Trinity

Almost

Three more days. Just three more days, and they'll be at the ikran rookery. Ten'etirey was tired of walking around in the forest; she was growing restless. Being separated from her banshee for this long was taking its toll. Connecting with him became such a huge part of her life for so long that she's starting to struggle without him.

Waryn was a permanent fixture in her life. One she hadn't anticipated going without. Tsaheylu with him gave her the emotional connection she lacked with others.

That isn't to say she didn't have any emotional connections with other people. It just wasn't the same. Norm and Max, as always, helped her understand why she was so desperate for that link.

It came as no shock that it was related to autism. Ten had to work a lot harder to naturally connect with anyone as she struggled with cognitive empathy. She struggled with recognizing emotions based purely on facial expressions. Especially when relying completely on the damn near invisible microexpressions. Na'vi ears and tails assisted her immensely; the expressive appendages were a lifeline that allowed her to manage the difficulty of interpreting non-verbal communication.

It could only make sense that she craved the easy connection she had with her banshee. There was no guessing or worrying. No concern about potentially saying or doing the wrong thing. Everything was there in the shared space between them.

It could also be argued that her involvement in a potential Trinity also strengthened any bonds she formed. A foundation built upon a permanent bond between three souls made that very likely.

Fantastic.

Doing anything she can to avoid thinking about the Trinity and what does her mind do? Circles right back around and drops her directly into it. It's not like she was trying to escape from the reality of the situation, she just needed more time to actually process it. It was... kind of a lot.

She wasn't expecting Quaritch to react the way he did. He had been so standoffish that it was actually a shock. This is why I've been avoidin' you. She's not sure of the actual reason he was avoiding her. Because she was a prisoner? Daughter of the very man he's on a mission to kill? Whatever it was, it didn't seem to matter a few nights ago.

Mansk's reaction though... She heavily suspected he was interested in her. Wasn't quite as confident that he would act on it, but he did. And he continued to do so. Each night since the hot spring, they would separate from the group, and at the first opportunity he was on her.

She could feel his need through the fingers that danced across her skin. The controlled way he touched her, as if he was afraid of pushing it too far. But his hesitation was sweet and endearing, especially when she felt him grip her tighter. Barely a twitch, and then he was back to his adoring touches. However, she was also afraid of crossing a line, unsure of where his boundaries lay.

In a perfect scenario, she would have visited her cryptic-ass grandmother and sought guidance. Which wasn't a possibility. Trinities of the past were leaders of clans or tribes. She couldn't think of a time when that wasn't the case. The triad would guide the people through times of hardship. Their unwavering and strong bond provided a cornerstone of faith for the people to get through whatever trial would befall them.

Which led to a little conundrum. What did two Recombinants and a hybrid Na'vi represent?

Obstinance?

Spite in the form of the biggest possible hybrid or human middle finger to the RDA? They certainly weren't leaders of a tribe.

On top of that. It was still Quaritch. She wondered if Eywa somehow forgot what the man did in the past. Even if she was meant to be in a Trinity with him, he wasn't exactly good.