[A bird, sure. A big, mostly-metal bird who looks built more to kick the shit out of everything around it than to fly the coop – but Dorian's assessment is apt enough. If he were any other mage he knows – it's a very short list, to be fair – then Adam probably wouldn't be half as trusting as he's willing to be now (exhibit A: that bug person still lurking somewhere over there...) It's not quite enough trust for him to not look as apprehensive as he does, but it's still far more than he's willing to afford most people. Just take it as a compliment, Pavus.

The magic, for its part, starts off looking suspiciously like someone just taking a knife and – ta-daaaa – cutting the sleeves off... Which is understandable, considering that's exactly what's happening here. Even Adam has to pause in the act of staring stonily straight ahead to cast a curious glance at his side, kind of expecting to find the magic working through the staff-blade– but in a quick flare of dull warmth on the weave of his shoulder, he finally finds it.

...Well that. Was a lot less spectacular than he was fearing expecting. He even has the grace to look a little abashed – yeah, okay, maybe he overreacted a little – but it quickly turns into a quiet snort of laughter, and another one of those almost-smiles.]

Let's go ahead and pretend like I handled that like a badass.

[Letting his arms drop, he takes a second to inspect himself and... Nods slowly, appreciatively. Maybe not his usual style, but it's certainly not disagreeable. Dorian certainly seems to think so, anyway.]

Not a bad job at all. [A pause, and then drily:] Going to have to be careful with the praise, though. Might go to my head.