There's no way Daniel can't understand these words. Not when what Robby says is so clear, so direct. Words that have no other meaning than the thought that rose in Daniel's own mind only a moment ago, the thought he threw away because it felt too outlandish. After all, Robby-- A crush? On him? But Robby is just a teenager, and Daniel is his teacher, and..
.. and suddenly it feels very familiar, in a way that makes Daniel sick to his very stomach. It's not like teenage boys never get crushed on their teachers, right? When Daniel could go to the places in his mind he never wants to go, the remembrance of a time long ago where an older teacher made him feel wanted, praised him, hands on his body, and Daniel had fantasized--
But that had been wrong. So wrong. Even Daniel himself realised it, the very moment the tower of cards came crumbling down. Once he realised Terry Silver had lied to him about everything, he realised the other had probably done even that on purpose. Stirring him up, leading him on.
But if he's looking at Robby across the table now like he's looking into a mirror that leads to the past, and then that means Robby is him, his younger self, and Daniel is..
.. Daniel is the one thing he never wanted to be.
He stares at the boy with horror, but it's got nothing to do with what this confession says about Robby, and everything to do with what it says about Daniel. He mentally tries to go back to his old memories with Robby, trying to recall them clearly enough to think back on every action, on every little thing he did. Was he leading Robby on all this time?
His throat feels so dry, and the little creature on Robby's lap perks up, standing up on the boy's lap so it can rest its little front paws on top of the table, peering over at Daniel - feeling every single emotion that's going through the man's body, being able to tell what Daniel is thinking. The shisa considers pulling Robby's attention towards it, but on the other hand, it also doesn't want to make things harder on a boy who's already struggling to say this in the first place.. Sometimes an omen's duty is hard..
Daniel does speak up though, even if he needs a moment first. Just a moment to gather his thoughts, though once he does speak, the words tumble across his lips as if they're in a hurry to be said.
"Robby, I-- I'm so sorry." There's a depth in those words, a desperate plea, a kind of guilt. No disappointment, nor regret, but instead worry. "Did.. Did I do anything to make you feel you had to..?"
He can't even find the right words for it, honestly. Even this doesn't feel quite right, but-- He has to know. Daniel would absolutely never forgive himself if he put Robby through the same thing Terry put him through all those years ago. If he copied his own worst nightmare.
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.. and suddenly it feels very familiar, in a way that makes Daniel sick to his very stomach. It's not like teenage boys never get crushed on their teachers, right? When Daniel could go to the places in his mind he never wants to go, the remembrance of a time long ago where an older teacher made him feel wanted, praised him, hands on his body, and Daniel had fantasized--
But that had been wrong. So wrong. Even Daniel himself realised it, the very moment the tower of cards came crumbling down. Once he realised Terry Silver had lied to him about everything, he realised the other had probably done even that on purpose. Stirring him up, leading him on.
But if he's looking at Robby across the table now like he's looking into a mirror that leads to the past, and then that means Robby is him, his younger self, and Daniel is..
.. Daniel is the one thing he never wanted to be.
He stares at the boy with horror, but it's got nothing to do with what this confession says about Robby, and everything to do with what it says about Daniel. He mentally tries to go back to his old memories with Robby, trying to recall them clearly enough to think back on every action, on every little thing he did. Was he leading Robby on all this time?
His throat feels so dry, and the little creature on Robby's lap perks up, standing up on the boy's lap so it can rest its little front paws on top of the table, peering over at Daniel - feeling every single emotion that's going through the man's body, being able to tell what Daniel is thinking. The shisa considers pulling Robby's attention towards it, but on the other hand, it also doesn't want to make things harder on a boy who's already struggling to say this in the first place.. Sometimes an omen's duty is hard..
Daniel does speak up though, even if he needs a moment first. Just a moment to gather his thoughts, though once he does speak, the words tumble across his lips as if they're in a hurry to be said.
"Robby, I-- I'm so sorry." There's a depth in those words, a desperate plea, a kind of guilt. No disappointment, nor regret, but instead worry. "Did.. Did I do anything to make you feel you had to..?"
He can't even find the right words for it, honestly. Even this doesn't feel quite right, but-- He has to know. Daniel would absolutely never forgive himself if he put Robby through the same thing Terry put him through all those years ago. If he copied his own worst nightmare.