Strange that he made that comment to a mutual friend, sometime not long after he moved into the rental, that living with V was a situation he just didn't want to get into.... how strange, considering that he had already been living with her (before moving to the rental). Is it because he doesn't want people to know he has made a mistake (ie living with her was a mistake) ... he always did have difficulty admitting that he was wrong.
It wasn't a one-off comment (the not wanting to live with V), cos he had said it a number of times to various people over a period of almost two years.
And now there he is, living with her again . He must really like bashing his head against that brick wall - he's been doing it for so long.

Maybe he just doesn't know what else to do? Maybe that's why she wanted to know whether he could come back here? But hten, even in thinking of parting she seems to be not letting him make his own decisions - trying to sway him one particular way (my way!) ... because she felt if he knew the answer was going to be yes that it would be easier for him to ask. Now if that's not trying to lead someone down a particular path I don't know what is! why can't she let him make his own decision....