[The welds on Deckerd's aching hands creak and sting as he clutches at Gunmax just as tightly. With his face turned where Gunmax can't see it, Deckerd lets his expression crumple. He lets himself feel the guilt and worry and shame and spiraling panic about what if this happened again what if Gunmax couldn't be calmed down what if Deckerd really had gotten hurt and Gunmax found out...]

[He feels all of that, sucks in his own shuddering vent and then a second one, but only those. No more. Gunmax needed him calm and he needed him to be reassuring. This was not the time to be useless in a crisis, because what Gunmax didn't need was for Deckerd to get into a loop of Gunmax's panic making Deckerd panic, which would lead to Gunmax panicking even more-]

[No.]

You do not need to- it is... okay. [His voice comes out as a rasp] Now we know, don't we? Don't shut off my optics around you, or at least not when you're already on edge. We're learning what helps you. Which means that you have actually been very good, the way you always are. Very brave. [That last part is followed by a strained laugh, but he also genuinely means it] It- it isn't a failing to be afraid. I've got you. I'm here. I'm alive.