This is a continuation/sequel of another ChadxKarin oneshot "Babysitting," but it can also be read by itself and make sense. I hope you enjoy! And please review; they make me so happy :)
.
"Hey, Ichigo. Did you eat a bowl of soup that was in the fridge?" Karin looked at her older brother, hands on her hips.
"No…" His eyebrows pulled together in a frown and he seemed confused for a moment. "I guess I must have… Yeah. It was me. Sorry."
Karin rolled her eyes. Her idiot brother couldn't even remember what he had for dinner last night. He's been so absent minded lately…
She sighed and shrugged her shoulders when she noticed the guilty look in his eyes.
"It's fine. It was just the soup your giant friend brought over a couple days ago. I was going to have it for lunch but I guess I'll go out instead." Karin smiled, trying to lighten Ichigo's mood, "Wanna come? We can go to that new café downtown."
Ichigo was interrupted before he could respond.
"Ichigo! Where is your laundry basket? I can't find it in your room!" Yuzu called from upstairs. Ichigo paled and Karin wondered if she had ever seen him move so fast.
She chuckled to herself as she put on her shoes and a jacket to go to lunch.
"I told you to stay out of my room!" "But Ichigo! You know I do laundry every Saturday!" "I think I can do my own laundry, Yuzu!" "You have been so mean this past week and I-"
Karin shut the door quietly behind herself. Wouldn't want to disturb them…
She knew perfectly well why Ichigo was suddenly so concerned about his privacy: he had finally found a girl that could tolerate his idiocy and permanent foul mood. She had met her just a few days ago… kind of. Does listening to her talk while I'm outside brother's room count as 'meeting'?
Karin wondered to herself for a while about the girl and when she would actually get to meet her. Then, she pushed the thoughts out of her head and told herself to stop being silly. Her brother's affairs were his own and he would introduce this girl when he was ready.
The winter air was crisp and Karin decided to amuse herself by watching her breath create a fog as she walked down the street. She had heard about this new café at school. One of her soccer buddies had asked her on a "date-thing" yesterday but she had politely declined. Well, as politely as she could while threatening to bash his stupid head in.
Karin smiled at the memory and realized that she had reached her destination.
"The Black Cat"
Weird name… She entered, slowly unbuttoning her jacket, uncomfortably aware that the blonde man behind the counter was intensely focused on her.
"You're Ichigo's sister, right?" The old man grinned, obviously enjoying the confusion on her face.
"Um. Yeah…" Karin forced an awkward smile and nodded. The man laughed and she looked around to avoid his stare.
The place wasn't crowded yet but most tables were already taken. Karin thought she saw an empty one nearer the back and decided she'd sit there after getting her food.
The man with the funny striped hat had finally calmed down enough to take her order and she was waiting at the end of the counter for her food when a beautiful, tan woman came out from the kitchen. Her golden eyes gleamed as she handed Karin a small tray and Karin felt her curious gaze on her as she made her way to the back table.
As she got closer, Karin realized that her table was not empty at all. In fact, there was the giant himself, working on a laptop and scribbling things down in a notepad. She paused for a moment to fully take in the irony of the situation before moving out of the way of the other customers.
Chad looked up from his work, meeting her stare through his thick brown bangs. He seemed to chuckle quietly to himself as he returned to whatever he was typing.
When her feet refused to resume movement, he looked back up at her and pushed out the chair across from him with his foot.
Too late to turn back now…
Karin took a deep breath and set her tray down on his table. She flinched as the tray clattered on the table and managed a small, "hey," as she sat down.
"Hey." He repeated simply, not looking up. She could see a small grin on his face. This guy has a lot of nerve! Mocking me and-
"Are you feeling better?"
Karin looked at the giant curiously, surprised that he would venture to start an actual conversation.
"Uhh.. Yeah. I'm fine now." She focused her attention to her lunch and they sat in silence for a few minutes.
"Aren't you going to finish your sandwich?" Karin noticed his tray still had half a sandwich and an unopened water bottle on it.
Chad looked like he had forgotten the food was there. He mumbled something and picked up the sandwich half in one hand and resumed typing with the other.
Karin laughed to herself as she realized he had forgotten about the sandwich again, holding it absently while focusing on his notes in his little notebook.
They sat in silence as Karin ate her sandwich and finished her tea.
"What 'cha doing?" She finally asked. The man across from her stopped typing for a moment and looked at her. He turned back a page in his notebook and then pushed it towards her so she could read it.
"Mexican-American War: 1814- 1848" was the heading of the page. Karin raised an eyebrow and looked through his notes. They were neater than she had expected.
Their eyes met again when she gave the notebook back and she blushed, realizing he had been watching her as she read.
"Are you almost done?" She asked quickly, trying to ease the quiet tension with the first thing she could think of to say.
Oh, great… Now he's going to think I actually care or something stupid-
"I have about a page left." He said and returned focus to his computer.
After typing for another minute, he paused and looked at her again.
"Did you like the soup?"
Confusion filled Karin's head until she realized what he meant.
"Um. Well, actually…"
"You don't have to pretend you liked it." Chad laughed, interrupting her excuse. Karin felt her face get warm as she watched his eyes light up when he smiled.
What on earth is happening? He's just a friend of Ichigo's and that's all.
"It's a recipe my grandfather used make when I was sick. I'm sorry if it was too strong for you."
Karin was too preoccupied to respond. There was a couple seated two tables away that had caught Karin's attention. The girl had apparently said something incredibly funny because the boy next to her was laughing so hard his face was red.
She smirked, making fun of them in her head when the girl wrapped her arms around him and Karin realized that the boy was the same boy that had asked her to come here just yesterday.
Of all the low down- How could he! What a nasty-
"Are you all right?"
- stupid-head pea-brain!
Karin exhaled slowly, regaining her composure. Chad seemed to notice her irritation and closed his laptop.
Hmm…
"Are you done with your paper thing?" Karin asked quickly, her dark eyes glinting with an idea.
"Yes. Is there-"
Karin stood up, gathering his notes together and piling them on his computer.
"Good. You can walk me home now."
Chad's eyes widened, the only hint at his surprise, before he stood up. Without missing a beat, he set her tray on his and left them on the end of the counter.
When he returned, Chad picked up all his things in one arm and offered the other to Karin. She hesitated for a moment before letting her hand rest on his arm.
Purposely avoiding eye contact with that pig-head fool, she and Chad exited the café. Karin beamed as the door closed behind them; she had noticed the boy stand up to talk to her out of the corner of her eye as they walked past.
Well, he could just apologize later. That is, if I ever decide I'll talk to him again.
.
Back in the café, the blonde man at the counter smiled after them.
"Well, would you look at that? I can't imagine Ichigo will be too happy about this." Urahara laughed, letting an arm snake around the waist of the woman beside him.
"Oh, stay out of their business, you old man!" Yoruichi swatted him away playfully as she turned back to the counter to take another order.
.
They had gotten about a block before Karin realized she was still holding onto Chad's arm. She apologized, letting go quickly.
He almost looked like he was going to protest but instead, asked, "So, that was a friend of yours?"
Karin thought for a moment before answering. Her hand was still tingling slightly, he was so warm.
"Not really." She finally answered. "We play soccer sometimes… He asked me to try the café back there with him yesterday."
Chad stopped. "Why was he with another girl today?"
His voice sounded tight and Karin turned to face him.
She smiled, realizing he was concerned that this boy might have wronged her.
"I turned him down. I told him I just wanted to be friends." Chad nodded, his shoulders no longer tense. He seemed to think for a moment.
"You're upset because he went without you after you declined?"
Karin blushed. Well, when you put it that way…
Chad smiled. "I understand."
They reached the Kurosaki residence much too soon for Karin's taste. There was an awkward moment where Karin wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do.
This hadn't been a date, had it? It kind of felt like a date… He had walked her home and everything…
Karin took a deep breath. "So, I'll probably go back there for lunch again next Saturday and… maybe if you're free, you could do some more homework or-"
...
For two whole seconds, Karin's body felt like it was on fire. His lips left hers and he smiled that goofy smile again.
"I'll see you then, Karin." Chad gave a small wave and walked back the way they had come.
Karin pressed her fingers against her mouth and stared after him. Did he really just…
She slowly made her way up the front stairs, lost in thought, and almost ran into Ichigo as he was leaving the house.
"Karin, you're… back!" Ichigo stuttered, looking surprised. Then, he repeated himself, much louder, "Karin! How good to see you!"
There was a strange noise around an upstairs window. Karin looked up and saw the curtains in Ichigo's window rustling slightly.
If I didn't know better, I'd say it sounded like something just fell in Ichigo's window…
"Yuzu's been driving me nuts with her cleaning and stuff. Keep her out of my room, will you? I've got to go out." Ichigo ran a hand through his hair as he walked down the front steps.
She nodded absently, trying to avoid bringing attention to her red face.
"Oh, and Karin?" Ichigo turned around to face her. "I'm sorry about the soup thing. I forgot that I am not the only person who lives in this house!" His voice got louder as he finished his sentence and he was looking up at his window pointedly.
He's really lost it…
"Don't worry about it. The café was better anyway." Karin smiled at her older brother and hurried inside before he noticed the bright blush covering her face.