Essek's brows knit together tighter at the mention of friends, having to take a shuddered breath to not cave into the grief of the ones he lost. So many use the term lightly, even he himself has, but it hurts to hear when the friends he wanted so badly to see safe and alive are gone now. One hand is still hiding some of his face, fingers curled into his hair, he allows himself to grip his hair to keep his despair from overwhelming him again.

The question gives him pause, everywhere tingles sharply with a pain he doesn't realize is merely a lingering memory. No, he felt every piece of him get torn apart, down to past even the metaphysical. Sitting up weakly, he haltingly puts his hand into Ryo's, though it flinches and shakes, he doesn't draw back even as the contact causes the tingles to sharpen and stab as they prickle along his skin.

There's nothing physically wrong with him, beyond probably lack of sleep and eating, all the pain he endured was purely psychological, though he isn't aware.