[Oz listens with the same rapt attentiveness that he listens to everyone with, and so the sudden deluge of - he's not even sure what at first, honestly - is enough to startle him yet again. At least this doesn't ring personal, whatever it is. Not personal for himself, anyway.
The follow-up statement seems a little strange to him, like it's a gap-bridge between two things that shouldn't necessarily be connected. His mouth presses into a thin line, but the expression isn't wary or displeased so much as just plain thoughtful.]
...I think I understand. [He can only say "I think", though. Cole is undoubtedly a difficult person to decipher, even for someone who's usually capable of picking the meaning out of the words of other people.
Still, meaningfulness and meaninglessness... Well, he may not understand much about Cole himself just yet, or his abilities, or where he's come from that has led him to say such a thing, but he can certainly understand loss of identity and its struggle. It's why, after a few seconds of debating in silence, he asks:]
I know this is personal, but— Has it always been like this for you?
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The follow-up statement seems a little strange to him, like it's a gap-bridge between two things that shouldn't necessarily be connected. His mouth presses into a thin line, but the expression isn't wary or displeased so much as just plain thoughtful.]
...I think I understand. [He can only say "I think", though. Cole is undoubtedly a difficult person to decipher, even for someone who's usually capable of picking the meaning out of the words of other people.
Still, meaningfulness and meaninglessness... Well, he may not understand much about Cole himself just yet, or his abilities, or where he's come from that has led him to say such a thing, but he can certainly understand loss of identity and its struggle. It's why, after a few seconds of debating in silence, he asks:]
I know this is personal, but— Has it always been like this for you?