Knock Out shutters his optics for a moment, trying to get his own thoughts ordered and his head back where it belongs. It's a monumental effort, and it takes every bit of mental strength he has to separate this current moment from wherever his thoughts have taken him, but when he opens them again, his expression is less conflicted.

Seeing her try to get to her feet motivates him to reclose the distance between them, arranging himself sitting next to her and using the wall for a brace. He vents deeply, still working on bring his core temperature down, but the air in the hallway has no movement and it's rapidly rising with all the heat he's throwing off.

"Be careful, my chassis is well above normal temp," Knock Out warns. It's not hot enough to burn her, but it won't be comfortable to touch.

Then he hesitates before speaking again. "I apologize. I... forgot myself for a moment earlier, but everything's— fine. And yes, this is being overclocked."