At that very moment, the two of them seem to be trapped in their own little universe.
While Hal tightens his hold around her waist, Eli can't help but be more and more baffled in each passing second. Both his words and expression appear genuine, though austere and firm.
Now, she probably understood. The way he kept reacting out of his usual character and trademark cool whenever she's the one involved - it had confused her for months. But at this minute, he seemed to have finally shed light on it.
As much as Hal wanted to repress his emotions, and even if he kept trying every single time, he simply couldn't. Eli could tell that he was really trying do just that, but his attempt ended up futile.