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Chained to an Escapist	By : Lances Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2565 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
A/N: Again, thanks for the reviews! Versus, I'm glad you think I've kept Gin in character - I only hope you won't get disappointed in the future, because it's really difficult. Lingonlips, if you seriously can draw, please do some fanart. I suck at drawing, myself!
Edited 2008-08-05. Thank you Zayaz for pointing out all the grammatical errors. chu
Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine, nor do I make any profit from writing this weird stuff.
Warnings: Violence and foul language in this chapter; it's slightly bitchy and gory. Nothing too hideous, though, I'd say.
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Chained to an Escapist
by Lances
Chapter 3: Spitfire
--
The first thing Gin realized as consciousness gradually returned to him was that he no longer felt the merciless beams of the sun scorching his skin; he was in shadow. Next, he realized he was no longer at the Soukyoku mountain; there was no hard, rocky ground pressing against his gashed face anymore. Cool, fresh air intruded his lungs, soothing, as he took a shuddering breath. Slowly, he opened his eyes a crack and peered through his thick, black lashes. A giant sakura tree was looming above him, now barren of all flowers since it was already late summer - but it was irritatingly beautiful nonetheless.
"...no use for him. If I'd known he was this sick, I wouldn't have bothered to sign that contract."
"I am as astonished as you are, Kuchiki-taichou. I can assure you he was in great fierce spirits yesterday and showed no signs of being this strengthless."
Voices drifted from somewhere at his left, undertone, but they were still clear enough for Gin to make out the words.
"If that's the case, he certainly managed to conceal his condition well. I've been told by my future son-in-law that he's not only severely malnourished and dehydrated, but also the seal on his back is viciously infected, almost to the point of poisoning his blood."
"Well, ah... We didn't deem it necessary to attend to his injuries. After all, he was going to be executed. Had I foreseen this outcome, though..."
"Forgive me, chotaichou - I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you for his condition. I merely wanted to express my regret for the fact that he is now so very useless. But it's my own fault for signing that paper without checking the merchandise first."
Gin shifted slightly and turned his head from one side to another, trying to regain his senses. With bleary eyes, he looked around and tried to investigate his current whereabouts.
He was outside in a lovely, secluded garden. The perfectly manicured grass of the lawn felt soft under his curling fingers, and he idly played with it for a while. The scent of earth and flowers invaded his senses, and he saw an abundance of plants of various size and coloring fighting over the dominance all around him. The purl of a nearby brook was like calming music to his ears, merry and melancholy at the same time. The wind, too, was gentle here; it rustled the leaves of the sakura tree almost in a loving manner and made the chimes in the distance jingle happily.
It was almost surreal.
Inhaling deeply, Gin finally looked at his left, in the direction of the voices. His eyes landed on a large, handsome Japanese manor rising against the deep blue sky. This, Gin naturally surmised, could only be the fabled Kuchiki residence. It was of an ancient build, insanely impressive, and there was a row of twenty or thirty intricate stone lanterns framing the charming cobblestone road that led to a wide, shadowy veranda. Gin turned his head a bit more to see better. He had never been allowed inside the baronial compound before but, like everybody else, had admired its magnitude and grace from afar. It was the largest house in whole Seireitei, he knew, and also the most rigorously guarded and restricted. From what Gin had heard, only one small part of the main house was reserved for receiving guests and dealing with business affairs, and the rest was carefully shielded from the outside world.
"What are you going to do with him?"
Gin frowned; the spell he'd unconsciously fallen into shattered like the blade for Senbonzakura�s shikai, leaving nothing but raw reality behind.
"I'm going to have to fix him, obviously," Kuchiki Byakuya replied with a bored voice. However, Gin could detect an underlying current of frustration and irritation simmering beneath the arctic tone of the noble�s voice. "According to our contract, he isn't allowed to die in my care. At least not yet."
Ah, yes � the contract. Gin was now a slave. He was now someone's property. He was Kuchiki Byakuya's property - fucking hell.
Gin spent a couple of minutes trying to understand this new, curious state of affairs � and failed notoriously. He, Ichimaru Gin, a slave? Outright ridiculous. It couldn't be true. There was something seriously wrong with the world if it was.
Gin brought his hands together and began to rub his bruised, aching wrists that were, to his surprise, no longer handcuffed. He shifted his legs as well, as they felt a little numb. No, he couldn't be a slave. He was not a slave. But... if he wasn't, then why was he here? What was he doing in Kuchiki Byakuya's garden, lying underneath some stupidly pretty cherry tree, feeling like he'd been ran over by a horde of bulky men from the Shiba clan? Gin growled and closed his eyes. Damn it... He really had signed that idiotic contract yesterday, hadn't he? He must have been out of his goddamn mind.
Then again, Gin reminded himself, he had done it solely to annoy the stuck-up nobleman � not to beg for the frigid ice queen to save his life.
Or that's what he was now telling himself, anyway.
A sudden, vicious bout of head-ache momentarily blinded Gin, making him curse out loud. Shielding his eyes from the flickers of daylight that found him through the cherry tree�s waving foliage, he fought back the feelings of nausea and general weakness. Fuck it! He wanted to tell Byakuya just how much he resented this current situation � but there was only so much he could about it right now. He was feeling so weak and pathetic he couldn�t even summon the strength to try. Damn it! He could not possibly stand up against someone as powerful as the 6th Captain in this terrible state of health. Gin didn�t have to say it out loud to realize it: he was on the losing side. He would have to wait until he got at least some of his former powers back before he could retaliate. And, in the meanwhile...
Gin grimaced. In the meanwhile, he would probably have to put up with this macabre farce that was supposed to be his new, amazing life as Kuchiki Byakuya's slave.
Letting out a long, suffering breath, Gin closed his eyes and tried to move his heavy limbs � wriggle his toes, grasp the sleek tufts of grass with his fingers. He felt confused. He had absolutely no idea what this entire slave-business was supposed to entail. Tired as he had been, he hadn't bothered to read the contract yesterday. How was he supposed to act now? What was he supposed to do? Would Byakuya want him to bow to him? Beg and cry for mercy? Gin snorted; as if he would ever do anything like that. He just couldn't see himself crawling on all fours, licking the nobleman's immaculately spotless zori sandals, pleading for forgiveness. Oh, no � that was something he would never do. He was a former captain, for fuck's sake, and captains never begged. Nor licked other captains' zori. Or anybody's zori, for that matter. Or crawled on their hands and knees. Unless it was entirely consensual. Which, with Byakuya, it certainly wouldn't be. Gin hoped.
A little horrified with his own, wild thoughts, Gin quickly dispelled the several, rather disturbing images his crazy-ass brain ever-so-helpfully provided him with, and groaned. The regal face of the striking Kuchiki captain flashed against his closed eyelids, and he admired its cold beauty for a while. Despite all his physical and mental defects, Ichimaru Gin was not yet blind; he knew Kuchiki Byakuya was gorgeous. Always had been. Gorgeous, dashing, enigmatic, intelligent, awe-inspiring, soign�... you name it. And yet...
The man was also intimidating as hell.
If you admired Kuchiki Byakuya, you admired him from a fucking distance.
Gin sighed � and then began to wonder if maybe Byakuya had some kind of sadistic features hidden behind that mask of cold aloofness he so vehemently strived to maintain. If Gin was going to disobey his orders � which he would, once he got better � what would be the consequences? It was clear he would be punished, of course. But how hard? From what Gin had head, Byakuya could be quite the dominatrix when he happened to be in the mood. In fact, it was common knowledge the man didn't much hesitate to use his zanpakutou, were it against his enemies or his friends. Rumours had it Byakuya had once even pulled his Bankai against his very own vice-captain; people said it was a miracle Abarai Renji had lived to tell the tale. Therefore, Gin was quite ready to expect several painful encounters with the stuck-up nobleman in the course of the next few months. After all...
Hell would freeze over before Ichimaru Gin would succumb to becoming Byakuya's docile, mindless little lapdog.
"Awake already, huh?"
Gin startled almost out of his wits as he heard the snidely asked question, accompanied by a small kick in his ribs. He glanced up at his right, half expecting to see none other than the regal captain himself � but was greeted with the sight of his little sister, Kuchiki Rukia, instead. She was looking rather tense, glaring menacingly down at him, keeping her arms crossed angrily below her petite bosom.
Gin squinted his eyes to see her better. She hadn't changed all that much from what he last remembered her. Her hair had grown a little bit longer, maybe, but her facial features were still as scowling and dubious as ever. Her eyes were still too big and her mouth too thin; she wasn't exactly a pretty girl, Gin observed, but certainly not ugly, either. Her soul slayer rested casually on her hip; she was wearing her usual shinigami outfit, the same she'd been wearing at Hueco Mundo some half a year ago. The loose folds of the black fabric fluttered gently in the calm wind, making her appear somewhat wraith-like and unearthly; but, then again, she had always been rather sickly and pale in Gin's eyes. In short, she was pretty much the same as she had always been.
Wanting to be polite, Gin offered her his best shit-eating smile. "Long time no see, Rukia-chan."
She appeared somewhat jaded as she slowly shrugged her narrow shoulders. "I guess."
"Did ya miss me?"
"Hardly."
"Aww...� he cooed, simpering up at her gloomy face. �That�s too cruel.�
Rukia didn't bother to reply, but merely looked at him with silent disdain. Gin wondered if Byakuya had gradually managed to rub off on her � or maybe he had even given her some extra lessons about how to behave in such a detached, dispassioned way. Because, evidently, she was acting so much like her brother now: cold, remote and proud. A true Kuchiki to the bone, even if she did not genetically share the same line of blood.
"Nii-sama's just escorting the Captain-Commander to the door," she suddenly informed. "He'll want to have a word with you when he returns."
Gin instantly decided he didn�t want to be lying there on the ground anymore, since it put him at a mild disadvantage. He made a quick effort to sit up, even though his body hurt with every single move he made. Rukia, though, wouldn't allow this � and thumped a firm foot on his chest, forcing him to lie back down.
"I wouldn't move if I were you."
Gin stared at her defiantly, his aquamarine eyes hardly visible through his narrowed eyelids. �And what are you gonna do to me if I do?"
"Me?" Rukia shrugged. "Nothing."
Despite himself, Gin was slightly taken aback at this unexpected declaration. "Nothing?"
"Nothing," she confirmed, nonchalantly sliding her small hand onto the hilt of her zanpakutou. "Absolutely nothing."
Gin's ever-present smile was in danger to waver. Something about Rukia's unusual behavior was making him feel extremely edgy, and he didn't like it one little bit. He made another attempt to get up � and she immediately retaliated, twisting her foot sharply on top of his chest, pressing him down again, this time with added force. Gin winced, although it didn�t actually hurt too much.
�What's this, then?" he asked with a pout. "Didn't you just say you wouldn't do anything?"
�Did I?� she graced him with a small, arrogant smile. �Well� I guess I lied.�
�So rude, Rukia-chan,� Gin wailed, faking hurt. �So rude!�
"Well..." she drawled, eyes firmly attached to the blood red choker around Gin's neck. "What goes around� comes around."
A shiver ran down Gin's spine as he locked his narrowed eyes with Rukia�s marble blue ones. Flashes of old memories, if fractioned and broken, flashed vividly in his mind's eye, and he felt ill. He had tortured this little Kuchiki princess in the past; that much he knew. And, although he couldn�t exactly remember what he had said to her that one fateful day, he knew he had been very, very cruel. He remembered he had given her false hope � just to exploit his wicked sense of humor � and then ripped everything away in a flash, watching her carefully built walls crumble, her re-awakened zest for life diminish.
His throat constricted and he was hit by a fit of relentless coughing.
It was blood.
"...well, fuck!" he managed, after a while, and gave a hollow laugh. �So it seems.�
His mirthless laughter was heartfelt, as it expressed his current feelings almost alarmingly well. She clearly hadn't forgotten those days, even if Gin mostly had. She still hadn't forgotten � or forgiven � Gin for crushing her spirits when she would have needed her inner strength the most. And now...
It was the payback-time.
"I don't suppose you regret any of it, though," Rukia pursed her lips.
"No... I don't suppose I do," Gin admitted with a clear, calm tone of voice. After all, it was the simple truth; he didn't.
At that time, now approximately some year and a half ago, he had been more honest to himself and to his own feelings than he'd ever been before or since. He had finally realized he'd grown to hate the people in Soul Society. He had finally realized he'd grown ready to seek revenge against these people, after being the target of their scorn and ridicule for over a hundred years. And, in the end, it hadn't really mattered who had been in the line of his bitter fire. Kuchiki Rukia... Matsumoto Rangiku... Izuru Kira... These people had been just few of the many.
"I�m telling you, Ichimaru, you should�ve just chosen death,� Rukia said. �It would�ve been easier for you.�
Gin merely smiled at her. �Maybe I like challenges?�
�You�d better. Because, you know, otherwise you're just gonna hate it here.�
"We'll see," he replied, cryptically.
"Yes, we will." Rukia leaned on her leg once more, adding pressure to Gin's aching ribcage under her foot. "We most certainly will."
Gin smirked, but that smirk was now wry and forced. "Resentful, much?"
"Pot asking if the kettle's black."
"No." Gin sighed. Then he suddenly seized Rukia by her leg and locked his bony fingers firmly around her tiny ankle. "The pot already knows."
Rukia hissed and wrenched herself free, her reiatsu flaring up. "Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me!"
Just to spite her, Gin reached out once more � and sharply poked her in the knee.
He probably shouldn't have done that, though.
Not two seconds after his childish trick, Gin had Kuchiki Byakuya towering like a small Menos Grande above him. Gin stiffened despite himself, instinctively acknowledging the other's current supremacy in power. However, his quickly forged submissiveness came too late; it was clear Byakuya had already seen � or heard � enough to make his own deductions about the on-going situation, and thus act accordingly.
"Get up on your knees, slave," he ordered, eyeing Gin with those deep blue depths that expressed... well, nothing.
Gin grudgingly did as he was told; he didn't want to be lying on the ground, anyway. "What, getting off on calling me your slave now, are we, Kuchiki-taichou?" he jeered � although it was just a pathetic attempt to lighten the chilly, blood-curdling atmosphere.
The noble, however, was disappointingly unresponsive. "Hold out your hand."
Gin frowned, and then smiled again, sweetly, annoyingly, politely. "Which one would you prefer, Kuchiki-taichou?"
"It makes no difference to me."
"And why would I hold out my hand to you? You wanna propose?"
"Just do it."
Gritting his teeth, Gin obeyed; his instinct of self-preservation hadn't yet completely abandoned him, after all. He lifted his left arm lazily in front of him and smirked. Byakuya unsheathed his zanpakutou and sliced, what first seemed, through thin air. And then...
Gin watched, with widening eyes, how his left hand fingers dropped off, one by one, except for the thumb.
�N...n-n-nani...?�
"First lesson of the day, slave," said the master of the house, tonelessly. "If my sister tells you not to touch her, you will not touch her."
Face sprinkled with fresh droplets of blood, Gin cradled the injured hand against his chest and gaped at the stoic noble. �What the fuck, Kuchiki! Did you just fucking cut my fingers off?"
�As you see."
�B-but... but you just don�t do that!� Gin gulped for air. �You can�t just go cutting off people�s fingers, for fuck�s sake!�
�Don�t make me cut off your head," Byakuya retorted, rather dryly. "Now... Avert your eyes, slave, and never look me in the eye again. In fact... You're not allowed to look anyone in the eye, unless I give you special permission. Is this understood?"
Better judgement battled down Gin�s stubbornness and he looked down, although mostly (he told himself) because he wanted to locate his missing fingers. At least he'd now gotten an answer to his earlier questions concerning Byakuya's possible sadistic tendencies. Damn it � the man was a fucking blood-lusting monster behind that calm exterior of his! Kuchiki Byakuya, the epitome of calmness and staid reflection, had suddenly turned into a savage! Gin had not quite seen it coming. He had known Byakuya since their academy days, after all, and had never considered the nobleman capable of being this brash, this brutal before.
"I asked you a question, slave."
"I don�t remember you asking me anything,� Gin murmured with venom, his gaze desperately roaming the grassy ground.
"I suggest you try to sharpen your memory, then."
Straightening his shoulders, Gin just looked sour, ignoring the blood that was seeping into the texture of his plain, white yukata from his injured hand. "And I suggest you go to Hell."
Not exactly amused by Gin�s insolence and stubbornness, Byakuya didn�t waste time in twining his fingers around the other man's neck and pressing hard down, making it impossible for Gin to breathe. "I'm not sure if you have yet grasped what it means to be a slave in this household," he said, probably angry, even though his silky voice didn't betray any particular emotion. "I am your owner now; you are my property. You no longer have any personal rights. I did not want you, yet I was forced to take you nonetheless. Therefore, I will at least make sure you won't get in the way of my home life amenities, nor aggravate the members of this family with your annoying manners."
Gin made a choking sound as the words swept over him. What was it with these people, wanting to strangle him all the time? First Rangiku-chan, yesterday in the Tower, and now Byakuya...
"You will act humble and obey my every command," the latter continued. "You will do so instantly, without raising any objections or asking any questions. I will not tolerate any kind of offensive behaviour from you. Rukia is my sister and thus second when it comes to commanding you, and you will show her the same respect you will show me. Is this clear?�
Gurgling pitifully, Gin tried to push Byakuya�s hand away with his own, uninjured one � but the fingers kept slipping away because they were covered in so much blood.
Byakuya sighed, looking down at him with frustration mixed with contempt. "I don�t think this is too hard for you to understand, Ichimaru Gin. I happen to be under the impression that, although you are tactless, spiteful and prone to making foolish decisions, you are not, in fact, entirely stupid. Or are you?"
Still unable to reply in any kind of intelligible manner, Gin resorted to a vicious glare. Byakuya released his grip and shoved him violently back to the ground.
�Apologize to my sister.�
�F-fuck you, Kuchiki! I ain't apologizing for something as stupid as this!� Gin coughed, his words coming out in a pathetic wheeze.
�I absolutely hate it when I have to repeat myself.� Byakuya stepped closer, staring down at Gin without mercy. �But in this case, I must apparently do so. And you should listen carefully, because I'm not going to adopt the habit.�
Gin held still, panting. Burning pain spread like wildfire from both his mauled hand and his infected tattoos, intensifying by the minute, making his hands tremble and his brow sweat. He hated to admit it, but he was frightened. Byakuya was acting totally out of his usually rigid character at the moment: his actions were random, his thoughts alarmingly unpredictable. And that, if anything, made Gin feel nervous.
�I believe I have your undivided attention at the moment?�
Hesitating only a moment, Gin quickly inclined his head as if to nod.
�Good. Now... I will give you two possibilities to solve this tacky situation." There was a small pause, before the noble went on. "You can continue your rebellious behaviour and not apologize, in which case I will let you go to your room to clean up just like nothing happened. Only without your left hand fingers. Or," he crossed his arms, "you can obey and apologize to my sister, then apologize to me, and I might consider inviting Inoue Orihime-san over to heal your injury in the near future.�
Gin just opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say. The pain in his hand was terrible yet tolerable; he�d long ago promised himself to take any injury proudly like a true shinigami captain would, and he�d seriously gotten used to all kinds of pain by now. But the fact that four of his left hand fingers were now actually missing was an unexpected (and very uncomfortable) impediment. If Byakuya continued slicing parts of him off, he didn't know what would be left of him soon. The contract only reserved the right to kill him; it probably didn't say anything about dismembering.
Gin shifted his gaze to Rukia, who was standing next to her brother, slightly anxious but still furious. Could he do it? Apologize to this useless shinigami girl who wasn't even distinguished enough to get a seated position in her squad? Gin bristled. He, a former captain, to do such a mortifying thing? Outrageous!
�Shall we have your answer, slave?� Byakuya asked, sounding even more wintry than before, if that was possible. �Would you rather keep your pride � or your fingers?�
Trying to calm his breathing, Gin struggled to get back up to his knees. Ah, fuck! Byakuya was not only cruel, but also clever. Sure, Gin could go on living without his left hand fingers, somehow � but what would be next in line? He couldn�t keep on losing body parts forever, and something in Byakuya�s eyes told Gin he would be losing them even faster than what he�d lost his credibility as a captain if he wouldn�t start obeying soon. And he wouldn't, of course. He once again reminded himself that he had only entered this dreary deal because he wanted to spite the pretty-ass Kuchiki captain out of his pansy fucking closet � not because he actually wanted to stay alive. However... There was no denying that his plan was miserably failing. Holding onto his pride, at least for the moment, would become very, very expensive. Too expensive.
He mumbled an acid apology through his teeth.
�Hn. It seems you�re still in the possession of at least some amount of common sense,� Byakuya sourly observed, not too impressed with Gin�s performance. �Rukia, do you accept?�
�I don�t know,� the girl replied, looking annoyed. �I wish he�d sound a bit more honest. Even if I know he really isn�t.�
The look Gin threw at her would have been vicious enough to skin a weaker person alive. Yet Rukia held her ground, for once sure of her advantage, and did not even flinch. Gin recognized this as a bad sign and, before Byakuya could intervene, swallowed his pride, adopted a more humble expression and forced himself to bow a little. �I have been rude, Rukia-sama, Byakuya-sama. Please accept my simple apology, since I don�t know how to express myself better due to complete lack of prior experience. Hontooni gomennasai.�
Both Rukia and Byakuya were silent for a moment, apparently considering how to respond to this surprising, yet seemingly genuine effort. Of course it was blatantly clear there was no true feeling behind Gin�s words � but there was absolutely nothing they could do about that. Gin was still the master of his own mind, with or without certain body parts; and even though Kuchiki Byakuya now legally owned his body and ruled his actions, he could never own his heart and rule his mind.
Gin looked up, meeting Byakuya's sharp eyes.
"I believe that will do for now," the captain finally spoke, not breaking the gaze.
Rukia, likewise, sounded mollified enough. "Yes. That's enough for now."
Gin smirked, satisfied with himself; but he was in for another surprise. Quite as unexpectedly as he�d drawn his soul slayer the first time, Byakuya now did it again: Senbonzakura flashed, and the tip of the sharp blade scratched Gin�s face, drawing more blood from a place right below his left eye.
�I told you never to look at me in the eye, slave,� he spoke. �If you want to maintain your ability to see at all, I suggest you remember that rule.�
Tasting fresh blood on his lips, flowing from the gash like a small river, Gin lowered his face and closed his eyes. He was in a mild state of shock despite he had experienced much worse during the long course of his life. He fought against the vertigo that tried to swallow him once more; he had been in a pretty bad shape already before this torture (to put it lightly), and Kuchiki-taichou's merciless approach wasn't helping him at all to adjust to his new situation.
Something snapped in Gin's brain; he was back in the Tower again, staring at the sunset, dying inside. The taste of metal, the feel of blood in his mouth began to work as a conduit between the real world and his own, and he began to fall back into a realm where no-one could follow. The beautiful garden around him changed into a blurry grey ocean where hollow-like fish hunted each other; the sky above him began to weep with blood-stained snow, the flakes melting on his upturned face, tasting bitter, tasting sweet. One moment, Gin was back in his childhood Rukongai, shivering with cold in the winter, trying to find shelter but in vain; people were glaring at him, wishing him dead. Next, he was back in Seireitei, hiding his bitter heart beneath a mask of infuriating cheerfulness; he was smiling at his fellow shinigami, smiling even at those he'd much rather had vomited on. Gin vaguely realized he was retching; more blood sprouted from his insides, staining the dull green mattress of grass beneath him with blackened red. But he was no longer in Seireitei, oh no; he was in a world of darkness. There was no sun; only the moon, pale and lonely, was shining from the bottomless, black sky, making his white clothes shimmer along with his silvery hair. Hueco Mundo... a place where souls were lost; souls that were void of any feeling; souls that knew nothing about anything better.
Gin�s eyes snapped open when he felt sudden pain; someone was pulling at his hair. It was Byakuya, shaking him.
�Snap out of it, Gin!� he demanded and then released his hold. �Rukia, fetch Hanatarou. I believe our new slave doesn�t feel too well.�
Rukia, hugging herself as if fighting off cold shivers, nodded curtly and walked briskly away, disappearing inside the mansion through a pair of grand sliding doors. Soon, Gin was left all alone with his new master. Byakuya began to clean his blood-spattered zanpakutou on Gin�s yukata, sliding the blade over his slave�s hunched shoulder. Gin, in turn, just stared forwards and said nothing. It was not his place to say anything. Not now.
�I sincerely hope you have learned something from this unfortunate episode, Gin,� the noble�s voice drifted from somewhere above him. "It's in your own best interests if you can adapt to the rules of this house as fast as possible.�
Cradling his injured hand against his chest, Gin glanced up in the direction of the black-haired captain � only to find himself staring at Senbonzakura�s blade once again.
"Mind your eyes.�
Swallowing the bloody lump that had yet again formed in his throat � Gin realized he�d bitten his tongue at some point, and it was now bleeding � Gin did. He nodded silently and looked away, his surroundings coming and going from his focus as his mind reeled. He would probably lose it again, soon, his sanity; and also yet another part of his fleeting memory. But he would be damned if he didn't fight it.
�I wish you�d be more careful in future,� Byakuya continued with his bored tone of voice, �because I honestly think your eyes are better attached to where they are, instead of being gauged out of their sockets for punishment.�
Gin saw the blade retreat, but didn�t dare move a muscle anymore.
�Don�t look so desperate. You�ll not find my rules impossibly hard to follow, I assure you. And I, in return, will not expect miracles from you."
Gin heard the words; they were, after all, explicitly articulated. Yet he didn�t quite comprehend what was being said. He felt like an outsider in his own body again; he wanted to rebel, wanted to yell, wanted to fight, but his body wouldn't allow him to do any of these things.
�Are you still listening to me, slave?�
�Y-yes,� he replied, quietly, demurely, as if someone else had spoken for him.
"Pick up your fingers from the ground."
Fighting another rush of nausea, Gin hesitantly bent down and moved about on his knees, using his undamaged hand to accomplish the task he was given. When all of the four missing digits were finally resting in his blood-soaked lap, he sat back again, not really knowing what he should do next. Try to place them back? He nearly laughed, but was glad to be able to hold it in check. It wouldn�t do to show Byakuya just how insane he already felt he was going.
"Get up and go sit on the veranda. You must eat something. Your famished appearance is outright disgusting."
Knowing he had never been anything but disgusting in other people's eyes, Gin didn't take much offense at Byakuya's harsh words. He had gotten used to being insulted already long ago. Fox-face... That had been his most popular nickname for the past several decades. Although, he had to admit, he hadn't seen himself in a mirror in a very long time; if he had been unattractive before, he must now look positively ugly.
"I recommend you obey my commands within a certain timeframe, Gin."
Feeling too faint to set his face against the Kuchiki captain anymore, Gin rose up to his feet and dragged himself towards the veranda. He figured it would be best to lay back for a while and properly assess the situation. He could always resume his defiant behavior when he was feeling a bit stronger. Right now, though, he was in danger of collapsing at any given moment.
Knees wobbling, he carefully knelt on a soft, green, beautifully embroidered cushion next to a low Japanese table that had suddenly materialized in front of him. Visceral common sense guided his movements as he made sure his gory clothes, let alone his still-bleeding hand, did not dirty the furniture; he was sure Kuchiki-taichou would not fail to lash out at him once more if he did something as childish as intentionally spoil his expensive decor.
�A cup of ramen,� Byakuya�s voice intruded his consciousness once more, but the man wasn�t talking to him, but to some servant in the shadows of the house. �Miso ramen. Make sure the soup is plenty and warm.�
Gin�s stomach lurched. How the fuck was he supposed to eat something with four severed fingers staring at him from his lap? His own fingers, no less. Normal people lost their appetite for even lesser reasons, and Gin didn�t consider him that much different, yet. Besides... He didn�t quite feel alright. He�d just thrown up blood, after all.
Byakuya calmly sat opposite to him, gracefully like some sort of spiritual being, and beckoned a maid to pour him some tea. �Ichimaru?�
Gin flinched, but otherwise held still. �...yes?�
�In spite of what you may think, I know exactly what is going on in your mind."
�Well, that�s good, I guess,� Gin vaguely replied, his mind already a tad unclear. �It�s good at least one of us does.�
�You signed the contract because you thought it would be a good joke. However, whether you take these new arrangements seriously or not, I still won�t tolerate any kind of insolence from your part. As a sign of that, I believe you�ve already had a taste of what might happen when I lose my patience with you.�
Not knowing what to say, Gin didn�t say anything � just stared at the wood of the table in front of him.
�I understand, of course, that you�re not yet done protesting against your fate. I know you�re not naturally inclined to yield to other people�s demands, which is why it will take some time before we can sufficiently understand each other. However,� Byakuya calmly brought the intricate porcelain tea-cup to his lips and took a sip of the steaming, hot liquid. �I advise you to restrain your fiery impulses for the time being. You should concentrate on regaining your strength, first and foremost. I find no pleasure in arguing with powerless, defenceless men.�
Gin was absolutely certain Byakuya was smirking, but he didn�t dare venture to look at him. The miso soup was finally brought in front of him, and he glared at it suspiciously. It wasn�t probably poisoned, though, but Gin had absolutely no appetite. Luckily, his struggles went unnoticed as Rukia chose that moment to return to the house. Gin automatically glanced up...
...and instantly felt his cheek burn with stinging pain.
Gin�s mouth went slack: Byakuya had just slapped him. Slapped him. Not punched him, not socked him in the nose, but fucking slapped him. Like some fucking bitch.
�Looking people in the eye is prohibited,� Byakuya reminded him with a voice verging on tired. �How many times must I remind you of that?�
�I... was just looking at her jaw,� Gin growled, touching his cheek carefully with his gory fingers.
�Is that so?� Byakuya sounded morbidly amused. �In that case, just to avoid further misunderstandings � from now on, you�re not allowed to look at anyone in the face, or anywhere near it. Understood?�
Gin bit down on his lower lip before grunting his reluctant �yes�.
�Good.� Byakuya picked up his tea again. �You will get used to it soon enough. As to what else is expected from your future behaviour in this house, I�ll provide you with a written list of rules concerning the matter. You must read and memorize those rules as quickly as possible, as I expect you to know them by heart tomorrow morning.�
Gin said nothing; he felt dull and stupid. And sick. And angry. And frustrated. And so very, very tired.
Rukia, who had been hovering in the background during this short and somewhat aggressive exchange, hesitated for a moment before plopping down onto a green cushion between them. �Nii-sama?"
"Yes, Rukia-chan?"
"Hanatarou-san couldn�t be relieved from his present duties. It seems the entire 4th Squad is having some sort of important meeting he�s forced to attend, and it's likely to last until eight or nine in the evening.�
�Hm?� Byakuya voiced, rather noncommittally, yet curiously enough to indicate that he was wondering whether there could actually be anything of importance to be discussed at a meeting of such a lowly squad as the Fourth. Gin whole-heartedly shared the doubt, although he didn�t voice it.
�I... I�m sorry,� Rukia added, as an afterthought, as if being afraid of her own brother.
�No, it�s alright,� was the curt reply. �Gin, do you think you can make it until the evening?�
Gin gave him a wry smile � and nodded. �I�ve had it worse.�
�I don�t doubt it. Now, eat your soup.�
Gin glanced at the steaming pot of ramen. �I ain�t gonna eat that shit.�
�You will eat,� Byakuya said with a tone that held no argument. �And when you�re done, my servant will show you to your room. I want you to clean up and make yourself presentable. We'll be attending a family council tonight, where your situation will be more thoroughly discussed.�
�I can�t eat. My insides are bleeding.�
�No, they�re not,� Rukia intervened with a snort. �Hanatarou checked you already once this morning and found no internal damage. You�ve just probably bitten your tongue too hard.�
�But I...�
�You heard her,� Byakuya calmly said as he laid his tea-cup gently down on its tray and reached for a cookie. �Get to it.�
Fighting queasiness, Gin reluctantly reached for the chopsticks provided for him and began to fish some noodles from his soup. He still had no appetite, but his stomach was growling in a way that promised serious internal rebellion if he didn�t obey its demands. He picked up the spoon and tasted the hot, steaming soup; to his surprise, he found it actually delicious.
Shaking his head in defeat, he sighed softly and began to devour his plate.
--
TBC...
A/N: I know, I know... You�re gonna say they�re out of character. But this was seriously a difficult chapter to write, so I can�t do anything but apologize. So... Hontooni gomennasai. (Did it sound real or fake? Because I, too, have a serious lack of prior experience... Kukukuku...)
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Chained to an Escapist