[He smiles sheepishly in response, ducking his own head with a soft, almost self-deprecating sort of laugh.]

I feel quite the same. I feel I can be myself around you, good or ill.

[It's a nice feeling. Comforting, reassuring— does she know, he wonders, just how much she's already done to soothe his tired and heavy heart? Much of it without even trying, but now, now that they've decided to embark on this journey together, wherever it may lead, he's certain that they will both manage to bring out the best in one another.]

Though I wouldn't usually say having a lady laugh when you're in a partial state of undress is something to be proud of, in this case, I'm quite pleased to hear it.

[It means something to him, too, that they can be so lighthearted about it.]

I nearly forgot, given how— distracted we were, but I did have a small something else planned for our evening.