It was perhaps a little of both. Selen's words hadn't lost any of their meaning in expression, in fact Sephiroth had understood her entirely. His potential argument had come in when he'd tried to apply that observation to his own actions. He still didn't know a great deal about how he felt about Terra, and that in itself came with it's own world worth of concerns and questions. Could he continue to let himself be so attached to another person on such a growing emotional level? What about if someone wanted to use that to hurt her? To hurt him? Could Sephiroth deal with the betrayal again, that he felt would be an inevitable still?

There were very many reasons why he'd been stalwart in keeping himself to himself. Especially ever since Angeal yet again passed into stasis. It seemed he was fated to exist on Crystallis alone, without those two whom he had once treasured. Their stone-like gazes forever judging him, goading him. Reminding him of what, of who, he was.

A small frown pulled at the space between Sephiroth's eyes as Selen mentioned how Terra was also important to her. It raised a moment later and he couldn't resist to smile a little. It was somewhere between knowing and a little sheepish; quite a strange twist of his lower lip almost as if he were chewing on it.

"I do my very best to protect her." The smile faltered a little, though he did not look away just yet. "Though that's been rather difficult, as of late."