"Hmm, yes, I imagine that does help. Shame you couldn't return the favour." Now there's something he'd rarely say even as a bit of dark humour--it was almost an admission that being other than he is could be in any way preferable, and that's unheard of. But of course he couldn't have wholly manufactured her apathy any more than she could effect any change upon his mind. The foundations were already there, from what he remembers. Though perhaps that's just linearity failing him once again.