This is Week 5: Challege 1 ~ part 10: I'm working with each flower for each Gotei Thirteen division as well as the meaning. (20/124+)

Summary: Karin complains about her father and Toshiro says he can't be that bad.
Notes: Nothing other then the fact I'm looking for ideas for cover art for my fics including this one and started a forum thread for people to post ideas.

Daffodil
~Mystery, Egoism~

"He is such a pain."

"What?" Toshiro's head turned from where he was sitting with his knee pulled up to his chin, his other foot dangling down. The two were watching the sun set at a new place that Karin had managed to find. For some reason she had taken to finding such places just to show him when he managed to come around.

"My father is such a pain."

"He can't possibly be that much of a pain. I mean, your family is crazy and it's really not anything new. I mean this whole crazy, fluffy feeling thing that is going on." The small Shinigami felt like hitting himself over the head as he realized he had mentioned feelings.

"Toshiro... my dad likes to knock over gravestones when we go and visit my mother's grave?"

"So?"

"So? It's disrespectful."

"I know it is disrespectful. It doesn't seem abnormal compared to some of the things I've seen."

"My father is hyper and out of control Toshiro. I doubt that you ever dealt with anyone like that."

"Yeah... my former taicho. By that I mean the former taicho before me."

"Your... you never mentioned the taicho before you. I mean, I kind of knew that there was one but I find myself wondering what happened to him to make it so that someone as young as yourself be a captain."

"That's because it isn't a subject I want to talk about. Just... it's why I say Matsumoto is sort of my subordinate. She was the fukutaicho before I became taicho. Many times she ends up taking care of me and correcting me." The boy opened his eyes to see Karin looking at him. "I know that she seems like a ditz but that's honestly just an act."

Karin let out a sigh and looked back at the sunset. "Not that. If your taicho was anywhere near as crazy as my father you wouldn't have a problem talking about him."

"That's not true." Toshiro looked at the ground instead of the sunset.

"Look, I'm heading back. If you need a place to stay you know you can always come by our place, though you've gotten into the habit of heading straight back to Soul Society."

"No... I'll be around later on. I need to think." The boy closed his eyes. "She's mad at me."

"Well... you rather did dismiss her complaint."

"No... I didn't."

"Just because you didn't dismiss her complaint doesn't mean she doesn't feel that you dismissed her complaint. And what is this about you wanting to sneak into Kurosaki Ichigo's house?"

"'cause... even after the whole events with the Fullbringers I haven't met their father. It's kind of strange you know. I know he's a Shinigami... or a former Shinigami... so meeting him shouldn't be a problem."

"Young master... I think you know what reason that is."

"I do not."

"That's because you're not wanting to accept that reason."

The small Shinigami headed to Ichigo's house and hoisted himself up to the window and knocked on the door. The window slid open and the orange haired teen looked at him with an irritated look. "Toshiro... why couldn't you use the front door?"

"Because I'm being sneaky today." The boy swung his feet in over the bed. "Are you working on homework Kurosaki?"

"I am... well, was. I can take a break. Aren't you going to be spending time with Karin?"

"I'm actually wanting to meet your father. It's why I'm hiding my reiatsu. Which I might add is a major pain to do. It takes it's toll on me you know as I'm not full grown yet."

"That was rather... blunt." Ichigo set his school work and stood up. "What brought this on?"

"Your sister complained about how much of a pain your father is so I figured I would meet him and see for myself, particularly after I said it wasn't that big of a deal, I was used to it and she got mad at me."

The orange haired teen stopped in the doorway. "First... you do realize that if Karin didn't bring you home under these circumstances she doesn't want you to meet our father and she likely isn't wanting to see you right now?"

"She said it was all right."

"There are so some things you completely miss Toshiro."

"I've been told. In fact, Hyoranmaru gave me a major lecture that I completely didn't understand on the way here about the intricacies of how females think."

"That... kind of was a little more then I wanted to know." Two brown eyes looked right into two bright teal ones. "I also need to forewarn you. You thought Yuzu was bad? My dad's far worse."

"I can handle myself Kurosaki." Toshiro followed the young man down the stairs only to find himself yelled at when he arrived down stairs.

"Toshiro! Seriously! I thought you would realize that I was mad at you."

"I did. I wanted to understand why better."

"That..." Karin paused, glancing over at her sister. "No. He's not staying for dinner. He's going home now."

"Come on Karin!" Yuzu headed to the door. "Dad! Dinners ready! Karin's boyfriend will be eating dinner with us."

Toshiro felt his face twitch. "We're not dating."

Ichigo spoke rather fast then. "Just to forewarn you, my fake reaction is a mini version of how he's going to react to that statement."

"We're not..." Toshiro's mouth hung open as someone came through the door with a rather upset look on his face. This look was quickly exchanged with a look of utter shock.

The orange haired teen folded his arms. "Don't worry dad. They're not dating. Yet."

Ichigo walked over to the table to sit down while Karin glared at Toshiro. "Look... I told you, my dad's a bit wacko. He's going to go and do something strange right about now and..." The girl paused, realizing that Isshin was still staring at Toshiro. Her speech became slower "... embarrass... us."

The man's face twitched while he looked the boy in the face. After a few minutes he ran over to the picture. "Masaki! Our daughter is being mean to me!"

"See... he's acting crazy."

Toshiro blinked a couple of times. "I still don't get your complaint. This is normal."

"Toshiro! You! Baka!"

"What? I mean..." The boy turned to Ichigo. "Shiba, can you please tell her this is normal for..." The boy stopped short upon seeing the look of confusion on the teens face.

"Shiba... my last name isn't..." The substitute's eyes widened suddenly. "Oh..."

"Wait... what exactly do you know?" Toshiro looked over at the picture where his former taicho was still bawling his head off.

Karin of course continued to rant at him. "Toshiro! I don't think you get the fact I didn't want you to meet my father! I don't want any of my friends to meet him?"

"Why not?"

"You! You seriously don't get it."

"Karin's taicho's daughter." The boy shook his head. "No, I get it."

"No! You don't!"

"I..." Toshiro's cheeks reddened. "Taicho is the father of the girl I'm crushing on!"

"Oh! Of all the times for you to realize that you have a crush on someone!"

"Oh shut up!"

"See! It suddenly clicked and you realized exactly why this is so embarrassing!"

"That's not..." Toshiro found himself suddenly struggling to speak. "I have a crush on... am I supposed to call her Shiba or Kurosaki?"

Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Isshin had stopped and was looking at him with a rather worried look on his face. Karin though did not notice. "Toshiro! Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not!"

"Well... can you say that it is normal behavior."

"For him it is."

"And what is that supposed to mean? You're too embarrassed to go near him."

"That's not..." Karin though spun around so she wasn't looking at him indicating that she was stopping the conversation.

"What should I do?"

"How should I know? How about for once doing what you want to do?"

"You mean something that is absolutely embarrassing and not normal for me? And... good grief."

The boy walked over to Isshin, tugging on the man's sleeve. The man looked down at him and then spoke. "Toshiro... what is it..."

"You..." The boy found the words not coming out of his mouth like he wanted them too and his frustration was starting to boil over. Letting out a sound of frustration he buried his face into Isshin's shirt, his small hands reaching up to grab the shirt. "You're supposed to be dead."

"Toshiro..." Karin's voice caused him to flinch and yet he knew that she wasn't sure how to take the situation.

There came a sudden pat on the head and Isshin spoke then. "Yuzu. Why don't you and I go and get some ice-cream?"

"We have vanilla though..."

"No! It has to be mint ice cream with chocolate chips. I think Karin and Toshiro need to talk to each other. Ichi-nii will stay and supervise them to make sure their dispute doesn't get out of hand. Also, Ichi-nii... get a wet cloth for Shiro-chan's forehead, all right? You go and sit down kiddo."

Toshiro's hands tightened on the man's clothing only to receive a pat on his shoulder. "I promise Yuzu and I will be back."

It was then that he let go and went and sat at the table. Yuzu gave some instructions to Karin on how to finish the dinner up and headed out. Karin shook her head. "Thanks a lot Toshiro."

"I'm sorry. All right."

"I doubt you know what you should be sorry for."

"I know exactly what I should be sorry. You're the one without a clue."

"Me? You and dad are both acting strange. Do you have a fever or something?"

"I..." The boy bit his lip as his head titled over the back of the chair. "I'm actually fighting back a panic attack."

"So... you're not immune to my father's behaviors."

Toshiro sat up and looked at the girl, his breath coming in a rough manner. "Why are you so insistent that it's because of his behavior! It has nothing to do with his behavior as to why I'm upset?"

"My behavior?"

"No... but you're behavior doesn't help me!"

"You can't deny the fact his behavior isn't normal."

"Yeah! But that is normal behavior for him!"

"There you go again."

Toshiro felt his head pulled back and a wet cloth dropped on top. "Yeah! Well I told you that my former taicho was like that! It's not that big of a deal!"

"Then why are you having a panic attack? Huh? And why bring him up after you said you don't like talking about him? Seriously..."

Ichigo let out a sigh. "Toshiro... dad wouldn't happen to be your former taicho?"

"Yes." There came a bit of silence. "I'm not sure what name to use for you guys anymore, but... he is coming back, right?"

"He's coming back Toshiro." The teen patted the boy on the shoulder.

"I don't like the fact he's forcing himself to act goofy and is as serious as he is." Toshiro felt his hands suddenly grip the edge of the chair. "Something's wrong..."

"Toshiro... you handle a lot of situations and never have had a panic attack before." Karin's voice strained.

"That's because I can do something about it! I haven't a clue what I'm supposed to do! I hope he didn't figure that out."

"Figure what out?" The girl let out a sigh.

"That..." Toshiro's voice clamped and his breaths came in a loud manner. It was then that the smell of burning food came and he sat up, the cloth falling off. Karin was trying with her brother to fix the situation but he found himself waving them aside and turning off the stove. The next thing he knew cold water was running over the food that Yuzu had taken time to prepare.

It was then that Isshin came back with Yuzu. "We're not having dessert first. That's just..."

The small female blinked a couple of times. The man let out a sigh before walking over to Toshiro and ushering him back to a seated position. The wet cloth came onto his forehead again. "You're doing a really good job staying calm Toshiro."

There came a clinking sound from the kitchen and then a similar sound on the table. A large, calloused hand gripped his chin, causing him to open his mouth to protest, only to find a spoon full of ice-cream placed into his mouth. Removing the cloth he looked at the bowl in front of him and felt a pat on his shoulder. "As I remember this is your favorite."

"Arigotto..."

"Dinner's ruined..." Yuzu shook her head.

"We'll eat desert first and then order dinner out later Yuzu, so don't worry about it." Ichigo let out a chuckle. "Dad's trying to cheer up Toshiro."

"I'm not following, but all right."