Rukia's shoulders hunched a little more. He sounded mad at her now, and it hurt more than she liked to admit. A small part of her wondered why she craved his approval so much, but she had never let herself dwell on it.

She bit her lip, fingers fisting into the hem of her jacket. "I'm sorry," she said, voice breaking. She shook her head, the words tumbling out. "I don't want to disappoint you, but I'm not worth it. I'm just-- I'm no better than he is. I don't want to make it harder for you, breaking the traditions again, but I can't help it. I can't help how I feel, and I can't be anyone else. I'm sorry," she said, again, leaning over and hiding her face in her hands. Her small frame shook with tension.