Wolfy a/n - found this while cleaning out my docs on here. This ch is just me. I have no idea if Sesh still wants to keep working on this fic but if she does I will happy write more. If not I'll leave this open ended and call it a day.
Notes: flower language and references to Game scenes that didn't make the final cut.
Chapter 7: Understanding
The next morning found Gin waking up with Aizen's arm slung over him, and the bedsheets a mess. He smiled to himself, then at his partner. Last night had been... amazing. His partner was amazing. His smile widened as he felt the craving for a cigarette creep up on him. Now I know why he likes to smoke after sex like that, he thought. He thought briefly of Aizen's conquests before him, and felt equal parts lucky and smug because Sousuke was his now and nobody else would get to experience what he'd just experienced again. But it wasn't just about the sex – though that was nice. Really nice even. Sousuke had been there for him, supported him, loved him. They'd shared... a whole life together, and Gin couldn't be happier they had. Oay sure, it hadn't always been easy, but nothing worth having ever was.
He closed his eyes and thought back to their wedding night, how wonderful, how magical it'd all been, and happiness and warmth spread through his chest. He still didn't know what Sousuke had seen in him, but it must've been something good enough to make him settle down.
Admittedly Gin was partly amazed when he opened his eyes the man was still there. That it hadn't been just a wonderful dream.
He smiled again and slipped out of the bed, pulling on a clean robe to cover himself, and then made his way down to the kitchen to boil the kettle for tea. As he waited for the water to boil, his gaze drifted out of the window into their garden, with its koi pond and artfully arranged flowers and trees. His eyes landing on the little cluster of saffron flowers under one such tree.
He smiled at that too. Remembering like it only happened yesterday.
It was back in the days when Gin wanted to climb his captain like a tree and screech at anyone who came too close.
They'd spent the day lounging around in the summer heat, in Sousuke's garden again.
"Want to tell me what's been eating at you?" Sousuke asked.
"Hm?"
"You've been run down lately. You don't smile half as much." Sousuke frowned, then, and Gin could sense the facade dropping from Aizen's face. "I miss your smiles, they're the best parts of my day. Have I done something to upset you?"
Gin inhaled deeply and sighed. "No... no. It's just... I've been thinking..."
The man smiled, "Oh no, that's not good." he teased.
"Shut up," Gin elbowed him in the ribs, playfully. Though his own smile betrayed him. "I've been thinkin' 'bout us."
"Oh, what about us?"
"What you want from me."
He watched Sousuke's eyebrows raise themselves, "Oh, isn't that obvious?"
"That's the problem. I know what you want."
"Do you?"
"You want me in yer bed. Like everyone else ya've had. Then when you've got what you wanted you'll show me the door. I aint stupid, Sousuke."
Gin watched Sousuke sigh, long and soft. "Is that what you think of me?"
Gin didn't answer, choosing instead to stare at the lavender bush. Mistrust.
"Look. I know my reputation precedes me, but, I am serious about you. How can I prove that to you?"
Gin thought for a moment, scanning the garden for answers. It was the only language he knew how to speak in, in that moment. Because he knew if he tried to use words, they'd just get muddled up and his point would be lost.
"Wait here," Gin told him, and got up and walked off. He came back with a saffron flower. Commitment.
Sousuke laughed, "Are you asking me to marry you? Because if you are then you know what my answer is."
"What?!" Gin exclaimed, flushing beet red in the face, "My book said it stood for commitment!" he spouted.
Sousuke gave him a look that said he were asking a stupid question, "Gin." he said, "What do you think a marriage is?"
"I didn't think this one through enough." Gin mumbled, but Sousuke only chuckled.
"Meanings can vary between books. Also, it depends on the context." Sousuke smirked, "And since you gave me no context..."
"So..." Gin started, "Is that your way of saying yes to my proposal?" Gin asked, laughing too, now. "Because you know they'll never appro-"
He'd meant to say, they'd never approve of it, They meaning the old fool Yamamoto, and pretty much everyone else besides Ran, but those lips and tongue cut him off. And the subject was left dangling. At least until many years later.
Until now.
Gin smiled at the memory, wondering why on earth his past self had been so worried. He moved quietly out into the garden and plucked some of the saffron and set it in a vase – he didn't know when Sousuke would be awake.
Saffron. It'd become an inside joke between them now, because of that funny misunderstanding decades ago.
Really, why'd he been so worried? There'd really been nothing to worry about.
He made the tea and carried the mugs up on a tray, so he could carry the flowers, too. Sousuke was waking up just as he walked in, and his reaction to the flowers didn't disappont. With a big, goofy idiot grin on his face, he asked, "Why Gin, are you asking me to marry you again?" and the pair of them laughed at a joke probably nobody else would understand.
Just another thing they shared.
Gin felt very lucky to have that. To have such understanding with someone.
"Somethin' like that," Gin grinned and passed Sousuke his tea. "So what are our plans fer t'day?"
Sousuke sipped his tea. "Ah. Well, we're having dinner at Renji's place, but apart from that, the day is ours."
"Dinner?" Gin asked.
"Yes. I think it'll be good for us. And I know you said you wanted more friends."
Gin thought for a moment. That was indeed true. The number of friends he had he could count on hos fingers.
"True." Gin said. "Okay. I'll go and get ready."
"Excellent," Sousuke smiled, and took another sip of his tea as Gin walked up the stairs. Wondering if Byakuya had managed to work things out with Renji. He hoped they had. But he supposed he'd find out when he got there.