Title: Flaws
Summary: Everyone has flaws; Even the Gotei 13 captains.
Rating: T for language? Maybe?
Disclaimers: Disclaimers are so fun that I hate them! I do not own Bleach or any of the characters in it… If I did, they wouldn't be using zanpakutos… they'd be using pokeballs!
Flaws
Flaw 1: Memory
Yamamoto Genryusai is feared and respected, one who is known for his strict rules and over-whelming powers. He is the kind of man that little kids points to after career day and tell their mommy, "I want to be just like him!" He is the kind of man whose name juvenile delinquents whispers with fear; He is the kind of man who can make his enemies bow down to him just by releasing the tiniest bit of reiatsu. That's right, Yamamoto Genryusai is, to sum it up, a legend.
But then, there was the thing about his memory.
Sure, the captain commander is awesome and all that, but we must face the fact that he is old. And the ugly truth is, while kids hang posters above their bed of him, Yamamoto is an old man who can't remember anything.
Sasakibe Chojiro, lieutenant of the 1st division, sees it as his duty to remind Yamamoto-soutaichou of his daily tasks.
In the morning, Sasakibe doesn't meet his captain in the office, like most lieutenants; instead, he wakes up extra early to go to Yamamoto's house and reminds him to braid his beard. No, seriously, Yamamoto did forget to braid it once, and that time he shunned all contact with the outside world. When Hitsugaya was denied the privilege of seeing the captain commander, he had told Rangiku, "Yamamoto-soutaichou must be deep in thoughts about the future of Soul Society."
All Sasakibe wanted to do then was to smack the tiny boy in the face and scream at him to get out of his wonderful little make-up world where unicorns run free and hollows and shinigamis hold hands while prancing around under the rainbow. Thinking about the future of Soul Society, his ass; more like thinking about the future of his massive, unconditioned beard.
Anyways, after the morning reminder, Sasakibe walks to the office with Yamamoto, asking his captain if he's forgotten anything on the way. Everyday, Sasakibe would face the same answer, "Who do you think I am? Would I, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai, forget anything? I am, if you would kindly remember, the captain commander of the Gotei 13! Everything of importance is in my memory, and I have forgotten nothing! Sasakibe, mind you manners the next time."
Then Sasakibe would take in a deep breath, count to 10, go to his happy place for a few minutes, and ask calmly, "Have you remembered to take you zanpakuto with you, sir?"
Yamamoto would stop dead, look down at his empty hands, murmur under his breath, "So that's why it was harder to walk," then glare at Sasakibe and yell at him to "stop standing around drowning in the past and get it." Everyday, as Sasakibe flash stepped back to the house, a trail of "You brats these days remember nothing!" would follow him.
When they finally arrive at the office, Sasakibe would whisper "We need to put the window back on in the office" when he sets down the tray of breakfast for Yamamoto. Yamamoto would glance up at Sasakibe with one open eye, then nod slightly, "Yes, yes, we do. It gets quiet cold here in winter." Sasakibe cursed every morning as he exited the office, then hurry up and put on the windows, old man! It's already winter and it's damn cold!
Now and then, Komamura would pay the old man a visit, and Sasakibe would always hear the same compliments, "Genryusai-dono, your idea of leaving the office wide open, with no windows, is of high taste. The whole sight of the Seireitei presents its raw self to you, and you must feel awfully close to every shinigami in the Seireitei just by looking out. And the fresh air blowing straight in! How wonderful, Genryusai-dono!"
Yamamoto would nod slightly at the compliment, "Yes, those are my intentions from the beginning, Komamura." Sasakibe wanted to either jump out of the windowless office, hoping to fall flat on his face and have his head smashed just so he could escape the crazy old man or make Komamura play dead on the spot, for real.
At noon, Sasakibe would bring in Yamamoto's lunch and bow out. But before so, he has to remind the captain commander to chew before he swallows. Once Yamamoto choked on a too-big piece of meat; Sasakibe had thanked the heavens that they taught the Heimlich maneuver back in school. When the meat finally popped out of the old man's mouth, Sasakibe had demanded to know how his captain choked. Yamamoto had looked at Sasakibe in the eye, and said in a serious tone, "I forgot to chew."
It was these things that drove Sasakibe over the edge; all he needed was a menos to step on him and squash him to nothing. Please, god, let there be a menos attack right now.
After lunch, Yamamoto has his afternoon nap. No one really knows about this except for Unohana, Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Sasakibe. It was Sasakibe's job to refuse all entrance to the 1st Division office. Hitsugaya let it pass with the same reason as the beard thing; strangely, the others thought along the same lines of Hitsugaya.
As much as Sasakibe wanted to bang some common senses into the Gotei 13 idiots, he couldn't help but appreciate the fact that Yamamoto needed his afternoon nap. It was the only time of the day when he could relax a bit and not worry about forgetting to remind Yamamoto of some trivial, unimportant, uninteresting crap.
When Yamamoto wakes up, it's usually time to go home. Sasakibe would help Yamamoto up from his seat, having his hand swiped away by the captain, "I can walk by myself! Do not treat me like some immobilized, dejected old man!" Once, when Sasakibe didn't help, Yamamoto simply fell sideways from not waking up entirely.
On the way back to Yamamoto's house, Sasakibe would once again remind him of everything: paperwork to take home, zanpakuto, haori, fake teeth, blah blah blah. He would meet the impatient tones of Yamamoto, "Once again, I must put my foot down! You brats always underestimate me. I am not a victim of Alzheimer's Disease!" Sasakibe wanted to spit in Yamamoto's face whenever he says this.
Finally, they arrive home. Sasakibe, after reminding Yamamoto to remember changing clothes and such before he sleeps, finally goes his way home. Yamamoto would always stop him before he reaches the street corner, "Wait, brat."
Sasakibe would turn around with tired eyes, slouching slowly as he made his way back towards the house, "Yes, Yamamoto-soutaichou?"
Yamamoto would pause and let silence fill the air. Then, his face would slowly break into a smile, "I wanted to thank you. You've been doing a lot for me, yet only earning scowls and dissatisfactions in return. I just… well, I do want you to know that I'm grateful for your help."
Tears often make their way towards Sasakibe's eyes whenever Yamamoto said this. His voice would cracks as he says, "Yamamoto-soutaichou…"
"No, say no more. I appreciate the fact that you're always here to help me," Yamamoto would stop, then say fondly, "Sasakato Sanjiro."
Silence fills the air once again as Yamamoto continues to smile at a frozen Sasakibe.
WHO THE HELL IS SASAKATO SANJIRO???!!! FOR FUCK'S SAKE MY NAME'S SASAKIBE CHOJIRO!!!
Yamamoto Genryusai is feared and respected, one who is known for his strict rules and over-whelming powers. He is the kind of man that little kids points to after career day and tell their mommy, "I want to be just like him!" He is the kind of man whose name juvenile delinquents whispers with fear; He is the kind of man who can make his enemies bow down to him just by releasing the tiniest bit of reiatsu. That's right, Yamamoto Genryusai is, to sum it up, a legend.
But then, there was the thing about his memory.
A/N: Ok, yeah, I know, it sucks… SO I TOLD YOU PEOPLE ALREADY I HAVEN'T WRITTEN IN A LONG TIME!!! T^T Review anyways… please… and 2nd Division up next…