Casey relinquished the woman's hand when the waitress moved to take their menus.  His eyes followed her as she departed, although more in a measure of distance than any sort of desire.  When she was far enough that he didn't think she could hear any longer, his gaze returned to his date.  "I don't mind at all.  DMS pays very well."  He leaned his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers over his empty plate.<br/><br/>"I agree wholeheartedly.  We are both capable, and talented adults.  We both want to see wizards coming up in this world.  Hells, if we hadn't made a point of voting against one another during elections, I'd go so far to hazard a guess that our politics aren't all that different."  He was speaking generally of the houses, rather than the pair of them in specific.  "There is no reason at all that this union can't be functionally effective.  An alliance going forward.  A brand new partnership, for the betterment of our kind."<br/><br/>The waitress arrived again as he subsided, with the waters.  He raised a hand to touch her elbow gently, "Oh and, an Irish whiskey, neat if you don't mind."  She dipped a quick bow, before hurrying off again for the alcohol.<br/><br/>The last part of her statement had his hair standing on end.  She'd said it.  What he'd want in a wife.  "Gods, that's what it will be soon enough, won't it?  I understand that this isn't ideal.  And -apart from the letter of the law- I don't expect you to be mine."  This was all delivered in a conspiratorial tone, with that crooked half-smile of his, leaned over the table.  "I'm not about to demand you drop any lover you might have for my sake.  As long as it doesn't come back on our houses, your heart is none of my business.  As long as you're happy, and I'm happy, we'll make a happy team with the public none the wiser."  His cocksure grin spread.<br/><br/>"But if we're going to live together, I suppose we'll have to figure out how that'll work.  Do you cook?"