( Louis covers his mouth with his curled fingers, charmed, reflexively shy about his laugh. )

Was that off-the-cuff? You're very talented.

( He pauses, composing something in his head for a moment, then replies: )

Poetry can fill the midnight hours, flourishing like blooming flowers...

( A small, near-silent laugh. His couplet is a bit cliché, he thinks, but coming up with it was undeniably something like fun. )