Renji only snorted at the somewhat sharper words. He wasn't calling anyone a fool yet. Then Tolten's face got that familiar broody look, the kind he'd seen on a lot of other kids. Like Artemis.

No, he told himself, not this time. He wasn't going to do it. Because then he'd start giving a shit, and then Tolten would inevitably disappear, and that would just be one more cut. And...

"Look, I'm no mind reader, but that's an 'I'm overthinking things' face if I ever saw one."

Fuck me.