[ Michel picks up on that amusement, arching his eyebrows just a little in answer. It's funny how his impression of Ganymede has shifted already. When he had first met him, that would have sounded more believable — that aloofness, the prickly demeanor. Now, hm. ]

...not piercings, or dyeing your hair?

[ As close as they are, it's unlikely that Ganymede misses the way he tenses and his heart beats a little faster for the next question, this time in unease rather than excitement. ]

It's nothing like that. Logical puzzles always came naturally to me... that's all. It isn't on the level of genius, and it isn't hard work. It's a field with acceptable hours that will pay reliably.

[ Had it been an accomplishment to exert even that much effort? Maybe. But the idea of feeling proud of it feels more pathetic, somehow. ]