["If you can figure it out by yourself, why don't you?" ...is what he wants to say, but even Asch has enough of a brain-to-mouth filter to know that's not the right thing to say. He has to give himself some time to ponder that one over; repeating the fact that he's terrible about this sort of thing would be redundant to the nth degree. Lying would be counter productive. Explaining himself...

...probably disastrous, since he's almost certain it'll only come out wrong. But at the moment it's the only option with an ounce of potential.

Here goes.]

...I'm not angry. I'm... frustrated. I don't understand how I'm supposed to help you the way you want me to when who I am is part of the problem the start with. I want to help but... I don't know how, either. Do I just listen? Do I push you? All that ever does is cause fights. How do I help without fighting you?