"Not you too."
(Wip #4)
Pairing: So'lek x Tamí'tey (nonbinary Sarentu)
Words: 12,048
Rating: sfw (for now)
WHEW. Oh my god. Was that really 7000+ words in 3 days? I got a little stuck today on jt but I really wanted to get it out before Valentines Day.
There is still a lot of tweaking I need to go back and do, spellchecks to make- Na'vi words and phrases I wanna go back and replace, but for now the progress is satisfying enough to me to feel like I can post it.
As always, please enjoy- thoughts and onions are welcome. There's some tweaks made to the sections some of you may have read already!
Edit 3/03/2026: Not You Too is LIVE on AO3, wips will still be posted to tumblr but in snippets. Thank you all for reading!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/80454276/chapters/211268966
Tagged Readers: @grcsbluepen
edit 4/9/26: CHAPTER THREE BABY;
https://archiveofourown.org/works/80454276/chapters/217919846
"Tamí'tey..?"
Familiarity scratched at the back of their half-conscious mind, through all the ringing in their ears and the pain that wracked their body- something about the voice put every frayed nerve at ease for a reason they couldn't quite remember just yet.
There was an exhale with just the barest shudder in his breath, betraying the relief and fear in it as Tamí'tey felt calloused fingertips ghost tenderly by the mark, causing their closed eyelids to give the faintest flutters as they struggled to crack open.
‘Ma So'lek..!’
The memories resurfaced in the fog of their mind- Bukowski told them he had a special trap for the Dog Tag Warrior or any of their would-be rescuers, but even just the possibility of it claiming So'lek was worth it.
And it didn't matter if they lived or died from it either, long as it took him out too.. Tamí'tey recalled the last attempt as the Mangkwan carried them away, the way the RDA laid complete waste to that place to destroy him- only for So'lek to survive anyways.
”He's a survivor, that one.”
Bukowski’s words echoed in their ears as the memories started to overwhelm them- but so did the relief..
Their heavy gaze was unable to focus their vision enough to really make out So'lek in any real detail even with the faint fire glow, but they could smell the singed hair, ash, and blood on him.
‘None of it is his, thank Ewya.’
They heard his footsteps before they heard Wu’kula bellow with vicious snarl, his tail flaying around behind him as he trudged the battlefield- growing nearer and nearer.
"SO'LEEEK!"
"I KNOW YOU ARE HERE! COME OUT!! COWARD!!"
Tamí'tey could barely make out what the Mangkwan was saying through all the ringing still in their ears, but whatever it was it made So'lek's face grimace in a snarl above them.
"YOU WILL GIVE ME THE FIGHT I AM OWED!"
So'lek's gaze rose to Wu'kula with a hardened look while he hovered protectively over Tamí'tey, his gaze completely unwavered as Wu’kula's grin twisted with vicious glee.
"FACE ME SO'LEK! Or else, you will watch me gut every one of your family- and I'll save that one for last." The Mangkwan gestured with his blade at the pair, his pale yellow gaze glared at the both of them like a feral Palukan.
So'lek stole one more glance at Tamí'tey in the moment he could spare, his amber eyes softening for just a flash- if they had blinked they would have missed it.. The two of them didn't need to exchange words, his gaze held the promise alone that he was coming back- and that was all they needed.
He tore his gaze away from them with some reluctance, that snarl returned twisted onto his face as So'lek found a new, burning resolve to fight.
"I do not fear you." So'lek gritted out low, finally raising himself up to his full height as his feet dug into the dirt- he charged towards Wukula with outstretched hands, tackling him with all his might and causing the two of them to tumble away out of sight.
He would finish this here and now, be damned if Mangkwan, RDA, or whatever else dare try to tear away the only other family he's ever known.
And more selfishly, be damned if they ever tried to take Tamí'tey away from him again.
He had to put their condition out of his mind as he and Wu'kula's hands clawed furiously at each other's faces- while So'lek wordlessly prayed to Ewya that Ri'nela and Teylan would find Tamí'tey in time.
The ringing that still rang ever persistent in their ears was the least of their worries, they were forced to be mindful of their breathing to mitigate the shearing pain in their ribs and back as they started to become aware of the extent of their injuries.
With that awareness, they too realized that they were on their own- alone with nothing but their thoughts their mind quickly started to race, they weren't even trying to remember, but the memories came to them along with the sharp pangs in their head- the gas that had filled their cell to sedate and paralyze them after Bukowski had told them of his plan, waking up to the pile of explosives after Ewya knows how many hours- followed by their desperate attempts to disarm as much of the explosives as they could without SID while they fought off the effects of the drugs.
There was a sharp spasm deep in the small of their back- which caused them to almost cry out, only remembering at the last millisecond they were on a battlefield as their teeth almost snapped down on their tongue to muffle themself.
They let it out through gritted teeth and squeezed eyes, seeing blinding white behind them for a second while they just tried to breathe through the pain.
Tamí'tey laid there against the cool ashen earth, cracked eyes facing skyward as they just tried to focus- focus on anything but the pain, focus on anything but the helplessness they felt laying here- unarmed, ‘bleeding out’?
That helplessness was quickly replaced with a flash of fear surging through them, their eyes shooting open to try to better perceive the incoming threat as they heard a pair of approaching footsteps rapidly coming towards them- hissing with pain as they tried to get up again, but then that's when they heard her-
"T-Tamí'tey! They're alive- oh thank the Great Mother-" Ri'nela cried, and Tamí'tey allowed themself to relax at the sound of her voice- their eyes squeezing shut as they felt a pressure behind them, tears threatening to spill as Teylan's joined Ri'nela's voice as the pair came into view.
"Tamí'tey!! Oh-- you're hurt, ba--" Tamí'tey hears a light smack to Teylan's arm even with the faint ringing still in their ears, knowing it was his from his little "ow" of protest, and it got a weak grin out of them.
"H-He's just-- telling the truth Ri-Ri." Tamí'tey gritted out with a groan of pain, their eyes briefly squeezed shut so tightly that their brow and corners of their eyes wrinkled.
" 'S-sides, not the f-first time I've been blown up." They crack out with a weak grin, their bottom lip trembling from the pain as their body seemed to remind them that this pain wasn't like the other times- not the like that time they were shot out of the sky in the spires, or the other time they didn't near get out of a RDA site in time before it exploded.
But it was certainly pretty comparable to the time they dropped a whole ship of explosives on them and other Na'vi at the Great Games.
They felt Ri'nela's hand lay heavily on their chest as she knelt down next to them- her expression almost unreadable save for that worry in her eyes.
Her hand clutched a dapophet pod, holding it to their lips in an insistent and maternal way.
"You're going to be fine." She insisted firmly, almost more a reassurance to herself than Tamí'tey. "Eat."
Tamí'tey doesn't protest as they take a bite of the sweet fruit- this time their groan is one of near instantaneous relief, as the fruit slid down they already felt a warm comforting numbness soothe the worst of their pain- replacing it, at least for the moment with an dulled sensation.
"It's okay, we're gonna get you out of here." Teylan assured them, putting a hand briefly on their shoulder while his other hand went to the radio on his neck as Ri'nela encouraged another bite from Tamí'tey.
"Anqa? It's Teylan, we are heading your way with Tamí'tey."
They could all hear Priya's cry of relief on the other end through Teylan's radio, followed by a slew of questions none of them could really make out as Anqa's voice cut in to soothe Priya- but it touched Tamí'tey more than anything else, all these people coming together for them and being so worried for their well-being..
But they were worried about So'lek too.
"W-We aren't leaving without S-Solek." Tamí'tey started to protest- the bite of dapophet swallowed with haste as they mustered another attempt to sit up.
Both Ri'nela's and Teylan's hands rush out to press on their shoulders- Ri'nela letting out a little hiss of alarm as she saw fresh blood bloom from the glimpse she got of that one wound that was worrying her- along with the glimpse of metal sticking out of it..
"Shh- of course we aren't leaving without So'lek, but we need to get you help- so please Tamí'tey, try not to move too much.." Ri'nela soothed, successfully able to not betray the alarm in her voice.
Ri'nela gave Teylan a nod, his eyes quickly meeting hers with a quick nod of his own as he got up to fetch the stretcher he had dropped behind him in shock at the sight of Tamí'tey.
She at least got them to relax a bit at her assurance, though it was bad enough they couldn't help him- the last thing they wanted to do was leave him here.
Ri'nela resolved to at least do what she could here before they went to the Samson, getting Tamí'tey to finish the last of the pod to buy them time- but the Samson had more supplies and the ability to fly to Anufi in minutes, it was imperative they got Tamí'tey on the stretcher and to the Samson as fast as possible.
Teylan came up with the stretcher, the two of them wasted no more time getting Tamí'tey loaded onto it, being mindful of their movements as they placed them on the stretcher, doing their best to mitigate the pain they were already in- their faces wincing sympathetically whenever Tamí'tey betrayed any sign of pain.
Ri'nela made double-sure Tamí'tey was secure on it, encouraging the vines to gently close around them to help secure them to the plank- watching the slow, labored but steady rise and fall of Tamí'tey's chest- wondering to herself what any number of other injuries their armor or body were hiding.
She tried to put out of her mind that worsening bloody bloom across their back she got a glimpse of earlier.
‘Internal bleeding? Fractured ribs? Concussion? What else could be wrong?”
Ri'nela prattled off silently to herself- it made her wonder if they should rush them to Anufi, despite Tamí'tey's plea to not leave So'lek behind.
The flora around them began to rustle as a cool breeze picked up, carrying with it the first few drops of cold rain.
Teylan hardly had any words for either of his friends, much too overwhelmed by it all to go about his usual banter.. The weave of the handle dug into his tender palms as he and Ri'nela carried the stretcher between them, keeping their heads on a swivel as they made their way to the tree line while the rain began to pick up..
"T-Teylan.." Tamí'tey croaks out, their voice like gravel. "Y-You got anything n-new to tell me?"
The question drags Teylan out of his thoughts as Ri'nela's gaze lifts to the back of Teylan's head, watching him twist around a bit to look back at Tam'tey.
"H-huh?.."
"Y-You know-- w-when you tell me about stuff- I mi-missed hearing about w-what you learned."
Teylan didn't really expect to feel the burn in his eyes as he turned his head away, swallowing hard as he let out a little "o-oh.."
"Oh- oh right, y-yea, of course." He tries to sound more chipper, despite that pit in his stomach- he hoped they were just being sentimental and not acting funny because they were---
He shakes the thought away like a pesky fly, blinking away the tears that formed in his eyes as he cleared his throat.
"Teylan, you don't h-have to.." Tamí'tey insists gently, but he just shakes his head quickly.
"No no- it's fine. Just.. Caught me off guard a little, is all.. I missed telling you things too.. When you first went missing, I-I kept trying to radio you to tell you things.. A-And I missed you."
It was Tamí'tey's turn to feel that lump in their throat, feeling the familiar pressure of tears as they threatened to spill from their eyes.
"I-I missed y-ya too pal." Tamí'tey craned their head back to look back up at Ri'nela, seeing the tears in her own eyes as she looked back at them- her lips curling into a tearful smile of assurance.
"A-And you R-Ri-Ri." They stammered out, trying not to think too hard about how cold they were starting to feel- they knew better than to say that out loud to worry their friends even more than they already were. "I-I missed y-you too."
"We all did." Ri'nela's reply is gentle, blinking her tears away as she lifts her gaze back up to scan ahead of them while Teylan stole a few glances over his shoulder- and he couldn't find any sign that anyone was following them as the trio disappeared into the treeline.
Ri'nela and Teylan both tried to keep Tamí'tey talking as they betrayed little shivers, the two of them carrying the feeling of that cold dread in their stomachs as they listened to Tami'tey's teeth chatter between sentences they stuttered out.
Their old TAP training helped them both recall the signs that their fellow soldier friend was actively bleeding out.
They both could tell it was happening.
The sooner they got to Anufi, the better their chances, and Ri'nela really began to debate Tamí'tey's wishes as the Samson came into view.
Both Ri'nela and Teylan could make out Anqa's form anxiously patrolling the edges of the Samson, with her rifle half-raised at the treeline that surrounded her and Priya in the clearing- she found it getting harder to see due to the rain, but wasn't the trigger happy sort to just shoot at any little bit of noise.
Anqa did her best to walk as softly as she could, her heart almost wouldn't allow itself to stay still enough to keep from drumming in her ears, steadily taking quiet breaths through her nose and out though her mouth to minimize both her anxiety and to hear for any incoming.
Three, sharp Ikran-like cries came from Anqa's 10'oclock- the signal she and Priya had been waiting to hear with stifled breaths, allowing for a sigh of relief to leave her while making an adjustment to the rifle into a neutral position by slinging it over her shoulder.
Priya shot straight up in her seat, having been anxiously fiddling with her tablet as she waited for them to arrive- trying to find all her limbs as she scrambled out of the Samson in time to see Teylan emerge first from the treeline- the foliage brushing over Tamí'tey, as they appeared on the stretcher, followed then by Ri'nela- her and Priya's grim expressions met as the human rushed to get the medkit without saying another word.
Anqa tried to not betray her grimace at Tamí'tey's state as a small “Shit..” was uttered her breath‐ even in the dim light and her lack of night vision she could see the singed, tattered portions of their armor and smell the metallic tang of blood invading her nose; Anqa took a step to the side as Ri'nela and Teylan wasted no time getting Tamí'tey out of the rain.
Teylan climbed into the Samson first as he guided the stretcher in, stepping out the other side as he stood opposite Ri'nela- the two of them finally being able to ease Tamí'tey down onto the floor of the Samson as Priya and Anqa climbed in.
Ri'nela would join them and Teylan wasted no time trying to make himself useful elsewhere, getting his tablet out to resume helping So'lek to get the Sonic Pulse Emitters (SPE's) downed- trying to keep underneath the Samson to stay out of the rain.
His hand goes to his neck to radio So'lek, tail lashing behind him.
“So'lek? Can you hear me?”
Static, though he swore he heard grunting and gunshots.
He tried to ignore that growing pit in his stomach, Teylan just swallowed that hard lump in his throat and steeled his focus on the tablet; no time to freak out, no time to bombard So'lek with questions– just hack!
Tamí'tey, at this point, was just doing their best to keep their eyes open. They could feel their consciousness begin to slip as with that heavy tug of their eyelids- unable to clearly make out what any of them were saying as they battled to stay awake.
‘They all sound like they're underwater..’
Tamí'tey felt something get set down by their feet, heavy enough to shift the weight around in the Samson- and someone else turned on their headlight, flooding the interior with cold, bright light.
Priya was unusually quiet for herself..
She wasn't a doctor, god- none of them were, but she knew enough from her time with the Resistance, everyone had to learn- and she knew just enough that it might get Tamí'tey the extra time they needed, and she had to push down any doubts she was currently having and just try.
Priya leaned away as she reached for the other bag, nestled between the two front seats.
This one looked almost like an insulated lunchbox more than anything- but when she unzipped it to reveal its contents, several liters of IV blood bags from the RDA's Avatar Program, a transfusion hand pump, and other essentials for field blood transfusion.
Ri'nela caught a glimpse of the bags, her eyes scanning the label as it clicked where they were from..
“Is that?..”
Priya let out a soft yet heavy sigh with a nod, knowing better than to say too much in front of Teylan and Tamí'tey.
“Alma wouldn't mind..” She said, managing to keep her emotions in check despite it all, picking up the vein finder from the kit as she took a glance at Tamí'tey, noting just how pale they looked- their eyelids fluttering painfully whenever Anqa's headlight passed over their face.
“It's a universal blood type, so- it should work for Tamí'tey..” Priya confirmed, already getting started on getting everything else she needed accessible before sanitizing and gloving up her hands.
Ri'nela felt a swell of hope with the welling of tears in her eyes, her hand resting on Tamí'tey's forehead, letting her thumb tenderly stroke over the bridge of their nose as Anqa wordlessly turned on a light and started unpacking the medkit enough to have it all accessible.
The three of them worked together getting Tamí'tey stabilized, Ri'nela knew better than to remove the metal from their wound- not yet, they would have long been dead if she had pulled it when she found them, and they'd be dead by the time they got to Anufi if she pulled it now.
Ri'nela offered another dapophet pod to Tamí'tey's lips as the sound of a zipper getting pulled open caught their attention.
Their gaze flickered to Priya as she pulled out a clear glass bottle with some familiar branding and labeling- too familiar.
So familiar in fact, Tamí'tey involuntarily jerked away and hissed as the whites of their eyes showed as the dapophet pod was unintentionally smacked from Ri'nela's hand- their body twisting away with them as it screamed to get away- Ri'nela's hands raced to their arms as they flailed, Priya and Anqa leaned away in surprise- eyes wide at Tamí'tey's unexpected reaction.
“Tamí'tey?? What's wrong?!” Priya sounded distressed when she asked, her palms facing outwards- but so did the medicine.
“Tam tam, Tamí'tey- tam tam!” Ri'nela pleaded as her eyes flew to Priya's hand, and it dawned on her why Tamì'tey was reacting like this.
“No- No, No Sky People's painkillers.” Ri'nela said as Tamí'tey just tried to catch their breath as they exhaled more than they inhaled- Ri'nela's hands desperately tried to sooth them, and her efforts so far had been working as their breaths started to even back out.
Ri'nela had seen it all with Tamí'tey, and she knew enough to know if what she was doing was working for them or not- she knew how to not make it worse with them and Teylan when they became difficult to reach..
Priya's brows knitted together apologetically as she put the bottle back up in the bag- zipping it back shut.
“O-oh gosh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea..” She tucked the bag of painkillers back by the rest of the medkit and reached for the other supplies she'd need instead- trying not to focus too much on the guilt as Anqa gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze..
Ri'nela gently shook her head as Tamí'tey shuddered in a breath, their eyes squeezing shut briefly as they answered before Ri'nela could.
“It's okay P-Priya, I-I know you were just looking out for me.” They said as their head rolled to the side to look at her, mustering up a weak smile- and Priya just mustered one up for them too, even if she looked like she was gonna be on the verge of tears for a split second.
She just takes a breath.
‘Get it together Priya, Focus. They all need you right now.’
“We will just have to do with the Dapophet for now..” Ri'nela said as she fetched a fresh Dapophet from her woven bag, not bothering to look for the one Tamí'tey had slapped away.
“I-I'm sorry for s-smacking your hand, Ri R-Ri.” Tamí'tey remorsefully said
As Ri'nela fed Tamí’tey another dapophet, they all began their work in tandem, the only words being exchanged were instructions or requests for a bandage or antiseptic.
Priya cleaned their arm to prepare for the transfusion, Anqa and Ri'nela worked to get what they could of their armor off with a soft apology from Ri'nela as Tamí'tey squeezed their eyes shut.
Even in their weakened state, Tamí'tey felt that flare of fear in their stomach as their armor was taken off, they couldn't help but feel small again- especially in a moment where they already felt so helpless.. But they managed to will themself through it as they just gritted their teeth, trying to remind not themself but their body that these hands were safe.
They almost didn't notice the burn of the needle going in with how distracted they were by everything else, their eyes darting over to Priya's- her own flitting to theirs for a moment to meet, offering an apologetic look as she uttered a small “sorry, I know it hurts.”
Priya worked on getting the set up secure, bandaging the line to their arm before she settled in next to Tamí'tey to help give the transfusion- and Priya could tell they were starting this just in the nick of time too with how pale Tamí'tey was- the vibrant deep teal of their skin had a faded and sickly appearance, like the polluted flora around RDA sites.
For the most part it was up to Anqa and Ri'nela now, hardly any of them noticed Teylan pacing around outside the aircraft nervously- stealing glances inside as he scanned the treeline and listened out for So'lek on the radio.
His fingers did a complicated dance of swipes and taps as he rapidly pulled up different windows- deleting something here, taking down a firewall there, along with some trojans disguised as updates and–
‘I GOT IT!’ Teylan crowed to himself, his nervous energy exploding in his chest as his face broke out in a grin- not noticing the couple of tears that escaped his eyes as his hand flew to his neck.
“So'lek! I got it! You can still hear me right??”
Static.
He held his breath for a second, his attention divided between the Samson and the radio as he listened- that cold dread seeping back into him again.
More static- but he heard a shout from So'lek, and that was enough for Teylan.
“Good enough for me! Listen, I found a way to open the fuel pipe hatches, get ready!”
Tamí'tey's eyelids fluttered when Teylan shouted So'lek's name, their head tilting backwards to try to get a better at Teylan- but they only caught his lashing tail as he paced by the Samson.
Teylan's gaze was locked on the screen as his body paced on autopilot now, his hips swaying away from obstacles without looking (though he still dinged himself a couple times anyways, subconsciously misjudging the distance- still too laser focused on the task at hand to really notice.) as he closed in on delivering the final blow.
"So'lek! I did it! The sonic units are down!!”
Tamí'tey wasn't feeling any worse but not really feeling any better either, in spite of this however they managed to lift their head enough with what strength they had left to see Teylan popping out the other side of the Samson down by their feet, pausing with a hand on his neck as he had his back turned to the rest of them.
He peered over the tree tops at the ashen crown of the Aranahe's hometree, his dread getting swallowed down.
“So'lek?”
The silence weighed down on them all even as Anqa and Ri'nela continued to work- Priya wordlessly praying to herself as her hands worked the transfusion pump wouldn't have to deliver even more bad news of death to the Resistance.
He felt the radio buzz under his fingertips as So'lek's voice roared through the radio, along with the shriek of an Ikran.
Teylan's skyward gaze caught it- the sight of Ìley and So'lek circling the crown of the hometree before diving downwards.
Teylan's heart lurched in his chest, without thinking he called for Ada- tucking his tablet away in his pack behind him as her wings began to beat overhead.
“Teylan!- What are you doing?!” Ri'nela almost shot up from her spot to stop him, but her hands were too busy helping to stem the flow of blood from the worst of Tamí'tey's wounds as she packed dressing into it around the metal embedded in there.
Anqa couldn't get up either to stop Teylan either, occupied with holding down Tamí'tey's involuntarily jerking body from the pain of having the wound further packed- they felt hot tears streaming down their cheeks, gasping out Teylan's name in an effort to call out for him, but the pain made them breathless- the dapophet couldn't touch the pain.
“I'm going to check on him!” was his only reply, Ada barely had time to land before Teylan had hopped onto her back and made the bond, Ada's whole body reared up to mirror her rider's determination- letting out a sharp cry as she gave a deep flap of her wings, gusting the air around them as they took off towards the hometree.
“Teylan!!” Ri'nela called again with a lurch in her chest, cold despite her friend's warm blood coating her hands and arms- watching the two disappear from the view she had out of the Samson.
Tamí'tey gritted their teeth with frustration and agony- every fiber of their being screamed at them to get up- to fight, to help.
There was nothing they could do but lay there, even if they could get up- the pain and blood loss had left them in such a daze that Tamí'tey just had to allow themself to be helpless and useless.
Tamí'tey burned out all their frustration, and as much as it felt like a failure to be this incapacitated and helpless, they finally surrendered to the fact they just couldn't do anything right now..
’Great Mother, please- just bring them back to me, that's all I ask.’
—
Ri'nela's voice carried off in the wind rushing past Teylan's ears as he took off on Ada, carrying them as fast as she could into the sky as Teylan's gaze took in the battlefield that was the home of the Aranahe.
Bodies of the RDA littered it below, the shattered windows of the amp suits glittering in the amber light from the dying, arrows jutting out of the soldiers like pin cushions- with only one style of fletching present on every arrow on that battlefield.
The humans knew it well, and were any of them alive- they would have been wise to turn at run at the sight of the Dog Tag Warrior's fletching.
Ada rumbled in her chest, scanning the battlefield for any threats to her rider and finding none- even among all the bodies, not one stirred with breath.
Teylan and Ada climbed further, circling the crown of the tree where they saw So'lek dive, Teylan's gaze scanned intensely below as his grip anxiously tightened on Ada's saddle.
It didn't take long to see two Na'vi laid out on the ground next to each other, taking the breath out of Teylan's lungs as he stared at them- it felt foolish to hope it wasn't So'lek and Wukula, but–
Who else could it be?
‘No-’
‘No no no!!’
As he and Ada descended, he confirmed his fears- So'lek and Wukula were laid out next to each other, facing skywards.
Ada gave a sharp shriek of distress as Teylan urged her to land quickly, the pair falling together as Ada folded her wings to her side to briefly dive.
Teylan couldn't land fast enough, and Ada shared both his eagerness and urgency to land as she caught her wings in the air at almost the last second- instinctively bracing himself for that lurch as Ada gave a little shriek, her wings flapping more rapidly as he descent brought them closer to the ground- landing just around a bend of the hometree.
Ada hadn't even completely landed before Teylan was hopping off of her, his heart pounding in his ears as his hand slid from her neck in a quick ‘thank you pat’ before he rushed towards So'lek- feeling tears welling in his eyes as his feet slapped against the concrete.
So'lek's ears flicked at the sound of feet, letting out a grunt of pain as he willed himself to sit up despite the utter exhaustion he felt- he felt like he was trying to move a mountain lifting himself up.
He heard Teylan's voice before he cracked open his heavy eyes.
“SO'LEK!!” Teylan broke into a tearful smile, wiping his face on his arm as he allowed his pace to slow the closer he drew to So'lek- his gaze flitting over his body for injuries as he dropped down next to him.
Teylan's hands drifted to So'lek's arms as he blinked away the drying tears, So'lek swallowed hard- the rain having long since cooled his rage and adrenaline, leaving him utterly drained.
“T-Tamí'tey? Are they-”
“Alive. They're all working on trying to get them stable before we fly them to Anufi, but they didn't want to leave without you.”
So'lek felt a flare of exasperation for a split when he heard that, his brow tensing as he just sighs through his nose.. It didn't surprise him in the least though, he'd do the same if the roles were reversed.
That exasperation faded into unease, knowing it was just his fear of losing them making him feel like this.
“I see..” So'lek's voice is heavy, trying to get them stable meant Tamí'tey wasn't out of the forest yet- and despite everything else he felt right now, the fear and concern he had for them dominated the rest..
The scan he did of So'lek so far showed him nothing grave or severe, though he could see the beginnings of deep purple bruises all over his body.
Teylan opened his mouth to begin to say something, but his attention was taken by the sound of wet feet padding across the concrete..
Teylan's gaze found the source first, stumbling with his hand clutching his shoulder, his eyes finding Teylan's as he stared at him with an unreadable expression..
“Nor?..” Teylan said almost with disbelief, if So'lek hadn't told him he had seen and been with Nor- he almost wouldn't have believed his eyes right now.
Fresh tears welled in his eyes, standing up and rushing towards Nor with his arms outstretched, crushing him into a hug as Nor betrayed a grunt of pain- with Teylan immediately withdrawing with apologies spewing from his mouth.
Nor offers him a tired but assuring smile. “It's good to see you too.” He says as he used his good arm to give Teylan a good squeeze from the side, before gesturing with his head towards So'lek.
Teylan's attention snapped back to So'lek a bit sheepishly, but So'lek's gaze offered no disappointment as he mustered a shadow of a smile in his spent state as he and Nor offered their hands out to So'lek to help him up- which he accepted, linking his arms with theirs as they lifted him up.
They made sure So'lek was steady on his feet, and as Teylan raised his free hand to notify Ri'nela and the others- So'lek beat him to the punch.
“Ri'nela, we'll meet you at the rendezvous point. Nor is with us.” So'lek was intentionally vague about the details of their destination, just in case any RDA were listening to their channels.
“Ma Nor? How is he?”
“He is fine, neither of us sustained any major injuries.” Said So'lek.
“Is Wukula–?”
“Dead.” He affirmed, taking a glance at the fallen Na'vi's body.. It was such a waste.. Waste of a life, waste of a heart, waste of a man and warrior so consumed by hate and rage he rejected their Mother.
Deep down, a small part of So'lek wondered if he hadn't taken the Path of the Promiser- would he have been like him? Rejecting Ewya? Relishing only violence and control?
“Get Tamí'tey and yourselves out of here. We'll be behind you shortly.” So'lek added before letting his hand fall away from the comms.
So'lek heard Ri'nela's sigh of relief over the comms, in the background he heard shuffling and voices- a mix of Anqa and Priya, though he couldn't really make out what they were saying through the background static.
He swore he heard someone else too, fainter in the background- was that his name?
His expression didn't betray that little lump in his throat, though his ears briefly pinned back as he exhaled through his nose- letting his hand fall away from his neck as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
“Do you have any Dapophet pods left?” Teylan asked, ending the lingering silence as he looked worryingly over the bullet grazes that he could see- hoping So'lek's gear didn't hide anything more severe from his gaze.
“No. No healing gel left either.” His eyes looking off to the side at the emptied first aid containers, Wukula had been a tough opponent to put down.
Teylan fished around in his pack, Ri'nela told him to always try to keep some on him- just in case of course.
For as silent Nor was, the inner turmoil that raged in his head went on- it never really quieted down for him.. Looking at Teylan, all he could see was Alma's face in the window as her eyes went blank- the moment her life ended with bullets in her back.
He almost didn't hear So'lek say they should prepare to leave after swallowing his bite of dapophet, it wasn't good to linger here too long- even with RDA forces mostly decimated across the Kinglor forest..
Who knows if they had more forces waiting in the wings?
“Did you hear me, Nor?”
Nor shook away the thoughts with a huff, nodding as he straightened up.
“Yes- we should get going.” He said as the sound of a flying Samson reached all their ears- even from down where they were though they could tell it was Anqa's as they headed off in the direction of the Clouded Forest.
It didn't take long for the three of them to be up in the air themselves, despite his exhaustion- So'lek had regained just enough energy and relief from the dapophet to hold his bow, an arrow already nocked in it as he and Íley took the lead.
Teylan with Ada, and Nor with Reyfya, flanked themselves on either side of the Samson.
Teylan took the starboard position and Nor took port, with their bows half-drawn at the ready as they flew in formation with their heads on a swivel.
All of them were exhausted in their own ways, so conversation was very little at first- the only sound coming from the engine of the Samson, the deep flaps of Ikran wings, and the wind whistling by their ears.
So'lek's gaze couldn't help but rest heavily on the Samson ahead of him, briefly willing Íley to break from the formation as they dipped off to the side, raising themselves to be even with the side of the Samson to peer in.
The moonlight reflected the stark white blanket used to cover them as they lay on their side, shielding them from the cold bite of the wind as their head rested cushioned in Ri'nela's lap, her head resting on the wall of the Samson with her eyes closed- and Priya next to them gave So'lek a small wave as she looked over at him.
He couldn't really understand what was in Priya's occupied hand- it looked strange, like one of the human pistols but not quite.. It had tubes running through it, and even from here So'lek could see that one of the tubes ran under the blanket.
‘Just a little longer, ma Tamí'tey. Please.’
Íley gave a little rumble underneath him as his eyes rolled in his head to look back at So'lek, and his bonded's hand trailed his hand up the side of Íley's neck with a weary smile.
“Me too, Íley..” He murmured to him as they drifted back to their position at the bow.
Nor's eyes drifted over to Teylan and Ada, so much had changed in the year he was gone, Teylan had an Ikran of his own now..
“What is her name?” Nor asked finally, his free hand giving Reyfya's neck a pat as she rumbled fondly at him.
The question stirs Teylan out of his thoughts, but it was a question he was happy to answer- giving Nor a little smile as he looked down proudly at his Ikran.
“Her name is Ada, like Ada Lovelace! The inventor!” His chest puffed out a little as his hand stroked Ada's neck affectionately.
Nor tried to hide his grimace as his blood ran hot with aggravation that Teylan would name her after a sky person- his tail flickered as his heart rattled in its cage, scratching and clawing at his chest so viciously that Teylan heard the odd noise from his grinding teeth.
“Of course you named her after a stupid sky person.” Nor replied bitterly, half-regretting the words that left his mouth, but part of him felt it was for his own good.
Still, he wasn't proud when he saw Teylan shrink on Ada, as his ears betrayed just how crestfallen Nor's reply made him.
Poor Teylan was trying to fight the pressure building behind his eyes as So'lek whipped his head over his shoulder to glare at Nor- and Nor saw actual disgust in his eyes.
Disgust.
“The first time you see Teylan in a year and he's a Tsamsiyu- both of you are, and all you have to offer him is that?” With every word that So'lek says, Nor shrinks more and more in his saddle- his own ears burning with shame as Teylan wipes his eyes with little sniffle.
Teylan finally forces his gaze forward, glancing at Nor for a second.
“I-It's okay So'lek, really..” Teylan did his best to make himself at least sound okay, but he couldn't help but feel small again- like he was back in TAP, with Nor's disgust at his weakness with Mercer breathing down his neck.
“Regardless. He shouldn't talk to you like that.” So'lek added, still facing Nor as he stared him down- half daring him to say something else, half daring him to look him in the eye.
And he did, betraying the burning shame in them but also- that lingering resentment, that look that told So'lek that Nor thought they were all the lost ones- and he was the one trying to save them, his cruelty justified if it meant saving them from the wrath of their Mother.
“I'm sorry, Teylan.” Nor finally broke his silence, barely giving him a glance from the side of his eye, his head giving a slight tilt his way.
Teylan gave a wordless nod of acknowledgement, his fingertips busying themselves with memorizing the woven leather straps on Ada's saddle.
So'lek's tail flicked, this wouldn't be the last of the discussion he'd have with Nor.
—
Dawn was only a few hours away with how the morning fog blanketed the lower valleys of the Clouded Forest,
It’s cold, pale fingers wound between the tall pines and mushrooms, in the distance- the green fog of the yava lingered ever present.
The weary had party finally made it to the hidden home of the Kame’tire clan, Anqa almost wouldn't have known where to land if it weren't for the GPS pin and So'lek taking point- from the air the primary home of the clan blended in so well with the landscape that it could be easily missed if you didn't know what you were looking for.
A few Kame'tire keeping watch over their clan at night patrolled on their ikrans, and they all broke off away from their posts to investigate the party- to which So'lek called out to them, and one of them called back, realizing now the Kame’tire were under no threat- one of the riders banked back towards the Hollows.
With that assurance, the Samson began its slow descent, the change in the sound of the blades chopping at the air more slowly dragged Tamí'tey out of their torpor for a second- their teeth giving a little clatter as that cold seeped into their bones and joints.
Ri'nela stirred awake as well when Tami'tey's head shifted on her lap, her hand instinctively going to soothe itself over their head.
She caught the weak fluttering of their eyelids as they struggled to keep them open, and Ri'nela couldn't help but glance over at Priya- seeing she was still working the transfusion gun in a different hand, as well as the discarded blood bags next to her.
“I've been through four, they shouldn't be this cold..”
Ri'nela tried to ignore that chasm of dread reopening itself in her chest, taking a deep breath through her nose.
“How many do you have left?..”
“I-I packed eight, so- four left. We need to get the bleeding stopped.” Priya said, anxiously glancing at the fourth bag she was on, and it had little over half to go.
At least some of the color was back in their skin, but Priya was only buying them time- until the bleeding was stopped they were losing more than they made or got back.
Ri'nela's eyes squeezed shut for a second as the Samson brushed the ground, taking another deep breath before looking back at Priya.
“They have gotten this far thanks to you.”
She didn't know why she said that, but- she felt like Priya needed to hear it right now.
Priya didn't even have time to process Ri'nela's words before Anqa climbed out of her seat and made her way back to them- hands braced on the seats as she carefully stepped over Priya and Tamí'tey.
“They'll be here soon, I saw a banshee rider go to the village when I was descending.” She said as she turned and knelt down beside them all, dwarfed by the two Na'vi crowding the floor of her Samson.
Ri'nela nodded as she gently cupped her hands underneath Tamí'tey's head, lifting it up carefully as they let out a small groan of pain and protest.
“Anufi is gonna help you soon, okay? You're going to be fine..” Ri'nela said, and all Tamí'tey could muster out was an echo of her sentence weakly before they faded out again.
“G-Going to be f-fine.”
Ri'nela swallowed hard that anxiety that welled up in her again, she almost didn't hear the footsteps that approached the Samson- but Anqa's and Priya's gazes lifted up to see Teylan and So'lek approaching the Samson.
So'lek popped his head in first, his expression nigh unreadable if Ri'nela hadn't been able to see it in his eyes- betraying his fear and concern as his amber eyes darted from Tamí'tey to Ri'nela.
“How are they?”
“They have been falling in and out of consciousness, Priya's been doing a blood transfusion- but we only have four bags left. With how much they're bleeding we don't have much time.”
So'lek's ears pinned back as his tail gave a quick flick.
“We're wasting time then.” He replied bluntly, reaching for the straps of the stretcher by Tamí'tey's feet as Ri'nela gathered her legs underneath her and crouched by them- Anqa helped her to ease their shoulders on the stretcher to make sure they were on it before helping to tuck their arms to their chest.
Their face grimaced with pain at the motion, but they didn't stir awake otherwise as Ri'nela's hands wrapped around the straps of the stretcher as Priya got up herself- taking the blood bag in her free hand and working the transfusion pump with the other.
“Can you bring the rest of the blood for me, Anqa?” Priya asked as she looked over at her, those bright eyes Anqa had fallen for were considerably dulled and distant..
It made her heart ache quietly, though she gave her a nod as the three of them maneuvered Tamí'tey out of the Samson.
Anqa grabbed the insulated red bag and followed them out, as they all heard the foliage rustling around multiple pairs of legs- revealing a party of Kame’tire approaching.
Anufi and Okul led the party of Kame'tire to the group, and it didn't take long for Anufi to realize what was going on.
“Great Mother-!” Anufi's hand went to her neck at the sight of Tamí'tey- the blanket covering their body couldn't hide the smell of burnt skin, blood, and wretched metal.
“No time to explain yourselves- come come, bring them along- quickly now. The sky people may come too.” Anufi urged, waving them along as the warriors behind Anufi and Okul dispersed back towards the Hollows- some of them shouting out instructions and waving at unseen figures.
So'lek and Ri'nela wordlessly followed Anufi and Okul into the hollows with Priya close behind them, despite how late it was now- much of the clan was awakened by the sound of Samson chopper blades and were now investigating what the commotion was.
Many pairs of eyes followed the group as hushed whispers spread like flames amongst themselves, no sky people had walked in the camp since before the Sarentu Moot massacre- so some of the Na'vi were a bit weary.. But some of the Kame'tire recognized the pair from the Great Games.
Anqa and Priya had to practically half jog themselves to keep up with the long strides of their Na'vi comrades all the way to Anufi's healing quarters- her space was bigger compared to the rest of the hollows, but she often shared it with patients or passers by.
“Here- set them here.” Anufi instructed, gesturing with her prosthetic to a mat closest by all her supplies and well lit- Okul didn't say a word as they themself got to work gathering things they and Anufi would need.
So'lek and Ri'nela eased the stretcher down onto the mat as Priya stood off to the side- close enough to keep the tubing from tugging on Tamí'tey's arm, but out of the way as Anqa shuffled a bit awkwardly nearby, her thumb fiddling with the zipper on the insulated bag, anxiously staring at the near empty one Priya was transfusing into them.
“This sky person and Ri'nela may stay- Okul and I need room to work.” Anufi would state plainly, looking at So'lek and Anqa expectantly as she picked up her mortar- Teylan's ears fell with a little “o-oh- alright then.. Let me know if I can help in any way.”
So'lek takes a deep breath in through his nose as to avoid betraying his reluctance at the idea, shifting his eyes to steal a glance at Tamí'tey- and for a moment, his face revealed the full weight of that concern he had for them..
“Very well.” He replies with a knitted brow, giving Anufi and Okul a dip of his head as Anqa goes to set the bag down within reach of Priya- leaning over to clink their masks together in a little “kiss” before she walks back the way they came- gently nudging Teylan as she passes by him as a reminder it was time to go..
So'lek himself walked away with great reluctance as his fingers curled tightly into his palm- the sting of his nails digging into the calloused flesh..
—
Sleep wasn't something that came easy to So'lek to begin with, staying asleep was a whole other thing itself- so his attempts to sleep this time were met rather.. Poorly.
He'd close his eyes, but every time he did all could see was the events of the past few weeks play out behind his eyes- and the moments that replayed the most in his head was when Tamí'tey was ripped away from him, and the moment they were engulfed by the explosives going off.
They had thrown a hand out with their palm flat towards him, their mouth mouthing a stop as the trap snapped shut on them both.
His eyes cracked open to stare at the shadows casted by the fire, Teylan was fast asleep by Anqa- who had politely offered her lap to the Na'vi while she slept slumped against the wall.
It did get the tiniest of smiles from So'lek for a second before he shifted his view to outside, noticing the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon giving the dusty hues of pinks and blues that now painted the sky.
He remembered why he was here though, and it wiped the little smile from his face as he gathered his feet underneath him.
With his hands braced on his legs, he slowly stood up- ignoring the aches and pains from his battle with Wukula earlier.
His ears perked at the sound of smaller, lighter footsteps- deducing they must belong to Priya before she ever even appeared as his eyes flicked to the entryway.
She stood there with a hand braced on the wood, carrying with her a pair of oxygen packs for her and Anqa's masks.
“Hey, So’lek..” She croaked out as she rubbed her face for a moment with a free hand- sniffling.
“Is-”
“Tamí'tey's fine, stable. It was– a bit touch and go for a while… Anufi has them in some kind of induced sleep for the moment.” Priya responded as she sniffed again, trying not to think about it too hard- she went through every single bag she had and it almost wasn't enough.
It was like the weight of a mountain had been lifted off his chest as his shoulders relaxed- that sigh of relief shuddering out his nose while his eyes squeezed shut, trying to steady himself against the swell of emotions.
He felt a small hand rest on his arm, his eyes cracking open to see Priya having stepped closer to him, offering him a reassuring smile despite the exhaustion she wore on her face.
Usually, So'lek wasn't fond of the humans touching him- but he had warmed up to a few more of them thanks to Tamí'tey..
“Anufi said you can come by. Me and Anqa will need to leave soon, we only got one more mask change before we're out- and Alex wants us back by tomorrow anyways..”
So'lek's ear flicks a bit, glancing back at Anqa and Teylan as they slumbered together nearby.
“I will escort you there, just in case.” So'lek said without hesitation. “The RDA are still out there, and the last thing any of us need right now is losing more-” Allies? No.. “Friends..”
Priya sniffed a bit, letting her hand fall away.
“Thanks So'lek..”
“Go get some sleep, we'll go after Eclipse.”
Priya nods as she dragged her feet past So'lek, going over to Anqa and Teylan with the oxygen packs still in her occupied hand as she settled herself in by Anqa's left side.
Anqa barely stirs, her eyes cracking just a faint sliver as she glances at Priya as her head rests on her shoulder- and it gets a faint smile out of her as she lets her head rest atop of Priya's.
So'lek allowed himself to linger for just a moment to observe the trio– but his focus kept flickering to Anqa and Priya as he felt a familiar pang in his chest, one he had only ever felt around Rimu and–
’Tamí'tey..’
He never really expected to be done in by the Sarentu, but he had been- he couldn't remember the exact moment he started to develop feelings for them, the earliest he could recall was when they had made him a little Ikran figurine of Íley.
He almost felt the soft grass under his feet in the memory as he made his way to the healer's den, the warm sunshine illuminated his favorite details; the soft curve of their smile with that little fang peeking out over their bottom lip, the crinkle of the corners of their verdant eyes, and that dimple that only ever appeared when the smile was genuine.
”What are you making?”
They chuff as they wrap that colorful cord around the neck to bulk it up and make it sturdy.
“It's a surprise.” They respond with a playful chime in their voice, giving him even more of that toothy grin as they beamed ear to ear at him.
So'lek had been so lost in the memory that he found himself in the entryway of the Healer's Den before he knew it- finding Tamí'tey had been moved from the mat closest to the healing supplies.
They were tucked away almost out of sight from the entry way, still positioned on their side as they rested on soft piles of moss and horned teylu fur. (Rid of the stinging furs, of course.) With Ri'nela sitting vigil by their side.
She had been half dozing when she heard So'lek's soft footsteps pause at the entryway, raising her eyes to him as she shifted and stretched in her spot..
“How are you feeling?” So'lek asks her as Ri'nela shrugged- if anything she felt like she should be asking him that, the bruising that littered his body held deep, purple and almost black bruising in some spots- but he stood like he wasn't in any kind of pain.
The blood smeared on him had long since dried into a desaturated maroon, Wukula's bloody handprint was still there of his chest plate- smeared downwards as it dragged lifelessly down So'lek's chest in one last feeble attempt to attack him.
“I'm as good as I can be.. How are you?” She asks, sitting up straighter as she lets her elbows rest on her knees, glancing over at Tamí'tey as they slumbered heavily next to them.
Anufi had to come by periodically to tuck something under Tamí'tey's tongue- taking out the previous packet of potent resins with a swipe of her finger with the replacement of it.
Ri'nela figured that's what was helping keep Tamí'tey unconscious, which was a small mercy for them with the amount of pain they had been in.
“Likewise..” So'lek responds simply, making his way over to the two of them, grunting a bit as he knelt down next to Ri'nela- draping his arms over his knees and tucking his hands away into the crooks of his elbows.
“How long does Anufi plan on keeping them asleep?..”
“Hard to say.. She said three to five days?..” Ri'nela replied with another yawn, bracing her own hands on her knees as she stood up- her knees popping audibly from the uncomfortable position she had been sleeping in.
So'lek winces sympathetically at that, but Ri'nela shakes it off as she straightens up and rolls her shoulders..
“I'm gonna go take a walk and check on everyone.. You said Nor came with you?”
“Yes, though I haven't seen him since we landed.” So'lek's response was a bit flat, his tail tip giving a little twitch.
Ri'nela's ears drooped a bit, glancing towards the entryway..
“I'll see if I can find him.. Will you stay with Tamí'tey for a bit?”
“You don't even need to ask, go on.” He gently waves Ri'nela away with his palm outwards.
But before she could leave– So'lek cleared his throat like he was about to say something.
“And– Ri'nela? … Thank you. All of you.”
Ri'nela dipped her head in response with a weary smile. “Of course.”
So'lek made himself comfortable where Ri'nela had previously kept post as she left, crossing his legs together in the similar way he did when he was about to meditate.
He watched the slow rise and fall of their breathing, the stark white blanket that had previously covered them had been replaced with one made from the soft leather of a Meer Deer and the even softer wool of a Horned Teylu.
He could see the wound dressing peeking out around their uncovered shoulder, and much of the warmth and color had returned to their vibrant teal skin..
They were carefully propped up on their side with a cushion of sorts wedged underneath their back to keep them that way- their arms were tucked close to their chest with their hands curled up underneath their chin.
The way they had Tamí'tey positioned was nearly identical to the way they usually slept- hands curled under their chin with arms tucked to their chest, the only exception here being their legs were straightened out when they usually slept with them tucked closer to their body.
He thought about all the times they had gone hunting and made camp together over the past year, enjoying the relative quiet together after the last RDA site was reclaimed- and with this the memory So'lek had been thinking of earlier crept back to the forefront of his mind..
“I don't usually like surprises.” So'lek had said a bit flatly in response, though Tamí'tey could see the curiosity sparked in those amber eyes of his.
They just turn their gaze back to the project at hand with that smile still lingering on their face.
“I know you'll like this one.”
The more they worked on it, the more the figurine would take shape- resembling more and more of an Ikran, its colors reminding So'lek of his Ìley.
“Looks like Ìley..” He remarked with a little smile as they worked to put the finishing touches on it.
“Good- because it is Ìley.” They replied in a sort of playful, matter-of-fact way as they finally tied the last reed to imitate the dual kuru stalks that made up the crest of the Ikran.
They offer it out to him as his ears perked up, taking the figurine between his fingers- twisting it around his fingertips as he examined it from all sides..
“I've really enjoyed our flights together, so- I dunno, I just wanted to make you something for it..” It seemed like they wanted to say more, but hesitation held them back.
Hesitation had held him back, too..
—
It had been difficult to leave their side, though So'lek had been assured that Tamí'tey wouldn't be awake till well after his return by Anufi and Okul.
Priya and Anqa had said their good-byes to everyone for now, and from the angle So'lek had been observing from he could see Nor lingering nearby- out of sight of his family and the sky people as they bid farewell to eachother..
Teylan and Ri'nela stood together to watch the Samson rise into the air as they waved them off- So'lek has twisted back to watch them grow smaller and smaller as he and Ìley rose further and ever further into the sky together.
The hum of the Samson's engines and the wind whistling by their ears was the only sound he heard for many miles, the party made their way past the Clouded Forest and into the Spires, where their destination lay just beyond them.
Occasionally, Priya and or Anqa would try to strike up a conversation with So'lek through the comms, but the warrior just kept his replies brief. He didn't sound short with them, but both of them could tell that even for So'lek, he had a lot on his mind and conversation wouldn't come easy for him.
When they arrived at the new Resistance HQ, everyone there was there to greet the party- in spite of how late in the night it was, among them being Nalin, Alex, Louis, and a small handful of others.
It was all that was currently left of the human Resistance on this side of Pandora..
They would continue to operate of course, but for now with Ardmore bearing down on the Resistance more and more everyday with the aid of the Mangkwan- it was too risky to continue the way they had, especially after the incident with Alma and the others.. It was risky enough Priya and Anqa had to come to their aid, but if they hadn't..
He tried to take his leave as quickly as he had arrived, but of course- Alex had wanted to check in on him before he left, and Priya wanted to tell him good-bye too along with Anqa.
He bid his own farewells to the three of them, allowing Priya to even hug him around the waist- (those seemed to help her more than anything, and- well. He would be lying if he said she hadn't grown on him, the hugs were tolerable.) And Anqa just smiled at him, giving him a playful salute before wrapping her arm around Priya's shoulder and leading her away.
”Safe travels my friend, don't be a stranger, okay?” Alex had told him with that warm smile of his, giving him a friendly clap on the shoulder and a fresh RDA ration for the road- not So'lek's first choice for a meal, but it was one he could stomach and he didn't want to stop for food.
He just wanted to get back to the Hollows as swiftly as he could, but he couldn't go back the way he came- it was too risky and would double their chances that the RDA could backtrack and find the Resistance.
So'lek opted instead that he would make his way back to the Clouded Forest by following a river that spilled out into the ocean, following the coast southward until he reached the Waterway Valley- bringing him back to the Kinglor forest and from there, a straight shot to the Hollows.
He welcomed the salty air of the sea as he and Ìley traveled down the coast, skimming the water a few times so Íley could fetch himself a snack- but they would quickly raise themselves back up into the early morning sky again, trying to stay above the clouds to limit their visibility to the RDA.
They only started to fly lower when the Waterway came into view, even Ìley seemed to feel relief at the sight- cheerfully chirping a few times as So'lek stroked his neck, sharing his relief.
“Soon Ìley, stay steadfast ma ‘elyan.” So'lek gently encouraged, getting another chirp from Ìley as he picked up the pace without being urged to.
—-
From the moment So'lek got back to the Hollows, he remained practically glued to Tamì'tey's side as he kept vigil with them.
During the day, when the Healer's Den was most busiest, So'lek kept a respectful distance from Tamì'tey; taking post with his legs crossed by their feet.
He was there throughout all the visitors and check ups with Anufi they got; though he didn't have to deal with any of it alone- Ri'nela and Teylan kept him company, making enough conversation for them all.
Though So'lek would open up more whenever the children came by to visit, his flat expression shifted warmly as they hovered around the unconscious Sarentu with little offerings; leaving with them various trinkets of little paintings on strips of bark, a few interesting rocks (or at least what the children thought looked interesting.), hand-made toys shaped from river clay or wood, and a new woven leather bracelet tied around their left wrist– as their right was occupied by their songcord.
The guests were all a bit of a blur otherwise.. Except when Nor came by to visit, managing to keep things rather pleasant with Teylan and Ri'nela- even as Teylan tapped around on his tablet and showed Nor all the pictures Tamì'tey had taken and sent him on their adventures.
“Oh!! And you should see Nopsi! She's really cute and friendly!..”
Nor's eyelids gave subtle little twitches every time Teylan's fingertips tapped the screen, at some point- he had to find an excuse to leave.
As the day waned away into night, So'lek eventually found himself alone with Tamí'tey again..
He didn't dare move closer, not at first at least- So'lek wasn't one to really indulge himself in his weaknesses, but the past few weeks and even the past few days put things in perspective for him.
But there was still that hesitation, even after everything they went through he still hesitated at even the idea of telling them how he felt.
It had only been almost two years since meeting them, in only that time Tamì'tey had opened up parts of himself he hadn't let any other Na'vi- not for a long time at least, and this time the path So'lek took was one that intertwined at every turn, it seemed- with them.
So'lek had spent so long keeping to himself, even with the company of the Resistance- he was aloof and distant from the sky people, they shared similar goals and their hearts were in the right place, sure..
But they weren't his clan, and he yearned for that connection to other Na'vi again..
He had found that and more when he took the Sarentu survivors under his wing, but Tamì'tey began to gradually spend the most time with him out of them all.
His affection for them had started simple and friendly enough- a student that caught on fast and even taught him a thing or two, not just in combat, but opening up himself- even if it was just in bits and pieces, it felt good to talk about his clan and their traditions again.
Tamí'tey had been eager to hear anything he could tell them about the Trr'ong, but there was so much of his life even before Aryum Alsing he never told them- it felt unfair to have these feelings for them when he never really let them in.
But he couldn't deny that flutter in his chest whenever Tamí'tey laughed deep from their belly, the ache that he felt sometimes when he saw something beautiful and they weren't there to share it with them, the yearning he had to just…
So'lek had been too lost in his thoughts to notice that he sat closer to Tami'tey now- his fingers threaded through one of theirs.
He had also been too lost in his thoughts to notice Rasi standing right there behind him.
“.... I did not hear you come in.”
The older Sarentu smiled, the corners of her eyes deepening as she crossed her hands in front of herself.
“I did not soften my step, but you don't need to be hearing out for danger as much here- either.”
Blink- and he might have missed it, but he swore he saw some kind of glint in her eye, like she knew something.
So'lek sheepishly cleared his throat, feeling almost childish that his cheeks betrayed just the faintest dusting of a warm purple as he just looked back at their conjoined hands..
Part of him debated pulling away, but what good was it now? She already saw it.
Rasi made her way over to the two of them as her gaze averted away, letting it trace over the gifts the clan's children had left them.
“They keep asking me when they're gonna wake up and tell them stories..” Rasi says, not drawing any attention to their joined hands as she leaned against the stone.
“Their impatience is expressed most outwardly, but yours on the other hand– you manage, but I can sense the ache.”
So'lek's ear flicks at that, a soft sigh leaving his nose.
“There is no ache, I am merely concerned for their well-being.”
“So that's why you haven't left their side since you came back from the Spires?” Rasi quips back, her tail swishing side to side as So'lek's ears pin- she knew the warrior would need to feel pressure before he would ever admit to anything, admit to the truth she was aware of already.
“I–” He started to say, but all the replies he had died on his tongue and he faltered- having turned his head to Rasi before his eyes averted away from hers again.
“I may have spent the better part of 30 years alone.. But that does not mean I cannot See.” She lets her gaze drift to their slumbering face, loose strands of their hair having been tucked behind their ears..
“And what is it you See, exactly?”
“What I told them, a good pair..”
He kept his face hidden from Rasi, but she could tell the blush had deepened considerably on his face by how his eartips flushed too.
“Even if– even if that were the case-” he stumbled a bit over his words as the barriers he put up began to crumble- like Rasi knew how to press every one of his weaknesses.
“They deserve someone less.. Battered than me. Less broken. They already have so much to deal with, they need someone that will lighten their burden, not weigh them down..”
"...Funny."
"What is?"
"It's almost the same thing they said about you too."
So'lek's ear flicked as his gaze lifted to Rasi.
"Tamí'tey..?" He tried to form a question out of the dozens that jumped to mind, but he froze. Rasi's gaze was gentle as she just touched So'lek's arm- looking the warrior in the eyes.
"Feels the same way you do.. Every bit of it."
He looks back at them, deep in that induced slumber to help them sleep through the worst of the pain. Anufi said she would let them wake in the next day or two, but the wait was agony.
He lets his fingers lace between theirs, the sheets still warm from when he had been holding their hand earlier.
"I guess.. A small part of me did know, maybe a small part of them did too."
So'lek's not looking directly at Rasi, but from his peripheral he can see her slowly easing herself down to sit across from him and Tami'tey, just within reach of So'lek.
"Even a Talioang can see the care you have for one another." Rasi says with a soft laugh, and it even got a ghost of a smile for a second on So'lek's face.
"You two are no strangers to unimaginable loss, in both your young lives you experienced enough grief and trials for one lifetime-." Rasi continued, her weathered hands folding into her lap as she watched the steady rise and fall of Tamí'tey's chest- much like she did back when she first met them.
The first Sarentu she had seen since the Massacre, and she wasn't sure if they'd even survive at first- but Tamí'tey proved to be both durable and stubborn despite being blown out of the sky.
“I— I’m a coward Rasi, I am terrified of losing them— it feels easier to not let them in to protect them than to have them close.. Thinking if— if something did happen—“
Maybe it wouldn’t hurt as much..
“All I could keep thinking was.. Not them too, Eywa, not them too..”