woke up extra black today, nobody can tell me SHIT.
NASA
$LAYYYTER
d e v o n
Stranger Things
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
cherry valley forever
styofa doing anything
One Nice Bug Per Day

if i look back, i am lost

#extradirty
Misplaced Lens Cap
occasionally subtle

Origami Around
taylor price

oozey mess

Kaledo Art

romaā
Aqua Utopiaļ½ęµ·ć®åŗć§čØę¶ćē“”ć
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
todays bird
seen from Malaysia

seen from Malaysia
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seen from Argentina
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seen from Brazil
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@eyanyra
woke up extra black today, nobody can tell me SHIT.

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Avatar Fire and Ash mini spoiler
As excited as I was to see Kiri and Spider kiss, knowing that Sigourney (who was probably around her late 60s-early 70s while filming this) probably had to kiss Jack (who was probably in his mid to late teens while filming this) isnāt settling well with me. And I know Iām probably wrong and they had a double for kiri but I need someone to validate that Iām wrong because I love Sigourney and refuse to go out like this š
Me after letting stack in because Iām easy like a Sunday morningš
Cause sameš
SINNERSā¦
Ever since the movie came out I feel like Iāve been on the hunt. Thereās so many Remmick x reader, so many modern au and donāt get me wrong write what tickles you fancy BUT I need more Stack x READER and Smoke x READER set in the 1930s. Please Iām begging yāall! Also if your fic is x oc please donāt tag it x reader, imma partial narcissist, i like to be included in the ficš
iām not a big person on politics but iām smart enough to know right from wrong and educate myself on the issues happening within my country. i know enough to know that both candidates arenāt good. thatās a given. but given the choice between a convicted felon and a woman who is going to fight for my right to choose. i choose her.
with that, if you voted for trump or third party in āprotestā in this election, please unfollow me. my works are for people who have common sense. this is not a place for any type of support for a felon, a rapist , and an all around shitty person.
(ps. i argue, so please, hit my inbox if you dare. i got the time today.)

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Like A Prayer (Part One)
summary: best friends with wade youāre always being dragged into something even when heās not trying to, what are you to do when you find the fate of your timeline in the hands of yourself, your chaotic merc and an angry wolverine whoās hellbent on drinking himself to death?
content warning: romance, some angst, a little fluff, character deaths, canon-typical violence, possible smut towards the end??? (honestly I havenāt decided yet), lots of cussing, mutual pining, found family, drug and alcohol use, reader insert but with no use of y/n cuz I hate that shit, deadpool being deadpool, mentions of poor mental health (depression anxiety and ptsd mostly), the honda odyssey scene needs a warning all on its own
a/n: lots of wade in this one but no wolverine just yet!
tag list: @allmyn1ghts, @oscarissac2099
Masterlist//Next Chapter
Not Ok
Flashes of images invaded your mind. You were in a tank, arms restrained to your sides as the oxygen was slowly sucked out of the chamber, suffocating you. Your nails digging into the leather cushioning beneath you as you try to claw your way out.
Now you were strapped to a table, an array of needles embedded into your arms and legs as you were injected painfully with all kinds of different things you werenāt even sure of.
You startled awake before the sound of your alarm had a chance to rouse you from your sleep. Groggily you run a shaky hand over your face before rolling over to grab your phone checking the time. You still had about 3 hours before it was time to get up and get ready for work. Knowing you most likely werenāt going to go back to sleep, not that you wanted to anyways, you toss the covers off of you and head to the bathroom.
You turn the water of the shower on, waiting for it to heat up as you stand back up you catch a glimpse of yourself in the bathroom mirror, taking in your disheveled appearance you sigh as you lean over the sink.
Thereās visible dark circles under your eyes from being torn from sleep countless times over the last few months. You were sure why the nightmares had started back up again, it had been years since you had been freed from the Weapon X program so why was it all coming back now?
I need a 20 part Logan/wolverine x mutant reader with an amazing slow burn plot line, lots of dramatics, a splash of angst and amazing woohoo scenes ASAP! I NEED IT! I NEED HIM!
Crying & throwing up at the fact that I will NEVER be able to play AFOP because I decided to get a MacBook and a switch rather than a PC š
Hi Guys! So I donāt know who this will reach but I wanted to share my avatar oc with you all!
I do want to preference that I did use AI to make these photos cause I canāt draw to save my life :ā) I did get this idea from someone else but I canāt find their tag :/
Name: TalaānyrƤ Te Inaāti MyrƤāite (Tala)
Age: 21
Clan: Omatakiya
Eye color: Greenish yellow
Hair: Black Kinky-curly (I know omatakiya normally have Braids or straight hair but I wanted to switch it up seeing as Iām African American)
Role: Dancer/Hunter
Love Interest: Tsuātey (heās always alive in my heart)
Brief bio: Tala was born to Koāa Te Inaāti Zeiātuāitan, a top warrior and MyrƤ Te Umana Eyaāite, a lead dancer. She spent her youth hanging, as well as attending Graceās School with Neytiri, Sylwanin and Tsuātey(unrequited love at the time). Her Mother, MyrƤ, intrigued with the human life was often at the school as well. This would lead to her death when the RDA followed Slywanin back to the school, shooting and killing them both. After this event the distance between the remaining three grew as Neytiri was now tsakarem and betroth to the one Tala loved. As she grew she proceeds to follow in her mothers footsteps becoming lead dancer as well as dabbling in hunting.
Fast forward to after Jakeās arrival, during the fall of hometree like Neytiri, Tala loses her father, feeling alone, she decides to stay by his side. After everything settles, Tsuātey finds her sitting next to her father hand in hand, He does his best to consoles her, confessing his feelings for her in the process. They make their way to the others, where Tala and Neytiri reunite, rekindling their sisterhood. Fast forward again, the war is won but Tsuātey is injured, after much distress and bickering they make it to Moāat where he is patched up and healing. The RDA is sent back to earth and Tala has her other family back. When Tsuātey is healed he takes the mantle as oloāeyktan while choosing Tala as his mate, Jake as his right hand man and Neytiri as his best warrior/Tsakarem.
Sorry if this is long and confusing Iām not a really good writer lol
These are her parents Koāa and MyrƤ :)
(Ignore the eyebrows cause ai aināt that good lol)
Her hair is EVERYTHING to meš
She is breathtaking !!!šŖ¼šŖ¼
THANK YOU! I love your stories btwš¤
Hi Guys! So I donāt know who this will reach but I wanted to share my avatar oc with you all!
I do want to preference that I did use AI to make these photos cause I canāt draw to save my life :ā) I did get this idea from someone else but I canāt find their tag :/
Name: TalaānyrƤ Te Inaāti MyrƤāite (Tala)
Age: 21
Clan: Omatakiya
Eye color: Greenish yellow
Hair: Black Kinky-curly (I know omatakiya normally have Braids or straight hair but I wanted to switch it up seeing as Iām African American)
Role: Dancer/Hunter
Love Interest: Tsuātey (heās always alive in my heart)
Brief bio: Tala was born to Koāa Te Inaāti Zeiātuāitan, a top warrior and MyrƤ Te Umana Eyaāite, a lead dancer. She spent her youth hanging, as well as attending Graceās School with Neytiri, Sylwanin and Tsuātey(unrequited love at the time). Her Mother, MyrƤ, intrigued with the human life was often at the school as well. This would lead to her death when the RDA followed Slywanin back to the school, shooting and killing them both. After this event the distance between the remaining three grew as Neytiri was now tsakarem and betroth to the one Tala loved. As she grew she proceeds to follow in her mothers footsteps becoming lead dancer as well as dabbling in hunting.
Fast forward to after Jakeās arrival, during the fall of hometree like Neytiri, Tala loses her father, feeling alone, she decides to stay by his side. After everything settles, Tsuātey finds her sitting next to her father hand in hand, He does his best to consoles her, confessing his feelings for her in the process. They make their way to the others, where Tala and Neytiri reunite, rekindling their sisterhood. Fast forward again, the war is won but Tsuātey is injured, after much distress and bickering they make it to Moāat where he is patched up and healing. The RDA is sent back to earth and Tala has her other family back. When Tsuātey is healed he takes the mantle as oloāeyktan while choosing Tala as his mate, Jake as his right hand man and Neytiri as his best warrior/Tsakarem.
Sorry if this is long and confusing Iām not a really good writer lol
These are her parents Koāa and MyrƤ :)
(Ignore the eyebrows cause ai aināt that good lol)
she is the moment (heart eyes)
Thank you!!

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Hi Guys! So I donāt know who this will reach but I wanted to share my avatar oc with you all!
I do want to preference that I did use AI to make these photos cause I canāt draw to save my life :ā) I did get this idea from someone else but I canāt find their tag :/
Name: TalaānyrƤ Te Inaāti MyrƤāite (Tala)
Age: 21
Clan: Omatakiya
Eye color: Greenish yellow
Hair: Black Kinky-curly (I know omatakiya normally have Braids or straight hair but I wanted to switch it up seeing as Iām African American)
Role: Dancer/Hunter
Love Interest: Tsuātey (heās always alive in my heart)
Brief bio: Tala was born to Koāa Te Inaāti Zeiātuāitan, a top warrior and MyrƤ Te Umana Eyaāite, a lead dancer. She spent her youth hanging, as well as attending Graceās School with Neytiri, Sylwanin and Tsuātey(unrequited love at the time). Her Mother, MyrƤ, intrigued with the human life was often at the school as well. This would lead to her death when the RDA followed Slywanin back to the school, shooting and killing them both. After this event the distance between the remaining three grew as Neytiri was now tsakarem and betroth to the one Tala loved. As she grew she proceeds to follow in her mothers footsteps becoming lead dancer as well as dabbling in hunting.
Fast forward to after Jakeās arrival, during the fall of hometree like Neytiri, Tala loses her father, feeling alone, she decides to stay by his side. After everything settles, Tsuātey finds her sitting next to her father hand in hand, He does his best to consoles her, confessing his feelings for her in the process. They make their way to the others, where Tala and Neytiri reunite, rekindling their sisterhood. Fast forward again, the war is won but Tsuātey is injured, after much distress and bickering they make it to Moāat where he is patched up and healing. The RDA is sent back to earth and Tala has her other family back. When Tsuātey is healed he takes the mantle as oloāeyktan while choosing Tala as his mate, Jake as his right hand man and Neytiri as his best warrior/Tsakarem.
Sorry if this is long and confusing Iām not a really good writer lol
ahhsheissopretty
Thank you!
Hi Guys! So I donāt know who this will reach but I wanted to share my avatar oc with you all!
I do want to preference that I did use AI to make these photos cause I canāt draw to save my life :ā) I did get this idea from someone else but I canāt find their tag :/
Name: Syārina (Sigh-reen-uh) Te Inaāti Myraāite (Rina)
Age: 21
Clan: Omatakiya
Eye color: Greenish yellow
Hair: Black Kinky-curly (I know omatakiya normally have Braids or straight hair but I wanted to switch it up seeing as Iām African American)
Role: Dancer/Hunter
Love Interest: Tsuātey (heās always alive in my heart)
Brief bio: Rina was born to Koāa Te Inaāti Zeiātuāitan, a top warrior and Myra Te Umana Eyaāite, a lead dancer. She spent her youth hanging, as well as attending Graceās School with Neytiri, Sylwanin and Tsuātey(unrequited love at the time). Her Mother, Myra, intrigued with the human life was often at the school as well. This would lead to her death when the RDA followed Slywanin back to the school, shooting and killing them both. After this event the distance between the remaining three grew as Neytiri was now tsakarem and betroth to the one Rina loved. As she grew she proceeds to follow in her motherās footsteps becoming lead dancer as well as dabbling in hunting.
Fast forward to after Jakeās arrival, during the fall of hometree like Neytiri, Rina loses her father, feeling alone, she decides to stay by his side. After everything settles, Tsuātey finds her sitting next to her father hand in hand, He does his best to consoles her, confessing his feelings for her in the process. They make their way to the others, where Rina and Neytiri reunite, rekindling their sisterhood. Fast forward again, the war is won but Tsuātey is injured, after much distress and bickering they make it to Moāat where he is patched up and healing. The RDA is sent back to earth and Rina has her other family back. When Tsuātey is healed he takes the mantle as oloāeyktan while choosing Tala as his mate, Jake as his right hand man and Neytiri as his best warrior/Tsakarem.
Sorry if this is long and confusing Iām not a really good writer lol
These are her parents Koāa and Myra :)
(Ignore the eyebrows cause ai aināt that good lol)
šŖ¼ ā š°š”šš§ š²šØš® ššš©šš«ššš, šØš®š« ššØš«šš«šš¬š¬ ššš„š„ šš©šš«š.
š©šš¢š«š¢š§š š¬ : jake sully ā fem!reader ā neytiri
š¬š®š¦š¦šš«š² : Love is one you never thought to experience after leaving your vanishing planet, and soon youād be departing from existence. But that didnāt mean you didnāt want it, and it seems your wants were heard because here you were, on a rare, beautiful planet, with not one but two lovers who bathed you with love endlessly.
Jake Sully; the one who found your figure far more pretty and angelic than any other human in earth, a blunt, impetuous, stupidly beautiful man, adapted into one of the people, Toruk Makto, Oloāeyktan, who had and took his second chance in starting a new life with you and the Omatikaya peopleās daughter, Neytiri.
Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite; bold, fierce, unyielding, devastatingly gorgeous, found surprise in tolerating a simple humanās presence. deeply intrigued to know you, a simple human without an avatar. That intrigue morphed into never ending adoration when she discovered youāre not just some simple person, but youāre hers and his person, beautiful and unique in their eyes.
Seykxel txeālan, āstrong heartā, one of the first words she had said to Jake. The phrase becoming the first in the start of the original Sullysā fortress; Jake, Neytiri, and you. It becomes a reassurance and affectionate name she only utters while Jakeās becomes, āThis right here, is a fortress. One without the other is just bound to fall apart, and I donāt ever want to experience that again without my girls.ā
You knew your departure was bound to come, but the more happiness and love you were surrounded with, the more it seemed it wasnāt bound to happen anytime soon because once you hit Pandoraās atmosphere, your sickness seemed to have ā¦faded away. Doctor Grace Augustine, a good friend she became to you, wasted no time in trying to figure out what seemed to be the change, especially when one day out in Pandoraās nature that theyād unexpectedly discovered you could breathe in the same air it contained without having to wear a breathing mask. Her curious examination in trying to discover what had caused the sudden flee of your sickness was cut short after her passing, the answer unknown to you all.
You thought as long as you were out of danger, as long as you had them both, youād be okay. You experienced love, but now you find yourself yearning for more of it ā an experience to carry life that embodies Jake's, and Neytiriās love for you. It is risky, of course, with you being human in a planet unknown to your kindās pregnancy. Especially with the flaws of your heart, but youād already tested the limits the moment you agreed to study this planet. And who are they to deny you? They, along with the scientists that stayed behind with the forest people, and tsahik try to make this possible for you, though your heart inhibited this, and it seems your lovers felt the same.
š°šØš«š ššØš®š§š : 46.8k+ ( I got ahead of myselfā)
š šš§š«š / ššØš§ššš¢š§š¬ : fluff, evolves MAJOR!angst, handful of emotional parts within this, implied smut though not entirely, mentions of blood, miscarriages, sick!reader, pregnant!reader, health issues, doctor talk, flashbacks, MAJOR!character death Jake having a potty mouth, both love reader so much, like love LOVES her so much, baby!Neteyam and Kiri love their mamas so much!! neglecting infant / child, TWINS, bittersweet moments, angst-y bittersweet ending
ššš š¬ : @mrswatermelons-blog @orzo-ryn @peachycrime @tsukicores @cazadordetitanes @xstargayzer @sleepgod182 @skeletondeerart @emmaveale123 @jakesullywhore @spadezrazz @szaontop @rainbowcake1212 @unicornicopia1 @top-crop @zhonglis-missing-wallet @c-evens @merary0815 @innercreationflower @agathaharknessfan96 @lailadabrat @theibisbird @m3g215 @ldrsog @wholelottawidows @boobitchhehe @justcaptiannoodles @angeliclynx @fallenangelii @lazybarbarianrunaway @waitingforanotherpart @a-psych0s-w0rld @im-kaii @tulipatheticee @deadgirlrin
šš¢šÆš¢ššš«š¬ šš² : @cafekitsune !!!
aās note : okay so, bare with me. Weāre going to take a journey within this being practically a dissertation!! I recommend a snack and tissues. Thereās going to be a handful of flashbacks ā from Jake and readerās first meeting, their second meeting, and then their meeting with Neytiri. I debated on making this a mini series considering how thereās quite a few different sceneries added in this story. Iām going to be blunt, I tried and put my all into this so please, please comment your thoughts, and reblog if youād like please!!! I truly hope you enjoy this !!
A deep inhale consumed Jakeās lungs, carefully laying his long frame beside your small lathered body to bask in the sight of your bareness beneath the Tree of Soulsā neon glow. On your other side was Neytiri, the azure complexions of her skin bathed with damp as well, a gentle twitch upon his mouth at seeing her nuzzle against you, her movements tender and delicate. The nightās breeze was cooler than previous nights, but it gifted him with the essence combined from the three of you. He attuned to the concept of making love to you both, the skyās deep blue vastness witnessing and the creatures listening.
āFuck them animals, alright? My only focus is you and you only.ā Heād breathe out while his canines delivered a rather sensual gnaw to the flesh of Neytiriās thigh while his hand stroked his other wifeās skin. It was comical howād the Naāvi before him hissed at him through her blissful facade, scolding her husband for his impudence towards the creation of Eywa, but he simply snickers along while you try containing your own amusement and feignedly glared at him, cooing at your feisty wife in hopes to simmer her down.
Observing the proud outcomes from his physical doing produced a sense of satisfaction in him, no guilt or shame following so because well, why would it ? These are his mates, his girls, and as long as thereās no harm in what he does heās damn proud to have done so.
Dilated gleaming eyes filled with fondness at the sight of you, and thereās no hesitance in his love for you both, but even he knows Neytiri agrees that the sight of you stirs something in them when your much smaller frame is encased between their larger ones. It was more perceptible to see the pleasing splotches depicted across your delicate, clear flesh. It was more mesmerizing to witness how breathless you were, both staring at you in astonishment at how good you did.
āngaru lu fpom srak?ā ( are you well? ) you recognized the stroke of concern in their golden irises, the emotion relevant and always known towards you, and it always ignited your perspired skin on fire the more they both stared at the exact same time. A soft nod is all it takes to thaw their worries away, Jake reaching to hold you close while Neytiri takes part in staring. It still flusters you as if itās the first time; his impassioned touches, her ardent gaze, everything they do is just solely them, theyād practically perfected not only doing the simplest of acts but having you feel them deep within. The softness in Neytiriās eyes scrutinizes your entrails in the most profound manner, absorbing everything you were in this very moment, and everything you desired to be. You enjoyed when she did this, studying you radically, never deficient in its ferocity.
And Jake ⦠well where to begin with him when he touches you? Heās one to display physical affection, no matter the surroundings, no matter his title. He provided you with the heat you craved, the protection you needed; the fulfillment of touching you was something he always took advantage of doing, loving how the wide expanses of his palms splayed across the petite length of any part of your body, letting his long fingers curl around the warm skin with as much delicacy as he could muster. The ability to touch you stirred the poor man though; in the way his tail swayed in anticipation, his heart thumping fervently, his ears flickering with every breathy sound you gifted him with, pupils blown out at the view. It swelled tenfold when his intimate touches enveloped you whole, burning every ounce of flesh upon you in the most exhilarating way.
He knew, they both knew this, and they carry no hesitancy while basking in their affects to decompose you so.
āWhy do you two do this to me?ā A soft giggle rose from you, failing to keep still between them while being practically tortured from their overwhelming acts, and Jake grinned deliberately at this while Neytiriās warm laughter met your ears. A heartily sound she accommodated for her mates alone, only ever letting herself go when in your presence. A faculty of a dream it was to you ā to be marveled at by two angelic like creatures, and yet it hits you that this is your reality.
Neytiriās smile formed a soft pucker, pressing against your glistening temple. āThere is a problem with staring at you, lovely girl?ā Your head shook in response, a hum rumbling up your throat in hence of Jakeās fingers ascending up your bare side, winding around your hip to pull you out of Neytiriās grasp.
Spectrums of gold and green glitter those honed eyes of his, emphasizing the mirth and happiness he was feeling in that moment. āThen we do this because we enjoy it, angel.ā The nickname angel was something heād grown fond of calling you, defending his claim on the word by saying, āwell, what can I say? I thought you were like an Angel to me the second we first met. Thatās so wrong for me to think you're that pretty?ā it earned him a full on laugh and a playful smack across his stomach. He didnāt mind, and you didnāt pry him to stop calling you that. It sounded nice, the way it descended from his lips.
While he practically had you splayed over his body, Neytiri had slid even closer to you both, her kisses continued meeting your temple, used to the way sheād always do it when it was the only patch of skin unveiled from the exomask youād been required to wear before. When the revelation of you no longer needing that mask, Dr. Grace Augustine had you wear it still to see if it would affect you in some sort of way and just in case you reacted badly to being without it, and you wore it for a few months before she realized you didnāt need it anymore. You find it amusing how they forget they now have full access to your bare face now, the feeling growing when they waste no time in touching you there, puncturing each of your features with firm kisses like how Neytiri was doing now as she discreetly turned you away from Jake.
āHey, quit stealing her from me.ā Your laughter met Neytiriās mouth, your line of vision being greeted with the smile he gave her. He shifted onto his side, arm falling around her waist and tugged you both flush against him.
Her head turned away from you and towards him. āYou stole her first.ā Her glaring expression made him chuckle, and you watched as he leaned his forehead into hers, the surface of their noses meeting gently. āTruce.ā
You smile softly and rest your chin down on Jakeās chest, your eyes following the movements of his ears twitching from the breath delivered from her parted lips. Itās truly a moment to witness when he folds upon both your presence. The way he gives in at times, practically liquifying in your palms with the sensations he feels from them.
His arm suddenly tightened around you both, very careful in pressing your body into Neytiriās front in awareness of her toned belly, in awareness that perhaps another would fill her womb. You faced her, āYouāre okay?ā She huffed out a chuckle and laid a palm over your cheek. āI do not think anything bad will happen, ma Y/N. And we have participated in other activities and this is what you worry about?ā
Jakeās and your shoulder lifted in unison, āyes?ā A kiss was delivered to his cheek, and he passed it on to yours. ā it wouldn't be wrong to think that you should have one?ā
Jakeās words, and their consonants alike, seemed to have knocked the wind out from your lungs as you gaped between him and Neytiri in shocking disbelief. āOne as i-in a child?ā
āYeah, why not?ā
Your eyes widened. You had even felt every muscle in Neytiriās body tense against you, the new knowledge surprising you both. It has been 3 months since she gave birth to the firstborn, Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk'itan. A healthy hearted, full and beautiful baby boy every one of you fell in love with the moment he came to view.
āYou'd like to hold our baby boy, angel?ā Jake had spoken, a shocked smile upon his lips at the sight of his firstborn squirming in his hold. Youād wasted no hesitation in reaching out, his stubby body perhaps being the size of a human toddler when he was handed to you. He was hefty to carry, yes, but it had been worth it for the second he gazed at you with those round eyes and his little fingers twined around the length of yours, something ignited within you.
During the months of her pregnancy, it had generated a newfound interest in your heart when you learned from the Tsahik what occurs during a Naāviās gestation process. And then, to everyoneās shock, your dear friendās avatar, Grace Augustine had been impregnated, a beautiful baby girl adopted by the three of you, named Kiri te Suli KƬreysƬ'ite. Precious and pure she was, and somehow she formed a great attachment with you. There it was again, that pure desire to bore.
Even before, subtly bringing up the topic of babies from time to time. The desk in your former tiny room of the old RDA having infant books sprawled across its surface, an old memory book you happened to bring along opened to the parts of your own infancy.
āImagine holding one just the size of your palm, Tiri? Right, they're smaller than Naāvi babies, Jake?ā You had squealed, a bright smile stretched across your face when Jakeās head had popped into your room. Heād only chuckle softly and nod before telling you both to accompany him back to the village while Neytiri sighed and you pouted cutely.
While both had been very cautious about you residing in Pandora after the war, Jake had been more apprehensive than hers, being a far more palpable thing. Itād been present in every decision made, in arguments that sometimes didnāt include you yet were about you between him and Neytiri whenever the topic of amplifying your family beyond Neteyam, you, Neytiri and himself.
āMa Jake, if this is what she desires, do you not think we should grant her this?ā Sheād insist, her heart deeply aware of your longing for motherhood. āWe donāt know if her health will falter its improvementāā
āExactly, we donāt know. No human has ever been pregnant here, let alone one thatās not healthy. Grace couldnāt finish checking her, and I donāt wanna risk it. I ā we canāt risk her, Neytiri. ā
His perturbation wasnāt unconscionable to her, though. She had heard from him, from Norm, and partially from Grace of your well established dreams to carry and birth life, and it was fully supported by her; she understood your yearning, and yet she also understood the residence of her husbandās focus where the complications that could assist pregnancy.
They both were debating whether or not to possibly ask the scientists that had stayed behind with them if theyād be willing to help, but sheād been more hesitant in that apartment because she didnāt have full trust with human technology. Denying you was something they never enjoyed doing, and she wasnāt fond of it either, but she had to agree with Jake that they couldnāt imperil your health.
āJust promise me you wonāt ⦠try motivating this. Neteyam and Kiri are enough for us, for her.ā
āAnd who are we to decide for her ! and what if she takes it in a different wayāā
āNeytiri. Iām not saying to talk badly of it, but donāt push it, please.ā
She doesnāt understand fully, how he manages to cautiously creep around the subject and she sees how it vexes you how leading her to feel the same, especially when you both were mindfully aware more additions to your family was something he wished for as well. Apprehensive of your wellbeing incited his impedance, and despite her wanting whatever it is you wished for, Jake knew she had resistance in her motives as well due to the loss of her sempul and her home. Grief was something he hadnāt been able to process thoroughly for thereād been war, thereād been choices that postponed him from feeling it, but now the probability of experiencing it and the reason being of your loss was one they both werenāt fond of.
You understood them and their reasons, which is why his words jolted through you. It wasnāt common for either of them to lead the topic of a childā because it was always you who brought it to the surface.
āWhatāre you two up to? This better not be some joke.ā You glowered at him, then her, then him again. The edges of Jakeās eyes had channeled from his smile, watching as Neytiriās perplexed face turned a bit ⦠gentle. Irritation fueled in you at the silent conversation floating between their gazes, words whispered in each otherās minds and you wished right there and then to smack Jake just because.
āForget what I saidāā is what sat at the tip of his tongue but his wifeās look of injunction spoke otherwise, and he inwardly collected his words as she took lead, having a slight understanding of what he meant. āWe are up to nothing, my love. We know this is something youāve dreamed of for a long time and we want all your dreams to come true.ā They both wore a smile, Jakeās more broadened than her petite one. You stared longer at him though, because heād been the one more shut off with this, and then at her. This wasnāt one of their ploys, not when they looked at you this way.
Neytiriās effortless way in using her words to reassure you is something youāve yet to grow used to. āH-how long have you been up to this?ā
His laughter met your ears but was quick to suppress it when Neytiriās glare āunknown to youā was shot his way. āYes, Jake? About how long have we been thinking about this?ā It was then you realized she hadnāt been informed of his plans, and you followed along with your own look of suspicion though not without giving her swift one as well.
He cleared his throat, propping his arm up so his cheek now rested over his palm and looked at you both. āWant my honesty?ā
āNo shit Sherlock.ā
āā¦What she has said.ā
āI didnāt really think about it. Not in a committed type of thing, well not before like how you two want to until ⦠well a few minutes ago when we did the deed deed.ā
Your brows rose and Neytiriās mouth twisted. ā You mean to say when you happened to be inside of our Y/N?ā A giggle was shared between you two women, and he had to hold back the eyeroll that was building up. āOkay, when you guys say it like that it just sounds like Iām some pervertāā
Your giggles erupted into full on laughter and it led Jake to groan loudly, flipping onto his stomach and buried his flushed face into his arms. āLook I just want another kid with youāYāknow what, I take it backāā
You looked up at Neytiri, releasing one more giggle before she pushed him onto his back. You smiled and crawled onto his abdomen, raising his jaw to look at you. āYouāre adorable, yāknow that, skxawng?ā Humming, his hands carefully finding their niche over your hips. āYeah, I kinda do.ā
You laughed, gently kissing his lips before hunching over to repeat the same on Neytiriās as she rested her cheek on his shoulder blade. Your weight slid down his torso until your head found solace in the beating within his chest, the hitched thumps his heart created, and your lips curled when Neytiriās palm twined around yours and pressed it to her chest, being met with her own unnatural heartbeat reflecting his; irregular and thrilled they were as it always was after sex. And of course, so was yours, though slightly more steady. It was abnormal though, the difference your heart outdid anyone elseās, for that matter. Between them, you felt a hint of balance within you, for how can your heart not be fine when it pulses in sync with your mates?
āTiri, love, what about you? You want us to have another baby?ā You queried, deeply observing her and she nodded softly. The dark braids cascading down her shoulders fell to her back when she sat up, palms fully enveloping your face. The gleaming specks upon her cheekbones flickered much brighter under Pandoraās glow, accompanied by the tender curve her lush lips stroked. Itās unfair sometimes how breathtaking she is, enough to draw you close to tears, which apparently do so.
The pads of her thumbs lightly dabbed away crystallineālike tears that settled beneath your eyes. Her feline-like nose nuzzled against the bridge of yours, āSrane, tiyawn.ā (yes, love.)
āA baby Iāll have.ā
She nodded once more along with Jake. āA baby youāll have.ā
You glanced down at your lap, chewing on your lip. āAre you sure, you two? You both know how much Iāve been wanting this, how strong i feel about thisāā
Jakeās mouth skimmed across yours, each of their hands cradling your cheeks. The contact startled you yet as instincts, you melted right into them. ā This is something you want, right?ā You nodded, and he smiled, āThen who are we to deny you, baby? We want what you want.ā
He nodded his head at Neytiri, and her palm fell from your cheek, expanding fully over your chest. āYour heart is twined with our own, seykxel txeālan. We, with the will of Eywa, beat as one. Your desires are our desires.ā
Jakeās lips curled over his teeth, baring them into a wide grin and led your hands to each of their chests. āSo have a baby with us, angel. Yeah?ā
Your smile was one brighter than anything Pandora had to offer, face carrying the whole definition of infinite happiness. āYeah.ā
His laughter reverberated throughout the night sky, hoisting himself up to encase you and Neytiri in the tightest and warmest of hugs. Her breathy laughter joined his, and your giggles followed along when Jake kissed you, hard. Before your eyes fluttered closed, you could see the toothy smile Neytiri portrayed, head tilting to the Tree of Souls and softly whispered, āThank you, Great Mother.ā before she joined the gentle assaults in kissing every part of your face while his lips stroked down your body; the curve of your jaw, the side of your neck, the length of your arms. The next thing you know, your back is firmly pressed into Neytiriās chest while Jakeās mouth strode down the flesh of your tummy, an usher of praises filling your ears as his tongue found its destination between your doused essence once again. You didnāt retaliate from them, giving yourself to them as your fingers card through Jakeās long locs and nestled your face within the angle of Neytiriās neck and your euphoric cries from the saccharine sensations of your mates consumed their senses as they demolished you, and each other, entirely.
Being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life wasnāt precisely what Jake intended for. He still wanted to live, wanted to be free in his abilities to do whatever he desired, though apparently being diagnosed with paraplegia can greatly affect oneās plans in life. There were debts he couldnāt afford to pay, such as the surgery that could perhaps mend his damaged spine. Damage caused by major conflicts and deployment to Venezuela while he was there as a Marine. Ex Marine. Tommy Sully, also known as Jakeās twin scientific brother, had tried convincing Jake in letting him guarantee enough money for the surgery so he could get back up on his feet.
āIām not some kind of charity fund, Tom. Back off, I donāt want any of your geek money. Donāt expect me to start walking and give you a hug in excitement.ā
āWill you let go of that damn soldier pride and just let me help you, moron?ā
Jake refused, especially given the harsh nickname to which Tommy could only sigh to, thumb rubbing over his tight temple. āAt least stay in this hospital during the time they tell you to.ā
Wasting his life in a hospital ā which happened to be connected to his twin brother for some reasonā for 11 days wasnāt on the agenda either, and yet here he was, strolling through the stark hallways of this specialized hospital in hopes to find some kind of distraction from all thatās been happening. Joining the United States Marine Corps came with severe consequences, apparently.
An abundance of this building was not only a hospital but some kind of lab, Jake noticed, and it immediately clicked in his brain that Tommy had been one of the scientists upon these teams to construct this. He didnāt want to return to his room just yet and see Tommy standing there, asking him where the hell has he been, so he continued exploring various wings of the facility, a curiosity seeping through him at what his brother had been up to.
There were rooms in which patients were physically injured; prosthetics taking place of a retired soldierās flesh arm and leg, another with a similar case of being paralyzed though this one was quadriplegia, and illnesses he didnāt have a familiarity with, and that once peeking curiosity was washed away by the waves of melancholy and distinguish. Heād admit he didnāt enjoy feeling this way at all, but it was expected considering the field Tommy had described working with. He could only smile so briefly at the patients that caught his gaze in hopes of some sense of comfort.
Jakeās hands were growing used to pushing the large wheels on each of his sides, trying to ignore the sting of soreness that came along with it while he rolled himself down different paths. He then found himself going through a childrenās section, and it twisted something in him, frowning at the thought of them suffering through things that werenāt supposed to occur to them. While the world had evolved into something advanced, it was menacing as well due to the ones now in charge, shaping the world into something dimmer. These kids shouldnāt have to pay the price for that, he thought.
Then there was a ward of infants, and that warped a different sense that the other wards he had previously traveled through. A tiny sense of hope, tinged with sadness, resided in his chest. The chance of them surviving in this new world seemed no good, if anyone asked him. He really shouldnāt be there, thinking what would become of them. But he couldnāt help staying in front of and leaning into the glass window, chin jutting out and peering at the newborn babies behind it, and he couldnāt resist the smile crawling onto his face.
āYou guys were born in the wrong time,ā he whispered, words fogging the brim of the glass. āYou need good caring.ā A finger rose to it, its pad gently swiping over before lingering there for a moment, right beside where a babyās gentle face came to view. Never was he one to desire children, and even if he did it seemed to come with difficulties now that he became paralyzed from the waist down. Still, it didnāt take away the astonishment he felt when looking at them.
Amongst his awe, a proximity of a presence grazed beside Jake, and accompanying this presence came a fragrance enriched with citrus-like and something floral. The combination was potent enough to tug his attention.
Jakeās gaze transferred from the babies up to the body of a young woman standing questionably close to him. They both were the only ones present in front of the window, and there was plenty of space for the both of them to stand a good amount apart. He knew he shouldnāt be one to talk, but he grew entertained at how she had to hitch up on the points of her toes to peer farther into the window, completely enchanted by each of the three rows of babbling infants and their soft squirming. She looked cute, if he was being honest.
Cyan eyes observed her: a gown colored stark white draped her form, similar to the one he wore, stopping just right below the ankles, and the ex marine smirked slightly at the long socks hugging her feet; mix-matched colors yet fuzzy enough to distract from the distinct coloring. The color of her hair was bold, brilliant and adorably disheveled. The complexion of her skin was a little pallid, but he could make out the warmness of her skinās color, stealing the manās air he once inhaled.
Jake had never seen eyes so wide, so alive. Those very eyes scanned the babiesā tiny writhing bodies that were carefully enveloped in blankets, an adoration and something he recognized as a want within them. The girl right before him, portrayed a beauty that was too fucking rare for this world. Too delicate, too angelic and pretty, as though she was created to astound. She astounded Jake, the satirical comment he had made earlier of walking out of excitement returning to his mind, thinking that it may actually come to life if he kept feeling this way and looking at her.
Every muscle in him halted movement, and despite the efforts to wrap his fingers around the wheels and push, his hands remained still over them, wheels steady over the gray flooring. Jakeās lips compressed into a thin line and his eyes continued watching the woman smile ā that damn smile ā and felt his heart practically leap out of his chest.
āI agree with what you said.ā Her voice, soft and sweet, steady and spoken to him, chirped as she held onto the steel metal of an IV pole. Soft and sweet, a sound heād never been used to hearing but now, he found himself absorbing it, clinging onto it.
His silence was terribly loud and thickening, and he blinked. Swallowed. Then repeated the action a few more times. Say something, dipshit. āYeah?ā
A light chuckle burned through his ears, rattling his heart. āYeah. But you wanna know what makes it easier for them to get the care they deserve?ā
What the hell were words anyway? Jake thought as he searched his brain for a response to her question. Her smile was full of mirth as she saw his reflection on the window, how his mouth moved then closed, then opted for a small nod.
āItās easy to just fall in love with them at first glance. I mean, whoād deny these pure babies?ā She questioned in disbelief, and if Jake was sure he wasnāt delusional about it, he saw how she scooted a bit closer, her forearm brushing his shoulder. āAnd Iām sure they love you immediately, and when you realize that they do, that this tiny human is capable of loving you and needs you, it isnāt hard to provide them with care and love.ā
Jake bobbed his head once more, not sure how to respond to such words, simply staring at her stunned. Stunning was another thing that fit her, he was sure of it.
āThatās how life goes, yeah? Well, if life was with a bit moreā¦.simplicity that maybe itās possible. Love could, and can be more simple. Am I right?ā She didnāt once look towards Jakeās direction, her pretty face focused on these newborns she loved so much the entire time, and it surprised him how much love could build in such a short span of time. Then of course, he didnāt know her. Maybe sheād been here longer than he has, for all he could make out.
He muttered a small āyeah, you areā with a jumbled up mind, trying to process each word, memorize every syllable uttered in them. He felt confused, unrecognizable to why heās behaving in such a way. Well, he knew why; he was captivated by a pretty, very pretty angelās presence. But this angel didnāt brush his presence off though because of his condition, she acknowledged him very ordinarily. Foreign was the sensation, and the precipitance of its arrival startled his nerves.
The woman finally turned, slightly dipping her head down and glanced at him briefly before looking back at the babies, and Jake noticed how the back of her hand pressed into his bicep. Weird but comforting it felt for him. He wanted that weirdness to last a bit more.
āWell, see ya.ā Two words and she, along with her touch, was off. The only thing left of her in his atmosphere was the aroma she carried.
Jake found himself enjoying this, inhaling deeply while faintly smiling to himself, āSee ya.ā
She was long gone by now, but her affinity lingered there and in his mind. He returned to his room later that day and of course, Tommy had been there, Jakeās smile still noticeable, and his brother couldnāt help but raise a brow, āSo now you like the hospital?ā
He only smirked, leading himself to his lanky bed to avoid his flushed face from being seen as he recalled the angel who was the cause of it, āLoving it, actually.ā
The morning after that night, Jake had awoken without mentioning it; gently shaking you and Neytiri awake, informing you both that you had to head back to the village and Neteyam and Kiri who had stayed with his grandmother. Neytiri, to your surprise, didnāt speak of it either. She did have a hinge of frustration in her eyes, but kept a soft smile nonetheless.
You did, however, catch them having one of their silent conversations over your head on the way back. Once you had arrived, Jake had gathered his firstborn in his arms while pecking his head, Neytiri cooing at him as he sported a gummy smile before extending his arms out towards her. And Kiri, she was entirely focused on you while Moāat held her, stretching her little arms your way. The moment you carried her with a wide smile, you caught the glimpse of their expressions, Neytiriās pointed stare while Jakeās stayed neutral though the tension radiated off him. Moāat had still been present, her forehead creased at her daughter and son-in-lawās shifted behavior. The Tsahik glanced at you in question, and you gave a small eye roll to say, ā nothing majorā which she caught onto. She did have a particular idea of what was the reason towards this, but she wanted it to hear from you considering you are the main part of it.
The topic was neglected during your morning meal, with Jake tugging you out of your spot between them and onto his lap as always, and Kiri on your lap while Neytiri held Neteyam on her own, her free hand slipping through yours, as always, while you all dived into your food.
You watched them, longed for their words only to be proved useless when Jake settled you down and placed a quick kiss on each of your heads before attending to his duties as Oloāeyktan. And Neytiri ⦠she didnāt even attempt to bring it up either. Simply either going on with other topics, asking you to assist her in duties, or doing a few of her tasks on her own, later on heading out after placing a soft kiss on your temple and leaving you with the babies in your arms.
His little fingers wrap around your pointer one, round amber eyes looking at it in wonder while his pure babbles floated as if speaking to you. ā youāre quite the talker for a newborn, arenāt you, baby boy?ā You cooed, and this he stayed silent at before his baby talk grew louder and as he adjusted himself in an almost straight sitting position. It was normal, you'd have been told, for babies of Pandora to become more adapted after a few days of being birthed, it still astonished you every time you saw the two wide awake, heads turning fully and inspecting their surroundings. You glanced at Kiri, chuckling to see her chin dipping down when her hands found a firm grip around the handcrafted necklace Neytiri happened to woven, just for you. You stared at the two with a small smile, being so wrapped up in your wandering mind that you didn't even realize Moāat had entered, approaching you and her grandchildren slowly.
ā MaāIte, āupe lu tƬsraw ngeyƤ?ā ( daughter, what is the matter?) Moāat crooned softly and your eyes snapped up. Sheād taken part in calling you ādaughterā following the mournful events of her husband, of her home, and of the battle against the āSky Peopleā. She didnāt care if you were one of them, she valued the way you cared for her people, for her daughter, and you never expected becoming so close with their spiritual leader and be so favored by the people, yet that became your life.
āNothing, Ma Tsahik.ā You glanced down at the two, your legs criss-crossed as they both were supported by not just your arms but legs as well. You lightly moved your legs beneath the babiesā weight earning a tiny squeal from Kiri while Neteyam beamed. You smiled and lifted your head only to be greeted with her narrowing her eyes. āDo not contempt me with formality, child.ā
Your head slightly dipped, āIām sorry, ma saānok. ( mother ) I didnāt mean that Iām justā¦ā you paused, chewing on your lower lip for a moment. āIām just frustrated. And confused.ā Moāat now settled down beside you, hand falling to stroke the patch of dark hair upon Kiriās head and sheās quick to look at her grandmother, smiling brightly before returning her attention to the accessories around your neck.
āAbout?ā She pressed, a warm smile turning into one of concern and awareness from your silence. āIs it my daughter and Jake?ā
You bobbed your head, blowing out a deep breath. āIām married to two stubborn people.ā A low hum left Moāat, motioning for you to hand her Neteyam.
āIām sorry,ā you added, grunting when you lifted him up. āYou are getting heavy, āTeyam.ā You playfully glowered at him when he was in his grandmotherās arms, and he heaved out a soft giggle from the sensations your fingers created to his sides. āI donāt mean any offense towards Neytiri.ā
Moāat chuckled softly, propping him on her lap, āDo not apologize, while my daughter is smart, she can be very thick headed when she wants. And as for Jakesully⦠it is common for him to be that way. But I am a mother, Y/N,ā She explained, face softening as she looked over Neteyamās familiar features, then at Kiriās. āI notice the small things, even with you. We may not be the same species or from the same world, but Eywa placed you in our people, my family, my care.ā
āI have known you for a fair amount of time,ā she continued. āWhat age were you when you first arrived?ā
ā19. Well, 5 years had passed, so 24.ā She nodded in acknowledgment, āAnd now you are 4 and twenty, though physically you are around 9 and ten, correct?ā You nodded, āSrane, ma saānok.ā ( yes, mother ) She smiled triumphantly at her knowing, ā I have heard of this sickness of yours from Grace, how it has been with you throughout your entire life until you came here. Perhaps this is not what you want to hear, but if you think your mates are stubborn, then you have not been paying close attention.ā She softly chastised.
āBut, saānok, I do pay attention, believe me I do! I understand that theyāre worried andāā youāre quick to be cut off by her firm tone of voice. āBut at the same time, they do not have authority over what you wish to do, Y/N. If you want to bore children, and if they have already given you three the opportunity to try, then you have the right to confront them about it. Do you understand, āite?ā
A long finger tilted your chin up, and your mouth quirked at her words, nodding. āIrayo, ma saānok.ā ( thank you, mother ) She returned your smile, head bowing. Your brows suddenly furrow, peering up at her in question. āHow did you knowāā
āTsahik, child. Do not underestimate my role.ā She quipped, a flicker of humor dancing in the very eyes your mate inherited. āBesides it is written quite clearly across their faces whenever they see you with the children.ā
You laughed, āFair enough.ā
Her hands engulfed Neteyamās sides, tugging him away from her garments that he found entertainment in fiddling with thanks to Kiri, and lifted the boy up. āAh, look at youā¦ā she murmured softly. āThe eldest, and then there is you, ma Kiri,ā The little girl stared up at her grandmother, ears twitching at the sound of her name. āā¦it would only be fair if you had some sort of company equal to your size, no?ā Your cheeks flushed, smiling widely when they both turned towards you, almost impossibly knowing, and āTeyam extended his tiny arms your way.
āSo you do wish to have children.ā She didnāt need an answer for this, of course, for she was also one to know about your greatest wishes, and supported them greatly. Your eager nod was all it took for her smile to widen, bringing Neteyam back down and placed him on your lap while hoisting Kiri up. āThen it is decided.ā Her hand cradled the side of your face in a maternal manner, āMay Eywa bless you with your heartās desires, and that she supports them, and you in every way that is possible.ā
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
āAre you serious about this, ma Jake?ā Is the first thing uttered by Neytiri the second they are out of your presence. Her voice tried containing firmness, though it lacked the emotion and perplexity of her husbandās words, of his laid back demeanor when he first said them to the both of you the night before. It wasnāt common for her to not be able to observe his thoughts due to his facial expressions practically tattling them, but now he was awfully silent and too pensive for her likings.
āJake!ā
The tight grasp she gave his arm and the harsh yell of his name blinked him back to reality, turning towards her and is greeted with the a mixture of emotions across her precious face; an unsteady balance of sadness and happiness that didnāt know which one to choose, whether for the outcomes or the fact that heās actually finally approving of you birthing a child.
āWhatās wrong, baby?ā Her glabrous brows inclined and her eyes broadened in a manner that Jake knew very well meant an injunction to his plastered cluelessness. He unleashed a heavy breath and raised his hand to shove it through his thick locs, āAlright. You got me⦠I don't know why I said that.ā
A smack, hard and full of pain, contacted the skin of his chest and it took everything in him to not subconsciously let out a cuss word in his rather feisty wifeās face. āW-why would youā Neytiri! S-stop smacking me and hear me outāā
āKehe! ( no! ) You deserve this, how are you going to say you didnāt know why you say what you say, you skxawng!ā Her hits met his forearms as they were held out in front of him, stumbling and trying to back away from her. āOkay, baby hold on, just hold onā Neytiri, okay yāknow back on Earth thereās a phrase, āviolence is not the damn answerā ! Ever heard of it?ā
A hiss seethed past her teeth, nose scrunching in distaste. ā Violence seems to be the only way you listen! Or maybe it just makes you more stupid!ā
He was now trapped between the forestās wide trees, he stayed still and her hitting halted for a brief moment, but Jake wasted no time in grabbing ahold of her forearms and switching their positions; a thrashing Neytiri was now pressed against the rich wood of the tree, while he muttered hushed, comforting words in her ear in pleading hopes to try and get her to calm down.
She eventually did, though the familiar stroke of her irritation when theyād first met was there, assisted by other feelings, but that somehow bolded her every pretty feature; confusion to why heās feigning, anger for rushing into saying things without her consent and hurt for leaving you hanging knowing already how you awaited for them both to bring it up and it tormented her within how she went along with whatever the moron of her husband did.
Cautiously, so very fucking cautiously, he let go of her, one hand falling over her waist while the other gently gripped her chin. āAre we okay now?ā
She blinked a few times and watched the confusion and concern riddling Jakeās features. Her lower lip slightly protruded and trembled, and her forehead creased the way it always did when in distress. The trinkets embedded in her braids swayed harshly at the head shake she gave him, and he felt his chest churn at the motion.
āJake, did you not see how she looked at us?ā Neytiriās heart ached at the flash of your face, throat tightening, and in came the now stinging sensation of tears in her eyes. āShe looked hurt, she is hurt because of us,ā Her finger rose and punctured firmly into Jakeās chest with every word and tried to ignore the way his face scrunched for a second, ābecause of how you got her hopes up, because of how I went along with your foolish lies, because of how we both know how much she wanted this! Stupid!ā
Wave after wave crashed among Jakeās mind and heart, eyes falling shut as he welcomed the tiny jabs his wife took at him. He understood what she meant, and he understood that she ā and you ā had every right to be upset with him. He didnāt want to hurt either of you, but he did it for a cause. He didnāt think itād affect you this much overnight, then again, as his wife said: They both know how much you want this. He knew why she stated what she did, and even he was aware as much as she was of why he stated what he did; he aspires to it as much as you and her do.
The disappointment he felt with himself didnāt help with the abundance of emotions he carried already. He strongly cursed himself aloud for making you feel this way, but there was something more added as to why he did what he did, besides the fact that he was doubtful with your once endangered health.
He swallowed, hard, face easing, āI am sure about this.ā
Neytiriās current finger stabbing his chest came to a stop. āAbout?ā
āShe wants a baby,ā Jakeās shoulder lifting made Neytiriās eyes widened. āItās like we said last night, a baby weāll have.ā
Her lips parted, slowly forming a full āoā that made him want to laugh, and her fingertips raised to cover her mouth with the weight of his words. āDid I hit you too hard?ā
This time he didnāt resist the laughter bubbling up his chest, leaning in until their foreheads kissed. āNah, baby. You hit me enough times to get my act together.ā He breathed out, smiling tenderly when her hands hesitated in reaching out for him, curling around his sides, orbs glowing with forgotten tears. āYou are serious? No jokes? No delays?ā
A wide grin curved the edges of Jakeās lips, his hand shifting to cradle her jaw and the other pulled her close. Neytiriās breathing hitched at the sound of his chuckle floating through her flickering ears.
His gaze darted between her eyes and lips, not sure which was more worthy of his attention. āNo delays, honey. I want this, with the both of you ⦠I didnāt say anything just yet in the morning because I wanted us to give her a little surprise.ā
Her head tilted, curious to what he meant. āAnd that is?ā He grinned once more, kissing her softly before gently tugging her off the treeās surface. āCāmon. Letās head to the old RDA.ā
The glimpse of Jakeās smile reflected from the window in front of him, keeping his eyes on the newborns heād gotten fond of watching for the past 6 days. Though if someone were to ask him ( that someone being Tommy ) he wouldnāt have admitted the entire reason emitted as to why he kept returning to that particular side of the RDAās hospital. But to be quite frank, watching them did establish a sense of tranquility within him, an adorable diversion from his main reason to visit.
Heād never been one for patience, but the stubbornness he was born with benefited him well in this case as he strained himself to stay, not lifting a single finger to touch the wheels at his sides. But he was beginning to lose the hope assisting that patience; hope for that young girlās presence to show up and just let him feel all kinds of things, really good things that he hasnāt felt in a long ass time. While these cute babies slightly entertained him, they couldnāt fill the rest of his mind that had been wholly consumed by her from the moment they first met. During these times of days, theyād be side by side, with her arm occasionally straying near his shoulder while he anticipated it, or he admired the way she transported a tiny, foldable stool that allowed her to sit by him. The usual dread he carried with him vanished with the thought of her, from the rise of dawn to coming nightfall. Even behind his eyelids, once dreamless sleeps were replaced with the bright colors of her appearance.
He exhaled deeply, rolling his wheels back and was about to take a turn to leave until the hallway echoed with steady footsteps followed by a screeching sound of something grinding onto the ground. He grimaced, carefully turning his wheelchair in the resumance of its position in front of the window and there it was, the purpose of his visit; her.
āLeaving so soon?ā
She hadnāt glanced or moved towards Jakeās direction as she settled on her white stool but even so, he found himself with his tongue tied and his breath twisted in his gut from hearing her utter only those simple 4 words.
āWell I, uh, was, but I guess I can stick around. Donāt wanna leave you alone.ā His chest puffed out and smirked proudly at his ability to form not one but two whole sentences, but he still couldnāt help feeling all warm and gooey inside when the young woman laughed softly at his choice of words. āWhat? Youāre staying by my side now?ā
She caught the reflection of his grin, āSure you can say that.ā She hummed and nodded at his words in acknowledgement while he went oblivious to the glee that coursed through her. āSo you were waiting on me.ā It was more of a statement rather than a question, but he agreed.
āYeah.ā His head slanted slightly up, watching how she looked at those babies with the same expression as always. They stayed quiet for a comforting moment, his deep breath of release being the only thing floating in the air right now.
But while he may have looked as he carried a calm demeanor, inside he was startled when he turned to look at her. He came to terms that he indeed did like her, a lot as a matter of fact, but somehow it seemed like it was more than just likeness.
āSo whyāre you here?ā Curious orbs glanced down at Jake with a spasm of a tiny smile on her mouth.
His brow hitched and gave himself a look over as if the wheelchair he was in apparently didnāt indicate as to why he was in the hospital. She laughed, a sheepish sound he found himself smiling at, ā what I mean is the reason why youāre in that wheelchair.ā
He chuckled for a short moment before nodding. āI was a part of the USMC. The United States Marine Corps.ā He added, and she threw him a quick glance that said ā well no shit Sherlockā and he smiled briefly. āThere were some issues down in Venezuela, and I was one of the many involved that got injured. My spinal cord is messed up ⦠and obviously, ā he patted his thin legs, āthese too.ā
He saw how her brows knitted together and her former smile turned into a frown. āIām sorry.ā He didnāt like being the cause of that, and he sighed when she said, ādid they offer you surgery to fix your paralysis? Isnāt your brother a part of this facility?ā
āThey did, and he is, but I declined both him and the offer.ā His blue eyes caught hers when she glanced at him, letting her gaze linger for a few seconds that felt like eternity for him. He detected a strange strike of something in her pretty irises, something that concerned him until she tore away from him. ā It's been six days since weāve met. Six days youāve been coming over here, and not once did you ask me why am I here.ā
Jakeās brows rose to his hairline, surprised by the sudden shift of topic but didnāt mind it whatsoever. āWhy are you here?ā He didnāt mean for it to come off as blunt or disrespectful, but blunt was his voice of nature. He quickly looked at her, not sure if she had caught onto it or not. The thought of why she was here never really crossed his head, he only mimicked the question out of both confusion and hopes to change the topic.
ā I have a weak heart.ā
Jake didnāt understand the meaning behind her words. Sure, he wasnāt exactly an expert of human anatomy, hell he could barely comprehend the damage done to his own body. How can she have a weak heart if here she was, standing tall and beaming as if a miracle had occurred right before her very eyes, speaking to him as if normalcy had happened through their lives? āHuh?ā
āI donāt have a strong heart, Jake. The worldās air isnāt clean enough for my system, so this hospital is the next best thing for my health. So because of this āpoorā heart, I canāt do the things I really, really want. I thought you maybe wanted to know, but never asked just to not come off as nosy.ā
āWait, what? I donāt mean to come off that wayāā
She chuckled softly at his dubious expression only for it to grow. Yeah, he noticed the IV pole she tended to have attached with her in every corner she turned, but it never occurred to him to ask her or his brother, which now that he thought of it, he did have the chance to, but that never was his main focus. Heād been so captivated by the way she carried herself and how she had managed to slither her way within his veins.
āIf I had the chance to somehow fix the way my heart works, Iād take it.ā She admitted, a soft utterance he wouldāve found relief in if it hadnāt been for the true translation of her words; āIf I was in your place, Iād take that chance.ā which unveiled the main translation, āTake the chance youāve been given, because thereās others who donāt ever receive it.ā
āIf that heart of yours is so weak, how come youāre able to talk with a lot of meaning?ā
Her sudden direct turn made him smirk softly, capturing his gaze for a much longer time than these past 6 days. He let himself admire her full face, noticing how she, too, lost herself in the blue swirls of his eyes, as if searching for something within them. He didnāt plan to ask such a question, but the way she looked at him surged a positive thrill through him. Her eyes diverted from his for a second, face flushing. ā My heart likes to be heard, I guess. Itās the seat of our emotions, isnāt it? Emotions should be heard.ā
His smirk morphed into a full on grin now. āSee, there it is again. You wanna know what I hear when you speak that heart of yours?ā
Her head sloped to the side in intrigue, and it took all his upper strength to not lose his words. āAn angel. A very pretty one with a clear voice.ā he pointed out, and leaned his upper body closer to hers. āSo imma tell you this. Iāll accept this surgery because of this angel, but on one condition.ā
His pointer finger stuck out in front of his face and was visibly pleased at the way her twinkling eyes darted between his and the finger between them. āAnd whatās that?ā she breathed out.
The digit that was currently extended in the air was accompanied by the others, and with the permission her eyes gave him, he allowed them to brush across the skin of her cheek. Jakeās grin waived into much gentle one when she leaned into his touch, and his voice was barely above whisper. āThat you stop talking so down on that angelās heart. How can you say itās weak when her words come from there, sounding so smart and pretty?ā
She chewed on her lower lip, corners of her mouth curving upward at the honesty coloring his face. āI think I wanna marry you, Marine.ā
āYouād spend your life attached to a wheelchair instead of me, angel.ā He chortled while cupping her cheek and enjoyed the way those eyes looked at him, mirroring his own enamorment.
1 week. 1 week, 5 days, and 9 hours had passed ensuing the conversation between Jake, Neytiri, and you about continuing a family, and you getting the Tsahikās eternal blessing.
Days exuded into scorching afternoons into brilliant nights, and your body sizzled with the passing of time in irritation the longer they proceeded being oblivious to your clear frustrations. Tonight though, youād decided youād had enough of the waiting, and enough of this promise that forever remained empty. The foreseeable subject with your mates would be one that manufactured outcomes.
You, with the admirable help of your mother-in-law, prepared their favorite meals; Jake had taken a liking to teylu assisted with vegetables, though if you were to be frank it was like feeding a child, how he picked apart the sweet grub from the vegetables only for Neytiri and you to scold him; while Neytiri was the one who was never critical of what she ate, as long as it was Naāviās traditional foods and made with attentiveness, she was more than willing to consume it. Prepping meals for them was one of the many things they admired from you, given their engaged schedule, and making something extra came in handy when you wanted a little something from them. It didnāt fail you before, so why should it tonight?
āTell us about your day, txeālan. Are you alright?ā Neytiri queried when she took notice of the anxious movement your fingers would occasionally stray to the accessories decorating your collarbones. Seeing this, she reached over, delicately lacing her fingers with yours and gave a small squeeze. She picked up a deep liking to the way your fingers were adorned with multiple silver rings, always toying with them in wonder.
There was a specific one she enjoyed to look at, and it was the one around your ring finger, little fragments of trinkets embedded and shaped into a pair of wings, and the story of how you had gotten it always made her smile softly while Jake would blow out into a full on grin, knowing they were the ones behind the story; sort of like an engagement ring. It was a lovable act from them both, the two of the most lovable mates you could ever ask for.
Trying to sustain a firm demeanor was resulting to be an impracticable goal the longer your gaze stayed fixated on your locked hands, smiling very briefly at how her three fingers wrapped around yours, thumb rubbing gentle circles over your skin. Your smile became inevitable when Jake came into your view, sitting next to Neytiri with Neteyam and Kiri bouncing happily on his lap while both took turns curiously tugging on their fatherās dark locs, Neteyam mostly, and very curiously, tapping the accessories Jake had around the middle of his neck. āHey, watch it,ā he playfully scolded, then returned his gaze to you. āYeah, how was your day, angel? Did these two gremlins give you any trouble?ā
Your mouth curled before taking a small and final bite of your food. āIt was nice. Kiri was curious, as always, grabbing everything, relentless as usual. Right, beautiful girl?ā Her round eyes crinkled in the way her birth motherās would when sheād smile, and you chuckled softly before turning to the other. āāTeyam was very good and quiet, right, my little warrior?ā He reflected your wide smile, and it took everything in you to not squeal in excitement at how his smile resembled his mama Neytiriās.
āThought I was your warrior.ā Jake frowned at you, of course he did. You could tell by his tone of voice, by the gruff tone he implied.
You let your eyes flicker up at him, and inside you were now debating whether or not Neteyam looked more like his father or mother by the way his wide eyes looked up at him and mimicked Jakeās pout, Kiri stretching out a tiny fist and pounded Jakeās cheek. Neytiri chuckled, fingers covering her mouth while you squirmed in resistance, only to break in defeat when you caught a glimpse of her beautiful smile. One that crinkled her bright irises, the creases slightly prominent due to her happiness.
āYouāre my protector,ā you corrected, and he hummed with an arched brow. āDoesnāt that indicate a warrior too?ā His stare bounced between you and Neytiri, and you chuckled. āNeytiri is my other warrior, my breathtaking warrior,ā you cheeked, laughing when both their expressions were complete opposites from the other. Hers beamed and his frowned. āhey thatās not fair, I can be breathtaking for youāā
āBut you are not,ā Neytiri chirped, tease edged in her voice as she smirked at the small glare he gave her before looking back at you. āSo Iām not breathtaking?ā Neytiriās chuckle tugged one out of you and you couldnāt help but chew on your lip when you looked at Jake. Honed gaze, current frowning mouth tilting slightly up when he realized your expression, and gosh he was beautiful. āStupidly beautifulā, Neytiri had once commented, and he had taken that as a strong complement minus the stupid. Of course he was breathtaking, he himself knew this from the way your face screamed how unfairly gorgeous he was.
āYouāre staring, babygirl.ā
You glanced down with a sheepish smile. āYeah, I know.ā His smile increased into a big grin as he laughed along with Neytiri until his cut into a grunt of pain when Kiri tugged harder onto his hair. ā Girl, calm your ass downāow!ā
āDo not say those things around babies, skxawng!ā
The scene before you flooded your brain with the image of them with an additional child. Little girl, maybe little boy, who shared the same pure mischief as their older sister and silent wonder of the older brother, both containing that happiness that your mates both carried in this moment, squealing, giggling, running across your homeās grounds as Jake chased them, sitting between Neytiriās legs as she styled their hair, staring up at their parents in wonder while lying between you three in your large hammock, laughing with every lame joke Jake would make while they snuggled into each otherās warmth. They were already wonderful parents given the weeks, almost a month since Neteyamās and Kiriās birth. They could at least handle one more, given the love and patience they had with the babies, with each other, with you.
āSo⦠speaking of babies,ā
Neytiriās hold on you tightened and you couldnāt decide if whether the twitch spasming the corners of her lips was to contain its act of lifting or falling, while Jake made what could be a grunt in the back of his throat, rising to his feet while cooing whatever talk he could to his kids. āWe werenāt really speaking about babies? It started with Neytiri asking about your day, then we drifted to breathtaking and how I am indeed that.ā
āIām not playing, Jake.ā You henced, but it seems he didnāt get the message by the mirth in his irises. āMe too!ā
āJake.ā Your other lover warned, a stern look when the two made eye contact. Your brow rose at the silence they shared, a sigh leaving him before looking back at you, but the amusement still lied in his face. Youād be lying if you said you didnāt feel some sort of defeat at how this conversation has started, but gratefully you had Neytiri by your side and the both of you knew very well he always used his sense of humor to shift the subject in a whole other direction. You sensed that Neytiri was about to tell him something more, but the firm clench of your fingers around hers halted her from doing so.
āYou donāt remember what we were talking about the other night? What you said so suddenly to Neytiri and I?ā
His stare tilted to the sky, this time not fighting off Kiri pulling to his hair as he hummed as if in thought. āWe talk every night, and yāknow me and my mouth say whatever, so I think one of you should remind me.ā Vexation flared into you, rolling your eyes towards Neytiriās direction, expecting to see her with the same expression you carried only for your annoyance to increase and perplexity assist it from her too bright smile.
Her expression only seemed to have grown when you ripped away your touch from her and stood up. A sigh of exasperation left your lips already comprehending the fact that they were up to something. āYou two, I donāt have time for games. Jake, for once, no jokes and Neytiri, please just tell me whatās going on!ā You practically stomped your way towards Jake and took Kiri from him, oblivious to the confused babble leaving the baby from losing contact with her dadās odd hair, while he watched you in amusement when you returned for Neteyam after setting her down in a handmade cradle. She took interest in playing with the material, cooing at it cutely.
Neytiri would be lying if she said this wasnāt at least fun to watch, how riled up you became, but she also wanted Jake to speed up whatever it is heās doing so they can finally get on with it. āNeytiri, darling, I kinda remember having a talk with y'all. But then again, between our girl making all those pretty sounds and us talking, itās kind of a blur, donāt ya think, baby?ā There was that shit eating smirk stretched across his face, and Neytiri threw him a look of warning when you silently walked away from them with Neteyam in your arms.
You kneeled down to place him beside his sister, a small toy Jake crafted for his baby boy before his birth being the focus of Neteyamās entertainment as you stood up, gazing down at them with a small smile. The opening tone in Jakeās voice let you know there was more to be added, and it would be a lie to say you weren't curious about where they planned to drive this conversation. But you didnāt look at them, not when you were trying to control your emotions by staring at two of the four sources of your tranquility, because the other two happen to be the ignition of that irritation.
The sound of clinking beads swayed in the air, and just when you were about to turn you felt the tall presence lumbering behind you. You couldnāt help huffing out a chuckle when that presence came down to crouch behind you, the length of two gentle arms wrapped around your torso. You looked down to those familiar arms, recognizing they belonged to Neytiri before even looking at them. Your eyes traced the way three of her fingers twined across your bare stomach, how her palms pushed very lightly into your flesh, and you exhaled. Tension had entangled you up way before she had even touched you, all because of a ceaseless conversation that never gave you anything in favor, but you couldnāt resist mollifying the second your wife touched you ā because of course, who would not mollify for Neytiri?
āNeytiri.ā
āI remember well what we talked about,ā A soft kiss met the angle of your jawline, soon moving down and stopped just right below your necklace before placing her chin over your shoulder, and that unique, earthy smell that was solely her consumed your inhales. āIt is unlikely for our Jake to bring up moreā¦babies, or am I wrong, tiyawn?ā
āNeytiri.ā
Stern was more of a whine in your voice, and when she chuckled, it jittered through you to the point where you felt it to your bones, practically vibrating every ounce of your frustration away. āI know he can beā¦what you say a pain in the ass, but he is only teasing.ā
āYeah angel,ā another voice chirped into the conversation, larger palms sliding just right above Neytiriās. āYou really think Iām capable of forgetting about our important talk?ā
āNo but youāre capable of changing the subject while Neytiri just stays quiet, and in my opinion thatās even more frustrating than if you forget.ā
āForgive me, my beautiful girl,ā Neytiri voiced, and her soft yearn indicated she truly was sorry for her actions. āBut, I had reason to do it.ā
The hum Jake slurred out practically yelled he had that stupid grin on his face. āIf Iāve been changing it and Tiriās been quiet, you think we wouldāve stopped by to visit Norm and the other geeks and made arrangements for next week?ā
Your eyes turned big and rounder than they usually were when you swiveled in Neytiriās arms to look at them, face inches away from hers while Jake stood knelt beside her. āIām sorryā you two did what?ā
āYa heard me, angel .ā Jake carried a wide, prideful smile ā Neytiriās more anticipating your reaction as her tail swished behind her, and it only widened with every passing second your eyes darted between the two, not knowing what to say just yet. When everything clicked, and you couldnāt contain reaching over towards Jake and smacking him hard across the head while lightly tugging one of Neytiriās braids.
āOw! What the actual fuāā Two smacks, one accompanied by Neytiri, met his chest this time when Neteyamās big eyes looked at his father, though Kiri seemed unfazed.
āThe first was for making me think you lied,ā You looked at Neytiri, āThat was for not saying anything,ā then back at Jake, āand the other was for almost dropping an f bomb on your kids.ā
āOur kids are too young to process what the f word really meansā but okay I get what youāre saying ā¦ā
ā Our intention are never to hurt you, txeālan. When have we ever lied?ā Neytiri murmured, pulling you back into her embrace while Jake tried soothing the pain of his head and chest. You couldnāt help rolling your eyes at his overreacted tactics, but leaned into your wife, āNeverā¦I think.ā
Her thumb and pointer finger gently grabbed ahold of your chin and tilted your head up to meet her gaze. Her tone was softer, steady and hushed the way it always did when speaking only to you. āThen why lie now?ā
āWe havenāt talked about this in almost over a week and I just didnāt want to push you into something you donāt want.ā Delicate as a whisper were your words; each syllable trembling from your lips, hesitant and uncertain as if afraid to be heard. With a slight bow of your head, you almost surrendered to your timidity but your wife was not fond of it at this moment, elevating your chin up once more, savoring the pure beauty you conveyed and the way your lower lip curled between your teeth.
āWe have told you; your desires are our desires. Again, forgive me for keeping quiet. I just ā¦ā her forehead creased, mouth parted slightly as she tried searching for the correct words. āI didnāt know how to bring it upā¦how to help give you what you wish. It was wrong to do this without you butā¦ā
āI asked her not to because we wanted this to be a surprise,ā he smiled, palm enveloping your cheek before that mischief snuck its way across his face. āBesides, we also wanted to see how long it would take you to crack,ā
āI told you, ma Jake. She is better than you expect.ā Neytiri grinned, and this time you couldnāt contain your own smile. Jake peered down at the kids and hummed, causing you and Neytiri to looked down as well only to see their eyes fluttered shut, curling into one another as their little mouths parted as soft exhales and inhales rose from their chubby bodies.
āSo now that theyāre asleepā¦ā
You squealed when he roughly pulled you out of Neytiriās grasp, Neytiri about to protest until he too lifted her in his arms. āJake!ā
āShh, donāt wanna wake the babies up,ā His long legs carried him to your large hammock with ease. He carefully placed the two of you down, grinning widely. A deep kiss met Neytiriās mouth, one following yours afterwards. āLetās try and get one of those things in you, yeah?ā
You giggled breathily against Neytiriās mouth, knowing Jakeās hungry gaze was watching his wivesā every movement right before him as her fingers carefully but so adeptly took off the Naāvi clothing you wore, taking advantage of brushing her touch quite long enough to burn your skin. āDonāt think it works that way with all three of usāā
He smirked deviously, crawling over the both of you. āLetās test that out, shall we?ā
Being one to live as a wheelchair user may perhaps be one of the hardest things Jake had ever experienced. Though what might be worse than becoming a wheelchair user is living as one. Mentally and physically exhausting he cultivated with each passing second of every day, things he never thought to upkeep with his disabled body. It didnāt surprise him, how the current world reacted to what heād been through and deemed it as if it wasn't something grand. While days were torturous, heād slowly adjusted to his new way of surviving. It became ... a tad bit easier, though while others werenāt the least caring for his state, they did underestimate his capabilities, his strength, his intelligence and took him for āthe man with chicken legs.ā
āYour brother represented a significant investment. Weād like to talk to you about taking over his contract, and since your genome was identical to his, you could step into his shoes ⦠so to speak. Itād be a fresh start in a new world. You could do something important. You can make a difference.ā
So when the unforeseen moment that he had discovered his twin brotherās passing led him through the Avatar program in return of something highly valued for his beneficence, he wasted no second in consenting to his now late brotherās place.
He had agreed to get surgery, though the process somehow was a bit too long since he had declined at first, and Tommy had said something about handling a few issues before continuing with his surgery, and after the 11 days passed, he was released to go home which perplexed him. That was until learning the cause of his brotherās death, of what were the issues delaying his surgery; opponents in the same field had it out for him, even for the paper in his wallet.
āWeāll provide everything you need for this trip, now go big your goodbyes, go home, gather the few things youād like to take,ā they had told him, āthough I doubt youāll need it these next 5 years.ā
He doubted he had anything heād like to take, thereās not much for him to value and take or had someone to bid goodbyes to. Everyone he knew had parted from his life, chipping away the smallest of pieces that formed some sort of comforting fortress in him, especially her. He hadnāt heard a thing about the girl he adored in weeks. He visited her of course, for many many months; heād stay long hours in her room, both laid and tightly nuzzled in her hospital bed while talking, but one day she was nowhere to be seen, and no one would give him information as to what had happened to her, if she was out of the hospital. The last thing he heard was that she had another destination to go towards, and that was all yet not enough. So why not take his brotherās place and start anew as they say? He did though, gather a small luggage, received a well and quick haircut, and took his leave.
Jakeās fingers loosely curled around the wheels on each of his sides, strolling between the familiar stark white hallways of the hospital he once had been a patient in to visit to give his form a brief examination and quick feedback in hopes for him to take this procedure to Pandora. And maybe, just maybe, heād catch a glimpse of the angel he terribly missed and needed at this time.
As he went through the building, he recalled his brother being proud to be a part of this facility, of something grand and meaningful, unyielding passion he possessed to help everyone within this building. āA place to help people with disabilities, small and big. I can be a part of that help, Jake. I can find solutions, maybe even find one that brings this damn earth back to life.ā Tommy had told him with the reflection of his exact smile, a small chuckle rising from Jake and acknowledged everything else being said, about seeking solutions to issues that collide on this planet, about traveling light years to some distant moon that could carry them. Ironic to become the brother with the disabilities and now being the one going light years away, he thought.
Typically, visits ā checkups ā to the hospital were ones he only looked forward to ending as soon as they started, an activity he dreaded in doing so for the very reason that he simply doesnāt want to be sitting in a room with some doctor repeating the constant news as the previous visit: āyouāre subjected to this condition for the rest of your lifeā, āit seems you arenāt progressing anytime soonā, āwell you wonāt have to worry about a random leg cramp anymore, right?ā But today, surprisingly, he looked forward to this checkup. Sure, theyād repeat the same thing of his condition, but this time he had hoped for an addition to those words.
A man, dressed in a dark suit, walked his way. Jake recognized him as one of the guys whoād informed him of his brotherās deaf, seeing a smile pursing his mouth. āSeems to me youāre rather thrilled for this than the last time Iād seen you.ā
An exhale left Jakeās nostrils, his shoulder lifting. āJust wait ātill you see me stand and dance in excitement.ā
The man, unknown of his name, sighed at the dry humor, head motioning to the hallway that leads Jake to his appointment. āI donāt think most people here will take your exciting miracle too kindly, especially considering some of them are most likely not able to recover or make it. Youāre here to participate in making a difference, Sully. We arenāt here for sarcasm.ā
Jake resisted from rolling his eyes as he strolled a bit further ahead of him. āThought I could at least have fun with this. I aināt mean it to offend anyone, all I mean is I am looking forward to this.ā
The man didnāt know whether to take Jakeās tone as sarcasm or solemnity, simply nodding when he peered a glance over his shoulder as if to say, āwell, you coming or not?ā
After an hour of being in a room, having an MRI and CT scan, then with people from the RDA, doctors, and the suited man ( the news were as Jake predicted ā the same, additionally with the other news that he can make the long trip and it wonāt affect him whatsoever ), Jake was led through a different hall he hadnāt seen the last heād been there, leading him to his long flight. He disregarded the peculiar glances hurled his way, a second nature action heād grown accustomed in doing after weeks tolerating his faith in a wheelchair.
He was surprised to see how many people ā more men than women ā surged the place, how lengthy the lines were, the employees assisting, checking in, getting everything in order and setting for those who were leaving to be prepared. A few menās families were present, bidding their goodbyes and farewells. He recognized the fear, the longing hope of safety to be with their parting member, the nerves racketing through while the men tried keeping a steady posture, a neutral tone. He sympathized for them, but there was no doubt that he thought they should feel fortunate to have someone there with them.
There was still quite some time until they attended him, so he took a chance in taking one more stop before he left this planet; the infantry ward. Memories from weeks ago, maybe even a month or so flooded his brain constantly, each filled with the thought of her, Y/N L/N. Of all the randomest topics she seemed to have come up with. Now, even when he sees a baby he canāt help but picture how excited sheād be, how warm her face would turn, how sheād rant on and on about wanting to bore one. Even now as the window before him revealed those newborns, he still illustrates the image of her right beside him, staring at them, then gifting him with those eyes before parting them back to those babies.
The memory of her perhaps was the only thing keeping him from going back into a dark place in his life, from wasting himself nonstop and attending bars that donāt appreciate his presence, let alone acknowledge him. He missed her, missed having that good sensation that only increased when with her. He at least wanted a moment, a chance to say goodbye, to wish her the best. Maybe to have some motiveā¦to stay. Anywhere near her, heād stay.
That wishful hope for her to come through the halls in all her divine beauty seemed to slip through his fingers as he waited, as he tried grasping for patience. But it only decreased and disintegrated into exasperation, inhaling a deep breath before turning.
āLeaving so soon?ā
His head snapped towards the voice, blue eyes widened at the sight of her practically beaming at him. He looked her over, rebreathing that neverending beauty, taking in how she was no longer in a gown, how her IV pole was no longer in her hold. Instead she was in formal wear, and she held a bag similar to his, and thatās when it clicked where your destination was. His heart smacked harshly against his ribcage as she sauntered his way, chewing on her lower lip.
āWell I was, but I guess I can stick around. Donāt wanna leave you alone.ā he repeated, smiling up at her as he led himself towards her. There was that giggle that made him feel all kinds of things, and he wouldāve scoffed at the way she knelt down to meet him face to face if it wasnāt for him refreshening his memory of that pretty face. āWhat? Youāre staying by my side now?ā
He grinned, wrapping a palm around the side of her neck. āDamn right I am.ā
His kiss was a great combination of gentleness but desperation, sweet but harsh, yearning but commanding. He didnāt once let her go, if anything he raised his other hand and grasped her face while her hands wrapped around his forearms, trying to keep up with his pace. āYouāre leaving.ā she breathed against his mouth, and he only smiled while fluttering his eyes open. āSo are you, angel.ā she exhaled, almost overwhelmed at the sound of the nickname, swollen lips agape near the corner of his own, āIn a few. How about you?ā
āIn a few as wellā¦ā his murmur ghosted her skin, chuckling when her fingers skimmed across his scalp in a curious manner, thumbs tracing his temples. āThatās the reason for this new look?ā
āMaybeā¦I also didnāt want to keep looking like Tommy. Like it?ā
āI love itā¦ā she hummed before pulling away, a softness falling upon her when he kept his hold on her face. āI heard what happenedā¦Are you okay?ā He only shrugged, honed gaze locked on hers. āIāve been alrightā¦Yāknow, this might sound horrible but,ā he tugged her close until his mouth was brushing hers, inhaling and letting that floral mist consume his atmosphere. āWhat was worse than losing Tommy was that I wasnāt by your side at allā¦and I missed you.ā
Her eyes shimmered at his words, though trying to contain her smile. āThat does sound terrible, but I missed you too, Jake.ā He liked the way his name fell from her lips, how it ignited that fire he felt so wildly with her. Though he did have a sudden intrigue and deep concern. āTheyāre letting you go with your condition?ā
She bobbed her head, āThey say that maybe thereās some kind of cure up thereā¦and me being a researcher in this sort of field, I can find out more about it.ā her brow rose, eyes widening in a way that made Jake think of her adorable. āIām assuming youāre going for Tommy?ā
āSame DNA, twins, must take his place, maybe Iāll get my legs backā¦ā he sighed. āSomething like that.ā She hummed, drawing him back in with a soft smile. āWellā¦at least weāll get to be together, no?ā
His cheek hoisted, oceanic eyes consuming her wholly when he looked between her lips and eyes. āHell, yeah.ā The intimate moment had been cut short, however, when an announcement suddenly echoed through the halls from the speakers up on the ceiling, āJake Sully, brother of Tom Sully. Y/N L/N. Please appear where you should be for your departure immediately.ā
āIām gonna miss these little onesā¦ā Her palm rose to the glass, lingering there for a moment as a babyās tiny eyes fluttered open, a soft coo leaving their little āoā shaped mouth. Jake could only smile and nod, āIāll get you one of them soon.ā he jested, and her head tilted his way with a spark in her eyes he was familiar with, but both said nothing afterwards.
The short but entire way to their designated area, they kept close, and it looked entirely odd yet wholesome to others, the way she kept her hand on his shoulder the entire time, the way he glanced up at her with the biggest smile there was for the reason being he had someone not only there but leaving with him as well. Any trace of distress disappeared when he was about to be put in cryptonic sleep, glancing one more time at her only to see sheād already been looking at him with a soft grin.
āSee you in five years, marine.ā
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
The RDA decreased from view as Trudy Charon, a transport pilot working for the RDA itself, designated her Samson rotorcraft with a proud sense swarming her. Within the craft was Dr. Grace Augustine, her right hand and xenoanthropologist, Norm Spellman, former marine, Jake Sully, and wondrous researcher Y/N L/N.
āAll right you three, we need to be careful with this,ā Grace, mind already transferred to her avatar body, turned Y/Nās way as she was seated between Norm and Jake whoād also been resettled in their avatar bodies. āespecially you, Y/N. You have no avatar, and Pandoraās forest is no place for a mere human being, alright?ā
Her chin jutted up and down twice, a smile of glee enchanting her delicate complexion beneath the exomask. Jake could only stare at her with adoration coloring his newly featured amber eyes. He could feel each ounce of thrill bouncing off her being and into his system. He knew that apart from coming to search for some cure, being in Pandora was one of her greatest wishes to grant, and he wasnāt going to ruin this for her whatsoever. Especially with her condition. Right there in that moment, he only wished to enjoy it with her. And of course, protect her because as Grace said, she has no avatar.
There hadnāt been enough time to prepare one for her, and the reason for that greatly included the state of her immune system, her well-being. Grace had mentioned that she needed to run more tests, check if the atmosphere of Pandora would either affect her avatar along with her human body or if sheād be safe. It benefited him with the fact that he had to stay as close as possible to her, though he did have some doubts about Y/N being out in the open in Pandora. As mentioned, her complexion had been very delicate, sparkling eyes gaining a drain to them despite the happiness she expressed. Thanks to his newfound senses, he could hear the gentle thumps of her heartbeat, feel the warmth that radiated endlessly from her body, feel the very light quivers that ached through her due to her health.
His hand, freakishly blue and larger than his normal size, carefully, so very carefully captured her much tinier hand, interlacing his long fingers between hers. Her eyes, currently gazing out at Pandoraās exquisite views, instantly turned towards his, only to see he was already staring at her.
His incisors somehow intensified the charisma of his soft grin, keeping those golden depths on each of her movements. She tracked down the stroke of concern on his lips, the flicker of uneasiness within them, and offered him a much brighter and assuring smile as if to say, āIām okay, reallyā. She let her eyes stray to their clasped hands, entranced with the way his deep azure tones clashed beautifully with her neutral ones. Every ounce of second thoughts or anxious feelings ceased from existence for she only felt him; the warmth of his wondrously large palm, the laxness of his grip.
She was sure she was in good hands, for the moment Y/N had arrived and made Graceās acquaintance she was quick to put up rules for her safety, giving her a proper warning to take good care of her health and that her usual check-ups back on earth would still take place in Pandora within the RDA. And Norm, well he respected the researcher given she was young and had great enthusiasm for the worldās rare beauty. Trudy had been informed to take precaution and keep a close eye on the young woman, and she seemed to get along great with her but none of them beat Jake in that apartment. He was a steady balance of overprotective and letting his girl enjoy herself, though she had a vague idea of how heād act in this planet now that he has regained movement of his legs, recalling how excited heād been that he was reckless when barging into the lab and lifted Y/N in his arms, ignoring the protests of all the others, especially Grace.
āCāmere, lemme hold you closer so you can see,ā Jake murmured, putting his weapon down and lifted Y/N onto his lap before she could even protest. A breathless āwoahā fell from her lips at the view of wide stretched and tall trees, eyes falling to the ground only to see a group of ginormous and rare creatures.
āEasy, Jake,ā Trudy called from over her shoulder, āIf you think itās high for you tall ones, think how high it is for her.ā
āMarine, be careful with her! Donāt drop her, damn it!ā Grace scolded, and Y/N chuckled at the way Jake waved her off but tightened his hold around her midsection while nuzzling his jawbone into her now tangled hair thanks to the strong wind.
āI got her, doc. Donāt tell me how to protect her.ā
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
Adoration was one of the grandest things Neytiri felt for her home; a habitat that flourished with the wonders of Eywa, arrayed in which greeneries and distinct creatures connect to each other, rely on one another for durability, gifting everyone within Pandora with a new, brilliant day.
Grateful she was to be apart of such environment, proud to hold and be able to carry out the Omaticayanās rich traditions, especially carrying the role of becoming the clanās future Tsahik. In the meantime, tsakarem she took part in and being a natural-like warrior, exploring within the rainforests.
Though while she sauntered through and over the wide, long branches, unfamiliar distressed voices were heard, and Neytiriās curiosity peaked and led her towards it.
Beneath the thick branches and lengths of the green fronds wandered two figures; one who shared the similar species as her though not entirely, seeing how heās dressed in sky demon wear and his long limbs moved with inelegance, caution against her home, an avatar, lumbering in an almost protective stance over a much smaller body. Another sky demon, female, and apparently average in height for their species, she recalled, watching as she uttered a small remark towards the avatar as they walked deeper into the forest.
Amber irises gleamed between the branches, the pair belonging to Neytiri grew piqued and questioned why two humans here, interfering in Pandoraās nature, in her home. They were misplaced, lost, and could end up tumbling in the grasp of death without proper guidance. She could let that happen, or perhaps she could take matters into her own hands, by positioning her bow and arrow towards them, gaze sharp.
She halted, however, caused by the sounds the male avatar did, a pinch of distress between his brows. Her head turned, unaware of where the female had gone until she spotted her in his arms, eyes fluttering shut behind the mask she wore.
āY/N, cāmon angel, wake up! We gotta head back, I need you with me, now.ā
Her eyes narrowed and flickered between the unconscious body and him, something remorseful twisting in her chest but she tried shaking it away by inhaling deeply, drawing her bow and arrow back once more, at him.
Just when she was about to release it, a woodsprite, known as atokirina to the Naāvi, floated her way, the mystical creature landing on her bow. It astonished the young warrior, soon becoming perplexed until realization weighed upon her. Just testing the waters, the point of her arrow tilted the humanās way, and the woodsprite didnāt move from its spot. Not until she set her weapon down, resisting her questions and giving into whatever Eywa desired.
She didnāt leave just yet though, if anything she kept an attentive eye on the both of them, debating on whether or not to help the male, and felt alert when he reached for the breathing mask over her face and pulled it off in a panicking act, mouth pressing, breathing into yours very carefully. She hissed sharply at his stupidity, and just as she was about to crawl out of her hiding spot, the woman ā¦Y/N had awoken.
āW-whatā¦happened?ā Jakeās shoulderās squared straight along with Neytiriās, one looking at Y/N with an incredulous expression while the other was waiting for her to collapse any second.
āWhy are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?ā She reached for her bare cheek, brows knitting as she felt around her skin for anything while Jakeās eyes remained wide, waiting for her to take notice of something that was currently missing. āJake, stop staring like that! Youāre scaring ā oh my gosh where is my mask?!ā
She observed the interaction between the two, tail swaying at the way he had crouched down to your height, gently cradled her close, an amalgam of sentiments resembling horrified and shocked and extremely confused, while he repeated the same questions if she was alright, if she felt well enough to walk, if he had to carry her he would.
āGrace is gonna kill me if she finds out i let anything happen to you.ā Her ear twitched at both the mention of her former mentor and the pitch of tone he used, crouching away from eyesight. āJake, relax. Look at me, Iām fine! Nothingās wrong, alright? Sure, I canā¦somehow breathe out here but I'm alive!ā Hands, dainty and tiny in Neytiriās perspective, reaching to practically mush his face between them, a brilliant smile rested upon the humanās features.
āSheās gonna lose her shit when she hears this! I tried being all heroicā couldaā killed you.ā
āYouāre an idiot sometimes, yāknow?ā
He dragged out a hum, his hold careful enough to keep her close. āA big one, now arenāt I?ā There was an odd feeling blooming in Neytiriā body at the way they smiled at each other. While his was broad, goofy, irritatingly likable and his rather small eyes gazed at the girl in endearment, hers was pure, lovely, bright. Intrigue has already sunk its claws deep into Neytiriās soul at why, out of everyone, did Eywa choose to let them live, and why is it that the girl had collapsed, and why is it that the two before her have some sort of bond she subconsciously felt captivated towards?
That intrigue had spiraled tenfold throughout the day as she watched and followed, precaution assisting her in case the idiot almost risked the girlās life especially when the forest was unknown and dangerous to them both ā well, her more, of course, seeing as he was too stubborn for Pandoraās dangers, though Neytiri was surprised at how well Y/N reacted to everything, ushering the avatar to respect and keep quiet. Sky demons didnāt produce that type of awareness of care for Pandora anymore, or so she thought, and witnessing one of them carry that sprouted a sense of admiration within the tsakarem. She found herself pursuing a small amused smirk at them both, holding back laughter and would scoff or roll her eyes when one nearly tripped or made teasing, incredibly lame remarks ( the male, of course.)
When nighttime set upon Pandora, however, Neytiriās curiosity disappeared and became alert when a group of nantags surrounded them. āDo not react harshly.ā she muttered under her breath, back straightening to have a better look at the scene before her. Of course, it was hallucinating of her to think either of them could hear her, because the lanky avatar had created a flame, trying ā and failing ā to shield the small person with his body as he yelled at the small creatures, pointing the fire at them in case they launched themselves at her. Instead, they ran his way and he wasted no time striking them with the stick, grunting with the action.
āJ-jake!ā She was left in the open, exposed for attack when he had fallen over. The fire had been knocked out of his hands and right in front of her, illuminating the fear that streaked her face. Just as one of them found an opening towards the human, Neytiri nearly came out of her spot until the woman tried grabbing ahold of the long, rather heavy for her size stick.
āCāmon, cāmon,ā She found an easy grip, fully lashing it in front of her in hopes to scare the nantags away. But the length of the bludgeon outweighed her, losing balance and fell to the ground.
Neytiri finally crept out of the shadows, muttering the words, āStupid, stupid, stupid.ā at the so-called Jake when he stabbed a nantag. She jumped right between the human and two nantags, eyes narrowed and canines bared before she turned to Y/N. āHand me that, tawtuteā ( human ) the Naāvi spoke, watching the girlās round eyes broadened, the fireās flare enhancing their color as she looked up at the graceful, tall woman.
She forcefully tried to regard the human with contempt only for the corners of Neytiriās mouth to fight against lifting at the wonder in her face, how she immediately did as she was ordered to. She ripped her eyes away from her, wincing at the refulgence the flame radiated before casting it into the nearest river before glowering at the animals and reaching for her bow.
The rest was an adrenaline blur, careful not to hurt the human or the avatar as she aimed an arrow towards a viperwolf that lunged their way. 3 had been needlessly killed by her, and remorse gutted her deep at her actions. Her eyes fluttered as she stabbed near the wound of one, its whimpers faint but frequent. āOeru txoa livu, ma oeyƤ tsmukan. Hu nawma sa'nok tivul ngeyƤ tirea. Oeru txoa livu.ā With one clean tug, the arrow had been removed, and a shallow breath rose from her chest when she approached another viperwolf.
Was this the purpose for Eywa to let them live? To kill her creatures?
āWhereās our fire?ā She heard him inquire in a ridiculously loud voice. āShe, uh, sorta put it out, but look! We donāt need it..woah.ā Neytiriās head lifted, her line of vision being greeted with the amazement that gleamed both their faces. His wide eyes were lifted to the fluorescence of the branches and wide and myriad shaped leaves while yours followed the outlines of the many glowing plants, a smile ghosting your features.
A sigh heaved out of Neytiri, trying to resume her focus on the squirming creature, āOeru txoa livu,ā
āLook, I know you, uh, probably donāt understand this, but uhāā
āma oeyƤ tsmukan. Hu nawma sa'nok tivul ngeyƤ tirea,ā
āā¦thank you.ā
āOeru txoa livu.ā
āThat was pretty impressive,ā Jake uttered, the lopsided smile she thought to be stupid but charming resided on his face while he crouched a few feet away from her, and the human had only stayed quiet, inspecting Neytiriās movements curiously with a tiny smile. She has a clear view of both features, had their full attention and there it was again; that magnetic tug, that rare thrill pulsing through her, only this time much stronger now that they were staring at her attentively.
Warmth blossomed in her chest when her gaze collided with his, and as much as she wanted to refuse ripping away from the two, she fully stood up and took a turn to leave. āH-hey wait a second!ā
āJake, noāā
āCāmon, maybe she can help us.ā
The young warrior inhaled a sharp breath when she heard them follow her, hastening her every step. āHey, wait a second, just slow downāā
āJake, I donāt think she wants us following her, letās just leave her aloneāā She is not only strong at heart but wise, Neytiri thought as she threaded her fingers through the leaves, gently releasing them after she passed. ā I just wanted to say thanks for killing those thingsāā
She glanced down when his hand slipped around her forearm, snapping what was left of her thin patience. A sharpness whipped across his face, caused by the tip of her bow when she swung it purposefully at him.
āAh, damn!ā He stumbled down, touching his stinging face and looked at her in shock. The girl rushed to his side with a small stroke of āI told you soā. āYou okay, Jake?ā His head whipped up and his bulging eyes spoke more than enough for her to burst out giggling. āHow the hell is this funny? Hurting me is funnyā what was that for! All I was gonna do is thank her and ask forāā
āYou donāt thank!ā The thickness of Neytiriās voice brought their attention toward her, Jakeās being more surprised at the newfound knowledge of her speaking English. āYou donāt thank for this. This is sad. Very sad only.ā The point of her weapon was still directed towards him, face etched with bane and what Y/N could only make out as deep offense.
She quickly slipped between them, a small hand stretching out against it. āHe didnāt mean it that way. All he was trying to do was express his gratitude for helping us, thatās all, okay?ā
Neytiri looked taken aback by her soft voice, lowering her bow as if trancened by the gentleness and panic gleaming in the humanās eyes. She watched how the avatar nodded along and lifted a hand to rest across the girlās back. āY-yeah, Iām sorry. Whatever I did, I am sorry.ā
Her nose scrunched and her glowing eyes narrowed between them, gaze lingering on him. āThis is your fault. They did not need to die, if you listen only to her, kept to self, then they would be alive still.ā A breathless laugh of disbelief left Jake, and both women shot him a glare of warning. āMy fault? Theyāre the ones who attacked usā I was just tryna keep herāā
Neytiri jabbed her bow down at him again, āYour fault!ā
He looked at the girl beside him as if to say āhelp me out here, for crying out loud!ā only for her to give a small shrug and pat his shoulder, soon rising to stroke his head in a mocking manner. āYou heard her. Your fault, baby.ā
āWhat she has said. You are like a baby. Donāt know how to act. And she is like caregiver. Small but strong while you act like a baby.ā Neytiri was oblivious to the mirthful smile Y/N carried, for the reason being Neytiri didnāt know she used the word as an affectionate nickname for Jake, but let her continue to scowl down at him. He sighed in frustration, cautiously pushing away the weapon as he slowly emerged from the ground. āEasy, now, okay?ā
Her face remained wary when he looked at her. āAll I was tryna do was keep Y/N safe. But if you love your little forest friends, then why not let them just kill our asses, huh?ā Neytiriās expression eased at the mention of the human, peering down at her when she too, stared up at her with the same question wandering around her mind. The warrior recognized what it was to have a strong heart, what it is like to want to protect the one you care for. What it is youād do for those very people, whether you risk your own life or not, recklessly or not. Which is why her stare remained fixated on Jake. āWhy save you?ā
His hands fell over his legs, nodding. āWhy save me? Why save her?ā
She blinked once, then twice. The answer was right there in her mind and heart, though her lips parted a few times as she tried regaining her speech in English. āYou have a strong heart,ā she softly admitted, āNo fear ā¦ā she took a step forward, her common nose scrunch returning, ābut stupid. Ignorant like a child.ā
āAnd you..ā she looked at the human, ears fluttering back, āRainforest is dangerous for humans, but even when small you have a strong heart also. Seykxel txeālan. Patient. Listens and respectsā¦ā she breathed in deeply in exasperation at recalling the many times Y/N nearly tripped in the forest, ābut clumsy. Very clumsy. You must be more careful.ā
Jake snickered, only for Neytiri to toss him a fiery glare. āProtect her better.ā
He scoffed, hands thrown up in the air, āWhat is it with people telling me how to protect you?ā
Now it was Y/Nās turn to laugh, and eyes that were already full of brightness seemed to shine even more, which Neytiri did not think was possible for a simple human. The sound rang through her enhanced senses, mouth very slightly ajar when Jake grinned. The impossible increased when his smile added to the brightness, and she thought herself to be a fool if she didnāt at least smile.
He looked at her, smile transforming into a jesting one, a more comfortable one, and with that, she seethed out a hiss, glared at him, then her, and made a sharp turn to leave them. Little did she know they were opted to cross and tangle paths with her within seconds, though that entanglement had already begun the moment she laid curious eyes on them.
The constancy of unsettlement made your skin rigidify under the cool air of the former RDAās structure, unlike the outside world of Pandora had. You were eternally grateful for not getting rid of your old clothing, settling with casual wear followed by a deep blue sweater. A section of this place was formed into an infirmary, and you, or anyone, were to think that an eternity of hospital visits and spending most of your childhood and teen years appointed to different doctors would have been enough preparation for you in this moment. But even if light years away from those hospitals and believing your minor theory would only prove to be fallacious, because regardless of the many doctors, many nurses, many months researching, many in and outs between hospital room to hospital room, it couldnāt compare to the way your whole body racked with disquiet in this precise moment.
āMa Y/N, you are shaking.ā Neytiriās hand expanded across your lower back, smiling ever so lovingly at you, āMawey ( be calm ), tiyawn.ā Jake now reached over, a large palm cupping your thigh and striked you with that reassuring, sweet grin that always managed to ease you. āYeah. That heart of yours is too fast right now. Just relax, baby.ā
āHow the hell do you guys expect me to just stop shaking when itās damn freezing in here! Youād think that my body has gotten used to the heat from Pandora, but no. How are you not freezing your tails off?ā
The picture was abnormal; two tall and long blue bodies, both in their Naāvi wear, both crouched down on each side of little, practically hyperventilating you, a human being seated on a chair, trying to ease your jittering soul. It wasnāt rare to see Jake in here, heās paid many visits here just for Norm or for a brief check-up for you, or to witness how the others are doing, how theyāre holding up. But it was Neytiri that slightly worried you ā you could feel the tension sheās trying to thaw away for you, how she held back hissing at the people walking past, nearly stepping on her tail and the only thing keeping her from glaring at them was the small apology they uttered and the touch received by Jake and you.
A deep chuckle rumbled from Jakeās chest, the sound fanning your temple as he placed a sweet kiss there. āI know itās been awhile, but Iām sure itās not that bad here. But letās do some of those breathing exercises before Norm comes up in here, yeah?ā Your curt nod confirmed his small smile, motioning to Neytiri whose palm began to rub soothing circles into your lower back.
āBreathe in for us.ā You did as he said, eyes screwed shut while inhaling deeply through your nose. āThatās good, angel, now hold it in.ā Neytiriās fingers continued pressing down your back, both finding a way to guide you through your exhale. āRelease, lovely girl, nice and easy.ā she crooned into your ear, smiling pleased at the feel of your frame relaxing, at the sound of your heart slowing down. āAgain, yes?ā
Her nose nuzzled very tenderly behind the soft skin of your ear, and Jakeās had his forehead against your own, guiding you through your breaths as your sighs met his mouth. That was the conclusion of their strategy to ease you, an achievement they both knew their abilities could prosper. Though you still felt your anxiety struggling to find a balance with your peace, it was still enough to get them to become equal, caused by none other than these two who know you so deeply, evaluated the precise things you needed despite them being unclear to you.
āYou remember that other doc that helped Grace find out how you can breathe in Pandora and your condition? Also helped with Graceās pregnancy?ā You allowed yourself to respond with a āyesā as their warmth started seeping through your system. ā She has a field in REI. Norm and her, Dr. Mason. She was an old friend of Grace too, and since we trusted Grace, and we trusted Dr. Mason with Kiriās birth, Neytiri and we trust she can help us tooā¦is that okay?ā
Neytiri parted from your skin, glancing at you with expectant eyes while Jake smiled. āI trust you twoā¦so yeah. Itās okay.ā Just as Jake removed himself from you, Norm, in his avatar form, and you recognized Dr. Mason from the times you visited Graceās pregnant avatar body, entered the room with a small smile.
āHello, Y/N. Neytiri. Jake.ā You each gave a small nod to the brunette doctor. āHowāre you all feeling right now? Especially you, Y/N?ā
The question seemed gratuitous, you thought, because despite the other two trying to comfort you, you knew it unnerved Neytiri by the way she kept hold on you and Jake, well he has a fine smile at the moment, but youāre more than certain it may be costing him a lot to keep calm for your sake. And you; distress drenched your glistening face, and your leg bounced unsteadily so by the seams of it, this doctor is not an observing one.
A chuckle dragged out of Jakeās throat, hand clasped once more over your knee while the other reached for Neytiriās shoulder. āWeāre good, sheās good. Just nervous.ā
Norm made his way towards Jake, clapping him on the back with a smile thrown your way and Dr. Mason pulled out a stark white rolling stool beneath the desk in front of her. āAnd thatās okay, being nervous is perfectly normal,ā she looked directly towards you, settling down on the stool. āItās to be expected, but I can guarantee you that the results from HSG you took earlier are perfectly fine; thereās no stoppage within your fallopian tubes. Everythingās functioning just the way itās supposed to be.ā
Your shoulders heaved in relief, and Neytiri took a chance in taking your hand in hers and giving a squeeze. You trust these two, you trusted Grace and the delivery of Kiri, but the valid confirmation contained more impact in this case. āSo that means we can move forward or..?ā
āThereās something we do have to add onto this,ā Norm chirped through Jakeās open question, and you sensed the edge in his voice and the way the doctorās posture straightened. Neytiriās eyes flickered between them in question though Jake remained unbothered. āAbout?ā
āDo you know how avatars were made?ā You gave him a nod while your wife and husband motioned no, and Norm sighed at this, mostly at Jake, hand rising to pinch the bridge of his nose, muttering āOf course you donātā before dropping his hand. āAlright, time for the āgeekā stuff, as you call it, Jake. Neytiri, Iām sure you can keep up.ā You all held back a smirk when Jake rolled his eyes but motioned him to continue.
āThe Avatar Program used an embryo, an unborn offspring, that contained a mixture of Naāvi genes, and the human DNA from the one who was selected or volunteered, which I hope you remember was called āthe driverā of the body. Then the avatar is in those incubators, waiting to grow,ā Norm explained, fingers rising to his brows. āBecause the avatar has our exact DNA, they carry our similar features. Brows, eyes, our hands, shoulders, etcetera.ā
āOkay, so what does this have to do with a damn child?ā Jakeās brow furrowed and you gave him a look before looking back at Norm who proceeded. āYour body is originally an avatar, Jake. Which means you carry our normal human DNA reproduction. Or at least carried. Youāve adapted quite a lot over the months, and weāve neverā¦seen a human get pregnant by one of the Naāvi.ā
āBut Grace was pregnantāā
āHer avatar was pregnant,ā Dr. Mason corrected. āWhile her human body was not. And up to this day we are still running tests to see how that was possible. We arenāt sure how Y/Nās body is going to react to this pregnancy. Now,ā she put her hands together out in front of her and stared between Neytiri and Jake, then you. āI am going to be blunt, and straightforward. And I need the truth, despite the discomfort, you three.ā You all glanced at each other, giving a nod.
āHave you participated in sexual activities?ā
Your face flared and throat constricted before clearing it. āI, uh well weāā Jake wasnāt any better, eyes straying from the doctor with his mouth pressed into a line. Yet Neytiri, she gave a solid, unbothered nod, āYes, we have.ā
The doctor chuckled at how your wide eyes snapped towards her, and she only looked at you bewildered at your and Jakeās behavior before looking back at the human in front of her. āThere is issue with this?ā
She chuckled and shook her head. āNo there isnāt. I just have a pair of questions that may help with this procedure. Itās alright.ā Her brows rose in specification. āI hope thereās plenty of precautions, however. Size is different, size is important. But seeing that Y/N is unharmed, well Iām sure you have taken them, no?ā You all nodded in agreement. She smiled before it fell, turning towards Jake. āHave you ever had a carnal outlet within Y/N more than once? And by ācarnal outletā, I mean sexual release.ā
And so the embarrassing heat crawling up your neck continued flowing with her bluntness. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, a distant look within his eyes as if recalling the events a few nights ago and you just have to resist bringing your hands to hide your face. His bright yellow eyes peered at you, then Neytiri whose expression spoke more than the truth. āUh, yes. I have.ā
She leaned back with a pensive look. āAnd from the looks of it, Y/N goes on without expecting a child. Now we could do an IVF to see if maybe thatād probably give some results. But even when creating an avatar, trying to bring together Naāvi DNA with a humanās was difficult enough, so thereās no telling how Y/Nās body would react to her egg and yourā¦new sperm being definitely joined soā¦ā
āYou saying it wonāt work?ā Your chest churned a bit at Jakeās words, and Neytiri was becoming fretful from how long this whole conversation had become.
āWeāre not sure. There also is something I have been debating on. Yes, joining human and Naāvi DNA came with difficulties, and it is a miracle that we had the opportunity to create avatars. But now here comes the more additional part Norm would like to assist me with.ā All eyes were on Norm now whose face portrayed the utterance of slight nervousness. āIt will, but the old fashion way. With Y/Nā¦and another human.ā
Jakeās eyes squinted. āHold it. You mean she has to get knocked up by someone else?ā
You resisted rolling your eyes and bit your lip. āYou mean a sperm donor?ā He whipped around and Neytiriās forehead creased. āWhat does this mean?ā
āIt means some other guyās sperm is gonna be donated to her and used for her to end up pregnant.ā
āSo the child will not be biologically ours?ā
āGuess you can say that.ā He grumbled, suddenly not very fond of the idea though you didnāt know what to feel.
āBiologically, no. Legal, yes.ā Dr. Mason pointed out. āHowever,ā Norm jumped in, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. āNot just by any guyās sperm, if not yours, Jake.ā
āI thought you just said my sperm aināt gonna work since she hasnāt been knocked up with every round weāve had. Then all three of us combined.ā He bluntly spat out earning a smack to his bicep. āJake, I swearāā
āYes, we have said that. But weāre not talking about the body you have right now if notāā
āāMy old body?ā
Norm grinned. āexactly.ā
āWe gave his body a proper burial.ā Neytiri frowned deeply, perplexed and perhaps a bit upset at this new information. āYou will be breaking tradition if you go and take his body back after all this time.ā
The room fell silent, and by the terribly familiar look Norm etched into his face, you already knew what had occurred before he could even begin to speak it into existence. āWe have the body.ā
āIām sorry, what?ā
The next thing you know, youāre all standing right before Jakeās human body that had been placed in a refrigeration morgue, still in a fine, well conditionā¦alive. The sight of itā¦him with those once blue eyes hidden beneath completely shut eyelids, tugged on your heart, gulping thickly while you felt your matesā tension radiating behind you. Neytiriās gaze was punctured yet emotionless, but Jake, with the way his jaw set, the bareness of his back rippling with an unpleasant chill he didnāt think to feel.
āWhyā¦why do you have this?ā Jake rasped and looked at Norm who was leaning against the cold wall. āWe wanted to see if your body was unaffected, still alive and well without you being in it⦠scientist curiosity.ā He shrugged.
āAnd is it?ā He nodded your way, peering down at the body. āUnconscious, obviously. But still functionalā¦well except for the,ā he motioned downwards, indicating the paralysis of his legs which Jake nodded at.
āAnd what does this have to do with Y/N and child?ā Neytiri practically snarled, inhaling sharply and letting her hands fall over your shoulders, grasping a bit too tight. Dr. Mason, quiet the entire time, pushed her glasses back. āIt means weāll have to retrieve sperm from Jakeās old body to test this conclusion. We can try with your human bodyās sperm with IVF as we spoke of the other day you were here, and if it does not meet the results, we can try with your current one nowāā
āHold on, my wife isnāt gonna become some sort of lab experiment.ā Jake interrupted. āYou shouldāve told us all this before, including about thisā¦thing right here. We donāt wanna put any strain on her body. You said so yourself, if putting Na'vi and human DNA was hard, now imagine her growing it in her. Her blood pressure and heart rate are going out of control with this whole process. I donāt want to risk her.ā
You couldnāt help but roll your eyes while Neytiri let out a long sigh with a pang in her chest, signs of frustration and hurt which didnāt get past Dr. Mason. You and Neytiri knew it wasnāt unusual for him to act like this, heād done the same thing during your previous appointment, and every night heād lay with you two in his arms, a distant look upon his face as he stared up at the night sky and both of you knew what was gearing in his head, the possible complications and risks that may recite when dealing with your condition. Yes, it has lessened, but your heart hasnāt changed whatsoever. His behavior was not to be disincentive, again, you knew this; Jake, along with Neytiri, both wanted to be informed thoroughly of each step and risk before a big decision was made.
And while the revelation of his human body, the very body and face you had first fallen in love with, had come as a big surprise to you all, his acts could be discouraging sometimes despite the fact that you appreciated his efforts. āJake, my love, Iām sure she knows all this already.ā
You thought Neytiri wouldāve the very least agree with your words, and yet; āBut perhaps Jake is right in this, ma Y/N. We do not know how your body will react.ā
āNeytiri, Jake. Your wife is correct. Given her condition, and the results of her uterosalpingography, my suggestion would be to proceed with the IUI, and if, only if she would agree, to see what will happen with each of Jakeās sperm. this could include medication, to ensure that you are ovulating if you on the other hand would not be, a trigāā
He shook his head, shrugging off Norm's hand. āIf I remember correctly, Norm, you said her cycle begins and lasts between 28 and 36 days.ā
ā Jakeāā
āYes, butāā
āNah.ā He tore his eyes away from his wives. āI may not be a woman, and I might be slow on some things but I know how your body works, Y/N. We donāt wanna do things that are unnecessary and might harm her.ā
āShe will begin ovulating in 3 days from now, no? So the procedureā¦it happens a day or two after, right?ā Neytiri questioned curiously, peering down at you as your hands rose to her forearms. But your gaze remained on Jakeās former body, and Dr. Masonās focus was kept on you and your silence, analyzing your expression. āYou both are correct.ā It was then that she motioned Norm to cover the body back up when you looked away.
āSo we wonāt continue with this.ā
More of a blunt statement than a question, and this simmered a low groan in your chest forgetting how Jake can be with his tone sometimes. āHow does your wife feel about this, Mr. Sully?ā Normās palm pressed over Jakeās shoulder when he was about to move forward while Neytiri looked down at you, studying every part of your face, the way the muscles of your shoulders constricted beneath her touch.
Those golden eyes tendered for a moment before raising her head to look at Jake, tugging on his arm hard causing him to rip his glare away from Norm. āIt is up to Y/N to decide how she wants this to happen, ma Jake.ā He turned your way, once hardened eyes returning to their usual softness when upon his girls. You noticed the way his mouth pressed together, how he strained himself from breathing, then asking, āWhat do you want, angel?ā
āCan you let Dr. Mason and I talk alone for a moment?ā
Neytiriās hold on you gave a small pressure before releasing, dropping a kiss to your forehead. āOf course, seykxel txeālan. Whatever you decide, we will support it.ā A sigh relicted from Jake, giving a quick glance to Norm then Dr. Mason before nodding. āWeāll be out here.ā You smiled nervously at the way Neytiri eyed the doctor, her voice silent but her eyes speaking louder than audible words.
Their presence, and mainly his hesitation, to let you and the doctor enter the room was something permeable, breathed in by you both. When she closed the door, away from the tensing muddle out there, you exhaled while Dr. Mason quietly returned to her stool.
āIām uhā¦.sorry about him. And her.ā You let out a wary laugh and she simply chuckled and settled with a soft smile. āThere is nothing to apologize for, Y/N. I found myself expecting it considering previous encounters,ā she waved off your apology, both chuckling before she perched herself forward. āBut this isnāt about them right now. This is about you, your body. And as Neytiri said, your decision.ā
You took in a slow, deep breath and processed her words, the doctor before you patiently waiting for you to respond. You do so by nodding your head, tightly clasping your hands together over your lap.
Her eyes squinted and cleared her throat. āThe way Jake said it was a bitā¦too harsh. But again, Neytiri was right on point with the ovulation cycle. You are familiar with the function of IUI?ā
āIām familiar with the way Norm explained it all nervously while Jake and Neytiri watched him, yeah.ā She chuckled and you couldnāt help smiling, comfortability being a main key in this procedure, and her presence was one connected to it as all the other times youāve had encounters with her. āShe was correct about your ovulating cycle?ā
āYes, I will begin ovulating in about 3 days.ā
āAlright! Now, the procedure. You are familiar with it?ā Her head tilt followed her question, lenses very slightly sliding down her nose before she adjusted them. Your reflection bounced off them, giving you a glimpse of the curiosity brimming your eyes, brows twisted in concentration. āI am, actually. But a brief review never harmed anyone, did it?ā
She grinned amused at your words, grabbing a screen set over her desk and turned it on. āOf course not.ā
āOn the day of your ovulation, you'll return to me. The chosen sperm sample ā chosen as in between Jakeās two forms ā will be prepared and cleaned for the procedure. You might feel some mild discomfort from the speculum, but it shouldn't be painful.ā
You nodded in agreement with every word, attentively absorbing each sentence. While Norm had already informed you about much of this, hearing it directly from the person conducting the procedure provided an additional sense of reassurance. But the mention of your mates, the choosing of Jake sort of triggered you.
She of course caught on to it, and paused. āThe reason why we give you the option of Jakeās both forms is because we are not 100 percent certain if he now can accomplish this. The question being asked of him having an outlet had a major part in this, but since he confirmed he has and you havenāt sounded up pregnantā¦well we may have to try with his human form.ā
āA-and that will for sure work?ā
She turned off her screen and placed it down quietly with a sigh. āHis human form, yes, I am certain there will be results, perhaps not right away but thatās normal. We can as well try with his Naāvi sperm as well, if you are up for it, though we may have to do IVF instead for that process.ā
She attentively explained the difference to the process of IVF, and you kept up in order to understand what she meant.
āBut there is something you may like to know, and I didnāt say to the other two because I need to hear from you first;ā She held a tight smile, and you anxiously yearned for the doctor to finally articulate whatever it is she had to. āNeytiri and Jake, theyāre both mated before Eywa, correct?ā
You gave a nod and her gaze punctured on you a bit longer. āWell, I conclude that because they are a mated Naāvi pair, both their zygote may, perhaps, be able to combine with your own egg, given that the fetus may have not only yours and Jakeās genes, but biologically Neytiriās as well.ā
The idea thrilled and terrified you, but mainly thrilled especially clearly for the reason all three of you shared a part in this, by the prospect of welcoming not only a new life, but the thought of nurturing a child who would embody the unique blend of their shared genetics.
āBut, thereās no exact response with how this will react with Neytiri in the circle. My theorized research indicates that it leans more on the positive side, though there still are flaws within this. So, to put it shortly; would you like to do IUI with Jakeās former body? If it doesnāt work, we can try again. We can do three to four rounds before and only if you decide to move on with IVF and inform Jake and Neytiri about this.ā
You chewed on your lip contemplating our decision making and slight worries. You did want to take whatever chance you could if it meant birthing your own child, experiencing motherhood, fulfilling the dream of giving your mates an additional symbolism of your love. With that, you gave a firm nod. āIāll do it. And the IVF.ā
She gave you a smile, one that tried to bring some sort of tension release from your posture. āAlright then. Do you have any more questions for me?ā
You inhaled, debating the single query that rattled within your brain at the moment, āis choosing this making me self absorbed?
āHaving a baby makes one self absorbed?ā
Your locks swayed from your head shake no. āOf course not butā¦given my heart, the big possibilities that might not be good, the stress. Me being human and in Pandora. How will the baby turn outā¦human or one of the Naāvi?ā
āWhat Neytiri calls you..seykxel txeālan. It means strong heart, correct?ā
āYes..ā
āDo you believe that you have a strong heart?ā
āI do.ā
She proceeded. "Life holds immense value. Opting to utilize the precious gift of life bestowed upon you to bring forth another being is a weighty decision, especially considering your profound awareness of your given circumstances, but again; your physical capabilities are powerful. Your heart is strong, and itās choosing to take this step because of that strength. You know this because itās yours. While there may be uncertainty about whether this response fully addresses your inquiry, it summarizes the center of the situation as best as possible." Her mouth curled. āAnd the last oneā¦letās leave it up to God, or Eywa, as the Naāvi say.ā
A watery laugh fell from your lips as you accepted her choice of words and nodded. You know you can handle this greatly. For your heart is strong, and it is under your knowing.
Dancing. A profound significance within the Naāvi, though Y/N and Jake witness it through the Omaticayaās culture. It served as a vibrant and intricate expression of their traditions and communal bonds. It was strongly included after the hunt Jake and Neytiri had succeeded in, a Hunt Festival. As both their feet were led into the bustling of their Hometree by the Oloāeyktanās daughter, they couldnāt help the amazement enhancing their expressions from a spirited atmosphere promised of not just mere entertainment but rather a living testimony of the rich tapestry of their heritage.
Her eyes were blown out, mouth elevated in a smile while Jake held a wide grin, both of you being maneuvered through the tugs Neytiri gave your arms, her share of an anticipating smile brightening the night. āCome, faster!ā
āWeād be moving faster if this one here would speed up,ā Jake smirked down at Y/N, a glower meeting his expression. āNot my fault Iām tinier,ā she grumbled, a screech of surprise following along as he deftly carried her, arms thrown across his too broad shoulders. āIf you drop meāā
āOh, how the tables have turned in our size, angel.ā The usual steady octave of his voice morphed into a tuneful hum, and Neytiriās smile grew impossibly larger at the sight of them before grabbing Jake.
āHurry.ā
Tall and graceful figures shimmered of many colors to the rhythm of enticing music permeating the air. Many of the Naāviās blue frames were accentuated with extensively used bundles of feathers and long multicolored cords tied around their long arms and legs. And that included Neytiri, whose once braided hair had been released to free, dark tendrils cascading across her back, swaying with every quick step she took towards the one they called Tsuātey, the scientist Norm, and Grace Augustine, and Jake settled down between his two friends with Y/N still in his arms, not bothering to set her down.
Eytukan, father of Neytiri, head of the clan and Oloāeyktan, and Moāat, mother of Neytiri and the clanās spiritual leader, discerned her daughter, then Jake, and after days of slight hesitation around the humanās presence, Eytukan found ease with her the moment he saw his mate confirmed she was not a harm, and was chosen alongside Jake. The Naāvi too had been skeptical, some still remained that way when seeing how Eywa had given a sign to not kill not just the avatar, but the human.
Though the acceptance from their Tsahik and Oloāeyktan gave them a sliver of peace, some disregarding their presence, others bowing their heads, some even greeting the pair. But right now, everyoneās concentration was bored into their dancing, into a spiritual connection that harmonized them with nature, embodying a profound respect for the flora and fauna that surround all that is living around them. And there was Neytiri, wavering fastidiously between all bodies unknown to Y/N and Jake, and out of all people she decided to keep her glowing eyes fixated on them both, teeth slightly bared in a smile.
Jake took part in conversing with Tsuātey and other warriors, reciting the events that had taken place during the hunt, those around him loudly favoring him and he sported a large grin when Tsuātey clapped him in the back before his attention returned to Neytiri, absorbing her fluent movements and beautiful presence, then the girl seated on his lap.
āYouāre pretty wearing that, yāknow?ā Y/N shuddered beneath his touch on her neck, looking over only to meet vehement eyes and a small smirk, his freckles profounding his features beautifully. She beamed up at him, knowing what he meant by his words; she wore clothing the Naāvi had gifted her with, and her hair had been brought back, a small amount of narrow braids being styled by none other than Neytiri, twinkling yet light-colored spherules and cords woven through when the braid had been halfway finished, and a few strands had found their place in swaying across your temples and brows.
An angel she is, was what Jakeās heart thumped the more he looked at her, and it seemed he wasnāt the only one who thought so. A breathless and vibrant Neytiri had stepped out of the crowd and crouched in front of her, her legs transposing her much closer to them. āJake is right;ā The tips of her long fingers skimmed across a braid sitting comely over Y/Nās bare collarbone, right near a handcrafted necklace similar to Jakeās. āSevin. Pretty. Very pretty tonight.ā The humanās poor wayward heart prospered a fervor warmth at the tender curve Neytiriās lips painted for her, at the words uttered for and because of her. She tried pushing back air from her lungs by clearing her throat, unaware of Jakeās gaze inspecting both of them scrupulously. āT-thank youā¦itās because of you though. Irayo, Neytiri. (thank you)ā
Her ears twitched at the sound of her name perfectly pronounced by Y/Nās lips. āKea tƬkin. (Youāre welcome.)ā The very lips she couldnāt help let her gaze fall upon for a brief moment before looking between her and Jake. A grin transformed her face, āYou must dance.ā
Her hand reached for his arm while the other went to Y/Nās knee, and his head whirled to her who recognized the strike of panic in him. āN-nah, Iām good. Not much of a dancer. Besides, Y/N is too small for that.ā In true recognition, she knew how he hadnāt had any contact with dancing due to his paralysis back on Earth, especially considering he never had the apparent time when he joined the Marine. So, instead of prying him to stay and playfully scolding him for remarking her size, she slid off his lap and patted his cheek. āGo.ā
āIt is the way.ā Neytiri insisted, giving Y/Nās knee a squeeze before grabbing his arm once more.
He peered between them, eyes squinted and searching Y/Nās round ones with his mouth pursed. āYou sure?ā Tsuātey, the one betrothed to Neytiri, had an almost like scowl across his face but stayed quiet, watching how Neytiri beamed when he gave in at Y/Nās eager nod, pushing him into Neytiriās hold. āYes, now stop being a baby and dance!ā
She giggled when Jake dropped a kiss to her head, and before him being dragged away he pulled along Grace who exclaimed in surprise, Norm laughing out loud before joining the three.
As the tempo of the music started to escalate, Neytiri positioned Jake in front of her, motioning for him to follow her movements along with everyone elseās around them; her palms extended out in front of her, and Jakeās brushed against hers before taking a small step forward and mirrored the way her hands shimmered and arms slowly glided above her head. Sparks of amber materialized, both their irises flickered when the pads of their fingers strode across one anotherās, those sparks simmering with each of their movements and feathered touches. His chest racketed in an awful familiarity when with Y/N, throat tightening the more his eyes bore within hers. He resisted the urge to encase his palms around her forearms and wrap them around himself, firmly reminding himself of those surrounding them, of his angel watching them. And yet when he spared a glance her way, he saw her with the warmest of smiles, skin gaining its precious glow and eyes tender yet wondrous while staring at them both.
He had comprehended the way Y/N had grown incredibly close to Neytiri, and Neytiri never once denied or ignored her existence as a human. Sure, like any other of the Naāvi, the female warrior detained slight skepticism, but that was at the beginning. He discerned the way Neytiri treated Y/N with the equal amount of protection and precision as him; how her body would stay close to Y/Nās when walking through the forest, or how with her being human she was aware to her dietary being distinctly different to the Naāvi, so she would ride Seze and fly where Grace, Jake, and Normās human bodies resided in and her former mentor would help her gather nutritions for Y/N, returning to Pandoraās forests and firmly imply for the human to eat. Or how her thin patience with him is spared with Y/Nās quickness in picking up on their culture, traditions, and language. And if he wasnāt indicating something that was clearly noticeable, she approached not just Y/N but him with small gestures of affection.
From the lightest of touches to the specters of gazes and curls of gorgeous smiles or deep scowls and scolding remarks (mainly towards him but he found it entertaining) ; he, along with Y/N, sensed how grand Neytiriās presence captivated them. He felt accepted with his Y/N, understood, acknowledged with his Y/N. He was saved because of her pure existence. But for the past months, Neytiri had made her scorching mark within their relationship, one that was the complete opposite of incapacitating. Sanctuary resided with both Y/N and her, safety, protection, strength, affirmation with himself, with his existence in this new world, completely disintegrating the main reason as to why he agreed to be a part of the Naāvi, and instead flourished a new desire within himself.
Those radiant specks ignited violently when the length of their fingers collided within the otherās, each speck accumulating between their clasped palms. Overwhelmed was her expression, eyes fluttering with the realization of what had occurred before gently pushing him away for the next part of the dance. He chuckled, giving one more look towards Y/N before devoting his complete focus to this dance, more so Neytiri.
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
Giggles and laughter wafted through the expansive canvas of Pandora's azure sky, where the rhythmic beats of tree drums faded into the background, becoming the least of their concerns. They ambled through the forest, their joyous expressions painting the scene with the happiest of faces.
"You could've joined us, Y/N. We would have found a way." Neytiri's graceful strides carried her among the radiant flora, huffing a giggle as Y/N grumbled when a sizable leaf brushed across her face, only for Jake to effortlessly pluck it away and swipe it aside.
"No worries, Tiri." A sweet smile graced her lips as she addressed the statuesque woman. "It might have been a bit awkward for you to kneel down in front of me or something."
A chuckle emanated from Jake as his hand descended gently over her head. "would've teamed you up with a youngster. Imagine how cute thatās be." Her captivating eyes sharply rolled in his direction. In times past, he might have found it not only adorable but also slightly intimidating. Yet now, he found himself in the realm of charm, fingers tenderly stroking beneath her chin, a quick move near Neytiri before Y/N could manage to push him away from the apartment of delightful moments.
Her cunning was evident, for as his elongated strides carried him farther from her, his tail swayed freely, exposed and vulnerable. Seizing the opportunity, she deftly entwined her fingers around its end, exerting a gentle tug. A hiss escaped his lips, a feeble attempt to feign annoyance, yet it dissolved swiftly as the infectious sound of their shared laughter enveloped them. The girls' giggles cascaded into uncontrollable fits of mirth, captivating him to the point where he couldn't resist joining in with a hearty chuckle.
He hunched down, pressing his palms firmly against his thighs, his gaze piercing as it locked onto her. "Come here," he commanded, his voice laced with anything but authority. A high-pitched squeal reverberated in his ears, her nimble feet propelling her towards the vibrant glow of neon lights. The sound of their resounding footfalls echoed in pursuit of her every step.
Pandora's breath danced through her hair, unfettered and carefree. The liberating sensation enveloped her as she sprinted, releasing laughter that lingered in the air with breathless grace. Gradually, her pace decelerated, the absence of their footsteps prompting a deliberate and attentive pause. Amid the hushed surroundings, she found herself captivated by the radiance of a luminous plant, its allure seizing her focus. Delicately, her fingers traced the intricate leaves, a smile softly adorning her lips.
A yelp left her throat as long, firm arms curl around your waist and raw warmth pressed into her from behind. āGotcha,ā Jake murmured into her neck, lips brushing her thrumming pulse point. For Eywaās sake. āGot scared? Serves ya right for grabbing on my tail.ā
Just as sheās willing her heart rate to slow down and closed her eyes for not even a second, Neytiriās face appeared right in front of Y/N earning another jolt from her. āWhat is wrong with you!ā
Neytiriās laughter resonated with a joyous, airy cadence. A soft breeze swerved into her ears, finding its destination within Y/Nās heart and gifted it with the strong, steady beat it grandly needed in this moment.
āForgive me, Y/N.ā The flash of stark rows gleamed in a great smile. āJake thought it would be fun. Are you alright?
She let out a breathy huff and allowed herself to melt in Jakeās embrace, reaching for Neytiriās hands who without hesitation granted them to her. It was a common thing to witness now, the petite physical interactions between the two girls. Jake didnāt mind however, he enjoyed seeing them get along.
āIām fineā¦just catching my breath.ā She divulged, inhaling deeply only for her to catch Neytiriās and Jakeās absorbing scents, before her elbow lightly nudged his torso. āScared me. Rude ass.ā
Jakeās arms tightened ever so slightly, thumbs stroking the unclad juts of her hip bones in something similar to an apology. āMābad, angel.ā He hummed, baring his teeth in a grin. āBut it wouldāve been funny to see you dance with a kid your exact size.ā
āJake.ā
āItās the truth! Imagine slow dancing with one, thatās be so adorableāā
She groaned, āJake can you not!ā
She released Neytiri to push his heavy arms away before reaching for one of his hands, then Neytiriās and tugged her forward. āCāmon Tiri!ā The young hunter, however, had a pensive expression, their words from earlier peeking a wonder in her.
āThere is dancing in sky peopleās home?ā
Y/Nās current movements came to a halt, her head whirling towards the Naāvi woman. Jake let out a laugh edged with ridicule, as if her words were the punchline of a joke towards humankind until he saw her face. āOh shit, youāre serious?ā
āOh shit, yes I am serious.ā Mocking was her tone, and Y/N chuckled at her use of āshitā. āYou didnāt cover this in the school Grace taught in?ā he debriefed, head tilting as he stood up fully.
She nodded, āShe did tell us this. But not specifics, another topic she moved to and we never knew if sky people danced different than us.ā Her tresses fell behind her shoulders as she too stood to her full height, leaving Y/N to meet the center of her abdomen. The human took an abrupt step back, cheeks glowing with a subtle flush at how her tinier hand was still engulfed by Neytiriās.
āThey do dance, but not all have the same dance styles.ā
āDance styles?ā
āY-yeah. Like traditional dances, similar to your peopleās, or break dancing, disco dancing, salsa, ballet, and a lot more.ā Y/N smiled up at Neytiri as she proceeded her words. āWhat about the one Jake spoke of? Slow dancing?ā
Her smile widened, glancing over at Jake who took in a breath before explaining. āItās a danceāā
āObviously, Sherlock.ā
āY/N, angel donāt interrupt me.ā
āWhat is Sherlock?ā
āNeytiri, honey, Iāll explain laterāā
āAnyways! Slow dancing is a type of style where thereās two people, right? They get very close, sorta like a hug, I guess you can say. And you just,ā his body swayed side to side in a silly motion that made Y/N hold back a giggle while Neytiriās lips pursed. āSway.ā
āAnd, anyone can participate in this?ā Y/N nodded, ābut itās seen as an intimate dance. Like, for couples.ā The warrior stayed quiet, trying to gather her thoughts together to express them. āHaveā¦you and Jake acted in slow dancing when both on earth?ā
Jake snorted, his interlocked hand with Y/Nās swinging. āNah, we couldnāt.ā Neytiri didnāt understand fully, and they didnāt expect her to, and for the time being, they didnāt say anything just yet. She nodded in acknowledgement, respecting their silence and thought for a moment. āWould you like to?ā
āYeahā¦but like he said; Iām too short for it.ā
āSize does not matter in intimacy.ā The human blinked in surprise, staring up at Neytiri. āI suppose youāre rightā¦but we need the right tune for it.ā
āAnd tune as in song.ā Jake interjected. āAnd we donāt happen to carry some portable speaker, soā¦ā
āSong is all around us, Jake.ā Neytiri was right. The lush and vibrant landscape was alive with a wide range of animal noises, creating an immersive auditory experience. The woods resounded with the chittering and chirping of hexapedal creatures like the woodsprites and viperwolves. Their interactions generated a lively background noise, enhancing the sense of a thriving ecosystem. The ground-dwelling direhorses, hammerhead titanotheres, and other unique beings added their own distinct vocalizations to the rich tapestry of Pandora's wildlife.
He cleared his throat and Y/Nās smile widened. āDo you want to learn, Tiri?ā
Her determined nod made her laugh, and turned to Jake. āMr. Good Height, youāre dancing with her.ā
His brows jumped up. āDonāt wanna sound like an asshole, but I already danced with her.ā
āYou can do it again, canāt ya?ā
āWhy donāt you?ā
Y/N hummed in false thought, leaning right in front of Neytiri and motioned her arms around her lower waist while Neytiri could only stare at what she was doing. āThis a good way to slow dance?ā
āShe can get on her knees for you.ā She caught the glint of mischief in his eyes, and she rolled her eyes in hopes to cover up the heat rushing to her cheeks. āNo, thatād be awkward ā Jake, come on.ā
He looked over at Neytiri, debating, seeking if she wanted the option of dancing with him. He in reality did want to, but he wanted Y/N to have part in this as well, so she could feel that strong affinity he too felt. āAlright, but you have a part in this as well.ā
She seemed unconvinced, pulling his arm in order for him to get closer to Neytiri. āYeah, yeah I will take part by telling you how to. Jake, put a hand rightā¦" She hovered his palm right over the arch of her back, his arm practically enveloping her, and she was fully aware of the way Neytiriās breath sharpened and looked up at her. āYou okay?ā
She nodded, āWhat must I do?ā
āPut one hand on his shoulder.ā
The muscles constricted beneath her gentle touch, Jake clearing his throat and rose his other hand. āGimme yours, now.ā Both their hands now clasped together, and Y/Nās smiled softly at the way her four fingers glided through his human-like ones. Jake nodded as in remembrance of what occurred next and took lead. āNow, we just slowly moveā¦ā
Her eyes flickered to his for a brief moment, a rare shyness pervading her features and he couldnāt help but chuckle. āRelaxā¦just follow my lead, alright?ā Their chests brushed against one another at the delicate sway he indicated, bare feet motions small yet shockingly skillful steps, and Neytiri couldnāt help but stumble at the turn he gave her. He laughed, shaking his head when she glared his way and pulled away. āSorry, itās normal though. Cāmon, letās try again.ā
āIt will happen again?ā
āIt could, Tiri.ā Y/N said, both glancing her way only to see her sitting on the glowing ground with an anticipating grin stretching her mouth. āBut thatās okay! Just keep trying, okay?ā She huffed out an āokay, yesā, resuming her position near the male who grinned at her. āLetās repeat that motion again, okay? Just look at my feet if you wantā¦lemme guide you through it.ā
Lighthearted he felt from her curious eyes, at her small ālike this?ā, at the way she entrusted her body in his closeness, the way her nose would crunch up in small frustration before he would assure her itās okay, Y/N giving her an encouraging smile when she looked aside. A few minutes had passed, and they had already made a full circle around the spot theyād been in, and she was wondrously catching onto the dance, his hands guiding her movements. Neytiri, initially skeptical, found joy in the dance. It was different from what sheād grown up with, much more simple, much more simplicity of contact that beheld pureness yet an intense amount of sensationsā¦perhaps that is why she enjoyed it.
āThere ya go, good jobā¦ā Excited, round globes made from shades of gold and green engulfed him, her ears fluttering at the small praise she had received. A few more languid beats went by, and subconsciously their faces inclined closer, his chin slightly dipped down causing his nose to feather down hers. Upon this act, those ember cinders convoked once more, just like the earlier dance. He embraced them, however, and she didnāt push away either.
It was like one of those old romantic films witnessed back on Earth, Y/N thought, her hand clasped against her cheek as her elbow hoisted over her thigh. But more profound and distinct, and maybe it was for the fact that they were in a whole other, much more preternatural world, its gorgeous fluorescent lights somehow intensifying their tall enchanting figures, the way their tails surged in synchronization with their now deft feet that moved across the glowing ground.
The once thought to be weak heart of hers encapsulated in her chest swelled when their movements came to a halt, and two pairs of golden irises turned to her, and a smiling Neytiri pulled away from him to grab the girl from her current sitting spot. āHe said you have part in this tooā¦come.ā
Three beings, one apart of the Naāvi by birth, one once a Sky Warrior and now a part of the Omaticaya Naāvi, and one human prophesied by Eywa to live and walk among them as if one of Naāvi, could be seen dancing in Pandoraās forest, nocturnal creatures assisting in the moment with their light as Jake gently twirled the human and Neytiri with each of his hands. And what could be heard were the aerance laughters and giggles from the three, a bond just as much intimate and reflective as forming tsaheylu tethering the threeās hearts together in this precise moment.
Enduring the act of waiting wasn't a preference, but you were well acquainted with it. Your moral patience, unwillingly cultivated, now functioned as a whole waged implement. A day after your appointment with Dr. Mason was reduced to 3 weeks, requiring you to wait during that time before taking the next step for an HCG test or a pregnancy-like test that had been created.
Yet with that being said, the enduring act of waiting wasnāt one for you at times. Neytiri, however, as much as she wished for results if youād been blessed with a child, stayed firm to her patience, trying to trust the process of sprouting life within your womb ā though you did catch on to how odd and perhaps even terrifying it seemed to her, the numerous steps to be taken in this, how it couldnāt compare to the simplicity of Naāvi birth ( though in your perspective of a human, it did seem curiously strange to the way they gave birth as well ā). And even the Tsahik had been involved with the hopes of a child, attentive to any signs the Great Mother may give. You did notice the amount of times Neytiri went to go see her mother, and when she would return she was reticent about it, a bit too curt followed by a minor smile. Perhaps you were thinking things too thoroughly, but she became slightly distant.
Jake wasā¦unpredictable to determine his exact emotions, to say the least. One would think heād be involved in the constancy of reassurance, but of course, actuality is a must in these cases. Erratic he was, deriving within his acts as Clan Leader a bit more often than he would usually have to do. Monitoring for the two little ones was never a complaint for you, always happily complying because you adore them endlessly, yet constantly doing so while trying to monitor your own health and Neytiri and Jake attending their own duties spawned something distinct from their habitual affectations.
Jake arrived home much later at night, his appetite strange, and he kept more quiet than heād ever been with you on specific things. His act with his two children wasnāt any different, while he would hold and smile at them, his eyes carried a distant look. Now every time you held and played with them, that neutral demeanor would be there. One you havenāt seen since the conflict between the RDA and the Naāvi. You or Neytiri didnāt pry on it, but you knew Neytiri knew as to why he was behaving like this. When nightfall came, however, they never neglected in holding you close, almost too pleading, providing you with their sole warmth. You more than understood that they had their duties as Oloāeyktan and wife of Oloāeyktan to fulfill, how it may take partial time from your family. But now was a time you needed them more than ever, and confronting the two was bound to come with difficulties, because even Neytiri would be out the second sunlight peeked out in the sky.
So, when Neytiri had informed you she was going to meet her mother for something she didnāt specify any details about and the once bright day had come down to nightfall, you decided to notify Moāat only for her to tell you she knew nothing of meeting with her daughter, and Jake had been on the calendar to train a few young warriors, your mother-in-law more than willingly stayed with her grandchildren for you to visit a specific spot in the forest, one you were familiar with from the many times you and your mates spend many loving moments there early on in your relationship. And of course, there you found the two glowing forms; Neytiri with her nose flaring as her mouth twisted into a frown, and Jakeās eyes came with tiredness and sadness all at once, ears flattening at the words coming out of your wifeās mouth.
āShe has every right to know! I do not like this ā the way you act, the way you keep secrets. You ask me to keep from her and she suffers more. I cannotā I have to say something!ā
āLook, I know, believe me I know but how do you think sheās gonna take this? Sheās not gonna take it well! Weāre doing her a favor. Her heartāā
āNeytiri. Jake.ā
They both spun your direction way before you could even utter their name, for they heard you coming a mile away, and their twisted features somewhat eased at the sight of you and Jake plastered a smile while Neytiriās lips tightened together into a thin line.
āHey, angel.ā In three long strides Jake reached you, kneeling down and looped his long arms around you, the tip of his pink, cat-like nose nudging your cheek, and you couldnāt deny his affection. Your arms instantly wrapped around his shoulders as he gave you a swift but soft kiss, and you couldnāt help but follow his lips, wanting a much longer kiss. But you internally groaned when he pulled back, his brows furrowed as he looked at you. āWatcha doing out here all alone? Itās not safe, Y/Nāā
āDo you two have any idea where you should be right now?ā
His frown dropped and his chest bowed with a deep breath. āI know weāre supposed to be at home right now butāā
āAnd yet you two are notāā he rose to his full height, back turned your way and one of his hands came to tangle into his locs. āWhy arenāt you at home?ā
Jake could only look at anything but you, but Neytiri did the opposite, her gaze punctured over your distressed face, ears twitching at the sound of your heartbeat, at the way you tried keeping a steady rhythm and balance in your voice. āYouāre not going to say anything, arenāt you?ā
Her lips parted, eyes saddening before alarming at the frantic increase of your heart. āMa Jake ā ma stxeālan, mawey-ā
Jake had already turned to you, rushing to your side and splayed a large palm over the small of your back. āBaby, cāmon breathe for us.ā
āYāyou two knewāā Neytiri was on your other side, fingers soothing over your chest for she knew how an ache emerged there when you tried to speak with a frantic heart. āLovely girl, you must breathe.ā But your head shakes were equivalent to the speed your heart did, a muskiness of tears warping your vision. āYou knew. You knew, you knew! Thatās why youāre not hereāā
āAngel, please. Just please, pause and breathe.ā You gave in to the soothing circles their fingers did over your skin, inhaling and exhaling as best as you could despite the jabbing pain in the back of your throat. But right when you nearly let yourself fall into their arms, you pushed from their touch, and Neytiriās eyes never left yours while Jake inspected if you were hurt.
āSo Iām notā¦I'm not pregnant.ā Jakeās head dipped down, and it surprised you when he stayed silent and Neytiri was the one to respond, her mouth pushed down imitating the frown that couldāve drawn together her said-brows, allowing it to morph that beautiful face of hers. āKehe, tiyawn. ( no love ) You are not.ā
It didnāt bring you any ounce of comfort, however, when it was her simple statement to corroborate your doubts. āAnd how long have you both known, huh?ā you demanded, inhaling deeply.
āYour scent isā¦.it resumed the same five days ago.ā
āSo, for five days, you both ā not one but the TWO of you decided to keep this from me instead of being honest? Do we take part in lying now in thisā¦.whatever this is now?ā Jakeās head snapped up at your last question, attempting to reach for you yet you declined, pushing his hands away while taking another step back. Both their tails swiveled in a distress-like matter as they stood to their full height, his more agitated and flinching from your shove while hers tried to keep steady, trying to contain herself from reaching for you. Hurt scrunched Jakeās face and his ears demolished at the sides of his head, and you deciphered their expressions in a second; never once had you denied their touch, and not having the privilege to touch you in this exact moment stirred them unwell.
āAngel, please lemme explaināā
āYou need to stop telling her to keep things from me,ā you snapped at him, then turned to her, āAnd since when do you listen to this idiot? My goodness, Neytiri!ā you pause, trying to gather your thoughts, trying to compose yourself yet thereās a break in the octave of your hoarse voice when you whisper, āDo you guys even care about this? Is this some joke to you?ā
Jake practically threw himself down on his knees before you, and in spite of your objections, both palms cupping your cheeks so very softly but desperately, and due to their size his fingers nearly curl around the sides of your head, soon falling over your shoulders. āN-no! We care about your wellbeing, itās not some joke.ā
āT-then whyā¦why didnāt you say anything?ā Neytiri, graceful even when in distress, crouched down, her legs ingeniously treading towards you, settling behind you and she slowly reached for you. A strangled breath left her throat and you realized she was neglecting her own stream of tears as yours were being swatted away by her fingertip the second they fell to your cheekbones. āWeā¦we, your heartāā
āI didnāt want us hurting you like this, angel. Her as much as I didnāt want to cause you this pain.ā Jake admitted, amber eyes focused on you when you looked up at him. āBut, of course weā¦I did this anyway, and here you two are crying. I asked this of her, and Iām sorry. To both of you.ā One of his hands reached to curl around the side of Neytiriās trembling jaw. āIām sorry.ā
āYou shouldāve said something sooner.ā
āOeru txoa livu. (please forgive me)ā Neytiri crooned softly, āMy lovely girl, forgive me, forgive us for being skxawngs.ā Her gentle kisses met your forehead, temple, your fluttering eyelids, then each of your cheeks, and lastly your lips. You allowed it, for the reason being that her lips ā and his soft, hesitant touches ā could perhaps be one of the few things to keep you anchored right now.
Of course, this result had been one not unexpected, nor was it unusual, for Dr. Mason had previously discussed the success rate of your procedure, providing you with statistics that were not the most promising. Despite this, you held onto a sliver of hope, reaching out for even a small connection between the two of you, in hopes to twine paths together. But faith was a funny and most curious companion when it came to you, remaining capricious and challenging, frequently draining and depleting you until you were left with little energy to fight back.
Jake looked at you with much rounder eyes, the misery within them finally seeping through your heart and sighed before reaching for him, and planted a very light kiss over his mouth in terms to ease him up. Though the emotion remained on his face, his ears stopped finicking and slightly twitched the very same time his mouth did so.
āOel tsun fƬtsenge ( I am going home. )ā Neytiriās hand captured your own negligently and stood up. You looked up at her honey-like orbs, and while tears still resided in both your eyes, you recognized what could be seen as relief in hers. Relief that the truth came to the surface despite the cost of sadness. āI will come with you, ma Y/N.ā You smiled a bit and nodded, about to take a turn in leaving until Jakeās own hand tightly grasped yours and Neytiriās. It was as if Jakeās entire being was intricately woven into the quivering grasp of your hands. As you gazed into his profound eyes, you could sense his fear growing. He was afraid that if he let you go without following you, he may never lay eyes on you again. It was an irrational fear, one that he surely knew deep down, but his mind was clouded by emotions. The moment he saw you both in tears, his rationale vanished. The tears that continued to stream down your face were a result of his deceit, and he could not bear to see you in such pain.
He gave both your hands a tight squeeze and a wobbly smile, āIāll come home too.ā
Once greeting and bidding the babies a good nightās sleep and Moāat ā giving her daughter a look that indicated a proper talk ā took her leaving, once resided in the comfortable size of the hammock and enwrapped in their long limbs, you forfeited your body to them, and resentment fled from you. To be sincere, most of the whole time, resentment was not all directed towards your wife and husband ( though yes they do manage to frustrate the living hell out of you sometimes ), but most of it was pointedly aimed at yourself; your body, but most of it pointedly aimed at your so called strong heart.
Neytiriās arms were fully encased around you, her lips sweetly falling over your temple over and over again as she rocked you in hopes to provide you with nothing but comfort, wanting only to bring what you always brought to them; peace.
Jake said nothing as his arm splayed over yours and Neytiriās waist. His silence brought you to tilt your head up at him only to see heād already been staring down at you. Reading Jakeās expressions was one you did with pride, and yet tonight you couldnāt fully unravel what was going on in that head of his. But a warmth washed his features for a moment before kissing your forehead, and it was then that you allowed your words to exhale up your throat; āI want to try again.ā
Neytiri smiled softly down at you and gave you a firm nod, while Jake simply hummed and stared up at the night sky as he tucked your head beneath his chin and pulled Neytiri closer, both unaware of the single tear gliding down his cheek. āLike Neytiri said; your desires are our desires, angel.ā
Months in Pandora carried on an atmosphere filled with prosperity and peace after the First Pandoran War, the war of Pandora, the RDA-Naāvi conflict, or the Time of Great Sorrow, as the Naāvi titled it as. And while mourning those whose lives had been lost to the Sky People came with a heavy process, now was a time to thrive, to live, to celebrate the new life given to the Naāvi.Ā
The wondrous news of a seed of life planted within Neytiriās womb had been taken as a gift from Eywa, any child was of course, yet this was the first birth indicated after the mournful events, and this was a token for the dedication the People stayed firmed to for Eywaās child, Pandora.
āWhat does a fortress mean to you, Tiri and Jake?ā She laid beside the two longer figures, her hand enveloped one of Neytiriās that laid flat over her slightly swollen stomach, Jakeās atop theirs as well. Her eyes admired Neytiri for a while, then turned to Jake and both, too, admired the human in return. It had been months after going into battle with the RDAās people, and the three ā the strong, enthralling bond now revealed from the exterior of their hearts and shun brightly upon the ancient lights of Pandoraās deep blue sky ā decided to spend their celebration together, a silent prayer for those lost to the destruction and chaos brought upon them, a silent prayer being said to Eywa for gifting them this moment of life and peace.Ā
Jake shifted to lay on his side, his other hand reaching the girlās delicate side softly while the other hand stroked over Neytiriās belly, with the simplicity of making them tremble below his touch, creating the motion for a while.
Neytiri nestled closer, lips elevating when she led her hand and placed it over the humanās chest, feeling the rise and fall created, inhaling the curious yet addicting flowery aroma wafted through her, ears picking up the melody Y/Nās heart tuned. It was absurd to her, when she first heard the news of how her love was thought to carry a weak heart, and here it was; Beating loud and clear. āFortress means a place of safety?ā
She hummed in response. āSafety is one of the meanings of itā¦but thereās also a sense of strength. Protection. A place of peace for one. Maybe even emotional resilience. Refuge and stability.ā She giggled at the sensation of Neytiriās cheek nuzzling against the skin of her shoulder, head turning to press a feather-like kiss over the azure tones of her forehead. āI admire the way you speak of things, ma Y/N.ā she muttered, pupils growing within those golden hues peering up at Y/N.
The girl had an approximate, clear picture of Neytiriās face, of the way bioluminescent specks glittering the pretty clashes of her sky and imperial blue complexion, and all the respiration once provided in her lungs seemed to have been pummeled away the longer she stared. Y/Nās soft grin clashed with the neutral twinkles of her eyes, āAnd I admire having you here with me, my love.ā
Jake was quiet the entire time before offering his own response, for while his eyes took in the two women that had become his haven, his mind too wrapped up in the plagues of the current battle against the Sky People, if what, who heād gained in this precise moment could have been torn from his grasp. The what ifās led to losing Neytiri if it hadnāt gone right, the child in her womb, the condition Y/N had, the possibility of losing her. The death of Grace, his dear friend who once despised him and grew to love him and care for him and Y/N. The haunting of many of the warriorās deaths because of this fight, because of his acts and leads. It taunted him, it nearly tried tugging him back into a darkness heād once been in.
āCome back to us, Jake.ā
Aching was his heart yet he didnāt project it. Not when his Neytiriās fingers reached and gently stroked across the side of his scalp, soon threading down the cascades of braids fallen over his shoulder. Not when he witnessed the content emitting from the two laying beside him. Not when peace now resided in their minds and thawed away those emotions. Not when they looked at him with the warmest of smiles, waiting for his response. So, he continued brushing the pads of his fingers down their skin, and he waited for the inevitable shiver to ripple through them, humming in satisfaction from the way her skin prickled beneath goosebumps.
āFortress is the structure of those who give you both peace and strength and refuge, right?ā They nodded, he hoisted himself much closer to them, his long arm enveloping them both.
āYou became peace, angel, that heart of yours became my peace,ā Y/N shuddered beneath his touch on her neck, hues boring into his ardent golden ones and his soft smile. He turned towards Neytiri, thumb stroking the apple of her cheek. āWhen we first came here, you became our refuge and strength, Neytiri,ā Her name was enough to indicate that nickname that solely defined her; goddess of nature. Endearing it was, the way it perfected from his lips as they gently pressed over hers.
āYou two, you girls are the embodiment of what fortress means to me. And this little bean right here,ā his palm flattened over Neytiriās womb, a fatherly sense blooming within his heart, āIs a part of our fortress.ā
āMa Jakeā¦ā Her smiling lips parted with a slow exhale, gazing at him in gentleness, and Y/N couldnāt help but giggle bashfully at the way he placed a firm kiss over her forehead. He grinned at their expressions, enjoying that one feeling that always followed every time he left them flustered. āItās true though. This right here, is a fortress. One without the other is just bound to fall apart, and I donāt ever want to experience that again without my girls.ā
āPray this to Eywa, Jake. That my heart has the opportunity to give us peace in this fortress. That we have even more purpose to push forward.ā
He hoisted himself on his elbow and pulled the girl between him and Neytiri, reached for her palm, and extended it to Y/Nās chest, his hand soon following afterwards. Clamorous, wavering, yet full of life was the girlās heart. āGive me your hand,ā he instructed, and her dainty palm was led to Neytiriās chest; unnatural, graceful, firm. He then took her smaller hand, and placed it over his own swift, wild, vigorous.
āYou feel this, Y/N? This heart?ā She inhaled deeply only for her to catch Neytiriās scent mingled with Jakeās ā musky, sweet, earthy, rain incense, him, her, him, her, them ā her eyes darting between his before descending into his face as she nodded. āMine beats like this because of Neytiri, because of you.ā
āMine in return wavers for you both as well.ā
Neytiri resonated with a soft giggle, bashfulness flushing her cheeks and reflected the position Jake was in, laying on her side. āOur hearts, they are one, ma Jake.ā
āHellā¦yeah they are.ā He breathed out. The horizontal of her nose nuzzled with his, and a purr-like sound rumbled through his throat at the sensation, sighing in content when her mouth brushed over his cheek and her hand slid over his jaw while his own rested over her waist. Y/N could only watch from her spot between them, affection sprouting from her heart and spiraling throughout her body. That was until Neytiri pulled away slowly, Wide pupils colliding with hers and leaned in.
āseykxel txeālanā¦ā The flash of stark incisors gleamed, framed with the brilliance of a smile Y/N or Jake never thought to have seen at the beginning of their encounters. āDo not ever deny this heartās strength. I have seen it, I have heard it. I have felt it. We feel her right now. She is and gives love, ma Y/N.ā Kisses stroked over the girlās skin. They shivered in the touches Jake now gave them both, each of them feeling an overwhelming wave consume them within the intimacy of this moment.
Breathlessly, the two beautiful women before him retracted from each other, and all he could do was stare. Stare, take in, and find peace and strength within it. Taking both their hands in his, a sweet kiss brushed over their knuckles; and that rascal was devious with his actions, letting his lips stray over the skin for just a second too long, tracing the way Neytiriās stark incisors sunk into her lower lip, and Y/N could only squirm from the single act of affection.
He pulled Y/N into his chest, and Neytiri let out a laugh at the squeal from the girl until he too pulled her in his arms and he was adjusted between them now, his fingers climbing over their bare shoulders, their arms, thumbs stopping over the flesh of their cheeks. He stared in wonder at the way the colors of Neytiri identified with his own, at how Y/Nās neutral, flush tones contrasted with them beautifully before pecking both their foreheads.
Y/N shifted so her cheek now laid over his chest, while Neytiriās head found solace beneath Jakeās chin, her braids brushing against the angle of his jawline. āSoā¦are there any other purposes weāll have forged in our fortress?ā
Y/Nās head popped up, āBabies, duh!ā Neytiriās ears hitched at the word, shooting up to look at Jake with the equivalent of the sunās bright rays, their flames combining and burning every ounce within Jakeās body as he liquified right before them.āThat is a great purpose she has said. Eywa has been quick to bless us.ā
He sighed and pressed them back into him, a hand falling over Neytiriās belly. āForgot how you two are so into those.ā
āMa saānok, wait no donāt say anything.ā You told your mother-in-law as her palms rested over your belly while your eyes screwed shut, nerves jittering before her low chuckle filled your ears. āWait, donāt say anything yet! Jakeās not even here yet!ā
A tiny palm lightly smacked your cheek and your brows furrowed. āMy baby Kiri, that hurt.ā Another followed, and a squeal like giggle filled your ears making it impossible to not grin and peek at the baby girl in Neytiriās arms beaming her little teeth at you. āBecause youāre so cute, I forgive you.ā you poked her cheek earning another squeal before closing your eyes once more.
Neytiriās infectious giggles clearly reflected the sheer elation and boundless happiness that radiated from within you. āIt does not matter if Mother confirms it, my lovely girl. It is more than obvious.ā
āBut how do you even knowāā
āPardon me, āite,ā Moāatās throat cleared from her current kneeling position, āMay I remind you that Tsahikās confirmation does indicate it.ā You couldnāt help but snicker at her tone of voice towards her daughter, hearing the sigh that followed afterwards. āSrane, Mother. Forgive me.ā
Heavy steps and breaths filled your home, and it was then that you let your eyes open just to see a breathless, soaked Jake with little, giggling and soaked Neteyam bouncing happily in his arms. āIām here! Weāre here! D-did we miss it, did she confirm it already?ā
Every woman present ā including Kiri ā could only stare at them in question as to why the two were brimming with water, Neytiriās eyes narrowing at her husband. āWhat did you do to my son?ā He only waved her off, propping down beside you to drop a kiss to your cheek, then to Kiriās, then to Moāat who could only look at him bewildered, and lastly Neytiriās. āSorry, sorry, sorry ā donāt worry about it, your kid is safe and sound and happy ā look at baby boy,ā he peered down at him with a broad grin and Neteyam only smiled widely at his mamas, reaching for you. āSee? Heās fine ā now whatās happening?ā
āY/N wants to confirm if she is with child.ā Moāat mused, thumbs tapping over the skin of your belly. He groaned out a chuckle, and you threw him a glare. āAngel, you are pregnant.ā
āBut how can you guys know? You donāt know!ā
He hunched himself forward until his mouth was ghosting over the shell of your ear, āWe know your body, baby,ā the point of his ear flickered against your cheek, āAnd this angelās flawless body carries a baby in it,ā he pulled back, a quirk between his brows and adjusted Neteyam in his arms as the little boy tried crawling over your laying body. āWell, technically itās a little bean right now, not even a baby yet. Itās still forming, no, Tsahik? A brain, holes, eyes and nose, oh! Then a heart andāā
āMa Jake.ā
āBabygirl. Iām just sayinā, youāre pregnant.ā He grinned widely, glancing at a squirming Neteyam and Kiri who was still in Neytiriās arms. āBesides, these two constantly wanna be with their mommy Y/N and that means somethingā¦look at āem.ā Kiri found herself free from her motherās hold, perfectly crawling your way and laid her hands over your cheeks, curiosity shining those big golden eyes as to why you were laying down and her grandmotherās hands were on your stomach. And Neteyam, he simply rested his round head over your chest, cooing softly at you while the pink of his nose twitched as he gave you a gummy smile.
You couldn't help but marvel at the sight and the innocence of these precious beings. Their tiny noses, azure full cheeks, and fluttering eyelashes were all a testament to the beauty and perfection of nature. You felt her heart swell as you watched them, a feeling so overwhelming and pure that it brought tears to your eyes.
But you blinked them away, stroking their cheeks and sniffled, full of hope you glanced up at the Tsahik. āWell?ā
Her mouth pursed and cheekbones hoisted, eyes glinted with joy. āSrane. ( yes ) Eywa shines upon you, maāite.ā A gasp hoyed itself from your lips, giving her a swift but tight hug and you grinned widely. āTiri, Jake, IāIāmāā
āSrane, you are with child, dearest!ā You sat up and watched how a sweet, exciting grin took over Neytiriās lush mouth, the mouth you couldn't help but launch yourself too, uncaring to your mother-in-lawās presence who voiced an amused grunt and chuckle as she gathered her grandchildren in her arms. āI gather you want me to take these two out for a while?ā
Jake chuckled half heartedly and ruffled his kidsā hair with a nod. āIf itās not so much trouble for you, please.ā She gave him a bow of her head, and stood up with the two in her arms. āCongratulations, Jakesully ā¦take care of her.ā
She left, and he was met with the sight of his wivesā giggling with one another, you straddled over her legs as she held you close, both brimming with immense joy. He walked your way, his eyes locked on Neytiriās smiling ones and you turned to look at him with that bright grin of yours. āJake, my love.ā
āAngelā¦ā He crouched down and firmed his hands to the ground as he leaned closer to your face. Your eyes darted between each feature of his as he reflected your own actions. He then plummeted when you jumped over his abdomen, tilting back under the firm pecks being met with his nose, his cheeks, his neck; his fingers winding over your hips, smoothing the skin there, and his smile lustred with delight. Delight that increased its rays when Neytiri settled beside him; delight that was a response of you and hers, for both were loved immensely by him, and that love would only increase within this fortress forever. Itās perhaps his greatest privilege yet in acceptance of this second chance, to provide love and protection for their fortress.
āWeāre gonna be parents again!ā Neytiri let out another airy laugh at your squeal, āThank Eywa, we are!ā and wrapped her arms around you once more to pull you into another sweet, much more passionate kiss. Jake smiled to himself, ears perked and let his lips fall over the toned juncture of Neytiriās collarbone while his hand rubbed lower down your hip bone. The longer the kiss continued, the greedier his touches became, and the more your crave for them flourished.
āYouāre gonna be a dad, Jake.ā Lips, swollen and lush, blew out a sharp exhale when his long fingers dipped below your thin lower garments while his other hand teasingly curled around the length of Neytiriās anticipating tail. āApparently I am.ā
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
āOkay, wellā¦ā Dr. Mason, brow creased in what seemed to be perplexed, and the way her tone carried awareness managed to augment your atmosphere; something wasnāt right. Something didnāt feel right. Ordinarily, her voice was one to convey tranquility to all doubts that assisted you the second you showed up for an appointment, but today, that tranquility had vanished, her words frail as if with one wrong term it would break without hesitation. āThere has beenā¦responses from your ultrasound,ā
The persistence of this quietness spiked an abundance of hesitations and emotions consumed your mind into torment and propelled it to a precipice, plunging into a tumultuous river of dreadful possibilities. Both your spouses were able to sense the unpleasant adjustment in your state of mind.
āFrom the looks of it, no heartbeat has been ascertained. Now, I donāt want us to jump to any conclusions yet butāā
āNo heart?ā Neytiriās curt voice interjected, an anger already detected and soaring from her while Jake only furrowed his brow as he processed this, and you didnāt have much choice but to let them do and say whatever it was as your mindās thoughts consumed you whole. āHow is there no heart? Tsahik said there is a child in her, and that more than enough proves there is heart. Your machine is wrongā
āWhat? Thereās something wrong with the baby orā¦?ā
āLook, sometimes a heart isnāt able to be heard this early in a pregnancyāā
āNeytiriās mother said thereās a baby there.ā Jake shook his head in unacceptance of her words, hand gripping yours tightly. āThere was a heart there yesterday, and the day before too. Now youāre saying thereās no heart? That doesnāt make sense.ā
āSully, if youād let me explain instead of constantly cutting me off, you would find me saying that this may not be what you think it is, which is a miscarriage.ā
āMiscarriage?ā
She nodded towards the confusion of Neytiriās face. āIndicating the loss of the fetus from not developing properly.ā
All that now recapitulated was that very word; Miscarriage. Your heart could not take this pregnancy, and this baby had to pay the price of your heartās weakness. Your breakfast menaced to coil at the mere thought Of course there was another thing your body was unable to maintain. At some point your mind was inattentive, completely muffling the heated exchange between your wife and the doctor, Norm coming in to try and calm Jake down.
You gulped thickly, welcoming the throbbing pain it gave your throat, and let your feet guide you out of this small facility and into Pandoraās forest, though not without Neytiri and Jake tailing. āBaby, Y/Nā¦.ā
You didnāt even bother to question how quick they reached you while Jakeās arm gate kept you from walking any further into the woods. āShe hasnāt confirmed anything yet, angel, letāsāā
āJ-Jake moveā I donāt wanna go backāā Cold, hot, bothered, confused, shuddering under the coat of your perspiration and your cascade of tears. Neytiri had knelt down and cradled you to her chest, her own tears of frustration and grief spilled over her cheeks. Childbirth had not been one of easiness for the Naāvi, but never had thisā¦thing the humans call miscarriage had ever happened. āShh, seykxel txeālan. Breatheāā
āDo not call me that.ā you spat out with a strangled gasp, seething at those two words falling from Neytiriās lips. āMy heart gave out on our babyā how can you still call me that? Can you even feel another heartbeat?ā Her hold on you consolidated, hand soothing over your head while Jakeās eyes squeezed shut and shook his head as he reached for you. āJust yours. And Neytiriās, and mine. Thatās enough for us.ā
āHow can you say something like that?ā You backed away from his touch, and Neytiri too couldnāt help but pin her eyes on him infuriated and hurt. He couldnāt help but hastily turn to each of his sides, eyes searching and darting around for his wrongdoing. āJake, we have lost our child.ā
He could only frown at Neytiriās words, and his heart was tugged on as your face obscured into her chest and tightened your arms around her. āBaby,ā his tone was pleading and hushed, gently grabbing your shoulders, insinuating for you to spare him a glimpse of those eyes of yours. āAngel, I just want you to be alrightā¦cāmere.ā
You gave in and fell into his arms, not able or caring to conceal your tears. āI just lost my baby, idiot,ā you sniffled, pushing your cheek against his shoulder blade. āIām not alright.ā
That night, an indescribable agony writhed up your spine and ruptured its way to your battered heart, seizing it, constricting the organ until a gut-wrenching wail relinquished from deep within your lungs, one that startled the children from their peaceful slumber, Kiriās wails assisting your distressing chorus. It made Jake and Neytiri briskly emerge from their current position around you, peering down at you in alert then at the kids.Ā
āNeytiri.āĀ
āSrane ( yes ).ā Neytiriās warmth was hesitant to depart from you yet eventually did, and you briefly thought it was to go and calm Neteyam and Kiri while Jake grabbed ahold of your face. āCāmon angel. Talk to me, whatās happening?ā
āToiletā¦bagā¦outsideā¦something.ā were the only words you could muster out from the seeping torment pooling down your abdomen, and by the twisted look upon your face, Jakeās brows shot up and deftly gathered you in his arms before climbing out of the hammock. āMa Jake, what is wrong with her!ā
āSheās sick ā Neytiri, get the kids out for a bit.ā His jaw already quivered at the sounds writhing within your throat, holding you close as he settled down on the floor. She didnāt question him, lightly bouncing āTeyam and Kiri in her arms and gave you two a brief glance before she walked out of their home. He propped you over a seat-like log, letting out a shaky breath as he watched you, waited for you to say something, anything.
Your muscles constricted, coiled, assembling to split with each throat-rippling cry. The urgency of your bleeding intensified without limits as you sat on the ground with your head dipped down, tears streaming down your contorted face. Jake shifted before you, ears and tail flicking in distress as he knelt beside you, making every effort to comfort you, even though both of you understood that the intensity of your current ordeal was not easily appeased.
āWhat can I do to help! Y/N, cāmon say something! Lemme help you, please!ā
Your eyes clamped shut, teeth gritting together, knuckles draining their color and you shook your head violently, giving him the answer of your refusal of help. āAngelā¦please.ā
Expressing precisely what you desired from him proved to be a challenging endeavor. Although you simply sought his ā your babies, and Neytiriās presence, articulating this need became a formidable task. Jake, your protecting husband, grew restless, grappling with the fear of being unable to alleviate your anguish. As he knelt helplessly by, tears threatened to fall down his face but he contained them, and the weight of your bloodshed enveloped his azure tones. He bore witness to one of his darkest fears materializing before his eyes.
āWhat is happening?ā Neytiri came into view, eyes alert and frantic, her arms discarded of the children giving Jake the notion they were with Moāat. A soft gasp left her at the sight of you quivering and rocking yourself, Jakeās hand rubbing circles on your back as misery scrunched his face. āY/Nā¦ā
āTiriā¦ā the broken whimper of you calling for her anguished her, and wasted no time in latching to your side, her fingers brushing away the damp curls pressed over your forehead, āLovely girlā¦it is alright, we are hereā¦ā She didnāt care for the red tainting your skin, she gathered your small frame in her hold, carefully tilted your head over her chest and rocked you in her arms as you reacted quickly to grasp onto her. āI-itās not comfortableā¦ā
The passage of time brought no respite even with Neytiriās hold on you, and your unease persisted for hours. Desperation led you to crawl out of Neytiriās lap and onto the woven floor on hands and knees, seeking relief. Brief solace was discovered momentarily as you assumed a facing down fetal position, attempting to shield yourself from the relentless onslaught of your rigid uterus on your fortitude.
Jake had left to make a quick stop at the human outpost, upon your request for something cold to consume, maybe something similar to ice in the mini freezers they kept there, though he felt disinclined to follow your orders. He didnāt want to leave, but Neytiri gave him the assurance that you will be fine, that she will keep close with everything you did. He listened, of course, undoubtedly peeking his enhanced hearing in from the distance. You then requested for a bath while he was out to which she complied, hoping the waterās calmness would offer some relief.Ā A soreness took over, yet you welcomed the capacity of it, letting the saltiness of your tears combined with its droplets pelting your skin. You still trembled from its temperature, yet the act worked somehow.
Neytiriās heart ached upon witnessing the moonās glow over your bare, fragile figure practically sinking within the water. āMy loveā¦ā
āW-whereās Kiri and Teyam?ā
Her mouth twitched into a tiny smile, striding herself towards you. āThey are with Mother. They wanted to sleep a bit more.ā
ā ām sorry for waking them up. And for disturbing your sleep, Neytiri.ā Words, meek and muffled within your knees, were heard clearly by the Omaticayan woman who sighed in response, āMa Y/Nā¦ā Your legs had now slowly disappeared into the water and you were seated up, round eyes glimmering with tears peering back at her as she settled behind you, her thumb reaching to dab away the fallen tears. āNever apologize for this.ā
Her neck craned forward to softly kiss your damp cheek, then your temple before offering you a safe haven within her neck, your meek whimpers flattening her ears and your tears soaking her skin.
She held you, swayed you side to side, allowing you to crumble completely in her embrace, words softly encouraging you to let it out. āW-why does my heart hate me?ā
āMa seykxel txeālan,ā she whispered, eyes illuminating her own shed of tears, and permitted her heart to shatter into pieces at how you believed such things of your own heart.Ā
āI know Iām not perfect, but I try doing things right. Why is it never enough? Why am I not enough? Why is my heart not playing the part you call it? Be strong? I try to convince myself as much as you are that it is, but itās not.ā Shards were each syllable of your words, and you welcomed its scorching slices within your flaring throat.Ā
Once more, it made you contemplate your path with faith; was it not an entity capable of breeding only eternal misery? Hadn't all your engagement with it generated outcomes such as these? You accepted then, that it had never been a positive path at all, and your reliance on it diminished only from your own gullibility.Ā
Neytiriās nose nuzzled against your cheek as she continued to hold you, and she cried for you, for the loss of your child. āYou are more than enough. And your heart is strong enough to endure this, my seykxel txeālan. Do not fault it, do not fault yourself. Eywa will and continues to shine down on you with just your existence.ā
āNeytiri.ā
She continued despite the protest in your tone, devoted to engraving her belief in your head. āYou did nothing wrong. You are perfect as you are. I will not ever stop calling you seykxel txeālan, because you are. My seykxel txeālan, my perfect, lovely girl. No fault on you.ā
Her lips fall over every part of your face, including your fluttering eyelids as tears once more kiss your waterline. Both of you felt another presence, and you shuddered out a breath when Jakeās body dipped into the water in front of you, encasing you and Neytiri between his bent legs. You peered up, being met with his gentle smile and amber irises. āCāmere, my beautiful girls.ā
He was quick to pick up on the swaying Neytiri created around your frame, and his arms winded around her with your much smaller body between them, making it easy for him to hold the both of you and continue the slow sways Neytiri motioned. āMay be a bad time to mention butā¦the ice melted on my way back, angel.ā
Your whispered giggle against his neck made their ears flicker, mouths smiling softly down at you. ā āTās okayā¦I have everything I need right here.ā They held you like this until sunrise, the three of you allowing and welcoming every ounce of pain derived, and Neytiri continued whispering sweet reassurances while Jake stroked your skin until you fell into a deep slumber from all the blood, sweat, and tears.
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
12 months later
āMy strong warrior, come here! āTeyam, come here!ā You patted your thighs, beckoning the now walking 1 month old baby boy to run your way. He flashed you an adorable smile, little legs leading your way with each encouraging word. Though it seemed his sister thought this to be some sort of baby race, because she managed to speed those little feet of hers and land in your arms with a loud squeal as you lost balance and fell on your bum onto the grassy ground with her in your hold.
āMy brilliant Kiri,ā you laughed at her tactics, how her gabbling words filled your ears as she reached for your cheeks. āSaānu!ā ( mommy ) she exclaimed, and threw her brother a cheeky smile when he caught up to her. āKiri, kehe! Saānu!ā ( no! Mommy! )
You grunted out a chuckle as both shoved the other to be in their mommyās arms. The two were practically the size of a human toddler, but you still managed to prop them both upon your thighs and nuzzled kisses to their round cheeks. āRelax, you two. There is plenty of me to go around for my beautiful babies.ā You grinned, and Kiri could only let out a āhumphā as Neteyam triumphantly snuggled his head into your chest. He had the custom to hold a look of concentration in those big eyes of his, always softening when he found what he was looking for and nuzzled himself deeper; it was a tactic you adored of him, a tactic that reminded you of his father.
āGood morning, my little one! Itās your mommy too! Just listen to your older siblings, fighting over me. Looks like you may have competition.ā You cooed down to your stomach, glancing up at the way Neteyam pulled away and Kiri looked at you curiously. There was quite a difference to your stomach now within a few weeks, a peculiar, little roundness that bursted you with joy, and the hormonal shifts were noticeable, especially with the way these two behaved around each other and you.
āSaānu?ā You brushed your fingers through Kiriās bangs as she stared down, her little brows furrowed in question as she babbled down to the petite swell of your belly. āThatās your little baby sister or brother, Kiri.ā You whispered excitedly, and her little mouth pucker brought laughter from you. You turned to Neteyam who had been awfully quiet, his big honey eyes squinting at you then at what his sister had now been babbling to.Ā
āPrrnen? ( baby ?)ā He questioned, his tiny blue finger pointing and you grinned. āSrane, āTeyam. Prrnen.ā His face carried a cute ponder-like expression, and a small smile broke out before his stomach propped over your thigh and laid a palm over your belly. āPrrnen!ā
Neytiri, standing from a small distance as she prepared her bow and arrow to gather some fish, brought her gaze up to look at the scene before her, a warm smile decorating her features as her eyes twinkled in happiness. She had been longing for this, for you to be with child, and she was sure her prayers to Eywa had been heard, thanking her with every second for this wonderful blessing. Many complications and struggles happened over the months of course, and there were moments where she thought you perhaps were about to give up in fulfilling this lovely dream of yours, yet here you were, a heart happier and stronger than ever.
Jake was currently sitting over a rock in silence, and in his hands were a small blade and wood as he expertly dragged the sharp tool into it, shaping it into a figure for his kids. His locs, loose and wildly ascended over his shoulders, swayed at the head tilt he gave your way. ā5 weeks. Aināt it a bit too early to call it a baby?ā
āMa Jake.ā Neytiri hissed, shooting him a pointed glare.
Kiri tore herself from you, giving your belly one final pat before wobbling through the shallow waters and towards her father. āDaddy!ā He placed his items down and pulled her onto her lap with a smile. āHey baby girlā¦right itās too soon to call that a prrnen?ā
āNo, itās not.ā You rolled your eyes at his grumble, returning your focus on your stomach. āThatās your grumpy sempu ( daddy ), baby. Heās been grumpy for quite some time now, and no one knows why.ā Your voice dropped to a mysterious whisper, grinning as Neteyam released bubbles of giggles against you. āBut donāt pay him no mind, he loves you just as much as we do.ā
She was unable to resist such a moment, and with that Neytiri placed her sempulās ( father ) bow down, and rushed into the small lake, right where you happened to be seated in. āYawntutsyƬps.ā ( little loved ones ) she crooned, a palm residing over your stomach while the other ruffled Neteyamās dark hair. āSaānok!ā She beamed that beautiful smile of hers, one that complimented her every feature and you hummed as she gave you a gentle kiss. āMa seykxel txeālanā¦ā
āAnd this right here, is your other mama, strong and gorgeous Neytiri.ā You grinned at how she stroked the skin, a hint of amusement shining her golden eyes at how you whispered sweet nothings to the life you nurtured within your womb. Engaging in conversations with your unborn baby became one of your cherished pastimes after discovering your pregnancy. You often found yourself speaking to your baby in the mornings or during moments of free time, despite Jakeās stoned expressions, the one he was doing in this exact moment as he walked towards you with Kiri in his hold, happily toying with the unfinished figure her father was working on.
Neytiri took part in talking to your stomach as well, and when Jake was present for it, you both always ended up with his sharp gaze on you, inspecting, the usual mirth coloring his irises completely washed away with the subtle glare he gave. It did brew some sort of uncomfortable feeling in you, but you or Neytiri never brought the issue up, and he never provided a reason behind it.
āWeāre all very excited to meet you soon, right Tiri? Right Jake?ā
Neytiri kissed your cheek, chuckling when Neteyam crawled into her lap but still kept his palm over your stomach. āSrane, lovely girl. We are very excited.ā
A tiny smile flickered across Jakeās face as he crouched down beside you, balancing Kiri on his thigh. āIām happy because my girls and kids are excited. If youāre happy, Iām happy.ā
Water droplets had soothed beautifully down the flexing muscles of his large thighs right before your eyes, and something about him carrying one of your children made your insides twist. The subtle smirk you offered him was a familiar one, one that made his brow hitched. āYou look nice.āĀ
āIām glad you think so.ā He muttered, releasing Kiri as she tried writhing from his hold to go join her brother. He took liberty in scooting and settling down really close to you, to the point where his chin rested over the top of your head.Ā
āBet I could make you feel nice. With my mouth, though, of course.ā
Neytiri, her cobalt tones shimmering delightfully under the sunās peeking light, smirked at your act and words, picking up on the low groan rumbling in Jakeās throat.The way she stared at you made you stride your tongue over your lower lip and smile sweetly at her. āMy pretty Tiri.ā
A lust consumed those eyes as her face slightly flushed at the nickname. Neteyam found himself sitting beside Kiri in the water, and Neytiri took a chance in shifting closer, her hand reaching to grope the expanse of your thigh. She smiled, pleased at the way her palm practically enveloped your flesh, the way it sizzled beneath her touch, and she had to keep her canines from sinking into her lower lip at the sound you made.Ā
āChoose your words wisely, yawnetu. ( loved one )ā she mused, and Jakeās hot breath fanned over the skin below your jawline, his own palm rested over your stomach and you shuddered. āYeah, listen to our pretty Tiri,ā his tone was mocking, and he snickered at how her teasing glower. āwouldnāt wanna do anything to harm it. Or that heart of yours.ā
He pecked your flustered cheek before standing up and easily brought you to your feet as well and Neytiri gathered Kiri and Neteyamās little hands in hers. āCāmon now, letās go home.ā
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
The Omaticayan people always welcomed and celebrated the cherishing birth of new life. New life unraveled new beginnings, a flourishing prosperity for their clan, and a gift from Eywa herself. Especially if that new life, that gift sprung from their leader, Oloāeyktan, once known as Toruk Makto, Jake Sully and his wife, Palulukan Makto, a warrior, Neytiri te Suli. The Naāvi were mystified when the new life didnāt come from Neytiri herself, but you, Y/N te Suli, and of course, they thought it had not been possible for you to birth one of them, yet you nor Jake and Neytiri knew if this new life brewing inside you will come out as one of them if you consider the options youād taken. But the confirmation and approval of Eywa through their Tsahik alleviated those questioning doubts, and they had immediately wished to celebrate and honor this news.
The decision rested on their leader, Oloāeyktan Jake Sully, who, though initially hesitant, ultimately gave his approval, driven by a sense of obligation and devotion to Neytiri and you.
Neytiri retorted, her hands delicately rearranging Jake's thick dreadlocks, "You must don the customary attire befitting the role of Oloāeyktan, ma Jake." Jake, visibly frustrated, responded with a sigh, "I understand, but it feels so damn heavy!"
āThatās why your shoulders are so squared and strong though.ā You took your focus off of Kiriās hair who was perched on your lap and dozing off, and grinned over your shoulder. You watched as his current frowning face perked at your words. Once taming her husbandās hair and giving him a quick peck, she made her way towards you. Her chest covering radiated with vibrant feathers, harmoniously contrasting the velvety azure of her skin. Around her neck, a cascade of necklaces stood as poignant symbols of her familial ties, while her dark braids intertwined with an array of multicolored trinkets, creating a captivating visual tapestry.
"Would you permit me to do your hair, lovely girl?" She whispered against your lips, her fingers gently caressing the strands that frame your face. With a subtle bite on your lip, you nodded in agreement. "If it's not too much troubleā"
"Anything connected to you is never troubling," she replied, giving the subtle roundness of your belly a soothing rub, and you chuckled in response. As she positioned herself behind you, her skilled fingers meticulously parted and wove through the locks of your head. "Jake's influence is quite evident on you," you teased, causing her to giggle and roll her eyes at your comment.
"No one can surpass the original," Jake quipped as he playfully held Neteyam upside down, attempting to keep him still while putting on a necklace crafted by his proud father.
"Neteyam, stay still, boy. Calm your ass down!" He huffed, prompting Neytiri to hiss at him. "How many times have I told you to watch your mouth?" Neytiri's loud remark awakened Kiri from her nap, her hazy eyes and ears flickering. "Mommy? Saānok?"
"Shh, it's okay, my brilliant girl," you reassured, gently pulling her head back onto your chest. "Daddy's just being noisy right now." Kiri gave you a lazy smile before shooting her unaware father a glare and closing her eyes once more.
"Kiri, 'ite, wake up," Neytiri whispered to her. "After I'm done with saānuās hair, we must go, okay? We must get ready for the festivity." In response, Kiri whined and dramatically sprawled herself on the ground, eliciting laughter from you while Neytiri sighed. "Just like your father, unfortunately."
His laughter echoed, a genuine sound that elicited a contented hum from you. It had been weeks since you last heard him laugh so authentically, and now you eagerly pursued the lingering echoes, entwining yourself in the lasting warmth it brought. And at this Neytiriās mouth lifted, giving your shoulders a squeeze, already knowing how much this would please you, and her as well if she was to be sincere.
āWe donāt have to go, yāknow? I mean, being chief gives me the right to cancel soā¦if you arenāt up for it. ātād make Kiri less dramatic and this one would calm down.ā He crooned at the boy that curled in his arms, finger stroking below his ear to his cheek, and Neteyamās sudden soft babbles filled the atmosphere.. He then stood in front of you, crouching down to gather Kiri in his arms, though not before pecking your cheek then Neytiriās mouth, at this you flinched as you watched; the affection he gave his children or Neytiri shouldnāt stir any ounce of jealousy in you, it was absurdly irrational from your part and yet completely out of your control. By reason of the long while Jake had let himself hold, kiss, touch you for no long enough to lose himself in you like he usually would, and hurt resided in you at this.
āSyor, Y/N.ā ( relax ) Neytiriās words whispered within your ear, already sensing the spike to your heart rate. āDo not let him get to you.ā Though reassurance laced her voice, irritation towards Jake edged it. You only sighed and tore your eyes from Jake; deciding to point your focus on your vitality contending against your contemporary condition of debility. An inkling of it possibly disrupting your night tormented your mind. āJust because youāre chief, marine, doesnāt mean you can go and ruin this for others. This is important, especially to me. You know this. Or are us and your people celebrating the coming of our child not important to you? Thatās what youāre trying to say?ā
He swallowed hard at the old nickname you regarded him with, but he rolled his eyes. āI think everyone present here knows that what youāre saying is nowhere near what I just or have been saying, baby. Or is it, Neytiri?ā Both him and you fixated your gaze on the lithe woman behind you, brows jumping as her mouth formed an āoā before releasing a laugh that indicated how ridiculous this seemed to her. āMa Jake, do not ask me any silly questions, or to our Y/N right now. Settle your children down before Mother comes to help place your attire.ā
Moāat greeted each one of you, Neytiri assisting her mother in delicately but perfectly descended the traditional feathered piece over his shoulders, and Jake caught a glimpse of the smirk flickering yours and Neytiriās mouth as the head piece tangled around his ears. But he said nothing, simply shaking his head and prepared for whatever was bound to happen next.
The night had already commenced to a vertiginous beginning; the loud rumbles of the drums, the chants, the brightness of multicolored lights, the People, the strained conversations. Youād think it wouldnāt overwhelm you the way it did considering this is precisely what you experience almost every night, and that overwhelm you carried had Jake tear away his entire attention from his People and fixated on you whoād been seated right in front of him, his jaw tightening in hence to contain the āTold you soā sitting at the tip of his tongue. Neteyam and Kiri, sleepiness completely washed from their system and replaced with a bundle of energy as they squealed and ran around with the other children, and Neytiri had been engaged in a conversation with her mother that you didnāt want to interrupt seeing the serious demeanor they carried.
Fatigue settled deep within your bones and not even a whole hour had passed. You seeked for something, someone familiar among the dancing blue bodies, and you practically beamed when spotting dear old Norm, panting and laughing from the dancing he partook in, walking your way.Ā
āY/N/N! Whatāre you doinā here just sitting? You should be celebratingāā His brows crashed when he noticed your drained expression, your posture, and crouched down to gently place a large palm over your forehead. āYou alright? Hey, whatās wrong?ā
You mustered a small smile and nodded under his hold, bringing both hands to softly grab his own and removed it from your forehead. āDonāt worry, Norm. Iām good! Just a little tired, but thatās it.ā
Norm had grown to become a good friend to both you and Jake, and heād been very attentive to your health and supportive of your pregnancy, heād been a listening ear for you when things got a bit fickle with Jake and Neytiri. So it didnāt surprise you when Norm was unconvinced of your feign reassurance, eyes shifting over to a rather distressed looking Jake as he towered over you from behind, hoping to gain some intuition of the situation. None was offered, at least not in front of you, and you glanced up to see the silent exchange between the two Naāvi men, something you were unaware of.
This infuriated you, observing the way they communicated so perfectly without the utterance of words about something that clearly involved you. You grumbled out an āexcuse meā before standing and making your way towards your little ones whoād been playing close to the expanse of the Hometree, both pairs of round eyes widening and smiling at the sight of you. āSaānu!ā
āMy babies,ā you grinned, giggling when Neteyamās arms loosely wrapped around your waist with his ear pressed against your belly. āTsmukan.ā ( brother ) he happily crooned, and Kiriās brows furrowed as she shook her head. āKehe. Tsmuke.ā ( sister )
You laughed at the glare she gave the boy while he remained unbothered and simply nuzzled his nose to your flesh. āIt is too early to tell if itās a boy or girl. But either one, Iām sure you will love them very much.ā Your hands fall over their heads, lovingly stroking your fingers through their dark strands and smiling down at them, feeling an ease settle down on you despite the tiredness you felt.Ā
Neteyam must have sensed it, for he peered up at you with a look in his eyes you couldnāt quite make out as his ear pressed over your heartbeat. āSaānuā¦sleepy?ā He questioned. Damn was it that easy to tell?
āA little bit, my warrior. But Iāll be fine, donāt worry.ā You reassured the boy. He made a grunting sound and glanced at Kiri before they pulled away to grab your hands, lightly pulling you near the treeās surface, between the thick roots. āS-sit.ā
Their actions left you a bit dubious but you followed them, slowly sliding down with a sigh and smiled softly at them. āYou two are a blessing, yāknow that?ā They only settled down on each of your side and wrapped their little arms around you, soft babbles being exchanged with the two.Ā
Children may be clueless at times, but they certainly werenāt stupid, you thought. And if they were able to indicate what you felt, then it must be because it was clearly written in your face, and being able to settle down without having the eyes of the People on you brought down the waves of weariness, the verge of nearly collapsing.
āTheā¦pregnancy is doing this to her, you say?ā Moāatās voice, perplexed and firm.
The one responding afterwards was recognized as Jakeās refrain, strangled and raspy. āYeah. Sheās been trying to hide it, but we can tell itās taking a number on her, and sheās not doing a damn good job at hiding this!ā
āIt is a child, ma Jake. You cannot judge her or the child too harshly now. But,ā a sigh followed; Neytiri. āIt is true, ma saānok. Every day, she becomes more frail ⦠and we have no choice but to see her fall apart like this.ā
āPerhaps we should let her stay here instead of going to the human outpost. It will do her good if I keep checking on her, no?ā
āWith all due respect, Tsahik,ā Norm. āShe has to keep going to the outpost in order to see if this pregnancy and her health are maintaining balanceāā
āYeah well, a fat load of crap that is to see if sheās maintaining balance.ā
āJake, please calm down. Besides, it does seem like a normal response from the twins in her stomach so she is gonna have to constantly come byāā
āIām sorry, what?ā
āWhat do you mean by twins?ā
Silence ebbed, one of thickness and delirious, one that you felt from the center of your being at the revelation, yet your silence was otherwise. Not one, but two pure souls growing in your womb, you thought anticipatingly, though that warm happiness was quick to dissolve from the biting tone of none other than Jake. āWhat the hell do you mean by twins, Norm? You didnāt say this the other day. Itās not possible!ā
āIā¦we couldnāt confirm it just yet. The ultrasound was iffy, and it took Dr. Mason some time to go through it until she realized it. think about it, though; the rapid growth of her belly, the way she looks more and more tiredāā
āYeah because that thing is draining everything sheās got!ā
āTwins are not capable of happening for the Naāviā¦it is a rare occurrence, yet a blessingāā
āBut Y/N isnāt a part of the Naāvi, not physically. And this isnāt a blessing, this isnāt even supposed to be happeningāā
āShe wants to be a mother, we cannot deny her this. She is happy, you should be happyāā
āI am, believe me, I am happy if sheās happy, if youāre happy, Neytiri. But not when thisā¦baby is practically killing her from the inside slowly with each passing second. Or whatā you wanna lose her?ā
āI never said that! But we cannot keep getting in the way of this dream that she wishes for so profoundlyāā
āI donāt want her having this baby, there I said it.ā
Silence condensed once more, and you have to take a quick peek to the children in your hold, both gratefully sound asleep despite the escalating tone of the others, and you have to raise a palm to your mouth in order to contain the sob threatening to hurl from your throat at Jakeās revelation.
āJakesully. A child is a gift sent from Eywa, whether your wife is Naāvi or not. And It is up to both you and my daughter to support her, no matter your train of thought.ā
āNorm, back me up here.ā Nothing. āNeytiri, donāt tell me you want her having this thing, do you really want to lose her like thisāā
āThat thing is a child. Our child, children, Toruk. You can either accept it or not, but it will not change her mind, or mine.ā
Inhaling deeply in hopes to find a steady pace to your racketing heart at the most expeditious pace, you gently shake the children awake. āCome on, we must get back to your mama and father.ā Both Neytiri and Jakeās ears flicker at the sound at your heartbeat assisted with Neteyamās and Kiriās, Jakeās gaze flitting down to the two other beats that happened to be purely beating within your stomach. Moāat, a firm demeanor upon her and Norm, looking down at the ground, said nothing as your presence was between them all.
āAngel, you alrightāā
āI think itās best I head back with the kids.ā
Neytiri was the one to take you back while the Tsahik and Jake continued with the festivity, not wanting to abruptly call everything off and reassured the People everything was fine.Ā
When your beautiful wife sauntered your way, a final peer to the children who were sound asleep, with ease she settled you within the hammock, crawling in beside you and like all nights, she held you close; yet tonight was different, tonight was as if she had been hit with the realization of the very words Jake uttered; her hold on you was almost despairing, swallowing the entire length of your body with her prolonged one while her chest produced the deepest of exhales and clutched onto you. Gulping, you tilted your head up at her; honey-like orbs hidden beneath shuddering eyelids, her lips obtrude, and gentle words somehow found a way to soothe from their trembling act.
āNeytiriā¦do you want to have these babies?ā
Her eyes nearly snapped open but settled for a gentle gaze, and you saw the way she immediately picked up on your usage of ābabiesā instead of the singular word giving her the wretched notion that you had heard their conversation. She prompted a flicker of a sad smile and nodded while giving your cheek a light stroke. āMy desires are your desires, seykxel txeālan.ā Firm, confident, sadness all molded into those words, and you wholly believed her.
Another question climbed painfully up your throat, one that was thrown out when Jake had finally made his way back with you, clutching you and Neytiri the same way she had; āDo you want to have these babies?ā
You looked at him, and Neytiriās eyes only fell shut when he stared up and laid his chin over your head.Ā
āWe want what you want, angel.ā
ā¦ā¦.
āMay I speak with you for a moment, ma Tsahik?ā
You entered her den, strides reluctant and nervous, and Moāatās gaze glowered curiously and slightly displeased at your usage of formality. āNow what have I told you about addressing me like that, eh?ā
You released a weak chuckle, muttering a small apology as you walked her way. āIāve been out of it for a while now, but again, forgive me.ā
She smiled as you settled down beside her and nodded in understanding. āIt is common with your state of being right now. Do not apologize.ā You glanced at her in curiosity before it hit you. āI forgot you already knew.ā
She laughed, āTsahik knows it all.ā Your mouth twitched before the corners pushed down. āI donāt mean thatā¦ā you inhaled sharply, āI overheard your conversation the night before. With Jake. And Neytiri. And Norm.ā
Her smile faltered at your revelation but did not rush to assist any excuses to it, for she knew it was very much explanatory enough. āI did haveā¦suspicions of it already before that talk, however.ā she pointed out and then sighed. āI assumeā¦that is why you are here, āite?ā
You nodded, and the herbs currently in her hand are placed down so she can provide her attention to you. āI am not upset with you, but I am upset withā¦ā
āJakesullyās words?ā She questioned and you nodded. Moāat, growing to become a mother figure within your life, was wisest as a voice of reason ā partially for being Tsahik of course ā and provided guidance when caring for yourself became too hefty, when your relationship with her daughter and Clan Leader had its difficulties.
She bowed her head as a gesture for you to proceed. āYou know how much Iāve longed for this, for carrying my very own children, but you also have heard of the difficulties Iāve been having because of this longing given my condition,ā Her hand reached to place over the palm that rested over your belly, smiling slightly at you. āAnd itās difficult, yes. Butā¦Jake is so apprehensive about it and Neytiri too worries, and I understand why, I love them because they worry and care for me.ā Your fingers twitched, eyes gaining a glassed surface and sniffled āBut I want this, saānok. And yes, youāll be the first Iāll verbally admit to that I am exhausted almost every day, but that doesnāt matter to me! What motivates me is that Iām meant to carry life, these beautiful lives, that Iāll be giving Neteyam and Kiri more reliance, Iāll be giving Neytiri and Jake another to love whollyāā
āYou will be able to birth and be someoneās blood mother.ā You stayed quiet, rubbing soft circles over your belly and nodded. āNeteyam and Kiri are my children, and I know I am their mother as much as Neytiri is butā¦Iāve wanted to experience carrying a child, does that make sense? And Jake doesn't understand, Neytiri is supportive and Iām sure she wants this but Iām afraidā¦ā
Tears have omitted down your cheeks, and both her palms now have raised to cradle your face. āOh maāeveng⦠youāre afraid she too does not want you to have these children.ā Youāve had a challenging time grasping the conversation they had shared, and nodded your head. She gave you a soft smile, one that enriched the maturity of her features.
āThey do love you very much, and I am sure you know that. I cannot speak for Jakesully in this case because I do not know the specific events of his life, as for my daughterā¦ā Melancholy swarmed her gaze and you caught on to what subject was bound to be brought up. āA lot within her changed when her sister departed from us. Neytiriās brilliance and precautions sharpened with the Sky People. She had sworn right in front of Eywa to not ever trust them again,ā she chuckled half heartedly and you couldn't help but do the same. āBut how I knew how much she enjoyed the curiosity always brightened when she and Sylwanin learned about them with Grace. And she tried to simmer it down, she nearly convinced me it had completely faded.Ā
āBut then you and him came along, and that night you were brought to our village, I saw it again; that curiosity. Brimming within her, wrestling with the swear she had made. A fickling light Neytiri was. And I will admit, I was hesitant when I saw it, when it led to loveā¦but you both brought something within her back to life. Neytiri loves you eternally. Jake loves you profoundly as well. Now, my daughter would never ask this of you, to not have these children; but of course she is afraid. And while Jakeās statements were rather harsh, his behavior, and her fear, are being driven by that love.ā
āAnd I love them as well, so so much but I justāā
āHowever, that love should not hinder the act of you making choices.ā she firmly stated. āEspecially when it comes to your happiness, your mind, heart, and body. The very body that you have taken care of after many events of hurting. You deserve this, āite. The Great Mother has rewarded you for your suffering, and you shall welcome it, no matter what they say.ā
Stutters spewed from your mouth as you now sobbed within her hold. āB-but he saidāā
āWords lie. Words deceive.ā she reminded you. āActions prove otherwise when it comes from here,ā her hand fell to your chest, ā the heart. And if your heart desires a child which is not unnatural, then they will be easy to love. You desire this?ā
āMore than anything, ma saānok.ā
She smiled, carefully dabbing away the tears over your cheeks. āThey want this, despite the deceiving words. They love you, and want to continue this family with you, child.ā
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
āDo you still love me, Jake? Neytiri, does he?ā Not so far and not so deep into the forest, but far enough from ears to hear the seeth in your voice, far enough from eyesight to witness the tears rolling down your cheeks. Neytiriās ear twitched at your words, mouth frowning as she crouched near you while Jake could only look down with a deep frown, purposefully avoiding your gaze.
āWhat is the reason for these words, lovely girl? Of course he still loves youāā
āLetās ask the chief himself; Jake, answer my question.ā
He snorted humorlessly, almost in disbelief. āWhy theā why would you ever ask that?ā
You pulled away from Neytiriās touch and took long steps his way, innerly grateful for him sitting down on a rock otherwise you wouldnāt have any access in grabbing his face and forcing him to meet your eyes. āYou donāt look at me anymore. You donāt smile, or you do but it never reaches your eyes. Not when youāre with me, or Neytiri whether she admits it or not. Do you love me now? Do you love her? Whyāā
āJesus Christ, Y/N! Why would you ever, ever question this! I have loved, still love, and will always love you and Neytiri and my kids more than anyone and anything in this entire universe.ā Yellow and slight neon green like eyes bored within your own, and you had no control of the way air completely left your lungs. But it did not whatsoever efface his constant behavior, or the emotions you carried. āDo those kids include the two that are growing inside me right now?ā
He huffed, looking at Neytiri to find some sort of exit to this exhausting and daily question of yours, but she stayed quiet. If anything, she looked and waited for his response in the same way you did. āIf these babies make you guys happy, then Iām more than fine with it. Then yes, I want you to have them. What you want, I wantāā
āJake.ā
He continued without looking at you. āNeytiri, I do love you so much, and again, if this is what you both want then okayā ā
āMa Jake.ā
ā...you deserve this and I careāā
āFor Eywaās sake, Jake Sully, answer her question! You have already admitted this to me, now admit it to her! Enough with the lies, enough with the silence, enough picking your way out! Answer truthfully because she deserves the truth from you,ā
āDo you want to have these babies?ā
The light contours of his nose flared at Neytiriās words but didnāt argue nor respond. No words, no heavy breaths, no sound besides the heart of Pandoraās forest. Nothing and you were growing antsy because of it, nothing and Neytiri hissed because of it. Until, finally, his lips parted and uttered one single word; āNo.ā
Neytiriās ears hitched at the harsh jitter your heart created, and she wasted no time in getting beside you. You let her grab you, but you did not tear your eyes from him. āW-what?ā
āNo.ā he said more firmly, brows pulled together and eyes drenched in remorse and anger. āNo. No. No!ā
The end of Neytiriās braids lightly whipped against your skin as she glanced to look at him when he stood, her eyes equally as wide as your own from his tone of voice. āYou donāt want our children?ā
āI can suffice with the other two. And not if it means weāre losing you. Not like this.ā
Your hold on Neytiri tightened and as did hers. āMa Jake, we do not know if we will lose her because of this pregnancyāā
āStop, Neytiri. Just stop, youāre pointing out my lies and here you are lying and trying to convince yourself. You damn heard Norm, you heard Dr. Mason ā her heart canāt handle it! If she canāt handle one, how the hell do you think she can handle two?ā The muscles of his neck strained tightly as he hissed these words, brows curling down. āOr what ā losing her doesnāt matter to you, Neytiri? You rather choose two lifeless children over our girlāā
She abruptly stood to her height and within a second, her chest was pressed against his. āI have never, ever said that and you know it! Do not assume what I feel, do not assume what I choose!ā
āYou and I both know whatās going on with her body, you as much as i can feel the way sheās slowly slipping away and youāre on her damn sideāā
āThis is not about choosing sides, Jake! This is about life, the life she is having that holds apart of usāā
āAnd what about her life!ā
You all were silent, thick and heavy tears rolling down both yours and Neytiriās cheeks, becoming one with the skin beneath your eyes. He, however, contained them. He couldnāt break down, not now. āY/N, youāre not gonna say anything? Not fight, not agree, nothing?ā You didnāt, because you had already come to the terms of you departing and making peace with it. You were upset, angry at him, at her, at yourself, at your very heart. āYou were the one to bring this up that night, Jake. You were the one who encouraged this, you convinced me and Neytiri so donāt forgetāā
He threw his arms in the air, exasperated and let out a strangled breath. āAnd I damn regret it! Every day I think about it, and wish I kept my mouth shut. We were fine, we were happy just us; you, Neytiri, the kids, me, our fortress. That was enough for me, our happiness.ā His voice boomed once more, and never once had it been that way towards you or Neytiri.Ā
Never did he want to hurt them, that was something he always feared doing and yet, here they were. Perhaps he was a coward simply blaming it on his conscience, simply blaming it on his heart, uttering a truth that was already known as a lie but continued to speak it. He knew well he was to blame; but he wanted to contain the peace, his source of happiness, of protecting, of giving him a purpose and fortress.
You tried blinking away the blur of tears and looked at Neytiri, āDoā¦.do you have regrets? Do you want this? Or are you lying like himāā
āNever have I once lied to you, ma Y/N.ā she ushered herself to you, hands grabbing ahold of your cheeks. āI have been honest, always. I do not partake nor control this skxawngās wordsā¦but,ā she inhaled deeply, her lower lip pushing out and her ears flattening in hence of her sadness. āI am afraid. I-I do not want us to lose youā¦yet at the same time, I admire the way you have accepted this, and as hurting as it isā¦I want this for you, for us, these babies. I support you, no matter what.ā Her grasp grew desperate, eyes having the rarity of plead sheāll only show him, only show you. You recognized the fear of losing her peace, but you knew her words were nothing but sincere, loving but you knew she too felt remorse. āTrust. Rutxe ( please ). You must trust meāā
āI do trust you, Neytiri.ā Your touch soothed, cradling her jaw and stroked her azure flesh with a wobbly smile before it fell, both of you glancing at a crumbled looking Jake. āAre you unhappy now, Jake? Are you unhappy with us?ā your tone of voice edged, and the assistance of Neytiriās golden orbs with your broken sparkling ones sliced deep into his heart.Ā
The length of dark locs upon his head fell to his forehead and swayed over his heaving chest, āIām unhappy with the way youāre hurting. And I know Neytiri is being the better one here, but Iām sure that she feels the exact same way I do when we see you hurting; I feel like a part of me dies.ā He lifted his head, and your own heart churned at the dampness surfacing those eyes. āI donāt like what those two are doing to you, angel. I donāt like hearing Neytiri suffer in silence because of thisā¦I donāt like the fact that youāll leave our kidsāā
āJakeā¦ā
He moved closer until he was kneeling over the ground, and reached out to hold his girls, to provide you both that strength of protection, of stability within your fortress as he often did, and Neytiri let him, you let him. She let him run his fingers through her cascade of braids as he kissed her forehead. You let him rest the expanse of his hand over your back and pull you ever deeper into his warmth and he soon kissed both your drenched faces, and for the first time in a while, he let his tears fall, tainting both yours and Neytiriās skin, because regardless of everything that has happened, you yearned for one another, for that heat he provided, that security he carried and become one with.
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
The large holographic images displayed the very hospital you met Jake in, and among the myriad of images was that one ward, the one you specifically met him in. Never did he think heād see this place again, even though heās not physically there. It made the former marineās insides stir with all kinds of emotions, smiling every so briefly at recalling all those memories upon those walls. Heād fallen in love with you, given her the very first kiss beneath those stark lights. He mentally thanked Norm for saving these old but very functional technology; ones that were able to seep through the memory of one and project them right before your eyes, and Norm happened to let him ( mainly you, since youāre mostly responsible and reliable to take care of such thingā) take it within the forest, just to show Neytiri.
āHereās where we met,ā he cleared his throat, glancing at Neytiri, then at you before staring back at the image. āWhere I found out about her crazy love for babies.ā
Your lips curled at his awkward chuckle, and took a step forward and near the picture; small bodies of babies that you remember as clear as day right there, picked from yours and Jakeās memories. You stood between the two Naāvi figures who carried both your other babies, and internally laughed at how it was now your shoulder pressed against his forearm. He even smiled slightly and welcomed this contact, knowing that despite there really being nothing special about himself, he had embraced the fact that his warmth, his need for a light to radiance in his darkness called to you, the very same way with Neytiri as well.
Neytiriās eyes brimmed and her tail softly lashed with wonder, Kiriās pure gaze brimmed with the same emotion her mother carried as well. Sheās heard the way theyāve met multiple times, sheās retained the lovely memory by heart and understood Jakeās reasoning for the way he spoke of his past, of his disabilities and your condition. Jakeās trepidation did not go without acknowledgement nor understanding, because she too feared, she too fell into great sadness with the thought of losing you. However, she had something youāve been contemplating with, something Jake seemed to have forgotten to have in their Great Mother; faith in your heart. In your surviving, and perhaps she was in denial, perhaps she too, like Jake, wanted it to be a wrong belief, but even her own mother, the Tsahik could not correspond to these unknown outcomes.
So she couldnāt evict the hitch of a crestfallen smile when you grabbed ahold of both their hands, not tearing your eyes from the motions of the pictures; the little babies she recalled you saying were very tiny compared to the Neteyam and Kiri, and questioned without looking at either or: āYou would put my own life above the ones growing inside of me, marine? And would you, Neytiri, rather me alive than the ones bound to live under the will of Eywa? Please, be truthful.ā
Jakeās smile softened at both the nickname and kept his gaze on you and so did Neytiri. Mesmerization played a powerful vehemence within the three of you, always directed fairly with the other, both admiring the captivating beauty etched upon your frail complexion, and Neytiri now understood why he called you an angel, what was the purpose of an angel; you fulfilled the word, you gave it meaning.
āWithout hesitation, I would.ā He responded, and all you knew this response wasnāt one you entirely wished for, and her hand tightened around yours. āUnder the will of Eywa, I would.ā Never would you or Jake pull Neytiri from her trust in Eywa, you respected this. And all this holding back, the lying, it was tiring for the both of them, and Jake wanted to affirm his belief within both your minds that you both matter to him, that he cared in keeping you both safe, alive, but overall happy.
Your head bobbed softly at their words, the device around your body soon shutting off with your silent command. Jake found himself crouching down to the ground with Neteyam in his grasp, a move you once took as silly and pitiful for them both really, but now it didnāt matter. Not when he found himself drawn to you, reaching Neytiriās other hand and motioning her to bring herself and Kiri down as well. āYou both will choose me.ā
āI will forever choose my fortress.ā
Neytiri huffed out a breathy giggle as Kiriās fingers brushed over the ends of her braids to the tip of her ear, and Jake along with you grinned softly at the sound. āAnd I choose my fortress too, Jake. And choosing my fortress means choosing to let these little ones live. I choose to add onto the foundation of my, our fortress.ā
He watched as you peered down to your belly, he watched as Neytiri smiled warmly with her irises swarming with both affection and sadness, and he inhaled deeply as you spoke; āYāhear that, my other babies? I choose to give life to you bothā¦but I wish for you guys to forgive me because that may be the only thing i can give you,ā Both Neteyam and Kiri had writhed their way out of Jakeās and Neytiriās hold, both their little frames seated between the circle their parents had created.Ā
A watery chuckle spewed from your throat when their wide eyed stare pointed your way and crouched down in front of them, their little blue fingers spreading over your tear stained cheeks, āAnd I wish for you two, my brilliant Kiri and my warrior Neteyam, to forgive me tooā¦ā Your palm lifted to ruffle the growing strands upon your baby boyās head while the other cradled the fullness of Kiriās cheek. āBut I hope you guys promise to take care of these two babies here, and that you grow to love them as much as I do, okay?ā
A barrier of tears warped Neytiriās eyes, chuckling when the two laid their little hands over your stomach and grinned widely. āPrrnen, saānu! Prrnen!ā Jakeās touch against you firmed, his throat constricting from trying to contain his pleads, his cries for you to not go through with this. To stay, to watch your two kids already born, alive, and growing continue to grow, to learn, to live with you by their side. He didnāt say anything, only observing and grasping how meaningful this was to you, how his kids already accepted their future siblings, observing and accepting how and why Neytiri chose to agree with you, how she maintained her firm support for you; because she wanted you to believe that your heart was capable enough to do something grand;Ā seykxel txeālan. And she wanted you to be happy and fulfilled with your heart. It was not hers nor his choice to make, and it was then that he begun to accept the pernicious reality that this fortress will lose a major part that interpreted it a fortress, that his life, Neytiriās life, Neteyam and Kiriās life will outlive your own. And he didnāt dare to speak it aloud, so he only watched and took this moment in.
āWill you forgive me, Tiri? Will you forgive me, Jake?ā Their hearts tethered at the timidness of your voice.
Neytiri reached for you, long arms tangling around you as she pressed soft kisses across each part of your face, letting her tears mingle with the ones over your cheeks, āI do not need to forgive you for anything,Ā seykxel txeālan. I desire what you desire,ā her mouth fell over your forehead, āI choose whatever you choose, lovely girl.ā
Jake then kissed you, pouring it all into that one kiss, fingers delicately but firmly grasping your flesh as he drank you in in this precise moment, not caring to hold back in front of his kids who had already seemed occupied with the unique nature surrounding them, and you couldāve sworn you heard a sob among his breaking stutter as he pulled away and let his forehead cover your own. āI choose you. I choose whatever you choose, my angel.ā
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
Jake greatly detested coming back to the human outpost just for check-ups; your check-ups. Not that he detested knowing about your health, but he generally detested hospitals, doctors, anything that had to do with machines, the feedback, wires, tubes. He knew he was inexperienced in this field, but he, equally or more so Neytiri, despised these human machines more than anything. Which is why when the time finally came, they had Dr. Mason and Norm come to their Hometree, with of course your permission given this was your procedure, and assist the Tsahik, your mother-in-law to help with the preparation of your said labor.
Though heād been a bit stubborn to this, you, Neytiri, Moāat, Dr. Mason, and Norm had convinced him to agree. Neytiri too had beenā¦thickly stubborn at allowing Dr. Mason in, she wanted you to partake in the natural birthing process of the Naāvi, but after hearing the precautions a pregnant human must take, let alone one with your condition and carrying twins, she reluctantly accepted this as long as she was present within the room.
āYou are very calm, ma Jake. It is worrying.ā Neytiri pointed out, and his pinned down ears flickered at the sound of his mateās voice and eyes fell over the weak strain of your smile. He matched your expression and let his gaze focus on the interlace of Neytiriās azure fingers delicately wrapped around your ringed ones, letting the sight stir his stomach and let his own hand rest over the both of yours. āIām calm because you both are. But Mason and Norm arenāt here yet and it worries me that they and Moāatāā
āDo not make her anxious, Jakesully,ā His mother-in-law had interjected in a low tone and he turned to see her giving him a firm look as she prepared for the coming events. āThey will be here in time.ā
āRight, right, right. Yeah, sorry.ā His head bobbed with each word, knees pressing into the ground. āSupposed to be a supporting and loving husband, not some commanding chief or marine, I knowāā Neytiriās lips pursed to contain her slight smile, and both stared down at you as a giggle bubbled from your chest. He, Jake, was enamored with the sight of them, of her, of you in this second, especially in this second given the circumstances. Your perseverance was admirable to both of them, and while Jake wished to be like you, he also wished to be like Neytiri, have more of her support and cooperativity.
He watched as you gave Neytiri a smirk, those gentle eyes illuminating as always and your voice dropped to a whisper. āCommanding chief, huh? And a commanding marine? Tiri, my love, that doesnāt sound bad now, does it?ā
Your jesting statement caused Neytiriās eyes to roll, yet their gold hue softly enlivened and warmed. āSrane, ma Y/N. It is an interesting idea, is it not, ma Jake?ā
Once more; perseverance, support, cooperativity, commendable in his perspective. You for creating jokes at a time like this, Neytiri for going along with it in hopes to ease the tension accompanying them all, to ease the torment assisting their minds and unwind the wires of anxiety around their hearts. āI love yall so damn much.ā he sighed out.
āYou influence us, ma Jake. You are what you say, rubbing off on me.ā She grinned at the way your head perked up and laid your other hand over his forearm, āBaby, thatās another good one! Wanna rub off on us, Jake, my protector?ā He chuckled softly, and just when he was about to respond, a very late Norm and a very late doctor and what also seemed as two more scientist / doctors walked in with two other Naāvi males assisting on each side, just as guidance and precautions under Jakeās order, departing with a firm nod of his, and his lips portrayed a tight stroke with a puncture between his brows. Norm mouthed a āsorryā while Dr. Mason greeted you all, including the Tsahik.Ā
āWe only permitted the doctor and the other into our home,ā Neytiri frowned, shoulders narrowing as she eyed the female who squirmed under her inspecting gaze. āAgain, we need as much help as we can get in here,ā Dr. Mason informed, settling down in front of you and put together the minor equipment she carried, every Naāvi present in your atmosphere grimacing at the sound they created.
āLook at you, round and ready to go,ā Norm mused and you rolled your eyes at his remark but smiled nonetheless. You, well your belly was incredibly round, and incredibly large for its size to carry two babies. Then again, these babies may not be human to which is why your labor was to be taken with attentiveness and caution, not wanting to harm you or them, yet if needed, with your permission already, youād already accepted the harm that would be delivered to you. āSoā¦do we have any questions before we continue with this process?āĀ
Your hold on your wifeās hand tightened, your hold on his arm tightened and your face portrayed the subtle strokes of sadness and anguish. Both knew the meaning to this, and Neytiriās lashes fluttered rapidly and softly spoke to you, reassuring and loving, while Jake chose to zone out for he did not want to comprehend it and let the Tsahik, Norm, the other docs, and Dr. Mason continued with your mates present.
It was when the beeping sounds of the machine spiked and blocked away his thinking and blinked him back to reality. It was Neytiri, her eyes livid and tormented as she stared at Dr. Mason and her mother, yelling in their native language while Moāat deeply frowned and tried to respond with a firm voice. Shouts, frantic movements from the others. He wasted no time in launching to your side and grabbed ahold of your hand.Ā
He was too distressed, too agitated to comprehend the grasp of their Naāvi language in this case. āSomeone tell me what the hell is going on! What is wrong with herā Neytiri!ā If he werenāt so caught up in his booming octave, he would have noticed the flash of pain across your face. Neytiri, however, did, and stopped from helping her mother with this procedure and rushed to soothe you. āMa Jake, mawey.ā She hissed quietly, then let her palm fall over your jumble by chest. ā Ma seykxel txeālan. Strong. Breathe. We are hereā¦ā
Jakeās ear flattened at the jitters of your heartbeat and whirled his head towards you. He let his own hand, quivering, laid over Neytiriās and your eyes, those beautiful eyes, frantic and desperate gave them the notion to go into your breathing practices. āCāmon angel, I know, I know, baby. Cāmon, jusā breathe for usā¦ā
All efforts were meaningless, hopeless, faithless and he was on the point of collapsing in a void while she tried grasping onto that hope, that faith for the three of you.
āMoāat, the babiesā heart rate is lowering. Y/Nās heart is too fast right now and so is her blood pressure,ā Dr. Masonās lenses fogged up, the agony unclear to her eyes with a determined press of her lips. āWe have to do a C-section. We have to cut one in order for both the babies to live.ā
āWe do not partake in such thingsāā
āNeytiriās right, noāā their protests were cut short with a rise of the Tsahikās pointer finger, yellow orbs disappearing under closed eyelids for just a second before they reappeared. āIf that is what it takes, that is what we must do.ā Neytiri wanted to scream, to yell that this was not their way, but she bit her tongue for she respected her motherās word, she respected the Great Motherās will.Ā
āJake, Neytiri, Norm, Iām going to need the three of you to step outāā
āMy daughter is to stay.ā Moāat interjected and pointed her gaze at Neytiri. āIf you are tsakarem, if you are to be Tsahik, you must stay.ā
Your panicking eyes slightly eased at the knowledge of one of your mates being here, but you needed them both in this moment here, with you despite those words. Words that Jake and Neytiri despised, words that would rather go ignored than complied. They both promised, he promised heād be there and yet here he was, outside the Tsahikās hut, hurting and breaking his promise.
āStrong heart, angel. Use that strong heart, yāhear me?ā were the final words he said, sharing a deep understanding with Neytiriās irises before giving her hand a comforting squeeze before parting his way from his wives.Ā
He could simply surge himself in, with no one to stop him. He was Oloāeyktan, he was the Peopleās leader. Who were they to stop him? Sure, Norm was here, but his lanky strength was no match for Jakeās. But he knew you would not like this, you wouldnāt want him to act against his support and Neytiri wouldnāt approve especially, and it was not in his book to disappoint his girls once more. So he decided to set his nerve racketing behind on the nearest surface, and allowed his ability to feel, to hear his angelās wonderful heartbeat try and soothe him, the hear his lovely Neytiriās enhanced heart twine and support your own; if he couldnāt be near them, the very least he could have is the abnormal rhythm of your two joined heartbeats.
āRelax, Jake. Sheās gonna be fine.ā Norm, grunting as he settled beside his friend, reassured, and let his arm fall over dense shoulders as they both sat a good distance from where you resided in, and Jake couldnāt contain the shaking exhale that left his churning chest when his baby boy and girl ran their way into his arms; as if they felt his distress and let their father nuzzle himself into their little frames.
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
āItās been over 24 fucking hoursāā Jakeās eyes cautiously peered down at Neteyam who had his head resting over his shoulder, the damp feel of his saliva proving him to be asleep from the gentle bouncing motions Jake created. āā and they still havenāt said anything!ā
Norm ā having a curious Kiri who fiddled with the strands of his hair and odd human clothes in his arms ā sighed in front of him because of course, Jake was not only impatient but overly dramatic at times. āFirst of all, itās been at least over 60 minutes since. Second, stop being so antsy. Sheād want you to be calm right now ā Y/Nās strong.ā
He rolled his eyes at his remark and didnāt care if Norm smirked slightly at his tactics. He only cared about you. āJust be patientāā
āI donāt care about damn patience! I want to know whatās happening with my wife!ā His yell awoken the boy in his arms, causing him to groan and stir awake with a silent whimper while Kiri could only babble loudly ā possibly angrily ā at her father. āShhā¦shh, Teyam. My bad, baby boy.ā He crooned, patting his back and bounced him once more. āDaddyās being a pain in the ass right nowā¦ā
āJake, I donāt know whatās bound to happen butāā
His ears hitched, focused on a melody that he could not manage to detect and he strongly shushed Norm. āH-holā onā¦.somethingās wrong.ā
āJake, whatās going onā
āQuiet.ā Fear clawed at his chest, and Norm frowned at the way Jake slowly strided forward. āI, uh, I canātā¦I canāt hearāā
Neteyamās head lifted and both men stared between the boy and Kiri as they looked at each other, their pointed ears creating the same motion Jakeās had done second ago, a quiet whimper leaving them both before they out of nowhere started to thrash, to cry, to whine in their hold. āWoah, woah, hey, Kiri, calm downāā
Neteyam writhed, he grunted, little fists pushing against his fatherās chest as his nose scrunched up. āSaānu!ā Saānu! Jakeās heart dropped to his stomach at the boyās call for you. He pushed the boy into Normās arms and let his feet march him to the faint inhales you mustered, the weak thumps your heart created ā yes, faint, yes, weak, but still existent enough for him to know you were alive. But now, he didnāt feel, he didnāt hear the combination he knew, he memorized.Ā
He ignored the cries from his children, he ignored the calls from his friend, he continued forward with a blurred vision without a care for the world around him. All he could hear now were the mournful cries that up to this day pitted him with aching guilt, the cries he was responsible of before; Neytiriās cries
The woven curtains to the Tsahikās tent were roughly pushed aside, and it startled the two other human unknown nor uncared for named doctors present in the room. He didnāt give them any care, not when his eyes panned over the spot you once laid on the fabric covered ground but now you rested in the desperate and softly swaying cradle of Neytiriās arms, and he held back a whimper; at least he tried convincing himself you were resting. Tried convincing himself that Neytiriās tears were all but sadness, that they were tears of happiness, of such proudness for what you had just done. No one pushed him out, no one stopped him, yet no one needed to because his feet, his body froze.
You looked as if you were in a peaceful slumber, yes. Thatās what you were, simply sleeping, simply trying to catch your breath and process the immense strain you've experienced. Thatās what he tried to cement in his mind, thatās what he tried to tell himself because no other option could be accepted.
Yet he and Neytiri had both seen, had both memorized the many occasions youād fallen asleep in their warmth and he tightly held onto the indulgence of believing the definition of your state was sleep. He had mastered the structure of everyoneās heart within his fortress; and now there was a pure structure that had been torn from it, from existence.
Neytiriās gaze lifted from your frame and collided with his own, those golden eyes immersing in tears and without his volition, he took 5 steps forward and looked back down at you. Motionless you were; drained of complexion yet body drenched with your own blood, devoid of life. Your heart was lifeless, your chest unmoved. No breath animated your being, and in the absence of ascent, there could be no descent. Though there was an ascent ā the ascent of Neytiriās wretched cries ā and for that ascent came the descent ā Jakeās descent. He had been unaware of his hard fall to the ground, right beside Neytiri, right where you were.
āAngel, baby, cāmon,ā He whimpered, trying to block away the way Neytiriās sobs tore him apart as he grabbed you from her hold, large arms carrying you, shaking palm grasping your washed out face, inspecting those features that remained angelic, that remained with a fading light he desperately tried to keep from seeping through his fingers.Ā
āY/N, open those eyes for me, y-yeah? Those pretty eyesāā
āSheā¦She is with Eywa now, ma Jake.āĀ
Months after holding back, after swallowing his pain and tears, those whispered, broken words erupted into a miserable yell of your name.
ā¦
Jakeās conscience had been tormented with the many deaths heād been responsible for. He carried that misfortune with him always, he had embraced that responsibility and let it continue to shadow him and he never pushed or numbed it away because he was deserving of it, to the point that if the time came for his own death, heād more than gladly embrace it.
But the death he would much rather not embrace in this life, in any other life, was yours.
To which is why he strongly chose to let numbness to its work within his broken soul. Numbness as he remained without lifting a single finger, without releasing a ragged breath or tear, sitting a good distance outside the Hometree, letting Pandoraās nature blanket him with apathy.
It was better this way, he said inwardly, to not feel. To suffer in his own agony in silence for if he revealed it, he would destroy the little peace he thought that was residing in his fortress. It was odd, the way the forest was silent. No chirping, no creek, no breeze. Just silence, a silence he accepted and let it become one of his smallest comforts.Ā
It only lasted for a limit however, and he huffed out a sigh as the subtle to rapid little steps amongst the soil filled his ears before the ones they belonged to could to view. āDaddy!ā
A smile, forced and exhausted, strained the corners of his mouth as Kiri jolted into his arms. āHey, babygirlā¦āĀ
āPrrnen! See prrnen!ā He ignored her words by focusing his attention on her hair, lightly pulling on the braid fallen over her shoulder only for her to grumble at him.
A long azure figure, one he wanted nothing more than to avoid at this moment because he knew what she held, came to his eyesight; Neytiri. In her hand was Neteyamās little one, the boyās head fallen and gaze staring at the ground as they approached his father. Jakeās head tilted at this, noting the way his little ears were pinned back and a sniffle scrunched his pink nose.
āNeteyam.ā The boy stayed quiet much to his dismay, and he frowned deeply.
āHe has not been himself for the past days,ā his mate, his wife, spoke up. He didnāt want to go on without acknowledging her, so his chin tilted to meet her golden hues ā ardent and unreadable, but tinging the slightest of remorse. āYou would know if you would pay attention to your sonāā
āIām not in the mood for this, Neytiri.ā He knew he should have said that, he knew her words were truthful, but he only sighed, stood up before picking Kiri up and walked over to Neteyam. āHey, āTeyam the mighty warriorā¦ā the smallest of peers from the 1 in a half year old. Guilt panged his chest, knowing heās well deserving of the little attention his son gave him.Ā āWant me to carry you?ā
Nothing. Not until his little arms extended towards the air, a quiet āSraneā leaving him. He now had both children in his arms and his cheek very slightly hoisted when they nestled into his shoulder, tightening their arms and legs around him.
Neytiri watched. She watched the way he interacted with them, she inspected the way his face softened when they provided him the comfort he needed in this moment, the way he inhaled deeply before staring into her eyes, and she knew and felt his grief.Ā
Grief was something not to mourn for long in their way of life. The Great Mother provided, created, nurtured, and she included taking in return. The birth of your children has provided for their fortress, and had been a blessing despite the taking Eywa had made ā yet Jake could not see that. Jake could not accept it, accept them. He didnāt want to celebrate the twinsā birth, to which is why Moāat and her had privately connected one of them to the Great Mother, unaware to him, he didnāt help create their songcords ā he didnāt even spare them a glance from the moment they were in his presence. He didnāt even hear the name given, see what the pondering question everyone asked; if they were human, if they were Naāvi, if they had inherited your ability to breathe Pandoraās air, if they were healthy.
And it hurt Neytiriās heart for she knew you wouldnāt want this, that you would be more than happy to celebrate their birth, to see their father meet, love and accept them. Hurt she was for he had thought heās left Neytiri to do the mourning when she couldnāt even do it properly; she had her, their children to take care of.
When she caught onto the regret in his eyes and apology nearly falling from his lips, she saw how his gaze flickered to the squirming coos sounds that came from the prrsmung wrapped over her chest, Jakeās features hardening.
āYou must meetāā
āKeep those things away from me.ā He knew his harsh words sliced deep, and instead of feeling the gnawing guilt, he rather Neytiri felt the sliver of pain he wanted to avoid; he knew he was not being fair, and she knew this too yet didnāt say anything. āIāll head back later. Leave āTeyam and Kiri with me. You go and do whatever it is you need.ā
Neteyam huffed at his fatherās words, as if understanding word for word and motioned to be put down. Reluctantly, Jake did, and he wasted no time in rushing towards his mamaās side, ignoring the look of surprise among Jakeās face. All Kiri did was tug harshly on her dadās hair with a screech of his name but stayed in his hold.
And Neytiri said nothing, for Jakeās dagger of words had cut deep within Neytiriās heart and she did not want to cause a scene in front of her children, so she simply nodded and turned to depart from him, leaving him with the only comfort of his little girlās small embrace.
ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦
Nights fell upon the mated pair with the same pattern ā nights were Jake, despite his numbness, would still hold Neytiri to his chest and an unyielding grip with the only sounds being heard were quiet sobs ā until that would be assisted with the wails of not only one but two infants, two he always dipped his head down and even shut his eyes to not spare a glance at them or the two cradles they laid in, and let Neytiri peel away from his embrace to check on them, followed by the babbled questions Neteyam and Kiri would make.Ā
Jake didnāt care about meeting them because they knew nothing of you. Sure, they came out of you, you cared for them when you held them in your womb, but they didnāt know who you were. Not how Neytiri did, not like how he did. You were theirs, their angel, their peace, and those two had gone and destroyed that peace no matter what his mate said. He didnāt understand why and how Neytiri could even look at them and hold them without the churn, the pain. Those twoā¦things didnāt know you, they didnāt love you like they did. This was his and Neytiriās loss and he almost had thought she didnāt care, but oh, how ridiculous and unfair that was on his part. He knew she mourned you, he knew she was just as destroyed as he had yet tried maintaining her ground for her ā their children.
Ā Still, even then he found the babiesā cries unjustified.
But, to his dismay, there may have been a single thing those kids and Jake had in common; the sleepless nights. Wide awake heād be while Neytiri would slumber against his chest, trying to drown in a dreamless sleep in hopes to ease her grief, and days carried out with his once well known bluntness and serious demeanor while attending to his duties as Clan Leader, his slight distraction would only be Kiri and Neteyam who, even though just little ones, seemed to have disagreed with his behavior to thoseā¦siblings of theirs. He didnāt speak to Norm much, and conversations with Neytiri led to minor arguments that kept his mouth shut before he crossed a line. He considered and knew, just as he always felt, that everything he touched and surrounded him suffered.Ā
His little boy suffered. His little girl suffered. Neytiri, his wife, his mate, her unwavering love and balance she tried maintaining within this fortress, suffered. Those twins suffered.Ā
His chin was turnt to the sky and he swallowed thickly when he heard those cries soften into wondrous coos and whimpers, his eyelids falling shut to contain his tears.Ā
Tonight did not carry that repetitive pattern however. A good 30 minutes after Neytiri had emerged from their hammock, his movements started shifting out as well, his bare feet quietly hitting the ground, long legs slowly leading towards where Neytiri ā little Neteyam and Kiri sleeping soundly on the ground near the two cradles, the cradles he, you, and her made together mere months ago. He stood a good distance away from the three ā five of them, fingers tapping over the stripes and scars etched across the sides of his thighs.
āSweet, beautiful girl. You poor baby,ā he heard Neytiri softly crooned, āyou only wanted to be with your brotherā¦you have your saānuās eyes ā srane.ā He heard the break in her voice, the deep inhale following from her statement and frowned.Ā
A boy and girl, huh?Ā
He took another step forward, and it was then that he felt his heart drop at the sight of them; the boy was one of them ā the Naāvi, with a head full of dark and rebellious tendrils brushing over his forehead, bright round irises, but it was the little girl that shocked him the most, the little girl who was human ā peculiar, neutral tones, and so utterly tiny as she was curled into the baby boyās blue frame as his little hands so very lightly wrapped over her petite frame. Both were the same age, yet the size was clearly distinct and utterly astounding to him.
Jake shuddered when the little boyās familiar eyes blinked at him, the way the little baby girl smiled faintly with the soft brush of Neytiriās fingertip. He immediately thought how was it possible that she could breathe, how was she and that toddler size boy couldāve been in the same space within your stomach? How did he not squeeze that little girl in there with his normal Naāvi chunky size?
He didnāt move and stayed quiet for a long time until he sighed and knelt down beside Neytiri. āHey.ā
Her mouth lifted briefly but kept her gaze fixated among the babies, not uttering a word. His voice was rasped, his throat raw from the cries heād swallow down, and before she could even feel sorrow for him she held her tongue and continued to softly speak to them in her language.
His mind was too muggled to understand right now, and she caught onto his shift of attitude with the way his eyes went round, the way a furrow pinched his brows as she watched him curiously interact with the babies.
āThe human doctor had said it was impossible for both to have survived.ā Neytiri muttered, and his ears flitted at her words. āBut our Y/N was strong enough to hold them. To not let them die.ā Her forehead creased then. āShe said to keep them separated from each other. It could be too dangerous for her with the size of Loāak compared to her but they cry every time they are not together. Lāā
āLoāak?ā He questioned in wonder. Her lips pursed, āLoāak. A name Y/N loved very much. She adored the meaning of itā¦Freedom love.āĀ
He gave a small nod as his lips trembled into a smile. Of course youād like that. āA-and her?ā
That is when Neytiriās lips parted and he heard the way her heartbeat hesitated until it thumped its profound rhythm before she smiled brokenly. āSeykālan. The meaning of seykxel txeālanĀ ā Strong heart, because this little one right here, was very strong beside this big warrior.ā She softly teased, fingers brushing over the boy, Loāakās round little belly.
His chest tightened, and he felt overwhelmed at the new found knowledge of their names, of their meanings, and stared at them for a while. Jake planted his palms over his knees, his shoulders hunching as he turned to look at her, really look at her. The smooth royal contours of her face had been drenched stained with tears, those golden hues of her eyes flickered in a way that showed her struggle to keep their vibrance, and her lower lip fought hard to not tremble the way it always did when she was upset. Neytiri always said you had a strong heart and so did she when she was fighting to keep going for her kids, for you, for him.
Ā It was then that he welcomed the guilt to claw him inside, and he hesitated to reach out and provide her the comfort she so needed. Her fibers sizzled at his coming words, throat tightened.Ā āIām sorry. I shouldnāt have let you go through with this alone. Shouldnāt let you shoulder these two by yourself and shouldnāt take it out on you ā I justā¦.I didnātā¦ā tears evaded him now, and his head fell to try and conceal them.
But Neytiriās forefinger lifted his chin and gave him a slight smile and shook her head. āYou mourn differently. It is alrightā¦I know you need space. And I will give it to you, ma Jake. I was prepared for itā¦for our Y/N to depart from us and yetā¦ā her shaking exhale caused him to reach for her, palm sliding to cradle the trembling angle of her jaw. āEywa has reason for all of this. I trust, I believe ā¦. But no amount of preparing or trust can push the hurt that comes with losing the ones you love. W-with Y/N. But we must remain strong, Jake.ā She breathed out and rested a hand over his leg. āFor Neteyam. For Kiri. For Loāak and Seykālanāā
āOur fortress will always be broken without her, Neytiri. The pain wonāt ever leave, it wonāt be the same. I-I donāt want to forget this pain, baby. Itās only fair that I keep feeling it for us.ā
Ā āThe pain does not have to leave because it never will, ma Jake. You do not mean and you will not be carrying this alone,ā His forehead kissed hers, channeling a warming love and soothing he desperately and finally let himself crave.
āThose kids wonāt mean the same to meā¦ā her nose feathered over his lovingly, and a sad smile graced Neytiriās lips as his shaky breath met her skin. āNeglecting them will not do you anything to make you feel better from losing her. Carrying that hurt alone will never grant you peace of mind.ā
Light croons and babbles pulled Jakeās attention, his temple now brushed over Neytiriās forehead as he craned his neck to the single handwoven cradle which both laid in, and he nearly smiled at how both Neteyam and Kiri had stirred in their sleep and hazily reached to touch the babies. They cuddled into each other, little Loāakās body hunched over hers as if hugging her. āWhat if I canāt accept them? What if I canāt bring myself to take care of them? I canāt disappoint our angel like that.ā He shook his head as he stared back at her.
āThey want to know you, ma Jake. You are their father, and Iām certain they want to know about her from us.ā Neytiriās words made his ears pique, at how she said they want to know about you, at how they must learn about who you were to them, to their fortress. His gaze bore into hers, and his voice dropped to a whisper. āAnd weāll do this together, right? Youāll help me ā and Iāll help you with them. Y-yeah?ā
She released a wet chuckle, his thumb stroking away the tear over her cheekbone. āWe will help and love one another because we chose to. Our Y/N made a choice; to bore our two babies, and she accepted it because she knew we would care for them, we would give them a part in our fortress, Jake. We have a choice. One that is not too late to make; to love them. They have chosen us.ā Jakeās chest tightened as he reminisced about the first encounter, one of the first words you ever said to him and he choked out a sad chuckle.
āAnd this is the easy part, ma Jake,ā she softly told him while entwining their fingers together. āBecause they are easy to loveā¦look at them.ā
He did, only to see the two were already staring back at him while their much tinier hands were in the mighty Neteyam and brilliant Kiriās little palms. Little Loāak smiled and babbled. āHe has your eyes, ma Jake.ā He grinned at the boy and then turned to Seykālan, the girl cooed softly at him, at her father.Ā
āPrrnen! āLan and Loāak, daddy!ā Kiri squealed, and Jake could only let a choked up chuckle out. Emotions spiraled within his heart as he got a good look at them; at Seykālanās pure little heart in beautiful sync with Loāakās, at the way she harbored your sparkling eyes with a sliver of a golden hue, at the way he formed a smile in perfect balance of his, Neytiriās and yours. Eyes and a smile he now knew why Neytiri had grown to love profoundly, why she was called out to the same way yours had, eyes and a smile he thought he had lost forever. Those babies carried parts of you that embodied your angelic soul and features, and it was then that he let himself break.
With the help of Neytiri, he reached for them both, the baby girl, his other baby girl, frail and tiny in the way that you said; almost the same size as his wide palms. And him, his other boy, whines made Jake chuckle. āI gotcha, kid. Aināt gonna separate you from your sister, donāt worryā¦ā
He cradled them carefully against his chest, held Seykālanās tiny form with a single hand lovingly and an arm enveloped Loāak to give them the privilege to still snuggle against one another. He let a sob pour out from his lips as he held his twins, as his other children, Neteyam and Kiri settled down between Neytiri and himself, carrying a gummy smile. Jakeās gaze met his wifeās, and he couldnāt help but chuckle because she had been right. You had been right; choosing to love these two glazed with your complexion didnāt come with difficulty, just as loving you came with no difficulty. This hadnāt been the equivalence of the fortress he had in mind at the start with his girls, but he accepted the changes bound to merge within it, just as it did in life.
SHAWTYY! You are feeding my Kaldur obsession like that mannnn is delicious but if you can I was thinking a kaldur and wyynde x fem! Atlantean reader. Like sheās pregnant (or they wanna get her pregnant *wink wink*) fluff or smut or both. Like imma eat up anything you write sooo go crazy shawty!
(Like I just love them so much it hurtsš)
ah to have to fictional men manhandle tf out of me:( bby your mind 10/10 i love this scenario wish it was me fr. i woulda had this done earlier but iām gonna blame it on school
cw: established poly!relationship, threesome, dubcon if you squint, centred around pregnancy basically, fem!atlantean!reader but itās not described that much
THERE WAS a change in your behaviour; a slight but noticeable one. kaldur was the first one to notice it and didn't wait very long to tell wyynde. the two began observing you closely ā well a lot closer than usual. it wasn't long before they discovered the reason for the shift in your demeanour. wyynde happened to catch sight of you with mera and her son. as you doted on the small boy, the glint in your eye became evident. from the way you interacted with all the children you came across, it seemed you desperately wanted one of your own.
Revelation (Shadow Of A Bluejay Ch.8)
Wordcount: 2.8k
One of the longer chapters. though now I'd like to take a moment to humbly brag. I've been dealing with both usual depression and an unusual stomach ulcer (which is the most fanfiction author thing that's happened to me yet) so this chapter took way longer than expected. Either way we're slowly creeping towards the end of the season!
Series Masterlist
Mount Justice October 1, 18:12 EDT
You met up with Artemis outside the Happy Harbor zeta-tube. You hadn't seen each other in almost two weeks so you decided you'd hang out on your own for a bit before joining the rest of the team. That meant that when you got to the cave it wasn't through the zeta-tubes but through the main entrance.
"Hey, where are you two coming from?" Wally asked, greeting you both at the entrance.
"Blue here was finally ungrounded so we thought we'd have some BNACT" Artemis said. Wally looked confused.
"BNACT?" He asked.
"Blue and Artemis civilian time" You supplied.
"Right" He said, coming up to walk beside you. "You know you never told me what you were grounded for" Wally said and you smirked. "Sorry, classified" You said and he groaned.
"Come on! Mx. I do as I'm told rule follower did something bad for once and you won't tell me?!" He complained.
"What can I say, it's classified" You told him, floating up just a bit above the ground to be taller than him, smirking before flying off to find the rest of the team.
Artemis leaned in next to Wally's ear, "They went on a secret mission and Canary found out" She said and Wally's eyes widened.
"They told you?!" He practically yelled and Artemis smiled.
"What can I say, I'm their best friend" She said cheekily.
Wally grumbled, "I thought I was their best friend" He said.

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Okay so like hear me outā¦I have this idea I think it would be a very cute story.
So basically, it would take place before Miles starts attending Brooklyn Visions. Heās with Aaron going through some old photo albums, and he sees a photo of Aaron and a girl (reader). he proceeds to ask Aaron who the girl is and heās like āThat was the love of my life but unfortunately, we were on different paths so We had to separateā Fast-forward miles attending Brooklyn Visions and he has this teacher. This teacher looks mighty familiar come to find out the teacher is the girl from the photo, so Miles is just like okay bet and he makes a plan so that Aaron and the teacher can meet up again and reunite. Moral of the story they reunite they still love each other they get together. Miles got Auntie now. the end.
Edit: or in the case of earth 42 still the same situation except theyāre not reuniting theyāve been together the whole time secretly and mile catches Aaron going to the schools delivering supplies or something(I imagine the schools on earth-42 arenāt well funded so resulting in lack of school supplies,staff, nutritional foods etc) anyways miles confronts Aaron so Aaron spills the tea. Rio knew the whole time (Aaron and the reader have been together for A LONG time) when miles ask why he aināt get to know Aaron responds āCause it aināt your businessā
PLEASE SOMEBODY WRITE THIS AND TAG ME IM NOT A GOOD WRITERš
PLEASE.. I NEED AARON X READER SO BAD STOP IT LMFAOOā ļø
No cause samešš
Okay so like hear me outā¦I have this idea I think it would be a very cute story.
So basically, it would take place before Miles starts attending Brooklyn Visions. Heās with Aaron going through some old photo albums, and he sees a photo of Aaron and a girl (reader). he proceeds to ask Aaron who the girl is and heās like āThat was the love of my life but unfortunately, we were on different paths so We had to separateā Fast-forward miles attending Brooklyn Visions and he has this teacher. This teacher looks mighty familiar come to find out the teacher is the girl from the photo, so Miles is just like okay bet and he makes a plan so that Aaron and the teacher can meet up again and reunite. Moral of the story they reunite they still love each other they get together. Miles got Auntie now. the end.
Edit: or in the case of earth 42 still the same situation except theyāre not reuniting theyāve been together the whole time secretly and mile catches Aaron going to the schools delivering supplies or something(I imagine the schools on earth-42 arenāt well funded so resulting in lack of school supplies,staff, nutritional foods etc) anyways miles confronts Aaron so Aaron spills the tea. Rio knew the whole time (Aaron and the reader have been together for A LONG time) when miles ask why he aināt get to know Aaron responds āCause it aināt your businessā
PLEASE SOMEBODY WRITE THIS AND TAG ME IM NOT A GOOD WRITERš