He may laugh, but he's not necessarily judging. In her time she's clearly dealt with things that would give her good reason to be cautious.

Carefully, Shouji lifts a hand, settling it on her shoulder in a gesture that he hopes reads as solidarity. The other limbs fall to rest on the sun-warmed metal beneath them.

"Having people on your side helps, but it doesn't change that sometimes people look at you and don't see you, just the preconceptions. I'm sorry that it's something you deal with too."