MP: I am living off of a cookie and willpower at this precise time. So, I' won't even bother with this note. Hit it with the disclaimer.
Cee: Madam doesn't own Bleach, its characters, its plot, affiliates, its merchandise, or anything even remotely connected to Bleach (besides a sword).
MP: Story starts now.
X X X
"In starlit nights I saw you, so cruelly you kissed me. Your lips a magic world, your sky all hung with jewels. The Killing Moon will come too soon."
The espada were not known to be particularly patient or understanding.
One did not keep them waiting. And yet, it was something Aizen never tired of.
No matter what they were doing, whether it was sleeping or engaging in carnal activities, he could call them away and they would come running for him.
Because God does not wait.
On this particular day/night, he'd left them waiting for 25 minutes, and tension in the room had begun to boil.
"Come ON!" Grimmjow roared, hitting the table and making it tremble, successfully waking Stark up from his ritualistic snooze.
"Oh, control yourself" Szayel groaned, rubbing his temple where a headache had begun.
"Shut the fuck up, Granz. Nobody cares what you think." Nnoitra sighed, head propped up on a long skeletal arm.
"That's not what you were saying last night" Szayel smirked.
Nnoitra's single eye narrowed and he sat a bit straighter. "You better watch yourself, Granz. Or else-"
"What? You'll get Tesla to beat me up? I'm shaking" the pink-haired scientist rolled his eyes.
Nnoitra towered up from the table, eye blazing. "I'll kick your ass myself, you-"
"That's enough" Ulquiorra's cool monotone broke in. "From both of you."
"Aw, what's the matter Schiffer?" Grimmjow smirked, leaning forward. "Is the noise…BOTHERING YOU?" he yelled across the table.
"Yeah," Nnoitra grinned. "IS IT BUGGIN' YA?"
And soon half the table was engaging in a contest to see whose yell could annoy the stoic arrancar more.
This continued on until Aizen decided to make his grand entrance.
Which was not actually as grand, seeing as no one was paying attention to the door, and instead was focused on Nnoitra, who 10 seconds before Aizen walked in, had launched himself across the table at Szayel.
The room was filled with screaming as everyone left their seats and began to fight amongst each other, excluding Ulquiorra, who had mentally checked out, and Stark, who had fallen back asleep.
"Everybody. Peace."
Aizen's voice cut through the wall of sound like water through cracks in the floor, and it only took a few seconds for everyone to shuffle awkwardly back to their seats.
Taking his seat at the head of the table, Aizen cast disapproving looks all around the table.
"I would appreciate it if the next time you are all alone together; you would abstain from assaulting each other."
A small mutter ran across the table.
"Excuse me, Aizen-sama" Haribel said softly. "But why is Ichimaru-sama absent?"
Several pairs of eyes flicked to look over Aizen's right shoulder, where Gin usually stood.
"That is precisely what I'm here to speak to you about." Aizen said, smiling all around the table. "Gin is out on a personal errand."
"Is he getting shampoo?" Szayel questioned.
"No, it has nothing to do with hair care" Aizen said calmly. "Gin is presently in the Sereitei, and he is bringing his former lieutenant back with him."
A thick net of silence settled over them.
"…why?" Grimmjow asked, frowning.
"Because it has reached his knowledge that the boy in question is pregnant."
And just like that, the silence was gone.
"A male pregnancy?" Szayel said' eyes wide with excitement. "Ooh, I'll have to look into this!"
"I've never heard of such a thing." Haribel said, her green eyes registering surprise.
"But ain't a guy missin' some….things that you need to-" Yammy began, confusion spread across his large features.
"I haven't looked into it myself yet" Aizen silenced. "The reason I've called you all here is to tell you that you are all to treat out guest as you would treat Kaname, Gin, or me. You are all to be on your best behavior. Understood?"
"Yes, Aizen-sama" a chorus of voices said in unison.
"Good" Aizen said, standing. "You are all dismissed."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, chairs were pushed back and everyone began to file out the door, all pondering in their minds why Aizen had them wait 25 minutes for what was essentially a 5 minute meeting.
X X X
It was…
Bland.
It was colorless and unimaginative and everything he expected it to be.
Compared to the colorful Sereitei, Los Noches was bone dry in the creativity department.
As Gin led him down the long hallway, Izuru thought he must be the most colorful thing within a five mile radius.
He held a small bag full of his few pathetic possessions, face still slightly pink from his recent batch of tears. His eyes were wide as he took in the almost intimidating high ceilinged hallway, which was gaunt and painful in its whiteness.
Gin stopped outside of a fairly large door.
"This is it?" Izuru asked.
"Yeah" Gin answered, opening the door without another word, gesturing Izuru inside with a small wave of his hand.
The room was only slightly less bright than the hallway, and seemed only slightly less white.
The walls were a light, almost unnoticeable blue. There were no windows to distract away from the blandness of the room, letting every sharp contour of the high ceiling stick out.
There was a small table with two chairs in the center of the room, a small white sofa pushed against the wall, and an armchair across from, almost as an afterthought.
Though, the entire room could be considered an afterthought.
There was a bed pushed against the far wall, with white sheets and a pale blue blanket thrown over them.
Gin watched Izuru survey the room with his usual smile stretching across his face. "Was it everything you thought it would be?"
Izuru looked at him, and gave that small pale smile that instantly made Gin want to crush their lips together. "Almost exactly as I thought."
Taking the blonds hand, Gin pulled him further into the room. "Ya can put your things away, then you'll need ta change your clothes."
"My clothes?"
"Ya can't walk around here dressed like that" Gin said, peeking out at Izuru's black shinigami robes. "You're not a shinigami anymore."
Izuru took a deep breath, nodding.
"I borrowed some clothes outta storage, so ya can wear those until we can get ya some new ones."
"Alright."
Gin stopped by the bed, turning to tightly embrace him. "Ya know everything will be alright now, don't ya?"
Izuru leaned tiredly into the embrace, wishing for nothing more than to fall asleep in Gin's embrace and forget. "I'm so tired, Gin…"
"You'll be able ta sleep soon" Gin kissed the top of his head. "But I gotta go tell Aizen-sama that we're back, then he'll be wantin' ta see ya."
Sighing, Izuru nodded again.
Gin gently pulled away, and began top stride to the door. "Put your stuff anywhere, and then get changed. I don't think you'll be needin' your zanpakuto for this."
As Gin left, Izuru spilled the contents of his bag onto the pale expanse of the bed. There were a few thick books, a small leather bound journal, socks, and most of his necessary frivolities.
The most important item in the bag was a small square piece of paper with a spindly drawing of a tree in plain black ink.
Not much to put away, but enough to make him feel at home.
Home.
Was this white, towering, monstrosity really his home now?
This was a place more suited for caged birds, and, not to put too melodramatic a point on it, but that was how he felt.
But he swore to himself that he would not feel guilt.
He could survive here.
He could…
All he needed to do was convince Gin to let him put some color in this room.
X X X
The Aizen that sat on the throne was not the Aizen that Izuru remembered.
Not only did his memory Aizen have glasses, but he also sported a much more normal looking hairstyle, and would have had a warm, familiar smile at the ready.
This Aizen…was different.
He first saw him perched upon his throne, peering down at him with hard calculating eyes, like a vulture eyeing a warm body.
It was hard for Izuru to imagine the Aizen that he had known in those stone eyes.
"Hello, Kira-kun" Aizen greeted.
Dear God, even his voice had frozen over!
It was as though the warm, welcoming Aizen-taicho had never even existed.
Beside him, Gin looked as though there had never been a change, and for all Izuru knew, there never had been.
Izuru blinked up at this new Aizen. "Hello…Aizen-sama."
Saying it felt so unnatural.
Standing in this stone throne room felt unnatural, and wearing these awful constricting white clothes felt unnatural.
Nothing about this place was real.
"I was pleased when I heard that you would be coming to stay with us" Aizen continued, as though he hadn't heard Izuru's pathetic excuse for a greeting. "I offer my congratulations on the news of your pregnancy."
"Thank you, Aizen-sama."
"I hope you find that living in Los Noches can be an enjoyable experience. My men have been told you are coming, and you should be meeting them soon."
Izuru instinctively put a hand over the bump. He had been planning on avoiding Aizen's men for as long as he possibly could.
Apparently that was no longer an option.
"I think that was all ya needed ta say, wasn't it Aizen-sama?" Gin asked.
"Indeed it was, Gin" Aizen smiled.
"Then I'll be takin' Izuru back ta the room so he can sleep. Been a long day, y'know?" Gin said, taking Izuru's elbow and beginning to steer him out the door.
"Just a moment, Gin" Aizen held up a hand and stood up from the throne. "I would like to have a moment alone with Kira-kun."
Gin's smile flickered, but remained in place. "Sure, if Izuru is alright."
Izuru nodded hesitantly. "Go" he said quietly, "I'll be fine."
Smile ticking ever-downward, Gin left the room reluctantly.
Trying not to shake as Aizen descended the throne; Izuru couldn't help but note that even the very way Aizen carried himself had drastically changed.
"Relax, I only wish to speak to you" Aizen's smooth voice wafted over him as the man came to stand in front of him.
"Y-Yes, Aizen-sama" Izuru said, feeling smothered as the closeness of the overlord.
"I know you must be nervous, things being the way they are" Aizen said, his tone glazed with melting ice. "But you have no reason to be."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I've told my men of your arrival and they will act…welcoming. And you may approach me at any time with any questions that you may have."
Somehow Izuru doubted that he would EVER go to Aizen for help.
"And in regards to your…pregnancy" Aizen glanced down at his barely concealed bump. "You needn't worry about the medical aspect. My Octavo espada is very skilled in matters such as those, despite his many…eccentricities."
Oh dear God, an arrancar was going to be operating on him…
He would almost rather Kurotsuchi-taicho prodding at his belly.
Almost.
"I recommend that you see him soon. Tomorrow if possible" Aizen continued. "You'll find out all the necessary information."
"I will" Izuru nodded. "Was…that all?" he asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.
"Just one more thing" Aizen said, his eyes spitting fire into Izuru's terrified ones. "Gin's happiness is very important to me, so I'll be frank."
He put a hand on Izuru's shoulder, squeezing softly.
"I would appreciate it if you would cooperate with anything that is asked for you, as a favor to me."
Izuru smiled numbly. "Of course."
His voice and his knees were ready to give out.
"And, I hate to be so demanding on your first day, but it is very necessary for me to ask this."
He took one of Izuru's hands in between both of his, his dark brown eyes threatening to swallow him whole. "Do you swear your allegiance to me and only me?"
The blood in Izuru's veins froze, and a lump in his throat appeared.
Was he really going to do this?
It seemed as though everyone in the Sereitei was gripping onto him, whispering "traitor, traitor…"
Aizen's grip on his hand tightened.
"I do."
He hadn't meant to make it sound so dramatic, but it did feel that way in his heart.
And just like that, there was nothing left to hold him back.
Aizen smiled at him.
"You swear to serve me to your highest potential?"
"Yes."
"You swear to fight in my name?"
"Yes."
"You swear to protect your home with all you have?"
"Yes."
"And you swear to condemn all those who threaten your brothers and sisters?"
"Yes."
Izuru felt suddenly free. All the strings that had been tying him to the Sereitei were abruptly cut, and there was nothing behind him to call him back.
Now it seemed that he could only move forward.
Aizen smiled his old Aizen-taicho smile at him. "You will do fine here, Kira-kun. I'm sure of it" he turned and began to walk back up to his throne. "You are dismissed."
Izuru wasn't sure whether he should bow or not, so he bobbed into a quick one before saying a hasty; "Thank you, Aizen-sama."
He hurried out the door, shutting it behind him with a reverberating echo.
"Everything go well?"
Turning, Izuru made out the pale form of Gin leaning against the equally pale wall.
Nodding, he silently made his way over to Gin and let the man put his arms around him.
"Ready ta go back?"
Another silent nod.
Gin took his arm and began to lead him down one identical hallway after another, all the while letting the silence entrap them. Izuru had a feeling he was going to be getting lost around here quite frequently.
The blond was beginning to succumb to his mental exhaustion, and Gin had long since found it best never to ask what Aizen had said or done, letting the silence speak for itself.
The room was as it had been when they left, the only difference being a black bundle of Shinigami robes discarded near the wardrobe.
And, just as silently as ever, Izuru was pulled into a kiss, which he didn't brush off.
He felt his exhaustion melt away at the familiar feel of Gin's lips against his, opening his mouth to deepen it and letting his arms find their place around Gin's neck.
And, for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, they joined together.
Most importantly, they slept deeply with the knowledge that they would not wake up alone.
X X X
"I'm not really comfortable with this" Izuru said, letting Gin lead him down the hall towards a large door with a small gothic 8 inscribed on it.
"Ya don't need ta be nervous" Gin reassured. "I mean, Szayel can be a fruitcake when he wants ta be, but I'll be there ta make sure he don' probe ya."
Izuru's frown deepened and he brushed his hair out of his face.
"I like your hair like that" Gin commented.
"I forgot to pack my hair gel" Izuru said, grimacing. "Now it's all…down and uncontrollable…"
Gin stopped before the door, and pecked him on the forehead. "Ya look lovely. And I'm sure Szayel will love ya."
Taking a deep breath, Izuru nodded. "Okay, ready as I'll ever be."
Smile widening, Gin didn't bother knocking on the door as he pushed it open and walked in, letting Izuru follow behind him.
With large eyes, Izuru looked around and beheld Szayel's lab.
It was dark in here. Or, darker than the other few places he had seen.
When his eyes adjusted, Izuru could make out the fact that the large room seemed clean at first glance. But on the second look he took around the room, he could see the half hazard way the scientific devices were strewn about the various countertops. Many of them were fairly sharp with needles sticking out of them, Izuru noted with fear.
On one wall, it seemed at first to be wallpaper, but looking closer, Izuru saw once again that it was not what it seemed.
In the place of wallpaper, it was row upon row of white paper files.
Now, seeing the hundreds upon hundreds of files lined from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, Izuru realized the magnitude of Aizen's army.
"Oh Szayel-chaaaan!" Gin called playfully into the dark depths of the lab.
An audible groan met them.
"Ah, my favorite dictator" footsteps approached. "To what do I owe the honor of your shining-" The words were cut off as Szayel rounded the corner. "Ooooh…"
If Aizen's entire army looked anything like this, then Izuru's fears about meeting them could be instantly banished.
This man had pink hair…and glasses…and looked like a female…
Izuru couldn't help the smile that wormed onto his face.
Szayel sauntered over, taking in Izuru's form with his constantly calculating eyes. "Well, well, well. Are you what all the fuss was about?"
Blood bloomed into Izuru's cheeks.
Gin put an arm around his shoulders. "Ya'd be correct there, Szayel-chan. This is my Izuru."
Izuru's cheeks burned again at both Gin's arm around his shoulders, and at how the man had addressed him as 'his'.
"Mmhm" Szayel mumbled, still thoughtfully looking up and down Izuru's body. "Did his parents just stop at 'Izuru'?"
"Kira" Izuru answered.
"Ah…" Szayel thought, biting the corner of his lip. "I suppose I'll have to compose a file for you."
With an excited smile, Szayel took hold of Izuru's arm. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be stealing Kira for as long as I'd like."
Gin smiled wider at the 'Save me!' look Izuru shot him. "Ya sure ya won't need me?" he asked.
"Positive. Run along now." Szayel said, barely sparing a glance as he pulled a terrified Izuru through the lab.
The rest of the lab was just as dark and as forcefully clean as the front, and as he was pulled along, Izuru could make out small round shapes shuffling and hopping about.
"Now, I'll tell you now that I've never examined a pregnancy, male or female. But I have studied it intensely since I heard you would be coming" Szayel chattered, stopping before a large countertop and pushing Izuru into a chair. "My main goal is to find out how this is possible. I don't suppose you know of any ideas?"
"Uh…" Izuru thought. He had actually never given the idea much thought, at least from a scientific stand point. "No, not really."
"Of course you haven't. Tongue please."
Izuru gave a start. "Excuse me?"
Sighing, Szayel looked at him as thought he was speaking to a particularly difficult smile. "Let me see your tongue."
After a slight hesitation, Izuru timidly stuck out his tongue, which was immediately seized between two gloved fingers.
The blond observed Szayel with wide curious eyes. From what Gin had told him it had seemed Szayel was the Hueco Mundo equivalent to Kurotsuchi-taicho.
He certainly had not expected the man to have pink hair. Glasses certainly, but not pink hair.
Szayel's amber eyes raked over his tongue. "Hm, I half expected it to be blue."
As his tongue was released, Izuru quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Well you obviously have SOME abnormality in you to end up like this" Szayel jotted a quick note down in a large notebook. He then grasped Izuru's chin, turning it right, left, up down. "Strange…very strange…" he muttered, writing more notes down.
"What?" Izuru asked, feeling his neck.
"Not a thing. Take off your shirt."
"W-What?" Izuru squeaked. "I mean, is that really necessary?"
Szayel glanced at him with a small smile on his lips. "Yes it is. You didn't actually think you could come in here and keep all your clothes on, did you?"
"I…I suppose" the blond said, tugging at his clothes.
"Well, hop to it." Szayel ordered. "Or should I take it off for you?"
Quickly shaking his head, Izuru pulled the shirt over his head, noting distastefully that the room was cold.
Szayel's eyes gleamed with barely contained giddiness as he placed a hand on the bump.
Swallowing, Izuru couldn't help but think of all the stories he'd heard of hands plunging through chests.
"Do, uh… have you had any medical training, Szayel-san?"
"Hm?" Szayel's head snapped up. "Oh, well it's not my primary field, but I know enough."
"What is your primary field?"
The scientist began to circle around Izuru, feeling the bones here and there. "That all depends on what Aizen-sama wants it to be." He felt the ridges of Izuru's spine. "Usually it's weaponry."
"You must be very smart" Izuru said, shivering slightly at the close proximity of the espada.
"Oh, I am."
Izuru stifled a small laugh.
"Somebody around here has to be. If I wasn't the smart one we would all be walking around like the missing link." Szayel rolled his eyes. "Like the Sexto…"
Izuru watched as Szayel walked back to the counter. "There are ten of you, right?"
"Nothing gets by you, does it?" Szayel said, smirking wryly. "Yes. Ten slightly competent fighters, excluding myself, as I am grossly above average."
"You don't seem to be fond of the others" Izuru noted.
"I can manage those that remember their place. Most are good at that, but there are those that can't seem to get it into their skulls" Szayel readied a needle. "Can I draw some blood?"
Izuru nodded. "Go ahead."
"Not afraid of needles, I see" Szayel said, taking the blonds arm and searching for a vein. "That's good."
Sincerely hoping that this didn't mean Szayel was going to be sticking needles in him whenever he felt like it, Izuru winced slightly as the needle entered his arm.
"Now," Szayel began, gleefully collecting the opaque liquid. "When are you planning on meeting the others?"
Izuru blanched. "I was…"
"Going to hold off on it for as long as possible?" Szayel extracted the needle, and shook his head. "Won't work."
"Why not?" Izuru asked as Szayel placed a bandage over his lightly bleeding arm.
"Because, number one, we eat dinner together."
He would have laughed if the prospect of sitting around a table with the espada didn't seem so terrifying.
Szayel rolled his eyes. "Yes, we're very family oriented here in Hueco Mundo" he said sarcastically as he placed the needle in a small holder. "Number two, we're all very curious about you."
Blinking curiously, Izuru put a small smile on his face. "W-Why?"
"I would think it's obvious. Ichimaru-sama wouldn't go back to the Sereitei for just anything" Szayel looked at him slyly. "It must be something very special."
Izuru had the grace to blush at these words.
"So, as you can imagine, everyone is wanting a look at you. Lucky me that I got you first" Szayel paused, looking thoughtful, before reaching out and yanking a hair from Izuru's head.
"…Ow."
"It was necessary" Szayel said, dropping the hair into a test tube. "Besides, I only need one more thing and then you can go."
Trying not to breathe a sigh of relief, Izuru asked; "What is it?"
Smiling deviously, Szayel held up a small cup. "I'll need you to go into the bathroom now."
X X X
Half an hour later, Szayel lead a very relieved looking Izuru back out to Gin.
"Well," he said, getting up from his position perched on the countertop. "How did it go?"
Izuru did not answer, instead choosing to walk as fast as possible back to Gin, and stand behind him.
"It went fantastic if I do say so myself" Szayel said smugly. "I am chock full of information to go over."
"Anything useful?" Gin asked grinning as Izuru inched behind him.
"Who can tell yet? I'll go over everything but I think I'll need some new things to fully understand this" Szayel said, his glasses glinting smartly against the light.
"Best talk ta Aizen-sama about that, Szayel-chan" Gin said, before taking Izuru's waist and turning to the door. "Bye-bye!"
"Thank you, Szayel-san" Izuru said, looking back at him.
"Oh no, thank you" Szayel said, as the door shut with a deep groan.
X X X
…Wow.
There ya go, hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll get to work on the next one as soon as I can, but I start school on Monday so the updates may get even more scattered. Rest assured I will not abandon this story.
Reviews are nice!
