Chapter 2: Naked Truths
"Stop him," Aizen said, startling Tetsuya out of the daze he had been in ever since they had crossed into Hueco Mundo.
Having been denied a place in the military and sheltered from danger by his protective cousin, he had barely ventured out of the manor alone, except to attend council meetings and acting as Byakuya's head of security. He had never been to the hollow world, and after being there for the first few minutes, and taking in the icy breezes. the constant presence of nearby hollows, and the wide expanses of darkness and sand, he knew he would be in no hurry to return.
"Why did we enter Hueco Mundo so far from the fortress?" Tetsuya asked, signaling Arashi to halt and turning his blue eyes onto his captor, "Certainly, the lord of the hollows would be able to appear in the fortress itself, ne?"
"Things will have changed quickly after my leaving, Tetsuya Kuchiki," Aizen said, looking off ahead of them, "The situation here is volatile. I discovered upon trying to enter, that many of the garganta have been sealed off. The one that leads nearest to the fortress was too well guarded, and had special sensors to detect shinigami presences. So, it is necessary to take a longer route."
"But if what you are saying is true," argued Tetsuya, watching as Aizen dismounted, then sliding to the ground, himself, "then we will still have to deal with the guards and strong hollows when we arrive at the fortress."
Aizen shook his head.
"I can get what I need without the guards ever knowing that I am there. Las Noches is not my destination, but a waypoint. I told you...ridding myself of the hougyoku is an arduous process."
Aizen caught Tetsuya's bound hands and led him forward to what looked like a very ordinary cave, but turned out to have a stairway at the back that spiraled down into an abandoned outpost. Tetsuya's eyes widened at the immense size of the underground facility. Aizen noticed his interest and gave him a brief smile.
"I had a number of these way stations built for the purpose of hiding the movement of our forces. The tunnels that used to connect many of these, appear to have been destroyed, but at least we can take advantage of the hot baths and comfortable beds. And it doesn't look like anyone has trifled with the place, so there may be food as well. Come, Tetsuya, let's make ourselves at home."
He led the young noble across to the baths and verified that the water was still filtered and hot, then turned and reached for the tie at Tetsuya's waist. The noble jumped back, his eyes wide, bringing a smirk to Aizen's lips.
"What's wrong?" he asked smoothly, "You aren't used to allowing your heavenly body to be seen by mere peasants? Do you not know how to bathe without a servant to help you?"
He wondered at the odd look that Tetsuya gave him in return.
"I bathed this morning," the noble said calmly.
"But who knows when you'll be able to bathe again after this?" Aizen mused, pulling on the tie and watching Tetsuya's hakama fall away, "and in any case, having been incarcerated as I was, I didn't have much to look at but the walls. It is refreshing to have something more attractive to look at."
He broke the kido on the noble's wrists and moved forward, sliding his top down, off of his shoulders and slowly baring him, as Tetusya shifted uncomfortably and averted his eyes.
"You have a very lovely body, Tetsuya Kuchiki," Aizen said, appreciatively, "I was right in calling it heavenly before. But then, you are the product of careful breeding, ne?"
"You think so?" Tetsuya said, that odd look returning to his eyes, "You know nothing about me, Sousuke Aizen."
"No?" said the former captain, watching Tetsuya carefully as he removed his own clothes, then motioned for the noble to enter the water, "You have all of the markers of the Kuchiki family, don't you? Long, wispy black hair, slender, but powerful build, small, delicate looking frame, upturned nose, large, luminous eyes...eyes that are practiced at looking down on people, ne? I have seen Byakuya do it, time and again. I doubt that his favored cousin would be able to resist."
"What makes you think I'm his favorite cousin?" asked Tetsuya, "I..."
"He looked distraught at hearing of your death," Aizen said, a look of curiosity coming to his face at the anguished look his words brought to Tetsuya's face.
"It was cruel to do that to him," Tetsuya said, lowering his eyes, "I don't understand why you hate us so much...without even knowing us."
"Don't you hate me?" Aizen asked, stepping into the large pool of hot water and leading Tetsuya across to where the water rained down from a number of overhead pipes.
"I hate what you've done," admitted the noble, stopping underneath the fall of water, "And I wonder what was done to you that made you like that...hurtful, vengeful, unfeeling...monstrous...soulless. It came from somewhere. No one is born with a dark soul, Sousuke Aizen."
"You don't think so?" asked Aizen, "Are you an optimistic person? Do you believe there is good in everyone? Even those old noblemen, who sit in those chairs above the ones they judge and cover their faces so that there is no backlash on them for the decisions they render...for the lives they take and ruin? For the innocent people they murder?"
"You mean Central 46?" asked Tetsuya.
Aizen moved forward, looking down into the noble's blue eyes and slipping a hand beneath his chin.
"You were going to become one of them," Aizen said, staring, "And what is strange...is that you actually have a conscience. You have a soul. I see it now. It makes me curious."
"I was?" Tetsuya repeated, peering into Aizen's depthless eyes and feeling another hard chill pass through him, "You speak of my future in the past tense, as though I will not live to see it. Should I take that to mean that I should expect you will kill me, even though you have promised otherwise?"
"I may decide not to kill you," Aizen said, stroking his cheek, "It depends on how well you hold my interest."
He leaned forward and brought his lips close to Tetsuya's, stopping a breath away as the noble tuned his head and tried to back away.
"What's wrong?" Aizen asked, "Don't you think I'm less likely to kill you if you feign interest in me? You should kiss me...try to engage me sexually."
Tetsuya stepped back again, but stopped as he encountered a rock wall behind him.
"I know that nobles, as a rule, are not used to being seduced by peasants, but as one whose life is in peril, you should certainly consider all possible ways of enticing me into letting you live."
Tetsuya flinched as the other man's hands captured him and held him in place and Aizen's mouth fastened on his. He felt intense pain blossom up from deep inside him and stiffened in Aizen's grasp.
Oh no...it's...
He screamed in pain and started to collapse as Aizen gazed at him in surprise and released him. The back of his head struck the wall and he dropped like a stone into the water, at Aizen's feet, succumbing almost instantly to blackness.
XXXXXXXXXX
Tetsuya woke to an all too familiar ice coldness that penetrated his skin and sank deep down inside. His small, thin body shifted and curled beneath the ragged blanket, trying in vain to create a pocket of warmth. He shivered incessantly, but knew better than to complain or to ask for another blanket. He tried to ignore the discomfort and listened to the night guard's footsteps as the man walked up and down the rows of cells, yawning now and then and looking bored.
"Tetsuya," breathed another boy's voice, too softly for the guard to hear.
"Naoki," Tetsuya mouthed back, smiling as the other boy's hand found his through the bars that separated their cells.
They moved as close together as they could, though the bars impeded them, and although he wasn't sure if it was real or imagined, he seemed to feel warmer. His shivering stopped and his hand warmed in the other boy's.
"I heard that he was watching the prison again," Naoki told him, "And this time, there were others."
"I heard that too," answered Tetsuya, "Do you think he will come for us soon?"
"Everyone thinks so," said the other boy, "so we should be ready. You know that if they know he is coming, they will try to kill us before he gets here. We have to be ready to fight them."
"We will be," Tetsuya said, squeezing Naoki's hand.
They fell silent and held perfectly still as the guard walked past and shined his flashlight into Tetsuya's cell, lingering on them for a moment, before moving down to the end of the cellblock to meet his replacement.
"Is everything quiet?" the relief guard asked.
"Yeah, but there's a lot of tension around here. Better be on your guard tonight."
"Sure."
"Oh, and just so you know, the one on the end there is going to be taken in tonight. They say he's old enough for the procedure."
The two abruptly stopped talking as a door opened and a gray-haired man entered the cellblock.
"Hey, Doc," said one of the men.
"Hmmm," said the man, nodding as he went by them.
He walked down the row of cells and stopped at Tetsuya's. The relief guard moved forward and unlocked the cell, then the older man walked inside. Tetsuya sat up and pressed his back against the bars, his hand holding on tightly to Naoki's and his blue eyes wide and afraid.
"There now," said the old man, "Nothing to be afraid of, boy. All of them have this done. It's orders and we can't avoid it. Come along quietly and don't wake up the others. Don't worry. You'll be back by morning."
Tetsuya shivered as the man took his hand and pulled him to his feet. His hand slipped out of Naoki's and he could barely make his feet move as the old man led him out of his cell and past the guards. As they left the cellblock, Tetsuya caught a glimpse of Naoki, watching through the bars of his cell and crying silently.
The old man led him into one of the rooms that was used for healing, when a prisoner was injured or sick. He motioned for Tetsuya to climb up onto the examination table, then lowered him onto his back. Tetsuya looked up at him with damp, frightened eyes as the man slipped a mask over his face.
"Take a few breaths," the man said, "Don't worry. It will just make you sleep for a bit."
He shivered harder and a tear ran down his cheek, but he gritted his teeth and breathed in once...twice...
His mind went into a gentle spin and the room and man disappeared into the darkness. He drifted, unaware, for how long, he wasn't sure. When he woke again, he had been returned to his cell, and placed where he had been lying before. A second blanket had been placed over him and Naoki's hand was stroking his gently in the darkness.
"What did they do to me?" Tetsuya asked softly.
"I don't know what it is," Naoki replied, touching his face, "but they do it to everyone. It's part of how they control us."
The boy's fingers continued to touch Tetsuya's face and hair lightly as he drifted off again. He started to smile as Naoki's lips brushed against his in the darkness, but suddenly, pain welled up from somewhere deep inside, making him gasp and pull away. Naoki stared at him in surprise.
"What is it?" he whispered, "Tetsuya, what's wrong?"
"I don't know!" he answered, "N-naoki...it...it hurt!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Tetsuya began to regain awareness and was grateful to feel the soft movement of inhale and exhale that told him that he was still alive. He kept his eyes closed and used his other senses to determine that he had been dressed in a yukata and was lying on his back in a warm, comfortable bed. He sensed that Aizen was nearby, but not in the same room.
He breathed a sigh of relief at being away from the traitorous former captain. It was both terrifying and exhausting having to constantly wonder when the man would tire of him and kill him. It seemed inevitable that he would make the attempt. But although Tetsuya had been shocked into defenselessness before, he was resilient enough to respond to the situation by using everything he had learned, to try to save his own life.
He sat up in the bed and let his eyes adjust, rubbing the back of his head, where he had injured it. His eyes roamed slowly around the room, and found it to be large and comfortably furnished. A tray sat by the bed, bearing tea that was still somewhat warm. He dared not drink it, but slipped out of bed and moved to the door of the bedroom. He was less than surprised to find it was locked, and had been sealed with a kido spell. The noble tightened his lips and looked carefully around the room again.
This is a military stopping point, used during a time of war. And this has to be the officers' section. They would have made an escape route, in case the camp was attacked. Aizen said that the tunnels to the other outposts had been destroyed, but maybe some access points are still passable.
He followed the length of the wall, closing his eyes and feeling with his more sensitive fingertips. Halfway across the room, he found a tiny break in the wall.
The release will be within reach, standing in front of it...
He explored the surrounding rock, then the small table to his left. He finally found a pressure switch set in the rock. He touched it, then gritted his teeth as the door slid back, making a soft, but pronounced grinding noise. He passed through quickly and closed the door behind him.
Of course, he knows about these passages. I'm surprised he left this one unsealed. But he may not have figured on me being experienced enough to 'A' know it was there, and 'B' be able to find it. He may also have thought it would make too much noise for me to use it to escape. I didn't hear footsteps, but then, this is Aizen we are talking about.
The passageway was dark, but small glowing guide markers had been placed along the back wall. He followed the corridor on a slightly upward slope and found an exit point that let him out into the chamber where he and Aizen had entered the outpost. He sensed Aizen back in the bedrooms, but still employed caution as he returned to the stairway and climbed up into the entry cave. He listened carefully, but heard no sounds of pursuit. Relaxing slightly, he spotted Arashi dozing near the cave and started towards him.
"Arashi," he said softly, in greeting.
The stallion's head turned and the horse's eyes fixed on him for a moment, then flared angrily. He stamped his foot warningly, and Tetsuya stopped short. He froze as Aizen walked calmly up from behind him, then past him. The stallion nickered and tossed his head as Aizen reached him and patted him gently.
"What did you do to him?" Tetsuya asked, staring.
Aizen smiled.
"I need Arashi to reach Las Noches more quickly," Aizen explained, "It would have been an annoyance to have you two disappear, if you managed to find a way out here, so I had Kyouka Suigetsu use his powers to make Arashi see you when he looks at me, and me when he looks at you. His senses are completely fooled."
Tetsuya frowned.
"But...if you could do that, then you don't really need me at all. So...why am I still alive?" he asked.
"Perhaps I plan to honor our agreement," Aizen said quietly.
He paused for a moment, his eyes boring down into Tetsuya's.
"Or perhaps, I perceived that the connection between the two of you is more than sensual, and that your death might take him with it."
Tetsuya caught his breath in surprise.
"You want to know what gave that away, right?" Aizen went on, "He is one of the spirit steeds, who are protected by your clan. His eyes are the same, sapphire color as yours, and when we were riding him, you gave him almost no visible cues. You are emotionally connected. It is a truly interesting bond that you share. I hope to explore it in more detail as we continue our journey. But we really should get some more rest. That concussion you gave yourself trying to avoid my amorous intentions is likely to be a problem if you do not take care of yourself. Come."
Tetsuya hesitated for a moment, stealing a long look at Arashi and feeling an ache inside at the guarded look he received in return. Then, he followed his captor back into the outpost and into the officers' quarters. He started to turn towards the room he had been in before, but Aizen's hand touched his arm and guided him to another. And instead of leaving him, the former captain followed him inside and closed the door.
"Remove your clothes," Aizen said, fixing his eyes on the noble.
"What?"
"You tried to escape," Aizen explained, "I mean to provide a bit of punishment, and a deterrent to future escape attempts. Take off your clothes."
Aizen watched closely as the young man undressed, then he undressed himself and stood facing Tetsuya.
"Lie down."
Tetsuya saw no point in resisting, so he climbed into the bed and watched quietly as Aizen placed their clothing in a closet and sealed the door.
"It is freezing outside. I wouldn't suggest wandering off," Aizen said, climbing into the bed, "Lie down."
Tetsuya dropped down onto his back, shivering as Aizen's naked arm brushed against him. Aizen studied him for a moment, then turned him to face away and wrapped his body around the noble's.
"Are you comfortable?" Aizen asked, turning off the light.
"I can't sleep with a poisonous snake wrapped around me," Tetsuya said, frowning and trying not to shiver.
"Ah...of course," said Aizen in a tranquil tone, "How thoughtless of me."
"B-bastard!" Tetsuya managed, as a soft jolt of kido sent him plunging back into darkness.
Aizen gave a contented sigh, enjoying feeling the closeness of another living soul, after being alone with no one but the sealed hougyoku and the hateful, and sometimes savage guards. Tetsuya's body was deliciously warm...soft, and lightly scented with sakura. And even as disturbed as his reiatsu felt, it had a sweetness to it that suggested innocence...something that Sousuke Aizen had left behind a long time ago. Something inside him warned him not to let himself become attached. But he had never attached so strongly as to not be able to kill anyone who he chose to. It would be the same with this shinigami. He would enjoy Tetsuya's refreshing presence for as long as he desired it.
And when the noble lost his usefulness, he would kill him.
