Autumn: The effects of the shower

Never had she ever enjoyed such a day. The rain was pouring outside, and draught was running through the house, but most people seemed to be cheerful, anyway. It was not cold, only wet. Samoshi noticed this to her smiling cousin, Byakuya, who was sitting on the large couch together with a smiling Hisana. The two were softly talking to each other, and there was a noticeable air of comfort between the four in the room.

Otaku was sitting on the floor, making a puzzle. All by himself. And whenever Samoshi or Hisana offered him to help, he would say that they should leave and that this puzzle was his pride.

Sometimes Otaku seemed even more pathetic than Samoshi had ever declared.

By seeing the three people she loved most being this happy in this crappy weather, Samoshi was perfectly happy herself, too.

"I think I'll go take a shower," Hisana announced. Byakuya turned his head.

"Maybe I will join you," he said.

Hisana smiled and pulled herself up. Then she took Byakuya's hand and they both left the room.

They heard the door shut and Otaku looked at Samoshi.

"I bet you my teddy that he'll leave the shower screaming like a little girl."

Samoshi grinned. "Deal."

"I'm so sorry! It's one of my showering habits, I'm not even aware that I'm doing it!"

Hisana had to run to keep up with her husband, who was taking large and quick steps back into the room where Samoshi and Otaku were still sitting. The two of them looked up with big grins on their faces. Samoshi wanted to speak up, but Otaku was faster. "The shower thing again?"

Byakuya nodded and sat down. "She turned the water cold. Again."

"It's normal, I always do that," Hisana said, making her way over to sit on Byakuya's lap. He quickly scooped aside to have her fall down on the floor and rub her butt. "It's relaxing. And that move was mean."

"Mean as in 'I will turn the water cold to make my husband freeze'?" Byakuya replied, starting to feel sorry for her and helping her up.

"No," Hisana snapped back, "mean as in 'let's drop my wife, maybe she won't be able to sit for weeks, that'll make a laugh'."

Allowing her to sit on his lap, Byakuya wrapped her arms around her. "The change in temperature was unexpected. It was cold."

"That's the whole purpose of it," Hisana grunted.

"I don't care. It was terribly cold."

Just before Hisana was going to reply again, Samoshi smirked and jumped in between. "You know, this is the first time you two actually sound like a married couple."

She shut up the moment she got death-glares from both husband and wife.

And gulped. She was smarter than telling them this behaviour only confirmed her statement.

"Are you sure you'll make it?" Hisana asked, pulling her head back from her husbands chest. She and Byakuya stood on the porch. Her arms were wrapped around his torso and she didn't feel much for letting go.

Byakuya nodded and pushed her arms away to take her hands into his. "I will be fine. You go have fun on your sleepover with…"

"…Nanao-chan, remember?"

"Oh, yes, her."

Hisana sighed and blew a strand of hair out of her face. Then she grinned. "You hate this."

There was no doubt, she knew he would miss her badly. "I am going to make it just fine. If you can when I'm making a massacre, I can when you are making.. a pillow-fight scenery."

"Yeah," Hisana said, "because it's the same thing to worry about someone getting killed by some sick monster and to be scared someone will choke on a loose feather."

Byakuya put his finger on her lips. "If you were to choke on a feather I would wonder what could ever be more pathetic."

He should have known that was going to give him the deserved kick in his shins. Even so, he bow down and kissed her on the lips. "I love you. Have a lot of fun."

"Thanks," Hisana said, twirling her fingers in his hair. "Love you too. See you tomorrow."

He seized her hand out of his hair and squeezed it before letting go. She waved and ran towards the gate, where Nanao was already waiting for her. He watched her go and before she left the ground completely, she turned her attention to him one more time. He melt away by the smile she gave him.

It was good for her to be out.

"Byaku…"

No response. Samoshi took a few more steps towards the man in the opening of the front door. "Byakuuu…"

"What is it, Samoshi?"

Ha, he answered. Samoshi straightened her back and went to stand next to her cousin. "You have been standing there for about half an hour. Are you going to wait here until she comes back?"

Byakuya frowned. "If I must."

Pouting, Samoshi pulled his arm. "Come back inside, help me kick Otaku-nii out of the room and finish that damn puzzle with me. Don't act like a statue, you do that often enough."

His jaw stiffened. "I am not a statue. I know how to have… fun."

A grin formed on Samoshi's lips. "Oh, really?"

The afternoon had not been what Samoshi had expected. She had tried everything. Everything. Byakuya didn't budge. She had tried to make him bake cookies with him, she asked his advice on several literature pieces in the Kuchiki library, she had tried to get him to have a water-balloon fight with her… she even asked him to teach her some calligraphy, for heaven's sake!

"I…" Samoshi said, loosening her arms and dropping the rackets for tennis on the floor. "I…"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow. "Not finishing your sentences is an indication of confusion. A Kuchiki should not be showing that, Samoshi."

"ARGH!" she yelled. With her hands on her head and her fingers pulling her hair, she walked around in the room. "I cannot believe how Hisana spends her days with you! You're awful! You're dull! Loosen up!"

"Hisana," Byakuya started, not even bothering to look at Samoshi, "is a more sensible woman who enjoys walks and silent conversations just as much as I do. We talk about things that matter, not about… what kind of color and design on a kimono would fit best with your hair that day."

Just as she was about to open her mouth and tell him that it was necessary to look good sometimes, Byakuya turned around and stepped out of the room. "I will be in the back room."

She really needed to do something. She was almost bored and when she would get bored, she'd get annoyed, annoying and an annoyance to everyone in the house. Making up her mind, Samoshi took big steps to the room where her brother sat. "Hey, Otaku-nii, wanna kick some life into Byakuya with me?"

A sheepish grin spread over Otaku's face, but it was gone as soon as it had come. "Cut him some slack, Samosh, it's the first time in ages he's been without her."

She heaved a sigh and went to sit on the couch. "Ever since she's gotten into his life he seems happier.. and now she's been away for only a couple of hours and he's depressed already."

"If it was up to him," Otaku said, standing up from his puzzle and stretching his legs, "he'd make his way over to that Nanao-girl and join the pillow-fight in a pink boxer if he had to. Just to be there. Making sure she won't get bruised or something."

Samoshi blew a strand of hair out of her face and folded her arms. "But I like the new Byaku better…"

"Cut him some slack," Otaku repeated, now back concentrating on his puzzle. "She'll be back tomorrow."

Even though she knew he was right, Samoshi was not pleased with what she got. Maybe she shouldn't force herself onto Byakuya this much. Maybe she could ask him about what he would like to do. Content with this conclusion, Samoshi left the room and walked to the other end of the mansion, where she found Byakuya doing some paperwork.

"Hey," she said, knocking the door after coming in.

"Samoshi," Byakuya acknowledged her.

"Need some help with that?"

Byakuya stopped writing and looked up. "You want to do paperwork?"

Nodding, Samoshi stepped further into the room. "Yeah! It's been ages since we've done something together."

"Just now," Byakuya said, dropping his head back to the papers in front of him.

"That's not what I meant," her reply came. She passed the table and knelt down beside her cousin. "That was stupid and you weren't happy with it. Please let me help?"

He considered her words for a second. Then he nodded and shove her a pile of paper. "Sign it in name of Lieutenant Kuchiki. If you have questions, ask."

"Was Hisana-chan really your first kiss?"

"I meant questions about the paperwork."

Samoshi pouted, but bow over the papers anyway. "I know so little about you…"

Out the corner of her eye, she saw him raise his eyebrow. That meant he was interested in what she said. Ha, she was such a good liar. "Only the regular stuff… you're my cousin and yet I only know you so shallow…"

He frowned. He was caving in! Push it a little! "Please?"

After a very heavy sigh, Byakuya put his pen down and folded his hands. "Fine. Yes, Hisana was my first kiss."

Samoshi could kiss herself. "When? How? Why? Who?"

If he was having a hard time admitting his wife was his first kiss, this was hell. He frowned, which Samoshi took as a sign that he didn't know what question to answer first. "Let me help you. When did you first kiss her?"

He closed his eyes for a second, then opened them again. His gaze pierced through Samoshi's head, but she fought the urge to look away. "Well?"

"I first kissed her the day after we got together."

Now it was Samoshi's turn to frown. "You said you two got official because you kissed."

"I never said who initiated our very first kiss."

It took a few seconds before Samoshi realized what he just said. In only a moment of seconds, Samoshi went from her big-eyes expression to jumping up and sitting next to Byakuya, pulling his sleeve for more. "WHAT? Hisana-chan kissed you first?"

Slightly annoyed, Byakuya lifted his arm so that Samoshi had to let go. "Yes, sort of, she did. Does that surprise you?"

"Yeah it does!" Samoshi screamed out. "She didn't like intimacy, right? And she was scared of commitment, right? So why the hell did she kiss you first?"

"I leaned in, but stopped and then she giggled and kissed me. Have you ever considered," Byakuya said, switching his concentration back to his paperwork, "that she might actually have feelings for me?"

"I-" his cousin started, flabbergasted. "Wow. Wow."

"So it was," Byakuya said absentmindedly.

She wasn't sure what he agreed on, but Samoshi did know that she was tired of this boring Byakuya. She pushed herself up and turned around. "Yeah good luck with that stuff," she said, gesturing to the paperwork. "I'm off to Otaku."

She got no reply. Sighing deep, she closed the door behind her back.

Samoshi was sure to follow Byakuya around everywhere in the next few hours. She wanted to know what kept him busy when Hisana wasn't around. They hung around a lot together. Samoshi still couldn't believe the patience Hisana must have.

But the longer Samoshi followed Byakuya around, the more she realized that he actually felt lonely. He was avoiding all contact, he was gazing out of the windows, he stared longingly to the front door and she even busted him spacing off.

Later that evening, she spotted Byakuya going into his bedroom. His eyes were dark and his frown was low on his face. He sure missed her a lot.

The moment the door closed, Samoshi blew a strand of hair out of her face and folded her arms.

Hisana better had a very good time.

It was late in the morning when the doors to the mansion opened and a very happy-looking Hisana stepped inside. She was met by one of her servants, Miyuki, who took her coat.

But Hisana didn't have any time to thank her for it: she was caught in the desperate embrace of her husband.

"Put me down!" she screamed out surprised, now being lifted up in his arms. "Byakuya-sama, I've missed you too but there's NO way I'm going to choke you for it!"

With his face pressed against her neck, Hisana didn't find it very surprising that she couldn't understand his muffled reply. His breath, however, tickled her skin and she started giggling.

Byakuya pulled back and lowered his wife. Now, with both her feet back on the ground again, Hisana wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled him down for a kiss. "Was it that bad?"

The feeling of his wife in his arms… her lips on his… Byakuya was on cloud nine. He just nodded and bend forwards to kiss her again.

Hisana smiled into his lips while from a corner of the hall, Samoshi and Miyuki were watching the couple closely. Samoshi brushed away a tear and Miyuki just grinned upon seeing her Lord and Lady in a tight embrace.

Rain poured down on the porch next to where Samoshi and Otaku were sitting. To celebrate Hisana's coming back, she and Byakuya were taking a joined shower again. Samoshi lay stretched out over the couch, watching Otaku laying the last couple of pieces to his puzzle.

"This one there…" Otaku had his tongue sticking out of his mouth. His eyes were completely focussed on the last parts. "And this one over here…"

"Hey Otaku? Can I lay the last piece?" Samoshi teased. She laughed stupidly at her own joke.

"No way," Otaku replied, not realizing she wasn't serious. He bend forwards and pressed the last piece in. "Done! Ha! Beat that! It only took me four days!"

Not very impressed, Samoshi sat up. "It's a puzzle of fifty pieces, Otaku…"

"I don't want to hear it!" Otaku said, covering his ears with his hands. "Lalalalalala~"

"YOU DID IT AGAIN!"

"I am SO sorry!"

Otaku couldn't get around the arguing voices of Byakuya and Hisana and withdrew his hands. He turned his head to Samoshi, who was almost bouncing off the couch from laughing.

In between hiccups, she managed to say,

"Oh yes, Hisana is definitely back again."

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