A/N: Again, all my humble thanks for the reviews, hits, and favs. Having to write a date for Kurotsuchi wasn't as easy as I had anticipated...Oh, and all errors and such I apologize for before hand.
Running parallel to reality
...Science and mathematics run parallel to reality,
They symbolize it, they squint at it, [but] they never touch it...
Isane walked demurely down the front steps of her division's main building to meet her dinner date. Captain Kurotsuchi stood waiting silently, patiently, and calmly at the step's bottom. His back had been turned towards her, but on hearing her stop hesitantly at the top he slowly turned around and looked up at her. A small smile was on his face, but it froze the moment he saw her. For a brief moment her eyes had been down cast, but only for a moment and then they had shot back up from looking at the ground and met his own. A tremulous smile wavered on her mouth, but her feet seemed frozen to the spot that they stood at. Watching her take a bracing breath she almost heaved herself forward and continued on their path until she stood at the bottom along side himself. Mayuri openly looked Isane up and down, and the satisfaction that he must have found was mirrored in his eyes and by the small nod of his head.
Isane did not look like Isane he thought. Not that she wasn't appealing normally, but now? Now she looked...other worldly. He was happy to note that she had not chosen to wear her standard uniform, but instead had chosen to wear a kimono of dusky rose. It was relatively plain except for the hem. The kimono's hem had a stream running around it with crayfish and herons dotted here and there. Her obi too was plain and simple, but that in no way detracted from the over-all picture. The simplicity of the style just made her seem more womanly. Her hair too was not in its usual braids, but instead was gathered behind her and held up in place by a matching rose comb.
Mayuri could hear rustling going on behind windows and closed doors, and he had no doubt that it was nothing more then the normal half-wits of the Fourth. He paid them no attention, but he could tell that Isane did as she suddenly grimaced and turned a shade of blush that almost matched her kimono.
"As I said once before Isane, pay them no attention and their meager minds will soon be attracted to something else. Shall we go?"
Isane nodded and with an appreciative smile she walked quietly away from her barracks beside Captain Kurotsuchi. It was hard for her not to fall into the normal routine of walking behind a superior, but she pushed the inclination aside and made herself keep in step with him. She almost would have liked to have been walking behind him because then she would have been able to feast her eyes on him at her leisure, and without him catching her at it. As it was she could only catch glimpses of him or play back what she saw as they first met: Captain Kurotsuchi without his captain's coat or his hat. He still wore his mask and paint, but his head was uncovered and for the first, real time she caught a glimpse of his hair. It was beautiful! He had the thickest, shiniest hair that she had ever seen, and it was almost a crime that a man and not a woman should be able to boast of such mane. It was so dark blue that at times it seemed almost purple, and as the evening progressed it started to take on a midnight blue hue. It fell long enough to obstruct his ears and partially cover his eyes. Isane was surprised to see that without his white coat and the large head covering he seemed less bulky and much younger. The plain, black hakama and kimono offered her a more unobstructed view of his physique. She was tall, but he was just a bit taller, and even those few inches made her feel a bit more comfortable. She was glad for some reason to see that he wasn't lanky like her, but more filled out. Much more filled out then she had previously thought. His gait was easy, and though normally she would have been able to match it being in the constricting kimono made her have to almost shuffle to keep up. As if asked Mayuri slowed his walk a bit to offer Isane a more comfortable pace. Isane looked over at him and smiled in relief.
"I'm sorry, I am not used to ambulating with a woman dressed in a kimono," he said not looking at her. "I must also say that the kimono suits you."
Isane gave Mayuri a wry smile. "Well, I'm glad that it suits one of us because it doesn't suit me. I'm so used to my uniform that being like this feels like I have a constrictor around my waist. Kimonos look beautiful, but they aren't too practical it seems."
Mayuri turned to her with a wide grin. "I appreciate the effort, none the less. I was pleasantly surprised to see you attired thusly. I've always thought that kimonos and saris bring out the femininity in a woman. Even Captain Fon would appear like a Lady if she wore a kimono or sari."
Isane started to laugh but caught herself. She didn't want to seem as if she was a gossip or enjoyed talking about other people, and certainly not with a Captain about another Captain. She quickly turned her head and bit down on her bottom lip to stop the laughter from bubbling over. Clearing her throat she schooled her features before turning back to her companion, but the ruse was lost when she saw his snarky grin and the raised eye brow. She couldn't help but let her lips break their composure and grin back at him gaminely.
"Captain, you shouldn't be speaking about your peers like that! And certainly not out in public where anyone could hear you, and certainly not with a subordinate like myself...What if someone overheard you? What if Captain Fon heard you? You'd be in a world of hurt if that got back to her!" Isane's voice was prim but her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Mayuri chuckled lowly and shrugged his shoulders. "I am not stating anything that Captain Fon herself probably does not know. I am sure that she is quite aware that she is nothing more then a sumo wrestler trapped in a midget's body..."
Isane couldn't help the laughter that exploded from her, and she had to stop and cover her mouth. She was almost bent over double fro the laughter, but the tight obi wouldn't allow her so instead she wrapped one arm around her middle and kept a hand in front of her mouth to try and stifle the gasping laughter. She could barely make out Mayuri through the tears.
"So is that the reason that she picked Omaeda as her lieutenant? Envy?" Isane wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled unabashedly.
"Hmm...Very good psychoanalytic observation, Isane," Mayuri said stroking his chin in mock contemplation. "I would not doubt that for a moment, as I cannot see any other reasonable explanation for having that over-inflated blob for a direct subordinate. I shall bring that up at the next Captain's Meeting, Isane and see what her reaction will be. Too bad I can't get it on tape so you could see her original reaction for yourself. I am sure that it will be spectacular..."
Isane automatically smacked Mayuri on the arm. "Don't you dare! Do you know what kind of havoc that will cause? And I don't for a minute put it past you to let it drop that I agreed with you..." Isane mock scowled at Mayuri with her hands on her hips. "No wonder you drive people batty sometimes..."
Mayuri grinned maniacally at Isane and put his hands up in surrender. "Fine, ruin my fun if you must. I'll just have to find another way around it." He motioned for then to continue onwards, and he was delighted to see that the air of hesitancy and unsurety about her had dissipated. She now walked besides him with a much more relaxed atmosphere about herself. The fact that she had lightly tapped his arm in remonstration attested to that fact. Somehow she had made one, small step towards accepting him and his presence.
"Where are we going Captain?" Isane noted that they were on a path that was leading them out of the Seireitei and into the Rukongai districts. She didn't often go out to Rukongai, and the few times that she had it had always been with Matsumoto on one of her shopping sprees. Isane loved wandering the streets and shops of the Rukongai, as her time and duties rarely afforded her the chance to leave the Seireitei proper very often. She looked about her with interest and a growing excitement. The Rukongai was so different from the Seireitei. Even though they were just entering the First District there was something distinctly different about the Rukongai. It seemed grittier and less predictable. The last (and only) time that they had gone out to eat together they had stayed within the Seireitei.
"There is a small but very respectable establishment that serves the most incredible teriyaki. I like to go there from time to time."
"What? No pike fish? Captain, I never would have imagined you to stray from your usual fare." Isane smirked and absently took the end of his sleeve between her fingers as they walked.
It took everything that Mayuri had not to look pointedly down at the semi-intimate gesture. It also took a lot for him not to take her hand in his own, as the gesture would have been extremely easy to do. Instead he opted for sarcasm.
"I don't eat pike fish everyday, that would just be ridiculously asinine. Not only would my palate grow weary of the same fare day in and day out, but such a habit would become mentally too banal as well. Gastronomic ennui is something that I would like to avoid at all costs. Also," he said stopping abruptly and crossing his arms over his chest and unfortunately dislodging Isane's hold on his sleeve, "I think that you should call me Mayuri. Calling me 'Captain' during our sojourns together would make things oddly uncomfortable, don't you agree?"
Isane blushed and clasped her hands together in front of her. "I don't think that I could call you by your given name...though I do appreciate the offer, but-"
"But nothing, Isane," he said frowning. "I am not saying that you should use my given name while during times of duty, but there won't be anyone around to criticize you should you choose to do so while we are out and about casually. The only criticism that you'll get during those times will be if you don't call me Mayuri..."
Isane frowned and shook her head, and with a stubborn and even slightly petulant look on her face. "No. Absolutely not. It would be improper and-"
"What are you going to call me then when you wish to gain my attention? 'Hey You?' 'Clown Face?' 'Dr. Psycho?'" A small growl erupted from deep in his chest, and his eyes narrowed enough so that they appeared to be only golden slits set in the middle of his white and black painted face.
"How about Kurotsuchi?" Isane gave the offer quietly but quickly, as she could see his suddenly ill temper starting to snowball. He visibly relaxed and cocked his head to the side as if considering the offer and its merit.
"I guess that I could live with that, for now..."
He leaned forward into her face, and causing the young woman to have to jerk her head back a bit due to the suddenly close proximity. She looked hesitantly around and saw that their slight altercation had started to draw more then a few stares. In order to get them moving again and out of the publics eye and contemplation she nodded frantically and took his sleeve again in her fingers, and almost pulled him forward.
Seeing that he had won a small victory Mayuri smiled, and taking a boldness from her action he took her hand and wrapped it around his forearm. Clasping a hand over hers to ensure that she didn't take it back he moved them in the direction of their destination. He could feel the stiffness in her arm and the tentative touch of her fingers, but she kept them there none the less. He slowly took his hand off of her own, and was pleased to see that she did not reclaim it.
Mayuri soon lead them from the main road down a small, but neat alleyway. Turning into an open doorway he led her down another but smaller alley that opened up to a hidden garden via a moon door. Isane audibly gasped at the sight. Nestled safely and securely between buildings was a tiny but perfect garden filled with softly glowing red lanterns, and combined with the happy gurgling of running water and the ethereal blooms of the moon flowers Isane fell immediately in love with the place. She didn't care if they served the worst food in Soul Society, just being in such a perfect place would make any substandard fare worth it.
Mayuri stopped just short of the moon gate and watched as Isane slowly let his arm go as if pulled by an invisible force towards the garden. He watched transfixed as she took in all the sights and smells of the paradise in miniature. He particularly noticed her as she leaned forward to gently touch and inhale the delicate scent of the gossamer buds blooming everywhere. He had made sure to time their arrival with the dusk opening of the flowers. It was also fortunate for him that this was the time of the year when the moon flower was at its peak, and the small area was packed with their sight and scent. Isane turned to look at Mayuri with astonishment when their brief moment was cut short by the appearance of the owner and hostess.
"Ah, Mayuri-sama! How good to see you tonight. You are looking very well."
Mayuri reigned in his frustration, and gave probably one of the few people that he actually liked a genuine smile. He bowed graciously. "Miyama-sama, I also extend my salutations and my gratitude for the last minute reservation. I know that tonight is usually your night off, and as such I am humbled by your graciousness."
Miyama Kiyo was an elderly woman that stood barely five feet, yet she still retained a calm beauty that would easily rival even the most beautiful geisha. She was dressed in a plain, dark blue kimono, but it in no way detracted from her appearance. If anything the unsophisticated garb only enhanced the woman's simple yet unrivaled beauty.
"Mayuri-sama is always a welcome guest here." She cast a side long glance at the young woman accompanying her favorite customer, and then shot her said favorite customer a beaming smile. "Mayuri-sama and his guest would please follow me I will get you both settled. It is fortunate Mayuri-sama that you are the only diners tonight, is it not?"
Mayuri answered her cheeky observation with a dramatic roll of his eyes. Motioning for Isane to precede him he followed the pair of women to a small, raised pavilion that over-looked the garden. It was open on three sides and afforded the lucky couple an unobstructed view of the garden below. Isane made herself comfortable on the plush zabuton, and looked around with unabashed delight. It wasn't until she noticed that their hostess had retreated and that Mayuri had ordered them drinks that she became aware of her date.
"Oh Cap-, I mean Kurotsuchi, this place is incredible! How did you ever find such a place?" Isane still couldn't help but take in the magically splendid garden before her.
Mayuri shrugged and mumbled out a response. He seemed suddenly uncomfortable, and just as Isane was about to make an inquiry their hostess came back with their drinks and served them herself.
"Mayuri-sama is very brave. Because of his bravery he saved me and my husband's life many years ago, and because of that we owe him everything," Kiyo said smiling fondly at the now slightly disgruntled Mayuri.
Isane blinked at Mayuri, and the astounded look on her face seemed to bring out his more irascible nature. His lips narrowed and a feral gleam shown in his eyes.
"What? Are you surprised that maybe I can have an occasional moment of humanitarianism? I do have moments of insanity as everyone quite clearly knows, but they are not the kind that people think they are. Miyama-sama and her family were one of them..."
"Mayuri-sama has been eating too much pike fish," Kiyo said with a pout. "I can always tell when you do because you get too bilious. Eating too much of that ferocious fish makes you too antagonistic. Ashisogi Jizo should take your diet more under control," the old woman said speaking to the zanpakuto that Mayuri had placed off to the side of him. "Try to get him to eat more fruit, Ashisogi Jizo."
"Of all the crust! Speaking to a man's zanpakuto without his permission...Does your husband know that you associate with strange zanpakuto?" Mayuri leaned forward and glared at the woman, but it was all in vain as the look caused no more then peals of light laughter to spill from her lips.
"Mayuri-sama is so funny!" Kiyo shook her head and smiled cheekily between Mayuri and Isane. "I have taken the liberty of ordering for you tonight, Mayuri-sama. Please do nothing but relax and enjoy the night." With a graceful bow she rose and returned inside.
Isane couldn't help but laugh at the beleaguered look on Mayuri's face. He looked like a man with no hope of ever winning an argument against the older woman, and she doubted that he would ever want to.
"Kurotsuchi, tell me all about it? Tell me all about-"
"Isane," he said harshly, "calling me Kurotsuchi will not work. The other captains call me that. I don't want...It just doesn't sound..." He sighed and looked down at his hands knotted on his lamp. Uncurling them he looked back up at Isane with an almost pleading look on his face. "Just please...even if it is only for tonight, please call me Mayuri?"
Isane looked as if she was about to protest but the open and appealing look that he gave her caused her to pause in her argument. She nodded and smiling shyly she nodded. "Alright...Mayuri." The name fell from her lips not as uncomfortable or as stilted as she thought that it would. Instead, it rolled out as if she had been using it for years.
He nodded and took a drink of the hibiscus tea that he favored so much when dining here. "Good. If Miyama-sama was to hear you call me Captain or Kurotsuchi, or the god's forbid Captain Kurotsuchi then there will be hell to pay. Or at least some ribbing that I will likely never get over."
"Are you saying that you only want me to call you by your given name because you are afraid of what she'll think?" Isane looked suddenly crest fallen.
"What?! What nonsense is that? All I'm saying is that-"
Mayuri's tirade was cut short by the reappearance of their hostess with a tray of appetizers. "I think that Mayuri-sama's face paint has finally leaked into his blood stream," Kiyo said good naturedly as she set the tray before the couple. "He might consider using a lighter hand on the kabuki make-up next time. Or maybe just changing his brand?"
Isane burst into a full-throated laugh.
Mayuri slumped his shoulders in defeat.
"There is no winning with you, is there?" he said testily.
"Absolutely not," Kiyo quipped. "Besides, Mayuri-sama needs to spend more time appreciating the beautiful woman that he is with and the lovely evening that he has been gifted with, rather then trying to be such a difficult, young man with an old woman such as myself.." She looked from Isane's blushing face to Mayuri's frowning one. With a solid smack on his arm as remonstration she met his own glare. "Behave yourself."
Mayuri folded his arms across his chest and looked up at the ceiling as if trying to connect with the god's above, and falling short. "Why are women always trying to hit me? And succeeding no less... As of late I have been hit more times in one month then I have in almost my entire life time. I find the idea extremely disturbing..."
"Maybe you deserved it? Maybe you should heed the warnings?" Kiyo nodded demurely and rose to once again leave for the back of the establishment.
Mayuri looked over at Isane, and was surprised to see her smiling at him. Even he knew that his attempts at civility or at least normal, good nature was falling short of the mark. They had barely been here less then a quarter of an hour and already he had twice lost his temper. Not the most auspicious beginning to a relationship. But there she was, smiling at him. Maybe even laughing at him. She certainly wasn't laughing with him because he certainly wasn't laughing...
"You do need to relax more, Mayuri. It really isn't all that bad, and this place is such a hidden gem! No matter how you found this place, or how this place found you it just doesn't matter really. All that matters is that it happened and that we are able to dine here tonight in this beautiful garden."
Coming from anyone other then her Mayuri would have first laughed in their face, and then accused them of spouting ridiculousness, being simple-minded, and poorly trite. But hearing Isane speak such a plain truth...humbled him in a small way. He had been acting up slightly, but it was because he felt...nervous. Mentally sitting back and taking stock in his situation the glaring truth finally presented itself to him: he had never taken a woman on a date before. Never. Ever. Oh, he had had women before, and not just a few, but that had been for purely physical reasons. Now however? Now he had not only asked a woman out but had taken her to his favorite and very private place. Why?
Oh yes, his research. That was it. Isane was a delightful project that combined his love of science and his burning need to figure out exactly why is was that he found himself drawn to her. He couldn't loose sight of all that and become hopelessly embroiled in emotional entanglements. It would skew his data after all. Of course, his data so far wasn't much to crow about. If he even had any to speak of. All he had so far was: Isane refusing to call him Mayuri, his favorite restaurant, and being ragged on by two women. What good was any of that? What did that prove except...nothing. Useless data. It proved nothing more then he had chosen to take a stubborn woman to his favorite eating establishment so that another not very biddable woman could harass him, and get paid for it. Not very smart maybe on his part.
Mayuri's gaze never left Isane's the entire time that he was mentally meandering, and she was exclaiming about the fare before them. He came fully back to his dinner companion when she delicately took a sip of her tea and looked down at her hands that were now folded on her lap.
"Is everything to your liking, Isane?"
Isane nodded but kept her gaze averted from his. "I'm not the most exciting dinner guest, am I Mayuri?" she asked quietly.
Mayuri raised a brow and set his own cup down. "And why would you say that?" He truly seemed surprised at the question.
"Well, you seem as if you would rather be elsewhere."
"Why would I rather be elsewhere? I happen to be very fond of this place."
Isane blushed scarlet but raised her eyes so that they met his; dark steel gray against bright, shiny gold. "Maybe I should have said: you seem as if you would rather be with someone else."
Mayuri whipped back as if struck. His eyes were wide open and he looked totally confused. "What? Why would you ever get that idea?"
"Because your attention seems to be elsewhere." All the bluster in her voice gave way and she looked off to the side as if realizing some horrid truth that she had been blind to for so long. "I'm...I'm sorry. I know that I'm not exactly a 'hot commodity' like Matsumoto or even Hinamori." Isane gave a rueful laugh and twisted the end of a sleeve in a nervous gesture. "The only date I've ever been able to get lately was because of a survey that I filled out. Essentially all it was was a free meal...I can't even remember the last time someone asked me out." Isane looked out at the deepening night and saw the poignant irony of her situation. The garden was slowly becoming brighter and even more beautiful with the combination of the rapidly opening buds, and the lanterns that shown brightly on their beauty. She felt a sudden tightness in her chest at the realization that her own supposed brightness was nothing more then a sham, and a poorly disguised one at that.
Isane never knew that Mayuri had left his seat because she couldn't see it through the tears that blocked her vision. It only wasn't until she felt two fingers on her chin that caused the tears to slide away and unblock her sight did she know that he no longer sat across from her. She had no idea that she had been crying until she felt the wetness on her cheeks.
Mayuri did nothing but search her face intently. What he was looking for neither had a clue.
"Again I seem to be offering you my apologies, Isane." He slowly let his hand fall away from her as she quickly moped away the offending wetness. "I am an odd man, and I know that. I am occasionally unkind and always perverse. I rarely get along with my peers, and I command a squad that is just as strange as I myself am. But know this about me as well: I do not nor have I ever felt that your companionship thus far has been anything but pleasurable. I cannot even say that about Nemu, and she is my own daughter."
Isane's eyes widened at the quietly spoken words.
"I will not wish that I was different, simply for the fact that I don't want to be different. I like who I am. Quite honestly I think that though I might not be perfection I am perfectly fine the way I am. There isn't a thing about my personality that I would want to change or alter to accommodate anyone. I am very comfortable with my mind and conscious, and their thoughts both clean and unclean. If people don't like me they can just go fuck themselves," he said mildly.
The corner's of Isane's mouth quivered upwards slightly.
"I just think...no, I just wish that you would think of yourself the same way. You have many good qualities, and if anything I should be wondering why someone as sterling as yourself would want to spend time with someone as bent as me."
"You aren't that bent, Mayuri," Isane said smiling again.
"I am extremely bent and twisted, Isane. You know that, and don't try and make it anything other then what it is. Just because I may have these occasional maudlin moments should not in any way detract from the truth of the matter: I'm not a very considerate man."
Mayuri and Isane sat stiffly side by side and almost glaring at each other. He was trying his best to either burn holes in her head or visually subdue her, and she was holding him off as best she could, but in the end as they both knew he would he won out. Isane turned her face away slightly and nodded.
"Yes, well...you are also extremely full of shit, Kurotsuchi Mayuri. I certainly know that about you," she said as calmly as she could. Isane didn't dare turn her head when she heard the spluttering and strangled growls. She didn't think that now would be too good a time to burst into laughter. She also knew that she needed a moment to compose herself and pull herself back together. Rising she excused herself to powder her nose, and with a grace that she hardly felt she went to go find the convenience.
Mayuri sat in stunned silence as he glared daggers at her retreating back. Once again the woman showed such nerve...! There he was trying to be honest and helpful, and all she did was blithely shoo his words of wisdom aside like a fly swatter batting at midges. He didn't understand it-any of it- and he was quickly loosing his temper yet again. It made no sense. She made no sense. He was trying to be honest and insightful, and all he got was facetiousness!
Fuck this dating bullshit...Maybe he was wrong in his assumptions. Maybe it wasn't worth it after all. He had gone this long without dating, and he didn't see why he couldn't go longer. Just as he was about to work himself up into a good, old fashioned snit he realized that she was coming back.
Miyama-sama. Wonderful. Now things could really get started.
Mayuri gave the older woman a warning stare as she knelt to place another tray of food at their table. She seemed utterly unperturbed by the anger and frustration rolling off him. Calmly setting out dishes and gathering the old one she neither looked at him nor said anything to him. But Mayuri knew that it was too good to be true, as just as it seemed that she was about to leave, she didn't. He braced himself. He braced himself for having to bite his tongue and take whatever it was that she was going to spew at him, because he had to. This was his favorite place, and there was no way in hell he was going to be eighty-sixed from it.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, let me offer you just one, small bit of advice, if I may?"
Mayuri raised a brow at Kiyo using his formal title. She had never done that. Not even when he had saved her family. Because of that he knew that he was in for it.
"Please do, Miyama-sama," he said between gritted teeth.
Kiyo made no show that she noticed the barely concealed show of impatience. "I am an old woman, and as such I have seen many, many things in my life time. Being in charge of a restaurant I have seen even more things. When people eat and drink the most amazing things get said and done. Everyone knows that."
"Yes, yes, Miyama-sama. It is a scientifically universal truth that alcohol as well as food causes all sorts of chemical reactions to happen within the body, and as such certain foods and drinks tend to cause certain people to act differently. I know this. Is there a point to this story? Let's get to the homily directly, if you please."
Kiyo's soft gaze tightened and something deep within flashed like cold steel at the man sitting beside her. "The point being this: your science will not give you the answers that you are looking for, and no matter how hard you try and seek them. You are trying to place yourself, and the young woman as well into a neat, mathematical equation that you can understand. I will tell you right now that such a mathematical statement does not exist. You are wasting your time, and maybe hers as well."
Mayuri had to grit his teeth in order to hold back the explosion that was dwelling just beneath the surface. His temper and patience felt at their outer limits.
"She likes you Mayuri-sama," Kiyo said softening. "I can see it, and she is not being ingenuous with her feelings because you are a Gotei Captain. Despite your idiosyncrasies, your usually foul temper, and your perchance for the perverse she likes you, and genuinely. Try not to wonder why, but instead try to pay homage to such a sweet gift. I think that if you were to ask people about your situation most would be envious."
After a brief moment of sullen silence Mayuri nodded simply and offered Kiyo some tea. She shook her head and laid a gentle hand on his fore arm. "You are a very smart man Mayuri-sama, but I think that sometimes you are too smart for your own good. Follow the example of the young lady and just go with the flow. And above all else," she said finally rising but stopping short of leaving, "behave."
Mayuri smirked and shook his head. "I never should have saved you and your family, you know that, right? Now you seem to own me body and soul, when it should be the other way around..."
Kiyo smiled cheerfully and left him to contemplate in silence while he waited for the young lady to return.