Author's Note:

Hi everybody! Welcome back for chapter 8! Wow; if you don't count the epilogue, we're already halfway through this story! Man, that seems crazy to me. Up ahead is another feel-good, slice of life chapter. I hope it makes you laugh; and I hope you enjoy watching Karin make Toshiro struggle with the reality that, despite being known as the ice captain, he's still a typical guy X-D

I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All credit goes to Tite Kubo.


Two days later...

The two days with Rukia had been lots of fun for everyone in the Kurosaki household. Toshiro had dragged Karin to training every morning for seven, which hadn't pleased her at first; but, she knew he was wanting to get an earlier start so they could be back at the house sooner in order to spend some extra downtime with the noblewoman before she went back to Soul Society. Rukia went with them both mornings, and observed Karin's training in its entirety, so she could bring a thorough report back to the head captain. She was very impressed with Karin's progress, and gave minor pointers here and there from a female fighter's perspective. She was also impressed, though not surprised, by how much raw power the young woman possessed. She'd thought it highly likely that Karin would be a force to be reckoned with, given her bloodline, but it was still intriguing to see her in action. With Karin's quick wit, and ability to learn things with relative ease, she believed the young woman would be ready for Bankai training in the next month or two.

She also enjoyed watching Karin and her teacher interact, both in training, and at home. If you were in on their secret, their affection for each other was obvious; however, if you weren't, you would think they were merely very good friends, like her and Ichigo. The two had mastered the subtle looks, and inconspicuous gestures; and Rukia had a hard time believing this was the same Captain Hitsugaya that had left Soul Society a mere seven months ago. He was so much more open and relaxed now; smiling more than Rukia had ever seen. He seemed genuinely happy and content, which lifted her heart; but made her feel sad for them, given their circumstances. She wondered what he would be like when he had to say goodbye; possibly for the rest of Karin's natural life. It was hard enough for her to get time off to come and visit, and she was best friends with the Shinigami who saved Soul Society. While it made her happy to see them both so content, she worried about how they would manage when the inevitable came.

Despite Rukia's hidden conflicting feelings about the secret relationship of her fellow captain and adoptive sister, she'd loved the visit; and everyone had loved having the young woman back again. They'd played family games, even getting Toshiro to join in on occasion, and talked for hours. The young captain asked her about how things were in Soul Society, and questioned her about how Rangiku was faring as temporary captain. He'd been pleased to hear that she hadn't burned the division down yet, and that she'd actually been performing her required duties well; with more commitment than she ever did her lieutenant responsibilities. Rukia had admitted that the busty blonde was still passing off a good amount of paperwork to her temporary lieutenant, but she was very active in Toshiro's established daily training regimen with the division members. Overall, things in Soul Society had been going well, which he was glad to hear.

On Rukia's last day in the world of the living, which was Christmas Eve, the women of the house decided to go clubbing for a girls' night out; while the boys decided to go to Urahara's for a bit to train Kazui, and then come back home to watch Chad's next match, and relax. At first, Ichigo and Toshiro hadn't been on board with the idea of the ladies going out to a club; but Rukia and Karin had been able to persuade them out of their objections. After a short argument between the men and women, the guys conceded, but only with the stipulation that they be back by midnight. As the girls weren't planning on being out that late anyway, that was an easy deal to make.

When all of the women descended the staircase, ready to leave, Ichigo's jaw almost hit the floor while Toshiro went completely silent. Orihime had put on a pink sequin dress that was sleeveless, had a high collar, and came down to her knees. It highlighted her curvy figure without looking provocative, and complimented her skin tone nicely. She paired it with a gold and pink sapphire bracelet, pink sapphire earrings, and pink high heels. She'd put her hair up into a loose curly bun, and had curled her side bangs slightly.

Rukia had on a long shimmery gold skirt that came down to halfway between her knees and ankles; sporting a slit on both sides that came up to her mid-thigh. Her top was also a shimmery gold material that stopped at her hips, and had spaghetti straps. She paired her outfit with a diamond bracelet and earrings, a diamond and onyx necklace on a gold chain, and gold 2" heels; her hair in a long, loose fishtail braid that came over her left shoulder.

Yuzu had decided to go with a sleeveless strawberry-red jumpsuit made of loose fabric; with a deep v-neck cut. Her accessories consisted of a diamond and ruby necklace, bracelet, and earrings in yellow gold, along with beige 3" heels, and her hair lightly curled; pinned back on one side by her signature strawberry barrette.

Finally, Karin sported a strapless turquoise mini dress that stopped mid-thigh. It had a shiny luster to it, and hugged every curve of her body; showing off her long legs, and toned physique. She paired her outfit with a silver and aquamarine necklace and bracelet, and 3" strappy silver heels; letting her long hair hang loose over her shoulders, and down her back. Since she had the spiky Shiba hair, it had natural volume to it, and screamed both 'sexy' and 'dangerous'.

When Ichigo saw his wife, his eyes widened as he spluttered out compliments to her; making Orihime blush cutely, and causing Ichigo's speech impediment to get even worse.

While Isshin gushed about how beautiful they all looked, and Rukia and Yuzu laughed at Ichigo's inability to form a coherent sentence, Toshiro stayed quiet; prompting Karin to glance over at him. There was a predatory desire in his eyes that she'd never seen before; and, if she was honest, she thought it was pretty hot. He held her gaze for a moment before turning, and walking out of sight into the kitchen.

Curious, Karin slipped away from the others, and quietly walked through the kitchen door. There, she saw her boyfriend splashing cold water on his face; breathing deeply with his eyes closed as he grabbed a towel to dry himself off.

Smirking to herself, Karin allowed her heels to click lightly on the kitchen floor. Toshiro's eyes shot open as his head turned in her direction; abruptly dropping the dish cloth in his hands. Raising a curious eyebrow at him, she took a few more steps forward before stopping in front of him; looking up at his face with smokey eyes through long, dark eyelashes. "Someone's not very forthcoming with compliments tonight." she said, before walking past him, and toward the cupboard over the kitchen sink.

Reaching up to grab a glass, she felt strong arms and a toned body pin her to the counter. "I usually have very good self-control, but you're testing my limits tonight." she heard the young captain whisper in her ear.

With her smirk growing, Karin used the little space she had to turn herself around to face her boyfriend; surprised by how dark his eyes were. "Well, I did say I liked a challenge. What I never specified was who I enjoyed challenging; myself, or you?" she said; sliding her arms up his chest, and around his neck as his hands found her waist, and pulled her flush to him. "You're not playing fair, Karin." he said softly; resting his forehead on hers as his eyes fell to half-mast. Karin smiled coyly back at him; her own eyes half-lidded. "All's fair in love and war, Toshiro."

Smirking back at her, Toshiro closed the distance between them as their eyes fell closed; capturing her lips with his in a deep kiss full of desire and need.

The kiss was intense, but brief, as they heard Ichigo questioning where his sister had gone. When they parted, Toshiro rested his head on his girlfriend's shoulder; taking steady breathes to try and calm his swirling emotions while they heard Rukia volunteer to look for her in the kitchen. 'Thank you, Rukia.' Karin thought in relief as she heard the young noblewoman make her way over to the doorway.

Rukia knew they were in there, but the last thing she had been expecting upon entering the kitchen was to see Karin pinned to the counter by her fellow captain, or said captain resting his head on the young woman's shoulders; looking like he was trying desperately to quell some sort of inner turmoil raging within him. The shock on her face must have been evident, as Karin threw her the signature Kurosaki smirk. "Don't ask. We ready to go?"

Upon hearing herself be addressed, Rukia pulled herself out of her stunned state long enough to give the young woman a nod in confirmation. "Yeah, whenever you're ready. Is everything okay?" she asked; her voice laced with subtle concern.

Both Karin and Toshiro knew what she meant by 'everything', and Karin was grateful that she was being careful with her phrasing; knowing that the rest of the family could hear her. Straightening up, Toshiro took one more deep breath before looking over to the noblewoman. "Everything's fine, Kuchiki. Thank you for the concern." he said quietly, before looking over at Karin, and giving her a soft smile.

Karin returned his smile with one of her own before bringing her hand to the side of his face, rising onto her toes, and kissing him once more. The action took Toshiro off guard, but he quickly overcame his momentary shock, and kissed her back. He normally didn't like any form of PDA, but he was willing to let this one pass; not being in a proper emotional state to care about their spectator, anyways. Was he embarrassed? Yes. Did that change anything? Absolutely not.

Karin was sure that Rukia was probably feeling awkward and uncomfortable; but, at the moment, she really didn't care. She was enjoying wielding this new power over her usually extremely disciplined and stoic boyfriend, and she wanted to hold onto it just a little bit longer.

This kiss, too, was brief, but it held the promise of a resumption later on. Separating from him, Karin gave Toshiro a playful smirk before quickly applying the sheer lip gloss she had in her clutch, and walking over to the stunned female Shinigami waiting for her. Looking back over her shoulder, Karin locked eyes with her blushing boyfriend. "Enjoy your time with the boys, and try not to kill my father or Ichigo while I'm gone." she said quietly; an affectionate smile now adorning her face, and playfulness in her eyes.

Despite his warm cheeks, Toshiro gave her a small smile back; crossing his arms over his chest. "Thanks. No guarantees, but I'll try not to. Enjoy dancing, and please be careful. Call me if you need anything." he replied; the concern and protectiveness in his voice and eyes making Karin's smile grow wider. Nodding, and giving him a teasing wink, she walked out of the kitchen with Rukia in tow.

As soon as Karin rejoined everyone in the living room, the girls said goodbye, and walked out the door; closing it behind them. Utilizing the others' focus on the departing group of females, Toshiro silently made his way back into the living room; leaning up against the wall near the closed door of the downstairs bathroom.

When the women had left, Ichigo turned back around to face the living room once more; spotting the white-haired captain. "Oh, Toshiro; there you are. Where'd you disappear to? The girls just left." he asked; an inquisitive look on his face.

Gesturing to his left with a tilt of his head, Toshiro kept his stoic façade intact. "I was in the bathroom. Were they excited for their night out?" he asked; hoping his lie would fool the strawberry.

Smirking slightly, Ichigo nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, they seemed really excited. I told Orihime to call us if they needed anything, but I'm sure they'll be fine; Rukia and Karin are more than capable of defending everyone, and Orihime's no pushover, either."

Smirking back at him, Toshiro adopted a humorous look on his face. "I pity anyone who gets on Karin's bad side, and I speak from experience."

Ichigo laughed while an amused smile formed on Isshin's face; knowing from his own experiences with his beloved daughter that she was a terror when roused.

After he finished laughing, Ichigo looked back at Toshiro; his wide smile suddenly dropping into the 'protective older brother' look that the young man had come to recognize during his time with them. 'Great, what is it this time?' he thought sarcastically as he waited for the substitute to begin; his face falling back into its usual stoic facade.

Ichigo studied the 10th division captain carefully for a moment before speaking; his gaze finding Toshiro's. "A turquoise dress, and silver jewelry. See anything odd about that, Toshiro? You guys have been spending a ton of time together since you got here, so maybe it's time to back off a bit, and give her some space." he said; staring the young man down.

Toshiro's eyes narrowed as he stared back at the orange-haired Kurosaki; his indifferent expression still on his face, despite his growing anger. "Don't try to intimidate me, Kurosaki, because it's not going to work." he replied; his voice hard and cutting as he watched Ichigo's face adopt a defensive hardness of its own. "Backing off isn't an option. My job is to train her, and that requires constant interaction. You need to stop being so overprotective of her; she's a grown woman who can take care of herself. Show her some respect, and stop treating her like a child."

Ichigo leveled a raging glare at the white-haired man, and crossed his arms over his chest; trying, and failing, to intimidate him. "I don't treat her like a child; I treat her like my sister. My job as her older brother is to protect her, and I don't want her getting hurt. If she does, there will be hell to pay; ya hear me, Toshiro?" he said; his voice hard and cutting as well.

Toshiro glared back at the fiery strawberry; adopting the same stance as him. "I don't want Karin to get hurt, either. She's my best friend, and I care about her well-being. Trust your sister, Ichigo; she's smarter and wiser than you give her credit for, and you do her an injustice by thinking you need to protect her from everything. She knows her own mind, and she knows what's best for herself far better than you do. I know you're just trying to do what you think is right, but you can't control her, or me." he replied coldly; keeping his angry gaze locked with the substitute's before walking passed a now surprised-looking, but still angry, Ichigo, and towards the door. "Are we going to Urahara's, or not?" he asked, with Kazui cheering excitedly in the background as he ran down the stairs, and over to the white-haired man.

Ichigo stayed quiet for a moment; digesting what Toshiro just said to him. The young captain almost never used his first name when addressing him, so Ichigo knew to listen when he did. It was rare for Toshiro to stand up for anyone like that, and Ichigo had to admit that he was mildly impressed with the white-haired Shinigami for coming to his sister's defense so quickly and passionately. In truth, the former midget was right; Karin was far smarter and wiser than most other people her age. He knew that, and he was proud of her for it. She wasn't reckless, and she could take care of herself. He just didn't want to see her heartbroken, even though he knew he couldn't really do anything to prevent it...that is, if his worries were even well-founded, which he couldn't prove they were.

Sighing in defeat, Ichigo turned around to face the white-haired man. "Yeah, let's go to Urahara's. You coming, Dad?" he asked; looking over at Isshin, who'd been watching the entire interaction with great interest. Upon being addressed by his son, Isshin's demeanor shifted, and he adopted a huge, excited smile as he made his way over to his grandson; scooping him up, and putting him on his shoulders. "Yeah, of course I'm coming! Let's go do some training!" he said as the child on his shoulders yelled in excitement.

Letting their argument lie for the time being, Toshiro and Ichigo walked out the door after Isshin and Kazui; locking it behind them, turning off the lights, and closing up the house until they returned.

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Both groups ended up having an enjoyable evening. The girls danced half the night away, and enjoyed their time away from all their cares and responsibilities; while the boys ended up having fun at Urahara's. Kazui had been insistent on sparring with Toshiro, as the young boy hadn't gotten to train with anyone other than his father, grandfather, and Kisuke as of yet. He'd had a blast clashing swords with the young captain, and asked to see his father and Toshiro spar. Both men had agreed readily; eager to get out some of their pent-up frustration with each other. The battle had gotten pretty intense, and made Kazui even more excited and determined to learn Shikai after seeing both men use theirs. It had ended up being good for them, though, and they'd finished the fight with smiles on their faces. They were dirty and worn out, but at ease with one another again; almost as if reaching a silent agreement with each other.

The boys had gotten home first; showering, and watching some sports on the television for a while before the Kurosaki patriarch and youngest Kurosaki retired for the night. Isshin and Kazui had fallen asleep quickly upon going to bed, but Toshiro and Ichigo had stayed up, and talked. They discussed a wide range of topics, including Soul Society, Rangiku's temporary promotion, Ichigo's work and friends, and Karin's training; the last subject being their longest, and most in-depth talk. They discussed everything; from Toshiro's teaching methods, to Karin's progress, and their relationship as friends as well as teacher and student. Toshiro was careful not to give away the actual nature of his relationship with Karin, but he could tell that Ichigo needed a better explanation of just how much Karin and her feelings mattered to him. He could see the strawberry's concern for his sister, and he couldn't fault him for it; he had the same protective instincts when it came to Momo, and he understood where the substitute was coming from. By the end of their conversation, both men felt like they had a much better understanding of the other, and it created a new ease in their relationship that had been sorely lacking. When they'd finished talking, and had shaken hands as friends in mutual respect and understanding, they both decided to go to bed; knowing that the girls would be home soon.

Toshiro quietly made his way over to Karin's room after he heard Ichigo's door shut; silently closing the door behind him, and plopping himself down on top of her bed while he thought over his conversation with the elder Kurosaki; a small smile forming on his face. 'I guess miracles really can happen.' he thought sarcastically, before his head pivoted in the direction of the previously-closed door; watching as Karin smirked at him from the doorway, and made her way into the room. "Wow, I can't believe you're still awake. It's midnight; I figured you'd be sound asleep by now." she said; taking off her heels, and putting them into her closet.

Smirking back at her, Toshiro got up from the bed, and walked over to her; his hands finding her waist. "How else was I gonna make sure you kept your promise to be home by midnight. Did you have a good time?" he said; playfulness in his voice, and humor in his eyes.

Bringing her arms up, and around his neck, Karin gave him a sarcastic look. "Yeah, we did; It was a lot of fun. I trust you enjoyed your time with the boys?" she replied; a playful, teasing smile on her face.

Toshiro smirked at her; amusement evident in his eyes. "Surprisingly, yes; I did. Ichigo and I showed off for Kazui a bit by agreeing to a mock battle. No clear winner, but it was good for us. We even had a long conversation afterwards, when we got home."

Karin's playful smile morphed into a curious one as she searched his eyes. "Really? And you didn't kill each other? I'm surprised. What was the talk about?" she replied; watching as Toshiro's facial features softened, and he gave her a tender smile. "Various subjects, but mainly you. He doesn't want you getting hurt, which I understand. We talked some things out, and I think it helped a lot."

Karin's curiosity was peaked; not used to her brother choosing to talk rather than fight. 'Well, they did spar before that, so…' she thought amusedly; twirling the hair at the nape of Toshiro's neck around her finger. "Well, I'm glad you and my brother have made peace; at least for now. So, it was a good evening all around, then." she said; gently brushing his fringe out of his eyes. He merely nodded back at her as his turquoise pools darkened slightly once more; his hands tightening ever so slightly on her waist.

Karin looked deeply into his eyes, and could see his restraint fighting against his desires. Not wanting to watch him struggle just for her sake, Karin decided to grab her pajamas, and get ready for bed…after she got one more thing from him. Looking at him with a soft, affectionate smile on her face, she pulled him closer. "Do me one favor before I get in the shower?" she asked, watching Toshiro nod slightly; his eyes now looking more teal in color than turquoise. "Kiss me…a real kiss, this time."

Smiling softly back at her, Toshiro leaned in, and captured her lips with his; pushing her backwards slightly until her back was pressed up against her closet door. His grip on her waist tightened as her arms fully encircled his neck; pulling him closer, and feeling his love, care, and desire for her in every fiber of his being.

While she'd enjoyed seeing Rukia these past couple of days, it had reminded her that Toshiro wouldn't be around for much longer; and she wanted to enjoy every minute she could with the man she'd fallen so deeply in love with. If her younger self could hear her thoughts now, she'd be vomiting; Karin was sure of it, and the thought amused her greatly. She herself had never thought until recently that the day would ever come when she'd willingly put herself under someone else's power; being the independent, stubborn tomboy that she was. Toshiro was different, though. He saw her as his equal, and treated her as such; looking to her first for advice or guidance when he needed it. He respected her, and put her well-being above his own. He was her better half; supporting her when she needed it, and helping her through when she fell. He was her partner, her protector; the only person she trusted with both her deepest fears, and wildest dreams. He was made for her, and she for him; which is why she wanted to enjoy every last moment with him that she could before he was taken away from her.

Karin's requested kiss turned into several as the minutes ticked on; neither of them knowing or caring how much time had gone by. When the need for air finally became dire, they reluctantly parted; both breathing heavily. Letting his girlfriend go, Toshiro watched silently as she picked up her pjs, and made her way over to the door; giving him one more teasing smile before walking through the threshold, and closing the door behind her.

Turning around, and getting into bed, Toshiro grabbed Karin's World History book, and opened it to his bookmarked spot. He'd always had a curious mind, and had studied the history of his home country, Japan, extensively. One culture he wanted to learn more about, though, was the culture of the Western world; specifically, the U.K., and the United States. He knew a few members of the Western Branch of Soul Society, Wing Bind; located in Reverse London. Specifically, he'd met Noel Niihashi and Ninny Spangcole a little over a year ago, and learned that Noel had an obsession with Japanese culture. He, however, knew very little of England, or any part of the Western world; so, he'd decided to broaden his knowledge of Soul Society's other branches, and their respective cultures. When he saw Karin's World History book, he thought that would be a good place to start; so, he'd marked the sections that covered England and the United States, and started his informational reading just a few days ago.

He covered about ten pages when the door opened once more, and Karin stepped inside; now cleaned up, and dressed in one of his plain white t-shirts and fuzzy buffalo-check pants. Amused by her choice of attire, he raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "What should I ask first: where you found my shirt, or why you even want to wear it? Don't get me wrong, it looks better on you than it does on me; I'm just curious."

Karin smirked back as she walked over, and crawled into bed beside him. "Actually, I thought I'd picked up one of MY white shirts from the basket, but it turned out to be yours. My dad must have done the laundry again. Thanks for the loan; I hope you don't mind." she replied; a cheeky smile on her face.

Shaking his head in amusement, Toshiro put his book away, and shifted slightly so he was looking at her. "Well, whether I mind or not, I can't do anything about it now." he said good-naturedly; a small smile on his face.

Karin snuggled a little closer to him as a mischievous smile replaced her smirk. "Well, technically you could." she replied; enjoying watching how his composure cracked slightly. She couldn't help it; he was just too much fun to tease.

Shifting from his propped-up position so he could lay down fully, Toshiro gave her an unamused look while his cheeks adopted a slightly pinkish hue; prompting her to chuckle. "Nice try, Karin, but I know you're not serious."

Smiling good-naturedly back at him, Karin brushed a lock of snow-white hair from his face. "Yeah, you're right; it's just way too much fun to tease you." she said; her eyes dancing with humor.

Returning her smile with one of his own, he snaked his arms around her, and pulled her close. "As long as I have you, I'm fine with the teasing. Now, get some sleep; it's Christmas tomorrow, and I'm sure Orihime has plans to do something." he said; clear disinterest in any form of party or other large event evident in his voice, which made Karin laugh. "Yeah, you're probably right; but I'm guessing it'll just be the usuals. She invites Uryu, Chad, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, Kisuke, Yoruichi, Jinta, and Ururu every year. I'm guessing this year won't be any different."

Groaning in disapproval, Toshiro mumbled into her hair. "Great; the idiot from high school, the Quincy, and Urahara. Can't wait." he said sarcastically; making Karin laugh once more. "Don't worry, Tosh, you'll be fine. I'm sure we can find a chance to slip away for a while, and enjoy some quiet time. Now, we should get some sleep."

Feeling him nod in agreement, she smiled softly as she closed her eyes; feeling a gentle kiss be placed on her forehead. "Goodnight, Karin. I love you." she heard him whisper softly in the quiet of her room.

Shifting her head slightly, she kissed him lightly on his neck in return. "Goodnight, Toshiro. I love you, too." she said, as they both drifted off into a deep sleep.

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Christmas day ended up being more enjoyable than Toshiro had anticipated. He and Karin had woken up at 9:00 to the sound of pots and pans clanging in the kitchen. Just like every year, Yuzu and Orihime were already in the process of preparing for the large evening meal. The pair got dressed, went downstairs, and helped the two women in the kitchen with what they could for meal prep until Kazui came barreling down the stairs an hour later; Ichigo following behind him with a smile on his face.

The small boy had begged to go do some training at Urahara's with everyone, and requested to see his aunt and her teacher spar with their Shikai. He'd been wanting to see his aunt fight for a while now, but hadn't been allowed to yet, for his own safety. When they'd started training, Toshiro had been very clear that he didn't want any of them within immediate range of him and Karin while he was teaching her to better control her powers. The request had made perfect sense to the two elder Kurosaki men, so they'd readily agreed. Kazui had been the only one disappointed not to see his aunt's training, and he was hoping he'd get to see it now as a special treat during the holidays.

With sympathetic smiles on their faces, the three men told him that Karin was still mastering her abilities, so he'd have to wait a little while longer; with Karin sarcastically reminding Toshiro that he'd promised her the day off as well, and he'd have hell to pay if he didn't keep his word. So, to pacify the disappointed child, the men offered to bring him to Urahara's for a couple of hours to train, and then have a two-on-one match: the two captains versus his father. That suggestion caused Kazui's face to light up once more, as he'd never seen his grandfather fight before, either. He'd agreed eagerly, and the boys disappeared until about two in the afternoon; returning exhausted, but with a very happy Kazui who had lots of stories to tell about how cool it was to watch them, and how awesome they all were.

The boys returned home to find Jinta, Ururu, and Tatsuki already there, with Urahara and Yoruichi arriving shortly after the Kurosaki band. By the time dinner was ready at 7:00, everyone was there, and ensconced in conversation. They all enjoyed their delicious Christmas meal, and confirmed to Yuzu that her new Chocolate Mousse recipe was definitely a keeper.

Toshiro talked with Tatsuki at great length throughout the evening; enjoying the young woman's company and conversation. She and Karin shared several personality traits, so he found her easy to be around. He also shared some similar interests with her; mainly martial arts, so that also helped. She had just finished telling him about her recent purchase of the local dojo, Furin Hall, where she and Ichigo had trained as children, when Karin came over to them; a smile on her face. "Hey Tatsuki! Sorry I haven't gotten around to talking with you yet; I've been helping Orihime and Yuzu in the kitchen."

Tatsuki waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "It's alright; I know you always help with all the meal prep and clean up for Christmas. So, how's training going? Toshiro's been telling me about it."

Looking over at her boyfriend, Karin gave him a playful look. "Has he been telling you about all the progress I've made, and how I'm the best student ever; or all the times he's made me eat dirt before I collapse from exhaustion? Cause there's always a little bit of both every day."

Toshiro smirked back at her as Tatsuki chuckled slightly. "He's been filling me in on how your powers work. To be honest, I'm kinda surprised. I thought you'd have similar abilities to your dad and brother, but it's cool that your zanpakuto is an elemental-type. Are you close to mastering it?"

Smiling back at the older woman, Karin nodded slightly. "Yeah, I'm probably about a month to two months away from mastering my Shikai abilities. After that, Toshiro's taking me to Soul Society for Bankai training."

Tatsuki raised a curious eyebrow; looking from Karin to the 10th division captain. "Why are you taking her all the way to Soul Society for that? Can't you do it here?" she asked; skepticism in her voice.

Shaking his head in response, Toshiro explained his reasoning. "Bankai is at least five to ten times more powerful than Shikai, and far more dangerous to both Karin and others; depending on what her Bankai abilities end up being. She needs to be far away from civilization while she goes through the process of acquiring it, and Soul Society is the ideal place for that kind of training."

Nodding in understanding, Tatsuki let her antagonism towards the idea drop. After everything that had happened with Ichigo, she was highly skeptical of the Shinigami; but, Karin seemed to trust him, and she trusted Karin. For now, she decided she'd go along with it, and keep her objections to herself. 'Besides, they wouldn't be able to stop Ichigo if he went to get her, anyway.' she thought humorously; a smirk making its way onto her face. "All I ask is that you bring her back in one piece."

Toshiro smirked in reply, glancing over at Karin. "Easier said than done, but I'll do my best."

Scoffing, Karin elbowed him in the side in protest. "Oh please, I'll be fine. Even you admitted I take after my brother in terms of natural talent." she said; a cocky smile on her face.

Keeping his smirk in place, Toshiro locked eyes with her. "And stubbornness too, it would seem."

Suddenly feeling like a bit of a third wheel for a reason she couldn't describe, Tatsuki used this opportunity to excuse herself, and make her way over to Orihime. She hadn't been able to talk to her best friend very much since she arrived, so she was looking forward to having a longer conversation.

Grateful for the fact that everyone else in the house was happily chatting away, Karin discreetly took Toshiro's hand, and gave him a slight pull; silently telling him to follow her.

His smirk softened into a gentle smile as he followed her silently up the stairs, and into her room. Once they were both past the threshold, Karin closed the door; sighing in relief. "Ah, peace and quiet. I love them all, but I do have my limits." she said; watching as Toshiro smirked back at her; nodding in agreement. "True. I'm not a social creature to begin with, so my tolerance is even less than yours. I was ready to get away from everyone for a bit."

Karin nodded in reply, before a smile made its way onto her face, and she walked over to her closet; pulling out a wrapped box. "Are you ready to do presents?" she asked; her eyes shining with excitement.

Toshiro smiled back at her, and nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Yours is in my room; I'll be back in a minute. Wanna open them on the roof, and enjoy the stars?" he asked; making his way over to the door.

Karin's smile broadened as she put the present down to reach for her long down jacket. "Yeah, that sounds great. I'll see you up there." she replied; throwing on her jacket, zipping it up, and walking over to her window as Toshiro opened her bedroom door, and made his way over to his own room.

Karin made her way onto the roof, and took a seat on the cold surface; present in-hand. Only a few moments passed before Toshiro appeared; zipping up his winter coat as he took a seat next to her.

Smiling at her, he handed her the large wrapped box in his grasp. "Merry Christmas, Karin." he said; a soft smile on his face.

Returning his smile with one of her own, Karin took the box from him; being careful as she removed the wrapping paper. Sliding the brown box out of its silver and gold-adorned decorative paper, she opened the top; her mouth dropping open, and eyes widening. "No way…is this?" she said; lifting the soccer ball out to examine it. "Oh my god, it is! How'd you get this, Toshiro?!" she asked excitedly as the young captain smirked back at her. "Being friends with the Shinigami who saved Soul Society has its perks. The Central 46 was very helpful."

Toshiro had wanted to get Karin something that she would love, and had a vested interest in. So, what better option than a custom-made soccer ball from Japanese soccer great Shinji Kagawa's personal collection. Through Central 46's influence over undisclosed contacts in the world of the living, he'd been able to meet the Japan national team member, and request a signed soccer ball. Toshiro told him about Karin's passion for soccer, and her story of many major wins and achievements all throughout middle and high school; with a promising professional career ahead of her, only to suffer a career-ending injury at the young age of twenty-two. Kagawa had enjoyed listening to Toshiro, and was very sad to hear that a severe compound fracture in her left leg, caused by a collision with another player from the opposing team, had prevented her from pursuing her dreams. So, even though the white-haired man had only expected to be able to get the player's signature on a standard soccer ball, he offered to sign one of the balls in his personal collection instead. Toshiro had agreed readily, and was even allowed to pick out the ball he wanted to gift to Karin. Ultimately, he'd gone with a ball that had a color scheme of blue, purple, and teal that reminded him of the Northern Lights, and blended together in harmony over the round surface; with thin, greyish-white currents running through the beautiful array of colors like air currents. In one of the lighter teal areas, Kagawa had signed his name in black sharpy, along with a note that read "Never give up on your dreams."

Karin was speechless for a moment, before putting the ball back into its box, and throwing her arms around her boyfriend. "I can't believe you did that for me…thank you so much, Toshiro." she said; giving him a squeeze before releasing him.

Toshiro smiled softly back at her as he moved to tuck a strand of her raven locks behind her ear. "I'm glad you like it."

Smiling back at him, Karin nodded in confirmation before reaching to her side, and grabbing her present to him. "I love it, and I can't wait to brag to my friends that I have a signed, one-of-a-kind, custom-made soccer ball from Shinji Kagawa's personal collection." she said; smirking as she handed him her gift. "Alright, your turn. Merry Christmas, Toshiro."

Taking the wrapped package from her, Toshiro opened it carefully. Gently peeling back the blue paper with silver snowflakes on it, he saw a small black box with a pull-off top. He put the paper aside, opened up the box, and smiled affectionately down at the content. Inside was a picture frame split into four sections. The pictures in the top two slots were of the entire family and Toshiro on Ichigo's birthday, and a cool action shot of him and Karin training at Urahara's. The pictures in the two bottom slots were him, Ichigo, Isshin, Kazui, and Karin playing soccer in the park; and one of his favorite pictures of him and Karin. He had been sitting on the couch, looking at his communicator, and she'd surprised him by jumping on him, and hugging him from behind. The picture showed her smiling playfully at him, with her arms around his neck, as she leaned over the back of the couch; and him, his communicator in one hand, looking over his shoulder at her with an amused smile on his own face. Yuzu had caught the moment on camera by chance, as that happened to be the night of Ichigo's party. She had been running around with a camera for the entire event, and had snapped quite a few good shots throughout the evening.

Taking the picture frame out of the box, he examined the pictures more closely. "Where'd the one in Urahara's come from? Did your sister ask Jinta to stalk us, or something?" he asked; amusement in his voice as he looked from the pictures to Karin.

Karin smirked back at him in reply. "It's Urahara's personally-built training room; you really didn't think he'd have cameras hidden everywhere?"

Toshiro's affectionate smile morphed into an amused one as he closed his eyes, and shook his head. "I should have figured he'd have the place covered in surveillance equipment. I dread to think of what else he has stored from our training sessions."

Karin chuckled lightly as he re-opened his eyes, and his gaze met hers. "I'm curious, what made you think of this?" he asked; the affectionate smile back on his face.

Karin smiled back at him; reaching up to brush the white fringe away from his eyes. "Well, I know you can't keep any personal items on your communicator, so I thought it'd be nice for you to have some pictures to bring back with you that would remind you of us, and your life here. Plus, I thought it would reassure anyone who visits your office that you do actually belong to the human race." she replied; her smile morphing into a teasing smirk.

He smirked back at her, before putting the picture frame back in its box. "Technically, I don't belong to the human race, Karin; I'm a soul. Nice try, though." he replied; enjoying watching her get irritated at his comeback. "Okay, fine; technicalities, Toshiro. It'll show them you actually have a heart, then." she huffed in rebuttal; unwilling to accept defeat.

Smiling affectionately back at her, Toshiro brought his hand up to the side of her face. "Thank you, Karin. That'll be the most important thing on my desk."

Karin's irritation disappeared, and an affectionate smile of her own made its way onto her face. "I'm glad you like it." she replied, before pulling a small plant stem out of the bun on her head. Toshiro had originally thought it was just a hair decoration for the party; but now, recognizing the piece of greenery, he smirked as she held it in front of him. With a playful smirk on her own face, she shrugged lightly. "What? Can't have Christmas without mistletoe." she said; her dark grey eyes dancing in the moonlight.

Toshiro inched closer to her as his eyes fell to half-mast. "True" he replied, before closing the remaining distance between them; kissing her tenderly, and feeling her melt into it.

The kiss only lasted for a few moments before Karin's phone began to vibrate. Breaking apart, she looked down at the device, and sighed. "Well, that didn't last long. Yuzu's wondering where we are. Apparently, Kazui wants to show Tatsuki how much his swordsmanship has improved by sparring with 'Mr. Toshiro'. I guess Ichigo offered to be his opponent, and he refused." she said; amused by her nephew's rejection of his own father in favor of the white-haired captain.

Smirking in amusement, Toshiro grabbed his gift, got up, and offered his free hand to Karin. "Poor Ichigo…though I can't say as I blame the kid. Come on, let's get back in there, then."

Smirking back at him, Karin grabbed her own gift, and took his hand; letting him help her to her feet. "Alright, Mr. Popular; let's get you back to your adoring follower."

Giving her hand a light squeeze, Toshiro helped her over to the edge of the roof, and back through her window into her bedroom before climbing through himself. They deposited their gifts on her bed, crawled back out the window, and climbed down the side of the building to the front door of the clinic. Karin turned the nob, opened the door, and walked through; Toshiro right behind her. "I heard the ice captain was summoned by his biggest fan." she said; a smirk on her face as everyone in the living room turned their attention to the pair.

Kazui ran up to them as Yuzu made her way to the front of the crowd. "There you two are! We've been looking everywhere for you." she said; a slight smirk on her face, and hands on her hips.

Karin smiled sheepishly back at her, and shrugged. "Sorry, Yu. We both needed some fresh air, so we went for a quick walk."

Toshiro looked down at the small boy next to him who was rocking excitedly back and forth on his heels; a slight smile on his face. "So, you want to show Ms. Arisawa some of the things you've learned?"

Kazui nodded excitedly. "Yeah! Can you spar with me, Mr. Toshiro?"

Toshiro's smile grew ever so slightly as he nodded in agreement; Kazui lighting up, and running upstairs to grab his wooden swords.

The men moved the furniture out of the way, and the Shinigami captain and soon-to-be substitute Shinigami spent the next half-hour demonstrating some of the boy's newly acquired skills.

Tatsuki complimented Kazui on his improvement in both swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat; and also commented to Toshiro on his skill in, and mastery of, swordsmanship. She confessed that she knew very little when it came to wielding a blade, but could tell when someone was both naturally gifted, and highly trained in it.

Toshiro thanked her for the compliment, and the two of them, along with Karin, talked together for a while about various training methods as the others put the living room back together.

Everyone stayed for a little while longer after that, before the clock chimed out the announcement that it was approaching the eleven o'clock hour.

Deciding that it was time to call it a night, everyone said their goodbyes, got their coats and shoes on, and made their way back to their respective homes.

After a final cleanup of the living room and kitchen, everyone else in the house retired for the night as well; deciding to do the family presents in the morning due to the late hour.

Crawling into bed next to his very tired girlfriend, Toshiro put one arm under her pillow, and draped the other over her waist; with Karin snuggling into him so her back was flush with his chest.

Finding his free hand with hers, Karin threaded their fingers together, and gave his hand a light squeeze. "So, was it as horrendous as you thought it would be, or did you actually have fun?" she asked; a smirk on her face, even though she knew he couldn't see it.

She felt him chuckle lightly as he rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand. "I'll admit, it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Everyone enjoyed themselves, and we only had to suffer some very subtle teasing from Kisuke and Yoruichi. Tatsuki is good company, but I was ready to decapitate the pervert." he said; irritation evident in his voice at the mention of Keigo. The brunette had tried to hit on both Yuzu and Karin during the night, which had resulted in him receiving some very violent threats from Jinta and Toshiro. Needless to say, he'd been much more well behaved after that.

Karin laughed; remembering how pale he'd looked after re-emerging from the kitchen, where Toshiro had dragged him by the scruff of his neck after making a pass at her. "Yeah, he was a bit much; but you and Jinta put an end to his crap real quick. I didn't even have to punch him."

Toshiro smiled as he gave her hand a light squeeze. "Jinta and I may be very different, but we do have one thing in common: we protect what's important to us."

Karin smiled, and squeezed his hand back. "Who says I need protection?" she asked; slight sassiness in her voice, and a cheeky smile on her face.

Raising himself up slightly on one arm, Toshiro leaned over her as Karin turned her head towards him. Letting an amused smile make its way onto his face, he kissed her forehead. "You don't, but that's not going to stop me from protecting you, anyway."

Karin smiled playfully back at him, and rotated herself to lie on her back; that way she was staring up at him, and not craning her neck to look over her shoulder. "Good, because I don't date pansies."

Toshiro smirked at her, before letting his smirk melt into a soft smile as he felt her run her hand gently up his arm. Karin smiled back at him, before using her other hand to brush his hair out of his face. "Well, aside from Keigo being Keigo, I'm glad you enjoyed the day; I was worried you wouldn't." she said; holding his gaze with her own.

"It was a good day, and I was surprised that I did actually enjoy it. How about you? Did you have a good Christmas?" he asked; curiosity in his eyes.

Karin smirked back at him. "You were here, and you gave me a custom-made, autographed soccer ball that belonged to one of Japan's best soccer players; of course I had a good Christmas." she replied; her eyes dancing with humor, and happiness.

Toshiro smiled affectionately back at her. "Good. I'm glad." he said, before leaning down, and kissing her deeply.

Karin hummed in approval as her arms found their way up his chest, and around his neck; her fingers lacing through his hair.

Several seconds – and many kisses – later, the two parted, and Karin snuggled into her boyfriend's side; letting her left hand rest on his chest as he encircled her in his arms. After a moment of silence, Toshiro heard her murmur quietly into his chest. "Merry Christmas, Toshiro."

Smiling tiredly as he felt his own eyelids fall, he tightened his grip on her; pulling her closer to him. "Merry Christmas, Karin." he replied, before both of them fell into a deep sleep.


Alright, folks! There's chapter 8 for ya! So, what did you think about Ichigo being the over-protective big brother that he is, his mini-peace with Toshiro, or his own kid preferring the Shinigami captain over him, lol? I think Toshiro and Ichigo could get along well with each other if they really tried…we'll see if their peace lasts!

I contemplated searching for links to example photos of the girls' clubbing outfits, but was being lazy, and didn't want to take the time to do it. I promise that links to example images will be listed in future chapters for some other outfits I have in mind for some of the Bleach ladies.

Did you enjoy the reference to Tite Kubo's newest work, Burn the Witch; which shares the Bleach universe? I thought it would be cool to try and mention it in this story, somehow, and that seemed like a good way to do it without expanding the plot any further than what I had originally planned.

I enjoyed writing Karin's and Toshiro's interactions in this chapter; I felt like it showed Toshiro less as a captain of the Gotei 13, and more as a regular man who struggles with the same emotions and desires as everyone else; despite how cool and collected he is most of the time.

Just to clarify, I am not a sports fan, and do not watch soccer at all. I found Shinji Kagawa's name in several Google searches for top Japanese players in the year 2015 (as that is the year that Bleach is set in during the Echoing Jaws of Hell arc, which this story takes place after), and ran with it. For those of you that do follow soccer, I hope I made a good choice!

Catch you all next chapter!

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