[Dusty's face softens a little when the young man replies that he thinks they might have made a mistake bringing him here, and he's shaking his head before the sentence is even over.]

Nah. Everyone has skills that they can bring to the table that no one else has, specialties, you know? And if those are the only kinds of magic you were taught, that's okay because you can probably learn more here, and faster probably than people who don't know magic.

[But it's when the other man puts his hands over his mouth as if he hadn't meant to say what he said that Dusty starts to clue into what might have happened too, and realizes that he's probably heard some stuff this poor guy never meant to say.]

Oh no. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to...to hear it. I mean, for what it's worth, I don't think you're some sort of creep? Just that you uh, maybe had some crappy magic teachers? And oh no, I'll just pretend that I didn't hear that last bit, sorry.

[Dusty's cheeks are flushed now, and he feels somehow both embarrassed and pleased and secondhand-embarrassed all at once. Biting his lower lip, he lets out a nervous laugh, and shakes his head.]

It's okay. We'll...maybe they have an antidote, where did you get it?