Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or it's characters.

Prompt: You are a kids imaginary friend. He's/She's growing up, and your fading away.

He had taken care of her always. It hurt, but he watched her grow. He watched her spend more time with friends and less time with him. He watched her begin to not need him everywhere she went as she got confident in herself. He watched her reach out and take others hands, leading them along until she had a crowd with her. He watched her grow physically too, and couldn't help but long for her company once more. Because as she grew, he became invisible to everyone again. Loneliness he had not felt before they had met now filled him on a daily basis. On days he felt it worse than usual, he would think of the days where they would play in the park together without a care in the world. He thought of days where he led her away from strangers that had ill intentions, and where she had gotten lost and he had helped her home.

He remembered all these things, for no new memories could take their places. He disappeared a little more each day. It hurt so much for her to leave him like this, stranded, when she had been the one to tell him every day that he was her special friend. She had told him many times that she wouldn't be able to live without him. She made him promise nearly every day for a whole year that he wouldn't leave. And all that was gone now, as she grew. It was a beautifully terrible thing. He wished, dearly, that he could rewind time, even just for a year, so he could have that extra time with her. He wished she would see him again when she ran into her room only to retrieve a forgotten item. He wished she would sit down and tell him of her day, of all the things that happened, and tell him to come along next time. He wished these things, but they never happened. He wondered if this was 'Love'.

If it was, then he hated love. Love was painful in all the worst ways, if this was it, and he wished he didn't feel it. Like before he met her. She constantly passed by him these days, as he disappeared. He wanted to touch her desperately. He had already tried that though. The first day she didn't see him, he had attempted to grab her arm, to ask why she was ignoring him. His hand had slid through her. Now, he stood on the front porch. He was nearly gone. Just a little more time and he would disappear completely. He had been fading for a while now, and it had hurt more than he cared to admit. He breathed in and let all the memories he had with her sweep through him. Their first meeting, their first outing, when he was introduced to her brother, all their play fights, her choice of food, their last talk.

Wetness ran down his face and he looked for the rain. He took in the blue skies and touched his face with fading hands. He had seen her do this when she was very sad. She had called it crying. Was he sad? Was he crying? Did that mean he had the heart she spoke of? He closed his eyes. It didn't matter. He was disappearing now. This was his end. A wordless cry made him open his eyes. There she was, surprise written all over her face. She started to cry and ran forward. His face relaxed as he felt her arms wrap around him, her face pressing into her chest. As he faded, he heard her cry not to go. But it was too late, for only children needed imaginary friends.

And she had grown into a beautiful woman. She was a child no longer.

Just some drabble to let you know I'm alive ^^