Those words, Carlos thought, were words he never expected to hear. Wished for, yes, but actually hear? No, he'd still been convinced that Gael would never love him, either because Gael couldn't let himself - or simply because he couldn't love Carlos. So to hear them, it brought a look of shock to his face, then a certain guarded expression, as if he was wondering if this was actually true.

He rubbed his thumb across the surface of the ring as he watched Gael stammer through the words. Really, it was the uncertainty that made him believe, he thought. Gael was never uncertain, and while with most people he'd say that was a sign of a lie...no. Gael was too good an actor. This was real. His heart seemed to squeeze in his chest a little, and his lips curved into a smile that Gael didn't see, not with his attention on the floor.

"No," he said softly, and he leaned up to capture one of Gael's hands, tugging him down onto the couch with him. "My feelings haven't changed. I love you, very much." His hand skimmed over Gael's hair and he looked at him a bit wonderingly. "I didn't think you loved me back," he said. "But you do, don't you? It's true."