Page 23 of Ava Stargazer

Miral nodded, her eyes crinkling with a wide smile. “Ava. Thank you.”

She looks like Vox when she smiles.Ava looked at her contemplatively.

“That’s good. He smiles more now since he met you,” Miral said, gesturing to her.

“Oh.” Ava’s cheeks reddened. It was always so hard to try to keep her mind blank.The alcohol isn’t helping me either.Her brain already felt muddled. With all the minds around them, Ava had a hard time feeling Miral’s. She wanted to connect with her, to get to know Vox’s mother. But they’d only had a few meetings, and true familiarity eluded her. It was always like that with the women, especially if any males were around.

They looked back at the happy couple receiving well-wishes. Ava looked up at Vox. “Aren’t we going to go? Closer?”

Vox hesitated. “I . . .”

Ava frowned. Then she got up. The alcohol fully hit her, helping her to feel extra bold.“You told me earlier I shouldn’t put things off. Isn’t this part of it?”

Miral stood as well. “I’ll walk with you.” She looked meaningfully between Vox and Ava. “Maybe soon we will have another joining.”

Ava looked down and blushed at the implication.Will we?She looked at Vox hopefully, waiting for his answer.

But that was tamped down by Vox a second later. “Mother. Let Ava get used to the rest of our customs first. We are not ready for young either. And she is not ready for another mark on her mind. Everything needs to be an ... informed choice.”

Ava ducked her head and blushed.Oh. No, not that. I’m not ready for any children.

Vox stood himself before he leaned in and held her close. “Once you heal more, and feel more comfortable on Xai, we will talk about it. There is no rush.”

His mother nodded, understanding on her face as she led Ava up to the couple to press heads together and exchange their congratulations. “Soon then. Soon. Hopefully.”

The dirt path dipped in front of Ava as she walked, unsteady, back to Vox’s house from the ceremony. She looked over her shoulder at Rhutg and Vox trailing behind as they walked, Vox watching her swaying footsteps. “And then the trader came down from the spaceport, and you know what he said?” Ava said, twirling around, her arms wide.

Rhutg and Vox shared the same look of amusement at her fast talking.

Ava noticed their glances but found she didn’t care about much right now. She said again, slurred, “Do you?”

Vox shook his head, humor in his voice as he watched her exaggerated movements. “I cannot possibly imagine.”

“He said ... he said...” Ava held her hand out in front of her face and tried to focus on it. Her fingers swam before her eyes. “Shit, I can’t remember.”

Vox threw his head back and laughed, a more guttural sound than she made. His eyes shone with mirth as Ava focused on his face.

The path seemed to tilt in front of her in places. She reached out to grab him to steady herself, holding his arm tight. “Oh. It’s dizzy.”

Rhutg let out a groan and rubbed his cheek as he started on a separate path, away from them, that led to his own house. “Get her inside, Vox, before she falls over and hurts herself. I hope when we find the other Humans they aren’t all lightweights.”

Vox picked her up, holding her close.Oh, he's so much faster than me.Ava pawed at his chest as he carried her, watching as his long gait ate up the distance. “That’s mean, Vox. Laughing at me.” And then a second later, as she nuzzled into his chest. “You’re so strong.”

“I didn’t know the wine would affect you so much. It must be more potent for you. Next time you will need to moderate further.”

“I only had that one cup.” She held up one of her fingers, pressing it into his chest.

“Even less next time. Your biology is different.”

Ava wiggled in his arms, feeling suddenly sleepy. She perked up as they got closer, her eyes snagging on the ball set outside. “Should we play jurn?”

“Ava, you can’t even walk straight.”

The path swayed in front of her eyes as she grunted and tapped his chest again. They got inside, and Ava shielded her eyes from the lights.That’s too bright.It was possibly one of the first times she ever wished for something to be a bit darker.

Ava stretched out inelegantly on the bed, enjoying the feel of the air conditioning on her face after being out in the humid night.This feels nice though.She pulled her jumpsuit away fromher chest absently, stretching the fabric taut before starting to take it off.Gross.“I feel sticky. I’ll go take a bath.”

Vox eyed her body as she took off the suit before averting his gaze and looking away. “I’ll make some food for you. It might help to have something other than the wine in your stomach.”