[Her clouded expression sours his smile and sets his heart to pounding again. What did he do now? Did he guess wrong about what he could say that would be the least uncomfortable? Does she resent him so much from his previous transgressions?]
[But then, in a flash of grief, he realizes what the problem must be. Of course, she doesn't believe him. And why should she? He's given her no reason to think anything of him but a selfish, childish fool who puts his own desires above the life she chose, a dedication that means everything to her. Of course she's angry, preemptively closed off because she can predict how this will go. That is, poorly.]
[Zelgadis swallows, and steels himself. He has no right to begrudge her this anger, none at all. He'll just have to prove it to her, by keeping to his word no matter what. No matter how much it hurts to keep her at arms' length -- ]
[His grand inspirational self-talk is interrupted when Saber steps closer, her face tight with what he can only assume is justified rage. But the deep, calming breath he intended to take never happens as she suddenly stretches up to kiss him.]
[Hurriedly, he moves to meet her -- ten inches is quite the height difference -- his hands lifting to hover below her elbows. He's afraid to touch her, and in fact it's stupid to think she would need the support for her balance, but it's habit. His eyes squeeze shut and he focused on not moving, not making it a true kiss but rather just a quick touch of mouths, and he gives a violent mental shove to the wave of hope that wants to escape from where he's systematically buried it.]
[As soon as the confetti pops and she pulls back, he'll stand straight up and then start the process of doing his best to pretend this, and she, mean nothing more to him than a Servant.]