[to Emily's credit, she's a good listener. she listens, even as her expression twitches at certain points, as she longs to interject - but that's not what she's here for. it's a good amount of insight into the man she's dutybound to follow at the moment, and it's information she'll tuck away, keep close to the chest for now.

she could lay out every card on the table. tell him that Majima likely was trying to help him catch up and quickly, talk about the way he was teaching her how to navigate situations - being harsher than perhaps would really be given, if only to make sure she was prepared for the worst. but, she realizes...it simply doesn't matter. Ryouma could claim he wasn't being stubborn all he wanted, but he is. nothing she says will alter his mind, and as it stands, it's not like he's the only lieutenant the Daitengu has to offer.

somehow, she thinks, she's wandered into the center of men being utterly difficult at each other, in a way that feels vaguely like wrangling dogs that cannot stop snarling at each other.]

Then my advice going forward is to ask Mr. Matoba to handle the bulk of Shuten communication. If you must do it yourself, don't do it alone.

[they're never going to reconcile - and frankly, even as his second, it's not her job to mend the fences. her job is to back him up, and clearly, that extends to keeping him alive.]