... Yes?

[Lightning is a little thrown off and confused by his question because no, she doesn't realize how adorable she's being. Accept the pinky-swear!! >:T

Whatever he was going to say about family, what she's about to promise should make it perfectly clear where she stands on the matter, even if neither of them is prepared to say it out loud just yet. He was her family before he even knew her name...

Her pinky gives his a squeeze.]

We'll stand by each other, no matter what.

[Through hell or high water, because that's what partners do. It doesn't need to be said because they both know as much already, but it doesn't cost anything for them to remind one another of it when they can. Lightning is so used to doing things alone, so it helps to be able to say it, if not for his sake than for hers. There's no sense in her vowing to protect him from Caius, or from anyone for that matter, because what was it he'd said to her?]

We can't protect a shield, but two of us are better than one, right?

[❤ Something along those lines. It gets her point across well enough, she hopes...]