Note: This is for the traditional weekend challenge for Ichigo's birthday over at lj-com: kurosakiclinic. This particular fic is a response to lj-user: idiosyn's challenge: Ichigo meeting Karin or Yuzu's first boyfriend.

No spoilers, though the pairing may hurt your brain.

–

Karin was daydreaming.

Ichigo was pretty sure of it, never mind that he knew Karin wasn't one prone to ridiculous fancies. This Karin, however, wasn't the spunky little sister he knew. This Karin was going around the house in a distracted fashion, absently pushing away her hair from her face and uncomfortably adjusting the new skirt she and Yuzu had gone out shopping for yesterday.

Karin. Shopping. For a skirt. The world was coming to an end. (Not that the world didn't seem like it was going to end every other week lately, but that really was beside the point.)

He pulled off his headphones, pushing his homework aside. It was a bad idea trying to do it in the living room anyway. "Oi. You're going out somewhere?"

"Karin-chan has a daaaate," Yuzu chirped. Ichigo sputtered, but couldn't quite manage a get out a word.

Karin glared at the both of them. "No, silly. Just going to go watch a movie. It's not a date."

"Then it's a date!" Yuzu protested. She turned to Ichigo, who had managed, somehow, to put up a proper poker expression and pretend he was the cool older brother who trusted his sisters to do the right thing and heck he wasn't going to find and give a good talking to –- a damn good one – to whoever that was taking Karin out. "That's what people do when they go out, right, oniichan?"

"How the heck would I know." Well. Maybe something a little more than just a damn good talking to.

"It's – it's a horror movie! With zombies and all! And that's hardly romantic and date-like, Yuzu."

"Then you can cuddle during the scary parts, right, Karin-chan?"

"Shut up."

Ichigo's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. He didn't like the sound of that at all. "Oi, oi! Little kids don't go out on dates." Both of the girls ignored him. "It's not one of those punks you play ball with, is it?"

"I think I'll change into something else," Karin muttered, going up the stairs.

"But Karin-chaaan! You look really pretty already!"

"It's the skirt, isn't it? It's too . . . girlish."

"Karin-chan!"

He was still trying to argue on why Karin going out on a date was a bad idea, but the twins just continued their conversation as if he wasn't there as they headed back to their room.

That was quite un-enlightening, thank you very much. Maybe it was their crazy idea of a joke? He wondered what the old man would say about the whole thing . . . remind them to use protection and stay safe, maybe. Just thinking about that made Ichigo feel like gouging his eyes out and staying in his room. Forever.

He was just contemplating on doing just that when the doorbell rang, and Ichigo opened it to see Chad standing there, flowers in hand. " . . . Ichigo."

"Chad, come in. Were we supposed to have a study group meeting today? Why didn't you remind me yesterday?"

"What's with the flowers?"

"Sado-kun!" Yuzu came bounding down the stairs. "You'll have to wait a while for Karin-chan. I'll get you a drink. Do you want one too, oniichan? She's worried that her outfit is not. . ."

Yuzu's voice trailed off as she headed into the kitchen, and Ichigo was left staring at his best friend.

"No. Fucking. Way." Chad simply shrugged. "You're going out with my sister?"

" . . . She asked me to go with her to a movie."

"You know I'll have to kill you for this, don't you?" Another shrug from Chad. Karin came out of nowhere and darted past Ichigo and out the door, taking the flowers from Chad with a brilliant smile.

"Let's go now, before Ichi-nii has a fit or something." She glared again at Ichigo, which silenced him for a moment. "Bye Yuzu!"

"You are so dead," Ichigo told Chad, who raised a hand in farewell.

Yuzu waved them away happily, and Ichigo just watched with a stupefied look as Karin dragged Chad after her. "Oi, Yuzu. Don't tell me you're dating Ishida or something like that."

"Ishida? Oh, the one with glasses? He's no fun. Asano-kun, on the other hand . . ." she disappeared into the kitchen, laughing.

Ichigo stared after her, stricken. It was going to be a very long few years.