I'm dedicating this one to my two favourite plot mechanics Gleish26 and Marisa Serise – wherever they both are. For wading through all of the Heirverse with me. Because it's not a small story-verse by any means, and there's so much chessboard I did not see coming.

notes – Alright, I'll try to keep this short because I tend to blab on a bit in my notes. Oh, and if I owned Bleach this shit would be canon. Since I don't, and it isn't, its safe to assume I own nothing but the prose here.

Part of my Game/Say/Heir-verse. So, angsty and dramatic as standard (my Gin is an emotional creature). M rated for a reason.

Events here are touched upon in Heir 78 and 79, with some crossover with Game and Say it as it's all in the same story-verse. But this can be read on its own. Though I do recommend reading the rest of the series, if only for a bit more understanding and context. There are Game echoes throughout this.

Contains the usual Heirverse things: swearing, sex, adult themes, emotional distress, some fluffy scenes, canon decimation. Copious use of the Victorian language of flowers, of which meanings are taken from my own dictionary I have compiled as I've found meanings vary between sources. And I've discovered there are some flowers I like to have certain meanings. Particularly saffron.

Oh, and before I forget, the chapter titles are the flowers and their meanings in the flower language. it just fit, with the two of them growing back together in the story.

Alright, I think that's everything. Enjoy the story.

"Forgveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness."

- Marianne Williamson

Chapter 1: Judas tree for Betrayal

When Gin woke up that morning, he knew something was wrong.

He'd woken to an empty bed, sleepily reaching out across the space between the sheets, hoping to find the warmth of Sousuke's body. Instead, he found emptiness. And cold bedsheets. His heart sank, even in the numbed state between sleep and wakefulness. Was it too much to ask to be able to wake up beside the one he loved? Like they had before, at the start of their relationship? Gin sighed. Apparently, for Sousuke, it was. Gin didn't know what happened. Over the past few months the man had been hot and cold with him. All loving and affectionate one day and cold and distant the next. Gin didn't know whether he was coming or going.

What did I do wrong? Gin wondered, trying not to hurt so much at this new distance between them. Weren't you happy with me? We were so happy before... what changed? Tell me.

Gin rolled over and buried his face in his lover's pillow, breathing in the smell of his Sousuke.

Why won't you tell me? Why do you keep shutting me out and leaving me to wake up alone?

Don't you want me anymore?

Gin inhaled very deeply and sighed, long and slow. As if it would push all the bad thoughts out of him. Lately, he'd been waking up alone and going to bed alone more and more often. At night, Sousuke stayed working late at the office, despite Gin pleading with him to come home, come to bed with me, and when he did come home it was always after Gin fell asleep. And in the mornings, he left before Gin woke up, so Gin had to shower and eat breakfast alone. A very different scenario from their earlier days – years - together, when they did everything together, were madly in love, and Sousuke couldn't keep his hands off him. Gin had to wonder what he'd done to upset him, to make him act like this. What had changed in that time, to cause this rift? If Sousuke had grown bored of him and found somebody new, like Gin always feared he would.

Did you stop loving me? If so, then when?

Gin let his fingers grasp his lover's pillowcase, feeling a hollow space inside his chest. He half expected Shinsou to make a sarcastic comment, but none were forthcoming. Apparently, even his zanpaktou felt sorry for him. Because Gin had asked his lover the questions, but he hadn't gotten any answers.

After a few minutes, Gin decided to drag himself up and out of bed, because he had to face the day sooner or later. Even if he didn't want to leave the bed, or have to deal with that irritating Hinamori girl giving his lover – no, his husband – googly eyes and flirting with him all the time. It really ground his gears. And the fact that Sousuke did nothing to stop it, either, really stuck the knife in. in fact, thinking about it, Gin wouldn't be at all surprised if Sousuke and that wretched girl were sleeping together.

Well, Shinsou said calmly, appearing on the bed in the form of a silver fox, reading his master's thoughts, it would explain why he's been so distant with you.

The thought made Gin pause. He wouldn't do that... would he?

Gin could feel Shinsou's eyes on him, studying him. Why don't you go and find out?

…

Aizen was already at work at his desk when Gin walked into the office. Gin was surprised the man still looked as handsome as the day they'd met. Though he did miss the days they walked into work together. Sometimes holding hands if no-one was looking. Gin's heart sank further. Where did we go so wrong?

Are you bored of me already?

If you were sick of me, then why did you marry me? Why did you let me drag you to that church in the human world if you were just gonna do this to me?

As he walked into the room, Sousuke's eyes lifted up to meet his, and for an instant, it was as if nothing between them had changed. As if they were seeing each other after a long time apart. As if they were still madly in love.

"Hi," Gin greeted his captain. His lover.

"Hey," Sousuke replied gently.

"You left without me."

Sousuke smiled softly, "I didn't want to wake you."

"But you always used to wake me," Gin told him, voice gentle, I liked it when you woke me up."

Gin left out the fact that Sousuke used to wake him up with a kiss every morning, and that it was hands down the best part of his day. But he knew Sousuke would understand what he wasn't saying.

"I miss that." Gin added. And Gin could have sworn he saw a little bit of guilt in the other man's eyes that it had been so long since they'd woken up together.

"I miss that, too."

"We can still go back to that," Gin offered softly, walking the few steps into the room to close the distance between them, "It's not too late."

The man looked back across at him, and Gin knew Sousuke understood what he meant. It's not too late to save us.

Sousuke sighed softly, "Gin," he began, but that was all he had time to say before she walked in, and their moment had to be postponed.

"Good morning Aizen-Taichou!" Hinamori chirped, striding in cheerfully for another day serving under her beloved captain. It made Gin sick, the way she'd go all gaga over Sousuke. His Sousuke. His. Every time she smiled at him, or blushed when he praised her for her work only sparked in Gin an urge to climb his captain like a tree and scream at her when she got too close to him. Which was often.

"Ah," Sousuke turned his attention to her, completely ignoring Gin for the moment. "Good morning, Hinamori-kun."

She smiled like a giddy schoolgirl at her captain, and Gin's lips curled up into aa snarl. It irritated him. Everything about this irritated him.

"Oh," she said, "Hello, Ichimaru-fukutaichou." she added, as an afterthought. Nervous, because he'd made it quite obvious he didn't like her. Gin scowled at her, and she turned her eyes away from him and fixed her gaze onto Captain Aizen, which made her completely forget her nerves. Gin hated her. But even more than that, he hated the way Sousuke smiled at her. All genuine and warm and so much like the smiles he gave Gin that it made his stomach twist and his heart ache.

Why can't he smile like that at me anymore?

It was Gin who broke the silence. "Hinamori-chan, he called to her, putting on a cordial tone, pretending to be nice. Because his captain had said he disliked it when he was nasty to her. And if he couldn't be nice could he at least pretend to be nice.

"Can ya take Aizen-Taichou's accident reports down to the fourth squad, please?"

He wanted her gone. Vanished. He didn't care where. And since Sousuke refused to transfer her elsewhere into another division, claiming she might be useful, Gin had to make do with making her life as unpleasant as possible. Giving her the most menial of tasks to do, and making veiled, spiteful comments about her. Gin had to admit she'd been easier to deal with at first, because she kept a respectful distance from their captain, possibly due to her great adoration of him. But over time she'd lost that shyness, and she'd only grown closer to him. Sousuke only nurtured this, which only inspired more animosity from Gin the closer she got to him.

Gin didn't know what it was about her that rubbed him the wrong way, but he didn't like her. And the way she was around his Sousuke only made him dislike her more. It was only recently Gin realised why he hated her.

She was like a little flower, feeling the gardener's gentle touch – just like he once had, when Sousuke had given him a red tulip; a declaration of love in the language of flowers. Their language.

She nodded her head. "Yes fukutaichou." and promptly picked up the large pile on the desk and walked carefully out of the office. Trying her hardest not to drop any folders along the way. Gin watched her go with a smile on his face. Perfect. Maybe now he and Sousuke could have that eart-to-heart talk they were about to have before they were so rudely interrupted.

"You didn't have to be so sarcastic to her, you know." Sousuke said to him. Gin just shrugged.

"Why d'ya care? She don't matter."

"So you keep saying."

Gin frowned. Everything about this was wrong. His tone. His distance. His coldness. Didn't they love each other? Where had all that warmth and affection gone? Because Gin wanted it back. If only he knew where to look for it. Where to even start looking...

He sighed. "Where did we go so wrong, Sousuke?"

A pause. Silence stretching out for what felt like an eternity as Sousuke sat looking at him, thinking.

"I don't know."

Gin should have known then, from the look in his lover's eyes. The flash of guilt in those chocolate pools. But he was so desperate to bridge the gulf between them, that he didn't see it.

"I want to fix it." Gin told him. Frank. Honest.

A smile from Sousuke. A soft one. Warm.

Progress.

"I do, too." Another pause, long and drawn out, "But-"

Gin never heard what came after that But-" because Momo made her reappearance. Bursting into the room the way she did, full of girlish enthusiasm. Innocent to what she'd just walked in on. Part of Gin, the rational part, knew she didn't mean to keep walking in on them and their important conversations. But the bigger part of him, the jealous, bitter, paranoid and hateful part, absolutely loathed her for it.

And that part of him wasn't shy about expressing it, either.

"Aizen-taichou, I'm back!" she called out cheerfully. Grating on Gin's last nerve. It was always Aizen-Taichou this and Aizen-Taichou that. It made him sick. Gin rounded on her, a snarl on his lips,

"Ya know, Hinamori, ya really need ta piss off!" he hissed. His voice full of spite and malice that shocked her so much she had a very bewildered and offended look on her face.

"But..." she protested weakly, tears welling up in her eyes. This animosity, after all, had come from nowhere to her. "But why? What have I done?"

"What haven't ya done?"

"Gin," Aizen reprimanded him, his tone firm and authorative. A captain's voice. "Stop harassing her. There is no need to be cruel."

Gin's gaze turned to him, incredulous and angry. He couldn't respond to the scolding without saying something he'd regret. So, pressing his lips together to keep them shut, he turned and walked out.

He hadn't known that was his first mistake. Leaving the two of them together. Quietly fuming as he stalked out to the division gardens and plonked down on one of the wooden benches under a tree. Huffing angrily as he sat down. In hindsight, he could have handled her intrusion a lot better, in a much more dignified manner that didn't make him look like a petulant child. But he let his emotions get the better of him. Again.

What's wrong with me? He wondered, face in his hands gaze wandering over to a clump of stinging nettles. Cruelty in the flower language. How can he love me if I'm like this? Why do I always let her bring out this spitefulness out of me? Or was I always this spiteful and nasty?

Gin inhaled deeply and breathed out slowly. He was inclined to believe it, that he was truly, deep down, a nasty piece of work. That he was a bitter, spiteful, nasty, manipulative, jealous, possessive person.

It probably stemmed from the early days of his relationship with Sousuke, when the man kept eyeing up potential sexual partners, and Gin had to fight so hard just to keep his attention. Play his game just to keep him intrigued, which took the form of a conversation in the Victorian language of flowers. The days when everyone Sousuke even spoke a single word to was a threat. No matter what Ran said about the man loving him, about being able to see the signs from space he loved Gin. No matter what everybody else said.

And then there was the huge fight Gin had to put up just to get the man to say the words he so craved.

Gin closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander over the memory.

"Say it." Gin pleaded, closing the space between them. His hand finding his lover's face. "It's just three words. It's easy. I've said it. Just say it. Say it and break this spell you've cast on me."

Gin eliminated the space between them and pressed his entire body against his lover's. His arms working their way around Sousuke's neck. Aizen's hands found Gin's hips as Gin pulled him in for a kiss.

"Say you love me." Gin breathed when they parted.

"Gin-"

"Please." Gin begged, fingers burying themselves in his lover's thick, dark hair. "Please."

Aizen's only response was to pull Gin close again and crush their lips together.

"My mind is yours, my body is yours, my heart is yours." he said, "The universe is yours if you ask me for it. Isn't that enough?"

Gin sighed again. Wondering when the gulf between them had grown so large. Was it then? When he refused to say those words? Or before, when they'd had the back-and-forth with the flowers? Moving pieces on a mental chessboard most people wouldn't see.

Yes, it was undoubtedly the mental chessboard that brought them close initially, but Sousuke must have seen something in him he liked, otherwise he wouldn't have kept Gin around.

"I wanna know what ya like 'bout me." Gin had demanded of him, "I mean, ya could have anyone. Why me?"

Sousuke gave him one of his most charming smiles as he set down his wine glass carefully. "Well," he began, resting his chin in his hand with his elbow on the table, "Because you're you."

Gin smiled and shook his head. "That aint an answer."

"it is." Sousuke pressed. "Does love need a reason?"

Gin fought down his frustrated sigh. "Then... can ya be more specific?" Gin pressed, genuinely seeking an answer to his question. "What is it about me you like?"

Sousuke's smile softened considerably. "Well, if you want a list," he said gently, "You're clever, you're beautiful, you're very caring – I can see that from your close relationship with Rangiku-san. You have an appreciation for fine music, you're ambitious. And..." he paused, letting the words register and take effect, "You're passionate."

Gin digested the words for a moment, before he spoke again.

"You can tell I'm passionate?"

"Well, I'd say the kiss you gave me was very passionate." The words were punctuated with a lazy, soft smile, and Gin had to smile back.

Gin sighed, the memory fading away. Thinking back over it all now, Gin realised even that had been just another move on the chessboard. And the chessboard was the only reason they were married.

The chessboard had taken even that away from him. Infused every happy memory of Sousuke with doubt and uncertainty.

I should go an' apologise, he thought, There weren't no need fer me to be nasty. Just cuz me and Sousuke are havin' problems don't mean I can take it out on 'er. Even if I do hate her. It's just... I just lose it whenever I see the way she looks at him. Like... like...

Like I do.

Like he's Helios, god of the sun.

He managed a smile at that. But I guess she can't help it. I certainly couldn't, all those years ago. Ya can't help but love him.

Gin glanced to the left of him and spied a gorse plant, covered in bright yellow flowers and dark green leaves that resembled spines. Enduring affection in the language of flowers. He smiled at the plant and what t stood for in their language and stood, brushing the dust off his clothes.

I should do somethin' nice fer him, Gin thought, to show him I still care. That I still love him. That we can fix this. Fix us. Because it's not too late. It's not. I don't care what people say, what they whisper behind me back. That he's had enough of me, that leopards can't change their spots.

Gin allowed his smile to widen. Yes, that's what he'd do. Go to the town and get him that elegant chessboard with the pretty glass pieces he'd been eyeing for weeks, not listening to Gin's encouragements to get it. To treat himself. So he set off walking into the town. Deciding he'd make a peace offering of it, thinking that if the game had brought them together in the first place, maybe it could bridge the gap between them.

Or at the very least, it could give them an opportunity to talk and sort out their issues.

…

Gin hugged the box containing the glass chessboard close to his chest as he made the walk back through the Seireitei. It was early evening now. He hadn't intended to be out for so long, but he'd admittedly been waylaid by a skiving Rangiku and been practically pushed into the nearest pub for a few drinks and a catchup before he could make it back to Sousuke in the office. When he saw how late it was getting on his way back, he'd abandoned his original plan of surprising the man with a cooked meal and his gift, and instead opted to meet him after he'd finished work for the day instead. That way they could walk home together and try to rekindle some intimacy. Reignite the spark they'd lost. Even just holding hands would be a step in the right direction.

Gin looked up at the bug clocktower in the square as he came back to the Gotei Thirteen barracks.

Hm, six o clock. Bet that fool's workin' late again.

Shinsou snorted somewhere in the back of his mind.

Hah. Yeah. "working." he remarked, and Gin could feel his scepticism. His sarcasm.

Must you be so negative? Gin asked him.

Must you be so naïve? The zanpaktou countered.

Gin bristled at the question, but chose to ignore it and say nothing.

You knew what he was like when you met him. Shinsou ventured further, trying to steer Gin's thoughts towards suspicion, where they should be. But Gin was stubbornly clinging onto his hope. His illusion. You knew he was a gameplayer, that he slept around. Used people. What makes you think you're different?

Gin stopped, taken aback by the question. He said he loved me. Gin thought, remembering Sousuke's promise to him. You won't be like the others, he said.

He may well love you, Shinsou told him softly, But leopards can't change their spots.

Gin sucked in a breath. You won't be like the others. Had that been a lie? Had everything been a lie?

No. he refused to believe it. Refused to even consider the possibility. Sousuke loved him. He'd said so. But even so... even so, the doubt crept back into his mind. And no matter how many times Gin tried, it just would not vacate. So it stayed, and grew, and festered into something awful inside him in the form of a simple question: what if?

What if he's cheating? What if he lied to me? What if I'm not and I look like a paranoid fool? What will I do if he is?

Round and round the questions swirled in his head, circling like sharks. Like vultures. Devouring every other thought, every idea, until the only image left in his mins was of them together. His Sousuke and Hinamori Momo, fucking each other on the captain's desk, laughing at him. Sousuke purring in her ear, "Don't worry, he won't find out."

Gin grit his teeth together and quickened his pace.

…

It wasn't hard to find them. After all, Sousuke's reiatsu called out to him whevever he was, and since Hinamori practically worshipped her beloved Aizen-taichou, it was safe to assume she was with him, using any excuse to stay by his side for just a little bit longer. Not knowing she loved an illusion. Not knowing that Gin had known and loved the real Aizen Sousuke for just over seven decades now. For seventy beautiful years. Seventy-five if he counted it from the day they met, though they had only a normal teacher-student relationship during that time. Momo Hinamori had known him for all of five minutes in comparison, so what did she know about the man? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Well, okay, maybe she knew how he took his tea, but that was all. She didn't know what his favourite kind of tea was, or that he always slept with the windows open. She didn't know he had a weakness for chocolate, or the brownies Gin made sometimes. She didn't know he always slept with Kyouka Suigetsu within easy reach, just in case, or that he liked to creep up behind Gin and wrap those arms around his waist, kissing Gin's neck. She didn't know that in bed, he liked to come in from the rear, just to infuriate Gin. She didn't know that he was a pianist or a composer either, or that he spoke the language of flowers so fluently he could hold entire conversations with it, that he'd taught Gin that language, too.

No. Momo Hinamori knew absolutely nothing about Aizen Sousuke. Nothing at all. And Gin would be damned if he let someone like that take Sousuke away from him. Even for just one night of trivial, meaningless sex. Because Gin didn't like to share his things. But more than that, because Sousuke promised he would be faithful.

Gin prayed he still was as he walked up the steps to the fifth division offices.

…

It was quiet as Gin walked through the deserted barracks, passing empty offices and training rooms on his way. Too quiet. So it went without saying that Gin was already suspicious. Shinsou had always instilled in him the belief that silence of any kind warranted suspicion. A belief that Sousuke only reinforced. So Gin crept along the empty corridors on silent hunters feet. A venomous snake in search of his chosen prey. Even though it had been so long since Gin had thought of sousuke as prey, he found he could easily slip into the role of predator. Although admittedly it was growing more and more difficult to push aside the fear that he might find the two of them together. A fear that clawed at his throat and his insides and kept him permanently on a knife's edge. That made his heart thump so loudly he feared Sousuke would hear it even from so far away.

Gin swallowed the lump in his throat. His body uncharacteristically breaking out into a cold sweat. He wiped his sweaty palms and fingers on his uniform and proceeded at a faster pace. Because although part of him felt only horror at what he might find, another larger part was simply desperate to get this over with. To open up the box and find out if Schroedinger's cat was alive or dead, just to spare himself the agony of not knowing.

That was part of why he'd brought the chessboard with him. Because if he were wrong, if his suspicions were indeed unfounded, from the outside it would look like Gin sought Sousuke out merely to give him the thoughtful gift. And if the unthinkable happened... well... Gin could always smash the glass board and all it's pieces and let Sousuke clean up the mess.

He heard the whimper as he approached the door to the captain's office. A soft, feminine noise, abruptly followed by the deep groan of a man. Gin halted, sucked in a breath, and braced himself. He'd only taken one more step when the girl gave a soft, sensual sigh. Sousuke's soft chuckle followed, a sound he knew all too well.

"You make delightful sounds," Sousuke said. And Gin froze, blood running cold, because Sousuke had said the exact same thing to him when they were in bed together.

You make the most delightful sounds, Gin. Let's see if I can draw some more of them out of you.

Gin shoved the memories away. While he cherished them, this was neither the time or place to be thinking of them. He shook his head to free himself of the memories and reached for the doorhandle. Pausing. Hesitant. Because he knew what he'd see when he opened it.

Shinsou noticed his hesitation. Gin, he called pleadingly, You don't have to go in there. We both know what you'll find. You should just go. Take the chessboard and just go home.

But Gin still didn't move.

Gin... Shinsou begged again, but his thought died off into silence. Gin knew that despite his earlier snarkiness, Shinsou was only trying to protect him. Save him from getting his heart broken. But there were some things even Shinsou couldn't protect him from. And besides that, Gin needed to see it with his own eyes, whatever was happening behind that door. So there wouldn't be any doubts in his mind.

Gin, just go home. You already know... just go home. Please... It's only going to break your heart.

Gin took in a deep breath to steady himself. I can't. He told his zanpaktou. If he's betrayin' me, I hafta see it. I hafta see it wi' me own eyes.

Shinsou sighed in defeat. It seemed nothing would change Gin's mind. He might have fought harder, argued more, but forbidden to interfere with free will, there was nothing he could do.

Alright, the spirit said softly, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Gin breathed in and out slowly, trying to still the erratic thumping of his heart. To stop it jumping out of his mouth and splatting onto the floor. Swallowing thickly in an attempt to gather his courage and clear his throat, he managed to still the shaking of his hands for just long enough to slide the door open a crack just large enough to see through, and braced himself for the sting of betrayal he knew he would feel when he saw them together.