[ he really is an odd boy - boy, Zara calls him, because despite the fact that Cole can't be much younger than himself, there's something childlike about him, to an even more extreme extent than Mary. It would fall to him to take care of people who couldn't take care of themselves, of course, even in this situation; he doesn't mind particularly, but he does find it amusing. Were Nesso still here, he'd surely laugh at his continual babysitting.
However, it's more than just being childlike. There's something off about Cole. He doesn't know the whole story, but it's desperately obvious that he's not all he appears - the way he acts, speaks, the unexplained disappearances, the way he knows things, most of all. Zara's asked about it, no doubt, but Cole's frustratingly difficult to comprehend.
For now, he'll concentrate on the little things - for example, the state of his clothes. And hygiene. But before Zara can even open his mouth to comment on the greasiness of his hair, he's beaten to the punch. There's a twinge of something on his face - guilt, protectiveness, possessiveness, maybe even fear - but he replaces it with a rather stony gazee. ]
... What the young lady thinks is certainly no business of yours, Cole. Nor what I'm thinking. [ he sounds strict, but there's an obvious edge of discomfort there, too. ] How do you know?
action;
However, it's more than just being childlike. There's something off about Cole. He doesn't know the whole story, but it's desperately obvious that he's not all he appears - the way he acts, speaks, the unexplained disappearances, the way he knows things, most of all. Zara's asked about it, no doubt, but Cole's frustratingly difficult to comprehend.
For now, he'll concentrate on the little things - for example, the state of his clothes. And hygiene. But before Zara can even open his mouth to comment on the greasiness of his hair, he's beaten to the punch. There's a twinge of something on his face - guilt, protectiveness, possessiveness, maybe even fear - but he replaces it with a rather stony gazee. ]
... What the young lady thinks is certainly no business of yours, Cole. Nor what I'm thinking. [ he sounds strict, but there's an obvious edge of discomfort there, too. ] How do you know?