notes: Heir spoilers, if you look hard enough. Setting the stage for some back and forth gameplaying.

Rangiku's enthisiasm here makes me happy. So does the fact that in Heir Gin realises Aizen did love him from the start and all this back and forth trying to win him over was so very unecessary. I'll also go back and touch again on the teacher-student relationship and the age gap in this too, and the scandal of it all.

I'll be referencing a lot of the developments in this in Heir, especially the upcoming stuff, so if you're in the universe you'll see a lot of cross references and throwbacks. Heir is the sole reason Game exists, because I wanted to explore the backstory and play with the language of flowers.

Chapter 14: The Language of Flowers

"Are you sure you can't stay?"

Gin laughed at his comment, light and full of amusement. "It's nearly dinnertime. I've been here all day!" Gin told him, "I gotta go. Else Ran'll be worried about me."

Gin took great satisfaction from Sousuke's sigh of grudging resignation.

"I suppose you're right." Sousuke conceded, "From what you've told me about her, I'd hate to get on her bad side."

Gin smiled, thinking of all the lectures she'd given him over the years. "Me, too."

Sousuke smiled knowingly at him, a smile that suggested they were sharing an inside joke. "So, when will I see you again?"

Gin's smile crept steadily wider as he looked at the man leaning against the doorframe with a lazy, seductive smile on his lips. Reluctant to let Gin leave his porch and venture back to the flat he shared with Rangiku. Gin felt a small surge of triumph at Aizen's reluctance to let him go after their night together. Even though nothing physical happened between them.

"When d'ya wanna see me again?" he asked, trying to sound seductive.

"How about next saturday?" Sousuke supplied.

Gin nodded, "Alright. Next saturday."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Gin felt his cheeks turn pink again as he grinned. "Well," he exclaimed, in an attempt to shift the man's focus away from his red face. "I better get goin', er else Ran's gonna lecture me forever if I'm late fer dinner again."

Sousuke's answer was a lighthearted chuckle, reverberating through his chest, and Gin couldn't help turning a shade pinker in the face. Which Gin knew would only amuse the man further.

"Well if that's the case I have to let you go, then." Sousuke answered, the amused tone never once leaving his voice, "But you might want to take this with you."

"This?" Gin asked.

"This."

Gin's eyes were drawn immediately to the red bloom in Sousuke's hand – the tulip he'd given Gin earlier – seemingly produced from nowhere. Gin's eyes then took in the rather satisfied smirk on his face.

"Oh," Gin said softly, "This."

He reached out to take the tulip from Sousuke, and held the flower close to him.

"Thankyou."

"It was my pleasure," Sousuke told him, in that low, drawling voice of his, that made Gin feel like like the words were crafted solely for his ears.

"Now," Sousuke added, using those same low husky tones, looking at Gin through heavily lidded bedroom eyes, "Can I at least get a kiss before you go?"

Gin grinned at him, deciding to oblige him. Just this once. "Alright. Just one, though. I know what yer like, once ya start ya can't stop, and 'fore ya know it I'll be here all night, too."

Sousuke smiled seductively at him, "Well then, if I only get one, I guess I better make it good."

"Yes," Gin agreed, "You should."

Sousuke's smile widened and he leant in to capture Gin's lips with his own. His fingertips, followed by his palm, gently caressing the soft skin of Gin's cheek, slowly moving down to his neck.

Automatically, Gin's arms lifted up and wrapped themselves around Aizen's neck, his tongue slowly caressing the older man's tongue. Engaging in an intensely passionate and deep kiss, one that despite Gin's best efforts, drew a soft little moan out of him. It wasn't long after that when Sousuke pulled away from him, smiling tenderly.

"Okay," Gin said, a little breathless from the kiss, and keenly aware they were standing in Sousuke's front doorway, in view of all his neighbours should they be looking through their windows. "I really gotta go now."

Gin turned to leave, and took a step forward, only to find his wrist trapped in the man's grip.

"Oh, just one more kiss," Sousuke grinned, "Just one more, before you go."

Gin sighed in mock frustration. "Ya see, ya can't just have one."

"What if I said please?"

"Yer hopeless."

"Only when it comes to you." Sousuke beamed at him, "So what do you say? Just one more?"

Gin studied him, sceptical. "Just one." he conceded, and was immediately yanked in close for another passionate and hungry kiss.

This time, it was Gin who pulled away. "Alright. I really, really gotta go now."

Sousuke sighed softly, clearly disappointed by this. And Gin's smile widened just a touch.

"If you must." Sousuke said, recovering his easy smile again. Resigning himself to giving his Gin just one last quick peck on the lips. Clearly still not having gotten enough of him. "I'll see you in class on monday."

"Yes," Gin breathed, fighting the urge to blush again with the realisation that despite everything between them, Aizen Sousuke was still, in fact, his teacher. And that their relationship was entirely inappropriate. "Monday."

"If I don't see you before then, of course."

"Yes," Gin nodded, "Of course."

"Alright," Sousuke smiled, "You better go. I'll call you later."

"Okay," Gin answered, "I'll see you later."

Sousuke held his hand up to shoulder height and waved to Gin, watching his darling as he jogged up the path away from his house and disappeared down the road back home. When Gin was out of his sight, he leant against the doorframe with a lazy, yet very satisfied smile on his face. He sighed, perfectly content for the first time in what had been a very long time. After a moment, he turned and retreated back into the house.

What was that you were saying about him falling for you first? Kyouka Suigetsu asked, the smugness permeating her tone. She was determined to get a rise out of him. To get a reaction. He could tell she was itching to say I told you so. But he ignored her, choosing instead to boil the kettle for another cup of tea, and adding a little more water to the lovely pink hyacinths in the crystal vase on his dining table in the kitchen. Freshly cut today because Gin had said he liked them. He could still hear his darling's light, musical voice in his head.

Oh, I think those are my favourite.

Sousuke smiled to himself as he set the vase back down after filling it from the tap. Pink hyacinth. In the language of flowers, meaning, game, or play.

How very appropriate, Sousuke thought, sipping his tea as he sat at the table with his drink.

Yes. Sousuke had answered at the time, I think those are my favourites, too.

His grin widened. Of course, he, unlike Gin, knew the meaning of the pink hyacinth. He knew the meaning of the red tulip, too. And he knew it would only be a matter of time before Gin did too. Because his Gin was clever. And if he were honest, that was part of what attracted him to Gin.

You really think he'll work it out? Kyouka asked.

Yes. If he's half as clever as I give him credit for, he'll work it out. And then he'll come back with a flower of his own in response.

Sousuke took another sip of his tea and, feeling it warm up his insides. Of course, it couldn't even compare to the warm feeling he got when he kissed Gin, but it was very pleasant nonetheless. And if he gets stuck, I'm sure his little friend Matsumoto will help him out.

And what if he sees right through you? She asked, what if he sees your act for what it is?

Well, he smiled, Then that makes things a bit more interesting, don't you agree?

Hm. She snorted her disagreement. I agree you're deluding yourself with this little game of yours.

. . .

Gin walked down the street, staring at his bright red tulip and twirling the stem around in his fingers. Trying to work out what it meant. Cursing the fact that when he'd had Sousuke's flower dictionary in his hands that morning, he hadn't looked up the meaning of red tulips. But he soothed his frustrations by reminding himself that he couldn't see the future. That he couldn't have known Sousuke would give him a red tulip. He could, however, analyse Aizen's actions and try to work out Aizen's true intentions towards him. Calculate whether Sousuke was serious about pursuing a relationship with him. And if it turned out he wasn't, well... the man knew where the exit was.

But if Gin could make him serious about being with him, being together, he might just stand a chance against all Aizen's previous affairs. To do that, Gin knew he'd have to plan his next moves very carefully. Like in a chess game. And that involved working out what a red tulip meant in the language of flowers. Perhaps there were some books on it in the library he could borrow. Though a part of him did wish Aizen had told him what the flower meant so he knew how to react. How to feel. So he didn't have to do all this running around and looking things up. So he knew whether or not he could trust the man.

Gin sighed. He could always ask Ran for advice, but her view of their relationship would be very rose tinted. Especially if she knew what happened that morning between them in his bed. She'd only see what lay on the surface, not the full extent of the game Aizen was playing with him. The tip of the iceberg as it were.

What was that about, anyway? Giving him the flower and talking about context and the flower language. Was it so hard to just come out and say what he wanted? It was all so confusing and unnecessary.

But if it was a game Aizen wanted, Gin would just have to grit his teeth and will himself to be a player if he wanted the man's full, undivided attention. It was the only way to make Sousuke look at him, and only him. The only way to make the man love him.

But, to do that, he needed a bit of help. And since Shinsou was the best part of useless with these situations, Rangiku was his best bet. Even if she did have a very rose tinted view of things. But she'd know the flower language, and she could navigate these waters easier than he could. So she'd point him in the right direction.

If she didn't tear him a new one for being gone so long. She did worry about him.

By the time he walked into their apartment, she pounced.

"There you are!" she beamed at him, laying sprawled out on the sofa, "I was beginning to think you'd never come back."

"Ah, yeah, about that..." Gin rubbed the back of his head as he moved into the front room, looking rather sheepish. "Things happened and I kinda got distracted."

That piqued her attention.

"Ohhh, things," she smirked, her tone mischievous as she sat up on the sofa, "What kind of things?"

Gin did his best to fight the redness rushing to his cheeks at the memory of that morning. The kissing. That gorgeous mouth pleasing him...

"Aha, well... ya see..."

He watched her grin widen exponentially. So much so that he feared it might split her cheeks open.

"Oh, I knew it would go well!" she was bubbling over with excitement now, her voice loud and excitable, "Come! Sit down! Tell me everything!"

"Everything?" Gin asked, dreading telling her the events of earlier that morning.

"Everything!" She trilled. Dragging him by the arm to sit on the sofa beside her. She made his behind sit on the cushion, and Gin knew he'd get no rest until she got at least some information.

"Alright," he sighed. But I'm not telling you everything. Especially not about this morning.

"Oh, but first," Gin said, holding up his tulip, "do you have a vase I can put this in?"

She paused and stared at the flower, with a surprised and curious look on her face. "Where'd you get that?"

"From 'is garden." Gin admitted, a shy smile betraying him as he looked down at the flower in his hand. He'd meant to sound indifferent, but his body was continuing on with it's traitorous ways. "He gave it to me. Said somethin' about the flower language and context and it bein' appropriate. I dunno what he meant."

She thought for a moment before getting to her feet, "There's a small vase in the cupboard with the mugs and glasses." she told him, "You wait here, I'll just go get my flower dictionary."

And with that, she jogged out of the room and disappeared, leaving Gin alone. He could hear her rummaging about upstairs. It surprised him how she could ever find anything in that mess of a room. It always looked like a tornado had passed through it. But she did. He supposed when it came to her bedroom, she liked chaos.

He sighed softly, moving into the kitchen to get a vase out of the cupboard. He found a small one, made of transparent crystal, just large enough for two or three flowers to sit comfortably. It was tall and narrow, so it didn't take up much space either. Gin decided it would serve.

He set his tulip on the work surface and filled the vase with water, after which he put in his tulip. Smiling with satisfaction, he took a moment to take a closer look at the bloom. It was still unopened, though the petals were a brilliant red already. Bold against the light coloured surface the vase sat on. A stand-out flower if ever Gin saw one.

What will it look like when it opens? He wondered, but he supposed he'd find out in a few days when nature took its course. Gin held the vase in his hands and carried it carefully back into the living room. Gently, he set it down on the coffee table, right in the centre, and sat on the sofa to wait for his best friend to return with the information he sought.

She came back into the room with the book in her hands, scanning the flowers and their meanings on the pages as she walked.

"Okay, tulip, tulip... where is the tulip?"

She sat down on the sofa beside him and studied the page, brows furrowed in concentration. Gin peered over her shoulder, hoping to see the meaning of his tulip before she did, but Rangiku was quicker. He knew she'd found it when he heard her little squeal of excitement and caught sight of her grin widening exponentially.

"What?" Gin prodded her, "what's it mean?"

"Here, read it," she urged, shoving the book into his hands, "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

Gin sighed. "Fine. But I don't see why ya couldn' jus' tell me."

Gin's eyes turned down to look at the book and began scanning for the entry for red tulips.

"Just there," Rangiku pointed to the bottom of the page, "Third one from the bottom."

"Thanks." Gin answered, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at her over-eagerness. Seriously, you'd think she were the one with a new love interest instead of him. But he found the entry anyway, and holding the book up to his face, began to read.

"Tulip, red. A declaration or confession of love."

Gin lowered the book to his lap again, torn between being flattered and very displeased. "What?" He asked. "Tha' fool's known me fer all of a day! How can he possibly love me?!"

"You see!" Rangiku gently nudged him with her elbow, completely ignoring his comment. "I told you he loved you! Ohhh, and he told you with the language of flowers... now that's romantic. He's showing you his sweet side, Gin, that he cares about you."

Gin rolled his eyes. "Jeez, no wonder yer all excited." he said sarcastically.

"Aren't you?" she countered, "I would be if I were you. He's giving you his heart. I'm telling you, it's love."

"And I'm telling you yer seeing things through rose coloured glasses." Gin answered back. "He's known me fer only a day! How can he love me in so short a time? It aint possible."

"It is." she told him, smiling and shaking her head slowly, "Gin, you're amazing. The real question is how can he not love you."

Gin couldn't help the smile that crossed his face at her words. At the memory of his words from last night.

You're clever, you're beautiful, you're passionate.

"That sounds like what he said." Gin admitted. Begrudgingly.

"Because it's true!" she grinned, "Is that what he told you?"

"Well," Gin began, "I asked him why me? Which, ya know, is a legitimate question since he could have anyone he wanted. And he just-" Gin paused, smiled softly, and recounted what Sousuke told him. "He rattled off a list of things. He said I was clever, caring, beautiful, an'..."

"Go on," she prompted when his sentence died off. Wanting more details. "What else did he say?"

Gin took a moment to breathe. Trying not to think of those lips and those kisses and thinking of nothing else.

You can tell I'm passionate?

Well, I'd say the kiss you gave me was very passionate.

"He said I were passionate. That he liked that about me."

Rangiku's face brightened upon hearing the word 'passionate'. Her eyes lit up and she had the biggest grin on her face – one that could give even Gin's a run for its money.

"And?" she prodded.

"And what?"

"How did he know you were passionate?" she pressed, her elbow nudges growing more insistent.

"Ummm..."

Rangiku gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth in her surprise, "Did you kiss?"

Gin opened his mouth in search of words. "I..."

Oh my god, you did!" she squealed, simply beside herself with joy. "You did! You really did! You kissed him!"

Gin cringed. "Jeez, Ran, say it a bit louder I think there's someone in the Rukongai Districts who didn' hear ya properly."

"Oh, I'm so happy for you!" she sang, clasping her hands together under her chin, "I knew it. I knew he liked you."

Gin shook his head at her obliviousness to his sarcasm and smiled softly, sitting back on the sofa. "I know, ya said." his grin widened, "Ya said it a lot."

She smiled brightly back at him, overjoyed things between them were going so well. That they liked each other. That they were kissing. The man was clearly smitten with Gin. Hell, you could see the signs from space. And she was glad that Gin was beginning to see that. If he could see that, then there was a lot of room for him and Sousuke to fall in love, maybe get married, have a baby maybe...

She imagined their son would look like Aizen-san.

"Well, duh." she said, flicking her short hair back over her shoulder. "I said it because it's true. I really don't know why it took you so long to figure it out. But I'm still really happy for you."

Gin had to smile at her. "Thanks, Ran."

"So..." Rangiku grinned slyly, "How was it?"

Gin looked across at her, a little confused. "How was what?"

"His kiss of course!" She was bubbling over with excitement, eager for more details. "You have to tell me!"

"Ran!" Gin hissed, blushing the colour of the tulip on the coffee table, "Ya can't ask that!"

"Yes I can," she purred softly, "Come on, tell me? Please? I told you about Shuuhei."

Gin breathed in deeply and gave a soft sigh, knowing she wouldn't let it drop until he told her. But he knew her curiosity came from a place of caring. Just like his own had been when she first began dating Shuuhei. He'd just wanted to look out for her, share in her newfound joy. She just wanted to do the same for him.

"It was..." Gin's smile morphed into a soft and tender one, "It was nice. And slow. And gentle an'..." Gin sighed softly and closed his eyes gently, recalling those soft lips, that warm wet tongue caressing his own. The moths fluttering around in his belly... "Passionate."

He heard her sigh beside him, soft and slow. "Oh, Gin. That sounds perfect."

"Gin smiled, "It was." he admitted. "He didn' even make me feel bad about me not bein' very good at it."

Gin remembered laughing nervously after exchanging another kiss with the man. They were sitting on the grass together in his garden.

"I aint very good at this, am I?" Gin asked him, laughter high and nervous bubbling out of him.

"It's alright," Sousuke told him, "You'll get better at it. Personally I think you're perfect the way you are, kisses and all. But if it makes you feel better I can always help you practice."

"What did he say?" Rangiku asked gently, voice hushed, waiting for Gin to open up to her. Quietly enjoying seeing his smile being so tender as he talked about the person he loved.

"He said... I'm perfect the way I am."

"Oh," Rangiku swooned, raising a hand to gently rest on her chest, just underneath her collarbones. "Oh, that's so sweet. He's been a perfect gentleman with you." She sighed again and lowered her hand to her lap again, "I mean, I was a bit worried at the start what with his reputation and all, but when I saw the way he looked at you, I knew he was a total goner."

"That perked Gin's interest. "Hm? You worried about his reputation too?"

"Of course I did!" she answered, "You're my best friend. I want him to treat you well! And I was prepared to beat him into the dirt if he hurt you."

That made Gin's chest grow warm and his smile soften considerably.

"But I knew when I saw the way he looked at you, that he would treat you right. That you wouldn't be another one of his floozies."

Gin failed to stifle his incredulous laugh at the last word. "Floozies?"

"You know, meaningless flings. One night stands." she explained, waving her hand dismissively, "But don't worry, you'll be different. He loves you."

Gin smiled. No, not right now, he thought, But he will. I just hafta get his attention and keep it. I hafta beat him at his own game.

"Yeah," Gin said softly, "I guess he does."

He caught sight of Rangiku's bright, wide grin, and he couldn't help the widening of his own grin in answer to hers.

"So, what are you going to answer his tulip with?" she asked.

"Answer?" Gin echoed, "Answer how? With what?"

"With another flower," she told him, "You have to give him an answer!" she urged him, "Something encouraging, like... ambrosia, for love returned. That's the best answer. I guess you could also go with a red rose for love, or maybe myrtle, but those are too conventional. You need to keep his interest with something different. Hmm, let me see what's in here..."

She took the book from him and he watched her flick through the pages of her flower dictionary, the tip of her tongue poking out over her top lip in concentration. Gin waiting curiously to hear her next suggestions.

"You can choose garden daisy," she continued, "To say, I share your sentiments. That's a sweet response."

She turned a few more pages of the dictionary, looking thoughtful as she scanned through each of the different flowers and their meanings. Assessing the suitability of the meanings as replies Gin could use for Aizen's tulip. After a few quiet moments passed, her face cracked into a huge grin again.

"Ohhh, ohh, this is the best one!" she sang, her excitement evident. "Coreopsis arkansa: love at first sight. Because really, anyone paying attention could see the spark between you two when you first laid eyes on each other. I mean," she laughed a little, "The guy even dropped his chalk the moment he clapped eyes on you, for goodness sake. And you haven't been as ignorant of him as you've made out. You love him, too."

Gin had to stop and think about that. Did he love Sousuke? Gin wasn't even sure if what he felt even was love. How could he respond to the tulip the way Ran wanted him to if he wasn't even sure himself about his feelings? It certainly was a lot to think about.

Idly he wondered if there was a flower for Doubt, too. He'd have to look it up.

He must have looked awfully confused and overwhelmed, because the next thing he knew, she was holding the flower dictionary in front of his face.

"Here," she said, "I know it's a lot to think about, so I'll let you borrow my flower dictionary, so you can see all your options."

"Oh," Gin said softly, gently taking the little book out of her hands, "Thanks."

"Now remember," she told him, "Your flower must be chosen with care and thought, and be an expression of your real emotions. So have a think, read the book, and just be honest about how you feel."

Gin smiled across at her, thankful he had some information now on this new language he'd been introduced to. "Thankyou, Ran. I'll give it some thought and come up with a good answer for him. I promise."

"Good to hear," she beamed at him, pleased that he'd taken her suggestion to heart. "I look forward to seeing what your reply is."

Gin grinned at her as she smiled.

"Oh, yeah," she said, "I meant to say when you came in, nice yukata." she smiled, "Is it new?"

"No," Gin told her. "Not exactly."

"Where'd you get it?"

"I..." Gin began, debating with himself how much to reveal. "I borrowed it."

"From who?" she prompted, but gin just gave her a look that said she knew who from.

"Sousuke." she said.

Gin nodded. "I was sick cuz I drank too much last night, and he let me borrow this while he washes my clothes."

"You know, you've landed a real gentleman," Rangiku cooed, "He spared you the walk of shame."

"And that's such a big deal, because?" Gin prodded her, hoping for an explanation. Because he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Because," she explained, "Usually he just lets his partners go home in the morning still wearing last nights clothes and looking all dishevelled."

Gin grimaced at the thought of walking home early in the morning still wearing the clothes he wore last night. With people whispering and gossiping about him, pointing their fingers. Feeling their eyes glued onto him the entire way home. And the knowledge that the gossip about him wouldn't stop there, that it would continue for days if not weeks on end, eating away at him with every step he took... Gin didn't think he could survive that.

"Jeez. People really do that? It sounds so mortifyin'."

"Oh, it is." she agreed, "Some of the stories my girlfriends told me are so embarrassing. But it's sweet how he didn't want that for you and let you wear his clothes. "

Gin thought about it for a moment. "He really makes em walk home like that?"

"Yep." Rangiku told him. "Usually he doesn't even make them breakfast."

"Oh," Gin said, a sheepish smile spreading across his face. "I guess now's a good time to mention he made me breakfast in bed?"

"Yes!" Rangiku could barely contain her excitement. "You didn't tell me that!"

"Sorry," Gin smiled, "I completely forgot until you mentioned breakfast."

"Gin, I want you to marry that man."

"I think it's a bit early fer that don't ya think?"

"I don't." Rangiku smiled. "But I suppose you're right, there's still time yet."

Gin shook his head slowly and let her scheme up his wedding to Aizen-san. It was best to let her scheme and not interfere with it. A lesson he learnt the hard way.

"Man," she sighed, leaning her head back on the sofa, "I can't believe he made you breakfast. You see, I told you he'd be good to you and this is proof."

Gin couldn't find any argument against that. Couldn't say anything to dispute it.

"Hm, I guess you're right." Gin admitted, however much he begrudged it.

But that doesn't mean I trust him, or that I can trust anthin' that fool says.

But the thought was tugging at him that maybe, just maybe there was some truth in what Rangiku said about him, too.