Karia walked down the street, not really having a destination. She had gotten bored of sitting around the apartment and so she had left telling Saiyo and Shizuo that she'd be back later, probably with dinner. She had black jeans and red jacket on with black combat boots that contained her knives of course; she never went anywhere without them. She decided to walk into the manga store for lack of anything better to do. She scanned the shelves looking for something interesting when she walked into someone. "Watch where you- Oh, Karia.."

"M-Masamune?" She stuttered. "I didn't expect to see you in a place like this."

"Yukimura asked me to pick up a manga for him, it's nice to see you again," he said holding up the Naruto manga. "Yea, it's nice to see you too." Masamune pulled out his phone to check the time. "Hey, it's like 12:30, you wanna grab something to eat?" Before she could reply her stomach growled. "I'll take that as a yes," Masamune said laughing. "Yea sure," Karia said awkwardly. Masamune walked up to the counter to pay for Yukimura's comic. "Where'd do you wanna go? My treat," Masamune asked. Karia frowned in thought for a moment. "Why don't you pick..."

The two settled on barbeque, taking their seats in front of the smoky grill. "So..." Karia fumbled with the utensils in front of her. "So?" Masamune replied, contributing no progress to the conversation. "How's...gang stuff?"

"I think your gang stuff is more interesting than my gang stuff at the moment."

"True, but still, how are things?"

"It's cool. We're all still trying to figure out why the Yellow Scarves went after Saiyo instead of someone actually in the gang."

"Hm. I've been wondering that myself."

"Doo, do dooo do do..." Saiyo looked around her apartment as she created a random melody, then letting her eyes rest on Shizuo, who was looking at her with amusement. She ceased her 'doo dooing' and blushed, looking away. Thankfully, her phone rang to break the awkward silence. "Hello?"

"How's the recovery coming?" Izaya asked from the other line.

"Not too bad, actually. I guess that creep wasn't as hard on me as some others would have been."

"Being compassionate again, hm?"

"No, I'm just saying it isn't as bad as it could've been."

"Right. Well, are you well enough to go out?"

"Hell no," Shizuo interjected. "You aren't going anywhere with that bastard."

"I guess I'm not. Some other time."

"Fine, I see how it is, by then," he chuckled before hanging up.

"I can't believe you still talk to that piece of-"

"Hey, how about we check on karia? She should be bringing us food!"

"Don't change the sub-"

"Seriously, where's my phone, I put it here somewhere..."

"Stop interrupting me!"

"I wasn't interrupting, was I?"

"Oh, it's Saiyo," karia flipped open her phone and held it up to her ear. "We're hungry, Nee-san!"

"You sound like you're five years old, don't use that voice!" She laughed.

"That's the point, bring us food!"

Karia laughed again and set down her phone.

"She's pretty cheery for someone who just got beaten and raped."

"How about you shut up?"

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just sayin!"

"Well, my sister can make a bad time seem good, no matter what."

"Nice quality."

"Mhmm. We should probably get this to-go and take them some."

They packed up the containers and began trekking them back to Karia's apartment. When they walked in, Saiyo looked puzzled and Shizuo looked weary. "I found him and he followed me home."

"We're not keeping him are we? I don't think we have enough alcohol."

"I don't drink! That much..."

"Riiiight..." Karia teased.

Though Shizuo sat slightly removed from everyone, yet still fairly close to Saiyo, the four had a nice dinner full of laughter and the occasional shouts. Masamune and Karia continued to get to know each other, while Saiyo got along with almost everyone, and Shizuo grew more protective with every person she met.

"You should probably head out, the streets get dangerous at night."

"Because of people like me."

"Maybe there's people more dangerous than you."

"I doubt it."

Masamune leaned against the frame of the front door, smirking. "That attitude will get you in trouble."

"I could tell you the same thing."

"Oh please, like I could get hurt."

"In all seriousness, maybe Saiyo isn't the only one who needs a bodyguard."

"Hey, she's injured and Shizuo wants to look after her, he isn't a bodyguard. And, I don't need anyone protecting me, buddy."

"What if I want to?
"You could conveniently fight alongside me, but you are in no way my bodyguard."

"Sounds good to me. See you next time shit hits the fan."

"Not before?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"What do you think I'm trying to say?" Karia shifted her weight to the other hip.

"I think you're asking me out."

"I think you're the one who's supposed to do that."

"I think it shouldn't matter which one of us do it."

"I think you're just being a wuss."

"I think I'll just ask you out then!"

"Do it then!"

Karia leaned over, getting in his face with her smart ass expression. Masamune tugged on her jacket, pulling her into him and connecting their lips. Karia's hand found its way to his neck and they slowly detached. "I said ask me out, not kiss me."

"Are you even mad?"

Karia chuckled, shaking her head "No i'm not mad, but... you still haven't asked me out," Karia asked, still being a smart ass.

"Well, how about I take you out tomorrow night then?"

"Hmmm, I'm not sure I like your tone."

Masamune snickered, about to reply with a snarky comment when Shizuo walked up behind Karia. "Would you two get this over with already?"

Karia rolled her eyes, reaching for his shirt collar. "My turn," she leaned in to peck him once more before shutting him out.

Masamune paused before he took a step, shaking his head and laughing. "What a woman..."

The door opened again and Karia stuck her head out. "Hey, wait! You never said where?"

"It's a surprise. But, don't worry, I only take girls like you to nice places."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"Surprise."

"Oh fine. And for your information, there is no girl like me."

"I can agree with that."

"Will you just shut up!?" Shizuo pulled Karia inside and shut the door.

Saiyo beamed at her sister, trying to hold back the urge to giggle. "Oh hush!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"You were thinking it..."

The next evening, after a day of obsessing over it, Karia was ready to prepare for her date. "Saiyo, I need your help, mkay?"

"Of course you do!" Saiyo stood, which she could do on her own now, and joined her sister in the bathroom. "Make me look presentable."

"You always look presentable. We just need to make you look a little more special than usual. But not too fancy, you don't want to seem desperate right?"

"Yeah, can we not?"

Saiyo stood on her toes, brushing Karia's hair down from her scalp. "It's so short now, there isn't much I can do. But I've got some tricks up my sleeve."

Shizuo looked into the bathroom, where Saiyo was still on the tips of her toes trying to reach the top of her sister's head and had now stuck her tongue out as she worked. He smirked and leaned back against the wall.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, yes, just trust me!"

"I've never used one of these before!"

"Of course you haven't."

"I just have to take a piece of hair and wrap it around."

"It's gonna kill me!"

"It's just a curling iron!"

"It's a murder weapon!"

"Yes, because I'm trying to kill you."

"You never know."

"Would you calm down?!"

"Would you be calm!?"

Saiyo huffed, tongue still out, as she continued curling Karia's blazing red hair. After she was done with that part, she told Karia to get dressed. "What's wrong with this?" she asked, looking down at her jeans and tank top. "Definitely not, come on." She said, walking towards the front door. "Where are we going?"

"To someone who has plenty of clothes that fit you, but she doesn't wear them."

"Uhhhh..."

"I think I know." Shizuo said, following Saiyo closely.

"Long time no see, guys," Shinra boasted as he answered the door. "We need to invade Celty's closet."

"Erm, okay."

"Look at these dresses! I can't believe she's never worn these!"

"No."

"I wasn't going to put you in a dress."

"Good."

Saiyo sorted through the many hangers, looking for something Karia would approve of. "Okay, it's kind of windy sooo...this, and..." she laid one item over her arm, then reaching for another. "Your boots will work with the outfit I'm picking out!"

"Good!"

After they returned home, Karia changed into the outfit, eyeing herself in the mirror. Saiyo picked black leggings to start, only because they could be either casual or dressy, a burgundy blouse that had an opaque tank top underneath with a sheer fabric falling over it, gathering at the waist. She got to wear, not her combat boots, but another pair she owned that were a dark tan with several straps wrapping around them.

"Now we have to finish your hair."

"Finish?"

"I'm not letting you leave like that."

By the time Karia was finally ready, her eyes were dusted with light neutral tone eyeshadow and her lips covered in a simple gloss. Her hair was curled in small corkscrews with her bangs still falling in their usual place.

Masamune arrived just in time to pick her up, wearing a blue button up and jeans. "Thanks, Saiyo," Karia whispered as the two walked out.

"You didn't do a single thing yourself did you?"

"I'd look like a clown if I did."

"I like you with makeup, But I like you without it a little more."

"Does that mean I can take it off?"

"That's not the only thing you can take off."

Smack

"Now will you tell me where we're going?"

"We'll have to do a little bit of walking, but I don't think that's too bad."

"Well, where is it?!"

"We're going to a temple that survived the bombings in World War two and the Kanto Earthquake. Not to mention, it's one of the only temples around here."

"I've never actually been to a temple before. Saiyo and I have mostly been on our own in Ikebukuro, so we haven't been able to do anything like that or travel."

"That's a shame."

"It is, isn't it...so is this temple as pretty as ones in other prefectures?"

"Oh yeah, it was built before the twentieth century, it's awesome."

"How come you know so much about this place?"

"Just childhood stuff, I used to come here a lot."

They walked in silence for a while until Karia looked over at his face. "You know, that eyepatch suits you."

"I thought so too, so maybe I should thank you for the excruciating pain and torture and surgery you put me through."

"Just rub it in..."

"You'd look cool with one too, I could help you out with that," he said sarcastically, winking to get a rise out of her.

"You'd be dead before you got that close to my eye with a knife."

"Who said it had to be a knife?" He chuckled. To his surprise, Karia laughed with him.

Masamune got an idea once they stopped talking again, but not sure if it was too risky or not. He wondered what Kojuro would say, then realized he would've told him not to go on this date at all. Then he thought about what Yukimura would say. "Follow the fire in your heart!"

Yeah, shouldn't have even considered that.

He looked down at Karia's left hand, hesitantly reaching for it. When she felt him touching her, she pulled back slightly, then looked down and saw what he was trying to do. "Oh, sorry," she said, reaching towards him and lacing their fingers. He noticed the scar across her knuckles and gently traced it with his thumb. "Where'd you get this one?" he asked. Karia looked down at the scar herself. "That was when me and Saiyo were with the yellow scarves; the night I first fought you. It was given to me by a guy with light brown hair and green face paint, Sasuke I think his name was. He also gave me the one on my cheek and these," Karia said indicating the five long scars going down the length of her arm. Masamune whistled, "Damn, Sarutobi did a number on you that night."

"I've had worse," Karia said nonchalantly. Masamune laughed earning him a glare from the red head. "What?!" she demanded. "You're definitely not like other women."

"What is that supposed to mean exactly?"

"Most girls I know wouldn't brush off injuries so easily. Most would complain about how ugly the scar is or whine about how much it hurt or something like that."

"Do you think they're ugly?" Karia asked.

"I wouldn't say that. I mean I wouldn't say scars look good on anyone but they don't make you look bad or anything," Masamune mumbled trying to not say anything stupid.

"I wouldn't go as far to say they're beautiful, but they speak for you and give you character. They tell everyone you've been through hell and come back stronger without saying a word."

"Who knew you could be so deep." he teased.

"Oh shut up."

"No that was really cool, honest."

Karia flashed a smile and looked up at the sky.

Hey guys, I'm a little stuck on something and I'd like you imput. From what you know so far which pair do you like better SaiyoXKeiji or SaiyoXShizuo? Review and let me know