Your regularly scheduled creepy visitor

[killedwithlove]

Who: Cole and anyone who needs him... or wants to chat to him
Broadcast: No
Action: On any ship except Marsiva, Tourist or Red Fish because he avoids visiting two and can't visit the third.
When: While the fleet is moving and probably a bit after

[There is this thing Cole does.

He visits other ships. Sometimes he put the Pathstone alongside to visit and sometimes he takes a shuttle, but he's constantly wandering all over the fleet, being with people, circulating.

He hasn't done it in a while. He got a nasty fright and went into hiding for a while.

But the creepy psychic being is back! Sticking his large nose into all the business.]

Comments

[sandhate]

[ a dry chuckle ] You don't say.

I suppose it's only fair that I'm honest with you. [ a beat - he struggles to pinpoint what he should say, if saying it a particular way would alleviate what damage he might do. ] It ...does hurt.

[killedwithlove]

You don't have to be. Lots of people aren't honest. Sometimes, it's how they stay sane.

[He nods softly.]

I know. Having your mother murdered... it hurts. A lot. Feeling helpless, like you failed her.

[That doesn't seem to be intuited.]

[sandhate]

And sometimes, it does the opposite. [ a beat ] Knowing a hurt and keeping it inside doesn't keep you sane. It keeps hurting and hurting and eventually it dulls. You forgot. Then you remember and it hurts again.

[ you fail, again.

he looks at cole.

is a spirit's place only to watch? can they intervene? cole is tangible enough so he could, he suppose, if wants to ]

Have you... ?

[killedwithlove]

[Cole looks at Anakin, those strange, pale, almost colourless eyes watching.]

Have I? I don't understand.

Cole's mother was murdered. His father beat her to death with his fists, while Cole and Bunny hid in a cupboard, silent, still, stifled...

[sandhate]

[ he blinks and his jaw is slack for a moment as he remembers that cole wasn't always cole ] I'm sorry... I'm sorry that Cole had to see that.

[killedwithlove]

Cole smothered Bunny. He didn't mean to, he just wanted her to be quiet.

[Cole is looking off somewhere else, gaze distant and face impassive. He's very bad at emoting.]

Bad things happen. No one deserves to suffer, but they do.

[sandhate]

Cole. [ he doesn't know what to say to that. this was more than he had expected. ] Did you... watch him do it?

[ a beat ] I mean it wasn't you then. It wasn't Cole the Spirit yet. It was Cole, the boy.

[killedwithlove]

Watch him- No. I remember it.

I have all his memories, feelings, thoughts. I remember smothering her. I remember coming out and finding mother's body. Father with blood on his hands, spitting hate and rage.

[sandhate]

[ jfc cole

anakin's quiet for a moment then he dares to catch cole's shoulder in a hand, probably a completely useless gestures but he does it anyway. he hopes that he can pass on whatever kind of ...comfort he can impress on the young man. ]

...Are you alright, Cole? I don't think anyone - Spirit or otherwise - could remember that without being affected.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole looks up at Anakin, pale eyes wide and clearly not understanding the question.]

Yes. It wasn't my body. Cole's body is dead and this one is all mine. I promise. It's all right.

[sandhate]

But you remember it. Doesn't it make you think-- [ he pinches this nose and reminds himself that cole isn't your typical human. ] Sorry, I get it. It wasn't you.

[killedwithlove]

Make me think what?

It was awful. I don't understand why people enjoy hurting others. But it happened and now it's passed.