Changes

Hugging didn't match Khan's behavior anymore. His cold face had become unbreakable, and the same went for his generally heavy vibe, so no one expected affectionate gestures from him.

Monica was the only exception, but those gestures had become rare with her, too. She sat on Khan when he was on his throne, and the two always exchanged a kiss to greet each other, but they limited themselves in public. That wasn't on purpose, either. Their status had changed, demanding a different behavior.

Of course, the settlement could still hear the couple at night, but the Scalqa didn't engage in gossip. Also, Khan often flew Monica around, but that did little to change the perception about him. No one would describe Khan as affectionate or warm anymore, so many Thilku felt surprised witnessing that gesture.