#aigin

gin was just a kid when he joined aizen. he literally grew up next to him. it's safe to assume aizen trained him personally, probably shaped him in ways gin didn't even realize.

they spend so much time together. not just plotting when needed, but constantly around each other. same division, same spaces. their dynamic shifted over time—from third seat & lieutenant to lieutenant & captain, and eventually captain & captain—but they were side by side through it all. a hundred years, and they were never really apart (missions, paperwork, secret meetings). they did it all, from sharing a cup of tea to plotting schemes down to the last detail.

for a hundred years.

their motivations aside (gin wanting to kill aizen and aizen being curious about how he'd try), you can't tell me no bond formed in all that time. they were in each other's space too long for that. sure, it's not the kind of bond that would stop them from seeing their plans through, but still... after a century, how do you not feel something? even if it's twisted, even if it's buried under layers of deceit and pride, there's no way not even a shred of vulnerability slipped through.

at some point, you just know the other person. the little things, the habits, the tells. even the masks they wore couldn't hide how much they understood each other. gin grew to understand aizen, and he still tried to kill him. aizen understood gin from the start, knew exactly what was coming, and still let him stay by his side anyway.

and the thing is, gin was the only one who could really match aizen. in strength, in mind, in intent. for the first time, aizen wasn't that lonely. he didn't have to explain himself, didn't have to hide how vast and terrifying his thoughts were. gin understood. he always did. and for gin, aizen was the only one who made him feel like he didn't have to hide the sharper parts of himself. with aizen, he didn't have to tone down his thoughts or his hunger for something more.

they could be cruel, brilliant, ruthless together, and still find comfort in each other's presence. they were equals in every sense. two sharp minds circling each other for a century, studying, testing, waiting.

just how fucking tragic is that? that the one person who understands you completely, who sees you for everything you are, is also the one you're destined to destroy. they were each other's missing half, bound by a century of understanding, and there was nothing either of them could do to stop how it would end.

a hundred years together, but they were doomed from the very first one.

How Gin's love/protectiveness over Rangiku pushes him further away from her and closer to Aizen, makes him follow Aizen and leave her. How he says he will become Shinigami ONLY so Rangiku wouldn't have to cry, but really ONLY to kill that one man - Aizen.

How Gin learns from Aizen and mirrors how Aizen operates. He watches Aizen betraying his Captain - Hirako, staying close to him, working under him, but plotting against him and keeping his powers a secret. And Gin does the exactly same thing, he stays close to Aizen, plans to kill him, lies about his Bankai. And Aizen, just like Shinji, allows that, knowing that Gin is suspicious, but believing he can handle him. The history likes to repeat itself.

How Gin in his attempt to kill Aizen strikes him through the heart, leaving a fragment of his sword inside that heart, the heart he doesn't believe Aizen has (in a relational sense). But he leaves a part of his soul, his own zanpakuto, in that heart nevertheless.

Aizen X Gin has me so nostalgic, like I miss the old days. Before the betrayals and the reveals and I could pretend they were in love because why else would a man (Gin) turn his back on everyone he loved if not for love???

The Hogyoku works off of desires, yeah? You can't deny the hurt, the pain and the rage Aizen felt when Gin made the attempt on his life. It's what ultimately forced him to evolve afterall.

Now picture where that time loop continues. Aizen forced to go back and rework through the scenes of his time with Gin. Not knowing Gin knows this is a redo. Infinitely rewinding up until Ch. 414. Can they ever end the cycle?