[ Faltering, she looks back up at him. It doesn't dull her quiet gladness, but she noticeably hesitates as she attempts to find the right way both to parse and to phrase exactly what she means to answer with. ]

Well... not many people have said anything like that to me. Called me a 'friend', that is.

[ Her shoulders move in what's almost a shrug but doesn't quite make it there, because it's about then that she realizes how that must sound and wilts slightly, blinking as she tries to regroup. Her arms shift around her midsection, though she stops short of shuffling her feet. She looks very mildly embarrassed, although her candor keeps her from giving in entirely to that sentiment. Her voice lowers slightly in volume, though she doesn't say it for her own benefit when she adds, ]

I guess I just-- didn't expect you to feel that way, that's all.

[ Nor did she realize that she did, as a matter of fact, because her own feelings have never seemed to her to be of much consequence, and she rarely has cause to attempt to put names to them. (Being of the opinion that they didn't exist for most of her life kind of put a damper on that.) ]