Room for an audible sigh. Esoteric bullshit isn't going to cut it, huh? Fine. There's a brief moment where he almost gives in to his resentment of the situation to throw out his own flippant remark about how he garlic might still come in handy, how the bats are a little bigger here...

But no. Come on, Stephen. One quick rush, like a bandaid. It's your everyday now, and soon enough it'll be his, so just—

"Sex and violence. You have to participate in either regularly or you'll turn into whatever monster is lurking inside of you now that you have the mark."

And with that out, he watches as levelly as he can for the reaction, steels himself for whatever comes next.