On A Dark Path, He Walks

Disclaimer: See above. -laughs-

Warnings: Angst, death, shonen ai, ooc Gin, but purposefully so.

Notes: It's almost finished! Goodness, these guys have come a long way. I'm working hard for my dear readers and hopefully, this second to last installment will please you guys. Also, I'd like to thank all the readers and reviewers who took me back into their hearts after revealing that Kira was in fact, alive. Those few grueling weeks out of your favour was killing me. -laughs- But then again, it really made you all think, ne?


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Aizen was silent in his attack, so focused on his lover's face that he was blind to the slight movement below his line of sight, Ichimaru's whispered words almost reaching his ears too late as he suddenly, desperately willed himself to shift off to the side.

"...ikorose, Shinsou..."

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Izuru's adjutant badge fell from Gin's hands as he spoke, Aizen's body a wide, white target for the divine spear, the man's outer jacket sliced neatly through the side as Shinsou hit its mark. He grunted sharply and immediately backed off, clutching his side as the pale garment began to soak through with blood, his kidou fading from around his hand.

The former third captain's forward movement nearly carried him into his lover but he counterbalanced at the last moment, shifting back into a defensive stance, Shinsou held out with his right hand while the left draped over his wrist. His eyes were open, showing his murderous intent, never leaving the elder man's face. Not even to enjoy his own handiwork. Weakly, he spoke again, his words barely a whisper, unable to cry over what he was hearing but certain that it was a truly sad situation.

“Is it true what Jyuushiro's saying, Sousuke? Is Izuru alive?”

Though pained, Aizen smiled and held his hand out, receiving a light gasp and a stiffened jerk from the younger shinigami in return, Ichimaru's wariness obviously showing through. He pulled his hand back and straightened himself up, grimacing as the wound burned in his side.

“You'd believe their word over mine, Gin? I've never lied to you in the past. What would I gain from doing it now?”

The red eyed captain's stare wavered and he lowered his sword a fraction of an inch, a sign of weakness he would always carry for the former fifth captain. Ukitake's light cough broke the unbearable silence, his cloth tucked neatly away again as he reclaimed his place beside the frightened traitor, placing a hand on Ichimaru's arm to settle him a little bit.
“Calm, Gin. He's alive. I can feel his rei-”

“He's not, Jyuu! I can't sense him! More than anyone else's, I could always sense Izuru's reiatsu!”

He was angry with Gin now, Ukitake's patience running short for the first time in countless years, a grunt of irritation passing his lips as he left the silver haired shinigami to do as he wished, whisking past Aizen, holding on to the notion that he would stay with Gin and not interfere.
A sharp blast of kidou was aimed directly upon him but he managed to dodge it, hearing the crackle of energy as it destroyed the wall it had struck. He heard Gin's cry of alarm again and a holler of attack, another ball of energy released and resounding with a defiant thud that shook the palace's very foundation.

The ill taichou was confident of his lover's ability to fight Aizen, but he was more worried about the younger man's mental state, should he never see his vice captain again, the spirit energy growing stronger as he neared the Espada leader's chambers. It was odd to the white haired captain, how each time he heard Gin cry out from the other room, Kira's reiatsu flared for a second, as if the boy could hear him and was upset by the sound.

There were no guards at the man's door, obviously because they were either dead or outside fighting off the shinigami invasion, giving him ample time to check out the surrounding area, the feeling gaining strength just as he entered Aizen's bedroom. His eyes went wide as the noticeable energy from the young fukutaichou poured from the double doored closet, along with the telltale emanations of a high level binding art.
He threw the doors open and gasped out loud, turning to cough so quickly he couldn't bring his cloth or sleeve up to cover it, blood splashing to the tatami mat. He turned to look again and immediately dispelled the bind, holding his arms out as the young Kira fell into them, his eyes half lidded and his breath coming in great gasps.

“Kira-kun!” The elder man exclaimed.

The boy could only smile weakly and then suddenly, he shifted out of the other's grasp and stood on shaky legs, looking around frantically for something, Ukitake's powers of deduction figuring it out immediately.

“Wabisuke? Where'd he put you?” He turned to the thirteenth captain with a panicked look on his face, the look fading as Ukitake held out his own zanpakutou. “Ukitake-taichou?”

“Take Sôgyo no Kotowari. He will not show you his initial or final releases however. Though I doubt your ability to summon bankai, he won't allow either to happen regardless.”

The boy didn't even smile but he nodded his thanks as he moved anyway, hurrying past the elder man but followed by him at a distance, a scowl on his face each time he heard his captain call out, whether it be from fright or during an attack, he didn't know. It was hard to wade through the dense clouds of shimmering reiatsu as he approached the pair from behind, Aizen's angry and threatening while Gin's was scared and defiant.

Ukitake stood in the doorway just as Kira was pacing in behind Aizen, catching the man's attention for a brief second as Gin attacked again, the movement dodged and then countered. Gin was deft with his maneuvers and missed the attack easily, coming back down with a light thump and a grunt of exertion. Aizen only smiled at him and looked over his shoulder, smirking at the elder shinigami.

“You were unable to find him, Ukitake? I'm not surprised. It's because he's truly dead and gone. When will you realize it without having to question my authority?”

“You have no authority, Aizen. Not here, not in Soul Society, not even in your own private chambers.”

The brunet balked for a moment, giving the other man a curious look, leaving his face to peer at Gin's, the relief and utter happiness as the short haired captain stared over Aizen's shoulder obvious on his face. He couldn't understand what would make his upset lover so indescribably happy until he heard him holler again.

“Izuru!”

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At the fourth division headquarters, Unohana and Isane had taken up the care of Byakuya and Renji, staying behind as their squad headed to the front lines to aid in the attack on Hueco Mundo. The beautiful captain clucking her tongue over the nobleman's injuries and sighing as she helped her fukutaichou with the other's, noticing that while their healing techniques did indeed save him, Renji's burns were not common and were therefore the subject on controversy.

“Kuchiki-taichou? Could you tell me how Abarai-fukutaichou gained such unsightly injuries?”

The dark haired shinigami groaned and opened his eyes, resting for the simple reason that he was tired, not wanting to move as the other medics worked on his young lover.
“Aizen cast something on him. If he left Hueco Mundo, he would suffer ten times worse. The burns would flare up and consume him.”

She nodded gently, her right hand lifting to smooth the hairs back from his brow, a smile on her serene face.
“He'll be fine. He needs his rest now, as do you. Isane will remain here to protect you while you sleep.”

He closed his eyes and sighed softly, knowing that regardless of their bumps and bruises, more hurting was going on in Hueco Mundo than either of them could even fathom.

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The blond ignored his captain's cry and headed straight for Aizen's back, bringing the Sôgyo up from below, intent on stabbing him right through. He was silent and though Aizen was baffled by the sudden reiatsu he felt, he turned quickly and while aiming a well timed kidou at the boy, was impaled from behind by an angered Gin, the sight of his lover striking out at his toy too much for him to witness.

Kira rolled and was caught along the back by the powerful force, the energy burning his kimono and searing his skin, a harsh wail ripped from him. He was thankfully alive and Ukitake was immediately by his side, cradling him in his arms, mindful of the nasty burns and gently tucking his zanpakutou back into its sheath. Izuru turned frightened eyes on Gin, worried for his life now that Aizen was angry and he was in such close proximity to him.

“Ichimaru-taichou!”

He stared as the short haired captain turned to look back at him, the smile still there as he peeled himself from the heaving, gasping form of his elder lover, letting the stiff body fall to the floor. Shinsou hung bloody from his hand before he tossed it aside and kneeled beside the downed blond, taking him into his arms and nearly pushing Ukitake over in his haste. He was ignorant now of the danger Aizen posed, the coughing and groans coming from him hardly noticed by the broken third division captain.

Ukitake was levelheaded enough to watch the other man for an attack, standing between Gin and the stricken leader, watching the once bespectacled captain writhe.

“Does it...please you to...see me like this, Ukitake?” He asked, coughing up a great gout of blood, an amount unheard of to even the sick thirteenth division captain. “I suppose it's all come...full circle now. Your beloved fukutaichou can finally rest.”

The long haired shinigami stared, unable to believe what he was hearing. “Are you justifying your death because of what happened to Kaien? You brought this on yourself by toying with Gin's emotions, Aizen. He's emotionally fragile now, thanks to your tampering. Look at him for God's sake!”

He glanced over to his cuddly lover and smiled, rolling onto his back and coughing again, the red fluid now dribbling down his cheek as it bubbled from his lips, staining his collar and soaking into his hair at the nape of his neck. From the hallway came loud cries and shouts, two arrancar running inside because they had been driven back by the shinigami invaders and an unseen attack that had been destroying their kind.

“Aizen-sama! Aizen-sama! Something new is wrong!” They called out in unison.

The dying captain turned to see them and watched, slightly horrified as their bodies started to burn, their extremities turning into ash and falling to the floor amidst their screams of pain. He chuckled and sighed as his vision began to darken, unable to see Ukitake's face now as he looked around.

“They can't exist without me, Ukitake. They've got no reiatsu of their own. They survive on mine...”

The bodies were no more than piles of grey soot now and viciously, the thirteenth captain kicked them around on the tiled floor, dirtying his tabi and haori but not minding in the least. He spared a glance to the fallen Espada leader and withdrew his zanpakutou, stepping close enough to look down his nose at him and without remorse, stabbed him through the throat, the man's reiatsu finally fading completely.

The moment the defector's energy disappeared, Ichimaru turned around to look, his eyes slightly red from crying, or watering because he didn't cry, as he had told Ukitake in the past. Kira was safely snuggled in his arms and looked to be asleep, his eyes opening as the elder man hefted himself to his feet and walked over, carrying him against his chest.

“Is he...dead, Jyuu? I mean...is he really?”

The elder shinigami nodded.

“Can we go home now?”

The simple question bothered Ukitake on a dangerous level but he fought to ignore it as he walked toward the corridor, passing pile after pile of burned ashes, giving him a clear image of just how many arrancar had been on their way back inside just before their leader perished, the front line by the gates littered with dead Espada, the creatures obviously better established and unable to simply disappear once they had died. He looked down longingly at the lifeless form of Aizen's beloved green eyed Espada, Ulquiorra's hand still holding his zanpakutou as if he had been struck down while fighting bravely.

The few shinigami who remained in the dark place waved at them, calling them over once realizing that the approaching men were their own, oddly enough, none of them saying anything about Ichimaru or his blond bundle. To his left, Ukitake saw the ninth division's fukutaichou running over, smiling slightly as the man stepped up and bowed politely, his arms covered in blood and two nasty gashes bisecting his torso where his top had been cut away.

He spoke to the eldest of them on purpose, wary of the third division captain and realizing quickly that something was wrong with him, the way he cuddled the other vice captain and ignored everything around himself.

“Ukitake-taichou! I'm glad to see that you're all right. The horde seems to be subdued for now. I'm asking that you willingly come back with us.”

“Of course, Hisagi-fukutaichou. I've got no problem with that. We're ready.”

“Where exactly is Aizen? Did you defeat him?”

The little shiver that ran through his young lover wasn't lost on Ukitake, his polite smile fading as he regarded Shuuhei.

“He's dead. I confirmed it myself.”

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They were met by the entirety of the tenth squad, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto greeting them and taking down everything Ukitake had to tell them. Though uninjured, they were escorted to the fourth division headquarters anyway to make sure that everything was as it should be. There were again no questions about Ichimaru's reappearance and thankfully, no commotion until they finally reached the aid station.

“Kira!” Came a cry from the end of the hall. “Oi, Kira!”

Ukitake waved a hand and silenced the bandaged but walking around fukutaichou, taking him aside to tell him about what had happened.

“He was injured while confronting Aizen, Abarai-kun. He needs medical help for the time being. Please be more considerate.”

“Ah, hai. Sorry, Ukitake-taichou. I'm just excited to see him is all.”

Byakuya came to take his subordinate back into their room again and nodded to his fellow captain, not bothering with words. There would always be a hostility between them concerning Ukitake's traitorous attitude but because he had brought back the other two shinigami safely, he couldn't find it in himself to truly hate him.
There had never been guards posted at the door to the sixth division members' room but for the third division's, there were four strong eleventh squad members stationed outside, each of them nodding to Renji as he asked permission to go inside.

Once in, he sighed and glared softly at the silver haired captain, the man's back to him as he lay curled on his side, his right arm draped over Izuru's waist while the left was tucked under his chin. He looked pleasantly content to sleep forever while the blond was awake, smoky eyes regarding his friend with quiet recognizance. He held a finger to his lips to keep the redhead silent and motioned for him to come closer.

“He's not well, Renji-kun. Unohana-taichou said he needs rest but I think it's something more.”

The pony-tailed vice captain sat beside the bed and rested his head in his hands, looking from the boy's face to the serenely sleeping face of the dangerous captain.
“Like, he's broken inside or what? Is it somethin' Aizen did to him?”

“I think he killed Aizen-taichou, Renji-kun. I wasn't awake for it because he attacked me after I tried to hurt him, but I'm pretty sure I heard Ukitake-taichou tell Unohana-taichou that he did.” He swallowed and gave a light, pained sigh. “He killed the man he loved because he wanted to save me, Renji-kun. I can't believe he'd do that...”

“He obviously cares for ya, Kira.”

“I know he does. But...I can't help but think that he's going to be hard to live with from now on. Regardless of how badly I wanted him back home.”

The larger male gave him a disappointed look and sat back again, crossing his feet at the ankles with a sigh.

“If it gets bad, if he's even allowed outta here, come to me, all right? I can at least take care of ya until he's better. Byakuya'll be okay with it.”

The blond tried to smile and a tear slithered down his cheek, nodding as he took in his best friend's words.

“Thank you, Renji-kun. That- He sniffed out loud, causing Ichimaru to move, his graceful form shifting over so he could nuzzle under the boy's chin. -means a lot to me.”

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“He has to go, Ukitake. He can't be allowed to stay a captain as long as he defected and betrayed us. The very idea of it is ridiculous!”

In the gardens outside of the division headquarters, Ukitake sat with Hitsugaya and Byakuya, an argument ensuing after the suggestion that Ichimaru would be allowed to return to his place as captain without any undue circumstances. To the child prodigy, the idea was absurd. To Byakuya, it was foolish but not wholly unbelievable. After all, the eldest captain had seen what Aizen could do and had probably done, to the poor taichou.

“He wasn't brainwashed, Hitsugaya-kun, but he was led to believe that what Aizen had told him was correct.”

“It's not even that, Ukitake.” Byakuya piped in. “It's his mental state that worries Unohana. She thinks he may have been so dependent on Aizen that he can't live without him now. He may have killed him out of love for his fukutaichou, but in reality, he snapped the strings that have carried him ever since he became part of the Gotei 13.”

The long haired taichou sighed and rubbed his eyes, getting to his feet so he could go back inside to check on the others.
“What happened with Genryuusai-dono, Hitsugaya-kun? Did they have a burial and memorial for him?”

The smallest captain got up as well and jumped up to the wall separating his own division building from the garden and barely turned back to speak, sticking with his decision to argue against Ichimaru's reinstatement.

“There wasn't anything left of him to bury, Ukitake. Even the husk was gone when we went to do the arrangements an hour later. You should feel some semblance of guilt for what happened though. The memorial was attended by those in Seireitei who weren't in Hueco Mundo trying to fix your mistake.”