"Past me wouldn't have accepted it even if he could hear you."

Present Brainy is there now, sitting in a chair behind her, fingers steepled in front of him. For such an unpleasant memory his reaction is almost like academic interest. Like he's interested by this process of observing himself from the outside.

"Back then I eschewed most forms of sincerity from strangers. I never trusted anyone. I also wasn't used to physical contact. My only contact was with my handlers or with carebots that hadn't been programmed to offer any comfort, just to attend to my most basic needs."