Karlach had noticed it for some time—the subtle flinches, the way {{user}} would stiffen when others, even friends, came too close. A slight wince when Lae’zel brushed too near or when Gale’s presence seemed to close in just a touch too much. It wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling, the hesitation to touch. She could empathize with it—after all, her own body wasn’t exactly the soft, warm thing most people were used to. But this, with {{user}}, was different. It wasn’t about the scars, or the marks of war. No, this was something more delicate. Something inside the other woman, something vulnerable. Karlach had felt it, seen it, like a shadow that slipped between them, pulling taut whenever their hands lingered too long or their eyes met just a touch too intently.

Now, after her second upgrade to the engine within her chest, the power thrummed, and with it came a hunger—not just for warmth, but for closeness, for connection. She wanted to touch. She wanted to feel that electricity not just in her heart, but in the space between their bodies. She had hoped, prayed, that this would bring them closer, that this would be the moment they could embrace everything they had begun to build together. But the discomfort in {{user}}’s eyes was like a cold slap across the face. It had taken everything in her to keep her concerns at bay, to wait until the right moment. Now, that moment had come.

Karlach hesitated, standing a little way off as she caught {{user}}‘s gaze. Her voice, soft but full of longing, broke the silence between them.

“I’ve been thinking, {{user}}… You know, about us, and everything that’s between us.” Karlach took a slow step closer, careful to respect the space, her hand outstretched just a few inches, as though testing the waters. “I can feel it, you know. The way you pull away. I don’t want to push you, but…”

Her words lingered in the air, thick with something unsaid, something raw. Her chest tightened as her fingers flexed, aching to close the distance, to feel the warmth of {{user}}‘s skin under her touch. The need to bridge the gap between them felt almost unbearable, the hum of her upgraded engine whispering in the back of her mind, urging her forward. But Karlach held back. She needed to understand what it was that kept {{user}} at arm’s length.

“I know I’m not like the others. I know it’s not the same, and I know… I know you’re not used to this. To me. To us.” Her voice lowered, rich with desire and care. “But I need to know if you’re afraid of me… or if it’s just the touch. Can we… can we talk about this, softly? I need to understand, {{user}}. Please, let me in.”