a/n – mad, mad, mad love to all who comment, favourite and alert this and all things Heirverse. It means so much.

i've had this one written for a while and i'd have updated sooner if I hadn't gotten so sucked into marathoning Rupaul's drag race on youtube. Again. A show which despite the title is not about cars, but drag queens. Ru is just so fierce, though.

Chapter 11: I'll Never Drink Again

Gin took another unsteady step into Aizen's house, using all of his energy and concentration to stay upright and not fall again. He'd wobbled a bit – well, a lot – on the walk back and ended up tripping. Thankfully, Sousuke caught him before he hit the floor, but Gin ended up laughing, drunk off his face. Giddy and drunk and excited from his touch.

"Aizen-san, where we goin'?" Gin asked, his words slurring together as he leant on the wall for support. Trying to stop the world lurching wildly around him.

"You," Sousuke told him, putting his arm around Gin's waist to guide him inside, "Are going to bed."

"Am I gonna sleep wif you?" Gin wondered aloud, leaning against him for support. Though really Aizen was the only thing keeping him upright. "Cuz I wanna."

Sousuke smiled to himself. Gin truly was adorable when he was begging for things. It was utterly charming.

"Now, when you say sleep," he asked, his amusement growing, "Do you mean 'sleep', or are you expressing a desire for sex?"

Gin's grin widened at the word. "Sex." he said, and then immediately burst into a fit of immature cackling at the word, leaving Sousuke to press his lips together.

So. This is it, then. Aizen thought to himself. The first test of my self-control.

He sighed quietly. Of course, he did want to bed Gin. To hear his darling moan and beg for him. To touch Gin's pretty soft skin and kiss those lips again and again. He wanted it. Dreamed of it, even. But with Gin in his current state, mind addled with drink and very much inebriated, he very much doubted Gin would remember any of it when the sun came up. Gin might even regret it when he came to his senses. And he didn't want that. He wanted Gin to remember their first time together. For it to be something Gin would enjoy and not something he'd end up regretting. Call him a hopeless romantic, but he wanted Gin's first night with him to be a bit more than a quick drunk fuck.

"Whilst I think that is a wonderful idea, Gin, you are simply too drunk at the moment. Perhaps another time."

He heard Gin's frustrated, disappointed sigh, and couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips. Well, at least he desires me.

"Okay," Gin huffed. "I'll jus' sleep."

"Alright." Sousuke said gently, "Now come along, I'll take you to bed."

"Where's th' bed?" Gin asked, letting Sousuke lead him towards the stairs.

"It's just up here." Sousuke answered, holding Gin up so he wouldn't fall. Because Gin was rather unsteady and it wouldn't do if he fell on the stairs. "There's a step just here so be careful."

They got about three stairs up before Gin stumbled again, his co-ordination severely lacking.

"Gin?" Sousuke asked him, "Are you alright?"

"Th' world's spinnin' again..." Gin said, squeezing his eyes shut and on his hands and knees on the stairs. Trying desperately to focus through the dizziness.

"Do you think you can stand up?" Sousuke asked him, to which Gin only shook his head.

"Can't."

Sousuke shook his head. Clearly Gin wasn't going to be able to walk up the stairs on his own. So, moving quickly, he crouched beside Gin and let his hand rest on Gin's back.

"Okay, Gin, I'm going to carry you up." he said softly, "So just put your arm around me, alright?"

Gin nodded, and slowly did as he was told. He knelt up and put his arm around Sousuke's shoulders. Sousuke slowly helped Gin to his feet, and then scooped the boy up into his arms and proceeded to carry him up the stairs. One arm under Gin's legs and the other holding Gin's back, cradling Gin close to him.

"M'sorry I drank too much..." Gin murmured, "n' can't stand up no more..."

"Shh, don't worry about that now." Sousuke soothed him, "Let's just focus on getting you into bed to sleep off the dizziness."

Gin sighed sleepily, his head resting against Sousuke's chest, "Okay, Sousuke."

Sousuke just smiled softly and shook his head as he carried Gin into the bedroom and setting him on the bed, quietly praising his past self for changing the bedsheets as Gin sat with his legs dangling over the edge of the bed.

"Okay," he said to Gin, "Let me take your shoes off and then you can climb in."

"Oh." Gin looked at him, puzzled, "Bu' shouldn' I take me clothes off first?"

Sousuke pressed his lips together again, firmly this time. Good gods, you do plan on testing the control I have over myself, don't you?

"It doesn't matter." Sousuke told him, kneeling to take off both Gin's shoes. Slipping one off first, then the other and setting them by the bed on the floor. "Just climb in. I'll wash them for you tomorrow."

Gin shrugged, but did as he was told, crawling in between the soft, clean cotton bedsheets.

"I feel bad." Gin groaned, laying his head back onto the pillow and covering his eyes with his arm. "Me heads swimmin'."

Sousuke stood over him, watching with concern, hoping Gin wouldn't be sick again. He let his hand carefully stroke Gin's silver hair for a moment. He sighed softly and walked across the room to retrieve his plastic waste bin and place it on the floor by Gin's side. Within easy reach, should he feel sick again.

"Gin," he said quietly, sitting beside him on the bed, "If you feel sick again in the night, there's a bucket you can use, alright."

"Mmkay." Gin murmured, burying himself under the duvet, "G'night Sousuke."

"Goodnight, Gin."

Sousuke smiled tenderly at his Gin, stroking his beautiful silver hair and watching as Gin's eyelids slowly closed and his breathing slowed. When he was certain Gin was fast asleep, he leant over to place a soft kiss on his forehead before changing into a sleeping robe and settling down to sleep in the space beside Gin.

. . .

It was the sunlight hitting his eyelids that first stirred Gin from his sleep. The brightness filtered into the room through the blinds, and at first Gin resisted it. Choosing to roll over and hide under his duvet, in the warm and cozy softness of the bed. Gin sighed softly. He always did like being in bed. Especially on cold days. Even more so on days when he didn't have to wake up early to go to his lectures, which was the case today. He smiled to himself as he buried further under the covers, hiding from the sun because the light hurt his eyes and made his head pound monstrously. His throat was dry, too. He knew he'd have to get up eventually, but for the moment he wanted to stay in his warm and comfortable bed. It certainly was more comfortable than usual today...

The thought brought Gin up short. His bed did indeed feel strange. Unless, the thought dawned on him slowly, unless this aint my bed.

Gin pushed the duvet down and away from his face and looked around him, wincing as his head pounded and the light hit his eyes. He startled when he caught sight of Aizen fast asleep beside him, and quickly remembered the events of the previous night. The dinner, the flirting, the kissing...

Oh gods, Gin thought, terrified, feeling heat rush to his face, I... we didn't... did we?

Gin could feel his heart begin to race, his palms start to sweat, and anxiety start to claw at his insides and squeeze his chest making it difficult to breathe.

We didn' do it, did we? I don' remember. Oh god, what if we did an' I don't remember?

Breathing became harder after that. It was as if there was a vice around his chest, squeezing the air out of him. He sucked in air, trying desperately to fill his lungs again, feeling his hands shake. Fists clenching the thick duvet so tightly his knuckles went white. It was only the voice of his zanpaktou that cut through his anxiety.

Will you relax? Shinsou told him, He never touched you. He never even undressed you. The only thing he did was take your shoes off.

Gin's sigh of relief was audible. He didn' touch me?

No. Shinsou told him. Again. He never even tried to touch you.

Gin could feel his anxiety melting away. The tightness in his chest loosening as he looked at himself and realised he was still dressed in last night's ykata. Oh, he sighed, That's... that's good.

Yes. Shinsou replied, He just looked after your drunk ass after you puked your guts up when you left the restaurant.

Gin had the grace to at least blush at the remark, cringing at the memory of it. He'd thrown up right after kissing the man, too. The worst possible time for his stomach to decide to violently eject its contents. Now the man would get the wrong idea and assume his kisses were terrible enough to make him sick. Gin hoped he wouldn't think that, but the evidence was not really in his favour. Gin groaned inwardly, covering his face, Why? Why'd I have to go and be sick on him? Why?! Now he's gonna think I hate him.

He lay back down and put his head on the pillow again, watching the man in question sleep beside him. His face, soft and relaxed in sleep, had a charm quite unlike that which he exuded when awake. Sousuke had a certain vulnerable quality about him when he slept, and Gin was highly tempted to reach out over the short distance between them and touch him. To run his fingertips over the soft skin of his forehead, his cheeks, and maybe those lips that kissed him so frequently. He wanted to softly brush the dark mahogany hair out of his eyes so he could get a better look at him.

He's beautiful, Gin thought to himself, I wonder if anyone's ever seen him sleep before, or if he makes them all leave before then.

Gin lifted his hand tentatively, unable to resist the temptation. His fingers reached slowly across the space between them, and slowly, carefully, brushed aside the dark hair off Sousuke's forehead and out of his closed eyes with a soft sigh and a smile on his lips. Aizen truly was a beautiful creature. Why he would even deign to pay notice to someone like Gin was beyond him. After all, the man could have anyone he wanted, man or woman. And he wasn't shy about flaunting that fact, either.

Oh, you big dummy, Shinsou sighed, growing impatient with his master's doubts, I think he's made it very obvious he wants you in his life. Why else would he play his piano for you,, when he's played for no-one else. Or kiss you. Why would he kiss you if he didn't like you?

Gin digested Shinsou's words. That was certainly food for thought. Could the notorious perverted playboy finally be ready to settle down? Gin doubted it. But still, it was a possibility. However tiny, it was still a possibility.

Gin continued gazing at Sousuke's face, letting his fingers roam lazily along the man's cheek and brows. His skin is so soft, Gin noted, surprisingly so.

Gin smiled softly as he traced his fingertips along Sousuke's forehead and then over his temple, flowing down over his jaw line. Quietly wondering to himself if anyone else had touched him like this and what exactly were Aizen Sousuke's intentions towards him, and whether or not he'd have to listen to Rangiku saying I told you so.

Sousuke moaned softly and began to stir. Gin pulled his fingers away just as Aizen's eyes flitted open.

"Hey." Sousuke greeted him, still hazy with sleep. "You're awake."

Gin nodded, settling his hands against his own chest, pretending he hadn't just been exploring the contours of Sousuke's face with his fingertips.

"Yeah, I'm awake."

Gin watched Sousuke's lips curl up into a soft and lazy smile full of the same warmth and affection he'd shown earlier. "How are you feeling?"

Gin tried to smile at him through the killer headache thumping away at his skull from the inside.

"Th' truth?" he asked, "Terrible. Me head feels like someone smashed it with a bat. My throat feels like it's made of sandpaper. An' me stomach's all unsettled." He groaned and covered his eyes in an attempt to block out the sunlight that hurt his eyes and only aggravated his monstrous headache. "An' I made a big fool a meself. I'm never gonna drink again."

The light musical sound of Aizen's laughter drifted into his ears.

"That's what they all say." Sousuke told him gently, "I remember my first hangover was terrible, too."

Gin groaned again and rolled over onto his stomach, burying his face into the pillow. "How does Ran do this every week?" he wondered aloud, though his voice was muffled by the pillow he'd buried his face into, "I feel fuckin' awful."

Gin heard the man's light chuckle again and scowled into the pillow. Great. And now he's laughin' at me.

"Don't worry," Sousuke told him gently, "I'll look after you until you feel better."

Gin pushed himself up onto his forearms and lifted his head up to look at him, confused. "Yer gonna look after me?"

"Of course," Sousuke smiled, "I can't just abandon you after you were ill, that would be cruel."

Gin studied his face, suspicious. But Rangiku's earlier words came back to him.

He'd be good to you.

Was this what she was talking about?

Gin had to smile. "what er ya gonna do?" he asked jokingly, "Make me breakfast in bed?"

Aizen's smile did not change or falter. "If you like. What do you want to eat?"

Gin was surprised by his answer. He knew he shouldn't be, but he was. But again he could feel that warm feeling spread through his chest and diffuse along his limbs...

He'd be good to you.

"So what would you like?" Sousuke asked him, "Omlette? Eggs? I can fry you some bacon if you want bacon."

"Oh." Gin gaped at him, searching for words. He'd been so preoccupied with his thoughts he'd forgotten about the question. "Can I have bacon and eggs?" he asked hesitantly, "With... with baked beans and tomatoes?"

Sousuke smiled warmly at him, the smile reaching his eyes and lighting up his face. "You can have whatever you want." he told Gin. "How many pieces of bacon would you like?"

Gin's smile widened at the thought of hot food. "Can I have two, please?"

Sousuke chuckled again, light and amused. "Of course," he said gently, reaching across the small distance between them to softly caress Gin's face. "You wait here, I'll go make your breakfast."

Gin watched him push the duvet off him and get out of the bed, letting his eyes linger on Sousuke's broad shoulders and strong back as he stretched the kinks out of his body, raising his arms above his head. He imagined what Sousuke might look like under his light sleeping robe. He watched as Sousuke stopped stretching and and lowered his arms again. Sousuke, feeling Gin's eyes on him, turned around to smirk seductively at him.

"Like what you see?" he asked Gin, who turned the most delightful shade of pink at the question.

"Uh, no, I..."

But Sousuke just gave another lighthearted chuckle. "It's alright if you do, you know."

Gin sat in the bed burning with embarrassment at having been caught admiring the man. But that only drew out another good-humoured laugh from Aizen.

"You know," Aizen drawled, "I can always take this off so you can get a proper look."

Gin's cheeks turned ten shades redder, and he could feel the heat in his whole body. He was certain his face was on fire, and that he probably looked like an angry glowing sun. Gin swallowed.

"Tha- that won't be necessary!" he blurted out. But a large part of him couldn't help imagining Sousuke undressing for him. Imagining how those long, clever fingers would undo the knot tying his robe together. How first, he would bare his shoulders with the garment hanging loosely off them, before letting the thing fall to the floor to pool around his feet. Gin's eyes would drink him in, starting with his face and that smug smile of amusement as Gin's gaze wandered over him. His eyes would then wander down his neck and then over his sculpted chest, the muscles well toned and firm. His waist would be narrow, Gin imagined, and his abs toned and stomach flat – no doubt kept that way through years of hard work. The man would stand tall and proud, showing off his magnificent body, smiling like anyone who was beautiful and knew it. Gin would feel his breaths grow heavy as his eyes roamed down the piece of art in front of him, gaze lingering longer than they should on his square hips and then Gin would gasp in wonder as he looked at the man's-

No. Gin ordered himself firmly. I will not go there. I won't think about seeing his penis.

He could hear Shinsou snickering inside his mind. But Gin, you already are.

Gin cleared his throat nervously and wrenched his thoughts back to reality, where a thankfully clothed Aizen was standing in front of him.

"That aint necessary, Aizen-san." Gin reiterated his earlier statement.

"Are you sure?" Aizen asked, still very much amused, "I can tell you're thinking about it."

Gin opened his mouth to speak, but again he found words a struggle. "I..." he managed, but that was all he could say, "I..."

Oh god, Gin thought, panicking, Don't think about his penis, don't think about his penis, don't think about his penis...

Aizen smiled at him, clearly satisfied with the way Gin was all flustered at the idea of seeing him naked. It seemed his Gin really was as innocent as he looked. Perhaps he could push his darling a little bit more, to make his face flush that lovely pink colour again.

"Because I really don't mind undressing for you, Gin." he added, his voice a soft purr, "If you want to take a good look at me."

As expected, Gin turned that nice pink colour, and he couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips at Gin's deep blush.

Aizen-sama, Kyouka Suigetsu chided, Stop teasing the poor thing!

Sousuke softened his smirk into a gentle smile, obeying his zanpaktou. If only because he knew she'd just be difficult if he didn't relent in his teasing of Gin.

"Well, I'll go and make you breakfast," he told Gin, brushing aside his earlier remarks. "You just make yourself comfortable."

And with that, Sousuke turned and walked out of the room, heading down the stairs to the kitchen. Leaving Gin alone in his bed to calm down. Gin watched him until he was out of sight, trying to will the heat and the redness out of his body.