AN: So... I forgot to update my profile with two drabbles I did on tumblr. Therefore, I am posting both here just in case some of you guys haven't seen them yet (and to remind you guys to check out my profile for the occasional surprise). :) Enjoy~

Thank you's for last chapter:

Guest: I loved writing the last chapter because it felt like such a fresh take on something done over and over again. Toushirous is a lot harder to write for me but he really came to life in that story and I'm glad you thought so too. :D

nureen: Thank you! It's always great to see a review from you. ;) I hope you like this update just as much.

sweetiepiechef92: Well then, I'm honored you left one for me. It's every author's dream to get people to respond, even just a little. :) And it's so nice to hear you liked the progression of their relationship. Developing them is definitely one of my favorite things to do while writing so thank you for reading and reviewing!

Warnings: Some sexy times but nothing you guys can't handle. ;D

July 2014: Double Feature

Well-Kept Secrets

Summary: Prompt given was "Counting Stars" by One Republic from a lovely anon. Lawyers!AU. Enemies by day, lovers by night.

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Gripping her fists, Karin kept her face stalwart as she waited for the judge to settle into his chair. The case had gone back and forth for months, neither side yielding as evidence and witnesses were looked at in an almost melodramatic fashion. But she'd gathered her wits to go head-to-head with one of the best defense attorneys in the prefecture and, dammit, she didn't want to lose.

As the old man read off the case, she could feel her heart pound in her ears. Her opponent was as cool as ever, the picture of ease under pressure. If she'd been put up against another newbie, this case would've been hers without question. But Hitsugaya Toushirou had been the one to pick up his client's case and thus her hardest fight to-date had taken place.

The final verdict was as much a disappointment as it was a victory.

"Are these terms agreeable to both parties?" the elderly man asked, not expecting an answer. A swift nod was Hitsugaya's response and then beady eyes turned to her. Karin clenched her jaw as if waiting for a swift punch but swallowed her dismay with a tilt of her head. A compromise, one in the defense's favor. Most fledgling lawyers would've been happy with the settlement, especially going up against a seasoned veteran who'd been proclaimed a prodigy.

But not Karin. She'd researched and scoured archives and spun every word to get the judge to take her side. The only problem was that Hitsugaya countered and had done all she had but better. The fact that it was a compromise spoke highly of her capabilities, but still she sulked.

With the crash of the judge's gavel, the client shot up and vigorously shook Hitsugaya's hand. The man had dealt in drugs for years, climbing ranks until a small misstep had him under the police's radar. He'd used his dirty money to get him the best lawyer he could afford and now look where they were. Some jail time but parole would come soon enough with good behavior.

As she walked to the door, Karin shot one last glare over her shoulder. Whether coincidence or not, a sharp green stare met hers and she saw red as a smug smile flitted over his face. The slam of the door was just a little too loud in the courtroom.

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"I fucking hate you."

A chuckle bubbled at his lips but she refused to let him be amused by her anger. Kissing him deep, Karin pushed him against his seat, crawling over the console to straddle his lap. She took care to avoid the steering wheel, putting all her weight against his body and trapping him there.

Toushirou had no complaints. "I'm not sorry," he murmured, breathless when she pulled away to pepper kisses along his neck. A daring hand slipped its way up the back of her thigh, teasing the hem of her skirt. Trust Karin to play mind games, using its scandalously short length and overt tightness that whispered there was nothing underneath to throw him off his game. Psychological warfare had always been her specialty.

It was a wonder how he managed to keep his hands off her.

"You wouldn't be. Do you know how hard I worked on that defense?" she spoke through her teeth. Bringing them nose-to-nose, Toushirou could barely see her in the dim light of a nearby streetlight. He'd thought they were going to have another lover's spat when he pulled over, a far from uncommon occurrence with two lawyers.

Instead Karin had kissed him squarely on the lips and growled about how mad she was at him while her fingers danced along the inseam of his pants. Self-control had fled him as he took hold of the side of her neck and tasted her pink pout. The steam fogging the windows screamed their doings to passersby but neither had cared, not when Toushirou could finally put his hands on her again.

"It's a learning experience. Do better on your next case then."

"I would've won if it wasn't you I was going up against."

He smirked before cupping her ass and giving a rough squeeze. "I bring out the best in you and you know it."

She did know it, Karin thought, frustrated. He was smarter than her, more experienced, challenging her to be so much more than a cog in a big machine. It was why she fell in love with him the first time she saw him in action, regaling the jury with decisiveness that won him his case. It was a wonder how she managed to attract his attention in a crowded bar and hold it when he pushed her up against the nearest wall. Toushirou knew what he wanted from the start. It just so happened to be her.

Somehow he managed to flip them in the cramped space. Taller than her, his head brushed the ceiling even as he reclined the driver's seat. Hitsugaya took a moment to appreciate Karin, a sweetly sinful smile on her face as she petted his cheekbone with her thumb. He wanted to remember this serenity before he completely destroyed it, replaced it with pleas of desperation.

He just needed to be careful she wouldn't find the box burning a hole in his pocket.

First Loves

Summary: Future!fic. Toushirou proves that he can master anything, much to Karin's chagrin.

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If her father hadn't requested it, Karin wouldn't have dared step foot in this place. But she was here now, recalling every detail of how he'd convinced her to go along with his idea and cursing him every step of the way.

"Well, you know that the Gotei Thirteen doesn't have a great grasp on the human world and its traditions—" she nearly snorted her ice cream; didn't Rukia-nee occasionally sleep in her brother's closet and coo over packaged snacks even now? "—so they asked me if I'd be willing to drop in and do a little Q&A with their graduating students at Shino Academy."

"I don't understand how this affects me," she shrugged uncaringly. Karin pressed her spoon to her lips thoughtfully, listening to him as she stared at her phone in the opposite hand. It looked like her test next week was going to be postponed.

"Well I was going to decline—because I'm very busy here with the practice, you know—but then I thought, Karin-chan! Karin-chan would make a great lecturer!"

"And why the hell would you think that, old man?" This time, she did scoff at the notion. She had nothing to gain from this.

"Because I know Ichigo would give short, uninterested answers, which absolutely wouldn't help those kids, and Yuzu would be way too excited and probably not answer their questions at all," Isshin shook his head dramatically at the thought of his other two children. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye to see if he'd swayed her, even a little, but all his daughter did was shovel another bite of mint chocolate into her mouth.

It looked like he was going to have to pull out the big guns.

"Oh, and did I mention Toushirou-kun would be there as well?" His nonchalance was curtailed by the knowing wiggle of his eyebrows as Karin's spoon stopped suddenly midair. "You know, he's grown quite a bit since I last saw him…"

"Considering that was over twenty years ago, I'm not surprised," she grumbled, prickled. Flicking her hair over her shoulder, her fingers tapped a quick rhythm against the wooden table. "And? Why would I care?"

"I wouldn't toss you to the wolves, Karin-chan. I'd ask him to watch out for you while you were there."

"As if I'd need Shorty's help." Standing up, she tossed her bowl into the sink before rounding her father.

But she came to a halt at the doorway, hand on the frame as her father fretted and pulled at his hair. He'd promised someone would take his place. Maybe Sado-kun or Orihime-chan wouldn't mind. They'd gotten over that whole being intruders and hunted down thing, right? They were good kids…

"Fine, I'll be there," Karin agreed, reluctant even as she exited the room. She cringed at the whoop of excitement from her father while she climbed the stairs, hands curling around the banister. This was a bad idea, she could feel it, but her mind was curious. It'd been many years since she'd seen her old soccer buddy.

For Hitsugaya, her human lifespan was a drop in the bucket and while it'd never bothered her before now it made her think. Would he look at her differently when he saw how she'd grown? Would she be taller than him still? Would he still play a game of soccer with her now that they knew where the other stood? Would their difference in status matter in Soul Society?

These were the questions that plagued her as she walked beside the teacher whose classroom she'd be visiting. Dressed in shinigami robes, he was a tall, staunch old man who looked as if he'd seen many battles. Perhaps he was retired because the even steps he took were nearly silent against the old grain. His hands were held behind him and his shoulders were straight. He vaguely resembled what she imagined what Byakuya would look like in a couple hundred years. Regal to the point of obnoxiousness.

"Your father spoke highly of you and I took him at his word for he was one of my finest pupils in his day," Kisaragi-sensei spoke evenly with just a hint of condescension. "As such, I believe you will be on your best behavior. There are many pupils from high-ranking families who will need to be treated with respect."

A spike of irritation went through her but she bit back a scathing reply. "I understand. I'll be on my best behavior."

"See that you do." The warning beneath his half-lidded gaze made her clench her fists at her sides, but she said nothing.

Sliding the door open, the chatter came to an abrupt silence as students found their seats quickly. The wave of nervous energy was palpable, and Karin understood immediately that this was one professor no one wanted to mess with. Visions of harsh punishment and cutting remarks whizzed through her head, as she followed in behind him, and her opinion of him fell even lower.

"Good afternoon, class. As you can see we have a guest with us," he introduced her formally with a sweeping gesture, "Her name is Kurosaki Karin and she is the daughter of one of my former students, better known to you as Shiba-taichou, formerly of the Tenth Division."

A rumbling started among the students, wide eyes and awe enveloping their previously uncertain faces. It was as if they were opening a paper bag and finding gold instead of leftovers. She wasn't sure how she felt about her own comparison to trash but it was fitting nonetheless.

"She is also the younger sister of Kurosaki Ichigo and a half-shinigami, half-human herself." The slight sneer to his words, as if their sacred bloodline had been tainted along the way, had her leveling a glare that could crush diamonds. "She is here to better facilitate your understanding of the World of the Living. Many of you will be stationed there for extended periods of time, others might even be forced to interact with humans. If that is the case, then you must be briefed on proper etiquette and decorum so that you may blend in as inconspicuously as possible."

The idea that a colorful bunch like Ichi-nii's friends had 'blended in seamlessly' was almost laughable. Their amazement for all things human had made it difficult for her to take them anywhere without earning an eyeful of confusion. Like being looked at through a microscope, that's what being with shinigami felt like.

"If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them now."

Kisaragi took his seat at the desk, leaving Karin to bear the weight of his students' stares. She could feel them rove over her, taking in the skirt of her uniform and the length of her sleeves. Undoubtedly they thought her strange in it, an immodest outfit for a conservative realm. But she didn't shrink or apologize at their disapproval. Instead she held her head higher, daring them to make a comment.

The first hand went up with certainty. "What's it like in the World of the Living?"

"It's… different," Karin began. She chose her words carefully. "There are newer technologies and the people are less strict with manners. They dress like me, which must be strange to you guys. Buildings are taller and they have things called cars and trains that people use to get around."

About halfway through her description she knew she lost them. Their brows had crinkled and lips had fallen in disbelief and, most likely, distaste. This was going to be harder than she thought. One of these days someone was going to get hit by a bus and cause a shitstorm when they got up and brushed themselves off unharmed.

They asked more questions, some quite interesting—Are there differences in the way people speak to each other? Will we have to learn those words?—and others uninspired—Is the food any good or will it make me sick? Karin did her best to allay fears and keep herself from rolling her eyes every now and then. For people who were supposedly decades old they were remarkably simple-minded. It reminded her of children on their first day of school, asking about the ins-and-outs of their new world and how to interact with upperclassmen.

She was in the middle of explaining what to expect when in a convenience store when a quiet knock on the door was heard. Pausing, Karin looked over at the entryway, hands still animatedly in front of her.

"Good afternoon, Kisaragi-sensei. I apologize for my lateness," the newcomer greeted. The politeness of his tone was as icy as the air around him, as if he'd frozen time around himself to keep others at a distance. It might explain the snow of his hair, chopped and constantly messy in a way that made him appear boyish. And attractive to the female sex, Karin thought, as she watched more than one girl flutter over the appearance of Hitsugaya Toushirou.

Sea-blue eyes met hers and a flash of recognition entered them. She nodded back in acknowledgement before turning back to the audience at large.

"Welcome, Hitsugaya-taichou. It has been many years since you've been here, has it not?" Kisaragi spoke genially as he stood up. He led the prodigy to stand beside her, a warmth to him that he hadn't offered Karin.

Good thing her skin was thicker than that man's superiority complex.

"It has been. Thank you for inviting me. I'm sorry I'm late, there was a Captain's meeting just now," he explained, voice an octave deeper than what she remembered. He'd always had the voice of a man but it had changed to fit his growth and experiences. The shiver of awareness forced her gaze to the ground as Karin collected herself.

"Class, you know Hitsugaya-taichou of the Tenth. Formerly Shiba-taichou's Third Seat and the youngest captain to join the Gotei Thirteen. He is what you all should aspire to be."

A small round of applause caught them off-guard. Karin appreciated the slight blush on Hitsugaya's matured face, still unused to being admired in spite of all his accomplishments. There was a slight fidget about him as if he wanted to hide his face but knew it would be highly out-of-character for a strong, confident leader.

From there many of the questions turned to him, many asking about his personal experience. Grateful to have the attention shifted, Karin listened intently while trying to mask her interest. It was weird hearing about her home from the lips of others. Their perspectives were colored differently, enriched in values she didn't hold and opinions she'd never had. But there was a care in the way Hitsugaya presented it, like he was offering a treasure to them but only some would truly understand. The respect she already had for him unfurled gently in her chest.

"Do you have any special memories there, Hitsugaya-taichou?" a girl in the front asked. There was something about her that made the questions sound personal, seeking. It wasn't just an academic inquiry.

Karin was unsure whether to scowl or not, knew it would be inappropriate but the girl was hardly being courteous herself. So she schooled her face into a blank mask while Toushirou pondered his answer. Surprisingly he didn't turn it down like he had with other unsuitable questions. Maybe there was some weight to this one.

"There was one that comes to mind…" he began, "When I went there for my first extended stay, I met a young girl who could sense spirits."

She choked on a breath, coughing into her hand. But everyone was still watching Toushirou, who gave no outward sign that he'd noticed her. He continued to regard the class in his gravely serious way, hands going behind him thoughtfully.

"She was loud and brash, someone who wouldn't take no for an answer. But she was strong and loyal, and she reminded me of a father figure I'd lost long ago."

Toushirou… Her throat felt like it was closing up on her as he told his story. Of her persistence at eleven years old and his mulishness towards her, of their match and that scrap with a Hollow too powerful for her to handle. And every memory came together in perfect frames in her mind, as vivid and exciting as it had been then. She wondered if those moments rung within him as well.

"So you were heroic from the beginning, ne, Hitsugaya-taichou," the girl batted her eyelashes prettily, butterfly wings against her pure white complexion. It bothered Karin endlessly. "I bet she fell in love with you on the spot."

"Did not!" Karin yelled impulsively and instantly regretted it. She clapped a hand over her mouth as heat radiated from her cheeks all the way up to her ears. Expectant eyes settled on her, one a particular turquoise that showed her nothing.

"Is there something you'd like to say, Kurosaki?" he inquired politely, pleasantly, as if this was an everyday topic of conversation.

She swore a few of the students leaned forward expectantly.

"Ah, umm… I was just thinking, no, that girl wouldn't feel that way so easily…" she stuttered. It came out more as a sputter, indignant and uncomfortable. "I mean, she was just a kid at the time."

"Mm, I think so too."

Taken aback, Karin darted her eyes to him while an unreadable expression crossed his face. A part of her thought she might've offended him but the even line of his lips said he was hardly hurt. He truly believed her when she said that she didn't love him, not then and certainly not now.

"But who knows what might happen the next time we meet," Hitsugaya murmured cryptically.

A buzz of giggles and gentle shoving hummed through the room, as girls whispered behind their hands and boys smirked among themselves. Kisaragi brought order but not before lowering a disappointed frown at his star alumnus.

"Aside from Shiba-taichou's rare exception, a relation between shinigami and humans is strictly prohibited. I'd like to make that very clear to all of you," the elder stretched his arms wide in a show of severity. "The consequences are not worth the sacrifice, isn't that right, Hitsugaya-taichou?"

"I suppose," he answered noncommittally; Karin didn't believe him for a second.

Deciding the guest lecturers had fulfilled their purpose, Kisaragi excused them before rejoining his students for another lecture. And for a second Karin felt an overwhelming amount of pity as she watched their faces fall into placid acceptance. If this was what she'd have to deal with as a student, she wasn't sure becoming a shinigami would be worth the trouble.

The two of them made their way towards the front gates in silence. Neither chose to comment on what he said, but Karin could feel the effects swirling at the pit of her stomach, making her wish she could shrink herself smaller. Was that a confession? Or at least an announcement of purpose? Really, why was she getting so excited when nothing would come of it? There was no way Toushirou had managed to handle women in five short years.

Right?

When they reached the front gates, instead of parting, they stood beside each other awkwardly. Unsure of how to proceed, she scuffed the tip of her shoe against the cement road and swayed precariously in place. Toushirou was her exact opposite, straight and sturdy, his familiar stare just as penetrating as she remembered. Enough to make her nearly fall over.

He laughed, the first one she's heard from him in years. "So, is it true? You never once had a crush on me?"

"Psh, me? Like you? No. No!" Karin waved him off, tilting her head back as if the idea was preposterous. Because how cliché would that be? "If anything, you should've had a crush on me! I mean, let's face it, I was probably the only girl in your life that didn't have to take orders from you. That's pretty rare, y'know."

She expected his flippancy, a curt shrug or roll of his eyes, the kind of response he'd give her when she was still a scant few centimeters taller than him. What she got was nothing like that. His lips twisted into a warm smile that had her feelings running hot through her nerve endings, making her color all over again.

"I don't remember saying I never had one… do you?"

When he turned around Karin was left gaping at his back, jaw unclasped as if it could hit the floor any second. Her mind was in a mad dash to work through her thought process. Did he just— But he couldn't— Had he really?

"Toushirou, you bastard," she muttered murderously beneath her breath as she launched herself after him. Her fingers sought the end of his scarf, the material thin and soft as it wrinkled between her fingers, her strides lengthening to keep up with him.

They say that first loves never die. Karin decided she needed to figure out just how true that was.

AN: And that's all for now! School is starting up again but I hope to get some updates in before I get busy since I was busy all summer with friends, family and all that. I hope you guys liked these, and if you did a review would be wonderful. Anything to keep my muse going is so, so, so appreciate! :D

Thanks for reading, everybody! Until next time~