Byakuya no chisaihime
Disclaimer: I don't own bleach. I do own reiko and the general plot. :D
Authors note: This chapter is really kinda dry, so if you really don't need to know how a child ends up at Kuchiki manor and just want amusing Bya situations, then just go to the next chapter. :D
"Otousan!" a childish and bubbly voice called as the door to the sixth division office swung open a crack and a diminutive figure squeezed her way through. The red-haired fukutaichou of the sixth division watched with wide-eyed disbelief as the rosy cheeked and raven haired child scanned the room in slight confusion. Silver gray eyes soon lit up as she launched herself over the table at the only other person in the office- the sixth division taichou himself.
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"A child you say?" The Kuchiki's dignified voice questioned, a slightly arched brow the only indication of his surprise, for wide-eyes were simply too undignified an expression for a Kuchiki, and were to be avoided at all costs. The old advisor gave him yet another nod before speaking up.
"To be more accurate sir, she is but an infant," his low and subdued voice replied. His brows furrowed ever so slightly at the statement as he swiftly weighed the pros and cons of the situation. Or to put it simply- he attempted to decide whether five years of being woken up by an infants cries was worth liberation from having to produce an heir for the Kuchiki household.
"Can I safely assume that you are absolutely certain that this child is a Kuchiki?" he asked, grey eyes resting on the servant. The Kuchiki advisor did not so much as twitch under his master's weighty gaze, having long grown accustomed to it.
"Absolutely, Kuchiki-sama-we have already completed a blood test. She's most definitely a Kuchiki," the white-haired old man assured.
The Kuchiki pursed his lips at the sentence from his graying advisor. "One last enquiry-Where and how did you find her?" his deadpan voice asked, stony eyes fixed on the elderly man.
"Well, Kuchiki-sama's grandmother's sister's granddaughter arranged a meeting with me a few days ago, imploring us to take the child in, as she was no longer able to take care of the child," he begun slowly, diplomatically neglecting to inform the Kuchiki heir that he had mentioned the meeting a few days ago, only to be somewhat unceremoniously brushed off and dismissed. His wrinkle surrounded eyes noted the barest hint of chagrin cross his master's face.
"And I was unaware that I had another living relation that was a Kuchiki because?" his eerily emotionless voice asked.
"She chose to live in seclusion, away from the Kuchiki name till recently," He explained, no longer frazzled by his master's temper. The Kuchiki's brows relaxed slightly as he contemplated the consequences. His stormy grey eyes finally reopened to rest on his advisor.
"Where is she?" he asked in a voice that could only be described as reluctant.
There was an oppressive silence between the two men for a while before a child's ear splitting wail cut through the thick silence. The noble winced inwardly, resisting the urge to cover his ears, as he had a sinking feeling that this was only a small taste of what was to come. After a long minute of wailing that continually increased in volume, a female servant finally appeared, gingerly carrying what closely resembled a cacophonic bundle of cloth.
The Kuchiki stared openly at the infant, unconsciously biting his inner cheek in an attempt to maintain his renowned emotionless countenance. He could feel his irritation rising as he eyed how awkwardly the servant was carrying the infant. Resisting the urge to let out an exasperated noise, he approached the child. Lightly muscled arms, clad in white sleeves stretched towards the infant, taking the cloth bundle out of the servants grasp. He spent a few moments adjusting the child comfortably in his arms before beginning to rock her in a surprisingly rehearsed movement. For once, he was actually glad for the many visits he had paid to the infants in Rukongai with Hisana.
He found himself waggling a finger in front of her. "Just being petty and pampered aren't we?" he reprimanded softly. She let out a happy gurgle, watching him with silver eyes tinged with grey.
"Does she have a name?" he asked, not glancing at his advisor who was struggling to maintain a smooth expression.
"No sir," he finally choked out in an obviously restrained tone.
The Kuchiki heir arched a finely shaped brow. "Very well then, does Reiko Kuchiki sit well with you?" he addressed, not to his advisor, but to the small child, in so a serious a tone that it was almost comical. Yet Reiko giggled giving her guardian what could almost be considered a nod of consensus. The Kuchiki's lips curved upwards ever so slightly.
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For what he was sure was at least the twenty sixth time that night, the Kuchiki found himself forcing sleep deprived eyes open as he got out of his bed, bare feet meeting the cold wooden floor silently as he shunpoed towards the other end of the Kuchiki manor. He was beginning to regret having decided to give Reiko a room at the other end of the manor, for not only could he still hear her cries, but he seemed to be the only one who was capable of doing so, for on all the other twenty five occasions, he had met on one else on their way to calm her. Not that they would have been much help, since she seemed to have decided to be particularly attached to him, and refused to be calmed by anyone else.
The Kuchiki came to an abrupt stop in front of her room, sliding the wooden doors open. Her crying ceased almost instantly the moment he entered the room as he instantly concocted a string of bombardic insults. She giggled as he approached the cradle. He had stood firm against arrancars, bounts, his own fukutaichou, Yamamoto-dono, and even his own sister. Yet here he was letting an infant of barely three months twist him around her finger so easily. "Go to sleep," he ordered. She smiled a look of innocent defiance. He had, as limited as it was, enough experience to comprehend that she clearly wanted to be "pampered" to sleep.
"This. Is. The. Very. Last. Time." He muttered murderously. She smiled, and shutting small eyelids, she snuggled against him gently. He began a slow pacing around the room, patting her gently on the back, and humming the strains of an old song in a barely audible tone. It seemed to be enough for Reiko who soon settled down.
Five minutes later and forty rounds around the room found him finally placing a sleeping and lightly snoring Reiko back into her cot. His muscles suddenly tensed and he whirled around.
"You know, a baby isn't really the best accessory for you," a highly amused voice remarked throatily as a lithe figure dislodged herself from the window where she hung upside down, and dropped lightly to her feet.
"Yoruichi," he greeted, showing no reaction at all in regards to her comment.
"Cute kid. I never knew that you and Hisana reached that stage already in the time you had together. But surely she should be more mature," the tanned figure remarked, indigo hair leaning forward as she peeked over the cradle at the small form.
"She is not my daughter. And I do not see how Hisana and my affairs involve you," he replied coolly.
Yoruichi's brow rose an inch. "She resembles you a lot. Just add a kenseikan, falling fringe, and a death-by-Senbonzakura-to-all-who-incur-my-wrath look, and she'll be perfect," Yoruichi mused, gesturing with her hands. The Kuchiki sniffed haughtily but did not reply.
"Her name is Reiko Kuchiki," he informed nonchalantly.
"Reiko. Pretty name. I'm surprised you didn't call her Hisana though," she teased in a tone of false innocence.
The Kuchiki snorted delicately. "Not everybody is as crude in naming a child as you are. And then, I'm pretty sure the child would be named Kisuke Urahara," he shot back to the amusement of the older woman who laughed appreciatively.
"Not bad, bya-bo. You've improved. Anyway, I have somewhere better to be. Say hi to Reiko for me. Ja," she replied calmly, before leaping out of the window in a cat like manner.
The taichou watched, no longer surprised by her sudden exits. He glanced into the shadows of the night for a while more before proceeding to shut the window tight. Striding past Reiko's cradle, he shut the door and shunpoed back to his warm and inviting bed.
Authors note: Hello! I hoped you enjoyed that! I've always toyed with the idea of putting bya with an infant, because it's ever so amusing. Anyway, i think this will be the first and last chapter in a proper story format. The rest of the chapters will probably be like short clips from their life, from different periods of Reiko's age, so don't be surprised if one moment she's an infant and the next she's a grown child studying in the shinigami academy. Also, i promise that the next few chapters will be WAAAYY more fun :D Finally, Review oK!