"But it could. It could hurt. I don't know if it does. That's enough." It was more the uncertainty than anything. If he didn't know the full consequences, it could mean that they were hurt more later when he wasn't there, wasn't looking.

Could he even think that far ahead? Or was it better just to not touch now that he knew?

"I don't know. It's too tangled, too tied together. I can't touch without tearing."