[Well, this is it. He's compared several moments in their "relationship" as stepping off of a cliff, of falling into the abyss. For the first time, though, Vash properly feels that fear. Showing up again, so soon after they'd only just fought, was going to make it seem like Vash was just trying to brute force his way through. He had once chance to make it right, and now he's at a loss for the right words.

His mouth opens, then closes. Opens again, then snaps shut.]

I hurt you. Bad. [He strokes his fingers over the cracked back of his cybernetic hand. He stares at the fractal patterns spanning outward, trying to map them out instead of meeting Wolfwood's eyes. He's scared of what he'll see there. If he'll be condemned, then at least he won't have to see it.] I'm not stupid, even if I've acted it. I know the world has been cold to you. Hardened you. And when things are like that, there's nothing worse than being offered a place to lay your head and then having it yanked away.

I've done that to you a lot. I could tell you why, give you a whole sob story but it doesn't really matter, does it?

[He sighs, heavy enough that his body sags forward. His elbows brace against his knees, just barely keeping him upright. From this half-bent position, he finally lifts his eyes. He's still afraid, but acting a coward wasn't the right way to go about this either.

He forces himself to look at Wolfwood.]

I haven't... been fair to you. And I'm sorry for that.