He’s certain Annabeth can appreciate just how much Gansey trusts her by having said that sentence alone. Admitting it aloud makes him feel raw, like it’d been building for months, not the past few days. He does turn slightly to see her smiling face, not minding the shoulder bumps one bit. It makes him feel grounded—there are others around. It’s always been difficult for him to open up. He’s a Gansey and Gansey’s don’t show other people anything but a polite smile, no matter what they’re feeling on the inside.

His face falters slightly, as though just realizing that Annabeth had come to care about his well-being. It’s an odd phenomenon, separating out the role of “friend” from the true meaning of it, but Gansey had learned a long time ago that for the most part, he wasn’t worth worrying about. He was always the super privileged kid that had anything he could ever want. Why should anyone worry about him?

He bows his head in silence as they continue walking.

“Thank you, Annabeth,” he replies, heartfelt.