A/N: OMG another update!! dies :P So so so sorry to keep you all waiting, but Relay for Life is coming up, and I've been REALLY busy helping tie up the loose ends. (For those of you who don't know what Relay for Life is, shame on you! Go look at the American Cancer Society website to find out!) Anyway, I hope this chapter clears out any hard feelings. :) Finally, some Karin x Toshirou fluff! (sort of...) Enjoy!

One Year

Abrupt Awakening

The first time Toshirou visited Karin, she was sleeping on the roof of the academics building. He arrived so silently that she didn't even hear him, continuing to snore softly, her arms providing a nice pillow from their folded position. On impulse, Toshirou scowled and reached out to shake her awake, but then decided against it—it would be impractical to wake up the girl and face the fury that accompanied lost sleep.

So instead, he sat down next to her and leaned against the tilted roof as well, watching contentedly as the clouds floated by. Normally, he would have been embarrassed about being seen sitting with a girl who wasn't Hinamori, but he highly doubted the students below them would even think to look up. It wasn't like he was radiating reiatsu or anything—no one would be able to sense him.

Only, someone could sense him. It wasn't because of his reiatsu—any sleeping someone, shinigami or not, could tell when an uninvited person showed up and sat down. Toshirou didn't factor in this sixth sense, however, and was quite unprepared when Karin opened her eyes and glanced over.

When she screamed, he nearly fell off the roof.

"What the hell?!" she demanded, glaring at him as he struggled to regain both his composure and his spot on the roof. "What kind of freak are you, watching me sleep?" she hissed the last part.

Toshirou glowered right back, matching her tone defensively, "I was not watching you sleep. I just noticed you sitting on the roof and thought you were awake."

"You must have realized I wasn't really quickly," her words were as sharp as his zanpakuto. "And then what? You just decided to sit your ass down and admire me?"

"You're not worth admiring," he shot right back, bristling at the accusation, even though that was pretty much the extent of his actions. "And I don't have to defend my actions to you."

Karin folded her arms, "This wasn't exactly the wake-up call I was expecting, and if you don't want me to file a harassment report on you, you damn well better explain, Shorty."

Toshirou raised an eyebrow, smirking despite the situation, "You'd 'file a harassment report' on me? What the hell would you get out of that? They would take my word over yours."

"True, but they would also always be whispering behind your back, wondering if it was true—if the great Captain Hitsugaya really was a perv," she cocked her head as he paled slightly, sea-green eyes flashing. "You should be glad you're not some fifty-year-old coot. Then you'd really be in for it."

"I was not watching you sleep!" Toshirou tried one last time to get his name cleared. "I told you—I was in the area and saw you, then decided to come over. You woke up after a few seconds of me sitting down!"

Karin stared at him, "What were you doing over here anyway? As a Captain, aren't you supposed to stay in the 10th division or something?"

He stood up, "I was checking in on you, as per your brother's request. But now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just call him up and tell him I quit right now."

She stood as well, but just as swiftly slipped on a roof tile. Before she could fall, however, he grabbed her arm and helped her get her balance. Then he turned to go without another word.

Her hand on his shoulder stopped him dead, "Wait, Toshirou."

"Captain Hitsugaya," he corrected automatically, then remembered just who he was correcting—she wouldn't heed the title anyway.

"Sure, him," she met his gaze, and smirked slightly. "As creepy as it was to wake up to your face, I'm glad you came to see me. Maybe we could get together later and play some soccer, huh? None of the kids here know what it is."

Toshirou raised an eyebrow, but the corner of his lip twitched, "Maybe, if I have the time." And with that, he quite literally disappeared, leaving Karin staring at the spot he had been just moments ago. After a few seconds, Karin sat back down and resumed her sleeping position, grinning as she closed her eyes.

"You'd damn well better make the time, Shorty." the threatening tone hung in the air as she drifted off to sleep again.

A/N: There. Another chapter to satisfy you until i can post again. :) No hard feelings from the wait? :D (Assure me by way of reviews!)