A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Now, as much as I hate to deprive you of more Lovelock, I'm going on a canal holiday for a couple of weeks soon so I'm not going to be updating again until mid-August. However, the good news is that I can take my laptop with me so I will be writing even if I can't put new chapters up on the Internet.
thepaintedring: Glad you liked the titles! And, as for the manga artists thing, I am so upset! I just hope Mangastream can stay up since I haven't seen any annoucement about them closing down!
Orlandoslover2009: Yep, sneaky is Aizen's middle name! And, I can't get enough of this pairing either!
CoriGray333: Yeah, Ichigo is so cute when he's clueless.
MistressRukia13: Thanks!
Kasia-chan: Glad to hear it!
MM08: Yeah, I know the first part of the last chapter dragged on but I couldn't think of how to make it exciting at the time.
writerlover101: Thanks!
narubby23: Glad you did!
animeperson768: Cliffhangers are so much fun!
darkwing21: Who, indeed?
coolgirl: Ichigo is very lucky to sleep with Aizen!
RuByMoOn17: Certainly did.
cloudstrifejen: I envy Ichigo too! I wish Aizen would seduce me!
I-Kill-U-For-Yaoi: Wouldn't you react the same as Ichigo in that situation?
kickcows: Yeah, Ichigo's face in that situation is a very funny mental image!
Persistance: Glad you liked both parts!
miszxbrii: Yeah, Ichigo isn't very careful with sex, is he?
Ichigo stared at the number he had just dialed, his thumb hovering over the 'call' button. He swallowed hard, as though he was about to throw himself off a hundred-feet tall cliff. The note from Aizen was in his other hand; he checked it over and over again to see if he'd got the number right. If he got the wrong number, he was sure he would lose his nerve.
It had been a week since he had slept with Aizen for the second time. He had left that god-forsaken summer house (his father with many bruises inflicted by Ichigo after the party) and had come back to his apartment. The note stayed in his pocket for the whole week as he wondered whether to call or let Aizen call him. However, both prospects were terrifying. He had no idea what to say to Aizen but he certainly didn't want to get a call from him when he least expected it. Like in the middle of a lecture or in front of all his friends.
So, in the end, he decided to call Aizen himself. At least then, he could pick a time that wasn't awkward. He was only grateful that Aizen had not called him already. Ichigo made specific arrangements for it, however. He told his friends he was going for a solitary morning walk and made sure that he was far away from anyone he knew that might interrupt him. The forest outside his town was the perfect place so he found a clearing and quickly dialed the number.
Finally, after much hesistation, he hit the 'call' button a bit more forcefully than necessary and snapped the phone to his ear. For a moment, all he could hear was the distant sound of the other phone ringing and the sound of his quickening breathing. He was very tempted to hit the 'stop' button at that point but he held his fingers still and waited.
On the fourth ring, a deep warm voice came through the speaker, "Good morning, Ichigo. I was just about to call you."
"Oh, ah..." His mind went completely blank again and all he could think of to say was, "...hi...Aizen..."
"I don't mind if you call me Sousuke, you know." There was a little hint of amusement in Aizen's voice, "It would seem strange for you to address me so formally if we've been intimate twice, would it not?"
"Y-yeah, I guess it would...Sousuke." Ichigo began to feel hot around his neck again, not knowing what to say at all. It felt strange enough to call Aizen by his first name, "Uhm...I was...ah..." He must sound so stupid to Aizen; he could feel the heat rising to his face,
"You're not as articulate on the phone as you are in person."
"I...I just...don't know what to say." Ichigo finally gave up with a sigh and waited for Aizen to start laughing,
"Understandable." Aizen's tone did not change a bit and did not sound at all amused, "What can one say to the man who charmed you into bed twice? I know just how you feel."
Ichigo could feel the heat in his face increase, "Yeah...um, are you busy?" That's got to be the lamest thing that I could possibly say, Ichigo thought, glumly, but Aizen was not swayed,
"No, not particularly. I'm only needed in the office if there's trouble. The amount of trouble has reduced significantly since I arrived so I have a lot of free time. Anyway, where are you? It sounds like you're outdoors." He added, when a loud bird call broke the air,
"Yeah. I wanted to get someplace where I wouldn't be disturbed."
"My house would suit that purpose. Perhaps I could give you a lift there."
"Okay." Ichigo gave him directions to where he was and the call ended with almost cheerful 'see you soon's. When Ichigo hung up, he let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding, Well, that could have gone better. All he had to do was wait for Aizen to appear now. He sat down on a tree stump and stared up at the sky, watching the clouds crawl across the sky above him. The weather had been good today, despite the forecast of rain.
After a while, he heard a noise behind him and, turning around, he saw a man coming out of the trees towards him. He soon recognised him as Aizen, his hair slicked back again and wearing clothes that were a little too smart to be worn while walking in the woods, "Hello again, Ichigo." His smile widened, "I hope you were not waiting too long."
"Nah, it's okay." Ichigo shrugged, still not knowing what to say. He simply got up and followed Aizen back down the path. Aizen's car was less flashy on the outside than he had expected (though he knew that it was still expensive) but, when he thought about it, he realised that it suited Aizen in a way. On the inside, the seats were covered with new-looking leather that sqeaked as he sat down.
The car started with a noise quieter than any car Ichigo had been in and Aizen steered them through rural roads that were completely deserted. Ichigo had never been down these roads before and was just about to ask when Aizen turned to him with a rather serious look on his face,
"Let me ask you one thing, Ichigo. Does anyone know of our relationship?"
"No." Ichigo shook his head, "Well, apart from Renji, they don't."
"Abarai?"
"Yeah. I told him when I was leaving your house last month," That was the best way he could think of phrasing it, "and he was the one who told me who you were."
"I see. Has he told anyone?"
"No. I made him keep it a secret."
"That is good. As I'm sure you've heard in the news, I have become rather disreputable, especially among the Gotei 13. I am sure that the revelation of you being intimate with me will not go down well with your friends."
"Yeah, I figured that. Anyway, have, ah, you told anyone about us?"
"Only a close friend of mine and my guardian. Since you are keeping this secret, it's only fair that I should as well."
"Right. Is that why you're driving this way? So, no one'll see us together?"
"Precisely." He sighed and leaned back in his seat in a resigned kind of way, "I find it strange that Las Noches is the corporation with the bad reputation when the Gotei 13 are just as bad, if not worse."
"What?" Ichigo's head snapped around to stare at Aizen so fast that he cricked his neck,
"Oh, yes. I know, I was once a captain. But, let's not talk about that. It's not a pleasant conversation topic. Let's talk a little about you. You're at university, aren't you? What are you studying?"
The rest of the car journey was taken up with small talk about Ichigo's university life. Though Ichigo didn't mind talking about his day-to-day life, he had the impression that Aizen was not very willing to talk about his own life. Whenever Ichigo would ask him a question, he would answer very vaguely and then turn a question back to Ichigo. Before he could ask him why, though, they reached Aizen's house.
The place looked more colourful in daylight with its red brick walls, gleaming windows and ornamental trees towering over the wall in seemingly every shade of green. Still, all this did nothing to disguise how cruel and forboding the iron gates looked. He was suddenly glad that Mizuiro had made him go over the wall that night since he knew they would have never been able to avoid the spikes in the dark. It would be like trying to climb through thorns. As he looked up to the wall, he suddenly noticed a line of spikes running along the top of the stone that definitely wasn't there before,
"Your visit was enough to tell me that my security was clearly not good enough." Aizen suddenly said, making Ichigo jump, "Not that I wasn't unhappy with your intrusion. In fact, I am glad you did but, next time, it may not be someone as favourable as you that breaks into my house."
A small remote control device was produced from the glove compartment and, upon the press of a button, the gate creaked open in a way that gave Ichigo the creeps. He was even more spooked when it closed behind them. Ichigo didn't have the time to really appreciate how well manicured the garden was the last time he was there and he started to hope that he hadn't trampled on any flowerbeds on his way out.
Aizen actually held out his arm like he was about to lead Ichigo onto a dance floor when they got out of the car. Ichigo took hold of it but he still felt weird for doing it. The door opened before they could get near it and a mop of silvery hair poked out accompanied by a drawling voice,
"Hey, Aizen-taichou. Ya're back already...ah!" A man's pale fox-like face with squinting eyes appeared, "Say now, what 'ave we 'ere?" Everything about the man gave him the creeps at that moment: his drawling voice, his practically-invisible eyes and the way he was peeking around the door like he was spying on something he shouldn't. Not to mention that grin that stretched his face far more than a face was meant to stretch. Ichigo vaguely wondered if it hurt to grin like that,
"Hello, Gin." Aizen smiled, completely oblivious to how suspicious Gin looked, "Come out here and say hello to Ichigo."
"Oh! This is Ichigo?" Gin suddenly looked much more interested. He even opened his eyes a little, showing that they were the colour of ice and creeping Ichigo out even more. Seeming to delight in Ichigo uneasiness, Gin bounced outside and began walking around Ichigo, staring at every inch of him as though he was the newest sports car model, "Hmm, very nice, very nice. 'E's a load cuter in person."
"What d'you say?" Ichigo snarled. He did not appreciate being addressed like he was some kind of cuddly pet one bit. He was starting to wish the fox-face would leave them alone. Even Aizen did not look happy at Gin's comment,
"Please, do not speak about my friend like that."
"Yer really like understatin', Aizen-taichou!" Totally unruffled, Gin went on in that irritatingly condescending voice that seemed as permanent as his grin, "Still, callin' 'im a friend is real somethin' comin' from ya so I guess i's okay. Besides, 'e still don' 'old a candle to 'ow cute my Izuru is. Speakin' o' which," He turned back to the house and called with his hands cupped to his mouth, "Izu-chicky! Izu-chicky! Come an' meet Ichigo!"
"Izu-chicky?" Ichigo repeated, as Aizen followed Gin inside,
"It's what Izuru likes to be called when he and Gin are alone together. So, naturally, Gin only calls him that when he's in important company."
"What?" Ichigo stared at him, "Why?" He knew that he would have kicked Aizen's ass long ago if he did anything like that to him,
"That's just Gin's personality. And, Izuru's personality allows him to tolerate it."
"They're both nuts, then." Ichigo muttered, half to himself,
"I often get that impression." Aizen nodded.
The entrance hall looked just like an Western Renaissance manor. Ancients portraits hung on the walls, priceless-looking ornaments sat on the tables and a grand marble staircase stood at the end of the room. It made Ichigo feel very underdressed in his simple shirt and jeans. Descending the staircase was a skinny, nervous-looking man that he presumed was Izuru. Even at this distance, Ichigo judged him as the sort who would take being humilated lying down.
Gin bounced over to Izuru and slung his arm around the other man's shoulders, pulling him like he was a dog on a leash. When he was closer, Ichigo could see that Izuru had pale blond hair hiding half of his face and only allowing one sapphire-blue downcast eye to be visible. His face was currently flushed red with embarrassment and Ichigo began feeling a bit sorry for Izuru, Having a partner like Gin must be hell,
"Go on, Izu-chicky. Say hello to Ichigo-kun." Gin gave Izuru a good bash on the back, making him stumble forward,
"K-Kira Izuru." Izuru nervously held out a hand. If he was blushing any deeper, Ichigo would sure that his hair would start turning red,
"Hey, Kira." Ichigo took hold of his hand, trying to be as friendly as he could, "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Nice to meet you."
"Oh! Ah, likewise." Not surprisingly, Kira looked amazed that someone was being nice to him. Then, Gin ruined it by popping in between them and saying,
"Aw, ain't ya sweet, Ichi-berry."
"It's Ichigo, not Ichi-berry." Ichigo replied, firmly, just to make it clear that he would not roll over and take it like Izuru. Gin merely pouted at this,
"Why d'you 'ave to get someone 'oo's no fun, Aizen-taichou?"
"No fun? You're not talking about me, are you?" A sleepy voice came from above them. Looking up, Ichigo saw a pair of droopy eyes between a long sheet of blond hair leaning over the banister on the top floor. What really caught Ichigo's attention was that he recognised that voice,
"Hirako-sensei?" He burst out, making the eyes widen,
"Ichigo?" They both stared at each other in astonishment before Hirako climbed up onto the banister and jumped down, landing next to Ichigo and without showing any signs of being hurt, "My God, it's been a long time!"
"Yeah, I know. Hey, when did you grow your hair?"
"Do you two know each other?" Aizen cut in, looking curiously between the two of them,
"'Course, we do, Sousuke!" Hirako chimed, "I was his old martial arts instructor!"
"Wow, really?" Gin put in, "Well, they do say i's a small world!"
"And, they'd be right." Hirako nodded, "Anyway, the hell are you asking me what I'm doing here, Ichigo? What the hell are you doing here?"
"'E's Aizen-taichou's new boyfriend!" piped up Gin, before either Aizen or Ichigo could open their mouths. Hirako stood there with his mouth open in shock for about two seconds before he could find the ability to speaker again,
"Is this true?" He directed at Aizen,
"Yes, I suppose it is." Aizen stated, with a totally straight face, before turning to Ichigo with a smile, "We might as well make it official."
A big grin spread across Hirako's face, showing off his large and abnormally-straight teeth,
"You've finally picked a good one this time, Sousuke." He clapped Aizen on the back, "You mark my words, you won't regret getting together with him! Now then," He clapped his hands happily, "who's up for brunch?"
As they trapsed to the kitchen, Ichigo noticed how shocked Aizen looked at Hirako's reaction, "What's up?" He asked,
"I have never seen Hirako-san react like that to any of my lovers. He is never normally this hospitable."
"Hey!" Hirako rounded on him, "Can you at least call me Dad in front of your boyfriend?"
"I don't want to give Ichigo any false impressions, Hirako-san." The way Aizen said it suggested that he was doing it deliberately to wind him up and it certainly worked. Hirako ground his teeth and stalked off to the cooker while Gin giggled,
"'E never calls Hirako-san Dad." He muttered to Ichigo, "Aizen-taichou jus' does it to annoy 'im. I's so funny!"
The kitchen was a clash of modern and old-fashioned designs. It seemed to contain every cooking technology made and all of it was the latest model, the like of which Ichigo had only ever seen in catalogues and all of it probably cost more than the building he lived in. Ichigo was about to ask Hirako why he was living here when Aizen turned to him and said, "Hirako-san said that he taught you martial arts. Which ones did you learn?"
So, the conversation was mostly about martial arts and which ones everyone at the table had learned as they ate. It turned out that Hirako had trained Aizen, Gin and Izuru too after leaving the dojo. Also, Hirako had made a wager with Aizen that, if he lost a match to him, he would have to call him Dad. Which meant Aizen never lost a match since. Just as Ichigo opened his mouth to ask Hirako why he was here again, Hirako cut in with,
"So, anyway, enough of this banter. Ichigo, since when were you Sousuke's boyfriend?"
"Doncha remember?" Gin put in, "'E was the one Aizen-taichou 'ad some fun with durin' the party."
"Huh?" Hirako frowned, "I didn't invite you, did I?"
"He gatecrashed." Ichigo's insides went cold at Aizen's casual reply. For a moment, he was sure that he would be in deep trouble but Aizen went on, equally casually, "I don't mind, though. It was he that made sure the party was not a total waste of my time. And, then," He put an arm around Ichigo, smiling broadly, "I returned the favour a week ago at Ichigo's party. A party that he did not want, that someone else organised and that he wanted no part in. You see?"
Hirako looked absolutely dumbstruck, staring from Aizen to Ichigo and back to Aizen again. Feeling his face flush, Ichigo added, "My friends gatecrashed the party and forced me to come. I wouldn't do it on my own."
"I'm glad they did." Aizen laid a cheeky little kiss to Ichigo's hair, "You must remember to tell me where they live. I would like to send them flowers."
"Wait, wait, wait a minute." Hirako cut in, "You gatecrashed his party so Sousuke gatecrashed yours?"
"That is what I did." Aizen nodded, "But, away with this talk. Whatever crime Ichigo has committed, I will forgive and it is I who commands this house, after all. I will not let you force any punishment on him."
"I wasn't going to punish him." Hirako flushed a little, "I was just going to get the facts straight."
"Ya're a little slow, aintcha, Hirako-san?" Gin put in, his grin extending, "Was 'e like this when ya knew 'im, Ichi-berry?"
"I told you, fox-face!" Ichigo snarled, "It's Ichigo, not Ichi-berry!"
"That's a sure way to make Gin keep calling you that, Ichigo." Aizen chuckled, "If he is told not to do something, he will surely do it. Unless, it is my word. Gin, do not call Ichigo Ichi-berry. It irritates him."
"Oh, okay, okay. Sorry, Ichigo."
"You see?"
Hirako's eyes widened in slight surprise, "He must like you, Ichigo. I've never seen him tell Gin to stop annoying anyone. Well, I have to admit, this is pretty amazing to see you and Sousuke together. If I'd have known how well you'd get along, I would have introduced you two long ago!"
"I would not change our time of meeting, Hirako-san. If I had met him at any other time, I don't think I would be so inclined to like him as much as I do. Now then," He stood up, "I think I would like to be alone with Ichigo for a while, if you'll excuse me."
"I'll excuse you if you call me Dad!" Hirako snapped, scowling.
Aizen merely smiled serenely back and replied, "Then, I'll just have to be rude and go without being excused. I do hope you'll forgive me, Hirako-san."
Leaving Hirako fuming, Aizen led Ichigo out of the kitchen. Ichigo took this opportunity to properly look around. The last time he came here, it had been dark and he had not had any chance to see just how richly decorated everything was. He wondered just how old this house was and how long those priceless ornaments had stood in their places,
"Do you like my house, Ichigo?" Aizen asked,
"Yeah." Ichigo nodded, earnestly, "You must be loaded."
"Oh, this was not bought. I inherited this from my family."
"Whoa, seriously?" Ichigo's eyes widened. He didn't know those kind of families that passed down houses still existed. A mysterious smile appeared on Aizen's face in response to Ichigo's amazement but did not reply. Instead, he led Ichigo down the corridor and into a room that looked vaguely familiar, "Is this yours?"
"Yes. It is the same room where we were intimate for the first time. I did say that its owner wouldn't mind us using it."
"You sneaky bastard." Ichigo shook his head, making Aizen laugh,
"Yes, I suppose I am." He seated himself upon the windowseat, beneath the very window that Ichigo had escaped from over a month ago. When motioned to join him, Ichigo sat down next to him but, before he could settle there, Aizen quickly said, "Ah, ah, ah, not there." He patted his own knee, "Here." Blushing madly, Ichigo shifted upon Aizen's lap and allowed him to wrap his arms around his body.
The sun peaked out of the clouds and filtered through the window, brightening the room and making the colours more vivid. The bedsheets were a deep blood-red with white designs all over it, two colours that continued to appear in various other things in the room: the curtains, the vase on the desk and the suit hanging on the wardrobe,
"You really like this place, don't you?" Aizen murmured into Ichigo's hair,
"'Course, I do. If this place was any better, it would be a palace!"
"Would you like to come and live here?"
"Wha-?" Ichigo started and blushed deeper, "Hey, we've only known each other for a month!"
"And, yet, we have already made love twice. Besides, your presence would make this house almost bearable."
This statement made Ichigo blink in surprise and look up at Aizen's still-smiling face. There was something in that smile though. Something sad and almost lonely, "What do you mean?"
"Ichigo, this house was built to house more than a dozen people, not one. I have lived here all my life and have hated the loneliness of the place for the most part of it. I covet my solitude but one cannot live totally alone for all their life. Hirako-san's presence is appreciated but we do not have much of an emotional bond. Which is why Gin and Izuru are always welcome here. Gin and I have known each other since we were children and he is good company."
Aizen's tone was unreadable so Ichigo did not know whether he was lying or not. Still, he knew that it was lonely at the top so he knew that Aizen could not be lying completely. Still wearing that cryptic smile, Aizen leaned close to Ichigo and breathed softly against the other's lips,
"Of course, you are even better company."
With that, he pressed their lips together and Ichigo stopped thinking about Aizen's story. His mind slipped into the dream-like state it always did when Aizen's lips were upon his. Their arms encircled each other, bringing their bodies closer and making their skins heat up at the contact. When they seperated, it took Ichigo a while to remember where he was and what they were talking about,
"You know," Aizen murmured, "your hair was what attracted me at first. It caught my eye and, soon after, the rest of you followed suit. You're a very magnetic person, Ichigo."
"Ah, thanks." Ichigo muttered into Aizen's jacket, still a little befuddled from the kiss,
"Tell me, Ichigo. What attracted you to me?"
"Uh..." Ichigo tried to think back to the night he first met Aizen. It took him a while to remember and, even then, he wasn't sure, "...your voice."
"Ah, yes," Aizen's sensual baritone sent little shivers down his spine as he whispered in his ear, "I'm told that's my most prominant feature. I suppose people say the same thing about your hair."
"Yeah." Ichigo sighed. Now that he realised it, Aizen's voice truly was mesmerising. Hypnotic, that was a good word for it. The way it made him forget any worries he had and drew him to Aizen. He lounged lazily upon the older man's broad chest and began kissing his neck. Ichigo wasn't really sure of why he was doing this. It just felt right to and Aizen's sighs of satisfaction only encouraged him. He couldn't help but moan in gratitude when Aizen began doing the same to his neck-
Then, the spell was rudely broken by the loud honking of a car horn outside, Ichigo jumped and nearly fell off the windowseat at the noise, "What the deuce-!" Aizen gasped, staring out of the window. Upon looking out too, Ichigo could see a dark-coloured car that was more practical than flashy at the gates, sounding the horn and clearly demanding to be let in, Hirako burst in at that moment, hair all over his face and looked harrassed, "Who's that?" Aizen demanded,
"Tousen. He says it's urgent."
"Can it not wait until a more appropriate time?" Aizen groaned and Ichigo had to agree with that sentiment,
"No!" Hirako snapped, looked more agitated than Ichigo had ever seen it. Though he wanted nothing more than to be close to Aizen, he could dimly recognise that something was very wrong, "It's about Ichigo."
That got Aizen alert. He and Ichigo sprang up, both completely out of their dreamy trance, and followed Hirako downstairs. A moment after they had got to the hall, the door opened. A dark-skinned man with covered eyes and a copper-coloured guide dog by his side walked in. They were soon followed by a lean man with a face with three straight scars down one side and wearing an official-looking uniform that looked like something staight out of the Victorian times, complete with white silk gloves and cap. Ichigo supposed it was he who had been driving the car.
Gin bounded out of the kitchen with Izuru at his heel, "Well, if it ain't Tousen! I was wonderin' 'oo was makin' all that racket. Yer car horn sure is loud, ain't it? 'Ello, Sajin!" He approached the dog with his hand outstretched but was immediately met with loud indignant barks and snarls, "Aw, 'e still don't like me."
"What's all this about, Kaname?" Aizen asked, in a stern and serious voice that made Ichigo involuntarily stiffen,
"The police are close to issuing a warrent for your arrest."
Ichigo's eyes widened and so did Hirako's. On the other hand, Aizen remained completely calm, "Is that so?"
"Hang on!" Ichigo burst out, making Tousen start, "What's this got to do with me?"
Tousen's brow creased for a moment and then turned to the uniformed man, "Who is that who spoke, Hisagi? I do not recognise his voice."
"His appearance matches the description of Kurosaki Ichigo, sir." Hisagi replied. When he turned towards Tousen, Ichigo spotted a tattoo on his cheek of the number 69, "It seems that the charges were not fully fabricated."
"What charges would these be, Kaname?" Aizen's voice had a menacingly pleasant edge to it, "And, why do you think this is worthy of my notice? Have you not dispatched some of the Espada to smooth everything over?"
"I have, Aizen-sama. Starrk and Halibel have been sent. However, it is Kuchiki Byakuya who is pressing the charges so it may take longer than usual to prevent your arrest."
"Byakuya?" Ichigo repeated, stunned, What the hell's Byakuya got against Sousuke?
With an irritated sigh, Aizen strode across the hall, "Perhaps, we should take this discussion to the drawing room over some tea. I can see that this is not going to be brief. Of all the rotten luck!"
So, the group trapsed through another door, which led to a well-decorated room with many chairs and sofas and let in bright sunlight through a pair of ornately decorated French doors. This struck a chord of memory in Ichigo and, after exchanging a look with Aizen, realised that it was the same room where he and Aizen had tea before going up to his bedroom.
As Hirako poured out the tea (muttering something like, "...might as well be his housekeeper..."), Aizen gestured to Tousen and Hisagi, "Ichigo, this is my business associate and good friend, Tousen Kaname, and this is his assistant, Hisagi Shuuhei. Hisagi, Kaname, this is Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo shook hands with both of them but he had the feeling that neither were very pleased to meet him. The pair struck him as being rather stuffy.
When everyone had a cup of tea presented to them (Sajin growled lowly when Hirako got too close to Tousen), Aizen finally addressed Tousen, "Now, Kaname, tell us about this whole affair from the beginning."
"Hisagi first informed me that Kuchiki Byakuya was going to press charges against you. Naturally, I thought it was another fabrication from the Gotei 13-"
"What?" Ichigo burst out, before he could stop himself. Tousen glared at Ichigo's general direction for interrupting him and Aizen cleared his throat,
"Over the past fortnight, there have been two seperate occasions in which captains of the Gotei 13 attempted to press a court case against me. Since they know of no truthful event that would warrent such an eventuality, they have given completely fabricated stories of my misdeeds to the police. Up until now, they were quickly revealed as false and I did think that the police told the Gotei 13 that they would not accept any more allegations against me since it's wasting their time."
"Yeah." Gin put in, grinning in amusement, "They were pretty tall tales, anyway. Tha' Soi Fong made 'em up along with tha' idiot captain of the Seventh Squad. Wha' was 'is name? Ah, never mind. Anyway, they nev'r were really bright. First, they told 'em that Aizen-taichou 'ad tried ta set an office buildin' on fire."
"A quick check of the completely intact building made that allegation completely void." Aizen added, smirking against the rim of his teacup,
"Then, they went ta the social services and told 'em that he'd knocked up 'is fukutaichou."
Ichigo pulled a face, which made Aizen chuckle, "A test and my solemn word that I had never even slept with her soon made them leave me alone. Ah, don't be so alarmed. I know I can easily get myself out of trouble if the situation arose. My wallet will be enough to fend off any police officers coming to call but it can't wipe memories, unfortunately. While I was working for the Gotei 13, being involved in unsavoury deeds was frowned upon very harshly. Which is why I was careful to keep the unsavoury activites I got involved in private and worked hard to give the police no reason to bother me. Just to maintain a good reputation, you know."
"I guess that's gone out the window now."
"To an extent, yes. I still have my dignity, though."
"But, I don't get it." Ichigo frowned in confusion, "Why are they trying to get you arrested?"
"'Cos they're sore losers, tha's why!" Gin sang, "Aizen-taichou was in charge o' Las Noches fer years 'fore anyone in the Gotei 13 knew. Las Noches got real big when Aizen-taichou was in charge and they're rivallin' the Gotei 13. 'Course, they didn' like it so. Ya should 'ave been there in the board meetin's. Ever'one was so pissed!"
"So, naturally," Aizen took over the story, "when I finally revealed that I had been in charge of Las Noches all along, they got very angry. They accused me of trying to tear apart the Gotei 13 from the inside out and passing on their secrets to Las Noches."
"Were you?" Ichigo's impression of Aizen was that he wasn't beyond that kind of thing,
"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." Another smirk, "In any case, their anger was completely behind closed doors. After a week, they came up to me, offering a coalition between the two corporations. They had already arranged negotiation meetings without asking my consent but I was already firmly against the idea. Nothing I said could make them change their minds so, as I'm sure you know, I cleared out my desk that same night and left only a note of resignation behind. I'm surprised you two didn't do the same, actually, as my two highest employees."
"Ah, I could nev'r leave my Izu-chicky alone in the Third Squad!" Gin reached over and clung to a bright-red Kira in an unnecessarily-protective way,
"The Ninth Squad would not prosper without my attention." Tousen stated, emotionlessly, "As I was saying, Kuchiki is trying to accuse you of kidnapping and raping Kurosaki, Aizen-sama."
"Wha-?" Ichigo cried, "Who the hell told him that shit?"
"Yeah!" Hirako nearly knocked over his tea in fury, "Who said that about Sousuke, eh?"
"From his statement, it seems that Abarai Renji brought it to his attention first this morning."
"What?" Ichigo shot up, curling his hands into fists, "He told Byakuya?"
Hisagi's head jolted up and Ichigo realised belatedly what his statement implied. However, Aizen came to the rescue and quickly explained to the both of them what was going on between them. Neither looked very satisified by his tale but they didn't say anything. Ichigo had the feeling that Tousen disapproved of this by the look on his half-hidden face. When Aizen had finished, Tousen cleared his throat, "In any case, it seems that the charges are once again unjustified. The fact that important men of business can be so dishonest sickens me." He added in a low voice that suggested he might be talking to himself,
"Where's Renji?" Ichigo demanded, a plan forming in his head,
"At the police station with Byakuya, Starrk and Halibel when we left." Hisagi stated, shortly,
"Right." He put down his untouched cup of tea, "I'd better go down there and sort this out."
"Wha'?" Gin's eyes opened as he stared at Ichigo dumbly. Aizen too looked shocked at this announcement and he quickly said,
"Starrk and Halibel will bring this to an end on their own. There's no need for you to get involved."
"It'll be quicker if I do it." Ichigo insisted. He would not let anyone get in the way of what he wanted to do, not even Aizen, "Kidnappers generally don't let their hostages go, do they?"
"Well, no, but-"
"Well, then," Ichigo began to march stubbornly towards the door, "I'm going to march down to that police station and give Renji a good ass-kicking for breaking his promise to keep this secret!"
Strong arms wrapped around his waist and his progress to the door was halted by Aizen pulling him to his chest before breathing into his ear, "Don't hit him too hard, please. I would like to get my hands on him myself for making Kaname ruin the mood earlier."
"I'll try." Ichigo raised his hand to Aizen's smooth cheek before giving him a wicked grin, "Not making any guarentees but I'll try."
They kissed again briefly before Ichigo called a farewell to the others and hurried out of the door, more invigorated than ever. He almost ran to the police station with renewed energy and peered through the glass doors. He could see a huddle of people at the front desk but the splash of bright red told him at once where Renji was. The sight made his fury flame up within him; how could he reveal the secret now after a month of faithfully keeping it? And, to Byakuya, of all people!
With that, he threw open the door, making it bang loudly against the wall and marched furiously over to his friend (or, perhaps, former friend), "RENJI!" He roared, grabbing the other man by the hair and tugging him back fiercely, "YOU'RE DEAD!"
"Oh, ah...hi, Ichigo." Renji tried a casual tone but failed miserably, making Ichigo even angrier,
"Kurosaki, take your hands off my fukutaichou." A familiar cold voice came from his left. Turning his head, he met the slate-grey eyes of Kuchiki Byakuya, his glare just as frigid as he remembered it,
"This is Kurosaki Ichigo?" A deep female voice came from his right. Looking round, he saw two people he'd never seen before. One was a scruffy-haired man wearing an incongrously smart suit who looked as though he'd like nothing better than to collapse on a bed and sleep the day away. The other was an exotic-looking woman with warm brown skin beneath a mass of yellow hair who hid half her face with a thick white scarf. He supposed it was her that had spoken. Remembering what Aizen had said, he asked,
"Are you two Starrk and Halibel?"
Both looked mildly surprised, "How d'you know?" The sleepy man that Ichigo guessed was Starrk surveyed Ichigo with a bit more interest than before,
"Sousuke told me." Ichigo had said it so offhandly and yet there was such a shockwave that went through the room at those three words. Halibel's startlingly green eyes widened, Starrk looked more awake than ever, Byakuya took a step back and Renji actually jumped. Before Ichigo could properly enjoy the effect he created, the police officers present took the opportunity to intervene,
"Excuse me, sir. Are you Kurosaki Ichigo?"
"Yeah, that's me."
"Well, that's odd. Kuchiki-sama was telling us about how you were raped and held captive by one Aizen Sousuke."
"Well, then Kuchiki-sama is full of bullshit!" Ichigo declared, fearlessly. Byakuya's glare didn't scare him a bit now. The memory of Aizen's kiss emboldened him even more and he went on, "Do I look like a guy who would let some business bigshot do that to me? I'd kick his ass into next year before he even got close!"
The policeman's eyes widened and he stood there silent for a moment in shock before composing himself and continuing in a professional tone, "Are we to presume that the charges against said Aizen Sousuke are completely false?"
"Absolutely!" Ichigo nodded, resolutely, not giving either Renji or Byakuya time to speak,
"Well, then," Starrk stepped languidly forward, regaining his laziness once more, "I think that's settled then. I didn't think Aizen-sama would do that kind of thing. If he did, I would have walked out straight away. Kids getting hurt doesn't gell with me."
"Nor does it with me." nodded Halibel, serenely, "Still, Kurosaki Ichigo, one question remains. What is your relationship with Aizen-sama? You addressed him by his first name like an equal."
Without missing a beat, Ichigo looked straight into her yellow-lined eyes and said determinedly, "Sousuke's my boyfriend."
A greater shockwave went through the room. Halibel and Starrk gave simultaneous gasps of surprise, Byakuya started more violently and Renji gave a noise that was somewhere between astonishment and defeat, Man, I wish I had a camera. Ichigo thought, viciously. Halibel was the first to recover and spoke in a more polite tone than before, "Well, it seems that this has all been a misunderstanding, then. Would you like me to drive you home, Kurosaki-sama?"
"What the hell's with the 'sama'?" Ichigo pulled a face, "Just call me Ichigo. I'm not your boss. Anyway, there's no need. Renji's going to drive me home," He grabbed hold of the offending man's ponytail again, "to make up for starting all this! Damn it!" He groaned, as he caught sight of the clock while he dragged a moaning Renji towards the door, "Keigo's probably going nuts!"
When the door banged shut, there was a small silence before the police officer cleared his throat, "As you said, ma'am, this is clearly all a misunderstanding. Kuchiki Byakuya, I must warn you that, if any member of the Gotei 13 approaches us with more nonsensical charges against Aizen Sousuke again, the police have the right to fine you for wasting our time and resources and Aizen Sousuke can also sue you if he sees fit."
Byakuya whirled around and left the police station, trying to maintain his dignity in defeat. Starrk and Halibel soon followed. As they got into their car, Starrk turned to Halibel (she always drove since she did not trust the man not to fall asleep at the wheel), "Aizen-sama's boyfriend, eh? What do you make of him?"
"He's...different." Halibel said, at last, without revealing any obvious emotion,
"Yeah." Stark nodded, leaning back in his seat, "It's a 'he' for a start. What do you reckon? A keeper?"
Halibel did not answer. She only kept her eyes on the road ahead.
A/N: Reviews, plz?