#behindthestrings

“What do I have to trade you for you to dye your hair blonde.”

BLEACH -- Aftermath

“ Who the hell’re you? ”

“ My current name and title is Senjumaru Shutara, 4th Officer of the Royal Guard, Divine General of the North, the Oorigami -- the Great Weave Guard.

But from this day forth, you are now considered my responsibility. In essence, each of the surviving former Espada has been assigned to a specific guardian for safekeeping. 

I am yours. ”

     An invitation arrived for him. Mayuri didn't receive much personal mail ( which was fine ). There weren't many who wanted to interact with him, though, to be fair - if they were to have dealings with him, he would see why a lot of people would prefer letters rather than conversations. That way they didn't have to be near him. The invitation, however, was from one of the FEW people who didn't mind his company. Mayuri would recognize anything that man had ever touched, the trace of his reiatsu as evident as flashing lights to him. Hid head tipped to the side as he looked at the invitation. A dinner for two.

Send me ✔ and I will bold my preferences for your muse!

My muse(s): Kisuke (cause why not? I think it would be interesting!) and Kaira (Zanpakuto)

Do I know your muse(s):  yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

Setting: our verse | my verse | your verse | modern | alternate universe | other

Pre-established relationships? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Possible relationships: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protector - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other 

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other

Tessai folded his arms and surveyed the scene slowly, giving it a final appraisal. Though it was a quarter to ten the night of December 31, the artificial sky had been set to ‘sunset’ and would flow gradually through ‘twilight’ to ‘night’ over the next two hours. It was part of the ambience, as were the many multicolored lighting effects creating a festive glow. He had spent most of the prior week preparing for this joint celebration, an annual event ever since he’d had done with the prior disregard for Urahara-dono and Yoruichi-dono’s birthdays, falling, as they did, around the New Year holiday. They would not be forgotten, not on his watch. Thus, the tradition continued, and invitations had been sent out.

The setting sun was square-shaped. The rocky outcroppings and distant cliff walls of the Shōten underground area, guests would notice, had taken on an unusual blocky appearance, replete with lava flows and waterfalls. A holographic reference to Minecraft as this year’s decorating theme had been Jinta’s idea, and Tessai was all too amused to implement the scene as an homage to the honorees’ penchant for kitting out subterranean spaces. In a prominent area, cleverly blending in with the aesthetic, was a meter-high karaoke stage. A banquet table stood nearby, already laid out with a buffet of savories and sweets. Conveniently close but discreetly obscured by scenery, he had set up a field kitchen, putting to heavy use Yoruichi’s Christmas gifts of the Roccbox pizza oven and the American-style outdoor grill and smoker, and she, along with the rest of his guests, would soon taste the depth of his appreciation. A 7-kilogram hunk of Australian wagyu beef brisket had been occupying the latter, marinating in a smoldering haze from locally-sourced cherry wood for the past fifteen hours. 

“Oi! Mic check!” came Jinta’s amplified voice from the PA system. “Testing, testing – three, two one –” The following explosion of beatboxing drew a smile from Tessai. The young man had talent, and he’d earned a moment to enjoy the equipment he’d just set up.

“They’ll be here soon!” Ururu called down from a square-shaped hole in the sky at the top of the old ladder. For some time now, guests had no longer had to brave this awkward descent, but direct access from the dining room still had its conveniences.

“Is the freight elevator prepared?” 

“The projectors are on, if that’s what you mean.”  The illusion would begin the moment they stepped into what appeared to be an oversized mine cart to begin their virtual descent through the ‘shaft.’  “I’m ready to show them in.”

Tessai nodded, then gave one final scan, satisfied that all the various and sundry activities were prepared to his standards. He was, after all, an excellent host.

* * *

The party was in full swing, swirling with guests, music, lights and life. The keg had been tapped and Jinta was challenging Grimmjow (@deivorous​​) at beer pong, seeming to relish having found a worthy opponent. Since coming of age, he’d dedicated himself to mastering the sport. Ururu, meanwhile, was teaching hanetsuki to Udyati (@dvarapala​) and Nemuri (@kxrotsuchi​​) as Tōshirō (@ryusxnka​) and Mayuri (@kxrotsuchi​) looked on, both clearly appreciating the training far more than the gauche and garish soirée around them. Tessai was pleased to see that the two less-sociable captains had deigned to attend at all, and had both found some sort of acceptable entertainment. Off in an obscure corner, the Hōgyoku (@sphaeraa​) stood on the ceiling in scowling observation, and Tessai smiled at his sudden inversion of posture and attitude upon Shutara’s (@behindthestrings​​​) fashionably late and characteristically dramatic entrance.

Hiyori (@viciousvizard​) had found the brisket and appeared bent on challenging Yoruichi (@midnightactual) to some sort of eating contest. Alas, she must wait; the latter was holding forth on the karaoke stage while Yuuno (@ice-cold-shihoin​), Kouta (@the-lightning-underdog​), and Soi Fon (@waspandr​) cheered their encouragement. It must have been the spinning disco ball that inspired Shinji (@hirako5hinji​) to swing himself up and join her in an impromptu duet of Donna Summer’s This Time I Know It’s for Real. Kūkaku (@crashingheavens​), the apparent target of Yoruichi’s eye contact, returned it with an exuberant grin. Tessai was certain his guests were looking forward to her midnight fireworks display, as, of course, was he. Near the buffet table stood Adelha (@adelha-mathilde​), recently returned from Germany just in time to attend, chatting pleasantly with Isshin (@hisdaddy​) and Ryuuken (@xyuuken​) beneath a small cloud of tobacco smoke.

Tessai’s brow furrowed as he peered about. Where had Kisuke slipped off to? ...Aha – there he was. The gleaming white lab coat he’d donned (a recent gift from Ryuuken) made him easier to track. That had been his concession to heartfelt pleas to dress nicely.  Beneath it, he wore a button-down shirt and tie — and had left the hat behind. He was watching the stage from a quieter vantage point, engaged in conversation with their newest and perhaps most unexpected resident, Szayelapporo Granz (@behindthestrings​), as Birdy (@cosmacy) and Kara (@orphanedshadow​) curiously looked on. Heaven and Hell appeared to be well-represented.

Satisfied with his work, Tessai turned to replenish the buffet table, only to encounter Akane (@akanekishimoto​). “Ah! It is good to have you with us again, Akane-dono.” He gestured to the spread. “Have you sampled the Smörgåsbord?”

“This is good.” Tessai recognized at once both the presence and voice of Benihime (@crimsonprincessbenihime​​​), manifested and towering behind him, offering him her praise. He found his glasses fogging, and raised a hand to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye. 

Szayel (surprisingly this one came the easiest to me): Is least likely to blow stuff up in lab. I have ranked the order of mad scientists who are the most likely to least likely to cause explosions in lab. Urahara > Mayuri > Szayel. Explosions/ mishaps are bound to occur but like Szayel seems meticulous and detail oriented enough to prevent a majority of them. Even if they do occur, its very controlled.

Shutara: This is somewhat of a crack headcanon I have for her but when she is tired of walking, and no one is looking, she just uses her hands to walk around like Doc Ock XD. Noone have caught her doing it yet.

@behindthestrings said:  one for a muse here of your choice that is public <3

I’m not sure how much of this is actually a headcanon, since I feel like it’s pretty basic? But I’ve always thought that Kisuke must carry a lot of guilt. Even just the change in demeanor from his captain days to when we see him in canon I think is fueled by that guilt. He was nervous and uncertain and people got hurt. Better to be the weird kooky shopkeeper. To never show that nervousness. No matter what he was doing from that point on, he was going to be certain about it.