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horseshoegirl · 1 year ago

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Set Me Alight: Part 8 - Salt and The Sea

📜Everyone has been on a Bob kick lately (I think), so this is coming right when it should! Let's see how Grace and Bob feel about all this. Shall we? 👀

‼️ - +18, Minors DNI, Strong Language, Original Female Character (s), Bradley Bradshaw x Natasha Trace, Bob Floyd x Original Female Character (This is all in their perspective), Third Person Pov for this one, Angst, mentions of bullying, hurt, overheard fights, preventing a panic attack, frustration, and Grace being sad and done with Bullshit.

#4.6k

Part 7 | Masterlist | Part 9

Present Day

Sixteen hours.

That's how long Bob's carefully guarded, carefully constructed walls took to crumble after all these years.

There was an inkling the night before as he settled into his tent, a feeling that knocked once or twice from the inside of his chest. It wasn't there when he woke up this morning or during the trek here to the falls.

But the second Grace raced up behind him, everyone watching Veronica climb out of the water, that feeling returned. It seemed no longer content to sit around and wait for Bob to figure out why it had.

Grace grasped his hand, pulling herself to hide behind his body so she could stifle her giggles into the back of his shoulder. Bob couldn't help the few snorts that shook through his body either. However, he pitied Javy, watching as he tried to console his girlfriend, who was stomping her foot like a three-year-old child over the fact that her makeup had been ruined.

The both of them couldn't say it wasn't an unwelcome sight. They knew what Maeve had done, catching her hooking something onto the loop of Veronica's jeans, knowing it was damn well meant for Jake. Though the pair knew better than to act on it, they imagined themselves holding up a fist to the air, like in the Breakfast Club, silently praising the act of Karma on her behalf.

Maybe even quietly counting tallies next to her name in Bob's traveller's journal.

Maeve needed a win. A big win against one of those two. They weren't going to say shit about it. They only wished, deep down, they could have helped.

But when Bradley had taken her by the arm, leading her way, another knock, this time harder, thumped in his chest. Another followed it. And another, until that feeling morphed into what Bob could only describe as a white-hot pain, burning every nerve in the pit of his stomach.

Bob knew what was about to happen.

While there hadn't been much to discuss, Bradley had pulled all the guys together after Maeve went to bed last night to discuss his proposal. Standing in that circle, Bob realized it had been more of a pep talk than anything else.

Everyone already had a predetermined role—some part to play in helping Nat get to the right spot. Bob and Grace merely had to act surprised, with the rest of the group save Jake, Maeve, and Rueben, when they eventually emerged from the bush, a shiny new ring hopefully on her finger.

It was a horrible plan, he had thought then. He knew—more so than most—that involving Jake and Maeve in such an event would only result in disaster. He even had said as much to Grace when he turned in for the night, climbing into their shared tent.

Grace merely highlighted Nat's inconsiderate behaviour regarding her feelings, turning her back to him as she settled into her sleeping bag. The action was so absolute, so final, they said nothing else about it the rest of the night.

But laying awake, staring at Grace's back, Bob couldn't help but think about it. Grace was right. With all the shit Jake and Maeve threw at each other since the moment they had met, Nat would have to be completely stupid not to realize just how fucked up it was not to tell Maeve Jake would be coming on this trip.

It wasn't the first time Grace brought it up, either. Bob knew how his girlfriend felt about Nat, Maeve, the entire group, their inability to stand up for her, and their failure to separate themselves from Nat.

He'd be lying if he hadn't felt the same at one point or another.

But Bob knew why everyone didn't, why he didn't, and why, even to some extent, Jake didn't either, even if he was more verbal about it than anyone else.

From behind the scenes, everyone tried to protect Maeve and themselves from a fallout with Natasha. Not the fallout itself but the aftermath. At that point, he had rolled on his back, trying to figure it all out from the safety and privacy of his tent.

But who was he kidding? There was nothing to figure out.

Nat's scandal was an anvil, and her history and behaviour were hanging over every person in the group by a single thread. Even in the years since it happened, since they had all left school and Grace and Cora joined the group, it still had everyone in a chokehold.

And Maeve was oblivious to it all.

Bob wasn't sure when it happened, but it became an unspoken agreement to protect Maeve from that truth. So they were burying it to keep the peace—at least, everyone but Bradley. Bob couldn't say what was happening inside his friend's head, nor would he ask him.

But nobody would go out of their way to upset the group's 'supposed' hierarchy—not when real friendships and relationships, whether made with Nat's influence or not, were at stake.

Maeve had to deal with the brunt of it, and Bob would regret it every day for the rest of his life.

No kind words or assurances could help the cluster of nerves swimming in Bob's stomach when Grace hooked her arm through his. Leading him to a section of the pond free from tourists, she wanted to avoid the temper tantrum Javy and Rueben, to an extent, would have to deal with. Seeing fish in the water earlier and knowing Bob would get a kick out of trying to identify them, she welcomed the distraction.

But as the pair searched through their books to match the first fish they saw, the first shout vibrated through the air, and Bob felt like he was going to hurl.

There was no mistaking it for what it was. Nat was, for lack of a better word, shitting on Maeve and Jake. It was loud. It was scary. And no matter where anyone went, it was impossible to block out the noise.

They stood there, staring down at the words and diagrams in their books, no longer interested in the fish, scared any movement or action would have them on a chopping block. Though her eyes blurred, Grace was sure there were no more fish to look at anyway, for they, too, would have felt the noise vibrate against the water and would have been scared away.

At least they felt like they were able to.

When it finally fell silent, Grace nervously reached for Bob's hand. She led them away from the water through a tiny gap in the bush, deep into the forest. She didn't dare stop, walking blindly for minutes until she saw a little nook encased by a massive tree.

Its branches hung low, as did those of the surrounding trees. Each covered the space in a vibrant green shade, offering a safe place from the events leading up to this moment. A giant, thick tree root rested above the ground, and Grace pulled Bob down as she sat upon it.

Neither one spoke, nervous to say anything. Birds, the wind and bugs filled this space instead. It could have been hours, though Grace started to play with Bob's fingers only minutes later. He let her slide her fingertips over his skin and grasp around each finger until she smoothly threaded each together. Over and over, she did this, never once altering her pattern or rhythm.

Grace was trying to ground herself. And for Bob, it made everything that much worse.

It had been sixteen hours to the dot since that first knock in his chest. And while Bob had admitted last night and perhaps now that the trip, the excuses, the group dynamic, Nat's behaviour—was hopelessly warped—the truth was he had known for days, months, maybe even years.

He'd simply shoved it all deep down under lock and key, partly for selfish reasons. Sixteen hours was merely all the time it took for that lock to break and for everything to come rushing back to the surface. Because while the person he loved was hurting on behalf of someone else, it was too silent in this forest, even at this distance.

It was the lack of Maeve and Jake tearing each other apart.

"I think something happened to Jake and Maeve," Bob said in a rough voice, finally finding the courage to speak.

Grace's hands froze, not moving an inch. She lifted her head, eyebrows knitting together. Bob didn't meet her gaze, too nervous to look away from their joined hands.

"It's too quiet," he offered softly. "Especially after that."

Grace also dropped her eyes to their hands, biting the inside of her cheek hard. "She'd be tearing into him right now. Forget Nat. Maeve would clear out the whole damn park with a single shout."

Bob nodded absentmindedly, turning his hand to mock Grace's earlier pattern, a silent gesture to let her know he had been paying attention.

"Or she'd be running off to apologize to Nat, and Jake would be seeking us out, tail between his legs."

"Nat should be the one apologizing to her."

Grace's statement was so blunt and sharp that Bob feathered his jaw. And something in that quick movement made a thread in Grace's gentle heart snap.

She tore her hand from Bob's grip and shuffled away from him further down the log. She swallowed hard, refusing to turn back and look at him as she fiddled with a ring on her finger. When Bob went to follow, naturally reaching for her like it was second nature, she shuffled again.

"No," she mumbled lowly, shying away from his touch. Bob frowned, sliding closer once again, softly calling her name. But Grace only pushed herself up from the log, her fists balled and clenched tight. "No!"

She stomped forward a few steps, not wanting to leave the found safety of their little nook. Threading her fingers through her hair, she paced back and forth, trying to count her breath.

"Grace..."

She spun wildly, her eyes narrowing, her lips pressing into a thin line, and her jaw clenching. "Don't 'Grace' me," she gritted out behind her teeth.

Bob dropped his forehead into the palm of his hand, his elbow digging hard into his knee. "Don't..."

"Don't what, exactly?" she seethed. "Don't talk about 'it'?

Bob dug his nails into the denim of his jeans - enough to feel a pinch through the fabric on his thigh.

The laugh Grace let out was bitter, morphing into a harsh shout. "Come on, Bob! Cora and I might have been the last ones to join whatever fucked up friend group this is, but Nat couldn't give two shits about Maeve! And it's this unspoken thing nobody talks about. Why?!"

"Grace..."

"Don't!" she snapped, stomping her foot, making clumps of dirt fly out in all directions. "I don't care about some fucked up unspoken agreement! I care about Maeve! Don't tell me you don't, Robert?!"

Bob finally lifted his head, though he focused on the way they came, not once meeting his girlfriend's angry stare.

"Bob, so help me... If you say no..."

"You know I do!" he rushed out, shaking his head.

"Then why don't you fucking say something?!" she cried out. "Why doesn't anyone say something?! She's suffering, and nobody does anything!"

She didn't even know she was crying hot, angry tears until she felt one fall off her cheek, a slight cool breeze marking a path on her skin.

"I wanted to. I wanted to, so badly, the first time I noticed it. And you told me not to."

Bob did, and he always wondered if Grace resented him for it.

She sighed, wiping the tears from her face. She paced back and forth a little bit, trying to calm herself down. Because Bob didn't deserve her anger, it was unfair of her to even yell at him in the first place.

Instead, she walked up to the tree, pressing her forehead into the bark, once again trying to count her inhales and exhales.

"When Bradley told me about Nat when he was going to school, I thought she was just a phase. Whenever he called to talk to Dad, I just sat back and wondered. I wondered how long it would take and what the reason behind the break between those two would be."

Grace lifted her head, fixing her eyes on a ladybug climbing the trunk. "You could imagine my surprise when he brought her home for spring break."

She placed her hand on the wood, twisting back to look at her boyfriend. "I never told you this, but I didn't like her the second I met her."

Bob lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Why..?"

"Because she thought I was a threat. That I harboured a crush on Bradley, and I would steal him from her," she shrugged.

Bob's eyes shot up his skull. "... I mean, you two grew up together... did you... ever?"

Grace audibly gagged, adding a few choking noises for a dramatic effect. "He's like my brother, Bob. What the hell?"

He held his hands up in surrender. "I had to ask."

Grace didn't address the remark when she continued, "She treated me horribly that entire week. She sweet-talked my dad and only was nice to me when he was around. Thank God he saw right through her. The second he left, he said that Carole, Bradley's mom, wouldn't have approved. I agreed."

With a narrowed forehead, Bob's mouth gaped open, bobbing like a fish. "Wait... then why did she..."

"Why did she suddenly start inviting me to stuff? It's cause I was dating you. I was no longer a threat. And she acted like she had never done what she did in the first place."

While Bob might have met Grace through work, he was surprised to learn she had grown up with Bradley. How she acted around Bradley bore no resemblance to a long-lasting, familiar childhood friendship. However, the longer he thought about it, the more it made sense—her closed-off and quiet nature when she was around them.

That the first time they saw each other again, all Bradley could manage was a slight nod.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Grace only offered causally, "You'd be surprised at all the stuff that doesn't require your input. Sometimes you gotta leave people to do the lame shit they do and watch them fuck it up on their own."

A ball formed in her throat. "But Maeve... when I met Maeve and saw what was happening, my heart broke. And she is the only exception to what I just said."

Bob knew what was coming next. Like a coward, he braced himself hard.

"You told me not to say anything when I first brought it up. But now? I can't keep doing it. Not after what she just did to them. Not after that."

"Grace... Don't..."

"Maeve is drowning, Bob! Drowning!" she shouted angrily, startling a nearby bird on a branch. "And I can't stand it any longer. We need to find her, grab her, and take her home. Take her away from all this. From Nat, from those two bitches... God, if they gaslight anything else, they could practically set the whole fucking forest on fire."

"You don't believe in swearing, Grace," he deadpanned.

"Maybe I do now!" she cried. "I feel guilty. Guilty Bob! Cause I bit my lip like a good girl when Nat just what? Uses her? Ignores her? Disregard her feelings? Like hell, why didn't she try harder to figure the fuck out why Jake and Meave are at each other's throats?! Or how those two bully the fuck out of her?"

"Maeve wouldn't tell us about Jake when we asked."

"And you don't find it strange she wouldn't?" she challenged him. "Out of everyone in the group, she didn't tell a soul. Why? Why didn't she? Why wouldn't she?!"

Grace's heart was hurting, and she knew Bob truly knew why. He had been around them longer than she had, so there must have been a reason he told her not to. There had to be.

"At first, I thought it was something everyone accepted, you know? That everyone was trying to figure out what had happened between her and Jake. I thought tensions were high because of that."

She blew out a shaky breath, Bob not once interrupting her.

"Maybe it was a fucking game they were playing with each other until they finally worked up the courage to admit they like each other enough to get into each other's pants. Cause whatever the cause, Maeve wouldn't be so goddamn hurt if she didn't care!"

Bob closed his eyes, a huff of a laugh escaping his mouth.

"But last to join the group, right? You have to be quiet. Read the room. Get a sense of how to act and what you can say. Cause learning to fit in with new people, you have to pick up these things. The best way to get along with everyone else. Like how Maeve runs the second Jake walks into the room? How she avoids conversations about him if she can help it?"

Grace blew a raspberry out of pure frustration. "Jake was never the real issue, though. Everyone just made it out to be. Everyone should have noticed how Maeve bit her tongue as Nat walked over her opinions. How Nat derails conversations, not just where Maeve is concerned, but practically with everyone to make it about her."

Grace laughed, shaking her head. "She got the brunt of all of it, and we just... watched."

Grace finally approached Bob, standing before him, though he didn't lift his head from where it hung low on his shoulders. Had he chosen to look up, he would have noticed how the sun finally peeked through the leaves, beams of light breaking the shade, leaving Grace in their spotlight.

"I meant, she invites us all on this trip so we can watch her get proposed to? And she doesn't bother to tell her that Jake is coming along, too? I mean... how selfish can she get?!"

"Grace, this isn't going to solve..."

"WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?!" she yelled, throwing her hands at the sky. "That ship left the fucking dock ages ago."

Bob's eyes fixed on a leaf stuck under a fallen branch at her words. Grace knew from that reaction alone that she had resonated with something within his kind, caring soul.

"I just... can't... I can't anymore, Bob. If I'm the first to take the leap and break up this group, then good fucking riddance. It needs to be done so we all can get some peace."

She slid to her knees in the dirt in front of him, her hands resting firmly on the sides of his thighs.

"How many years have Nat and Maeve known each other, and not once did Nat realize how hard her supposed best friend had been falling? How could she not recognize that, Bob? And how could she continue to force Jake and Maeve together when Maeve just wanted to escape?"

She reached forward to cup his cheek, guiding his gaze to meet hers. While silent rage resonated within them, Bob knew it wasn't meant for him.

"Why did you tell me to be quiet that first time I brought this up? Why do you still tell me, too?"

Bob gulped, forcing his eyes away. Grace stroked her thumb under his eye, encouraging him on. "I don't know what happened, baby, but I don't think it will be all sunshine and rainbows when we return to the group. Not this time. Just tell me, please."

Bob blew out a shakey breath and shook his head. "Because I wanted you to stay."

"Stay?"

He had contemplated all the reasons, stacking them up brick by brick last night, refusing to acknowledge the leverage Natasha could have used against him. But Bob had damned himself with that one word.

Stay—He wanted Grace to stay. Because if he brought this up, if he told her, there was a chance she wouldn't—at least, there was a possibility.

He lifted his chin, staring into her eyes.

Nat's so-called leverage was kneeling in front of him, begging him to tell her the truth. Her eyes were desperate, so much so that Bob knew he was possibly damned if he did and undoubtedly damned if he did not. Grace had chosen her path, and he would steadfastly follow her wherever she decided to go.

There was no ever questioning that.

Bob reached for her sides, pulling Grace close between his spread legs. She let him, hands landing softly on his biceps before they slid down to his forearms. Bob traded his grip on her jacket to hold her hands, only to trace the same pattern she had a few minutes before.

He braced himself and took several sharp breaths before asking, "Did anyone ever tell you about Natasha's so-called scandal? Back in school?"

Grace cocked an eyebrow. "Only what Maeve's told me. Bradley and I weren't on speaking terms, and he'd never tell Dad if she had one. Though, Maeve didn't even know the complete story."

She let Bob turn her hand over and trace the lines on the palm of her hand. "But she shut me down hard after that. Saying Nat worked to put it behind her and move on, so we all should, too."

Bob scoffed. "Always protecting her."

"Bob?"

Bob hesitated, his gaze flickering away from Grace's expectant eyes. He swallowed hard, the reluctance clear in his tight jaw. Then he closed his eyes, leaning over to whisper in her ear, his voice cautious but a whisper.

Grace's eyes widened, and a gasp slipped through her parted lips at his words. She could hardly breathe as he told her the story. And when he was finished, she tilted so far back on her heels in shock that she almost fell onto her butt.

"Bob! What the hell? After everything I just told you?!"

Bob still hadn't opened his eyes, his head hung low in shame.

"I would have never left you over that! Over complete and utter bullshit? Who do you think I'd believe more? Her or my boyfriend?"

"I didn't know. I didn't want to risk losing you."

"You listen here, Bob Floyd," Grace urged, grabbing his face with both hands and forcing him to look at her. "I'm in a relationship with you. I love you. I would have never believed her if she had done that to us."

He kissed the inside of Grace's wrist, a deep weight lifting off his chest.

"God, I want to throttle her."

"I think that's why everyone doesn't call her out. Cause they don't want it to happen to them. Or at least, deep down, I never did 'cause I didn't want Maeve or Bradley to be alone with..."

Grace nodded, letting Bob know he did not need to continue explaining.

"We should try to find her, Bob. Let her know we love her and that we'd follow her. I have no idea if anyone else would besides Mickey and Cora. Hell, I'd even offer to leave with her and get drunk on her Aunt's apple cider 'cause this whole damn trip was a bad idea."

Bob huffed a sad laugh. "It is apple picking season. I bet she'd love it if we went with her."

Grace snorted. "You just want free apples so I can make my apple crisp."

With the tension from before gone and the weight of Bob's chest finally disappearing with his confession, he joked comedically, "Ssshh, don't jinx it."

Grace rolled her eyes, letting the moment pass before offering quietly, "Where do you think she is? Maeve?"

Bob regarded her for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Considering the lack of voices, Maeve's probably tried to separate herself. Or she made a rash decision and decided to leave alone."

Grace gasped. "What about Jake?"

"Jake ... I bet 50 bucks Jake ran after her regardless."

Her face contorted into one of disgust. "What? Why? Can he not leave her alone for once in his life?"

Bob stood, wiping his hands on his jeans, before extending a hand to Grace. She took it without another word and allowed him to guide her up and off the tree. He revealed yet another truth as he helped her step over the massive root.

"Remember when I went with Bradley and Jake before Maeve hurt her wrist? Jake wanted to show us a fishing spot...?"

Grace winced. When Bob told her what happened, she instantly regretted not being out there with her. Hold up in her tent, she had been working on plans for a museum exhibit. Even if she had to do a little work, she could have at least done it in the company of a friend.

"I found out Bradley's been trying to coach Jake into mending things with Maeve. We might have been giving him some... advice."

Grace froze with her two feet atop the curved piece of wood.

"What!!?" she shrieked, making Bob wince. "Please tell me you weren't the one who encouraged him to keep up the prank thing. Bob, if you told him to scream 'there's a Bear..'."

"It wasn't me! Nor was it Bradley! We just told him to try to talk to her without anyone around. Cause things seem to go to shit when everyone else is there. He just needed to incite her to stay. Make her laugh. Talk to her like a human being!"

"Men," she scoffed, jumping down off the root. "Never go to a group of idiots to do a woman's job."

Bob froze, eyeing her carefully. "Are you calling me an idiot?"

Grace smiled, reaching up to stroke across his cheek. She kissed his lips with a quick peck and leaned back. "Hmm... my idiot, though."

She took several steps back towards the falls when she called out over her shoulder to a befuddled Bob. "You realize if we locked them in a room or trapped them in an elevator, with nobody else around, they'd probably figure it out?"

"How so?" he called back, finally following her.

"Jake obviously wants to fix it. Maeve runs. All you need to do is stop her from running. She'll give in if you provoke her enough, which Jake already does. "

Bob paused, reflecting for a moment. "He doesn't think when it comes to her, does he?"

"Does she?"

When they emerged from the bush, Bob and Grace ran to the first person they saw, hoping at least someone saw either Maeve or Jake. Nobody had. Not until a few minutes later did a couple mention seeing someone bearing her resemblance climbing the waterfall. They also mentioned seeing someone who looked like Nat go up, but she had already come back down.

Grace stared at them in horror. "I'll go get Mickey and Cora," she rushed out quickly, leaving Bob alone to start the trek up the rocky slope. As he did, a million thoughts crossed his mind.

Finding Maeve and Jake tearing each other apart, hoping Mickey and Cora's skills weren't needed. Or the more stupidly optimistic thought - either was trying to find a few moments of peace.

As if.

Or perhaps it was none of those things. Maybe what awaited him above was something far worse than he could ever fathom.

But when he reached the top of the falls, neither Maeve nor Jake were there, and Bob didn't spare the effort to take in the view. Instead, he searched the ground, kneeling when he spied several tracks in the mud.

Two sets, both inherently female, were marked along the river bank in the mud. Bob's eyes followed them until he saw a separate path of them walking back. Then he noticed another pair of tracks, the boot tread clearly belonging to a man. They followed one of the other tracks, veering quickly off into the bushes. They were noticeably disturbed, leaves and branches bent unnaturally, and the longer he followed the underbrush and mud, the more he understood what happened.

Bob set off, knowing just exactly where he needed to go.

Can I just say I love Bob and Grace?

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luvyeni · 2 years ago

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CONSEQUENCES OF A ONE NIGHT STAND. ( chapter. 43 )

— CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: taking it slow …

— 𖦹 warnings?

previous - next - masterlist

— ( taglist. CLOSED ) @j-wyoung @whoslai @cha0thicpisces @sunsunl0ver @wonyoungsvirus @omgtintarr @en-dazed @kwiwin @httpsrinrin @igotkpoops @enhaz1 @ahnneyong @electrobutterfly @nes-caf @beomgyusonlywife @jup1t3r-y30n @gyulune @ddazed-lhs @shuichi-sama @mixtape-racha @rikisly @ilikekpop-c @jenjnk @ilovehimyourhonour @peachyun02 @primroselover @sxurgrapes

©LUVYENI

#kpop x reader #enhypen x female reader #enhypen x reader #enhypen fanfiction #enhypen ff #enhypen imagines #jake sim smau #jake sim x reader #jake sim fanfic #jake x reader #jake x female reader #jake x oc #jake sim scenarios #jake sim imagines

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eywaseclipse · 7 months ago

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Written in the Stars Chapter 11: The Most Precious Pearl*

Characters: Na’vi oc reader Tani, Jake, Lo’ak, Neteyam, Tuk, Kiri, Ronal, Metkayina clan members

Synopsis: You and your family are adjusting to your new home, with a few hiccups in the way, you try to acclimate to your new environment and married life. Lo’ak and Neteyam defend Kiri when she gets bullied, you and Jake have a heart to heart and finally mate

Warnings: Finally some sweet lovemaking, 18+

Word Count: 4.5k

Ever since your conversation with Ronal, you sensed a deeper yearning for your husband than before. You knew that you could choose one of two options; continue this awkward scared dynamic too afraid to take the plunge to admit your feelings, or venture into that unknown territory together. You had been willing to complete your union the night of your wedding, you could’ve sworn Jake was ready too. You both had a softness in your eyes submitting to the laws of nature, compelled to do whatever you needed for your family and clan.

But ever since seeking refuge in the reef clan, he has been too busy to share any moments with you. Slowly, a distance between the two of you had formed, an unspoken gap that the two of you fear to admit to one another. There were fleeting moments you could tell Jake was also yearning for more, from small glances, soft touches, quick pecks. You knew he wouldn’t take it any further unless you did something first, so your conversation with Ronal solidified that it is you who must thaw your heart in order to let love guide your actions.

Today was no different from any other day, you woke up this morning with your back to your husband, feeling the heat radiate from his bigger form. Your family helping with breakfast as they prepare for their new duties as sea people. Neteyam has begun training for his passage hunt that will solidify his place among the Metkayina, so you rarely see him these days. Lo’ak spends most of his time with Tsireya and Kiri, with Tuk tagging along. The friendship between the kids and the chief’s son started out rough when he and his friends decided to pick on Kiri resulting in a fight. But a few months have passed and the kids have overcome their differences and have become close.

You miss your own friends back home, you haven’t had much time to meet anyone your age here, not that you would find yourself relating to them anyway. You now sit in the Tsahìk’s tent once again, as the two of you ready to harvest more roots and herbs in the mangrove forest. Ronal’s pregnancy is in the halfway stretch, with her belly becoming rounder and more swollen you assist her in anyway you can.

As you weave through the humid forest, you take in the sounds of the environment, your ears perked to the sounds of the life humming around you. The familiarity making your heart swell with melancholy.

This forest is much more lush and tropical unlike your dense canopy home, still breeds a comfort that blooms in your belly knowing you can come here when you have moments longing for your old life. “We are here.” Ronal announces interrupting your trance. You look to where you are standing at the bottom of a large mangrove tree, from the looks of it it’s probably close to 100 years old or more. You nod, and set your woven bag down readying your tools to extract the sap from the tree. Carefully watching Ronal demonstrate first, you then ready your tinctures and fill up your jars.

A comfortable silence falls between the two of you, as you both have found a middle ground in your budding friendship.

Your bag is now filled with sap, healing berries, roots, and herbs you will hang to dry and mix into a powder. What’s left is to find a salve. “We must go to the glow worm cave to extract the salve, it is just a few clicks North.” You smile and nod your head as you follow the ocean eyed woman. “What part of the glow worm is the healing property?” You inquire. She turns to you as you both keep the same pace, despite her pregnant belly, she remains swift and agile. “I will show you, we must swim beyond the pools and waterfall.”

You see a beautiful shimmering body of water come into your line of sight, as your Tsahìk hoists her bag to the back of her body, you following suit. You both dip into the water wading towards the water fall, she dives into the water below where the water fall hits the pond, with you following close by. With Ronal’s breathing exercises and daily water training, you can now hold your breath up to 5 minutes. This swim only takes 30 seconds, as you both surface into the cave. The rocky walls are lit with the most alluring shade of bioluminescence you have ever seen. Your own starry face lit from the dim lit environment glows like a galaxy.

You can’t help the childish smile on your face as you turn your head misty eyed to take everything in. You follow Ronal, climbing out of the water onto a rock clearing. “This cove has been a secret for generations, only Tsahíks and select apprentices have ever bore witness to the cave’s glory.” You gasp at the revelation, suddenly feeling shy that she allowed you to be part of this. You can only find yourself to lightly nod in thanks, and smile to your Tsahík in gratitude. She smiles back, as she reaches into her bag for the tools need for more extractions.

“Here, take this jar I will show you how to properly care for the worms and take the bioluminescence liquid from them without causing harm.” You watch as she carefully grabs a glow worm, with a metal tool to scrape the goo from its body gently, as you ready the jar for the liquid to fall into.

Your eyes widen with wonder as she continues extracting the liquid one by one, gently removing and placing the worms back on their rocks. “Here, you try.” You switch positions with her and begin your own extraction, carefully mimicking her and placing the liquid into the jar as she holds it for you. “The nectar of the glow worm possesses a mysterious healing property.

It will help many wounds such as burns, cuts, and bruises. I use this salve to help post birth mothers heal their bodies. It is also wonderful as a lubricant.” Your head immediately whips to her, with cheeks now burning red. “Oh.” Is all you could muster, her smirk clearly finds humor in your reaction. You continue your extractions for several hours, making sure all your jars are filled to the brim with the healing nectar, as you prepare the jars into the bags to head back. “The return of the Tulkun is next week Tani, I have something I want to show you then as well.” She says softly. You smile, “Okay.” As you both sling the bags onto your backs and dive into the water, you can’t help but wonder why she added that last part to her sentence earlier today about the glow worms.

You bring back the bags into your Tsahík’s tent putting them on her shelfs one by one. She grabs a few jars and puts them in your hands. “Take these in case your family needs them.” You nod and thank her. Both of you begin to grind the herbs into a bowl for future use, then store the mangrove root sap into a dark corner in a basket. “That is for the hunting festival. It will be ready in several months to drink.” Oh. It’s alcohol. You think to yourself. “We are done for the day Tani, you did very well. Take some of these herbs too. You never know when they are needed.” You nod, packing your bag and make your way home, as the sun begins to set for the day.

You enter your marui, noticing you’re the first one home. You take a happy sigh, and begin to unpack your new herbs and salves putting them on the shelves on your side of the tent. You start humming to yourself, happily swaying your tail back and forth as you now find your bowl of beads and halfway done armbands and necklaces. You started crafting more now that you’re apprenticing the Tsahík, your time no longer spent being a ferocious war general.

You bring the bowl over to the mats of pillows and begin finishing the pearl and shell necklace you’re making for Jake. You’re more than halfway done so you finish by stringing the opalescent pearls and shells onto the string with the other sea foam green and blue beads. You don’t even notice Jake entering the tent until he says your name.

You squeal with surprise as he breaks your trance. “Ah! Oh, Jake you scared me.” You laugh with your hand on your chest. He laughs with you, shaking his head. “Sorry Tani, you seemed to be real focused on that necklace.” You hum in response as you finish stringing your last bead. You weave the clasp onto the necklace and look at it with pride, as you stand up to show him your work.

“I actually made this for you.” Your cheeks begin to flush with shyness as he carefully inspects your work. His big hands caressing the beads softly, “You made this for me?” He asks quietly. Your eyes meet, softly gazing into each other, as you nod your head shyly. “Yes, I spent several weeks finding the pearls and shells that remind me of you. Do you like it?” He smiles so wide his fangs glisten, and eyes crinkle with happiness. “Yeah I like it.” Is all he can muster to say. What he doesn’t say is that his heart is bursting wide open with joy that he fears he might crumble right in front of you.

“Here, let me.” You say grabbing the necklace to put around his neck. You move behind him, as he grabs his hair to make room for your small hands. You weave it around the back, as he feels your hot breath on his neck sending a delicious shiver down his spine. You feel his tail accidentally brush against your thigh as he happily flicks it with excitement. A rush of electricity now surging through your own body. “There.” You pat his shoulder and walk around him to admire your work. You take in his scrumptious form, the new lifestyle making his body harder, stronger. The water training causing his muscles to fill out even more, his biceps bulging with veins, his thighs impeccably thick, his stomach now forming the abs he said goodbye to in fatherhood.

You’re practically drooling at your husband, as he takes notice of your clear ogling. He won’t deny he likes his beautiful wife staring at him like he’s desirable. It makes him feel wanted, sexy. He can’t hide the smile on his face as he sees your eyes scanning his figure, his chest instinctively puffs out with pride. “See something you like baby?” He tests the waters with the pet name. Breaking your trance, you bat your lashes several times, with your eyes now peering into his soul, you take a step forward, placing your hand on his shoulder. “I think I do, Sayrìp handsome.” You practically purr into him, your nose nuzzling into his neck. He doesn’t know what has gotten into your sudden change in demeanor, but he does know that you’ve been trying to fill the gap between you two he’s unintentionally created since coming here. His heart aches knowing he has brushed you off as a mate, but maybe this is his second chance, and he’d be damned if he would screw this up again.

His ears perk up in intrigue as you address him, relishing in your sweet touch as you kiss his neck right under his ear. “Jake.” You whimper, “I’m tired of fighting the current between us.” He sighs deeply, knowing that you’ve noticed the distance too. “I know sweetheart, me too.” He cups your jaw lovingly, as you now gaze into each other’s amber eyes. “Maybe we can let this be a fresh start for us Jake. For the kids, for our union.” You say timidly. Jake would be a fool not to take this opportunity to mend both your hearts. He takes a deep breath, and smiles. “I think I’d like that.”

Finally closing the space between you two, both physical and metaphorical you both bring your lips to join each other. You melt into the warmth of his lips moaning into him. He finds the right moment to sneak his tongue into your mouth, causing an enticing whimper from you. You break the kiss suddenly, now knowing what you must do. “Jake there’s somewhere I want to show you.” His eyes quizzically meet yours, understanding the unspoken desire to now finish what you two started the night of your wedding. Oh. He thinks to himself. “Okay.” He just shyly replies.

You hastily pack a small mat into your bag, you hoist it over your shoulder. You grab his hand, and make way out of your marui, not wanting to waste a second longer. “What about the kids? They’re gonna be home soon from duties.” You turn your head to him behind you as you drag him along the village, “Tuk told me that Tsireya and the others are taking them to the cove of the ancestors at Eclipse, we have several hours before they’ll be home.” He just shakes his head and chuckles as you lead the way from the village, into the tropical forest.

The two of you walk in comfortable silence, as you make your way into the thick of the jungle. “Where are you taking me sweetheart?” He laughs. “You’ll see Jake.” As you smile at his eagerness. You finally reach the destination, the small lake with the waterfall you and Ronal visited this morning. The flora and fauna now lighting up the sky as the sun begins to set. Jake’s eyes widen with wonder, as he appreciates the vivid scene in front of him. “Wow.” He huffs. He looks to you admiring the scenery, giving his hand a playful squeeze. “Beautiful isn’t it. And we have a Yovo fruit tree right next to us if we get hungry.” You say excitedly.

You bring the bag down onto the ground as Jake helps you lay out the mat on the plush surface of the grass. Both of you sitting and enjoying each other’s company. “Would you like to go for a swim?” You ask raising your eyebrows to him. He swears he has gone weak in the knees for you, with that devilish grin on your face melting his jaded heart. He nods, as you begin to unfasten your beaded top. He helps you unclasp the back, as it falls to the ground, with your nipples now hard from the cool night air. His eyes bore into them, just like on your wedding night, only now he knows better than to just ogle. You shimmy out of your loincloth, gently undoing his own as he just stares at you with adoration, his heart begins to thump against his chest loudly like some horny teenager.

You notice his sudden shy demeanor, “See something you like baby?” With a shit eating grin on your face, he laughs. “Using my own words against me? That’s not playing fair sweetheart.” You laugh, and shake your head, making your way to descend into the water, “Since when does a Sully play fair?” You say with a wink. Goddamnit this woman is a minx.

He chases you into the water throwing you over his shoulder, both of you filled with déjà vu. You splash him as he sets you down, curling your legs over him once more. Your eyes both filled with such yearning. Without wasting a second more you both crash your lips into each other, filled with urgency and hunger. The passionate kiss sends an indescribable heat in between your legs causing a moan to escape your mouth. You can’t help but rut your hips into Jake’s stomach as he sucks on the bottom of your lip and shoves his tongue into your mouth. Your hands squeeze the back of his head hard, as you seek friction where you need him most. He senses your rapid movements as needing more, and scoops your ass up into his stomach, his own arousal now evident against your skin.

You moan as you feel his hard bulge press against your hips, now needing more you practically beg him, “Jake, please. I’m ready. I need you.” He relishes in your whiney tone, humping him, needing him. “Okay sweetheart.” He nuzzles his nose into your neck, drowning in your delicious scent.

He scoops you up, and brings you out of the water, and onto the mat. Your hair sprawled out, and bioluminescent dots make you look so enticing and angelic he practically growls at the sight alone. You sit yourself up, bringing your face to his, kissing him slowly. He cups your face with both hands as you mount him, but it’s not as rushed as a few moments ago. No, you’re savoring every second with your husband, as you moan into the kiss once again. You feel him rub the back of your braid, massaging it lovingly. He’s ready to seal the bond with you for life, as you bring your hand to the back of his. Both of you silently nod, as you watch your tendrils weave into the air desperately seeking union.

The bond suddenly rips through your entire body, causing a wave of the most intense emotions you have ever experienced in your entire life. Your pupils dilate hugely, causing your amber eyes to be but small rings. You feel the wind knocked out of your lungs as you look to your mate, as he experiences the same effects. You now feel his heartbeat, his breaths, his love for you, his family, the arousal flowing through your veins as if your own. You can’t help but shiver from extreme stimulation. Both of you panting, bring your foreheads together relishing in Tsaheylu.

Jake now filled with your own desire, also feels the yearning you’ve had for him ever since arriving to sanctuary, the love you have for his children, your home, your people. He feels the pride swell in your chest over the love you have for him, and sexual desire to make him yours.

The current of electricity coursing through his veins, he brings eyes to meet yours. Both of you now mated for life, breathing the same breaths. “I see you.” He quietly whispers. Tears now forming in your eyes, you smile to your husband. “I see you.” Not wanting to wait any longer, he grabs your face for a burning kiss, his tongue immediately assaulting your mouth once again.

You instinctively grab his throbbing length, causing a moan to escape his mouth. He litters kisses from your jaw, to your neck, making his way down to your collarbone leaving a trail of wet marks on your blue skin. He lays you down on the mat again, boring into your eyes. I need this man to fuck me now or else I’ll burst! You thought transferred to him. He chuckles, with your eyes going wide with confusion. “Babygirl, the bond makes it so that we can hear each other’s thoughts.” You whimper, “Well you heard me, Jake.”

He smirks at your desperation. He brings his head down dipping into your breasts, playing with a nipple in his mouth sucking softly. You lift your chest in pleasure as he swirls his tongue around the bud, massaging the other with his free hand. You writhe underneath him from the stimulation as he continues to suck and lick harshly. With a sudden pop, he brings his mouth down to your stomach, a wet trail of kisses leading down your body. “Can I taste you pretty girl?” As he gazes up to your hooded lids completely lost in pleasure. “Yes!” You whine. He swears he might cum from your own arousal alone. He dips his head in between your soft thighs, gripping them with his large hands, as he slowly kisses your legs, inching closer and closer to where your sopping wet heat needs him.

He gingerly licks your swollen bud, causing a long moan to tear into the forest, as you throw your head back in bliss. Never being touched by a man your senses are on overdrive, and being sent straight into your mate as well. He relishes in your euphoria, as he begins to suck a little harshly. You buck your hips into his face as he begins to eat you out like a man starved. Your nectar coating his chin, he’s completely enveloped in your heat.

His animalistic urges take over as he shoves his face harder into your heat, moaning loudly as he dips his tongue into your silky folds. Your hands grip his locs tightly, as you begin to feel a burning sensation your stomach. He gently takes his two fingers and slides them into your pussy, in a come here motion, causing a surge of pleasure to course through your whole body. He feels it instantly, as it goes straight to his length, he restrains himself from his own pleasure as he continues licking your silky pussy drinking every last drop.

He feels you’re close, by plunging in one more finger quickening his pace to reach your orgasm. Your thighs begin to shake, and vision spots as you scream into the air, “Jake! I’m-cum, I’m coming!” As you soak his face with your juices. He growls into your heat shoving his nose into your throbbing pearl, drinking your nectar as you ride your climax. Your breathing begins to slow as your body heaves, he sits up sucking his fingers of your juices one by one. You can only stare at him in awe.

Your hooded eyes make contact with his as you slam your mouth into his, tasting your arousal on his wet lips. He moans into the kiss as you grab his throbbing length again, this time pumping it hastily as you feel it jump in your hands. He groans from sudden contact, breaking the kiss. “Sweetheart if you keep doing that, I won’t be able to have my way with you.” His chest now heaving, you feel him refraining to cum right there, as you remove your hand and nod your head.

He gently grips your waist, as you mount him, your hips hovering his cock. “This might hurt at first, but if it’s too much for you, tell me to stop and I will okay?” He reassures you. All you can do is nod, as you slowly sink onto his length, all 14 inches. Your brows pinch together with a slight pinch of pain from him entering, but the climax he gave you slicked your walls nicely, that he slides into you without any friction.

You sit on his length for a moment, the air in your lungs re entering, as he’s patiently waiting for you to adjust to the new sensation, by caressing your braids softly. You bring your mouth to his, kissing him lightly as you tell him to move his hips through the bond. He gingerly snaps them up, causing you to gasp in pleasure, the pain of your hymen breaking now replaced with pure euphoria. You start to roll your hips excitedly against his, with his pelvis brushing against your already stimulated clit, “Oh!” You squeal. Jake’s ears perked to the sweet sound of your voice as he thrusts his hips to meet yours. “Fuck!” He whimpers into your ear. You two find a delicious rhythm, as your body begins to beg for more. “Jake faster, please, I can handle it.” You moan. “Yeah?” He thumps into your pelvis. “You want it fast babygirl? I’ll give you fast.”

He takes your hips and flips your body onto your back, spreading your legs wide. This new angle allows him to go much deeper than before, as he slams his hips into your pelvis, balls slap against your skin loudly. “Agh!” You squeal in pleasure, your sweet sounds encouraging him to keep moving. He thumps his hips into yours as you curl your hand to the back of his head slamming a searing kiss into him, as he feels the ecstasy flow from you to him. His cock aching for a release, feels your silky walls tighten on him begging for another orgasm, “Fuck! Babygirl you feel amazing. Fuck I love you!” He huffs into your mouth. Your vision begins to spot again as you whimper into your mate’s mouth, “Agh! I love you too!”

The sound of your bodies colliding mixed with the squelching of your pussy fills your ears with lewd bliss. The fire in your belly making its way, as Jake takes his hand to rub your swollen bud feverishly.

He feels you’re close, hell he’s close because he can feel you’re almost there too. “Oh! Jake I’m coming again!” The delicious combination of his relentless rhythm, and your swollen bud being rubbed you swear you see Eywa herself as your climax tears through your entire body causing you to shudder violently. Your pussy clenches down on your mate’s length, causing him to cum right there, his hot seed filling your womb as he grips your face for a searing kiss. The rhythm of your bodies colliding, slow down as you both come down from bliss. He slumps onto your chest, as you feel tears brimming in your eyes.

He feels your emotion through Tsaheylu, as he brings his head to meet yours in concern, “Hey what is it pretty girl? Why are you crying?” He takes you in his arms as you sniffle lightly. “These are happy tears Jake. I am so happy. We are now mated for life.” You say with the most heartwarming smile he’s ever seen. His emotions begin to get the best of him, as your love for each other gets shared, his own eyes now watering. “Thank you for taking a chance on an old man like me. I know I’m not the easiest to be around, but I will do my best for you and this family Tani.” He whispers into your ear. “I know Jake. I know”

You embrace each other as a mated pair that evening, relishing in the bond, not once breaking Tsaheylu. You feed each other Yovo fruit and go for several more rounds of love making before you make your way back to your shared home still linked together. You hold hands the entire walk home, walking through the village, some people stare at you knowing what has occurred, with both of your connected kurus being the most obvious clue. They respectfully nod their heads, as you make way to the family marui, to ready dinner, and to be with your family, finally as one.

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miss-celestia13 · 1 year ago

Text

Silence

Sometimes, most times, Jake said more when silence fell between them.

His wandering hands spoke for him, fingers talking in shivering whispers as they trailed across her flushed, pebbled skin. His secret smirk revealed everything he felt for her, love and desire etched into every laughing line, and he heard it echoed back in her matching smile.

The arch of his brow, a slight quirk of his mouth, and the roguish glint in his eye were a lure she could never resist.

He could say much, doing so little. Through tiny tempting touches, and his electric eyes on hers, it was all there. Loud and crystal clear.

Manon was an expert at reading him, and he had her memorized.

He told her he loved her in so many ways that she was fluent in many silent tongues.

He was a safe, soft place for her to fall when her world was aflame, and nothing went her way.

And he was the wildness, the chaos, and dangerous desire when their world was bright and open, beautiful.

If Manon had her way, she’d tell the entire world he was hers and lay claim to him.

It was only fair. He already possessed her body and soul.

Jake didn’t forbid her from doing a damn thing, but he loved to fight her when she went on a martyr rampage. It was incredible how effortlessly he could ease her into a placid mood.

Her fiery, tempestuous nature often ate through her threadbare patience, and he knew how to soothe it. But would never attempt to tame her.

She could only show her love how she fought.

Full of fire, clawing hands, and biting teeth.

Manon wanted to carve a space for herself amongst his bones.

Engrave their initials in the ivory.

Lounge in the deepest, darkest parts of him so she could seek out the lingering shadows within him and comfort them.

—————

I’m writing vows for them and had to write something to get into the mindset. Felt like sharing it ❤️

Violence - Jakes feelings/thoughts toward my MC

#snippet #jake x mc #jake x oc #duskwood fanfic #duskwood #duskwood jake #duskwood mc #fanfiction #writing #duskwood fanfiction #duskwood fandom #duskwood everbyte #my writing #fluff and romance #women writers #creative writers #link in pinned post #Marked Me Like a Bloodstain #Paper Rings and Dirty Dreams

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onskepa · 2 years ago

Note

Hello Halo Hello! I AM BACK ONCE AGAIN! With a request nonetheless.

Do you remember the triplets request? Well I was wondering if I could request uncle Lo'ak, spider and grandpa Jake babysitting for Neteyam and Syawn.

The Omaticaya meet up with the Metkayina's home for a bit of a festival gathering at the Metkayina clan. Neteyam ans Syawn decided to have some alone time and Jake along with Spider and Lo'ak decides to take care of the kids for them. The three try their best but ever since the babies learned to crawl, let's just say they're in for a huge ride since the triplets are somehow always disappearing!

Jake, Lo'ak and spider along with Tonowari and Aonung were chatting one minute and then the next... the babies are gone,, T-the babies- WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GO!?

Basically babies go on a big adventure around the place. Each baby separating into different places and giving these five men a huge scare. ᵉʰᵉʰᵉ(*/∇＼⭒)

I just like the idea of Jake, Lo'ak and Spider along with Aonung and Tonowari seeing first hand how much trouble the baby triplets can get into.

(I hope this is okay? If not let me know and I can make some tweaks to the request. Also thank you again for taking the time to read this it is much appreciated!)

✩•̩̩͙*˚ｄ(≧𓎟≦)ｂ˚*•̩̩͙✩

Hiiiiiii~!!! God I love making this syawn series its so much fun! Thanks for requesting. Hope you all enjoy this!

Syawn series

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Syawn ch3

The Awa’atlu island is always as breathing taking as the first time neteyam had seen it. This time however, his mate and children are seeing it for the first time.

Couple weeks back Tsireya and lo'ak had come to the Omatikaya clan as to invite their family to come and visit the island as the tulkuns will be returning soon.

Neteyam had seen this as a opportunity to wind down and enjoy themselves. Like his dad once said, a "vacation" of sorts.

Getting the children to calm down was easier said than done. The triplets were in their crawling phase and weren't so keen on staying put. Even if they are flying thousands of feet in the air going at high speed winds. Everyone would take turns on carrying them. Seems the only ones who can calm them down was either Syawn, Tsireya or kiri. Spider tagged along and would even help in carrying ALL three of the triplets. Which was impressive in itself.

Felt like forever but they managed to arrive to the island. The whole clan welcomed them, since the metkayina clan is their second family in a way. Tonowari and Ronal were smiling and greeting them along with ao'nung and Unyor.

"Welcome back. I take you all travelled safely?" Ao'nung asks. Jake sully gave ao'nung a pat on his back, smiling a bit tiredly. "With three children? As safe as it can get".

Tonowari and Ronal all hugged everyone, welcoming them back. For Syawn and the triplets, they were awed at how the pods looked like, the sea animals, the other reef na'vi. It was a whole new world for them.

The family settled into their old pod, but Unyor and ronal had given neteyam and syawn a new pod for their family. Right next to the others. "Thank you for doing this for us. It means a lot" Syawn says as she holds Ronal's and Unyor's hand in thankfulness.

The triplets were crawling around, exploring their new home. Touching, pulling, and throwing things. Neteyam tries to calm them down and put back the items. Ronal giggled slightly as she sits down and holds the children close to her.

"I'm sorry about their mess, ever since they began to crawl, nothing is out of reach for them" neteyam apologizes. Ronal shakes her head as she plays with the triplets feet's, making them giggle.

"Nothing to apologize about. They simply have the need to explore. It is normal for their age".

Unyor turned to syawn and asked, "what are their names?". Syawn happily responded. "Their names are Lu'Lafyon, Lu'Tstunwi, and Lu'law". Unyor nodded in agreement, "those are wonderful names".

Three days have past and the tulkun arrived. It was a lovely day for everyone. Lo'ak was able to see payakan and he happily introduced the triplets to him. The triplets were amazed to see such large creatures. Not a moment did they get scared. Feeling safe to be next to large creatures.

When night came, a huge celebration was held. Jake had offered to watch his grandchildren as means to let neteyam and syawn have a night to themselves. Like how he and neytiri used to have night for themselves.

"Father, are you sure? They are not like me or my siblings when we were babies. They are starting to crawl and mostly like escape under your nose" neteyam warns.

Jake confidently scoffs, "Don't worry, I can handle my grand kids, you two just enjoy your time. I know you both need it. Your kids will be in the safest hands. It wont be that hard"

It was hard.

So very very hard.

He looks away for one second and WHOOSH!

Triplets gone.

He looked all his surroundings, nowhere to be seen. Feeling scared he gets up from where he was at to look for them. Making sure that neteyam and syawn don't find out.

On the other side, lo'ak was collecting some fresh picked fruits to give to tsireya and his sisters. When turning around he noticed his father was looking around with a panicked look on his face. Thinking something is wrong, he went over to ask.

"hey dad, is something wrong?", Jake quickly snapped his neck to look at lo'ak. "I lost the triplets". That made lo'ak drop the fruit he was holding. His eyes grow wide and mouth open in shock.

"You LOST them-MPH!!"

"sssssshhh!! dont shout!" jake quickly covers lo'ak's mouth. Lo'ak groaned and move jake's hand from his mouth. "The great Toruk Makto has lost his grand children, oh this is a story to tell!" rubbing his hands together, grinning mischievously. "There wont be a story to tell if you don't have a tongue to use!" jake was quick to snap.

Lo'ak wasnt smiling much now. "look, I need your help to find them before neteyan and syawn find out. I told them to trust me because I wanted them to have a nice night". Lo'ak nods in understanding and assists in helping his dad.

At the same time, spider was having his moment as means to show off his big muscles to some of the ladies. They were impressed, how a demon can look so good. "This is the results when climb high mountains and large trees" he brags while flexing. The ladies were giggling amongst themselves, some blushing. But before things proceeded, lo'ak grabs spider by the arm and drags him away.

"Hey what the hell bro!? I was having a moment with the ladies!" spider shouts at lo'ak. The other boy rolls his eyes and replies, "dad lost the kids so I need you to help us look for them". This made spider feel surprised but at the same time not.

"how did he lose them?" he asks, "my guess, the kids must have crawled away". Spider quickly begins his part of the search. The island isn't so big so it shouldn't be hard to find them.

Meanwhile on other side of the shores, ao'nung was getting some food for unyor when he noticed something amongst the bushes. He inspects and out comes little lu'law. Blinking in surprised, he picks up the child.

"lu'law? What are you doing here? where are your siblings?" he looks around to find them but the others aren't around it seems. He remembers jake sully was the one taking care of the triplets tonight. Perhaps lu'law slipped passed his eyes and crawled away.

"let's get you back to your grand father, but first, food" he puts lu'law down and serves a small portion of food in a leaf. As it was for the toddler. They get hungry real quick. "the is best food you will have-where did you go?"

lu'law was gone. Again.

He turned and moved plants around, no little child around. He begins to panic. Staring to run but also not trying to make others question what is he doing. Going into the vegetation part of the island. He starts to shout.

"lu'law! lu'law scream if you can hear me-OW!" he crashed into someone. Rubbing his head, he opens his eyes to see none other than lo'ak. "ugh! watch where you are going Skawng!" lo'ak hisses as he rubs his head.

Both get up, recovering from the pain. Jake quickly appears to see them both. "ao'nung, we hard you calling for la'law. Did you find the kid?" he asks, ao'nung shakes his head.

"I just found lu'law crawling, I wanted to give the child some food only to find the child gone. I was looking! honestly!" ao'nung answers. Jake nods in understanding, "its alright, we are looking for the triplets too. They are very slippery". Ao'nung joins in the search. Shouldn't be that hard to find the kids.

At the same time, neteyam and syawn were enjoying their dinner when neteyam got a strange feeling. "Is something wrong nete?" Syawn asks with a hint of worry in her voice. Neteyam shakes his head and smiles at her, "nothing is wrong my love. Just felt a bit of a shiver". Nodding at his answer, she leans more onto his arm.

"so tell me more about when you first rode on a skimwing!"

Both were highly oblivious that three little heads crawled right past them and into the deeper part of the island.

It was past one hour, and ao'nung had to ask tonowari for help. As ashamed and embarrassed as he was since he Olo'eyktan now. But tonowari understands the importance and is also putting his part in searching for the kids. But even he felt stumped. How can four grown men struggle to find three little children?

While the men are having the worst panic of their lives. The triplets were having the time of their little lives!

The three siblings split after escaping their grandfathers vision range and crawled away to different areas of the island. Lu'Tstunwi explored more around the shallow little shores on the south side of the island. Playing with the water and with the little fishes. Lu'Lafyon was taken more interest with the tulkuns. To which the tulkuns also took interest in the child. And lu'law? Home invader.

There was so much to see, everything was so different from their forest that it was too tempting to go out and explore! Who can resist the itch of adventure?

Every nook, every corner, every na'vi, every tent, pots, baskets, overturned leaves, bushes, everything was turned upside down in search of the children. And no such luck. And the tulkun celebration was coming to a close.

When time reached midnight, the men were tired and just ready to give up and confess to the parents. "its best to come clean to them...short and simple" spider says, the others nodding in agreement. "Ok dad, you know what to do" lo'ak turns to jake. Feeling appalled, jake responded "what!?! why me!?".

"Well you're the one who lost them first!" ao'nung said. Tonowari nods in agreement. "Yes, neteyam and his mate trusted you to take care of the children. We searched every corner of the island. Best to come clean".

Jake sighed in defeat, he walks towards neteyam and syawn's pod, with the others behind him for 'support'. Taking a deep breathe, he walks in.

"neteyam! syawn, there is something I have to tell you-"

"ssshh! dad keep it down! they are asleep!" neteyam hisses.

Jake tilted his head in question.

"the children are so tuckered out from the playing with you. Thank you jake for taking care of our kids" syawn answers with a bright smile on her face.

Jake looks over her shoulder to see....

The triplets sleeping in their shared bassinet like they didn't cause 5 grown ass men in a panic frenzie.

Behind jake, the other men were just as shocked. They searched the whole island only to be found sleeping away!

"anyways, is there something you wanted to say dad?" neteyam asks. Jake gulps down is saliva nervously. Shit. What is he going to say now?

And that is it for this one! I am writing this half-asleep so idk if I made any mistakes but! I will comeback and check when I am fully awake! However! I made the triplets names in na'vi. Hope you all like it! Until next time! see ya!

Lu'Lafyon = be wise

Lu'Tstunwi = be kind

Lu'Law = be certain

Taglist: @quirkyhero , @theunfortunateplace , @moonchildxoxx ,

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colectingstrz · 2 years ago

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THIS ONE IS FOR U

Soo's smol notey:📝: I saw this pic on Pinterest and I was immediately inspired to write a Jake related fic with some correlation to basketball ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ + plussss Jake is soo so the type to yell this is for you and miss 😭 hence the title 💀

“Unknowingly, when you call my name Heartbreakingly, my heart is pounding”

After a messy breakup things have been awkward especially as your the teams manger and have to interact with Jake on a daily basis or in which Jake is determined to win you over and get you back even embarrassing himself in the process

TO SAY THINGS ARE AWKWARD IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. You and Jake’s breakup was as messy as it could be. Jake had cheated on you the whole thing drove you mad not only did you drag the girl by her hair you also dragged Jake and attempted to drown him in the pool in front of everyone. If it weren’t for your friends and his getting involved you would have gone to jail for murder that day.

Though time has gone past and you are no longer upset and have accepted reality, you are still slightly embarrassed about how you acted at the time as well as the status of your and Jake's relationship, especially as you are his basketball team’s manager. You pretend it's nothing, but you're bothered and find it difficult to be comfortable around him.

"So... do you have a prom date yet?" Jake inquires, gazing your way as he dribbles the ball. "Why should that worry you? It's none of your business who I'm with," he groans, "it's my business you're my ex," you smile " key word here is ex..my life should not concern you now, stop asking stupid questions and start shooting some hoops," you say one final time before leaving and heading to the back to collect additional basketballs, which Heeseung had requested earlier.

While looking for which set to pick you feel a presence behind you. So you turn around to be face to face with the last man you wanted to see. Go away Jake seriously “ dont make me report you for stalking ”Jake laughed holding his chest “ ahh im so hurt y/n” you roll your eyes turning back but Jake held your shoulder forcing you to turn to him “ who are you going with tho?” Why does he want to know so bad.. it’s weird “ since your begging for an answer I’ll let you know..honesty I have no idea yet I haven’t decided “ he hummed as a response but you could tell he was thinking

He had that I’m thinking of something stupid jake face on right now “ go on.. just say it I know you want to..” his face lit up before he took a deep breath “ well I have no one to go with and you seem to not have anyone to go with..soooo you and me prom! what do you think ?” Is he on drugs ? Or has he just genuinely lost the plot you blink your eyes aggressively perplexed as to what you were hearing.

“ what do I think? Why would I got to prom with my ex who cheated on me ? Do you seriously want to know what I think-because I have a bone to pick with you Jake don’t even get me started" you felt yourself getting worked up as you resurfaced locked memories you never wanted to remember “ i already told you I even showed you how sorry i was.. I even tried explained to you what actually happened but you would not listen! You know I would never hurt you” here he goes again with the lies

“ I don’t want to hear it.. I do not want to have this conversation with you.. I’m not going to be your prom date go ask some other girl” you shove past him and storm out of the hall forgetting the little side quest heeseung had set you on. A deep sigh was let out as you rested on a the wall of the hallway why can’t you just leave me alone Jake

JAKE’S 2ND ATTEMPT. The next day was simply no better jake was really pushing your buttons “ the answer is 45 btw” he whispered to you. At this point he had basically given you the answers to half of the paper he might as well have just sat the test for you instead. I don’t need your help leave me aloneeee “ jake piss off I don’t need you I can do this myself” you whispered back basically spitting out your words at him so he would get the point and leave you alone. He sighed, turning away from you , relieved to have some peace and quiet you attempt the to tackle the other half of the paper and realise you had no idea what any of the questions were or how to answer them.

You sighed, knowing you needed Jake's assistance. Kill me now pls You look to your side to already see Jake staring at you with his head resting on his Palm “ it seems you need me love ” you roll your eyes “ call me love again and I’ll drown you in the pool for real this time just give me the answers ” your response causes Jake to laugh slightly as he turns his paper in your direction so you can copy the rest.

" you owe me for basically giving you a free A " you sigh " you never asked anything back when we were together tho.." Jake flicked your forehead causing you to flinch in agony. What the hell jake " we’ll likeeee you said earlier, you're my ex, so this kind gesture comes at a cost, my love," he should stop calling me that. "So, what exactly do you want?" Jake grins “Be my prom date." You step back "Oh my Jake, you've turned into a comedian haven't you? “ You were laughing so hard you had to hold your stomach because it was starting to hurt. "I'm not going to be your prom date" get somebody else to do it You pat him on the back with a fake smile before walking away, or rather sprinting away, because you could see him following you again in the corner of your eye.

JAKE’S 3RD ATTEMPT. if it was not bad enough he tormented you at school he had the audacity to show up at your house and disturb you in the comfort of your own home. Your sitting down chilling while doing some sketches, when you hear a bang on your window, what the hell? You are on your knees, peering out, to get a peek only to find Jake waving down at you, holding a flower he had snatched from your mother's treasured garden. The more Jake kept going the more it gave you any tiny hint of hope..you were even willing to look past what he had done to you almost wanting to give in. Why can’t you just stay out of my life Jake stop making me feel things

Jake, as usual, got his way, and you ended up letting him in through your window and now sit on opposing sides of the bed. "you know... you could have just knocked and my sister would have opened the door for you... she's like the only one who likes you in this household," you said slyly, to which Jake sighed and looked down. " Can we not do this right now?" You raised your brow. "Do what argue? Are you afraid of being called out?" Standing up, Jake sighed once more.

“ stop this it’s so-so irritating ! I keep trying to explain myself to you and you never want to listen to me ! It’s like In your head you’ve already painted me as some Cheater when that’s not what happed ” I don’t have time for this “ well I don’t know how you expect me to believe you when I saw what I saw ! Even my friends told me that they saw you guys together before I even came down to see it for myself !” Jake sighed in irritation, approaching you and placed his hands on your shoulders “y/n.. can you just trust me for once and take my word.. you know how much you mean to me, I would never go out of my way to hurt or disrespect you." “She kissed me, and I didn't know what to do. I pulled her away, but you had already left."

You didn't want to believe it, yet you gave in so easily, especially when Jake sounded so serious and genuine that you couldn't detect a lie anywhere... Reality had hit you. You realise for some reason that you never really talked to Jake after that, and ghosted him because you had fixed your mind on your opinion of what had happened, never really wanting to hear his side of the story

You hated yourself for doing this and ignoring him all this time, you both had been hurting for no cause. If it went for yourself and your overthinking and actually had bothered to talk it out with Jake now you could have still been together. Gosh why am I so quick to always jump to conclusions this is my fault " Jake.. I'm so sorry..I-“ shhh it's ok it’s alright " Jake cut you off by pulling you into his chest, one hand resting on your head and the other on your waist as he pulled you into a hug. "All that matters is that you believe me now in this moment.. that's all I ever needed and wanted from you my love," similar to before before hearing him call you that made your heart flutter but in this circumstance you felt your heart just melt.

“Here is my heart out for you ”

JAKE’S FINAL AND LAST ATTEMPT WAS THE GRAND FINAL. Now that you and him were on talking terms the awkwardness eventually faded away and it was like freshman year all over again with the two of you locking gazes across the room and quickly looking away. Blushing at any compliment he would make. Cute exchange of love letters in class it was nostalgic. Jake was the happiest he had been in a long time, and his teammates noticed. Jake's performance had improved shooting many goals more than he had in the previous semester, and it was clear from the lovey dovey glances you two exchanged across the sports hall at every practise session that you and jake had patched it up. Though Jake, on the other hand still wanted to ask you to prom.

But now that you two are back on track, he wanted to make a huge proposal that would show you and Convey how how he truly felt and as well as a cool way to ask you out. Jake wanted to impress you with want he knew best aka basketball.

During practice you had arrived a bit late due to your teacher but you still rushed to the hall not wanting to keep the team waiting. As soon as you arrived you sat down on the front bench as you went on your phone to quickly reply to your friends message ." hey y/n" You look up to see Jake joyously waving at you, and you reciprocate one. He holds the ball up pointing in your direction " This one's for you! " He yells before shooting into the hoop. Jake had a vision of how this would play out, which included him taking a beautiful shot, you being amazed, and him asking you out to prom. But, unfortunately for you Jake and everyone else in the room, he absolutely missed it; he wasn't even close to getting it in.

The entire situation was humiliating. Afterwards to top it off Jake clumsily stood on one knee almost tripping while he whipped out a Harry Bow ring form his pocket , reaching out to you, "w-will you be my prom date?" No..way he can’t be serious You were resisting the urge to laugh, but you managed to let out a small "yes" as you ran into his arms for a big bear hug. The whole thing was amusing. Jake was clumsy, but it was adorable because you could see he tried his hardest for you even if it didn't work out.

Despite all that and happed between you two… you was happy to see he was still the awkward and cute boyfriend you had learned to adore.

@COPYRIGHTS SOOTREEPEAR 2023

𖤐 steal my work and I’ll come to your house and suck your blood 🧛‍♀️

𖤐authors notes and dat pt2.📝: broke off the sad ending streeak 😻 wrote tbis at 4am so if sometimg is spelt wrong erase it from your memory and act like u didn’t see it (ง'̀-'́)ง aniii ways i hope you liked it !! + if you already saw this it is a repost 😭 I privated it and made some changes

- peace and love ♡︎

𖤐 link to my other works !!

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thepaintedlady00 · 1 year ago

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Nightshade

Chapter 23 | Chapter 25

TW: As always: language, mentions of drugs and alcohol, smoking, sex, general mature themes. We've got some Tony in this chapter, some clear violations of the law and personal property/privacy, Simone's back (...yaaaaayyy), I'm gonna blue ball y'all just one more time with the big conversation our two idiots gotta have, another painting, some mentions of grooming, Lena's not in the mood for any of the shit this chapter, Jake's being the good "friend" he is. Some lies get told, and finally our dummies have THE conversation but also not really xD Enjoy!

Chapter 24: Burn the Ice

The morning chill stung his face as he exited the car - a reminder that the snow could start any day now. With calm, leisurely steps his fine leather shoes echoed amongst the chaos of the city. It was loud and crowded and smelt like cheap street vendor food. Disgusting, he thought to himself, glaring at the slouched-back people running the dirty stalls for a minute before starting up the steps.

Her building was old and smelt of mold, something he couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction about. It was obvious she wasn't living as well as she had been with him. The landlord gave him a wide-eyed look, one he was well accustomed to - the style of the rich was always something poor people gawked at - but all he did was smile that charming smile and offer the old man a wave as he made his way past.

At the door he let the others do their work, patiently drumming his fingers along the hard cover of the sketchbook while they did. The door made a loud creaking noise as it opened. “Wait here. I won't be long.”

The faint smells of cleaning materials and dust filled his nose. She'd been staying here less and less the closer the cold months got. A lingering trauma that made her unconsciously cling to that pathetic family of hers. A trauma he felt a burning frustration and an undoubtable swell of pride whenever he recalled it. Running his fingers along her countertop, looking at the living room filled with paintings she'd done after slipping away, Tony allowed himself a rare moment of quiet.

In that quiet Tony breathed in the faint smell of her cherry perfume with a grimace. He'd always hated that smell, hated the tiny fruit in general. But, he admired the malice behind it… The choice to douse herself in it was one clearly made to slight him. She could do nothing without thinking of him, even if it was in anger, for now, Tony enjoyed the simple fact that Lena still thought of him every day. It was a testament to a larger, even more satisfying truth.

This sad, pathetic little life she'd scrounged together was nothing without him.

Jules’ heavy footsteps intruded on his quiet, but he did so with respect so Tony would allow it. “He's coming this way.”

“How long?”

“Four minutes.”

“Good.” Right on schedule.

Tony set the sketchbook back on the counter and pulled the lovely orange flower from his breast pocket giving it a sniff before setting it on top of the book. Jules handed him the envelope with her name neatly printed in his decadent handwriting. “We'll see each other soon, my Lena.”

Jules had timed it perfectly, as he always did, right as Tony stepped out the door onto the steps of Lena's apartment the old biker turned onto the street. His eyes grew wide in terror and rage as he spotted him. Perfect. With a wide grin, Tony lifted his hand and offered them a wave before he slid into his limousine. “Take us home, driver. We're done here for today.”

A sweet smell filled Jake’s nose as he rolled onto his stomach, arm draping over the warm body lying beside him. The sweet, fruity, decadent aroma was one he recognized in mere seconds. Cherries. He happily buried his nose in that smell. Lena.

He cracked an eye open, catching that heavenly glimpse of the sun hitting her hair just right making it glow like fire. Pretty as that was, it paled in comparison to the sight of her bare back peeking out from beneath his covers. Her skin was soft as silk beneath the tips of his fingers as he lazily traced the snake tattoo.

The warm fuzziness that filled his chest made every touch, every smell, and sound feel almost dreamlike. He would have thought this was just another dream like he had the first time he woke up to her in his bed, but the sensations were too defined to just be his imagination. That and he felt so damn tired from the long night he'd spent in the throes of such physical activities.

With a pleased sigh, Jake recalled all the ways they'd made up for wasted time. He could still taste the sweetness of Lena's lips, still feel her soft skin rubbing so deliciously against his own. If he closed his eyes again he was sure he'd see the heavenly image of her moving on top of him. It was seared into his mind now just like his name felt forever changed now that he'd heard it on her lips as she came apart beneath him. The hickeys on his neck and the faint marks left by her fingernails clawing at his back would be more obvious things to remind him that last night had been real. Those marks would fade in a week or two unless he let her give him more, which he gladly would.

Lena had taken her time with him, kissing him, teasing him, working him so expertly he'd actually struggled not to come prematurely. She was just as talented as she'd built herself up to be and he felt like a damn fool for ever even doubting her. As if she needed more added to the list of all her perfections now she could add being the best he'd ever had.

She was vocal, not just in expressing her pleasure but in encouraging his own. No matter how hard he thought Jake couldn't remember ever feeling as satisfied during or after sex in his life. In between the three rounds of their newfound intense passions, Jake found himself… Present. Usually after an orgasm or two, he'd just fall asleep not caring if his partner did the same or not, but with her, he felt awake… Alive.

They spent just as much time talking, laughing, and enjoying each other's company as they had tangled in his sheets. They ate, drank, and played with their cat whenever the little creature slinked from his hiding place. It all felt natural and oddly intimate and, for better or worse, Jake enjoyed it.

Physical intimacy was something he'd always excelled at. Flirting, foreplay, all of it came naturally to him. Jake had spent his fair share of time between the legs of beautiful women but Lena was something else entirely. Something new. Being with her made him feel like his pleasure - he - mattered just as much as hers. It was a concept he'd never truly understood, let alone experienced until now.

Ever since he could remember Simone - women in general - had told him exactly what they wanted from him. Touch me. Kiss me. Fuck me. Faster. Slower. Harder. They told him how to please them and he listened. It was a good time for all parties, but deep down Jake always felt that sting of emptiness. It’d been more about following their orders than it had been about just getting to enjoy the moment. He felt used… Like he'd only been good for a quick fuck and nothing else.

Normally Jake would have swallowed that feeling and forced himself to move… To physically shake off the very thought of it. He'd busy his mind with reading or mundane tasks like showering or cleaning. He'd build up the wall between him and whoever he'd fucked the night before - distance himself from feeling anything at all. Right about now, Jake should have been justifying his dickish, asshole behavior by repeating the words Simone had said to him since he could remember. This is who you are, love. You're just not built for ordinary people.

Ordinary people turned out to be everyone. Everyone but Simone. And now… Maybe… Lena.

He never truly understood how powerful feelings like this could be. He never knew that one person - even one as perfect as her - was capable of making him feel like an entirely different person. Jake felt more like himself, a self he barely even knew any more than he had in practically his entire life. He let the peaceful silence and that warm feeling in his chest stay as he curled further into the back of his sleeping redhead.

It wasn't until Hemingway climbed over both their legs, shimmying beneath the curtains and pushing them open to further blind him with sunlight that Jake truly woke up. Pleased with his work the cat proudly pranced across the pillows to stare down at him with an impatient and demanding meow. He couldn't help but chuckle as Hemingway slapped his forehead with a fleshy paw. Lena mumbled something in her sleep, burrowing her face in his blanket with a happy sigh that practically drowned out the cat's noise. God, he wanted to wake her up and kiss her, feel her, fuck her until they were both too exhausted to continue.

After laying in bed for a minute longer - until Hemingway was on the verge of exploding - he slowly slid out of the sheets and stretched his tense back out with a quiet groan. Briefly glancing over his shoulder to make sure that he hadn't woken her, Jake slid on a pair of pants picked his shirt up off the floor, and dished up Hemingway’s food with a quiet scold, “There, was that so hard to wait for?”

He cleaned up the remnants of the night, tossing the now nubs of melted wax in the trash and putting the leftover oyster shells in his sink. When he moved to put the champagne in his fridge he was bitterly reminded of how little food he had. Shit. He set the champagne back on the counter, closing the fridge to look back at the bed. Did he really want to have the conversation in some overcrowded, too-loud diner?

The thought sat in his mind for a second as a list of possible interruptions made him shake his head. Nope. He wasn't going to risk not talking about this any longer because of anything. Maybe that Chinese is still good? Nope. Jake may have been lazy but even he was above serving month-old Chinese food for breakfast.

Jake knew Lena wouldn't care about where they ate breakfast, but he didn't want to risk anything going wrong. Besides, Lena deserved a proper breakfast. He wanted her to know that he'd thought about this. That he was ready - willing - to put his best foot forward. Jake wanted to show Lena that this wasn't just a one-night stand and that he wasn't going to vanish now that he'd finally fucked her. More than anything he wanted her to see how much last night, she, meant to him.

He quietly put on his shoes and grabbed his keys and wallet. Writing her a quick note, he set it on his pillow and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. I'll be back before she even wakes up, he reassured himself as he turned and headed out the front door. The diner by his house would be open. It may not have been the best food, but it'd have to do.

I'm definitely going grocery shopping tomorrow. When Lena spent the night again, he'd be ready.

I woke to an abrupt slap to the center of my forehead followed by a loud, demanding meow directly in my ear. The silhouette of Hemingway's pointed ears was all I could see as he stood in front of the sunlit window. “Good morning to you too.”

Another demanding meow was the creature's only reply as I stretched my arms over my head and yawned. Hemingway jumped off the bed the second I'd sleepily rolled over to throw my arms around the body that should have been beside mine but wasn't. A nervous, gut-wrenching pit filled my stomach as I patted the empty mattress. “Jake?”

No answer.

“Jake?” I called out just a bit louder as I held the blanket to my naked chest and sat up in his bed, looking around his now-empty apartment.

The bathroom door was open and the shower was off. His kitchen was empty, although cleaner than it had been when we'd finally fallen asleep. There weren't many places one could hide in an apartment as small and open as his. I shifted slightly, fingers brushing against a thin piece of paper on his pillow.

Relax Princess, I just ran to grab us some breakfast. Should only be ten or fifteen minutes. Make yourself comfortable and DO NOT feed the cat again no matter how much he meows at you!

Air filled my lungs and my body relaxed back into Jake's soft sheets. He was safe. I was safe. Everything was alright.

For how long though? When he returned we'd have to finally have that discussion. The discussion. I'd need to have answers - need to admit just how much I'd fallen for him. The very thought of looking into his stupid, beautiful eyes and pouring my heart out to him made me feel dizzy.

Would he feel the same now that he'd achieved his original goal? Would Jake still want me as much as I still wanted him? And how much did I want him? How far had I really fallen since the start?

Too far. Was the only answer I could admit to. I was naked in his apartment. I had slept with him in his bed. I was waking up with the cat we'd both unofficially adopted. There was no denying it. I was hopelessly, pathetically, irreparably in this - whatever this was. There was no going back to how things were before, not when all I could think about was just how perfect Jake's lips felt on mine and how amazing last night had been.

Sex was nothing new. It was something I'd had a lot of experience in, good and bad. I knew all the steps, all the moves, and still last night had taken me by surprise. Sex with Jake had been… different. It was unlike every other sexual experience I’d had.

I often had to find ways to keep myself in the moment, something that got easier the more I was with someone or the more time had passed. But, with Jake, I was just there. I didn't need to remind myself to breathe. I didn't need to force my body to relax and repeat his name to remind myself whose hands were touching me.

It was fun, exciting and intimate. Instead of feeling that shameful disgust, the one I needed to tell myself wasn't real, I felt at peace. There hadn't been a single moment when we were tangled together that I’d felt anything but completely and utterly cherished. I felt safe, unburdened by all the shit that'd been complicating even the simplest things in my life. Last night nothing else mattered, nothing but us.

Us. It was a word that made my lips quirk up in a smile. Us was simple. Us was what I wanted. And us was ultimately what I was most afraid of.

There were just so many ways it could all go wrong. I could fuck it up. He could fuck it up. We could both collectively fuck it all up. And then what? We'd just have to go about our lives working together, seeing each other every day, watching each other meet new people, and moving on? Even just the possibility of seeing Jake with anyone else made me feel sick.

No, I thought sadly. We're in too deep for that. I couldn't live without Jake. His asshole attitude and his smart mouth, his smile, his laugh, he was entwined in my life now in a way I couldn't undo even if I tried. So, the choice was already made. I'd - we’d -make it work. No matter what I had to do to keep this from falling apart - to keep him in my life - I'd do it.

After surviving another round of Hemingway's desperate attempts to convince me to feed him, I was out of Jake's bed staring at the sulking cat as I searched for Jake's dresser. “Hitting me doesn't change the fact that you already ate!”

He hissed.

“You better watch that attitude,” I replied. “Or I won't sneak you any of my breakfast when Jake gets back.”

Hemingway’s eyes narrowed and with a moment of consideration before he rubbed himself against my feet. “Yeah, that's what I thought.”

As respectfully as I could, I searched Jake's drawers until I found his clothes. While they were kind of baggy on me, it was better than walking around in his blanket all morning. Besides, I enjoyed the way they smelt like him and felt softer against my skin than my own clothes had.

My eyes trailed along his shelves, taking a more in-depth look at his books and pictures and odds and ends that he'd saved over the years. There was so much history in his space. So many things that had been saved for a reason I couldn't know just by looking at him. Curiosity swelled in me, my mind running wild with all the possible reasons he'd held onto things. For the first time in a long time I wanted to ask questions and get closer to someone. I wanted to listen to him tell me every story and every detail about his life before I entered. I wanted to know every piece of him.

My fingers traced one of the seashells as his front door opened and he stepped inside with a bag from some diner. His eyes instantly found me, that shimmer in them making me blush and my heart soar. “Hey.”

“Hi,” he replied, clearing his throat. “Sorry, I was gone so long.”

“It's no problem,” I answered, watching his eyes take in the clothes I now wore. “I… Uh… borrowed some of your clothes. I hope that's okay.”

As he set the bag down his eyes continued to roam down my body, that sinful smirk answering me long before his words did. “That's fine, though I was looking forward to coming back to a beautiful naked woman.”

“If you'd been quicker you woulda gotten that,” I teased. “I just barely got dressed.”

He clicked his tongue. “Damn. Maybe next time.”

Definitely next time, I thought as my mind played through all the new possibilities available to us now that we’d crossed the threshold. Clearing my throat, I moved to stand next to him as he unpacked the food, distractedly watching his hands for a second before asking, “What's for breakfast?”

“The works. Bacon, eggs, sausage, waffles,” he watched my nose scrunch up and chuckled before pulling a box out of the bag and setting it in front of me. “Don't worry, I got you pancakes.”

“You remembered,” I replied, eagerly opening it to the smell of the sweet stacks. “I'm impressed.”

With a shrug, Jake shooed the cat away and leaned back against the counter. “Don't be. It's not like it was a big secret.”

We both took a few tentative bites before neither of us could contain our nerves anymore. “So-”

“We-”

Chucking at one another's interruptions I nodded to him. “You go first.”

Jake watched me, the ocean in his eyes rolling with tense waves and anticipation. “Well, I guess now's as good a time as any for us to talk about last night… and the ones before.”

Don't freak out, I told myself. Just be honest. “Yeah, things have been… Interesting… between us lately.”

“Good interesting?” He asked with a cocky grin, taking a step closer to me.

I nodded, “Great interesting. Right?”

“Right.”

“So…” The words caught in my throat as Jake took one last step closer, putting us chest to chest.

His breath, slightly sweet smelling, rolled across my face. “So…”

“I… I want t-” The front door swung open and the head of blonde hair made my teeth snap shut in anger.

Simone stood in the open doorway, that red-lipped mouth hanging open in shock for a moment before it closed. Jake turned, brows furrowed and the tension between us quickly shifted into just tension. “...Simone?”

She smiled at him, quickly with no sincerity before she looked me up and down and nodded to herself. “Lena. What a surprise.”

I bit my tongue and simply nodded at her while my eyes scanned the floor for my shoes. Jake watched Hemingway dart to his hiding place before returning his attention to the new interruption. “How was your trip?”

The mood soured further as Simone just shook her head, her eyes wide with rage and the smile on her lips quickly shifting into a sneer. “Oh, it was just fantastic. I always love dealing with my mother alone.”

Time to go. I knew if I stayed for even another sentence Jake would be pulling me off Simone and everything between us would be stained with chunks of blonde hair and blood. I may have been able to see her for what she was, but Jake wasn’t and an attack on her - physical or otherwise - would effectively jeopardize everything I had or may have had with Jake. I pushed my hair behind my ears and hastily grabbed my things, quickly pulling on my shoes. “I should go.”

“You…” Jake started to protest, but quickly thought better of trying to keep Simone and I in a room together for longer than necessary. “We can finish this later.”

With a nod I pressed a soft kiss to his lips and forced myself to smile through the disappointment in an attempt to show him I was still ready to have the talk whenever we could find the time. “See you at work.”

“Yeah,” he answered softly, breathing out a slightly relieved sigh. “See you at work.”

As I turned I held Simone's glare, telling her without any words that she wasn't getting rid of me so easily. I grabbed the champagne bottle off the counter and slid out of Jake's apartment, closing the door behind me. The entire walk to Quinn’s I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat and kept repeating positive thoughts to keep myself from crying out of sheer frustration.

I let myself in, setting the champagne on the table next to Quinn and Ari who just looked at me in confusion. “Good morning?”

“Yeah… Morning or whatever,” I replied flopping onto Quinn's couch and melting into the cushions.

“Long night?”

“Was it bad?” Ari asked, practically jumping up from the table. “I didn't think Jake could fumble the bag when sex was involved.”

“Simoneshowedup,” I grumbled into the cushions.

Quinn settled on the arm of the couch. “Say again?”

Lifting my head I turned and glared at her. “We fucked. A lot. It was great and then right when we were about to have the talk Simone just invited herself in.”

Both Ari and Quinn's mouths formed an O. “Yikes.”

“Anything we can do?” Quinn asked, gently rubbing my back.

Flopping back onto the couch I sighed. “Kill me.”

The second the door closed all hell broke loose. Simone threw her bags to the ground and angrily stomped around his kitchen to open the wine she'd brought. “Can we not do this?”

With a joyless laugh, she glared at him. “Not do what? Not keep our promises to each other? Cause you sure as hell have already started that.”

"Jesus," Jake breathed with a frustrated shake of his head. "It just barely happened. What did you want me to call you during and let you know?"

Simone glared at him, her lips thinning into that tight line. "Do not mock me, Jake.”

“I'm not mocking you. I just… I don't fucking understand what you want from me.” His whole body felt so tight he was sure he'd explode any second. “One minute you're telling me to do what I want and the next you're pissed at me for doing what I wanted to!”

“I want you to show me some goddamn respect!” She shouted, slamming her hand down on his counter. “I have been carrying you since you were eight years old and it has been the only thing I've asked of you! Yet you still find ways of failing at that too!”

Jake felt that ugly swell of tears burning behind his eyes. He felt his whole chest ache and his mind sluggishly repeat the word. Fail. Fail. Fail. That's all you ever fucking do. You fail Simone. You failed your mom. You'll fail Lena too. That's all you're good for. Gritting his teeth Jake forced himself to breathe. He forced himself to stay standing, to blink the tears away and speak, “I do respect you. I respect you more than anyone else! I just… It just barely happened, Simone. I was going to tell you the second I got the chance-”

“And when would that have been?” She asked the anger in her voice never wavering. “In a month? Two? Until I had to walk in on you?”

“It would have been when I saw you!” Jake shook his head. “I tell you everything, Simone. I always have, I always will. That's what we do. We tell each other things, we trust each other.” Slowly he could see Simone's shoulders relax and that glimmer of love return to her eyes. “Do you trust me?”

She finally abandoned the wine and gently took hold of his face. “Of course I do.”

The ache dulled as she stroked his cheeks and he finally felt like his lungs were filling with air instead of acid. “I was going to tell you.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I do. I just… It surprised me. And you know how much I hate surprises.”

“I'm sorry,” he whispered.

Simone smiled and pressed her lips to his, a kiss that once would have sent his heart soaring but now made his gut twist in his chest as he inevitably thought of Lena. She pulled back and nodded. “I know.”

“Are we good?”

“Yes. We are. Honestly, now I guess I’m…” Simone shook her head as she poured her wine and with a heavy sigh, Jake prepared himself for the word he knew far too well. Disappointed. “Relieved.”

“What?”

She picked at Lena's discarded dress, shrugging a shoulder as if she hadn't just been screaming at him over this. “It's done now. You've gotten it out of your system and things can finally get back to normal.”

In some sense she was right. It was done now. He tamed the tiger just like he'd wanted. Normally that did mean that Jake would move on and things would go back to normal. If Lena were anyone else he would probably fuck her a few more times before ultimately tossing her aside in favor of a new fling. But she wasn't anyone else, she was Lena…his Lena.

Jake didn't want things to go back to normal. He didn't want to feel that emptiness - the weight of being so alone and detached - again. So, Jake stared at Simone as she tidied up his apartment drank wine, and lectured him about how rude and selfish it'd been of him to abandon her over the holiday. For an hour - one that should have been filled with Lena's soft touches and breathy moans - Jake listened to his every flaw being brought to the surface.

Usually, he'd bite back and argue - defend himself against Simone’s angry accusations and slanders. But, that morning he didn't bother. Jake was tired, frustrated, and now anxious. Simone's interruption had put him and Lena right back where they started. Their pile of rain checks had barely been touched and now they'd have to restart the awkward, nervous, avoidant dance around each other. Only this time it'd be worse because they'd actually fucked.

This time the longer they went without talking about it the more likely they both were to write it off as some one-night stand and just go back to how things had been before that first kiss. The longer he sat with that thought, the more obvious it became that he couldn't survive not talking about this. Jake needed to know how Lena felt. He needed her to know how he felt.

“Are you even listening to me?” Simone snapped with a disappointed sigh. Before he could answer she'd rolled her eyes and turned away from him. “Of course you aren't.”

God it was going to be a long day.

The locker room was filled with gossip as I entered and shoved Sasha off as he jumped around me practically squealing, “Let me see, let me see!”

“See what?”

“Baby Jakey's work!” He replied. “From your sex!”

I glared at Ari, who sheepishly smiled. “Oh… Were you not telling people?”

“Fuck off. All of you,” I warned, opening my locker and getting changed as quickly as I could to try and avoid Sasha's peeking. The Russian only let up when a familiar broad-shouldered bartender set his bike down and entered the locker room.

“JAKEY!” Sasha purred. “Take your shirt off!”

Jake brushed past him, shaking his head. “Not in the mood Sasha.”

“Oohhhh,” he glanced between the two of us. “Was the sex that bad?”

I whirled around and slapped his forearm, cursing him in Russian until he retreated from the room giggling with Ari. “Fucking dickhead.”

Jake and I locked eyes. Desire and frustration vibrated between us, but neither of those made my heart drop… the uncertainty in Jake’s eyes, the new sliver of doubt shining back at me did. Had Simone talked him out of whatever this was? Had she dug those talons into his back hard enough for him to abandon the feelings I knew we both felt? Or had all of this… everything between us really just been part of some long game for him?

My racing thoughts must have been obvious, because Jake took a step toward me, mouth open to try and say something before Simone stepped into the locker room, happily humming as if she hadn't interrupted us at all. The apologetic look in his eyes was the only thing that kept me from punching that smug blonde bitch in the back of the head. I ground my teeth together and turned around to finish getting ready.

I left the two of them and their small talk in the locker room and headed to the table for family meal. Howard, who looked slightly tanner, offered me an apologetic look of his own that I didn't understand until I sat down and my eyes found the new painting hanging on the wall. Right. That's a fucking thing.

The vivid orange petals were splattered with red. I found my mind having to remind itself that it'd been wine instead of blood this time. The jagged cuts in the canvas and its slightly bent shape made it all too clear what'd happened to this particular empty showcase.

The glass shattered over the top of the painting at my feet, wine sloshing over the half-painted petals and the shards of glass slicing the canvas where it struck. If this had been any other circumstance I would have admired how artistic it made the piece look. But this was just another bender.

Tony lay on the ground next to the broken glass, laughing. It didn't matter how much or how loud he laughed, I could see the tired bags under his eyes and the hazed far off look that made me wonder if there was some human part of him deep inside. I almost pitied him, if just for one fragmented moment.

Jules checked his pulse and shoved my painting aside to keep him away from the broken glass. Turning to me he nodded to the mostly incoherent man at his side. “Stay with him while I get the doctor.”

“Of course,” I obediently answered, moving to kneel beside Tony. Jules gave my shoulder a soft squeeze as he stood and hurried toward the elevator.

My eyes fixated on the broken shards of glass just a few inches away. I could easily take one and shove it into his neck or cut his wrists. I could make it look like an accident… Like he'd done it to himself. Before the fear or the guilt could stop me I was reaching for the largest shard.

“Lena…” Tony mumbled, voice quivering as his glazed-over eyes searched for me. “Lena?”

“I'm here,” I answered quietly, my finger lingering on the glass as I looked down at him.

He relaxed instantly at the sound of my voice, lifting his hand to search for me in the dimly lit living room. “I… I can't see. Lena?”

Pity, understanding, and sympathy slowly replaced the darker thoughts in my head. With a gentle sigh, I slid closer to him, taking his hand in mine and pulling Tony into my lap. “I'm here.”

“W… Will you stay?” He mumbled kissing my hand. “Will you stay with me?”

The reply was practically instant… trained. “Of course.”

Tony set my hand against his chest, forcing me to feel the beating of his heart that cruelly reminded me he was a living, breathing human being. “Promise?”

Staring down at the floor of broken glass and then at the tender, beautiful face of the man I hated and feared and… Loved… I nodded. The words sounded sincere but filled my chest with a numbness that made it hard to breathe. “I promise.”

It was a low blow, reminding me of my supposed love for him. Reminding me that I'd made promises… Attempting to guilt me back into obedience. What was worse though, was that it worked.

In an entirely, uniquely twisted… Fucked up way my whole body went into some old, automatic tense posture. My chest burned with shame and my head filled with guilt-riddled thoughts. You broke his heart. You abandoned him. You said you'd never leave… Grinding my teeth together and balling my hands into fists I forced myself to remember the truth.

Being with Tony hadn't just been lavish gifts and eloquent love letters and expensive trips abroad. Those moments were far and few between. Being with him was filled with venom and rage. Being with him meant being held down, fighting… Aching. It was full of bloodied knuckles, bruises, and broken glass. Obey or be punished. Obey or starve. Obey or drown.

It wasn't love, I told myself, forcing that thought to be louder than all the others. What we had was never love.

Jake sat across the table from her, silently cursing himself for not offering her the reassurance she clearly needed in the locker room. The glassy, scared look in her eyes as she picked up on that tiny part of him that doubted if he deserved her, was stuck in his mind like a sliver. Beside him, Simone quietly ate her food while all he could do was watch Lena. Her eyes hadn’t met his again, unsteady they were fixed past him on the flower painting that now hung on the wall. He could see so much emotion raging in her distant eyes. Fear, fondness, guilt, shame. It wasn't like the other paintings. Those had just made her afraid, angry but this… This was one of those things he didn't understand and it made his chest tighten.

The only thing that drew his gaze away from her was the neatly pressed suit and the fucking pervert that wore it. Howard was back. To his credit, the manager barely looked at him, but Jake could still see the faint bruises that he'd done his vest to conceal. With steady steps Howard approached Lena, one hand holding a bottle while the other lifted, moving toward her shoulder.

Howard's eyes locked with his and Jake did his best to convey the ass-kicking he'd be dishing out if he so much as tried to touch her. Do it. I fucking dare you. At the last second his hand shifted to the back of the chair and a smug sense of pride made Jake's mouth twitch into a smile.

“A gift…” Howard told her carefully, setting the wine down in front of her. “An apology for my involvement.”

Lena’s gaze slowly drifted away from the painting to glare at the bottle. For a moment, her face remained expressionless before a thin, bitter smile spread on her lips. “Expensive.”

“And one of your favorites.”

She said nothing as she stood and began pouring the wine into her glass. Lena's eyes were fixed on Howard even as the glass began to overflow, wine staining the white tablecloth in seconds. The manager pursed his lips, disappointment and a mild look of frustration playing out on his still slightly discolored face. No one said a single word as the bottle finally ran empty and Lena set it back down.

Howard sighed. “Was that truly necessary?”

Still, without a single word, Lena knocked the glass over, sending wine down the table. She strode past him and toward the kitchen just as everyone at the table burst with laughter and gossip. Jake leaned back in his seat and grinned at Howard, enjoying every second of the manager's hateful gaze.

Simone looked at the mess with a disapproving shake of her head. “Such a waste.”

Howard's glare shifted to Sasha and Ari as they continued their laughter. With a snap of his fingers and a swift gesture to the mess he barked out the order, “You two, please get this tablecloth in a soak and clean this up?”

“No fair,” Ari pouted quietly as they started cleaning. “Tiger Bitch makes a mess and we have to clean it.”

“Nepotism,” Sasha answered almost flippantly. “Tiger Bitch is special baby.”

Jake took his plate and Simone's back to the kitchen, eyes finding Lena among the dish crew with ease. She had her head down, focused completely on washing the dishes in the sink. As he set his dirty plates down he watched the water, trying to gauge how hot it was in an attempt to tell how fucked up the painting and Howard had her. It was bad, but not as bad as the first time.

He didn't want to leave her, not when she was like this. A hand waved in his peripheral vision, drawing his gaze to the line where Isaac nodded him toward the door. A silent but reassuring message that he'd keep an eye on her through this shift. Jake spared one last look to the back of her head before he sighed and left the kitchen.

Service felt longer than it should have. Wave after wave of rich assholes poured through the door and gawked at that painting hanging on the wall with Lena's name on it. It made him feel angry and sick to his stomach even just imagining what horrible memory she'd tried to bury in that paint. And there these fuckers were, complimenting it… Calling it a masterpiece. Worse than that Jake knew that even if they knew the full story they'd still find it just as fascinating - maybe even more.

As he made the drinks and served the guests in front of him, Jake made it a point to glare at Howard. The disgusting man was practically trying to sell the damn thing. He stood beside the crowd, pointing out the details of the piece and praising the painter, who he'd already revealed worked in the restaurant. When he'd walked past the bar toward the kitchen it took all of Jake's willpower not to hit him again.

Only a minute had passed before his heart dropped into his stomach at the sound of shattering dishes. In an instant Jake was moving towards the kitchen doors, his heartbeat practically echoing her name. Just as he reached the end of the bar, Sasha fled the scene with a deviant smile, effectively blocking Jake's path. “The hell happened?”

“Tiger Bitch is not in a playful mood tonight,” The Russian answered. “Dear Howard was telling her that some of the guests wanted to speak with her about her painting and she just held up a plate,” he illustrated the throwing movement as well as the crash with his hands, “She threw a plate and told him she'd throw one every time he spoke to her.”

A part of him couldn't help but feel satisfied at how hostile she was acting towards Howard. She may not have known what he did, but Jake was glad she was giving him hell even if it wasn't for the worst of his crimes against her. But, beneath that satisfaction was the simmering worry that it would all be too much for Lena to handle and he'd have to watch her spiral into another night of panic and drowning her fears in alcohol.

Sasha watched his face, reading it carefully as he set his head in his hands and leaned on the bar in front of Jake. “Something about those paintings puts Tiger in a bad mood.”

“Yeah, no shit,” he replied curtly.

“Tell me what you know, pretty Jake,” he urged.

Jake leaned forward, looking around them for a moment as if he cared about who could hear them. “I know you should get the fuck off my bar and back to work.”

The Russian cursed and waved him off. “Ha ha, you so funny.” With a thoughtful look, he shifted his question, “So, what's next?”

“Next?” Jake asked with a pointed look.

Sasha smirked and gave him an innocent shrug. “Well, now that you've tamed the tiger you'll be taking on a new project, yes? A new hostess maybe?”

Turning his head to the hostess stand Jake caught the new girl bashfully averting her eyes from the bar. In the past, he would have felt a thrill at the idea of stringing along another sweet, innocent hostess… But now when he looked at her and saw those blushing cheeks that told him she was interested all he could think of was how boring it'd be. No one would ever be able to offer him even a fraction of what he had with Lena.

No one else would challenge him the way she did. It didn't matter how pretty the hostess was, she wouldn't tease him encourage him, or support him the way the redhead did. No one could be more beautiful than her, funnier than her, smarter than her, more badass, or fearless. No one would be Lena and if it wasn't her… Well, he just didn't want it.

“Nah,” Jake finally replied, returning to his work. “No new projects.”

Sasha made a shocked face and with a quiet, almost supportive hum he asked, “Who really tamed who?”

The second service ended, I grabbed my shit and left out the alley door. I'd wanted to wait for Jake to talk to him, but after seeing that painting and having Howard tell me about the requests some rich asshole made to meet me… It was too much. As I wandered the brisk city, desperately trying to force the pit in my stomach to dissolve with the movement, I had to continuously pull myself from wave after wave of old thoughts trying to plague me with guilt and make me doubt what I knew to be true.

It wasn't love. It was never love.

Everything I'd been through, all the years I'd spent moving on, and all it took was one painting to make me feel like that sad, lonely, dead little girl. One painting and in whatever fucking twisted way I was looking back on the times when Tony made me laugh or smile or feel anything good. Those memories were ones I had to combat with the truth and the truth meant remembering and remembering meant I couldn't just pretend like everything was fine.

Tony had not only been in the restaurant but had weaseled his way into Howard's ear, and quite possibly my aunt's. He'd hung the paintings to elicit a very specific response and I'd played right into it. The larger message was simple. It was a reminder that in this game we were playing, he was the king. He snapped his fingers and everyone would play whatever tune he wanted, me included.

Fear, anger, guilt. What was his next move? I wondered as I had many times before. And just like every time before, I hadn't the faintest idea. Even with all the time I'd spent with him to give me a clear picture of who he was and how he thought, I'd never been able to predict his moves. The one thing I knew to be a certainty was there wasn't a damn thing he wouldn't do and that meant everything I loved was at stake… that meant the people closest to me were in danger.

Ozzy, Peter, Patrick, Quinn, Prue, Nana, Abdul, Isaac, Dom, Scott, Ari, Sasah… Jake. They were all possible targets for Tony to choose from. It was terrifying to think about and so I forced myself to not think about it. The lights over Ozzy's bar eventually flashed ahead of me as I did my best to shed myself of the powerless feeling that was now firmly rooted in my stomach. I had to keep moving forward, even blindly. I had to focus on the good around me, even if it was just a tiny speck of it.

He wouldn't take this from me. He would never take anything from me again.

As I made my way to the door I heard the rumble of Dom's bike engine and felt a sense of relief wash over me. As he pulled into the bike spaces I reminded myself of my one advantage in this fucked up game. I had Dom. He wouldn't let anything bad happen. Not ever again.

He had a tired look in his eyes as he flung his leg over the side and stood, thanking the bikers around him as they followed suit.

“Busy day?” I called out, drawing his attention to me.

A thought made his brows pinch together as he sighed and walked toward me. “Yeah.”

As he walked with me through the bar door a faint, floral smell lingered on his jacket. I leaned in, smelling him a bit deeper. “You open a flower shop or something?”

“Huh?”

“You smell all flowery,” I replied tugging on his jacket.

Dom's face drained of any emotion as he shrugged. “Right. Yeah, I… Had some business with a florist.”

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “Are you back in the game of wooing Mav?”

“No.”

“Oh come on, you can tell me!” I playfully urged. “You know I'm in full support of your “marriage”.”

With a sigh he stopped, gently placing a hand on my arm. “Lena… There's something we should talk about.”

A sudden tightness seized my throat at his serious tone and blank expression. “What's going on?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sasha and the group waving their hands in the air, urging me to hurry and join them. “Tiger! Come on!”

Dom glanced at them and quickly shook his head. “I… just wanted to give you a heads up that Nana's got a big celebration planned for your birthday.”

“Oh.” A relieved breath left my lungs in the form of an anxious chuckle. “Oh, good. Fuck, you scared the shit out of me!”

“Sorry,” he quietly replied.

“It's okay. I promised Nana she could go all out this year and… I dunno…” Glancing back at my group, at my brothers and Quinn and Prue, the restaurant crew… Jake… I smiled. I had these people in my life. They may have been in danger by being here - being close to me - but they were here nonetheless. None of them cared about possible dangers, they still chose to be here with me. The weight that had made everything feel so heavy slowly eased as I looked at my friends… my family and smiled wider. “Maybe it won't be so bad this year.”

“Yeah, maybe,” he mumbled, giving me a pat on the head. “That's real good, kid. Now go on. Enjoy your night or whatever.”

I caught his arm before he could go too far, squeezing it and offering him a sad smile. “You been to visit her yet?”

Dom's whole body tensed. He likely thought I forgot, or maybe he just didn’t want to talk about it, but with a quick shake of his head, he answered “No… I don't know if I'm gonna this year.”

“Well if you do, tell her I said hi.” I knew that Dom didn't really believe in ghosts or angels. I knew to him Sarah wouldn't hear him or even know if he'd visited at all, but every year I still encouraged him to go to her grave as some kind of birthday gift to her. He had yet to do it, but I could tell that speaking of her fondly from time to time - acknowledging that his sister existed and had been important - helped ease the hurt in him a little.

But, tonight that didn't seem to be the case.

Dom averted his gaze, cleared his throat, and nodded to the group with a firm, “Go on.”

The chaos of the night continued as expected. My friends and their antics helped me push all the bad the day had to offer back into their boxes and as I met Jake's eyes over the bartop. I was scared that he’d still have that speck of doubt lingering in those beautiful eyes, but as he stared back at me all I could see was the desire. It reminded me of the good… of the possibility that I could have something normal.

Remembering how right it felt to kiss him, to feel him in every way physically possible made me flush with a shameless want to do it all again. Jake's never-faltering gaze didn't help either. It was like he knew exactly what I was thinking and that he wholeheartedly agreed. As the night progressed and the bar slowly started to slow I found myself avoiding leaving it. The pit in my stomach, though lessened still filled me with a lingering and old voice urging me to take the quickest, easiest path away from potential heartache. End it.

That conversation we didn't get to have was now right in front of me and I felt scared. Terrified that something had changed. If Jake told me he wanted to move on from last night it would gut me. But if he said he wanted us to be something official… That thought made me feel almost as sick, just in a different way. Get him as far away from you as possible.

How many men had come before him? All of whom I'd deeply felt for and all of whom Tony had destroyed in some way or another. So what would he do to Jake? What would Tony do to the man that I cared for most… The man who was different from every other in a way I didn't even fully understand. Protect him.

Ozzy set a hand on my shoulder and nudged me to the door. “Go on and get some rest, dear. You've helped enough.”

“Thanks,” I whispered, accepting the kiss on the head and making my way out the back door where I attempted to steel myself.

The gym was quiet, with only a few lights left on to illuminate the old pictures on the walls. As I looked at my dad's smiling face in every photo that scared voice in me quieted, instead replaced by his. “Why you gotta fight me every step of the way?”

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I’d replied coldly, angry and terrified. Dad had done nothing but offer me love and acceptance since I’d gotten back for the summer, two things I knew weren’t given away for free. He wanted something but instead of telling me what it was chose to play some cruel game instead.

My dad’s shoulders slumped slightly, a sigh falling from his lips as he stared down at me with a pitiful look. I prepared myself for his disappointment, but it never came. “I don’t want anything from you, Lena.”

Shaking my head I swallowed hard. “Everyone wants something from me.”

“Alright,” he finally relented. “I do want one thing. I want you to live.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” I asked, timid but still angry.

“You’re alive, sure,” he replied, carefully reaching out to touch my shoulder. “But this ain’t living. This hostile… bitterness you’re carrying, it’s not what life’s supposed to be like. Especially not for a kid.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, guilt filling my lungs as another failure was added to the list.

Dad bent down, forcing our eyes to meet, and smiled. “Don’t be sorry. It ain’t your fault. Just… let us help you. Let me help you, sweet girl.”

With tears building in my eyes, I answered, “Okay. I… Sorry I’ve been making it so hard for you.”

He pulled me into his arms and kissed my head. “You make my life, all our lives, better just by bein here. All we want is for you to see that…” He pulled away, taking my face in his hands and smushing my cheeks the way he thought was funny. “Come on. Let’s go start livin, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

The sound of the alley door opening spurred me back into motion. As I headed up the stairs to the apartment I could hear Jake's steady footsteps following me. His movements didn’t sound rushed or hesitant, just steady. My heart hammered in my chest and my head filled with a hundred thoughts, a hundred voices all shouting different things at me. Jake appeared in the stairwell, hands in his pockets as he put one foot on the bottom step before stopping himself. “Now a good time to talk?”

The longer I looked down at him the quieter my mind got. Nodding I opened the door and shrugged. “As good a time as we’re probably gonna get.”

He trudged up the stairs with a faint smile on his face and all the noise, all the extra baggage weighing me down fell away. The smell of alcohol, faint cigarette smoke and Jake’s colognue reminded me that I was here. I was in this moment, not the ones in Tony’s paintings or in picture frames. I was here. I was alive and now I wanted to live.

Jake stepped inside and quietly watched me as I closed the door behind him. “You okay?”

“Yeah!” I replied, clearing my throat and taking a tensely casual position by the table. “Why wouldn't I be?”

He shrugged. “You seemed to be kind of somewhere else today… after seeing that painting.”

My jaw clenched as the ugly emotions in me wanted to return. “Yeah… That wasn't great but, I'm okay now.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“No.” I laughed a little to myself, forcing my body to focus on that feeling of steadiness and safety that Jake’s presence brought me. “Besides, we have other stuff we need to talk about, don't we?”

Now he looked just as nervous as I felt. “Yeah.”

“We're kind of horrible at this, aren't we?”

Jake nodded in agreement, chuckling before he spoke, “Yeah… okay… Fuck it, I'm just gonna start. Neither of us do well with labels,” Jake offered before quickly stammering over his own words. “Not that I'm against labeling this as… Whatever. I just mean…”

“Why put a label on things when we're still figuring out exactly what things are?” I finished, ignoring the slight sting of disappointment that festered in my chest by focusing on the wave of relief.

“Exactly.” He scratched his head and cleared his throat. “So… We… keep it casual.”

“Casual,” I agreed. Casual was fun, predictable but most importantly safe. Casual was familiar to both of us and given everything that had happened - changed in our lives and in our friendship - maybe that was a safety net we both needed.

Casual.

Jake nodded, taking a careful step forward. “If someone were to ask what we were… What would we say to that?”

I watched his lips, resisting the urge to end all the tedious talking by kissing him. “We'd say we're casually seeing each other? Friends with benefits? Fuck buddies? Whatever feels right to you I'm fine with.”

“So, you're a girl I'm seeing… casually?”

Nodding I forced myself to meet his eyes, not that it helped either of us stay on track. “And you're a boy I'm seeing casually.”

Jake's hands slid around me, urging me to lean into him. With that simple touch, everything else faded into the back of my mind. I felt myself relax into him, my body finally able to focus on those tingling sensations of desire and excitement. “And since we're seeing each other, casually, it'd be perfectly normal for us to kiss, right?”

“I think it'd be expected, really.”

“Good,” he mumbled, running his thumb over my lower lip. “I liked being your friend and all, but I don't think I can go any longer without fucking you again.”

As if it had a mind of its own my tongue slipped out to lick his thumb and tug it between my teeth for a second. I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing, teasing… Testing the waters… Inviting him to fuck me as much as he wanted? “Well, what are you waiting for?”

Smirking, he brushed my hair behind my ears. “That.”

His lips further erased every ounce of tension, guilt, disappointment, and fear from my lungs. The way his hands cradled my face replaced everything with a warm fuzzy sense of safety. The painting, Howard, Simone… Nothing else mattered. As long as I had this, him, somehow I knew everything would be alright.

When he pulled back for air he smiled with a quiet sigh. “This is how our morning should have gone. Sorry about Simone.”

“It's alright. We’re here now.”

“Mmm,” he hummed, leaning back down towards me. “I haven't been able to think about anything else all day.”

Before our lips could connect again I threw one last taunt at him, “I knew you liked being my friend.”

Jake rolled his eyes, warm hands sliding down my cheek to take hold of my hips. “God you're insufferable.”

I ran my hands down his chest and whispered against his lips, “You like it.”

“Shut up.” Our lips finally touched, soft hands quickly turning into heated grabs at one another's clothes.

With a half step forward Jake pressed me into the back of a kitchen chair. His tongue invaded my mouth as his hands pulled my sleeves away from my shoulders, clearing a path for his lips and teeth to follow. The way his lips felt against my skin was something that made me shiver. Jake was… How had he put it? Adept in the art of pleasure? Smug bastard… And completely right.

“God,” Patrick groaned the second he opened the door. His hand slapped over his face, covering his eyes and sighing in defeat. “Guess I should get used to that now that you two are officially a thing.”

“Casually,” Jake and I both corrected.

My brother blindly made his way around the kitchen table. “Yeah yeah, “casually” whatever ya say. Just keep alla that “casual” touchy-feely shit in your room or something.”

“Sorry,” we both mumbled watching Patrick run into his bedroom door before quickly opening it and fleeing inside.

I nodded to my bedroom door and smiled as I tugged Jake toward it. He followed, pushing the door closed behind him. I practically pounced on him, pressing my chest into his as I pulled his head down to reconnect our lips. Jake stumbled slightly causing the door to rattle. Before we could say anything else Irish folk music blared through Pat’s speakers. A crystal clear message.

“Shhh,” I whispered against his collarbone with a giggle. “We have to be quiet!”

“I'm not the one that needs to worry about that.” To prove his point he took a handful of my ass and ground himself against my core, pulling a sharp - loud - moan from me.

“Nope! I'm leaving!” Patrick shouted as the music turned off. “You two have an hour before Pete gets back! For the love of god, be done before then!”

I smirked at Jake. “Now I finally have you all to myself.”

“Looks that way,” he replied. “You gonna entertain me?”

“Of course! What kind of host would I be if I didn't?”

His eyes sparkled with lust as he watched my mouth move. “Well, what's your plan?”

Leaning in I pressed my lips to his neck, occupying my hands with his belt and starting the slow drag of my body down his. When my knees hit the floor and I'd gotten Jake's pants down I looked up at him, fluttering my lashes and smiling at him. “I'm sure I'll think of something you'll enjoy.”

My dearest Lena,

In the unlikely event you're reading this letter I simply wished to send you a simple reminder of my devotion to you. A token of my love will be finding its way to your door soon and soon we will be reunited once more.

Yours, Anthony

Dom stared at the letter, examining each line as meticulously as he would an engine. He needed to know what the sick bastard had planned. Needed to know how to protect her from whatever was coming. Tony wouldn't make it easy or fair. He never did and this time was different. He was braver than before, bolder in his actions than Dom had ever seen him.

After the beating he'd given him upon hearing all he'd done to Lena, Tony should have been cowering in some far corner of the world. He should have been terrified to even set foot in the city again and yet there he was, in her apartment, waving at her landlord, waving at him.

The longer he held the evidence of Tony's visit the more guilty he felt for keeping it secret. Lena deserved to know. Her brothers had the right to know about the danger. They all deserved better than he could give them.

With a sigh, he lifted the lighter to the corner of the paper and watched the fire spread to the cursive words in ink. He dropped it into the empty bin and picked the orange flower up off the table before tossing it into the fire too.

He should have killed Tony a hundred times by now. A mistake he wasn't going to make again. Then and there Dom silently vowed that the next time he saw that fuckers face he'd put a bullet between his eyes.

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niminyard · 4 months ago

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Vi um pessoal fazendo no Twitter e achei divertido : )

#jake donfort #duskwood #duskwood fandom #np x jake #jake x oc #duskwood au #moonvale #iamjake

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oh-surprise-its-me · 2 years ago

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Think of this as a bit of a prequel to my Jake is an er nurse au!

TW- terrible, kinda abusive/pressuring for sex oc cowboy bf for Jake. Don’t worry they break up.

Jake loves the rodeo. Decided to tag along with the guys that do it pro for a few years. Three years of this and he’s loved every second. Knows he won’t be a lifer like some of the guys though.

The men are a nice bonus as well.

He’s not a buckle bunny since he rides but goddamn does he love cowboys.

Emmitt is seven years older then him. They’ve floated around each other for a few years. They compete in different circles, Jake rides bulls, Em rides horses.

Jake liked being pinned down and being made to ride his thigh until he’s crying.

He can hear his dads voice in his head telling him not to do anything or anyone too stupid.

Emmitt definitely qualifies as stupid. Twenty and twenty-eight is definitely a stupid age gap. But the way he watches Jake ride makes it all worth it.

Jake is in the back of the truck, they’ve been making out for a good fifteen minutes. Jake hopes Em will decide to stick around after he fucks him tonight. They’re two nights out from another competition. Jake gets gently slapped in the face. Emmitt has a habit of doing that.

Jake’s not sure he’s a fan of it.

Suddenly there’s a pain in his leg. It’s been causing issues all week. Landed on his hip wrong last ride. “Em wait. Ow. Fuck my hip.”

Emmitt pulls back to look at Jake. He tilts his head. “Baby can’t take it come on. Please? For me?” Jake shakes his head “not tonight it’s fucked.” Emmitt sits back up. “Well guess I’ll be going then.” Jake scrambles to grab his wrist. “No stay!” The man looks at Jake. He grins like a shark.

“But sugar if I stay I’m just going to want to fuck you.” Jake blinks at him. He hears his dads voice saying if someone ever pressures him to walk away.

Jake shoves his shoulder, “we can make out but I’m not doing anything more tonight. If you’ve got an issue with it yeah you can leave.”

Emmitt leans over to kiss him. “Come on it can’t be that bad with how you were dancing with Ryan earlier.” Jake stares at him. “Fuck off don’t start this shit again. You know there’s nothing with me and Ryan.”

Emmitt shakes his head, “dunno seems like you’d hop on his dick pretty fast.” Jake can’t believe this. He shoves the door open and lands on his feet. “We’re not doing this. Go sleep it off Em.”

The problem Jake has is he’s lean. Has to be for riding. But Emmitt is bigger, stronger. Can’t blame Jake for having a type.

A hand latches itself around Jake’s wrist. He’s jerked to a stop. “Sugar stay. Don’t go be a pouty bitch. Or a slut.”

Jake spins, he rips his wrist out of the hold. “And just like that we’re done. Fuck you Emmitt what the hell. I’m not the one who gets drunk, flirts and feels up the buckle bunnies. You do that. You’re the slut.”

There’s a crack of a slap.

Jake can’t believe it.

He punches Emmitt in the face faster then he can think. His dads didn’t raise a pushover. Always said if he got hit he better hit harder

It makes Emmitt stumble. Jake grabs his hat and takes off for Ryan’s trailer. He hears footsteps behind him he runs faster.

He slams into the door and falls through, he shoves it closed. Ryan sits up from where he was with his own buckle bunny. “Hey. Uh. We broke up. He hit me. Hit him back. Didn’t like that.”

Ethan and Ryan blink at him. They both move at once. Ethan snatches the knife he keeps on the bedside table, Ryan grabs the shotgun from the kitchen.

They’re both just in boxers but they shove Jake behind them. Ryan rips open the door. “Emmitt were driving through Death Valley tomorrow, if you even think about touching Jake anymore you’ll not leave that Valley. You hear me?” Ethan sends the knife flying into Emmitts hat. There’s a scream.

“Fine! The slut wasn’t worth it anyways! Fucking whore! Fag ass dads too!”

Jake can only watch in fear. He’s never had a boyfriend this bad before.

Ryan pulls Ethan back from doing anything stupid.

They pull Jake onto the small couch. Ethan hands over a satellite phone. “Call your dads, tell them to meet us in Vegas. They’ll get to watch you win and you’ll have more people in your corner.”

Jake can only stare at the phone. “What if they’re mad.”

Ryan laughs, he pulls Jake under his arm. Jake leans into the bigger man, “your dads are the nicest people ever. If anything we’ll have to keep them from killing Emmitt.”

Jake smiles at that. Ethan lights a cigarette and passes it to Jake. Now Jake doesn’t tend to ever smoke but goddamn he feels like he deserves it today.

“I’ll grab you ice. Ethan go get the kid some food and something strong to drink.”

Jake smiles at them. He knows they’re giving him an opportunity to talk to his dads privately.

They lock the door after they leave.

Jake dials the house phone.

It rings and rings.

“Chris Seresin?”

Jake let’s put a sob he didn’t know he was holding. “Dad? Some shit went down. Can y’all come to Vegas?”

Jake listens as his dad yells for the other two. “Baby of course. We’ll throw down vacation time. What’s wrong?”

Jake opens his mouth and closes it. He curls tighter in the blanket Ryan gave him. “I uh, broke up with the guy I was seeing. He didn’t like that much. Slapped me. I punched him back. I’m in Ryan’s trailer right now.”

He hears his pa start planning a murder. Can hear tata telling him to calm down. Jake smiles at that, why did he ever think they’d be mad. “We’ll be there. Pretty sure David, Lucas, Holly and Wolf will be too. we can make a trip out of it.”

Jake wipes the tears off. Ryan slips back into the trailer. He gives a questioning eyebrow, Jake gives him a thumbs up.

“Alright I gotta go, I’ll see y’all in Vegas. I love you.”

There’s a chorus of love you’s back. And promises of making sure he’s okay.

Ryan pulls Jake into another hug after he hangs up and holds the ice.

“I’m gonna quit. Be an ER nurse. I can’t do this my whole life.” Ryan laughs. “You say that like this is my long term plan. But seriously Jake you’d be an incredible nurse.”

Jake props himself up to look at Ryan, “you should marry Ethan. He deserves it for putting up with all the cowboy shit. He’s a goddamn clothing designer, he should be in California.” Ryan gently shoved Jake, “how do you know I haven’t proposed yet?”

Jake shoved him harder, “you can’t shut up about him, I’d know.” Speaking of the man he comes back with a burger and bottle of whiskey.

“Merry Christmas kiddo, Lea Ann sends her regards.”

They flip on the radio, Ryan starts strumming his guitar to the songs. Ethan pulls out his sketch book and sketches the way Jake and Ryan are leaning on each other.

It’ll be a long time before Jake can hear sugar and be fine but he’ll get there.

The next morning Emmitt is gone. Lea Anne insists she has no idea when he left. Everyone smiles at Jake. They might not all like the fact he’s gay but they do take care of their own.

Especially kids.

And that’s what Jake is to most of them, a kid, twenty.

#top gun #top gun maverick #jake seresin #jake hangman seresin #jake x oc #er nurse jake #cowboy jake #hangman name origin!!#jake hangman fic #jake seresin headcanon #lots of original characters #slider is jake’s dad #ron x chris x tom #tom x ron x chris #Ryan and Ethan end up married and Jake is the officiant

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jakeyispuppy · 3 months ago

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RED FLAG 🚩 | JAKE SIM

🚩 Pairing: Jake Sim (Problem Boy) x Kim Hyori/OC (Shy Girl)

🚩 Synopsis: Hyori just wanted to forget her past and get away from everything that hurt her. So when she arrives at a new school, she thinks this will be the fresh start that will put an end to all her misfortunes. Until she meets Jake and his awful way of treating others. He was a red flag from every angle, and everyone warned her, but something wasn't right for Hyori since Jake started showing up in her life...

🚩 Genre: Enemies to Lovers/Romance/Drama/Smut

🚩 Words: 2K

🚩 A/N: This is my first long story, so I hope you like it. <3

01. PROBLEM BOY

The sound of my shoes could be heard as I walked through the wide hallways of that high school, looking everywhere with my uneasy eyes. I noticed a few curious eyes staring at me, causing me to shrink in place, quickening my pace in an attempt to escape the attention they were giving me. But luckily, nothing would ever be the same again, and I was grateful for that; no one else could hurt me. I had to stop thinking so much nonsense or I'd become paranoid.

It was just a new school, and I couldn't let it get to me.

Putting those thoughts aside, I headed toward room 1A, where my new class was waiting for me. A knot formed in my stomach as I prepared to open the classroom door. My legs trembled, my breathing became more labored, and my heart pounded inside my chest. "Move it!" a male voice spoke behind me in an irritated tone.

I turned around to apologize, amazed by the boy's appearance. Big, striking eyes, longish brown hair, his skin looked so smooth and tanned, a defined nose, thin lips, and you could tell he wasn't too tall, but you could still tell he was several inches taller than me. He was perfect! This boy was my type, without a doubt.

"Are you deaf?!" he retorted in a very bad mood.

I reacted somewhat stunned by his tone by moving to the side.

That boy rolled his eyes in disgust and brushed past me, roughly bumping my shoulder, causing me to stagger back.

Forget him, he was a completely horrible person. I would never look at a scum like that.

Rubbing my sore shoulder, I entered the classroom after the unpleasant-looking boy did. When I opened the door, everyone stared at me, even the teacher, who gave me a disapproving look.

My face began to heat up, so I shifted my gaze around, colliding with the boy from earlier. His eyes were watching me with amusement, as if he were mocking my suffering. "That bastard!" I glared at him and turned away, making a grimace of disgust.

The teacher cleared her throat, then adjusted her glasses.

"This is your new classmate, Kim Hyori," the teacher announced in a bored tone. "You can sit wherever you want, Miss Kim."

Apparently, everyone around here was unpleasant and lacking in common sense.

I looked around the classroom, looking for a quiet place to sit, but there was nowhere; all the seats had already been taken. I looked at the teacher timidly, trying to make her understand my discomfort. She stopped what she was doing and copied my actions, scanning the entire room with disinterest.

"There's always an empty spot," the teacher murmured, scanning the entire room. "Good, sit in front of young Sim." The teacher looked at me for a second and then continued writing equations on the board.

And now who was this Sim?

I scanned the entire room again, taking slow, unhurried steps between the spaces between one row of tables and the next. When I reached the end of the room, I realized my spot was at the table across from the boy who'd treated me badly a little while ago.

There was no way I was going to sit there!

I intended to turn around and leave, but a sharp grab on my backpack stopped me in my tracks.

"Where do you think you're going?" He smirked, pulling my backpack a little tighter.

No one did anything; they just watched the scene. Not even the teacher seemed interested in scolding the boy.

I looked at the boy with contempt, earning an amused smile from him.

I didn't even know him, but I already felt like I hated him.

"What are you waiting for? Sit down!" he said calmly.

He dropped my backpack and patted the back of the chair, inviting me to sit.

Reluctantly, I obeyed his request and sat down, taking out of my backpack what I would use in class.

I tried to pay attention to what the teacher was explaining, but that look—that damn look—it's driving me crazy! What the hell did she want? She was just staring at me, starting to make me uncomfortable.

Already fed up with him, I turned back slightly, giving him a dirty look.

"Stop looking at me," he I muttered, wanting to punch him in his perfect face.

"Does it bother you?" He smiled amusedly, making my urge to hit him even stronger.

"No, I like it when you stare at me like a fucking psychopath." I smiled fakely at him and turned back to the front.

"Oh, sarcastic and with strong language, I like that," he mocked, trying to provoke me.

You could say that the rest of the class stared at the board, never missing a single detail of the lesson, but I'd be lying to myself. All I could think about was how to get rid of this guy who's been bothering me ever since he met me.

Doesn't he have anything better to do?

The bell rang, announcing the end of class, as everyone began to hurry out of the room as if staying inside for one more minute would steal an important piece of their lives. It was so pathetic. I don't understand them. If they don't like being in school anyway, why did they even go to school or smile so much? It was so hypocritical the way they all pretended to get along when behind their backs they talked badly about even their own friends. I don't understand my own generation. Am I from another planet? Why can't I just fit in like everyone else?

I woke up from my thoughts as soon as I felt my books fall to the floor, flinching at the sudden sound.

For a moment, I thought I'd dropped them out of clumsiness, but when I saw that annoying boy leave the room bursting into laughter, I instantly realized it was him.

I got up from the table to bend down and pick up each of the books that idiot had thrown to the floor. Seriously, I have no doubt now that this boy was anything but my cup of tea.

What a detestable person!

I grumbled between mumbles, uttering a few curses, until I saw a hand pick up my notebook from the floor. My eyes followed that girl, stunned by how pretty and slim she was. She had beautiful, almost jet-black hair and eyes as narrow as a cat's, not to mention how pale she was.

The girl smiled at me, handing me my notebook once we both got up from the floor.

"Don't pay attention to Jake, he's always like that with everyone. Don't let it get to you." The girl smiled at me kindly.

So that was the name of that unpleasant boy.

"How can you stand someone so unpleasant?!" I complained, filled with resentment.

"Relax, just do what I told you, don't pay attention to him and ignore him. He'll leave you alone eventually. He always does the same thing when someone new arrives," she explained, adjusting her bangs slightly.

"I guess I'll try." I smiled happily, adjusting my backpack behind my back.

"Right." The girl laughed embarrassedly. "I haven't introduced myself yet." She extended her hand, and I took it timidly. "I'm Yoo Jimin, nice to meet you. Your name's Hyori, right?"

I nodded shyly, feeling happy to be talking to someone on my first day of school.

"Yeah, nice to meet you, Jimin."

He was the first person who'd treated me well since I arrived this morning. Unlike that jerk Jake, who only made me angry the moment I met him. I guess the day hadn't been so bad after all.

•••

"Hyori!" Jimin called, approaching me with a big smile.

"Oh, hi," I smiled back, waving at her.

"Are we going to chemistry class together?" she asked when she was next to me.

"Sure," I nodded, giving her a closed-lipped smile.

Jimin took my hand and started leading me to the chemistry classroom. The walk with her was pretty peaceful, as she was very friendly and talkative. She told me a few things about school and invited me to hang out with her and her friend during breaks.

When we got to the chemistry classroom, I timidly entered, trying to hide behind Jimin because of the stares we were getting. I didn't like the attention.

The chemistry teacher simply told us to sit wherever we wanted, so naturally, we sat together. It was my second day here, and I didn't know anyone else yet, so for now, I'll stick close to my new friend. Although I'm still not sure we'll be friends.

Could I really trust her? What if she was like the people from my old school?

I need to stop thinking about that stuff and try to trust. She's not like that, Hyori. Don't crucify her before her time.

"Okay, guys. Now we'll do an experiment. So I'll pair up with two people," the professor explained, beginning to name each of my classmates.

My knee twitched impatiently; I was worried and impatient to know who I'd be paired with. What if that person didn't like me and I had to do the whole experiment alone?

"Jake Sim and..." The professor checked the list one more time and turned to me, smiling. "Miss Kim, I hope there's no problem with young Sim," he said, before continuing to name names at random.

My body froze as I tried to process the Information. Did Jake say that? Well, it was just for today, so there was no problem.

"I forgot to tell you that the pairs will sit together for the rest of the semester," the professor announced.

I wouldn't have cared if it was anyone else, but why did it have to be him? Of all the people in the world, he was the only one the professor thought to put working with me.

I watched as Jimin gave me a thumbs-up from his new spot in an attempt to cheer me up. I simply smiled and returned the gesture, assuring him that I was fine.

"I'm not okay, damn it! I don't want to sit with him!"

I glanced over at Jake's spot, who was staring at me with disinterest as he reluctantly got up from his spot. He started walking toward me, eventually sitting next to me, resting his head on the desk without even turning to look at me.

Was he bipolar?

Yesterday he was giving me his full attention, and now he was ignoring me. I don't understand at all. What a complex boy! Now I look like someone desperate for that idiot's attention.

I should be happy. At least he's got his mouth shut and he won't bother me anymore.

I hope so.

"A picture will last longer," Jake muttered, looking at me haughtily, still with his head in his arms.

I hadn't realized I was staring at him!

"Why would I keep a picture of someone as ugly as you?" I glared at him, turning my face to fully focus on what the teacher was explaining.

God, where did I get the strength to say something like that?

"Stupid," he snorted under his breath, getting my attention. I saw him mumble something else and bury his face in his arms, completely ignoring me.

After that, Jake didn't say anything else and finally left me alone, allowing me to pay full attention in class. But he didn't even deign to help me with the experiment. In the end, I had to do it alone, so it felt more like I was sitting alone than with him, who was sleeping carefree.

But it was better that way.

"Okay, students, remember to study this formula for next class," the teacher announced before leaving the classroom.

Without further ado, my classmates began to leave hurriedly. This had become routine, entering class and doing the same thing, over and over again until the day was over. It was so boring.

"Hyori," Jimin touched my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I stood up from my chair, looking at her with a closed-mouthed smile.

"I'll wait for you outside, hurry up," she said, giving me a sweet smile, then stepping away and leaving the classroom.

I began to gather my belongings into my backpack, then zip it up and place it behind my back.

At one point, I turned to my left and saw that this boy named Jake was fast asleep on his side of the table. He looked like an angel while he slept. Let's say he had some charm, but he was still too annoying to pay attention to someone like him. His hair was slightly obscuring his eyes, and his lips were pursed, making him look even more adorable. The boy shifted on the table and opened his eyes, a little sleepily, connecting his gaze with mine.

"Seriously, take a picture, it'll last longer." His voice sounded huskier than usual, triggering something in me I couldn't quite define.

Jake stretched in his seat and then stood up from his chair, looking at me one last time before putting his backpack on his shoulder. Before leaving, he smiled at me in that arrogant way that only he knew how to do.

Without further ado, he left the room, eliciting a frustrated sigh from me. This guy gave me a bad feeling, but most of all, he made me feel desperate and like exploding every time he said something. I hated him, and no one would change my mind.

The day had barely ended, and I already felt like I wouldn't make it to the end of the semester.

All day I wandered around, looking for classrooms and getting to know the school facilities better. It was too much for me, and to top it all off, Jake seemed to be everywhere; I ran into him at every turn. How odious!

Putting my thoughts aside, I walked to the basketball court. I was curious about that specific place; it was the only thing I was interested in knowing about any school. I peeked through the door, noticing the boys on the team practicing energetically. Watching that excited me, making me want to try it, but sports weren't my thing.

Somewhat shyly, I walked onto the court to the stands, where I sat in the second row, watching the boys practice. The only thing I could hear was the sound of the ball hitting the ground and the squeaking of the soles of their shoes as the boys moved around the court.

"Watch out!"

I heard someone shouting that at me, so I quickly looked ahead, noticing the ball coming at me at high speed. I moved away as quickly as I could, covering my face with my hands in an attempt to protect myself. My heart was pounding from how fast everything had happened.

Oh, I was almost hit by that ball. Any more and I'll be done.

I took my hands off my face and sighed, my body still shaking from the scare.

"I'm sorry! Could you give us the ball back?" one of the boys asked me with a pained look.

"It's okay, it was just an accident." I tried to smile, but the corners of my lips trembled slightly.

"God, that thing almost hit me in the face!"

I got up from my spot and walked over to where the ball had landed, taking it in my hands. I got down from the bleachers and walked over to the group of boys, noticing that Jake was among them.

"A little more and you'll be done." Jake made a shocked expression while feigning concern. "Too bad I missed." Jake pouted, looking at me with cynical eyes.

Did he mean to hurt me? He's a bastard!

The rest of the boys fell silent, lowering their gazes. I felt my eyes sting, and I couldn't hold back the rage I felt any longer. I wasn't going to stay silent anymore.

"Shut your mouth!" I yelled, gritting my teeth and throwing the ball hard at his chest.

Jake took it in his hands, looking at me with an amused expression.

"That's aggressive, babe. That makes you unattractive. Although... you're not exactly very pretty," he mocked, looking me up and down in disgust.

"Go to hell!" I muttered under my breath, turning to leave, but Jake roughly grabbed my wrist, holding me back.

"Be careful what you say," he whispered against my ear, tightening his grip on my wrist until it began to hurt. "If you talk to me like that again, I swear you'll regret it. Prepare yourself, Hyori, I'm going to make your life a living hell."

Without further ado, he roughly let go of me, making me stagger. I left that place, feeling his threat still lingering in my skin. I was scared, but I wasn't going to let that idiot intimidate me; I wouldn't let anyone do that again.

TO BE CONTINUED...

For translations or adaptations, please remember to ask my permission beforehand.

#jake imagines #jake x reader #jake smut #enhypen jake #jake sim #jake english #jake #jake x oc #enhypen smut #kpop smut #wattpad #kpop imagines #Spotify

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enhaqle · 2 years ago

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OUTBREAK - a jake story

2 ; no bitch syndrome

previous | m!list | next

NOTE ! made this after xc practice so it might be a lil messy 🤓

TAGLIST feel free to ask 💕[open]

(HELPP PLS ASK 😭😭)

#enhypen smau #enhypen #jake smau #jake enhypen #jake sim #jake fluff #jake angst #enhypen angst #enhypen fluff #jake x oc #high school au #zombie au

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horseshoegirl · 2 years ago

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Set Me Alight - Masterlist

Part 11: When the Storm Sets In - In Progress

📖 Jake Seresin / Hangman

💛Maeve (Midge) Spencer

🏷️ Slow burn, strong language -> this OFC swears like a sailor, Original Female Character, enemies to lovers, Camping/Hiking AU, Getting lost in the woods, Survival in the Woods/in a fire lookout, Mystery, Bullying, Shitty Friends, Flash Backs, Eventual Smut, post-college daggers, alternate Universe Daggers, Short OFC, forced proximity, tension, angst, eventual romance, eventual happy? Ending, stalking, and intense moments.

❗️18+ minors DNI. Ageless and blank blogs are blocked without warning.

❗️Reposting or binding fics, including designs, line breaks, banners or any graphic materials, is strictly forbidden without my written consent. Be a decent human being, and don't steal or copy people's work.

Summary: When you agree, somewhat apprehensively, to a week-long camping trip courtesy of your best friend Nat, you end up irate to discover Jake Seresin is also on the guest list. He's everything you hate, everything you want to believe you hate. Because the day you met him, he said some things he could never take back. Not to mention his nickname for you grates on your every f-ing nerve. But when the two of you get stranded in the Washington wilderness, it's not just the elements or the creepy feeling you're being watched that has you feeling trapped, it's the emotional baggage too. Struggling to survive the wilderness is one thing, but navigating the labyrinth that is "Jake the asshole" is another beast altogether. Somehow, you've got to deal with both if you're gonna make it out of these woods in one piece.

____

Not too sure how many parts this one will be, I'm kind of letting my mind take me where it wants to go!

Part 1 - Seventeen Going Under

Part 2 Abracadabra

Part 3 - You're so Vain

Part 4 - One way or another

Part 5 - I can't go on without you

Part 6 - Running up that hill

Part 7 - Paint It, Black

Part 8 - Salt & The Sea

Part 9 - The Woods

Part 10 - Mount Everest

Part 11 - When the Storm Sets In

More coming soon!

Thank you to @desert-fern (She did the wonderful title), @sarahsmi13s, @startrekfangirl2233, and @teacupsandtopgun for helping me brainstorm with this one!

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lyon-amore · 2 years ago

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When in a oneshot you don't put MC or a name to the girl you write with Jake

Someone: I imagined they are Jake and Macie

Me:

That's why I like to support artists who make their OCs, because then whether people who are readers or who enjoy seeing drawings, they can recognize them and make their creators happy because we put a lot of love to our babies 😌💖

The amount of Duskwood OCs that I admire and see every day make me happy to see them, they are all incredible and have so much chemistry in different ways with Jake 🥺❤️

#duskwood #duskwood jake #duskwood mc #duskwood jake x mc #ocs #original character #jake x oc

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eywaseclipse · 7 months ago

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Written in the Stars Chapter 13: Sully's Stick Together

Characters: Na’vi oc reader Tani, Jake, Neytiri, Lo’ak, Neteyam, Tuk, Kiri, Metkayina clan

Synopsis: The final installment of the series. Lo’ak Tuk and Tsireya are captured by the RDA, the Na’vi attack, Neteyam is shot, Everything has led up to the moment of the final battle

Warnings: None: mostly just angst, some violence and action

Word Count: 4k

Within the next few weeks after the Tulkun return, the clan discovered Lo’ak bonded with an outcast with the name of Payakan. To Jake’s dismay Lo’ak defied your clan leader, insisting the Tulkun saved his life rather than showed violence. From the look on the Sully boy’s face, you knew he was telling the truth. You now sit in your marui as the kids hang out after his scolding. You try to take your mind off of the tension by cutting up fruit and stringing together some new beads for an armband. You can practically hear Jake’s heart pounding through his chest seething with anger and frustration, as he sits next to you. “Speak now Jake, I can practically hear your thoughts.” You break the silence, looking to your husband.

He takes a deep sigh, meeting your gaze, “I just thought once we got here things would be different for us. But that kid is making it so damn hard.” Your ears pin down the way he speaks about Lo’ak, you two were the closest of the Sully’s. Understanding his feelings of being in the shadow of an older sibling, constantly trying to surpass expectations with poor execution.

You were Lo’ak when you were his age, your sister Zetey being the golden child of your family. Your brows furrow with disappointment, “Jake, he is trying. We all are. Maybe try to see things from his perspective. He was chosen by a Tulkun, the same way Eywa saw something in you. You two are so alike.” You see the vexation in his eyes as you state as a matter of fact to him. He knew as well as you did, that Lo’ak was special. Maybe your words would soften him up a bit and get through that thick Sully skull of his.

He just keeps sighing, his shoulders falling in defeat, as you hand him a bowl of fruit as an olive branch. “Your son tells the truth. I can see it in his eyes. Ask him what he saw from the outcast, maybe you could understand then? You were once an outcast yourself too you know.” He takes some fruit and pops it into his mouth, not quite sure how to respond to you. “You know I’m right Jake. Be more gentle with him, he’s a sensitive kid. He’s not like Neteyam.” He nods to you, as you take some fruit and eat it with him as you continue making jewelry. “You’re right.” He huffs. You eyes whip to him in surprise. Oh, you think to yourself. “I’m hard on him the most, because

I was him. I was this alien, this impulsive kid with no plan, falling for the chief’s daughter. And my actions had consequences.”

His ears pin with guilt you see riddling his face. “I thought that if I protected him from doing the same things I did, I could prevent him from those outcomes.” His somber eyes meet yours, as your heart clenches for him. You reach out to his hand, squeezing it tight. “Jake, you don’t need to bear this guilt on your own. You saved my people, without you there would have been many more deaths. The sky people were coming no matter what. All Lo’ak wants is to make you proud. It is very hard on the kids living in your shadow. I understand your fear. I feel it too.” His ears perk up, as he meets your gaze.

“You do?” You nod your head. “Yes, Jake. I think you forget I lived through the destruction of Home Tree and my people too. I see you.” You take his hand and put it over your heart. His face cracks a small smile, as he brings his forehead to yours, taking a deep breath of relief. “I see you.” He whispers. You stay this way for a moment, embracing one another. You break apart, now focusing on beads, “Is this for Tuk?” He inquires as you continue to string the beads. “Yes, She got shells the other day on her dive with Kiri. I wanted to make something nice for her with some of these beads.” You say with a smile. “Also, she lost the other one.”

You laugh at the clumsiness of your 7 year old. Jake chuckles with you, “Of course she did. She’s losing those bracelets faster than she’s losing her baby teeth.” You throw your head back and laugh out at his joke. It’s true. Tuk had a bad habit of pulling out her baby teeth, forcing them to get loose and wiggly because Jake and Neytiri would gift her charms and goodies.

You and him laugh together loudly, when you see a large figure outside your entrance appear; Tonowari. His face showcasing anger, you both whip your heads to where he stands.

You and Jake rise, immediately sensing something urgent. The rain hits your skin, as Jake faces the Olo’eyktan’s shoulders tense with frustration. “What is it?” Tonowari turns to where you both stand, “Sky people. They’re looking for you JakeSully. They have a human boy who speaks Na’vi.” Your stomach drops, the breath from your lungs seizing. Your hand now on Jake’s shoulder clenching with worry. “Did they kill anybody?” Tonowari sighs, “Not yet. The villagers won’t say where you are. On my command.” You wince at every word Tonowari says.

The humans have somehow found you. They’re coming for your family next. Tonowari leaves your home, as you and Jake sit in silence.

The fear radiating from your bodies, now evident on your faces as you frown. “We must hunt this demon. Trap him. Kill him!” You huff in bitterness. The words leaving your mouth like poison. “We gotta be smart about this Tani. If we attack, they know where we are. They’ll come after us with everything they have.” You wince at the words of truth, not caring about any of that right now.

All you see is red to protect your little ones. Just as you’re about to respond the conch shell blows. This shell is different than the one on your arrival, it’s deeper. You both rush outside to see the commotion. You look to the horizon where a swarm of gulls circle in on a large object bobbing in the water. It looks as if it’s a Tulkun but you can’t make the exact shape. Jake calls to his skimwing as you both dive into the water to get a closer look. Several clan members begin to gather around the dead animal, as the Tulkun you recognize as Ro’a comes into your sight. You gasp, with your hand to your mouth at the graphic observation.

The eyes of the animal rolled back, with her calf dead at her side. You watch as Tonowari and

Ronal make their way to the animal. She gasps in shock, jumping to her spirit sister’s side. Now crying, your heart breaks for the Tsahík. She screams in anguish. “She was the composer of songs, much revered. We would sing together. She waited many breeding cycles to have this calf. The clan was so happy for her.” She cries, touching the body of Ro’a. Your ears pin to your head, immediately thinking of Neytiri’s loss of her own spirit sister. You wondered what she would think if she were here. “What is this Tonowari!? What is this!?” Ronal screams in fear. You all wince at her cries, mourning for her.

You make your way back to the village giving her privacy, as a faint beeping invades your ears. Jake and you look to your left where a bright red object sticks out. Jake looks at it, as if inspecting, and yanks it out of the Tulkun.

You hastily make your way to find the kids, putting your fingers to your neck comm. “Pathfinder this is Black Panther. Come in.” You ping to Neteyam. You always use your call signs Jake gave you, to ensure safety in case the signal is intercepted. “Black Panther, I read.” Neteyam’s voice comes in. “I need you and everyone else to the village it’s urgent.” Neteyam hears the worry in your voice, “10-4.”

He gathers the rest of his siblings and friends to get over to the village from where they were hanging out. People begin to gather in the center of the marui canopy, the anger making its way through the clan as the rain pours down on the material. “The sky people have murdered my spirit sister and her baby!” Ronal shouts to the crowd. War cries begin to surge between each member. Your anxiety ripples through your body as you see Lo’ak, Neteyam, Kiri, and Tuk make their way to you.

Tuk grabs your hand as Neteyam and Kiri stand beside you. “This war has come to us! We knew of the hunting of our Tulkun people, when it was on the horizon. Now, it is here!” Tonowari shouts, performing Pukana, many of the clan members begin to mimic him as they hiss and yip their war cries. Neteyam now holds the pinger in his hands, as Jake’s eyes frantically scan everyone. “You gotta understand how the sky people think! They don’t care about the great balance! This is only the beginning. You gotta tell the Tulkun to leave!” Jake shouts. Ronal looks at him in disgust. “You live among us, and learn nothing!” Tensions rising, the clan members shout among you all, “We will fight to protect our brothers and sisters!”

You feel Neteyam grow frustrated, bringing his hands out, “Listen to my father! He speaks the truth!” Your chest now heaving with adrenaline, your memory takes you to when you were a child. Your own leader ignoring Jake’s warning.

Your people met with catastrophic losses that day, including losing your Olo’eyktan and sister. Your eyes begin to look around you, seeing the Metkayina showcase their Pukana, and Haka dance, with their bodies radiating power. Jake now desperate, grabs the pinger and climbs up to the middle of clearing. “Hear my words! Dammit! You tell the Tulkun, that if they’re hit by one of these, they’re marked for death. They call for me, I’ll silence it. Saving their lives that’s all that matters! Saving your family.” He trails off. He looks to Tonowari and Ronal, in shock, as she nods her head. Tonowari signals his people, “Tell the Tulkun.” “Go.” Ronal announces. Your heart begin to thud loudly against your chest, as your fears become a reality.

The Metkayina begin to disperse, as you see Jake exiting the clearing. You tail behind him, as you see he’s lost in his own thoughts. “We must fight! Ma’Jake. I will not stand here and do nothing!” You grab his bicep, forcing him to look at you. “They’re not hunting Tulkun Tani. They’re hunting us!” Your ears pin back at the harshness of his words. “I know.” Your worried eyes meeting each other, chests heaving with worry.

The clan begins to go out into the water, as you notice Kiri and Tuk left you awhile back. Now Neteyam and Lo’ak out of your sight you look around anxiously trying to find them. Unbeknownst to you, Lo’ak saddled his ilu to go and warn Payakan with the rest of the kids chasing after him. You and Jake now at your own hut, double check to see if the kids went back home, as you anxiously pace back and forth. You find a Metkayina boy, and rush to him. “Did you see where they went?!” You demand with worry. Jake’s neck comms spark to life, “Dad! I mean Devil Dog do you read me!” Lo’ak’s voice come through. Your ears perk up, pressing your earpiece to your ear. “Yeah, Lo’ak.” Jake responds.

“We’re with a Tulkun that’s under attack. Killer ships inbound it’s about two clicks out.” Your stomach drops as you look to Jake. “Who’s with you?” “It’s all of us. We’re at 3 brothers rocks.” The breath from your lungs escape as you and Jake look to each other with pure fear. “You get to cover, do not engage alright?. Get to cover. You hear me? We’re coming.”

You and him run to your leader. “The kids are under attack! They were defending a Tulkun. It’s your kids too!” Tonowari stands, “The demonship?” “Yes! We gotta go!” Jake and you run to your weapons as the war horn sounds off. You grab your arrows, slinging them to your back, and grab your bow, as you close your eyes and release a silent prayer to the Great Mother. Jake takes his kevlar vest and straps it on, as he loads up with grenades and bullets. You whip around to him growling with adrenaline, as you both silently nod this is it.

The moment you both anticipated would happen at some point, with your children on the line again. You call to your Ikran, as she soars down to you, mounting her with a hiss flying into the sky. Jake dives into the water mounting on his skimwing, making his way to where the rest of the warriors swim. From your line of sight you see the large demonship make its way to where the Tulkun swims, your kids desperately pulling on the pinger that’s lodged in its skin. You’re still too far away to assist, as you see them dive under to escape the sky people.

Your eyes frantically scanning the water and Metkayina warriors from above. You see Jake make his way toward the ship slowly, as you press your fingers to your neck. “Jake what is happening!?” Your heart pounds with anxiety watching him inch closer and closer to the sky people. No. You think to yourself. Suddenly a giant wave erupts from the water, as a Tulkun slams into the ship demolishing humans in its way. It roars whipping its tail into the human weapons, dodging the bullets with ease as it slips into the water once again.

You hear the yips and war cries flood your ears seeing the Metkayina rush to the ship now. This is the signal. You dive down into the air drawing your bow, the sky people now invading the sky and water with gunships and boats. Your arrow hisses through the air hitting the pilot with a clean shot. You weave through the air killing every single target your arrow hits. “Ayeyeyeyeya!”

You yip into the sky.

Bullets suddenly zip past you, as you look behind to see Quaritch and his Ikran shooting at you and Oare. You hiss with anger, as you quickly maneuver around the bullets as best you can. “Aye!” You yip to Jake close by. He immediately sees you and rushes to where Quaritch is, soaring into the air he releases his bullets screaming at the demon. You make your way to another gunship killing the pilot. You seamlessly kill everyone contact, assisting the Metkayina.

While you and Jake fight with the clan, Neteyam rescues Tuk, Tsireya, and Lo’ak cutting them loose from the cuffs. Lo’ak looks to Neteyam grabbing a machine gun. “Come on we gotta get Spider. Come on bro, we can’t leave him.” Neteyam groans at his younger brother constantly doing what he’s not supposed. Reluctantly following him, they climb to the bannisters of the ship waiting for the right moment.

They drop down throwing the boat members off and rescuing Spider. Gunfire sounds off as they run for cover, Neteyam ripping the gun from his brother to shoot back. “Go Go!” He shouts at them to make a run for it. He fires off one last round as he dives into the water, feeling a small object rip through his chest. Immediately feeling pain, he clutches his chest as blood seeps out and into the water. Lo’ak and Spider high five as Neteyam groans in agony. “You Skxawng moron, I’m shot.” As he struggles to stay afloat. Lo’ak’s eyes widen in horror looking to where Neteyam bobs in the water, “Shit!” Spider and him grab onto his body as Tsireya rides over with her ilu, mounting him on and rushing to land.

Jake now mounted on the rock narrowly escaping Quaritch sees the kids swimming towards him. “Dad! It’s Neteyam! He’s hurt!” Jake’s blood runs cold as he sees his eldest slumped in the water. “Grab here! Watch his head! Watch his head!” Jake shouts cradling Neteyam’s body, with Lo’ak Spider and Tsireya carrying his body to the rock. They lay him down, Jake turning his body over seeing the gaping hole in his chest, a clean shot going through his skin. “Oh no.” His heart clenching. Your shadow cast overhead, as you see everyone crouched over a body. Eclipse now reaching its peak, you rush over to where everyone is hovering over Neteyam. Your eyes widen with shock, “No no no no no!” You scream kneeling to the eldest. His chest heaving, with pain as he fights for his life. “I want to go home!”

He cries.

You being to panic, your breath heaving with adrenaline, as you remember the vial you carry. The liquid that saves all wounds, your Tsahìk told you to use. “It will heal any wound, of any kind. It can bring someone back from the brink of death, taking their last breath. All it takes is to sip this vial of its last drop.” Her words ring in the back of your head, as you quickly remove the bottle from your pouch, unfastening the cap. You cup the back Neteyam’s head, bringing the bottle to his quivering lips. “Drink!” You shout with haste. You tip the bottle back making sure every last drop of the glowing liquid enters his mouth. You close his lips, and tilt his head back, watching his Adams apple swallow roughly.

Everyone stares at you in utter confusion, unable to process what’s just occurred as you bring your hands to Neteyam’s face. He closes his eyes, as if in a relaxed state, causing worry to rip through your body. You look to his chest where the hole was, slowly closing right before your eyes. Jake still in shock, witnesses the wound close, as you cry tears of relief. You cradle Neteyam’s head, crying into his hair. “Oh Great Mother!” You shout. Neteyam slowly blinks, still in shock himself. You quietly coo him, “It’s okay, just lay there. You’re okay Neteyam” You brush his braids back. He slowly touches your cheek, “Tani?” Your tears fall to his face, sniffling loudly. Jake leans over making sure his son is okay, as the other stare in disbelief. “Hey you’re okay boy.” Jake lightly says. “Dad?” He looks to Jake now.

You close your eyes in thanks, a wave of relief flowing through your veins when Jake’s neck comms spark to life again. “You hear me corporal? Yeah I think you can. I got your daughters. Same deal as before. You for them. Your son didn’t have to die.” You and Jake instantly look to one another. From a distance it must look as if you’re mourning over Neteyam. Jake presses his neck, “Yeah I hear you.” Your blood runs cold again, you’re not in the clear just yet. You hiss with anger seething through your body.

He grabs your face, knowing that there’s more at stake now more than ever, “Let’s go get our daughters.” You nod to him, making your way to Oare again, as she hisses with the power she feels from you.

“Your sisters where are they” Jake shouts in panic. Lo’ak just looks in shock, “I don’t know.” Now moving to his older brother. Spider tugs Jake, “They’re at the moon pull come on I’ll show you.” They run to his skimwing swimming to the demonship. Jake slowly emerges from the water, as he looks to Spider, “No you stay here.” Quaritch begins to taunt to him. “You thought you could keep your family safe, but you couldn’t.” Just as Jake releases a grenade you dive onto the ship, rolling onto the landing drawing your bow back in rage hitting an Avatar. You hiss with primal rage, alongside Jake as he shoots rounds off into humans and Avatars. You would be damned if you almost lost another kid tonight.

You felt raw primal rage course through your veins, as you re use a single arrow plunging it into every demon you target. You growl with anger, as you dodge the bullets from Quaritch. Weaving behind the machinery and metal, you see Jake attacking another demon, “Ma’Jake!” You shoot your arrow into another Avatar sneaking up on you two. As your arrow comes into Quaritch’s sight. Kiri looks to him, “That’s right, they’re coming for YOU.” Your arrow being stuck in a body, you unsheathe your dagger and stab another human, hissing in his face, discarding him to the side, as another one sneaks to the side of you. You grab your bow and whip it to his face, slinging over his head snapping his neck like a twig.

Jake finds Tuk, and cuts her cuffs as he looks for Kiri in confusion. “Where’s your sister?” Tuk points, “That way.” Quaritch emerges from behind the metal with his knife to Kiri’s throat. Jake lunges toward him, as the knife tightens against her skin causing her to yelp in pain. “Running out of time here corporal. You really wanna lose another kid today?” Jake lunges for him again. “Kick your weapons away and cuff yourself. CUFFS ON NOW!” Jake huffs, “You sonofabitch!” As he begins to snap on one cuff.

You’ve made your way around the back of the ship, sneaking up behind Spider. All your instincts directing your rage. You grab the back of his head with your knife now to his throat. Quaritch whips around to see you gripping Spider harshly. “Release, or I cut demon.” He snickers at you. “What you think I care about some kid? We’re not even the same species.” You look down to Spider, with pure fear in his eyes. You didn’t want it to come to this, but you would do anything to get your girls back, even if it means killing this boy.

You slash a cut into his chest, as he hisses in pain. “I cut.” You growl, but he doesn’t budge. You scream, lifting your knife in the air prepared to plunge into Spider’s chest, as Quaritch releases Kiri last second. You toss the boy to the side, as you ready to slash the demon to death. You take him by surprise not losing a stride in your step as you plunge your knife into the neck of the demon. His eyes go wide with shock as he quickly grips his neck is covered in the dark crimson liquid. He begins to choke, now falling to his knees as Jake turns to you now covered in blood.

He quickly takes the knife out of your hand seemingly breaking your trance. Tuk runs for you, “Mom!” She grips you tightly as you all feel the ship shake sinking. “Come on we gotta move!” Jake takes Kiri’s hand making his way to where the water goes down. “Spider!” Kiri hugs the boy. “Come on we gotta move.” He hastily runs down. “Tani are you with me?” Jake shakes you, as you watch the life fade from Quaritch’s eyes. The man who destroyed your home tree, the man who brought genocide to your people, the man who killed your sister, Neytiri, babies, women and children.

The man who almost killed Neteyam. You relish in seeing the light disappear from his eyes. Jake tugs your hand once more, leading you down to where the kids are. You swim back to the skimwing making sure everyone holds on, now going back where Lo’ak, Neteyam, and Tsireya are. You mount to the rock, clutching onto Tuk, as you climb to see Neteyam. He’s now in a sitting position with Lo’ak hugging him, still not quite believing he’s okay. “Neteyam!” Tuk shouts running to him. Jake looks to where you’re standing as you begin to cry, he brings you in for a tight hug. Your knees buckle, as he sets you down gently. Kiri hugging you from behind, and everyone else wrapping themselves around you. The eclipse vanishes, as the sun begins to shine down on your family. Jake looks to you glossy eyed, bringing his hand to your face scanning his family. “Sully’s stick together.”

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