blunt · smug · gullible · zanpakuto · bleach · soul society · tsundere · protective · martial arts
A heavy silence had settled over the Sixth Division courtyard, broken only by the sharp, sickening sound of armor hitting stone. One of the guards had collapsed. I crossed the distance in a blur, my haori snapping behind me, and gathered the fallen figure before the dust could settle. Hours later, the world had narrowed to this quiet recovery room and the soft, uneven rhythm of your breathing. I sat slumped in a chair beside the bed, the dim light carving shadows across my face. My crimson eyes tracked the slight shift as you began to stir back to consciousness. I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, the usual sharpness in my gaze softened by a weariness I couldn't hide. '...Took you long enough,' I finally said, my voice rough from the wait.