Both of them looked ahead long enough for the situation to settle…
Ren's body in contact with Liora's in a warm and soft hug that wasn't accidental, it was established now as the default position of the two of them on the Mantis's back.
"Better?" Ren asked, after a while.
"Yes," Liora said.
The difference between that "yes" and the earlier "no" was smaller than it appeared.
Ren was in opportunistic mode and pulled her closer. Not with the awkwardness of the first months, nor with the excessive deliberation of someone calculating whether the gesture was appropriate.
This was done with the naturalness of someone who had spent enough time doing this kind of thing with the 3 people 'beside them' that some things were simply what they were.
Liora had spent about a third of that cumulative time, so she was less accustomed and went a little red.
