[ Even for as long as Ferdinand has been on this island, his noble upbringing causes him no end of complications in an environment like this. He already has a hard enough time separating physical intimacy from emotional closeness, and being encouraged to act on such desires has forced him to admit to a lot of feelings that he had planned to keep secret.

And those feelings make his heart skip a beat as she touches him, a dexterous hand cupping his cheek as she closes what little distance remains between them. ]

I did not... I mean, that is not what I...

[ His voice trails off as words fail him, and he finds that he can do no more than look down upon her in astonishment, his heart feeling as if it might burst. It takes him a moment to recover, during which time he slowly brings a gloved hand to his cheek, resting it atop hers. Instinctively, his other arm settles around her waist, and he's overcome by just how nicely she fits against him. ]

...You truly mean that. To say that I am flattered would be quite an understatement.