“Alright, then. Go stable your shuldu and join us inside.”
I had to issue the command twice, as both men were craning their necks to see Lualhati behind me. Finally, though, they did as they were told. The rest of us returned to the warm saloon. Tasha, Rivven, and Shiloh disappeared into the kitchen to fetch some food for everyone, while Warden Tenn, Lualhati, and I remained in the dining room area.
“Is this where you want me to give them their lessons?” Lualhati asked after removing her jacket and gloves. She swept her hand over the dining room. It was a very nice hand. Elegantly shaped. And it had felt so nice to hold it in my own.
“Yes. This is where I gave them their lessons as well.” I fetched the white sheet I’d used as a projector screen from behind Rivven’s bar, and hung it up on the wall. Then, I set up my data tab on a table across from it so that I could project Tasha’s document if needed.
By the time that was finished, Xennet and Dorn had come inside. They lingered awkwardly at the door, taking ages to stomp their boots on the mat, something they never usually did. They came to the saloon often and usually barged right inleaving muddied footprints in their wake. But the new human woman here had altered the balance of things, and they were clearly unsure of how to proceed.
I was about to command them to come all the way in. But Lualhati beat me to it, speaking in much softer tones and hurrying towards them.
“Hello!” she said, sincere joy emanating from her. “I’m Dr. Ortiz. You can call me Lualhati if you like. I’m so glad to meet you both!”
Much like I’d observed in her when she’d met Rivven and Shiloh, she let her joyous focus entirely envelop the two men before her. Like they mattered deeply to her.
And theydidmatter. So blasted much. I was not prepared for how my insides twisted at the sight of her smiling at them. At the way she seemed to recognize the inherent good in them mere moments after seeing them for the first time.
Each of them held out a hand to shake. It made me rather proud to see them remember the human greeting.
But Lualhati waved them off.
“I’m a hugger!” she said, an echo of what she’d told me that first time we’d met. “Would you two like hugs?”
“My first human hug,” Xennet whispered with something close to tremulous awe. “Yes, Doctor! Thank you, Doctor!”
Lualhati chuckled at his reply and stepped towards him, closing her arms around his waist. I tensed, watching closely, making sure Xennet didn’t do anything unexpected. Like squeeze her too tightly. Or accidentally stab her.
But, to his credit, he performed very well indeed. He gingerly placed his arms around Lualhati. His eyes closed, and a tender sort of smile flickered across his mouth. It was an entirely innocent expression, but after a few moments I did find myself slightly agitated by how long the hug was lasting.
“That’s plenty long enough, Xennet,” I growled. “Human hugs are meant to be brief.”
“They can be longer,” Lualhati contradicted me immediately. “It’s totally up to thepeople involved.” She said this last part pointedly, and gave Xennet’s back a reassuring little pat, as if to silently tell him, and not so silently tell me, that I was not allowed to be involved in determining the length of their embrace.
I did not particularly like that.
“I am in charge of him,” I reminded her. “In charge of them both.”
“Who are you, the hugs warden?” she asked. Though she finally was extricating herself from Xennet’s lean arms. She moved on to Dorn, who stiffened up and started asking her many questions, such as “Where should I put my arms?” and “Where should I put my tail?” and, for some reason, “Where should I put my hat?”
Lualhati happily answered his questions, telling him he could put his arms and tail around her shoulders, back, or waist, and that his hat could remain atop his head. There was such a kind sort of patience in her that I could not help but admire. Patience was never something I’d been known for. If Dorn had asked me something as foolish as where to put his hat during a hug when his head was not at all involved in the hugging process, I was not sure I could have answered him as kindly, nor as graciously.
It was good that she would be teaching them more about human sexual relations. Frankly, I could think of no one better. Both because of her professional expertise, and that patient sweetness.
Dorn seemed soothed by Lualhati’s answers and was able to perform his own human hug on her competently. Though it took a little longer than it should have to disentangle themselves, because Dorn had taken Lualhati’s advice about his tailplacement quite literally, and had looped it around her several times. Eventually, she ended up sort of twirling on the spot with her arms above her head to help him unloose it, giggling the entire time, while Xennet earnestly offered to cut Dorn’s tail off for her if needed.
“Whew! Those were great hugs, you two!” she said enthusiastically once she was freed from the grip of Dorn’s tail. “What a lovely way to start my day!”
Both men’s eyes shone bright white with pleasure. Meanwhile, I felt my own face pulling into a frown.
She had not told me my hug was great.
Why had she not told me that my hug was great?
“You’ve got that look again,” Warden Tenn said, sidling up beside me. “HugsWarden.”
“That is not my title and you know it,” I replied sharply.
“Are you certain? You seem very concerned about all the hugging going on.” There was a smugness in his voice, his face. Like he knew something I didn’t, and he was relishing that fact greatly.
