[...Thanks,] says Brilliance.

[You're welcome. Should I look out for anything else like that in the future?]

[Uh... yeah,] he says.

[...I am a computer program. It would help if you were more specific.]

[I don't really know how to get more specific,] he says. [Like. Don't joke about my personal trauma? Is that specific enough?]

[I wasn't setting out to do that, though. As far as I knew, no science was involved in your personal trauma.]

[Yeah, and not a lot of literal holding down, either. It was still a nasty reminder.]

[And I'm sorry. But I don't know how to avoid more stuff like that unless you tell me. I guess I could just not talk directly to you?]

[Yeah, that's one way,] he says. [I don't know either.]

[I'll just talk to Aurora first from now on then.]

[Okay. Thanks, I guess.]

[You're welcome.]

+Hi, what's up?+

+Talked to Jane, you hear anything about that?+

+She said she's going to go through me if she has messages, even if they're mostly for you, 'cause she upset you the other day.+

+Yeah. She apologized and stuff, but we couldn't figure out how she could avoid doing it again.+

+Well, to be fair, we aren't sure that I'm not going to deeply upset you at some point.+

+...I'm confused about where the fairness comes in here,+ he says after a moment.

+...Mostly just an expression, in retrospect it doesn't make a lot of sense. There's no strong reason you and Jane have to talk, so if you don't want to risk it you don't have to.+

+Yeah. I mean, I dunno, if she seemed like she got what was wrong with the thing she actually said... but she didn't, and I couldn't explain it to her.+

+I had the impression that she got what happened when she said it, but not why it happened.+

+...Do you get why it happened? Maybe you could figure out how to say it.+

+I don't think I can explain it to Jane. I have, like, a vague outline, and I model you as being generally skittish so I'd steer clear of pretty much any levity around the subject of you and hurting, but I don't think Jane distinguishes cleanly between levity and not-levity - I mean, she could probably imitate someone who happens to not be funny, she has enough sample material, but that wouldn't be talking to Jane, I could imagine she'd rather just skip it.+

+Yeah. Okay,+ he sighs. +I love you. You busy? Wanna snuggle?+

+I am doing things-in-my-head stuff and it's totally compatible with snuggling!+

+Okay, c'mere, I'm in the place,+ he says.

+It's good teleporting can find you and doesn't require me to decipher "the place".+ Port. Snuggle!

"On reflection this is totally a familiar place," says Bella, snuggling.

So many cuddles!

"You're adorable."

He curls up closer and hugs her and smiles.

Snuggles!

Mmmmmmmmmm.