Rhett was a direct man—he spoke his thoughts and moved with purpose. Tabitha drew this out of him more so than any other person he'd ever known. It wasn't the veela within her, it was her reserved and almost timid demeanor. At times she felt like a tiny creature that might dart off into hiding if she were startled or if pressed too much. He felt this keenly when she positioned herself just a hair further from him, and it caused a smile to pull at the corner of his lips. He could've kissed her then, and probably would have if it wouldn't have killed her outright. She made him feel like he had a purpose, one beyond hunting dark wizards. It was a simple thing, but just being with her or trying to make her smile was enough to take the weight off of his shoulders.

When she spoke he raised an eyebrow in her direction, as he certainly hadn't been expected that particular question. “Of course, Care of Magical Creatures or Magizoology, and there are others.” Rhett said with a hint of humor in his voice, still a little confused by it. “I studied a couple of advance topics in it, Intermagical Ecology as well as Creature Communication and Empathy Charms.” Taking a swig of the cocoa, he extended his legs out in front of him and crossed them. Rhett looked down and he toyed with the rim of his mug in an idle manner. “Is there something that you're trying to find a way to get at, darlin'?” Rhett knew questions like these could be completely innocent but he also knew they served as a conversational path—especially when a general question was quickly followed up by something so remarkably precise, even if he'd made such a request. She was trying to pick his brain and he knew it.

He turned his gaze back toward her, his own eyes projected a sense of safety and trust. Rhett found himself wanting to touch her again, to reach out and take one of those tiny hands into his own. She felt particularly reserved or even afraid to him and it made him instinctively protective of her, as if he needed to be some sort of wall between her and the world. Of course, it was fast thinking, but Rhett was a fast-thinking sort of man. He'd felt since the beginning that there was something about her that she wasn't putting on the playing field, something that wasn't yet on the level between them.

Eventually the desire to comfort her, to say something without words overtook the cowboy and he extended a hand towards her own and engulfed it with the massive size and warmth of his. He ran his thumb over her fingers and gently gave her hand a couple of pats before releasing it. It was just something to let her know that he was there and that he cared. She seemed so fragile at times, so uncertain and he had a keen desire to be a rock for her, or an anchor, that despite their short time together that she could grab him in whatever storm she was facing. He knew it could be considered early or even foolish to have such thoughts, but Rhett simply couldn't help himself when it came to Tabitha, she just pulled that out of him, calling it forth with no effort.