[There's a moment where they lock eyes and Keith is still glaring. Hurt. Words come out of his mouth in an artifically even tone.]

Cut out the cheap shots about the paladins, would you. They weren't there. You were. You --

[You mattered.

There are so many things he could say in addition to that, but he doesn't trust himself to say a word of it without getting overly emotional and right now being vulnerable around James just sounds like the worst idea.]

Go on. I'm listening.