Chapter 22: Local Government.
Riss fidgeted in her seat as she watched Runs eating the bowl of stew that he had been given by Ven, it was obvious that he was still utterly perplexed by this whole idea of friendly non-humans but he was doing his best not to show them any fear as they had been kind to him but she could smell it on him easily, it was a rather bitter taste that hung in the air around him and it disturbed her slightly.
She wanted him to be happy and comfortable around them, around her.
Just like Gregory and Seven were, there was no taste of fear around those two when they were near their claws, if anything there was a much more spicy smell that she had come to realise was arousal and it was a most pleasant taste that seemed to sparkle and dance on her tongue when she was lucky enough to get close enough to snag a little taste of it.
Oh, how she wanted to have that flavour dancing on her tongue all the time, to not only be able to pluck it out of the air but to actually taste the source, to be able to coat those sensitive scent receptors in her tongue in it and overload her senses, to taste the human oils coating her tongue and have them spin her head into a whirlpool of blissful fog.
"Thank you for the meal and your kindness in preparing it for me, you are very generous" Runs said suddenly, snapping Riss out of her happy daydream as he handing the bowl back to Ven when he was finished.
"Glad you enjoyed it, I think I'm getting the hang of this cooking lark, pretty novel thing for us claws to eat cooked food as we usually eat it raw, but there is something to be said for the human method," Ven said happily as he took the bowl.
"Not the only human method you claws seem to enjoy now is it?' Wisp said playfully teasing the big male claw who chuckled at her words before drawing Gregory up into his lap and hugging him tightly against his broad chest.
"Not even close," he said nipping Gregory's ear and making him blush slightly as he squirmed a little in his big claw's grasp before conceding defeat and letting him nibble away happily.
"F-Forgive my ignorance, but can a creature like you can love a person?" Runs said making Riss baulk at his words but before Ven could open his mouth to respond Gregory got there first.
"Don't you dare call my proud claw boy a creature!!" he snapped so sharply it made them all jump, Ven included.
"I-I-I apologise I meant not to offend, I just do not know words to use," Runs said both apologetically and by the thickening taste in the air around him, fearfully.
Ven gently stroked the side of his human's face seeming to calm him down, "I'm sorry Runs I did not mean to yell at you I know you didn't mean to insult my beautiful claw but hearing him referred to as a creature boils my blood, he is not a creature he is a person just like you or me, he thinks, he feels, he loves and he hurts just like any human, so to me, he is no different from us so he should be treated no differently to any of us, this beautiful male right here showed me exactly what true loves feels like, what true acceptance looks like and what true happiness actually is" Gregory said.
Runs looked amazed by this, "But you are a man and he is a man?' he said more curiously than accusingly.
Gregory smiled at him brightly, "Good eyes, yes he is a man and a very beautiful one at that, plus yes I am a man as well, does that mean I can not love a man or that a man cannot love me? If you believe not then why not?" Gregory asked obviously feeling confident in the arms of his loving claw boy.
Runs looked conflicted here and Riss could see it, that's when Seven decided to wade in, "Let me ask you something Runs, do you think the fact that their love is a bad thing?" he asked.
"Well I umm don't know, I did not know a man can love a man" Runs said.
"Well then let ask you this, do you think a man should love a woman?" Seven asked.
"Well this is what I taught so yes," he said and Seven nodded.
"Well then Visa here is a woman and a whole lot of woman at that, so is it wrong that I love her and she loves me?" Seven asked and Runs looked up at Visa who was sat leaning against the desk looking out of the window but glancing back and forth between them.
"Well I umm yes I guess but she is not a human," he said questioningly and Seven nodded.