Hazel was prepared for disappointment. He was hoping for approval. 

He was unprepared for the approval of foxgirls.

Is. Is that going to happen if they go to Garnet? Wait is that a [i]when[/i] they go to Garnet? They don’t. They’re not. Surely not? But they’re going there. So. Is he going to have to work there? Would they need him to? No, well, of course, they’re joking, it’s a joke, ha ha ha, there’s, there’s other jobs, surely. Oh he cannot even look at the two of them right now help his cheeks are burning up aaaaaaaaa

He is spared, only managing a tiny sputter before the oldest, most sweetest lady in all of Thellamie descends upon him. In this moment, Hazel realizes he’s never actually thought about grandmothers here before, be they Aestivali, Nagi, or what have you, but there she is. All the powers of fox and grandmother. Her silvery fur is soft, her voice is soft, the smile that wrinkles her nose is extra soft, and with the unstoppable power of many years, she at once bestows upon him a mighty blessing: Handsome young fellow. 

He couldn’t be happier with his new clothes.

(Yes, most of the unprompted compliments he’s ever gotten have been from kindly old ladies of no relation, butt that doesn’t dim his smile one bit.)

The world feels a little less scary now, doesn’t it? They’re going to get a nice dinner somewhere. They’re going to get a good night’s sleep someplace safe. Tomorrow, she’ll have the route all planned out. At no point is she going to suddenly ask for his wallet and/or valuables. It’s going to be okay. It was rough there, for a little while, but it’s going to be alright now. All he has to do is what he’s asked. 

But first, he’s got one more thing he needs to do.

When she takes his arm, he holds it out juuuuust so, nice and straight and stable, so she has all the support she’d like as they walk. His arm holds still, even as he bows to, er, himself, from the waist. His other arm hovers indecisively - do they do sweeping bows in Aestival? - before settling on polite and straight by his side. “I know this isn’t much, but, thank you. [i]Thank[/i] you,” and he hopes with all his heart she can hear how much he means it. Behind him, his tail flicks a steady, joyful beat. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help. You’ve done,” his words trail off, his gaze bouncing between clothes, and wool, and grandmother, and decoy, and there’s not enough time to say everything he wants to, they’ve got to get going! “So much for me, and, I just hope that you’ll be safe and that I can make it up to you someday.”

[Activating [b]Friendly Benefits[/b] with Inara. She gets a String, we get to hear what she finds attractive about Hazel.]