Things went on as normal within Las Noches. Ichimin remained at Aizen's side whenever he wished her there, played perfect, remained calm. And when Aizen wasn't there to protect her, she was usually at Ichimaru's mercy as to what he'd like to do. Worst of all, Aizen trusted Gin as his good friend and second-in-command, and so he trusted Ichimaru with keeping track of Ichimin when he himself couldn't make the time to watch over her.

But right now, Ichimin was laying with Aizen on his long white couch, her head on his chest and dozing slightly on him with one of his arms draped over her back, loosely. Things had been too calm for comfort lately, as Aizen was preparing to launch his forces upon Soul Society's in the Winter War. He didn't have the slightest doubt in the strength of his army, and now that Ichimin was completely trapped in his web, she wouldn't offer the slightest trouble in what he wanted to do to her former allies. She just didn't care anymore, and that was very beneficial to him. Aizen was nearly asleep himself as he laid with Ichimin, brushing his fingers through her hair gently. He was calm, as always, but now it was a more peaceful, serene sort of calm instead of the calm before a battle.

Ichimin was so calm with him. When she was with Aizen, she didn't have to worry about the dangers of Las Noches, or Ichimaru, or anything at all. She didn't really notice as he moved a bit under her, and his warmth left as another weight showed up by her feet. Some mumbling, footsteps, and after they faded away, she felt a cool hand run up under the back of her shirt and fingertips tracing her spine. Aizen's hands were warm...and these were very cold. She didn't like how they felt in the least, and attempted to roll out of their touch. Another weight laid beside her, and Ichimin kept her eyes closed as she laid her head on its chest and attempted to go back to sleep. The sound of breathing calmed her down, and Ichimin was only slightly put-off by the fact that this person didn't have Aizen's particular smell of light cologne. In fact, this person didn't have a smell at all. That was disquieting, but not as much as when their cold hands traced invisible shapes on her stomach, gently. Ichimin then opened her eyes, to see the smiling face of Gin Ichimaru right in hers. She nearly screamed, but it was muffled when Gin laid a hand over her mouth.

"There there, pretty whore. Just your old friend Gin here, nobody that'd hurt you." He told her gently, though it held a cold tone in it. Ichimin bit his hand hard, only to have him press the heel of his palm into her throat and pin her down on the couch, while he went on looking distastefully at the teeth marks on his hand.

"That was quite mean, Ichimin-chan. All I wanted to do was say hello, and you go and bite me." Gin scolded, though he sounded less angry than cruelly amused. She couldn't speak very well, only managed a gagged "What are you doing here" before Gin answered her distractedly.

"Oh, me? Well, I was just spending time here like your Sosuke-sama asked me, watching over you while he attended to other matters. I'm so glad that he trusts me so much, makes it so much easier for us, doesn't it?" He half-laughed at the end, and Ichimin glared harder. He let up pressure on her windpipe, tracing fingers down from her throat to her collarbone again.

"He'll be coming back, won't he?" She snapped, only to feel Gin dig his nails into her skin and drag them along, painfully but not enough to draw blood. "Oh yes, he'll be back very soon. I just thought it'd be fun to gamble a bit on how long we have until he does, hm?" Gin spoke, still on his knees above her as he leaned down and nipped at her neck, exactly where he knew that she liked. Ichimin sighed between her teeth, very slowly and as if she were trying to keep from groaning.

Immediately, he rolled away and into position as if he'd been sitting the entire time, as Aizen turned the corner and walked across the room again, sitting next to Ichimin as she sat up. She laid her head on his chest, gently, as he spoke. "Ichimin, when did you wake?" Aizen queried, and Ichimin shrugged a bit. "Oh, with the moving around and things. I needed to wake up anyway." She murmured, before noticing that Gin had made himself scarce again. Shunpo, probably. Gently, Aizen sprawled out on the couch with her again, both laying on their backs and Aizen's arm around Ichimin's shoulders, tracing her jawline with his thumb gently.

"Relax, Ichimin. All we have to do now is wait; you have all the time until winter to sleep."

His voice relaxed her, always so calm and smooth. Even if she had to deal with Ichimaru getting frisky now and then, she was happy here in Las Noches. Aizen was good to her, as long as she was obedient. And really, after enough time getting punished for being disobedient, you really give up on being troublesome. Ichimin let her fingers lay softly on his neck, feeling his pulse beneath her fingertips.

"All the time until winter?" She asked him gently, her voice a soft lull. "But if I sleep that long...would I ever wake up again?" Her mind was clouding with exhaustion and the serenity all around them, his heartbeat lulling her to sleep. Aizen laughed gently, a low chuckle as he traced her lips with his finger. "You will wake again, Ichimin. And I will be waiting for you when you do."

Ichimin murmured an admonition of love, before she drifted off to an unnaturally thick and smothering sleep. Aizen kissed the crown of her head gently, before pulling away from her and standing. He watched Gin slink back into the room to sit on the arm of the chair lazily.

"Kyoka Suigetsu, righ'?" Gin queried, and Aizen gave a nod. "My plans are coming into an area where the slightest influence could cause them to fail. A fit by Ichimin is not something I need right now, lest she alter my decisions through more actions as you've described to me. I do not need to lose my temper because of her whorish actions towards my Espada, and then make a mistake that could cost us the war."

Gin grinned a bit wider, though it wasn't purely malicious. His voice betrayed him, sounding just a little pitying of Ichimin's situation. "She never knew I told ya 'bout that, an' she never knew that you were the one that gave me go-ahead to 'ave some fun. Never mistrusted ya for even a second."

Aizen smiled just as warmly as he had back in Seireitei as he brushed Ichimin's hair out of her face, gently. "Of course she didn't. She loves me. Love can make one stupid, can leave one blind, deaf, and dumb. I've had great fun taking her free will from her without Ichimin even realizing, and now I know that she would die for me if given the decision. She has made a very good pawn, if not a little more trusting than even Momo had been. Momo merely adored me. Ichimin loved me, and that made her even stupider and easier to manipulate than Momo ever was."

Gin's smile fragmented, now looking a bit regretful. Ichimin reminded him of his Rangiku, somewhat. And from childhood, he'd always hated seeing women misused and mistreated, something he'd gained from living with Matsumoto. Ichimin was far too deep in Aizen's web to ever get out, he knew, and as long as Aizen was fond of her, she'd just be a pawn of his that he was very possibly in love with. Then again, this was Aizen he was talking about. If the man was even capable of love at all, it was going to be a controlling, possessive sort.

"How long ya keepin' her in that?"

Aizen smiled at the question, now turning Ichimin's chin gently so he could better see her sleeping face. He laid his palm flat on her cheek, as she didn't stir in the least.

"At the very least, a year or two. I'll bring her out of it when I know that her tantrums won't interfere with anything important, when I have time for them." Aizen kissed Ichimin's lips gently, before standing. "Szayel Aporro will have her on a machine to keep her alive; it will work out fantastically. In the meantime, Ichimin will remain in a Kanzen Saimin-induced coma keeping her in a deep, dreamless slumber for years to come. I'm being very generous in this; I could just lock her up, but she would most likely go insane. Also...well, that would just be cruel." He smiled in a slightly cruel sort of way, though Aizen was sure that he was doing the kindest thing possible. Gin stood as Aizen did, walking with him to the door.

"So, ya think she'll ever forgive ya 'fer this?" He queried, glancing back to Ichimin. Aizen only chuckled, not bothering to look back as Szayel's fraccion began moving her to the Espada's lab.

"She'll always forgive me, Gin. Love finds a way."


((Well guys, it's been great fun with this story. I'm going to end it here. But don't worry; I can't just drop it. I'll have a sequel for you guys, don't worry. Thanks for reading, and be looking for part two.))