Hello everyone! It's been a while, no? Well, fortunately (or unfortunately- it really depends on who you ask) I'm not dead! I had intended on writing these segments a little more linearly as I've planned out other "meetings" however this scene popped up in my head one day and I thought, why not? It's a sneak peek at married life for these two when all is said and done. It's not terribly long, but I hope you enjoy!

"You… can cook?"

He hadn't meant to say it that way, so incredulously. But it was true, he wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation he had walked in on. The sight that greeted Byakuya when he returned home left him rather dumbfounded. Soifon was working furiously in the kitchen, shrouded in a cloud of steam from the pots furiously bubbling away behind her. Her zanpakuto was nowhere to be seen. Instead of Suzumebachi, the second division captain wielded a cleaver. She diced and chopped with the same exactness and precision that proved to be the downfall of many a hollow.

Then there was her outfit.

Her usual haori had been replaced by an apron. A very frilly and very pink apron. The scene made Soifon appear almost domestic and Byakuya wondered, for a moment, if he was dreaming. A very bizarre nightmare was another distinct possibility.

Soifon's glare as she looked up from the ginger she had been slicing helped assure the sixth division captain that yes, he was indeed awake and yes, his ninja assassin wife was indeed cooking. His question seemed to have offended her, Byakuya noticed. That or the garlic she was currently mincing had somehow affronted her honor. Either way, the rapid and heavy "thunk" of the cleaver hitting the cutting board seemed a bit too forceful to be safe.

Soifon whirled about the kitchen, grabbing ingredients and tossing them in the scorching hot wok. She eyed her husband from over the pot. With one hand stirring vigorously, the other resting on her hip, she explained simply, "just because my lieutenant is too lazy to eat anything besides a meal from a feedbag does not mean that I must be the same." Her tone was the crisp, curt one he had grown accustomed to. The petite beauty gave him a pointed look before turning back to add some chili paste to the pot.

Byakuya stayed rooted at the doorway, watching. It should not have been surprising to see her so self-assured, so at ease. The times Byakuya had seen Soifon appear out of her element were very few and far between. Still, it was difficult to reconcile the lethal warrior he had come to know and love with the determined chef currently occupying the kitchen.

Aware of his lingering presence, Soifon asked over her shoulder, "Would you like to come over and watch?" He did not give a response but within a moment, she felt his commanding presence at her back. It was a presence she had learned to take comfort from. Her husband gazed at the simmering concoction over his wife's narrow shoulders.

"Your cooking," he started slowly, "is there a problem with our chef?" As he asked his mind furiously reviewed the statistics of the current family chef and the proper procedures associated with letting him go.

Soifon chuckled at the question.

"No," she replied, stirring as she spoke, "it's just… I had lived alone for a long time. It felt strange not cooking for myself." Her voice unconsciously took on a wistful tone as she remembered countless dinners by herself. Byakuya sensed the change and wrapped his long arms around his wife's petite frame. He considered pressing a kiss against her cheek but Soifon was rather peculiar with displays of affection and he didn't want to risk anything while a pot of liquid boiling a mere foot away. One could never be too sure. She sighed and smiled slightly as she allowed herself to sink into his warm embrace. She had never dreamed of it, but now that she had someone in her life that she could just touch and be touched by, she had to admit it was nice. Having his arms wrapped securely around her only reminded her of her husband's loyalty. She felt safe entrusting her heart, more fragile than she cared to admit, to him.

The fragrant scent of chili and green onion called her back to action. Breaking reluctantly from his grasp, Soifon went and poured the food into a large porcelain bowl. The smell was intoxicating. She smiled; it had been a dish she'd eaten since she was a child. Holding the steaming dish, she spoke.

"It's done. Would you like some?"

Byakuya nodded as he followed her to the Kuchiki manor's more casual dining room. They both seated themselves and began eating in silence. It was a silly question but she couldn't help but wonder. She sat quietly, eating as she wrestled with asking. It wasn't important, really but she was curious. After a moment of debate, she stopped and silently scolded herself. She feared nothing. If she could command a whole division, she could ask a question. She was being silly. Steeling herself, she broke the comfortable silence that had fallen over the meal.

"Did Hisana ever cook? Her quiet voice seemed loud in the stillness of the room.

Byakuya stopped eating as memories of burnt pancakes, messy clean ups, sheepish apologies, and a wife who never stopped trying filled his conscious.

"On occasion," was his reply before he resumed eating. Nothing more needed to be said. Soifon nodded in silence. It had been a silly question, but she had wanted to know. She didn't want to compete or compare, but simply wanted to learn more about the woman who had made him so happy. She and Hisana were so different, sometimes she just hoped that she was enough. That her love was enough. If there was one thing that people seemed to forget about her, it was that she loved completely and wholeheartedly. She was guarded and reserved, but when she cared about someone, she would love them with her whole heart and fight tooth and nail to make sure they were safe. With her cold reputation, not many saw that side of her.

They continued eating, the comfortable silence unfettered by the early query. It didn't take long for Soifon to notice her husband's eyes, staring intently. Raising her eyebrow in question, she met his gaze. He looked almost sheepish for a moment before mumbling, "your apron…" and trailing off. She looked down and noted that she indeed was still clad in the cotton candy pink frock. Her cheeks flushed to a rosy hue as she undid the tie at the base of her neck.

"It was a gift from Yoruichi-sama," she said, "I don't think she ever really expected me to use it."

Byakuya smiled as he replied, "Yes. It does not appear to match your taste very well."

Soifon shrugged slightly and resumed her focus on her meal. She stopped after a few more bites, remembering the most important question of the meal, "Do you like it? How is the flavor?" She sounded more like an anxious chef than a powerful shinigami at that moment.

Byakuya put down his chopsticks and said firmly, "It is delicious. The flavor is unlike anything I've ever had before. There is… a slight sourness that is quite different than anything I've tried."

Soifon smiled at the high remarks before exclaiming at a spurred memory, "ah yes! I forgot to mention, when I cook, I include poison so I may build an immunity from the extended exposure. I hope you don't mind?"

Byakuya felt the blood run from his face (was it the poison?) and looked down at his plate. Suddenly, he couldn't seem to find his appetite.