Steve relaxes against her and is quiet for a long moment.

"I don't know if I can," he admits. "I just...wanted to protect the kids so bad. And I thought--really thought--he was going to kill me. It would have been fine if the kids like ran away or something. But they were still there. I went unconscious thinking I'd failed them. Just left them in danger because I wasn't...enough."

He blinks a few times, fast. Sniffs hard. He buries the feeling under a short inhale of smoke and a clearing of his throat.

"But that's me. That's a me thing. I can make sure it doesn't... make him have no puppy friends. Even if he wants to be friends with the rottweiler or the very, very pretty Robin dog."