Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Sleeping with the Enemy ❯ Great Expectations ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9: Great Expectations

 

“You finished it?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Well, what did you think?”

Nina smiled up at her captain. “I thought it was fantastic. I was hardly able to put it down!”

Aizen laughed softly and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Nor was I when I first read it. If you liked that book then I highly recommend that you check out Dickens' other works.”

“I already am,” Nina admitted. “I just started Oliver Twist.”

“Yet another good book. I am quite the fan of Dickens' work, actually, and now that I seem to have found a fellow fan of him as well, I think we will have many splendid conversations about his works.” He paused and smiled as they crossed over the red bridge that stretched over a small creek running through Fifth Division. “Now…was Pip's benefactor who you expected?”

“No! I mean…I knew it was not Miss Havisham, but I never expected it to be Magwitch! And the fact that he is Estalla's father…that was completely unexpected.”

“I think that's why I have an affinity for that particular book,” Aizen remarked. “I enjoy how the characters wind up connecting like pieces in a puzzle.”

“I really enjoyed that element as well. It seems that Pip really learned a hard lesson in this book, though,” Nina reflected thoughtfully.

“He learned many hard lessons in the book, Seito-kun,” Aizen pointedly told her as he paused to observe the water flowing beneath the bridge and the carp contained within. “Pip learned about the importance of gratitude, criminality, and social mobility.”

“It seems that the book's many characters suffer in some way. For example, the fact that Miss Havisham and Pip both suffered in love while Magwitch had to suffer imprisonment when Compeyson framed him and the belief that his daughter is dead,” Nina reflected.

“You are quite right on that. In fact, Pip and Miss Havisham seem to parallel one another.” He glanced at Nina who was leaning against the red wooden railing with him looking down at the water. Nina, he had come to conclude, was by far not an unattractive woman by any means.

“I think I saw some symbolism within the text, though I am not sure if I figured it out correctly,” Nina suddenly told him. Her head turned before he could look away, and he was locked into her gaze - into those icy blue eyes.

“Did you?” he managed, coming dangerously close to a stammer. “And what are your thoughts?”

Nina thought for a moment. “It would seem that the upper class is represented by the cruel Mr. Pumblechook, and the working class seems to always be in a state of oppression, no matter how honest or intelligent they seem to be.”

“Your reasoning is sound, but may I point out that you have forgotten about Mr. Jaggers and Miss Havisham?”

Nina frowned. “I can see the connection with Mr. Jaggers also representing the upper class, but I was ready to assume that Miss Havisham symbolized suffering of the heart.”

Sousuke shook his head and adjusted his glasses. “Well, Pip would also represent that as he and Miss Havisham parallel one another in matters of the heart, as you mentioned before, but you must also consider that Miss Havisham was wasteful and indolent, which is another representation of the upper class in the book.” Aizen turned from the railing and rested his hands inside the sleeves of his haori. “Dickens is famous for writing books with the overall theme of social reform in 19th century England.”

“Social reform?” Nina questioned.

Aizen let a tiny smile slide across his lips. “I expect you may not know the history of that.” He paused. “Back in Dickens's time, children as young as five or six years old would go to work in factories down in the Human world for up to fourteen hours a day. The conditions were very poor, and these children worked extremely hard for very little pay to bring home.”

A slightly horrified expression crossed Nina's features. “That's terrible. And I thought scrounging for food on the streets of Rukongai was bad…”

They came to a gazebo situated in the middle of a pond surrounded by water lilies and koi. Aizen sat down and invited her to have a seat next to him.

“I rather think the two sound equally bad, Seito-kun,” he told her gently. “No one likes to starve. It sounds like you've had a rather hard time yourself.”

Nina's features colored, and she fiddled with her obi. “I have. I suppose it's why I identify with Pip so much.”

“You can be rest assured that the social gaps here in Seretei are much closer than they once used to be,” he told her. “Long ago, even before I was born, a Shinigami from Rukongai was unheard of, and District-born children of Seretei were considered commoners, so even a District-born Shinigami was hard to come by. Attending the Institute was a privilege reserved only for the elite.”

“What changed that?” Nina asked.

“Social reform - the very theme discussed in nearly all of Dickens's books. Captain-Commander Yamamoto was the one who created the Institute and welcomed all who wanted to become Shinigami.”

“Oh, yes…I think I heard something about that when I was a student there,” Nina responded.

Aizen paused and had a look around as he drew the fresh air into his lungs and took in Summer's beauty around him. Though the day was dreadfully hot, he knew that a time would come when he would miss relaxing out in his gazebo and watching the ever changing seasons.

“It's not a bad day today, it is, Seito-kun?”

“No, Captain, it is not.”

“This is my favorite spot,” he told her. “I come here often to relax and get away from responsibility.”

Nina blinked and then she blushed. “I had no idea that it was here. I hope I haven't intruded by carrying our conversation too long.”

Aizen chuckled a little. “No, not at all. I rather enjoyed it myself, actually. I find that I enjoy your company.”

“I…uhh…” Nina stammered, not quite sure how to respond. Then she suddenly got her wits about her. “I enjoy yours as well, Captain.”

“You don't have to be so formal with me, Seito-kun,” he offered. “As long as we're not in the company of the other division members, I will allow you to address me by name and not by rank.”

Nina's eyes widened. “N-no! I have not earned the privilege of calling you by anything other than your title. I am your subordinate, and calling you by anything other than `Captain Aizen' is clearly inappropriate on my part.”

He offered a gentle, permissive smile. “I really would not mind, Seito-kun.”

“Maybe you won't, but I do.”

“Perhaps you're right,” he surrendered. “Perhaps I was being a bit too presumptuous, and for that I apologize. I did not intend to make you feel uncomfortable.”

Nina shook her head. “You didn't make me feel as uncomfortable as you did surprised is all.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“It isn't like a Captain offers an officer below him to address him informally everyday,” Nina pointedly said.

Aizen stood up and smiled down at her, his dark, gentle brown eyes locking her gaze onto his. “Then perhaps someday, Seito-kun, we won't have to be so formal with one another.” He pulled his eyes away to glance up at the ceiling of the gazebo. “I should be going now, but you're welcome to stay here as long as you like.” He glanced back down to her. “And you are welcome to return here at any time in the future.”

Aizen made his way up the boardwalk and out of her sight, and she sat on the seat confounded. What just happened here? Did Aizen seriously ask her to address him informally? Even Kiyohime was reeling over this, and there they both sat until Nina stood up and walked toward the railing on the opposite side. She glanced down at the calm, mirror-like water below with its fish and its pond flowers contemplating her captain's startling request. The fact that he'd taken her to his personal spot was one thing, but to ask that she call him by his name, now that was just a tad inappropriate - but tempting. Very tempting.

It sounds like Captain Aizen has become rather fond of you, Kiyohime admitted. Just how far does that fondness run, I wonder?
“I don't know,” Nina told her zanpakuto, “and I'm not sure that I want to.”

You've admitted once yourself that your captain is attractive, and I must say he is, Kiyohime pressed. Wouldn't you want to find favor in his eyes?

Nina hesitated. “I cannot deny the attraction part, but it would be unwise of me to seek favor with my captain like that. I wouldn't want to make things unfair to the rest of the division.”

A wise decision and it took quite a bit of bravery to lightly remind him of his boundaries, Kiyohime told her.

“It is a decision I intend to see out,” Nina said, despite that fact that deep down, she enjoyed her conversations with Captain Aizen.

 

 

Aizen had left Nina back at his favorite spot, and he continued to stroll through the woods with his hands clasped behind his back. He thought for certain that Nina would take his offer of friendship readily, but it seemed that the latter was afraid of doing so.

As he pondered the outcome of their conversation and her gentle reminder of his boundaries, he was met by the familiar, ever smiling face of Captain Ichimaru.

"Well, well, so I see yer gettin' a bit too friendly with that girl, Captain Aizen…hangin' around with her so much," the 3rd Division Captain began.

"Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to be warming up to me quite yet," Sousuke responded. "It would seem I got a bit of a chiding from her on appropriate conduct between a captain and a subordinate. Rather bold on her part, don't you think?"

"She is a rather bold girl," Gin replied remembering the few times he had seen Nina. "Though it does surprise me…you are a rather friendly guy and all.”

"I was a little surprised myself, to be honest with you, Gin," Aizen admitted. "I didn't expect Nina to be so challenging." He smirked. "But I am confident that I shall have her where I want her by autumn if I try hard enough."

"Oh my, Captain! You really are into her, huh?!" Ichimaru teased waving his hand around. "Who would've thought?"

Aizen narrowed his eyes and glared at Gin. "I see her nothing more as a plaything to me, Gin. And while she may resist me all she wants, I feel that nervous flicker in her reiatsu that indicates she is attracted to me. You know as well as I do that what I want, I get in the end."

"A play thing eh? Well that ain't a first," Gin replied as he met Sousuke's glare with his own.

"Of course not."