[ Renji's focus was so haphazard, turning at first to Keigo's face to see that blank look in his eyes and then turning inward as if one last go at cracking this mystery would yield answers, that he didn't notice the ribbon entwined in Keigo's fingers. At least, not immediately. He walked past him, a mumbled greeting exchanged that even he couldn't quite hear, to stand in the middle of it as if sitting would break his concentration. He stared somewhere into the middle distance like he was trying to see past this room, the hull of the ship, into space and back home where something made sense. A hand rested on his chin. He wasn't the kind of person who thought too deeply, so he already had a headache from working to unravel this. ]
I don't understand. How could you've been here before and then not remember? How would they—
[ His gaze moved slowly from nothing, to Keigo's expression, to the red ribbon twisting in his hands. He stopped, and his hand dropped to his chest. ]
How...
[ His mouth parted, but no other words came out and he was frozen for a considerable length of time, gawking at the ribbon.
Somehow, Renji thought that he'd exhausted all the possible secrets Keigo had. He figured that he'd gotten to know Keigo reasonably well these past few months, after being forced close both emotionally and physically, learning of his odd abilities and the quiet fears and anxieties he held onto and the dreams he had for the future. He felt like he knew him even more intimately after the VR incident. But here he was again, taken by surprise by him.
Maybe Keigo hadn't meant to keep this particular skill a secret, but that only amplified his shock that he could use reiraku this casually, not only visualizing the ribbons but even touching them. He'd be impressed if he wasn't so numbly astonished. ]
no subject
I don't understand. How could you've been here before and then not remember? How would they—
[ His gaze moved slowly from nothing, to Keigo's expression, to the red ribbon twisting in his hands. He stopped, and his hand dropped to his chest. ]
How...
[ His mouth parted, but no other words came out and he was frozen for a considerable length of time, gawking at the ribbon.
Somehow, Renji thought that he'd exhausted all the possible secrets Keigo had. He figured that he'd gotten to know Keigo reasonably well these past few months, after being forced close both emotionally and physically, learning of his odd abilities and the quiet fears and anxieties he held onto and the dreams he had for the future. He felt like he knew him even more intimately after the VR incident. But here he was again, taken by surprise by him.
Maybe Keigo hadn't meant to keep this particular skill a secret, but that only amplified his shock that he could use reiraku this casually, not only visualizing the ribbons but even touching them. He'd be impressed if he wasn't so numbly astonished. ]