Tears of the Clueless

Ah, Banter... Such Fun

I was seated on a cushion, a blanket on my shoulders and a cup of steaming tea in my palms.

"Thank you Jushiro," I said softly, bowing my head before taking a sip.

He smiled at me. "Any time. Now, what are you doing out so late?"

"I just finished today's training," I explained.

"Oh? And how'd it go?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"Er... Well... I can produce the handle..." I said lamely.

He gapped at me. "On your first day? That's amazing!"

I blinked. "It is? I haven't even got an inch of blade."

"Yes," he insisted. "But it takes most shinigami years of developing. I'll admit it's strange that yours is appearing in pieces, but it takes years for one to normally come into contact with their zanpakuto at all!"

"Oh," I said, nodding as a bit of pride swelled in my chest. "I see."

"But that isn't all that happened, is it?" He said knowingly, and I blushed. "Yes, I thought so. Something's bothering you, would you like to tell me?"

I looked at the floor, my pointer finger rubbing the side of my cup. "It's nothing...."

"Girl problems?" He guessed.

I blushed again and he chuckled.

"I'll take that as a yes. Anything I can do?"

I shook my head. "Not really..."

He sighed. "Thought so..."

I finished off my tea and bowed my head. "I should get to my room..."

"Do you know the way?"

I looked up, opened my mouth, then shut it. "Er... No," I mumbled. He chuckled and stood.

"I'll walk you," he offered, holding out a hand. I set the cup down and took it, folding up the blanket and setting it on the ground.

We walked out into the crisp night air, and walked in silence for a while.

"I'm sorry for waking you, Jushiro," I said sometime later.

"Don't worry about it," he assured. "I was having a restless night anyways."

"Something troubling you?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed in concern as I gazed up at him.

"No, no," he sighed. "I guess you could just say... I'm not in the best of health at the moment..."

I stopped and stared at him. "You're sick and yet you're walking at this time of night?" I said disbelievingly. I shook my head. "Nope, not happening."

"Wah! Really, Ali, I'm fine," Jushiro protested as I grabbed his wrist and started pulling him back to his barracks.

"And I don't believe you," I said in a falsely sweet tone, giving him a warning smile. "You're going to go lay down and sleep, even if I have to sedate you manually!"

"You wouldn't hit a sick man," he challenged, a hint of amusement glimmering in his playfully narrowed eyes.

"1) Try me. 2) You just admit you're sick."

".... Dammit..."

I smirked and continued to drag him, but I could tell he was letting me, and a glance back told me he was smiling.