Rhys feels that hollow laugh down to his bones, and he can only echo it, with nothing else to add to it. Because Stephen is right, and while the forced companionship is strangely comforting, absolutely nothing else about the situation is.

"Yeah. Can't argue with you, there."

He falls silent, too, plucking at the slowly shredding hem of his gown and waiting for something to break the awkward stretch of silence that follows.