i find the contrasts between dahlia and miles so fascinating. in all the ways they play the same role in phoenix’s life, they take the opposite route wherever the path divides.

dahlia is the epitome of something too good to be true. From the start she’s gentle and sweet and easy to love. her relationship with phoenix is immediate. he sees her as perfect—his infallible dollie who he’d do anything to protect.

miles is undeniably flawed. from the start he’s very upfront about that. he’s not a good person, nor does he pretend to be. they’ve known each other for decades and nothings come of it, because miles is messy. phoenix wants to help him, too, but miles won’t let him.

dahlia is a deeply selfish person. she’s unconcerned in who is caught in the chaos she wreaks. people offer her themselves and she lets them. she takes everything they are for her own means, and when they offer to eat glass for her sake she smiles and nods.

miles doesn’t do things for his own sake. even when his actions are deeply misguided, he’s trying to do what he believes to be right, and he does it alone. when phoenix offers to defend him, he refuses. when he needs to figure out what he stands for, he leaves on his own.

with dahlia, phoenix follows blindly. he doesn’t even question it. where miles is involved phoenix knows full well what he’s into—but he chooses to proceed anyways.

to dahlia, phoenix is disposable. she doesn’t care about his worth. he is a tool to be used as he’s needed. to miles, phoenix is everything. the man who saved him, the man who helped him find the truth, the man who he always comes back to, despite it all.

and phoenix would do anything for both of them. but the difference is that dahlia is alright with that while miles would give anything for him take care for himself first. phoenix couldn’t eat glass for miles because he would never give him the vial.

dahlia will take everything she’s given and more. miles doesn’t dare hope for anything at all.