A/N: This is just a little drabble I came up with while returning home from sixth form. We somehow got talking about what the captain's favourite board game would be. (Random, but we were bored) and we came up with the idea that Hitsugaya would have either a Simon (or copycat whatever they call them these days) or a Rubik's cube, and being a prodigy he would probably look at them and be able to solve them in seconds, so here's Impossible.
This is set around the same time period as Exhaustion was. Karin is a Shinigami and 4th seat of the 11th division. They both look to be in early 20's (cliché as I know, but oh well)
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, It's characters or any related Franchise and have no affiliation to it's rightful owner, Tite Kubo or with its publisher Shonen Jump and Viz Media.
Karin Kurosaki was frustrated. Well, it didn't take much to put her in such a state. Usually it was her father's outrageous behaviour or a suggestive comment from a guy at school. However, those incidents were easily remedied by a swift kick to the face, and it frustrated her more that this particular puzzle couldn't be solved with her usual solution.
"DAMMIT!" She cursed, fully prepared to throw it against the opposing wall of the 10th division office. "These things are so annoying!" She slumped back in to the comfy chair that was behind the desk and held the infernal puzzle in her hands, glaring in silent contempt.
"I don't see how these are supposed to help you unwind. Stupid plastic piece of crap".
She tried it again thinking she had a strategy and mauvered the puzzle in her hands accordingly. After fiddling with the puzzle, for a further 5 minutes until inevitably she snapped again.
"FOR THE LOVE OF KAMI THIS THING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!" the urge was overpowering and the puzzle was send flying across the office and hit the wall, bouncing off harmlessly before coming to a stop in front of the sliding panel.
For a few seconds Karin was content to stare at the wall, attempting to let the frustration subside. "Who invented these things anyway?"
The panel slide open silently and in to the office stepped the Captain of the 10th division Hitsugaya Toushiro who picked up the offending item and smirked at his girlfriend who sat behind his desk.
"If I'm right it was a German architect called Ernő Rubik".
Karin huffed and folded her arms. "Now you're just being a smart ass."
"I'm not a smart ass I'm jus correct quite a lot of the time".
"See, you're being a smart ass".
Toushiro threw the cube in the air and caught it. Ignoring her comeback completely.
"Shouldn't you be doing paperwork in for the 11th division? You are 4th seat after all, and Kenpachi would rather murder the person who gave it him then do it himself".
"Shouldn't you be doing paperwork?" she counteracted.
"You're in my chair".
"Yeah I know".
He sighed, knowing she was trying to annoy him only because she was. Putting his hands up in surrender he walked over to the couch and sat crossed legged, tilting his head to face the ceiling and closing his eyes. Still holding the Rubik's cube.
After a few seconds of silence he heard the scraping of the chair and soft footfalls. He only opened his eyes when she sat in his lap and snuggled her back in to his chest. Her reitsu flared, as if stating that she was still pissed off.
"It's only a bit of plastic". He said trying to placate her brooding.
"I want to smash it to tiny pieces. Why do you even have it?" she asked moodily.
"Matsumoto got it me as a present while we were staying in Karakura on a mission a few months ago."
"So… you can figure this thing out?"
"Yeah I can."
"I don't believe you" she replied sceptically.
He smirked and put both his arms around her so the cube was held in front of her. He proceeded to twist and turn the cube and within 5 minutes he dropped the completed cube in her lap. She picked it up and examined it. Not a colour out of place.
"Yeah well, I did most of it" she said childishly. "I made it easier for you to do".
"Ok then, mess it up as much as you want". He gave it her. "And I'll prove I can do it in less than 1 minute".
She scoffed again (a habit she picked up from Toushiro) "Now I KNOW that's impossible. It took me an hour and I didn't solve the damn thing".
She took the cube and messed it up until she was satisfied, handing it back to him she watched with rapt attention.
"Ok go on then smart ass, I wont believe it until I see it".
He took it back as she timed him on her watch. After only a few seconds of turning the small cube he handed her back another completely coloured cube.
Karin didn't hide the shock on her face. "You cheated!"
He looked indignant "of course I didn't cheat. Hitsugaya Toushiro doesn't cheat!"
"That's bull crap and you know it!" she examined the Rubik's cube looking for any signs of tampering, and growled when she found none. Instead she twisted it and started all over again.
"AHHH! THESE THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLE!!"
All anger and frustration had been replaced by shock when Toushiro picked her up and spun around with her in his arms, kissing her on the lips as he did so.
He broke the kiss and smirked at her dazed expression.
"You're impossible" he said.
She grinned back "Yeah, but you always know how to figure me out".
He spun around on the spot, still with a giggling Kurosaki Karin in his arms.
The forsaken Puzzle Cube lay on the floor. Utterly forgotten by the happy couple that were spinning around the room.
Toushiro figured that Sometimes, being Impossible wasn't such a bad thing.
A/N: how is it? i tried to get Karins gruff attitude to contrast with Hitsugaya's logical nature. and her calling him a smart ass sounds natural to her. Read for the hell of it Review to help! Bye!
SG88