"...I think things are cute," he says with that grim, deep gravelly voice of his that sounds thirty years older than he does. Talking about cute things sounds weird, but he's trying- it kind of seems like this is important to her, based on her reactions. "I just don't talk like that."

Rex has idly begun to play a simple tune on Indrik's belly. If she's a sharp ear and a sharper memory, she may recall it as the starting refrain of, the song she got a hint of during their first meeting.

"I. Did want to pet your head when you were bat-shaped."

Is that enough? Does it need to be baby talk? Can't he just want to poke cute things?