Thank you so much to

VampireSiren (oh, yes he did!)

XxAlexMarihaReyesxX (thank you very much!)

Myra Cifer (aww, thank you!)

KhAeL (I'm glad you liked it!)

safa56bmc (tee hee, you are very in tune with Aizen's personality...)

HauntedMonster (XD)

and to the Guest (thank you so much if you read this, that means a lot)

I'm glad you are all enjoying it so far.

Warnings: AU plot, slight OOC'ness, mentions of mature situations

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, nor do I claim to.

Noa blinked several times, as if to clear her eyes and make the scene in front of her disappear. It wasn't working.

"Are you alright?" Aizen asked slowly as the bewildered woman gaped at him. "You look a little...shocked."

Noa shook her head wearily. "Wha-what happened?" She rasped, throat sore from sleeping off a hangover. "Why am I in your bed-" She pulled the blanket away and peered at her body. "-wearing only underwear?"

Aizen's brow raised in amusement. "What do you think happened? You're a smart girl- use your head."

Moaning, Noa covered her face with her hands. 'Oh my god. I can't believe I'm hearing this.'

With a smirk, Aizen walked from the doorway and went to the window across from the bed, sitting against the sill and looking at Noa curiously. "You don't remember anything?"

Shrugging, Noa sighed. "Bits and pieces. My head is still a little foggy..."

…

..

.

Stumbling from the car, Noa looked up at the huge apartment building in front of her. Her lips, swollen from Aizen's delicate ministrations, parted into an 'O' shape as she leaned back as far as she could with falling over. "You live here? It's huge!"

"Yes," Aizen answered, coming up behind her and grasping her around the waist. "One of several places I live. The most convenient out of them, by far." Pulling her along, he led her through the wide doors and into the lobby of the building, nodding to the doorman as they passed.

"Whi-which floor do you live on?" Noa asked as they got into the elevator. Aizen smirked and pressed the button for the 53rd, floor, two down from the top.

"You seem to be handling your liquor strangely," he observed as his hands stroked up and down her torso. Noa was surprised, and aroused. The sensible careful Noa had been replaced by the buried go with the flow Noa, and that Noa liked Aizen very much right now. Her sense were dulled slightly from the alcohol, but she could still feel the raw power rolling off him, and it was tempting and delicious.

By the time the elevator slowed to a stop, Noa's lips were swollen and raw. She followed Aizen out and onto the empty floor, where he pulled out a thin card from his pocket and slid it in the slot on the door. Noa let him lead her inside.

The apartment was dark, but she could tell it was easily ten times and big as her apartment. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the view outside the window directly in front of her, but before she could investigate Aizen had pushed her against the couch and begun to peel off her clothes.

…

..

.

Aizen's smirk only grew. "Well, why don't you stay here until your head clears. Can't have you stumbling down the street like this." Rising from his spot, he grabbed his jacket from where it was slung over a chair and threw it over his shoulders. "I have to head into the office right now, but I'll be back before long and I'll take you home then. Feel free to use the bathroom and kitchen to their fullest."

Noa merely nodded, not looking at him. She waited until his footsteps faded and she heard the door click shut to untangle herself from the sheets and stumble out of bed. Going over to the window, she pulled the curtains shut, trying to alleviate the headache she felt coming on.

'I can't believe this happened,' she scolded herself as she picked up what articles of clothing she found on the floor. 'This is the last place I ever wanted to be...'

'Or is it?' A nasty voice whispered in the back of her head. 'Face it, you wanted him. If you really didn't, you would have put a stop to it before it even happened last night. You weren't that out of it.'

Frowning, Noa pushed away those thoughts and sat on the bed, wondering what to do. Her head hurt, her body hurt, and her pride hurt. 'Am I really the kind of person who does this kind of thing?' She had never imagined herself as such. 'I hope he doesn't think I slept with him because I want a better position or anything!' She had heard stories of people who had sex or done other favors for their superiors in order to rise in business or get payed more. 'I'm not-I would never do that...'

Sighing, she rose once more and headed to where the master bathroom was, figuring a hot shower might clear her head. She opened the door, eyes widening as she took in the sight. 'His bathroom is bigger than half my apartment!'

A large shower, big enough to fit at least three people of Aizen's size, was at the back of the large tiled room, along with a massive jacuzzi tub. White and gray tile decorated the floor and walls, with modern fixtures and counters lining the wall closest to her. 'How can one person need this much space?'

Going over to the counter, she turned on the cold water at the sink and splashed her face. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she looked up in the mirror and gasped.

She had bite marks everywhere, dotting her body from neck to thighs. They were across her shoulders and collarbone, above and below her breasts, down her stomach and along her pelvic bone. In-between her thighs and down the back of her knee, tiny red marks and bruises were evidence of the night she had spent with Aizen- who was apparently verydominant. She didn't remember the more intricate details from last night, but her body ached in suggestive ways.

Muttering curses and swears, Noa went to the shower and turned on the faucets. Steam and water began to pour from holes dotting the shower, and after a few minutes of standing in the warmth Noa could feel her head clearing. She scrubbed herself from head to toe, wincing whenever she touched one of the bruises. Once she finished, she wrapped a fluffy red towel around her body and hair and went back into the bedroom.

Spotting an open door that led to a large closet, Noa wondered if Aizen would care if she wore something of his. Her clothes seemed to be scattered across the apartment, some of them in pieces.

'He won't care,' she decided after peeking inside the luxurious closet and seeing the rows and shelves of clothes hidden within. Most of his shirts were shades of white, gray and black, but a powder blue button-up caught her eye, standing out amongst the drabber colors. It reached to mid thigh when she put it on. 'Good enough for now.'

Feeling braver, she decided to check out the rest of his apartment while she had the chance. 'Who knows if I'll ever be in a place this nice again?' His bedroom was at the end of a hall dotted with three other doors, all more bedrooms, albeit all smaller than the one she was just in. Around the corner was the sitting room where the large window was- connected to it was a kitchen filled with state-of-the-art appliances and across from that was a large dining room. In the light, the whole thing looked much more spacious and grand. The walls were bare save for the occasional piece of fine art or pottery. Several bookcases lined the sitting room walls, filled with books. A door to her right revealed an office, which she left alone.

Remembering what Aizen had said, Noa went to the kitchen and made herself a cup of strong coffee. Sipping the potent mixture, she sat on the couch facing the window, legs curled up next to her. 'He has a nice view here as well,'she thought, looking out the crystal clear window to the city below. She was too high up to make out the fine details below her, but the view to the horizon was magnificent.

The apartment was quiet, she realized after a few moments. Not the kind of quiet she associated with work, though. This was a different kind of quiet, a lonely kind of quiet. Everything here was modern and state of the art, the best money could buy, but it was so empty. Growing up, her family always had nice things, but they were used regularly, touched by bodies and hands filled with love and care. Here everything was made of ice, cold to the touch. She wondered how many girls Aizen had brought here like she had been, how many had awoken in his bed and sat on this couch. 'This place is so sad.'

She sat her mug on the low glass table in front of her and laid her head on the arm of the couch. The sun pouring in from the window warmed her bare legs, and she was becoming comfortably drowsy despite the copious amount of coffee she had. Yawning, she wrapped her arms around herself, both awaiting and dreading Aizen's return. She rubbed her collarbone, the sore spots still red and visible. 'I kind of wish I could remember a little more,' she realized, blushing. Fragments played in her head, like pieces out of a movie. Her body remembered more than her mind did. She winced as her fingers passed over one particularly sore bruise. 'But then again, maybe not...'

-0-

-0-

The building was always quiet, but the weekends were quieter than usual. Aizen didn't mind; in fact, he was enjoying the calm silence.

Smirking, he pulled another folder across the desk and opened it. He had been enjoying quite a bit over the last twelve or so hours. He honestly hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. 'I was prepared for much more resistance on her end. Funny how things end up sometimes...'

He had awoken much earlier than Noa had. Her stamina was admirable, but it was no where up to his own endurance. She had succumbed to exhaustion in the wee hours of the morning, wrapping her damp body in his sheets and passing out in a half-drunken euphoria. He had laid awake for another hour, basking in the glow and planning ahead. 'If things keep going this smoothly I'll have the Ueshima shares before next season.'

As the sun rose in the East he had climbed out of bed and showered, Noa still fast asleep. After changing into his most casual work attire, he made himself his usual cup of morning tea and waited for Noa to wake up. He watched her for a while, making notes in his head. His tea was nearly gone before she finally awoke, and it was apparent she was completely lost. 'I wonder how much she remembers.'

Before long his work was finished, what little of it there was to do. He could have postponed coming in today, but it gave both he and Noa a chance to gather their thoughts alone. Besides, he didn't like leaving things unfinished- the less messy things were, the better. He didn't get the position he was in by procrastinating.

After leaving, he drove slowly through the midday traffic, in no hurry at all. Everything was going so well, why try to rush things at this point?

-0-

-0-

Noa was nearly asleep when she heard the front door being opened. Rubbing the drool off her face in embarrassment, she sat up on the couch, looking wary as Aizen stepped inside and threw his jacket onto a chair.

"Feeling better?" He asked, going into the kitchen a flipping a switch on an electric kettle. Noa shrugged, watching as he pulled two cups out of a cupboard and sat them on the counter.

"I-I think we need to talk..." She said, trying to sound braver than she felt. Aizen looked up at her as he filled the two cups with steaming water and dunked two teabags into them.

"Talk? About what?" He replied, walking into the sitting area and handing her a cup. Taking it, Noa held the warmth in between her fingers, staring into the golden liquid.

"About last night."

Frowning, Aizen sipped from his tea and sat down in a chair to her left. "That wasn't your first time, was it?"

"N-no!" Noa exclaimed, sitting straighter and blushing. "It wasn't. I just...I didn't want you to think that this is a regular thing for me. I don't go around sleeping with people whenever I drink to much, last night was just..."

Aizen smiled. "Just what?"

She shrugged, embarrassed. "Just different."

He looked at her strangely. "So you aren't involved with anyone and these 'kinds of things' aren't a regular occurrence for you, but with me it's...different?"

Noa frowned. "Yeah. Basically."

A small chuckle, and Aizen sat back into his chair. "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an offense."

Noa could feel her face growing pinker. "S-sorry..."

"No, don't be." Aizen sat his cup down on the table. "And honestly, despite whatever rumors you may have heard, these 'kinds of things' aren't a regular occurrence for me either."

'That's...not what I was expecting to hear.' Sipping slowly from her cup, she enjoyed the taste and smell of vanilla for a few moments. A thought suddenly occurred to her, and there was a strange feeling in her chest. She looked up, and Aizen was gazing at her intently, in a way that made her want to shrink into the couch.

"Forgive me if this sounds...rude, sir, but...why me?" 'You have the literal pick of the crop. You could have any woman you wanted- they'd all jump at the opportunity to get a piece of you. Why on Earth did you take me home?'

Aizen smiled softly. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Noa." Her stomach fluttered as he used her first name. It sounded so intimate.

"You and I are more alike than you realize," Aizen said. "Granted, there are many things that are and will remain different about us, but there is a similarity there."

"I will confess that you are most intriguing, and I have been quite...interested in you ever since that night at the gala," he continued. "I'm sure you've seen the majority of women who throw themselves at me; they're shallow, insignificant creatures. You have quite a bit more...depth. It's quite attractive." He looked at her, eyes dark and slightly dangerous. "Was I wrong in assuming you felt more or less the same?

Noa shook her head slowly, knowing that to lie at this point was useless. 'The problem is, I can't tell if he's lying or not.' She had never considered herself unattractive, but had never done much to make herself particularly desirable. If he truly was attracted to her 'depth', as he said, she was extremely flattered and shocked. If not, he was a reallygood liar.

"And it could be a regular occurrence," Aizen said suddenly, getting up to come sit next to her. Noa slid her legs up under herself, pushing her body into the corner of the couch. She noticed Aizen scan her body in what was obviously his shirt, and she blushed again.

"Sir?"

"Call me Aizen," he said. "We're not at work."

'That's going to be uncomfortable...' "Okay...what do you mean, Si- I mean, Aizen?"

His brow raised. "Usually when there is a mutual attraction between two people, those people begin a relationship."

Her heart, which had been fluttering madly all morning, stopped. 'I'm-I'm dead. I'm dying, or hallucinating, or dreaming, or something, because this is not happening right now...!'

"It wouldn't be immediately serious, of course," he continued as Noa had an internal panic attack in front of him. He slung one arm over the back of the couch, slouching comfortably in his own home. It was a little strange, to see him like that. Noa felt less out of place than he looked. "But I'm willing to try, if you are interested."

For the millionth time, Noa was struck dumb in his presence. Her mind flew, trying to process everything he was saying and the implications and potential outcomes of each. Part of her wanted to say yes, and climb into his lap. Part of her wanted to sit there and discuss things like an adult. And another part of her wanted to leap out of the window.

"I honestly don't know," Noa said finally, trying to form cohesive sentences in her mind before she sputtered out something incomprehensible. "It's not you," she corrected herself suddenly, afraid of offending him. "It's just that this whole thing is a lot more than I was prepared to deal with when I left with you yesterday evening. I think I need a little more time..."

"Understandable," Aizen nodded. "Although I must say I was hoping for a different response, I'm willing to wait." Standing, he held out his hand and Noa took it, albeit hesitantly. "I'll take you home, if you want. Your things, besides the clothes here, are in my car."

Nodding, Noa followed him out the door, wondering what exactly she was heading into.

-0-

-0-

Aizen drove her himself to her apartment, a change from being driver by his chauffeur. She was a little embarrassed to have him drive from the fancy first ring to her own rather modest neighborhood, and she hoped he would just drop her off outside the apartment building and go, but he insisted on following her up the stairs to her door.

"Thank you," Noa said quietly, shuffling her bare feet on the front mat as she unlocked her door. She didn't open it all the way-her own sparse living quarters were nothing compared to the place she had just left. Today had been embarrassing enough as it was.

"My pleasure," Aizen replied, and grasped her chin with a strong yet surprisingly gentle hand. Noa flushed pink as he laid a soft kiss on her forehead, closing her eyes momentarily. She grasped the bottom of the shirt she was wearing, and remembered whose exactly it was.

"I'm still wearing your shirt," she said, smiling despite herself. Aizen let go of her chin, and looked her up and down.

"Keep it," he said, and turned to go. Noa watched as he disappeared down the steps, sighing softly to herself before letting herself into her apartment.

-0-

Thank you for reading!