Byakuya looked at the newest addition to his family, the baby boy was sleeping in his father's arms and Rukia was resting against the head of the bed. He had not been very excited when Rukia and Ichigo had told him that they were expecting a child, but now he realized that his lack of enthusiasm had been fear that something would go wrong.
"This is your uncle Byakuya, Byakuya this is your nephew Kurosaki Ryuoichi," Ichigo said as he moved the sleeping boy into Byakuyas' waiting arms, absently adjusting the nobleman's arms so he would not drop the child. The man looked down at the blond sleeping child and was surprised at the feelings he felt, he knew that he had to help protect this little one.
"Hello Ryuoichi."
--
Ichigo and Rukia lived on the premises of the Kuchiki Mansion, which is why Byakuya heard the angry screams from the newest member of the household. He knew that Ichigo, albeit unwillingly, had left for the Living World for a mission and left his wife and their four days old son alone at home. Moreover, even if Byakuya knew that he probably should not intervene he found himself outside the door knocking on the frame before entering.
Rukia was walking around the living room with her wailing son in her arms, the lilac eyes ringed with tiredness and she looked somewhat beaten.
"Nii-sama," she said rather loudly over her sons screaming.
"Is something wrong with the child?" Byakuya asked as he neared them.
"Colic according to Unohana-taichou, it's not uncommon with young children," his sister resignedly said. "Yesterday he fell asleep when I walked with him but today he has been crying since before dawn."
"When did you last sleep?" Byakuya then asked as he closed up to her and extended his arms for the child. "If I walk with him you will have some rest, I will return with him when he seems hungry."
The sheer surprise mingled with relief nearly made the stony looked captain smile as his sister handed him a bag with the essential thing when it came to baby rearing. He looked down on the still wailing baby and gave Rukia a curt nod before leaving the Kurosaki residence. Ryuoichi suddenly stopped crying as the sunbeams hit his face only to increase his sounds the moment later; Byakuya wondered slightly if it had been a good idea as he continued his walk out onto the streets of Seireitei. Especially when a certain redhead came sauntering around the corner and grinned broadly, when he saw his former captain carrying a howling child around, his reputation was as good as gone.
"Oi, Byakuya-san, is he already showing his father's foul mood swings?" Renji asked as he looked down on the baby, tickling the baby's nose a little.
"Colic, Rukia is near exhausted," Byakuya answered with tint of annoyance in his voice, why did it have to be Renji, but at least it was not Kenpachi. Renji just grinned wider as he fell in step next to his fellow captain, they walked on and those curious of the wailing took one glance of the dark-haired protector and wisely stayed away. They did attract another captain, Ukitake Jyuushiro, who somehow had managed to get his hands on a pacifier, which he smiling put into the infants mouth, he put another one into the bag Byakuya carried over his shoulder.
"Don't tell Rukia-chan were you got them!" he called before disappearing elsewhere, probably to cram more candy into Hitsugaya's pockets. The younger white-haired captain had been seen heavily listing to the right, lollipops and colorful sweets had been the cause.
"It did shut the kid up," Renji said with a smile as the trio continued down the streets. However, the silence was suddenly broken by a loud 'fraaatt' sound and Ryuoichi looked surprised, spit out the pacifier, and start an even more earsplitting cry. Byakuya rocked the baby as an odor that was not the rather pleasant baby scent.
"Oh…" Renji said as he detached himself from them and hurried off in another direction, carefully avoiding the gruesome task that was before the older captain.
Kuchiki Byakuya did want to help his sister since she was tired; he had however never expected something this smelly. He briskly walked to his office and the adjoining toilet, and as he untangled the nursing pad and placed his now very annoyed nephew on it. He held a hand on the baby's chest as he pulled a new diaper and just by glancing at it, he realized that he did not know front from back on the infernal thing. Infernal was what it become when he pried the soiled one away from Ryuoichi's backside, he never seen poop that color before, or consistence for that matter. He gingerly cleaned the buttocks and tried to get the new diaper into place, and when it stuck, he smiled with relief as he buttoned the blue body. He looked at the now quiet and giant eyed infant as he placed him back into the crook of his arm, and as he resumed their walk the boy fell into a slumber.
"We did alright, didn't we? Hopefully I'll get you home to your mom before a new change is needed."