Merrion flushed at the captain's compliment, and he tugged at his shirt sheepishly.
"Th-thank you," he said. "I-- I wasn't expecting... that is, I-- I'm sorry! I'm being rude. Did you want to come inside? I know my room is a little out of sorts--" Merrion's definition of a messy room was books stacked on his desk rather than neatly placed on the bookshelf, an empty and unwashed teacup next to the books, and a kettle still half filled with liquid on a counter where a kitchen unit should have been. "--so I apologize for that. Um..." He pursed his lips. "You're picking me up though? To go where? To do what?"
The answer to that question would tell Merrion if he needed to change or not. He was in loose, casual clothes tonight, and depending on what the captain had in mind, he may need to change, after all.