[He thought he was prepared, that he'd braced himself for whatever the answer would be. But he realizes, in the moment after Keith actually says it and the words burst out glowing, too, that he actually expected Keith to tell him he was wrong, that he was mistaken, that there was no way--
Oh, no. He wasn't prepared at all, as likely evidenced by the fact that his eyes go wide and he looks. utterly shell-shocked. He can't even speak, although his mouth opens as if he's going to try.
He realizes, too, a moment later that he's shaking, trembling just like Keith. He doesn't know what to do, his entire brain short-circuited the moment Keith stepped away from him. Even as he processes the words, his brain tries to justify it, tries to explain the reasons why he's misunderstanding-- he doesn't mean it like that, perhaps, or--
But the words stop any train of thought. As long as I've known him. That pushes up against-- everything he knows. His breath comes rattling out of him, shaky and exposed. He reaches out, almost blindly, to grasp Keith's shoulders-- to keep him there, as if terrified that he'll pull away completely, disappear into the surrounding dark. Even like that, his hands are shaking.]
You-- [when he finds his voice again, it's something quiet, threadbare, overwhelmed. It takes him a moment to find the words-- and when he does, they aren't what he means to say, but it comes out breathless, a disbelieving question:] You love me?