Brief surprise flickers over Piotr's face when Lakshmi takes his hand, and his eyes drop briefly to their hands for just a second. Not polite, no, but not entirely indecent, either. He grips her hand back in affirmation, acceptance of something unspoken, just as firmly.

"I think your confidence should be enough to convince me." He doesn't quite smile, but there's still a vague amusement, that wryness that's the closest to good humor Piotr usually gets these days. "You sound so certain. Your benediction, Rani?"