to skimp on several things for months to get this budget back on track. How many sake fuelled parties did you throw while I was gone anyway?"

"None," he said, and she gave him a disbelieving look. "Hey! I mostly moped in my house and drank alone. I can't speak for how many the squad threw though."

"You are such a terrible role model," she said shaking her head. "Leave if you want to. You did a few hours of paperwork today which is still novel enough to be impressive."

"I want to leave with my Nanao-chan," he said petulantly.

"Your Nanao-chan has work to do. Now go bother Ukitake-san," she said firmly, searching her desk for more ink.

"I do so enjoy it when you admit you're mine," he cooed.

"Fabulous, you've enjoyed you're evening. Now get out," she grumped, finding no ink and wondering if they had more in the storage closet.

"Are you coming over tonight?" he asked ignoring her. She fought the blush that rose to her cheeks valiantly, but she figured she probably didn't succeed in altogether suppressing it. It drove her mad that she couldn't control it, and it was even worse because she knew Kyouraku took intense joy in having the ability to make her blush so easily. Even after a month of slowly feeling each other out, both literally and figuratively, he still gave her the jitters.

"To be honest," she said, biting her lip and hoping he didn't take it the wrong way. "I kind of just want to sleep."

He chuckled and leaned across her desk. "I'm sorry, lovely Nanao-chan. Have I been keeping you from your beauty rest?"

"Yes," she said glaring up at him. "You snore like a train wreck."

He just gave her a very self-satisfied smile and snatched the papers she was working on off her desk. "There, no more work, let's go home. I'll even be good and let my Nanao-chan sleep. We have all of the weekend to have fun."

"Hand over those papers this instant, Kyouraku Taicho," she demanded, shoving her seat back and standing up.

"Or you'll what?" he challenged.

"Or I will go home and sleep in my own bed with only Boo as company for the rest of the week," she said lightly.

"You wouldn't," he countered narrowing his eyes at her.

"Sir, I've been doing without for a long time, you haven't managed to turn me into a nymphomaniac yet. Do you really want to see if I'm bluffing?" she asked coolly.

"Fine," he sighed, returning the papers to her desk.

"Thank you, Taicho. Now, if you really want to be useful, can you run to the storage room and get me more ink?"

"I doubt there is any," he said with a shrug. "I certainly haven't ordered any, and I doubt the squad thought to."

"Oh for kami sake," she said, throwing her pen down on her desk. "I give up. I'll just come in tomorrow."

"If you manage to escape my bed that is," he said grinning.

"You make it sound like a trap," she replied rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck. A strong thumb suddenly worked its way into the flesh at the base of her neck, and Nanao let out a small happy moan before she reached around and swatted at her overly quick Taicho. "Not in the office."

"It's just a massage," he said shrugging. "I'm sure Byakuya-kun gives Renji-kun massages all the time. It's not a big deal."

"I mean it, Taicho," she said tiredly.

"Yare, yare, Nanao-chan, whatever you want," he said holding up his hands. "Let's get out of here."

Nanao went deliberately slow packing up her things, checking the various rooms, turning off lights, and locking up behind her. It was fun watching him twitch and groan whenever he thought she was almost going to leave, but would then instead turn around to do one more thing. It was another half hour before they left the division doors.

"Nanao-chan?" Kyouraku asked at her side.

"Hmm?" she responded tiredly.

"Is this street part of the 8th?"

"I don't think so. Regular clean up crews keep the street free of snow in the winter so I don't think it technically falls under our division," she replied thoughtfully. Then she quickly found herself pressed to the wall surrounding the 8th and her mouth otherwise occupied.

"I've been wanting to do that all day," he said, pleased with himself as he pulled away from her.

"I really could use that massage after all," she said warmly. For as annoying as he was, she still couldn't help but respond to his every advance. It was one of the prime reasons she'd made rule number one, no touching in the office.

"You know massages are generally better when there are no clothes in the way," he commented, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the wall. He started walking towards his home, and Nanao followed willingly, although she couldn't help scanning the surrounding area for watchful gossiping eyes. It was a bad habit that was going to take a while to quash.

"I'm not going to sleep tonight either, am I?" she asked, trying her best to sound forlorn.

"Sure you will, eventually, and you can sleep in tomorrow," he said grinning at her. "In fact, I insist we do just that."

"We have to go to my place then," she said with a sigh.

"But your demon cat nearly took my leg off Wednesday night," he said turning his pout on full force.

"He probably just thought you were attacking me," she defended. "How is poor little Boo supposed to know? Besides, you were the one that pissed him off by locking him in a kitchen cabinet when I wasn't looking."

"Still don't know how the evil little monkey got out of there," Kyouraku muttered. "Why can't we go to my place? I have a bigger bed."

"Because if you insist on keeping me captive all weekend then I need to be able to feed Boo," she said logically.

"I'm threatening to make love to you until you can barely move and you're worried about feeding the cat?" he asked incredulously.

"Women can multitask," she answered with a shrug. "Besides, he's just a little defenseless kitty."

"Defenseless," Kyouraku said with a snort. "I woke up two weeks ago to him in between us in the bed watching me and growling. I've never been more scared for my life."

"He's just being a good protective pet," she said with a shrug.

"He'd let Jyuu into your bed in a second," Kyouraku pointed out. Jyuushiro had, of course, had to rub it in that her cat liked him just fine. He'd made a big show of picking the cat up and carrying him about her apartment when she'd invited the two Taichos over for tea a couple weeks ago.

"Perhaps I should start listening to what all the sensible people and animals around me are saying," she said teasingly.

"Don't you dare," he said adamantly, releasing her hand to wrap an arm around her waist.

"Shunsui-san, we missed the turn for my house," she said, knowing he'd done it on purpose. "I'm not going to starve my cat to satisfy your sexual needs."

"So little faith," he said shaking his head. "Just be a good little girlfriend and follow your man quietly."

"You are asking for a beating," she growled.

"Is that what Nanao-chan wants to try next?" he asked wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"And now you die," she said, forming a kido ball in her hands.

"Have to catch me first," he replied with a wink, and was off before she could blink. She picked up her own shunpo and gave chase. She stayed close enough behind him to see him slip quickly into his favored bar by the 8th, and she wondered briefly if he really believed having witnesses would spare him her wrath. He should honestly know better by now.

"Taicho," she said harshly as she entered the bar.

"Surprise!"

"What?" she asked, confused as she took in most of the 8th, her friends, and even her brother crammed into the bar in front of her. She blinked and let the kido drop from her hands.

"The only way you could get her here is by pissing her off, Kyouraku?" her brother called, looking bored as he leaned up against a wall.

"Your sister is very difficult to one, get out of the office, and two, convince to do something she had not originally planned to do, at least without a solid explanation," Kyouraku defended. "If you've figured out better ways to coerce her, please share!"

"Don't you dare tell him anything useful," Nanao growled as her brother opened his mouth. As much as her brother didn't care for Kyouraku, he had also made it clear that he had no intention of being a total ass to the man while she chose to be with him. Beyond that, Nanao had a feeling Mamoru would consider teasing his sister more fun than holding out on Kyouraku. "What in the world is going on?"

"It's a celebration to welcome you back to the Seireitei and the 8th!" Matsumoto supplied happily. "We knew you wouldn't do it mid-week so we waited till your first week was over. So let's drink!" That garnered a hearty cheer and the crowd moved in a wave towards the bar, several people stopped to welcome her back, but most of the attention was on the bar.

"You'll take any excuse to drink, won't you?" Nanao asked as she felt Shunsui glide up behind her.

"Always thinking the worst of me," he said, going to wrap his arms around her waist from behind. She slipped away from his arms and shot him a glare.

They weren't lying about being together, but at the same time she saw no reason to make a public spectacle of the relationship. Beyond that, she'd finally found one benefit to years of untrue rumors, most people didn't even believe it now that it was true. The instant increase in attention and gossip she had expected had yet to surface, and she'd discovered it was mainly because no one could get their story straight. Half the people thought they'd been dating for years already and the other half thought that Nanao would kill herself before getting into an actual relationship with him.

"Hey, baby sister," Mamoru called, making his way over to her through the now rowdy crowd. "What are you drinking?"

"Whatever is fine," she answered shrugging.

"Something pink and girly then?" he asked grinning.

"And now you're pissing me off," she said crossing her arms. "What kind of party is this?" Mamoru just laughed and moved off towards the bar.

"Nanao-chan is drinking?" Kyouraku asked looking at her quizzically.

"Well, as I won't have to walk home alone, don't have to worry about making a bad decision and going home with someone I'll regret in the morning, and no longer have to be concerned about suddenly blurting out some deep dark secret or making an unwanted love confession, I find myself lacking significant reasons not to. Unless you are planning on getting so wasted you can't stand, in which case I will need to be sober to drag you home."

"I suppose I can make sure I am able to walk home by my own willpower," he said grinning.

"Wonderful," she replied rolling her eyes.

"Nanao-san, Shun," Ukitake greeted. "Running a bit late weren't you?"

"Nanao-chan wouldn't leave the office," Shunsui said making a disgusted face.

"I had a few things to catch up on, being that the 8th was on the verge of having to be disbanded due to your leadership, or lack there of, during my absence," she said coldly.

Ukitake just laughed. "You were offered a place in the 13th," he pointed out. "From this point on you've done this to yourself."

"Funny, my brother said something similar to me in regards to my dating him," Nanao said, jerking her thumb in Shunsui's direction.

"Everyone is so mean to me for no reason," Shunsui pouted.

"Aw, are these two teaming up on you again?" Rangiku cooed coming up behind them with two drinks in hand.

"Yes," he whined. "Ran-chan has to take my side for retaliation!"

"Done," she said, quickly placing her two drinks down and shunpoing behind Nanao. She grabbed her tightly around the middle pinning Nanao's arms to her side.

"What are you doing?" Nanao demanded calmly.

"Kiss her now, Shunsui-kun," Matsumoto exclaimed cheerfully. "I've got her trapped."

"Gross," Mamoru commented as he came up to the group also holding drinks.

"Matsumoto," Nanao warned.

"Come on, I can't hold her all night," Rangiku said.

"Kiss her!" came a cry from the crowd, and they were suddenly all aware that they'd become the center of attention.

"Do it Kyouraku Taicho," another squad member cheered.

"Don't you dare," she threatened glaring at him, though not making any significant attempts to escape Matsumoto's hold.

"But, Nanao-chan, we can't disappoint our loyal squad," he said stepping towards her.

"I will lock you in a dark closet alone with Boo," she declared.

"I'll survive," he said taking another step forward.

"I'll lock you in a closet with your mother," she said straightening her shoulders.

That made him pause a step. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, I most definitely would," she said narrowing her eyes at him.

"I'll tell her you're pregnant," he threatened right back with a smirk.

"You wouldn't," she said letting her eyes widen. She couldn't even imagine the hell she would be in if his mother believed her to be pregnant. It wouldn't even matter if she denied it. It was from his mother, that he'd gained his tendency to ignore parts of reality he didn't much like.

"Kiss her already!" Rangiku shouted exasperated. "We all want to get back to drinking." That was met with a cheer, and Shunsui started moving forward again.

"You are in so much trouble," she hissed as he got close.

"You'll forgive me," he said back confidently. Then he bent down and planted a rather chaste kiss on her forehead.

The crowed cheered again, obviously not having expected much more, and everyone resumed drinking. Matsumoto released her and grinned. "See that wasn't so bad."

"I'm telling your Taicho where you are the next time he comes looking," she said crossing her arms.

"So mean," Rangiku said with a giggle before she grabbed Ukitake's arm and melted back into the crowd with him.

"Your drink," her brother said pushing it into her hands.

"Thanks," she said smiling at him. "How'd you get roped into this?"

"Your boyfriend thinks we need bonding time," he said throwing Kyouraku a dark look.

"I think we're bonded well enough," Nanao said confused.

"No, between us, manly bonding you see," Kyouraku explained clapping her brother on the back. "Soon will be the best of friends."

"Nanao," her brother said with fear in his eyes.

"Kyouraku Taicho, leave him alone," she said rolling her eyes.

"But," he started.

"No buts," she said cutting him off. "How many times do I have to tell you that a relationship has to be mutual? You can't do one-sided bonding."

"It worked with you," he pointed out. "How about this, from now on I'll be your brother-in-law but you don't have to be mine."

"Nanao," her brother repeated.

"Leave him out of your madness," she demanded.

"But it will be fun! We'll go fishing, and drink sake together, and grunt and talk about women."

"I'm going to hurt him," Mamoru stated simply.

"What exactly are you going to say about women?" Nanao asked raising an eyebrow.

"How they all pale in comparison to you, of course, my dear," he said smoothly.

"Uh huh," she replied skeptically.

"Though if you need advice or someone to hook you up, I am quite a well of knowledge," Shunsui commented, elbowing Mamoru in the side conspiratorially.

"Nao-chan, what did I ever do to you, that I deserved to possibly one day be related to this?" her brother asked throwing back his drink in one big gulp.

"Wait until you meet the rest of his family," she commented dryly.

"There's still time to run," he pointed out.

"He's faster at shunpo than I am," she said with a shrug.

Mamoru gave her a small indulgent smile at that. "Look, I've got to go, but welcome back all the same," he said, pulling her into a brief hug.

"Date?" she asked curiously.

"See, his bad habits are already wearing off on you," he accused glaring over at Kyouraku. "I'll see you soon, Nao-chan."

"Does that mean it's a date?" she called after him as he turned to leave.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Shunsui added.

"Don't do anything he would do," she yelled after him. Mamoru simply gave them a wave over his shoulder and exited the bar.

"I think he's warming up to me," Shunsui said smiling.

"You're an idiot," she laughed taking a sip of her drink.

"And you love me," he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, I suppose I do," she said with a sigh, pleased that despite the party raging around them, they seemed to be utterly ignored in their corner.

"Sound happier about it," he said pinching her side playfully.

"Make me," she replied grinning.

"I do so enjoy making you make happy noises," he said backing her into the corner.

She blushed fiercely and put a hand up to stop his advance. "Modesty," she reminded him, trying to ignore her own desire to tug him out of the bar by his collar.

"Is overrated," he replied.

"I'm not going to give into you with our entire squad as an audience," she said seriously.

He just laughed at that and moved to stand at her side, wrapping an arm around her waist as he went. She allowed the arm to stay there and looked out over the partying crowd. Matsumoto had dragged Ukitake on top of a table and was trying to get him to dance with her. Ukitake just smiled his little benign smile and allowed her to do a ridiculous shimmy dance in a circle around him. In another corner squad members had started up a drinking game, and the bar was becoming even more crowded as other shinigami started filtering in for Friday night activities.

"Nothing's really changed at all, has it?" she asked happily, relaxing further into his side.

"Nope," he agreed. "It's just gotten a little bit better. Do you believe in happy endings now, Nanao-chan?"

"Of course not," she said with a snort. "Like I told you all those years ago. Endings are just the end, nothing exciting or important ever happens in the end. It's all the stuff in the middle that counts."

"Well then, do you believe in happy middles?" he asked smiling.

"I suppose I'm beginning to," she replied, giving him a close-lipped smile in return.

"I would think in about a half hour we could slip out the back without anyone noticing," he commented smiling out over the crowd. "Then I could give you that massage."

"I'd like that quite a bit," she replied calmly.

"Well, then that's what we'll do," he said smiling over at her. "Anything for my Nanao-chan."

"If only I could get you to say that in the office," she replied smartly.

"Bribes work wonders with me, my dear," he said.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"I'm going to kiss you now," he said seriously.

"I'm not arguing with you," she replied with a shrug. He was right, nothing had changed, it'd just all gotten so much better. He kissed her, and she didn't even mind when she heard Rangiku's wolf whistle from across the bar. She was home.

A/N: And that's all folks. I want to send out my biggest thanks to all my reviewers, you guys are what kept me writing, posting, and doing it all in a timely fashion. I started writing this with no intention of posting it and originally no plot line in my head. Initially Mamoru really was going to be an old childhood friend, Kyouraku would get jealous, and then boom they end up together. Luckily, when I really got writing all that changed for the better, I do believe :)

Anyhoo, hope you all liked it, and I would love to hear final thoughts! I'll be getting the sequel up sometime soon, and I've already got some of it written, but I want to get a little further before I start posting, so yeah, I hope everyone comes back for that too. Thanks again!