confused (Ian)

[Arden Patricks]

"Aye," I nod. "Maybe we should try and figure out how we did that... although there may not be a formula. I think mainly it's been random babbling to pass the time until one of us thought of something worthwhile to say."

[Ian Hunt]

"Yeah, that seems accurate. Do we need a formula for that?"

[Arden Patricks]

"Guess not," I shrug. "That would be a good example of talking when I ought to just think, I suppose."

[Ian Hunt]

"But then it'd also go back to awkward silence if you just thought it whereas seeing as you said it we can just prolong talking about absolutely nothing."

[Arden Patricks]

I nod slowly, raising my eyebrows in an impressed sort of manner. "This is very true. We can continue talking about absolutely nothing."

[Ian Hunt]

"Well we can try but I'm seriously running out of things to say. I mean how much can be said about nothing?"

[Arden Patricks]

I shrug. "To be honest, I'm not sure I want to know. Um..." I look upwards, racking my brain for a topic that could be turned into an actual conversation.

[Ian Hunt]

I follow her gaze upwards, trying to discern whether this is either interesting or helpful in any way and decide that it actually isn't so I just drop my gaze back to the floor again, allowing her to think.

[Arden Patricks]

I look back at him eventually, shrugging in defeat. “Sorry… I’ve got nothing.”
With Riley I would say something about llamas right about now. With Chance, probably just stay silent until he stalks away moodily, since he never wants to talk anymore. With Laken....
I pause, knowing perfectly well I’m avoiding her and therefore can’t even acknowledge that, so I skip over her name and try to convince myself I actually thought something. With Logan, who knows? It’s not like we talk much. And I never seem to have this problem with anyone unless they’re a really close friend.
I sigh slightly, shaking my head, suddenly very weary with my lack of conversation skills.

[Ian Hunt]

"Yeah, same," I mutter, "I don't really talk to many people for as long as this."

[Arden Patricks]

"Me neither." I shake my head. "And if I do, we usually have this kind of problem."

[Ian Hunt]

"The breezing over awkward subjects and resolving to talking like this when silence would probably be equivalent?"

[Arden Patricks]

"Yeah, that," I nod. "Although usually I think we joke more or talk about silly things... seems weirder with you. It's odd just how often accusing someone of being a marshmallow can turn into a discussion of muggle history...." I frown slightly, then grin at that.

[Ian Hunt]

"Yeah, cos I don't know how to have fun, or something, apparently, general consensus of opinion among my friends at least," I shrug with a half amused grin, then raise an eyebrow, still amused, "Oh really? Do marshmallow accusations turn into muggle history lectures often then?"

[Arden Patricks]

"More often than you might think," I nod, still grinning. "Or they used to," I add, smile fading with the twinge of pain. And now we hardly talk to each other.
I shake my head, trying to distract myself. "What do you mean you don't know how to have fun? Is that possible?"

[Ian Hunt]

"Used to?" I ask, half-dreading the answer that yet another person around here is probably dead.
"Apparently. I am uptight and boring and paranoid and apparently I do not know how to have fun," I shrug, with a slight grin, "Or so I'm told."

[Arden Patricks]

"Hm...." I frown slightly, half-amused as I ignore his question for the moment. "I think I'd agree that you're uptight, boring, and paranoid... most of the time anyway. But it's possible you can have fun. Anything's possible, really." I pause, wondering if I can get away with not answering or if that will just make things more awkward. "Yeah, used to." I shrug. "Hasn't really been the same the last few months."

[Ian Hunt]

I laugh softly, "Thanks for that Arden. I suppose it's possible. But I choose not to."
"Hasn't been the same? Just like normal people stuff...? Not war things?"

[Arden Patricks]

"Hm. Choose not to have fun, do you?" I raise my eyebrows skeptically, then pause, trying to figure out how to answer. "Since Andra died," I shrug. "So a little of both, I guess. She kind of held us together."

[Ian Hunt]

"Well, it's my excuse anyway," I shrug.
I nod slightly, not sure what to say to that, "I guess 'I'm sorry' has been way overplayed?"

[Arden Patricks]

I shrug, examining my hands. "Maybe so, but if it's sincere." I shrug again, trying not to make a big deal about the whole thing. "Anyway.... Poor excuse there. And probably a lie. You must have fun sometimes or you'd shrivel up."

[Ian Hunt]

"Well I am sorry, just...so you know," I say, deciding not to say anything more on the subject.
"I do have fun, quite often actually. I am a normal human being...in some respects. It wasn't me who decided that I don't know how to have fun."

[Arden Patricks]

I nod, accepting that but wanting to drop the subject.
"You did, however, say that you choose not to," I point out, then shake my head and smile slightly. He's reminding me of Chance, but I don't want to bring up that particular group of friends again.

[Ian Hunt]

I grin slightly, "I need some comeback when I get accused, so that's mine. That I choose not to."

[Arden Patricks]

"Ah," I nod. "That makes sense then." I pause. "Chance usually says something like, 'I do too like to dance in the rain, just not without an umbrella.' Meaning, I suppose, that he has fun but doesn't find stupidity fun." I shrug.

[Ian Hunt]

I seem to vaguely remember Chance, but from Rowan and Alexandra's mind hunting party which I decide mentioning won't help either of us.
I smile slightly, "Yeah, I think that makes sense."

[Arden Patricks]

I nod. "So... you both have a point I guess," I say, just struggling to keep the conversation going.

[Ian Hunt]

"It looks that way," I nod, "What about you? Averse to 'being fun' at all?"

[Arden Patricks]

I shrug. "It depends on the day, or the moment maybe. Sometimes I'm the boring one, sometimes I'm the crazy one." I pause. "Maybe more so the boring one. More often, I mean."

[Ian Hunt]

"Yeah, it seems that way," I nod, then half wince at the tact of that remark, "I mean, you don't really seem crazy to me is all."