Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. It is property of Tite Kubo and SP.

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Aizen/Gin

Warnings: Mentions of sex.

Spoilers: Up to chapter 412 of the manga.

Author's Note: Originally a request made from a friend on livejournal. Posted to the Kurosaki_clinic & AizenXgin comms

"Few can foresee whither their road will lead them, till they come to its end." J.R.R. Tolkien

Gin had always been a mystery, even to him.

A fearsome element hidden behind sealed eyes, silver threads, and a wall made purely of his own volition: a grin.

The younger man had thought much of the same thing about Aizen Sousuke.

Abnormal; alluring; passive; and dark.

Gin could feel the same pull, while in Aizen's presence, that his mind often left him with whenever he was alone. That same disquiet and dissatisfaction.

So when Gin had become Aizen's lieutenant he had been more than eager at the opportunity.

Not at being a lieutenant, he knew he was destined to be a captain someday, but at the chance to ponder his captain a little closer. Distance had been his excuse before. Now he could try to figure out what exactly Captain Sousuke was hiding.

Aizen was all too aware of Ichimaru's curiosity. But the irony! Young Gin had managed to catch his superior's attention as well. With a little refinement, the seemingly gentle fifth captain would have quite the soldier to do his biding when the time came.

As he had figured it would be, that Rangiku woman had turned into quite the thorn in his side.

With Gin the acting captain of the third division, their meetings were few and far between. And it seemed like that childhood friend of his was doing too good of a job at distracting his young accomplice.

That just didn't go over well with Aizen.

The next week they defected from the Soul Society with Kaname Tousen to Hueco Mundo. Away from the Gotei Thirteen. And away from her.

If it had been anyone else, Aizen would have found such mischief unnecessary.

It was still very unnecessary; however, Gin's little tricks around Las Noches did have their own little charm.

"When I become a god, Gin, will you worship me?"

Gin would only smile wider and tilt his head to the side in that enigmatic way of his. As if the answer happened to be terribly obvious.

Endless nights grew few and far between with Gin's constant companionship. It was rare to see either of the ex-captains without the other. They had changed from two separate forces into one devilish demon. Every thought (nearly every thought) was born in unison. Each command filtered through one set of lips with two different souls behind the order.

But it wasn't keeping the Arrancars in constant obedience; or brainwashing Kurosaki's little friend; or musing over battle strategies that made their companionship notable. It was the unspoken understanding shared between friends. The extravagant battle techniques honed between a captain and his lieutenant. The memorizing of flesh and fantasy between lovers. They were truly the rudiments of fire and power manifested into one dangerous duo.

Days passed with rule. Nights passed with union.

Slow and giving; demanding and confident; desires needing to be sated; and greed.

Aizen kissed his lover's chin, dragging his tongue in a sure path up into his student's mouth, as he reassured his dominion.

Gin's strangely colored hair littered the pillow case as his back arched into his ruler's touch.

The prodigy's strong hands fisted into wavy locks of brown as his lover's methodic pace continued.

Ichimaru never came with Aizen's name; nor the other with his. The feebleness and raggedness of their breathing was all the answer they needed.

So night after night, peak after peak, they tangled themselves inside of the sheets. It was peaceful. But men like Gin Ichimaru and Aizen Sousuke were not made for times of peace.

Even a god could not stop time. And the time to act found them all too quickly.

Gin watched as the humans crumbled from Aizen's new unhindered reiatsu. He even felt his own body struggle under his power. His commander was unstoppable.

Aizen had already displayed little pieces of his power. He was nearly his god self. It was becoming more and more obvious to Gin that he was no longer needed.

And being unneeded was not something Ichimaru was comfortable with.

He knew she would come. He had foreseen it. But to actually see her standing there, barely held together by quick healing attempts, was sobering.

Aizen side-glanced at his counterpart.

For the first time, in the longest of times, the ex-third captain was not smiling. He was not doing anything at all except staring at her.

As Aizen mentally prepared himself for a battle, he watched as Gin's hand stalled over his weapon.

The god's brows furrowed together.

So this was how it was to be? It was painfully obvious that Gin had chosen.

Unfortunately, the answer was not to Sousuke's fondness.

After Gin had returned from his short conversation with a damaged Rangiku on the roof, Aizen stared at Gin through mistrusting hollow-eyes.

"Sorry about that, Cap'n."

Aizen said nothing.

As the lord had thought, Rangiku was alert and active not long after he and Gin had continued their stroll through Karakura Town. So his understudy had not finished her off as he had hoped to think. Disappointing.

Aizen watched Gin toy with her. There was no venom in his attacks. The man who murdered and lied and betrayed could not harm her; destroy her.

Even after all this time. Gin's Achille's heel. It disturbed the god to see. After everything they'd done…this was to be the way it ended?

"Shinsou-"

"Haneiko!"

"S-shoot to…"

Hesitation.

Aizen did not, however.

The lord of Hueco Mundo's sword pierced Gin's heart without so much as a second-guess.

Rangiku screamed her terror and heartache as Gin's shadowed eyes flew open at the impact.

His spiritual pressure fluctuated as his weapon dropped to the faded streets of Karakura.

Aizen held onto Gin's shoulders, drawing his accomplice to him, as blood spilled from Ichimaru's chest. Life and death mixed into one dark red liquid.

"I am sorry, Gin, but it seems our journey together ends here."

They could hear the frantic screaming and idle threats of Rangiku for her friend's life somewhere off in the near distance. Neither paid any heed to her.

"Aizen-" Gin gurgled, his head falling backwards to settle against his ruler's shoulders, "You-"

"I saved you her sword, Ichimaru. If anyone should take your life, it should be me. I spared us your betrayal."

The dying shinigami reached up and wrapped his hands around Aizen's embedded sword, his fingers nicking themselves against the blade.

He was right, of course. He wouldn't have killed Rangiku. He, after everything that he had done, still didn't have the heart to take her life.

"I will become a god. I will become our god, Ichimaru."

Slowly Gin's eyes fell back to mere slits as his smile slowly returned.

Aizen leaned in to nuzzle his fallen lover's neck, "Would you have worshipped me once I became a god, Gin?"

Red hot blood poured; cool death consumed as Gin turned his head; searching.

Aizen met Gin's purple lips with his own. Goodbye.

Wheezing, blood coating his teeth and tongue, Gin spoke for a final time, "Always have, Cap'n Aizen."