Prompt: 020. Born
"Why's it look like that?" Shinji was currently stationed in the transient world with his lieutenant and they had happened upon a bakery, displaying a festively-pink cake. It was in honor of the blooming of the cherry blossom trees, and was accordingly detailed with icing imitations of the pale petals.
"It's to celebrate, I believe," Aizen offered, sending his own look of distaste toward the food.
"It don't look right," Shinji decided, crossing his arms. "It's probably poisoned or somethin'."
"Always so cautious." It was difficult to tell whether the words were a compliment or an insult. "Have you always been that way?"
"Cautious?" The blonde's head tipped upward in thought for a moment. "Ever since the day I was born."
A faint smile lined Aizen's lips. "Oh? Have you been so interesting for quite that long, as well?"
A wary look was given and Shinji snorted lightly before beginning his advancement down the sidewalk once more, the cake having lost his interest. "Just about as long as ya've been so damn creepy."
"Since the day I was born?"
"Damn right."
Prompt: 022. Murmur
It was strange, Aizen thought, that he hadn't seen his captain all day. The paperwork had been completed and there were no other, major tasks for their division to undertake. He was sure the other man wasn't in a captain's meeting, since at least two others had been by during the day to see the absent leader. Even though Shinji usually shoved all of his work off onto his subordinates, he was usually always around somewhere. Aizen figured it was mostly to keep an eye on things. his captain was a bit of a control freak.
But he didn't mind it, in the least. After what felt like a serious overexposure of Shinji's everything, the mild-mannered man was happy to welcome a bit of silence into his life. He knew it wouldn't last for long, as he was sure Shinji would be back soon enough, and so he took every moment in stride, allowing the calm to relax him. Dealing with Shinji, after all, could be extremely stressful.
As the silence settled into his mind, though, Aizen found it entirely unfitting. He wanted to enjoy it- had really tried his best- but it seemed so wrong. Did he really crave the other's presence that much? He let out a faint sigh.
"You are a truly frightening man, Captain Hirako." The words were no louder than a murmur, but they broke the silence just enough to settle Aizen's nerves, breathing an air of life into the stillness for a single moment. It would be enough until Shinji returned.
Prompt: 023. Devious
"He's up t' somethin'."
It had been quite a while since either of them had spoken, and Kensei had been wondering when Shinji would break the peaceful calm. It never took him very long.
"Who?" he wondered in a gruff voice. Shinji was constantly suspicious, so it was hard to say who he would pick next to accuse of something.
"Aizen, of course." Who else would he be talking about? Duh, Kensei.
"Of course," the other man repeated with a roll of his eyes.
"Don't roll your eyes at me," Shinji demanded with a bit of a frown. "He is."
"Okay, okay." He really didn't feel like getting into another argument with Shinji about how his lieutenant had really never done anything wrong and half of the other captains would kill to have someone as dedicated and polite as Aizen Sousuke, Kensei included. "So, what's he up to?"
"Why should I know?" If Shinji had known, he wouldn't just be sitting around, talking about it; he'd have caught the nerd in the act and sent him off to the Captain Commander or Central 46.
"Then why do you think he's up to something?" Sometimes, he was sure Shinji just imagined things to blame on his subordinate.
"He always is. He's devious, Kensei." Shinji shot the other man a look across the table they were seated at, a small cup perched between his fingers.
Gray eyes shifted to look elsewhere than the heated gaze of his fellow captain. "He seems okay, to me."
"Of course 'e does! That's what makes 'im so tricky!" Jeez, why didn't this guy get it?
Kensei glanced at the bottle settled beside the other man. "I'm not gonna come drinking with you anymore if you don't know when to stop. You're just being paranoid."
"Like hell," Shinji muttered, shoulders slumping into a sulking position. "I'll prove it to ya one day."
"You do that."
Prompt: 024. Isolation
"This is the worst idea the old man's ever had," Shinji decided, practically glaring at the patient brunette across his desk.
"It could be beneficial," Aizen told him, trying for politely optimistic. He had a feeling, to Shinji, it would just sound mocking, which, really, it was.
"I don't wanna get t' know ya," the blonde stated bluntly. "If I did, I woulda, by now."
"That's the entire point of this exercise," the lieutenant reminded, a smile gracing his lips. "Now, would you like to start?"
If he didn't think Aizen would be a total rat, Shinji would have refused to comply, but he knew the suck-up would probably run right to Yamamoto and tell. Not that Shinji would mind too much, and he'd tell the old guy right to his face that a 'get to know your captain/lieutenant better program' was a stupid idea. It apparently had eight stages to it, spread out across a painfully long period of time. The first? Describe the other in three words, then see how much they agree or disagree with them. Stupid. Completely and utterly ridiculous.
"Whatever," Shinji grumbled, eyeing the other up and down for only a moment before the words spilled from his lips. "Suspicious, nerdy, an' a little bitch."
"Are those really the three words you would choose for me?" Aizen wondered, forcing a frown to his lips despite his obvious amusement. "The last one wasn't even a word; it was a phrase. Please, comply to the rules, captain."
"I meant t' say what I said," Shinji grunted, leaning back and stretching his feet out to lay on his desk. "If ya want it in a word, then I'll call ya a pansy."
Aizen's eyes closed and a bit of a smile slipped into his expression. "If that's what you think of me, but I couldn't possibly agree with any of them."
"Did I mention infuriatin'?"
"You were only allowed three, sir."
"An' annoyin'."
"That's five."
"Well, this is the Fifth Division." Shinji paused before giving the other a wary look. "Fine, then, what would ya use for yourself?"
An eyebrow raised lightly at the question. "I don't believe that's part of the task."
"I'm makin' it part of it. Spill."
How would Aizen describe himself? Was there a way to do so and remain humble at the same time? Of course not; Aizen knew himself and knew he excelled in just about everything. He had a feeling if one of his adjectives was 'perfect', though, Shinji may kick him out of the division.
"Adaptable, patient, and well-read."
"I'm changin' one of mine t' borin'," Shinji commented, rolling his eyes. "Ya ain't got no personality with those sortsa words!" Well, he'd already figured that much about the other. "Alrigh', do me. An' if ya say anything bad, I'll kick your ass."
"It can't possibly be honest with a threat like that."
"Oh, right. Add liar t' my list." He wasn't sure what number he was at, by now, but he figured more was better than less.
Aizen was sure if the conversation went on much longer, Shinji would conjure up every negative adjective he knew to label his lieutenant with. "Very well." He paused for a moment, as if to think, though it was purely for superficial value; he'd already known well enough what he thought of the other man. "Confident, strong, and isolated."
Shinji had no problem with the first two, though he was sure Aizen was saying them with a hint of condescension, but the third struck a nerve somewhere deep down and the captain rose to his feet, scowling across his desk. "What was that last one?"
"It seems to me," Aizen began, maintaining his composure even under the other's intimidation, "that you isolate yourself from others, in order to avoid being harmed or let down."
Shinji stared at his lieutenant for a very long moment before wrinkling his nose and turning his head to the side. "Get out."
"Do you disagree?"
"I said get th' fuck out!" It was quite obvious that he didn't.
Prompt: 025. Starve
"Where do ya think you're goin'?" Shinji frowned as Aizen rose from his seat. The sun was still high in the sky and there was plenty of work to be done.
"To lunch, sir. You should take a break, as well."
"Sit back down." It wasn't a suggestion and Shinji gave the other a look that dared him to argue the point.
"You'll deny me a meal?" Aizen wondered, though returned to his seat. He was sure he was being punished for delving so deep into his captain's insecurities.
"Ya can starve for all I care," was the only response and, soon after, the pair fell back into silence.
