That statement was followed by a hesitation of Liliana's own, one flavored by surprise. She opened her mouth to declare that she had simply been arguing the technical point, certainly not trying to convince him otherwise, but closed it again. That impulse was rooted in the same place as the idea that seeking him out again would be illegal until he reached out to her; a stubborn, prideful place that refused to make allow her to chase. Or even give off the impression that she wanted to.

But she did want this.

The pause went on long enough to be noticeable, perhaps even nerve-wracking, but when she finally did speak, that customary archness had been lessened, replaced by a soft pleasure.

"I quite suspect you're right. And you're welcome." A smile. "If you wish."

And then the archness returned, unable to be chased away for so long, especially for something as unfamiliar as sincerity. "Though, if you do, you will be subjected to takeout, so gird yourself for that. Unless you mysteriously have some responsibilities that necessitate your absence until after I've finished my dinner."