It is! It is nice.

You didn't quite come to a conclusion about how fast you'd prefer to go -

It doesn't - change much? Since I'm already in love, I mean. 

What do you mean?

I think the usual justification for going slow is - not getting asymmetrically invested? If you will? This is - I'm probably too distracted to have this conversation coherently - I can't think what goes wrong based on timing -

Isabella has no plans to stop distracting her. The justification I'm acquainted with is that it's a lot to process and an unfamiliar sort of vulnerability, potentially better navigated in smaller chunks.

That doesn't seem very persuasive but I might be biased or something.

Might you. Nibble.

I should probably take the possibility into account.

(No one's going to interrupt them, right? Right.) Well, tell me if you do feel like slowing down, but otherwise I suppose I'll just do what I like with you, hm? Earnibble.

Whimper. Please, Isabella, please -

...okay Isabella has got to see what the fuss about Elf hair is -

The fuss about Elf hair is that unbraiding it and running your hands through it will  make it quite impossible for the Elf you are so afflicting to stay on her feet or stop whimpering.

Ooh. (...nobody can hear them, right - right.) This is lovely. The not staying on her feet part in particular has considerable appeal. Maitimë's head goes in Isabella's lap now, there.

Maitimë is quite okay with this is the hairpetting going to continue hairpetting is lovely Isabella is perfect.

The hairpetting is so going to continue.

Are humans not - poor humans - the world will not be optimal until we've fixed that -

Humans lack this feature. Seems maybe we're missing out. Scritch scritch.

Happy shuddering. Oh so missing out. 

How much of your time can I discreetly monopolize?

You need to stop petting my hair if you want me to think about things. 

...well. What would happen if Isabella had any intention of doing that?

Isabella would get pouted at. Hairpetting is lovely.

 But then - Cána has a new song for skipping sleep, I think I can get done everything I'm currently doing with a few hours left over every day and still maintain my reputation for taking full advantage of Earth timezones to have trade negotiations ongoing constantly...

Okay, no need to suffer through pouting in reality. Pet pet pet. You're lovely.

You're brilliant. 

Isabella leans down to kiss her hair.