he-said-with-a-strange-smile:
Shinji’s expression stays mostly, but he can’t keep his eyes from narrowing. Had he been completely forthright with this know-it-all asshole? No. But, on the flip side, Shinji hadn’t actually lied. No confirmation, but no denial. He didn’t like the assumptions this guy was making. Not one bit.
“Your call, ain’t it?” Shinji answers, the words sharp, but coming out slow. “I was just askin’ questions. Feels like ya don’t want to trust me, eh?”
Which brings a new question to Shinji’s mind: Why? From his own experience, Shinji is well aware that there are powerful folks outside of Soul Society, and who have might have more than a few reasons to be distrustful. Hell, it’s not like Shinji would great the Head Captain with a big, old grin and open arms if he hopped out of the sky right now to say hello. Still, there’s something different about this guy. His reiatsu – bigger than your average, random passerby, and kept well under control, but still present, and still clear as goddamn day to Shinji, especially now that he’s zeroing in on it a little – flows different. It’s naturally keyed into the reishi around them, in a way Shinji wasn’t expecting.
It doesn’t make sense. Shinji didn’t think there were any of these guys left.
But, hey – it explains the trust thing. It isn’t personal. For all Shinji knows, he and this Quincy bastard both harbor the exact same amount of distaste for the shittier parts of the Seireitei, even if the source of that distaste comes from very, very different places.
He holds the guy’s gaze for a cold moment or two. He’s not trying to fight, and he’s not trying to hide, not anymore. It’s pointless, and besides, there might be common ground here. Not trust – but maybe, common ground. Maybe.
“…tried to help a kid,” Shinji finally says. “Some punk was jumpin’ him. Wasn’t like she was starvin’ or on her last legs or whatever, either. Sport. Not survival. I hate that shit.”
He shifts a little, angling to get a closer look at the wound himself now. His head swims. “Fuck,” he mumbles. “Really messed this one up, didn’t I?” He thinks quickly. He could slip out of this gigai, sure, but if he did that, he’d leave a cold, limp body behind, and that’ll be sure to create more problems for this Quincy guy, for Kisuke, and hell, for Shinji himself, too.
He wrenches his gaze back to the Quincy bending over him, and fixes him with a hard, certain stare. “Don’t let it get weird,” he tells the guy. He can hear his voice getting quieter, even as his tone grows more and more insistent. “I don’t got options right now. Just gonna… ride this out.
Ryuken bristles at the comment, finding it closer to the truth than he’d like. He’s a Shinigami, isn’t he? It’s not like these kinds often given them any reason for him to trust them. Why should he be any different?
“and what if I don’t? Your kind cause more than enough nuisance here. Why would you be any different?”
He purses his lips – fighting down everything else he wants to add, and starts to do what he does best. He tentatively examines the wound, calculating out what needs to be done before the ambulance gets here. At least if he does his j ob he doesn’t need to think too much about the quality of this man’s reiatsu. There’s something different about it. There’s something extra there…
It’s then that feels the other man looking at him, and for a second, they share a cold, somewhat understanding look. There’s puzzlement in Ryuken’s eyes as he watches the other man, not sure why he looks at him with such understanding as he does. Although, he’s willing to bet that reiatsu possibly has something to do with it.
“And they got you instead?”
He doesn’t exactly approve of the act, but can’t really fault it either. He’s been foolish, no doubt, but what else are Shinigami good for than protecting those In a way, the rash heroism reminds him a little of Uryuu, and a cold creep of foreboding takes hold of him. He doesn’t wish this man ill, of course, but for once, it’s a relief to see anyone else here apart from that boy.
“That, is an understatement”
It’s bad, but Ryuken suspects the other man probably knows this. It would be obvious to even the most untrained person. It needs pressure, and he presses down, looking down the alleyway and hoping the ambulance comes soon. As he works he feels the other man’s eyes boring into him once more, and he looks up sharply, both intrigued and annoyed by this distraction.
“and why would I do that?” he asks through gritted teeth, all his focus absorbed by keeping the pressure on wound. His eyes flick up briefly, offering enough of a guarantee of sincerity. He can’t quite understand the connection this man seems to feel, but he does want his cooperation. This feels like the closest he’s going to get. He gives a curt nod at the promise, unwilling to think too far beyond this moment. They need to get this treated first “if you make it, then I’ll listen”