Ben is aware of Cole moving, settling himself in to a comfortable position to listen. But he doesn't mind, just staying still, continuing his reading, and gradually Cole stills. He is a good audience - not interrupting, or fidgeting, or distracting Ben. He occasionally glances away from the page just long enough to check on Cole and see that his eyes are still open, that he's still attentive, not bored or asleep or troubled.

He continues on like that for a while, as the people and robots move around them through the trees. Gradually, that buzzing high from drinking the sap fades, but it doesn't leave anything like a hangover in its wake, which is lovely. Ben gets through a few chapters before he can hear his voice starting to go dry and scratchy. When he finds a good stopping place, he closes the book around one finger, to mark his place, and says:

"I think that might be as far as I can get, today. If.... you want, I could read the rest of it to you, another day?"

The offer comes out tentative, hesitant, even though Cole should be able to sense clearly how much Ben would like to do that. He had enjoyed reading to Cole immensely. It felt like sharing something that had always been solitary for him, before. Reading has always meant so much, to Ben. It's close to his heart. So he feels strangely shy, asking if Cole would like to repeat this again in the future.