The sound of the door opening sends Ritsuko into a mini-frenzy, quickly dropping the cigarette to the floor, and stamping it out with her heel.

She tries to swat away the smoke hovering around her face as well, ending up locked in a coughing fit in the process. If that wasn't enough, the smell in the empty command room was quite telling anyways.

As soon as her little fit was over, she glanced over at you in the doorway, the nervousness evident on her features.

"Well...you got me."

Ritsuko sighs, glancing down at her lab coat pocket, before producing a pack of cigarettes, in which she took one out and slowly lit it.

She promised to you she would stop smoking forever ago now. At this rate, she'd croak before she hit fifty. Though, she couldn't help it.

"Old habits die hard, you know."

She takes a deep puff of smoke, letting the cigarette drop from her lips and to her fingers, stained with her lipstick.

She lets out the smoke with a long sigh and turns her gaze back to you, her hands returning the pack back to her coat.

"Regardless, you're here late. Why haven't you gone home yet?"

She asks with a curious tone, stepping back to lean on the command room's main console, her eyes looking at yours as the table lights up under the pressure of her movement.