Steven's ears are still flattened, but at least what Strange says this time actually makes sense to him. If that's the reason why Strange didn't realize, and not a reason why what Strange does is okay. Unless Strange does think that? He's not sure.

Steven scales back his emotions a little, and tries to think about that carefully. It doesn't really check out.

"But you had to know you were hurting Lapis, before. I tried to just let everything go, I didn't want to be mad, but when it happened again in a different way..." His shoulders sink again. "It just gets really hard to trust you with stuff."