Disclaimer: Kubo is god, Kubo is king, Tite Kubo owns everything. I'm just playing with them for awhile. I also do not own the quote I use at the start of the chapter. As is obvious, since it's from Bleach.

Author's Notes: Series: After the Winter War. So my muse is insisting I move back to doing HitsuKarin before letting me do anything else. And to be fair, when I take in not just the votes collected while I was writing my last story, but the number of people who when reviewing NWM wanted more HitsuKarin, well, this is the most requested story in this series so far. Well, to be fair, what was requested was a sequel to "No Warm Memories." (although this story can stand alone, it will make more sense if you've read NWM.) And this is indeed that, although it's only a two-shot, not another long fic like most people probably hoped I'd write. But on the plus side for most of you from what I've read in reviews; chapter 2 is a lemon, and Karin's old enough (IMO at least) that it doesn't seem weird. Let the fun begin…

Hanabi

By Lady Callista

Chapter 1: Graduation

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"We are like fireworks...rising, shining, and finally scattering and fading.

So until that moment comes, when we vanish like fireworks, let us sparkle brightly always."

Bleach, manga

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"I'm sorry about this, Karin." Toshiro said as he handed her a glass of punch. "I know I promised you a special night, but I didn't know Momo was planning this."

Karin looked down at her hand for a moment as she took the drink, still slightly surprised to see herself in the black uniform of a Shinigami. She still couldn't quite believe she was done with the Academy. Done with having to live at school, and eat at school, and rarely getting to see certain people who were not at school…

Then she looked around the room. It was filled with nearly a dozen of her friends from school, all of whom were looking around slightly nervously at the 10 fukutaicho and taicho who stood in small clusters around the room. The fact that her brother and his wife were there as well probably also made them nervous, as the two were basically legends in Seireitei.

Rangiku lounged against a wall, and Kuchiki-taicho stood tall and straight beside her, although there was a warmth in his eyes as they talked quietly. She'd already spoken with both of them, although it might be more accurate to say that her and Rangiku had spoken while Kuchiki-taicho stood there, although he had congratulated her. Momo and Izuru-san were heading towards her, while Renji-san and Rukia stood near the middle of the room talking to Ichi-nii and Orihime-nee. She'd seen Nanao and Yoruichi earlier as well, along with Urahara, who she had heard just last week had finally agreed to become the taicho of the long-suffering Gobantai. Momo had been ecstatic when she told her.

"Karin?" Toshiro said quietly when she didn't respond, her eyes wandering the room.

"Don't be sorry." Karin said just as softly. "It's nice to see everyone all at once, especially my brother. And I'm honored that this many of the taicho and fukutaicho are here."

"You've done a good job making friends."

"You did a good job choosing yours." Karin said quietly as Momo and Izuru-san stepped up before her, and the older girl drew her into a hug.

"Congratulations, Karin." Momo said as she released her with a smile.

"Thanks, Momo." Karin smiled back. "And thank you for the party. I was just telling Toshiro how nice it is to see everyone."

"It has been a while since you brother's been up here." Izuru-san commented.

"That's better than the first year she was here, I swear he dropped by once a week to check on her." Toshiro muttered.

"That's my job." Ichigo announced as he walked up to the group, giving Karin a one-armed hug. "Congrats, sis."

Orihime hugged her as well and added her congratulations.

"Gods, I remember that year." Rukia shuddered exaggeratedly as the circle expanded to include the newcomers. "Kenpachi-taicho found you almost every time you came up here; the paperwork from all the clean-up and reconstruction was atrocious."

"It certainly was." Toshio remembered, "And I thought Unohana-taicho was just going to stop treating them she was getting so frustrated."

"Should we be expecting him tonight?" Orihime asked quietly, drawing everyone's attention.

"Nah, we actually sent him an invite at the last minute, with a wrong address really far away from here." Renji smirked. "By the time they find that place it should be midnight, and by the time they get close enough to the barracks to sense anything you should be long gone."

"Good thinking." Karin laughed, not really wanting to see her brother and that huge man fighting yet again. There was just something scary about that man.

"This party probably won't last long anyway." Momo replied. "I know all the taicho and fukutaicho have been working hard the past few days selecting graduates, and I remember what the final exams were like. Feel free to leave whenever you want."

Toshiro caught the slight glint in her eyes as she said that, and couldn't help the slight blush that rose to his cheeks. Momo had likely known from his reaction when she told him about the party that he'd had other plans for the night.

"I should talk to my friends a bit first, I think having all of you around is scaring them a little." Karin replied with a smile, missing the look, and moving away from them all with a small bow.

The others watched her go and flash a warm smile of greeting at her friends, who seemed slightly in awe of her now. They'd known she was dating the Juubantai's taicho, but hadn't realized that the company that routinely put her in had caused her to make many other friends.

"I'm glad she's okay up here." Orihime said quietly, "Although I miss seeing her."

"Well, she'll be able to come visit us now." Ichigo replied, grasping her hand for a moment. "Plus you know you can always come up here with me when I visit."

"I know, it's just not the same."

"I haven't seen much of her in the past years either." Toshiro said quietly. "Although we tried to see each other once a week or so…"

"Well, you'll see plenty of her now." Momo said with a smile. "Are you two staying for the fireworks?"

Toshiro smiled. "No, I wanted to watch them from the roof of the house, and then I have dinner planned, and, umm…"

Momo's eyes grew huge, and started to twinkle as she clapped her hands together in excitement. "Are you finally going to…"

"Well, there's one thing first, but…" Toshiro's face had grown slightly red, and he glanced at Ichigo almost nervously.

"You are!" Momo barely restrained from hugging him in excitement, and managed to keep her voice low enough to not draw every eye in the room.

"What?" Ichigo asked brashly.

Toshiro steeled himself and turned to face the substitute-Shinigami. He saw Orihime's eyes start to shine, flick to Momo, then back to him as she burst into a huge smile.

Beside him, he heard Rukia mumble, "'bout time," and then her hushing Renji as he questioned what was going on.

Ichigo looked just as confused as Renji sounded.

"Kurosaki-san, I felt it would be more appropriate to ask this of you than of your father, for several reasons." Toshiro began.

Ichigo blinked as Toshiro addressed him formally, they'd called each other by name for over a year now. His eyes flicked to Orihime as he almost felt her smile grow even brighter, and he looked back at Toshiro in confusion.

"I would like your permission to marry your sister."

Ichigo choked on air even as Orihime did the little bounce and clap thing Momo had done a minute ago. Renji only coughed, but Rukia placed a hand on his shoulder for a moment, smiling at him as the other girls were doing.

"Ichigo?" Toshiro questioned as the boy continued to cough.

"If you'd told me five years ago what my answer to this would be, I would have thought you were crazy." Ichigo replied finally with a small shake of his head. "But she'd kill me if she learned I said no, and besides, I know you love her. I know you'll take care of her. So, yes, you have my permission to marry Karin, and I'm sure my father will add his permission and blessing as well."

Toshiro bowed slightly in acknowledgement of the formal reply, and everyone around him was graced with getting to see the stoic young man smile a real smile.

Then the entire group burst out laughing as Orihime questioned, only half-jokingly, "So, you are older than me and all, and since Karin is my sister now…well…does that mean I can call you Toshiro-nii?"

Momo laughed harder than anyone at the look of horror on his face, reminding him, "It's better than Shiro-chan."

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"I'm sorry if your friends were uncomfortable." Toshiro said to Karin nearly an hour later as they lay back on the roof of his house, waiting for the fireworks that were being put on to celebrate the Academy's newest graduating class. "I'm certain that wasn't Momo's intention."

"I know it wasn't." Karin sighed as she cuddled into his chest, her arms sliding around him. It felt so good to just be able to hold him again, to cuddle with him. With the craziness of exams and other stuff the last month or so, she'd barely seen him, let alone been able to spend time alone with him. "It was nice of her to find out who my friends were, I think she's just forgotten what it was like to be in awe of the seated officers, especially the taicho class ones."

"She's worked hard to forget." Toshiro said quietly.

"I know." Karin said just as quietly, then changed the topic before they got too melancholy. "So, before you knew about the party, what were your special plans for tonight?"

Toshiro tilted his head down to kiss her forehead just as the first fireworks bloomed in the sky. "Well, it would have started with these."

"I've always loved fireworks." Karin smiled as she watched the brilliant colors explode over their heads. "They make me think of festivals, of happy times. Happy memories."

"I've always liked them as well." Toshiro said softly, watching not the fireworks, but her face as she watched them. "Although somehow they don't seem quite as beautiful tonight."

Karin looked up into his eyes curiously, and the love burning in them almost took her breath away. Then he leaned down to kiss her passionately, and she did lose her breath.

Toshiro kissed her hungrily, yet pulled back after only a short time, allowing both of them to turn their eyes back to the fireworks. She felt so perfect in his arms, and he couldn't stop himself from trailing a hand gently up and down her back.

"And what comes after the fireworks?" Karin asked in a slightly breathy voice.

"Dinner." Toshiro said simply.

"And?" Karin pushed, slightly frustrated that he was keeping her in suspense. Although they'd never talked about it, she'd kind of thought tonight would be special in a different way. And the way he'd just kissed her had been somehow different than ever before, full of some kind of promise.

"You'll just have to wait and see." Toshiro replied as he dropped another kiss on her forehead, and cuddled her more fully into his arms as they watched the fireworks.

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Karin couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips as they entered his dining area. The table was set with an intimate, delicious looking feast, complete with candles.

"Momo only told me about your party a few hours before it was about to happen." Toshiro explained as he led her around to a cushion before kneeling on one beside her. "Luckily I had not started cooking yet. And being a taicho has it's advantages; I called in a few of my subordinates I knew could cook and gave them instructions for when this was to be ready. This was supposed to be my way of celebrating your graduation."

Karin gazed into his beaming teal eyes for a moment before smiling and looking towards all the dishes spread on the table. "Although I was glad to see Ichi-nii and Orihime-nee again, I think I would have preferred this to the party. I meant what I said that it was nice to see everyone, but we've seen each other so little in the past years…"

"And we have forever to make up for that." Toshiro smiled at her as they both began filling their plates. "So I know they won't start officially deciding anything until tomorrow, but have you thought about which division you want to join?"

"I was told we were merely assigned to them based on our personalities and abilities." Karin replied as she shook her head at his offer of sake. She'd had it once with some of her classmates, and had woken up with such a headache that she never wanted to try it again.

Toshiro removed the sake carafe and both cups from the table and set them on the sidebar as he replied, "That's true in most cases, but you graduated with high enough scores and have enough reiatsu that you'll become a seated officer, and they always have some say in where they go."

"Is that why taicho have been talking to me over the past few weeks?" Karin asked innocently as she sampled the sukiyaki and found it wonderful.

"Who's talked to you?" Toshiro questioned, knowing that with her unique zanpakuto there were several positions she would be very suited for. Plus she had made so many friends with the taicho and fukutaicho, partly because of him and Ichigo, partly because she was just fun to hang out with.

"Well, Soi Fon-taicho took me out for lunch last week, told me all this stuff about the Onmitsukido and how they were so amazing…"

"You would be perfect for them; Kyokon is almost made for those kind of missions." Toshiro said as he began eating as well, glad that everything had turned out well. In fact, the tempura was probably better than it would have been if he'd made it. He could never get the batter quite right…

"And Renji-san talked to me as well, although I'm not sure if he actually wants me in his unit or if he was just feeling pressured by his wife and/or his fukutaicho." Karin said, blushing slightly as she allowed Toshiro to feed her a gyoza. "And speaking of Kira-san, Momo wants me in her division as well. I suppose it's technically not her choice now that Urahara has agreed to be taicho, but he knows and likes me as well, and she knows we work well together and…"

"Have you considered the Juubantai?" Toshiro interrupted her quietly.

Karin froze with her chopsticks halfway to her mouth, her eyes widening before she controlled her reaction and set her chopsticks calmly down on her plate. "No."

"And why not?" Toshiro heard the finality in her statement, and wanted to know its cause.

"Because one thing I've learned from my years at the academy is that business and personal lives shouldn't mix." She slid closer to him, lifting a hand to lightly brush the backs of her fingers over his cheek. "You've held me in your arms as we slept, kissed me, shared the deepest parts of yourself with me. I've done the same with you. Yet anytime people were around us, I had to call you Hitsugaya-taicho. I couldn't touch you, or kiss you, or whisper in your ear. Not because everyone didn't know we were involved, but because they knew we were. Because we had to prove we could separate our personal and our professional lives. Think of what could happen if I was in your division, especially with Kyokon's unique abilities."

Toshiro set his chopsticks down quietly, raising his hand to capture hers where it still ghosted over his cheek. "I would protect you."

Karin nodded. "I'm a soldier now, and all soldiers must be expendable. Think of all our friends who are married. Only Nanao and Shunsui are in the same division, and they started out that way. None of the others have changed things around so they could be with their spouse, although they could have, at least somewhat. But they know it's not a good idea. If you couldn't order me to take a mission that I was uniquely suited for because it could mean my death, then I shouldn't be in your division."

Toshiro was the one to break eye-contact first, looking down and taking possession of her other hand. "You know I couldn't."

"Then I shouldn't be in the Juubantai." Karin said quietly, then forced herself to smile. "Besides, I plan to be a taicho one day, and I would hate to have to displace you."

Toshiro smiled back, grateful for her attempt to lighten the mood. "And I would hate to have to live with you every day after you failed to beat me."

Karin's eyes widened fractionally at his words, and her mind refused to come up with a witty retort. She'd assumed for years that they would eventually marry, or whatever it was they did in Seireitei. From what Momo had told her about when she and Izuru-san married, it was nothing like a normal Japanese wedding. But it was still a ceremony; a formal commitment. Karin had been expecting Toshiro to mention something about it for over a year, but he never had. So she'd begun to wonder if he ever would.

"Live with me?" She couldn't help but ask.

"No matter what division you end up with, I was hoping that you would consider my house your home." Toshiro's smile faded, and his cheeks both blazed red. "I love you, Karin. And I can't imagine my life without you in it. The more you are with me, the happier and more content…more warm…I am. You are the most amazing person I have ever known, and I would like to spend the rest of my life with you. Kurosaki Karin, will you marry me?"

TBC…

AN2: Hope everyone enjoyed; I'm gonna work really hard over the weekend to get the rest of the story out, cause I know this was kinda a mean cliffhanger, even though I'm sure everyone can guess what her answer will be, as you know the next chapter is a lemon. Reviews are always appreciated.

Glossary:

Hanabi: Fireworks (written with the kanji for "fire" and "flower," which I think is kinda cool)

Taicho: "Unit Commander," the dub uses "Captain"

Fukutaicho: "Vice-Unit Commander," the dubs use "Lieutenant" or "Vice-Captain"

Juubantai: 10th Division, Hitsugaya is taicho

Seireitei: Court of Pure Souls, it's where all the Shinigami and nobles in Soul Society live.

-san: a suffix roughly equivalent to Mr. or Ms., although as Karin uses it with the people's given names it shows she is well-acquainted with them, although not quite enough to use just given names.

-nii: a suffix one would use with an older brother

-nee: a suffix one would use with an older sister

Onmitsukido: Secret Mobile Corps is the dub I believe. You know who they are.

Gyoza: Dumpling, most commonly filled with pork and cabbage and either boiled or fried.