The kid isn't denying care, and is actually calling back to it. Extremely surprised, Alex blinks, watching Neil. The man shifts up so they're face to face, keeping the weight on his elbows. He leans to kiss Neil's collarbone, then straightens back to watch him. "I care about you," he confirms quietly. "And I want your life to be better. This place is shit. I know it's your home, but it's not getting better. Just because it's stuck in one place doesn't mean you have to. Neil--"

Alex searches for the right thing to say. "You can choose anything you want right now. Anything. There's nothing you can't do. Nothing is holding you back. So think about what you want."

This is close to what he told him nearly two months ago, outside that Republic. This time it's spoken with care and deliberation. "Wherever you go, I'll keep driving you crazy, all right?" he adds with a small smile. "As long as that's what you want."