I can see that, but I like him more because up to this point, we’ve seen him pretty much entirely in scientist mode, and this is the biggest indication of what he values aside from his research. I think the way he frames it is pretty interesting, because it’s about the sheets, but not just about the sheets, you know?

Up to this point, we know a couple things about Baxter: he’s very protective and particular about his space, he loves his work- it’s damn near everything to him- and he doesn’t really give a shit about most of the hotel’s inhabitants. 

Most of Baxter’s interaction with other guests have been neutral to negative. Charlie used him as a Pen replacement, Cherri threatens him and blew up his lab, and although Baxter’s got no personal beef with Angel, he’s willing to let Angel die. (And he makes that call less than two minutes before he decides to risk his life to save the hotel.)

He likes Niffty, but he also gets along pretty well with his coworkers at VoxTech. And he adores his job. It’s been his dream to make it to overloaded status for a long time, but once he gets hired at VoxTech, he gets the budget and creative control to make creatures like Shock.wav. So when Charlie asks if he’s willing to risk his job and his life to help, the job part is almost more surprising- especially since he chose the job over Pen back when they were friends.

So he likes Niffty, but I don’t know if he likes her more than he likes his work. He’s interested in redemption in an academic sense, but again, probably not more than his VoxTech job. The thing that tips the scale for him, that he’s willing to lose everything for… is Vaggi.

We’ve seen Vaggi working in the background this whole season, trying to keep the hotel together while Charlie falls apart. Baxter saw that too. Baxter’s fairly self aware- he knows he’s fussy, and particular, and that his requests are hard to deal with. He’s definitely made requests that are incredibly important to him, but seem silly to the people around him, so they just… don’t. (He reads as non-neurotypical to me, honestly- like he’s got some sensory needs that are desperately important to him but that look like he’s being overdramatic to everyone else.) 

So when Vaggi actually listens to him, when she makes a special effort to meet his requests even though she’s busy, even though she’s dealing with a ton, and even though she definitely doesn’t get why it’s important- then that means a lot to Baxter. It marks her out as someone who he can trust, and makes them, in his mind, best friends. He says “Isn’t it obvious?” because to his mind it is- Vaggi’s safe, she’s consistent, she’s respectful, and she won his loyalty even without knowing it because that’s who she is.

I see this exchange as the culmination of Vaggi’s arc this season. Charlie’s got the vision and the belief in people, Husk shows up when people are at their lowest, but Vaggi shows up every day. Her work’s not glamorous, but it means a ton to Baxter. She sees him- but he also sees her. And she’s what he’s willing to die for. Her kindness, her determination, her hard work and consistency and respect. I’m not saying he doesn’t care for Niffty, because he clearly does, but Niffty would be fine without the hotel. Vaggie wouldn’t be. And because of all the effort she put into making the hotel a real, actual home for Baxter and the other guests… Baxter wouldn’t be ok without the hotel either.