chapter twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-Four
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Your bag was barely able to close with the amount of shells you had collected. Tsonu’e had sensed your sour mood and chosen not to acknowledge it. It worked, your mood was high by the time you swam to the surface for the last time. You’d managed to grab some shells you were particularly excited about, as well as harvest some thicker seaweed that would make a sturdy sling.
You were happy you’d gone.
“Look 'itetsyìp,” she said, holding out a bone. The shape was odd, looking almost spherical in shape, it was stark white and came to a sharp point. It looked almost like a bird skull, or a tiny ikran skull if not for the fishlike spine attached to it.
“What is it?” you marveled.
“Re’o’til,” she said. “They are very fast.”
Based on the skull alone, you would not have guessed that. Tsonu’e continued, “When you wish to impress someone, you would catch this.”
“What do they do with it after?” you wondered. It was too small to do much of anything with, you could imagine it was much bigger with the meat.
Tsonu’e flicked your earring gently—the one Ronal had given you. “They have pretty teeth.”
Your hand touched the shell—tooth, gently. Your cheeks warmed. You had spent so long thinking it was a pretty shell. The spiral shape was odd, and it did resemble teeth if you looked at the gently serrated edges and point.
“Are there any teeth on it still?” you inquired. Tsonu’e grinned, carefully opening the mouth and pulling out some of the teeth.
“Who are you going to give them too?” she asked.
You grinned. There were four teeth. You had some ideas.
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Tsonu’e’s top was easy to make. She preferred more coverage, complaining about clothes that were too loose, too impractical. It resembled a bikini top, the orange tooth in the middle where the fabric crisscrossed. She wore it proudly, complimenting your weaving and how much it had improved since she first taught you.
For Ronal, you added to her headband while she slept, the one you’d made for her. She beamed at the sight of it, her smile infectious.
Tonowari was more difficult, but you eventually settled on making him an arm band, the tooth dangling from it. You gave it to him carefully, head slightly bowed. You’d calmed down immensely since your argument, enough that you were able to appreciate his point of view a lot more.
“I’m sorry about yesterday,” you told him. “This gift isn’t about that. I just wanted to tell you. I understand why you were upset, and I should have listened to your concerns.”
His smile was kind, and gently, he kissed your forehead. “I want you to be safe. I see that I did not treat you fairly.”
“No,” you protested. “I know what you meant. I just don’t want to be sidelined from my daily tasks. I get other things, but things I do everyday, I should be able to
still do them.”
He nodded. “If it is too much—“
“—I’ll ask you, Ronal, Tsonu’e, Lehu, or Haolìp,” you agreed.
“That is all I ask.”
You smiled at him, placing a hand on his arm gently. “Do you like your armband? I wasn’t sure of the color.”
“It is perfect,” he said. You smiled at him, heart full.
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Ronal’s laughter was bright, and she clutched her sides, gasping for breath as her laughter overtook her once more, unable to control herself. You’d missed what she was laughing at, what had Tonowari burying his face to hide his laughing. You approached with a smile, giggling as she snorted a laugh.
She clutched your arm. “Ìweii has decided she is fine,” she managed, eyes watering as she tried to fight her laugh long enough to explain what was so funny. “She—the—fruit!”
Tonowari lost all composure, bowing his head as he rested his hands on his knees, giving a full belly laugh. You laughed with him, catching sight of a limping, fuming Ìweii. Who was covered in a slimy, sticky substance that looked eerily similar to a crushed yovo fruit.
“Do not say it!” she hissed, waddling by. You watched her, slightly bewildered.
Ronal wheezed, trying to catch her breath. She took a few deep breaths, collecting herself around the same time as Tonowari. They exchanged a glance, and immediately burst into laughter again. You giggled with them, their happiness contagious.
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You tied your hair up. Tonowari watched you, something heavy in his gaze. His hands rested on your waist gently, pulling you close to him. You swatted at him playfully.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” you mumbled, allowing him to wrap his arms around you, his hands sliding over your back.
“No,” he said, kissing your neck. You moaned a little, closing your eyes.
“Liar,” you teased, bringing your lips to his in a searing kiss.
Tonowari did not waste any time. His hands were in your hair, around your waist. You inhaled sharply, burying your face in his neck. Ronal would be back in a few minutes, and it had been a little since you had them both at once. You looked at hold eyes hooded. Tonowari’s hands were on your hips, guiding your movement as you ground down on him, rolling your hips.
You wanted him. Your top came off early, only a few knots tying it together. Your breasts had grown larger—something that had made you feel a little self conscious, but Tonowari and Ronal seemed pleased by the change. You knew this because you’d caught Ronal’s eyes on you more then once, and Tonowari liked to play with your nipples.
Tonowari bent his head forward, licking between your breasts, sliding a hand over your stomach to cup your chest. It was that scene that Ronal walked into. She paused for a moment, taking it in. You wiggles your eyebrows. She smirked, moving forward quickly. Tonowari grabbed her around her waist, pulling her into a kiss. She melted into it, pressing her body against his. You ached for them.
Ronal turned to you, pulling you into a heated kiss. She slipped a finger into your loincloth, carefully untying it and letting it slide to the floor. Her fingers ghosted along your inner thigh, and you inhaled sharply as she teased your clit. You shined, pressing closed to her. She smiled into your kiss, pulling back slightly to remove her own clothes. You fell to your knees in front of Tonowari, looking up at him. His eyes were wide, shocked as you gently tugged off his bottoms and held him in your hand. Ronal knelt beside you.
You took him in your mouth, enjoying the way he withered beneath your touch. Your eyes raked over his stomach, the way his muscles flexed as he threaded his fingers in your hair. Tonowari was tall, and strong—and you enjoyed being able to make him come undone like this.
Ronal pulled you back, ignoring Tonowari’s protest. She kissed you intensely, grabbing her tswin. You made tsaheylu with her first, watching as her pupils dilated.
She was anxious about something, but it was vastly overshadowed by her feelings for you. You closed your eyes, resting your forehead against hers and she shifted to allow Tonowari to join the bond.
You felt him shift against Ronal, the heat of his skin against hers. You felt her burning affection for him, for you. Ronal’s anxieties melted away in the background, and you kissed her as Tonowari slid between her thighs.
Ronal’s hand slide between your legs, her face pressed against your bump. Your eyes fell on Tonowari’s face, his eyes a little glazed over as he thrust into Ronal. You felt their pleasure like it was your own, their breaths as if they were yours. Your heart hammered in your chest, and you whined as Ronal’s fingers curled inside of you.
“Spread your legs wider,” murmured Ronal, breath hitting your cheek as she leaned up to kiss you.
Obediently, you spread your knees. Tonowari locked eyes with you. “Good girl.”
The heat building in you snapped, and you shook slightly as you came. You clenched tightly, feeling Ronal topple over the edge, and Tonowari follow in suit.
After, you laid there with them, your face pressed into Ronal’s chest and your back pressed against Tonowari as he hugged you both to him.
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You watched your stomach. The baby was too small to feel, for you to show at all—but knowing it was there was odd. You never imagined you would get pregnant, much less live permanently in your avatar body with the Na’vi. When you’d first signed up for the program, it had been on a whim. You’d already decided you wanted to go to Pandora, but hadn’t really considered much beyond that. The opportunity had presented itself, and next thing you knew, you were giving a DNA sample and cramming your Na’vi.
Needless to say, it was a little surreal knowing that same body was now your only body—it was you.
You child was going to be a Na’vi child, not a human one. It would never know the Earth beyond what stories you could tell, never know how bad your home planet was.
Your eyes watered. Would your child be bullied? What if they were born with eyebrows and an extra finger? Would the other children tease them? You were an adult, so the comments were minimal.
Your heart clenched. You sniffled. Ronal’s eyes snapped up.
“What is wrong?” she asked worriedly.
You opened your mouth to reply, to tell her you were fine. Choked up, you couldn’t manage the words. You let out a hiccup, fat tears rolling down your cheeks as you wiped at them angrily.
“The—“ you stuttered through your tears. “—fingers!”
Ronal stared at you, utterly bewildered for a moment before her eyes fell on your hands, toes. Her expression softened immensely, and she grabbed your hand gently. “Even if our baby has four fingers and four toes,” she said. “I will love it, no matter what.”
You sniffled. “What if—“
“If the baby has three fingers and toes—or seven, or many more—I will love it.” promised Ronal.
“I don’t want them to be an alien,” you said awkwardly. “Not because of me.”
She blinked at you, her eyes wide. “Alien? You are Na’vi. Our baby will be Na’vi. Metkayina.”
You let her hug you, feeling a little better. The concern lingered—and you thought it always would on some level.
“I worry too,” she confesses in your hair. You wanted to cry again until she continued. “What if they do not love me as they love you and Tonowari?”
“But you will be their mother,” you said. Ronal smiled weakly.
“They will be of your womb,” she said quietly.”
“If you believed that mattered, you would not call Tsonu’e my mother,” you told her seriously.
Her eyes widened a little at your words, as she considered them. “Tsonu’e is your mother,” she insisted.
“I know,” you said. “The same is true for our baby. You will be their mother.”
Ronal’s gaze was gentle, and she looked down, smiling at the ground. You stroked her hair gently, assuring her, “This is your baby too.”