It looks worse because it is worse. Kell has hidden a lot when they met in Horizon, then there was the avalanche. Rhy can feel how rough is the skin under his touch. Most of the frostbite has healed, but the dark shadow of it remains. It will take longer to completely go away. Kell can move - and feel - all his fingers so it only looks bad now. He lost no range of motion, just the strength for now.

"Don't cry, love. I'm fine... I will be soon."

Kell leans into the kiss like it's the one thing that could heal him completely. Honestly, it's probably not far from truth. Rhy's mere presence makes him feel better already. There are no words to express how much he missed him. What it did to him. This rift is finally gone now.