[Suddenly he's wondering how long before the ferris wheel starts up again. He's in a situation where he doesn't know how to read her, which is unusual, given that Iona's usually such an open book.
Maybe... maybe the problem is him, then?
He looks at her, as if pleading for some sort of clue, but receives nothing. He clears his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck. Pinches the bridge of his noise.]
Um. Is this a trick question?
[He's thinking, since she's not going to let him off the hook. He's not dumb, he knows what she implied when he said he could be more bold -- but his hang-up is that he's sure she was joking (why would she be seriously saying something like that to a guy like him, after all? She could do so much better), he was certain she was only teasing.
She still seems to be teasing, but it's not the same sort.]
I don't want to make myself look stupid by stuttering out wrong guesses.
[Because he knows it'll be wrong, and he's just going to make a fool of himself.]
no subject
Maybe... maybe the problem is him, then?
He looks at her, as if pleading for some sort of clue, but receives nothing. He clears his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck. Pinches the bridge of his noise.]
Um. Is this a trick question?
[He's thinking, since she's not going to let him off the hook. He's not dumb, he knows what she implied when he said he could be more bold -- but his hang-up is that he's sure she was joking (why would she be seriously saying something like that to a guy like him, after all? She could do so much better), he was certain she was only teasing.
She still seems to be teasing, but it's not the same sort.]
I don't want to make myself look stupid by stuttering out wrong guesses.
[Because he knows it'll be wrong, and he's just going to make a fool of himself.]