heart to heart

Evidence of Lia caring for Michael:

yes, rene and andrew used to spar, and they often chatted about trivial things.

but it was kevin whom andrew trusted with his pills. it was with kevin that andrew spent time 24/7 (and they actually talked, not just sat in silence). it was kevin who made andrew feel alive for the first time. it was kevin who promised andrew he’d find the meaning of life. it was kevin who protected andrew from himself, both physically and emotionally. it was with kevin that andrew felt comfortable being physically affectionate.

fate, you can’t tell me what to do. but blue was the one who chose him, from the start. she met adam for the first time and thought ‘i wish you were gansey’. throughout the whole series, testing the danger level, am i in love with him yet?

The source of Neil's "quips" through out the series (Him on Kathy's interview, the banquet talk down @ Riko, etc) is not done for a cool guy moment but to center the fallout on himself / his own temper.

"Neil", as a persona, will be dead soon whether it be his original October cut off or when his father comes for him in Baltimore. If Riko / the Ravens want to hurt someone why not target him? It is some control allowing them to focus their anger/rage on a "dead man", and the fact that frankly Neil has anger in him. His anger gets the best of him more often than not. He is a very angry character.

The issue that presents itself is that the Ravens do not (only) punish the origin but the people around them. It all come back to partners and the team as a whole. Neil goes off on Riko on Kathy's show -> Seth dies. He goes off about Riko during the interview post nest -> the destruction of the Fox's cars. It is the lesson that Kevin tries to press on him again and again, "Jean will help you, if you help him.", Jean is still in the Nest, etc.

I think framing these quips as Neil just being a sassy guy who likes to get the last laugh robs him of both his anger and his self sacrificial / martyr complex. He is a character who knows he (Neil) will die in someway or another and is putting himself in the direct blast so that the others won't get hurt.