[ At first, Ace did not seem to be convinced, taking her words for an act of courtesy that seemed to mistake honesty for being respectful to one another. Parting his lips in a silent protest, he shot her another confused look before his attention was once again stolen by the unusual placement of their fingers....

Somebody had once mentioned in passing what it meant, this kind of gesture, which made Ace wonder whether it had been a conscious move on Tear's part. A promise? If so, could be really be a part of it if he continued to be unsure about the significance of her explanation? ]

They had never been emotions of such nature, as we weren't meant to pursue them under any circumstances. [ Respect? What a strange thing to say, though he has no other option but to accept it, the spark in his eyes growing brighter. ] I am not sure what it truly means to be... affectionate, since I'm merely acting upon what feels right in given moment... to me. Like I said, it's hardly a reliable solution, so it's understandable if you'd rather hold back until we've figured this out.

[ Somehow. Though it only ever seemed to achieve its educational purpose through... actual practice, perhaps he could seek out somebody else's advice? It did seem like an idea.

... Regardless of her response, it seemed like a good idea. ]