chapter twenty-one
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Chapter Twenty-One
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Ronal tilted your head, admiring the mark on your chin. It was more simple then her’s, then Tonowari’s—but it was the first marking on your face, your only facial marking. Your other tattoos were on your leg, symbolizing your relationship to Tsonu’e and your journey to becoming Metkayina.
“It’s swollen,” you complained. Ronal rolled her eyes, but reached behind her to grab a salve. It stung as she applied it, and you winced slightly.
“This will bring down the swelling,” she explained. “The sting will fade.”
Your eyes watered a little, but you hummed your approval anyway. “How do you recover from them so quickly?”
Ronal smiled at you, a soft, affectionate grin. “I do not swim after,” she teased.
“That was one time,” you protested. “Ame was here!”
“I did not say I do not understand,” replied Ronal. “Only that it is stupid.”
Your mouth popped open slightly, offended. “Hey!”
“What is happening?” Tonowari asked, walking into the marui. Your marui. You were still getting used to it, being with them so often—waking up in this body. It had only been a few weeks, but you were settling in quickly. Your mornings spent curled up between Ronal and Tonowari before you had to rise and begin your chores.
You missed your quiet evenings with Tsonu’e, but she’d taken to visiting you, sitting with you for the evening meals. It was nice, but you still missed her a little.
“She is teasing me,” you complained to him. He looked at you a little pointedly, and you stuck out your tongue childishly.
Ronal’s fingers shot forward, tickling your ribs. You laughed, swatting at her hands as you fell backwards tog dr away from her. “Mercy!” you cried, wheezing.
She grinned, leaning over you. Her hair fell around her face, and you gave her a quick, sweet kiss before pulling back. Ronal’s eyes trailed down your face, her eyes hooded. She kissed you, her tongue ghosting over your lips, her teeth nibbling at your bottom lip.
You moaned slightly, opening your mouth for her. Tonowari cleared his throat, causing you both to look up at him. You grinned playfully. “Want to join?”
He looked upwards. “I have to go,” he said ruefully. “I am needed elsewhere, I only came for my net.”
“Later,” promised Ronal, and you nodded your agreement. He watched you for a moment longer, as Ronal’s fingers slid up your top to pinch your nipples.
You moaned softly, parting your legs for her to rest between them. Tonowari watched this, a little enraptured for a moment before he shook his head and turned away. “Later,” he said, a little raspy.
He stepped away, and Ronal’s other hand carefully undid your bottoms, her fingers finding your clit.
You withered beneath her for a minute, letting her kiss you deeply. You pulled back, helping her remove her clothes as she grabbed her queue. The connection was just as intense as the first time, and you felt your breathing sync, your heartbeats come together as you shared in her pleasure.
She watched you carefully, leaning forward to kiss your breasts. You crossed your legs with her, leaning forward to slip your fingers inside of her carefully. She grabbed at you, panting as you stroked her. She resumed her earlier movements, slipping her fingers between your folds. You pressed forward into her, sighing deeply as you started to kiss her.
You didn’t last long, and neither did she. You clenched around her, riding out the orgasm as she did the same, rocking forward on your fingers.
Ronal leaned her forehead against yours, catching her breath. She was slightly sweaty, and pressed a searing kiss to your lips. “I have to go,” she mumbled, thinking of the injuries she needed to treat. Uäloä had taken a large step back from her tsahìk duties, preparing for Ronal to take over soon. “You have to go.”
“I would stay here with you forever,” you told her, meaning it.
“I know,” she breathed. “I would too.”
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Dressed, you felt a lot more composed. You found Tsonu’e easily, and sat beside her. The conversation was light, focused mostly on trivial topics.
Lehu derailed the conversation quickly, turning her focus to you. “Hana,” she began. “I have always wondered—what is Tonowari like?”
Tsonu’e laughed as you sputtered. “I am not discussing this!”
Haolìp giggled, her baby whining slightly as she moved. He was getting big, he’d be walking and running soon, and she’d have to deal with chasing down a toddler. “I have wondered this too. Ronal too.”
Your cheeks flamed red. “Let’s talk about something else, please!”
Tsonu’e took mercy on you. “Tonowari is a good leader, Ronal will be a strong tsahìk, my daughter’s relationship with them is personal.”
“Thank you,” you said to her.
“I do wonder though,” she began, teasingly.
“Nope,” you said flatly, standing. Haolìp’s baby began to cry, and seeing an out, you offered quickly, “Do you want me to watch him for a little? I won’t go far.”
Her eyes lit up. “Yes please,” she said gratefully, passing you the baby carefully. You shifted him in your arms so he was facing outward, looking away from you and at the woman. You grinned, bending your head to blow raspberries on his neck. He squealed in joy, and you grinned at the women, waving a goodbye with his small fist.
“Come on, Puango,” you said to him sweetly. “Let’s go find some shells on the beach.”
You strutted away, baby held firmly in your grip. He babbled happily to you, and you settled down a little ways down the beach, near the surf. The water just touched his toes, and he cooed happily as you doodled in the sand for him with your finger, watching your movements intensely.
“What do you think?” you asked him, humming in acknowledgment to his baby noises, as if he was saying actual words.
“Astute observation,” you acknowledged. “This is some algae that grows here on Pandora, it’s interesting because it grows with little to no sunlight. My spirit sister showed it to me.”
Puango cooed. You grinned at him, earning a gummy smile back. You spent most of the morning like that, playing with Puango quietly while his mother enjoyed her free time. When he got hungry, you wandered back over to her and passed him over.
“Thank you,” she said. “Was he good for you?”
“He was perfect,” you told her. “He’s a sweet baby.”
Tsonu’e watched the interaction, her grin was impossible to miss. You smiled back at her, and said, “Don’t you start.”
“I was only going to say, you will make a good mother,” she said.
“Thanks,” you said.
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Dinner was cheerful, a lot of the anxiety about the humans was fading. Tonowari was in a good mood, his hand resting on your thigh. Ronal was stuck with a birthing mother, and likely wouldn’t be back until later this evening. You looked at Tonowari, watching as he discussed moving fishing spots to improve yield. His voice was low, and stirred something in your belly. Feeling your eyes, he turned his head.
You raised your eyebrows a little, stretching your arms above your head as you stood. His eyes roamed up your body, and you smirked slightly, feeling him watch you walk away.
He followed shortly, grabbing you and spinning you around and pulling you into a kiss just off the path, a little in land. Nobody would see you here.
“Good day?” you asked as he pulled back, a little breathless. He growled, tugging off your bottoms.
You giggled, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and your legs around his waist. You formed the connection slowly, enjoying the way the pink tendrils merged together.
“I have wanted this all day,” he said lowly. “Since this morning, when I saw you with Ronal.”
“Oh?” you said coyly. “Did you?”
He looked at you intensely. “You enjoy tormenting me?”
You leaned up, pressing a kiss under his eye as you dragged your lips to his ear. “Yes,” you whispered.
He was inside of you quickly, propping you against a tree. Your back scratched against the bark, and you could do little more then enjoy the ride. Tonowari grunted, holding your hips and pulling you toward him. You rolled your hips, causing him to whimper slightly.
“You like that?” you asked, repeating the movement.
“Yes,” he hissed.
A branch snapped, and your ears flicked toward the beach as some of the villagers walked back to the marui. Your hand slipped over his mouth, and you pressed down against him, using your legs to pull you closer to him.
“Be silent or they will hear you,” you whispered.
He quickened his pace, his eyes intense. You shuttered, feeling him come undone, his eyes glassy as he fucked you into the tree. Your hand slipped away, and you kissed him deeply, squeezing him with your thighs as he came.
He panted, burying his face in your shoulder, your hair.
“Missed me?” you teased breathlessly.
“Always,” he breathed, kissing you gently.
You wiggled slightly, giggling as he grunted slightly, overstimulated. “Will you show me the stars again? You never finished teaching me how to navigate,” you said finally. “We can save Ronal some food as well.”
He smiled, caressing your face. “I would like this very much.”