Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of the Bleach characters used in this fic. They all belong to Tite Kubo: the genius behind the captivating manga that started it all. I only own any of my original characters that I choose to include, as well as any of my own original plot ideas.
Accident
Prompt: I never meant to fall for you...
A/N: This is set after Aizen's defection, just as Ichigo and friends leave Rukia behind in the Soul Society.
Within mere months, she'd noticed a slight change in herself. The sight of his face, when he yanked open the closet door to wake her each morning, made her breath freeze in her throat; the way he chewed her out was like a classical ballad to her ears; his bored expression during class hours was more than enough to make her melt. And yet, for so long, she had continued to deny that such things had any significant meaning.
Day in and day out, she would tell herself, "It's nothing, really. He's just a friend..."
When she had been taken back to the Soul Society to be put on trial, her heart had ached to see his face, and she had prayed for his safety. At that point, her life had easily come to mean nothing to her, as he was absent. She had been fully prepared to die for her crimes, having decided that he would be better off without her there to cause trouble for him. And yet, such thoughts had easily brought tears to her eyes.
Regardless of the danger he had put himself in, for her sake, she had made her choice and had put his needs above her own. With bated breath, as he had started for the Senkaimon, she had given him the news that made her blood run cold: She would remain in the Soul Society with her brother, and he would return to his own world.
Perhaps it was not meant to be. He was a human, and she a Soul Reaper. Crossing both their worlds for the sake of her own aching heart was a selfish thing. He was best suited to finding someone of his own kind to love. And, when such a day came, she would be watching from beyond the border, heart open and bleeding.
Even though unintentional, it had all been a mistake. She never should have fallen in love with him.
For me, this is one of the best pairings to write. It seems sincere on both ends. Perhaps that's why I like it so much.