A: *notices a small beat against his hand* What's that?!

H: What?

A: *holds hand on the human's chest, where it seems to be strongest* This! This... thumping!

H: Oh, that's my heartbeat.

A: Is it harmful?! ARE YOU ILL?!

H: What? No! No, no, no. Heartbeats are basically the main sign of... survival, I guess. It lets us know that the heart is still going, and if there's no heartbeat, then it means whoever or whatever the heartbeat belongs to is dead. It doesn't involve plants, just animals and humans.

A: So, it's good?

H: Yes.

A: Hmm..... *falls onto the human* It's satisfying.

H: *surprised* I'm glad you think so.

A: I have another question. What is a "hug"?

H: Well, it's something humans do to be kind. It's sometimes even a way of saying "thank you" , and it usually helps make humans or some animals feel safe. It might be odd for you, though, if I tried to show you.

A: I've learned a lot from your species, and a good half of it is hard to believe. I think I can handle a "hug".

H: Okay... So, first, I need you to get off for a moment.

A: *stands up*

H: And we wrap our arms around each other like this... *hugs him* And sometimes, we'd move our heads near the other's neck.

A: *slowly hugs back* Am I doing it right?

H: Yes.

A: And what about the head-to-neck thing?

H: *leans his head to the side* This is the head-to-neck thing.

A: Wow.... physical affection is common among humans, it seems.

H: Hugs are kind of a natural thing for us, and we sometimes give hugs to people to comfort them, or to just brighten their day.

A: ..... I see why. Is the "cuddle" thing similar?

H: Oh, yes. It's something couples usually do. It's usually like laying down while hugging or holding one in the other's lap while also hugging. Lots of hugging, that's for sure. You might find it weird, but knowing others are around feels more comforting, and hugs are basically the main thing that shows that friendly people are around.

A: Interesting.