warning - lots of out of character-ness (in my opinion)
Summary:
well, i was watching pans labyrinth the other day, on a short break from writing/editing Werewolf Hollow (hey, i had to have lunch at some point!) and just simply had to write this. It was inspired by the lullaby in the film. the inspiration just came to me. I hope you enjoy it, i do love this lullaby, it's a beautiful song... it's what i was listening to when i wrote this... so just enjoy.
that said - i don't own bleach (or pan's labyrinth). And anyone who says otherwise is a liar. Seriously folks, i may be good, but i'm not THAT good...
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Gins lullaby
It was late at night, and once again the vice captain of the fifth division was currently kneeling at the desk in his room finishing off some of the remaining paperwork that he had forgotten to do that day. He had long ago lost track of what time it was, or how long he had been working, but he figured that it was either really early or very late. Either way it was still dark.
He was beginning to contemplate the idea of crawling onto the futon in the corner of the room and drifting off to sleep when a knock on the door brought the scratching of his pen to a momentary standstill before he resumed writing again.
"Enter."
The door slid open to reveal the pale form of a young boy with a small frame, making him look quite scrawny in shinigami clothes. He had a pale complexion and a full head of hair the colour of freshly fallen snow, the fringe of which covered his half closed eyes.
Aizen lowered the pen in his hand onto the desk next to the document he had been working on before he was interrupted by the young visitor. He then removed his glasses and placed them on the desk with the utmost care and quietness, while allowing the boy to gently close the sliding door shut behind him upon entry to the lieutenants room.
"Why Ichimaru, what brings you here at this hour?"
The lieutenant inquired in his usual kind tone, smiling at the younger shinigami, whose habitual smile was replaced now by a troubled and serious expression. His arms rigidly by his sides with his fists lightly clenched.
"Aizen-chaaan ---- I can't sleep"
"Did you have that nightmare again?"
The young boy nodded silently as the older of the two smiled and patted the space of floor next to him, beckoning the younger one to come and sit beside him where he was kneeling.
Slowly padding across the room towards him, Gin went and sat next to his lieutenant, before slowly curling up next to him and resting his head on one of Aizen's knees.
"I'm sorry for disturbin ya so late."
"It doesn't matter - you've had quite a rough day."
"Hollows are scary."
Aizen chuckled heartily at this remark, placing a reassuring hand on Gin's head and smiling softly. Gin always did state the obvious.
"Yes, that is true; hollows are scary even at the best of times, so it's natural to get scared, even for a shinigami."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"But you know that I would not have taken you if I did not believe that you were ready – you understand that don't you?"
"Yes..."
"I thought you did rather well today."
"It was still scary though."
"I understand. But one day you will learn to face hollows without fear – I will make sure of that."
"I'm gonna be that good?"
"Yes. And one day when I become captain I will have you serve as my lieutenant."
"Wow really?"
"Yes."
"Wow... me following Aizen taichou..."
Gin let out a big yawn as his friend and mentor softly smiled and stroked his white hair.
"I see you are still sleepy," he remarked, still looking at the younger one curled up next to him. "Shall I sing you a lullaby, Gin?"
Gin nodded shakily. Clearly the young boy was disturbed by this nightmare. He'd had an encounter with his first actual hollow earlier that day and in all truth, it had scared the living daylights out of him.
There was no sarcasm and no backtalk, there was just Gin. We have not yet reached the time for backtalk. He was, to Aizen, nothing more than a mere child. One he could mould and shape to become a strong and loyal subordinate. And with that, Aizen begins to hum. Neither of them knows exactly what the future will hold for them, but all the worries of the future do not loom over them. There is just this moment now for them, the master and the subordinate.
But no, Gin is more than just a subordinate. He was a friend. He was like a little brother to Aizen. One whom Aizen was going to teach and nurture and protect even if it killed him. And looking down over him now, Aizen could see that Gin was beginning to breathe steadier. He had quieted his fears, softly stroking his head as he hummed Gin's lullaby. Soothing him as he drifted off into a calm and comfortable sleep.
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But now as we flash forward to many years later – to the fall of Aizens army – into a battle to the death that would decide the fate of every living being, we see our traitorous shinigami fighting side by side, bathed in blood both from themselves and others. Currently in a scene that makes this memory of a more peaceful and simple time seem as distant as the sun now.
But as the arrancar bled and swords clashed around them, both sides seemed to be fighting both each other and exhaustion as both Aizen and Gin made close combat with the endless hordes of shinigami that was now starting to slowly overwhelm them. The arrancar were being killed off one by one and neither side would surrender now. But Aizen knew that Gin could not go on like this for much longer. It was only a matter of time before tiredness got the better of him and he would either drop down and collapse from exhaustion or be killed. So when Toshiro Hitsugaya showed up it became more than just a slight possibility that the outcome would end in death.
"well well well, look who it is Aizen... if it 'aint little shiro-kun."
"Aizen, I am going to kill you. For what you did Aizen, I am going to kill you."
"I thought I told you not to make yourself look weak by using such harsh words Toshiro."
That was it. That was all it had taken for Toshiro to charge like an angry bull at them. That one witty and sarcastic remark that sent him reeling. A monstrous scream echoes through the air as he runs at Aizen, with his blade aimed ready to kill. Glaring at the one who had betrayed his best friend with nothing but hatred, his blade piercing through flesh before anybody even had any time to react.
"... Ichimaru?"
Aizens eyes widened, as did the weary smile of his subordinate.
"Gin, you fool"
Hitsugaya withdrew his blade making blood spray out everywhere before running off to find his own lieutenant before it was too late. Leaving Aizen who could only stand there completely dumbfounded, unable to even utter a single word to the man that had just saved his life, who was now struggling even to stand, collapsing onto the floor only seconds later. Gin calling out to him weakly as he slowly bled out onto the concrete floor of the phantom town. Aizen was kneeling beside him almost instantly.
Why had he gone and done that? Aizen could have taken him, thoughts of panic started tearing through his head as he could only watch him bleed.
Why? Gin you fool, I could have taken him! Why did you interfere? Now you're bleeding everywhere! I never meant for you to get hurt.
There was nothing he could do, and the former captain had never felt so powerless. He could not stop the bleeding, it was too heavy. So much blood had been lost already.
"Ai – Aizen..."
"It's alright Gin, I'm here"
"I – I failed you Aizen..."
"No Gin, you fought bravely."
"Ai – Aizen..."
"shhh, it's okay Gin..."
Aizen soothed as he placed a protective hand onto the younger ones head, starting to quietly hum Gin the lullaby that had soothed him to sleep so long ago. Aizen had failed, and the one that he had loved like a brother was fading away before his very eyes.
"o – o-nii- chan..."
"Hush Gin."
"I – I'm sorry Aizen..." Gin looked at him apologetically, still smiling wearily.
"Gin... hush" he reprimanded again, although with no tone of harshness.
Aizen was gently stroking the soft white hair of his former subordinate now, still gently humming. He could see the tears that were beginning to well up in Gins eyes. He was dying, and he could see that leaving his master – no, his dearest friend – behind pained him.
Aizen was looking at him now, not as a master, not as a captain, but a friend. The friend that been beside him from the very beginning. As a friend who had taught him and moulded him. As a friend who had been like an older brother to him, and although he was harsh on him at times, Aizen was always proud of what the young little Ichimaru Gin he once knew had become over the many years that they had known each other.
And as Aizen was softly humming his lullaby, the younger shinigami slowly curled up to Aizen who was kneeling beside him and rested his head on the others knee, ever so slowly drifting in and out of conciousness. The older of the two still softly stroking the white hair of his subordinate while still softly humming to him that lullaby from long ago, still smiling softly.
And it is for this one moment that we are transported back in time, into his oh so distant memory of that time from long ago. And despite the scenes of carnage that were happening all around them, we are taken back to that simple time, when all that there was to fear was the ghastly appearance of hollows.
Nobody saw this scene. And nobody ever would. It was never known to anyone except the betrayer, that such a display of emotion between the two traitors had ever taken place. And neither was it known to anyone that such a brotherly bond could ever have existed between the two aforementioned shinigami. No, nobody ever knew how it would break apart the resolve of the former, and nobody could ever picture Aizen – the cold and calculating deceiver – to have cried such bitter tears of loss as he knelt over the dying body of Ichimaru Gin, his former subordinate, his accomplice, his friend. Silently crying as he hummed, with tears slowly rolling over his strong cheek and jaw bones. And all the while Gin listening to that lullaby as he calmly drifted off into sleep, shakily breathing his last as the very heart of Sousuke Aizen broke into pieces.
"Sayonara... Gin"
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He went peacefully in Aizens arms. I could not think of any better way for him to go out than that.
Wow. I nearly cried when i wrote this. I really really really really really hope that this doesn't happen in the anime/manga. I will be outraged if it does. I love gin too much.
Has anyone watched pans labyrinth? That is the lullaby Aizen hums – the only difference being that Aizen don't sound like a girl when he does. Obviously.
Anyway, reviews/comments are welcome. But if you simply must review, please folks – don't comment on the out of characterness of it all. In other words dont go on a 'omg-this-character-wouldn't-ever-say-that-because...' rant. It is unrealistic enough that Aizen broke down and cried at the end, let alone what happened at the beginning. I did it this way on purpose. I just decided to have a little fun – despite the sad ending.
I Hope ya liked my little war with the writers block. I tried to explore emotion here – that of Aizen mostly, and i think it turned out rather well. Well... i like it, even if nobody else does. Many thanks go to my brother for proofreading it for me to check it made sense. Even though he did wind me up considerably about it.