[One hand comes up to rest lightly on top of the one at her waist - even though he doesn't pull her in closer, she shifts a little bit anyway. Careful not to lean on him, still, but he's warm, and even that light physical touch is a comfort.
When he mentions Rukia, she breaks eye contact, glancing down at their matched hands in her lap. It's hard enough to push on a smile when her lieutenant is in the room, to tell Retsu that she doesn't mind Rukia visiting, to pretend seeing the girl like this doesn't hurt every single time - but she can't hide it front of Shunsui as well.]
Physically? She's fine. Emotionally...
[She trails off, and then takes a breath before continuing, shakily.]
Byakuya-san... is dead.
[She'd butted heads plenty of times with the proud young noble, but beneath it all, he was a good man. He didn't deserve this. None of them did. And to see that loss reflected in Rukia's eyes every time she came to visit, the way she had seen the loss of Kaien a decade before was heartbreaking.
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When he mentions Rukia, she breaks eye contact, glancing down at their matched hands in her lap. It's hard enough to push on a smile when her lieutenant is in the room, to tell Retsu that she doesn't mind Rukia visiting, to pretend seeing the girl like this doesn't hurt every single time - but she can't hide it front of Shunsui as well.]
Physically? She's fine. Emotionally...
[She trails off, and then takes a breath before continuing, shakily.]
Byakuya-san... is dead.
[She'd butted heads plenty of times with the proud young noble, but beneath it all, he was a good man. He didn't deserve this. None of them did. And to see that loss reflected in Rukia's eyes every time she came to visit, the way she had seen the loss of Kaien a decade before was heartbreaking.