As I said, I've done a little skip into the future. There was no point just filling chapters, so I thought I'd finally get to writing the ideas I've had for this story. You'll also notice I stopped using italics for speech. Yeah, I got annoyed by that, and I couldn't help but wonder what compelled me to start using it in the first place. Well, it's fixed now :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.
As the months pass, the two inevitably grow closer.
Though summer arrives and the days get hotter, she still makes her way to his domain every day, an excited sparkle in her eyes. It had bothered him at first when she left with disappointment lingering on her expression, marking another day when she had not met another dragon, but soon, it changes, and she only looks downhearted that she has no more time to spend with him. He tries his best to keep the delighted smirk from breaking across his lips at this observation.
He always waits for her in human form now. Though he knows she is awed by his dragon form, the embarrassment both feel at the routine of changing in her presence is not something both want to go through every day, and so he saves them both. And so she becomes accustomed to his human shape, his dragon body becoming a sort of legendary, awe-inspiring figure in her mind. It makes him feel rather smug. However, there are times when she does beg him to transform for her, wanting to gaze upon such ferocity once again, and he always relents.
"Please?" she asks, jutting out her bottom lip the way her sister does sometimes, though hers is rather pathetic, and she glares when he sends her an incredulous look. "Just show it to me!" she finally orders, huffing.
"All right," he says smugly. "Please, stand back."
Rolling her eyes and grumbling about arrogant dragons with superiority complexes, she steps back and turns around. He strips in record time, used to it now, and his scales erupt, his fangs and claws protruding. She catches the sight of his flying shadow, his body sighing a whoosh as he lunges through the air into the water. Whipping around, she catches sight of his snake-like form as it plunges head first into the water, creating an arch until the tail disappears with a flick.
"What's the point if I can't see you?" she complains to the water's edge, crouching by it. A great rumbling sounds through the air, and he shoots out, balancing in the water as he twists his neck down to rest his face right in front of hers. Her eyes widen. "Wow," she gasps.
He inclines his head to the side, obviously asking her what she thinks.
"That first time really didn't do you justice," she tells him in a matter-of-fact tone. "I didn't see you properly. But, I have to admit...you're pretty cool." She allows him a compliment, grinning up at his sleek form.
Getting into the mood with him, she takes off her shoes and dips her legs, sighing a little at the cold temperature. It feels so very pleasant with the heat, and she shrieks delightfully when his scales drip drops of water from his cool plunge.
He never once wanders away from his little home, too awed by the idea of meeting a throng of humans. But she never does suggest it, either, so the two spend their days in isolated bliss, keeping each other their own little secrets. The idea gives him chills, as if it means that they belong together. Of course, he has never been one to believe in something as foolish as soul mates, but he cannot deny that he feels a pull towards her. When she laughs, happiness tugs at his stomach, and when she gets angry, mostly at her family, he feel hot rage course through his veins. The one thing he does not get to see is her tears. At one point, he had wondered whether Grimmjow ever saw her cry. The thought had left a very bitter taste in his mouth. But then she had jumped onto his back forcefully, ordering him to find shade for them as she had been too lazy, and all that bitterness had washed away with their sudden proximity.
"All this sun is going to give me heat stroke," she had panted once he had settled them under a tree close to the water's edge, fanning herself with her hand, though to no avail. The humidity had been thick in the air, and the lack of a breeze caused them both to work up a sweat. Usually, the winds caused cool water to splash soft sprinkles of the lake's water over them. "I wish I had some watermelon."
He had blinked rapidly. "What is a melon of water?" he had asked curiously, tilting his head to the side to gaze at her. He couldn't help but think that he should have heard of such a thing, as it was obviously associated with his element. Her mouth falling open, she had lunged at him in shock, placing her hands on his shoulders and jostling him.
"You've never heard of a watermelon?" she had cried, sounding absolutely disbelieving.
He had shaken his head quickly, a little surprised by such a strong reaction. "I'm not familiar with human customs," he had answered truthfully.
"What, do you live under a rock?" she had asked, astonished.
"Yes," he had snapped defensively. At her taken aback expression, he had explained, "My home under the water is a cave made of sturdy rock."
It had taken her some time to process this, and then she'd been sick with laughter, falling onto her back and holding her stomach.
"A cave! Kami, how much more of a 'mythical, dragon beast' can you get? If only you lured unsuspecting heroes into the bowels of your lake, dragging them to your cave to meet their demise."
He hadn't understood.
"Tell you what, Toushiro," she had choked out, patting his shoulder and sighing to quiet her laughter. "How about I bring you one, hm? With all this heat, it'll be good for both of us."
"All right," he had agreed carefully. Though a little wary of something he did not know, he trusted her not to bring him something dangerous.
So, imagine his surprise when she comes stomping to his clearing the next day with a gigantic green rock weighing down her hands and a large bat tucked under her arms. Once she drops both next to the lake, she wipes her forehead, sighing in relief at the absent weight. He crouches close to the...thing, eying it curiously. Hesitantly, he reaches out a steady hand and pokes at it several times. It feels cool to the touch.
Karin watches all this with a most amused smirk on her face, an eyebrow raised.
"You done sexually harassing the watermelon?" she teases, causing him to cough awkwardly. "You sure have a fetish for round things, don't you?"
"Well, what is it?" he asks impatiently, trying to change the subject.
"It's a fruit," she explains. He knocks hard on the outer layer with his fist, looking confused. It is unlike any fruit he has ever seen – there seems to be no way to peel it.
"You have to cut it first," she continues, realizing his bewilderment. "You eat what's inside."
"Oh." Nodding his head in understanding, he picks up the bat next. "And this?"
She beams. "That is for a little game we humans play." Reaching into her pocket, she pulls out a large handkerchief. "Normally, it's done by seashores, but my village doesn't have one close by, so we just play wherever we want." Gazing out at the lake, she adds, "With the water here, this feels more like the shore, anyway, so I think it'll be fine."
He appraises the bat carefully, still not quite understanding its role. "What exactly is this used for?"
"It's more fun if you do it!" she exclaims. Excitedly, she unfolds the cloth in her hands, waving it with a few snaps so that it falls open. He waits in fascination as she bounces behind him, feelings chills as her hands brush against his neck, and ears, and forehead – is she moving upwards? Before he can protest, she suddenly ties the cloth around his eyes, knotting it in the back.
"Miss Karin?" he cries, grazing his fingers against the fabric. He sees only black now, and he only knows she has moved to stand before him by the sounds of her heels scuffing the dirt. In an instant, he feels a heavy weight on his shoulders, and realizes she has placed her hands there.
"Okay, Toush," she says happily. "I'm going to spin you, and when I stop, try to find that watermelon and pound it with the bat, okay?"
"W-Wait –"
Without waiting for his answer, she fists his shirt into her palms and forcibly turns him. His legs twist in an awkward way, and he finds his balance solely in her hands as she continues to spin him in circles rapidly, laughing with glee.
"Okay!" she cries, letting go and stepping back. "Have at it!"
Groaning, he stumbles forward with no clue what he is doing or where he is going. His body feels strangely heavy from the dizziness, and he keeps leaning forward, as if about to fall over, and lurching back in time. The bat stands poised at the ready in his hands and he clenches it tightly as he awkwardly and clumsily wobbles forward.
"I don't think this is a good idea," he says with a gulp. Karin is too busy cheering him on to hear.
"That's it. That's it!" she shrieks. "Go forward. Keep going...keep going – No, no! That's too far. Turn back. Now, right – not your right. My right!"
"I have no idea where you are or which direction you're facing," he retorts irritably, completely lost. "How do you suppose I would know where your right is?" Hit with a sudden sense of vertigo, he jerks backwards and trips, letting himself fall this time. His bottom collides painfully with the hard ground. Ignoring Karin's protests, he rips off the covering over his eyes and takes in his surroundings quickly; the watermelon is still lying eight feet away.
"This game is ridiculous," he snaps, huffing as he lets both the bandana and the bat drop to the ground beside him. "Why do humans play such useless games?"
Karin rolls her eyes. "Sore loser much?" she deadpans. Striding towards him, she swoops down and grabs the discarded items. "Let me show you how a master does it," she declares smugly. Ignoring his scoff, she ties the bandana over her eyes and picks up the bat. It is the second time she is using that word, and he cannot help but remember his humiliation with the football.
"Okay. Spin me!" she commands, grinning with anticipation. With a scowl, he complies, gently giving her three spins before stomping over to a tree to sulk.
She takes a deep breath and steers herself with determination. He watches enviously as she, very smoothly, steps across the land, on a path straight to the cursed watermelon. There are no hesitations to her steps and she never once falters. With a large grin, she heads for an easy victory. He pouts.
But then, his eyes catch just the slightest of change. Perhaps it is because of the temporary blindness caused by the bandana, but Karin does not realize it when her feet shift just a small angle to the left. It changes the course completely, and soon, she is angling away from the fruit without the slightest clue. Though it shouldn't have been a cause for concern, he suddenly realizes the startling outcome – she is heading straight for the lake.
"Um, Miss Karin," he calls out quickly.
"I don't need any help!" she cuts across him. By now, her back is facing him, but he can see her wave an impatient hand, signaling him to keep quiet.
"But, Miss Karin," he persists urgently, his arms unfolding just slightly in concern.
"I'm not as clumsy as you, okay, Toush?" she interrupts him again. "I can actually do this."
Glaring at her back, he leans against the tree and folds his arms once again. Fine. If she doesn't want his help, he will not give it. Let the master figure it out for herself.
After just a few more steps, she calls out, "Hey, how far is the – ah!" Her foot slips viciously against the edge of the ground, and with an ear-splitting shriek, she topples backwards and skids into the lake.
"What the hell!" she cries out as her body dunks under. Letting go of the bat, she instead yanks away the bandana. Her eyes widen, almost popping out of her head as she takes in the water around her, and spits some out of her mouth. And then she looks at him, her eyes gaping and fearful, her hair tangled and dripping, and her clothes wet and clingy. He claps a hand against his mouth ("Do not laugh, damn it! She'll kill you."), and tries his hardest to stop the snickers. That only makes it worse. With his shoulders shaking, he throws back his head and lets out a bark of laughter.
"Miss Karin, y-you," he sputters, still trying to cover his mouth, so as not to make her feel bad. It is an unnecessary action, however, because she takes one look at his shaking form, and a grin splits out across her face, too, catching his laughter easily. He has respect for people who can laugh at themselves, because he never could.
"You ass!" she reprimands him playfully through her chortles, splashing her arms in the water as protest. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I attempted to," he defends himself.
"Well, try harder next time, dummy," she orders him.
"Oh? Are you planning another fall again soon?" he teases her, amused.
She sticks her tongue out at him. "Oh, you know what I meant." Letting the argument finally drop, she leans back and lets herself just drift in the lake, sighing. "Damn, this feels good,"she breathes out in satisfaction. "With all this heat, how have we not tried this before?"
Her face lights up and she pulls herself out of the water. Grabbing the hem of her sopping wet shirt, she wrings it out with her hands, letting all the water run to the ground. And then, to his complete astonishment, she pulls it off.
"Wh-what are you doing?" he demands, shielding his eyes and looking away in mortification. He had seen it – her skin.
She rolls her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not getting naked, or anything. I can't go home all wet, though, so I'll have to hang this up and let it dry. Until then, let's swim!" She strips her shorts as well, perfectly comfortable with him as she knows he wouldn't peep, and throws both over a low tree branch. This leaves her standing in only her chest bindings and white bloomers, though she pays it no mind as she dashes back to the water and hops in. A shriek of delight escapes her lips as she makes a large splash and the coolness hits her skin.
"Come on in, Toushiro!" she encourages, waving an arm over her head to beckon him. "The water's great."
He gulps, feeling the lake call him as she does. The splashing sounds she is making excite his inner dragon, and the overbearing heat of the sun makes him feel sweaty and grimy – all the more reason to heed her call. He lets his self-control crumble and drifts over to the inviting lake. She grins and waves him over. With a soft smirk, he plunges in, not even bothering to take off his clothes, and the two lounge around.
Ahh...it feels heavenly, as if the sun overhead doesn't even exist anymore. The water pulses around him, soothing his skin and cleaning off the sweat, and he sighs, letting his head duck under the water. All sound cuts off as the waves surround him, and he easily opens his eyes, feeling no sting the way the rushing water would have stopped a mere human. Through all the clear blue and mysterious black, his gazes latches onto one thing – Karin's legs, kicking against the water as she floats.
Unlike any reaction he would have had on land, he feels absolutely no shame or embarrassment as he eyes them. In his element, he can be himself, and "himself" wants to reach out, to touch, to feel. He lets out a predatory growl at the back of his throat as she swims closer, twisting her hips in synchronization. Damn.
Before he does anything outrageous he knows he will regret, he forces himself to pull his head from under the surface. Instantly, his mind clears, albeit just a little bit. Karin, unaware, only bobs over to him excitedly.
"Let's race, Toushiro," she suggests. He smirks.
"Against a water dragon? Are you positive you want to do this?" he goads her.
"I'll have you know, I 'm an excellent swimmer, Mr. Klutz," she counters. "Let's do this."
"All right." He shrugs nonchalantly, and she grits her teeth at his bored attitude. She would give him a challenge!
"First one to touch the rock," she declares, pointing to the large piece of jagged earth protruding from under the water at the middle of the lake. Unbeknownst to her, it is actually a lot larger than it looks, getting bigger and bigger the deeper one goes into the lake, until finally it opens up to create an opening for the cave Toushiro himself lives in. But, he just shrugs again, deciding not to tell her that swimming to that rock is something he does every day, thereby giving her a disadvantage. This is payback for the soccer fiasco.
The two line up at the edge of the lake but facing out towards the water, keeping their hands placed against the ground parallel to it.
"Ready," Karin calls, a determined look planted across her face. He eyes her, amused. "Get set...Go!"
The two shoot off to their goal.
Two beats, and suddenly he is already leaning perfectly at ease against the large rock in that one instant, a casual smirk covering his lips as he eyes her struggle against the water. Even with clothes plastered onto his body, there is no way the water will ever work against him. He would have thought Karin would have realized that, but, no. The girl herself is still paddling furiously, refusing to give up halfway, even if he has won already.
He finds it decidedly cute as, with her face screwed in determination, she twists and kicks her body in trying to propel forward. She really is a wonderful swimmer, he notes. Despite the furious energy she is throwing into the action, her arms and legs are graceful, and should she have surrendered her pride long enough to just stop and take a breath for a moment, she most likely would have already made it. But, she continues on, refusing to take a break, and he watches her happily.
"Cheater," she hisses through her pants once she finally reaches her goal, leaning a palm against the rock for support.
"How so?" he asks.
"You're a water dragon!" she argues hotly.
"I cannot help it if the water decides to aid me. Plus, was this not your idea?"
"Ugh! There's no use arguing with you." Throwing her arms up in exasperation, she spins in the water and dives in, swimming away from him. She heads back to the land. Looks like he is not the only "sore loser."
A wicked idea forms in his mind just then, as he watches her get farther away. Pushing himself to float upright, he closes his eyes in concentration. The water surrounding him splashes against his submerged hips and legs happily, enjoying the elemental energy he is gathering into his body. The clothing covering his body starts to get tighterand tighter, and soon, it gives a might rip as it is blown clean away from his body. He pays it no mind as he feels his torso spread out, becoming something slippery and long. By now the entire lake is simply going crazy with excitement, bounding into him enthusiastically. With a soft purr, he shakes his serpent body from head to toe, whipping his tail against the water. His ears twitch.
Karin feels the change. With a confused look, she turns to discover just what is happening behind her that is making the water behave so violently, and during that one distraction, she misses it when his tail shoots out and coils itself around her ankle. He pulls.
"Wah!" She shrieks as she is forcibly pulled under the water, shutting her mouth and holding her breath at the last second. "Toushiro..." she chokes out angrily.
With a chuckle that sounds like a growl, he plunges in after her, tightening his hold on her foot. Keeping her firmly below the surface, he spirals through the liquid, swimming circles around her body smoothly. She eyes him in shock, following his movements the best that she can. With a final glare, she tries to swim back to the surface, towards land. Feeling particularly cunning, he gathers his energy, and the water responds to his requests. The small bubble of water around her starts flowing the other way, opposing her swim, and she is comically suspended in the water, paddling her limbs to no effect. Finally, she just gives up, crossing her arms and shooting him a dangerous glower. With an irritated twitch in her eye, she simply points to her mouth.
'I need to breathe.'
Feeling a little sheepish, he finally lets her go, watching her shoot towards the dry land. He knows he will have Hell to pay when he gets up there. The water had made him particularly whimsical, and in the end he had given into his temptations for just a little bit of childishness. Oh, well. It has always had that effect on him.
Before following Karin, he commands the water to get him another pair of clothes. Almost immediately, he feels a wave shoot past him, towards his cave, and he watches with satisfaction as a protective bubble drifts out, a fresh pair of clothes dry inside. So, with a reassuring breath, he snakes up to the surface.
"What the hell was that?" Karin demands the moment he breaks over the top. She glares up at him with her hands on her hips and an irritated scowl on her lips, looking oh so tempting with all that water clinging to her everywhere. Without waiting for a reply, she spins around. "Change now, Toushiro! I want an explanation."
With a roll of his eyes, he does as she had asked, slipping on his clothes quickly. She is still in her underthings, too wet now for putting on her earlier clothes.
"You've been itching to see my powers from day one," he retorts. "This was me, complying to your wish."
"Warn a girl next time, why don't you?" she snaps. Still looking aggravated, she swoops down and picks up the bat next to her feet, and then stomps over to him. His eyes widen and he steps out of her path when she approaches, but she just stalks past him.
Raising the bat high above her head, she whips it down, where it connects with their watermelon with a satisfying thunk. To be honest, he had forgotten it was still even there. A split runs down the middle, and she attacks it again. This time, it successfully splits into two. She gingerly breaks off two pieces, and when she turns to offer him one, a grin has broken out across her face.
"Here! " she says cheerfully offering him one. Geez, talk about mood swings.
He accepts it graciously, eying her, waiting to see her eat hers first. Well, she viciously attacks the thing, breaking off as large a chunk as she can and chomping on it. Looking down at his own, he sniffs it. It smells sweet. With a wary eye, he nibbles into it carefully.
"...It's good," he observes, looking down at it in surprise. In fact, it is really good. He finishes the rest in just the next bite, looking a little upset that he has no more.
"Told you!" she answers, beaming. "Another one?"
He snatches the next slice from her hand, eating it almost greedily. And so they seat themselves in the shade of their tree, happily eating watermelon for the rest of the afternoon. By the time it is finally finished, he has eaten more than his fair share, and he still wants more. He sulks as she pulls on her, now dry, clothes.
"Well, I should get going," she sighs, stretching widely and humming in delight. He grabs the back of her shirt.
"Another watermelon tomorrow?" he asks her, looking hopeful.
She snickers. "Sure thing, Toush," she replies, ruffling his hair.
She leaves him with a relieved smirk on his face, looking forward to his treat. So, when she comes empty-handed the next day, he can only gape.
"Payback for that stunt you pulled in the water yesterday," she sneers, snickering at his crestfallen expression.
Well, now he just has to get even.
With him being a water dragon, there was no way I was leaving out the underwater scene :) Also, special thanks to NanaGoesBlehh; it was her suggestion to introduce Toushiro to watermelon, and I loved it.
Now, I hate following up chapters with shorter ones (it shows I'm perfectly capable of writing longer ones, but just got lazy), so expect them to get progressively longer.