( he doesn't link the two because the two aren't linked for him. he needs bobbi because she's good for him — or at least, she helps him be better for the most part. he wouldn't say he's a good person because of her — he's still managed to be awful in spite of her and to her, but she'd always made him better.

but then she says she was trying to explain why she'd said it, and it's—
—is that it? that's the only reason? if things were a little different, if there hadn't been that whatever in the labyrinth, if this was all a little bit different, she wouldn't be telling him, feeling like she needs him at all? )

—Right. ( right. yeah. it makes sense. it shouldn't be surprising, shouldn't be hurtful, and the longer he thinks about it, it's at least not the first thing. who else does she have here? what else? maybe if there was something she could put all her time and energy into instead, they wouldn't even be having this conversation. if she had something else, she wouldn't "need" him. )

No-one's ever said, no-one's ever thought you should be stronger, Bobbi. You're always so focused on that, that you've never thought about how it holds you back. It's not selfish to need people. You of all people should know that, the amount of teams you've been on, the people you've worked with.

( what's selfish is how they're used, is the part he doesn't say. the bit that's applicable to the both of them. )