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Ichigo tugged the sleeves of his uniform towards his hands, they were slightly too short. He didn't like this outfit—too much white for an already too-white world. He would catch portions of himself from the corner of his eye and startle, as though seeing an enemy; Ichigo was much more comfortable with catching flashing of black.
He wasn't sure where Nel had gotten the uniform but she seemed to find it very fitting. It resembled his bankai coat, though not entirely; it was closer in the throat with a high collar, and more tailored at his waist. Ichigo didn't want to be wearing it for very long; it felt like a betrayal of many things.
She led him to what Ichigo could only assume was Aizen's audience chamber—a wide open room with a throne in the center, upon which the shinigami traitor sat. Nel knelt at his feet and Ichigo did the same.
"Please stop, Neliel," Aizen said. "You know how little respect I place in formalities."
Ichigo glanced at the female Espada; she was smiling gently. Was this all it took to sway her? Ichigo glared at the floor.
"Give us some time together," Aizen was saying. "I promise to return Kurosaki to you at once."
Nel left without speaking, giving Ichigo a look of reassurance. Ichigo remained, staring away from Aizen for long moments. He felt deeply uncomfortable; helpless without his zanpakutou.
"Do you hate me, Kurosaki?"
Ichigo stole a glance at the other man, seated high above him. Aizen appeared contemplative, and Ichigo looked determinedly at the floor.
"Yes," he said.
"Now, why is that? I do not hate you. Surely you don't hold enough faith in Seireitei to hate me on principle."
Ichigo felt his shoulders hunch, glaring at the foot of Aizen's throne. "It's because of Rukia."
"Ah," Aizen's voice was amused and light. "I cannot blame you for that."
Ichigo could hear cloth shift as the other shinigami stood, descending from the high throne. "It's because of what I did to her, am I right?"
Ichigo didn't move, even when Aizen drew alongside him. "But you hold no ill regards towards Urahara Kisuke. He was the one who involved her in the first place. I simply took advantage of a favorable situation. One cannot blame me for that."
Ichigo met the other man's eyes, scowling. "You're trying to turn me against my friends. It won't work, so stop."
"Heh," Aizen gave a short chuckle. "I attempt no such thing." He turned, his back to Ichigo as he left the room through a different entrance than the one Ichigo and Nel had taken previously. Ichigo ached for a sword, to end everything in a moment, to take Aizen's life. "Walk with me. I deplore formalities, as you may have noticed. I find this room terribly oppressive."
Ichigo followed him, walking a step behind the other man. Aizen continued, "I know better than to ask if your current arrangement suits you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean serving Grimmjow," Aizen's gaze turned towards him briefly.
Ichigo stood with his spine very straight, glaring at the other man, a challenge if Aizen would take him up on it. "What do you want from me, Aizen?"
The exiled shinigami seemed rather surprised. "Want from you? What gives the impression that I want anything from you?"
"You kidnapped me—"
"On the contrary, Grimmjow kidnapped you. I personally have little interest."
"But you wanted Inoue. That's why I let Grimmjow take me, to leave her out of this—"
Aizen began laughing in a manner that spoke of great amusement; it was extremely irritating. "I had little actual use for her, as you may recall. Your friend's powers…well. They are magnificent. But ultimately, quite useless to me; you certainly give yourself too much credit in thinking that I care at all in having you as a prisoner."
"Why then, huh?" Ichigo said, and his breath was coming in tight angry pulls. "Why keep me alive, I'll only try to undermine you. Don't think I won't!"
"Oh, I have no doubt. However," Aizen said, his gaze shifting from Ichigo out the open window. "I simply do not see the use in shinigami. Any shinigami; your own sense of self-worth is quite overblown.
"Make no mistake, Kurosaki, I only care to keep you because it pleases Grimmjow. And that pleases me, to have my subordinates amenable. I have a vested interest in keeping Grimmjow content. As you may have realized, our forces have been significantly reduced. I must do what I can to retain my current Espada." Aizen gazed through the open window and Ichigo could see the vast expanse of Las Noches through it, beneath the dome that held fake sky and sunlight. It seemed like a ridiculous expenditure of reiatsu, to simply keep the appearance of it.
"You're quite similar; I believe that is the essence of Grimmjow's interest. He is very much a creature of instinct and must destroy that which is stronger, but even more, he must conquer those who're equal to him. He knows enough to bow to a superior strength, but for the two of you," Aizen paused, sighing. "You are simply too matched for him to do anything but make you subservient. He requires you, in order to assure his own strength."
Ichigo said nothing. He couldn't think of anything to say; Aizen's speech was too accurate and it tore at him, knowing that he wasn't kept here and alive because he was strong or special or useful; Ichigo was a mere plaything for the underling of a murderer.
"In your captive defeat, you are evidence to others of his power," Aizen glanced at him, and there was a subtle smile on his lips. "He must constantly keep you subdued, because you are so matched. He is not assured of each victory, but each time he has it is a reminder of his strength—but should you win against him—"
"I won't serve you in his place!" Ichigo snapped. Aizen was luring him with promises, temptations Ichigo had no interest in.
"Ahh, you certainly are quick," Aizen turned his eyes on Ichigo fully. "I knew you must've been quite strong to make it this far in Soul Society, but I had no idea you would be intelligent as well. This is where you will triumph over Grimmjow, should you ever learn to use it against him."
"I'm not interested in your empty words," Ichigo spat, but Aizen did not appear the least bit dissuaded.
"A pity. But do remember, the offer remains," Aizen said, turning his eyes away with a short sound. "Not the offer precisely—the promise. Should you demonstrate yourself more powerful, enough to overcome Grimmjow—I will grant you anything you wish."
"Even if it's to get the fuck out of here?"
Aizen answered with the barest inclination of his head. "Even that."
Ichigo seethed; he would take mindless violence over tricks of the mind and self-betrayal. "Why're you doing this? I won't turn against my friends, stop trying to make me—"
"If your loyalty was easily bought, I would've approached you earlier. I know this is not the case."
Ichigo shivered, feeling trapped under the other man's reiatsu; it was like when he was training with Urahara: the shopkeeper was so disarming at times but then showed a spiritual presence that could destroy all of Ichigo's world if he couldn't stand against it. He knew the difference here was simply that they stood on opposite sides of a divide—Aizen would offer the opportunity to avoid being crushed but Ichigo knew he could never accept it; he would die first.
"I am a very patient man, Kurosaki. And in my patience—and boredom—I look forward to see which one of you, either Grimmjow or yourself, folds first."
And then he turned away from Ichigo, as though that were all he had to say. Ichigo could tell a dismissal when he'd been given one but wasn't about to leave without a fight. "Where's my zanpakuo? You can't expect to see a good fight without it."
"Indeed," Aizen murmured, not even turning towards him. "I would ask Grimmjow. I'm sure he still has it, having taken it from you."
Ichigo stood angrily behind the other man, unsure of what to say, until Aizen dismissed him clearly: "That is all. Neliel is waiting for you."
Ichigo couldn't do anything other than turn on the ball of his foot and march out of the room, following the path Nel had taken. His face burned with embarrassment; Aizen treated him like an insolent child, a distraction for of all people Grimmjow—
His stomach hurt for so hard it was clenched. He wasn't as strong as he once was; wasn't as strong as when he'd fought Grimmjow in his released form but Ichigo knew, deeply, that he could defeat the other man. Defeat him and defeat Aizen—he would escape this place, no matter how many months or years it required.
"So cruel of you."
Aizen glanced into the shadowed corner where Gin was resting. "You were watching?"
"I'm always watching," Gin said, and sidled up towards him. "It passes the time."
They both watched the open window to the space under the blue-skyed dome of Las Noches; Ichigo Kurosaki was walking, his back stiff and movements robotic as he crossed the sand. Neliel Tu Odervaschank ran up to him suddenly, her green hair streaming out under the helmet of her mask as she pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
"Wicked of you," Gin said. "Seems so, giving him to a'animal like Grimmjow. She'd be nicer to the poor li'l guy."
"He requires cruelty, the same as Grimmjow does. Neither would grow without it."
They saw, together, as Ichigo shoved the woman off of him but she continued, following after and grasping his hand.
"I'm glad t'have her back, she was always one o'my favorites," Gin said.
"Ah," Aizen responded. He found that Ichigo was very much an enigma, just as Neliel was. So much conviction and loyalty without a sense of purpose or direction. It was disappointing that Kurosaki remained undissuaded from the course of the shinigami.
He felt despondent for a moment; perhaps it was that Gin's words stuck too close to his center. "They always called me wicked, in Seireitei. The ones beneath the captains—they never realize that to grow into a whole, the chaff must be stripped away. It is never cruel; it is necessity."
"And you never did mind playin' the villain."
"No," Aizen sighed, sinking back for a moment against Gin's hand as it came to rest between his shoulderblades. "The sadness is in knowing that I will have been dead for years before the true evils of Soul Society are realized."
"They'll see, soon enough. When Karakura is stripped from all planes, they'll see." Gin's lips were against his ear, and Aizen could feel the smile that spread them, though this time he knew it was genuine. "And then we'll have ever'thing, the ouken and loyalty from all of 'em. Patience."
Aizen watched the two figures in their window until they passed out of sight before he turned to face the other man, his hands reaching.
