AVATAR TWOW: Torn between the 2

Chapter viii| A "love baby"?

N E T E Y A M
A "love baby"?
PT 3

I LAY SPRAWLED ON Ao'nung's balcony, at the rear end of his Marui with my chin resting on my folded arms. Ronal is humming to her three-year-old newborn behind the wooden beaded drapes that cocoon them. She's nestling the baby in her arms as Tonowari caresses his chubby and round cheeks.

The touch of the wooden floor quavers my rumbling stomach frigid. I watch the back of Ao'nung's head as he glides and flips with an easy broad grin on his face. I close my eyes sometimes from the weak splashes of water that he chucks, pricking my eyes.

After a bit, he swims to me tired. I murmur a small 'hello' as I pat his head and grin at how cute his head bobs; droplets glistening the dark ink on his face. His torso lifts, reaching over with flowing trickles down his trim-tatted figure. The water gurgles back with plops. He kisses my swollen lips.

"No biting this time," I warn him, though frankly, I don't care if he disobeys me.

The way he nips and tugs my bottom lip is one of my many guilty pleasures. The first is his ears, which I stroke and rub.

"Mhm," he hums, letting me know he understands but goes on to gnaw on my lip anyway.

I pinch his ears and smirk as he jerks away with a hiss. His ears sag and I watch with pleasure as his face churns with a lour. He looks cute that way, all riled up.

"That hurts, you idiot," he snarls, his eyes wide with the ghosting of pain.

"C'mere," I tell him, my baritone voice gentle this time.

My arms reach to fondle his ears again but he hesitates for a few winks. He eyes me disdainfully, his eyes darting from my face to my yearning-wriggling fingers and back. He does that for what seems like a while.

"I won't hurt you this time," I chuckle, despite the candor that brims my tone.

"Promise?" he asks as he leans closer...and closer.

I cradle his damp frame, with all my fingers curled around his little ears. I fondle them; petting them as if to rub out their dallying pain.

"Next time I'ma chomp your balls so you won't ever get to experience pleasure again," he declares with a grave face.

I feel my balls twitching as if I can already feel the bite of his fangs engraving profoundly in my sack. I shake my head with a smirk, despite my spine that shutters up my whole body. I can already feel the pain.

"I promise you, babe. It's my last time," I tell him earnestly, my voice easing as his vicious facade falls.

His tail flicks—the motion too brief and easy to miss. I scarcely would've caught it if it weren't for the small splashes of water. His ears flatten harder, curling in his head. He purses his lips and peers down at me with those azure eyes.

I pinch his cheeks and grin and laugh as if I am caring for a baby. He doesn't pull away this time—only leans closer to me with hanker.

"I meant to ask but I forgot then..." he croons, grasping my wrist and locking our fingers and palms jointly.

"Yeah?" I cock my head and shuffle to sit on my butt with my legs dangling off the balcony.

The fervency and dull caresses of the water on my feet ease my body—not that I was stressed or anything, but it makes me feel rejuvenated.

Ao'nung stands between my legs and I tighten my grip; keeping him taut between my knees. I gaze into him, snaring his very soul. My stare is fixed on him, unwavering as it has no intention of drifting anywhere else but him. I am drilling holes as I gawk at his beauty.

His chin is tucked as he stares back meekly, his eyes appearing to cower from my strong gape. His brow bones are furrowed as he asks me: "What does 'babe' mean?"

I chuckle and toss my head back, my noisy voice booming the Marui. My eyes crinkle so hard that all I see are blurs. It's the hardest I've ever laughed. I almost plunge back flat on my back, but Ao'nung keeps me still from the tightening of his fingers around mine.

"You're adorable..." I tell him, wobbling his bun with doting.

My face is inches away from his and just then I urge to kiss him. I urge to devour his lips and body at this very Marui. At this very spot. And at this very moment. But I don't. I tuck away that violent fervor for hunger and lust that radiates my body. His breath fans mine, just as mine fans his. Just a teeny bit forward...and my lips would be on his.

"It's a term of endearment, like 'Tìyawn', but instead derived from 'Prrnen," I tell him.

"So I'm a 'love baby'?" he asks, frowning with dubiety.

"Kind of, something like that," I chuckle.

"Why a baby? Isn't there something like 'fearless diver' or 'reef prince' in English?"

English. My mouth gapes. My heart swells. Everything halts at the wink. My stomach puddles from overjoy and I grin, hauling him into a tight hug. For once, he doesn't refer to English as the usual "Demon language".

It's reassuring and relaxing to know that he's pressed past the light prejudices and that he no longer deems me as demon-like.

Regardless, my heart also rends. These past three years, he has constructed himself into a better man, more caring, and more mature. Not that he wasn't before—he always has been, though it was often masked by his arrogance and irresponsibility.

But I wasn't here to experience his change. It almost feels like I've lost a piece of him. It feels like I woke up one day from a long dream and BOOM! There he is, a new person.

While he still jokes and slips sneering remarks from time to time like when he was fifteen—it feels like I don't know him thoroughly—or like I won't ever get to know him profoundly because my time here is finite. I have to go back home.

And once I come back to Awa'atlu for a second or third or fourth time, will he have changed again?

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