Though the world around him was still drowned in a soft haze, Ace could still respond to her concern with absolute clarity.

"You're being-...." The cadet breathed out, suppressing the urge to wrap his arms around the one person that could bring him so much comfort with her presence alone. "... Ridiculous," he repeated her assessment from earlier. She truly was, to think that he would have minded it even if she had indeed interrupted his attempts.

Selfishly, he held onto her hand, suddenly finding the thought of letting her leave far more difficult to accept than before. Urged by his own heartbeat, already racing, and yet viciously promising to pick up its pace yet, the boy straightened his back and spoke. Still, not right away, not before biting his lip as he considered the right choice of words that didn't really seem to exist.

"Lie down with me, then."