bleach fics

unprepared - starrk x reader

The whole of Las Noches had known that (Name) hadn't been ready to take on the mission that Aizen had assigned her; the former shinigami captain had told instructed her to accompany Grimmjow to kill a shinigami of captain class strength in the World of the Living.

(Name) shouldn't have gone on the mission. Yes, she had been one of Tier's fracciones, but that didn't mean that she was strong enough to handle the mission. It wasn't as though Grimmjow would help her out if she got in over her head, either.

Aizen knew that (Name) wasn't strong enough for that mission. He must have. So why had he sent her?

No one could figure out the answer to that question, especially not Starrk, the one arrancar who had grown closer to (Name) than anyone -- even Tier.

It had seemed as though (Name) was the only one who could keep Starrk awake without him complaining; most of the time, at least. As to where they stood in their relationship, Starrk wasn't exactly sure; he cared for (Name), more than he realized he probably should, as Aizen's Primera Espada. Starrk hated the hierarchy of the arrancar, the way their titles were so important to so many of his peers. It caused a rift between the only companions Starrk had ever known, but (Name) was different. She didn't mind that he was number one, or that he wasn't fond of fighting like others such as Grimmjow or Nnoitra.

(Name) meant a lot to Starrk, and he would do anything he could to protect her.

Or at least, he thought he would. The one time that she had needed someone to stop her, he had simply allowed her to go on her way.

- - -

"You're leaving right now, then?"

(Name)'s gaze saddened as she nodded in response to Starrk's question, resulting in a sigh from the Primera. She had just told him about the mission she had received from Aizen; (Name) seemed to be the only person who thought she would be all right, that everything would be fine. Walking over to where Starrk sat upright on his bed, (Name) took a seat beside him.

"I'll be okay, Starrk. All we have to do is take down one shinigami. I'll be back by tomorrow."

A small smile came onto (Name)'s lips as she tried to reassure Starrk, who wore a look of uncertainty on his face. (Name) had been training quite a lot recently and she felt more confident than ever. She and Grimmjow would take down whoever Yamamoto had sent; then, she would return to Hueco Mundo (and Starrk) with the pride of having taken part in her first true fight.

Starrk wrapped an arm around (Name)'s shoulders, pulling her close to him. There was a look in his gray-blue eyes that (Name) couldn't quite decipher.

"Promise me you'll come back?"

Right as the words came from Starrk's mouth, Lilynette had stepped into the room, unbeknownst to the other two. A frown came to her lips as she turned around, leaving Starrk and (Name) to themselves. While she herself wouldn't say anything, Lilynette was just as worried about (Name) as Starrk was, after having overheard about the mission from Tier.

(Name), on the other hand, looked up at Starrk with a bit of surprise on her face.

Did he doubt her skills?

No. He would never doubt her, she was sure of it.

Was he really that worried about her? She saw no difficulty in her first mission at all and actually expected it to be easy. Grimmjow would handle most of the fighting, anyway.

"Starrk," (Name) smiled gently up at him, placing her hand softly on his cheek. "I'll be okay. I promise."

(Name) leaned up and kissed Starrk's cheek before reluctantly removing herself from his hold. As she stood up, walking over to the door of his room, he smiled lightly at her when she turned around, looking at him as she faced the hallway.

"I'll be back by tomorrow." (Name) repeated with a reassuring smile. Starrk just nodded, watching numbly as she left to find Grimmjow.

He should have stopped her. He should have gone to Aizen himself and asked to be sent in either her place or Grimmjow's.

But, he hadn't. Starrk had allowed (Name) to leave, allowed her to do as she wished, even though there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind that told him that she was not ready for this.

- - -

Now, Starrk found himself standing silently, the shock and sadness obvious on his face. Even when he tried to open his mouth to speak, words wouldn't come.

Starrk had gone to Aizen just an hour before, the day after (Name) left, to ask if he could go and make sure things went smoothly on the mission. It was his way of going there without having to seem entirely desperate.

When Starrk had arrived, Grimmjow was fighting against the shinigami while (Name) laid on the ground, her eyes closed as she laid in a puddle of her own blood.

No matter how long Starrk stared at her, he couldn't believe his eyes. Bending down onto one knee, Starrk hopelessly shook (Name) in an attempt to get her to move, to say or do anything at all.

She remained motionless, her body growing colder as the last of her heat left it. Starrk knew she was dead and the truth pierced him deeper than any blade ever could. Moving a piece of (h/c) hair from (Name)'s beautiful (but battered) face, Starrk mustered up as many words as possible, allowing them to fall from his lips with a tone of grief.

"You said that you would come back, (Name)."

Ignoring the fact that Grimmjow had obviously finished off the shinigami and now stood beside him, Starrk held onto one of (Name)'s hands in both of his. His eyes clouded over as Grimmjow left, having lost all interest, to return to Hueco Mundo.

"You... You weren't ready for this mission," Starrk shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment. "You shouldn't have gone.''

After spending a few silent moments with (Name)'s body, Starrk unwillingly stood up straight while carrying her in his arms. Glancing down at her face, he longed to see her gorgeous (e/c) eyes open once more.

For some sort of reassurance that she wasn't gone to come from her soft lips. Yet again, the bitter reality of the situation knocked the breath from Starrk's lungs.

"I shouldn't have allowed you to go," Starrk's voice was little more than a whisper as he opened and walked through the Garganta, returning to his home. The guilt that filled him was unimaginable.

Had he spoken up, she'd still be alive and his to properly cherish.

Now, she would be only a memory.