Something unusual creased Sorian's face when she asked him about beating some sense into the younger Akalak when its given due. A smirk. A rather amused one at that. It was a common expression from Navis, who is infinitely more brash, cocky and arrogant, but from Sorian it was a fierce affirmation of confidence. He was not going anywhere, and he was going to make sure that he remains a physical force behind her life, if the emotional part was to be discarded by marriage.
"I will be here," he whispered in silent Pavi, trying to muster enough confidence to shield the hurt he felt from her next set of words. The honest and confidante-style mention of how the coupling elevated her made things harder, but it was not so much of a struggle to accept It as it was trying to hide it. There was no use trying to anyway, not with Kavala's ability to empathize with him, and he knew that very well. But he was not going to change now, not when he's already two hundred years old.
What else was there to say? He didn't think that their mellow little exercise would turn into such a heartwrenching milestone. He can certainly comment that she is no slave, much like how the Nakivak are, and he prefers to think of her as just Kavala, his friend, his source of affection, but the words were lost to him. He simply stared at her, all emotions suppressed, waiting for her to say something else, like another set of Pavi words for him to learn, and not necessarily feel.