The silence gives Elizabeth her cue to turn around and look at Ivan's face. She's looking at his eyes, listening to how he breathes, watching to see if he swallows. Experienced liars would know better, but most average people couldn't lie with a straight face. While she watches Ivan's confusion, her own expression looks mildly guarded, though there's something deeper in her eyes. Memories of pain, memories of being used for her position and power. She can't begin to tell Ivan all of it, it would require telling him the rest of everything and that would just make things more complicated than either of them wanted, probably.

She doesn't quite cotton on to the thought that she and Ivan are thinking of different things until he's done talking. Then she looks a little flummoxed and her cheeks go a little pink. "I, uh, wasn't talking about that, but uh... the fact that you thought I was is answer enough so--" she laughs, awkwardly, her tension gone for the moment. Yes, Ivan probably wanted exactly what Elizabeth thought he did, and that's fine. That's great.

"Forget I mentioned it--" She turns around and starts dragging Ivan towards the door. "Christmas is a holiday where I come from. People get together with their families and/or friends, and exchange gifts and sing songs together and have a gigantic meal. It's about being with people you love-- and the story I'm reading is about a man who has no one to be with because he's turned away from all of that."