living corpse Chapter 20: sunshine in a bag, a bleach fanfic

Once upon a time, there is a dragon, a knight and a princess kept captive by the dragon. The story goes that the dragon captured the beautiful princess to add to his collection, while the knight set out to rescue her. The knight consequently rescues the princess and slays the dragon.

Is that a happy ending?

The dragon is dead and the knight no longer strives towards anything.

The relationship between them is symbiotic.

The knight is there to be the hero; to rescue the princess or to take the hoard of treasure; the knight is there to save.

And what about the dragon?

The dragon is there to give conflict; to attain something of value; the dragon is there to give purpose.

Without each other, no story would be told of the greatness and fall of man.

Perhaps climbing up the window (with a water-gun stuffed in a backpack) is an unorthodox thing to do, but it's all in the name of fun. This means that everything is okay.

Especially if the window is never shut, because it makes the whole breaking and entering debacle a whole lot easier.

Powering up the water pistol…

Fire!

"Ugh!" Yuzu splutters, rudely awoken on the day of her wedding, soaked in water.

"Heh." Karin grins, offering a salute and a tilted pose. "How ya been, onee-chan?"

If anyone can win a prize for 'fastest person to leap from a bed to a person and get them in a great big hug'; it's Yuzu.

"Tadaima." Karin smiles, her hand in Yuzu's hair; Yuzu's arms around her neck.

"Okaeri." Yuzu replies, holding onto her little sister for a little moment longer.

"Kami, you're crying!"

"Am not!" Yuzu objects to Karin rolling her eyes. Nonetheless, she wipes her watery eyes.

"You are. Jeez, did you have no faith, girl? Like I said time and time again: there is no way I am missing this wedding."

"Ano… you missed the wedding rehearsal." The older sister feels compelled to point out.

Karin sighs. "Technical difficulties. Besides, I did say that it wasn't the real thing. Me being here for the big event should make up for that… hiccup."

"Never mind." Yuzu yawns, trying to stifle it with the back of her hand. "You're here now."

"Yeah." The younger sister grins lopsidedly. "… I'm here."

living corpse
20 : sunshine in a bag

She looks beautiful, Yuzu looks really beautiful.

Dressed in white with a white rose adorned in her hair, nothing else lights up the way she does.

"Ano, Karin," Yuzu squirms under Karin's slightly crooked grin. "… you're staring again."

"Oh yeah?" The younger sister folds her arms under her chest.

"Y-Yeah…"

"It's because, dear sweet sister of mine, you've finally become prettier than me."

"Tha—hey! Is that an insult or a complement?" Pale cheeks burn in panic.

Karin's mirthful giggles are the last thing Yuzu hears, floating in the air like bubbles just about to pop.

For a second, her mind rests on Toushirou, wondering how he felt, wondering how he feels, wondering how he will feel after he sees her.

But Yuzu's talking to her and Karin fixes a smile on her face and nods accordingly, trying to focus on – only on – the wedding.

Right now, the main thing is to ensure perfection to the wedding.

With a yawn, Hitsugaya Toushirou opens the door, in pinstriped pyjama bottoms.

Before him are Hinamori Momo and Kurosaki Ichigo, dressed in a plum-pink dress and a black suit, slightly curious and amused.

"… can I help you?" Hesitant, Toushirou asks the question on his mind.

Ichigo and Momo share a look of disbelief.

"Actually, you can." Momo nods, stepping forward. "We are going to the wedding of Yuzu and Hanatarou – and guess what? You're invited! Hurry up, get dressed and make sure to wear a smile on that face, grumpy."

"…"

The door shuts.

"Did I go too far?" Momo asks her boyfriend.

"No, you were right on the mark. Especially since we're here half an hour before the grand event." Ichigo kisses her forehead with a smile.

The door opens.

Suddenly shy, or at least embarrassed by something, Hitsugaya Toushirou mumbles something.

"Sorry? Speak louder, 'cause I can't hear you, short stuff." Ichigo grins.

"… I don't know what to wear." Toushirou admits.

"That's alright. I already got you something." Momo smiles, leaning on Ichigo's arm, as her boyfriend shows the black tux with his other hand. "Should be perfect, if you haven't become flabby." She can't resist teasing when it comes to Hitsugaya Toushirou.

"Thanks." Hitsugaya Toushirou offers a smile, pointedly ignoring the last comment. "Um, would you like to come in… or are you taking me hostage to the wedding?"

"… we're taking you hostage to the wedding." Ichigo affirms, noting Karin's influence in him.

"Okay." Yawning once more, he lets them in.

"And remember!" Momo cheers with Ichigo's peace pose. "Look sharp 'cause you want to sweep the future Hitsugaya Karin off her feet!"

Hitsugaya Toushirou mutters something unintelligible before slamming another door.

Hinamori Momo raises a confused eyebrow with a curved smile at his reaction.

"Was I not supposed to say that?"

"I am so not wearing pink." Karin flatly says.

"Aw, not even for me and my big day?" Yuzu pouts with big brown puppy eyes that Karin has never been able to resist.

"… okay. I'll wear that frickin' pink dress for you." Karin gives in, shoulders slumped, head downcast.

It's a plum-pink dress, but still.

"I knew you'd see it my way!" Yuzu grins. "But alas," and at this, she gives a dramatic sigh. "This dress is not for you; you're to wear this!"

It's a pretty red dress, that's also shorter than the plum-pink dress.

"You lied to me!" Flustered, Karin turns away, feigning anger. "How dare you!"

"Only compensation for what you've done to me in the past, imouto-chan." Yuzu giggles.

"And how do I look, oh beautiful pregnant lady?" Toushirou deadpans.

Ichigo coughs. "That's my girlfriend you're talking to."

"Hush." Momo waves it away, then going with the flow. "Fantabulous, but I belong only to Captain Strawberry here."

"… because you're my Vice Captain Peach." Ichigo whispers in her ear, enjoying her reddening reaction.

Toushirou rolls his eyes, reminding them. "We have a wedding to get to."

"Exactly." Simultaneously, the fruity couple say. "So we'd best be going."

She—

Karin.

—looks beautiful.

The wedding, for most part, goes pretty smoothly. Though Karin 'halts' it, once she gazes at Momo, and pretty much shouts: "Whoa, she's huge!"

To which Momo replies, "My baby's alive and kicking, Kurosaki!"

And later making a sign language with the best man, Shiba Ganju, which helps pass the time – though it distracts the priest – "will you two please take it somewhere else, no, not you two, Yuzu and Hanatarou, who are here for holy matrimony unlike some people… may I continue?"

A snort. A giggle. And eventually a nod.

"… sorry, father."

"Yeah. Sorry 'bout that."

"Thank you, as I was saying—"

"Tha answer's yes!" Yamada Hanatarou all but screams, buckling under pressure. "It has, and always will be, yes, I do!"

"I beg your pardon!"

"Oh, Hana-chan…" Yuzu melts by his statement.

And so, the snog fest begins with Yuzu mumbling "yes, I do" also within the kiss; miraculously sliding on the rings.

"Since you're already kissing… I now pronounce you 'man and wife'!"

Amongst the clapping, Shiba Ganju sidles up to Kurosaki Karin.

"I have got to hand it to Hana; he sure can speed up a wedding."

"So, I don't really know him that well, but I'm a-liking him already." Karin grins, sharing a laugh.

Throughout the ceremony, she has tried not to feel Hitsugaya Toushirou's eyes on her.

Likewise he has tried to keep his eyes off Kurosaki Karin, but something draws him back to the lady in red, captivating him always.

Though, they wouldn't have it any other way.

She catches his eyes once Yuzu and Hanatarou run down the aisle, truly wed, and Karin just can't look away.

… it's only when she realizes that Shiba Ganju is talking to her that she breaks the gaze and looks at the best man, weakly answering his question.

She won't tell him why she's blushing.

The thrown bouquet rests in her hands for half a second before falling to the ground, scattering the petals before her feet.

"Whoops." She offers a smile to Momo. "Butterfingers."

The reception is kind of like a game of cat and mouse – Toushirou chases, and Karin evades.

He really doesn't know how she does it – but he can't spot her, lost in crowds and hidden under tables.

Luckily, Hinamori Momo is on his side.

"Ah hah! I found our little renegade." Momo grins, lifting up the table cloth.

"Ooh, that's a harsh word. Runaway is a tad closer to what I am." Karin pulls a face before matching the smile that her friend has. "But enough about me; it's good ole Momo that I want to hear about, how you two finally 'got together', with no explicit content on the 'dirty deed'. Because that's my brother we're talking about."

For the moment, Momo lets her drift away from the point she is about to make. She has missed this, the gossip shared between them.

"Would you believe that your suggestion of bananas, rubber gloves and a pogo stick actually worked?"

"No!"

"So. A runaway, huh. Never would have guessed that."

"You, Momo, are getting far too snarky. I blame Ichigo." Karin laughs, heartily amused.

"Hush, you. It had been a long time coming." Momo can't repress a smile, before going back to the main topic. "So why do it? Why run away?"

Sobering up, Karin decides that hiding under the table isn't the best way to discuss things. "Well, that depends… which escapade are you talking about?"

"Let's say the first one – before any of this mess started." Though her tone is gentle, Karin can sense the reprimand lingering in the air. "When you took the soccer gang kicking and screaming somewhere far, far away?"

"You and whose army heard that?"

"The vegetables." Momo replies seriously.

But neither of them can keep a straight face.

"No, they wanted to come. I wanted to go. I let them… and so we left." Karin says, smoothing out her hair, after her giggles dissolved.

"You're not answering the question…" Momo reminds her in a sing-song voice.

"I dunno." The younger girl shrugs. "I got bored. It's a small town. There's only so much you can do before everything fades to grey. And I… didn't want to that person." She pauses, lost in thought. "… the person who panicked every time I saw him. Because every time I did, I became someone I didn't want to be. I needed to clear my head. When I came back… I hadn't expected this place to change so much. Relationships and other stuff…"

"You know, you can still be yourself when you're in a relationship, you don't have to lose yourself." Momo says, acting like a mother in place of Yuzu. "Did you know that Rukia would have never been with Toushirou had you stayed and worked things out? I think she knew that whatever they had was only temporary, and you two would eventually realize that you guys were meant to be. That didn't mean that while she had the chance, she wouldn't take it – because she did. Rukia… Rukia taught Shirou-chan to have a good time. But you? You brought meaning back into his life."

"When did you get so wise?" Karin sighs into her hand. "Or cheesy?"

Momo laughs, amused. "I think it comes with being a mother. At least, a soon-to-be mother."

"You'll be fine, relax." Lazily, Karin assures her, a flick of a hand twirling black locks. "Believe in yourself, like you do in others."

The older girl leans forward. "Why don't you take your own advice?"

"Eh? Why?" Karin tilts her head to the side, wide-eyed.

"What do you mean 'eh'?" Momo snorts, quickly returning to her mothering demeanour. "It's good advice, so take it!"

The youngest Kurosaki shrugs, her face composed once more.

"Okay." Moving onto her 'psychiatrist mind frame', which is something Momo has always wanted to be, be it in a terrible parody or something of that nature, the pregnant lady shifts into her next phase. "The second time you left, you took Shirou-chan with you; yet he returned without you. Now, why is that, exactly?"

"… because I was scared; because I didn't want to lose him; because whenever I fall in love with someone, I let them go. And, maybe I wouldn't be so commitment phobic if all that shit hadn't happened before Kaa-chan…" Karin trails off, lost in thought for a moment, eyes glazed.

"That really wasn't your fault." Momo sighs. "Stop blaming yourself for things that happen. Sometimes, they just do… whether it's fate, coincidence or plotted assassination."

"Mm…" Karin compresses her lips into a faint line. "Maybe you're right."

"I always am." Momo smiles, amused. "Now, let's hear your speech."

"Speech? What speech?" Caught off guard, the youngest Kurosaki blinks, panicking.

"The Maid of Honour speech? That's totally compulsory." Momo grins evilly. "You know Yuzu wants one."

"Damn guilt trips." Karin mumbles under her breath. It's unfair that her best friend is right.

"What was that?" Momo teases.

The youngest Kurosaki takes a deep breath, her hand tangled in her hair. "… I don't have one. May the power of improvisation bless me tonight."

"Ooh, you so better make it a good one, girl, or you're going down." Momo giggles. "Best of luck."

And then Karin 'conveniently' disappears, when she spots a familiar face from the crowd.

Meaning, she scuttles back under tablecloth and travels to another part of the world. She has ninja skills from watching Naruto too much.

"Um, Momo?" Hitsugaya Toushirou ventures to ask a rather amused pregnant lady.

"Yes, Toushirou?" Momo sweetly says, far too brightly to be considered normal. Maybe it's the hormones…

"Have you seen Karin? I could have sworn…"

At this, she bursts into laughter. "No, Shirou-chan, I haven't. And if you're wise, I'd stop looking, and let her come to you."

"So, tell me." Ichigo grins, a pleasing mixture with his trademark scowl. "Why is my darling imouto playing ninja when she should be making a speech that she didn't do at the rehearsal?"

"Ah… I was playing runaway, Captain Strawberry…" Karin mumbles, having the grace to look embarrassed and red-faced.

"You know, as fun as that game is, you have to stop sometimes." Arching an eyebrow, her big brother helps her onto her feet. "And Yuzu is going to freak when she sees the state of that dress."

"… but it's mine now." Karin pouts, ignoring the former comment; brushing the dust off.

"Karin."

"I know, I know." Karin sighs, looking resigned. "I swear I will, Ichi-nii."

Smirking at the use of his old nickname, Kurosaki Ichigo ruffles his sister's hair. "Toushirou's a good guy. There's no one else I reckon that would make you happier… no one else I'd trust more…"

"… no one else you'd like to throttle their neck, too." Karin continues with curved lips.

"Only you, sis. Only you." Ichigo rolls his eyes.

"… and so, yeah – he's just awesome. You know. So, have a wonderful married life, because kami-sama knows that two nurses deserve happy endings." Ganju lamely ends, thanking his mind that he didn't slip up and say 'a wonderful birthday' like he had done, forty-two times in the mirror.

The four soccer players have a plan, quite certain that Karin hadn't planned a speech, her mind on other things.

Part one is already in motion: finding Hitsugaya Toushirou and leading him up to Karin, so she can see him, even if she won't talk.

Part two is about to commence: cheering on the Maid of Honour's speech.

"Karin! Karin! Karin!" They cheer, hoping that their queen of hearts will use their enthusiasm as courage to talk to a crowd of people she doesn't really know.

And then, maybe, just maybe, part three will end up as a kiss.

"Go on, Karin. Break a leg." Ichigo whispers in her ear.

This is her chance: and she's going to take it.

With a push and a laugh, she takes the centre stage. "Um, hi. I'm Kurosaki Karin, sister of Yuzu and now sister-in-law to Hanatarou."

For a second, she is at a loss of words, the pressure sending her mind reeling, though she puts on a brave face.

Then her eyes find his.

And the words flow ever so naturally.

"I've known my sister all my life, well obviously – she's my twin." She grabs the microphone, feeling a lot more in control. "And the thing is, she has always, always been wonderful. And it's great, that she's met someone just for her – as kind, as loyal, as… um, a hippo." She decides with a nod. "The both of them have Huge Hippo Hearts, which is a very good thing – since hippos are my favourite creatures." They aren't, but who cares as long as the alliteration is effective. "And, as your favourite sibling—" She grins in Ichigo's direction. "—I want you to know that you two have a great thing together, and you shouldn't waste it. You guys are going to be awesome parents, someday. And you two are frickin' meant to be."

Placing the microphone back, she adds. "Thank you."

She really should take her own advice.

"Me wo tojite night growing
yobiokosu an kioku…"

"Nice speech there."

Karin grins. "Ah, well. It was nothing… something out of the top of my head. Nothing special, Donny."

Though her eyes are closed, she can still feel his lips drawn into a wide smile. "They came from your heart, and that's the important thing."

Snorting, she lets him twirl her…

… and be held by someone else.

Eyelids flutter open, dark lashes curling onto blossoming cerise flesh.

"Hi…"

Hitsugaya Toushirou tilts his head to the side, white hair slightly messy, cerulean blue eyes intense as ever.

Clearing his throat, he says:

"May I have this dance?"

Always.

But all she says is:

"Oh, alright then."

Donny is cackling. Like the wicked witch of the west.

He's a cackler. Cackling evil cackles.

Ryouhei planned the whole debacle; while Pinta came just for the cake. Karin knows this.

Part three: in action.

"So, you look nice." She offers, perhaps a bit weakly, but it's the effort that counts, right?

"… thanks. You do too." Stiffly, he replies.

Awkward.

"Nah, don't mention it; I always look great." She waves it away with a self-confident smirk that she didn't feel.

"So, you asked Yuzu to look after my place?"

"Yeah, I kind of thought that Yuzu could calm her nerves and make sure that your place was tidy. It benefited both parties."

"Thank you."

"Aw, you're welcome."

They try to dance formally, but it doesn't really work.

His grip keeps slipping, and they keep flushing, and Karin's a clumsy dancer which makes the whole thing a combo of amusing, hilarious and downright humiliating. It doesn't help that Karin can feel his toned muscles under those fine clothes, or Toushirou's fingers 'slip', and brush against her bare flesh, causing more blushing and stuttering until Karin just reverts to how they used to dance.

It's a great deal more comfortable. And fun.

"Karin—"

Her eyelids lower.

"Don't."

"Karin."

She hates the way he looks at her, like he's searching for her soul.

"… what?"

"I brought a flower for you. Hope you don't mind."

It's the same type of flower from the bouquet, white roses that unfurl and brings out her beauty to the fullest.

His slender fingers slide past her cheeks, placing the single rose behind her ear.

"… thanks." She mumbles, not looking at him, pretending that she's not acutely conscious of his every move.

"Close your eyes for me, okay?"

"Okay."

It's his gift to her; that once that symbolizes gratitude that now symbolizes perseverance.

The necklace is the same from the city where he was left behind.

But he won't give up, not today, not tomorrow, not for a long, long time.

He loves her.

"Kami, Toushirou, it's…" Karin breathes, heart hammering.

"I meant to give it to you that night when…"

"… oh." She bites her lips, lipstick smearing on her teeth.

"Yeah."

"… I'm sorry." Looking away, she can still feel his hand resting on her shoulder.

"Why'd you go?"

"Garasudama hitotsu otosareta
Oikakete mou hitotsu okkochita…"

"Karma, Bump of Chicken. Damn, that Hana guy has good taste." Karin murmurs absent-mindedly.

Toushirou clears his throat.

"Oh, right."

Back to the main topic. Maybe she should follow Momo's advice.

"… it was because I was scared. Of saying 'I love you' and not… leaving. I've done it for so long. You know, the last thing I said to Kaa-chan was 'I hate you' – and not 'I love you' and I just felt so damn guilty. So, I thought, when I finally fall in love with them, I'll let them go."

"That's so fucked up."

"Shut up. I… don't like getting close to people; don't like being vulnerable; I have to put on a brave face, for the rest, you know? After… after Kaa-chan died, it was hard to trust people. But you helped me, that time. Made me clear my head and figure things out."

She's stalling.

All he wants is the truth.

"Look, Karin. I know, that sometimes in life, you have to let go, but sometimes, you've got to hold on with both hands and never let go."

And his hand finds her.

"So, please, just tell me: why'd you go?"

"… because I knew that after a while, you'd tire of me."

"Karin."

"No, that's not true. You'd tire of the lifestyle, moving from place to place. You're a grounded person, always have and will be. You just needed to be reminded of that, finding your purpose once more. And I… I have to move. I don't like being settled; don't like being tethered to a place… a person."

"So you cut ties." It sounds ridiculous.

"… mm. It gets lonely, talking to the dead and doing them a favour, be it live or an object. But, so many wonderful things happen; and freedom… freedom is awesome. I don't want to tied down, and though I… though I love you, and wouldn't mind you coming along, you'd hate it. Maybe not at first, but… eventually. And then we'd fight, and argue, and break up, and I couldn't deal with that."

"You're so damn stupid; you should really listen to yourself. What about you? Wouldn't you stop living the freelance lifestyle after a while? Maybe not at first, but in time… the loneliness gets to you. I know it does. You became so animated around these people, so I didn't notice at first, but, it's true. You're lonely."

"… I wasn't lonely when you were around." Karin feels inclined to add.

"That's not the point. The point is… I want to be with you. And if that means, going from place to place, time to time, then I wouldn't mind. Because people change, and hey, maybe you won't want to move, maybe you'd want to stay here and settle. And I know, that's not now… but I can wait." His smile is gentle, one she knows very well. "I've been waiting so long for you; I can wait a little longer."

And she kisses him; hot and feverish; quick and crushing. A kiss that sends their hearts ablaze, a kiss that makes the rest of the world stop and stare.

Hitsugaya Toushirou has always been the exception to her rule.

If he hadn't, she would have left him long ago, in the shores of Kobe.

"Ask me." Karin says. "Ask to stay, and I will."

"No." Toushirou shakes his head. "Only if you want to."

"What?"

"If you want to stay… then stay. If you want to go… then go. But for fuck's sake, Karin, take me with you and next time don't leave your mobile behind."

"Oh, don't worry." Karin wryly smiles. "There won't be a next time."

"Say it; say it and this time, don't runaway." Toushirou murmurs in her ear.

And this time, she has nothing to lose, she has—

It's time to stop running and take him.

"I love you."

There's no more distance between them.

"I love you too."

—she has him, and he makes her happy, that's all that matters.

He's here.

Part three: complete.

It's not the soccer gang's fault that they start bawling, because they've finally got it right. And this time, it's real.

Secret handshake number five is now active. Karin's personal favourite.

The four of them: Kazuya, Ryouhei, Donny and Pinta are much pleased with their matchmaking.

"It's about damn time." Ichigo says, arm around Momo, who's pretty certain her water just broke.

It's a… a… good wed—it's the perfect wedding. One with a trouble, mayhem and a lot of love.

Once upon a time, there is a dragon, and there is a knight.

Once upon a time, there is a boy, and there is a girl.

The dragon liked to glower, and the knight liked to beat things up.

The boy liked the girl and the girl liked the boy.

After many disputes, the dragon and the knight feigned death so people could stop bothering them. The plan worked, and they lived happily ever after.

After many disputes, the people surrounding them decided to do them a favour and get them together. The plan worked and…

And, in time, she became Hitsugaya Karin.

In time, so many things happened.

Maybe it wasn't exactly a perfect life to live, but it's one that made them happy to be alive and to live and love.

That's the important thing.

And so far, they have a pretty good 'happily ever after'; even if they aren't caricatures of fairy tales.

It's all they've ever wanted.

a/n. I can't believe this is over – thank you so much reviewing, favouriting and alerting. I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing.

Songs for the chapter titles: 01, Placebo - Twenty Years; 02, Radiohead - Idioteque; 03, Relient K - High on '75; 04, Hellogoodbye - Homewrecker; 05, Jude - I Know, 06, ELO - Mr Blue Sky; 07, TaTu - 30 Minutes; 08, Coldplay - Yellow; 09, Tal Bachman - She's So High; 10, Screaming Tree - Look At Me; 11, The Fray - Heaven Forbid; 12, Placebo - Post Blue; 13, Panic At The Disco - She Had The World; 14, Barenaked Ladies - One Week; 15, Lily Allen - Everything's Just Wonderful; 16, The Punishers - Sway; 17, Massive Attack - Teardrop; 18, Scouting For Girls - Heartbeat; 19, Anna - What Have I Done; 20, Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood