#aizen x reader

The moment Hana entered the waiting room, her steps came to a halt. Her golden eyes focused on the shadowed corner near the window, and the temperature in the room seemed to plummet when she recognized the familiar presence.

Slowly, moonlight illuminated the previously hidden corner of the room. Hana regarded her visitor with open hostility.

“Captain Aizen.”

“A pleasant evening to you, Fourth Seat Hirasaka.” Aizen smiled at her, unfazed by her obvious displeasure. “Or should I call you High Priestess?”

Rather than answer, Hana headed for the dresser and sat on the cushion. She began carefully removing the accessories from her hair. “What a gentleman you are, ambushing a woman inside her room.”

“Ambush,” Aizen repeated, as if offended. He was not. “I do not recall suppressing my spiritual pressure to hide from you.”

“And how does that explain why you should be in my room uninvited?”

He chuckled, the sound successfully grating on her nerves as she shot him a glare through the mirror.

“I simply wished to offer my praise directly,” Aizen finally explained, while Hana resumed the menial chore of removing her ornaments. “Your dance has mesmerized me since the first time I saw it.”

He started to approach her, his dull brown eyes drifting from the kagura suzu on the desk to her white and crimson robes.

“It feels sacred, breathtakingly beautiful, yet… surprisingly distant.”

Her fingers twitched at his description. Aizen, perceptive man that he was, saw it.

He stopped right behind her.

“I cannot help but wonder—” When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “What kind of dance would you perform if the one watching were not a mutilated corpse, but someone capable of responding to your devotion?”

Hana glanced at his reflection, her earlier warning glare now murderous.

“Are you mocking my faith?”

“I admire it, actually.”

“Because you do not understand it.”

“Yes,” he replied, “and I have no intention of doing so.”

Although his smile remained, what once appeared polite had turned ominous.

The tension in the room thickened until it felt sharp enough to cut.

Several seconds passed.

Long acquainted with Hana and her unparalleled stubbornness, Aizen conceded with a silent sigh. Instead, he reached for the white ribbon that kept her hair in a loose ponytail and pulled it free.

Hana went still as her long sand-brown hair cascaded over her shoulders.

Aizen threaded his fingers through the newly loosened strands, noting with detached interest how soft they felt against his calloused hand. Slowly, he gathered several locks, giving her more than enough time to stop him.

She did not.

Not until he brought them to his lips.

When Aizen met her gaze in the mirror once more, his brown eyes had already darkened.

“You should dance for me instead, Hana.”

The next instant, the Hirasaka Priestess lost her solemn dignity and scrambled across the floor, stepping on the hem of her hakama, and slipping over a fallen accessory in her haste to stand.

Despite himself, Aizen chuckled. He had always found perverse pleasure in breaking her composure, even arrogantly believing that such privilege should belong exclusively to him.

“I—!” Hana pointed at him, face flushed with outrage. “I only dance for the Soul King!”

The words came out clumsy, but the conviction beneath them was undeniable.

For a moment, Aizen said nothing.

There was no offense in his expression. No embarrassment, nor wounded pride. Only the brief silence of desire arranging itself into ambition.

One that was bound to overturn the Three Realms someday.

His smile slowly disappeared.

┊┊★ *

Genryūsai Yamamoto:

oh...

the old man? Really. Well... I'm not here to judge, I guess. But why the frickin CAPTAIN OF ALL CAPTAINS—

well, he's old and wise, so he'd have good advice, yes!

as long as your infatuation doesn't get in the way of your job as a soul reaper.

if (your s/o) it was a random soul reaper, he'd be like, "ok..."

but a captain or lieutenant??? You should've stayed quiet, brochacho.

"this type of relationship within the Seireitei is strictly prohibited!!!!!!!!!!"

or something like that. I mean, do we know about what happens if you try to court an official...? (I swear if any of you say IT WAS STATED IN CFYOW!!! I'll riot!) I imagine it'd be taboo, just like real life... Hopefully.

um, maybe you should keep your feelings to yourself if you want to be free from trouble...

Soi Fon:

she wouldn't rat you out; actually, she wouldn't really think much of it.

she's calm, so as long as it doesn't hinder your responsibilities, she couldn't care less.

but it depends on WHO you like, of course.

If it's Yoruichi, you're cooked.

Soi Fon wouldn't even look at you anymore.

but someone else is alright...

except Urahara.

"ew."

yeah, whatever. Like whoever you'd like, except those two if you value your friendship...

Soi Fon would help you in her free time, though, if you truly ask for it!

Gin Ichimaru:

WHY

WHY WOULD YOU TALK TO HIM ABOUT THOSE THINGS?? ARE YOU ILL?????

well, um.

WHY.

you see, if you want to have your tombstone carved, it's Gin the guy you should gush to.

just hope that the person you like is not someone particularly interesting to Gin.

like, he'd just go, "Hm? that person? nice," and ask you about it if he's in a good mood, but that's it.

but now.

let's say, someone like Aizen, for example.

"woah, you fancy the fifth division captain?" And leave you with that infuriating smirk of his.

you wouldn't see Gin for a while. That's because he's a snitch!

and if you asked him what he'd done????

"what did I do? My, didn't you talk to me because you needed my help? you looked so desperate, after all~"

what an idiot! >-<

I mean, at least he tried to help........?

Retsu Unohana:

one of the best options in this list, truly. She's gentle, tranquil... quite motherly, even.

she'd give good advice.

but would be direct, not really just saying what you wanted to hear, you know?

if she doesn't like your s/o, she'll tell you. But it's all up to you in the end.

and would heal you in case you get into a fight. Not without, you know, reminding you of her warnings, though.

"told you."

Sousuke Aizen:

my god, hed help you! ^_^

if you give him permission to, of course (unlike someone with slits for eyes...)

he isn't all sappy, though, but would gladly let you ramble about your flings.

"Mm. Mhm. Hmmm..." said he, writing some nothings in his office while you just talked and talked...

depending on who it is, he'd help, because even a chill guy like him has his limits, right?

and he'd feel so, SO bad if you fall for the wrong person! :(

aww...

your secret is safe with him!

...

but you should always keep an eye out for Aizen.

Byakuya Kuchiki:

? He's from the bourgeoisie.

he'd say something like:

"why don't you gift your s/o *insert luxurious brands here*?"

and that's it.

it's been a long time since he's been... romantic.

nowadays, he'll mostly ignore you.

BUT! Assuming you're a good and close friend of Byakuya's and nothing else...

he certainly wouldn't approve of a peasant confidant for you. He would actively go against it!

Byakuya would never get caught walking with a bunch of... plebs.

so, if you need to keep a secret from him, you better know how to hide WELL and to lie WELL!

Kuchiki is not one to be fooled, you hear me?!

but in case he already knows, he would keep it to himself.

even if, deep inside, he's hoping you'd let go of using him as your personal diary. It hurts.

Sajin Komamura:

he's not all that knowledgeable about human affairs, feelings, and love things. Be you a Soul Reaper or not.

but still would try his best to be a good listener!

And importantly, he would feel so honored you trusted him enough to confide something so intimate!

but be specific! Tell him if you want his help or not, or advice, or just a listener! or else, Sajin may get too happy and go on his own to help you in his own, canine way, alright?

said that, he'd love to be your wingman!

and love to play cupid whenever you'd like! <3

Shunsui Kyoraku:

another one that I don't get why would you tell him...

would he be a good cupid? eh. Maybe...?

he would somehow find an excuse to make you drink with him, certainly. So, most of his advice would be just, "go for it."

I think Shunsui would spend most of his time complimenting you, though. and say something like:

"what does he have that I dont?"

he's just kidding, of course!

maybe.

he'd be surprised if you liked someone a bit... you know, questionable. but would try to stay respectful. Can't go bad-mouthing his coworkers, can he?

but Shunsui would always find a way to say:

"sigh, that's one lucky guy, to have your attention like that...", while pouting at you.

if you'd like, you can have 2 guys into you!

I guess...

Kaname Tosen:

luckily, Tosen can't judge anyone from the appearance, so don't expect him to comment on that (lol)

but would judge their intentions. Don't go liking someone problematic!

aside from that, he would help you with one of his best abilities: cooking!

nothing like charming your way through someone's stomach, huh?

but no aphrodisiacs, no. Tosen wants everything to go smoothly and as naturally as possible. Fairness!

if it goes badly, he'd comfort you with praise. like, "you're too good for them, anyway."

(mmmm, now thinking if I should write yandere kaname??? my godddsjdsshsshshhs)

Toshiro Hitsugaya:

he'd get offended first. Like, this type of conversation is too beneath a guy as responsible, macho, and serious as him!

sure, buddy.

alright, let's say you bothered Toshiro enough for him to take you seriously.

he'd judge HARD. In a way that, if he doesn't like the person, you're staying alone. Period.

if he's in a good mood (rare), and free, he'd try to help.

his help: "just be direct. it's not that hard."

eh. typical... 7-7

anyway, like the first 2 in this list, just don't let your feelings get in the way of work!

you're free to date as long as you keep things safe. And as long as Toshiro doesn't mind the person...

woah, lots of conditions.

good luck.

hope you don't get heartbroken; Toshiro would not let that slide!

Kenpachi Zaraki:

what.

why him?

he's... antilove or something >-<. Yachiru would be way helpful. I mean, in her own way, I suppose. A bit of a snitch, you know?

but anyway, I'm here to talk about Zaraki. Let's keep his lieutenant away for now once I do the lieutenant version of these headcanons, alright? (maybe)...

Zaraki is a fighter; do you really think he'd know anything about ROMANCE???

it all would boil down to:

"Do they fight?"

if yes, he'd see your s/o as a future opponent.

if not:

"so get yourself someone who does."

he won't accept any softies for you (maybe he'll even try to offer himself if anything goes wrong..... maybe, maybe)

well, he'd prioritize anyone who can fight. You better choose a good warrior!

Mayuri Kurotsuchi:

bro.

you better bid farewell to your lover.

to start that, if you're FRIENDS with Mayuri, it's because he spared you. Be so for REALLL.

but he would NOT save that courtesy for your mate.

and if it's someone Mayuri thinks is interesting? yeah. You're becoming a widow already.

and he couldn't care less.

Mayuri is not the best guy to ask for advice. First, he'd get annoyed you're bothering his scientific job with such useless information.

I mean, if you want to get rid of someone, and that someone is a good test subject, Mayuri is the right guy, after all.

Jushiro Ukitake:

YES! THAT'S THE ONE YOU SHOULD BE TALKING TO!

one of the best options, if not THE best!

Ukitake already gifts people normally, so he for sure would help you prepare a nice gift for your partner.

he'd give suggestions, and if his health allowed him on that day, he'd help you make them too.

he likes to think you got good taste, so you better like someone nice!

Ukitake wouldn't forgive himself if anything happened to you.

truly, tell him everything!

it'll all be easier that way!

if you want him to keep a secret, he'd never betray that.

very trustable! 10/10.

Sousuke took a sharp inhale as he felt the annoyingly familiar feeling of something tight around his thumb. He looked down his left hand to see the brilliant red thread of fate tied securely around his finger.

He narrowed his eyes as the thread became more taut as he walked through the throngs of people in Rukongai. To the unsuspecting masses, he was just a Lieutenant doing rounds, walking around the areas doing visits and checks.

But Sousuke grew angrier as the string became tighter, until he found the soul on the other end of the string. Though fate was cruel, Sousuke thought it favoured him most of the time, as the soul was alone.

And without so much as a word, Sousuke cut them down. The red thread of fate fading from his finger once more.

Time and time again, Sousuke finds himself at the mercy of the red string of fate. The Great Archives had little to no information about it. Just small snippets of "soulmates," "time lost lovers," and other euphemisms that Sousuke had no patience or interest for. He didn't need a lover or a companion, but the red thread bothered him like no other.

Now as a captain, he had seen many instances of his "soulmate" come through his life. The most recent one was a hollowfication experiment of his. Seeing their soul morph, twist and merge with other souls to form the proto arrancar he created, which ended up as a failure. Even once they merged to become a hollow, then evolve to the proto arrancar, it seemed fate had a way of freeing them from the despair of Hueco Mundo.

But the image of them realizing who he was as they glanced down their hand to see the red thread tying them together… It was a foreign feeling in Sousuke's heart. One that he tried to distance and forget throughout these centuries.

The first time he met them, he was filled with curiosity. As a lower-ranking shinigami in Squad 5, he encountered them during a patrol through Rukongai. The unusual feeling in his heart, the way they smiled at him, their voice…

While Sousuke was curious, he was also cautious. He couldn't comprehend a stranger feeling so comfortable around him. He hated how he felt the same. They couldn't make sense of the red string either, but to them it didn't matter, "as long as I get to spend time with you."

Sousuke didn't know what to make of that feeling. It startled him at first, and made him apprehensive.

Yet he would continue to visit them, uncomfortable by his own comfort in their presence.

But having a soulmate? A partner? That wouldn't do for his plans.

So he killed them.

He suppressed the feeling in his heart, the strange, uncomfortable and foreign ache in his chest. It was another feeling he didn't want to experience again.

Yet he continued to kill them every chance he could. Although some times, he couldn't help himself. The strange sensation of craving another. The urge to find solace in someone who would accept him whole, the comfort of their presence. But just quickly as he indulged himself, he would murder them.

Yet even now as a captain, he could still hear them clearly, no matter how many times he killed them. Yet he learned quickly that the red string wasn't visible to everyone, only to the two souls it was connected to.

And for many, if not most souls, they didn't have a red string. Or at least from Sousuke's perspective, souls didn't move as if they were looking for the other end of their thread.

Which made him angrier. At this point, they were a nuisance to his plans, something he needed to account for and deal with it every couple of centuries. A feeling he wished he never knew.

Even as he became the lord of Las Noches, Sousuke felt the tug of the thread. A passive glance at his hand would show the thin, yet strong thread leading him to the soul bounded to him. A soul that he had no need for. As of late, whenever the thread appears, he stopped indulging in spending time with them, getting to know them, it wouldn't fit into his goals. His curiosity was sated, is what he would tell himself.

So as he quickly donned the reiatsu suppressant cloak, he found the Living Being in Karakura Town no less. He frowned slightly at the irony. He could let them live, knowing that they would be slaughtered here in a few weeks time, or he could end their life now, saving them from suffering in the future. He glanced at the living room, noticing the pictures and knickknacks scattered throughout the space. They had a family. The same uncomfortable feeling appeared in Sousuke's heart once again.

Sousuke didn't like to dwell the feeling, and with a casual muttering of a kido spell, their body evaporated into the silence of their home. The red thread snapping once again.

Pinned to a wall in Muken, Sousuke can feel the familiar tightening of the red string of fate. It pulls and tugs at him like the waning and waxing of the moon, but every couple of years, it would dissipate. He assumed the soul on the other side had passed, reincarnated and passed again.

The centuries of killing them, slaughtering them, settle on Sousuke like an uncomfortable weight. Yet, he recognizes and accepts that this is his own doing now.

The once annoying thread of fate now serves as a permanent reminder of a comfort he lost, of a time long forgotten, a companionship that he refused to accept as true. A thread that haunts him like like no other, that no illusion from Kyoka Suigetsu could remove. And now he can only wonder what they're doing, as the thread pulls and slacks from him over and over again.

I haven't felt comfortable with my writing as of late, even moreso writing Aizen. I decided to challenge myself by writing something that wasn't a request or a multi-fic chapter to at least get the words churning out on my document.

This fic is inspired by these two quotes, one from a tumblr post:

"A red string of fate can be a leash. If you're enlightened."

and one from a Bleach volume:

"I wonder, can I keep up with it? The speed of the world without you in it?"

“Pet?” he repeats with an eyebrow raised, “I believe you meant an artificial creature specifically created to nullify your Absorption ability, yes?” The two of you then engage in a ridiculous peekaboo, with the captain persistently peeping side to side while you move to cover Aizen determinedly. “I can sense that it possesses spiritual energy… Was it made by Urahara Kisuke?"

As if offended, the raccoon growls.

“Oh!” Kurotsuchi lightens up at its reaction. “It seems to have a thought process of its own. Fascinating!”

Meanwhile, you use Kyōka Suigetsu to covertly reprimand Aizen. “Stop scoffing every time Kisuke is mentioned. People might catch on.”

“You say that as if there is a shortage of people who despise that man,” he retorts. As if proving his point, Kurotsuchi proceeds to ramble on how he will eventually surpass his former captain—and that, for some bizarre reason, he seems to believe that dissecting your pet is the key to achieving his goal. 

When he reaches for the raccoon again, you slap his hand away. 

“Please stop. I already told you, he is not for observation.”

Having had enough, you grab Aizen by his wrist and walk past Kurotsuchi. However, not one to be dismissed easily, he yanks the raccoon by its scuff—which, in reality, is him snatching Aizen by the back of his collar.

“Wha—?! Captain Kurotsuchi!”

You immediately wrestle against his hold but fail miserably. As expected of a captain, he's incredibly strong!

You then nervously glance at Aizen, who now looks like he is one second away from erasing the entire Twelfth Division from the map. In your desperation to stop him, you embrace his trunk to directly absorb his spiritual energy and avoid the worst case scenario. But Kurotsuchi, mistaking your action for resistance, contests by pulling the raccoon by its arms. 

“Get... your... hands... off him!” you grumble.

A group of researchers soon gathers at the entrance, watching their captain engage in an absurd standoff with a noblewoman. For those under Complete Hypnosis, the poor creature is now being stretched like rubber between you two—the scene undeniably comical, like fresh out of a sitcom. However, for you who is not hypnotized, the exchange is nothing but horrifying. After all, the man subjected to this ridiculous tug of war is no other than the War Criminal, Aizen Sousuke, himself. 

Intrigued by your aggression—something Kurotsuchi deems out of character for the infamous Rose Princess of the Hirasaka clan—he tightens his grip on your beloved pet.

“Your suspicious resistance only fuels my determination to study this creature!”

“If you have a death wish, go ahead!”

Growing annoyed at his unreasonable persistence, you absorb the spiritual particles of the floor beneath his right foot, causing him to lose balance and lean backwards. Taking advantage of the opportunity, you remove his hold on Aizen and rush past him—even harshly shoving the mad scientist to the side of the road in an act of pettiness.

The Twelfth Division gasps as Kurotsuchi Mayuri pathetically rolls on the ground and slams on the wall. 

"HIRASAKA HANA! You little—” His face twists in outrage as he scrambles to get up. The nerve of you to push him aside like garbage!

“Do I?” he asked, knowing all too well that this had become a pattern, and he would have to do something about it soon.

He took another lover, finding one was never too difficult for a man like Aizen – handsome, eloquent, well-liked by almost everyone. Strangely enough, when he was with his new plaything, his mind still returned to the time he had spent with you.

Perhaps his body had grown familiar to yours, and that was why he didn’t feel the same satisfaction? It certainly started to bother him, like an unsolved arithmetical problem.

So he found you again, and to his surprise, you were doing just fine without his attention. You had your own life, your goals, your friends. You were never as addicted to him as he had thought.

This realization sparked a pang of something unfamiliar within him. Irritation. How dare you move on after all he’d done to you? And how dare you talk to this other man?

He didn’t exactly understand why it was bothering him. He would need more research on that topic. Deep down he boiled with self-directed anger, because you certainly did not deserve that much of his focus. Yet he had to admit that he apparently had developed some sort of attachment. Attachment that was supposed to be beneath him. Why wasn’t it beneath him then? He didn’t know.

He observed you from a distance for some time, as part of a strategic intelligence-gathering effort. Hidden in the shadows, he watched you from afar. He learned your schedule, the names of your friends, and your preferences.

When he approached you once again, he was prepared. Now he already knew everything there is to know about you. And with his charisma, and magnetic charm, he would easily lure you back into his spiderweb of manipulation and lies.

So when you told him that you didn’t want to play his twisted games anymore, a cold bitter resentment started to coil beneath his ribs. He wouldn’t show you his anger; he was too proud for that. His face stayed perfectly calm as he reached for his sword.

It had been a mistake to leave you alive, and now he decided it was the time to correct it. Doing it with his own hands, the intimate way, felt like a proper way of saying goodbye.

And as he held you, bleeding out in his arms, the satisfaction and relief of having solved the problem never came. On the contrary, he instantly regretted his decision.

You weren’t just a distraction, Aizen slowly realized.

This wasn’t mere obsession.

This ugly feeling he had… it might have been love.

--

After a lengthy reconnaissance mission in the World of the Living, you decide to wind down in a rural area in the Rukongai district. It was a pleasant place—hills of grass stretched out before you, soft and vibrant, along with occasional homes dotting the landscape. However, you were quite shaken up by Aizen's appearance those few days ago, and could not stop questioning his true motives. Not to mention, he was still interfering with your personal life like a weirdo stalker.

Did he really want you back, or was he toying with you? For someone so prideful and ruthless, he'd never blatantly admit to feeling anything towards anyone. Still, you couldn't ignore the possibility that he wasn't telling you everything. Or rather, it was that you didn't allow him to.

Puffy, gray clouds drag themselves across the bright sky, acting as curtains from the sun. What a shame, you thought. It seemed like the rain was coming before you could even relax. When you decide to turn around, however, a tall figure obstructs your path.

"[Name]."

Your body involuntary jumps as a trail of incoherent noises bubble from you, "What the hell are you doing here, Aizen? I thought I told you to leave me alone!"

"You never specified for how long."

"Don't be such a smart-ass. Context clues exist for a reason."

"By that logic, those same context clues suggest you still want me."

Of course he noticed that.

"Has being in Muken turned you into a madman? You're delusional."

"Yes," his breath shudders, "yes, I've gone mad. Anyone would lose their senses when deprived of life's necessities."

"Except you're not just 'anyone'," you scoff, feigning indifference at the meaning behind his words. "It's not like you need anything if you already have the Hogyoku."

"You'd be surprised. No matter how much we possess, it's in our nature to desire more."

Aizen takes a few steps towards you. Your stomach lurches at his words and the way his mahogany eyes hold yours hostage, as if forcing you to witness an unbearable truth.

Knowing him, he was a persistent bastard who would keep pestering you no matter how many times you rejected him. Letting out a trembling sigh, you ask him a question you unfortunately know the answer to, "What do you want?"

He doesn't respond immediately. For a moment, he's frozen in place as if he were a flower at a cliff's edge—there was no going back once he drifted beyond it.

"I want you," he softly exhales, his breath fogging the cold air. "I need you."

As if on command, droplets of water begin to shower you both. There's an irritating way your mind and heart falters at his confession. He looked so miserable, so starved—and your presence only fueled the inferno in his heart despite the rain.

"I can't believe that," you weakly respond, your voice cracking. "Why do you want me now? Why did you leave me then?"

"I convinced myself that you were too weak to stand with me. That any compassion towards you would only impede my ambitions. When, in reality, I..." he trails off for a few seconds, "...I was afraid of losing you. I never wanted to admit that until now."

A raw silence subsumes his heavy voice. You try to wrap your head around this information. Aizen, of all people, was afraid of losing someone? It was inconceivable. Even if he was a man who purged any weakness, you couldn't believe you were one of them. Though, certainly, if you had betrayed the Soul Society with him and survived, the Sokyoku would only await. So, that would mean...

He protected you?

Despite feeling shocked at his sudden change in character, your wounded heart was still reluctant to rekindle a bond with him.

"Aizen, you need to forget about me. Please."

"Forget? You speak as if the memory of you is merely an afterthought," he says, paying no mind to the vulnerability of his words. "I simply cannot forget you. If such an act were so simple, I'm certain I would have died by now. That is because you are the only one who can resurrect me with the breath of life—not this lackluster gemstone, no."

"...That's just a damn lie, isn't it?"

"It is anything but a lie. It is a fact. It was always a fact." His face is wrought with desperation, fervent eyes flickering to every part of your form as if the rain would wash you away, "You are the source of my hope and despair, my earthly undoing. Each step towards the heavens had only reminded me of how inextricably and hopelessly bound to you I was. There isn't a moment where I don't want you by my side."

Slowly, his hand reaches out to cup your face, thumb lightly grazing your cheekbone, "I say this not as a god, nor as a king, but a man. I cannot deny myself any longer these feelings of honor and pride, to have had the privilege of agonizing in the joy of loving you. I have no doubt that you will be the most wonderful kind of happiness I experience in this lifetime."

Without even knowing, those were the words you'd wanted to hear for so, so long. Yes, you wanted him to love you, and you still do. But why did it hurt so badly?

"You... how can you still be so selfish after everything you've done?" Your nails dig into his hand that's cradling your face, but he doesn't let go. "How can you just—how can you show up and tell me these things when I've just gotten used to living without you?"

"It's because you could never live without me."

Sousuke pulls you in and kisses you. It's certainly not the sweet kind, but the way he holds you so dearly, the way his soft lips rightfully envelop yours—you finally submit to the belief that this is where you belong. He breaks away for a moment, regarding you with a kind of aching possessiveness that only a broken man could have, and then kisses you again.

--

“—the rumored Yoshiwara Executioner.”

“I heard she orchestrated the Tsunayashiro massacre. They claimed it was a plague, but everyone knows it was an assassination. She was probably the one who—”

“Watch your mouth. Do you want to end up in the Maggots Nest for making reckless accusations?”

Despite hearing every whispered gossip with painful clarity, you continue walking as if none of it reaches you. 

Aizen observes you quietly from the corner of his eye and finds your impassive expression unchanging. No hurt, annoyance, or guilt crosses your face. Your composure is unperturbed—too perfect, in fact, that he immediately realizes that it is a front.

Once inside the hospital, healers instinctively move aside to clear your path. A sight which Aizen finds ironic.

The Fourth Division condemned you for tarnishing their reputation, yet the most diabolical criminal in Soul Society had once stood at the very summit of their division.

Under different circumstances, he might have found the hypocrisy amusing. But the thought fades the moment your footsteps slows down.

Your golden eyes settle upon a familiar office—your former office—before it shifts towards the busy ward filled with patients (probably from the rowdy Eleventh Division), then to the bustling nurse station drowning in charts and unfinished paperwork, to the small pantry where healers slip in and out for fleeting moments of rest.

Without realizing it, your gaze turns into one of… longing. 

“Does it bother you?” The question escapes Aizen before he can stop it.

For the first time since entering the barracks, your facade visibly wavers. 

You almost pretend not to understand his question out of habit, but Aizen rarely concerns himself with others. The mere fact that he asked at all is already significant. Hence, instead of deflecting, you answer honestly.

“A little. I did spend the past few centuries here.”

Your response settles uncomfortably within his chest. Perhaps, he sympathizes more than he cares to admit.

“If you desire it,” he says after a brief silence, “I can cast Kyōka Suigetsu and make you look… like…” His words trail off as he examines you with misplaced focus, thoroughly contemplating which animal would suit you best.

“Like what?” you ask with a chuckle.

Aizen considers the matter with far more gravity than necessary. Eventually, he answers.

“A white stoat.”

“. . .”