My first bleach fanfic! I'm not quite sure how this is going to pan out, but it will be multichaptered and centred around Yoruichi and Byakuya... that should be enough to keep me happy. I'm not sure if I like how I've done the characters, but with Byakuya you never can tell what's going on, and Yoruichi spends half her time as a cat, so go figure. Please review and tell me what you think, and there may be more where this came from...

My canon is a teensy bit warped to fit my story, I'm afraid.

Some cherry blossoms fall softly to the earth. Byakuya's cut it like a thousand tiny razorblades. And suddenly, Yoruichi is becoming his earth...

Shihouin Yoruichi reclined on her cushions, bowl of snacks perched on her leg, which was elegantly draped over the side of the chair. Even sprawled out in a completely relaxed state, stuffing food into her mouth as eagerly as if she was starving, she was the picture of grace and breeding, her powerful, lithe body betraying the lean muscles ready to spring into action at any moment despite her slack pose.

"Yoruichi-sama," a servant came in, his head bowed so low he could probably see through his skinny knees. "The guest has arrived."

"Sure, send 'im in," she drawled carelessly, gesturing vaguely with one dusky, aristocratic hand. The servant started a little, giving her a timid glance before bowing his head once more.

"Will you not dress first, Yoruichi-sama?" Yoruichi flashed a wicked, catlike grin to the room at large, and stuffed another handful of crisps into her mouth.

"I don't need to dress up for Bya-chan," she laughed. "Send him in." The servant seemed uncertain, but bowed low once more and scuttled out of the room. Totally unconcerned, Yoruichi stretched a little, arching her back, and rumpled up her short hair, fiddling with the red ribbon tied around it, helping herself to some more crisps. When the door opened, she did not bother to look around right away. After a few moments of silence, except for her noisy munching, a small, irritated cough was heard. She grinned craftily to herself, and swung her head around to face the young man.

"Well, well. Kuchiki Byakuya. It sure has been a while."

"Shihouin Yoruichi," the young man greeted coolly, inclining his head a fraction of an inch.

"So you still have the same stick up your arse as before, Byakuya-chan," Yourichi laughed, enjoying the slight twitch of Byakuya's temple as he struggled to reign in the temper which she always managed to bring to the surface. "Even as a little kid you took things far too seriously. Now you're the head of the Kuchiki clan, you're gonna need a few laughs, take my advice."

"I think I know my business better than you, Yoruichi," Byakuya said stiffly, his face immobile, but tense enough to betray his simmering temper. Yoruichi threw her head back and laughed, then swung her legs carelessly around so that she was sitting cross legged, head inclined towards her guest.

"You would think that, Byakuya-chan, but if you remember, you never did get the better of me. Maybe it's time to accept a little friendly advice. Here, take a seat." She tossed one of her many cushions at his head. It bounced off and landed at the floor, and he made no movement, looking to all the world like a marble statue. A beautifully carved marble statue, Yoruichi thought, scrutinising him. He had certainly grown into himself in looks as well as pompousness. His midnight black hair was now down loose across his back, with a few silky strands enclosed in funny little corrugated hair clips, which made her smirk to herself. Much harder to steal than a red ribbon. His face was pale and sculpted, with a delicate yet very handsome bone structure, and his eyes were deep and serious, beautiful to look at even if they were narrowed slightly in barely controlled temper. That icy cool exterior must terrify his subordinates, she thought to herself with a laugh. But I will never fear you, Byakuya.

"Come on, don't stand on ceremony, we're good friends, you and I," Yoruichi cajoled, enjoying the twitch that came with the word friends. She and Byakuya had been exposed to each other since he was a very young child and she a teenager, and they had never taken to each other. On their first meeting, when he was just a toddler, she had picked him up and swung him onto her shoulders, flash-stepping them into the branches of a tree, something which never failed to make children squeal and giggle with glee. Little Byakuya had hollered and screamed, and tugged out a fistful of her hair. As Byakuya got older, they had not taken a shine to one another, with Byakuya being a serious, reserved kid who cried when he so much as fell over, whilst she was a rough-and-tough tomboy whose clothes were always torn and rumpled, covered in dirt as she tumbled around the town. Before Byakuya was more than a kid, she had been swept off to the Seireitei to begin training as a soul reaper, and working her way through the training, exams, and ranks required for her to take her place as leader of the stealth squad, she had all but lost contact with her childhood, never visiting her old home and never coming into contact with the youngest member of the Kuchiki clan. It had been years later when she saw him again, when she was fourth seat of the second division as well as lieutenant of the stealth squad and he was still a wet behind the ears rookie practicing with a wooden sword.

Her father had requested that she visited the young Kuchiki, helping him train and bringing him out of himself at a little, as he had almost no contact with other young people, and she, as the only other youthful member of the noble clans, was best placed to befriend him. She had agreed, not being bothered at all by this favour. At nineteen, she was excellent with younger children, as she had always been, and she was curious to see how little Byakuya had turned out. Ever relaxed and informal, she had used her honed skills to sneak into Byakuya's private rooms, placing her slim hands over his eyes as he worked at his desk, all of thirteen years old and as studious as a monk.

"Guess who, Bya-chan," she exclaimed.

"What the hell are you doing in my rooms, you crazy woman?" Byakuya yelled in surprise, dark pink patches appearing on his pale cheeks. She removed her hands, grinning.

"Don't you recognise old friends, Bya-chan? I'm surprised you didn't sense my reiatsu. You need some work."

"Shihouin Yoruichi!" exclaimed Byakuya, going even redder as he realised his lack of control at his outburst, and bristling at the jab about his skills. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting you, kid. Come on, let's take a walk, it's so stuffy in here, and it's a beautiful day."

"I have work to complete."

Yoruichi swept unceremoniously across the room and shuffled through the papers on his desk. He had been practicing calligraphy, his script fluid and elegant, but painstakingly small and careful.

"It'll keep. C'mon," she overruled, pulling him, protesting brokenly, through the window by his skinny arm. "You look like you could use some fresh air."

To his credit, he landed lithely on the ground, not in the sprawled heap she was half hoping for, but he turned to face her with a face much older than his thirteen years, his tone now aloof and reserved.

"That was undignified. It befits a member of the Kuchiki clan to always move with decorum."

"And it befits a member of any noble clan always to be prepared for the unexpected," Yoruichi retorted facetiously. His face remained stony, and she laughed. "Come on, lighten up, Byakuya-bo. When was the last time you had some fun?"

"I don't have time for frivolity. If I want to be head of the Kuchiki house by the time I'm twenty, I must-"

"Learn not to take yourself so seriously all the time," Yoruichi interrupted him. "Seriously, I heard of one Shihouin leader who spent so much time sitting at her desk that she actually became attached to it, like a creeping plant, hahaha."

She laughed loudly at her own joke, but Byakuya remained unmoved.

"That is stupid," he informed her. "There's no way someone can evolve into something else."

"You'd be surprised what us Shihouins can manage," Yoruichi snickered. "Some of us can even shapeshift."

"I see," Byakuya deadpanned, sounding disbelieving and very haughty.

"You don't believe me? Maybe I'm a werewolf, Byakuya-bo," Yoruichi snickered. "Wanna see?"

"No," the young boy responded dully. Yoruichi sighed. It was like wringing reiatsu out of a lump of wood, trying to get some enthusiasm out of the boy. She suspected if she began discussing the relative merits of kidou application, or the refinements of elevated rank, she might coax out more of a response. But he was a healthy kid, for goodness' sake, he should be having fun, not sitting and studying all day long.

"So you want to be a worthy leader of the Kuchiki clan, huh?" she asked. He nodded solemnly. "Didya know, Shihouins for the last seven generations have made captain way faster than Kuchikis?" It was a total invention, but she was rewarded with a slight tightening of his jaw. Encouraged, she continued.

"That means you have some catching up to do if you want to beat me to it, Byakuya-bo," she laughed. His eyelid began to twitch.

"My calligraphy may not be as neat as yours, but my skills are lightyears ahead of you, kid," she taunted. Byakuya snapped. In place of the serious, reserved kid, a cocky, incensed little fiend had appeared. Yoruichi's grin widened.

"Oh yeah? I could wipe the floor with you, you fake were-woman," he snarled. "My skills are already far more advanced than any Shihouin."

"Yeah? I think you spend more time on your hair than you do on your shunpo, Bya-chan," she needled. Byakuya's cheeks reddened, and he looked furious.

"I do not!"

"Oh, but your debating skills have clearly had hours of honing," she sniggered.

"...Shut up!"

"Hahahaha," Yoruichi laughed loudly at his furious expression, his mouth working for a snappier response. Her jeering laughter caused him to lose it completely, and he lunged at her. She ducked easily out of his way.

"Is that the best you can do, Bya-chan? You'll never catch me!"

"Get over here, you- you woman!" Byakuya was racing after her, and she sent him a gloating look over her shoulder.

"Too slow, Byakuya-bo," she sang. "You'll never surpass me at this rate."

"Oh yeah?" Byakuya panted. "Eat this!" Whilst Yoruichi was still diverted at hearing the words 'eat this' from the proud son of the Kuchiki house, Byakuya sped into a very unrefined shunpo, catching at a tuft of Yoruichi's hair; she ducked out of the way only just in time, but laughed even harder in surprise.

"Not bad, Byakuya-bo," she called. "But still not quite good enough." She employed her own excellent shunpo to sneak up behind him and pluck the red ribbon tying his girlish black hair between her slim fingers, trailing it in front of his nose before he could react.

"Hey! Give that back," Byakuya hollered.

"Not until you can catch me, Bya-chan," she laughed. He yelled some very explicit suggestions after her, and she laughed incredulously.

"Where's your holier-than-thou attitude now, kid? Don't let your grandfather hear you say words like that!"

It would have been hard work dealing with the boy had he not possessed a very short fuse, and an extremely bratty arrogant streak born of being the privileged only child of the noble Kuchiki clan. It was much more than she could resist not to exploit it, and Yoruichi never bothered to behave if she could help it. Teasing the boy about his serious attitude, his weak skills and his girly hairstyle may not be likely to endear her to him, but it sure was fun, and at least somebody was laughing, even if it wasn't him. Returning to the mansion after chasing her fruitlessly around half the grounds, he was fuming, red-faced and furious, and she was unruffled and grinning, red ribbon still in her hands. He had long since lost his cool, reserved air and was perfectly able to insult her with abandon. It was probably good for him, she reasoned. She bet nobody else ever put the little snot in his place, and he needed to learn to deal with getting teased.

"See you around, Bya-chan," she laughed, ruffling his hair.

"Don't even think about coming back," he snarled at her.

"Kuchiki Byakuya!" a stern voice called out from the house. Byakuya froze as his grandfather came out onto the porch, towering over the scrawny teen. "How dare you speak to Shihouin Yoruichi like that. I am ashamed of you." Flashing him a crafty grin, Yoruichi tipped the stuttering boy a wink and flashed out the door, leaving him apologising profusely whilst looking mad as a snake.

Next time she visited, she came in her feline form, a talent she alone of the soul reapers had mastered, and something which she enjoyed, as it gave her the freedom she craved to wander at will without everyone bowing to her, and to cause as much trouble as she wished with no repercussions; even as a cat, she could move damn fast. Purring, she brushed up against Byakuya's leg as he practiced in the yard.

"Shoo, kitty," Byakuya murmured, trying to remove his leg from the cat's proximity. "I'm practicing." Yoruichi ignored him completely, and mewed pleadingly, jumping lithely onto the kid's shoulder.

"Hey – what are you doing? I said shoo," Byakuya protested. Yoruichi turned wide amber eyes on him, and was tickled to see the boy softening. He clearly had a weakness for small, cute animals.

"Are you hungry, kitty?" he asked grudgingly. Yoruichi mewed again and jumped into his outstretched arms, settling herself snugly against his thin chest. "I guess I can find you some food." He carried her inside, into, to her amusement, his private quarters, which he had expressly forbidden her from ever entering again last time she had seen him.

"Stay here, I'll go and get you some food," he instructed her seriously, and put her on his small bed. Yoruichi reclined on the thin mattress, surprised at the Spartan sleeping arrangements, and surmising (correctly) that Byakuya took his training very seriously, and that comfort was one of the many things he denied himself, along with fun and a sense of humour. She spotted, however, a very comfortable-looking couch on the other side of the room, and she scampered across the room to sit on this instead. The thought crossed her mind to switch back into her human form so that she could lounge across the sofa as was her wont, but the thought of Byakuya's face if he saw a naked Yoruichi in his room was too much to bear. If she had been human at that moment, she would have laughed loudly at this thought. Actually, hadn't he refused to believe in shape-shifting Shihouins last time round? If you put it that way, it was almost too tempting...

She made up her mind as she heard Byakuya returning.

"Kitty?" he called as he pushed the screen door open, balancing the tray in one arm and glancing over at the empty bed. Yoruichi popped her feline head over the side of the sofa and mewed. Byakuya came over and began to set the tray onto the coffee table next to the sofa.

"I got you some milk, some tuna, some left over pancakes with beef and some sweet biscuits," he said over his shoulder as he began laying out the food.

"Thanks kid, I'm starved," Yoruichi said, grabbing a sweet cake over his shoulder and tucking in. There was a crash as Byakuya dropped a plate full of food onto the table, jumping almost a foot in the air at the wry female voice and the tanned arm which darted into his field of vision. Whipping around, he saw a very naked Yoruichi lying on the sofa, one leg pulled up, blocking the worst from view, but her full breasts completely exposed, tucking into her snack.

Byakuya gaped like a fish, mouth opening and closing soundlessly, his face gradually moving through the colour spectrum from pale ivory, through to a vivid magenta, and inching towards purple.

"I'm sorry," Yoruichi said innocently. "Did you want one?" She swung herself into a sitting position, totally abandoning her modesty, although she seemed entirely unaware of this, and offering the plate to the spluttering teenager.

"Yo- y- y," Byakuya tried.

"No? All right, then," she said casually, and shoved the last cake into her mouth in one go. "Pass me the milk?"

Byakuya finally found his voice.

"Wha?" he said articulately.

"Milk," Yoruichi prompted. "Just there, next to the- ooh, pancakes." Rising from the sofa, she swatted past the rooted Byakuya to kneel at the table, and proceeded to devour the rest of his offerings, waiting for Byakuya to recover himself.

"Three comments," Byakuya spoke, his back to her, still facing the recently vacated sofa. He sounded remarkably calm.

"Shoot," Yoruichi mumbled through a mouthful of pancake.

"One: You are a cat."

"Yeah,"

"Two: You're here again."

"Well spotted."

"Three."

"...Three?" Yoruichi prompted when no third comment seemed forthcoming.

"YOU'RE COMPLETELY BUTT-FUCKING NAKED WANDERING AROUND MY ROOM!"

"A young man of good breeding shouldn't know how to swear like that," Yoruichi commented calmly. She smirked as she heard a strangled snarling noise. A few deep, soothing breaths were audible. A few moments of pause.

"Yoruichi?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still naked?"

"I guess so."

"If I pass you some robes, could you please put them on?"

"If it bothers you."

"It does. Just a little bit."

There was a brief interval as Yoruichi finished her meal and Byakuya went to his wardrobe and found a white silk robe. His hand comically clamped across his eyes, he threw it towards her. She shrugged it on, doing it up so that a generous amount of exotic cleavage was still showing.

"You can open your eyes now, kid," she remarked, throwing herself back onto the sofa. Byakuya, who seemed a little drained by the traumatic experience, perched on the arm, shaking his head a little as if trying to displace a fly.

"Oh, and by the way, I saw you peeking," Yoruichi teased.

"Wh- I DID NOT PEEK!" protested Byakuya, shooting up again and glaring at her. "You're the crazy cat-woman who came in here and sat around butt naked waving your boobs in front of me."

"Can't say it bothers me," Yoruichi shrugged. "Everyone's got 'em."

"I don't!"

"Every second person," Yoruichi amended. "So, you want to play a game or something? I'm beat after that snack. I need to digest."

"You're getting out of my house right now."

"That's not fair. You invited me in."

"I invited a cat in. Not some freaky... were-cat!"

"Well that's nice. Here I was trying to be friendly. Still, I've got stuff to do, I guess. See you later, kid."

"Don't you dare show your face again, were-cat."

"Later, kid."

After that, it was just too much fun to pass up. Working arrogant, conscientious little Byakuya into a lather of rage or embarrassment was so easy, and so amusing. She dropped by every week or so, usually, sometimes as a cat, which always sent him legging it in the other direction, but usually in her human form, dressed in her stealth uniform, never a formal visit, but dropping in through his window as he worked, or over the roof as he trained in the yard. It was always worthwhile to spar with him, teasing him into chasing her until he was panting and out of breath and she was still poised and laughing tauntingly at him. It was a shame it had to stop, really, but once he was fourteen he got sent off to the soul academy, much the better although he did not know it for Yoruichi's teasing and training, and their circles ceased to cross.

On mission after mission, training hard for promotion despite her carefree attitude and appearance, Yoruichi had little time to spare to drop by and tease the little noble, and she didn't really have the heart to show him up in front of his peers. She spent an entire year in the world of the living, and was straight away promoted to head of stealth on her return, as well as preparing for the captain's exam in her own time, biding her time for an opening in eleventh or second, for preference. Byakuya-chan barely crossed her mind, and she was busy elsewhere when he graduated the academy, when he achieved third seat in the ninth squad, away from the influence of his grandfather, the head of sixth squad, and therefore making a name for himself and his considerable skill in his own right. It was only when the news of the death of the head of the Kuchiki clan and captain of the sixth division against a swarm of Menos was sent to her by hell butterfly as a covert op she was heading wrapped itself up that their paths crossed again.

"So," she mused to herself as the messenger butterfly fluttered away. "Little Byakuya will become head of the Kuchiki clan. Who would have thought it." He would only be nineteen or twenty, she recalled, very young to be the head of a noble clan, but then she had become unofficial head of her own family two years before, with her aunt still performing all the formal functions, although she, as a seated officer and captain of the stealth squad was officially the highest ranking member and therefore the one in charge. As such, she would have to receive the new head of the Kuchiki clan formally at her earliest convenience. It would be interesting to see him again. When she got back to her luxurious quarters, fresh from two straight weeks of special ops, she fished out from amongst her mounds of hoarded possessions a slender red ribbon, stolen six years before from a hot-headed teenager with a stubborn arrogance which only she ever challenged, and tied it in a band around her short hair.