Dejah's trust in Kantos matters a lot more to him than John's. Curtis has actually met Dejah, for one.

He reverts to toying with his food again, rolling another chunk of pancake between his fingers. "All right," he says. Lighter, "I'll try to make a better impression on him than I made on Tars."

For instance: not trying to leave an impression of a dinner knife in anyone's stomach.

(Even though he still maintains that was totally self-defense, X.)