So, my finals are finally over and my winter break has begun, so to celebrate, I bring you this new (and longest) chapter! It feels good to be free :D I've been working on this since the last update, if you can believe it. That's right - 3 months. To let you know, the next one is only one-fourth of the way done, though I'm not making any promises to update quickly...But I'll try my best!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.


She huffs as she drops her bag on the pavement next to his borrowed car.

"That's everything," she announces, and he nods, already heading for the back of the vehicle to open the trunk after taking the bag in hand. Another bag is hanging from his shoulder. In the meantime, a blubbering Isshin, tears streaming down his cheeks, stumbles over to her.

"Oh, my baby," he sobs, rubbing at his tears with his arm. "Going so far away from home, on your own, without your Daddy to show you the ropes."

"Oh, can it, old man," she snaps, clenching her teeth. "I put up with this speech last semester. And I'm only a half hour drive away."

Ichigo, rolling his eyes, pushes his father out of the way to ruffle his baby sister's hair.

"Take care of yourself," he grunts before wandering over to stand by the wall of the house. Rukia, who had been right behind him, gives Karin a reassuring pat on the arm before following her boyfriend. A bubbly Yuzu bounces up to her next.

"Have fun, Karin-chan," she chirps, throwing her arms around her twin. Karin sighs – though her eyes soften – and pats her back.

"I will," she replies softly. "And you, work hard." Yuzu bobs her head happily. He's heard from Karin that since her teenage years, she's been working for a sweet, old woman who owns the bakery down the street. Since her motherly employer has no living relatives close by, she's marked in her will that she would like Yuzu to inherit it, who had gladly – and tearfully – accepted the offer.

Thump!

He slams the car trunk, calling attention to himself from the rest of the family.

"I'm done," he informs them, and she detaches herself from her sister.

"Great." With a grin, she strides over to the passenger side, and he to the driver's. Before getting in, she turns back one last time.

"See you this weekend," she calls over, throwing a glare at her father for being so overdramatic. Then, she clambers in and the two shut their doors before adjusting their seat belts and driving away.

"Finally," she sighs, stretching back into her seat and sighing. "They make such a fuss. I mean, I understood the first time last year, but you'd think we'd get over that seeing as how this is my second time leaving now."

"You come home in between every semester?" he asks, smoothly turning at an intersection.

"Yeah. And the weekends, and the holidays, and whenever Otou-san goes on one of his crying jags and starts visiting me every night at three 'just to hear the sound of my precious voice.'" She rolls her eyes heavily. "He wasn't this crazy when Ichi-nii went off to college."

"Yes, but you're his youngest little daughter," he teases. She punches his arm, grinning.

"What about you?" she wants to know. "Don't you have school?"

"I've already finished," he replies smugly. She lurches towards him in surprise, her eyes wide.

"No way!" she cries. "You're only a couple years older than me, and I'm turning twenty this May."

"Accelerated program," he explains simply, keeping his eyes glued to the busy road. "The college I went to had a prestigious art program, and they let me earn credits at my own pace, which was obviously very fast, as well as giving me permission to leave class early for my piano playing. Or, as they liked to call it, my special circumstances. It only took me three years."

She whistles low in admiration. "Damn. Wish I played an instrument."

He smirks but doesn't say anything.

"So, what did you study?" she asks curiously.

"You do realize, Karin," he says slyly, "that if you're going to ask me facts about myself, you'll have to return the courtesy."

She glares at him and protests, "No fair! I already promised you one for today, didn't I?"

"It's only fair," he argues. Although she stomps her foot, he soon hears her sigh in defeat.

"Oh, all right. We'll exchange this time. Happy?"

"Very. So, of course I studied music. Music appreciation, composing, the mediums, practicing. I dabbled in the other arts too, though."

"Like what?" she wants to know, and then chuckles. "I don't see you as much of a dancer."

His lips twitch up despite himself. "Writing," he remembers. "I've always found words to be full of expression. Design, like architecture, though only briefly. More of the quieter arts really." He flickers his eyes over to her. "And you?"

"I'm studying law," she replies promptly. "Unfortunately, I don't get special treatment like some freaky geniuses, so it'll take me the full three years." He smirks at her bitter tone.

"You realize your problems would be solved if you were just a genius yourself?" he teases, and she pretends to look insulted.

"Why law, though?" he asks.

She shrugs. "I don't really know," she answers thoughtfully. "I guess losing my hearing made me open my eyes to the world. It's not perfect. When I was in the hospital, I saw a lot of horrible things happening to the patients who all have their own stories of injustice. And now I know how unfairly people with disabilities can be treated, and it's just not right."

She definitely has a strong sense of justice. He's known that for a long time, especially by the way she gets so heated when speaking of something being unfair to someone else. It suits her, becoming a lawyer.

"You'll be wonderful," he assures her, and she grins.

"Thanks. But I still have two years to go."

"You waited a year after high school, correct?" he asks, smoothly turning into her university's street.

She nods. "It took me a while to feel like I was ready for college," she admits. "I mean, I was already so uncomfortable with going to high school, even after I learned about you, so I had to adjust to the idea."

"Me?" he picks out of her answer.

She laughs. "Yes, you. I never told you, did I? That your piano is what made me finally stop pitying myself and learn to put my life back together. I was just sad before that, and I was completely okay with destroying my future until you inspired me not to."

"How so?" he wants to know, in awe. He'd never known how profound his impact on her had been.

"I mean, you were so young, but so famous and talented. It made me feel a little inferior, to be honest," she admits begrudgingly. "I realized I was the one putting limitations on myself, and that was not something I was proud of."

"Hmm...That stubborn pride definitely sounds like you," he teases, and she punches his arm again.

"Oh, shut up!" she retorts, though she's laughing as they turn into the campus's parking lot.

When they arrive, he parks in a lot, cutting off the ignition. The two grab a suitcase each from the back, and then they begin the trudge to her dorm. The building is just a plain structure, standing not too high and not too proud. Her university is small, focusing only on her choice of career, and so the amount of students they see is next to none. He feels at peace as he takes in the barren, quiet surroundings, and thinks that if he had ever had a chance to go to school with her here, it would have been the most wondrous experience.

"Sorry, Toushiro," she says as they enter the girls' dorm, "but there are no elevators. We're gonna have to walk up the stairs."

He shrugs and leads the way, not very much bothered by this fact. The town he grew up in is similar, with nothing too grand to attract much attention. Well, not until it was discovered that he was a musical genius and reporters flocked immediately after. Though some had been awed by the experience, there had been many who hadn't bothered hiding their irritation by it.

"Well, here it is," she announces dramatically, gesturing to a small, wooden door tucked in the corner of a hallway. "Not the most exciting place in the world," she continues with a grin as she unlocks it, "but it's all right. Though I may be a bit biased." And she laughs as they enter.

He grunts with approval at first sight, though she doesn't know it. It's a small space, but he likes the simplicity of it. There's not much inside, but that seems to suit Karin. However, one thing catches his eye; there's a picture frame hanging on the wall across the room, and he takes note of Karin with another girl, short with brown hair.

"That's my roommate," Karin explains once she sees him examining it. "Kiyone. She's not around a lot, though, so I don't know when you'll get to meet her. Her house is close, so she stays with her family a lot. You remember her sister Isane? She was at the wedding, though Kiyone was sick and couldn't make it. Their family is friends with Nanao-san and Kyoraku-san too."

He nods carelessly, still a little mesmerized by the radiant smile on Karin's face in the picture. He finds himself approving of this Kiyone, if she can make her smile like that. It's...different from the way she smiles around him, though he can't quite place why. But just as beautiful, of course.

"Well, come on," Karin suddenly says, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him in. He has just enough time to shut the door behind him. "Don't just zone out by the front door," she chides him. "Your muscle work isn't over yet!"

He follows her down the long hallway across from the front, stopping at a room at the end.

"My room," she explains, swinging it open. "Kiyone's is on the right and the bathroom's on the left."

When they walk in, they're hit by a blast of cold air, and Karin crosses her arms and shivers.

"Don't you get heating?" he asks, incredulous.

She rolls her eyes. "Of course we do. I turned it off in my room when I left or else the bill would be huge."

As she adjusts the thermostat in the corner of the room, he takes the time to discretely observe his surroundings. This is, after all, where Karin spends so much of her time. There's a large bed, big enough for two – he blushes furiously at this observation – and a matching dresser set. Aside from that, there are posters of different sports players around the room and a small closet on one side. A window is at the opposite wall, and a study desk rests beside it.

"It's not much, but it's enough," she says. When he swings around in embarrassment, she's watching with crossed arms and a smirk on her face. She'd obviously been watching his great detective work this entire time.

"I didn't mean to snoop," he begins, but she waves a hand to cut him off.

"I'd do the same thing if I ever went into your room," she confesses without a hint of shame. "The way I see it, this is a fair trade. Besides, you'll be getting a thorough look now." When he raises his eyebrows, she points to the suitcases standing by the door and explains, "You're going to help me unpack."

He can't find it inside himself to refuse, so the next hour is spent unzipping suitcases and pulling out clothes. He observes that Karin keeps nothing unnecessary in her dorm room. It's only clothes and books and anything else she might need.

"My room at home is full of junk, though," she informs him in amusement. "I've never been one for cleaning, so I never bother throwing anything out. But when I come here, I only bother packing the bare necessities."

That's the exact opposite of him. He likes things organized and clean, so his home only has important things, but he comes prepared for anything anywhere he goes. He'd never thought he would find himself attracted to someone so different from himself, but it's happening right before his eyes.

"Do you want some tea before you go?" she offers once they're done. With a smirk, she adds, "I'd feel awful using you for only labor."

He smirks too. "That's all right," he declines. "I'm sure you need to set everything else up before the day starts. I'll be going home now."

"Already?" she whines with a sigh. "You just can't wait to get away from me, can you? I knew I should have given myself to you last night -"

"N-no!" he insists in shock. "Of course not. You absolutely didn't have to -"

It's only when her shoulders start shaking and she claps a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter that he realizes she's teasing him.

"You're a horrible person," he groans, glaring at her lightly.

"It's not my fault!" she argues, finally gasping out her chuckles. "You take everything so seriously."

"Well, excuse me for not thinking of us as a joke," he bites back icily, a little sour about being tricked.

"All right, all right. I'm sorry," she finally relents, taking his hand in her own and patting the back of it comfortingly.

He looks down at it in embarrassment, still always shocked by how forward she can be a lot of the times. He's known she's blunt since the moment he met her, but it still takes getting used to. It's a little different from Matsumoto, who touches him just because she knows he finds it uncomfortable. Instead, Karin does so to make him comfortable, and because it puts her at ease too. He likes knowing he has that affect on her.

"Well," he finally ponders, slipping his hand in his pocket once she gives it back to him, unaware. "If you really want to have tea..."

"Then, what?" she prompts, smiling slowly.

"Would you like to go out somewhere with me now?" he asks her hopefully.

"Oh." She suddenly looks apologetic. "I'm sorry, Toushiro, but I have classes this afternoon. That's why I had to come back today."

"Then how about tonight?" he asks instead, not missing a beat. He's growing braver with her.

She smirks mischievously. "You know," she says teasingly, "some would say asking me out the next day is kind of desperate." At his sudden panicked expression, she laughs. "But I would love to go out with you tonight," she assures him. He breathes out deeply in relief. "Though I have class tomorrow morning too."

"We'll leave earlier and come back in time," he promises her. With that obstacle tackled, he pauses before suddenly getting up and heading for the door. "I'm sure you have things to get done before your classes start," he speculates as he puts on his shoes, and she nods in confirmation as she follows him. "I'll pick you up this evening, all right?"

With one last wave, he heads out to the stairs, and she shuts the door behind him.

.. ღ ..

As promised, he comes right on time that evening, dressed in casual wear for their date. When she opens the door to let him in, she sighs in relief at his outfit, gazing down at her own.

"You didn't tell me where we were going," she accuses him as she sticks her keys and wallet in the pocket of her jeans. "So I just put on something simple."

He nods approvingly. "Well, we're just going to a movie, so you're fine," he tells her, offering her one of his hands. She grasps it tightly to balance herself as she reaches down and sticks her feet into her shoes. He keeps her steady as she slips one finger into the heel and yanks on her sneakers. "Besides," he continues, "I'm sure you would look wonderful either way."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't get all soft and flirty on me now," she jokes, batting an airy hand at him. "Let's just get going."

He grins and follows her out, shutting the door behind him. They head down the stairs and into the parking lot, where the sun is just starting to set beyond the horizon. They reflexively cover their eyes with their hands on their foreheads as he leads her to the car.

"Oh, are we going somewhere far?" she asks curiously.

"Not too far," he assures her. "But it would certainly take a long time on foot."

Nodding, she gets in the car and buckles in, and he follows her example. The two drive off down the road, cruising through the streets easily. He's a much better driver than his manager, that's certain.

"Do you have a car of your own?" she wonders, realizing they have Matsumoto's once again.

He shakes his head. "I've never needed one before now." he answers thoughtfully. "Though I have my license, I have everything I need right near my apartment building, and the only places we've ever had to drive out far are recitals, but since Matsumoto is always with me, we always just drive out in hers." He suddenly smirks over at her and hints, "Though if these dates of ours are going to become a daily thing, I certainly wouldn't mind going out and buying one."

She laughs. "I told you not to go all flirty on me," she reminds him.

"It wasn't flirting," he defends himself innocently. "It was an invitation. You're welcome to reject it."

She pretends to put a finger to her chin and think. "It sounds good," she says slowly, a smile touching her lips, "but then you'd take up all my time."

"Is there anyone else you'd rather be with?" he questions her, pretending to be cocky as he makes a turn to the right. They find themselves on a dirt path, surrounded by trees, though she takes no notice.

She allows herself a chuckle. "That's true," she admits, briefly ghosting her hand over his. He can't help but blush, and averts his gaze to the road in determination. She grins.

Soon, they reach a barren, open area that looks nothing like a movie theater. There are cars jammed together in the small lot with people milling around. A large, white screen hangs in the distance. By this time, the sun has finished setting, and there are lights hanging on the trees surrounding the secluded area, lighting up the way for those just driving in.

She raises an eyebrow in confusion. "Where are we?"

He smirks. "It's a drive-in movie," he explains, driving forward in line at the small ticket booth. "I thought it might be more interesting than a movie theater."

She beams. "Only you, Toushiro, would know where probably the last movie theater in the country is," she jokes. "I didn't even know these existed anymore."

"Obviously more people know more than me, seeing how many cars there are," he counters logically. Soon, it is his turn at the ticket counter, and he rolls down his window to find himself facing a pink-haired man in squared glasses. Though he smiles at them, it is anything but warm, and Karin actually feels a chill run up her spine as the lenses of his glasses glint in the limited light.

"Welcome to the Las Noches drive-in theater," he says in a voice that sounds almost sadistic, though it shouldn't in the situation – that just makes it more creepy. "How many are in your party today?"

"Two," Hitsugaya answers, pulling out his credit card and handing it to him through the window. The man swipes it to bill him for two tickets and, as he hands it back, he catches sight of the name signed on the back.

"Oh," he exclaims, gazing at Toushiro in surprise. "So you're the guy..."

Though Karin looks at him in bemusement, he nods in confirmation.

The pink haired man smirks. "Well, Grimmjow is waiting for you out there. I'll give him your license plate number. Enjoy the movie." Still grinning, he waves them on.

Toushiro rolls up his window so the cold air of the air-conditioning does not escape and drives straight to the crowded front, where even more cars are parked closely together than the already filled lot. His eyes flicker to the left and right, scouring the area for an empty space.

"Wouldn't it be easier to find a place in the back?" she points out, biting her lip. "I could probably read the lips better that way too."

"Nonsense," he replies, still keeping his eyes peeled on his surroundings. "Coming here would be meaningless if we got stuck behind people's heads and the tops of cars."

Before she can ask what he means, his face relaxes just slightly. She follows his line of sight to find a blue-haired man waving them over. Toushiro rolls down his window once again once they reach him.

"You Hitsugaya?" he grunts. When Toushiro nods, he beckons them to follow. "I've got your spot right here." They drive behind him slowly until he stops them next to an empty spot right in the middle of the front row. "Here."

They drive in smoothly, turning off the engine and unbuckling their seat belts soon after. Grimmjow stalks off afterwards.

"I took the liberty of calling ahead to reserve us a spot," he explains to his date. It had cost him an arm and a leg in money since somewhere as simple as this drive-in theater did not offer reserved parking, but he knows it will be worth it in the end.

"What was the point in that?" she wants to know. "It wouldn't matter much either way."

"Tonight it will," he assures her, refusing to answer her questioning look. As they wait for the movie to start, he goes off to the concession to buy her what she's in the mood to eat, and by the time he returns with his arms full, the lights are dimming. The people around them let out a cheer or honk their horns in appreciation before settling down, and he can see as he takes a seat that Karin is also excited. Good.

The big, white screen suddenly flashes an image from the projector from the back of the lot. As the credits flash on the black background, he keeps sneaking peeks at Karin, who has a steady gaze fixed on the screen, afraid to miss anything and become lost early on. However, when the main character suddenly pops up on the screen – she steels herself, staring intently at his lips – and speaks his first words, something flashes at the bottom of the screen. Karin's face softens into amazed understanding.

"This movie has subtitles," she breathes. Now sitting in the front makes sense.

"Astute observation," he teases her.

"But why?" she wants to know. "They don't normally have subtitles in movie theaters."

"You're right," he agrees, and turns his attention back to the screen, resisting an upwards twitch of the lips.

With her eyes narrowed, she turns her attention back to the movie and watches closely. It takes her a moment as she has to read the subtitle as well, but she suddenly notices something strange about the way the characters' lips mesh together.

"They're not speaking Japanese," she realizes.

"Impressive," he compliments her on figuring it out so quickly. "You're right. This movie is in Spanish."

"Do you...speak Spanish?" she asks curiously.

"Not a lick of it," he replies honestly, smirking.

She blinks up at him. "So why...?"

"The subtitles, for one," he explains. "I want you to enjoy this without worrying about staring at just their lips and maybe missing something." And then his face softens as he looks down at her bewildered expression. "Besides, this way, we're on equal footing."

She opens and closes her mouth a couple of times, unsure of what to say to express her gratitude at such a thoughtful date. She's never had anyone worry so much over her (except for maybe Ichi-nii, but when he was overprotective, it was annoying, but when Hitsugaya is so sincere for her, it's endearing). Normally, she would have been upset, but how can she be when he's obviously put so much effort into making this special for her? So instead, she just beams a shy, beautiful, grateful smile his way – the kind that makes his breath hitch right in his throat and causes his heart to skip a beat. Silently, she slithers a hand though the darkness in search for his, slipping it through his arm and interlocking her fingers with his. He gently pulls her to lean against him and rest her head on his shoulder, and then he presses his cheek to the top of her head, settling in contently to watch the movie with his date.

.. ღ ..

When the end credits begin rolling, the two suddenly feel awkward around one another. It had been no big deal being so close in the darkness, but now that the lights are suddenly starting to flicker on again, they feel shy at their sudden bravery. It doesn't help that the couples in the car around them are still furiously making out, unaware of their surroundings as they are too engrossed in their partners and ignorant of the movie's end because their eyes are closed.

"So," Karin begins slowly, untangling herself from him, "that was a pretty good movie."

"Um...yes," he agrees. No need to mention that he had been too entranced by her and her open, honest expressions to really pay attention to the movie; he really has no solid idea of what happened after the beginning. Little does he know, Karin had been too aware of him too to pay any attention to the movie either. So, they both uneasily avoid any further conversation on the contents of the film as they separate farther.

"We should get you back now," he suggests, and she nods enthusiastically. It isn't late yet, but she thinks it might be a good idea to get back anyway, maybe to help with her mortification.

"Oh, but our trash," she points out.

"There's a trash can back at the stand," he recalls. "I'll go throw it out."

"I'll help," she offers.

He almost declines, his gentlemanly upbringing commanding him to do it himself as it would be rude to ask a lady to do such a thing, but Karin suddenly glares at him, almost as if she knows exactly what he is thinking, and he thinks it best not to do so. So the two pick up their trash until Matsumoto's car is spotless, and they carry it to the area by the ticket booths. However, as they toss everything into the bin, they suddenly catch sight of something perplexing. It's a little girl with green hair, lugging a gigantic garbage bag over her shoulder. They look at each other in shock once before instantly walking over to her.

"Hey there," Karin calls out to her. She looks up in curiosity.

"Who're you?" she asks in suspicion.

"We were just here to watch the movie," Karin explains. "Can I ask what you're doing?"

"I'm taking out the trash," the girl replies as if it's obvious.

Toushiro purses his lips. "Yes, well, can we ask you why you're taking out the trash?"

She blinks at them a few times before setting down the garbage and smirking smugly. "'Cause I own this place!" she announces grandly, throwing her arms out to indicate their surroundings. "Obviously, I gotta keep it clean for the customers."

Toushiro and Karin eye her in disbelief before gazing at one another again. What she'd said doesn't make any sense. She's a kid!

Suddenly, the blue-haired man they had met before – Grimmjow – stalks over angrily, having heard everything. He doesn't even pause to glance at the two as he glares at the girl, swings his hand back, and smacks her head hard.

"Stop tellin' 'em lies and get back to work, brat," he growls dangerously.

"Screw you, Grimmjow!" she screams before pulling down her eye and sticking out her tongue at him. Then, she grabs her garbage bag and books it away from there, narrowly dodging the leg Grimmjow swipes at her in a kick.

"That brat," he mutters, running a hand through his hair. "Starrk needs to keep a closer eye on her." Then he glances at the two of them. "Well, what do you two want?" he demands roughly.

"We want to know who she is," Karin answers, glaring at him for the harsh tone he had used.

"She's just the pain-in-the-ass kid sister of a guy who works here," the worker tells them. "We give her work or else she keeps bothering us and the customers. I'm pretty sure she enjoys it too," he adds disdainfully.

"You make a kid work for you?" she asks disapprovingly, eyeing him in disgust.

He glowers at her. " Don't you go spreading bad rumors about our business, woman. She asks for work, plain and simple."

Karin snorts. "Like I believe that," she huffs, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.

Annoyed by her arrogance and disbelief at his words, Grimmjow grits his teeth and makes a sudden, violent notion towards her, reaching out a hand to pull her into his grasp. However, before he can get any closer, Toushiro suddenly side-steps in front of her protectively, turning a frosty glare on the startled man.

"That's as far as you get, Grimmjow," he spits out with venom. The air turns tense in an instant as both of their faces twist in rage. "Stay away from her. If you hurt her, so help me Kami, I'll -"

"Toushiro!" Karin suddenly cuts across him. He fumbles with his next words, turning around to gaze at her in surprise. She puts her hands on her hips. "You're standing in front of me," she points out in irritation, gesturing to their feet absentmindedly. "I was talking to Grimmjow."

Though she gives him a pointed look, the message is clear: I can fight my own battles.

Flushing, he steps out of her way. "My apologies," he mumbles, and she nods in satisfaction.

Grimmjow looks between them several times in awe before snorting over at Hitsugaya. "Dude, your woman's got you whipped."

"She's not my woman," he corrects him, even more embarrassed at the idea.

"What's goin' on here?" someone interrupts them just then. They all jump at the arrival of a silver-haired, slit-eyed man, except for Karin, who just follows his line of sight. Though it's hard to tell, it seems the man is gazing at her. "An' who's this?" he asks, sounding curious.

Hitsugaya ignores him and turns to Karin instead. "This is Ichimaru Gin," he explains to her, and she nods. "He's a...friend of Matsumoto's, and he works here. That's why I know of this place."

Understanding dawns on her face.

"Don't just ignore me, Hitsugaya," Gin says with a wide smile. "I asked first."

He sighs heavily. "This is Karin," he introduces them reluctantly. "She came with me tonight."

"So this is the lovely Karin-chan," he exclaims, not looking at all surprised at the idea of Hitsugaya on a date. With a cheery wave, he says, "Ran-chan's told me all about ya!"

"...Like what?" he asks warily, not at all trusting of his manager and her crazy fantasies.

Gin waves an airy hand. "Oh, just this an' that. No need ta worry. I won't scare your fiancée away, Hitsugaya." There's a hint of a teasing sneer in his voice, and Hitsugaya growls at him.

"A lot of people like teasing you, Toushiro," Karin notes in amusement.

"Don't I know it," he groans with a sigh. "Matsumoto is to blame for a lot of them. She has a...corrupting influence on anyone we meet."

"Even me?" she wants to know with a smirk.

He grimaces. "You were already a tease when I met you," he answers, thinking back to the night they had met, when she'd been so blunt and taunting. It's just surprising to him that that's just how he likes her. She grins rather proudly.

"A tease?" Gin asks in surprise. "You mean...?" He smirks suggestively. "Matsumoto didn't mention that."

"Of course not," he huffs as Grimmjow roars with laughter at his flustered expression.

"This guy looks like he couldn't make a move on a dummy, let alone a real woman," he sneers. "If these two have done anything, then I'll eat my shoes."

"Well, they were getting pretty cozy in their car," yet another newcomer suddenly offers. Toushiro feels his face heat up as he catches sight of a pink-haired someone; it's the man from the ticket booth.

"How do ya know that, Syazel?" Grimmjow grunts.

"I've already seen this movie a dozen times," the man replies, pushing his glasses farther up his nose and causing them to glint. "There's really nothing to do when it's playing besides...observe."

"You spy on the customers?" Karin asks in absolute disgust, having picked up the gist of the conversation. "But most of them are couples!"

'Sick bastard,' Toushiro thinks with mirth as the man only chuckles under his breath and does nothing to defend himself. Karin looks revolted and steps away from the man. Toushiro can't help but shift just slightly to stand in front of her, not enough to be noticeable.

"Why am I not surprised that this is the kind of place you run, Gin?" he quips at the man, enraged by the idea of someone watching his date with Karin. Those had been private moments!

"Now, now. Don't blame me," Gin replies, still grinning despite the situation. "My employees have their own free will."

"If you promise not to tell," Syazel speaks up with a sick grin, "I can let you watch the footage. You know, so you can...perfect your moves for the next time."

'Why this little...' It's rather interesting how hostile he's become since meeting Karin, though she's hardly had that sort of influence on him. First...that bastard – he can't even bring himself to think the name – and now this bastard. He actually has to ball his fists and breathe deeply through his nose so as not to grab him by his shirt and throw him aside like a rag doll.

Which is why it's so shocking when Karin pushes him aside, takes three quick strides at the smirking creep, swings her arm back, and pounds her fist against his nose. There's a crack as his glasses twist and hang off his ear, askew, but all they can stare at is the blood gushing from his nose.

"My dose!" Syazel yells in alarm, clutching it tightly and leaning his face down. "Du bitch!"

"Scram, Syazel," she snarls, waving her fist at him threateningly. "I haven't cooled off yet, and you can bet I'll swing harder next time around."

His eyes narrow dangerously at her through his lashes, so Toushiro immediately steps up behind her, backing her up menacingly. With an aggravated growl, the man has no choice but to swing around and stomp off, no doubt to tend to his nose.

"And keep your slimy gaze out of other people's cars next time!" she yells after him.

There's a silence after he leaves. Karin's breathing heavily, keeping her gaze on his back to ensure he does not return, and Toushiro only has eyes for her. However, Grimmjow starts laughing boorishly, a maniacal grin on his face that seems too big for his face as he thumps her on the arm.

"Ya decked him!" he rasps. "Damn amazing!"

Karin beams at him before swinging her gaze around to Toushiro.

"A punch for a punch," she informs him in a matter-of-fact tone."Now we're even for that Ayane incident,"

"I did that for you, though," he reminds her, bemused.

"And I did this for you," she counters. With a sly grin, she nudges him with her elbow. "I could tell how much you wanted to hit him."

He huffs but can't help but smirk, surprisingly pleased that she had read his emotions so easily.

"I like ya, kid," Grimmjow pipes up, still in a seemingly good mood. "Stick around for a while, won't ya? I'll show ya around."

"Yeah?" she asks in awe, mystified by the idea of exploring a place so foreign to her. She swings around to look at Toushiro pleadingly. "Can we?"

He scratches his head. "I don't see why not. There's still time left to get you back early, so I see no harm in staying a bit longer."

Grimmjow grunts in appreciation. "Come 'round back," he offers, gesturing her over with a swing of his arm. Looking positively excited, she nods and rushes after him, and Toushiro follows them slowly with his hands tucked in his pockets, not willing to let her out of his sight just yet.

As he takes them over to the small building by the ticket booth, a completely forgotten Gin watches them go with a pout.

"Oh, well," he decides with a sigh. "I guess I'll just report all this ta Ran-chan."

Hitsugaya feels a sudden chill run up his spine, though he can't fathom why. He finally shrugs off the ominous feeling as a reaction to the change in temperature as they enter the theater's office and are hit with a gust of warm air. It's surprisingly a cozy-looking place, covered in salmon carpet and surrounded by pale white walls. There's a large desk dominating the decor, probably for any customers needing their questions answered, and doors everywhere. Grimmjow leads them through one of these doors.

"Ever wonder how the movie plays?" he asks them with a grin.

"A projector," Karin replies immediately, looking proud of herself.

"Ever seen one?" he challenges her next, and she scowls.

"No," she admits.

His grin widens. "Well, you're in luck." He leads them up a flight of stairs, getting higher and higher diagonally. Finally, they reach a small door at the end of the pathway, and he strides in, ushering them along. There's already someone inside, though.

"What's going on, Grimmjow?" he asks, sighing in annoyance. Hitsugaya gazes at him critically; the man seems even more stoic than him, and he thinks about informing Matsumoto about this, so she may lay off him for being so reserved all the time.

"Cool off, Ulquiorra," their guide hisses, rolling his eyes. "They're with me. I'm showin' 'em around."

"Are you the guy who plays the movie?" Karin asks in excitement, seeming impressed – he does not feel unjustly jealous. Ulquiorra stares at her blankly before sighing again and nodding. "Can I see?"

"The next screening is not for another hour," he informs her. Hitsugaya gets the feeling that he wants to turn back to his work now, but it's pretty obvious that he's realized Karin needs to see his lips, and so he begrudgingly puts up with it so as not to be offensive. Maybe he's not so bad, after all.

"Just give 'em a quick lesson," Grimmjow demands. "What's it gonna do?"

"I do not have permission to play the movie more than the assigned times -"

"It's a movie projector, not a nuclear bomb," he snorts back. "It won't matter if you turn it on a couple more times. What's Aizen gonna do if it's keeping customers happy?"

"Aizen is the man who owns the theater," he signs to Karin to keep her informed. His face twists into a scowl as he remembers a time when his sister had actually been dense enough to date the man. Thankfully, she'd come to her senses and they'd broken up after only a few dates, and she'd later found someone a little less...eerie. So he knows the theater pretty well, though the employees are new, as he's never met them before.

"All right," Ulquiorra finally relents after Grimmjow starts getting nasty. He glares over at Karin. "Watch closely, girl. I'll only show you once."

She wanders over immediately, gazing at the machine in curiosity. It's rather beat up, so it's obviously old and well used. What interests Karin, though, is that rather than a fully digital projector like the modern ones, it's an ancient model with two reels, where there's room for tapes of videos.

"Toushiro, come look," she invites him, waving him over. He considers it for a moment but, seeing her so happy, decides to do just that.

"Can I press the button?" she requests, and Toushiro can't help but smirk at how childish she's acting so suddenly, in awe from learning something new.

"I don't see why not," Ulquiorra states after careful consideration. "I've already cleaned it, but it needs to be set up."

"I can do it," she insists with determination. "Just tell me what to do."

Before he can, Toushiro steps forward. "I'll teach her," he offers a little icily. "An eight millimeter reel is fairly simple." The man raises an eyebrow, but steps back after a moment, obviously content with letting someone else handle her. Grimmjow raises an eyebrow as well.

"Ya know how to work this stuff?" he asks incredulously.

"I've studied it," Toushiro retorts before turning to the awaiting Karin – he rather likes how she looks so impressed by him this time. "Here. Take these reels and place each one on the arms sticking out here and here," he orders her. With a determined nod, she slips each one in before turning to him for more instruction. "Now, take this film and put it in this slot." He points to the location. "The lens is right under it. Good. Let it load for a moment. And you're done."

"...That's it?" she asks in surprise, and he chuckles.

"If there are no complications, then yes, that's it. Now you'll just press this button right here, and it'll turn on."

A little curious, she does just that, and immediately the credits against the black background start flickering on the screen again. Some lingerers down below jump at the sudden noise and gaze at it in confusion.

"It's blurry," she points out, turning her head to look at Toushiro and see what advice he has to offer.

"That can be fixed simply. You just need to focus it."

Not thinking clearly, he strides up to the machine to find the knob by the lens, and he sandwiches Karin in between himself and the table, his front pressed firmly and without any space in between her back. His head ends up on her shoulder as he peers over it, and his arms carelessly encircle her waist as he reaches for the knob to adjust the focus.

Grimmjow snorts when he notices how red she's turning, but Hitsugaya doesn't pay him any mind, not realizing the affect he's having on her.

Trying to save face, she clears her throat. "That was...really boring," she comments in a small voice, and Toushiro smirks.

"You wanted to know," he reminds her pointedly, and she huffs.

"You wanna do something else?" Grimmjow grunts, and Hitsugaya signs the words she'd missed for her.

"Of course!" she agrees. "What else is there?"

As it turns out, the next stop in the tour is using them for personal labor. It's not nearly as endearing when it's not Karin he's working for.

"You wants us to work the concession stands for you?" Hitsugaya asks incredulously, realizing the hidden scheme behind the words. "Shouldn't you have people doing that already?" he grumbles under his breath.

"We'll do it," Karin pipes up.

"What – Karin," he protests, whirling around to face her grin.

She shrugs. "I think it sounds like fun," she argues. "I've never worked one before. Besides, how hard could it be?"

"It's easy," Grimmjow offers, ganging up on him with her. He can see the devious smirk on his face, but he can hardly deny his date.

"Fine," he relents. "For a little while."

"Sure, sure," she agrees half-heartedly, waving an airy hand at him. "So, Grimmjow, what're we doing?"

He scowls as the man gives them a tour of the kitchen area, giving them simple instructions. It really does seem like easy work, at least. All they need to do is take orders and give the customers what they want. What they don't anticipate, however, is a mad rush right before the movie starts.

"Hey, could you hurry up?"

"Did you just cut in front of me!"

"Get your eyes checked, loser! I was here first."

"Hey, cutie. Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you working here before."

"Hey, stay away from my girlfriend!"

As he tries to explain to a fuming man that he had not been flirting with his less than faithful girlfriend, Karin keeps rushing back and forth in the back, trying to fulfill everyone's orders. The angry customer in his face finally lets his anger take control of him and, deciding he's not worth his time, turns on her instead.

"What the hell is taking so long?" he snarls to an oblivious Karin."Hurry up in there, girl!"

It takes but two seconds for him to slam his hand on the counter, grab the bastard by his collar, and get right back in his face.

"Don't talk to her that way," he hisses threateningly. The man's eyes widen, and he backs away with his hands up in defense. When Karin gives him what he'd asked for, he grabs his girlfriend and hightails it out of there. All bark and no bite.

Hitsugaya just thanks his lucky stars that Karin had not noticed the argument, or else she would have only been furious with him. After that, at least everyone else realizes they had better treat Karin like the queen she is, or else her frightening, icy companion would practically shoot daggers through their heart with his glares alone.

Karin meanwhile, is perfectly ignorant and content with her job. She'd never had a chance to work like this before. Aside from her family's clinic, but that doesn't count in her mind, since her father always coddles her there. After she'd lost her hearing, her brother had become too protective to allow her to hold a job with strangers (though Yuzu got to), and she'd sort of given up on life too much to bother defying him. Now, though, she finds she likes the hard work.

Well, until something goes wrong, of course.

The theater keeps a rusty drinks machine in the back counter. One simply has to place a plastic cup underneath a specific nozzle, press the button and, once the cup is filled, press the button again to turn it off. She does that repeatedly throughout the night with no mistakes, but then a woman orders soda.

Karin happily fills up her cup, but once she tries to turn it off, it doesn't stop.

"What?" Bemused, she presses again. Nothing happens. The drink keeps flowing to the drain underneath, and she can see that it's starting to fill up fast. In a panic now, she starts pushing the button repeatedly, almost slamming a fist against it in desperation. Nothing.

"Uh, Toushiro?" she calls out in a panic. Not knowing what to do, she starts banging a hand against the machine from the sides and the top, hoping it'll stop miraculously. The drink suddenly starts to overflow. "Oh, Kami!"

In a flurried haste, she starts grabbing any of the paper cups nearby, shoving them under the machine. They're small, though, and start filling up in only seconds, and she starts running out of space to set the filled cups aside as she keeps thrusting new ones under the nozzle.

"Toushiro!" she screeches again. This time, he finally realizes she's calling him, and turns away from an irritated customer.

"Wha – wow!"

The soda starts overflowing again, and there are no more cups nearby. Looking around in a panic, she finally just desperately shoves her hands under the nozzle, hoping to stem the flow. Soda flies everywhere, and she instinctively pulls her hands away to cover her face.

He grabs her by the arm and roughly pulls her behind him, thrusting the pitcher he had grabbed on his way over under the machine. They finally have a moment to catch their breath, and when Karin looks down at herself, they find that the front of her clothes is completely sopping wet from the drink, sticking to her skin in an attractive way.

"Did it stop?" she asks weakly, peeking up at him.

"No. I just bought us some time. Go find someone who knows how to work this thing," he orders her, and she nods and runs off to do as told.

Well, she tries to, except there's too much soda on the ground. She cries out as she almost slips, and he lunges forward to grab her, pulling her shoulders and holding her tightly to his chest. In the process, his elbow knocks over the pitcher, and not only does the drink start spraying everywhere again, the jug clatters to the ground, spilling everything inside of it on the floor.

"Damn it," he hisses in frustration. The front of his clothes is wet now too, and now both of their shoes are filled with soda.

"Toushiro, what do we do?" Karin asks in desperation.

"Stay calm. We just need to get someone -"

"What the hell is going on here?"

They both whip their heads around, and it's such a relief to find a fuming little girl with green hair glaring at them, her hands om her hips.

"You're the girl who was picking up the trash before," Karin recalls.

"No time for introductions!" she snaps. "What's going on here?"

"The drink machine started overflowing," Hitsugaya explains calmly.

"I can see that," she growls back. Shoving them aside, she strides over to it, gingerly avoiding sloshing the soda on the floor onto her legs. They watch as she stands on the tips of her toes and reaches behind the machine. When the drink finally stops pouring out, she has the plug in her hand. They all sigh with relief.

"Thank goodness," he breathes out, slowly pulling himself away from Karin to look her up and down and make sure she's okay, though his hands stay on her shoulders.

"I don't know what happened," Karin tries to explain to the girl, but she holds up a hand to stop her.

"Not your fault," she grumbles, glaring at the machine. "This piece of crap's old, and that nozzle's been broken for a while, though we never bothered replacing it."

She carefully sets the plug on top of the machine, away from any place drenched in soda. Then, she stalks over to the supply closet in the corner and starts digging through it. Next second, she's thrusting a mop into Karin's hand.

"I don't care who, or what, caused the mess. You two flooded the area, so you gotta clean it," she commands them. She points at Toushiro. "You. There's some paper towels in the closet. Get to cleaning the counters."

His eyebrows twitch menacingly at the impudent brat, but he catches Karin's eye, and she shakes her head warningly. She's always had a strong sense of duty, so she obviously feels it's her responsibility to mop up. He sighs but does grab the towels. But when he catches a glimpse of Karin again, it looks like she's trying really hard to suppress a bout of laughter.

"Hey!" the impatient customer suddenly yells out to them. "Are we getting our drinks or not?"

"Coming!" the girl calls out with fake sweetness, and skips over. "I'm sorry, ma'am," he hears her sucking up to him. Karin sends him a bemused glance when he rolls his eyes, but he only smirks and doesn't bother clarifying.

And that's how they end up cleaning up soda for the next hour. The drink had spread over the entire area, and everything it had touched had become sticky, meaning it needed cleaning. They probably don't need to be so thorough, but both of them have always been diligent workers. It's while they're scrubbing the sticky liquid off of the bottom of the cabinets that he realizes his own clothes are rather clingy. And if his are, then Karin's definitely are. So he thoughtfully wets a paper towel and offers it to her.

"For your clothes," he explains when she shoots him a confused glance.

"Thanks," she replies, accepting the offer gratefully. Apparently, she hadn't thought of it herself.

Dropping the mop, she grabs the wet rag and starts washing herself off as best as she can with it. Things are fine when she's rubbing at her cheeks and forehead, but then she moves down to her neck, and he watches in awe as she slowly peels away her sticky hair and flicks it over her shoulder, leaning her head back and rubbing the exposed skin thoroughly. She's being gentle with herself, and he watches as she drops her head and carefully starts to clean off the back of her neck next. He doesn't realize he's staring, and it's only when she dips the rag under her shirt that he finally has the sense to look away in embarrassment.

"Pervert," he hears someone sneer, and he catches sight of a smirk and green hair before the girl skips away, leaving him flushed.

"...Am not," he mumbles to himself, almost feeling like he's back with his sister at the age of eight.

Needless to say, after everything they've caused, the staff doesn't trust them with much else after that. They're left at the concession stand, cleaning up and maybe helping the occasional customer who comes over while the movie's playing. But Karin still wants to stay, content with helping even this much, so he shrugs and plays along.

After all, all that matters is that they're together, on a date. Who cares about the small disasters when the bigger picture is so much sweeter? And their bigger picture is one of him and Karin side by side, laughing over a movie neither can understand and talking for hours on end, getting closer with each passing minute.

Which is why, even though they end up watching the same movie three more times that night, because they are together, each time seems just as special as the last.

.. ღ ..

He drops her off late in the night.

"Will you be all right for your classes?" he asks, worried as he pulls up in an empty parking space right in front of the girl's dorms. They'd had to cover the seats in plastic garbage bags Gin had presented them with so they wouldn't ruin Matsumoto's car with their sticky clothes.

"Oh, I'll be fine," she assures him. "This is nowhere near pulling an all-nighter. I'll get through it somehow."

He nods seriously. " So can I assume you had a good time on our date?" he asks hopefully.

Her face splits into a jubilant grin. "Of course!" she exclaims. "Tonight was just...awesome."

"I'm glad," he replies softly, getting out of the car and walking around to her side. Before she can protest, he pulls open her door for her, holding out his hand. She pouts a little before actually taking his offered hand, letting him help her out of the car. He doesn't let go, though, and the two happily walk up to her dorm with their hands tied together. After spending so much time together throughout the night, it feels significantly less awkward than the first time; they're comfortable.

"Though I get the feeling they won't be wanting us back for a while," she jokes as they hurry up the steps.

"They won't want you," he shoots back. "I didn't flood the kitchen."

She hits his arm, laughing at his poor joke. But when they get back to her room, they find themselves pausing at the door and dropping their hands, unsure of how to end their exchange. It's been a special night, a lot different than onces they're used to. Do they kiss?

"Do you wanna come inside and clean up?" she offers hurriedly, jabbing a thumb behind her, at the door.

He blushes at the idea of using her bathroom, her towel. Though it's not the same as taking an actual shower, it's still too intimate for him.

"No, thank you," he declines. "My apartment isn't far, anyway. I'll make it."

"...Okay." She raises a stiff arm. "Well, good night."

He almost lets her leave until a thought hits him, and he pulls her back.

"Did you forget our deal?" he reminds her smugly.

"Oh, yeah," she remembers sheepishly, scratching her head. "Well, what do you wanna know?"

"That's up for you to decide," he replies, shrugging. "I've done my part."

She rolls her eyes, and he feels his lips twitch up.

"I don't know..." she says slowly, thoughtfully. "Like I said, I'm not that interesting. What could you even want to know...?" She ponders it for a while, and then her eyes widen. She looks up at him shyly. "Didn't you want to know how many guys I've dated?" she remembers quietly.

His heart jolts. He'd forgotten about that question. But he can't deny he wants to know the answer. His own dating history is not very extensive, as he's never had the time or interest in such things until he met her. What about her?"

He clears his throat. "If you want to tell me," he says weakly, secretly wishing she does.

"Well, you don't need to worry," she assures him. "It's not that many. Just...two."

Two. Oh. So there's been two guys she's liked extra specially before him. Two boys who've held her interest, her time, her attention, her hand. Two boys who've beaten him to her. Two boys who could have possibly kissed her.

"Oh."

That's all he can manage. He doesn't want his disappointment to show through, though it's hitching his throat. It's her life.

But he gets the feeling that it's still obvious anyway, because she panics when she looks into his eyes directly.

"Of course, I said there's nothing to worry about," she continues quickly, waving her hands in front of her chest nervously. "They were anything serious. Not like you."

"Like me?" he deadpans, suddenly interested.

She turns red, but nods anyway. He raises his eyebrows hopefully, urging her to continue. He has the feeling he'll like where this is going.

"The truth is..." she begins, and then licks her lips.

"Yes?"

"...You're the only boy – man – I've ever gone on a second date with," she admits quietly, a flush creeping up her cheeks as she looks down at the ground. "You're my one and only."

He can see the embarrassed mortification in her eyes, but finds himself unable to say anything as he feels exactly the same. That only makes her flush more. She looks like a fish out of water as she looks left and right for an escape route from the situation. When she finds none, she looks up at him helplessly for a moment. Then, with a lick of her lips, she screws her eyes shut, suddenly places her hands on his shoulders to stand on the tips of her toes, and kisses his cheek softly. And then she runs inside the apartment, slamming the door shut behind her, right in his face.

"Good night!" he hears her call out from inside, though her voice is a little higher pitched.

"...Good night," he mumbles back to no one in particular. After resting his hand flat on the door for a silent moment, he stumbles through the hall and down the stairs.

The chilly night wind whips against him, though he pays it no mind. Instead, he runs a hand through his hair, exhaling deeply to calm himself and his racing heart. Even so, a slow smirk tugs at his lips, and though he tries to stop it in its tracks, it seems adamant on staying there. It makes him giddy to know that he and Karin are something a little special – certainly they have a relationship more valuable than he's ever had. His cheek tingles at the thought of that, and he cups it in almost awe.

She'd kissed him. And not just a thank you kiss like the last time her lips had brushed his cheek. This time, she'd acted on her own will; it had been a romantic kiss. He licks his lips, moistening them steadily as he breathes out deeply again. It had been a little too short for his liking, but sweet enough to make up for that. Next time, he decides with determination, it will be his lips on her skin. Until then, he has no regrets. Well, except for one. For in that moment when she'd acted so quickly and shut him out even faster, he'd missed his chance to tell her just one important fact.

She is his one and only, too.


That soda machine scene was courtesy of a friend of mine. It actually happened to her at her work ^^ Though she flooded the kitchen with apple juice. I felt bad, but I couldn't not laugh :P

And it seems we should all be careful at movie theaters, huh? You never know when guys like Syazel are peeking at you...Scary thought. I didn't intend for the Espada to be in here. But since the movie had Spanish subtitles, I couldn't resist ;) Plus, I was having trouble thinking of what should happen after the movie, and meeting them seemed like fun :)

Also, while I have your attention (or at least I think I do. I get the feeling not many people read Author's Notes...), does anyone know what's been wrong with the site lately? It keeps erasing the space between italicized words. I had to erase all the space between my paragraphs so it was just one big block of writing, and copy and paste the words on here. Otherwise, I would have had to read through everything to find all the mistakes and would have possibly missed a lot...