[Vanessa has the good sense to be quiet and look thoughtful and innocent the entire time that Annabeth fumbles through the conversation. She comes to the realization, quickly, that probably not a lot of people have talked to her about this. In the sense of just friends having a heart to heart or teasing. As cut off from the people around her Vanessa had been, she at least still had her friends. So she's quick to offer up a grin.] Hey, don't worry about it. I'm only kidding, okay? [A pause. She almost asks 'why not, what's stopping him?'. But that's a little too personal.] I'm a little rusty on the whole teasing thing.

[Terrible life circumstances, that's how.] Non-violence is really nice. [Aw, Annabeth. So cute.] People don't like to think anyone - or anything - is out of the norm.