Miles Fairchild

Miles initially considered Abe to be a rather strong personality, capable of matching him (something he feels about very few people), which is why he showed great interest in Abe.
But how exactly does he like to show interest...
Abe's presence at the estate's door was and is literally like "Wake up early in the morning—I'll be right there," because Miles was EVERYWHERE Abe was. And sometimes, he was just awful at hiding.
Is Abe cooking? Miles is either sitting or standing nearby. Did Abe take a walk in the yard? Miles is nearby. Did Abe look at the horses? Miles is nearby. Is Abe sleeping? Miles spends most of the night watching by the bed.
His presence was everywhere, and even if he was miraculously not there, you still had the feeling of a pair of black eyes drilling into the back of your head.

Miles' sister, ~8 years old)

Appearance: small, pale, kind and childish eyes
Personality: Withdrawn, draws strange things, fidgety. She accepts Abe quickly because he's just as talkative.
Function: Catalyst. Through it, Abe and Miles begin to interact.

housekeeper, ~65 years old

Appearance: dry, gray. Wrinkles from grumpiness.
Personality: Outwardly grumpy, internally responsible and loyal. Accustomed to the estate's eccentricities.
Attitude towards Abe: first "another outsider," then secretly brings him old cookbooks
Phrase: "In my time, children didn't boss adults around" (but he does it their way)

governess, ~25 years old

Appearance: soft, always in a cardigan. Eyes attentive, but wary.
Personality: Tries to be a "proper adult," but sometimes gets lost. Loves children as her own.
Role in the plot: Mediator. She's the one who invites Abe. She's the first to notice that Miles changes around him, but she doesn't push it.
Phrase: "I don't know what's right. But we'll try."

Miles isn't afraid of silence - Abe learns not to fill it with screaming.
Abe doesn't know how to ask for help - Miles notices without words (because he's the same way).
Miles needs someone who won't leave - Abe is stubborn and clings to those who have accepted him.
Abe needs to be seen - Miles watches silently but very carefully.

What can trigger:

Abe is explosive when threatened → Miles freezes and goes into the cold → Abe thinks he's been rejected → screams even louder.

Miles is silent when he's feeling bad → Abe thinks he's being ignored (his childhood trauma) → gets mad and pesters with questions → Miles closes down even more.

Emotional coldness. Unable to recognize care, expressing feelings only through actions.
Adult instability. I'm used to people leaving. Even a minor argument = "he'll leave me."
Lack of tactile tenderness. Doesn't know how to respond to touch. Deep down, he craves hugs, but would rather die than ask.
Isolation. Doesn't understand social cues. Attaches to those who remain, but hides it.
Devaluation. Doesn't believe in their own worth and doesn't know how to respond to praise.

"It's elementary!" (when it's actually difficult)
"I'm not angry, I'm just... explaining."
"Eat up" (translation: "I'm worried you won't get lost")

Parents' screams and arguments. Loud voices = danger. Either runs away or explodes.
Devaluing hobbies. Parents consider cooking stupid. Any criticism of their food hurts their self-esteem.
An unstable position in the family. He's either attacked or ignored. He doesn't know how to be "just there"—he either attacks or disappears.
Lack of support. Doesn't ask for help even when drowning. External loudness = a mask for "no one will save me anyway."
Fear of being unwanted. Love in the family was conditional. If he wasn't bright, he wasn't seen.

Bites his lips when he is concentrating
Washes hands 20 times a day (professional)
Never throws away food - recycles it into something new
Sleeps only with a bunch of pillows
He's afraid of silence, so he's always doing something with his hands.
He can't stand eye contact, he feels awkward, his eyes are constantly darting around

Touches the edges of clothing when nervous
Doesn't eat unless he sees how it was prepared (trust through process)
Sometimes he forgets to eat - and Abe puts a plate in front of him without asking
He can't stand slamming doors, which Abe can often do in a fit of anger.
Miles always looks straight into the eyes; eye contact is the basis for building any kind of relationship for him.

Core: "I cook, therefore I exist"
Defense: loudness, attacking first, sarcasm
In reality: he's terrified of being unwanted. Any criticism is like a stab in the heart.
Likes: Experimenting, proving himself when his complex dishes are praised (especially with Miles' silent nod)
Hates: indifference to food, false politeness when they don't let you cook
Oddity: talks to himself, can get offended at a person for hurting him in his dream.
The way he loves: through feeding; he gets angry if someone doesn't eat, because it's a rejection of his care. And through words; it's important to him that his tirade of love for someone is met with at least a few words in response.

Height: Shorter than Miles, just above shoulder height, but stands up straight, like he's on stage
Build: wiry, quick. Hands in motion even when standing.
Hair: light brown, always in different directions, often falling on the forehead (swipes with a sharp movement)
Eyes: Light brown, almost green. Glowing when speaking; dimming when left alone.
Face: Freckles on the bridge of the nose (brighter in summer). Frequently blushes—from anger, shame, or embarrassment.
Clothes: Wears loose hoodies - white, dark blue or other unremarkable colors, one with a silly cat print on it, sometimes a zip-up sweatshirt, worn jeans that are a little too wide, black or gray elastic-waist pants, old sneakers, plain white trainers.

"It doesn't matter" (when it really does matter)
"I'm not sleeping" (and he himself hasn't slept for three days)
"Leave" (but does not leave on his own)

Layers: Ice on the outside, hot wire on the inside, and a tired child even deeper.
Defense: coldness, distance, sarcasm. If he doesn't know what to say, he remains silent.
Likes: silence, observation, external disorder
Hates: pity, loud noises, being touched without asking, white lies
Oddity: He can stare at one spot for a long time while thinking. Then he suddenly "returns."
The way to love: through action. Silently put down a blanket, remove something that irritates, protect without words.

Height: slightly above average, but slouches, making him appear shorter
Build: thin, but not frail - more like "undernourished"
Hair: black and curly, always a little messy and in different directions, as if running his hands through it (a habit)
Eyes: Dark brown, with heavy lids. They look from under the eyebrows, even when not angry.
Face: pale, with sharp cheekbones. Dark circles under the eyes from lack of sleep.
Clothes: dark sweaters (one with a stretched-out neck—a favorite), old jeans. Signature detail: a watch from her late father on a thin wrist, slightly too big.