A/N: Thanks to all the people who left me reviews for my last story. I wrote this story a while ago about how Ichigo and Rukia got together and decided to finally post it. It's in a different format then my other stories. Hope you guys enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Fate

Tuesday December the 2nd, 4:37 PM, Urahara Shoten

Urahara: "Where are Ichigo and Rukia?"

Yoruichi: "Outside arguing."

Chad: "Again."

Renji: "Gods they're idiots."

Matsumoto: "Why don't they just get together already! They already sound like an old married couple."

Yoruichi: "I don't know how they can be so oblivious."

Orihime: "Do you think they're ever going to figure it out?"

Renji: "Eventually I guess."

Urahara: "Luckily Shinagami have long lives."

Yoruichi: "Very long lives…"

Matsumoto: "They're so close, all they need is a subtle nudge in the right direction."

Uryu: "A subtle nudge won't do it. Not with those two. They need a lock them together in a closet until they confess type of nudge. And even that might not be enough."

Renji: "Locking them in a closet might work, but they'd be REALLY REALLY ANGRY when they got out. Angry Rukia is scary."

Uryu: "I didn't mean literally lock them in a closet."

Orihime: "But Rukia likes being in closets!"

Chad: "If they're truly meant to be together, then they will find a way to be together. It will be fate, not our interference that will bring them together."

Renji: "That's deep."

Matsumoto: "But fate is too slow!"

Yoruichi: "What's wrong with giving fate a helping hand?"

Friday December the 5th, 8:06 PM, Urahara Shoten

Yoruichi: "So did you guys give them the tickets?"

Orihime: "Yep. We told them that I won the tickets for the carnival in a contest, but that we already had plans for this Saturday."

Uryu: "Ichigo didn't want to go, but once we explained to Rukia what a carnival was she managed to convince him to take her."

Renji: "Convinced as in yelled at him until he agreed?"

Uryu: "Pretty much."

Urahara: "I contacted some of the people who owe me favours and I managed to get a booth at the carnival. It's in a perfect location; it's between a gift shop selling Chappy stuff and a cotton candy stall. There's no way Rukia will be able to walk by there without stopping."

Matsumoto: "I made this sign for the booth, 'Madame Vivaine: Fortune Teller' I even added a Chappy picture as extra insurance to make sure they stop there."

Yoruichi: "I contacted my friend Esme. She said she would be happy to help us out. I gave her pictures of Ichigo and Rukia so that she can make sure to stop them when they walk by. She said it would be helpful though if we could tell her some things about Ichigo and Rukia that not many people would know to increase her credibility as a psychic in their eyes."

Uryu: "Shouldn't she know that stuff already if she really is a fortune teller? And I thought her name was Vivaine."

Yoriuchi: "Her name is Esme and I never said she was a fortune teller. She's a con woman. Vivaine is the name she uses when she plays the psychic fortune teller card. Don't worry though, she can put on one hell of a show."

Orihime: "Well Rukia's favourite food is rice dumplings.

Yoruichi: "I think we might need something a bit more secret than that."

Renji: "Rukia doesn't like dogs because she was bitten by one when we were kids."

Uryu: "Ichigo wants to be a doctor like his father."

Yoruichi: "Alright, that's probably good enough. I'll get her to also add in something for Rukia about her being an old soul, and maybe something about the fact that she is adopted. I think Ichigo will probably be pretty skeptical though, we need to add something that will ensure that he believes in her abilities."

Chad: "Ichigo hates the rain. It reminds him of the day his mother died."

Yoruichi: "That will work. Now the question is what do we want her to tell them?"

Chad: "She should tell them that life is short and you need to seize opportunities when they come up. Fate has tied them to the person they are meant to be with, and they need to tell this person how they feel because tomorrow might be too late."

Yoruichi: "Perfect! It looks like we are all set"

Matsumoto: "Allright! Operation Fate: Get Ichigo and Rukia Together is officially a go."

Sunday December the 7th, 11:00 AM, Urahara Shoten

Urahara: "Ichigo, Rukia, what a surprise to see you guys here."

Ichigo: "How is this a surprise? You asked us to come here to pick up the new gikongan."

Urahara: "Oh I forgot about that."

Ichigo: "It is kind of surprising and suspicious though that all of you are here. It's kind of like you guys were all waiting for us to come."

Rukia: "Very suspicious. Are you guys plotting something?"

Orihime: "Oh no, of course not Rukia. Uryu and I were just on our way to pick up some groceries and decided to stop for a visit."

Renji: "I was ummm, training, with … uh … Chad."

Matsumoto: "I was watching Renji and Chad train."

Yoruichi: "I'm here to see Kisuke."

Urahara: "And of course I am the handsome proprietor of this shop. So you see Ichigo and Rukia there is absolutely nothing suspicious about all of us being here. Nothing at all. Just a series of coincidences."

Ichigo: "Right…well do you want to give us the gikongan you promised us. Rukia and I are kind of in a hurry."

Urahara: "Of course, I'll just get Tessai to go and get the gikongan for you. TESSAI GET THE GIKONGAN FOR ICHIGO AND RUKIA!"

Tessai: "You don't have to shout. I'm standing right here beside you."

Urahara: "Oh, uh sorry. I didn't even notice you there."

Orihime: "So how was the Carnival yesterday?"

Rukia: "Well actually we didn't end up going yesterday—"

Matsumoto: "WHAT? YOU DIDN"T GO?"

Rukia: "Uh, yeah we feel really bad that we wasted those tickets but something kind of just came up. Sorry about that Orihime, we really didn't mean to waste them."

Ichigo: "Yeah sorry."

Orihime: "Oh that's allright—"

Matsumoto: "No that's not all right! After all that hard work that we did—I mean Orihime did to win those tickets and you guys don't even go. How could you do that?"

Ichigo: "We said we're sorry. We feel bad that we didn't use the tickets but they were free, so it's not like we wasted Orihime's money. I really don't think this is such a big deal Matsumoto."

Matsumoto: "Not a big deal! Our perfect –mmmphhh."

Renji: "I'm sorry, Matsumoto had a couple of drinks before she came here, and I think she should be quiet now, so she doesn't accidentally let something slip out."

Rukia: "We're really sorry about this though Orihime."

Orihime: "Oh don't worry about it. Maybe you guys should go today instead."

Urahara: "Yes! Today would be an excellent idea."

Rukia: "Actually we had already planned on going to the carnival today."

Yoruichi: "Really? When were you guys planning on going?"

Rukia: "Right after we're finished here. "

Urahara: "I see and is Ichigo going to be paying?"

Rukia: "Yes."

Urahara: "You and Ichigo going to the carnival together, and him paying, you know that kind of sounds like a date."

Rukia: "It is a date."

Matsumoto: "WHAT? But you guys haven't even gone to the fort—mmmmphh."

Renji: "Sorry, she's really drunk. So uh, how did you guys end up getting together?"

Rukia: "We just kind of realized that we had feelings for each other."

Ichigo: "Yeah."

Tessai: "I have the gikongan."

Urahara: "Ahh, just in time. Here you guys go. These still need a little bit of tweaking though, so there might be some side effects."

Ichigo: "Side effects?"

Urahara: "Just make sure to contact me if you feel any numbness in your hands or if you lose all vision in your left eye."

Ichigo: "Uhh sure. Thanks. Now as much as we would like to stay and continue this awkward conversation, I think Rukia and I should get going now."

Urahara: "Well you kids have a good time on your date."

Orihime: "Bye ichigo. Bye Rukia."

Ten seconds later...

Matsumoto: "Those ungrateful idiots! Our plan was so perfect."

Renji: "Why are you so upset? They're together now, isn't that all that matters?"

Matsumoto: "But I wanted our elaborate plan to work!"

Yoruichi: "They really didn't need our help after all."

Orihime: "I guess it really was fate."

Yoruichi: "Fate? Yeah, I guess so."

One day earlier…

Saturday December the 6th, 10:04 AM, Kurosaki Residence

Rukia: "Hurry up Ichigo! I don't want to be late!"

Ichigo: "Rukia it's ten o'clock the Carnival doesn't even open till twelve."

Rukia: "I know but I want to be there right when it opens so we don't miss out on anything."

Ichigo: "Allright shorty, you sound like a little kid"

Rukia: "I'll overlook that 'shorty' comment because I'm in such a good mood."

Karin: "Could you two pipe down, Yuzu and I are trying to watch TV."

Rukia: "Sorry."

Ichigo: "Allright you all set and—Rukia is that the coat you're planning on wearing?"

Rukia: "Yes. Why, what's wrong with it?"

Ichigo: "You're going to freeze in that. Don't you have a heavier coat to wear?"

Rukia: "No."

Yuzu: "Don't worry Rukia, you can borrow mine."

Rukia: "Really? Thanks Yuzu!"

Ichigo: "Allright let's get going then…"

Rukia: "Ichigo what's that thing above the door that you're looking at?"

Yuzu: "It's mistletoe. When two people stand under the mistletoe together they have to kiss."

Rukia: "Really?"

Ichigo: "No! That's just a super—"

Yuzu: "It's really bad luck if you don't kiss somebody when you're under the mistletoe together."

Rukia: "Bad luck? I don't want to be cursed with bad luck!"

Ichigo: "Rukia I am not kiss—mmmh"

Thirty seconds later…

Karin: "You know you're only supposed to kiss the person under the mistletoe not make out with them. Gross! Get a room you two."

Rukia: "Oh, uh sorry."

Karin: "I'm going to my room."

Rukia: "Ichigo, you know I really don't feel like going to the carnival anymore. Maybe we could just hang out upstairs in your room and…"

Ichigo: "Good idea! That's exactly what I was thinking."

Ten seconds later...

Isshin: "HIGH FIVE YUZU! Operation Mistletoe was a SUCCESS!"