He was keeping his head down, face flushed and eyes staring at the water. But he moved with her nudging, and tried to relax some--mostly so it wasn't like sitting next to a rock.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Okay, there was a smile, eyes-turning to meet her own. "Besides, always easier dealing with someone else's problems than your own, right?" Did...okay, he was going to.

Summoning up some courage--which had never been an issue before now--and uncurling his arm. Reaching out, kind of like how she had done, to take her hand gently. Squeezing it, reassuring, silently promising.