He felt safe with her. He'd never been safe with another human being, not since he'd been taken as a child from his home. He'd never been able to trust. He could never give that last small piece - all that was left of his humanity - into someone else's keeping. And now there was Rikki. She let him be whatever he had to be to survive. She didn't ask anything of him. There was no hidden motive. No agenda. Just acceptance. She was different - imperfect, or so she thought - and she knew what it was like to fight to carve out a space for herself. She was willing for him to do thar.
The character experiences a profound sense of safety for the first time with Rikki, something he has long been deprived of since his childhood abduction. His past has instilled a deep-seated inability to trust others, making it impossible for him to offer even a fragment of his humanity to anyone. However, Rikki's presence provides him with an unwavering acceptance, allowing him to navigate life as he needs without any expectations or ulterior motives from her.
Rikki, who sees herself as flawed, understands the struggles of fighting for one's place in the world. This shared understanding between them fosters a unique bond, where he can finally express his true self. Her acceptance and lack of demands grant him the permission to reclaim parts of himself that he thought were lost forever, illustrating the transformative power of genuine connections in overcoming past traumas.
