"Renji."
Rukia clapped a hand to her mouth and fell to her knees. She bit back the tears that were threatening to fall.
"Renji," she said again, her voice cracking. Rukia crawled over to the still figure lying on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood. His chest was a mass of torn flesh. The wounds obscured the dark tattoos that usually stuck out against his pale skin. His eyes were glazed over, and only half closed. Blood trickled out of his mouth, and flecked his bright red hair, which looked dull to Rukia.
Rukia felt like she was the one dying. Blackness was closing in around her. She looked back at Renji's bruised face and begged him to open his eyes all the way, and say that he would always be there for her. She let one tear fall, and rested her head on his chest, not caring that it was covered in blood. She let another tear fall, and kept trying to hold them back, knowing that she couldn't.
"Renji," she said again, "Renji you'll always be here. Always. Renji."
Rukia began to let go, but then she heard something. Not even daring to hope she pressed her ear onto his chest. There it was. Faint, but there. A heartbeat.
Rukia sat up, and grabbed Renji's shoulders. "Renji! Renji! Wake up!"
"… Rukia?"
Warmth flooded through Rukia. Never had she been so happy to hear her name. Never had she been so happy. Renji's eyes opened slightly and then met Rukia's. He let himself smile.
"Rukia. It is you," he said, his voice hoarse.
She held his hand tightly and leaned forward. "Yes, it's me, Renji. I thought you were … I thought I would …" Rukia felt the tears coming again. She didn't know if they were from sorrow, or happiness. She tried to swallow.
Renji's face frowned in concern. He lifted up an injured arm, ignoring the pain, and wiped away some of Rukia's stray tears. Then he noticed the blood on Rukia's face. He rested his hand on her head, and ran his fingers through her dark hair.
"You're hurt."
Rukia leaned into his strong arm. "It's not my blood, Renji. It's yours."
He smiled. "Good. Ichigo would kill me if I let something happen to you."
Rukia started. "You shouldn't be worried about me. Have you seen yourself?"
Renji slightly smiled, but it looked like it pained him to do so. Rukia gasped. "I've got to take you to a healer. I'll be right back, Renji."
"No!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Please." He said quietly, "don't leave."
Rukia rested her hand on his shoulder. "I have to leave, Renji. Don't worry, I'll be back." But Rukia looked into his pleading eyes, and she stayed right by his side. She realized that she had never seen his eyes plead so much before.
"Then I'll try to heal you," Rukia said. Renji coughed, and his hand fell from Rukia's head. "Don't do that, Rukia."
Panic surged into Rukia's chest. She held Renji's hand tightly and leaned towards him again. "Renji, I must heal you." He just smiled slightly.
"Renji!"
He smiled again. "Rukia, when you say my name-" Rengi coughed up blood and his eyes began to close.
"Renji!" Rukia screamed, distraught. Renji struggled to open his eyes again. "When you say my name, I'm okay."
Rukia fought for breath, and cried. The tears streamed down her face, and she curled into Renji, holding him tight. "You're not okay. You're not okay."
"I am." He lifted his arm and returned Rukia's embrace. Holding her tight to the very end.
"Don't cry, Rukia. I'm okay."
Then, his arm fell to the ground, and his eyes glazed over. Rukia pressed her head onto his chest, but as hard as she tried, she couldn't find a heartbeat.
I hope you liked it, even though it was sad. You could read it as Rukia and Renji together, or just as friends. I don't own Bleach.