Ran's voice brought him out of his steady brooding (what she would label as brooding), making the ex-captain turn just slightly to see her coming up the ladder. Normally shut eyes were open now, he didn't feel any particular need to keep the charade up. As it were, neither did she, it seemed. He watched a moment more as the blonde struggled to start, only ending before she could.

"Hav' a seat." A flattened palm patted the empty spot next to him. It had certainly been a while since he had been able to sit and talk with his old friend-- the pang of the thought made his heart ache just a little more. The late night plots with Aizen and Tousen had previously filled his evenings, causing him to see Matsumoto less and less.

Yet somehow, here they were-- just the same as before.

It was funny how fate played her cards, because although the setting was almost identical, they had switched roles. Ran was doing more finding than he was.

"Didja unwrap m'present fer ya?"