Sunset

by Et3rn4l D4rkn3ss

A Bleach one-shot

Summary: This girl... why does she suddenly appear in my life and make me think of nothing but her...? I don't understand...

COMPLETED!

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

"Oi! Toshiro!" Karin yelled, running up to him.

"That's Toshiro-kun to you." Karin ignored his remark.

He was in his usual spot. By the time she got to him, she stood, hands on her knees, already breathless.

"What do you want?" was his reply when she sat down. Beep beep beep went the buttons on his cell phone.

"Well, I, uh-" Karin swung her legs against the metal rail, thinking of an excuse, "I just got bored at home, you know? And I wanted to go out for a run." Karin bit her lip, hoping he didn't catch her expression. She didn't really get bored at home. She only came for him.

"Oh, okay."

"Really?"

"Really, what?"

"Well... its just you're so angry most of the time." Karin replied, sitting down beside him.

"Tchh, did you expect me to get angry because you were getting bored at home?" he replied. He flipped his cell phone closed for what was the first time in front of Karin. Toshiro let out a deep breath as his eyes took in the beautiful view before him. It reminded him so much of Momo...

"No wonder you love sitting here, it's quite a nice view from here." she said quietly, almost in a whisper.

"Yeah, I know." Toshiro replied with the same tone, soft. The silence was comfortable, but Karin, being the curious girl that she is decided to interrupt anyway.

"I remember you told me one that... that it brought back memories..."

"Mmhmm."

"They must be nice ones, right?" Karin turned her head.

"I supposed, the used to be... but now, the only make me lose sleep and are the cause of my misery."

"Tchh, how old are you to know anything about misery anyways?"

"Older than you, child."

"So how old are you anyways?"

"It's none of your business," Toshiro snapped at her.

"What's the big deal?"

"There isn't one."

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"Because you don't need to know." Toshiro gave her a look that told her to shut up. Now. But Karin kept at it.

"Geez, you're so unmanly. Why are you being so secretive about this?" she teased.

"What?! No!" His brow twitched.

"Well, then tell me!"

"You're annoying, brat." Karin smiled. "I'm 538 years old."

"WHA-?!" her expression was interrupted with a scream - her own - as she fell backwards. She grabbed for something, anything to hold onto and found Toshiro's shirt, pulling him down as she landed on the cement pavement. Toshiro's scream joined hers. Of his flinging arms, one hit Karin in the face.

"Aw!! Did you have to do that?" Karin rubbed her nose.

"Did you?!"

"Well, you surprise me..."

"Yeah, just like you did when you pulled me down with you!"

"Well, I'm sorry Mr. I'm-only-538-years-old-and-that's-not-a-surprising-thing." Toshiro laughed - it was the first time Karin had seen him laugh.

"You don't sound so sorry, Miss... Miss.. Well, the point is, you're the one who wanted to know!"

"Hey, Toshiro, that cloud looks like your face!" Karin pointed to the sky.

"Huh? I don't see it. But I see a monkey? Hmm... hey! Wait a minute...!" but Karin was already up and running away, "Get back here brat!"

Toshiro couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled so much. But there was something that had been bothering him that day. The first excuse he came up with was the fact that Karin was human, and he wasn't supposed to get too involved with humans, but after careful thought, he realized, the reason why he felt so uncomfortable was because of guilt. Guilt about the things he'd been thinking about Momo just a few months ago. Guilt about her suffering and him having so much fun. Guilt about laughing, and opening up himself to someone who wasn't Momo. It was all about Momo. She had always meant a lot to him since he was small 'till now, but it was different with her and with Karin.

Momo's more... cheerful. Karin is too, but it's not the same. She's strong and boyish. She's defined on her goals and confident. She won't let people get in her way of what she wants. And I guess it's not a bad thing to be like the calm girl like Momo who keeps to herself mostly, but it's tiring for those around her. I don't want it to hurt anymore. I want to smile. I want to be happy again. Waiting for someone is such a tiring thing... Even so, in the end... will Momo even come to me? Will I even last that long? I'm just wondering now, why should I forcefully push myself down a bumpy road of unnecessary pain when i another one has opened up infront of me... When this one has a greater chance to lead me to happiness.

Karin came again the next day.

And the next.

There was something about her that was special. It makes her stand out from the rest of the girls. She's not the typical middle school girl... How interesting...

Will she come tomorrow...

There was a certain degree of hope and desire for the thought to be reality in Toshiro's head.

"Hey, Toshiro!" a girl came running up to Toshiro, waving her hands in the air. It was the same girl he had spent quite a bit of his spare time thinking about.

"Karin," he nodded at her without looking up. His eyes were still set on his cell phone, but he knew who it was, and he wanted to smile. She said nothing and sat down beside him.

Beep! Beep!

It was Toshiro's cell phone. This time, it wasn't just the buttons.

"You have to go?"

"Yeah," dissapointment was difinite in Karin's eyes.

"Let's go."

"No, you stay here. Don't follow me, okay?"

"But, I might-"

"The hollows are strong. Why do you think they sent a captain here during your brother's training?" he looked away from her eyes, "And the thought of you possibly getting hurt... it troubles me. It'll be distracting for me if you're there."

Karin blushed.

"Take care of my body, I'm out of those Chappy pills, you know what i mean?"

Karin placed his soulless body against the wall. She sat down beside it and crossed her legs. Within minutes, her head fell onto the body's shoulder. Since Ichigo had isolated himself from the world after starting his training, her nights with Yuzu were fitful. Having to go to school and do housework as well as help out in the clinic didn't help either. Sleep was a rare thing those days.

When Toshiro got back, he say the position Karin and his gigai were in. She was probably really tired. Poor girl... He returned to his body, intending to carry her home, but the touch of her made him want to stay where they were. Karin felt the body beside her stir. She woke up with a start and her face turned pink.

"I... sorry!"

"No, it's alright. I didn't want to wake you up... so, I should be sorry." Toshiro tousled his hair.

"Don't be, I don't really care."

"Me either," he smiled sheepishly.

"Toshiro, thanks."

"How many times to I have to remind you... Toshiro-kun!"

"Okay," Karin rolled her eyes half-heartedly, "Toshiro-kun, thanks."

"For...?"

"With Ichigo gone and all, I've been out here annoying you everyday. Just for being here. You're a special friend..."

"Karin... you're special to me too..." You won't imagine in what way. Toshiro wrapped his arms around the raven-haired girl and pulled her agains his chest tightly. She wrapped her own around his neck and grinned.

Toshiro felt Karin's grip around him loosen. He pulled her away and found that she was asleep. Silly Karin... When her head fell onto his chest, he let it rest there.

"Karin... you really are special to me. Really... more that you should be." he touched his lips to Karin's forehead lightly.

"Toshiro, if I should have heard what you just said, then you should know I feel the same." Toshiro's heart felt like it had skipped 3 beats and now had to beat 5 times faster to catch up for what it missed. He was sure Karin could hear it.

"Karin..."

Both of them closed their eyes and sat in silence. The glow of the sunset was still visible. Even through their closed eyes.