He wasn't expecting her to laugh, much less offer to actually do it. It caught him off guard, blue eyes blinking in surprise.

"No. No it's not, and I was teasing," he said, the edge of a smile pulling at his mouth. "Mostly. He really is an ass, but I don't think talking to him will help."

If anything, he imagined it might actually make it worse. A man holding that tight to control probably wasn't bound to like anyone - much less a stranger - trying to undermine him.

Shaking his head, he suggested instead, "How about -- if something happens to me, in this arena... Can you send them my things? If there are any."