Claudius knows Lan Wangji well, but there's more yet to learn -- that incidental touch of a head ribbon feels significant, if only because Claudius has never felt invited to touch it before. He's fussed with Lan Wangji's clothing, casually stolen into his personal space, brushed back his hair but avoided that ribbon, so carefully tied that Claudius couldn't even pretend to fix it. Now the bump of Lan Wangji's forehead feels rather like the bump of a cat's, and Claudius smiles at it. He pets Lan Wangji's hair just as he would a cat's fur, a few fingers smoothing out the long ribbon laid over it, and his heart fills to the brim with fondness. "'Tis well," he says. "I've retreated to manners too many times, and said thank you when I meant I love you. I know thou mean'st both."