It takes less work for Loxley, re not making any faces at the bitter notes in the wine, and that could equally be attributed to being fairly good at deciding what his face ought to do at any time as well as the fact his taste in wine runs fairly cheap anyway. And besides, it's a gift, even when shared.

"Good," he says. "Um."

A pause, some mental pivot happening before he adds, "Keeping busy," and if this comes across somehow coded, it manages to avoid sounding like a euphemism for nonstop carousing, so there's that. "I don't suppose it's very boring in the Gallows? Even outside of terrorism and Nevarra's finest showing up unannounced."