#avatar jake

Your ears perk up and a certain feeling washes over you, eyes meeting Jake’s as you take a sharp inhale.

The ships were close now; you could see their big flashlights filtering through every column in the village. They were here.

You spot the other Metkayina rushing to the shore to meet the enemies, taking a deep breath and willing yourself to stay calm when every fiber of your being was screaming at you to rush.

“Take the girls and go, now!” Jake says, holding his rifle tight as he stops moving and looks back at you.

“I want Jake Sully!” Quaritch’s voice booms at the shore, your fingers instinctively tightening on your bow as the others gathered at the shore.

“We will not go without you.” You say sternly, a growl in your tone, looking back to see Tuk and Kiri following close by, scared. Your heart aches.

“No!” Jake growls back. Fists clenched. “They’ve got Spider- there’s nothing holding them back, you’ve seen what they can do.” Jake says firmly, gaze set on you, hard expression on his face.

“These people will die.” A chill runs down your spine at his words, your chest heaves, ears pinning against your head, there was no way you could leave him, leave Jake, your husband… to what? Serve himself up as bait for Quaritch? Risk never not seeing him again?

You swallow and your voice breaks. “You cannot… you cannot ask this, husband… I cannot,” You can’t even process everything right now.

“I will not leave you with that-“ You began to say until Jake takes the sling of his gun off himself, throwing it with a thud in the sand, the muscles in your brow knitting as well as a pull of your lips into a frown.

“This is the only way.” Jake said, as if he had already made up his mind, that he had been thinking about it for a while. He probably had.

Your heart grows heavy at the thought. “Jake please-“

“Jake Sully!” Quaritch yells again over the noise, a lump forming in your throat. “Show yourself!”

Frozen, your eyes held Jake’s. “You gotta go… baby, please.” He breathes, a part of him, deep inside, that unsure pitch blending into his pleading tone. “You gotta go right now.”

No. You cannot leave your mate like this. To hide? That was not you.

Steeling yourself, you face Kiri, eyeing the girl who looks at you for what to do next. A hand on her arm. “Take your sister. Go and hide.” You command. “Go!”

Kiri looks at you and Jake before she was tugging Tuk by the hand, the latter reluctant, looking up at the two of you before they were off, disappearing from view to hide with the others.

A sudden rush of emotions fills you, holding up your bow. “Ma Jake if you stay I stay. I will kill many.” You announce, that fear in your veins turning into deep hatred.  

Jake resigns but he pushes your bow down, shaking his head. “Whatever happens, do not raise that bow.” A beat. “You swear to me.”

All you could do was purse your lips in a thin line. There was no use of arguing.

“I know he’s here.” Quaritch says, eyes scanning the crowd of reef people, tilting his head. “Give him to me.”

“He’s Metkayina. He’s one of us.” Tonowari’s voice could be heard. “He’s one of us!” The olo’eyktan’s words rang with his people, even when they were in the face of grave danger, they will never risk one of their own.

You were heading in with Jake when a burst of bright orange flares through followed by the smell of burning wood, crackling. Fire. Quaritch had burned a part of the village, earning cries from the Metkayina, cheers from the enemy. Your eyes wide, they did not deserve this… you hear their cries of agony, and it forces you to swallow the lump in your throat.

“I want Jake Sully!” Quaritch recurs, the tone now harsher.

Your husband rushes ahead of you before you realize, rushing towards the crowd and presenting himself right up front.

“Ma Jake-!“ Your voice dies down in your throat.

“Stop, stop, no, hold your fire! Hold your fire! Stop!” Jake places himself in the spotlight, arms outstretched in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

Quaritch complies.

You were left standing along with other Metkayina, helplessly watching your husband at the front, saying something to Tonowari. In a second, the olo’eyktan crouches with their weapons down, the others soon follow, bowing their heads down.

You do not.

Keeping yourself upright with Jake, having managed to already notch an arrow in your bow, you held it close. Then your eyes met with the tsahik of the Mangkwan, an itch forming on the scar she had caused herself when her arrow punctured right through your shoulder.

She hisses and you do not stand down, you hiss back, ears pinning against your head and your tail stiffening.

Your eyes stray to the movement, Jake coming close towards the RDA, towards Quaritch.

“Colonel.”

“Corporal.”

“You take me, you leave my family and these people alone.” Jake directs. Your ears perk, eyes widening by a fraction as you stared into your husband’s back, before your eyes train back on Quaritch and his woman.

“Not good enough, gonna need the missus too.” Quaritch says, offering a nod towards you in which you tense, biting back a snarl as you straightened yourself, a thought away from aiming and releasing your arrow. Your breathing heavy.

Your toes dig into the sand, trying to plant yourself there, reminding yourself you still were capable of doing something- but clearly you were outnumbered.

“You get me.” Jake repeats. “Both of you or I’ll hammer this place flat. Pregnant ladies, kids, I’ll blow grandma’s skinny shit through the back of the hooch ‘cause I just don’t care.” Quaritch chuckles.

“My pals here,” he nods back to the Mangkwan. “Well, they’re just dying to waste everybody and take some scalps.” A chorus of yips and jeers follow behind Quaritch, the tsahik of the Mangkwan smiling like she held this great power over all of you.

You exhale sharply, eyes flitting from Jake to Quaritch, to his woman.

Jake steps back and in a flash, raises his fist and you waste no time raising your bow and aiming, as the other Metkayina stand and mirrors you, their own weapons aimed and growls escaping from their system. Ready to defend their village.

The Mangkwan aims their weapons; guns. You notice the more you eye everyone of them. What was this trick Quaritch had pulled now? But you couldn’t think about that right now.

“Really? We’re doing this?!” Quaritch’s voice was too amused to be in this situation.

“When I drop my arm, you and your new girlfriend die, you in particular die a lot.” Jake growls, taunting.

“I die; everybody here dies.” He replies casually, his rifle the only one held down except for the others directed at all of you.

“Maybe, I think you could get some of us but not all of us… maybe we bum-rush you, and your gunships hesitate because we all look the same…” Jake forwards. “And when you’re begging for your life,” He slips out his tomahawk with his free hand as you watch your mate, your heart still beating very fast in your chest. Ready to cover him if it goes sideways.

“I’ll scalp you.” He finishes, pointing the weapon at Quaritch.

Quaritch looks amused, fangs showing in his grin and shrugging. “God damn corporal, I don’t know if you’re smart or just shittin’ us… you never struck me as all that smart.”

You were beginning to tense up, just begging for something to happen already, your fingers tight on your arrow, just one slip and you could strike him right here, right now…

“I need your word, marine to marine. Safety, for these people.” Jake’s tone was less hostile now, making a pact.

The standoff was unyielding, the sounds of snarls, breathing, the sounds of the gunships with their guns aimed down at the people, the chopper and the bright light didn’t distract you from the fact that your mate stood there on the frontline, facing them all.

“Do we have a deal?” Jake questioned after a few seconds.

“Done. Wanna pinky swear?” Quaritch says, holding that extra finger the avatars have, your eyes squinting at the act.

Jake lets out a breath, looking back at Tonowari before he throws his weapon to the ground, palms up and open as the Metkayina drop down once more. You didn’t budge, arrow still aimed at Quaritch, tail lashing behind you.

It hits when Jake offers his wrists, walking towards him. “Take him.” Quaritch gestures, his fellow recom taking Jake’s wrists and tying it behind him, allowing Jake to finally look back at you.

It hits you. Jake’s expression, how he didn’t fight against the binds, how he just looked at you like he was trying to memorize your face. Your grip on the bow tightens once more, though a shaky breath leaves you, everything suddenly feeling too constricting…

They began dragging him away and Jake doesn’t even look to where he’s going, eyes still planted on you. Your lips tremble, chest aching as you put on a brave appearance but Jake knew. He knew.

Your eyes shift to Quaritch and his eyes peer at you, taunting, taunting you to shoot that bow right at him when they’ve already got Jake. A last challenge.

Your fingers tremble. You let go with a growl, deciding to aim low, but enough to make a statement as the arrow lands in between Quaritch’s feet, him plucking it off and holding it up like a trophy.

Ears pinned down, your eyes flicker between Jake as they took him away into the chopper, Quaritch looking on proudly, his woman still aims at you.

“Another time then, Mrs. Sully.” Quaritch grins and you hiss in return, body coiled and was taking everything in you not to do something drastic.

They began to disperse and the reality sets in further. They were taking him, your husband, your mate… and there was nothing you could do about it. Thinking of not being able to see him again, the possibility that this was going to be your last time with him… You felt powerless for such an exceptional warrior.

You follow Jake’s gaze, your feet having a mind of their own, going forwards as they shove him into the chopper, your ears pinned and tail curled low, hands shaking as he didn’t look at anything else but you. Your heartbeat pounds in your ears.

“Ma Jake…” You whisper, as the engine starts up and they began to rise, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Then he was gone. Just like that.

Your knees buckle from under you, before they hit the sand, eyes leaving the night sky before it finds what was in front of you. His tomahawk. Your fingers reach for it, caress the handle before you find your tears rolling down your cheeks, bowing your head and letting yourself wallow in the sadness and frustration.

The other Metkayina look in concern, Ronal, even if you two had clashed more often than not, she silently moves next to you, placing her hand on your shoulder. Nobody would even wish to lose someone’s mate like that.

“He will make it. He is strong, and you must be brave yourself.” Her words usually stern, now held something close to comforting.

“That is no guarantee, tsahik-“ You look up at her but she does not argue despite your stubbornness. “He is Toruk Makto, a great warrior. He will find a way.” She simply says before she lets go, leaving you to your own.

Then the rush of footsteps, Kiri and Tuk as their voices echo. “Mom!”

They rush in between you and you pull back from holding Jake’s weapon to cradle the two of your daughter’s heads close to you, the two instantly leaning in but the missing presence of their father already gave them the clue as to what happened. Their father was taken.

── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──

It had been almost three days. Three days since Jake was taken from you. The Marui had never felt so empty. The absence of your son Lo’ak cuts close to the lingering and painful absence of Neteyam. Lo’ak’s last parting gift to you was your bow, how every detail was carved as it had been, careful, strong… and then he was off, saying he had something he needed to do, he doesn’t even know his father had been taken…

It had just been you, Kiri, and Tuk in the large marui. You tried to stay strong for your girls, but you just had this feeling, this pull… you had to do something.

One night you pull them close, after having explained what you plan to do.

“Mom, this is dangerous…” Kiri’s voice reminds you, whilst Tuk nodded in agreement, her wide eyes looking at you. “You should not be alone.” Kiri added.

You sigh, hands coming up to their shoulders and you shake your head. “This is something I have to do… your father… he needs me.” You say, no chance of backing out your idea. “While I am gone, the tsahik would look after you, she has promised.” You say, offering their shoulders a squeeze.  

The two look at each other, growing up they’ve learned how much of a fierce woman their mother was, and now with her saying she’s going to try and save their father, all on her own… they knew better than to doubt her.

With no more sounds of protest, you smile at them, leaning down to press kisses to their temples, embracing them tightly before you slowly pull back. “Go…” You say before they nod and start to leave the marui.

Taking a sharp breath, you turn on your heel, grabbing where your bow was perched, closing your eyes and holding it close to your chest for a moment.

Preparing yourself, you look over and crouch, pulling off the mat covering the weapons Jake had recovered from the wreck, opening the latches with a soft click.

As much as you hated the thought, you pluck the arrows Jake had made for you, the one tipped with ‘explosives’ as Jake called it…

“Just don’t be close when it hits.”

With a shaky breath, you began packing.

── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──

Traveling back to the forest with your ikran, it didn’t take long for you to track the growing Bridgehead. It was huge now since the last time you first saw it. Already you feel your eyes darken with hate, hidden by the foliage you look around for any signs, hints of how to progress from here.

As if on cue, there was rustling, ducking to keep yourself hidden, you easily track them down. Mangkwan. Three of them, having just finished a hunt and started to set camp.

Steeling yourself, you get a perimeter around them, moving as swift as a thanator, you got closer.

“…They were the ugliest ones in the village.” One pipes as the other two cackle, voicing their agreement and joked around. One was busy gutting their game, your first target, better to eliminate the one with the weapon first.

Bracing yourself, you grab your normal arrows, notch, aim…

Fire, shooting the one with the knife down, you move quick as they jump to alert while the one with the knife drops dead, snarling as you quickly pull another arrow to shoot one, taking the time to notch as the other grabbed their gun and as they pulled the trigger you hit them square in the chest, the spray of bullets flying, making you dodge them.

Inspecting if they were still alive, your ears pinned down, eyes scanning, until you find something strapped to their necks, you grab ahold of it, yanking it off the lifeless form, it looked to be some kind of… red card, with the RDA logo upon it.

Exhaling, your eyes travel to the walls of Bridgehead, then back to the necklace. One step closer to Jake.

Calling for your ikran, it doesn’t take her long enough to appear, calming her down before you ready to disguise both of yourselves, praying to the Great Mother that what you were about to do was right.

Finishing up the face paint and making sure your ikran also looked the part, you gave your girl a soft nuzzle, palm against her side, tapping lightly before you finally make the bond, hopping on and there, you held the necklace, with the other, you steer her towards the Bridgehead.

You held your breath the moment you got closer, knowing they had all these technologies to spot you easily, so you kept calm and hoped the disguised worked, and you felt relief flood you when you pass the walls.

You were here. Sky people territory. This was no place for them…

Your eyes take it all in, the tall structures, the bright lights, the passing vehicles on the ground, until you finally see it, tents that looked out of place. Na’vi.

Patting your ikran, you banked to the left, lowering until you had her perch on the pipes, landing smoothly and quietly, like you belonged. “Watch for me.” You say to her before you were off, clutching your bow.

You appear to blend in, though the sight of the humans made your skin crawl. “What’s up, cutie?” One even tried to call you for fun, but you respond with a hiss, making your way over to where you assumed the tsahik of the Mangkwan, Varang’s tent was.

Managing to easily cut yourself a small entrance behind her tent, your gaze zeroed on her laying on her furs, alone, much to your luck.

You could take her, then and there, plucking your knife from behind you, you crouch and press it against her throat.

“Make no sound, witch.” You whisper lowly, full of threat as she gasps awake, eyes wide before they met yours. “Where is Jake Sully?” You ask, keeping your grip on the knife tight.

But all Varang does is give you an amused smirk. “Ah, the wife… loyal to her man.” And you had no time for games, pressing further. “Speak or I cut.” You hiss but she quickly yanks back your wrist, but you were faster, free hand yanking around her own kuru, slotting your knife in the loop. “Where?” You demand again, holding her braid and your knife together.

“I will not ask again.” You mutter. She hisses but two could play at that game as you yank her kuru once more, moving your wrist but she yelps out, hands gesturing wildly. “Wait! Wait!”

“Past the camp, a cage for an animal.”

The muscles in your brows met. “Take me there, now.” You command, still holding onto her kuru. “Which way?” You ask but then the voice of Quaritch approaching stuns you, allowing her to break off from your grasp. You try slicing at her but she backs easily, grabbing her own weapon.

Then Quaritch opens the flap to the tent, the scene before him making him pause until you hiss at him, to which he recognizes instantly and wastes no time grabbing his handgun from his side, shooting.

You slip fast from the entrance you made, running and climbing as you hear the others be alerted of the sudden gunshots, heart hammering against your chest as you made your escape.

You climb and climb until you drop off onto your ikran, almost slipping but you got your bearings easily, pulling out one of the explosive arrows, aiming at anywhere before you release, the explosion certainly grabbing everyone’s attention now. Adrenaline was filling in your veins, all you could think about was Jake.

Meanwhile for Jake, he hasn’t touched the tray of food served to him earlier, just crouched down on the end of the cage, flashing lights endless, the TV flashing his face like some kind of spectacle. The traitor. 0600 tomorrow as Quaritch said, would be his end.

Maybe this was it... he didn’t imagine himself going down without a fight, but if it meant keeping the people safe, keeping you and his family safe…

His thoughts were interrupted by a huge explosion in the distance, making him perk up and stand, eyes wide. Then another explosion much closer to where he was now. Until he spots it.

You had set off another explosion, anger coursing through you before you finally spot Jake in the middle of it all. In a cage as Varang said, all eyes on him. You steer your ikran, letting her nails drag on the top of the glass cage, making Jake know you were there.

You were going to get him back.

Jake looks up as the scratch occurs and he couldn’t fight the huff leaving him. “Baby-“ He says in wonder. Of course it was you.

He watches you as you avoid the spray of bullets, making his heart and his mind race. You were crazy… and right now? He absolutely loved you for it.

The bullets follow you, but you were much more swift at evading them, trusting in your bond with your ikran, you dodge and flew, deciding to keep yourself on the low as the choppers began to spread around, without a doubt looking for you.

You find yourself beneath a structure, ikran perched on the post as she screeched, patting her to calm her down. “Shh… we are almost there…” You murmur softly, thinking of how to get Jake out of that cage.

Unbeknownst to you, somebody else had already done that part for you. You fly your ikran out your hiding spot when it was clear, already rounding back to the location but you saw the damages had been made not by you, your eyes scanning for Jake quickly.

Rounding your ikran until you found a sight that made your stomach churn. Jake and… Spider.

The human boy, who now breathes Pandora’s air was using himself as a shield for Jake, gesturing wildly to the ship before he was pushing Jake, running together, trying to get out of the sights of the gunship.

With a hiss, you flew by just in time before they could start shooting, shouting as your arrow strikes the pilot dead center, losing control as it explodes on the ground, sending debris flying everywhere, Jake shielding Spider.

Finally landing across from the two, you were still tense. “Ma Jake!” You yell, seeing him in one piece was enough to put you at ease. “Mrs. Sully!” Spider happily acknowledges, moving before Jake does, running and hopping up your ikran. You look at Spider momentarily before Jake was rushing towards you, hands cradling you and your arms- like he was dreaming.

“Baby! I don’t know whether to kiss you or yell at you!” He says, visibly ecstatic at your appearance. A light shove is what you give him. “You waste time!”

He’s dumbfounded before he follows, the three of you getting on your ikran before you were flying away, and out of Bridgehead.  

── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──

You could feel how tired your ikran was, from how long you’ve been flying, even the sun has risen now, but all you could do was face forward, zoned out, your thoughts keeping you awake, as well as a small weight behind you, Spider had fallen asleep on your shoulder.

“Land… anywhere.” Jake finally calls out to you after the long silence, making you blink and follow, making your ikran slowly dip until you came upon a stream, landing, waking Spider up.

All of you disembarked, the peace now a contrast to what you all just went through. “You guys landed just in time.” Spider says with a small grin, moving towards the stream, crouching and taking a drink.

Your golden eyes watch him, still so cheerful after having guns pointed at him, risking his life for Jake’s, and who knows what else he’d gone through at Bridgehead.

You had mixed feelings for the human boy, you knew he meant so much to Kiri, and yet he was Quaritch’s son… your enemy. Despite that, he completely shows who his loyalties lie with. To Jake, to your family, to Kiri… even when he knew you often didn’t like him around.

But this time, you felt a change start to take root, he was a good kid.

Your thoughts were interrupted by Jake tugging you a couple of feet away, blinking up at him as he looked down at you.

“Come here.” He simply breathes, pulling you in an embrace, tight, filled with all the worry he had pent up the past few days, and you gladly lean into his touch, fearing you wouldn’t experience anything like this anymore, from him.

You bury your face in his neck, a soft breath leaving you, his warmth enveloping you before you pulled back, not without Jake kissing your temple first. “I was so worried Jake, I thought I would never…” You began.

“I had to do something; I cannot lose you.” You speak in a hush whisper, Spider looking to glance at the two of you for a moment before he minded his own business, interacting with your ikran instead, helping wash the paint from her.

“Baby you don’t know how I felt seeing you there, you done a number on ‘em…” Jake chuckles, cupping your jaw as his thumb stroked your cheek, eyes closing upon instinct.

“I mean, how’d you even…?” Jake says, tone filled with wonder at how you manage to sneak into such a heavily fortified city. You scoff, pulling back and shaking your head, also beginning to wash the paint off yourself when you crouch by the stream. “It is a long story.” You simply say.

“I knew it. You used the arrows I made you.” He said, quite proud of himself for that, tail flicking behind him.

When you finish, you splash water on your face again, rubbing off the last of the paint.

“Mrs. Sully…?” Your head lifts to see the boy, and you tense for a moment, yet you tilt your head, eyes landing on the scar starting to fade on his chest… a harsh reminder where you had cut him before in your fit of rage when Quaritch had Kiri to his knife, after losing your eldest. It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.

Spider noticed your eyes drift to his scar, and he almost shrinks into himself, but he only shrugs it off as much as he could. “Thank you… for saving me…” He says quietly. Jake sees this, but he remains where he stood, letting you get this moment to decide.

The more you looked at him, the more you felt yourself start to understand. You even recall yourself arguing with Jake about Spider’s fate… now you regret ever having those thoughts as the boy looked at you with nothing but unselfishness.

You could feel a lump form in your throat, now facing him still crouched, as your hand reached for him, large palm flat on his chest, feeling his heartbeat to which Spider freezes but he realizes what’s happening, his face softening before you moved your hand to his cheek.

“I see you.”

Jake could also feel that warmth bloom in his chest, moving towards the two of you, placing a hand on your shoulder before he looks at Spider who now had tears rolling down his eyes.

You could not hold it off either, finding your tears staining your cheeks when Jake pulled the both of you into an embrace, your hand and his cradling Spider’s head as you rest your own against Jake’s chest, closing your eyes, another press of Jake’s lips to the top of your head, a silent thank you.

He repeated the question to them. They hesitated before the older girl responded to him. Arvok’s ears twitched before he said. “Their camp had been destroyed, and they were the only survivors when the Sky People were here. Previously, they had been exiled from their clan.” You frowned as Arvok winced. “They have been seeking shelter all over the forest. Last night, they found your Sky People’s hut and have been hiding since.”

You nodded. “Makes sense.”

The older boy then spoke as if asking a question. This, you understood. “Do you come from the Omatikaya?”

Arvok nodded. Some of the children perked up at this, but the older boy raised a hand, telling them to calm down. He glanced toward the older girl, having a silent conversation.

Then the boy addressed Arvok, whose ears perked up. “They seek uturu.”

Sanctuary. That was a phrase you were familiar with. It also made you perk up curiously.

“With the Omatikaya?” You asked, and Arvok nodded in confirmation. “Tsu’tey’s with Jake and Neytiri.”

“We could bring them to the Tsahik,” Arvok suggested just as thunder rolled by.

You shook your head. “The village is too far. By the time we start going that way, we’ll be stuck in the storm.” Your mind spun quickly before you took out your tablet. “What if you stay here while I get Norm? We could put them in our longhouse and call Tsu’tey and the others after.”

Arvok nodded as he relayed the message to them. They didn’t look so happy about it, but didn’t seem to protest. Arvok crouched while gesturing for you to go. “I will stay. You get your Sky Person.”

With that, you left the tree and found your pa’li. You rode off in the direction of Hell’s Gate, glancing up at the sky to find the clouds turning darker.

Another roll of thunder went by as Hell’s Gate came into view. When you were close enough, the air picked up as you hopped off and rushed toward one of the entrances. You pushed toward the gate surrounding the compound. Fortunately, you found Norm in your garden in his avatar.

“Spellman!”

Norm looked up from your mushrooms in surprise. “Hey, Doc. I thought you were with—”

“No time for that. I have children—six total in one of our shacks just west of here. They’re seeking uturu with the Omatikaya.” Norm frowned while you continued before he could interrupt. “The storm’s closing in. I want to put them in the longhouse until we can get Tsu’tey to talk to them. But right now, we need transportation.”

Norm nodded. “I could prepare a Samson—”

“And fly in the storm?!”

“It’s the safest and least destructive, so yeah!”

Thunder rolled by again as Norm took off. You looked anxiously up at the sky. The wind picked up quicker than before, blowing your hair roughly around your face. For a brief second, you thought you spotted a winged creature in the clouds when lightning struck. But when you squinted, there was nothing there.

A minute later, a ship rolled out of a different exit of Hell’s Gate. You jogged toward it just as another alert went off on your tablet. Norm leaned out of the ship as you took out your tablet. Your heart lurched.

“It’s Grace’s avatar.”

“Go,” Norm said just as he reached for something in the ship before giving it to you. “A radio. So, we can keep each other updated in case.”

You nodded, tucking the radio in your bag. “Arvok is waiting with the children. Should be fine. Just to get back before the storm gets worse.”

“Will do, Mom.” Norm winked before taking off. You watched the ship fly off before rushing toward the tank room. You passed a few humans on the way until you finally reached the amino tank. You grabbed the heart monitor and brought up the baby’s stats, only for your heart to lurch again.

“She’s in labor.” You whispered as you took in a few deep breaths. “Okay, okay.” You rushed toward the doorway. “I need scientists in the ambient room in five! The avatar’s in labor! I repeat the avatar is in labor!”

You took the tank and rolled it out of the room.

The ambient room wasn’t too far. And by the time you rolled the tank next to the bed and popped the top, a few scientists with exo-masks and scrubs on entered.

One of the scientists, Max Patel, took the lead in ordering everyone around. “Lay her on the bed—gently! Link her up to the heart monitor fast!”

“She can’t even push.” You pointed out as you lifted Grace’s avatar out of the tank and placed her on the bed. “We might have to do a C-section.”

“Right, right.” Max nodded. A scientist pushed a small table forward.

Your radio suddenly went off. Norm’s voice came through the static. You murmured that you would be back before quickly stepping out of the room. You took out your radio. “Norm? Norm, can you hear me?” There was only static. The storm must’ve been messing with the signal.

“Yeah—on our way back—six of us.”

You furrowed your brows. “Wait, six? There should be seven of you. Is there a child missing? Norm?”

“I—hear you—Grave’s—” More static. You cursed.

“Doc! We need you in here!”

You cursed, tucking the radio back in your bag before you rushed back into the room.

“Reeds, I’m gonna need you to take her out,” Maz called as you got closer, only to find that they had already made an incision in the stomach. It was open and stretched enough so that the womb and the baby were visible. “Reeds—”

“I got it, I got it.” You nodded jerkishly.

As gently as you could, you grabbed the baby’s head. They widened the whole, “Careful.” You warned them as you slowly pulled them out.

Cries filled the room, drowning out the thunder. She was small in your hands but practically looked like a toddler next to a human. Max cut the umbilical cord, and you took her to another small table with a bunch of towels to use to wipe off the blood. She kept crying, which was a good sign. A couple of scientists helped out while you gently caressed the little hairs on her head, trying to comfort her.

“Hey, little girl. Don’t worry, we’ll get your parents here soon.” You whispered soothingly. “You’re pretty much stuck with me for now.”

“We’ll get some formula ready for her,” Max called as he and the others began to roll Grace’s avatar out of the room.

“O-Oh, um, okay.” You swallowed nervously, looking back down at the crying newborn. “Okay, okay…Okay, Reeds. You got this. You got this. Warm the baby, warm the baby.”

You grabbed a clean towel and wrapped it around the baby. You then picked her up and held her in your arms. She continued to cry.

“Ssh, I know, I know, this is not ideal. Neytiri and Jake are probably way better at this—your actual parents. Um…” You tried thinking quickly until one idea came to mind.

Gently, you took your thumb and drew small circles between her brows. You hummed quietly, rocking your body back and forth, slowly. Until her cries lessened. Her eyes were squinting, her nose scrunched together.

Your lips lifted slightly. “I knew you’d be cute.”

Her little hand, while squirming in the towel, managed to grab onto your thumb.

And suddenly, you finally realized what it felt like to be alive.

When Jake saw the fallen Samson, its torn wings, and the smoke, his chest tightened. A million thoughts went through his head then, his heart racing against his chest as he landed Bob on a nearby tree, practically throwing himself off the saddle to rush over toward the fallen ship.

“Ma’Jake!” He glanced over his shoulder to find Neytiri just landing her ikran, Zu’ri. She rushed over toward him, her eyes widening slightly when she saw the ship. “Tsu’tey went back to the village. He’s gathering the warriors to protect the village.” She then looked toward the Samson with a frown. “What has happened here?”

Jake shook his head as he neared the ship cautiously, “I’m not sure. Norm!” He called. Last he talked to him was on the radio. Norm mentioned something about picking up a few kids from a link shack and then static. The storm had gotten so bad that it was difficult to get in touch with both Hell’s Gate and home.

But the storm seemed to have calmed down a bit. Enough for them to be trekking through the forest like this. Enough for them to notice the ship from the sky. That was the one good thing that came out of this day.

Before all of this, Jake, Neytiri, and Tsu’tey had met up with the general of the Tipani Clan, Rai’uk, in hopes of a trade. They’d give him his warrior back in exchange for them to leave the Sky People at Hell’s Gate alone, as they were under the protection of the Omatikaya. 

As expected, it didn’t go well. Tsu’tey was the one who wanted to keep the peace between the clans, but that wasn’t going to happen when it came to the Sky People. After your arrival, all bets were off. The Tipani Clan had been one of the other clans affected by the Sky People when they were here, so their hatred for them was both understandable—yet vicious. A lot less merciful than the Omatikaya.

Rai’uk didn’t take the deal nor call off his warriors from snooping around Hell’s gate, which, fortunately, they had yet to find. But they were coming too close. And Jake hoped they could solve all of this before any unnecessary damage was caused.

Tsu’tey still gave him his warrior back, just to show that all the Omatikaya wanted was peace. But the idea of peace was a thin piece of a string as of now.

Anything could snap it.

“Norm!” Jake called again. He neared the damaged ship, and Neytiri kept her distance and went around it. “Norm, are you here?”

“Jake?”

His ears twitched as he snapped his head in the direction of the voice. There was shuffling in the bushes behind him. Neytiri drew her bow, but Jake raised a hand toward her, motioning for her to wait. Knowing that her shot was far too good to waste right now.

Coming out of the woods was none other than Norm himself in his avatar body. He waved at them with a radio in his hands, “Sorry, I was trying to get a signal.”

“What the hell happened?” Jake asked, gesturing to the damaged Samson. Neytiri reluctantly lowered her bow as Norm approached them.

“Yeah, um, long story.” The scientist scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “As I told you on the radio before we got cut off, I was flying out to get a bunch of kids from one of our link shacks—Tsu’tey’s brother said that they had broken in the night before to seek shelter and that they were seeking uturu with the Omatikaya Clan. Reeds wanted to put them in the compound longhouse before we brought them to you, and I was flying them back, but the storm got worse, and I think lightning struck down one of the wings. I don’t know, we all of a sudden went down. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the kids ran when they heard some sort of call.”

Neytiri perked up at this, “What call?”

“A warrior’s call.” Norm winced as he sank on a nearby rock, messing with his radio. “Which is pretty confusing considering they told me they were exiled from their clan.”

Jake didn’t want to voice it out loud. But there was this feeling in the pits of his stomach. Something within him made his heart lurch a few times. Maybe it was the Marine in him. Trained to always be aware of his surroundings. It was Corporal Sully prodding at his mind, at his instincts.

Something wasn’t right about all of this. No contact with Hell’s Gate, instantly, he was worried. Was the baby okay? And where the hell were you? He was sure that he left you back at the village so that either he or Neytiri would come back and take you back home. When Jake had gone back to First Base, you weren’t there. Mo’at had no clue where you had gone, and right after that, he received the message from Norm that brought both him and Neytiri out here. So, it was safe to say Jake was a little unsettled and on edge about all of this.

Neytiri was good at picking up on his growing unease and squeezed his arm, “We will take you back to your people. The storm is not over yet. We all should be getting home soon.”

At those words, Jake nodded in agreement, feeling himself a little more grounded. “Agreed. It’s been a long enough day.” He could be overthinking things. It could be PTSD, or it could be that he was too used to a fight.

Norm kept messing with the radio as Jake and Neytiri called for their ikrans. Just as Bob and Zu’ri flew down to them, a voice came through.

“Any—copy—body—copy—Does anybody copy?”

“This is Norm.” He quickly responded, shooting to his feet. Jake’s ears twitched, watching him curiously. “Who is this?” There was more static as Norm continued. “I’m heading back to Hell’s Gate soon, do you copy? Anyone there?”

More static. Jake met Neytiri’s unsure gaze as the voice came through again, “D-Don’t come back here! W—crack—we’re under—at—crack!”

“What?” Norm frowned while Jake’s chest tightened. 

“Crack-crack—We’re under attack! Don’t come! I repeat, don’t come—“

The line cut abruptly.

Neytiri’s eyes were wide as she grabbed for Jake’s hand, “The baby, Jake!”

He wouldn’t allow himself to think too much, to think the worst. He would lose focus. He couldn’t afford that; he couldn’t afford to react. All Jake did was climb onto his ikran with his gun, “Move out!”

“Tsu’tey.” Neytiri contacted through the throat communicator. “Come to Hell’s Gate. The baby is in danger, come quickly!”

“Where the hell is Reeds?!” Jake hissed as Norm joined him on his ikran.

Norm’s face fell. “She stayed back at base. Something about the baby.”

“Fuck!” Jake hissed. 

At some point, you had ended up sitting on an empty cot as she now slept in your arms while you were telling her a story about your mother’s shenanigans.

“She got fired, of course, but the thing about my mother is that she always had to have the last word. So, she left thumb tacks in her boss’s chair and drawer…I think she got arrested—I don’t know, she always purposefully blurred the details whenever she told it to me.”

You glanced down to find her sound asleep against your chest. An hour ago, Max brought the formula and a loincloth for the baby, which was common among the natives. So now, the little girl looked more Na’vi than avatar. The only thing left that pointed toward her being an avatar baby was her five fingers instead of four.

She lay on her stomach against your chest, her small head sometimes nuzzling against your collarbone every other second. Her breathing was gentle and blowing against your neck. It was relaxing for you, easing your tense muscles for once. You hadn’t realized how tired you were until now, until you relaxed your back against the cot headboard, eyes drooping.

Then your ears perked. Two sounds were happening at once.

The radio in your bag had suddenly come to life with static and voices. Voices you couldn’t make out. Then there was something else.

“Yip!”

A high-pitched sound. No. A call of some sort. And it was close by. Your body became tense again.

And suddenly, the lights went out.

Perfect.

You grabbed the radio and brought it to your ears. “—Call—backup—natives—attack—”

Most of it you couldn’t make out, but you were on guard. Your fingers began to twitch anxiously. Something was definitely off. Or maybe you were overthinking—no, better to be cautious.

You needed a weapon.

As quietly as you could, you got up from the cot and slid over to the bassinet across the room. Gently, you placed her in it. You then went toward the exit and stepped out into the dark hallway. There was nothing but silence. You tried so desperately not to focus on that.

Your hunting knife was in the tank room. Which was closer than your room, where your bow and spear were. So, you decided to go for the knife. You couldn’t risk leaving the baby alone for too long.

Something moved at the end of the hall. You stopped and pressed yourself against the wall. You waited until you continued forward and ducked into the tank room.

Your hunting knife was sitting on the table next to Grace’s avatar tank. Just as you grabbed it, a shadow dashed by the doorway.

Thankfully, you were unintentionally hidden behind one of the tanks. But you knew that shadow figure was larger than a human.

“Shit.” You whispered, pressing your back against the wall next to the doorway. You poked your head out into the hallway. The shadow figure you saw before was slightly further down the hall, back turned to you.

As quietly as you could, you followed the figure and mimicked their movements. The figure went into the ambient room, and your heart lurched.

You followed him into the room, and from what little light you had, you could make out that the figure, the warrior, was wearing armor.

The Tipani warriors had broken into Hell’s Gate.

Good to know.

The little one made a small noise, drawing the attention of the warrior.

Your chest tightened. Before the warrior could move toward the bassinet, you lunged forward, brought your dagger to the warrior’s neck, and sliced as hard and as fast as you could.

But the warrior grabbed you by your knife hand and threw you over his shoulder and onto the ground. You grunted; the knife was now pressed against your neck.

The warrior’s eyes were blazing in the dark. “You will die, demon!” You understood enough of Na’vi to know what he had said.

You kept the blade away from going any further into your neck while grunting. “Take me then. But leave her alone!”

The warrior hissed but began choking. Drops of liquid--blood fell onto your face, and the warrior suddenly fell on top of you. You must’ve landed him in the neck pretty good then.

Quickly, you pushed him off of you and scrambled to your feet to check on the baby. Only to find her still asleep.

You sighed in relief. “Heavy sleeper, huh?”

With that, you tucked your knife in your shorts and gently took the baby from the bassinet. You placed her on the empty cot and removed your long-sleeve shirt and strapped it to your chest, creating a makeshift baby carrier.

“Alright, little one.” You whispered as you placed her in your makeshift carrier. “I’m gonna need you to be quiet for me. We’re gonna find your parents, and it might be a long trip.” She just nuzzled into your chest, and you nodded. “Glad we’re at an understanding.”

You left the ambient room. It was still too dark and quiet. So, you strained your ears as you walked, you watched for any movement, becoming a shadow yourself.

The hall broke off to the left. You gasped, hand quickly covering the baby’s head when you saw a body on the floor. It was a human.

They’re killing them. Neytiri had even said herself that they would see to it that the Sky People would either be exiled or killed.

Clearly, they went for the more brutal route.

You had to find the rest of the humans and make sure they were safe. All you could do was defend yourself until then.

You kept moving, ignoring the body and the bile building up in your throat. Saying anything was a risk; you didn’t want the rest of the warriors to figure out where you were. You didn’t want any of them getting their hands on her.

Halfway through the hallway, there was a shadow dashing out of a room. Two figures. You pressed yourself against the wall, holding your breath. One had a spear and the other a bow and arrow, we he yanked out of another body further down the hall. Neither of the warriors said anything and moved further down the hall. Lithe and dangerous. You soon moved forward.

There was a sound coming from the second body. You didn’t look down at first, that is, until you heard static coming from the body.

“—crack—Anyone there? Hello?”

Quickly, you crouched next to the body and searched it until you found the radio. You tucked it to your chest and ducked into the room the warriors left. While you slid to the floor into another crouched position and brought the radio to your lips.

“Hello?”

“Reeds?”

Your ears lifted. “Max? Max, where are you? Please, tell me there’s more of you still alive.”

The radio cracked for a bit. The baby squirmed a bit. She only seemed to stop and get comfortable when your hand cupped the back of her head. The small breaths against your bare clavicle gave you a bit of comfort.

“We’ve locked ourselves in the link room. Some of us are still in link beds, so we have to guard them.” The radio cracked a bit again. You pressed it to your ear to listen closer. “—go and find Jake. Tell him the clan’s found Hells’ Gate. We can’t kill them ourselves, or else we risk wa—”

But you didn’t hear the rest, eyes locked in an intense gaze with a Na’vi.

Fuck, they were so quiet.

Your mind spun.

Neither of you moved for what felt like forever when it was only a short few seconds. And during that time, your eyes caught sight of the ajar door just across from you that led outside. Which would’ve set off the oxygen alarms if not for the sudden power outage. And you realized—recognized that the door led to the compound.

You held the sleeping infant close to your chest and made a dash for the ajar door. The spear cut passed you, nicking your cheek as you made it outside. The sky was dark now—either from the storm or the day passing until the stars would come.

There was sudden shooting over your head. You looked dup while running to find a couple of avatars in trees with guns—your eyes widened as you remembered Max’s words.

“Don’t shoot!” You shouted up at them, waving your arms to get their attention. “Stop!”

By the time they looked your way and stopped shooting, both were instantly shot down by the arrows, falling from the trees.

“Fuck!” You hissed.

There was a fallen warrior near your garden with a bow next to him. You dodged the flying spears as you grabbed the bow and made a dash for the forest.

You passed the fallen avatars, yanking the arrows from their bodies.

There were calls further behind you, large shadows flew over your head—ikrans—toward their callers.

You found a pa’li and hopped onto its back. You wondered as the direhorse took off at your command, how fast they were compared to ikrans. Did it matter if you got a head start?

An arrow flew past your head. Glancing back, you saw a few warriors in armor on pa’li galloping after you, aiming their spears and arrows straight at your head.

“Fantastic.” You muttered with a roll of your eyes.

You looked down at the infant to find her large yellow eyes staring quietly at you.

“Huh, you’re awake now? I guess you would like the excitement.”

Another arrow flew past you, this time from your left. You snapped your head over your shoulder to find a warrior reloading her arrow.

But you drew yours first and shot.

The arrow zipped through the air into the warrior’s eye, knocking her off her pa’li.

And now there was one arrow left, you realized. You cursed.

Wasting that arrow wasn’t an option. So, you had to figure out how to lose your attackers.

Thunder clapped. And the bushes around you shuffled. You squinted your eyes as droplets of rain began to fall. Dark creatures were moving along the forest, in the trees, following you and the warriors.

There. That was how you’d lose them.

And it was a hell of a risk. But were there other options?

Truly?

So, you made as much as you could muster. Making the pa’li break large fallen branches, slushing through the creeks with a splash, and bustling through thick bush. Anything to gather the palulukans’ attention.

Multiple of them—a pack of them were either gunning it for you or the warriors that were right on your tail.

The pa’li jumped over a creak, you glanced over your shoulder just tin time to see most of the pack attack the warriors behind you, slowing them down. You turned to face forward, only to gasp when a palulukan pounced straight toward you.

Not again. Not with her.

You hugged the little one close to your chest, swerving the pa’li out of the way just in time, and booked it to the right.

You covered the infant’s head as you rode away from the palulukan. The pa’li took you long enough until you spotted a well-hidden link shack.

In haste, you jumped off the pa’li and dashed for the link shack entrance. The palulukan tried pouncing for you again, but you dodged out of the way and went for the door. You pushed it open, dived inside, and slammed it closed behind you.

A loud thud hit the shack, but the palulukan couldn’t get in. Especially when you locked it shut.

You placed the infant down on the cot in the corner. She instantly started crying when you were away from her.

“I know, sweetie. Just wait a second for me, okay?” You peered out the window to find the palulukan still roaming around the area, but there was no sign of the armored warriors.

When you were sure you were somewhat safe, you rushed over onto the cot. “Ssh, little one. I’ve got you, see? See? I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’m right here with you.” After putting down your bow and your last arrow, you lifted her, her little tail wagging behind her. “You hungry, bubba? I think I still have your formula.”

Her cries weren’t as loud when you held her again. And once you searched through your bag and took out the extra formula—thank God for planning—she went back to staring at you curiously. You lay her down on the cot with you.

Her hands and arms moved blindly, as infants do. At some point, her fingers found your face.

“Getting comfy? I don’t know how long we’ll be here. We still gotta find your parents. No doubt they’re worried about you.”

You thumbed the spot between her brow again, settling her down a bit. You massaged her little head until she fell asleep. A gentle smile tugged on your lips when her fingers wouldn’t let go of yours. “You’re a clingy one, huh?”

Eventually, your eyes began to droop too, with the patter of rain in the background.

That is, until the radio in your bag came to life.

“Reeds? Are you there?”

Maybe it was exhaustion, but you could’ve sworn that was Jake’s voice. Next time he spoke, his voice quivered. “Does—Does anyone read me?”

You sat up and reached into your bag for your radio, glancing back to make sure the little one was still asleep.

You lay back down on the cot and brought it to your lips. “Reeds here. Now, where the hell are you, Sully?”

There was a beat of silence.

“She’s fine, by the way. Grace’s avatar went into labor. I got her out of Hell’s Gate. She’s safe. Promise.”

Another pause went by before he finally responded.

“And you? Are you okay?”

“Aw.” You responded dryly. “Worried about me? Sully,  you’re goin’ soft on me.”

“Yes,” Jake responded bluntly. “Is that so hard to believe? That I want you to be okay?”

Your eyes were getting droopy. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

“I know.” He chuckled. “I’m—I’m not the best at showing it…It’s just nice to hear your voice. To know that both my girls are okay.” You were too tired to respond, and fortunately, he didn’t wait for one. “Look, we don’t have a lot of time. The signal’s gonna go bad soon—but when the storm comes, we’ll come to get both of you, okay? Reeds—”

The line turned to static. And you fell asleep.

Something gentle fluttered against the side of your head. Wind? A hand?

Wait. A hand.

Warriors.

Slowly, you moved your fingers from the baby’s grasp and slid it under your pillow for your dagger.

Once your hand had a sure grasp on the hilt, you launched up and aimed your knife at your attacker.

Only for a hand to catch your wrist instantly.

“You just tried to kill me.” You blinked, your haziness fading into the smug expression of Tsu’tey.  His grip on your wrist tightened when you tried to pull away. “Good. At least some of your training stuck.”

“Fuck you.” You hissed uncommittedly before throwing your arms around his neck in a hug.

It was supposed to be a one time thing. A pacifier for Jake until Neytiri came back around. But it wasn’t. 

He allowed his eyes to linger on you when he saw you around the village. His hands found a way to brush against your flesh anytime you walked past. His favorite thing to do was sneak a smooch or two in passing when you found yourselves in a dark corner of the village. Jake was infatuated.

He loved when you got submissive in bed. You addressed him with nothing but admiration, respect, and want. He loved how quiet you were, refraining from gossiping with your friends and not drawing any attention to your many disappearances throughout the day. He loved how you could take him one hour and get back to work like he didn’t have you crying his name moments prior.

But what he loved most was that you weren't contaminated by trauma. 

You didn’t jump at loud noises or reach for your knife when things seemingly went wrong. You say back and let the men handle it, opposite to his wife. 

There was something subconsciously human about you. That made it easier for him to defile you.

His hand gripped his cock as he pumped himself. He groaned and kept his tip on your tongue, maintaining eye contact with you as you sat ready for his orgasm. Your tongue flexed around his cockhead and he jerked his brows. Jake placed a light slap on your cheek, “Keep still.” You stilled your tongue. 

“Shit I’m gonna fuckin- shit!” He cursed as he came undone, spurting ropes of come in your mouth. Before you could swallow he leaned down and gave you a wet kiss, holding the back of your neck with his large hand to keep you close. 

Before Jake, you had plenty of sexual experiences with other na’vi men, but it was nothing like the things he’d taught you. You two didn’t take the fun out of sex, from dressing up and roleplay, to rough, domineering sex. He knew when to soften up, and when to toughen up. He knew how to read you, fuck you the way you needed, and get back to work. 

Hiding the affair didn’t take much effort considering the Olo’eyktan and craftswoman of the clan weren’t usually buddy-buddy. Even when he came to your tipi, everyone assumed it was for a new loincloth or weapon holster adjustment.

“Y/n, you in here?” Jake ducked into your Tipi.

You turned and gave him a big smile but it faltered seeing Neytiri duck in after him, looking around.

“Olo’eytkan, Tsakarem.” Your voice lowered. “How may I assist you?”

When Neytiri was looking at the assortment of beads on the wall you glared at Jake. He held a hand up and nodded, she wasn’t here to confront you.

“Majake tells me you have…pieces of hometree?”

You nodded. “I have some damaged trinkets from the tree, collected from those before me. But wood is more tricky.” You walked over and pulled out a map from one of your compartments. “Upon request, I personally go down to the ground to find hometree remnants, wood. Many of the older na’vi request things to be made from them, blades, charms, anything that reminds them of what was.”

Neytiri looked at Jake then walked out the Tipi. Both of you said nothing. She returned with her bow, the bow that belonged to the former Olo’eyktan.

“My son was able to repair this from the mangroves of Awa’atlu.” She turned it to show you the handiwork. “I want a casing, a handle made from the woods of hometree, if you can.” She was sheepish with her request, odd for the wife of Olo’eyktan. 

“Yes.” You nodded and gave her a warm smile. “I will do it. I will need to travel to the ground, but considering the recent events-.”

“We’ve already discussed that.” Jake spoke up, arms crossed on his chest. “I along with a few of my men will accompany you to the ground. An old RDA base and drill is there…we think.” There was a glint in his eye when he looked at you. “We can’t go and lose our best craftswoman.”

Neytiri giggled in agreement. “Thank you, may the great mother be with you.” She said before leaving.

Jake lingered behind, looking down at the satchel you had slumped over in the corner. “We’ll leave in a few days, bring the bags you need.”

The excitement and reassurance from Jake overpowered the fear you had of Neytiri. After seeing how ready she was to trust you with this task, you no longer suspected that she suspected you. You felt no guilt. 

Jake on the other hand was still at war with himself. Seeing the smile on Neytiri’s face when you agreed to help her with her bow made his heart melt, but seeing you just a few feet away made his dick throb in his breeches. There was something so erotic knowing that one snap would have you writing underneath him and moaning in his ear.

He sat next to his wife peeling a banana leaf to get to his food. He knew once Neytiri got her bow back, she would be fighting by his side. Good, he needed the help, but that also meant she wouldn’t leave his side. Two steps behind him wherever he went, he would have to cut you off completely. 

This trip would need to be a long one, not one completed in just a few hours. He needed to have an orgasm that he would remember on his death bed.

“It will take us a day, maybe more.” He accepted Neytiri's embrace as she held her arms around his waist. “I’ll find the best for you.” He placed a kiss on her temple. “Then it’s back to work.” He walked away from her and mounted his ikran.

You and Jake were only accompanied by two other warriors. This trip was low-stakes one, no threats were expected.

The group landed and Jake laid out a map, giving the two directions to search and recover anything from the presumed to be abandoned RDA base.  “I will personally escort Y/n to hometree, hoot if anything happens.” He commands. The two nodded and split from the two of you. 

“Gonna put me over your knee now?” You jumped to tease him.

“For what? Have you done something?”

“No.” You said. 

Jake smiled and tilted his head, “is that jealousy I’m sensing?”

“No. Not that I’m not jealous.”

“Then what are you?” You shrugged. You weren’t lying to him, you weren’t jealous but you were on-edge. Deep down you knew this thing between the two of you was coming to an end. 

The two of you silently traveled through the forest, pushing past vines and other plants to get to the wreckage. You sighed looking at the crackled and split hometree, most of the wood was burnt to a crisp. It was like seeing large splinters in Pandora’s flesh. 

“I go left, you go right?”  You said taking a step.

“Wha- nuh uh.” Jake grabbed your bicep. “You’re not splitting up with me.”

“Cover more ground. You of all people should know that.” The corner of your lips quirked and you walked off.

Jake caught the hint and went on his own. At first, he actually looked through the rubble, but as time passed he found himself disinterested in the task at hand. He stopped himself and turned on his heels, making his way to your side of the tree. The closer he got to the rightmost side of the wreckage the more dense the burnt wood got. 

“Y/n!” He called out for you, no response.

He held his gun close to his body, keeping his steps light.

“Y/n!” His voice was more rough, getting annoyed with the game you were playing. At his last call he heard a whoop that wasn’t quite right. An arrow swished past his face, missing, hitting the ground behind him. He looked in the direction the arrow came from and saw you, holding your bow. He licked his teeth seeing you in the Mangkwan get up again, face and torso painted with clay. 

“I like a woman who keeps me on my toes.” He drawled. He then pulled out his blade. 

You hissed at him and darted away from him, running through the ruins while he chased you. Jake was athletic by nature, lunging over branches and dunking until he was right on your heels. Eventually he took hold of the band that was pulled tight across your breasts.

Pure luck had hit the both of you seeing an unscathed piece of the hometree, it was the protruding root, but it was free from burns. “Hands on the surface.” He walked you to the trunk and pressed your back to bend you over. You instinctively sprawled over, spreading your legs apart. 

“I don’t even gotta tell you what to do anymore.” He said lowly, hand panning over your back.

It would take a miracle for his dick to unlearn you.

He bared his teeth and hissed, pushing himself off of you.

“What.” You sighed and turned around, breaking the fantasy for just that moment.

“We shouldn’t.”

You didn’t react. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Jake looked taken aback. “That’s it? Okay. You’re not even gonna protest?”

“Whatever is said goes right?”

“Don’t fuckin look at me like that.” Jake snapped. He stepped to you. “It’s not- fuck.” He shook his head. “We both know we need to stop this.” He said sternly. 

“Then let’s stop.” You began to walk past him but he grabbed your bicep. You froze. He nuzzled the side of your face. 

“I can’t.” He grabbed your hand and placed it on his crotch. “Shit…I fucking told myself this would be the last time but….”

You took his face and kissed him deeply. He hummed and pushed his tongue down your throat, licking, tasting every crevice of your mouth.

He grunted and flipped you back on the trunk, tugging back on the band that covered your nipples.

He leaned forward as he worked off his breeches. “That hurt?”

You nodded. “It burns Olo’eyktan.”

He grabbed his knife and sliced the band, freeing your tits.

Your lip found the fat of your lip feeling the rough wood against your flesh. Jake kept hold of your bicep with one hand while the other tugged at his breeches. He freed his hard cock from its restraints and slapped it against your ass before pulling your loose loincloth to the side. “Fuck…” He sucked his teeth as he slid into you with ease. 

Jake began working his hips against your ass, pacing himself. He released your bicep and grabbed a handful of your tits, squeezing them hard enough so the flesh bursts between his fingers. 

“I changed my mind.” His voice wavered, “We can’t stop.” He licked the edge of your ear. “I’ll find a way to this pussy.” 

You whimpered and dug the flats of your fingers into the tree trunk. “Fu- Jake. No.” You whined. “We have to stop.” Your words didn't reflect what you felt deep in your soul. You’d hoped he’d ignore your weak attempt at being righteous. You closed your eyes and groaned, relishing the feeling of his length dragging in and out of you, bumping and hitting every sweet spot inside. “This is the last time. We gotta-“ 

“You tellin your Olo’eyktan what to do?”

You whimpered and felt your walls flutter around him. “N-no sir.” 

“That’s what it sounds like you’re doing.” He placed a harsh smack to your ass.

You cried out. His grip on your flesh got tighter and his hips snapped stiffly as he felt himself reaching his peak. “Shit.” At the same moment the two of you tensed and came undone, right there on the trunk in the middle of the forest. Panting, coming down, neither one of you had noticed or cared that he spilled inside of you. 

Jake pulled out and nodded to the ground, “I’m not done.” He said stripping himself of his guns and gear, leaving himself vulnerable. You did the same, laying on your back, spreading your legs. He didn’t bother with teasing, sliding right back into you. Your hands ran down the sides of his torso and rested at his lower back. He held himself up with his forearms and placed kisses on your lips and cheeks. “Be my mistress.” He began rolling his hips in a circle, gliding in and out your slick canal. 

“What? You’re crazy.” You ran your hands back up to caress his broad back.

“I know I'm crazy. I’ll take care of you.” He punctuated with a deep thrust which caused you to whine. “I’ll come see you. Keep you in my back pocket.” He kissed you deeply to which you returned. “I’ll take care of you. In the best way I can.”

His thrusts became more vigorous and his throat became more vocal. “I don’t even fuck my wife like this.” He says. “That means somethin’.” 

You gripped the soil beneath the two of you and braced yourself for another orgasm. “Jake…Jake this is stupid.” You let out an open mouthed moan and pant as you came on him. He thrusted a few more times before pulling you up by the back of your neck, never pulling out of you. 

“You never answered me.” He said lowly. “Be my mistress. Please.” He placed a kiss to your neck

You sighed and gave in. “I’ll keep you sated…for now.” You placed a hand on his chest as a warning. “I promise you this won’t last forever Jake.”

He showed no excitement at your acceptance, rather stood and put on his breeches. Once the two of you got resituated, he pointed to the trunk. 

“We’ll take wood from there.” 

“The trunk you fucked me on.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said nodding backwards. The other na’vi warriors were returning.

You cursed and quickly dug in your satchel to wipe that clay off your face.

Jake was right about Neytiri going back to her old self once her bow was repaired. She rode by his side as his wife once again and worked out her injury the best she could. The two of them returned to their regular sex schedule, even if she picked up on his sexual habits he’d never done before. Happiness was simple. Recovery took almost nothing and it was time to gather the clans again. 

“I need you to find the Tlalim, stop them, tell them about the incoming danger.” Jake placed his hand on his wife's shoulder.

“And what will you be doing?”

“I will still be around…I need to escort the newer squadron to the edge of the forest to spread word to the reef clans.”

Jake was so full of bullshit, and he’d hope Neytiri didn’t know that. He was sending her on a goosechase, that she knew, but she knew they were at war.

“Okay….i’ll leave tomorrow.”

He nodded in approval. When she walked away he ducked into your Tipi.

“Olo’eyk-”

Jake placed a kiss on your lips, silencing you. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Bro! Where’d you even come from?! Don’t scare me like that.” You hissed, baring your fangs and you began to undo the knot.

“Why do you even tie that? It’s safe from the sky people, they don’t know about the base here since we relocated.” Lo’ak said, helping you undo it before pushing the wooden bowl of assorted fruits into your hands.

“Nete showed me, he said it was just to keep me extra safe. Thank you for the fruit, I had just wakened so you don’t need to worry about being late.” You said, popping a berry into your mouth before welcoming him inside.

He shook his head, “I have to go help mother with preparation for tonight’s celebration. She’s been uptight since Neteyam and dad have been gone. Can’t miss out. You gonna be there tonight?” He asked, tail swishing with anticipation.

Lo’ak still stayed rebellious, but a bit more confident since his teenage years. His braids tied up in a low man bun with two pieces hanging down to frame his face. It was weird to think of his scrawny self years ago. Even crazier to imagine he was actually excited to help Neytiri with preparations. At least it gets Jake off his back.

“I will, I’ve completed a few pieces of flying gear for Jake’s team. The older gear has worn down anyways. I must tell Neteyam I’ll be attending too.” You said, picking at the fleshy parts of the fruit and devouring it, leaving the skins off to the side.

You licked your fingers, tossing some flying goggles towards Lo’ak and trusting him to catch it with ease, which he did. “Yours. Don’t lose these too!” You scowled, only to be met with him grinning before turning away on his heel.

“No promises!” He yelled out before skipping away.

“Skxawng.” You muttered, placing the empty bowl on the table Jake crafted for you. You stretched your arms, deciding it was time for your rinse.

Gathering your flying gear and a beaded chest piece with feathers and a matching loincloth to change into, you left your Marui. Walking through the base, you smiled and waved at the children playing and passing by you, your few friends who were gathered around a fire, adding their final accessories to their clothing pieces for tonight’s celebration. A lot of unmated Na’vi women used large celebrations to venture for a mate, using the social setting to introduce themselves without awkwardness or fear of being outwardly rejected as a lot of the warriors would drink as a reward.

Reaching to a deep part of the forest you knew well, you found your fresh spring. Warm water running through a miniature waterfall, and a small pond to bathe yourself in. You sighed, always looking forward to your alone time of silence in the spring. Slipping off your chest piece, you laid it down on the moss, followed by your loincloth and arm cuffs. You stepped into the pond, letting the water run through your hair from the waterfall, covering water in your pals to wash your face. The warmth gave you a sense of comfort, a tranquility you were denied the last few years due to the war.

Meanwhile, the war party had returned finally, a bit behind schedule. Jake landed first, jumping off his Ikran and catching Neytiri in his arms. Neteyam followed shortly after, his brother embracing him with a hard pat to the back. Tuk, following right behind after greeting her father.

“Teyam!” She cried out, relief washing over her as he picked her up. Tuk wiped her eyes, happy tears pooling after finally seeing her family after so long.

Neteyam smiled, turning his head to Lo’ak before his look turned serious. “She has been fed? Where is she?” He said, eyes scanning the base before looking back to his younger brother.

“Yea, bro. She already ate, but I don’t know where she wandered to.” Lo’ak said, grabbing Tuk’s hand once Neteyam put her down.

“I told you to keep an eye on her.” Neteyam scowled, but her let it go. He knew you knew better.

Walking to your Marui and opening it fully, he scanned. He saw the empty bowl, your weaving materials, but no you. That would only leave one other place. The hot springs. He huffed, setting his bow down on your desk before following the same path you took, the one he taught you. Deeper into the forest, his ears pricked up at the nearing sound of splashing water. You were close, he caught your scent. Sweet and soft.

He felt no shame, watching you bare, water droplets falling down your curves, over your chest and down to your most sacred area. If anything, he felt entitled to it. He sauntered closer, shaking his head as you didn’t even bother to pay attention to your surroundings. Your back remained turned to him, oblivious to the predator watching its prey.

“I thought you had far better sense, yawne.” He said, loud enough to spook you.

You jumped, turning your body to him before covering yourself and dipping down fully into the pond to shield him for your bare body. Your ears slicked back, eyes wide with embarrassment.

“Nete! You’re back-you scared me! How long have you been there?!” You blurted, your fingers gripping the edge of the pond, leaving soft imprints of your four fingers in the moss.

“Mawey, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Though it is more endearing seeing it from you.” He said, crouching down near the edge to run his hand through your wet hair.

Neteyam scanned the clothing you brought to change into, noticing the loincloth had far less fabric, and far more intricate beading. That wasn’t enough coverage for him. His eyes turned to you, softening as he noticed your soft purrs at his touch. He let his hand trail down to your cheek before fluttering off at your shoulders.

“You are wearing this to the celebration today? There is not much fabric. Eyes of drunken warriors will be all over you.” He sighed, taking your arm to pull your upper half from the spring.

Your ears perked to attention, not expecting his guidance out of the water. Using your arm, you covered your breasts, clenching your legs together to hide yourself as he brought you fully out. “I- Well it was something I made weeks ago. It has similar beads to our song cords, an homage. Is that alright, Ma Teyam?” You tried not to bring much attention to your bareness, other wise he would truly notice what he had done. Of course you didn’t clock that he did it on purpose, to see you exposed and vulnerable in front of him.

He seemed pleased with your response, either way he’d have you by his side as usual, so he couldn’t scold you too much. “I suppose it is alright, what is not, is that you didn’t greet me with your hug. It’s all I’ve been thinking of since I left.” Neteyam said, bringing you in by the shoulders and pressing you to him, his nose burying into the side of your neck.

He knew exactly what he was doing. Neteyam just wanted to feel you against him, your skin touching his and your heartbeats synchronizing. You melted into the hug, you missed his presence. You stayed with him for a few breaths, before realizing your current situation. You reached for your chest piece and loincloth, wanting to cover yourself. Neteyam caught on, handing them to you, his eyes quickly scanning your body that you were no longer shielding as you dressed yourself. As soon as you slipped the chest piece over your head you tried your back to him from how you two were sitting.

“May you please turn, I must dress myself.” You asked shyly, placing your hand down to your waist to cover yourself.

He cracked a smile before obliging. “Have you missed me? Has Lo’ak taken good care of you since my departure? I told that skxawng to make sure that you eat. You know how he is though.” He asked, before turning around back to you once her heart the clicks of the beads coming to a rest.

You both stood now, finally able to comfortable face Neteyam. You two have bathed together of course, but throughout childhood. Since you turned 18 you preferred to bathe alone, for obvious reasons. “I missed you so much, Neteyam.” You sighed, letting yourself hug him tightly, which he returned.

“Lo’ak has taken good care of me, have more faith!” You said, letting Neteyam lead you back to the base. His hand lingered on your lower back, playing with the beads that adorned your handmade loincloth.

“As you command, yawne.” Neteyam joked, pressing you closer to his side as you walked through the thick flora of the forest. “Shall you accompany me at the celebration? I must keep you out of harms way, you know how those drunken warrior behave once they return. Almost all of them cried to be mated once they return. Some even asked for you, but none of them are good enough. All are too weak for you, ma yawne.” He said, ears flicking side to side as he heard the Na’vi from the base once they got closer.

He always stayed alert with you around him. Neteyam didn’t even bother to move his hand from his position your back, not minding the side looks unmated warriors gave him when they finally stepped foot into base. “Neteyam, don’t be too harsh. They try to live up to you.” You said softly, resting your hand on his arm.

Once you reached your Marui, he stepped inside with you. “Do not defend them. Do you wish to be mated to one?” He asked defensively, tying a knot as he hurriedly shut the flaps of your marui. “Of course they live up to me, I am the only one who can protect you, who can treat you how you deserve to be treated.” He said, stepping closer to you now as he towered over your frame.

“N-no, Nete. I do not wish to be mated to any of them.” Except you. Of course you could never say that, he was soon to be with another woman. “I just speak out of kindness, they are young men who may not get to live another day. They have hopes and dreams of a normal life too. I know you are the only one to protect me, you have since we were little.” You said, your hands resting on his forearms while your tail tucked between your legs.

You hated disappointing him, you knew he would never treat you as a nuisance, but you wanted to be as agreeable as you could for him. He already had so much on his plate as future Olo’eyktan, and a strong warrior.

“I always will protect you. You are too kind to those who you do not know the true intentions of. You depend on only me, do you understand?” He said, his head lowering to yours so he could properly look you in the eye.

He held eye contact, until you caved and blinked, embracing him again. “I understand, Neteyam. Thank you.” You sighed, your cheek pressed to his chest as your body melted into his touch.

His hands rubbed soothing patterns into your back, a content smile on his face from your willing obedience. “Very good, yawne. You don’t need anyone else, only me.” Neteyam muttered.

You pulled back after a few minutes, staring up at him with wide and curious eyes as he had a soft hold on your arm. “I must go prepare for the celebration. Once it begins and you plan to arrive, find me immediately. Yes?” He said, turning to undo the knot he placed, so you two wouldn’t be interrupted.

“Yes, Nete. I will find you. I’ll be going with Kiri anyways.” You nodded, going to walk him out, respectfully.

“I shall see you then, songbird.”

@elatimeie @spicymayyo @loversonne @nanalovesff @pandoraslxna @zzma-rs

the lab was just too damn small – too cramped, too much equipment, and most certainly too low of a ceiling. it wasn't built for a ten foot tall alien avatar, a fact jake proved the second he ducked through the blast doors.

clatter.

his thick blue tail swept across the edge of a counter, sending a stack of empty plastic petri dishes scattering across the floor. apparently, it possessed a mind of its own, earning immediate heavy sigh from grace. she didn’t even flinch, still focused on her datapad.

“jesus. watch the tail, sully!” grace finally looked up, fixing him with a weary glare. “like a bull in china shop, i swear to god. give me those.” she snapped at former marine, and reached out, impatiently snatching the woven pouch of soil and flora samples right out of his massive hand.

“yeah, easy! got your weeds, doc.” jake’s voice rumbled, just ever so slightly deeper when he was in his avatar body. he casually pinched a rounded reddish bulb etween two giant fingers, inspecting it for a half-second before dropping and dropped it onto the metal table.

over by the main monitors, norm’s head snapped up. “these aren’t just weeds, jake.” he pushed his glasses up his nose, his face already scrunching with that familiar, tired irritation. norm was done with jake like ten times a day, but frankly speaking so did grace. it wasn’t rare for him to get under skin if everyone else in the room. and now, you could see norm’s blood pressure was spiking, because of sully’s stupid comment.

“it’s ar’lek seed.” he continued and squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his forehead. “and you’re still mangling the vowels. the emphasis is on the second syllable. you’ve been living with the omatikaya for weeks and you sound like a frat boy on spring break.”

and jake didn't look even remotely apologetic. he just leaned his heavy blue elbows on the top of the bio-hood. infuriating smug grin spreading across his blue face; he looked down at norm like he was a toddler who'd just lost a game of checkers, and was throwing a tantrum. “they understand me just fine, bud.”

“it’s about respect!” norm’s voice betrayed him, cracking and pitching up an octave. he stepped away from his console, actually throwing a hand in the air. “i spent five years, jake. learning the intricacies of their syntax, tonal shifts, every cultural nuance. and you’re out there grunting at them like a caveman. it's insult to the entire anthropological process!”

leaning against the doorway, trudy caught your eye. she had a mug of lukewarm coffee in one hand, her other arm crossed over her chest. without saying anything, she raised a single, but wildly expressive eyebrow and smirked. you mirrored her expression, leaning against the metal table. the jake-and-norm show. better than cable, honestly, and a daily occurrence you wouldn't miss for the world. it was always highly entertaining, and you were starving for anything out of ordinary while so isolated in hallelujah mountains.

norm was pacing now as he continued his rant, face turning a blotchy red as he gestured wildly at jake's chest. while norm was already tall, standing next to jake in avatar form looked very much ridiculous. “you're supposed to be building diplomatic bridges! not treating this like a camping trip! do you even know the proper way of greeting the people?”

jake just stared at him. those huge, yellow eyes didn't even blink but definitely gleamed with mischievous plan. then, he let out a breathy, arrogant laugh, his tail flicking lazily behind him.

“well, i think it’s going great,” jake drawled, his grin stretching wide enough to flash a set of sharp canines at the side of which you just bit your lip slightly. “i’m the one going on dates with the chief’s daughter, remember?”

norm stopped dead. his mouth opened, closed. and it went on for a few seconds, face flushing a deeper shade of crimson as he searched for any good comeback. then, he made a sharp, offended noise and just threw both hands up in the air. completely derailed by the sheer, unadulterated audacity of the flex. he spun around on his heel, pacing tight circles in front of his monitors, muttering angrily under his breath about unbelievable arrogance and academic injustice.

before jake could open his mouth rub it in any further, grace stepped right into his line of sight, pointing a scalpel at him like a warning sign. she was probably the only one, who could sometimes shut his mouthy ass. “enough, marine,” grace ordered. her tone had that sharp, mother-hen edge that meant the argument was officially over. “take the ego and your ass back to the hometree, and link out before you break one of my centrifuges.”

jake raised his large hands in mock surrender, still looking entirely too pleased with himself.

you let out a dry snort, leaning your head closer to trudy. you didn't bother whispering, rather keeping your voice at a totally normal, conversational volume – acting like it was a private joke, yet knowing damn well good how sensitive those swivelling blue ears were, and what exactly they could pick up. “so full of himself,” you mused, a smirk pulling at the corner of your mouth. “and i'm sure neytiri's lashes are longer than his dick.”

trudy choked. she literally spat coffee back into her mug, doubling over as she hacked and wheezed, her shoulders shaking violently with suppressed laughter, that mixed with coughing. over at the monitors, norm froze, letting out a strangled, breathless squeak of a giggle before clapping both hands hard over his mouth to muffle the sound. even grace had to bite the inside of her cheek, suddenly found her microscope absolutely fascinating, turning her back entirely. although you could easily see the sharp, amused twitch of her shoulders.

the cramped lab was still ringing with trudy’s hacking coughs, as jake’s ears twitched. they flattened back for a split second, before snapping forward again. he didn't look angry. if anything, the smugness on his striped face just morphed into something dangerously, insufferably cocky. he then turned slowly, his yellow eyes locking onto yours. and when they did, your stomach did a complicated entirely unwelcome little flip. just the stale air in here, you told yourself. definitely just the claustrophobia. and just as you thought he was done, jake pushed off the bio-hood. one heavy, deliberate step brought him across the cramped space, right into your personal bubble. his massive frame basically blocked out the overhead lights as he leaned down. the sheer, physical reality of the avatar body was ridiculous up close – smelling like damp earth, ozone, and crushed leaves.

jake dropped the mock-surrender pose, resting one massive hand on his hip as he leaned his weight onto one leg. the tip of his tail flicked in a rhythmic, lazy arc. he tilted his head, a slow, infuriating smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “wanna find out?“ he challenged, entirely too cocky for a tuesday morning. his voice dropped a register, rumbling with sheer, unadulterated amusement. god, he was unfortunately infuriatingly attractive in that absurd, ten-foot-tall alien way. not that you’d ever admit it out loud. you'd honestly rather choke on pandora's toxic air.

you didn’t miss a beat. you couldn't afford to, not with the sudden, stupid heat creeping up the back of your neck. pushing off the metal framing, you crossed your arms defensively. though you forced your expression to remain absolutely deadpan, ruthlessly trying to entirely kill the amused twitch of your own jaw – you couldn’t hide it completely.

“spare me that possible eyesore,” you snapped back, keeping your expression as serious as humanly possible.

jake threw his head back and laughed. the deep, repetitive sound echoed across the room, and it was a great laugh, honestly. although it did things to your pulse that were wildly inappropriate for a sterile science lab. grace winced, grabbing a rolled-up printout from the counter and swatting at his massive bicep. he really took on lot of muscle mass after training with na’vi.

“alright, that's it. circus is over. you,” she pointed that printout at you, “stop baiting my drivers, i have actual science to do here today.”

“hey, i'm just an innocent bystander,” you shot back, though you couldn't wipe the grin off your face if you tried. you looked back up at jake. he was still hovering there, unbothered, looking way too pleased with his own comeback.

“if we’re talking science, doc,” jake started. he didn't break eye contact with you, lazily tapping the metal frame above your head with one thick finger. “i was offering empirical evidence for the lady.”

“out,” grace demanded, rolling her eyes. she was trying for stern, but she was definitively fighting a smile now. “get out of my lab before i sedate you myself.”

“alright, alright, i'm going,” jake chuckled, ducking his head to avoid a cluster of low-hanging cables. he moved toward the airlock, his heavy footsteps thudding against the grating. and you stubbornly kept your eyes trained on trudy’s mug rather than watch the sway of his broad shoulders as he walked away. but just as his hand hovered over the heavy door release, he paused, glancing back over his broad shoulder.

“hey, norm,” jake called out, his tone perfectly, dangerously casual.

norm, who had just managed to compose himself and return to his keyboard, peered over the top of his monitors with profound suspicion. he adjusted his glasses. “what?”

jake’s smirk returned, a gleam of pure trouble in his eyes. “you know, if you want…”

and you? you didn’t even wait for him to finish. your hand flew up, smacking flat against your forehead with an audible slap. you just knew. you felt the sheer, impending force of the second-hand embarrassment rolling in before the words even left his mouth.

“i could give you some pointers,” jake finished, totally unfazed by the muffled groan that slipped through your fingers. he again leaned a broad shoulder against the heavy doorframe, tapping a massive blue finger against his chin like he was giving it deep, scholarly thought. that man sometimes was a walking joke. “you know. on, uh, local etiquette. since my grunting seems to be working out so well for me.”

“i…” norm stuttered. he half-stood from his ergonomic chair, clutching a digital stylus like a weapon. “no! that is a gross misrepresentation of my field of study, and frankly, jake, your total lack of–”

“or, hey, i could just introduce you to one of neytiri’s friends,” jake interrupted seamlessly. "put all those flashcards to good use, right?"

“they aren't flashcards!” norm’s voice pitched right back up to that hysterical, reedy octave. he was practically vibrating behind the console now. “they are advanced phonetic charts! and i am a xenoanthropologist, sully, not a–”

“a guy who desperately needs to get laid?" jake supplied helpfully, once again cutting in between norm talking.

now, norm looked like a boiling kettle. "i am here to establish a cultural and scientific baseline! not to mingle!"

through the gaps in your fingers, you couldn't help but peek at jake. he was enjoying this way, way too much. and despite how completely, unequivocally insufferable he was being, a tiny, treasonous part of your brain noted how the harsh, sterile lab lights caught the bioluminescent freckles scattered across his high cheekbones. focus, you scolded yourself, pressing the heels of your hands harder into your eyes to try and physically crush the thought.

“mingle,” jake repeated, testing the word out with a slow, exaggerated nod. “right. because sitting in a metal box after reading charts for five years is really doing wonders for your diplomatic relations. you should come out to the village sometime, norm. i think, i can talk the big guys into letting you in. at least you’ll see how the real world works.”

“boys!” grace finally snapped, abandoning her microscope entirely as she turned around, her patience officially evaporated. “weren’t you supposed to be on your way?” she nodded at a former marine.

“yeah, right…” jake replied, waving his hand at grace. “and for the record, i am perfectly proportionate!” he called out to you, as he turned his back to leave for, what you hoped, was last time.

“sure you are, killer,” trudy wheezed, wiping a tear of mirth from her eye. “now, go.”

as he finally went away, leaving the lab feeling suddenly, strangely empty. and you could noticed him outside making way back to his ikran, but he stopped in front of thick window, looking back into the inside. he pointed two fingers at his eyes, then at you, that smirk still plastered across his face. “think about it, though.” he mouthed, then turned back around.

“i’m surrounded by children,” grace muttered, turning back to her ar’lek seeds samples. “idiots and children.”

trudy finally managed to take a proper breath, wiping a stray tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. she bumped her shoulder against yours, lowering her voice just enough that grace wouldn't immediately yell at her again.

“well?” trudy nudged you again, a wicked little gleam in her dark eyes. oh, she definitely noticed.

you just shook your head in resignation, knowing well you are so damn fucked. jake sully was actually willing to fact check.

sneaking past grace augustine was a lot like trying to slip by a motion-activated turret. even deeply engrossed in a fresh batch of soil samples, the woman seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. sometimes you really thought, she was wired to lab’s motion sensors. it had taken twenty agonising minutes of waiting for her to start lecturing norm about a spectrometer calibration before you finally managed to hit the release on the secondary airlock and bailed.

you just needed out.

the shack was suffocating. stale recycled air that tasted like ozone and old coffee, the constant headache-inducing hum of the servers, and the sheer claustrophobia of being cooped up in the hallelujah mountains... frankly, being boxed up in a metal can dangling in floating islands was enough to make anyone snap. especially if one didn’t have their own avatar, which essentially was you. and you were going to lose your mind if you stared at those metal walls for one more minute. plus, jake was still in his link. it was late, way past his usual window time, which meant he was probably out there wandering through the glowing jungle with neytiri, completely losing track of time. right.

you swallowed hard, shoving that particular thought away before it could ruin the peace and quiet. nope, you’re not doing this and doing it any single thought. you’re not ruining the one moment of peace you’d had all week.

so here you were, miles above ground. sitting on a random, mossy jagged outcrop on the very edge of a floating rock. you swung your legs slowly, shuddering at chilly air tingling your skin. you pulled your jacket tighter around your shoulders. down below? nothing, just your heavy boots dangling over a drop so vast and completely black that your stomach did a sick, dizzying flip if you stared down for too long. it was terrifying. but god, it was beautiful.

you leaned back on your hands, tilting your head up. the sky up here didn’t even look real, it was too big. too big for someone, who had just spent good couple of months cooped up under metal ceilings and those harshly white, clinical lights. above you, the sky wasn’t just a sky. it was a massive canopy of stars, that were absolutely not detectable on earth due to light and atmosphere pollution. and here, in addition it was completely dominated by the overwhelming polyphemus. it felt so close to you, that it felt like you could reach up and drag your fingers through its atmosphere. the eerie, ambient light washed over everything, catching the condensation on the scratched plastic of your exopack mask.

the only sound was the steady, mechanical rhythm of your own breathing through the respirator. every now and then, out there in the dark, you could hear distant and echoing shrieking rising from the jungle canopy below.

your hands brushed against soft moss, and rings of bioluminescent cyan flared up around your fingers, reacting to the pressure. as if the ground was breathing back and reciprocating your gentle touch, just in its own way.

it was so stupid to be out here alone. if grace realized you were missing after finding your bunk empty, she’d probably drag you back inside by your ear and ground you for the rest of your rotation. that is, if the local wildlife didn’t get to your ass first. but sitting here, swallowed up by the sheer scale of the this world, feeling the cold mountain air bite at the sleeves of your jacket... it was totally worth the inevitable yelling. yeah, totally worth it.

you were floating. mentally, anyway. just completely, blessedly lost in the slow, heavy swirl of polyphemus, zoning out to the white noise of your own regulator.

then a shrieking, ear-splitting roar shattered the quiet. a massive gust of wind slammed into your back, pushing you forward, instantly followed by the sound of heavy claws tearing into solid stone right behind you. blind panic, pure flight instinct spiked cold in your chest. you didn't even look to see what animal had just landed. just knew you needed to get away.

you scrambled up to your feet way too fast. but your heel caught on nothing. slipping on the slick moss, you lost the balance and fell backwards – right over the edge. a strangled, pathetic gasp tore out of your throat, but you couldn't even draw enough air to actually scream.

for one horrifying second, you really thought you were going to fall. strong grip locked around the heavy material of your jacket, right at the collar. you didn't even have time to process the anything before you were hauled up with effortless strength and unceremoniously dumped back onto solid rock.

you hit the moss hard, scrambling onto your hands and knees. immediately, you crawled away from the edge and pressed your back against rock to somehow steady yourself. your heart was hammering against your ribs so violently it physically hurt. and you were shaking so bad, gasping for canned air through the plastic of your mask. and you froze, clinging to a massive blue forearm just to keep yourself from a complete panic attack.

and then? the laugh. deep chuckle that vibrated right through the forearm you were clinging onto. breathy and careless, and entirely too familiar. you’d recognize that insufferable sound anywhere in the universe.

jake fucking sully.

you twisted around, your heart hammering so hard it was physically hurting your ribcage. your lungs were still burning, as you snapped your head up. there he was. standing right at the edge of the cliff, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

but jake was just looking down at you. he hadn't even fully withdrawn the hand that had just saved your life. that same, annoying smirk he’d been wearing in the lab was plastered across his face, yellow eyes glowing with pure amusement in the dark.

behind him was a massive banshee was settling onto the crags, an ikran. or bob, as jake called him. you knew he wasn’t the most creative man, but calling an animal that looked like dinosaur hybrid with such generic name? exactly what you could expect from jake.

“woah, watch your step there,” he chuckled, his giant hand shifted, steadying your shoulder. “you tryna learn how to fly, or just taking the fast way down?”

you just stared up at him. mouth opened, but your brain was still frantically trying to catch up with the fact that you weren't currently plummeting to your death. but just the sound of his voice triggered cascade of goosebumps down your spine that had absolutely nothing to do with the freezing altitude or the near-death experience. and god, as much as you wanted to be furious, it wasn't just the freezing mountain air causing them.

adrenaline crash hit you like a physical blow, your heart wasn’t just beating – it was actively trying to kick its way out of your ribcage. the second your brain fully registered that you were standing on solid ground. the sheer, paralyzing terror immediately dissolved into hot, unfiltered rage. you shoved him. or, well, you tried to. you slammed both hands flat against his chest as high as you could reach, which felt exactly like trying to shove a solid concrete pillar. he didn’t budge an inch, you just sort of bounced backward off his pecs.

“are you actually brain dead, or is the thin air up here just rotting it in real time?!” you hissed, dropping your voice into a frantic whisper. a quick glance shot toward the shack, praying grace wasn’t looking out a window. when you looked back at him, you had to crane your neck just to glare into his eyes. “did the cryo-sleep permanently freeze your frontal lobe? tell me, Sully, are you missing chunks of your cerebral cortex, or were you just born this catastrophically stupid?!”

jake just stood there, looking far too amused for someone who’d nearly gotten you killed. his ears flicked forward as he leaned down to your level, clearly fighting a grin. “careful,” he whispered back. “grace’s gonna hear you.”

“oh, i’m gonna be the one to tell her!” you fired back, gesturing wildly toward the massive creature behind him. “you don't just play jump scares with a person with prehistoric parrot on the edge of a goddamn cliff!” you pointed an accusatory finger at the banshee, which seemed totally indifferent to your near-death experience. “i was practically airmail to the bottom of the canyon!”

that did it. jake couldn’t help it anymore and laughter burst out of him. “parrot. now, that’s a new one. you know he’s bob.”

“i don’t care if his name is lord fluffington!” your arms folded tightly across your chest, partly to keep them from shaking. you were hyper-aware of how close he was, how the ambient light of the jungle caught the neon bioluminescence dotted across his chest and collarbone. why the actual fuck did na’vi have to go around shirtless? though, you aggressively ignored it. “she almost sent me into grave!”

“hey, don’t put this on him.” jake lifted both hands in surrender. “you're the one who tripped over and honestly, your spatial awareness? needs work.”

“i tripped because i was jumpscared by a ginormous smurf and his overgrown dino!” you shot back in whisper, though the edge of your panic was finally starting to dull into sheer exhaustion.

jake’s grin lingered as he looked you over. you were still shivering – whether from the freezing mountain air or the leftover adrenaline, you weren’t totally sure. “you’re welcome, by the way.” he crossed his arms. “for the save.”

“i was only falling because of you. you giant, glowing hazard!” you repeated the cause of your almost accident and jabbed a finger hard into his ribs. again, like poking a wall. “i will literally string you up by your own tail, sully. i don't care if you weigh a ton, i will find a lever. and i will build a pulley system out of zip-ties and spite.”

jake rolled his eyes. “spite, huh? sounds like a lot of work. but for real, your reflexes could just use a little polishing. you went down like a sack of potatoes.”

“i hope grace dissects you,” you said flatly. “swear i’ll hand her the scalpel.”

“ouch, brutal.” jake theatrically touched his sternum, as if playing off a heartache.

then he paused. his gaze lingered on your shoulders drawn tight to your ears, on your death grip around your own elbows. the smirk faded.

“hey,” he said, his voice dropping out of the teasing register entirely. he shifted his weight, suddenly looking a little guilty. “i'm sorry, seriously. i haven’t noticed you were right on the edge. didn't mean to actually scare you like that.”

you opened your mouth with a snappy retort fully loaded, but it sort of died in your throat. jake meant it, and was looking at you with sincerity.

you swallowed, looking away and giving a stiff, dismissive little shrug. “whatever. i’m alive. barely, but am.”

silence settled between you, broken only by the wind and the steady hiss of your respirator.

“so…” he tilted his head. “what the hell are you even doing out here anyway? grace catches you wandering around in the dark, she’s gonna have your hide. it’s middle of the night, and you got a death wish?”

you swallowed and gave a stiff little shrug. “i dunno, just needed out,” your voice came out quieter this time. “the shack felt too much, with every fucking hour. if i spent another minute staring at those blue monitor screens and breathing in grace’s secondhand coffee fumes, i was gonna end up throwing a wrench through a terminal.”

jake was quiet for a moment before lowering himself onto the edge of the rock, letting his long, blue legs dangle right out over the void like it was a porch step. just as you did, before he scared the living shit out of you. his gaze drifted toward polyphemus, and took a long breath of pandora’s air – the kind you couldn't taste through the cold, plastic filter of your exopack. “yeah,” jake said softly, rubbing the back of his neck with one giant hand. “i get it. being stuck inside that lab with no end... it's brutal.” he paused, eyes fixing on you with a strange, quiet kind of empathy. “must suck, honestly. not having your own avatar out here and being trapped in the human suit twenty-four seven.”

dry snort fogged the inside of your mask as you looked down at your heavy, scuffed field boots. “kinda,” you shrugged, leaning your hip against the high rock face behind you to keep your distance from the ledge. “i’m cool, though. at least i don't have to lie in a coffin for sixteen hours a day while grace pokes me for samples in my other form.”

“hey, the ‘coffin’ is comfy,” jake countered, a ghost of that familiar smirk creeping back onto his face. you truly weren’t like other lab guys, complete opposite of that smarty pants. if jake had met you in other circumstances, he’d genuinely think you’re an army. “and running out here? feeling the ground under your feet without a piece of plastic strapped to your face? worth every single favour for grace, guaranteed.”

“right, because turning into a giant, blue jungle man who forgot how chairs work is such an upgrade,” you shot back, rolling your eyes. “i saw you trying to sit on a stool today, sully. you looked like a folding ladder trying to squeeze into a dollhouse.”

jake let out a sharp, genuine bark of laughter. “it was an awkward, and for the record, chairs are overrated. you humans put way too much trust in four pieces of wood.”

“you are human, you idiot,” you reminded him, pointing a gloved finger at his chest. “your real body is literally sleeping in a bunk feet behind us. and you’ve got your personalised chair for everyday use, may i remind you.”

“details,” jake drawled, waving a massive, dismissive hand in the air. “point is, if you ever decide you want to trade that pristine safety gear for a real ride on bob here, you just let me know. i'm sure we can find a strap big enough to tie you to the saddle so you don't go bouncing off the side again.”

you froze. the wind whipped a stray strand of your hair right across the plastic of the exopack.

you looked at the massive ikran, currently sitting just above you pinned to the rock. then you looked back at jake. his smug, teasing grin was practically glowing in the dark, fully expecting you to back down. he was totally waiting for you to roll your eyes, insult his driving skills, and stomp back to the safety of the airlock. a rational person absolutely would have. but your stupid, traitorous heart did a violent, soaring little flip at the thought of actually being up there. with him. you ruthlessly shoved that thought down before it could reach your face. “alright,” you deadpanned.

jake’s tail paused mid-swish. he blinked down at you, the smirk faltering for a microsecond. “...alright?”

“yeah. let’s go.” you pushed off the rock face, taking a deliberate step toward him. you kept your expression completely flat, expertly hiding the fact that your knees felt a little like water. “right now. saddle up, sully.”

jake stared at you for a long second. only the wind filled the silence. then a slow, clearly delighted grin spread across his face. “you're bluffing.”

“i am absolutely not bluffing,” you countered, tipping your chin up. “you offered, i'm calling it. unless the big bad marine is suddenly scared he's gonna drop me?”

“i'm not gonna drop you,” jake scoffed. he stood up, uncoiling his massive frame so fast, he completely engulfed you. “i'm just surprised. ten seconds ago you were threatening to string me up with zip-ties, and now you want to go joyriding in the pitch black?”

“i'm a complex person,” you shot back, stepping closer. “plus, if we die, at least i won't have to listen to grace lecture norm about him being too formal with his na’vi language.”

jake let out a laugh that, for for what felt like the hundredth time, sent an entirely unnecessary shiver down your spine. he turned toward the banshee, giving a sharp, clicking whistle. bob lifted his massive head. ikrans with their mouth closed, always looked a little like geese to you. the animal snapped its jaws, fixing you with its four eyes, and let out a hiss that made you stop dead in your tracks. “he hates me.”

“he doesn't hate you,” jake said and walked over, resting a giant, soothing hand against the banshee's leathery neck. “he’s just... highly judgmental. come here.”

you hesitated staring at the rows of razor-sharp teeth.

“what, backing out already?” jake teased, looking back over his shoulder. he raised a single, arrogant eyebrow. “need me to hold your hand?”

“shut up,” you muttered, forcing your feet to move forward before stopping right beside jake. “i just don't want to be his midnight snack. if he bites my arm off, i'm gonna hunt your ass.”

“noted,” jake murmured, his voice dropping right back into that quieter, chest-rumbling register. he reached down, and before you could even register the movement, his hands spanned your waist.

you jolted, breath hitching in your throat.

“relax,” jake breathed, an amused, soft edge to his tone. “i'm just lifting you up. unless you think you can scale an ikran by yourself?”

the wind whipped past you both, but it was almost entirely blocked out by the literal mountain of blue muscle seated directly behind you. jake's avatar form was... a lot. as a human, he was already your favorite kind of headache, but this? his chest was a solid wall against your back, and his thighs practically caged you in on the leather rigging. ‘oh god’, your brain supplied, distinctly unhelpful, as his massive hands settled firmly onto your waist. his fingers spanned almost your entire waist, anchoring weight keeping you secured. bob tilting his massive leathery wings, the sudden dip made your stomach lurch.

you didn't have a kuru. you couldn't feel the neural web, the seamless tsaheylu that tethered jake's mind directly to the ikran's. simply couldn't anticipate the animal’s movements at all. you were just a fragile, squishy human strapped to a terrifying alien apex predator, entirely dependent on the grip of the ridiculously large man behind you.

jake’s hands tightened on your waist as bob banked hard to the left, pulling you flush against his chest so you wouldn't slide. your breath caught – not from the dizzying drop, but rather from the sudden, deeply unfair flex of his arms wrapping around you.

“you doing okay down there?” jake’s voice loud agains your ear, deep and teasing.

you gritted your teeth, aggressively fighting the heat creeping up your neck. you forced your posture stiff, clinging to your usual defenses. “i’d be doing a lot better if you actually paid attention to steering your giant lizard instead of breathing right down my neck, sully!” you snapped, twisting your head just enough to shoot a sharp glare over your shoulder. “seriously, watch the cliff!”

jake just let out yet another laugh that did terrible things to your heart rate. “bob knows what he's doing. relax and just hold on.”

“i am holding on!” you shot back, batting uselessly at one of the massive blue hands currently gripping your waist. “you're the one using my ribs as armrests! watch the altitude!”

“i am paying attention!” jake called out, right into your ear. “and i'm not using you as an armrest. rather keeping you from plummeting into the food chain. you're welcome!”

“you're bruising my spleen, sully!” you yelled back over the rushing wind, batting uselessly at the massive thumb currently pressing into your side.

“stop squirming and i won't have to hold on so tight!” he countered. you could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “for someone getting a free vip tour, you complain a lot.”

“i complain because your driving is a menace to the entire planetary ecosystem!” and with quick short move, your elbow landed right above jake’s hipbone. doesn’t matter you were aiming at his ribs.

jake just chuckled again, the sound that did absolutely nothing to help your current heart rate, and shifted his grip on the reins. bob banked sharply to the right, cresting the jagged peak of a floating mountain. and suddenly, the violent, buffeting crosswinds died down. the flight leveled out into a smooth, effortless glide.

the endless expanse of the hallelujah mountains dropped away, revealing the vast sprawl of the pandoran jungle below. and it took the breath right out of your lungs. a literal ocean of light.

sheer scale of it short-circuited whatever sarcastic comeback you’d had ready. the adrenaline that had been keeping your shoulders locked up tight near your ears simply evaporated. you let out a long, shaky breath, the white noise of your regulator loud in the quiet air. without even realizing you were doing it, all the tension melted out of your body. your hands loosened their white-knuckled death grip on the saddle straps. you just... let go. you tilted your head up to take in the scenery, leaning backward to get a better view. and the back of your head met a wall of solid muscle. given the massive height difference, you’d essentially just pillowed your head right against his ribs. you just sank into the heavy, grounding support of him at your back, letting his massive hands keep you tethered to ikran.

“god,” you breathed, your voice going incredibly soft. you didn't even try to hide the absolute awe in your tone. “it's beautiful.”

jake didn't tease you. he didn't point out that you were basically using him as a reclining chair, or make some cocky remark about being right. his hands just shifted on your waist, his thumbs smoothing over the heavy canvas of your jacket in a tiny, almost entirely unconscious movement.

“yeah,” jake murmured, all the usual marine bravado gone. “it is.”

the banter completely died away. you didn't pull away, and he didn't move to push you forward. there was just the steady, rhythmic beat of bob’s wings and the heavy, quiet heat of him surrounding you in the dark.

landing was a lot rougher than the takeoff, mostly because jake was actively trying to make bob not to screech. “shh, easy. quiet, you giant baby,” jake hissed, leaning forward to pat the ikran’s thick neck.

you practically choked on a laugh, slapping both hands over the plastic of your exopack to muffle the sound. the adrenaline high was still buzzing right under your skin, making you feel lightheaded and reckless. “you are literally the worst stealth operative i've ever seen,” you wheezed, your voice coming out as a strained, breathless whisper. “grace is going to murder us, if she finds out.”

“grace is asleep,” jake whispered back, though he was grinning so hard his fangs were fully visible. he swung one massive leg over the saddle, sliding down to the rock with a soft thud. “and if she isn't and somehow did find out, i’ll just throw you at her as a distraction.”

“wow, chivalry is dead.” you shook your head.

“i’m a survivor.” jake turned back to you, stepping right up into your space. he didn't ask this time. instead just reached up, his giant hands settling naturally onto your waist.

the laughter fizzled out in your throat. your breath hitched, catching on a sharp inhale as his fingers pressed firmly into your waist. he pulled you off the saddle with zero effort, lifting you down like you weighed absolutely nothing. for a split second as you came down, your chest brushed against his ribs and the warmth of his skin seeped through your clothes. as your boots hit the moss, you didn't step back immediately. neither did he.

jake kept his hands on your waist a second longer than necessary, playing it off as steadying you. now, he was looking down at you, a tease in his eyes softening. neither of you moved. the laughter faded, leaving only the wind and the pacing beat of your heartbeat. you prayed he didn’t feel it, with all his na’vi senses. the silence stretched. it wasn't awkward, but rather… charged? and although you could not hear the slow, rhythmic thump of his heart; you were painfully aware that he could probably hear the racing cadence of yours.

you finally took a small step backward, breaking the physical contact before you did something catastrophically stupid. “thanks,” you murmured. you swallowed hard, looking away to adjust the strap of your mask, strictly avoiding eye contact. your voice was a lot softer than you intended. “honestly... didn't even know k needed that.”

jake hooked one of his palm on his collarbone, suddenly finding something fascinating about the rock next to your boot. “yeah,” he said, his voice dropping into that low, chest-rumbling register that made your spine tingle. he rubbed the back of his neck, his ears flicking back briefly. “same.“

you both just stood there for a second. the freezing wind kicked up, but you barely felt it. it was nice. too nice. and then, your brain ruined it. you turned your head, looking back out over the vast expanse of the jungle below. the beautiful, alien world that he was now a part of and was he’d been disappearing into every night. world he was currently exploring with someone who belonged here. the world he’d first learned from neytiri. something unpleasant settled low in your stomach. you buried it before it had the chance to grow.

“so…” you said, injecting exactly the right amount of casual, sarcastic lilt into your voice. you tilted your head. “this is what you and Neytiri do all the time out here? when done training, you go joyriding in the dark?”

jake’s ears flicked, swiveling toward you. for a long second, he just looked at you. those huge yellow eyes searched your face with a quiet intensity that made your pulse stumble. you held your smile anyway, digging your fingernails into the palms of your gloves.

don’t look at me like that, you thought.

then he snorted. the weight of his gaze broke, and he leaned his broad shoulders back against the rock face with an exaggerated sigh, crossing his arms. “joyriding?” he scoffed. “yeah, right. i wish.” another laugh escaped him as he shook his head. “neytiri doesn’t do joyrides. she does what i like to call ‘extreme survival boot camp.’”

you raised an eyebrow. “she’s beating your ass?”

“oh, constantly,” jake went on, rubbing a hand over his face. “usually with her bow. or she just shoves me off a branch into the mud, and then tells me it’s my fault for losing balance. half the time i don’t even know what I did wrong, because she’s yelling at me in na’vi and all i can do is nod and try not to fall into a pit of toxic ferns.” he let out another weary sigh. “i’m basically just a punching bag.”

something tight in your chest quietly loosened, you made absolutely sure it stayed off your face. “so…” you tilted your head, a genuine smirk finally tugging at the corner of your mouth. “exactly what grace does to you in the lab.”

jake’s eyes lit up. “exactly!” he pointed a giant blue finger at you like you’d just solved pandora’s greatest mystery. “i do all the cultural hard work, yet get absolutely no respect anywhere on this moon.”

“well,” you mused, deliberately looking his towering frame up and down with exaggerated academic interest, “to be fair, it is a very big target.”

jake narrowed his eyes. the gasped in mock offense, clutching a hand dramatically over his chest. “wow, after i saved you from becoming canyon paste.”

“the absolute disrespect,” you finished for him.

“yeah, exactly.” he nodded.

the remains of your fake smile melted into something genuine. “so, let me get this straight” you mused, tilting your head. “you flew lightyears across the universe. got taken in by na’vi clan to learn their ways, something which even great dr. augustine couldn’t achieve… and you’re still just getting bossed around by women all day.”

“hey,” jake deadpanned, his tail flicking indignantly behind him. “not my fault you guys are intimidating.”

you rolled your eyes, unable to stop smiling now. “oh, please. i bet if i had a ball of yarn for every time you tripped over your own tail, or nearly got yourself killed out here, i could crochet you a full bodysuit.”

jake looked down at his own bare blue chest before raising an amused eyebrow. “that’s gonna need a lot of yarn.”

“i’d make it incredibly itchy,” you said without missing a beat. “just out of spite”

“you’re a menace.” jake called you out.

“i’ve been told.” you bit your lip, trying to stop yourself from smiling so much.

a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “and i’d still wear it.”

your own smile faltered for the smallest fraction of a second before returning. “well,” you said, clearing your throat, “good. i’d want you to suffer properly.”

jake chuckled, the sound vibrating low and warm in his chest. “i’d expect nothing less.”.

the banter lingered between you for a few seconds and you shivered, burying your chin a little deeper into the collar of your jacket, and the reality of the situation finally tapped you on the shoulder.

“seriously though,” you murmured, your scientist brain kicking back online. you checked the position of polyphemus, calculating the hours. “it’s late. we should head back. if grace wakes up for her early rotation and finds my bunk empty, she’s actually going to throw me off this cliff herself. and you need to get your ass back to the village and link out. you’ve been in the link for over twenty hours, jake. way past the safe limit. your human nervous system needs a break before you fry your own synapses.”

jake’s smile didn’t just fade; it physically dropped. the shift in his posture was immediate. ears flattened down, the playful tilt of his shoulders vanishing. he looked away from you, as he muttered: “right.”

the silence that settled over the rock this time was just heavy. jake didn't move toward the banshee. he just stood there, staring out at the glowing canopy like he was trying to memorize it. “i just...” jake started, his voice barely audible over the rush of the wind. he hesitated, his jaw tightening. “i don't really want to.”

you frowned, dropping your arms. the sharp, snappy retort you usually kept loaded just dissolved. “jake, you have to. your body–“

“i know,”he interrupted softly. jake finally turned his head to look at you, and vulnerability in his eyes actually made your breath hitch. “i know. it's just... every time i wake up in a link, everything feels like a bad dream.” he stepped a little closer, the frustration bleeding out of him, leaving him looking exhausted in a way that had nothing to do with physical fatigue.

“out here,” jake whispered, gesturing blindly out toward the jungle below. “out here is where i feel awake. this feels like the real world. i can run, i'm strong, and i’m useful.” he swallowed hard, his voice dropping into bitter register. "when i link out, i'm just a guy in a wheelchair. a broken piece of equipment taking up space in grace's lab. i hate that chair. i hate waking up in it."

the absolute quiet of his confession hit you like a punch to the gut. you just looked up at him. not the alien warrior, not the cocky marine, but the guy lying in a sensory deprivation tank in the basejust a few away. the guy who had lost everything, only to be handed a brand new world and told he could only borrow it for a few hours a day. you didn't offer him pity. you knew him well enough by now to know he'd absolutely hate it. but that fierce, protective warmth blooming in your chest completely overrode your usual sarcasm. you took a small step forward, closing the distance he’d left between you. you didn't reach out to touch him, keeping your hands tucked into your pockets, but you held his gaze, making sure he was looking right at you.

"well," you said softly, your voice completely stripped of any teasing edge. "for what it’s worth, you know… i don’t think there’s nothing wrong with a guy on a chair. and i actually really like him."

you didn’t really care what body he was in. because the person you cared about existed in both bodies.

jake’s breath actually hitched. a barely there catch in his massive chest, but in the quiet of the cliffside, you heard it. he just stared down at you. for a moment, the cocky fearless warrior who had just hurled himself off a floating mountain vanished entirely. he looked utterly, completely blindsided. like he didn't know what to do with his hands. like you'd just handed him something incredibly fragile and he was terrified of dropping it.

jake opened his mouth, closed it, and looked away. he shifted his weight, his tail curling almost nervously around his own calf.

“human jake,” he finally repeated. the words sounded strange, almost foreign rumbling out of his blue throat. a quiet, self-deprecating scoff slipped past his lips. “human jake is a miserable bastard. he’s angry, smells like cheap antiseptic, and he’s stuck in a chair.”

“yeah, well.” you gave a small, oneshouldered shrug, refusing to look away. “i happen to like that miserable bastard. he’s got terrible comebacks and an even worse attitude, but he’s real.” you tipped your head. “he’s still you, jake. the legs don’t change who’s in the pilot seat.”

you let the quiet settle for a second, watching a muscle tick in his jaw. “plus," you added, dropping your voice back into a softer, slightly teasing register, "human jake is significantly less likely to accidentally crush me to death if he trips. and human Jake seems to be doing just fine with women.”

that finally cracked him. a short, disbelieving laugh escaped him, and he ducked his head. “the only other guy in shack is norm, and compared to him,” jake muttered, “that’s not exactly a high bar.”

“well, not really.” you snorted. “norm is getting laid too.”

“what?!” jake looked up.

“yeah, he’s getting laid with trudy. don’t ask me how i found out. don’t wanna recall that picture.” you twitched in disgust. “ugh, what an eyesore.”

jake’s jaw actually dropped. his ears snapped straight up, his entire massive frame freezing in place.

“norm?!” he choked out, his voice cracking slightly before he completely lost it. he tipped his head back and laughed so loud you had to cuss at him to shut up “you’re kidding me. how the heck did he land trudy? god, i am never letting him live that down. i’m gonna–”

jake stopped. the laughter just cut off. not because the joke wasn't funny, but because a very specific word seemed to have suddenly tripped a wire in his brain. the easy, relaxed amusement in his eyes instantly sharpened into a bright, dangerous gleam. the shift in the atmosphere was so abrupt it practically sucked the oxygen out of the thin mountain air. “speaking of eyesores,” jake murmured. “did you think about it?”

you frowned, genuinely lost for a second. the tonal whiplash was completely scrambling your brain. you pulled your arms a little tighter around your chest. “think about what?”

jake didn’t answer right away. instead, he took a step forward.

the casual, safe distance between you evaporated in a single, heavy stride. he was so damn big. bioluminescence dotted across his chest and collarbones as he loomed over you, completely boxing you in against the edge of the cliff. he tilted his head down, a smirk slowly pulling at the corner of his mouth. but it wasn’t the obnoxious, frat-boy smirk from the lab. this one was entirely different, much darker.

“you know,” jake drawled. his voice dropped out of its normal register, sinking into a low, chest-rumbling purr that vibrated directly against your ribs. “i’m just saying... as a scientist. you really shouldn't leave hypotheses untested. might need to... fact check.”

the realization hit you like a physical blow. the lab and joke about neytiri’s eyelashes.

your breath completely caught in your throat, a violent rush of heat flooded your cheeks. you were suddenly, desperately grateful for the dim lighting, praying it hid the absolute meltdown currently happening in your nervous system.

he was standing right there. the heat radiating off his massive blue body was a solid, oppressive wall, completely swallowing the chill of the wind. do not fold, you ordered yourself.

you forced a scoff, and refusing to back up even a single inch. you tipped your chin up, maintaining eye contact with desperate bravado. “come on, sully,” you deadpanned, somehow managing to keep your voice entirely steady. you let your gaze drag down his towering frame for a fraction of a second in mock dismissal before snapping back up to his eyes. “we both know it’s called emperor tiny for a reason.”

jake didn’t laugh. he didn’t back off, either. his jaw set, the teasing glint in his eyes completely darkened, swallowed up by something predatory. he crouched down, putting his face inches from yours. you swore, you could literally feel the heat of his breath against the plastic of your mask.

he cocked his head, his glowing eyes dropping to track the tiny, involuntary swallow in your throat. “yeah?” he breathed.

“yeah.” it was supposed to be a challenge. a final, sarcastic nail in the coffin. but it didn't come out like that. the word fractured on its way out, barely a whisper over the wind.

jake didn’t blink. his gaze dropped to your mouth, lingering there, before snapping back up to your eyes. “hold your breath," he murmured. it wasn’t a request, rather a command.

you didn’t even have time to process the sheer insanity of what he was asking. you just inhaled a sharp and clamped your lung shut, holding it in. his hands came up. thick fingers and a thumb brushed along your jawline, and the side latches of your exopack popped.

the immediate rush of pandora's unfiltered smelled wildly of ozone, but before you could even register anything else, jake closed the distance.

he kissed you.

your brain just... short-circuited. that the kiss felt entirely consuming. jake had to angle his head sharply, his hand sliding around to the back of your neck as fingers tangled into your hair. his palm easily encompassing the entire back of your head, holding you perfectly steady.

jake wasn't careful. he was kissing you desperately, and deeply territorial. it completely obliterated whatever snarky defenses you had left, melting the tension right out of your spine. your hands flew up on pure instinct, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and tugging at it gently. you held on like you were drowning, your knuckles turning white. and you were entirely anchored by him, pressed flush against him. until your lungs started to burn.

the lack of oxygen, and overwhelming reality of him was dizzying. your grip on his hair tightened frantically, a tiny, muffled sound escaping the back of your throat as your chest hitched, desperate for air.

jake broke the kiss instantly. the exopack was shoved firmly back over your face and you gasped all the air in one huge breath.

you sagged forward, your hands sliding down from his hair to rest flat against his collarbones, just trying to remember how to stand up straight. for a long, heavy moment, neither of you said a word. there was just the ragged, frantic sound of your regulator and the booming rhythm of his heartbeat under your palms.

then, a breathless, completely involuntary giggle bubbled up in your throat. jake let out shaky exhale that sounded a lot like a laugh, leaning his forehead down as close to yours as the plastic mask would allow. the absurd awe of what had just happened hung between you completely wild.

you tilted your head up, catching his eyes. the adrenaline, the lack of oxygen, and the lingering, burning rush of the kiss made you bold. stupidly, recklessly bold.

"come on," you breathed, a wicked little smirk tugging at your lips. "show me."

jake blinked. he pulled back just a fraction, looking at you in utter bewilderment. as if you had just spoken in tongues, a breathless halflaugh punching out of his chest. "show you what? you just barely survived a kiss, and you want a tour?"

you didn't laugh, and kept your face perfectly deadpan, your eyes locking onto his with absolute, brazen seriousness “i’m not joking," you said, injecting as much professional authority into your voice as you could muster while actively trembling. "take off that tewng (loincloth). i gotta do a little scientific research, just as you said.”

jake completely lost it. he threw his head back and laughed, the sound loud, incredulous, and rumbling deep in his chest. "that is the absolute cheesiest line i have ever–“

he didn't get to finish the sentence. because while he was busy laughing at your terrible pickup line, your hands had already dropped from his chest. you caught the thick leather ties of his loincloth, your fingers working with ruthless, terrifying efficiency. you didn't hesitate and just gave a deliberate tug.

fabric slipped down his narrow hips and dropped to the ground. and laughter died in jake's throat instantly. jake froze as he looked down, and then slowly, very slowly, he dragged his gaze back up to you. the playful amusement was entirely gone.

on the other hand, your looked down and bit your lip. your eyes flicking down to the sheer, undeniable reality of him naked right there in front of you.

it wasn’t entirely news to you, every exobiologist at hell’s gate had read the classified briefs. skipping straight to the restricted data files with morbid, scientific curiosity. you knew na'vi anatomy was the complete opposite of human, that their biology was uniquely wired, and that their equipment was actually fully retractable, protected safely away until it wasn't. knowing it from a blurry, grainy datapad and actually standing inches away from a guy you had crush on for so fucking long, that stripped of his last defense were two entirely different universes. on purely reckless impulse, you reached out, your fingers brushing against the smooth, sensitive slit.

jake let out a sharp, breathless hiss. his hands shot out instantly, his massive fingers clawing into the stone behind you to keep from buckling. the sudden jolt that ripped through his entire body was impossible to miss.

emboldened, you didn't pull back. your palm slid over him, and you pressed two fingers right into the slit, dragging your hand in a slow, deliberate stroke up and down.

jake threw his head back, his jaw clenching tight enough to break a tooth. his ears pinned flat against his head, and a rough, vibrating growl tore straight from his throat into the cold night air. “fuck, baby.

your hand kept moving, sliding up and down in that steady, repetitive rhythm. under your palm, something began to shift. the firm, tucked-away bulk of him reacted to the friction, unspooling outward with a heavy, sliding heat. you watched, your breath hitching in your throat, as a thick, deep blue length pushed out fully into the open air. the head was a dark bruised purple, glistening wet with a bead of clear precum pooling at the slit. and faint, glowing bioluminescent freckles dotted the thick skin all the way down the shaft.

you blinked, your brain flatlining for a second as you took in the sheer scale of it. it was easily thirteen inches, thick as your forearm, looking completely absurd and impossible against your hand. your legs felt as if they were about to have away under you. you knew he was huge, but god.

jake let out a ragged groan, his head dropping forward until his forehead nearly hit your shoulder. his massive hands dug deeper into the rock, his whole body trembling with the effort of staying upright. “fuck," he choked out, his voice vibrating right against your ear, rough and dark with need. "you like that, smartass? you think you can just play doctor out here on a cliffside?"

"i'm just... gathering data," you managed to squeak out, though your fingers tightened around him on pure instinct, stroking him a little faster as the sheer heat of him overwhelmed your common sense.

jake laughed, a harsh, breathy sound that was half-choked off by another wave of friction. he shifted his hips forward, a millimeter at a time, forcing you to take more of him into your hand.

"data," he rasped, his eyes flashing down to watch your hand wrapped around him. "right. is this part of the official curriculum at hell's gate? hand-testing alien biology?"

"shut up," you breathed, your thumb swiping over the glistening purple tip, milking a thick bead of moisture from the slit.

jake sucked in a sharp, violent breath through his teeth, his hips twitching involuntarily toward your touch. the muscles across his chest and stomach rippled tight as steel under the blue skin.

"little smartass," he muttered, his voice dropping into a dirty, heavy drawl. "you wanted a research project, yeah? look at you. can't even get your hand all the way around it, can you?"

the sheer arrogance of it – and the undeniable truth of it, made your stomach flip. you glared up at him, your fingers tightening into a hard, punishing stroke from base to tip that made his knees actually buckle for a second.

"i can handle it, sully," you shot back, your voice shaking slightly despite your best efforts.

"prove it," jake challenged, his glowing yellow eyes burning down into yours, heavy and dark with a desperate, feral edge. "go on. show me how good your lab skills are."

you bit down hard on your lower lip, your hand sliding back up his thick, heavy length with a firm, steady grip. the skin was hot, slick with his own precum, and every time your palm hit the bruised purple head, he let out a harsh, broken exhalation.

"fuck," jake groaned, his fingers tightening on the rock face so hard you could hear the stone grating under his grip. he shifted his weight, pressing slightly into your hand to chase the friction. "you've got a lot of mouth for someone whose hands are shaking, sweetheart."

"shut up," you muttered and sped up the rhythm, your thumb pressing heavily against the glowing blue freckles on his shaft, milking a fresh bead of moisture from the slit.

jake’s head dropped lower, his breath hot against your ear. "yeah? keep running that mouth while you stroke me. let's see how much data you're gathering when you're this worked up."

his hips twitched forward again, a completely involuntary, desperate jerk that forced you to slide your hand up and down his entire massive length. the sheer scale of him completely filled your palm, stretching your grip to the absolute limit. every stroke pulled a ragged, gravelly growl straight from his chest, his eyes locked onto yours with a hungry, unblinking intensity that made your knees feel weak.

"oh, i'm gathering plenty of data, sully," your voice dropped into a breathless, shaky gasp as you dragged your hand back up from base to tip.

jake groaned, a long, ragged sound that tore straight from his chest as his hips twitched forward again, chasing the friction. massive fingers dug so deep into the rock face that flakes of stone crumbled away under his white knuckles.

"f-fuck, yeah," he panted, his voice rough, heavy, and dripping with raw need. he lowered his head, pressing his forehead against your shoulder as he watched your hand working over him. "look at you. how small you look with me in your hand, sweetheart. holding onto something you can't even come close to wrapping your fingers around."

"shut up," you gasped, though the insult completely lost its edge when your grip tightened instinctively, milking the bruised-purple head and smearing his slick, warm precum all the way down the bioluminescent freckles of his shaft.

jake laughed, a dark, vibrating sound that rumbled straight through your collarbones. "no, keep talking. i love hearing you try to act tough when you're shaking like a leaf. tell me how big i am, smartass. go on.”

the sheer arrogance of it, combined with the undeniable and overwhelming reality of how massive he actually was sent a hot spike of heat straight to your core. your breath hitched and you pumped him faster, your palm sliding with a wet friction that made his entire body shudder violently.

"you're an absolute menace," you breathed out, knuckles brushing against his narrow hips as you kept up the relentless pace. "a giant, insufferable, overgrown blue menace."

"and you're addicted," jake countered instantly, his voice dropping into a low, predatory purr right against your ear. h is hips rolled in a slow, punishing circle, forcing you to adjust your grip just to keep up with his size. "look at your hand, baby. you love it. you love how heavy i am, don't you? tell me you want all of this inside you."

the crude filthy edge to his voice completely scrambled your remaining brain cells. your cheeks burned hot enough to melt your exopack, your chest heaving as the friction built a tight, agonizing coil of heat in your own stomach.

"you wish," you choked out, though your thumb desperately swiped over his weeping slit, making him curse out loud and violently hitch his breath.

“oh, i don't have to wish," jake murmured, his glowing yellow eyes locking onto yours with a terrifying, absolute intensity. "i can see it all over your face. you're shaking, you can barely breathe out here, and you're practically melting every time i move. keep going, sweetheart. don't you dare stop."

the sweet, heavy scent of your own arousal cut right through the sharp mountain air, mingling with the ozone and the damp stone. you hadn't even realized how soaked you were. how entirely betrayed your own body was by the sheer scale and friction of him – until a low, knowing rumble started deep in jake's chest.

his ears twitched, swiveling forward as his enhanced na'vi sense of smell caught the shift in the air. a slow, wickedly triumphant grin spread across his face, his yellow eyes darkening with absolute, predatory satisfaction.

"oh, fuck..." he breathed, his voice dropping into a raspy, wicked low that vibrated right against your skin. "you smell so good, baby. look at you, getting dripping wet just from stroking my cock with your bare hand."

humiliation hit you like a physical slap to the face. your cheeks burned so hot you felt like you were going to combust right there on the cliffside. without a single word of warning, your patience snapped. uour fingers locked down tight and squeezed him as hard as your trembling hand possibly could, your knuckles turning white as you clamped your grip around his thick length, and stopped moving entirely.

jake let out a choked gasp, his eyes flying wide as your sudden squeeze cut off his momentum mid-stride. his hips twitched instinctively, chasing the friction that had just vanished. “ah, fuck. wait,” he groaned, his hands shifting frantically against the rock as his knees buckled a fraction. “hey, baby, stop. don't just freeze–“

“then stop being so full of yourself, sully,” you hissed through gritted teeth, your voice a shaking whisper. “one more word out of you and i swear to god you deal with it yourself.”

“alright, alright! okay, baby!” jake rasped, his chest heaving as he dropped his head lower. a breathless, helpless laugh breaking through his teeth. “i’m sorry. just– fuck, don’t leave me hanging like that.”

you let out a sharp huff of victory. your fingers loosened just enough to let you slide back into a steady, relentless rhythm. and jake’s hips immediately stuttered forward, his breathing turning ragged and shallow. his head throbbed under your palm, and the slick moisture coating his shaft turned thick and heavy as he was pushed closer and closer to the edge.

“fuck...” he groaned, his voice dropping into a low, delirious rumble that vibrated right through your bones. “god, you feel so good... just imagine it, sweetheart. imagine what you'd feel like wrapped around me. i'd bury this deep inside you, make you so soaked and shivering all you could think about is this dick. i'd make you come around my cock over and over again until you couldn't even speak,” he panted, his hips rolling into your hand with a desperate, punishing rhythm. “just keep stroking me like that... keep milking me dry, such good girl.”

your thumb brushed firmly over the leaking slit one last time, applying just the right amount of pressure. jake’s entire body went rigid as a board. violent growl tore straight from his throat, his hips jerking forward hard in a desperate, final thrust.

he came instantly. thick, heavy ropes of hot white cum erupted across your palm and fingers, shooting out in powerful pulses that coated your hand in a warm, sticky flood.

“ah, fuck” jake groaned, his voice completely wrecked as his head dropped back against the rock face. his knees finally buckled, his massive frame slumping forward until his forehead rested heavily against your shoulder.

jake’s massive hand slid down to cover yours where it was still cradling him, fingers pressing your palm against his leaking length as he rode out the aftershocks.

“god... damn it, sweetheart,” he panted, his voice reverent whisper right against your ear. he pressed kiss to the side of your neck, his breath shivering over your skin. “look at what you just did. look at you... so fucking good for me.”

he groaned again, nuzzling his face into your neck as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you completely flush against his chest despite the cold night air and the mess between you. “you're unbelievable,”he murmured, his thumb stroking over your knuckles in a slow, dazed rhythm. “just... completely wrecked me on a damn cliffside. i swear to god, you're going to be the death of me, smartass.”

the sticky warmth coating your palm was an undeniable, vivid reminder of just how thoroughly your little so called rasearch project had derailed.

slowly, your brain began to boot back up through the thick fog of adrenaline and sensory overload. you shifted your weight, carefully sliding your sticky hand out from his grasp. though you couldn't resist one last, deliberate swipe against his tip just to see him twitch.

you cleared your throat, lifting your chin with a fraction of your usual, defensive sass. “well,” you murmured, your voice breathless but laced with a distinctly triumphant edge. “i’d say the data collection was a resounding success. hypothesis thoroughly tested and confirmed. i'll be writing up a full report for hell's gate by morning.”

jake let out a laugh that vibrated straight through your ribs. he slowly pulled back, his eyes utterly wrecked with lingering heat. he looked down at your hand, then back up to your face. “is that right, doc?” he drawled, his voice still thick and gravelly from the edge he'd just ridden over. he shifted his hips forward again, a subtle, deliberate reminder of how easily he could change the subject. massive hands slid from your back down to your waist, his thumbs pressing firmly against your hips. “because i feel like we only scratched the surface. one trial isn't nearly enough for a peer-reviewed paper. i think we need a control group. a few more rounds, right here.”

you blinked, your pulse stuttering all over again as his meaning hit you with terrifying clarity. he wasn't joking. the raw, hungry intensity burning in his gaze made it painfully obvious that a handjob on a floating mountain was just the opening argument. he wanted you, entirely.

“oh, absolutely not,” planting both palms flat against his solid, naked chest and giving a hard shove.

jake didn't budge an inch. just raised an amused, dark eyebrow, his hands remaining firmly locked around your waist, anchoring you right where you were.

“sully, i am completely serious,” you shot back, your voice pitching into a panicked, frantic register as reality crashed down like a falling boulder. “no. we are done. we are so done. grace is probably already standing over my empty bunk with a knife, and your human brain has been stewing in that sensory tank for way too long. you’re the lucky one here, cause you cannot disrupt the linking process. but if you don't get your blue tail back to the village and link out right now, you're going to fry your entire nervous system, and i am not explaining to the head department why you turned yourself into, this time actually complete braindead, over a simple make-out session.”

jake groaned, throwing his head back with an exaggerated, dramatic sigh that ruffled your hair. “you really know how to ruin the mood, you know that?”

“i'm a scientist, sully. romance dies in the face of biological consequences,” you fired back, though your own lips twitched with a betraying smile as you forcefully grabbed his discarded loincloth off the moss and shoved it into his massive chest. “now put your thong back on before the bob takes interest in it.”

jake huffed a laugh, slowly relenting as the playful, warm affection chased away the darker edge in his eyes. he quickly tied the fabric back around his waist, though he didn't step away. nott quite yet. instead, he leaned down, pressing one last, lingering kiss against your temple, his breath hot against your cheek.

“you're ruthless, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice a low, teasing purr against your ear. “one of these days, i'm going to actually finish a sentence out here without you running off to check a spreadsheet.”

“looking forward to it,” you retorted dryly. “now come on. before i change my mind and decide the data does need a control group.”

jake chuckled, the sound rich and utterly satisfied, as he turned toward the edge of the mountain to call for bob.

and all you knew, that jake in fact was not emperor tiny and definitely was perfectly proportionate. though, your research stretched only to his alien form. and oh, you’re not gonna give him a day off, until you complete your study completely.