AN: Thanks to SLYSWN for inspiring this story! I hope you enjoy it lots! Thanks also to T Kubo for creating such awesome chars to play with. This story is loosely based on lots of things but I don't want to spoil anything. Per the summary its AU, has younger chars, has a dead char, some are true to canon, and some didn't get to say much so we don't know yet lol… Hope you likey!

Chapter 1

Byakuya stared at the odd shaped form under his favourite tree. He frowned as he neared the object and discovered it was a small sleeping child with longish bright orange spikey hair curled up tight, under a yellow blanket. He looked closer and thought the little girl appeared agitated while sleeping, but couldn't for the life of him figure out what she was doing there. He decided the length of lashes and chubby cheeks could only belong to a girl. She must have wandered off and gotten lost. Byakuya often ventured to this tree to get away from his annoying twin brother Senbonzakura, which is why he'd headed here today. In 17 years Sen had never discovered this hiding place thankfully. Byakuya couldn't tell the little girl's age, but decided he'd better wait here until she woke up and see if he could be of assistance. He frowned slightly at the inconvenience that would no doubt unfold when she woke up but he couldn't very well leave her here.

He took out his sketch pad and journal trying to decide which he should work on while he was here. He'd been coming here to escape anyway so he might as well not waste the time he had before the child awoke. The spikey orange haired child moved in her sleep and he was reminded of a cherub painting he'd seen once, so he decided to sketch her.

After an hour or so, the small child finally started to stretch out and open her sleepy eyes. Byakuya was just adding his finishing touches to the drawing when he looked up to see the biggest tawny brown eyes regarding him suspiciously. He regarded the child blankly for a few seconds before folding up his sketch pad and pencils and placing them, along with his journal in his back pack.

He sat cross legged looking at the quiet child who was rubbing her eyes now and looking back at the long dark haired boy, big brown eyes trying to process the situation. Byakuya remained still but cleared his throat about to speak when the child quickly spoke up.

"You don't look like my fairy godmother!" Byakuya leaned forward as the child spoke noting a large hint of skeptiscm from the child.

"Excuse me! You don't look like a cherub anymore either." Byakuya frowned as the child's eyes crossed slightly as it sat pondering what a cherub was.

"You don't sound like my fairy godmother either. A-and what's a cherub?"

"I'm not, and a small child-like creature with wings. Look little girl, what are you doing under my tree and where are your parents?" Byakuya was starting to get impatient.

"Huh? I'm not a girl." To emphasise that he was not a girl the little boy stood and stomped over to Byakuya (who was only a few feet away from him), and kicked one of his crossed legs.

Byakuya glared at the little "boy". He wasn't about to hit him back for reacting like this when now standing, awake and talking he clearly was a very angry little boy and by the tears pooling in the large tawny eyes he was obviously upset now.

"Apologies for my mistake little BOY." Said boy puffed his chest out a little and tilted his chin out trying not to let the tears fall, although the lip quivering was evidence he was about to lose the battle.

"Well then, my name is Kuchiki Byakuya. And you've been curled up sleeping under my tree. Are you lost?" Byakuya had a strange feeling that the tears were in response to his question about where the little boy's parents were so he wondered he avoided asking again. He recognised that feeling all too well.

The child had tried, but was unsuccessful at stopping the several stray tears from falling.

"I-I don't know what happened. I-I'm sorry um Kuu-chi Ba-kua-san. I d-didn't know it was your tree!" He had been sad when he'd started speaking and then gotten angry again.

Byakuya frowned at how the child spoke his name – never having heard it pronounced so clumsily by a child before. He hadn't thought it was such a mouthful. The small fuming boy in front of him was different to the children he'd tried hard to ignore in the clan families. For one, he never found any of them lost before so hadn't had to speak to them in circumstances like this either.

"So why were you sleeping out here? And why did you think I was your fairy godmother?" Steel eyes looked at the small child laughing, although his expression no longer glaring at the boy.

To his credit the boy was smart enough to read Byakuya and spotted being made fun of a mile away.

"Don't make fun of me Kuuchi-san!" Little feet stomped on the ground, making Byakuya almost crack a smile. The boy stood with his fists clenched and eyes screwed shut now.

"Ok, fine. How about you tell me your name then?"

"I'm Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki." The big tawny eyes looked less angry now.

Byakuya hadn't really figured out anything about why the child was here. "It's going to be dark soon. You're parent's will be getting worried about you?"

That did it. The boy's face crumpled as he turned away from Byakuya and let the tears fall. At least he didn't run off Byakuya thought, but he was really stuck now, no clue as to how to offer comfort to the sad and angry child. He'd been easier to deal with while he slept.

"Ichigo…?"He wasn't sure what he wanted to say.

"T-they a-are in t-the c-cetemery." Byakuya's generally apathetic expression crumbled as he absorbed the statement while viewing the parentless child before him falling apart. His own self of 10 years ago reflected back at him causing his own nightmare to come flooding back, hitting him squarely in the centre of his being. But right now, he had to put that back into the box he'd been hiding it and somehow help the little boy.

They were alone on the edge of the Kuchiki estate that bordered the Seireitei National Park. The closest cemetery must have been about 2 miles away. And it was about a mile back to the manor. He was staring at the back of Ichigo, no idea on how to offer comfort to a child when he himself had shunned all forms of it over the last 10 years. Self-created walls of protection clearly rendering him useless right now. Perhaps a distraction might help Byakuya thought.

"Ichigo, are you hungry?"

The small boy's head lifted and hands came up to wipe his tears away, a tissue garnished from his pocket was used to blow his nose, before he turned to Byakuya.

"Umm, I'm not supposed to take food from strangers." At that his stomach grumbled loudly and he blushed brightly with a grimace.

"That's good advice, but you know my name and I yours now." Byakuya sat patiently while the boy regarded him.

"He's not as sad looking like when I woke up… and he didn't try and hug me like the others or say things that made me feel worse when I been crying. His hair looks soft like a girls. He could pass for a fairy godmother if he didn't speak." Ichigo's head was slightly tilted to the side as his chocolate red-rimmed eyes stared at Byakuya.

"Come little Ichigo. Food awaits us, but we have a bit of a walk ahead before we get to the manor."

"Wait! I'll go but can I ask something first?"

"Of course."

"C-can I um… canIpleasetouchyourhair?" Ichigo hung his head looking embarrassed.

"Huh?" Byakuya felt his jaw drop before shaking his head a little. It dawned on him then the reasoning behind the fairy godmother question. His long hair wasn't tied up today, but looking rather untidy hanging freely around his face and shoulders. A smile threatened to break through at the absurdity of both he and Ichigo believing the other to be a girl when they first saw each other.

"If you must, but let me check your hands first to make sure they are clean." He didn't mind if they weren't, but for some reason he felt like being playful.

Ichigo looked up quickly, checked his hands for himself and then was in front of Byakuya who remained seated. He pushed his little hands forward in front of himself with a little worried expression. Byakuya was trying very hard not to laugh. But he'd already been told off for laughing at Ichigo so he kept his face calm. He nodded for Ichigo to proceed. He was not expecting the boy to garnish such an endearing smile at him. It shocked him that a boy of so little had such a range of emotions, and that in the short space of time he'd displayed so many to the him. Byakuya was generally limited to indifferent, mildly indifferent and more often than not just plan angry.

Ichigo had a tendril between his fingers and was rubbing them together. Then he moved his hand and petted the top of Byakuya's hair and ran it down along the length of the long hair. Byakuya's brows arched but he made no comment.

He thought he saw Ichigo nod something to himself before he turned to grab his blanket and a small toy lion plushie so Byakuya stood. Ichigo was back beside him quickly and grasped his hand and started to walk away.

"I was right, it is really soft like my Kaasan's… I wish he was my fairy godmother…" Ichigo thought as he looked up to Byakuya.

"Um, I don't know which way we need to go Kuuchi-san." Big tawny brown eyes that looked happier peered up. Byakuya was staring down at the warm little hand that was gripping his own cold hand.

"Really, now hand holding? I was a stranger to him minutes ago…" Byakuya thought, but he couldn't stop the pang of affection threatening to spill from his hand and try and flow through his body.

"Umm, this way." Byakuya murmured guiding them forward. He was fairly certain once he was able to offload Ichigo he could resurrect his protective walls, but it was clear they were lying in pieces right now, unknowingly being stomped on by a little boy.

"So…" Byakuya voiced as they headed off toward the manor. All his questions felt wrong as he as they would surely end by upsetting Ichigo. Where he lived, went to school, why he had ended up in the forest?

"How old are you Ichigo?"

"I'm almost seven Kuuchi-san."

"Ahh, its Kuchiki."

"Hmm, that's what I said Kuu-chi."

Byakuya didn't have the heart to stop correct him.

"So why did you decide to go walking in the woods?"

Little steps faltered a little before carrying on. It was going to take forever to get back to the manor at this rate with Ichigo's little body taking tiny steps compared to Byakuya's. It was also starting to get darker as night closed in. Byakuya wondered if it would just be easier to carry the child. At that point Ichigo almost tripped and would have fallen save for still clutching Byakuya's hand.

"S-sorry K-Kuuchi-san." Byakuya noticed a look of pain across Ichigo's face as he'd stopped him from falling, and also thought his breathing seemed heavier than before.

Byakuya took his pack off his back.

"Here put your things in here and then pop this on your back." He opened the bag as Ichigo looked at before carefully folding his blanket with a little scowl of concentration before trying to neatly place it into Byakuya's backpack without messing up the books already in there. His plushie was placed on top and Byakuya zipped it back up. He placed it onto Ichigo's back and tightened the straps a little. He noticed the boy stiffen and again his face showed a little pain, but if kept quiet about it.

"Right, hop on." He knelt in front of Ichigo and turned to indicate he would give him a piggy back the rest of the way. Ichigo regarded him before his face brightened in another all delightful grin. Byakuya felt that same feeling again as warm hands encircled his neck, and legs wrapped around his hips. He squealed as Byakuya stood and then proceeded to giggle as Byakuya jostled him round to make sure he was stable and secure on his back. The usually apathetic Byakuya felt the smile rip from him before he could stop it at the giggling sounds and tried hard to cover it up, but then gave up.

"Giddy-up Kuuchi-san" Ichigo giggled loudly.

"All right, all right. I'm going."

They arrived back at the manor just on nightfall. Byakuya had been wondering what he was going to say about the boy. Most likely his father would suggest calling the police and child services as one of Ichigo's family was no doubt looking for him. But Ichigo hadn't mentioned anyone or anything about his situation and he hadn't wanted to ask for fear of upsetting him more.

"Ichigo, before we go in, you might get asked lots of questions. I'll try not to let anyone upset you, but…" He felt Ichigo hug him.

"It's ok Kuuchi-san. The scary man always finds me no matter where I hide." Ichigo whispered quietly.

Byakuya didn't have time to respond as the door to the entrance was thrown open.

Click click click.

A blinding white flashes of light erupted from behind the door startling Byakuya and frightened Ichigo who almost fell if Byakuya hadn't been holding his wrists. He heard a muffled cry from Ichigo and assumed it was his twin's fault.

"Senbonzakura! What are you doing?" Byakuya walked briskly past his twin holding his camera, Ichigo had to do a double-take.

"Is that your sister?" Ichigo tried to whisper quietly but somehow everyone in the room heard it as he moved to the living room.

"What. The. Fu..?" Senbonzakura deadpanned at the question.

Four sets of voices howled in laughter at the comment from the small boy Byakuya carried in on his back. Byakuya even cracked a smirk and Rukia his younger sister nearly fell off the couch at an expression from her Nii-san.

"Serves you right for scaring him."

"What did you expect? I saw you frolicking…"

"I do not frolic Senbonzakura!"

"Boys, boys, enough. Byakuya, did you know there's a chibi on your back?" Soujun's light airy baritone enquired in delight cocking an eyebrow to his eldest son.

"Father, Grandfather, this is Ichigo Kurosaki. I found him asleep under a tree. He was alone so I offered to bring him back here for a meal." Byakuya had noticed the intake of breath his father and grandfather both made at the mention of Ichigo's name. His grandfather suddenly stood.

Byakuya put Ichigo down then, and tried to get him to stand in front of him to say hello or something. Tawny eyes looked up at Byakuya.

"Say hello to my father and my grandfather Ichigo. That's my sister Rukia on the couch and her friend Renji Abarai. And you met my twin "brother" on the way in, Senbonzakura."

Ichigo's head peaked around to look at Byakuya's brother and shook his head. He looked back to Byakuya's father who was a almost an exact copy to the boy's at first glance. His head spun again to look closer at Senbonzakura and then again to Soujun, before finally looking up to Byakuya. Byakuya knew that initially the family looked very similar, and it was no doubt confusing Ichigo. While his younger twin and he shared many traits in common, such as eye and hair colouring, he viewed Sen as being more feminine looking and softer than his own more angular and sharper appearance. He was in fact closer in resemblance to Soujun, who also shared the same hair and eye colouring; however his expression was softer and warmer than Byakuya's. But to most they just looked like triplets as Soujun was very youthful for not yet being 40.

"Um, hello everyone." He bowed a little to Byakuya's father and grandfather. He waved a little hand to the others, who all found themselves waving back with big smiles. He smiled back still a little wary and inched back against Byakuya. Everyone noticed Byakuya put a reassuring hand on the boys shoulder. Ichigo's stomach growled unceremoniously loud.

Byakuya noted it was still a good hour before dinner would be ready, but thought it best to take Ichigo to the kitchen.

"Father, I think I should take Ichigo to the kitchen for some food before he faints from hunger." A small hand shot out and smacked Byakuya, fortunately not very hard against his groin. The grimace on his face had five people trying extremely hard not to laugh at him now as his face tried to remain composed at the shock of being hit in his privates.

"I'm not a girl, Kuuchi-san. I can handle being hungry without fainting." A little scowl and crossed arms had everyone practically in hysterics. Even Byakuya's grandfather was drawn to the little boy and his interactions with the icy eldest of his grandchildren. As much as he wanted to stay in the warm presence they needed to talk to Byakuya.

"One of the servants can take him to the kitchen, Byakuya. We need to talk to you for a moment." Soujun had moved to Rukia and whispered discreetly her ear as Byakuya's grandfather had spoken, noticing both the boy and his son bristle at being separated.

"Ichigo, I will take you if you like, and see if we can find you some fruit before dinner. Byakuya always hides bananas and strawberries in the pantry, but I know where they are." She winked to the chibi who tried to hide a little smile. Ichigo looked up to Byakuya and saw he looked a little unhappy that his sister had revealed she knew where he stashed his favoured fruit in the kitchen.

"I'll be through in a second Ichigo; I don't want my sister to eat all the strawberries." Byakuya voiced, as Ichigo indicated for Byakuya to come close so he could tell him something.

"Don't worry Kuuchi-san; I won't let her eat them all on you." He whispered to Byakuya who regard him with a nod and a quick tony smile. Shocking everyone, especially Byakuya, the boy quickly kissed him on the cheek and put his warm hands around his neck for a quick hug before darting behind him to Rukia at the door and grabbing her hand so she could lead him to the kitchen.

Byakuya stood dumbstruck looking at the spot where Ichigo had been. Four other sets of eyes all looked equally as stunned.

"What the hell did you do to that kid in the woods brother?" His brother's astonished voice rang out. "More importantly what did he do to you?"

"…" Byakuya glared at his brother. Renji snickered before quietening under a hard glare from Ginrei Kuchiki.

"Do you know who that boy is Byakuya? Tell us how you met him." Soujun spoke quietly once he checked to see Ichigo was out of earshot.

Byakuya switched into report mode. "No Chi-Chi. He told me his name when I asked for it. But when I asked about his parents he said they were in the cemetery. He was upset, and I do not know how to comfort a child. I offered him dinner to distract him and get him back here. I could not leave him out there. When I found him he was sleeping under a blanket at the base of a tree. He seems to only have the blanket and a small toy with him. He slept for about an hour while I stayed near and sketched a few landscapes. He was slow at walking so I offered to carry him so we could get back before dark." He knew he'd lied about the sketch and obviously not mentioned the hair incident.

"I see. And amongst all that you managed to befriend the little boy." Soujun shook his head at the display of affection his son and the Kurosaki boy had shown in front them. He had known Byakuya's heart was still alive, but it still had pained Soujun to see his son wall himself off from his family. Ever since his mother's death 10 years ago, he'd been so deeply traumatised that he'd practically turned himself into a robot, preparing to take over as the Kuchiki heir one day.

"Well, I'm glad you did. He's not had the best of times if the TV news is anything to go by. The boy's name was mentioned earlier, although his ordeal began last month. He disappeared late last night from an orphanage close to the cemetery. His parents were killed a month ago in a home invasion gone wrong. Byakuya… Ichigo… was shot. The bullet pierced his left lung and passed through to lodge within his mother. He was found by the neighbour who fortunately for Ichigo heard the gunshots, and was a paramedic."

Byakuya was visibly shaking. His stance was now clenched fists and eyes screwed shut and he realised it was a copy of what he'd seen Ichigo do earlier when he had gotten upset by the tree.

"According to the report, he was in an induced coma for a couple of weeks and was only released to the orphanage a few days."

More thoughts raced through his head and he tried to calm himself, although just as Ichigo had done earlier he was unable to stop stray tears from falling. The looks of pain now registered to Byakuya on top of everything else making Byakuya feel sick for hurting the boy unintentionally.

Soujun desperately wanted to comfort his son and knew from past experiences it would be completely unwanted as he swayed on his feet arm outstretched. He knew the tears were both for Ichigo and his own sadness and he knew Byakuya would only push him away if he tried to get close.

"If he ran from the orphanage then we are not sending him back there!" Byakuya knew one thing for certain. Ichigo's strange comment at the door confirmed to Byakuya that Ichigo was in need of protection.

"Perhaps he has relatives who have yet to come forward Byakuya. I don't like to see him put in an orphanage either but he's a ward of the state right now."

Byakuya didn't want to hear about that. Relatives would surely have come forward by now.

"Before Senbonzakura startled us at the door, I was telling him that I'd try not to let anyone's questions regarding his parents upset him. He told me not to worry, but that a "scary man" always finds him, even when he hides. I think he should just stay here. Who knows who this "scary man" is, but don't you think someone suffering from a gunshot wound, and the tragic circumstances of his family's d-death should be in a better environment than an orphanage. We are better suited than an orphanage to look after him!" Byakuya was raising his voice but Soujun noticed the hesitation over the mention of Ichigo's parents. He was so proud of what his son, his beautiful son inside and out, was suggesting.

Ginrei entered the living room then; Byakuya had not even noticed he'd left. Or that Senbonzakura and Renji had also departed the living room at some point.

"I've made a call to the police to let them know the boy has been found."

"What? I won't let them take him!" Byakuya made to rush to Ichigo fearing the worst in his grandfather's statement.

A hand was now placed on his shoulder offering the same reassurance that Byakuya had done for Ichigo. He whirled to look at the offending hand. It had succeeded in stopping him dashing from the room.

"Byakuya, you misunderstand. I called them to stop them searching for the boy. I also advised them that Kurosaki would be staying here and not be returning to the orphanage he ran away from. As I just heard you mention this I'm sure you agree it's the right thing to do. Now going forward, tomorrow we will start looking for any family members of Ichigo's."

Byakuya breathed a big sigh of relief, and scrubbed his hands over his face in case tears were still there, and headed to the kitchen. Ichigo was safe from any "scary men" but who was it he was meaning?

"Do you think that if we'd placed a small child in the forest a few years back we could have avoided seeing him go through this robotic "perfect nobleman" crap, Otosan?" Soujun looked to Ginrei with a tear escaping him.

"Hmm, no I do not believe it would have helped. The Kurosaki boy's tragic circumstances are no doubt are echoing in Byakuya. He was about the same age wasn't he? I would not have expected him to react in this manner, but it's the chibi I'm concerned with. He seems to be reacting better considering the hell he's gone through. I'm going to make some more calls before dinner."

"I would have expected Rukia and Sen to be the first to bring home a lost child or animal, but typical that Byakuya has to lead the way in everything." Soujun voiced offhandedly with a large grin.

"Well, Rukia brought Renji home, so technically she won that round." Soujun and Ginrei chuckled as they headed out of the dining room.