Don't believe in no-win scenarios

“It’s certainly romantic, but I can’t claim it’s typical,” Felix points out softly. He’s trying to allow Jim an out without seeming ungrateful, or damping the captain’s determination.

And, well, no-one has done such a thing for him before and it’s hard to ignore the part of him that’s delighted Jim would even try. Which is, of course, the real success in these cases.

“I’m hardly a literary aficionado,” he admits. At least he can try and ease the stakes here. “It’s usually something simple and a little silly. About one part natural metaphors to two parts compliments…” He’s still bemused to be talking about it. "Not that I know what Earth poetry is like, of course."