he didn’t look particularly comfortable shaking her hand, and for a moment rory second-guessed her decision to push it. still, she returned the shake with a firmer grip than his, then nodded at his name. “cole,” she repeated, testing the word out on her tongue. “well, it’s… nice to meet you, cole.” oh, but she wasn’t sure if it was. and when he didn’t immediately answer why he was here, again, rory felt her indignation start to bubble at the back of her throat - but the sound that left her was a pathetic whimper as he started to speak. “h-how…” absently, she remembered hearing of the spirit’s ‘strange’ abilities, and it was with both horror and sorrow that she listened to and recalled those words: i won’t, and i can’t. the thoughts were familiar - an echo in the chamber of her heart; of trembling hands and blue-ruin eyes stinging hot with tears, of shaky breaths forced through a throat turned raw with screaming grief. she stared at cole now and felt that same grief start to crawl around her lungs, snatching the air from them so quickly she found it hard to breathe. her eyes wavered with tear-marred vision: he was thinking of you. this was a hurt from the oldest corners of her heart; it ached all the way to her bones, built into the hollow spaces between her ribs. the earth seemed to quake deep in her belly, and when she pressed a hand against her mouth to stifle a sob, she tasted dust on her tongue. “don’t - ” she tried, but her mouth swallowed those words and spat out a cry. “he was as strong as me. stronger,” she snarled through her teeth, conviction and grief blurring into something almost akin to anger - a dull, broken sort of anger that had her curling in on herself, trying to seek out a comfort she couldn’t possibly find alone. and right now, she did feel alone. those words cole had spoken - were they truly what philipp had felt…? rory hugged her arms close to her chest, all her previous determination gone, no longer daring to meet the other’s eyes. “tell me you’re lying,” she said suddenly, desperately, head bowed, gaze focused on the floor. one index finger and thumb rubbed idly at her sleeve, trying to ground herself. “tell me he - !” her breath caught in her throat, and her voice quivered. …no, that wasn’t what she wanted. she forced her eyes to meet cole’s. “why - why are you doing this?”
light blues crept over to the other blonde--curves at the ends of his lips--upon hearing her repeat his name --- it resulted in making him look... a little goofy, admittedly. the smile he fashioned on his features... twisted his demeanor uncomfortably. made him look... weird, after a few heartbeats. it was one no one else had yet made him do... before it’d been...corrupted... but fell, quickly ( thankfully ) when he heard it... maybe... wasn’t really nice to meet him. she was just being polite. it’s alright. she was being sweet, anyway. being kind even though she didn’t feel kind; that’s what mattered.
compassion’s brows buckled at the sudden twist of her demeanor, however. she went, completely, from being skeptical to... miserable --- and he was actually confused! he, personally, felt warmed by philipp’s last thoughts. happy he could share them, so the apprentice could finally find peace. did rory not see it this way? to her credit, though, he did just lay... a lot on her, at once. never the smooth one, cole; and... funny... how he didn’t... know...? how to handle this. odd... for a spirit of compassion. tall, blonde, and lanky kept his arms to himself. feeling he knew she... didn’t... want to be touched. admittedly, he did want to comfort her that way, though.
cole studied his victim rory closely, nearly jumped at her... request? sounded more like a demand, truthfully, but light blues shot down to the movement of her fingers --- and he... didn’t... know what to say. he was waiting to listen, actually, but... she was too angry, too sad. it was pointless. did he--did he do the right thing? “ ...no, don’t you see? ” the spirit started up, suddenly feeling that... yes, he did do the right thing! did make the right choice! compassion also... dared touch her, gently placing his thumbs on the insides of her elbows to both get her attention and show her he wasn’t the one she should be afraid of.
“ you made his death easier. i know it’s hard... but without you, he would still be trapped here. instead? instead he can leave! and if i were him, i’d wish i could leave, too. he loved you, rory, and not only did you help him in this life, but you helped him cross over into the next! ”
oh, compassion felt... very... passionately... about this. hopefully, his ‘ passion ’ wouldn't scare her; he eased off, anyway. it was never easy to let someone go --- and it was that hurt cole often tried... too often to heal; and too often, it was a hurt he just... simply... couldn't. the caring spirit attempted to do it again, unfortunately. with this particular one, however, he felt... personally... close to. dangerous. philipp was a mage. a mage who had not been made tranquil, but slain, by the templars. it was ‘ out of mercy ’, the stated officially, ‘ during his harrowing. he was going to become an abomination! ’ no! it was a murder! a slaying during a harrowing was... almost... as bad as-as forgetting a-a poor boy in the... the prisons of a circle tower!!