[ his reply comes as no surprise to her. only confirms her own unspoken questions if he had seen them or not. after all, would he have started asking others if he had? everyone she's met seems to have build their own opinions and thoughts and feelings after, not before.

lenalee pauses once more in her tracks, her gaze flickering at his expression. the lines on his face, the tug at the corner of his mouth. all very telling. ]

Then I'm afraid I can't answer your question. [ for him. on his behalf. ] That would be presumptuous of me.

[ there's a small lilt to her lips, the strained start to an attempt at a smile. more helplessly wry than openly friendly to her words.

there are more words waiting on the tip of her tongue, words she would have happily lashed out if he had been someone else. someone familiar. but he's not, so they stay there out of civility. instead she turns her gaze back to the units inside, glowing under the cold light.

are you afraid of seeing them? ]

They're waiting. They won't be going anywhere else.