[ He lets a breath out through his nose, then drops his gaze and grunts a little. ]

Amos is like a brother to me. [Matter-of-factly] But damn if it don't mean he knows just how to press my buttons when he wants to.

He gets this - this idea in his head that I'm somethin' he needs to protect - as if I ain't perfectly capable of taking care of my own damn self and him.