[ It's something of a relief that Aventurine is not being difficult — maybe because he's too tired to bother with being difficult. That soft, gentle lilt to his voice had been so aggravating only days ago, but now Caelus wants to believe in it, hold it close. He takes one more breath and then pulls away, just enough that he can look Aventurine squarely in the eyes. ]

I've got something I need to tell you, too.

[ He hesitates one moment longer, hands on the man's shoulders, and then continues: ]

I — I saw everything in your head just now. I think. [ That seems to be the best, most succinct way to explain it. Better not get into the stuff that seems crazy, like Clockwork and the Dreamscape and the Emoscapes. ] All the... all the stuff that happened to you. On Sigonia, and everything else.

[ He grips Aventurine's shoulders, not hard enough to hurt. His eyes are swimming with a sympathy so intense it borders on personal pain. ]

You didn't deserve it. Any of it. I'm sorry.

[ Maybe he shouldn't feel this way. After all, this is Aventurine's pain and not his own; if he says something like I know how it feels, Aventurine would be well within his rights to say that he doesn't, that he'll never actually know how it feels. Still, Caelus means it sincerely. He means to try. ]

I wish I could have helped you then.