Read the gesture
Look at the distance between figures, the direction of hands, and the angle of the head. Describe these marks before deciding what emotion they suggest. A caption may confirm or complicate that reading.
Compare inner and outer voices
Separate dialogue from narration or thought captions. Notice whether the reader knows something another character does not. That difference creates emotional tension without requiring a change of setting.
Study the cover's promise
Colour, type, and a close-up can make a broad claim about the story. Compare the cover's emotional shorthand with the subtler exchanges inside a sequence.