I don't own Bleach.
Sun-Bleached Streets Pt. 2
They are twenty-four and twenty-six. They fight again.
Karin and Toshiro are in the cafe in the apartment complex, deciding a quick morning brew would be a good start of a weekend.
"When are Rangiku and Gin going to get married?" she starts, tasting her sugary sweet latte, while Toshiro has his usual black.
"I don't think they are," Toshiro shrugs. "They don't believe in it."
"Oh. Well, they're practically married. I guess it doesn't matter. What about kids?"
"I'm not too sure. You think they're the children type?"
"Well, they were always there for you," Karin points out.
"That's true, but..."
"They're more the cool aunt and uncle type?" she finishes.
"Yeah," Toshiro agrees. He hears his ringer. "Hold on, quick work emergency."
He steps out, while Karin fiddles with her mug and looks out the window. She's deep in thought about how she's going to spend her free time when someone walks up to her.
"Karin?" The man is tall with shaggy black hair. It takes her a little bit too long to process who he is.
"Hisagi?" Karin's memories of him flicker.
Kitchen table,
hard walls,
sweaty floors.
"What are you doing here?"
He looks around. "Getting coffee?"
Karin rolls her eyes. "Ha ha."
"You alone?"
"No, with a friend."
"Ah, okay. I think I hear my order. See you around?"
"Yeah, it was nice running into you," Karin gets up for a quick hug. "See ya."
When Hisagi leaves, she can see Toshiro ambling in.
"Who was that?" he questions.
"A summer fling," Karin replies vaguely. Toshiro is about to say something, but Karin's phone interrupts him. "Sorry, I got a text from Grimmjow."
"Grimmjow?" Toshiro knits his brows. "You guys still talk?"
"On and off. Him and Nel broke up again," Karin answers offhandedly.
"Is there anybody you didn't sleep with?" Toshiro remarks under his breath.
"What'd you say?" She narrows her eyes at him, and he glares right back.
"Your summer fling guy, Grimmjow, that one guy that night I apologized to you, me. What's your number, Karin?" Toshiro sneers.
Her hands grip the cup harder, and she gets up. Karin is about to chuck her drink at him, but she puts it down and punches him in the jaw instead.
Toshiro nurses his mouth. "Are you calling me a slut? And the night you apologized to me? You mean Heita? I didn't sleep with him, and even if I did, what I do isn't your business, best friend." Her last words are intertwined with harsh sarcasm.
Karin turns around and steps towards the exit, but a force clasps her wrist.
"We're going to talk, Karin." He glances around the room, and all the gazes are directed at the duo. "But not here." He drags her out, and Karin jerks her hand away from his possession.
"I don't want to talk," she huffs like she's eight again.
"Karin, look," Toshiro scratches his head in frustration, and Karin's petty side feels accomplished. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I don't think you're a slut. It's just I want- no, I need to talk about what happened after the wedding. And you keep avoiding it. You act as if it didn't happen, but it did, and we need to talk about it because I can't do this anymore."
She nods because he's right. "Okay. Fine. Let's go back to my apartment."
...
"So talk," Karin closes the door behind her.
"I meant it when I said it, you know." Toshiro is watching her closely, and Karin squirms under his scrutiny.
"I... I know."
"Then why? If you don't love me back, just tell me. I need to know." He steps forward, and the space between them is too close for Karin's comfort. Her back hits the door, and she wishes he'd go back because she can smell his slight cologne, reminding her of that night.
"'Shiro, I don't- I don't..." Her eyes avert, and Toshiro traps her, placing his hands on the door next to her head.
"Karin, look at me. What do you think of me?" She faces him and absently wonders when she first had to look up to reach his eyes.
She thinks about their countless memories together.
"Well, you were my soccer coach."
Muddy shoes,
bruised shins,
blistered feet.
"I was."
"Remember when you were with my brother after I picked a fight with Jinta?" Karin gives a clumsy chuckle, though Toshiro remains stoic.
Vexatious failure,
injured pride,
unwanted protection.
"Yes."
"And when you figured out I had a crush on Renji?" she giggles at the remembrance.
Innocent affairs,
embarrassing affections,
envious recognition.
"Mhm."
"Late nights on the roof?"
Open communication,
clear connection,
calm intermissions.
"Yup."
"What about when I told you I loved you, and you disappeared?"
Desolate loneliness,
poignant loss,
independent mindset.
Karin ends her journey down memory lane. She stares back at Toshiro's piercing, unrelenting orbs.
There's a short stillness.
Then Toshiro moves his arms and takes a short stride back. Karin mentally thinks she can breathe freely again.
"Karin, what if I told you I loved you since I met you?" His query startles her.
"Huh? You were like, what, eight?"
"Seven."
"Well, I wouldn't believe you," Karin shakes her head in skepticism. "What does a kid know about love?"
"Okay, maybe I didn't love you then, but I think I did later on," he amends.
"I think?"
"I was jealous," Toshiro reveals. "Of Renji. I didn't like him because of you. I'm pretty sure."
"Pretty sure? But then you dated Momo."
"I didn't know then. I was stupid."
"Yeah, okay," Karin rolls her eyes. "Sure. And now you know?"
"I was jealous. I am jealous of Grimmjow."
"Grimmjow?"
"I get jealous every time you go on dates and get texts from other guys."
"Right," Karin nods, but disbelief is still apparent.
"I was jealous with your dates with Starrk. I was jealous at the wedding. When you danced and when you talked about Renji. I was jealous just now at the coffee shop." Toshiro gets closer as he goes on, and Karin is feeling more restless. "You make me jealous, and I hate it. I don't like the thought of you and other men. I want you all to myself. Why do you think that is?" Soon, he's back in his original position.
"Because... you love me?" Karin's voice sounds somewhat small to her.
"Yeah, I do, and I need you to answer me."
"I-I... 'Shiro, if I tell you 'I love you' back, this is it. You're stuck with me. I won't handle it if we break up."
"That's okay."
"You can't date anybody else."
"I know."
"You can't talk to anybody else."
"I know."
"You can't have se-"
"Karin, I know what I want. Do you?"
"I," she breathes in. "I love you, 'Shiro."
Toshiro smiles and leans in. They kiss, and this time Karin finally registers that his lips are cold. Not in a frigid, bleak way, but it's the kind of cold that's fresh like new snow and morning dew.
"I love you too."
Karin is twenty-four, and she faces her fears.
Karin is twenty-five, and they're together.
...
...
...
She invites Toshiro to a family dinner and announces the news.
"No!" Ichigo blurts, and his face disheartens.
"Ha!" Rukia appears to win something.
Karin and Toshiro are both confused.
"We made a bet. I said you two would date within the next two years of our wedding, but Ichigo said longer," Rukia explains.
"What'd you get?" Yuzu asks naively.
"U-uh, you know, a date..." Rukia flusters, her cheeks suddenly rosy.
Karin rolls her eyes because she can guess, and her brother still isn't the romantic.
"My last daughter left me!" her dad sobs.
"Goat-Chin, no one left you," she replies in a deadpan.
Toshiro sighs, familiar with these personalities. The Kurosaki family is something else.
...
...
...
"You were right, Yuzu," Karin mentions, helping her sister put away the dishes.
"Like I always am."
"I should just listen to you all the time."
"You're the live and learn type," Yuzu acknowledges.
"Damn straight," Karin grins.
"I had a feeling things would work out."
"Thank you. For always being there."
"You're welcome."
...
...
...
"So what is your number?" Toshiro is curious after their own romp. He's playing with her hair as Karin cuddles close.
"Well, let's see... Grimmjow..." She puts up her fingers as she names them. "Hisagi... A one night stand... Starrk... I also had a thing with one of my professors, but we didn't do anything."
"Who?"
"Kisuke. He was my history professor. I probably just liked his eccentricity, but it got too weird," Karin admits. "So... five? Including you. What about you?"
"Two."
"What? Just me and Momo?" she sits up from shock.
"Mhm."
"But... You're good in bed!"
Toshiro smirks, his ego boosted. "Thanks. Want me to show you how good?"
Karin scoffs, but she accepts his offer.
...
...
...
Karin is twenty-five, and she's not scared to love.
Yaaay! Sooooo... how was is? Thanks for some reviews last chapter! Much appreciated! Made me wanna update faster. :) Hope I'll hear from you guys again. Shout out to Rinusagitora for the continuous support!
I will do Toshiro's point of view, and it'll probably just be a long one, rather than split up in chapters like Karin's. I'm not sure. What do you think? Maybe I'll split it up into three parts... It's pretty lengthy. Okay, second option. I don't like how you don't know what he's really thinking throughout this story until near the end. We'll see if I can flesh out Toshiro. So far, I'm liking it. Please stay with me a bit longer.
