The man said yes. He actually answered the question. At first, Ace was so sure the other was messing with him, that Dane had some twisted sense of humour he just hadn't been able to figure out yet. Because really, who would be so incapable of comprehending rhetorical questions. And then, Dane proceeded to check him out, and if Ace didn't feel completely uncomfortable and self-conscious he would have laughed at the man. Because he was honestly looking at him to see if he was, indeed, beautiful? Yes, sure, Ace was used to being evaluated. In fact, there hadn't been a single person he had talked to that hadn't done that - he had thought, sometimes, that that wasn't true, but he had been wrong - either to evaluate the danger he possessed, if he was an interesting enough bed partner or just to plain judge him, because he definitely didn't look noble. He could easily shrug it off, ignore it or give the other an equally throughout look, until they were uncomfortable or decided to take him to their bed.<br/><br/>The scars had long taken any sort of beauty away from him, and he was fine with it. Enough people were attracted to them that he didn't need to spend his days alone, and that was enough. But this time, it felt completely different. Like Dane was really trying to decide if he was or wasn't beautiful on a purely objective point of view, or judging his very soul, because everything about it was too innocent, like a child, and it made him feel oddly exposed.<br/><br/>Ace decided right then that if this was indeed some kind of twisted sense of humour, he hated it.<br/><br/>But then, Dane tried to deflect his question - it was obviously a deflection, by the way he straightened himself, and generally just seemed way too comfortable with the questions he threw as answers. The longer it went, the more Ace just stared at the other man, until Dane finally stopped, and all the mercenary could do was laugh.<br/><br/>Not a mean, sarcastic or degrading laugh. No, it was a true one, perhaps the only true laugh he had had since... Well, since Cenric happened. It felt strangely liberating, as if, for that few seconds, he didn't need to worry about the rest of the world, as if everything was alright, because he was laughing. As soon as the sound stopped, though, the relaxed feeling washed away, leaving him with the heavy weight on his chest that seemed to be his only true companion. And yet, he felt just slightly more relaxed, just slightly happier, and he couldn't even find it in himself to be annoyed at it.<br/><br/>It hadn't even been that funny, but Ace couldn't really understand how a person could have seen so much - because Dane had, he was a hundred percent sure of it, no matter what the other wanted him to believe - and still remain so fucking simple. And not even in the bad sense. It was so easy to understand what he was doing, in an almost childish manner, that almost remembered him of a time where his only concerns were not to get caught stealing cookies from a jar. Sure, the questions were phrased with much more expertise, just complicated enough that Ace almost wanted to stop paying attention, but still. The whole situation was so surreal, so different from the methods he was used to to avoid questioning - that normally involved a blade, blood or pain - that it felt almost... innocent.<br/><br/>"You're good at this game, but it's not a game you can win with me. Dog with a bone and all that." Ace chuckled, lightly. "Let's answer your questions then. The only thing I'm expecting to find in you is a knight, exactly like all the others I've encountered. Someone who will drive a blade on my back at the first chance you get. So I'm not exactly disappointed that you aren't meeting my expectations."<br/><br/>The words reminded him of the grim reality. The man in front of him was not his friend, and he definitely could not erase his problems. That, given the chance, he would turn on him. That this whole thing was just another job. Ace was very aware of all that, but the spark of happiness and simplicity was nice while it lasted. His smile shifted into his usual smirk, still amused, but now holding the bitterness of always.<br/><br/>"The monster back in the clearing. I have no idea what you saw, but I'm sure it wasn't what that thing really was. So I guess that pretty much answers your question about how can you be anything else. But, if you want to get philosophical with me, why don't you answer me this: when have you met a person who is exactly who you think they are? Who is not wearing a mask? Who is not lying about something? I can count those in a single hand, with fingers to spare." he wiggled his fingers, just to illustrate his point. "So, considering you - and I feel like I'm repeating myself here - stopped a fucking tree with your back, I'm sure you're something else."<br/><br/>Ace's eyes shifted to the flames in front of them, as if trying to find some answer in them. By now, though, he was pretty sure he wouldn't get any answers.<br/><br/>"So you say you're not a knight, and I'm a nice guy and fully willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and actually believe you." and then, his lips pressed together in annoyance, and he frowned at the fire, still not looking at Dane. "If you don't want to tell me the truth, fine, don't. You don't like me, so I get it. No hard feelings here. But don't insult my intelligence pretending you're just a big guy with a sword."