Breaking In The Reins

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters. So there.

Warnings: Mind fuckage, violence, language, shonen-ai.

Pairings: IchimaruKira, AizenIchimaru, light KyourakuUkitake, mentions of UkitakeKaien.

Notes: Thanks for all the kind reviews everyone! This story should be coming to a close soon as I don't want it to drag on for too long, but rest assured, I can't leave the these guys alone for long. I'll be back with more loveliness for you very soon.

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Kira slept fitfully in the warm confines of Gin's bed, the soft covers and fluffy mattress causing him to fall asleep almost as soon as he had been laid down, as well as the fatigue that came with having just ejaculated only moments before. He tossed onto his back and was instantly covered by Ichimaru's larger form, not in a molesting way but in a comfortable way, the elder man's head pillowed on the boy's chest as he listened to his heart beat, something he was never allowed to do with his own lover. Aizen despised romantic affections when they were given to him but if he chose to run his hand through Gin's hair or leave him a special treat to find when he woke up, that was perfectly acceptable.

Barely an hour had transpired before the blond opened his eyes, immediately noticing the powerful reiatsu in the room, his eyes drifting to the tall figure silhouetted in the doorway. He gasped softly and moved to sit up but was held back by Ichimaru's weight on top of himself, giving a light grunt that woke the happily snoozing fukutaichou. He too noticed Aizen's energies and he smiled in the near darkness, stretching languidly and getting to his feet.

“Maa, ya didn't have to scare him, Sousuke. Now he won't get back to sleep.”

“I don't want either of you asleep right now, Gin. We have company.”

The smile on Ichimaru's face fell slightly and he slipped his sandals back on to pad over to the elder man's side.
“Company? Are they here yet, or just arrivin'?”

“It will be Ukitake and Kyouraku, so be on your best behaviour. I want Kira-kun and yourself in the sitting room immediately.”

“'Course. We're comin'.” He turned to the blond, who had already risen and was sliding into his own sandals and brushing the wrinkles from his uniform. “Ready, Izuru?”

“Hai, Ichimaru-fukutaichou.”

“Great! And I shouldn't have to tell ya to behave, ne? It's kinda important this time.”

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The concerned pair appeared at the front gates of the fifth division and were led inside by one of Sousuke's lesser subordinates, the young man disappearing before either of them could thank him, Ukitake with his mouth in a tight line and Kyouraku with a small smile on his face, his pink kimono swaying in the light breeze. They stepped inside as Aizen gestured to them, seated in his high backed chair with Ichimaru on a pile of pillows to his right and Kira sitting directly to Gin's right, one arm curled around his waist in a possessive gesture.

“Please come in. My home is your home.”

The thirteenth division captain blinked, uncertain of the moment when Aizen found out that they were coming but trying not to show it, the feral smirk on the brunet's face suggesting that he knew far more than he was revealing. While Shunsui's eyes remained on the fifth captain, Ukitake's traveled to the pair beside him, frowning at the sight of Ichimaru's arm around the blond, the nonchalant, carefree way he leaned over to nuzzle at the boy's cheek infuriating the elder shinigami.

“It's obvious that you know why we've come, Sousuke. Though I admit, I'm curious about how you do know.”

“Your reiatsu betrays you on a regular basis, Ukitake. I felt it change the moment you became angered.”

The white haired captain faltered noticeably but tried to recover as he stood up a bit straighter, glaring daggers at the elder man. A light gasp from Kira caught his attention and he stepped over to him quickly, glowering down at the innocently blinking face as Ichimaru grinned.

“Kira-kun, do you even enjoy what Ichimaru does to you? And you Gin, do you know what manipulation really is? Are you so blinded by devotion that you'd sell your soul and be dominated by Sousuke?”

The blond turned his head away from the enraged captain, burrowing into the crook of the vice captain's neck, eagerly accepting of the warm touches but embarrassed to say as much. Ichimaru meanwhile, stared at the white haired shinigami, inwardly furious with how he was being treated.

“Aizen-taichou is very good to me, Ukitake-taichou. Ya don't understand is all. He's been nothin' but kind and I'm not afraid to tell ya to back off about it.”

The brunet captain watched with a mild form of amusement, a smile barely playing on his lips as he ignored Shunsui's presence and padded over to Ukitake's side, gently resting a hand on his elbow. Viciously, the sick captain tore his arm away and backed off, turning in a swirl of haori and hakama and storming out of the sitting room. Kyouraku shrugged and bowed politely to the fifth captain, offering a tiny wink to Gin and Kira as he too exited, though with much less hostility.

Free of the angry visitors, Kira lifted his head again and cuddled more closely against Ichimaru, murring softly as the snake-like fukutaichou scratched at his back and sides through the heavy cloth of his uniform, busily snuffling in the boy's hair as well. To Aizen, they were beautiful when engaged together.

“He was pretty mad, Sousuke. Ya think he's gonna cause trouble for us?”

“I doubt it very highly. The captain commander is too busy to dabble in personal affairs. He's got more important things to deal with than the private affairs of his subordinates.”

Izuru was pushed aside for a moment while Ichimaru tried to get his lover's attention, getting to his feet and carefully approaching the brooding captain, winding his arms around him from the back and resting his cheek against Aizen's back.

“Now is not the time, Gin.” Aizen warned.

The young vice captain persisted and tightened his hold around the slim but firm waist, trying to convey his want for the elder man in the simplest way possible, without making his own toy feel bad. Whirling suddenly, the larger man knocked the other away from him, causing him to fall to the floor and look up with a hurt face.

“I said not now, Ginyanote!”

Gin licked at his upper lip, which had been broken open by the force of Aizen's blow, quietly picking himself back up and extending his hand to the scared looking third seat. The boy accepted and stood up, walking silently beside his sempai as they headed towards the division barracks.

“Come on, Izuru. I guess it's time for us to leave Taichou alone, ne? I get the feelin' that we're not wanted here right now.”

Watching them go from the corner of his eye, Sousuke gritted his teeth together, cramping his jaw and ignoring the pain of it. Too willful. He had allowed Ichimaru to become too willful for his own good. He came and went as he pleased and he treated his own toy as if the boy were made of glass. How could he forge a tight bond with him that way? All sense of duty and devotion would be replaced by love and willingness.

Very slowly, he imagined how things would turn in the coming weeks, how Gin would spend more time with his little third seat and never want to warm his captain's bed any longer. The fear of losing control gripped the brunet fiercely and his chest tightened up, causing him to grimace as a wave of nausea came and went, leaving him with the bitter feeling of anxiety to suffer through.

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Flash step was much too slow for Ukitake, though with his weakened state, the speed with which he moved caused his body to ache terribly once he arrived at the soutaichou's office. He took a moment to cough heavily into his handkerchief and tucked it away just as Shunsui caught up to him, his face betraying his surprise at how quickly the ill captain moved.

The guard ignored the pair and allowed them in without question. The scene before them shocked Ukitake into silence, wide brown eyes staring at the General as he stood in full uniform, his staff in his hand and a stern look on his face.

“Genryuusai-dono? Has something happened?” He asked timidly. “Is everything all right?”

“I have taken into account your concerns regarding Aizen Sousuke, Ichimaru Gin and Kira Izuru.”

Kyouraku blinked and gave Ukitake a small nudge in the side, trying to make him stand up a little straighter and seem a bit more interested in the sudden turn of events.
“And what decision have you come to?

Sasakibe by his side, the eldest of the shinigami tapped his staff on the floor and cleared his throat, his eyebrows lifting as if his news was of the utmost importance.

“Action must be taken against Aizen firsthand. Corruption, no matter how secretive and seemingly harmless it may be, will not be tolerated within my Court. Though I do not frown upon the personal relationship he may share with his fukutaichou, the fact that he is using his position as captain to sway the boy's mind is hard enough to swallow.”

Shunsui smiled, bowing politely to the elder man and softly gripping Ukitake by the elbow, trying to tug him out of the room so they could get back to the fifth division and watch the fireworks that would soon be erupting. The white haired swordsman balked slightly, wanting nothing more than to watch Aizen go down, but still wary of the Soutaichou's sudden acceptance of his warning.

“And the situation regarding Ichimaru and Kira?”

“Is nothing to be worried about, Ukitake. I am more afraid for Ichimaru, who has proven himself to be a valiant and worthy part of the Gotei 13. Kira is a lower rank and will most likely remain there, as his reports state he is a very skilled boy but he is lacking in leadership qualities.”

“In other words, he's nothing.” Shunsui interjected, earning a brief nod from Genryuusai and a glare from Jyuushirou.

“We'll meet you at their squad house, Yama-jii. They were all inside only a few minutes ago.”

The elderly fighter nodded to the scruffy captain and disappeared, his vice captain following closely behind him as the worried pair went as well. Ukitake felt the presence of Aizen's angered reiatsu and the weaker, more irritated sense of Ichimaru's, knowing both, as well as the young third seat, remained in the main building, though in different locations.

Stepping inside as they had arrived first, Genryuusai and Sasakibe ignored politics and refused to knock. Ukitake, in the sitting room because he had come in from the back entrance, stood gallantly as Aizen stared the three men down from his seat. The brunet was absolutely furious as his reiatsu flared dangerously, hardly fazing the soutaichou and his subordinate. Jyuushirou however, flinched slightly, turning a burning glare on the larger man.

Before them, Yamamoto stomped his cane and opened his eyes to stare at Aizen, the tired orbs flicking to the right as he caught sight of Shunsui walking in with Ichimaru and Kira on either side, a sour look on the captain's face and a frightened one on the boy's.

“This is to be heard by all of you,” He began. “I want no more argument on this topic after I have made my final decision. I will not report this to the Central 46 because it is not a political affair but rather a personal one and as such, is not deemed worthy of being written down. Is that understood? Nothing spoken here leaves this room.”

The smugness on Aizen's face irritated the eldest shinigami and he strode up to the chair and snorted angrily, betraying his age with the power he emanated.

“Is something funny about this situation, Sousuke?” He asked with slight malice, using his former student's given name on purpose, to put them on a similar level and take the younger man's ego down a notch. “You will not be so amused when I hand down my punishment.”

The younger form shifted slightly and glanced from man to man, lingering on Gin's pained face and Kira's knees as they shook, nearly imperceptible but noticeable because of how still he usually stood.

“Whatever could you dole out that would actually frighten me, Genryuusai-dono? I'm a captain of the highest class after-”

“Ichimaru Gin is no longer a member of your division.”

Aizen blinked and held back a feral growl, lifting his eyes from the old man's to gaze upon his young vice captain, Gin's head turned so he wouldn't have to look back. Kyouraku stood behind the pair to make sure neither of them came to harm and Jyuushirou as well, stood before them, between the enraged brunet and his former subordinate.

“You can't do that.” He hissed through teeth clenched tightly enough to ache his jaw. Never had he been so humiliated. “Ginyanote is my responsibility, as is Kira.”

“Ichimaru is now a captain of his own squad.”

The silver haired shinigami turned his head violently enough to hear a pop in his neck, ignoring the slight spasm of pain to stare at the bespectacled man, afraid for his life but even more worried about his young subordinate. Of course! What was Kira to do now? He couldn't be left with Aizen! He'd be killed for sure!

“And Izuru's comin' with me, Sousuke.” Came Ichimaru's weak reply, all eyes turning on him as he wound an arm around the blond's waist possessively. “I'm not leavin' him behind.”

“His papers suggest a skilled individual.” The captain commander conceded. “He is far from perfect however, and you will have to teach him properly, Ichimaru. I am not giving you this opportunity to repeat your captain's mistakes. As a man of high standing, you must rein in your demands as well as your ego.”

“Hai, Genryuusai-dono. I'll teach him what he needs to know and I won't be as...strict as Sousuke was.”

“I will have the other division's notified of this but it too will be kept secret between them. The current third division captain will step down at my suggestion and there will be no more said of it. From your lower ranks, Sousuke, choose a new fukutaichou. There are many worthy candidates within the division. Of that, I'm certain.”

The matter nearly settled, Ukitake calmed down slightly, giving a small smile to Kyouraku as he moved out from between Aizen and Gin, feeling as if he had done the right thing in the end. He bowed politely as the first squad captain left with his vice captain, both men disappearing from sight and leaving the five men to bicker amongst themselves if it came down to that.
A light chuckle had Jyuushirou's hackles rising and he turned again to glare defiantly at his former friend, the brunet's arrogance still preceding him as he got to his feet, quickly turning his back in a mild gesture of defeat. Gin's voice carried in the sparsely decorated room, causing Izuru to shiver until the warm arm around his middle tightened somewhat.

“I'm goin', Sousuke. Izuru'n I have to pack our stuff up before we move into the third. Kyouraku-taichou's gonna come help us.”

It was meant to be a goodbye, a cold, heartless way of saying it if ever Aizen had heard one, usually accustomed to Ichimaru's cheerful exits. He waved a hand noncommittally and remained turned, refusing to gaze upon his young lover and his backstabbing friends. Shunsui could not have cared less and he smiled warmly as he was led out into the hall and towards the barracks, doing his part after having informed Ichimaru of the changes on the short trip from Kira's chambers. It wasn't going to be a silent night. He knew that much.

“Wipe the smirk off of your face, Sousuke. You've been officially reprimanded by the Soutaichou! You should be attempting to mend your ways or at least account for them! How can you just stand there and laugh?”

The man Ukitake once knew on a deep, personal level turned and smiled broadly, his 'cheerful face', the one Jyuushirou thought resembled a mask.

“He was my fukutaichou, Ukitake. I loved him dearly.”

“You used him. Abused your power to destroy him in the most deviant of ways. How can you call that love?”

Aizen's smile widened and he gently pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, remaining composed even though his desire to simply end the thirteenth captain's life ached deeply within him. Oneupmanship was a game they had played in the academy when they were just boys. There had been five of them in total who played and it inevitably seemed as if Jyuushirou always got the wet end of the rope.

“Even if he never returned my love in the ways I enjoy the most, it was still more than what you've enjoyed with your own vice captain, ne? Kaien was never as eager and willing as Gin was.”

“This game ended when we became grown men, Sousuke.”

“The game never ends, Ukitake!” He refused to be polite and speak in friendly terms as the white haired shinigami did. “It ends when your pride allows you to see the conclusion!”

“Is that what this is about?” Ukitake hollered, shocked by the depth in his own voice as it echoed back. “My pride? Are you still so petty? My pride is an inherited trait! I don't need to abuse my subordinates in order to feel good about myself!”

His words nearly caused Aizen to snap, his hands closing into fists as he turned away fully for the last time, quickly walking towards the rear entrance of the large room, where Ukitake had entered from when the confrontation began. Already, the wheels were turning in his head, vainly trying to conjure a plan to return his spite upon the sickly captain and his betraying comrades.

As Ukitake watched him leave while turning to go himself, he turned his head just as Aizen peered over his shoulder, unseen to the white haired swordsman. The grin was gone and replacing it, was a sour frown that belied his love for his position, his duty, his homeland.

It was a frown of contempt. One of absolute malice.

The visage of Soul Society's greatest liar.