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shu-box-puns · 1 year

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I never would have given you to them; not for anything (Tsu'tey x Reader)

Last Chapter <- Part 4 -> Next Chapter

If you prefer to read on Ao3, you can find the fic here!

Summary: The memory hurts, but does you no harm.

Word Count: 8,978

Reader uses they/them pronouns.

With every room, Tsu’tey was shown a snippet of the past.

Some things he remembered, and others, he knew, belonged to the mind he was currently trespassing in. In all of them, he reached out. And in all of them, his hand caused their disappearance.

By the third room, Tsu’tey knew what Eywa was trying to tell him. He finally understood, but the torment continued regardless.

Now, he found himself back in Hell’s Gate, crouched awkwardly in a laboratory that was not built for someone of his height. Link units lined the far walls, whilst military personnel manned the machines instead of the usual white lab-coated scientists.

The room was teaming with yet more military people. All in uniformed lines, waiting to be called up.

One by one, Tsu’tey observed as important looking men and women stepped up to empty link units with papers in hand. Predictably, they would hand the papers to the officer manning the machines, who checked it over before motioning for them to climb into the link units. They laid down, and the lids would close.

Tsu’tey watched from the sidelines, feeling drained and weary.

Out of nowhere, he spotted his human mate in one of the far lines. They held their papers and chin high, eyes burning as they had been in that very first corridor, although the rage tinting this memory was significantly more subdued, as if it had had plenty of time to stew and calm. Carefully, Tsu’tey rounded the room to approach them, watching as they stepped up to the link unit when their name was called. They were all business now, following orders as they climbed into the unit and laid down, falling still as they allowed the lid to be closed on them.

Curious, Tsu’tey approached. He had witnessed the scientists linking up to their avatars once or twice, and knew they would lay in these pods for hours at a time, before emerging sweaty and exhausted, but beaming every time. These military people did not emerge smiling. They hauled themselves out of the link units with scowls and menacing rolls of their shoulders. They oozed aggression and confidence, and it made the back of Tsu’tey neck itch.

It made him want to grab his mate and drag them out of this horrible prison. Back out into the open forests of Pandora, where the enemy was securely out of sight and he had the upper hand. Of course, he could not do that here. He was trapped within a memory, still struggling to find the real recom, whilst his family guarded his unconscious body.

His attention was drawn back to the link unit as it beeped and clicked open. Instinctively, he stepped back, expecting his mate or perhaps their recom form to come rolling out. Instead, the lid swung up and Tsu’tey found himself looking down into a room. The link bed had hollowed out and left behind an opening barely big enough for him to slip through.

Lips tightening, Tsu’tey glanced back up to the room and realised all the doors had disappeared. There were only windows that peered out into the corridors beyond the link room. Clearly, there was only one place for him to go.

Sighing tiredly, Tsu’tey readied himself. No one glanced his way as he approached the unit. No one seemed to hear the metal squeak under his weight as he sat on the lip and swung his feet to dangle down into the hole nestled within. Tsu’tey went completely unobserved as he shuffled forward and dropped through the opening into the room below.

The ceiling closed up behind him, sealing him in the second room. Swallowing down the immediate panic at being trapped, Tsu’tey righted himself and forced himself to take in his surroundings.

The room was small, barely the size of his tent back in High Camp, with tall, blinding white walls and a high ceiling. The air smelt stale. Sterile and unnaturally clean. As if the room hadn’t been aired for several years. Tucked against the far wall was a gurney big enough for an avatar to lay down on, whilst the walls directly opposite consisted of ceiling to floor one way mirrors that gave the illusion of the room being bigger than it was. Absently, Tsu’tey realised he didn’t need to crouch in here.

Straightening, he took a tentative step deeper into the room, only for paper to crinkle underfoot. He paused, lifting his foot to find those same papers everyone had been holding upstairs, littered across the spotless floor. They had been ripped up and left to float down in disorganised clusters. Every now and again, he caught sight of blue font, but found himself unable to read it.

In the far corner, tucked behind the gurney, someone sniffed wetly.

Tsu’tey’s ears pricked as his head snapped up. Quiet shuffling suggested someone was curling in tighter on themselves. Tsu’tey wasn’t sure whether it was the lack of scent in the air that made him nauseous, or if it was the thought of finding another broken phantom tucked in that corner.

Tentatively, he rounded the gurney, minding to keep a polite distance regardless of who he found seeking refuge behind it. Slowly, a shoe came into view, then a leg, both of which were swiftly yanked backwards and out of sight.

Amused, Tsu’tey huffed slightly and took another step. Bit by bit, he found his human mate curled up in the corner, quivering as they tucked themself up small. Their eyes watched him wearily, as Tsu’tey looked back with curiosity.

That was new. Tsu’tey observed, holding their unsteady gaze. The others hadn’t noticed him until the memory drew to a close.

Neither had they appeared so small. Of course, Tsu’tey was not surprised by the size difference, he vividly recalled how tall they had stood beside him. But here, there was something different. Something missing. As if someone had reached in and removed their spine, leaving their body to crumble without the support, curled in small and vulnerable.

He also noticed the lack of feeling in this memory. The other phantoms had all portrayed grief or rage or regret, this one just looked tired.

“What do you want?” They croaked, their voice sounding as if it hadn’t been used in quite some time. Privately, Tsu’tey was impressed by how they managed to keep it somewhat steady, despite the lines of exhaustion carved into them. He noted that they were clothed in a simple tank top and cargo pants, the equivalent of the recom’s attire when they had been dragged into his tent.

How intriguing. Tsu’tey tilted his head, knowing that his ears were fanning wide in interest. His mate glanced from them to his face, and then checked what his tail was doing. That helped him figure out vaguely when this memory was, since they didn’t appear to be afraid of him at all, just cautious.

“I was looking for you.” Tsu’tey replied honestly, his English thick on his tongue but still understandable.

Their expression did not change. The exhaustion remaining the most prominent emotion on their face.

“Did you break in here to kill me?” They asked him.

Tsu’tey felt his ears fall at the accusation. His throat was suddenly tight as he held up his empty hands and wiggled his fingers to emphasise that he came unarmed. Their expression did not hint to relief.

“Guess not.” They sighed, almost sounding disappointed.

For a long, drawn out moment, they simply looked at him. Watching. Calculating. No doubt drinking in his differences from the Tsu’tey at the time of this memory. And in return, Tsu’tey looked right back, his eyes flicking from their attire, to their face and then back again. Scrambling for clues or hidden meanings. In the other memories, he had been mostly an observer, with hardly anyone noticing him until the scene neared its end. And now that he had been addressed and seen so thoroughly, he found himself thrown off.

The human did not blink as Tsu’tey stared. They didn’t do a lot of anything really, other than breathe and watch him right back. It unnerved him enough that he had to look away first.

Instead, he decided to take in his surroundings once more. Perhaps an exit, or a face behind the mirrors which would allow him a greater understanding of what exactly he was supposed to be doing here.

Instead, he noticed a holopad discarded near the head of the gurney, which he somehow hadn’t noticed upon dropping in through the ceiling. Or perhaps, it hadn’t been there to begin with. In this weird place between consciousness and reality, Tsu’tey had found that objects tended to appear and disappear on a whim with no rhyme or reason to it. As such, he wasn’t overly surprised to discover that the holopad was displaying a picture of his human mate.

In the video, they were sat in the link room upstairs, their mouth frozen mid-word due to how the video had been paused. But he noted that they were still dressed in their usual military attire, with their beaded necklace barely visible above the collar.

“They had all of us film those.” His mate explained absently, “even though there wasn’t a guarantee they’d even use our file for the programme. I just did it for the information.” “Your file?” Tsu’tey pried, his eyes flickering back to them only to be guided downwards when they motioned to the paper confetti strewn across the floor. “Ah.”

With a deep, steadying breath, they continued to explain. “The company didn’t use all of us. Just a select few of their favourites or most competent. Somehow, I must have convinced them I’m trustworthy.” They laughed dryly, “how though is fucking beyond me. I’m fucking terrible at this.”

If Tsu’tey weren’t so tired, he might have contradicted them. Afterall, they had been offering up information for weeks before the RDA had decided to make a move, and even then, it hadn’t been because of them. Instead, his mind faltered at the new information.

It hadn’t even occurred to him that the demons had had plenty of sky people memories lined up in preparation for their unnatural experiment. It hadn’t crossed his mind that there had been a chance that his mate wouldn’t have been one of them. The idea that the last few days had only occurred because of coincidence stumped him. If anything had been different, then his mate would still be resting, still be buried in the Wells of Souls, but instead, they were here. And he had no idea how they felt about that.

“You are a convincing ally.” Tsu’tey said instead, shoving all of his panic down to ensure that his voice came out smooth. “People want to trust you.”

They laughed with no humour. “Must not have carried over.”

Tsu’tey frowned. Something in the back of his mind flickered back to life, letting him know that this interaction was not turning out like the others.

“God, what a mess.” His mate continued, a small, bitter chuckle slipping out of them. “Should have just stayed dead honestly.” They continued to say, making Tsu’tey’s stomach go queasy with unease.

He turned back to them, no longer surprised to find the recom body curled up in the corner instead of their human form. The shifts had happened randomly within every room, even as the recom’s personality and decisions had remained consistent. “Would’ve saved you all a shit tonne of trouble.”

Tsu’tey looked at them now. Really looked at them. At the distant glint in their half-lidded eyes, the droop of their ears, the slump of their shoulders. How they were leaning heavily against the wall, loosely holding their knees. All the fight seemed to have seeped out of them, and somehow, that was more terrifying than any of the fury or desperation from earlier memories.

“You don’t mean that.” Tsu’tey hissed, his voice tight. His mate refused to look at him now, all curled in on themselves in the corner so that Tsu’tey wouldn’t be able to reach them unless he moved the gurney to the side. “Please tell me you don’t mean that.” He sounded desperate, even to his own ears.

Their tail lightly tapped the floor. Once. Pause. Twice. Another pause.

“It would have been easier though, wouldn’t it?”

Their tail tapped again.

“Perhaps.” Tsu’tey agreed hesitantly. “But you don’t say things like that. You’ve never said things like that!”

The comparison struck a nerve. “And look where that’s got me!” They snapped back, eyes jumping to find his. Their lip curled up into the beginning of a snarl. “Alone! Again!”

“You’re not alon-”

And it were as if he had found a loose thread in a loom and tugged with all his might. Before his eyes, the recom unravelled. Any calm, any hint of control they were harbouring, abruptly shattered as they snapped. “Cut the crap, Tsu’tey!” They snarled, a growl slipping into their voice now. The way their face twisted was like no expression Tsu’tey had ever seen on them before. “I betrayed the RDA, again. The first fucking chance I got. And somehow Quaritch knows now and he’ll stop at nothing to kill me. The clan is,” they swallowed painfully, “different. But what the hell was I expecting? It’s been fifteen years, of COURSE it’s different.” They were breathing fast now, their previous weariness at Tsu’tey’s presence having been completely swept away. “And I have a son. We have a son!”

They threw themselves forward, legs crossing as their elbows slammed down onto their knees. They buried their face into their hands, ears swivelling with the sheer shock of it all. “How the hell did I end up with a kid? I don’t even remember adopting him, but fuck, I know I loved him. I had it so good, and now, it’s gone! We had everything! And I don’t fucking remember any of it!”

Tsu’tey was left speechless once again as the recom curled in on themself, dry heaves making their back jump. “It’s all gone.” They repeated brokenly.

Tsu’tey’s eyes widened as he watched them break down. Their sobs were deep, shuddering things, heavy and heart wrenching. It made him want to rush forward and scoop them up in his arms. To hold them close and shield them from the world with his much larger body until they felt whole again. He wanted to smooth down their hair, and whisper meaningless reassurance as he held them tight. But most of all, he wanted the tears to stop. It was like an itch he couldn’t reach. A burning need to soothe their pain. Rage, he could deal with. Regret, he could appease. But this, this grief was raw and painfully fresh.

Hesitantly, Tsu’tey reached out, but stopped himself.

How dare he attempt to wipe away the evidence of their sorrow, when he had had a hand in placing it there. How dare he want to offer words of comfort, when he had tried to kill them before.

Tsu’tey’s throat was tight as he cursed himself for not reacting differently. For not listening the first time round and avoiding this entire mess. Maybe, in another universe, it wouldn’t have been his fault they were here, injured and alone in the forest with only children for company.

So he just stood there, frozen and helpless, waiting for those sobs to subside on their own, his hand still outstretched. Tsu’tey vowed to himself that for as long as he should live, he would offer them a better life than the one that had been stolen.

It took several, long minutes for them to calm themselves. With a snivel, they rubbed harshly at the skin beneath their eyes. Clearly, they had needed it.

“Spider watches your old security logs.” Tsu’tey found himself offering, noting in his peripheral, how the recom stilled at the wobble in his voice. “It helps him, to see you. To hear your voice. Sometimes I sit down and watch them with him.” “He’s a good kid.” The recom agreed bitterly, their voice muffled. “You did a good job with him.”

“Perhaps.” Tsu’tey agreed noncommittally. “But he is still young, and he has missed you, I have-”

Abruptly, they caught his gaze. Tsu’tey stopped talking.

Something in their expression had changed, although he couldn’t place it. Their response was simple but devastating. “It will pass.”

The words startled him.

His silence allowed his mate to keep talking, their eyes watery and distant. “Missing a ghost, will not help him to heal. You know this.”

Tsu’tey dropped to his knees. Panic clawed up the back of his throat as their expression shuttered, their emotions sweeping out of their features. Shutting him out.

“No. Don’t. Pleas-” “I think it’s time to wash off your paint, Tsu’tey. Don’t you?” They said, “you need to stop punishing yourself. You can’t keep living like this.”

“How did you- how do-?” He cut himself off with a growl of frustration. At this point, the words were beyond him, the English growing awkward and clunky on his tongue. He slapped his tail against the floor in irritation.

Across from him, the recom managed to collect themselves.

On legs that shook like a newborn pa’li, they stood, leaning heavily on the gurney as they went. They were tall, he realised, having only seen them kneeling and cowering before.

<”Where are you going?”> Tsu’tey demanded, panic creeping in now. He didn’t think he would survive another door.

The recom paused. They made a point of surveying the blank walls, eyes squinting in the bright light. <”I can’t stay here.”> They told him, a mirror explanation to the one they had offered when Neytiri had them kneeling on Mo’at’s floor. <”And neither can you.”> They stood, and on shaky feet began walking towards a door that had appeared in the far wall of the door. Tsu’tey had been so focused on them, that he hadn’t even registered the familiar pull of the exit coming into being.

He was on his feet in moments. Hands shaking as he watched before his eyes as the recom changed once more. Before his eyes, dirt and blood began dotting their blue skin, concealing their stripes under filth and injuries. He watched as makeshift leaf bandages wound around their torso, clinging tight to an injury Tsu’tey couldn’t see. They hunched over themselves, an arm winding around their stomach to add pressure.

They hobbled towards the door. Tsu’tey reached out. His long fingers shook as they hovered in midair. The recom froze when his searching hand found theirs. Large, terrified eyes caught Tsu’tey’s and held. Their wrist was warm in his grasp, solid and real, their pulse thundering under the thin skin. He waited. One breath. Two. They did not disappear.

The relief that flooded him almost had him falling to his knees.

<”Found you.”>

The room shook. Lights flickered and the gurney slammed into the wall.

“Shit.” The recom breathed, the arm around their stomach shooting out to slam against the wall in an attempt to keep their footing. Tsu’tey’s grip on them turned supportive as he braced himself. Before the first had even subsided, a second, more insistent quake shook the room. Overhead, the lights swung on their wires as the sound of footsteps had stopped. “We have to get out of here!” They flicked their wrist, fingers twisting to grasp Tsu’tey’s wrist in return. Their grip was firm; unbreakable. “Come on!” They snarled, yanking with surprising strength and dragging the surprised hunter through the now open door.

>_<

Before he even opened his eyes, Tsu’tey knew he was resurfacing from the bond. That that last door had been the door.

Beyond the shield of his closed eyelids, he could hear disembodied voices yelling at one another. Tsu’tey huffed, typical of the Sully's, to devolve into a verbal sparring match the moment he was occupied. Lo’ak no doubt offered up a ridiculous plan that reminded Jake too much of his younger, wreckless self, and therefore sent the man into a panic.

Blarily, Tsu’tey managed to peel his eyelids open, the sound of raised voices helping to rouse him. Gently, he reached down and disconnected from the recom, who was also beginning to come round.

Before waking up properly, Tsu’tey wanted to take a moment to look them over. To study their face and begin to learn where the similarities began and where they ended. He wanted to start over, to soothe their fear and take them home, where they would be safe. Somewhere where he could apologise-

With a jarring suddenness, Tsu’tey realised Spider wasn’t at his side.

Tearing his eyes from the recom, he wasted precious seconds glancing stupidly down at his empty side, where Spider’s warm little body was not curled up next to him. Nor was he there to bring Tsu’tey out of the bond with his voice. And that alone sent alarm zinging through Tsu’tey’s nerves.

It was then that he realised he did not recognise all of the yelling voices.

His bow was in hand before he’d decided on reaching for it.

“Don’t make any hasty decisions colonel.” Jake instructed from the foot of Eywa’s throne.

With a start, Tsu’tey realised that he was the only one still perched between the roots, whereas the rest of the Sully family minus Kiri stood on the moss, their knives drawn as Jake attempted to negotiate with yet another recom. A demon that Tsu’tey distantly recognised as the human that had died in the metal skeleton by the old compound. The one the soldiers addressed as ‘sir’.

And the demon had Tsu’tey’s son by the hair, a knife pressed across the base of his throat. How he had managed it was beyond Tsu’tey, but he knew that the demon would pay for such a blatant show of disrespect.

At the demon’s back, on his right, stood a bald soldier. His hair shaved apart from the single braid that protected his kuru. This one had somehow gotten ahold of Kiri and was holding her in a similar stance. The sight stoked the flames of Tsu’tey’s rage.

Drawing himself up off of his knees and into a low crouch, Tsu’tey notched an arrow and aimed. The movement drew the enemy’s attention. And Tsu’tey hissed as his burning eyes met that of the demon and held his stare.

“Release!” He snarled, the English rusty and disjointed as it slid off his tongue, but he could tell the demon understood by the minute raising of his ears.

The colonel looked him up and down, no doubt noting his assortment of bands and beads which symbolised his elevated status within the clan. Distantly, Tsu’tey wished he were upon a pa’li or something more threatening than the Great Mother’s throne, just so he could glare down at the demon with the silent threat of charging after him if he decided to run.

Predictably, the colonel did not back down.

“Tell your friend to stand down or I’m killing one of ‘em.” The demon ordered, eyes trained on Tsu’tey even though he was clearly talking to Jake, who stood the closest to the recom, with Neytiri practically glued to his side, her bow clenched tightly in one hand.

“Tsu’tey.” The marine warned, chancing a glance over his shoulder to Tsu’tey, who’s tail writhed in rage.

At his back, Neteyam shifted uneasily. His glare trained solely on the recoms, his knife held at a threatening angle, ready to jump in should the colonel take Jake’s distraction as an invitation.

Tsu’tey did not want to listen to reason. He was a predator. A father. Fuming and coiled to protect his own.

He had wanted this demon dead before, for what he had done to HomeTree. For abandoning Spider in the first place. But now-

Tsu’tey tightened his arm, pulling the arrow back.

Now, he wanted to send this abomination back to Eywa personally.

“Tsu’tey!” Jake repeated through gritted teeth.

<“He has my son!”>

<”Not for long.”> Jake promised, in that infuriatingly determined way of his. <”Just let me…”> He trailed off, allowing the silence to speak for him. For several seconds, Tsu’tey held his posture, expression positively thunderous. The demon did not so much as flinch, not even when the hunter’s arms began aching from the strain of keeping the arrow notched.

His eyes briefly flickered down to Spider who was holding perfectly still. Despite the fear in his expression, the boy did not shake. There was quiet defiance there, accompanied by a strong foundation of trust. Trust that Tsu’tey would make the correct decision to keep him safe.

<”Olo’eyktan!”> Neytiri snapped, fixing him with her most lethal of looks. The one that implored him to think clearly. And reminded him that they were in the same boat.

Tsu’tey drew his arrow back an additional inch, debating, only to loosen the tension and allow the projectile to land uselessly in his hand. Even if he killed the colonel, the other would slit Kiri’s throat before he could ready a second arrow. It would be too risky. Not to mention, Neytiri would have his head if anything happened to Kiri on his watch.

The demon grinned in victory.

“Good choice.” He praised condescendingly, to which Tsu’tey hissed harshly. “Now throw it down.”

Tsu’tey glared right back, holding onto his bow defiantly.

The demon did not take kindly to that and turned his fury on all of them. “All of you! Drop the knives!” Almost in unison, Spider and Kiri let out a cut off yelps as the knife at their throats were dug in.

Jake did as ordered. His shoulders impossibly tight as he allowed his knife to clatter to the floor. As some twisted reward, the demon holding Kiri, relieved some of the pressure on her neck, causing the teen to gasp in relief.

The action prompted Neytiri to follow suit. Her father’s bow was carefully lowered to the moss, her arrows tossed down with it. Tsu’tey noted how she didn’t bother reaching for the knife to do the same and simply allowed her hand to remain close to it, partly concealing the sheath from view. Under her breath, she snapped at Lo’ak and Neteyam to do the same, urging them in Na’vi to make a show of it.

They did.

Neytiri slid her eyes up Eywa’s throne to Tsu’tey, who immediately took notice of his friend’s expression. This was not surrender. Not in her eyes. Just a means at which to succeed. With a deep breath, Tsu’tey decided to perform like she expected and threw down his bow, which bounced off the roots and landed somewhere in the moss. Neytiri dipped her chin but said nothing more as she snapped her attention back to the grinning colonel.

“Good. Very good Sully.” The demon complimented, “it seems you’re much better at taking orders when it’s not just you. Noted.” He allowed his knife to stop cutting into Spider, and instead hoisted the blade higher, forcing the boy to lift his chin to avoid a new injury. Tsu’tey blood boiled at the thin line of red left behind in the blade’s wake.

Behind the colonel, the demon holding Kiri shifted his stance. Knife still held firmly to the teen’s throat, the man reached for his belt and pulled out a pair of bright orange handcuffs. With a nod from his superior, he tossed them to Jake who fumbled to catch them.

“Put the cuffs on Sully and no one has to get hurt.”

<”Jake-”> Neytiri spoke up, her hand falling to her mate’s wrist, trying to discourage any rash decisions, but she was powerless in the wake of his earnestness.

<”Whatever happens, stay with the kids.”> He whispered, causing Neytiri’s expression to break wide open in panic. Jake smiled sadly, reaching up to place his hand over her’s and squeezed tightly.

<”Do not be stupid.”> Neytiri hissed, before relenting and stepping back. She pulled Tuk with her, keeping her youngest daughter firmly shielded from view with her body. Lo’ak stepped back with her, flanking her side with a glare on his face that matched his father.

Neteyam stayed with Jake. Furious. His upper lip was twitching constantly, a sure sign he was one bad move away from letting out a snarl and throwing caution to the wind.

Jake drew himself up, inhaling deeply before returning his attention to the colonel. “Let up on some of that pressure.” He ordered smoothly, aiming for a tone that would guide but not offend. “The kid’s gonna pass out.”

The colonel’s face split into a wide grin,

Whatever cutting response he was gearing up to throw back, however, never reached Tsu’tey’s ears, as he was distracted by movement in the corner of his eye. Glancing down, he startled as his mate finally began moving. Up until this point, they had been entirely motionless, as if caught in a pleasant slumber. But now, they were shifting and quietly groaning.

With blurry eyes and jerky movements, they somehow hauled their battered body up into a sitting position, whilst Tsu’tey stared dumbly. The conversation on the moss had also fallen quiet at the introduction of yet another player in the game. <”Zaza-”> Spider whispered softly, before biting off a wince as the knife at his throat dug in to silence him.

The name caused the recom’s ears to flick up in recognition.

Rubbing at their temple, they struggled to get their feet under them. They were still mightily unsteady from the blood loss, so much so that Tsu’tey couldn’t stop himself from stepping forward to offer a hand.

The movement caught them wildly off guard.

With a yelp, the recom stumbled back. Their arms windmilling frantically to keep their footing on the uneven roots, only for their entire body to flinch and throw them off balance when they realised it was Tsu’tey stepping towards them. They stumbled backwards, only to trip on a high root and promptly fall over the side of the throne and land in a painful heap of limbs on the moss below.

The colonel let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. “Finally awake then Private.” The demon mused, “thought these savages got to you before I could.”

The heap on the floor let out another yelp, as they scrambled to sit upright. If the recom’s eyes were wide before, they were practically the size of the moon as they slowly turned their head to find the colonel standing a few short feet away. “Colonel.” They greeted shakily, “fancy seeing you here sir.”

The colonel glared down his nose at them.

“Wainfleet.” The recom continued, nodding mockingly to the demon holding Kiri. The sunglasses on his nose obscured his eyes, but Tsu’tey knew he was glaring.

“Ah shit.” The recom muttered to themselves before waving sheepishly at Jake and the rest of the Sullys. “Long time no see guys.” They glanced briefly up at Tsu'tey, still perched upon the throne. “Olo’eyktan.”

Tsu’tey’s expression shuttered. The fear tinted respect that oozed into their tone made his stomach turn.

Just as quickly as he was addressed, Tsu’tey was forgotten as the recom’s gaze fell back on the other demons and their hostages. Before his eyes, Tsu’tey observed as something in their posture shifted.

With all the swagger of someone still heavily injured, the recom collected themselves and scrambled to their feet. They made a show of dusting themselves off before straightening. “I’m assuming Mansk called you then.” “That would be right. Led me right to ya.” The colonel confirmed, the recom having thoroughly captured his attention. “Nice. Wanna get on with this then?”

“I’ll deal with you later.” The colonel snapped, eyes returning to Jake who was turning the orange cuffs over and over again in his hands. He made no move to put them on, his attention completely on Tsu’tey’s mate, waiting to see their next move.

“Oh.” The recom huffed, all theatrics and flowery words. “I thought you’d want to get right into it.”

Tsu’tey felt his confusion mounting. Only seconds before, their spiritual form had been having a breakdown about being found by the colonel. What had changed?

The colonel sighed heavily, the blade at Spider’s neck relaxing now that his attention had been captured elsewhere. Smartly, the kid did not react, and simply sucked in some deep, welcoming breaths.

“You’re dying, Private.” Quaritch spat, as if it were obvious. “You’re the least of my troubles.” “Of course. Yeah, I mean, you’re probably right.” The recom agreed, glancing down the line of their body, to their blood soaked tank, and the torn state of their trousers and embarrassing lack of footwear. They glanced up, their head tilting dangerously. “But I always thought you were an eye for an eye kind of man. All about vengeance and settling the score. I never dreamed I’d get off so easily after everything I’ve done.”

<”What are you doing?”> Tsu’tey hissed, watching the recom’s ear flick back to him. They ignored him, or simply did not have good enough of a grasp on Na’vi to understand. “If you know what’s good for you, Private, you’ll shut it. Now!” tTe colonel snapped.

In the next moment, his attention had snapped back to Jake as his knife once again dug back into Spider’s neck, carving a new line into his flesh. “Hop to it Sully, I don’t got all damn day.” Jake didn’t move, his head snapping from the recom to the colonel in quick succession. He didn’t move to pull on the handcuffs.

The recom took one, deliberate side step away from Eywa’s throne. The colonel’s attention was immediately back on them. They tilted their head and smirked sweetly.

“The hell are you playing at Private?” “I’m just a little hurt, sir.” They told him, their steps turning into a languid saunter as they moved away from the Tree and began putting some considerable distance between themselves and the Sullys. As a result, Quaritch had to turn with them to prevent them from slipping into his blind spot.

“I mean,” the recom continued, their tone as sweet as a lover in the dead of night. “I repeatedly backstabbed you for years, and you’re practically letting me go. And then we’ve got Jake, some random marine that only screwed you over after three months of knowing you. I’d assume, you’d be more hurt by my betrayal, rather than a man you hardly know, Colonel.” They paused their strides, smiling still. “I thought we had something special.”

If Tsu’tey didn’t know any better, he might have thought the recom were flirting with him.

The colonel stiffened. Something dangerous slipped into his tone as his head moved with the recom, calculating their every step. “Whatever game you’re playing Private, I’m not interested.”

“Come on,” they drawled, “you’re no fun.”

“And you’re wasting my bleeding time!” The colonel snapped back.

They shrugged, all false bravado and pointy teeth.

Wainfleet, who had been as distracted as his commanding officer up until this point, promptly snapped out of whatever trance the recom had put them under. With a growl, he turned his attention to Sully, whilst the colonel glared at the recom.

“We don’t have all day. Move it Sully.” He snapped, tightening his grip on Kiri so she yelped and jerked against the knife. Jake took half a step forward, to which Wainfleet tightened his hold.

“Ah ah ah, Corporal.” The recom sang, beginning to circle again. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“The hell are you going to do about it?” Wainfleet immediately challenged.

“Lyle!” The colonel cut in warningly, his second in command promptly backed down. “Watch my sixth.” He continued, as the recom’s leisurely strolling finally took them behind him and out of sight.

“Sir.”

The recom had stopped walking again, their tail flicking every now and again. Slow and relaxed, despite the pale sheen to their skin and how their freckles barely glowed. If Tsu’tey weren’t actively looking at their bloodied shirt, he might have been fooled into believing they were fine.

Their tone was chipper as they responded to Wainfleet’s jab. “Pandora is a dangerous place.” They told their old comrades. “But it’s deadly the moment you fall out of favour with the clans who roam it.”

“You and whose army?” Quaritch immediately challenged with a scoff. “You’re no na’vi. These <i>freaks</i> won’t help you.” He momentarily removed the blade from Spider’s throat to motion to the Sully’s and Tsu’tey, who were all motionless on the sidelines as they watched the recom work. The colonel looked awfully confident for a fly unknowingly caught in a hungry spider’s web. “You’ve seen what they do to us.”

The recom pulled their lips back and smiled menacingly. “I don’t need them any more than I needed you.” They said sweetly, and began circling again. Winding both men up tighter and tighter with unease. “In fact, you’re no longer of use to me, colonel.” “What in hell has gotten into you?” The colonel asked, eyebrows scrunching now in confusion. “What freaky plants have you been hooking up to out here?”

“Only the important ones.” The recom replied merrily, “and now that that’s out of the way, and I finally have your attention sir, I’m ready to repent.” “What are you on about?”

The way the recom had positioned themselves, had Quaritch and Wainfleet’s attention completely off of the Sullys. Neytiri had taken the opening by the throat and scooped up Tuk. Eyes never leaving the enemy, she deposited the quivering child into Lo’ak’s arms, who took her easily. Tuk cuddled into him, allowing Lo’ak to run soothing fingers through her braids as he offered quiet reassurance.

Catching onto her intentions, Jake firmly pushed Neteyam away from his side, silencing the teen when he instinctively tried to argue. The marine looked pointedly at his other two kids, a look which Neteyam followed and immediately understood. Between them, both parents pointed the trio in the direction of the Tree without drawing the enemy’s attention. The children went willingly enough, their anxiety obvious.

Tsu’tey offered his hand to them, helping them over the roots and behind the tree. His attention was still firmly on the odd scene occurring out on the moss, but he offered soft reassurance where he could.

<”Keep quiet.”> He whispered, to which only Tuk nodded. <”This will be over soon.”> They slid out of sight, and Tsu’tey took the opportunity to hop down from the throne. The motion drew the attention of Wainfleet, but he did nothing but watch. In return. Tsu’tey did not charge him, even though he desperately wanted to.

“-taken a lot of shit that doesn’t belong to me. Including your private documents, personal keycards and military supplies.” The recom listed out on their fingers. It seemed they had taken their role as distraction incredibly seriously. And Quaritch was predictably eating it up.

“You little snake.” The colonel snarled, fury evident in the thrash of his tail.

Tsu’tey sidled up closer to Jake’s side, the movement completely unobserved by both recoms. <”What are they doing?”> He hissed to Jake who shrugged, the cuffs half hanging off one of his wrists.

Somehow, his mate had heard him, despite standing a considerable distance away. The next words that slipped off their tongue, dripped with fake bravado so thick that Tsu’tey could almost smell it. “Why, I am confessing of course.” They declared dramatically, their arms spread wide in some confident mockery of a repenting sinner. They cackled, high and breathless. More pained than mirthful. “God this is gonna feel fantastic to finally gloat about.”

It was then that their odd behaviour clicked for Tsu’tey. This was not the bravado of a soldier seeking recognition. Nor was it a hunter boasting about a long and tedious hunt. The confidence was all for show. Every perfectly selected word was laced with pride and oozing badly concealed desperation. The closest thing he could compare it to was an animal attempting to convince a predator that they would make a more appetising meal than the younger prey in its clutches. “Oh, but I’m sure you know that colonel. You’re an awfully smart man.” They continued condescendingly, “surely you had to know I was disloyal from the beginning.” Quaritch had gone unnervingly still, so the recom continued. “Surely, you weren’t convinced that Jake arranged all of those inconveniences. Come on sir, you remember it like it was yesterday, don’t you? All those security plans going missing. All those dozers getting decimated by Omaticayan hunting parties within minutes of entering the territory. All the inconsistencies in the armoury. Those missing weapons that no one seemed to be able to explain.”

“I don’t believe you.” The colonel said plainly. “Not even you are that bright Private. Besides, you had no reason to betray me, I treated you as my own.”

“That’s what I wanted you to think.” They told him. “You can’t have orchestrated all of that.” Wainfleet jumped in. They grinned. “Who else? Jake certainly does have the brains. He’s all brawn and eye candy. He may have had a hand in killing you, sir, but I essentially handed him the knife.” They explained. “I traded your classified secrets for archery lessons. I handed over the maps for private supply routes in exchange for an ikran ride. Oh, and the locations of your forest squads? All that broken equipment? I gave those up for a sip of the clan’s alcohol, and shit, it was worth it. That stuff was strong-”

Tsu’tey saw the entirety of the recom’s plan moments before all hell broke loose. He knew that they knew they were playing with fire. He was aware that they knew they would not win this encounter, not unaided. He saw the look in their eye, the one a hunter wears when they got on a mission they have no issue with not returning from. And it infuriated Tsu’tey to no end.

“And then.” They paused, snorting obnoxiously. “The idiots brought me back, and practically handed me all the new stats. All those delicious numbers and coordinates,” they tapped their temple, “all right here, ready to buy me all sorts of things.”

It was then that Miles Quaritch snapped.

With an enraged snarl, the man threw Spider aside and charged. And of course, the wounded recom had anticipated this reaction. Smooth as water sliding over a submerged river stone, their stance shifted from a confident standoff, to a defensive crouch. Suddenly ready to take on Quaritch’s rage.

Tsu’tey took off at a sprint, Neytiri hot on his heels.

Spider sprawled in the moss, eyes wide and fearful. He’d barely landed on his forearms, before he was trying to shove himself back to his feet.

<”ZAZA!”>

Tsu’tey was skidding to his side within moments, his knees smarting with friction burns but he didn’t care. Frantically, he checked him over, hands, feet, neck. The latter which, thankfully, only had a shallow cut.

Neytiri had continued on, yanking her knife free of its sheath before she leapt and threw herself at Wainfleet, who threw Kiri aside in order to parry the blow with his own weapon. The teen collapsed to her knees, her breathing fast and bordering on hysterical. As Tsu’tey held his quivering son close, he watched Neytiri herd the soldier away, her knife strikes precise and deadly. Forcing him to back away or get skewered.

Jake was at Kiri’s side in seconds. His voice was low and soothing as he pulled her against him. Kiri went willingly, dissolving into choked sobs as she grabbed desperately onto Jake, who held her back just as fiercely.

<”Dad!”> Spider gasped, panic evident in his tone. He was squirming hard against Tsu’tey, trying to wiggle away, but Tsu’tey was reluctant to let him. <”DAD!”> His boy yelled at him, snapping Tsu’tey out of it with the sheer desperation in his tone. He looked down at his son who looked on the verge of tears. Spider pointed at the brawl currently happening across the moss. <”DO SOMETHING! HE’LL KILL THEM!”>

And Quaritch certainly was trying his best.

Any technique he had had been thrown out of the window as emotion took over.

“I trusted you!” The man roared, aiming blow after blow that the recom only barely avoided.

“Your mistake!” They threw back, accenting the end of the declaration with a loud cackle. The response was all bravado, just another feeble attempt to keep the demon’s attention on them. To allow the rest of them to escape.

<”DAD!”> Spider repeated, shaking him. Tsu’tey yanked himself out of his stupor.

<“Okay.”> He reassured him. <”Okay. Don’t worry.”> He pressed a kiss to the top of his boy’s head, giving him a tight squeeze before rising to his knees.

There was no doubt left in Tsu’tey’s mind. No inkling of uncertainty. Not now, not after everything he had seen and everything he had witnessed. He only prayed that he would be forgiven for his mistakes.

Across the bowl, the colonel was still spitting enraged declarations with every wild swing of his knife. “-should have killed you the moment-”

“But you didn’t!” The recom sang, barely dodging the utility knife Quaritch tried to shove in their eye socket in retaliation. To their credit, they were putting up a valiant fight. Snarling and spitting as they kicked and shoved with everything their wounded body had left.

It spurred Tsu’tey into action.

He sprinted across the moss, leaping over Wainfleet’s felled body and then again so that he collided with the colonel’s body from a higher vantage point. The man let out a whoosh as the breath was knocked from him. Tsu’tey followed his body down, wrestling the demon down onto his stomach before sitting himself firmly on his back. In a heartbeat, Tsu’tey’s knife was slipping from his sheath and carving a new one into the body of the writhing demon, who grunted from the force. He wasn’t dead yet.

Tsu’tey wanted him dead.

He wanted the peace of mind in knowing that he had ended this demon here and now. He needed to know Spider would be safe from him. That his son would be able to move freely in the forests again without fear of being kidnapped. He had to know that this demon would not seek revenge on his mate. That the man would be unable to raise his blade against anyone again.

Twirling his knife into a new grip, Tsu’tey reangled his blade and shoved it in between the demon’s ribs, straight into a lung which popped with a distant thud and a pained wheeze from the demon’s slack lips. His body spasmed from the pain before relaxing into death’s embrace.

Neytiri’s shadow fell over Tsu’tey as the Olo’eyktan fought to catch his breath. The kill itself had been easy, but the time it had taken to get to it had thoroughly drained him.

Her tail flicked in contentment as she glared down at the fresh corpse. <”Nicely done.”> She informed him.

Tsu’tey almost smiled. Such praise from Neytiri of all huntresses was as good as a pat on the back.

He allowed the comment to hang in the air for a moment as he yanked his knife free of the body and rose to his feet.

<”At least we will rest well knowing the job is done properly this time.”> Tsu’tey teased tiredly. Neytiri clicked her teeth at him, giving his shoulder a playful shove before turning on her heel and rushing back to her children.

Tsu’tey had a similar idea and immediately returned his attention to Spider. Only to realise his son was no longer where he had left him.

Instead, he had raced across the moss and promptly thrown himself into his Zaza’s arms, who had collapsed onto their knees out of sheer exhaustion. All bravado had been swept off of their expression now, replaced by relief as they opened their arms to Spider and held him tightly. Their unsteady hands loosely brushed through Spider’s dreads, mindful of his mask straps. “I’m alright kid.” They told him, even though they hardly sounded as if they believed it themselves. “I’m okay.”

Spider didn’t respond. His body was tense all over, and only winding tighter under their careful touch.

“We’re okay.” The recom repeated. “He’s dead.”

Spider nodded, giving them another tight squeeze before pulling back. Standing beside the kneeling recom, he almost towered over them.

His son frowned as he looked down upon his Zaza’s beaten face. Gently, his hand cupped their cheeks, turning their face this way and that to check the damage. “You will need to be looked at by a Tsahik.” He informed them seriously, which startled a smile out of the recom as if it were some inside joke between them.

“You’re going first.” They told him, looking pointedly at the thin lines still bleeding down Spider’s throat.

“I’m okay, Zaza.” Spider said quietly, although it did little to ease the crease between the recom’s brows. Even that simple expression was frighteningly familiar to Tsu’tey, as it had been the look they wore when Spider had skinned his knee or sustained some miniscule cut as an infant.

“Good to hear, but you better get Mo’at to put something on that when you get home.” “Yeah, that’s the plan.”

They smiled, small and lopsided. Spider finally began to relax.

Tsu’tey stepped further from Quaritch’s body. Absently, he flicked the blood off his blade before sheathing it.

His eyes never strayed from the sight of his mate and son, finally reuniting and talking after so many years. The sight warmed him. Soothing something that had been left ragged and raw since carving their name into the cliff face of the Well of Souls.

Running a tired hand down the side of his face, Tsu’tey glanced down at the flaking white paint the movement had rubbed off of his skin. Thoughtfully, he rubbed his fingers together, watching the flakes crumble into small, almost unnoticeable pieces. Perhaps, he thought, there was no longer a reason for him to renew it.

He smiled to himself, reaching up and rubbing away the itching paint with his hand, so that the normally pristine line broke and wavered. Tsu��tey watched the flakes rain down past his eyes as snow would fall in the colder regions. And he felt content.

When he got the worst of it off, he lifted his head, only to find Neytiri already watching him. Her smile could only have been described as proud and full of unspoken understanding. Somehow, Tsu’tey knew she had come to the same conclusion as him, and would allow him to take the lead moving forwards. Tsu’tey dipped his head in thanks, to which the huntress nodded once, her expression oozing pride.

It was then Tsu’tey steeled himself and approached his reunited family.

The moment his shadow fell over them, the recom was tense again. Snapping their head up, they promptly ripped themselves away from Spider at the sight of him.

“Don’t!” They snarled, jabbing a hand in his direction as they bum shuffled away from him. Their shaking hand slipping and sliding over the moss in an attempt to put some distance between them. “I’m leaving! I promise I’m leaving! You won’t ever find me here again!” They swallowed loudly, “I just got ambushed! But I’m going now! You’ll never see me again!”

Spider stared after them, looking torn between offering reassurance and looking up at his Dad pleadingly. With a sigh, Tsu’tey spared his son an encouraging look before slowly following the panicking recom.

His heart broke a little as he looked down at them now, the words having escaped him, again. As he had in Tsaheylu, Tsu’tey made a show of lifting his hands to show they were free of weapons. The recom flinched, only to let out a groan of pain. It appeared that their earlier adrenaline was beginning to fade.

Tsu’tey smiled sadly, stepping closer. The recom hissed at him, their scrambling hands suddenly finding a utility knife concealed in the moss, which they rapidly brought up between them. The blade danced as it was held aloft, aiming at Tsu’tey’s heart.

“I’m going.” They promised him.

Tsu’tey huffed softly. Slowly, and with great care, he caught their raised wrist. They jumped so hard that they lost their grip on the knife, which Tsu’tey promptly caught in his other hand before it could impale them through the leg.

The recom somehow stiffened more, eyes glued to the weapon in his hand.

“Tsu’tey.” They plead quietly.

He lowered his knife hand before throwing the blasted weapon away and into the moss.

“That was a stupid, <i>stupid</i> plan.” He told them simply as he released their raised hand and stepped back.

“Well it worked, didn’t it”? They snapped back defensively, only to flinch at their own tone. “Sorry. It’s been a really long day.”

Tsu’tey nodded. “Then you should return with us to High Camp and rest.”

“What?”

“It is too dangerous for you to remain here.”

They were staring at him blankly. As if he were some confusing puzzle.

“I mean-”

“It is decided.” Tsu’tey cut in, before turning on his heel and shooting Spider a nod. His son lit up.

<”You mean it?”> <”Yes.”> Tsu’tey confirmed, lightly ruffling his son’s hair on his way past. <”Get them on someone’s ikran and then meet me back here.”> <”Thank you! Thank you, Dad! You won’t regret this!”> Spider exclaimed, giving him a tight, grateful hug. Tsu’tey felt inclined to agree with him, as he watched his son dart away to help the stunned recom to their feet, already nattering on about this or that.

He smiled. Feeling lighter than he had in years.

Last Chapter <- Part 4 -> Next Chapter

#tsu'tey x reader #avatar #tsu'tey #spider socorro #dad!tsu'tey #spider #recom reader #when reader has no self preservation #here's the character development you all wanted #I update faster on Ao3

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