[he nods, running a hand through his hair alongside the motion. he doesn't say it, because Styx is almost certain that she's heard it a million times before, but he'd still be thinking that Karin of all people had a right to be twisted up inside over being here. she was a kind woman, and he's sure that if someone had asked her to aid Geardagas she would have agreed without a moment's hesitation - but that was the point, wasn't it? they hadn't. no one had asked her if she'd care to be whisked away to an ailing continent, to lose her friends, to shed feathers and remained shackled to her bed for weeks...

even someone with a soft heart must ache over the things taken from her. maybe even more painfully, with nothing to protect it from feeling those claws but a cheerful smile. he had his idiocy to keep him safe to some degree, but what was there for Karin?

...she had a big arm draping around her shoulders, if nothing else. it sits loosely, easily discarded with nothing more forceful than a gentle tap, but present all the same. the drummer feels a little presumptuous for expressing himself physically, but also that this is the right way to say what's in his heart; it's too important to be tripping over his ineloquent words right now. I'm here. whatever he can give her to soothe some of that ever-present pain, she was welcome to it all.]

Don't think...um, well, that's not a bad thing, I don't think. Not being ok. 's a lot, all over. You keep that kinda thing inside and it's just gonna hurt you worse.

[and the people that were 'lost' to Karin now wouldn't want her doing that to herself...he doesn't need to have met them to be sure of that.]