[ His grip tightens on her when she suddenly leans back but at least she rights herself all on her own a moment later. He turns to glance back at her again before once more fixing his gaze on the alley ahead of them as he winds through the city. ]

Sweetheart, did you ever stop to consider that maybe the people who care about you don’t give a damn about whether you’re a delicate flower or not, and that doesn’t at all affect who you are and why they might like you?