Whereas Owen, while ridiculously fun, is... there's more of a mean streak there which makes me a touch uncomfortable.

Ah, that would explain it. Being mean comes quite naturally to me. My friends don't seem to mind--they love it, actually, I suppose that's why they're my friends--but I'll forget myself and say something cutting to a co-worker or classmate, and only realize when the person's eyes get a bit wide. I try to smile a lot to make up for it.

I can't do the look-at-how clever-I-am thing, though. Perhaps it's a reaction to always being surrounded by friends far more brilliant than I, but I've developed a habit of never giving the impression that I know what I'm talking about. I couldn't be clever to save my life.

Off to read the WIP!