[He's not entirely sure when his optics dropped to stare at his hands - as though there's anything to see there, though it may be a habit he picked up from his time in Sonic's body, where his eyes were so quick to dart away - but Dorothea's words get him to look up at her. Though there's no visible emotion in his face, he does slowly release his hands.
She's right. This isn't the sort of situation with anyone clearly at fault. There were things he could have done better, yes. There were things he and Sonic could have done differently. Maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this had they made different, smarter choices. But they didn't, and they're here now, so what's the point in thinking about those what-ifs?
Beating himself up like this isn't going to help either of them. It's best to put it aside.]
...Yes. You're right. I— Thank you, for the reminder.
[It's the next part that gets him to pause, and he very nearly says the completely inane and stupid thought of but I'm made of metal before remembering that it doesn't matter to Sonic. Some organic beings seem not to mind such things. And... he is a person. To her, she sees a person who is struggling with this, and her solution is to offer a hug. That's...]
It wouldn't be uncomfortable for me, no. That's... Yes, that's acceptable.
[It isn't like him to stumble over his words like this, and yet he finds himself doing it anyway, changing what he wants to say even as the words leave him. Neo shifts a bit so that Dorothea can hug him when she's ready, already carefully warming himself up so that she won't be hugging cold metal, at least.]
no subject
She's right. This isn't the sort of situation with anyone clearly at fault. There were things he could have done better, yes. There were things he and Sonic could have done differently. Maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this had they made different, smarter choices. But they didn't, and they're here now, so what's the point in thinking about those what-ifs?
Beating himself up like this isn't going to help either of them. It's best to put it aside.]
...Yes. You're right. I— Thank you, for the reminder.
[It's the next part that gets him to pause, and he very nearly says the completely inane and stupid thought of but I'm made of metal before remembering that it doesn't matter to Sonic. Some organic beings seem not to mind such things. And... he is a person. To her, she sees a person who is struggling with this, and her solution is to offer a hug. That's...]
It wouldn't be uncomfortable for me, no. That's... Yes, that's acceptable.
[It isn't like him to stumble over his words like this, and yet he finds himself doing it anyway, changing what he wants to say even as the words leave him. Neo shifts a bit so that Dorothea can hug him when she's ready, already carefully warming himself up so that she won't be hugging cold metal, at least.]