"Nothing to apologize for." That's what tumbles out first, a little staticky, a little too much, because people thinking with an intent to be heard, even by themselves alone (plural intended), is just... loud.

The return to human form is sudden like a snap, and there's a clear expression of not-quite-fear on his face.

"...Which I guess answers your question, huh." Self-deprecating humor, yep, that's how we're going to get through this, if he can't turn into a mug. (A mug would be kind of obvious out here.) "Sorry. Most of the time I can escape hearing any kinds of details, but you're louder than average and I don't have any kind of buffer like that."