i think they def need to be friends lol! maybe they were friends in high school and when they both realized they were going to new york city, they decided to keep in touch so that they'd have a familiar face once they got to the big apple? it sounds like they have a few things in common and could have gotten along back in school! rian isn't much of sensitive person, but she can be protective and caring when given the chance. if she had met him earlier on, she would have been that "tough" girl who was like "hey he's cool leave him aloneeee~~"