Title: Amusements
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: None
Fandom: Bleach
Theme: #133, Festive
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite and TV Tokyo. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Warnings: None

Nemu is late.

Mayuri scowls down at his paperwork, tapping his elongated fingernail against his desk in irritation. He has already finished his work, of course, but it is inconsiderate, if not downright infuriating, of Nemu to be late. He set a strict curfew for her – she ought to have returned fifteen minutes ago.

This is intolerable.

He does not understand why it is necessary to leave the Twelfth Division compound for a frivolous festival of all things, and then to go out to the human world – something to do with the lower classes and the moon, he is not completely clear as to which. He even took her shopping and allowed her to wear a summer yukata, plain, the purple color of Ashisogi Jizo’s poison mist, so that she would not stick out amongst her associates.

He thinks he has made enough compromises. So, where is his daughter? If anything has happened to her, he will personally hunt down and dissect the perpetrator – after he questions him about just how they were able to incapacitate his creation.

Two minutes later, he hears her footsteps.

“Mayuri-sama,” Nemu appears in a swirl of indigo, carrying something strange in her arms.

“You’re late.” He scowls.

His evident displeasure is enough to curb her enthusiasm, and she respectfully lowers her eyes. “My deepest apologies, Mayuri-sama…”

“What kept you?” He demands.

“I…” She places the object on his desk. It is vaguely shaped like a dog, but with strange ears like half-moons and stubby limbs. It is made out of brown synthetic fibers, with black buttons for eyes. It is soft, when he prods it suspiciously.

“The man said they indicated respect,” Nemu explains. “Matsumoto-fukutaichou confirmed it. I had to win one for you, Mayuri-sama.”

He eyes the strange cushion a minute longer. “I see.” He says.

She waits patiently for him to punish her.

Finally, he irritably waves a hand in her direction. “Off to bed with you, then, and don’t be late again. I trust you there will be no lapses in your duties tomorrow.”

Nemu leaves, leaving Mayuri to stare at the strange beast. “Hmm…”

He picks up the teddy bear, and then returns to his bedchamber. There are no more pressing issues that demand his attention tonight.

She is safe, part of him thinks, and he sighs as he undresses.

“Stupid human customs…”

End Fic

Completed 1/27/10

I like the Kurotsuchi ‘family’ the best after the Kuchiki… and Mayuri is hopefully not OOC. This is as much fluff as I can do!