Title: Odd Feelings
Author: Cloudy Moonshine
Rating: T
Summary: What would happen if Karin had stopped Toushirou before he returned to Soul Society? And what is this odd feeling he has when he sees her?
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. You would be able to tell if I did.
Inoue Orihime had been kidnapped. That much was sure in the mind of Hitsugaya Toushirou as well as his fukutaicho, Abarai Renji, Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika, Kuchiki Rukia, and, of course, Kurosaki Ichigo. However Soul Society didn't seem to understand as Ukitake reported the details of Inoue's disappearance. Toushirou knew when Renji requested to retrieve Inoue, it would be useless.
"Permission denied," boomed the old voice of Genryuusai Yamamoto. A sense of doom permeated the air; the feeling of hope for the rescue of Inoue Orihime was destroyed. He continued, "All members of Hitsugaya's advance guard must return immediately to help fortify Soul Society's defenses." Hitsugaya's eyes averted to the ground as despair emitted from the group at Inoue's home. He would have volunteered to stay in the human world, but, in Yamamoto-sotaicho's eyes, Soul Society held a higher priority.
"Are you telling us to abandon Inoue?" Rukia asked, eyes narrowing slightly at the thought, her voice rising as she asked the question on everyone's minds. Toushirou continued to gaze at the ground, knowing full well he would obey his orders.
"Exactly. The weight of one life cannot compare to that of the entire world." Toushirou knew Yamamoto was looking at him, but he refused to look up to confirm the fact that he would like nothing more than to help these people find Inoue despite his orders.
Rukia, however, stared at Yamamoto with an air of defiance. "Sotaicho-donno. I'm afraid I won't be able to obey those orders," Rukia responded, no trace of hesitancy found in her voice.
"As I expected. Fortunately, I anticipated that some of you might say as much and made special arrangements."
From behind, a white light shone upon them as multiple doors opened into the light of soul society. With his usual expressionless face stood Kuchiki Byakuya as well as Zaraki Kenpachi. Toushirou noted some reluctance on their retriever's faces, but it was well hidden.
"Taicho!" Renji exclaimed, looked back into the face of Kuchiki-taicho with a mild expression of surprise on his face. However it wasn't really surprising that Kuchiki was there. He always enforced Yamamoto's rules, though an exception was made in the case of his imouto, Rukia. That, however, did not affect his decision until the end when she almost died.
Kenpachi looked at their faces and spotted their rebelliousness, though he chose to ignore it. He said, "You heard him. Time to go back, guys."
"Don't resist. We've been ordered to take you back by force if necessary," added Byakuya, his gaze coolly looking down with his regular superior air.
"I understand. I won't ask Soul Society for any help. But, can you at least tell me how to get into Hueco Mundo?" Ichigo turned to Yamamoto-taicho, a determined expression on his face. "Inoue is my friend. I'll go save her on my own."
"No." The old taicho replied, eyes opening with a look that promised pain if disobeyed.
"What?" Ichigo looked around at his friends, but he found no support as everyone's eyes were looking away from him.
"We will need your strength in the upcoming battle. I won't allow you to act foolishly on your own and die like a dog. Wait until you receive your orders!" Ichigo's fist clenched, obvious anger in his expression. "That is all." The screen returned once more to black, as the face of the infuriating old man disappeared.
"Let's go." Kenpachi said as he turned around and walked back towards Soul Society.
"Matte!" a voice yelled out, confusion and comprehension evident.
Toushirou stopped in his tracks, all motive of leaving immediately through the door to Soul Society gone. His head slowly turned, his eyes opening wide. "You."
In the doorway surprisingly stood Kurosaki Karin. It was unknown as to when she had arrived, but sweat sparkled on her forehead, and her breaths came fast. Everyone would have guessed that she was there for Ichigo if not for the fact that her eyes were set on none other than Hitsugaya Toushirou. "What are you doing?"
All eyes turned on Toushirou, some questioning, though one fukutaicho knew and hid a smile behind her hand.
Blunt as ever, Toushirou replied, "I'm leaving. I have orders and no business in this world."
"You promised another game."
Byakuya turned his back on the scene, a hint of annoyance apparent on his face. "Let's go. Now, Hitsugaya-taicho."
Toushirou took orders from no one except Yamamoto-sotaicho, though occasionally he listened to Ukitake-taicho. However in this situation, he saw no victory in an argument. "Hai, Kuchiki-taicho."
He turned his back on Karin, slowly walking towards the light behind the gate.
"I can't believe you!" Karin exclaimed. "Are you going to leave your friends behind just because you have orders? Will you listen even if you know they are wrong?"
Toushirou replied emotionlessly, "I am a captain. It is my job to take my orders without argument."
"Look at me and say you don't care."
Toushirou, for some reason unknown to him, turned around to look once more at Karin. "I don't—"his throat constricted. He saw her determination and defiance. She was willing to do what she thought was right, even stop a taicho and show him what she knew was right. And another feeling, odd and fluttery, kept him from saying the words that could possibly hurt her. He breathed a sigh. "Fine, I do care. What do you expect me to do about it?" He felt several gazes lock on him but chose to ignore them.
"Hitsugaya-taicho." Of course, Kuchiki would try to threaten him.
He chose to ignore this as well.
"Well?" he asked, his attention fully on Karin.
"Don't give up, that's what I expect you to do. You may be a captain, but you're Toushirou first."
His face looked at her with calm indifference. Of course, inside was another story altogether. His duty was to listen to his superiors. But…then again, he never did do something he disliked.
He sighed. Why couldn't life be this simple? Only following one's own moral justice? Screw Soul Society for now but "I will return to Soul Society." He heard Ichigo cursing him in the background, but he only looked at Karin, willing her to understand his real plan. She looked angry at first, but slowly calmed down. He gave a small smile before turning and swiftly walking back to soul society. What an odd feeling this was... what could it be?
Toushirou laughed as Rukia and Renji beat Ichigo up.
"Why didn't you wait for us? We were going to come back!"
"You shouldn't have left for Hueco Mundo without us!"
The smile on his face slowly faded away. Yamamoto-sotaicho was probably cursing the whole group. This action could only be seen as treason from the view of Soul Society. He sighed. He would have to take sole responsibility for these subordinates.
"Yo shorty, you're here too?"
He felt himself tense up, ready for a smart-ass comment to leave his mouth. Instead he smiled. "Same old idiot, huh Kurosaki?" The met each other's gaze. Toushirou turned away, asking, "How was she after I left?"
"Happy, I guess. It's hard to read her sometimes."
"Good. Let's go."
"Are you coming back after this is over?" Ichigo asked, eyes demanding an answer. If it wasn't for the fact that Kurosaki was Karin's sister, Toushirou would have completely ignored him. But since that wasn't the case...
"I don't know. First let's save your friend."
Ichigo grinned. "I knew I could count on you, shorty."
"Shut up."
"So you came back?" Her back eyes bore into his own, tearing his soul open for her eyes to see.
"Hai."
She smiled. "Up for a game?"
Toushirou looked at her straight in the eye. "Why did you stop me that time? You should have known you were endangering yourself by moving against Soul Society."
Karin smiled. "Hey, I have you to protect me. What do I have to worry about?"
Toushirou leaned in, face inches from hers. That feeling was there again, and it urged him to make his move. "Maybe this." A little hesitant, he moved forward, capturing her lips with his own. After a couple of seconds, he moved back.
Karin was smirking when he looked back at her face. "Is that the best you can do, Toushirou? You should stick to soccer."
He smirked back. "Believe me I can do better than that."
They continued on for a few more minutes, this time Toushirou left Karin breathless. Karin said, trying to breath normally, "Boy, Toushirou, you do all or nothing, don't you?"
"What can I say? I am the best after all." They grinned. Maybe this odd feeling wasn't so bad after all.