No! [There's a flustered flare. Her just teasing does register, he is still flustered.] I meant-there is a difference between fun and nice. The fight was fun, it was just also weirdly nice.

This is making a world of difference faster. I knew I was feeling some effect, but the other times was slower. [Since those were brief bits of intermittent contact.]

[It leaves a swirling mess of emotions. The affirmations and kindness and not even trying to say he should be a hero, that maybe it would be fine he isn't good either. It was just hard to believe. He has to earn approval, earn affection. Why would she put in the effort?]

[Oh. He supposed that would explain the effort.]

I...well. It is nice.