➸ INTERESTS; - f!omatikayan reader x aged-up! Neteyam/Lo’ak.
➸ BACKGROUND; - You’re sure he hates you, at least that’s what you repeat to yourself to calm your nerves whenever he stares at you. Especially when he shouldn’t draw a reaction out of you when you’re with his brother.
➸ WARNINGS; - wc. roughly 5k, mentions of depression, arguing, break-ups, alcoholism, toxicity, uncomfort, mentions of heat/rut period, mentions of sexual themes, emotional in depth, longing, time-skip, etc.
➸a.i; - 🌸my main navigation what1!1 i watched the teaser for avatar 3 and i loved it sooo much. It pains me to remember James confession of his wife watching the movie 3 times and each time she finished bawling her eyes out. also i hope this chapter isn’t too boring :/ they’ll be more to come and i wanted to get more of Lo’ak and the readers in depth out of the way before starting w Neteyams mentality in depth again. not proof read🦂
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Hate Me I
Lo’ak was happy, he was sure he was. Life was convenient for him, he had little no responsibilities to carry for and had a girlfriend.
He had a woman men would fight him for, he’s fought over it already. He was having fun and living how he wanted to.
At least how he expected to, anyone in his position would be happy to have it.
Oh, but the arguments were so vile. It felt as if venom was fit between the two of you and wounds were split open that other words couldn’t fix.
Only sex could
And it was never something he’d complain of, in all honesty he enjoyed the sex more than anything. His friends called him toxic for it and Spider called you a vixen.
Some sort of human terms he still has yet to wrap his head around. It was easier to bury everything aside and leave than to force himself to look in your eyes.
Your eyes grew more and more of distaste after every argument, and even more after every hookup.
Being a carefree spirit had its responsibilities and privileges, unfortunately it never seemed like he’d learn from any of them.
Or maybe he knew the truth and just hated to confront it, it was easier to lie to himself and to you. So of course, that’s the option he’ll choose every time.
It could’ve been a competition like he always made things with others. Competing for a higher ranking or praise, the finest gifts and drinks.
His father had sat and spoke with him before, saying it was a conversation between men. He spoke of it not being friendly competition, but envy or greed.
He could see it in his son’s eyes every time something was mentioned within the clan. When he was sidelined or second for anything, even at times when he was awarded of given blessings in certain scenarios it was never enough for him.
Nothing was ever enough to technically satisfy the youngest sully boy and it drove him mad. It was easier for him to take than sit and loathe about giving.
His mother told him he was similar to his grandfather in that sense, he never pried into it as he never wanted to learn. He had the issue and it wouldn’t be easy to brush past or leave aside.
Maybe it explained how he was with you, or why he chose to do the things he did. It was wrong to objectify and claim, yet that was what he was best at. It hadn’t felt entirely fair for him for his friends around to brag over and over for the same things.
The class they were born in, the women who adorned them, and the freedom they had. Lo’ak was sure to have all of those and yet it wasn’t satisfactory, he wanted more, wanted you.
And when he got close enough to reach at you he finally found a goal for himself as before, something to occupy him for the time being to lead him away from wrongdoings.
Day by day he did his best, showered you and gave you what he could only believe was what you wanted as well. He watched you change, grow into something of his choosing.
Almost like a fruit in his garden that amused him somehow. The two of you grew together, moved together, understood one another in a way that was enough to satisfy him for the time being.
Yet even as he had you, it hadn’t stopped others from feeling the same for either of you. Some men and women fancied those who were already in relations and could bend to the orders of temptation.
He hadn’t fell to the knees of temptation ever, but the idea of it gave him a sort of rush and excitement he’d get when cliff diving. As much as he promised himself to not break at the eyes of temptation he had certainly bent for it.
Not by much, just a bit. Allowing a woman to get herself close enough to grind upon him as they were both intoxicated, his anger for you spilling from his lips at an argument the two of you had prior.
No need to remind him of the men who still found favoritism in you after it all, especially his brother. Lo’ak may have been many things but he was no fool, his grandmother spoke of the eyes kissing long before the lips do, and his jaw would tighten when he saw the way his brother looked at you.
Maybe it was in complete jealousy, as he never seemed to see himself in the same situation, or having more love than Neteyam had. Now he carried himself as if in any other competition, greed entirely taking over when it came to you.
It seemed easier that way, he would be more focused and still enjoy himself enough to pursue outside of you. He felt no solid obligation or entitlement for someone he was sure wouldn’t feel the same.
It felt as if he was drowning in all of the responsibility and work put against him. If there was anything he feared it most likely would’ve been permanent commitment.
It could’ve been a factor as to why the two of you hadn’t mated, and honestly he should’ve seen the arguments and fights coming. He still lied to himself and pretended things would solve themselves until it couldn’t.
“Lo’ak.” He turned slightly, his head swiveling towards the voice he heard call out to him before glancing over your figure.
Silence sat between the two of you for a moment, his brows furrowed, then he turned around towards his two older siblings who sat beside him.
“Yeah?” He responded, his grip on the rock he held grew tighter as he heard you huff. He glanced over to his sister who waved at you, he could already feel you waving back.
“I.. I need to speak with you.” You said slowly, your gaze never faltering his figure, not daring to look at Neteyam. “Alone.” You finished, he stood up and threw the rock in his hand before turning to you.
Silence fell upon the both of you as you led him towards a small secluded part deeper into the forest. From afar, the eldest of the two sully siblings only exchanged confused looks towards one another..
“What is this about?” He asked, earning nothing in response from you, not a cheery giggle or smirk, maybe even a sly comment. You hadn’t even turned to look back at him, your expression remaining the same as before.
Lo’ak was never a man to feel fear easily, his adrenaline would rush and fear would gnaw at his brain if he knew he’d get caught for something he shouldn’t have done initially. Like luring his siblings into trouble, or going out after curfew, but never for situations with you.
But for some reason as of right now he couldn’t help but feel the same thing gnawing at his stomach, maybe if he was weak he would feel sick, he hadn’t.
The eerie silence of nothing but your feet hitting the mossy floor beneath you made him shudder in concern. The tension wasn’t in his favor at the slightest and he felt helpless for the first time.
He thinks back to the last time he had felt shock and helplessness before, back in the Metkayina when his brother had nearly died, he hangs his head low at the memory.
Now, things were better, healthier. There’s no grieve to live with, let alone blame to be placed upon him, and no one was certain to die as of now.
He just needed to calm his nerves, yes. If this turned into another argument he’s sure the two of you would makeup and confess your affection towards each other before he lays you upon the forest and shows his love to you.
“I want a break from us.” Was all you said, as if just answering the question he posed you minutes ago as you stopped walking. He opened his mouth to say something, but you only held your hand up. “It’ll be good for us both, find where our priorities lie.” You added, he rolled his eyes.
“And it should be something that’s a mutual decision, which it isn’t. You can’t just come here and drop this on me, and say it’l be ‘good for me’.” He said, now grabbing at your hand to force your fingers to interlock with each other. His fifth finger laid ghosting in the space between you.
“I don’t want to keep doing this, it hurts me to do so. This isn’t just about you Lo’ak, it’s not fair.” You said, he glared at you in response before scowling.
“Well that’s something we can both agree on. We’ve come so far with each other and you’re giving up on us now? We’ve been fine all month after Neteyam visited. What have I done now that still can’t be enough to satisfy you.” He pushed, now letting go of your hand and throwing his out in defeat.
“This isn’t right, or healthy. You only pull me in and hold me when you want to, or when you feel the need to. You come home whenever you want to, you mate with me whenever you feel, you lie to me whenever you want to. It’s always about you Lo’ak, always! You make all the decisions and you call the shots, yet you can’t even explain or help me understand why we haven’t mated before Ey-“
“I don’t want to be mated for life!” He shouted, cutting you off entirely with a breath. You gasped as you took in his expression, his shoulders flared and the two braids that usually hang at his cheek had been pulled behind his ear. His brows were furrowed and teeth gritted.
No matter how he looked, his stance was as firm as ever, not like you’d seen entirely for a while.
His stance was firm..
Firm because he was finally telling the truth to you, he wasn’t lying.
Maybe he shouted it loud enough for all of the forest and its people to hear, but you hadn’t cared. He wasn’t shouting it for you to know, he was shouting it as if he was saying it to himself, reminding himself of the man he was. It wouldn’t change the fact he loved you, and you carried love for him.
You wondered for a moment why the heartbeat in your head continued to burn in your eyes and nose. Your mouth tasted metallic in a way you couldn’t quite understand and yet you stood still.
If this was how he truly felt all along what would it mean for the future between you two. Does it mean he was lying to you for the entirety of your relationship? Was it something of his advantage or a charade that would easily blow over once this ended?
He hadn’t wanted to be mated for life and yet made love like it was a sport? Or the fact he had no intention of leaving you alone to be unclaimed yet again within the clan?
Fingers brushing against your cheek snapped you from your inner conscious before looking at him. Your cheeks wet and chest hot as he wiped your tears.
“I didn’t mean to yell, I didn’t mean any of it, I’m sor-“
“Oh.” You said quickly, taking a step back to release yourself of his energy entirely. You wiped at your face profusely, eyes and nose, yet they still continued to leak. The further he walked towards you the further and quicker you moved back before he eventually caught up to you.
You only shoved him away taking in his expression as you leapt past and ran off into the woods, sobs now filling the eerie silence of the forests from before.
He had caused this on himself of course, something’s aren’t meant to be permanent, and the longer they drag on, the more miserable it becomes for everyone else.
And for the first time since he had gone public with you, he cried, he cried because now he had finally lost in a game he had created.
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He laid awake as he watched your sleeping frame on his place of rest, his eyes continuously flickering between you and the ceiling before he sighed. You hadn’t moved, you’d been in his hut for weeks and yet never left.
You ate less than he liked, but he was grateful it wasn’t entirely nothing. He would leave you occasionally only to see his younger brother in the same sort of situation, finding shattered glass and liters empty of alcohol around the place.
A frown never left his face as he watched his brother, although the smell ranched him he had grown to smell worse, and his body ignored it. His parents and other siblings weren’t far behind when watching over the two old lovers.
A part of him wondered if things would be easier if the two of you had gotten together again, he wanted nothing more than to see you happy, let alone his own brother.
He feels insanely foolish at times, letting the love he has for a woman grow between his relation with his brother at times, the bond between them unbreakable. But as of now it had grown more apparent that as much as you two depended on one another and shared love, it was growing unhealthy by the times.
Concern spewed between your own family, you had gone to see your mother and siblings once and collapsed into her, crying. As of then you spent your times between home and Neteyam’s, as it was closer to where you worked with children.
You hadn’t smiled as much as before, which the children teased for. You’d only shake your head and change the subject before moving on or leaving. The tsahik had requested to see you soon, as something wasn’t ‘right’ with you.
Two months longed on, longed on too far. Two months without your body functioning as it should, not enough hydration and proper care or nutrition. Two months without you once falling into your heat as you should’ve each month, which ironically enough you were happy for.
You no longer had someone to fill the position to help you in your greatest time of need if it had ever come, you would’ve been sent away like you were before matching with Lo’ak with objects to satisfy you.
“My child.” Mo’at spoke, frowning upon seeing your figure as you stood inside and placed your belongings down. You only nodded and smiled slightly.
“Tsahik.” You spoke with a bow, she took your hands into hers and shook her head as she examined you with only her eyes, placing a hand on your forehead as you closed your own.
“Your body is fighting. Your eyes have lost their color and as has your skin. Eywa ngahu fpomron-il.” [Eywa be with your wellbeing]. Your body shivered as you opened your eyes and followed as she began to drag you along.
She ushered you to sit and you did so, silence falling between the room as she steps out to the outside. You wait patiently, your eyes flickering across the room as memories seeped in from your life of before.
Tears pricked your eyes which you quickly wiped as voices made their way outside, ushering into the large shared space of medicine. The Sully family made their way inside, all except Lo’ak and Kiri.
You stood to greet them all formally, smiling as Tuk made her way to hug you, which you surprisingly hadn’t declined after so long.
Neytiri stood before you, a soft sad smile on her face as she embraced you, her hands brushing through your hair. Emotion bloomed within your throat yet again, you only swallowed and bit down on your tongue to stop it from escaping.
“Ngari peu Y/n?” [What is the matter y/n?] She asked.
“The others in the childcare presume me to be ill, and the tsahik has asked for me.” Was all you said lightly, nodding your head as if you agreed with your own statement. She only hung her head low before embracing you yet again as the others left towards the other side of the hut.
All except Neteyam.
“I apologize for the damage my son has caused onto you.” She spoke softly, you only nodded as she did so. The mention of asking her which son sat on your tongue but never escaped far enough to reach her ears.
Soon she left you as Mo’at returned, Neteyam sitting in the far corner by shelves of treatments as you made small talk with his grandmother. As much as you tried you couldn’t ignore or shake the feeling of his piercing gaze.
You weren’t sure what exactly he was thinking, and honestly some part of you was glad you couldn’t. It was as if things had started all over again, he must’ve hated you for the way you left his brother.
You’d always listen to your friends share with the children of the village that pain is shared through family, and though you’ve had loses of your own you’d never experienced it from another.
Maybe that’s what was happening as of now, he only took you in because you cried at the entrance of his home so many days ago, rainfall drowning your face in just as much as your tears had.
It must have been out of pity, even when you laid awake throughout the night with a dry throat and dry lips your thoughts drowned you.
If things were reversed you would’ve been the same sort of support for Neteyam as he had been for you, as much as your mind yearned for Lo’ak and his stupidity, humor, recklessness, and love.
A part of you wishes you could’ve went back to when things began, stopping this all from happening and just living through the discomfort. Sometimes discomfort is a smaller pill to swallow then heartbreak.
You even wondered if you were to return to Lo’ak at a time like this if he was even willing to take you back. Ironically enough as much as the two of you began to go back to your normal lives months later, it seemed as if Eywa herself was quick to pull you apart.
If it wasn’t her then it would be both sides of either family doing so, holding you late nights or for longer days to keep you from the city for longer. Ending work earlier than usual as soon as hunting parties were ordered to be gathered near where you rested.
And no matter what or where, Neteyam was always present. Almost as if he was purposely placed to be your aid and help you from time to time.
The two of you never spoke for long or detailed periods, especially when alone. You’d only steal glances from one another you’d regret later after being caught.
You had always asked him of Lo’ak, to which he only spoke of his healing and well being or future plans and nothing else, nothing of his emotions or romance. He would always ignore your protests either, and you knew better to show yourself in a place you weren’t invited.
It’s almost ridiculous, as you were the one to leave him and yet you can’t seem to let him go. As much as it pained you and all he’s done you can’t speak to say you hate him when your heart still carries love for him.
Neteyam hadn’t made things easier, a break for your conscious was needed and he seemed to only want to force the process. You think back to the time of you two in Lo’ak’s hut earlier in the year.
His words of explaining his desire and need for you echoed in your mind, it made you bite at your nails when he spoke to you for too long now, or looked at you in a certain way.
Even others around you seemed to realize the intensity the tension between the two of you had grown to be. Which made it logical to take as much time and distance away as you could from him.
Distance became acquainted towards the two of you, Neteyam was Oloeyktan and Jake had stepped down, he was rewarded and a ceremony was held. All eyes had rested on him and yet his rested on your face, your hair, your skin that felt aflame as you had felt cold earlier from wearing hardly anything at all in attempts for the ceremony.
Lo’ak was present, he had grown taller you assumed, or you’d gotten shorter. His hair grew longer and his face more chiseled, he looked exactly like his father. You smiled and laughed softly to yourself as you remember previous thoughts of calling Neytiri a lucky woman with a vision for mating with Jake.
Even through the crowd you felt more eyes on you as you pushed yourself farther away, no longer wanting to participate in the long nights activities. A small headache wormed at the sides of your head around your ears, you ignored it and walked further away from the crowd.
Men, both older and younger had exchanged glances at one another before looking over to you with a smile. Immediately you turned on your heel, as if lunging away as you darted as far as possible.
Now running through the forest with all your might and your head throbbing you thought to yourself of the day, the week had ended, giving the possibility you thought of a highlight.
You couldn’t go home, that would draw more problems and unwanted attention. If this was to happen again you’d need to take things upon yourself and take your ikran to leave and go far towards the sole island you hadn’t seen in years.
You hadn’t planned this through, nor expected it this early after so long. The small pain in your head and irregular beating of your heart, breathe shorter than usual and drawing unruly attention from only un-mated men within the ceremony.
Your heat was approaching much quicker than usual. With short time and unfamiliar circumstances you quickly made your way towards the nests of ikran, silent as most of them moved around before gently waking yours.
It purred in response, happy to see you and be at your service, in one fellow swoop you mounted it and flew in the skies. As you watched below with a frown on your lips, the music of the celebration and screams were heard from below.
You turned your head to focus on what was at hand, a week long period of agony and sexual frustration.
✴🕷 please do not copy, plagiarize, edit, or translate any works submitted by me. all works are originated and all other pictures used within those works are online images. thank you!! @kryptznnn
A/n: As I promised in the last chapter, I ended up disappearing for a very long time, and I am so sorry 🙏 I did not realize I hadn't posted an update in a year until I was sitting down and rereading the last chapter to jog my memory.
Enjoy!
One moment, she's walking through the village, trying to tell Jake something, and then the next thing she remembers seeing is black.
Black slowly lightens, revealing a soft, green glow with dots.
"-ayla!"
The muffled shouting suddenly clears as if her head had been lifted out from underwater.
"-ey! Kayla!"
A blinding white light blinds and blurs her vision before it's spared by the silhouette of a man who hovers over her.
"Kayla! Get up!"
"... Norm...? What's happening?"
"We're being evacuated. High Camp is compromised. We gotta go!"
It was all one large blur, almost like a dream. Kayla felt as if she was only witnessing the events and not entirely a part of them. Norm wretched her out of her link gurney so fast and panicked, making her head swim and her stomach flip uncomfortably. She was ready to empty said stomach's contents before Norm pulled her to her feet and shoved a breathing mask and a communication device into her hands.
Before she knew it, she was outside, feeling the cold of High Camp's caves seeping into her skin. Still loopy and nauseous, she stumbles around and bumps into both humans and Na'vi as everyone runs around like an ant colony, rushing to evacuate just like their practiced drills. Kayla looked over her shoulder to see that Norm was no longer by her side in the midst of the chaos, but she tried not to panic, her mind grasping at straws and trying to remember what to do if this situation ever occurred.
She remembers that all avatars must be abandoned and the drivers must run to find a Na'vi warrior with an ikran to help them fly down the mountains. Forcing her feet to move, Kayla stumbles into a young warrior she vaguely remembers to be a childhood friend of Tarsem, called Tivek. The young Na'vi recognized her, exchanged a few hurried words with her, and in just a few short seconds, Kayla was clutching onto the neck of Tivek's ikran and flying out of High Camp like a bat out of Hell.
Swarms of ikran were flying the coop all at once, completely obstructing Kayla's view of the clear blue skies. As practiced, many banshees scatter and group together, while others split off to either face the threat or lead it away from their home, something that Kayla had once seen Ao'nung and his friends do astride their ilu back at the reef...
Tivek was one of the taronyu who was assigned to play the offensive role, and so he turned his ikran to separate from the pack, so to speak, moving to take on the threat. Kayla held on for dear life, closing her eyes when the sudden movements of the flight made her stomach drop. Her surroundings suddenly shift as the sound of gunfire rings out, followed by Tivek's shouting and his ikran's roars that sounded suspiciously familiar to a squealing pig about to be slaughtered.
Kayla knew she should open her eyes to see what was happening, but by the time she gained the strength to do so, her fingers slipped from the ikran's neck.
Whoever said that falling is much like flying needed to be fed their own fingernails.
It wasn't one of her initial thoughts when she was bucked from the banshee, but it was one of the many thoughts that followed when she finally opened her eyes, a scream stuck in her throat and refusing to escape as she fell through the sky. The ground was still too far down since she was easily hundreds of miles up in the air where the floating mountains resided, but that didn't make Kayla feel any better about her current predicament.
"Shit shit shit...!" She managed to get out, water forced from her eyes due to the winds whipping in her face.
Her fall went on forever, the imminent danger still far away, given her long descent. Kayla finds herself with enough time to breathe and try not to panic, elevating her body like a skydiver.
A spark of hope is born in her chest when she hears an ikran's screech. Turning her head to the right, she sees one in the distance, beating its wings heavily to get to her as fast as possible.
"HERE! I'M HERE!" She screams desperately over the wind, her throat tightening in protest.
As it gets closer, the form of a rider takes shape. Kayla's fast breathing practically pounds in her ears as she tries to stretch out all her limbs to look as noticeable as possible. Watching the approaching ikran more closely this time, Kayla felt her blood cool and her hope fell as she recognized the riding gear when the beast got closer.
Both banshee and rider were sporting military gear.
All Kayla could do was helplessly fall and hope that her pursuer wouldn't have the flying skill to catch her. Unlucky for her, he did.
Quaritch's ikran folds in its wings and dives toward her at full speed, Kayla's heart leaping to her throat at the sight of black talons and teeth when it gets too close. She finds herself closing her eyes, waiting for the impact to happen. She would rather relax her body and see the darkness behind her eyelids compared to the sight of an ikran ready to devour her in three bites, as terrifyingly beautiful as such a creature can be.
But the end never came.
Instead of talons or teeth, Kayla feels a large hand wrap around her neck, clenching roughly to use as leverage, pulling her in, and slowing her fall.
She has just enough time to open her eyes and make a small choking sound before her airway is completely cut off, Quaritch's grip around her throat only tightening further. With the strength of a Na'vi, it didn't take long before his grip was enough for Kayla's vision to spot and darken, the last thing she sees is his stone-hard eyes and brute expression before passing out.
~~~~~~~~~
A muffled ringing in her ears slowly pulls her back to consciousness. Kayla could first feel her brain pulsing against the inside of her skull, seemingly trying to escape. It made opening her eyes considerably difficult, feeling that same pulse pushing against her retina. She felt a cold metal pressed against every inch of her back and legs, making it safe to presume she was on a table, and for some reason... she couldn't move.
Muscles began to remember their function, and then her eyelids slowly lifted. A blinding light glared down at her, driving the confused woman to slam them shut once more and groan, only to realize her throat was dry and her voice had caught before it could escape her lips. When she goes to lift her hand to her mouth, a wave of dread flips in her stomach when Kayla's hand doesn't get far once the restraints make themselves known on her wrists and ankles.
Kayla opens her mouth to shout and yell for help, only to stop herself when her ringing ears begin to pick up the sound of another voice.
"Patch me in to the general."
It's faint at first, but the voice grows louder as if drawing closer, or perhaps her ears were just beginning to clear up and the source had been nearby all along. Kayla even holds her breath to listen more closely, only for her ears to pick up a second voice.
"Colonel. You better have a good explanation as to why you haven't reported back since losing your team."
That voice, much more familiar than the first, makes Kayla's skin crawl and feel cold against the metal slab she was restrained to. Finally moving her head to look around, she finds the source of the voices. For obvious reasons, she didn't like what she saw.
His large back was turned toward her, but with strong, avatar shoulders covered in military gear and a close-shaven head apart from his kuru. Kayla immediately recognized Quaritch. Her stomach was in knots, her mind having forgotten how small she was in this human body, compared to her avatar that had managed to take on Quaritch previously. Seeing him rise in height in comparison to the table she was strapped to didn't give her good odds.
"Had to go radio silent so the enemy didn't detect my signal," his drawl became clearer as the ringing in Kayla's ears dissipated, "'Sides, the mountains kept scrambling what little instruments I had left."
The voice she had just heard before Quaritch, the one she thought was familiar, came from a radio the blue colonel held in his hand.
"The Hallelujah Mountains? I hope to hear some good news."
Ardmore.
"I got more than good news for you, General. I got a highly valuable prisoner for you. I got your missing corporal," Quaritch shifts his torso until he's looking just over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Kayla's in a way that made the hair on her arms rise, "Makayla Sully."
He thinly smiled with only one corner of his mouth, unsurprised to see her awake and responsive. The silence in the room was heavy as the radio softly buzzed, both Recom and human barely blinking amid their staredown. The radio buzzed a little longer, and for a moment, Kayla had wondered if the connection had been lost.
"... Switch to a private channel, Colonel."
Kayla's stomach clenched at the tone of Ardmore's voice, tight and muffled as if the general spoke under her breath with what sounded like growing anger. Quaritch made a small sound that sounded like 'affirmative' before clicking a dial on the top of the radio, holding it up to his face as Ardmore's voice returned, "What is the meaning of this?"
Quaritch grins while speaking into the radio, his eyes never leaving his hostage, "Turns out your little test subject was never missing or killed in action. Merely in hiding. 'Gone rogue and helping the war criminal, Jake Sully."
"How did you obtain her?"
"Baited her out of the hive, and even better, managed to get her in her human form. She's hardly a threat, but I thought she could be useful to us."
With all of Kayla's senses now fully functioning once more, all she could do was glare defiantly up at Quaritch from where she lay.
"Do you think she'll talk?" Ardmore gruffly ponders.
"She will... if we used that fancy tech you got back in your lab."
Another long pause before Kayla's former boss spoke, "... I will grant you access to our neuroscanner. I'll bring a squadron and the device to your location. We do this off-site and with limited personnel. I can't have everyone under my command believing they can turn tail and run as this traitor did. It would be chaos."
"Naturally," Quaritch agreed with underlining vanity, "I've already sent you my coordinates, but I don't think you'll need them."
There's a faint beeping on the other end of the radio channel before Ardmore's voice patches through, "Copy that, Colonel. You can expect our arrival at 0600."
"Copy that. Colonel out."
The radio is switched off, so tiny in the hands of an imposing Na'vi-looking man. Quaritch's full attention returns to his captive, to whom Kayla refuses to look away, her defenses up.
"You know, I used to run this place," he says casually while looking around at the clean, sterile room they resided in, "Some spots of the joint I hardly recognize. All the... plants and twigs and dirt have taken them over. But rooms like this? Untouched and familiar? 'Feels like coming home."
His grin plus his words clue Kayla in on her whereabouts. Remembering the files she had read and what little of Quaritch's past she had dug up from either Jake or Norm, Kayla took one look around what could only be a small interrogation room and surmised that she was in Hell's Gate.
Kayla tried to ignore the blinding fluorescent bulbsabove her, managing to finally find her words after briefly licking her lips and looking around. "How did you know which human to grab?"
"It's not that hard to gain access to your file," his thin smile shifts into something akin to annoyance, "and after having to deal with you like a thorn in my side back on that boat, I'd like to know who and what I'm dealing with."
Quaritch lifted a datapad from a nearby table, and from the other side of the translucent screen, Kayla could see a picture of her own face staring back at her.
"Corporal Makayla Sully," he reads off, "Born 2130, youngest of three, lost both your parents when you were sixteen, and joined the Marine Corps when you were eighteen."
Kayla paused to look at the picture for a moment, barely recognizing the long, healthy hair and flushed skin. She forced her eyes to look away, darting up at the avatar hovering over her as she spoke casually, "Yeah, so?"
"It's funny," he shrugs, "Must be quite the coincidence that you enlisted the same year one of your brothers was killed and the other left for Pandora."
Something uncomfortable rolled in her stomach, a small instinct in her gut that told her that something was wrong aside from the obvious kidnapping. She felt as if gravity was holding her down on that interrogation table, her muscles and bones like lead as she caught the knowing smirk on Quaritch's thin, blue mouth.
"Get comfortable, Sully. I think it's about time we got properly acquainted."
~~~~~~~~~
It was common for the children to be quickly forgotten once the adults all stood over them and started talking. Spider was used to it out of all of them, being the smallest and once invisible.
He wasn't necessarily blocking out the conversation, but his focus was mostly on Kayla, or, technically, her avatar. His eyes kept closely watching her for a sign, anything that might indicate that she's still in there, somehow, and just resting her eyes despite Jake's insistence that her consciousness is elsewhere.
As he's watching over the woman who has slowly become his guardian, Kiri is kneeling on the opposite side of Kayla's body, anxiously humming under her breath while her fingers fidget with the slowly growing songcord strung around the unconscious avatar's belt loop. One particular bead on the cord catches Spider's eye.
A familiar red and wooden bead that he remembered carving himself and fitting into his hair when he was younger. Spider faintly recalls taking the bead out recently in exchange for more appropriate wear for the Metkayina clan, but hadn't seen the bead since.
Something in Spider's chest seized, the room closing in, and the warm air of the ocean choking him slowly. His eyes dart to Kayla's resting face, the face of someone who wanted him to be a verse in her song.
The world spins on despite the boy's inner turmoil. If Jake was concerned, he had skillfully masked it behind his soldier persona, still speaking to Norm through the radio, "Send Max to us so he can pick up Kayla's avatar."
"I can do it."
"No, I need you to form a search party and hopefully pick up a trail by the time I get there."
"Wait, you're coming here? Isn't that what Quaritch wants?"
"I don't care. This isn't just anyone that Quaritch can possibly torture and get nothing out of. This is Kayla. She knows way more information than most. If he gets through to her, there's no telling what Quaritch might do or if he'll tell Ardmore. The Sky People could rain down on this very village within a day if Kayla talks."
Silence fell over the marui, and Jake had to focus on his facial muscles to avoid wincing at the look Neytiri gave him. Of course, no one would want Quaritch or Ardmore to learn their whereabouts, but the insensitive tone in Jake's voice was not lost on his mate.
Norm's silence was an indication that he heard it, too, and when he responds, it's in a solemn, firm tone, "You got it. Over and out."
The radio cuts off, and Jake immediately fixes his gaze on his mate, "Neytiri-"
Her back turns from him, immediately grabbing a bow she has quickly fashioned as a replacement for her father's, "You are not facing that demon without me."
His ears lowered, her eye avoidance a clear sign of disapproval. Angering her further would not help the situation, so he doesn't argue and silently accepts. He moved to grab his gun but noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Ronal and Tonowari were talking quietly among themselves, and when the olo'eyktan noticed Jake looking in their direction, his mouth ceased movement and straightened his posture to his full height. Ronal does the same, determination in her eyes, while her mate steps forward to address Toruk Makto.
"We will go with you, Jakesully."
Briefly stunned by the volunteer, Jake finds himself speaking automatically as if he were talking to one of his sons, eager for a fight, "There's no need. Besides, you know nothing of our forests."
Tonowari's eyes, hard and fierce, narrow, "Your sister is Metkayina now. She is one of us."
Ronal snarls low in her chest, "If you are capable of learning our ways, then we will learn yours to bring Makaylasully home."
Jake's confusion visibly deepens in his frown, taking one look back at Neytiri to see if she would back him on this. She, however, just looks expectedly at him. Once again, as if waiting for him to come to his own conclusion. He turns back to Ronal and Tonowari, taking a breath in before he could form a reply.
All it took was one inhale, and something clicked into place. Jake's left ear twitched, eyes briefly squinting while trying to solve a puzzle in his head. He has a sinking feeling when he catches a familiar smell-- the smell he detected on Kayla the last time they spoke.
His eyes narrow on the Metkayina leaders, their gaze unwavering. They don't blink or look away, and for some reason, it irritates him. Like they have no shame and dare him to say more.
The long, sullen silence fills the air of the marui with an intensity that none of the kids dared to break, holding their breath as they await Toruk Makto's decision. Jake lets the silence linger long enough before he sighs heavily through his nose before returning to his communication device, switching channels, and bringing the mic to his mouth, "Max."
Within a few moments, the static gradually changes to a familiar voice, "Jake? Don't worry. Norm has kept me in the loop, and I'm on my way in the gunship."
Jake grimaced, eyes darting over to the clan leaders before sighing heavily, "... I hope you have room for two more. We're bringing some extra help."
~~~~~~~~~
Max was arriving in an hour, and so two of the ikran were saddled and ready, eagerly nipping at each other as their claws dug into the wet sand. Neytiri goes around them, inspecting each strap and tightening anything she deems too loose. The whole clan had gathered to watch them depart, worried expressions shared all around as they witnessed even their olo'eyktan and tsahik prepare for the journey.
"Rutxa," Tonowari summons a Metkayina, and they step forward, the one Jake remembers seeing Kayla interact with more than once. "You and your brother will watch over the village in our stead."
Jake surveys Ruxta's dutiful nod and stern features, missing someone approaching him until Spider stands just at his feet. The teenager looks up through his breathing mask with all the resolve he could muster in his young age, a makeshift bag slung over his shoulder.
"I'm coming, too."
Jake blinks out of his thoughts and looks down, taking one glance at Spider before shaking his head with a quiet voice, "No. That's just what Quaritch wants."
"Exactly. Maybe he'll come out of hiding if I'm there. We can lure him out and grab Kayla-"
"-Kayla would skin me alive if I allowed you to come with us." Jake half-heartedly smiles, placing his hand heavily on top of Spider's head, making sure the teenager was looking him in the eyes as he spoke, "You would be doing her a favor by staying here, where it's safe. She wouldn't want you anywhere near danger, especially when we just got you back."
Spider opens his mouth, ready to continue arguing. Jake braces for impact until a flash of long, tightly curled hair appears beside the boy in the blink of an eye, hovering over him.
"I will need your help, Spider," Tsireya, the angel she was, immediately calming the dispute with her hand curling over Spider's elbow, "with making sure that Lo'ak doesn't do anything foolish."
They all know it's a poor attempt to be persuasive, but it is proven effective as Spider's shoulders sag and the fight in him follows suit, at least smart enough not to argue with Tsireya. Spider keeps his head down and steps back to give Jake some space, and so the former Marine takes his cue to leave, nodding to Tsireya with gratitude before moving over to his ikran.
The hour closes in, and from a distance, they see a small speck that could be nothing other than Max in the rogue gunship. Those who were departing quickly made their final goodbyes to their children. Tonowari exchanges small words with his son and daughter before moving on to Spider, the human boy brooding silently to himself until the chieftain stood over him. Tonowari waits until he can see the boy's eyes underneath his mask and nods down to him while trying to muster his best encouraging expression, gently patting the boy's shoulder. The warmth of the Metkayina chief's hand nearly engulfed Spider's entire shoulder and arm, but it had a weight and gentleness that felt oddly comforting to him. The olo'eyktan moves past him, and the tsahik takes his place. Ronal takes her time pretending to adjust the strap's tightness on his breathing mask, lingering in a tense silence that matched her aura, before she finally meets his eyes.
"We will bring her back."
It was a small assurance and not very gentle in Ronal's voice, but Spider appreciated her attempt nevertheless. He nods, and she steps away to join her mate further down the beach, where he stands next to Jake and Neytiri while watching the gunship draw closer. Spider ducks his head away, softly glaring down at the sand between his toes.
Tuk abruptly runs out from the crowd to her parents, worriedly tugging on her mother's arm with a trembling lip, "Mama..."
Neytiri's firm resolve immediately softens, bending down to her youngest child and pulling her into the tightest hug, one she hoped Tuk could cling to in her memories at the Spirit Tree while she and Jake were gone. Kiri soon joins the hug, and Neytiri holds her girls a little tighter.
Jake watches the interaction with a solemn expression, trying not to look as if this was goodbye. Movement shifts in the corner of his vision, turning his head to find Lo'ak slowly approaching him. The boy hesitates, as if debating on approaching a hungry thanator, which Jake tries not to take offense to.
He holds out his hand and rests it on Lo'ak's shoulder once the boy drifts closer. When Jake opens his mouth, silence follows. Words fail him, and something in the back of his mind somehow holds him back from giving orders. It was frustrating. He tries to think like Kayla and do what she would've done. Instead of giving orders and expecting Lo'ak to blindly follow them like a good soldier, Jake gently lists off reasons as to why he should listen to him.
"Son, if there is ever a time when I need you to really listen to me, it's right now. Do not come after us," Jake gives Lo'ak's shoulder a small squeeze to keep his attention, "I mean it. I need you here, looking after your sisters and keeping an eye on Spider. Please. Not just for me, but for your aunt. You know her, and you know that she would never forgive herself if something happened to you because you were trying to save her."
Lo'ak carefully watches his father, still hesitant and weary of him. There's a long, sullen silence, father and son stuck in this loop of uncertainty between each other. Lo'ak takes a deep breath and nods once, his voice quiet, "... Okay."
"Swear it." Jake couldn't help the strain in his own voice; the thought of losing another child was putting pressure on his tone.
Lo'ak swallows then nods again, "I swear it."
~~~~~~~~~
When Quaritch mentioned she should get comfortable, she should've known it would entail one of the most common interrogation methods... making her uncomfortable.
It was a textbook stress position, binding Kayla's wrists and raising her arms up to suspend her from the ceiling of the room. It was convenient for her avatar captor as the arrangement brings the human female up to his height. Whether it was intentional or not, the four walls were bland, cold, and isolating, causing her body to shiver to the point her bones ached and her teeth chattered, wearing only the top and shorts she had worn in her link gurney that morning.
It was still early. If she had to guess without even knowing how long she had been unconscious, she probably hadn't been missing for a full twenty-four hours yet. It isn't much of an observation, but it's a small comfort in this cold room. So far, all her captor had done was shine lights in her face and occasionally push her just enough to make her body sway from her wrists' confinement. She felt like a stuck pig in a butcher shop.
Quaritch stays leaning against the wall with his arms folded, chuckling, "Gotta say it's kinda nice to whip out the old tactics."
"Happy to help." She grumbled.
"Yeah? 'You willing to talk then? Or do you think you're buying your brother time to come and save you?"
She flashes a small glare, "I'm not stalling. You and I both know he's not coming."
Their tense conversation is interrupted by movement in the doorway. In walks two other avatars Kayla briefly remembered seeing before. The one with the broken sunglasses on top of his buzzed cut, his name lost to her, while the other was bald. Her gut turns at the sight of the latter, recalling a description Spider had given her before, along with a name.
Quaritch looked to the entrance, "Took ya long enough."
Lyle Wainfleet unzips a pocket in his vest, unfazed, "Place is clear, boss."
"That's not right. Jake's not stupid enough to abandon this place completely. Mansk, do another perimeter."
Quaritch doesn't even wait for Mansk to leave before turning back to the dangling human female, "Now you can be quiet for us all you like. It won't matter. We'll just soften you up, and Ardmore's little machine will break your silence."
Kayla has to force herself to pull her glare away from Lyle, having the gall to look unimpressed at Quaritch, "I know. Spider told me about your... little torture device. He's told me a few other things, too," her eyes slowly glide over to Lyle, a deep snarl forming on her small lips, "like who shot Neteyam."
Lyle tilts his head, frowning in confusion, "Who?"
Something dawns in Quaritch's gaze before the muscles in his face slacken into a grim, solemn expression, "Ah... so that was his name? Sully's boy?"
"He was just a kid-"
"-who killed one of my men."
"He was fifteen years old, you son of a bitch!" Kayla spat while abruptly struggling against her restraints, looking as if ready to tear out Wainfleet's throat, grunting like a wild animal.
Lyle watches her struggle for a while, a flash of something briefly passing through his eyes. She unfortunately blinked and had missed whatever emotion hung there before Wainfleet's gruff voice broke the silence, "He wouldn't have died- Hell, he wouldn't have even been born if Sully hadn't betrayed his own kind."
"'You willing to do the same?" Quaritch adds.
It felt like a slap to the face, being asked a question that, to her, held the most obvious answer.
"My kind?" The words feel like ash in her mouth as she scoffs with distaste, "My kind killed my planet. My kind screwed over my family, drove my parents into drinking. My kind alienated and took my brothers away from me, one way or another. Because of my kind, I never got the chance to watch my brother's children grow up. Because of my kind, my nephew is dead. My kind is well-known for killing each other already, so what Jake and I have done I would actually consider to be what they call 'in character.' You should tell me your secret, Colonel."
Her captor's brows furrow, "Secret?"
Kayla's teeth gnash together, "To how far your loyalty stretches before it snaps."
Quartich visibly hardened, "So your loyalty goes to these animals?"
"'Only animal I see is you."
"Not the feral who held a knife to a boy's throat?"
"Her name is Neytiri, and you held a knife to her daughter's throat!" She snaps, jaw clenching with barely contained rage, "What she did to Spider was horrible, but violence is the only language you're able to speak, and Neytiri knew it. You had her son killed, and she lashed out in desperation. She would've done anything to ensure she didn't lose any more children. That's not an animal. That's just a mother trying to protect her babies. Wouldn't you have done the same?"
He waves away the question with a scoff, "I have nothing in common with that woman."
"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" Both Wainfleet and Quaritch's ears twitch as if her voice irritated their hearing, "Spider told me what you had been doing during those months he was traveling with you. He taught you the ways of the Na'vi. Have you learned nothing from it? You ordered Jake to learn from the Na'vi all those years ago. To learn is to understand, and to understand is to realize that what you are doing here is wrong. That's why Jake betrayed you. That's why I betrayed Ardmore. It's nothing personal."
"Personal?" Quaritch straightened, "Who said anything about personal?"
"I was there," Kayla jeered, "I heard what you said to Jake that day out on the water. How he betrayed you and how you wouldn't hesitate to kill his own kid."
He firmly shook his head. "Personal is betraying people who took you under their wing just for some local tail. That's why Jake betrayed us. Are you like your brother, Sully? You gonna find a nice piece of tree-hugging ass and then turn your back on mankind?"
She offers a crude, insincere smile, "You've clearly never had local tail before."
Her method of provoking left something uncomfortable to turn in her stomach, the feeling only growing when both Recoms sneer with sharp teeth and upturned lips, the leader of the two ducking his head down to meet Kayla's eyes, "If that's the case, why don't you tell us where they are, and maybe we'll go get some."
"I'll see you in Hell first."
"Alright, then. On to a better question. Where's the boy?"
"Oh, now you ask?" The laugh that bubbles in her parched throat felt flat, "I honestly didn't think it would take you this long."
His eyes darken, "Where is he?"
"He's at home."
"And where's home?"
"Here's a better question. Why do you want him back so badly?"
Quaritch's face shrivels to something exasperated, "He's my son."
Kayla slowly drops her amusement and mocking tone, her eyes unblinking while looking straight up at the avatar before her with a dangerous glint in her orbs, "You don't deserve him."
The colonel's expression gets stuck for a moment, the only indication that he wasn't frozen was his tail casually swishing behind him. Kayla continues to speak from her chest, "He's a good kid. A kind soul. Not a single cell in his body represents you in any way, shape, or form. I won't let you squash his spirit. This world is his home. It's all he's ever known. He loves the forest. He loves the ocean, the animals, and the Na'vi. He loves this world. He loves it all, and you're threatening to take all of that away from him. If you take that from him, you'll be killing him. What kind of father kills his own son?"
"I ain't killing nothing." The colonel finally snaps out of it, lips pulled back in a snarl, "The kid's been brainwashed by those savages. He belongs with his own kind."
"You really should look in a mirror," she emphasized with her own human-like snarl, "You're not his kind either. Call it whatever you want, you're still trying to take him from everything he loves. I won't let you."
The human captive leans back in a soft sway, managing to get a better breath in while her arms shook from the gravity, "So if you want him, you'll have to kill me first."
Quaritch's fist is fast, a blur of motion before Kayla feels a harsh blow to her gut. She lets out a strained wheeze, the air knocked clean out of her. Quaritch rolls his shoulder a few times, briefly satisfied with the way Kayla groans like an injured animal while spitting down at her, "And who do you think you are to him, huh? You're not the boy's mother. She died fighting Jake and his band of savages. She's dead because of traitors like you, Sully."
Kayla coughs for a considerable amount of time, her throat raw and scratchy. Rolling her lips to try and regain any bit of moisture, she makes a daring move by smiling, "Aw, Colonel. Who knew you had a heart? I wouldn't have guessed, considering you were responsible for the death of a fifteen-year-old boy."
His frown deepens, and Wainfleet's expression doesn't look amused anymore, the reminder making his tail twitch with irritation. Kayla expressed feigned concern while looking between the two avatars, "Do you seriously think Spider would ever forgive you? After killing Neteyam? Spider was his friend, you know. They had known each other their whole lives. They grew up together... and you killed him."
Quaritch makes a point to roll his shoulder again, "I'm getting bored, Sully. Tell us where the kid is."
"At a bar mitzvah in Canada."
The quick whiplash she received from the sudden punch to the face was jarring, the lights above her multiplying and stretching while she tried blinking out the dots in her vision, shocks prickling the back of her neck. The pain was instant, cracking through the front of her skull like jagged lightning bolts. Kayla forgets how to breathe for a moment, too stunned to think of what to do. The only sensation she could register was the small brush of warmth that, for a moment, felt comforting in such a cold room. It wasn't until she felt it running down the swoop of her brow like water droplets that she realized the warmth was from blood.
Quaritch pulls his fist back, and there's not even a mark left on his knuckles, his skin a little tougher compared to a human's. It was obvious he didn't use his full strength, as Kayla faintly recalls being able to kill RDA grunts with a single blow while she was back on that sinking ship. He shakes his hand like it's nothing, "You think you're protecting him by being a smartass. Hell, I bet you think you're raising him. Like you have any right. Is your name on the birth certificate?"
She grunts, finally remembering how to breathe as she raises a bleeding eyebrow, "Is yours?"
His grin stretches, faintly reminding her of a hyena she once saw in a documentary back on Earth, "You're funny, Sully. Quick-witted and full of attitude, like your brother. Or, one of them, at least."
Her brows twitch, and her throat visibly bobs. Quaritch's voice turns mocking, "Oh... did I strike a nerve?"
Wainfleet already has his hand stretched out, providing a datapad once Quaritch reaches back for it. The colonel taps the screen a few times before listing off what he finds, "Dr. Thomas Sully. Killed by gunshot. Is that what they told you? Did you even bother checking the body yourself?"
Disoriented eyes narrow briefly up at him past the blood running through her lashes, "I wasn't there when they cremated him."
"'Suppose that makes sense," Quaritch, the bastard, lightened his tone and expression to feign innocence as he mouthed on, "They were in such a hurry to sweep the evidence under the rug. Had they given Jake even a moment to examine the body, he would've seen the knife marks and not a single bullet hole in sight."
She felt woozy and lightheaded, so for a moment, Kayla wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly. The muscles in her face struggle to remember to remain firm and unflinching while her ears struggle to pay attention to Quaritch's little monologue,
"People hardly communicate these days. Higher-ups didn't bother telling the suits who hired Jake how his twin died, so it's a good thing he didn't even bother checking, or else the whole scheme would've gone up in flames. Not that he's smart enough to do so. You, however, I suspect, would've at least been sober enough to ask."
Still unsure of what he was fully saying, Kayla tried to provoke him to explain further, "... You're lying."
"I remember Selfridge drunkenly bragging about the genius of it all. 'How we needed a guy on the inside."
Quartich grimaced at a faint memory playing back in his head, "But Dr. Augustine, that bitch, ran such a tight ship that we couldn't even get a hair through the door without her being on Selfridge's ass about it. So we infiltrated, and lucky for us, an avatar-trained scientist was getting ready to leave Earth to come to Pandora... and he just so happened to have a marine for a twin brother."
Cold. It rushed through her bloodstream, and she lost circulation in her toes and fingers. Kayla's eyes widen as the information loops on and on in her head, blood pumping in her ears until all she could hear was her own rapid heartbeat.
Quaritch watches as the realization sinks into her face and simply states with a shrug, "So RDA did what they had to do."
~~~~~~~~~
Every hour spent flying over the ocean is another hour Kayla is missing.
Jake tried his best not to exhaust his ikran, while also keeping in mind Neytiri flying beside him and the gunship flying just behind them. Max keeps a safe distance, keeping a close eye on the fuel intake, worried about all the extra added weight to the aircraft. While the gunship always carried avatars, no problem, two Metkayinas were a different story. They were larger, broader, and had stronger tails that most definitely could knock a human out cold if not completely snap their necks with one thwack. Ronal had curled herself up around the head of Kayla's avatar, trying to be small even with her rounded stomach. Then there was Tonowari, who was easily one of the biggest Na'vi males Max has ever encountered, and so the scientist did his best to fly as carefully as possible, not wanting to make this flight jarring for his passengers.
When the cliffsides and vast jungle closed in, Neytiri's heart ached, a bittersweet moment to be home again, but under dire circumstances. She and Jake take the lead on the flight, making sure to communicate with Max with their throat mics while also using them as a way to reassure the Metkayina leaders if they appear wary or suspicious about this journey in a Sky People ship. Before long, the Hallelujah Mountains emerge from the clouds, and Neytiri yips to caution all flyers as they weave through the large masses. Ronal and Tonowari could not help but watch the mountains fly by, in awe of the rock fixtures that easily minimize the floating boulders that encompass the Cove of the Ancestors.
Jake's impatience finally pays through as they fly into the cave system of High Camp, their presence made aware to the Omatikaya by the familiar echoes of the horns. It felt as if they had never left as crowds of Na'vi and humans alike formed a crescent around the landing zone, calling out for Toruk Makto and their returning friends. Jake leaps off Bob's back before the ikran can even touch ground, marching forward even as Max takes his time to safely land the gunship.
Neytiri seems just as eager, leaping off her own mountain banshee as her eyes land on the one face she had been desperate to see, feeling like a child again, "Ma sa'nok!"
Mo'at doesn't wait for her daughter to come to her. Instead, the old tsahik is uncharacteristically running to Neytiri as well, meeting her halfway and embracing her child as tightly as she could. Both women began to sob the moment they were reunited at last, both relieved to see one another and sharing the grief of a loss they had not gotten to share.
Jake sees a familiar face parting from the crowd and walking up to him, but doesn't waste time with greetings, "Tell me something good, Norm."
"Tarsem sent out a search party hours ago once Tivek and Kayla didn't make it to the rendezvous," Spellman, in his avatar form, reports as he and a few other familiar faces surround Jake: Tarsem, Jocelyn, Txe'la, and Meui.
"And?"
The new and young olo'eyktan looks as if he was channeling his grief into anger, "That demon shot Tivek's ikran down and left my friend to fall to his death after taking Makaylasully."
Norm solemnly nods while further explaining to Jake, "Tivek and the ikran's bodies were recovered. No sign of Kayla."
Jake's jaw tightens, trying his best to keep his face blank of emotions, apart from giving Tarsem a squeezing hand on his shoulder in a silent apology for his loss.
He looks down at the female scientist present among the circle, "Do we know if he took her to Bridgehead?"
Jocelyn shook her head, "It's not mentioned in any of their transmissions."
"That doesn't mean anything," Jake pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment before looking around at his gathered allies, "So... what happened? Give me the rundown."
"Scouts spotted Quaritch and his ikran surveying the Mountains a few days ago."
"Did Kayla know about this?"
"She did and made me swear not to tell you," Norm replies, "She wanted you to just forget about it and worry more about your family."
Jake's furrowed brow deepens while he hastily looks around at the cave, "So, how did he find High Camp? Why haven't you relocated?"
"Because I don't think Quaritch actually knows our location. He just had an idea of where to look, and since he's traveling by ikran, our scanners never picked him up, and he likely just mapped out the area since scanners are useless up here."
Max, who finally joins the group after landing the gunship, cuts into the conversation, "It's likely why he flushed us out before going after Kayla. Once we left the nest, he swooped in and grabbed her."
Ronal and Tonowari had cautiously followed Max from the gunship but did not join Jake's group of allies, the male Metkayina carrying Kayla's avatar in his arms. They both look around, catching every pair of eyes that look at them, the Omatikaya walking around and giving the reef Na'vi a wide berth. The cave floor is cold beneath their wide feet, their bright colors dampened by the surrounding dark and rock walls. It is clear they were out of place, and they both felt it, being observed like strange new creatures.
The crowds of Omatikaya part ways for their tsahik, and both Ronal and Tonowari lay eyes on Mo'at, closely followed by her daughter. They note how Neytiri stood taller among the other Omatikaya, her movements loose and less defensive, her eyes tracking them in a way that could make anyone feel as if they were trespassing.
"My mother," Neytiri introduced the Metkayina leaders to the older Na'vi woman standing beside her, "Mo'at, the tsahik of the Omatikaya."
Mo'at and Ronal share similar greetings, while Tonowari could only nod with his arms still occupied holding Kayla. Mo'at's eyes dart to the unconscious avatar immediately, stepping before Tonowari and barely blinking at the intimidating height difference. Her hands press against Kayla's face, inspecting her with methodical fingers.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn's attention is brought to her datapad, looking down at it and looking back up at Jake, "We got something."
All Na'vi, avatar, and human eyes land on her, and she quickly explains, "One of our motion sensors at Hell's Gate was just triggered."
Max gently takes the datapad from Jocelyn's hands, furiously typing something while the others speak around him. Tarsem does not look convinced.
"Could be anything. Could be an animal."
"But it would make sense," all eyes turn back to Jake as realization dawns on his face, his gaze quickly looking around, "Let me see a map?"
The group moves into the war tent, where Norm is able to project a large map of known Pandora landscapes in the center of their circle. Max remains distracted on his datapad while Jake moves around the map using the controls.
"Hell's Gate is just east of the Muku River... and didn't you say that you lost Kayla's radio signal halfway to the rendezvous point? It's a bit of a stretch... but Hell's Gate is a helluva lot closer to those coordinates than Bridgehead."
While it's logical, Norm is still cautious, "But we don't know if it's Quaritch."
Max makes a victorious sound when he discovers something on his screen, "Except that I'm also monitoring Ardmore's radio chatter and just received this-"
The volume of the datapad is turned up as all ears tune in to a two-way radio conversation, both voices very distinct and recognizable.
"Colonel. You better have a good explanation as to why you haven't reported back since losing your team."
"Had to go radio silent so the enemy didn't detect my signal. 'Sides, the mountains kept scrambling what little instruments I had left."
"The Hallelujah Mountains? I hope to hear some good news."
"I got more than good news for you, General. I got a highly valuable prisoner for you. I got your missing corporal. Makayla Sully."
"... Switch to a private channel, Colonel."
The signal is abruptly cut off, and Max winced when he was unable to recover more, "Damn. Lost it."
"Shit," Jake flinched, "Ardmore was supposed to be kept on believing Kayla was dead."
"Now that she knows, she's likely gonna want to interrogate her."
"Meaning that she'll likely order Quaritch to bring her to Bridgehead."
"If that's the case, then our window to extract Kayla before that happens is closing in," Jake immediately turns to two of the Na'vi men in the corner of the pod, "Txe'la, Meui, you will scout ahead."
While they respect Toruk Makto, Txe'la and Meui wait until Tarsem nods with approval before they start to move. Jocelyn watches them leave with concern in her eyes, hidden behind the glare of her breathing mask when she turns back to Jake.
"And then what? We move in once they report back?"
"As long as Quaritch stays in Hell's Gate, we'll have a better chance at grabbing Kayla before he transports her to Bridgehead. Let's gather any warrior willing to fly with us. Even if Quaritch is just one guy, I'm not taking any chances."
Jake's eyes meet the avatar standing across from him, "Norm, while I lure Quaritch out, I need you and Max to go in there to get Kayla."
"Jakesully." All eyes turn to the opening of the war tent, and Jocelyn has to move several steps back so as not to crane her neck up to the tallest Na'vi she has ever seen. Tonowari practically took up the whole archway of the tent, no longer carrying Kayla's avatar form that he had left in the care of the tsahiks.
His blue eyes meet Jake's yellow with a firm expression, "I will join you."
Jake's brows furrow, searching Tonowari's face as if he had grown another nose. It doesn't help that the suspicion brewing in Jake's gut regarding the Metkayina clan leaders continues to grow. After a moment, he simply shook his head, repeating similar words Tonowari once said to him, "Your skills are useless here. Unless you have an ikran, you won't be able to attack from the sky."
Tonowari's emotions remain firm and unwavering, "Then I will attack from the ground. I have legs."
It almost would've been comical to see Tonowari's sarcastic side if it weren't for the circumstances. Sully opens his mouth to argue further, only for Norm to step in.
"Jake." Norm waits until Sully's eyes meet his, "Max might be more useful raining down on the gunship. I'll need someone with me watching my back while I grab Kayla."
It's... logical to some extent but still not imperative. From a marine's point of view, Tonowari still holds a disadvantage as he has not yet experienced the inside of a human base, even if said base was supposedly abandoned. But then, from a Na'vi and a leader's point of view, Tonowari feels responsible for someone he claims as a part of his people.
However, Jake had a sinking feeling that this had nothing to do with Tonowari's duties as Olo'eyktan.
Looking over at Norm, the scientist is already looking at him the same way Neytiri had been earlier, as if Jake was supposed to be grasping something he didn't see that was swinging in front of him. It was starting to feel irritating that apparently everyone appeared to know something he did not... but he knew that his injured pride wouldn't help the situation.
He takes a slow, deep breath, then nods in defeat, "Alright. Tonowari is ground team."
~~~~~~~~~
At this point, Kayla's torture progresses. The Recoms have reverted to methods she lists off in her head as her own way of dissing the Marines for not being creative and doing everything by the book. Once they got tired of her sarcastic replies, they started shouting, which quickly led to beating her when they got bored with that, too. They were always striking around her abdomen, her skin prickling from feeling so vulnerable and exposed with her arms strung up over her head. She knows they were still holding back. They weren't using their full Na'vi-like strength, or else she would've been dead by now. The waterboarding came later, closer to what she assumed was nighttime, as the room had gotten colder. When they realized Kayla was strangely talented in holding her breath, they moved on to starvation and sleep deprivation, all the while leaving her in the wet clothes as the temperature slowly dropped.
She wasn't even capable of hugging her own arms to warm them, teeth chattering with stuttered breaths while her restraints rattled with every violent shiver. Determination to wait out their tactics was the only thing keeping her from giving in. Two things can happen if she waits. Either the Omatikaya will rescue her, or Ardmore shows up, and all torturing will cease before the general comes up with a more effective method.
"Eagle's landed," Wainfleet reports when he and Mansk return.
Speak of the Devil and she shall appear.
Quaritch scoffs while glaring down at Kayla, taking a couple of breaths through his oxygen mask, "Maybe the general will get better results. Cut 'er down."
The pained groan that escapes Kayla's throat is triggered by the feeling of her arms finally being brought down from hanging over her head, muscles burning beneath the skin as Mansk brings her down from the ceiling. She's back on her feet for all of two seconds before Kayla's swarmed by two RDA soldiers the moment they pile into the room. Sky People. They grab both of her arms and drag her backwards, leaving her to stumble and unable to struggle as her arms begin to feel prickly while they regain feeling. She's on her back, restrained to the metal slab once more, while more soldiers and people in lab coats file in, most of them carrying heavy machinery and equipment in their arms. No one even looks at her as they get to work on setting up shop right away.
The stream of humans filing into the room dwindles, Kayla's eyes watching the door and unable to help that small churn of dread in her gut when General Ardmore walks in from around the corner. She looked the same as always, with a tight face, hair, and attire. Not a single imperfection in sight. Kayla gets a more face-to-face view of her former boss when a labcoat approaches her restraints and fiddles with the controls, raising the metal slab Kayla was lying on using hydraulics, then tilting it upward a little until Kayla's more vertical than horizontal.
Ardmore waits until the hydraulics come to a complete stop before addressing her captive, cold eyes barely blinking while staring into Kayla's, "You failed to mention you were a turncoat, Corporal."
Kayla's face briefly twitches with irritation before letting out a scoff, "Yeah, well, you failed to mention my brother wasn't actually dead."
She glares around at all the people and the equipment slowly coming together to form a massive machine, "So what was it, then? Did you recruit me to lure him out, or was I just plain irresistible?"
Ardmore breathed a laugh, but there was no humor in it, "Perhaps you're not as perceptive as the colonel says you are. It's true. You're not special or the soldier I claimed to need for the Avatar Program. You don't even fit the qualifications to drive an avatar, much like your brother. Jake Sully is a threat to mankind's continued existence on Pandora, so I thought that possibly waving his only living relative in front of his nose would bait him out. It wasn't personal."
"Nothing's personal for you," Kayla agrees while her eyes briefly dart to Quaritch standing in the corner, "Can't say the same about your present company."
"The Recoms are relentless because of their drive for revenge. They'll ensure Jake's capture or expected death by any means necessary. It's why they're reliable."
"And yet, there's only..." she makes a point of looking around, "Three of them left?"
Ardmore thinly smiles, "We can make more avatars. 'Money isn't exactly an issue for me."
"Hm. I take it Amrita really pays the bills, then," Kayla comments offhandedly.
"So you do know about that. I wondered."
Ardmore begins circling Kayla's metal slab like a shark, and the latter tries to look unfazed by this as she comments, "Could spend those millions of dollars on rehousing humanity on some other planet, yet you're wasting it on brewing more assholes in a lab."
"It would prove efficient if our lab results prove that humanity can withstand long-term neural links between their bodies and their avatars."
Ardmore paused her small rant just as she stopped right in front of Kayla, her head slowly tilting back in her captive's direction, "Speaking of which-"
The general moves fast, her arm a blur, but Kayla feels the impact in her own stomach, used like a punching bag. She groans and leans forward, unable to curl her arms or legs around herself to protect her vital organs, wheezing from the air getting knocked out of her. Ardmore doesn't even have to straighten her uniform as she gracefully regains her posture, her fist returning to her side, "Millions of dollars wasted on your avatar, on all that research, only for you to abandon ship and take all of those answers with you-"
Kayla sucks in a sharp breath of air, and it burns her lungs, "'Thought you said money wasn't an issue for you?"
"-Answers that could potentially benefit human life here on Pandora." Ardmore leans closer, hovering near Kayla's face while lowering her voice, "Don't you owe it to the innocent human lives back home? Shouldn't you have a god-given responsibility to ensure humanity's survival?"
Quaritch's tail flicks in Kayla's peripheral view, the corporal throwing in his own two cents with a more solemn tone, "They need that research, Sully."
The struggle to find air freezes in time. Slowly, Kayla's pained expression morphs into a glare now pitted against the Recom in the corner, "If what you said about Tommy is true, then I don't owe any of you fucks a single thing. You talk about betrayal and failed to mention that you sons of bitches were the first ones to stab Jake and me in the back!"
"In Tommy's back, technically."
Quaritch might have well have just let go of the leash with the way Kayla tries fighting and thrashing against her restraints, snarling and shouting as if she were feral and ready to tear his throat out.
"General," a labcoat waves to Ardmore, "Primed and ready."
Ardmore sternly nods before her cold eyes dart back to Kayla, "It doesn't matter whether or not you think mankind deserves retribution. We'll get what we want out of you, traitor."
Kayla feels her restraints briefly tremble as a group of scientists pulls her metal slab backward until it fits directly below a machine that looms over her head. Once her captive was looking up at it, Ardmore explained the imposing piece of technology.
"This here is the NeuroSect. Originally, it was designed to be a medical device to monitor brain activity and detect cancer cells, but we've since utilized it to extract intel. It's one hundred percent lethal when someone is subjected to it for hours due to exposure to radiation. It could potentially cause brain damage at best, and death at worst."
Kayla's throat tightens, a brief memory of how Spider described the device they used to torture him chillingly matches the device surrounding her head like an oversized halo, comprised of a very delicate rotary imaging array and glowing green as a labcoat presses a button to turn it on.
"Typically, one could use this to look into a patient's dreams if they're asleep," Ardmore continues, "But I want results, and to do that, I need conscious individuals, so we fashioned these eye guards for the machine."
Before she could blink, an overly large blue hand pushed and pressed Kayla's head back against the cold slab, nearly encompassing her whole head in Quaritch's palm. Kayla is almost tempted to thrash enough to possibly try biting him before another scientist moves to the other side of her and places a mask-like restraint over her eyes.
Ardmore nods approvingly, "The guards around the eyes shock the muscles in your face, causing them to freeze up and forcing your eyelids to stay open. Hardly anyone can withstand this fine piece of machinery. Using radiation, it uses invasive mapping of one's prefrontal cortex, which a human being uses to process visuals. Words can be said in order to extract intel from a given subject."
Kayla tries to blink, but a soft buzz pricks at the skin around her eyes, leaving her lids to freeze against her control. She swallows thickly as her eyes move to Ardmore, almost in disbelief at just how cruel this other woman can be, "You strapped a kid to this?"
"Like I said: hardly anyone can withstand this. The kid was an exception," Ardmore gave a small expression of intrigue. "He was remarkably resilient to its effects. My scientists would love to get their hands on his brain again sometime."
Kayla's mouth tightens, gritting her teeth behind her lips before stiffly attempting to glare at Quaritch, "The people you're loyal to torture children for information. I wouldn't go wasting your breath trying to defend them."
Ardmore purposely stands in front of Quaritch, blocking Kayla's line of sight to him as more scientists go around inspecting the machine as it runs to ensure it's working, "Just form a thought, and we will see it. It shouldn't be hard for you."
The machine starts whirring, slowly at first before gradually picking up speed, blinding lights flashing over her vision. Over and over. It was nauseating, and the worst part about it was not being able to close her eyes. It was a nightmare she couldn't wake from.
Just to try and shake out her fear into something tough, Kayla takes quick, hurried breaths before spitting, "Kiss the darkest part of my a--"
Pain stabs through Kayla's skull before she can finish her sentence. Searing, indescribable pain. She was fairly certain Neytiri could drive an arrow through her head, and it would hurt less. At least an arrow would be quicker. A cry of agony escapes her lips without meaning to, followed by groans as she tries to fight the invasion in her head, gritting her teeth.
Unable to close her eyes, she's forced to memorize the small grin Ardmore expressed, "Where's your brother, Corporal?"
~~~~~~~~~
He felt like he was trespassing, even after all this time, like it was the one place he never felt like he truly belonged.
The Tree of Souls glowed beautifully over Jake's head, as bright as ever. It was strange to think about how much has changed in all these years. People were born, or people had died. Nature grew stronger or weaker, mainly around the time the Sky People left and then came back, yet the tree remained the same.
He knelt at the foot of it, head bowed in shame, while he hesitantly spoke, "I need some help... again."
He slowly pulls his tswin braid out from behind his back, bringing the tendrils up to the nearest glowing vine that still reminds him of fiber optics to this day, and letting them intertwine, "Show me how I can save my sister. Give me some sort of sign... please."
The sentience of the tree was quiet, and yet the wind through the vines sounded like soft whispers, woodsprites gracefully dancing over Jake's head. He struggled to wait, his ears perked up at all times to try and catch the faintest of words, but nothing came of it. There was no time to wait for hours on end. Kayla's window was still closing in, and Jake wanted to be ready to leave the second Txe'la and Meui returned. He sighed heavily and started to lift his knees up from the ground before the vine his braid was entangled with began to glow brighter than all the rest. Jake stumbled back to his knees, feeling as if the wind was knocked out of him, his pupils struggling to focus. The ground is pulled out from underneath him, and his vision tunnels down into something he was familiar with.
He was pulled into a memory, only it wasn't like the ones of Neteyam he often sought when visiting the Cove of the Ancestors.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed once he woke up in the VA hospital in Venezuela. He'd guess it was about a week before they transferred him to a location closer to home, back overseas. It had been months since he last set foot on American soil... and now he would never be able to physically do so again.
The only comfort he had at the time was those weird dreams he had; dreams of flying over jungle trees he didn't recognize, so fast he could never take the time to truly study them. Unfortunately, sooner or later, he always had to wake back up.
The hospital they transferred him to was cleaner, but old. Jake ignored the fact that the morgue where his folks' bodies were carried in was just three floors below his room. He wasn't there for a full twenty-four hours before Tommy was racing in as if coming to rescue his twin. When Jake made a quiet joke that at least people would be able to tell the two of them apart now, neither of them laughed.
The brothers exchanged small talk once Tommy settled into the foldable chair in the corner, avoiding the elephant in the room for the time being. Jake asked about Avatar training, to which Tommy mentioned making a new friend named Nate or Norm and how they were both learning the Na'vi language together.
"It's very complex and tedious. Norm's a bit too formal with the words," Tom huffed a small breath of laughter. He looked as though he had come here straight from work, in his ironed button-up shirt and nicest pair of jeans he owned, his short hair gelled and parted off to the side. Jake no longer had the heart to call him a nerd, especially when being a nerd helped him make an honest living.
Tom hadn't noticed Jake's eyes straying away from him and continued to chuckle absently, "He's convinced the Na'vi are royalty and so very articulate."
"Hm," in typical Jake fashion, he wasn't quite grasping what his brother was saying anymore, always eventually drowning Tom's ramblings once they'd gotten too long. Jake's gaze focused solely on the door of his room when he heard faint voices talking right outside, likely two doctors contemplating an upcoming surgery together.
"Any idea how long I'll be here?" He changed the subject, finally addressing what they'd both been thinking.
Tom looked up and followed his gaze to the door, his light attitude sobering a little as he explained what he was told over the phone before coming here, "Doctor said it'll be a slow recovery. Lots of meds and physical therapy. They'll let me bring you home once your arms are strong enough to... to..."
Jake stiffly nods with deep, ghostly eyes, practically glaring at his legs covered beneath the typical hospital blankets, "To push the wheels of my sweet new ride."
"At least you're alive, Jake."
Tom hadn't even hesitated to say it, which only meant he had likely been rehearsing it in his head in case the conversation finally curved to this part. Jake simply scoffed and moved his eyes to glare back at the door, wanting to will someone to walk in so he didn't have to feel his twin's watchful gaze practically digging through his skull.
One glance at the clock and Jake changes the subject once more, "Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be picking Kay up?"
Something akin to dread drops in his stomach when he notices the way Tom subtly shifts in his chair as if uncomfortable, "She's on her way right now."
Jake sucks in a sharp breath, "Why'd you tell her where I was, Tom?"
A shadow passes over the scientist's eyes, "Because she was told at school that her brother was blown up. I needed to reassure her over the phone that you were still alive."
"I don't want her to see me like this."
Tom scoffs, "You can't hide from her for the rest of her life."
It was something the marine heavily debated while anxiously awaiting his baby sister to arrive. She was... what, seventeen now? He nearly felt sick at the thought of it, realizing he had missed her birthday since he was stationed in an active war zone, where time and date were hard to keep track of.
"Did she have a party?"
"She... kinda rebelled a little and went out with her friends instead. 'Said that it wouldn't be the same anyway. She was really hoping you'd be home by then."
Jake opened his mouth to make a snide remark before a commotion was heard outside and the door to his room was sent flying open, rattling the hinges. Jake clenched his jaw at the sight of Kayla. Nothing about her had changed. Ripped-up jeans, a hoodie, and a side braid that Jake could've sworn was only to her shoulders, now it was near her stomach. The respiratory mask she had painted her favorite comic book character on the front now dangled around her neck as she came storming in with her backpack over one shoulder, out of breath and with panicked eyes, mascara smudging down her cheeks as fresh tears formed the moment her gaze landed on the figure sitting up in bed.
Her backpack was sent sliding across the floor as she bolted to the bed, arms outstretched, as a sob escaped her throat, "Jake!"
He braced for impact, and she managed to constrict her arms around his neck, using that momentum to climb up onto the bed and hold her brother close. She was shaking drastically, crying into his shoulder as all of the panic and uncertainty that she had felt on the way here finally drained out.
Jake forces himself to relax and softly pats her shoulder, a small flicker of a smile briefly appearing over his mouth, "Hey, kiddo."
She hiccups, "I thought you were gone--"
"I'm okay," he's quick to stomp down her dark thoughts, despite having uncertainties of his own. Jake doesn't hesitate to change the subject once more when it feels as if the pity in Tom's eyes would suffocate him, "It's gonna be okay. How'd ya get here?"
Kayla takes a moment to catch her breath and relax, pulling out of the hug to wipe her tears and smudged makeup out of her eyes, "Train."
He gives her a sharp eye, "We talked about this."
Tom finally pitches in with a small huff, "She was fine, Jake."
Jake's narrowed eyes fix on his twin from across the room, "You're supposed to be going with her."
"How? I have training nearly fifteen hours a day. I'm already gone by the time she has to get up for school, and she's already home before I clock out at the end of the day."
The fact that Jake is one to talk when he's been gone for months hangs heavy over the air. No one says it, but they're all thinking about it. He's no better when it comes to providing for his sister. However, no one wants to mention his deployment since now it looks as though he won't have to worry about leaving ever again.
Regardless, Kayla rolls her eyes, a typical teenager who thinks she's fully grown, while grasping Jake's hand, "I have the taser you got me. And the knife. And the pepper spray."
She then wavers, unable to help the way she looks at him with big, concerned eyes, "Are you going to be okay?"
He tensed, his expression flat along with his voice, "I lost my legs."
"But... but they can help with enhancements, right? Physical therapy?"
Tom takes a deep breath and shakes his head, "Our insurance won't cover it, Kayla."
"Bullshit! His insurance should cover it," she hissed while whipping her eyes over to her other brother, then returning to Jake, "You lost the mobility in your legs while on active duty!"
"It's not as cheap as prosthetics," Jake explained, even though his gut churned, "We're talking about enhancements that would revive dying tissue and nerves. We're talking about something as big as helping me walk again. They won't cover it. I was hardly useful to them before, and I still wouldn't be useful if they helped me now."
No one denied his statement, but it still hung heavy in the air, the slow realization that this would be Jake's life now, forever changed in one of the worst-case scenarios aside from death... a part of Jake wondered if death would've been easier.
Kayla, unaware of Jake's thoughts taking a dark turn, tried to smile, her eyes casting over at the wheelchair in the corner of the room, "... At least the ladies will love you."
Jake scoffed, his thoughts momentarily forgotten as he shoved her face away, "Whatever. I was always able to pull more chicks than you, kid. Always have, always will."
Light surrounds the edge of his vision, and Jake is gently pulled out of that memory, his eyes blinking to adjust to the soft glow of Eywa's beauty. However, he doesn't feel fulfilled or satisfied with his answer, slowly breaking his connection to the Spirit Tree while staring down at the ground with disappointment.
"Ma Jake?"
His ears flick in the direction of Neytiri as she approaches, his eyes remain fixed to the ground, "... I don't know why she showed me that memory."
"Then think. Our Great Mother wouldn't have shown you if it wasn't for a reason."
He grimaced, "All I saw was a reminder. The reason why I'm a terrible brother."
A soft touch against his cheek guides him to look at his woman, one of her fingers gently tracing the imperfections on his cheek. Neytiri bore pity in her eyes while her voice grew gentle, "Even if Makayla thought that, she still loves you."
Jake doesn't agree nor argue since he didn't have the energy to fight. A small scoff escapes him, "You sound like Ronal and Tonowari. Using her first name so formally."
Silence follows, though he didn't expect her to entertain his attempt at lightening the mood. She knew him well enough to know that it was just his method of reflecting. Jake watched something cross through Neytiri's eyes. Contemplation. Hesitation. It was as if she wasn't sure whether or not to speak her mind, but in the end, her husband's ignorance is what convinced her that he needed to be bluntly told instead of hinted at.
"Ma Jake. They are not saying 'Makayla.' They are saying Ma Kayla."
Jake's eyes briefly squint, his mouth opening to retort that they both sound the same, but then... there it was. Neytiri watched as his face morphed into realization, and she couldn't help but faintly smile as she explained, "They are pxey mates. It is rare but not unheard of. Sometimes a mated pair brings a third or fourth into their tsaheyl si, or more than two individuals fall into it all at once. Sometimes, two pairs of mates become four."
His mouth opens and shuts multiple times like a fish, almost too stunned to make a sound. He looked at his wife with disbelief as if she had grown a second head. His initial thought was to shoot down her observation because how does that make sense? Then, slowly, he recalls all of the signs that he had caught just within these past twenty-four hours. The Metkayina clan leaders' concern for his sister, the way they speak her name, or are quick to volunteer in bringing her back. The most obvious sign was their scents that he remembered catching on Kayla's form.
He swallows thickly, "... I didn't know that."
It was almost a shocking scene to see Neytiri grin so smugly, "I did not want you getting any bright ideas. Toruk Makto is mine and mine alone."
Laughter startles them both when it escapes Jake's lungs, the sound so foreign after these trying few months. Jake beamed at his woman as if she held the stars for him, stepping closer until he pressed his forehead to hers, "You're the only one for me."
"I know," Neytiri whispers into the small space between them, her eyes sparkling with contempt, "But your sister belongs to two."
Two. That shouldn't come off as strange to him. It wasn't uncommon for polyamory relationships back on Earth, and Jake had even been friends with those who actively practiced it. It's just another thing to wonder where they all might be now in life and if they're doing well. He could use their advice right about now on the amount of trouble his sister had found herself in.
"Yeah, okay," he sighs heavily, "But did it have to be with the clan leaders of the Metkayina?"
Neytiri gives him an amused look, her reply lost to the wind as a shout from afar drowns it out, "Jake!"
Both he and Neytiri whip their heads around to the hillside leading down to the roots of the Spirit Tree. Norm emerges from that hillside, looking rushed and on a mission, "The scouts are back."
~~~~~~~~~
It's hot.
Nauseatingly hot. The spin of the scanner made her dizzy and short of breath, all the while, the heat of the machine bearing down on her metal slab nearly mimicked a stovetop. Kayla thought she was being cooked alive from the inside out, starting with her brain. They have been at this for a couple of hours now, her throat now raw from screaming, too sore to make any noises louder than a whine. She had dug her nails into the palms of her hands from clenching them into fists too hard, dried blood caking beneath them, while she tried to fight the searing pain in her head.
"Where is Jake?" Ardmore continues to demand firmly.
She focuses more on how she feels rather than the general's questions. She's sore and bruised and warm, her eyes nearly rolling back into her head when she's unable to shield them from the spinning light. The labcoats are somewhere behind Kayla, analyzing a protruding hologram of her brain scan activity, murmuring to one another as they debate. With none of them exclaiming that they've found the information, Ardmore continues to verbally drill into Kayla's head.
"I asked you a question, Corporal."
Corporal. That's her. Corporal Makayla Sully of Earth. Focus on that.
"Corporal."
Focus.
"Corporal-"
On that.
Her vision blurs and grows spotted with dots. If her head hadn't already been secured to the table, it would've rolled to the side when she blacked out, her last thought being what would happen to her human soul if she died on Pandora.
Instead of an answer, she's brought to a location. Kayla blinks, confused, while looking around and then down at herself when she realizes she is no longer restrained. While inspecting herself, she took note of the grass beneath her feet.
It was yellow.
"Let's go. We're Oscar Mike."
Her head shoots up, heart leaping in her chest when she feels her fight or flight instinct kick in. Her body betrays her and stands perfectly still as a group of soldiers walks past her, unaware of her presence. Kayla briefly wondered if she recognized that voice, then her eyes drifted to the front of the formation, and her heart dropped to realize it was her voice.
The Kayla in front of her stood stiff and firm, her impassive expression aging her beyond her years. She wasn't looking directly at Kayla, but rather ahead to where she and her garrison were marching. She was wearing her utility uniform as if ready for battle at any second, complete with the rolled-up sleeves and boots she had forgotten all about ever since becoming accustomed to life on Pandora. Beneath her utility cover cap that barely shielded her eyes, her long hair was pulled into a tight bun and stayed in place with gel.
Looking around, Kayla finally recognized the place she had herself dreaming about. She remembered being stationed at this place for several weeks and recalled slowly growing crazy, seeing the dead grass stretch for miles from all sides of their base of operations. The sky always looked hazy here, and sported the same dead, yellow colors as the grass. The Kayla in uniform looks left and right while stationing her garrison to stand straight in their assigned position, waiting for their commanding officer to arrive.
Watching herself in her marine element, Kayla couldn't help but pity the woman in front of her. This was the woman who believed that by joining the military, there was hope for her to eventually be shipped out to Pandora. This was the woman who still hoped of seeing her brother again.
The general... what was his name again? Paublo? Pedro-? Her superior officer finally made his appearance, stepping out of the base and crossing the yard to meet the garrison. With him was a uniformed man, taller and aged, while he kept his cap tucked under his arm.
"Sully." Her general addressed.
The voice itself triggered a memory, and slowly, Kayla began to watch this scene with panic in her eyes.
No, no, no. Not here. Anywhere else but here. Somewhere else--
The Kayla in uniform steps out of formation and salutes, but her general looks solemn, hesitating for a moment before stiffly nodding his head. "At ease, Corporal. The rest of you are dismissed."
Kayla sucks in a sharp breath while watching her garrison march off in perfect formation, faces of men and women she used to fight alongside, and now hardly remembers their names. These were faces of people she considered family because it was the only way to survive out there, and now they're just a distant memory. Her eyes dart back to her past self, her gut churning uncomfortably. This girl had no idea what was about to hit her.
Her general motions to the officer standing next to him, "Sully. This here is Sergeant Roberts. He... has some news for you."
Kayla's eyes expectedly turn to Roberts as she has to relive one of the worst moments of her life. Past Kayla patiently waited as the officer rolled his lips and spoke in a deep and low voice. It almost sounded sympathetic.
"As a representative of the Marine Corps, it is a heavy honor to inform you that your brother, Corporal Jake Sully of the United States Marine Corps First Reconnaissance Battalion, was killed in action on the front lines of the war on Pandora, August 23rd, 2154. He was killed in the midst of a conflict between our troops and the moon's indigenous lifeforms. I wish to express my deepest sympathies for your loss."
Kayla watches herself receive the news with pity. The woman in uniform remains frozen both in body and face for several moments as if the news had not yet sunk in. Then, there's a faint twitch of the eyebrows. Kayla knows what's going on in her own head. It was fighting her on what to do and say. Should she keep up appearances in front of her superior officer? Should she react like a human?
In the end, Kayla's voice comes out small and unsure as she finally blinks, "... Okay. Thank you. Um-- May I be excused?"
Her general nods, "Of course. Dismissed."
Kayla watches herself stiffly march away, but she knows her pace is much faster than what was technically regulated. She was retreating to the base, but didn't go inside. Instead, she vanished from view behind the building where she knew no one would see her. Kayla didn't have to follow her to know what was about to happen. Her grief will come out ugly and unhealthy. She'll scream and lash out... resulting in her with a broken hand and arm when she inevitably slams her fist into the brick building.
The view changes, and Kayla finds herself standing in much healthier, kept grass. Looking around, her throat tightens at the sight of the gravestones lining up and down rows by the hundreds. Looking down, she sees a fresh grave right at her feet, where a new marble stone has been placed, but not a body. After all, there was nothing to bury.
Kayla looks up to see herself standing right in front of her, eyes sunken in and face pale, but otherwise as smooth and as firm as the stone she was glaring down at. She now wore her formal service uniform, and her right arm was sporting a new cast in a navy blue sling that stood out among her khaki attire. The service had just ended, and everyone else had packed up and left. Tucked under Past Kayla's left arm was a folded-up flag meant to resemble her dead brother's service for this country and, ultimately, this world. She barely even blinked as she stared down at the grave, carved with Jake's name and now placed right at home beside Tommy's and their parents. Too busy staring at the stone that refused to give her comfort, she failed to acknowledge another officer approaching her, dressed in the appropriate attire for a fallen soldier's funeral, despite never knowing the deceased.
Kayla glares at the Past Ardmore as the general stood beside her grieving self, hardly missing a beat with her proposal, "Do you want to avenge your brother's death?"
Perhaps she was too lost in thought, but eventually, Past Kayla's brows furrowed, and then she turned to the stranger standing beside her, searching for clarification, "What?"
"I can help with that," the woman continues, keeping her hands behind her back since both of Kayla's were not available to shake, "General Frances Ardmore. I'll be the lead military personnel on the next flight out to Pandora."
Kayla nods absently to acknowledge the woman's status, but is too tired to put up a persona that cares. Her voice was rough and uncaring, full of sarcasm, "Good luck with that, General. From what I heard, you're going to need it."
"I don't need luck, Corporal. I need heads like yours," Ardmore gestures to the grave at their feet with her head, "The last of your family is dead. There's nothing left for you here now."
Kayla visibly breathes in deep, exhaling tiredly while the general continued, "What I'm offering is a chance to have some good old-fashioned revenge, along with a new planet to call home. You can start over... but only if you say yes. Help me build a better world for our species, and I can help you bring the lifeforms responsible for your brother's death to justice."
The wheels were visibly turning in her head despite the grim look on her face. Past Kayla glares ahead of her at nothing, but the Kayla who was looking back at her still felt uneased by it, as if she could see her future self. For several long moments, no one says anything until Past Kayla exhales through her nose, "Just how dangerous is this place?"
A flicker of amusement flashes in Ardmore's thin smile, "More dangerous than any tours you've done on this planet, I assure you."
"And we're gonna try to make it our new home?"
"With your help, it could be possible. Our shuttle leaves in a few days. I'll need your answer before then."
Ardmore produces a small card from her pocket and slips it into Kayla's cast before walking away. Kayla stares down at the card for some time, then glances back at the grave. The Kayla watching this memory already knows what the other is thinking. It's not a hard decision. She would rather die than visit this grave ever again.
She doesn't need to see what happens next, remembering how she impulsively cut her hair short right before she took a bag to the shuttle the day of departure. Instead of going into cryosleep like the majority of the flight crew, Kayla was ordered by a doctor to remain conscious so her broken arm would heal before they arrived on Pandora. She took that time to read, flipping through books on Na'vi culture and languages, including one written by Dr. Grace Augustine, who managed to make Kayla exhale a laugh with a few of her jabs at men's stupidity. While it wasn't much to go off of, Kayla tried teaching herself the language one syllable at a time. Once her radius bone had healed and her knuckles were no longer swollen, it was time for some physical therapy to regain her muscle strength. For the first year of their flight to Pandora, Kayla remained awake and mobile until she was given the all-clear to enter cryo, unaware of what her destination would mean for her future.
One moment, she was waking up, orbitting around Pandora, then the next, she was walking around in her new avatar body, reuniting with Jake despite not recognizing him at first. Kayla looks back at the memory and doesn't regret hugging her brother instead of punching him like she initially wanted to. She tries to hang onto that memory of the only and last time she hugged her brother... because there was probably never going to be another opportunity ever again.
~~~~~~~~~
Kayla wakes, and the first thing she notes is that she's not dead, but she almost wishes that she was. Her eyeballs burned from being held open, and not only was the NeuroSect still running, but the labcoats were in her face and shining small flashlights in her eyes to wake her up.
"Test subject is conscious again."
"Alright," Ardmore looked as if she hadn't moved a muscle since Kayla blacked out, eyes still narrowed at her prisoner, "Let's continue."
Kayla's eyes couldn't produce tears despite her growing anguish, dreading another round of this torture, another round of memories she didn't want to relive. She can't look away from the spinning lights, wishing they were purple instead of this sharp green so she could fool herself into thinking she was surrounded by Eywa, as crazy as it sounds.
"Rutxe."
All motion in the room stops upon the small sound, all eyes and ears fixing onto one person: Kayla.
"What was that?" Ardmore frowned.
The captive didn't look as though she heard the general, softly muttering to herself as if reciting a prayer. All the labcoats look to one another with curiosity. Had they broken this woman's mind?
"Rutxe. Eywa, rutxe," Kayla whimpered.
Finally, Ardmore realizes what's going on and turns her head up to Quaritch, "What is she saying?"
Kayla still doesn't appear to be fully aware of what was going on around her, lips quivering while gazing up at the spinning lights above her head, her throat dry as she pleads with someone who isn't there.
"Oe have nìteng nìpxay Na'vi pesu kin oe, rutxe!"
Quaritch's eyes narrow while his mind slowly interprets the language, and fortunately for him, Kayla continues to cry that same phrase over and over again, so he eventually is able to catch up. Once he's cracked the code, his posture stiffens, a weird, unsettling feeling weighing heavily on his shoulders as the words now translate to English in his head.
"I have too many people who need me, please!"
~~~~~~~~~
Txe'la and Meui return from their scouting mission with good news; at least for Jake and his rescue party. They report that instead of Quaritch taking Kayla to Bridgehead, Ardmore had brought a small convoy over to Hell's Gate.
When they list off how many men they saw, Jake still looked concerned, "Did you hear any chatter of Ardmore bringing any more men?"
"Not that we could hear."
Max raises his eyebrows at Toruk Makto, "You think she'll order another convoy to follow her?"
"She'd be exposed at Hell's Gate otherwise. It's a risky move to go to Quaritch instead of having him go to her."
Jocelyn hums in thought before nodding, "Ardmore plays by the book. Maybe she wants everyone to still believe that."
"You think she's interrogating Kayla off the record?" Norm asked.
She shrugs, "In case any of her men might get a bad taste in their mouth? I'd do the same thing if one of my officers betrayed me. I wouldn't want the rest of them to get any bright ideas."
Jake makes a faint note to never get on Jocelyn's bad side before reeling everyone in with a firm, steadfast voice, "Alright, so that means that we still have a window we need to make before Ardmore calls for reinforcements. Remember: air team distracts while ground team sneaks in, grabs Kayla, and gets out. Let's move!"
He claps his hands together, and Tarsem hollers a small war cry. The party parts in order to grab their weapons and move out. When Tonowari goes to follow Norm, he feels a strong tug on his elbow. Turning back, his eyes immediately find Ronal's as she looks up at her mate with faith and determination.
"Bring her back."
~~~~~~~~~
A/n: So as of right now, next chapter will definitely be a struggle for me since I've tried to sit down and write it multiple times, but it just never clicks. I think as we get closer to Avatar 3, I'll have motivation and a better idea on how I'll try to blend this fic into the canon events of Fire & Ash, but I think I have at least two chapters of this fic to still write before we're all caught up. Stay tuned! Thank you to all those who have been so incredibly patient and supportive.
Announcement: Check out my new fanart gallery, which provides all commissioned art for this fic!
Summary: When the Sullys moved to Awa’atlu Ao’nung thought they were weird, knew they were weird. He took a particular hatred towards the older Sully kids, Neteyam was the perfect little follower, Lo’ak was constantly in trouble, Kiri was always off in her own world, and you. Just you. You seemed to always ignore him and never talk, but what he didn’t know was it’s because you couldn’t hear him.
Word count: 4.4k
Author’s note: This is the longest oneshot I’ve written at 4.4k words and 9 1/2 google docs pages… Sign language will be normal font, and bold & italics will be spoken, although I try my best to show which is going on.
~Masterlist~
I Love You, I Trust You, I See You
When people thought of the Sully family many thought of your siblings. They thought of Lo’ak who was always a troublemaker, causing chaos everywhere he went. They thought of Kiri who seemed so in tune with her surroundings that she might as well be Eywa herself. They thought of Tuk who was the youngest, still enamored by everyday life. They thought of Neteyam, a strong leader who would someday take on the role of Olo’eyktan after your father.
They never thought of you.
You who always seemed to be in your own little world. You who never had any friends. You who never talked. You who always seemed so attentive to the world around you, yet had no desire to join it.
When you were born after your twin Neteyam, a spike of fear had run through everyone in the room when you began to cry, but no sound came out. They feared you may not be breathing right, you may need your airways cleared. They feared something was wrong, and that was true.
When your parents or siblings thought about your family, they thought about you. They thought about how funny you were, always cracking jokes when there was a chance. They thought about how kind you were, taking a moment to check on everyone daily. They thought about how different you were than most.
They thought about you. You who couldn’t hear.
You always seemed to be in your own world, and that drew many away from you, they didn’t want to be friends with someone who they didn’t think was paying attention to them, and to be fair you weren’t paying attention to people most of the time. You preferred to direct your attention to the world around you, always keeping an eye out as you couldn’t hear danger coming.
When you had been caught by Quaritch and his men you had panicked, more than everyone else at least. You didn’t know what was going on, you didn’t know what they were saying, your lip reading was not dependable, and definitely not in english.
When your siblings arms were bound you couldn’t keep yourself calm, now you had no way of communicating, they couldn’t translate for you. Tears streamed down your face, eyes closed as tight as possible to try to calm yourself by blocking out the outside world.
When you felt your captor’s grip on your release your eyes shot open, looking around at the damage around you, multiple avatars dead on the ground. Then you ran, you ran faster than ever before in the first direction you saw.
You ran and ran, eyes trained on everything around you, and when you ran into someone and they grabbed you again it was like a shock. You let out a scream, the first noise anyone had ever heard you make. A noise nobody was aware you could make.
You turned to dead weight in an attempt to get out of their grasp, panic coursing through you again as your eyes couldn’t come into focus. However, the person dropped to the ground with you, pulling your face towards them and holding it still as you tried to thrash. Then they blew air into your face, and you realized you were safe.
When you were younger you would throw temper tantrums, as children do, where you would close your eyes to refuse to listen to your parents. Not being able to see them meant no sign language, which meant no having to listen to them. However your father found one thing always worked, blowing air on your face. Your eyes would shoot open, highly offended with your mouth dropped open, before you would sign at him, “Your breath is gross.” in retaliation.
You had never been more relieved for your dad’s stupid way of getting you to listen. Your eyes finally came into focus and you calmed down seeing his face, but that calm quickly turned into crying, sobbing. You couldn’t help but let out all of the pent up emotion inside of you, but eventually you calmed down and were able to stand back up, staggering your way home with the rest of your family.
Some time later when your parents had been arguing in your family kelku you hadn’t been paying attention as your siblings were, all huddled against the wall. You had been lost in your own world once again, not wanting to know what was being said as you were still processing what had happened earlier. You didn’t need anything on top of that as you feared it would make your careful stack of emotions you had constructed come tumbling down.
They had come tumbling down though as your parents announced you were moving, leaving. Leaving everything you had ever known, your home, your grandmother, the forest you loved so much. You couldn’t help it as you cried again, being held by your mother this time.
However as you thought about it you weren’t that sad. You had always liked the water, everyone not having to hear underwater made you feel more included, more like you belonged, and you had heard the Metkayina used sign language. Maybe this would be a chance to make friends for the first time in your life. Maybe you would be able to talk to people for once, nobody at home taking the time to learn American Sign Language, as your father had called it, like your family had.
One thing you hadn't taken into account was that they used a different version of sign language, but that had become very apparent when you first jumped into the water with Tsireya, Ao’nung, and Rotxo. They used signs you had never seen before, ones you didn’t recognize. You couldn’t help but feel a little beaten down at dinner, staying quieter than usual, not signing as much.
Afterwards your dad had asked you to step outside, waving a hand towards you as he exited the marui.
He sat down on the pathway, and you knew he expected you to join him, so you did. You sat next to him with your feet dangling in the water, looking out towards the horizon, refusing to look at him so you didn't have to have a conversation.
That didn’t last long though as he poked you in the arm, causing you to look at him offended, mouth open and eyebrows raised. He took this as his chance to speak, “You okay, kid?” He signed.
You sighed deeply, fidgeting with your hands before signing, “I’m okay, dad.”
You could tell he didn’t believe you, lips pressed together in a thin line and eyebrows furrowed, “You’re less talkative. What’s wrong?” He signed, proving he didn’t think you were telling the truth.
A frown came to your face, feeling like it was permanently there after the past few days or so, but you continued, “I’m disappointed.”
He raised his eyebrows, surprise and confusion on his face, “About what?”
You looked away from his face, instead choosing to watch his hands, you didn’t want to see the pity on his face, “We don’t speak the same language. I can’t communicate. Everyone else can at least talk to each other.”
His face softened, but you didn’t see it, “It’ll be okay. You’re a fast learner, so you will learn their language quickly, then you can make friends. If anyone actually wants to be your friend.” He meant it playfully, and you saw him laugh, so jammed your elbow in his ribs.
Then the conversation was over, your mom poking her head out of the doorway and saying something to your dad. He just stood up and gave you a look like he was asking, “You good?” and you nodded, “Yes.” back in return.
After your father’s words of encouragement you decided to work harder, learn faster, determined to be able to communicate with the people around you, and a few weeks later you were excelling whereas your siblings were still struggling. They were caught up on the differences of Metkayina sign language versus ASL but you had grasped that there weren’t differences, or similarities, and you would just be learning from scratch.
Even though you were doing well at it, working your way towards being fluent, you were worried about talking to the people, mostly because of one person in particular, Ao’nung. It was as if Ao'nung was determined to ruin your siblings' lives, and yours, but you didn’t know that.
You had seen Ao’nung’s attempts to cause hell for your siblings, nagging at them, laughing at them, and even trying to start fights, with Lo’ak in particular. Him messing with your siblings made you frustrated, but you weren’t aware of the taunts meant to make you upset, and laughing that was meant to make you feel like a target coming towards you from a distance.
The bullying towards your siblings had become more and more frustrating and you had begun showing your anger at home, being rougher with things than usual, and not wanting to go outside of the shared family marui.
It had been peaceful while you and your mom had been working on dinner, but she noticed you seemed to be far off, handling the food with rougher hands, “Are you okay, (Y/n).” Neytiri signed as you placed another fish over the fire.
You rolled your eyes at her, upset she was even insinuating something was wrong. In reality there was, but you didn’t want to admit that, “Yes mama, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” She had asked back, concern on her face as she looked at you closely.
You signed, “Yes.” Trying to end the conversation, but you knew she would just keep pushing.
You saw your mom think for a moment, her face scrunching up in concentration, “Well I am not.”
You frowned more, once again feeling like it had always been there since you left the forest, “Not what?”
She was frowning too now, “I’m not sure you’re fine. I see you isolating yourself. Even from me and your father.” She grabbed your hands, squeezing them gently to show her love in a little way.
Tears welled in your eyes, frustrated tears, tears that came because with all the stress recently they were the only way your brain knew how to process, to cope.
You pulled your hands from hers to wipe at them, “I’m sorry.” was all you could say.
She wiped the tears falling down your face before saying, “Why?”
You sniffled, running your hands down your face before signing, “I see Lo’ak, Kiri, and Neteyam being picked on, and there is nothing I can do. I can’t stand up to the bullies. I can’t say anything.”
“Okay, well soon you will be able to say something. You are learning their sign language, yes? I’ve heard from your siblings you are out working them.” She smiled at you and you could really see how proud of you she was.
You couldn’t help but crack a little smile although tears still threatened to fall, “Yes, mama. I’m getting better, but I’m worried it will be too late though.”
“I’m sure you will do your best, my ‘ite.” She thought for a second, “Why don’t you go try to talk to these kids tomorrow?”
You sighed, you didn’t want to, but you knew your mom would nag you until you agreed, “Okay. Love you.”
She smiled lovingly at you, “Love you too.” before pulling you into a hug.
When tomorrow came you didn’t even want to leave your marui, but you found the strength to do so. You did some of the breathing exercises Tsireya had taught you to try to calm your nerves, and they worked for the most part, steadying you and clearing your head.
However as soon as you stepped outside your marui you regretted it, not wanting to do what you had promised to your mother, but you knew you had to eventually. Eventually, which meant you could fool around as long as you wanted beforehand, and so you decided to settle down for a quick nap on the beach.
When you laid down and closed your eyes you quickly and easily fell asleep. You were still tired from last night when you struggled to sleep from your anxious thoughts.
When the Sullys moved to Awa’atlu Ao’nung thought they were weird, knew they were weird. He took a particular hatred towards the older Sully kids, Neteyam was the perfect little follower, Lo’ak was constantly in trouble, Kiri was always off in her own world, and you. Just you. You seemed to always ignore him and never talk, but what he didn’t know was that it's because you couldn’t hear him.
Ao’nung tried to not let anything get to him, especially when it came to people he didn’t like, like the Sullys, but for some reason you, (Y/n) Sully, had peeved him more than anyone or anything else. He had grown tired of you ignoring him when he shouted or laughed at you, like you didn’t even notice he was there, tired of you flat out avoiding him sometimes as you scurried away when he tried to approach you.
Of course he knew why, he had the same intentions to bully you and make you feel unwanted in Awa’atlu as your siblings. Of course you didn’t want this so you spent most of your time avoiding him, but for some reason instead of him not caring about it, it made him want to get under your skin even more.
When the sun rose today he decided today was the day to act. Today he would confront you head on, face to face. He would make you notice him, and he would make you feel awful in the process. So he gathered his friends, his goons, and they set off to find you.
They first checked with Tsireya who was with the rest of your siblings, but you were nowhere to be found, they all insisted they hadn’t seen you. Then they combed the beach, going from one end to the other, and on the far end they found you peacefully asleep on the soft sand.
He couldn’t help but notice how cute you looked asleep and peaceful, but he quickly shook it off, shouting at you, “Wake up, freak!”
He was targeting your extra finger and the hair above your eyebrows, like he had your siblings because he knew that got to them, and hoped it would do the same to you.
When you didn’t stir he tried shouting again, assuming you were awake, but trying to act asleep to avoid him, “What is wrong with you? Do you not care or are you stupid avoiding me?”
His friends laughed at you when you still didn’t move, eyes not cracking open and your breathing staying the same, so he took the next step, trying something physical. He kicked sand up and over you and finally you stirred, sitting straight up and looking around for the source of the sand, and when you saw him your heart dropped, a lump forming in your throat.
“There we go, now you are paying attention.” He snickered.
You tried to read his lips, but he spoke too fast, and you just stayed silent. You cocked your head to the side, eyebrows drawn together in a look of confusion.
You hesitated for a second, but were about to sign something when he spoke again. “Do you not speak? A silent freak, interesting.” You still didn’t understand exactly what he was saying, but his friends all laughed at you, and although you couldn’t hear it it made you feel small.
“I’m sorry. I can not hear you.” You signed, using Metkayina sign language this time.
He scoffed, “I do not believe that. I think you just don’t want us to bother you, but here we are.” He laughed in your face.
“Please use your hands.” You tried to communicate, but they just wouldn’t listen to you.
“No.” He sneered, this you understood, one single word.
Your mouth dropped open, offense written all over it. You knew he was disrespectful, didn’t care about others feelings, but you would make him care, “I can not hear. I am deaf.”
He was about to retort against you again, but when he had been searching for you earlier that day Neteyam knew he meant trouble, so when he found you he stayed in the shadows, watching, but now Ao’nung had taken it too far.
He surged forwards, anger consuming him, “Step off bro. She can’t hear you.”
“Yeah that is what she just said.” He rolled his eyes, “I do not care though, it is better if she can not hear me. Means I can make fun of her without her knowing.” He signed the last part so you could understand.
You shrunk back, standing to hide behind Neteyam. You tugged on his arm, “It’s okay.” You signed.
“It’s not okay, (Y/n).” He rubbed a hand down his face, turning to Ao’nung, “You need to leave her alone.”
“Whatever.” Ao’nung scoffed before turning and walking away.
Now he knew why you seemed to ignore him, you just didn’t know he was talking to you. You were probably avoiding him because you didn’t know their sign language yet. He felt bad for some reason. He usually wouldn’t feel bad about his bullying but with you it felt different now knowing this.
He couldn’t show his feelings though, worried about his little group making fun of him, but he slowly started to back off of you, and your siblings some as well. Whenever one of his “friends” would ask why, he would reply something like “We can not make fun of a cripple.” and roll his eyes, still a jab at you, but less so.
At some point you became all that consumed his thoughts, on his mind at all times, and whenever he would see you with his sister, or your siblings, he would feel the need to insert himself into the conversation, but he always refrained. He wanted to talk to you, to apologize, but he feared judgment from his “friends” who are just as nasty as he was.
Eventually he couldn’t hold it in anymore, heading to your marui to ask to talk with you, in the way you would understand. When he knocked on the doorway of the family home Lo’ak was the first to notice him, glaring at him and nudging Neteyam in the side, directing his attention towards Ao’nung.
Neteyam stood before either of his parents even noticed the boy in the doorway, stalking over to him and dragging him down the pathway so they could talk, “What do you want?” He hissed out.
Ao’nung cleared his throat, but the words still came out small, nervous, “I came to apologize to (Y/n)...”
“No.” Was all Neteyam said before turning away and starting to walk back into the Sully family’s home.
Ao’nung grabbed his arm before he got too far away, “Please. Please let me talk to her.” He begged, something he didn’t like to do, but it was necessary.
Neteyam sighed, “Fine, but if you do anything I will chop your head off myself.” He threatened the boy, “I’ll go get her.”
It wasn’t long before you stepped out of the marui, a frown on your face and hands he could see shaking, “What do you want?” You signed, hands shaking with nerves.
“I came to say sorry.” He started off, “I’m sorry for bullying you, and your siblings. I promise I won’t do it any more.”
“And?” You asked, knowing there was more.
He looked nervous now, hands shaking as he signed, “I wanted to extend the offer of friendship.”
You looked shocked now, “You want to be friends with me?”
He nodded his head, smiling shyly, “Yes. Absolutely.”
You smiled this time, relieved he would be leaving your siblings alone, and excited to learn more about him, about what he was really like under the bad boy shell, “Okay, friend.”
He just nodded at you, “I have to go now. See you at lessons with Tsireya tomorrow?”
“Of course.” You responded.
When you entered the marui again everyone's eyes were on you, a light blush on your face, “I made a friend.” You smiled.
You could see your parents cheering and clapping for you, but your siblings' faces were unsure, you would have to reassure them later but for now you were all having a family night, playing games and handing out things you had made for each other with the new resources you were getting used to using. They were clunky and awkward, but you would get better, it reminded you of something, of someone.
As days passed into weeks you and Ao’nung had grown closer, him pretty much taking over your lessons, stealing you away from Tsireya who was sad to see you go, but happy for her brother for making a friend, a real friend, not one of his goons that tended to hover around him at all times. You had seemingly broken down his bad boy aesthetic and his goons had since left him, moving onto another leader to follow, still as nasty as ever.
You were grateful for him letting his walls down around you, allowing you to see him, and soon you did. You saw him as more than you ever had before. You couldn’t help but think about courting him, of trading little handmade gifts, and sharing little intimate moments of happiness throughout the day.
It seemed as if he wanted the same as he began bringing you gifts, starting as a little armband he made from you out of hard to find shells he had spent many hours trying to find, then it moved onto necklaces and bracelets. Each was more intricate than the last.
When this started you began to bring him things too, poorly made things because using dried seaweed and palm leaves were different from the materials of the jungle, but you managed. Even though they weren’t the best quality he proudly wore them, gladly accepting every gift you would give.
Everyone had noticed by now, the traded jewelry, the touches that lingered a little too long, and the longing looks when you weren’t together. What baffled people most however was not Ao’nung’s seemingly peaceful side coming out, but the fact that neither of you had officially come out and asked if you were courting.
You were courting, you both knew that, but Ao’nung wanted to put it into words, he wanted to make it official, but he felt the need to fix a couple things first, to get a couple blessings.
So he went to the person he thought would be easiest first, your mom. She had seen you two from afar and already had talked to you about it, encouraging you to pursue him and get what you wanted. She had said she was not Tsahík, but Eywa had shown her signs. So when Ao’nung asked she immediately gave him her blessing, knowing this was something not just he wanted, but something you wanted too.
Then he went to your dad. He was a fierce warrior who commanded respect, and Ao’nung tried his best to be respectful, carefully wording his proposal of courting his daughter. Of course Jake had been hesitant at first, but eventually he caved after Ao’nung had mentioned he already had Neytiri’s blessing.
Finally he went to Neteyam, your twin brother, your best friend since birth. Neteyam was adamantly against it, wanting nothing to do with Ao’nung, and wanting his sister to have nothing to do with him either. He was still on the edge of forgiving Ao’nung, swaying over a cliff where falling meant forgiving Ao’nung for his wrong doings, and when Ao’nung explained his love for you, his intentions to never hurt you and treat you with the respect you deserve Neteyam fell over the cliff, giving the Metkayina boy his blessing.
Once he had gotten their blessings he had invited you to the beach where he had first intentionally seeked you out. You were hesitant to go back there with him, but you gave in, trusting him wholeheartedly.
You love him. You trust him. You see him.
When you got there he pulled you to sit down with him, you both facing each other, and he signed, letting his heart out, letting his feelings show, “I am sorry for any times I have hurt you. I was an ass and a fool, and I wish I had never caused you upset or harm. I am sorry for bullying your siblings too, they did not deserve it, but I was scared by the new people and what they would bring. I now see I should have helped like my sister. I should have been making you feel at home here, not doing the opposite.”
“It’s okay. We’re past that.” You reassured him.
He nodded, continuing, “Now I see how special you are. I see how much you’ve changed me and my views on life. I am grateful for the person you have shaped me into. I am grateful I got the chance to make it up to you. I want to court you. Officially.”
You felt your heart swell, butterflies in your stomach, and you were sure it was showing on your face, “I would love that.”
You moved your hands carefully to cup his face, holding it there as you looked into his eyes, hoping he understood how grateful you were for him too, then you pulled him in, lips brushing against each other before they fully made contact. It was magical, unlike anything you had felt before, and you were happy it was him making you feel this way. So happy, so loved.
When you pulled apart he smiled widely at you, grabbing your hands and giving them a gentle but tight squeeze before using them to say, “I see you. I see you.”
You sign your thoughts from earlier, “I love you, I trust you, I see you.”
He doesn’t say anything else, just smiles, and pulls you back in for another kiss, and you feel at peace. You know he is yours, and you are his. You know he will never leave you, and you will never leave him. You know he loves you, and you love him. You know he sees you, and you see him.
After seeing how much you all enjoyed the information post about Atyoey, I should go into the relationship between Tarsem and the reader. I will also explain the relationship between the pair from their childhood to young adulthood.
Childhood
Tarsem had been the first kid in the clan to ask y/n to come play, and join him and the other kids.
After y/n had been introduced to the clan whenever, y/n had come to the home tree she will spend some time with Tarsem and the other kids.
The navi kids had taught y/n how to caught flying lizards, how to fire an bow from an arrow. Harvest some of the fruits from the clan tree. Playing with the dire horse and by side the rivers or lakes.
They will share meals together and just talk.
Listening to stories from the elders, moat or eyuthan.
Climbing tree and running around the village or the jungle.
Being together and helping around during the great battle.
Helping the clan rebuild after the war had ended.
Celebrating the time when you leaned you will be a big sister, and the times of peace as well.
Teenhood
Helping each other with responsibilities if help was needed.
Celebrating each other's acknowledgments in life.
He will come see you when there were days when, you were suck on base and couldnt leave.
Having hangouts together or with other near the pair age.
Going on rides on dire horse or ikrans with the your siblings/spider tagging along as well.
Making gifts for each other on each other birthdays or days of celebration.
Festivals that when you two dance with each other or play games.
The return of the RDA that night had changed everything for you and him. War and tension had come back to Pandora.
Tarsem had become a warrior and scout, fighting alongside your father and uncle. You had become a healer and care taker inside the clan.
young adulthood
You had taken up more responsibilities of being a healer alongside, your grandmother and understanding the way of eywa. Tarsem had become a good warrior and scout.
Even due with everything going on the two of you still found time, to hangout and talk about your days and everything.
Night flights on Tarsem Ikran it will just be the two of you flying together, over the forest.
Over this time the feelings of romance seem to start growing.
There had been some gossips going around, that you and Tarsem are closer then you tell anyone.
When your family and the clan had to leave, and separated from the you and the others. You had spent time talking with Tarsem and your friends.
Making a promise with Tarsem to keep up the fight against the RDA.
Having calls with Tarsem when he was free and it was okay, speaking about anything.
Now spending time on the reef with him and atyoey.
{Just a filler. I don't know what to change much in this part.}
"What?" Y/n asked Tuk in disbelief. "Mom and dad are talking about it right now" Tuk says as she runs out of the tent again and Y/n follows out as Mo'at allows him to. Both of the ran to one of the hut, Kiri was already there, listening. Y/n quietly does the same while Tuk takes a peek inside.
"This thing, this Quartich.. whatever he is.."
"What's going on?" Neteyam asks and Kiri quickly signals them to be quiet. They came and joined in to listen to their parents.
"He can walk right under Eywa's nose"
Y/n watched as Jake and Neytiri argued, he didn't fully understand yet why they had to leave. Neytiri argued "This is about our little ones. I cannot, you cannot ask of this" she walked away from Jake "I cannot leave my people. I will not" She stated once again. Jake looks at her, "He's hunting us. He's targeting our family-" "You cannot ask this!" Neytiri cuts him off "The children, everything they've ever known. The forest, this is our home!"
"He had our children. He had 'em under his knife, look at Y/n!" Jake argued back. Neytiri went silent, torn between her people and her children's safety. She went and grabbed her bow "My father gave me this bow as he lay dying! And he said protect the people.. You're Toruk Makto!" She pleaded but Jake insisted "This will protect the people!"
Y/n hated seeing his parents argue like this, he can't stand the screaming and arguing. He stands up and leaves, he knows they're leaving because what his dad says is final.
Y/n's POV
I felt mixed emotions as I left. I think I'm going to cry or something. I don't want to leave..this is our home, our place. I don't want to leave Mo'at, why does this happen to us... and why am I getting so emotional while the others seem to hold it together better.
I went inside our tent and sat down on my bed... Everything is happening so fast I can't seem to process it well. I heard someone come in and I turned to look, it's Neteyam. "Y/n" he called and sat next to me. "Everything is going to be alright" he said as he stroked my head. I push his hand away "No it's not Nete. We're leaving. I won't have another chance to see the forest and everything I knew" I say to him. "We won't know that for sure, we might return here and meet other new people along the way-" "They won't accept us!" I argued back and he was stunned. Great. Now I feel bad. "....sorry" I said to him and I lay down facing away from him. My eyes felt like they're going to burst at this point.
"Y/n.."
"What is it-?!" Suddenly Nete flipped me over so I was on top of him. "Nete! What are you-!" I shouted. Nete cupped my face and said "Listen to me, it's us against the world, Y/n. Like what dad says, this family is our fortress" He said to me, looking very seriously at me. "I know, I know, stop talking like him" I answered quickly, not in the mood for arguing. He let's go of me and lay next to me. "Your taking all the spaceee! it's my bed!" I told him, and how dare he..this is my bed. I'm fine sharing but he's pushing me out of the bed slowly. "No I'm not, come on baby bro don't be selfish-ow!!" I hit him square in the face "Don't call me that, skxawng!!" Seriously, my dear brother needs to grow out of his nickname calling phase. Oh and yes, I pushed him out of my bed.
"oh your going to get it" Nete said as he layed on top of me and practically trying to kill me cuz he is heavy! I tried to get him off but he won't budge. All of the sudden we both heard dad calling for Nete. He quickly got up and left as I sighed in relief. My mind drifts back to the current situation, imagining us going back after everything is over and how we can all live like before where we don't need to be so vigilant and careful... and Dad wouldn't need to be so worked up all the time. But a part of me knew it was impossible since we aren't going to fight back.. they will keep hunting us one way or another. The worst case scenario is if we were ever caught again.. they will surely take us away.. it could be any of us or maybe even Dad since they seemed to know him.
~~
After Neteyam was finished helping Jake pack their things, he went back to their tent. "Y/n?" Neteyam called to him but got no replies. He looked at Y/n who is asleep. "Must be tired.." Neteyam mumbled as he went to start helping packing other things. He let's Y/n sleep then after he was done he slowly got up and went outside.
When he went outside, Jake was about to get in. "Father.." Neteyam greeted, "Is your brother inside?" Jake asked him. "Yeah he is inside, sleeping," Neteyam answered his father. Jake was silent for a while before nodding, Neteyam looked at his father and noticed that he looked like he wanted to say something but he dismissed that thought.
"...Y/n is not happy about leaving" Neteyam told him, Jake looks at him "I know, none of us is happy about this decision but this is for the best. Help Tuk pack up her things we're leaving as soon as possible. Get the ikrans ready"
Y/n's POV
When I woke up everyone was already finishing packing their things, Mom came in the tent "Y/n.. I was about to wake you up, let's go, the others are waiting" I stood up quietly and followed her "I've already packed your things" she added and I only nodded.
A ceremony was held as I saw the new chief rise and Dad was demoted from the clan leader. Many people saw us off and Mom cried on the way out, we had to leave our home. I managed to see Mo'at for the last time and as we said our goodbye she gave me a hairpin. "Take care of your brothers and sisters, I trust you most" was what she said as I left.
We all got on our ikran...expect Tuk and I. Tuk went with mom and I went with Dad. I look at Neteyam, Lo'ak and Kiri who went on their own, oh how nice it must be. All of us then took off as we headed far away from the forest. I looked back behind me and the forest was getting smaller and smaller as we flew across the ocean. My hand slipped as I tried to keep a glance of the forest and almost fell but Dad quickly grabbed me. "Y/n that's enough" He said to me. Dad tightened his grip around me as we flew faster to lead to others.
As we pushed foward the forest finally disappeared. My heart became heavy by the the fact that we are going away from everything we ever known. And the fact that I and Tuk will never have our rite of passage.. I feel like I was leaving behind and missing a lot of things back at home. I can't understand how the others waa strong enough to not even cry while I'm here trying my best not to... again. Why am I like this? There's always an uneasiness feeling in my heart. It also doesn't help that the fact Spider was still back there and we aren't helping him.
~~
Jake was wondering why Y/n was so quiet since they left. He tried to take a peak at Y/n and what he saw broke his heart. His son was quietly crying and tears were running down his face. The last time he saw his son crying was that incident. Jake knows that Y/n was a strong child and he never cried or complained about anything even when Jake was being hard on him. But sometimes Jake forgot that he was just a child just like the rest. The night they escaped from Quartich, Jake almost went insane when he saw his injuries... he almost lost one of his children and it's the same one years ago. His point was proven right when he doesn't allow Y/n to go out without him or Neytiri but on the other hand he also blames himself for keeping Y/n inside with no knowledge of even self defense because he too was too focused on Netyam and Lo'ak.
Jake knew that he hadn't been tending to Y/n a lot but it's just hard for him to show affection to his sons. Every time he looked at Y/n he was reminded of how he failed to protect him. It was easy to overcome that fear long ago but since the humans invaded back it was hard, nearly impossible for him. Y/n sobs became quite louder and he coughs from trying to keep it in, Jake snapped back to reality and slowly wiped Y/n's tears away. Y/n flinched at the contact but Jake hugged him close with one of his arm and told him
"It's alright Y/n, you can let it out. You can cry, I got you"
As Jake said that Y/n began to cry quietly as he doesn't want others to know. Jake hugged him close and Y/n buried his face in his father's embrace. It felt good to Y/n that he was able to let go of the tears he was trying to hold and it calmed him down better and faster. After Y/n calmed down, the sky went gray and rain began to pour down. The water wipes away the stain on Y/n's cheeks making it impossible to tell that he cried before, the thunder follows as soon as the Sully's make their way towards the new sanctuary.
After a long time of traveling Y/n finally a glimpse of civilization. The waters were getting clearer and he could see the animals and plants inside the ocean. They went through the reefs and flew across huts and the people.
All of them looked at the Sully's as they landed. "Dad I don't think they're friendly" Y/n said to Jake. "We gotta try" Jake replied as he got Y/n off his ikran. All of them walked together to greet the chief, Y/n alongside Kiri at the back. The Metkayina immediately surround them and Jake puts his hands up to tell them they're here not to cause trouble.
Y/n's POV
We were surrounded by the people and honestly I was mesmerized by their appearance. They have different colored eyes and bodies, with tails like fins unlike us. Two boys came forward to take a look at us. Nete and Lo'ak tried to greet them but they didn't greet back... are they really going to welcome us? It doesn't look really promising. They looked kinda scary too. "Easy, just be cool" Dad said. Yeah Dad.. very helpful.
"Look! What is that? Is that supposed to be a tail?" One of them commented. They started to make fun of Lo'ak and Nete before going to me and Kiri. One of them looked stunned and I immediately held on to Kiri, not daring to make eye contact. A girl then came over and scolded the boys. I learned that their names are Rotxo and Aonung.
"Y/n.." Kiri called as she held me close. I then heard something coming and I looked up to see three people but they were riding something like a flying fish, I guess they must be the leaders judging from their outfit. I remember Dad saying they are Tonowari and Ronal..
Dad and Mom greeted them "Why do you come to us, Jake Sully?" Tonowari asked and Dad replied "We seek Uturu"
"Uturu?" Ronal immediately replied, her tone was not happy. "Yes, sanctuary for my family" Dad added but she did not reply. She came and inspected us one by one as Tonowari tried to explain what her wife meant and how it is not possible… and she was right. They are reef people and we are forest people. She went to Mom and Tuk "Their arms are thin" she continued to me and Kiri. She grabbed Kiri's tail "Their tails are weak. You will be slow in the water"
~~
Ronal then went to Y/n but he stepped back, looking down. She was shocked to see Y/n's hair and skin. Ronal was persuasive and grabbed Y/n's hair looking at the color, she had never seen them before. Y/n looked at her and she could tell that Y/n was afraid, his eyes turned into a shade of chartreuse as the sun shone on them. Ronal's frown disappeared a little and turned into a curiosity. She trailed her hand down to Y/n's shoulder and grabbed his hands, suddenly shocked she announced "These childrens... are not even true Na'vi"
Y/n looked back at his family as Ronal let him go and everyone was shocked. Kiri pulled Y/n close to her as she said "Yes we are!"
Ronal inspects Lo'ak and found the same result too. "They have demon blood!" She shouted and the people began to become uneasy. Jake immediately jumped in the situation "Look, look" he raised his hand, showing five fingers. "Look, I was born of the sky people and now I am Na'vi. All right? You can adapt, We will adapt, okay?" he makes his voice heard and clear. Neytiri on the other hand was not pleased with Ronal's attitude as she chimed in "My husband was Toruk Makto" she said as she walks toward Ronal.
"He led clans to victory against the Sky People" she added. "This you call victory?" Ronal shot back "Hiding among strangers?" She went to Neytiri "It seems that Eywa has turned her back on you.. choosen one" she said to Jake. Neytiri hissed at Ronal and she hissed back, challenging. Jake stepped in between them and said "I apologize for my mate, she's.." "Do not apologize for me" Neytiri said but Jake continued "... has flown a long away, and she's exhausted." "Jake." Neytiri said but Jake looked at her and told her to back down and Neytiri obliged. Tonowari also tried to ease the tension "Toruk Makto is a great war leader. All Na'vi prople know his story... But we Metkayina are not at war.." he turned to Jake and added "We cannot let you bring your war here" Jake responded "I'm done with war. Okay? I just want to keep my family safe"
Neytiri was done going back and forth as she repeated "Uturu has been asked". Tonowari turned to discuss with Ronal and suddenly Tuk, in Jake's arms asked "Do we have to go?". Jake answerd "We'll be okay"
Ronal looked at this interaction before looking at her husband. Her fierce eyes met his soft eyes and after a moment she agree. Tonowari was relieved and announce it to the people.
"Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. Treat them as our brothers and sisters. Now they do not know the sea, so they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways, so they do not suffer the shame of being... useless" Jake was relieved as he said thank you and the others followed.
"My son, Aonung, our daughter, Tsireya, will show your children what to do"
Aonung was not happy about this decision "Father, why do-" Tonowari cuts him off "It is decided." Y/n looked at the other sibling, Tsireya who was much the polar opposite as she speak happily "Come, I will show you our village"
Y/n's POV
Tsireya showed us around the village and the last place to our new house. The road was built above the water with some kind of weaving and it was bouncy. Tuk hopped along the way and it was relieving to see her laugh and smile. Mom and Kiri were definitely not too happy about everything, their faces were telling that enough. So when the other went out to explore I stayed with Mom.
I was laying my head on her lap as she brushed my hair "Your hair has grown, Y/n. Do you want to cut it?" I always keep it short because I was inspired by Kiri and I asked her to make my hair the same style as her.
"No need Mom" I answered her.. It is better if I keep it long, that way I can hide it better. "You have such a beautiful hair, like your father" Mom said as she brushed my hair "Doesn't dad has the same hair as the others?" Mom chuckled at my question "When I first met him his hair was smooth, like a baby. And his braids was messy, like a child" I chuckled along with her at her remark
"It's nice to see your hair grow out, it's healthy and beautiful" She said as she divided my hair into sections to braid it. She divide the section of my white hair alone and I tuck my hair in instinctively "No need to braid it Mom, it's fine"
"Y/n..."
Mom immediately noticed my plan of not cutting my hair and I tried to argue with her but it's no use. In the end she braided only my white hair and gave it some beads.... Why did I even stay here? Oh yeah I wanted to make her feel better but this is what I got. I looked at her and she was silently laughing! How mean! "Not funny Mom. I'll be laughed at!" I argued. "You should be proud of it Y/n, it's beautiful.. If someone makes fun of it you tell me immediately"
The others suddenly came back as Dad called us for a family meeting.
~~
"Kiri" Neytiri called as she ask Kiri to sit down. "Okay" Jake started "I need you kids on your best behavior. I mean it." He said as he looked at his kids one by one. "Learn fast, pull your weight. Don't cause trouble, you got it?" Lo'ak knew it was directed at him so he answered "Yes, sir." "I want to go home" Tuk who was quiet the whole time suddenly speaks and she was crying. Y/n pulls Tuk close to him and rubs her back "Oh Tuk.." Neytiri was saddened at Tuk's state. Jake holds Tuk gand and said "Tuk, this is our home now" Jake sighs before he continued "Now we're gonna get through this if we have each other's backs all right?" He tried to assure his childrens and Neytiri also helped "What does your Father always say?" Neteyam, Lo'ak and Y/n answered "Sully's stick together"
"That's right. Sully's stick together" Jake repeats but Kiri stays quiet. "Now with some feelings yeah?" Jake tried again and this time Tuk and Kiri joined in.
"Sully's stick together"
The next day they started with their lessons to learn how to live like a Metkayina. This time Jake cannot ask Y/n to stay back because he had to learn, and the place isn't as dangerous as the forest because Sky people aren't present.
Aonung, Tsireya and Rotxo jumped into the water followed by Neteyam, Lo'ak, Kiri and Tuk. Y/n stayed behind for a while as he observed the others especially on how they swim, he didn't jump in like the others. Instead he slowly went in the water after he tied his hair and hold his breath as he sinked down.
Y/n opened his eyes to see thousands of sea creatures inside the ocean. The water was clear and there are many corals with different colors and shapes. The animals noticed him and suddenly swims towards him, circling and pecking him. Y/n get ticklish and breaks free. He saw his siblings in front of him and tried to swim to them, he slowly tries to swim like how Tsireya and Aonung does it. Y/n slowly pushed through the water, as he kicked his legs to move suddenly he felt a strong current from behind and resulted in him swimming faster and further forward. Y/n looked back thinking it was an animal pushed or something but nothing was behind him. He tested it again and pushed forward but this time stronger and resulted in him losing control.
Y/n panicked as he tried to stop but he can't as the flow of the water kept pushing him. Y/n looks infront and he was about to crash into Tuk so he immediately turned. He was relieved for a moment and saw that his siblings was going up so he made a turn while still being pushed by the flow but that resulted in him crashing into someone else. Aonung.
Tsireya and the others were looking at the Sully's as they had to take their breaths for the second time. Aonung and Rotxo were making fun of them when suddenly Y/n crashed into Aonung.
Aonung was shoved forward. Only after that did the flow stopped behind Y/n and oh boy did he crash into the chief's son. Flustered and panicked Y/n quickly swims up to the surface as the other followed, Aonung had no time to shout at him. Y/n reaches the surface as he gasps for air "Y/n! Are you alright?! You crashed!" Neteyam quickly swims to him with Lo'ak and Tuk following. Y/n was still catching his breath "I-I don't-" "Catch your breath Y/n" Lo'ak said to him as he pats Y/n's back.
The others went up and Aonung looked pissed. "Did you swim with your eyes closed? It hurts you know!" "Sorry.." Y/n quietly apologized. Aonung heard what Y/n said but he wasn't pleased "I can't hear you, frea-" "Hey! He said sorry alright? Did swimming makes your hearing a problem?" Lo'ak cuts him off. Aonung was about to talk back when Tsireya halted him "That's enough. It was an accident and Y/n already apologized"
She turned back to the others "It's alright Y/n, he isn't hurt. Are you all right?"
Tuk chipped in "Your too fast! Wait for us". Tsireya chuckles and assured them "Just breath, breath" "You are not good divers- ow!" Aonung jumped in and immediately earned a smack on head. "Come on, bro" Lo'ak said and Neteyam also added "We don't speak this.. finger talk, guys. We don't know what you're saying". Tsireya calmly replied "I will teach you"
"Where is Kiri?" Rotxo suddenly asked. "Kiri?" "Who?" "Kiri. Where is Kiri?" Y/n looked at Rotxo who took notice of Kiri's absent. "Did you see her?" Tsireya asked and Y/n replied calmly "I think she is still swimming. She's really good at it". Y/n saw Kiri along the way and saw how she quickly adapts and got busy exploring the new world.
Next day
"These are ilu" Aonung said as he introduced the animal to the Sully's. "If you want to live here.. you have to ride."
Y/n's POV
The next lesson we are having are riding an ilu. Kiri didn't want to come with us because she wanted some alone time. I was actually pretty excited about this one because it's similar like iknimaya which I always wanted to do but can't due to Dad being a douchebag.
One problem is that I think Aonung is still pissed about yesterday as his tone was very different when talking to me. I carried Tuk with me as an ilu approach us. "Is this yours?" I asked him and he looks at me "Of course not, this one is for you guys to use. They're quite tamed already so it easier for you" he said. "When did you first make a bond with an ilu?" Nete ask him this time and he shortly answered "When I was young" Tuk wanted to pet the ilu so I set her down Nete joined along to interact with the ilu with her.
As I turned, Aonung approached me "Anyways, white hair, been wanted to ask this but how is your hair white?" I tensed up at the question and answered him "My name is Y/n and my hair is not white...only some of it." "Is it because of your demon blood?" He looked at me and smirked. I ignore him and went to Nete but he grabbed my arm "Why are you running away? I asked you a question". I yanked my arms out from him "I don't know, alright? Please stop pointing it out. I don't feel comfortable about it" He became quiet. Guess that works... it was awkward afterwards so I went back to my siblings.
I went to my siblings and they were playing with the ilu. "What’s wrong Y/n" Nete asked me "It's nothing.." I answered and just then I saw Lo'ak and Tsireya. Lo'ak was first to try and make a bond with the ilu. Tsireya guides him as the others watched and I can tell he was nervous... or trying to act smart or something? He wasn't really listening to what Tsireya said. He makes the bond quite fast and the others were commenting about his position but he just took off.
Aonung and Tsireya dives down to see Lo'ak and I followed... not long after he fell off or should I say failed quite harshly. I chuckled a bit before going up "He fell off didn't he?" Nete asked. "Yeah, but it's a good thing we're in the water. Falling off from an ikran is a much more ouch isn't it?" "Yeah it is" Neteyam and I laughed quietly together as Lo'ak looked embarrassed in front of his crush, Tsireya.
"White hair! Your next" Aonung called me and everyone else snicker at that nickname. I instantly felt worse as I felt everyone's eye look at me. I look at Nete "Come on now, or are you afraid?" Aonung said to me as he gestured. Nete was about to kill Aonung but I held him back. "Y/n-" "It's fine, don't make it a big deal" I told him. I try to ignore the stares but it's making me nervous..
~~
Y/n went to the ilu and as his hand came in contact with it, the ilu's eye widen and it screech. Before Y/n could react the ilu rebels and pushed him back. The others tried to calm it down but in the end the ilu ran away. "Well, there goes the ilu" "He did way worse than his brother" the others laughed. Y/n was clearly embarrassed and mentally prepares himself for another insult like from Aonung but it never came. Y/n was surprised when he just shushed the other kids and looked at the sully's "You guys have a lot to learn, and a long way."
In the end Tsireya decided to split up the group as she took Tuk with her, while Aonung and Roxto got the boys. Needless to say, the session was quite a hellish moment for the boys because they were continuously tortured by Aonung and Rotxo. Although they were constantly laughed at, Aonung and Rotxo still gave them some helpful advice and corrections on how to ride, resulting in Lo'ak and Neteyam learning faster. On the other hand, Y/n scared away almost all of the ilu's and was not able to bond with any of them.
"You do know that ilu's can sense your emotions and feelings, have a little faith in yourself and you'll make my job easier by not scaring away all the ilus" Aonung told Y/n. It was silent between the both of them and Y/n was baffled "....How did you-" "Your face is like an open book" Aonung said. Y/n was quite embarrassed by his statement but he well he gets that a lot. Neytiri also told him that he needs to learn to have a little faith in himself, especially if he wants to catch up to his siblings.
"Thanks for telling me" Y/n smiled and Aonung looked away and quickly changes the topic "A-Anyways, go on have a try. You better not scare it away again"
He brought another ilu and held it in place. By this time Y/n was feeling a lot better. He looked at the ilu and accidentally made eye contact with it. However this time, the ilu did not run away, instead the ilu approached him. Aonung tried to hold it back but when he knew that the ilu was trying to get to Y/n, he let go of it. Y/n smiled again as the ilu made his way to him. Y/n offers his hand and the ilu gladly complies. He looks at Aonung, trying to show him and Aonung tells Y/n to make the bond.
Y/n's POV
I hold my tsaheylu and slowly make the bond, a huge wave of emotionos flows through me. I can see fragments of memories that doesn't belong to mine. I learn that the ilu is a female, after that I got on the ilu as Aonung guided me "You are doing it wrong, you and your brothers are all the same" he huffs in annoyance, and well I just say sorry. He helped me fix my posture while grumbling to himself. After he was done, he told me "You are the one who will lead her, not the other way around. Got it?"
"Okay" I answered back. I took a deep breath and told her to go underwater. She happily oblige and we were moving under the water. I couldn't believe it! We moved slowly at first and then she started to accelerate, I held on to her more securely as she took me to explore the waters.
It felt so magical..there was a lot of sea creatures and plants. We moved fastly in the water, just like how I usually see when my siblings were riding their ikran. We swim for a while before going up to the surface again.
~~
"I did it!" Y/n happily said when he came up to the surface. "Did you see that?!" He aprroached Aonung excitedly. "Yeah, nice-" Aonung was abtuptly cut off when Neteyam and Lo'ak stepped in the middle of them both "You did it Y/n!" They said, congratulating him. "Even I couldn't do it as fast as you! you're a fast learner" Lo'ak added. Aonung face sours a bit "it's not that he is a fast learner. He listend to my instructions well. Tomorrow we'll work on your breathing" he said while walking away.
<Couple hours later>
At night, while everyone was alseep, Y/n was wide awake because of a nightmare he just had. He didn't want to talk about it or remember it. Yet there was something bothering him. Like a feeling of uncertainty. It didn't help much by the fact Spider was still kidnapped. He steps outside the marui and went to a nearby shore to clear his mind. He sat down and takes a look at the ocean, the sounds of the waves does help. Y/n looked at the vast ocean longingly, he missed their home, their forest. The green lush paradise with never-ending adventures, the flying mountains, and the animals.. they don't have it here. As Y/n stared emptily he suddenly felt something wet poking him. When he look beside him he yelped in surprise when a strange creature like animal was staring at him. There was something wrong with the creature, it was made out of water.
"What in the name of science..." Y/n looked at the creature slowly, trying to figure out what it is. The creature just stood still and kept looking at him. It looks really harmless though. No sharp teeth or claws....just water. As he take a closer look, he realized that the creature looked liked a fan lizard. Y/n's eyes widen and he immediately tried to touch it. "Hey-! Wait!" Y/n shouted as the water creature ran back to the ocean and perished before he could even touch it. Y/n went inside of the water as he tried to look for it but since the creature was literally made of water so it's pointless. "Aw man!" Y/n punched the water surface out of frustration. He walks further but then he suddenly heard a voice.
"Y/n! There you are-! Why are you there?! Get back to land!"
Synopsis: When you and Ao’nung first locked eyes it was like love at first sight. After both of you officially became a couple Ao’nung started to worry. He was scared that his reputation would falter if people knew he was with a ‘four-fingered freak’ so he decided to keep you hidden from the world, which mutilated your heart in the process.
Content/Warnings: Secret Relationship, Ao’nung being a butthole, Ao’nung having two personas, emotional manipulation, lying, light fluff/kissing, suggestive content/allusions of sex, heartbroken reader, man-handling, arguing, crying, mention of bruise, angst, hurt w/ comfort, strong language, Ronal being nice and accepting, the sully brothers ready to kill Ao’nung
Author’s Note: I’ve been working on this fic for weeks now and it’s finally finished! I was inspired to write this when I listened to Love In The Dark by Adele
- I hope you all enjoy!
- Please excuse any mistakes!
Word Count: 3.7-3.8k
Glossary: syulang - flower | Tsakarem - Tsahìk in training | Tsahìk - Spiritual Leader | sayrìp - handsome | skxawng - idiot, moron | kalweyaveng - son of a bitch | tsmuke - sister
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When you and your family first came to Awa'atlu Ao'nung immediately caught your eye and you lit a sparkle in his. Both of you drew to each other like a magnet and ever since then both of you became inseparable. When Ao'nung asked you to become his girlfriend you were head over heels. You were so ecstatic to finally have him, to claim him as your boyfriend.
When you began to tell him how you were excited to do romantic things together like walking around the village with your hands intertwined with his or riding ilu's together his ears pinned to his skull. "I was thinking that maybe we should keep us a secret..."
"A secret? Why?" You questioned while scanning his ocean blue irises, trying to figure out the reason why he would rather keep this love to himself instead of sharing it with the world.
"Because, you know how my mother is and I just don't want her to get upset and try to separate or forbid us." he muttered as he gazes down at the ground, trying not to make eye contact with you so you wouldn’t see through this facade.
"You really think she would do that to us?" You didn't want to keep your relationship a secret, you wanted to freely be with him without any restrictions.
"She could and I don't want to lose you. I would rather be with you in the shadows of the night than not have you at all" he emphasizes his point by taking his hand and cupping your cheek, holding intense eye contact while he continues to persuade you.
The words falling from his lips sounded sweet but it was all lies, he's feeding you words that are filled with pure deceit. He spins you into this web hoping that his sugar-coated words were enough to get you to agree and in the end they were.
You agreed to the secret arrangement. For you as long as you had him it was enough, no matter the circumstances.
—
Being with Ao'nung was amazing. He was sweet, kind, and loving. After Dark, when both of your families were fast asleep the two of you would sneak to the jungle and indulge in nightly swims inside the small bodies of water. Watching his chiseled physique glisten under the moonlight, his wet black hair flowing down his back as it stuck to his skin, and the smile on his face was a majestic sight.
You couldn't avert your gaze from him no matter how hard you tried. "Come on syulang, get in the water instead of gawking at me." He teases, his infamous smirk plastered on his face as he caught you basically undressing him with your eyes.
When you realize you were caught a purple hue spreads across your cheeks, feeling slightly embarrassed that he noticed your wandering eyes. You moved your feet from the jungle floor and walked into the cool body of water. You swam gracefully toward Ao'nung and once you were close enough to him you planted your feet and stood in front of him. "I wasn't gawking at you, I was just...admiring you." A soft smile tugs at your lips as your finger trails up Ao'nung's abs and chest, wanting to feel the body that you loved to claim.
As your hand moves across Ao'nung's teal skin he could feel his level of desire and lust increasing the more your hand grazes different areas of his skin. He moved his hand down the small of your back, pulling you closer to him, causing your breasts to press lightly against his chest. "I love when you admire me but I think it's time I admire you now." When he finishes his sentence he pulls you in for a heated and hungry kiss, devouring your lips as if they were his favorite thing in the world.
Ao'nung gently taps the back of your thighs, indicating that he wants to pick you up so you grant his access, jumping up slightly and wrapping your slender legs around his torso. Without breaking the kiss, he carries you to the mossy jungle floor and lays you down gently as he continues to show your body affection.
He trails wet kisses down your frame until he reaches your loincloth, "I waited all day to have you like this..." he verbalizes softly as he unties your loincloth and pulls it down which exposed your slick-covered core, "you look so beautiful syulang" Ao'nung's murmurs as he dives between your legs, ready to devour you as if you were his prey.
You loved this Ao'nung, the one who showered you with affection, took care of your every desire, and the one who treated you as if you were the most delicate flower on Pandora.
It's the other Ao'nung you didn't like... the Public Ao'nung.
When you were out in public Ao'nung blatantly ignores you as if the love that both of you share is nonexistent. Whenever you walked in his direction he would turn away, around his friends he would look you up and down with disgust-filled eyes, and he wouldn't even utter a word to you.
As you walked through the village you saw Ao'nung and his friends standing near the pier. When Ao'nung looked over in your direction you gave him a loving smile and a wave. When his friends saw this gesture their faces scrunched up, "Why is that freak waving at you Ao'nung?" One of his friends asked
Ao'nung shrugs his shoulders "I don't know, that demon blood is probably messing with her brain" his comments earn laughs from the whole circle which boosts his ego. He wanted to wave back and flash you a smile, run up to you and give you a loving hug but he couldn’t. He couldn’t let his friends see him in that way with you so he looks at you with cold dead eyes before turning back and chatting with his friends.
This side of him you hated, the two of you would have the best time the night before or sneak off during the day and show each other some much-needed affection, and then when he got around other Na'vi he would even bat an eye at you.
Over time you just grew to accept his foul treatment even though it broke a little piece of your heart each time. You knew this is what you had to endure to be with him so you just sucked it up and dealt with him and his two personas.
Every time you feel like it was becoming too much, that this burden of secrecy was gnawing at your core you would play the words he spoke to you the night he asked you to become his 'I would rather be with you in the shadows of the night than not have you at all'
Knowing that he would go through this just so his mother didn't find out made you feel like he truly loved you and that you could handle the way he treats you in public because he has to deal with worse when trying to hide it from Ronal.
If only you knew his true reason behind keeping you a secret...
—
As you walked toward the village you saw Ronal struggling to carry some of her healing supplies, "I can help you carry those Ronal" you give her a soft smile, grabbing the items she was struggling with so you could lighten her load.
Ronal looks down at you for a few moments before stiffly nodding her head, "Follow me" You trailed behind her as she walked into the healing pod. Once you were inside you placed everything on the floor.
As you were about to turn around and walk out you heard Ronal call for you, "Come sit with me"
You walk over and sit down next to her nervously as you tried to figure out why Ronal wanted you to stay. As you sat down she handed you a mortar and pestle that was filled with a numerous amount of herbs. You began to crush them lightly, turning them into paste consistency as Ronal began to speak.
"You know I wasn't too fond of you and your family when you first arrived, I thought that you wouldn't be able to pull your weight around the village but you proved me wrong" While she speaks she doesn't turn to look at you, instead she focuses on making herbal remedies.
Ronal did have her doubts about you and your family since you were forest people but now that she has watched each one of your family members excel in their way of life you all have earned her respect.
"Tsireya told me that you were training under Mo'at as Tsakarem back in the forest..."
You immediately nod your head in agreement, "Yes I was" You loved learning from your grandmother. Being able to learn all her techniques and skills made you proud to be her grandchild, proud to be the heir of the Tsahìk title.
She turned her head and finally faced you, "How about you come by a few times a week and take lessons with Tsireya? I know she would love for you to learn alongside her" Ronal knew you had potential and she wanted to help mold you and not let your skills falter just because you left the forest.
Hearing her say that made a bright smile appear on your lips, you were already excited for your future lessons, "Yes I would love that!"
"Come by tomorrow after lunch. Tsireya and I will be waiting for you"
"Thank you for this opportunity Ronal"
"You're welcome" She grabs the mortar and pestle from your hands and begins to shoo you away, "Now run along and have some fun" She gave you a small smile, the first time you'd seen her smile since the Tulkun returned.
You say your goodbyes to Ronal and then you begin to walk through the village. As you walked along the bouncy pathways you were so happy, happy that you were now going to be doing the thing you loved which was practice healing and you were even happier that Ronal approved of you.
Knowing that she liked you made your heart feel like it would burst at the seams because it meant you wouldn't have to hide your relationship with Ao'nung anymore. You didn't have to love him in the dark any longer, you both could be together whenever and wherever you desired.
You were so excited to tell Ao'nung what just happened, to tell him that he no longer had to worry. You began wandering all over the village to find him so you could tell him the amazing news.
—
As you walk near the beach you saw Ao'nung standing near the ilu pen. Your lips curled into a smile as you watched him feed and care for the ilu’s. This is the Ao'nung you loved to be around, the persona of him you adored. You step off the pathway and began walking on the sand so you could talk to him.
"Hey, sayrìp! Are you almost done here because I—" Your sentence became lodged in your throat when you felt Ao'nung's hand tightly wrap around your bicep as he dragged you along the beach to somewhere that no one could see or hear the two of you.
"Ao'nung what are you?—" Once he was somewhere he felt no one could see he let you go and shoved you into the huge boulder behind you which made you wince.
"what the fuck do you want?" He growled as he towered over you with fire in his eyes, "Why are you coming up to me in public?! You know I don't want you coming up to me where people could see us!" His voice was deep and dark, he was honestly scaring you. He's never handled you this way before, seething with anger and getting physical.
"I-I just wanted to t-tell you that I was talking to your mother and—"
"My mother?! You were talking to my mother?!"
"Yes...She was just telling me that I could—"
You could feel anger radiating off his body, hearing that you spoke to his mother infuriated him because now his lie could no longer be in effect, "Why did you talk to her?!"
"Well... I ran into her while I was walking in the village. I helped her carry some things to her healing pod and then she told me that she wanted to train me. She likes me Ao'nung. We don't have to hide our relationship anymore, and you don't have to worry about her forbidding us," You place your hand on his cheek and cup it gently "W-We can truly be together now."
Ao'nung's veins run cold as he feels your touch. His lie has now shriveled up to the point where he can't use that as an excuse, "No we can't, we can never be public." he moves your hand from his face and looks down at the ground.
"What? W-Why not?" Your brows furred as your voice raised in confusion, you couldn't understand how this wasn't the right time when Ronal wasn't an issue anymore.
"Because I said so, that's why!"
"That isn’t a reason Ao’nung!" The tension between both of you was thick, you could see something swirling inside Ao'nung. It was as if the words were at the tip of his tongue, about to be spoken but you could tell there was some restraint.
"Tell me Ao'nung! Tell me!" You shouted in his face, trying to make him spill his guts, trying to pull the truth out of him.
"I don't want to be seen with you okay?! There I said it! Are you happy now?!"
Your ears pin down as your lips begin to tremble, "D-Don't want to be seen with me? I- Ao'nung what are you talking about?"
"I don't want my friends to see me with you, the clan will think I'm a skxawng for dating someone with demon blood. My friends will think I'm crazy for dating someone that isn't Metkayina." Ao'nung continues to ramble, telling you the multiple different reasons why he didn't want to go public with you.
Hearing each reason of his reasons made your eyes gloss. Hearing him refer to you as a 'demon' made you feel sick to the stomach, "That's how you think of me Ao'nung?! You see me as a demon?! You don't want to be with me because of what people will think, what your stupid friends will think?"
"Yes, I care what they think! They're my friends, the people grew up with! I'm future Olo'eyktan, I have to care about how the clan sees me!"
"S-So that's all you care about? Your fucking reputation?" Your voice begins to heighten as your body runs hot from the whirlwind of emotions twirling inside you, "All this time I decided to take all your shit because I loved you and I thought you were sacrificing for me and you were lying the whole time?!" the tears that were welling in your eyes were now streaming down your face.
You couldn't believe Ao'nung would do something like this to you. You took up with his harsh words, treatment, and actions, and he just attempted to hide you away as if you were a deranged person who needed to be concealed.
"Do you even love me Ao'nung?! Was that a lie too?!"
"N-No that wasn't a lie, that was true." Ao'nung did truly love you. Your beautiful voice, the way your Omatikaya accent presented itself whenever you were happy or excited, the way your eyes twinkled under the sunlight, everything about you Ao'nung loved. It just wasn't enough to make him love you in the light of day which hurt you the most.
"I still want to be with you syulang..." he places his hands on both of your shoulders, gliding his thumbs against your midnight blue skin. As he spoke he began to feed you those same sugar-coated words, the same words he used to make you his girlfriend. His way with words were hypnotizing, he was beginning to get you in the frame of mind for you to agree.
For you to agree to keep being his secret lover, in the shadows of the night. But you could no longer handle being his secret anymore.
"No..No..No" you shake your head, swatting his hands off your skin "If you don't want to be with me in public, I don't want to be with you at all... so what do you say Ao'nung? Do you want to be together in public this time, for us to enjoy each other in the light of day?" Your amber eyes were glimmering with hope, hoping that Ao'nung would finally change, that he would finally be with you fully and not be ashamed.
"I-I can't y/n, I love you but I can't..." A single tear falls from his eye, knowing that he hurt you made him feel bad but he valued his self-image more.
Your tail wagged aggressively behind you, knowing that he didn't fully want you crushed your soul, "SCREW YOU AO'NUNG!" You hissed as you shoved him so hard into his chest that the wind was knocked out of his lungs, "You're a real kalweyaveng! A fucking jerk! I hate you!" You loved him, every fiber in your body loved him, and the fact that he used you, played with your emotions as if you meant nothing cut deep.
"I'm sorry syulang but I-"
"Save that weak ass apology Ao'nung and stop calling me that! You don’t even truly mean it! Every term of endearment you’ve spoken has been a lie because if it wasn’t we wouldn’t be in this fucked up situation! I don't EVER want to talk to you again!" You stormed away, red hot with anger, nonstop tears staining your cheeks, and your body ached from feeling heartbroken.
You went to your marui and you were thankful that no one was home. You went to your room, pulled your privacy curtain open, and plopped onto your bed. As you cried into your pillow your thoughts couldn't do anything but consume you.
You began to wonder why Eywa decided to inflict such torture on you, wondering why Ao'nung couldn't love you properly, wondering why he was ashamed of you, and why he could only love you when no one else was watching.
As the volume of your sobs intensified your head began to throb in pain. You couldn't even concentrate on your surroundings anymore, the only thing you could hear was your painful sobs.
Neteyam got home from finishing his clan duties, ready to rest for the remainder of the day. As he walked through the mauri he didn't see anyone but he heard cries and sniffles. When he realized they were coming from your room his tail began to curl up behind him, he hated hearing you cry. Since he was your older brother he wanted to protect you and keep you safe.
"y/n are you okay? What happened?" He pulled back your privacy curtain and it revealed you laying on your stomach with your face buried in your pillow.
"L-Leave me alone Neteyam, I *sniffle* don't want to talk about it" You sit up and place your feet on the floor, trying to wipe the tears that were continually pouring down your cheeks.
Neteyam took a look at your whole appearance and as his eyes scanned your arm he could see a purple bruise which angered him but he didn't show it because he knew that wouldn't help you in your fragile state.
Neteyam sat down next to you while wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulling you into his embrace, "tsmuke please tell me what's wrong, I want to help you. Bare your soul with me so I can understand the reason for your tears."
feeling Neteyam's warm embrace, his soothing voice and his calming presence caused more tears to flow harder down your face as you opened up. "I-It's A-Ao'nung," your voice is soft as you speak, trying to repress your crying hiccups from surfacing.
Neteyam's brow bones furrowed at the mention of Ao'nung, "What did that skxawng do?"
You took a deep breath, trying to pull yourself somewhat together so your words could be coherent when you told Neteyam the story. "We were dating, a couple." Neteyam's eyes widened at the newfound information.
He of course didn't know you were dating him or that you were even interested in Ao'nung which caught him off guard a little but he continued giving you his undivided attention.
"I just broke up with him because I found out that he didn't want to be seen around the village with me. The only thing he values is his friend's opinion, he didn't even truly love me enough to be with me in public. He manipulated me, making me believe that Ronal didn't want us together so we had to keep it a secret but in reality, he didn't want me to ruin his stupid reputation."
Neteyam's jaw tensed as he processed your words. He was shocked at first but it quickly turned to fuming anger, "Did he give you that bruise too?" A growl rumbled from his throat as he once again looked at the purple handprint around your bicep.
"When I tried to talk to him he snatched me up and shoved me because he didn't want anyone to see us together" As you relive the event that just occurred you could still feel Ao'nung dark presence around you. His coldness was still on your skin and that only made you feel worse.
"I'm gonna kill him for hurting you." saying that Neteyam was mad was a complete understatement. Knowing that someone hurt you emotionally and physically, manipulated and played you like you were an idiot made him want to go ballistic.
As Neteyam continued seething with raw anger while trying to comfort you to the best of his ability Lo'ak walked in, "What's up you guys?"
Lo'ak felt the anger and tension in the atmosphere which made him concerned, "What happened?" Lo'ak looked between you and Neteyam waiting for someone to give him some answers
"Ao'nung happened, he treats our tsmuke like shit and thinks he can get away with it."
Hearing you and Ao'nung in the same sentence instantly made Lo'ak pissed, he didn't even need to hear the full story. He could see you were hurting and that was enough for him "Let's go kick his ass"
Watching Lo'ak pound his fists together as he cracks his knuckles weren't a good sign, "Please don't fight him, I don't want you both getting in trouble with Dad over this" Lo'ak was already in trouble for starting an argument with some boys in the village and this would only add fuel to the fire.
"I don't give two shits about getting in trouble with Dad right now, Ao'nung is going to pay for hurting you. Plus when Dad hears the full story I doubt he'll even be mad anymore." Lo'ak said as he grabbed your hand and pulled you out of the mauri and toward the village.
"Now tell me where that bitch is so I can cave his face in." As you looked up at Lo'ak you could see the rage stirring up inside him just waiting to be unleashed.
You knew this was definitely going to end badly but you didn't care because Ao'nung deserved it.
Every punch, kick, and insult your brothers give him he deserves because he decided to love you in the shadows.
I hope you enjoyed💗!
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A/N: I didn’t feel like writing the fight scene so just imagine the one from the movie just more insults, intense fighting, and Ao’nung getting beat to a pulp😎!
I will eventually be making a Pt.2 to this story so if you want to be tagged comment below!
Had to share this beautiful work. It struck me straight away because this is almost exactly how I picture Neyomi (reader) from The Love Shack!! (Minus the eyebrows, because she's Omatikaya Na'vi & she wouldn't have eyebrows) 😍 But isn't she beautiful?? Gorgeous artwork.
Note: Found this on Instagram, but the poster isn't the original artist & I don't know whose fantastic work this is! Does anyone know who the artist/creator is? Please tag them in the comments if they're on here!
in which . . . ao’nung chooses a horror movie for movie night knowing you don’t like them but he chooses it because he gets something out of it.
includes . . . AGED UP CHARACTER ⋆ human!au ⋆ fear ⋆ fluff ⋆ word count › 626 words
dream journal . . . thank you for sending this prompt in boo. i loved writing this. i hope i met your expectations on this!! 🥰 it's been a while since i dropped an ao'nung fic, missed him. need to work on putting out more fics for him!! ☺️
☁️ masterlist ☁️ prompts ☁️ taglist
You fix yourself up one last time before going downstairs to the living room where Ao'nung is picking the movie you two were going to watch for movie night which you did every week. It was his turn to pick the movie and you hoped the movie he picked was good.
“Have you found a movie for us to watch yet? If not I can pick out a movie,” you say as you enter the living room and look at where Ao’nung is sitting on the couch manspreading. “Yes, I found a good one,” he smirks as he points to the tv, you turn your head to look at the selection and you let out a sigh after reading the bold letter words, Uncaged: 47 Meters Down.
“Where do you find these things?!” you groan as you look at him. “Lo’ak told me about it, he watched it with my sister and said it was good,” he sends you a warm smile as you walk over and plop down next to him.
‘Babe, you know how much I hate horror movies,” Ao’nung knew that and would never forget that detail about you but the reason he picked the movie is he got something out of when you would watch scary movies, you end up being all over him and how can he hate that? What’s a little scary if he gets to comfort you as you straddle his waist? “C’mon babe, it’s not that scary.”
You looked at the screen again, looking at the picture of a shark, a person swimming away, and blood, and looked back at him blinking twice. “It literally has sharks in it, how would it not be scary?” You questioned starting to wonder why he was smirking so much. “We don’t have to watch it if you don’t want to,” he speaks calmly as he kisses your forehead.
You pout a bit and then let out a breath, “Fine, I’ll watch it with you,” You turn to look at the TV as Ao’nung smiles and clicks play. The beginning started off pretty good, nothing scary happened yet but you were on guard for anything to happen, you never knew how Ao’nung can watch horror movies without getting scared, one scary thing pops up and you’re already pissing your pants.
Your luck runs out after the first scary scene pops up you let out a scream, immediately getting closer to Ao’nung and burying your face into his neck taking in the cologne that you loved so much.
“Burying your face in my neck kind of defeats the purpose of having the movie on, don't you think?" He snickered as he slid his arm around your waist pulling you closer to him.
The two of you continued to watch the movie, a few scares there but nothing too big, although it was suspicious nothing big was happening yet and your heart started beating fast as anticipation grew higher inside of you.
You try to calm yourself down as you still have an hour and some change to get through.
Just when you thought you could finally relax, another scary moment happened and it was so scary that you screamed and immediately climbed onto Ao’nung’s lap, straddling him as you lay your head on his shoulder.
“This is not fair, you did this on purpose…” You softly mumbled making Ao’nung laugh feeling the vibrations.
"You get to curl up in my lap, and I get to watch a cinematic masterpiece in peace and quiet. I think this is a pretty sweet deal." Ao’nung smirked as he felt you tighten your hold on him.
“You’re banned from picking another movie.” You state with a serious tone but you were half joking. ‘Now that is not fair.”
