#toothlessran

Continued from Here with @bioniczaunites

The sight of Sevika... Large, big and scary to most, had a complete different meaning to the small child. Her tall height allowed them to see everything when she picked them up, her muscles made the hugs even warmer and her rough voice always lulled them to sleep.... Every adjective most people would consider scary or negative, were positive in Ran's book, so the sight of the talk last had them already feeling safe as she held them close, enveloped in her warm embrace, face buried on the crook of her neck as she spoke, sobs still not dying out as they watched her. "Omma.... I don't wanna get big! What if I loose the other teeth? I don't wanna..." They cried harder, tiny hand fisting the fabric of her shirt as their sobs now made it hard for the child to draw a breath.

Sevika did have a point when she said they wouldn't get bigger if they didn't eat. Ran and just turned 6 but they didn't look a day over five, maybe even four due to malnutrition. "B-but omma, how am I gonna eat if I don't have any teeth?" They asked, running their tear strained eyes as sobs still wracked their tiny frame. The food was half eaten, droplets of blood from when the tooth fell out on the wooden table. "You have to put it back, omma..." They asked, still sobbing.

Holding Ran close she let out a soft little comforting sound and hugged gently at Ran. “Awww well everyone gets bigger. Even if not quite as big as me, but that’s okay. Come on lets…” Suddenly something clicked in Sevika’s head as Ran continued to sob pleading for the tooth to be put back. Reaching out with a foot she tugged a chair out, and sat down still holding Ran to her.

“Ran, *child of my heart, you need to take a breath okay. Big breath in, with me okay? And then out. In...And out. Now listen. It’s alright, you want to know why?” Waiting for a moment Sevika smiled reaching to stroke at Ran’s hair. “Because you get new teeth. I can’t put the old tooth back because you are going to be growing out a new one that’s stronger, and tougher and lasts longer. To get the new one though your mouth had to get rid of the old one for a little while. Just a little while though that’s all.” Patting at Ran’s back she nodded. “It just means you are healthy is all.” A playful little smile came to Sevika. “And if you didn’t have any teeth I’d just learn how to cook all the best soups. So you’d still have to eat anyways.”