[ Claude waits patiently as Hilda finds what she wants to say, as her cheeks flush in a way which feels fitting to that promise of not getting upset by what's said even before she starts to say it. He listens carefully and avoids any sort of strong reactions - or any reactions at all to make sure he doesn't discourage her.

There's a passing thought that if he'd taken longer to contemplate it, this might've been on the list of things he'd guessed. Left him with some sort of impression, Hilda says. While that's something Claude will contemplate in depth later, for now the only focus on that is what Hilda says it made her feel. That it caused her some level of discomfort or pain is something he's responsible for, no matter whether it was caused inadvertently or otherwise.

The mention of Mogwry gets a faint smile from him, but it fades not long after at any sort of tactics here as he brings gloved hands up first to tug her closer and then one to brush some of her hair back to tuck it behind her ear. ]

Hilda, I want you to tell me these things. It's not stupid to feel any way about something and it's not causing trouble. But I think you and I both know you have plenty of strategy in you since it's just one of the reasons I like you so much.

[ Paired with a light tug of her hair looped around one of his fingers, but lighthearted teasing isn't the way he wants to shift this towards. That'd be too much like minimizing something she trusted him enough to tell him despite being uncomfortable and as Claude considers what to say next he keeps his gaze on her. ]

I know they're just words rather than actions, but I meant what I told you that if something was going to change I would tell you before anything else. I know we have a lot to figure out still, but the most important part of that to me is that I don't want to break or lose your trust ever again. I don't want to keep secrets from you anymore.