Bleach OTP

[dracoqueen22]

First, let me say, I'm not one of those fans that gets crazy gung-ho about my favorite pairings. You won't find me arguing about them or pulling out examples to show why they are so OBVIOUSLY the best, most awesome, most obvious pairing in the series. lol. I don't have time for that kind of wank. Besides, we all have our tastes and what we like and most importantly, this is not only FANDOM (and fanfiction) but these characters don't exist in real life. So yeah, with that said, let's go onto more fun things!

Foremost in fandom, my favorite pairing is, of course, slash and it is Aizen Sousuke/Urahara Kisuke. Such an odd pairing, one that's difficult to find and not really supported by Bleach itself, but still, I just can't help myself.

Here we have two very intelligent, very attractive men with so much in common, yet enough difference of opinion and thought that they would be very compatible together. They both carry scientific interests and have had drastic changes in their personality during the course of Bleach. Kisuke goes from a seemingly naive and bubbly man, to the more reserved, plotting shopkeeper that we see at first. In the past, during the Pendulum arc, he was less secretive, less... guarded. Sousuke, as we all know, went from the kind and humble captain of the fifth division, to the antagonist of the entire series where he's bold, egotistical, and arrogant. His change is a lot more startling and obvious than Kisuke's. I also find it interesting that Kisuke's change is a direct result of events that happened as a result of Sousuke's actions.

The two play so well off each other, whether writing them as friends and lovers (such as in my Parallax couplet, Never Regret series, or more recently, my Anthem series) or as bitter enemies (such as the way they are written in The Beautiful Lie). They could have such chemistry. And as a friend recently pointed out to me, Kisuke always seems so... sad? for lack of a better word... whenever he's standing against Sousuke. There's almost a personal feeling of betrayal there, which is of course, the best theme to go with when writing fanfiction about these two.

I've very particular about how both Sousuke and Kisuke are written. Then again, I'm very particular about everything. I'm terribly, terribly picky. I haven't found anyone else who writes this pairing, I'm sure it's incredibly rare. But still, it happens to be my favorite. I also have an epic-length story starring them in the future, Lest We Forget, and I'm hoping I get the chance to write it.

Of course, I have other pairings that I enjoy. Ichigo/Byakuya. Ichigo/Gin. Ichigo/Urahara. Ichigo/Aizen. Lots of Ichigo in there. *laughs* I am also quite partial to Renji/Orihime, Tatsuki/Soifon, Renji/Shuuhei, Renji/Kira. And of course, the odd pairing that I wouldn't ever think of until someone introduces it to me. I also like Byakuya/Kenpachi. What an odd pairing that one is.

*EDIT* 

Because so many points were brought up in comments, I felt I had to add a few things. Like my utter hatred of IchiHime and well, Orihime shipped with any Arrancar or member of Hueco Mundo's forces (Especially UlquiHime *shudders*). It's just not my thing. I like to see Orihime with Tatsuki or Renji (why I don't know, but I just think this is the perfect het pairing. Orihime's need to be saved fits so well with Renji's desperate desire to save).

I think I could like to see Orihime with some others, too. Shuuhei. Chad. Ishida on occasion, though that always feels like a leftovers pairing to me, know what I mean. Like, Ichigo gets Rukia so poor Ishida ends up with a heartbroken Orihime and he's been in love with her all along, type deal. Though don't get me wrong, I think Orihime would be good for Ishida. Old school Orihime anyway, when she was awesome and not just a girl totally in love with Ichigo like she turned into after the Soul Society arc. But I won't go there.

Rukia wise. I don't like IchiRuki and RenRuki, but I'll read the former in small quantities and just don't touch the latter. I don't seek out either. However, I'll snap up a Renji/Rukia/Ichigo in a heartbeat. I think all three of them would do much better together than separated into couples. In that same vein, I'm not a huge Ichigo/Renji fan either. Now, there are a few writers who I'll read and whatnot, who do an excellent job with the pairing, but I just prefer to see a threesome with those guys.

Ichigo. *whistles* I'll ship him with damn near everyone. Ichigo has this amazing capacity to be compatible with near anyone. And I'll admit that the only reason I don't like him with Orihime is because I don't like the path Orihime, as a character, has taken. Pre Hueco Mundo and I'd totally pair them. Before it became obvious she loved him, I'd pair them. But not now. And the only reason I'm not a fan of IchiRuki is because it's perhaps the most canonically-obvious pairing. Now, it's not canon because Bleach isn't a shoujo manga and we haven't seen on screen professions of love or kissing, but it's the closest pairing to it. And it's the most popular pairing and well, out of principle alone, I'm avoiding it. I can't help it. I have no interest in what's all but established. I'm more interested in what COULD be. So, yeah, I'll ship Ichigo with anyone, though I have my favorites...

On the bromance front, I love ShunsuiUkitake and IkkakuYumichika. I don't really ship them romantically just because it seems to be the general consensus and I love to go against the general consensus. Plus, I like the idea of a friendship so deep, that to anyone else, it would be romance. There's love, there's connection, but there's not the final stage and complication of sex. To me, it speaks of a much deeper connection and I love the idea of that. I try to mimic that sort of relationship in my original novel Aftermath with the main characters Rai and Haiden. Though I love a good ShunsuixUkitakexNanao (and probably switch out Nanao with Lisa too. Not that I've read one. I just think I would.  *grins)

Funny, the most favorite pairing I've read with Ikkaku is him with Kira. I was introduced to it by one writer and I just fell in love with the possibilities of their dynamic. Oddly, I like to see Yumichika with women. I think he'd work great with Rukia. And someday, I'm even going to write one. I also *sheepishly* admit that I like ShuuYumi. I can't help it. There's so much sexual innuendo in their little bitty fight in the series.

Yuriwise... I'm not a big fan of yuri just because it's not as sexy (to me) as two guys, but I'll admit there are some pairings I'll follow. I like to ship TatHime because it's cute. And as I said before, TatSoi would just be awesome to see and I hope to add more to the world of fandom in that regard. I think RukiHime would be nice. Don't worry about Ichigo, girls, just take care of each other. *laughs* YoruSoi is perhaps the most obvious pairing which is why I'm not interested in it.

I don't really pair Hitsugaya with anyone because it's hard for me to look beyond his appearance. I know he's older age-wise, but he looks like a kid, which kinda squicks me out. So I just can't get it in my mind to pair him. I've had requests to pair him and I've managed to fulfill them, but I don't seek Hitsu fics out on my own. Plus, his popularity annoys me. I don't know why. I'm just weird like that. *laughs* 

Also, regarding Kisuke and Yoruichi. I just have this... thing where I see them as siblings. Ever since designing such a relationship for him in Ties of Blood and The Butterfly Effect I just can't see them as anything else. I get these ideas in my mind and nothing will rock them. lol

So! What are your personal favorites?