Disclaimer:
I do not own Sankarea. It belongs to Funimation, which is much more wealthy than I shall ever be.

Summary:
A coming holiday prompts Rea to prepare a traditional gift for her kind friend Chihiro. Hilariousness ensues as our favorite zombie girl attempts to celebrate Valentine's Day. Rated PG just to be on the safe side, for mild zombie horror. Takes place sometime after the end of the anime first season.

They say once you died, nothing was truly the same anymore.

Normally this just meant that your death, the impact of your passing on, would influence the world around you. Those you knew, those who knew you. Your death rippled through the community of your family and friends like a stone dropped in a pond, casting a shadow over their lives.

However, for Rea Sanka, this seemingly simplistic phrase took on a whole new meaning.

Then again, she hadn't exactly died in the traditional sense. As far as her mind went, she didn't even feel dead most days. If anything, she felt more alive than ever. When she'd taken the elixir and had her tragic accident, everything had changed. Nothing really was the same anymore.

More importantly, she felt like a new person. Compared to her former life she had an almost unbridled sense of freedom, marred only by the interest of keeping her state of living death a secret from all but those closest around her. But she could finally do things, things a normal girl her age did. Go to school, shop at the mall, enjoy a movie. She'd even been talking with Chihiro about going to the beach when summer came about. He'd mentioned she might need to get a one-piece to conceal her scar, but otherwise, didn't see a reason she couldn't go. Swimming might be harder, considering she no longer held air in her lungs and might sink, but that wasn't too troubling to her.

Rea smiled as her thoughts continued to drift in a happy daze, even as her hands moved in a slow, continuous motion. Her sewing class had always been meant to be relaxing, a menial skill taught to all girls as a way to pass the time peacefully. But she had definite a knack for it.

Before, the class had been an escape from the waking horror that was her life. Now, it was a chance to truly indulge and soak in the happy feelings of her new existence.

She was so engrossed in her gentle sewing rhythm she didn't even notice when the bell rang and the morning period was over. She did notice, however, when a hand came down to rest on her shoulder. This caused her to start, and her hand to slip. The sharp needle jerked in her hand.

"Morning Sanka-san! How're you today?" asked one of the girls, a petite blonde with her hair in stylish pigtails. Rea remembered her name was Saki, and she was always full of energy. Today appeared to be no exception. Three of her other friends were with her, they'd all gathered around her desk when the bell had rang.

"Oh I'm fine, thank you ever so much," replied the pale girl, setting her knitting down.

The blonde girl smiled brightly, then blinked in surprise. "Oh! Sanka-san you pricked your finger, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Rea glanced down at her finger. Sure enough, the needle was sticking almost clear through her nail. She didn't even feel a thing. Gingerly, she tugged it free, then made a show of gasping as if in pain and placing the finger into her mouth to suck on, disguising the fact that there wouldn't be any blood.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you," said Saki, looking apologetic.

"It's okay it only nicked me. See?" Rea held up her finger to show them she was unharmed.

"I could've sworn the needle went clear through... must've been my imagination. But anyway, that's not important! What's important is that boy."

"Boy? You mean Chihiro-kun?" asked Rea.

"Is that the boy you're always walking to school with?" asked another of her classmates, a tall girl of Russian heritage who hailed from the Americas. Rea thought her name might've been Alex, but she wasn't sure. It sounded too much like a boy's name. "He's so sweet to do that for you."

"Naturally, we want all the juicy details," added another of the girls.

Saki nodded, pigtails bouncing. "Exactly! Spill!"

"Are you going to get him something for Valentine's Day?"

"That's only in a week, right?" asked another of the girls.

"Four days and counting."

"Oh man I hope Aya doesn't send me another bouquet this year. It's getting awkward."

"At least you don't get your locker stuffed with declarations of love from the boys across the way," complained Miho, a buxom beauty with a pair of glasses and a mole. "Honestly, none of them have any originality whatsoever."

The tall girl snickered. "That and none of them ever look you in the eyes when talking to you," she remarked.

The statement might've dumbfounded the Sanka Heiress in her old life, but after a few weeks at the school around Miho and the other girls, she'd finally come to understand the double meaning of their words. And she felt a warm heat suffuse her cheeks as she blushed hotly at the implications, even if they weren't directed at her.

"Chihiro-kun isn't like that," she said in a mousy voice. "He's... he's very kind." He always looked Rea in the eye when he spoke to her. And if on rare occasion he held a glint in his eye when he regarded her body, he never once laid a finger on her without permission.

Miho and Saki exchanged a look behind Rea's back. Their friend was hopelessly naïve and head-over-heels in love. It was all so very endearing, which was why the gaggle of girls had more or less formally inducted her into their group.

"So what're you going to do for him?"

Rea blinked her reddish eyes. "Do for him?"

"You can't do nothing," said Miho, adjusting her glasses. "The poor boy's been very faithful, walking you to school every morning, walking you home every afternoon. Don't think we don't notice these sorts of things."

The taller girl seemed inclined to agree with the busty senior. "Yeah, that isn't fair at all."

"So are you going to get anything for Chihiro-kun?" asked Saki. "Some chocolates, maybe?"

"Oh that's right!" Rea exclaimed, ruby eyes opened wide in shock. How could she have forgotten? That was how Valentine's Day worked. Well, normally. Oh, but she remembered well how the previous years had been on Valentine's Day. No gifts from admirers like most of the girls here, but her father...

But that was over now, and this was a chance to do things right and proper.

Her hands clenched into fists and she stood up dramatically. "Yes. I am going to get Chihiro-kun some Valentine's Day chocolates."

The taller girl laughed at her enthusiasm and slapped her on the shoulder. "Atta girl!"

Her course of action decided upon, Rea realized she had absolutely no idea how to go about it. Her first real Valentine's Day and she wanted to make sure it was memorable. And memorable in a good way, especially for Chihiro. But she didn't know what the proper tradition was. She considered asking the other girls for advice, but it might've involved a lot of awkward questions as to why she didn't know better.

Asking her family was out of the question. Even if she had a contact number for her dad, she had no real desire to speak to him anytime soon, especially on the subject of Chihiro. Asking her stepmother terrified her like nothing in this life or the next, sending chills down her spine, already cold as death.

In the end, she had to go to Mero for advice, ambushing the pale, quiet girl during the shrine cleaning on the weekend prior to the holiday. Chihiro and his father were out front, weeding the lawn, and so the two girls of the house had a moment uninterrupted to talk.

"... so that's that," said Rea, finishing her explanation. "Can you help me? I really don't want to screw this up."

Mero was silent for a long moment, giving that long stare that indicated she was deep in thought. Or lost in it... it was sometimes hard to tell the difference, though there were subtle clues. Finally, after a moment, she declared, "Usually on Valentine's Day the girls get chocolates, flowers, or cards for the person they care for. And on White Day next month, their male friends do the same for them."

"Which would be best?" asked Rea. "I never... really celebrated before," she added shyly.

Another long pause. "I guess it depends on how much affection you feel about the person you're getting it for? Family usually just get cards," she explained, remembering the store bought messages she usually got for her father. And the various cards she usually got from relatives and friends.

"My friends suggested I get chocolates... would that be alright?"

Mero considered this. Rea's affection towards her brother was obvious, as was the reverse. If she wasn't aware of their somewhat paper-thin ruse she might be concerned for things going too fast between the two of them, already living together as they were. As it was, with Rea dead(ish) and her situation unstable, Mero saw no reason they should hold off any sort of display of affection. This couldn't last forever, after all.

Revealing nothing of her inner thoughts, Mero just nodded softly, her expression the same as always. "I think so. Do you want to bake them yourself?"

Ruby eyes blinked. "Bake?"

Mero nodded. "You can buy store bought candies, most places sell them this time of year in pre-made packages. But some prefer to buy the ingredients and make their own. They call it 'baking with love'," she said, somehow managing to convey the expression with great warmth despite her deadpan voice and semi-bored expression.

A warmth rarely felt washed over Rea, right around her unbeating heart, and she nodded. "Yes. Yes, I would like to do that. Bake with love. Can you help me?"

Mero nodded with a quiet little smile.

In the end, Rea had decided to make the chocolates herself. It added a very personal touch to her gift and she wanted to ensure her feelings for Chihiro were portrayed correctly, not just some commercialized candy hearts with 'I love you' written on them or something. This did mean, however, she had to face a danger most terrible and very perilous.

The kitchen.

Rea had learned early on she had to be extra careful when working with a hot stove or a cutting board. Any burns or cuts she received would never heal, after all. So she wore very heavy mitts, as well as an apron and was super extra careful to be aware of where every part of her body was at all times. Her hair was up in a tight bun and covered by a kerchief so her hair wouldn't fall into anything and ruin it.

Making chocolate, however, seemed exceedingly simple. The recipe she'd procured mostly had her just melting down pre-existing bars she'd asked Mero to purchase from the local convenience store. Everything else was readily available and she'd just stirred it in while the sweet chocolate melted. And kept at it, stirring dutifully until it was nice and smooth, as the recipe instructed.

That finished, Rea gingerly picked up the pot and very carefully poured the melted chocolate into the molds to shape it, giving it a form more meaningful for the holiday in question, using a spoon to help shape some of the more difficult forms she wanted. She could have just left them out then to cool and harden, but shoved them into the refrigerator to speed up the process so they'd be ready for when Chihiro returned. After school he'd told her he was going to go check out some new movie releases from America and she'd seized the perfect opportunity to make his present without ruining the surprise. With any luck everything would be perfect for when he got back.

But now that she'd spent so much time preparing it, she realized she'd hit another snag in her plan. She needed someone to taste test her work to make sure it was good enough to give to Chihiro. The last thing she wanted was for him to sink his teeth into bitter, burnt chocolate after all he'd done for her, and all the hard work she'd gone through. But as a zombie, she had no working taste buds. Her sense of taste was as dead as her senses of smell and touch, though the latter seemed muted rather than gone entirely.

She glanced up at the clock, nearly four thirty in the afternoon. Not a lot of time to go. Chihiro could be back any minute, and Valentine's Day wouldn't last forever. Maybe she could distract him with one of his movies while she asked Chihiro's father or Mero to try one of the treats...

Her thought process was interrupted as the door slid open. Oh no, her mind panicked. He's home!

"Konichiwa!"

Rea blinked in confusion. That definitely wasn't Chihiro. It was a female's voice, if a little louder than most and a bit on the colorful side. What's more, she recognized that voice. It could only have been Ranko, Chihiro's cousin.

A wicked smile stretched across Rea's pale lips. Perfect.

Joining Rea in the kitchen, Ranko paused to take in the signs of recent usage. Mero, who usually did the cooking for the entire family, was professionally meticulous. Every surface sparkled like new, every plate and utensil was away and out of sight. Either in the dishwasher or on shelves. But right now, the entire room looked like it had been sorted and shuffled by baking burglar madmen, then hit by a minor earthquake. Pots and pans of various sizes were all along the counters, the garbage can was overflowing with refuse (mostly empty chocolate boxes and wrappers, she noted), and worst of all, she noticed that someone had left the stove on. She crossed the room quickly to rectify the situation.

Seemingly realizing her error, Rea almost jumped out of her skin at the repercussions. "Oh I'm so sorry! I forgot-!"

"You have to be more careful," Ranko gently admonished Rea. "If you don't pay attention to the stove you could burn down the whole building. Here, let me take the garbage out and you can clean up the cutlery..." She then stopped, sniffing the air.

"Chocolate?"

Rea nodded, smiling brightly, and perhaps just a touch wistfully. While her transformation and resurrection came with innumerous benefits... she did occasionally miss some of the senses of a regular girl.

The sandy-blonde haired girl smiled knowingly. "Oooh I see. Baking something for Chihiro?"

The brunette nodded, smiling. "For Valentine's Day."

"Cutting it awful close," remarked Ranko, glancing up at the clock. "But I guess this ensures he has a delicious surprise waiting for him once he gets home, right?"

"Right!"

Ranko smiled again, a little more wistfully, at Rea's raw enthusiasm. A month or so ago, that might have been herself, making some sweet confectionary or treat for her beloved cousin. As it was, she'd seen the way the wind was blowing and gracefully stepped aside, knowing the two of them would be happier together. She also knew that one day, Rea would no longer be with them.

"Anyway, I should get the garbage..."

Rea started as she remembered the topic she'd been sidetracked on. "Please, let me handle that. But first, I really need your help."

"Oh, sure thing! What with?"

Rea made her way to the fridge, pulling out the chocolates she'd put there earlier, and showed them to Ranko.

"Can you help me taste test these?"

At first, old instincts arose. And even if she wasn't trying to eliminate (or at least embarrass) a rival for Chihiro's affections, Rea said herself she had mediocre ability in the kitchen. Maybe she'd never actuall cooked before in her life. For all Ranko knew, she'd added jalapeno peppers to the mix.

Then again, Ranko remembered what her cousin had told her about zombies having no sense of taste. Rea probably just wanted an honest opinion before she poisoned Chihiro. In that, she could respect.

Gingerly taking one of the hunks of chocolate set aside for the purpose, leaving the obviously better crafted molds of candy alone (she smiled at the design, which certainly had a lot of meaning for the two young lovebirds) she took a tentative nibble of the chocolate, testing it against her tongue.

"Hmmmm," she considered.

Rea watched anxiously, crimson eyes on her.

"Well?" she asked tentatively.

Ranko held up a finger, still chewing a moment, then swallowed.

"Well, if you want me to be completely honest..."

Exiting the store, Chihiro smiled as the bag at his side swung heavily, full of some new DVDs he'd just purchased. Behind him, his two friends followed. Well, friends was a strong word for it, really they just hung out with Chihiro because he was the only one who put up with their antics. He thought of them as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum followed along more quietly, nothing to show for their efforts.

"Man what a bust," muttered Dum. "This whole day has been such a major letdown. First I leave my homework at home, then I don't get a single gift from anyone, now the store was completely out of that one movie I wanted to rent. It had this awesome scene in it too! Bah. Today was a complete bust."

"Not for everyone," Chihiro replied, swinging his bag.

"What about you guys?" asked Dum. "Any V-Day gifts?"

Surprisingly, Dee nodded, holding up a generic card of red paper and white lace. "Mhm. Found this in my locker during lunch. Doesn't say who its from though."

"Ohoo, a secret admirer... I wonder what she looks like, eh?"

"Its very sweet of them, however they are," acknowledged Dee.

Seeing he wasn't to be baited, Dum turned to the third member of the clique. "What about you, Furuya-san? Did Sanka-san get you anything this year?"

"Oh man tell me Sanka-san did not get you anything!" exclaimed Dum.

Chihiro swung his arms up over his head nonchallantly. "Nah, seems like nothing this year for me."

His locker had been empty when he'd left for the day, save for his shoes of course. Evidently this years Valentine's Day probably wouldn't be any different from previous ones. At most he'd get a card from Mero when he got home, and maybe some flowers from Ranko, but not much else. Nothing outside of his family. No gifts from a girlfriend or secret love interest.

Oh well, he thought. At least I go home to a cute zombie girl. Can I really beat that?

Chihiro bid farewell to his cohorts-in-crime as their paths diverged and they went their separate ways home. In virtually no time he was climbing up the steps to the family shrine and making his way to the building for the shrine's caretakers.

"I'm home!" he announced as he opened the front door, stepping in and leaving his shoes on the mat.

Mero's voice drifted out from the kitchen. "Welcome home, brother. Dinner will be ready in an hour."

"I'll go start on my homework then," Chihiro said as he ascended the stairs. "Thanks Mero-chan."

Rounding the hall, he dropped his backpack by his desk and sleeping bag. He knocked on the doorframe lightly to announce his presence, then slid it open, finding Rea sitting on the bed, munching on a hydrangea leaf.

She glanced up as he entered, immediately breaking out into a bright smile. "Ah, Chihiro-kun! Welcome home. How was school?"

"Dull," he said, sitting down on the bed opposite her. "I'm starting to see why zombie movies are so popular all over the world."

"Oh? Why is that?" she asked curiously.

He gave a cat-like smirk. "Because once you settle into a routine like daily life, you start to feel just like a walking dead man," said Chihiro. "Going through the motions without thinking about it."

"Just like zombies!" she concluded.

"Mhm! Oh, and I got some awesome new DVDs today from the store. I picked up this one that's subtitled we might both be able to enjoy. According to the internet, one of the characters is killed midway through season two but he comes back to life sorta like you... it's some British sci-fi drama," he explained. "Maybe it'll give us some ideas on how to take better care of you." Then he spotted something beside her on the bed, and his curiosity rose. "What's that?"

She scooted to one side with swanlike grace, picking up the object in question so he could see. It was one of the nicer china plates from downstairs. A red cloth covered its contents from view as Rea let it rest in her lap.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she said.

Outside, resting on his tree branch, Babu gave a gargled moan. "Babuuu." Neither of the young teens paid the slightest bit of attention to the zombified house pet. Their attention was firmly on each other.

Inside, Chihiro could only gawk awkwardly.

"Wow, that's... really sweet of you, Rea-san. Thank you very much," he said.

With a bright smile, she tugged off the cloth, revealing the plate's contents. Three large pieces of chocolate. They'd been shaped to resemble leaves, almost like the hydrangea that Rea and Babu had to regularly intake to stay functional. Although obviously chocolate, they were of a pale shade of white instead of the usual dark brown he was accustomed to seeing.

White chocolate, he realized. A guilty pleasure he rarely indulged in but loved with a passion he normally reserved for the undead. How could she have known?

"I hope you like them," she said, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she lowered her eyes shyly.

Chihiro still wondered sometimes how she could do that when all blood flow in her body had come to a halt. Ignoring his inner thoughts, he gave a warm smile, and dipped his head as he accepted the chocolates. "They look delicious," he said. "Thank you very much, Rea-chan."

"I made them myself," she added shyly.

He looked at her with wide eyes, very amazed, and she motioned for him to try one. He did so without hesitation, sinking his teeth into the confectionary without a single thought. And then all thought fled his mind, and tears started to stream down his cheeks.

"Chihiro-kun?" asked Rea, concerned by his reaction. Had she done it wrong after all? Had they gone off? Her breath caught in her throat, though she did not need to breathe, as she waited in tense anticipation.

And then she realized they weren't tears of disgust or sadness...

"So... good..." he said around a mouthful of chocolate. Tears of joy flowed from his eyes as he savored the sweetness. It tasted as good as it looked, if not better.

He eagerly scarfed down the first chocolate leaf, and was midway through his second moments later. "These are delicious!" he exclaimed, wishing he had something to wash them down with.

Fortunately, Rea had evidently been well prepared. And thanks to the lowered temperature of the room, the milk she'd brought along was still fairly chilly resting in a glass on the nightstand.

She smiled as she munched idly on a hydrangea leaf, while Chihiro polished off the second chocolate leaf and saved the third for later. He started babbling about how she was a great cook, but honestly, she didn't hear a single word of it.

Her first Valentine's Day. And she'd gotten the one boy she truly cared about to smile.

Her heart no longer continued to beat like a living girls. But no one could deny that Rea Sanka wasn't incapable of feeling.

Authors Notes:
Some may figure out the series Chihiro mentions is Torchwood, but I'll leave the character in question unmentioned to avoid spoilers. The situation does seem to mirror Rea's in a lot of ways.

I honestly don't remember the names of Chihiro's two male friends. The nicknames seem as suitable as any. Tweedle Dum is the one who wants to get into Rea's pants, Dee is the more laid back one.