"Oh." Johnny frowns, wanting to ask for more details, at the same time sensing Gabriel's reluctance to go into it. He wrinkles his nose at the thought of Zagreus trying to be friends with anyone.

Any further commentary dies in his throat when Venia curls around Novatiana. He feels her mood shift abruptly, from nervous to - a really different kind of nervous. He feels it as though it came from his own head and heart. She's wheeled sharply from agitation at the bad memory to... what? Embarrassment? Excitement?

Is... is she attracted to Gabriel's giant genderless griffin?

Gabriel's knee comes to rest against his, and Johnny looks down at it blankly for a moment. Is this a come on? No, probably not, Gabriel's just relaxing, and Johnny's pretty sure even he wouldn't flirt at a time like this.

But even so, his body stiffens imperceptibly at the contact, he suddenly feels flushed and tense. Oh god, oh no. Shit. Shit.

"I, um..." Johnny struggles to focus on the question. Forces himself to look back up at Gabriel. "Yeah. I mean, no. I guess it might just be..." He can't maintain eye contact, now for discomfort rather than embarrassment. He curls over slightly, hugging himself without fully realizing it. "I think he likes me because I'm already so fucked up."