[Lapis can only really imagine what he's been through, to make him think like this. His words enough to get her frown to deepen, and she shakes her head firmly - starting to fail in keeping herself as calm and neutral as she always is.]

Something like that is never a privilege, it's something we all can do! Nobody can take that away or say otherwise.

[Because he met her. He protected her. He could've used her as bait, or tossed her aside, but instead he helped her.

But what he says next causes her expression to become distressed for a moment, not knowing what to say now. She knows he'll listen to his superiors, she knows he won't question them. How can she convince him that he's more than some tool for him, when it's something he's known most of his life?

But then she freezes, that warning spike causing her eyes to widen and for her to shift closer.]

Julius? [That spike goes back to normal, but he's still frozen. Still focused on something that isn't there - it's only after a moment has passed does she reach to place her hand gently on his arm.]

Are you alright? What happened?