Hi(: Alright, I'm sorry this took so long to complete but I kept adding, then taking out then adding until i got this(: I hope you like it!
oh and bleach isn't mine T_T


Almost


Toshiro walked to the railing as he always did, donned in casual human clothes of dark jeans, with a pale blue shirt under a black hoodie and converse. He was bored with the lack of hollows recently, but the break was good, and well deserved. Toshiro was at the railing; he'd rather be doing paperwork at this point, but instead he looked to the sun and the first thought in his head was... Karin? What? No. He usually thinks of his childhood, the good memories in Rukongai with his grandma, when everything just wasn't so complicated, filled with war. Truthfully they were the only things that he really kept dear anymore. To avoid any further unreasonable thoughts, he pulled out his Soul Phone and began to write his report.

"Hey, Toshiro" came a distracted voice a while as he was just about finished. He turned to see Karin with something in her hand. It was cube, all of the 6 faces were covered by colorful stickers, white, red, blue, orange, green, and yellow. It seemed to pivot, letting each face turn, mixing up the colors. He looked at the puzzle, with mild interest... well his interest was in Karin's face of concentration. He had to hold back a smirk.

She looked at the toy with more focus then it seemed to need, with her tongue sticking out in the slightest, and her cheeks puffed slightly to show how irritated she was getting more and more with the device. She wore black loose shorts that ended at her knees, with a purple tee under a black tank top, and her running shoes.

"That is...?" he said, in a bored monotone. He stared at the device still twisting and turning it.

"It's a Rubik's cube," she said, her eyes not tearing away from the it, while she kept on alternating colors. She finally looked up to him, and saw his still expecting face. He didn't get. She shook her head and sat beside him on the railing, "It's a puzzle, you have to get the same color to a face of the cube. Get it?"

He didn't say anything but kept staring at it, as she continued to try and break the puzzle. He didn't understand why she was so.. entertained by the stupid toy. It looked like any body could solve it.

"It looks easy." he quirked an eyebrow putting away his Soul Phone. She stopped and stared at him with an 'Oh really?' look in her eyes. He glared back at her, continuing their unspoken argument. She narrowed her eyes, and pushed the object into his hands.

"Then you try it genius." she then crossed her arms and turned her head away from him stubbornly, but of course she peered back out of the corner of her eye. He observed the object in his hand before handing it back to her.

"You can't be serious. It's a simple, human.. toy." he emphasized, with a hint of offense in his voice. He was not going to waste his time on such effortless thing. He was a captain, and had better things to do.

Would you like to explain why you're here then, oh so busy master? Hyourinmaru's voice rumbled in the back of his subconscious. As he pushed the voice of his more talkative dragon even further back, he noticed Karin was responding.

"...shouldn't be hard should it?" she challenged, once again forcing it into his hands. He rolled his eyes and stared at the object in his hand. He looked at it, examining each of the colors before actually beginning to twist and turn it in many orders. Turn left, down, right, up, left again, no right, down, no the other one... down... but then the orange... blue... yellow.. up red... but right white... no wait...

It felt like it was going on for hours and hours, and yet there was always one sticker that didn't make it, or a side that just didn't belong, until he was just twisting it in any random order as if it would solve itself by pure coincidence... what? It was possible. 'Of course its harder then it appeared. Humans are never what they appear!' he thought in aggravation, not noticing Karin's amused eyes still watching him. Karin couldn't help herself, she started laughing.

"Whats so funny?" he said in annoyance, ready to coat the irritating puzzle in his hands in ice.

"Your face!" Karin continued to laugh, "You look like your putting all your focus on it"

"Oh shut up," he grumbled, holding up the Rubik's Cube, "This thing is evil."

"That's what I said when Yuzu showed it to me." she said, taking a grab for it, but he held it away. Obviously he didn't want to be outsmarted by it. Then a smile stretched her face, "I thought you said it was easy." she mocked playfully.

"It is." he retorted.

"Then why isn't it done?"

"..." she only laughed at his non-response.

"You will never solve that puzzle." she said shaking her head. She turned her view to the sun in front of them, not seeing Toshiro's face of offense.

"I can." he muttered. She raised an eyebrow and turned back to him. Was he really challenging her on this? Her deep onyx eyes, with a glint of purple he noticed, gazed as his teals eyes. No. He wasn't one to back down that easy, even if it was something so small.

"Cannot." It turned to more than that.

"Can to." his eyes didn't move from hers.

"Cannot." It had become a stubbornness that was born in him. Something that was always used to push him, tell him he wasn't good enough.

"Can." but that never stopped him. He wasn't going to waver.

"Cannot!" So many clues. Just what is with him?

"Can!" Just what is she? Why must he continue to prove himself, especially to her?

"Cannot!" She pushed just a little bit more. It was not that she wanted to see him break. Of course not. She wasn't that sadistic. But pushing him, made him stronger. Overall she couldn't believe how she gets all this from a simple glance.

Or that he's getting this mad over a puzzle.

"Karin!" He couldn't believe he was being dragged into this stupid argument! But her smile grew. She wasn't going to push her luck with it, but an idea set in her mind. It was simply too much fun to push his buttons, "Fine, we'll make a bet." she suggested, "If you don't have the Rubik's Cube solves by tomorrow I win, if you do, you win." she said, and Toshiro didn't like the sadistic gleam in her eye. Toshiro always used his logic, and right now it was waving a little red flag signaling for him to refuse. When he was about to, something came to him: There was no logic for Kurosakis. One more look at her. Especially this Kurosaki.

"Depends." he said, testing the waters. That little voice was getting weaker and weaker the more he stared at her, "What are the stakes." It was a statement.

Karin had an idea about what she wanted him to do. It was something she'd wanted to know... well more hear, for a while. But Just to get him to do it would not only be embarrassing, but also from what she could tell private. It was his life. A solution came to mind. It was perfect! It would be a double win! (Considering she won of course)

Deciding to take the risk she spoke. "How about... The winner can dare the loser to do ONE thing, and the loser HAS to do it." Karin suggested. He looked away from her as he considered, for wasn't quite sure. It felt like she could read him all to well. The only reason she's say something like that was if she wanted him to do something in particular... she had something planned. Or was he simply over analyzing the situation. This particular consequence was a common one... Then there was the possibility if he won. 'If I win I could make Karin do anything.' he thought. Toshiro studied Karin. She was there waiting for an answer. 'There's no telling what she could make me do.' the little red flag popped up again..

"Come on, are we betting or what." she asked, tilting her head and putting her hair behind her ear. At that moment he was color blind to the flag, and his troublesome thoughts faded.

White flag.

"Fine. Deal." he stated sharply. She held out her hand to him, and he grasped it as she spoke.

"Deal!" she smiled, that devilish smile as the continued to shake firmly. "It's a bet." When his hand pulled away from hers and rested back beside him, he couldn't help but wonder at the certain emptiness it felt. She swung her legs to the other side of the railing, and stood stretching.

"Leaving?" he asked, once again turning to her. He glanced at her, her hands high above her head that nodded stiffly. He turned back and tried to solve the Rubik's Cube. She looked over his shoulder to the cube in his hands. His determination was set. But she wanted to win the bet. A set of nervousness set in seeing him working on it, and it was certainly possible he would solve it. He wasn't a captain for anything, and on top of that a child prodigy.

She rested her head on his shoulder to look at the Rubik's cube in his hands which stopped mid-turn with her sudden contact. He didn't notice she was this close until her chin rested on his shoulder and he breath on his neck. "Don't hurt your self." she said teasingly, before picking up her head and turning away. At least he managed to hold back his chills until she was turned away.

I didn't know she'd use that...he heard Hyourinmaru say in slight shock in his mind.

'Note to self' he thought to himself, deciding to head back to Orihime's house and stuffing the cube in his pocket, 'Karin can be scary'


Arguing with Myself

...He did it. Toshiro looked at the completed Rubik's Cube in his hand as if it held the answer to everything he would ever need. He looked to the clock that read: 3:50 am... Toshiro stared at the clock and shook his head to look at the stupid little toy.

Yes he still considered it stupid. Whether or not he completed the Rubik's Cube, he didn't care, but that look on Karin's face.. he didn't know why he gave in so much. Toshiro put his head in his hands remembering the childish arguments of 'Can! and Cannot!'. He might as well be crying in front of the rest of the Gotei 13. They all baby him enough.

He lifted his head. "This is your fault, you know." he muttered to the cube. "Stupid toy. Yes I'm telling a toy it's stupid, Kami, I'm going insane." he said laying back in his bed in Orihime's extra room and placed the cube on his bedside table. He looked up to the ceiling, his hands behind his head.

Even at 3.. he looked at the clock... 4 in the morning he just couldn't sleep. 'Karin's the one who gave me the damned cube.' he thought as he sat up, knowing fully well he wouldn't get a good night's sleep 'Why am I thinking about her anyway?' He ran his fingers through his hair. Toshiro would never admit it, but... he had grown to attached to this girl. When it would come time for him to leave for good... he didn't know. Would he miss her? Would she miss him? For the second time that night, he ran his fingers through his hair and breathed a deep sigh.

Deciding to give his mind a rest, he lay back on the small bed once again, hoping that drowsiness would come over him.

No such luck.

His eyes then rested on the little cube, his mind wandering back to when she gave him the Rubiks cube. And the dare came to his head, the advantage of making Karin do whatever it is he wanted.'I have to dare her to do something...' he thought and he searched through his mind for something...

She could...

Toushiro realized. He had nothing. After spending hours and hours on the infuriating thing, he couldn't come up with a single thing. 'I'm sure you can come up with something master...' Hyorinmaru said.

Your talkative... Toshiro thought in his head closing his eyes, And I shouldn't even have this bet with her. I shouldn't even be talking to her, she's a human.

You feel content with her master. It has been a long time that this world has been at peace... he stated calmly before adding with a hint of teasing, and you are actually normal for once!

Thanks. Toshiro thought sarcastically but knew the truth behind his zanpakuto's words.

You know it's true. Hyourinmaru said, And besides she practically performed a miracle.

And that would be..?

She made you act your age! the ice dragon chuckled which resembled a deep rumble.

She made me act like a child.

You are a child! And before the white haired taicho could retort, he continued, And you can't lie there and tell me that you didn't enjoy being around her. With that Toshiro was silenced and the ice dragon's point was made. See? You shouldn't push things away that make you happy... Toshiro then lost contact with his zanpakuto.

He pulled the covers over him, pushed off the comforter, leaving the thin sheets to cover him. Toshiro closed his eyes muttering, "Stupid Dragon."

His lullaby for that night was Hyourinmaru's deep chuckle, for Toushiro came up with the perfect dare for Karin...


Bets Are On!

Karin hated blushing; she refused to blush. Yet it took a lot of will power to keep that embarrassing trademark off of her face as the walked.. okay stumbled... down the rocky path of the park across from there school with Toshiro. It was the school festival Yuzu, and her friends and well everyone in their school has been putting together and waiting for with little patience. To welcome the oncoming spring. As so the park was filled with beautiful flowers and ones just about to bud.

There were stands with people selling snacks and little toys, some were games that younger children were lining up for. Many people were there seeing as it was required for each student to attend for at least an hour and a half, and many classmates stared at her. The blush was being harder and harder to suppress. Karin came ever so close to yell at people to 'mind their own damn business and stop staring'.

The root of this predicament, this migraine provoking problem was none other then the person strolling along beside her as if the world was just how much she wished to hit him with the nearest blunt object across the face.. anything to get rid of that smirk.

She lost the bet.

"I hate you," she said through clenched teeth.

She couldn't believe she lost the bet... for something so stupid.

His smirk only grew into more of a smile. That was the 11th..."I mean I really, really hate you, Toshiro." ..12th time she's told him how much she hated him. And although the first time it stung a bit. But he guessed, she'd get over it eventually, or at least he hoped he would. But even if she didn't, this was payment enough.

"I know." he said, indifferently as he continued to walk along the park path with her in his black converse. He dug his hands deeper in his black jacket pockets, open over a loose light blue shirt what matched his eyes and khaki pants. Not that she cared what he wore. No really what really concerned her mind was was she was wearing!

That very morning he showed her the Cube, and told her the dare. Karin could not believe she was doing this. She could have bought him something, she could have been his slave for a day... but no. Karin had to... 'Wear a dress all day, with make up, heels and a purse.' were his exact words. 'You have to be a girl for a day.'

Karin tried to find a loophole, and of course she did, which unfortunately was solved by Yuzu mentioning that Karin had to attend the stupid school fundraising festival. And so Karin couldn't stay locked in her room. Another loophole was filled when she defended she didn't own a dress. She had to borrow one from either Yuzu or Rukia.

Because of Yuzu's extensive love of picks and yellows, Karin picked from Rukia's closet. It was light blue mainly, and a dark blue color on the top. It landed just on her knees that displayed Karin's long soccer legs, Toshiro didn't know she had. That is of course until he saw her.

The minute he had seen her his stomach flipped. Her hair was up in a simple pony tail with some strands that couldn't be held up, curled to make gentle waves as they fell beside her face. All of which was completed by a bit of blush, eyeliner, mascara, and other make up she couldn't remember, or bothered to remember. When they said 'Beauty is pain' she figured out was true when she set foot in also learned the meaning of that particular saying when Karin hit him with her purse for staring at her for too long before storming out of the house.

But what surprised him the most, was that even through this dare, she held her head up. Besides the constant remarks of her hating him, you would think that she dressed as such everyday. He saw how she stumbled every so often with her heels, or had to hold back touching her face in case of smudging her make up. Hell if she was going to have to wear it, she might as well wear it right. But though it all she never questioned it once. She didn't complain.

After stumbling once again, he led her to a bench to sit down. Karin had already completed her part for her class, and so they were about to walk back to her house. "Bet's off." he said as she sat down.

"What?"

"The. Bet. Is. Off." He said clearly. She rolled her eyes behind her longer, darker eye lashes while she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I heard what you said, Sherlock." she said watching him as he sat beside her. His gaze never met hers but watched as people pass "I mean why." she said. He still didn't look at her as he shrugged. Karin did what she wanted to do in the first place, but with not quite as much vigor as she had wanted to prior. She hit him. "What the hell was that for?" he finally turned to her, rubbing his arm where the punch landed.

"Look," she said, "I lost the bet. Don't pity me." She narrowed her eyes at him. If this didn't aggravate her enough, it was certainly pity that did the trick.

"I don't pity you, the bet if just off alright?" he stated, wishing to drop the subject. Toshiro turned away from her once again as he crossed his arms with Karin still staring at him. People passed as silence set in, the sounds of laughter and people's conversations mingling in the air as background noise. "Will you stop staring at me?" he said, in an annoyed monotone. At that she smiled.

No it wasn't pity. It wasn't that she couldn't do it. There was no need 's done her part, he'd done his. Everything was paid. He wasn't going to make it a living hell. Take pictures and blackmail her for the rest of her life. He wasn't. And she smiled.

Karin stood up from the bench with a sigh, the smile never leaving her face. He couldn't stop his eyes from glancing at her. "Well come on, we're not just going to stay here throughout the whole festival, are we?" he couldn't do anything but observe her. What was with her? One minute she is questioning him, hitting him... the next she has a smile and is inviting him. She is so confusing, so aggravating, annoying, childish and..

"Come on!" she said holding out her hand to him so he could stand.

Bearable. Understanding. He took it, and stood up with her. And endearing.

She ignored the clothes she wore, the pain of her feet, or the surprised faces of those who saw her. Although she noticed they were talking about who she was with rather then what she thought before.

And in the back of her head all the wanted to do was laugh as a thought flashed through her head of the 'finished' Rubik's cube, with only one side containing all blue colors, while the other 5 sides were a jumble of colors, that Toshiro had to proudly displayed that very morning. He almost makes me want to tell him he didn't do it right. she thought.

'Almost...'


So what do you think? Sorry I took so long, internet and school is so busy, and high school is fun :D This one is for Meteor Leopard who helped me with this idea!