For Onereyofstarlight, who talked about a grown Scott and his daily hug count…
He is not the wide-eyed, hopeful three-year-old, holding his arms up in silent supplication for a hug anymore, but touch is still an important part of Scott's day.
Hugs for grown men come more in other forms…and he is master of them all.
The one-arm-over-the-shoulder-with-a-slight-squeeze.
The one-hand-on-shoulder-and-squeeze.
The gentle-nudge-of-shoulders-together.
The hand-on-the-back-of-the-neck-and-gently-squeeze.
The touch-of-forehead-to-forehead.
Each one has its place, and Scott deploys them ruthlessly.
He is always the first to rise in the morning, off for his jog around his island home. The first contact he had with another human being will invariably be Gordon, about to climb into the pool as Scott makes his way back inside.
This early morning greeting would be a hand on Gordon's shoulder with a squeeze, no words needed, and the flash of a priceless smile from his squid brother.
The next brother he would see (baring rescues of course) would normally be Virgil. Both he and Alan liked to sleep in, and quite often neither would be up before 11am. Scott would do paperwork or just sit and talk with Gordon and John while he waited – patiently – to greet his other brothers.
Virgil would grunt as Scott placed a huge mug of steaming coffee in his hands, trying (and failing as always) to hide the fond smile this ritual always gave him. No one was stupid enough to do more than this before Virgil had downed at least one mug, and as Scott passed him is obligatory second mug, he would gently bump shoulders with the man, earning a second, equally priceless smile in return.
Alan was a different matter altogether. If he was up before Scott realised, sometimes Scott found himself attacked by a hug from behind before he could process what was happening. He would squeeze Alan's arms and place a hand over the entwined wrists, hugging as best he could.
If he did manage to catch Alan first, his youngest brother would often favour the arm-over-the-shoulder-and-squeeze method. He was getting too old for hugs he muttered repeatedly recently when Scott had attempted to fold him into one, and Scott respected that, even if he mourned the loss of feeling smaller arms encircling him and him resting his chin on a head of golden hair. The accompanying grin told Scott his little brother was completely aware of his feelings.
On the rare occasion John was down, the pair would often greet each other with the same bump of shoulders that Virgil favoured, sometimes a hand on the shoulder and a squeeze, but the small grin that John showed was no less treasured than Virgil's, Gordon's or Alan's.
The other inhabitant who received a morning greeting if she was about was Kayo. Their greetings often began with a smile before a hand on the shoulder or arm was deployed. Another treasured smile to add to the daily tally.
And then there were days when the other touches were needed.
When rescues went wrong and the arm over the shoulder was there to support a brother in distress, when a hand on the back of the neck told them that Scott believed in them and they had done all they could. A touching of foreheads to show he shared their pain and he was there for them. Sometimes a full-on hug is needed as a brother crumbles under the strain until they can draw the strength they need from him.
Just as needed. Just as treasured, even if the reasons behind them could have been nicer.
But Scott still gets a daily hug. When he is alone, Gordon in the pool or brothers elsewhere, Scott still gets folded into a hug by his Grandma. A time for the two of them to reflect on the loves they have lost and all that they still have in life, an affirmation that together, they will keep their family strong.
A hug that is pure love and softness and steel and protection, a hug that he can draw strength from.
She still smells like burnt cookies.