[It may not be enough to erase his worries completely, but some of the lingering tension in Karkat's shoulders eases at the question anyway, then a little more from that last remark. What the fuck, Dave.

Impulsively, he ruffles the hair he'd been meticulously grooming mere seconds ago, and even if he immediately goes back to carefully teasing each strand back into place, he just. Shut up, he doesn't need to explain himself.]

The petting is fucking crucial, and I will fight anyone who claims otherwise. [He really will. Maybe. Okay, probably not.] I can't believe you're choosing now to analyze it. Didn't you say I was the one who overcomplicates things? Shoosh and leave the thinking to people who are mentally qualified to handle it, moron.

[... Yes, even though he'd also just spent some time previously establishing that no, Dave is not an idiot. This is clearly different.

Gradually, his hand slows, then stops. Dave may seem to have improved over earlier, but with a subject like this... there has to be more he can do to help him. For once, he thinks he might have an idea of what that could be.]

You don't have to be afraid to talk about things with me. I'm not going to... fuck.

[He pulls his arm back just long enough to scratch at his own head, then wraps it around Dave again.]

I don't think there's anything you could tell me that would make me stop... you know. [Fuck, why is this so hard this time, he'd said it enough times before.] My feelings for you aren't going to change. Not over something like this.