Partial Disclosure [Katori, Igen]

Tired feet carried the otherwise pristine looking woman, not a hint of her tiring long shifts or the stress of seeing her friend about her issues appearing on her pale features. If she were a lesser woman, she'd have dropped from exhaustion and called it off, but she was determined to see her obligations through, and if she were to turn Igen down, then it's possible he would just take it as her not even wishing to even try, that she wasn't worth his attention or energy, that perhaps they should cease being friends.

A loose hand tightened into a fist, shoulders turned rigid for a moment on that thought - Igen wouldn't be that heartless... Right?

The last several months of life were rough on her mentally, having been paying more attention to things she otherwise would've brushed aside. Almost all her peers were looked upon with a shade of paranoia, wondering how many of them also felt so sour about her, how well they were all doing. She wanted to be happy for Bambietta's promotion way back when, genuinely, but at the same time her nails dug into her palm so deeply it drew blood, as if the news of someone shooting past her like that was so deeply upsetting.

Her Zanpakuto had been oddly quiet, but she felt the thing's presence everywhere she went, creeping across her skin, reminding her of everything that made her ugly and impure, even as her hand rose to knock on her friend's door. At least, she thought it was the awful plant, maybe it was sulking, maybe it was being an awful weed like usual. She didn't know.

"Hello Igen!" She'd speak in that plain, cheerful voice she was used to once the door opened, "Thank you for inviting me over."

The moment the door opened, Katori could hardly get a word in past Igen's enthusiasm in.. Seeing her after so long? Had it really been that long, or was he just being overexcited? She was so buried in her medical work that it felt like the days that fled her bled into an unreadable line in her perception, going without sleep even with the beggings of her squadmates. At least, she thought there was some pleading for her to stop.. It could have just been her hopeful imagination for all she knew - she didn't feel as if many people were that concerned for or noted her, not that she expected such of them. She should be capable of performing under stress and mental exhaustion in her occupation.

At some point she found herself sitting and waiting for tea, almost nodding off in her seat before giving herself a small slap on the arm to wake up. She was a guest, she couldn't be passing out, she had to be awake and alert for her host, especially a friend like Igen. Though, her pale eyes caught a tiger napping in the corner of the room, her expression hardly changing even if she felt a spike of fear in her chest,

"...I-Igendai," If she had any less control she would have screamed, "If you don't mind me asking... When did you get a pet tiger?"