Jushiro Ukitake sat down in his office, pulling out a sheet of expensive-looking notepaper from his desk and puzzling over it. Byakuya Kuchiki's obnoxiously looping handwriting leapt out at him once again, reminding the aging Captain for the fifth time that week that his colleague had a proposal to discuss, five minutes from now. Really, if Byakuya had been any more insistent, Jushiro could mistake him for a cracked record.

Well, Jushiro was ready and waiting, as Byakuya had so impetuously demanded, and the bowl of sweets on his desk was well-stocked.

At that thought, Jushiro heard the familiar sound of his two third-seats jostling each other up the corridor, fighting for pole-position and the opportunity to knock on the door.

Sure enough, Jushiro winced as there was a loud BANG on the solid wood, followed by four rapid, daintier knocks.

"Oi, booger-face, you're stepping on my foot!"

"Perhaps your foot shouldn't be in between me and the Captain's door!"

Jushiro rolled his eyes at the sound of his third-seats squabbling on the other side of his door. "Come in," he called, in a restrained voice. He had always had a way with dealing with children.

The door burst open and Kiyone Kotetsu fell into the room, closely followed by Sentaro Kotsubaki. Jushiro was horrified to see Byakuya standing behind them, a distinctly unimpressed frown on his face.

"Kiyone! Sentaro!" Jushiro admonished. "What have I told you about fighting in front of our guests? Poor Captain Kuchiki has better things to do than listen to your juvenile bickering."

Kiyone pouted. "He said my name first! Ha ha ha," she pointed out to a fuming Sentaro, who proceeded to kick her in the shin.

Juiro sighed wearily. "Please return to your duties now."

The two third-seats stood comically upright, competing to give the most solid salute. "You got it, Captain!" they declared simultaneously, before leaving the room, almost managing to refrain from punching each other before the door had shut behind them.

Byakuya stood just inside the door, his nose wrinkled in distaste. "You need to get yourself a Lieutenant, Captain Ukitake," he said, frostily.

Jushiro gave a pleasant smile. "Perhaps. Please sit, Byakuya," he said, amiably, gesturing to a comfortable chair opposite his desk before pushing the sweet bowl forwards. "Sherbet lemon?"

Byakuya shook his head emphatically, and took a seat as Jushiro took a sweet himself. "I wish to discuss the issue of your empty second seat," he said, without preamble.

"Well, I can't say I didn't see this coming, Byakuya," said Jushiro, unwrapping his sherbet lemon. "Rest assured that I won't be endangering Rukia by forcing her into the position. You have already made your wishes on this matter clear. She will remain unseated."

His guest's eyes narrowed marginally. "I have changed my mind."

Jushiro's head jolted up in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

"I am of the opinion that Rukia would make an excellent Lieutenant," Byakuya stated evenly.

"What's brought on this change of heart, then?" Jushiro frowned, making a note to tread carefully from now on for fear of detonating a landmine.

Byakuya regarded Jushiro calmly. "Rukia has given me enough reason to not fear for her safety. I am now satisfied that she would be able to handle any danger the role of Lieutenant might place her in." His eyes suddenly adopted a spark which would have been undetectable to anybody who hadn't known him as long as Jushiro had. "While in Hueco Mundo, Rukia was the only person to defeat one of Sousuke Aizen's Espada with only the use of her Shikai, with the exception of Captain Shunsui Kyoraku and the barbarian Kenpachi Zaraki, who really doesn't count. Upon returning, I had a conversation with her which revealed to me the immense amount of bravery my sister had displayed during her fight; Lieutenant-class bravery at the very least.

"I have since personally trained with Rukia and witnessed her adeptness with her sword, and I am of the opinion that she could achieve Bankai within as few as a hundred years- no, fifty..."

"Calm down, Byakuya," Jushiro interrupted, sensing that Byakuya's fierce pride would allow the tirade to go on forever if he didn't intervene now. "I am aware of Rukia's considerable abilities. I talk to her regularly and get on very well with her."

The young Captain broke off his impassioned monologue and stared evenly at Jushiro. "So, you'll consider it?"

Jushiro smiled. "I've been saving the seat for her. Honestly, I expected to have to wait another few decades before you brought up the subject, and I knew better than to raise the issue with you when you were so against the idea of her being promoted to a seat the last time we discussed it."

Byakuya blinked, and Jushiro prayed that his accidental implication had flown straight over the other Captain's head.

"Thank you," said Byakuya, and Jushiro nearly breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll be going now."

"Oh, but won't you stay? I was just about to make some tea."

Byakuya rose from his seat. "No, thank you," he insisted, pausing for a second as he took two handfuls of sherbet lemons and stowed them in his shihakusho pocket. "I'm glad we had this conversation, Captain Ukitake."

And with that, he swept regally from the room, leaving Jushiro staring in wonder at his empty sweet bowl.

"He always does whatever he pleases at any given moment," Jushiro sighed to himself, making a mental note to stock up on sweets before Byakuya's next visit.

Author's notes: Happy Lowri Day, everybody! Yep, it's kind of becoming a thing that I write loads on my birthday, this is my third year doing so. Consider this a gift to the internets for my managing to live for twenty-one years without anybody murdering me for being annoying. Heh.

One thing: I am aware that Byakuya canonically does not like sweets. I just thought this was a funny mental image. Perhaps he's taking them to lure Yachiru away from his mansion with, or to ply Rukia with when she finds out about her promotion. OR perhaps he secretly does like sweets and he just tells everybody he doesn't because he has a reputation to uphold. Who knows? :D