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jsooly · 28 days ago

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alt ver. to death in the family (11)

warning. explicit content, mdni

YEAR 2165

the first interaction you had with tarsem was when you were a teenager—fourteen years old— watching your younger siblings play in the forest clearing near hometree. in an effort to connect you with the other kids, jake made you physically supervise them instead of keeping a watchful eye from your marui’s window. of course, it didn’t really help (as you knew it would), but you appreciated the effort nonetheless.

you sharpened your knife, the grating noise becoming prominent as your senses reduced the children’s chatter to background noise. you were so focused on your task, you didn’t even notice the sudden shade fall over you.

you glanced up. tarsem was standing there, blocking the sunlight. your eyes flipped to the side, confused. “oh, i didn’t see you.”

“i have been standing here for three minutes.” he deadpanned.

“sorry. did you need something…?”

he lowered himself to the ground, resting his elbows on his tucked knees. his posture slumped with a groan. “these little prrnen are no fun to play with.”

you blinked, a soft smile pulling at your lips at his predicament. “why are they no fun?”

“they are soft and delicate.” he pursed his lips. “i cannot even walk by without knocking them off balance.”

you laughed softly. “just play with kids your age, then. i’m sure they’re around somewhere.”

“good idea,” he cut you off, pulling a ball out of nowhere. “let’s go.”

your grip tightened nervously around your knife. “oh, i didn’t mean me—”

“are you my age?”

“uh… a year younger, i think?”

“close enough.” tarsem grabbed your wrist and pulled you up from the ground, your sharpening rock and knife tumbling into the grass. “come, i’ve been dying to play. the other children are preoccupied with their training.” his grip remained firm as he pulled you away from the gaggle of children.

“shouldn’t—agh,” you grunted as you jumped over roots he easily avoided. “shouldn’t you be training, too?”

“i am already trained.” he said, matter-of-factly. “as much as i can be for now, at least. when you’re the best, you get free time.” he glanced over his shoulder, golden eyes catching the sun. “which i think is the case for you as well, hm?”

you were unable to answer—between the distance from both clan adults and children, tarsem was an outlier. you hadn’t held a conversation this long with anyone other than your family and it showed. think think think…

“wait— wait, wait, wait, i’m supposed to be watching the other kids!” you exclaimed as your siblings’ giggles faded.

“tsk, let them be. what’s the worse they could do? fall?”

“yes?!” you sputtered, incredulous at his lack of concern.

“from what height—ten inches? they’ll be fine.” he dismissed your concerns with a laugh.

when he got to an open space, he released you. he squished the ball between his hands, a determined look on his face. “if i beat you, can i boast that i’ve beaten a sully? that will do wonders for my reputation.”

a smug grin spread on your lips. you squared your stance, tilting your head to the side. “if, and that’s a big if, sure.”

tarsem’s eyes lit up—you could see the excitement on his face. he threw the ball up idly as he explained the rules of the game: the ball is placed between the starting line and the river bank. after a countdown, you both race to the ball—first one to cross the river with it wins.

in other words, keep away.

you marked a starting line in the dirt. tarsem made a show of stretching, bending and twisting his lanky limbs in preparation. you rolled your eyes at the smirk he threw your way, lunging at the line.

tarsem glanced at you as he started the countdown. “pxey… mune… 'aw… tsyul!” (three, two, one, start!)

before he could make a step, you dropped into a squat and kicked his feet from underneath him—he fell face-first into the mud with a yelp. your laughter echoed off the trees as you sped past him, swiping the ball from its place and beelining for the river.

tarsem got to his feet as quick as you expected, sprinting after you. he no less than slammed into your back, sending you flying forward. you gasped in surprise but used the fall’s velocity to roll to your feet, scrambling to take off again—

tarsem’s hand contracted around your ankle, pulling you flat on your face and back to him through the dirt.

“vonvä'—!” (asshole!) you groaned, hissing in pain. your ribs ached from the slamdown but you’ve never felt more alive. you swiped at the mud in your mouth, gagging.

tarsem crawled over your body, plucking the ball from your hands with a pompous click of his tongue. he was absolutely loving this. “such bad language, ngatsyìp.” he said before springing to his feet and taking off.

you seized his tail before he got too far. you were yanked forward but dug your heels into the ground, jerking him back. he resisted your strength well enough, but you were able to scale his body, legs coiling around his shoulders and locking at the throat. you twisted your body mid-air, the momentum coupled with your weight flipping him clean off his feet. he slammed back onto the ground with a guttural thud, pinned beneath your thighs, the breath knocked out of him.

“give me the ball.” you hummed, finding it hard to wrench it out of his iron grip. “i’ve got you down, tarsem, give me the ball—”

he gasped and nudged his chin over your legs. “you fight dirty, sully,” he laughed breathlessly.

“i just fight different,” you replied, focused on prying his fingers off the ball. “i have to compensate.”

“we should play around more,” he threw his head back against your ankles, finding it hard to maintain his grip. “i should get used to this fighting style.”

before you could reply he rolled both of you over, tumbling down the incline and into the water.

you released him and swam to the surface, gasping for air. his laughter pulled you out of your disorientation. you found yourself smiling despite not currently winning. when you turned, he was already wading towards the other side.

you kicked off the riverbed and surged forward, launching yourself onto his back. he exclaimed in surprise, arms flailing for balance. you clung to him like a leech, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and dragging him under with your full weight.

bubbles exploded around you both as he thrashed. the ball slipped from his grasp and you snatched it mid-sink. you planted both feet on his chest and shoved off, breaking the surface with a triumphant gasp.

“aha!” you crowed, spinning mid-float to face him.

he emerged far behind you, coughing up water and swiping his soaked braids out of his face. he started after you—with a scream of delight, you ran as fast as you could against the current towards the other side.

he snagged you back with an arm coiled around your stomach, pulling your back to his chest. you couldn’t see him behind you, but you twisted and tried to push him back with your feet, dangling the ball with your outstretched arm.

the water splashed around you, the roar of the river second only to both of your giggles.

“now i’ve got you. should i take the ball from you now or allow you to think you still have a chance?” tarsem snickered beside your ear.

you hummed in acknowledgement, “the second one.”

he shrugged, walking the both of you away from the end zone. “suit yourself, but—agh, fyape!”

you drove your elbow into his abdomen, making him keel over. neytiri has always taught you to make the most of your opponent’s confusion, even if it was a mere millisecond. you slipped out of his grip and bounded through the water to the other side, weaving his attempts to grab you again.

you felt the dirt under your palms when you pulled yourself to the other side, ball in tow, dropping in exhaustion. “i win…” you mumbled tiredly.

tarsem’s braids clicked as he shook his head, adjusting his loincloth. water poured off of him in sheets as he collapsed beside you. “you win.” he conceded.

your eyes met and you shared a smile.

“next time, i will be prepared.” he turned to his side, propping his head up with his hand.

you beamed, chuckling. you were about to counter until—

“what is going on?!”

you scrambled to your feet, clutching the ball nervously. “dad!” you squeaked. “i— um…” you glanced at tarsem, who was standing straight as a plank beside you.

jake stood across the river, hands on his hips. baby tuk clung to his feet, babbling as she caught sight of you. his eyes narrowed as they darted between you and tarsem. “i left you in charge for ten minutes, and you shirk your duty?”

you coughed, adjusting your grip on the ball and wading back home. every step you took towards your father brought you closer to the embarrassment blooming in your chest. “the kids were fine,” you muttered.

“how would you know?” he snapped, crossing thick arms across his chest. “you were across a whole river.”

“i know, i’m sorry…” your eyes were trained to the ground when you stood before him. the water pooling at your feet didn’t make the moment any less awkward. “i’ll be more responsible next time.”

“hm.” was all jake said in conclusion, his gaze narrowing at tarsem one last time before collecting the rest of the kids.

“i’d better go.” you smiled sheepishly. tarsem returned your look and you were grateful for the lack of judgement. “here,” you held the ball to him.

he shook his head, pushing it back to you. “keep it. i’ll come find you when i need it.”

every time you two found time to tussle, as rare as it was, he always said the same thing. gives me reason to see you.

PRESENT DAY

get her back or die trying. that was tarsem's mission.

was it wise for a clan leader to throw himself into the enemy for one person? no. however, tarsem and his big ego was convinced there was absolutely no shot he would fail. there wasn't a single doubt in his mind that he wouldn't be walking out with you in arms.

a whole day passed by before he had the opportunity to come after you. the delay was out of his control; after the attack on the supply train, he had to count his losses, attend to the injured, and organize the supplies they recovered.

nighttime on pandora was one of tarsem's joys in life, but he didn't have the bandwidth to appreciate the work of eywa or bathe in starlight.

he descended upon the RDA's base like a jaguar, prowling through the tall grass and trees in search of an opening.

once he found it, there was no going back.

in your forlorn stupor, you didn't clue into the shrieking alarms until your doctors panicked. you focused into the present moment, squinting when the entire lab department flashed with red lights.

your eyebrows pinched together—what now?

"get the asset out of here."

your eyes fell on general ardmore. she mobilized her gear and put on her comms. her order was firm, barely sparing you a glance as she made her way to the exit.

"the na'vi is approaching from the south entrance, so go through the north tunnels." she instructed.

"w—what?" the researcher at your side spluttered in disbelief, looking side to side as if the general was speaking in tongues. "we can't just move her. we need security to—"

"would you rather security try to fend off a mature na'vi male or help you drag a little girl to a ship?" ardmore shot back, disgusted by her own team's cowardice. "get out of here."

you rolled your eyes at the stray jab but your offense was quickly overcome by sweet, sweet relief as the cuffs were unlocked. you crumpled forward. oh, great mother. your body buzzed from disuse, pins and needles pricking at your joints and limbs. walking was torture.

only then did ardmore's statement register: mature na'vi male?

a flicker of hope bloomed in your chest. he didn't, you thought, but you prayed that the subject in question was indeed tarsem. he'd be stupid to come, but you hoped he was the full-fledged idiot you knew him to be.

a few soldiers were assigned to the doctors to facilitate their exit.

"move it," the soldier beside you hissed, yanking on your arm.

you matched his scowl with a unforgiving glare, telepathically communicating all the ways you could kill him should he push his look. your aching wound wouldn't stop you from doing what needs to be done—you had neytiri to thank for that.

your feet cried as they were forced to jog through the freezing corridors, the gloved hand of the soldier twisting the flesh of your arm into an uncomfortable burn. you allowed it, putting up little resistance—after all, they were heading for the exit.

personnel raced by, guns in hand. you scoffed lightly imagining the RDA forces flooding the scene like ants against a boot. you knew tarsem; without the burden of a team, he was truly able to let loose. he wasn't made olo'eyktan for no reason.

"the fuck are you laughing at? huh?" the soldier twisted your arm, pulling you forward. the change in rhythm made your steps uneven and you stumbled. "your name is the only reason you're alive, bitch. damn traitor."

your heart pounded in your chest. you were strong but you were also scared. so scared. you've heard stories of the RDA but this was the first time you've experience its true nature; the cruelty and raw hatred it had for anything that didn't align with its goals.

his breath was hot on your ear, the clash of teeth echoing in your eardrums as his words rang in your head: traitor. you shook him off, not missing the self-satisfied smile on his face. it seemed the RDA got off on terrorizing others.

a deep breath pushed your uneasiness to the depths of your mind. your senses filtered out the repetitive blaring alarms, devoting its energy to scouring your surroundings. what was tarsem's play? admore said the attack was on the south side of the compound—did he think you were there? were you supposed to meet him, to fight through the crowds? or were you—

CLUNK.

a thud came from behind the group. everyone turned to see the other soldier in the group unconscious, a feathered arrow stuck in their back.

the scientists behind you gasped, a cacophony of whimpers following their initial shock.

you could barely see anything in the darkness of the corridor. every ten seconds, the red warning lights would illuminate the space in a ghastly glow. the blood red backdrop didn't help the image of a fallen comrade.

a beat passed.

"shit," the soldier grit his teeth. he scrambled for the radio on his belt, pressing the talk button. “command, i’ve—”

a disappointed tsk reverberated from above.

CLUNK.

the radio was shot right out the soldier's hand. the red lights passed over the room again, catching only the sway of the arrow behind the group, which pinned the shattered talkie into the ground.

the soldier fumbled for his gun, making the mistake of releasing you to unsheathe it.

you dropped to the ground and swiped your leg under his feet, kicking him off balance. a shot was fired as he fell onto his back, but you learned that lesson. you dodged the bullet and grabbed the man's wrist; with a smile, you bent it backwards swiftly and relished the sickening crrrrrack of his bones.

with a scream, his fingers slacked around his firearm. the gun fell into your palm.

"thank you," you muttered, rising to your feet. when you looked up, there was a silhouette in the red light.

your breath caught in your chest when you recognized the figure. tarsem really did come for you. his bow aimed at the rest of the group, golden eyes blackened by the dim lighting, daring them to make one wrong step.

relief flooded your veins—suddenly, walking wasn't an issue anymore. you ran over to him, looking back only when you heard the soldier groan in pain. the red atmosphere faded and enclosed your senses in complete darkness. when the lighting was restored ten seconds later, he had turned over, reaching for his spare gun.

spare gun? you thought in a panic as the lights dulled once more.

it was a race—who could cock their gun the fastest? fortunately, you had the best teacher.

it was like your dad himself was guiding your hands as you felt around the firearm for the hammer. come on come on come on. you pulled it back, priming the gun. the darkness didn’t help your aim, but the second the lights picked up again—

BANG! BANG!

the man cried out a second time as your bullet pierced his side; you sucked in a breath as you felt his whizzing by your ear. you couldn't seem to miss. poor guy.

a cool hand circled around your arm. “y/n,” tarsem whispered. he towered over you, blocking the red light. even sheltered in his menacing shadow, your nerves calmed exponentially.

“tarsem,” you replied. you didn’t need to see him to see him. you didn’t need to speak to communicate. his gaze crawled over your skin, assessing for any life-threatening damage. when he found none, his hand tightened.

his touch was the stark opposite of the soldier’s: gentle, soft, kind, and when he pulled you, you fell in perfect step. the both of you sprinted down the hall.

tarsem yipped for his ikran. at least, that’s what you thought—but the wind didn’t shriek around tarsem’s ikran when it descended upon its prey—no, the screeching whistle of katir’s divebomb was unmistakable.

the ground shook as katir’s talons tore through the roof, moonlight filtering through the openings and debris scattering in all directions.

“pey, pey, pey, pey—” (wait, wait, wait, wait—) tarsem abruptly stopped your momentum with a thick arm to your stomach. a winded grunt was torn from your chest, clutching his forearm to balance yourself.

“gunfire.” you brows creased with worry. it was clear tarsem aimed to route all the compound’s defenses to the south side so the sneaky escape in the north would be less difficult. however, there were some loyal soldiers who didn’t hesitate to let their rounds loose. you stepped forward against tarsem’s advice. katir’s agitated cries ignited a protective instinct within you, drawing you to him like a child cries’ would their mother.

before your concern could reach its peak, katir’s talons dug into the roof again and drrrrragged the metal exterior back enough for you and tarsem to slip through. he leaned back, peeking one eye into the hallway. his pupils dilated upon seeing you.

“he is tough,” tarsem concluded. you both ran to the openings. he bent at the knees, interlocking his fingers between his legs. “jump.”

you stepped back, getting a running start before leaping onto tarsem’s hands—you tightened up your form as he launched you upwards. you flew through the ceiling, latching onto katir’s neck. his smooth skin made it hard to find a footing, but a swing of your legs was all you needed to mount him.

tarsem was close behind, his height making the climb easier. he shifted behind you, securing you with a hand on your thigh. the other patted katir’s neck, calling for flight in na’vi.

with an ear-piercing cry, katir’s armored wings took flight. the wind underneath his wings knocked the attacking soldiers off balance and only when you gained altitude did you see tarsem’s impact. the density of tanks, skel suits, and scorpions were at the other side of the compound, swiftly dispersing to the northside as they realized where the threat truly was.

a sigh of relief left your lips when the clouds concealed your position, leaning back onto tarsem’s chest while the panic slowly left your body. the fresh air whipping past your face coaxed your eyes closed as pandora’s moonborn symphony celebrated your freedom.

in fear of leading the RDA’s scouts closer to high camp’s location, especially with recoms who could make the journey now, tarsem set up camp far away from both the omaticaya’s and RDA’s base.

you knelt beside the nearby river, digging your knees into the mud. you stared numbly at your reflection in the water. the purple glow illuminated your figure, light dancing along your body as the water bent it.

emotions battled for attention inside you—do you cry? scream? both? you hadn’t eaten in days. gravity took advantage of your weakened state, making your bones unbearably heavy.

after giving katir adequate attention and reassurance, he curled up and dozed off. tarsem’s footsteps were light as he approached, crouching at your side.

he cupped his hands and lowered them into the water, pouring what he gathered onto your thighs. “you should clean yourself,” he murmured. “get this… blood off.”

he didn’t have to lift your shirt to assess your gunshot wound—your apparel was wrecked from the events of the past 48 hours, ripped to shreds and soaked with every liquid imaginable. they were now poor excuses for clothing, most of your skin peeking out from behind the fabric.

“y/n.” he called firmly when you didn’t respond. he pulled your shoulder back to get a better look at your face.

“yeah,” you answered finally, languidly reaching into the river and pouring water over your skin. “you can say it.”

“say what?”

“i told you so?” you elaborated. he chuckled in response. you continued, “thank you for coming for me. i’m in your debt.”

tarsem’s amusement vanished and his mouth twisted in disapproval. “you have no debt.”

“i do.” you shot back instantly, briefly glimpsing at him. “that shouldn’t have happened at all—i shouldn’t have gotten caught, especially after begging to join the war party… how embarrassing.” you grumbled, swiping the now dirty water off your legs.

“don’t.” he stopped your rambling. “don’t insult yourself. great fighters like you have died for our people, or suffered worse fates. would you degrade them like you do yourself?”

you responded with a heavy sigh.

“eat.” he offered you fruits he foraged on the way to the campsite. you pick at the berries in his open palm, popping them in your mouth.

he stared at you for a long moment, debating something in his head. then, his hands were on you. he unwrapped the tattered fabric from your body, allowing the cool night breeze to waft over your bare shoulders.

“what are you doing?” you mumbled but didn’t pull away from him. at this point, his hands were as familiar as your own skin.

“finally getting rid of these sky people clothes. takes away from your beauty.”

“no,” you shook him off, looking at him square in the face. “what are we doing, tarsem? you’ve insulted and complimented me in the same breath. i am a sky person. human. getting rid of my clothes won’t change that.”

his lips pulled into a deep frown. “your humanity is not something for you to be ashamed of, as much as others have tried to make that the case. it is obvious being human means more than having this form. love, kindness, a fighting spirit… this is what i know humanity to be because it’s what you carry in your soul. if you are human, then the rest are not deserving of that label. the ones who seek to harm us are evil—demons. inhumane. they cannot possibly be human because they are not like you. stop comparing yourself to them. i won’t see you do this to yourself any longer. you are what you are, but you choose who you become. and you have become— you are good.”

all the pathways in your brain clicked together. you held his gaze. how was that exactly what you needed? months of inner turmoil. years of questioning, self-loathing, trying to earn space, earn a place, earn love with the only people you’ve ever known—

his hand brushed past your hair, cradling your face. “oel ngati kameie.” (i see you.)

the lump in your throat pulsed against its confines, demanding the dam to break. you inhaled deeply, eyes creasing warmly as you leaned into his palm. “oel ngati kameie.” (i see you.)

you didn’t need to reason out why you deserved to be here. you just had to remember who you were—a child born of this world in every way that mattered.

his calloused thumb dragged across your cheek. he leaned in imperceptibly, his nose bumping against yours. it was soft and tentative—still unsure, asking for permission.

your hands found his shoulders as you met him halfway. a slow smile spread across his face as he just before his lips found yours, soft and warm. the kiss was gentle, carrying the ease of years spent side by side and the thrill of crossing a line you only teased before.

he gripped your chin with one hand, the other finding the base of your skull. every nerve inside you buzzed with a delicious ache, a mix of comfort and the thrill of something new. you melted into him, lips parting slightly and inviting him in without words.

when he finally pulled back to catch his breath, his eyes held a softness. “oel ngati kameie,” he murmured against your lips. the air was just you and him, making your head spin. he swallowed whatever response you were searching for, fingers tightening in your hair as he closed the gap again.

you broke again and managed a soft, “oel ngati kameie.”

he smiled that slow, knowing smile that was his signature. and as his lips brushed yours once more with a soft, lingering kiss, all thoughts of cleaning up slipped away; you were prepared to get dirty if it meant staying wrapped in him.

he pulled back, releasing your head. after a moment, he resumed his ministrations, pulling your clothes away.

you were in a daze, his words on replay in your head. but when the air dipped into your navel, you were shocked into lucidity. you grabbed his wrist, heat blooming on your face. “uh… i can get the rest.”

he raised an eyebrow. “nothing about you should be hidden, yawne (beloved). i meant that.”

you squirmed, grip tightening around him. he began to move back but you tugged him closer. “wait, i—” this is so embarrassing. “i want you to, just… you don’t think it’s weird between us?”

a knowing smile spread on tarsem’s face, his blue skin basking in the river’s purple hue. “you would be surprised at our generation’s openness. unlike our parents and grandparents, we are exposed to humans regularly and understand that like na’vi, humans are on a spectrum. you’d be surprised at how many of them have already… explored.”

you blinked. you were not aware of this at all. “what, with norm’s team? and the other human bases?”

tarsem’s smile grew.

“you’re joking.” you mirrored his expression, though your smile was disbelieving.

tarsem shrugged. “was it ‘weird’ between your mother and father?”

the implication was clear.

“i don’t care what others would say. i don’t even care what your father would say,” tarsem’s pupils dilated the longer he studied you. his eyes darkened, voice low. “i will do what i want. i am olo’ekytan, but even without the title, nothing could stop me from becoming one with you.”

you had no words for him—no prior knowledge to know how to deal with the ache in your gut or the way your skin tingled when he looked at you like that.

he laid you back on the soft grass, one large hand sliding beneath your shoulder blades, the other cradling your hip. the muscles of his thigh brushed yours as he settled over you. his weight was grounding. he descended upon your skin like a starved man—his mouth found the line of your jaw, teeth grazing your skin.

your hands flew to his biceps, bracing against him. heat radiated from him in waves. you curled your fingers into his skin, thighs pressed together beneath him. great mother, your skin was burning up. your breasts strained against your chest as your breathing quickened, and your hips arched without your permission, drawn toward the intoxicating heat of him. you didn’t know what to do with the raw energy coursing through your veins, or the heat gathering between your legs.

“become one? i don’t have a queue,” you said softly.

“bah,” tarsem scoffed, tucking his head into the crook of your neck, his breath igniting goosebumps across your chest. his hands smoothed down your sides, fingers brushing the underside of your breast just to hear the way your breath hitched. they dropped lower to curl under your thighs and pull you closer, flush against the hardness straining beneath his loincloth.

“we will connect in many other ways, yawne. in all ways.” he rolled his hips into you, slowly, deliberately, and the pressure made you gasp. “there is no way i am not getting into you tonight, and let eywa hold me accountable to this promise.”

he raised his head and your skin cried out for his warmth. “unless, you do not—”

“no,” your nails dug into his shoulders to anchor him against you. “no. i want you. please.”

he hummed, satisfied, the sound vibrating against your throat as he kissed lower. his muscles flexed as he hunched over you, nosing your cheek, then dragging his lips across your collarbone. he was huge, in both size and stature. your hands roamed his body up the ridges of his stomach, across the broad expanse of his back. he littered kisses down the column of your neck, bringing your hips up to meet his with a firm grip on your thighs, grinding slowly but with insistence.

breath fled your lungs in a sharp, choked gasp. your eyes squeezed shut, nails biting into his skin as white-hot friction bloomed between your thighs.

“you are small,” tarsem chuckled lowly, eyes flashing as he peeled your legs further apart. the weight of him between them coaxed a content sigh from your lips, knees seeking to close back around him—amongst other parts of you. “but i know how to take care of you. how to prepare you. i think of it often.”

his ramblings kickstarted a heartbeat in your core. he thinks of what often? his fingers climbed, brushing the edge of your core, and your hips jerked at the contact. his mouth returned to your neck, sucking harder and dragging his tongue over the bruises he left behind.

“tarsem,” you whispered, holding him close. “please.”

tarsem’s laugh was boyish as he propped himself above you. “have i seduced you so well? it seems all you can do is beg, yawntu.”

embarrassment shot across your body like lightning, eyes widening. you smacked his chest, kicking him back with your legs. “nga skxawng, pelun si nga say fula—” you cursed him out in your native tongue. (you moron, why did you say that?)

his laughter only grew. reclining on his hind legs, he easily caught your ankles in his hands and paused your tirade by gently dragging you back toward him. “pey, pey, pey, i joke,” he snickered, dodging the dirt you threw at him. “i joke!”

he dipped to peck your forehead, lingering over your mouth before finally giving in to the magnetic pull of your lips. his kiss was slow this time. “you have done the same for me. reduced me to begging. i have prayed for this night.”

“i never expected you to be this desperate,” you raised an eyebrow.

tarsem’s lips curled into a sultry smile. “it’s been years of wanting you, ngatsyìp.”

you snorted. “and all those proposals you’ve gotten over the past few months?”

“thrown away.” he rubbed your legs absently. “i am in no rush for tsahik.”

your frown let up as the weight of his desire grounded you again, and you allowed him to kiss you, throwing your arms around his shoulders. your nipples brushed his chest, and he groaned into your mouth, shifting to press against your entrance through your tattered bottoms. “this isn’t sustainable,” you mumbled between kisses.

“tsk,” he hissed, biting your lip in retaliation, tugging it between his teeth before releasing it with a soft pop. “do not ruin this with logic. let the future bother our future selves, hm?”

“you are the future, tarsem. you can’t dismiss these things so easily.”

“fine. i will entertain your concerns.” he sighed, pressing his forehead to yours. “i will not lie and promise forever. but we share a special bond. even if we part ways in the future and this night is all we ever have—it is real. this is happening. you, me, right now. it would be a mistake to turn away from it. if i do not give you all of me tonight, i will always wonder.”

he kissed your cheek, your jaw, the corners of your lips. “we will always be friends. great friends, no matter what. this, i vow to eywa. forget about our responsibilities, yawne, be mine for the night.”

you smiled, swept up in the bubble of comfort he constructed around you. “okay.”

when he kissed you again, you had no fear of the future. only the pulse of your body responding to his; only the heat between your legs and the grind of his hips.

his trail of fire lowered as he descended your figure. his lips mark their way down the valley of your chest, your stomach, and your hips. he fiddled through the rags wrapped around your legs and got fed up pretty quickly. the curses on his tongue made you giggle, and within seconds he had his knife out to cut his way through.

his arms curled around your thighs, hooking beneath them, and he pulled you closer to his waiting mouth. his breath ghosted over you, and your hips twitched in anticipation, aching.

"shh shh shh," his thumb rubbed soothing patterns on your hipbone. after that reassurance, he wasted no time lowering his mouth.

you cried out, head snapping back as his tongue parted you with obscene confidence. he didn’t bother to tease—he ate like a man possessed, tongue sliding through your folds, lips sucking, biting, licking so sloppily you felt drenched within seconds.

your hips bucked, but he pinned you with a strength that made your head spin. all you had to do was sit back and take what he gave you. his arms wrapped tight around your thighs, holding them spread as he buried his face in you, groaning like the taste of you was punch on a hot day.

your face burned at how vocal he was. "tarsem," you gasped, hands fisting his braids, trying to ground yourself. “tarsem, wait, i—” you shook your head even as your hips lifted into his mouth. he growled a warning, and the way his tongue moved left no room for argument. it was pointless; he was skillful, giving you no room to hide. you were unraveling too fast, coming apart at the seams with every filthy, eager flick of his tongue.

“let it happen, ngatsyìp,” he broke away, breath heavy on your throbbing heat. his lips leaked with your arousal. “you taste divine.” he flattened his tongue and dragged it up your slit before wrapping his lips around your clit and sucking hard.

“ah—!” your abs crunched, using the grip on his head as handlebars to bring yourself up. you didn’t even realize you were grinding against his mouth until he hummed into you, dragging you closer, encouraging it. nasty bastard. his tongue fucked into you and you couldn’t stop the sounds pouring out of you.

"look," he rasped, pulling away just long enough to spread you open with his thumbs and spit directly on your cunt before going back in like he’d never left. his fangs grazed your sensitive flesh like you were a melon and had to consciously remind himself not to sink his teeth in and bite. "soaked."

you could only nod, your brain blank.

"yeah," he propped himself on his forearms, one hand abandoning your thigh to prod at your entrance. he wasted no more time talking and sunk his finger into you. he wedged inside easily, your wetness guiding his finger to the knuckle from the get go. you choked back a moan; one of his fingers feels like two of your own.

tarsem grinned widely, that stupid chuckle reverberating along your skin. he swiped his tongue back between your legs, nursing your clit and forcing the moans out from hiding in your throat. your thighs trembled around his head, but tarsem pulled your one leg further apart with his other hand and slipped in a second finger, the stretch making your back arch with a crooked moan.

“okay–” you gasped, kicking the ground. holy shit, you felt like something was about to burst. “okay okay okay—”

“come on,” he mumbled, determined.

“tarsem—”

“let it happen,” tarsem reiterated, speeding the pump of his fingers. he nestled his mouth between your thighs again; the pressure shattered something inside you. you came with a choked sob, hips jerking, body arching off the ground as pleasure ripped through you.

his mouth lingered for just a moment longer to taste the aftershocks of your release. when he finally pulled away, his chin was wet and pupils were blown wide. you blinked down at him, releasing the grip you had on his poor scalp.

you smiled tiredly, a breathless laugh catching in your throat. “your…” your chest was heaving, mind dizzy with the strong heartbeat between your legs. “your turn..?”

he shook his head.

you frowned, self-consciousness growing in the back of your mind. “but—”

he started slowly, nuzzling against your chest. “sex is not transactional. your pleasure is mine also. this is all i have wanted; you withering on me. this was ‘my turn.’”

your heart skipped a few beats at the extent of his devotion, and any other concerns were quieted by the grin on his face. in a flash of an eye, he was over you again—rising up with a predatory grace, gripping your jaw in his large, calloused hand and kissing you hard. you sighed as he collapsed beside you, curling up in his arms and letting sleep take whatever was left of your consciousness.

hours later, tarsem rose to his feet with a yawn. he rolled his shoulders back, dragging his feet to the river and dipping them in the water. “perfect temperature.”

you took his hand when he offered it. he pulled you up beside him, catching you when your knees buckled.

“wash.”

“bossy.” you teased, feeling infinitely better overall despite the ache in your legs. he walked you to the river and left you to bathe.

you took a deep breath and let whatever ‘sky people’ clothes that miraculously survived your round fall to the riverbank, descending into the calm waters with nothing but your mother’s necklace. you hissed softly as the river licked at your side wound, but the sting became normal the longer you lingered. your pain tolerance allowed you to twist and turn as you normally would, so you began to scrub the rest of the dirt, sweat, and tears off your body.

you dunked your face, resurfacing with a gasp and wiping the chilled water from your eyes. after smoothing your hair down your scalp, you glanced over your shoulder, heart fluttering when you saw tarsem already watching you. you offered him a coy smile.

he’s weaving something, you noticed, curiosity piqued. he approached the river as if reading your thoughts. the calm current broke around him as he waded to you. his golden eyes greedily drank in the sight of your body distorted underneath the current, shaking himself out of his trance. he cleared his throat and held up his woven garments.

“for you, as promised.” he said simply.

your fingers ghosted over the hanging decorations from the pieces. you didn’t have much time to appreciate his handiwork before he tugged you to the shallows, wrapping the loincloth around you

it sat high and snug on your hips, anchored by a lattice of knotted cords that converged just below your navel. long strands cascaded around you, floating on the river’s surface. the high-slitted sides showcased the contour of your hips, drawing the eye to every curve. tarsem gathered the belt around you, pulling it tight around your hips and tying the ends in a firm knot, securing the wrap underneath your belly button.

“up,” he nodded to your arms next. you obeyed wordlessly.

he lassoed your torso with the chestpiece, pulling even closer to him. he gathered each breast in the fabric and twisted the cloth between them, tying a knot and letting the adornments hang down your cleavage.

“beautiful.” tarsem hummed. “as always.”

you met his gaze and smiled. katir rumbled as he woke up, his low tone underlaying the shrieking songs of the birds in flight above. he shook his beak like he was trying to throw the sleep off his face. you laughed at the sight, following tarsem out of the river. light filtered through the canopy of trees and painted your skin gold as the sun made its path to meet the clouds.

for the first time in forever, you felt untethered by what you had to be to belong. the river washed away the shell you once were. you had nothing to prove—you’ve never had anything to prove.

pandora was home and you belonged to her. she always loved you; now, you could finally love yourself.

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jsooly · 29 days ago

Text

death in the family (11) / sully family x human!daughter/sister!reader

synopsis, the start of a new era

WARNING. NSFW. tarsem is freaky. MDNI.

note, eek idk how i feel abt this chapter but i hope you guys like it! it's 7k words (surprising to me, but not unwelcome... kinda liked writing this length) and im not the best at nsfw writing so look away. dont perceive me. anyways, enjoy <3 as always i love you all ! EDIT: i took the smut out... the more i read it the more i disliked it, but lmk if you still want that version

(MASTERLIST)

YEAR 2165

the first interaction you had with tarsem was when you were a teenager—fourteen years old—watching your younger siblings play in the forest clearing near hometree. in an effort to connect you with the other kids, jake made you physically supervise them instead of keeping a watchful eye from your marui’s window. of course, it didn’t really help (as you knew it would), but you appreciated the effort nonetheless.

you glanced up. tarsem was standing there, blocking the sunlight. your eyes flipped to the side, confused. “oh, i didn’t see you.”

“i have been standing here for three minutes.” he deadpanned.

“sorry. did you need something…?”

he lowered himself to the ground, resting his elbows on his tucked knees. his posture slumped with a groan. “these little prrnen are no fun to play with.”

you blinked, a soft smile pulling at your lips at his predicament. “why are they no fun?”

“they are soft and delicate.” he pursed his lips. “i cannot even walk by without knocking them off balance.”

you laughed softly. “just play with kids your age, then. i’m sure they’re around somewhere.”

“good idea,” he cut you off, pulling a ball out of nowhere. “let’s go.”

your grip tightened nervously around your knife. “oh, i didn’t mean me—”

“are you my age?”

“uh… a year younger, i think?”

“shouldn’t—agh,” you grunted as you jumped over roots he easily avoided. “shouldn’t you be training, too?”

“wait— wait, wait, wait, i’m supposed to be watching the other kids!” you exclaimed as your siblings’ giggles faded.

“tsk, let them be. what’s the worse they could do? fall?”

“yes?!” you sputtered, incredulous at his lack of concern.

“from what height—ten inches? they’ll be fine.” he dismissed your concerns with a laugh.

a smug grin spread on your lips. you squared your stance, tilting your head to the side. “if, and that’s a big if, sure.”

in other words, keep away.

tarsem glanced at you as he started the countdown. “pxey… mune… 'aw… tsyul!” (three, two, one, start!)

tarsem’s hand contracted around your ankle, pulling you flat on your face and back to him through the dirt.

“vonvä'—!” (asshole!) you groaned, hissing in pain. your ribs ached from the slamdown but you’ve never felt more alive. you swiped at the mud in your mouth, gagging.

“give me the ball.” you hummed, finding it hard to wrench it out of his iron grip. “i’ve got you down, tarsem, give me the ball—”

he gasped and nudged his chin over your legs. “you fight dirty, sully,” he laughed breathlessly.

“i just fight different,” you replied, focused on prying his fingers off the ball. “kinda have to compensate.”