In Every Season

by Adobo-chan

A collection of HitsuKarin oneshots. 17. January 2016: Eve. For my HitsuKarin Secret Santa exchangee poketninja. Stripper club!AU. It's his friend's bachelor party and he's one of the groomsman, but unlike his friends, he doesn't have much interest in the so-called entertainment. But a pretty waitress with a sassy mouth just might make his night.

15. April 2015: HitsuKarin Week 2015

AN: Hello beautiful people! I am back and with HitsuKarin Week updates~ I am so sorry for the lack of updates here and these have been done for weeks but I just haven't had the time to do anything besides post and go back to studying. But I hope these six (plus two smut fics that are on tumblr and AO3) stories will make you feel just a little bit better. :3

Unfortunately, I won't be replying to reviews anymore. I simply don't have the time but please know I am so, so, sooooo grateful and I read every single one. Seriously, you guys are the best and I die a little whenever I get even a one-word comment. It just hurts so good. I love you all! *cries in a corner*

The titles are the prompts give to us but days 4 and 8 are posted elsewhere because they are, ahem, very NSFW. So if you want, check out my profile page for my tumblr and AO3 links. Enjoy~

---

April 2015: HitsuKarin Week 2015

1. Coachella (Be My Muse)

The summer heat stung with the sun rising high above, a sweltering cloud that most seemed impervious to as she cradled her water bottle protectively. The outdoor concert was in full swing as people littered the grass with their steps and voices, crooning to whoever took the stage and moving to the beat of the music with drunken ecstasy. There was nothing quite like a music festival to put the world in a good mood.

In the midst of the throng of bodies, Karin had been dancing and screaming lyrics at the top of her lungs like the rest, a beer bottle in one hand and the other in the air. Everywhere she turned skin brushed skin and hands caught hands, the oxygen eaten up and spread thin in the crush of the crowd. An all-day party was just the thing she needed to kickstart the beginning of summer vacation.

As they were making their way out of a particularly excited mosh pit, Karin was separated from Yuzu and their friends, pushed in another direction when she had intended to go straight. The group had continued on their course, none the wiser to her struggle until they were too far out of sight. And with all the congestion in the area, her cell service was shoddy despite the full bars on her screen.

But Karin didn't have the time to go after them, not when the announcer's enthusiasm boomed over the speakers to introduce the headliners and a roar sounded after him. A shot of adrenaline strut through her stomach as her excitement spread across her face. Forcing herself into the throng, Karin managed to clear a way to the front, eyes wide and just a little breathless as the next performers took their places.

Taking his time to prep his instrument, Karin watched with unabashed fascination as Toushirou began tuning his guitar, greeting the audience with an aloofness that only made the fans scream louder. Behind him Madarame was drumming up a beat while Ayasegawa and Hisagi gave a thumbs-up at their leader. Even with his features set in a grim line, Karin didn't think there was anywhere in the world that Toushirou belonged more than in front of an adoring audience, instrument in hand, and charisma turned up loud.

Strumming a cord, sea green eyes flashed with anticipation. "This first song is for all you lovers out there but I want to give a special shout-out to the one who inspired this song: mine."

A deep flush ran down her cheeks to her neck and promptly spread to her fingertips while the crowd hooted and lauded, eating up the uncharacteristic show of affection. Trying to look composed, Karin pressed the back of her hands to her face, barely cooler than the rest of her while Toushirou grinned knowingly to himself. Bastard wasn't even looking at her and he knew exactly what he'd done.

See if I'll kiss you good night, asshole… she grumbled stubbornly as the intro to the first song began and her heart tripped into a staccato beat.

The B-side to their most recent single, she remembered how he'd penned it after making love to her on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The light fell in through the window and they were huddled together in his large bed, talking about absolutely nothing as their hands drifted over each other familiarly. It was in the middle of a hilarious anecdote about Toushirou, a glue gun, and a banana that he bolted up quickly, hopped out from under the covers to throw on some pants, and rushed to his guitar.

Flummoxed, Karin had wrapped the blanket securely around her and crawled to the foot of the bed. Papers with scores and lines were already in front of him just waiting to be filled with whatever burst of inspiration that'd hit him. Although she knew better than to interrupt, Karin couldn't help but butt in anyway.

"Do you really have to do this now?" she whined, lying her head onto an outstretched arm and sighing deeply at him.

He grunted and that, she knew, was about as good an answer as any.

"God, I would fall for some silent, musical genius type who always likes to leave me to my own devices when we should be doing other things." Like cuddling. She really loved the cuddling because physical contact was hard for them in public. Too many eyes watching, prying, trying to get a shot of them doing something inappropriate. All she wanted was to hold his hand in peace, dammit.

But Karin understood Toushirou's temperament, his need for privacy, and his annoying pursuit of perfection. They were the nuances she loved about him, like the cracks in her favorite mug or the tears in her old shirts. As time went on she'd found that the creases only accentuated the whole, and Karin loved nothing less than all of him.

---

The backstage hands called out their usual 'good job!' to the group as they prepared for their next big name. Underlings passed by to greet them, bowing and complimenting another great performance while they headed back to their dressing room.

The other three went ahead, Toushirou side-lined when their manager asked about their upcoming schedule for the next week. It was a secret but he'd planned to take Karin on a trip then. He'd had to ask her father, who was ecstatic and already sending him texts full of baby names (which he promptly deleted soon after) and Ichigo, who had glowered at him for an hour before relenting his big brother status. With their blessings in place all he had to do was ask Karin.

That was the hard part. He'd tried to before, stumbling and bumbling over himself for words that usually came so much easier when there was a melody attached. But Karin, to him, was the perfect song, every note and lyric in his head, and for some reason he could never form the right chorus when she was in front of him. She warded off his words with nothing but a sly smile and the strength of her hand in his.

It did its same dance away when Karin found him, sequestered in a corner as he tried to fight off his manager's pleas for just 'one more interview, that's all!' Because, really, that just wasn't going to work if he was planning a romantic getaway for two and only one of them would be there.

"Kira-kun, may I borrow my boyfriend? You look frustrated so I'd be happy to take this mess off your hands," Karin offered with a smile, slipping her arms around Toushirou's waist as she jutted her chin against his shoulder. Just her touch had all his pent-up annoyance scurrying away with his sense.

Tiredly, the blond man gave her a little grin. "Please do, Karin-chan. I'm afraid you're the only one who gets him to do anything anymore."

"It is my specialty," she chirped, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss behind his ear. It took less than a millisecond for all the blood in his body to jump to his face.

As his manager walked away, Toushirou turned around to pull Karin close, enjoying how every curve conformed to his body. It seemed so long ago that she was a child, staring up at him with those big gray eyes and an uncertainty that she hid so well.

She maneuvered a hand so it was settled in one of his back pockets, her other hand reaching for the nape of his neck. "You were awesome out there. Made me want to throw my panties on stage too." Half-joking, Karin smiled indulgently.

He snorted, knowing he had a drawer full of them and half of her belongings at his apartment. "I don't really need them though," Hitsugaya shrugged, seeing her face twist into a scowl. Checking to make sure the coast was clear, he leaned forward to nuzzle the junction of her neck and basked in the scent of sunlight and her skin.

"Fine! See if I take my panties off for you ever again," Karin struggled against him, no longer in the appeasing mood. Now all she wanted was some AC and maybe some peanuts to throw at her stupid boyfriend's stupid head.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely positive! You're gonna have to pay me if you want to see me naked anytime soon, you jerk!" Her words were starting to describe an exotic dancer or street walker but the sentiment was no less emphasized. Toushirou was going to have to do something extreme if he wanted to get back into her good graces.

Looking casual, he tilted his head nonchalantly as he met her glare. "Well that's too bad. I had a trip planned for us but I guess, since we're fighting…"

Her stomach lurched. "Y-you did?" The words came out in a funny, little croak.

"Oh yeah. A great beach, nice hotel room, lots of privacy." He smirked slyly at the last bit, the innuendo shooting straight between her legs and for a second she had to remind herself that she was mad at him. "But I guess you don't wanna go anywhere with me right now, right?"

"That's right…" Karin said, unenthused and looking more and more disappointed, her bowed lips falling into a pout as she insinuated herself even closer. Unfortunately, she was a glutton for punishment.

"Just… Just outta curiosity, where would we have gone?"

"Oh you know, nowhere special." A pause, just to build some drama. "But Bali was looking really good and the weather is supposed to be amazing this time of year."

"Bali? As in Indonesia!?" Karin screamed excitedly, throwing herself at Toushirou and hopping up and down, unable to control her happiness. She'd rarely gone out of the country, even less so as she'd gotten older and into college, but now she was going and with Toushirou too. There was no way the day was going to get any better!

"I thought you said you didn't want to go anywhere with me," Hitsugaya grinned, pulling Karin close when she smacked a kiss against his lips, quietly gloating over this one solid victory.

"If you take me to Bali I will never be mad at you ever again!"

It was a lie but the jovial expression on Karin's face made rearranging his schedule and all the extra work he'd put in worth it and then some. Anything to keep her looking at him like this, eyes sparkling with so much candor he could drown in them.

.

2. Azalea flower - first love, patience, modesty and to ask a woman to stay beautiful

Today just wasn't her day.

Slamming the door to her shoe compartment, Karin ran a hand through her bangs with a rough sigh. Waking up late and getting detention for missing the bell, forgetting her homework and being reprimanded by her homeroom teacher, falling asleep during class only to get caught, and, if that wasn't enough, getting laughed at by her friends when she spilled her bento in her lap before stomping off to the cafeteria. Which, by the way, had run out of her favorite yakisoba bread and she'd been left with melon instead. Eew.

"I'm so glad it's over…" she grumbled to herself, waving back at the people who greeted her. She was so tired and it wasn't even four o'clock. At least she didn't have practice today. Who knows what she'd do to her teammates in the mood she was in.

Rounding the gate, she wondered if she had anything other than reading assignments to do. She could probably get away with putting it off for today but that wasn't really her style. She liked to get as much done as she could in as little time as possible. More time for playing video games and reading manga.

"Excuse me, Kurosaki."

A smooth voice infiltrated her thoughts, causing her to halt with an uncharacteristic jerk. How strange. She didn't know anyone who spoke so softly—or politely for that matter—but it wasn't foreign. She just couldn't place it.

Spinning around, Karin nearly swallowed her tongue. "Toushirou?"

Following her for who-knows-how-long was the school's resident genius, Hitsugaya Toushirou. Known for his number-one ranking along with his chilly personality, Karin couldn't believe he'd gone out of his way to engage her in conversation. The last time they'd talked her brother had been in high school. Toushirou just so happened to be a friend he'd made through Rukia. But all that conversation had been was an awkward hello before she bolted up to her room and a few mandatory greetings thereafter.

"I'm sorry but do you have a moment? There's something I wish to discuss with you." Usually there was some nervousness around someone asking for a favor, some unsteadiness in their movements. But not Hitusgaya. He watched her with composure she found mildly irritating. It always felt like he was looking down at her like she was some kind of peon.

A few years ago he could barely meet me at eye-level, she remembered wistfully as she trailed her eyes up to his face. A runt at a young age, she'd always thought that part of him made him cute, but to others it made him an easy target. Not that anyone ever got the edge on him; Hitsugaya could take on a man twice his size and still come out on top.

"Kurosaki, did you hear me? I asked, may I have a moment of your time?"

Her attention snapped back to him but she was still honestly confused. "S-sure. What's up?" She nervously adjusted her bag's strap.

"I have a bit of a problem, to be honest. One that I cannot handle myself…"

The thin, black frames on the tip of his nose were pushed higher, a tell she'd seen on him a few times. However, it was soon forgotten when a look of astonishment clouded her face just as he finished, openly confounded. He responded with a glare that even made her nerves shiver. And Karin didn't scare easily. But could she be shocked? Hell yeah she could.

"So wait, let me get this straight. You need me to pretend to be your guide-slash-tutor so you can work up enough courage to confess to the girl you like?"

With every word Karin could feel her eyebrows inch closer and closer towards her hairline until she was sure they'd disappeared into it. Now this was an interesting back story and certainly not one she would've thought the great Hitsugaya Toushirou would have.

His embarrassment spilled across his face like ink on parchment, coloring it until there was nothing but pink to the tips of his ears. Coupled with a half-hearted glare, Karin could feel her lips smooth into a crescent, feeling strangely smug. Not that she cared about his love life but it was so rare to see someone so proficient at everything need a little nudge in the right direction. The fact that he'd owe her afterwards didn't mean a thing either, of course.

Weighing her options, she tapped her chin with a smile. "And what will I get out of this? I mean, it's only normal if this works as a mutual exchange."

She was only partly serious. She was more interested in him flaring up again, watching him gather up his courage and a response he didn't have. Karin hadn't considered herself a sadist before but who knows, maybe she was.

Instead of that Toushirou slung his backpack over his front and opened it. Unlike her, he didn't dig through the mess of papers and curse his inability to keep his things in order. He drew out his prize before closing it and thrust the piece of paper at her.

Scowling, she took it and read the print. And then promptly choked on her own spit.

"Th-the-the-these a-are… Do you know what… these!"

"Yes, I know what they are if that's what you're trying to say," Toushirou smirked, an oddly befitting look she didn't know he could pull off. If she wasn't so stunned Karin might've called it attractive. "Season tickets for your favorite team. I needed a reason for you to not say no."

"How do you know what my favorite team is?" she asked suspiciously but her gaze never left the black and white stub, fingers too busy coasting over it like it would disappear if she looked away.

A careless tilt of his shoulder. "Your brother is still my friend, you know."

"And, what, he didn't ask why you were buying me season tickets?" If anything that should've sent Ichi-nii for his throat the second he heard it.

"I didn't get them for you! They're a bribe!" Toushirou flared up.

She knew that, it wasn't as if she needed the clarification but her brother only saw black and white when it came to her and Yuzu. He'd start a fight if someone breathed too close to them if he wanted.

Waving her hand, Karin planted an unimpressed expression on her face. "I know that and you know that but Ichi-nii doesn't. Unless you explain it to him slowly and avoid using big words, my brother would go for blood if he thought you were asking me out."

"Well I'm not, okay. I'm asking you to help me ask someone else out." To emphasize his point, Hitsugaya plucked the ticket from her hand and she nearly screamed at him. That was hers, dammit.

"Okay, fine, I'll help you out. What do I gotta do?" she inquired, a bit of desperation leaking in her manner, her wide stare watching him hide the voucher in his bag again. If she wasn't so sure he could catch her she'd snatch that bag and run so fast…

"Easy. Go out with me."

His shamelessness made her mouth fall open as her feet faltered when she took a step towards him.

"Wait, what? How does that…? Aren't you…?"

"Not much of a conversationalist, are you?" Hitsugaya said as he turned his back to her and began making his way towards his home. It was obvious he expected her to follow but his lack of consideration was really making her consider revoking her agreement.

Yeah, right. Like you could get tickets that good on your own. Even her own mind knew she was going to take the deal, as ludicrous as it was. She didn't understand how this would endear him to his crush, however.

"I thought you were trying to confess to a girl, not get another one," Karin came up beside him and kept pace with his long strides, "Doesn't make sense to convince her you're taken when you're not."

"You misunderstand. It's been brought to my attention that I'm a bit too blunt with my feelings and most girls don't react well to my forwardness." Uncomfortable, Hitsugaya's frowned deepened. "So before I actually confess I thought it would be best to get used to speaking more carefully. I cannot do this without a suitable partner."

"And you want me to be that partner." It wasn't a question so he didn't respond. "So, what, I'm supposed to hang around you and tell you to speak nicer to me? Like, call you out when you're being a dick?"

"I'm never a 'dick,' as you so quaintly put it, but yes, that's the main objective." Coming to a fork in the road, Karin realized that they were bound to separate after this. They lived in opposite directions, it seemed.

"So? Do you agree?"

Holding out a hand, she was sure the indecision was marked across her face. The indents between her eyes, the bite of her teeth against her bottom lip, the tension in her jaw. But it couldn't hurt, could it? Hanging around a guy wasn't that hard when there were no hard feelings between them. Or any feelings, for that matter. It wasn't like she could get hurt, nor did he seem particularly keen on her. There was some safety in that.

Reaching for his hand, Karin gave it one good shake. "Looks like you've got yourself a new friend. Until the season starts, at least."

---

"Hey, why did you pick me?"

Licking the tip of her ice cream, she watched Toushirou's hand pause midair at her question. It'd been on her mind for the last few days but she hadn't felt brave enough to ask. Now that she knew him a bit better (and knew that, yes, he definitely needed her if he was going to talk to any girl, let alone the one he liked), Karin let herself relax into her role, wear it with ease.

They only had two weeks for Hitsugaya's experiment. It was a little short but the first game was that Saturday and he wanted to confess before summer vacation started. She admired his planning, acknowledging that he must've been serious about his mysterious woman.

Scooping up a bit of pistachio onto his spoon, he refrained from looking at her. "You just seemed like the right choice, is all."

"What'd'ya mean? There are plenty of other girls in our school. Girls who know what other girls want." Karin had never really been good at the whole girly bit even at a young age, preferring to boss around boys and play in dirt and grass. Why Toushirou thought she'd be able to help him get a girl with her empty resume was baffling.

"I just wanted someone who was easy to be around, someone who wouldn't expect so much," he answered tiredly, rubbing at his forehead as he searched for the right words. "Just, someone who wouldn't make such a big deal out of me asking them for advice and… who wouldn't think I'd catch on to their instructions just because I'm a little smart."

She snorted then. He'd just understated his intelligence by an ocean league but she appreciated his honesty. Not many men could answer her queries with so little fuss, and she really hated fuss.

After taking a long lick of her cone, Karin gave him a conspirator's wink. "Well don't you worry about me thinking you're too smart. You pretty much got rid of that idea when you thought that ugly blue teddy bear might be a good gift."

"Shut up, Kurosaki." He flicked a bit of ice cream at her for good measure.

---

It was between days six and nine that things were starting to get a little too real a little too fast. After calling him out on his weird habit of demanding rather than asking, Karin saw to it so that he could learn how to be a little less gruff with the fairer sex. So she took him to coffee shops and book stores, telling him to order or ask for something so he'd be forced to say more than a few clipped phrases to a girl.

From where she sat, Karin would watch with unhidden pleasure Toushirou's clumsiness as he tried to keep the conversation from going stagnant. That meant asking questions and looking interested, even if he had absolutely no concern over that best-selling romance title or the ingredients in their peppermint latte; somehow Hitsugaya was able to maintain a steady rapport with his partner. It even, much to her amusement, got him a few phone numbers, which he hurriedly placed on the table with no intention of picking up again.

Snatching the latest conquest's, Karin's eyes gleaned with both pride and cunning, twirling the piece of paper between her fingers. "You know it wouldn't hurt to keep a few of these. Who knows, maybe they'll be able to heal your broken heart just in case your first plan doesn't work out."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. You're fired," replied Hitsugaya, tinkering with his watch. There wasn't a bit of heat so she ignored that last bit.

"You're going to a lot of trouble for one girl, y'know. Is she really all that?" Karin couldn't help but meddle as they took their drinks and exited the café. They were on their way back from a movie but they took the long way home, stopping to peruse shop windows and browse newsstands together.

He waited a while before replying, standing close to her on the busy street corner as they waited for the green man to light up. And although he spoke softly over the din of the crowd, she heard him as if he'd yelled into the sky.

"She is to me."

As he took his first few steps onto the crosswalk, Karin stared at his back for a moment and asked herself what kind of answer she wanted to hear.

---

Lying in the medical bay at her school, Karin whined to herself about how she'd fallen so hard, so fast. Pretending to be sick so she wouldn't have to walk home with Toushirou might possibly be the stupidest thing she's ever done in her short life and, believe me, she'd done plenty of stupid things. Stay up all night playing video games instead of studying for her test, spilling drinks down her front in public, talking shit just a little too loudly. But nope, this had to take the cake.

And why exactly was she avoiding Hitsugaya to the point that she'd feigned a stomachache and charged out of seventh period? Why had she buried herself under the covers and groaned about how dumb she was being? It was all rather simple.

Karin was beginning to like Hitsugaya Toushirou.

It was the most cliché thing too, so boring and predictable that she wanted to bash her head into a wall until she bled out her ridiculous feelings. He'd been honest from the start, laying down his rules before offering her anything and she just had to mess it up.

Two days. You only have to put up with it for two more days and you're done. But instead of calming her fears, Karin could feel the nausea manifest in her throat, tightening the muscles there as she peeked her head out from the cover. The doctor had been called out by one of the teachers so she was alone and school was bound to let out any minute. She just hoped that woman would be back soon.

Hearing the wheels of the door clatter open, Karin ducked her head and prayed it was another one of the teachers.

No such luck.

"Karin, I know you're in here. Your sister told me where you were."

"Damn traitor," she mumbled as she shook her head to flick some hair from her eyes just as Hitsugaya pulled open the curtain. The way his jaw was set she almost thought he was worried, but his features smoothed out so quickly she wasn't sure.

"Are you alright? They said you got sick really suddenly."

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine…" Her voice was just a pitch too high, positively squeaky in her ears, to the point that Toushirou lowered a measured glare at her. Damn, he was getting good at reading her. "Just my stomach hurting. Maybe my period is coming."

She shrugged beneath the blanket, hoping that talking about her menstrual cycle would get him to bug off like it did with most men. Even her brother still stammered when she brought up the word. How he planned to be a doctor was still somewhat of a mystery to her.

If he was put off, Toushirou didn't show it. "Were you able to take anything? Has the doctor been gone this whole time?" She saw him glare over his shoulder at nothing, mouth digging into a frown before disappearing from her line of sight. Only for a moment though, as he reappeared, a nondescript white bottle in hand.

Opening it and reaching for the glass of water at her bedside, he held out a tablet for her to take.

"Really, I'm fine, Toushirou. Nothing to worry about."

Snorting, he refused to retract his hand. "I'm not buying it, Kurosaki. Take the pill and then we can head home."

Then my missing class would be for nothing. "Don't you have stuff to do today? Like, student council or something?" He was the third-year representative thanks to his class standing. Surely they needed him for something.

"In case you were wondering you're being even more suspicious than usual. And, no, I settled all of that this morning and during lunch," Hitsugaya rolled his eyes for good measure. A tic appeared in his forehead, the clenching of his muscles prominent because she was irritating him so.

An argument broke out, the two of them going back and forth to the point that Karin had to sit up just so she could glower at him properly, nearly smacking his hand away when he thrust the medicine in her face again. It was only his reflexes that kept him from dropping it, though Toushirou's good will was slowly starting to evaporate as his temper began to boil. A rather common occurrence when he was with Karin if they took the time to think about it.

"Just take it already!"

"No! You can't make me!"

The shudder of the door went unnoticed as Karin stuck her tongue out at him, making an obscene face that had her companion growling. He was tempted to shove it down her throat but hurting an ill person wasn't among his manners. Oh, but if he could make an exception then now would be the time to start…

A throat cleared, sounding almost like a giggle. "Pardon me for interrupting but is Unohana-sensei in?"

The sweet voice came from an even sweeter face, as another senior waited in the doorway with a friendly smile on her face. Karin opened her mouth to tell her that she was still out and had been for a while but was stopped by Hitsugaya's reaction. Scrambling to get up from his chair, he went over to the girl with an air of acquaintance.

"Hinamori, what're you doing here?" he asked, setting the bottle down as he made his way to the door. The smoothness of his manner struck her, so unlike his botched attempts at good humor that Karin nearly let her shock show.

"I'm here to see the doctor about my lab results. They're normal but you know Unohana-sensei. She is nothing but thorough," the girl laughed again, a feminine sound to match her softness. As she watched them interact, Karin's heart stirred when she saw how the lines of Toushirou's shoulders relaxed as well, relieved.

So this was her, the girl he was putting himself out for, the one even he could admit was special.

She'd have to tell Yuzu later that all of her romance manga were wrong, as were those awful novels she liked so much. When a heart broke it wasn't quite so messy or earth-shattering, no sound of broken glass in one's ears or melodramatic things like that, but more of an eerie, ugly calm.

It was like her body was detached from the rest of her as the background noises became duller, the lights less vibrant, the colors less catching. The world went on as they spoke, smiling and exchanging stories as if it'd been a long time and they'd only just realized it. But for Karin, the world turned a little slower, mellower, and was just a bit less than what it had been this morning.

Hinamori left soon afterwards, offering her a smile and a tiny wave before stepping out, the door closing behind her. The remnants of her visit were still on Hitsugaya's face, a patience to him that she wasn't used to seeing, and for a second she wondered if her heart would hurt.

With a small laugh, Karin was almost disappointed when it didn't.

"I'm going home."

Gathering her things, Karin was careful to keep her head down. Tomorrow, she'd be able to face him, prepared after she'd prepped herself a bit more. She could feel his eyes on her, confusion coloring the tenseness around his eyes. He didn't recognize this part of her, and frankly neither did she. Karin had never played a coward before. It wasn't a role she liked much, hated it almost as much as the one she was still contracted to do.

"Are you okay?" Hitsugaya finally asked, coming up behind her as she fell short of the door. Her school bag felt unnaturally heavy or maybe that was the guilt weighing her down.

For a moment she didn't answer, chewed on the right way to put it before she said anything careless. "She'd say yes, you know," Karin replied, spinning back at him with what she hoped was a convincing smile. The worry on his face nearly undid it. "If you confessed to Hinamori-senpai she'd accept it. I can tell just by looking how much you care about her."

Surprise made itself known in the slight hang of his jaw and the rounding of his eyes. Obviously he hadn't expected her to guess right, not with a five-minute conversation as her only evidence. But when he didn't correct—or do much else other than stare—Karin knew it was time to go. She'd fulfilled her half of the deal and then some, she told herself as she gave him one last grin and turned on her heel. So how was it that she felt like she lost much more than she'd gained?

---

After that Karin avoided Toushirou like the plague. It was fairly easy considering they were in different years and had separate classrooms on different floors. There was no reason they should cross paths unless they made plans.

Unfortunately Hitsugaya wasn't satisfied with his end of the bargain and had come looking for her during breaks. Sure, it was nice for the girls in her year who nursed crushes on the smartest boy in school, positively fluttering whenever he stopped to ask them if Karin had come by. Luckily for her, her female classmates become near-sighted whenever he came into view, completely missing her narrow escape and instead attempting to engage the older boy in conversation. If the circumstances had been different she might've felt sorry for him.

It lasted until Friday and she'd stayed back after soccer practice to make sure Toushirou wasn't there to ambush her later. After threatening a few of the first years, she was glad she waited because it seemed that Hitsugaya was staking out her shoe box, conspicuously leaning against its neighbor as he crossed his arms and waited. But even his diligence wore thin as he disappeared sometime later and it was safe enough to collect her shoes.

Sighing, Karin thanked the higher powers that summer vacation was starting next week. She could manage staying out of sight for five more days and then she was home free. It wasn't as if Toushirou would find his way to her house.

The notion was so terrifying she shivered as she pulled out her black loafers, barely noticing the flutter of white parchment that hit the floor. Picking it up, her eyes turned to saucers, pressing her other hand to her mouth in disbelief.

"Stupid, stupid Toushirou," Karin grumbled to herself, stomach knotting as she pocketed the damn thing. A man of his word, the season pass was delivered unceremoniously, no note or fuss other than his obvious need to smooth things out with her.

She suppressed the urge to crumple it and throw it away as she headed for the gates.

---

The afternoon was clear and bright, the exact opposite of her mood. Despite being decked out in her team's gear and getting to gloat to her friends about her amazing seat at today's game, Karin was only mildly interested about what was happening on the field. Which was a shame because they were up three at the end of the first half and everyone was in high spirits. Just a scan of the stadium and anyone would know she didn't belong.

She gave off another deep exhale, prompting interested looks from her neighbors. They were going into the halftime break with a solid lead and she looked as if her puppy just died. It was a wonder people weren't offering their condolences.

Suddenly she sat up straight, let out an indignant moan, and clutched her head dramatically. "Snap out of it, Karin! You've got better things to do than be stuck on some dumb boy!"

Now everyone who'd been giving her pitying looks was caught between fear and uncertainty. A few even sunk into their seats, as if staying low would somehow save them from her public bouts of insanity.

"I really hope that's not me you're screaming about."

Feeling her backbone turn to steel, Karin met Toushirou's discomfited frown, his hands behind him as he watched her with intensity she thought she'd gotten used to. It took a second for her to piece the puzzle together, as she glanced at the empty chair beside her and Hitsugaya's jersey.

Cursing, she leapt up from her seat and prepared to run down the opposite end of the row. But he was just a little faster and good deal stronger, latching onto the back of her jacket so she couldn't get away.

"Let me go! Let me go or I'll scream!"

"With your current behavior I don't think anyone would come to your rescue," Toushirou spoke plainly, a silent reprimand as he dragged her back towards their seats. "Do you know how hard I've looked for you the last two days?"

"Hey, our deal ended yesterday. Shouldn't you have confessed and be mooning over your new girlfriend by now?" The words stung even as she tried to sound haughty, uncaring. In truth she'd been up late last night thinking about it, going over every scenario that could've happened between Toushirou and Hinamori, and finding she didn't like a single one.

His answer caught her off-guard. "I haven't told her yet."

"You didn't what?" Spinning swiftly, Karin was only vaguely aware of the audience they were drawing in, kept entertained while the timer on the scoreboard ticked closer and closer to zero. "But you were ready! I saw the way she looked at you and you were so nice to her! What do you mean you didn't confess? Was all my hard work for nothing!?"

Glaring up at him, Karin could swear that Toushirou was praying, mouthing silently to himself as he looked up to the open sky like he was pleading for mercy. Or for lightning to strike her down. Honestly she wasn't sure if the latter would be the worst thing to happen to her today.

With an aggravated moan, Toushriou pinned her with a scowl. "I couldn't confess because she didn't show up."

"O-oh." Oh God, she felt like an idiot. Heat blossomed beneath her skin as her heart went out to him "I-I'm… I'm so sorry, Toushirou. I mean, it was one thing if she rejected you but that she didn't even come…"

"Yeah, it was bad."

"Sorry."

"Especially because I tried so hard, you know."

"Sorry."

"And I didn't even have anyone to talk to about it." Another pointed glare that nearly made her flinch.

"Sorry. I'm really, really sorry. You deserve so much better."

"Yeah, well, at least I can do this now…"

Confused, Karin opened her mouth but the wind was knocked right out of her. As if appearing from nowhere, a bouquet of flowers was placed in front of her and it took more control than necessary to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. Distantly she could hear raucous laughter and clapping, maybe even a flash of light in her periphery, as she reached for the gift. The discomfort on Toushirou's face was the only other thing that registered in her head as red seared his usually pale complexion.

"B-but… What about…?"

Growing more and more distressed, the fidget in his demeanor became pronounced as he dug a hand into his hair and garbled out his words. "Of course I couldn't just say it to you. I used this whole thing as a front so that we could get to know each other better. I don't know how you got the idea I liked someone else."

"But you were so nice to that other girl." Her response was so quick that she had to hide her face in the flowers. Way to go, Karin. Didn't sound jealous at all there.

"She's my neighbor and she's always been a little sickly so of course I'm nice to her. She's been my friend since I was a kid." Realizing they were off-topic, Toushirou fortified himself with a cleansing breath and continued, "But I don't care for Hinamori that way, not the way I like you."

It almost made her smile, how he didn't say the words outright but instead a roundabout fashion. Like putting them at the end of a phrase would downplay their meaning, make them less awkward, especially in front of what she was sure was a full stand of rapt eyes.

She remembered joking about getting a fresh bunch of flowers for the big day, nudging him with a wink when she said it'd soften his sweetheart up. Sputtering a decisive no at her, they were interrupted as a shop attendant was kind enough to point out a few particular stems, commenting on their meanings and the store's bestsellers. And Karin remembered how he'd stared long and hard at the azaleas, a solemnity around him she hadn't understood at the time.

As she reached for his hand with a shy smile, Karin couldn't think of a flower more fitting.

.

3. Crossover (The Prince and the Pauper)

"And that's the plan. Do you get it?"

Eerily similar eyes shine back at her, hair just recently cut falling into her eyes in the awkward way that all new hair did. At least it was a decent trim, thanks to Yuzu's interest in maintaining her own at home. Beside her she can see Yuzu nodding enthusiastically, eyes equally as bright. Seriously, was she the only one who saw the danger in this plan?

Sighing, Karin adjusted the hemline of her dress, noting how even the feel of the fabric was expensive. No way would she or anyone else in her family be able to afford it.

For a moment she wondered if she looked as awkward as the other girl wearing her jean shorts and plain T-shirt. It was as if the girl had never worn commoner's clothes because she was twirling and dancing around, going up to Yuzu only to clutch hands and spin around in circles excitedly.

"It's just one week, right? You want to see how the other side lives and you think I look enough like you to pull it off." She almost laughed at the thought.

While they certainly carried similar characteristics and comparable builds, Kurosaki Karin and Hinamori Momo were absolute opposites. Karin liked soccer balls and video games and occasionally causing a ruckus if she had the energy for it. On the other hand, Momo was, well, she was quite sure but certainly nothing like her. Maybe she had a thing for flower arrangement and tea ceremonies like the usual princess stereotype.

Huffing at Karin's sarcasm, Hinamori crossed her arms over her chest with a sniff. "I know it's a crazy idea but the timing is perfect. Your father is gone for a medical conference and your brother works night shifts so as long as I avoid him he'll never know." A smile erupted across her face as she began to pace. "And my parents are back in London and the staff at my home doesn't know me well enough yet so they won't even bat an eyelash if we switch spots. It's perfect!"

"And I can look out for Momo-chan too! I'll make sure to keep 'Nii-chan from seeing her up close," Yuzu chimed in readily.

Slapping a hand to her forehead, her frustration manifested in a low groan. "This is crazy. We could get into so much trouble."

"Oh please, Karin-chan! I don't know when I'll be able to get a chance like this again." Big, dark puppy eyes looked at her, becoming glossy enough to make her uncomfortable as she leaned back to avoid her gaze.

"Please! You know we wouldn't let you do anything dangerous," Yuzu agreed, her own eyes growing wide and shiny. What a terrible pair these two made. Just what kind of trouble they were bound to get into—using her identity no less!—made a nervous quake jump down her spine. But, she told herself as she nodded her reluctant assent to their happy cheers, at least she wouldn't be around to see it.

Now Karin knew the Hinamori family was rich. The girl was the talk of the school when she transferred in the last day of school before school ended, earning admiration and ire from their classmates. The rumors flew about how her father was a CEO and how her mother sat on the board of directors, though how large their company was was still a mystery.

After living in the lap of luxury for the last two days, Karin could safely estimate that they were filthy, stinking rich.

"You know, it's not so bad being ridiculously wealthy to the point of uselessness," she crooned happily, stretching as she let the variety show play out in front of her. Luckily the staff was just as Momo reported and didn't question her new bangs or why she didn't remember where her room was. The newness was still clinging to their new mistress, as they smiled politely but distantly and led her wherever she needed to go.

Flipping through the channels, she pondered whether she could pretend to be sick for the entire week and then magically get better and go meet Momo. At the very least soccer practice was postponed, as many wanted a few weeks before going straight into training. She should probably work out a little but cushions that let her sink into them had lured her in and refused to let her out.

She was laughing at a comedian's punch line when someone knocked on the door and Himura-san looked in. The stuffy butler was old but obviously loyal, deigning to stay outside and wait for her answer.

"Ojou-sama, a guest has arrived for you."

Choking on a bit of popcorn she swallowed, Karin jolted up and scrambled to clean up her mess. Momo told her that she didn't know anyone in Japan!

"Who is it, Himura? And how does he know me?" she replied in what was her best imitation of a stuffy rich girl. Not that Momo talked like that but she didn't really know how else to talk to a staff of ten that waited on her hand and foot.

"It's your childhood playmate from England. It seems he's studying in Japan at a university nearby."

Oh my God, I can't speak English! Does he speak Japanese? He better fucking learn… Karin cursed, rushing to change into something decent. She didn't have enough time to shower and she feared her hair smelt a bit like butter. How wonderful.

"I-is that… so?" Her words were tight at the end as she fought into shirt, cursing how tiny Hinamori was. That girl was definitely an A-cup and thus everything Karin tried on was a fight between her and the cloth, many of which she'd lost.

"Yes. Hitsugaya-san says that he's been trying to contact you but it seems you didn't respond."

Cursing, Karin was about to text Momo why she hadn't responded to her friend. Or why the hell she left out that she did, in fact, know someone this side of Japan and he was interested in seeing her. What if they'd already met up and he recognized her as a phony? It would be a hard thing to explain to Momo's parents, not to mention the cow Ichi-nii would have. Goat Chin would probably just find it funny and strangely enough, she sort of wished he'd come back just so he could.

Clearing her throat, she asked, "Had he come previously and I wasn't home? Because if so, I apologize for not being able to meet him properly." And maybe the punch in the face I might have to give him if he figures me out.

"No, this is the first time." He paused. "Shall I tell him you're coming down?"

Taking a cleansing breath Karin nodded to herself. "Yes."

The first thing that Karin could note was that this old friend was nothing at all like the boys in her school. His hair was the color of starlight, trimmed impeccably, as was expected of someone with excellent breeding. She could only see his profile when she stepped into the drawing room of the mansion, decked out in comfortable jeans and a leather jacket.

Uncertain, Karin stuttered out a greeting. "H-hello, Hitsugaya."

He glanced at her and she saw a green that any artist would die to imitate. His gaze went to Himura at the door, waiting to see if he was needed, before going back to her. "Long time no see, Hinamori. How are you?"

"Fine," she feigned in a voice that wasn't her own. Too high, too feminine, too sweet. She'd never been sweet before. "I didn't realize you lived nearby as well. Nor did I realize you were trying to get into contact with me. I apologize, as I had no idea."

The words were clumsily strung together, like homemade tinsel on the first try, and she could see that Toushirou sensed her awkwardness. But instead of calling her out on it he asked Himura for drinks and snacks, to which the butler bowed low and exited.

"Let's sit and catch up for a while. I feel like we have much to discuss," he said, gesturing at a seat in what was her—ahem, Hinamori's home. The daunting task of convincing him that nothing was wrong, that she was definitely Hinamori Momo and not some regular girl with similar features and an immense need to find out what it was like to be ridiculously wealthy, and that he should probably leave right that second.

Himura couldn't get back quick enough.

It was an odd occurrence, to know she had so much in common with Toushirou. He enjoyed the same video games and TV shows, didn't mind lounging around with her for the rest of the day as he told her about his studies. He didn't speak much but when he did it was so honestly Karin couldn't keep herself from laughing. He was blunt to the point of rudeness, but she'd always had a soft spot for those kind of people.

He came by the next day and Karin decided that a day out wouldn't be so bad. She let him lead her to a little café, talking easily between long bouts of comfortable silence. It had become easier for her to respond to Hinamori's name, smiling lightly whenever he called her attention in a gruff voice.

The effortlessness at which they conversed was almost difficult to understand. Her faked manners fell apart whenever he looked at her, observing her mannerisms and making her feel most relaxed than not. It wasn't how it was supposed to be but Karin was figuring that nothing about Toushirou was normal. Not his ethereal appearance or the space between his ears.

But there would be moments where it would be plain just how far apart we are. Occasionally he'd bring up an old memory—intimate details only old friends would know—and Karin was shoved right back into the reality of the situation. Hitsugaya Toushirou didn't like her. Hell, he had no idea who she was!

The person he liked didn't slug him in the shoulder as they walked, exchanging stories as they wandered in arcades and book stores, or laugh whenever she saw him shy away from small dogs on the street. And she certainly didn't badger him into a game of soccer in an open field, her gaze trailing after him in awe as he showed off skills he could go pro with.

And as the week came to a close, the person he liked would come back.

Waiting at the meeting point, Karin shifted from foot to foot while scanning the empty street. They'd have to exchange clothes again and probably fill each other in on their lives. The thought of Toushirou had Karin's insides bottoming out but she suppressed the stab of jealousy with a shake of her head. The boy didn't even know her name. There was no reason for her to get so attached.

Except that she liked having him around. She didn't make friends easily but she did keep them permanently, and she didn't like the thought that he might not be one of them.

Way to go. Making friends with a guy you'll never see again, Karin thought, sighing as she saw Yuzu and Momo come into view.

A vague feeling of homesickness hit her at the sight of her sister's face, and she saw how Yuzu lit up when their eyes met. If nothing else Karin missed her family. She missed the morning fight with her father, the hair tussles from her brother, and the knowledge that Yuzu was nearby even if they said nothing to each other.

Breaking out into a run, Karin laughed when Yuzu jumped forward to meet her, hugging her like it'd be years since they last saw each other. It felt like it, she told herself, grinning at her twin's watery smile before turning to Hinamori.

"Hey, Hinamori. I'm guessing you had a good time playing me," Karin chuckled, seeing how the girl had managed to transform her jersey into a crop top with a well placed not and how she'd found a pair of pink sneakers she'd gotten as a gift. If nothing else the girl knew how to make the most of anything.

"Oh yeah! I had the best time," Momo replied dreamily, walking as the three made their way to a nearby restaurant. It was smooth sailing from there as long as the bathrooms remained empty. It was a little difficult explaining their situation to a passer-by after all.

Karin was relieved to hear that her guy friends, who they'd accidentally run into while shopping last Wednesday, were as stupid as ever. Luckily Momo had ducked beneath Karin's baseball cap and spoke in what was a decent imitation of her voice that even Karin believed it. Other than that, there weren't too many nuisances and Ichigo was thankfully too tired to do much else other than sleep whenever he was at the dinner table so Momo was able to get by on showing herself for a few minutes each meal.

In the stalls, Momo chirped pleasantly, "And how was my life for you, Karin-chan? Was it all you thought it would be?"

Better. "More or less," Karin mumbled, so happy to get out of that tank top and into a loose fitting shirt for the first time in days, "But I didn't do too much. Mostly lounged around the house and went about town. And since you don't know many people no one really noticed me."

"Hmm, is that so?" There was a slight hitch to her voice that made Karin pause as she was tying her shoe. It might've been amusement or her imagination but without any facial cues she wasn't really sure.

They exited the bathroom and went over to Yuzu, who'd reserved a table for them. She'd gone up to order for her and Momo but hadn't known what Karin wanted. As Hinamori typed on her phone, Karin made her way to the cashier and stayed up at the menu. Luckily there was no line since the place was in an unpopulated area, kept open on regulars alone.

She was deciding between a rice bowl and ramen when she felt a presence hover just a little too near. She was about to take a step forward, as she didn't want to verbally offend anyone, when an all-too-memorable voice called out to the cashier.

"A number seven, please."

"Toushirou!" Karin spun around, looking into the same serious expression she'd spent the last five days with. He glanced down at her slowly, as if taking her in, and she paled when she realized she was Karin again.

"I-I'm sorry, wrong person." Except it wasn't because she'd called him by his first name and yelled it into the air. The need to sink into the wall and become one with the building was jiggling around at the pit of her stomach.

Turning back, she moved out of his way, making sure to keep some distance between them. But she could still feel his eyes on her, tracking her like a hawk, and she wondered if bolting out the door would be an appropriate response for her embarrassment.

"Shirou-chan, you're here! I didn't even realize," Hinamori called out, approaching them with a sunny smile. But it was what she said next that really spun Karin into the ground.

"Thank you so much for taking care of Karin-chan for me last week. I know you had some school things to finish up but you were really helpful."

"Wait, what did you say?" Her body went ramrod straight, looking between the old friends as one wore a look of confusion and the other an inquisitive tilt of his head. More interesting than that, however, was the amusement that sparkled in his eyes.

Ignoring Hinamori, Karin came chest-to-chest with Hitsugaya, glowering up at him as he angled his head down to meet her growing rage. "You knew?"

"I did." So much for liking his bluntness. At the moment it was getting on her last nerve. "Hinamori told me about you situation and I had to come up with an excuse to go to her home. I didn't realize she hadn't told you about me until we met."

"And, what, it never crossed your mind to tell me?"

Here, a small smile lifted the corners of his lips and Karin felt her pulse jump in response. "Your impression of her was just so entertaining, I couldn't bring myself to stop you."

And now her pulse was in overdrive trying to pump blood into her head as her temper fumed.

"Umm…" a shaky voice interrupted, holding up her hand as if surrendering, "If I could get your order, miss…"

In her anger Karin had completely forgotten about her hunger but she knew she'd need it if she wanted to scold Toushirou properly. He'd get an earful of curses and obscenities she hadn't been able to say as Momo and she'd better receive more apologies than she could count, Karin told herself as her eyes darted between her two choices. But it was Hitsugaya who spoke first.

"She'll take the gyuudon combo, number three."

"Oi, I didn't say anything about that!"

"But you were deciding between that and the pork ramen, right?" Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, as if they'd had a lengthy conversation about this previously. Which they hadn't. "You had noodles yesterday for lunch so you don't want them again for dinner."

A flush covered her cheeks, mostly because he was right. "So? I can have ramen two days in a row if I want."

"Then would you like to change the order?" he asked, gesturing at the wary-looking worker who was smiling weakly at them, "You're free to change your mind at any time, Karin."

Heating up, she ignored how right her name sounded on his lips. "No, I don't want to change it. I just don't want you making decisions for me when you barely even know me."

"Duly noted."

Although he said that, Toushirou reached for his wallet and paid for both meals wordlessly, much to Karin's chagrin and Momo's pleased laughter. It started another bout of words as well as the unceremonious thrusting of cash in his direction, as Karin tried desperately to pay him back. In return, Toushirou said that he'd been paying for her meals all week and if she was going to be picky about this one, then he was expecting a lot more money to come his way. The look she gave him was something between offended and like she'd swallowed her tongue, as Karin moved quickly to keep pace with him.

The two of them bickered as they headed towards the table, not noticing the smug grin Momo was sporting as she gave Yuzu an understated nod. Whoever said you couldn't pair people up like Noah's ark had obviously never met these two.

.

5. "More than friends, but not quite lovers." (College!AU)

It was so strange moving into a new place, new city. Even stranger that Yuzu wasn't there with her, and Karin felt the loss like a phantom ache, constantly turning around only to find that her sister wasn't there.

Moving in on her own was just as hard, as Karin wasn't sure where her things were supposed to go or with whom she was rooming. Judging by the stacked texts and well manicured folders, her roommate was a neat freak perfectionist with stellar grades. Not that she'd looked through anything, but someone with that much time to organize their stuff had to have high standards, no questions asked.

But the mystery woman wasn't present, her laptop and cell phone left charging on her desk. Must've left to run some errands and for that, Karin was a little grateful. She needed some time to get used to this, as she started unloading her clothes into a nearby set of drawers and set out all her pictures. Karakura had been home for seventeen years but Karin was ready for an adventure, and she knew she wouldn't find be able to find it there.

The twin-sized beds were separated by a bare strip of floor and in it laid two bedside tables. Meaningfully, she propped her family's photo on the corner nearest her bed, a sad smile coming to her lips. Beside it, her mother was proudly displayed before she went back to assemble a decent working station.

It was when she was struggling with her bedsheets (why did those things never want to stay on their corners? It was a conspiracy) that she heard a knock at the door.

"Coming!" she called out and rushed to answer it. A little nervous, she greeted the visitor with a friendly smile. "Hi, can I help you?"

On the other side was an older boy, certainly an upperclassman, and an overtly attractive one at that. Standing a good few inches over her, he stared down at her in surprise and so she assumed he'd been expecting her roommate. A faint rush of envy hit her but she shoved it down with a quick shake of her head, hoping she wasn't staring.

"Umm, yes. Are you new here?"

"Yeah, I just moved in," she said, just a little too perky. It was hard playing nice with someone you didn't know. That was what Yuzu was for.

"I see. Are you doing okay? Do you need any help?" he asked politely. Flushed, Karin couldn't help but smile at his kindness.

Shaking her head, she tried to play it cool. "Nah, I'm fine. I don't have that much stuff." Except for six more boxes but whatever.

"Is that so? Well, what about Hinamori? Does she need any help?" Peeking just over her head, he peered into the room through the small crack.

"Actually, she's not in right now. To be honest, I'm just assuming that's her name because I haven't officially met her yet." A pause. "I haven't really met you either now that I think about it."

"Ah, sorry." He held out his hand, appearing sheepish. "Hitsugaya Toushirou."

She shook it. "Kurosaki Karin."

"Well, if Hinamori's not here…"

"Do you want to come in?" Cursing her awkwardness, the words came out in a pressurized stream and sounded overly friendly, like she didn't want him to go. She tried again, "I'm sure she'll be back soon and I'd feel bad if you missed her."

"No, it's not really that urgent…"

Embarrassed that she hadn't even offered him something for coming by and with him being Hinamori's boyfriend, Karin pressed on, "Please, I insist. Let me at least get you something to drink and if she doesn't come back soon then you can head out after."

Shifty eyes went from either side of the hallway, the walls filled to the brim with students and their belongings. Not fully comprehending the action, she saw the imperceptible nod of his head and breathed an inward sigh of relief. Karin stepped aside and offered him her chair as she searched for a bottle of water and some snacks, things she always had on-hand for guests, just like Yuzu taught her.

When he didn't take a seat, she watched him with a growing frown. "Are you alright? Do you have something you need to do right now?"

"Uh, I'm not sure how to put this…" Hitsugaya trailed off, looking increasingly distressed for some reason. Then again, his eyes had just skimmed over her unfolded panties sticking out of a moving box, and that seemed like a fine reason to panic.

Panicked, she proceeded to kick it under the bed, nearly cursing when she stubbed her toe when it refused to budge. "Shi… Mmm. What is it?" She stood tall, hoping she was coming off even slightly normal. "Is there something the matter?"

"I just… I don't want you to take this the wrong way." He held up his hands in a defensive gesture, his glare softening into an understanding frown. And with that Karin was growing more and more confused by the second.

"Okay. I'm listening."

"You seem like a perfectly nice girl—"

What the hell is he going on about? The question nearly fell out of her mouth but Hitsugaya looked so troubled that she stopped herself. Whatever it was, it was making her uncomfortable, as she tapped her fingers against her leg to ward off her anxiety.

"—and I don't want you to think I have anything against you. Because I don't. And, and, you're… you're very pretty so I'm flattered but…"

"Okay, hold on, let me stop you right there," Karin halted him with her hand as she sent him her darkest glare. This guy was a jerk. Under that glossy exterior was some serious player, and here he was trying to get at his girlfriend's new roommate on her first day at this school. Seriously, what the fuck?

"Look, buddy, I don't know what kind of impression I gave you but I am not that kinda girl. I may not even know her whole name yet but my roommate deserves a whole hell of a lot more than some dick like you that goes around hitting on girls left and right—"

"Whoa, wait, now I'm confused," Toushirou interrupted and she clicked her tongue in annoyance. "I wasn't hitting on you. You were hitting on me."

"What!? No I wasn't!" Scanning her memory, not once did she remember saying, 'Hey, baby, let's do the horizontal tango' or some other creepy line weirdos liked to use. That he'd accuse her of it was making her even more livid, as she clenched her fists at her sides to keep from launching herself at him. "You're so full of it! You're the one who came to my door and asked to see Hinamori-san. Who I've never met but who could really do with a better boyfriend than you, thanks very much."

"Huh? I'm not Hinamori's boyfriend!" he raged back, green irises darkening as he tried to reconfigure the situation, "I was just looking to see if her new roommate—you—got here safely and if everything was alright!"

"And why the hell would you do that if you weren't her boyfriend?"

"Because I'm the RA, the resident assistant! I make sure everyone's okay!"

And like a popped balloon, Karin's anger deflated instantly. "Oh." She licked her lips nervously, trying to grin up at him with a sugarcoating of apology. "I see. That makes sense."

"Yes, it does," he said finally, crossing his arms over his chest authoritatively and Karin knew she wasn't going to get along with this man. Not any time in the near future at least.

"Wait, if you're the RA, then why the hell did you think I wanted to have sex with you?" Forgetting her knack for a hyperbole, she skipped over flirting and dating and went straight for the gold. She was still a bit heated so her embarrassment remained masked.

This time, Hitsugaya had the decency to look flustered. "Well, you know, it's not like it's the first time it's happened…"

Eyes bugging out, Karin nearly gagged on her own saliva. "I knew it! You are some campus playboy!"

"I am not!" he denied vehemently, still pink in the face as a proper glare met her smugness. "I'm very selective about who I take to bed, not that it's any of your business. But when you invited me in, I didn't want to say something that might be heard by other people…"

The thoughtfulness behind his intentions was almost enough for Karin to forgive him, understanding dawning as she recalled the hustle and bustle of new students coming through the halls. Just a snatch of a conversation, a poorly chosen word or a well meaning joke, could be devastating if it was heard by the wrong person. And while university was certainly not high school when it came to the rumor mill, her reputation was to be protected until she'd established a proper niche and group of friends.

Repentant, she scratched the back of her head and offered him another weak smile. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry about this."

"No, I'm at fault too, for assuming," Hitsugaya sighed tiredly but his edges relaxed into something she thought might be humor. "Next time I'll get clarification if a girl is inviting me in for sex or not."

Yeah, no, those girls are definitely trying to get at you, she thought as she laughed a little, still self-conscious and more than a little aware of her new RA. But at least the ice was properly broken, as he excused himself so he could go see more of the new tenants. As he closed the door behind him, Karin jumped onto her pillows and attempted to smother herself to death.

Explaining to her roommate that she was not suicidal was making her wonder if first impressions were always this difficult in college.

---

Humming to herself, Karin was pleased with the facilities her new campus offered. She'd explored the main library and the study rooms she'd definitely need in the upcoming years, saw the cafeteria and had a snack before passing a few of the buildings, and even took a moment to see the health services. It was from there that she was returning, hands stuffed into her pockets along with a few things she'd picked up there.

Who knew university gave out free condoms by the handful?

She certainly hadn't, and frankly she'd gone a bit overboard as she stuffed more than a dozen into her jacket. It wasn't as if she needed them since she'd been single for a while but she couldn't help herself. They came in neat, little squares and pretty colors. Her hoarding habit was a necessary burden.

With her fists bundled in her sweater's kangaroo pouch, Karin's eyes were planted on her feet so she didn't see the person turning the corner at the same time as her. Which was why she ended up on the ground, falling hard on her tailbone with a sharp yelp. Rubbing at her backside, she turned her face up to call out her oncoming wall.

And 'lo and behold, there was Hitsugaya staring down at her with a queer look on his face. He scanned her and then the ground around her fallen form before raising a questioning brow.

He shot her a vaguely concerned glance. "Are you sure you're not hitting on me, Kurosaki?"

"What the hell are you—" But the words got caught in her throat as her eyes bulged impossibly wide. All around her were the packaged condoms, so iconic in their size and shape that she couldn't pass them off as anything other than what they were. They were littered about her like a halo of some artst-fartsy, abstract piece she wouldn't understand.

She wanted to die there. Just… lay her down on a bed of contraceptives.

"This isn't what it looks like." She wasn't sure what it looked like but it wasn't anything good.

"I… don't know what that means," Toushirou replied, looking more and more uncertain. "And while I appreciate knowing you're practicing safe sex, I think it'd be best if you kept that kind of information between you and your… partner."

"I'm telling you, it's not what it looks like!" she repeated, scrambling to pick up the mess she'd made before some other person saw her in such a compromising position. It took everything she had to overlook the distinct laughter that vanished down the corridor, a low, humble sound that made her pink with something other than embarrassment.

---

Now before anything else, let this be clear: Kurosaki Karin knew how to do laundry.

She could sort them by color, stuff them in the washer, put in just the right amount of detergent and fabric softener, set the timer on the dryer, and fold them while watching the latest episode of her favorite show. Yuzu wasn't the only one with some domestic ability. She'd merely been the one to take them upon herself, that's all.

Karin was pondering how she could explain this to Hitsugaya, as she tapped her chin and wondered just what went wrong. The washer was still on its spin cycle, jumping and groaning as the load got tossed around, as per usual. What was not usual was the waterfall of suds coming from the top and coating the floor. It seeped out and beneath the other machines, its size relaying that it'd be on for quite a while.

The look on Toushirou's face was so priceless that she shot him a sunny beam. "Hey there, RA-san."

"What happened in here?" he asked, visibly stunned as he took in the state of the laundry room. It was one in the morning, no one was around and so he wanted to finish a few loads as he read for his assignments. He didn't expect this kind of catastrophe to hit, but he wasn't surprised who was in the middle of it.

Uncaringly, she shrugged as she considered the mess again. "Looks like something went wrong."

"Don't you mean you did something wrong?"

"Hey, I didn't do any of this. I was gone for thirty minutes and boom! It was like a tornado hit and some cleaning fairy got a little too excited."

"Or you just put too much liquid detergent and now you don't know how to shut the damn thing off," Toushirou offered callously, setting down his own basket as he regarded the damage in its entirety.

"Hey, you have your theories, I have mine." But the smile that she was trying to bite back was seen out of the corner of his eye, and for a moment Toushirou had to hold back his own grin.

But neither of them were happy when the dorm head forced them to help clean up the soapy disaster, citing it was too much for their janitors to do alone. When Hitsugaya had the nerve to complain beneath his breath that none of this was his fault he ended up with a face full of soap and an earful of melodic laughter.

---

Karin had been having a shitty few days. While her classes were okay, she was finding it hard to find time to complete her assignments and keep in touch with her family. Her brother wasn't much of a problem as he preferred to text, dropping a few lines every other day to see if she was okay. Her father was a little more complicated and decided calling her was the only way he could talk to his 'little princess.' And more often than not he'd choose the times when she was in class to phone in, crying when she called back a few hours later and reprimanding him for not thinking of her schedule.

But who she really wanted to talk to was Yuzu. After deciding to stay in Karakura for college, she'd been depressed to see her sister leave her behind. It was the right thing, they both understood that, because they had very different dreams to fulfill. But they were still coping, and getting used to life without one's right arm wasn't a hardship that someone simply got over.

So when she woke up that day and found Hinamori in the opposite bed, Karin felt a little out of sorts as she stumbled out of their room and out towards the shared showers. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she decided to change her clothes after she had some breakfast.

Not as hungry as she thought she'd be, Karin went straight for a bowl and yawned into her hand, waving at a few people as she walked by their tables. Not many of her new friends dormed but the ones that did were nice and easygoing. Certainly better than that RA that popped up around her unwanted.

Stop thinking about him. He's not even worth mentioning, Karin grumbled, standing in line with only half her attention span. Coffee was starting to sound really good right about now

She'd get some after she found a seat, she told herself, stepping in front of the large plastic containers and reviewed her options. After a moment, she moved down to the last one and placed her hand on the knob.

One twist. That was all it took.

In a scene straight from a movie, the brightly colored cereal spilled out into her bowl, down the table, and onto the floor in clattering that sounded eerily like raindrops. The little beads found ways under tables and people's feet, as a few girls screamed in surprise when they crunched beneath their shoes. Even more horrifying was seeing an upperclassman slip on the fruit-flavored circles, sitting up straight as he looked around in confusion.

Groaning out loud, Karin sensed the weight of everyone's stares turn on her, both accusing and bewildered, as she huddled into a ball against the edge of the table. The thud of heavy footsteps stopped nearby and she could feel a steady gaze surveying her, knowing exactly who it was.

"Seriously, Kurosaki? It's you again?" Toushirou called out, exasperation in his sigh. Those simple words were the trigger opening her can of worms, as she shot up with an enraged huff. Her dark tresses fell down in what resembled medusa's snakes and more than a few students scooted back from her, rightfully afraid.

"It's not like I wanted this to happen! Does anyone actually plan for this kind of luck or does it just latch onto me!?"

"Kurosaki."

"I just wanted some goddamn Froot Loops! No biggie, just something that everyone else in this damned room has!"

"Kurosaki!"

"Why does everything I touch die!?" she yelled dramatically, no longer caring about the scene she was making. There was cereal in her sock. She had absolutely no more shits to give.

"Karin!"

Swinging her arms in the air, she bestowed her most maniacal scowl on him, chest heaving as more hair fell into her eyes. "What the hell do you want, Toushirou!? Can't you see I'm having a meltdown!?"

"It is literally the third week of school. Save all your meltdowns for finals like the rest of us," he instructed, looking like the absolute picture of order.

Turning more sympathetic, he asked one of the other students to get a janitor to clean up the frosted rainbow mess as he took Karin's hand and led her away from the crowded hall. No doubt there would be whispers of the strange girl with the ability to crush everything in her path. But even more interesting than that was the budding relationship she shared with her dorm's RA, who twined their fingers and took her outside for some air.

It took a while for Karin to return to her senses and the shame that she was expecting to come finally gurgled to the surface, her face turning as ripe as a tomato as she dug it into her hands. There was no small amount of satisfaction on Hitsugaya's face as he watched her, trying his best not to smile at her misfortune. If she wasn't so mortified she'd be calling him out on his insensitivity. He hated to admit it but he kind of liked having her at a loss for words.

"Okay, enough with the pity party," he spoke suddenly, not liking how she refused to look anywhere but her fingers.

"No, I'm having a grand ol' time. Take your optimism and shove it."

Chuckling, Hitsugaya hovered beside her and watched the lazy strolls of other students passing by. "It wasn't so bad, you know. At least this mess didn't require mops and a small cleaning crew."

"Oh God, would you shut up?" Still bright red, she slugged him in the shoulder, trying her best to look sour.

Glad he got her attention, he held out his hand again but made sure to turn his gaze elsewhere. "Come on, I'll buy you breakfast. Somewhere off campus where you won't be able to do so much damage."

"You're such an ass. I hate you so much," Karin accused, taking his grip and letting him guide them towards the south gate. Still upset, she began to list every single flaw of him she could name—and found that she didn't have nearly enough because she got to seven and promptly ran out with an angry stutter.

Pleased that she could find so little fault with him, Toushirou ignored the stares they were getting, still dressed in their pajamas and looking mighty comfortable for a pair of not-friends, just a freshman and her student advisor hanging out at nine o'clock in the morning. Regardless, the rumor mill wouldn't sleep tonight.

.

6. "The dreams we are chasing and the reality that is chasing us are always parallel; they never meet."

She wasn't sure how it all happened, not when the first meeting came about on accident one night. Climbing up the stairs to her one-woman apartment, grocery bags in one hand and her struggling for her keys with the other, Karin was slow to spy the mass slumped halfway between her doorstep and the next.

Letting out a shriek that should've woken the huddled body, her paper bag spilled to the ground as she rushed forward. Her medical instincts were turned up high as she called out to the man and kneeled before him.

"Sir, sir, are you alright? Can you hear me?" Karin pleaded, looking for any sign of life. The unsteady rise and fall of his chest showed some activity and as she felt for the pulse in his neck, she breathed a little easier. Still, it was weak beneath her fingertips so he wasn't quite out of danger yet.

Knowing he needed medical attention, Karin reached for her phone in her bag and dialed emergency services. But before the operator's voice picked up, a large hand closed her cell and promptly threw it down the dark hallway.

"Hey, what was that for? I'm trying to help you!" she said angrily, getting up to retrieve it. A grasp on her wrist stopped her and she was forced to look back down at the injured man.

The first thing that caught her attention was the first thing she should've noticed. He had hair that looked shock white beneath the weak moon, clots of something dark stuck in it. Her hunch had her insides rolling, as she covered her mouth and got a better look at his face. The same darkness trailed down his face, dry rivulets coming from beyond his hairline, and she knew that this wasn't someone she should be associating with, not if she wanted to stay alive.

The instinct to run was so strong that it must've shown in her face because the stranger's hold tightened, only half-lidded eye open in the darkness. Her next impulse was to scream, loud enough to wake the entire building if she could manage it. But then he was opening his mouth, obviously a warning but he couldn't. Instead he collapsed into a fit of coughing, letting go of her to clutch his stomach.

No matter what the circumstances, this man was injured and Karin knew she had a duty to help those who needed it. Bracing herself internally, she glared down at the strange man with a no-nonsense frown. "Listen, I don't know who you are or what you've done and frankly I never want to know. But you're here and you're hurt so I'm going to help you. Do you understand?"

Mistrust glared back at her, lips twisting as he considered her words. However, it was a short moment because he nodded soon enough, holding his middle as he struggled to take a breath.

"I'm going to let you into my apartment so you better not try anything, buddy. Because if I go down, you're going with me." The threat was flimsy but it was all she had as she took her keys and pushed them into the keyhole. She ignored the unsteady tremble in her hands as she grabbed her things and threw them inside.

It was a struggle to get the stranger up, hoisting one arm over her shoulder and her arm around his waist. There was no gracefulness to their dance, more of a lurch over the threshold and past the shoe rack. But they didn't make it much farther, Karin falling to her knees and taking the stranger with her. She flinched at the pained groan he let out when he slipped to the floor, having just enough energy to send her a blaming scowl.

She rolled her eyes at him. "If you could walk on your own we wouldn't be in this mess, now would we?" The mothering in her voice was apparent but she didn't see the quirk of his lips at it. It'd been a long time since someone had talked to him like that, let alone acted like they cared.

Not knowing what else to do, she cared for him right where he fell, lying supine with only the light from the hallway and kitchen covering them. Her medical kit was laid out, more advanced thanks to her status as a surgical resident, and quickly she set out her supplies.

She spent the next hour sewing him up, cringing as she cut open his blood-soaked shirt and laid eyes on the mess beneath it. Although tempted to ask, she neither commented on the slices in his skin that resembled a knife's edge nor questioned the bullet she'd found in his leg that'd avoided a major vessel. She just kept applying pressure, wrapping bandages, and putting in sutures that made him moan in pain. Well, he was the one who didn't want to go to the ER so the lack of anesthesia was on him.

When she was done, she surveyed her handiwork and nodded in satisfaction. There would be scars of course, and Karin couldn't guarantee they wouldn't get infected. But she did realize part way through that a good deal of the blood wasn't his alone. A shiver went up her spine as she bit her lip to keep herself from running away again. He knew her face and where she lived, and she wasn't sure if anyone would come looking for him. It wasn't a viable optino to just pack up everything and leave that second.

He didn't rouse ever after she had finished cleaning him up, chest rising and falling but with no other signs of life. He must have fallen asleep on her, the pain too much or the blood loss excessive. Either way, she was glad she wouldn't have to pull him up again but now she didn't know what to do. He couldn't stay but he couldn't leave either.

After throwing a blanket on him, Karin bolted to her room, locked the door, and barricaded it with everything she could lift. She reasoned that it would be enough to hold an injured man back and so she breathed a little easier.

---

Morning came in an unpleasant haze as the sun crept into through the glass and through her eyelids. Disgruntled, she turned over and attempted to go back to sleep but a niggling feeling in the back of her head surfaced. Two seconds later she was bolting up, throwing on her robe, and dashing out her door as her belongings fell in a littered mess behind her.

Expecting to find her guest still incapacitated on the floor, Karin came to a screeching halt when there was no one at the end of the hallway. In fact, nothing was there. Not the blanket she'd put on him or the medical supplies she'd kept nearby for emergency. Inching her way closer, her heart hammered in her chest, listening for sounds of movement in case she had to bolt away.

She turned the corner towards the kitchen, unsure what to expect, and found absolutely no sign of the intruder's presence. Instead on her table was the neatly folded coverlet beside her kit and a little note written in perfect scrawl.

Thank you.

---

After that, Karin couldn't do anything without jumping in her own skin. Her eyes scanned every room and her ears captured every sound. She didn't want to be caught off-guard so she made sure to always be with someone when she was out and had been extra careful whenever she was home.

Eventually the paranoia seeped out of her and she was able to resume her life as usual. A little jaded and a little more cautious but as normal as one could expect. She went out with her friends, took long moments going through stores and shops, and was comfortable being alone again. It was almost to the point that she forgot about the mysterious white-haired man with pretty, pretty eyes.

The next time he showed up, it was an odd, déjà vu sort of feeling. Instead of being slumped on her welcome mat, however, he was propped against her door, arms wrapped around himself protectively. Her breathing became loud in her ears as she stopped, blinking again and again to try and register if he was really there. The cerulean blue eyes convinced her that not only was he not a figment of her imagination, he was a little pissed for having to wait so long.

"Hey, don't look at me like it's my fault that I got home late. Blame the hospital." A beat of silence. "Better yet, why don't you blame yourself for not seeking proper medical care, just like last time, hmm?"

The stranger grunted, and she wondered if he wasn't a talker by nature. Whatever the reason, he was hurt and he trusted her enough to come back and take care of him. While that warmed her insides a bit she knew he'd been out hurting—murdering but she couldn't bring herself to say it—others so she became hostile. This time he was strong enough to limp in on his own, expressing little more than assent or dissent before he collapsed against her kitchen table.

From then he was like a thief in the night; he came and went as he pleased. Only when he was on the brink of death did he visit and never did he stay until she woke up. Karin wasn't sure what to call him, as he refused to give her his name, so she decided not to call him anything at all. He became her stray cat, a nameless wanderer with an ungrateful streak a mile wide. And yet she never turned him away, never pushing for more information. They'd built their relationship on his necessity and her kindness. Anything else might destroy the weak foundation beneath them.

---

She was at home resting for the day when a letter slid in beneath her door. Confused and a little wary, she checked the lock before picking it up. There was nothing on it except her name, and as she opened it she realized it was vaguely familiar handwriting. She'd only seen it once but she remembered it well.

Kurosaki,

By the time you get this, I'll be gone. I've been running for a long time but from what, I can't tell you. However, I'm sure you have your suspicions. You were smart even as a child, though I'm sure you don't remember me. You see, I knew your father and he told me that you'd followed in his footsteps and had become a doctor. It's no coincidence I ended up on your doorstep, just like I knew there was no chance you wouldn't take me in. You've always been reckless but kind.

I will not be coming back. I cannot go back, not to you or anyone else. I can't put you in danger anymore than I have. Please just know that I am grateful for all that you've done for me.

For your sake, I hope we don't meet again.

As for mine, I'll pray until we do.

Hitsugaya Toushirou

.

7. Secrets

Don't fall in love, she tells herself when she's eleven years old and he's fifteen. Don't fall in love because it's a thankless, worthless emotion that makes no sense and causes a permanent type of insanity. It's the only reason why she can't call out his name, her fingers gripping the white and black ball as her eyes watch, unblinking. He's holding the hand of some girl—some pretty, dark-haired girl his age and whose smile makes even her heart melt—and Karin is a little lost about what she should do next.

It's better if she leaves, apologize later if he finds out she'd accidentally spied on him. But that crop of white stood out in the distance and she'd gotten ahead of herself. He hasn't come over in a while and her heart sped up as her little legs carried her closer. If she'd have looked closer, could she have pretended never to see them together? Would it be okay if she'd held onto her little fantasy for a moment longer?

The answer eludes her, and so she turns around. Her friends are waiting for her and she's not childish enough to cry.

---

It's her thirteenth birthday and Karin is excited to accept a few gifts and the well wishes for her and her sister. Her friends decided to steal her for lunch and she'd gotten more manga and video games than she can possibly use for the next four months. It makes her smile wide at them, ruffling their heads and inviting them back to her place to try out a few.

Dinner is reserved for family, as it is every year, and as always Yuzu is banned from the kitchen. It's your birthday, Isshin would complain, eyes watering so pitifully that even his most sensitive child is embarrassed. So everyone stays away and hopes that dinner is prepared by a decent time. Not that their father is a terrible cook but he gets too excited and sometimes makes more than four people can eat. They'll have leftovers for a week, at least.

When it reaches late afternoon her friends have to go, giving one last greeting to her and their gifts to Yuzu as they mosey on home. It's quieter without them around and Ichi-nii isn't back yet so she has no one to play with. So she switches to a fighting game and takes on the computer, tapping excitedly as she screams foul play at the other brawler.

She's so determined to beat this character—why can he do so many combos at once and she gets in a dinky, little kick every thousand years is an unhappy reality—that she doesn't register the person hanging in the doorway. He's been there for a full five minutes but Karin's most absorbed in her playing to take note of that very important detail.

"Can I play?" Hitsugaya asks and she visibly jumps in place, peering over her shoulder at him to glare darkly. That little sentence cost her the tiebreaker round and now she'd have to start all over again. But if she looks menacing at all Toushirou takes it in with an air of amusement.

She knows she should say no. It's been a while since that day and she hasn't talked to him since. She's not heartbroken or anything, not at all. She's just not sure what to say or do now that she's seen what he looks like when he's not being the cold, brooding type he likes to play. She's not sure what to do if he shows her that side of him.

When she hands him the second controller, Karin finds that there's nothing to fear. He doesn't treat her any differently, not even on her birthday. They throw a few insults, laugh maniacally over a well executed technique, and decide to play a game of tag team against the computer.

He leaves before dinner and greets her happy birthday just once. Apparently he's also left a gift because it's sitting on her bed and she wonders when he had time to set it there on her pillow. Her pulse hammers recklessly, stupidly, against her ribs and she tells herself to not expect anything grand. She's just some kid that he plays with on occasion, nothing more than that.

But she treasures the autographed picture of her favorite soccer player and spends the whole night wondering how he got it in the first place.

---

She's fifteen when she finally admits to someone else that she might have feelings for one Hitsugaya Toushirou. It's not really something she likes to tell people, even herself, because it took her two years just to accept that yes, maybe she did like him just a little bit more than other guys. And maybe he was a little bit more handsome than anyone she'd ever met. He has a girlfriend he loves and she's not stupid enough to let herself believe anything otherwise.

The person she tells isn't Yuzu, surprising since she tells her sister everything. It's not anyone in her family really, mostly because she can't trust the Kurosaki men to keep any kind of secret. It's not one of her friends and it's not someone she's particularly close to.

Instead he's one of Ichi-nii's friends, Kira Izuru. She's sitting off to the side as Ichigo hosts an impromptu barbecue in his backyard. Of course he grumbled and complained about it but relented with a well aimed word from Rukia. That boy was a mess when it came to the petite girl, her eyes lighting up when he gives into her without resistance.

Music is playing and laughter in abundant but Karin can't seem to find hers. It's there, she knows it is, but she doesn't really want anything to do with it right now. Her eyes keep travelling to the arm wrapped around a slim wait, the couple talking to Rangiku as she chugs down yet another beer. It was going to be an interesting night for sure.

A voice catches her attention. "So you're in love with him?"

Her neck twists so quickly she nearly has whiplash, as she looks at the new arrival. "I don't know what you're talk about." But she does, and it shows on her face because Kira smiles sadly down at her.

Not liking it, she punches him in the thigh and he has to crouch a little at the impact. A mildly satisfactory response but she's not feeling too charitable about him right now.

For a long time they don't say anything, and she continues to watch Toushirou and Hinamori interact. It's all shy kindness, never inappropriate, and it's so sweet she's almost sick of it. But mostly it's a dull ache in her chest that she's become friends with over the years. It pulsates in its own little rhythm, hardly noticeable as she's gotten older.

Glancing over at Kira, she sees how he never looks at her but never does he miss any of Momo's actions or movements. Ah, so that's how he knew, Karin realizes as he glances down at her again. They're a pair of fools in unrequited love, so old that it's almost as worn as a used boot.

---

She doesn't see him for a good many years after she graduates high school. It's the universe telling her that she needs to get out, meet new people, try some new experiences, and she embraces this new destiny. She does all of those things and more, eventually settling in a city larger than Karakura that's rife with possibilities.

Karin is twenty-one when she spies him caught in the rain, stuck beneath a little overhead now that the rain is at its worse. She never knew that he'd moved away and to here of all places. She's getting ready for graduation and frankly, she has nothing to say to him other than a mandatory hello but he's not even looking up at her.

Instead he's watching the rain with little interest, his mind elsewhere. He's a bit drenched, probably thinking he could make it to a convenience store if he ran but came up short. She snorts because that's a very Hitsugaya thing to do and she sort of hates herself for remembering that.

Unfortunately Karin hovers just a little too long and his jewel-eyed stare cuts right through her. A flash of recognition registers and she knows she can't walk away without being rude. So she moves across the street and stands beside him, smiling helplessly as if she's commenting about the weather and not about how she wished she'd walked away a little bit sooner.

"Hey."

"Hey. Long time no see," Toushirou says, the edges of his lips quirking up. He's dressed in a suit meaning he was coming from work. She wonders if the storm is keeping him from anything.

Or anyone. "Yeah, right back at ya." She feels twelve all over again, still getting used to her crush and how to act in front of him. Maybe it's the nostalgia but those old butterflies won't be swallowed like they usually do.

When he looks her up and down, she can't help but flush. "You look good." The sincerity is real and she burns even brighter beneath her skin but she doesn't buy into it too much. The good humor there is like that of an older brother, a childhood playmate, and she'd be foolish to consider it anything else.

"You too," she returns, voice with an edge of bitterness. He hears it loud and clear, but she can't feel sorry.

They exchange the usual pleasantries. Yes, he's just been relocated here and hadn't known she went to school in the area. He blushes a little, embarrassed, and Karin tells herself that she doesn't really care. And no, she's not quite done with school but she is working on her thesis, the papers heavy in her bag and she has to stop herself from checking the time. There are places she needed to be, anywhere but under some old, green awning in the middle of a downpour with Hitsugaya Toushirou.

"And how is Hinamori?" she asks. She doesn't know what compels her to ask and it's its own kind of punishment. But a part of her wants to hear his answer.

The muscles of his jaw tighten, as do the lines around his eyes. Steel underscored his gaze, becoming unreadable as he looks away from her. Although she can't even begin to understand why, Karin knows this isn't a topic she should've entered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"We broke up," Toushirou interrupts abruptly, rudely, shrugging his shoulders like he's trying to push off someone's arm. When Karin doesn't say anything else, just looks at him helplessly, he continues in a low voice.

"She left me for someone else about a year ago. Said she'd fallen in love with him."

Karin took a moment to formulate a proper response. "Oh… I see."

The words almost make him smile and she sees how he looks a bit gentler now. It must've been the right thing to say because he spoke a little lighter, still erring on the side of caution.

"Thanks for not saying 'I'm sorry.' I've heard it a little too often lately."

"I have nothing to be sorry for so why would I apologize?"

She's just joking of course, tilting her head with a playful smirk that brings him back a decade or so. It draws a reluctant laugh, a happy one, and Hitsugaya knows why he enjoyed her company so much even as a child. Karin was full of surprises, probably would always be, and she held on to her cheerfulness like it would slip away if she let it go. It was an admirable quality.

"Yeah, yeah you're right. I just, I don't know… It sounds stupid but I still miss it. I miss her," he admits in a moment of weakness and Karin is glad to say that it doesn't cause more than a twinge of discomfort in her chest. "I feel like I'll never really stop. Loving her, I mean."

He's dealt worse blows so it's only natural she doesn't feel anything anymore. But that doesn't mean she's interested in being the shoulder he cries on.

"Hey, look, I've gotta go," Karin speaks suddenly, looking at her watch as if she's got somewhere important to be. She doesn't, just her empty apartment and a rerun or two before she runs out to get something for dinner. "It was nice seeing you again and I hope your new job goes well."

"Thank you. Good luck on your studies," Hitsugaya says in kind, confused about her abrupt leave. But he's forgotten that Karin is grown up now and she has responsibilities. She has a life he doesn't know about and it's a realization that hits him harder than he expected.

She's walking away from him, the rain less of a pummel and more of a patter against her umbrella when she comes to an abrupt stop. Karin isn't sure what it is about today, whether it's meeting him again and his words or just a chronic condition that's finally come to the service, but her heart is set in its way. Turning around, she catches his surprise and gives him a tiny grin.

"Hey, Toushirou, you wanna know how to stop being in love with someone?"

The shock is so apparent that a spurt of laughter leaves her lips, readjusting her umbrella and bag as she waits for a response. Although not much of one, she takes the sideways nod of his head as an answer and breathes in a cleansing breath.

"I've always been in love with you, you know. Actually, no, you wouldn't, you've never really noticed me that way." To soften her confession Karin tosses her hair back a little, hoping she looks more like the adult she is rather than the child she feels like as wide eyes watch her every move. "But I've decided that from today on, I'm going to stop. I choose not to be in love with you anymore. And I know that this probably won't work for you right now, or maybe ever, but you have a choice where you leave your heart. Next time, choose someone who'll take care of it better."

For a few moments she stays there and watches for a reaction, seeing the comprehension dawn but the alarm doesn't leave. Instead of speaking he just stares back, like he's trying to find the little girl somewhere beneath this womanly appearance and pride. But even as a child, Karin had hardly been a shrinking violet.

The next time she falls in love, she'll take her own advice.

---

AN: And that's all there is. Thank you so much for your patiene, guys. Please know that I appreciate everyone reading these silly little side notes and I hope you'll let me know which of these fics you enjoyed. (I'm thinking of making a few into longer stories but only after I get Go Against the Grain finished up. Do you know that story is sad? I can't write it because I'm literally sooo sad whenever I get into it. *hates self* But no fear. It's about 3000 words in so I should update soon as long as ichilover decides she doesn't want to tell me ideas for fics that I don't need to be writing...)

Thanks for reading! Until next time~