Listen, it wasn't like he was really using Steven as a shield, just their relationship...!!

"Yeah, that seemed ta mess up all sorts of folks. I can just imagine how it would have affected the rest of us. Glad it didn't do that much, then." He heaves out a sigh. "Would have preferred we hadn't gotten dragged in at all, 'tho. Still." He starts to dig through his bag.

"S'all I wanted ta get off my chest."