Tess' understated affection gazed at him soothes like a reassuring and caressing hand. Joel tends to close himself off from initiating outward displays of sweetness; it's Tess who initiates their candid moments, mostly. Tess, who seems, somehow, to be able to read him like a book when he's stuck too deep inside his own head; Tess who comes at him with the nurturing back rubs, the mollifying hand-holding when his hackles are up, the forcefully gentle clutch of his face in her hands when she wants him to listen closely to her. Joel selfishly takes what Tess offers and often doesn't think to return her needs.

When they fight, though, or when they come too close to tipping over an ugly edge of wounding, vicious words... A cheek kiss, a reach for her hand with beseeching apology in the subtle lace of his fingers within hers, a longing look for Tess to reassure him that they're good tends to spill out of him. Anything to melt her familiar nearness back to him, safe and sound. And then she usually gives him looks like this.

Joel snorts softly to her remark about luxury, returning her understated gaze of affection with an unsmiling but still soft, understated one of his own. Then, turning a retreating step towards their shabby little excuse for a bedroom, he answers a mildly joking as he strips off his towel and tosses it aside, "Heh, turkey-in-a-can for two. Yeah, real romantic. S'pose I'd better get my best suit on."