Robert's observations on her hug-receiving were accurate; with his arms tight around her and her feet off the ground, Mimsy held her breath and clenched her eyes shut, willing herself to disappear.
"I present the idea to you that those girls
like affectionate contact," she squeaked breathlessly, her arms held awkwardly between them. The tickling produced a hint of a smile and cough before she began trying to smack his hands away.
"Stop that! It feels odd and I don't like it." She pulled the sleeve of her coat protectively down towards her wrist, hoping to keep the brand on her skin out of sight. The carelessness that came from flailing at ticklishness could not be afforded when so much of her was kept together with composure and control.
"I have been busy. Too busy to..." This was Robert, whose hugs and excitement at the sight of her were more real than anything she had ever even gotten from her family. He brought with him a massive cloud of annoyance, but his intentions were good, and she supposed she couldn't fault him for that. She sighed again, defeated by that increasingly terrible thing called 'understanding'. "Yes, fine. I missed you."
