Chapter 4: Aishima Connection

Gin found himself, first, shocked to still be alive and second, to be laid in a soft, comfortable bed and apparently gifted with a waiting tray of delicious smelling food. But he also felt the presence of a heavy seal on the room, and he felt the weight of silver bands that had been placed on his wrists to limit his connection with his reiatsu.

So, alive, but I still will probably be executed. It's not what I wanted, of course. I wanted to kill Aizen and go back home. I don't know, even killing him for all to see probably wouldn't sway Central 46. They don't like us Rukongai trash on the best of days. Days like today, they just want us gone, whether we helped in the war or not.

Okay.

I'll just enjoy whatever small gifts I have left, this bed, this food, this moment…and the fact that Koto is going to have some family at last. I felt bad leaving him in an orphanage, but it was in a decent place, and he did well for himself there. I haven't gone to look in on him for a long time, because I didn't want Sousuke to know about him. He's safe from that now, and I figure Renji will make a good father, even if he is clumsy sometimes and not too bright. He's a good man, the kind of parent our boy deserves.

Gin took a slow breath and released it in a sigh, then he turned his attention to the food, which proved to be as wonderful as it looked. He ate slowly, well aware of how few meals, how few days, how few hours he might have to be living and breathing.

Yeah, Renji is a good man, but…that also means that he'll turn me in. That means I'm as good as dead. I don't wanna die, but I would do it all over again if it meant getting back that piece of Rangiku's soul. I guess that's a done deal though. The hogyoku is a part of Sousuke, and they apparently can't kill him. I failed to get it back and I failed to kill him while I probably could have. And now, to be executed on top of that…

He looked up as the door opened and a black-haired man with wide, sapphire eyes entered the room. He sat down beside the bed, looking into Gin's eyes, and he recalled where he had seen this man before.

"Kuchiki Tetsuya?" he mused, "I think I remember you. Byakuya's bodyguard, right? Oh, I am most certainly going to die, aren't I?"

I don't know what your ultimate fate will be," Tetsuya said softly, "But, while you are in my care, you will be kept comfortable."

"That's kind of you," Gin chuckled, "I may not have many days left, but I won't spend these ones being tortured. That's enough of a gift for a criminal like me, I suppose. Does Byakuya know I'm here?"

"No."

"Are you gonna tell him?"

"No, I am under the rules of the healer's oath, so my responsibilities are only to heal you and care for you, physically and mentally, while we wait."

Gin gave him a curious look.

"While we wait for what? For the authorities to come and take me to Central 46? I understand I deserve it. I just wanna know what to be ready for."

"I don't have any answers to that," Tetsuya replied, "I am simply caring for you and keeping you from escaping while Renji-san investigates your claim to have had a son with him. I hope that you were not lying to Renji about the boy, just to buy yourself time."

"Tetsuya-san," Gin sighed, "I threw away my life by going with Sousuke. Then, I fucked up killing Sousuke and I fucked up getting back the piece of Rangiku's soul that he stole. I don't…"

"I will inform you that Renji-san told me that Orihime-chan was able to restore that piece of Rangiku-san's soul after she learned about it."

"Rangiku has…?"

"She appears to now be reaching manifestation of a bankai," Tetsuya informed him.

"Damn it," Gin complained, "It would've been nice to know it was that easy to fix before…though, I still woulda wanted to kill Sousuke for takin' it in the first place. I screwed up all around, didn't I?"

"Perhaps, but you are the only reason Orihime-chan knew to try to heal her."

"Well, that's a load off, isn't it," Gin said more cheerfully, "I guess it was all for something, right?"

"Hmm."

"Tetsuya-san, how long have I been here?" asked Gin.

"Seven days," Tetsuya answered, "You've been unconscious for most of it, and troubled by nightmares. I stepped in to ease them, and I did see flashes of what was in them."

"Makes sense, right?" Gin laughed sarcastically, "He won't leave me, ever. I'll remember his face, his mocking voice, the pain he gave me…forever. Maybe not even death will stop it."

"Well, while you live and you are under my care, I will do all I can to comfort you."

Gin sighed.

"You know, I do remember you, Tetsuya-san. I think we crossed paths once when I accompanied Sousuke to a dinner at Kuchiki Manor. I recall you being kind but with a strangely old soul. Does that make sense?"

Tetsuya looked back at him silently for a moment.

"Maybe," he answered finally, "People say that to me sometimes."

The two paused their conversation as the door to the bedroom opened and Renji entered, dressed in a casual yukata and not carrying his sword.

"Not working today?" Gin asked conversationally, "That's quite fetching on you."

Renji gave him a stern look.

"Don't try to kiss up to me," the redhead growled at him, "When I'm done with you, I'm still turning you in."

"Oh, I know, and I'll be tried and killed for my crimes. I know all that," Gin said off-handedly, "I just…think you look good, that's all."

"Right," Renji said dismissively, turning his attention to Tetsuya, "How's he doing?"

"His arm and chest are healing well. He has recovered feeling in his reattached limb, but he will need to build strength and control."

"Not like strength or control training are really necessary if you are just going to turn me in to Central 46 to be executed," Gin interjected.

"I haven't decided exactly what I'm doing with you yet," Renji snapped, "I need to do more thinking."

"But you promised to tell Byakuya-sama," Tetsuya reminded him, "Renji-san, I have already been sneaking about and not telling anyone where I am for a week. My cousin is expected to return home in a few days from his post-war efforts."

"Yeah," Renji said, shaking his head, "I just…I need a little more time, you know?"

Renji walked to the window and looked out at the dark silhouettes of the trees.

"I went and found the kid, talked to his guardians at the orphanage a little, and I told them there was a chance that the boy is related to me. Turns out he's been training up to try to get into the Shinigami academy."

"Is that right?" Gin said, smiling, "Good boy."

"I checked the readings of his reiatsu, and it's pretty rough and strong, like mine was at that age. His kido control is better than mine was, but he doesn't have a shikai or anything. He's strong and shows signs of real talent, so I encouraged his guardians to let him apply to the academy, and said I'd sponsor him. We had blood and reiatsu drawn and the results should be back in a few days."

Renji gave Tetsuya a little nod.

"I'll tell taichou as soon as he gets back, and I'll ask him to delay any action until the results are in and we know if the kid's really mine…ours, I mean."

"He is ours," Gin said with certainty, "I've got no reason to lie about that. I know it ain't changing my fate one bit. I just want the kid to have someone, you know?"

Gin paused and looked out the window as Tetsuya exchanged perplexed glances with Renji.

"I didn't have anything growing up, didn't have anyone who cared about me, except Rangiku. I don't think it's wrong to want our kid to have better than I did. That's why I put him in that orphanage. There was no way I could be there for him, being owned by Aizen like I was."

Gin's blue eyes opened and focused intently on Renji's, and the redhead felt a little jolt in his insides at the intensity that felt like physical contact.

"Maybe it seems weird to you that I would throw away my future with our kid just to take revenge for what Sousuke did to my friend…but you were a Rukongai brat too. You know that when you don't have family, a friend can be like your only family. Think about what you did for your friends to help them survive. Think of the fact that you were willing to rebel against Central 46 to save Rukia. Not as much difference between us as you might think, ne?"

"I see plenty of difference," Renji growled softly, "Don't try to twist you betraying everyone by joining Aizen with me defying Central 46 to save Rukia! And really, Central 46 didn't even issue the execution order for Rukia. That was Aizen!"

"Not that you knew it," Gin pointed out, "As far as you knew, it was a true Central 46 order, and you ignored it, just the same. Everyone has their limits when it comes to blind obedience, Renji. You know that's true."

"That doesn't excuse what you did," the redhead said adamantly, "You know, you didn't stop at joining Aizen and betraying us all, you tried to unnerve Rukia when she was being taken to the Sokyoku, and I fucking know from the information discovered in Las Noches after Aizen's capture, that you made damned sure that she came face to face with that bastard hollow who devoured Kaien Shiba!"

"That confuses you, does it?" Gin mused, "Makes you think I'm a sadistic bastard, right?"

"Damned right!" Renji snapped, "You made sure she suffered enough to kill her just from the agony."

Renji felt a twinge of genuine surprise that Gin's blue eyes continued to look into his steadily.

"I unsettled her before her execution, because I was pissed at seeing her, a fighting spirit from the Rukongai, so willing to give up and die because of Central 46 saying she should," he said firmly, "And…yeah, she was nearly killed by that hollow, but you can't look me in the eyes and tell me that if Rukia had known Aaronierro had eaten her beloved mentor, Kaien, she just would've said to herself, Gee, I'd better walk away from this fight, because I could get killed."

Renji scowled.

"Don't try to make it seem like you had some heroic purpose. You were manipulating her!"

"I was reminding the poor misled thing who she is."

Gin paused for a moment, his eyes closing again.

"Let me ask you something. Weren't you also trying to get Rukia to fight when you stole her away and essentially threw away your own future to save her?"

"Maybe," Renji growled, "but I have limits."

"Hmm, yes," Gin agreed, "I'm sure that I have them too. I just…haven't reached them. I just may have to if I plan to fight for my life now."

Renji let out a disgusted breath.

"Don't be an idiot," he scoffed, "Central 46 is never going to just slap you on the wrist and let you go."

"No, they're not," Gin admitted, "but…if there is someone who can be motivated to interfere with their plans to kill me, then…I have a fighting chance, ne?"

"Eh…"

"And…given that I wasn't really with Sousuke, and I wanted to kill him, just like all of you did, don't you think that I should be fighting to save my life, Renji? What do your Rukongai instincts tell you?"

"Huh," the redhead huffed, "my instincts tell me that once Central 46 lays hands on you, it's all over."

"I see," Gin said, smirking very slightly, "I'm sure that's how it looks, but…what if I told you there was a way to save my life, but it could free the man I wanted to kill?"

"What?" Renji asked, frowning, "What the hell are you talking about, cause I know you can't be saying that Central 46 would ever just let Aizen go! That's bullshit! You're just trying to play with my head, the way you played with Rukia."

"No, I assure you, I mean what I say. Let's just say that although I had planned to go to my grave, never playing that card, talking to you has made me feel like I was being too complacent. Reminding me of how I motivated Rukia to fight makes me see that I shouldn't just lie down and quietly accept my death either."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Renji argued, "You're talking utter nonsense. There is no way that Aizen is ever getting out of Muken! None of us want to have to deal with that asshole ever again. He's in Muken and I think even after his sentence is up in twenty-thousand years, they're going to find a reason to keep him in there!"

"I know, right?" Gin chuckled, shaking his head, "Listen to you, all ready to abandon your morals out of fear of him."

"I'm not afraid of him!" Renji seethed.

"Of course you are, and so am I," Gin confessed, "and up to this point, my fear of him has kept me from revealing something."

"Stop fucking messing with me!" Renji shouted, "You wanna go and talk to goddamned Central 46 right now?"

"Not really," Gin sighed, "because now that you have reminded me who I am, I don't think I could resist fighting for my life and using the only weapon I have left."

"All right, stop talking in riddles and just tell me," Renji ordered him, "If you've got something that can save your life, but free Aizen, you tell me! Look at me and you tell me what you have. I'll listen and I'll decide what comes next. How about that? But I'll tell you right now, I think you've got nothing!"

Gin smiled and turned his eye onto the almost forgotten Tetsuya, who remained quietly working at healing him.

"Don't look at him," Renji chided the silver-haired man, "Look at me! Answer me! What have you got that can save your wretched life, but set Aizen free!"

"I am trying to answer you," Gin assured him, "but I really don't know if you realize what you are getting all of us into. Because, once I say it out loud, here, it is going to get out of our hands real fast. And I don't think that any of us want that."

"I agree, I don't want Aizen free. I'm surprised you'd even think of letting him get out. He tore off your arm and stabbed his hand through your chest before. What makes you think he'd hesitate to kill you all over again?"

"Shh," Gin hissed softly, "Don't talk about that part. It's a little scary, but…I think if I help him escape Central 46, Sousuke might let me live a little longer than Central 46 would."

"Not much longer," Renji scoffed, "and then, Aizen would be free to wreak his havoc."

"On the ones who killed me," Gin said quietly, "I suppose if I can't have my life, revenge would satisfy me. But…why don't we just not think about that right now. I told you I have a card I can play that will save my life, but…what if I am willing to place that card in someone else's hands for safekeeping?"

"Whaddya mean? You'll give it to someone for safekeeping?" Renji demanded, "You know that once you give up whatever card you have, Central 46 will just kill you anyway."

"Well, they might," Gin admitted, "but…what if I gave this card to a man who has reason to convince Central 46 to accept it and allow me to escape charges. I won't try to return to the Gotei or anything. I'll be happy to disappear to the farthest reaches and never be seen again. I'll even leave our kid in your capable hands and not bother you anymore."

"Look," Renji said, shaking his head, "this is all just ridiculous. I don't think there's anything that can convince Central 46 to just let you walk. If you have something, then spill it to me now, otherwise, start thinking about what you want for your last meal."

"Hmm, not going to help me out, here, Red Tiger?" Gin chuckled, "Okay, then I have no choice but to save myself."

He locked eyes with Tetsuya and breathed a name that made the half-noble freeze and go sheet white.

Aishima Yuudai.