That sense of unease just grows. He feels himself shifting his weight, drawing his arms slightly up a little in unconscious defense.

But it's not an attack that comes, not a physical one, anyway.

A verbal, emotional punch hurts just as much.

And he wants to reply -- he wants to say he's not any better. He let him down. He's let Darin down already. And why do people keep placing more and more on his shoulders and telling him it's okay to break under the weight they trusted him to hold up...

"I -- "

But the man is gone before he can answer.

Even if he knows he would have accepted it, taken the responsibility. It's what he does.