The Exarch flinches back at the touch, gentle as it might be, and shakes his head. So it was the Echo, and -

A small, choked sound escapes him as Felih explains further, eyes widening even more for a moment as he reveals such a treasured - and private! - memory unshared with anyone for so long. Though the thought it might be the Echo did occur to him, that it might reveal some of his deeply buried heart somehow hadn't registered. "That's - no. No, that... never happened..."

He can't look directly at Felih as he says so. If Felih already realises it can't be right, then surely he won't push him on it.