Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated this one. I've been avoiding it since I started 'Unexpected Baggage' because Aizen is so different in both stories. I thought my brain might melt a little if I tried working on them at the same time but I want to give it a shot.
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Weekend Getaway- 11
After the dishes were done, Ichigo realized that he wasn't tired at all. No surprise there. For the past several days, when he hadn't been stressed beyond belief or afraid for his life, he'd been unconscious for one reason or another. His whole sleep cycle had probably been messed up by now. Aizen came over and placed a warm hand on his shoulder, his fingers squeezing slightly.
"Um, I don't think. . ," the redhead began uneasily. As good as it had been, he really didn't think he was up to any more activities at the moment.
Aizen chuckled quietly and let his hand fall back to his side as he leaned against the counter. "Not every action is meant to seduce you."
"Right." Ichigo cleared his throat. He may not mean it that way but right now, every touch sent tingles everywhere. Would it always be like that? "What time is it?"
"Late."
"Hmmm. Not really tired though." Ichigo briefly considered asking to be taken back to his apartment. Despite his relative state of relaxation, he found himself feeling homesick. But then he considered that he would be there alone and the thought suddenly became rather unappealing.
"What would you like to do?"
Ichigo turned his head to look at Aizen who was watching him with a considering look on his face. "Shouldn't you be buying a country somewhere? You did want to get back here as much as me, right?"
"One of the advantages of being in charge is that I can name my own hours. There isn't anything that can't wait until morning." Aizen glanced at the clock again. "Which is actually not that far away. But I'm finished with business for now. At least on a professional level."
Ichigo wasn't sure how to take that last part. The questions that he'd pushed aside earlier started to rise again. There was still a lot that he didn't know and he found that he wanted to get a few more answers. "Can I ask you a couple of things?"
Aizen seemed to think that over for a few moments as if he were considering what to tell him. But then he held out his hand without saying anything. When Ichigo took it, he led him out of the kitchen and through the halls to a set of stairs. So there was more than just the elevators between floors. Good to know. Not that Ichigo was busy planning an escape route or anything. He just couldn't help noticing details and tucking them away as they moved through the space. He'd slept a lot since they come here and hadn't had a chance to look around yet. They ended up in a functional looking office that had a few personal touches here and there.
"This isn't your main office, is it?"
"No, that's located several floors down and is geared toward a more public, professional image."
Ichigo snorted quietly. "But I bet this is where you get most of your work done."
Aizen glanced over at the redhead but didn't say anything. As confused as the young man had been during all of this, he was rather perceptive about some things. He led him through another door to his private office where he went when he wanted to work alone. There was a set of extremely comfortable looking chairs sitting over to one side. They looked expensive like the rest of the house but they'd been chosen for comfort rather than just the expense itself. Ichigo let out a long sigh as he settled into the cushions. He sat quietly for several moments as if lost in thought. Aizen sat in the chair across from him and leaned back.
"There are a few things you wanted to ask me."
"Yeah." Ichigo was almost at a loss for words in the wake of Aizen's sudden candor. But he really wanted to know a few things before he made any more decisions about his future when it came to the other man. He knew he might not tell him everything but it mattered enough that he needed to ask. "You said that you'd had your eye on me before we met the other night."
"Yes."
Ichigo frowned a little when he didn't elaborate. "Care to explain that?"
"Not really but I suppose it can't be helped." Aizen ignored Ichigo's deepening frown. "I've been having some trouble with several small businesses of mine."
"I find that really hard to believe."
"Really." Aizen's tone was dry as he considered Ichigo's obvious sarcasm.
"Well, you wouldn't have gotten where you are if you didn't know how to run a business and make it work."
"Of course. But there has been trouble nonetheless."
"What does that have to do with me?" Ichigo's brow furrowed as the other man listed a bunch of place names. That was weird. He knew all of them. In fact, he'd been to all of them. His eyes widened a little when it hit him. "You don't think. . ?"
"I did at first. I don't really believe in coincidences."
"But thousands of people go to those places. Why would you pick me out of all of them?"
Aizen got up and went over to the desk where his computer sat waiting. Ichigo sat for a moment before he got up to follow. Set off to the side was a manila envelope. Aizen spilled the contents onto the surface of the desk and spread the photos out. Ichigo stared openly at the numerous images of himself as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. There was one in particular that could only have been taken six months ago. He'd gone to buy a birthday present for one of his sisters. The sweater didn't quite fit but when they'd gone to return it less than a week later, the place had been closed down. Who had taken the photos? And why were they following him?
Aizen watched Ichigo's reaction carefully and saw nothing but shock and a healthy dose of fear. What little doubts he had left evaporated immediately. Nobody was that good. "Less than a week after you stepped across the threshold of each location, they went out of business permanently."
"But I didn't. . ."
"I know."
Ichigo's eyes snapped up to Aizen's. The older man was watching him quietly, his expression flat. But there was still a hint of calculation. "You mean you know that now."
"Yes."
"And the club the other night?" Ichigo fought to keep the accusation out of his voice.
Aizen sighed irritably and started gathering the photos up again. "That was unexpected. I didn't know that you would be there."
"But it didn't stop you from sending Nel out to invite me to the back."
"Of course not." Aizen looked up again and did his best to keep his voice even. "I don't believe in passing up opportunities either."
Ichigo moved away a few paces and then came back before repeating the motion again. "Okay. I'll buy that." He stopped his restless movement and looked Aizen in the eye. "So what do we do now?"
"I've set a few things in motion but for now, there isn't anything to be done."
Ichigo blinked. "You really have no idea who's doing it, do you?" There was a distinct tone of disbelief when he said that.
"No." There was a mix of emotions in that one word. Ichigo could tell that Aizen was extremely pissed. He wondered if he'd ever been faced with something that couldn't be handled with money or influence of some kind. But it meant something that he actually admitted it out loud. Unless he really did know and he didn't want to tip them off by telling everyone. That last thought made Ichigo frown again.
"So what am I supposed to do."
"You're welcome to stay here as long as you wish."
"I'm not hiding." Ichigo's answer to that was immediate and firm. The other man watched him again and wondered if he meant that he wouldn't hide from the threat or that he wouldn't hide behind Aizen specifically. He tried to choose his words carefully, knowing that the wrong ones or even the wrong tone would set the younger man off. As much as he admired his stubbornness, it could turn out to be an irritating obstacle.
"Be that as it may, I think you should be extremely careful."
Ichigo almost opened his mouth to snap at him and say that he could take care of himself. But as he took the breath to utter it, he suddenly wasn't so sure he could. The way he'd frozen instantly when he'd seen the gun after he'd been snatched off the street sat uncomfortably in his mind. And he already knew that he was in over his head. He looked up when Aizen came around the desk to stand next to him.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Aizen could see Ichigo's jaw tense and knew he'd said the wrong thing after all. Angry brown eyes locked on him.
"I'm not one of your investments."
"No. You're someone I care about. And that makes you much more important."
Ichigo shut his mouth with a click and he looked down. He wasn't expecting that and he felt the mild heat of shame pulling at him. "Sorry."
Aizen tilted his chin up to look at him but neither said anything for several minutes. Ichigo looked away first and took a deep breath.
"If I said I still wanted to go home, would you hold it against me?"
"No. You're free to go whenever you wish. It was never my intention to hold you against your will."
"Look, I know that. But this. . ." Ichigo waved his arm in a helpless gesture and paced a away a few steps. "This is so much bigger than me." He ended up over at the window looking at the blush of dawn brightening the horizon. Ichigo had a sudden urge to go home even if it was empty right now. The situation was suddenly too much and he was tired all over again.
Aizen watched him struggle with himself but kept his distance. A touch from him right now, no matter how casual, would not be taken well at the moment. He felt he was on the verge of losing something that he didn't even know he had and it bothered him a great deal. And for the first time in a long time, he didn't even know what to say.
The door suddenly opened and Kaname came in a few steps before stopping suddenly. "Forgive me, I didn't know you had company. I saw the light and thought you had started the day early."
"It's alright." Aizen was watching Ichigo who had whirled around to see the newcomer. "Ichigo, this is Kaname Tosen, one of my personal staff members." Tosen fell easily in to a formal bow, making the younger man raise his brows.
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
Ichigo let out a short huff. "But you already know me, don't you? Everybody here probably does."
It was Tosen's turn to frown a little but he regained his composure quickly. "In a manner of speaking. Apologies for my rudeness."
"Don't worry about it. I just. . . never mind." Ichigo waved a hand dismissively and then flushed as he realized that Kaname was blind and couldn't see the motion. "Uh, it's nice to meet you too, I guess." There was another bow before Tosen took his leave. When he was gone, Ichigo turned to face Aizen, his expression slightly baffled. "How did he know I was here?"
"He's quite gifted and has learned to adapt."
Ichigo seemed to mull that over for a moment before shaking his head. "Look, I don't want to be rude either but. . ." He bit his lip as he tried to find the words.
"You'd like to go home."
"Yeah." Ichigo felt absurdly relieved that he didn't have to ask. After all the tension that had been building, he nearly felt himself sag. "You don't mind or anything, do you?"
Aizen softened his expression as he saw how tired Ichigo suddenly looked. It was easy to forget how he'd gotten into all of this and it was only natural that he'd want to get back to something familiar. "I'll have Grimmjow drive you." There was a raised brow at that as Ichigo gave him a considering look.
"I'm perfectly capable of calling a cab you know."
"But since this is an easier solution, he'll be ready to go when you are."
Ichigo snorted. "Yeah right." He glanced at the pink light that had begun to shine through the window. "You'll probably have to drag his ass out of bed."
"I won't have to. That's what Ulquiorra is for." Aizen let his own lips quirk as he saw Ichigo smile a little. The redhead's face sobered a after a moment.
"I'm sorry."
"If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you. None of this was your choice."
Ichigo looked up then, his expression a little intense. "Some of it was. Don't think that any of it was because I felt obligated. I honestly don't care who everyone thinks you are."
Something loosened in Aizen's chest as he heard those words. He'd had a small nagging worry about that. After all, few turned him down for anything. His reputation more than preceded itself. But there was a genuine tone to Ichigo's voice and he smiled again.
"Of course not." Going over to his desk, he picked up a business card and wrote a few numbers on the back before giving to Ichigo. "The top one is my personal number. You can reach me at any time. The others are my office here and downstairs."
"What about the last one."
"That's Grimmjow's cell phone."
Ichigo looked up, a little puzzled. "I don't need a driver."
"But he can come in handy for other things. Just in case you can't reach me that is."
"Did you bother asking him about that first?"
Aizen's smirk made Ichigo smile again. "He's at your disposal for anything you might need. And again, the beauty of being in charge is that I don't have to ask."
"Right. I don't have to tell him that or anything do I?" Ichigo had no desire to tell the irritable blue haired man that he'd been drafted as a personal assistant to someone he barely knew.
"No. I'll let Gin do it."
"Can I watch?" They were both smiling now. But it faded quietly after a few minutes. Aizen wondered if he would ever see Ichigo like that again. Once he got home and got comfortable, he might not want to come back here. After all, not every memory of his experiences had been good ones. The redhead moved toward the door but stopped with his hand on the knob. "Thanks."
Aizen's brow furrowed momentarily. "For what?"
Ichigo turned and leaned against the door. "You didn't have to do what you did. Or at least you didn't have to do it the way you did. It could have. . . I mean. . . Just thanks, okay? Let's just leave it at that." And then he was moving out the door. Aizen let him leave without saying anything. What could he say to that? Yes, it could have been much worse. He considered the uncomfortable thought that ten years ago it certainly would have. And he didn't particularly like the fact that Ichigo knew that.
But he'd changed the way he did things over time. He was much more cautious and careful and didn't toe the line of legality nearly so often. It was more of a risk than it was worth. But he found himself wanting to go out of his way to make sure nothing happened to Ichigo. It didn't even matter if he never saw him again. The last thought surprised him and he nearly didn't notice that Kaname had come back into the room. Blinking slowly, he turned to the other man.
"Call downstairs and have Grimmjow get the car ready." He silently hoped that he was wrong about the young man passing all of this off as a bad experience and never reaching out to him again. It had been a long time since he'd wanted something like that.
