A/N: Here you guys go, the penultimate chapter of Phases of the Moon. ^^ Hope you all enjoy it.

Special recognition goes to pharaoh-90 for being the 200th person to fave this story,and to sayo-chan64 for having the 400th review. And to all my other reviewers and all the other 199 people who have favorited this story and continue to support it. You guys are awesome!

For the tiles in this chapter, I was imagining the little wood tiles from the Japanese version of chess. The name escapes me right now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. At all.

Chapter 37: Coming of age

"Kanpai!"

The class of officers cheered, raising their glasses. Karin grinned from between Yuzu and Masaryu, lowering her cup and taking a sip. The restaurant was filled with people in the familiar robes of white, red, and blue. Today would mark the last day they would wear their Academy uniform. Tomorrow, they would be wearing civilian clothes as the other years finished up, and the week after that, they would don their shihakushos for the first time and attend the graduation ceremony.

For some of the graduating class, the ceremony would mark the day they first found out their division assignments. For those who had gone through officer interviews, that day was today.

Karin frowned, looking around as she started noticing people in black robes and white haoris making their way through the crowd, occasionally stopping to talk to one or two people. Today was the coming of age ceremony—the day when captains would traditionally make their offers to graduating officers. The way a captain did that was by presenting a candidate with a small wooden tile that had the Division's flower etched onto one side. On this night, an officer candidate could get as few as one tile and as many as five or six, depending on how many divisions were interested in them. Once they had made a decision, they would write their name on the back of the tile they chose, and drop it into a small box on the way out. They would then keep their choice a secret until graduation. The last was more for tradition than for any other reason, but apparently a lot of people respected it.

The captains worked fast. Already, she caught sight of Kohaku having a long conversation with Soifon.

"You two alright there?" asked a voice from behind them.

Karin frowned and looked up at the same time as Yuzu did. Ichigo stood there, dressed in his shihakusho and captain's haori. He had a small pouch of tiles in his hand, and she caught sight of one of the wooden tiles between his fingers, the Fifth Division lily of the valley burned onto one side.

"We're fine," said Karin. "Making your choices?"

"More or less," said Ichigo, frowning. "Hinamori and I cut the list down to about ten, but it'll depend on who accepts. What about you guys?"

Karin and Yuzu held up their empty hands in response. Masaryu came up behind them, holding up a single tile with a stylized marigold burned on it.

Third.

Was Renji passing them out like candy or something?

"It'll come," said Ichigo, shrugging. "You two had good interviews. Look, I've got to go talk to some people, but I'll see you both later, okay?"

"Sure," said Karin, as Yuzu nodded.

"Good luck, Ichi-nii," said Yuzu with a smile.

"I should go too," said Masaryu with a frown, glancing over his shoulder. Soifon watched him quietly from across the room. Karin waved him off dismissively as Ichigo left, frowning at her sister. Yuzu seemed to be…distracted somehow. She was looking around the room, as if she was searching for something. Karin's frown deepened. Or someone.

"Hello there," said a creepy voice.

Both twins turned, Yuzu's eyes widening and Karin's eyes narrowing as they saw Kurotsuchi Mayuri standing behind them, one tile in each hand. "I'm sure you're both aware of how unique your reiatsu signatures are. Half-shinigami, half-human…The Twelfth is always in need of new test subjects. You'd be making a great contribution to our research." He gave them a creepy smile, holding out the tiles. Both twins took them, Karin quick and Yuzu slightly hesitant.

Once the captain had disappeared into the crowd, the two of them exchanged glances.

"No way in hell," said Karin, tossing the tile over her shoulder.

"Agreed," said Yuzu with a sigh, doing the same.

Karin sighed, running a hand through her hair and looking around. "Oi…" said Karin, causing Yuzu to look up. "I'm gonna go walk around a bit. You going to be okay?"

"Ah—hai, Karin-chan," said Yuzu, smiling. "We'll meet up later?"

"Sounds good," said Karin, walking off.

She watched as Yuzu also disappeared into the crowd, then sighed and folded her arms, looking around at the assembled group of captains. She didn't see Toshiro here, but that wasn't a surprise. There were a lot of…taller people around that might conceal him. Not that she'd ever tell him that to his face. Toshiro was still sensitive about it. He had grown taller and wasn't exactly extremely short anymore, but he was her height. He'd obviously never be a giant.

"Yo, Kurosaki Karin!"

Karin looked up at the sound of her name, turning her head. Kenpachi grinned at her from across the room, lifting his hand and flicking something towards her. She reached up out of reflex, catching it smoothly in the palm of her hand. She frowned, opening her hand and staring at it. It was a small wooden tile with the Eleventh's Division's symbol on it. Karin knew that it was supposed to be a yarrow flower—an herb that could be used to stop blood flow from wounds, but it just looked like a diamond with a bunch of four-pointed shurikens cut out of it to her.

The shark-like captain of the Eleventh nodded once in her direction, still grinning. Karin grinned back in acknowledgment, pocketing the tile and continuing to move through the crowd.

Ten minutes later, she had collected tiles from Ukitake and Renji, in addition to her tile from Kenpachi. Karin juggled the wooden tiles in her hand, leaning idly against the wall as she watched the proceedings in front of her. People continued to walk around, talking to captains or, in some instances, trying to catch a captain's eye. Karin caught sight of Yuzu deep in conversation with Unohana Retsu.

"…Have you made a decision yet," asked a familiar voice. It hadn't been so familiar lately, though.

Karin looked up, her eyes fixing on Toshiro. The Tenth Division captain was watching her with that same strange look he had had at her interview, his arms folded. She shook her head, looking back at the crowd.

"Nah," she said. "Still thinking."

"I see…" replied Toshiro. He drew something from his sleeve, handing it out to her. It was a single wooden tile, the Tenth Division's daffodil etched into one side.

"I wasn't joking, you know," he said, handing it out to her. "I would like to have you in my Division, if you'll have me…"

The last part would have been a little strange coming from anyone else, but Karin understood what he was asking. He wasn't just offering her a spot in her Division. He was offering her much more than that. His eyes seemed to darken somewhat as she reached forward, her fingers lightly brushing against his as she took the tile from him. The contact sent jolts of electricity through her body, and she wasn't sure whether or not she liked the tingling feeling it caused her.

"Think about it…" said Toshiro, turning away from her and walking back into the crowd.

Karin watched him go, the wooden tile warm in her hand.

An hour later, the four of them sat at one of the tables scattered around the restaurant, their tiles spread out in front of them. Karin had collected tiles from the Third, Eighth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Divisions. Kohaku had collected five tiles—one from the Second, one from the Third, one from the Fifth, one from the Tenth, and one from the Thirteenth. Yuzu frowned, poring over her own tiles and shifting them around aimlessly in front of her. Karin looked over at Yuzu, glancing over the flowered tiles in front of her twin. The Third, the Fourth, the Ninth, the Tenth, and the Thirteenth. Five tiles as well, but from the looks of it, Yuzu wasn't particularly pleased with either of them. Her hands kept going back and forth between the Fourth and the Ninth, a frown of concentration on her face.

She'd lost count of Masa's tiles. It looked like Ichigo wasn't kidding. Everyone wanted the noble heir on their team. It looked like the only tiles he didn't have were Fourth—for obvious reasons—and Sixth.

Come to think of it, she hadn't seen anyone with a Sixth tile.

Had Byakuya just not shown up?

She frowned, her hand lingering over the tile from the Tenth Division again. She couldn't get Toshiro's face out of her mind…or his words. She picked up the tile, turning it over and studying it from both sides.

It was a subtle thing. He'd left the ball in her court, and now he wanted to see what she would do with it.

Would she respond to him, or would she let this whole thing just go right past her, never making a decision at all…

"I've decided."

Masa's voice broke her concentration after the quiet, and the three of them all looked up, turning towards him. The Ankoujin heir gathered up all the tiles in front of him, an unusually contemplative look on his face as he got to his feet.

"Are you gonna tell us?" asked Karin, frowning at him.

Masa shook his head. "Tradition," he said. "You'll find out next week anyway. Good night."

"Night," Karin muttered, going back to her tiles as the other two wished Masaryu a good night. Kohaku frowned at him as she left, going back to her own decision.

"Not fair," she said. "He had the most options out of all of us. How come he decides first?"

"Someone must have offered him something good," replied Karin with a shrug. Come to think of it, Masa had disappeared for some time during the party. Karin had no idea where he went. Some of the captains liked to talk privately with their prospects. Had someone dragged him off into the hallway to talk business?

Masaryu was high-profile enough, and obviously wanted all around.

"I'm going for a walk," said Yuzu with a sigh, gathering up her own tiles and getting to her feet. "It helps me think."

"Sure, Yuzu-chan," muttered Kohaku with a frown, setting aside one tile and looking at the other four again.

"See you later," muttered Karin, continuing to stare at the Tenth Division tile.

Yuzu watched as the crowd slowly began to dwindle, most of the students making their decisions and heading home for the night. She watched as Karin dropped a tile into the box and stepped outside after Hitsugaya, silently wishing her sister good luck as she clutched her small collection of tiles close to herself, her own decision still not made.

"Yuzu-chan?" asked Kohaku quietly, standing beside her. "…Are you okay?"

"Hai…Kohaku-chan," she said, giving her friend a soft smile.

Kohaku sighed, leaning against the wall and watching the thinning crowd. The lamplight from the restaurant reflected against her glasses. "…He never showed up, did he?" she asked.

"No, he didn't, Kohaku-chan," agreed Yuzu with a nod.

"I was so sure he'd show up and pick you," said Kohaku. "What happened?"

"I gave the wrong answer during my interview," replied Yuzu. "It wasn't the answer he wanted."

"Sou ka…" said Kohaku. "…And you're okay with that?"

"Strangely…?" asked Yuzu, smiling. "I think I am. I think…I think I'm glad that I answered honestly. That I was true to myself. Even if it was the wrong answer…I'm not going to take it back."

"You're serious, aren't you?" asked Kohaku, shaking her head. "Kami…you're honestly serious…Only you, Yuzu-chan."

"Hmm?" asked Yuzu, glancing over at her.

"You know how many girls here would have lied just to get on his good side, to get him to talk to them? I think a lot of them would give their right arms to be a seated officer in his Division," said Kohaku, shaking her head. "It's ridiculous. I really don't see the appeal. But you…you had it in the bag and you chose to tell the truth."

"Hai…"

"You don't regret it at all, do you?" asked Kohaku.

Yuzu shook her head. "Not at all," she said.

"You know something?" asked Kohaku. "…That's one of the things I respect the most about you." She sighed, taking a deep breath. "So what are you going to do now?"

She shrugged. "It's not the end of the world," she said, holding up her collection of tiles. "I'll choose something. I just need a little more time to think it over."

"Well…alright then," said Kohaku, getting back up. "I made my decision. I'm going home. See you tomorrow?"

"Hai, Kohaku-chan. See you tomorrow."

Kohaku smiled, patting Yuzu on the shoulder before slipping out of the room.

The night air was cool outside of the restaurant, a flurry of pale pink petals blowing through the air with every breeze. Spring had well and truly set in, bringing with it its distinctive blooms. Karin was used to sakura blossoms signaling the start of school. She wasn't sure how she felt about it now meaning the end of it.

She took a deep breath, clenching her fist and setting out after Toshiro. Karin caught him at the corner, just before he turned it. He paused, his green eyes settling on her as she made her way up to him.

"Hey," she said as she reached him, raising her hand up in greeting.

He frowned at her, before nodding once. "Hello," he said.

"Walk me home?" asked Karin.

He stared at her, then nodded.

She remembered it starting like this. Toshiro walking her home from the Academy. She remembered how they would talk like this, way back then. Maybe it would never be like that again. After all, this was the last time she would have to be walked back. By next week, she would be setting up at her new Division, and her days as a student would be over.

It wouldn't be like this again.

But maybe, if she played her cards right, it would be better.

She took a deep breath, then opened her hand, revealing the Tenth Division tile. Toshiro frowned at her, staring at it as they walked. "I wanted…to give this back to you," she said.

His face fell. "I…see…" he said slowly, picking it up. She hated the strain in his voice. Hated knowing that she caused that.

Karin shook her head. "Hear me out," she said, as he held the tile in his hands. "I don't wanna be in your Division. I don't—." She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't wanna take orders from you. And I don't want to put you in a position where you have to choose between me and a mission. You're the captain, Toshiro. You need to be a captain. You can't have someone like me on your team…and if I were in your Division, constantly being compared to you, constantly being ranked under you…I don't think I could stop myself from competing with you."

It was like breaking a dam. Once she started, the words that she had been keeping inside of her for so long started to flow, and they seemed to carry her away with the weight of them. Toshiro stared at her as she spoke, his eyes wide. He didn't say anything, waiting for her to finish.

"…I don't want that," she said. "I don't want this to turn into a rivalry." She sighed, taking in a deep breath and exhaling quickly. "…So no. Thanks, but no thanks. I don't want to be your subordinate. But…"

Here was the hard part—the part that had caused her so many sleepless nights, so many weeks of thinking and thinking and wishing and wanting, taking one step forward and two steps back until she finally, by some miracle, arrived at this conclusion. Even now, she still wasn't sure of it. Even now, she was still afraid. But she knew she couldn't delay it any longer.

If Yuzu could face her fears and take Aoyagi Miyako down, Karin could do the same thing. She could take a deep breath and tell Toshiro how she felt about him.

"…that doesn't mean I don't want to be with you," she said slowly.

Toshiro stared. She could feel his eyes on her as she kept her own eyes stubbornly lowered to the ground, her fists clenched at her side. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute, asking the same questions over and over again. Had she said that? Why had she said that? Was she sure of it? What would he do now?

She did her best to ignore them, knowing in her head that she was sure of her answer. Knowing that she had come to a time when she realized she wanted nothing more than have Toshiro back. Knowing that it had come to a point where it just ached, and she realized she missed him…

"I'm not…" she began, filling the silence between them. "I'm not…good with my feelings. So back then…you surprised me. And…I wasn't sure for a while—for a long time, what I wanted…But I think…well, I just realized…"

She shook her head, barking out a short laugh in spite of herself. "Damn…" she said. "I'm terrible at this, aren't I? You…you've got seriously strange taste in girls." She managed a weak laugh, staring down at her hands. "I guess…what I'm trying to say is…"

"Karin…" said Toshiro quietly, interrupting her. His hand landed on her wrist, and Karin froze at the contact, looking up at him.

His touch was gentle, his fingers warm. And his eyes were green…so brilliantly green.

"…I know," he said quietly.

And then he was kissing her. His mouth was warm on hers, and in the back of Karin's mind, she registered that it was graduation week, that they were standing in the middle of one of the major thoroughfares through Soul Society, and even though it wasn't crowded right now, someone was probably going to see them. But she didn't care. Her hand went up, her fingers lightly brushing against his cheek as she leaned into the kiss, her eyes closed. Toshiro's hands wrapped around her waist, and it was warm…so warm…and her heart was beating way too fast, and everything in that moment just felt…right.

Suddenly, she wasn't unsure anymore. Suddenly, she knew what she wanted. She knew where she wanted this to go.

It could go anywhere. Anywhere in the world. As long as he was walking her there.

He pulled away, and they stared at each other for a long moment.

"…I missed you," Toshiro finally admitted.

"I did too…" she said softly. "I'm sorry."

"So am I…"

They looked at each other for a moment longer. Then he kissed her again, and all was suddenly right with the world.

Within an hour, the restaurant was almost completely empty, a single lamp casting a warm glow over the empty room. The Academy students had long since left, and the single box that held all of their choices would remain until tomorrow morning, where it would be collected and sorted for graduation.

Kurosaki Yuzu sat on the steps of the restaurant, her own set of five tiles spread out in front of her. The youngest twin was the only Academy student left. Her hands drifted over the tiles again. The tiles from the Third, Tenth, and Thirteenth had been set aside, leaving only the Fourth and the Ninth in front of her.

She reached for the tile from the Fourth, picking it up and turning it over in her hand.

Unohana-taicho had spoken highly of her earlier, when they talked. She had offered to give Yuzu a higher seat than twentieth, because she didn't need to be trained in basic first aid.

How could anybody turn down such an opportunity? She liked to heal. She liked kidou. It was perfect for her.

She sighed, then nodded once, her expression growing resolute as she reached for her pen. Yuzu picked it up, pressing on one end and taking a deep breath as she prepared to write her name on the tile.

"…You would be wasted in the Fourth Division."

The voice made her jump, and she almost dropped the pen. She turned her head, her eyes widening. Kuchiki Byakuya stood in the middle of the path leading up to the restaurant, his expression impassive and his gray eyes cool as he watched her. He was dressed in his black shihakusho and white haori, his scarf around his neck. Yuzu met his eyes for a moment before she turned her head, looking back at the tile.

"What choice do I have?" she asked, forgoing her usual greeting. She had a feeling their lessons would be over now anyway.

Byakuya frowned, taking a few steps forward. He leaned over slightly, just enough so that he could see the tiles she had set aside. The Kuchiki head made a vague gesture in their direction.

"These do not appeal to you?" he asked.

Yuzu smiled sadly, sitting back on her heels. She reached for the tile from the Third Division, pushing it aside. "My brother's friend," she said. She did the same with the tile from the Tenth Division. "My sister's friend." Finally, she touched the tile from the Thirteenth. "My brother's girlfriend." She shook her head. "I don't think I'd be happy in a Division if I had to wonder all the time whether or not they chose me for me or because they felt some loyalty to my family…"

"And Hisagi-fukutaicho's offer?" asked Byakuya.

"…I considered it," said Yuzu. She gathered up her tiles, getting to her feet. It felt odd—Byakuya being the only one standing. "…Hisagi-fukutaicho offered because he liked my writing. But…I was thinking about it, and I realized that there's a world of difference between writing for a magazine and producing it. Besides…"

She smiled, holding the tile from the Fourth Division. "It's important work. It's work I'm capable of doing. Unohana-taicho offered me this because of my skills. So…why shouldn't I take it?"

"Is that what you want out of your shinigami career?" asked Byakuya, frowning at her. "To be a healer? It is a noble career, surely one you show aptitude for, but you can be more than that."

"It's something I can do…" said Yuzu, taking a deep breath. "It's the best option I have."

"…There are always other options."

Byakuya frowned, opening his hand and holding a small tile out to her. Yuzu's eyes widened as she reached for it. It was a small wooden tile, about the size of her thumbnail. The wood felt smooth beneath her fingertips. Burned onto one side was the image of the Sixth Division's camellia flower.

"The camellia…" he said quietly. "…stands for noble reason," His eyes met hers, and in that moment, Yuzu saw something there that she hadn't seen before. It was approval and acknowledgment, but it was also more than those. It was acceptance. "I do not offer it lightly. I am giving you a chance to show me the rightness of your words. There are many talented healers. There are fewer men of noble character."

"Consider…"

He left the tile in her hands, turning and walking away.

Yuzu stared after him, her breath catching in her throat as he slowly made his way down the empty road.

Her hands curled tightly around the tile, as she gripped it to her chest like a lifeline.

TO BE CONTINUED

Note on Pairing: I'm handling the Yuzu pairing a little differently, because of the natures of the characters. As Karin pointed out, Yuzu knows what she feels, she doesn't really have that same uncertainty that Karin has. So, IchiRuki was kind of "I didn't realize I wanted this." HitsuKarin is "I don't know what I want". This pairing is more of "I want what I can't have." It's also going to have a sweeter tone than the other two pairings.

And yes, as far as Yuzu is concerned, it's started. And yes, that moment above was a pivotal scene.

P.S: I had Fall Into Me by Hey Monday in my head as I was writing that part of this chapter. Feel free to go check it out. The mood of the song is a little too upbeat to work as background music for that scene, but the lyrics are perfect. ^^