Twelve Days of Siblings
Title: Goose
Summary: Yuzu decides to invite Karin's "boyfriend" to their birthday slumber party.
Notes: I kept working with this idea in my head and ended up combining a few of the working ideas, chopping them up and rearranging them until I got this. It's... rather interesting. Anyways, this takes place after the Thousand Year War. Also, the girl with the long pony tail is an actual character Tite Kubo created that never got named. She was introduced watching Don Kanonji on television with two small boys. The second girl is a manga only character and the third character is an OC to balance things out.

Goose

The small taicho's head was against the cool surface of the desk as he rested his exhausted body. Bambietta had kept him up yet again by chatting about random things he didn't care at all about. His eyes began to droop and he temporarily nodded off, only to be woken up by a voice that was all to familiar and identifiable. "I decided to stop by and see how you and Shiro-chan are doing Rangiku."

"Umm..." Toshiro's eyes opened slightly before closing as Rangiku spoke up.

"I know, I know. There is a chance he'll go ballistic when he sees me. I'm not in a situation where I have to worry about Karin and Yuzu's safety anymore, so I figure I'll explain things to him. Isn't it better that it comes from me." The comment from his former taicho causes him to suddenly open his eyes up slightly before widening.

"Well... yes." Rangiku's voice was straining as the small taicho stared at his office door. "What exactly is your relationship with Karin and Yuzu-chan, and I might add their brother as well?"

"They're my kids. What other relationship could I have with them?" Toshiro's head suddenly perked up at hearing Isshin's words.

"Kurosaki Karin is taicho's daughter?" The boy's cheeks suddenly flushed up. He stood up to head to the door, wondering if this was a strange dream caused by the fact his sister had a habit of finding ways to drain him of all his physical energy.

"Taicho... I think you should stop speaking." The busty female's voice suddenly strained. Toshiro slowly walked over to the door that was partially closed.

"Why? They are safe now and all three of them have been given the choice of staying in the living world or coming and eventually living in Soul Society. Well, Yuzu doesn't yet..."

"Taicho... please. This isn't the time to talk about this." Rangiku glanced over just in time to see that a bright teal eye was peeking through the gap in the door. The door opened and the small boy simply glanced at the ground as his cheeks flushed up.

"Are you feeling all right Shiro-chan?" The man raised an eyebrow.

Toshiro glanced away, his lips pushing together tightly. "No... I'm not feeling to well."

Isshin blinked a couple of times. "That's strange. I mean, you admitting that you're not feeling well is strange."

"Yes... well, I'll be heading to bed as I am not feeling well." The boy turned his head slightly to Rangiku. "You'll make sure to get the paperwork done?"

"Oh, we'll make sure to get the paperwork done." Rangiku's eyes looked right at Isshin and her tone was demanding. She then watched as her small taicho headed off with his hands tucked under his armpits.

"I'm to help? Why?" Isshin shook his head at the busty female. "He's just not feeling well. He looks exhausted."

"It's not as simple as him being exhausted. You know as well as I that he will work through utter exhaustion until he passes out." The woman folded her arms across her chest "He over heard you say..."

"Ka-chan!" A small female suddenly came hurtling around the corner to latch onto Rangiku.

"Bambietta..." The busty haired female touched the dark hair with one hand, smiling as she did so. "I'm in the middle of a conversation here."

"I forgot to tell you something this morning."

"She calls you mother?" Isshin raised an eyebrow, only to have Bambietta suddenly glare at him and stick out her tongue.

"What is it that you forgot to tell me?"

"Toto-chan needs new pillows again." The small female blurted out. She then glared at Isshin again. "Who is he?"

"This man is your brother's former taicho." Rangiku patted the girl on the back. "Why don't you head to the kitchen and see if they have any sweets for you."

Isshin took a deep breath before folding his arms. "The last time you checked you weren't a parent."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "The last time I checked I wasn't a parent either, but apparently I forgot that detail."

"She looks to be around Shiro-chan's age." The man then found himself taking a deep breath. "She and Toshiro are twins and Gin happens to be their father."

"Yes." Rangiku took a deep breath. "I'll be back to help you with the paperwork, but I need to go make sure that taicho has new pillows so that he can rest."

"I got it." Isshin stated, stepping into the office and raising an eyebrow at the stacks of papers and toys strewn about that obviously belonged to the female twin.

M

Yuzu stood at the counter writing out the invitations to the sleepover she and Karin were having for their fourteenth birthday party. "So... Karin, who do you want to invite?"

"Don't worry about it." Karin stated. "I only have guy friends and none of them are mature enough to handle this kind of situation, not to mention inviting a boy to..."

The brown haired twin interrupted her sister. "What about Toshiro-kun?"

"Toshiro? Well, he's not a pervert like my other guy friends." Karin set her came over frowning at her sister. "But..."

"Then you can invite him."

"Are you kidding me Yuzu?"

"No."

The dark haired twin pushed herself up from the couch before heading over to the counter and folding her arms across her chest. "This is a bad idea."

"Well, you haven't invited him over for a long time despite the fact he is your boyfriend."

"No he isn't."

"I figure he'd want to give you something special on your birthday, not to mention this will be so romantic."

"Yuzu..." Karin let out a deep sigh before a smile spread on her face. "Why don't we just go and ask dad if Toshiro can come?" She then went to the door between the kitchen and the clinic and opened it up. "Hey, dad! Yuzu wants to know if I can invite one of my guy friends named Hitsugaya Toshiro to our slumber party?"

"Sure..."

The dark haired twin opened her mouth to tell her sister that she had been right in assuming her father would say no, only to have the smile falter into a frown. "Say what?"

"I heard he has a sister as well. Invite her too." Isshin remained at his desk.

"He what?" Karin suddenly shook her head before hurrying into the room. "Now look here, I would think you wouldn't be happy with a guy our age staying the night."

"What what I hear too he hasn't hit puberty, so why should I worry?"

"See... dad is fine with it." Yuzu stated. "I'll make an invitation up for him and his sister just like dad suggested."

"Hold on..." The dark haired twin found herself hurrying up the stairs. "Ichi-nii!"

The door to her brother's room slammed open just in time for her to see him getting back into his body. "What ever is the matter?"

"Yuzu had the bright idea to invite Toshiro of all people to the slumber party!" The small female hurried over and stuck her panicked face right in front of her brother's.

"So? Dad will veto it." Ichigo pushed the young teen back. "So don't worry..."

"Don't worry? I actually asked dad as soon as Yuzu brought the idea up and dad said it was all right! The moron is fine with a boy Yuzu and my age being in the same house as a sleepover between a bunch of hormonal teenagers who would... for the best words, not make Toshiro feel comfortable at all. He also said something about inviting Toshiro's sister and..."

"Which one?"

"What?"

"Which sister was dad referring to?"

"I don't..." Karin shook her head. "That is beside the point. He said its fine because Toshiro hasn't hit puberty. Yet I know full well that he..."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow as his sister clamped her mouth shut. "Don't worry. I already know he has a crush on you. I agree with you it isn't a good idea, but... seriously. If dad thinks it is a good idea he'll just invite Toshiro himself."

The small female let out a deep sigh of relief. "Then it is a good thing that dad can't see ghosts and knows nothing about Soul Society or how to find Toshiro."

The orange haired teen felt the corners of his mouth twist up. "So... dad hasn't told you yet, has he?"

"Told me what?"

The young man let out a deep sigh. "I found out before I lost my powers that dad was a former shinigami. I found out recently that not only was he a shinigami, but he was Toshiro's former captain and we're part of the Shiba clan. You, me and Yuzu... we have the option of choosing to go and live in Soul Society because we're..."

Ichigo paused and Karin shook her head. "What, half breeds?"

"I'm honestly not sure how to explain it, other then our father is a Shinigami and our mother was a Quincy while she was alive. Its very complicated."

The small female flopped onto the bed. "This is going to be a disaster."

"You aren't worried about dad embarrassing you in front of Toshiro? Toshiro's had to deal with dad long before I was born, so he knows how dad is." The substitute shinigami turned his head away slightly. "Though, to be honest I would be more worried about dad embarrassing Toshiro. Dad babies him more then he does you or Yuzu."

Karin let out a groan. "No, see that was exactly what I was worried about. Toshiro is..." The silence remained for awhile. "He's different from my other friends."

"Yeah... he is different from the other kids your age." Ichigo tapped the desk with his pen. "Does dad know that Yuzu thinks Toshiro is your boyfriend?"

"On one side I wish he knew because then he wouldn't be fine with Yuzu and me inviting him over." The dark haired girl continued to stare at the ceiling. "On the other, the last thing I want is dad thinking he needs to kill Toshiro."

The substitute shinigami felt the corner of his mouth suddenly twist up into a grimace. "There is that."

M

Toshiro leaned on his desk, his face resting in the palm of his head as he looked at the paper work he needed to do. This morning he hadn't woken up with a head ache and he wasn't as exhausted as the other days his sister had kept him up. The ability to focus on the paper work simply wasn't there. A voice caused him to startle and look up at the door.

"Yo! Toshiro!"

The boy narrowed his bright teal eyes before letting out a deep sigh of frustration. "It's captain Hitsugaya to you." The boy's small fingers were tapping on the table. "So why are you here?"

"Karin and Yuzu's birthday is in a few days." Ichigo watched as the boy's face suddenly brightened up.

"Taicho, that means you can get Karin and Yuzu birthday presents. Sounds fun." Rangiku smiled at him.

Toshiro's mouth twisted from a smile into a frown. "I was going to say that."

"Well... there is a bit more to that. You and your sister..." Ichigo suddenly felt two figures brush past him and the corner of his mouth suddenly twitched.

"Which one of us?" Momo suddenly asked.

"I..." The orange haired substitute shinigami glanced over at Rangiku.

"Me of course." Bambietta spoke up.

"I kind of wanted to talk to Toshiro about this while you two weren't around." Ichigo felt the two girls look at him, their eyes narrowing. "And no, I don't know which one of you it applies to."

"Shiro-chan!"

"What have I told you Hinamori?" Toshiro shook his head. "Just spit it out Kurosaki. If it has to deal with one of my sisters then they might as well hear it as well."

"Well, Karin and Yuzu wanted to invite you and your sister to their slumber party for their birthday." Ichigo watched as Toshiro's face became white .

Bambietta however became excited. "That sounds like fun. Toto-chan and I happen to have lots of sleep overs!"

Momo however frowned. "I don't like the idea of Shiro-chan having a sleep over with a bunch of girls his age." She then turned to look at Rangiku before she left the room. "Of course, I expect your mother to say something about that."

"I'm honestly not sure I like the idea of him staying with a bunch of girls. He is a boy after all. And didn't your father object to this?" The busty female shook her head.

"Yes." Toshiro's head suddenly bolted up. "Taicho wouldn't..."

"He's the one who came up with the idea to invite Bambietta as well." Ichigo stated as he folded his arms across his chest.

The small taicho suddenly turned his head towards Rangiku. "Mama!"

The substitute shinigami blinked a couple of times while Rangiku tried holding back a laugh. "Why is it easy for you to call me mother when you are frustrated?"

Bambietta bounced over to the desk her mother was sitting at without noticing that her brother's cheeks were turning a deep red. "I want to go! I'll make sure he goes to the party!"

"Yes... well." The busty female glanced over at the boy. "I said no."

"But..."

"I don't want your brother staying the night in a room full of girls."

"He could stay in my room." Ichigo blurted the words out only to have his mouth drop upon realizing that he had said what he had aloud. Toshiro gave the substitute shinigami a horrified look.

"Please! Please, please, please!" The small girl was hopping up and down. "The only sleep over parties I've had have been with Toto-chan!"

Toshiro gave Rangiku an exasperated look. The woman in turn gave one to the orange haired teen while biting her lip slightly. "I still don't think it is a good idea. Kurosaki Ichigo however has pointed out the fact he will be there and I actually trust him."

The sound of air moving through the nose rapidly came from the small taicho as he glared at the substitute shinigami. The only thing he could do was give the boy an apologetic look. Bambietta however smiled. "I can pick out presents for them."

M

Toshiro scowled at his sister as she bounced along the sidewalk with only a small overnight bag while he found himself carrying his own tote bag along with her heavy luggage bag. "And why do we need to bring this much stuff? My tote bag is light compared to yours."

"Because! Don't you know how sleep overs work?" Bambietta bounced away.

"Nope. I don't know how sleep overs work at all." The boy found himself suddenly looking away, his eyes narrowed as he tried not to think about the headache that would be setting in before the night was through. "Plus, how do you know where you're going?"

"I'm following you!"

"No... you're walking ahead of me. If you aren't careful then you will get lost and I'm not coming to look for you."

"That's mean!"

"That's life."

Eventually though they arrived at the Kurosaki place. Toshiro reached up to knock on the door, only to watch as his sister opened the door and barged right into the room. "We're here!"

"Hey! Don't just barge into people's homes like that!" He found himself standing there, glaring after her and wondering if he should follow her in.

Karin though came up to the door. "Just come in Toshiro. You honestly don't have to knock at this house."

"See!" Bambietta popped up from the other side of the couch as the Karin dragged him inside and closed the door behind them. Te boy's cheeks flushed up as she gripped the cuff of his sleeve."There was nothing wrong with what I did."

"I take it this is your sister?" Yuzu piped in from the kitchen.

Toshiro watched as Karin's mouth twisted up and her eyes indicated she found the other girls behavior to be strange. "Technically I have two sisters. The other one is older and is the one I grew up with, but we're not blood related. This one is my blood sister, but we really don't know each other well despite the fact she acts otherwise."

"That's kind of mean to say." Yuzu piped up from the kitchen. "I mean, she is your sister. I wouldn't ever say that I don't know Ichi-nii or Karin-chan."

The white haired child found himself taking a deep breath. "That's because you grew up with your siblings. Baba-nee and I didn't know about each other recently."

"But we are now one big happy family!" His sister piped up. "By the way, where can I put the presents."

"You didn't have to bring anything." Karin shook her head as the female began to empty the over night bag onto the table.

Toshiro shuffled away from Karin as soon as she let go of his sleeve and stepped over to Yuzu. "Could you tell Karin I apologize for whatever is in my gift to her. I have no idea what Bambietta picked for them."

"You can tell Karin yourself." Yuzu remained oblivious to the fact the boy's cheeks flushed even more. She watched as Bambietta worked at unpacking the presents and frowned. "Are you sure the two of you are related?"

"Yuzu's right Toshiro. She and you don't look alike and you both act very differently. She's... kind of on the psychopath side of things."

The small taicho glanced up in order to speak with Karin, only to find his head darting away. "Umm... Yuzu. Could you tell Karin that our father was a psychopath?"

"How come you can't tell her yourself? Did the two of you get into an argument?" Yuzu folded her arms across her chest. "And isn't calling your own father a psychopath just wrong?"

"I knew he was a psychopath before I knew he was my father, so I'm calling him a psychopath because he is one." Toshiro could hear his voice suddenly shaking with frustration.

He suddenly felt his face grabbed so that he was forced to look Karin in the eye. "Or you are calling him a psychopath because you don't want to understand why he did the things he did and you're mad at him. The last time I checked we haven't had an argument, so why are you avoiding... ahh, I see."

"See what?" Bambietta bounced over from the couch and pushed herself between Karin and Toshiro. Her bubbly expression faded away as realization hit her. The next thing the small shinigami knew she was whispering something rather lewd into his ear that lasted for a few minutes of description. He felt his face suddenly pale as he felt his eye twitch and the heat creep up his neck and tips of his ears. When she was done he collapsed to the ground.

Bambietta then turned to Karin, her face having returned to the normal bubbly side. "So, where does Toto-chan need to put our bags?"

The dark haired Kurosaki twin grabbed the bags from where Toshiro had dropped them. "I don't know what you've said to him, but I'll be taking care of your bags. Let me show you around the place."

"Sure!"

The small shinigami found his mouth couldn't stop twitching. Yuzu tried shaking his shoulder before hurrying off. The next thing he knew Isshin had come into the room. "Toshiro!" The next thing he knew he was being helped up and to the couch by his former taicho. The man patted his cheek. "What ever is the matter."

The man received no answer and he nodded to Yuzu. "Why don't you make some tea?" After Toshiro swallowed the hot liquid down his throat he leaned back and closes his eyes. Isshin spoke again. "What ever was the matter."

"Baba-nee said something really bad." The boy frowned at the man while wrapping his arms around his chest.

"Mind telling me what she said?" Isshin watched as the boy's cheeks flushed a vivid red. "I see. I'll get you a wet cloth so you can calm down."

Before the wet cloth could touch his forehead though Toshiro felt two thin arms wrapping around his neck. He opened his eyes up. "Baba-nee?"

"Karin-chan says we can't stay in the same room." The girl snuggled closer just as Isshin got back and plopped a small towel onto his head. The boy closed his eyes as his cheeks flushed up again.

Isshin let out a cough. "Well, you are a girl and he is a boy."

"We're also twins so it doesn't matter. We have lots of sleepovers."

"Umm..."

"She barges into my room and I can't get rid of her." Toshiro's head suddenly flopped forward. "She then keeps me up all night and I can't get any sleep."

The former taicho took a deep breath. "Baba-chan, I think you and your brother are old enough to be sleeping in separate rooms. Actually, you're old enough that you should be sleeping in different rooms."

"Yeah, but we didn't get to spend any time with each other when we were younger!" The girl let out a deep breath that tickled the boy's ear and caused him to jump.

"You both also need your sleep. You also need your alone time, the both of you," Isshin let out a deep sigh. "Otherwise one of both of you will become ill."

"I still like sleeping with him! He's my brother!"

"What?" Toshiro's eyes suddenly went wide upon hearing Karin's voice. He felt his cheeks suddenly flushed with heat just as his face lost its color.

Isshin raised an eyebrow. "Toshiro, why don't I go ahead and check you out in the clinic."

The boy let out an exasperated sound. He got up, only to find Bambietta clinging to him. "You can't come with me. Plus, don't you want to get to know Kurosaki's sisters?"

The female let out a deep sigh and he found himself able to escape to the nice cool clinic. He flinched though when the man brought out a stethoscope . "Humor me."

"You know I don't like check ups. I get them enough at the forth."

"You've also told me that you haven't been sleeping well." The man carefully listened to his breath. "You also had one of your panic attacks just now."

"Do you think the others know." The boy frowned as he watched the man and flinched as the cold metal touched his skin.

"No, I don't think Karin knows yet that you have panic attacks and likely thinks that Bambietta just exasperated you. Your sister is... hyper."

"That's a nice way of putting it. You know who our father is, so you can say that there are mental problems with either one of us."

"Do you like speaking of your father like that?"

Toshiro swallowed before glancing away. "I don't appreciate the lecture on this one. Is it possible to love and care for someone even though they did a lot of stuff to hurt people including yourself."

"Yeah, it is possible. You shouldn't stress out about it." Isshin removed the stethoscope from around his neck. "Well, it does seem as if you're physically fine, though I suggest that you take a nap in here until the party starts. I'll be sure to wake you up."

The boy flopped down onto the bed. "I want a nap badly."

"But not before you and I talk about the fact you are seriously crushing on Karin-chan." The man stated/

Toshiro breathed in a breath of air only to find himself choking. Isshin helped him up. "I'm sorry."

"So you aren't going to admit that you have a crush on her?" The man let out a deep sigh.

"I..." The boy closes his eyes. "I guess my tone had those connotations. I'm sorry because I've dishonored you."

"What do you mean?" Isshin shook his head.

"I did not say anything to you about wanting to eventually marry your daughter." Toshiro swallowed while he glanced at his feet.

The man suddenly ruffled Toshiro's hair. "That's rather blunt."

The boy pushed the hand away. "Well, aren't you going to want to kill me? I mean, I should have been clear when I saw you at the office last that I had such intentions."

The man let out a deep breath. "I'm the one who didn't think you had hit puberty. If I had any idea that you had hit puberty I would have sat down that day to talk to you. If it is anyone's fault it is mine. But marriage?"

"You don't want me to marry your daughter?"

"No... that's..." Isshin let out a chuckle. "I'd rather you marry her before you did anything sexual. Should you really be thinking about marriage though? Shouldn't you be thinking about dating her and making sure that is what you both want to do? And what if there is someone else that comes along? You shouldn't hold yourself to one person. And I'm also worried about Karin strangling you to death, or something."

"Kicking a soccer ball at the back of my head?"

"So you know about her temper and still want to marry her."

"The thing is I started liking her right around the time she kicked a soccer ball at the back of my head, but I didn't realize it until later on. I tried pushing it to the back of my head and not admitting it because at the time I knew there were not options for us being together. And then you said she could choose a future in Soul Society, which means what options weren't there now are. Believe me, I may have denied my feelings the last couple of years but by denying them I am quite sure I know what I want."

"And what are you going to do if Karin chooses someone else."

Toshiro glanced down, swallowing. "That is likely as I am now unable to find myself able to talk to her despite the fact I know what I want. We could be having rather normal conversations, but my mind focuses on other things. If I can't focus on things other then asking her to marry me, then..."

Isshin placed a finger on the boy's lips. "First off Toshiro, the first step isn't asking her to marry you. The first step is asking her to date you to make sure the two of you actually wish to proceed to marriage. Second, if you blab your feelings for her out and she gives you a bloody nose things will be fine. And yes, you do have my permission to date her and marry you. I trust you."

"Shouldn't a father be more protective of their children?"

"A child I've always thought of as a son wants to date my daughter. I am being protective of my children. I'm just being protective of the one that needs it the most. Believe me, I trust you not to do anything and not to break her heart. Her on the other hand... I trust her to do something and I trust her to possibly break your heart."

"You know that this doesn't make any sense at all."

"Technically in this day and age you shouldn't be asking me for permission to marry my daughter, let alone date her. That's the way Karin would think and she wouldn't be happy with the fact that you dared asked me."

"But I didn't, you just gave it."

"But that was part of what was holding you back, that and you've come to the point you're ready to confess to her."

"I think she would understand."

"What?" Isshin shook his head. "This is Karin we're talking about. She is pro-feminist and would be insulted that you didn't come and talk to her first."

"No she wouldn't."

"All right. Get hit by her. I'd like to know where your logic is coming from."

"She'll figure it to be part of what I need for getting my confidence up to ask her. Though truth be told..."

"Yeah, yeah. You're not ready. Be forewarned though she might be way taller then you by the time you do and by the time you marry, well..."

"I'll have to deal with my height issue as well." Toshiro opened his mouth to say something, only to feeze and turn red in the face when he heard someone's voice.

"Dad... how's Toshiro doing."

Isshin shoved the boy down and tossed the sheets on. "I just put him down for a nap."

The door snapped shut and the boy popped up again. "Taicho!"

"Wow. You really can't talk in front of her." The man let out a deep sigh. "You're still dealing with your feelings. Don't rush it."

M

Toshiro lay on the bed lying on one side with his hands behind his head. He let out a deep sigh before dozing off. He woke up when Isshin shook his shoulder. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "All the quests are here."

The boy let out a deep sigh and stuck his hands into his pocket. He walked into the kitchen and noticed that the place had transformed while he had been asleep. Decorations were everywhere and the table had an extension put into place. He walked over to the counter and peeked around the corner. There was one girl with a rather long pony tail. Another girl had long black hair and another girl had a short hair cut that was curled into a semi-fancy style.

He remained behind a pillar watching the girls when Ichigo came over and grabbed his arm. "They won't bite Toshiro."

The three girls glanced up, blinking a couple of times. The girl with a pony tail frowned. "I didn't know there would be a boy here."

Toshiro found himself flinching as the dark haired girl spoke up. "I'm not sure if my parents would like me staying over if there is a guy here."

Ichigo hiked a thumb at his chest. "Your parents know that I'm here, plus Toshiro will be staying in my room."

"Me too!" Bambietta piped up.

Toshiro felt the corner of his mouth twitch and realized from the sound of a flushing toilet where she had been. "No, you're not."

"Ahh... we haven't been introduced to your other friends Yuzu." The girl with the short hair seemed to be eying him in a manner that made him uncomfortable.

"Actually, Toshiro is Karin's boy..."

Karin clapped a hand over her sisters mouth. "Toshiro's a really good friend of Ichi-nii and I, while Bambietta is his sister."

"Well, that explains why she wants to sleep in the same room as him." The girl with the ponytail shook her head. "Don't you want to hang out with us girls tonight?"

Bambietta blinked a couple of times. "I've never been asked something like that. Can we have a pillow fight?"

Toshiro made a slicing motion across his throat and shook his head, but Karin didn't seem to notice him. "Sure, why not."

"Yay!"

"Why don't we open up presents." Midori pushed her two packages towards Yuzu and Karin.

The boy watched as Yuzu got sewing equipment while Karin got a Manga. To his surprise his sister spoke up. "Hey, Toto-chan?" The boy flinched as the other girls looked up. "How come they're giving Yuzu-chan girly stuff and Karin guy stuff?"

Toshiro found himself flinching. "What do you mean?" He then took a deep breath. "Please tell me when you picked out their presents you didn't pick things for both of them that are girly?" He watched as his sister simply stared at him. "I shouldn't have let you pick them out. I knew I shouldn't have."

"I want to see what she picked." The female with the curly hair spoke up.

Karin reluctantly grabbed the packages that Bambietta had picked out. The dark haired female then spoke up. "By the way, the one she doesn't like the most is from you."

Toshiro narrowed his eyes. "What? Why?"

"Because she doesn't know me as well she's going to be even more forgiving of you then me?"

Ichigo sighed. "Actually... I think it works the other way."

Karin opened up one of the packages and Toshiro felt his eye twitch upon seeing a chappy stuffed animal. "Well... that's nice."

"It's chappy. It's very popular."

"I've never heard of it." The girl with the curly hair leaned forward just as Yuzu opened up hers.

"I have one too, but mines blue rather then pink. Trade?"

"Sure..." Karin felt the corner of her mouth turn up before she shook her head.

The next things the girls opened were makeup kits. Toshiro felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "Bambietta... what were you thinking?"

"I got them what I wanted and got them what I knew mom would want."

"My parents say I can't wear makeup until high school." Midori sighed.

The girl with the pony tail also sighed. "I think all of ours have said that."

"Mine doesn't." The girl with the curly hair spoke up.

Toshiro narrowed his eyes. "You actually

"Oh..." Bambietta frowned. "Sorry... we're allowed to wear makeup already."

The boy suddenly found himself flinching. "Did she have to say that in front of a bunch of girls?"

The girl with the pony tail frowned. "Why is a guy wearing makeup?"

Ichigo glanced over at Toshiro. "Umm..."

"Maybe he's some sort of popstar. That's why we never see him around school."

"What?" The white haired boy shook his head. "Actually, what is a popstar?"

"I'll explain later Toshiro." Karin continued smiling as if the day wasn't going badly. At least, in Toshiro's opinion it was going badly.

"If you aren't a pop star..." Midori frowned. "Are you gay?"

"Hell no. I happen to like..." The boy found his mouth snapping shut and his throat tightening.

"Karin-chan." Yuzu and Bambietta piped up. The curly haired female had a strange look on her face, almost as if she were disappointed.

Toshiro felt his cheeks flush up. The girl with the pony tail frowned. "You do have a crush on her. You've got it bad."

"Excuse me... I think..."

"You haven't answered why a guy is wearing makeup."

"Dinner and cake time!" Toshiro found himself trying to move away, only to find himself dragged back to the table to eat while Ichigo mouthed sorry to him. The girls chatted away and he drowned them out as they continued gossiping.

Ichigo sat down next to him. "Toshiro, why do you wear makeup."

"Silence came again."

Toshiro felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "It's good for covering up bruises."

Midori suddenly spoke up. "Wait. Is your guys dad abusive? You two haven't mentioned him?"

Toshiro's fork dropped to the plate as Bambietta spoke up. "I don't know our father, but my brother got the chance to know him."

"That's not..."

"Toshiro does a lot of martial arts stuff. He's also got a professional job."

"But he says that he isn't a popstar."

"Think of him like a taicho from a big company." Ichigo spoke up.

"So cool. You can't be much older then us."

Eventually though they were able to get away and Toshiro collapsed onto the bed. He couldn't fall asleep as the girls were giggling next door. "I didn't want to come."

"Sorry... I tried making it so you wouldn't."

"I know. My sister is my sister. What can I say."