Nico's expression grows ever more dubious during Holden's back and forth answer. He's seen them talk and it didn't seem bad so he had figured that there was a decent enough probability that the answer wouldn't be 'no'. That his question might be interpreted as meaning anything other than 'as a person' accomplishes the rare feat of a possibilities that hadn't really crossed his mind. Now it definitely has, a thought which he would've been fine avoiding.

"Uh. Okay. I, uh, was just wondering - her cabin was kind of destroyed. And it'll probably take a bit to fix up and everything, with the Admiral, and I figured she's more used to spaceships and stuff..." He doesn't manage to quite get to the question but he's inched a little closer.