They brought Sosuke Aizen back to Central 46. The captains and lieutenants were called to witness the sentencing.
Lieutenant Kushira Hikamara felt sick to her stomach, this was the man she loved, the man who betrayed her and broke her heart, what would she say?
Her thoughts were in turmoil and moments before they reached the sentencing chamber she couldn't do it. Couldn't face him.
"Captain…I think I'm going to be sick" she told her captain, Captain Momo Hinamori. Momo looked at her concerned "you can do it…you have to face him eventually" Kushira shook her head "no I don't…I'll back out now and then I won't have to see him again" her wide green eyes were pleading.
A strong pair of arms stopped her from retreating and she looked up into a familiar pair of green eyes "he'll know you're not there…you'll be the first person he'll look for. If he sees you're not there he'll feel as though he's won" Captain Jushiro Ukitake told her.
The others had already gone inside except for Momo, Kushira and Jushiro. "I can't" she said sick to her stomach "I can't face him" Jushiro gently squeezed her hand "we'll be right there with you" he said and her inner turmoil subsided somewhat at the pressure on her hand.
Kushira nodded, squeezing back. The trio stepped into the chamber and situated themselves, only moments later; Sosuke Aizen entered the room like he owned it. Her breath caught in her throat and Jushiro squeezed her hand comfortingly.
Aizen looked around, when he caught sight of Kushira, he grinned "ah Kushira-chan" he smiled "it's so nice to see you again" she clenched her teeth "just as beautiful as when I left you" Kushira narrowed her eyes "you're a traitor and nothing more" she hissed, Jushiro squeezed her hand half in warning half in comfort.
Aizen simply laughed "and you're just as clueless and naïve" he said. Jushiro sensed something was about to happen so he put his hand on her back. A sudden sense of calm enveloped her and she simply smirked "I'd like to thank you Aizen" she said and was satisfied with the shock in his eyes.
"I'd like to thank you for pointing out my flaws, gave me something to work on" her smirk grew wider "I'd also like to thank you for making me realize that no matter what the guy looks like, you can never tell the assholes from the good guys. Thanks to my experience with you I learned that even the nicest seeming guys can turn out to be complete scum"
She stepped forward "my experience with you…well, it opened my eyes to who the true gentlemen are" by now her smirk had disappeared and her eyes were dark "I'd like to thank you, for if you hadn't turned out to be such complete scum, I wouldn't have found a true gentleman to love"
Aizen reeled backwards but quickly recovered "well obviously your taste in men was flawed from the beginning" he shrugged "Tosen quickly killed off your first love, who was-according to Tosen-not even worth mentioning, then of course there was me, but who wouldn't be in love with me?"
Kushira's eyes narrowed "me" she spat out "I should have known you would try to get me riled up" she smirked "but it's not going to work because you see, I stopped caring about you a long time ago. I'm going to stand here and clap when they read you your sentence. I loved you once…but love can turn to hate quickly"
Aizen said nothing and Kushira opened her mouth to speak again when a gentle hand touched her arm "Kushira, that's enough…Central 46 is arriving" Kushira nodded and followed Jushiro back to their positions.
Aizen sneered "so that's the gentleman you found? A frail, sickly old man?" Aizen snorted and this time Kushira saw red, she was about to snap when Jushiro wrapped his fingers around her wrist and Momo put her arm around her, glaring at Aizen "he's trying to make you angry" Momo whispered "don't give in"
"Ah, my old lieutenant" he said in a mocking tone "how have you been? I remember you were so loyal. I see you made it to captain…my congratulations" his words were dripping with sarcasm. Momo squeezed Kushira's shoulders, the redhead taking her friends hand in hers "you're words have no affect on us anymore Aizen" she sneered hatred flashing through her eyes "we have each other and soon you'll just be a distant memory"
Aizen was about to say something when Central 46 entered. After much deliberating they sentenced him to 18,800 years in "Muken", the 8th and lowest level of the underground prison.
Aizen sneered "I find it rather comical that I am receiving judgment from the likes of you" he said mockingly "silence" a judge said "you are a traitor. Do not get cocky simply because you're immortal. I change the sentence…your eye and mouth are to be bound at once and your sentence is raised up to 20,000 years"
Kushira watched him emotionlessly, Jushiro's arm subtly wrapped around her waist. Once the sentencing was over, he walked with her, Momo and Toshiro Hitsugaya back to the fifth division barracks.
"I need to talk to her alone if you don't mind" he told Momo and Toshiro who nodded and wandered off a distance.
Jushiro watched them leave and he turned to Kushira "see you made it through" Kushira sighed "it wasn't easy…it was like someone was stabbing me in the stomach and heart a million times" she looked down "I hate him so much" she whispered. Jushiro took her into his arms and she smiled in comfort.
"Had you not been there I might have killed him then and there" she whispered holding onto him much the way a drowning person would cling to a life preserver. He stroked her hair "you're okay now though" she sighed "I thought seeing him again would bring back a whole slew of feelings I had suppressed, but seeing him, sitting there…I felt nothing. Until he spoke of course…then I felt hatred"
Jushiro nodded "I understand…but what you said in there could have been held back" Kushira sighed again "I know…it's just…I hate him so much…" "I know" he stroked her hair "I know"
"You're so much better than him" Kushira looked up "in every way" Jushiro smiled "I'm glad to hear that…you're too good for him anyway" Kushira smiled too "finished yet lovebirds?" Toshiro called. "Oh shut up Shiro-chan" Momo said "silence bedwetter" he said but subsided into silence
Kushira said and shook her head amused "suppose I'd better get going" she said reluctantly. Jushiro nodded "we don't have to worry about Aizen anymore, it's a new time, new life…let's make the most of it" he grinned.
Kushira's eyes sparkled "yes" she whispered kissing him "let's make the most of it"