Ngoc Chau does not own Bleach.
Okay, I was planning on making this a two parter but I lost my train of thought for the second part and can't get it back. The second part was supposed to be more of a romantic-like view. While the first was looking at them through a family-like view. However, I guess we're stuck with family with maybe or maybe not a touch of incest/romance.
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Enjoy!
Prompt: Envy
If asked, they would deny it; however with the proper amount of prodding, enough sake to make them totally drunk yet not pass out in a stupor, and careful understanding of slurred words they would probably confess that in a way, they envied Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
How could the shinigami ever envy the man who tore apart and modified his own body daily, a man that everyone deemed to be a freak? But Reader, it was because of two things that they envied him so when they were sure that he was not aware that they were watching him at all. The first was that he appeared to have no worries: he was a master of gambit and he was prepared for everything(the recollection often made those gag of that occasion where his memories was wiped and it was restored because he had created a back-up brain with memories for such an opportunity) and anything. Secondly was that he had what most of them could rarely afford unless they were perhaps born of noble families or prepared to leave the life of a shinigami and go back to Rukongai: a family of their own.
Or, specifically in the case of Mayuri, a child of his own.
Yes, they envied him simply because he did not have to worry about having his very own child, born of his flesh and blood. In the heat of battle, he never worried about his daughter, what should befall her if anything should happen to him; he even went so far as to use her as a sacrifice for his victory, a human shield for himself. Yet he never once permanently lost her. It was also the matter of the more than likely chance that their child would be an orphan in this line of work, but suppose that their loved one died.
Parenthood was something that few would ever take on single-handedly with monsters and hollows everywhere; even the Great Zaraki Kenpachi had had a little bit of help later on when his lieutenant grew older.
The work of maintaining balance between their world and the real world was a strenuous one as well: who had the time to find a child to adopt, let alone find a significant other to create one?
But Mayuri had done it: he had created a child himself and called it daughter, kept it close to him and used her as a tool. Some who were watching their lives go by, knowing that tomorrow could be the day when their swords would not be fast enough to protect themselves or their comrades, felt it was almost unfair that a man who had no respect for children or life could have it so easily.
One occasion, their envy had of the black-and-white faced Captain had been revealed to themselves and almost made evident to all.
A few shinigami had noticed that the 12th division lieutenant was wearing her zanpakuto at her back and before they imagined she had no such thing. Imagine their surprise when they asked if they could see her blade and she showed them a marvel of swordsmanship: it was a green katana that suited her quite well, it was something that spoke of elegance and grace, though the guard was quite strange to look at. Her sporting her zanpakuto became something that the shinigami and Gotei 13 saw almost at least once every few months. Despite seeing her wear the blade upon her back, its strap close across her chest; they did not see her at the training grounds or even practice zanjutsu with anyone.
So why did she carry that sword around if she wasn't out fighting Hollows or practicing with it?
For a few certain shinigami, their curiosity got the better of them and they spent most of their day following the youthful lieutenant.
They had to admit, her life was quite boring: all day it comprised of her running errands for her Captain all across the other offices and divisions(they had not seen him for most of the time and though they were not complaining exactly, it was odd to see her without him), doing paperwork, or supervising in labs. One of them had complained that it had been a fruitless endeavour and that they should just go back home and make the most out of what was left of their day.
Yet it was just as they were leaving the grounds of the 12th division did they see something that looked out of the norm. They hid in the bushes that adorned the grounds and watched carefully, trying to mask their reiatsu and holding their breaths.
Outside one of the barracks buildings sat the 12th division Captain. They had almost missed recognizing him as he was without his captain's haori and his zanpakuto was not tied at his front, but the face paint(though it was painted differently with his entire face white and a black block across his eyes) had given him away. He looked older all of a sudden, like someone exhausted and aged. The way he sat, hunched over with his hands supporting his head upwards, did not help him either. They noticed that every time he breathed out, his frame shook and quivered.
The pieces were falling together, was this why they hadn't seen him stalking around Seireitei lately? Had he become ill with something(most likely from a poison or virus he was developing and it accidenly got loose on himself, they imagined) and isolated himself away until he could find a cure for himself?
"Mayuri-sama…" called out Nemu gently as she appeared from the doorway outside to where Mayuri sat. Still on her back was her zanpakuto and in her hands was a tray of wagashi cakes and tea. He didn't bother looking up at her, she didn't seem to mind at that. If they did not know the two before them, those certain shinigami would've thought the scene to be a touching one between father and daughter. Her care for him far exceeded one of a usual lieutenant - especially a lieutenant for a man like the 12th division captain - as she poured him a cup of tea and moved in front of him to carefully place it in his shaking hands.
He took it without thanks and drank it. She kneeled before him, her head hung low and her hands folded in front of her. They were reminded of a dog and its master from the way she sat close to him. He ate while he drank and occasionally his hand would stiffen in mid-movement. His brows would furrow at that until his arm would move accordingly.
Nemu hesitantly reached for his hand and rubbed it, "Is it okay, Mayuri-sama?"
He scoffed, "It feels like my shoulder's about to break off."
"Does it hurt, Mayuri-sama? Shall I get you medicine to relieve the pain?" she asked, her hands held his.
He said no, that he would savour the lesson that the pain gave. Perhaps this could be a new goal for him, improve his modifications so that it could be used without the side effects of pain and soreness, he commented.
Though she did not say it, they could just imagine the words as if it left her mouth. It was in the way that she came closer to him, her forehead brushing against his knee and the way that her eyes seemed to dim and moisten. She very well could've said, "I'm worried about you." There was a theory going around that the two of them could communicate telepathically. It had been theorized by the way he only needed to snap his fingers or say her name and she would do whatever he had needed her to do, without ever any form of communication going on between them. Even once when they were walking outside, he had snapped his fingers and she had shunpo'd to his office and back with a portfolio of papers.
There was a smile on his face, one that made him look more fatigued than sinister. He patted her head, smoothing the hair as they saw his hand bring her head closer to rest atop his legs like a pillow.
She murmured softly, "Mayuri-sama…"
He said nothing, but continued patting her head. Suddenly she got up from her resting spot and offered her hands to him. He took it and stumbled to stand up, he looked unbalanced. The shinigami waited patiently until they would be gone, then that would be their cue to leave. He gripped her shoulders as he stepped forward, his arm over her neck as she supported him from below. Then the air around him suddenly seemed heavy with spiritual pressure.
Mayuri snapped his fingers sharply, "Nemu."
She nodded her head, "Yes, Mayuri-sama."
From out of nowhere, she had pulled out a shikai knife and sent in flying into the bushes.
Mayuri watched the bushes carefully and said again, "Nemu."
"Yes, Mayuri-sama." was her response as they saw her coming closer to the bush.
They could not believe that they had been so easily spotted. They had taken a knife in the shoulder without even flinching! How could they not have gotten away with it? Reader, I'll tell you why: because captains are usually paranoid people who will suspect even the smallest details and still send their underlings to check it out, be it true or false. And so, those certain shinigami blew their own cover by running away, the 12th division lieutenant chasing after them, her zanpakuto unsheathed.
It was a very long night afterwards, hiding on the run from her.
Then, it was a few days later, Reader, that those shinigami saw Kurotsuchi Mayuri again, up and diligent in his work. His lieutenant was without her zanpakuto. They tried to best to pass by his inconspicuously as he stood in front of their way to their division barracks.
Keeping their faces low and their eyes glued to the ground, they would've probably made it had it not been for Mayuri calling after them. "You there! Boy with the red hair! You dropped something!"
He turned back, wondering what did he drop when he realized his mistake. In his lieutenant's hand was a white towel, but there was no way that that could've dropped from the way he tied it around his head. He realized his mistake when he looked back. Reader, that shinigami surely could not have identified it, but I will do my best to describe it for you. The look in Mayuri's eyes was practically sent a message of, "Ahhh… I know! It was you!!" His eyes turned into slits and his smile grew menacingly.
That shinigami took that as his cue to run but felt something pull on the back of his collar. He heard a few screams behind him and wondered what the reason for it could be until he looked back and his screams soon joined others. Whatever Mayuri had done to himself, his arm resembled something of a grappling hook and it slowly began pulling the shinigami back.
"What the hell is this?" he yelled as he tried to free himself.
The shady scientist laughed, "Just a new modification that kept me busy for a while. Do you like it? It works well with arms, but perhaps you would like to try it for your neck?" He leaned in close to the shinigami's face and hissed, "If I ever catch you or anyone from your division trespassing on mine, you will be sorry. Do you hear me, boy?"
Scared shitless, they were saved when their captain came out to inspect what all the screams were about. Both eyed each other, hating each other's guts despite their similar traits of bloodlust or brutality.
Though they would never soberly admit it, they envied him for just having her. As the 12th division captain and his lieutenant retreated away, the older shinigami who had been part of the Seireitei longer and knew loss, and who had watched the scene between Mayuri and Nemu, couldn't help but think that in a way, Mayuri had something that possibly none of them would ever possess. Such was the lonely life of a shinigami that duty was a priority, right behind sacrifice.
Though, Reader, that romantic nonsense was soon expelled by the exclamation of one of the shinigami of that certain division who exclaimed suddenly, "You know what? He probably made himself a kid because he knew there was no chance in hell that he would ever get laid."
First off, I believe that the only times Nemu would carry around her zanpakuto was when she had to go after Hollows, go up to the Real World for business, or to better protect Mayuri and herself when he was feeling a bit off/weak from his new modifications. That's just me saying.
Plus the shinigami mentioned in the fic, I'm not exactly going to verify who are they, just take a guess who you want them to be.
Please review any suggestions or ideas, or send them in a PM.