"First time they met"

A Bleach story

Rating T (for language, mostly)

Pairings: Hitsukarin, duh! Only confessing to Ichiruki for the moment.

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo's mess. Just clarifying it.

WARNING: Spoilers for Fullbring arc. The ending is slightly changed but for the most part consider the everything up to the Fullbring arc canon.

Synopsis: A half-naked, in shape, injured, dead, samurai ghost boy was sitting at Urahara's table drinking tea. With white hair…

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I wasn't kidding I had this written up ready to type. However, life and loss got in the way. My son has been through plethora of health problems, thankfully mostly minor. In all of that I lost my notebook that had this chapter and the beginning of the next chapter written up. I found it (rather my husband found it) in the middle of November. Then I decided I didn't like parts of it.

Sigh.

Seriously, this section only had like 3 chapters left.

Noting that my change from the canon here is with Isshan. It was pretty obvious he was (probably) a captain in the anime, the book "Masks" made it pretty certain that he was the former captain of squad 10. I haven't read the recent ones (and only saw the pale excuse of Toushirou's Bankai limiters in passing) but I do know Toushirou was in his squadron before he disappeared. I removed that. I felt that was a bit too contrived. It wasn't in my original draft from nearly 4 years ago, but I added it to see my divergence from canon in this situation. As I said above, everything up to the very end of the Fullbring arc is good.

I know that Rukia has her bankai. I also heard it is a pretty lame one considering her zanpakuto is known for her "dances." I would have thought hers would be far more graceful. So I may not use her current bankai. Regardless see above note about divergence from canon.

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

CHAPTER 7

INTERESTED

Thoughts

Zanpakuto

KARIN

The second shopping trip was even more hilarious than the first. Hitsugaya's face was a permanent shade of pink as Matsumoto dragged him from store to store, having him try on things each more childish than the last.

Worse (or the best, in Karin's line of thinking) was all the sales people and cashiers as well as other customers cooing over the white haired boy. Matsumoto, obviously a gregarious woman, spun a tale about her "brother" and how he was grown as inch over the last year ("That's 3 inches, Matsumoto" said the captain, blushing deeply) Now all the poor child's clothes did not fit. Kids grow up so fast these days.

If it couldn't get any worse than that, the buxom lieutenant's tale got more and more elaborate with each passing store. It now was that he was this genius who finished college already and he was found in the jungles of Borneo suffering from some strange jungle fever that turned his hair white.

Karin was amazed by the fact that the woman got everyone to actually believe the rubbish. She could only surmise it was because of Rangiku Matsumoto's over the top charisma, her aggressive behavior or her impressive cleavage or combination of all that sold the badly constructed lie.

The most remarkable thing about all of Matsumoto's Shopping Frenzy during the morning was that Hitsugaya didn't say a word. Groused at her between stores, glared at her icily as she shoved overly cute (and therefore not his taste) clothes into his arms and pushed him towards the changing room. Karin would have thought he would go ballistic, but he didn't.

His lieutenant took full advantage of his silence.

This strange behavior continued until Matsumoto tried to get him to try on some powder blue overalls with pink bunnies on them. The store temperature quickly plunged several degrees as he dropped said outfit on the floor and seethed, "Matsumoto, enough."

The woman practically snapped to attention, following Hitsugaya as he stormed for the door. A crisp "Yes Captain!" was her reply.

At the two shoe stores afterword, there was no story, no search for the most 'adorable' item the store had. Instead, the lieutenant found practical loafers, inspected them (in an eerily similar way that reminded Karin of Hitsugaya's inspection at the sports store), got the boy's size and handed it to him. The only comments between them was quality and style.

"No wonder he hates shopping! She's insane!" Karin thought. She was a little out of breath from the mad dash of stores. She also noted that outside going to the uniform store for a new school uniform, the entire shopping trip thus far was for him. While she looked at clothes and shoes that were obviously for her, Matsumoto never purchased a thing for herself. Also, while Rukia and Yuzu may found things they sometimes purchased, Hitsugaya's lieutenant never commented or gave advice to the girls unless it was solicited.

Karin's red diary was burning a hole in her backpack and the questions were scalding the tip of her tongue. She knew she would ask about Matsumoto's behavior the first time she got Hitsugaya alone.

"which looks like soon," Hitsugaya looked harried and exhausted. Her brother has been spared so far of any of the fore-mentioned lingerie shopping and had been silent most of the morning. Yuzu and Rukia had been in the 'shopping zone' and seemed to be having a good time, laughing and giggling. As for herself, Karin was in an observation mode, if you can call it anything.

"Matsumoto." The boy spoke, stopping in front of yet another store. "I am tired and hungry. I believe my shopping is completed. I will take my purchases and leave. You enjoy the rest of the day. We will meet at the Kurosaki home at 6 PM."

"Yes Captain!" She practically saluted but the woman's eyes were on Ichigo. They were like a predator playing with its food before moving in for the kill. The smirk on her face completed the look. Karin thought that Matsumoto's expression was probably the reason that Ichigo swallowed thickly as he paled, staring widely at the woman.

"Here's my chance'" Karin thought. I'm getting hungry and the shopping trip is getting tiring. I think I'll join Hitsugaya and go home."

Matsumoto look at her, eyebrow arched. Karin could feel the wheels turning in the back of the woman's head. Meanwhile, Yuzu cried out, dismayed, "Oh Karin! I wanted to help you pick out some new shirts!"

"I do need some," Karin ruefully and silently agreed. "I know. We'll go shopping next week, just you and me and I'll let you pick whatever you want, ok?"

Yuzu narrowed her eyes. Karin knew that Yuzu picked up on the lie. "Seriously, I promise! Even if it is pink."

That seemed to satisfy the younger twin. "Ok Karin," she pouted. "I'll hold you to that! No excuse about soccer practice or anything!"

"I promise, geez!" Karin replied, slightly annoyed. She meant it. She did not to break promises, especially with her family. Well, she at least tried not to.

"Karin," Ichigo spoke up, startling the girl. "Here." He pulled out his wallet and gave her two bills.

Two large bills. "Ichigo, this is too much!" she gasped, trying to hand the money back to her brother.

Ichigo covered her smaller money-filled hand with his. "Karin," He spoke solemnly, his brown eyes filled sadness. "Just take it. It's for the stationary."

"Like one fifth of this would buy all the supplies I lost the other day and for the rest of the school year." Karin thought. She wanted to protest and ram them money her brother's throat for being an idiot, after all he already bought a brand new uniform and a new bag. The look in Ichigo's eyes, those sad puppy dog eyes caused her to refrain from acting. Instead she mumbled a wide eyed "Thank you."

He nodded, releasing her hand. He then turned to Yuzu, pulling two more identical bills out and handing it to the girl. The twins looked at each other in silent understanding. Ichigo had been squirreling money away in the last year or so. What he handed to his sisters was a good portion of that savings. The sisters still accepted it, knowing he would not take it back. They instead would spend a most of it on their brother at the first opportunity.

"Coming?" Hitsugaya spoke up, startling Karin.

She whirled to face the bedraggled young captain, who was hold a great many bags of clothes and shoes. "Here let me help you," she said, grabbing a couple of the bags. All of Karin's purchases (sans the new school bag) fit into her backpack, and she was keen to relieve the visibly exhausted boy of some the purchases.

He narrowed his eyes for a moment and looked like he was going to argue, but he sighed and said, "Fine." He modulated his voice to address his lieutenant. "Matsumoto, we will leave you now." His eye flicked to the woman in question, who was chomping at the bit. "Don't go overboard. Remember what we discussed last night!"

"Yes Captain!" she replied smartly, then to Yuzu and Rukia she squealed, "Let's start at that shop over there! I saw the cutest little pink underwear in the window!" With that, she grabbed Ichigo's arm and dragged the blushing and paling teen across the street to the shop in question.

Karin watched in bemusement, wondering perhaps she should join them, just to watch Ichigo's face. "As much as that would be fun, Hitsugaya is far more interesting." She smiled as she turned away from the spectacle across the street and looked at the boy. He sighed, his shoulders slumped. "What's wrong," she asked him, curious. Karin had to wonder if the shopping trip was too much for him.

Hitsugaya shook his head. "Your brother. Matsumoto's impossible and I gave her my blessing. He may not survive the shopping."

Karin let out a small chuckle. "Is that all? My brother will be okay. He has two teenage sisters and frequently does the laundry. He used to seeing woman's underthings."

The captain stopped his staring at the shop where the others had entered and turned his gaze to Karin. "The last few hours was Matsumoto at her mildest." He replied solemnly.

Karin could not comprehend anything worse than what Hitsugaya was put through during the morning's shopping excursion. "Really?"

Hitsugaya sighed again. "Really."

Karin paused, dying to ask him how he put up with that on a daily basis for what she could only guess was decades. "Why?" she finally blurted. "Why do you put up with it?"

"Tch," A smirk briefly crossed his features before disappearing under his normal disgruntled face. "Because she's the best…and the right one."

She was surprised. Karin thought Mr. Captain Prickly would want his squadron to run smoothly, not the apparent mass chaos that was Lt. Matsumoto. "Sooo, you rather have her," he gestured, pointing at the woman's spiritual pressure. "Than Rukia or even red headed guy, Abarai? They seem to be more organized and…I dunno, mature."

Hitsugaya shrugged another smile briefly crossed his lips. "You don't understand. One day you will."

She did think she ever would. "Okay. You're right I don't understand. So now what? Eat first or drop this stuff at the house then eat?"

"Don't you need to get some more supplies for school?"

Karin shrugged. "I can get a lot of that stuff anywhere. I have spare at school anyways."

He nodded "Then let's drop the stuff off and eat."

They walked quickly to her house. She waved to her dad as he was talking to a patient as they headed towards the residential part of her home. Her father returned the greeting with a goofy grin and a wave. Karin sighed as she opened the door and ushered Hitsugaya into the living room. "I can't believe he was some kind of leader. You, I believe. Urahara I believe. Youririchi, definitely. My dad, not so much."

Hitsugaya gave out a small chuckle as he put the bags in the living room next to his things from Urahara's shop. "Would you believe I am his successor?"

"You served with him?" Karin gaped, surprised.

"Ah no. I was in other squadrons before I transferred to Squad 10. By that time, he was missing and presumed dead and I just achieved bankai. I was there so the squad members could get used to me and I could improve my bankai. So I had seen him, but never really met him except for a few missions."

"Oh." She was now curious about things that were skipped over the other day. "What's it like to be a Shinigami?"

He shrugged. "What's it like to be a student in the World of the Living? We have to form our own opinions with our own experiences and not rely on other's thoughts for them."

She frowned. "Philosophy is NOT helping."

"who cares. Bring your diary book and let's get some food."

'You're impossible."

"Good, it's working then."

Karin showed him to a sandwich shop that just opened up. They quickly picked up some food and found a semi quiet place near a park. They at in relative silence, only pleasantries passed between them. The journal in question sat between them and was probably the reason not much was said.

"I wonder, is going to grill me on the stuff I wrote about him? Geez, this suddenly is getting embarrassing!" Karin sighed, feeling a faint heat on her cheeks.

"Problems?" Hitsugaya asked, sitting legs crossed in beside her.

"Yes. NO. I don't know." She paused and sighed. "Not sure if it will be a problem." Karin glanced at him, watching fervently.

"Let me guess. You are unsure about my age and the other things in the journal, right?" He smirked.

"Boy, does like being the winner!" She thought. "Ah, yeah. Do Shinigami read minds?"

"No. It's called paying attention." He turned to face her, his head cocked slightly to the side. "So, let's start with age. What bothers you about that?"

She turned to her side gesturing with her hands. "Nothing. Everything! I mean you are old…Older than my grandpa, but you look the same age as me. How's that work?"

"Annoyingly" Hitsugaya sighed, pulling his knee up and resting his elbow on it. "You age slower in the Soul Society doesn't matter if you are born there or a soul from the World of the Living. The more power you have, the slower you age. I came to the Soul Society five or six years old. In less than a hundred years I am about the equiviant of a thirteen-year-old. It sucks, honestly."

There was a dozen things Karin wanted to ask and a dozen more she wanted to say. "Why does it suck?"

His eyebrow arched in surprise. "Seriously, you ask that? Do adults take you seriously regardless your expertise on a subject? If you were, say coaching an adult soccer team, how well would the players listen to you?"

"Oh." She saw his issue. "Not very much at all." She could see the problem. Most Shinigami she had met thus far tend to be very …macho was the only word she could think of and full of themselves. Being bossed around by a kid is probably demeaning. "It kinda explains why that red head guy treated him so badly yesterday." She mused.

"Exactly. Worse, some of my subordinates were classmates that…. never mind. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes, but you better explain the classmate remark."

He scowled, frowning at Karin. "No."

She grinned. "Does it have something to do with you graduating in a year from that academy of yours?"

He frowned at her then rolled his eyes sighing. "You know, somehow you make me talk about things I'd rather not talk about. It feels rather one-sided."

Karin silently agreed. She had shared very little of her life and the little she did was nothing he could not get from other sources, well for the most part. "I tell you what, I'll tell you something embarrassing and private about me for every embarrassing thing you tell me about yourself. Fair?"

The white haired captain cocked his eyebrow and a look of disbelief crossed his face. "Really? If I said no, you would badger me until I confess."

Karin grinned. "It is about as fair you will get from me!"

"Tch." He shook his head, like he was trying to clear his thoughts. "Fine. Whatever. If any of this ends up in the Seireitei gossip ring, I will personally freeze your ass to Sokyuku Hill in a pink frilly dress. For three weeks!" He backed the threat with a drop of temperature.

Karin knew he wouldn't do that. And She knew he knew that, too. But she knew that he knew she wouldn't. "Heaven forbid he didn't threaten someone into keeping silent." Nevertheless, she agreed to his terms.

He drew a deep breath. "Abarai, Kira, and my…my sister Momo had started their 6th and final year when I joined the Shin'o Academy. I ended up graduating with them. The thing is, the top ten graduates, one group each from the regular and advanced class, can choose their squad they want to join. Everyone else has to apply and see that they get it. Worse, the last 10% in grades and performance may not get in a squad at all. Before I joined their class, Kira was number two, Momo was number five and Abarai was number 10 on the advanced class list."

He sighed, turning away from her. "I got there and became the new number one, thus bumping Abarai off the list. He went to squad 11 instead of squad 6, I guess." He looked back at her. "He's been carrying a grudge ever since."

Karin, during this speech from the boy, had picked up her journal and started jotting down things. "So where did the others choose?" She was super curious about the sister, but she didn't want to go there yet.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see him frown, but he answered her anyways. "Kira and Momo…Momo went to Squad 5."

"Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask!" Karin could feel the story dripping of that, but she decided again not to ask. She felt it might be a sensitive topic. "So, where did you pick and why?"

Hitsugaya's demeanor changed abruptly as he tucked his knees up and wrapped his arms around. His chin rested on his kneecaps as he sighed again. "I…I really never thought about which squad I would enter. I knew I didn't want to be with Momo, so I requested Squad 9. Then Squad 8. Then Squad 7. Then finally Squad 13 took me."

"oh," she breathed, realizing what wasn't said. Karin voiced it anyways, because mostly she thought it needed to be said. "They thought you were too young to be a Shinigami."

"And some think I am too young to be one now, never mind my rank."

She wasn't sure what to say in the stilted silence that followed. "This was important. Like best friend never tell kind of important. Speaking of important, he is so young compared to the others, I think. Well he looks it. Regardless that must have been tough. Earning the right but never getting the opportunity. Jerks!" She thought angrily, tapping her pen against her cheek. "It wasn't a free ride. Perhaps the mindwalker stuff is related."

"So…," she continued in the pause. "One of the choices said mindwalkers needed to be used. Then the other night, Matsumoto mentioned '87 seals?' What's that about or I should be asking?" She added at the end, after looking at his solemn face.

"I am going to kill her," Hitsugaya murmured before sighing. "You can ask about the Mind Walkers, but the rest is my business. But Matsumoto opened her mouth, and you deserve an explanation. Besides you'd weasel it out of me eventually."

Karin remained quiet, though she wanted to prompt him with questions.

"I am…young. Very young. In fact, too young to be a Shinigami. There is a lieutenant who is maturity-wise is younger than me but age wise older. It's complicated. Anyways, my body can only handle so much. They originally turned me away at the Shin'o Academy for my age. Said it would kill me. But the finally accepted when they saw the massive leakage of reitsu."

"Like Ichigo?"

"Correct, but this was the Soul Society, so the damage wasn't bad…yet. Regardless they were even more surprised that I was a genius and a prodigy. I really had not much to do and my power kept growing and growing. So I trained and I got Shikai. It wasn't enough so I achieved Bankai. Then all hell broke loose." He paused, looking like he was gathering his thoughts.

"Or his courage." Karin thought, feeling guilty prompting him to talk about it now. She had the impression from the Lieutenant that it was bad.

"I…I don't remember much, just the burning and pain. I was told I made it snow for weeks straight. I don't remember the mind walkers themselves, they tend to hide their identity unless there is an emergency. Every step burned. Like fire. Then they dug and dug…it's the best way to describe what they did. 87 holes and guided my reiroyko into the holes. They sealed it with kido, which was painful, like a thousand papercuts. Each seal was different and as I would get older, I would be allowed to open them at my leisure.

"My Inner World is snow and ice. Except where they walked. Except where they dug. No snow stays on those locations. It's a constant reminder for the mindwalking If I touch one of those spots, it burns me to my core."

"Wow." Karin gasped. "Just WOW." She decided not to ask about the other effects he got from the mindwalking. "So you would not recommend it."

He shook his head empathically. "No. It is an option for Arisawa and Asano…perhaps your sister, but you and your brother… The pain is beyond comprehension. And while I know both of you are strong willed, it also means you would be able to undo most if not all the mindwalking, making the technique useless."

"Oh." Karin wasn't really sure what to say. "Except I have even less choices now."

She mulled over the other two choices, wondering if she should ask about them when her thoughts were interrupted by one Shinigami captain ripping the journal out of her hands. "Hey!" she squawked and tried to make grab at it. There was more embarrassing things she wrote in there last night.

Karin's attempt was thwarted by Hitsugaya, who put the journal over his head and out of her reach. She flopped forward and face planted in front of her. "Oh my god," she groaned, spitting out grass and pushing herself up. "Please don't read it again…" slapping her hand across her mouth, her eyes widened when she realized she had said that out loud.

"really, more embarrassing things, Karin? Like I am handsome or cheeky or maybe more in the line of grumpy comments. Besides, I feel it is your turn for embarrassment. We agreed." Her face was getting redder and redder with each word.

"Tch." He smiled, that snarky kind of smile when someone has the upper hand. "I will read it Karin, but first there is something we need to do." He fished out what looked like a brown leather strap with a gold buckle of some sort on one end. He looped it around the journal and with tiny clicks he moved something on the buckle. "Come here, will ya?"

With another blush Karin quietly scooted next to him, their shoulders touching. He took her hand and folded the fingers close against the palm. Manipulating her thumb, he said. "Remember the energy, the feeling you use to charge up your soccer balls against a hollow? I want you to think of a pinhead that is in the middle of your thumb pad and I want you to charge it up a little bit. Enough to attack an ant."

Startled and very much aware of the boy's hands on her one, it took a moment to do what he had asked of her. She blushed as he laid her thumb on the buckle and then released her. Karin rubbed her wrist like he had hurt her but in reality it was something else that burned her, she mentally shook her head to clear her thoughts as watched in fascination he copied the same movements as Karin from a moment ago. Then he put the two ends of the leather strap together. To her amazement (and a little bit horror in her amazement) a tiny mouth appeared on the edge of the buckle and bit the other end of the leather, thus sealing the journal close.

"How…What…?" She gaped, speechless.

"It is a book bind. No normal human will see it. In fact, they can open it and there will be only blank pages. Anyone with reitsu could force it open, but it would destroy part or all of the book in the process. You and I can open it by putting our thumb on the seal like so" He demonstrated and the journal flew open. "and it opens. You can have up to six people registered to one book bind, but I set it up for two at this moment. This is to make sure no one who shouldn't be reading it can't. Questions?" She dumbly shook her head. "Good. Now what about these new entries…"

"no, No, NO! PLEAZE don't read it!" She suddenly begged, the book bind temporary forgotten.

He looked confused. "What could be worse than the 'cute' remark I read the other day. And about that, where did you get that information?"

Glad of the diversion, she gratefully replied, "That Captain, Hirako I think, anyways he were talking before you got hurt and he said that he talked to other Captains that you talked to and you said I was cute." She rushed out.

Silence. Then a MAJOR temperature drop. Karin shivered. "I swear I can see frost on the grass."

"Those fucking sons of aa bitches. Whoresons bastards!" Karin watch, half in fascination and half in concern as the boy gripped her journal tightly and swore with words in combinations she could not imagine. "Hitsugaya has a potty mouth that would make most sailors blush!" As the language got more colourful, it realized it revolved around someone named "Juushirou" and "Shun Shei" with a few thrown in for "Shinji" who she knew was the Captain that told her in the first place.

Then she realized something else in the middle of his rant. "I think…I think he didn't say that!" She was keenly sad about that. Karin wasn't complemented a lot, unless it was soccer. Tomboy, boyish and less flattering words usually used. She slumped, looking at the grass. "Wow, that hurts. It shouldn't but it does! I mean, I just met him why should I care what…"

"what's wrong?" Hitsugaya asked, startling her out of her inner turmoil.

"Uhm…you never said that, did you?" she asked quietly.

"No, I said pretty intelligent. Which is a compliment."

Karin didn't look up at him. She couldn't. She was going to cry. "Pull yourself together, Karin! This shouldn't bother you at all!"

"This is bothering you, isn't it?" She looked up from her hands, startled. "why does this bother you? You don't seem like a shallow girl that all thinks about is looks, right?"

Karin stared at him in disbelief. He didn't understand at all. "My sister is cute. My sister is pretty. Girls at school want to be her friend and boys want to date her. Me! Me…they think is a tomboy, the plain twin, the…the…"

"What? Ugly? Rude? Well, that one is right, but nothing like your brother." He countered, staring into her eyes. "If anyone judges on looks, they are idiots. It's like…well like those cleats from the other day. Yeah, the ones you like are aestically better looking, but they are made cheaper and not as good as the ones you did get. So they were more expensive. One should pay for quality. If I really thought about your looks as the deciding factor as a friend, what kind of friendship would it be?" He paused in his tirade, and sighed. "Dammit, Karin." He turned from her, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I didn't know friendship was this much work. Look. I don't have many friends; hell I don't have any close friends. Matsumoto says my standards are too high. I prefer intelligence, grace and ethics over looks, ambition and power. I don't know how that is a high standard, but apparently it is, by the amount of close friends I have, which is none."

He sighed again. "And here you are, stressing over a word. A rather insignificant word at that. You check all the other blocks off but still hung up on that word. Amazing."

"Whoa!" Karin gasped. "He likes me. He thinks I am cool to hang around and do things with!" She smiled. "Sorry, sometimes I am petty. When you hear it just about every day it tends to stick in your gut, you know what I mean?"

He still didn't look at here, but a brief smile traced his lips. He reached up and tugged his snow white hair. "Yes I do. My age, my demeanor, my hair and my rank equals very quiet nights. I do get a lot of reading and paperwork done, kami knows if Matsumoto would ever do hers."

There was silence between them as a breeze played with their hair. In the pause, Karin made a choice. She placed her hand over his and said, "Hi. My name is Karin Kurosaki. I'm many things to many people, but I think the best thing is to be the friend, no BEST friend to the 10th Captain of the Shinigami undead Soul Society world…thing-ee: one Toushirou Hitsugaya. Yeah, he's prickly and grumpy, but he's kind and patient and wicked talented. And he has nice eyes." She squeezed his hand a little before placing hers in her lap.

It was a few moments before he spoke. "I have enemies. I have a very dangerous occupation. Anyone close to me could get hurt or worse. Being my friend, let alone BEST friend might not be a good idea."

Karin jumped up, startling Hitsugaya back on his elbows. She leaned over him, hands on his hips. "So? Would it really matter at the end of the day? I get the feeling I would be attacked just for my spiritual pressure before I am attacked as your friend. Never mind my idiot brother who attracts trouble like bees to honey! To me, all of this is equally dangerous. While I thank you for actually giving a damn and telling me what the hell is going on, unlike my brother who decided to hide it from me. You informed me of the dangers, I may not understand them all, but now at least prepared.

"Besides, none of this your choice. I choose you to be my friend! Like you, I don't have a lot of friends, though I do have my family, but I choose to be yours regardless. 'Cuz that is how friendship works. Not the power or authority you possess. Not the dangers that surround you."

Karin sighed and hung her head. She held out her hand towards him. "So, unless you don't want to be my friend, SHUT UP!"

She couldn't look at him. She wouldn't. So she waited and prayed. About when she was going to put her hand down, she felt his cool skin on her fingers. He grasped it lightly, not shaking it. She looked up at him, surprised. He was smiling! "Not those smirks he has had, but a genuine smile that actually reached his eyes!"

He sighed and averted his eyes, still holding her hand. The smile falter a bit and he quietly said. "Thank you. I would love to be your best friend, or whatever kind a friend you want me to be. I warn you, I am not good at this so expect a lot of stepping on toes. Besides, it seems I wouldn't have a choice. For some reason I cannot shut up anywhere near you, so I might as well get all the benefits for a friendship, too."

Karin realized she was still staring even after his speech. "Wow. I guess the cute remark wouldn't be that big of a deal after this! He is the one who reach out, not me! I just didn't, couldn't read it. But this feels right! In my heart it feels right!" She was overcome with happiness and despair at the same time. "Why me? "she asked, not letting go. "What makes me special?"

Hitsugaya looked at her, curious. "Why you, than say, Yuzu? Because you are you. I am not attracted…no wrong word." He said hurriedly, red spots appearing on his cheeks. "No, I am not impressed by those who are dishonest with themselves. Your sister isn't true to herself, I don't think she knows what she is. You," He squeezed her hand gently. "You, are honest. You are willing to admit fear and when you are wrong. You stand up for those who are weaker than you, even if the odds are against you. You are generous, so generous with your friendship that you hand it to an 'undead ghost boy,'" she had to giggle at that! "without any effort because you found that he is lonely."

He reached out and took her other hand. "These are the attributes I find amazing. Not your spiritual pressure, not you 'mad' soccer skills. It's your generosity and your honesty. And I, Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya of the Gotei 13 would be honored to be your friend. As proof you can call me Toushirou…in private! If I am in an official capacity, I will ask you to still call me by my rank." With that, he released his hands.

Karin still had issues, but they were minor. "Perhaps I can clear them up this summer." She smirked rolling her eyes. "well, if you put it THAT way, I suppose I can be your friend. "I mischievous thought crossed her mind. "Can I call you Toushirou in front of my brother."

He let out low short laugh, shaking his head and pinching his bridge. "Oh please yes. Every time!"

She joined him in his mirth. " Soooo…am I pretty?"

He rolled his eyes as he gestured for her to start walking. "Seriously, still talking about that? Do I get to ask why you think I have 'gorgeous eyes' and cute if I answer?"

She reached down and picked up her journal, which she locked. "I dunno, sounds like a high price. Maybe if you add in a game download to your computer we can talk."

He made a scoffing sound as they walked down the sidewalk to her home. "Renegotiating the terms? What's this and games?"

Karin grinned, lightly punching him in the shoulder. "Trying to get a better deal, Toushirou. Besides, games are fun! Wait to we get home and I'll show you our games system! We can play a few games and you will see how much fun it is when I beat you!"

"Ha! Maybe the first couple of tries, but I am a quick learner! I tell you what, if you can find a game I cannot beat you at, you can download a game, your choice, on my computer!"

Karin jumped in the air "WooT! Prepared to be pwned, Toushirou!"

He only made scoffing noises. It didn't really matter who won to Karin. She got her first real true best friend, even he was an 'undead ghost boy' elite master swordsman Captain of an army!

"And besides," She thought joyfully. "'Toushirou is my best friend' has a nice ring to it!"

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

RUKIA

Rukia smoothed out her green dress as she observed Ichigo and Rangiku's antics in what was the umpteenth underwear store. "Who would think Kara Kura town would have so many lingerie stores…and that Rangiku would know where they all are!"

Though, none of this should surprise her. After all the lieutenant was almost the same in the Soul Society. Rukia did find it amusing, but it was just a surface emotion. She enjoyed embarrassing the boy in the past, but now, "Anger and frustration. The boy is drowning in it. I did not want it to be like this."

"you should have thought of that last night when you argued with the Ice Captain." Sode no Shirayuki glided across her thoughts like a winter breeze. "And, I would stop referring to Ichigo as 'the boy.' Especially where your thoughts of him often head."

It took all her training not to blush. Ichigo, tall and handsome, wasn't a child anymore. He had proven himself to her and the Soul Society over and over again. Even her stoic brother, the esteemed Captain Kuchiki, acknowledge the fact. She wasn't sure what to do about it, though, especially what happened this last past year…

"humph. Zabimaru's master is unworthy of your affections, and you were not really interested in him that way. I warned you. Now both of you are being watched. How are you going to achieve Bankai when you pull such disgraceful behavior in front of all your peers AND on top of that, you angered the Ice Captain? Hmm?"

She sighed again, her zanpakuto was correct. "If Ichigo finds out, he may not to be my friend, let alone court me. Then challenging Captain Hitsugaya last night was foolish. Are you sure he is the only one to help us with Bankai?"

The Zanpakuto sighed and danced around Rukia's thoughts. "Of course. I set the challenge and I said only the great ice dragon and his master can start us down this path of Bankai. I told you this just after the war, and you chose to wallow in heart sick for the human who knows nothing of your affections and chase after your childhood friend wasn't really interested in you in that way. That friendship is tittering on being destroyed because you wanted to use him to drown your sorrows."

"Rukia?" She startled out of the conversation with her zanpakuto to see Yuzu looking at her worriedly. "Are you ok? Or are you…" the girl paused leaning closer to Rukia. "talking to that zan…sword thingee in your head?"

"Zan..sword…THINGEE?" Sode no Shirayuki snorted, bristling in anger.

"Yuzu just learned of this a few days ago. She'll improve soon. Give her time" Rukia shot back, still a little angry over the way the zanpakuto was chiding her. "Yeah, she has been talking to me because I tried to lessen Ichigo's punishment and lost."

Yuzu smiled sweetly. "Oh, thank you, Rukia, but he needed to be punished. There are worst ways to be punished and this one is absolutely hilarious! He will recover and be his old grumpy self in no time!"

Rukia, again, admitted that it was hilarious, as both girls turned to watch Rangiku was now attempting to shove Ichigo into the dressing room to 'help' her try on some bras. "Poor Ichigo," she murmured, smiling at the boy…no young man's grip on the dressing room door frame, complete with panicked eyes and high pitched arguments.

Yuzu smirked as she glanced over at Rukia. "Like I said, it's ok. Ichigo is far stronger than this!" The girl frowned and in a quieter voice asked, "Rukia, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Yuzu."

The younger girl took a deep breath before talking. "How well do you know Captain Hitsugaya?"

Rukia was taken aback. It wasn't something she expected to be asked by the girl. "Well, I know he is powerful and fair. He an honorable captain and holds great respect with his squad."

Yuzu sighed as she turned to face Rukia. "No not that. Do you know him more than just a rank?"

"She asks a good question, Rukia."

"She does." Rukia mentally replied. She wasn't sure how to answer it either, especially she did not know where the question was coming from. "I don't know him well. I have served under him a few times during the war and after but we only have a relationship of a Captain and a lieutenant from another squadron. I'm sorry" She paused, then added. "Renji, Lieutenant Abari, was in the same class at the Academy and the Captain's sister, Momo Hinimori, grew up with him but she is…ill… and unable to answer a question like that."

Yuzu's shoulders sagged slightly. "Thank you. It's ok I suppose. It's just…." The girl shook her head. "Never mind. Rukia, can I ask you something more personal?"

The dark haired girl eyes widened slightly. "P…personal? Like what?"

"Do you like Ichigo? I mean, like him more than a friend?"

"How is my Rukia going to answer this?" The zanpakuto tittered, pirouetting in Rukia's thoughts. "Honesty or a misstep? Hmmm?"

Rukia groaned mentally. "Well, 'missteps' haven't worked thus far. If I say something to her. A little something, it may make it easier to talk to Ichigo when the time comes."

"Wise…finally."

Rukia smiled a tight smile as she faced Ichigo's youngest sibling. "I would like to know him better than a friend, however, I think I need to be friends with him first, again, before anything else could happen."

Yuzu nodded. "Good. I didn't know all this 'Shinigami' stuff before but I thought you two got in a fight and that's why he was sad and lonely. I mean, he turned down Orihime when she asked a few months ago. She said that he said that he needed more time to grieve over someone else before he could possibly look into dating anyone else?"

"Orihime asked HIM?" Rukia was surprised, knowing how shy the young woman was around Ichigo. The rest of Yuzu's statement was far more important to Rukia. "Maybe, just maybe, I may have a shot at this!"

"Are you going to tell him everything? Hhmmm?"

Rukia really couldn't answer that. She was terrified of revealing that she was faithless while he held out waiting. "I mean, we danced around this. The Winter War was so busy and so many things happened, we never got the chance…do I ruin it by confession? What should I do?"

Before she could ask Sode no Shirayuki and answer herself, Ichigo burst out of the dressing room, his face beet red and covered with many lacy bras. He scanned the room until he found his giggling sister and Rukia, standing near the exit. "I am DONE! I don't give a DAMN what I promised the little twerp, I cannot…. will NOT do this anymore!" He gestured to the two girls, shedding the undergarments as he stomped towards the door. "Yuzu! Rukia! We are going home!"

Rangiku appeared behind him, whining. "Awwww Ichigo! Just one more store! This time, you can try some on for a change!"

His eyes bugged as he whirled around to face the buxom lieutenant. "WHa…HELL NO! Whatdaya think I am, some kind of pervert?!"

Rukia couldn't help to laugh at that! "As long as it isn't the pink ones. They clash with your hair," she murmured, hoping he didn't hear.

But he did. "Not helping, Rukia!" he snarled as he brushed past her, his heavy footsteps pounded into the doorway and onto the sidewalk.

Hmmmm…."

"Not a WORD from you!" She mentally yelled at the zanpakuto. She shouldn't have said it, but it just popped out of her mouth so fast she could not stop the words from coming out.

Rukia sighed. "Story of my life this year. Really need to stop it. I have never been this bad before in my life, now I just say stupid stuff, challenge captains that are well past my power level and do not thought out actions resulting in looking like an ass in front your own brother." Shaking her head, she followed the angry man out as he stood on the corner waiting for the girls.

"Sorry," She said as she approached the irate Ichigo. "I have no clue what's coming over me, that was…"

"Stop." Startled, Rukia looked up into his angry brown eyes. "Just stop. The atmosphere of the people around you, AKA Rangiku, probably caused your words. Besides…" His eyes softened, and Rukia was reminded of the pronouncement of Yuzu's just a few minutes ago. "You stood with me throughout this mess. And you were on a lot of the receiving end of a lot of crap because of that. I should apologize to you. I…I probably deserve the smart mouth comment. Anyways thanks and sorry."

"How can he do that? How can he have such a good heart?" Unbenounced to Ichigo, Rukia was feeling better about arguing with Captain Hitsugaya last night, even though it did nothing but cause her issues. "He deserves so much better? Why can't they see that?"

"…hmmm…but they do, Rukia. Well, the Ice Captain does."

Rukia was confused and mentally said so.

"This is the Ice Captain. He and His Zanpakuto will be the most powerful Shinigami in the Soul Society. He is the future of the Shinigami and he knows it. He also knows the Ichigo will be a part of that future. Think about it, any other captain, Ichigo would probably have the most ungraceful punishments. But this is just a shopping trip, a relatively minor one. He didn't even monitor if the 'punishment' was carried through. He left. I would bet my dancing slippers that he has something planned already for Ichigo for the Soul Society."

"Oh." She didn't think of that. The punishment was dumb and it didn't make sense after all the times Captain Hitsugaya advocated for Ichigo and pushed the resurgence of his powers.

"You are not a noble, but you have duties within your brother's household that require you to be a noble. You dislike them greatly. But you 'put up appearances' for the sake of your brother and his house. What do you think the Ice Captain has to do?"

She didn't have time to respond as Yuzu and Rangiku, armed with bags joined them on the street.

"Fine fine. We can end the shopping trip now!" Rangiku didn't sound happy about it.

Ichigo groaned. "Don't care. I'm going home. If you are coming ya better keep up!"

Rukia fell in beside Ichigo as the Yuzu and Rangiku chatted behind them. "Ichigo? Before we leave, I'd…I'd like to talk to you in private, if it is ok with you."

Ichigo looked confused but he nodded. "You don't have to ask my permission. But I understand not talking around her," he shrugged to notify Rukia that he was speaking about the lieutenant behind him.

"I know I thought I should ask and all. It has been awhile."

He let out a short biting laugh. "Isn't that the truth."

They were quiet until the rounded the corner to the street the Kurosakis' lived on. This time he spoke in a low voice, not looking at her. "You know; I still haven't reclaimed my closet. The futon and your stuff is still there."

Rukia gasped.

"…hhhhmmmmmm…well, well, well…isn't this interesting?"

"Really?" She was barely audible when she responded.

"Yeah. I just kept hoping you guys would come back, if only to say goodbye. I thought of taking in down and putting it away, but it felt like I was giving up, that I was ready to move on. Some days I was, then I would watch Orihime and Chad respond to a crisis and I just stood there, unable to help. Unable to see. 17 months of just watching and knowing. Knowing you guys were out there but I couldn't see you. It hurt."

"Ichigo…" She wanted to be eloquent, she wanted to soothe Ichigo's pains. She wanted to hug him. As it was, she was paralyzed. With fear of rejection, with fear of the truth with the fear she may hurt him again and she desperately did not want to do that again.

The choices were taken from her, at least at this moment, when they arrived at the clinic.

There was a hastily written note taped to the door. Ichigo pulled it down and read it to the girls. "'Gone to the hospital for a patient. Be quiet and order pizza. Money on counter. -Love from the best daddy doctor!' Tch! He's so immature!"

"Oh Ichigo, he isn't! He's fun-loving!"

Ichigo stared at his youngest sister. "Whatever, I dunno why we have to be quiet, though."

They all kicked off their shoes in the doorway and walked down the hallway to the family residence.

It was dark, first all she could see was the tv. The image on the screen read "Push A to restart from spawn point" which she had no idea what that was. A smaller tv sat next to the family television, then she remembered it was called a 'laptop' and it was Captain Hitsugaya's. Later she would read "steam update complete" on the screen.

None of which was the cute scene she would remember for a very long time. There was a plethora of empty soda cans and half eaten bags of snack food on the floor and led up to the Kurosaki couch.

And one of the cutest things Rukia had ever seen, and that included most of her Chappy collection.

Karin was on one side of the couch, fast asleep. She had a smattering of popcorn and wrappers scattered all over her body. Her upper body was making the slow but certain slide off the couch. A game controller was on floor near her dangling fingers. Her feet and calves were covered up towards the center for the couch where…

Where…

"Hee hee! Oh my!"

Indeed. A sleeping Captain Hitsugaya laid on the other side of the couch. He apparently wasn't a wild sleeper like Karin, his head was resting on the arm of the furniture with his hands neatly in his lap cradling a controller. His lower body was also covered by the same blanket.

"At their heights, it means their legs are tangled up underneath the blanket!"

That in itself was cute, what put it over the top was a certain lion shaped stuffed animal who happened to get into some cheese snacks and promptly fell asleep on Captain Hitsugaya's head, covering one of his eyes and painting the young man's hair and face with orange dust, including several sets of orange paw prints on the otherwise very neat Captain.

It was hilarious.

It was cute!

It was…

"Rukia, quick! Give me your soul pager!" Rangiku leaned into Rukia, whispering. Rukia started and looked at her fellow lieutenant in confusion.

"Don't ask, just hand it over!" The words were barely audible. Rukia nodded and fished the device out of her pocket.

Grinning, Rangiku used the pager to take pictures of the two kids, pausing only to stop Yuzu from doing the same. She shook her head and mouthed' "Not yet." To the confused girl.

Barely 30 seconds later, Rangiku handed the soul pager back to Rukia with the instructions she was not to take it out the rest of the day whispered in her ear.

Still confused, Rukia did what the older woman told her to do. Rangiku was satisfied that Rukia had pocketed it, she pulled out her own soul pager, gesturing to Yuzu to do the same. The woman fiddled with it and when she snapped a picture, the flash was on full bright.

And with that flash, she squealed "Oh the Captain looks sooooooooo cute! Shen Shui would LLLOOOOOVVVEEE to see these!" Yuzu echoed the squeal and started to flash pictures, too.

With that, Karin flopped face first on the floor and Captain Hitsugaya started. He noticed Kon's plushy legs. He grabbed the mod soul and flung him into the kitchen which erupted in loud swearing.

Speaking of swearing, both Karin and Captain Hitsugaya were now trying to get the phones from their respective blackmailers. Lots of inappropriate language, especially from the Captain, was shouted as Rangiku danced around, holding her pager over her head and out of his reach.

Rukia laughed. It was too funny! She had never really seen Captain Hitsugaya act so…childish…before. It was cute and so beyond amusing.

"Oh gods…" she quietly spoke, realizing that Rangiku had just got her involved in the blackmail pictures of her captain. Rukia was now, in effect, an accomplice. While pondering on what to do about her pager that was now burning a hole in her pocket, she heard a laugh.

A male laugh. Ichigo's laugh.

She looked up at him and saw he was watching the scene with a small smile. More importantly, that smile reached his eyes as he watched his sisters chasing each other around the couch and the Captain making very undignifying leaps and yelling at his lieutenant.

"He can smile. He can look past the incident and recover. There is hope." That made the blackmail pictures worth it. It made her getting in trouble eventually for the blackmail pictures worth it. It made being yelled at by a captain who was actually…

"…acting his age. Odd. But, I think wonderful."

"May I remind you that the Ice 'acting his age' Captain is still someone we need help from. Proceed carefully, Rukia."

She mentally nodded. "But still, it's nice to see Ichigo happy. It's nice to…well it's just nice." Rukia knew it wasn't going to last, lull in the storm of Ichigo's making.

But watching the antics getting more and more crazy, especially after Kon entered the fray she could not help but think it was going to get better,

". for all of us."

XXX

-pant, pant!-

The worst chapter I have ever written for this story. Marrying the handwritten copy with all the new information and changes to make it more light hearted than it was rough! I still feel something's missing but it's at 28 pages on Microsoft Word so maybe… It feels a little off. Maybe it's been a while writing a chapter for this story might be it…

Let me know if you find (zanpakuto name) in the chapter. I couldn't remember Rukia's Zanpakuto's name and left a filler until I looked it up. I think I got them all but I might have missed one.

Speaking of names, I have misspelled several. This is a different computer and all the names are not in spellcheck yet. I'll catch them in the scrub.

I think I will go to Realizations and Conversations next. I hit a writer's block with it, but now, I think I can put up another chapter. Then back to this.

I hope.

I have some of it written out and I it hasn't changed since I last written it out, just minor details.

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