No handlers or technicians ever bothered to gently stroke the Asset's hair, so the only potential trauma to ruin this would be the memory of impatient detangling or the Chair. This isn't like either of them. It's like Owl Friend preening their hair. Like careful brush strokes counting one, two, ten, and on until calm is achieved.

They twitch a little at the almost-kiss, a fleeting moment of tooclosetooclose, but it passes quickly and they shudder out a little sigh, slumping further down against their own knees. Too tired for a proper panic, and the continued petting is soothing. Misty is safe, anyway.

"Sorry," they mumble at last. They don't feel embarrassed, exactly, but... maybe a little ashamed, still. That she's still trying to comfort thme after all that.