Probation sounded very serious to Don Juan, whose only experience with probation had been that he was placed on one briefly before being fired from a job he didn't like. Emotionally he hadn't been even slightly invested, but in terms of financial consequences it was potentially far more serious than a lecture. His frown deepened. He wanted to apologize, but he didn't think sorry was really sufficient; he'd apologized to Hudson for any number of things in the past, and his apology had never been worth more than a day or two of marginally improved behavior.

"If you lost your job, I'd help you get a new one," he offered instead, with the tone of a concession. "My parents have friends in publishing." So did he, technically, but he thought their recommendation would hold more weight. Don Juan hadn't built up enough rapport to ask anyone for favors yet (but still did regularly enough for his own sake; his respect for deadlines was rather limited). "Or Endymion works at the bank. I'm sure someone needs a translator."

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