BREATH OF LIFE
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or Tokyo Ghoul. Or the songs mentioned from this point onwards. Kudos to people who recognize the songs, though.
Shout Out: A little bit late for my tastes, but real life work really waits for no one, least of all me, much to my ire. I am surprised this story has gained your attention, as this particular crossover is not very well known to a wider audience, but I am happy all the same. Care to guess whose song was inspiration this time?
Warnings: AU-verse, SLASH; and Rukia's thought on the farce she and Karin had found themselves in. .
002 – My Hero
"He is coming."
Three words, Three words that made Karin dizzy with sickness and relief, causing her to slump on the floor, much to Rukia's concern.
"Hey! Karin! Are you alright?" The Kuchiki heiress asked, blue eyes wide with concern as she gently shook the shaking and sobbing ex-substitute Shinigami by her shoulders.
Karin wasn't doing well what with her powers being cut so sort after receiving them. Additionally, she was taken from her home, just because her crime was to defend her family and soon - only too soon - she would face the execution at the dawn.
"I'm okay - I mean, I'm not, but I am." The dark-eyes girl blabbered, a silly smile on her face as the tears trailed down her cheeks. "He shouldn't have, really. That stubborn Nii-chan of mine…."
She hiccupped and sniffled.
Rukia felt her eyebrows scrunch with confusion. "Your Nii-chan - what –"
Karin gifted her with one of her brilliant, if only-too-rare smiles, causing her to gasp at the tender look on her face.
"You don't know. But I- I have another sibling. My Nii-chan. My Ichigo. And…" Karin swallowed the thick ball in her throat. "He is coming for us."
Rukia stared.
Nii-chan. Karin's older brother. The one she didn't know about. Just how many things was Karin hiding from her?
"But that's a suicide!" She snapped, biting her lip, not allowing herself to hope. "He isn't - he isn't one of us!"
Karin laughed. At first, she chuckled, and then, the chuckles changed into giggles, before they became an outright, almost hysteric laughter, chilling Rukia to her very bones.
"He is my Nii-chan. He can do anything." The faith in her voice was the faith of a believer, the person who knew the one they believed in could give them moon and sun and stars if they only hinted at wanting them for their amusement, the unwavering belief of a younger sibling in their elder one.
"You will see. I know it." Karin's pale face was finally relaxed, as if a big burden had fallen from her shoulders, causing Rukia's heart to throb with the unexpected pain.
"There goes my hero." The ex-substitute Shinigami whispered, a tremulous smile on her limps as she relaxed in Rukia's hold.
"Your hero, huh." Rukia mused as she watched the younger girl hum a song under her breath as he slowly sunk into an exhausted sleep.
Well, if nothing else, at least Karin's brother cared for her like a family member should.
Hunching into herself, Rukia began to tread her fingers through the younger girl's hair thoughtfully.
Maybe - just maybe - that Ichigo person could be her hero, too.
To Be Continued