There's a pause as Cole looks directly over at Rita. She's blushing. He can tell she's blushing. For all of Rita's 'it's not like we're friends or anything, I'm only doing this because you're a spirit,' it's obvious to Cole that they are friends and Rita would help him out even if he wasn't a spirit.

Cole has no concept of the term 'tsundere' but he's pretty much pegging Rita as one.

"If you say that," he says, with a little shrug. Though, back to 9S, sitting on the floor. "It's not a have to, 9S. It's what I am. I help because I'm me."

Because he's a spirit of compassion. Because it's in his nature to do so and doing so is the only time when Cole can feel whole and purposeful.