Random as hell(I love the rubbers on the end of pencils...see?) But yay, my first HitsuKarin! Weird, I haven't actually done anything about this pairing although it's my favourite Bleach pairing, and it's definitely in my total top five. Ah, screw that, it is number one(in tied position with GaaSaku, ignore this). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Yes, I do own...! Erm, why are you all looking so dissappionted?

LALOLOOLOO

I look at Karin out of the corner of my eye, thinking about how much -and how little- she's changed.

Before she was loud, confident, impatient, slightly arrogant...But she could also be kind, quiet, a good listener, considerate...If she was in a good mood and she knew you very, very well. She had a shell, just like me, except you couldn't see it. No-one ever questioned why Karin never cried, because everyone does. But then again, she was -is- the tomboy, half the time beating the guys at their own game. No-one ever knew that her favourite colour is actually lilac, or that she loves sunsets and surises.

You may be wondering why I'm thinking about the beginning, when I first met her, and when she carried on loudly announcing her presence in my life in sporadic but memorable moments.

You see, today is her first day back to the real world. Well, her last day of her first trip. She died three years ago, and because her family in general is owed a few favors, rather than being soul buried she was taken through a senkai gate straight into Seretei. A few were outraged at this special treatment, but they were silenced quickly when Yamamoto reminded them who she's related to, and how much they've done for us. Karin, of course, was indifferent and didn't realy care if anyone dissapproved. She just rolled her eyes and placed her zanpaktou on her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. Most people's complaints or snidey comments died out then. Even though Karin had eventually decided not to join the eleventh division, she was welcome, having one of the most in-your-face combat weapons ever. Instead she came to tenth. To 'spice things up a bit and make you move your non-lazy but fun deficient ass somewhere that isn't your office'.

Matsumoto left last year, having achieved bankai. She decided to go to fifth, gazing coldly at the people who asked her why she didn't go to third division(ninth was recently taken by Ikkaku, who has turned it into a piont between his old division and seventh). As soon as she was gone Karin was promoted to lieutenant. Don't take it the wrong way, Matsumoto herself insisted and I didn't want the position filled with anyone I don't know as well as I know them.

And on the brightside, atleast I don't have to do most of the paperwork now.

"Oops."

Karin doesn't even try to sound apologetic as she kicks the ball again, making it fly up and hit my hands. My cell flies out of my grip. I just sigh and watch as she picks up the battered pieces of my once mobile phone. She holds them up at eye level and places a foot on the soccer ball.

"Here."

"You did that on purpose."

"Of course. You know my opinions on this particular matter." She shrugs, putting her hands behind her head and expertly dribbles the ball without looking at it.

I grimace, remembering a time when I had taken just one second too long to answer a question and suddenly I had a mouthful of grass. Apparently I was 'getting addicted', I couldn't stop using his phone... blah blah blah. But because I don't like the taste of grass and god knows what else, I kept my mouth shut and patiently listened to her lecture. She carried on and on, managing to look stern but amused at the same time. Well aware of the fact that she was talking to someone about twelve decades older than her, who is the most responsible and grown-up-before-their-time-people ever to walk the planet, she blabbered on about square eyes and withdrawal symptoms.

"I sure do."

I mutter, flicking the remains of my brand new Amazing Super Improved Reiatsu Detector (With A Beautiful Pink Charm) over my shoulder.

"Oh well, maybe this time you can get one from Urahara that isn't pink."

I just nod, and say calmly 'Hope so', but I'm still seething on the inside. Pink? Pink? The guy loves embarrassing me, it's now his hobby... Karin grins and spins the ball on the tip of her finger.

Soon enough we arrive at our usual spot, and we both sit down on the railing. My hand drifts to my jeans pocket before I remember and I pull it back. Karin notices and looks away, smirking. I sigh and put my hands behind me, ignoring that the metal is hurting my hands a bit. Shifting just a bit, I mutter angrily about stupid human clothes Matsumoto chose, so baggy where they don't need to be, tight where they do, mostly uncomfortable...I would try and choose my clothing myself but heaven forbid should I ever try to shop. All this is a distraction, and it's failing miserably. I try to ignore the fact that my heart is pounding and I'm probably blushing like mad.

As the sunset reaches what I know is the most beautiful part, the very end before the light fades, when all the clouds are splashes of orange, purple, pink, red dotted on a sky blue fading into more red and orange hues... I steel myself and force the blush down. I turn to Karin, who is watching with slightly hazy eyes and a small serene smile. It gives me courage, that she's allowing me to see her softer side, if only for a second.

But like I said earlier, you may be wondering about why I'm fixating on all this, why I'm think about everything connected to her. It's because, well...

'...I've never been so nervous in my entire goddamn life...could mess everything up...Argh just do it!...I sound like a nike advert...Do it! Now you idiot!'

I take a deep breath and stand up, Karin turns her head towards me questioningly, brow a little furrowed.

I kneel down in front of her, looking everywhere but her surprised and confused face. I pull a little black box out of my ridiculously tight jeans with chains hanging from random places that are completely unnecessary and obstructing. But it's better than wearing a suit, then I'd feel really stupid, and old-fashioned and stiff and really old...

"Karin..."

I manage to squeeze the name out of my mouth and I'm rewarded with the satisfaction of knowing it sounds confident.

I finally look her straight in the eye, and open the box.

"Will you marry me?"

I want to blurt out some rubbish about 'sudden and unexpected', 'don't answer right away, just think about it...', and 'don't make me eat dirt again, just say yes or no! I'm dying here!'. But I don't, because I'm sure she knows that already.

I'm still staring at her face anxiously, biting the inside of my lip.

She looks down, and then says quietly,

"Toushirou..."

I feel my throat constrict and shame and sadness swell up because she sounds so pitying, she must be about to say no. I want to stand up and put the stupid ring away and pretend this never happened so she won't look at me like I know she will.

"You baka!"

She suddenly grins, launching herself at me and planting kisses on my face as we topple over, me landing on my back with her arms around me. She buries her face into my neck.

"You don't even know if I like you and you propose!? Gah, you should give more hints and then I'd know and jump you straightaway!"

She lifts her face to mine and somehow smirks while grinning widely.

"Can I put the ring on?"

I lift up the hand clenched tightly, and slide it onto her finger. She admires it, splaying her fingers over my chest.

"How did you know I love sapphires and emeralds and hate diamonds?"

I smirk. "Diary?"

She gasps and tries to glare at me, succeeding, if only by a little bit.

"You read my diary!?"

"No,(a cough) someone did and they...shared the information."

"Oh." She frowns. "Because if you had read it, you'd've known I'd say yes."

My eyes widen and I shout a certain someone's name in my head. She notices and smiles, resting her chin on my collarbone.

I grumble and pull us back up, gripping onto the railing and stretching.

"I think you broke something."

I don't roll my eyes(but I really want to). "What tipped you off?"

She just smiles, and I can't help but smile a little back.

We step over the fence, holding hands the entire time, heading over to Urahara's, discarding the gigai's and waiting somewhat impatiently as he makes us stay and listen to his over exaggerating lament of the disgusting phone that was 'lost'.

We eventually escape. When we're about to step foot into the gate Karin whispers something in my ear, her voice devious.

We emerge on the other side, in the west area of Seretei. She's grinning widely and looking pleased with herself. I'm resembling a tomato with a bad cough. My still far too mature and sensible mind can't take it. So instead of trying to calm myself down, preferably with a cold shower, instead I mask my presence and shuunpo into her room, arriving just as she does and pushing her down onto her bed.

"Oh dear," she chuckles, running a hand over my still warm face and twisting her fingers in my hair, "It's the revenge of the prudes! But then again...it isn't the wedding night and yet..."

I grimace and drop my head onto the junction of her neck.

"Shut up."

I groan.

"No."

I glance up at her face and decide she looks quite evil as she dances her fingers on my shoulder, inch by inch pushing away my robes.

Oh, dear, lord.

What have I got myself into?

LALOLOOLOO

So, what do you think? I'm pleased with some parts and dissappionted with others but I find I can't manage to make anything better. I think Karin is really OOC, and Toushirou, but oh well...Constructive criticism welcomed. Review please?

P.S: Don't eat me fellow HitsuKarin people's! Sorry if I'm shaming the greatest couple ever. Forgive me.