Even though Ryo can't understand him, even he can still hear that Mort sounds wrong - too quiet for as lively as he usually is. When Lagos relays the message, it's all Ryo can do to try to keep a neutral expression, and he knows he doesn't entirely succeed. He'd broken. Thanatos had broken, and he needs to fix this, but he doesn't know how, and-

And Thanatos wants to put Mort back-

"No," Ryo says, too quickly for it to be anything but desperation, and he scrabbles for a reason, anything to make this sound plausible, anything that could help, and he's fighting exhaustion and grasping at straws but he has to try- "I-I need you to keep him with you." Why? Why? He needs a reason- "In- i-in case- Lagos needs to talk to him again." Oh, this is terrible, but now he's committed and he can't stop. "I don't want you to keep having to make trips. And- Mort's safer with you than he is alone."

And maybe, if Mort is with Thanatos, he can help, because Ryo sure as hell doesn't know what to do.

Lagos picks up on that worry (because it is blatantly obvious, c'mon Ryo) and starts back up with Mort. Will he listen to you if you talk to him?