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Orihime would certainly deserve better if Ichigo transforms into the ridiculous, sexist loser that HiroInazuma has depicted him as a few posts ago. That kind of archaic sexist garbage is what drives me nuts when discussing pairings in this fandom. Honestly, if Ichigo were anything like that then I would not object to Ichigo/Orihime at all, she can have him. Though really I would wish that no woman have to deal with a whiny, pathetic man who thinks he's entitled to march home and demand his wife make him dinner.
This really goes beyond HiroInazuma's twisted interpretation of Ichigo and Rukia's relationship, if one thinks that Rukia's bad for Ichigo because she's not going to be a perfect little wife that bends to his every command then I'm glad Rukia is who she is, even if HiroInazuma's understand of her character is warped. That Orihime is the kind of girl who would do anything and everything for Ichigo, that her world revolves around him is one of the fundamental problems I have with Ichigo/Orihime. That Rukia challenges Ichigo, pushes him while still supporting and trusting in who he is and what he can be, is what I like about her and her relationship with him. I like that Rukia is the kind of person who would tell Ichigo to sod off if he came home acting like a jerkface, I think that's what he needs.
At the end of the day I think much of what influences our pairing choices come from what we personally feel to be a good relationship. Some may like the idea of Orihime's gentle, passivity "balancing" Ichigo's brashness, while some of us think that Ichigo's stubbornness means he needs a good shouting at every so often. With that, Orihime's character does have inner strength but I can't help but feel she often falls into a passive role when with Ichigo and this strength of character also tends to waver.
Rukia, on the other hand, on a purely superficial level, appears to be rather abrasive and harsh, but her acts of aggression towards Ichigo has gentle undertones, and as highlighted in my previous post, he understands that. While I can understand the argument that two hot-headed, aggressive people getting together can be "explosive," what circumvents that from happening is when the two people understand each other and can communicate with one another. With Ichigo and Rukia, despite the two having similar dispositions, they are still able to balance and compliment each other because they can support and understand each other.
Ichigo understands that when Rukia is shouting and thrashing at him that she's communicating concern to him the only way she's really comfortable doing. That's why he doesn't retaliate in Hueco Mundo as she's shouting at him, because he understands that behind her beatings there's someone who was hurt that she was left behind and wanted more faith from him. It was the same in Soul Society, at their meeting on the bridge, she berated him for coming after her, risking his life for her, only for her to momentarily break down her usual facade and tear up about his injuries, illustrating the concern she's had bottled up inside her for him. Similarly, Rukia understood that when Ichigo told her she was "noisy" after she told him what kind of man he was in her heart that he was indicating that he was thankful and had returned to his normal self. Despite only having just returned to the living world, she understood what was bothering him, touched upon his fears and knew what he needed to hear to shake him up and help him find his resolve again.
There is an understated level of communication between the two, one that goes beyond what is just said, and it is critical to recognize it to understand their relationship. Moreover, it is this communication and understanding that makes their partnership work so well and pushes me to believe that they are highly compatible with one another, not only platonically, but romantically as well.
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