Though its expression remained dark, it softened at the edges; though the source of that softening may have been wildly different from what a casual observer would assume.

Oh, Justine... too kind and too empathetic, her emotions just too much for her soft human brain to control. She needed to be adored so badly.

It reached out to wrap its arms around her, to pull her close against it-- not in any kind of suggestive way, not yet. It simply wanted her to think that it wanted her to be close, to assure it that it was not alone, to ease the sensation of isolation it had been coping with since its arrival through the mirror some months ago.

"Just this," it said softly, a hand going to stroke her hair so gently.