Ava snickered, though the sound turned to a whimper of pain. “Pull the plug? Ancestors, it’s not like I was in a coma.”
The air around me seemed to grow heavy. “Actually, Ava…”
She sucked in a breath, and my heart nearly shattered. “I was barely gone a day! It felt like…”
She trailed off as she tried calculating time in her mind. I wasn’t sure how much she remembered.
“It might’ve felt that way in the Ancestral Lands, but here, it’s been a week,” I told her. “They’ve been treating you with healing magic, and you weren’t improving. Pidge, I don’t know if you realize this, but you died. Twice, actually. Once in the Underground, and again on the operating table. Oberi used her power to bring you back.”
Ava sagged against me as she pondered what I’d told her. She sounded thoughtful. “I remember the gods… Coyote Spirit and Whale Spirit… they said something about Oberi having a gift.”
“She’s a phoenix,” I said, a hint of pride in my tone. “We found her Anichi form— her Spirit form. Part of her power is one shot at regeneration.”
Ava’s voice wavered. “And she… used it on me?”
Of course I did, Oberi replied. He nudged his nose between our legs affectionately.I’d do anything for you, Ava.
“Oberi, that’s so sweet.”
“It was your choice to come back, though,” I explained. “We weren’t sure it would work.”
Ava brushed hair away from my eyes. “I’ll always come back to you.”
Her promise meant everything. I couldn’t help it when tears began streaming from my face. I hugged her close, and she snuggled into me.
“Thank you, pidge,” I whispered. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, because I’m not going anywhere,” she promised.
Her lips connected with mine, and all the anxiety twisting in my gut melted away. My heart surged, until it felt like I was floating on a cloud with her. Having her back meant the world, and nothing could ruin this moment.
Ava slid her hand beneath the covers, and her fingers grazed my waistband.
I drew away. “Uh… what are you doing?”
She giggled. “I’m horny.”
She slid her hand inside my pants and wrapped her fingers around me. I didn’t mind when she took initiative, but I wasn’t comfortable doing this here.
I grabbed her hands to stop her. “We can’t right now.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“You’re hurt. You’ve just been through major surgery, for one, and you’re hooked up to all these machines,” I said.
“So? You’ll be gentle.”
“Pidge,” I sighed. I didn’t think she truly understood how fragile she still was.
“Comeon.I’m alive and all. We should celebrate! With sex,” Ava pleaded.
“Maybe when we get out of here,” I told her reluctantly. I was honestly too afraid to touch her at the moment. We could be intimate again when I wasn’t worried about setting her health back.
“Ugh, fine. Cockblock,” Ava complained, and she drew her hand out of my pants.
The door burst open then, and a pair of footsteps rushed into the room. “Ancestors, she’s awake!” Ava’s mother cried.
Good thing Ava had decidednotto mess around, because her mom had almost caught us with Ava’s hand down my pants. I permitted myself a small laugh. Humor felt weird after such a dark week, but I could laugh again, because Ava was going to be all right.
