[She saw how he looked. And she knew how awkward she felt, because she knew he was waiting. Patiently. For her to scold him? For her to simply lay down the rule of not going so near to her? What was it that had caught her so when he did such a thing? Was it the same thing the day she took him by the arm?

It wasn't as if she hadn't imagined what it'd be like to have the kind of friendship where they could playfully swat one another. Was it because she felt like she had to be older around him? That otherwise he'd see her as a child. Eirika wished she knew something more definite.]

I'm sorry.

[It was all she could start with. As her head ducked, she thought it... silly that she, a princess, was apologising to him.]

It surprised me. I wasn't expecting it. I... [As she eyed him, she tried to find the words to say exactly what she thought. Well. Felt.] Not that I didn't like it. [A pause.] I'm not saying that I-

[This whole thing was silly.]

It would be nice, if we could be the kind of people who can do that without hesitance. I'm not accustomed to it, though, so... it... would be nice if we could work on that. Together. [Because she knew he wasn't accustomed to it either.]