Ashi!

“…What was that?” he asked, voice low, cautious. Like he thought you might have cast a spell.

You blinked, then laughed. “That? It’s just something humans do sometimes. A kiss blown from the hand. It’s affectionate.”

He stared at you. “You… kissed your hand. And then gave it away.”

“Exactly.”

Sylus frowned. His wings twitched, tail wrapping around your calf. “That’s… strange.”

“But sweet,” you added with a grin. “Here. Watch.”

You repeated it again, kissed your palm, flicked it toward him dramatically

He flinched like you’d tossed a dagger at him. Then caught the invisible “kiss” with one clawed hand.

You burst into laughter. “You’re supposed to pretend it hits your face or chest. You don’t catch it!”

“Why would you give away something so precious?” he muttered, staring at his hand like it might combust.

You patted the ground beside you, still grinning. “Come on. You clearly need a crash course in ridiculous human behavior.”

He sat. Grudgingly and suspiciously.

Over the next hour, you introduced him to the absolute nonsense that made up half of human social interaction: high fives (he kept accidentally slapping too hard), finger guns (he growled the first time you pointed one at him), winks (he couldn’t get just one eye to close), and even the pinky promise. That one, he took far too seriously. gripping your pinky like it was a blood oath.

By the end of it, he was still frowning and huffy. But the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward, like he didn’t quite know how to smile, but was trying.

When you leaned in to boop his nose, he froze. “What is that?”

“It’s called a boop.”

“Why?”

“No one knows. It’s just what it is.”

He stared at you. Then leaned in, carefully, and tapped his nose against yours. “…Boop.