"O-Oh, ah, um..." Alina began to stutter, beginning to fiddle with the Candelabra in her hands when she was caught. "I-I'm fine, um. I haven't seen the city like this yet so, it's all interesting. And since we're going so [i]f-far away I[/i]..." Alina winced as her voice fell apart under her own words. A reminder she couldn't lie to save her life. Slowly returning her eyes to Lusser, she gave him a weak, but genuine smile. And more calmly answered, "I'm fine, really." Silently wishing she could stop being so jumpy, at least long enough to just say that in the first place.

Her gaze briefly fell back to whatever small detail in the stitching of his coat had invariably grabbed her attention in the first place, before continuing. "I got a bit lost in my thoughts, and your coat caught my eye. You looked calm though, sorry if I bothered you." She stiffened for a moment as she apologized, instinctively wanting to bow but attempting to resist the urge. Having to remind herself that she was not currently in the company of a superior officer. A point, she realized, that might be worth emphasizing to herself.