There's the urge to speak up in the middle of what Robby is saying. Daniel gets so close to actually doing it, only managing to shut his mouth at the last moment before any actual words can come out, since he doesn't want to interrupt when the boy is clearly already having so much trouble getting all of this out in the first place.
But he still wants Robby to know. He doesn't want him to ever feel like he's just a replacement, or that any of this is just because Daniel misses his own kids. Sure, he does miss Samantha and Anthony - every single day, a pain that doesn't seem to fade even after almost a year away from them. But that has nothing to do with what he feels for Robby, not when Daniel realised - looking back on it all - that he actually already felt this sort of way about Robby way back home during the summer Robby stayed at their place.
.. he can tell him later, he tells himself. First Daniel wants to sit there, and he wants to properly listen if all of this is so important to Robby.
Still, the man is completely oblivious to what's to come. Unlike a certain other creature, who's giving Robby's hands encouraging little nuzzles while the boy speaks, moving to shove its fluff further against the boy's hands.
Until the inevitable truth comes out.
A truth that - quite honestly - Daniel can't quite wrap his mind around. He hears the words, and even though there's an obvious answer, his brain still struggles to try and realise what liking someone as more than a dad does. Maybe it's in the way mister Miyagi meant so much to him - not just a sensei, but a father, both roles in one - but that can't be it, or Robby wouldn't be looking like this about it, wouldn't be so scared and reluctant to express the sentiment when Robby has managed to say plenty of sweet things to him before.
That leaves only one option. One that even Daniel's own mind slowly travels towards, but it's at the same time one that just.. doesn't make sense, no matter how many times he turns it over in his mind.
"What.. do you mean?"
He speaks slowly, the look in his eyes unsure - but he's trying to keep his tone and expression still somewhat gentle, not wanting to startle or scare Robby while he's trying to get all of this out there.
But it can't be-- It can't be that. He's misunderstanding it, clearly. That's why he's asking in the first place.
this is a little pumpkin patch with ONE BEAUTIFUL PUMPKIN THAT I LOVE!!
But he still wants Robby to know. He doesn't want him to ever feel like he's just a replacement, or that any of this is just because Daniel misses his own kids. Sure, he does miss Samantha and Anthony - every single day, a pain that doesn't seem to fade even after almost a year away from them. But that has nothing to do with what he feels for Robby, not when Daniel realised - looking back on it all - that he actually already felt this sort of way about Robby way back home during the summer Robby stayed at their place.
.. he can tell him later, he tells himself. First Daniel wants to sit there, and he wants to properly listen if all of this is so important to Robby.
Still, the man is completely oblivious to what's to come. Unlike a certain other creature, who's giving Robby's hands encouraging little nuzzles while the boy speaks, moving to shove its fluff further against the boy's hands.
Until the inevitable truth comes out.
A truth that - quite honestly - Daniel can't quite wrap his mind around. He hears the words, and even though there's an obvious answer, his brain still struggles to try and realise what liking someone as more than a dad does. Maybe it's in the way mister Miyagi meant so much to him - not just a sensei, but a father, both roles in one - but that can't be it, or Robby wouldn't be looking like this about it, wouldn't be so scared and reluctant to express the sentiment when Robby has managed to say plenty of sweet things to him before.
That leaves only one option. One that even Daniel's own mind slowly travels towards, but it's at the same time one that just.. doesn't make sense, no matter how many times he turns it over in his mind.
"What.. do you mean?"
He speaks slowly, the look in his eyes unsure - but he's trying to keep his tone and expression still somewhat gentle, not wanting to startle or scare Robby while he's trying to get all of this out there.
But it can't be-- It can't be that. He's misunderstanding it, clearly. That's why he's asking in the first place.