[ Luckily, and despite what might seem like to some people, Jim's never been one to shy away from more difficult endeavors. That she's not inclined to talk about her emotions and how she processes and handles them is no secret to Jim, but he figures with time and a lot patience he'll be able to get her to enlighten him, at least to some degree. ]

Right. Maybe it wouldn't make much of a difference to you, would it? [ He figures silence doesn't ever feel as awkward to Vulcans as it does to humans anyway. ] But humans don't really like feeling awkward. Or awkward silences. Sometimes they'll start stupid and pointless conversations just so they don't have to deal with that.

[ Case in point: Jim, right now. But the lift stops soon after, thankfully, and Jim steps outside with a quiet breath, starting the short walk down the corridor to the mess hall. ]