I know this post was ages ago, but I've been thinking about this since I saw it when I woke up this morning and I'm still trying to sort out my thoughts, because I agree and disagree.
I think Ed was attracted to Jade from the start, but because he was so hard-core gaming, didn't want any distractions. This is far different than not appreciating her. At the same time, the fact that he let his mind over rule his feelings is not necessarily a point in his favor. The fact that it did eventually change, though, could be.
I don't necessarily think that love that grows is any less valid than a more instantaneous connection. I think it's important to see if this represents a difference in a person's usual behavior and if so, why the difference exists. In Ed's case, I just don't think he's programmed to fall in love quickly and easily. Growing to care about someone is how he operates, and he resists it because then he has to deal with emotions. Once he's all in, though, he's going to stay that way, not just throw it all away because he's suddenly attracted to someone else. In Jade's case, where she's already been scarred by a guy cheating, that probably outweighs his reticence.
Where I think Jade and Ed work is that Jade knows and accepts Ed's difficulty with processing emotion. She's been willing to make herself vulnerable because once she does, Ed usually responds in kind. At the same time, I think there were times when Ed, in his stupidly awkward way, tried to communicate his affection for her. As stupid as his goodbye video was, the end, where he holds up the scarf that she made for him and talks about it, is really him trying to tell her that he values her and he's holding on to something she gave him. It's so horribly done, and you can tell he's so uncomfortable with the underlying emotions, but I think the intent was actually there.
Having said all that, I do think it's important that Jade makes Ed be an equal partner in making the relationship work from this point forward. The fact that he's spent time with her family, seems to be comfortable spending time with her friends, and seems to be doing and saying the right things may indicate that that is actually happening. I don't know, but I'm willing to sit back and see what happens next.
More than anything, I just want for her to be happy personally and professionally. She brightened up many of my days this past summer, so I wish only good things for her!
And so ends my last long analysis in this thread!
