[A soft palm cups a freckled cheek, and Asher's expression suddenly contorts into something that resembles pain. There are no bruises now, Jin's lips are soft and not swollen, and his eyes are gentle but not downcast.]

It made me feel like I didn't matter.

[The notion of being inconsequential or unimportant has always struck a violent chord with him.]

And that doesn't mean I should've acted the way I did! I know that now, but...

That's when I started to worry about you. Because that's what you do, right?

[Both hands cradle Jin's face while the older man's voice gets remarkably softer.]

Push people away so they can't hurt you?