(Is it weird that he finds her atrocities cute? He finds her atrocities cute, so help him.)

"I do see what you mean," he says. "It is pretty awful that people can be so... self interested like that, awful in their self interest, and be right, despite the consequences down the line they won't have to experience. People just need to convince them to, to care about others? To see it as a harm to society? I don't know, there's an argument from, what's it called, veil of ignorance, I think, from how it's still doing harm to themselves, but it's not a very convincing argument. There just needs to be some sort of way to make sure people don't do stuff like that." 

"I'm not sure we're going to see a universal solution to the nose-eating habits of short-sighted oppressors in our lifetime."

"I get what you're saying, but I still think we should try."

"Well, I'm all in favour."

She goes back to her ice cream. It's definitely beginning to crumble like an ancient ruin, but she does not appear to mind.

His is also starting to melt and break down, but that doesn't make it any less tasty.

"I do just wish I knew how to effect any sort of change, though," he says, after a few hasty bites. "I wonder..." he trails off, not wanting to ask her about forbidden subjects in public.

"You wonder if I could help?" she guesses.

"...essentially, yes. I don't really know much other than math. But with your, help," he enunciates the word a little, making it (hopefully) clear what he means, "there might be something that could be done? I don't know. I assume there are reasons why your, help, might not be something we can use."

"There are definitely some practical and ethical implications to trying. But since when have I let that stop me?"

"I would like to talk over those practical and ethical implications with you. Later." When they're not in public to be overhead, he doesn't say. 

"Later," she agrees. Om nom ice cream.

A bit frustrating not to be continuing the conversation now, but luckily he has ice cream to console himself with. Tasty, tasty ice cream. 

And don't forget the adoring gazes!

They're a bit difficult not to notice. 

Just as planned.

After a bit too many of such gazes (and most of his quickly-melting ice cream) he says, "you really like me a lot, don't you."

"I really, really do."

"I know you sent me an entire several page letter about it, which I have read several times, but, I still don't understand. Why? You're planning to give yourself to me, literally, and I just don't feel like I deserve anything like that. I just want to understand why you want it so badly. Or want it from me, specifically, anyways."

"Because I love you," she says. "Because you're loveable."

"That doesn't really answer the question," he says. "Why me and not, I don't know, Dustin Greenwood? What makes me the lovable one?"

"I don't know that I can or should have an answer to that question? I think that question is... I think it doesn't live in the same world I live in. Why did I get this ridiculous concoction and not different ice cream, or no ice cream at all? Because this is the ridiculous concoction that I wanted. What more answer is there supposed to be than that?"

"I mean, I assume you got that concoction because it has flavors you like, and you like the flavors in the concoction because you like them most having tried them, and you have reason to believe the flavors will work good in combination." Whose point is he trying to prove here. "My point is you had a reason for picking those flavors, I think. Even if you don't know it. So what's the reason for picking me? Or do you not know that either."

"I think 'you had a reason for picking those flavours even if you don't know it' is living in a different world from me."

"I'm not sure what that means. You like those flavors, right?  You have to have reasons, for the things you do, right?" He has a sudden realization. "If that's true.... was I someone just arbitrarily picked? What makes me special to you?"

"...what makes you special to me... is you. You are what's special about yourself. It's the being you that does it."

"But what is it about me? Or does that live in another world too." He's getting kind of frustrated and annoyed at the moment.