[He's quiet, still for a moment. Then his fingers move again, gently tracing the lines of Ronan's tattoo where it curls up above his thin black shirt. The back of his neck, the edges of his shoulders. It's an almost distracted sort of touch, except Adam's not distracted at all. All his attention is on Ronan, even while his mind is turning over Ronan's words, trying to figure out the best way to respond.

The truth is, some part of Adam believes that Persephone's death was his fault. Logically he knows that's not true, logically he knows she made her own choices. But if he'd just been able to find her, catch her, pull her back -

No one would have had to die, if he'd been better.

Well. Not no one. Whelk's death is still on his shoulders, and Kavinsky died as well, for all that Adam doesn't feel anything about that. He chose his path. Whelk did too, but not with such gleeful disdain for life.

None of those deaths can be placed at Gansey's feet, though. Gansey would never hurt a fly.]

He knows that, but he might need to be reminded. He takes responsibility for things that he shouldn't, sometimes. We'll just... we should just keep an eye on him, until this is over.

[His fingers trace a sharp barb of black, a claw or a thorn or a branch.]

It's selfish, but some part of me is just glad it wasn't you and me.