Sylvester had grown so used to his eyes being stared at that he'd grown quite used to making eye-contact with strangers. By holding himself in an approachable way, he knew it was less likely that people who were drawn to stare would look away from embarrassment or discomfort. Still, he took an opportunity while they were up close to read Max and his body language. During the duration of the contact between their hands, he seemed uneased. It was subtle enough for someone to miss, as he clearly was good at keeping his composure, but Sylvester reasoned it likely stemmed from bad experiences with human contact in the past. He wondered if that discomfort would ever wane with him, if he spent a lot of time around Max and working with him.<br/><br/>The apology was mostly a courtesy in his eyes. Sylvester was willing to shrug off the entire matter, especially as excitement mounted toward the realization that he might honestly be getting a job doing something he enjoyed. When Max moved to lead the way, his eyes naturally dropped curiously to see if a tail was swishing behind him. He noted it was probably tucked away with only the slightest disappointment, but more embarrassment that he'd gone looking for it. He was afraid he might make this neko uncomfortable if he acted strangely or stared. He was just so intrigued that he couldn't help himself. He was naturally a very curious and inquisitive man.<br/><br/>Jason's demeanor had completely changed. Sylvester put on a kind smile and shook his head, "It's quite alright," He reassured, before Max shooed him off to help with tea. Tea... that would be good to have right about now, to calm nerves that were steadily bubbling to the surface, "He's an astounding actor," He noted out loud, once he was left alone with Max. "He could probably make it far in Hollywood; not a bad face either." His eyes flickered from Jason's trail, to the coffee table where the insufferable collar had been discarded, and then to Max where they lingered. "You as well-- you put on quite the show. I don't know whether to be impressed or depressed after seeing how well you took that role. The collar didn't suit you, though."<br/><br/>Ordinarily, he didn't like running his mouth so much, but today Sylvester was hoping to display his personality as much as possible to avoid any surprises down the road. His compliments were both genuine and carefully worded, trying to express that he was honestly impressed and that he was looking up to the both of them in some way or another.<br/><br/>The moment came to get down to business. Sylvester listened carefully to Max's explanation of the state of the business while taking a seat across from the sofa. A particular combination of skills... so someone who could win over clients and investors, while keeping a sharp eye for the items of trade. If Jason didn't make the cut, Sylvester reasoned it was probably because he lacked the latter. "So you're looking for a proxy of sorts... someone whose skills you can trust in. Someone who can make snap judgements if necessary and best represent you and your company. Correct?" It seemed to sum it up, but he grew a little nervous. He wasn't technically 'qualified', but then... neither was a neko considered qualified to run a company. "Exactly how much responsibility would you be asking this person to take on? I might be fairly confident in my abilities, but I haven't the knack for<i>business</i>so much as for the people and the items."<br/><br/>He didn't want to say that he didn't think he could handle it being a partnership, but that was what he was thinking. He'd be more comfortable in a dynamic where Max was clearly the one running the show, and he was merely a representative for that show.