Hitsugaya hadn't even gotten off the elevator when a figure strode through and nearly trampled him.

An angry curse fell from his lips and so did his cigarette. His sunglasses slipped from his forehead onto the marble floor. When he finally got his bearings straight, he looked up towards a sold six feet of lean muscle and sharp scowls in an elevator that was moving back up to the penthouse suite. The young man who stood before him was just barely familiar. His hair was a messy dark brown that fell into his pale green eyes.

"What the fuck was that?" Toshiro snapped, leaning down to snatch his sunglasses from the floor.

"Are you dating Karin?" the stranger replied, ignoring him.

The white haired man's lip curled into a sneer, taking a step back from the taller man to level him with a glare more clearly. "Wouldn't you like to know," Toshiro drawled mockingly, sounding almost tired but still too smug. His eyes followed the lines of the stranger's face until he finally matched a name to it. "Tell me, why do you need to know so badly about Karin's love life that you decide to jump me in an elevator?"

"Just answer my damn question."

"You first."

"That doesn't matter. Just tell me."

"Of course it matters, you idiot." Hitsugaya reached into his coat pocket and opened up his fresh pack of cigarettes, slipping one out and sticking it between his teeth before returning the glare that was attempting to pierce through his face. "I can smell the desperate on you, Moriyama Eiji."

Eiji jerked his chin arrogantly. "As if, midget. Karin and I have...unfinished business," he said smoothly. The malice tinged his words with venom, though they were still bloated with confidence. "You should know you don't stand a chance. A year ago, she was ready to spend the rest of her life with me, alright? Nothing has changed that, and nothing's going to."

The word midget and the way he spoke of Karin made Hitsugaya visible bristle, sharpening his glare and making his humble five feet and seven inches seem much prouder. He took a step forward, invading his personal space. Eiji stumbled back a step and it made him feel just a hint better. As if you know her so well. As if she's still madly in love with you, he thought with no small amount of bitterness.

Of course, he didn't know her that well either. Yet, he added to himself. But Toshiro wasn't stupid - in fact, he was incredibly brilliant for his profession. He heard the gossip and knew the stories and at the end of the day he attended to his own business. So he knew damn well that terrible media coverage and too much publicity could ruin people and their relationships with others; Karin's fiance had dragged her through both. He knew Moriyama was a bastard just like he knew that snow was white.

And Karin wasn't stupid either.

"You're a really funny kid. But Karin has gotten tired of boys," he replied carefully, a smirk pulling at his lips just for show. Karin would probably castrate him for insinuating that they actually were together, but he couldn't have cared less. He didn't have to spell anything out for this idiot. Let him figure it out himself.

"Who are you calling a boy?" Eiji hissed.

"The rat who decided to ram me into this goddamn elevator for an interrogation over a girl he has no chance with."

The elevator doors opened with a quiet, obstinate ding and presented them the long hallway, back to Karin's suite. Moriyama glared Hitsugaya down for a second longer, before turning at the heel and walking out of the closed-in space, finally giving the white haired man breathing room.

"I don't care what she is to you," the dark haired man called out to him, his voice lowering an octave and sounding almost alien as he walked forward. "If you want to make the smart move, then just stay out of my way."

Hitsugaya stared up towards the elevator's ceiling and bit back a sigh. Rage simmered quietly in his blood. A man even worth a half billion yen was attempting to threaten him. "Are you finished?" he spat, finally returning his gaze to Eiji's back. He could not will the scowl off his face if he tried. "I am too old and too rich for threats, Moriyama. Maybe you should remember the person you're dealing with and stick to your mediocre acting and intimidation skills. Kurosaki Karin is not a trophy I am trying to win."

The white haired man watched Eiji's calloused hands curl into fists as the doors slid closed in front of him.

.

.

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A/N: I rewrote this scene so many times before I was actually pleased by it because if Toshiro was going to fight over Karin with someone, he wouldn't really fight over her. In a lot of fics, I see Toshiro as getting easily jealous of human boys that are in Karin's life. I feel like he's too secure of a person to be insecure about his romantic relationships, especially because he views women as his equals instead of an end goal like toooo many men. (Do I need to specify not all? Haha.) Besides, in this fic, he's got much more frightening things to be insecure about.

Ahhhh, school is kicking my sorry ass, and Thanksgiving Break is almost over ;;_;; (the main frickin thing I'm thankful for this year was having an entire week off).

Next chapter will be up by next week! Love you guys! Remember to review!