Author's notes: This is a very spur of the moment oneshot inspired by the best oneshot writer I know, Araedia. Hope you enjoy.
Hotdog
Rukia happily ambled through the hallways of the Kuchiki Mansion. The reason for her joyous mood was none other than her brother. It was three days after her orange rescuer had left for the World of the Living when her brother promised to tell her about her sister, Hisana, later that morning. Suffice to say, Rukia was thrilled, both at the prospect of learning about her sister and her brother opening up to her more.
Stopping at the door, she knocked twice before she heard an 'Enter'. Doing so, she found her brother putting away a neat stack of papers as she sat in front of him with a small expectant grin.
"Good morning, Nii-sama."
"Good morning, Rukia." Her brother stoically responded with an imperceptible nod of his head. "I trust your powers are returning swiftly."
Rukia nodded. "Sode no Shirayuki awoke yesterday. She is confident my powers should return fully by tomorrow."
"That is good to hear." Byakuya replied. If Rukia hadn't lived with him for so long, she wouldn't have picked up that tiniest shift in his voice that told her he truly meant that. "I take it you are eager to hear about Hisana."
"Hai." Rukia didn't bother to hide the excitement in her voice.
Byakuya kept silent for a long while, pondering on how best start the conversation. He wanted something that was unique to both Hisana and him, but that would also allow him to switch to a more casual pace. Finding what he was looking for, he started.
"I like buns."
There was only so much Rukia could do to keep her jaw in place. Byakuya didn't seem to notice as he continued.
"Especially when they're pressed against a hot, delicious sausage."
Rukia felt as if her heart was slowly being crushed with dread as her eyes widened. When she said she wanted to find out more about her sister, she wasn't exactly aiming for that. While she tried to swallow the lump in her throat, her brother continued, seemingly lost in thought.
"Hisana loved doing that for me." Rukia started feeling sick. Her head felt light and the room was doing funny twists. "She always had the best of buns. And she loved the Kuchiki brand of sausage."
Rukia was red all over, her eyes wide, jaw slack and her insides slowly imploding. Nothing, nothing could be worse than this. The images invaded her head against her will and it took all of her will not to empty herself onto her brother's desk. Byakuya, meanwhile, was staring at a sakura tree outside his window.
"You two are so much alike that I can barely tell the difference at times." He admitted, his voice carrying the slightest tone of nostalgia and sorrow. He smiled to himself. "Perhaps you would want to take her role. I'm sure you too have incredible skill in that area."
He allowed himself his first sigh in quite the number of decades. He heard that the humans had also invented something very similar called a 'hotdog'. Byakuya tried it once while on a mission in the World of the Living, but it couldn't be compared to what Hisana made for him. He was secretly hoping, however selfish it was, that Rukia would take up that role. He turned to face her.
"What do you say, Ru-"
He stopped. The chair in front of his desk was overturned, the carpet wrinkled and the door wide open with Rukia nowhere in sight. Had he said something wrong?
Ichigo sighed in content, leaning back in his chair. The day was perfect. His dad and sisters had gone to the amusement park that opened recently, leaving him blissfully alone to enjoy the newest track from Hazel Fernandes at a louder than healthy volume, no Hollows, no school and no damsels in distress.
Just as he reached for the play button with his computer mouse, he heard a frantic knocking at the door. Letting out an irritated huff, he shuffled down the stairs and soon found himself tackled by a short, black blur.
"Hide me! Please, I beg of you, hide me!" Rukia shouted into his chest, curling up into a ball and... whimpering?
Ichigo blinked and took a good look at her. Her breathing was hectic, she probably ran quite the distance. He looked up at her face and he swore he never saw someone completely flustered yet looking so pale that he thought they might vomit their guts out at any given moment.
He sighed and carried her upstairs, music forgotten. He set her gently on the bed, but she reached for his arm at inhuman speeds and forced him to stay until she calmed down enough, not saying a word.
Rukia made herself comfortable on his bed while he went downstairs to grab them some snacks. She let herself smile. Even though she will be trying to forget this day for the rest of her life, she always appreciated how Ichigo could be so serious and caring when need be. At least the day wasn't a complete disaster.
Sighing in relief, she looked up when the door creaked open. Within seconds, she was hyperventilating, her almost iris-less eyes locked onto the plate he was carrying. Following her gaze, the Strawberry looked down and realized what was wrong.
"Oh, yeah, I forget you're not used to the food here." He said, walking over slowly as to not disturb the full plates and idly wondering why the door was creaking ominously as it closed. "I'm sure you'll like it. It's called a hotdog."