Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. That honor belongs to Tite Kubo.
Based on chapter 378, "Eyes of the Victor". Quotes taken from mangareader(dot)net.
"An Understanding"
He will never understand her.
Here they were, facing off against a giant. She had one eye that she couldn't open, bruises and blood and angry scratches marred her body, and he had just saved her from being a pancake on the ground, and he bet anything that the reason she was kneeling still after he had helped her land was because her leg would give out if she did.
And she still—STILL—immediately asked after Inoue. He comprehended why she wasn't surprised to see him, after all she has faith in him, knew that someone—normally him—came in the darkest hour, but the words she used…
"Ichigo…why are you alone? Didn't you go to rescue Inoue…?"
No…it wasn't even the words she used. It was the tone. Pain, first off, probably resulting from a broken rib…or three. Worse, though, was the disbelief that she was saved, the unspoken idea that everyone else must be saved before she. Idiot, with how many times others came through for her, that surprise—why did she feel so unworthy of their help?—that others were there for her, fought with her.
What angered and annoyed him was the resignation hidden deep down in the question. For the first time since the fight above, he made eye contact with Rukia.
While he may never understand her, he knew in that second when she said his name and he cut her off, saying that Inoue was safer above, knew that Rukia caught the unspoken "safer above, away from me" that was hidden in his own tone. But there was no time to speak, for Yammy drew up his fist to attack and Ichigo wrapped his arm around Rukia's—bloodstained—waist and darted away.
"This is such a pointless fight. I've gotta put a stop to it quickly."
They had to get back to Karakura Town. Had to fight Aizen, see if the others were ok, had to win, had to reunite and rest. He needed to tell her about above, about the pain and the blankness and the guilt and the shame and the fear—Inoue's, Ishida's, his—that made up a very bad memory that would never fade.
He would never understand Rukia completely, but he always wanted her to understand him.
So, this is my first time attempting to write a Bleach story. I feel like something's missing from this one. Hopefully I keep them in character (or at least write them well). This will be a collection of manga based stories, some connected, some stand alone, all focused on Rukia and Ichigo. I can't get enough of them!