In what must have been hundreds of late-night dialogues and early morning jam sessions and mid-afternoon work hour debates, Dirk has learned (sometimes the hard way) that his partner is an expert--perhaps too much of an expert--at retraining a conversation or topic to its original purpose or point, regardless of what Dirk may or want or intend.

If Hades is progressively moving away from the topic, Dirk knows that even if it's not happening on purpose, it's also not being done by accident.

He hesitates a beat, more surprised by the offer of something just as precious as Azem's crystal--if not more precious, even 'empty' as it is now. He takes it, though, with careful fingers, then turns his hand over to close them over the crystal, now pressed into his palm. And braces for the worst.

"....I don't want to talk about Hythlodaeus right now, other than what he's doing back in canon. This is about you and about Azem. I'm only talking about Hythlodaeus because it sounds like he might have engineered a chance for you."