Touching directly upon the subject of these tethers has been unthinkable. It goes against everything in him, whether that's innate or behaviours learned by necessity; the distinction hardly matters, now. Self-preservation is always the most important. And addressing something too-raw, too-real, too-unknown is... like willingly opening up his own chest and exposing what beats inside.

But the string connecting him to this man isn't like most of the others. It's more like the one he has with his son, and... he needs to know why. There's something there. Something that wills Konstantin to push through his own need to hide.

It's clear Louis is less than thrilled by the question, though his own reply has the other man looking visibly startled.

"I don't know what caused this," he quickly shakes his head, mindful not to move his hand too much, or else it'll pull right back against Louis's. "I was hoping you might."

Be able to provide some kind of insight. Something. Konstantin lowers his voice to the same volume as the other man's, conspiratorial. "Do you have other ones, too? Other....colours?"