A/n: This one has officially broken containment thanks to the lovely Catsafari lending me Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom to read. (I really need to reinforce my containment barriers and Krakenproof them) I read a scene like this and had a lot of strong feelings about it so of course I had to write it out. (and balance out the wholesomeness of my chapter 12 in G2)

Anyway, enjoy. This diverges from Spunky's fic here, just to warn you. And please consider dropping a comment if you do like this. Reviews really do keep us writers writing :)

Chapter 2: Hostage

Gin came to god only knew how many hours later, finding his wrists and ankles bound, his mouth gagged, and his eyes covered. Fuck knew where he was, but he was going to make it his mission to escape no matter what happened or where in the three worlds he was.

And Sousuke's gonna come for me. He'll burn the whole world until he finds me and gets me back.

It was a comforting thought, though it did little for the pounding in his head. Or the handcuffs on his wrists. Damn, there's be no cutting through these in a hurry. And they were reinforced with kidou, too. He'd have to think of another way out. He moved to sit up, only to find himself dragged by the collar across the room and unceremoniously dumped in the corner. He heard muttering voices, two, possibly three people in the room with him. It sounded like Renji and Ikkaku and... that rat bastard Kisuke.

Well fuck. The universe sure did hate him to put him and Kisuke in a room together like this. Everyone knew how much they hated each other. Kisuke hated him for taking Aizen away, and Gin hated him because he was an ass about it. And making him feel two inches tall, but that was decades ago.

Gin wished he wasn't bound and gagged, then he'd give em all a piece of his mind.

Someone took his blindfold off so he could see, and the gag was released. Wherever he was, it was brightly lit, which made him hiss and squint at the intense light.

"Alright snake," Renji snarled at him. "Where is Aizen keeping Byakuya?"

"Like hell if I know," Gin hissed. "He didn't even tell me."

A lie. A poor one, but he had to stall.

"It doesn't matter," Kisuke said, "We have what Aizen wants and we'll negotiate a trade. Gin for Byakuya."

"Yeah well, I don't like it," Renji muttered. "We got a valuable hostage on our hands and I don't like the idea of just letting him walk back to Aizen."

Gin watched them all talk amongst themselves as if he weren't even there.

"We could always torture the information out of him." Ikkaku offered, smirking like a fiend.

"Yeah, you'd like that wouldn' ya?" Gin snarled.

"Of course," Ikkaku grinned. "Getting all of that juicy information outta ya on what Aizen's planning? It'd help us out a lot."

Good luck getting' any info outta me, Gin thought. I aint gonna sing like a canary fer ya.

"Good luck with that." Gin smirked. Going for the arrogance Aizen often portrayed. Sitting up straight as he could with his hands and feet bound and the reiatsu being sapped out of him by the stupid cuffs. "He don't tell me nothin'."

They glared at him, all three. But Ikkaku especially. "We'll see about that," he said. Moving away and returning with a large hammer. The biggest Gin had ever seen.

"You can start by telling us where he's holding Byakuya." Renji said, with all the detachment of a man who wasn't afraid to kill if it meant he got what he wanted. Gin could understand that. After all, if anyone had taken his Sousuke, he'd be the same. Wrathful. Willing to do whatever it took to get the job done and get him back safe.

"How could I possibly know that?" Gin answered. He did know. Of course he did. Byakuya was in the bowels of Las Noches in one of the cells. But he wasn't going to tell them that. For all Gin knew, they'd just torture him whether he talked or not, just because they could. For betraying them and going off with Aizen. And nobody else knows we're here, they can do whatever they like to me. And if anyone does know well it's likely they won't care what happens to me.

Stall. I have to stall. At least until Sousuke gets here.

"You must know where he's being held." Kisuke said quietly. In a tone designed to rattle Gin's nerves. "You warm his bed at night. Have Aizen's ear. Keep his secrets. You must know where."

Gin frowned. "You'd be surprised."

"Answer the question." Renji said.

"I said I don't know," Gin huffed. "Ya think Aizen trusts me with that kinda info? Please. Aizen aint stupid."

Gin met their gazes square on, determined and unyielding. Kisuke sighed. "Alright, we tried asking nicely. Get him on the table."

There was movement, and gin felt himself being hefted into the air by two of them and carried across the room and set down on his back onto a table. Which they promptly bound him to. Legs spread hip width apart. Gin struggled against his bonds but found it was useless. On another smaller table nearby he could see an array of surgeons tools, and more of the oversized hammers and mallets.

"You will tell me where Aizen is holding Byakuya Kuchiki," Kisuke said again. Ikkaku was playing with the hammer in his hands, waiting and anticipating.

"I can't tell you what don't know," Gin told them. Trying to keep his voice calm and even. He could not quake. Not here. Not in front of his enemies.

Show no fear. Show no fear at all. Don't let them see they're rattling you.

He repeated Aizen's lesson to him in his head, hoping it would strengthen his resolve. Or at least keep it from shattering completely.

Kisuke sighed audubly. "Remember we tried to ask nicely." he said, in a tone Gin was sure was mock disappointment. "Have at it," he said to Ikkaku."

Gin swallowed as he felt the bald man approach, heard him chuckle. "I'm gonna enjoy this, traitorous bastard," he smirked, and Gin tried not to shudder as he felt the man walk down to stand by his legs.

Gin sucked in a breath.

All Saints in heaven they were going to break his legs.

And he needed his legs. In fact, he needed to be whole if he was going to be any use to Aizen. He was Aizen's spy, his second in command. Without his legs he was no-one.

Gin fought the gasp that wanted to escape him as he thought of his last night with Aizen after whispering a fresh batch of secrets to him.

My Gin, my lovely Gin. Gathering secrets for me. The man had hummed in his ear. Lips on his neck, appreciative whisper in his ear. My best investment and most lethal spy... what would I do without you?

Gin had replied that he'd just be very lost, and Aizen had laughed. In more ways than one, he'd answered. Pulling him close, so close Gin didn't think he'd ever let go...

"No don't," Gin said. Panic suffusing him now. Frantic and desperate now.

"Don't."

But they weren't listening. They weren't listening. Gin could sense the hammer being lifted, ready to be swung down to shatter his bones with every bit of strength Ikkaku had. Gin's heart was a wild animal now and his breaths were ragged and harsh and panicked.

"He'll never trade if you break me!" He screamed, the words tearing out of him from some deep dark place inside him. His voice undefended and raw. "I'll be no use to him anymore!"

He squeezed his eyes shut. Braced for impact.

The hammer swung down, smack on the table. Missing his leg by an inch. Brushing against him as it came down. When no pain came, after a few moments, Gin opened his eyes, finding that Renji managed to pull Ikkaku away, but not before the hammer had been swung.

Gin lay on the table, panting with a mixture of horror and relief.

That could've been my leg, he realised, his stomach in knots with the realisation of how close he'd come to being broken. Gods protect me, that could've been my leg...

Gin breathed slowly, trying to control his shaking. Finding he could not.

"Interesting argument," Kisuke said. He was the only one who had not moved. Still standing with his arms folded and an interested look on his face. "Ponder your loyalties, Ichimaru. Tomorrow we may not be so merciful."

Gin could not control his shaking. Saying nothing. I'm going to cut you open, he vowed. I'm going to cut open your body and excavate your black heart from your chest.

After that, they took him to what he supposed was his cell. Where he'd stay for the duration of his time here. Wherever 'here' was. They left him alone and closed the door and locked him in, leaving him to think on what'd just happened.

Tomorrow we might not be so merciful. Had today been an exercise to frighten him? Or would they come back again tomorrow and actually carry out that threat?

And if Aizen did come, how much of him would be left to take home?