"...I'd appreciate that, I think," he says, squeezing him as he sighs into the touch. It wasn't as if he was entirely starved of affection, but he had been before his injury.

And this was... Nice, actually. For all that had happened, and his intent to simply use Steven from the start... Well, he was beginning to take on real value to him aside from his use, in spite of his shortcomings.

"Oh, Steven, I'm exquisite at faking it when my entire world isn't trying to come down around me. I was so well-liked in Amaurot... unlike here."