At first there’s just the physical intimacy of the moment. Yuki relaxes into the coils, the fingers brushing her head, working through her ears. Her arm pulls the silks of the palanquin close around them, nestles into a pillow as she relaxes her legs and lets the cool coils work around them. She purrs and she lets herself close her eyes and relax into the moment as Sulochana speaks.

But oh, what awful things. Yuki is still purring, low and deep below her throat, almost in her belly, but her eyes are open again, looking up at Sulochana’s, meeting her gaze. “I so sorry, I didn’t know. Everyone was so focused on Azaza. And before, it was such a whirlwind of places. Arriving in Kel, the temples and churches, rushing through the stone roads, the Viperiat. I just assumed…well…I don’t know, I was so much younger. Earth has environmental problems too, and overcrowding. But it always feels like a problem that we make ourselves. Like a problem of people disagreeing about how they should live, and if we could just all agree and work together, we could build more homes, higher and in new places, enough to give everyone some space even if it’s not as much space as a few people really want.”

She’s silent for a few seconds, mulling. “Well, this isn’t about Earth. I’m here again, and I’m going to learn about Thellamie’s problems. And…I’ll help however I can. Whatever happens. Famines shouldn’t ever have to happen. And you shouldn’t have to deal with something like that alone. Not ever.”

Yuki looks right at Sulochana with earnest eyes. Eyes that say that she’s older and that she read about famines in 11th grade history and has opinions about them, and that maybe this is the kind of conversation that’s going to impact her college major, And even though Sulochana probably doesn’t know what a college major is, she can tell that there’s a sincerity there that isn’t just momentary and that Yuki means what she’s saying. And maybe Sulochana hasn’t noticed, but the hand that was holding the silks is warm and it’s resting on her coils and Yuki is here, now. Intent, focused, however her friend needs her.

[Comfort and support with heart: 2+3+2=7.]