#ren;

        Ah, he’d heard it many times before. He’s like Captain Kuchiki. If only because he didn’t often emote beyond his small smiles and warm expressions-- well, he had to focus on reigning his emotions in so not to cause his companion to slip up. No need for another bridge incident when he rediscovered his sister. (It took a week to rebuild it.) Still, as he was becoming more involved in her life, he was beginning to know more people whereas he was formally isolating himself as much as possible to keep his low profile. Unlike his twin, he wasn’t as outgoing or vibrant. Moreso he was reserved and enjoyed calmer things. However, he’d also come to discover she had very close friend, one she cherished greatly and so he made a mental note to greet her if he ever saw her to pay his due respect to their bond. 

            He should be used to it, the floating whispers and idle talk about similarities and closeness. About a shared family name. He’s not but even still he ignores it, doesn’t bother to address it and lets the rumors go as they liked. Despite that though he doesn’t know how to react when its brought directly to him. Questions of this and that, do you know her? What is she like? Are you related? You look almost identical! He shook his head when it came around this time as he was simply trying to enjoy his down time. “I do not know her, I do not know what she is like, I doubt we are related and I have never seen her before.” He systematically answers, excuses himself politely and tries to find another spot to relax. That’s how it had been for a few weeks now but he knew eventually it would die out and they’d find something new to gossip about. 

With that thought in mind he settled his heart and mulled over the thought of paying a visit to his captain to check on his health. The man was by no means weak but he did have a weak constitution so Ren worried and did his best to give him aid when he wanted it. Well, also when he didn’t since the shinigami was a bit more sneaky with his tea making and often infused the petals to help boost his health. A sly thing but he figured the other was well aware of it even if he just smiled and said nothing. He sighed a bit, closing his eyes and simply basking in the warmth for a moment as he walked until he felt something run into his chest. Immediately his hand had come out to steady whomever had been in such a hurry so they wouldn’t fall but it felt.. Familiar. Blinking a few times, he looked down and saw nothing more than a mop of familiar orange hair like his own. 

He disregarded it and stepped back once he was certain the woman wasn’t going to fall. “My apologies, miss. I wasn’t looking where I was g--” His words stop and those mixed hues widened a fraction. This must be her. The woman whom so often plagued him through the mouths of others. He stared for a moment, heart clenching in his chest as if to try to fight in its ivory cage for him to recognize something. Same eyes, same hair, same features-- It was as if someone had cloned him as a female and let her loose. There’s a sudden crackle at his feet, the wood beneath it splitting to give way to Bailtiger branches in reaction to his heightening emotions. (Control it, CONTROL IT!!) He snapped back to his focus, cleared his throat and retained his control once more and they stopped growing. It was dangerous to let loose his emotions. Dangerous to not regulate and keep things in check.