He doesn't mind the protracted silence; he welcomes the time to organize his thoughts, shuffle the blinding early childhood memories and the frustration aimed at academic institutions in general quietly under the proverbial table, reorder everything so he can just be grateful for the quiet and the coffee and the company of a guy who didn't have to be this generous and share his own space but did regardless.
When Seth speaks again, making less of a proposal so much as a firm declaration, Daniel jolts up to look at him, startled. For a moment he has trouble responding to that - how does he respond to that exactly, when it came so completely out of nowhere?
"Er - thanks," he manages after a few failed, inaudible attempts to protest, because he'd frankly be an idiot to refuse. Okay, so he is an idiot according to some of the more prominent archaeological minds and even the less prominent ones, himself included -
Daniel is getting off track. It'd be rude to refuse the hospitality when it's being so willingly given, and Seth seems genuinely determined for him to stay the night regardless. Daniel isn't about to go up against that sort of resolve when he's so tired and choiceless, especially when it's so obviously an offer in good faith.
Then his shoulders drop a little.
"I can't - pay you," he begins haltingly. Back to staring at the coffee. Coffee doesn't feel disappointment. Coffee just is. "Er, I can't, I don't know how to repay you, I mean. I wish - you don't have to do any of this."
no subject
When Seth speaks again, making less of a proposal so much as a firm declaration, Daniel jolts up to look at him, startled. For a moment he has trouble responding to that - how does he respond to that exactly, when it came so completely out of nowhere?
"Er - thanks," he manages after a few failed, inaudible attempts to protest, because he'd frankly be an idiot to refuse. Okay, so he is an idiot according to some of the more prominent archaeological minds and even the less prominent ones, himself included -
Daniel is getting off track. It'd be rude to refuse the hospitality when it's being so willingly given, and Seth seems genuinely determined for him to stay the night regardless. Daniel isn't about to go up against that sort of resolve when he's so tired and choiceless, especially when it's so obviously an offer in good faith.
Then his shoulders drop a little.
"I can't - pay you," he begins haltingly. Back to staring at the coffee. Coffee doesn't feel disappointment. Coffee just is. "Er, I can't, I don't know how to repay you, I mean. I wish - you don't have to do any of this."