As the other studied the apple, Dorian's gaze focused as one of Akio's slender fingers trailed across its skin. It was a soft touch, a caress of sorts. Briefly, his mind wandered to the point at which Akio had brushed his cheek with that sense of tenderness. The warmth in his chest grew for a moment, the skin of his cheek tingling as if it were still there. He was vaguely aware of his own hand rising to rest on his cheek, rubbing it thoughtfully got a moment before voice in the back of his mind reared and clear these thoughts away. Sighing, both disgusted and confused, his golden eyes instead rolled upwards casually, preferring to look about the room in place of the other man for the moment as he was spoken to.

He was surprised that Akio seemed to dismiss his offer of lessening the extent of his punishment, thanking him, but appearing to feel as if the help wasn't needed. Slowly, he allowed his gaze to return to him for a moment, quiet. There was a fire lingering in his eyes, that drive he had seen previously on a few accounts. It was the reaction he'd gotten from prodding away at him yesterday, the determination of a warrior. Face held blank in a calm expression, he seemed to etch those eyes into memory. They weren't blue, but... Dorian's jaw clenched, his fist again curling as he fought what had crossed his mind. How dare he associate this samurai with his memories of his human love. How dare he even begin to.

"How... noble of you." Dorian responded with care, a compliment but not spoken as lightly as such. There was an edge in his voice, a darkness that remembered all too clearly what nobility had brought him in life. A darkness that remembered Marcel, his cruel fate, and how he had just now had a moment of relation of Akio to this. After a few moments, the thoughts passed, fist again uncurling and this time moving to rest casually in his lip as his gaze lifted to meet the other's. His jaw relaxed itself, instead the earlier intensity moved into his gaze, confused yet oddly nurtured by the other's declaration that he'd take the pain. That was bravery. Some part of Dorian still admired seeing a brave man accepting fate; another, larger part of him appreciated seeing Akio's will to fight his.

"Nevertheless, I reckon I will still attempt to assist you." He spoke calmly, this time his voice more distant as he finally came to admit some level of good intent. The mood lightened between them, something Dorian savored, if only because they swept him from his torn thoughts and back into casual conversation. Communication this way was much easier on him when he didn't come to think about it. It seemed to drift naturally between them, if still awkward. A curious situation, they had. As he was questioned over art, Dorian chuckled a bit alongside Akio, shaking his head as he sighed softly. "Oh, I have attempted it, but no, I never had much of a talent. I do take pleasure in others' work, but none of my own." He admitted, thoughts stirring back to his youth in a manner now more openly fond. He didn't think-- he let his mind wander, and this was what let Dorian finally come to relax his posture and drown his confusion.

"What of yourself?" He returned the question curiously, wandering what had roused the subject. Did Akio have something of an artist within him? He considered it wouldn't be beyond the man, easily picturing him standing behind an easel. Akio had made mention of what art he saw earlier, Dorian remembered. It was only then that Dorian's mind drifted to the paintings he had kept of Marcel's, those hanging along some of his walls as they spoke now. However, for once, the memory brought him no pain or raging of emotions. In Akio's presence, here and now, he focused and remained calmed. He found some sanctuary from his thoughts in focusing on his presence, an unprecedented notion.

"If you would like, since you seemed curious, I have the time now to explain some of the pieces you might've seen earlier. Or, perhaps you'd like to go to the study once more?" Dorian suggested, a bit of warmth trailing into his tone. Curiosity danced in his eyes and one of his eyebrows lifted slightly in the other's direction, wandering if he dared to spend non-obligatory time in his presence again. He didn't wait for the other to reply as he stood, slipping up from his chair in a smooth motion and casually moving to exit the dining room. As he passed behind Akio, one of his hands trailed along the edge of his seat back, finger brushing against Akio's back in a casual manner he hadn't planned. At the end of the seat back, he lingered for but an extra second, casting a curious glance back at him before shaking his head to himself and continuing on his way towards the room's entrance.

If he hadn't received an answer by then, he'd turn on his heel and wait calmly there, gaze cast curiously yet on Akio.