It looks like the communication breakdown is also mutual. The thought is oddly fortifying, so Daniel knows he's not the only one struggling with all - this. All of this. The indefinable this.

"So are we, um?" He doesn't know how best to put this. And linguistics is supposed to be one of his strengths. "It's...okay, it's all, you know."

He makes an exegetical little hand gesture and hopes that makes his point, which it probably doesn't.

"Uh, thanks." A hasty subject change, then. "It, uh, smells great."