“ what do you want in exchange for it? ” from Marceline to Gideon. For additional context, it can be the simplified diagram you mentioned about the subway after she says she got lost, hehehe
@lovcnco
Exchange? The word brings a deep furrow to his brow, her question sounding incredibly ludicrous to his ears. Gideon didn't believe there to be anything about his demeanor that hinted at expecting something in return - but perhaps the issue wasn't so much him, as much as Marceline's proclivity for wanting to give back. Well, she'd have no luck trying to even the scales with him.
"Nothing." His reply is as simple as that, leaving no room for doubt, a light shrug following. "I'm not giving you this expecting anything back. You said the subway was confusing, so I wanted to help." Sure, there must be dozens of similar diagrams online already, but none specifically for her. Gideon had taken special care to highlight the lines he knew she travelled most frequently, the stops most relevant to her trips - color-coded and with quick tips scribbled on the back.
"If it makes you feel better, I like doing this kind of stuff." The addition came paired with a softer smile. "I'd probably be up late working on something else anyway." Well, he didn't mean to share that part. Marceline didn't need to know he was awake well into the night, going through several drafts and sending each one to Vivian, using her as his lab rat. 'If you can understand this, anyone can.' The cheeky remark had earned him a text with several emojis flipping him off, though she did agree to help him eventually - transactionally so, after making Gideon promise he'd buy her lunch next time they met.
Hands stuffed deep in his pockets, he tries to shake off any remnants of sheepishness from his expression. "Besides, my mom wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I knew you were struggling and didn't help out." Which was only an issue when it came to people Gideon wasn't particularly fond of. For everyone else, he gave freely, the knowledge that he'd been helpful enough for him.
