Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Dinner’s ready! Would you like me to fix you a bowl?” Yuzu called from the kitchen. The smell wafted into the living room, causing Karin’s mouth to water.

“Yes, please!” Karin sat up and blew her nose as her sister entered the room. “Thanks, Yuzu. This looks great,” she added, tossing a wadded-up tissue into the trash can beside the couch.

“Feeling any better?” Yuzu went to feel her sister’s forehead. The dark-haired girl ducked and swatted her hand away.

“I’m fine, Yuzu.” Karin tried to give her sister a quick, reassuring smile before digging into her dinner.

Karin had been on the couch all day on her father’s orders. He was working late at the clinic because of some sort of accident, and he would not have his sick angel up and about until she was completely healed.

Nobody really knew what Ichigo was up to. He had been spending all his time at home in his room lately. Sometimes he’d sprint out the front door saying he’d be back later or that he was going to a friend’s. “Later” seemed to vary. It could be as short as hour, or sometimes they didn’t see him until the next morning.

Ichigo hadn’t come home after school today but had called about an hour ago to check on them. It made Yuzu worry when he said he’d be back “later,” but Karin figured her older brother had finally grown up and gotten himself a girlfriend. It certainly took him long enough. She smirked.

Karin idly wondered what the girl was like. She’d be beautiful, of course. She’d be elegant and kind like their mom was. This girl would have to be tough too, though, Karin added mentally. There’s no way she’d get my approval if she was just a flimsy airhead. Ichigo needs someone who can keep him in line.

She continued pondering. What would her first boyfriend be like? Would he be anything like Dad?

The thought almost made Karin sick. No, there was no way he’d be anything like her father. He’d be much, much quieter. And intelligent. Not like the idiots she played soccer with: the ones who called her a boy and said she was “scary.”

He would be tough, she decided. And he would play soccer and be so handsome that those stupid jerks would get jealous and wish that they had been more considerate.

The sudden sound of the doorbell pulled Karin from her thoughts.

“Don’t get up! I’ll get the door,” Yuzu called, hurrying out of the kitchen. Karin watched her sister scurry down the hall.

“Oh!” The blonde twin sounded surprised. Karin leaned over the side of the couch to see what was going on. “You’re Ichigo’s friend, aren’t you? I’m sorry but he’s not home right now. I’ll be sure to tell him that you came by.”

Karin waited to hear the sound of the door close, but instead there was a long pause. She got up from her seat on the couch curiously to try to see what was happening. A large shadow moved into the hallway. There was some quiet discussion, and finally Yuzu came back into the living room with a large, dark-skinned teen in tow.

“He says that Ichigo told him that you weren’t feeling well, so he brought some soup.” There was a slight uncertainty in her eyes, but Yuzu’s sugary voice never betrayed her. “Wasn’t that nice of him, Karin?”

Karin skeptically looked her brother’s friend up and down, sizing him up.

“Yeah. But really, I’m fine. And I already ate. Thanks though.” The darker-haired twin shrugged, trying to brush off his uncomfortable stare. An uneasy feeling began to settle in her stomach. Something was off but she couldn’t decide what it was. She tried to return his gaze with confidence.

“What was even your name again?” Karin asked.

“Karin!” Yuzu exclaimed. “Don’t be rude.”

“I don’t mind. My name’s Chad,” the older teen answered simply. He set the soup bowl down on the living room table.

“Please, sit down, Chad. Can I get you anything?” Yuzu gestured to the couch, and Chad walked across the room to the seat furthest from Karin.

“No, thank you,” he responded.

Karin sat back down with a huff. “Ichigo’s not here, you know. Why don’t you come back later?”

His dark eyes met hers, and she tried to stifle a small blush that grew on her cheeks. He looked so serious.

Why is this guy so weird?

“Ichigo asked me to make sure you were both safe.”

Karin’s blush grew darker and she crossed her arms in indignation. “Why on earth would he ask you? I can take care of both of us! And what makes you think that you’re our official babysitter? I sure don’t remember being consulted.”

“Ichigo is worried that we’re not safe?” There was a slight waver in Yuzu’s voice. “Why should he worry? Where is he?”

Karin watched as Chad shifted awkwardly.

“Ichigo is just taking care of something. He wanted me to tell you that he won’t be back until late tonight,” Chad spoke slowly, now avoiding both of the girls’ eyes.

A sick, nervous feeling tightened Karin’s chest. She forced out a small laugh.

“Don’t be so depressing. You’ll scare Yuzu.” Karin smiled at her sister, who now had a panicked look in her eyes. “He sounded fine when he called.”

Yuzu nodded uncertainly. Once she regained her composure, Karin refocused her attention on the boy sitting across from her.

“So now that you’ve checked up on us, will you be leaving soon?”

“I should stay until your father returns,” Chad said, before looking to Yuzu for permission. “If that’s all right?”

“Of course! If that’s what Ichigo wanted, then it’s fine. Stay as long as you’d like.” Yuzu smiled. Karin rolled her eyes. She didn’t see why Yuzu was the one he was consulting.

“If you’re going to be here a while, might as well get comfortable,” Karin said dryly. She tossed him an extra pillow with more force than she needed before picking up the used tissues from the table. Then, she switched the television on.

She was still uneasy, but she took a deep breath and resigned herself to the fact: Yuzu was right. Ichigo would not have done something like this without a reason.

Besides, if nothing else, Dad’ll be home eventually. Better than nothing. Karin sighed. Her family was so useless.

“Karin, did you have any homework tonight?” Yuzu asked on her way out of the living room.

“None that I planned on doing,” Karin grinned at her sister.

Yuzu sighed as she picked up the neglected soup bowl. “Fine. I guess you’ll be staying home tomorrow as well. I’ll just put this in the fridge and finish my assignments in the dining room.” Then, she glanced pointedly at Chad. “Let me know if either of you need anything.”

Karin exchanged a glance with her sister that communicated they were fine, and watched as she left the room.

“So where is Ichigo really?” Karin asked once Yuzu was out of earshot.

“He would be unhappy if I told you. You should do your homework.” Chad’s voice was deep and soothing.

Stupid Ichigo. Why did he have to go and get us a babysitter? This guy is so lame.

“Whatever. What do you want to watch?” Karin asked, ignoring the homework comment.

“I’m not really watching. You should put on whatever you like.”

Karin finally decided on “Slayer Zombies 2.” It was a particularly gruesome horror movie, but also one of her favorites. She looked over to see Chad’s reaction, hoping she could frighten him, but he didn’t seem to notice the movie at all. His hands were clasped calmly in his lap, and he was so tall that his head hung over the back of the couch when he leaned back. His eyes were notably closed, and his breathing was calm and rhythmic. Karin rolled her eyes. Some protection.

She turned the overhead light off, lowered the volume on the television, and settled in so her head was resting on the arm of the couch. Then, she took a moment to study Chad. The light from the television flickered over his face, highlighting his bone structure and casting shadows. It made him look older than just another high schooler.

He’s almost kind of handsome, she decided.

Her eyes traveled downwards, analyzing every detail, every muscle and hair. Karin never really got to meet any of Ichigo’s friends. He always kept his school and family life separate, so this was a somewhat novel experience for Karin. Ichigo and this guy must be really close.

“This is something you enjoy watching?” His question startled her, but he hadn’t seemed to notice her staring. Karin looked over at the television.

A group of undead creatures had just attacked a group of friends hiding in a grocery store. The friends abandoned each other one after another in their attempts to escape but, in the end, Chad and Karin watched each teenager get brutally killed and devoured. The blood and guts which had been so exciting to Karin previously now seemed gratuitous when she watched it with the big, muscular boy next to her.

A small crease formed around Chad’s lips, and he seemed amused. Karin frowned. He’s supposed to be scared, not think this is funny!

“Yeah, I guess.” She mumbled when she finally remembered that he had asked a question. He gave a small hum to indicate that he had heard but didn’t say anything else.

And so begins the awkward silence… I liked him better when he was asleep.

--

Karin awoke to the sound of the front door opening. She lifted her head just enough to see who had entered the hallway, and recognized her brother’s lanky figure immediately. The petite frame next to him, however, was new and unfamiliar.

She felt Chad stir beside her. He gently moved her feet off his lap and got up from the couch to meet the new arrivals. Karin pretended to still be asleep as he walked by, but her face was bright red.

Why’d I have to go and fall asleep? And when did I get so close to him? That’s so lame.

“Hey, man. Thanks. I really appreciate it.” Ichigo’s voice was unusually quiet. It made Karin frown to hear him sound sad, almost pained. Then, a new voice spoke up. It was husky and spouted off some nonsense about a “hollow” that they had to chase down.

Karin determined that it was definitely a girl’s voice, and listened carefully as she mentioned some names of people that seemed to be hurt. She fortunately didn’t recognize any of them.

Then Ichigo started again, “I was really worried it’d try coming here.” Karin heard him gasp and let out a string of curses. “Yes, I remember that you told me! Let me finish, damn it.” He took a deep breath. “Anyway, Rukia said that it wouldn’t go after them, but I’m glad you were here just in case. Are they upstairs now?”

Karin heard Chad’s deep voice reply, “Yuzu went to bed, and Karin fell asleep on the couch a few hours ago. Your dad came home around midnight, but he said he had to go back to the clinic after checking on them.”

The group was quiet for a minute. It was the Rukia girl that spoke next. “I think we should all try to get some rest then. Thank you, Chad. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Karin listened to the girl’s light footsteps as she walked down the hallway and upstairs.

Is she going to Ichigo’s room? Damn, how did no one ever notice? Karin was happy for her brother but hurt at the same time. Why didn’t he ever tell anyone? Why didn’t he tell me?

“Are you going to be all right walking home?” Ichigo’s voice interrupted her thoughts. She dared to peek over the side of the couch again. She could see the outline of Chad’s face nodding in the dark.

“I’m kind of surprised they let you in, actually,” her brother continued. “I mean, I knew you’d sit outside if you had to, but it makes me worry, you know? What happens when they grow up? How are they going to-”

“They’re stronger than you think, Ichigo.”

There was another moment of silence before she heard her brother sigh. “No trouble from Karin? She can be pretty cranky when she’s sick.”

Karin scoffed. She was not cranky. Everyone was just being stupid today. Especially Ichigo and his stupid friend.

Chad chuckled quietly. So the guy can laugh. Who knew?

“I thought she might try to beat me up when I first came in. She fell asleep pretty quickly though. She snores like a monster.”

Karin’s face was on fire. How dare he? She did not snore.

Ichigo laughed weakly, and it worried Karin. He sounded so tired. “You got that right. Anyway, thanks again. I’m going to go put the monster to bed.”

She watched Chad smile at her brother. He has a pretty nice smile for an idiot.

“Good night, Ichigo.” Chad headed for the door, before pausing. “You know, if you ever need me to come by again, just ask. I’m here for you. We’re all here for you.”

Karin was surprised by the sudden seriousness on both their faces. Chad sounds almost… cool?

Ichigo exhaled and spoke slowly. “I know. It’s just - it’s supposed to be my job. I’m their brother. Besides, Yuzu already adores that stupid Quincy because of what he did to Kon. The last thing I need is Karin…” Ichigo trailed off and the look in his eyes in the dim light almost broke Karin’s heart.

“I’m not charming like Uryuu. And as far as I can tell, Karin hates my guts,” Chad said with a smile.

Damn right.

“Yeah, well, I bet she doesn’t hate you as much as she makes it seem. Just wait ‘til she sees how you play soccer. You won’t be able to get rid of her.”

The giant plays soccer?

Chad grinned, almost like he knew the girl’s surprise. Karin hated the way the street lights outside reflected on his smug face and dark curls. He wasn’t even that attractive.

“Maybe we’ll play next time,” Chad suggested. How did he know there would be a next time?

Ichigo looked deflated for a moment. The substitute soul reaper knew all too well that this wouldn’t be the last time his powers would put his sisters in danger.

“No matter what happens, you’ll always be their brother. Try not to worry so much. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ichigo.”

“Thanks, Chad. Night.” Ichigo’s voice was back to its normal tone, and his eyes no longer had that empty, desolate look from earlier. Maybe this guy wasn’t all bad if he could cheer up her brother like that.

As the giant left, he turned his head slightly to look in Karin's direction. He winked, but didn’t say anything else as he closed the door behind him.

Karin took a deep breath and tried to calm her red face and pounding heart. What was that about? 

She heard her brother walk into the living room and quickly closed her eyes, trying to appear deep in sleep.

“Hey, Karin.” He rubbed her shoulder gently and felt her forehead. “I guess you still have a fever.”

She felt his arms slide under her, and he picked her up bridal style. Karin let her head rest against his chest. He’s gotten stronger.

“Karin, it’s late. Let’s get you upstairs.”

She yawned to feign that she was just now waking up. “I can walk, y’know,” she said quietly, making him chuckle.

“I know. I just didn’t want to wake you. You need lots of rest when you’re sick.”

He’s such a good big brother. Karin sighed. She knew she should say something. But “Chad’s ok” was all she managed. It was still enough to make Ichigo smile.

“You think so? He’s a good friend.” He looked into the distance for a moment, lost in thought. “He’s really good at soccer. Maybe if I ever have to go away for a while he can come over and teach you some new tricks?”

Karin nodded. She didn’t like the pained look in her brother’s eyes. She made Ichigo put her down and they paused outside her room.

“You-you’re the best big brother,” she spat the mushy sentiment out and forced herself to continue. “Yuzu and I miss you a lot. And I wish you’d talk to us more. You can still tell me stuff, you know, even though you’re older.” Karin swallowed the lump in her throat and looked up for her brother’s reaction.

She could swear there were tears in his eyes, but then he blinked and she didn’t see them anymore. He ruffled her hair tenderly. “I know, Karin. I’m going to try.”

Karin smiled back at him. “Good,” she said triumphantly.

A mischievous grin spread on Ichigo’s face. “But first, I think it’s only fair that you tell me about how you’re having your first crush. I saw that blush when Chad left,” he teased, going on about how pleased their father would be when he found out.

Karin denied the accusation, but couldn’t help the furious pink tinge spreading on her face. She took a swipe at him, but he avoided it easily.

“Since when did you get so good at dodging my punches?” Karin was surprised that she hadn’t hit him. He shrugged, still laughing quietly.

“Hey, there are a lot of losers out there. At least you didn’t pick one of them!” He ruffled her hair again. “Now, time for bed,” he instructed, leaving her at the door to her room to return to his own.

“Fine, good night,” Karin huffed. She paused for just a moment before entering her room though to watch Ichigo open his own door.

As Ichigo retreated into his bedroom, Karin saw a dark shadow streak across his wall. Startled, she tried to get a better look, but Ichigo closed his door again before she could see anything.

Then, she heard the sound of something colliding with the wall, and he cursed loudly.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t wake me up!” That same husky voice from earlier yelled.

“Maybe you should get the hell out of my bed!”

It made Karin snicker. This girl seemed like she was doing a fine job of handling her brother. Karin decided she wouldn’t bring it up yet. When Ichigo was ready, she was sure he’d tell her everything.

And until then, she thought, maybe she would play soccer with Chad. Just to make Ichigo happy. There’s no way I’d ever like him, of course. The guy’s a complete idiot.

Feeling her cheeks warm again, Karin refused to allow the shy smile pulling at her lips. She silently entered her room and closed the door gently behind her, before letting out a long sigh. She was determined not to think about her brother’s friend again for the rest of the night.

No matter how handsome he may or may not be.

Chapter Text

“Hey, Ichigo! Did you eat a bowl of soup that was in the fridge?” Karin called out to her older brother as he came down the stairs, hands on her hips.

“No…?” His eyebrows pulled together in a frown and he seemed confused for a moment. “I guess I must have. Yeah. Sorry, it was me.”

Karin rolled her eyes. Apparently, her idiot brother couldn’t even remember what he had for dinner last night. He’s been so absent minded lately…

She shrugged her shoulders when she noticed the guilty look in his eyes.

“It’s fine. It was just the soup your giant friend brought over the other day. I was going to have it for lunch but I guess I’ll go out instead.” Karin smiled, trying to lighten Ichigo’s mood, “Wanna come? We can go to that new café downtown.”

Ichigo was interrupted before he could respond.

“Ichigo! Where is your laundry basket? Did you leave it in your room?” Yuzu called from upstairs. Ichigo paled and Karin wondered if she had ever seen him move so fast.

“Don’t worry about it! I’ll get it! I told you to stay out of my room!”

“But Ichigo, you know I do laundry every Saturday!”

Karin chuckled to herself as she put on her shoes and a jacket to go to lunch.

“I can do my own laundry, Yuzu!”

“You have just been so strange this past week, and I-”

Karin shut the door quietly behind herself. Wouldn’t want to disturb them…

She knew perfectly well why Ichigo was suddenly so concerned about his privacy: he had finally found a girl that could tolerate his idiocy and permanent foul mood. She had met her just a few days ago. Well, kind of.

Does hearing her while I’m outside brother’s room count as ‘meeting’?

Karin wondered for a while about this girl and when she would actually get to meet her. Then, she pushed the thoughts out of her head and told herself to stop being silly. Her brother’s affairs were his own and he would introduce this girl when he was ready.

The winter air was crisp and Karin decided instead to amuse herself by watching her breath create a fog as she walked down the street. She had heard about this new café at school. One of her soccer buddies had asked her on a “date-thing” yesterday but she had politely declined.  Well, as politely as she could while threatening to bash his stupid head in.

Karin smiled at the memory and realized that she had reached her destination. A wooden sign hung just outside the door engraved with an image of a black cat on a white fan. It read “The Black Cat.”

Interesting logo…  She entered, slowly unbuttoning her jacket, uncomfortably aware that the blonde man behind the counter was intensely focused on her.

“You’re Ichigo’s sister, right?” The old man grinned, obviously enjoying the confusion on her face.

“Um. Yeah…” Karin forced an awkward smile and nodded. The man laughed and she looked around the quirky café space to avoid his stare.

It wasn’t terribly crowded but most tables were already taken. Karin thought she saw an empty one nearer the back and decided she’d sit there after getting her food.

When the man with the funny striped hat finally asked for her order, she requested the daily special. Surprisingly quickly, at the other end of the counter, a beautiful tan woman came out from the kitchen. Her golden eyes gleamed as she handed Karin a small tray with her food and drink, and she felt the curious gaze follow her as she turned and made her way to the back table.

Once she got closer, Karin realized that her table was not empty at all. In fact, there was the giant himself, working on a laptop and scribbling things down in a notepad. She paused for a moment to fully take in the irony of the situation before moving out of the way of the other customers.

Chad looked up from his work, meeting her stare through his thick brown bangs. He seemed to chuckle quietly to himself as he returned to whatever he was typing.

When her feet refused to resume movement, he looked back up at her and pushed out the chair across from him with his foot.

Too late to turn back now…

Karin took a deep breath and set her tray down on his table. She flinched as the tray clattered on the table and managed a small, “hey,” as she sat down.

“Hey.” He repeated simply, not looking up. She could see a small grin on his face and Karin felt her hackles rise. Is this guy mocking me?

“Are you feeling better?”

Oh. Karin looked at the giant curiously, surprised that he would venture to start a conversation.

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine now.” She tried to hide her shyness by focusing her attention on her lunch. They sat in silence for a few long minutes.

“Aren’t you going to finish your sandwich?” Karin noticed his tray still had half a sandwich and an unopened juice on it.

Chad looked like he had forgotten the food was there. He mumbled something and picked up the sandwich in one hand and resumed typing with the other.

Karin laughed to herself as she realized he had forgotten about the sandwich again, holding it absently while focusing on the notes in his little notebook.

They sat in silence as Karin ate her own sandwich and finished her tea.

“What ‘cha doing?” She finally asked. The man across from her stopped typing for a moment and looked at her. Realizing he was still holding his sandwich, he took a small bite before putting it back down. He turned back a page in his notebook and pushed it towards her so she could read it.

“Mexican-American War: 1814-1848” was the heading of the page. Karin raised an eyebrow and looked through his notes. They were neater than she had expected.

Their eyes met again when she gave the notebook back and she blushed when she saw he had been watching her as she read.

“Are you almost done?” She asked quickly, trying to break the quiet tension with the first thing she could think of.

Oh, great. Now he’s going to think I actually care or something!

“I have a couple paragraphs left,” he said and returned focus to his computer.

After typing for another minute, he looked over at her again.

“Did you like the soup?”

Confusion filled Karin’s head until she realized what he meant.

“Um. Well, actually…”

“You don’t have to pretend you liked it.” Chad interrupted her excuse. Karin felt her face get warm as she watched his eyes light up when he smiled.

She blushed even more as she realized she was blushing. What on earth is happening? He’s just a friend of Ichigo’s and that’s all.

“It’s a recipe my grandfather used to give me when I was sick. I shouldn’t have made it as spicy for you, I’m sorry.”

Karin was too suddenly bashful to respond. She fidgeted with her cup and watched the people sitting around them instead, sneaking a glance at Chad every once and a while.

During her observation, a couple seated two tables away caught Karin’s attention. The girl had apparently said something incredibly funny because the boy next to her was laughing so hard it could be heard across the café. Karin was pretty sure that was a girl she knew from school. They sometimes played soccer together, but Karin didn’t know her well enough to have known that she had a boyfriend.

The dark-haired tomboy smirked, making fun of them in her head as the girl wrapped her arms around her date in a sappy, romantic gesture. Then, the boy turned his head and Karin realized that he was the same boy that had asked her to come here just yesterday.

What a jerk! That sure was fast!

“Are you all right?”

Stupid idiot. I should-

Karin exhaled slowly, trying to regain her composure. Chad seemed to notice her irritation and closed his laptop.

Hmm…

“Are you done with your paper thing yet?” Karin asked quickly, her dark eyes glinting with an idea.

“Yes. Is there-”

Karin stood up, gathered his notes together, and piled them on his computer.

“Good. You can walk me home now.”

Chad’s deep brown eyes widened, the only hint at his surprise, before he stood up. Without missing a beat, he picked up her tray with his and left them on the end of the counter.

When he returned, Chad picked up all his things in one arm and offered the other to Karin. She hesitated for a moment before letting her hand rest on his arm. He was quick on the uptake, Karin had to admit, and she appreciated that.

Purposely avoiding eye contact with the jerk, she and Chad exited the café. Karin beamed as the door closed behind them; she had noticed the boy stand up to talk to her out of the corner of her eye as they walked past.

Well, he could just apologize later. That is, if I ever decide I’ll talk to him again.

.

Back in the café, the blonde man at the counter smiled after the pair.

“Well, would you look at that? I can’t imagine Ichigo will be too happy about this.” Urahara laughed, letting an arm snake around the waist of the woman beside him.

“Oh, stay out of their business, you old man!” Yoruichi swatted him away playfully as she turned back to her work behind the counter.

.

They had gotten about a block before Karin realized she was still holding onto Chad’s arm. She apologized, letting go quickly.

He almost looked like he was going to protest but instead, asked, “So, that was a friend of yours?”

Karin thought for a moment before answering. Her hand was still tingling slightly, the large teen beside her was so warm.

“Not really.” She finally answered. “We play soccer together sometimes. He asked me to try the café back there with him yesterday.”

Chad stopped and crossed his arms. “Why was he with another girl today?”

Karin turned to face him. He had lost his normally relaxed demeanor and his voice sounded tight. She smiled, secretly pleased by his concern that this boy might have wronged her.

“I turned him down. I told him I just wanted to be friends.”

Chad nodded and his arms relaxed. He seemed to think for a moment.

“You’re upset because he went without you after you declined?”

Karin blushed and tried to find an appropriate response. Well, when you put it that way…

Chad smiled softly. “I understand.”

They reached the Kurosaki residence much too soon for Karin’s taste. There was an awkward moment where she wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to do.

This hadn’t been a date, had it? It kind of felt like a date. He had walked her home and everything.

Karin took a deep breath. “So, I’ll probably go back there for lunch again next Saturday. Maybe if you’re free, you could do some more homework or something or-”

Chad silenced her by taking her hand in his. He was still so warm, Karin felt her entire body heat up.

“I’d like that,” he said, squeezing her hand. Then, he did something that shocked her. His lips pressed against the back of her hand with a softness she never would have expected from the giant.

For those two seconds, Karin felt like she was on fire. She was sure her jaw had fallen open in surprise.

“I’ll see you then, Karin.” His lips left her hand and he was smiling that goofy smile again.

The stunned girl tried to get her mind and mouth working in sync again. “See you then,” she nodded.

Chad gave a small wave and walked back the way they had come.

Unable to do anything besides watch him walk away, Karin stared after him. Did he really just…

She pressed her fingers against her mouth and felt a giddy grin forming on her lips. She slowly made her way up to her front door, still lost in thought, and almost collided Ichigo as he was running out of the house.

“Oh!” Ichigo stuttered, looking surprised. Then, something seemed to occur to him and he said much louder, “Karin! How good to see you!”

Out of nowhere, a strange noise came from one of the upstairs windows. Karin looked up and saw the curtains in Ichigo’s window rustling as if a breeze were blowing through, but the air around them was perfectly still.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say it sounded like something just fell in Ichigo’s window…

 “Yuzu’s been driving me nuts with her cleaning and stuff. Keep her out of my room, will you? I’ll be back later.” Ichigo ran a hand through his hair as he hurried down the front steps.

Karin nodded quickly, confused, but also not wanting to bring attention to her flustered state after her interaction with her brother’s best friend.

“Oh, and Karin?” Ichigo turned to look at her again. “I’m sorry about the soup thing. I forgot that I am not the only person who lives in this house!” His voice got louder as he finished his sentence and he looked up at the window pointedly.

He’s really lost it… 

“Don’t worry about! The café was better anyway.” Karin smiled at her older brother and hurried inside before he could notice the bright red blush covering her face.

Chapter Text

Karin ran a brush through her hair and formed her usual ponytail before tiptoeing past Ichigo’s door and heading downstairs. Her brother had recently formed a habit of napping in the middle of the day and she certainly wasn’t going to be the one foolish enough to wake him.

“Karin, where are you going?” Yuzu called from the kitchen just as her twin touched the doorknob of the front door.  

The darker-haired girl sighed. She had been hoping to leave the house undetected. “I’m just meeting a friend for lunch, Yuzu.”

“What kind of friend, my darling angel?” Her dad looked up from his newspaper.

Karin rolled her eyes. “None of your business, old man.”

“Is this a gentleman friend?” He grinned excitedly. “Are you bringing him home to meet the family? You know, I’d be more than happy to stay home from the clinic this afternoon! We could talk baby names and-”

“We’re doing something afterwards too!” Karin interrupted before her father could finish. “I’ll be back later. Just stay out of it!”

She quickly slammed the door behind her before letting out a loud sigh at the mental image of Chad and her father meeting. A cringe-inducing image, for sure.

The big oaf wouldn’t be able to say anything even if he wanted to.

Karin refused to think any more about her father talking Chad’s ear off. Fortunately, the walk to the Black Cat café was short. Chad was already sitting at their table when she arrived. He met her eyes as soon as she entered and his smile made her heart flutter in her chest.

Even though he had gotten there first, he met her at the counter and ordered after she did. The same blonde man was working again today. Just like last time, he looked endlessly amused by the sight of her. His amusement erupted into a cackle when she arrived at the register, and Karin was so unnerved that she didn’t realize Chad was paying for her meal in addition to his own until it was too late.

“Hey, you don’t have to do tha-,” Karin tried to speak up.

“Don’t worry about it, young Kurosaki!” the blonde man exclaimed. “Yasutora has already taken care of you. It will be a wonderful meal indeed!”

She blushed furiously. Fortunately, Chad seemed somewhat surprised by the man’s outburst himself and wasn’t looking at her bright red face.

Who the hell is this guy?

Karin turned away from the weirdo quickly and headed back to their table.

Once they were both seated, the same gorgeous woman from last time brought them their food. She too smiled devilishly when she saw the pair she was serving, just like the weirdo.

Karin looked away uncomfortably, but Chad nodded in greeting.

“She a friend of yours?” Karin asked when the woman left, trying to sound innocently curious.

“Urahara and Yoruichi are friends of your brother,” he answered simply. Karin wondered what else she didn’t know about her brother.

“How’d your paper turn out?” she finally asked.

“It went well. The teacher liked it.”

Karin nodded to show that she had heard. Chad wasn’t much of a conversationalist but she found that she didn’t really mind. The silences were comfortable and at least he didn’t bore her by talking endlessly about stupid things.

“You’re lucky,” Karin started again. “I saved you from an afternoon of torture. My dad wanted me to invite you over after this but I told him we had plans.”

Chad smiled at her statement before looking thoughtful. “What would you like to do after this?”

Karin paused. She hadn’t actually considered that they hadn’t made other plans. “We could go to a movie? Slayer Zombies 3 is finally out.”

“There’s a third one? I wouldn’t want you to miss that.” Chad commented quietly and Karin knew he was making fun of her.

“It’s a trilogy! It’d be like playing a tied soccer game and giving up in the last 2 minutes. I need the closure,” she informed him.

Chad nodded. “I see.”

Karin smiled, pleased to have an excuse to spend more time with the older boy.

“You two look like you could use a little something sweet!” Urahara brought over a small cake and set it on their table.

Karin looked up at the strange man in confusion. “We didn’t order dessert.”

“It’s on the house!” He grinned back at her. “We call it the ‘Lover’s Cake.’ It’s a Black Cat specialty!”

Karin blushed at the name and glanced over at Chad to see his reaction. The corners of his smile twitched, hiding laughter.

“You’re sure it’s safe for humans to eat?” he asked. To Karin, he sounded surprisingly serious. She couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

Urahara put a hand to his heart dramatically. “How could you doubt me? We made it with our own hands!”

“That’s what concerns me,” Karin remarked quietly.

Chad could no longer suppress his laughter, causing the blonde man to squint at them disapprovingly.

“All you Kurosakis are the same!” Urahara lamented. “I swear it’s edible!”

Chad turned the plate to get a good look at the dessert. Karin could understand why it was called a ‘Lover’s Cake.’ There were two of everything: two squares of vanilla and chocolate on each half, two fluffs of whipped cream, two strawberries, except for -Karin blushed- one solitary pocky stick in the middle.

“Oh, before I forget! If you could pass on a message to Ichigo: tell him that I have a package for his little friend. It’s rather urgent.” Fully recovered from the previous insult, Urahara looked between them both before winking at Karin.

“Bon appétit!”

What on earth was that about? Karin wondered to herself. At least Chad seemed to have understood the message clearly enough.

She turned her attention back to the cake in front of them.

Having thoroughly inspected the dish, Chad tapped his finger in the chocolate sauce along the edge. Karin couldn’t believe he was being so cautious about the food, but when he licked the tip of his finger and seemed pleased, she found she couldn’t find the words to say anything about it.

Chad seemed completely unaffected by the implication of the situation and his actions, so Karin was determined to appear the same. She had never focused so hard on a cake before, but it was the only way to keep her hands from shaking out of shyness.

As it turned out, the entire dessert was rather good. Unfortunately for Karin though, they made quick work of it and arrived all too quickly at the chocolate biscuit treat. Unsure what to do, she paused.

We’re not really going to…

But Chad picked it up without hesitation and held out the chocolate covered end to her.

Internally bracing, Karin refused to let her shyness get the best of her. She took the pocky stick in her mouth and forced herself to hold it still.

Chad bit off the other end, his lips brushing gently against her own, and Karin had to remind herself to start breathing again when it was over.

The giant remained seated calmly across from her, completely unaware of the effect he had had on her. Karin tried to play it cool but she knew her face was still tinged pink.

“So, you ready to go to that movie?” she finally asked when she could speak again.

Chad smiled. “Sure.”

They stood and cleared their dishes from the table, with Karin purposefully avoiding the two pairs of curious eyes following them. When she and Chad finally exited the café, she was extra glad for the crisp air outside that cooled her flushed cheeks.

.

They were sitting in the dark theater waiting for the movie to start. Chad had paid for both their tickets despite Karin’s protests that he had also paid for lunch, so she tried to make up for it by buying the biggest size popcorn they sold.

Now, holding the large bucket with both hands, she tried not to react when Chad’s arm brushed hers every time he reached over to get a handful of popcorn. Karin refused to acknowledge it may have been slightly more than needed for just the two of them.

Finally, Slayer Zombies 3 dripped down the screen like it had been written in blood.

Karin shifted forward to the edge of her seat. This was supposed to be the scariest movie of the year and she was looking forward to finally seeing Chad’s stoic expression broken.

The movie started with the scene from the trailer, but quickly took a turn to a surprise twist that no one seemed to expect, even Karin. There was blood and gore on a whole new level.

Despite her best efforts, the first jump scare startled Karin enough that she sent pieces of popcorn flying.

“Here. It’s your turn to hold it,” she snapped at the boy chuckling beside her.

He took the bucket as ordered, but even as the movie progressed, Karin slowly realized that the scariest movie of the year was having little effect on him. He was definitely watching (she checked inconspicuously every time she got scared) but he didn’t even react when the rest of the theater was screaming.

Karin held strong and restrained herself from screaming like everyone else. In fact, aside from the one startle at the start, she limited herself to a few quiet gasps. She may have clung to Chad’s arm once or twice, but she insisted that was unrelated.

At least, until she found herself almost sitting on top of him at the end of the movie.

“Are you all right?” he asked when the credits started to roll.

Karin fell back into her seat and shrugged. “It wasn’t that bad.”

Chad stayed quiet with a small smirk, and she knew she wasn’t fooling anyone.

.

The sun was setting by the time they left the theater. They had started walking toward the Kurosaki residence, even though Karin insisted that Chad was not allowed inside while her father was home.

She was also still annoyed by the fact that he was seemingly fearless.

“Are you sure you weren’t scared at all?” she finally asked. “Even a little bit?”

The giant teen shrugged. “Zombies just aren’t something I’m afraid of.”

Karin frowned. “What are you afraid of then?”

He seemed to think for a moment before speaking. “Losing the people I care about.”

The younger girl rolled her eyes. “I mean a real fear. Like, how Yuzu’s afraid of spiders or Ichigo’s afraid of drowning.”

“What are you afraid of?” Chad asked, avoiding her question.

Karin hesitated for a minute, debating her answer. “Ghosts,” she said finally.

“I thought you had the ability to see spirits.” Chad slowed and looked down at her to see her face. “Why do they frighten you?”

“I don’t know.” Karin crossed her arms defensively. “They’re just around all the time. They’re annoying.”

Chad didn’t say anything, and Karin knew he was waiting for a better explanation.

“I guess… They make me worry about my mom. They always seem sad. I’m scared she’s sad, wandering around alone somewhere, just like every other ghost.”

Chad frowned. They had made it to her house but Karin didn’t want to go inside.

“Your mom was loved by you and your family. I know she was able to find her way to a better place,” he said finally.

“You really think so?” Karin looked up at him. He sounded so sure; it gave Karin hope.

“I know she’s happy. She isn’t lost like the spirits you see.” Chad nodded.

Karin thought about his words and decided they made sense. The idea still frightened her but it seemed much more unlikely now than it had before.

“You want to go play soccer in the park?” Karin asked, hoping to prolong their day a little longer.

Chad regarded her through his heavy bangs. Karin had gotten good enough at reading his face that she knew his eyebrows were pleasantly surprised, even though she couldn’t see them under his thick brown hair.  

“I don’t have a soccer ball,” he said after a long moment.

Karin smiled and grabbed his hand to pull him along. “That’s ok. We always leave one in a hiding spot in the park because people kept forgetting when it was their turn to bring the ball.”

.

When they reached the park, it was twilight and the two floodlights on either side of the half-line had been turned on for the night.

Karin found the tree she was looking for and climbed until she could reach the soccer ball resting in the branches. She hopped down and lobbed it over to where Chad was waiting.

“First one to three wins?” She asked.

The taller boy grinned. “You can start.” He tapped the ball to her.

Karin took a deep breath and formed a plan of action. Chad was big so he would be fast and a strong kicker. She couldn’t let him get a clear shot, but he’d be easy to get around if she stayed far enough away.

She twirled the ball around her foot and faked right before moving left. He stuck a foot out, pushing the ball away from her control.

Karin recovered quickly but then he was in front of her again. Changing strategy, she sidestepped and kicked the ball farther ahead so it was out of his reach. She sprinted after it but just before she could reach it, the giant was in front of her.

He nudged the ball with his heel and spun around with it. He leaned to one side before transferring the ball to his other foot and knocking it forward and around Karin.

Chad stepped around her and regained control of the ball without ever touching her, and Karin pushed herself to catch up.

“I believe that’s 1-0,” he commented after shooting from just outside the center circle.

“It’s basically cheating to shoot from the half-line when you’re playing one-on-one,” Karin huffed after he had retrieved the ball. Her hands were on her hips in an effort to hide how heavily she was breathing.

“Is that so?” Chad raised his eyebrows.

“It’s cowardly,” she confirmed.

The older teen smiled, laughter apparent in his eyes. “Fair enough.”

Karin rolled the ball around with her foot before starting again. She grinned a wicked grin and pulled the ball back on to the top of her foot. She bounced it once before punting it into the air over Chad’s head.

The second it left her foot she took off running. The surprise had given her a slight head start and she took full advantage of it. Just outside the goalie box, she felt Chad right behind her and took her shot.

He stopped short so as not to run into her, and Karin looked up to see him standing over her.

“I believe that’s 1-1,” she teased, mocking his previous tone.

Did he just roll his eyes at me?

This time, Chad started out with the ball. He got it around Karin but she caught up and tried to push him off the ball. He was heavier than the boys she played soccer with, but she refused to just give up.

Finally, she was able to get a toe in and steal it away.

It was a foot race to the goal and Karin won again. She realized belatedly that Chad had tried to avoid touching her when they were competing for the ball, and it irritated her to no end.

This time, Karin was determined to make him fight for it.

When Chad started with the ball, she got right up against him and pushed him off before getting it back under her control. He was running beside her again within seconds but Karin wouldn’t relent. He finally got a step ahead, put his foot down hard on the ball to turn it around, and sent her flying when she tried to connect with the ball again.

“Are you ok?” He asked, pausing to help her up.

“I’m fine,” she grouched, brushing herself off. “You’re supposed to keep going! That wasn’t even a foul.”

Chad kicked the ball forward again only when she was ready, and they fought for it down the field. He scored again and Karin refused to comment.

The next person to score would win. Karin tried to think of her next move. Chad was a better player than she had expected but she had no intentions of losing.

She nudged the ball over the half-line, planning on beating him in a dribbling contest, but Chad was on the ball before she could touch it again.

They struggled for a moment, two opposing forces caught in a collision, but somehow the ball ended up behind her. One touch and Chad had the ball under control and was heading down the field.

Karin sprinted after him, going all out, and slid across the ground less than a second too late. She ended up hitting his foot mid-kick, knocking him off balance so that he toppled over. Karin winced in anticipation of him landing on her, but it never happened.

He was on his back on the ground, perpendicular to her own body, looking up at the sky. The ball brushed against the net. He had scored, but Karin wondered if she had actually hurt him.

Then, he turned his head to look at her and grinned. “I think that means I won.”

“You just got lucky,” Karin scoffed. Idiot.

Chad looked back up at the sky, not bothering to move from his position on the ground. He was still smiling.

Karin rolled over on her stomach so she was next to the older boy. She propped up her head with her hands and sighed.

I hate losing.

“Airplanes,” he said after a moment.

Karin looked over at him in confusion.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m afraid of airplanes.”

“Airplanes? Why?”

You’ve gotta be kidding me.

“A couple reasons,” he answered.

“Like what?” Karin was determined to get more than one sentence out of him this time.

Chad’s mouth turned into a sad smile. “When I went to elementary school in Okinawa, they would fly over the school for military drills and we would have to get under our desks and pretend that we were being bombed.”

“That’s awful.” Karin shuddered at the idea. “Have you ever been on a plane?”

“Once. When I came with my grandfather to live here after my parents died.”

“I didn’t know your parents were dead. What happened?” Karin realized there were a lot of things she didn’t know about the boy resting next to her.

“They died in a plane crash,” he responded simply.

“Oh…” Karin struggled to something else to say. Empathizing had never been her strong point.

“You should tell me if you ever have to fly anywhere again,” she finally decided.

“Why?” Chad asked her.

“Because I’ll go with you,” she decided, taking his hand in her own and holding it tight. “You know, I’ve never been outside Japan. It’d be like an adventure,” she told him.

Chad smiled and squeezed her hands. “I’ll be sure to let you know if that ever happens.”

Karin blushed and found herself smiling back. They lay next to each other like that, watching the stars for a long while before Chad gently untangled his hand from hers.

He stood up and helped her up. “It’s late, Karin. I don’t want your family to worry about you.”

Karin sighed and decided he was probably right. She put the ball back in its hiding place and they walked back to her house, hand in hand.

.

It was fully dark when they stopped in front of her house at the end of the night. Karin’s stomach twisted nervously. She knew what she wanted, but she wasn’t sure if it was a good idea.

But, before she could rethink her decision, she was on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against Chad’s.

He was so warm. Karin felt like her body was on fire.

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into him. She clenched and unclenched her fists in his dark curls.

Far too soon, Chad broke the kiss. Karin realized her lungs were screaming for air. Her feet were inches off the ground.

He set her down gently and smiled, his chocolate brown eyes melting into hers. “Sorry.”

“It’s… ok,” Karin barely found her voice.

He stepped back but kept his arms around her. “You should probably head inside. Your brother is worried.”

“How do you know that?” Karin asked.

As if responding to his name, Ichigo stuck his head out an upper window.

“Oh! Hey, you two… Didn’t realize you were out here!” He smiled sheepishly.

“Now you’re awake!?” Karin fumed. “You’re worse than dad!”

“I am not! Can’t a guy just look out his window?” Ichigo protested.

“It’s dark, you idiot! What are you even looking at?” Karin spun around desperately searching for something to throw at her older brother, but Chad stilled her hand.

“It’s ok,” he said in his infuriatingly calm tone.

“It is not! Let me go!” she hissed back, trying to pull her hand out of his grip. She stepped out of her left shoe in preparation. A rock would have been easier to aim, but none were to be found.

“Karin,” Chad chuckled. He squeezed her hand to get her attention away from trying to reach her shoe.

She refused to be deterred until she saw that Ichigo had disappeared back inside. She’d have to kill him later.

Chad pulled her from her murderous thoughts.

“I had a good time today.” He kissed her fingers lightly before releasing her hand.

It still took her breath away every time he touched her. Karin held her hand against her chest.

“Me too.” She smiled. “Maybe we can do it again next weekend? This time I promise my stupid family won’t be involved.”

That made Chad laugh. “I like your family, Karin. I like you.”

Karin blushed again. She didn’t understand how he could just say things so straightforwardly.

“Yeah. I, uh, like you too,” she stammered.  

Is he blushing?

Karin swore his cheeks were slightly darker, even under the harsh light of the streetlamps.

Chad cleared his throat. “Next weekend, then. There’ll be a soccer match at the high school if you want to go to that?”

“That sounds great!” Karin grinned. She briefly wondered why Chad had never tried out for the school team. He obviously would have made it.

Maybe she would ask him next weekend. Karin was excited by the idea of having more time to get to know him.

He returned her smile. “Good night, Karin.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Good night, you big oaf.”

Chad smirked and put a hand up in a lazy wave to confirm that he had heard her before heading back down the street.

Karin watched him walk away under the streetlights until he disappeared around the corner. After a long moment, she reluctantly turned and went inside.

She locked the front door and slid her shoes off in the hallway. A strange shuffling noise came from the living room, along with the sound of people sitting heavily down onto the couch.

Karin poked her head into the living room. Her dad and Yuzu smiled back up at her quickly with a suspicious innocence on their faces.

Apparently, Ichigo hadn’t been the only person keeping an eye on her outside.

“You’re all terrible!” Karin yelled at her family before stomping up the stairs to confront her older brother.

“So, Yuzu,” Isshin spoke in a theatrically loud tone as she walked away, “I was thinking we should all go see your school’s soccer team play next weekend! It would be a wonderful family outing, don’t you think?”

“What a great idea, Dad!” Yuzu agreed.

Karin groaned. She was never going to hear the end of this. At least Chad made all the teasing worth it.