If nothing else, his head was sure in a lot of pain, but not exactly in the way that Cibo probably had in mind.

Murphy couldn't help but apologize, and felt like apologizing again, and once over after that. Regret was practically programmed into him. She took his hand, which was undoubtedly meant to help calm him, but had a tendency to have an opposite effect at times. This being one of them. It was bad enough that he was more tense than he had been before.

"Maybe, I... uh, sure. Talking is... good. Fine." He liked talking. Who didn't? "Er, sorr--"

He stopped himself before he apologized again and sounded like a broken record. His eyes fixed on his hand that had been pulled away rather than facing Cibo herself.