[Noah jumps when Gansey touches his arm as he had been looking at anyplace except the other boy, but he doesn't actually pull away from it at all. Noah lacks the stubborn pride of Adam, even of Ronan. He's just so stupidly pleased to be thought of and noticed at all, the concern is a welcome thing even if he's still figuring out how to accept it.

The words are a comfort. They're a lot like what Adam told him, and maybe if Noah hears it enough it'll finally sink in.]

Thanks. That means a lot to me, Gansey... though I was a real shitbag before, so. So it isn't hard to be more likable than that. And there's always alcohol for the emotions, the next best thing to not being conscious.