He becomes more certain of his interpretation at this response, and gives him a quietly understanding look, without presumption.

"I can't know your personal background, but I could guess from being Loki that there would be something colorful." In a supposed non sequitur, he goes on, "Trickster stories are used in almost every culture, commonly to point out social inequality, internal tension, or as an outlet of greater feeling that wouldn't be permitted within society. They're rarely as straightforward as Beowulf and Grendel. Tricksters are a humanizing representation of complex moral concepts, and are rarely kind."

A beat. "You can tell me the story if you want, but you don't need to. Remorse is one of the hardest things to hide. --Check, by the way." Keeping up three different things at once is about as mentally stimulated as Reid's been since arriving here, and having the emotional engagement to motivate him on top of the strategic layers of the chess game makes him give it his full and complete attention. It's satisfying, in an odd way. Empathy doesn't mean forgiveness; it's more complicated than that. Often, as complicated as chess.