[ Daniel buries the nails of his fingers into his palms, digging in a little to try and focus on that, rather than the way his thoughts always threaten to spiral rapidly out of control whenever he thinks too much of this. He tries to focus on that, on his breathing, on Kim's hand once he can feel it on his shoulder. He tries to think of what mister Miyagi would've told him to do at a moment like this - centering himself, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.

And it is hard. Talking about this in general is so hard he never does it, but now he's done it and hears Kim's words, they feel overwhelming in an entirely new way. Something about his pain becoming more real now it's being acknowledged out loud by another person, but there's also something comforting about someone Daniel has as good of an opinion about as Kim practically saying it's not his fault.

(If only it was as easy to believe that, too.)

He breathes in, and it's only then that Daniel finds the courage and energy to turn his head to actually look back at Kim. The first time he tries to meet the other man's gaze, he falters, but then he manages it on the second try, holding it, even if shakily. ]

.. It's why I have to protect the kids.

[ It's not directly addressing most of what Kim just said, because that's a little too hard. Getting words out at all right now feels like a miracle, really.

But he has to say this. Because Kim might get it. ]

Back home-- and here too, since this city is hardly any better. [ It abuses people in its own way, like an insane experiment. ] I can't let this stuff happen to any of them too.

[ It probably explains a thing or two about Daniel, especially given the emotional intensity he speaks those words with. ]