Three months passed. They passed quickly, in a geological sense.

For me, I had to crawl through every tar pit moment.

Finally the wedding day arrived. It was clouded above, gray and depressing. It was a fine day to get married.

I sighed. Las Noches was warring right now and I had to witness something I did not wish to see.

Blame no one else, Sousuke.

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"... and Ichimaru Gin, do you pledge to love, treasure and protect Matsumoto Rangiku, your wife and your other half, from now to forever?" Kyoraku asked.

The groom smiled tenderly. "I do."

"Heard and witnessed," I recited the traditional words.

I signed on the two pieces of parchment after the newlyweds initialed. Kyoraku rolled it up and bound it with a thin strip of gold fabric. He passed it to me and I locked it in the lacquered box prepared for the occasion.

"Alright now, Ichimaru, you may now kiss the bride."

I smiled and cheered along with everyone else.

Matsumoto giggled and beamed at the guests, and Ichimaru kissed her again on her cheek. As they proceeded to mingle among the guests, I slipped out of the room quietly.

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I was leaning on the balustrade, watching dark gray clouds drift across the sky. Heat, oppressive, stifling heat, was rising and I rubbed irritably at the stickiness on my brow.

"I didn't expect to see you here," said a familiar voice.

I didn't look around. "Kyoraku-san. Where were you expecting to see me then?"

"Inside, flirting with the bride and charming all the guests." He leaned on the railing beside me. I turned around so that both of us faced the hall inside. They were dancing, and many of the women were gathered about Matsumoto.

"I just wanted a place to think," I said. "At times like this, I wonder if I really know what I'm doing."

Kyoraku looked askance at me. "What are you doing?"

"Not marrying Mizuki." I shook my head. The other captain snorted. I smiled exasperatedly. "I know you don't trust me, Kyoraku-san, but trust me when I say I care about her deeply."

"I don't doubt that," he said. Now he looked at me. "I just think you're not who you appear to be, and she's going to get hurt because of you. What are your intentions, Aizen-san?"

"I don't intend to marry her, if that's what you're worried about."

He furrowed his brow, as if surprised. I went on. "I'm with her because I enjoy her company, and the sex is good. She loves me; I don't."

Kyoraku drew himself up. "Then break up with her. Let her go."

"No."

"What? You just said you don't love her."

"Because I'm lonely, Kyoraku-san," I said firmly, a little forlornly. "I'm not as lucky as you. You've found your soul mate in Seireitei. I thought... ha. I thought I had that with Kisuke. But it turned out differently."

"Mizuki's not for you, Aizen," he said intently.

I stared into his dark eyes. " I don't have someone I love, Kyoraku. I lost him. Mizuki is the only person in my life whom I can learn to love. Don't you even dare to try taking her from me."

"You can't have her," he insisted.

"You have Ukitake. And I know why you want Ise-san in your division."

"Is that a threat?" he hissed.

"A statement. I think we understand each other." I straightened and entered the anteroom.

Ichimaru and Matsumoto were just taking the center of the room for a dance.

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I mulled over my chardonnay. I had brought it myself, knowing that the majority of Seireitei remained mired in the ancient days of sake.

"Oh. Hey."

I didn't need to turn around, but I did anyway. "Ichimaru. Congratulations."

"Uh, thanks. For being... for being here." He was a little out of breath.

I smiled tightly. "You're welcome."

He got himself a bottle of sake. The anteroom suddenly felt too crowded. His scent, light and airy, filled all available space. I reached over and brushed lint from his lapel; I felt oddly proud of him.

"Look at you. My fine protege," I said, now stroking his left cheek, "all grown up and married."

He pressed my hand to his face. "I'm sorry to put you through this."

"You stole my line," I whispered as he moved closer. My whispers grew more shallow with every phrase. "But you look wonderful. As does she, of course. Absolutely breathtaking."

"Breathtaking," he echoed, his face now inches from my own. He removed my glasses from my face.

I breathed shallowly. "Her wedding dress was beautiful."

"Beautiful," he repeated, now dusting his soft lips along my jaw.

"And... and she loves you."

"Loves you." He was almost kissing me, and I was frozen to the spot. My mind blanked.

He pressed against me, and my eyes closed. Very slowly he directed my left hand to his hip, and then my right hand to the back of his head. His fine hair clung to my skin. He pushed his tongue against my lips, and I welcomed it as it searched within. Pressing ever deeper, drinking him in, breathing him in, pressing ever closer, the heat building, his silky skin brushing against mine, soft lips and firm hand and long fingers, his lean thighs moving against me...

"Oh. Uh, sorry. We weren't, um."

We separated as if scalded. I looked around frantically for my glasses, found them on the counter and then jammed them on. I rubbed my lips as discreetly as I could. When I regained some composure, I inclined my head at the two shinigami who caught us in the act.

Gin licked his lips, then gestured vaguely. "This is... this is um. This is Aizen-taichou. I'm under him – I, I mean, I'm in his division. And uh, taichou, this is Madarame Ikkaku and um, Ayasegawa Yumichika. They're from eleventh d-division."

I tried to smile. "Hello."

"Hi." "Good afternoon."

Gin retreated. "I have to go... uh, back to the rest of the guests."

"Yes. Yes you do that." I inhaled deeply and waited until he left. The two shinigami exchanged a glance and the bald one – Madarame? - followed after.

The stylish one just gazed at me. I chewed on my lower lip, then decided to go ahead and ask. "How much do I have to pay for you two to keep quiet?"

"Nothing."

I raised my brows. "That's not possible."

"It is," he gave me a slow smile. "Because we understand, Ikkaku and I. When we first saw Gin with Rangiku, we kind of figured he was... trying to escape an aspect of himself. And now I understand why. He wants to protect you."

I fell silent.

"I suppose he's concerned about your standing as a captain?" Ayasegawa shrugged and continued, "I've been – involved – with men for a long time. I sort of know who's attracted only to the opposite sex and who's more receptive to... well, you know."

I smiled awkwardly. "We were not... we were never involved. I didn't want him put in a difficult situation. He got married so we wouldn't. Just now? It was a, a mistake."

"Caught up in the moment?" He tilted his head and smiled lazily.

"Yes." I nodded, embarrassed. This was an unusually perceptive man. But in the eleventh division... I couldn't use him.

I rubbed my nose and said, "So, um, please watch out for Gin? He deserves something better than hiding and skulking. That's what he'll get if he was with me."

Ayasegawa pursed his lips. "I'll watch out for him," he agreed, "but I think he has the right to decide for himself what he deserves."

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