Perfect Imperfection (Mayuri Kurotsuchi)

Nine Years isn't Near Long Enough . . .

"Ojīchan!" I cried out as I entered the Captain hall only to stop short. The Captains of the Gotei were standing there in a meeting. "Sorry."

Yamamoto, grandpa, looked at me with slightly hard but still kind eyes." It's fine, just come stand beside me."

I picked up the robes of my kimono and rushed down the middle of the two lines of captain, bowing my head as I went, until I was standing on the right side of Yamamoto.

After that night, nine years ago I became the unofficially "adopted" daughter of Yamamoto but I always call him grandpa or "Ojīchan" because of his beard. Through the nine years I have continued to frequent the Research Institution for both Kisuke and Mayuri – but more for Mayuri as we have continued to work on altering the DNA of a cherry blossom tree to perhaps freeze it into a specific moment in time. Kisuke has been somewhat cold, but only in moments when I treat him like the brother he once was. Otherwise he is warm and takes me out to festivals and to eat. Everyone keeps saying that he wants me to see him as a man and not as a brother, but it's hard to since he had been for so long. Byakuya, who has grown up finally, is someone I don't see often like before – he has begun to take on some of the responsibilities of his noble family. However, when Byakuya and I find time or we see each other we run away to the first district to have some fun and just spend a little time other. He doesn't bring up his feelings anymore, but I can see it in his eyes – he is starting to look less like a girl and it almost makes me a little sad.

Soon after that night years ago, I found that those two men had been high ranking officers in the Gotei, so much so that I see them often for captain and lieutenant meetings. But they haven't attempted to talk to me or attack me, probably because I am protected and guarded by very strong men.

I honestly don't know how I survived that night or why I suddenly had to become the daughter of Yamamoto or why I had so many burn marks on my body. Kisuke said it was for my protection, but all I remembered was being stabbed my Mayuri and then him later asking me to be his research partner for his altered cherry blossom project. I didn't question anything, because I knew it would do no good – Kisuke would probably try to cover it up like he did that night when I thought I had died from my father's experiment.

"-lia. Dalia!" I blinked and looked at Kisuke who stared me in the face.

"Yes!" I blinked at him.

"Do you want to go eat? I heard there's a new place in the first district that makes really good noodles." Kisuke smiled.

Sadly, the day before I had seen Byakuya and we had rushed there; I had become a pretty bad influence on him, but his grandfather still loves me." Uhh, how about we go for dinner? I just ate lunch."

"Oh okay, then I'll go ahead and go. Eight o'clock, right?"

"Yea." He walked backwards as he started to leave.

"Southern Gate?"

"Yep!"

"Okay," He smiled warmly before turning around, "I'll see you then."

"Yea." I muttered and waited until he left. Yama's Lieutenant, Chōjirō, was standing to the side.

He cleared his throat." He really is trying hard."

"I guess." I sighed heavily as I stepped down the stairs to the main floor. "Ji-Ji, I'm going to the research institute."

"Be careful on your way there." Chōjirō called after me. "Make sure to have someone walk you back if you intend to come back late."

"You know I will." I called back as I hiked up the hems of my kimono and began to lightly jog out the room.

"It's not lady-like to jog, Dalia." I turned quickly and saw Byakuya standing there with a playful grin on his face. "Well, I guess since you still look the same as years ago it can't be expected for you to matu-." I kicked him in the shin and he crippled over.