[Reim hums, a sort of half-acknowledgement; he is going to blame laziness a little, there is some slacking, but alright — he concedes to circle "laziness" in his notes and add a little footnote that says "maybe." Fair enough.]

Well, they did ask. [He says it like it's a simple fact: he was asked to help, and so he is helping, but the precise tone of his voice implies obligation over eagerness. He was Asked, and sadly, his personal pride will not let him blow this off...

Or perhaps if he doesn't occupy himself with Tasks, his mind whirs into an anxiety likely to set him literally on fire, and so here he is. It could be either; the pinch between his eyebrows is uncertain at best.]

I prefer to be doing something, rather than sitting back... Frankly, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if we had unfettered run of the city.

[He shrugs. It is what it is and he doesn't particularly care about the backdrop when the opportunity to be doing something prevents itself. Whew.]

Now, when you refer to motivation, do you mean this task lacks compensation? [he's writing it down asap ofc] That is an oversight worth speaking to someone about.