It's hard. There's a lot happening right now that's simply hard to cope with, no matter how much relief there is from finding themselves together again.

That warm hand at Shinji's back really only encourages more of those tears, which he does his best to cover by bringing his own hand up to his face to cover his eyes. He takes a shaky breath before clenching his jaw tightly, like it will be enough to stop himself from crying altogether. He didn't want to make them worry, not after everything, and surely this is only going to do just that. Come on, Shinji, pull yourself together.

"Sorry," he eventually says, small and quiet enough that it shouldn't carry very far past Kai, voice thin through the effort of keeping a tight lid on any errant sobs. "I-... sorry."

He'll be fine. Just... just give him a moment.