Then smiles gently and nods, kissing Alethia's cheek and just resting her head on her shoulder.

"Thank you for stopping. It- it really was nice, it's just- new, too. And fast."

She really does like this collection of people she's met. It's just- a lot. 

She nods, smiling softly, holding her mate close. Stopping when Alethia asks is important.

Neo is not precisely soft and warm. She is in fact somewhat cool, physically, and rather hard, objectively speaking. This is, it turns out, not actually important. On all levels except physical, Neo is soft and warm.

Neo nuzzles Alethia some more, smiling warmly.

And then she pouts and nuzzles closer.

That pout is adorable. She will squish Neo about it. Also, she does think she knows what it's about.

"It's about time to rotate snuggle-participation, isn't it?"

She nods and huffs. It is.

"I am sorry for the ravages of linear time, which I myself invented at the start of the universe and which it thus makes sense for me to apologize over. It is all my fault."

Neo nods, continuing to pout. It is right and just that her mate apologize for this crime. After a little longer, though, she sighs dramatically, kisses the back of Alethia's hand, and then twirls her fingers in a little wave.

"Goodbye for now, Neo! It was nice snuggling you!"

She will not say out loud that the Slightly Too Much stuff was actually also really nice, she is yet Shy.

And then, with a shift, the petite girl stretches taller and becomes Maya. "Hello, dearheart."

"Hello once again!"

Maya in particular appears as though she really should be soft. However, she is not.

Yes, she really should be. It is a crime that she cannot be mortal-soft on demand.

"How are you finding things so far, darling?"

She kisses Alethia's cheek very gently.

A cheek kiss! How wonderful!

"It's- actually really nice. Hugs are good. I have discovered this."

"Truly a most important discovery. It is good that we are so fond of providing them to you, if they are so good. You ought be provided with every good thing available to us and more."

Lewd.

She shouldn't say that out loud, though.

Wait, why not? 

"Lewd."

Maya chuckles delightedly and nods.

"Indeed," she agrees, smiling warmly. She runs a fingertip slowly down Alethia's cheek, down her neck, and then over her collarbone, before pulling it away. 

"Oh no, the consequences of my actions."

Then she giggles and does her best to squish Maya. It is not an adequate for squishing best, but hopefully it will be appreciated anyway.

Truly, even though Alethia's efforts fail to dent her skin, Maya is quite pleased with the attempt. She sighs happily and nestles close.

Life has kind of suddenly gotten a lot better? More complicated too, and this could still bode ill. But she really doesn't think it bodes in that particular direction.

Bode. Bodebode. 

Bode is a fun word.

Anyway! Snuggles!

Snuggles are very nice. Mate snuggles are perhaps the best thing ever. She strokes Alethia's hair tenderly.

She might have giggled at Alethia's amusement at the word "bode", but she is sadly unaware of the adorable train of thought.

Oh! Hairpets! These are, it turns out, even better than snuggles, somehow.

Alethia is happy.