Indeed, the light in his eyes becomes more carefree. It seems more likely that the two of them share whatever quirk of reality causes them to come and go. If only Ren wasn't so strangely sad.

"Yes. You know, like those movies with the vampires. You took your helmet off, and"—he laughs, turning a little pink—" tossed your hair, and sparkled. Quite the thing to see, during an afternoon channel-hop."