Day 12 – Family (Ukitake/Kyoraku/Starrk):
Shunsui looked on with an affectionate smile curling his lips as Lilynette was lifted by Starrk to place the angel at the apex of their heavily laden Christmas tree. When he deposited her back on the ground she spun and flung slender arms around the brunet and squeezed him tightly, earning a huff of quickly expelled air from the other man.
He felt Jyuushiro stir beside him, his head safely cradled in the crook of his neck, his body pressed flush along his side as though searching for warmth.
The soft sigh caught Staark's attention and he moved slowly forward, Lilynette tiptoeing beside him.
Dark eyes lifted and stared into Shunsui's and he gave Starrk a tender smile and watched as the brunet settled in on Jyuushiro's other side. His hand was moved and soft wave's settled beneath it as Starrk pressed himself closer, his head resting on Jyuushiro's shoulder.
Shunsui curled his fingers and gently stroked the chocolate coloured strands and listened quietly as two sets of deep even breath's filled the room.
All the while he and Lilynette had watched quietly as his lover's settled and slept.
"He needed this."
Shunsui looked up into a lone uncovered eye, seeing the solemnity in Lilynette's gaze as she watched her other half.
He looked at her and saw not a child but a small warrior, fighting for someone she loved very much.
He murmured quietly so as not to rouse the sleeping men, "So do you."
She smiled a soft, childlike grin, her moment of serious contemplation gone in a flash. He opened an arm to her then and she smiled, crawling into his lap and snuggling close, her finger's pressing into Jyuushiro's silky white hair.
"Good night, papa."
Shunsui smiled at the spritely child's words, realising that the one thing he thought he would never be – was now what he was – a Father.
"Good night, Lilynette."
Shunsui fell asleep with a tender smile on his lips and his family curled around him.