This chapter was a little more trouble than it needed to be...

Crush Five: You, Me, and the Monster Part 3- Sunset Sky

Again, I woke up early to shower, get dressed, pack what I was going to use that day, and prepared lunch with something that was edible for all three of us; onigiri, thawed wiener sausages, croquette, and macaroni salad. Ichigo and Dad trudged downstairs a few minutes after I finished.

"Made lunch again?" Ichi-nii asked with a raised eyebrow as I pushed the bento box into my bag with a large ice pack.

"Yup!" I chirped, handing Oyaji his coffee. He dove for a hug, only to become acquainted with my foot. Ichigo completely ignored the situation.

"Okay, well, be careful out there. I'm going to the beach overnight with Rukia and the rest, so I won't be home." Ichi-nii informed me.

I concealed a smile. That meant I wouldn't have anyone to hassle me about a sleepover!

"Okay. Have fun," I said. The three of us ate breakfast, and then I booked it for Toushirou's place with a huge grin. I couldn't wait to ask him!

I knocked excitedly on Toushirou's door. He opened it, still in his pajamas and looking rather tired.

"Sorry, I forgot to set my alarm. Just lemme go through the routine and we can go." He stepped aside and let me in. I removed my shoes and went for the kitchen.

"I'm making you breakfast again! What do you want?!" I hollered through the apartment.

"Dunno! Surprise me!"

I shrugged and started to make the same breakfast I made for him yesterday. Toushirou came out about ten minutes later, dressed in a black polo and jeans. I wasn't quite finished however, so he went to take care of Madoka (he was such an animal person! It was so cute!) Finally, when I finished, I shouted for him. I turned around and found him sitting at the table, face placid despite his eagerly bouncing leg. I giggled to myself.

I set his food down in front of him and sat.

"Ittekimasu!" He said before digging in. I merely smiled at his enthusiasm. He was so considerate to gobble down my mediocre food like it was the greatest thing on earth.

"So hey... I made a hell of a lot of wiener sausages and other cold foods for us today." I said. He looked up and nodded.

"Howinmawu ougha 'ffrisiade thad." Toushirou mumbled. I glared at him.

"I can't understand you and it's absolutely disgusting when you do that." I spat. Toushirou looked a little frightened as he swallowed.

"I said that Hyourinmaru would appreciate that. Please don't murder me." He whined.

"Just stop being gross," I muttered. Toushirou nodded and finished his breakfast.

"Let's go!" Toushirou said, grabbing his bag.

"Wait!" I said, grabbing his wrist. He turned and looked at me.

"Yeah?"

"Um... Well you see, I'm going to be alone for most the night and I was wondering if you wanted to have a sleepover or something. You see, my brother's going to the beach with his friends overnight, and Oyaji works until about eleven at night, so..." I bit my lip. After a moment, Toushirou beamed.

"Do you have a tent?" He asked. I nodded.

"Let's make a stop at your place then, grab the tent so we could have it with Hyourinmaru. I'll back my things and you can pack yours and we'll meet at the hill okay?"

I nodded enthusiastically. So I ran home, packed the necessary things and grabbed the tent, wrote a note for Oyaji, and ran to the hill as fast as my legs could carry me.

"Sorry I'm late." I apologized. Toushirou merely smiled.

"Don't worry about it." He said. Hyourinmaru slithered over to me and nosed my cheek.

"Hi to you too. Sorry I'm late, but we're going to have a sleepover here though so I had to bring a few things." I kissed him and pet his nose. He purred.

We played tag for awhile in the field before swimming in the river. When lunch rolled around, we laid on the shore on our towels.

"I'll be right back, okay?!" Toushirou shouted as he ran off suddenly. "Stay there!"

"Okay, but where are you going?!" I shouted after him, feeding the dragon a wiener.

"I'll just be a minute!"

I frowned at his vague answer.

"Hyourinmaru, do you think Toushirou likes me?" I turned to the dragon, petting his snout. "I ask because I'm crushing on him. I like how intelligent and caring he is, and how he can take the role of a leader when it's necessary. And I like how nice he is. I've only really known him or a little while, but he's been so nice and generous to me. I think it's cute how bluntly honest and easily annoyed he is. I haven't found anything to hate about him."

Hyourinmaru nuzzled my belly. I pet him again with a giggle. A few minutes later, Toushirou returned with ice cream.

"I heard you liked cherry ice cream a few months ago. I was eavesdropping on you and Midori. Sorry..." He apologized, handing my a cone with two scoops of cherry ice cream. I beamed.

"It is! Thanks!" I took the ice cream thankfully. "I'll get you ice cream next time."

"No need," Toushirou said, feeding Hyourinmaru sea salt ice cream. He sat next to me and started eating his own mint ice cream.

"But why? You've been doing everything for me. I want to do something for you. Tomorrow, I'll get you and Hyourinmaru ice cream plus whatever you want for lunch!" I said determinedly.

"But-"

"No denying it! I'm not going to mooch off of you all summer!" I cried.

"I don't mind though! Honestly!" Toushirou said, motioning for me to calm down.

"Well I do!" I snarled.

"Fine, I'll come up with something later then." Toushirou sighed. "Stubborn weirdo…" He muttered.

"I'll make sure to get you some sort of gross flavor then." I stuck out my tongue and blew a razzberry.

"So you want to repay me, but with bad tasting ice cream. You're weird."

"Nevermind, I'll just get Hyourinmaru ice cream."

"Oi, Kurosaki!" Toushirou cried. I laughed.

"Calm down. I'm teasing." I winked at him and he blushed. I blushed as well, realizing that I was flirting with him.

"Sorry…" I blushed.

"I-It's fine." Toushirou said before shoving down his ice cream. We played a few hours in the river again before dinner rolled around.

"I'll set up the tent, you grab us dinner. Just like… onigiri or something. My wallet's in my bag."

"Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes then." I retrieved his wallet and ran off for the snack shack.

"Hey Haru-obaachan!" I said enthusiastically as I entered her store.

"Ah, Karin-chan. It's good to see you. Are you on your way home?" She asked from behind the counter.

"Nope! Toushirou and I are camping together with a friend and we need dinner so I need to get some onigiri." I said, grabbing two packs of seasoned onigiri and some meat for Hyourinmaru.

"Alright then, I hope to see you tomorrow Karin-chan. Have fun!" Haru-obaachan said cheerfully as I paid.

"Bye!" I smiled and ran back to the hill. Toushirou had a fire ready in a clear area and the tent set up.

"I got dinner!" I said with a grin. Toushirou smiled as well.

"Great! Give me a moment," Toushirou, placing a few more rocks around the fire and tossed another log in. "There!"

Hyourinmaru slithered over to me and nibbled on my hand. I laughed and gave him the meat. I sat on a log provided next to Toushirou and gave him his pack of onigiri.

"Ittekimasu!" We both said before digging in. Hyourinmaru set his head in my lap and I absently pet him.

"Hey… look." Toushirou pointed at the horizon. The sun was setting, with crimson painting the area where the sky met the ground, and melting higher up into a wide area of burnt orange, and then a line of yellow followed by more red, then a beautiful royal purple before that melded into the navy blue night sky. Stars were starting to appear, and the full moon was just peaking over the hill. A grin crept onto my face.

"It's beautiful," I said breathlessly.

"Yeah… no kidding." Toushirou answered softly. "Hey Kurosaki, I really don't want this summer to end."

I hummed in agreeance. "Me either." I said, petting Hyourinmaru's nozzle. I tore my eyes from the sky in front of me to look at my crush. He was staring at me with such a tender expression, it made my heart melt.

"Let's be friends for a long time, in and out of school, even through university. Lets take care of Hyourinmaru together."

"Yeah. I'd like that." I smiled slowly and Toushirou returned the gesture. His eyes were so beautiful when he was smiling like that.

Hyourinmaru suddenly nosed me closer to Toushirou so our sides were flush. I blushed furiously.

"H-Hyourinmaru! Why did you do that?!" I sputtered to the monster. He covered his eyes with his wings.

"Oh, now you're shameful after three days of flirting with her!" Toushirou shouted irately. Hyourinmaru hissed. "Don't use that tone with me mister!" Hyourinmaru reached across me and nipped Toushirou's knee. He jumped and used the three-finger tap on his pet. Hyourinmaru rolled onto his back and fully stretched out.

"Yeah, you go and pout," Toushirou muttered. I laughed at their squabble.

"Aw, don't worry, I love you both." I giggled. Hyourinmaru rolled up and nuzzled my belly. I pet him with a giggle.

"We should tell ghost stories," Toushirou offered.

"Okay, you go first." I said. Toushirou's lips pulled into a sneer.

"You'll regret saying that." He cackled.

We threw stories back and forth for about an hour and a half, trying to scare each other. I was mostly terrorized by his stories, as he was an excellent story teller. I, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as talented. Hyourinmaru eventually coiled around us, seeming rather content. Finally, we decided to call it a night.

"Go ahead and get changed. I'll brush my teeth and stuff while you're in the tent, and then we can trade off." Toushirou said, handing me my bag. I thanked him and changed into my pajamas in the tent. He and I traded off afterwards and I brushed my teeth and hair. I said goodnight to Hyourinmaru and put out the fire before joining Toushirou in the tent. He was huddled nose-high under his blanket, waiting for me to come in. It was hard not to giggle about it.

"I hope you don't mind sharing the tent…" He said bashfully. I shook my head with a smile before curling up under my blankets.

"I don't mind." I said. Toushirou smiled back at me.

"Good night Kurosaki." He said.

"Night, Toushirou," I smiled before falling asleep.

XXX

I woke up in the middle of the night freezing cold. I curled my legs up to my chest for warmth, and cussed when I realized I could see my breath.

"Friggin' Hyourinmaru." I whispered under my breath.

"Kami, Kurosaki. I can hear your shivering." My friend grumbled. He rolled onto his side and pulled me under his blanket. I let out an indignant squeak.

"Oh, calm down. Would you rather freeze?" Toushirou retorted. I shut up and cuddled up next to him. At least my ear and nose weren't going to fall off...

"Thanks..." I muttered sleepily.

"G'night, again." He yawned.

"Night," I smiled despite my niggling anxiety. I fell asleep rather comfortably a few minutes later.

XXX

I woke up to birds chirping. I moaned, wishing they would shut up and let me sleep. I scrunched my face, burying it in the hard, warm pillow I was laying on.

Wait… hard?"

I gasped, propping myself up on my hand. Toushirou was still sleeping beside me, one arm thrown across my waist and the under where my head previously was.

I felt a hot blush light up my face. I slept with Toushirou.

"T-Toushirou," I stammered in an attempt to wake him up. He scowled and buried his face in my stomach. I squeaked bashfully.

"Quiet Kurosaki. I'm damn comfortable." He grumbled. I felt my eyebrow twitch.

"Oi, watch your language. Get up." I struggled out of his grip, much to his chagrin it seemed. I stretched, ignoring how fast my heart was going.

"You're a nice pillow, Kurosaki." Toushirou teased as he snuggled farther under the blankets.

"You're a pervert." I spat. Toushirou stuck his tongue out at me.

"You're the pervert for getting 'cold' in the middle of the night and wanting to snuggle." He retorted.

"So? Hyourinmaru made it really cold last night. I was going to freeze to death!" I pouted.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll get out so you can dress." He stretched and crawled out of the tent in his black pajamas.

"Thanks," I said. I dressed in normal clothes hurriedly so I could get my teeth brushed. Toushirou and I then traded off like last night.

Hyourinmaru nosed my hand sleepily before nipping it.

"Toushirou! I'm going to get breakfast! I'll be back real quick okay?!" I shouted to the boy inside the tent.

"Alright!" He shouted, throwing his wallet out at me. I pushed it into my back pocket and went for Haru-obaasan's store.

"Ah, hello Karin-chan." She greeted with a smile as I entered the store.

"Hi Haru-obaasan."

"Is it just you today?" She asked as I picked up breakfast: sea salt ice cream for the dragon and melon bread for Toushirou and me.

"Toushirou will probably come by later today for lunch." I answered.

"So how was your sleepover?" The older woman pushed as I paid at the register. I blushed again.

"I-i-it was good. We had lots of fun." I said, taking the bag she provided and stuffed our food in it.

"Well I'm glad. Have a fun day today Karin-chan." Haru-obaachan said as I left.

"You too!" I then ran for the hill. Toushirou had taken down the tent and was now petting a semi-cranky Hyourinmaru. When the dragon saw me, he slithered over and nibbled my hand.

"Don't worry, I have breakfast." I said. I opened the package of sea salt ice cream and fed it to the dragon. He gobbled it up and nuzzled my belly. I giggled and pet him.

"I-I got melon bread for us Toushirou." I said, handing him a bun.

"Thanks Kurosaki," He said, taking a big bite. We finished breakfast in silence.

"I have to go home for a little while to say hi to my family. I'll be back after lunch though." I kissed Hyourinmaru goodbye before running for home.

"Bye Karin! See you later!" Toushirou hollered after me. My heart began to pound as I grinned. He called me by my first name!