Between Guys

Toshiro Hitsugaya, captain of Squad Ten, didn�t show emotion very often. Still, he couldn�t help but fidget nervously at the weight of his companions� stares. Companions, plural, because right now Ichigo Kurosaki�s while his left eye was the amber-and-ebony of his inner named H. Ichigo Shirosaki (Horo Ichigo, �Hollow one who �White Destination� as opposed to Kurosaki, �Black/Dark for short.

right eye was normal, Hollow, whom Ichigo had protects� Shirosaki, Destination�) or Hichigo

�So.� Ichigo�s gaze seemed�slightly hostile. �You�re here to pick Karin up for a date?� �Hai,� Hitsugaya replied, tugging at his collar. He silently cursed Matsumoto and Hinamori for their girlish need to force him into something formal, or at least �Sunday best�, for the occasion. �Hn.� Ichigo seemed lost in thought. �She should be home soon. Yuzu dragged her to the store.� �Ah.� The awkward silence stretched. �Is Kurosaki-taicho home?� Hitsugaya asked uncomfortably. �No. Dad had to attend a conference out-of-town. Which leaves his job to me. Us,� he amended after Hichigo apparently complained in his head. �Job�?� Hitsugaya asked nervously. Ichigo nodded. �It is typically the father�s job to grill the potential boyfriend in order to judge whether or not he approves of the guy. As the eldest, the older brother and the interim �man of the house�, it falls to me in his absence.� �Grill?� Hitsugaya murmured, visions of a trial-by-obscenely-large-barbeque filling his mind. �Interrogate.� �Oh.� Ichigo leaned back. �So, Toshiro�tell me. What about Karin do you like?� Hitsugaya was taken aback. �Excuse me?� �You obviously find something about her attractive. What is it?� The mismatched eyes conveyed that Toshiro had better answer extremely carefully. �Well, she is physically attractive, but more than that, it�s her strength. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. How she can make you fear hell itself by

glaring at you. How she can take anything life dishes out without flinching.� ## �How she can KO a Hollow by kicking it with a soccer ball,� Ichigo joked. �That�frankly, scares me.� �Join the club.� Ichigo and Hitsugaya both noticed the reiatsu of Ichigo�s sisters approaching the house. �OK. Let me wrap this up then, Toshiro.� Hichigo was given temporary control. �Karin is to be home by ten. It is a school night and she needs her rest. If she is not home by then, King has promised to let me HUNT. YOU. DOWN. I�d advise not being late. You might not survive to get a second chance.� Toshiro swallowed audibly. �And if you-EVER-break Karin-chan�s heart�� Hichigo leaned in close. Toshiro shrank back. �Or King, Zangetsu, or myself ever find out that you took her innocence and then dumped her�� Toshiro whimpered. Hichigo gave his trademark insane grin. �Ichigo and I will hunt you down like the dog you were and kill you. In the slowest, most torturously painful ways imaginable, having Orihime-chan revive you after each time so we can have another go. She has already agreed to help if necessary. Are we clear, �Shiro-chan�?� Hitsugaya nodded dumbly as Karin walked in, Yuzu trailing behind. �Oh! Toshiro! I didn�t expect you to be so early!� Karin exclaimed, glancing at the clock. �Oh, it�s alright,� Ichigo replied smoothly. �It gave Toshiro and I a chance to chat.� �Really? About what, nii-san?� �Oh�� Ichigo gave Toshiro a knowing grin and secretive wink. The ice-user blanched slightly as the older boy put an arm around his shoulders. �Guy stuff.� �Um, yeah�so shall we get going, Karin?� Toshiro said.

�Sure! Just a sec.� Yuzu leaned in close. �He gave you �the big brother talk�, right?� Hitsugaya nodded glumly. �Don�t worry. He was ten times worse on Jinta on our first date. Mr. Urahara couldn�t coax Jinta outside the shop for months.� She wandered to the kitchen to put the food away. �Ready!� Karin chirped. �Have fun, you two,� Ichigo called. �Remember, home by ten.� �Yeah yeah.� Karin waved her hand dismissively, not even glancing over her shoulder at him. Toshiro did, however� And nearly passed out as white spirit particles began fluctuating on the left side of Ichigo�s face, Hichigo giving a sadistic grin. �I�ll be sure to have her home by then, Ichigo. See ya!� Toshiro rushed out. �Capt. Zaraki�s interrogation when he learned of Yachiru fukutaicho�s crush on me was much less traumatic,� Hitsugaya decided.