[Third time asked, out maybe a hundred moments where he thought to. As their lips met, his eyes closed, and his breathing stopped. The moment was brief, fleeting, but the feeling was powerful. It was just like her; soft, without pressure or obligation. This time, however, he could not mistake her intentions one iota. It raised new questions, of course, but when he opened his eyes to look back at her face, he had some newfound clarity. It was as if some fog had been lifted. His voice was soft, and there was a faint smile on his face.] Lacus...
[Normally, there might not have been a verbal cue to go along with his inquiry, but even as his hand came up to brush some of the stray hairs from her eyes, and cup her cheek as she had done to him, he whispered.] Let me answer.
[And, to do so, he leaned up and moved to catch her lips again. He wanted to linger longer, and the contact was not quite as gentle as before... but that was because he wanted to show her that it was genuine. This wasn't something he was forcing himself to do, as a calculated act. It was like he was free, if only a little, to show her what he had been holding back.]