Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the related titles. Though, sometimes I really wish I did.
A/N: Alrighty everyone, I've been on this major writing spree lately, so here's the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it!
Chapter 6: Found Out
"Where is it?!"
The looming face of Aizen was uncomfortably close to Gin's as the pale man merely blinked back at him, unaffected by his unpredicted outburst.
"Where is what?" Gin replied coolly.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about," Aizen seethed, his usual calm air fading quickly. "It was here when I left yesterday, and now it's gone. You're the only one who knew about it!"
"Oh," Gin moved past him. "Your diary, that's right."
Aizen growled, whipping around to face Gin. "Don't test me, Gin…" he warned. "You're not that important to me, you know. I could kill you…"
Gin glanced over his shoulder at the fuming Captain, his smirk just as devilish as ever. "Then you'd never find it, now would you?"
Irritated, Aizen howled with fury, storming after the retreating Gin. "You have three seconds, Gin…" he said. "You have three seconds to tell me where you've hidden it. This isn't funny."
Gin didn't respond as he started toward the door. Aizen raised a single finger.
"One…"
Still no response.
"Two…"
Gin reached out for the doorknob. Angrily, Aizen slipped before the door, throwing his arms out to block the way. Gin blinked at him, retracting his hand hastily.
"Three." Aizen's eyes were wild with rage. "Tell me…"
Gin shrugged. "I didn't touch it," he answered.
Aizen heaved a great sigh, letting his hands fall to his sides. Slowly he pushed his glasses further up his nose. For some reason, he'd gotten back into the habit of wearing them.
"Then…" he started gradually. "Where…do you propose it is?" He spoke each word as though the syllables were steps that Gin must pay full attention to. One could almost march to the beat.
Gin grinned, turning in the other direction. There were several doors leading to that particular room. He didn't need that one. "Well, one does usually hide a diary under their pillow. Did you check there?"
"Gin, this isn't a game…" Aizen started after him, grabbing the back of his coat. With a sharp jerk, Gin's face was pulled close to his once again.
"Well, well, now, Cap'n Aizen…" Gin glanced down at their position. "Didn' know you felt this way 'bout me…"
Aizen released him quickly, throwing Gin backward as he stormed back toward his chair. "You're really starting to get on my nerves, Gin…"
"You kept me around for a reason, Cap'n…" Gin pointed out, brushing off the ruffles Aizen had made in his robes. "Not quite sure what it is, but there's gotta be somethin' you like 'bout me…"
Aizen muttered to himself, his face falling into his hands. Gin stepped forward, leering at him.
"What's that, Cap'n?" he asked. "I didn't quite catch that."
"I'm gonna kill you…" Aizen threatened.
Gin spread his arms wide, still managing to smile, even when faced with a life-or-death situation. "Go ahead. I got nothing to live for anymore."
Without warning, Aizen had drawn his zanpaku-to, the end biting into the flesh of Gin's neck. For a moment, the grin had faded, his eyes softening.
"Really gonna kill me this time, Cap'n?" he asked quietly. "Or is this yet another empty threat?"
Aizen jerked the zanpaku-to forward only a bit. Gin didn't seem to react to the piercing point. "You wanna try me this time, Gin?"
"You wouldn't do it…" Gin pointed out, his grin returning. "I know you too well, Cap'n…"
"And why wouldn't I?" Aizen hissed. "If that book is lost, I've got nothing left. Do you understand what happens if it falls into the wrong hands? We're done! Everything I've worked so hard to achieve is through. And you're a dead man."
"I've told you…" Gin replied. "I've got nothing to live for. And neither do you…"
Aizen pulled his zanpaku-to away, staring at Gin intently. The sword fell to his side as Aizen heaved a great sigh.
"You really don't understand what we're dealing with here, do you Gin?" he asked, glancing at the floor.
"It's none of my concern…" he answered, "And I can't say I really care. I'm only in it for the revenge bit…"
"We've got so much power in our hands here, Gin…" Aizen said, placing his hand on Gin's shoulder, holding his other, still accompanied by his zanpaku-to, out for Gin to see. "We could easily control the entire Soul realm…" he shook his head. "How can you think that is nothing?"
Gin didn't answer. Deep down, Gin didn't think it was important anymore. What did he want with a realm of dead people? If he couldn't stand them now, how would he be able to stand them when they were all under his control, coming to him for all their answers, helping them with all their petty problems? He shook his head, shaking the thought aside.
"Where did you put it Gin?" Aizen asked again.
Gin shrugged Aizen's hand off his shoulder, once again moving toward the door. He managed to grab the knob this time, leaving Aizen to himself.
"I told you…" Gin replied before exiting through the door. "People often keep their diaries under their pillows. You might wanna check there…"
GINXRANGIKU
"No…that doesn't make any sense…" Rangiku muttered to herself as she scribbled a few notes across a small piece of parchment. "How did he…?"
The book that Gin had left her with was propped up on the end of Rangiku's couch, accompanied by many pieces of paper spread across the fabric and crumpled on the floor. Frustrated, she sighed deeply and ripped her newest sheet of paper in half, tossing it aside. Glancing down at the spare blank, she bit the end of her pen before writing.
"…and thus when chanted…" she squinted her eyes in a most Gin-like fashion, peering at the next word. "I can't even read what that says…what the hell is a Halford?" Her eyes returned back to their normal width and she looked down at what she'd written, then back up at the book. "Hollows...Oh…" she cocked her head to the side. "How on Earth does he think that says 'Hollows'?"
"You have to try readin' it upside down…" a voice sounded from behind her. "That's what I had to do…"
Rangiku jumped from her laying position, nearly knocking over her bottle of ink. Standing behind the couch was the looming figure of Gin, his smile even more eerie in the soft candlelight.
"Don't do that!" Rangiku hissed at him, pulling herself up to a sitting position.
"Do what?" Gin asked, swinging one leg over the couch as to sit down next to her. "I thought you liked surprises…"
"Not quite when they come in the form of you," she muttered bitterly, picking up her papers and piling them onto her lap. The book still lay wide open for Gin to see.
"I see you like my present…" he pointed out, gesturing toward it with a long slender finger.
Rangiku didn't look at it. "Not particularly," she responded. "It's no help to me, whatsoever." She rose to her feet, moving away from him. "I can't make heads or tails of it…"
Gin smirked, eyeing her form as she bent over to place the papers onto her small desk. "I told you to try looking at it upside down."
Rangiku glanced back at him, catching him staring at her. A faint red blush creeping into her cheeks, she moved quickly, tightening her pink robe around her. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't look at me like that, Gin…"
Gin continued to watch her. "But you usually like it," he said, sounding a bit hurt. "What's the matter now?"
"I'm tired, Gin…" she told him, stepping toward her open window, reaching for the shades.
Before she could manage to close them, his pale hand enclosed around her wrist. She could feel his warm breath dancing across her exposed neck.
"No one will see us, love…" Gin whispered, pulling her away from the window.
Rangiku resisted a little, refusing to turn to putty in his arms once again. Instead of falling backward, she forced him closer to the window. Part of her wanted to keep the possibility of being caught open, as to keep him in line. She wanted to be in control this time.
"Tell me what's wrong…" he cooed softly into her ear, his lips brushing against the tender skin gently.
"You…" she replied, her arms not moving from their captured position. "You and your disappearing, and your constant ambivalence toward…everything. That's what's wrong, Gin…"
He frowned slightly. "I'm not sure what you mean…"
"You can't ever make up your mind, Gin…" she explained, staring out the window at the rising moon, faded and dark against the night sky. "Sometimes I can't tell what it is you want. Me, or your promised glory with Aizen."
Gin didn't answer her. He knew the answer, but he had an image to uphold. He couldn't very well start spilling his emotions to her. It would be most uncharacteristic of him. Silence was his only friend at the moment.
"I see…" Rangiku said, pulling herself from his grasp. "Your answer is obvious…"
And his greatest enemy.
Gin turned to face her. She was moving toward her bed, showing no signs of wanting to speak to him further. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, stopping only suddenly when she seemed to sense his approach.
"Gin, stop." She ordered. "Just leave."
Gin stared at her. He didn't want to leave. Not yet at least. He waited long hours everyday, envying those short few hours he would share with her every night. He wasn't about to have those few hours wasted, was he?
"I mean it, Gin…" she growled, her head turning toward him slightly.
"If you insist…" he muttered, moving toward the door.
Rangiku didn't move from her spot. She listened to the soft shuffling noises his sandals made across her floor, only pausing for a moment as he stood before his exit. She knew he was waiting for her to say something, but she refused to open her mouth.
"Rangiku, I-" he started.
"Go," she said shortly.
Gin nodded curtly, and reached out for the door, freezing as it swung open without his help. Rangiku didn't seem to notice as Gin's eyes shot open, coming face to face with an unexpected visitor standing just outside her door.
"Good evening, Ichimaru-Taichou," the voice swept into the room like a chilling evening breeze, sending shivers down even Rangiku's spine. "I thought I'd find you here…"
Rangiku turned slowly, her hands trembling within her robe at the sight of their visitor. There was no getting out of it this time. They'd been caught and they were certainly going to be punished.
Gin's eyes relaxed as he swallowed the lump that had immediately formed in his throat when the door opened. Drawing in a slow breath, he finally found the strength to speak.
"Good evening, Hitsugaya-Taichou…" he said slowly. "It's a pleasure to see you again…"
A/N: Hey there all. Sorry about the cliff-hanger, but I think I'm a little worn out for the evening. I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I don't expect it to be quite as long as my normal stories. I apologize for that as well.
However, just to take care of it now, in case I don't have time in the future, THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE READ, RESPONDED, FAVORITED or ALERTED this story! I appreciate it so much!
The next update should be soon! Keep your eyes peeled!
