"Are you saying I should busy myself deciding what I want?" he asks lightly without too much thought behind how it sounds. It's the unfortunate fact of his rejoinders that it's only later, if at all, that he realizes how they can sound or be taken in full.

He returns with a flat, rectangle case under his arm, the wood beautifully polished and maintained. It's one of the few things he has from his family, sent to him after Mia discovered his new whereabouts and had to tell him of their parents' deaths during the Blight.

"It sounds fascinating. I'm always looking to learn new strategy games." Rather than clearing the tea table, he offers Dorian the closed case and hastens back to his room for a small side table. He has few belongings to clutter his room. He sets it up near the tea table so that when they get the board set, they can still have their tea things in reach and have more.

"This should serve. Here, I'll take that." He takes the case back, opens it to set it on the table, and begins arranging the pieces quickly.