When Gin returned to me it was nearing dawn.

"Come here, Gin." I sighed luxuriously as he fitted himself into the crook of my shoulder and neck. I ignored the pain – although the cuts had closed, the lacerations went deeper than they suspected. I also knew there was internal bleeding, but I could handle that tomorrow by myself. He burrowed deliberately into the space. I turned to bury my mouth into his silky hair. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he mumbled into my skin. He was cold and clammy beneath his robe. I pulled the quilt over us, every nerve in my hand protesting at my rough treatment.

For a long moment neither of us spoke. But he continued breathing heavily into my neck, and I knew my fingers quivered with the force of my grip on his shoulder. Then I broke our silence. "There is something I wasn't pleased with though."

"What, Aizen-sama?"

"Why did you doubt me?" I asked, my tone low and accusing. Gin did not speak, merely wrapped his arm about my torso in contrition. I wasn't able to shake him off, but I cuffed him lightly about the head. "Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me, Gin?"

"... No."

I took a deep breath and continued. "I will never - never – give you a reason to doubt, Gin. There isn't room for that between us."

"I know." His voice was stronger. "You said that you will open yourself fully to me."

"And the time is come." I inhaled deeply, feeling a slight twinge in my ribs. "Before tonight, I had – not doubts, but reservations – about carrying out my plans."

"Because of Urahara-san?"

"Do not speak his name." I cuffed him again, a little harder. "But yes."

He propped himself on his elbows and looked at me. Dark circles did not become him – he looked best with a smile, not clouded with worry. Gin was chewing on his lower lip. "So he's still important."

I struggled up, a feat that ripped pain up my thighs and flat stomach. "Ichimaru Gin, I just told you not to doubt me."

"But he's clearly important-"

"Because he's the key to my plans." I was panting. My stamina had been wiped out, I realized bitterly, even though my reiatsu levels were unchanged. "He is... the key. I still thought of him as a friend, if not an ally, and that was why I hesitated."

Gin just stared at me, his mouth set in a thin line.

"Still so transparent about your feelings. Have you learned nothing, boy?" I gritted out. Trying to stifle the twinges and aches I twisted my fingers into his fine hair and pulled him close. "If I have to fuck you until you forget the name of that blond bastard, I will. Once I get my strength back, don't even think of leaving this bed until I know you've forgotten."

"You just made sure I will remember his name forever," he whispered, a wicked smile slowly lighting up his features.

Confused, I reconsidered my words. Then I grinned and finally began to laugh, until the pain overrode the chuckles. "Ah- Ouch. Ouf. Gods, that hurts."

"Here," he said as he bent over my prone form. "Let me practice my healing jutsus."

I smiled. Then I looked out the window. "Gin, it's snowing."

He followed my gaze, then turned back to me. "Then I guess we'll just have to stay in until you get strong again, hmm?"

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It took me almost a week to recover my lost strength. But since Seireitei was experiencing the worst snowstorm since, well, since forever, no one was expected at work.

It was a rather coincidental stroke of luck, but neither Gin nor I complained. We had enough stored in the house, and by taking care of me he strengthened in his reiatsu control as well. A win-win situation, if I ever saw one.

"It's stopped snowing," I announced one morning as I hobbled to the window. Gin came in and threw a robe over my shoulders. "We'll have to return to work soon."

"Do we have to? I like the idea of you all weak and kitteny." He nuzzled my ear as we admired the white-drenched yard. I half-turned and looked at him. His eyebrows raised and he said, "Kitten-ish?"

I looked at him for some time.

He then snorted and apologized with a kiss on my cheek. I ruffled his hair and, leaning on him, walked to the breakfast table. As we ate I asked, "Isn't Kei supposed to come back today?"

"Mm-hmm. In fact she came in this morning while you were still resting. She made breakfast."

I liked watching him eat: quick, neat and unfussy. I rolled my shoulders, aware that I was stiff after so many days of not sparring. "Get her to draw a hot bath."

"Alright. Scented?"

"That'd be nice."

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When I heard the odd sounds in the bathroom I wasn't entirely surprised. He had hinted at a surprise for me, and I suppose this was his way of celebrating my recovery. Unhurriedly I slid the door open, inwardly betting on the scene I would see.

Gin had pinned Kei to the floor, the girl wild-eyed and frantic, her robes ripped open. He was not yet naked, and her fighting added a windswept appeal to his appearance that made my length throb.

I win.

He looked up. "Sousuke. You're finally here."

Finally here? Ah, I get it.

She tore free of his grasp and ran into me. I caught hold of her and held her tightly against me. "It's alight Kei, I'm here. I'm here. Gin, what were you doing?"

"What did it look like, Sousuke?" He sat on his haunches, his erection clearly evident despite the robe he wore. Flicking out his tongue he licked the curve of his smile. His long fingers curled and uncurled.

In my arms, Kei was trembling fiercely. I patted her curls and murmured, "It's alright, I'm here. I'm here, Kei."

"I-I'm sorry, I can't... I can't," she whispered shakily, her breath racked by sobs. Her face was tear-stained and innocent when she tilted her head to look at me. "Aizen-t-taichou, I can't - I can't stay here. Please, I can't-"

"It's alright, he didn't mean to scare you." I peered into her face, knowing that she would not respond. "Gin didn't mean to scare you, did you Gin?"

He just smiled sardonically. "No, I didn't mean to scare her."

I pulled her close to me, now stroking her on the back. She slowly relaxed, her sniffs becoming intermittent. Gin and I exchanged a quick, meaningful smile before he disrobed. Then, getting on all fours he began to prowl towards us, all the time with a predatory smile on his face. He halted behind her, a motionless statue.

Gods, he is beautiful.

I slowly detached myself from the girl, making sure she kept eye contact with me. "He didn't mean to scare you, Kei," I said, very tenderly pushing the curly tendrils from her damp cheeks. "You understand that, right?"

She nodded. Her sobs hadn't stopped yet.

I tilted her chin up and kissed her on her brow. I added, very tenderly, "He meant to rape you. He meant to do it for me."

With a shove I pushed her into the pale arms waiting behind her and she shrieked. Gin cradled her and licked hungrily up the side of her neck. She struggled, but now his grip was probably like a vise. I looked at her widening brown eyes, at her slim legs kicking out... Gin's hands had removed the rest of her clothes and were doing very naughty things to very naughty places. Kei whimpered and screamed, fighting for her life. Then he paused.

"Don't you want to, Aizen-sama?" he asked, one hand over Kei's mouth. She was still thrashing about.

The end of the show.

Dropping my clothes in a heap by the door, I entered the hot bath and angled myself to face them. The rose oil Gin had selected was incredibly sensual, but right now... I smiled and relaxed against the side of the sunken bathtub. "Not yet. Don't worry about me, Gin; I just want to watch you go."