Calm Before The Storm, Jake Sully

053, Poisonous Metal.

♯┆calm before the storm  .ᐟ
━━━━━━━━━━

Denahi woke with that deep pit within her chest once. Hole in her heart. How could Denahi feel content once again? Her son was gone, she had to be strong. Can a mother recover from losing their child? The palm of her hand fell onto her stomach.

"You didn't hear it, mom?" Lo'ak questioned once he noticed Denahi had woken. The room was tense— it had been like that from the moment the family buried their cherished. "Hear what?" Denahi asked before Spider looked up at her. His face filled with that same guilt he had carried from the minute Neteyam had been shot.

Denahi didn't blame him. She couldn't blame Spider. He was a child. "His mask almost died. In the middle of the night," Kiri explained before Spider looked down. Denahi breathed one single breath out. She continued to scan the area, scan her children. Was that the most important? Without another action, Denahi walked out. How was she supposed to react? He almost died.

"Ronal..." Denahi whispered as she entered the marui. Ronal looked up at her with a bright smile, offering some comfort to her newfound friend and neighbour. This friendship had kept Denahi going throughout Awa'atlu, despite missing home.

"He is fine. I have already checked on him," Ronal spoke with a soft tone. Denahi kneeled beside her, hands holding onto Ronal's.

"But... We need to talk," Ronal mentioned before Denahi shook her head. Her silence was telling— a woman usually full with glee and communication. Now, quiet and reserved. Ronal couldn't fathom how it would feel to lose a child. So, she never once ridiculed Denahi for her extended grieving.

"Your husband... He cannot keep bringing weapons of metal into my home. The metal it is poisonous to our hearts once touched," Ronal began to speak. Denahi's ears flicked upright as she nodded her head.

She knew that. Denahi didn't want to look at another human weapon. "I have tried to speak with him, Ronal. He does not want to listen," Ronal hissed at the words falling from Denahi's mouth. "He does not listen to you? His woman? You are both in the mourning period still. He should start paying more attention to his mate rather than that poisonous metal!" Ronal exclaimed.

Denahi's ears fell down her face. Her tail stood still as she released Ronal's hands. Her back straightened before she stood.

Ronal closed her eyes, not realising what she had said to Denahi. Sometimes she speaks without thinking— it was a common practice for Ronal to do that. "Jake has a special connection to those weapons. It is what he knows. I cannot stop him from using them. But, I will try to stop him from bringing more into our home," Denahi quietly spoke.

Ronal smiled at Denahi. That was all she could offer her. Her hand fell onto her shoulder, "You are a brave woman. I admire that." Denahi smiled back.

A small smile, but the first smile that had fell on her face within the mourning period.

Denahi stood and thanked Ronal before entering her own marui. Jake kneeled there, his hands busy like he had been for the past couple of days. "You feeling better?" He questioned before Denahi sat and began to peel some fruit for the children.

Her silence was so loud. Intense. The tension between the two was intense. Denahi and Jake were not used to uncomfortable silence. The feeling crawled amongst their skin, eating away at their throats. "I am," Two simple words before Jake looked up at her.

"You spoke to Ronal?" Jake asked her.

Denahi nodded, "She and I agree that you can no longer bring those weapons here." The weapons of metal. Poisoned. Murderous weapons that had taken too many people in Denahi's life. Jake sucked on his teeth, "You know I can't do that."

The tension grew thicker. Denahi held onto her stomach, not allowing the rising stress to affect her much more. "You can keep what you have found, Ma'Jake. But no more searching. We are done with searching now." He couldn't keep occupied for much longer. Denahi couldn't keep feeling alone.

He looked at Denahi and his face softened. He couldn't stand seeing her like this. Vulnerable and heartbroken. Pieces of the woman he fell in love with shattered.

Jake reached his arm out to her and Denahi took his hand into hers. A sigh of relief fell from her mouth at the comforting touch.

But when Jake looked into those amber eyes, Jake still saw the woman he loves. Hidden behind a burning rage and overwhelming grief. But, his Denahi was still in there.

"We have to talk about Spider," Jake announced before Denahi sighed. The two knew that if Spider continued to live with them, it would be too dangerous. He was too lucky last night. What if his mask dies when Spider is alone? What then?