"I'm reading everything three ways, it doesn't help any, but - you've been really, really, really busy."

"I like being busy. - It's really not quite fair but I see more of you than you do of me, you run a lot of counterfactual errands for me, it's not worth spending your actual time on any that are just fact-finding or don't pan out, but you're always there when I need you, I really appreciate it and should've said so more."

"Glad to be counterfactually useful."

"It only works because you are also factually useful."

"I am - happy with being around accessible to go do things you mostly don't actually need done but I'd like seeing you more, too."

Smooch. "Can do."

"Or you can just send periodic updates - 'whatever your terrifyingly-no-longer-reliable sensors are saying, I am happy, just so you know' -"

"Aw, lovely. A lot of Empire-running activities aren't urgent or at fixed times, I can make space."

"Sure, I just don't want you to feel like you'll mess me up if something is urgent."

"Oh, no, I'm assuming you got me an empire because you believed this would free up all my time to do nothing but dote on you."

"I wasn't actually planning to get you an empire it was just so unacceptably run."

"So unacceptable!" Kiss.

Kiss.

Kiss.

What happens if she pets her hair -

It takes her a moment but she leans in.

Hairpets.

"Most things I do do not actually require in-real-life going anywhere, which means they are compatible with hanging out with your head in my lap. You probably do not need to worry about dragging me away from my responsibilities."

"I will do that."

"Good. I love you." Scritch scritch.

She puts her head in Isabella's lap and waits for something awful to happen and refuses to be miserable in anticipation because she promised she wouldn't do that. Isabella's happy and that's so good. She can handle this and that's so good.

Nothing horrible happens at all! Isabella holds her computer with one hand and pets Maitimë with the other and bounces her some of her counterfactual errands.

All these people she doesn't actually get to talk to! She should have considered this problem sooner.

"You can actually talk to more of them if you want, especially if any of this reads to you as likely to leave them friendlier in the long run."

"Might be sometimes worth it."