[It's hard to avoid her gaze when she leans forward to meet his, and he can't deny the honesty in her voice either.

Beat scoffs lightly at that, looking away from her as a faint redness begins coloring his cheeks. It wasn't often that he got any kind of validation, especially from people who were older than him.]

Thanks, I guess.

[He rubs the back of his neck feeling a little sheepish about what Aerith had said.]

I jus' feel like I coulda helped more if I stayed you know? I think Kitty Boy woulda gotten the necklace an' made it back aight without me.