T POV

Click

Click

Click

Click

That damn clicking was testing my last nerve. Head Captain Yamamoto leaned kept pacing nearly in time with the clock tower.

"Captain Hitsugaya. We have several things to speak about, the first being your failure on this assignment." His eyes narrowed and I felt his disappointment shoot through me. "This was to be a reconnaissance mission, and you were never meant to come in contact with the subject. Care to explain why, not only, did you come in contact with Kurosaki , but you failed to protect her when an enemy infiltrated her world?"

"Yes, sir. I came in contact with Karin because I felt a strong surge of spiritual pressure tinged with violence and the urge to kill, and went to neutralize the threat. When I arrived, Karin had taken the power from the shinigami who had attacked her friend and she saw me before I could get away." Yamamoto raised an eyebrow and gestured for me to continue. " As for the espada attack, there were two of them and I am ashamed to admit that I could not hold both of them off on my own."

Yamamoto gripped the bridge of his nose and the deep lines indented further into his forehead, a physical sign of distress and frustration. "Very well." He let out a breath and pulled out a thick folder, worn around the edges, from his desk. "This is the file on Karin Kurosaki. Based on the information we have gathered from you and Kisuke, it is fair to say she needs trained before her power gets out of her control. In other words, she needs official training. Although Yourichi could do it, she does not officially exist in the Soul Society because of an incident that happened many years ago. We need a replacement."

"Go retrieve Yoruichi and Kurosaki and bring them here to me for further discussion."

"Yes, sir."

Well, that could have gone worse.

…olo…

K POV

After hours of sitting by myself in this dark little dive of a room, with only the one distraction from Daichi, I was pretty much just sitting in the corner of the dank room reassuring myself that everything was going to be ok.

So, when Yoruichi poked her head in and told me to clean up and be ready to leave for the soul society in 10 minutes, I jumped at the opportunity. But as I scrubbed at my face and combed through my hair, doubts began to pass through my mind. What if it was decided that I was better off dead? What if I never could see my family again? My friends?

Exactly nine and a half minutes later I was presentable and sitting in the kitchen with a cup of tea waiting to be whisked away for judgment. I let my eyes follow the wisps of steam coming off of my untouched tea while my worried thoughts glazed over my mind. Just because I appeared dead to the world didn't mean I wasn't aware of my surroundings. I heard a breath and a creak behind me and immediately tensed up, thinking that this was one of Yoruichi's "be prepared for anything at anytime" surprise attacks.

Approximately three seconds later I realized I was wrong as I glared at the head of white hair that belonged to the boy whose arms I had pinned behind his back. Toshiro didn't get angry, didn't fight back. He merely turned his head and asked, "You're ready to go?"

I nodded, and we went.

…olo…

The way he moved was wrecking my nerves. He walked like he was floating, but his footsteps resounded in my ears. Every ghostly step he took towards us rattled my nerves just a little more. Even though there was sunlight in the Head Captain's office in the soul society, I found myself wishing to be back in the dark hole I had been in not even an hour before. The Head Captain was talking, but I can't say I listened all that well. I just sat there trembling in my seat, glancing from Ichigo to Toshiro to Yoruichi. So far, from what I had caught, Captain Yamamoto had described what exactly the purpose of Toshiro's mission was, what went wrong, and why they did it in the first place. Now, it seemed, he was moving on to the arrancar threat and speaking mostly to Ichigo and Toshiro.

"… that Grimmjow had once destroyed over a radius of…" only fragments of his old, weary voice split across my mind. My mind was a haze.

Up until I was directly addressed by the Head Captain.

"Karin Kurosaki. Substitute soul reaper." His eyes were violating on me, seemingly reading into my soul. Which, ironically, he was actually looking at my soul.

"Yes, sir?"

"I believe it is in the best interest of the soul society for you to be trained until we can return your soul to your body. After we return you to your body you will be training here in the summers." He commanded.

I looked at him, not comprehending what the catch could be.

"I'm training here with Yoruichi?" I clarified.

"No, Miss Kurosaki. You are going to be training here with Captain Hitsugaya."

And there is the catch.

…olo…

Four months, 19 days, and 12 hours into training with Toshiro.

So, almost five months of this… torture. No, not the training. The lack of clothing on Toshiro. He walks around half naked most of the time, and always trains shirtless. Do you know how hard it is to focus on containing my spiritual pressure when rivulets of sweat dripping down Toshiro's chest and back shine in the light? Hard.

Also, he bites his lip when he gets nervous.

I make him very nervous.

I honestly thought he was only nervous because he thought I was going to blow everything up with my spiritual pressure, until three weeks ago.

Three weeks ago I was approached by Matsumoto, who with a wink and a nudge, offered to teach me how to read people's spiritual pressure and be able to feel when a shinigami is scared, anxious, nervous, or…. Well, I'm just going to say nervous again. Nervous in a racing pulse, dilated eyes, I want you to remove your clothing kind of way.

Note to self: If Matsumoto ever offers you something, it has an ulterior motive. Also, remember not to walk into the men's bathhouse again. Because Toshiro will be in there. And you will get a flash of nervous spiritual pressure so strong it almost suffocates you.

Ever since the bathhouse incident I have always double checked the signs on the doors and I also have been seeing just how strong Toshiro's nerves can get.

Yes, I know. I'm mean. Blame Ayame.

Today, the game was over. I told myself no distractions until I could beat him, and that is what I did. We had been sparring for the past 85 minutes. I counted every single one. For the first time, ever, I won. Our match ended with Toshiro sprawled out on the ground, katana four feet away, my hands around his neck and my legs straddled over him.

I grinned down at his shocked face and laughed, "I can't believe I finally won!"

He smirked back at me and replied, "I can't believe I have to do this." And before I knew it I was pinned under him with his hands holding mine to the ground.

"I don't think you mind me that much." I smirked back at him.

With that I leaned up into his body and pressed my lips onto his. They were warm and wet. He smelled like outdoors and musk and he tasted like sweets.

He was shocked. So shocked, in fact, that he didn't move or respond for quite some time after I pulled back.

Then I felt his large strong hands roughly scratching down my back landing on my hips to pull me up into his lap, my senses were filled with him as he pressed my lower back into him and held my neck up. I slid my hands up to grasp his jaw as he invaded my mouth and pulled me closer to him. I pulled back, panting and gasping for air with a smirk on my face.

He gave me a small smile and said, "Ready for round two?"

I still don't know if he meant another match or if he just wanted to make out.

…olo…

THE END

I apologize if the ending disappoints – My entire idea for the story was altered over the time it took to write this. Unless you guys really want me to leave this story up, I'm taking it down by the end of the month. If you want to take this story and revise it or use the idea, just send me a PM (first to ask gets it). This was my first story, and it took me three years to complete. I've watched my writing grow and m style change.

Note to anyone who follows me: I now write smut. If you do not wish to have M rated material pop up in your inbox, I suggest you unfollow me. Thank you so much for following me in the first place, I just felt like you deserve a warning.