He had smiled instead, but that came easily.
There was plenty of affection that Julian found himself devoid of, and he very often had to be in the right state to want or appreciate any contact. He'd asked for the hug. The kiss was almost better. For a split second, he remembered being small and doing something good. He remembered the way his mother would gently smooth his hair and kiss his forehead.
She hadn't done it in a long time and his heart fluttered into his throat. He wanted to lean in, he wanted to ask for another one. He felt like a greedy puppy, desperately hoping for another scratch behind the ear.
He accepted the box with another quick thanks. The smile was still bright on his face. He'd have to do something to make Riker want to do that again; he wanted to see if it made him feel as nice as the first time. "I'll wait up. Good night, Riker!”
This time, he didn’t hesitate; he held the box close and hurried off towards the dorm before he could change his mind or do something embarrassing, or trip over himself, or get in trouble for being late.
Guine
