Cale is a yearner. Yes, canonically.
The thing about Cale is that he does not sit with his emotions, rarely even gives them proper time to process, until absolutely confronted by them. Instead, he usually avoids, reframes and pretends they are "efficient decisions". He tells himself he is doing things for convenience, profit, stability and minimum damage.
Meanwhile, the oblivious bastard is:
collecting children
building a found family
throwing himself in front of bombs
overworking to protect people
losing sleep over their safety
That’s not a man who is cold and analytical. I mean, he is in certain cases but not always. That’s a man who refuses to admit what he wants.
Now, to the yearner part -- He is one, just not on the poetic, staring-at-the-moon way media advertises nowadays.
He is a suppressed yearner (just as suppressed as he is emotionally). Don't tell me you didn't notice how much he canonically yearns for:
stability (in the name of slacker life, but yeah)
a place that doesn’t disappear
a home he can return to
people who see him and stay beside him
He just translates that yearning into "I want to live quietly" and "This is the most efficient route" rather than the typical "I want you" we are used to.
He craves domestic things (playing with kids, napping, reading peacefully) but never admits it as such. He is afraid of losing the same (Wind Island Test???) but would never say "Don't leave".
Why? Because he is too used to losing everything he holds close anyway.
So instead, he goes "Do what you want." and then does everything to position himself so they don’t have to leave.
Cale does not do the self-aware stuff (too delulu on slacker life dream). In fact, he even rejects his narrative framing as the hero despite all that he is doing.
That is also why I love him, tbh. He is not overly analytical about himself, not even remotely curious. To Cale, he is an 'ordinary' man with trash personality. He is emotionally avoidant, highly observant, and strategically minded, and that is such an oxymoron (sometimes more moron than oxy) that it makes me laugh yet want to smack him upside the head.
He will do everything for the people he cares for, because that's all he knows how to do. Act.
He is a man who says, "That’s inefficient." while rearranging the world so the people he loves never have to suffer.
And fuck, do I not love a yearner like that, someone who would build his life around you in the name of 'using you'.
Anyway, simping aside, this is why Cale is a yearner, just not a traditional one. He loves deeply, builds his life around them silently and would care for you with actions more than words.
Agree or argue -- I am listening.
