The answer was immediate, and yet Gerome bit his tongue to keep it inside. Because yes, he would prefer it if Inigo didn't hide things. Or if he was going to, at least have the decency to be better at it so he didn't know that Inigo was hiding something. But if he said that, Gerome knew he would be nothing less than a hypocrite. Why else did he wear a mask than to hide from people? To keep his emotions from showing, to protect him from others. Maybe he would argue that it was to confuse his enemies so they never knew what he was thinking, but he knew the real reason for his mask.

So he sighed and turned his gaze to that ridiculously bright coloured creature that wasn't a wyvern, and watched for a few seconds while Inigo made it snap a few times. This time when Gerome reached out it was to cover the head of the beast. If he did that, Inigo couldn't make it snap.

"... That is your choice, Inigo. When you are ready to come out of hiding... I will listen. But I will not be responsible for making that happen against your wishes." No, he would not force Inigo to come out of hiding. He wanted, if anything, for him to want to speak. Not because Gerome wanted it.

Maybe it was because it was just the two of them? Maybe it was because this strange world he found himself in made him feel so confused and uncomfortable. But it was making him say and do things he might not have back home. Because now... all there was was Inigo. None of the others. No distractions. No enemy to fight. Just the two of them...

So maybe... if Inigo could be open... maybe Gerome should think about doing the same?