[He wishes there was a way to hug him that wouldn't send them both toppling into the water with overturned boats. So he settles for squeezing his hand again and resuming the movement of his thumb over his knuckles, his touch gentle.]
Yeah. [You can always trust him. Just like he'll always trust you.]
... I'll always have your back, Keith. [No matter what happens to him, in the end. The words feel inadequate-- nowhere near what he wants to say, how deeply it means to him. But...]