At that, Mathias's mouth does turn up into a genuine smile and a soft breath of laughter escapes him. If nothing else, Veronica does know how to make him laugh, even in this situation, where he feels uncomfortable and strangely awkward.

"My father did the same for me," he offers, brushing his fingers over her arm gently. "It was very uncomfortable and at the end, I still didn't understand anything. But you know what I mean."