faderift | Open | If you forget, is it like it never happened?

Entry tags:

Open | If you forget, is it like it never happened?

WHO: Cole and anyone who needs or wants him
WHAT: Cole's back. If he ever left. Who really knows?
WHEN: Now until end of February.
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: If you want a personal starter, drop me a PM or find me at

jemisard

Those sensitive to such things might notice that Cole is back. He's hard to remember at the best of times, and after such a long period, Cole himself expects virtually no one to remember who he is or that he's allowed to be here.

But it doesn't stop him doing what he does. Moving about, helping those he can.

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Cole's eyes widen slightly. "I know Inessa."

And he can find that thread quickly, the tiny knots along it, patterns through her.

"All you can say is the truth. If you can't feel the truth in yourself yet, then you should just put down words for yourself, write until it starts to make sense to you."

"You know her? Isn't she the most remarkable..." He trails off, sighing, not sure where he meant to end up with that, really. He just knows how she makes him feel, especially lately. "The most remarkable."

He considers things a little more. It's still not easy to put his feelings into words, but he's hoping writing them down will help. "I know... that I care about her very much. I want the best for her, and... I want to be there for her. With her. I've never been very good at expressing this sort of thing, but... I must try. Maybe you're right, if I keep writing, I'll come across the right thing to say..."

"I want you to know that you don't have to do it all alone. You can choose to, and I'll respect your choice, but you never have to be alone with your troubles while I still draw breath. I am your friend, and more than that, I respect you for the strong, remarkable woman that you are."

The words flow easier when he has the target, the exact sentiment. It's not a love confession... exactly. It's an affirmation of meaning. "I would be honoured if you would let me help you and I will understand when you do not or cannot." He draws a breath. "Does that help?"

Kain thinks about it... He looks curiously over at Cole, eyeing him closely. How does he have such a good handle on his situation? It seems almost as if he can sense it somehow, which is just a weird thought. That's... maybe a little bit spooky. But it's helpful, too, so why complain about that?

"That's surprisingly insightful. I think I can use that. I want to reach out to her like I've never done before, and I don't want to frighten her away... I think... I think such words would work." After all, Kain isn't yet ready to say those words, the three which will really reveal how he feels. He needs to work up to the love part. "You apparently have a talent for this sort of thing."

Cole's expression softens. He doesn't smile, but there's a suggestion of happiness in his eyes. "It's what I do. Am. I help. I understand and that lets me help."

Kain needs to let go of Rosa and Inessa needs to see him do it before anything else can change. He hopes they'll manage it.

Huh. What an odd yet friendly guy. Kain is still a bit baffled by this, he's never known anyone to be so outright helpful in such a way before. Compassionate, even.

"How... thoughtful of you." He says the words distractedly, as he's also running over his own issues in his head, trying to figure out where he's going from here. He's gotten a start at it, but he has a ways to go. "What's your name, anyway? I don't recall seeing you around before."

Which, to be fair is probably true for more than one reason.

"I don't want people to hurt. So I help to make life hurt less, when I can. I don't always do it right." He rocks on his feet.

"Cole. I was here, but I had to go help somewhere else. I had to make myself be safe for here again. You're Kain. You're a Warden."

"That's very kind of you..." So this younger man is creepy-yet-helpful. It's not what he'd call a bad sort of creepy, either, really, just... unusual. He looks astonished when he mentions his name, though.

"It's... good to meet you, Cole, but... now I have to know, how did you know my name? Had you heard of me before somewhere?" The Warden part is at least easy to see, since he wears the armor most all the time and this is no exception. But still. Maybe he has more of a reputation than he'd thought? Hm.

Cole is quiet a moment. He's not meant to read people's minds, but it's like asking him not to hear people shouting, or talking next to him.

"I know people. When I'm with them. If I don't know, I can't help."

It's definitely spooky of him, whatever he's doing... but Kain still doesn't get the feeling that he'd ever mean any harm. So while he's still a little wary, he's willing to let it go, for the moment. He's helped him, after all.

"That's some power... or whatever it might be. And you have helped... I feel better about this whole thing..."

Cole smiles. He doesn't so it often, and it's not a big smile, but it is there. "Good. That's all that matters, that I helped. That's what Compassion is."

You can almost hear the capitalisation on it.

There really is something in how he says it. Kain just looks at him thoughtfully for a moment, but soon after that, just nods. "It seems you've come to be in the right place, then. We can all use all the help we can get."

Not just for personal matters, but the Inquisition in general.

"Yes. If there was somewhere else I could help more, then I would go there. It's why I went away for a while."

He was needed elsewhere. He had done what he could and then come back.

"Well... I hope you did what you could, wherever you went. And that you'll continue to help us here for a while."

All in all, while this Cole seems like a weird younger man, he's also... nice to be around, in a way? He really does seem to care, and maybe that's all that really matters.

"I do care," he replies to the unspoken comment. "That's part of what Compassion is. Caring. Understanding. And while I can help here, I will."

There's no real way to explain that as anything other than mind reading.

"Huh? Huh..." That was odd, had he said that out loud? Kain blinks a little, unsure about that, and doubting himself after a few moments. Maybe he mentioned something, after all? At some point? Well, no need to worry about it too much. "Then I suppose I know where to go, the next time I need help."

If he even remembers him, anyway...

"No."

It's the answer to the unspoken question, but that could easily not be apparent.

"You won't remember. It's okay. When you need help, I'll find you."

"You will? Just like that? You must have a very good sense for this sort of thing..."

Magic, surely, though it's unlike most that he's heard of. Not that he's any sort of expert in that field, though, so who knows? Anything could be possible... even a magic that's spooky yet helpful.

"Yes. I do. I always know when someone needs help. It's what I am."

Not what he does. What he is.

"I hope it gets better."

"That's... truly something impressive. Thank you. I hope it does, as well. I can only... keep trying and see what becomes of it." He has a lot of things to work out, for himself, but he's more determined now to settle it all for good. He can do this. He can. Or... so he hopes.

"You can," Cole encourages him. "Regrets of 'what if' are some of the worst pains, because you can't ever soothe them."

"I've already done a lot of things I regret... I don't want to add more to that, you're right. Especially the 'what if' scenario... I've already lost this opportunity once," well technically it was never there, but even so, "and I won't lose it again. Not this time."

"I know you have," Cole murmurs, coming closer again. His hand comes to Kain's shoulder. "And it's so hard. But you survived. Your spirit survives and fights on."

"You know?" He shakes his head, wondering why he's so surprised at the moment. By now he shouldn't be, given everything else Cole has said so far. "Ah... never mind, of course you do. I'm still moving past it... it hasn't been easy, but I'm trying more lately..."

And he wants to try more to get past it all, so he can move on.

Cole gives a small, sad smile.

"You want to. That's the start of doing it. You should try more words on the paper. I'll be back if you need me."

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