He nods slowly, as though he understands it, though of course he doesn't, really. The explanation makes enough sense, though, that he's perfectly happy to go along with it, glad that Ned had been willing to explain it. "I noticed you didn't exactly seem cuddly with him. Maybe I just thought you weren't the cuddly kind of guy. Which is pretty stupid, I guess, because you seem to be cuddling with me just fine, but I dunno, you're right, I didn't really think about it."

He leans his head on Ned's shoulder, half looking for more comfort, half simply enjoying his physical presence, liking that there's someone he can cuddle up to without feeling strange about it. "But you've kept him alive for this long, ever since you were a kid, never touching him. That's really... that's impressive. You must be really careful with him. I can't imagine being able to do that. I mean, you know how I am. I'd've impulsively hugged him a long time ago."

And that, he thinks, might have a little something to do with why Ned always seems a bit surprised by spontaneous physical contact, but he's not here to psychoanalyze Ned, or to figure out what makes him the way he is. He's just here to listen, and to attempt to understand as much about him as he can. That's a lot easier than figuring out the whys and hows and all the other unpleasant stuff.