[He cleans his hand meticulously, wiping it down with one tissue and then the next, and then rubs both his thumbs into his palm, massaging.]

...when I first landed here, I remember asking you to not make any special concessions on my behalf. This counts, in so much of a way as you didn't just stop, cut and dry. It... [He thinks for a moment, still massaging his palm with his thumbs.] ...it helps, I think. To know that even if I can't... participate, you're still interested.