Hisana loved cats.

When she had lived in Rukongai, stray cats that wandered around dark alleys were never frightening, but welcoming to her. A cat was perfectly content to purr and rub their face against your leg if you happened to be there at the right time, and cared not who you were. Cats didn't care what dark things were in your past as long as you scratched their ear and didn't kick them across the street.

So when she was out walking one autumn evening and she saw a black one with luminous yellow eyes poking its head out of a flower bush in the Kuchiki gardens, she was quite thrilled.

"Hello, sweetie," she murmured, bending down to extend a welcoming hand, "Where did you come from?"

The cat lithely stepped onto the path, ignoring her hand but looked up into Hisana's eyes.

"You can't be owned by anyone here, Byakuya doesn't like cats," she spoke allowed, not really to herself, but obviously the cat wouldn't understand Japanese.

But suddenly it purred, swishing its tail. Hisana smiled brightly at the response, but gasped when the cat made a few well-placed leaps to land itself on her shoulders.

She was quite sure the cat would have slipped off her shoulders – cats didn't have that much balance – but it seemed quite at home there, and even when Hisana shakily stood up, it remained comfortably standing.

"Ooh, you're a special one, aren't you?" Hisana beamed at the cat as it rubbed its soft head against her cheek, feeling the deep vibrations of its purr, "And friendly, too. I hope you have a home, I really wouldn't want such a cat to be out in the cold at night…"

She heard footfalls behind her, and she turned to see Byakuya walking towards them. From the weary look on his face, she could tell it had been a long day. He hadn't even bothered to change out of his shihakushou yet.

"Welcome home," she said, smiling up at him once he was in arms-reach, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," came his response, and it was obvious from the worn-out drawl in his deep voice, "I don't think I'll try to get anymore work done toni—," he stopped short, staring at the cat when he finally noticed it.

Hisana raised her eyebrows in concern, "Is something the matter?" she reached out and took his hand, but followed his eyes to the resident on her shoulder, "Oh, I'm sorry! I know you don't like cats, this one was hiding in a bush over there, and it was very friendly, so I played with it a little. She seems to be very smart, oh but I didn't check to see if it is a she, so I guess I'm only assuming that fact, but really, she does appear to be quite bright, and particularly athletic, more so than most cats, that is…" she explained in a rush, trying to gauge when Byakuya was actually angry or not.

Byakuya didn't remove his eyes from the cat, who was staring back at him just as intently. 'She's an outlaw in the Soul Society now. She knows she has no business being here, this demon cat,' he thought to himself, quite put off. This was not how he wanted to end his day, dealing with Shihoin Yoruichi.

He knew that as the grandson of the 6th Squad captain, and the primary prospect for the captaincy himself, it would be the most responsible thing to catch her now, while she was otherwise distracted, and turn her in as the criminal she was. But he tore his eyes away from the cat when Hisana squeezed his hand, looking to see her eyes brimmed with concern.

"It's fine. I know you're fond of these animals," he sighed, resigned. No, there was no need to let his beloved wife know that the cat on her shoulders was really a noblewoman who had been a nightmare in his youth and was now wanted for recent crimes.

Hisana smiled carefully in return and opened her mouth to speak, when the cat leapt off her shoulders, bounding off of Byakuya's face, before disappearing into the bushes again.

"I'm sorry! I guess that didn't warm you up to her at all, did it?" Hisana asked, pursing her lips to keep from laughing. She rubbed her thumb against the shallow cut the cat's claws had left on Byakuya's cheek, wiping away the blood.

"Hm," Byakuya grunted noncommittally, shaking away the fact that Shihoin Yoruichi was running rampant in his house again, "I haven't yet asked how your day was."

"Oh, nothing special…I wasn't able to go to Rukongai today, so I just spent some time around the house," she said, lowering her hand, shrugging lightly, "It is rather lonely here without you though. I always seem to forget that, because I keep myself occupied when I'm searching for Rukia…"

"I believe I know that feeling, when I come here on break and you're not around," he responded, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

Hisana smiled sadly, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," he chided, and leaned down to kiss her.

Even though they had been married for a few years now, it pleased him to no end that he never tired of kissing Hisana. And they had had their generous share of kisses. He might be in a great mood, and spending this time with her only brought him higher. Or he might be feeling rather low, and spending this time with her was the only way to lift his spirits.

This particular case was true at the moment. He found his first smile of the day on his lips when they pulled apart to breathe for a moment, his forehead resting on hers. Oh yes, this was definitely a high note on which to end the day…

Until he looked out the corner of his eye, and noticed a pair looking right back at him.

Staring.

Luminous, yellow eyes.

Just staring out of a bush.

'Damn you,' he thought venomously to himself, now turning his head to stare daggers back at the cat, 'Damn you to hell, get out of my house.' As though she might actually hear him.

Hisana blinked up at him, "Um, are you alright…?"

Hesitantly, Byakuya turned back to Hisana, "Yes, I'm alright. Simply tired."

Tired of cats for sure.

Hisana nodded in understanding, reaching up to place a swift kiss on his cheek, "Let's get you to bed, then."

Byakuya returned the nod, and they started walking towards their bedroom. But he cast one more look over his shoulder back at the black cat, who blinked once at him before disappearing back into the shrubbery.

And his mood was much lifted once they were lying in bed, all thoughts outside of each other blissfully gone. It was quiet, and Byakuya was quite ready to pass out until morning.

He didn't want to open his eyes again when he heard Hisana sit up and murmur, "How did you get in here?"

He really didn't want to open his eyes.

But he did, still lying down, and resumed glaring at the cat, who was perched perfectly content on the sill of their closed, closed, window.

"Hell-worthy witchcraft," he muttered in response, becoming even more miffed as Yoruichi leapt down, and bounded over to them. She hesitated at the foot of their futon.

'Don't you even dare. If you value your life, do not even think about it.'

He wouldn't put it past her to suddenly transform into her human self, unclothed as usual. That had been a frequent torture that she'd loved to torment him with when he was younger, and one that certainly haunted him. But she wouldn't dare, not now that he was this age…

The cat clearly didn't understand telepathy. She stepped onto the blankets, walking along his leg until she stood on his chest, staring him in the face, as if to say, 'You lose. You are powerless to stop the Great Shihoin Yoruichi, Flash Goddess! Haha-haha!'

Which was probably exactly what she was thinking.

Hisana laid back down, giggling softly to herself, "It's too bad you don't like cats, because I think this one likes you."

Byakuya didn't respond, continuing to stare down the cat. No, she didn't like him. She liked to toy with him. Like a damn cat would.

And sure enough, Yoruichi crept forward a few more steps, licked his chin with her scratchy tongue, and bounded skillfully onto Hisana before Byakuya could move a hand to throw her across the room.

"Sorry," Hisana laughed again, "Cats' tongues do feel a bit weird."

Yoruichi purred loud enough, he didn't doubt it could be heard clear across the manor.

'So content with yourself, werecat. You will pay for this,' he thought, sending ill vibes to the offender, before turning his head away, "Good night, Hisana."

He heard her laugh one more time, before she scooted closer, wrapping an arm around him, "Good night."

Yoruichi, quite thrilled with her achievements – and annoying Byakuya was a worthy Olympic sport, and this prank clearly deserved a gold medal – curled herself up beside Hisana's legs.

She was quite sure Little Byakuya would not bother her while his sweet wife was loving on the sweet black cat. She had never met Hisana before, but if she loved cats this much, then there was no doubt in Yoruichi's mind that she would wind up being a repeat partner-in-crime, whether consciously or not.

Oh, she had most certainly won this round.

682 – Shihoin Yoruichi, 0 – Kuchiki Byakuya.