[ He's here for comfort and support, he's paying her for it, but Harold still feels unmoored to be offered it so readily. Their first words exchanged and she's already expressing more care for him than he's heard from another human being since Nathan died. He'd done that to himself -- he'd isolated himself, purposefully; he can't risk Grace -- and anyone who becomes newly important to him will equally have a target on their back, same as Grace, so it's best if he doesn't allow it --
It's only the professionalism here that makes him brave enough to try. He's done everything he can to bury this encounter in a well-protected identity, the kind of thing no one would blink twice at Harold Crane engaging in. It's as safe as he could ever make it, hypothetically safer than he's been in ages. His background check on Inara and her shipmates was thorough.
Safety is such a foreign idea he doesn't know how to trust it, tries to cover his blip of awkwardness as he takes a seat and follows her invitation to examine the tea selection. He sets his cane to the side and unbuttons his jacket first -- proper etiquette while sitting -- and is in fact put more at ease by the familiar, comforting task of considering which tea to make, if in a much more elaborate setting than usual. ]
I'm partial to Japanese greens, [ he admits. ] This is an impressive arrangement. I confess I've never attended a traditional tea ceremony.
[ And he's obviously curious, interested in art and culture and fine food as always. It's nicely pulling him out of his morose thoughts and back to the present already. ]
no subject
It's only the professionalism here that makes him brave enough to try. He's done everything he can to bury this encounter in a well-protected identity, the kind of thing no one would blink twice at Harold Crane engaging in. It's as safe as he could ever make it, hypothetically safer than he's been in ages. His background check on Inara and her shipmates was thorough.
Safety is such a foreign idea he doesn't know how to trust it, tries to cover his blip of awkwardness as he takes a seat and follows her invitation to examine the tea selection. He sets his cane to the side and unbuttons his jacket first -- proper etiquette while sitting -- and is in fact put more at ease by the familiar, comforting task of considering which tea to make, if in a much more elaborate setting than usual. ]
I'm partial to Japanese greens, [ he admits. ] This is an impressive arrangement. I confess I've never attended a traditional tea ceremony.
[ And he's obviously curious, interested in art and culture and fine food as always. It's nicely pulling him out of his morose thoughts and back to the present already. ]