living corpse Chapter 17: gentle impulsion, a bleach fanfic

… he's starting to reconsider those words.

Because when he said, "I want to be with you for a while," he meant romantically.

As in, hey! Let's be a couple! Or, I'm going to kiss you now and you can't stop me.

When did it ever mean that his hair had to turn green?

"It's to bring out the colour in your pretty eyes, dear." Karin breezily replies. "Don't worry; it'll be gone in two weeks."

"What happens in two weeks?"

"Yuzu's wedding! I'm not gonna miss that! Plus, I'm the frickin' maid of honour!" Karin huffs.

The next day his hair turns blue and he wakes up with whipped cream on his face.

"All the better to eat you, dear." Karin grins, alongside her friends.

Zu-kun coughs. "Of course, she'll probably do a lot more than that…"

Afterwards, he still thinks that the simultaneous elbow jab, foot stomping and slap at the back of the head, was totally uncalled for.

The third day, there's an odd look on her face as she sits on the kitchen counter. Cheek resting in her hand, her other hand drumming a slow lazy pattern, there's a glaze to her eyes, mouth slightly parted.

"Karin, you okay?" Toushirou asks.

"Yeah," Karin manages a smile, blinking as she focuses on him. "I'm just feeling wistful, I guess. You?"

"I think you're up to something."

"Ooh. You caught me." Grinning as she slurps her chocolate milkshake through the straw, she waggles her eyebrows for encouragement.

Silence.

"Aren't you going to tell me what it is?" Toushirou prompts.

"Not until you tell me what you thought that I was up to." Leaning in, she gives him a smile, light-heartedly teasing him.

He represses a sigh, though he's quite certain that Karin can hear his mental one.

"… you're going to turn into a mermaid." With all the craziness that comes along with Karin, he wouldn't be too surprised if that's the correct answer.

"I'd be a very cute mermaid," Karin considers this, a pensive look on her face. "But no." She gives a dramatic sigh, the corners of her lips quirked upwards, her eyes catching his. "You're wrong."

"So what is it?" Head tilting, he asks her, his hands ruffling his hair a little.

She licks her lips as she hesitates with her answer, slightly uneasy with her decision.

"… I want to go."

"Away from here?" Toushirou looks around the messy apartment.

"Yeah, that's the plan." Karin nods, more confident once she spilled those words. "You know me; I don't hang about for long. I've been here for a while, now it's time to move on."

There's something wrong with the way she phrases that, something that he doesn't like, but for the life of him, Hitsugaya Toushirou doesn't know what.

"Karin, I'm coming with you, aren't I?"

There's a pause. Ever so slight. Barely noticeable, in fact.

But it's there.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course! Do you even have to ask? Why would you think otherwise?" Lips curve into a smile, mischievous as always, hiding the split second of dissonance. "We had a deal."

"Uh," he shakes his head, feeling idiotic. "You know what? It doesn't matter."

It's just a stupid thought.

Still—

"I'm not just a job, right? We don't have just a deal, right?"

It's not like him to get worked up by something she says. Yet, subconsciously, the sentient lingers…

"Listen, Toushirou—" She begins to speak.

They still haven't sorted it out.

Where they stand.

Unofficially, it's lovers. Officially, it's… it's… unknown.

Frigging morons.

"—and that, my friends, is why we must never, ever eat sliced bread. It's the worst thing since… well, sliced bread." Pinta informs his friends as Ryouhei kicks the door open, keen to make a dramatic entrance as always.

Donny rolls his eyes. "Why? Out of all the comparative expressions to use and get hooked on, you take the one that sounds the lamest?"

"It's a chef thing, me thinks." Zu-kun sighs. "Don't question it."

"Aw, dammit." Ryouhei scowls, "it seems that whatever I do, I can never catch you in the act."

Karin and Toushirou both flush, embarrassed by the statement; it's not like they don't want to, it's just that they never seem to have the time to talk about their relationship. Unsurprisingly, their eyes don't meet as they avoid each other's gazes.

Yet, as always, Karin recovers quickly and seamlessly.

"Actually…" Hopping off the stool and approaching the circle of friends, she gives them a knowing look. "You did."

"Liar." Ryouhei scoffs, sceptical.

"It's true!" Insisting her enthusiastic nod as truth, she grabs Toushirou's hand to stand beside her, for moral support, for emphasis, for her to remain beside him, the older boy doesn't know. "We… are going to leave. Today."

And all four of them – Ryouhei, Kazuya, Donny and Pinta – immediately look crestfallen.

living corpse
17 : gentle impulsion

Donny brings tissues, unable to help Karin and Pinta pack her things, unable to do anything but provide them with the pleasure of his company and the never stopping flow of waterworks.

"Aw, c'mon. We'll see each other soon." Karin tries to lift his spirits. "It's not as if… I'll be gone forever."

When this doesn't work, she gives him a hug and kisses his cheek.

"You worry too much, Donny. This place will always be my second home."

Ryouhei just stares, while Kazuya actually does help Toushirou with his luggage. As the seconds pass by, Hitsugaya Toushirou becomes more and more uncomfortable, eventually cutting straight to it.

"Is there a problem?" Toushirou stops packing, standing tall and proud. "Are you going to do the 'big brother chat', or punch me again?"

"Mate, don't go there." Zu-kun shakes his head and pushes his glasses up his nose at the same time. "First, because we're the ones who got you two together; and second, you deserved that punch." Pointing a finger, and stabbing it in the air, does wonders for highlighting his point.

"Hang on." Ryouhei quietly says, raising one hand to stop the discussion, though he doesn't disagree with his roommate. "You two are together, right?"

Toushirou's mouth opens, but nothing comes out. "… technically yes." He says eventually, lacking conviction.

Ryouhei's mouth drops open as his face falls flat, comically twisting from a plethora of emotions. "Are you hearing this, Kazuya?"

"I'm a-hearing this, Ryouhei." Zu-kun nods, gravely serious and disappointed.

"Okay, fine. I'm not going to push this one on you: that's your business, and Karin's, which, by default, makes it our business; that's the general rule of thumb. You, however," and at this, Ryouhei folds his arms and pouts, "are the exception."

"Have always been the exception." Zu-kun pipes in.

"Yes, thank you, Kazuya." Ryouhei frowns, more to himself than at his friends. "Anyways, we're the matchmakers; we're the ones who got you two together."

Toushirou really doesn't have the heart to tell them otherwise. Let them think what they want.

Kazuya mulls over this, commenting. "… we were also wondering why there's distinctly been a lack of action between you guys." His eyebrows furrow, waxing poetry somewhat. "Oh, the flirting has come and gone, like sunshine and rain. But you guys never do anything. It really doesn't help our voyeuristic tendencies."

Toushirou feels inclined to raise an eyebrow at that. "This is coming from the guy who likes to make out with lampposts?"

"…" Zu-kun shuts up. Maybe he mumbles something about being drunk under his breath.

"As I was saying," Ryouhei clears his throat, gaining control of the conversation once more. "Having used violence as a means to get the end product, I've decided to use a passive method."

"He means Karin beat the shit out of him again." Kazuya translates and he and Toushirou share a snicker.

"Ahem!" Ryouhei compresses his lips into a thin line. At least, until his face starts turning blue. "This time I've decided to give you advice."

"Okay." Toushirou nods. It's not much, but it'll have to do.

"Karin's a slippery girl. You need to know when to chase her, and when to let her go. Of course, while I say 'let her go'; don't make the rift too big. She needs space; you need space, yadda, yadda, yadda. It's a push and pull thing, but you'll find it. If you haven't already."

Ryouhei shrugs, before continuing.

"Look out for her. And yourself, 'cause you never know what's in that daft head of hers."

Finally, he looks Toushirou in the eye, never flinching.

"If you are going to do anything, talk to her about it in the car. She can't escape then. And… that's it. I'm not going to say any more on the subject. But, you do understand; since Ichigo isn't here, you have the custom made death threats and potential paranoia insanity that occurs afterward should you hurt her."

He falters on the last thing, wondering if he ought to mention it or let the dust settle.

"Just remember, if something happens… there's always the wedding."

The car boot slams shut, a delicious kind of smile wrapped around Karin's lips.

"That's it. Everything is in there, and so, I have nothing to come back to." She snorts, offering a cheeky grin for her comment, unable to maintain a haughty pretence around her friends. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Hands in his pockets, Hitsugaya wonders if he should shake their hands or something.

Karin gives them all hugs, whispering something in their ear that makes them look solemn, no longer in the boisterous mood that she usually captivates them with.

He wonders what she says, but knows it's better not to pry.

Backing away, she offers a lopsided smile and a shrug, placing herself into the comfortable seat of the car. Just as mute, Toushirou joins her, but feels compelled to say something to the guys.

"I'll see you soon."

"Mm." Ryou-chan nods.

Only Donny waves, half-heartedly.

"Take care."

As they drive off, the back of her hand returns the gesture, before merging into the distance.

"We have nothing to worry about, right?" Zu-kun ventures to ask, after their silhouette bleeds to black.

There's a long intermission before one of the four answers, speaking their doubts through the reassurance.

"No. Nothing. As long as she lets him in, it's fine."

Languidly, Karin stretches out, adjusting to the car as she wiggles various ligaments, arms, legs, hands, feet, before tilting her head and giving Toushirou an easily going smile.

"So, where do you want to go?"

He picks the first direction that comes to mind.

"West."

"Alright!" Karin grins. "West it is."

She wonders where they'll turn up.

It is twenty five minutes later in which Hitsugaya Toushirou decides to resume the conversation.

"Pop quiz."

Karin grins. "Aw, we're using that again? You are so cool, you know."

In response, Toushirou only sighs, mock annoyed. "It grew on me. What can I say?"

"Mm, well, I guess you could ask your question." The raven haired girl shrugs.

"Okay. Earlier this morning, I wanted to know what we are to each other. I mean, am I a job to you, am I still your responsibility to Rukia, is the entire thing just a deal? I mean, what the hell are we?"

"Um…" Stalling for time, her fingers drum on the steering wheel, the radio switching on. Her shoulders tense and her cheeks heat up, still caught in the void of uncertainty. "… I think this is a topic for the rest stop."

"Fine, but promise me this." Toushirou relents. "Promise you won't run away."

"I promise." With a smile in her voice, she swears to him, her mouth teasing his with a childlike grin.

Well. Not this time.

As luck has it, there's a rest stop nearby.

Karin tenses and sighs as she steers into it, and Toushirou clears his mind, trying to find the right things to say.

Silence.

Neither of them knows how to start it, and so, after a while, they begin to laugh and crack the ice.

It's nice… before the awkwardness sets in.

Again.

"Okay." Karin coughs. "I think the question to set this in motion is… whatever the hell you were saying in the car. Over to you, Toushirou."

"… right." Remembering the thought track that he had in the car, Toushirou picks up where he had stopped. "Just for clarification, are we a couple?"

"Um." Flushing with embarrassment, Karin tilts her head sideways. "We are if you want us to be."

"Oh." He blinks. That seems simple enough. "Okay. Then… we are."

"Yeah?" Karin perks up, impishly stepping closer, mouth wide and stretching into a Cheshire grin.

"Yeah." Toushirou affirms, wondering where she's going with this.

The matter is settled.

"Then, as we are a couple, I want a kiss. Right now." Voice husky, her arms wrap around his neck, and she stands on her tip toes.

"Well, I can't refuse that…"

And they close the distance between them.

Lunch has become significantly more interesting, since Karin now uses pocky sticks to tease him.

Fuck lollipops.

It's actually hilarious how they still have the button war with the radio.

On. Off. On. Off.

Wham!

… Karin usually is the winner and gets her wicked, wicked way.

"You know what?" Karin says, as she sits in the swings in the park. "You were never just a job to me. You were more than that…"

"That's… that's good to know." He smiles, trying to catch her as she flies off the park swing.

It's not exactly a 'catch', more of a 'falling on top of him', but being honest, they don't mind.

Her giggles melt into a kiss.

He buys her a vanilla flavour ice cream infested with pocky sticks.

Time passes slowly, time passes quickly.

And they pass it with such joy.

It's raining, and Karin's laughing, encouraging him to get soaked.

"Aw, c'mon, don't tell me you've never ran in the rain like you've got nothing left to lose?"

"…"

Using her wily ways, she coerces him into a puddle competition.

The winner is the one who gets the biggest splash.

… he only wins because he's got stronger and longer legs, Karin mumbles as she is unwittingly declared the loser.

"What's this? Kurosaki Karin is a sore loser?"

That's does it.

Chasing him under the rain is so back on!

Oh, it takes a while, but she glomps him eventually.

Kissing in the rain.

It's not quite Spiderman, but it'll have to do.

You don't have to know them to see that they are happy.

She flirts and teases and dances, always up for some fun.

And him?

He watches with a lopsided smile on his face, indulging in her antics time to time, eyes only for her.

They just are.

Simple as that.

Dusk finally comes, with birdsong and pretty twitter.

With a warm blanket around them, they settle into the couch, ready to watch the movie.

It's good to know that she gets animated about the characters, gleefully wishing for their death at any opportune moment, scowling as they inevitably survive, because there's always going to be a sequel with a happy ending in sight. Well. Classic movies like the Harry Potter franchise.

But, there's a certain sense of fun when they torment the movie characters with threats and derisive comments, all in the spirit of entertainment.

Karin can't bear to hear it in Japanese, always preferring the original dub.

And Alan Rickman, Severus Snape, will always have a special place in her heart with his super sexy voice and loathing of Harry Potter.

"Die, Harry Potter! Die!"

Eventually, when the atmosphere has calmed down and has been placated, Toushirou slings his arm around her, and Karin snuggles into him, wrapping the blanket around them, head on his shoulders as she rests on his chest, stealing a kiss whenever she deems it worthy.

Likewise, he does the same.

They never make it through the movie, falling asleep in each other's arms before the credits roll in.