[He meets the kiss a little clumsily with near-bruising intensity, because this is that serious and that full of emotions and you need to battle it somehow. It scares him, taking this risk of not just getting hurt but very possibly getting killed sometime in the near or distant future. At the same time, it might never happen and right now it scares him even more to step away from a good thing just because he might get hurt.
He's done so much of that already. Too much. And maybe he is afraid of being alone again, but even more so he's afraid of giving up too soon. Of not allowing himself to do anything at all. ]
I know. [He lifts his free hand to brush his fingers through her hair, smiling softly. Wearily.] I'm sure a lot of people would agree with that assessment.