The Ride

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of it's characters. Though I do want a Toushirou plushie, and a Karin plushie...and they can play house.

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The noise was almost deafening. Around them humans laughed and cried out in both joy and terror. Music was the background, the grinding symphony a multitude of high pitched sounds from hundreds of speakers. Then there was the creaking, groaning and whoosh as bursts of air escaped the many metal monstrosities in the area.

The noise alone was not the greatest distraction, the greatest pain. The aroma of food, sweet and greasy, coupled with the odor of hundreds of bodies close together, sweating in the summer evening's heat, was enough to turn one's stomach.

The bodies themselves were overwhelming. While there was room to walk and patches of empty space, one had to always be on guard. None of the passer-by paid attention to where they were walking, too distracted by the food they held or the bright lights and music. There was no respect for personal space in this place. Where they stood now, five other people, all strangers, stood within an arms distance and were completely unaware of them.

It was giving him a headache, but he knew he must endure. Hitsugaya Toushirou, Captain of the 10th Division, would not back down from this challenge. No matter how pointless it seemed.

"It shouldn't be much longer Toushirou. I think we'll be on next!" Karin Kurasaki shouted. He sighed heavily, she was barely two feet from him and he could still barely hear her. He nodded though, and turned his gaze ahead, to the great beast they were waiting to board.

In his mind Toushirou admitted he was concerned. The metal monstrosity simply looked dangerous. It groaned as it began turning on it's axis, and the small cars spun freely. The passengers had only had a thin bar to keep them from being flung out of hard plastic seats. It was disconcerting, and he questioned his ability to rescue Karin should something go wrong. Speed would not be a problem, but agility might be as the gigai was restricting and it took precious seconds to free himself of it.

The ride began to slow, and then finally stop. One leg of the beast came down and two cars were unloaded. The former passengers appeared unsteady on their feet. He watched them stagger from the gates, and one young man turned his head away from the crowd. Toushirou frowned, realization dawning on him. He turned to Karin, who was talking to someone next to them in a serious voice. He focused on their conversation, trying to forget about the latest information he had just gathered on the contraption.

"You don't believe me? Ask anyone, he died on the Pirate Ship. Decided to stand up at the top, and just slipped out."

Toushirou stiffened, Someone had died on one of these contraptions? It had to be a rumor, and he turned to look at the beast before him. Then again...

The line had been moving forward, and he was aware that Karin was pulling him along. They had reached the gate, and the attendant was looking at them expectantly.

"8 tickets."

Hitsugaya looked at man for a moment, then felt Karin reaching into his back pocket. The tickets... Karin had made him responsible for their tickets. He batted her hand away and removed the small pieces of paper. He gave them to the man, and then hid a smile as Karin took hold his his arm.

She pulled him through the gate and to one of the orange cars. He stepped to the side, and then helped her in. She smiled at him, as he easily climbed into the seat beside her.

"Karin, are you sure this is safe?" He asked tentatively. She looked at him, and rolled her eyes.

"Toushirou! I've told you a hundred times, yes! Don't tell me that Captain Histugaya of the Gotei 13, and the youngest captain in the history of the Seireitei is afraid of a carnival ride?" Her voice was mocking, not teasing, but mocking, and he frowned.

"I am NOT afraid of this metal contraption Karin." He told her firmly, and she smiled at him.

I am NOT afraid of it! I'm concerned about the lack of control I have. Once we begin to ride, our fates are in the hands of that operator and the programming of this beast!

There was the sound of grinding metal, and the arm began to move upward. Karin laughed as the arm began to spin in a circle, riding hills up and down as it did so. The small car they sat it was still for a few moments, and as they reached the top of an arc Toushirou was given an amazing view of the city.

"If you think that's cool, wait till we ride the ferris wheel!" Karin said beside him. He looked to her and became very much aware of how close she was. The seat was small, and her body was leaning against his. She was warm, and beautiful. She amazed him. He lifted his hand a moment, and when he set it back down it was on top of hers. The action had been unintentional, but she had looked at him with those eyes. She didn't smile then, only turned away, but did not remove her hand.

His thoughts were lost then, as the arm of the beast swept down, and with it's force the small car began to spin. It caught Hitsugaya off guard and he gripped the bar tightly with one hand, the other immediately wrapping protectively around Karin.

She didn't seem to notice. The car spun again, a little fast this time. The ride was in full motion, and he watched Karin throw her head back, letting the feeling overtake her. In that moment he made a decision. He would enjoy this. There was nothing dangerous here that he could not over come, why not enjoy it just a little. That was why she had invited him, right?

So he followed her lead, and tilted his head back. The stars spun in the sky above him. Karin's body pressed against his, and his arm tightened around her. His stomach twisted as the beast spun them outward in a wide arc, and the car twisted in smaller circles. Karin's hands went up in the air, and his free arm did as well. She started laughing.

He could hear the other riders, cheering as their cars spun faster and laughing with the thrill of it. He didn't understand it, he did not think he wanted to. There was a freedom here. His hand went into the air again as the beast's arm began a downward stroke. Karin was giggling beside him, her hair flowing around his face. The feeling became overwhelming, and Toushirou laughed.

Elsewhere, two shinigami captain's stopped to listen. A young man's laughter echoed over the carnival, and Captain's Ukitake and Kyouraku smiled.

The ride slowed, and then came to a stop. Karin was breathing hard beside him, and he could see her head tilting with dizziness. He wondered if he looked as ridiculous, but dared not ask. The operator opened their car, and Toushirou was out before the man could offer Karin a hand. Rather, Hitsugaya did it instead. He stretched a hand a out to her, and she took it. She stepped down, and took a moment to steady herself, before he led them out of the gate.

They were sitting at a bench, sharing a stick of cotton candy, when she finally brought it up. They had been discussing techniques to beat the midway games when she had started to become quiet. It had surprised him, because he had been under the impression that she was having a good time. Certainly he was trying very hard to reach that goal.

They were both quiet for several minutes, until the last of the cotton candy was gone, and she left the table to throw the stick away. When she returned her expression had changed, and there was a soft pink blush to her cheeks. Toushirou thought briefly that it suited her, before clearing his head and addressing the change in her behavior.

"Is something the matter Karin? Are you well?" he asked her, reaching out to take her hand as she sat down. He felt slightly relieved when she looked at their joined hands and brief smile crept to her lips. It was quickly gone, and her resolve had returned. It was the resolve and stubbornness that he loved about her.

"Toushirou, you laughed...back on the ride..." she began, looking him in the eye. Daring him to deny it, challenging him to explain it. For his part, Hitsugaya did not outwardly react. His expression was a trained calm, but inside his mind began to race.

Of course I laughed. I enjoyed myself, am enjoying myself. Why would I not laugh? Could she think I was laughing at her?

She was watching him, and he knew that he would need to answer her quickly. He kept firm control over his voice as he spoke, "Yes, I did. Did this surprise you?"

Her eyes told him it was the wrong thing to say, and he didn't understand why.

"Obviously, or I wouldn't be bringing this up!" she told him, her voice annoyed. "It's just that you..." and here her resolve wavered. Hitsugaya had the distinct impression that there was an internal battle going on that he did not understand. "You...in two years, I've never heard you laugh..." she finished in a rush, desperate to keep her voice from betraying her emotions.

He pulled back a little, taking his hand from hers. In the two years that they had been friends he had never laughed around her? No, that wasn't right. He laughed when it was necessary or appropriate. Of course she must have heard him, she was around Urahara's Shop with her siblings often enough.

"I don't understand. Of course you've heard me laugh..." and his voice trailed off. Karin wasn't stupid, and as he said those words he became aware that he was still missing something. "Did it bother you that I laughed on the ride?" He tilted his head, looking at her with curiosity and concern. Perhaps he had misunderstood what she had wanted....

"Never mind Toushirou...it's no big deal." She just smiled and shook her head, "Hey will you grab us a couple of drinks. I'm thirsty!"

Hitsugaya took her change in attitude as a clear warning. It was time to change the subject. Rather than question her, he nodded and rose from the bench. He watched her look away as he headed through the crowd to a drink kiosk. His mind was swimming, unable to grasp what it was she had meant.

Karin sat alone. She scowled, placing her elbows on the table, her head propped on her hands. Her eyes followed Toushirou until he disappeared into the crowd, her mind going over the evening's events. She was shaken from her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Captain Ukitake smiling down at her. Just behind him was Captain Kyouraku.

"Oh! Hi!" she said, surprised. "Are you having fun?"

Ukitake smiled at her, "Our visit is quite pleasant, Kurasaki-san. More so now." She looked at him, confused. Kyouraku stepped closer to his friend, and into Karin's line of sight.

"Thank you, Kurasaki-san. Thank you, for helping him to laugh again. It is a sound many of us have missed." Kyouraku told her, in his smooth quiet voice. Karin just shook head, still a little confused. She did not have time to ask them what they meant, though. Ukitake had looked around then, and told her they had to take their leave. They were gone before she could form a response.

Moments later Toushirou returned with two drinks, and he sat down across from her at the table. He watched her, and she tried to keep her expression as neutral as possible.

"So, what did I miss?" he asked her, nonchalantly.

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End