He grew his nails longer.
I wondered aloud why, one early dawn, while were sharing breakfast.
"I have my reasons," he said. There was a smile, but it was the smile of a mask.
I combed through his fine silver hair. "I'll visit you in the human world, Gin."
He picked up a dumpling and fed me with his fingers.
I took the chance to nip on his long digits, and he grinned. "I would like a proper schedule, Aizen-sama, of the timings and durations of your visits."
"Oh really," I said. He chewed on the thin bread stick I offered him, and made a face at the taste of the asparagus dip. I kissed the small spot on his upper lip before continuing, "And what else, hmmm?"
He pretended to consider. "And the itinerary."
"Oh really," I repeated. He now offered me a small morsel of his cake. I licked his fingers clean before adding, "Very detailed itinerary?"
"Mmm-hmmm." He sipped his tea. "Down to every last minute."
I placed a hand on his knee and moved it slowly up his thigh. "So... if I want to touch you like this, I'll have to indicate it clearly?"
"Yes." His hand covered mine and began stroking up my arm as well. "And you'll also have to write down the reception you expect for each item of the itinerary."
I pressed my thumb against a spot under his knee that I knew ignited him. "You are very demanding, for an as-yet unseated officer."
He shifted his weight to lean away from me. "I learned that people liked to rise up to expectations."
"That's true." I picked up an apple and surveyed our eclectic breakfast dishes. Only the rice cakes were left – I hated rice cakes. Sickening things. "Why the variety though?"
"You can't guess?" he grinned as he finished his coffee.
I furrowed my brows. "You got Matsumoto to make us breakfast."
"She stayed over last night in my room," he elaborated. Then he caught sight of my disapproval and hastily added, "We didn't do anything."
"I know." I dabbed at the juices from the corner of my mouth. "The question is, why didn't you?"
Gin was thrown. "I thought you'd be unhappy if I-"
"I don't need you to be monogamous, Gin," I stated clearly. "I need you hidden in plain sight."
He pondered over my words as I continued munching on my apple. "You don't want me to devote myself to you only, Aizen-sama?"
"You're guessing what I want?" I said as I stood up. "Gin, you have so much to learn."
He got up too. He was growing taller, nearly looking eye-to-eye with me. Fleetingly I wondered if other parts of my boy was growing as quickly as his height. "Will you teach me?"
"My fees are very high."
He moved closer. He was becoming more daring, this smart boy of mine.
I loved it.
He moved his lips against the underside of my chin, and murmured something too soft to be heard.
"What was that?" I asked in a whisper, looking at him looking up at me.
"I said I'll pay any price."
I chuckled throatily and snaked one arm about his waist. "No you wouldn't."
"I'll pay anything." He returned the embrace, hands moving up my bare back. I sucked in breath; those nails were really good for something.
"You wouldn't," I repeated. Curling a tendril of silver hair about my index finger, I breathed in his ear, "You wouldn't sacrifice Ran-chan now, would you?"
He stiffened in my arms. "How did you-"
"I just know." The boy was so transparent about his best friend and his true love – transparent to me anyway. I had almost laughed aloud when he wept her name this morning as I claimed his body. He was so lost in his climax that he couldn't hold back the small revelation, and after that he couldn't recall what he had uttered in the throes of passion.
"Don't hurt her, Aizen-sama, please," he whispered, clinging to me now, pressing his sleek body against me, trying to beg with his body to add weight to his words.
I savored the desperation.
"I wouldn't hurt her, Gin," I said at last, kissing his smooth forehead.
He relaxed a little, but was still nervous.
Rightfully so.
"I won't hurt her, Gin." I kissed him again, my ardor rising with my plan. "You'll do it for me."
