Notes: the song played is an original arrangement of Music of the Night by Fabrizio Caligaris. Search it on youtube. Best piano cover I have ever heard.
This is obvious setup for things. Also it has long been a personal headcanon that Gin has a thing for musicians, and that Aizen "just so happens" to be a pianist. Which only fuels the fires in this.
Also the author is still AiGin Phantom trash :) enjoy the story.
Chapter 7: Music of the Night
"Okay," Gin told himself, trying to scrape together enough nerve to knock on the door. "You can do this. Remember wha' Ran said. Ya don' hafta do what ya don't wanna do."
Sighing, he reached up and knocked on the door loudly. Then he waited. Gin always hated waiting. Especially waiting for people to answer their front door when he knocked. A minute would feel like a century, and Gin was impatient anyway, which only made it worse. And his anxiety didn't help matters either. He could only hope Aizen would answer the door quickly so his anxiety would be short lived. But one minute turned into two, then three, and Gin began to suspect he'd been stood up. That he'd been left to stand on the front porch like a hoover salesman nobody wanted to see.
Am I late? Or early? Gin wondered, wishing he had a watch. He folded his arms across his chest. Fuckin' Aizen-san, making me stand out here like this.
"Hello! Aizen-san!" Gin knocked the door again. Louder this time. Jeez, is he deaf?
Gin stood awkwardly on the porch, arms folded. Fidgeting and shifting his weight from foot to foot. Growing a little annoyed now.
After lookin' at me like a happy little puppy when I agreed to go to dinner with him, ya think he'd be jumpin' to answer the door.
He waited for what felt like another ten years, but what was really another couple of minutes. Waiting for an answer. Finally, sick of waiting, he stood scowling at the door.
All a this effort an' anxiety fer nothin'.
He uncrossed his arms and let them hang down by his sides. One more minute. One more minute and then I'm going home.
A few seconds of silence passed, and Gin felt his sleepy zanpaktou spirit rouse itself grouchily from his sleep. Woken by Gin's anxiety and frustration.
Oh, for fucks sake, just go in, Shinsou grumbled, I would.
I can't. Gin protested.
Just. Go. In. Shinsou voice grated on Gin's ears and nerves. Grow some balls. He's just a man. What is the worst he can he do to you?
Gin wanted to tell his zanpaktou that there was an awful lot the man could do to him. But that was an argument he didn't want to get into. So he just stood frowning at Shinsou's words. Sometimes Gin swore he had the crankiest zanpaktou in the world. Well, fine then, if Shinsou wanted him to 'grow some balls', then Gin would grow some balls. He reached for the door handle and pulled it down angrily and pushed the door, expecting to find it locked. It was a little surprising to find it open.
"Oh." Gin gaped quietly. To which Shinsou just cackled loudly, You look so surprised, Gin.
Gin ignored the jibe. Not rising to the bait. Instead, he slowly pushed the door open and cautiously walked inside.
. . .
Aizen's house was the same as it was the last time Gin visited. It was quiet, too, and Gin could hear the loud thumping of his heart against his ribcage in the silence. Feeling it thrash against the cage containing his wild heart. He turned slowly and closed the door behind him softly, careful not to disturb the quiet. He could not shake the feeling that he was intruding into Aizen's quiet sanctuary. After all, he hadn't technically been invited in this time.
Gin inhaled deeply through his nose, taking in as much air as he possibly could, holding his breath for a second before exhaling in an attempt to calm himself.
Calm down, Gin commanded himself, He's just a man.
He forced his body to take the first step into Aizen Sousuke's home. He felt a little like a criminal breaking in to steal all the valuables like he did in the Rukongai districts as he moved silently through the house. He was careful not to make a single sound or creak. A skill honed over many years thieving in the Rukongai.
The lights were on, Gin noted, which meant Aizen was definitely home. Though the knowledge did little to subdue his nerves.
He must be in one of the back rooms somewhere. Gin reasoned, eyes scanning the empty living room. Eyes resting longer than they should on the sofa where Aizen had held his hand and flattered him to death, and enjoyed his immense embarrassment. He could still hear the man's laughter, deep and smooth, and musical...
Gin shook his head to free himself from the thoughts and continued to move through the house. That's when he heard it. The music. The notes of a piano, soft and dulcet. Floating through the air and into his ears.
I didn't know he played the piano, Gin thought, He kept that quiet.
Gin crept through the house, past the kitchen and down the hallway, lured by the pull of the music. It was utterly enchanting. Soft and hypnotic, and Gin instantly recognised it as one of his favourite songs; Music of the Night. In which Erik the Phantom utterly seduced Christine and pulled her into his world. It was a song Gin could sing by heart. He knew all the words. If only he knew how far into the song he was. Was it the beginning? It sounded like he wasn't that far in. Maybe he'd timed it just right and walked in just as he started to play the song. That really would be something special.
Gin took another step, then another, following the beautiful music. The words of the song coming to him. Wondering to himself, is this how Christine felt when she heard this?
He crept towards the source of the sound. Slowly, carefully, the music took hold of him. Gently pulling him towards it's maker. The calming, soothing notes lulling him into a sense of wonderment. Soon enough he was in another world entirely, where nothing else mattered except that music Gin wished would never end. Someone, anyone, could come creeping up behind him now, ready to kill him, and Gin would not have seen it coming.
It was unlike any version of the song Gin had ever heard. The melody was complex, and there were a lot of additions and embellishments to the original. Did he compose this himself? Gin wondered. If so, the man was very talented. Gin could listen to him play all night. Every note played was soft and lilting, designed to hypnotise and seduce and lull the listener into a sense of warmth and security. Gin couldn't afford to let himself be pulled in by such a dangerous man, but he felt himself being taken by the hand and and pulled in anyway. He couldn't help it. Not that he'd resist at this point, anyway, if he could. He was already too far gone into Aizen's wonderful musical world to go back now. Just like Christine, he was done for.
If he fell into Aizen's arms now, Gin doubted he'd be able to resist there, either. All the man would have to do was quietly smile and tell him, "give in." and Gin would surrender.
Rangiku had often joked to him that since musicians really did it for Gin – pianists especially – all anyone would have to do was play Gin a song and he would drop his trousers. And if said musician looked like Aizen did, and played like that, Gin would be naked in their bed before the song ended. Gin laughed at the time, but now he feared how right she'd been. If Aizen knew that information, that he was there listening, no doubt Gin would definitely end up in his bed, naked and moaning Aizen's name like the end of the world were coming.
And the worst part of it was that Gin wouldn't even care if he did. So complete was the hypnosis. So complete the magic spell cast over him by the man and his piano.
The music was coming from behind a door Gin presumed was a study. It was a room he'd never seen, but perhaps Aizen wanted it that way. Maybe he never let anyone go in there. But with the music and hypnotised by it as he was, the thought never crossed Gin's mind he might not be wanted in there. That he might be walking into a private personal space. There was only him, and the music, and the desire to see the source of such a lovely sound. So carefully, he gently pushed the door, which had been left ajar, open.
He found the composer himself sitting at a wooden piano facing the far wall. Naturally, the instrument was made of mahogany. Like everything else in the house. Gin sighed softly, relieved he would not be seen. He could see Aizen's back though. His dark hair, broad shoulders. He was dressed formally, in a deep blue yukata of a similar shade to Gin's own. And every so often Gin caught a glimpse of those graceful fingers reaching out to press on the piano keys.
Atop the piano, on a coaster beside his trademark pair of glasses, sat a mug of tea Gin suspected had gone cold a while ago. Forgotten about as Aizen had become absorbed in his music.
Gin held his breath. Certain Aizen would notice his presence. Or sense his spiritual energy. But he was too absorbed in playing, and Gin breathed out softly. Gin thought about moving closer, but he didn't dare. He might interrupt the casting of the magic spell, and then the music would cease. And he didn't want this song to end. Not until the last notes had been played and he heard them fade into silence again. So Gin stood still, leaning against the door frame, listening.
Even the final notes were perfection. The song wound down, and Gin floated back down to earth again from his dreamworld. The notes grew softer, quieter, and then finally faded away, leaving silence to reign over the room again.
Gin thought he'd better break it, so the man would know he was there and not turn around and have a heart attack upon seeing him. But carefully, carefully. In his current state, trying to remember how to breathe, he might blurt out something he might regret later. Because take me now was on the tip of his tongue, and Gin knew after that he'd just be another one of Aizen Sousuke's sexual conquests. So he had to think before he spoke.
In the end he settled with a harmless compliment on the music.
"That was beautiful, Aizen-san."
Gin had made sure to speak softly, but Aizen still jumped when he realised Gin was there. That he'd been watched. He jumped to his feet abruptly, slamming his hands down on the piano keys in his fright, making a loud and ugly sound and shattering the magic. Effectively breaking the magic spell he'd cast over Gin. Jarring the both of them back to reality.
Aizen wheeled around, and sighed relieved when he caught sight of Gin standing there.
"Gin!" he exclaimed, "It's you. You startled me." He sighed, then, "I wasn't expecting you until..."
Gin watched Aizen's chocolate coloured eyes cast up to a clock on the wall, and then winced. "Ten minutes ago. Ah... sorry about that." he looked around guiltily, and Gin could not help but notice just how much more attractive he looked with his hair pushed back off his face, with the one strand hanging down over his forehead. And no glasses.
"Ya know..." Gin said quietly, unable to stop the words from leaving him, "You look so much better without yer glasses."
Gin watched the shock register on Aizen's face at the unexpected compliment. It was as if for the first time, he was really seeing Gin. His eyes roamed down Gin's body.
"And you look..."
Gin smiled, a little pleased, watching Aizen scramble to find his words. He suspected not many people could render Aizen Sousuke speechless.
"You look beautiful."
Gin could feel is cheeks flush a little at this, and he rubbed the back of his head, touching his hair shyly. "I'm sorry I broke inta yer house." he told Aizen, "I didn' think ya heard me knockin'. I didn' know ya played."
Gin caught Aizen's soft smile at the comment, and Gin knew he'd landed on one of the few things Aizen took pride in.
"It's a well kept secret," Aizen admitted, sitting back on the piano bench and facing Gin. "Nobody knows. Well, except you, of course." Gin just stood there smiling and let Aizen continue.
"I'd like it to stay that way, though." Aizen told him. Giving him a serious look. Gin knew a veiled threat when he heard one, and vowed silence.
"I aint gonna tell anyone."
"Thankyou." Aizen said softly, "The Women's Institute have been trying to rope me into one of their talent shows for years. If this ever got out I would never hear the end of it."
Gin suddenly thought of Rangiku, and smiled. No doubt she would be one of the first ones to try and convince him to play for a crowd. And using his affection for Gin as leverage.
"And I'd rather not play for a crowd," Aizen explained.
"Howcome, Aizen-san?" Gin asked, curious now. "Yer really good. Don't ya wanna share yer talent? I would if I were as good as you."
He'd have thought the man would love to perform for an audience. You know, big up his ego with the applause. Not that his ego needed to get any bigger, but still.
Aizen considered Gin for a moment, as if deciding how much to reveal.
"Music is..." he began, hesitating a moment to collect his thoughts and words. "Music is my way of expressing myself. Every song I play is a piece of my soul given sound. And sharing that with a crowd, and people I don't know, takes a lot of trust I do not have. So I don't play for anyone."
"Oh." Gin said, a little saddened by this answer. Because such great art as this shouldn't be locked away. It was meant to be heard by all, so it could touch peoples hearts the way it had his. But it was Aizen's art, and it was his choice what he did with it, and Gin had to respect that.
"Do ya think..." Gin started, unsure whether to ask, but feeling brave enough to try. Because he had to hear that music again. "Do ya think ya could play fer me?"
The look Aizen gave him then seemed to be asking if he were mad. So Gin back-pedalled quickly. "I mean, just for me. Not a big crowd with me at the back."
The silence between them grew awkward, and it made Gin nervous, so he began babbling in a nervous embarrassment just to fill it.
"I mean, that is, if ya wanna." Gin held his hands up, feeling heat rise to his cheeks again, "i-if ya don' wanna it's fine. Ya just said ya don' play fer anyone an' that includes me. I wasn' even s'pposed ta hear ya play just now either, so don' feel pressured or anythin'. I did break inta yer house an' all, so feel free ta say no."
Aizen kept his gaze on Gin, considering the request. Only making Gin more nervous with each silent second that passed, knotting up his stomach with anxiety. Keeping his face composed, his expression thoughtful. Gin swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he watched Aizen's hand slowly reach for a worn black leather folder on top of the piano. He lifted it up and held it out to Gin, arm outstretched.
"Here," he said softly. "Pick a song."
Gin's face broke out into the widest grin, incredulous at the fact that Aizen Sousuke, a man who by his own admission played for no-one, would play a song for him.
"Ah, you'll play for me?" Gin asked, excitement building in his stomach as he took the few steps into the study and carefully took the folder of music from Aizen's hand. Cradling it carefully in his arms. Knowing he was holding pieces of the man's soul given sound.
Aizen smiled at him again. That same soft smile he'd given when he held Gin's hand.
"For you." he said. "Only you."
"Just me." Gin breathed. "Just this once."
Aizen shot him an amused glance, suggesting he could see through the lie that just this once would be enough. But he said nothing, and let Gin open the folder to peruse the pieces of music with gentle and delicate hands.
