Since the new Avatar 3 trailer has been out could you write sth regarding the awkward relationship between Spider and Jake, like Spider struggling to figure out why after all these 16 years Jake has decided to act like a parent or even a guardian towards him? Like, is it just because Jake's trying to project Neteyam's image onto Spider as a coping mechanism?
oH MY GOD I HAD THAT SAME THOUGHT ABOUT JAKE PROJECTING NETEYAM ONTO SPIDER AS A COPING MECHANISM! GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE-
Jake is a little more mentally unstable in this than I had originally intended and got a little lost in the sauce. Now I don’t know if I made Jake too OOC, oops-
Spider knows he wasn’t a good kid. He had the anger isssues of his father and was a skyperson on Pandora. The amount of lab equipment and papers he’s scribbled all over wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Hell, he’d probably still do it if given the opportunity even though the scientists no longer find it cute or enduring… all to get them to at least look his way.
At the bottom of the iceberg… was allowing Quaritch to fill the role of his father and pulling him from the wreckage.
But no matter how bad of a kid he was, no matter how much he raged at the unfairness of his life, he never got mad at Jake Sully. It wasn’t his fault that Spider was the way he was. It wasn’t his fault Spider was the son of his sworn enemy.
Spider was always respectful and kept his distance from Jake and his wife. Never sought anything from them besides to play with their children.
Sure, when he was around six or seven, he would get angry when he was sent back to the Hell’s Gate or when Jake wouldn’t hug or kiss him like he did the other Sully kids… hell, Jake did his best not to touch him.
If Spider got hurt, he’d be sent hiking back to Hell’s Gate by himself or with one of the Sully kids.
If Spider raised his arms and made grabby hands at Jack, the man’s ears would fold, his tail would flick with discomfort, and he would frown down at him with a pitying look and pretend he didn’t see the boy or would be ‘called away’.
Same went for hugs, kisses, rough-housing, head pats, back rubs, and literally every other piece of affection a child could ever want.
… It wouldn’t have been so bad if Jake had reserved his affections towards his kids until after Spider left, but he never did. Spider was exposed nearly every day to the very thing he craved, the very thing he needed.
It would have been easier if he never knew what he was missing out on, but Jake wasn’t that kind.
Neytiri was an absolute no-go. She made that known from the very beginning. She didn’t hide her dislike for him… and Spider respected her for that. She never led him on like Jake did… she didn’t let him get the idea in his head that he could ever be worthy of her love and attention.
But around the time he turned ten, he began to realize that Jake would never give him what he so desperately wanted.
Because Spider was the son of his greatest enemy.
Because Spider would never be a Sully.
Because Spider was a demon.
He stopped trying to be held, he stopped begging to be taught everything Neteyam was being taught, he stopped sneaking into the line-up for goodnight kisses, he stopped trying to win Jake’s love.
Because he finally got it through his thick stupid skull that he was chasing a father-figure who would always overlook him. Because he finally figured out how humiliating and embarrassing it was to reach for a man who obviously wanted nothing to do with him.
So, Spider forced himself to get over it and face reality; he was meant to take care of himself and be a ‘tough kid’ all alone in a world that wanted to kill him. He stopped chasing. He became independent.
Just like Jake wanted him to.
Spider has never allowed himself to be angry at Jake… but he was getting to his boiling point.
It has been a month since the battle at the Three Brother rock, a month since… since Neteyam’s death, a month since Jake fought and argued for Uturu on the beach for Spider as he cradled his dead son in his arms, a month since Jake told him to be useful to the Metkayina clan
It was only a week after the battle that Jake started acting weird.
At first, Spider was convinced that Jake was seeking him out to ensure none of the Metkayina People put a spear through his heart, to keep an eye on the human boy.
But he kept coming to find Spider even after the clan had settled. Jake would do his daily duties, clear metal from the water, fish out dead bodies, kill any survivors, but then he would come looking for Spider after checking in to see if anyone was home in the Marui.
Spider wasn’t sure what Jake wanted from him, because he would just stand about ten feet away staring at the boy without blinking while Spider mended nets, weaved baskets, or sharpened spears on a secluded side of the island. It made the boy uncomfortable, but every time he asked Jake if he needed anything, the man would just get this sad look on his face and say “not to worry about it.” Or “Why, do you need something, Spider?”
He would get weirdly… eager for Spider to ask him for something. What exactly, Spider wasn’t sure. Jake’s eyes would somehow get more intense, he’d lean towards Spider, his ears would swivel forward, and his tail would flick and curl behind him.
It was weird, but the man was grieving, so Spider would drop it with a simple shake of his head.
He didn’t get why or how Mr. Sully would come find him just to sit or stand and stare when he had a family to go home to.
(Spider doesn’t know that nobody is ever at the Marui anymore except to eat and sleep. Neytiri was always at the Cove of the Ancestors visiting Neteyam or on her Ikran hunting, Kiri and Tuk were always taking care of the Ilu or distracting themselves in the sea, and Lo’ak was always visiting his spirt brother, Payakan… and none of them really speak at dinner, the weight of absence too heavy to lift the silence- to heal or pretend that all will be okay.
It left Jake with nobody… nobody for him to comfort, nobody for him to focus on, nobody to sooth, nobody to fill the silence… nobody to chase away his firstborn’s final words that he could never fulfill, nobody to keep him from remembering how Neteyam’s eyes glazed over, nobody to chase away the feeling of his son’s blood pooling and seeping and clinging to his skin-)
But, after a week of just lingering near Spider after his duties were done, Jake would come sit, stand, or walk right next to him while he performed his own duties and chores or whenever he was just enjoying his free time.
It wouldn’t be such a problem if Jake knew what personal space was.
It started the first flicker of anger. For his entire life, Jake has done his best to avoid touching Spider like he was a damn disease. But now he would stand so close Spider could feel Jake breathing down his neck, he’d sit so close that their shoulders would brush and Jake’s tail would tap against his back or curl around his waist, and when they walked, Jake would be stepping on his heels or running him off the path.
It was annoying, and whenever Spider would scoot away or distance himself from the unfamiliar proximity, Jake’s ears would fold back and he’d follow the boy’s movement. Anytime Spider called him out on it, there was this strange look of hurt on his face as he backed off.
Not that it lasted long. Jake would be back in his personal space a minute later staring at him like he’d disappear if he even blinked.
Then came the offers to ‘teach’ Spider things the boy already knew how to do by himself.
Jake watched him spear fish in the shallow water one day, but the moment Spider missed one time, even though he already successfully speared two that were waiting on the shore, Jake perked up and basically lunge at the opportunity to ‘help correct his form.’
The man had come alive, an eagerness in his bloodshot eyes as he climbed onto the rock with Spider.
“I don’t need help, I’ve done this a million times!” Spider argued, feeling frustrated and stupidly small as Jake crouched behind him, his chin just above the boy’s matted head.
“It doesn’t hurt to practice, Spider.” Jake had gently pushed, his voice rough with lingering grief yet filled with a content lilt.
But Spider had ducked away from Jake’s large hand when he tried to touch the boy’s shoulder, leaving the man’s hand hovering where Spider had just been as he slipped away.
Jake had stared at him with those bloodshot yellow eyes, his brows furrowed in sorrow and confusion, his ears folded down. His lips were pressed in a tight line, and his tail drooped to brush the stone
… But his fingers twitched, like he was considering grabbing Spider.
And Spider was not oblivious to it.
Lucky for Spider, night was falling, and it gave him a way out of this uncomfortably tense moment. “I think it’s time for dinner, Mr. Sully.”
That, apparently, was not what the Na’vi wanted to hear. His frown deepened and there was a pain in his expression.
“Goodnight, sir.” Spider prompted, careful to keep the unease out of his voice in case it somehow upset Jake even more. He didn’t understand what was going on with the man. He’s never been like this.
Jake slowly blinked, his hand slowly lowering to his side as he stood up, towering over the boy. The Na’vi took a step towards him, before thinking better of it, even if it obviously pained him.
He glanced in the direction of the village, where he could faintly see the fire flickering in his Marui, signaling his family’s return.
Spider didn’t like the look in Jake’s eyes when he turned back to look down at him, the bioluminescent lights reflecting off his yellow eyes as he stared once again. His ears twitched nervously, his tail thumping against his own leg. His fingers twitched once again at his sides.
… Spider has never been unnerved by Jake before… but he was getting weirder and weirder every day.
Jake blinked when Spider shuffled in the sand away from him, and there was a sorrow in his gaze as he sighed. “Goodnight, N…”
The man’s eyes widened, before he had to blink away the tears and turn away. “Goodnight, Spider.”
And with that, he reluctantly left the boy on the beach, because Spider knew Mrs. Sully would never allow him to stay. And Spider was too scared to even go near her anyways.
The incident on the fishing rock did not deter Jake. None of Spider’s avoidant tendencies and comments seemed to deter the man. And once upon a time, Spider would have absorbed every drop of attention and attempted affection Jake Sully was trying to give him, but now it was getting on his nerves.
He wasn’t stupid. He had put together the pieces after that night Jake almost called him by his dead son’s name instead of his own.
And it made Spider feel bitter and angry, because the only reason Jake was even paying any attention to him was because he couldn’t deal with the death of his firstborn.
Why did Quaritch offer him love and ask for nothing in return?
So, Spider wasn’t going to play along.
He did his best to hide from Jake. But the Na’vi always seemed to track him down with a frantic look in his eyes.
He didn’t let Jake touch him. The man made a wounded noise in his throat and kept asking him what was wrong when Spider hissed and slapped at the man’s hands and tail when they got too close. He hated when Jake’s arms would reach for him, the way he looked so tired and defeated when Spider wouldn’t let himself be held. He hated when Jake tried to pet his head or run his fingers through his matted dreads. He hated how Jake kept trying to catch him by the shoulder or by the arm if he ‘fell’ or ‘tripped’ when they were walking.
Spider has never been clumsy, Jake just wanted to hold the kid, even for a second-
He hissed and slapped when Jake would insist on checking his mask for breaks in the seal or malfunctions for no reason every other day. The man would grow frustrated and he’d try to use his stern ‘dad voice’ on Spider, but it meant nothing to the boy.
He would ignore Jake’s attempts to ‘teach’ or ‘help him practice’ things when Spider wasn’t perfect at it. He tried to get his duties and chores done before Jake would find him, but sometimes he wasn’t fast enough. He’d dodge and flinch away from Jake’s touch, and ignore the increasingly heartbroken look on the Na’vi’s face.
But even as Spider did his best to show Jake that he wasn’t going to play along, the Na’vi wouldn’t give it up.
He started bringing Spider meals, and Spider hated it because Jake made it himself to ensure there wasn’t anything in it that could kill the boy.
It pissed Spider off, because Jake has never bothered to feed him before, even when he would spend all day running around with Kiri and Lo’ak only to return to find that Neytiri made something he couldn’t eat.
And Spider would be sent home starving, forced to navigate the forest on an empty stomach.
Spider wanted so badly to slap the bowl from Jake’s hand, to rage and scream and hit something, but to waste food would be to dishonor the life taken to make this meal.
So, with an angry growl, Spider snatched the bowl from Jake’s hand.
He chose to ignore what sounded like a purr briefly start up in Jake’s throat.
Jake hovered over him with unnerving unblinking eyes, which darted from Spider’s mask to the bowl each time the boy held his breath to take a bite, reseal the mask, chew, and then repeat.
Jake’s fingers twitched forwards without permission. “Son, let me help-“
“No!” Spider snapped, glaring at Jake, who was once again growing frustrated and restless with Spider’s constant refusal to let the Na’vi help with anything.
Jake’s ears flattened, that stern look returning as his nostrils flared. His large body shifted from hovering over Spider to sit criss-cross in front on him, his knees nearly touching Spider’s. “Spider,” He started, once again using that stern voice.
Spider ignored him, knowing Jake wouldn’t be able to get him to do anything while his mask was off.
Jake’s tail lashed and thumped in the sand, sending some spraying in an arch.
Spider went to take his mask off again, only for Jake’s hand to shoot forward and snag his wrist before he could unseal it.
“Fuckin’ let go!” Spider screamed, yanking his arm away from Jake, who had loosened his hold at the piercing sound of the boy’s voice.
He got that sad look in his eyes again, and he bent his back to try to be more on level with Spider. “It’s ok,” He tried to sooth, taking the mostly empty bowl from the boy’s lap. “I just want to take care of you.”
“Well I don’t want it!” Spider hissed, clenching his fists. “And I don’t need it!”
Jake’s ears folded, and he frowned. The dark bags under his eyes are much more prominent now. “Yes you do. You’re a child. You need me.”
From the lack of shock or change to Jack’s expression, he either didn’t notice what he had just said or just didn’t care.
But Spider did. He cared a fucking lot. “I don’t need you! I’ve survived my entire life without you!”
Jake had the decency to look ashamed, bowing his head in a solemn nod. “I… I know I haven’t been a good father in the past-”
“You aren’t my dad! You’ve never been, dipshit!” Spider snapped, starting to get up because he was done with this bullshit. Because if Jake truly thought he’s been Spider’s father this whole time, then there’s something seriously fucked up in his head.
But it seemed like Jake was at his breaking point as well. He made an anguished noise in his throat, snatching up Spider’s arms in his hands and forcing him back into a sitting position on sand. His hands were so large on the boy’s forearms, nearly spanning the entire limbs. “I know I’ve done wrong by you, but please, let me make it up to you!” Jake pleaded, his eyes rimmed with tears, the desperation of a failed father as clear as day staring at Spider like he was his only chance at redemption.
Jake flinched hard like Spider had struck him, and a moment of silence settled over them.
“… I… I know.” The Na’vi whispered, his voice broken and nothing like the proud warrior he was supposed to be.
He dragged the squirming boy into a hug, restraining the boy’s arms with one arm while the other one cupped the back of his head and pressing Spider’s masked face into his large, blue shoulder.
“I know…” Jake said again, pressing his wet cheek against Spider’s dreads even as the boy continued to struggle and fight his embrace.
He took a shuttering breath and turned his head to press a kiss to his boy’s matted dreadlocks, a brief thought entering his mind that he would need to tend to the unkept hair, and how happy he would be to do that for Spider.
But for right now, Jake was just wishing and praying Spider would stop fighting him and let Jake give him the love and attention he’s failed to in the past.
Maybe Jake needed Spider more than Spider needed Jake.
