Uriel's eyes smiled. She was certain; Ryan was half-Vortian--whatever that might mean. She'd never heard of a half-Vortian before, though she supposed there could be some out there. Before she could say anything else on the matter, however, Ryan kissed her. It was a romantic gesture Vortians didn't have, of course, having no mouths to kiss with, but her heart pounded. Human lips were sensitive, soft, and red from the blood which saturated them. It was a tactile sensation she'd never felt before--and she could feel him. It wasn't strong, but she could feel a resonance with him so close. It wasn't at all comparable to the strength of a true Vortian's blood, but it was there. She felt it, and, for an instant, she was very close to loving him.<br/><br/>This was the moment for them to move forward.<br/><br/>Uriel held Ryan's face in her hands and centered his lips on her face: right where a mouth would have been. She brought her antennae forward so they draped over his shoulders, and she hummed vibrantly. Her blood inside of him would remember her, and whatever strength his own blood had would recognize her, and she would let him have this moment of tactile ecstasy.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BF80FF"><span style="font-style: italic">"Since you are unfamiliar, I will explain,"</span></span>she hummed, still pulsing with romance.<span style="color: #BF80FF"><span style="font-style: italic">"Now is when I show you that I am legitimately considering you for my First Love. Despite our customs, it isn't easy to chase forever after an unrequited love, so this is the encouragement. It is because you have done something which stirred my blood, and so I am responding by giving you a taste of the pleasure I shall give you should you win me completely. Sometimes, males will abandon a female here, if Sylvatier's blessing upon them is found unsatisfactory. Sometimes only a single male ever reaches this point with a female. The circumstances vary, but you could call this the second stage of courting. From now on, you may touch me as you wish. You have slipped before, but I have forgiven it since it is common in your culture and you knew no better. Should I ever "scream" at you, you will know you have lost this privilege and regressed to stage one."</span></span>Because of certain constructional complexities, Uriel could be kissed, hum romantically, and speak all at the same time. It couldn't last forever, though. She still had a job to do.