Ok, first. In my mind, this two are friends. Rukia is supposedly Alfonso's friend, and it all started when she found him in the Rukongai and sponsored him when she saw potential in him, since then they have been close friends. He sees her as his savior.
I discussed this with the ai before it all started, but I had no idea what would make Rukia so, SO close to him in friendship.
that's why he feels like a rag right now: he really thinks he almost killed his only friend.
I also didn't expect Byakuya to become a father figure.
"..."
"..."
The nurse assisted Alfonso to sit back down while Rukia remained exactly as he left her, looking at him with surprise in her eyes. The nurse leaned over and whispered something to Rukia, which caused her eyes to widen in shock. Her hand covered her mouth, and then she turned her gaze back to Alfonso, a mix of shock and joy evident on her face. She couldn't help but smile, even letting out a small laugh.
"You kissed me!" Rukia exclaimed.
Alfonso's face turned a deep shade of red, feeling utterly embarrassed. "Shut up! Why did you have to say it in front of the nurse?! It was just nerves!"
"But you kissed me!" Rukia responded, her smile still evident, and a blush on her cheeks.
"BECAUSE YOU KISSED ME FIRST," Alfonso shouted in return.
Rukia's smile softened, and she giggled softly, still blushing. "And it was cute."
"I'm not cute, I'm handsome," Alfonso said as he approached her and playfully squeezed her cheeks. He glanced at the nurse, who had been witnessing the exchange. "My Bankai won't hurt you anymore. Your brother... trained me, and I was able to perfect it."
Rukia's face turned even redder as she looked down at Alfonso. She let out a gentle sigh and smiled warmly. "You may be handsome, but you're still cute to me. Thank you for visiting me every day. It's very reassuring, you know."
"Uh...how did you know...?" Alfonso asked, surprised.
"I could hear your footsteps in the hallway… I may have been sleeping, but I knew you were there," Rukia explained softly. "And your voice… well… I know your voice. It's comforting, Alfonso."
"Being asleep is a very curious euphemism for 'coma'," Alfonso joked, making air quotes with his fingers. "But... I bought you this. You always draw it." He presented her with a stuffed rabbit, her favorite. "Was this bunny called Chappy, maybe?"
Rukia's eyes lit up with excitement as she took the rabbit, hugging it close to her chest. "It's so cute, thanks you!"
"You're welcome. Now, rest. Visiting hours are over, and I must return to your brother, Captain Byakuya. He wants to beat me up again with the excuse of training," Alfonso joked.
Rukia laughed softly, playfully slapping him on the arm. "You better not let him beat you up again."
She settled back into the bed, looking up at Alfonso with a smile. "See you tomorrow, then?"
"Tomorrow, I promise," Alfonso replied with a smile.
Rukia smiled gently, leaning back into her pillows as her eyes shifted between the stuffed rabbit and Alfonso, a small smile gracing her face. She chuckled softly, then spoke with a warm tone.
"Tomorrow it is…"
As Alfonso walked out of Rukia's room, he couldn't contain his excitement and let out a loud exclamation, "FUCK YES! SHE'S FUCKING AWAKE!" His joy was evident as he hurried to Captain Byakuya's office.
"…yes, Alfonso?" Byakuya looked up from his paperwork, wearing a slight scowl on his face. However, his expression softened when he noticed Alfonso's excitement. He set down his paperwork, crossing his arms as he regarded Alfonso with a more serious yet calm demeanor.
"You're awfully excited… how is she doing?" Byakuya inquired.
"She is awake!" Alfonso beamed with joy, his smile shining brightly. He decided not to mention the accidental kiss.
Byakuya's lips formed a hint of a smile, and he let out a soft sigh. "That's good. How is she feeling? How are you feeling?"
"She's fine. I was able to buy her a stuffed Chappy rabbit that she likes so much... damn they're expensive. And I, I feel like my sins are gone," Alfonso replied.
Byakuya fell silent for a moment, contemplating Alfonso's words. A gentle smile touched his face as he nodded. "Your sins are forgiven, Alfonso. You can put it behind you now, and move forward."
"Maybe the others will forgive me, but... I needed to forgive myself too. But, I'm already fine, and ready to destroy all the seraphim, hollows, arrancars, and quincy that cross the path," Alfonso said resolutely.
"I'm sure you can do it, Alfonso," Byakuya reassured him, his sternness giving way to warmth and support.
Alfonso felt caught off guard, sensing that Byakuya had somehow sensed something about the accidental kiss. He tried to remain calm, not sure how much Byakuya knew.
"I think...I think that's all," Alfonso replied.
"Very well…"
Byakuya seemed to consider something for a moment, before letting out another soft sigh. He looked into Alfonso's eyes and spoke with a mixture of gentleness and sternness.
"Alfonso, I'm always here to talk to if you ever need anything. You know that, don't you?"
Alfonso was not good at lying, much less at hiding facts. That was why he was not normally used to keep secrets, and Byakuya from his experience with the nobles was very good at reading people so he believed that the captain had found something on him: a grimace, a tic… Unable to lie, Alfonso hesitated before finally blurting out, "I kissed Rukia. Before you kill me! It was nerves, I know it was completely out of place and position!"
He sighed, deciding to be honest with Byakuya. "I thought I lost her... I think my emotions spilled over. She has helped me so much all my life that... I freaked out."
Byakuya's smile vanished, and for a moment, his face grew stern, his eyes reflecting anger and murderous instinct surfaced. Or maybe Alfonso overestimated his ability... and had just screwed up to the bottom. "You did What?"
He took a deep breath, and his expression softened again. "Was it something you actually did on purpose?"
Alfonso quickly explained, "Sir, if I were to declare myself, it wouldn't have been in a hospital, with her in a hospital gown and me without showering in days. No, obviously it wasn't premeditated. It just... happened. I kissed her, she kissed me...she laughed at me...and called me cute." Alfonso found himself smiling like a stupid
Byakuya sat back in his chair, eyebrows raised in surprise, before his face softened, as an even gentler smile graced his lips. He was smiling, almost gleeful now. He nods a lot, as his eyes seem to sparkle a little bit, and he reaches forward, wrapping an arm around Alfonso's shoulder.
"I couldn't be more proud of you, Alfonso. She's beautiful, isn't she?"
Alfonso blinked several times, perplexed by Byakuya's response. "Wait, what?"
He couldn't believe that Byakuya was taking this so lightly. "Sir... it was an accident. You're not thinking of... a serious relationship?" Alfonso genuinely believed that Byakuya had taken something strange with his cherry blossom tea.
Byakuya laughed again, looking at Alfonso with amusement. His voice remained gentle and soothing. "Alfonso, you're still a child, aren't you?" His face has relaxed again, but there's still a slight twinkle in his eyes.
A smile evident on his face as he looked at Alfonso.
Unintentionally, Afonso had created a holiday: "the day Captain Byakuya laughed". "Well... yes. I'm quite young... I was the best of my class! The teachers called me a genius boy, and they used to compare me to Captain Hitsugaya..."
"You two have a lot of time to figure out what you want, then."
"Do you think... I have feelings for her, or she for me? Or are you just laughing at me?"
Byakuya's laughter continued, his eyes reflecting both joy and amusement as he looked back at Alfonso.
"Maybe a little bit of both,"
He reassured Alfonso, his smile showing his genuine support.
"You two have a lot of time to figure it out. I'm sure you're both confused right now."
Byakuya's gaze remained on Alfonso, his smile still present as he asked a more personal question.
"How about this. How do you feel about her? Tell me honestly."
"Sir, I... I don't know. I'm not good at handling feelings. I suppose the knuckleheads under Captain Zaraki would say that a man has no feelings, he just fights. But, with her protecting my back I feel safe, and when she fell because of me, the terror of losing her was... too much. And when I woke up I felt butterflies in my stomach, huge butterflies..."
"Do those butterflies feel good?"
His voice soft, his eyes soft as he speaks now, the sternness on his face now completely replaced with something different, something that was gentle, something quiet, and a lot more caring.
"Being honest… They hurt, sir. They make me sick. But at the same time, they fill me with joy. They make me want to run to be with her..."
"Well, that sounds like you really like her…."
He chuckled gently, reaching forward to place a reassuring hand on Alfonso's shoulder.
"If you want to ask her out, then do it. She's awake, and it seems like she likes you."
He lets out another gentle chuckle, as he smiles, and reaches forward, his hand resting on Alfonso shoulder, as his voice seems to have gotten even quieter, more gentle than before. He pauses for a moment, before he speaks again.
"If you want to ask her out, then do it. She's awake, and it seems like she likes you."
He chuckles a little bit more.
