DONT BLAME ME! I SAW IT IN AN EDIT AND JUST TYPED IT- BLAME WHOEVER MADE THE EDIT! tho I forgot who it was, maybe you'll find it searching Jason and Percy. (It was originally jercy but I changed it to Valgrace since that's more common) (That means Perseus and Leo are wrong😔😔)
God I miss the days when you could show up to a stranger’s farm and he’d say “What’s your name, boy?” and you’d take off your hat and hold it to your chest to better let him see your face and reply “Why I ain’t got none, sir, on account of my mammy passed on before she could give me one” and he’d tell you he’s real damn sorry to hear that and ask what he can do you for and you’d tell him that you can’t read nor even write neither but you’re mighty good with horses and can mend them fallen fence posts what you saw on your way in and won’t ask for nothing much more than a hot meal and a warm barn to sleep in and he’d keep his wife and daughters inside but send his boy who ain’t got married yet even though his mama tells him he needs a woman out with a lantern and some stew at night and the two of you’d get to talkin and he’d throw you his flask to take a swig from and watch you drinkin from it while he leant against the door frame and when he finally got called back on up to the house again he’d take a sip from it too real slow-like like it weren’t the whiskey what he were tryna savour
every day at least once while on a walk i think to myself “it weren’t the whiskey what he were tryna savour” and sometimes if i am alone i say it out loud
5. It’s hard to be offended when white people jokes involve bland food/tourist dads in socks and sandals/white girls in yoga pants obsessed with pumpkin spice/suburban PTA moms and other harmless and mostly true stereotypes while jokes about POC involve them being called thugs/criminals/slurs/uneducated/illegal immigrants.
6. They’re usually really fucking funny and don’t perpetuate stereotypes that will ever affect me economically, politically, or cause me any true harm, let alone create risks that “justify” my murder and/or death
✧ Summary: You fell asleep during the ride home from the gym. Jesse never stops being a caring partner.
✧ Tags & Warnings: established relationship, domestic fluff, lots of teasing (not the nsfw kind), reader goes to the gym and works corporate, post-war no O66 AU
✧ Word Count: 1.4k
✧ A/N: Heya everyone, hope you're all doing well in these troubling times 💛 Work moved me into a brand new division with more responsibility and a lot of observing on the side as well so uh technically more idle time for me, I guess? Hope I can get back into the regular writing routine soon 🤔 Anyway this one is very, very brief for @hellfiresky because JESSE. Enjoy! 🌟🥳
Main Masterlist | Read on AO3 | divider by @yuhachii
A couple rings of police siren slams you back into consciousness. Almost immediately the smell of fake leather and sweat and a smidge of puke attack your nostrils, and you're not very pleased at all. You are not very pleased being woken up from a well-deserved rest, especially not when you're comfortabl—
Well, not really. Joint aches return to your senses, your muscles still leaving traces of activity that you've executed for the day. Realizing that you really did fall asleep inside the cab, on the passenger seat. A mobile, temporary comfort so luxurious that your workout exhaustion at the gym earlier made you give in.
“So, uh—”
You jump, startled.
“—lucky driver's a droid,” Jesse says next to you, outside the speeder with the passenger door open. “Otherwise you'd be charged extra for drooling on fake leather.”
Your brain is still grasping for an order of priorities to be thought and uttered out.
“Screw you,” you finally say, all the while blindly reaching for your gym bag to pay for the ride. Jesse holds up one arm wordlessly, showing that he's grabbed all your stuff out except you, and that motion alone actually renders you speechless yet grateful at the same time. But again, your brain's not there yet, and all you could think about doing next is to say screw you again.
“Ride's paid.” Your boyfriend nods to the direction of your shared apartment. “Come on baby, get outta there.”
Offering his hand like a true gentleman, Jesse hauls you out of the cab and slams the door closed without another word to the droid driver. The speeder zooms off to the sparse traffic before taking the turn to the main one, leaving the both of you in front of your apartment.
“What the hell was that noise?” you finally get to ask after gathering your memories for the past three minutes, the both of you walking to the door.
Jesse frowns. “What noise?”
“Sirens?” you ponder.
He snorts. “Nah, that's just the cab’s nav. Tells the driver a passenger nearby is requesting a lift.”
Dazedly punching your code in, you enter your shared apartment without further accidents. Awesome. Jesse drops your bags somewhere. Finally home, the couch is pretty enticing to fall back asleep on, but somehow with Jesse here you can't. It's almost like you're about halfway recharged. Since it's home, it's like you have another errand to run before you allow yourself to rest.
“Yeah but who set it up like CSF is nearby?”
“It's been like that for ages, baby.” You're about to throw in a follow-up question on how he knows, but Jesse races you saying, “Woke you up, though.”
With all the energy left in your body, you give him a stare, wishing that you slap and kiss the smirk out of his mouth instead. “Seems wrong that I always trust you to wake me up.”
He departs to the kitchen, the smirk still there—even blossoming into a grin that you can hear the smile in his voice. “Shouldn't do that.”
“War’s over, Jes,” you roll your eyes, but as you say that out loud it's a sense of relief and peacefulness. You follow him to the kitchen. “Society is re-learning to trust each other.”
Jesse catches you halfway, moving naturally faster than you since you're still exhausted, a glass of water in his hand and he's offering it to you. As you drink the cool liquid in slow sips, Jesse snakes his hand up to your waist and tugs you an inch closer. He keeps his gaze locked at you, something deep and adoring swimming in those amber browns. You notice, and lower your glass.
“What?”
A single huffed laughter, lifting the corner of his lips sweetly. “You just don't make sense.”
The happy pitch in his tone makes you feel silly, makes you laugh. Jesse always has that kind of energy around him, especially around you. He may seem a grump with a stick up his ass the moment his fight or flight instincts pop in, but you adore him all the same. You both lean into each other, a natural movement as if you could read each other's thoughts and be aware of what the other wants, and then you let yourself have a taste of his lips, the very one thing that could never bore you.
“Was I really drooling?” you blurt out the first thing that bulldozes its way to the front of your mind.
Jesse exhales a laugh. “Nope, but I don't think I've seen a droid being so passive-aggressive.”
You're drowning in his charming, yet such a smartass smile for a second. “What—passive-aggressive?”
“Pissed.”
“Oh.”
“I opened the door knowing that was you and it straight up demanded if I knew you somehow and that you should pay for the ride so he could take off to grab another passenger.”
You roll your eyes and slightly reel yourself away from him. “They're droids.”
“Watch out, baby.” Jesse’s hands grip your waist. “That might be some kind racist comment.”
“Jes.”
Innocently, he steals a quick kiss. “Anyway how was your day?” Your boyfriend moves away from you to open the conservator. You stare at him in disbelief. “Someone flarked up at the office?”
“In corporate?” You scoff. “There's always someone.”
Jesse hums, nudging a few things away in search of the bag of meilooruns he'd acquired from CoruFresh down the block two days ago. “You just look more tired than usual,” he says, without peering back at you. “Something I should know?”
You walk past him to put the glass in the sink. “Nothing where I need to show my big, mean boyfriend off.” On your way back, you spread your fingers to cup his ass cheek, only to earn yourself a powerful swat. You cackle. “Just the usual today, love. Corporate shenanigans and routines done, no mishaps. You?”
“Same old,” Jesse answers, and you know that covers cleaning around the house, game session, and sitting next door’s massiff names Bill for an hour or two. He comes up from the conservator bearing a fresh-looking meiloorun. “Oh, before I forget,” he says again, marching straight for the knife and cutting board. “The boys flared up the group chat for a game of limmie this Benduday.”
“Limmie on Benduday?” Maker, what a sport. Fives makes a shit keeper after thirty minutes and you know it's only a matter of time until Kix has to yell for him to get the kriff out of the field and bench him, and then yells for you to replace. “Yeah, we can make it if you want.”
“Love you for a reason,” Jesse grins at you. He's starting to peel using the knife, with better precision to leave more meat than take while peeling. “Go change and rest up. I'll cut this up for you.”
No matter how many times he's done something like this, the gesture has something inside you to melt—all the damn time. The fact that you've never bored each other out, or to even come close to thinking about it is simply a miracle that works.
“You're the perfect home wife, Jes,” you end up saying, perfectly aware how mushy you are inside, like a fruit that's gone past ripe.
“Long as I could see that smile on your face.” Jesse winks at you. “Anything you want.”
Feels like it's lacking something, your brain tells you. You nudge yourself forward with your heart full, Jesse being the only thing in your mind at that moment. Sensing you approaching, he puts the knife away for a mo, letting you wrap your arms around his torso as tightly as you can, chuckling when you tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek.
“Love you,” you mutter against his day-old stubble. Hearing your words causes him to smile, and you peck his sweet dimple that appears. “So much. Always. You know?”
“Always do, baby. Both of us wouldn't be here otherwise.” He turns to face you, eyes roaming across your features for a second. “Love you, too.”
Jesse kisses you like a true lover in every bit of sense. It isn't as passionate as those times in the middle of a hot night, but his body and especially his heart do yearn for you all the same. You're perfect to him, in every way. The proof of his undying loyalty to the Republic may be inked to his features, but now his only obligations that remain to exist are to you. Because how could he not be grateful that you've stayed loyal to him all the time, even during the war, and now, after?
A/N: You can request for x reader in my askbox! If you're interested in my clone x reader oneshots you can sign up as well to be tagged of future works. (Link provided ⬆️)
This might be gross but it popped into my head- as someone whose family has a dog, I can GUARANTEE that all farts in the Bad Batch household are being blamed on Batcher.
Synopsis, Spider wasn’t the first human born on Pandora, but he was the first to grow up on it. You had Neytiri’s heart long before Jake came along, and you’d have both of theirs long after. The problem is, humans weren’t meant for Pandora. Even so, Eywa saw you, and it seems like she accepted you. Maybe that's why, even after being without you for so long, they saw you again.
WC: 10.5k (oh wow)
inspired by @jsooly taken in by the sullys series!
A/N: I wrote this quite literally at 5 am, and it's drastically different from my usual writing style, but I like it! Very bittersweet! and written with the assumption that whoever is reading this knows about Sylwanin and her lore.
You were born to a soldier on Pandora, a Seargant who seemed unbothered by her pregnancy during her term. The RDA wasn’t progressive, not at all, but they weren’t so cruel (at least to their own race) that they’d force a pregnant woman into work. Your mother simply made the decision to keep working, no matter how unsafe it was.
After she gave birth to you, she seemed… inattentive at best. She took maternity leave for the required period of time and got back into the action once she was cleared, leaving you essentially alone. It wasn’t long after her redeployment that she was killed in action along with the rest of her squad. An unfortunate accident in the dangerous wilds of Pandora
So, motherless and unclaimed by a father, you were orphaned. Too young for Cryo, they let you stay. Your mother's room became yours and yours alone.
Of course, the RDA base was no place for a child. Ill-equipped and non-accommodative. The higher-ups reasoned that you’d best be left to the scientists and doctors. They’d know how to take care of a kid best, right?
Of course, no one really paid much attention to you. Giving the minimum attention necessary to keep you alive, lest they carry the guilt of neglecting an infant to death.
Grace wasn’t sure what to think of you when you were put in her care. She was a scientist, not a babysitter. Her focus was on the Na’vi, their way of life, and the organisms living on Pandora. She didn’t have time to look after a kid.
You were shucked off onto some lower-level scientists and assistants. She didn’t hear much from you other than your crying, which was always met with swift confinement to your room with your current caretaker.
Eventually, though, you became autonomous. You were quick, slippery, and curious. The ones in charge of you didn’t pay much attention, which led to you sneaking around. Once, finding your way into Grace's lab.
She found you at her desk, standing on her chair in only an ill-fitting t-shirt and diapers, leaning over and staring at the projection of various pictures she had up.
Grace wasn’t cruel; she may not have wanted to be responsible for you, but she held the same fondness for kids that most did.
Carefully, she picked you up, sitting you in her lap, and asked you what you were doing.
“Pic!” Is all you blurted out, head turned around, and staring at her with your wide and curious eyes. Grace chuckled, nodding as she hummed and affirmed your babbles.
You spent the rest of that day in her hold, watching as she scrolled through the pictures and videos she had in the database, explaining, in the most child-friendly way, the ones you were interested in.
Being just over a year old, you weren’t still in her lap. Wriggling around, grabbing at her and objects, even standing up in her lap and jumping up and down, which she swiftly stopped. Despite all this, Grace was patient with you. Perhaps it was your curiosity for Pandora that softened her, the fact that you were interested in something she’d devoted her life to researching.
A new brain to fill, maybe.
So, you made frequent trips to the lab after that. Slipped past your caretakers and crawling into Grace or Max’s laps, whoever was available, and babbling on and on. You weren’t the center of attention or a priority, but you became somewhat of a soft spot for Grace and her fellow scientists. Not as much of a burden, anymore.
It wasn’t long before you started picking up on the Na’vi phrases being used, especially once you discovered the parts of the lab dedicated more towards the avatars and culture of the Na’vi. Grace, ever the enabler of your interest in Pandora, started speaking to you in almost strictly Na’vi.
Being so young, you picked up on it incredibly quickly, nearly at the same speed as English, which you’d only really started learning a month or two prior.
It was cute to them, having a little human baby babbling in Na’vi and focusing so intently on the fauna and flora you saw in catalogs. Some even joked that your bedtime book should be the one Grace wrote.
They called you the LabRat around the base. A term of endearment, of course. Many knew about you, the loose kid on base who scurried around and spent almost as much time in the lab as the scientists. You were cute. But really, that’s all you were to them, a cute kid.
But to Grace? Somewhere along the way, she grew more fond of you than she’d expected. She ate with you at breakfast, watching you messily eat out of the corner of her eye as she held conversations with the other scientists. You stuck to her side, only ever really leaving it when you wanted to be with Max or go to sleep. Even then, she often had to carry you to your room multiple times throughout the day when you fell asleep in her lap.
You spent a lot of time with Max, too. Whenever Grace was in her Avatar, which was often, you found yourself with him. He was always a little softer with you, having been more fond and sympathetic with you earlier on.
He treated you more like a kid than most others. He didn’t really try to feed your curiosity with Pandora, instead focusing on the fact that you were a deprived orphan child. He was the most suited to take care of you, probably.
At some point, you found your way into the Avatar lab, watching through the windows. No one really saw it coming, but you escaped. With your little mask that was slightly too big for your face, you ran out the door, gunning right for Grace’s Avatar.
They didn’t really think you’d recognize her, but you did, and you wanted to see her. Of course, you were a little intimidated by her drastic change in appearance and height, but at this point, you knew about the Na’vi and Avatars, so you didn’t have much of a problem.
Grace, in her Avatar form, was perhaps even more loving towards you. Maybe it was the youth of the body, or the fact that she had her own internal favoritism for it, but she seemed happier. Something you picked up on quickly.
You loved being outside. No longer were you content being cooped up in the lab, you wanted to see the forest! Of course, they weren’t exactly ok with the idea, but your crying eventually convinced them.
Grace decided to take you to the school. She’d made excellent progress with the Omaticaya through the school, maybe it would be good to start introducing some direct human contact… through you. And she figured it could be good for your development, meeting beings that weren’t just inattentive scientists and soldiers.
With your mask on and sporting your cutest clothes, Grace took you to the school. The Na’vi kids were unsure about you at first, with their adverse feelings about Skypeople, but eventually they opened up.
You were small, so incredibly small. Even the young children had no problems holding and cradling you. You were cute in your own, human, way.
They were intrigued by the fact that your Na’vi was as good as your English. Granted, neither were particularly good, seeing as you were a toddler, but it's the fact that they were at the same level that they admired.
Sylwanin was especially interested in you, often taking you in her arms, cooing and coddling you.
“Sa’nok, she’s so small!” She’d exclaim to Grace, who’d laugh in response.
“Well, she’s human. You’re probably at least 2 feet taller than my human body, and I’m an adult.” She leaned over Sylwanin, smiling down at the scene. “She’s just a youngin’, not even 2 years old.”
From then on, you were a regular addition to Grace’s school and a personal favorite of Sylwanin and Neytiri. The two sisters absolutely adored you. Cooing over you and your babbles, sitting you in between them or on one of their laps during the lessons.
Often, they’d sit in the back with you, giggling at your tiny body and antics, brushing your hair, or watching as you fiddled with whatever toy or objects you could get your hands on.
Between your time in the lab and out at the school, you were the first human to be culturally raised Na’vi. It was fascinating to Grace.
Tsu’tey was cautious of you at first, unsure of how to handle how small and frail you were. But out of everything, you were also incredibly persistent and curious. Somehow, you found yourself worming your way into Tsu’tey’s arms, waddling up to him and demanding he pick you up through body language.
Sylwanin found this utterly adorable, how you’d stand there and “Hmf!” until he reached down and picked you up. He didn’t really know how to hold you, hands tucked under your armpits, torso and legs dangling in the air, but you crawled your way around him, finding yourself sitting on his shoulders. Well, shoulder, to be exact. You could comfortably sit on one, granted it was with one of his hands on your legs to keep your balance while you grabbed onto his braids.
“Tey-Tey” “Wanin” and “Tiri” you called them, not really able to pronounce their full names. They, of course, didn’t care, cooing at the babble of nicknames you gave them.
In turn, they started to call you “Syulì'ang”, a butterfly-like insect that was known for its characteristic claws that latched it onto whatever it landed on. A fitting nickname, they all thought.
Their sweet Syulì'ang. Tsu’tey was more or less simply amused by you once he was comfortable. He wasn't as doting as Sylwanin or Neytiri or some of the others; he liked you, but it was more or less than he was entertained by you.
Of course, that changed the more you stuck around. By the time you’d learned to walk well enough to walk to the school yourself, with Grace accompanying you, of course, he was always waiting by the doorway. He’d give a simple nod to Grace when the pair of you came into view, and he tried to remain stoic as you ran forward, your small body knocking into his tall legs and calling out his name, but Grace, and just about anyone else who really knew him, could see through it.
You spent your developmental years at the school, growing up so quickly that the Na’vi kids didn’t know what to do. When they first met you, you could barely walk, and all you could really do was babble and string together words, but years passed, and you began holding conversations and moving around fairly fluidly.
Of course, you were still small and babyish, still just a toddler, but toddlers grew and changed fast.
You were like their baby sister. Tsmuke, they called you. To them, you were really no different from another Na’vi kid. You spoke fluently, you were young and saw the world in a manner that seemed to reflect their own cultural point of view, perhaps from your exposure to it.
Grace couldn’t really place when she started to love you. Maybe it was when you first called her “Sa’nok”, copying the kids at the schoolhouse. Maybe it was when that transformed into “Sa’nu”, or when it became “mama” when back in the lab. Maybe it was that day you first caught her attention, having snuck into the lab and into her heart.
She never corrected you when you called her those things, even when she got odd stares from the others around when you did. They just didn’t get it. They were too wrapped up in their own world. And yeah, so was she, but at some point, you became a part of her world.
She didn’t really think of herself as your parent, but she didn’t mind if you thought of her as one. She wasn’t really the nicest; she was definitely more of a ‘tough love’ kind of parental figure, but that wasn’t really all that bad.
Pandora wasn’t suited for you. You weren’t supposed to be there, and it wasn’t a good place for you by any means. You weren’t given proper attention or affection, and when you were, it wasn't consistent. Grace and Max, and the Na’vi kids weren’t role model family figures, but they tried, and they loved you, no matter how… odd it was.
At some point, you’d met Mo’at and Eytukan. Likely, they’d heard of you from their daughters and Tsu’tey. It was hard to tell what they thought of you, after all, they had their own reservations about the humans, only allowing the school to function due to Sylwanin's request.
But they liked you enough. You were a kid, a toddler, innocent in what was being done to their planet. You didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of any prejudice they held towards the humans. You spoke the language and learned beside their children. You seemed to love the forest as if it were your own home.
Formally, you met Mo’at when you fell down and scraped yourself while running out of the school, being chased by Sylwanin. You cried, of course, but Sylwanin, as calm as ever, simply scooped you up and told Grace she was taking you to her mother to get fixed up, running off before she could object.
You watched the Tsahik in awe as she worked on you, rubbing a salve on your wounds, her jewelry and beadings clinking together as she did so. You watch her in silence, Sylwanin giggling at your entranced demeanor. At the end, climbing back into Sylwanin’s arms, you turned and told Mo’at she was magnificent. A big word for your age.
Mo’at had to admit, you were a charming little kid.
Neytiri was especially charmed by you, often taking you from anyone else's arms to hold you in hers. It became a running joke that she’d adopt and steal you away if she could. She never denied it.
You could always be found fiddling with her hair or necklaces, pulling at them or putting them in your mouth. Neytiri, despite not liking your actions, was patient with you, simply giggling as she pulled it from your grasp and pointed your attention elsewhere.
Some people on base started to voice complaints about you being out too much. Being gifted jewelry and pieces by Sylwanin and Neytiri, and one piece from Tsu’tey, you began dressing in them every day.
Of course, the complaints went nowhere, being no more than off-hand comments made by people who had no role or responsibility in your upbringing. As loved as you were, you were still overlooked more often than not, just an orphan kid who wandered in and out of the base. Outside of Grace, Max, and a few other scientists, no one really cared.
You had your routine. Getting up, spending time with Max before running out with Grace to the school. The school was your favorite place, you often told Neytiri and Tsu’tey in giddy whispers. You felt free and loved. It was your place.
When Sylwanin stopped showing up, you were sad. You missed her. Really, she was your favorite.
You didn’t understand why you stopped going to the school, why Grace started arguing with a bunch of the soldiers more often, and why you were no longer allowed outside of the base. You cried a lot, saying you wanted your Tsmuke’s and Tsmukan. You wanted to go to the school, you wanted to see Neytiri and Sylwanin and Tsu’tey and the others.
You cried when a scientist, tired of your whining, told you they probably didn’t want to see you.
Grace had a hard time comforting you. She didn’t know what to say, struggling with her own grief and guilt in the whole situation. All she could do was hold you and tell you that things were going to be okay.
It was a while before you stopped crying so much. You still whined about wanting to go outside, but you learned to stop when asked. You spent your nights fiddling with the gifts from Neytiri and Sylwanin, the jewelry they crafted for you, the toy Mo’at gifted you once, and the Ikran Tsu’tey carved for you out of wood. They were your most treasured pieces.
You worked on your own gifts for them, on and off, through the two years you spent without them.
You were six by the time Jake came around. You became attached to him very quickly.
He’d just made it to base and was getting filled in by Norm. His introduction to Grace wasn’t going well, bordered by her hostility towards him being there in place of his brother. Before he could say anything else, you bounded into the room.
“Sa'nu! sa'nu! 'ur 'upe oe run!” Mama! Mama! Look what I found! You yelled, stopping at her feet and shoving an insect you were cradling in your palm into her face.
She glanced at the bug and tilted her head, raising a brow at you. “ Y/n, nga kame nga're ke tung wrrpa, ‘itetsyip.” You know you’re not allowed outside, little one.
You pouted, stomping your foot. “Oe ke wrrkä! tsal pamähem ne oe.” I didn't go out! It came to me. You insisted. Grace merely rolled her eyes with a grin as she ruffled your hair.
Jake looked at Norm, confused, who translated a lazy “she’s showing her a bug.” for him.
As if you just noticed their presence, you awkwardly glanced at the two, shyly shuffling behind Grace. Jake glanced between you and Grace before leaning in.
“What’s that you got there?” He asked, smiling as he watched your facial expression change. Before he knew it, you were launched into a whole explanation about the bug. It's name, both scientific and Na’vi, and all the fun little characteristics you noticed and pointed out to him.
It was easy to tell who you’re favorite was going to be among the newest science recruits. You became quick friends with the ex-Marine, demanding his attention whenever he wasn’t busy.
You were an interesting little thing. Energetic as all could be, running around like you owned the place, switching between languages so casually as if they were one. Jake paid more attention to you in a week than most of the people on base had in your entire life.
He’d come by your room, peaking in as you played with your toys or read a book you definitely didn’t actually understand. As soon as you noticed his presence, you’d abandon whatever it was you were doing to run to him, hoisting yourself up into his lap.
“What's up, little bug?” He’d say, smiling down at you as you went on and on about whatever it is you wanted to talk about. Most of it went right over his head, but he listened nonetheless. He got the memo pretty early on that you were essentially left to your own devices, only helped with the bare minimum by people who didn’t want to be responsible for you
So, he started being more attentive towards you. Call it fatherly instincts, he calls it common empathy. You didn’t have any plans or expectations for him, you weren’t disappointed in his presence in place of his brothers, you simply looked up at him with those wide and love-filled eyes. That was all he needed to become hooked. His little bug, he liked to call you.
To Norm, Jake had adapted a fatherly role scarily quickly. Of course, Norm thought you were cute, but he wasn’t really sure what to do with you. It puzzled him how well Jake was with you, for only knowing you for a few days. How you crawled into his lab during one of the briefings, obviously tired but wanting to be involved.
The briefing was casual, so Jake wrapped his arms around you and cradled you, rocking you in his arms as he hummed a lullaby he’d grown up with on Earth.
It was the first time someone had sung you a lullaby, at least since you were a crying infant everyone was desperate to soothe. You fell asleep in his arms immediately. Grace only gave a passing glance and a chuckle, stating he was now on bedtime duty.
And that he was. You were a stubborn kid when it came to bedtime, fighting your own sleep and exhaustion because you wanted to be where the attention was. You didn’t want to miss out on any of Grace or Max’s briefings or discoveries, no matter how dull they were, or the fact that they didn’t really happen after hours. Nevertheless, you were difficult to put to sleep.
He was quickly called the Y/n Whisperer after he calmed you down from a tantrum and had you knocked out in bed within 10 minutes of you being told to go to sleep, an affair that often took at least half an hour and some strong bargaining.
Jake was still reeling from it all. For him, he was still dealing with the fact that his brother was dead and he’d taken his place on a scientific mission on Pandora, whisked away from his dystopic life on Earth and given a brand new chance. It was dizzying, and now he had a kid attached to his leg.
Call it what it was: whiplash. He doesn’t really understand why you liked him so much, why he was able to connect with you so well. Maybe it was because he was the first person to spare you a second glance in your entire life, a second glance you didn’t have to work and beg for.
If given the chance, Jake was sure you two would be absolutely inseparable.
It was during dinner that things shifted. You were there for Jake's recounting of the events that transpired after he got chansed off by a Thanator. Through it all, all you heard was that he’d met Neytiri.
Neytiri. Your Neytiri.
You missed her. You missed her so bad, and Jake got to see her. It had been two years, and you thought for sure there was no way you’d be able to see her again. But Jake saw her! He even went to the village, so he likely saw Tsu’tey, Mo’at, and Sylwanin!
Seeing them was possible. That was the conclusion you came to.
Tsu’tey was the one to find you the next day. You had snuck out, exopack secured on for the first time in nearly two years, and you set off. Your memory was hazy, and you hardly remembered your way through the forest.
Scratch that, you didn’t remember it at all. You got lost almost immediately, your excitement to see your friends slowly replaced with uncertainty and fear. You wandered through the woods, climbing across logs and rivers, becoming more and more sure that you weren’t going the right way…
Of course, you didn’t know what to do. No one could really blame you for how you started crying out, yelling for Neytiri, Tsu’tey, Sylwanin, Grace, whoever you thought could find you.
It wasn’t until you heard the growl that you regretted your decision to be so loud. Nantang. They surrounded you, stalking and getting ready to pounce. All you could do was scream.
Tsu’tey found you, following the distant yelling for familiar names and then the high-pitched screams. He shot the Nantang, scaring off the others as he rode in on his pa’li. He was ready to shoot you, the human who had trespassed onto their land, but he paused. Arrow resting between his fingers, and breath hitched.
It was you.
He was quick, dismounting his direhorse and scooping you up in his arms, doing his best to soothe you with soft words as you cried and writhed in his hold. Blood was everywhere. He was horrified.
He acted on pure impulse. Jake. Jake probably knew you. He was also human, and he was an avatar- so he probably knew Grace- he had to get you to Jake.
So he rode on his direhorse as fast as he could, holding you tightly in his arms as you bled and bled and cried. Oh, how you cried, clinging to him and whimpering, he felt so helpless. Exactly like how he’d felt that day Sylwanin died in his arms at the school house. He couldn’t have that happen again. Not with you. Not with the small girl he’d grown so fond of.
It was a blur, finding Jake and Neytiri, the morphing look of terror on their faces as they took in the sight of the girl in his arms and his disjointed explanation. It was a blur, and he was on his knees, Neytiri holding onto him as they both shook, taking in the situation as Jake ran off into the woods with you in his arms, pushing himself as fast as he could go.
Jake was scared. You were such a sweet girl, and in the days he’d known you, he was hooked. You were small, petulant, stubborn, smart; you were a good kid. You were funny and fun to be around, and he liked you. He saw why Grace had such a soft spot for you, who wouldn’t?
But now you’re in his arms, bleeding, and Grace is gonna be horrified.
He got you to the base, bursting through the doors, demanding a doctor, yelling you needed help because you were hurt and bleeding. You were small, hurt, bleeding, and it felt like you were at death's door.
You were swept out of his arms, and all you could do was whimper, reaching back out to the strong arms you felt safe in. They hooked you up to machines, tended to your wounds. They assured Jake and a just-arriving-frazzled Grace that you were gonna be fine.
But the base wasn’t a hospital. Yeah, it was a military base, and those often come with medical centers, but it wasn’t good, especially not for a child. With how advanced they were, they weren’t well equipped.
You suffered for days, writhing and screaming in pain, tears only stopping once you ran out of them.
Despite Grace and Max’s pleas and Jake's insistence towards Quaritch, you were essentially… ignored.
You were loved. But you were still just a bastard orphaned child; the RDA simply didn’t want to deal with you, especially with your seemingly growing allegiance to the Na’vi.
Of course, they did what they could to help you, but it was minimal.
You were going to die, Grace and Jake were sure of it.
So, desperate, he went to Mo’at. He pleaded for her to help you. She didn’t need much convincing.
The night before Grace planned to move the operation to the Hallelujah Mountains, they snuck you out, careful to remove all your hook-ups to the machines.
They took you to the village, breaking so many rules, desperate to help you.
You were frail, withering away in his hold. The best he could do was whisper comforts as he carried you.
Mo’at worked quickly, shooing them out of her tent as she worked on you. Salves, mixes, incense. She worked for hours. You were just a little kid; you had so much before you. She pleaded to the Great Mother to help you, even if you were a human she could barely reach.
You were getting better, but it wasn’t enough. Something was wrong, very wrong, and she didn’t know what it was or how to help.
She pulled away, examining you with a hitched breath. Just as she went to move to grab another tool, something caught her attention.
An Atokirina.
It floated in the air, pulsing until it wilted down to meet your skin.
Mo’at’s eyes widened.
“We must take her to the Tree of Souls.” She declared as she stepped out of her tent, the group that had gathered in front of it standing and moving in confusion.
They wanted to question it. Jake wanted to ask what was wrong, how you were doing, and if you’d live. All the words were on the tip of his tongue, but Grace grabbed his hand. She kept her gaze forward, at the tent, but she’d communicated enough.
Tsu’tey was the one to take you into his arms, lips pursed, and eyes gazing down at you in worry. For a moment, Jake wanted to be the one to hold you, but you curled into Tsu’teys arms so comfortably- so familiar, a moment of comfort and assurance when you were in so much pain.
Neytiri followed close behind, hand resting on your forehead as they walked, her eyes focused on your face scrunched in agony, your pinched brows and wavering lips. How she wanted to soothe you, to hold you, and kiss away the creases of pain in your face.
You’d grown so much since they’d last seen you. You were still so small, but so much more grown. They had missed you so much, their grief compelled by the loss of two sisters. They nearly begged Mo’at and Eytukan to call off the ban on humans on their land, if only to see you.
And now, you were back in their arms, but by the force of necessity and desperation. Out of the fear of death.
The clan, having roused at the commotion, made their way to the Tree of Souls with the group. They didn’t question their Tsahik’s care of the human child, many of them having heard the accounts of you and your kindred nature from the many children who’d attended the school.
Arriving at the Tree, Neytiri and Tsu’tey kept Grace and Jake at a distance, allowing Mo’at to prepare as the clan gathered around. They pulled Jake and Grace down to the ground with them, connecting their Kuru to the roots sticking up. They started to hum, moving as a group.
With everything in them, they begged Eywa to help you.
You were human, yes, but they loved you. You were their sister. You were Grace's daughter, by love if not biology. You were a sweet kid, and they wanted- needed you to stay.
“Allow this child to heal, Great Mother, allow her to heal and walk among us. To live, to feel your embrace.” Mo’at’s words echoed, her chants and pleas thrumming through the crowd.
Placed at the base of the spirit tree, you lay there, wrapped in luminescent tendrils. They wrapped around your small body, seemingly consuming you as they grew. The light of the tendrils pulsed with your every breath, echoing across the tree like a ripple in water.
You… you felt free. The tendrils were warm, encasing you in what felt like a mother's embrace. Your vision was blurred, but you saw. You saw so much, all you could do was smile. You saw Sylwanin, every time you’d seen her, every word, every movement. She wrapped around you. You saw the sea, you saw the forest and the land. It was breathtaking.
Mo’at faltered, her chants falling off the tip of her tongue as she glanced down at you. At this, the ones who’d brought you here opened their eyes.
They didn’t know what to do.
You were there, alive. More alive than you’d ever been, but they could feel that you were slipping away.
Neytiri crawled towards you, Grace scrambling up and finding herself at your side. She took your hand in hers as Neytiri caressed your hair.
They knew it was a desperate attempt, taking you here, unlikely to work, but it hurt. They weren’t ready to let go. The humans weren’t going to help you. What else were they to do?
Tears slid down Grace’s face as she watched you, your eyes glazed over as a smile crept onto your lips.
“Y/n- Syulì'ang please-” Neytiri whispered, her voice cracking. She leaned down, placing a kiss on your forehead. “Stay” she begged
“Syulì'ang,” Tsu’tey choked out, pleading, biting back his words, and tears with them. “Be strong, stay with us.”
You heard their words. You wanted to reach up, to comfort them. Grace was right in front of you, and all you wanted was to reach up and wipe the tears off her face.
Grace cried. Silent, of course. Tears slipping down her cheeks like arrows of fire burning their way through the air. They hurt like it. She wondered if they’d scar, if there would be a trail of scarred flesh down her cheeks when she was done.
You were her child, at least, the closest she had to one. You were the best thing she’d had in a long time. And now, you were slipping away. Like the school, like Sylwanin, like Neytiri and Tsu’tey and the children who’d called her Sa’nok. You called her Sa’nu.
The grief was endless. A fountain pouring from Neytiri as she wept, hands shaking as she tried to fight the urge to take you into her arms. She’d seen you grow up, your words develop from babbles to sentences, your mind expand. She wore the bracelet you’d made for her. It was ill-fitting and poorly crafted, but she weaved it into her armband, careful to preserve its shape and structure. She meant to always have you with her, even if she couldn't physically.
You were more than a child she saw as a sister; you could have been her child. A ridiculous notion, but she felt so strongly about you. She wanted to take you in, hold you close, and carry you as she did her chores and duties. She wanted to hunt and bring it home for you to eat till you were full. Perhaps, to her, you were an odd mixture of a sister and child, but that just meant she loved you all the more.
Her sweet Syulì'ang. She’d named you after the insect, a beautiful creature that fluttered around and gripped onto surfaces when it meant to. She wished and wished and wished that you'd stay, that you’d grip onto the ground and stay there with her. She did not like humans, but you? You, she loved.
So it hurt, watching as your eyes closed, feeling your pulse slow, have you die right in front of her, right in her reach.
Your eyes, heavy, rose up to the sky. “Sa’nu, Tsmuke, Tsmukan, Jake-” Your words were quiet, strained, and heavy. But you spoke anyway, a warmth passing through your body. “Eywa, she’s” It was hard to speak. “She’s like the waves-” your breath released from your lips, cutting off your words.
The tendrils around you pulsed before they dulled, the light dimming across the Tree of Souls.
Jake could only hold Neytiri as she cried, his own tears falling as he felt his entire demeanor freeze.
They left you by the tree, something Grace opposed. But Mo’at had insisted it was Eywa’s wish. Jake and Grace weren’t happy, nor were Tsu’tey and Neytiri; they wanted to give you a proper burial, but they complied with their Tsahik’s declaration.
It was mere days later that Neytiri visited again, only to be met with an empty landscape. You were nowhere in sight, only an abundance of tendrils in your place, pulsing with light as Eywa breathed below them.
Ronal, for weeks, dreamed of a face. A human one. She’d never seen the girl before, unfamiliar with the face and voice she kept meeting in her dreams. It bothered her, being met so forcefully with a demon's face, but behind it, she felt the Great Mother's words.
She couldn’t make sense of it; it drove her wild how she prayed and prayed, and all she was met with were new visions of the girl. With a newborn baby, she felt stretched thin. She confided in Tonowari about her dreams. He did what he could to comfort her, putting in effort to relieve her of as much stress as he could.
Ronal prayed, seeking answers and clarity. What did the Great Mother want?
One night, she dreamed of the spirit tree, along with the girl. She dreamt of whispers, of a new face, of a young Metkayina child she held in her arms.
She woke up in a cold sweat, right as dawn rose in the sky.
She made her way through the village, mounting her tsurak, and traveled to the cove of the ancestors. She felt a weight in her chest as she arrived. She dove under, swimming through the featherlike branches as she made her way to the center of the tree.
She reached forward, placing her palms on the branches wrapped tightly in on itself. Slowly, she unwrapped it, pulling it away from the other ‘leaves’ wrapped around. Once she got to the center, she pulled back.
An infant lay in the middle, wrapped in the leaves. Slowly, she pulled it out, taking it into her arms, she swam up. Breaching the surface, she looked down, watching as the baby breathed in the air.
The first breath.
Ronal gazed down at the baby, brows pinched together as she took her in. Confusion was the least she could describe it as.
A moment passed. Ronal mounted her tsurak, and she returned home.
Whispers surrounded her as she walked through the village, eyes following her and landing on the unknown infant in her embrace. In the mere minutes she’d had the baby, she felt an overwhelming sense of maternal instinct towards it. She reasoned she felt that way about most babies, but this was stronger.
She approached her Marui, Tonowari, meeting her at the entrance. He gazed down at her, then the baby, confusion panting his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, stuck in the flurry of words he was trying to put together.
“The Great Mother brought her to me,” Ronal spoke, calm and melodic. “To us.” Tonowari gazed up at her.
Words exchanged between them in complete silence.
He nodded, stepping aside, allowing Ronal to enter the Marui.
The two took to their daughter quickly, entranced by the baby given to them by Eywa. They were lost, confused by her appearance, but they didn’t question it. They simply placed her in the cradle with their other baby, Ao’nung, watching as they turned and curled to hold each other.
“You dreamt of her.” Tonowari’s voice broke the silence.
Ronal, attention on the baby's unwavering, nodded. “Last night, yes.”
He looked to his wife, tentative as he examined her facial expression. “And the others?” He questioned.
There was a moment of silence, Ronal’s hand coming to rest on the edge of the cradle.
“I do not care. She is my daughter. She is ours now.”
Tonowari stared at his wife before nodding, reaching down to cup his daughter's face in his hand. “And what is our daughter's name?” He spoke, already transfixed by the infant lying in the cradle he crafted by hand.
Ronal tilted her head, watching the girl. After a moment, she gazed to Tonowar, their eyes meeting as a soft smile graced her lips.
“Syuli”
After your death, Jake’s loyalty to the RDA wavered. Grace had accepted her fate as a trapped scientist long ago, but Jake refused. He bonded with Neytiri and Tsu’tey quicker, earning the faith of the clan before he finished his Iknimaya.
He saw it in black and white. The humans left you alone and to die, the Na’vi loved you as their own and wept at your death. His decision was clear-cut.
Still, his fast actions weren’t enough to prevent the events that led to Neytiri’s belief of his betrayal. Or the destruction of the home tree. Or the death of those he fought by.
By the end of the war, your death was followed by many others. Black stains on Jake’s heart. He mourned you, grieved for you. The devastation of the war was hard enough, but you? You weren’t even a casualty; you were a victim of the most unfortunate of circumstances. He replayed it in his head over and over again, each time wondering what he could have done to save you, to prevent your death.
It drove him to the worst of his depths. A side of himself he hadn’t even seen when his brother died.
The only thing keeping him afloat was Neytiri and the child that lay in her womb.
“She is with Grace now, my Jake, with the Great Mother.” Neytiri would say, burying her grief. Twice, she's lost you now. When Sylwanin died and her parents shut down their connections with the humans, she wept for not only her sister but for you. Would she never see you again? At least back then, she found comfort in the fact that you were safe and in Grace’s care.
Perhaps you still were, in her arms, just as you are in the Great Mothers. But you’re not in hers. That’s what hurt. How you’d never grow up, forever stuck as the small child she knew and loved.
Time passed, and she had Neteyam. Her sweet baby boy. She felt the cracks in her heart start to be stitched back together, only further healed when they took in Kiri.
She saw it in Jake, too, how he took to his fatherly role immediately, perhaps better prepared after his time with you. Slowly but surely, they came to be okay again.
Still, you burned in their hearts. As she wove her songcord, she pulled one of the beads from the bracelet you made her, as carefully as she could, and wove it in.
A‘eveng, Y/n, ohe oamum
Wamintxu fi oe, a syawn
a’atanur oe mameyam
meyam ohe ngenga, tsalsungay pehrr lom
A child, Y/n, i knew
showed to me, a blessing
a light I held in my arms
I hold you, even when gone
It was hard to speak about you to the kids. They didn’t want to introduce the idea of someone dying at such a young age. They also still grieved you, struggling to accept your death. It wasn’t fair. You should be with them, growing up alongside their children. You would have been such a good big sister.
This hit Jake especially hard, knowing how you’d been excited to have another kid on base; Spider. You raved to him about how you were going to bring him to the lab all the time, what toys you’d give him, and how you wanted to teach him Na’vi and have him as a little brother. At least, the closest you could have to one.
So it was hard watching Spider do all that, grow up and learn Na’vi, come into his family and be seen by his kids as a fellow sibling, knowing it was everything you wanted.
But years passed, and their family grew, and it grew strong. Their children knew of you in passing, in hushed breaths like how they spoke of Sylwanin and the others they’d loved that left them through such harsh tragedies.
Neytiri and Jake didn’t want the children to wonder what it would have been like to have you in the family. It was already too painful for them to wonder themselves.
Their children grew, their personalities developed, and they came into their own. It was hard not to see you in each of them. Tuk’s curiosity, Lo’ak’s mischief, the softness in Kiri’s eyes, and how Neteyam was so thoughtful with his words. For all its hurt, it also gave them comfort. They’d continue to see you, even when you weren’t with them.
Their grief became something mellow, something they could plant love and strength into.
But then the RDA came back. Like an old scar tearing apart, refusing to heal. Their lives turned upside down, and their healing came to a harsh halt, slowly stepping backwards against the blood and gunfire they stood in.
That eclipse, when the kids were in the hands of the recoms, Jake felt barbed wire wrapping around his throat.
He heard their whines, their yelps of pain, and he almost lost them. He refused to risk it. Not again.
“He had our children. Had them under his knife.” He was scared, begging Neytiri to leave, to find a better place for them. He hadn’t been able to find one for you. He wouldn’t let that happen again. “Look, I got nothing… I've got no plan. But I can protect this family. That I can do.”
Neytiri heard the unsaid, seeing what he saw when he spoke.
“But I do know one thing, wherever we go, this family is our fortress.” It was unintentional, his hands placed delicately on her shoulders, one slipping down, grazing the armband she’d woven with your bracelet in it.
They had to protect their children.
The Travel to the Metkayina was difficult, tiring, laborious, and met with storms that raged against them. But they pushed through. They’ve pushed through worse; they’d do this for their family.
They landed on the beach, drawing the attention of the clan, who gathered around them in confusion and awe. They were nervous, holding themselves close together as they were gawked at and picked on by oncoming clan members.
Jake felt a sense of relief when Tonowari, an honorable man and the clan's Olo’eyktan, arrived at the scene, greeting them warmly and with a smile. He felt confident, with Tonowari on their side, he believed he could get past the wall Ronal would inevitably put up.
As the crowd parted, he prepared himself, but he felt all the breath be taken out of his lungs.
Ronal stalked closer, her imposing demeanor, but that wasn’t what shocked him. Behind her, following at her heels, was a young girl. Teal skin with swirling stripes.
She resembled you.
He couldn’t place it; the girl was Metkayina, in every way. But something about her face, the way her expression was set in it, how she carried herself. The air around her, the look in her eyes. All of it set off bells in his chest, ringing and clanging against the grief that settled there. The grief for you.
She stood behind Ronal, tilting her head exactly the way you did when you were curious about something.
Neytiri had seen it hundreds of times, holding you in her lap at the schoolhouse. She let out a breath. Jake glanced at her, millions of words passing between them.
She saw it too.
Jake took a moment to collect himself, pulling back from the shock he’d experienced but couldn’t explain. He went on with his prepared speech. He was seeking Uturu; sanctuary, safety for his family.
His veins were buzzing. He didn’t want to be turned away, to force his children to retreat in defeat, praying they’d find another clan willing to listen and take them in. He felt helpless.
Ronal, skeptical, circled the family. She pulled at their tails, remarking how inefficient they’d be in the water, in their way of life.
She approached Kiri, taking her hands in hers. A scowl crossed her face. Four fingers. Kiri held her breath, self-conscious of her extra finger, a tell-tale sign of their human descent. Demon descent.
Ronal gazed down, tilting her head.
She looked up to her daughter, the one who’d arrived with her. She watched her for a moment, the dreams she saw all those years ago flooding her mind. Something she’d never speak aloud.
She dropped Kiri’s hands, walking past the children and Jake Sully. “You are ill fit to live here.”
“We can adapt. We can learn.” He pleaded, desperate to convince them to let his family stay. Desperate to appease the leaders of the clan.
“I’m done with war.” He spoke to Tonowari, quiet and between them. “I just want to keep my family safe.”
Ronal watched him, not convinced by his words. Behind her, her daughter stepped forward, placing her hand on her mother's shoulder.
“Sa’nu.” The words escaped her lips, and Jake breathed in. He saw you, sitting in Grace’s lap in the lab, running up to her excitedly, lying at the spirit tree, dying.
Ronal looked at her daughter, words exchanged between their gazes, she turned to her mate, being met with the same sentiment. A moment passed, and she nodded.
“Jake Sully and his family will stay with us.” Tonowari announced, explaining to the clan their duty to teach them their ways of life.
Jake sighed in relief, bringing forth a ‘thank you’ from his family.
“Our children, Syuli, Ao’nung, and Tsireya, will show your children what to do.”
Ao’nung stepped forth, displeased by his father's decision, but silenced.
“Come, we will show you our village!” Tsireya stepped forward, hand in hand with her sister.
You looked to the family that had arrived at your village. You took in their faces.
They felt familiar to you. You couldn’t place it.
Tsireya tugged you along through the village, humming as you made your way across the woven walkways. Neytiri and Jake, though focused on taking in their new home, couldn’t help but watch you. The bounce in your step all too familiar.
It was eerie, and they didn’t understand their attribution of you to the little girl they’d known all those years ago.
You became a constant in their life, always around their kids, peeking into their Marui to offer fruits you’d picked with your mother. You were a sweetheart, thoughtful, and kind to their children.
Your mother stayed skeptical of her allowance of the foreigners into their clan, fueled by your growing night problems.
It had been years since she last caught you sleepwalking. It was a problem when you were a child, roaming around the village in the midst of the night. Many concerned clan members came to her with stories of how you found yourself at the edge of the walkways, staring up into the open sky with a withered look on your face.
You sleep-talked, she discovered after staying up to follow you one night. You spoke garbled sentences, strung together words that didn’t make sense. You spoke in a mix of Na’vi and English.
How you even knew the language? She couldn’t understand.
She prayed nightly, seeking for guidance on how to help her sweet baby girl. Again, she was only met with visions of that human child.
It all came to a head one night when Tsireya woke her up, lip jutting out as she whispered that you’d fallen during your walks. Ronal soothed her daughter, telling her to go back to sleep before leaving to find you.
You were on your knees, hands clasped together as you spoke in broken prayers, eyes glazed over. You were somewhere she didn’t know.
She was tired of it, worried to death, and lost. So, she did the only thing she could think of. She pulled you into the water carefully, holding you as she rode to the Cove of the Ancestors. You came out of your trance, slowly but surely, but still drowsy and out of it.
She was able to coax you to enough consciousness to get you to dive under, connecting with the spirit tree.
She doesn’t know what you saw when you did. All she knows is that you hadn’t sleep-walked, or talked since. She knew you were special. A child she would never truly understand, but she loved and cherished you with everything she had.
She saw the way the animals around you seemed to move in sync with you, how the luminescence at night pulsed with your breath. She didn’t ask for answers. She loved you and she trusted the Great Mother.
But here you were again, standing at the entrance of their Marui, eyes glazed over, staring off into the stars. Ever since they’d let the Sullys stay, you’d been walking and talking in your sleep again.
It wasn’t as intense, thankfully, but it was enough to rouse her or her children from sleep every so often.
They worried for you. They took turns staying up, watching you, easing you back to sleep, careful not to startle you from your trance. During the day, they acted as if nothing was different. They knew you were different, but they loved you nonetheless. You were their daughter, their sister.
Ao’nung picked on you, teasing you and going out of his way to bother you. It was his way of showing his love, he joked. He had his moments. Picking you up in his arms and carrying you across the village to your mother for treatment when you hurt yourself on a spear, ignoring your complaints that it was your hand that was injured, not your legs, you could still walk! He ignored you, carefully setting you down in their Marui, lurking by the door until you were bandaged up and ready to leave.
Tsireya was easier. You got along with your younger sister without any problems, aside from the occasional spat that never went anywhere. You two were two peas in a pod. Inseparable. Hands clasped together, arms wrapped around each other. You were always together. It’s how you thrived.
Ronal and Tonowari, they never gave a second thought to the fact that you weren’t theirs, because you were. From the moment they’d set you down in that cradle, you’d become theirs. Their love for you was strong and unwavering. They called your name out with affection, they weaved you jewelry and clothes with love, they never let you doubt you were loved. They held you as you slept, as you dreamt.
And you dreamt. You dreamt every night. Of faces, of voices, of people you didn’t know, but knew.
By the time you woke up, your dreams were in blurry fragments, unable to be pieced together or made sense of.
Your family didn’t voice their worries to you. They saw how you flourished when interacting with their new clan members.
You were patient with them, guiding them through your way of life like it was the easiest thing to do. You blended in with them, conversing with the children so easily, it was as if you’d been doing it your entire life.
You and your siblings, Rotxo, and the Sully kids became somewhat of a friend group. Always together, at least in fragments. You felt as if your family had expanded.
The Sully kids adored you, especially Kiri. It was something about the way the two of you seemed to understand nature that connected you. And perhaps, your mysterious origins.
You confided in Kiri, and Kiri alone, about your peculiar birth. The whole clan knew, they’d witnessed it firsthand, but the story hadn’t made its way to the Sullys. Perhaps it was because it was accepted, no one thought twice about it, you were Ronal and Tonowari's daughter. No one thought to mention that, by biological means, you weren’t.
You told her how you didn’t know your biological parents. No one did. Abandoned at the Spirit tree, you were taken in by Ronal and Tonowari, raised alongside Tsireya, and essentially as Ao’nung’s twin.
She told you about her mother, a scientist who was beloved by their clan, who died during the first war against the humans. She was born from her Avatar.
Grace.
You spoke her name before Kiri told you.
An odd look passed her face. It wasn't until it dripped from your chin that you realised a tear had slipped down your cheek.
“I-i’m sorry, I'm just-” You strung together words, embarrassed and confused by your unconscious outburst. “It’s hard to speak about my birth.” You blamed it on that. Kiri accepted your words, wrapping her arms around you in an embrace that felt warmer than anything else you’d experienced.
You grew a lot closer to the Sully kids. It was their parents who were odd to be around.
Jake and Neytiri didn’t know what to think of you. You were Ronal and Tonowari’s daughter, Na’vi, born and raised in the reef. Yet when they looked at you, heard your voice, all they could see was that little girl they’d loved.
They were going crazy. That was the only explanation. Driven mad by the destruction of their home and subsequent forced abandonment of it.
They wanted to talk to you. They ached to. But it ached just as much to do so. It wasn’t fair to you, their projections of grief onto you.
You were kind, you spoke for them when they first arrived, and you went out of your way to welcome them. You taught their children and defended them, taking them in as if they were your blood.
But every time they saw you, they were swarmed by a whirlpool of grief and relief.
“She speaks like her.” Neytiri would whisper one night, when all the children were off in the village attending a celebration, Jake lying next to her.
“Yeah.” He’d say, eyes locked on Neytiri’s face, watching as she wandered through her mind. Watching as a tear slipped down her cheek.
For weeks, they watched you, watching every movement and quirk you exhibited. How you spoke, how you moved through the walkways, your sense of humor. The way you scrunched your nose in a certain way when faced with food you didn’t like. It all pointed back.
Back to her.
That girl.
She haunted them.
A ghost following them around. One they thought they’d put to rest over a decade ago.
They had moved on. They grieved her, yes, but they had learned to live without her. Just as they did with every person they lost.
But she was back.
They thought it was in their heads at first, but the more they saw, the more they became sure.
Her body had disappeared, Neytiri recounted to him, a whisper under her breath as they watched you talk to Neteyam and Tsireya from afar. They’d left her at the tree like Mo’at demanded, abiding by Eywa's wishes. Her body was gone far too quickly to have been natural decomposition, and no creature would dare feast on a body wrapped in Eywa’s arms like she was.
They didn’t question it, too wrapped up in their grief to try and breach the topic. They simply accepted it. Eywa wanted her. She was with Grace, they believed.
But she wasn’t.
She was in the reef, living amongst the people, living.
They saw you, and they saw her. One in the same.
They’d grieved you, and now you stood right in front of them, out of their reach.
It tore them apart. They must have been going insane because you were not that girl they knew, you were not the girl they loved and doted on. But you were.
You couldn’t be.
But they watched and they watched and they saw. They saw her.
“It’s not her.” Jake’s voice was steel. Laced with a hardened grief.
“I know what I saw, you know what you see.” Neytiri defended, unsure of how to explain it.
He shook his head, pacing back and forth in the Marui, sliding a hand down his face.
“She’s a Metkayina! She’s Ronal and Tonowai’s daughter! That's it.” He spoke so certainly, as if he were trying to convince himself.
The two breathed heavily, working through their mind and hearts to get their words. Logic wasn’t making sense, but they tried to cling to it, both of them in different ways.
“Ronal didn’t give birth to her, nor did Tonowair father her.” Neytiris' words were heavy, like steel and stone. “A gift from Eywa, Ronal calls her.”
Their eyes met.
At this point, they were haunted less by you and more by the fact that you were back. It wasn’t easy mourning someone, learning to accept their death after having grown to love them so fiercely, to learn how to live without them. All of that, only for them to appear again.
All those walls they’d built, all the strength they’d planted in their grief, it was crumbling, the base of it all blowing away like sand in the wind.
It almost hurt more than the grief itself.
They simmered in it for weeks, speaking through glances and hushed whispers.
It was quiet that day. Jake was making his rounds through the village when he heard it. The humming. Not just the humming but the tune.
Slowly, he rounded the corner, peaking around the Marui, eyes landing on you sitting on the edge of the walkway, legs dangling from an opening. You sat there, beading an arm piece as you hummed.
You hummed the lullaby Jake had used to sing that girl to sleep. The lullaby from Earth.
He felt his chest crack open. He wanted to say something, to reach out and speak to you-
“Sempu!” You called out, spotting Tonowari walk up from another direction. Wordlessly, you held up your work for him, a smile spreading across your face as he approached and knelt down.
“Ah, this is great work, my little ‘itetsyip.” He leaned in, hand reaching up to pull it closer to examine it. He grinned, nodding towards you. “You are an exceptional crafter.”
Jake watched the scene, brows furrowing, a weight resting in his chest.
You rolled your eyes. “Oh, bah! You and Mother praise me far too much.”
Tonowair simply chuckled, his hand moving to cradle your cheek as you grinned at him.
“No, we simply see how great you are.”
Jake started to notice more after that. He watched not just you, but your life. How you wandered freely through the village, greeting your clan members eagerly, your cheerfulness returned. You were surrounded by kids your age, all watching you with a mix of adoration and respect. You bonded with your siblings, giggling over inside jokes and banter.
Your parents were doting. They didn’t spoil you; they made sure you were responsible and self-aware, but they loved you, and they showed it. The more he watched, the more Neytiri did too; perhaps she’d been watching the full scene the whole time.
You weren’t alone.
You smiled so widely, and you never had to beg, you never had to work for attention or affection. You were accepted wholeheartedly.
You had everything you wanted here, Neytiri and Jake realized. You had everything they wanted to give you, and you didn’t have any barriers. You weren’t human or parentless. You moved about freely. You weren’t raised to expect to come second, third, or fourth place.
Neytiri and Jake had wanted to give you that life. But they couldn’t. They never could.
The Great Mother didn’t fulfill their desires to be the one to love you; she gave you what you needed. She gave you the opportunity to live.
It was bittersweet. You had the life you wanted. You were loved.
Just not by them.
And that was ok.
They’d lived their lives, they’d found happiness, a family, and they were good.
You’d found what you needed, even if it wasn’t with them.
The scene where Jake took lo'ak by the arm to talk in private about payakan and Jake deadass said "he's going to bring the whole RDA on us". Honey, they're already all the way up your ass, why are we blaming a whale?
*slams hands on desk* NO YOU DONT GET IT I love Commander Fox because of his CANONICAL characterization and that is exactly four things:
He’s dramatic, uses cringe one liners and does flips in the middle of gun fights
He’s chill about flat out murdering people who deserve it, and his statement to Ashoka could imply he would have let her go if she hadn’t been caught on camera
He stands up to Anakin after Ashoka is arrested, sending armed troopers after him to make sure he leaves the building, and also kind of throws Tarkin under the bus
Every single fucking time he puts his brothers first, from killing Fives when he caught a brain disease that made him go nuts and took hostages then was about to kill more clones, to taking the blame for his troopers firing on Darth Vader during order 66 and getting killed for it
We don’t get a lot about him but what we do see makes me crave more canon appearances.
AFAA SPOILERS AHHEAD:
AU inspired by this post from @iwannabespiderwoman with some of my own twists. Basically, after connecting to Toruk in the first movie Jake ended up with some of his characteristics- mainly manifesting in bursts of "moods" in which Jake reverts to more primal, animalistic instincts. Mostly causing him to want to stay home and cuddle his mate + kids. Also, Ronal and Neteyam are both alive in this bc fck canon.
Spider learns the hard way that he is a Sully.
Spider was young, maybe four or five, when Norm first pulled him to the side and told him that he would not be allowed to meet the Sully children today. He could not understand why, when he asked the adults only glanced to the side and told him to leave it. When he threw a tantrum after, he was reprimanded and banned from going outside his room for the day.
When Spider was ten, he finally understood why he was unable to see his friends sometimes. He had watched, for the first time, how Jake got into one of his ‘moods’. And how he acted during it.
Lo’ak had tried to run in a fit of rebellion, not yet understanding what the matter with his father was. He employed Spider to help in the mischief, just like always. Jake had gone to retrieve his unruly son in response, and Spider watched how his friend was dragged off back home. Jake was hissing and growling at anyone trying to stop him before retreating into the Sully family hut. The boy did not want to call his olo’eytkan animalistic, but he found no other words to describe it. Even so many years later.
It took the rest of the day for the family to emerge once more. When Spider tried to come closer, a mix of curiosity and childlike innocence, he learnt the hard way that he was not welcome. No matter how much he yearned to be a part of the family, he was not.
Bonding with the Toruk had…side effects, Norm had told him once Spider came to ask, especially for Jake, who was in an Avatar body and lacked the experience in tsaheylu other Na’vi had. His mind was- well, not exactly weaker, but it was different. More open to influences once a bond was made. Influences that changed Jake, made him act different sometimes.
It was like instincts taking over his mind, Spider was told. The most primal, possessive needs rising to the top. Of family, love, protection. They told him not to hold what had happened against the man, and that Jake was not in his right mind. Spider nodded and understood, going along with what he’d been told. But the scientists still kept him away from the man whenever he got into his moods after that. Just to be sure.
At twelve, Spider had learned to predict them. Becoming able to read the signs in Jake’s body language, in the way his pupils constricted and his body moved. To anticipate them like a coming storm, to know when he had to stay away. For his own good, and out of respect for the Sullies.
Still, he had always wished to join them.
He had wished to join many things.
Spider should not be greedy.
That was why, after the great battle and return of Toruk Makto, Spider knew to recognise the signs once more and make himself scarce accordingly.
Back at High Camp, he would have just gone back to the scientists. They still had a room for him there, and despite the laboratory being terribly boring Spider did not mind annoying Norm for a little bit. Even if it was only an attempt at distracting himself. He could not do so here in Awa’atlu, and neither did he have a spare room to stay in, which meant he would need to sleep on the dunes tonight.
It would be a cold night, and he’d probably be sore tomorrow. But it was alright, Spider would handle it just like he handled everything else.
But first he would inform Tonowari.
So he stood, nervous and unsure, in his marui. Watching how Ronal peered at him from the side, supported by her children. She was still weak from her near-fatal injury and the birth of her daughter, but that did not make her mind any less sharp.
He swallowed, Pandora’s air still unfamiliar in his lungs.
“What has brought you here, boy?” Tonowari asked, "Night will fall soon; you should be with your family.”
The statement was not forceful or judgmental; it was the opposite. There was clear concern in it. It was not normal for Na’vi children to be out so late, no matter the age. It was why Neteyam, Lo’ak, Kiri and Tuk were currently at home- no doubt doted upon by Jake and Neytiri.
“I will be sleeping on the dunes tonight, sir.” Spider replied, trying to be polite despite his nervousness. “It is my own choice. I just wanted to let you know, so there are no misunderstandings.” If people found him in the morning, a lone child they knew should belong to Jake sleeping outside, they would make assumptions. Spider did not want to bring shame upon the Sullies by making others think they were bad parents. “It is of my own choice,” he repeated, seeing the doubt in Tonowari’s eyes.
“Children belong with their families,” Ronal cut in from where she sat, holding her youngest daughter. “Sleeping on the dunes is dangerous, especially for you- with a frail sky person body. Go home, do not get such stupid ideas.” He flinched, but did not relent. He shook his head, “I am sorry, tsahik. I- I cannot stay with the Sullies tonight, but I will handle myself and not cause trouble. I promise. I only wish to inform you, so no misunderstandings happen.”
She hissed at his disagreement.
Spider flinched.
Tonowari spoke up once more, “Tsyeyk Suli is a good man. He and his mate are your tirea sa’sem, are they not? Why would you not be able to stay at home?”
Because Jake and Neytiri would not want me here while he is in his mood, Spider wanted to reply. I do not want to intrude even more, especially not after such a battle. They never want me there; I’m used to it.
“I just can’t,” He said instead, giving the words more bite than he wanted to. Tonowari looked at him with an expectant gaze, prompting him into speaking more without even needing to open his mouth. Suddenly, Spider regretted even coming here; he could have also just hidden in the jungle instead and not caused any trouble. It was a longer way from the village than the dunes, but no one would have been able to find him accidentally there.
“I am sorry-” He begann, “I, I..it is a very private matter concerning Jake, I don’t want to offend him by telling without permission,” Spider confessed finally, looking down in guilt for being unable to give the answers asked of him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to worry you. But I promise I will be fine, there is no need to concern yourself with me.”
“....”
Tonowari turned to his mate. She looked back at him, their eyes met for a split second. Then the man sighed. “The Sullies have gone through much hardship; it would be a lie to say that I fully understood all they have lived through. I will trust you in your assessment and your wish to not remain in your family’s Marui tonight,” he told him, and Spider breathed a sigh of relief. “However.” The chief began anew, “You are still a child, and I cannot allow you to spend the night unprotected on the dunes. You will spend it here with my family, and I shall go with you in the morning to receive an explanation for what has happened today.”
Part of Spider wanted to protest, wanted to argue that he should not trouble himself so much for him. Especially not when his mate was still injured and the two were preoccupied with their newborn child. But he also understood that it was not his place to question the decision of his olo’eyktan. So instead, he nodded gratefully and thanked Tonowari for his hospitality. The man seemed pleased with how easily Spider agreed and motioned for Tsireya to come closer. His own children had not spoken once, despite witnessing it all. The boy felt embarrassed, suddenly.
The girl dutifully left her mother's side, and before Spider knew it he was settled in the home and aiding her with setting up a spare hammock to sleep in. “We will take good care of you,” Tsireya promised him happily, “you are our guest now, so do not worry.”
Spider nodded and agreed, watching from the corner of his eye how Ronal whispered something to Tonowari.
XxX
He was a light sleeper. Spider always had been, really. Not to such a degree that it would become troublesome for him, but enough to notice and wake when something was off. A sound out of place, a movement that was too sudden and unfamiliar, a foreign vibration in the air. The ability to notice these things had served him well during his time with his fa- with Quaritch. They never left him quite as defensless as he could have been, and the boy had sharpened them accordingly.
And seemingly, he had made them sharp enough to awaken Spider from his sleep just in time to see the hand reaching out for him.
It was more reflex than conscious thought that made him swat the hand away, yelping as he tumbled out of the hammock and onto the ground. He found his bearings quickly, his hand flying to where his knife usually was, only to remember that he had not worn it to bed.
He snarled, teeth bared and body tense. Ready to defend against this unknown intruder who had attempted to take him.
Jake stared down at him, hand still outstretched to where he almost touched him. His stark yellow eyes glowed in the darkness of the night despite the fact that his irises were blown wide enough to nearly eclipse all of it. Before Spider could comprehend the other’s presence, a voice rung out.
“Who goes there!?” Tonowari asked, voice booming as she approached., no doubt awoken by the noise caused. He held his spear in his hand, judging by the shape Spider could make out in the dark. There were footsteps behind the man, no doubt the rest of the family.
The next few moments passed by in a quick succession.
Jake hissed at the other Na’vi, a feral and antagonistic sound. He darted for Spider with such force that it knocked the air out of the boy's lungs, gathering him into his arms and pressing him into his chest. Tonowari lunged at the same moment, ready to rip the unknown intruder away from his guest. Despite his confusion and the dark, Spider yelled out;
“NO!!”
The sound echoed against the Marui walls, sudden and loud enough to stop everyone there in their tracks. Jake did not let Spider go, but he did stay still enough to be made out somewhat. “Brother?” Tonowari asked, lowering his spear, finally having recognised Jake in the darkness. A fact that the other rewarded with another hiss, crushing Spider even further against his chest. If the boy still wore the mask, it would have probably broken by now. He was sure of that.
“Why are you here, brother?” Tonowari tried to ask, the aggression shown previously drained out of him. Jake did not respond, cowering instead at the far end of the hut where Spider’s hammock was. He turned the boy away, using his own massive body as a shield. A wall he put between Spider and everyone else. It did not seem like Toruk Makto was interested in answering questions.
“J-Jake?” Spider tried to venture, voice soft and small as he attempted to understand what was even happening. Jake was- Jake was clearly in one of his moods. The boy had not been mistaken in recognising the signs. But then, why wasn’t he with his family? With his children? Neteyam was still gravely injured and recovering from his wounds, not to mention what everyone else went through. Knowing Jake, nothing should be more important to him than looking after his children, looking after his family right now.
And yet Jake was here, staring down at him. Jake was staring down at him. As though Spider was the most precious thing in the whole world. He blinked, deep brown meeting yellow. And for a split second nothing else seemed to matter. Nothing besides Spider and Jake.
Then someone took a step forward, causing the woven floor beneath to make the quietest of sounds. Jake looked back up, the quiet magic of the moment broken.
He hissed once more, a third and final time.
Spider felt himself hoisted up and carried out of the Marui, yelping as they went.
Tonowari tried to follow after the pair, trying to figure out what in Ewya’s name was happening, but Ronal held him back. “Leave them.” She told her mate, serene and wise like only a tsahìk could be, “We can ask them for an explanation in the morning.” The man looked between his mate and Jake, leaving, then he sighed and nodded. Watching the two make their way to the Sully home.
XxX
Spider was fighting for his life trying to escape, in the meantime. “J-Jake,” He tried again, hoping to distract him once more. No use, the man seemed keen of doing- well, whatever he was going to do with him. “Jake” Spider begged once more, struggling against his hold and trying to push away. Nothing budged. Just like every other na’vi, Jake was much stronger than him, which meant that Spider was at a major disadvantage.
“Let me go” the boy demanded next. “I- I don’t– Jake, let me go”
Jake pressed him closer, cradling Spider like a babe. No reply. It was with dawning horror that the boy realised he would not escape while Jake held him like this. He could Toruk still towering over the Sully Marui as they neared, he had not left since the battle- seemingly content to remain with Jake and eat the fish offered by the villagers. A horrid feeling akin to fear filled his gut.
Spider was not welcome when Jake was in one of his moods.
Spider needed to leave.
The Sullies may have adopted him officially, but he should not intrude.
He did not belong with them.
Spider needed to leave.
Neytiri would surely be mad.
Spider needed to leave.
Why had Jake even gone to search for him?
Spider needed to leave.
He had never before gone to–
The homefire was still burning when they entered, bathing the inside of the Mauri in soft light and comfortable warmth. Toruk preened at the return of his rider, Jake noticeably relaxed once he was back in the bounds of his own home. Spider was set down in favour of the man greeting his family, curled up in a ball of blankets, mats, and limbs.
Neteyam was healing well, and yet he was still settled in the middle of his family. The anxiety over his near-death at Three Brothers’ Rocks had yet to fully dissipate. Tuk was laying at his side, Loak curled protectively around her. Kiri was settled above them, hair caressed gently by Neytiri, who looked up to see who entered. All four of the children were already asleep, leaving their mother as the only one awake. She had yet to notice him, a fact Spider was grateful for. Instead, she was focused on welcoming Jake home.
Spider was not welcome like Jake was; he never was. Neytiri had accepted him, but this was different. This was family time. Real family time.
He blinked. Neytirir looked at him. “Spider-” She began.
Jake was distracted.
The boy turned around and sprinted right back out of the Marui, long before Neytiri could order him to leave. Running as fast as his feet could carry him through the cool night. He still had no idea why Jake would come to retrieve him in the first place, but it must have been a fluke. Surely, it was just a fluke.
Spider did not—
There were footsteps behind him, heavy and loud as they grew closer. Spider looked over his shoulder to find Jake pursuing him once more.
“Shit.” He muttered under his breath, “Shit!” he gasped once more. What the hell was even going on? What had his life come to!? Running from an instinct-driven Jake like he was a pa’li hunted by a vicious palulukan. And why was he even chasing him to begin with!? Had he- Had he snapped? Gone mad? Become truly feral?
Did he decide to end his life after all, realising that Spider was far more trouble than he was worth–
That last thought was enough to make him stop running for a split second. Just enough time for his pursuer to close the last remaining distance between them. He could hear Jake growl from behind him, breathing heavily as a hand snaked around his neck. Jake was furious, and for a moment Spider thought he would snap his neck. Or choke him to death. Or take his knife and-
Something pressed at his nape, right where his kuru connected to his neck. A tingly sensation washed over him, making Spider go limp. Allowing him to fall easily into Jake’s waiting arms as pins and needles spread through his arms and legs. “W-Whaa—” Spider tried to ask, looking up at the older. But found his words coming out slurred and slow against his will. The adult hissed angrily once more, shutting the boy in his arms up as he carried him back. He did not stop holding Spider’s nape as they walked. Spider was sure he could not escape this time.
The second time the pair entered the Sully Marui, Neytiri awaited them at the entrance instead of staying with her children. She kissed Jake when he walked through the bead curtains and looked down at Spider with disdain as she saw him. He swallowed, pressing his eyes closed. She would make him leave, no doubt. Ask Jake why he decided to bring a pinkskin, and reprimand Spider for even daring to encroach on her family like that. Then she would make her mate kick him out, and Spider would–
Spider would do what he always did. He would accept it, apologise, and leave.
Neytiri huffed at him. “Dumb child” she drawled, “May the Great Mother give me the strength to withstand the urge of tying you down to this home. Trying to run away, not once but twice. During the evening and night no less. Making your father chase you like prey. Do you not know where you belong?”
He looked up at her in confusion, “W-Wha-–”
“Bah!” She exclaimed, making Spider suck in a breath. Then she motioned for Jake to give Spider from his arms into hers, which he did. The hand on his nape lifted, and his limbs blinked back into function. “You should be glad that your father is too soft-hearted like this” The woman told him, anger still shimmering in her voice, “I would have done much worse than merely scruff you!”
Scruff him? Was that what Jake did? He had seen other Na’vi done so with their unruly children, is that how it felt? It explained why all protests usually died down after it happened. But why would Jake…
The beads in Neytiri’s hair clicked together as she shook her head, her hold on him was as firm as it was gentle. Jake followed quietly as Neytiri made her way to the pile of her children, laying Spider down at Neteyam’s side opposite of Tuk. The boy stirred for a split second, brows furrowing, before returning to sleep. “Do not run or try to avoid us again, ma Spider,” Neytiri ordered, and it was only then that Spider realised that her anger at him was not due to his presence.
The boy looked up at her through embarrassingly moist eyes. “You- You want me here?”
“Ofcourse I do!” Neytiri insisted, more offended at the question than anything else. “Are you not my son? Am I not your tirea sa'nok? Have we not made it clear to whom you belong? What made you think otherwise? Silly child!” She shook her head furiously. Just how she would shake her head when Lo’ak got in trouble, or Tuk secretly stayed up too late again, or when she and Kiri fought, or when Neteyam had insisted to go out hunting far too early after his injury.
She pulled a blanket over his body, settling down so one of her hand reached across. “Be lucky that I do not wish to irritate your father while he is in such a state.” Neytiri hissed, “Go to sleep now, and do not even think of trying to leave in the morning. You will remain here, with us, like a good child should.”
“I- Yes, Mrs. Sully…” Spider was too stunned to reply much else. Neytiri shot him another look. “I- I mean, M-Mom..”
He did not miss the possessive curl of her body around him, finally satisfied with his response. Closely followed by Jake , whose chest rumbled with purrs. Happy for all of his family to finally be with him.
For some reason, Spider felt strangely euphoric. Despite the fact that Neytiri had reprimanded him just moments ago.
Ao3 does not need a 1-5 star rating system, you just want to bring down authors writing for FREE
Ao3 does not need automatic censorship, it is an archive, therefore anything can be posted
Writing or reading about something illegal does not mean the author nor the reader condones it, if that were true, you could never read a story involving anything negative
Purity culture is ruining fan culture and you all are fucking annoying
✧ Summary: You escaped the comfort of your own bed and your boyfriend Fireball only to have him chasing you down not too long after, sleepy and clingy and pleading.
✧ Tags & Warnings: tooth-rotting fluff, established relationship, fun clone namedrops and cameo, fireball and reader being L together, W rex this time, clones being comedians,
✧ Word Count: 1.7k
✧ A/N: HI EVERYONE LONG TIME NO SEE. I'm back with my “it's late you should sleep” bullshit and most importantly my Fireball bullshit because WE NEED MORE FICS ABOUT THIS MAN. Fun namedrops again, making mends to the last time where I couldn't place some more troopers 👀
Main Masterlist | Read on AO3 | divider by @dollywons
You sip on your tea. Herbal scent and steam swirls into the tip of your nose. The tips of your fingers holding the mug steady against your lips absorb the heat, the emanating warmth helpful in prying and keeping your eyelids open.
It's late. You woke up somewhere between 0200 and Gregor’s giggles down in the hall joking with another trooper, peeling yourself off of Fireball's arm around your waist. Getting dressed as quietly as possible and making your way to your station, sleep slipping away from your person with each step of the way.
You tapped Jesse in the shoulder and offered to replace him, and he headed out to his bunk gratefully. Not being a douche, but he was just back from another rescue mission and he was injured. Still injured. So, for now, manning the comms, monitoring the countdown to another check-in with another team who's sent out there, as is your job here helping their underground network—you’re on your own.
Or so you thought.
You hear the door zips open, and you hear firm, steady stomps of trooper boots. At first you probably think it's Rex, or perhaps Howzer. Or maybe Kix even, wanted to check in with his brother who's gone to rest at your behest.
“Mesh’la…”
Caught.
Fireball sighs loudly, a sound of disappointment and yearning just behind your person. “What are you doing?” The distance between you and him recedes with each step. His hand falls to your shoulder before it slides across your collar bone and entraps you in a sloppy hug. “You need to be in bed.”
You're almost, almost swayed by the drowsy drawl in his voice to actually hit the bed again with him in tow. But your damn brain still wants you to be awake. You set your tea mug down, and rest your hand on top of his on your shoulder, squeezing. “I can't sleep, Fireball.”
“Apparently,” he remarks softly, and you can smell more disappointment coming off of him in tiny, tiny waves of it. Your beloved plants little kisses to your temple, as if begging you wordlessly, his voice drawls adorably when he speaks. “Something bother you?”
“No, nothing bothers me.” You tilt your head, his cool skin brushing against your flushed cheek, and capture his lips with your soft ones. The notion tugs a soft, drowsy whimper out of him. “I don't know,” you whisper, honest. “I just can't.”
“Maybe just feeling a bit restless.” Fireball’s warm amber eyes meet yours for a second before he kisses you again, pouting and murmuring against your lips. “Missed you. We should be sleeping together right now. We don't get night shifts today.”
You give him a noncommittal smile, which makes him pull the chair next to yours and root himself on it. Fireball yawns. His eyes are determined when he sets his eyes on you again.
“Do you want me to fireman carry you?” Although he's smirking, there's a hint of patience in his voice. He drags the damn wheeled chair to your side and holds your hand. “Hm? Knock your lights out and drag your unconscious body to bed?”
“I will hit you,” you chuckle heartily.
“Nah.” He leans into your space again and kisses your cheek. “Not gonna hurt anyway.”
Your sweet, sweet Fireball can be very clingy when he lets his guard down. Not to the point of being insufferable as he's still got dignity to upkeep, though. And yet secretly you also crave this side of him at all times—touchy, clingy, a one-minute silence away from dropping everything and falling asleep. His hair isn't as styled as it looks during the day, looking like he only jabbed his fingers through and combed it roughly to keep it away from his face not five minutes ago. Nevertheless, he looks adorable.
“Why are you wearing armor?” you ask, scratching at a slight dent on his dark green chest plate with your nail.
“Because my armor is me, and I am nothing without my armor.” Fireball’s warm, gloved hand squeezes yours. “You know that.”
You hum, reclining back against the chair. Your mug of tea is abandoned. “It’s so quiet tonight.”
“Preferable Teth situation on a normal basis.” If not for his lingering drowsiness, it would sound like a deadpan. Fireball clears his throat, his tone quirking. The gleam in his eyes tells you already. “I have a few ideas, if you're bored. All of them include this interactive and persuasive human connection called ‘let’s head back to bed and sleep'.”
Your guilt sinks to your stomach. “Fireball…”
“Mesh'la, please.” He squeezes your hand again, using his hold as leverage to pull himself into you. The tip of his nose nudging your cheek, lips dragging lazily across your jaw to persuade you to the very best of his abilities while sleepy. His breath is warm against your skin, murmuring, almost inaudible. “Please?”
All you want to do now is to grab his face and place soft kisses on his lips. Wordless sorry’s in every touch. Fireball deserves that after you left him alone. Deep pools of glistening amber plead to you, and you can no longer resist the proximity. You kiss him, capturing his lips between yours, holding a couple of seconds longer while putting your apology at the forefront of your heart and willing to let sleep engulf you at last.
“Okay,” you concede, holding him upright by the shoulders when he seems to fall asleep for a second. Your heart sinks further. “Fire?”
He blinks sleepily. “Hm?”
“I'm sorry if I hurt you somehow.”
“You didn't.” Fireball's smile is slow and dopey with all the amount of power he's got in order to fight the sleep as he gets up and towards the door. “I'm gonna find someone. Stay here.”
And it isn't long when your private midnight solitude is breached with the sound of the door opening. Your knees prompt you to stand upon the anticipated declaration of freedom—from the impromptu comms supervision, that is—and you're just as much as taken aback as Rex is when he lays his eyes on you. Fireball is absent anywhere near him.
“Oh it's you,” the blond captain muses, eyebrows raised upon the discovery. His eyes scan over your station for a nanosecond before returning to you with a flash of concern. “Everything okay so far?”
“Um, yeah, good.” You scramble out of the vicinity of your previous seat. You're still caught off guard by the sudden presence of Rex, suddenly feeling cornered. “Ahem. Next check-in is due in 8, though.”
Rex nods his head taking that in, though he seems like he still can't put what's missing, aside that you're not supposed to be on the hour yet. “Isn't Jesse supposed to be here?” he asks then, remembering.
You swallow. “I, uh, sent him away.”
Rex visibly relaxes. An audible sigh through his nostrils, sounding almost grateful for one less thing to worry about. “Yeah, he needed a lot of rest from the last one.” He runs a hand over his face, tired. “You? Can't sleep?”
“Yeah,” you let out an awkward chuckle, cheeks flushed from the embarrassing story starter bit that put you here in the first place. “Got busted, though.”
Rex takes the information kindly with a fond laugh of his own. “Yeah?” he asks, a clear-as-crystal teasing hint in his tone. “Where is he, then?”
As if everything's on goddamn cued that makes you regret even more than twenty seconds ago—you really should've never gone out of your and Fireball's shared quarters—your boyfriend saunters into the room with another trooper behind him, the confidence in his steps is put to an abrupt, almost alarmed stop when Rex pivots toward the door.
Fireball's eyes widened, as if the drowsiness melts away entirely from his body. “Rex.”
“Fireball.” Rex arches one eyebrow, craning his neck over to catch a glimpse of silver hair just behind your boyfriend. “Sinker. What, you got pulled out of duty?”
The 104th vet sighs, turns to a defeated Fireball with a gaze that says I told you so, and pats him firmly in the shoulder. “Sorry, dude. Busted.”
Fireball pats Sinker’s back with a lazy swing of the arm, in the process of slightly shoving the other trooper away to make space in the cramped doorway. “Yeah. Seemed to be the main theme of the episode,” Fireball mumbles, nowhere near grumbling but hilariously accepting. Once Sinker's fully gone out of the vicinity two seconds later, Fireball shrugs apologetically. “Sorry, Rex.”
Rex shakes his head, arms crossed, a tiny hint of a fond smile daring to stretch his lips. He tilts his head back at you, and then at the door. “Why don't you two get some rest since neither of you are supposed to be here anyway? I’ll watch the comms.”
Without wasting time to ponder over the generous permit and volunteer, you slip past Rex and join Fireball at the door with a quick shuffle of your feet, eager to escape the teasing glance the captain is throwing at the both of you as you go.
“Night, Rex,” you wave a little, the other hand already held by Fireball to drag you out of the damn comms room. The tips of his ears are also red. “Thanks. And uh, sorry.”
Rex makes a little shoo-ing gesture at you just before the door slams in your face when Fireball finally drags you away, and swift, in the direction of your shared quarters in another wing.
“Seriously.” Fireball squeezes your hand instead, wishing that he'd grab your face and smoosh your cheeks together out of aggression. “It needed to be Rex to get you out of there.”
You slap at his shoulder blade. “Whatever.” No matter how close and casual both of you are with Rex, it's still embarrassing to go through all that literally in the face of a leadership, for kriff’s sake. “Let's just go to bed.”
Arriving at your door, Fireball pokes your flushed cheek, grinning. “Oh so you wanna go back to bed now.”
You let out a whine against his deep chuckles, ducking underneath him to key the door open, cool sheets and thin pillows waiting for the both of you. “Would be nice if you shut your cake hole.”
“Been itching to say it, mesh'la,” Fireball grins, pulling you to his chest once both of you are inside and kissing your flushed cheeks and pouting lips with a sleepy yet intense brush of his affection.
A/N: You can request for x reader in my askbox! If you're interested in my clone x reader oneshots you can sign up as well to be tagged of future works. (Link provided ⬆️)
internet politics and real-world politics have gotten so separated, and pretty soon all this internet weirdness is gonna come crashing into real life and politicians are gonna start throwing around words like “SJW” and “anime communist” and “dark enlightenment” and it’s just gonna be the most ridiculous fucking thing
Word count: 6.5k
Tags/Warnings: insert Adele singing "This is the end"; I am, in fact, incredibly corny; fluff; one last 79s scene; using Wolffe as comic relief again; and Fox and Cody; very, very corny; but it's so cute 🥹😭; i'm not crying over this being the last chapter
Previous chapter | Masterlist
vod - bother ; vode - brothers
udesii - Calm down! Take it easy!
di’kut - idiot ; di’kute - idiots
ori’vod - older brother/sister
Jetti - Jedi
cyare - beloved
Ner kar’ta - my love
mesh'la - beautiful
Haar’chak - Damn it!
~~~
When the war finally ended, it seemed as if the Galaxy was unsure what to do. Or, better put, it seemed unsure how to return to the normalcy of before. The last years had been spent in a perpetual state of tension – of bombings and ground assaults and collateral victims.
But now things were… almost calm.
Almost.
Crime syndicates had absolutely explode in the confusing period that followed the official capitulation of the CIS army. They were mostly operating in the Outer Rim, though some were creeping into Mid Rim sectors. And perhaps the most dangerous was the one lead by Maul.
Dealing with that, while also rebuilding the worlds shattered by the war, meant that the clones would not go obsolete. However, they would still have to suddenly figure out how to exist now that nobody was constantly shooting at them.
And they also had to figure out their new-found freedom.
Soon after Grievous was defeated by Obi-Wan on Utapau and Count Dooku was captured and tried for his crimes, the Senate finally turned its attention to the Clone Rights Bill. And, to everyone’s astonishment, it was passed in a single session.
The plazas of Coruscant, Ryloth and other planets with a strong GAR presence filled with troopers, cheering and throwing helmets in the air. The 79s and other cantinas were full of laughter and celebrations. And all the way on Kamino, Tipoca City had never felt more alive.
Then came the tedious weeks of bureaucracy: issuing Republic IDs, negotiating back pay, pensions, and a veteran support plan. Lexie had joined Senator Chuchi’s committee as soon as she entered office, and became a fierce advocate for the clones. She pushed hard for the right to leave the service with honours, and for integration and career-orientation programs. She spearheaded a partnership with the Faculty of Engineering at the New Irin Royal College on Seccaya, and soon other universities followed. She absolutely had to make sure the clones could have any future they wanted.
Kix left as soon as the opportunity presented itself. A top-up program opened at the University of Coruscant, specifically designed for clone medics to further their education and become full licensed doctors or nurses. Kix was one of the firsts to be admitted and planned to specialise in neurology.
Most of the 501st chose to re-enlist under the new Republic Defence Corps, keeping the battalion mostly intact.
This restructuring of the GAR brought forth many changes. All Jedi stepped down from their military roles – but would continue to collaborate with the clones in peacekeeping operations.
Then promotions were handed out – Rex became a commander, Jesse a captain, Fives and Echo both received the rank of lieutenant. That is, until Fives announced he was leaving to join Lexie’s security detail. It was strange to split the pair up again after only just getting reused to fighting side by side – but Fives wanted out while Echo believed he could still be useful in defending the Republic.
Lexie didn’t think she needed private security at all – but Fox seemed intent on spending his last weeks in the Coruscant Guard arguing with her about senators requiring armed guards at all times.
“Even former Jedi,” he kept insisting, making sure to always emphasise her departure from the Order – as if that would suddenly erase all her years of training.
He relented once she told him Fives would be serving as her Head of Security – with Halves and a handful of other clones joining him. Or well, it wasn’t that he necessarily relented, but his one month of notice simply ran out.
The Coruscant Guard saw the greatest changes. Over half of the troopers – Fox and Thorn included – chose to leave the service with honours. After Palpatine’s death, the truth about the mistreatment of the Corries finally came to light, so it was no surprise so many needed a change. Their numbers were replenished with transfers from other battalions, and since they were desperate to fill empty slots, even Dogma managed to return to active duty after a round of psych evals.
Rex briefly considered transferring to the Corries as well in order to stay on Coruscant. But there was still instability in the Outer Rim and plenty of planets in need of aid. He decided to keep serving the Republic in the best way he knew. And well, red wasn’t his colour anyway.
He only signed up for another two-year tour, while Jesse and vode from other battalions like Wolffe, Cody or Neyo and Trojan, signed up for four – he didn’t want to be separated from Lexie for too long. There’d still be lengthy stretches of time where they’d be apart, but with his new position as a commander, he would return to Coruscant periodically for debriefs. Then he could transition into the reserves, as was the new standard for officers completing an active tour.
Lexie declared she would support him no matter what. This was his choice and his choice alone now that he could finally make one. They’d done long-distance before; she knew their love was strong enough. And she was happy that every time he would come to Coruscant, he would be coming to their home.
Housing reforms were going to take time, but the Senate’s first policy change was immediate: any clone with a partner willing to host them was granted off-barracks living status. It freed up space quickly, and for many troopers, it was the first taste of home they’d ever had.
Then, a month after the bill passed, something almost surreal happened. Rex received his first salary in the newly set up bank account in his name. It wasn’t a huge amount – the Republic was still scraping itself back together – but that didn’t matter.
It was his. His credits for his hard work. He’d never even dared dream of anything like this before.
But he immediately knew what he wanted to spend it on.
He did regret bring Fives and Echo along, however.
Or, well… Fives. Echo was actually useful.
When he told them what he was planning, Fives almost burst with excitement. Of course, he immediately got way too ahead of himself, spewing ideas for events that were still far in the future. Echo had to elbow him to drag him back to the present.
“Udesii, vod,” Echo sighed, rolling his eyes a little. “He hasn’t even asked her yet.”
“Right,” Fives muttered. “You think she might say no?”
“Not what I meant, di’kut,” Echo hissed.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, vod,” Rex grumbled.
Fives raised both hands in apology and cleared his throat. “Okay – ring first. I know exactly where we can go!”
He dragged them to a two-level jewellery store on the edge of the Senate District, its massive transparisteel windows full of necklaces and bracelets set with shimmering turquoise gems. The sign above the entrance read ‘The Treasures of Christophsis’ and the entire colour scheme of the store matched the crystals that the planet was known for.
Rex and Echo stuck out like sore thumbs among the fashionably dressed sentients browsing the displays, but Fives strode in like he owned the place, much more inconspicuous in his civvies. He went straight to a sales consultant he clearly knew – and who clearly knew him – and she ushered them into a smaller showroom dedicated solely to engagement rings.
They were beautiful, Rex couldn’t deny that. Unfortunately, they were also way out of his budget. Fives didn’t seem fully aware of what the Republic was paying its troops. Though, in his defence, with Lexie now having access to her family’s royal funds, Fives’ salary was probably in a completely different bracket.
Rex tried to discreetly signal that they should leave, but his hints didn’t land.
“Good thing you brought me along too, vod,” Echo murmured. “Fives is too busy flirting with the jeweller.”
Echo walked up to his twin, and smacked the back of his bead with his natural hand.
“Ow– what–”
“Sorry to interrupt, ma’am,” Echo addressed the sales consultant. Then he grabbed Fives’ arm. “We have to go. He’ll call you… maybe.”
“This is exactly the kind of abuse I did not miss while you were dead,” Fives grumbled. Echo rolled his eyes.
Once outside, Rex leaned against a wall, letting out a long, exhausted breath. His perfectly-crafted plan of action was crumbling.
“So what’s wrong?” Fives asked. “Some of those ring designs were great.”
“And completely unaffordable,” Echo said, revealing the number Rex was working with.
Fives’ eyes went wide. He’d really misjudged things.
Rex shook his head, running mental calculations like he was planning an extraction op.
“Alright,” Fives said casually. “There’s other shops around we could check–”
“That are gonna be just as pricy, if not worse,” Rex cut in, dragging a hand over his face. “Who am I kidding – I can’t afford this. I need to wait a few months, save the credits. I didn’t expect rings to be… that much.”
“Waiting isn’t the worst thing, vod,” Fives offered. “Two more months should do it, right?”
Rex sighed. “Those peace talks on Kaldonya are in three rotations. That was the perfect place to ask her.”
Echo hummed thoughtfully. “We could go into CoCo Town. Lots of artisans, smaller shops. Might find something more affordable.”
That’s how they ended up at a small stand, tucked almost out of view next to a fairly busy caf shop in Pom Plaza. Fives was the one who spotted it, and dragged them over to check it out. And while it looked like the kind of stall someone might pack away at the first sign of the authorities walking by, the woman running it was a legit craftsperson. The moment they approach looking interested, she starting talking about her artistic process – about the symbols used, the materials. She was clearly passionate – within a minute, they’d all heard about her most recent trip to Mon Cala in order to gather some coral pieces for her next line of necklaces.
When she heard that Rex was looking for engagement rings, her eyes instantly lit up. She quickly pulled out a wooden case: pieces she’d spent more time on, she explained, with gems and crystals more difficult to come by. Things she didn’t show every customer.
The moment he saw it, Rex knew.
It was perfect.
It was her.
An elegant, simple silver band, with a round cut Ootooan Opal. The colour of her hair. The colour on his armor.
And something he could actually afford.
Fives and Echo both agreed it was the perfect choice and Rex purchased it with no second thoughts.
Then they went inside the caf shop for a warm drink. Rex kept staring at the ring, unable to wipe the smile off his face. While this was nothing new for Fives, Echo was still getting used to seeing his ori’vod so openly love-struck, and almost huffed an incredulous laugh.
“So what’s the plan of attack?” he asked instead.
Rex glanced up, putting the ring back in a belt pouch. “Kaldonya. There’s a beach next to the royal palace where we had our first kiss. That location. Preferably sundown, but I can adjust the timeframe as needed.”
“Please, by all means,” Fives teased, “make it sound even more like an assault on an enemy base. She’ll love it.”
Rex shot him a pointed glare.
Fives ignored him, pushing through. “What about romantic ambiance? What are we thinking?”
“The beach in romantic enough,” Rex said, trying not to roll his eyes at his use of ‘we’.
“Really, vod? I thought you’d make more effort.”
“I am–”
“Scattered flower petals, live serenades – that’s what you need!” Fives continued, talking over his protest.
“Absolutely not!” Rex rejected.
“Why not?”
“Because she’d hate that,” Echo jumped in. “This is Lex we’re talking about.”
Fives sipped his caf, pondering. “You’re right. Former Jetti. No grand gestures.”
Rex sighed, checking the time on his vambrace chrono. He had a lunch date with Lexie he couldn’t be late for. Not if he didn’t want to raise her suspicion.
“So where do you want us?” Fives asked.
Rex blinked, confused. “Where– what?”
“During the proposal?” Fives clarified with a grin.
“Nowhere near that beach!” Rex said firmly, pointing a finger at his brother.
“Come on, Rex,” Fives complained, loud enough to turn the heads of a couple patrons. “I’ve been in this since the beginning. I should be there.” He folded his arms, flashing a self-assured smile. “Lex would want me there.”
“Oh, would she?” Rex grumbled.
“You’re not winning this one, vod,” Echo supported, casually sipping his caf. “We’re definitely gonna be there.”
Rex glanced up, as if the ceiling could grant him the strength to stay calm. “Both of you. Sure. Why don’t you also invite Jesse since it’s apparently a group activity now.”
“Great idea!” Fives said, already pulling out his comm.
“No, Fives–”
But the former ARC quickly typed and sent a message.
“Relax, vod,” Fives said. “We’re not di’kute. We’ll hide behind some rocks or something.”
“And we’ll record it from a tasteful distance,” Echo added.
Rex rubbed his temples. He’d really forgotten how much of a headache these two were together.
“Fine,” he grunted. “But if I see a single flower petal, I’m demoting you both.”
“Rex, I think you’re forgetting I don’t work for the Republic anymore,” Fives laughed.
Rex tilted his head, a small, wicked smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “And I think you’re forgetting who your employer is.”
That shut him up.
For a few minutes at least.
During the chaos of the CIS collapse, local conflicts flared between a few former Separatist worlds. And some became serious enough that the Republic had to intervene – like the one between Tosana and Kesto-6.
Kaldonya offered to host the peace talks, since it neighboured the system those two planets shared. It was a good middle ground.
And so, when Lexie had told him she would act as a Senate mediator, Rex made sure he would be part of the Republic peacekeeping delegation, commanding the official security detail. He was not missing this opportunity, not when it felt like the Force itself was handing it to him.
As he sat by her side during the negotiations, Rex couldn’t help the strong feeling of déjà vu he got. How strange to think that only about two years before he was sitting in this very same room, wondering if their night together had meant as much to her as it had to him. Maker, he’d been so anxious that day.
And he was anxious again now. And excited. He’d been dreaming of this for longer than he’d care to admit, since back when it felt like a dream was the only thing it would ever be.
Rex kept glancing at the chrono, not doing a very good job at pretending to listen. And in turn, Lexie kept shooting him confused looks. She could tell he was on edge – but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why. During the refreshments break between negotiation sessions she even pulled him aside to ask if he thought there was any danger; the flustered attempt to tell her everything was fine wasn’t at all convincing.
When the peace talks finally ended for the day, Rex was practically buzzing. He wanted to ask her – and couldn’t wait a moment longer. With a hand firmly pressed to the small of her back, and a muttered “if you’d follow me, Senator,” he guided her out of the room before anyone could corner her for ‘private discussions’.
“Why the hurry?” she asked with a small laugh.
“The Tosana representative kept looking your way. I just knew he’d try to stop and talk to you longer if I didn’t get you out of there,” Rex replied, trying to keep his voice casual. “And I thought you might want to catch the sunset on the beach.”
“Always so thoughtful,” she said teasingly.
Rex found her eyes and flashed his half-smile. “I know you.”
He guided her through the palace garden, then out the gate and down the stone path that led to the beach. It was colder now than on that fateful night he’d first kissed her, and the sea was more restless. The waves rose high, crashing loudly on the sand, the sound mixing with the cool wind.
Lexie stopped a few steps before the water reached her, gazing at the seabirds drifting across the pink sky. It would’ve been quite serene – if not for the turmoil she could feel through the Force. Worry quickly gripped her mind – she knew it was coming from Rex.
“Okay, you know I always try not to read you, but Rex – your mind is so loud and anxious, what–”
The sight that awaited her as she turned left her speechless, words catching in her throat. Rex was down on one knee, his kind, amber eyes gazing at her full of love and hope.
“Cyare,” he breathed.
“Rex,” she whispered.
He took her hand in his, thumb gently brushing her knuckles. For a moment he didn’t speak – he couldn’t. He was simply entranced by her.
The way the breeze softly brushed her strands of blue hair, held in delicate waves from the braid she usually wore.
And the way the golden glow of the setting sun outlined her frame, like the halo one would find in an old painting of an angel.
She looked like a dream.
She looked like forever.
Rex cleared his throat.
“You know how much I love you. These past few years, you’ve been my guiding light. Being with you, it kept me going through every battle I fought. I... I want to spend the rest of my life by your side.” Carefully, he took out the ring from a belt pouch, holding it up. “So now that I’m finally recognised as a person – thanks in part to you – now, I can ask you properly: will you do me the honour of marrying me?”
For a moment, Lexie couldn’t respond. She couldn’t even breathe. Then a soft laugh escaped her lips, as warm tears of happiness fell down her cheeks.
“Yes!” she blurted. “Yes, I– Yes!”
Rex smiled, wider than he ever had before, and gently pushed the ring on her finger. Then he stood up, just in time to catch her as she jumped into his arms. He spun her around, both dizzy with joy and laughter, and she clung to him as if he was the only real thing in the galaxy. Lightly, he set her down, her feet sinking a little in the coarse sand.
Their foreheads touched, breaths mingling as their smiles grew even wider. Her hand was resting on his chest, and Lexie finally looked at the ring on her finger.
“Rex, this is beautiful!” she exclaimed, holding out her hand to better study it. The blue stone sparkled as it caught the rays of the setting sun.
“I knew you’d like it,” he said, pride stirring lovingly in his chest.
She cupped his cheek, tilting her head to capture his lips in a gentle kiss. “It’s perfect, ner kar’ta. The ring, you – everything! I– I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”
Rex’s love and excitement poured into the next kiss. His hand travelled up her spine, cradling the nape of her neck. When her lips parted in a small sigh, his tongue softly flirted with hers in an intimate dance that tasted like a promise.
She met him with rising passion, pressing her body against his. Her own body was sparking with need, and the plastoid barrier keeping his warm touch concealed was starting to annoy her.
“Let’s get back to our room,” she murmured, breaking away from the heated kiss.
Rex’s eyes darkened with hunger, but only for a moment. He groaned, and rested his forehead against hers. “Trust me, mesh’la, I’d like nothing more. But we need to deal with them first.”
He jerked his head to the side, and Lexie turned; a breathy laugh escaped her lips when she saw what he meant. Behind the boulders broken from the cliff, Fives, Echo, Halves and Jesse were half-hidden from view. They must’ve done a better job at the beginning – she hadn’t noticed them after all when they’d come down to the beach – but, clearly, they had to move to be able to see better.
Fives was actually flat on his stomach on top of a boulder, holding a small holo-cam. Halves waved awkwardly when they made eye contact. Jesse bumped Echo’s shoulder, both wearing the brightest smiles.
“They all knew about this?” Lexie shook her head, laughing. “Maker, is that why Jesse insisted on joining the peacekeeping delegation?”
Rex hummed in confirmation, sounding exasperated. Then he took her hand, “Let’s get it over with – before Fives falls off that rock and breaks something.”
Kaldonya had been simple. A celebration among brothers who already knew.
Fives had insisted, and Jesse had even commed poor Kix to share the news – despite it being the middle of the night back on Coruscant. The former medic mumbled his congratulations before berating his vod for waking him up when he had an exam first thing the next morning. He’d commed Lexie privately afterward to tell her properly how happy he was for her and Rex, promising they’d celebrate together once they were back planetside.
But returning to Coruscant also meant facing the rest – Cody, Wolffe, Fox, Bly, Bacara, Neyo – and Rex suspected that would not go as smoothly.
Well, Fox already knew – in a way. Rex had just never confirmed it. And he definitely hadn’t told him it was this serious.
Finding a day when all of them were on Coruscant had been the first challenge.
Then the very awkward “we should all meet up – it’s been ages” message Rex had to send.
And when the day finally came, it seemed full of setbacks. Had Rex been a superstitious man, he probably would’ve postponed the announcement – judging by how little the galaxy wanted to be on his side.
Neyo’s transport got delayed, meaning he’d either arrive very late or miss the meet-up entirely. Maybe that wasn’t the worst – one brother absent because of unforeseen circumstances just meant Rex would have to share the news with him later – but Lexie was also held up.
The plan had been for the two of them to meet at the 79s before the others got there, wait for them together.
Cyare: One more meeting and I'm done. Might even get there early.
But things rarely worked out as planned.
Cyare: I've jinxed it. This man won't shut the kriff up.
By the time he’d seen that message, Rex was already sat at a table on the first floor of the cantina. And Wolffe and Fox had just walked in.
Cyare: Maker, I've been trying to leave for half an hour. I've stood up five times and he won't get the hint!
His vode spotted him and made their way up.
“What’s the occasion, Rex’ika? Why’d you ask us all here?” Wolffe asked as he took a seat.
“We just haven’t hung out in ages,” Rex deflected. “You know… all of us.”
Fox narrowed his eyes, suspicious – but Wolffe suddenly leaned over the railing and shouted at Cody, who’d just walked in, to order some drinks for them before heading up.
When the Commander joined them, he was carrying a tray with more drinks than people currently at the table.
“Bly and Bacara are ten minutes out,” Cody said, taking the seat right across from Rex.
“Haven’t seen Bly since that banquet for Fives,” Wolffe mused aloud. “Good idea organising this.” He grabbed his drink, tilting it towards Rex, who clinked his glass to his.
By the time Bly and Bacara joined, Rex was visibly nervous. He sent Lexie a comm, letting her know everyone was there – except Neyo – and kept checking for her reply. Unfortunately for him, his vode were starting to pick up on his anxiety.
“So, vod,” Cody started, “haven’t seen you since you made commander. How d’you like it?”
Rex put his comm away and took a sip of ale before shrugging. “Never been a fan of flimsiwork. If I knew how much more I’d have, I would’ve turned it down,” he joked.
“Don’t speak ill of flimsiwork around Kote,” Fox quipped. “You’ll hurt his feelings.”
Cody made a face at his brother as a response.
“At least you’re still being sent on missions,” Bacara complained. “I haven’t left Coruscant in weeks.”
“It’s called medical recovery, vod,” Bly said, pointing to the cast on the other Marshal Commander’s arm. Bacara’s squad had been ambushed by insurgents during a peacekeeping operation on Raxus.
Bacara waved his uninjured hand and huffed. “This is nothing. They’re exaggerating with these new directives.”
“Trying to make up for the years they treated us like cannon fodder most likely,” Wolffe scoffed dryly.
Fox turned to Rex. “So where were you sent?”
Rex opened his mouth to reply, but Wolffe cut him off with a sharp laugh.
“Ha! I knew it!” the Wolfpack leader exclaimed, pointing a finger in Fox’s face. “It’s killing you that you can’t access deployment logs anymore and know all our movements.”
Fox rolled his eyes. “Or I’m just making conversation.”
“Admit it, Fox’ika,” Wolffe insisted. “Civvie life ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
Rex’s comm beeped, pulling his attention from the argument. A new message flashed on the screen.
Cyare: No idea when I’ll get away. You can tell them without me if they get impatient. And I'll get there for the celebration.
He sighed, taking a swig of his drink. When he lifted his eyes from his comm, he found Cody watching him, a concerned frown set on his face.
“Just because you want to keep serving, doesn’t mean I have to,” Fox’s irked voice reached him again.
“Maker – just shut up, both of you,” Bacara groaned. “Rex, you were saying.”
“Wasn’t really saying anything,” Rex replied with a smirk. “Can’t get a word out over Wolffe’s howling.”
The Commander in question shot Rex the dirtiest look possible. “Funny.”
“Your first mission as a commander,” Cody reiterated. “How was it?”
Rex straightened, heart pounding in his chest. He really hoped his vode would take his news well. “Standard security detail op. Went back to Kaldonya with Lexie for some peace talks. That’s uh… actually the reason why–”
“Haar’chak, Rex’ika!” Wolffe interrupted, dramatically throwing his head back. “You cannot still be doing this!”
“Wolffe, will you just listen–”
“Great plan, Kote,” Wolffe snarked, turning to his brother. “Let’s not intervene and he’ll get over it once the war’s over. Too bad you didn’t think he’d keep taking stupid missions to stay close to her.”
Cody let out the most disappointed sigh Rex had ever heard.
“Rex,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “This isn’t healthy, vod.”
“Look, if you’d let me–”
“How long are you gonna pine for this woman?” Wolffe spoke over him.
“I’m not–”
“Really?” Wolffe continued. “Has she given you any actual hint she likes–”
Rex snorted, loud and involuntary. “Well she said yes when I asked her to marry me so I’d say yeah. She has.”
The table fell silent, as five identically confused faces stared at him.
“What?” Bly asked.
Rex took a deep breath, dragging a hand down his face. Blurting it like that wasn’t what he’d planned.
“Lexie and I have been together for about half the war,” he explained. “And now that it’s over, and she left the Order, I asked her to marry me.”
Truthfully, he wasn’t sure what reaction he expected – but Wolffe, Bacara and Bly bursting out laughing wasn’t really it. Even Cody started chuckling, looking genuinely relieved.
“Maker, Rex’ika,” Wolffe managed, banging his fist on the table. “You really got us.”
“Good one, vod,” Bly echoed, still chuckling. “We thought you were serious.”
Rex frowned. “I am serious!”
That only made them laugh harder. Rex looked at Fox, silently pleading for some help, but to his surprise, his brother looked just as amused as the rest. Frustration slowly began to fester in his chest.
“You can accept that Fox and Senator Chuchi are together, but you can’t believe Lexie and I–”
“Rex, come on,” Bly cut in, still snickering. “You? Breaking the rules?”
“Good joke, but don’t push it,” Bacara added.
Rex stared blankly past Cody’s shoulder and downed the rest of his drink. He’d expected shock, maybe some annoyance that he’d lied and kept them in the dark. But he hadn’t expected this – that they simply wouldn’t believe him.
The airtaxi came to a stop right outside the cantina, and Lexie hurriedly handed some credits to the driver before jumping out. Glancing at the small chrono bracelet around her wrist, she cursed out loud. That damn Rodian lobbyist – the only reason she’d managed to leave at all was because she got sick of it and used a small mind trick on him. She didn’t even stop by the penthouse to get changed, coming straight here in the same long-sleeved pink dress and navy cape she’d worn all day. A little too formal for the 79s, but what could she do?
She knew Rex and the other commanders would be at their regular table on the first floor, so she made her way upstairs and strode right to it.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” she announced, still a few steps away.
Rex turned at the sound of her voice, and her gaze instantly met his; warm smiles bloomed on both their faces. She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips as soon as she reached him, before dropping in the seat by his side, oblivious to the chaos the small gesture would cause.
And the chaos was immediate.
Wolffe choked on his drink, spitting most of it on Cody, who seemed frozen in shock, his mouth hanging partly open. Fox’s eyes went wide, almost as wide as Bly’s, while Bacara muttered a “what in the kriff” under his breath.
Lexie startled as she looked around the table at the significantly more confused faces of Rex’s brothers.
“I… I thought you already told them,” she breathed, worried she’d just carelessly ruined the whole announcement.
“I did,” Rex said, nonchalantly sipping his drink. “They didn’t believe me.”
“Rex, what–” Wolffe croaked, still pounding a fist on his chest. “What the fuck?”
“You… you really were serious,” Bly rasped.
“I’m sorry,” Lexie cut in, still thrown, “you told them we’re getting married and they just… didn’t believe you?”
“Can you really blame us?” Fox said, eyes still a little wide. “Who would expect Rex to break the rules?”
“Why the hell are you shocked?!” Rex asked, turning to glare at him. “You told me to go for it! We were already together by then, but still.”
“I never thought you’d actually do it!” Fox defended. “Wait– it’s been that long?”
“What do you mean, Fox?” Rex continued, exasperated. “You called her my girlfriend only a couple of months ago while we were searching for her and Fives.”
“Yeah, because I knew you had a crush on her. Not because I actually believed you were together!”
Lexie threw her head back, laughing.
“Really?” Rex deadpanned, trying to shoot her a pointed look. It didn’t really land – seeing her laugh always softened him.
“This is just too good,” she squeaked between laughter. “They think– they think you were too uptight to go for it, but it was you who made the first move.”
“He did?!” Fox and Wolffe asked in unison.
“Yeah,” she nodded, wiping some wetness from her eyes. “Both times.” Seeing that her statement confused them, she continued, looking lovingly at Rex, “The first time we were interrupted when he tried to ask, but the second time, he just kissed me.”
Rex took her hand, bringing it up to brush his lips to the back of her palm. For a second, everything around them melted away as he gazed at her. Maker, he was so happy.
“We’re getting married,” Rex confirmed, smiling brightly.
Bacara shook his head, huffing an incredulous laugh. “Well, kriff! Congrats, vod.”
He raised his glass, prompting Bly to do the same. Rex raised his in response. Bly then kicked Wolffe under the table, snapping him and Fox out of their confused haze.
“Alright, who’s gonna do the speech?” Wolffe asked.
“Either you or Bacara I’d say,” Fox remarked, followed by nods from Bly. Cody was still speechless.
“Go ahead vod,” Bacara prompted.
“Right,” Wolffe said, turning slightly to face her better. “General–”
“Not a General anymore, honey,” she interrupted. “Lexie’s fine.”
“Alright, Lexie,” Wolffe corrected, eyes narrowing disapprovingly at being called ‘honey’. “Rex’ika is our baby brother, if you hurt him–”
“Maker,” Rex groaned, dramatically looking to the ceiling
Wolffe shot him a sharp look, then moved his mismatched eyes back to her. “If you hurt him, you’ll have all of us to deal with.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Commander.”
“Good,” he nodded. He then raised his glass. “Congrats, Rex! Guess all that pining paid off.”
Rex rolled his eyes, but clinked his glass to Wolffe’s anyway.
She chuckled fondly, glancing around the table. Suddenly, she realised there was one person who’d not said a single word since she arrived. She looked at him, and had to stifle a laugh.
“Uhm… Should we get a medic for Cody?” she asked. “He hasn't blinked in a while.”
“Are you alright, Kote?” Rex asked as Wolffe nudged him with an elbow.
The Commander finally blinked, his gaze darting quickly between her and his vod'ika.
“I just... I shut down all the rumours!” he suddenly snapped. “I shut all of them down, and-and reprimanded my men when I heard them talking about it – and all this kriffing time it was true?!”
“Didn’t realise the rumours reached the 212th,” Lexie muttered.
“The rumours reached everyone,” Bly interjected. “But we all quickly shot them down.”
“How did I not realise?” Cody murmured. “We had so many missions together.”
“I’m sorry, vod,” Rex said with a small shrug. “We had to keep it hidden.”
Cody shook his head, before finally picking up his glass. “Well, I… I’m happy for you two. Truly.”
Rex exhaled, relieved. “Thank you, ori’vod.”
Eventually, they all fully snapped out of their shock, and ordered more drinks for the table to toast the engagement properly. They were maybe on the second round, when a chair loudly scraped against the floor.
“What did I miss?” Neyo asked as he sat down.
“Rex and Lexie are getting married,” Fox answered.
The commander slowly nodded. Then, “Who’s Lexie?”
The table exploded with laughter.
“Umm, hi?” she said with a small wave.
“Ah. General Khalla,” Neyo said. “I apologise, I never actually knew your first name.”
“Not a general anymore,” she reminded.
“Senator,” he corrected. “Of course, my bad.”
She chuckled, shaking her head. “Just Lexie. I’m about to be your sister-in-law, no need for formalities.”
“You’re about to have like two million brothers-in-law,” Bly huffed a laugh.
Lexie’s eyes widened, then she placed an elbow on the table, resting her forehead in her palm. “Maker, I don’t even want to think about the guest list for the wedding.”
“Don’t worry, cyare,” Rex said with a small smirk. “We can cross these five off. They didn’t even believe we’re getting married.”
The uproar of protests that erupted was deafening, and it didn’t stop until Rex promised, multiple times, that he was only joking.
It was late in the night when Rex and Lexie walked into their home. The day had been long and definitely eventful, so she immediately kicked off her shoes and headed straight for one of the freshers to remove her make-up.
By the time she’d changed into her favourite tooka nightshirt and made her way back into the main sitting room, she found the door of the balcony wide open, the white curtains gently swaying in the cool breeze.
Rex was stood outside, sipping from a glass of water as he watched the headlights of passing speeders overhead mingling with the shining stars. From the doorway, Lexie admired him for a moment – his frame was silhouetted by the lights of the city, and the broad muscles of his back were stretching the fabric of his top – before walking over to him.
Her arms circled his waist, and Lexie squeezed hard, pulling an amused, breathless grunt out of him.
“You alright, ner kar’ta?” she asked.
Rex hummed in response, then slightly turned so he could wrap an arm around her and pull her into his side. For a moment they were quite, simply gazing at the half-asleep Senate District. It was never truly dark on Coruscant, but tonight seemed as close to stillness as one could find on the ecumenopolis. The tall building all around them were shrouded in blackness, with only a couple windows still filled with light, and the traffic was slowly dying down.
“Glad that’s done and over with,” he finally sighed, voice sluggish.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t get there earlier,” Lexie said, fighting a smile at the tipsy tinge in his words. “Would’ve saved you from the hangover you’ll have in the morning.”
He scoffed, looking down at her, “I didn’t drink that much.”
The look she gave him was enough to convey she wasn’t buying it, so Rex rolled his eyes.
“Are you done going over everything that went wrong tonight, or do you need more time?” she teased. “I’d like to go to bed soon.”
“That’s not what I’m doing,” he denied, mouth twitching in a small smile.
“No? Then why are you staring aimlessly at traffic?” Lexie pressed, her tone amused.
Rex shrugged, “I don’t know. Just thinking.”
“Thinking…?” she prodded.
“About how things turned out?” Rex tried to voice his thoughts. “It’s so different than anything I’ve imagined – not that I’ve ever really thought about my life after the war. But I… I can’t believe I'm living in a high-rise in the Senate District,” he finished with an incredulous chuckle.
“Where did you think we'd live?” she asked.
“I thought you'd want to return to Seccaya.”
Lexie was silent for a moment, letting the hum of speeders fill the night air. “Maybe at some point,” she mused out loud.
“I think I'd like that,” Rex confessed. “A small place in the mountains. Fresh air… Quiet.”
“Well, the royal family does own a few properties. I can think of one matching that exact description,” she continued. “I didn't know you wanted quiet.”
“Just had enough chaos for a lifetime,” he muttered. “Three lifetimes really.”
Lexie shifted in his arms, leaning her back on the durasteel railing to look at him. She reached her hand up, tenderly cupping his cheek.
“When my term is done I'd gladly return to Seccaya,” she said with a small, genuine smile. “Your tour should be finished by then.”
Rex turned his head, planting a soft kiss in the middle of her palm.
“Good,” he whispered, his honey coloured eyes gazing at her reverently. “Sounds like a plan.”
A/N: Alright everyone, this is it. I cannot believe I finished it. I've been working on this story for 1 year and 4 months, and I swear I'm prouder of this then of my fucking masters 😂
I want to thank all of you for taking time out of your lives to read this. Whether you've been following along since the beginning, or have only recently joined, I am genuinely so honoured you've come on this journey with me 🥹🫶🏼 I can't even put into words how much it meant to me. And especially if you've ever left a comment, it has honestly touched me and helped keep me locked in to see this through to the end.
Another round of thanks to @selene131 , girl, couldn't have done it without your support and encouragement. And also a big shout out to that sangria we had in Madrid that made me start yapping about this story, which then made you look into rex fanfiction and send it to me, which then made me want to write mine down lol 😆
Maybe I'll come back to this when I'll miss Rex and Lexie, write an extra or two (and I'll definitely miss them). But for now I'm actually excited about continuing my other projects (Fox and Wolffe my loves, I haven't forgotten you) and also starting the next long fic, featuring Fives and Rhea (inquisitor!Fives AU with so so much angst whaaa), so stay tuned for that if you're interested 🤭 with the kind understanding of my snail pace, of course 😅😆
