[Oono's struggle with his injury only hastened with Gin's harsh appraisal and her suggestion. Something in her seemed to strain, putting her utmost into combatting whatever it was in Tsunayashiro's sword that made it so difficult for Naoyuki to recover.
The entire time, Naoyuki watched Gin with an air of ease, unperturbed by his injury. Fascinated with how she regarded him. In such a short amount of time, she showed signs of something promising. Something that made his heart skip a beat. That understanding that some part of her was looking at him as someone important to her was both a relief and a twist of a knife in his stomach.
It wasn't the suspicion that she was seeing Kisuke when she looked at him. He'd already understood that he wasn't quite his own person some time ago. When he awakened Benitaisho, it became abundantly clear that he was a piece of someone else. Part of that understanding gave him a sense of peace.
That feeling renewed something in him. He would, if everything went the way he wanted it to, be whole again. With a weary smile, he finally turned his sword over, hand shaking, and sheathed the blade. Just in time for the rest of the rest of his group to arrive. None of them seemed ready to see him with a sword, even if it were sheathed.]
You don't need to contact Soul Society for additional assistance, Captain Akutagawa.
[It wasn't an issue of pride or even a concern for his safety. There were certain things that could damage her reputation. He was certain of it. It was one thing for him to sneak into her division and another for her to suddenly request aid from two other divisions to assist him.]
I'll be fine when I return to my lab. Would you believe me if I said I were ready for this?
[ and yet it is painfully obvious that gin is not concerned about her reputation when it is weighted against his wellbeing. it's not even part of the equation; no matter what she says or how she addresses him, it is clear that kisuke remains her biggest, most obvious, most painful blindspot.
gin would trade her life for his, now more than ever, certain that if someone does deserve a second chance at life it is him. as if it really were such a simple thing to decide and be certain of. ]
I would believe you. [ gin doesn't like it, that's for sure. she opens his mouth as if she wants to ask more, then decides against it. asking is inviting him closer and that's not what gin wants; she doesn't need to be close to protect him.
a quick glance at oono to see how her healing is progressing and whether gin can leave well enough alone or will step in. ] I also don't feel particularly reassured by that knowledge. [ with good reason, gin would argue.
she needs to speak to him in private but she also doesn't want to speak to him in private and give him any wrong ideas of where he most certainly, absolutely and without doubt stands in regard to her. ]
I apologize, then. I don't think I'm as inspiring as Shiro, so I wouldn't know how to reassure you.
[In many regards, Naoyuki and Kisuke were no different from one another. When they needed help, they wouldn't hesitate to take it. When they needed privacy, they would endeavor to guarantee it. In this way, he and Kisuke were two entirely different people. He was happy to take Gin's answer when she gave it to him without prying to begging more of her. He understood, in a sense, that it was the best he would get.
Oono grimaced, shaking her head when he smiled her way, attempting to look reassuring.]
It's healing but you shouldn't just disappear into your lab once I'm done, Sato-san.
[The two young men arriving were accompanied by Ururu, who had been quietly approaching, a grim look on her face. Naoyuki blinked rapidly, hasty in putting away his sword. Oono averted her eyes, not wanting to look even as she kept her hand steady in finishing up the touches on his shoulder.]
Urahara-san! I...
[Ururu looked at him a moment, impassive, before turning to Gin and pulling her in for a tight hug, whispering in her ear softly. Shyly.]
[ how could gin be mad at ururu when such an apology was offered? she returns the hug lightly, a little stiffly because of the injury. she's not sure she can say something about all this without her voice wavering, and so instead she instead hopes the quick squeeze relays that message: it's okay, it's fine. it's past.
at least, in gin's opinion, ururu cannot be held responsible about anything here. she'd like to hope that the truth of urahara's reincarnation-whatever-he-did was kept from her for a reason better than just to 'spare her feelings'. she's going to be mad if that was the case. ]
Yes, I think Sato-san shouldn't be allowed to just disappear into his lab until he rests up from this...adventure.
[Quite suddenly, the icy gap between Gin and Oono seemed to dissipate in a small way, exposing Naoyuki to their merciless judgment. Oono was the optimistic type but she was tough and sensible and Gin, from what he'd learned in a short time, cared little for his particular brand of obfuscation.
Had his previous incarnation been so obvious that she'd expect him to deflect?]
I mean, I have a bed in the warehouse--
[Ururu, happily, squeezed Gin one more time before rounding on Naoyuki and kicking him in the side, spinning him through a shop window.]
SATO-SAN!?
[Oono's otherwise relaxed facade vanished with the young man in question as she was stunned into stillness.]
[ privately, gin can't help but think that is a very well-deserved kick. she bites her lower lip, hiding a smile. ]
He's fine. [ gin can't help but find a certain level of kinship with naoyuki's companion now that they have established that someone needs to keep an eye on him. permanently.
her tone is deadpan, with just the slightest tinge of sarcasm infused to make her stance more than clear. ] Now what he needs is a proper bed and not some ratty nest in a warehouse.
I am sure anything urgent can take care of itself until he's had at least sleep and proper food. [ gin looks at oono: he's your problem now. ]
[A little gasp escaped him as he sat up. Though Ururu's blow looked deadly to any outsider, she made an effort to purposefully strike him where he wasn't injured and to have him land far beyond any broken glass. He might have slammed through another wall but it was still a careful enough landing him where he wouldn't truly be hurt too much more than before.
Oono didn't know that much. She simply gawked at Gin. Ururu, coming back beside her, pinched Gin's robes and tugged them unconsciously, clearly looking for her opportunity to talk with her again. Naoyuki choked out a sigh once more as Oono hurriedly jumped through the window to look for him.]
S-S-Soul reapers are all crazy, aren't they!?
[Despite wearing her own shihakusho, of course, she was only a substitute soul reaper. Once Oono found Naoyuki, she resumed her fussing just as Ururu spared Gin a worrying look.]
Do you want me to treat you properly, Gin-chan? [Of course, she never lost that bad habit Kisuke had taught her. She understood, well enough, that Gin hadn't truly distanced herself from Kisuke throughout the years--even after he passed. It pained her, seeing the conflict that had stricken her earlier.] They may be noble soul reapers but their swords carry curses. He taught me how to purge vile things.
[ satisfied in letting oono fuss over naoyuki, and that he is, in fact, just fine makes gin turn her attention to ururu. her shoulders sag a little, the weight of the injury beginning to sink in despite the first aid administered before. it would most likely scar, a rare thing for gin who is quick on her feet and has always been skilled enough to avoid blows that would scar. she's been injured plenty but always more superficial than not. ]
If you do not mind, please, Ururu-chan. [ there are the beginnings of a smile there. gin keeps her voice down, between them because, well, there are things she wants to ask. ] You've been looking after him all this time?
[ not upset about being kept out of the loop. if anything, it had probably been for the best. ]
[Mindful of Gin and her station, Ururu didn't look to pry at how she'd been handling herself in the past few decades. It wasn't as if they'd never seen one another since then but, without Kisuke, she'd become much more independent. She hadn't assumed Gin would recognize her or treat her quite the same. Even so, she seemed a bit happy to conjure her best, most appropriate kido to treat her. The grid-like web of tendrils she conjured from her fingertips found Gin's partially-repaired wounds and began stitching them in tightly, painlessly, much the way her father had taught her.]
He sprung up out of nowhere, as you might expect. I haven't been able to figure out where from and he'll lie about his parents.
Even so. [It took a startlingly short amount of time. Eight Division soul reapers had started arriving to clean up the scene, a number carrying seal warrants to see if Gin was willing to approve memory erasure for any bystanders. Ururu, her voice still soft as it always would be, offered Gin an apologetic smile that fit her all too well with time.]
[ gin frowns. none of this bodes well, especially because it's kisuke and his secrecy has reasons but also— ] Oh, that feels a bit weird [ she doesn't pull away and instead forces herself to relax. it doesn't hurt and the ease with which her wound is mending speaks of care and practice; of someone who took lessons bestowed on them to heart. gin doesn't smile but the tense lines of her body ease up. ]
I don't think it's smart to leave him unsupervised. [ she knows ururu will keep an eye on him but gin? gin can't so easily sneak back and forth due to her station. and in truth, would she even trust anyone else to do this? ] If you say it is him then ... I don't have a reason to doubt him but—[ it is maybe herself that wishes he wouldn't be kisuke. ]—what is he planning to do?
[ but gin knows that to answer that question she's going to need to keep visiting naoyuki and see.
[Ururu had rarely put herself forward as someone terribly confident even around Gin but it wasn't as if she were ever unreliable even in her youth.]
D-Did you see how far she kicked me...?
It's only a fracture! J-J-J-Just keep still, Sato-san!
[In turn, Ururu made no comment on that and simply narrowed her eyes to a fine point, focusing on knitting the last bits of skin and flesh together so that only one was clean and visible. She even ran the spell over Gin's scar, working through her tissue to bridge it together so finely it would only be visible as a sheepish, thin line on her skin.]
Shy of interrogating him, I don't know. He's using Kisuke's custom kido, his zanpakuto and he even prepares his tea the same way but... It's clear he doesn't know why he's doing it. If you bring up certain names or concepts, he's clueless. The only one he recognized had been yours.
[ none of what ururu is saying is helping this puzzle. gin is glad for the information but she knows that kisuke's intellect is-was unmatched, and whatever is at work here she might not be able to see anything until it is too late.
naoyuki shouldn't have to suffer or die, if he's kisuke or whatever and however he's linked to the shinigami—gin glances towards the side watching the two young adults fussing on the side.
yet, he recognised her name--it makes gin want to shrink away and reach out at the same time. if she hopes will she get hurt again, if she hopes too much-- ]
[Ururu frowned deeply, recognizing Gin's distant expression for what it was. No matter how she'd once been, what she shared with her father had been a strikingly keen eye.
You've already made up your mind.
She'd agonize over it but Gin was unerringly faithful. She and Kisuke shared that misery--the stubbornness and tenacity to persevere where everyone else would advise them to live more freely. As much as she loved him, she couldn't help but wonder if they would have lived more peacefully without their obsessions.]
I will. So, Gin-san... How much of this are you willing to keep in your report?
[There might have been a time that she was softer spoken but Ururu left Gin without an opening. If she was going to imply there was a need to protect Kisuke--the next thing to follow would be controlling what information left with her. For only a moment, Ururu's eyes were even sharper than her father's.]
As much as is needed to protect him. [ meaning: as little as possible, painting over details with broad strokes. gin could shoulder the weight of what happened here, she would take responsibility for the lives she took, and she would handle it. not just because kisuke is important to her but because this is also part of her duty. ] Soul Society is best left in the dark for now, I'll speak with the captain commander personally to ensure things are kept private.
[ and of course, her own squad she trusted to have her back no matter what her report said. ]
But...I will be back because-- [ she's sentimental. because she's still in love. because she wants to protect him. ]
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The entire time, Naoyuki watched Gin with an air of ease, unperturbed by his injury. Fascinated with how she regarded him. In such a short amount of time, she showed signs of something promising. Something that made his heart skip a beat. That understanding that some part of her was looking at him as someone important to her was both a relief and a twist of a knife in his stomach.
It wasn't the suspicion that she was seeing Kisuke when she looked at him. He'd already understood that he wasn't quite his own person some time ago. When he awakened Benitaisho, it became abundantly clear that he was a piece of someone else. Part of that understanding gave him a sense of peace.
That feeling renewed something in him. He would, if everything went the way he wanted it to, be whole again. With a weary smile, he finally turned his sword over, hand shaking, and sheathed the blade. Just in time for the rest of the rest of his group to arrive. None of them seemed ready to see him with a sword, even if it were sheathed.]
You don't need to contact Soul Society for additional assistance, Captain Akutagawa.
[It wasn't an issue of pride or even a concern for his safety. There were certain things that could damage her reputation. He was certain of it. It was one thing for him to sneak into her division and another for her to suddenly request aid from two other divisions to assist him.]
I'll be fine when I return to my lab. Would you believe me if I said I were ready for this?
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gin would trade her life for his, now more than ever, certain that if someone does deserve a second chance at life it is him. as if it really were such a simple thing to decide and be certain of. ]
I would believe you. [ gin doesn't like it, that's for sure. she opens his mouth as if she wants to ask more, then decides against it. asking is inviting him closer and that's not what gin wants; she doesn't need to be close to protect him.
a quick glance at oono to see how her healing is progressing and whether gin can leave well enough alone or will step in. ] I also don't feel particularly reassured by that knowledge. [ with good reason, gin would argue.
she needs to speak to him in private but she also doesn't want to speak to him in private and give him any wrong ideas of where he most certainly, absolutely and without doubt stands in regard to her. ]
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[In many regards, Naoyuki and Kisuke were no different from one another. When they needed help, they wouldn't hesitate to take it. When they needed privacy, they would endeavor to guarantee it. In this way, he and Kisuke were two entirely different people. He was happy to take Gin's answer when she gave it to him without prying to begging more of her. He understood, in a sense, that it was the best he would get.
Oono grimaced, shaking her head when he smiled her way, attempting to look reassuring.]
It's healing but you shouldn't just disappear into your lab once I'm done, Sato-san.
[The two young men arriving were accompanied by Ururu, who had been quietly approaching, a grim look on her face. Naoyuki blinked rapidly, hasty in putting away his sword. Oono averted her eyes, not wanting to look even as she kept her hand steady in finishing up the touches on his shoulder.]
Urahara-san! I...
[Ururu looked at him a moment, impassive, before turning to Gin and pulling her in for a tight hug, whispering in her ear softly. Shyly.]
I'm sorry... For not telling you about him.
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at least, in gin's opinion, ururu cannot be held responsible about anything here. she'd like to hope that the truth of urahara's reincarnation-whatever-he-did was kept from her for a reason better than just to 'spare her feelings'. she's going to be mad if that was the case. ]
Yes, I think Sato-san shouldn't be allowed to just disappear into his lab until he rests up from this...adventure.
[ the smile is a little mean; sharp. ]
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[Quite suddenly, the icy gap between Gin and Oono seemed to dissipate in a small way, exposing Naoyuki to their merciless judgment. Oono was the optimistic type but she was tough and sensible and Gin, from what he'd learned in a short time, cared little for his particular brand of obfuscation.
Had his previous incarnation been so obvious that she'd expect him to deflect?]
I mean, I have a bed in the warehouse--
[Ururu, happily, squeezed Gin one more time before rounding on Naoyuki and kicking him in the side, spinning him through a shop window.]
SATO-SAN!?
[Oono's otherwise relaxed facade vanished with the young man in question as she was stunned into stillness.]
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He's fine. [ gin can't help but find a certain level of kinship with naoyuki's companion now that they have established that someone needs to keep an eye on him. permanently.
her tone is deadpan, with just the slightest tinge of sarcasm infused to make her stance more than clear. ] Now what he needs is a proper bed and not some ratty nest in a warehouse.
I am sure anything urgent can take care of itself until he's had at least sleep and proper food. [ gin looks at oono: he's your problem now. ]
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Oono didn't know that much. She simply gawked at Gin. Ururu, coming back beside her, pinched Gin's robes and tugged them unconsciously, clearly looking for her opportunity to talk with her again. Naoyuki choked out a sigh once more as Oono hurriedly jumped through the window to look for him.]
S-S-Soul reapers are all crazy, aren't they!?
[Despite wearing her own shihakusho, of course, she was only a substitute soul reaper. Once Oono found Naoyuki, she resumed her fussing just as Ururu spared Gin a worrying look.]
Do you want me to treat you properly, Gin-chan? [Of course, she never lost that bad habit Kisuke had taught her. She understood, well enough, that Gin hadn't truly distanced herself from Kisuke throughout the years--even after he passed. It pained her, seeing the conflict that had stricken her earlier.] They may be noble soul reapers but their swords carry curses. He taught me how to purge vile things.
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If you do not mind, please, Ururu-chan. [ there are the beginnings of a smile there. gin keeps her voice down, between them because, well, there are things she wants to ask. ] You've been looking after him all this time?
[ not upset about being kept out of the loop. if anything, it had probably been for the best. ]
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[Mindful of Gin and her station, Ururu didn't look to pry at how she'd been handling herself in the past few decades. It wasn't as if they'd never seen one another since then but, without Kisuke, she'd become much more independent. She hadn't assumed Gin would recognize her or treat her quite the same. Even so, she seemed a bit happy to conjure her best, most appropriate kido to treat her. The grid-like web of tendrils she conjured from her fingertips found Gin's partially-repaired wounds and began stitching them in tightly, painlessly, much the way her father had taught her.]
He sprung up out of nowhere, as you might expect. I haven't been able to figure out where from and he'll lie about his parents.
Even so. [It took a startlingly short amount of time. Eight Division soul reapers had started arriving to clean up the scene, a number carrying seal warrants to see if Gin was willing to approve memory erasure for any bystanders. Ururu, her voice still soft as it always would be, offered Gin an apologetic smile that fit her all too well with time.]
You can tell. It's him.
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I don't think it's smart to leave him unsupervised. [ she knows ururu will keep an eye on him but gin? gin can't so easily sneak back and forth due to her station. and in truth, would she even trust anyone else to do this? ] If you say it is him then ... I don't have a reason to doubt him but—[ it is maybe herself that wishes he wouldn't be kisuke. ]—what is he planning to do?
[ but gin knows that to answer that question she's going to need to keep visiting naoyuki and see.
she's not sure how to feel about that. ]
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[Ururu had rarely put herself forward as someone terribly confident even around Gin but it wasn't as if she were ever unreliable even in her youth.]
D-Did you see how far she kicked me...?
It's only a fracture! J-J-J-Just keep still, Sato-san!
[In turn, Ururu made no comment on that and simply narrowed her eyes to a fine point, focusing on knitting the last bits of skin and flesh together so that only one was clean and visible. She even ran the spell over Gin's scar, working through her tissue to bridge it together so finely it would only be visible as a sheepish, thin line on her skin.]
Shy of interrogating him, I don't know. He's using Kisuke's custom kido, his zanpakuto and he even prepares his tea the same way but... It's clear he doesn't know why he's doing it. If you bring up certain names or concepts, he's clueless. The only one he recognized had been yours.
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naoyuki shouldn't have to suffer or die, if he's kisuke or whatever and however he's linked to the shinigami—gin glances towards the side watching the two young adults fussing on the side.
yet, he recognised her name--it makes gin want to shrink away and reach out at the same time. if she hopes will she get hurt again, if she hopes too much-- ]
Ururu-chan, will you keep an eye on him for now?
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You've already made up your mind.
She'd agonize over it but Gin was unerringly faithful. She and Kisuke shared that misery--the stubbornness and tenacity to persevere where everyone else would advise them to live more freely. As much as she loved him, she couldn't help but wonder if they would have lived more peacefully without their obsessions.]
I will. So, Gin-san... How much of this are you willing to keep in your report?
[There might have been a time that she was softer spoken but Ururu left Gin without an opening. If she was going to imply there was a need to protect Kisuke--the next thing to follow would be controlling what information left with her. For only a moment, Ururu's eyes were even sharper than her father's.]
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[ and of course, her own squad she trusted to have her back no matter what her report said. ]
But...I will be back because-- [ she's sentimental. because she's still in love. because she wants to protect him. ]
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It was a blessing, then, that Naoyuki was lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling of a mangled shop rather than at Gin.]
Good.
[Ururu, lowering her head, bowed one more time.]
You'll want to leave before he sees you making that face.