For his part, as much as he didn't think he'd been lying about how he felt, his own affections toward Zevran stated simply, clear as day, he listened. He knew from his own stance that he was not lying, and that something else was motive for Zevran to accuse him of doing so. This behavior wasn't like Zev, though-- had he been altering his responses to please them? It was a sobering thought, and one that made his stomach feel like lead.

"Zev, what we know of you and the world you come from is what you gave us in the book shortly after we met you, and from what we've gleaned otherwise. Without being there ourselves, we can't possibly know your world outside of a book." Unconditional love was simply that-- without conditions. And what he had hoped would calm the situation had instead backfired and brought this to the fore. Maybe it was better this way, to get it out even if it wasn't exactly smooth.

"And lots of things make us flinch, Zev. But if you want us to prove it, okay. I'm game, and so's Jack. We've dealt with one apocalypse, I doubt that you've got something so hideous in your past to change our minds. Especially now."