[ Alex let’s his explanation sit with silence, taking the time to digest his words. She feels like she can relate to that, although she doesn’t feel comfortable comparing herself to him. Linden sometimes felt so above it all, and other times very human to her.

Another moment passes and she pulls out a handkerchief from her pocket, placing it carefully on the table. ]

The first time anyone was kind to me was when they lent this to me.

[ It wasn’t extravagant, if anything a weird story. Maybe even a pleasant one considering the circumstances. She’d been hit, bleeding, and this was casually handed to her. ]

Him and his partner had given me more kindness in a few months than I’d ever gotten in years… and it burdened me like nothing else.

[ To the point that she still carries this around with her like a shackle. ]

I hated it so much that in the end I wished they’d never helped me at all.

[ This was terribly selfish, she knows, but he’d let her do so for some time now and she hopes he’ll indulge her more. ]

No matter what you say, I’ll always feel like I can never return what you’ve done for me. Because it means that much to me. Maybe I am doing this to try and pay you back…but I just want to feel like I actually can do something for you.

I never got to properly thank them in the end…and I don’t want to regret not doing that anymore.

It’s not your debt. It’s my thanks.