"Must be why we put up with them."

"Too adorable to stay mad at?"

"Or something to that effect, anyway."

She laughs.

"They also make us look good, I'll admit. Not that we need help."

"Models of poise and rationality that we are."

"Paragons of good decision making."

"The pinnacle of our form."

She laughs. "The prettiest ones, too."

"Naturally."

Naraka, meanwhile, is greatly enjoying being patted.

The Keres enjoys doing the petting.

"I feel that we should at some point.. clarify. What it is you want."

"In general or - with relationship stuff?"

Pet pet. "The latter seems more immediately relevant."

"Yeah."

"If you want to."

"It is important."

"I - I'm not actually sure."

"I think I hadn't realized how touch starved I was, but - I don't know. That might be something to get a dog about."

"I... haven't really had any sort of - mutually affectionate relationship - since I was seven, unless my brother counts, but I don't think he should."

"No. He shouldn't."

"I like- Tentou very much. I could like you very much. But you're you and not her. So I'm asking. If you want to try, we'll try. If you want to not, I'll not."

Snuggle.

"Thank you."

"I don't think she's thinking of me as - very separate. Or of herself as separate from the other Crows. But I didn't make the friends she did, and..."

"I don't want to - go back to being lonely and touch starved."

"And I think I probably could do - some kind of relationship."

"I just... Don't know how long it's going to take me to trust again."

Snuggles and pets.

"Take as long as you need. I'll be here. And so will the others."

Cuddles.

"Thanks."

"I'd still like - something like this, even if we're not officially dating, though. It's nice."

"I like it too. We can keep doing it."

"Good." Snuggle.

Pet pet.

Apparently this one purrs, too.

Heee.