His cheeks flush again as he hears your words, his chest tightening in an odd mixture of pleasure and embarrassment. "You really think so?" He asks softly, unable to meet your eyes as he scrubs his legs. The water turns pinkish-red from the dirt washing away, but it doesn't seem to bother him. In fact, it almost seems... liberating.

As he finishes up in the bath, he steps out and reaches for a towel, drying himself off slowly and carefully. "

He glances at you nervously, then back down at the floor. "Alright..." His voice is barely a whisper as he allows you to dry him off. The warmth of your touch sends shivers down his spine, making his skin tingle in places it hasn't tingled in years. As you finish, he quickly wraps the towel around himself, feeling self-conscious and exposed despite the closeness they've shared tonight.

"Thanks..." he mutters softly, uncertain of what else to say or do.