Secret Gift Giving - Aizen/Akashi
2207.03.16
It’s a bit silly to celebrate returning from a journey, in Aizen’s opinion. Or at least, he thinks it’s a bit silly that everyone’s so insistent on celebrating his, given that it’s his second time doing it.
He rolls with it, though, because silly or not he does love a festival, and a feast is just as good. And it’s not like he’s the only one to receive this kind of attention. Jiroutachi insists on throwing a party for every new sword that joins them, and every sword that returns from a training journey. And for a whole host of other reasons. In fact, she might just like throwing parties. So, even if the reasoning is a little shaky, Aizen joins in with the festivities, eating and drinking to his heart’s content, until he begins to feel the exhaustion of his journey begin to weigh his eyelids down.
He excuses himself from the party, telling Hotarumaru to join him later. But not too much later, he’d said with a wink and getting a blush in reply, even though what he really wants is just to curl up in her arms, to feel her hands against his skin and smell her hair as it tickles his nose, and tell her how much he’s missed her. By the look she gives him, Aizen knows she won’t be long in following, either.
Omokage is elsewhere, and Akashi’s already gone back to their room. Aizen hadn’t thought Akashi would be the first to escape a party like that, not when there’d still been food around to eat, but Akashi had just said he was tired, a yawn swallowing his words.
Aizen yawns too as he remembers it. If Hotarumaru isn’t quick, he might actually fall asleep without her. Which wouldn’t be the end of the world, actually - but only because they’ll have a whole lot of time together afterwards. Years and years.
Or so he hopes.
He shakes those thoughts aside, and pauses at a sink to wash his hands and face, readying himself for bed. He catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror and grins.
Things would be all right, this time. He’s stronger now, even more so than before - everyone is. They won’t let their master down again.
The hall echoes with the sound of laughter and voices, but as soon as Aizen closes the door behind him, the sound-dampening spells take effect. The room is dark, and quiet, except for the sound of Akashi’s even breaths. The tachi is already in bed - no surprise there - but he was thoughtful enough to lay out everyone else’s futons, too.
Or, almost everyone’s. There’s three beds, one of which already contains Akashi, and the other laid out with an embroidered blanket, their master’s special gift of thanks to Omokage, who apparently is coming home tonight. The one in the middle is Aizen’s, with Hotarumaru’s pillow next to his own.
Aizen grins. He’ll have to thank Akashi tomorrow morning - it’s good to reinforce proper behaviour, after all.
He gets himself ready for bed, staying quiet to not wake Akashi up, and not bothering with nightclothes. He’d just end up taking them off eventually, during matins if not tonight.
He glances at Akashi, who seems to be completely asleep. He won’t bother him, then, even if Aizen had been looking forward to spending at least a bit of time with him tonight. But he knows his brother gets tired easily - and probably needed a nap, given how much he’d eaten at the party earlier.
Aizen settles into the blankets, trying to find the best position to take while waiting for Hotarumaru, without squirming too much. He sticks an arm under his pillow, even though he knows it’ll get uncomfortable quick, and feels something strange against his skin.
Frowning in the dark, Aizen fishes out the object. He squints at it, trying to make sense of what it is and why it was there.
It’s a protective charm. Not one of the ones the master sometimes gives them, when she worries their armour won’t be protection enough. Those are blue, sometimes gold. This one is purple, with splashes of pink. It takes him a heartbeat or two to realise those splashes are lotus flowers. The knot at the top is uneven and, when he turns the charm to look at its back, the gold embroidery is clumsy, but mostly legible. Aizen Myou-ou.
Aizen frowns. Hotarumaru would have given him something like this outright, and it doesn’t look like Omokage’s handiwork, either. Which means…
He turns in bed, and finds that Akashi’s eyes are open. Just slightly, but he’s clearly awake, and watching Aizen.
“Kuniyuki…”
Aizen looks between his brother and the charm, not knowing what to say.
Under his blanket, Akashi gives a languid shrug.
“A present,” he says. “T’protect you. I know ain’ the master, so it’s not like it’ll have any real power, but… Well. Gave one t’Hotaru, too.” His words trail off, his jaw cracking in a yawn. “Guess I coulda given it t’you earlier, but… had t’finish it first.”
So that’s why he left so early.
Aizen holds the charm close to his chest. There’s nothing special about it, magic-wise - he’s magically aware enough to tell that, at least - but it’s special all the same. And maybe it doesn’t matter if there’s no magic in it, because its existence is magical enough.
“Thank you,” he says.
He holds it against his chest for a long moment before sliding it back under the pillow. Then he slides himself from his bed to Akashi’s, careful not to let any of the cold air in.
Akashi makes a noise, probably of confusion. But he seems to figure it out when Aizen cuddles up next to him, laying one arm over his torso and pressing his head against Akashi’s chest. Akashi, too, seems to have skipped putting on nightclothes. He lays his arm over Aizen’s shoulder, and buries his nose in his hair.
“Live strong, little brother,” Akashi murmurs. “An’ be well.”
Aizen hugs him hard in return.