AN: So, I know everyone's waiting on my two other stories, A Lifetime Without You and Everyday Secrets, but I wanted to get something out for Christmas because who knows when I'm going to have an epic excuse like this within the next few months. Haha. This is a one-shot (gasp! I can right them!) that has nothing to do with Christmas, but since my Karin!muse likes to high-jack my brain, this had to be written. No, really. I have no power over my muses and she happens to be strangely strong and persuasive. For example:
Karin!muse: You know, this would be a really good story. You should write it! As in, right now!
Me: I have a lot of other stories I should be working on right now. I think I'm good.
Karin!muse: You know you want to!
Me: Well when you put it like that...
Yes, yes I am weak. I hope you enjoy anyway. Haha!
It was currently summer vacation in the human world, and while one might usually prefer to go to the beach or overseas, Kurosaki Karin was quite content with a different kind of travel. Of course, hers required a shinigami travel agent, a gateway in the appearance of a Senkaimon and turbulence in the form of the weekly cleaner that enjoyed purging the pathway of spiritual beings.
What an optimistic start.
By the end of the journey, she had arrived unscathed, though out of breath, and crouched in front of an amused looking Ichigo, who happened to be in Soul Society on business. But while the majority of his time would be split between briefings and training, hers was anything at her leisure. And, who also greeted her arrival, as with every previous visit she'd had, was a seated officer who had been tasked to 'loan' her some shinigami powers, an act that Karin denied with vigor. Her explanation was always the same.
"It starts out simple like this, but eventually you're gonna start sending me out on missions and throwing me under buses whenever something ridiculously powerful pops outta the clear, blue sky. No thanks, man, I'm good."
The words earned her a snicker from her brother, who stood at her back, and a polite smile from Rukia, who just happened to appear beside him seconds later. Her words seemed to scare the poor messenger, who wasn't used to the gruff, rough-and-tumble way of speech. He stuttered an apology before turning away stiffly, still unsure of how he was supposed to handle her nonchalance. All she did was shrug.
"You know, you could be a little nicer to those guys. They're just doing they're job," her brother said, placing a hand on her shoulder and catching her attention.
"I was being nice. He's the one who took it weird," she explained, shaking her head in grief. Everyone here was so serious, and if she didn't have so much fun causing some trouble in the gated community, then she wore she'd have never set foot in Seireitei until she was dead.
"Shinigami powers would make it easier for you to get around," Rukia offered, as they started towards the direction of her home. Karin would be staying in the guest quarters at the Kuchiki mansion, something she'd been doing since her first solo visit at sixteen. After that, it had become a bit of a habit. After all, the food was good, the service was polite and even the company wasn't half bad (if only she could make the Kuchiki boy crack; she'd make it a priority this time around).
"Yeah, but then it'd give them power over me, and I hate owing favors." As practical as ever, the nineteen-year-old stood straight and tall as she walked, her long, dark hair falling over her shoulders. Though she was now a young adult, it was a slow but sure transformation.
It had been a long while since she was the little tomboy of her childhood, all straight lines and harsh energy surrounding her. To say that time had mellowed her wasn't quite right either though, but it certainly helped that maturity suited her with an oval face, big, round eyes and a lithe body. Still with her look of constant boredom, Karin's attitude hadn't gone anywhere either but had been placed behind bars, her learned subtlety compounding her wit.
"At least they offered you some. I wasn't so lucky," Ichigo grumbled, luggage in hand as they turned the corner.
"That's 'cause your way of getting them was illegal," she shrugged, as if his complaint wasn't even really one. "Not to mention you decided to infiltrate this place, so you got beat up by Iruru, who was half your size then, thrown into a hole for three days and almost consumed by your inner Hollow. So my choices are to be like you and at the Gotei Thirteen's beck and call—" she received a glare from Ichigo but ignored it "—attempt to kill myself to acquire my powers and pray I don't turn into a monster, or stay human and be awesome with my current self. Guess which one I choose."
"Yeah, I am so not hanging out with you while you're here," he replied, frowning as they came up the walkway to the large house that would be Karin's home for the next week. The servants bowed respectfully as they passed, saying their greetings as they did and asking if anything needed to be prepared now that she had arrived. But Karin was much too excited to do anything other than explore. She wanted to see if anything had changed.
Dropping her stuff off at the room, Ichigo and Rukia were met with a Hell Butterfly, calling their attendance to a meeting. Even though Ichigo grumbled, annoyed with having to leave his sister alone so quickly, Karin waved them off and told them both she'd be fine on her own for a while. As they shunpo-ed away, she was already back on the main road and going towards the different squad barracks.
Unconsciously (or perhaps, just unwillingly on her part), she found herself in front of a sliding door she was well familiar with. She gulped down that slight tingle of nervousness, wondering why she even felt any in the first place. This certainly wasn't her first visit, and most definitely not the first time she'd popped into a place unwelcomed, but she wasn't sure what had led her here.
Before, in front of the boy who wasn't really one and who surely didn't act like one, Karin had still treated him as such, content to play around and be as they were when they were kids. He had looked closer to thirteen during her last visit, while she herself was just about to turn eighteen. She had noticed her affection for him had begun changing then, but nothing noticeably different from what she felt when she was eleven. She had gone around patting his head, following around the genius captain like a shadow and seeing how far she could push him to his limit.
But that had also been a bit of a confusing time for her, especially when she found herself beneath that arrogant stare of his. Even with the face of a child, she felt like she was staring at a man, someone much wiser than she, someone who made her heart pound in an unpredictable way. She wished she knew how to face him this time. As she put the thought away and took a deep breath, she raised her hand to knock, assured that her nerves would calm when she saw him face-to-face. What met her interruption was a deep voice coming unexpectedly from her back.
"If you're going to go into my office, could you at least not hover in front of the entrance so long?"
Nearly jumping a meter into the air, Karin spun to see… a black shihakusho-clad chest. She had to tilt her head higher to get a good look at a rather unforgettable face and his glaring green eyes. Raising her hand in a small wave and desperately trying to ignore the almost non-existent space between them, Karin greeted the other.
"Yo, Toushirou. Good to see you."
"It'd be better if I could see my office," he replied, raising a brow at her unmoving form. Feeling just a little put out, she turned back and opened the door, walking in as he followed. The strange drumming of her heart hadn't quite receded yet, thrumming a beat she'd felt on very few occasions. She tried not to think of what caused it.
"Oi, where's Rangiku-san?" she asked, scanning around the room and seeing nothing of the Tenth Squad's Vice Captain. A noncommittal grunt was her answer, which only fueled her irritation. She hated being brushed off so easily. When she looked at him to tell him so, she stopped for a moment to get a better look at the now-grown Hitsugaya Toushirou.
It had been little more than a year since her last visit, and yet somehow he managed to change as if she'd been gone longer. Now, Hitsugaya was starting to look a little closer to her age, perhaps fifteen, and stirring things inside her that she'd never really experienced before. Vaguely she wondered what brought about these alterations. The shock of white hair was still there, but it wasn't that spiky mess it had once been. It was growing longer, straighter in an almost Ukitake-like fashion but nowhere near that length yet. He was starting to gain those masculine lines along his face, a chiseled jaw and deep set eyes. It was a wonder she had even known who he was when she first saw him.
"What are you staring at?" He didn't look up from his stack of paperwork, but obviously she had to have been staring if she had been quiet so long. The Karin he knew didn't do extended silences.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she managed to retort, blushing as she twisted her head away. His eyes slid to her defiant outline, the tension she felt easily seen in the contours of her body language.
"Really? Well, you certainly weren't staring at my forms, were you?" It wasn't as if he was blind. He saw himself in the mirror regularly to know that this was certainly a different face than the one she was used to. His own aging had even been a surprise to him so he couldn't blame her, but he'd never pass up the chance to poke some fun at her expense either.
"As a matter of fact, I was," she replied, holding her head high and looking down at him from the edge of her nose. His raised brow told her exactly what she already knew. It sounded like one of her worst lies to date, and while she wasn't an expert at lying, she has been known to do better than that. So she continued, wracking her head for something to use. "No, really, I couldn't help but think that there's so much of it."
"There's always a lot." His nonchalance was quick to disprove her, but he was curious to see where she was going to go with this.
"Yeah, but your way of doing things is so… dated." Karin nodded, realizing she could work within this vein. No one would call her shy to criticize or critique. "And not just the way you do your work, but a whole bunch of other things in Soul Society. You can call upon great spirits to do your bidding, but still write using ink and brushes? C'mon, that's just sad!"
"Oh really?" he inquired, looking faintly amused. It was a good look, she decided, trying not to color at the thought. He was staring straight at her, after all. "Then tell me, Karin, what would you like to do about it?"
Since when was he so pretty? she thought, the red seeping into her cheeks unbidden. Damn her hormones. She swore she'd never be like those girls who would say or do anything for a boy's attention, but she really couldn't help it with him. Hitsugaya Toushirou was always bound to be an attractive man and the world was now getting a glimpse of it; one could practically see his maturity dripping off his reiatsu.
Regaining her bearings, she continued, "Well, for one thing, computers have been around for a while now. Even that weirdo down in the Twelfth has one. He could probably invent something like that for all of you, just more compact and hopefully looking a lot less like human intestines." She really questioned Mayuri's aesthetics sometimes, just never to his face.
"Too much hassle." He shook his head, disgruntled. "Besides, if it doesn't interest Mayuri-taichou then it's likely he won't even consider doing it, as such is his way."
"But think of all the free time you'd have if you weren't doing paperwork for ten people!"
"This paperwork is just mine, you know that, right?" His no-nonsense attitude was the same at least; it still made her want to punch him in the face.
"Yeah, but normal paper work is a few stacks high. You, on the other hand, have mountains of it and most of it is bullshit, bureaucratic stuff anyway."
He glared in his usual way, looking more thoughtful than offended. But she could tell she was selling him on the idea. Everyone knew what kind of hell he went through because of his lacking lieutenant and her flaky ways, as well as the extra damages related to her brother, who seemed to enjoy destroying the real world. For all his power and ability, Ichigo's lack of control was frightening. One day she'd ask him why he hadn't yet mustered the ability to not Getsuga Tenshou nearly every Hollow in sight, regardless of their strength.
"Your point has been duly noted. I'll bring it up at the next Captain's Meeting," he finally answered, staring right at her. She hated that, the fact that he looked like he could see right through her, as if she was as simple and transparent as a child. It was unnerving.
"Do what you like." She tried to look unaffected, but inside she was sort of happy she could contribute something in her own little way. After all, there would come a time when she'd likely have to stand in line with a squad of her own. If she was doing this for her own benefit, then it was easier for her to justify her suggestion. Karin didn't want it to be anything more than that.
"Aren't you accompanied by anyone?" he asked, when she mentioned that she was going to go out and explore a bit. She shook her head, lips puckering cutely but unintentionally. By the way he looked at her, disapproving and slightly irritated, she had a feeling he didn't like that idea at all. As he stood up, he spoke again. "I'm not going to let a menace like you wander un-chaperoned here. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll cause."
"Hey, I'm not that bad!" But she knew it was true. Last time, she'd sent Zaraki on a wild goose chase for her brother, bothered the hell out of a rather patient Hisagi and helped Matsumoto get half of the Gotei Thirteen drunk on water laced with alcohol that was completely undetectable by taste. Good times in her book, but not so much in everyone else's.
"Come along," he directed, ignoring her outburst. He knew she'd likely visit all of the other offices over the next few days. It was better that he at least did some damage control before she destroyed his home. Unwittingly, she followed his lead out the door.
While Ukitake was easily one of her favorite captains, Karin was bored to death with his one-sided talk. After an enthusiastic greeting from his two third seats and treated to a pleasant catch-up over tea, she found that their current topic was rather dull. Not that she hated history, but she wasn't quite sure how she had managed to come to hear of the Winter War's origins, including Aizen's experiments, Ichimaru's genius and the eventual crash-and-burn of a good number of captain-level shinigami who then became the Visored. Interesting to be sure, but not her exact topic of choice.
Lazily, her glazed eyes slid over to a relaxed Hitsugaya, who continuously ate at the rather large dish of sweets, particularly fond of the ama-natto. She'd always enjoyed calling him an old man for his strange preference, watching as he savored each one with a childish smile. She almost flushed at his elation.
"My, my, what do we have here?"
The voice that cut into Ukitake's soothing one was very familiar, as everyone turned to a pink-coated Kyouraku stumbling into the tatami mat room. He moved to sit between her and his old friend, greeting the youngest captain with a tilt of his wide brimmed hat. It earned him a nod before the other turned back to his candy.
"What are you doing here, Shunsui?" Ukitake looked to his friend, who just smiled that careless smile of his.
"Apparently trying to save Karin-chan here from the endless boredom that is an old man's rambling," he teased, causing the sickly captain to laugh, embarrassed by his own obliviousness.
"Oh, that's not really necessary, Kyouraku-san. Ukitake-san has been wonderful company," she defended, despite the relief that settled into her chest. She adored him to pieces, but there was only so much she could take.
"But I'm sure you'd rather talk about something other than my former comrades," he offered, light-hearted and still so endlessly kind. She wondered if he had always been like this, so genial and easy to talk to. There was no doubt in her mind why he inspired such loyalty from his underlings for he was the sort of man that could rouse revolution and calm the angry sea.
"It's not that…" she trailed, feeling disrespectful. While she and her brother shared that innate bluntness, Karin had learned to use hers as needed rather than in his reckless way.
"Then, if I may intrude, I'm wondering what you thought about your history lesson," the ever-lazy leader asked, his eyes twinkling and sharp despite his amused face. "And please, don't hold back. I'm very curious how you, Karin-chan, see our rather bloody and oftentimes dark history. I promise no judgment, and nothing will leave this room."
She thought about it for a moment, mostly to be polite. She'd made her mind up about Seireitei and the afterlife long before now, but kept it inside out of respect for the shinigami who cared for her. But now that she had permission, she wasn't sure if she could put her thoughts gently or even respectfully, especially in the presence of three powerful, well-respected captains.
"Do you really wanna know what I think?" Karin asked, their nods and smiles helping to ease her guilt. She didn't bother to look at Toushirou. She'd said enough in his presence that the majority of her quips didn't even faze him anymore. With their permission granted, she let it out as plainly as she could.
"I think that becoming a seated officer is the stupidest thing you could ever do as a shinigami because it seems like eventually someone will come along, stab you in the back a few times, experiment and-or manipulate the crap out of half the squads, lead you to near-death and then, if you still manage to live through the ordeal, will find a way to fuck up your life six times over."
The answer certainly wouldn't win her any awards in an extemporaneous speech contest, but her point seemed to be made, if the rather shocked look on Ukitake's face and the choking sounds from Hitsugaya were anything to go by. In contrast, Karin was rewarded with a large laugh from Kyouraku, who looked a bit like he was tearing at the edges of his eyes as his body shook with uncontrolled glee. If anyone asked him what he thought of the Kurosaki clan, he would easily call them the greatest family to have ever been spawned from Soul Society, treasures in both ability and spunk. He couldn't wait until they were permanent residents of this world.
"I- I didn't realize you had such, um, strong… feelings about this place, Karin-chan," Ukitake stuttered, unsure of what to say. She hadn't intended to be offensive, but the only way she could properly express herself was to be as blunt as possible.
"She has strong feelings about everything," Hitsugaya muttered, seeming to have recovered from nearly dying (again) via jelly bean consumption and had resumed eating. He looked positively uninterested, as he popped one in after another, and yet he still found the need to comment unnecessarily.
"It runs in the family." Well, that was certainly true enough, all of them quieting in agreement. Somehow she had managed to gain the distinctly male perspective of her family's side, the type that preferred the black-and-white version of things and hating any shades of gray. It was simpler, calmer, and much easier to make decisions about, an action-oriented mindset to be sure.
And despite her outburst, they all enjoyed the rest of their afternoon tea in peace.
The next three days were a haze of activity. Somehow, Hitsugaya managed to accompany her for a good amount of time before having to return to work, his stacks of paper building upon themselves until they had multiplied exponentially. He would have loved to discuss plans with Soutaichou and Mayuri-taichou about a machine to make their work more efficient, but his complete lack of time was an insurmountable obstacle.
While with Karin, he had been able to get her to behave (though 'behave' was the operative word here), so little to no damage had been done to Seireitei within the last few days. Unfortunately, since he had more work to finish signing and filing, he had to leave her alone, praying that she wouldn't revert to her usual unruly behavior.
It was all painfully in vain.
By lunchtime, Karin had run around with Ikkaku, instigating fights whenever she saw one (not that the bald man ever needed a reason, but it was easier to justify when someone was egging him on). The Sixth had also locked her out of their barracks early that morning, sworn off by an angry Renji and what looked to be the petals of Senbonzakura chasing her out. There had been many different unranked officers there, watching from outside the gate as the red-haired man cursed her existence in a way similar to the one he used on the orange Kurosaki. Hitsugaya didn't even want to know what all that was about.
And at the end of the day, he'd heard how she'd distracted a number of the divisions into a soccer tournament, pulling the members away from their duties in the seductive form of a medium-sized ball, grassy fields and somewhat friendly competition. It didn't help that Kyouraku-taichou and a few other seated officers found it rather exciting and instead of taking back their people, they chose to cheer and hang around aimlessly instead. Overall, it was a rather reckless day for the Gotei Thirteen and its cause was a small, dark-haired Kurosaki girl who had too much time on her hands and a vendetta against the staunch, upright rules of Soul Society that were ingrained into the very cement of the buildings.
He wondered how long it would be until she was banned from here even after her death.
All squads, report in. Hollows have infiltrated Seireitei. Report to your captains and prepare for combat.
The Hell Butterflies awoke every seated and unseated officer in the early hours of the morning, causing dark forms to run out from their dormitories and large groups to rush and assemble. There was a breach in the security around the aristocratic area of the walled city, a number of Hollows somehow powering their way through one of the gates. And while reports said there weren't many strong ones, their sheer number would put any Captain-level shinigami in a defensive position.
It was to the sound of roaring, quick padding of feet and the screams of the servants of the Kuchiki House that woke Karin up, orders being barked from the main caretakers in the hallways. Fortunately, Karin was familiar with the state of emergency, her own home a magnet for the abundance of Hollows in the World of the Living. But unlike those few rogue demons, she could sense that there was a dense mass of them covering the area, stretching out for kilometers. And, if the gathering of spiritual energy not too far by meant anything, there would be shinigami infiltrating this area very soon.
Sitting up with a tired huff, she grabbed a light jacket but nothing else. The summer was hot and sticky, similar to the one she had back in Karakura. The only difference was that this place was completely backwards and she didn't want to offend everyone by wearing only her pajamas about. Her tennis shoes were on, as she slid open the door and stopped one of the maids to ask what was going on.
"Karin-san, please return inside! There is a large Hollow attack and we need to secure the entire estate before anything is damaged or anyone is hurt."
"Has Byakuya already left?"
"Yes. He was summoned some time ago. It seems that the Gotei Thirteen is still devising its strategy to effectively take them out. Please, go back inside! Master would want you to remain safe until it was over."
"Nah, he probably knew I'd sneak out," she shrugged, smiling wryly as she looked up at the darkened sky. Instead of the cobalt blue, black shapes covered it in a blanket of dark energy. Using her own spiritual abilities, Karin tried to single out if there was a leader to the pack but came up empty. It seemed that this was an isolated incident, a mere fluke that was caused by an unseen break in the continuity of the barrier just above the gate of Seireitei.
Before anyone could tell her again, she bolted for the wall of the mansion, jumping up, on and over it with minimal effort. For the most part, her Hollow hunting days were finished, as she let the death god on duty do his job for once but she was curious tonight. It was rare to see an attack so large and even rarer to see all of the squads at work. No one could blame her if she wanted a peek.
Karin decided on a vantage point on a high wall, close enough to see the action but far enough that it was on the outskirts of the battle. She wasn't about to risk her neck unnecessarily. Within minutes of her arrival, smaller teams were charging into the fray and taking out everything in sight. None of them had their shikai, but they fought hard and valiantly, coordinating among each other and yelling warnings to their comrades. It made her smile, how well they were doing despite the greater amount and strength their enemies had. It made her look forward to the day when she'd stand beside them.
But it was getting late and growing increasingly more dangerous. Despite the large number of fighters, the Hollows were pushing closer her way and she didn't have nearly as much reiatsu as she could have. Her body was a limiter in itself so while she could put some of her energy into a weapon, her choices were decidedly scarce at the moment.
As she jumped down, Karin ran back in the direction of the mansion, trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. Luckily she was fairly stealthy, moving from corner to corner and avoiding the shinigami who were in the midst of battle.
However, she didn't count on her own spirit calling the unwanted attention of Hollows, forgetting that hers was strong and untamed, thanks to her father. A part of her cursed when she realized she was drawing in monsters, who became distracted and changed direction to follow her.
"Shit," she whispered, giving up on her discrete hurrying and instead chose to climb the walls and run along them. It was easier to take those paths back to the Kuchiki grounds, and since it was useless for her to even bother hiding, she ran forward and dodged as she went. What she didn't count on was a hollow grabbing her from below, crushing the tile beneath her and swinging her upside down.
Fuck, I'm screwed. The thought crossed her mind within a second, as she was greeted with the call of a wild beast. Her eyes caught the rows of teeth and bone mask, her senses noticing that the Hollow's power was small but with size large enough to cause problems in bringing about its downfall. Cursing, Karin decided she had to react now, seeing that the nearest shinigami were engaged in combat and that her captor was more than ready to consume its prey. So she shot out a jolt of spiritual pressure, focusing it on her leg held in its hand.
It screamed in a high-pitched cry, dropping her without ceremony as it nursed its singed limb with narrowed yellow eyes. She braced herself for impact, tucking herself so as not to damage her neck and spine, but it never came. Instead, she was encompassed in a pair of strong arms, her eyes just barely registering the obliteration of the Hollow that had her only seconds ago.
"Are you trying to piss me off?" When Karin heard that voice, a part of her wanted to crawl into a hole and stop existing. Alternatively, she greeted the captain with her usual one.
"Yo, Toushirou. I can see you're busy so if you could just let me down…"
"And let you run straight into another Hollow? No, I don't think so." He glared at her, eyes somehow bright in spite of the darkness. She tried not to think about how gorgeous they looked.
"Hey, it's not my fault that they're everywhere," she bit back, wriggling in hopes that he'd put her down out of sheer annoyance or at the very least drop her. While totally undignified, she didn't exactly feel any more comfortable pressed against him, almost tucked beneath his chin.
Deciding not to answer, he shunpo-ed away, his steps quick and efficient as he landed on the lawn of her homestay. He placed her onto her feet, letting her down gently in a way she found completely unnerving. She'd never been treated like glass, fragile and easily broken with the slightest miscalculation. And yet, that was how he handled her, as she noticed his eyes roving her form with an assessing glint. She decided she didn't exactly hate it. Before she could say anything to him, he turned his back to her, his last words reaching her before he rejoined the battle.
"Do me a favor and don't do anything stupid for at least the rest of the night."
After that incident, Karin hadn't been able to summon the nerve to look for Hitsugaya. Her face seemed to flush at the mere mention of his name and she didn't think her heart was working correctly anymore. It began to speed up whenever she passed by the Tenth's camp, and took on a different beat whenever she spotted someone who reminded her of him. And while Karin had a feeling she knew exactly what was causing this uneasiness, she pretended that she had absolutely no idea, as she finished the last of her stay in relative peace.
The mess from the aftermath of the invasion left a good amount of harm on the wealthy province, but nothing that a little hard work and time couldn't fix. But it seemed that all of the divisions were busy repairing the destructed buildings, analyzing the pattern of entry that the raiding Hollows took or providing care for their injured. There was no one for her to talk to or bother so she stayed out of their way, respecting their work.
She spent the time looking for things to bring back for her friends (she'd told them she went to an old-fashioned town meant for tourists to appease her child-father), finishing the shopping list Yuzu had (her sister adored certain products that could only be found in Soul Society's main market in the Second District) and just relaxing by herself. For some reason, she'd forgotten what it was like to just sit alone and take in the beauty that was the afterlife. It helped that Byakuya kept his estate in perfect condition, lawns trimmed and the koi pond exquisitely maintained. She'd taken tea out there once, and was easily calmed by the surroundings. It also helped cool the throbbing in her heart that happened whenever her thoughts drifted to a certain white-haired boy. She could tell that her emotions were changing again and that, this time, it was all going to happen with or without her consent.
So she buried them under her easy façade, not wanting to deal with the flip-flopping of her senses. She never saw Toushirou outside of her visits anyway. Perhaps if she quelled the surging anxiety, it would pass and she'd return to normal. While horribly unlikely, she prayed that it would be enough, at least for now. Honestly, she didn't know what else to do with them; it was safer that she holed them up within herself for the time being.
And finally her last day arrived, a bittersweet pill to swallow. On one hand, Karin was happy to go back home and see her family and friends, still having a few weeks before her next term. There were things she wanted to do and see before she was back to school for the long autumn haul. On the other, she was going to miss her dysfunctional family here. While all of them were strange and partly disturbed in their own ways, they were certainly nothing less than that. She could only hope that they'd be sent to Karakura for something soon. As long as it wasn't for something of Aizen-proportions, she'd welcome them back with open arms.
Karin was already in front of the gates, her goodbyes done and rushed to make time for everyone else's busy schedules. Luckily, she'd been able to find them, even though they were spread about haphazardly. Well, almost everyone. She hadn't been able to gather herself well enough to face Toushirou and when she wanted to, she had been summoned to the main gate for her return. It was with reluctance that she waited for it to open, and she hoped that he knew she hadn't wanted for this to happen. After all, who knew when she'd be back or when he'd come to the Real World.
Sighing, Karin tapped her foot impatiently, frowning at the delay. Usually the gatekeepers were rather punctual, but they were nowhere in sight at the moment. She couldn't help but wonder what called them away or if she was simply there by mistake. All this waiting was wasting valuable time, time she could be using to track down that shinigami captain friend of hers. Fortunately for her, it seemed that he read minds.
"You know, saying goodbye is what normal people do," he said in a gruff voice, appearing just a few yards in front of her. Her heart jumped in her chest, but she wasn't sure it was from surprise or not. She didn't sit on the thought too long.
"Coming from the guy who barely comes to see me, you'll excuse me if I don't take any offense," Karin scoffed, sticking her tongue at him a little. She smiled playfully as he approached, her dark eyes twinkling when he stopped just a foot in front of her. A part of her wondered if she'd ever get used to looking up at him. No, probably not.
"You know I would, but there's too much to do here for me to just up and leave."
Taken aback by the admission, her surprise seemed to make him even grumpier, his cerulean eyes flashing in annoyance. She'd wondered if she ever crossed his mind, especially considering she was out of sight most days of the year. That he even remembered her name was a bit flattering, and she had a feeling that was mostly because of Ichi-nii, not because of any sort of attachment to her. But this, this was something else entirely.
"You should though," she encouraged, nodding thoughtfully. "Playing hooky can be good sometimes. You'll burn out long before you reach Byakuya's age if you keep up your current pace."
"My loyalty lies with my squad. I couldn't leave them if they ever needed me."
"Yeah, but you're useless to them like this." She motioned to his entire being, noticing the darkness under his eyes and his tiredly sagged shoulders. He was exhausted, and even if no one else saw it she did.
"Maybe I could use a vacation…" he muttered, running a hand through his locks, face contorting into weariness she knew he hated showing. It was a good sign though. If even he could feel it, then maybe all this stress would help him find his common sense.
"Definitely. And when you do, come visit me in Tokyo," she grinned, lighting up at the idea of showing him the large city, her university and its amazing soccer field. Of course she'd take him back to Karakura, but Toushirou had seen enough of that place to last an eternity. Defending the same energy-imbibed spot for nearly a decade would irritate even the most patient of other worldly protectors.
"Where would I stay there? It's not like I know anyone in that area besides you."
"You can stay with me." It took her a second to process what she'd just implied. When she'd said it when she was younger, the invitation was cute and sounded completely innocent, especially since she shared the same room as her sister and a home with her brother. Now though, at nineteen, it was an invite that could easily be misread, and the undertones of it made her color. On the other hand, her recognition only made him smirk in amusement.
"Oh? And where would I sleep? Your bed?"
"The couch, you asshole!" Karin's face burned bright beneath his stare, her eyes narrowed at him and her lips turned downward. She'd walked right into that, and he was the damn cause of it. If he had the guts to come visit, she'd force him to sleep on the floor. Still grinning that much too satisfied smile, he leaned forward, bending his face to her ear in a pleased whisper.
"I'm sure you'll change your mind when I get there."
Sputtering, Karin reeled back, bright red and stuttering out a protest. "Th-th-that's… No! I- you- You're a pervert, Toushirou!"
"I only said we could share a bed. I don't even wanna know what you're thinking about," he replied smugly, watching as she flailed in objection, her face twisted in both embarrassment and mild anger. He wasn't like this for just anyone; there was just something about Karin that made him say things he wouldn't dare speak in front of others. Perhaps it was that flare of hers to treat others casually, even those higher in rank.
"I take it back! Don't visit me! Go to Jamaica and burn under the sun or something!"
"Nah, we've already planned it. It'd be rude if I didn't show up."
"It'd be ruder if you showed up now that I don't want you to go!" she fumed, fists clenched and giving way to her fiery indignation. He'd learned to push all her buttons, keeping that veiled arrogance on his face while saying the most blasphemous things. And he was getting better at it, if this was any indication of his skills. Before he could reply, a pair of low-level shinigami appeared, bowing and greeting their commanding officer before turning back to her.
"Kurosaki-san, the gate is ready. Please gather your things for your transport." All she could do was nod, shooting an irritated glare at Toushirou before flipping her head in the other direction. Both of the guards went to opposite sides of the gate, preparing to open it. She didn't expect the captain to take her side, his orders swift and direct.
"I'll be accompanying her to the World of the Living."
"Like hell you are!" she retaliated, not noticing the wide-eyed, almost mystified looks the two spectators were giving. The only people they had seen who could speak so casually to Hitsugaya-taichou were his vice captain, his childhood friend Hinamori and the shinigami substitute. Now, some human girl was barking demands, and to them it felt as if the world was coming down in pieces.
"A girl shouldn't go down such a path alone."
"Rukia-nee does it all the time!"
"I apologize, I misspoke. Normal living girls shouldn't travel this bridge alone."
"Ichi-nii lets me do it all the time!"
"Goes to show how much common sense he has," Toushirou murmured, not intending it as a barb but the implication was there. It only made her glare harder.
"I'm going, Toushirou. You can follow once you get permission for that much-needed vacation we were talking about." Karin nodded to the gatekeepers, who seemed to be able to retract their jaws long enough to do what she asked. A blinding light stunned her eyes for a second, as it slowly opened and a Hell Butterfly met her at the entrance. She didn't need to look at him to know he had a scowl etched on his face, her dismissal as annoying as her attitude. Turning back to him, she smiled a farewell grin.
"Don't worry, Toushirou. I'll see you soon. Don't be a stranger, okay?" she said with a wave, the other holding her luggage as she moved towards the passage. But when a hand on her shoulder pulled her back, Karin turned to look at him only to be stopped.
By a small press of lips against hers.
"Be safe, okay?" he whispered, face still dangerously close, noses still brushing because of their proximity. Somehow she managed a nod, eyes large as saucers and throat drying as she figured out what he'd just done. Her mind couldn't help but think that he could hear her heart pounding, the dance against her ribs strangely comforting now that he was so close. But instead of questioning him, Karin took one last look at his face and then spun back, running through the opened doors with all her might.
There were certain times and places to ask about these sort of things. Now, when she was due home and with a pair of shinigami as an audience, was definitely not it. They'd work it out completely next time. Watching as she departed, Hitsugaya looked after her with forlorn eyes, but were quickly replaced with hardened authority when he eyed the squad members at their posts.
"This never happened." There was no doubt that this was a command of the highest order, the temperature in the area dropping noticeably at his words. All he received were salutes, their fear of his retribution tangible and more than enough of a reason to fear him. Satisfied, he turned around, resolved to return to his office.
Now where did he put that form for his vacation days…
AN: Ah, fluff! Sort of. Haha. I hope everyone has/had a Merry Christmas and that their holidays are bright! For me, it's still Christmas in California so technically I'm not late at all. If you enjoyed, please review, alert and/or favorite! I personally adore reviews. :)
Happy Holidays, everyone!