A/N: Warning, there will be a couple of spoilers! And I don't own Bleach.

He absolutely could not stand it.

Ichigo would sit by and bite his tongue, holding back a string of retorts to everything. Seriously, was he the only one alarmed by all of this? After all, his idiot of a father Isshin had no idea (or if he did he didn't show any indication whatsoever) and Yuzu would just smile brightly and giggle.

The first time Karin had brought him home, Ichigo had turned on him with his best death glare and spat out- "Toushirou...what the hell are you doing?" Heh, he'd only arrived as a friend, and the older brother had only been messing with him. But now he was seeing him a little more often...

After the whole incident with Aizen and Ichigo had lost his powers, he hadn't really had much to do except homework. One night, with his text books stacked at the kitchen table and his papers spread out haphazardly, he heard the door unlock. Brown eyes lazily peered up, his cheek cradled in his hand. The sight he was greeted with quickly made him perk up.

Karin stepped in, her soccer ball tucked under her arm, with him following. The 10th Division's Taichou, Hitsugaya Toushirou. His hands were buried in his pockets, his chin angled down, and his teal eyes appearing bored. His white hair was the first thing the ex-Shinigami Representative had seen. The younger lifted his gaze and met the stare of the older, not revealing anything suspicious.

"Karin...?" Ichigo had started slowly. "What's he doing here?"

She merely grinned at him. "You remember Toushirou, eh Ichi-nii? I offered him dinner, you know, since Yuzu loves to cook so much. You're okay with that right?"

Toushirou sighed deeply and Ichigo said nothing; just grunted and turned his attention back to his essay.

After all, this was just a second-time-thing.

Wrong.

Soul Society must have hated him. After all, why was it Hitsugaya and his team that always came to the World of the Living, more specifically Karakura Town, to check up on minor affairs?

The third time Ichigo saw the white-haired Taichou in his gigai was when he walking home one day. School had let out early, and he and Inoue were walking home together. And they just so happened to pass by the soccer field where Karin played often.

"Neh, isn't that Toushirou-kun?" Orihime stopped leaned forward a little to get a better look. Ichigo moved out of her way then followed her ashy gaze. "What's he doing here?"

Ichigo's mouth twitched.

Down below he saw Karin's team, along with her and a familiar midget. He'd heard that that had been how they first met, playing a game over a silly bet with bigger kids. And now that Karin had moved up to Middle School, she and the others had more control over the time on the field. Though how she'd gotten the stuffy Toushirou to join in a match was beyond him.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

Orihime's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he shrugged at her. "I dunno why he's here. Probably business with Hollow or something."

"So why would he be playing soccer?" she lifted a curious brow. "Oh, it's Karin-chan!" And she noticed him visibly tense. And she laughed. "Kurosaki-kun, you're so protective!"

Ichigo nearly fell over at her remark. "What?!"

"Are you worried Toushirou-kun will become the bigger man in your sister's life?" she teased playfully.

"Last I checked, I'm taller than him." His voice was flat, but wary.

Orihime only chuckled again and began to walk once more. "Trust her judgement! Karin-chan can pick her own men. And I'd say she's not done too bad of a job." She winked and Ichigo's shoulders slumped.

Not the last of it.

The fourth time Ichigo saw Toushirou in person was the night when fireworks were being shot off on the other side of the river. Yuzu had insisted she and her sibling go outside to watch. And so, Ichigo had obliged, leaving behind his mounds of books. Karin was out that night for some reason and Isshin had an appointment, so it was just him and the more soft-spoken of the girls.

Once they exited the house, Ichigo bent down and lifted his sister up unto his shoulder. She'd been surprised and yelped out "Onii-chan, what are you doing?!"

"You want a better view, right?" he asked like it was obvious. At this point, the orange-haired High School student had begun strolling down the street. People were emerging from their homes to get a look at the fireworks also. A few oohs and ahhs could be heard around every corner. Some belonged to Yuzu.

Eventually, Ichigo found himself wandering down closer by the river, her still balancing on his shoulders. From Yuzu's point of view, she realized just how strong her brother was, to be able to carry her so easily. She'd gotten a bit bigger with the progressing months, after all.

Along their little walk, Yuzu gasped softly from above, causing the other to halt. "What is it?"

"Is that Karin-chan?" his sister peeked down at him with a twinkle in her eye. This officially made Ichigo puzzled and interested.

"Where?"

Yuzu pointed and he followed her finger down the grassy slope.

Damn.

She was lied sprawled on the green ground with her arms behind her head as a sort of support or pillow. Karin's black hair wasn't in her usual ponytail (which she had recently acquired thanks to her sister's suggestions) and she wore a blue jacket zipped all the way up.

Of course it would be colder than normal. Not only was it a chilled night, but next to her lay that all-to familiar white head.

"Kuso, Toushirou!" Ichigo cursed.

But before he could move, Yuzu hit the top of his orange head. "Onii-chan, don't bother them! Karin-chan can take care of herself, you know. And look! I think they're having fun!"

That made him think.

When Ichigo took the time to actually observe them, he realized that Yuzu was right. Karin and Toushirou looked to be having a fairly good time as they relaxed, gazing up at the stars and the fireworks.

He noticed that the oh so clammed up Taichou was acting a little odd. Well, not odd, but different than usual. Ichigo couldn't place when last he'd seen him smile like that. But there he was, a smiling Toushirou. Not a big grin or expression of laughter, but a genuine smile where his lips barely angled up and his eyes were soft.

But the other sight was even better.

Karin had always been one to clam up a little, too. But as their conversation down there by the river bank proceeded, he could see that she was actually laughing and enjoying herself. And that...was something he'd wanted for her for a long time now.

"See?"

Ichigo smirked to himself. "Yeah, I see, Yuzu."

After a certain amount of time, Ichigo suddenly thought about how long it had been since he's last seen Hitsugaya. That, in his mind, was a little strange.

So he decided to question the Taichou's human friend.

"Karin?" he tapped his knuckles against the door frame to their room. Yuzu was out doing something (who knew what?) so it was just the black-haired girl inside. She was sitting at her desk with a pencil in her mouth, groaning down at some homework. "You busy?"

She lifted a brow at him and swiveled her chair to face him. "Naw, not really, Ichi-nii. What's up?"

Ichigo hesitated, but then tossed out the question. "Where's Toushirou been? Haven't seen him in a while. Is he back at Soul Society for a while?"

Big mistake. She froze as soon the boy's name left his big mouth. "...Yeah..."

"Hmm?"

Karin put her hands in her lap and spit out the pencil, which rolled along the floor for a moment. "He said he had stuff to do. Catch up on work, discipline his fukutaichou, train more, and some other crap."

She was hiding something.

After a long while of him just staring at her, Karin gave in with a heavy huff. "He couldn't stay any longer, or keep taking time off to come visit. I think whoever's in command was getting a little irritated with him slacking off." She glanced away, out the window. It may have been his imagination, but she seemed...hurt...

Ichigo walked over and sat on the corner of Yuzu's bed, putting his face closer to her's. Karin stuck out her lower lip as he invaded her personal space. "You need me to kill him for you?"

Then she snickered, putting a hand to her mouth. "Ichi-nii, there was nothing going on between us! Toushirou was just a friend, nothing more! Sure, I miss him a little, but there's no need to storm at him. The guy has a job after all."

And the subject was closed.

Closed at the end of that little fib.

Tsukishima was supposedly dead. So was Ginjo. And everyone was back to normal. Thank Kami.

Ichigo lied back on his bed with a thick breath. After the week's events, he really needed a load-off.

Short lived, naturally.

"Oi, Ichigo!"

At first, he didn't recognize the voice. But once the strawberry sat up and eyed the window, annoyed, he instantly knew. How could one forget that unsubtle appearance?

"Follow me," Matsumoto Rangiku whispered, a grin on her face. She seemed excited about something, but what? And the hell was she doing in his window?!

Before he could ask, she was gone. With clear exasperation, Ichigo pulled out his badge and leapt out of his body, leaving it on the bed, and hurried after her in his fully returned Shinigami form. It felt good, to have his powers back! The wind in his face as he shunpo'd across houses and buildings, the freedom.

Ahead, Rangiku stopped, crouched on a roof. She seemed to be hiding.

Ichigo tilted his head, but heeded her insistent beckoning, and crouched next to her once he landed.

"What are we-"

"Shh!" she slapped a hand over his mouth. "Just watch, baka!"

Befuddled at the cunning glint in her peeping eyes, Ichigo prided away her hand and 'watched'.

He was sorta glad he did.

With the sun going down in the dawn air, it was like something out of a movie. Below was his younger sister, Karin, a neutral emotion on her face. And next to her...

...was the all too known Hitsugaya Toushirou.

In the time they had all been apart, he's grown somewhat. His white hair was in a different style, and his face more chiseled. His eyes had narrowed slightly and he'd gained a little more height. Now he was actually taller than the girl next to him, which had to boost his pride a bit.

"He's walking her home," Rangiku murmured to him in a low tone. "Isn't that sweet?"

He glared at her and she giggled. Rangiku was the fukutaichou under Hitsugaya, and drove him insane. But sometimes Ichigo wondered if they had a different relationship than what he could see. Maybe like a prying mother-type figure or just a close colleague. Much like that Hinamori person was his sister. Anywhoo, it really didn't surprise the man that she would spy for the fun of it.

"How is that sweet?"

"Keep your voice down!" she hissed quickly. "And it's sweet because if you're not that blind you'd see they aren't just friends like they claim! Watch now!"

"You're talking loud."

"Whoops...!"

But she was right. Ichigo saw that they were on their street, Karin right in front of the Kurosaki Clinic. Toushirou stood next to her, his head down as always.

"Arigatou for walking me home," Karin told him, a mischievous glow plastered on her face. "Why'd ya do it?"

"You're welcome," Toushirou snapped at her remark. Then he calmed. "No problem."

The female turned away to go inside, but paused. Slowly, she spun around again. "What took you so long to come back? Why did you?"

He lifted his gaze awkwardly, his stature submissive. Really out of character for him. "Who knows?"

"I hate it when you say that," she replied softly, rolling her eyes. "Why?"

"Maybe...," he began, but seemed to lose his words. "I don't know, Kurosaki." A short moment of silence followed. His back straightened suddenly, as if the words had come back. "I promised I'd visit again, right? So I did. Good enough answer for you?"

"Nope," Karin decided, crossed her arms. "I want one last thing from you. Before you leave again, that is. Two things!"

"Hm?"

"First," she stated with an authority about her, "you have to vow to come back. And keep coming back. Got it? Or else I'll get bored without someone to pester. Plus you happen make a reliable teammate on the field."

"Fine."

"Second, you have to admit that you're a complete idiot who deserves to get his face beaten in and you have to apologize."

"What?!"

"Do it!"

"Give me one good reason!"

"'Cause if you don't then I'll tell Ichi-nii you broke my heart and send him after you."

At this, Ichigo went red in the face. But not as red as the poor Taichou. Even Rangiku flushed, barely holding down her fits of twisted laughter.

Finally, Toushirou gave in with a sigh. His bangs covering his eyes in a nearly embarrassed fashion, he muttered, "I'm a complete idiot who deserves to get his face beaten in."

"And?"

"I'm sorry for ever leaving."

"Say it again!" She must've been enjoying every second of this.

"I'm sorry."

Karin smiled wide, finally satisfied. "I know you are."

"Then why did I have to say it?!"

"It was funny," she shrugged like it was no big deal. "Now, if you break your promise I'll break your nose, got it? I missed you for some reason the last time you disappeared. And by the way, I forgive you for that. Thanks for apologizing."

What happened after that caught both of the concealed spies off guard.

"See you around, Toushirou," Karin said, smiling again.

As she was turning, Toushirou lifted his head, reached out, and took her by the wrist. She peered over at him curiously, but didn't get an explanation in words.

Instead, he planted a hesitant kiss on her cheek, before letting her go and stepping around so his back was to her. "Yeah. See you around."

Stunned. "Oh, hell no," Karin retorted once she'd recovered. "You wimp, look at me in the eye."

It took a little more persuasion, but Toushirou finally did what she asked.

Karin made the move.

Ichigo swore he almost died right then and there, when she kissed him fully on the lips. His whole body went numb and his stomach went into his throat. Especially when Toushirou returned the gesture.

Next to him, Rangiku was clutching her stomach in a failed attempt to keep from cracking up.

By the time Karin walked through the door to her home, Ichigo was sitting on the couch reading a magazine. He didn't look at her, but his neck hairs were on end and his cheeks were flushed. How dare Toushirou do that?!

"I'm back, Ichi-nii!" Why didn't she sound like what had just occurred didn't just occur?

"How was your night?" he managed as casually as he could.

"Alright" was her curt answer. He heard her open the fridge, then close it. Soon she was standing by him with a soda can in her right hand, her left on her hip. She dropped the cocky pose to pop it open, letting the fizzy sound die down before making another sound. "You okay, Ichi-nii? You seem tense."

He almost choked but didn't show it. "I'm fine."

She didn't seem convinced, but shrugged and began to head down the hall to her room. "Good then. I'll be in my room. I have some reading to do for school. Night."

He couldn't do it.

He absolutely could not stand it.

"Karin."

He heard her footsteps stop. "Yeah...?"

"You know I trust you, right?" No reply. "I trust your judgement. But if that bastard breaks your heart, it's just as you said. I'll hunt him down. You can count on me to support you. But if he makes you cry, just say the word and I'll kill him."

It was a few minutes before she said anything. But finally: "I know."

Ichigo thought she was gone and was about to relax when she spoke one last time.

"Tell our stupid dad and I'll send Toushirou after you instead of the other way around."

"Deal."

When the door closed, Ichigo dipped his head and smirked. Karin was growing up fast, eh? Oh well... That just made one more thing to protect to put on his ever-growing list.

A/N: Hey, me! So yeah, how Ichigo would react to a HitsuKarin relationship. My second Bleach story ever and first with this pairing. I'll understand any advice or even hate...:( But please review! Thank you!

-G-A;)

P.S. I noticed a few typos so I went back and edited it slightly:)