Kay stilled under his hand, rather fascinated by the changing of Johan's expressions as he struggled to get out what he wanted to say. It was like the facial equivalent of a light show! She suppressed a smile at that, made easier when he added his other palm and she relaxed a little under that warmth.

Johan had once said that she was like Juudai, but different, something Kay hadn't been too sure that she liked. He hadn't been able to explain it, then, and throughout it all, she'd been worried that their friendship's basis was all due to their Pokémon. And she hadn't wanted that at all.

So when he finally said it, and said it joyously without Kay having needed to steer him in that direction at all (not that she would have), she almost felt like crying. He cared, and it wasn't through spirits or their partners or Kay's ties to a vigilante thief, it was because he was Johan and she was Kay, and a promise to watch each other's backs had been renewed.

It took a minute or two for her to work out what had just taken place, but then her arms went around his neck and she buried her face in his shoulder and just-- held on. If nothing else, this date had helped them both. Not exactly for the sake of practice, but it had done so much more.

"Feeling's mutual," she mumbled, trembling slightly with the effort to not let her emotions get the better of her. "I can't steal that."