The corners of his mouth curled faintly into the smallest of smiles. "I'm not sure there's many who'd agree with you," he said with a tinge of humour. The deflection came so naturally, it was almost second nature. "I'm not exactly the fun one of the gang."
He meant it as a joke rather than a true jab at himself, but there was a barb of truth there as well. Stutely didn't have Tuck's effortless warmth, or Scarlet's charm, or Much's raw energy. He wasn't always a mardy old bastard, he'd even flatter himself he could be half-decent company sometimes, but he was hardly the company you'd choose.