Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Word Count: 324
AN: Introducing a new- but familiar character! Betcha can't guess who by the title! Haha Thanks all!
A Kiss for Shelter
Sister
If anyone had suggested that her brother, the one and only Byakuya Kuchiki, might be getting soft, she would have snorted with laughter and then this laughter would have been followed by a less pleasant reaction- something violent.
Certainly she knew the strength of his affection for her now- though at times he still managed to surprise her with a display of blatant overprotectiveness. Of course, Rukia never quite saw it as overprotectiveness (that was a term muttered by Ichigo and only when out of hearing range). But even when he had made a brotherly gesture that he might not have years before, the Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division couldn't very well make the leap to the man becoming subject to emotion.
When Rukia arrived home to find that the whole estate was riddled with rumors of her brother's sudden gregariousness, his trusting nature, and perhaps his enchantment, well she was more than anxious for their meeting.
He looked exactly the same in her eyes as he sat across from her, absolutely elegant, resplendent in his shinigami uniform with a formal overcoat, regal in design, layered over this. Beautiful- the picture of masculine grace in every gesture.
"Nii-sama." She gave a small smile as she bowed over her own cup of tea.
"Rukia." He acknowledged solemnly, though his grey orbs held a trace of more than restrained formality.
He inquired about her squad duties, then listened carefully to her reply to insure that she was not overtaxing herself. Satisfied with her response he gave a nod and allowed a comfortable silence to steal in.
He waited.
She did not disappoint- he knew her so well.
"Nii-sama… Um… I saw the staff cleaning out the old guesthouse… Is there someone visiting I should be aware of?"
With those eyes of lapis lazuli staring up at him in (poorly) disguised curiosity he felt no hope of deflecting.
"Indeed."