[For some reason, that both warms his heart (Ginger is paying attention to him) and mildly terrifies him, bringing to mind the best and worst parts of working in the division full of socially savvy people. But at least Ginger is just one person. ]

"Once, there was a maiden…
...who fled a shadow, in the company of a friend.
They traveled through strange places, and among strange people.
'How can you trust me,' he asked, 'with such horror behind you?'
'Love endures,' she said."

[ So he said it was scripture, but it's also a poem? One which he recites from memory without hesitation. ]