Summary: Sometimes even the smallest things can bring out the biggest fears...

Genre(s): Romance

Character(s): Karin K., Yuzu K.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

Warning: This story contains incest, if that offends you, please do not read it.

Author's Notes 9/22/10: Gave this story a nice stylistic facelift, enjoy.

* Arachnophobia *

The shining midnight moon had just risen to the center of the night time sky. Crickets played their musical melody to the night, owls hooted, and innocent little spiders spun their webs in the branches of the trees outside of the Kurosaki Clinic.

All was silent throughout the Kurosaki house until a shriek pierced through the pleasant quiet. Karin Kurosaki, who had been soundly asleep, was startled awake by the noise. She instantly bolted up in her bed as she heard another shriek.

"Yuzu?" Karin frantically looked to the bed that her twin sister should have been sleeping in, but found it empty.

Karin jumped out of her bed in a flash and rushed out of her room into the hallway, looking both ways to determine the direction of Yuzu's cries.

'Where's dad when you actually need him?' Karin thought angrily. She did not have enough time to assume that he was in the house as she heard another shriek.

Karin followed the sound down the hall and down the stairs into the kitchen. Karin skidded into the kitchen, ready to bust the jaw of anyone trying to hurt her sister. Instead she found Yuzu; cowering on top of a chair.

"Karin!" Yuzu cried out, tears flowing down her cheeks as she spotted her sister.

"What is it Yuzu?" Karin asked hastily as she surveyed the room, but found no intruders.

Yuzu said nothing, instead she pointed a shaking finger to the counter. Karin walked over to the counter and peered down at the cause of Yuzu's fright. She visibly deflated as she took a closer look.

"A spider..?" Karin even sounded deflated. The spider started to scurry across the counter towards a crack in the wall, causing Yuzu to squeal in fright.

"Karin! Kill it!" Karin was rather annoyed now that she knew what the real problem was. But Yuzu was obviously terrified of the spider, so Karin smashed it with her hand before it could escape.

As Karin went over to the kitchen sink to wash the dead spider off, Yuzu literally jumped from the chair and onto Karin causing both girls to fall to the floor in a heap.

"Yuzu! What's wrong with you?" Karin was really annoyed now.

"I was so scared Karin!" Yuzu cried, tears still flowing down her cheeks as she buried her face into Karin's shoulder and cried harder.

Karin's annoyance evaported as she saw her sister break down like that, and then Karin remembered why Yuzu was so scared.

'Yuzu's arachnophobia…' Karin's expression softened as she remembered that Yuzu had always been senselessly afraid of spiders ever since she was young.

"Shhh…It's alright," Karin whispered comfortingly in Yuzu's ear as she rubbed her head gently. "Don't cry, Yuzu." Yuzu sniffled a few times as her crying grew softer.

"C'mon, let's go back to bed," Karin said as she stood up, pulling Yuzu up along with her and headed back up the stairs towards their room.

"I'm sorry Karin…I just got up for some water and the spider was on the counter," Yuzu sniffled again as she explained what had happened.

"It's alright," Karin replied softly. "I'm just glad nothing bad happened to you." Karin pushed their room door open and helped Yuzu over to her bed. She laid Yuzu down in the bed and gently tucked her in.

"Thanks for getting rid of the spider, Karin," Yuzu said with a watery smile.

"I'll always protect you Yuzu, no matter what," Karin replied as she leaned down and kissed Yuzu on the forehead. "Good night." Karin then slipped back into her own bed. Yet she remained awake on her side so that she could keep a vigilant watch over her sister, who had fallen asleep surprisingly fast.

Karin smiled a small secret smile that she always smiled when she watched over her sister.

'I'll always protect you…'

END

Author's Commentary: This is set during the time that Ichigo is in soul society, so that's why he isn't in the story, and its up to you to assume where Isshin was. Constructive Criticism is welcome as always

Author's Commentary 9/22/10: I've been told this story doesn't seem very incestual, more like sisterly love, well I originally intended it to be incestual, but you can take it however you want.