Tavros hadn't even realized his wheelchair had been inching forward, or that he was even at a risk of falling, so when Karkat's foot kicked his break, it startled him and his whole body tensed further. But he didn't look up and he just let out more sobs and shook harder. He thought he'd made Karkat angry, and in a way that made him feel better, because it was what he deserved. When Karkat's grip tightened on him, he let out a whimper.

When Karkat began the shooshing noises, and he felt the fingers in his mohawk, Tavros had to fight to not go back to sobbing uncontrollably. Karkat wasn't mad at him. He was still trying to make him feel better. He didn't deserve that. He didn't want that. But at the same time, if he didn't have it then he would be alone. If he got what he wanted, what he felt like he deserved, then he would have no one left, and he didn't think he could handle that.

No, he knew he couldn't handle that. He drew in a shaky breath, and buried his face in his hands to muffle the new sobs that wrenched out of him. He hated this, he hated all of it. Tavros wasn't allowing himself to be comforted by Karkat's shooshing, he was trying to drown it out, even, because he hated himself for actually needing it.

Finally, he opened his mouth to say the only thing that he could even manage. Even if it wouldn't actually help, because he knew that no amount of apologizing could make him be the friend he wanted to be. "I-I'm s-sorry."