The muscles of his back tense a little under Wash's fingers, but that's as far as the startle gets before he's on it. This is an experiment, he'll see what happens and then how he feels about it. Decisions can be made from there.

"You seem to be getting pretty brave," he says. "Try me."

They'll have to talk, eventually. For real, and probably horribly awkwardly. He knows that. But for now? The game's afoot, he's handed Wash a challenge and honestly, he really wants to see how this turns out.

(And to kiss him back, inexperience be damned.)