It keeps a fragile but precious front, a white lie- because to remove all pretenses is something that Robert, at least, is not quite prepared to do. That damn mask is becoming more a part of him than he'd care to admit.

But the smile does fade at the question, a bit of a pensive expression coming on to his face. Personal feelings aside...

"...I'm starting to think think they never weren't."

Not that things aren't bad over there, but- wretchedness aside, there's a certain fascination it holds. Were he a sociologist, he'd be in heaven.

"It's a different place there. Different rules." Ones he's still learning, but at least playing the silent type isn't too difficult to do when you have little to say in the first place. "Different...everything, really."