So'lek x fem!avatar driver reader inspired by Tsumuke written by @lvlypinkesworld
Part 23 > Part 24 < Part 25
The Reality
Flames suddenly roared to life down the corridor ahead, a burst of heat rushing toward them as something ignited—fuel, wiring, something volatile.
Heat slammed into them.
(Y/n) coughed, instinctively raising an arm to shield her face as the sting of the flames licked at her skin.
So'lek stepped in front of her, body angled to block the worst of the heat, one arm wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her close against his chest.
The flames flushed brighter, crackling violently as they consumed everything in their path.
He could feel the burn against his own skin.
Ignored it.
His focus stayed on her. "We cannot stay here."
His voice was low but urgent.
His eyes scanned rapidly for another path—another exit—anything that would get them away from the spreading fire.
The corridor behind them was already filling with smoke.
They needed to move.
Now.
His grip tightened slightly around her. "Can you move?"
"It is shallow."
(Y/n) kept pressure against her side as they moved.
"There is just a lot of bleeding."
She winced as another jolt of pain travelled through her abdomen.
She nodded yes, and he helped guide her to the far side where the flames had not yet reached.
The answer should have reassured him.
It did not. Not with blood still running between her fingers.
So'lek's gaze swept over her quickly.
Checking her footing. Her breathing. the colour in her face.
Then his eyes landed on an overturned supply crate nearby.
His gear.
The warrior spotted it immediately. His bow. His knife. His quiver.
Before she could argue he crossed the distance in a few strides, dropping to one knee beside the crate and gathering his equipment.
The familiar weight settled across his back.
His knife returned to its sheath.
The bow found his hand once more.
Only then did he return to her. "Stay close to me."
(Y/n) nodded.
The alarms continued screaming overhead.
Smoke drifted through the corridors.
Somewhere behind them came the distant roar of engines and shouted orders.
The entire facility was looking for them.
His gaze snapped upward.
A vent.
High along the wall, just beyond the reach of the flames.
It was their only chance.
So'lek drew an arrow as he stepped back just enough to get a clear shot.
He aimed.
Released.
The arrow struck true, shattering the metal grate with a sharp crack that echoed through the corridor.
Pieces clattered to the floor.
Smoke poured upward through the opening.
"Up," he urged, already moving beneath it.
He crouched and clasped his hands together, bracing himself.
(Y/n) didn't argue.
She stepped into his grip, biting back a hiss as pain flared through her side.
He lifted her easily, guiding her upward.
Her fingers caught the edge.
She pulled herself toward the opening—
And coughed. The sound was rough, strained from the smoke filling her lungs.
It twisted something deep in his chest.
"Keep moving," he urged.
She dragged herself into the vent, disappearing into the darkness above.
Only once she was inside did So'lek jump, catching the edge. He hauled himself up after her, pulling his body into the narrow space just as the flames surged closer below.
The healer crawled ahead while So'lek followed behind, keeping one eye on her wound whenever he could.
Several times she slowed. She whimpered, pressing her hand harder to her side as the pain spiked sharply.
His stomach tightened.
The vent eventually ended above another section of the facility.
Below them stretched the hangar floor—wide, open, and crawling with activity. Rows of aircraft loomed under harsh artificial lights, their metal bodies gleaming through drifting smoke. Beyond the hangar doors, the main yard was visible, floodlights cutting across the terrain as soldiers moved in tight formations, weapons raised, scanning for any sign of intrusion.
"They are on alert," (Y/n) whispered, shifting slightly to give him a clearer view.
So'lek's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene—the patrol routes, the blind spots, the rhythm of movement. Every detail mattered.
His gaze flicked back to her, already weighing their next move.
He leaned in, pressing a brief kiss to her cheek, his hand steady against her face.
"Stay here. I will not be long."
Her eyes widened slightly, fingers tightening weakly against his arm. "Where are you going?"
His gaze hardened, already shifting toward the hangar below. "It will be safer to get you out if they are all dead."
"So'lek, there are too many—"
He cut her off gently, cupping her cheek more firmly, his thumb brushing against her skin."I have a legend for a reason."
The warrior quietly removed the cover and dropped down.
She leaned against the cold metal of the vent wall, forcing herself to stay still despite the pain pulsing through her side. Her breath came shallow, uneven, as she listened.
Screams echoed from below sharp, panicked.
Gunfire cracked in rapid bursts.
Explosions followed, shaking the structure beneath her, sending vibrations through the metal that pressed against her back.
Each sound twisted something deep in her chest.
So'lek was down there.
Her fingers curled weakly against the metal, nails scraping faintly as another explosion thundered through the hangar.
Eventually, it went quiet after the last crash.
The gunfire ceased.
The shouting faded.
Only the distant crackle of fire and the groan of damaged metal remained.
So'lek appeared beneath the opening once more, his form emerging through the smoke and dim light below.
His eyes found her instantly.
Relief flickered across his features,. He reached up without hesitation.
"Come."
(Y/n) didn’t waste a second. She shifted toward the opening, wincing as pain flared through her side, and carefully lowered herself down.
His hands were already there. He guided her the rest of the way before pulling her fully into his arms.
One arm slid beneath her knees. The other supported her back. Lifting her effortlessly against his chest.
The moment she was secure, something inside her finally loosened. Relief flooded through her so suddenly it made her dizzy. She sagged slightly against him, her head falling against his shoulder.
She had been terrified she was going to lose him.
The thought still clung to her.
Her fingers curled weakly into his chestpiece as she rested her head more firmly against his shoulder, drawing in the familiar warmth of him.
She was in his arms again.
A small, fragile smile touched her lips.
Her gaze drifted past him, taking in the destruction left behind.
The hangar was in ruins. Smoke curled through the air. Flames licked at shattered machinery.
Bodies lay scattered across the floor.
So'lek had not exaggerated.
There was no one left to stop them.
His forehead rested gently against hers. "There is no army that could stop me from getting you to safety."
(Y/n)’s lips curved faintly despite everything. She leaned forward just enough to press a soft kiss to his lips. Grateful. Exhausted.
Turning immediately, he carried her out of the base without looking back.
(Y/n) closed her eyes briefly. The scent of Pandora. It felt like a blessing.
She let out a weak breath, her voice barely above a whisper against his shoulder. "I can see why they call you the dog tag warrior… you really took out every single one of them."
So'lek huffed softly, not quite a laugh, his grip on her tightening just slightly as he adjusted her weight in his arms. He dipped his head, pressing a firm, lingering kiss to the top of her head. "You were in danger, (Y/n)."
"Doesn't mean you had to slaughter every single one of them," she murmured weakly.
"Yes, I did," he replied without hesitation, his voice steady and certain. "If any of them had harmed you, I would have never forgiven myself. So I killed them all. I would destroy any threat to your life."
Her fingers tightened faintly against him, her gaze soft despite the exhaustion weighing her down. "I love you, you know that."
He smiled down at her, something warm and unguarded in his expression. "I do."
He shifted her slightly in his arms, already moving with quickly. "Now, let's get you to the lab."
By the time they reached the Archipelago Field Lab, So'lek's nerves felt as though they had been scraped raw.
The entire flight back had been torture.
Every time (Y/n) shifted. Every small sound she made.
He knew she had said it was shallow. He knew she had remained conscious. He knew she was talking normally.
None of that seemed to matter.
Not when he was still suffering the stress from only a few hours ago when he had been trapped inside a metal box convinced he might never see her again.
Iley landed.
So'lek was off the saddle before the ikran had properly settled.
His hands immediately finding her waist as he helped her down.
Ri'nela looked up from the table she had been sorting medicines on.
Then her eyes landed on the blood. "What happened?"
The young Sarentu was already crossing the distance. "I thought you were only going to tell him the good news."
"I did." (Y/n) winced as she carefully lowered herself onto one of the examination tables.
"Then he got captured by the RDA."
Ri'nela looked shocked. "That feels like a very important detail."
"It was an exciting afternoon." The healer's voice remained suspiciously cheerful.
So'lek looked like he wanted to strangle somebody.
Ri'nela immediately began gathering supplies.
The healer pointed toward a tray. "New lesson."
Ri'nela paused. "What?"
"How to do stitches."
So'lek froze. His pacing stopped mid-step, his entire body going rigid as his ears flattened sharply against his head.
Stitches.
His gaze snapped to (Y/n)'s side, then to the tray Ri'nela was gathering, then back to his mate as if hoping he had somehow misheard.
He had not.
His expression shifted rapidly—shock, disbelief, and then something dangerously close to horror.
His tail lashed once behind him.
"...No."
(Y/n) did not even look at him.
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."So'lek dragged a hand down his face, looking like he was reconsidering every life choice that had led him to this exact moment. "You are not letting her practice on you."
"I am not letting her 'practice.' I am teaching."
"That is worse."
Ri'nela froze halfway through picking up the needle, looking between them like she had just been dropped into a battlefield. "I can— I can wait—"
"No," (Y/n) said calmly.
"Yes," So'lek said at the exact same time.
They both paused. Turned to look at each other.
(Y/n) raised a brow.
So'lek looked like he wanted to die. "Yawne," he said again, voice low and strained, stepping closer . "I cannot stand to see you in pain.
"I know it doesn’t matter whether Ri'nela or you stitch it—this wound is too large for natural healing."
"What if I do it wrong?" Ri'nela asked.
"You won't."
"What if I hurt you?"
"You will."
Ri'nela looked scandalised.
(Y/n) laughed. "It is stitches, Ri'nela."
"It is not supposed to be entirely comfortable."
Meanwhile So'lek had begun pacing.
Again.
He had done plenty of pacing while trapped in a shipping container.
Apparently he had not gotten it out of his system.
The warrior moved from one side of the room to the other.
Arms crossed.
Jaw tight.
Eyes never leaving (Y/n).
His headache was rapidly becoming legendary.
The two women ignored him.
Mostly.
(Y/n) cleaned the wound carefully.
Blood and dirt were washed away until the cut was fully visible.
Ri'nela leaned closer. Studying it.
"It looks smaller now."
"Everything looks smaller once you stop bleeding all over yourself."
"Good to know."
The healer handed over a vial.
"First step."
"Numbing medicine."
Ri'nela took it carefully. "This is similar to the pain medication?"
"Similar idea." (Y/n) nodded.
"This one blocks the nerves around the wound."
"You inject around the edges."
"Not directly into the wound."
Ri'nela followed every instruction carefully. Her hands steadier now than they had been during the blood draw.
"Good." (Y/n) smiled.
A few minutes later she lightly poked the area. "Can you feel that?"
"Not really."
"Excellent." The healer pointed toward the sterile thread. "Now we stitch."
Ri'nela swallowed.
The needle suddenly looked much larger than before. "You make it look easy."
"It is not easy." (Y/n) picked up another needle to demonstrate. "It is practice."
She showed her how to hold the instrument.
"Think of it like weaving."
Ri'nela visibly relaxed. That comparison made sense to her.
"Through one side." (Y/n) demonstrated the movement. "Then through the other."
The younger woman copied carefully.
Her tongue poked slightly from the corner of her mouth in concentration.
"Good."
"Now tie."
Ri'nela followed the instructions. The first knot looked slightly crooked.
The second looked much better. The third looked almost professional.
"There."
Ri'nela sat back. "I did that."
"You did."
The healer smiled.
"And your patient survived."
Across the room So'lek looked deeply unconvinced. His ears flicked toward them.
His eyes narrowed.
His mate was bleeding.
Allowing Ri'nela to learn stitches.
Talking about it as though they were discussing tea recipes.
Meanwhile he was one headache away from collapsing.
(Y/n) noticed. "Yawne."
The warrior looked over immediately.
She smiled softly. "I am okay."
Ri'nela wrapped a bandage around her side, securing the stitches in place. She smoothed the fabric gently, checking that it was snug but not too tight.
"There," she murmured, stepping back slightly. "That should hold."
(Y/n) glanced down at the finished work, then back up at her with a small, approving smile.
His eyes moved to the stitches.
She held out a hand to So'lek "Come here."
So'lek crossed the room. Taking her hand immediately.
The tension in his shoulders remained. The headache remained. The urge to lock her inside a safe cave where no RDA could ever reach her remained.
(Y/n) squeezed his hand. "See? Ri'nela did an excellent job."
The young Sarentu looked very proud of herself.
Then looked toward So'lek.
Then slightly less proud.
Because the warrior still looked as though he was considering hunting down every human involved personally.
"I am alright." (Y/n) repeated. This time softer.
His hand drifted lower. Resting briefly against her stomach.
His voice dropped, rough with worry. "The baby… will it be alright?"
(Y/n)’s expression softened immediately. She covered his hand with her own, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"It will be fine," she assured him quietly. "The wound is shallow. It did not go deep enough to harm the baby."
His shoulders eased, just slightly.
"All I need is a few days of rest," she continued, her tone calm and steady, "and to make sure the wound does not become infected."
She tilted her head, offering him a small, reassuring smile. "We are both alright."
So'lek's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, searching her face as if committing every detail to memory, before he finally exhaled slowly.
Then his ears flicked toward Ri'nela.
"Ri'nela," he said.
The young Sarentu straightened immediately. "Yes?"
"I need to speak with my mate."
So'lek waited until Ri'nela left.
For a few moments neither spoke.
(Y/n) sat on the examination table while So’lek remained standing in front of her.
He cupped her cheek. His thumb brushed softly across her skin.
(Y/n) immediately leaned into the touch.
So’lek swallowed. The words felt strangely difficult to find.
He hesitated, breath catching slightly as he searched for the right way to say it. “My head still aches from it,” he admitted quietly, almost embarrassed. “From how afraid I was.”
“I have never been as afraid as I was today.” His voice was quiet. Rough around the edges.
(Y/n)’s smile faded. She reached up and covered his hand with her own.
The warrior lowered his forehead briefly. Closing his eyes.
He sat on the edge of the examination table beside her and gathered her into his arms
Careful of her stitches.
“I almost lost you.” His arms tightened. Not enough to hurt. Enough to make his point. Enough to tell her exactly how terrified he had been.
His hand slid down. Resting against her stomach.
One stray bullet, one bad timing, and he would have lost everything.
The thought struck him with a force that made his chest tighten.
Not just her. Not just the life they had begun to build. But the future he had only just allowed himself to imagine.
Gone in an instant..
The warrior’s eyes closed. He could still see her emerging from behind those crates with her hand pressed against her side.
And feel that horrible cold terror that had seized him in that moment.
The certainty that if anything happened to her, some part of him would never recover.
His hand remained against her stomach. His thumb moving slowly.
The warrior lowered his head. Pressing a kiss into her hair.
“When I was trapped.” His voice grew quieter. “I was not thinking about myself.”
“I was thinking about whether you got away.”
His jaw tightened. “I was thinking about whether they had hurt you.”
His arms tightened slightly around her. “I was thinking about our child.”
The words still felt unreal. Wonderful. Terrifying. Perfect. All at once.
(Y/n)’s eyes stung. She pressed closer.
So she simply held him.
And let him hold her.
“You did not lose us.” Her voice was soft. Certain.
The warrior drew in a slow breath. Then released it.
His forehead settled against hers. Golden eyes meeting hers.
“I know.”
“But I came closer than I ever wish to again.”
Then he leaned forward and kissed her. Just long enough to reassure himself that she was real.
"I have lost everything once already, (Y/n)."
His voice was quiet. Lower than before. "I cannot do it again."
He had convinced himself that surviving was enough. That teaching the Sarentu was enough. That avenging his people was enough.
Then she had appeared.
A dreamwalker. A healer.
A strange womans.
A woman who somehow managed to walk straight through every wall he had built around himself.
And now— A wife. The mother of his child.
His family.
(Y/n) reached up and rested her hand over his where it lay against her stomach.
Golden eyes met hers.
"And you're my everything, So'lek."
The words stole what little breath he had left.
"I do not know what happiness was until you came along and gave it to me."
The warrior stared at her. "You already had happiness."
(Y/n) shook her head immediately. "No."
"I had moments."
"But not happiness."
"I had my animals."
"I had tea."
That finally earned the faintest smile from him.
"But then I had you."
Her eyes glistened. "And suddenly I had someone waiting for me when I came home."
The warrior's ears lowered slightly.
"You worried if I had eaten." A small smile tugged at her lips.
"You tried to protect me from all that upset me."
His expression remained stubbornly neutral.
"You sat through hours of me talking about medicines you had never even heard of."
"I still do."
"I know."
The smile grew.
"You make me tea."
"You make better tea."
"I know."
Now both of them were smiling.
"You make me feel protected."
"When I am with you, everything feels... easier." it.
"You gave me a home."
His gaze dropped briefly. To her hand. His hand. Their child. Then back to her.
Without thinking he pulled her closer.
The warrior buried his face against her shoulder. Drawing in a slow breath. Then another.
Finally, he lifted his head enough to press a kiss against her forehead.
Then another.
Then one against her temple. "You are wrong." His voice was rough.
(Y/n) blinked. "What?"
A faint smile appeared.
"You gave me happiness too." And for a man who rarely spoke about his feelings, it was perhaps the most important thing he had ever said.
(Y/n) shifted slightly in his arms.
A sharp sting pulled across the fresh stitches in her side.
She winced.
Unfortunately for her, So'lek noticed everything.
The warrior went rigid. His arms loosened. His hands moved to her shoulders. His eyes searched her face.
"What is wrong?"
(Y/n) sighed, "nothing."
"You are hurt."
"No, I am—"
His hand was already hovering near the stitches.
Afraid to touch. "Did they tear?"
"No."
"Are you bleeding?"
"No."
"Does it hurt?"
"Well yes, I was caught by shrapnel."
The answer did absolutely nothing to reassure him. The worry only deepened. "(Y/n)."
She could tell he was about to panic.
His posture had gone rigid, his gaze flicking between her and Ri'nela as if calculating how quickly he could summon help.
Possibly every healer on Pandora.
"It was the stitches."
He paused. "The stitches."
"Yes."
"The stitches caused that expression."
She nodded.
"You are certain?"
(Y/n) reached over and cupped his face. "I promise."
His shoulders remained tense. "You winced."
"Because someone stitched me back together today."
He still looked unconvinced.
The healer could almost hear the argument taking place inside his head.
Part of him believed her. The rest was busy imagining every possible disaster. Involving her. The baby. The stitches. The RDA. Probably all at once.
A tired smile touched her lips. "You are worrying yourself into another headache."
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
The warrior looked away. Which was answer enough.
(Y/n) laughed softly. Then immediately regretted it when her side protested again. Another wince.
So'lek's eyes widened.
"Oh for Eywa's sake."
Before he could launch into another round of panic she grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him.
The interruption worked.
Mostly because it derailed every thought in his head.
When she pulled back, his expression had become considerably less alarmed.
"You are impossible."
"No."
His hand settled carefully against her side.
Avoiding the wound. Avoiding the stitches. Just wanting to touch her. "I am concerned."
His thumb brushed lightly along her arm. "I spent hours believing I had lost you."
His gaze dropped briefly toward her stomach. Then returned to her. "I think I have earned the right to worry."
(Y/n)'s eyes stung.
So she leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. "Fine."
The warrior looked pleased with himself.
"But only a reasonable amount."
One eyebrow lifted.
"What is a reasonable amount?"
She smiled.
"Less than trying to summon every healer on Pandora because I pulled a stitch."
The corner of his mouth twitched.
A rare sign of surrender.
"No promises."
And despite everything that had happened that day, despite the stitches, the RDA, the trap and the shipping container, the answer made her laugh anyway.
"So..." His thumb brushed slowly across her side. "We are truly going to have a child?"
The question sounded almost cautious.
(Y/n)'s smile softened. "Yes."
"Yes, we are."
The warrior drew in a slow breath. His gaze drifted back to her stomach.
Still completely flat. Still unchanged. And yet everything had changed.
"How do you know?"
(Y/n) shifted slightly, making herself more comfortable against him. "I was teaching Ri'nela how to do blood tests."
So'lek looked confused. "What is a blood test?"
"It is where we take a small sample of blood and analyze it."
"Blood carries information."
His ears flicked. Listening carefully.
"There are certain hormones that only appear when someone is pregnant."
The word still made his chest tighten.
Pregnant.
His mate was pregnant.
Their child.
(Y/n) continued. "The hormone is called nCG."
"I noticed the level was elevated."
So'lek nodded slowly. Not entirely understanding. But trying.
Then she smiled. "So I checked with the ultrasound."
"The machine that lets you see inside the body?"
"Exactly."
The warrior remembered seeing her use it on injured creatures before.
"And?"
(Y/n)'s hand settled over his. Helping keep it against her stomach. "There was a gestational sac."
The unfamiliar words immediately earned a confused look. "A what?"
"A gestational sac."
She laughed softly at his expression. "It is the first structure that forms during pregnancy."
His eyes narrowed. Still trying to follow.
"It is basically a small protective sac." She thought for a moment. Trying to explain it in a way that made sense. "It is where the baby begins developing."
Understanding slowly dawned. His hand instinctively spread slightly against her stomach. As though trying to feel something impossible to feel. "The child is already there?"
"Very small." She held her fingers close together. "Very, very small."
His eyes followed the gesture.
"The size of a seed."
The warrior stared. A seed.
His child. The size of a seed.
"The gestational sac tells us approximately how far along the pregnancy is."She smiled. "And judging by its size..."
The healer's eyes sparkled. "I am about five weeks along."
Five weeks.
The number settled over him.
Five weeks.
Their child had already existed for five weeks.
Growing quietly while he went about his patrols. While they drank tea together. While he held her in his arms every night.
The realization left him speechless.
He was going to be a father. The thought no longer felt distant. No longer felt like a dream.
It was real.
The warrior lowered his head.
Pressing a long kiss against her forehead. Then another. Then one against her temple.
When he finally pulled back his eyes looked suspiciously bright. "I did not think Eywa would answer my prayers so quickly."
(Y/n)'s smile grew. "What prayers?"
The faintest hint of embarrassment crossed his face. Rare enough that it nearly made her laugh. The warrior looked away.
Briefly.
"I may have asked."
"Asked?"
His ears flicked. "I asked often."
That finally made her laugh.
"So'lek."
"I am serious."
The warrior looked back at her. "I asked for a family."
His hand tightened slightly over hers. "For you."
Then his gaze dropped to her stomach again.
A smile finally won its battle. Impossible to hide.
"And now it seems Eywa listened."
(Y/n) chuckled softly and leaned forward to kiss him.
The warrior immediately melted into it.
One hand still resting over her stomach.
The other cupping her cheek.
When she pulled back, her smile had become brighter. Warmer. "You will not be the last of the Trrong."
So'lek went completely still. His throat tightened. As though he still could not quite comprehend it.
For fifteen years he had carried the weight of being one of the last.
Every grave. Every memory. Every face. He had remembered them all because he feared nobody else would. Feared there would come a day when no one remained to speak their names. When their stories would die with him.
His hand pressed a little more firmly against her stomach. Not enough to hurt. Just enough to feel the reality of her beneath his palm.
Their child. The first Trrong born in fifteen years.
Eywa.
The thought nearly brought him to his knees.
The warrior closed his eyes.
For a long moment he could not speak. Because suddenly he was seeing things he had never allowed himself to imagine.
A child racing through the grass. Small blue hands reaching for him. Laughter echoing through their home.
Stories being told around a fire.
A future. A real future.
Not survival. Not revenge. Not grief.
Life.
His chest ached with it. A deep ache that somehow felt wonderful.
When he finally opened his eyes again there was a vulnerability there that only she ever saw.
"You do not know what that means to me." His voice had grown rough. Quiet.
(Y/n)'s hand found his cheek. "I think I do."
So'lek shook his head. Slowly. "No." A faint smile touched his lips. "You know what it means to the warrior."
His thumb brushed across hers.
"But not what it means to the lonely man who thought he would die as the last of his people."
"I spent years believing the Trrong would end with me."
His jaw tightened briefly.
"But now..."
A breath escaped him. Half laugh. Half disbelief. "Now our child will know their clan."
His eyes softened. "They will know where they came from."
Another small smile appeared. "They will know their ancestors."
His gaze returned to her. "And they will know their mother."
That smile grew. "I think that is the greatest blessing of all."
(Y/n) felt her eyes sting.
The warrior leaned forward and kissed her again. Longer this time. Savoring it.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead remained resting against hers.
His hand never left her stomach.
As though he could already feel the future waiting there.
And for the first time in many years, So'lek found himself looking forward to tomorrow.
The smile faded from (Y/n)'s face.
Because today, when he had been captured, she had been terrified she would have to bring their child into the world alone—that she would lose him, her person, her everything, the love of her life.
His thumb brushed gently across her cheek. "What troubles you?"
When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter. "As overjoyed as I am..."
Her hand found his. Holding it tightly. "I am worried."
So'lek's expression softened at once.
He shifted closer.
"What if something happens to you?" The words came out in a rush. As though she had been holding them back. "What if the RDA gets lucky one day?"
Her fingers tightened around his. "What if you go on patrol and don't come back?"
The warrior's heart sank. He knew where this fear came from.
(Y/n)'s eyes glistened. "Please." Her voice cracked. "You cannot leave me on my own."
"I can't do this without you."
So'lek stared at her .The fear she was trying so hard to hide. The fear beneath all the happiness.
Slowly he reached up. Both hands cradling her face. Forcing her to look at him.
"Ma yawne." His voice was steady. Gentle. "I have no intention of leaving you."
A tear slipped free despite her efforts.
The warrior brushed it away with his thumb.
"I know." She laughed weakly. "No one ever intends to leave... but they still do."
The words hit him like a blow. He could hear the pain still lingering behind them.
The old wounds. The old fears.
The fear of being left behind. Alone. Again.
So'lek leaned forward until their foreheads touched.
"You listen to me." His voice had grown firmer now. "I am going to be here."
"I am going to watch this child grow."
Another kiss against her forehead.
"I am going to teach them to hunt."
A kiss against her temple.
"I am going to tell them stories of the Trrong."
Another.
"I am going to adore them."
That earned the faintest laugh.
The warrior looked pleased with himself. "I am going to spoil them."
"You absolutely are."
"I know."
A small smile appeared.
"And as they grow, I am going to tell them about their mother."
His eyes held hers. "I will tell them how brave she was."
"How kind she was."
"How she never stopped helping others even when she should have been resting."
(Y/n) sniffed. The tears were still there. But so was a smile.
"So'lek..."
The warrior gently pressed his forehead against hers once more.
"I cannot promise that nothing bad will ever happen."
The honesty hurt. But he would not lie to her. Not about this.
"I cannot promise that life will always be easy."
His hand squeezed hers. "But I can promise that I will fight for every sunrise."
The words settled heavily between them. "I fought to survive before because there was work left to do."
"Now I have something worth coming home to."
A wife. A child. A family.
"I will not leave willingly." His thumb brushed away another tear."And if I have any say in the matter, you are going to grow very tired of me."
A watery laugh escaped her.
The sound eased something inside him.
Good.
He would much rather hear that.
So'lek pulled her gently into his arms.
Holding her carefully.
One hand resting against the back of her head.
The warrior simply held her.
His thumb moved slowly while he considered his next words.
This conversation felt different now. More serious. Because there were no longer just two lives involved.
There were three."(Y/n)."
The warrior waited until she met his eyes."If something like today ever happens again..."
His jaw tightened briefly. The memory of the trap was still fresh.
"You must run."
(Y/n)'s expression immediately fell. "So'lek—"
"For your sake."
"And for our child's."
The words silenced her.
The warrior's gaze did not waver."You must flee from danger."
"But what about you?"
As though she could not imagine making any other choice.
"Do not worry about me." His hand rose to cup her cheek. "You know me."
A faint smile touched his lips. "I would fight like a demon to get back to you."
The image was not difficult to imagine. Because she had already seen it.
The way he had nearly torn an entire base apart trying to make sure she would get out safely.
"I do not need you risking your life for mine." His thumb brushed across her cheek. "I need you safe."
(Y/n)'s eyes stung. "So'lek..."
He shook his head. "If I am trapped, run."
"If I am injured, run."
"If I tell you to leave, leave."
Every word sounded painful for him to say. Because he knew exactly what he was asking. He was asking her to walk away from him.
Something neither of them wanted.
"But—"
"No."
The interruption was gentle. Absolute.
"If something happens to me..."
His voice caught briefly. "Then I will spend every remaining breath trying to return to you."
Because now there was a wife waiting for him. A child waiting for him.
A future waiting for him. And he intended to claw his way through hell itself if that was what it took to get back to them.
"But if something happens to you..."
His eyes closed for a moment. The words clearly hurt. "If something happens to you, then I lose everything."
(Y/n) felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.
The warrior leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her forehead. Long. Lingering. Tender.
"I can survive pain."
A kiss against her temple. "I can survive injury."
Another against her cheek. "I can survive hardship."
His hand tightened around hers. "But I cannot survive losing my family."
He meant every word.
So'lek rested his forehead against hers once more. Golden eyes meeting hers. Softening.
"You are my first priority now."
"You."
"Our child."
Then finally, a faint smile appeared. "And after both of you are safe, then I can begin worrying about myself."
"Please." His voice softened. "Please trust that I will do everything in my power to come home to you."
His hand slipped from her cheek to cover hers. Holding it against his chest. Against the steady beat of his heart."I promise you that."
"I will be careful."
A small smile touched his lips."I know that sounds strange coming from me."
That earned the faintest laugh from her. "You think?"
The corner of his mouth twitched."But things are different now."
"Before, if I died, I died."
The simplicity of the statement made her heart ache."There was no one waiting for me."
"But now there is you."
His hand squeezed hers gently."There is our child."
A long breath left him."And there are mornings I have not seen yet."
His eyes softened. "I want to see you become a mother."
"I want to hold our child."
Then So'lek reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"You have given me something I thought I had lost forever."
His voice dropped lower."A future."
The warrior looked at her for a long moment. Taking in every detail. The woman he loved. The woman carrying his child. The woman who had broken into an RDA base because she refused to leave him behind.
A fierce tenderness crossed his face.
"I intend to spend the rest of my life with you."
His forehead rested against hers once more. "So trust me."
A kiss against her brow. "I will fight."
Another against her temple. "I will survive."
A final kiss against her lips. "And I will come home."
"Okay, So'lek."
(Y/n) reached up and cupped his cheek. The corners of her mouth lifted into a small smile. "I'll hold you to that."
The warrior looked entirely untroubled by the threat. In fact, he seemed almost pleased. "As you should."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "I am serious."
"So am I."
(Y/n) studied him for a moment.
The man who had spent the last hour looking at her as though she might disappear if he blinked.
The man who already had one hand resting protectively over their child whenever he got the chance.
A soft laugh escaped her. "You are impossible."
A faint smile appeared. "You have mentioned that before."
"Many times."
(Y/n) leaned forward and kissed him.
When she pulled back she was smiling again.
That seemed to satisfy him.
His arm immediately slipped around her waist and pulled her closer.
The warrior lowered his head and pressed a kiss into her hair.
Then another.
Then simply rested his cheek against the top of her head.
"Now what was that you were saying about bed rest?" he asked, voice low but unmistakably pointed.
(Y/n) narrowed her eyes at him and huffed softly. "That I do not need that much."
He gave her a look. One that said he was not convinced in the slightest.
She held his gaze for a moment longer before her shoulders dropped in a quiet sigh. "It may be best if I take a few days off," she admitted, reluctant but honest. "Eat and drink a lot… and minimal exertion."
So'lek's expression softened immediately.
"I am glad," he said simply.
He hesitated for only a moment before speaking again, voice gentler now.
"May I move you?"
(Y/n) blinked up at him, then gave a small nod. "Yes. I am not that badly injured."
That was all the permission he needed.
So'lek slid one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, lifting her with careful ease as . He adjusted his hold instinctively, making sure she was secure, his grip firm but mindful of her injuries.
(Y/n) let out a soft breath, settling against him without protest.
He glanced down at her briefly, checking her expression.
"Let me take you home."
So'lek carried her inside the cavern, one arm beneath her knees and the other supporting her back, careful not to jostle the fresh stitches along her side.
The hammock swayed gently as he lowered her into it.
She settled back with a tired breath.
He had only taken a step away when gentle fingers closed around his wrist.
"So'lek."
He turned back immediately.
Her eyes had settled on his hands. The skin across his knuckles was raw. Split. Dried blood had mixed with dirt and grime, the wounds torn open again each time he had struck the walls of his cage.
She carefully turned one of his hands over in both of hers.
"So'lek..." Her thumb brushed lightly across the torn skin. "Your knuckles."
Her eyes lifted to his.
"They're bleeding."
She looked back down at them again, her expression tightening.
"Did you do this..." Her voice caught."...trying to get to me?"
His free hand rose and gently cupped her cheek.
He didn't answer. He didn't need to.
She already knew.
Her throat tightened.
"Get me the jar on the shelf." She pointed toward the back of the cavern.
"The cloth and water jug."
"And the bandages."
She looked at him in a way that made arguing seem pointless.
"I am fine, yawne."
"Not up for discussion." The firmness in her voice made the corner of his mouth lift.
A quiet chuckle escaped him. "As you command."
He returned a moment later carrying everything she'd asked for.
Without a word he knelt in front of the hammock and held both hands out to her.
(Y/n) dipped the cloth into the cool water before gently wiping away the dirt.
The dried blood softened beneath careful strokes.
She cleaned each scrape as though afraid of causing him even the slightest discomfort.
His hands looked enormous inside hers. Scarred. Calloused.
Yet she held them with extraordinary care.
When they were finally clean, she lifted one of them.
Turned it over. Then pressed a gentle kiss into his palm.
So'lek's breath caught.
(Y/n) opened the small jar and scooped out a little of the salve. Her fingertips worked it carefully into every split knuckle. Every torn patch of skin.
He barely noticed the sting.
When she finished the first hand, she wrapped fresh bandages around it before moving to the second.
Again she spread the salve. Again she wound clean bandages neatly around his hand.
Then she lifted it once more.
Another kiss.
This time across his knuckles.
He leaned forward and brushed his forehead gently against hers.
"Thank you."
She smiled softly.
"I take care of wounded animals." Her thumb brushed lightly over one of the bandages. "I suppose I should take care of my wounded mate too."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Satisfied, So'lek gathered the salve and bandages and returned them to their place on the shelf.
So'lek watched her for another moment before carefully climbing into the hammock beside her.
Mindful of the stitches, he eased one arm around her waist and gathered her gently against his chest.
She melted into him immediately.
He let out a long, content breath before lowering his head to press a lingering kiss into her hair.
The headache that had plagued him since the moment his stress had begun had finally begun to ease.
She was finally safe.
For the first time since that trap had snapped shut around him... He believed she truly was.
She shifted slightly in his arms, settling more comfortably against him. His hand drifted down to rest over her belly, his thumb tracing slow, absent circles across it. He pressed another soft kiss to her hair, lingering there for a moment.
This generous, kind woman… she had given him everything. Her love. A place to belong. She'd made his lonely camp a home. And now… she was giving him a family.
His chest tightened with something deeper than gratitude.
He wondered, quietly, what he had ever done to deserve her.
A while later, So’lek stirred beneath the gentle tap against his cheek.
His eyes opened at once.
He looked down to find his mate watching him.
“Yes, yawne?” he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
She smiled sheepishly.
“Could you get me something to eat, please?”
Her hand rested unconsciously over her stomach.
“I am quite hungry.”
He sat up immediately, careful not to jostle the stitches along her side as the hammock shifted beneath them.
His hand rose to cup her cheek. “What do you feel like eating?” he asked.
She thought for only a moment. “A roast.”
A small smile tugged at her lips.
“And some slices of fruit on the side.”
“So specific.”
She looked almost apologetic. “I know.”
“It sounds good.”
“It does. So can you please make it for me?"
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
“I shall return shortly.”
She watched him head over to the cooking station and get a fire going, already setting some meat to cook, her stomach growling at the thought of food.
It was not long before he returned carrying a wooden platter piled with roasted meat alongside freshly sliced fruit.
The smell alone made her mouth water.
He climbed carefully back into the hammock and handed it to her before settling beside her once more.
She immediately leaned against him.
Without thinking, one of his arms wrapped comfortably around her waist while she began eating.
She was hungry. Far hungrier than he had ever seen her.
The roast disappeared surprisingly quickly.
Followed by the fruit.
She barely slowed between bites.
So’lek watched quietly, his expression calm, though inside his heart gave another flutter.
She was eating for two now.
If she asked him to cook an entire Sturmbeast, he would not hesitate.
He found himself mentally planning tomorrow’s hunt. More fruit. More vegetables.
Anything she might want.
She would have every meal she desired. Every comfort he could provide.
When she’d finally finished, she handed him the empty platter with a content little smile.
“Thank you.”
“It was my pleasure.”
He set the platter aside before reaching behind him for a small comb and fresh cord.
“Come here.”
She immediately understood.
Turning around, she shuffled until she was sitting between his legs with her back resting lightly against his chest.
Her kuru fell over one shoulder as he gently gathered it into his hands.
His fingers moved with practiced care, separating each strand before combing through them slowly.
Whenever he found a small tangle, he worked patiently until it came free instead of pulling.
(Y/n) closed her eyes.
It felt wonderful.
His fingers were gentle. Unhurried. Every touch seemed intended simply to make her comfortable.
Once he was satisfied, he began rebraiding her kuru, securing it neatly before smoothing a few loose strands back into place.
“There.”
She reached back to feel it.
“You always do it better than I do.”
“And yet your hands are steadier than mine.”
“They are.”
“Or do you just like me doing your hair?”
“I might.”
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
She leaned back against him again, letting her full weight rest comfortably against his chest.
He shifted lower into the hammock, stretching his legs out beneath them before gathering her back into his arms.
One arm wrapped securely around her waist. The other drifted down until his broad hand rested lightly against her stomach.
His thumb traced slow, absent circles across it..
The cavern settled into comfortable silence.
(Y/n) let out a long, content sigh and relaxed completely against him.
The sound made the corners of So’lek’s mouth lift.
His mate and his future child were both within reach, held safely in his arms.
Not long after, her breathing had slowed into the deep, steady rhythm of sleep or someone just beginning to drift off
He smiled to himself. His mate had never been particularly good at staying awake once she became comfortable. Especially when she was wrapped securely in his arms.
She stirred after a while, shifting slightly as if trying to find a better position. A faint hiss slipped from her lips as she rolled, the movement clearly pulling at the wounds. She winced, then carefully turned onto her side, tucking herself closer against him.
“Mmm…” she mumbled, voice thick with sleep. “Will you make me a hammock… so I can nap outside… in the shade?”
Her fingers curled lightly against him as she settled again.
“Yes,” he says.
"I want some cushions too," she mumbles.
"You can have whatever you want."
Another soft yawn followed, her words trailing off as sleep pulled her back under.
His arm rested comfortably around her shoulders.
Still half asleep, she reached up and gently took hold of his forearm.
Without opening her eyes, she guided it lower until her head rested against the firm curve of his bicep instead.
A long, content breath escaped her.
Apparently satisfied with that, one sleepy hand began patting around .
She finally found his other arm.
She tugged it across herself until she was securely wrapped in both of them.
Only then did she seem content.
Another yawn escaped her.
So'lek couldn't help the quiet chuckle that rumbled in his chest.
His mate truly did treat him like her own personal blanket.
She nestled deeper against him.
Her head turned slightly.
Then she pressed a sleepy kiss against his bicep.
"My big..."
"...strong..."
Another yawn interrupted her.
"...man."
The words were little more than a mumble.
Yet they struck him with far more force than she could possibly have intended.
He lowered his head and kissed the top of hers.
Lingering there.
"Rest now, yawne."
She gave the tiniest nod against him. Already drifting again.
So'lek settled a little lower in the hammock until he could comfortably rest his face in the crook of her neck.
From there he could hear every slow breath she took.
He stayed awake for several more minutes, making certain she was completely comfortable before allowing himself to relax.
Only when he was certain she was sleeping soundly did he finally close his own eyes.
The day had tested him in ways he never wished to experience again.
But it was over now.
His mate was safe.
Their child was safe.
And both of them were asleep in his arms.
That was all he needed.
With that quiet thought, sleep finally claimed him as well, leaving the weight of the day behind until morning.
𝐀𝐍 𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐄 ᝰ Pril is an adorable, but very hungry baby. When you take a moment to make yourself some breakfast and hand your daughter over to her father, she decides to solve her hunger herself. Unfortunately for Tonowari, she mistakes his chest for yours and assumes she'll gain milk if she latches onto him.
𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆… Tonowari te Tsika'u Arvak'itan
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓… SFW ᝰ Avatar: Fire and Ash based, non-canon, featuring baby Pril, fem!Metkayina!reader, Tsahìk!reader, dad!Tonowari x mom!reader, reader takes place of Ronal, established relationship [mates/marriage] pure fluff, humor, domestic, mention and act of breastfeeding; na'vi language w/ translations
𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍… 2.7k words
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑… This was a very fun and cute fic to write!! This is the first Tonowari fic I've written in a long time that wasn't attached to FSB. I enjoyed writing Baby Pril too because she's such a cutie patootie🥰!!! As always, I hope y’all enjoy and always feel free to comment and reblog, I can’t wait to read y’all reactions!
𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒… Main M.list ・Avatar Taglist
Morning in Awa’atlu begins softly. Sunlight spilling over the island as the chatter of waking Metkayina spread throughout the village, some getting ready for the day as others already begin their daily routines that align with their clan roles.
Inside your family’s marui, however, the calm of the morning is already over, due to having a infant in your home. Your daughter, Pril, squirms in your arms with determination, little feet kicking against your hip, trying her best to communicate to you what she wants. “Ma…ma…ma…”
“Yes, yes,” you murmur with a small laugh, gently swatting away her hands as she attempts to pull at your feathered top, not wanting her to pop the strings or pull any of the decorations like she did on your top from a few days ago. “You are hungry again. I know.”
Pril has been nursing almost constantly lately, always hungry and begging for the golden liquid that flows from your swollen breasts. She is growing fast for a child her age. It is clear that Pril is a strong baby, something you’ve known since you carried her in your womb. What you didn’t know while you were pregnant is that she would grow to have the appetite of a tsurak [skimwing].
When you’re about to cradle her so she can be fed for the second time this morning, your stomach rumbles in quiet protest, reminding you that you haven’t eaten yet yourself. Having a baby, along with your other many responsibilities, the main one being Tsahìk [clan's spiritual leader], it is easy to forget these things, but thankfully your body is willing to keep you in check.
“Tonowari,” you call gently, glancing toward your mate, needing to gain his attention.
The Olo’eyktan looks up from where he’s seated, repairing his spear shaft that got damaged during a sparring session with some of the hunters, one of the his ways of keeping his combat skills sharp. “Yes, psakalin [honey]?” Tonowari replies while putting down his spear, eyes softening immediately when he sees Pril wiggling in your grasp.
You carefully walk over and place your daughter into his large waiting hands, needing your hands free for a few moments. “Hold her while I prepare something to eat,” you say, feeling your stomach growl again, begging for any source of nutrients. “If I do not keep my strength, she will soon complain that there is none left for her.”
When breastfeeding, mothers must eat plenty of food so they can maintain energy and milk supply. Therefore, you must eat so she can continue to happily suckle milk from your breasts until her little tummy is full and satisfied, so she can grow big and strong like her older siblings.
Tonowari nods immediately, taking Pril with ease and adjusting her position, wanting her to be comfortable as he holds her against his chest so she can feel his warmth.
Your daughter blinks up at him with wide, curious eyes, looking at her father as if he’s her whole world which makes Tonowari smile. Soon, Pril's attention shifts. Her tiny hand reaches up, trying to grab her father’s akula teeth necklace. Her hands are far too small to grab it fully, but her little nails do dig into Tonowari’s skin as she tries her best to grasp it, making him lightly wince.
“You have a strong grip,” he murmurs with quiet pride, furthering the notion he's built in his mind that once Pril is older she’ll be a great warrior just like her mother. Pril gurgles happily, moving her little fists in the air, as if she’s agreeing with her father’s statement.
While they are having some father daughter time, you move with ease around the small cooking space, slicing fruit and pulling warm fish from the cooking pot, feeling your mouth water from the delicious aroma. You toss a cubed piece of fruit into your mouth, already starting to eat as you wait for the fish to cool off just a tad.
Behind you, Tonowari continues his quiet conversation with your youngest daughter, keeping her entertained as you tend to your hunger. “Your mother says you are always hungry,” he tells her, thinking about how just last night you were telling him that she inherited his large appetite. “I suspect she exaggerates.” He says jokingly, knowing that you are telling the truth about her eating habits. He has witnessed her hunger first hand and he can agree that her little stomach is somehow never satisfied.
Pril squirms closer against him, pressing her nose into the firm muscle of his chest, making your husband assume she wants to be cuddled so he begins to gently bounce her, thinking it’ll help her settle down. “Maybe you will grow into a great weaver,” he muses, stroking her hair, wondering what position she will feel led to once she grows old enough to make the decision. “Or a strong diver like your tsmukan [brother].”
Your daughter’s ears twitch, as if her attention has yet again been drawn elsewhere. Her tiny nose presses more firmly against Tonowari’s chest, her face nuzzling instinctively into his warm skin. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat echoes beneath her cheek, the one thing that usually calms her little spirit when she’s riled up. But today it isn't working.
Pril’s stomach gives a small, impatient growl, making her brow lines furrow. Her hunger has become sharper than earlier. It is no longer a gentle feeling but an urgent pull that will no longer go unsatisfied.
Her mouth opens slightly, her tongue pressing forward as instinct takes over. Your daughter’s small hands press clumsily against Tonowari’s chest as she shifts, searching for the source of the nutrient rich fluid she gets from you. Her lips brush his skin, crawling toward what she assumes to be your breast, and she latches.
When Tonowari feels his daughter attach to him, he stills instantly, breath catching as he looks down at her in confusion. He does not move at first, clearly trying to understand what she is doing. His hand hovers awkwardly near her back, unsure whether to adjust her or leave her be. “…What are you—” He doesn’t even finish his sentence because Pril pulls back slightly, making Tonowari not feel the need to continue.
Pril’s tail begins to lash and her small face scrunches in growing frustration since she wasn't able to find any milk. She doesn’t understand because when she’s with you this always works. She nudges forward again, more insistent this time, pressing harder against her father, latching onto him for a second time.
She tries again, but she still comes up short, making her tiny fingers tighten against his skin, showing how she’s growing impatient. Pril thinks if she works harder, milk will come, so while she’s still latched to her father, she bites down. And it’s not a soft bite either.
When it happens, Tonowari jerks sharply, his confusion of his daughter actions turns into pure shock as pain spikes through his chest, making a strangled sound tear from his throat. “AUGH!” He nearly loses his hold on her, but his arm tightens at the last second purely on instinct, thankfully keeping Pril from falling to the ground.
His free hand flies to his chest, eyes wide in disbelief as he looks down at the small culprit latched onto him with strong determination, clearly not willing to let up until she finds what she’s looking for. “Daughter, release!” he chokes, trying to gently pull her away without hurting her, but the attempt only seems to encourage her stubborn grip. Tonowari did say that Pril has a strong grip, now she’s showing it.
The commotion echoes through your kelku [home], making you nearly drop the plate full of food in your hands at the sudden shout from your husband. You quickly place it down and swallow the food you were chewing before running over, wondering what has transpired that calls for this loud of a reaction. “Tonowari, what has happened?!”
“She has bitten me!”
You blink, not understanding him at first. “…What?” Pril has never been a aggressive baby, so you don’t know why she would bite her father.
“Our child just bit me!” he repeats, gesturing to his chest, bringing your attention to his clearly reddened and abrasive nipple that he was finally able to get his daughter to detached from.
When you look at your husband’s wounded area, and then you look down at your daughter and how agitated she’s becoming, that is when you connect the dots. Your daughter had mistaken Tonowari’s warm skin and muscular pecs for your own breasts, thinking if she latched on she would be able to find a source of nourishment, but clearly she was wrong.
For a moment you try very hard not to laugh, but the sight of Tonowari, a great warrior and fearless leader, currently defeated by your daughter who is only the size of his hand, is simply too adorable.
The laughter escapes before you can try to stop it, which makes Tonowari frown immediately, not finding this situation funny. “You find this amusing.” He grumbles, rubbing his chest, trying to stop the pain.
“I am sorry,” you say between laughs, crouching down next to your husband. You place a supportive hand on his shoulder, calming down your laughter before giving him a comforting look. “I truly am.”
“She attacked me without warning.” He says, his forehead lines creasing, similarly to when he’s disciplining your oldest child, Ao’nung.
“When you hold her like that,” you point out, gesturing to his broad chest and how he’s cradling her so close to his skin. “What did you expect?”
Tonowari opens his mouth to argue, but he just closes it again, thinking you could possibly have a point. This never happened with your other two children. He held Tsireya and Ao’nung in the same manner when they were Pril’s age and they never tried to bite him, so he doesn’t know what got into his daughter for her to act this way.
You move a few steps over to your medicine basket, a thin smile spreading across your lips as you reach for a small jar of healing salve. “Well,” you say lightly, applying the cool mixture to Tonowari’s skin, seeing the small indentations Pril caused to his nipple when she latched firmly onto him. “I suppose I cannot blame her.”
Tonowari eyes you suspiciously, wondering what you mean because it is clear your daughter is at fault. “Why not?”
You tilt your head, examining his body in a loving manner instead of how you would do a usual injured patient. You can't help it when your handsome husband has his chest puffed out in front you, looking very attractive when he’s being all domestic and fatherly with your youngest daughter.
“You do have a very… impressive chest.” When you say that, your mate’s ears flicker at the compliment, making him wonder where you are going with this. “Broad shoulders,” you continue casually, flickering your eyes at him before looking back down at the affected area. “Strong muscles.”
Tonowari huffs under his breath, enjoying your praises at his physique, but he cannot properly receive the compliments when he’s in pain. “Flattery will not undo the injury.”
“I am not flattering you,” you say sweetly, continuing to rub the herbs on his wound, wanting to help wipe that grumpy expression off his face and make him smile. “I am explaining our child’s confusion.”
He gives you a long look, his eyes squinting just a tad, before his lips turn into a thin line, as if he’s trying not to smile or show any sort of amusement, but he cant help it when you look at him the way you are. “You are enjoying this far too much.”
“Maybe a little.” You admit, not being able to deny how funny yet cute this situation truly is. Once the salve is applied thoroughly, you lean back, placing the lid back on the jar. “There,” you say, putting the salve back into its original place. “It will stop stinging soon.”
Tonowari rolls his shoulders experimentally, testing to see if the herbs have begun working yet. “…It is feeling better.” He says softly, thanking Eywa that soon his pectoral muscle will no longer be in pain because he has many duties ahead of him today.
He’s always had empathy for women, he knows their bodies go through a lot when it comes to bearing children, but feeling this pain and knowing this is something you and other women in the clan go through each time they have a child, Tonowari has gained even more respect for na’vi women.
“I am glad.” You reply before gently lifting your daughter from his arms before she attempts another attack on Tonowari, not wanting her to try to bite at her father’s good side, the only side he has that is uninjured.
Her tiny face scrunches immediately in protest, not enjoying that she’s being ripped away from her father’s warm embrace. And she’s still upset at the fact she hasn’t been given any food yet.
“Mawey [calm], little one.” you murmur, settling down comfortably next to your husband. You adjust your top, moving the decorative feathers out of her way before bringing her in close, angling her in the perfect position to breastfeed. “I will feed you properly so you do not have to bite sempu [daddy] again.”
When baby Pril smells the colostrum in your milk, her nose guides her to your breast. Once she finds your nipple, she latches immediately, happy to finally be feed after not having any success with her father. As her tummy fills with milk, content little noises fill the room and her tail happily sways as her little appetite finally gets what it has been dying for.
Tonowari leans in towards you, wrapping his arm around your waist, watching the two of you with quiet amusement now that the shock of the incident has passed, though he’s still surprised about what happened. “For someone so small, she is very dangerous.”
You smirk up at him, knowing exactly where she gets that trait from. “She takes after her father.”
Tonowari snorts, not accepting that comparison, in his mind, he has done nothing along the lines of danger. “I have never bitten anyone.”
“Are you sure?” you tease, remembering an event that would say otherwise. “You were quite fierce when we first met.” You give him a “look”, one that helps jog his memory to the early years of your relationship, when you both were just two teenagers in love.
His eyes warm at the thought, remembering the times where he chased you around the island until you gave him a chance and when you did, his fierceness only became refocused… mostly in how he expressed his affections. “Perhaps… you are correct.”
Tonowari reaches over you, brushing a gentle finger along your daughter’s tiny tail as she drinks from your breast, acting as if she hasn’t eaten all morning, making him shake his head with a quiet laugh. “I battle many things,” he says, thinking of the storms, disputes, and the endless responsibilities of leading the clan, challenges he always faces head-on. Yet his gaze softens as he looks down at the small life in your arms. “Yet my daughter defeats me before breakfast.”
You grin, knowing how much enjoys being a father, and how he would not want his life to be any differently. “That is fatherhood, Olo’eyktan.” You say before leaning your head against his shoulder, feeling his hand rub the small of your back as the two of you watch your daughter drink contentedly.
For a while, neither of you says anything, allowing yourselves to just enjoy this moment of peace. You and Tonowari bask in the warmth of parenthood, listening to the ocean waves lap against your dwelling and your daughter’s soft nursing sounds filling your home.
Tonowari presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head, thankful that he’s able to call you the mother of his children, that Eywa blessed you and him to create three wonderful souls together that show the love and strength within your union.
Although Pril already shows signs of being a little troublemaker, you and your mate cannot wait to see the young woman she will grow into. However… for the time being, it might be wise to keep her away from her father’s chest whenever she’s hungry so the little adorable baby you birthed, doesn’t turn into a little milk thirsty monster.
So'lek x avatar!reader
For @junebugonjupiter jealousy in June event. Prompt 29 'Keep Your Hands to Yourself' and Prompt 30 'Reader gets into a Fight'.
Word count: 1703
HANDS OFF!
So'lek was making his way through the Zeswa camp when he noticed the women watching him.
It was not unusual.
Since becoming more involved with the clans, he had grown accustomed to curious looks, whispered conversations, and the occasional attempt at flirtation.
Most stopped when they noticed the bracelet on his wrist or the odd mark blooming on his collarbone, jaw or neck.
Most understood what it meant.
Apparently these women did not.
The first approached with a bright smile.
The second followed shortly after.
By the time he realized what was happening, he found himself being slowly surrounded.
"So'lek," one purred, stepping closer.
The warrior immediately knew where this conversation was heading.
Unfortunately.
"You are difficult to find."
"I am usually working."
The women laughed.
One moved closer.
Then another.
The warrior resisted the urge to sigh.
Normally this never became a problem.
Whenever (Y/n) was nearby, most women kept their distance.
Some because they respected the bond between them.
Others because they had seen the way So'lek unconsciously gravitated toward her, always finding some excuse to stand beside her, touch her hand, or rest a protective arm around her shoulders.
There was never any doubt where his attention belonged.
And if there was, one look from his mate was usually enough to remind them.
Today, however, (Y/n) was nowhere in sight.
Unfortunately, that seemed to have made certain people far bolder than usual.
One of them reached out and grabbed his forearm, her hand running appreciatively over the muscle there. "You are certainly strong."
So'lek glanced down at her hand.
Then back at her face.
The woman either ignored or completely missed the warning in his expression.
"You are quite handsome," she continued. "Why not spend some time with me? We could get to know one another better."
"I have a mate."
The answer came immediately. Firm. Final.
The woman smiled anyway. "She is not even Na'vi."
The warrior's expression darkened slightly.
The woman either didn't notice or didn't care.
"She will not mind."
His eyes narrowed.
"And she will not know."
The amusement vanished from his face entirely.
"You are questioning my honour and loyalty." The words emerged cold. Sharp. "Doubt them again and I will take offence."
The woman laughed.
"As if it is truly dishonourable." She waved a dismissive hand. "Her kind has no honour anyway."
"Yes," another added. "And someone like you clearly knows how to treat a woman."
A third woman scoffed loudly. "Why waste yourself on her at all?"
The others murmured in agreement.
"You should choose a woman from your own kind."
"A true Na'vi."
"Not some demon from the stars."
So'lek went completely still.
The women seemed to mistake his silence for consideration.
One stepped closer.
"You are a warrior. Strong. Respected."
Another smiled.
"You deserve better than a sky demon in false skin."
The warrior's jaw tightened. His ears flattened against his head.
Still they continued. Oblivious.
"She does not belong here."
"She never will."
The air around So'lek seemed to grow colder.
His gaze swept over each woman in turn.
The smiles began to falter.
"You speak ill of my mate again," he said quietly, "and I will forget that you stand beneath this clan's protection."
Several women visibly paled.
But one stubbornly lifted her chin.
"Why?" she demanded. "Because we speak the truth?"
Before So'lek could tell them exactly what he thought of that statement—
A fist tangled itself into the hair of the woman hanging off So'lek's arm.
The Zeswa barely managed a surprised yelp before she grabbed the hand tangled in her hair, clutching at her attacker's wrist and yelling as she was violently dragged backwards.
So'lek froze.
Everyone watching froze.
The woman was being dragged through the dirt as (Y/n) repeatedly lost her grip on the woman's hair and grabbed hold again, hauling her farther each time.
"Hands."
Yank.
"Off."
Yank.
"My."
Yank.
"Husband."
Another vicious pull nearly sent the woman sprawling before (Y/n) finally snapped.
"And what part of 'mated' is confusing to you?"
The woman was flung with all of (Y/n)'s strength directly into a nearby pile of mud.
So'lek stared.
His jaw fell open.
For a moment, So'lek genuinely forgot how to speak.
Forgot how to move. Forgot how to do anything except watch.
Because surely he had not just witnessed his sweet, gentle mate grab a woman by the hair and throw her into a pile of mud.
So'lek rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
Surely not. Yet there she was.
If anything, the situation only became more unbelievable with every passing second.
Because standing between him and the Zeswa woman was his mate.
His sweet mate. His gentle mate.
His mate had just grabbed someone by the hair and thrown them into mud.
The warrior's brain stopped working.
The Zeswa woman scrambled upright. Covered in dirt. Furious.
She charged.
(Y/n) did not retreat.
The crack echoed across the camp.
The slap turned the woman's head sideways.
"How dare you question my mate's faithfulness to me."
Another slap.
Even louder.
The entire camp watched in stunned silence.
So'lek's heart did something strange. It lurched. Then swelled.
Then somehow managed to fall completely in love with her all over again.
He could not stop staring.
At the fire in her eyes. At the way she planted herself between him and anyone who dared disrespect their bond. Disrespected him. At the sheer outrage radiating from every inch of her.
She e was ready to wage war over him.
Something warm settled deep in his chest.
A feeling so powerful it almost hurt. Because beneath the fury, beneath the slaps and threats and righteous indignation, all he could see was how fiercely she loved him.
So fiercely she'd resort to violence to get her message across.
The realization struck him with enough force to leave him momentarily breathless.
A smile threatened at the corners of his mouth.
He was supposed to be stopping this but he couldn't get over the sight.
"And how dare you suggest he is dishonourable enough to seek another woman while being mated to me."
Another slap.
The woman stumbled backwards.
(Y/n) advanced. Eyes blazing. For perhaps the first time in her entire life, she looked genuinely dangerous.
The Zeswa fell backwards into the mud.
Again.
(Y/n) lifted her foot— And suddenly found her arm caught.
She spun.
Ready to continue her rampage.
Only to find So'lek standing there.
The warrior looked torn between concern, amazement, fear and overwhelming affection.
The sight only seemed to annoy her further. "You."
Her finger jabbed his chest.
The warrior blinked. Honestly? It was adorable.
"You?!"
Another jab.
He took a step backwards.
Mostly on instinct.
His mate advanced.
"You ever so much as think about another woman—"
Jab.
"Or if I ever see one hanging off your arms again—"
Jab.
The warrior continued retreating. Not because he was afraid. Because he was desperately trying not to laugh.
She was furious. Absolutely furious. And somehow it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
(Y/n) pointed downward. "I will castrate you."
The camp collectively inhaled.
"You hear me?"
Jab.
"So nobody can have you."
The warrior stared.
Oh.
She was serious.
It filled him with such overwhelming affection that he thought his heart might burst.
Before she could continue her speech, So'lek stepped forward and wrapped both arms around her waist.
The woman immediately squawked in protest."So'lek—"
The warrior lifted her clean off the ground.
The protest died instantly.
Then he started laughing. Not mocking. Not cruel. Pure happiness.
"(Y/n)." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then her cheek. Then the other cheek.
The woman tried maintaining her glare. Failed spectacularly.
"There is no one else."
Another kiss.
"No other woman."
Another.
"There never will be."
Another.
"You are my mate."
His forehead settled against hers.
The smile never leaving his face.
"My only mate. For life."
The anger finally began to fade from her expression.
Replaced by embarrassment.
Then realization.
Then horror.
Because now she was becoming aware that the entire camp had witnessed everything.
Her eyes narrowed at him.
"Good," she muttered. "Because I may be a healer, but I can use my talents for harm."
"And I will use it to make you suffer."
So'lek's smile somehow widened.
The warrior who had faced armies and survived wars looked happier in that moment than anyone had ever seen him.
Because for the first time since meeting her, he had witnessed his gentle, endlessly kind mate become territorial.
And Eywa help him—He found it absolutely adorable.
"You would not," he said, entirely unconvinced.
"I would."
He kissed her nose.
"I mean it."
Another kiss landed on her cheek.
"You are not taking this seriously."
"I am."
He kissed her again.
The glare she shot him could have withered plants.
So'lek loved it.
Loved the way her ears burned with embarrassment while she continued trying to look intimidating.
Most of all, he loved that every threat came from love. From possessiveness. From the simple fact that she wanted him and no one else.
His heart felt impossibly full.
"You smile one more time and I will make good on my threat."
Another kiss.
The warrior's grin only widened.
"(Y/n)," he murmured affectionately.
"I am warning you."
A kiss to her temple.
"I have survived the battle of ayrum alysing."
"By my good graces."
Kiss.
"AMP suits."
Kiss.
"The RDA."
Kiss.
"But I do not think anything has ever frightened me as much as my mate when she is angry."
Then he kissed her again before she could continue.
The next threat died on her lips.
For a moment she simply stared at him.
And So'lek looked back with such open adoration that her anger faltered completely.
There was no teasing in his eyes now. Only love. Endless, unwavering love.
His thumb brushed her cheek.
"I love you," he said softly.
The words stole the rest of her fury.
Though she still narrowed her eyes stubbornly. "And I am still not done with you."
This is a part of my Mangkwan! Jake AU! You can read their origin story here.
Jealousy in June Prompts:
7. “Touch her and you die”
Word count: 1.7k
Pairing: Ash Na'vi!Jake Sully x wife!reader
Description: A visitor comes to ask the Omatikaya for an alliance, but Jake Sully would never honor an agreement with the fool that dares to touch what is his.
Content Warnings: AU where the Omatikaya turn into Ash Na'vi as well. Talk of killing, Neteyam and Lo'ak are little heathens, reader is pregnant with Tuk, probably OOC Wukula bc I've never played the game before.
Author's note: Based on this request by @yukiyuribot!
“Touch her and you die,” a gravelly voice came from behind Wukula.
Your lips rolled up into an excited smile at the sound of your mate. The Mangkwan warrior’s brow jumped, his hand freezing in the air over the spot where you had just suggested he feel for a kick from your unborn child. He cocked his head to the side, looking at you in the realization he had been set up for the sake of your own twisted fantasy.
“I promise a slow death, Mangkwan,” Jake growled low and quiet.
Wukula dragged his eyes from you and looked over his shoulder, gaze alight with mischief, even though he had been played. It looked like he enjoyed the game just like you did. “I meant no offense, Olo’eyktan.” Wukula lowered his hand to his side and stepped back from you.
You watched in fascination as the fire cast a red glow over one side of Jake’s face, covering the opposite side in darkness. “Don’t touch what isn’t yours.”
Wukula nodded, his hands held out to his sides in a sort of surrender as he backed away even more. “Of course not, Jake Suli. My apologies.” You circled around Wukula, letting your hips sway as you slid past Jake to stand on his other side.
“What would you do if someone touched your Tsahik while she was swollen with child?” Jake asked, the tilt to his head a clear indicator of his agitation. You peered over his shoulder, letting your hands travel over the tense expanse of his back in silent support and delighting in the way he reacted to your touch.
“I would cut them from ear to ear,” Wukula answered honestly.
“Then imagine what I would do to you if you had touched her,” Jake threatened.
“Far worse from what I’m told,” Wukula smiled wickedly. “That is why Varang sent me to you. She wishes to forge a friendship against our mutual enemies.”
Jake’s eyebrows lowered. “Which enemies? The uniting bands to the south? The Eastern tribes that you pissed off with all your raiding? Or our true enemy, the skypeople that still ravage our lands and take from our ground? The Omatikaya have only one true enemy,” Jake asked critically, head tilted as he evaluated Wukula’s answer.
Wukula narrowed his eyes, “The Mangkwan have no quarrels with the skypeople, it is the other Na’vi clans that pose our problems.”
Jake shook his head, “There will come a day when the skypeople will come for you too,” he promised.
“Even so, that day has not yet come and our enemies rally against us now. They are angry that we do not worship their goddess. They oppress us for living the way of life that our tribes share,” Wukula corrected, his tone betraying his discontentment at having to argue and being questioned. Something told you that he was not used to that.
“No, they oppress you because you burn their villages and rape their women. Just as you have no quarrel with the skypeople, we have no quarrel with the other Na’vi clans. We have no mutual enemies,” Jake corrected.
Wukula was not discouraged by this, he pressed on. “Then that just means that one day, you will need us, and we will need you, Olo’eyktan. A friend to call on in times of trouble.”
“And you planned to start that friendship by touching my mate?” Jake sneered, shifting his weight to one side and slightly bending his knee in a casual show of dominance that made your own knees weak. He was not worried, he did not fear Wukula or the Mangkwan. He would burn the world for you. It was undoubtable. That was power.
“I did not mean-” Wukula was cut off by Jake scoffing.
A set of two footsteps outside the tent made both you and Jake’s ears perk up at the sound. You exchanged a look and Jake grinned and called, “Neteyam, Lo’ak!” From just outside, two young boys of the ages of 8 and 7 came through the tent opening. Your heart softened at seeing their little faces, looking so much like both of their parents, and you smiled encouragingly when they glanced over at you.
“Come ’ere, boys,” Jake commanded and both of your sons diligently came to stand in front of him. Black, gray, and red paint slathered over nearly every inch of their skin. It protected them from the harsh sun, but it also created a fearsome image, especially with the added accessories made from small animal bones, feathers, and even a piercing in Neteyam's case. He had been begging for one for months so he could match you and Jake, and Jake had finally relented to one on each of his ear lobes.
Wukula’s brow raised and he looked confused.
Jake brought his hands to each of their shoulders, “This man is from the Mangkwan. What do we know of them?”
Neteyam eyed Wukula analytically. “They are raiders that attack villages and the wind traders. They take resources and leave little else,” your oldest answered.
“Good, ‘teyam. Lo’ak, what else?” you asked from Jake’s side.
Your youngest looked up to you. “They enslave or kill Na’vi. They are led by a Tsahik called Varang.”
“Exactly, but do they attack tawtutes (humans)?” Jake asked.
“No, only Na’vi,” Lo’ak answered. “We are the only ones to defend Pandora against the demons.”
“This man thinks the Omatikaya should come to the aid of the Mangkwan whenever they need us to. What does that tell you?” Jake pushed more. Wukula’s jaw was clenched so tightly, that it looked as if his teeth might break.
“If they rely on others to come save them, then they are weak,” Lo’ak answered.
“And what do we do with the weak?” Jake asked, eyes sparkling as he looked at Wukula, evidently amused.
“We kill them. A diseased limb must be cut off the body to prevent it from polluting the rest. The weakness of one is the weakness of all,” Neteyam surmised.
“Very good,” Jake nodded, pleased with his well trained boys. Neteyam and Lo’ak both stood taller at their father’s praise, grinning smugly to themselves.
“Can I please help you kill him, Sempul (father)? I did all my chores and I have been very good this week,” Neteyam begged and Wukula reared his head back in shock at the question,
“I can help too!” Lo’ak added, perking up at the prospect. “Please, Sempul!”
Jake patted their shoulders, “I’m afraid not, boys. This man needs to go back to his village so he can tell his Tsahik our answer.”
“Aw,” both of your sons sighed.
“I know you are disappointed,” you cooed, opening your arms wide for them to step into. “Come here,” you beckoned. Jake’s hands slid off of their shoulders as they diligently followed instructions and came to join you.
“See, even a child knows what a foolish errand this was, Wukula,” Jake said.
Wukula growled, hand flying to the blade at his side. Jake jolted forward, quickly putting you and the boys directly behind him. Your hand held your pregnant belly protectively as Neteyam let out a hiss at the threat to his family. You were proud of its clarity of sound. He would make a fearsome warrior someday.
“You have insulted the Mangkwan one too many times, Jake Suli,” Wukula said through his teeth.
“And do you know why I can do that?” Jake asked, a mischievous glint to his eye that made you feel safe, even as Lo’ak and Neteyam watched wide eyed behind you. “Because before you could even draw your blade, my mate would call in the thirty some warriors around camp right now. You wouldn't be able to kill me in the time it takes for them to come. In fact, I could probably kill you in that time. You’re good, Wukula, you’re very good, but you don't have two young children and a pregnant wife to protect, and that makes me much more dangerous than you.”
Wukula snarled, knowing Jake was right. “Go back to your Tsahik and tell her what was said today. Don’t look for help here, Mangkwan,” Jake demanded, stepping away from the door and directly shielding you and the boys from Wukula.
From around Jake’s broad back, you could see Wukula grimace and say, “This is not over, Jake Suli.” Jake’s posture grew rigid before Wukula stalked through the tent flaps and outside to his ikran.
Jake's shoulders relax slightly now that his opponent was gone from his sight. “You did so good, baby. So brave,” you muttered, snaking your hands up his arms and resting your chin on his shoulder.
Jake glanced back at you. “He didn't hurt you?” he asked.
“He did not lay a finger on me, ma Jake. I am yours only,” you assured him.
Jake nodded, “Good. I’m yours, baby.”
“Sempul! You reminded him who was Olo’eyktan!” Lo’ak grinned, interrupting you and Jake, but you could never be mad at your baby boy for long.
Jake smiled back, kneeling down to be at eye level with his boys.
“Yeah! He was so scared of us!” Neteyam agreed.
“You boys did a good job protecting your mama today,” Jake complimented them.
“Thanks dad! Just like you taught me,” Neteyam smiled, letting out another little hiss.
Jake laughed softly at the cute sound. “Mighty Neteyam, warrior prince of the Omatikaya. Wukula stands no chance against you,” he said.
Neteyam smiled smugly as Lo’ak asked, “What about me?”
“Not you, you’re too little!” Neteyam rejected.
“Lo’ak may be younger than you, but that makes him no less terrifying,” you corrected.
“That’s right. Let’s see your hiss, little man,” Jake encouraged his youngest.
“Okay,” Lo’ak let out a long and flat hiss that sounded only slightly weaker than Neteyam’s, but even cuter.
“Very scary. The fearsome Lo’ak, Son of Toruk Makto and slayer of demons,” Jake came up with a title of Lo’ak’s very own and he beamed at the name.
“I will kill many demons too,” Neteyam added, not happy with the shifting of attention.
“Together, you two will kill them all. They will shake at hearing your names,” you nodded with a wide smile. “It’s what you were born to do.”
𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒… Tonowari has stretched himself thin with his Olo’eyktan duties. He is too proud to admit but you see it slowly wearing him down, so you decide to help him prioritize self-care. While implementing one of your relaxing techniques, wanting him to loosen up, things get heated and escalate quickly. Will you and Tonowari be able to resist temptation or will you abandon the vow of no sex before marriage?
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓… Valentine’s Day Special ᝰ Pre-Atwow, takes place weeks before Chapter Seven [can be read as a standalone but reading previous chapters is highly recommended], fluff, very suggestive content, sensual/sexual content, softness, humor, intimacy, tension, yearning, teasing, kissing + dry humping, mention of mating, mention of past relationships [Ronal/Jake & Neytiri]; na’vi language used w/ translations
𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍… 16.0k words
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑… The newest addition to the series is finally here!! This was supposed to be done ages ago but school and life got in the way but it’s summer time so I was able to lock in and finish it. Since it’s v-day themed I wanted it to be sweet, loving, and spicy!! Plus, I know yall have been wanting some spicy scenes and are ready for some smut so I hope this holds you dollz over until Chapter 8. Also, let’s pretend the children don’t exist in this fic, it’s grown folks time rn😭. I hope y’all enjoy and as always feel free to comment and reblog, I can’t wait to read y’all reactions/thoughts🫶🏾!
𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒… Series M.list ・Series Taglist・Main M.list
Council has ended, but the weight of it still hangs in the air long after the meeting disperses. Voices fade into low murmurs, speaking about decisions that will become enforced through the coming seasons. Beyond the gathering, the ocean breathes steadily against the reef, leaving the village nice and calm.
You’re settled on the floor of your kelku [home], weaving one of your twengs [loincloths]. While hunting a few mornings ago, your clothing got snagged on a piece of coral, causing the front to rip and gain a hole. While tending to the tear, using a thin sliver of sharped bone with thread attached to the end, a familiar presence fills the space behind you.
Tonowari does not announce himself, he never needs to when it comes to you. With the Olo’eyktan, you can always feel his presence before you hear him. When you turn, his tall frame ducks beneath the archway, making his way to you. His expression softens the moment his eyes find yours, noticeably easing some of his tension.
Instead of standing over you, he lowers himself to sit beside you. It’s a deliberate choice. His way of him leaving the authoritative part of him outside and allowing the loving side of himself to appear.
For a moment, you simply sit together, basking in the quiet of the village. You’re about to break the silence and ask Tonowari about his day but before you can, he exhales. “The currents have shifted again,” He says, voice stripped of the professionalism it held when he talked amongst the Tsahìk, elders, and other high ranking members of the Metkayina.
Your hands still, the sliver of bone pausing mid-stitch. You don’t interrupt him, you just offer a listening ear. You’ve learned that in moments like this Tonowari needs space to let his thoughts settle before they form into decisions.
“They pull farther west than they should,” he continues, explaining the issue. “Enough to unsettle patrol routes. If a misstep happens, a warrior can be carried off course before anyone notices.” His jaw tightens while speaking, a sign that he’s frustrated. “I must adjust rotations before nightfall.”
You nod slowly, absorbing his words, understanding why he looks so tense. Tonowari is a vigilant person, being Olo’eyktan has made him this way. The well being of the clan rests on his shoulders and he takes his duty very seriously. “Has anything happened?” you ask gently, not wanting to push his buttons any farther than these issues already have.
“Not yet,” he answers. “that is why it must be handled now.”
You take a quiet breath, eyes drifting toward the open entryway, before turning your attention back to Tonowari. When you speak, your tone is careful. You don’t want to come off as trying to correct or command him. You just want to offer him some assistance, ease his burdens.
“Back when I lived among the humans,” you begin slowly, fingers resuming their gentle work on your loincloth, “they mapped the ocean by watching patterns over time. Not just where the currents were strongest, but where they changed the most.” You glance at him, making sure he’s paying attention.
Tonowari’s head turns toward you fully now, listening to your words. He doesn’t interrupt, he never does whenever you are giving him your input. “If the pull is drifting west,” you continue, “maybe the issue isn’t the patrols themselves, but where they start from.” You gesture vaguely, tracing an invisible line in the air, giving him a visual of what you mean. “What if you stagger the entry points? Create shorter paths. Overlap watches. That way, if someone gets pulled off course, there will be someone who can help.”
When you finish explaining, you can see the wheels turning in the Olo’eyktan’s mind. His eyes narrow slightly, playing out the scenarios, testing if they would work if he implemented him. “That would reduce exposure,” he murmurs, already thinking of ideas. “And keep the younger warriors closer to the reef.”
“And it will give you more eyes on the water without exhausting the same people,” you add, reminding him how important it is for warriors not to have burn out.
Being betrothed to the Olo'eyktan means you must be willing to carry his burdens as your own. You must be able to give him sound advice, listen without judgement, and support his decisions, even the ones you don’t fully agree with.
Before your courtship started, when Tonowari was still examining parts of you, he tested your ability of giving and receiving wise counsel. He needed to know if you were able to communicate well, have good discernment, and if you were able to navigate through situations.
Soon, he learned that you were able to do every single one, a sign that you wouldn’t only be a good mate, but a good Tsahik whenever Eywa deems it your time to lead the clan beside him.
Any time you give him advice, it is always the answer to his problem. Tonowari appreciates your input, your wisdom always seeps into his decision-making. “You see things I do not,” he says quietly, resting his hand over yours, stilling your stitching. “You walk between worlds. It gives you sight that is… rare.” Living as both human and Na’vi allows you to have a unique insight.
Due to that, Tonowari enjoys hearing your thoughts on subjects. You always mention things he’s never thought of before. So, he doesn't given you the compliment from flattery, but fact.
“I will present these new routes to the patrols tonight,” he says, already shifting from thought into action. There is certainty in his voice now, the tension easing just enough to be manageable. Then, quieter, he adds, “Thank you.”
The simple gratitude hits you harder than you expect. Heat blooms at your cheeks, a soft flush you can’t quite hide as your gaze drops for half a breath. You still haven't grown used to this part of your relationship yet, being heard and valued. You love Tonowari doesn’t just hear you, but listens. With him, your thoughts matter.
In the past, your voice had been background noise. Advice given and dismissed. Plans made without you, unless you were standing in the line of fire beside them. Jake listened to Neytiri trusted her instincts and experience, while yours had been doubted. Your words were treated as suggestions instead of truth. Eventually, you had learned to go quiet. To stop offering and just keep your thoughts to yourself.
With Tonowari he uses what you give him, values your opinion, which is why you'll always happily to help him. You lift your eyes, meeting his, a faint smile tugging at your lips. “It’s no trouble,” you say honestly, curling your fingers around his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m just glad I could be of good use.”
For a moment, Tonowari ears flick back slightly, tail thumbing against the floor in a way that tells you that your words have landed exactly where they were meant to, right in his heart.
After that, Tonowari continues telling you the rest of what was discussed at council. The whole time, you listen without interrupting, allowing him to speak his mind while he sorts through the many issues he needs to solve.
By the time his voice trails off, his hand is still resting over yours, the stitching of your loincloth long forgotten. Soon, with your assistance, both verbally and just being a listening ear as he sorts through it, the storm in his mind is calmed.
You smile to yourself at the sight of him, noticing how the tension is slowly from his shoulders and that he’s feeling much better. Carefully, you set your tweng [loincloth] aside and rise to your feet, stretching just enough to work the stiffness out that formed from sitting too long.
When you turn to him, your expression is brighter now, wanting to offer him something that you know will lift his spirits. “I was going to head into the village,” you say, voice soft and soothing, almost in a playful manner. “Some women have been experimenting with new patterns and accessories with their clothing. They keep insisting I try them for myself.”
You walk up behind him, resting your hands on his shoulders, a small smile tugging at your lips. “I thought I’d stop by the seamstress and see what all the fuss is about.” You give his shoulders a light squeeze, working your thumbs gently into his skin, releasing that last bit of tension from his shoulders. “Would you like to come with me?”
You’ve always loved when Tonowari accompanies you to the seamstress. It’s one of those domestic moments that strangely feels intimate. He never rushes you, never acts impatient. Instead, he stands close by, watching with an intent focus that makes you feel seen.
He listens as the seamstresses chatter, offers his thoughts when asked, and sometimes leans down to murmur which colors he thinks suit your skin best, or which cut will move most beautifully when you swim.
Later, when you return to your mauri, he always insists you try everything on for him. Not with sexual intent, but because he’s simply in awe of you. He’d tilt his head, hum thoughtfully, reach out to brush his fingers along the fabric at your hip or waist, eyes warm as he admires your beauty.
You love those moments, when he looks at you as a man who adores the woman before him. And Tonowari loves these moments just as much.
For him, walking beside you through the village, allows him to feel like the common man. It gives him a chance to exist without leadership, only love.
He enjoys seeing you animated, expressive, fully yourself.
He likes hearing you laughing softly with the seamstresses and asking questions. When he helps you choose garments, it feels… personal. Territorial. To him, it feels like your wearing a piece of himself wherever you go, showing villagers he has claimed you. Even though it sounds foolish, it is something that excites him.
The thought of coming with you tempts him. He shifts, making your fingers reluctantly slip from his shoulders as he pushes himself up to stand. His height eclipses you, hands resting on his hips as he exhales slowly. “I would like nothing more than to accompany you… but I cannot.”
You lift a brow, wondering why he can’t come with you. “Why not?”
“I must lead training today,” he says, jaw tightening, not liking to see the smile fall from your lips. “and I must alert the seasoned warriors about patrol changes. They will need to be shown new procedures.” He reaches for you again, thumb brushing along your wrist in quiet apology. He hates disappointing you, but his duties must come first.
A small flicker of disappointment passes through you, wishing he could come. You had been looking forward to the walk together, his quiet commentary, how his presence makes the simplest errands feel like more. But the feeling doesn’t linger long, you understand him too well for that.
With iknimaya approaching, the young hunters need every bit of guidance they can get. And the patrol routes, those cannot wait. Nightfall will come before they know it, and Tonowari will not leave his warriors vulnerable.
You step closer, resting your palm flat against his chest, right over his heart, feeling its steady rhythm beneath your hand. “It’s okay,” you say softly, meaning it, not wanting him to feel bad for his decision. “The clan needs you, I understand.”
His shoulders ease at your acceptance, a quiet breath leaving him as his hand comes up to cup your cheek. “I will find you later,” he promises. Then, a hint of something playful slips in, eyes glinting just slightly. “And when I do, you will show me everything you brought home from the seamstress.”
A smile curves your lips, warmth blooming in your chest, already excited to show him whatever you decide to bring home. “Happily,” you reply, leaning into his touch. “I’ll model every piece.”
Tonowari leans down, allowing his forehead to brush briefly against yours. Then his lips meet yours in a soft, yet quick kiss, filled with quiet reassurance rather than hunger for something more. When you part, neither of you rushes away, wanting to savor this moment together.
Once you both are ready, you exit the mauri together, walking side by side, before your paths diverge. You turn toward the village, already thinking of new pieces you can’t wait to show him. Tonowari heads toward the training grounds, posture straightening as the leader inside of him emerges, ready to lead the young minds of the clan.
—
A few hours later, the sun has started to lower, casting a warm light over the village by the time Tonowari completes his duties. His body aches like it always does after pushing himself too far: strained muscles, shallow cuts, and the dull throb of a wound he’s already decided is “nothing.”
Like he promised, his first thought is you. As soon as he leaves the training grounds he begins his search for you. He checks your mauri first, but it’s empty. There’s a brief moment of disappointment before he continues searching, scanning the village until he spots you near the shallow waters, seated beside Nimwa, one of your friends from the village.
She’s just returned from fishing, nets coiled at her feet, the two of you deep in quiet conversation. You’re smiling, hands animated as you speak, the sight of you happy making Tonowari’s chest warm.
In the beginning of your journey here, it was hard for you to make friends. The Metkayina were not receptive to a newcomer, especially one who possessed demon blood. You didn’t take it personally, you’ve experienced this before back in the forest, you just waited until you found the right people, and soon they came.
When you came to him one night, telling him how you made new friends with some women from the weavers circle (the place you met Nimwa) he couldn’t be happier for you. He was thankful that his people were welcoming you and treating you as their sister.
Tonowari steps closer, making no effort to hide his presence. While you’re talking away, Nimwa notices him immediately. She straightens and bows her head respectfully. “Olo’eyktan,” she greets.
You turn at once, your face lighting up when you see him. “You’re done already?” you ask, rising to your feet. “How did training go?” You’ve missed him since you and him parted ways, so you’re glad he’s finally done with his duties.
He opens his mouth to answer, but your eyes drop. That’s when your smile fades, not liking what you're seeing. Your gaze catches on the dark smear of dried blood along his upper arm. Then the scratches along his ribs. And the way he’s holding his shoulder as if it’s causing him pain.
“Jesus—Tonowari,” you breathe, already stepping closer, lifting his arm slightly so you can see where the scratches end on his ribs. “What happened to you? Were you fighting an akula out there?”
He exhales through his nose, clearly bracing himself for your questions and sharp expression. He knew once you saw his injuries, you would be all over him. “It was only sparring and hunting techniques,” he says calmly, not thinking anything of the wounds. “Nothing I have not endured before.”
In Tonowari’s eyes, these are marks of a leader, of a fine warrior. A leader’s body is a tool for the clan, he must be able to endure any and everything that comes his way. Pain and sacrifice are secondary to becoming an Olo’eyktan so he wears his wounds with pride.
You give him a look that says you do not believe him. You don’t understand why men always have to be so stubborn when they get hurt, but you aren’t going to allow this man to walk around injured. “Nimwa,” you say without taking your eyes off him, “would you excuse us? I must tend to this.”
Nimwa’s lips curve into a knowing, teasing smile as she gathers her things, knowing that look of concern clear as day. She feels the same way when her mate comes home riddled with similar wounds. “Of course,” she says lightly. “I will see you both at evening meal.” Her gaze flicks between you and Tonowari, before she walks off.
The moment she’s gone, you grab Tonowari’s wrist. “This is unnecessary,” he starts, already being pulled along. “I am fine—”
“You are bleeding,” you interrupt, tugging him toward your mauri, not taking no for an answer. “And you are coming with me.”
He doesn’t resist or come up with a rebuttal. He just sighs, allowing you to pull him away. He never tries to interfere when you’re like this, eyes sharp with worry and a firm grip around his wrist. If anything, he lets you lead him more easily than he ever would admit.
The walk back to your mauri is quiet, the sounds of the village drifting around you. Once inside, you release Tonowawri, only long enough to point toward the woven mat. “Sit.” You say firmly.
He obeys without argument, lowering himself with a controlled breath. You turn away immediately, gathering what you need to heal his wounds. Coral moss to clean blood, a bowl of water, and herbs you’ve prepared countless times.
Tonowari watches you as you prepare, eyes following your every step. But, he doesn’t speak, knowing better than to test you when you’re frustrated with him.
You kneel in front of Tonowari and begin cleaning the wounds, fingers moving steadily with the years of healer training under your belt. You’re gentle where the skin is torn, careful around the gash on his arm, but there’s a firmness beneath your touch, showing your irritation.
When he winces, you pause just long enough for the pain to pass before continuing. “You should not be going so hard during training,” you mutter, dabbing at a scrape along his ribs, using more force than necessary, making Tonowari ears flatten. “You push yourself like you’re still a young hunter trying to prove something.”
Tonowari's tail twitches beneath the mat, bracing himself for the sting of pain as you place disinfectant on his wounds. “I must push myself, I am Olo’eyktan.” he replies simply, reminding you of his title, his role in the clan.
“That doesn't mean you get to ignore your body when in pain,” you snap back softly, placing a leaf smothered in herbs around his arm, then wrapping it with bandages.
He watches you as you work, eyes soft, fondness forming in his expression. He takes in the tight line across your lips, the concentration in your eyes. There’s something endearing about the way your brows knit together when you’re upset on his behalf, how fiercely you care for his wellbeing.
“It does not hurt as much as you think,” he says, still attempting to downplay his injuries, not wanting you to worry about him, but his cover is blown when he lets out a suppressed hiss once the herbs seep into his wound.
You scoff, shooting him a look, conveying the words ‘I don’t believe you’ with a facial expression. You smooth the salve over a bruised muscle, and binding wounds until you’re satisfied they’ll heal properly.
When you’re finished, you sit back on your heels, studying him. “You work too hard,” you say quietly, looking him in the eyes for the first time since you began working on his injuries. “You need rest.”
You search his face, looking past the steady expression on his face. To the rest of the clan, he is the unshakeable Olo’eyktan. But you see what they do not. You see the exhaustion tugging at the corners of his eyes and the way his bioluminescent freckles seem just a fraction dimmer than they should be.
He has been carrying the weight of the village’s safety, the trade disputes, and other issues that have been presented to him for weeks without pause.
You can practically feel the fatigue radiating from him, a stress so thick it’s a wonder he can still stand straight.
He plays the part of the tireless protector perfectly for everyone else, but in the quiet of your home, you see through it. Your heart aches with worry, knowing that being the strong figure everyone looks up to can take a toll on a person.
He meets your eyes, understanding what you're saying but at the same time, he knows he can’t slow down, even for a second. “There are many things that require my attention.” he answers. “I must protect the people. I cannot rest.”
You inhale slowly, the argument sitting heavy on your tongue. You know this part of him, his warrior's pride that views self-care as a luxury he can’t afford.
You know that pushing him further will only make him dig his heels in deeper into the issue, so instead, you simply nod. “Alright,” you say softly, resting your hand against his knee, deciding his answer is enough for now.
Tonowari exhales slowly, tightening his hand briefly over yours, a quiet acknowledgment that you and him have come to an agreement, for now, allowing the tension to slowly fissile out.
There is still some time before communal dinner, and surprisingly, neither of you has anywhere else to be, no duties to attend to, allowing you and him to spend some time together.
You’re the first to move, tugging lightly at his arm, wordlessly encouraging him to lie back on the woven mat with you, wanting him to relax even if it's only for an hour or two.
Tonowari follows you without resistance, lowering himself carefully until his broad frame is stretched out beneath you.
You lower yourself and settle beside him, then roll slightly so you’re half draped over his chest, allowing your head to rest just beneath his collarbone.
His arm comes around you automatically, pulling you close until your bodies fit together easily. One of your legs slips between his, helping him feel at peace.
For a while, you simply lie there. No talking, just basking in the comfortable silence while enjoying being in each other's warm embrace.
You run your fingers absently along his forearm, tracing his old scars, being careful of his bandages, which helps soothe Tonowari. He leans into your touch without thinking, a quiet sound leaving him that shows he needed this.
Tonowari lets himself relax in a way he never does anywhere else. Here, in your mauri, he is not Olo’eyktan. He is just a man lying beside his betrothed.
His breathing shifts first, evening out into a slow rhythm. His arm grows heavier around your waist, instinctively pulling you closer as his chin dips toward the crown of your head. He doesn’t stir. Doesn’t fight sleep. He allows himself to rest.
Soon, when you hear his snores, you realize he’s no longer awake.
Tonowari, the firm, tireless man, who’s always carrying the weight of his people on his shoulders, has fallen asleep, holding you as though this is the only place he knows how to rest.
You stay perfectly still, afraid to accidentally wake him up. When listening to him sleep you can hear the exhaustion in his snores. This is the kind of sleep that comes from someone who has been running on willpower alone.
‘He pushes himself too hard’, you think. Day after day he’s constantly going above and beyond for the people around him. For the clan. Always his children. And most definitely for you.
He cares for you in every way possible. Steadies you when panic creeps in, comforts you when nightmares awaken you, he hunts for you, and loves you fiercely. You couldn’t ask for a better man.
You’re tired of Tonowari not allowing himself time to recuperate, to fully relax so the weight of duty won’t strain him.
So you decide that if he won’t carve out the time for himself, you’ll do it for him. You believe it’s time to give back. Time to tend to him the way he tends to you because you know he'll never ask for it.
While he sleeps, finally getting some well deserved rest, your mind runs with ideas of how to help Tonowari because it’s time for you to cater to him.
—
For several days, you quietly watch over Tonowari. You tend his wounds, replace bindings, make sure he eats and sleeps when he can. You don’t rush him. You don’t push. You let his body mend fully before you ever act on the plan taking shape in your mind, wanting to make sure he’s back to full strength.
And when the cut along his arm seals clean and strong, you decide that now is the time to act, to begin the first phase of your plan to help Tonowari achieve some self-care time.
It’s late afternoon when you go to find him, the sun hanging warm over the reef. This is the hour Tonowari usually returns to his mauri for a brief pause between duties, time he carves out to give his mind a little time to calm before dealing with the next issue.
You find him standing outside his home, speaking quietly with a few warriors that are on patrol, wanting to hear how effective they’ve found the new routes he implemented days ago, with the help of you.
When he turns and sees you, his expression softens instantly, the rigid lines of leadership easing due to your presence. He quickly wraps up his conversation with the warriors in front of him, telling them that this can be picked up again at communal dinner tonight.
When you see them walking away, you cross the distance, coming to his side, greeting him with gentle affection. “How is your day going?” you ask softly, reaching out to hold Tonowari’s hand, which he quickly accepts.
He exhales slowly, tightening his grip on your hand while he looks down at you. “Busy,” he admits, voice low but calm. “But quieter than it has been. The new routes are working. The patrols are steadier.”
A small spark of pride warms your chest that your suggestions are working well, though you don’t say it out loud. Instead, you smile and lace your fingers through his. “I’m glad,” you murmur.
He studies your face for a moment longer than necessary, as if sensing there’s more beneath your calm expression. “You came looking for me,” he says, more in the form of a statement rather than a question.
“I did.” You say before giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “Come with me.”
Tonowari arches a brow slightly, clearly amused, wondering what scheme you’re cooking up in your mind. “You say that like I have a choice.”
“I’m glad you know that you don’t,” you reply teasingly, already turning and tugging him along.
He follows without resistance, curiosity flickering in his eyes as you guide him around the back of his mauri, walking down towards the shore where the bathing pools are located.
When he realizes where you’re taking him, he slows down just a tad. “I do not have time for a bath,” he says, though there’s no real protest in his tone. “I must return soon. There are still—”
“You actually don’t,” you interrupt gently, turning to face him. When Tonowari hears that, he stops completely, wonder what you mean by that. You take a breath, beginning to find the right words to explain things to him. “I spoke with Ralak.”
His ears flick back in surprise, wanting to know more about this conversation you had with Ralak. “You did?”
You nod. “Earlier today. He agreed to take over the remaining duties you have for the evening.” You lift your joined hands slightly, pressing your thumb into his palm. “He said you’ve carried enough for one day. And I agree with him.”
Tonowari exhales slowly through his nose, gaze drifting away for a moment as the weight of responsibility tries to settle back onto his shoulders, feeling the need to still get work done. “He should have consulted with me first.”
“I asked him not to, and you know why.” You say gently, giving him a sharp glare, knowing he’ll understand what you mean. If Ralak had said anything, Tonowari would have been too curious of your plans, and he wouldn’t have even allowed Ralak to take over his duties, which is why you had to leave Tonowari in the dark. You couldn’t allow him to ruin your surprise.
Tonowari lets out a low guff as his shoulders ease, looking back at you with a tilted gaze. “You planned this.”
“Yes.” You begin, softening your voice. “You take care of everyone but yourself, Tonowari.” Your hand comes to rest over his chest, right above his heart, looking him in the eyes. “You’re wearing yourself thin.”
He looks away toward the horizon, jaw tightening as truth settles in, not being able to deny your claims of him overworking himself. “Today,” you continue, raising your arms to rest around his shoulders. “you are not Olo’eyktan. You are just you. And you will rest.”
When his gaze returns to you, it’s unguarded, thankful even. “You are right,” he says quietly, allowing his hand to rest aimlessly on your hip. “I would never deny this to another. Yet I deny it to myself.” He reflects for a moment, realizing he always tell other people to rest but he hasn't been taking his own advice. "You care for me when I do not.”
A soft smile curves your lips, before speaking. “It is my duty,” you say gently, before stepping away from him, putting space between you and leading him away. “As your future wife. To protect you, even from yourself.”
You tug gently on his hand again, not giving him time to retreat back into duty or come up with an excuse on why he can’t relax. Tonowari's grip is steady around your fingers as you guide him closer to the bathing pools.
Here, it’s much quieter. The distant sounds of the village fade beneath the slow trickle of water, allowing you and Tonowari privacy, something you and him haven’t been able to have these past few weeks.
Tonowari exhales as he approaches the pool, shoulders finally dropping a fraction as if his body finally understands what his mind is catching up to. He releases your hand just long enough to step forward, easing out of his warrior garment and setting it aside.
The moment he steps into the warm water, a low breath leaves him, something close to a sigh. He eases into the water, allowing it to reach his waist, then his chest, before finally lowering himself fully, resting his back resting against the stone edge.
The water ripples around him, lapping softly against his skin, and you can practically see the tension loosening its grip on him, making you smile. You move closer, sitting down on the smooth edge of the pool behind him. Your legs slip into the water on both sides of his shoulders, calves brushing lightly against his arms as your feet dangle beneath the surface.
Tonowari tilts his head back when he feels your presence behind him, the corner of his mouth lifting in a slight yet noticeable way. “You are very determined,” he murmurs while his eyes flutter closed, referencing to how you schemed and planned to get him all alone for a day of relaxation.
“I have to, it is the only way you’ll settle down.” you reply softly, resting your hands on his shoulder and pressing your thumbs into the tight muscles. At first, his body instinctively tenses, stress thick in bones, but then he exhales again, deeper this time, and allows himself to lean into your touch.
Your thumbs move in slow, soothing circles, while the water laps gently around you and him. You feel him sink further into the pool, trusting the water, and trusting you. “This is… nice,” he admits after a moment, voice lower, already sounding much calmer than before.
You lean forward just enough that your chest brushes his back, resting your chin lightly near his shoulder. “See? You didn’t fall apart when you stopped working.”
A soft huff of amusement leaves him, enjoying your teasing. “Do not tempt fate.”
You laugh and press a kiss to the side of his head, just below his ear. You reach for the small bowl you brought with you, dipping it into the pool and lifting it slowly. “Lean back,” you murmur, one hand already settling at the nape of his neck.
Tonowari does without hesitation, pushing himself further into your warm presence. Once he’s settled, you pour the warm water slowly over his head, letting it cascade through his braids and down the curly hair along his back.
Your fingers follow immediately after, slipping into his hair as you begin to wash it properly, working cleansing sea algae through the roots, massaging his scalp with slow, deliberate pressure, knowing it’ll help his relax and feel much better.
\While washing his hair and your fingertips maneuver against his scalp, a low groan slips from his chest. The sound catches you off guard. You’ve never heard a sound like that come from him before, not in a setting like this.
Your hands falter for the briefest moment before you force yourself to continue, trying your best to ignore the heat blooming low in your stomach from the sound he made.
You focus on the task at hand, feeling his hair beneath your fingers, and hearing his breath evening out as if your hands have quieted the noise inside his mind.
After a good scrub, you rinse his hair carefully, bowl after bowl of water until the cleanser is washed away. When you’re done, you smooth your hands down his shoulders, giving them a light squeeze before rising to your feet. “I will leave now,” Tonowari opens his eyes when he hears your voice, wanting you to stay but knowing why you’re deciding to give him some time alone.
You and Tonowari promised to wait until after your Iknimaya to have sex, therefore it wouldn’t be the wisest idea to see him not wearing a loincloth at this moment, you must leave before temptation gets too strong.
You step back, giving him some privacy to bathe fully, and to enjoy the water without breaking the boundary you both chose to honor. You gesture to the neatly folded loincloth you set out nearby, much more comfortable than his formal wear. “Those are for you, when you’re ready to come inside.”
Tonowari watches you as you turn away, his gaze lingering as long as he dares. He doesn’t speak, but the look he gives you says many words of its own. As your footsteps fade, he remains in the water, scalp still tingling where your fingers had been, heart full, and his mind beginning to feel at ease.
He loves this idea of a relaxing day, maybe it’ll give you and him to explore some things you haven’t before.
—
After almost twenty minutes, Tonowari steps back inside his mauri, clothes from earlier in hand, ready to rejoin you after his soak. When he comes further inside his home, the atmosphere feels much different than it did earlier.
The woven mat has been moved to the center of the room, laid out neatly, surrounded by the soft glow of bioluminescent lanterns you placed throughout the mauri to give the place a moody feeling. Near the mat sits a shallow bowl of oil, releasing a subtle scent into the air.
It’s familiar to Tonowari: a blend of sea salt and crushed flowers, with something warm beneath it, most likely an aromatic herb of some type. It is an oil mixture he favors. The one he uses when his skin feels tight from the salt and sun, or he just decides he wants to smell good.
His gaze lifts, and when he sees you standing near the mat, his eyes wander your frame. The outfit you’re wearing is different from the one you had on earlier, brand new from your trip to a seamstress days ago, cut and draped in a way he hasn’t seen before.
The color steals the breath from his chest, it is his favorite on you, the one he once told you suited you the best. The ensemble hugs you in all the right places without being improper, soft but very alluring.
From your side of the room, Tonowari looks… unreal. He’s wearing the loincloth you chose for him, the fabric sitting low on his hips, emphasizing his muscular thighs. But, that is not what steals your breath, it’s his hair.
All of it is down. There’s no scalp braids framing his face. No small knot gathered at the back of his head. Just long, thick strands flowing over his shoulders and down his back, still slightly damp from the bath, catching the light with every subtle movement.
You’ve never seen him wearing his hair like this before. With his hair down, he seems so majestic. Heat curls low in your stomach, the same feeling from earlier before you can stop it, your skin warming as you take in the sight of him. You swallow, forcing yourself to breathe, trying to remember that you are meant to help him execute some self-care, not ogling him.
While your mind fills with naughty thoughts, his voice pulls you back into the present. “What is this?” Tonowari asks, the base of his voice filling the room, gesturing to your outfit, the oil, and the sparkle in your eyes.
You lift your gaze to his, letting your expression soften, your voice dropping into something gentler, more alluring. “Another part of your relaxation,” you say calmly, pushing yourself on your feet. “A massage.”
His brow lines arch slightly, wondering how this will go. You step closer to him and gesture to the mat. “Lie down. On your stomach. I’ll do the rest.”
For a moment, he hesitates, not because he doesn’t trust you, but because he doesn't trust himself and how his body might react to such an intimate act. He does not want to allow temptation to take root, but he also doesn't want to decline when he can tell how much effort you put into this.
So, he exhales and obeys. Tonowari lowers himself onto the mat, stretching out fully, muscles still carrying the slightest tension, still lingering after his warm bath but you plan to kneed those knots away.
Once he’s laying down, you kneel beside him and pour a small amount of oil into your hands, warming it between your palms before setting them on his shoulders.
When your hands settle on his shoulders, the shift in him is immediate. Tonowari lets out a slow breath through his nose, chest rising against the mat as your palms glide over him in the most gentle yet firm manner. Your thumbs press into the thick muscle at the base of his neck, working in rhythmic circles.
You feel how tense he still is, how he carries the weight of his clan in one place, like he never truly allows it to fade, even when he’s in the comfort of his own home. “There,” you murmur softly, more to yourself than to him, kneading a little firmer into the base of his neck and lowering into the trapezius muscle. “You hold it all here.”
A low sound rumbles from his chest before he can stop it, not quite a groan, but it’s not a sigh either. Your lips curve in a small smile as you continue, happy that he’s enjoying it. You trail your hands outward along his shoulders, then back in again, coaxing the tension to loosen. You don’t rush, wanting to take your time so he’ll feel cared for.
When Tonowari speaks up, his voice is quieter than it was earlier. You can hear his usual calmness but there is a hint of something underneath, like a new sense of warmth. “This is dangerous, I might get too comfortable.” He murmurs, moving his arms from his side and folding them up by his head as a resting place.
You huff a soft breath, amused by his choice of words and the vibration from beneath your hands whenever he speaks in that deep tone. “Good,” you tease gently, a tiny smirk curling at your lips. “That is the point.”
You shift closer to him, knees tucked beneath you, and you allow your hands to travel down his upper back, following the long lines of chiseled muscle along his skin. He shudders when your thumbs press just right, pulling a low sound spills from Tonowari’s lips. And this time it is unmistakably a moan. It’s soft, unrestrained, drawn straight from his chest before he can swallow it back.
The vibration of it travels beneath your palms, sending another wave of unexpected heat through you. This is the third time this has happened to you today when it comes to him. Your breath stutters for half a second, fingers faltering briefly before your touch steadies again.
Your hands continue their deliberate work along his back, thumbs pressing into every firm muscle it comes across. Every inch of him feels solid beneath your touch, powerful, sculpted by years of swimming, hunting, and physical activity. Under your hands, his tension unwinds in quiet increments, like a tightly wound rope finally loosening after being knotted for too long.
For Tonowari, the sensation of the massage is almost overwhelming. The warmth of the oil, the glide of your hands against his skin, the pressure of your fingers finding every hidden knot. It draws him into a state where his sense of awareness lessens. His mind, so often crowded with his duties, begins to quiet, allowing him to fully surrender to the massage.
Without the weight of leadership, all that remains in his thoughts is you. your weight beside him, your thighs brushing the side of his hip when you lean, the warmth of your skin lingering long after your hands move on. It all makes his guard come crumbling down, allowing his thoughts to sway into areas of the sexual nature.
Another breath leaves him, heavier than before. His shoulders sink further into the mat, muscles slackening beneath your careful kneading. He exhales slowly afterward, but it does nothing to steady the sudden tightness coiling within his abdomen.
His tail gives a restrained twitch behind him, thumping against the floor, a small, involuntary reaction he hopes you do not notice. But, of course you do. And knowing your massage has him reacting this way, sends a flicker of warmth through you, in more places than one.
While maintaining the torturous balance between comfort and stimulation, Tonowari can feel how attuned you are to him, how instinctively you adjust when his body reacts. Easing up when he tenses, deepening when he melts, listening to his body’s needs and answering them with the kind of care a woman has for the man who holds her heart.
He’s enjoying the intimacy, the love, the warmth, but it also feels like the the most exquisite kind of torture he’s experienced. How can he sit here acting calm and unaffected when you are touching him in a manner that makes his body want to respond in the most lewd ways?
His jaw tightens slightly, not from discomfort, but from restraint, trying to keep himself composed. You, meanwhile, remain blissfully unaware of the storm brewing inside him, or at least you pretend to be. Your hands glide upward once more, returning to his shoulders, kneading slowly.
You lean closer again, palms drifting lower along the broad expanse of his back, thumbs pressing into muscle that is no longer rigid. “You see?” you murmur softly, your voice laced with a faint, teasing tone. “This was needed. You were very tight.”
Tonowari can only answer with a hum, too relaxed to form a verbal response. Your words, along with the intoxicating glide of your touch, makes it much harder the Olo’eyktan to control himself, but he continues to exercise restraint as much as possible.
As time stretches on, your hands continue massaging Tonowari’s back. The oil, the warmth, everything draws Tonowari into a state that is no longer simple relaxation. His muscles have long since yielded, and there is a different tension within him, one that is becoming more reactive as you continue the massage.
Eventually, your movements slow, resting your palms at his shoulders. You hesitate only briefly before speaking, your voice threaded with a gentleness that feels far more intimate than the command itself. “Turn over.”
Tonowari shows no resistance, immediately rolling onto his back. The moment he settles, his broad frame stretched fully against the woven mat, the air feels different. You move without speaking, swinging one leg over his hips until you are straddling him. He remains flat beneath you, but this new position alters the chemistry in the room.
The tension becomes undeniable. Especially with your thighs bracketing his hips, your weight hovering over him, and the heat of his body radiating upward into yours. This is now a breeding ground for sexual desire.
Tonowari’s breath stills while he tries to remain composed, while you try to cool the heat burning inside your loins. You pour more oil into your palms, the familiar scent of sea salt and crushed flora drifting into the air as you warm it between your hands.
When your palms meet Tonowari’s chest, his reaction is instant. A sharp inhale leaves him, while his eyes close, not being able to look at you in this position without growing erect.
His muscles tense beneath your touch, not from discomfort, but from the intensity of the sensation. Your hands spread across the sculpted planes of muscle, gliding over the steady rise of his chest, over his pecs and rubbing against his nipples, then inward along the centerline of his sternum.
Beneath you, Tonowari’s chest rises sharply, feeling himself almost lost for air. His eyes close, as if shutting them will help ease the overwhelming sensation flowing through his body.
You feel the reaction ripple through him. The subtle tightening of his muscles, the way his breathing struggles to find rhythm, all the signs that you are cracking his willingness to remain restrained.
Your palms continue their path across his body, fingers tracing the powerful lines you know so well yet never had the chance to fully explore.
Despite the times you and he have cuddled together, this is the first time you and Tonowari have been this close before. Intimacy has never crossed more than a kiss or heated touch. But this position, this tension, is crossing you and Tonowari into new territory, pushing boundaries you and him have been good at maintaining until now.
Things have remained in a gentle balance, but with Iknimaya [rites of passage] coming around and the time you both mate before Eywa not fair behind, tension has been slowly building and this is the day it seems to spill over.
You can practically taste him on your tongue and Tonowari is already imagining what it will feel like to be engulfed in the warmth between your thighs. You and the Olo’eyktan are down bad for each other, and neither of you can deny it.
While you continue massaging him, you notice his refusal to look at you, making you tilt your head in confusion. You don’t understand why he’s closed his eyes, but the discovery is what draws you to speak. “Open your eyes, Tonowari.” You pur, shifting your weight, wanting his attention. “You must watch me.”
Your betrothed’s breath stutters at the slight change of position, a faint tension pulling through his torso. For a moment, he doesn’t move, knowing that he won’t be able to hide his arousal any longer.
Almost reluctantly, his eyes open and his gaze finding yours. His blue eyes are darkened now, pupils wider than you’ve ever seen them, and in this moment, you can tell he is no longer carrying his usual steady composure.
There is an intense heat behind his eyes, making your pulse quicken the instant your eyes lock with his. You can feel your core dripping with slick, making the thumping ache between your legs harder to ignore.
Your hands continue moving, but you don’t break eye contact from him, not even for a second. A silent conversation unfolds through simply staring into the windows of each other’s soul.
Tonowari feels a shift, not only in the air, but in you. The warmth of your palms becomes magnified, each pass of your skin against his chest now laced with an unbearable feeling. The soft focus of your gaze, your erect nipples forcing their way to the forefront and pressing against the fabric of your bra top, the faint parting of your lips as your own breathing deepens.
It does things to Tonowari, dangerous things that he knows will surface sooner or later. A quiet, restrained sound slips from him, sparking a surge within your nether regions. Tonowari’s gaze never leaves yours, though you can see the effort it takes him to do so. Like the faint flare of his nostrils as he fights a silent battle inside him.
And when it comes to you, you feel the heat within you deepen, pool, and spread until you can’t recognize where Tonowari begins and you end. Because watching the mighty Olo’eyktan unravel, laid practically bare beneath your touch and gaze, makes something inside you begin to break.
You try to maintain the steady, controlled rhythm of your hands against his chest, try your best to cling to the careful composure you’ve held onto for so long with him. But, you are not as strong as your soon-to-be husband.
Every second of eye contact makes it worse. Because Tonowari is not just looking at you. He is seeing you. Those ocean-blue eyes, holding yours with an intensity that sends a violent pulse of warmth through your entire body. Your breath grows shallow. Your fingers, once so sure of their movements, begin to lose their certainty.
You become acutely aware of everything at once. The solid heat of his body beneath you. The slow rise and fall of his chest under your palms. His scent, smelling of sea salt, algae, and a hint of some floral remnants, fills your nasal passages.
And the way his pupils widen ever so slightly as he watches you. The way he drinks in the sight of you like you’re the most beautiful creature walking on Pandora, makes your pulse stumble.
You truly try your best to stay anchored in reason, to remember the boundaries you both swore to uphold. But desire is a relentless thing and very hard to resist when temptation is right in front of you, dangling right under your nose.
Unintentionally, your hands begin to slow as your body no longer listens to your mind. It begins to listen to your heart… and the aroused heat between your legs.
When looking at Tonowari's darkened pupils, you realize you aren’t the only one feeling sexually enticed. That he too feels the heat burning between you. It is so clear with the flush along his skin and in the burning intensity of his gaze locked so helplessly onto yours.
And the realization that your fiance is feeling aroused shatters what little control you have left. The ache between your thighs deepens into an unbearable, insistent throbbing that you know will need to be tended to.
Your lips part, chest rises unevenly as your heart rate increases, and your eyes fall to the curve of his lips, wishing they were roaming every fold and crevice of your body, caressing your skin in a way that would fill your eyes with happy tears.
In this moment, every bone in your body screams for closeness, for contact, for him. You allow the heat inside you to override any form of logic, surrendering to the strong primal urges coursing within you.
You lean down, slowly closing the space between your faces, pushing past the invisible barriers inch by inch, while your heart pounds so violently you’re certain Tonowari can feel it.
There is no hesitation, no thought of the damage this could cause, especially when Tonowari’s eyes have been darting between your eyes and lips this whole time, as if he’s been trying to convey the message to kiss him.
There is not only want lingering between you, but there’s desperation, clinging to both of you, making the pull towards him even more undeniable.
Once your faces are only a breath apart, that’s when you close the gap and kiss him. Your lips meet his in a soft, trembling collision, the contact sending a shockwave through your entire body. Kissing Tonowari, feeling the warmth of his lips, makes your brain turn to mush.
Tonowari’s breath vanishes against your mouth, his entire body going taut beneath you for a second. Not from hesitation or reluctance to return the affection, but from the sheer force of your kiss crashing through him all at once.
The restraint he has been clinging to throughout this entire massage has finally snapped, not because he couldn’t control himself, but because you decided to act on the tension.
Tonowari is not the type of man who would never force you to do anything you don’t want to, or make you feel pressured. Which is why he wanted you to make the first move and give the notion you wanted things to go further.
All he wants is for his soon-to-be muntxate [wife] to be comfortable and he’ll always be willing to wait, even if he feels like he’s going to combust during the process.
Intimacy within your relationship is still uncharted territory. You and him are still learning how to be intimate and vulnerable again, individually and as a couple.
Now that Tonowari has been given the cue that you’re comfortable, Tonowari’s primal instincts come alive. He is finally allowing himself to act on the urges he’s felt ever since he laid eyes on you.
In one fluid, powerful motion, his strong arms wrap around your torso and he surges both of you upright, sitting up without breaking the kiss for a second.
The sudden movement pulls a soft, startled sound from you, which is immediately swallowed by Tonowari’s lips as he tightens his arms wrapped around your body, drawing you flush against him.
The kiss deepens and turns ravenous fast. Tonowari’s lips move against yours with a hunger that feels like he’s been wanting to do this for a long time but never expressed it, causing all his years of discipline to dissolve once your mouth pressed to his.
Your arms wind around his neck, fingers instantly finding the damp silk of his hair, exploring his hair in ways you haven’t before. Your nails graze lightly against his scalp as the kiss turns heavier.
A low sound rumbles from Tonowari’s chest when your tongue slips his mouth, both of your tongues slowly moving in an articulated dance of who’ll dominate and who’ll submit.
The vibration of it pours straight into you, and you feel the effect of him everywhere at once, the solid press of his chest against yours, the powerful arms encircling your waist, and the overwhelming heat radiating from his skin.
All of those elements, plus the little trick he does with his tongue that pulls a moan from you, allows him to win the tongue war and you to happily submit to his advances.
While Tonowari is practically devouring you in the kiss, you feel an unmistakable shift beneath you. You can tell it isn't his thigh muscles flexing, that would feel different.
What’s poking beneath you feels firm, hard, and mostly thick. Your brain doesn’t comprehend until you feel it twitching beneath you. It’s his cock, throbbing and fully erect, pressing against your clothed sex.
Your breath stutters into the kiss, the feeling of his cock against you making your arousal even more pronounced, so much that Tonowari can smell it smearing your inner thighs and he can only imagine how glistening your pussy looks with slick covering every inch of it.
This only fuels Tonowari fire, heightening his senses and allowing him to feel everything that’s transpiring. The way your breasts are flush to his chest, the warmth of your thighs bracketing his hips, the vibrations of your moans ringing through his body, and the feeling of your fingers through his hair. Every tiny movement is magnified for Tonowari, allowing him to fall deeper into the web of desire.
What was once a controlled burn of arousal, has ignited into something much more fierce and consuming, pooling in the Olo’eyktan’s body with an intensity that almost feels painful, in more ways than one.
While Tonowari’s body and mind are trying to become one accord, you have a one tracked mind. Your mind is not acting, it’s barely even functioning for that matter. The only things fueling your actions is your heart, your body, and your pussy. You can’t form any logical thoughts when Tonowari’s prominent cock is pressing against you.
To make matters worse, you can almost feel it throbbing through his loincloth, making you want to push limits even further, wondering what reaction it’ll put out of your betrothed.
So that’s when your hips shift. Not so lightly that it won’t make a difference, but not too harsh to where he’ll cry out a moan either. Just enough to see how far he’s willing to go with you. If he’ll back down from the challenge, or will his primal instincts rise to the occasion.
When he feels the sudden movement, a strained groan breaks against your mouth as his fingers tighten reflexively against your thighs. The friction, the closeness, the heat of you moving against him sends a violent jolt through his entire frame, lighting every nerve coursing through his system, and dissolving every tame thought and replacing it with filth.
Tonowari is no longer the calm and composed man you’ve come to love. He is purely a man drowning in the feeling of the woman he loves so dearly, grinding against his erect sign of arousal, kissing him like she’s willing to never come up for air, and in a position he never thought he would have you in, at least not before your mating night.
Your bodies move together without any conscious thought, desperately seeking contact from the other, chasing the pleasurable pressure from the unbearable tension. The kiss grows heated, almost frantic, both of your breaths dissolving into soft, broken sounds swallowed between mouths, while hands scramble for better placement.
Tonowari’s hands slide along your thighs, going north of the border and to your backside. His rough palms grasp at your flesh, giving your plump cheeks a firm squeeze, making you be the one to break your sloppy wet kiss and let out a gasp of surprise.
This is a side of Tonowari you’ve never seen before. He’s always so gentle and soft with you. He always carries a dominating aura but the version of him before you is much different. He is more assertive, not rough but much more firm with his intentions.
You can feel it in the way he led the kiss, how his hands roamed your body before they rested on your rounded flesh. And even though it’s subtle, he thrust his hips to meet the shift in yours, creating a perfect dry humping friction to amplify the pleasure you both feel.
This might be the first time you’ve met the sexually awakened side of Tonowari, but you definitely don't want it to be your last. You know you’ll be able to have so much fun with him once you are mated.
When you break the kiss to let out the softened gasp, it leaves your neck exposed, allowing Tonowari to find a new place on your body to attack. Before you can realize his motives, Tonowari leans forward and presses his mouth to your neck, suckling softly at your skin and leaving trails of kisses behind each purplish mark he creates.
Your hand continues to rest at the base of Tonowari’s neck, while your other hand grips his bicep for support, trying to keep yourself grounded as your body begins to feel fuzzy.
Feeling the Metkayina man practically guide your movements as you ride his prominent bulge, squeezing your flesh as your hips gyrate against him, along with the assault of kisses to your supple skin, it turns you more than anything you’ve felt in a long time.
When you feel the tip of his tongue swirl against your skin, your hand tightens around the Olo’eyktan’s neck, while you throw your head back and soak in his affection. “Yes, Tonowari.” You moan, soft and breathy, pulling his frame closer to yours as if you weren't practically glued together already. Your eyes flutter closed as he continues, especially when his muffled groan vibrates against your throat.
Tonowari can’t help but feel himself going down a slippery path, especially with the way you moan his name so beautifully. Your voice still holds your true identity, the human soul inside you.
However, there is a very faint Omatikaya accent on your tongue, something you pick up after living amongst them for so long. The Olo’eyktan hasn’t heard a woman call his name with such emotion since his late wife.
He has missed this aspect of having a relationship. After all, he is a man with needs, the biological desire to sow his wild oats has never depleted, but his heart and mind overshadowed it.
First it was overshadowed by grief, and then once he was able to make peace with Ronal’s passing, he felt like he needed to be in love before engaging in sexual relations again.
Now that he’s found you and fallen in love, that desire is raging through him ten fold, and he doesn’t know how much longer he can wait to bury himself inside you.
Tonowari’s cock throbbing underneath you, almost matches the pulsating beats within your own aching sex, wishing for its own release. While you’re enjoying Tonowari’s mouth suckling on your neck, creating love marks as a way to claim you as his, you miss the feeling of his lips against yours.
You use your hand resting against his neck and tug lightly on his curls, a different tug than the ones you’ve been giving earlier, making Tonowari straighten and look at you, searching your eyes. At first, he hopes he didn’t take things too far, that he hasn’t made you uncomfortable, but the look on your face is far from that.
Your pupils are similar to him, widened and darkened, clearly feeling the high of sexual attraction in the room. Your lips are swollen from the earlier kiss, and your facial expression is wearing a look that says you want more. When he notices your golden irises flickering at his lips, and the way you lightly bite your lip while drinking in his handsome features, it communicates to him that you wish for him to kiss you, so he does.
Tonowari draws you in for another kiss, and when your clothed puffy folds glide over his shaft, thanks to the firm guidance of his rough hands, he can feel his reddened tip oozing with pre-release, his body preparing itself for what’s to come, or what could rather come.
It’s been a long time since you’ve been with a man like this. Even though you and him are separated by clothing, you can still feel his presence pressing against you, making the friction of your movements that much more pleasing.
If you and Tonowari keep this up, if you continue thrusting your hips against his groin and Tonowari guides you, you’re sure you’ll unravel and reach your pinnacle right before your soon-to-be husband’s eyes.
You and Tonowari are dangerously close to participating in something neither of you will be able to take back. For one lust fueled moment, the thought flashes through both of you: Break the rule the two of you have set. Forget restraint the two of you have implemented since the beginning of your courtship.
You and Tonowari can have each other here and now, peel off each other’s clothing, allow Tonowari to place you on your back and tower over you with his broad physique, and then the rest will be nothing but sweet bliss you both have been dying to feel.
In you and the Olo’eyktan’s defense, you and him have waited many months to officially become one, exercising restraint that many na’vi can’t say they have.
Plus, Iknimaya is coming soon. You and him will be together forever anyway, there’s nothing wrong with a trial run to see what your sexual relationship will be like once mated.
Tonowari can feel the temptation like a physical force, weighing on him like a rock on his chest. It roars through him, every biological instinct within his body urging him to pull you tighter, to rip your clothing away and dive into your slick heat, to give in and lose himself in you.
It would be so easy if Tonowari allowed himself to succumb to his desires and bed you right here, the beautiful atmosphere you’ve created, it would feel so devastatingly right.
It’s clear to him that you wouldn’t mind breaking it, so this should easily be a straightforward answer… but the Olo’eyktan puts his willingness to control his desire above his hunger for you.
With a strained, unsteady breath, using much deliberate effort, Tonowari gently breaks the kiss, stopping himself before temptation completely consumes him and his mind becomes completely clouded.
Your lips part from his reluctantly, a soft sound leaving you as the loss of contact registers in your mind. He rests his forehead against yours, causing your noses to nearly touch, while both of you attempt to catch your breath.
His eyes close briefly as he drags in a slow breath through his nose, trying to steady himself. The effort is visible in the tight line of his jaw, and the slight tremor in his arm muscles as he tries to center his emotions elsewhere.
Your fingers are still tangled in his damp curls at the base of his neck, not wanting to let him go. Since there’s only a narrow space between you and Tonowari, you can feel the heat radiating from his skin, still lingering even after the kiss has passed.
For a moment you think he’s going to pull you back in, place his lips against yours, or any other part of your body that he pleases, but his hands move to your hips instead, rubbing soothing circles against your skin. “We…” His voice is rough and thick before he swallows, still trying to calm himself. “We should stop.”
The words are heavy as they fall from his lips. It's clear that every part of him is against the decision. His demeanor clearly shows that he wants to continue, but his words tell you something completely different.
You understand why he’s pumping the breaks. Things were starting to advance to the point of no return, and one of you needed to be strong enough to end things before it got more intense.
Thankfully, Tonowari had enough strength for the both of you, because if the decision was in your hands, you would’ve been riding him right now until he filled your womb with his seed.
You detangle your hands from his curls and settle them against his chest, feeling the furious beat of his heart beneath your palm. You nod faintly, though your body still hums with heat and aches from the abrupt loss of pleasure. “You’re right,” you whisper, almost wishing he hadn’t said so you could have your way with him, but deep down you’re glad he did.
Your gaze drifts over his face, lingering on the slight swelling of his lips, the light reddened hue along his cheeks, and the way his chest heaves while trying to contain himself. It makes a flutter form in your stomach when you see how hard he’s trying to restrain himself from jumping your bones. It’s so sexy.
“It’s just…” you admit, voice quieter now, voice laced with something that makes his entire body tense again, while your hand that’s placed over his pec, rises to caress his cheek, while your eyes stare directly into his own. “So hard to practice restraint when it comes to you.”
The confession lands like a boulder on Tonowari’s chest. Your words slide through him like warm water, straight to the place where his restraint is already fragile. Then, those eyes. The way your eyes can command a room, command him, makes the ache in his body intensify all over again.
Hearing how hard it is for you to resist his good looks and charm, makes the Olo’eyktan feel like a young man again, a feeling that was lost until you came into his life. “You do not make this easier when you say things like that,” he murmurs, a faint laugh following behind.
He takes your hand from his cheek and raises it to his lips, kissing the palm of your hand, wanting to show his affection without stirring the already thickened tension.
You smile at that, not being able to hide the warmth in your cheeks under his gaze. The gesture is smooth, something that is seen as chaste and chilveristic, and yet it makes you fall even more in love with him… if that’s even possible at this point.
After another lingering moment, you slowly lift yourself off his lap, deciding it is time to separate and not torture yourselves any longer. The movement feels strange after being so close, the absence of his heat immediately noticeable against your body.
You rise to your feet and smooth your hands down your clothing in a slightly flustered attempt to gather yourself. Trying to steady the wild rhythm of your pulse and the lingering heat still curling through your body that’s insistent on staying.
Behind you, Tonowari shifts to his feet. Tonowari exhales as he stands, feeling the pressure of your weight leave his thighs, trying to regain his usual calm composure.
Everything seems fine, but the moment he attempts to stretch the stiffness from his legs, the unmistakable shape beneath his loincloth becomes painfully obvious.
Your gaze drops before you can stop yourself. And your eyes widen at large bulge in front of you. The pronounced tent in his loincloth is impossible to miss, especially with how the fabric is stretched and how his cock is practically trying to break free from its hold.
Seeing him this way makes a heat flare violently back through you, making you want to clutch your invisible pearls. Your breath catches, and your mind instantly wonders about how big his cock is. Feeling it pressing against your sex while straddling gives you an idea, but seeing it like this, is making you think differently.
He’s clearly a well-endowed man, and if his cock looks this big while still restrained from a heated makeout session that went a little south, your mind can’t fathom how large he’ll be when you and him mate and you see him unclothed for the very first time.
Seeing him rock hard makes your cheeks warm even more than when you were straddling him. You simply stare and take in the delicious sight, your lips slowly curling into a smile when you think about how soon you’ll be able to have him in every way possible, any position your heart desires, like taking his full length in your mouth until his seed settles on your tongue, or how he’ll stuff you to the brim until you can’t take it anymore. It’s amazing to think about, honestly.
While enjoying the view, you are completely unaware you’re staring, too busy running future lewd scenarios through your mind.
You feel like you're being discreet, but Tonowari notices immediately. When he follows your downward gaze and sees it land on his aroused lower half, his voice rumbles with amusement. “…Are you finished admiring?”
Your head snaps upward, face instantly flooding with heat when you realize you’ve been caught red handed. “I— I’m sorry,” you stammer, turning away in embarrassment, not wanting Tonowari to see the flushed expression on your face. “I didn’t mean to stare.”
A deep laugh rumbles out of Tonowari’s chest, showing that he is unoffended by your watchful gaze, if anything it is entertaining him. “Do not apologize,” he says, stepping closer to you, lowering his voice to a dangerously teasing manner. “You seem very pleased with your work.”
Your embarrassment only deepens, but you can’t deny his claim that you’re pleased with how you affect him. “You might need to go sit in some cold water,” you tease lightly, pointing vaguely toward his print. “Before that becomes more of a problem.”
Tonowari glances down briefly at himself, seeing how his cock is in fact trying to break free of its woven holster, before looking back at you. “That,” he replies calmly, leaning just close enough for his breath to ghost your ear. “is not something I control when you are involved.”
Your brows lift as the words send a shiver down your spine, the low bass of his voice settling deep within your chest. Despite the warmth still burning across your cheeks, a small, knowing smile curls at your lips, not being able to give up the opportunity to tease Tonowari. “Is that right?” you murmur.
Tonowari studies your face for a moment, his steady ocean-blue eyes searching yours. The teasing edge between you lingers, but it is softer than before, making it easier for the Olo’eyktan to open up in a way he only does with you. “Yes,” he answers quietly, gently placing his hand on your bicep, turning you to face him, wanting you to see what you do to him. “You affect me more than you realize, yawne [beloved].”
When his words settle in your mind, you almost forget how to breathe. Your lips part slightly, a soft laugh escaping you, though it stems from a place of warmth instead of humor. “I am beginning to understand that.” Your hand lifts without thinking, resting lightly against his chest. Beneath your palm, his heartbeat is still strong, though its not nearly as wild as when things were hot and heavy earlier.
The space between your bodies feels charged again, but not in a dangerous or tempting matter. Things between you are still warm, but no longer threatening to sweep the both of you away into breaking any rules.
Tonowari’s hand remains lightly on your arm before he slowly lets it fall away. A slow breath leaves his chest as he deliberately rolls his shoulders, reclaiming his usual calmness, which takes plenty of effort on his end.
Seeing the sexual side of you, feeling your hips grind against him, and the memory of your voice moaning his name, it all still lingers strongly in his mind. But, he does his best to push it deep down… until later tonight when he’ll recall those memories for self pleasuring reasons.
You briefly glance downward before remembering you shouldn’t be staring. Now you’ve allowed Tonowari to catch you looking at his print twice. Your eyes flick back up to his, a shy smile tugging at your lips, which matches the corner of Tonowari’s lips twitching in amusement. He enjoys seeing you all flustered.
You clear your throat softly, breaking the silence, not being able to handle Tonowari’s strong gaze anymore because if he stares at you any longer with those gorgeous eyes you’ll crumble. “Well,” you say, taking your hand from his chest and running your hands through your braids, “it seems like we should give your… rebellious body a moment to recover.”
That earns a quiet huff of laughter from Tonowari, thinking its cute how you break eye contact with him out of being nervous. “A wise suggestion.”
The amusement in his voice eases the last traces of awkwardness lingering from you. The tension that was there is now softer, like a fire that has settled into glowing embers.
You glance toward the woven mats again before looking back at him, a new idea forming, something you can do without creating any more sexual tension. You draw in a slow breath and lift your hand, giving the center of his chest a gentle push. “Sit,” you tell him, nodding your head toward the mat.
Tonowari’s forehead lifts slightly, wondering what you have planned now. “That sounded like an order.”
“That’s because it was an order,” you reply, folding your arms lightly across your chest, looking at him with a raised brow. “You are meant to be relaxing today, remember?”
Tonowari doesn’t answer immediately, he just lets out a chuckle before deciding to just go with the flow and not disrupt whatever plans you have because this is supposed to be his relaxation time, even though what just happened was nothing close to relaxing, if anything it amped him up.
The large warrior settles onto the woven mat with ease, his long legs folding comfortably as he looks up at you. There is curiosity in his expression now, but also trust, which allows him to just follow your direction without question.
When he sits down you don’t move, you simply stand there, studying him. Without the tension that filled the room earlier, somehow he looks different. Still powerful, still every bit of the leader the clan relies on, but the sharp edge of that authority has faded. The calm you were hoping for has settled over him in a way that makes him look peaceful, making you smile.
Tonowari watches you as well, and when you remain silent for a little too long, one of his brow muscles lifts slightly. “Well?” he asks lightly. “What is the next command?”
The playful note in his voice makes your smile widen just a tad. “You are impatient.”
“I am curious,” he corrects.
You shake your head softly, moving closer until you reach your desired place. Tonowari feels your presence immediately when you move behind him. His shoulders relax a fraction more, and the simple closeness of you grounds him.
You reach forward and slip your fingers gently into his thick dark curls. The soft coils gather easily between your palms as you lean down, your breath brushing lightly against him as you bring your lips near the shell of his ear. In a quiet whisper, you murmur, “I am not finished taking care of you yet.”
—
Time slowly passes after the storm of tension between you and Tonowari has settled. The charged air has become gentle, calm, the maru filled with the steady hush of distant waves and the occasional gust of wind.
Tonowari is still seated as you tend to his hair, braiding and styling his hair back into his usual style. You enjoyed seeing his hair down in its luscious glory, his thick curls framing his attractive facial features, but it is not a practical style for a reef Na’vi. Metkayina people must have their hair tightly braided for good vision above and below water.
Currently, the Olo’eyktan is still. He is not scanning the horizon. Not calculating the needs of the clan. He’s just sitting, relaxing, and allowing himself to enjoy this time where all his focus and attention can be solely on you.
Tonowari’s hair slips between your fingers as you gently separate it, smoothing the strands with careful patience, not wanting to cause him any unnecessary pain. The scent of the oils you used on him during the massage earlier lingers faintly in the air, making the atmosphere feel much more soothing.
You begin weaving his curls into their familiar pattern. Each braid to his scalp is tied carefully, ready to eventually be knotted into their usual half up half down style.
During this time, neither of you speak. The slow rhythm of your fingers, the ocean, and Tonowari’s voice as he gently hums one of his favorite social clan songs, makes the quiet between you comfortable, something Tonowari appreciates as a man who has rarely been able to have moments like these lately since he’s been so busy.
When you finish the final braid and place his hair in a bun, you lean slightly to the side to inspect your work. “There, all finished.” you say with quiet satisfaction, thinking Tonowari looks very handsome, but that’s as always.
Tonowari lifts a hand, brushing the pads of his fingers along the newly arranged braids. Just by feeling his hair he can tell its neat and precise, exactly how he likes it. “Well done,” he says sincerely, feeling proud that he’s wearing a style that was done by his woman.
Your lips curl into a pleased smile, glad that he likes it. Before you can respond with words, a low rumble interrupts the moment. It stems from Tonowari’s stomach.
You blink once before a laugh escapes you, causing the Olo’eyktan to exhale through his nose since his stomach has remembered the fact he hasn’t eaten all day. “I am hungry.”
“Good,” you say immediately, glad that he has an growling appetite because its perfect for the next phase in your plan.
He glances up at you with mild suspicion, still in the seated position. “Good?”
You move toward the cooking area of the marui, where woven baskets and shells had been carefully arranged earlier. “Yes,” you say over your shoulder. “Very good.”
Tonowari rises slowly and follows you, curiosity flickering across his features. “Why?”
You kneel beside one of the baskets you brought with you earlier from home and remove the covering. The moment you reach inside and lift out the dark, firm meat of a Skuka [Sagittaria], Tonowari stops mid-step.
His eyes fix on the distinct, iridescent quality of the flesh. Meat from the hardy, the cephapod-like creature that is usually found clinging to the depths of the reefs. “…Where did you find that?”
You glance up at him with a proud smile, holding the cut of meat with pride. This aquatic fauna had been a difficult hunt. The Skuka is a clever survivor, protected by a spiral shell that's hard as stone and capable of defending itself with its water-jet ability. The Skuka put up a fight, trying to escape your predatorial attack, but you came out victorious. “I hunted it.”
Tonowari’s forehead lines pull together immediately, his discomfort becoming evident. “That creature lives beyond the sea wall,” he says, referring to the treacherous drop-offs where the Skuka clings to the jagged rocks.
Some live within the shallow waters of the atoll, making it easily accessible for Metkayina to hunt and gather, but since you wanted to be adventurous, you searched for the ones beyond the safety of the reefs.
You nod casually, beginning to arrange heating stones so you can begin to warm the cooking pot. “Yes, I know.”
His gaze sharpens, looking between you and the cephalopod-like creature, trying to fathom you hunting out past the seawall without his guidance or knowledge. “You went out there alone? To the deep waters?”
You shrug slightly, not thinking too much of it. Yes, the waters were a little rougher than within the reefs, and you had to search within the crevices of the sea floor, but it all was worth it. “Yes. Their meat is a delicacy for a reason, it was needed for the occasion.”
“That is not the point,” he replies, concern creeping into his voice as he steps closer to you. “Those waters are unpredictable, and a Skuka can disorient a hunter if they are not swift. Make them lose their grip in the water.”
“But I returned safely.”
“That does not mean the risk was wise.”
You rise to your feet, resting your hand against his arm, wanting to ease Tonowari’s mind. “I know the ocean well,” you say gently, squeezing his flesh just a tad, just your way reassuring him. “You have been a good teacher.”
His jaw tightens slightly, still not liking the thought of you out in the open ocean without him, not having any sort of protection or an extra pair of vigilant eyes. “You still should have told me.”
You soften your tone, understanding his concern and not wanting to dismiss that, but wanting him to understand your point of view on the matter. “It would have ruined the surprise if I asked you to come.”
His gaze drops to the meat again, thinking back to his own hunting expeditions he made, for you in fact. “You could have used the fish I brought earlier this week,” Since you and him started courting, every week Tonowari has brought you the best pickings of his hunts.
You rarely have the need to hunt since Tonowari provides you with whatever meat you desire, which is why Tonowari doesn’t understand why you felt the need to venture outside the safety of the reef to hunt.
You shake your head, not being able to agree. “That wouldn’t feel right.”
Tonowari’s brow furrows, not understanding how using one of the many perfect cuts of meat he hunted, cleaned, and wrapped specifically for your liking, wouldn’t feel right. “Why not?”
“Because you hunted those,” you explain softly, running your hand across his skin, allowing your palm to graze his darkened teal stripes. “Today was meant to be something for you. Something that did not come from your work.”
The words settle into Tonowari’s mind slowly, taking them in as he begins to realize where you are coming from. He studies your face, the concern still present in his eyes but now it has softened, showing how he understands your thought process. “…You did all of this for me.”
You smile, happy that he now sees things the way you do, that he realizes that everything you’ve done up until this point is for him, to make him happy because that’s all you want. “Yes.”
Hearing you say that, makes him exhale slowly, the tension easing from his shoulders as he looks at the prize you brought from the deep, reminding himself that you returned unscathed and had a successful hunt. “…Next time,” he says quietly, his chin dipping as he holds your gaze with a steady underlook, the last of his sternness melting into a reluctant, fond smile. “tell me first.”
You chuckle softly, seeing the way his protective urges take a back seat, while his lovingness pours out of him. “I will.” You rise on the tip of your toes and give him a kiss on the cheek, reassuring him that he’ll be alerted about all future hunting expeditions outside of the seawall.
Once that little dilemma is put to rest, the evening unfolds easily. You prepare the meal while Tonowari helps, even though you told him not to. Tonowari is not the type of man who can simply sit on his hands for a prolonged time.
Since he won’t take no for an answer, you let him help in small ways like grinding herbs, chopping vegetables, and keeping an eye on the food while you prepare other aspects of the meal.
During the cooking process you and him share stories, tease each other, really just discuss whatever comes to mind. There is never a dull moment between you, the words simply trickle out as time continues.
By the time the meal is finished, the rich scent of roasted meat and herbs fills the space. You arrange the food on polished shell plates before handing one to Tonowari.
He sits beside you and takes the first bite. When the Skuka meat settles on his palate, his brow lines lift immediately. Without waiting another moment, he dives in for another bite, tasting the grilled tree roots. “This is… good.” He says, enjoying the meal.
It has been a long time since he ate Skuka and in his opinion, you cooked it to perfection. “Very, very good,” he corrects, glancing at you with open approval. “You cook better than many in the clan.”
You duck your head slightly, not being able to hide your smile when you hear his compliment. The two of you eat slowly, enjoying the quiet afternoon and the rare peace of simply sharing a meal together.
When the last bite is gone, Tonowari sets his shell plate aside and turns toward you, grabbing your hand, pulling your attention to him. “Thank you for today.” he says simply. “You made me stop. Reminded me that I am allowed to rest.”
Your expression softens, glad that he has enjoyed this time you and him spent together today. “That was the point.”
Tonowari lifts his free hand, and gently cups your cheek, looking you in the eyes. “I am grateful for you.”
Your heart warms at the sincerity in his voice, and a purple hue spreads across your face. “I would do it again,” you say softly, grabbing his hand and squeezing it with reassurance, wanting him to know you’ll always be there for him. “If it means you can relax.”
A small smile touches Tonowari’s lips hearing you say that. After Ronal’s death, he poured himself into his duties, both as clan leader and as a father. He never felt a need to sit back and relax, to take time off for him to recuperate, because he needed to keep himself busy, to keep himself from drowning in his grief.
Ronal used to steady him, keep him grounded. Not just in the obvious ways, even though she had done that too, with a sharp tongue and a firmer hand when needed, but in the quieter moments no one else ever saw.
She would pull him from his long list of duties when she saw him overworking himself, press food into his hands when he forgot to eat, braid his hair when his thoughts were too heavy to do it himself. As both his mate and Tsahìk, she reminded him that he was more than his burdens.
After Ronal passed… that part of his life vanished with her. He filled his days with duty, his nights with silence, convincing himself that his new way of life was enough. It had to be enough… until you.
Now, as he sits beside you, your hand still wrapped gently in his, your presence warm at his side, something that used to be dormant stirs inside him. It isn’t painful or filled with grief, but it feels like he’s been given permission to breathe after years of suffocation.
Tonowari’s thumb brushes slowly over your knuckles, his mind clearly trying to digest all the emotions this conversation has stirred up. “You have reminded me…” he starts quietly, his voice dropping a tad lower, becoming vulnerable for a moment. He pauses, searching for the right words, wanting to speak from his heart. “…that I do not have to carry everything alone.”
Your gaze softens when you hear him say that. You study his face for a moment, taking note of his quiet strength, looking within the man who has given so much of himself to others without ever asking for anything in return.
“You don’t,” you murmur gently, leaning a little more into him. You lift your free hand, resting it over where he holds your other hand, grounding him the same way he has grounded you many times before. “You have me.”
The words are few, simple, but they carry weight. Tonowari’s eyes search yours, something unspoken passing between you, something that feels strong, showing just how much the two are in love with each other.
The Olo’eyktan hand rises, warm and callous as it cups your cheek, his thumb brushing lightly along your skin, making you lean into his touch. This motion is more intentional than before, as if he’s engraving this moment into his brain, never wanting to forget the peace your presence brings him. “…I am glad.”
Tonowari’s gaze lingers on you, letting a few seconds of silence settle between you, before leaning forward, pressing his lips against yours. The kiss he gives you is nothing like the ones that happened earlier. There is no urgency in it. No sexually charged heat simmering between you. It is slow. Soft. Purely innocent.
His lips moved against yours with a tenderness that makes your chest ache in the best way, his hand still cradling your face as if you are a precious item, requiring to be handled with gentle care.
You melt into it instantly, your hand sliding from his wrist to his forearm, grounding yourself in him, trying to keep your soul from floating out of your body from how good he’s kissing you.
After a few moments, Tonowari pulls back, but only by a breath. Giving himself just enough space to truly see you.
To take you in the way he has all evening, like he’s still trying to understand how someone as gentle, as steady, as you will become his mate in a few weeks. And how a love that’s so soft and unwavering has found its way back into a life, something he’s gone so long without.
“…Do not go back to your marui tonight.” Tonowari says. His tone shows this isn’t a command or request, but you can hear how much he wants you to say yes.
Tonowari is not a man who forces decisions, not with you. But it’s clear he wants you by his side tonight. Wants to remain in this rare, peaceful space where duty cannot reach him. And he wants you to be the center of it all.
Tonight wouldn’t be the first time you’ve stayed with him. You’ve shared nights before, but this somehow feels different.
Your lips part slightly, caught by the softness in his tone and vulnerability that sits through the air. A small smile forms on your lips, your head tilting just slightly as you take him in. “I wasn’t planning on leaving,” you admit, gently teasing the Metkayina, but your words are rooted in truth.
When Tonowari hears that, his lips curve, just enough for you to see the relief in his posture, and the satisfaction in his eyes. “Good,” His hand slips from your cheek, only to find your waist, drawing you closer to him until there is no space left between you.
The motion is instinctive, like your place has always been here, against him. And you fit in easily, naturally, like you belong in the arms of a chief.
You settle into his side, your head resting against his chest, hearing the steady rhythm of his heart against your ear.
For the first time in forever, Tonowari is not thinking about his people. There is no endless pull of responsibility demanding his attention. That part of him, the Olo’eyktan, the man who bears everything for everyone, has quieted.
Not because of him deciding to take some leisure time, but because of you.
Because you saw the weight he carried and chose to ease it. Because you simply gave him space to rest. To breathe. To be held, in the same way he’s held you since your arrival to his island.
And as his fingers trace slow patterns along your skin, grounding himself in your presence, he allows himself to just be. He doesn't worry himself with any of duties or titles, other than being your betrothed.
After tonight, you and Tonowari have gathered that whatever comes next, whatever issues occur… you will face them together. Not because it is your duty as the Olo’eyktan’s significant other.
But, because you and him are two hearts that have found their way together, and you are willing to protect and cater to one another whenever it is needed, and that includes giving him an eventful day off.
What if Jake woke up and discovered that his daughter had been captured by the rda?
Based on the Scorched Earth Arc
A Father's Fury
Consciousness returned slowly. At first there was only pain. A deep ache pulsing through his skull that made every thought feel sluggish and distant.
Then came sound. Voices. The steady hum of equipment.
And then memory. The explosion. The trap. The blast wave.
(Y/n). Neytiri.
Jake's eyes snapped open. The sudden movement immediately made the world spin. For a moment everything was nothing more than blurry shapes and colors.
"Ma Jake." A familiar voice. Worried. Afraid.
Neytiri.
The blue blur beside him slowly sharpened until he could make out her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her hand was wrapped tightly around his own.
Too tightly. Like she was afraid that if she let go he wouldn't wake again.
Fear immediately settled in his chest. Neytiri was many things. Strong. Fierce. Unbreakable.
She didn't look like this unless something was terribly wrong.
Jake immediately tried to sit up. The room tilted violently. Pain shot through his head.
Strong hands pushed him back down. "Easy, Jake."
Norm.
Max appeared beside him moments later.
Relief flashed across both their faces.
Jake barely noticed. His mind was already racing. "What happened?"
His voice came out rough. Broken. Like he'd swallowed sand.
Nobody answered immediately.
That alone made his stomach twist.
Then the thought finally hit like a bullet him.
Where is my daughter?
"(Y/n)."
Neytiri froze, her expression crumbled, her eyes immediately dropped away from his.
Fear became terror. "Where's (Y/n)?" he asked again.
He was met with silence,The kind of silence nobody wanted to break.
Jake looked from Neytiri to Max then to Norm.
No one met his eyes. His pulse began hammering.
His voice dropped. Dangerously quiet. "Where's our daughter?"
Neytiri's grip tightened painfully around his hand.
Still nobody answered.
Jake felt panic beginning to claw its way up his throat.
Every second they remained silent made it worse. Every second filled his head with new possibilities.
New horrors. Injured. Missing. Dead.
He tried to sit up again.
Harder this time fighting through pain and dizziness, if no one would tell him where his daughter was, he'd go and get her himself. "If nobody tells me where my kid is right now, I'll get out of this bed and find her myself."
The threat wasn't empty. Everyone in the room knew it.
Neytiri immediately tightened her grip. "Jake..." Her voice broke.
Norm took a breath. Then finally spoke.
"She didn't return with the war party."
The words landed like stones.
Jake stared at him. Waiting for the rest. Waiting for the part where they found her. Waiting for the reassurance.
It never came.
"Tiso'ha returned injured."
Jake's heart stopped.
Not slowed.
Stopped.
His daughter's ikran would never abandon her.
Never.
Not unless something had happened. Something terrible. Something catastrophic.
Every instinct inside him screamed to move. To get up. To find her. To tear apart every inch of Pandora until he brought her home.
"We think..." Norm hesitated.
Jake hated him for hesitating.
"We think she's been captured by the RDA."
The world disappeared.
For several seconds Jake simply stared. Not moving. Not blinking. Not breathing.
Captured.
His daughter.
Captured.
Of all the possibilities.
Of all the nightmares.
That one was somehow worse.
She was his daughter. His second in command.
In enemy hands.
Which meant she could be suffering.
It wasn't a question if she was suffering. He knew the RDA. Knew they would throw everything they could at his daughter until she cracked... or died.
They may keep her alive as a bargaining chip but if they didn't get a response soon... her life wasn't guaranteed.
His little girl.
In the hands of the RDA.
The thought of her trapped somewhere, wondering where he was, nearly shattered him.
Jake's breathing became uneven. His hands shook. A cold sickness settled into every part of him.
He imagined cages. Interrogation rooms. Restraints.
The RDA.
They'd have no hesitation in torturing anyone who had information
And now they had his daughter.
"Oh God..."
The words escaped before he could stop them. His face drained of color.
Neytiri immediately moved closer.
Her own tears flowing freely now.
Jake barely noticed. His mind was already somewhere else. Already searching. Already planning. Already imagining every horrible thing that could be happening to her.
Then anger began to replace the horror.
A father's terror transforming into something far more dangerous.
Every muscle in his body tightened.
Because if the RDA had his daughter...Then he was going to get her back.
No matter what it cost. No matter who he had to kill. No matter how long it took.
He would bring his little girl home.
With a groan Jake swung his legs over the side of the bed. Pain immediately tore through his body. His ribs protested. His shoulders burned. His head spun.
None of it mattered.
He planted his feet on the floor.
Neytiri was moving before he was fully upright. "Gently, ma Jake." She placed both hands on his chest and tried guiding him back toward the bed.
Jake caught her wrists. Then slowly pushed her hands away.
"Neytiri." His voice was calm. The kind of calm that only appeared when he was furious.
Norm stepped forward. "Jake, stop."
Jake ignored him and took another step. The room tilted. He steadied himself against a nearby table.
"Jake," Norm repeated, more firmly this time. "You suffered extensive burns from the blast, you've got fractured ribs, a separated shoulder that we're still trying to keep stable, deep lacerations across your back and legs, and you were unconscious for an entire week."
Jake kept walking.
"You're exhausted, dehydrated and you're still recovering from smoke inhalation. You're in no condition to go after anyone."
That finally made Jake stop. Slowly he turned.
The expression on his face caused Max to go silent. It wasn't anger. Not exactly. It was something colder.
Max had seen that look before.
Not on Jake.
On (Y/n).
The same expression she'd worn while calmly discussing her contingency plan. The same frightening stillness. The same cold certainty.
The apple hadn't fallen far from the tree.
"She's been in RDA hands for a week." Jake's voice was dangerously quiet. "And you've done nothing."
"Jake—"
"She's been in RDA hands for a week."
The room fell silent.
"Jake, she's inside Bridgehead," Max said carefully. "You were unconscious. We couldn't—"
He never finished.
Jake was already moving out the door.
A whole week. Every second felt like a knife twisting deeper into his chest. A week was already too long.
By the time the others caught up he was striding through the command center.
Warriors and resistance fighters immediately moved aside.
The look on his face was enough.
Nobody got in his way.
Norm, Max, and Neytiri followed close behind.
Not because they thought they could stop him.
Because they knew they couldn't.
Jake reached the holotable. Then slammed both hands down on it hard enough to make several people jump.
"Get Ardmore on the line." Nobody moved. "Now."
The command deck erupted into motion.
Jake's breathing was uneven. Pain radiated through his entire body. His ribs felt like they were full of broken glass. His shoulder screamed every time he moved. His burns felt like fire beneath his skin.
He didn't care. Pain was nothing. Pain could wait.
The RDA had his daughter.
He glanced toward Neytiri.
The anger faltered for just a second. Long enough for her to see what was underneath it. Fear. Pure fear.
"They have our daughter."
Neytiri's heart broke. Because beneath the warrior. Beneath Toruk Makto.
He was just a father terrified for his child.
The hologram flickered to life.
Moments later General Ardmore appeared.
"Sully." She smiled coldly. "So you survived the trap."
Jake stared at her. "And you have my daughter."
Ardmore didn't even deny it. "We do."
The room grew colder.
Jake leaned forward. "And I have a button that can turn every scrap of unobtanium and every facility the RDA left behind into a smoking crater."
That got her attention.
"You want money." His voice never rose. "I want my kid."
Ardmore folded her arms. "Gonna need more than that, Sully."
Jake nodded slowly. "Maybe."
Then his eyes hardened. "But you're barely established on Pandora."
The smile vanished from her face.
"If I have to, I'll rally every clan from here to the horizon."
He leaned closer. "You don't have the personnel to defend Bridgehead yet."
"You kill my daughter and I'll make sure every Na'vi on this planet becomes your enemy."
Ardmore remained silent.
Jake continued. "You eliminate my kid and I'll spend the rest of my life hunting down every last RDA operative that sets foot on Pandora."
His voice was ice. "You kill my daughter and I'll stain this entire damn planet with your blood."
Nobody in the command center moved. Nobody breathed.
Because everyone believed him.
Including Ardmore.
The General studied him for several long seconds. Then finally said, "We'll eliminate your kid."
Jake didn't blink. "Then you'll lose everything."
Silence stretched.
Then Ardmore sighed. "You drive a hard bargain, Sully."
Jake's gaze hardened. "My daughter and you'll get what you've been trying to reclaim."
Finally Ardmore nodded. "Done. We'll make the exchange in one hour."
The hologram vanished.
The relief that hit Jake was immediate.
Jake swayed. The adrenaline keeping him upright finally faltering.
Neytiri immediately caught him. One arm wrapped around his waist. Holding him steady.
His entire body trembled. From exhaustion. From pain. From fear. From rage.
But mostly from the rage.
The anger still burned hot inside him. A fire he couldn't extinguish.
Not until his daughter was back.
"Rally the warriors." His voice was rough. "We're getting our kid."
"Jake," Neytiri said softly. "You are still injured."
He closed his eyes. Took a slow breath. Then immediately regretted it when his ribs protested.
"That's our daughter." The words came out sharper than he intended.
Neytiri flinched.
Jake immediately looked away.
Guilt replacing the anger. "I'm sorry." His voice softened. "I shouldn't have snapped."
He rested his forehead briefly against hers. Just for a moment. Then straightened again. "But I'm going to get our daughter."
And nothing on Pandora was going to stop him.
The air was thick with tension. Like the static that filled the sky before an electrical storm finally broke.
Jake stood at the edge of the forest with Neytiri at his side, Omaticaya warriors spread throughout the trees behind them, bows drawn and rifles ready, every eye fixed on the massive gates of Bridgehead.
Then the gates began to open.
Jake's jaw tightened.
Two AMP suits emerged first.
And between them—His heart stopped.
(Y/n). Her hands were bound behind her back.
Dried blood darkened one side of her face, it matted into her hair near her temple. The rest of her body bloomed in bruises, she wasn't okay, he needed to get her help fast.
Jake felt a surge of fury so powerful it nearly overwhelmed him.
Every instinct screamed at him to run. To grab her.To kill anyone standing between them.
But he remained where he was. Because one wrong move.
One.
And they could kill her before he reached her.
So he stood perfectly still. Even as his hands shook. Even as his nails dug into the gun in his hands.
As they drew closer he could see more.
The slight limp. The stiffness in her movements.
The way she kept glancing around. Trying to hide how frightened she was.
Jake swallowed hard. Hold on, pumpkin. Just a little longer.
The AMP suits finally stopped.
One of them shoved her forward. Hard. (Y/n) hit the dirt.
Jake saw her struggle to catch herself. Saw her try to get back up despite her restraints but she couldn't, she was too weak to.
He moved. Crossing the distance in seconds. He dropped beside her and hauled her gently to her feet.
Then immediately pulled her behind him. Shielding her with his own body.
If anything happened now it would hit him first.
Only then did he truly realize how badly injured she was.
She swayed on her feet. The bruises more pronounced, she definitely had broken bones.
The urge to open fire nearly consumed him.
Not now. Not yet. Get (y/n) safe first. Rage later.
His rifle remained pointed directly at the AMP suits as they slowly backed away toward the gate.
Behind him Neytiri immediately reached for their daughter. Her hands moved over her face. Her shoulders. Checking injuries and kissed her temple,
Jake never looked away from the enemy.
"Move out." The command rang out.
Immediately the Omaticaya began withdrawing. Falling back into the trees. Vanishing into the jungle.
Until Bridgehead disappeared behind them.
Only when they were deep within the forest did Jake finally stop.
He turned.
(Y/n) looked up at him, she looked so scared, so small.
"Dad..." The word came out as a whine. A plea.
Jake immediately reached for the restraints. His hands trembled as he worked them loose.
The moment they fell away—(Y/n) threw herself into his arms. And broke down. Fear. Pain. Despair. All of it came crashing out at once.
Jake wrapped both arms around her instantly.
Holding her so tightly she could barely move. His heart shattered. Because she was crying, she was terrified.
"Hey." His voice cracked. "Dad's got you."
He rested his cheek against her hair. "Dad came to get you."
"You hear me?" He pressed a kiss against the top of her head. "I got you."
She nodded against his shoulder. Still crying. Still clinging to him.
Jake wasn't sure who was holding onto who anymore.
Finally he pulled back enough to brush the hair from her face.
A bruised and bloody face stared back at him His jaw tightened. "Come on. Let's get you home."
A voice crackled through the communications system. "Hey Jake." Norm. "Ardmore's wondering about the deal."
Jake simply stared ahead. Then smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile.
"Patch her through."
A moment later Ardmore's voice came across the channel.
"Sully—"
Jake cut her off immediately. "You put your hands on my daughter."
His thumb pressed down on the detonator. Far behind them the horizon lit up. A distant chain of explosions rolled across Pandora.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Jake ended the transmission. Without waiting for a response. Without caring what she had to say.
The war could come later. Revenge could come later.
Right now there was only one thing that mattered.
He bent down and carefully lifted (Y/n) into his arms.
Jake pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then started walking. "Let's get you home, pumpkin."
— pairing: tsireya te tsika'u ronal'ite x fem!metkayina reader
synopsis: for weeks, you've been thinking about the right way to court the princess of the metkayina. what she would like, how the rest of the clan would react to the two of you officially being together, out loud. but you just hope that tsireya doesn't beat you to your confession.
word count: 2.1k
warnings: reader has lesbian parents too because i said so. other than that, none, just fluff and cute competition <3
a/n: thanks to @yukiyuribot for this request! you're so right, we do need more tsireya fanfic, no hate to loreya i love how cute it is but tsireya is for the gays too we love her🫶 inspired by 'use your heart - interlude' by SWV they're so amazing: 'use your heart and not your eyes / baby, just relax your mind / if you've got time, then i've got time (ooh) / free your thoughts (please) / and watch them fly'
Eywa, this was harder than you thought.
For weeks now, you'd been thinking of how to properly court Tsireya. She wasn't like any of the other girls around the village. She was Tsakarem, the daughter of the Olo'eyktan, and someone that nearly all of the village was captivated by. So you couldn't take this lightly. Being in the height of the courting season, many couples had already announced their intentions, and many more Na'vi were preparing to do the same. So you decided to talk a walk along the beach, to clear your head and get away from the noise of everyone.
The wind was strong along the beach, whipping in your hair and making your necklace's beads rattle against one another, even the flowers of your tewng [loincloth] swaying a little next to your waytelem [songcord]. You took your songcord in your hand, running over the woven patterns, shells, and beads, stopping when you got to the small seashell you tied in when you reached your eighth cycle¹. The first time you met Tsireya.
It was still vivid in your mind, you were collecting shells with your sa'nu as the two of you were preparing for a clan gathering, weaving decorations and baskets for gifts. Tsireya was with her mother, the Tsahìk, as the two of them collected herbs and watched some of the other kids nearby. You hadn't noticed her, too focused on your work, until a shadow blocked the sun from over you, forcing your gaze upwards. And there she was, holding a large nerite shell, beaming proudly for helping you. You offered her a smile in return, watching as your mother greeted the Tsahìk and moved to speak with her, leaving you and Tsireya alone together.
"I think this shell is pretty." She spoke softly, whispering as she almost seemed to hide behind the black-and-white patterned shell, now growing shy. You pulled her arm gently, telling her to sit beside you.
"I like it. The pattern is nice." Extending a hand out, Tsireya slowly puts the shell in your waiting grasp, letting you rinse it off in the water before putting it in your basket. The two of you basked in the sun, and for the first time, you felt happy, more than happy, to have made a new friend. Tsireya brought a new feeling to sit in your chest, something that caught off guard, that you couldn't name at the time. Years passed, the two of you grew closer, spending more time together, stealing looks, gazes, fleeting touches. And that unnamed feeling grew and grew, too large to ever ignore. Which brought you to your predicament. You needed to act on this feeling, this affection.
Before someone else did it first.
The question was, how?
Walking back to the village, back to your family's marui [home], you spotted your sa'nok [mother], sharpening her spear and knife, her scars from rough journeys outside the reef and her tattoos, including your family crest and ceremonial marks for her achievements, moving with every pass of her tool along the blade. She was a warrior, one of the best in the village, part of the Olo'eyktan's tsamsiyu [warriors], yet she faced the same predicament you did when she was younger, wanting to court your sa'nu [mama].
"Sa'nok, I need your help." Announcing your presence, you discard your cloak by the weapons mantle, picking up a half-finished top that you were planning on finishing for either you or Tsireya. But who knew if she would even like it as a courting gift.
"Well, oel ngatie kameie, ma 'ite. [I See you, my daughter.]" With a low chuckle, your mother takes in the momentary pause of you expression, before you reciprocate her greeting, so wrapped up in trying to court Tsireya that you forgot how to speak when you walk into a new place.
"Ngaytxoa. [Forgive me.] But I still need your help." Sitting down harshly beside her, you sigh loudly, lying back onto the woven mat, deciding to forego working on your top altogether, a feeling of dread washing over you.
"Go on, sweet girl." Wrapping an arm around your shoulder, bringing you into her side, your sa'nok takes in the feeling of you against her skin, a feeling she's secretly missed since you were a baby. She loved seeing you grow and bloom into a young woman, but parents couldn't help but miss those younger years sometimes.
"I am trying to court Tsireya, but I am not sure what she would like. What did you give Sa'nu as a first courting gift?"
You didn't even have to turn your head to just know how wide your sa'nok was smiling at your question. She loved telling you stories of how her and your sa'nu became closer, eventually falling in a love marked by secret night escapades and fleeting touches, each meeting marked only by the impermanent footsteps they left in the sand together.
"The first thing I gave her, would be that spear sitting on the weapons mantle. Your mama told me, that she loved going out and hunting, just as much as she loved weaving and making everything by hand. And so, I spent months making that masterpiece over there." Said spear, two dark-blue obsidian blades, sharpened to a point, mounted on a white wooden base, intricate carvings reminiscent of some of your sa'nu's first tattoos, alongside the family crest they both wore with pride. The twine with which each blade was tied looked like the coral that was scattered along the reef, the pink and peach hues some of your sa'nu's favorite colors. But you didn't have the time to spend on making something heavily intricate like that. It needed to be thoughtful, but done by tonight.
"In essence, ma 'ite, give her something that she would not expect, but something that is simply Tsireya. She is not a fighter, this you and I know. But, everyone expects jewelry, or sea glass and pearls. You know her best. Whatever you give her will be good."
Sitting up straight, your mind immediately starts thinking back to earlier that morning, when you were reminiscing about the first time you met Tsireya. Shifting your gaze to the top you were working on, its base half-finished and bare, you knew exactly what you needed to do. You stood and began rummaging through baskets of shells your parents kept, searching for a specific one, one that could never be replaced.
After some time, you managed to find the small pouch that you kept the nerite shell in, the very one Tsireya gave to you so long ago. If your gift was to be unique, then she deserved to feel that same kind of feeling that brought a warmth to your life, just like she did. Working quickly, you managed to finish adding the beads, sea glass, pearls, and the final large nerite that sat just above the left side of the bust, each shiny object woven into the top catching the light of sunset. With a final wish of good luck from your parents, you carefully wrap the top in thin silk cloth, tying it with a bow whose color matched Tsireya's eyes.
You made your way to the central part of the village, many of the Metkayina still conversing and intermixing with one another, with the Tsakarem just so happening to be by the ilu pens with a few of her friends. She looked radiant in the oranges and pinks that settled against long shadows, her eyes managing to glow as Eclipse slowly came across Eywa'eveng [Pandora]. When Tsireya spotted you, her smile grew, those two familiar dimples on her cheeks growing with every passing second. Her tail was waving slightly as she stood, running over to wrap you in an embrace, a feeling that you savored every time it happened.
"Ma 'Reya, I missed you. I have not seen you all day."
She laughed softly, pulling you away from her group of friends, all of whom already bid the two of you goodbye, as if they knew something. Traversing the woven walkways between the many marui within the village, you and Tsireya eventually make it to the same shore that you stood at hours ago, past a small bend where the two of you were afforded some semblance of privacy.
"I missed you too, ma 'eylan [my friend]. Though I guess that title would be unfit for you in a moment."
You tilted your head to the side slightly, confusion morphing your features as you watched the young woman in front of you grow nervous. Her gaze shifted downwards, her hands shaking ever so slightly. A tell that most people wouldn't ever notice, but you knew her better than most people anyway. There was a small pouch tied to her hip, and it had a different smell, not like herbs, but...something different.
"Tsireya, what is—?"
"I wanted to bring you here and...and tell you something. It has been an amazing time being your friend, growing closer and closer until not even my duties can keep us apart for long. And I wanted you to know that—"
She inhaled, sharply, trying to catch her breath. You knew she wanted to say something important, but some part of you was scared that...that maybe this would be the end.
"I wish to court you. And I made you this necklace as a courting gift." Reaching into that small pouch, Tsireya retrieves a necklace with pink, blue, and green sea glass beads, each one carved into various flowers, with a large teardrop pearl sat in the center, mounted on an intricate wooden backing, its opalescent hue catching the last light of the day as night settled upon Awa'atlu. Its beauty was...striking, to say the least, and that same feeling, that one that just hadn't left you since you were eight, came rushing back to the surface, heat pooling in your cheeks as you reverently took the necklace from her hands.
"'Reya, I—I, this is beautiful. And you wish to...to court me?"
The incredulity in your tone, coupled with the shock on your face made Tsireya laugh at first, but her face slowly dropped as you kept staring at the necklace, not answering the unspoken question left lingering in the air. She could slowly feel her heart sinking as each second passed, until you inhaled deeply and handed her the necklace once more.
"I want you to put it on me, tìyawn [beloved]."
Her eyes lit up, brighter than even the sun could shine, excitedly taking the necklace from you and fastening its clasp, letting it sit comfortably on your neck. Tsireya couldn't put into words how ethereal you looked, how the necklace brought out the teal of your skin, how it complimented the sea-colored hue of your eyes. When you turned back to face her fully, you took the Tsakarem's hands in your own, hesitant to speak.
"I must say, I never expected you to give me a necklace this beautiful, Tsireya."
"Why is that?"
You bit the inside of your cheek, hoping that your worrying wouldn't ruin the closeness that you two shared at this very moment. But she needed to know your true intentions, the real reason why you came to see her today.
"Because, I came to ask if I could court you too. I wanted to do it first." Retrieving the wrapped top, you hand her the gift slowly, letting Tsireya untie the ribbon and let the silk fall away to reveal the top you made her. The green, blue, and purple beads stood out against the brown thread on which everything was set, and her eyes immediately flew to the large nerite shell sat on the left, the pattern swirling around her. A pass of recognition crossed her face, and you watch her excitement grow as she realized the meaning of the shell in her new top.
"This is the shell I gave you! The same shell from when we met...I—" Tears lined the Tsakarem's eyes as she wrapped her arms around you in another embrace, crying tears of joy into your shoulder. You could feel the happiness rolling off of her in waves, like a dream of hers was coming true right before her eyes. That same warm, sticky feeling settled in your stomach again, but instead of discomfort it brought you joy. It made you beyond happy, ecstatic even, to see your beloved like this. And for the first time, you knew exactly what that feeling was.
"I accept your proposal! I do, I do, I do!" Leaping into your arms, you spun Tsireya around, the two of you relishing in the newfound connection that you would build for the seasons to come, the home that you would build together, the children that would know two parents who loved them just as much as her parents did, just as much as your mothers did.
Now you could name that feeling in your stomach.
It was pure, unadulterated love, for the girl that you had always dreamed of.
𓂃 𓈒𓏸
thank you for reading! let me know what you think! reblogs and comments are highly appreciated!
tonowari has EVERY FUCKING RIGHT to kill jake. he has every right to hate his entire goddamn being. if jake had never come to awa’atlu, ronal would still be alive. i stand by the fact that tonowari should be PISSED. he has every right to shun, if not kill, jake for what he’s caused. and i hate that nothing is going to happen because tonowari isn’t like that, from what we’ve seen so far at least.
literally lost the love of his life, the mother of his children. he missed his daughter’s birth and his wife’s death because of a battle JAKE BROUGHT TO HIS PEOPLE.
Hello dollz!! I have some news I think some of you will enjoy hearing! Last night, I finished reading and editing the next chapter of “Found Someone Better”. It is not chapter eight just yet, but it is the special addition fic I planned for Valentine’s Day.
I know the fic is super late but trust me, the content is worth the wait. I worked hard and loved this plot so I didn’t wanna scrap it just bc Valentine’s Day has passed. This fic will show reader and Tonowari’s relationship in a new light, get some deeper insights into their chemistry, and we’ll get to see them cross barriers they never have before. This will be the most spicy fic I’ve written for the pairing so far, more spicy than their dancing scenes in chapter seven.
Since it was catered around Valentine’s Day and ik I’ve been teasing y’all about things heating up for reader and Tonowari, I decided to give y’all a little taste with this special addition.
I will be posting a little teaser scene, probably tmrw or the next day… don’t quote me. And then the official chapter should be posted sometime between this week and next week.
I can’t wait for you dollz to read bc it’s sooo good🤭!! And the word count is reallll long, 16k to be exact, so yall will have plenty to read and digest before chapter eight😭. I will be working on setting up the posts and final revisions today!
This is based on an au of @dollzstrology story 'Found Someone Better'. In this au ronal is alive and by the end of the fire and ash story she recovers. She gets to hold her baby (pril) and reader's baby (syawn).
@dollzstrology This is a thank you for being the reason I got back into avatar and started drawing again. Keep writing your stories!💖
(This is my first post here so be nice, everyone.)
Description: Your mate does not react kindly when you are taken from him by an old foe. Alternate AU where the Omatikaya took the place of the Mangkwan.
Content Warnings: A LOT, torture, kidnapping, arguing, This couple has commited heinus crimes. Reader and Jake are lowkey giving Harley Quinn and Joker.
Author's note: Hehe, this was so fun to write! Thank you @lejardinfleur for beta reading again! Based from this request!
Junebug's Jake Sully Writing Event Prompt(s): Mangkwan Jake, Grumpy x Sunshine, “Who did this to you?”, and Quaritch holds reader hostage
“He will break each bone in your body and feed your flesh to Toruk. If you believe in Eywa, you may want to start praying,” you smiled widely up at the reborn Colonel as you sat on your knees. It had been 15 years since you had seen Quaritch, but you preferred when the men you killed stayed dead.
“If he can get me, then he’s welcome to,” he said, not facing you as his eyes searched the sky for any hint of movement.
You struggled against the orange handcuffs that bound your wrists behind your back. “I will make a note of your cooperation,” you answered sarcastically.
“I would appreciate it, Mrs. Sully,” he chuckled, not taking your promise seriously.
“Your funeral,” you muttered.
The formerly old man had his goons tie you to a stake in the ground when he captured you. The setting sun beat down mercilessly and you were thankful for the layer of ash and paint on your skin to protect you from being burned, although sometimes you did enjoy the sting.
“How long will it take him to get here?” Quaritch asked, finally tearing his eyes away from the horizon to look at you.
You smiled, resembling a palulukan, your fangs glinting in the dying light. “Can you not feel the stillness? He is here already,” you informed him. The group of recombinant soldiers shifted around nervously, eyes searching the air for any sign of Toruk Makto.
“You’re shittin’ me,” Quaritch called what he thought was your bluff and the words made you giggle.
“I would not dream of it,” you answered calmly.
A screech from the East made all of the Avatar soldiers lift their guns and spin around to face the sound. Simultaneously, an ikran screamed in the opposite direction.
“If you said your prayers boys, your goddess did not hear you.” You beamed at the sign of salvation. The calvary had come. The sound of beating wings filled the air all around you as the Omatikaya descended from the sky.
Shots rang out as the recoms aimed their weapons at your clan when the thump thump thump of large wings were heard. Directly overhead, Toruk fell towards you, ash and smoke billowing out from behind him. You cackled at the sight, giddy elation bubbling up in your chest.
Jake came down from above the group, swooping low and plucking Quaritch up with toruk’s claws. The Colonel’s terrified face deeply satisfied you after he had thoroughly ruined your day. Stealing an innocent girl while she collected herbs in the mountains was just rude.
Quaritch screamed and hollered to be put down and Jake granted his wish. He landed Toruk without letting the Colonel go, causing him to lay prone on the ground as his arms were pinned under the beast.
You took the moment of chaos to get ahead. You swiveled your feet out from under you and kicked the knees of the closest person. The woman buckled and fell to the rock, ash puffing up around her when she made impact. She rolled over immediately, but you kicked her again, this time in the face. Her skull hit the rocks and her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
Out of the corner of your eye, you could see when Jake dismounted, spitting on the ground in front of Quaritch as he passed, but otherwise not stopping as he made his way to you.
Around you, soldiers were getting plucked up by ikran and were disappearing into the now inky black sky. You kept low, not wanting to get caught in the cross fire. You maneuvered your hands under your legs so that the handcuffs now sat at the front of your body.
The few Recombanants that were left grouped together, all shooting at the sky, not noticing the Olo’eyktan of the Omatikaya stalking towards them. Red feathers streamed behind him, attached to his mohawk of braids. Over his eyes sat a leather rider's mask with nantang teeth sticking out of the top. A dozen, small metal hoops surrounded the shell of each of his ears and below them hung an ikran fang. They both swayed as he walked.
Paint and ash covered him from head to toe. A vertical red stripe went down half his face, ending at a point at the tip of his nose. Ash covered the surrounding skin, while a black line ran horizontal over his eyes. Red ran from his jawline down to his shoulders, forming an upside down triangle over his chest. You had painted it on his skin this morning.
He held up his own gun, firing it at the avatars who were picked off quickly. When one ran at him from the side, he unsheathed his knife and plunged it into the man's throat, twisting it so that the man died instantly. He fell like a sack of meat.
“I knew you would come, Ma’Jake,” you smiled lovingly up at your husband as he took out his knife and flicked off the blood.
“Of course I came, baby. Are you okay? Did they touch you?” he asked, crouching down to press the blade of his knife over the handcuffs. The orange material snapped at the pressure.
He checked over your body for injuries, before he helped you stand, immediately pulling you in for an embrace. “I’m good, now that you are here,” you said, laying your head on his chest as you wrapped your arms around his middle.
He pulled away, noticing a discrepancy in your face. “No you’re not, who did this?” he took your chin in his other hand and angled your face to see smudged paint. The revealed skin underneath was purple rather than blue.
You rolled your eyes, forgetting what had happened when they captured you. “Oh yeah, the Colonel was not too happy to see me. I suppose he found out I was the one who killed him last time,” you shrugged.
“He hit you?” Jake seethed, fangs bared.
You nodded, but smiled. “Do not worry, Ma’ Jake. I promised him that you would give him a slow death,” you drawled, batting your eyelashes at your husband.
“Sounds good to me. Whatever you want, baby,” he smiled wickedly, grabbing your hand and tugging you towards Toruk.
“Ma’ Olo’ektan,” Tsu’tey called, dismounting from his ikran as he greeted his friend. “Other than the Colonel, they have all been slain, except for one, a coward that fled into the mountains. Neytiri is hunting him down as we speak.”
“Tsahik, we are glad to see you are safe,” Tsu'tey added.
He bowed his head to you, hair drifting over his shoulder at the action. His paint was perfectly lined, as always. He was known to have a meticulous eye for it. Red was slathered across his chest and down the center of his face. His skin was also covered in self-inflicted scars across his shoulders, one for each of the fallen that died in the fires. A wooden faux claw perched on a necklace, carved from the wood of Hometree.
“Thank you for coming to save me,” you smiled at your husband's advisor and the clan’s most fearsome warrior.
“Very good, Tsu’tey.” Jake nodded, clapping a hand on his back as you passed by, heading towards the hostage.
“Jake,” the Colonel called from under Toruk’s grip. The Great Leonopteryx huffed at the pitiful sound. “We knew each other once. I tried to help you,” he begged and it brought joy to your heart to see him be the one who was scared.
After he destroyed Hometree and set fire to the forest, there was nothing left but ash and smoke. The fires burned for weeks and your people were forced to rebuild a life from nothing.
When Jake set down on the ground as Toruk Makto, a new leader emerged. He set up a camp among the rubble with you by his side. The Omatikaya hit supply lines and cargo shipments. You stole guns and medicine and metal weapons.
The Omatikaya had survived when Eywa had forsaken you and left you to rot. But Quaritch had been the one to order for your home to be blown to ash, the fault laid equally with him.
“You never helped me. You set me up for failure,” Jake hissed. “You never expected me to survive, but here I am, Miles. I am stronger than you, smarter than you. You set me on fire and I emerged from the ashes.”
“Please, Jake, we have guns, weapons. We can make a deal.” Quaritch begged from the dirt.
“I have those. What else do you have to trade me? Blue jeans and lite beer?” Jake snorted. “No, I’ll make my own deal. I’m gonna continue to make raids, taking from the humans a fraction of what they took from us. But one day, we will come at you like a storm that never ends, we will kill every last human on Pandora, starting with you.”
“We were both Marines, you would kill a brother in arms?” Miles scoffed, but it was desperate.
“Yeah, I would. Especially one that hit my woman.” Jake stepped closer to Quaritch, and Toruk stepped away, releasing him from the hold.
Jake yanked the man up by his vest until his feet were on the ground. “I think I’ll send a message to the skypeople. Baby, what do you think about his hide strung up on the outside of Hell’s Gate?” Jake asked over his shoulder, iron fists still hiking the colonel in the air.
“I like it…” you smiled, but thought more, “And maybe something written in his blood, what should it say, Miles?” You asked, walking around to his back and yanking on his tail hard.
He hissed at the pain, but did not speak.
“She asked you a question,” Jake growled.
“It is okay, I will come up with something good,” you smiled, circling around again behind Jake, stopping behind his shoulder. “Deal with him, remember the promise I made,” You whispered in his ear, eyes on Quaritch as he grimaced at hearing his fate.
You traced a hand down Jake’s back and he grinned, shivering slightly at the contact. “Oh, I remember. Go clean up, baby. I got it from here,” he replied, dropping the Colonel on the rocky ground.
You turned and sauntered away to find a ride back to camp. “Be back before dinner,” you ordered over your shoulder.
“Yes ma’am,” he hummed as he took his axe out of his belt.
As he cleaved the axe downward, you heard Quaritch’s scream of pain and the sick crunch of bone, retribution for the suffering you had endured, a repayment of sorts. The Omatikaya people cheered around you, laughing and whooping as the blue colonel died his slow death.
Half-submerged in the shallows as she watched the tiny bubbles rise and pop from a worm’s burrow, her mind drifting somewhere quiet and distant, somewhere untouched by everything else.
It was peaceful.
Until it wasn’t.
The light dimmed slightly, shadows stretching over her where there hadn’t been any before.
Then the voices. “What is she doing?”
Kiri didn’t react at first, her gaze still fixed on the sand.
“I don’t know,” Aonung’s voice followed, amused, careless. “She’s just… looking at the sand.”
A few of the others laughed.
Kiri blinked, her focus snapping back as she pushed herself upright, water dripping from her arms as she turned slightly toward them. “Huh?” she said, a little disoriented. “What’d you say?”
Aonung tilted his head, a grin tugging at his lips. “Are you some kind of freak?”
His friend to the right snorted, repeating it like it was the funniest thing he’d heard all day. “He asked if you were a freak.”
Kiri exhaled slowly, already tired of it, her shoulders dropping slightly as she stood fully. “No,” she said simply, turning away. She didn’t have the energy for this.
“Are you sure?” Aonung called after her, chuckling. “I mean, you’re not even a real Na’vi.”
Kiri stopped. Only for a second. Then kept walking.
“Look at these hands,” Aonung added, stepping closer, reaching out to grab one of her wrists.
She pulled away immediately.
He grabbed it again. Stronger this time. “I mean, look at them—”
“Hey!” Lo’ak’s voice cut as he came in from the side, his steps quick, his posture already tense. “Back off, fish lips.”
Aonung turned, his grin widening slightly. “Oh,” he drawled, “another four-fingered freak.”
Lo’ak didn’t slow. He stepped right up to him, closing the space completely. “Don’t touch her.”
One of Aonung’s friends snickered, stepping in behind him.
“Look at his little baby tail,” he laughed, reaching out and grabbing it.
Lo’ak snapped instantly, shoving him back hard. “Don’t touch me!”
“Baby tail!” another chimed in, laughing louder now.
“Leave us alone!” Kiri snapped, turning back, frustration finally breaking through.
“He’s not normal,” one of them muttered.
“Look at his tail.”
That was when Neteyam stepped in.
One second he wasn’t there, the next his hand was on Aonung’s shoulder, gripping tight as he shoved him back, creating space between him and Lo’ak.
“You heard what he said.”
His voice was calm.
The kind of calm that carried a threat underneath it.
A warning.
“Leave them alone.”
One of Aonung’s friends scoffed. “Ah, big brother’s here—”
Aonung lifted a hand, silencing him without even looking.
Neteyam didn’t move. “Back off,” he said again, quieter this time. “Now.”
Aonung held his gaze for a second longer—then scoffed, lifting his hands in mock surrender. “Alright.”
Neteyam didn’t relax. “Smart choice,” he said, his eyes flicking briefly across the rest of them, sharp and deliberate.
“And from now on…”
He paused just long enough for it to settle.
“I need you to respect my sister.”
One of Aonung’s friends hissed under his breath, but didn’t step forward again.
Aonung raised his hand slightly again, holding him back.
Behind Neteyam, Kiri stuck her tongue out at them.
Lo’ak huffed, still tense, but stepping back.
Neteyam finally turned, his posture easing just enough as he looked at them. “Let’s go.”
They started to move but the air hadn’t quite settled yet.
Because something about it lingered.
Like it wasn’t over.
Just paused.
“Buh-bye,” one of Aonung’s friends called after them, the taunt light but edged just enough to linger.
“Look at them,” Aonung added, louder this time, making sure it carried, “they’re all freaks. The whole family.”
Lo’ak stopped.
The breath he let out was slow, controlled—but his jaw tightened hard enough that it was visible even from behind.
“Lo’ak,” Neteyam warned quietly.
“I got this, bro.”
And he turned. Walked straight back.
Kiri’s stomach dropped.
Neteyam sighed under his breath.
Lo’ak stopped in front of Aonung again, rolling his shoulders once like he was loosening up, his expression shifting into something almost… casual.
“I know this hand is funny,” he said, lifting it slightly, wiggling his pinky like he was putting on some kind of show. “Look— I’m a freak. An alien.”
A few of the boys chuckled.
“But it can do something really cool,” Lo’ak added, voice steady. “Watch.”
He closed his hand slowly. Balling it into a tight fist.
“First I ball it up like this, okay—”
And then—
He swung.
A sharp right hook cracked against Aonung’s face, snapping his head to the side before he could react.
A left followed immediately.
Then a third—
harder—
Sending him stumbling back into the shallows with a splash.
Aonung surged forward with a hiss, tackling him straight into the water.
They went down hard—
Lo’ak shoved him off and landed another hit.
But it didn’t stay one-on-one.
Aonung’s friends rushed in, grabbing Lo’ak’s tail, dragging him back just enough to throw him off balance before one of them lashed out—
a tail cracking across Lo’ak’s face with a sharp snap.
Neteyam exhaled sharply through his nose.
He stepped in.
His hand closed around the arm of one of the boys holding Lo’ak’s tail, yanking him back before driving a punch straight into him, sending him sprawling into the sand.
Another came at him—
Neteyam turned, swinging clean and controlled, knocking him sideways into the shallows.
“Stop this!” Kiri shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos as she stepped forward, hands raised slightly.
“So stupid!”
But no one was listening.
Not anymore.
The fight had taken on its own rhythm— fast, messy, escalating.
And then—
There was a sudden drop in the air, like the warmth had been pulled out from under it, like something chilling had settled over the beach all at once.
Kiri felt it first.
Then Neteyam.
Then Lo’ak.
They all knew what it meant.
From one end of the beach—
(Y/n).
From the other—
Si’riya.
They moved toward the chaos at the same time, their presence cutting through it like a blade.
Aonung’s friends froze first.
Then Aonung himself.
Because this—
this was different.
This wasn’t a fight anymore.
This was something else entirely.
(Y/n) didn’t slow.
Didn’t hesitate.
She stepped straight into it, her hand catching Lo’ak by the shoulder, the other grabbing Neteyam as she shoved both of them back behind her with ease.
“Stay.”
Sharp.
Final.
Across from her, Si’riya moved just as quickly, stepping in front of her brother, placing herself between him and whatever was about to happen.
The space between them compressed. Like the air itself was being pulled inward.
Tails lashed.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Their eyes locked.
Cold.
Unyielding.
“Oh shit—” Lo’ak muttered under his breath.
“(Y/n)—” Neteyam started, already knowing exactly where this could go.
She didn’t even look at him fully—just shot him a sharp glance over her shoulder.
Enough.
Behind her, Lo’ak smirked faintly at Aonung, still riding the edge of adrenaline.
Kiri reached out, gripping his arm tightly, trying to ground him before he pushed things further.
Si’riya’s gaze flicked briefly to her brother
Then back to (Y/n).
The tension coiled tighter.
Thicker.
Like a storm sitting just above breaking point.
Everyone felt it.
Everyone knew it.
The Sully brothers especially.
Because they had seen this before.
One wrong word—
One wrong move—
and this wouldn’t end in bruises.
It would end in blood.
Aonung knew it too, knew his sister hated the eldest of the demon kids and knew that blood would be spilled.
“Four on two…” (Y/n)’s voice cut through the silence, low and sharp, her lip curling slightly. “…doesn’t seem very fair.”
Her gaze flicked over Aonung’s group, dismissive, cold.
Aonung’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist— but she tore it free like it meant nothing.
Around them, his friends shifted.
Backed off.
Because this—
This wasn’t their fight anymore.
“Or what?” (Y/n) stepped closer, her voice dropping, dangerous. “You’ll teach me a lesson?”
Another step.
Slow.
Measured.
“You will teach your brother and his friends to keep their hands off mine…”
Her head tilted slightly.
“…or I will teach them why.”
“I’ll take your other eye if you try,” Si’riya shot back, her stance widening, shoulders squaring.
(Y/n) didn’t even flinch.
“Do it,” she said, almost amused. “I’ll give you a reason to call me demon.”
The air went still.
The kind that pressed into your lungs.
The kind that makes everything feel like it’s holding its breath.
Maybe—
Maybe they’d walk away.
They didn’t.
They moved at the same time.
Fast.
Explosive.
Si’riya lunged first—
But (Y/n) was already stepping in, closing the distance before she could fully extend, her body turning side-on as she drove a sharp blow into Si’riya’s midsection.
Then another.
And another—
Quick, controlled strikes that forced the air from her lungs and sent her stumbling back, her arms jerking reflexively as pain travelled through them.
Si’riya hissed, breath catching.
“Come on, Si’riya!” Aonung called, voice sharp with urgency.
She scowled, resetting her stance before surging forward again, faster this time—stronger.
(Y/n) shifted, arms up despite the strain pulling through her bandaged shoulders, her body angling to absorb the impact—because she knew what was coming.
Si’riya swung—and the force behind it was heavy.
(Y/n) blocked, but it still drove into her, the impact reverberating through her arms, forcing her back half a step as her jaw clenched against the pain.
Behind her—
Lo’ak let out a low, impressed hiss. “Damn—”
Neteyam didn’t speak.
But his eyes tracked every movement.
Kiri just shook her head, tension sitting in her shoulders.
“This is so stupid…” she muttered under her breath.
Si’riya pressed the advantage, stepping in again—
A strike with the back of her hooked arm this time—
(Y/n) twisted just enough to avoid the worst of it, but it still clipped her side— hard.
A grunt slipped from her before she could stop it.
That one hurt.
Si’riya saw it.
And went again.
(Y/n) moved.
Fast.
Slipping inside the next strike, her foot hooking behind Si’riya’s leg as she drove her shoulder forward—using leverage instead of strength, forcing Si’riya off balance.
They staggered.
Sand shifting beneath their feet.
(Y/n) struck again—short, controlled hits to the body, keeping her off rhythm, keeping her reacting instead of thinking.
“She’s got her—” Lo’ak started, grinning—
But it didn’t last.
Si’riya adapted, hated how she was being outmatched, so she needed to use the best tool in her kit.
Her movements sharpened, her strength coming through in the next exchange as she drove forward, her hook arm swinging low—
and this time—
(Y/n) couldn’t fully avoid it.
The edge caught her.
A sharp slice across her side.
(Y/n) sucked in a breath through her teeth as she staggered slightly, one hand instinctively dropping toward the wound.
“Shit—” Neteyam muttered under his breath.
Kiri stepped forward instinctively. “Stop this—”
But they didn’t hear her.
They were too far in it now.
Si’riya came again—
And (Y/n) met her head-on this time.
She stepped in close, ignoring the pull of her wounds, her arms not driving as hard as they should—couldn’t—but her technique didn’t falter.
She baited the strike.
Let Si’riya commit—then shifted.
Her hand shot out, catching the hook arm mid-swing—
Twisting.
Turning.
Using momentum.
There was a sharp crack.
Si’riya hissed as her arm jerked unnaturally, pole of the hooked arm snapping in half, she felt an ache in her shoulder.
But she didn’t go down.
Didn’t stop.
Her other arm came up immediately— and landed.
Hard.
A clean blow across (Y/n)’s jaw that snapped her head to the side, sending her stumbling back a step as the world tilted briefly.
Lo’ak winced. “Okay— yeah that one would hurt—”
Neteyam stepped forward slightly.“(Y/n)—” He wasn’t worried about his sister losing but is well aware of how dangerous his sister could be when truly angered and he could tell, she was running out of patience.
But she was already resetting.
Already coming back in.
Blood ran warm down her side.
Her arms ached.
Her breathing was heavier now—but her stance held.
Firm.
Unyielding.
Across from her, Si’riya stood breathing just as hard, her injured arm held slightly off, but her eyes still locked in.
Neither of them backing down.
Not an inch.
The tension spiked again—higher than before.
Worse.
Because now there was blood.
And everyone felt it.
This was about to go too far.
Kiri stepped forward again, louder this time—“Stop it!”
But it barely cut through.
Not when both of them shifted—ready to go again.
Smirks on their faces.
He had been asking around the village, has anyone seen my daughter? It felt like he was on a massive goose chase as he went down to the beach where someone said he saw his daughter went, as well as his other children.
Jake heard it before he saw it.
The sound—
Unmistakable.
Flesh meeting flesh.
Bone meeting bone.
A fight.
His stomach dropped before his mind could even catch up.
Because he knew.
Of course he knew.
He didn’t need to guess who was right in the middle of it.
“…you’ve gotta be kidding me,” he muttered under his breath as he picked up his pace along the shoreline.
By the time he reached them, the scene had already formed—
Si’riya dragging herself back up to her feet, breath heavy, stance shaken but not broken—
(Y/n) a few paces back, one hand pressed to her side, blood staining through where the hook had caught her, her shoulders tight, her breathing sharper than she wanted it to be.
Their siblings stood off to the side.
Reef kids too.
Watching.
No one stepping in.
Jake’s gaze flicked once—
Lo’ak.
Neteyam.
They wouldn’t meet his eyes.
Kiri looked like she was one second away from snapping.
Tonowari stepped up beside him.
The two men didn’t need words at first.
Just a look.
One that said exactly what they were both thinking.
They turned back just in time to see Si’riya rush again and (Y/n) met her.
Cleaner this time.
Despite the blood.
Despite the strain.
She stepped inside the attack—
one strike to the ribs.
A second to the shoulder.
A third snapping up under the chin—
and a fourth driving into her midsection again, forcing the air from Si’riya’s lungs as she staggered back, folding slightly.
Si’riya answered with one heavy swing and it landed.
A solid blow that knocked (Y/n) off her line for a second, her body twisting with it as she sucked in a sharp breath.
Jake winced. “…yeah, that’s gonna bruise,” he muttered.
Tonowari flinched as Si’riya hit the sand again moments later, the impact dull but heavy.
“This was inevitable,” he said quietly, watching his daughter push herself back up again, stubborn as ever. “Perhaps… it is best to let the storm pass.”
Jake didn’t answer straight away.
His eyes stayed locked on (Y/n).
On the way she shifted her weight slightly off her injured side.
On the way her arms didn’t drive quite as hard as they should.
On the way she kept going anyway.
“…what do we do with those two?” Jake asked finally, his voice low, though there was something in it that pulled tight at his chest.
Because every time she winced— he felt it.
Tonowari didn’t answer immediately because he was also in the same boat.
Another exchange—
(Y/n) slipping a strike, landing two more in quick succession—
Si’riya retaliating with one that forced (Y/n) back a step.
Bone met bone again.
Tonowari hissed under his breath at the sound.
They stood in silence for a few seconds longer.
Watching.
Measuring.
Jake glanced sideways at him. “That bet still on?”
Tonowari’s brow lifted slightly— then he gave a short nod.
Jake exhaled once. “…alright then.”
“Hey!” Jake called out suddenly, voice carrying across the sand.
(Y/n)’s head snapped just slightly—just enough to register him— before Si’riya came in again.
“Hands up!” Jake barked. “Don’t drop your guard—she’s gonna swing left—”
(Y/n) adjusted—just in time.
The hit glanced instead of landing clean.
“Yeah, that’s it—stay inside her reach!”
Tonowari stepped forward a fraction, his own voice cutting in. “Si’riya—use your legs! Do not let her control the distance!”
Si’riya surged forward again—
stronger—
Driving in with her weight.
(Y/n) absorbed it, shifting, turning— landing another two quick strikes to the body.
Jake winced again. “…easy, kid—watch that side—”
Because he saw it.
The slight lag.
The way her movements weren’t as sharp on that side anymore.
Tonowari flinched as Si’riya took another hit, sand spraying as she dropped to one knee before forcing herself back up again.
“Again!” he called. “You are stronger—use it!”
She did.
Driving forward—landing one heavy blow that snapped (Y/n)’s head back slightly—
And Jake physically recoiled at the sight.
“Oh—come on—” he muttered.
Then immediately—“Get back in there! Don’t let her reset!”
(Y/n) did exactly that.
Closing distance again.
Three hits.
Four.
Each one clean.
Each one controlled.
Each one wearing Si’riya down.
Jake winced.
Then cheered.
Then winced again. “…that’s my girl—wait—no—don’t take that—block!”
Tonowari mirrored him almost perfectly—
one second encouraging—
the next bracing at every impact.
The two men stood side by side, caught between instinct and watching their daughters try to beat each other into the ground.
Neteyam, Lo’ak and Kiri stood just off to the side, caught between disbelief and something dangerously close to second-hand embarrassment as they watched their fathers—
their leaders—
stand there…
And coach a full-blown brawl like it was some kind of training exercise.
Lo’ak let out a long sigh, dragging a hand down his face. “Only (Y/n),” he muttered under his breath.
Neteyam didn’t even argue.
Because… yeah.
Only her.
Only their sister could turn something like this into this—
a full audience, their father involved, and somehow still be winning while half-injured.
“Didn’t you place a bet?” Neteyam asked quietly, glancing at him.
Lo’ak straightened a little, immediately defensive.“And it was a solid bet,” he said, gesturing toward the fight. “Look— (Y/n) is winning.”
Kiri shot him a look sharp enough to cut.“You are both ridiculous.”
But her eyes flicked back to the fight anyway.
Because she couldn’t not watch.
No one could.
Out on the sand—
Jake and Tonowari had fully committed.
“Yeah, that’s it—stay on her—don’t give her space!” Jake called, his voice carrying, his focus locked entirely on his daughter.
(Y/n) moved with it— slipping another strike, stepping in, landing a clean hit to Si’riya’s ribs that forced a sharp exhale from her.
“Si’riya—use your reach!” he barked. “Do not let her close in!”
Jake snorted under his breath.“Bit late for that, isn’t it?” he muttered, just loud enough.
Tonowari shot him a look.
Jake didn’t even try to hide the faint grin tugging at his mouth. “Looks like my kid’s got this one,” he added, almost teasing.
Tonowari exhaled slowly through his nose.
He didn’t like admitting it—
not even a little—
but he could see it too.
Still—he straightened slightly, refocusing.
“Again, Si’riya,” he called, his tone firm. “Stand your ground!”
Si’riya surged forward and for a moment, it looked like she might turn it.
A heavy swing—
another—
forcing (Y/n) to shift, to absorb, her injured side clearly slowing her just enough.
Jake winced at that one. “…watch it, kid—”
But (Y/n) adapted.
She slipped the next strike—
Stepped inside—
and then—
Everything changed in a single movement.
Her hand shot out, catching Si’riya’s arm—
the same side as the hook—
Her grip tightening just enough to control it.
Then she turned.
Fast.
Precise.
Using leverage over strength—
Twisting the joint past its natural line.
There was a sharp pop.
And Si’riya cried out.
The sound cut through everything.
Her arm jerked— shoulder dislocating cleanly under the force as she staggered back, pain flashing across her face as her balance broke.
Tonowari flinched hard at that, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.
Jake sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth.
“…okay— yeah— that’s— that’s enough—” he muttered, even as something in him knew his daughter had done exactly what she was trained to do.
Behind them—
Kiri’s expression hardened immediately. “How can evertone just stand here,” she snapped under her breath.
Neteyam stepped forward slightly, tension coiling in his shoulders.
Lo’ak, for once, didn’t have anything smart to say.
“That’s for my side, bitch—”
(Y/n)’s voice came out sharp, breath uneven as her hand pressed hard against the cut along her ribs, fingers slick where the blood had begun to seep through.
Across from her, Si’riya spat a mouthful of blood into the sand, her chest rising and falling hard, one arm hanging wrong at her side while the other tried to steady it, her face already swelling, bruises blooming along her ribs where the blows had landed clean.
“Girls—” Tonowari called out, his voice cutting across the beach.
They didn’t hear him.
Or they ignored him.
Jake exhaled sharply through his nose, eyes locked on (Y/n), already reading the shift in her stance, the tightening of her shoulders, the way her weight favoured one side just enough to matter.
“…watch it, kid—” he muttered under his breath.
Then louder— “Hands up! Don’t get sloppy now—”
Tonowari stepped forward a fraction, jaw set as his gaze snapped to his daughter.
“Si’riya—stand your ground! Use your strength—”
They moved again.
No hesitation.
No pause.
They collided.
Sand kicked up beneath their feet as Si’riya drove forward, forcing the space closed, her good arm swinging—
and this time—
it landed.
Hard.
Straight into (Y/n)’s wounded side.
A dull, heavy impact that made the sound of it carry.
Jake flinched. “…ah—shit—”
(Y/n)’s breath caught—
sharp—
the pain spiking through her like fire—
and for a split second—
her vision blurred.
Then something else hit.
Fury.
Overriding everything.
She stepped in again.
And this time—
She didn’t hold back.
One strike.
Then another.
Then another—
Faster—harder—
driving into Si’riya’s guard, into her ribs, into whatever space she could find as she pushed her back step by step.
Tonowari winced at each one, his body reacting instinctively.
“Guard—Si’riya, guard—!”
But she was already losing ground.
(Y/n) kept coming.
Relentless.
Every hit precise despite the strain pulling through her arms, despite the way her side screamed with every movement—
She didn’t stop.
Didn’t slow.
Until—
Si’riya went down.
Hard.
The impact knocked the breath from her again as she hit the sand, her body finally giving way under the pressure.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Thick.
(Y/n) stood over her, chest rising and falling, blood trailing down her side, shoulders tight with effort.
“You done?” she asked, voice rough.
Si’riya lay there for a second longer before exhaling, nodding faintly.
“…yeah,” she managed, voice strained. “I’m done.”
(Y/n)’s shoulders dropped slightly at that.
The fight drained out of her just as fast as it had come—
and the moment it did—
her knees gave.
She dropped down into the sand, breath uneven now for a different reason entirely.
“You fight well… for a demon,” Si’riya added after a beat, a faint, tired edge to it.
(Y/n) huffed a quiet breath, something almost like a laugh slipping through.
“You’re not too bad yourself, guppy.”
And just like that—
the tension broke.
The air shifted.
The storm passed.
Jake let out a long breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding, running a hand down his face as the adrenaline finally started to ease.
Tonowari did the same beside him, his shoulders dropping slightly as he stepped forward.
They moved at the same time.
Jake reached (Y/n) first, crouching down beside her, one hand coming up to steady her as he took in the damage with a practiced eye.
Tonowari did the same for Si’riya, already assessing her shoulder, his expression concerned
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Then they both turned.
Their sons stood where they had been left.
“Go,” Tonowari said, his voice calm but carrying weight. “All of you. I will see to you later.”
Aonung didn’t argue.
None of them did.
Jake’s gaze settled on his boys next. “Meet me at home,” he ordered simply.
Neteyam nodded.
Lo’ak followed.
Kiri lingered for half a second eyes flicking between her sister and her dad—then turned as well.
The beach slowly emptied.
Leaving just the aftermath.
And the two fathers, picking up their daughters.
“Come on,” Jake said quietly, his voice low now, all the sharp edges gone as he crouched beside her.
He didn’t wait for an answer.
One arm slipped beneath her legs, the other supporting her back, careful—so damn careful—of the way she flinched when he lifted her.
“Easy now kid …” he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to her as he adjusted his hold, keeping her steady against his chest.
Her head tipped slightly toward his shoulder, her breath still uneven, the fight finally draining out of her completely.
Across from them, Tonowari moved just as carefully.
“Easy, Si’riya,” he said, his voice firm but gentler than anyone else would ever hear it, his hands steady as he lifted her, mindful of her shoulder, of the way her body tensed with the movement.
She hissed quietly but didn’t protest, her strength spent, her usual fire dulled by exhaustion and pain.
For a moment they just walked.
Two fathers carrying the aftermath of something that had been inevitable from the start.
Then Jake exhaled softly, glancing down at the top of his daughter’s head. “…you wanna tell me what the hell that was?”
It wasn’t sharp.
Not angry.
Just tired.
(Y/n) shifted slightly in his arms, her voice coming out quieter than usual. “Reef kids messing with my brothers…”
“That’s not what I asked,” he said, not unkindly, but not letting it slide either. “I asked what you were thinking.”
There was a pause.
A long one.
“…I was thinking they shouldn’t do it again and I was going to use the guppy as an example,” she muttered.
Jake huffed under his breath, shaking his head slightly. “Kid…”
On the other side, Tonowari’s voice carried low and steady. “You fought through an injured shoulder,” he said, not accusatory—just stating it. “And pressed further after it was compromised.”
Si’riya shifted slightly, her voice rough. “She wouldn’t stop.”
“And so you escalate?” Tonowari asked calmly.
“…yes,” she admitted, too tired to argue otherwise. “Someone had to put that demon in her place.”
Tonowari exhaled slowly through his nose.
Jake glanced over briefly, then back down at his daughter.
“You didn’t stop either,” he added, quieter now.
(Y/n) didn’t respond. Her head just rested a little heavier against him, her breathing evening out slightly as the adrenaline fully left her system.
Jake adjusted his grip again, more careful this time. “…you’re both a problem,” he muttered, though there was something almost fond buried under it.
Tonowari huffed faintly at that, though he didn’t disagree.
“Where are we going?” (Y/n) asked, her voice quieter now, the edge worn down by exhaustion as she shifted slightly in Jake’s arms.
“To the Tsahik’s mauri,” Jake answered simply.
She gave a small nod against his shoulder.
Across from them, Si’riya stiffened immediately. “No—” she started, squirming in Tonowari’s hold despite how much it clearly hurt. “Please—no, mom will kill me—”
“Loser,” (Y/n) muttered under her breath, not even lifting her head.
Si’riya shot her a glare that didn’t quite land with the same fire as before.
Jake huffed softly. “Oh, don’t think you’re escaping it either,” he said, glancing down at his daughter. “I’m getting your mother as well.”
That got a reaction. (Y/n) shifted again, just enough to test his grip. No chance she was escaping.
Jake tightened his hold immediately, Tonowari doing the same without even looking over.
The two men exchanged a brief glance— tired.
Because they both understood the same thing.
If this lesson was going to stick—
it wouldn’t be them delivering it.
It would be their mothers.
(Y/n) tried again, a little more insistently this time, twisting just enough to try and slip free.
“Hey—” Jake tightened his hold without hesitation. “Cut it out,” he muttered, not unkindly but firm. “You need that wound seen to.”
Tonowari’s voice followed, just as steady. “And that shoulder tended to.”
“I’m fine,” both girls said at the exact same time.
Jake snorted quietly under his breath. “Yeah,” he murmured, unconvinced. “Sure you are.”
He adjusted his hold again, a little gentler now as her weight settled properly against him.
Then, quieter—
so only she could hear—
“Good job, pumpkin.”
A brief pause.
He pressed a small, almost hidden kiss pressed to the top of her head. “For winning.”
(Y/n) huffed softly, something faintly satisfied flickering through her exhaustion.
Across from them, Tonowari glanced down at his daughter, his expression far more softer than it usually was. “Good effort, Si’riya,” he said, his tone calm, though not without weight. “You have much to work on… but you faced down the daughter of Toruk Makto.”
“Bravely.”
“…yet foolishly.”
Si’riya let out a tired breath, her head tipping back slightly because she hated to admit getting absolutely destroyed.
The Tsahik’s mauri was quiet when they arrived.
Jake slowed slightly as he stepped inside, his eyes scanning the space out of habit, while Tonowari glanced toward one of the nearby villagers. “Find Ronal… and Neytiri,” he said.
The man nodded and moved quickly.
That left just them.
The two fathers and their daughters—and the aftermath.
Jake lowered (Y/n) carefully onto the woven floor, one hand still steady at her back as he eased her down.
She hissed the moment her weight shifted.
“Yeah, yeah…I know it hurts, ” he muttered under his breath, adjusting her slightly so she wasn’t putting pressure on the worst of it.
Across from them, Tonowari did the same with Si’riya, just as careful and she hissed in pain too.
“Maybe this will teach you about the consequences of violence,” Tonowari said.
Both girls rolled their eyes.
Jake huffed faintly under his breath, not even bothering to comment.
Tonowari moved to a nearby jug, filling two bowls with fresh water before handing one to Jake along with a cloth.
Jake took it without a word, already crouching beside his daughter. “Alright,” he murmured, dipping the cloth before bringing it to her side.
The moment it touched she hissed sharply.
“Easy,” he said, though his voice softened instinctively as he slowed his movements, more careful now as he began to clean the blood away, revealing the cut beneath.
“…this is your own fault,” he added after a second, quieter—more out of habit than anything else.
But there was no real bite to it.
Not when he was watching her flinch. Not when he could see how deep it went.
(Y/n) exhaled slowly, her jaw tightening. “Worth it,” she muttered.
Jake shook his head faintly. “Yeah, you would say that.”
He worked in silence for a moment, carefully clearing the blood, checking the depth, making sure it hadn’t gone worse than it looked.
His hand steadied slightly as he pressed the cloth more firmly against her side and she sucked in a sharp breath.
“Hold it there,” he said quietly.
“I am holding it—”
“No,” he cut in gently, adjusting her hand so it sat properly over the wound. “Like this.”
She glared at him briefly—then did it.
Across from them, Tonowari knelt beside Si’riya, his movements just as precise as he cleaned the cuts along her arms and face.
She didn’t say much at first. Just sat there, breathing through the pain.
“Do you want me,” he asked, glancing at her shoulder, “or your mother resetting that?”
Si’riya didn’t hesitate. “You.”
Tonowari gave a small nod. “Sit up.”
She shifted, slower this time, her face tightening as she pushed herself upright.
He moved closer, one hand steadying her, the other carefully positioning at her shoulder.
“Look at me,” he said quietly.
She did.
He reset it.
Si’riya cried out, her body tensing hard before the tension broke, her breath hitching as the pain spiked— then settled.
Tonowari’s hand came up immediately, steadying her, his voice softer now. “Easy… it is done.”
She leaned into him slightly, her breathing uneven as the worst of it passed.
His hand rested briefly against the side of her head
Across the room, Jake glanced over—then back to his own daughter.
“You good?” he asked quietly.
(Y/n) exhaled through her nose. “Peachy.”
Jake snorted faintly. “Yeah. You look it.”
But his hand came up anyway, brushing a stray strand of hair back from her face, checking her over again like he hadn’t already done it twice.
He stayed crouched beside her long after the worst of the blood had been wiped away.
The cloth in his hand was stained now, his fingers still faintly red where he hadn’t quite bothered to clean them yet.
His eyes didn’t leave her.
Couldn’t.
Not when the damage was right there in front of him— the cut along her side, deeper than he wanted it to be, angry and raw, the bruising already beginning to darken beneath her skin, the way her shoulders sat just a little tighter than usual because everything hurt more than she was letting on.
He knew that look.
Knew it too well.
The way she tried to make it seem like nothing. The way she shrugged pain off like it didn’t matter. And something in his chest twisted hard at that.
“Hold the pressure,” he murmured again, quieter this time, even though she already was.
His hand hovered for a second then settled lightly over hers, reinforcing it, steadying it without taking over.
He adjusted slightly, easing her back just enough so she wasn’t straining, his other hand coming up to brush her hair back again.
She didn’t comment on it.
Didn’t tease him.
Too tired.
“…you’re alright,” he muttered under his breath, more for himself than for her.
Because he needed it to be true.
Because every time he saw her like this— it felt like something inside him was being pulled apart piece by piece.
His kid.
And no matter how many times she stood back up— he would always see the moments she didn’t.
Across the mauri, Tonowari sat beside Si’riya, one hand resting steady against her back, the other lightly holding her arm in place.
Support.
His gaze moved over her injuries with quiet worry.
The swelling along her face.
The bruising that would deepen by the hour.
The scrapes, the cuts, the shoulder he had just reset and the way she still held it just slightly too carefully, even though it was back where it belonged.
He said nothing for a long moment. Because there wasn’t anything he could say that would make this better.
Because this—this was the cost of letting it go as far as it had.
And he had let it.
He knew he had.
His jaw tightened faintly, but his touch never did.
“You are breathing too shallow,” he said quietly after a moment.
She adjusted, just slightly.
His thumb brushed briefly along her upper arm—a small, almost absent motion—
Because for all his strength, this was the part that always got to him.
Seeing her hurt. Seeing the marks left behind.
Knowing he couldn’t take them for her.
He exhaled slowly, his hand settling more firmly at her back as she leaned just slightly toward him.
“Rest,” he said quietly.
And stayed exactly where he was.
Ronal and Neytiri stopped just at the edge of the mauri.
They didn’t speak at first, they shared a glance.
Quick.
Tense.
Understanding.
They stepped inside together.
And there it was.
Their mates—hovering, fussing, far gentler than either of them would have been in that moment—
and their daughters—injured from what clearly was the result of a fight.
Both women sighed. Deep. Long-suffering.
“What happened?” Ronal asked, already moving, already reaching for what she needed.
“They got into a fight,” Tonowari answered simply.
“It’s not my fault,” both girls said at the exact same time.
That earned them a look.
Neytiri crouched beside (Y/n), her eyes sweeping over her quickly—assessing.
The cut at her side. Bruising. Nothing life-threatening.
Across from her, Ronal’s gaze lingered longer on Si’riya—her daughter looked worse.
Face swelling. Bruising already spreading across her ribs.
Her jaw tightened slightly.
“You fight while already injured?” Neytiri started, her voice low but cutting, her hands moving as she began cleaning and preparing the wound properly. “You leave the mauri without permission, ignore your father, and then escalate a conflict that did not need to become physical—”
(Y/n) winced—not from the wound.
From the tone.
“You were just healed,” Neytiri continued, not pausing, not softening. “And now you are back here again—bleeding, reckless, and proud of it—”
“I’m not proud—”
Neytiri’s eyes narrowed sharply.
(Y/n) shut up immediately.
Across from them, Ronal was no gentler.
“You allowed your temper to control you,” she said to Si’riya, her voice calm but far more dangerous for it as she worked on her daughter’s injuries. “You ignored your training, your discipline, and your responsibilities to your clan—to start fights!”
Si’riya shifted slightly.
Bad move.
“Do not move,” Ronal snapped.
She didn’t.
“You fight like this—without restraint, without thought—and you expect no consequence?” Ronal continued, her tone tightening just slightly. “You could have worsened your arm. You could have been permanently damaged—”
“I was fine—”
Ronal didn’t even look at her. “You are not fine,” she said flatly.
Si’riya winced.
Jake and Tonowari exchanged a glance.
Then, almost in sync, stepped forward.
“Hey—” Jake started, raising a hand slightly. “Maybe go a little easy on them, they’re already hurt—”
Tonowari nodded faintly. “They have endured enough for now.”
Both women turned their heads slowly and shot them unimpressed looks.
“Because of their own stupidity and lack of restraint,” Neytiri said flatly.
“No,” Ronal added, not even glancing away from her work, “they will learn through pain—and through words.”
She handed Neytiri fresh bandages and salve without missing a beat.
“And we will ensure they understand both.”
Jake exhaled quietly.
Yeah. That wasn’t going anywhere.
So they stepped back.
And the lecture continued.
Each sentence layered on the last until both girls were visibly shrinking under it—
not physically—
but in the way they sat, the way they avoided eye contact, the way they winced not just from their injuries, but from every word.
Time stretched.
It felt like it would never end.
Eventually—the girls glanced at each other.
A look passed between them both of them sharing a silent idea.
“They encouraged it,” they both said.
Neytiri stilled.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice dropping.
(Y/n) didn’t hesitate. “Dad was egging me on.”
Si’riya followed immediately. “Father also did not step in. He encouraged it as well.”
Silence filled the mauri.
Then—both women turned.
Slowly.
Their gaze locked onto their mates.
The daughters—forgotten.
Entirely.
“You two,” Neytiri said, rising to her feet.
“Stay here,” Ronal added, already moving.
“We must speak to your fathers,” Neytiri finished, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Jake and Tonowari didn’t even try arguing.
They just followed.
Out.
Into whatever storm they had just redirected.
The mauri fell quiet.
Finally.
Si’riya exhaled slowly, leaning back slightly. “…that was a smart move.”
(Y/n) smirked faintly, eyes half-lidded. “It’s everyone for themselves.”
Si’riya huffed a quiet laugh. “You’re not too bad, demon.”
“Same, guppy.”
A pause.
“Truce?”
“…truce.”
They both shifted slightly, settling into the quiet now that it had finally come.
“You hit faster than a speeding tulkun,” Si’riya added after a moment.
(Y/n) huffed faintly. “And you swing like a charging antsik. Bit slow—but that hook?” she winced slightly. “I’m tired of bleeding.”
Si’riya chuckled softly. “You threw my shoulder out. I’m going to feel that for days.”
“You win.” She admitted.
“I know I win.”
“…don’t push it, I’m trying to be humble.”
“And I’m trying to enjoy the quiet.”
That got a faint smirk from both of them.
Then silence settled again. But this time it was comfortable.
Outside the mauri, the air felt heavier.
Not quiet—charged.
Jake and Tonowari stopped a few steps from the entrance, neither man saying anything, but both knowing exactly what was coming.
They’d seen that look before. Heard that tone. Felt that shift in the air.
Ronal and Neytiri turned on them at the same time. Like akula scenting blood.
Jake winced slightly under the weight of it.
“…what do you mean encouraged?” Neytiri asked, her voice low, controlled in a way that made it far worse.
Jake rubbed the back of his neck, already knowing this wasn’t going to go well. “Oh, you know…” he started, trying for casual, already failing, “they needed to burn off a little steam, so we—uh—turned it into a training moment.”
Silence.
“That,” Ronal said slowly, gesturing sharply toward the mauri behind them, “does not look like training.”
Jake opened his mouth. Closed it again.
Tonowari exhaled quietly through his nose. Wrong answer. Very wrong answer.
“What it looks like,” Neytiri continued, stepping closer, “is two injured daughters escalating violence while their fathers stood by and encouraged it.”
Jake lifted his hands slightly. “Alright—hold on—”
“No,” Neytiri cut him off immediately. “You do not hold on.”
Her voice rose just enough to make him nervous. “You explain to me why our daughter—who was already wounded—is now back under bandages because you thought it was a good idea to let her continue fighting.”
Jake winced. “…when you put it like that—”
“How else should I put it?” she snapped.
Tonowari tried to step in, voice steadier but no less firm. “They needed to resolve the conflict—”
“With fists?” Ronal cut in sharply, turning on him now. “With injuries that will take days to heal?”
Tonowari’s jaw tightened slightly. “It was already beyond words—”
“Because you allowed it to get beyond words,” Ronal shot back.
Jake let out a quiet breath. “…they were going to fight either way,” he said, trying to ground it, trying to make it sound reasonable. “At least this way we could—”
“Control it?” Neytiri finished, incredulous.
Jake hesitated. “…yeah.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That is not control, Jake.” She gestured sharply toward the mauri again. “That is damage.”
Jake exhaled, running a hand down his face. “They held their own,” he muttered, quieter now. “They handled themselves well—”
That made it worse. Significantly worse.
Neytiri stared at him. “You are praising her.”
Jake blinked. “…I’m— acknowledging—”
“You are praising her,” she repeated, firmer this time.
Ronal’s gaze flicked to Tonowari. “And you?”
Tonowari didn’t answer immediately. “…she fought well,” he admitted.
Ronal’s expression didn’t change. But somehow that was worse. “You allowed your daughter,” she said slowly, each word deliberate, “to continue a fight while her body was already compromised.”
Tonowari held her gaze. “She needed to learn—”
“She needed to be stopped,” Ronal cut in.
Jake stepped forward slightly, trying again. “They were defending their siblings—”
“And that excuses recklessness?” Neytiri snapped back immediately.
Jake hesitated. “…no, but—”
“But nothing.”
Her voice dropped again, quieter—more dangerous. “You are responsible to teach them to fight. Discipline. And today—you chose to ignore both.”
That landed.
Harder than anything else.
Jake’s shoulders shifted slightly.
Tonowari’s gaze dropped just a fraction.
But they weren’t done.
“They stood up for their family,” Jake tried again, softer this time, but still pushing it. “They didn’t back down—”
“And they did not need to go that far,” Neytiri shot back.
Ronal nodded once. “Strength is not proven through unnecessary harm.”
Jake exhaled slowly. “…they’re going to face worse than this one day,” he said, quieter now, more honest. “I’d rather they learn how to handle it here—where we can step in—than out there where we can’t.”
That made Ronal pause.
Brief.
Neytiri too.
But not enough. “And yet,” Neytiri said, her tone steady again, “you did not step in.”
Jake had no answer for that.
Because she was right.
Tonowari exhaled quietly. “We misjudged the moment.”
Ronal’s gaze held his. “Yes,” she said simply.
Silence settled again.
Jake rubbed his neck again, glancing briefly toward the mauri. “…they’ll be alright,” he muttered.
Neytiri’s expression softened—just slightly.
But her tone didn’t. “They will be,” she said. “Because we will make sure of it.”
And that—was the end of it.
For now.
The women turned without another word and went back into the mauri.
Jake and Tonowari followed a step behind—
instinct more than decision—
but they didn’t even make it fully inside before being stopped.
“Out.” Ronal didn’t raise her voice.
Neytiri didn’t even look at them—just a small flick of her hand toward the entrance. “You are not needed.”
Jake frowned slightly, stepping in anyway. “Hey—come on, they’re hurt—”
“They do not need to be coddled,” Neytiri cut in sharply, finally turning to face him.
“They do not need to be excused for their actions,” Ronal added, already moving back toward their daughters, her focus returning to the task at hand.
Jake’s jaw tightened. “But they are hurt,” he pushed, glancing toward (Y/n), then to Si’riya. “And you’re coming down hard on them—”
“No,” Neytiri said, firm. Flat. Final. “This is necessary.”
Tonowari stepped forward slightly, his tone calmer but still carrying weight. “They have already learned from the pain—”
“And now they will learn from us,” Ronal replied without looking up.
Her hands worked steadily, precise, controlled. No room for argument.
Jake exhaled slowly, glancing at Tonowari.
This was not going their way. At all.
“…those poor kids,” he muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck.
Tonowari huffed quietly beside him. “We cannot save them now.”
That earned them both a sharp look from Neytiri.
“Then perhaps next time,” she said pointedly, “you will think before allowing it to reach this point.”
Jake opened his mouth— closed it again.
Yeah.
Nothing he said was going to fix this. Not now.
He glanced once more toward his daughter—
caught the briefest flicker of her eyes toward him— then stepped back.
Tonowari did the same.
They retreated. Out of the mauri. Leaving their daughters to face the rest of it.
Jake let out a long breath the moment they were clear. “…we’re dead,” he muttered.
Tonowari gave a quiet, resigned nod. “Entirely.”
Jake lingered just outside the mauri for a moment longer, arms folding loosely across his chest as he exhaled, the tension finally easing now that the storm had passed—at least inside.
Then, like nothing had happened—“So… about that bet,” he said, glancing sideways at Tonowari.
Tonowari let out a long, tired sigh, rubbing a hand over his face before dropping it again.“…come,” he said, resigned. “Let us go and get your prize.”
Jake’s mouth twitched slightly, something lighter settling back into his expression. “Appreciate it.”
They started walking along the edge of the village, the sounds of the ocean filling the space between them for a few moments.
“Your daughter fights well,” Tonowari said after a beat, his tone measured, but honest.
Jake nodded once. “So does yours.”
Then, quieter— “They were really out for blood.”
Tonowari huffed faintly. “Yes.”
“Hopefully…” Jake added, glancing back toward the mauri briefly, “…that got some of it out of their system.”
Tonowari didn’t answer immediately. Just looked ahead. “…we will see.”
Jake let out a quiet breath through his nose, then shook his head slightly, a faint smirk returning. “I see your kid throws you to the viperwolves as well,” he said.
Tonowari gave him a sidelong look. “And I see your daughter has no issue with getting you in trouble.” Jake snorted.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “That was a low blow.”
Tonowari’s expression didn’t change much— but there was the slightest hint of amusement there now.
“They learn quickly.”
Jake huffed a quiet laugh. “Too quickly.”
Neytiri and Ronal paused just inside the mauri.
Their daughters lay where they had been left—finally still, finally quiet, the fight burned out of them, replaced by exhaustion and the dull ache of everything that followed.
Ronal’s gaze lingered a fraction longer than she intended. “I see your mate is also… gentle with your daughter.”
Neytiri’s eyes flicked to her briefly. There was no judgement in the words. Only observation. Understanding.
“Yes,” she said simply. “I see yours also cannot bring himself to encourage discipline.”
Ronal huffed softly—almost a breath of agreement more than amusement. “Yes.”
Another glance passed between them.
Because they both understood the same thing—their mates would soften where they themselves would not.
Would hesitate where they would not allow it.
Would protect first— correct later.
Ronal gave a small nod, and Neytiri returned it just as subtly.
Then the moment passed.
They moved again. Back to their daughters.
Hands steady.
Voices firm.
Finishing what had been started.
The mauri had finally settled.
Ronal finished binding the last of Si’riya’s injuries with precise, practiced movements, tightening the wrap just enough to hold, not enough to harm.
Neytiri did the same beside her, securing the final bandage along (Y/n)’s side, her hands firm but careful, checking it once more before sitting back slightly.
For a moment—neither woman spoke.
They just looked at their daughters.
Taking in the damage. The stubborn set of their expressions. The way neither of them seemed remotely remorseful.
Ronal exhaled slowly. “You will both remain here,” she said at last, her tone leaving no room for argument, “until you have healed.”
“And perhaps in that time…” her gaze sharpened slightly, “you will learn some manners.”
(Y/n) rolled her eyes.
Si’riya did the same.
Perfectly in sync.
Neytiri closed her eyes briefly.
Not out of anger— out of sheer, exhausted restraint. “Do not test me further,” she said quietly, though the weight behind it was unmistakable.
That got a slight shift from (Y/n).
Si’riya huffed softly, sinking back into the mat with a small wince as her body reminded her exactly why this was happening.
The fight was over. The lesson— very much not.
Ronal rose to her feet, brushing her hands clean, her expression composed once more.
Neytiri followed, though her gaze lingered just a second longer on her daughter before she stood.
They had said what needed to be said. Done what needed to be done.
My brain refused to let ronal be dead, so I made a little au. #Ronal Lives AU for FSB. This is mainly for fun and cause I thought the dynamic with ronal included would be a great parallel to what reader went through with jake and neytiri.
Just imagine reader enters the mauri and sees ronal and tonowari sitting/cuddling together and, for a moment reader sees jake and neytiri in their place and stars acting like she did when she was with them. Then tonowari calls out to her "Yawntu, where are you going?" And readers answers automatically with "Just going to make dinner." And then the vision of jake and neytiri shatters when ronal says "We can make dinner together. Why don't you join us." Saying it as a request, not a question. That's when reader truly sees how different ronal and tonowari are. They include her. They love her.
(Side note: Tonowari's tattoos were a pain to draw!! I love him with all my heart, but the amount of details they have was hard.)
Omggg the drawing is so cuteee!! I love it🥹!!! I love how you drew them all hugging and reader is in the middle just looking so cutesy!! And the tears were such a great addition to show her being emotional and just happy that she’s in a loving relationship now. You did sooo good with drawing the details, especially the tattoos!!
Also, a long time ago, I was lowkey thinking of writing an alternative version of FSB where Ronal is alive and reader falls for both Ronal and Tonowari. I actually started writing a little outline and ideas of things I want to happen. I agree that Ronal and Tonowari would be a great parallel from reader’s relationship with Jake and Neytiri.
The base of the story would be the same but reader’s personality would be much different. I envision her being much “colder” and hardened when it comes to falling in love again, especially with another mated pair after what happened in her past relationship.
It would take some work for Tonowari and Ronal to break reader’s walls down before she opens up and accepts their affections. It would be a slow burn and things would get rocky, a little messy, but what’s a good love story without a little drama🤭???
The ideas I have for this AU are pretty good, this ask brought the whole idea back to my memory so thank you bc I totally forgot about it lol😭. I planned to maybe write this AU wayyy down the line, after I complete the OG storyline for FSB. Nothing is set in stone yet.
However, if anyone would actually be interested in this, lmk bc I think writing this AU would be veryyy fun and interesting!!
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