A/n: I own nothing. Setting: vague sometime before Aizen's betrayal. Spoilers: up to Ch.423 credit to TheDrunkenWerewolf for sticking with this and reviewing and because her story made me look at Aizen and Gin differently.

Aizen smirked to himself, word had just reached Seireitei about the five dead Shinigami—two from eight squad, one from tenth and two from his own fifth. They were all sacrifices to his experiments of course but, he would have to play his part: the compassionate, gentle 'Aizen-taichou'. He chewed on a hot pepper, a trick he'd learned in the real world to make his eyes water. Luckily captains were expected to keep their emotions in check so an understated performance would be more believable.

Hinamori knocked a few moments later and he smiled inwardly .

"Enter" he said, making his voice sound just a little rough. Hinamori had tears on her face and he wanted to smirk at his tender, naïve, trusting little Hinamori. The world was going to tear her apart; he was going to tear her apart.

"Aizen-taichou I just heard, It's terrible," she cried.

"I know," he said. She was shaking so he put an arm around her as 'Aizen-taichou' should. She buried her face in his Haori and suppressing his disgust at the thought of all the snot she was getting on it he gently rubbed her back. He had her wrapped around his little finger. She looked up at him, damp eyes filled with trust and sympathy.

"Arigato Aizen-taichou. Are…are you alright?" she asked nervously.

He pretended to sniff back tears and spoke slowly as though controlling his voice, "It's always tragic…to lose squad members…but, we'll make s-sure they didn't die in vain," weird, he hadn't meant to make his voice shake quite that much but, whatever it worked.

Hinamori nodded vigorously, wiping away fresh tears, "Yes taichou," she said, still looking at him like he was her savior. Dumb bitch, so weak.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off" he said quietly.

"I-uh yes taichou," she said, she'd never have disobeyed him, "I'm sorry taichou," she touched his arm in sympathy as she left.

"Close the door behind you," she looked back pity and understanding filling her eyes as she complied. The door closed softly behind her and his lips quirked slightly in a smile as he wiped away the 'tears' thinking about her complete devotion, the way they'd embraced in 'shared' grief. A perfect performance…he frowned. Why then did his throat feel tight and his eyes were starting to water again? Shit. He swiped at his eyes again disgusted with himself and dragged a painful breath into his lungs feeling it catch in his throat as he exhaled. The fuck is wrong with you? he berated himself. For a moment, one solitary moment he wondered what it would be like to be able to genuinely connect with someone the way everyone else could. He chuckled, shaking his head even if that was worth giving up his ambition for—and it wasn't—he was far too powerful for it to be an option. He flicked away a final fake tear and opened his door because Aizen-taichou had an open door policy and he did have to play his part.

x

Gin walked in without knocking because, well why would he? Aizen wasn't supposed to be his 'master', wasn't supposed to be powerful beyond all godly reason, wasn't supposed to scare the hell out of Seireitei's official boogeyman. It surprised him when Aizen's head snapped up as though not noticing his approach. He saw the man's eyes harden and wondered what the hell he'd been contemplating that had distracted him so.

"Gin...would you care to get some tea? We should finalize our plans," the captain said, a veiled command. There was something off about the way he'd said Gin's name. He wasn't sure what had caught his ear, maybe nothing and he was just over thinking it? He pinched the bridge of his nose, dealing with Aizen made his head hurt.

"Sure," he replied.

Aizen stood and for a moment before he straightened looked exhausted, shoulders slumped, eyes reddened by lack of sleep. Then it was gone and he was the god masquerading as a librarian again. Perhaps it was just that Gin knew the truth, that he saw the swagger under the captainly confidence and humility Aizen put on. Gin walked abreast of his master, his mortal enemy, for appearances sake they were supposed to be equals after all. Perhaps he was becoming accustomed to the arrangement, he didn't sense the displeasure he usually felt at the lack of deference, despite the fact that it was Aizen who'd ordered him to do so.

Aizen allowed him to enter his master's home first and he did so cautiously, as always expecting a sword in the back. Gin sat stiffly on the couch, these planning meetings generally never meant anything good and waited for Aizen to return from the kitchen with tea. Eventually he did and Gin poured himself a cup, he always insisted on that and made sure Aizen drank first. It was one of the few concessions Aizen had allowed him, merely smirking at his insistence like it was cute, bastard.

"So what we must do is..." Aizen began and Gin listened intently for ten minutes before he realized that dressed up and flowery as the words were, it was just a reiteration of the plan they'd already agreed to. Why the hell was he here then? What was he missing? Aizen didn't like them associating unless absolutely necessary to stave off suspicions and while he did like to grandstand Gin would lay money on paranoia beating narcissism where he was concerned, If only by a hair.

Gin snapped out of his thoughts realizing Aizen was silent, he looked up wondering how much hell he'd catch for zoning out and saw Aizen leaned back in the couch holding his cup, he closed his eyes momentarily before focusing back on Gin and standing.

"I think that covers everything. You know what your supposed to do?" Aizen asked. Gin knew he was screwed but answered with the same orders he'd been given three months before. If Aizen was testing him he would pay later for not paying attention, oh well at least he'd have stung the captain's ego then. As it was Aizen seemed to accept the answer. Gin left, walking out into the moonlit streets wondering why they'd just wasted several hours going over things they'd already discussed. He put a hand on his head, 'messiah' be damned a walking fucking headache was what Aizen was. The question now was whether whatever he was missing was going to get him killed before he figured it out.