Toshiro woke up with the sound of light knocking coming from the direction of his door serving as the alarm.
Due to the little to no sleep he managed to get the night before, he wasn't particularly happy about the interruption he got the time he did get some rest… so the grunt and the slightly upset "What do you want…?" that came right after was very much understandable.
His surrogate older sister's, Hinamori Momo, sweet-like voice was what greet him as she opened the door and got inside… "It's me Shiro-chan." making her way right to the windows to open them and their curtains before another world came from her lips.
Referring to him by the nickname she used to call him when they were kids on such an unfortunate day, wasn't making his mood any better than it could be… opening the curtains and letting all the blinding light of the morning sun rush in and right into his just now opening eyes didn't help the situation much either… more like it made it even worse.
Momo shivered at the cold piercing glare she felt in the middle of her back, and when she turned around, she wasn't really surprised to look straight into wide teal; not to mention very much clearly not pleased, eyes. She lifted one side of her mouth self-consciously while catching opposite elbows with each hand in an attempt to protect herself from his eyes.
She wouldn't normally be afraid of him but considering the situation, not to mention that she had never seen him look like that, she was starting to believe that it's better to be safe than sorry…
"Heh… You see…" she gave a self-conscious giggle before continuing, simultaneously bringing her left hand up to the back of her head to rub it in an attempt to lighten the murderous mood. Momo was sure that this reaction was the main reason Rangiku everything but begged her to come and be the one to wake him up…
He would never harm family, would he…?
"Um… Rangiku-san told me to come see if you were awake already, and if not to do it for you… She wanted to be sure that you would be ready on time…"
She figured that not mentioning the reason as to why Matsumoto Rangiku wanted the master of the house up at this early hour was the best bet… no point making him more annoyed than he already was.
His frown noticeably becoming even deeper was more than a little indication that she took the right path in that decision… He would have been yelling at her by now if she had mentioned the wedding that was about to take place today.
His frown became even more profound –if that was even possible- as he muttered something or other -that sounded suspiciously like a course to hell and back for everything living this day to Momo- and got up.
Making his way to where his suit was positioned from the day before, he nodded at Momo's direction, indicating the door to leave, before focusing at the task at hand.
"Tell Rangiku that she would pay for this sometime in the future if she continues to treat me like a child… Now go… I must take a shower before I dress up like a clown for this event…"
Momo was about to protest, but a cold teal glare was all it took to shut her up. He still continued talking however as he took his clothes and started making his way to the in-suit bathroom.
"Just go and get ready yourself or something… I can manage just fine on my own…"
With those final words, he closed the door of the bathroom behind him. Momo just sighed before shaking her head at her little brother's stubbornness and dry/sarcastic humor and going out the door she had come through minutes prior.
She loved him with all her heart and would do anything for him, but sometimes… he was just a little too much… even for her…
Karin felt pretty quickly all of her strength leave her body, and after those torture filled hours of being prepped and beautified by the people she used to think as family and friends; but now thought of them more like the traitors they turned out to be, she looked at herself in the full body mirror existing in the corner of the room, only to see an unknown made-up girl staring back at her... it was a strange experience all together, going through all that just to look good on a day she now despised.
The only good about this whole seemingly endless morning was the fact that her idiot of a father; as well as her brother, favorite and only nephew and the not-so-favorite but still only idiot she had the fortune to call her brother-in-law, didn't come inside the room she was tortured in... Not even for a brief glance at the bride-to-be.
No matter...
It didn't change the fact that by the time they were done with her, she didn't even have the strength to get up on her own two feet and she felt herself being forced to oblige with everything they had in store for her... being thrown like a sack of potatoes around and guided through hallways.
She reunited with the male species of her family just outside of the doors leading to the spacious gardens she had gotten a glance of the day before, and she looked at them with dead grey eyes, having already given up.
Her oh so thoughtful brother-in-law broke the silence that seemed to have fallen upon them by the time the women had arrived, bringing her out of her self-pity and bringing the furious fire back into her eyes.
"Wow Kurosaki, you may clean up well, but I still feel sorry for the man that's going to marry you. What an unfortunate fellow indeed..."
A hate filled glare in his direction was all she was allowed to do as an answer to one of his usual insults... she would have kicked him in the face too if it wasn't for this god-forsaken dress she was wearing and all the women that moved to stop her right away...
Yuzu uncharacteristically glared her husband's way at the remark... She didn't like when they fought in general, but that was uncalled for, even though she knew that Jinta only meant to make a compliment in the only way he knew how to to his long time rival since grade school... He just wanted to lighten up the atmosphere that seemed to have gone depressing over the few seconds since they came into view, in his own awkward way...
Karin huffed after the worried glance she received from Hanataro -he seemed to be more worried about what she was about to bestow on Jinta after his comment than anything else- and crossed her hands in front of her chest after throwing the veil that was neatly and smartly placed on top of her black up-do to cover her face.
"Let's just get this over with, okay...?" came her harsh mumbled voice.
She heard a faint sigh from somewhere beside her and then stiletto-clad feet walking around her and continuing towards the opened glass-made doors leading to where her doom… uh… she meant groom was waiting for her.
"We'll be seeing you outside then Karin-chan."
That came from her sister-in-law, and seconds later she was seemingly left alone, but was quickly proven wrong about that fact when she saw male footwear being connected to fancy and expensive looking pants, that she was pretty much positive belonged to none other than her idiot of a father. When he spoke, he proved her right this time... His somber voice so unlike his usual upbeat attitude...
"I remember when you and your sister were just little babies and looked up at your daddy with adoring eyes... When did you grow up to be such a lady so quickly my little Karin-chan?"
She glared up at the general height where his face was supposed to be, even if she couldn't see past the white thing covering her vision, but still refusing to untangle her hands in order to even pull it out of the way... Her voice was slightly colder than usual due to the anger she felt at the event that was about to take place, but it lacked the spite it normally held.
"I don't remember ever looking up to you goat chin, so I have no idea what nonsense you're going on about..."
His hearty and booming laughter, which came from deep within his chest as he clutched his stomach and threw his head back was what she was rewarded with.
The music starting playing in the background was not enough to overpower him in volume, but nevertheless sobered them both up pretty quickly... as if ice cold water had fallen on both of them, making them go stiff for a moment before Karin heaved a heavy sigh.
Even if you disregard the obvious genes, which came in the form of obsidian hair and stony grey eyes, you could still clearly see the similarities existing there. If you looked closely enough at the way they acted when none of them truly acted -one as an idiotic lunatic and the other an indifferent seemingly emotionless person with sarcasm practically dripping from her mouth- you could easily and immediately see that they were indeed father and daughter, without a doubt...
"Let's get this show on the road... No point avoiding the death sentence any longer... it will just prolong the torture..."
She untangled her hands and moved one of them in front of her in a wild goose chase for her father's, which he immediately took, saving himself from possibly being randomly hit by mistake while she did that...
He took a breath, and after bending to give her a fatherly light peck on top of her head, hooked her left arm on his right elbow and begun leading the way...
It was faint -not to mention more than slightly out of his usual behavior- but Karin still heard him loud and clear as if he had yelled it at her...
I'm sorry...
Sometime later, she started hearing clapping from all around her as the wedding march continued playing from somewhere behind her, making sure to imprint in her mind that she wasn't having a nightmare but instead this was all real, and her doom was just a few minutes ahead.
It didn't take long for Isshin to stop walking and; after a final squeeze on her hand and a second light peck to her veil covered temple, let go of her hand.
Looking down, she could clearly make out black male dress shoes so she figured she must be in front of her future living nightmare, so she took a deep breath and stilled herself in preparation of what she was sure was coming the second the music stopped playing and the priest's voice breaks out instead.
Kurosaki Ichigo just stood there -sat really- being unable to do absolutely nothing while watching his sister being delivered to the man waiting for her unwillingly -if the deep frown he had on his face was anything to go by- in the makeshift for the occasion podium.
His everyday scowl was noticeably deeper than usual as he sat motionless in those pure white outside chairs, his small baby boy in his arms and wife to his left; his right side being left clear in order to be occupied by his father after he showed Karin the way, serving only as a reminder for now as to what his family was taking away from his baby sister... even if she wasn't much of a baby anymore.
After he heard the priest first words, he felt pressure being applied to his left knee. Looking down and then up, he came face to face with a somber looking Isshin Kurosaki... the contrast of his behavior to how he usually looked bringing Ichigo out of his musings about what it could have been like if things were different...
His father just nodded once at Ichigo, before looking ahead of him to where his black haired daughter was currently standing.
Ichigo understood... Swallowing a sigh, he too returned his attention to his little sister's way.
Karin was strong, and he could admit -at least if only inside his head- that she was a fully grown, independent woman who had her wits about her, and could more than likely sent the jerk standing in front of her right now flying if he tried anything funny... Tatsuki had made sure of that if you didn't want to count the lessons he had with the girl.
If anyone was going to make it through this, that person was Karin... he had faith in her...
Orihime's small reassuring smile was what greeted him the brief moment he turned to face his wife, calming him down even more...
Yeah... She was going to make it...