He could almost laugh at that. Almost. "I don't know. Maybe if I could predict it, I could avoid it. But I never seem to."

Sticking around too long, stepping too far out of line - he can't predict how, exactly, things will fall apart. There's only one consistent factor. "The only surefire way is to remove myself from the situation."

So, here he is. Partly out of that calculated avoidance, partly out of sheer, directionless panic.