[Okay, goddammit, this new person is actually eloquent, and Dirk has not yet used a whole sentence. 10 years on a spaceship with creatures that say things like 'Jane like Jake' and 'Erisol sad' has not helped him develop the best social skills. Words are harder when you actually have to say them instead of type them in an extensive diary he keeps for the hell of it.]

[He really wants to go back to touching him. There's a stupid, illogical desire to latch on and just cuddle. He wasn't exactly a huggy creature back before the isolation, but he's starved for human affection almost as much as he is for intelligent conversation. He keeps his hands busy, fiddling with the opening of his bag of food.]

[But Kankri is smiling and really, that's enough right now. It makes his insides squirm happily and he just feels warm. Is this empathy? He's pretty sure this is empathy.]

[And maybe a little bit of sexual attraction, but the complexities of that are outside of Dirk's understanding. He was barely edging up on puberty when he got locked in here, and Norn breeding isn't exactly a great sex education.]

[He's beaming and he does not care.]

Me too. On the excitement thing, I mean. We can go get your supplies in a bit, you... wanna come into the terriarium? It's warm and full of flowers.

[Empathy again-- the flowers were the best thing after having something to eat way back when he first arrived. It was like life was possible here.]