“Organization,” she answered immediately. And soberly.
Even for someone as focused and persistent as Philotes was about making friends, it was impossible to miss the distance he attempted to put between them. Or the wince. She wasn't sure why he reacted that way, but the fact that he did was the only thing that mattered: she was making him uncomfortable. Which she would never want to do.
Which pretty much ruled out doing the full body tackle and hug, she supposed. Then she giggled inwardly at herself, because that really hadn't been on the docket. For today. Someday, though, Lottie promised herself. Someday she was going to hug Hades and he wasn't going to act like she was passing along an infectious disease. That was a goal, and she was determined to reach it.
But not today. Today she was just going to help him learn the things he needed and wanted to know about living down here so that eventually, someday, he could be happy. Someday, he was going to smile. If that started with being all businesslike, then that's where Philotes would begin.
“Not with other deities, because,” she winced slightly, knowing this probably wasn't what a leader would want to hear, “most of those that live down here are pretty, um, independent. That's a good word for us. We're self-reliant, self-sufficient, and independent. We've taken care of ourselves for a long time with no one telling us what to do or where to go or how things should be done. So they're probably not going to suddenly like having somebody do that, even if he's got a title like king. Actually especially if he's got a title like king. You'll need to earn their respect and have them want to help you on their own. Don't try to tell them, that'll make them dig in their feet.
“But the souls that come here?” Lottie continued. “Those mortals that have died? They need more guidance when they get here. I mean, it must be horribly confusing for them as it is, some of them don't even seem to know that they're no longer living. And they get where they need to go, but it's sometimes a little haphazard, and that's got to be frightening too. I think if they had definite steps to take, a specific direction that they know they should go, it would make it easier. And, um, faster. Some of them fight it, the idea that they're dead, and that's... never pretty.”