The protagonist so far have given us cookie cutter responses with no personality. We know he was a loner and he Likes writing, maybe they could expand on those concepts. So every time he responds and reacts he doesn't sound like my kindergarten teachers. He always feels like he’s just there, no presence.
How does this relationship even even work? They never joke, talk really or anything. Relationships where 1 person is the sole mental caregiver don’t work well.