On A Dark Path, He Walks

Disclaimer: I DON’T OWN THEM! I do own a cosplay costume of Ukitake and yes; my lover likes to be Gin for me in his own costume. It’s immensely thrilling and for a few hours each day, we both feel as if we’re owned for a change.

Warnings: Blood, violence, adult situations and adult language. Possibly disturbing. Angst of the Abarai variety. Long windedness due to Aizen’s insanity.

Notes: Yeah…I had a hard time with this chapter but it’s the turning point of the entire fic. Please be kind. I wrote it over the course of four days at work, while dealing with Bridezilla’s and family funerals. (I’m a florist.)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The night passed without major incident and again, the sounds of business and hallways filled with people echoed throughout the rooms of the large palace, waking those who were supposed to be awake already and irritating those who weren’t.

Aizen had gone directly to his rooms the night before, after interrogating his former comrades and peacefully slept through the night, ignoring the emptiness beside him as his lover spent the night away from him. The reason for it was clear, the brunet having heard most of what went on behind the silver haired shinigami’s door, the pained whimpers and cries of absolute agony sounding sweetly in his ears.

Awake now and fully dressed, he moved out into the corridor where his army stood in wait, each member standing at attention as he approached, his smile gone now, only to be replaced with a scowl that spoke volumes of his seriousness, their mission the day before having been an important one.

“Ulquiorra, report.”

The small arrancar stepped forward and though he and Grimmjow had joined the away party halfway through the short investigation, he had learned enough details to make a compelling report. It was everything the Espada leader had hoped, mostly to do with the whereabouts of the ryoka that had aided in his escape from Soul Society. The woman with them still intrigued him more than he cared to admit but there was also the promise of having a meeting with the power orange haired boy.

“Very good. Leave me.”

The ten favoured swordsmen nodded and left for their respective rooms, leaving their lord to follow as he made his way to his lover’s room, the sounds of shuffled clothing and whispered words barely reaching his ears as he gently pushed the sliding door aside. Inside, the snake faced shinigami turned to stare at the intruder, immediately leaving his kimono on the edge of the bed and walking over to the larger man, throwing his arms around Aizen’s shoulders.

The elder taichou growled and gifted his lover with a firm kiss, pulling away to gaze down upon the mussed bed.

Barely moving, Kira lay on the soiled sheets, groaning softly as he shifted from his side to his belly, giving the brown haired captain a view of his bare back, the pale skin marred in numerous places with the aftereffects of Gin’s love. The deep furrows had obviously bled profusely and dried blood clung to the boy’s sides and had run in thick rivers down to his buttocks, small handprints colouring the mounds where Ichimaru had palmed the bloody flesh.

“You were very hard on him, Gin.”

A light chuckle followed the given fact as the younger taichou pulled away and again went for his upper clothing.
“You should see his front, Sousuke. I was in a bitey mood.”

He tittered a little bit and lifted the heavy outfit to his shoulders, wrapping it around himself and then adding the Espada cloak, tying it securely and slipping Shinsou into his obi.
“I’m gonna go see what Jyuushiro’s up to. You wanna come with me?”

“No actually. Though I appreciate the offer, Gin. I’ve got to visit the others a second time. Kuchiki-taichou wasn’t very cooperative and Abarai-kun was as hostile as ever.”

“Mou…ok. I’ll see you later then!”

Then he was gone, leaving his broken fukutaichou to moan in the dirtied bed, Aizen’s eyes still watching him. There was no denying the boy’s beauty. He was willingly loyal and easily dominated. He smirked dangerously and closed the door behind himself as he moved back out into the hall, fighting the urge to take Gin’s toy as his own for a little while.

He adjusted his groin as he moved to the next room and simply pushed the door aside, not bothering to knock again and stepping in to a pathetic but somewhat arousing sight, his pleased chuckle both ending the scene and drawing attention to himself.

Renji looked up from the bed, lifting his head from Byakuya’s chest where he had been comfortably sleeping, having crawled up there during the night for what little comfort the now completely conscious nobleman could give him, gaining a smile and an arm around his shoulders. Now though, he snarled like a caged animal, slowly sliding away from his lover and standing to the side, ready for another argument and if it came down to it, a close combat tussle.

Aizen looked from the bristling redhead to the dark haired captain and smirked, knowing full well of their relationship and feeling somewhat in awe of how eagerly the younger shinigami threw himself in harms way to protect his lover.

“Again, I will ask that you relax, Abarai-kun. If I had wanted to harm you, you would have already been harmed.”

“I’ve had enough of fuckin’ relaxin’! I was awake most of the night and I heard Kira cryin’ like crazy. I wanna know what the hell you bastards did to him!”

The brunet former captain allowed his smirk to fall as he darted forward and snatched the fukutaichou by his ponytail, pulling his head back and forcing him to his knees with a vicious tug, staring down with angry fire in his eyes. While still weak from the blow he received the day before, Renji was livid as he thrashed in the tight hold, wincing from the pain in his scalp, red eyes flashing to Byakuya and again silently signaling that he should stay put.

“I suggest you get to your feet and come with me then, if you so desire to see your precious Kira. Get up, Abarai-kun.”

He kneed the younger shinigami in the gut before violently wrenching on his hair to make him stand up properly, holding him out in front of himself and marching the tattooed swordsman towards Gin’s quarters. Using his free hand, he pushed the door open and threw the other inside, dragging the slider back again and standing in front of it to block the exit, watching as the pony tailed death god got to his feet from where he had fallen to his knees.

The blond still lay on his belly and was snoring lightly, obviously comfortable enough to have fallen into a deep sleep despite his wounds. Renji took one look at him and leveled a dark glare upon the elder man, immediately moving to the bed and leaning closer to better see the extent of the boy’s damages. He was loathe to touch him because of the various fluids that covered him but he did manage to brush the hair back from his forehead, a dark bruise starting on one pale cheek. He had been struck rather hard across the face; that much was obvious.

“Which one of you did this to him?” He snarled with his head down.

“It was Gin, Abarai-kun. And it wasn’t ‘done to him’, really. He only cried out because of the intensity of it. I assure you, the situation was entirely consensual.”

“Con-…you’re all sick. Ukitake-taichou included. I just wanna fuckin’ kill all of you.” He looked down to the blond again and stood up to face the Espada leader, his hands tightly clenched. “I’m takin’ both Kira and Byakuya back with me, right now.”

“And how exactly do you plan on accomplishing that? My Espada are ready to fight for me at any given time. You’re outnumbered, Abarai-kun.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, the elder shinigami stared at the redhead, watching the boy’s reiatsu rise as each passing minute added to his anger and frustration. He knew Renji was powerful but only to a point and his bankai, while deadly, was hardly a threat when Aizen himself could stop bankai with his bare hands. He knew that the rising spirit energy would draw the attention of his subordinates and he suddenly felt as if he had to cap it before a complete ruckus broke out.

The former captain disappeared from Renji’s sight but having followed Byakuya’s shunpo before and now being able to see through it, the younger death god saw where the traitor was headed and cut him off, stepping between Aizen and Kira, glaring angrily at the taller form as it reappeared directly in front of him.

“Back off, Aizen! You’re not touchin’ him again!” He crouched down slightly and continued his glare, one hand held out in defense while the other rested on Kira’s shoulder, the small patch of skin thankfully clean.

“I had no intention of touching him, Abarai-kun.”

The smile that followed the elder shinigami’s words made Renji’s blood run cold, his body reacting too slow to pull his defensive arm away as Aizen snatched his wrist and viciously whipped it to the side, his other hand moving around to slam Renji directly in the chest.

The redhead crumpled from the painful shock that etched its way through his body, instantly collapsing his legs. Luckily, the larger man caught him and tossed him onto the bed beside the already prostrate blond, leaving him in much the same state as he had been in the night before, dark burns painted over those that had healed the tiniest bit from the first attack.

“You try my patience, Abarai-kun. I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you in here now, so that I can speak with your lover without being interrupted. I have plans that need to be executed immediately and you members of the sixth division will help me immensely.”

He leaned down and spoke very clearly into the younger man’s ear, even going so far as to lick at the outer shell of it, almost as a tease but more than likely only to disgust the redhead.

“You will remain immobile for at least an hour and then you will lapse into unconsciousness so please, take advantage of the situation and rethink your plans through while you have time. I’m in no mood to play childish games with you. Give me a challenge or go home. Wasn’t that what Zaraki-taichou used to say to you and your teammates? How right he was, the loudmouthed simpleton.”

Before Renji could snap a remark in the man’s direction, the brunet was gone, the door sliding shut and the telltale clomp of heavy feet echoing in the chilly corridor. The feeling of utter helplessness again crawled up his spine and he resigned himself to a second bout of depression, somehow certain that despite his power, the power of his lover and the power of Soul Society would come under attack by the dangerous shinigami.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

His vision no longer clouded and his body feeling back to normal, Byakuya stood up from the large bed and stretched, a languid movement that would have had his lover moaning, dark eyes taking in every detail of their well furnished cell. He knew Renji had been taken and the slow pulse of reiatsu from the redhead told him that the other’s energies had again been muffled by a spell of some sort.

He didn’t fear for his lover’s life, nor did he feel any sort of anxiety over his disappearance until the door to their room opened again, revealing the large form of the fifth division captain, his smile utterly infuriating to the injured nobleman.

“You’ve gone too far, Aizen. A traitor Ukitake may be, but any plans you have of myself or Renji joining you are absolutely unfounded.” He glared slightly and continued. “The others will come after you once we fail to return.”

Master of the flash steps, Byakuya could follow the elder man as he moved quickly enough to sweep up a breeze in the room, on edge with his arms raised in attack and his lips pulled back in an uncharacteristic snarl. It was a thrill for the brunet to see the other captain in such a state, knowing full well the attitude the regal Kuchiki normally gave.

“I’m here to offer you something, Kuchiki-taichou. Let’s act like proper men of honour, shall we?”

“What do you know of honour? You betrayed the entirety of Soul Society for your own twisted plans! You nearly killed your own vice captain!”

“Hai, hai, all very interesting things that have nothing to do with the situation at hand. Now, will you hear me out and give my offer a little bit of consideration like a true gentleman would?”

The heavy sigh and hand raised to press the bridge of his nose told of Byakuya’s irritation with the other man.
“What is it?”

Aizen smiled and turned his back, moving back towards the door and stepping out into the hall.
“Join me in the throne room, Kuchiki-taichou. I can better explain it there.”

Begrudgingly, the dark haired captain followed his captor and with curious eyes, peered at the creatures that had come out of the woodwork to line the hall, each one with a part Hollow mask attached to their person, eyes of different shades all regarding the shinigami with hatred and malice. Byakuya hardly feared them but the animosity he felt and the reiatsu he saw in the air, worried him. He and his lover had indeed underestimated the power and influence of the former fifth division captain.

“This way, Kuchiki-taichou.”

He stepped up into the large room and inwardly cringed when he didn’t see his lover amongst the gathered bodies, neither did he see the third or thirteenth division captains. Not that it bothered him because he could feel the spirit energies of each missing shinigami and though two of them were dangerously weak, he knew they were safe to a degree.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Having partly digested what the silver haired shinigami had told him about Aizen’s true plan, Ukitake nodded his head numbly as they walked to Aizen’s formal chambers, still uncertain as to his own place in the scheme of things and suspicious of the sudden invitation to join the elegant leader in his meeting.

“Where do I fit into all of this, Gin?”

“Naa, you’re just here for my entertainment, Jyuu-kun. Sousuke wants as many captains on our side and after I told him you were all for following me, he couldn’t say no. He doesn’t really care what you do, as long as you’re loyal to me.”

The smaller man shifted his stride and slid an arm around the elder captain’s waist, smiling as contentedly as if he had just been physically satisfied. The thirteenth division taichou could only sigh softly and run long fingers through his hair to settle his nerves.

“I am loyal to you, Gin. You know that. I’m just…wary of Aizen. He’s never been in my good books, as you well know.”

“Mm...I know. Just…try to get along with him, Jyuushiro.”

The snake-like swordsman looked deeply at his grey-eyed lover, both hands lifted up to gently cup the man’s face as he abruptly stopped in the hall just outside of the closed doors. The sincerity blatantly obvious on his delicate features and his use of Ukitake’s full name again cautioned the elder man as to Gin’s serious mood.

“Aa, I’ll try.”

The smile and relentless giggling from the smaller man caused Ukitake to groan slightly, not entirely in the mood for any of Gin’s games, but somewhat unable to tell him that directly.

“Is something on your mind, Gin? You’re a lot more…uppity than usual.”

He got a chuckle and an open eyed stare from the sneaky captain.

“I broke Izuru in again last night. I’ve got him to the point where he obeys my every command and willingly gives himself to me, no matter what mood I’m in.”

“He’s alive though, isn’t he? I can sense a weak reiatsu…”

“Of course, Jyuu-kun! I’m never that hard on him. I just had to put him back in his place so I can leave without him and not worry that he’ll wander and cause trouble. You remember how he got imprisoned in Soul Society during the ryoka attacks, ne?”

“I remember, yes. But why would you be leaving him? He hasn’t been here very long and I’ve only just arrived…”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The two creatures closest to the throne stepped forward as Aizen approached them and handed him two long wrapped packages, the atmosphere of the room almost like a coronation as opposed to a simple meeting between former comrades. Byakuya couldn’t help but wonder what the elder man had planned before he arrived to greet him.

The Espada leader hefted himself up the stairway and sat in the heavily cushioned seat, grinning like a hunting snake and turning his eyes from the shinigami before him to the chamber’s double doors. Byakuya turned to look as well and caught himself staring before giving the long haired thirteenth squad leader a cold look, much more frigid than his normal glares, one meant to convey his absolute disgust of the elder man’s betrayal.

“Ahh, welcome Gin, Ukitake.” Aizen’s voice boomed from above. “You’re just in time.”

He smiled down at his young lover and was rewarded by a grin and a set of open red eyes, Ichimaru’s interest peaked too far to allow himself to miss the coming excitement. The packaging draped over his legs was shifted and broad hands untied the heavy material, giving it a flick of his wrist and watching as it fell from the high throne but missed the floor, the brown cloth snatched out of the air by Grimmjow, the blue haired arrancar folding it neatly and tucking it under his arm.

On the Hueco Mundo lord’s lap sat two swords, their hilts obvious in colour to Byakuya, who strained his eyes to see them from such a distance. Ahh, it was true. One had a red hilt, the other, white. He gritted his teeth and held his chin slightly higher.

“I can see by your facial expression that you’re opposed to my possessing your zanpakutou. It was necessary to remove them from you and your fukutaichou. You couldn’t have honestly thought that I’d allow enemies to keep their weapons while in my home, could you?”

The swords were lifted, both in one hand, and held aloft for the entire congregation to see, each of the arrancar with one of their own, as well as Gin and Ukitake, the latter of whom watched the unfolding situation with something akin to horror, knowing full well what the brunet leader had in mind.

“I’m not holding these items ransom, as you obviously seem to believe, Kuchiki-taichou. Your fukutaichou is hardly in a position to be wielding such a hulking object as this but shortly, I will need the power sealed within them to carry out my plan.”

Byakuya’s voice was gravelly with anger and displaced rage, his hands clenched into fists and his hair hanging loosely over his forehead now that it was free of the kenseikan.

“Tell me, Aizen. Tell me what our zanpakutou have to do with you.”

The traitor fifth squad captain laughed heartily, drawing gasps from the arrancar crowd, most of whom never having heard their lord speak in any way other than an orderly, demanding voice.

“Your bankai, Kuchiki-taichou. I need the fully released bankai form of your zanpakutou to drain the spirit particles from Soul Society’s reservoirs. I know your Senbonzakura garners its strength and its magical little petals from the particles in the very air. Your bankai however, uses up reserve energy stored by Genryuusai-dono himself.”

Byakuya stared, mouth agape, his hands falling lax as finally, the madman had figured out the source of his swords immense power.

“And Zabimaru’s bankai?”

“Ahh, the snake-tail. Its source is much more delicate that that. You see, rokubantai-taichou-san, that energy belongs purely to your lover. Abarai-kun’s reiatsu is strong enough to power his own bankai, even if it was weak enough to be felled by you. There is an undeterminable amount of power stored within that young body and properly tapped, it has the ability to counter act the shikai and bankai of your zanpakutou.”

“You’re absolutely mad, Aizen. No one shinigami has the power to cancel out the abilities of a released zanpakutou.”

“I didn’t say he could. I said Zabimaru could. The demon primate feeds on reiatsu to survive after all. It was fate that brought you and the stray dog from Rukongai together all those years ago. What better counterpart to your energy accumulating zanpakutou, than one that can immediately dispel all of that harboured power?”

“What will you do with the swords now, Aizen? They can’t be released unless you have the summoning words-“

“Chire and Hoeru, if I’m not mistaken.”

His resolve broken, Byakuya turned his head away, now upset and anguished by the fact that the brilliant former captain had everything planned out, right down ton the last detail, almost as if he had planned the entire thing through, as he had done with his pretend death and subsequent exit from Soul Society.

“I won’t help you. I’m not above killing you outright if given the chance. Soul Society will not stand for a second attack from you!”

“Oh, but you will help me, Kuchiki-taichou. While harmless during his stay here in Hueco Mundo, Abarai-kun’s burns will heal and he’ll be fine. If we take him with us on our little trip, the secondary effect of the marks will cause him to burn even more. The wounds themselves are activated by spirit particles, so if he sets foot outside of this world, or if your zanpakutou is released and starts to activate the spirit particles around him, he will literally burn to death.”

The fear in the young captain’s eyes was apparent now and Sousuke only laughed down from his perch, lifting a hand to signal two lesser arrancar at the back of the room, the light haired creatures dragging the seemingly heavy and obviously battered form of his lover behind them, unceremoniously dropping him in the center of the marbled floor and backing away, frightened of being in Aizen-sama’s presence any more than was necessary.

“Look at him now and tell me what you plan to do. He is safe here and unless I release the brands from him, he will have to remain here. Come with me and do as I ask for the greater good, my plan, and I will decide upon a conclusion that is beneficial for both of us.”

The there but almost not there nod from the regal swordsman caused Aizen to clap his hands, all but the shinigami taking their leave to man the gates of Hueco Mundo as an agreement had finally come to fruition. Pleased with himself, Sousuke jumped down from the throne and landed with a light thump just to the right of Renji’s lifeless body, the slow rise and fall of his chest telling his lover that he did indeed still live.

The former fifth division captain nodded to his former lover as he kept the swords in one hand and snatched Byakuya’s wrist with the other waiting for a second before Gin nodded back perceptively, as if knowing exactly what the elder man wanted. The silver haired traitor leaned off to the side and looked Ukitake in the eye, the red orbs again covered by smiling slits.

“Follow me, Gin. The time has arrived.”

The look on Ichimaru’s face made Jyuushiro’s already weakened body shiver, the warm but decidedly serpentine arm slipping from around his waist and falling to Gin’s side, breaking contact with the ill shinigami.

“Of course Anything you want, Aizen-taichou.”

Ichimaru chirruped quietly and flashed frighteningly innocent eyes upon his longhaired lover.

“I’m all excited now! We’re going back to Soul Society!”