No problem. [He nodded, a ghost of a smile on his face as well. And then more awkward silence. Well, awkward as far as Iceland was concerned.]

[He seemed to be content enough and in good spirits. Plus, he didn't seem to feel that awkward at all. Not fully, anyway.]

So how have things been going?

Thing's've been okay. I found my own place and all. [It was big enough that he'd closed off half the rooms of the house to make it seem more.. like a home, but he had wanted to try living somewhere other than an apartment. The never-ending stream of ghosts hadn't really helped the move, but at least he had places to try to hide from them.]

And yourself?

[Smiling lightly, he gave him a slight nod.] That's good to hear. Have you been settling well enough? [Since, you know, it's sometimes hard to do with all the weird things that have been happening lately. It puts a bit of a damper on things.]

As for me, I'm re-settling back in, I guess. [Which was a bit vague of a statement, but it made sense to him.]

[Well, he was perpetually shaken up by the fact that all the time he'd been living in the house, there'd been ghosts around. But other than that..] Yes, well enough.

Mm. [Judging by more modern styles, he must have come back during a later time in history. And such strange statements seemed to make more sense here in Vatheon.] I take it that's going smoothly?

[He'd just have to start visiting more often is all. Perhaps then it'd start feeling more like a home instead of a habitat for ghosts or something.] I'm glad to hear that.

[There was a slight pause or two for a few moments before he casually shrugged his shoulders.] Well enough, all things considered. But... it's not so bad, I guess. It's only as if I'd been gone for a few days instead of the years back home.

[....Well. Knowing how Canada is. Still, small improvement.]

Oh, that's interesting. [He really was fascinated-- how many times does one see a rupture in the time-space continuum as we know it?-- but he didn't want to pry. After all, things might still be rough.] Did you still remember this place when you went back?

[...he won't sneak around like ghosts at least. Not on purpose. But he would apologise in advance for being about as invisible sometimes.]

Not really. There was a sort of lingering feeling that I wasn't remembering something, but I could never quite figure it out. Sort of like a dream or something.

[The poor guy, all of these problems he doesn't mean to cause. He'd probably be the easiest roommate to live with though. Poor guy.]

Oh.. [He wasn't disappointed, but he wasn't sure how to answer that.] I don't mean to pry... but what year is it now?

[Plus, he makes up for things by cooking pancakes. And sometimes brownies, but he tends to keep those to himself as they're more... special. But he made regular brownies, too. So it was all good.]

It's, ah... [Frowning for just a moment, he quickly replaced it with a neutral look once more.] 1970 now.

[...which was a little better.]

[Don't worry, if you made those brownies, Iceland probably wouldn't want a part in them anyway.]

Ah. [That was certainly a better-sounding year.]

[That's why he keeps it to himself. he's a nice person like that and figures such surprises aren't necessary. Or wanted.]

It's... it could have been better. I seem to find the worst possible times to disappear to here.

[Well. Iceland didn't know what was going on in the seventies in Canada, actually, but he wasn't about to pry.]

Mm. It is calmer here. A good escape. [Not that that was much comfort.]

[It's probably better that way as it was more of an internal thing and he really didn't like talking about it.]

I'm thankful for that. Even if there is ghosts and pirates. [They weren't constant at least.]

Yeah.. [It meant he wasn't losing sleep over his economy, which sort of won out against the ghosts.]

I think... that it's bound to slow down again and get back to a more normal pace. [It was logical, right? And besides. The relaxed nature of the place helped.]

I hope so. [And problems here were entirely isolated. They all seemed to come and go in waves, much like the ocean itself. If you didn't like it, wait a while. That seemed to be the case, from what Iceland had gleaned.]

In a way, it almost makes our normal lives seem a bit like a dream instead.

[That was about the same theory Canada had about the whole thing. If one waited enough, things would calm down for a bit. Then pick back up. ...then calm back down. There really was no other rhyme or reason. Or set anything.]

It does. It's so... I can't even find the proper words to fully describe it. But it's an overall generally pleasant thing.

[One didn't have to worry too too much, knowing whatever happened, it would return to that calm eventually.. even if that was easier said than done.]

I agree. One can appreciate the good without the prominence of the bad, or something.

[Perhaps not what Canada meant, but the feeling Iceland got was remembering mostly the good years-- the Kalmar Union, his simple childhood with just the seabirds, his first independence day. The history that made him happy. The plague and the economy crash seemed almost like they didn't really happen, somehow, or as if he only learned about it second-hand. It didn't beat the strange, unattached feeling of his body not reacting to going-ons at home, but he was getting used to that. Slowly. It made him feel... strangely human.]

It certainly can be looked upon that way. [After all, it was open for interpretation.

It was a strange thing. Being... almost human. He missed the connection with his people and land and everything else. It was oddly quiet without it but sometimes... it was okay. In a way, anyway. He wasn't too sure if he really liked it or not.]

Yeah. [He cleared his throat a little.]

Um... [He wasn't sure how to express himself quite the way he wanted to, but now he was stuck. Have a very awkward Iceland, probably twirling his fork nervously and staring at it too.] Well, it's.. nice, to have company down here. O-Other nations, I mean, y-yeah. [Yeah, that didn't come out the way he meant it, but he hoped Canada got the gist of it at the very least.

For Iceland, Vatheon had most of what he had wanted back home and lacked most of what he had complained about, yet he still wasn't terribly happy. He was beginning to think entirely in English, too, until he would catch himself. That was about as eerie as the numb, quiet, human feeling.]

[It's sort of cute in an odd sort of way. Many times Iceland did remind him of an awkward teenager. Then again, there were times in which Canada could be just as awkward, so he sort of understood how it could be.]

It's... always nice to see familiar faces. Plus, we now have the chance and opportunity to talk with those who we wouldn't quite have had much interaction with before. I'm... glad for that. Plus, I've met others I never would have had the chance to otherwise. [And yet it was still a bit awkward. Vatheon was nice and all, but he still missed some of the comforts of home. Many times he'd just talk to himself in French just to keep active. He could only imagine how hard it was for Iceland. Maybe... he'd be willing to learn Icelandic if it helped. That way, Iceland could have someone to talk to so he wouldn't always have to think in English.]

Mm, you're right. [Certainly just in meeting other nations, but meeting people from entirely different worlds, not to mention walks of life, was an eye-opener too.] There is meeting new people from different worlds.

[With all the linguistic pride Icelandic has, that'd probably make his year. He'd try to learn some French as well, if Canada offered. It'd be a taste of home, like national foods, and an opportunity to get his mind off of less pleasant things.

...And he'd always had a curiosity over how one actually said half of the sounds in French.]

Their worlds are so different and yet... similar, all at the same time. It's such a phenomenon in a way. [He could probably find a way to offer to learn that wouldn't be odd at all. In fact, he might have the perfect way of doing so. ...well. Maybe not perfect, persay, but a decent enough way. Plus, he'd be more than happy to teach him French as well. He'd even offer up showing him recipes as well.]

Have you thought about what your resolution of the new year is going to be yet?

It is certainly interesting to think about, yes.

[Recipes. Probably another good thing to know. At this rate, they'll be teaching each other things forever. For better or worse.]

Mm... I think I'll resolve to be able to cook things. [He loved take out, but it didn't beat a home-cooked meal. And he felt awkward if it was someone else cooking the meal, didn't really matter who it was, so.] Figure now's a good time as any to learn, in case I blow things up or something.

And maybe try to keep this place clean, fresh start and all. [He'd picked the place up just a little in anticipation for Canada coming over, but since he didn't have many things here, it was far easier to keep the place tidy.] And yourself?