[There's a brief impulse to bring his hand to his throat. But he shoves it aside. Keeps his hands where they are. Keeps his expression forcibly calm.]

[To not react to the memory. Overlaid with the last time he'd heard a monologue like that one.]

Reminded me of someone I ran into before. Talked a big game... got taken down with a smack to the back of your head.

So... not that bad.