Caliban watched with amusement as the young one lifted her arm. Her observation was quite correct; their skin tones were nowhere near similar. She was a lovely golden bronze color, while his skin was as thin and as white as paper. He almost asked what she was doing, almost questioned her thoughts, when she lifted the rag into view.
The cool touch against his skin was instant relief. After days of traveling, days of ignoring his wounds in favor of their safety, even the smallest kindness was enough to have him relaxing. They still had a long way to go, but he could forget about that for the moment.
the heart of a child, indeed.
“Please, Charlotte, just– just call me Caliban. And, yes, it’s easing the pain, thank you. I can do it, though, if you would prefer.”
She’s careful, cautious, and considerate of how she moves the towel against blistered skin. Compared to porcelain skin that was almost transparent to red splotches, it’s easy to tell how much it hurts. Plus, she finds his skin tone to be interesting and pretty in it’s own way. “ You don’t mind not being called Mister? “ she ask, finding it foreign to her tongue when they’ve been instructed as kids to address the people in charge as sir. Mister was a little bit of a stretch but nothing close to being distant in calling out to the older male. “ You can call me Lottie than if you want and I’ll call you Caliban, “ she smiles, even more so that she’s helped ease the discomfort. “ I can do it ---------- I like doing it, “ she lifts the rag once more to her mouth, adding another layer of frost. Instead of touching his arm, she pats gently at his cheek. “ If you want. I can ice one of the hats for you, when we go out? “ an offer that might seem small to others but greater to those, who watch closely.