[ they were birds of a feather, then. keigo didn't feel he lived up to any expectations, through no fault of anyone but himself. having a shinigami, a being of inherent and elevated status compared to a lowly human, put so much faith in him was difficult to wrap his mind around at times. much like accepting and understanding the love between them and how real it was.

though love certainly healed much of keigo's proverbial wounds. it didn't really take much, but renji provided an abundance that keigo could revel in. for that alone, keigo already felt like he could take on anything to preserve it. ]

I'm sure I could find a way... [ the amusement was pretty clear on his voice, though it was more muted than anything else. the sorrow still hung heavily overhead, but there was definitely a bittersweetness to it. so long as renji was there for him, he'd survive. ]