Her heart already felt like it had begun to run faster, a sensation that ramps up further when he briefly reaches for her and ghosts a hand over her shoulder. The distinct feeling that she's on the verge of something persists, even when he turns away from her and sends her stomach into knots.

"You don't," it feels like she both does and does not know what she's saying. "Have to." She doesn't want to crowd him, but Aerith steps closer to him anyway, deciding it was her turn to reach for Balthier, touching his shoulder fleetingly as he had hers, leaning into the feeling that even though she can't find the words to suit this, she doesn't want him to give her any space.