Re: lakeside mansion; hugh c./dietre a.
Sniffing introductions over, Sieglinde went into a play bow and let out a happy bark. She was eager to get to romping about with her new friend. Dietre trusted her intuition more than his own, and if she felt that the other dog was safe for her to play with then it must be so. He released the leash, allowing Sieglinde freedom to walk around and greet Hugh with a wet nose snuffled into the palm of his hand.
A hug was indeed something Dietre was in need of, but not something he’d be able to handle just yet. Like talking, his comfort level with physical contact had degraded over the past few months. Aleksi had been generous with touch and hugs and closeness, and Dietre had grown to love it, but now that the werewolf was gone… well…
Hugh made the mistake of offering Dietre too many choices at once. He was terrible at making decisions on the spot, even ones as simple as what to drink. “Oh, um… Either. Or-- I mean… It doesn’t-- ...Anything is fine.” He sighed softly through his nose, forcing himself to stop before he got any more flustered.
It took a moment, but then he was able to continue with a bit more clarity. “I’m not particular. As long as it is something warm… I’ll have the same as you.”
Dietre’s gaze wandered to the window, back toward the lake. Once they were outside, there would be no avoiding looking at it. A part of him was worried Liam would make an appearance, a ripple in the water, a beckoning arm… Of course, he couldn’t voice this fear to Hugh. It was easier to go along with his suggestion of sitting on the porch. As he was a guest, it was only right, and polite, to do what his host wanted.