"—of course I was thinking about you, who else would—" He stops himself and runs a hand through his hair. "No, that's not productive. I don't... think... I understand... what most of that means? I did not mean to hurt you and I don't understand how what I said was hurtful so I can't promise not to do it in the future. It was just... an expression of interest, you do not need to do anything about it this century or, or ever, really."

Thanatos shifts uncomfortably in place but doesn't say anything.

“… In this century?“ she repeats, because. Because how does she engage with any of the rest of that.

"...well, yeah. I don't have any particular plans this century other than keep trying to leave."

“… I think our timescales are different. I was, er, based on, a mortal. With a mortal’s sense of timing. So I do not feel like everything on my plate can be tabled for a century. That is what I mean by overwhelmed. I have so much to get done and not enough time to do it and barely any idea how to get started and I do not want more things to figure out right now,” the last part comes out in a rush that sounds sort of half-sob.

"Oh. Oh. No, I—I definitely didn't—blood and darkness, I'm sorry. No you can just... ignore me."

"Okay."

And now she is just going to attempt to make her little mote of starscape even smaller.

Thanatos feels the urge to pet the mote of starscape and decides there is no harm in doing it. "I'll talk to you later, Zag," he says, offering a Centaur Heart as his prize. "Now is not the time."

"Of course, Than. Take however long you want."

Being petted is nice. It helps. She leans into Thanatos's hand and gives a little appreciative hum.

Also? She kind of wants to not exist. Everything is complicated and she wants to cry about it.

Guh-dong.

The place Than takes them to is... a private chambers of sorts, but not Zagreus's bedroom. For one, it does not have a bed. It has a large desk, instead, with neatly organised sheafs of paper and various notes. A bookshelf, too, and a mirror, and even a small closet.

He hovers over to an armchair but then decides against sitting. "Do you need... some time?" he asks.

Sniffle. Even though this form doesn’t technically speaking have tear ducts.

“Probably? Mostly I’m just. Very confused and complicated right now. Um. I could use a hug?”

"That's something I can help with."

She reforms to person shaped, and promptly flings herself into his arms. Where she starts crying.

He will... not try to guess at what to do next and just hug.

This is very helpful and she appreciates it immensely.

“What a mess,” she mumbles miserably.

"...I'll... have to take your word for it."

“Probably not objectively,” she snorts. “The bar for messes is high, I hear. But. It feels like it.”

"This is part of why I prefer to not have feelings most of the time. Easier that way."

“Good plan. How do I implement it.”

"I don't... know. Zag says other people can't do it like I can."

She gives a little despairing giggle-snort.

“I wasn’t expecting an actionable answer to that, don’t feel bad. Ugh. And now I get to avoid him forever.”

Thanatos blinks a couple of times. "Uh."

“… I acknowledge I’m being over dramatic. Just. Ugh it’ll be so awkward now!!”

An undignified laugh/snort escapes his lips and he coughs a bit into his hand. "It doesn't have to be," he tries.