Joseph Quinn & Grace Van Dien, Fan Expo Canada 2022

He is so deflated in that 2nd gif.

His empathy and emotional intelligence are through the roof. He realizes she is genuinely frightened almost as soon as he bumps into her, way more freaked out than is warranted by the situation. Either she’s very afraid of him, afraid of being seen with him, or afraid of getting caught doing business with him.

He tries to reassure her and help her feel safe in a lot of ways. He removes his denim vest and leather jacket (his armor and symbols of rebellion/individuality), making himself look smaller, more ordinary and therefore less intimidating. He sits across from her, trying to meet her as an equal. He tells her there’s nothing to worry about and he promises that they are safe. He casually and simply explains what the transaction will entail, offers her a good deal and asks if it is acceptable, indicating that he’s open to negotiation and that she has power in this situation.

But she is still so jumpy and he thinks it’s because of him. He tries to play it off as no big deal with that little shrug in the 2nd gif, but he’s disappointed and hurt. Tired of the assumption that he is ‘mean and scary’. (And as far as we have seen, this is unique to her, because earlier in the cafeteria, he was openly defiant, proud of his differences, and a tad aggressive. He made a show of playing into the labels others throw at him. But he doesn’t want her to believe it.)

So he makes further efforts to be non-threatening. He looks down and away from her, just completely breaks eye contact. He makes pacifying and surrendering/stop gestures with his hands. He removes his lunchbox from her sight to show her that he means it when he says they don’t have to do this; he’s not going to pressure her just because she expressed interest in buying. He places control of the situation entirely in her hands, and states he is willing to take marching orders if she gives them. He’ll walk away from the clearing, and walk away from the interaction like it never happened; her reputation will be intact because he won’t try to hold this over her.

But his entire demeanor shifts when she tells him she doesn’t want him to go. He was not expecting that at all. So, he’s not the problem, but he has no idea what might be troubling her instead. She’s clearly afraid but she doesn’t want him to leave her alone. If she’s afraid but she’s not threatened by him, she’s expressing a level of trust by telling him that. She feels safer with him there. The Queen of Hawkins High feels safe in the middle of the woods with the outcast, flunk-out freak.

So he makes eye contact again and he stays. He waits palms up, gentle and open. He was already concerned by her behavior, and now he’s uncertain of what’s coming next. 

But at least she isn’t afraid of him.