𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐟 || ʟᴏ'ᴀᴋ

042

Se'aeylwa 

Lo'ak was stressed, his head in his hands as his shoulders slumped. It hurt to see him like this, especially when it was because of me and the baby. And I was sure I would pile onto that stress if I told him I think that my water broke this morning. 

Na'vi labour can go from anywhere in between twenty-four hours, to a week,  and I could only hope I got the latter. I was trying desperately to help Lo'ak with children, but it wasn't working, and I knew he was beating himself up about it by the way his hands where impulsively rubbing up and down his face. 

I held a hand under my stomach, a hand cradling it just in time for a small contraction to hit. I felt the breath being knocked out of me as I cough, regaining my composure before I shake it off, and usher Lo'ak to stand once more. He looks down at me conflicted, his eyes telling a whirlwind of stories as I run my hands up and down his biceps. 

"Se'aeylwa I'm hopeless" He breaths out, closing his eyes in defeat. My heart throbs in my chest, he was feeling useless and I don't know how to cheer him up as he wipes his dry under eyes that may be accompanied with frustrated tears if I don't move fast enough. 

I look up to his arms, and then his bare shoulders when an idea sparks in my mind. 

"How about we take a small break? If you want you can get our mating marking finally tattooed?" I suggest. His ears perk as he looks at my tattoo, I felt that he desperately wanted to, but was downplaying the small amount of excitement surfacing. He softly smiles, the corners of his lips tugging upwards as he traces a finger along my tattooed shoulder.

"I'd love to" He murmurs, looking in my eyes as I see the edge of frustration slowly backing away, and being replaced with excitement. 

I smile up at him, dragging him along with me to the Tsahìk's marui. My little sniffle had disappeared, and I was excited to finally meet her daughter, from what I had seen, she was a bundle of cuteness. 

I had started to waddle slightly with my steps and it was embarrassing to say the least, most Metkayina woman go through their pregnancies without any drawbacks beside slower movements and tiredness. 

Lo'ak hadn't said a word, remaining silent behind me as he let me drag him anywhere. 

Upon entrance to the marui Ronal is spreading a salve on an injured diver as he mumbles in pain. Her daughter is strapped to her chest as she slowly turns her head and looks at us with wide eyes. She babbles to her mother who attempts to calm her while she finishes patching up the diver. She diverts her attention to her daughter once the diver gives his thanks and leaves, smiling down at her and running a hand along her back. 

She then notices me, with the tall presence of the forest boy as her smiles turns into a deep set frown. She beckons me forward with my mate as she immediately understand why he's here, it couldn't be more obvious.

She hands her babbling baby onto me, strapping her onto my chest. 

"I need you to hold her while I do it" She explains, a small quirk of her lips turn into a small smile as she see's her baby becoming accustomed to a new friend. 

"Sit" She demands of Lo'ak. He drags me down with him, my unbalanced body falling into his lap as he curls his arms around me. I can feel his arms tense, as if he was waiting to deflect the sharp impact of the tooth, and as it meets his skin he lets out a small grunt. 

Lo'ak

When the sharp tooth nicks my side I can't help but let out a noise of discomfort. I'm now beginning to understand why  Se'aeylwa seemed in so much pain long ago when she got her back tattoo. 

I try anything to focus, looking around aimlessly, trying to focus on one area of the room. But it doesn't work.  I sigh, my ears twitching at the sound of high pitched giggles. My attention is drawn to Se'aeylwa as she holds the Tsahìk's baby, making horridly funny faces as she sticks her tongue out. She coos at the baby, squishing her cheeks, and booping her little nose as she loudly screams out in joy. 

One of my hands finds their way to the roundness of her stomach, feeling as the little baby inside her kicks with great power upon my touch. It must've been a little too strong as Se'aeylwa winces and smooths a hand over her stomach trying to calm the violent attack on her.   

I mute a small noise of amusement as the Tsahìk's child makes a noise of complaint that the attention wasn't on her. She definitely had a personality for a child so young. 

I smile, rubbing my thumb along the flesh of Se'aeylwa's belly as one of her hands rest on top of mine syncing with my movements as I barely notice how much time had passed. She leans into my chest so I can see a clear view of the child strapped to her chest, I stick my tongue out lightly as she giggles once more. 

I'm elated as I realise she didn't start crying and blow up in my face. It was a good sign that at least one baby this morning liked me enough to not fuss at the sight of me.

I flinch as one final and resounding stings makes itself apparent on my shoulder before a soothing paste is put over it. I mumble my thanks to the Tsahìk as she walks around us and takes her talkative daughter away from Se'aeylwa. She looks slightly disheartened that she no longer had her in her arms, but one swift kick from out own child terminates the feeling immediately.

"You're jealous aren't you?" She teases, patting her stomach as she looks down upon it. She winces once more as I help her stand. She thanks the Tsahìk as she signals us to leave, lightly smiling at my wife before we both exit the marui. 

"Let's go home" Se'aeylwa smiles, dragging me once more as she cutely waddles home. She had a flower tucked behind her ear this morning, and it only made her all the more gorgeous. The orange complimenting her blue eyes beautifully as she turned around and smiled once more.

Looking at my pregnant mate in front of me I always wonder how I got so lucky, how Eywa blessed me with the most amazing and understanding woman anyone could ask for. But those thoughts subside as we enter our home and Se'aeylwa screams out in pain, holding her stomach as she bends over, resting a hand on a ledge as her face scrunches with the utmost pain.