vandnana

[vandnana]

The Time Capsule

Chapter 1: War-Time Lovers

pairing: bucky barnes x female 1940’s bombshell! reader

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summary: bucky left his heart in 1945 with you, the only girl he ever really loved. a letter you left has him believing you’re dead, but the reality?

you were captured by hydra and made into a super soldier that never went to war—kept frozen for a future era of terror. years after hydra fell, valentina discovered you in her research to creating a new superhero.

in a last ditch effort, valentina’s team of scientists used your blood to make a new serum on bob, their latest subject. but, when it seemed that bob didn’t withstand the experiment, she left you and him in the vault to burn with the rest of the evidence.

you woke up disoriented in a completely different world, saved by a team of antiheroes with no idea that the love of your life was still alive.

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genre: fluff, angst (implied smut) 18+ mdni

word count: 8,542

highlights: jealous! bucky, howard stark having the fattest crush on reader, peggy and reader girl friendship :)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: this can be a stand alone but I am not normal and wrote so much that this ended up being a Bucky series (look forward to the other parts!)

…this is the first ever Bucky fic I’ve made! I know I mainly write for avatar (new chapters coming!) but I really had to make this fic cause I got a surge of an idea.

so sorry for any typos as well! I was just writing and writing and got so excited

Circa. 1943

You had escaped your stuffy life in the upper east side of Manhattan to join the efforts against Germany and actually go make a difference in the world.

But the only way that you could find a way to fight was to become one of Captain America's backup dancers during his morale shows. You had performed in a couple of those shows before you snuck away when no one was looking, disguising yourself in uniform and posing as a soldier for as long as you could.

When it finally came out that you were a woman, it sure as hell wasn’t enough that you were on the same team as Captain America, especially to Colonel Philips. It was under his call that you were asked to leave until Howard Stark stepped in. He compromised with Philips by giving you a position in his office with Peggy, confident that you would help the war effort. Truthfully though, he was just taken by you and he would have simply despaired sending a woman as beautiful as you back to New York.

You had become good friends with Peggy, Stark, and Steve, but you had become closest to Steve. He had reminded you of your brother that you had at home— the same kindness in his heart and the same fighting spirit. You were protective of him, despite the fact that the super serum made him tower over you.

So, naturally on the day that Steve was going on a rogue rescue mission to save his friend, you insisted on coming, promising Steve you would stay with Peggy in the plane.

"Miss Y/n Y/l/n, if it's not too much trouble, I thought we could stop off in Lucerne for a late-night fondue." Stark flirted from the cockpit.

You looked over at Peggy and Steve, their eyes expectant as they waited for your response. Clearing your throat, you lied with a smile, "Yeah, that sounds great."

"It's a date, then!" He replied, satisfied as he smirked to himself.

You didn't say anything, scrunching your nose as you looked to the side. Only Peggy seemed to notice, chuckling with an amused expression. Steve, though, was clueless, his thoughts surface-level as he let out a sigh of relief that Howard was flirting with you and not Peggy.

She turned her attention over to Steve, describing how to use the transponder so he could activate it when he was ready. You listened carefully before bullets began to ricochet off the plane's exterior, multiple gun blasts sounding in your ears making you stand up immediately with your ears covered.

Steve stood up too, his sense of urgency heightened as he quickly opened the hatch.

"Get back here! We're taking you all the way in!" Peggy yelled out against the winds and gunfire.

"As soon as I'm clear, you turn this thing around and get the hell out of here!" Steve commanded at her, her eyebrows raising.

"Hey, Stark!" You put your hands around your mouth to project, and even as he dodged the bullets, he was still able to respond to you.

"Yes, beautiful?”

You looked down at Steve who was getting ready to jump and without warning you grabbed onto the strap on his back as you replied, "I'll have to take a raincheck on that fondue!"

Peggy attempted to grab you but Steve jumped before he realized you were attached to him, the two of you falling toward the ground at incredible speed. Once you finally hit the ground, Steve broke your fall and you got up from the ground with him scolding at you in a whispered tone, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm your backup! Now, hurry up. We have people to save." You said to him confidently, running toward the hydra base already.

Sneaking past the armed guards, you and Steve had no problem getting inside. You were in horrified awe looking at everything, the technology unlike anything you had ever seen before—weapons and artillery that glowed a bright blue color. You put a few of the small canisters in your pocket, figuring Stark would know what they were with his brilliance before moving on toward the prison cell blocks.

Disarming more guards, you startled the soldiers below who looked at you in shock, their faces all riddled with same expression as one of them asked, "Who are you?" as Steve stood over their cells.

"I'm Captain America."

Steve threw down the keys that were in the guard's pockets and you caught them, unlocking each of the cell doors and letting them all out.

You were so caught up in the mission, you hadn't realized how baffling your presence was to the men as they stared at you in awe, one of them commenting, "You're a...woman."

"Right, a woman that just saved your ass." You said snarkily.

“Language.” Steve scolded you, his eyes frantic as he looked for his friend.

You rolled your eyes at him, ignoring what he said as you instructed, "Go look for him, Steve. I'll make sure you have a clear way out of here!"

Steve shook his head at you, putting his hands on your shoulders, refusing instantly, "No, you go with them and you run like hell."

There was no point in arguing with him, conceding as you saluted, "Yes, Cap. You got it."

With your confirmation, Steve ran the other way, and you went with the others, starting off running with everyone, but turning back toward the corridor Steve had went into.

The explosions began when you got closer to where you had left Steve, the entire bottom of the base going up in flames. You were running as fast as you could, only catching up to Steve when you saw him duck into one of the rooms.

You meant to follow him inside, but the shadow of a figure caught your eye, the short man wearing a trench coat, a briefcase, and a hat. You fixated on that briefcase, whatever unholy hydra plans in there possibly helpful in defeating hydra once and for all. Running as fast as you could, you shot at the man as you ran, making him move quicker in haste across the long hallway.

When he finally stopped you had a clear shot, until another man stepped out from an elevator, his face sinister as he turned to let the man you were chasing into the elevator, gun in his hand as he said to you simply, "Consider this a mercy."

Pointing it at you, you had no time to react as he shot you, only barely missing your heart as you managed to dodge it just enough for it to land in the flesh between your collarbone and your shoulder.

The impact sent you down to the ground, pain seeping through the wound as blood spilled out. Cursing, you took off your outer coat, ripping up your shirt underneath and tying the wound as tight as you could and as quickly as possible. Getting up, you held onto your coat, the material bunched up in your hands as you ran to the elevator.

Pressing the button underneath the highest one, you figured it would give you a good vantage point to call out to Steve since the entire base was burning from the ground up.

Breathing heavily, you were collecting your strength as you leaned against the wall of the elevator and once the doors finally opened, you trudged out, eyes searching everywhere as you yelled, "Steve!"

You saw movement two stories down, and even from that far, you saw disappointment and worry on his face as he yelled out, "I told you to get the hell out of here!"

"You really think I'd leave you here? Hurry up! You can use this beam to get across!" They followed the gesture of your hands, quickly running up the stairs.

Leaning against the railing, you gulped, watching the world around you burning, the heat rising and rising, sweat dripping from your forehead.

Up ahead, you watched as Steve's friend went first, balancing carefully on the beam that rocked slightly with every step. When the end of the beam on your side began to drop lower with his weight, your eyes widened and instantly you reached out, "Take my hand!"

He almost lost his balance, blinking at you, his eyes adjusting to take in your appearance. It didn't matter that your hair was all over the place, that sweat ws beading around your forehead or that you had blood and dirt smeared on your shirt. For that split second, his breath hitched at the sight of you, simply enamored, before he ran forward, hand extended as he jumped up from the beam just in time before it fell.

Despite the pain in your shoulder, you used all your strength to help pull him up and over the railing. When he was over, he fell onto you and you caught him, your arms around his back as you stabilized your feet. Time felt as if it slowed when you pulled your face back, your eyes locked on each other in that moment. You were asking if he was alright as you trailed your hands around him, his hunched position when he first started walking on the beam concerning you. But with every fleeting touch of yours, you were unknowingly stamping yourself on him, the feel of you creating a longing inside of Bucky that he never knew was possible.

Once he nodded, speechless, you were back at the railing and looking at Steve across the beam, "Just wait right there. We'll find a way to get you across." You watched as Steve looked down, doom looming over him as he shook his head.

"Go guys! Get out of here!" Steve urged, but right beside you, his friend countered him.

His friend was right beside you now, smacking on the railing, he was angry, determined as he yelled out, "No! Not without you!"

"Come on, Captain America! Get a running start and jump!" You weren't sure if it would work or if it was even a good idea, but it was the only thing you could think of.

Bending the railing, Steve heeded your order, stepping back and with a big breath he sprinted forward, jumping into the air, fire and flame all around him.

You couldn't peel your eyes away as you watched him leap, but at the last minute, you turned away, not wanting to watch your fear unravel in front of you.

The clunk of metal though made you face forward again, Steve's body wobbling forward and you let out a sigh of relief as you draped an arm around him, and even included his friend into your embrace, "We're home free now."

Walking back to the home base, you had argued with Steve for over five minutes about how you were fine to walk and that you didn't need to be in the tank with the rest of the injured men.

He didn't win the argument in the end, conceding to you as you walked proudly next to him. But, he did take away the gun that you were carrying so you could wear a sling.

His friend matched your pace, remaining close to you, his eyes both patrolling his surroundings, but also somehow always finding their way back to you. It wasn't hard for you to notice and you smiled to yourself, the grin that he kept on his face endearing to you.

"Do you have a name or are you just gonna keep staring?" You asked him, tilting your head slightly as you looked at him from the side.

"Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes," His tone uplifted at your question, eyes glinted with excitement at your boldness, "And your name is...?"

"Y/n Y/l/n. Just y/n is fine. No need for any titles." You introduced yourself, the warmth of your voice radiating through the air.

"Just y/n, huh? The people I'm close with call me Bucky." He added.

"Ah, is that your aim then, Sergeant? To get close to me?" You teased, grinning.

"No need for any titles." He repeated, chuckling at your answer,but his eyes were determined and seductive, passion enthralled in his response, "I mean you've already offered your hand to me, so I think it's only right."

You hated to admit how he was getting under your skin with his charm, the way he was talking setting a fire deep within you, making your heart pump faster than usual.

Reaching up, you put your hand up to his face, lightly tapping it as you cheekily replied, "You better watch it. You really shouldn't bite off more than you can chew there, Barnes."

Turning to the side, you gazed up at Steve, who was pretending that he wasn't eavesdropping on your conversation. Placing a hand on his shoulder, you spoke, "I'm going to check in with everyone, see if they need anything."

Bucky watched you leave, even the sight of you walking away was breathtaking to him. And when you were finally out of sight, he put an arm around Steve, elation blooming in the way he beamed over you, "She's an actual angel that came down from heaven. Where did you find her, Steve? And what's she doing hanging with you?"

Steve shrugged, used to Bucky's jokes and his usual gushing about women, "She snuck into the infantry, if you really have to know. She's a good woman, Buck and I think she's spoken for."

"She is spoken for...by me, pal. I'm marrying that girl." Bucky said, unbothered.

"You say that about every girl." Shaking his head, Steve laughed, "She's a real tough cookie to crack, Buck. I don't know if you can handle it."

"Come on, have you met me?" Bucky scoffed, confidence oozing out, "I'm telling you, I'm marrying her."

-

Once you arrived at camp, you were greeted with a surprisingly warm welcome by Colonel Philips, his shock and awe by Steve's rescue mission finally giving credibility to the idea of Captain America being more than just a symbol.

Peggy kept her composure looking at Steve, her eyes once concerned washing over with relief at seeing him in one piece. She extended that concern to you as she took your hand, her face dropping when she saw you in a sling.

She escorted you to the medic tent, the others who were injured following after you. Bucky's eyes only left you when he shouted out "Let's hear it for Captain America!" for Steve, the gesture touching your heart.

Peggy was calling your name, but you didn't hear her at all, staring a little longer than you thought, hanging onto Bucky's every move as he patted his friend's back enthusiastically.

Only when she tapped your shoulder did you finally grant her your eye contact and her lips pursed as she playfully taunted, "Never have I seen you be so enamored with a man this entire time I've known you. And, we are always surrounded by them."

"You can't tell me he isn't handsome." You shrugged your shoulders, wincing slightly as you held onto your wound, forgetting about it for the moment.

Your carelessness made her chuckle as she motioned for you to keep following her, "He's not really my type of man."

You took an opportunity to tease her back, smiling to yourself from behind her, "Oh right, you like the blonde ones. I forgot." She sent you quick glare, and satisfied you only gave her an innocent expression.

-

The next night, celebration was in order for all the men in the infantry, all of them filing out of their barracks in their proper uniforms toward the pub on the other side of camp.

It was you who had convinced Peggy to wear her red dress to the pub because although she only planned to be there for a second to talk to Steve, you knew how much she really liked him, and you were certain of her effect on him too.

You had your own evening gown to put on too, an unexpected gift from Howard Stark, which you would have kindly refused if he didn't so adamantly insist that he wouldn't take it back. You were even deadset on wearing a uniform just like the rest of the soldiers, but Peggy begged you to dress up, saying that Stark's gift would be wasted. When you finally agreed, she helped you get ready, pinning up your hair and finished your makeup before the two of you walked over to the pub.

The night air was chilly, but it didn't bother you as you walked, one foot in front of the other with careful precision, just like you were taught in your debutante school when you were a teenager. Pushing the door open, you let Peggy walk through the door first, the lively tunes of the piano once boisterous, halting suddenly as the pianist slowed his fingers, jaw hung open as he ogled the two of you.

Silence filled the pub as the soldiers' eyes were fixated on you. You recognized some of the men you rescued from the hydra base, making your way over to them and joking, "Glad to see you guys are alive and well enough to drink your fill."

The one with the bowler hat and mustache nodded, tipping his hat then lifting his cup to you, "Thanks to you and our Captain America over there! Forgive me for being so bold with you, Miss. You're no able grable, but a fine woman indeed. We here at this table all agree. Cheers to you."

Nodding at them, you looked at each of them gratefully and they drank their beers in honor of you, clinking them loudly as the foam spilt over the sides. Turning the corridor, you saw Peggy already with Steve. You intended to give them more time, but she was already turning toward the exit.

"You're leaving already?" You asked, "You should stay for a dance."

"I can't." Then, looking past you, she smiled, "But you can. And it looks like you already have a dance partner."

Following her eye line, ahead you saw Bucky, hands in his pockets and that same smile from before donned on his lips. He had anticipated your arrival, his head constantly peering toward the entrance every chance he got before you came.

"Good luck." Peggy whispered into your ear, winking.

Peggy left you in the center of the room, the soldiers all still with their eyes lingering on your figure. Bucky was leaning against the frame of the walkway, his gaze full of adoration with every step you took toward him.

You were almost within arm's length of him when you were interrupted by Stark's familiar voice behind you, his usual charm lacing it, "I almost didn't recognize you without your uniform on, Miss y/l/n."

Stark pivoted to your front, blocking Bucky's view as he admired the dress on you, "I do know how to pick an evening gown, don't I?"

"I'm surprised to see you here. Aren't you a little busy decoding that blue stuff from the hydra base?" You jabbed at him, ignoring his flirtatious advances.

"Not too busy to reschedule our fondue." He leaned forward suggestively, "What do you say?"

You caught Bucky's eye, his gaze never leaving you and his stance still against the doorway. Seeing him still waiting there, your heart softened and you smiled at him, "Sorry Stark. I would but—"

"But, I owe her a dance." Bucky was quick to walk over when he heard your apology, finishing your sentence as he boldly spoke for you.

Stark looked up at Bucky, puzzled before he recognized him, putting a hand out, "Ah, Sergeant Barnes, is it? Glad to see you're alive."

"I've got Steve and y/n here to thank for that." Taking Stark's hand, Bucky shook it firmly before letting it go and extending his hand to you, "Shall we?"

You looked over at Stark, who felt instantly challenged by Bucky's gesture, the two of them suddenly glaring at one another.

"Thank you for the gown." You kissed him on the cheek, and he hung onto that lingering touch as he ghosted where your lips had been.

Finally, you took Bucky's hand and he clasped your fingers together leading you to the area where people were dancing. You saw Steve sitting at the bar, waving at him as he held his drink high as if he was toasting to you.

You pulled Bucky back toward the bar, insistent on getting a drink first. When the bartender turned around, he almost dropped the glass he was wiping with the rag, jaw hung open as he adjusted the tip of his hat, "What can I get for you, miss?"

"Whiskey will do. Thank you sir. How much?" You asked, pulling out your purse, which Bucky put down for you, already placing money on the counter.

"You're on my dime tonight." Bucky insisted as the man began to pour your drink.

Steve scoffed, "How come you didn't buy my drink?"

"You're not a beautiful woman, Steve," He gave you a dazzling smile, eyes beaming at you, "And a beautiful woman should never have to pay."

"Is that so?" You replied, leaning over the counter and batting your eyelashes at the bartender, "Do you agree, sir?"

"Uh, well, yes, miss!" The glass was almost overflowing as he stood flustered by you, "This one's on the house!"

Flashing him a smile, you winked, "Thank you kindly."

Downing it all in one go, Bucky and Steve looked at one another, Steve's eyes widened, but Bucky's seeped with intense ardor. Once you finished, you slid the glass back toward the bartender, who tipped his hat again to you.

Then, meeting Bucky's eyes, you trailed your hand down his arm and hooked your fingers around his, "I guess you were right, Barnes."

In the middle of the dancing area, Bucky wasted no time in gently pulling you close, minding your injury as he placed your hand on his lower waist. The piano player, who had once played an upbeat tune, slowed his tempo down, the song's natural romantic nature creating an air of intimacy around you and Bucky.

You rested the other hand on his shoulder, but instead of his attention fixed on you, they were on the bartender. Lifting your hand to his chin, you coaxed his focus back to your face, teasing him curiously, "You've got a real sour face on for someone who wanted to dance."

"So...what's with you and the fondue guy?" He was itching to know more than he cared to admit, the sight of you kissing another man's cheek igniting a territorial urge he didn't know he was capable of.

"I didn't take you for a jealous man, Barnes. What got you exactly?" You laughed and seeing that, he instantly surrendered his seriousness, lips pulling upward with joy while you cheekily replied.

"I'm not jealous," He sucked on his teeth, scoffing a little at your response, "See, you actually did me a favor at the bar."

"Did I?" You said with surprise, raising your eyebrows eagerly.

"Yeah, you just saved me a couple more Italian lira to get you something real nice." He seemed proud of his answer, head tilted a little higher as he kept a smirk.

Challenging him, you spoke, "I'm used to the finer things in life, Barnes. Whatever you buy won't impress me."

"I find that hard to believe when you're wearing the dress that fondue guy gave you," Bucky playfully looked at you.

Looking down, you nodded, "I am wearing Stark's dress, yes. But, I'm dancing with you, and where you are is exactly where I want to be."

You expected another sly and quick reply from him but Bucky was at a loss for words, rendered speechless not just by your touch, but by your words. You taunted him amorously, "What's wrong, soldier? Do I need to give you a command to show a girl a good time?"

He gulped, suddenly feeling weak in his knees over you— all his senses centered around your entire being, "I'll do anything you want, doll. Just say the word."

Slowly, you closed the gap between you two, resting your head on his shoulder and interlacing your hand into his, "Good, now hold me close and we'll see where the night takes us."

Everything about you was warm, any worries and fears he had disappearing from his mind. The smell of roses were distinctly yours now, your perfume permeating through his nose pleasantly and without thinking, he leaned into you a little closer, the feel of your hair soft underneath his chin. You were humming quietly with the piano too, and he decided then that the piano was too loud, too disruptive against your melodic voice.

Savoring the moment, he squeezed your hand lightly, the gesture necessary as he wondered whether or not he was dreaming. In response to him, you tilted your head back to regard his eyes, and almost instantly he looked down at your lips that were softly parted, the cherry red calling his name.

Gulping, Bucky held back the temptation, the tension in the air almost suffocating him while you stared, curious what he would do. He tried his best to abate wanting to kiss you, but your lips were beckoning him and leaning in he surrendered vulnerably, connecting his lips with yours.

Realization hit him deep as you kissed him back, your hands once on his back trailing to the back of his neck with a tender fervor. He knew he was a ladies' man, the worst kind too—the kind who'd have a different girl on his arm every week. Yet, he found his match in you. For the first time, he was actually scared of losing a girl, and he'd be damned if it was to another man.

Separating your lips from his, he stared at you breathless and longingly, as if your face held all the answers in the world, everything about you already embedded into the inner workings of his mind and the chambers of his heart.

He decided right then and there that he'd only ever want to be with you—to be the only man you ever held, ever kissed.

You yourself were taken by him too, and it felt odd to feel such a natural attraction to someone. You were courted by so many suitors back in New York, showered with gifts, wined and dined until the day was long, yet none of them had ever made you feel the way Bucky made you feel.

"You know, you looked beautiful today." Bucky let out, the words almost not coming out as a sudden nervousness bubbled in his stomach.

Bewildered, you squinted your eyes at him, "When?"

"When I was crossing that beam." He admitted, "Damn near almost fell off staring at you."

You ignored the feeling of your cheeks getting rosy, sighing, "I'm happy you're safe and sound."

Shrugging, he coolly responded, “Well, I had to make it to you. It would have been embarrassing to fall like that on our first date.”

Another laugh escaped your lips, “I don't think that rescue mission can be called a first date."

"What do you mean? It was perfect. You know, we held hands, I walked you home...I think that's standard date procedure." Bucky stated, pleading his case flippantly.

"Steve was also there, and we almost died too." You added, which made him laugh.

"So, it was memorable." Bucky argued, “We're both soldiers, doll. Battlefield or not, anywhere I go with you is a date."

Your cheeks were red now, but there was no point in hiding it anymore, his effect on you evident by your sudden silence. He was naturally alluring to you, but deeper than that, he saw you as a soldier, and it felt good to be recognized, to know that you were something more than a high-society woman from New York.

"I look forward to that next date, but for now, let's focus on this one." You replied, validating his advances happily.

You and Bucky danced together late into the night, and you would have been there the whole way through if the piano player didn't pass out in the middle of a song, his drunkenness getting the best of him. The other soldiers were also filing out of the pub too, some of them knocked out too, their heads on the tables or leaned back onto the chairs.

Bucky walked you back to your room in Stark's headquarters on the base, draping his jacket over you to shield you from the cold. The two of you walked in comfortable silence, but not entirely as you continued to hum the tunes from the pub.

When you got to your room, you gave him his jacket back as he leaned against the doorframe. Watching you walk in, you elected not to turn your light on, but rather light a few candles on your bedside table.

"You know, I was never really worried about the dress, doll." His tone short of indelicate as his voice deepened.

Spinning around, you walked over to him, leaning forward slightly as you played with his shirt collar, "And why's that, Barnes?"

The heat from the candles held no comparison to the passion imbued in the air, once embers igniting instantly into a flame as Bucky spoke, "I figured, you know, if you'll have me...I wouldn't keep you in that dress any longer than you needed to be."

"It was difficult to put on, just so many buttons," You were baiting him purposefully, drawing the moment out longer, your face just inches away from his.

"I have nimble fingers." Bucky blurted out a little too eagerly as his eyes shined with mischief but he kept a giddy smile.

Without thinking, you couldn't help the laugh that erupted, charmed by his sudden switch from sultry to silly. And realizing how he sounded, Bucky laughed along with you, scolding himself internally.

"That was—" He began, but you interrupted.

"Cute. That was cute." You said, and caressing his cheek adoringly you teased him again with a chaste kiss on his lips.

Bucky longed for more, the touch so light that he was aching inside when you pulled away, biting his bottom lip.

Giving him one last smile, your eyes crescent moons and your cheeks still rosy, you stepped backward into your room, grabbing the edge of the door, “Good night, Bucky.”

His ears perked up, but in his disbelief he tilted his head, “You just called me Bucky.”

“Oh, do you prefer Barnes? Because I’ll happily—“

He put a finger to your lips, shaking his head, “No, no, doll, keep calling me Bucky…please.”

Again, you chuckled, moving his fingers over and holding them, “I’ll see you tomorrow Bucky. Now, go get some sleep.”

“Impossible, y/n. I’ll be thinking about you all night.” Bucky was dragging out the moment too, head downcast and staring at your fingers, still intertwined together, neither of you wanting to let go.

You looked behind you, the candles setting the mood already and biting your lip, you sighed, "The barracks are pretty far from here.”

Slowly, you led him forward and with no hesitation, he walked toward you, out of the doorframe and to the center of your room. The candlelight cascaded onto you guys, the two of you so close, your shadows had become one.

Boldly, he twirled you around, his chest facing your back as he adored you from your left side, his breath sending a chill down your spine as he whispered in your ear, "You did order me to show a girl a good time. I have to make good on that promise."

"You already have," You were beaming, eyes locked and your hand in his hair, your voice slightly raspy from the whiskey you were drinking earlier.

"Well, I'm an overachiever." He kissed your cheek softly, his stubble tickling you.

You placed your hands on top of his where they rested on your waist, "Then, what are you waiting for? This dress isn't gonna take itself off."

-

You woke up to a knock on the door, the first one gentle at first then the second one jolting you awake. You blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room. The candles you lit were on your bedside table, wax spilled past their holders, long burnt out. Then, you felt a tug at your side, an arm pulling you closer and a deep groan begging your attention as you looked to your side.

He was also woken up by the knock, but it hardly mattered when he was waking up next to you, your bodies still entangled with one another.

"Morning, doll." He greeted, raspiness coating his voice, his tone echoing the way he spoke to you last night, his adoration declared while he was on top of you, matching every word with his amorous movements.

"Y/n! Are you alright? We have a briefing to get to in fifteen minutes!" You heard Peggy yell on the other side of the door.

You left Bucky alone on the bed as you hastily got up and in a rush, you quickly put his pants on and his jacket to cover your naked body. When you got to the door, you only opened the door a sliver to hide Bucky, then smoothing your hair out, you replied to her with a smile, "I-I'm fine. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night so I woke up late."

She paused, taking in your appearance, her eyebrows raised when she noticed the stripes on the sleeves, the symbol not at all reflecting your military rank, "Ah, have you always had that jacket, y/n? I didn't know you changed ranks. Although, I've always known you've had a little sergeant in you."

Bucky was listening to your conversation, holding in a chuckle from Peggy's comment.

You were certain you were bright red, but you brushed her off, "Oh, this? I borrowed it last night. It was quite cold when I left the pub." You lied, scratching the back of your head.

She smiled at you, amused, "Okay, well, I don't want you to be late. So, hurry, please," She backed away from the door, but just as she was about to turn away she called out, "And that goes for you too, Sergeant Barnes."

Shutting the door, you put your head against it for a second, not wanting to look at Bucky until he cleared his throat, joking with you, "As much as I love seeing you in my clothes, we have a briefing to get to."

You bit the inside of your cheek, scoffing as you took the jacket and pants off, you bare again making Bucky clutch his heart, "Or we can skip the briefing."

You walked over, clothes in your right hand as you leaned forward on the bed, teasing him as you ghosted your lips on his, "Just get dressed, you idiot," You whispered, throwing his clothes at him.

"Anything you want, doll." He smirked, hopping off the bed.

-

You barely made it to the briefing on time, slightly out of breath when you walked in, Bucky right behind you. Everyone was gathered around the large flat table in Stark's main office, all of their eyes on you when you walked in.

You took your place beside Peggy, who pinched your hand in acknowledgement underneath the table. You held in a wince, glaring at her, but she only gave you a mischievous grin. Stark willfully ignored the sight, continuing what he was saying as he pointed to the maps on the table. Steve, who had already caught on, assumed at first that it was another fleeting moment with another girl. Yet, it became painfully obvious that Bucky actually liked you when his best friend only looked at him for a moment before clinging to your side, taking his position on the opposite end of you.

And from that day on, you and him were practically inseparable, and in all the time that Steve had known his best friend, he never saw him so smitten with someone. Whenever you talked, Bucky's ears perked up and he gave you his full undivided attention. When you walked, Bucky was never far, usually next to you or a few paces behind. And when you were simply doing nothing, his eyes never left you and his smile was perpetual, cheeks lifted like he never got tired of doing it.

As a soldier and a sergeant, he wasn't allowed to stay outside of the barracks, but he broke the rules for you every chance he got, his place beside you in bed hardly ever empty.

And even in battle, it was easy for you and Bucky to be side by side, the two of you being sharpshooters. But on the occasion that you were on the ground with Steve, Bucky would hound him about keeping you safe, the idea of you ever being hurt unbearable even just in thought.

For two years, you remained that way.

Always together, never apart.

It was in the winter of 1945 when Bucky showed up with his hands behind his back while you were studying the maps of the weapons' bases. You and the Howling Commandos were making great headway disarming the hydra bases, but there were still so many more to go.

The snow was falling above you in the tent, and he found it odd how you were positioned, your body still in the snow while you held the map underneath the tent.

"What are you doing, love?" He knelt down beside you, placing a gentle hand on your knee.

"Enjoying the snow, but I have to keep this map dry." You laughed, looking at him through snow-covered eyelashes, the white specks falling so beautifully in your hair, "I probably look like some sort of white witch with all this snow on me."

“Witch? You’re more radiant like the elves in the Hobbit.” He complimented, making you look up from the map.

You saw how contemplative his expression became when you made eye contact, and tilting your head, you asked, "Is something wrong?"

Bucky carefully took the map out of your hands, placing it on the ground. He was halfway in the snow now too, his hair getting covered while he gushed, "I've just been thinking. I can't imagine my life without you in it. You'll always be my doll, y/n."

Letting out a soft chuckle, you joked, "Always is a long, long time. Are you sure about that?"

"I'll bet my life on it." He replied confidently, reaching up to caress your hair, "And when we come back from all this, I'm marrying you."

"Is that right?" You took his hand into yours, kissing the inside of his palm, "And how are you so sure I'd say yes?"

Smirking, he lowered his eyes at you seductively, "Well, I figured you would since you didn't have any problems saying yes to me last night," He leaned in closer, inching toward your lips as he whispered softly, "Again and again and again..."

He connected his lips to yours and you smiled into it as he kissed you, every movement entrenched in deep affection as his hands pulled you closer to him.

Pulling away slightly, you put a hand on his cheek, your foreheads still touching and your voice almost breathless as you said aloud, "I love you, Bucky."

"I love you too," He breathed in, your words intoxicating him beyond what he could fathom, and reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small box, "I know you hate gifts, but I couldn't resist."

He popped the top open to reveal a ring, the stone sparkling in the snow, "I figured I can't marry you without a ring."

"Bucky, you didn't have to—"

He took it out of the box, taking your hand and putting it on your left hand, "And before you start yelling at me, I didn't buy it, I made it."

You gasped, smiling widely, "You made this?"

"With my own hands." He stated proudly.

"How—" Speechless for a moment, you held your hand up, admiring the details, your heart warmed by the thought of Bucky working so hard to make it for you.

"I told you I have nimble fingers." Shrugging, his nonchalance made you laugh again and you threw your arms around him.

"You really did this for me?" Through German trenches and hydra-infested bases, you had been through so much together, you knew him inside and out and yet, you were still shocked at how he could still surprise you.

"I'm in it for a lifetime, doll. So, what do you want to do for our wedding? A horse-drawn carriage? Roses down the aisle?" Bucky's love outpoured with his words and you kissed him again.

Shaking your head, "I have something else in mind."

You stood, taking his hands into his as he asked eagerly, "What do you mean?"

Leading him, you kept your eyes peeled ahead, "Steve's a captain right? Can't he just marry us? I don't think I can wait any longer to be called Mrs. Barnes."

"I haven't heard a better idea all day." He agreed, and in his own excitement, he took the lead, running with you to find Steve.

You got married right on the base, Peggy and Stark being your witnesses while Steve officiated your wedding. There was no greater honor than being able to marry his best friend to the love of his life, and having not made a move with Peggy yet, he felt more encouraged, the romance in the air intoxicating.

Stark, who still had quite the chip on his shoulder about you, was still happy nonetheless, having grown fond of Bucky since he met him.

Still, he teased you flirtatiously after your ceremony, not at all caring that Bucky was beside you as he said, "It's a shame to see you married off, but I'll be sure to tell my future son that you were supposed to be their mother."

You rolled your eyes at him, but joked back, "And when I name my son after you Howard, he'll know you as the man that could never take a hint."

"My love, I did not agree to that." Bucky protested, and making eye contact with Steve, he yelled out, "Our son's gonna be named Steve Barnes! No exceptions."

"And what if you have a daughter?" Peggy asked, her hands clasped together before she wrapped her arms around your shoulders in a tight embrace.

"Margaret, of course, after my cherished friend." You leaned into her embrace, happiness bubbling inside of you.

Steve came over to Bucky, putting a hand on his shoulder proudly, "I think Steve could be a girl name too," His comment earning a laugh from everyone.

"All this baby talk..." He took your hand into his, tone suggestive as he boldly declared, "I'm thinking we should probably go make one then, right, love? It is our honeymoon, after all."

He mainly said it to to irritate Howard, who scrunched his nose at Bucky. Steve pressed his lips into a thin line, putting his hands on his hips and shaking his head, but Peggy thought it was oddly endearing, her heart warmed by the passion he had for you.

"I wouldn't be surprised if little Steve is already in there, Bucky." You replied, scratching the back of your head, slightly embarrassed.

"Well, you can never be too sure." He said cheekily, peppering your face with kisses.

"Okay, okay." Steve said, putting his hands up, muttering under his breath, "You guys are like rabbits."

You glared at him, "I heard that, Steve."

-

That was the best day of your life.

It was the first day of forever with Bucky.

But what you didn't know?

Forever would only last a day.

You would have never thought that the last image of your love would be of him holding onto the metal bar on that moving train, your hand outstretched toward him just like the first day you met.

Yet, his hand never touched yours again, and he knew it too, his eyes, although struck with so much fear imbued with so much affection as he managed to tell you he loved you before the metal bar gave out.

The sight of him falling was surreal for you, and in your quickness to act, you were about to jump off the train too, but Steve held you back as you screamed and screamed for him to let you go.

When you got back to the base, you had nothing else on your mind except for Bucky. You couldn't shake the feeling that he was still alive, and you went with that gut feeling all the way.

The only person who knew about your plan was Stark, who had agreed to take his plane back to the mountains. He was the last person you would see in a long time, unbeknownst to you.

Over the mountains, you opened the hatch, looking down at the white abyss. Before you jumped, Stark grabbed your arm, asking you, "What if you don't find him?"

"I will." You replied brazenly, giving him one last kiss on the cheek, "Goodbye Stark. Just know that when you get married and have your son, he’ll change the world, just like you are right now."

With that, you disappeared into the snow.

And for a hundred more years, you became a piece of history, along with Steve, frozen in the ice, the remnants of the two of you kept alive in the minds of Peggy Carter and Howard Stark.

And when Steve was finally out of the ice, finally meeting the son of his old friend, he was surprised to hear your name out of his mouth so casually as he ate his blueberries, "Yeah, my hacking program is named y/n. Apparently she was supposed to be my mother. And man, was she a babe. I totally get where dad was coming from there."

In a funny way, it was meant to honor you. Stark had meant what he said when he told you he'd tell his kid about you, your name coming alive again when Tony was growing up. It was only right for him to know, your last words being about the kid that would grow up to change the world.

Howard never forgot that.

And in his final moments lying on the ground near his car, his wife shot and his life fading, he looked up at his assassinator only to find his lost friend.

"Sergeant Barnes?" He uttered in disbelief, but he was met with blank eyes and silence. And in a last attempt to awaken something familiar in his friend, he spoke your name, "Y/n, she looked for you in the mountains. Your wife."

But those words meant nothing to the Winter Soldier.

Yet, that memory was not lost on Bucky, trapped inside, forced to hear about your fate through the friend he had just murdered.

And when he finally was out of Hydra's grasp, his mind free of that control, his first instinct was to look for your grave.

He found it easily in upstate New York, your family's influence on the entire city marking fame and praise. Your name was engraved on an empty casket in your family mausoleum, and when he saw it, tracing his hands over it, he dropped to his knees, endless sobs escaping him.

And at night, when he’d lie awake, he would always turn his body to the side, arm outstretched to hug the pillow that he always placed beside him. He never did get used to sleeping alone after you.

But still, he couldn't shake that you were somehow alive, and on the day that Steve time travelled, coming back in his old age, Bucky approached him, "When you were back there, did you—"

"No," Steve shook his head, his hands in his pockets, "I didn't find her. But man, she loooved you, Buck."

Taking two pieces of paper out of his pocket, he handed one to Bucky, "She wrote this for you."

"You read it?" Bucky asked, offended.

"I peeked, okay? I had to make sure which one was mine." Steve defended himself.

Unraveling it, it read:

Dear Bucky,

You once told me that you could never imagine a life without me in it. And I could say that was the reason I went after you, so you wouldn't have to. But, honestly, a day didn't even pass after you fell and I felt like I was dying.

I realize I can't live without you. I had everything growing up. But, that's all nothing compared to what I have with you.

If you're reading this now, it means I never did find you. But it also means that you're alive, just like I knew you would be.

I would tell you to be happy, to marry someone else, and have a family.

But, if you do, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life.

I hope you don't mind that I gave Steve the ring you made me. I figured if he had one already, he couldn't use the excuse that he didn't have a ring to finally marry Peggy.

I love you, Bucky, I love you a whole lifetime's worth, even if we didn't get to live it out.

Love,

Your doll

Bucky, although he was struck with another wave of grief, tears welling in his eyes, he laughed, hearing your voice so clearly in his head as if you were saying everything out loud to him.

In his other pocket, Steve took out the same ring box that he had given you all those years ago, "I did end up getting a ring for Peggy. I'm offended, you know? Y/n, she always thought I was so hopeless."

"Hey," Taking the box from Steve, he opened it, remembering the day he gave it to you, the way you looked in the snow still so vivid in his mind, "That's my wife you're talking about."

Steve sighed, "There's a lot more life for you, Buck. If you wanted to move on, I don't think she'd really mind."

"I could, so she would haunt me and I'd finally see her again," Bucky joked, making Steve chuckle.

"But, honestly Steve, I'd rather see her when it's my time to go. She's worth the wait."

-

Author's Note:

Omg omg omg I kind of got carried away but I couldn't resist writing 1940's Bucky. I can't wait to write this next chapter where they see each other again but damn writing this ending actually lowkey had me tearing up

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! Again, first time writing for Bucky and I had so much momentum after Thunderbolts I had to just get into writing IMMEDIATELY.

If you'd like to be in my taglist, tell me your fave part about the chapter and i'll add you!

Thank you to all my readers. I love you all!!

Love,

nana <3

[vandnana]

In Love With The Enemy [V]

Chapter 5: Four-Fingered Freaks

pairing: lo’ak x female turned na’vi reader

summary: during the time when jake became toruk makto, you were quaritch’s youngest and most valued soldier, the daughter he never had. but, pandora changed you and you died during the final battle, betraying quaritch and wishing that you had been able to do more. now, you have been reborn again, as a na’vi, tasked with quaritch’s new military avatar crew to kill Jake Sully. taking advantage of this second chance at life, you help the Sullys and fall in love along the way.

genre: fluff, angst ~ slow burn, pining on lo’ak’s part.

warnings: mentions of blood, war, violence

highlights: [entry into the metkayina, reader reconnecting with her love of science and pandora, lo'ak and reader getting closer and closer!!! classic sully sibling bickering and teasing over lo'ak's crush on reader, tuk being sooo adorable]

word count: 22,071

note: this chapter ended up being super long!! let me know in the comments how you liked it!

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4

-

You were headed to the Eastern Sea to seek refuge with the Metkayina.

The Reef People.

Amidst thousands of islands and over fifty clans, you could just vanish without a trace.

And it was in the main village, Awa'atlu, that you would seek refuge.

As you all flew for what felt like days, you tried not to get too sick of the water already, the blue above and below melding together as it hypnotized you. Every time you closed your eyes, you found comfort in remembering the Forest. The thought grounded you and the echoes of Mo'at's wisdom elevated your spirits.

"There!" Jake called out, pointing at the entrance of Awa'atlu in the distance.

Looking ahead, you were surprised to find mountain ranges beyond, the presence of the village distinct as colossal tree-like barriers acted as terraces, separating the treacherous, dark blue, open water from the giant, calm turquoise pools that were against the barrier, waterfalling into an even bigger body of that same water, tranquil in comparison to the roaring ocean beyond.

Their homes were just above the water and were extensions of the seemingly infinite branches from the trees that grew on the bottom of their mountain range, each branch providing a pillar for the people's homes— their maruis.

When you finally landed, you and the rest of the Sullys stepped forward cautiously, awaiting for the chief and the tsahik to arrive. You looked at the metkayina, studying them. Their skin more of a cyan color, striped, almost matching the water below you, their tails were broader and paddle-shaped. Their eyes were larger and so were their forearms and legs, fin-like structures adding to their expanded appearance. Many were adorned with tattoos, clearly symbolic and important to their rituals as a people.

And as you studied them, they studied you, their eyes locked in on your flying forms, mixtures of emotion discernible in their expressions. Confusion, fear, awe, disgust...you saw it and heard it all. Two young men came forward, snickering as they laughed at your odd appearance. You fought every urge to glare at them as you greeted them cordially, placing your fingers to your forehead as you gave them a proper greeting. The other Sullys followed your lead, following your gaze.

"Rotxo, Aonung, stop that." A gentle, but firm voice scolded.

A young woman who had just emerged from the water looked at you apologetically, smiling at you reassuringly. You returned her smile. It was the first sign of kindness from anyone in the entire village.

But, you understood their fear and hesitation. It mirrored how the Omaticaya felt when you first landed on Pandora.

The arrival of the chief silenced the rest of the village, his presence easing the Metkayina as they awaited his judgment.

Tonowari greeted Jake warmly, recognizing him as Toruk Makto. You were relieved to not be met with hostility, the rest of you greeting him properly as you extended your hands from your forehead to his.

"Why have you come to us Jake Sully?" Tonowari asked, his expression remained strong, but behind his eyes you could see his concern.

He knew the Great Toruk Makto would not journey so far for a simple favor. From behind him came his wife, Ronal, her eyes already showing her disapproval.

"We seek uturu." Jake let out, earning gasps from the surrounding crowd.

"Uturu?" Ronal repeated, squinting her eyes as she observed you all.

"Yes, sanctuary for my family." You looked at Jake, your eyes softening.

You had never heard him sound so desperate. He was never one to plead.

"We are Reef People. You are Forest People. your skills will mean nothing here." Tonowari stated.

"Well, we will learn your ways. Am I right?" Jake reassured him, looking behind him as you all nodded in agreement.

"Their arms are thin." Ronal held up Tuk's arm, then moved on to Kiri, "Their tails are weak. You will be slow in the water."

Then she slowly walked toward you, looking you up and down, and her eyes widening as she took your hands and lifted them up, "They have demon blood. They're not even true Na'vi!"

You pulled your hand down from her grasp, huffing quietly as you did your best to hold your tongue, but Kiri defended you instantly, “Yes we are!” You put a hand on Kiri's, showing your gratefulness.

Jake sighed, lifting his own hands up, “Look, look! I was once of the Sky People, but now I’m Na’vi. You can adapt. We will adapt. Okay?"

"Toruk Makto is a great war leader. All Na'vi people know his story. But we Metkayina are not at war. We cannot let you bring your war here." Tonowari explained, but his words were already something Jake had considered.

"I'm done with war. I just want to keep my family safe." Again, although his voice was firm, he was pleading.

Ronal and Tonowari shared glances with one another, and although she seemed to still be against the idea, she gave her silent approval with a gentle nod.

“Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us.” Tonowari announced, “Treat them like our brothers and sisters. Now, they do not know the sea. So they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless."

And although Tonowari instructed the people to act like you were their own, you could still feel the tension as they stared at you, bore into you with judgment.

"My son Aonung, our daughter, Tsireya, will show your children what to do." Tonowari added, extending his arm to one of the young men who had laughed at you before and the young woman who urged him to stop.

"But father—" Aonung protested, but Tonowari's glare silenced him.

Tsireya, however, was delighted, nodding as she approached you all, "Come! I will show you our village."

You took your place beside Jake as he followed Tsireya, and the rest of the Sullys followed after you all. Neytiri and Kiri more so trudged, their sadness evident with every heavy step they took. Neteyam and Lo'ak merely looked lost as they took everything in, while Tuk, with her youthful spirit, peered at the new surroundings with curiosity and wonder.

You, yourself, couldn't help but be in awe of their ways. The scientist in you absorbing all your eyes could see. You were listening to Tsireya as she was explaining where everything was and what everything was. She led you through the village, which felt like a maze at first, collecting supplies and necessities for what would be your new home.

Their walkways were made of strong net-like material, yet with each step you took, the tensile proved to be bouncy meeting your foot with every up and down maneuver.

You looked below you at the water, various fish and aquatic creatures swimming gracefully through the water. The bigger animals, much like ikrans, were mounted by the Metkayina, trilling as you walked past them.

Other Metkayina dove straight into the water from the walkways, others breaching the surface to watch you all walk through, their expressions filled with uncertainty and weariness.

"Like babies taking their first breath, huh?" You raised an eyebrow at Jake.

He chuckled softly, "Yep. When was that for you? Like yesterday?"

You rolled your eyes at him, "When was that for you? Like a million years ago?"

You patted his back as he smiled. It was the first time he smiled since you landed in Awa'atlu and you were relieved to see it.

He looked behind at his family, knitting his eyebrows as he made eye contact with you again, "You think I made the right decision?"

You gazed up at him, surprised by his question, "It's not like you Jake to second guess yourself. What's wrong? Afraid to dip your toes in the water?"

"I'm being serious, y/n." Jake replied, "Maybe there was another way. I've fought your father before, I could have succeeded again. We could have stayed in The Forest."

"You may be out, but you never lose the attitude."

Jake had told you that long ago, and the way he was questioning himself, that phrase rang in your mind.

In his eyes, you could see him wrestling with his old self, the Jake that had an insane propensity to take risks. You brought that old Jake back, your presence returning that side of himself he didn't know he had buried. And while that part of him would always stay, he wasn't just Jake, your best friend, anymore. He was Jake, the husband of Neytiri and the father of their children. He carried the mantle of the name Sully with a legacy in front of him, and risking that legacy was never an option.

"You said it yourself, Jake. You're done with war, but my father woke up ready to start one." You took a deep breath before continuing, "I think what you're really trying to say is that you're worried for your family. But, you don't need to be. They'll be okay."

"You really believe that?" The last time you saw Jake like this was during your conversation before the bulldozers came.

You couldn't help but chuckle aloud, patting his shoulder again, "Jake, you've got a badass wife and your kids," You looked behind you and catching Lo'ak's eyes, you smiled, "They're more capable than you give them credit for."

Jake shook his head, but you knew he took what you said to heart, "I think coming back from the dead made you wiser," He joked, ruffling your hair.

You scowled, pushing his hands off your head, "Ugh Jake! I think you forget I've always been this smart. Remember?" You pointed at yourself, "I was one of your "science sorties."

"Right, I can't believe I forgot how much of a nerd you are," You punched him in the arm in offense, but he only continued, his voice more encouraging, "Hey, this place could be your new frontier. I know your science brain is itching to know more about this place."

Jake knew you well. After your primary military instincts kicked in, your scientist ones locked into gear. Everything was a fascination to you— from the tiniest grains of sand that you walked on from the beach to the creatures that you saw swimming.

Ahead, you were approaching an empty marui, Tsireya quickening her pace as she held out her hand to present it to you all, "This is for you!"

Following her forward, she ran with excitement, standing at the entrance of it, "Your new home."

Jake looking in, remained positive, "Yeah this will work. This is great. It's nice, right?"

You held in a laugh as Neytiri's face dropped, hardly sharing the sentiments as she looked around the marui.

It was bigger than the homes that you had passed with multiple openings, one larger, like a common area, and the other slightly smaller, another living space for families with more people.

Like all the maruis, it hung directly above the water and resembled a canopy, wide and open. Parts of the floors were reinforced with the same bouncy material as the walkways, but other parts were made up of a harder wood, weaved tightly like a net. There was a hole in the middle of the bigger space and above it was a huge bowl-shaped shell hung by a wooden column that connected to the ceilings. Already in the shell were coals for cooking, and above that shell was a basket, designed to store food. The column in the middle was accompanied by other columns around it, actings as support beams for the home, but also as a place to hook hammocks on for sleeping.

Walking in further, you descended the two steps into the other side of the marui, the overall shape of it, sphere-like. The walls inside were made of flexible and durable sheets, stretched between the branches of the trees, while the exterior comprised of a tougher reed, intricately and uniquely woven. The frame of the marui was made of wood, fastened with alternating ropes that were yellow and blue, meticulously laced to solidify the structure. On the right side of the marui, one side of the wall was shaped like a fan, the color a semi-translucent cyan blue.

As you helped the Sullys unload, you never realized how much you would need to furnish your new home, but Tsireya made sure you were taken care of, designating all that you would need—bathing basins, handwoven hammocks, cookware made from sea crystal and wood, various baskets for storage, and even plenty of sea-inspired decorations.

The Sullys had their own things to haul in as well, mostly mementos from the Forest like their bows. But, Jake had taken a large load of weapons and ammunition with him, and despite Neytiri's protests to bring them, he still did it. You didn't have much to bring with you except your keepsakes from your old life, along with the clothes and jewelry that Mo'at and Neytiri had weaved for you.

While Neteyam helped Jake carry the weaponry, you were with Kiri crouching on the floor as you put away the baskets in the main room. Neytiri and Tuk were placing the decorations, colorful shells and gourds of various shapes and sizes, all around. Across the room was Lo'ak, separating the hammocks, which had all been rolled into one another. He held onto one of the hammocks, pawing the material between his fingertips. Smiling to himself, then glancing at you, he remembered that first night with you in the hammock.

He remembered it all. The way you laid so comfortably next to him, the way your hands touched, and the way you told him that you two matched. And naturally, perpetually, he couldn't get that damn kiss out of his head either, his mind replaying it every chance it got.

You felt his eyes on you, but you didn't glance up until Kiri, nudged you with her shoulder, whispering as she stifled a giggle, "If my brother stares at you for any longer, I think he'll burn a hole in the back of your head."

You didn't know what to say, finally looking up from what you were doing to meet his eyes. When you made eye contact, Lo'ak didn't bother to hide that he was staring, maintaining the longing in his expression and the all too obvious adoration with it. And to make things even worse, he unraveled the hammock and made a gesture for sleeping, putting his palms together and laying them on his ear as he tilted his head horizontally.

Watching him instantly reminded you of that same night with him, the night in the hammock, your first night of peace. The memory brought a flush to your cheeks, but you set the feeling that memory gave you aside as you scrunched your nose at him playfully.

Turning back to Kiri, she leaned in again, "You know, he's been looking at you like that since we left home." She paused, flitting her gaze between you two, astute as she asked, "Did something happen between you guys?"

You shook your head, pursing your lips as you replied nonchalantly, "Nothing happened. I don't know what you're talking about, Kiri."

Yet, she saw right through you, leaning backwards and simply agreeing, "Alright, if you say so."

When Jake came back, he clapped, prompting everyone's attention as he called for a family meeting. Stopping what you were all doing, you gathered toward the entrance, crouching as you listened to him."

"Alright, I need you kids on your best behavior. I mean it. Learn fast. Pull your weight."

He paused, eyeing you and Lo'ak, "Don't cause trouble. You got it?"

Neteyam put his hand on Lo'ak's neck, which Lo'ak swatted away in annoyance, snarling.

Jake continued, meeting his fist into his palm as he emphasized, "We're gonna get through this if we have each other's backs, alright?"

"What does your father always say?" Neytiri said, trying to maintain a motivating tone.

“Sullys stick together.” The Sullys all mumbled, Kiri rolling her eyes as she fiddled with the wrap she was wearing.

“That’s right, now with some more feeling!” Jake urged, smiling at his kids.

You put your hands on Lo'ak's back while Neteyam looked at Kiri, the two of you trying to boost their morale. It seemed to help as they said it again, this time louder. Jake was satisfied hearing it the second time, "Now, that's more like it. You're all dismissed. The chief's kids are waiting for you on one of the docks. Go. All of you."

Neteyam escorted his siblings out, but you hung back though for a moment, “Sullys stick together? Who would have thought a Jarhead like you would become such a family man. I'm proud, really.”

He patted your head, “That applies to you too, you know.” Pushing you forward, he let out a slight laugh, “Now go with them! And make sure they don't get into trouble."

You moved forward slightly, "Are you seriously asking me to babysit your kids right now? Excluding Tuk, we're all practically the same age!"

"Would you stop being a smartass? You know what I mean. Now hurry up before they leave you behind, you big baby." Jake pushed you forward again and this time, you finally were out of the marui.

Snarkily, you saluted him before quickly catching up to everyone else.

Growing up, you had studied The Forest from its roots to the highest point of the Hallelujah Mountains. Now, you were in completely new territory, and you couldn't help but feel the curiosity surge within you. Jake was right about that.

You looked beyond watching as Neteyam, Tuk, and Kiri all jumped in together off one of the small docks. Lo'ak, though, was waiting for you and when he caught sight of you coming, he didn't hesitate to meet you where you were, grabbing your hand too quickly for you to protest.

He gave no warning as he ran with you toward the water, feeling it engulf your body. You only closed your eyes for a second on impact, opening them the minute you were submerged.

Blinking in awed disbelief, you were enamored by everything before you. While the Omaticaya Forest was adorned in every gradient and hue of lush green, this new world reinvented shades of blue all around you. You were reminded of the skies in The Forest, the way the wind whispered and spoke to you when you flew through the air. It was similar here in the water. All living things whether moving or still, were in accordance with the flow of the undertow. You could feel how alive everything was, the water being its very life source.

You had only seen pictures of coral on Earth, the environmental crisis not having left you with real ones to see for yourself, but now you were really seeing them, all unique shapes and sizes. Unknown creatures swam around you gracefully, their classifications perplexing you as you pondered their anatomy in your head.

You looked down to see an innumerable amount of flora and fauna on the sea floor. One in particular caught your eye and you swam toward it, pulling Lo'ak along, his hand still in yours. Its roots were planted on one of the larger coral structures, its base a hollow circle with five branches along the outside of it, its leaves, wispy like feathers, moved to and fro, seemingly waving at you. Then, a school of tiny fish blurred your vision for a moment, the fish so tiny that many of them were able to swim through the odd looking plant at once.

You were entranced by it all and Lo'ak shared in your awed moment as his eyes observed everything around him. When Neteyam nudged him, he snapped out of his own trance and pulling your hand with him, you snapped out of yours.

Ahead of you, you saw Tsireya, and moving her fingers, she was seemingly signaling to you guys. Exchanging looks with the brothers, you could tell they were confused, and Tsireya, realizing, changed her gesture, motioning you forward. Aonung was swimming alongside her with their friend Rotxo, disinterested and making faces at you all.

They were quite a ways ahead of you, and letting go of Lo'ak's hand, you urged him to follow you quickly. He nodded and so did Neteyam, swimming after you.

You showed up next to Tsireya rather quickly, and she was pleasantly surprised to see you. The other two, however, looked at you with pure bewilderment, sending each other glances as they wondered how you swam to them so fast. Expecting to see Lo'ak and Neteyam behind you as well, you turned, but found them above you at the surface.

Looking at Tsireya, she signaled something to them, but they only met her with confused looks. You touched her arm gently, pointing upwards as you swam up, and the three of them nodded, coming with you.

When you broke the surface, Tsireya looked at Lo'ak and Neteyam, "Are you okay?"

"We do not speak this finger talk of yours. We do not know what you are saying." Neteyam answered, frustration lacing his words.

Tsireya nodded, "Do not worry. I will teach you."

Tuk, who was catching her breath, whined as she rubbed her eyes, "You're going too fast. Wait for us."

"Just breathe." Tsireya stated calmly, her tone reassuring as she offered a kind smile.

Aonung though, scoffed, laughing as he joked, "They do not know how. All they know is how to climb trees."

Kiri, who had straggled behind to look at the animals for a moment, returned to hear him as she responded, "As if you could ever survive in The Forest."

You tried to hold in a laugh, but it came out anyway, "Nice one, Kiri."

Aonung and Rotxo only rolled their eyes at you two as Tsireya lowered her eyes at them, "They will learn, okay?”

Pointing to the entrance of the beach, she motioned for all of you to come with her, "Let's go over there and start a breathing lesson."

Getting out of the water, she urged you all to sit in a circle. Gathering around her, she began her lesson on the importance of breath, everyone listening intently to her. Her brother, however, sat on the outskirts of the circle, not even feigning any interest as he looked out toward the open water.

Tsireya suddenly turned her attention to you, her eyes curious, "Y/n, you are very good at breathing already. Where did you learn?"

You were surprised yourself. You didn't expect your new body to remember all your underwater marine training too, but when Tsireya asked where you had learned, the memory of your first training day with your father resurfaced. And like a knife to your chest, you actually remembered it fondly.

"I've never been in water this deep before."

You were afraid then, but didn't want to show it, wading in the water with your life vest and looking down into the pool at the training base back on earth. It felt like looking right into an abyss. It had been two years since Quaritch first found you, and while he spent those first two training your combat skills, it was time for you to conquer the water.

"Hold your hands out y/n." Your father instructed.

You obeyed him, putting your hands together.

Cupping water into his hand he poured it into your hands, "Now let go y/n."

You obeyed again, separating your fingers and watching as the water flowed through the cracks. You looked up at him confused.

"No matter how deep the water is and no matter how much that water is pushing at you, it'll never really go through you, y/n."

You nodded, smiling as you unhooked your life vest and without warning, you took a deep breath and submerged yourself in the water.

Taken aback, he pulled you back up, laughing as he brushed your hair away from your face, his expression showing how impressed and proud he was, "Woah, woah, woah there guppy! Let's start with some exercises before we really dive in, alright?"

You chuckled softly to yourself, "My father."

"Toruk Makto?" Aonung interjected.

"No, no. I have a different father from them. We did a lot of training in the water when I was young." You sighed, masking how much that truth pained you as you managed a smile.

"She is still part of our family." Lo'ak let out in a rather defensive tone as he squinted at Aonung, Neteyam, Kiri, and Tuk nodding in agreement.

Tsireya sensing a potential argument, continued on, her eyes kind as she looked at you, "It is very impressive. You can help teach with me."

So, she continued her lecture, coaching everyone on the proper breathing techniques. When she prompted you, you offered your own advice, demonstrating a deep breath as you turned to the side, the Sullys following your instruction intently.

Then, you put a hand over your heart, tapping it as you said, "Slow your heartbeat too. When you slow it down, the brain and the heart get all the blood flow and that'll help you stay longer under the water."

You watched as they all followed your lead, holding one hand to their heart and the other on their stomachs.

Noticing Neteyam's upright posture, you went over, placing your hand on his back, "You see, how Neteyam's back is straight?" You put your other hand atop the hand he had over his stomach, "And see how his core is strong?"

Commanding their attention, they all looked intently. Lo'ak, in response and out of sheer competitiveness, rolled his shoulders back and straightened his back too, all while trying to hide the scowl that he had on his face.

You hardly noticed it as you were focused on your demonstration, moving your hands from Neteyam's navel all the way up to his upper chest, "Both are important to swim faster in the water, but also good for your airflow. There's no blockage to the air in your lungs and your core maintains your breath control so you can stay under the water for longer."

"Exactly!" Tsireya agreed, "From your head to your toes, your body is one and your breath is the key to the way of the water."

Tsireya went around to the other Sullys, continuing her explanation about posture and good swimming positions, while Neteyam looked up at you, confused as he asked, "How do you keep your back straight if you're in the water? Does the body not naturally bend?"

"Ah," You uttered, understanding his question, "Well, when you're flying on your ikran, the wind pushes onto you, but you maintain your position, right? Well, the water is the same."

You crouched in front of him, tapping his forehead, "This is solid," Again, you did it where his heart was, "Solid," And then down, you tapped his stomach, "This is all solid. No matter what, the water never goes through you. Just like the wind never goes through you. You work with it, not against it. Does that make sense?"

Neteyam nodded, comprehending your advice and grinning, he put his fist out to you, "You are quite the teacher, y/n. I will look to you when we are in the water."

You bumped his fist and tousled his hair, chuckling, "Yeah, 'cause the last thing I want to see is your skxawng ass drowning."

As you answered Neteyam's question, Tsireya watched as the others practiced their breathing techniques. It wasn't hard to notice Lo'ak's sour expression, childish jealousy seething through the low heavy breaths he was taking.

Tsireya, mistaking his attitude for frustration, put a hand on his back, "You will get this, Lo'ak. Just breathe and be calm," Putting a hand over her heart, her eyes widened in surprise as she instructed, "Your heart is beating very fast, Lo'ak. You must slow it down."

He only nodded, half-listening as his eyes were glued on you and Neteyam, his neck slightly craning as he watched you crouch in front of his older brother.

Tsireya moved on to helping Tuk, leaving Kiri and Lo'ak together. Kiri, catching onto her brother's jealousy, cleared her throat, placing a comforting hand on his back as she chimed, "Oh, I wonder what has your heart beating so fast."

Pulled from his gaze, Lo'ak eyed his sister, glancing at her from the side while she shifted her gaze forward, her line of sight being you and Neteyam.

He followed her gaze for a second before making eye contact again, "You know why." Lo'ak replied, crossing his arms.

Yet, Kiri continued on, baiting her brother to tell her the truth, "Is it because you like her or is it because you're jealous that she's talking to Neteyam?"

"I'm not j—" Lo'ak spoke, the sudden outburst louder than expected as he quickly lowered his voice, "I'm not jealous."

"So you like her then?" Kiri teased him, repeating herself as she sang it out to him, poking at his shoulders, "You like her!”

"Would you stop that?" He pushed her hands away, annoyed, "Of course I like her. Has it not been obvious?"

Kiri rolled her eyes, "You're such a skxawng. Yeah, it's obvious!" She went and poked him again, taunting him as she admitted, "I just wanted to hear you say it out loud."

"You're evil, you know that?" Lo'ak glared.

But Kiri only shrugged, "What are sisters for?"

"Wait, how do I slow my heart? I can't tell if it's fast or not!" Tuk yelped, her hand over her chest as she focused forward, her eyebrows furrowed.

Hearing her outcry, you walked over, chuckling lightly as you sat in front of her, Tsireya moving to your right as she also listened to yoru advice, "Just close your eyes, Tuk. Take a breath and think of something that makes you feel really calm."

She nodded, and as she did so, you put your hand over her heart, feeling its steady rhythm under your palm. You watched as Tuk's face reflected her inner thoughts, her lips forming a small smile.

"This is how it feels for your heart to be calm, Tuk." You explained, "You can open your eyes now."

When she finally did, she cheered, throwing her arms around you with excitement, "I did it! I did it!"

The impact sent you backwards slightly as you took her into your embrace. Caressing the top of her head, you leaned back to look at her, "What did you think about?"

Then suddenly, she stopped cheering, eyes downcast and welling with tears as she quietly whimpered, "Home."

You looked behind you at all her siblings, and seeing Tuk's distress, they came over quickly.

They gathered around you, all of them offering comforting words. Her tears were pouring now, uncontrollable as she found solace in your chest, hugging you tightly, "I want to go home."

The four of you exchanged solemn looks with one another, and you could only encourage the other Sullys closer, all of you in one big embrace as Lo'ak put a hand on his little sister's head, wiping her tears away.

"This is our home now, Tuk." Even though every fiber in his being was resisting that fact, Lo'ak uttered it anyway.

She said nothing, holding onto you tighter as her tears continued to fall, whimpers and wails that she had held in for so long.

Tsireya watched, her heart breaking, and even Aonung and Rotxo were moved to sadness, turning away from the scene as they tried to maintain a blase attitude.

Tuk cried and cried until she tired herself out, her eyes drooping and drooping until she fell asleep in your arms. Rubbing her back, you tried to wake her, but she didn't budge.

You stood up with her carefully, wobbling slightly since one of your legs had fallen asleep. Lo'ak was ready to catch you though, his hand ghosting your waist as you got up.

Turning to Tsireya, you spoke, "Thank you for the lesson," Then, you looked at everyone else, walking backwards toward the village, "I'll just meet with you all later. I'm gonna take her back to the marui."

Without another word, you left them at the shore of the beach, carrying Tuk through the village. When you finally got to the marui, you searched for the hammocks, walking through the common area with an inquisitive eye.

"Looking for these?"

You knew who the voice belonged to without turning around, and standing upright again, you replied, "If you're holding a hammock Lo'ak, then yes."

And sure enough, he walked in front of you with one in his hand, already unfurled, "Knew it."

You watched as Lo'ak hooked it onto the wooden columns, pulling the edges taut to make sure it was secure before motioning you to come over. When you did, Lo'ak held the bottom of it as you sat in it, and while you tried your best to detach Tuk from your body, she didn't want to let go of you, even in her sleep.

"Alright Tuk," You sighed, whispering as you laid down in the hammock, careful not to wake her.

When your back hit the woven material, you were suddenly aware of how exhausted you felt, the tiredness aching your bones and muscles as you sunk into it.

Lo'ak hovered over you, smirking, as he quietly joked, "Tuk's in my spot. But, I’ll allow it this time."

You could feel your eyes fluttering shut, but you fought sleep as you looked up at him, teasing as you said, “Tuk is much better company than you.”

He tilted his head at you, noticing your drowsiness, “Oh really?” Lo’ak replied, challenging you as he sat in the hammock.

“What are you doing?” You whispered, your tone scolding him.

“Don't mind me. It'll be like I'm not even here.” He replied, taking his place beside you comfortably and laying his palm on the back of his head.

You looked him up and down, glaring, "Right, I'll just ignore your whole body taking up all the space in this hammock."

"Oh, sorry, I'll just adjust here and—"

"Lo'ak what are you—" You started, but stopped, holding your breath as you tried to not to wake Tuk when you felt his arm snake under your back.

He shimmied his arm underneath you to pull you closer to him as he moved himself to the center of the hammock. Still, with your arms around Tuk, she shifted too, her upper body laying on your chest as she let her legs rest on Lo'ak.

"There. That's so much better." Lo'ak looked pleased with himself as you lifted your head from his chest.

Deadpan, you lowered your eyes at him, "If Tuk wasn't here, I'd kick you off this hammock so fast."

Lo'ak took an opprtunity to flirt with you, letting a quiet chuckle come out of his lips as he smirked, "If Tuk wasn't here, we wouldn't just be laying in this hammock, that's for sure."

"And what would we be doing besides that?" You flicked his forehead hard and realizing he was about to wince loudly, you put a hand over his mouth.

Gently removing it, Lo'ak placed your hand on his chest, his fingers resting over yours as he innocently replied, "Sleeping, of course." He continued, "Which is what you should be doing right now too."

"I don't need to sleep." You moved your neck slightly, your eyes peering up at him.

He pinched your cheek playfully, "You're exhausted.”

"No, I'm not." You denied, but he leaned forward, his hand touching your left under eye, the gentle pressure sinking the skin in.

"You're dead tired."

You couldn't risk reliving the nightmares you believed were inevitable, especially during such a stressful ride to Awa'atlu, and Lo'ak knew it too. So you had avoided sleep as much as possible, and when you did sleep, you were merely closing your eyes, resting your body, not fully submitting to the state.

"Great. Then, I'll sleep,” You lied, pushing his face away from yours and cautiously looking down at Tuk who stirred from the vibrations of your voice.

He brushed a hair away from your face, "I'll watch over you both.”

“Why? You should look in the mirror. You look like crap. You should probably sleep too." You put a hand on his under eyes too, pushing on his eyebags.

He scoffed, "Crap or not, we both know that I'm your type, so you can put that one away."

"And what is my type exactly?" You raised an eyebrow.

Putting a finger on his chin, he fake pondered before meeting your eyes again, smiling at you as he revealed nonchalantly, "The kind of guy that keeps your nightmares away."

You softened hearing that, and while you had tried your best to ignore the way it made you feel when Lo'ak would look at you, you gulped, seeing his affection so clearly as he gave you that smile he never seemed to give anyone else.

You switched your demeanor quickly, hiding those inner feelings as you hardened your expression, the old glare you had before returning. Lo'ak though was completely unfazed, taking the liberty of shutting your eyes for you as he placed a palm over them, pulling your eyelids gently downward. Swatting his hand away, you were ready to protest again when Lo’ak put a hand over your mouth, playful as he shushed you. You licked his palm in retaliation and he lifted it immediately, grimacing as he wiped your saliva on his cloth pocket.

Satisfied, you shut your eyes, turning away from him, holding in your laugh. Lo’ak peered over at you, smiling to himself. Your sense of safety that you felt was transparent in the way you naturally drifted off to sleep beside him. Tuk was fast asleep too, only adjusting herself to a more comfortable position as she snuggled up to your chest, her little body fitting perfectly between the two of you.

Back on the beach, Tsireya looked at Neteyam and Kiri worriedly, “Will your little sister be okay?”

Kiri held her arm, taking in a deep breath, “She will be. She just misses The Forest,” Her gaze went to her older brother who looked downward, “We all do.”

Attempting to cheer them up, Tsireya took Kiri by the hand, "I know you guys will fit right in here. Trust me."

Aonung scoffed, crossing his arms as he muttered something under his breath. Kiri stuck her tongue out at him as Neteyam held in every urge to punch him in the face.

Tsireya looked at her brother disappointedly, then turned her gaze back, "And don't mind him. He'll get over it."

Aonung sneered at her sister, rolling his eyes and leaving with a huff. Rotxo followed him though, saying a quick goodbye with a wave as he chased after his friend.

"For now, I'll teach you how we communicate under the water." Tsireya met Neteyam's eyes, holding up her hands and wiggling her fingers, 'That finger talk we were doing earlier, remember? So, come, I will show you a different area of the village and we can start our new lesson there."

The two Sullys walked with her into the village, and turning, she looked at Neteyam, asking, "Should we wait for Lo'ak?"

Kiri and Neteyam exchanged glances, raising their eyesbrows as they both thought the same thing. Neteyam shook his head, "No, it is alright. Wherever y/n is...that is where Lo'ak is. He will come back with her later."

Tsireya let out an 'ah' sound, understanding immediately, "Oh, I see. They are married, mated for life, right? They are very cute together."

Neteyam couldn't help but burst into laughter, holding onto his stomach as he replied, "No, no...my baby brother with a woman like that....oh how I would pity y/n."

Kiri, coming to her brother's defense, put her hands on her hips, passionately disagreeing, "Hey! You've seen how he looks at her. That's not funny, big brother."

"Oh, but it is." He faked wiping a tear away from his eyes, "Let's just hope his skxawng ass doesn't mess things up."

"She definitely likes him too." Kiri added.

Neteyam didn't disagree with his sister, but continued to tease, "Ah, yes for reasons unknown!"

-

You were woken up by the sound of a yawn and movement on your chest. Peeling your eyes open, you looked down to find Tuk slowly waking up, shifting her body and rubbing her eyes.

You could feel Lo'ak's chin near the top of your head and his steady breath underneath your palm as it rested on his chest. He had ended up sleeping after all.

"Look who's finally awake," You put an affectionate hand on her head, "Are you alright now Tuk?"

Tuk spoke quietly, her grogginess evident in the slight rasp of her voice, "I'm okay," She pouted, apologetic as she took your hand off her head and held it, "I'm sorry for crying so much."

"Don't be sorry." You reassured her, and glancing over at Lo'ak, his face peaceful, you pointed outside, "Should we let your brother sleep and go find the others?"

She nodded, but slowly she shook her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Or we could wake him up right now."

Sitting up quickly, she pressed her knees onto Lo'ak, plugging his nose as she playfully yelled, "Time to wake up Lo'ak!"

His eyes shot open as he took a deep breath in, a cough erupting from his mouth, shock going through him as he glared at his little sister, "Tuk, what the hell!"

She only laughed in response, and you along with her. Jumping off the hammock, she grabbed your hand again, her heels dug into the floor as she excitedly begged for you to hurry.

Swinging your legs to the side of the hammock, she pulled you forward and you obliged standing up and making your way out of the marui. Lo'ak was quick to get up from the hammock to follow, but not before he unhooked it off the columns, sloppily rolling it again and placing it in the bundle with the others.

He took Tuk's other hand in his once he finally caught up, and picking her up, he threw her in the air high toward the water before catching her again last minute, her loud squeal surprising the other villagers passing by.

"You're lucky y/n is here to hold me back or I swear you'd be bait for the fish." He joked with her, but she hardly cared about what he was saying as she shouted at him, "Again! Again! Again!"

Seeing you from afar, Tsireya shouted your names, waving to get your attention, "Lo'ak, y/n, Tuk! Come! You're just in time! We are starting a riding lesson with the ilus!"

Making your way into the water, you waded through it, waving at everyone.

Tsireya led you all to a central pool where Aonung already was with his friends, flicking his tongue and whooping as he called an ilu over.

You and the Sullys gathered together in front of him as he spoke, "If you want to live here, you have to ride."

One of the ilus were already circling around you, its motions endearing as it nudged its head against the underside of your arm, letting you pet him.

"Looks like he likes you." Aonung remarked, walking over to you.

"Right? And you would think he'd know that I only know how to swing on trees." You replied snarkily as you took your queue in your hand and mounted the ilu.

Aonung stood stunned by your response, but ultimately smirked, impressed by your quick wit, "Well, this is no warrior's mount. I doubt you'll be able to tame one, so we're starting off easy Forest Girl."

Taking your other hand in his, he placed it onto the harness in front of you," Just hold here and keep your legs in a good position. They take off fast."

"Thanks." You said simply, following his instructions.

Beside you, Tsireya was giving Lo'ak similar directions, but his focus was on you, nostrils flaring at hearing what Aonung had said.

Tsireya tilted her head, puzzled by Lo'ak's expression until she turned around to see the sight, giggling as she turned her gaze back to Lo'ak's seething figure, "After you follow what I say, you'll be able to join y/n in the water."

"Hmm?" Lo'ak murmured, the uttering of your name taking him out of his daze.

"Go ahead and make the bond gently, Lo'ak." Tsireya stated, "Feel your ilu's strength, then ride."

Lo'ak simply scoffed, "Easy."

Diving into the water, your ilu sped off swiftly, but you listened to Aonung's advice, maintaining your hold as you mentally gave your ilu directions, swimming further out into the deeper end of the water and circling back around.

You watched as Lo'ak dove with his ilu from under the water, the splash of the motion causing bubbles to erupt throughout the calm surface. He managed to wave at you, but in doing so, he lost his grip on the ilu, the creature speeding up and leaving Lo'ak behind.

Everyone erupted in laughter as you quickly swam over to him watching as he coughed up water, "Are you okay?"

He tried to hold in the cough, playing it off as he answered your question nonchalantly, "I'm fine, y/n. I meant to do that."

"Right, right. I saw what you were going for there." Behind you, the ilu he had bonded with returned, trilling mischievously as it splashed Lo'ak in the face.

"I'm good, really." He leaned in, whispering as he flirtatiously joked, "I just think this ilu is feeling jealous that my attention is elsewhere."

"You know, you should probably start taking this ilu bonding seriously," You replied, your lips quirking upwards as you tried to ignore the heat that was rising to your cheeks, "I can't beat you in an ilu race if you don't have an ilu."

"You're right. You'll definitely win," He bit the bottom of his lip as he eyed the water below while nodding, his two beaded braids dangling in front of his face as he flitted his eyes up suggestively, "But just know the loser owes the winner a kiss."

You smacked him on the side of the head, causing him to wince, "Don't lose your competitive edge now."

"I win either way." He rubbed the side of his head with his fingers, smirking at you.

You rolled your eyes, "Better hurry then," Not too far from you, you watched as Tuk was already on the ilu, clapping with joy and hugging her ilu lovingly, "Even Tuk got it done before you."

Clicking your tongue to call your ilu back and mounting it, you left Lo'ak playfully splashing him.

In the distance, you saw Tonowari and a group of other warriors, Jake beside them as they were beginning their own mounting lesson.

Making your way over, you swam under until the water became too shallow, breaching the surface as you neared them.

Noticing you, Jake looked you up and down, "How's your kiddie ride?"

Rolling your eyes, you put your hands on your hips, "Don't mind me. I just came to watch. I've been dying for a good laugh."

He flipped you off in response, the gesture bewildering to the metkayina warriors.

"This is a warrior's mount, a tsurak, not easy to master." Tonowari warned, "Perhaps you should start with an ilu."

"No, this one," He said confidently, paying no mind as he connected his queue, the tsurak growling and thrashing underneath the grips of the warriors.

"When you dive in, good position. Very important." Tonowari was sincere, the worry on his face shown in the way his forehead crinkled.

Jake with his overly cavalier attitude, hummed, "Uh huh," as he threw his leg over, tying his hand to the harness with a piece of crafted leather, "I got this."

Tonowari, although uncertain, nodded encouragingly. The other warriors let go, and you took the opportunity to tease, yelling, "Maybe you should have stretched before this!"

He glanced back at you with a scowl before darting forward with a "Hyah!"

Leaping into the air, you watched as Jake tried to take the normal stance he would while riding an ikran, but unable to find his balance, his movement was awkward. Then, finally, he was submerged into the water and you dove your head under, watching as Jake was blasted backward by the current the tsurak created as it sped away.

"Oooo!" The warriors all said in unision, wincing as Jake popped up from underwater, his hand bloodied from the friction of the leather.

You swam over to him, petting your ilu as you sarcastically remarked, “Maybe we should switch rides. I think that other one was too fast for you, old man.”

Jake sneered at you, pulling your leg off your ilu and dunking you under the water. When you shot back up, he laughed, "Was that too fast for you, kids meal?"

"Keep talking and you'll be fish food." You retorted, pushing your hair away from your face as you splashed Jake.

He put his hands up to block you, but that only gave you the perfect cover to take him down by the legs, your swift movement sending him under the water again.

You laughed loudly as he breached the surface and already swimming toward the shallow you yelled, "Keep up, old man!"

Grunting, Jake swam to your side until your feet touched the sand and sincerely, Jake asked, "So, first day...how are the kids?"

"As good as you can expect," You sighed, "Tuk cried 'cause she was missing home. They all are. But, we're getting there."

Jake stopped you, his hand on your shoulder, "Wait, Tuk cried? Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine now and riding her ilu with the others. I took her back to the marui earlier because she fell asleep after crying." You explained, and that seemed to comforted Jake, the heaviness he carried in his heart lessening as he gave you a small smile.

"Y/n!," Tonowari came up from behind you, and turning his attention to you, grinned, "Y/n, Tsireya tells me you are very good underwater already. And I see you've already tamed your ilu. Quite impressive."

You gave him a proper greeting, thanking him as you responded, "I still have a lot to learn, Chief. But, your daughter is doing a great job at making us all feel welcome. Thank you."

Tonowari was touched, smiling at you, then looking over at Jake, he praised him proudly, "You've raised a fine daughter, Jake Sully."

You put a hand over your mouth, uncertain how to respond as Jake corrected him, "Oh no, Tonowari. Y/n isn't my daughter. She's like my daughter, but she's..." He racked his brain trying to explain who you were to him, the truth too puzzling and complicated to clarify.

"Ah, I see!" Tonowari's eyes lighting up as he seemingly comprehended what Jake was trying to say, "She is your daughter-in-law, married to one of your sons! Your oldest boy?"

Jake looked as if his eyes were going to pop out of his head, voice cracking as he spoke, "To Neteyam? No no she's—"

"Ah, so she is married to your younger boy!" Tonowari interrupted, beaming as he extended his hand to you, smiling with his teeth as he exclaimed, "Congratulations!"

You were completely caught off guard by him, furiously blushing as you took Tonowari's hand, firmly shaking it with a nervous laugh, "Thank you Chief."

You glanced to your side to see Jake's expression, clearly bothered as he scrunched his nose at you. You read his lips as he mouthed, "What are you doing?"

You managed a quick, "Shut up," before turning back to Tonowari to continue your conversation, choosing your words carefully so Jake would catch onto what you were doing, "It would be strange for me to come here with the Sullys if I wasn't married to Lo'ak. I thank you on behalf of him as well. I'll make sure to extend your congratulations to him.

Tonowari agreed, offering a joke "He would be a bad husband if he left you in The Forest, no?"

You laughed, letting go of Tonowari's hand and placing your hands on Jake's shoulders, the skin around your eyes crinkled as you kept your grin, "Well, as my father-in-law here loves to say, Sullys stick together! Isn't that right, Jake?"

Jake gritted his teeth at you, the vein in his forehead popping out of the side of his forehead as he stifled a laugh, playing along, "That's right."

There was no use interjecting with the actual truth, Tonowari's customs regarding family and marriage a consequence of his assumptions.

But even without his assumptions, how could you so frivolously tell him who you really were?

You were the daughter of the man responsible for countless Na'vi deaths—the daughter of the man that was hell bent on hunting the Sullys.

You couldn't change that.

But, as you stood in the water, not expecting to feel so renewed by this fresh new start, you didn't feel as afflicted by that fact as you expected to be. Your heart was too concentrated on the idea of marrying Lo'ak to pay any mind to your own inner conflict, the very thought of it sending butterflies to your stomach.

You suddenly felt awkward standing between Jake and Tonowari. their differing expressions wanting you to avoid prolonging the conversation.

You inhaled, your gaze shifting to the others in the distance, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on everyone."

Tonowari understood, patting your shoulder gently before dismissing you, and leaving with a proper greeting, meeting your fingers to your forehead, you left quickly, diving under the water and leaving a stream of bubbles in your wake.

The cool touch of the water did nothing to help dissipate the red hot tint that felt perpetual on your cheeks. You couldn't stop thinking about Lo'ak and the potential of a future with him.

And in realizing that, you become aware of how you had lived your old life. And echoing in your mind was one of Mo'at's many reminders to you.

Life is about balance, y/n. To be too much of one thing and not enough of another can lead us on a lost path. Do not mistake surviving for living.

You had fallen victim to that way of life—playing soldier while playing scientist were two roles you had grown accustomed to juggling. Perhaps you had always expected to die early too, it’s the way a Marine would think living through war. Never once did you entertain the dreams that would come with a long life—marriage, kids, a family, happiness. They were just dreams with no chance of ever coming true.

But now, you suddenly felt the hope of those dreams becoming even more than a possibility. You had never even considered it. But, now, the thought implanted itself in your head.

You found Kiri first and seeing you, she resurfaced, the two of you making your way to the shore.

"Your face is flushed, y/n! Are you alright?" Kiri looked at you with concern.

You put a hand on your cheek, eyes widened, groaning, "Still?"

"What happened?" Kiri nudged you with her elbow, "Let me guess...you and Lo'ak kissed, huh?"

You shook your head, not thinking as you blurted out, "No, not since we left The Forest."

You put a hand over your mouth the minute you said it, gasping and mentally scolding yourself.

"I knew something happened between you!" Kiri exclaimed, "I can't believe you kissed! How was it?"

"Shhh! Would you keep your voice down?" You searched the beach, hoping that Lo'ak wasn't lurking around.

Unbeknownst to you, Neytiri was standing on the dock nearby bringing a basket of fruits back to the marui when she overheard your conversation, her intrigue peaking as she hid behind one of the marui columns.

"Okay, yes we kissed, but I told him that we're just friends." Suddenly feeling embarrassed under Kiri's gaze, you eyed the sand, pressing your feet into the grains.

"Ugh, why? You like him, don't you?" Kiri grumbled, confused.

You put your hand on your hips, answering her original question instead of heading her new one directly, "The Chief thinks we're married."

"Ah, so everyone knows that you like Lo'ak except for you." Kiri joked, laughing.

You deadpanned, crossing your arms and Kiri simply shrugged, saying, "What? Even Tsireya thought you guys were together."

You groaned, putting a hand over your head, blinking, "Is it really that easy to tell?"

Kiri scrunched her nose at you, pressing her lips into a thin line as she nodded, "Yeah, it is...for both of you. I told you earlier how he stares at you!"

You couldn't find any words to say, your thoughts taking you backward as you recalled all of your moments together, chuckling as you remembered even the smallest of details and the most delicate of touches.

She took your hands into hers again, dissipating her joking tone as she spoke to you sincerely, "Why don't you just give him a chance? What's stopping you?"

"What is going on? Are you guys alright?" You heard a voice call out to you guys from the distance.

Leaning back, you saw Neteyam walking over, and in his concern, he assumed something was wrong as Kiri held onto your hands, her brows furrowed as she spoke.

Once he approached, he was surprised to find that nothing was wrong as Kiri hummed, "Oh, we're alright. Just having a heart to heart with our sister-in-law."

"Kiri!" You scolded her, but she ignored you.

Snickering, she put a hand beside her mouth as she leaned toward Neteyam, "The Chief thinks her and Lo'ak are married."

Neteyam gasped at first, then sighed, faking a pained expression and putting his hands together in front of him as he looked you in the eye, "I cannot believe you didn't invite us to your wedding. I am deeply hurt, y/n."

Kiri joined in with her brother, wiping a fake tear as she turned away from you dramatically, "Me too! I thought we were supposed to be sisters!"

You couldn't get a word in as Neteyam continued, sucking a breath through his teeth as he separated his hands, shrugging, "I should have seen this coming. Lo'ak went on and on about how you spent a night with one another."

"Spent a—" Kiri gasped, her eyes widening at you, "You said you guys just kissed!"

"I was only joking!" Neteyam shouted in his disbelief, "Lo'ak kissed you?"

Lo'ak, who was finally coming up to shore, caught the tail end of the conversation, interjecting proudly as he put his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice as he yelled out.

"She kissed me actually!"

Hearing Lo'ak's voice, you shrunk, muttering as your eyes went heavenward, "Oh Great Mother help me."

Neteyam placed a gentle hand on your arm, feigning an apologetic expression, "I'm so sorry you had to do that."

Narrowing his eyes, Lo'ak snarkily replied, "And who's kissing you, Neteyam? Oh, right. No one."

Sucking in a breath, Neteyam put his hands on his brother's shoulders, "Y/n kissing you first definitely makes sense. You're too much of a skxawng to make a move that big."

Planting yourself between the two of them, you eyed them both, “Okay let’s stop talking about the kissing."

Neteyam put a fist to his mouth as he let out a snicker, "Are you embarrassed of your husband? Understandably so, I mean, it is Lo'ak."

"What? Husband? What are you talking about?" Lo'ak looked at Neteyam, wholly amused and his heart roused by the thought.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Facing Lo'ak, you were stern, but he didn't take you seriously as he pulled you toward him.

His eyes shimmered with that usual adoration as he kept his gaze on you. "No, no. I want to know. What's this about me being your husband? I haven't even proposed to you yet."

Yet.

The butterflies in your stomach returned hearing that, your heart suddenly beating so fast you could hardly contain it. It didn't help that Lo'ak knew exactly what he was doing to you as he watched your face redden again, the pink tint going sanguine on your cheeks and your flustered expression immobilizing him as he fixated on you only.

You gulped, stuck in that feeling for the moment before you realized your actions, clearing your throat and acting nonchalant as you loosened his grip on you.

"The Chief thinks you two are married." Kiri explained and Lo'ak instantly lit up hearing that.

"Okay, so we're married." He accepted the fact with no hesitation, his reaction casually calm as he shrugged.

Confused, you tilted your head at him, "You're not even going to ask why?"

Kiri and Neteyam were eager to hear his response, stepping forward.

Lo'ak, not being able to resist being close to you, threw his arm over your shoulder, leaning forward as he made eye contact with you, your foreheads practically touching, "We're going to get married someday anyway. We could make his thinking a fact, you know. I'd marry you tomorrow. Or today, whatever you prefer."

"Aw Lo'ak," You began, wrapping an arm around his waist affectionately at first, but then you pinched his side mischievously, shocking Lo'ak out of your grasp, "Stop saying stupid things."

it was all you could manage to say as you scolded him, unsure of how to convey your real feelings and instead, opting to avoid them. Lo'ak had already expected you to react like that, emboldened even more by you as he whimpered dramatically, "You dug in so hard I think I'm bleeding, You're going to have to kiss it y/n. That's the only way it'll heal."

Annoyed, you walked off deeper into the water, but Lo'ak followed you, repositioning his stance to better show you where you had pinched him, the skin clearly scratch-free despite his constant protests.

Kiri turned to Neteyam as you continued to bicker with Lo'ak, "She's our sister-in-law alright."

Neteyam broke his eye contact with Kiri to watch you two, his arms crossed as he shook his head, "I still cannot believe that a fine woman like that is actually into my baby brother. I fear that her only flaw is liking Lo'ak."

"She is pretty cool, huh?" Kiri agreed, "Now that I think about it, I do remember seeing her a lot in my mom's video logs. She's really smart too."

"And yet another reason why I do not understand her choice!" Neteyam threw his hands up.

Kiri laughed, rolling her eyes as she nudged him toward the village, "Come on, brother."

Neteyam put his arms down, "Why are we going?"

Pointing to you and Lo'ak, she sighed, "We both just became third wheels to the two of them. Let's just go."

Neteyam nodded, agreeing with her but jokingly replied, "That's actually four wheels, sister."

Kiri didn't spare a chuckle as she groaned, but Neteyam merely laughed at his own joke. Taking one last glance at the two of you, he looked upon you happily, noticing how well you two got along. Kiri did as well, and Neteyam as if already reading her thoughts spoke aloud, "They are definitely getting married."

When they faced forward to keep their path toward the village, Neytiri stood in their way, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. The unexpected sight of their mother surprised them, sending them backward slightly in shock.

"Hi mom..." Kiri said, letting out a nervous laugh, "What are you doing here?"

"Is what I heard true?" Neytiri asked calmly.

"Well...what did you hear mom?" Neteyam asked, scratching the back of his head.

Uncrossing her arms, she threw her hands up, "Lo'ak and y/n. The kissing! The spending a night with one another! Everything!"

The two of them winced as she passionately listed it all, and could only manage obedient nods as they confirmed the truth.

Neteyam put his hands up, cautiously reassuring his mother, "But, they merely slept side by side with one another the night that she came home with us. That was it."

Neytiri lifted her eyes to see you and Lo'ak in the distance, no longer bickering as you let out a laugh, most likely from a stupid joke that Lo'ak had just made.

She didn't say anything for a moment as she observed you both. And while at first she felt her motherly instincts kick in, her notions of tradition and duty deep within her values, she also felt warmed by the connection you had with her youngest son.

In truth, watching you two reminded her of herself and Jake, and that fact erased the hardened expression she had, and in its place arose a smile. Kiri and Neteyam remained planted where they were in the sand, waiting for their mother to do something, anything.

But she only kept that smile, reflecting on her youthful days with Jake, those memories cascading her unspoken approval onto you both.

When night finally fell, you gathered with the rest of the clan to eat your evening meal. In a large central area of the village, food, mostly fish seasoned with aquatic herbs, was served on massive shells and each clan member used their own handmade plates with holes carved out for easy hand access. You were all mostly ignored by the rest of the metkayina, all of them engrossed in their own conversations and purposefully paying you no mind as you and the Sullys sat with one another beside Tonowari and his family.

You could tell by Neytiri's face that she was only eating because she was hungry, not even trying to hide her frown as she spooned it in her mouth. Jake seemed to have no problem with the food, loading his plate up and even eating what Neytiri had left on her plate. Kiri seemed to have the same distaste for the food as well, matching her mother's expression as she reluctantly ate. You, on the other hand, were like Jake, too scarred by the freeze-dried crap you used to eat at the base to be picky.

Once everyone was finished eating, Tsireya walked back with you guys to your marui, saying good night before leaving.

You were setting up your hammock when Jake called you outside to talk to you alone, but Neytiri kept herself near you two, eavesdropping.

Hands on his hips, you could tell that he was trying to find the right words to say, slightly awkward as he looked up, "When Tonowari thought you and Lo'ak were married...you can't just keep that up forever, you know. What were you thinking agreeing to that?"

You crossed your arms, "And what the hell was I supposed to tell him Jake?"

You stood straight, sarcastically mimicking how the conversation would go as you pitched your voice higher, "I'm not actually Jake's daughter. I'm his friend from twenty years ago, but I ended up dying. And now, I'm reborn as a Na'vi, but so is my father, whose sole mission is to kill Jake and his family, and is the reason why we're even here in the first place!"

Jake placed his index finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose, contemplative, as he internally recognized that you were right, but externally wanted to remain authoritarian, "You should have just let me handle it. I would have told Tonowari that you're with us, that you're part of our family, regardless of everything."

"Right, right, like you weren't stuttering trying to explain who I was," Copying his voice, you repeated what he had said snarkily, "Y/n isn't my daughter, but she's like my daughter."

Unconstrained, you released a laugh, "If anything, you backed me into that corner. The way you said it, it was so easy for him to think that I was your daughter-in-law!"

"Yes but—"

"Ma Jake," Neytiri peeked her head from the side of the marui, "It is time for bed."

Inhaling, he reluctantly nodded and you saw that as the perfect escape, walking past Neytiri, you placed a hand on her shoulder gratefully before going to your hammock.

Tuk met you halfway, begging you to sleep next to her, but Neytiri protested in your defense, telling her, "Tuk, it has been a long day. Let y/n sleep by herself and you sleep with mama."

Tuk pouted, sniffling as she tried not to cry, "Okay."

Even though you didn't mind sleeping next to Tuk, you still gave Neytiri a grateful smile. Silence fell in the marui after that, everyone tired as all of you settled into your hammocks.

But, no matter how much you tried to, you just couldn't sleep. Opening one eye, you peeked at the others and once you were certain that everyone was sound asleep, you quietly sat up. Gently placing your feet onto the ground, you stood, hands out as you carefully maneuvered through of the marui. Stopping by your things first, you grabbed the pouch that had all your keepsakes, feeling reminiscent. When you stepped out into the walkway, you became conscious of how bouncy it was. You walked with utmost care, trying not to prompt the usual creak of it that would erupt with every step.

You had originally planned to walk on the beach, but not wanting to risk waking the rest of the village, you carefully made your way toward the mountains that were behind it. The trees that made up the village provided you with the perfect cover as you disappeared between the colossal branches.

And as if sensing that you were there, your ikran appeared by your side, flapping his wings before landing. Putting a hand on his nose, you smiled, nuzzling your forehead into his as he leaned forward. You walked into a clearing, the sky above not impeded by the leaves of the trees. With your feet planted on the ground, the grass below you providing comfort, you looked up at the stars for a moment before reaching into your pouch, your elbows rested on your knees.

There were, of course, the pictures you used to have on your bunk, hugging them to your chest before placing them beside you. Your hand brushed on a piece of glass and taking it out, it was the face of Trudy's watch that she always wore—something Jake had kept and figured you'd want to have. Then, rattling at the bottom were Grace's hair beads, you felt them in between your thumb and your finger, remembering how they would sway to and fro whenever she would laugh. The clinking of glass against the beads brought your attention to the microscope slide that Norm had given to you before you left— a small snaketree sample between the glass to commemorate your time in the lab.

Then, your finger brushed against two hunks of metal and fishing them out, you felt an ache in your heart— you and your father's dogtags. You didn't know why you chose to keep them. Attached to them were painful, bloody, violent memories, but also you couldn't help but remember those good, rare times with him. Maybe it was the Na'vi blood that was making you soft and sentimental, just like he had told you in The Forest.

You had clearly recalled having only put those mementos in there, but when you looked into the very bottom of the pouch, you found three more things. It was Mo'at who had given you the pouch, and in your haste to pack everything up, you didn't notice she had already put things in there for you.

Taking them out, you read the paper first.

It read,

Dear y/n,

The Great Mother holds all Her Children in Her heart. We live in Eywa and Eywa lives in us.

I knew one day that you would return.

Now, that you are reborn, make your songcord, sing, and remember.

You will find your blood incased in amber from the Final Battle, commemorating your sacrifice for Jake. And the bead, carved from the wood of the old HomeTree, honors you for protecting The People.

I am certain that you will have more to add to it as you continue to live and enjoy life.

I wish you well.

Mo'at

These pieces were memories you didn't have, your final moments only in the minds and hearts of those that knew you all those years ago. But, Mo'at had returned those memories to you in a beautiful way.

Holding the bead and the amber in your hands, you clasped them in your palm, closing your eyes and thanking Mo'at in your head, wishing that you could thank her in person and embrace her one more time.

Placing everything back in the pouch, you set it aside as you laid back down, gazing up at the stars, nostalgia flooding you. Although it was a cheap replacement, you felt like you were back in The Forest and for a moment, you closed your eyes, imagining yourself there again.

You could see it, feel it so clearly, but you couldn't chase it back as you opened your eyes again, the pain of leaving the place you barely got to call home taking over.

Then, you thought of Spider, wondering if he was alright. Worry didn't even begin to describe what you felt about it, but the damage was already done. You and the Sullys had vanished, and while you stood by that decision, you couldn't shake the feeling that you had abandoned him. Because just like The Forest had to become a memory to you all, Spider would have to be too.

Rustling in the distance made your ears twitch, your ikran also sensing movement as he shifted closer to you protectively. When you sat up, you had your hand on your knife and lifting your entire body to stand, you stood in front of your ikran.

Knowing exactly where the sound came from, you turned toward it, ready to strike, only to reveal Lo'ak with his hands up in surrender, "It's just me!"

You sheathed your knife, sighing as you returned to your comfortable position on the grass, "How long have you been following me?"

Lo'ak came over to you, putting his hands on his knees as he crouched down above you, his braids dangling in your face as he replied, "Since you got up."

You pressed a finger into his forehead, forcing his head to lean backward, "You're blocking my view."

He wrapped a hand around your finger, smirking, "Funny, because I'm looking at mine."

You rolled your eyes, retreating your finger back and scooting yourself over. Lo'ak just chuckled, sitting down at first then lying on his back beside you, "So, what are we looking at?"

"The stars." Your eyes fixated on earth, "I've always liked them."

Eyes heavenward, Lo'ak asked you, "Why do you like the stars?"

Reaching far back into your memories, you remembered the time before you met Quaritch, much of it a blur as your own mind drowned out the torture you endured at such a young age.

"Pandora...you'd hear stories about it on earth—the most hostile environment known to man is how they'd describe it." You took a deep breath to calm yourself down, chills going down your spine as that time in your life flashed in front of you like a wave, "When my parents sold me, I was kept in a warehouse. They would never turn the lights on in the rooms, but there were windows. So, at night, even when the sky was at its absolute darkest, the stars, the planets...they kept me company. I just always remember wanting to be where they were."

Aiming to lighten the mood, you jokingly figured, "Maybe the Great Mother heard me all the way from earth 'cause not long after, Quaritch took me in and then we came here. And then...I died and I’m here again," You paused, echoing Mo'at's words in her note to you, "Reborn."

Lo’ak noticed your goosebumps, the nerves you tried to hide so obvious to him. And not wanting to press you any further, he did his best to cheer you up, “I was feeling pretty lonely before I met you, so maybe the Great Mother heard my prayers too.”

Your breath hitched, glancing at him from the side then retreating your gaze forward when he tried to meet your eyes, “You’re just saying that. You had Neteyam and Kiri and Tuk. And you also grew up with my brother, didn’t you?”

He just scoffed, “Okay yeah but your brother isn’t nearly as pretty as you are.”

You pressed your lips together, trying not to give him the satisfaction of making you laugh but you couldn’t help it as a roll of laughter escaped you. It was just what you needed, and although your worries still existed, they were quieted as you and Lo'ak talked.

Lo’ak continued, nonchalant as he joked, “I mean, I know why you hang out with me the most. It’s obviously because I’m the most handsome of my siblings, and that includes Kiri and Tuk.”

You let another laugh out before lifting your head and sitting upright, meeting his eyes, "No, that's not it."

The statement made Lo'ak anxious, but equally as desperate to know as he sat up with you, his front braids falling forward as he adjusted the tilt of his head in curiosity, "Why?"

"I hang out with you because..." You reached for him, pawing at the beads in his hair as you tried to find the words you wanted to say, wondering if you even had the courage to say them at all.

The movement made Lo'ak gulp, his lips parted as he rested his palm on the ground for stability. Instinctively, he leaned forward, the natural intimacy between you so stark. Yet, the gap he aimed to close never did as you tugged on his two braids playfully, making him scrunch his face in response.

"B-because it's fun to do stuff like that to you." You stuttered, turning away from him, your eyes landing on the dirt patch at the edge of the grass.

Tracing stars into the ground, you avoided Lo'ak as he peeked his head beside you, smiling as he understood what you were trying to say beneath your mischief, "As long as I get to be close to you, I'm fine with that."

You didn't say anything, peering at him for a second to see his huge smile. Touched, you looked back on the ground, hiding your own smile as you continued to draw your stars in the dirt.

"Teach me how to do that." Lo'ak attempted to follow your hand movements, but with the third stroke, he gave up.

Holding the back of his hand, you directed his maneuvers explaining it, "Just start from the bottom like this then you go up, down, left, right, and down to where you started."

You let go of his hand and watched as he tried it himself, and succeeding, he looked at you for approval, which you gave to him in the form of a proud nod.

The two of you stayed in the clearing for a while, and helping to take your mind off things, Lo'ak asked you more about the stars, your knowledge of astronomy finally landing on eager ears as you mapped out simple basics of the solar system.

When the peak of eclipse began to wane, you stopped your lesson and looking at Lo'ak you urged, "We should head back."

He nodded upon your request. In truth, he was ready to go to sleep again, feeling the creeping tiredness in the yawn that escaped him. But, he was far too engrossed in being with you for that to take priority.

Lo'ak got up first, reaching his hand out to you, which you hesitated to take, and seeing that hesitation, Lo'ak took your hand anyway, lifting you up with firm strength.

"Thanks." Your voice was quiet as you separated your hand from his and looking down, your eyes widened.

"Oh I can't believe I almost forgot this." You crouched to pick up your pouch, holding it close to you, "Okay, let's go."

"What is that?" Lo’ak cocked his head forward to look, but he didn’t need to as you held it out for him to hold.

“Memories.” You replied simply, and turning to your ikran, you gave him one final goodbye before heading in the direction that you came from.

Lo’ak, picked out each of the pieces, observing them. He read the paper last before tucking it back into the pouch.

“What else are you going to put in your songcord?” Lo’ak caught up to you as you walked, the path narrowing from the clearing and into the village.

Just at the edge of the trees, you saw the water below and the village just ahead. Turning, you were about to respond, but Lo’ak continued his pace, bumping into you. You staggered backward toward the edge of the water, falling backwards with nothing to hold.

Lo’ak in his panic, caught you quickly but let go of your pouch, sending it to the depths of the water.

“Y/n I’m so sor—“ You shushed him, putting a hand to his lips.

“Just shut up and dive.”

There was no time to waste for you as you felt a pit in your stomach form, instantly diving into the water. Lo’ak followed after you, even though he knew he couldn’t hold his breath for long, swimming downward.

You had only managed to grab Mo’at’s paper, your dogtags, and the wooden bead as the rest of it fell toward the sea floor below, beyond the scope of the natural bioluminescent plants and into the dark and infinite.

Out of breath, you swam up, Lo’ak already there as he caught his own breath. When you resurfaced, you opened your hand, defeated.

Lo’ak handed you Trudy’s watch, apologetic, “I’m sorry. This was all I could grab.”

You took it from his hands, closing your palm around it, “It’s okay Lo’ak. Thank you.”

Lifting yourself to the shore, the dirt becoming mud as it caked onto your knuckles, you pivoted, sitting down for a moment as your feet dangled above the water.

Opening your palms, you let out a deep exhale, sadness permeating through you and only amplifying as you shivered from the breeze that cascaded through the trees.

“We can look for your other things tomorrow when it’s light outside.” Lo’ak nudged you with an elbow, but you didn’t budge, your head downcast.

It suddenly felt like a bad omen looking at what you had salvaged, a symbolism of everything you couldn't save and everything in your past that haunted you.

As if to taunt you, you looked at your dogtags, the word “Quaritch” causing scorn to rise within you, a reemergence of the pain and the inner conflict you felt about your existence rising. Then, there was the bead, the wood blackened and charred by your father’s command. And lastly, Trudy’s watch, the hands frozen, forever stuck on the moment when she breathed her last breath.

Somehow, all you could gather were the parts of your story that you just couldn’t forgive, the parts of you that juxtaposed that renewed sense of being Mo’at urged you to be, to feel.

But just like Mo’at’s paper, you felt that tug within yourself, torn. The line between who you were and who you wanted to be blurred like the ink that smudged the wet page.

Perhaps remembering was just too painful and in your desperation to lay waste to the guilt and regret you felt, you impulsively threw them all back into the water, overwhelmed by the need to let everything go, to stop the ache inside of you.

Lo’ak blinked rapidly as you did it, unsure if he was just imagining it, “Why—“

Not sparing the water a second glance, you got up, brushing the dirt off your knuckles. You tried to remain indifferent, but your voice cracked, “Some things are better off forgotten. Let’s go.”

"Wait, y/n—"

Lo’ak watched as you walked off and looking into the water, he prayed in a hushed tone quickly before darting off after you, “Great Mother, please help me find everything quickly tomorrow."

-

The next morning, Tsireya was surprised to see Lo'ak so early, but even more surprised to not find you by his side. Judging by the expression that Lo'ak had on his face, she could sense his desperate urgency and the panic behind his eyes.

She cocked an eyebrow at Lo'ak, his eyes showing his desperate concern, and holding the basket she had at her side, she asked, "What is wrong?"

Rambling, he moved his hands as he explained what happened, not stopping to take a breath as he let his words out, "Last night, y/n and I were looking at the stars and then she had this little sack with all the things she needed for her songcord and I dropped it in the water. And I just—I saw her face when it fell and I hate seeing her so sad. So, I need your help finding it.”

She had expected a more dire situation, and after letting out a sigh of relief, she couldn't help but giggle, "And here I was so worried that something terrible had happened! This is an easy fix. Show me where she lost her things. I will help you."

Leading her to that edge, the slight wave of the water lapping at it, Lo'ak could still see your footprints still pressed into the dirt. Pointing, he directed her, "It fell down right here."

"Stay here. I have something that will help with your breath." Tsireya said, and diving, she quickly swam to the depths of the coral reef, her eyes scanning the water.

When she found what she was looking for, a gill mantle, she put one on herself and held onto another for Lo'ak, their fluid-like movements making them difficult to grasp at first, but once she had her hold on the gelatinous body, she swam up.

Lo'ak crouched near the water, watching for Tsireya, heart pounding in anxiousness. He wanted to find it before you woke up, or at the very least, before you noticed he was gone.

Once Tsireya surfaced, she signaled for him to join her and jumping in the water, she showed him the gill mantle, explaining, "Turn. I will put this on your back. It gives breath in the water."

He obliged, turning. He felt it attach to him, its smooth texture cool on his skin. Then, Tsireya submerged herself again, Lo'ak following after her.

He instantly felt better in the water, keeping up with her as she made her way down. The light from above provided a shimmering beacon for the sea floor, which resembled an abyss before in the wake of the night.

Still though, the surroundings were darker than Lo'ak was used to, and seeing his discomfort, Tsireya gently tapped one of the coral pieces, the entire structure illuminating the bottom, every creature and plant seemingly greeting it as they all, in unison, casted their own lights in response.

Once the floor was illuminated, Lo'ak easily found the wooden bead, your dogtags, and Trudy's watch almost fully buried in the sand, their foreign appearances allowing for his eyes to spot them quickly. It also didn't take long for Tsireya to spot the pouch, the design of it so distinctly Omaticaya that it stuck out amidst the surroundings of the sea.

Handing it to Lo'ak, he smiled, clearly grateful to her. Then, making sure that everything was in there, he peeked inside. Relief took over him as he realized everything was still in there and inside of his mind, he thanked the Great Mother. Placing the watch, bead, and tags in the pouch, he closed it tightly.

Going back to the surface, Lo'ak held on to it with a tight fist, not wanting anything to fall out again. And when they neared the surface, Tsireya took the gill mantle off him and off herself. Taking their breaths, they were silent for a moment and holding your pouch out of the water, Lo'ak couldn't contain his excitement to give it to you later.

Tsireya had only met Lo'ak the day before, but she noted early on that Lo'ak would never smile at anyone the way he would smile at you.

Swimming toward the docks, she suggested, "This will be y/n's first songcord?"

"Yeah, it is," Lo'ak looked up, tilting his head, "Why?"

Her eyes brightened, "Come with me. I know how you can make y/n very happy."

Stopping by her marui, she fished out a handful of items from a basket near the ground and showing them to Lo'ak, she described them, "You can use this twine to put it altogether and then you can add something to symbolize your connection, here are some things—just a few shells, sea crystals, beads, and rocks that you can put on there to make it even more special for her."

Instantly smiling as an idea popped into his head, he took out his knife, "I know exactly what I'm going to add. Thanks Tsireya."

"You are very welcome. Here, I will measure out the twine for you."

He nodded gratefully as he began carving through one of the shells. Tsireya unraveled the twine and looking up, she watched Lo'ak for a moment, moved by how focused he was, his concentration showing how much he cared about the efforts he put into it. When he finished, laid out your mementos, one by one, organizing them with intention.

He remembered all the things you told him about yourself, even the smallest details helping him figure out how to put them all in the right order. As he continued to think, he instinctively touched the ikran claw on his necklace, and eyes widening, he unfastened it, undoing the entire thing to release the claw from its position.

Once again, Tsireya saw that huge smile, her heart warmed by the sight, "You’re putting the claw from your necklace in it as well?”

He nodded, placing it delicately next to the shell he carved for you, “I was wearing it when we met.”

He also remembered vividly how you had hooked your hands around the claw of his necklace when you kissed him. But, he kept that reason to himself, too shy to admit it to Tsireya.

“You are very fond of her,” Tsireya knew she was pointing out the obvious, but it didn’t stop Lo’ak from blushing, "And she is very fond of you too."

"Your father thinks we're married." Lo'ak looked up at her from the side, chuckling.

"So did I." Tsireya said with a giggle. Her eyes wandered to your mementos, curiosity bubbling inside her.

"I have never seen things like this before." Tsireya admitted, intrigued as she eyed each one closely, "These are from the Sky People, right?"

"Y/n is from the same star that my dad is from." He replied as he played around with different combinations of beads and rocks.

"How? How are y/n and your dad Na'vi?" Tsireya asked, sheltered from the very idea that it could be a possibility.

Norm and Max had tried to explain it to him once before in the lab while Kiri was visiting Grace's avatar, but he couldn't recall all of the scientific terms or processes. And not wanting to confuse her any further, he avoided the question, "I don't really know. You'll have to ask y/n. She knows all about it. She was a scientist, one of the natural observers of our world."

Tsireya nodded, seeming to comprehend Lo'ak, "I will ask her later when we have time after our lessons. But for now let us hurry, so you can give it to her! I will help you put it altogether."

Giving him directions on how to weave the pieces, Tsireya helped Lo’ak, making different shapes and manipulating the differing pieces to make a cohesive line. Lo'ak kept a careful watch on the sun, once low, a half dome in the reflection of the water, approached near highest peak, the once pinkish tone of the sky slowly settling into blue. When Lo’ak finally got to the last part, he secured what he had carved for you with a double knot, leaving extra room before cutting the end off.

"There! It’s done!" Coiling it in his palm, he presented it to Tsireya and he took it with haste, already up from his seated position and halfway to the entryway of the marui.

"Thank you Tsireya!," Lo'ak began to whisper-yell as he realized that it was still too early for many of the villagers, "Thank you! I have to go give this to y/n. I'll see you later."

Overwhelmed by hopelessness, you had let your impulses take over the night before, so much so that you had woken up in a daze, not feeling like yourself as you mindlessly rolled your hammock. Although you had so confidently uttered aloud how much you wanted to forget, you were beginning to regret it. You hadn't noticed that you were just turning it over and over until Kiri put a hand over yours.

"Are you okay?" She slowly took your hammock out of your hands, trying to find an answer in your blank stare.

“Oh yeah. I'm fine." You replied cheerily, although she wasn't convinced, the glint of sadness still remnant in the way you were looking at her.

When Jake figured out that Lo'ak was missing, what could have been a peaceful morning turned into a very stressful one as he scolded Neteyam for not keeping an eye on his brother. Apologetic, Neteyam could only manage an obedient nod, taking the heat for it, despite his own inner protests.

Hearing Jake, you pulled yourself out of your daze, quick to defend Neteyam, "Why are you blaming Neteyam? This isn't his fault, Jake. Lo'ak probably just went to go ride his ilu or something."

"That's not the point y/n. The point is that I told him to stay out of trouble." He was absolute in his strict rule, but you didn't care, still continuing to argue.

"How do you know he's in trouble?" You challenged him. narrowing your eyes.

Jake opened his mouth with an outstretched finger at you, "It's Lo'ak. I know."

"Like father, like son." You muttered under your breath, rolling your eyes.

"What was that?" Jake's fists balled, the slight annoyance in his voice amplifying.

Putting your hands at your sides as you turned on your heel, you took Neteyam by the shoulder, "Stand down Corporal. Neteyam and I will go look for him before you have a stroke."

Jake watched the two of you go, Neytiri urging Kiri and Tuk to follow after you.

"Thank you for coming to my defense." Neteyam peered at you from the side, grateful as he smiled at you.

You slung your arm over his shoulder with your other hand out for him to bump, "Anytime. I love seeing that vein stick out of your dad's forehead whenever I do something like this."

Neteyam bumped your knuckles, chuckling loudly, "I have noticed it come out a lot lately."

When he laughed, the way he smiled flashed you back, a warm, but sullen feeling taking over, "Has your mom ever told you that you look a lot like her sister, your aunt, Sylwanin? When you smiled, just now, you really look like her."

He blinked, trying to remember, but shaking his head, "No, she's never told me, but I have seen her when I've connected to the Tree of Souls," He looked at you, amazed, "Now that I think about it, I see it."

"Wait! Wait for us!" Tuk's little voice yelled from behind you.

Letting your arm fall, you let out a laugh as you watched her bounce over, the material of the dock moving up and down with every step. Kiri was watching her intently, making sure she didn't suddenly fall into the water.

"Guys! What's happening? What are we doing?"

All of you shifted your attention to that familiar voice, the slight gravelly texture of it not hard to distinguish.

Neteyam immediately scolded his little brother, taking him by the neck, "Skxawng! We were looking for you. Dad has been wondering where you were all morning."

You all continued to walk on the docks until you got to the beach, Neteyam giving his brother an earful.

"Yeah seriously brother." Kiri began, eyes narrowed, "We've been here a whole day and you're already off on some little adventure. Where did you go?"

Lo'ak, wholly expecting it and being so used to being in trouble, shrugged casually, his eyes going to you as he stepped forward, "I had to go look for something."

"What are you talking about?" You knew what he was alluding to, but it felt too good to be true.

From behind his back, he held your pouch up by its drawstring and you furrowed your eyebrows in disbelief, "You found it."

Grabbing hold of your right hand, he placed it gently in your palm, "I know you said some things are better forgotten. But, songcords aren't just about how you began. They're also about how you continue life," He paused, chuckling softly, "And, I also know that if my grandma was here, she would kill me if I let that pouch sit at the bottom of the reef.”

Shocked, you couldn't move for a second, overwhelmed with warmth as you took in Lo'ak's words.

Eager, he looked at you expectantly, "Open it."

Neteyam, Kiri, and Tuk were equally as eager, Tuk annoying Neteyam to pick her up so she could see properly. All of them leaning forward, they watched as you pulled the opening apart, the drawstring shortening to their knots at the end.

When you opened the pouch, you softened instantly, "Lo'ak," You spoke in a soft, gentle voice, pulling out the finished songcord, the sight of it giving way to butterflies in your stomach.

You couldn't believe your eyes. Every piece was perfectly placed exactly how you would have done it. With intricate weaving, the bigger pieces were accented by crystals and rocks, the colors all different kinds all along the twine. As you trailed your fingers down, you stopped at the claw and you looked at Lo’ak again, your eyes going to his bare neck. Touched that he had given it to you, you held it with your left hand as your eyes went to the last addition.

You saw what Lo'ak had worked so hard to carve for you and holding it up, you looked at him proudly, "You made this star?” Pressing a finger into each of the points, you praised him, “Aren’t you a quick learner. It’s perfect.”

Kiri found the whole interaction endearing, watching the two of you with a grin on her face. Even Neteyam was moved, proud of his little brother.

You paused, uncertain what to say next, and impulsively you showed your gratitude as you hugged him, your arms around his neck, finding the words finally, “This is perfect. I can’t believe you did all this for me. Thank you.”

“I-I'm glad you like it.” He put his arms around you, and from behind, Kiri and Neteyam mocked their brother, blowing kissy faces at him when they noticed his sudden shyness.

Tuk though, whined, "No fair Lo'ak! You didn't even ask us if we wanted to add something to y/n's songcord!"

Overcome with annoyance, Lo'ak scowled and you let go of him, putting a hand up to shush him. Moving closer to her, you patted her head, "Like your brother said, songcords are about continuing life. You'll have so many more opportunities to add something, okay?"

Smiling wide, she nodded, putting her arms out for you to hold her. Neteyam loosened his grip on his sister as you took her into your arms and she hugged you tightly, "I love that you're part of our family!"

"Yeah, y/n. You're a Sully. You're one of us." Kiri proclaimed proudly.

The other Sullys gathered around you, Kiri and Neteyam putting their hands on your shoulder while Lo'ak shifted to face you.

"Yeah and when I marry you, you'll be a Sully officially."

You were about to flick his forehead when Tuk did the honors, getting back at her brother with a snarky reply, "You're too annoying to marry y/n! I'd feel bad for her."

The outburst was so unexpected, you let out a boisterous laugh, Kiri and Neteyam following suit as their laughs reined in with yours. Lo'ak though held it in, keeping half a smirk as he glared at Tuk and pinched her cheek.

-

Day by day, you were learning more and more about the sea.

Much like the Forest held the flow of energy in the branches of its trees and in the flight of the creatures that called it home, the sea regarded it in the kinship between life and the water that connects all things.

This wasn't just the mindless repetition that you were used to in your military training or even your countless hours of lab training. You were thrust into the depth of a culture that moved your soul and reignited your love for the natural world. And because everything was so new, you felt like a kid again, trying out new things and throwing caution to the wind.

And although you already felt close to the Sullys before, that closeness only solidified as you all were thrown into this new frontier together.

You and Neteyam would hold contests to see who could hold their breath in the water the longest. Tuk and you would spend time making jewelry or hanging out on the sea floor to look for shells and ocean trinkets. You and Kiri always enjoyed diving to the sandy bottom of the reef to observe the sea creatures, keeping their company sometimes until night would fall.

You usually would cast nets to go fishing with Jake or spar with one another to practice fighting with spears. Neytiri enjoyed watching the two of you do either, usually sitting nearby and weaving materials as she did so. Still reluctant to conform, she did her best to adapt with the help of all of you, But, because you knew she missed home so much, you would often ask her to help you with using a bow and arrow, your request almost always inciting excitement in her eyes.

Tsireya was in the center of all these activities, proving to be a good teacher, leader, and friend as she worked diligently to ensure that you were learning the ways of her people well.

And while you did all these things in your new routine, you spent most of your time with Lo'ak.

Lo'ak and you would take every opportunity to ride your ilus together, and when you all finally tamed your own tsuraks, the two of you would sneak off and race them whenever you got the chance. You had even started playing games in the water, creating obstacle courses for yourselves to train your speed and agility or even just simple ones like hide and seek with different objects like shells or rocks—a favorite of Tuk's when she would come (to the dismay of Lo'ak) spend time with you.

When you weren't riding, you were usually sat across from him on the shore of the beach, detailing your latest discovery in the water, your urge for knowledge making itself known in your endless theories and conclusions about their natural world. In conversations like these, Lo'ak found himself falling in love with the sound of your voice every time you spoke science to him.

And when you would just dive in the water together, you would often try to go all the way to the bottom of the reef using the gill mantles, your constant adventures to the depths leading you to unforeseen caves that surprisingly had air pockets, those places being your refuge when you would get tired of swimming.

You all were beginning to get accustomed to the sea, no longer babies taking their first breath.

Yet, despite how well you all were doing, Aonung and his friends, hardheaded and callous, still met you all with hostility and prejudice.

You were just coming back from an underwater dive with Lo'ak, the two of you walking along the beach as he listened to you enthuse, "I can't believe that cave had that sea glass above it. You could see the reflection of the sun through it that far down."

Spotting Kiri in the distance, you nudged Lo'ak, "Come on, let's go tell Kiri about it."

She was in the shallows of the shore, her head and body under the water with her feet above the surface. Even though you called out to her, she didn't respond and you chuckled to yourself, knowing she was focused on whatever it was she had stumbled upon in the sand.

As you made your way over, Aonung had beat you to it, making a spectacle of Kiri to his friends as he walked up to her, prompting her attention out of the water.

"Are you some kind of...freak?" Aonung asked, the others snickering as he taunted her, "I mean you're not even true Na'vi," He gripped her hands forcefully, "Look at these hands."

"Get your hands off me!" She shook her hands out of his grip with a disgusted look on her face, turning away from them and walking in the opposite direction.

Not satisifed, Aonung followed after her, calling out taunts once more until Lo'ak saunted over, pushing Aonung as he snarled, "Back off fishlips."

"Oh good, other four fingered freaks." Aonung mocked, unfazed.

"Look at their little baby tails." One of his friends insulted, grabbing onto your tail aggressively.

Lo'ak turned ready to punch him, "Don't touch her."

But, you had already grabbed the man by the queue, jerking him backward, "Man, I should have brought my damn spear."

His friend, scowled and looking down at your hands when you stepped forward, he clicked his tongue, "This is just a whole family of freaks."

"Leave us alone!" Kiri yelled out, frustrated and annoyed.

"Yeah, you heard what she said." Neteyam had come too, marching to Aonung, his growl sending Aonung backward slightly and his arm up in front of his friends who all snarled at him, "Back off."

Aonung didn't say anything, scoffing softly as he put his hand up in voluntary surrender.

"Smart choice. And from now on, I need you to respect my sisters." Neteyam said, backing away, "Let's go." He put a hand on Kiri's shoulder and another on Lo'ak's head.

You turned on your heel reluctantly, following them until you heard one of them call out mockingly, "Buh-bye!"

Hearing that, Lo'ak stopped, sighing heavily, unable to help himself as he made his way back to Aonung, smirking as an idea popped up in his head.

"Lo'ak—" Neteyam began, but Lo'ak put his hand up reassuringly.

"I got this bro."

Aonung turned, the others along with him.

"I know this hand is funny." He wiggled his pinky at him, Aonung watching intently, "I'm a freak. Alien. But it can do something really cool. Watch. First, you ball it up real tight like this. Okay? Then..."

One...two...three blows to the head and Aonung was flying backward toward the water, the impact of his body splashing the others.

"It's called a punch, bitch. Don't ever mess with them ever again."

Coolly, he walked off, but he only got to the brink of the shore when Aonung tackled him. Without warning, the friends joined in, one of them slapping Lo'ak with his tail.

"I have to get in there." You began, marching up, but Neteyam put a hand on your shoulder to stop you.

"No, no. I'll go," He grumbled, scratching his head.

"Let me get—"

"Just let me a big brother and defend you guys, okay?" Neteyam let out before grabbing one of the men and kicking him in the stomach.

"Show off," You muttered, putting your hands on your hips.

"This is so stupid!" Kiri put her hands around her mouth, projecting as you both watched Neteyam and Lo'ak.

The villagers nearby quickly noticed, and it wasn't long before a group of them came by and stepped in, separating them from Aonung and the others.

Two of the men held Neteyam and Lo'ak by their queues, leading them toward the village while they let Aonung and everyone else go.

Kiri stayed in the water, but you followed after them, a few paces behind. Jake was outside of your marui, sharpening his knives when you all arrived. Asking what happened, the two men explained to Jake that Lo'ak had started the fight.

Jake looked at them apologetically before they took their leave, and pushing them into the marui, he scolded, "What was the one thing I asked? The one thing?"

Looking downward, sand still caked onto their bodies and a few bloodied gashes, they both said in unison, "Stay out of trouble."

"Yes! Stay out of trouble." Jake emphasized

"Sir, it was my fault." Neteyam put his hands up in surrender.

Jake dismissed him, "I don't think so. You gotta stop taking the heat for this knucklehead."

"He called Kiri a freak, Jake." You said from behind them, leaning onto the side of the entrance, "And then he called us, freaks. What did you think was going to happen?"

Sighing, Jake pointed out of the marui, "Go apologize to Aonung."

"What?" You and Lo'ak both questioned together.

"He's the Chief's son. Do you understand?" Jake, frustrated, he put his fingers around the bridge of his nose, "I don't care how you do it. Just go make peace."

Trudging, Lo'ak walked off, shaking his head. He didn't even stop to give you a second glance, his anger festering.

You got up from your leaned position, lowering your eyes at Jake, "Come on, old man. You know that wasn't right."

"Chief's son, remember?" Jake repeated, but you scoffed at him.

"It's not our fault the Chief's son wants to be an ass." You muttered under your breath, which Neteyam and Jake both heard clearly.

Jake couldn't argue against that, sighing again as he turned to Neteyam, "So, what'd the other guys look like?"

"Worse." Neteyam gave his father a meek, but proud smile, "A lot worse."

"That's good. Now, get out of here. Both of you." You saw behind his stern expression that he was pleased, even it was under unfavorable circumstances.

You both obliged, walking out of the marui. Slinging your arm across Neteyam's shoulder and tousling his hair, you told him, "Let's go get you patched up with Tsireya, yeah?"

"What? Don't you want to go find your husband?" Neteyam raised an eyebrow at you, shocked.

"I think your brother needs to cool off by himself." Ignoring his teasing as you replied and remembering how he barely spared you a glance as he went to find Aonung, "And besides, if we go with him and Aonung is there, we're going to end up fighting again. Ugh, I want to punch him so bad."

"It was a great feeling finally punching him. I've been holding that in for weeks now." Neteyam agreed, chuckling proudly.

Letting a deep breath out, you scowled, "I know and I'm jealous. I should have just joined in, honestly."

Placing a hand on your shoulder, you walked side by side together, Neteyam explaining, "Had I let you, I don't think they would have survived by Lo'ak's hands if they landed a blow on you."

"If they landed a blow on me." You repeated, brushing some of the sand off his shoulder and face, "And you know they wouldn't have survived with all three of us."

Neteyam laughed, "You're right, you're right." Tapping his hand to his chest, he reassured you, "You're lucky to have such a mighty warrior as your future brother-in-law."

You pressed into the skin of one of his wounds and he flinched, the reaction making you chuckle, "Alright, "mighty" warrior, I think I see Tsireya up ahead."

Waving to get her attention, she finally noticed, running over. Looking at Neteyam. Her mouth dropping as concern flooded her eyes, "What happened?"

"This mighty warrior needs a couple bandages after fighting your brother and his friends." Taking Neteyam by the back of the neck, you pushed him along, Tsireya signaling for you to join her in her marui as she gathered supplies.

You all sat down on the floor as Tsireya grabbed bandages made of seaweed. You watched her intently as she instructed Neteyam to lift his arm up. Rubbing the underside of the seaweed, it began to glow slightly, revealing a jellied paste that was already slathered onto it.

"What is that?" You asked curiously, your mind filtering through all the possible properties of the plant.

"There are many types of seaweed. Some for our clothes, others for eating, but this one is for healing. You rub it to activate the part that heals the body." Tsireya clarified, passing you a piece that you could look at.

Trailing your fingers along it, you squinted, observing the plant's ridges, texture, and smell, highly intrigued.

"What else do you use for healing?" You placed the piece back onto the ground near the other ones.

Tsireya, happily, described the other healing practices of her people, the many rituals that they do to heal their sick and wounded combining their spirituality and their knowledge of the body.

Fascinated, you urged her to go on and she did, taking out a myriad of items from a basket in the corner, "As future tsahik, I am obligated to learn how to heal, but for now, I help my mother with rituals. These are just some of the many tools we have."

Displaying each of them in front of you, you were eager to learn and Neteyam listened as well as she described the usage of all her instruments.

As you took in the information, your eyes brightened and putting a hand over Tsireya's you stopped her, "I'm going to go find Kiri. I know she'd love to hear about this too."

"Yes! It would be wonderful for her to join." Tsireya beamed and you stood up, making your way to the beach where you last saw her.

It didn't take long for you to spot Kiri among the coral, the sea creatures entrancing her as they swam by her. She didn't notice you approaching until your movement stirred the fish she was looking at.

"Tsireya's teaching us about the tsahik's rituals. Healing plants and whatnot. I figured you'd want to learn too."

She didn't say anything for a moment, her eyes troubled as she looked downward.

"What's wrong Kiri? Don't tell me they tried to mess with you again 'cause I—"

"It's not that." She sighed, hugging her arms, "I don't care what they think of me. I just..." She paused, putting a hand at her forehead, "You're going to think I'm crazy."

"What? What is it?" You took her hands into yours and she made eye contact with you, hesitating for a moment before finally speaking.

"I feel Her, y/n. I feel Eywa." Suddenly, fish came from the depths of the water, circling Kiri's feet, "I hear Her breathing. I hear Her heartbeat. She's so close. She's just there...like a word about to be spoken."

You're not crazy, Kiri." You noticed the fish, the movement isolated only to her as you moved your foot near them, and crouching you looked closer, "These fish seem to know you feel Her too."

Kiri couldn't help but chuckle in disbelief, covering her hands with her face before crouching with you, "Just look."

When she placed her hand in the water, the fish moved from her feet to her hand, following her motions, "I don't know why I can do this. I don't know what the Great Mother wants from me."

You were amazed as you watched them flock to her, "If you can feel Her so strongly that means she can feel you too. You wouldn't have this...gift, if you weren't supposed to use it."

"You think of it as a gift?" Kiri looked at you with wonder, smiling.

"Yes! And you should too." Getting up from your crouched position, you extended your hand to her, "Now, are you going to come with me to see Tsireya?" You looked down, "The fish are invited too if they want to come."

She laughed at your joke, taking your hand as she stood up, "Yes, let's go to Tsireya."

Walking back toward the village, you asked Kiri more questions about what she could do, but she had only just grazed the surface of her abilities before she told you, uncertain of what more this inner power could offer. You were almost at the marui when you saw Aonung, whooping happily with his friends. You were surprised at first at the sight and expecting to see Lo'ak with them, you had assumed they all made up.

But, when you found that Lo'ak wasn't with them, you stomped over, trying to keep the fumes that were igniting inside of you at bay as you asked, "Where's Lo'ak?"

They all exchanged looks with one another, Aonung shrugging his shoulders as he replied with a snobby grin, "I thought it wouldn't be easy getting him outside the reef. But when we said we'd ask Neteyam instead, he was all for it. Then, we left him. Poor Forest Boy won't stand a chance out there."

His friends snickered, egging on more insults and Kiri watched as your whole demeanor changed, "What?"

Aonung put his hands up in surrender, "Do you Forest people not have good hearing too? He's probably dead now that—"

He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as you threw your knife at him hard, barely hitting him as it grazed his cheek, blood dripping from where it hit him, then landing on the column behind him.

"You better start telling me where he is because the next time, I don't plan on missing." You snarled and Kiri, knowing there was no use in calming you down, left to find her older brother.

"I'm not going to fight a girl." Aonung spat, putting his hands up in surrender.

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about all of you." You spat back, throwing his own joke back at his face.

His friends hissed loudly at you, grabbing their knives out as they hunched over into their fighting positions. They lunged at you both, but you quickly disarmed the first one, kicking the knife away and sending him to the ground as you elbowed him hard.

The other attempted to slash his knife at you, but you dodged it, jumping backward and grabbing onto the hilt of it, leveraging your weight and flipping him over onto his friend that was groaning from your hit.

With the two of them out of the way, you made your way over to Aonung, grabbing him by the throat and backing him up into the column where your knife had landed.

You watched as his usual arrogance melted into panic and fear, your knife right beside his head, "This is me being nice. So, I'm gonna ask you again. Where is Lo'ak?" You took the knife out of the wood, placing it along his neck, "And you better start praying to Eywa that I like your answer."

"Y/n! Y/n!" You turned your head to find all of the Sullys with Tonowari, Ronal, and Tsireya, panicked as they took in the scene.

You let go of Aonung with a thrust, him and his friends gathering together.

"What the hell is going on?" Jake leaned forward, clearly embarrassed and trying to tame the situation.

"Tell them what you told me." Your eyes shooting arrows at Aonung, "Or should I?"

He was silent until Tonowari plunged his spear down forcefully, "Speak boy!"

"We took him outside of the reef." Aonung admitted, avoiding his father's eyes.

You looked at Aonung, your mouth hung open with disgust at his purposeful omission of the truth.

Neytiri put her hand over her mouth, tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she was overcome with worry and anger. Jake put a hand over her shoulder to comfort her.

"This is true, Aonung? What were you thinking?" Ronal grabbed her son by the neck.

Aonung said nothing again as his mother pulled him away, scolding him harshly. Tonowari looked at Jake and Neytiri apologetically, "We will signal the horns and look for your son."

Nodding, Jake agreed, looking at Neytiri, "Stay with Tuk. I'll fly out to find him."

You were about to follow the other warriors for the search party, but Jake put a hand on your arm, "And you."

"What?" You tried to shimmy your arm away, but Jake maintained his grip.

"You pulled a knife on him? What was going through your head?"

You took a deep breath, "I was threatening him! I wasn't going to kill him!"

Jake groaned and you put your hands up in surrender, "Okay, fine nothing was going through my head. I was just angry...you know because he left Lo'ak out there to die. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Go be with Neytiri and Tuk." Jake demanded, letting go of your arm.

"No, I'm going with you. I have to help." You refused, but he shook his head.

"No, you need to cool off. We'll find him, y/n."

As much as you didn't want to, you trudged over to Neytiri and Tuk, catching up with the both of them.

"Is Lo'ak going to be okay?" Tuk asked you, holding on tightly to her mother.

"Don't worry about your brother. He'll be alright." You provided her that comfort on the exterior, but inside you were a nervous wreck.

You did well trying to hide how you felt, not wanting to create any more tense worry in Neytiri and Tuk, who busied themselves with weaving as they waited for Lo'ak to be found.

It wasn't like hunting outside of the reef was completely forbidden, but in the time that you had been at Awa'atlu, you had only ever gone outside the reef once while under the supervision of Tonowari. And he had instructed that only the skilled hunters would frequent those waters.

Tsireya had warned you all about the dangers of the open ocean. It was the exact reason why their village was separated from it through those huge wooden barriers. There were dangers beyond even the scope of the metkayina, and knowing that sent you spiraling.

Although your mind wanted to think rationally, your heart's troubled murmurs drowned out any possibility of that.

That fear of loss was so deeply rooted into you. You had died all those years ago to save Jake.

But who were you not able to save?

The memory of Grace and Trudy lay like stones in your heart, wounds on your heart continually fresh but torturously cauterized as you tried to put at the forefront that you are not your father's sins; that inner battle within you amplifying this unexpected influx of desperation and fear.

Mixtures of guilt and regret flooded inside of you as you compared how you felt dealing with your losses when you were human and the seemingly inevitable potentiality of them at that moment.

You shivered as you anxiously wondered what you should have done.

You should have followed Lo'ak out when Jake told him to apologize. Maybe if you had done that, he wouldn't have ended up getting lost out there alone. Because at least if you had went, you would have ended up getting lost together.

And as you reflected on your past, that present moment begged for you to consider that perhaps you should have jumped into the helicopter when you helped Grace, Jake, and Norm break out of their cell, that maybe you would have pushed Grace further enough so she wouldn't have gotten hit. Then maybe you and Trudy would have ended up having one last flight together.

When the horns finally blew again and the outcries of the warriors shouted Lo'ak's return, the three of you all immediately got up. Following the villagers who were riding in the water on the walkways, you moved through the crowd of people gathered at one of the docks.

When you caught a glimpse of him, you ran as quickly as you could, Neytiri and Tuk following behind you. Lo'ak was walking away from the dock, his shoulders slumped and his head down.

Neteyam was right behind him, following closely. You were running too fast to slow your pace down, too overwhelmed and happy to see him. Catching him off guard, you hugged him tightly, almost knocking him to the ground.

You closed your eyes as you wrapped your arms around him, a sigh of relief escaping you, "I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

Lo'ak didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around you too, savoring in your embrace with a wide grin, "You really missed me, huh?"

"She almost killed Aonung." Neteyam revealed and you glared at him, causing him to shrug, "What? It's true. I have never seen you so angry before, y/n."

He exchanged a look with his brother, Lo'ak mouthing, "Really?" and Neteyam nodding profusely, mouthing back, "Yes!"

When Neytiri and Tuk caught up, they were both relieved to see Lo'ak. Neytiri inspecting Lo'ak before going to Jake. Tuk stayed with you though, Neteyam picking her up as you noted the cuts and scratches on Lo'ak.

You leaned back, your arms still attached to him, "Tsireya showed me how to use her seaweed bandages. Let's go get some from her."

"The blame is mine. Why did you speak for me?" Aonung's voice rang out from behind you, his voice becoming louder as he approached.

You pulled your knife out again, extending your hand as you stepped protectively between him and Lo'ak, "Back up."

Then, realizing what he said, you raised an eyebrow at Lo'ak, "What did he just say you did?"

Lo'ak merely shrugged, cavalier as he glared at Aonung, "Because I know what it feels like to be one big disappointment."

Without a second glance, Lo'ak took you by the hand, walking off with you quickly, leaving Neteyam and Tuk.

You put your knife back into your sheath, questioning him again, "Seriously?"

"Did you see his face when I said that?" Lo'ak laughed, satisfied as he smirked, "This might have been the best thing that's happened to me here."

You pinched his ear hard, "I was so worried about you and you're telling me this is the best thing that happened to you?" You let go of his hand and started heading in another direction, "Go to Tsireya by yourself."

"Wait, wait where are you going?" He chased after you, catching your arm but you swatted him away, "I thought you were never letting me out of your sight again?"

"I change my mind." You dove into the water and he swam after you.

Nightfall commanded the bioluminescence of the plants and creatures, illuminating the water that reflected the darkness of the sky. Your own skin was glowing as you swam, the light blue of your markings matching some of the colors around you.

When he finally caught up with you, you signed for him to go away, but he didn't listen, swimming alongside you anyway until you breached the surface for a breath.

Only a few meters from the beach, you looked up at the sky, the sight of the moons glorious and with them, you spotted Earth, a tiny star compared to the orbs near it.

"I didn't know you cared about me this much." Lo'ak was just trying to get under your skin, his tone unserious as he attempted to lighten the mood.

Frustrated, you swung at him, but he dodged it, sending him toward the water with a splash. Wiping the water from his face, his eyes widened as you yelled fervidly, "I've lost almost everyone I've ever cared about, so maybe I should stop caring about you too! It'll save me all the worrying and the pain for when you do stupid shit like this!"

Lo'ak's face dropped, his heart aching sorely as he watched you quickly turn away from him, hesitant to look him in the eyes as tears that you couldn't control began to fall.

"Hey, hey," Lo'ak came up from behind you, placing an affectionate hand on your shoulder, prompting your attention as you turned.

He wiped the last of your tears, but you still avoided looking at him, focused on the water below, "I'm sorry y/n. This is my fault. I'm an idiot."

"You are!" You highlighted and you exhaled, finally meeting his gaze, "They left you out there to die! And you really could have! All because you wanted to show off in front of them!"

"I'm not going anywhere." He pulled you into him, hugging you as you kept your arms at his chest, your head rested on his shoulder.

"That better be a promise, Lo'ak." You pulled away, looking at him, still angry.

“I promise I’m not going anywhere only if you promise too, alright?”

“I promise,” Hands at his chest, your eyes fierce, the words coming out like a sacred command, “No dying.”

“Yeah, no dying.” Lo’ak repeated, and guiding your head back to rest onto his shoulder he wrapped his arms around you once more.

Feeling the warmth between your bodies, comforted by the feeling of safety, your heart spoke for you, "You're not a disappointment, by the way."

Lo'ak was moved, unable to find anything to say, but hugging you even tighter to acknowledge you. You knew exactly what that meant and reciprocating it, you moved your arms away from his chest, gliding them along his back until you found the spot you liked, closing that gap between you as you met him with an equal force of affection, and feeling it deep within as you closed your eyes.

When you finally opened them, you immediately took notice of his wounds, sporadic on his body, the blood from his cuts long clotted and his bruises turned purple.

Extending your arms out, Lo'ak sighed at the sudden break in contact. He already knew what you were thinking and trying to ease your worries, he placed his hands on your cheeks lifting your head up to meet his eyes, “I’m really okay. These are nothing.”

“Yeah but we should still go to Tsireya and have her put those bandages on.” You protested.

Lo’ak grunted, squishing your cheeks playfully, “I don’t want to go to Tsireya, I just want to be with you right now.”

In retaliation, you pinched his cheek back, "I think you missed me more than I missed you."

"Of course I did." He said back to you without a second thought, "And honestly, I wish you were out there with me. I—"

He stopped himself, choosing his words carefully as his smile faltered. It was instantly worrying to watch his face drop and you asked urgently, "What? Why? What happened?"

"Okay, I did almost die out there—" It was as if he saw your heart drop as your expression matched that sinking feeling, your concern shrouded from your eyebrows to the frown of your lips, "But, I wasn't alone. I got saved."

"Saved?" Begging for more answers, you blinked at him, "By who, by what?"

"A tulkun."

-

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4

Author's Note:

My lovers,

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged for the new chapters in the comments! :)

How did you like this new one? I swear holding hands is Lo'ak and reader's thing!!

Plus, Tonowari thinking they're married just made so much sense to me, don't you agree?

From my heart, thank you again for reading this new chapter! Please please please let me know your thoughts and favorite moments!

I feel like this is my version of the beach episode in an anime— I wanted it to just be filled with small moments between all of them while also showing how they were getting along with their new lives.

Again, thank you guys again for reading and staying tuned. I appreciate you all! For everyone who's waited for this series to come back, I love you!!

Please always take care of yourselves!

love,

nana <3

new tag honor list! @emilymikado — thanks for the recent love on this series <3

[vandnana]

💕💕💕

Hi this is an appreciation post for @vandnana because trust that I would have never have written the works I’ve posted without having ever read her masterpieces. Everything she’s done inspires me and I just- ugh I love her I’m so happy she’s back ❤️

[vandnana]

Oh fren. You have no ideaaaaaa NOOO IDEAAA HOW HAPPY I AM TO SEE YOU POSTEDDD!! IVE MISSED YOU!!! I HOPE LIFE HAS BEEN TREATING YOU AMAZINGGGG!!! you just made my whole year ngl! I cannot wait to reread this series again!!! AHHHH SO HAPPY YOU’RE BACKKKK!!! 🥺💗🥺🥺💗🥺🥺💗🥺🥺💗🥺🥺💗🥺💗🥺💗🥺💗🥺💗🥺💗🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

hi friend!!!!

I am so happy to hear from you!! THANK YOU FOR WAITING FOR ME!!!

not going to lie, i was really looking forward to seeing your name pop up in my notifications! i've missed you friend and im so happy to be back too!

can't wait to hear what you think of the new chapters coming up!!!!!

love,

nana <3

[vandnana]

In Love With The Enemy [IV]

Chapter 4: Toruk Makto Will Disappear

pairing: lo’ak x female turned na’vi reader

summary: during the time when jake became toruk makto, you were quaritch’s youngest and most valued soldier, the daughter he never had. but, pandora changed you and you died during the final battle, betraying quaritch and wishing that you had been able to do more. now, you have been reborn again, as a na’vi, tasked with quaritch’s new military avatar crew to kill Jake Sully. taking advantage of this second chance at life, you help the Sullys and fall in love along the way.

genre: fluff, angst ~ slow burn, pining on lo’ak’s part.

warnings: mentions of blood, war, violence

highlights: [jake and reader having moments as best friends, mo'at throwing down wisdom, classic sully sibling bickering, more of reader's backstory with quaritch, lo'ak and reader moments!]

word count: 13,394

note: i'm back from the dead like our dear reader with a long awaited update! i am so sorry to my lovers clan for taking so long. for everybody who has waited so patiently, thank you. and for all who are new, welcome!

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4

When Spider awoke, he was immediately blinded by fluorescent lights that hung above him, his head aching as he sat up. The steel of the platform he was lying on made his body feel cold, and as he looked around the room, windowless and white, his heart felt cold too, the lack of life around him so bewildering and unfamiliar. Shifting, he winced, and looking down he found a wound on his right arm—a gash that he had earned while falling onto the forest ground, bandaged with a white wrapping.

Then, he instantly thought of you, overcome with worry as he wondered if you were alright.

Everything had happened so fast.

One moment, you had finally made up with him and you had solidified that bond while flying to the Tree of Souls—that sense of togetherness irreplaceable in his heart.

But before he even had time to truly cherish that moment, the unthinkable happened. Stuck, captured, and alone, Spider's anger and frustration overwhelmed him, his breathing rapid suddenly as he took his emotions out on the walls that kept him. Banging on the double glass, he yelled out with fury, knowing that his captors were watching on the other side.

He struck the glass and the walls until his hands hurt and his knuckles bled, the pain of the impact from the metal clouded by that rage. In truth, he was so exhausted, but he kept on going, the fire inside fueling him as he goaded the soldiers to face him.

Then, suddenly the doors of the room opened, revealing the group of soldiers that had captured him, “Looks like Jungle boy’s awake.” Zdinarsk said with a half-grin.

Spider hissed, bearing his teeth, but that only caused a roll of laughter from each of the soldiers.

“So, you think you’re one of them.” There was a pause as the soldiers stepped aside to reveal who the voice belonged to.

It was Quaritch, his demeanor distant and demanding as he inspected Spider, frowning as he looked at him, intensely displeased, “What’s your name boy?”

Spider didn’t answer, glaring at him bitterly, the defiance making Quaritch’s blood boil. He took one of his guns out, laughing slightly as he unlocked the safety, “I’m only gonna ask you nicely one more time, but after that it’s gonna hurt.”

Spider hesitated before caving in. He gritted his teeth as he responded, meeting Quaritch's eyes with vileness, “Who are you? Tell me that and maybe I’ll answer.”

“Colonel Quaritch.” He let his eyes go to the gun, before eyeing Spider again, “Now again, boy, what’s your name?”

Spider's eyes only widened for a moment before he could feel his rage summit within him, scorn undercutting that growing anger as he scoffed, “Don’t you recognize your own son?”

It wasn't until this moment that Spider realized how much he longed to face his father, to finally look the man who didn't want him in the eye.

The rest of the soldiers teetered, all of them sharing shock as they looked at him. The last time they had seen him, he was only a baby, and here he was in front of all them— grown-up.

Quaritch put the gun down, stepping backward for a moment as he felt a sudden throb afflict his heart, “Miles?” He paused, kneeling down, the twinge in his heart making itself known as he spoke again, this time softer, quieter, “Thought they would have sent you back to earth.”

“So, that's what you named me huh? My name is Spider, and they can’t put babies in cryo, dipshit.” Spider spat, crossing his arms as he kept a snarl on his face.

Quaritch was stunned.

What did he feel for this kid? Guilt? Love? Sadness? Relief? For the briefest moment, he let his resolve down, the realization of who Spider was unexpectedly softening his expression, whispers of those emotions attempting to breach the surface.

To the rest of the regiment it was unperceived, the mask of his steely glare lending his usual gruff. But, Spider saw it clearly. In that blink of time, the awareness of his father's startling vulnerability gripped him, anchoring itself into his mind and forcing its weight onto his heart.

This was the moment that Spider had waited for. He had expected to be angry and stay angry, to affix betrayal, heartache, and pain to the man in front of him who was supposed to be his family. And yet, he felt a tenderness grow within him, an unforeseen ache that he couldn't define or perhaps, didn't want to define.

Like his father, he maintained his reserve of anger as he spit again at them, pushing down whatever was brewing in him and remembering why he was with them and what was at stake for the Sullys.

Turning to Zdinarsk, Quaritch ordered coldly, “Take him to Ardmore and the science pukes. We’ll see what he knows.” Aggressively, Zdinarsk grabbed Spider by the back of the neck, the rest of the soldiers escorting him out into the hallway with Quaritch behind them.

Quaritch was barely dealing with his loss of you, and now, he had his other child with him. He didn’t know what to think, only that his memories allowed him a fraction of affection compared to what he had for you.

Leading him into one of the main console rooms, they were met by General Ardmore, her hands behind her back as she looked at Spider up and down. The soldiers snickered as Spider fought against their strong grips, amused by his pointless attempt at escape.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" She motioned toward the large contraption in the middle of the room, a device unlike anything Spider had ever seen before, "Strap him in."

Zdinarsk pushed Spider onto the vertical piece of white metal of the contraption, securing him with the accompanying restraints. Over his face, Wainfleet fastened a clear plastic mask and tightening it, Spider could feel the pressure focus itself on every part of his skull.

He saw Ardmore ahead of him through what appeared to be a green membrane within the device's overall metal structure, "Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

She paused to lean forward, her glare intense, "Where is Jake Sully hiding?"

"I. Don't. Know." The disdain in Spider's voice was evident as he dragged out every syllable.

Sighing, Ardmore stepped backward, pressing a large red button beside her, "I thought you might say that."

A loud whirring sound erupted from the device, triggering it on as the green membrane slowly started to spin. Immediately, the pressure he had felt before became a burning sensation. Like a singe to every synapse, Spider's brain was on fire, the intensity of it building and building.

"Feel that? That's the radiation reading your brain or rather frying it. Good for us, not so good for you. So, I'll ask you again, where is Jake Sully?" Ardmore yelled out.

Spider could barely see her now, the motion of the radiation screen dizzying him, "I told you I don't know! You're gonna have to kill me!"

Quaritch and the other soldiers watched from the clear glass room behind Ardmore, their eyes switching between Spider and the holographic projection of his brain. The scientists helping Ardmore were observing his brain activity, but they detected no viable information, shaking their heads when Ardmore turned around for an update.

"You're gonna have to do better than "I don't know," Keeping her composure, her tone was clear, but she was beginning to get frustrated by Spider's stubbornness, "There's no use in hiding the truth. Just form a thought and we'll see it. Now, where is his base? Is it in the Floating Mountains? Where is he?"

Over and over and over again, it was the same question and the same answer, every second of resistance tormenting him.

Quaritch, on the outside, was apathetic and uncaring, his arms crossed as he stood tall amongst his regiment. But, something inside of him snapped when Spider’s nose began to bleed and his eyes began to roll backwards. Marching out of the room, he pressed the red button, the spinning of the device halting immediately.

He turned over to Ardmore, his own request surprising him, “General, Let me try the old-fashioned approach.”

Zdinarsk and Wainfleet took Spider back to his steel cell, and it was clear that he had been weakened, his usual aggressions no longer a problem for them as they easily grabbed hold of him.

Ardmore raised an eyebrow, clearly displeased as she reluctantly nodded, “He’s not your child.”

She was right. He wasn’t Quaritch’s child. He never was.

You were.

But because of Lyle's lie, Quaritch only knew you to be dead.

He sighed, exhaling as he ached over missing you so badly. Even he couldn't believe his own actions, rationalizing that it was the Na'vi part of him that arose a subconscious motivation for caring about the son he knew he never wanted. Although he hated to be in the form of his enemy, he only realized how relieved, how grateful, he felt to be by your side again. While he reveled in fulfilling his vengeance, it was you who had made this new resurgence of life worth living. And it hurt more to recognize that it took you being gone from him for that feeling to settle.

Quaritch waited a while before he finally entered the cell, the opening of the doors revealing Spider sitting on the platform he had woken up on, his knees up and his arms resting on them.

Filling the room was an awkward tension, the two staring at one another before Quaritch knelt down, “From what I remember, I know I wasn’t the best father to you."

Spider huffed, crossing his arms and turning his back away from him.

Sitting down, he took his son by the arm, pulling him forward and forcing him to face him in the eye, "Look, I only cared for my daughter. I admit that. And now that she's dead I—“

“Your daughter? Dead?” In his disbelief, Spider's mouth gaped, eyebrows raised and his forehead crinkled.

Quaritch was visibly bothered, the slightest wince showing in the crinkling of his eyes as he answered the question, “I came here to kill Jake Sully," He lowered his eyes, his voice like the sound of a hiss as he sneered, "And now that he's killed her, just like he did when I was human, I really can't let him live."

Gulping, Spider nodded, biting his tongue as he withheld the truth, unsure of what would ensue if he let out that you were alive.

Changing his demeanor, Quaritch let go of Spider's arm, resting his palms on the top of his thighs. Quaritch appealed to his son with a brightened tone, “I’m not gonna ask you to give up Sully. I know you’d never do that. You’re loyal.”

He paused again, gritting his teeth, “But so am I. I’m not letting my little girl die in vain. You and me, we’re nothing to each other, really. So, you don’t have to think of me as your father.”

Quaritch paused, looking out at the door, the glint of worry in his eyes betraying his previous words, “But, just ride along, okay? Otherwise, I’ll have to give you back to Ardmore.”

Spider reluctantly nodded, and seeing that confirmation, Quaritch left. Spider watched his father go, and although Quaritch seemed to maintain his stern appearance, Spider could distinguish the agony he felt inside over losing you.

How could he not?

He laid back down on the platform, rubbing his temples. He suddenly felt conflicted. Finally meeting his father, Spider saw Quaritch for who he was. He was a military man all the way, hard and callous. But, underneath that harsh exterior, he saw so clearly how much he loved you. Guilt washed over him without warning. Spider hated that he felt guilty for keeping you being alive a secret, hated that in the presence of the man that rejected him, he could only be silent.

But, he also felt guilty for the small part of him that was actually glad his father didn’t know the truth. Because without you, even for a momentary time, maybe Quaritch would finally see him as his son.

He had finally looked the man in the eye, and he hated himself for suddenly feeling so torn. Yet, it was an inner feeling he just couldn't control. Spider couldn’t help but care about what his father thought of him suddenly, couldn’t help but want some sort of approval from the man who rejected him.

He scolded himself for thinking so selfishly, so stupidly. Turning to his side and closing his eyes, Spider pushed those thoughts away, reminding himself why he ended up where he was in the first place.

He was uncertain about what he would face with the regiment, but he knew one thing.

The Sullys' safety, your safety—he would do what he could to ensure it.

-

“What happened?” Jake angrily yelled as Lo’ak carried you off his ikran.

Neytiri was beside him, attending to Kiri and Tuk, both of them crying hysterically as Kiri repeated with a trembling voice, “Spider, they took him! They took him!”

Jake could only focus on you though, his mind warping reality as fear and panic came over him. You were practically lifeless, your arms dangling over and your head tilted backward. It was exactly how you looked when he was holding your dying body.

He quickly ran to you, taking your body from Lo'ak's arms.

“Y/n! Y/n!” Jake called to you, his voice almost breaking as he felt your pulse, only slight relief coming to him as you showed just the weakest sign of life.

Turning his attention back on Lo’ak, he repeated his original question, nostrils flaring as he slowly spoke, every syllable enthralled with his simmering anger, “What happened?”

"It was my fault, sir. I-" Neteyam began, stepping forward in front of his brother per usual.

But Jake shook his head at his oldest son, "I wasn't asking whose fault it was," His eyes turned to Lo'ak suddenly, Jake's fatherly instinct already getting ahead of him, "I asked what happened."

The fury in his voice deepened the shame in both the brothers, the two looking at one another before Lo'ak finally spoke up, "She wanted to stay here at the camp, but I insisted on flying. Everything happened at the Tree of Souls. She connected to it and then something happened. She stopped responding and then the soldiers came and then...they took Spider,” Lo'ak kept his eyes on his father, the guilt in his eyes evident in their glint, “I’m sorry sir.”

Jake and Neytiri looked at one another worriedly. Then, taking Kiri and Tuk's hands, she walked away with them, ushering calm words of reassurance to abate their cries.

Knowing the truth, Jake could feel his gut turn as his anger mixed with a feeling of unsettlement. Jake glanced at you for a moment before his eyes went back to Lo’ak, “I'm taking y/n to your grandma. Until she wakes up, I don't want you anywhere near her. Now go attend to the ikran.” His eyes went to Neteyam, “Both of you.”

“But Dad, let me–”

“You’ve done enough.”

Lo'ak stepped backward suddenly as the sting of his father's words lashed at him.

Jake expected retaliation, expected the usual defiance from his youngest son, but instead Lo'ak kept his head down, his shame evident. He lingered for only a second more before walking away in the direction of Mo'at's tent.

"Why can't you just listen, little bro?" Neteyam placed what was meant to be a comforting hand on Lo'ak's shoulder, but Lo'ak only swatted it away.

"How can I wait around until she wakes up? With how she is now, that could be hours," He paused, his eyes widening in slight panic, "Or days!"

"Calm down, bro. Grandma will know how to heal her. For now, the best that you can do for her is follow Dad's orders. Come on, we have to see to the ikran."

"Bro, no. It's my fault that this happened to her. I have to make sure she's okay." Lo'ak defied, already walking backwards toward the tent.

Neteyam couldn't believe what he was hearing. Turning to face his ikran, he teased Lo'ak loudly, "Wow! My baby brother is actually taking responsibility for his actions! That crush of his has made him less of a skxawng than usual."

Lo'ak heard him from a distance, halting then turning on his heels, "You're just asking to get beat up. You know that?"

"It would be entertaining to see you try. As if you would even stand a chance against the mighty warrior that I am," Neteyam crossed his arms, proud of his retort as his lips curled upwards into a broad, smug smile.

"You know what, I'm actually going to wait until after y/n wakes up, so she can watch me pummel you," Lo'ak punched his fist into his other palm with a satisfied smirk, "It'll make my victory over you even sweeter."

Nodding, Neteyam took the opportunity to get under Lo'ak's skin, faking a serious tone as he stepped away from the ikrans, "That's a good idea actually. I should definitely come with you to check on y/n."

"Woah, woah, woah," Lo'ak blocked Neteyam's path, standing earnestly in front of him with his hand out, "We don't need a third wheel right now, thank you very much."

Lowering his little brother's hand, he cocked his head to the side, amused as he let out a chuckle, "I cannot believe how jealous you get Lo'ak, really it's a marvel to see."

Lo'ak cleared his throat, "Jealous? Of you? The "mighty" warrior? You wish," Setting his gaze on the ikrans behind them, he rationalized his behavior, "And besides, bro you've got your work cut out for you. I admit being responsible is a page I took out of your book today, but you can have the page back, alright? If you come too, who's gonna do what Dad told us to do?"

"Of course, of course, what he told us to do, I will go and do it." Neteyam rolled his eyes, "But what are you going to do when Dad sees you?"

"Have you met me bro?" Lo'ak let a breath out, confidently patting his chest with his right hand, "He won't see me."

Leaving Neteyam without another word, Lo'ak turned and began to stealthily maneuver his way through the camp. While the forefront of his thoughts focused on wondering if you were alright, the back of his mind was playing his brother's words on a loop.

Neteyam was right.

It wasn't like him to act this way. Wherever Lo'ak was so was trouble, and he had grown used to trying to save his own ass with any excuse he could think of.

But this time was different. It wasn't about him. It was about you.

Back at the Tree of Souls, he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him, too focused on getting you to safety. The first shade of horrified panic when you didn't wake up, the fear that ran through him when he was dodging bullets and holding your body, the urgency he was chasing to get you back to base— now, everything he suppressed, he felt all at once. And veiling it all was that persistent effect you've had on him since the day you met. He knew he liked you. He just never realized how much.

-

Jake was holding back his tears as he carried you, whispering, "Everything's going to be fine, y/n."

It was like you were dying in his arms all over again. Your pulse was weak, your skin pale as he laid you down gently in front of Mo'at. She had already sensed the disturbance near the Tree of Souls, her herbs already prepared beside her as she took your face into her hands.

"Will she live, Mo'at?" Jake asked, and as he said those words, it took him back to the day when he first asked you to save her.

"She is merely unconscious. You forget, Toruk Makto, what I told you all those years ago about y/n. The Great Mother still holds her in Her heart. She is not gone from us forever. Her soul has truly been reborn and she has finally connected with the Great Mother."

Jake furrowed his eyebrows, blinking at her as his eyes urged for her to continue.

She placed the herb paste from the palm of your hands to the nape of your neck, then positioned two fingers at your temples, "When y/n was pulled away from the Great Mother, her spirit was still attached, while her body was separated too quickly. She is just now finding her way back."

Jake managed to give her a small smile, her words providing him comfort amidst the turmoil already brewing in his mind.

"I will take care of her here." Mo'at added to her daughter's reassurance, "Now go. I am certain that you have much to discuss with my daughter." She lowered her eyes at Jake, her intuition directing her.

Jake hesitated leaving you, but ultimately heeded Mo'at's request. Lo'ak, from a distance, watched as his father walked away. He hurried over to you, and as if Jake knew he was there, he turned around abruptly, prompting Lo'ak to dive to the ground as he ducked behind a crate of boxes. Squinting and seeing nothing, Jake turned his head forward, making his way to Neytiri.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Lo'ak got up, walking over calmly. When he got there, Mo'at was rubbing your temples, her words to the Great Mother echoing through the tent as she guided your spirit back to your body. He stepped in as quietly as possible, but even with her eyes closed, Mo'at was aware of his presence, lifting her right hand to motion him closer as she continued to speak her prayers to the Great Mother. Lo'ak knelt down beside you, crossing his legs underneath him, his gaze strictly fixated on you.

You could hear Mo'at's voice like a murmur at first, then it felt like a shout from the distance. Feeling as if you were floating in a body of water, you were carried by your own consciousness, your senses all coming back to you slowly.

The void you were in was no longer dark nothingness as her voice called to you, signs of life materializing as flecks of light became visible to you and sensations became known to you again. Light continued to shimmer in front of you and around that light were the spirits of the Great Mother, wispy as they cascaded up and down. Within yourself, you felt tingly and looking down, you watched as your body went from a transparent white to your familiar blue skin.

Outstretching your hands, the Great Mother’s spirits made their way to you, the light behind them becoming bigger and bigger. They surrounded you from head to toe, and beyond was Mo’at’s voice. As you focused on it, it amplified, becoming louder and louder until it felt like she was right beside you, her words clapping at you like thunder as your eyes shot open and your body instantly arose.

Lo'ak leaned forward, his happy relief evident as he called out to you smiling, "Y/n! You're okay, you're ok—." You punched him square in the jaw sending him backwards, your body instinctively in defensive mode, as you awoke, your breathing sporadic as your eyes adjusted to your surroundings.

"Damn!" Lo'ak howled, his hand rubbing at his jaw.

When you realized it was him that you punched, you lifted yourself from your seated position, apologetic as you sat on your knees and taking his face into your hands, you uttered aloud, "I've gotta stop doing this to you."

Lo'ak huffed, letting out a chuckle as he looked up at you, enamor expressed in the way his eyes softened, "I welcome any touch of yours, y/n, even if it does give me a bruise."

"You're ridiculous," You let go of his face, smacking him on the arm before leaning back, your palms resting on the ground.

He rubbed his arm, leaning forward, "Or two."

Behind you, Lo'ak peered over at his grandma, who gave him an encouraging nod, her lips pursed together in a proud grin, "It is comforting to know that even in dire straits, your affections do not wain."

Turning your head, you blinked at her, cheeks flushing. She merely met you with an innocent smile, outstretching her hands to the two of you"Now, come make yourself useful, my grandson. I must change y/n's dressing for her shoulder."

Spinning your body, you sat with your legs crossed in front of her, and from behind Lo'ak knelt down, gently taking off the wrapping.

Wringing out water from the basin beside her, she handed it to Lo'ak, "Wipe the dried blood," Then, getting up from her seated position, she went to her table, gathering another array of herbs to put onto your wound.

"Sorry if this stings," Lo'ak warned before he began to dab the blood.

He was working so delicately, so careful not to hurt you that you put a hand over his, reassuring him, "I'm not a baby, Lo'ak. You don't have to be so gentle."

Guiding his hands, you helped him as you dug into your skin a little harsher, more blood coming off and transferring to the cloth. At your touch, Lo'ak maintained a cool composure on the outside, but he was fighting his nerves on the inside, the flush on your cheeks suddenly matching the flush that began to take its place on his.

"You know, I really am glad you're okay." His eyes went downcast, knowing that what he was about to say next would shatter the bubble of comfort you were easing into, "But, something happened at the Tree of Souls and you're not gonna like it."

Halting your movement, you put your hand down and Lo'ak retreated his own hand, placing the cloth back in the basin, "What happened Lo'ak?"

With a heavy heart, he explained, "Your regiment, they came, guns blazing. I had to get you out of there. I thought you were dying. He let a breath out, "We were flying through the forest as they were chasing us and Spider...he fell off Kiri's ikran and they took him."

Your heart dropped, mouth agape and your eyes instantly sullen, "What?"

"I'm sorry, y/n." It was all Lo'ak could say as you put your head in your hands, your mind spiraling.

This changed everything.

Your breathing became rapid as you wondered what they could be doing to him. It was obvious why they took him. They needed intel and he was the perfect captive. He was close to Jake. He knew his whole operation. He could lead them right to the base. Then you thought of your father, dread filling you as you could only imagine what he would do when he found out that Spider was his son.

Your first instinct was to get up, to fly out of the base, and save your brother, "I need to—"

Mo'at looked over, the disturbance she sensed in your heart, begging her to interject. But, Lo'ak had already gotten up with you, ready to chase after you and catching your hand before you stopped yourself, staring ahead, your eyebrows furrowed.

You felt a jab in your heart as the truth pricked at you. It was futile. You knew all too well that Jake would follow you there, and naturally so would Neytiri and the kids. Saving your brother meant a death sentence for the Sullys, and as painful as that choice was, it just wasn't a risk you were willing to take.

You sat back down and Lo'ak followed your movements, keeping his hand in yours, hoping that you felt comforted by his gesture. When he squeezed your hand, you finally looked down, pulled from your blank stare. You met his eyes, clear concern etched in the way his forehead wrinkled and his lips turned downward into a frown.

Shaking your head, you feigned not being worried, managing a smile, "Don't look at me like that. I'm okay, I promise." You sighed, "Spider's a strong kid. I know he'll be okay."

He tilted his head at you, not believing a word you were saying as he tapped your forehead lightly with two fingers, "Come on y/n, what's going on in that pretty head of yours, hmm?"

As if to comfort you, Grace's voice within your mind drowned out your worries, her consolation from your visit at the Tree of Souls echoing in your mind,

"I know you’ll defeat your father, but while you’re here, the Great Mother wants you to live freely. It’s the only way you’ll be able to fulfill your purpose."

Mo'at, with the array of herbs in a bowl handed them to Lo'ak. Unwillingly, he let go of your hand, taking it and following her instructions as she said, "Rub this into her wound in circular motions."

Kneeling down, she sat on her knees, preparing a fresh new bandage for you. You turned to your side to look at her and she met your eyes. She remained silent, but as she gazed upon you, it spoke volumes, her chasmic sense of wisdom radiating as she interpreted the spiritual halo that made itself known to her.

In the distance, you could hear your name being echoed from outside, your ears twitching at the sound, and following it came a set of footsteps nearing and nearing.

It was Tuk, running as fast as she could once she had spotted your upright figure from where she was walking with Kiri.

"Kiri! She's okay, she's okay! Look!" Her excitement bubbled through the innocence in her voice as she dragged her sister forward.

Pivoting, Lo'ak lifted his hands from your shoulder as you were met by Tuk's embrace, "Aw Tuk."

"Easy there Tuk," Kiri warned, putting a hand on your back, "Y/n's just woken up."

Kiri peered over at Lo'ak, his hand still in the bowl and scoffing, she inspected his work, squinting, "Did you—" She stopped herself, snatching the bowl from his hands.

"Hey! I was kind of in the middle of something here," Lo'ak protested, but she didn't seem to care as she retorted sarcastically "Right, and you were doing such a great job, skxawng—Move," She pushed her brother out of the way, "You should have used yanna bark sap at this stage of healing."

Mo'at raised an eyebrow at her granddaughter, impressed but slightly offended, "Oh really? And who is Tsahik?"

"You are, grandmother. But, yanna bark is better. It stings less."

Tuk sat in your lap as Kiri took over, and peering over at Lo'ak, his arms crossed, a scowl on his face, you spoke, unable to contain your laughter as memories with Grace and Jake resurfaced, "You know, the two of you remind me of your parents sometimes."

Kiri's eyes brightened hearing her mother's name, "Really? I thought that they were always friends."

Lo'ak, curious as well, perked up too, eager to learn about his father's life before the life he had now. And even Tuk listened, her eyes on you.

You nodded, "Not at first. Your dad and I had no problem being friends. We were inseparable since the day we met. But, your mom needed a little more convincing." You paused, the memory so vivid in your mind that you saw it right in front of you, "I remember how they finally became friends."

You recounted the story as if it had happened yesterday.

You were at Site 26, eating at the table of the small kitchen, Grace beside you, her usual cigarette in her mouth.

He had wheeled himself in there, a plate already ready for him as Grace urged him to sit down, "Bon appetit, Marine."

"If you're feeling extra hungry, I'm more than willing to share," You joked, picking up your fork and pretending to feed him, "Say ahh!"

He swatted your hand away with a scowl, recoiling at the smell, "You know, today I made a kill and we ate it. At least, I know where that meal came from."

He attempted to wheel himself away, but Grace protested, "Oh no you don't. As your boss, I'm telling you to take some down time. That was your other body. You need to take care of this body."

Groaning, he nodded and you took it upon yourself to put it in the microwave for him, "Don't worry about getting up, old man. I got this for you."

He sneered at you, scoffing, "You're lucky that you're younger than me, kids meal. It's not in me to fight a baby like you."

You slammed the microwave door shut, "Ha. ha. Are you sure you can even fight at all? Your aim is shot. I went to the bathroom after you and there was piss all over the seat. I think you should get your cataracts checked."

Grace let out a boisterous laugh, taking a drag out of her cigarette, "I'll kick both of your asses if you don't reel it in. Y/n, baby girl, give the man his food please. He looks like crap."

Taking it out of the microwave, you set it in front of him, taking a seat beside him as you pointed, "It's already in pieces so you won't have a hard time taking your dentures out later."

"Thanks y/n. You're so thoughtful." Jake replied sarcastically, spooning some of it in his mouth.

As he chewed, the taste unbearable, he looked around for a distraction, his eyes fixating on the pictures in front of him. Filing through them, he held one up recognizing the setting, his tone serious as he turned to Grace.

One of his first excursions with his avatar was to visit Grace's old school. Ten years of her life she put into teaching the Na'vi about Earth, just for it to become a cursed piece of history. He couldn't forget the bullet holes that adorned the walls, his curiosity getting the best of him as he held the picture up to Grace, "What did happen at the school, Grace?"

Your expression darkened, sadness overwhelming your heart as Grace took her cigarette out of her mouth, her voice cracking as she explained, "Sylwanin, Neytiri's older sister stopped coming to the school. She was angry about the bulldozers. When her and a couple warriors set one on fire, they came to the school, the RDA right on their trail. She thought that I could protect them, then they killed her right in front of Neytiri. Then, after, they never came back. I got most of the kids out, but that kind of pain," She sniffled, fighting back tears, "It reaches back through the link."

Jake could only listen, understanding dawning on him. She sighed, reclaiming a stern, distant stance as she shook her head, getting up. "Not that you would understand that feeling, right Marine? You're used to doing the killing."

Jake put his head down, shame befalling him and wanting to relieve the tension you called out to her, "Wait, Grace!"

"Don't." Jake said to you, his hand still holding the picture, scorn touching his heart, "You know better than anyone that she isn't wrong. We follow orders. It's what we do."

You tilted your head at him, taking the picture out of his hand, "Then prove her wrong, Jake. Convince Eytukan to let her back into the village. Those kids meant everything to her. And I'm sure they miss her too."

Jake mulled over your words, pursing his lips, "You know, that's not a bad idea actually," He roughed up your hair, "Thanks kid. I'll make it happen. I promise."

Within a week, Grace was back in the village, to her delighted surprise.

You waited for her to come back, leaning against the window near her pod. When she finally got out, she was smiling from ear to ear.

Lowering her eyes, she questioned you, "What?"

You nudged her with your elbow. "Not bad for a Marine, huh?"

She shook her head, in disbelief, "I should have known you put him up to this. This had you," She put a hand up in front of you, tracing your outline as she continued, "Written all over it."

"But he did it, didn't he?" You argued, and she fell silent, rolling her eyes at you.

"Look, Jake's always going to be that Marine at heart, but give him a chance. You gave me one." You coaxed her, taking her hand into yours.

"Alright, alright Miss Marine," She sighed again, but you could tell she was happy, "Jake Sully and I as friends, who would have thought."

Hearing her oldest daughter's name, Mo'at could feel a twinge in her heart, but she was gratified to know that you remembered her. Kiri looked upon you with gratefulness as well, the story connecting her more with a past that she had always craved to know. Lo'ak, on the other hand, felt shocked, the Jake you knew so contrasting to the strict father he had grown up with.

"I spoke to her, your mother," You looked at Kiri, "At the Tree of Souls."

Kiri widened her eyes, urging for you to continue as she listened intently. Mo'at shared the same eagerness, and having already taken the time to interpret the will of the Great Mother when the thought first arose, she knew that Grace's message would reveal the final piece she needed to help you.

"She knows that I'll defeat my father. But, she didn't tell me how, only that the Great Mother wanted me to live freely. Only then, will I be able to fulfill my purpose." Each word was a puzzle perplexing you and you looked at Mo'at, desperate to know what she thought.

Mo'at took a moment to think, her eyes closed as her voice weaved through the subtle breeze that entered through the tent. When she had found the words to say, she spoke them with conviction.

"Life is about balance, y/n. To be too much of one thing and not enough of another can lead us on a lost path. Do not mistake surviving for living."

You took her words in, absorbing what she was saying. You knew what she was trying to tell you and you chuckled appreciatively, but still you continued to question her, curious and concerned, "What does that have to do with my purpose?"

"The Great Mother has spoken her wishes for you. Do not burden yourself with finding your purpose, for it is not meant to burden you at all. There are many things in this new life, many people," She glanced over at Lo'ak for a moment before her eyes set upon you again, "that can still bring you joy even when there is uncertainty."

Lo'ak looked at you instantly, heart on his sleeve as a grin took over his face, hoping that you would meet his eyes, but you only maintained eye contact before averting your eyes, shyness washing over you as you nodded timidly.

Kiri went back and forth between her brother and you, wholly entertained. Putting a hand on yours, "I'm happy that you were able to connect with my mother again. It is good news for this day."

There was a pain behind her eyes and discerning it, you squeezed her hand, "I'm sorry about Spider."

It meant a lot for you to acknowledge that ache she was so desperately trying to hide as she replied, "Thank you. Now, let's finish wrapping your shoulder."

Mo'at handed her granddaughter the bandage and taking it, Kiri skillfully bound your wound, tying it tightly then patting your shoulder, "There. All done."

"Thank you. To all of you." You acknowledged, and letting Tuk off your lap, you stood up, "Now, I have to go talk your dad."

"I'm coming with you," Lo'ak said immediately, getting up and kissing his grandma on the cheek before following you out.

The two girls were close behind, bidding their grandma farewell with a wave as they trailed behind Lo'ak.

From a distance, you already saw Jake and Neytiri in their tent, and although you were far, you could tell they were arguing.

Turning around, you put a hand on Lo'ak's chest, "Maybe you guys should stay behind."

He looked at Kiri and Tuk behind him and reluctantly, he replied, "Okay."

You squinted your eyes at him, expecting his protests, but he remained calm. "Okay...good."

Turning on your heels, you kept going and it wasn't long before you heard their footsteps behind you again. Whipping your head around, you caught Lo'ak mid-walk and not expecting it, he almost ran into you, his hands going to your waist as he avoided crashing forward.

Dangerously close, he kept his eyes locked on you, your expression clearly frustrated, "I'm being serious, Lo'ak. I'm not going to tell you again."

You ignored how his hands felt on your waist, the feeling stirring butterflies in your stomach. Gently taking his wrists, you peeled his hands off.

In surrender, he put his hands up, backing away, "Fine, fine. We're planted, okay? On my honor."

You smiled at him, "Thank you."

When you got to the entrance, you leaned onto the side of it.

So engrossed in their argument, they didn't notice you, Jake's hands in fists as he let out, "We have to leave the Forest."

Neytiri shook her head, her voice forceful and strained, "You cannot ask this. We cannot leave our People. This is our home!"

You cleared your throat, announcing your presence, Neytiri halitng her words immediately as her eyes went to you.

Jake did the same, his expression once distressed and defeated, now illuminated with relief.

"Y/n!" He ran, hugging you, his voice cracking, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

You patted him on the back, whispering, "You old sap. Sorry for scaring you."

Your head rested on Jake's shoulder and you made eye contat with Neytiri. She couldn't hide her emotions, her hands on her head as she looked at you, her eyes pleading as she began to say, "Tell him, y/n that he cannot do this, that there is a way to defeat your demon father from here."

You fell silent, letting go of Jake, unsure of what to say. You and Jake exchanged looks, the two of you in sync.

A father protects. It's what gives him meaning.

You taught him that.

He was Toruk Makto, the leader of the Omaticaya, their protector, their peacekeeper. But, he was also Jake Sully, a father and a husband. Quaritch made him and his family walking targets among The People who never asked to be part of a feud whose end was supposed to be in the Hallelujah Mountains. Jake knew very well how unbearable it is to live with innocent blood on your hands, and he just couldn't bear for the Omaticaya to become collateral damage.

You both knew what had to be done, and there was only one way he could protect everyone, to do his duty, to make sure that no one he loved would get hurt because of him.

Neytiri, in her desperation, picked up her father's bow from where it was being displayed in the tent, "My father gave me this bow as he lay dying," Her voice cracked as she continued, "And he said protect The People. You're Toruk Makto!"

You hated to be on Jake's side this time, but he was right, "Neytiri, he had your children under his knife and now that he has Spider..."

You stopped yourself for a moment, not wanting to admit your fears as you looked away from them both, "He's going to come with everything he's got and he's not gonna stop."

You turned toward Jake and Neytiri again, taking her hand in yours, your heart heavy, "I know you don't want to leave, but you have to understand. If the People harbor us, they will die."

"This will protect The People." Jake put a hand on your shoulder and a hand on Neytiri's face, cupping it gently," Look, I got nothing. I got no plan. But I can protect this family. That I can do."

Sniffling and a wail of cries erupted from outside of the tent and through an opening, you saw the movement of a blue tail. The sound caused Neytiri's ears to twitch, instantly recognizing her child's cries as she uttered, "Tuk?"

Revealing themselves, the kids slowly, one by one, made their way in, and to your surprise, Neteyam had joined them, being the last to walk through the entrance.

"Do we really have to leave here?" Tuk asked, her face stained with tears as she held onto her sister.

Jake and Neytiri didn't know what to say, caught off guard by their children's sudden appearance. Jake was about to walk over to her, but you beat him to it, kneeling down beside her, "You remember what I told you when that man took you in the Mountains? About your dad?"

She nodded, "That he was one of the Sky People, that only he knows how to stop them."

You smiled at her, "Smart girl," You tried your best to hide the heaviness behind your eyes as you reassured her, "Your dad is just doing what he knows best," You looked up at the other Sully kids, hoping that you were giving them at least a semblance of comfort with your words, "Protecting what he loves."

She seemed to understand, pressing her lips together as she nodded. Letting go of her sister's hands, she ran to Jake and he carried her, rubbing her back. Neytiri motioned for the rest of the kids to come and they did, all of them falling in as they hugged one another.

You kept yourself at a distance, looking at them as they embraced one another, your heart breaking. And again, you were reminded what you were brought back to Pandora for—the dread, the pain, the anguish that your regiment was tasked to do. Your mere existence was already causing ruins to Jake and the people he loved the most.

You walked out of the tent, hoping they wouldn't notice you had gone. But, Jake had seen you go, and in his worry, he put Tuk down, following you.

It didn't matter how many times Jake called your name, you didn't respond, buried in your thoughts as you quickly walked through the base.

Despite how much you wanted to live freely like Grace had told you, no matter how much you felt the pull of life, the weight of death was strong, and until you could lift it, you just couldn't welcome a renewed sense of being.

Because here you were, your identity and your destiny still attached to a mission that served the vengeance of what was meant to be dead. You didn't feel like you could move on from that, not until everything was over, not until you did everything you could to protect Jake and his family.

That was the promise you made to yourself when you first awoke and you would keep it. No matter what it took.

The People, you saw, were living, thriving in their homes. Jake had ensured their livelihoods, ensured their safety, and maintained their peace. It was meant to be a comforting sight, but you were only met with sadness in your heart. The words you once told Jake all those years ago, you never realized how much he lived by it until now.

Somehow, you had made it far enough to where the scientists were staying and seeing you, Norm and Max ran over, appearing in front of you.

You finally stopped, pulled from your thoughts as you greeted them, "Oh, hey guys."

"What's wrong?" Norm asked, although he could already guess why you looked so down.

Jake had already broken the news to them earlier, offering a sympathetic hand when you replied, "Haven't you heard? We're getting out of Dodge. Per usual, my dad's done what he does best."

You sat down near the steps of their lab, resting your palms on the sides of your face as your elbows were propped onto your knees, You let out a soft chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood with a joke, "I've got a lot of overdue samples to look at."

That earned a laugh from the two of them, Max replying, "If you weren't like 9 feet tall, I'd definitely let you take a look."

Norm pulled out his tablet, scrolling through countless video logs until he found the one he was looking for, "Hey, I was looking through these the other day and look what I stumbled upon."

He handed you the tablet, and pressing the play button, you watched.

"Y/n. Geez, I've been chasing you down this whole..." You looked up to find Jake walking over with a troubled expression, his words stopping as his eyes made their way down to the tablet, the sight of himself, you, and Grace silencing him.

"Jake Sully here. This is video log..."

You were behind him, hunched over beside Grace with a syringe in your hand, "Twenty-seven. Video log twenty-seven."

"Hey, is this my video log or yours?" He retorted.

"You're the one who couldn't remember the number." You muttered, smiling to yourself.

"Anyway, video log twenty-seven. Learning to ride an ikran. We call them banshees. It's the test every young hunter has to pass. But to do that you gotta go where the banshees are."

"Oo-rah." You chimed in.

Jake turned around again, clearing his throat, and you groaned, "Sorry."

"Man, taming that thing was a bitch. But, when I finally made the bond and I was in the air...Anyway, I may not be much of a horse guy, but riding an ikran? I was born to do that."

"You lucky bastard." You muttered again, taking your eyes out of the microscope when Grace pinched you.

"Stop interrupting. You're distracting him. You know his brain can't handle too much."

Jake scowled, "You can kiss my lily white as—"

"Hey, I'm just saying, if I had my own avatar...I'd never be on the ground."

Watching that only deepened your sadness, and you handed Norm his tablet back, your wish of having your own ikran a pipe dream now that you were leaving the Forest.

Norm, still unaware of the news, looked over at Jake, nudging him, "Might have taken twenty years but, it's still not too late for y/n to have one!"

Jake deliberated it, recognizing your dejection in the way you avoided his eyes. And although in the wake of his decision, it seemed like an impulsive idea, he conceded, "You're right."

In your shock, you finally looked at Jake, taking your hand away from your jaw as your mouth hung open, "Seriously? I thought for sure you would hate the idea of me even stepping outside of camp."

"Well, you're one of the People, aren't you? And besides, "He got up, motioning for you to do the same. Attempting to lighten the mood, he shrugged, "I really didn't want to have to push you in a stroller when we leave here."

You put a hand on the top of your head, allowing your laughter to permeate through the melancholy that felt like it was taking over your body, "You're gonna end up back in that wheelchair real soon. Just you wait."

Jake retaliated affectionately, "It must be tiring being such a pain in the ass."

You waved goodbye to Norm and Max, Jake waiting for you as you caught up to him, "You must be exhausted then."

Jake pulled you in by the shoulder, guiding you forward, "Come on, kids meal, we have one more stop before I take you to Oo-rah."

You returned to the tent, your arrival prompting the Sullys to look up from their separate activities. They were all seated on the floor beside each other. Neteyam acknowledged you with a nod as he was putting a new string on his bow. Kiri was weaving something together, focusing as she looped tiny beads onto a string. Neytiri was with Tuk, the youngest Sully comfortably seated in her lap as she prepared a midday snack. And Lo’ak was only distracting himself as he sharpened his knife over and over, awaiting your return eagerly.

Neytiri arose from her seated position, looking at her husband expectantly, "Ma Jake, what is going on?"

Jake pinched your ear, earning a scowl from you, "We've got somewhere to go."

They all got up hearing Jake, the siblings tilting their heads as they exchanged looks between one another.

The six of you walked toward the edge of the camp. Lo'ak taking his place beside you. "You really want your own ikran? I thought for sure you preferred riding with me." He flirtatiously joked.

"I never said I didn't." You replied rather quickly, catching onto his flirtations, your swift response causing an instant blush to appear on his cheeks.

"I just was really looking forward to racing you on one. Plus," You paused, "I'd definitely win." You feigned a cough to slightly mask your words, a smile erupting on your face as you watched his reaction turn sour.

"You really think you'd win against me? No chance." Lo'ak scoffed cockily, crossing his arms as he raised an eyebrow at you.

"Even Tuk could beat you, bro." Neteyam interjected, overhearing the conversation, letting out a laugh as his sister stuck her tongue out at Lo'ak.

"You're mistaking me for you, bro. You must have forgotten the last time we raced, I left you in the dust." Lo'ak replied, cavalier and confident.

"You cheated that time, and you know it." Neteyam pointed at him sternly.

Lo'ak leaned into you, whispering in your ear, "Think of the slowest animal to ever exist.. that's how slow Neteyam is compared to me."

His taunts amused you, and although Neteyam didn't think his remarks were funny, you couldn't help but laugh, remembering your old pilot days with Trudy.

Lo'ak's lips curled into a smile, pride bubbling in his stomach for making you laugh. You all stopped when you reached the edge of the camp, craning your neck, your eyes gaped at the myriad of clouds covering the blue sky, slowly setting into sunset. Scattered through the air were the floating rocks of the mountains, vast and many in the distance.

With each call, the Sullys' ikrans came, landing on the rocks and taking hold with their talons, screeching loudly as a greeting.

Lo'ak patted his ikran's head affectionately, connecting his queue to his. Cautiously, you put a hand out, but your guardedness was unnecessary as his ikran felt Lo'ak's fondness of you, moving his head forward to meet your hand.

You were surprised by the gesture, smiling.

"He likes you," Lo'ak remarked.

"He's not the only one," Neteyam fake coughed, aiming to embarrass his brother, a satisfied smirk plastered on his face as he mounted his ikran.

Lo'ak clapped in fake enthusiasm then flipped his brother off with both hands.

Jake, who heard the commotion looked over, ready to scold his youngest son. Seeing the look in Jake's eyes, you put Lo'ak's fingers down, pushing him forward toward his ikran, "Just get on, won't you?"

He obeyed your orders, taking a seat on the saddle then offering a hand to you, "You better hold on tight. You know I like to ride fast." He glared at Neteyam, "Unlike some people we know."

"Stop trying to impress y/n with your lies." Neteyam replied, putting his visor on.

You moved Lo'ak's hand over, lifting yourself up onto his ikran. You were almost fully seated when Jake pulled your arm back down, the abruptness almost making you lose balance as your feet landed on the ground.

"What the hell—" You yelped, blinking up at Jake.

"You ride with me." He still held onto your arm, practically dragging you until you flicked his forehead hard in response.

"Ow!" He let go of you, placing his fingers where you had hit him, "Last time you flew with my son, you came back unconscious. I just don't want to take any chances." Jake explained sternly.

You squinted at him, "No, that vein sticking out of your forehead is telling me there's more to it."

Jake looked up, his fists balled as he sucked in a breath through his teeth, "Y/n—"

You put a hand up though shushing him, your expression determined as you defended Lo'ak, "Last time I flew with your son, he got me back here. Safely. So, cut Lo'ak some slack and have a little more faith."

Jake let a breath out, looking up, clearly contemplating and frustrated by your protests. Neytiri though, was having none of it, clearing her throat and prompting his attention, "Ma Jake." Neytiri lowered her eyes at her husband, "She will ride with Lo'ak. Now, let's go before the sun fully sets."

Groaning, Jake nodded, returning back to his ikran but not before he gave Lo'ak one final warning look, which Lo'ak reluctantly acknowledged with a nod.

Again, you lifted yourself onto his ikran, stabilizing yourself as you sat comfortably in front of him. He was unusually quiet with no flirtatious rally to tell you, causing you to look at him from behind.

He felt shy under your gaze but, he masked it immediately, smirking at you like he usually did, "Ready?"

"More than ever." You said, taking hold of the handles on the saddle.

Following Jake out, one by one, the sound of wings' flapping filled your ears and then you were into the sky, the wind dancing through your hair. You ascended upward, the flight to Oo-rah not too long as Lo'ak sped through the air.

For some reason, you were bothered that Lo'ak had no comment to make after you defended him, the silence between the two of you for the first ride deafening.

You looked back at him, catching his eye briefly before turning around, yelling over the wind, "I didn't have to defend you like that, you know."

Lo'ak didn't speak for a moment, leaning forward as he tried to decipher your expression. You looked at him from the side, your irritation making itself known in the glare you gave him.

When he realized how bothered you were, he felt exhilarated at having stirred some kind of reaction from you, a stark difference from your usual tendency to brush him off.

He finally replied to you, making sure his face was dangerously close to yours, "So, why'd you do it?"

He could have guessed your reasons very easily, feeling he had come to know you well enough. It was intensely you to put Jake in his place the way you did—he had seen you do it before. Not to mention, he thought the world of you, your moral compass irrefutable and your heart kind.

But, he just couldn't help but ask anyway, fishing for a specific answer as he hoped he could get you to admit your feelings.

You didn't say anything, trying to find the words to explain your reasons. It didn't help that you could feel Lo'ak's chest behind your back and his breath on your neck, the proximity making you nervous, like you were being studied under a microscope.

You cleared your throat, avoiding his eyes as you looked onward, "Because we're friends."

Lo'ak leaned backwards then accelerated without warning, dipping underneath one of the floating rocks, the movement forcing your grip on the left handle loose. Immediately, Lo'ak let go of one of the handles, cradling you diligently, his hold on you firm as gravity took over, your head now abruptly resting in the crevice between his neck and shoulder. Instinctively, you placed your hands on his arms, clasping onto him to regain your stability.

He beamed at you coyly, smug as he smoothly said, "Just friends?"

You knew you were bright red, the cold of the wind barely able to cool the heat on your face as you lightly touched your cheeks. You were completely flustered, but that didn't change that you were still irritated with him, "If this is your way of saying thank you, you're doing a shit job."

Oo-rah was just up ahead, Jake already landing on the cave's edge near the clearing of the ikran's lair, everyone else following behind him in a line formation.

"And how would you like me to show my gratitude? I can think of a lot of ways." Lo'ak emphasized, moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

You both hopped off his ikran and you turned to Lo'ak who was eager to hear your response.

You shoved his face away from yours, responding sarcastically, "Oh fuck off."

"No, you'd miss me." He placed his hand where yours had been, unable to contain the huge grin he had.

You walked over to Jake, and he threw something at you, "Tie the mouth with this first. You’ll know which one is yours because—“

“I know, I know. It’ll try to kill me.” You interrupted, looking down at what you caught.

It was a piece of twine with a ball of rope at the end of it. You practiced spinning it around before walking the cliff's edge, the hoard of ikrans seemingly greeting you with their cries and screeches.

As you continued to step forward, most of the ikrans avoided your eyes, not caring too much about your presence. Then, above, the loud flapping of wings caught your attention, your eyes following the descent of a teal and pink colored ikran. She hissed at you loudly, meeting your eyes with viciousness, and you met hers back with an equal viciousness of your own. You waited for the opportune moment to strike and when you felt that in your gut, you acted with utmost swiftness. 

You could hear the Sullys cheering for you from behind as you tied her mouth, stunning her momentarily. You quickly hopped on her back, wrapping your arm around her neck, gripping for your life as she thrashed against it. Inching closer and closer to the cliff, your heart was pumping with so much adrenaline as you attempted to grab her queue, and in the midst of that, she threw both of you off the cliff.

You could barely hear everyone yell your name in fear and worry as you fell, spinning as gravity pulled you downward ruthlessly. The air become another adversary, threatening to plummet you to your doom, but you only tightened your grip on her queue while reaching behind for your own, your eyes focusing despite how quickly you were falling. 

When you had reached that precipice, Lo’ak wasted no time following after you, jumping off the cliff as he called his ikran. He readied himself to catch you, but there was no need as he watched you finally make the bond. You straightened yourself on your ikran’s back, catching your breath as you felt her own, completely in tune as you commanded her to fly straight.

The Sullys were not far behind you, taking to the air with impossible quickness the moment you fell off the cliff.

You spun around to meet them, their whoops and cheers uplifting you. You bowed your head, taking the praise, and Jake neared you, worry still etched on his face, but his pride taking over as he grinned at you from ear to ear, "I told you not to scare me like that."

"I definitely beat your record." You flipped your hair with pride, laughing as he scowled.

"Like hell you did." Jake flew slightly forward, purposefully making you dodge his ikran's wings, the movement sending you backward slightly.

You gasped in offense, moving forward to do the same thing to him, but more aggressively as he dove downward to avoid you.

You tilted your head backward, laughing loudly at his stunned reaction. Neytiri joined in on the laughter as well, putting a hand to her mouth, so happy to see the two of you flying together at last. It was a sight she never thought that she would see, and she bubbled with joy seeing her husband so happy to be with you—his best friend.

"Alright, old man," You began, and looking to the sides, you called out, "Neteyam, Lo'ak, you, and me, we're racing. Now, I know you're used to going below twenty miles an hour, but try to keep up okay?"

Scoffing, Jake shrugged, "You must have forgotten, y/n, but I was born to do this."

"Right, right. And that was when again? Before the time of the First Songs?" You feigned a pout at him, fake doe eyes as you retorted sarcastically.

Kiri, who was merely enjoying the scenery, snickered at your joke, recognizing your humor as she praised you, "That was funny!"

"Oh, you guys are sooo losing." Lo'ak yelled out confidently.

"Rules? One lap back to the base and the first one back here wins?" Neteyam suggested.

Exchanging looks with one another, you all nodded, agreeing the terms.

"Kiri count us down!" Lo'ak insisted, and she groaned at the request but ultimately agreed.

The four of you lined up beside one another, you sandwiched between Neteyam, who was on your right, and Lo'ak on your left.

"What are you going to give me when I win?" Lo'ak asked you. indelicate in his tone.

"A kiss on the cheek." You teased, before facing forward.

"Are you being serio—" Lo'ak let out, but the sound of Kiri's loud "Go!" interrupted him.

Hearing her first syllable, you darted off, taking the lead, Neteyam and Jake close beside you, while Lo'ak slightly trailed behind, your response delaying him.

The sun was setting, the sky darkening slightly as warm hues of orange, yellow, and red took over. You dodged the floating rocks skillfully weaving your way through, your body leaning forward as you accelerated further and further.

The sight of the base was ahead, and Neteyam still matching your speed glanced over at you. You took the opportunity to dive under him when he did, your ikran vertical for a moment then flattening out as you sped forward.

You were the first to make it to the edge of the base, swiftly turning around and unexpectedly, everyone else had also caught up with you.

Jake, determined to win, flew above then downward in front of you, blocking your path and forcing you suddenly upside down.

With a new perspective, you caught sight of a shortcut, steering yourself there. Lo'ak, having known about that spot from previous races followed after you, the two of you zigzagging between each other.

The two of you were pulling ahead, with Neteyam and Jake mere inches from you both. Seeing Neytiri and Kiri, with every ounce of strength, you gained momentum with ferocity, advancing toward them. But, Lo'ak was right next to you, and smirking, he matched your speed, inching and inching forward, the last few seconds of the race suspenseful as the two of you shot forward past Neytiri and Kiri.

Reaching past the finish line, you turned around to see Neteyam and Jake crossing it. You saw Jake biting the bottom of his lip in disappointment at his defeat, granting you a satisfied grin.

"Who won? Definitely me, right?" Lo'ak yelled at his sister.

But, she had no clue, looking at her mother, who also was at a loss for words.

"No, no you're being delusional. I passed them first." You disagreed, your eyes looking for confirmation in Kiri's.

"Um, guys. I think it was a tie." Kiri replied, putting her hand at the back of her neck.

"It was y/n!" Tuk cried out from where she was seated with her mother.

"See!" You emphasized, turning to Lo'ak.

"Tuk is eight! She can barely tell the difference between a direhorse and a hexapede!" Lo'ak reasoned.

"Okay, then we're having a rematch. From here to the top of that mountain over there, toward the horizon." You pointed and his eyes followed your finger.

"I'm getting that kiss on the cheek." Lo'ak stated, and without another word, you two were off, any consideration of Jake's disapproval gone with the wind.

Neytiri caught onto Jake's worrying concern, easing it as she urged, "It is their last day in The Forest, Ma Jake. Let them enjoy it. Let y/n enjoy it, hmm? They'll come home soon enough for dinner. Let us go back."

Although he hated the idea of the two of you alone without his protection, the thought almost sending him into oblivion, he listened to Neytiri.

Flying had always been your favorite part about being a Marine, and when you had come to Pandora, you had always wanted to fly as you were now—no constrictions, no orders to obey, no mission to complete.

And after twenty years or so, you finally got to.

Through the endless Hallelujah Mountains, in and out of the entanglement of vines, and past the wispiness of the clouds, you slashed at the currents with elegant speed, surging freely in the flux. Once you came to a stopping point, landing on one of the nearby cliffs, Lo'ak's ikran hit the ground first, signaling his victory.

Yet you were too engrossed by the nature around you to realize that fact as you dismounted your ikran, eyes widened as you took it all in. The grass atop the cliff waved at you as the wind cascaded through it, and you looked out into the seemingly endless landscape, breathing in the freshness of the air and doing your best to commit the moment into your memory.

"Ahem." Lo'ak had his hands behind his back, his gaze expectant as he leaned forward, turning his cheek to you, "I think you owe me something."

“Fine, fine.” You gave in, stepping closer to him.

Leaning forward, you hovered over his cheek, about to press your lips to it, but as you did so, the dots on Lo'ak's skin began to glow, signaling the dawn of the night. Beyond, the darkening of the sky began to awaken the bioluminescene of the forest, the sun disappearing behind you and replacing it was the bright white moon.

You gasped in awed wonder, pulling away as you shifted your attention to the change of your scenery. You never got tired of the way The Forest would illuminate like this, the glow of it so vividly shimmering against the black of nightfall.

And while your eyes were busy, Lo'ak's were too, focusing on your figure as you walked away from him.

"You—"

"Shhh" You put your finger up, "I'm looking at all of this."

He grabbed onto your tail playfully, "And I'm—"

You whipped your body around to face him, defensive as you put your hands out, lunging to grab his tail in retaliation. He caught your hand as you leaped, pulling you forward.

He continued what he was saying, "And I'm looking at you."

Lo'ak paused and you could no longer distinguish the mischievous glint in his eyes as they bore into you, his affection dripping like honey.

Slowly, he continued to pull you forward, gently closing the gap between you. You did nothing to brush him off, too entranced as you took those small steps.

His hand still in yours, he tilted his head slightly, his voice soft, but firm.

"I See You."

You blinked up at him, a fog taking over your brain, your mouth open, but nothing coming out as you stood, stunned.

There was silence between the two of you, everything blurring as your vision fixated on one another. The tranquil of The Forest lent comforting warmth that blanketed the two of you, contrasting the rapid pumping of both of your hearts.

And perhaps it was because you were wrapped up in that moment, so taken by his words that you felt emboldened. Hooking your finger onto his necklace, you pulled him toward you, connecting your lips.

Lo'ak only widened his eyes in surprise for a second before he melted into you, trailing his hand up your arm as he cupped your cheek and the other took its place on your back, the gap between you closing as he deepened the kiss with tender adoration.

You allowed yourself to be in this moment with Lo'ak cherishing the suspension of reality, your mind calm, no ruminating about the purpose the Great Mother has for you, no concern of your father's revenge poisoning your thoughts, no distress found from losing your brother.

Enthralled in that freedom and peace, you felt as if you were in a dream, a good one that you would keep close to your heart.

You ghosted your fingers around his collarbone to grab onto the back of his neck, moving in rhythm with him and meeting him with the same passion before you quickly pulled away, the taste of his lips lingering on yours as you caught your breath.

Lo'ak, still in an enamored daze, lightly grazed your lips with his two fingers, a huge smile on his face, "I'm gonna expect this every time I win."

Your mind catching up with the desires of your heart, you repositioned your hands onto his shoulders, straightening your elbows to put distance between you and him.

"This was a one time thing." You clarified as you mentally scolded yourself for being so impulsive.

Furrowing his eyebrows at you, he met you with a confused expression, slight hurt lacing it, "Why?"

You patted his shoulders, sheepishly smiling, "We're friends."

"For now." Lo'ak said with a quickness.

"Lo'ak." You gave him a stern look, but you were still clearly flustered.

Lo'ak chuckled, "You kissed me!"

You had no rational comeback, spitting out whatever came to your head as you came to your own defense, stuttering, "Well, that was your fault! You were staring at me the way that you always stare at me but then you—"

"Then I what?" Lo'ak was wholly amused. He knew you liked him back, and he beamed with internal satisfaction.

Frustrated, you scratched the back of your neck, "You can't just say what you said, Lo'ak. It means something, it means everything!"

"Well, I meant it." Lo'ak shrugged casually, crossing his arms, "And I'm not taking it back."

You felt childish at this point, hesitating in pure disbelief as you let out a breath.

Uncrossing his arms and reading your expression, Lo'ak aimed to assure you, "If you want it to be a one time thing, then it's a one time thing. We're friends, of course we're friends."

You hardly believed him though, squinting at him as you tried to discern his intentions, expecting a mischievous comment.

And you were right in thinking that, Lo'ak looking up to the sky as he let his voice trail into the wind, "Even though you had nooo problem getting real close to me when we were in the air," He made eye contact with you again, "We're friends."

“We both know you did that on purpose," You warned, putting a finger up at him pointedly, "And also, you fly your ikran like you're drunk.” You scrunched your nose, playfully insulting him.

He brushed a stray hair away from your face, “I never did thank you, you know for defending me.”

You pinched his ear, causing him to wince, “Took you long enough.”

He rubbed his ear to ease the pain, “Look, I’m not the perfect soldier or the perfect son, so I’m not used to it. That’s why I didn’t know what to say at first.” Vulnerability coated his words as his hand went to the back of his neck.

“Well, you're perfect to me.” You had uttered it so nonchalantly, shrugging your shoulders even, as if you had said it countless times before.

You watched his expression soften at your words, his gaze on you already shrouded with affection now decorated in adoration, his heart beating so fast he swore it was going to pop out of his chest.

Whirling around, he put his hands at his temples then extended his arms out, palms outstretched to the sky, the tips of his fingers in your view, "You say these things, and you're just begging to be kissed. I swear."

"Don't make me punch you again." You warned, balling your fists up.

"Stand down there, beautiful. I'm only joking." Lo'ak put a hand up, easing your fists down.

You sighed, "What I'm trying to say is that even though your dad is my best friend, I don't agree with everything he does. And that includes how he treats you."

Lo'ak was about to make another flirtatious joke, but you continued, "And your siblings."

He put his hands at his hips, looking down at the ground, "Had to bring them into it too, huh?" He muttered, "So romantic."

"I knew Jake when he was like you. Stubborn. Troublesome—"

"Fun?" Lo'ak added.

You chuckled, nodding, "I'm surprised he's so strict now."

"Trust me, the way he acts when you're around is more surprising. He hasn't joked like that since Neteyam, Kiri, and I were kids. But that was before the Sky People came back and started building that city."

And suddenly, the worries you had came flooding back, the harsh reality sinking its teeth into the dream that you so desperately wanted to stay in.

Yet, that was the thing about dreams.

Sooner or later, you have to wake up.

The People.

The Forest.

They would become relics to you as you once became a relic to it.

-

Everything was set by the next day, and just as quickly as you had settled into camp, you were leaving once again for a brand new horizon.

The People had gathered onto the ground to attend the ceremony of the new Olo’eyktan, but what was meant to be a joyous celebration was tainted by overwhelming loss and sadness.

Jake knew his successor, Tarsem, was wise beyond his years, that he would make a strong Olo'eyktan.

But as you looked upon Jake's face, his expression strong and stoic, you could still see the pain in his eyes.

The memories you had in your new body didn't remember the Final Battle, the day that you first saw Jake in the air on Toruk. You didn't remember it, but you knew you felt proud. It was who he was always meant to be.

The leader must die, so the leader can be born.

Toruk Makto will disappear.

The People will be safe.

With this new beginning came tearful goodbyes as the Omaticaya bid you all farewell, and you had maintained your strength until you saw Norm and Max. You couldn’t hold your tears in as you gave them both one final hug. 

Mo'at gave her final embraces before your departure, and when she finally got to you, she put her hands on your shoulders, “My child, whatever you may experience beyond this forest, the Great Mother has ordained you as one of The People. Do not forget that.” 

You gave her one last hug, “I won’t. I promise.”

You were at the edge of a cliff, vast, blue, open sea ahead of you, ikrans ready to fly. But you were hardly focused on what was ahead as you looked back at The Forest, etching and ingraining every detail of it in your mind.

Into the air, suddenly the feeling of leaving felt like true resignation, the momentary banter between you and Jake forgotten as you looked out into the open sea, seemingly endless, full of possibilities. But what was meant to be a fresh start was only cloaked with the sweeping melancholy that you and the Sullys felt inside as The Forest, the colossal trees, the lush landscape, and the presence of the aviary creatures amidst the foliage became a green mirage, smaller and smaller as you ventured further out until the sight of it could no longer be seen.

One life ends.

Another begins.

-

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4 |

Author's Note

to my lovers clan,

i'm so so sorry for taking so long to give you guys an update. life has been insane these past two years and i finally was able to finish up this chapter and move forward with the series.

in truth, my creativity was so shot and i couldn't bring myself to write work that i wasn't proud of. you guys deserve the absolute best!

for everyone who has waited for my series, i really really love you and appreciate you. to know that there are people out there that have taken the time to read my work, it is a blessing.

if you liked the chapter, let me know what you think in the comments! i always love reading your thoughts!

please always take care of yourselves!

love,

nana <3

~~side note here: going to break down some of my choices down for this chapter, so if you’re interested, read on!

i really leaned into the themes of friendship and family in this chapter and i focused on the forest and flashbacks because this will be the last time we'll see them in this setting.

i fell in love with the first movie so long ago, that when i rewatched the extended version recently, i realized that i forgot that neytiri had a sister!

i thought that the flashback i added with her really enriched the storyline and the connection between Grace, Jake, and the reader, while adding more volume to HOW two worlds could collide—how a boss could become a friend.

Spider getting captured right after they connected too was so necessary because I really wanted him to feel so conflicted — he had just connected with his sister, felt a bond with her, and suddenly he realizes that he can't fully hate his father. It mirrors how the reader also feels about Quaritch, but her history with him, her sense of duty and moral compass guide her more toward the Sullys, while Spider struggles with it a little more.

And then these moments with Jake and y/n too! Like, they are BEST friends. But to him, you've always been the baby, so him getting all protective now that he's a dad was a comedic choice that I couldn't resist. Cause it's like... Jake that's your whole ass son and you're cockblocking???? And then of course, Neytiri, even though she doesn't outwardly show it (like her mother Mo'at our grand shipper of the Lo'ak reader ride), she doesn't mind that Lo'ak is clearly interested in you

THENNNN,

we have our stars of the show, the slow burn romance we're all dying for— Lo'ak and reader.

LIKE SHE KISSED HIM? (I mean, shit me too honestly, but damn, who would have thought?)

I was originally gonna have him kiss her first, but it felt so much more of a natural move for her to just do it, the moment so right for her and then the INSTANT regret of it on her end, and Lo'ak teasing her after—it encompasses how easy their relationship is and how willing Lo'ak is to just take things at her pace, even though he's ready to dive right in.

~

also, p.s. i still have my taglists and will update it, but with how the character limit is, i wasn't able to put everybody down on this post.

taglist:

@mae-is-crazy @mrs-sullys-blog @23victoria @neteyamforlife  @a-queen-blr @neteyamslovr @fifty-shades-of-mischeif @pretty-npeach @tonni30  @itsemy01 @jimfiqs

[vandnana]

Hey, I'm so sorry to send an ask like this but I actually found your works posted on Wattpad seemingly without your permission and I just wanted to let you know. I know not every author is okay with stuff like this so if you are one of them, I wanted to give you a heads up that someone is reposting your works. Your writing is lovely, and have a lovely day. xx

Hey lover!

The creator did not take credit for my work, so I am pleased about that. But, they did not ask for permission beforehand, so I am especially grateful to you for bringing this to my attention. I really appreciate this so much.

I strictly only upload on Tumblr, so if you find any of my work anywhere else it isn’t me!!

Again, thank you so much for telling me! You are so kind to look out for me. I truly have the best readers in the world :)

Love,

Nana <3

[vandnana]

Babe wru??? Have you abandoned us???

MY LOVERS I HAVE NOT ABANDONED YOU ALL <3

I’m trying to get two chapters out at the same time right now so I apologize for the delay!!

Also ugh the way you called me babe IM BLUSHING

[vandnana]

I have it in my mind that reader is 17 in “in love with the enemy” but how old is she actually?

heyy lover!

She’s in her 20s!

I’ve made my timeline based on how long Quaritch was on pandora for…so in the first movie they were there for about six years, so she was only a child when Quaritch adopted her, but she was about fourteen or fifteen when they came to pandora.

I leave her age pretty ambiguous given her story. I get more into it later on, but to sum things up here briefly, the reader was neglected her whole life, so she didn’t really know how old she was when Quaritch found her, he was only able to confirm her approximate age based on the scientists/doctors looking at her growth through her bones, teeth, etc…

This was a great question!! Thank you for asking! I hope I was able to give you a sufficient answer!

love,

nana <3

*also! please stay tuned for chapter four! it’s already in the works, along with chapter five! hope you all are as excited as i am!

[vandnana]

[In Love With The Enemy Taglist!]

hey lovers! how are you?

thank you thank you thank you to all of you who have been keeping up with the series!

i appreciate everyone who wanted to be part of the taglist, and im still so in awe by all of you who have been invested in the story!

since there are so many of you, i try to make sure that i include you all in the posts, but tumblr caps how many people i can tag, so as a solution, i will also make a separate post to make sure i get everyone and you are all up to date!

also, i'd like to note that sometimes i am not able to tag certain blogs because of certain tumblr rules -- like if your blog is really new or your visibility settings are hiding you from search results, but your blogs will be put in regardless!

again, endless love and good vibes to every single one of you and if you want to be part of the taglist, you can comment on here too!

CLICK HERE FOR CHAPTER III!

love,

nana <3

and for those who may not want to be on the taglist but still want to be informed of an update, you can follow the specific tag for this story as well - #nanasilewfic!

~

taglist:

@liyahsocorro @aysenademir @kaealowri @laylasbunbunny @zilena9 @tanchosanke @sleepyharuka @chantelle-mh @jacy1q @dreamergirljen @briefwinnerpersonaturtle @neteyamoa @blognameenter @neteyamsgirll @sucker4angstt @perfectprofessorloverapricot @dumb-fawkin-bitch @littlethingsinlife @useryourbut @wtf-why-do-i-gotta-do-this @aikasnow @mara-brekker @abbersreads @inkpot-winters @daddyslittlevillain @xandra4 @khaleesihavilliard @bajadotcom @eternallyvenus @embrycallsballz @alexandra-001 @osakis-gf

[vandnana]

Hi! I love your works, and I'm addicted to "in love wiyh the enemy".

I already read it 5 times!!! It's been a long time since the release of the second chapter, and I wanted to ask you if you will also do the third. please, i can't wait any longer.

With love from a big fan of yours.

hi lover!

you warmed my heart with this! thank you truly :)

i will be continuing this series and finishing it! it's my focus for my writing here on tumblr right now!! stay tuned for more chapters and thank you for being so patient!

love,

nana <3

[vandnana]

Omg! I can’t wait for chapter 3 of “in love with the enemy “ that’s so good!!! I always check your account hoping for an update!

Greetings from your Italian fan!

hello my italian lover!!

love and kisses to YOU!

chapter 3 is finally up! thank you thank you for loving this series! :)

love,

nana <3

[vandnana]

In Love With The Enemy [III]

Chapter 3: Survivor’s Guilt

pairing: lo’ak x female turned na’vi reader

summary: during the time when jake became toruk makto, you were quaritch’s youngest and most valued soldier, the daughter he never had. but, pandora changed you and you died during the final battle, betraying quaritch and wishing that you had been able to do more. now, you have been reborn again, as a na’vi, tasked with quaritch’s new military avatar crew to kill Jake Sully. taking advantage of this second chance at life, you help the Sullys and fall in love along the way.

genre: fluff, angst ~ slow burn, pining on lo’ak’s part.

warnings: mentions of blood, war, violence

highlights: [reader’s backstory with quaritch, lo’ak continuing his flirty, simpy advances, spider and reader finally meet and have their heart to heart, neteyam and reader bonding over their trauma with their fathers, and ofc jake being protective AGAIN]

word count: 11,256

note: omg, hello! how are you?? i just want to say thank you for reading my fic!! as always, a couple of things...i wanted the reader to have some depth in her backstory, so you’ll get to read that here and learn WHYYY she feels she owes quaritch so much- i hope you enjoy!!

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 |

Despite the bright lights of the military base at Bridgehead City, everything felt horribly dim as Quaritch walked through the halls, his regiment behind him, their despair over losing so many of their team causing their heads to hang low. Quaritch was used to loss though and wholly expected it. His military record had hardened his heart and strengthened his resolve with every new tour and every new frontier.

But losing you was never part of the plan.

He only felt your human death when he had seen the video from his old AMP suit, his words from decades ago disillusioning him into believing that it wasn’t him who had killed you, that it was Jake. And in this new life, Quaritch was thrust into that illusion once more, but this time he felt the effect of your death. He had his rage and a new fuel for vengeance against the Sullys, but he never expected the grief to hit him so harshly, so inconsolably.

He believed that he was above it all, he had to believe it. Because if he didn’t, then he would no longer be who he was, and he would no longer be that father he was always proud to be for you.

He was the Colonel, their leader. 

It didn’t matter how much he was hurting, he couldn’t afford to show any weakness, even if it was for you. What mattered was the mission. He couldn’t afford to let those emotions skew his mind, the only one he welcomed being that stewing anger inside of him that encouraged a facade of strength.

There were still a handful of his top soldiers left— Zdinarsk, Wainfleet, Mansk, Prager, Lopez, and Zhang—all of them exchanging glances between one another as they tried to figure out how to console their Colonel. They were all in eerie silence walking toward where they would be sleeping, rows and rows of beds accommodated for their height placed against the metal walls of a large room.

Stopping in the room, Zdinarsk put a hand on Quaritch’s shoulder, “Colonel, I’m sorry about y/n.” He looked at the rest of them who extended their condolences as they gathered around him, “We all are.”

“Sully messed with my family, I’ll have no problem killing his,” Quaritch said with silvery enthusiasm, “We touch back down tomorrow and again and again until we find that base. Alright?”

He was successful riling them all up as they affirmed their fervency for the mission in a unified voice. Wainfleet whooped along with them, wholeheartedly ignoring the festering guilt that he suppressed so well inside of him, so immersed in denial of what he had done to you that he seemed to believe his own lie.

Quaritch desperately clung to his resolve as he spoke firmly, “We’re gonna get this son of a bitch. For y/n, for everyone.” He looked at all of them, clapping his hands, “Let’s get this done.”

Again, they all rang in passionate cheers, sharing in that vengeance and Quaritch reveled in that feeling, willingly delving into that rage and casting away the weakness— the sadness, the guilt, and the pain.

He had nothing left to lose, and although it seemed that he could find refuge in his anger, his grief came back to him in the form of nightmares that night.

The last thing he had told you was that the Na’vi blood had made you soft, and no matter how much he clung to his humanity and that hardened heart of his, it had softened him too. 

Before, he didn’t feel the agonizing pain and rage that Jake felt when you had died in his arms, never felt the guilt and the sorrow from failing to protect you. All that Jake felt inside, Quaritch was now experiencing, but for him, he also felt intense regret. You had both just re-entered into your new lives together, and the last thing he had done was raise his voice at you. 

He was reliving all your memories together, dating backward and backward until his mind played out the entirety of your first meeting. 

He was fully immersed in that recollection, closing his eyes as the imagery awakened in his head.

He and his troops had been tasked to infiltrate the base of one of the local rebel leaders responsible for the crimes that were ongoing in the city during one of his tours.

And that night, they were in a warehouse, firing multiple shots at the gunmen who stood guard until finally, things fell quiet. Quaritch moved through with stealth, his lieutenant following behind as they both avoided the dead bodies littered on the concrete floor, intently observing the mess that lay in front of them. There were various drug paraphernalia scattered across tables, stacks of boxes ready for shipment all along the walls of the fortress, numerous kinds of weaponry thrown around throughout the halls, and in one area were filing cabinets, locked but filled with data from all their operations. The odor of the place was fusty and unpleasant, Quaritch’s eyes almost burning at the putrid smell that only worsened as he passed by the corpses in the rooms, any chance of alleviation gone as it hung thickly in the humid air. They had intended to save the women who were in those rooms, victims of human trafficking who could testify against the evils they had been subject to. But, none were kept alive for that very reason.

Then, at the very far end, slight shuffling could be heard amidst the quietness that surrounded them all, and with their guns ready, Quaritch and his lieutenant walked toward the sound. Quaritch halted right before he got to the room, its door closed and the shuffling since ceased. He looked at his lieutenant who affirmed his position, and with a loud kick, Quaritch had broken the door down, facing his gun pointedly at the new opening.

He had expected to see another one of the gunmen, but he found no one there. Quickly, he entered into the room, cautious with every step as he searched around, another dead body lying on the ground on a mat, a needle injected in her forearm as she lay there lifeless. Then, Quaritch’s eyes noticed a panel in the wall, loosened unlike the others, and going up to it, he crouched looking over his shoulder at his lieutenant who stood at his opposite, ready as he aimed his gun.

When Quaritch pulled the panel out, his mouth hung open in utter shock as he stared into the eyes of a little girl.

You.

You took advantage of his shock, lunging at him and taking out a measly knife you hid from behind your back as you charged. He dodged you instantly, disarming you and taking hold of your shoulders. You fought against him, but it was futile as he tightened his grip around your shoulders, “Hey, easy! Easy! We’re not here to hurt you.”

You had stopped, breathing heavily as you finally took a good look at the both of them, and it was then that Quaritch had seen something in you. You had a bold amount of courage to attack him and out of all the people you were with, you were the only survivor, “What’s your name kid?”

“Y/n.” You said resolutely, your eyes still skeptical.

“Well, you’ve got heart, kid. It takes heart to do what you did.” Quaritch said, loosening his grip on your shoulders, “You ain’t gotta worry no more. We’re here to take you home.”

You shook your head, “My parents were the ones who sold me. I don’t have a home.”

“Then you’ve got a home with me.” Quaritch decided, “I take care of my own, y/n. I can take care of you too. What do you say?”

He reached out a hand to you and you hesitated at first, but then you took it, a small smile on your face before you unexpectedly hugged him. He was taken aback at first, but ultimately, Quaritch felt the warmth and sincerity in that hug, wrapping his own arms around your back.

He opened his eyes, almost feeling the ghost of that first hug, that first connection he had made with you. You were so young then, but you had proved yourself to him, and from that day on, you were his daughter, the only love he kept in his heart. But, you were gone now, and Quaritch frowned, the warmth he was convinced he felt fading to an icy loneliness as he lay on his back. 

He knew it was futile to make wishes, but in his softened state, he let himself fall into hope. 

All he wanted was his child back.

~

The hours had gone by and as dawn slowly approached Quaritch finally got up, his regiment savoring their last few minutes of precious sleep before they too awoke. He regained his resolve, and with how determined he had become, no one could have predicted the torment he had gone through that night. Although he did seem tired, the bags under his eyes fully present, no one addressed it as he gathered everyone together in one of the control rooms of the base. 

Planning their next move, General Ardmore listened intently, ready to offer any services as she headed the console they were standing around, the holographic images showing the topography of the area. 

Pointing to the mountain region, he was resolute in his explanation, “There are hundreds of these mountains. It’ll take a hell of a long time searching all of them.”

“So what exactly are you suggesting, Colonel?” General Ardmore urged, arching her eyebrows.

Quaritch’s eyes glinted, confident as he answered, “We take one of them captive and we do things the hard way.”

The General instantly grinned, “Now we’re talking, Colonel. I like the way you think.” 

“Excellent.” Quaritch replied with a grateful smirk.

Everyone else affirmed, nodding with their own eager expressions.

“We’ll need a few hours before your departure, but that will give you all enough time to get your ducks in a row before heading into enemy airspace.” General Ardmore ordered, “I expect some progress out there.” She paused, before continuing, choosing her words carefully, “Don’t let your daughter’s death be in vain.” 

Quaritch didn’t let himself be shaken, allowing his thirst for vengeance fuel his motivations, “Don’t worry Colonel. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

~

Mo’at had done well in distracting you from being consumed by your worries about your father, managing to send you into a flustered state by her words. You had finally processed them, and in doing so, you sustained a perpetual red tint on your cheeks that only seemed to intensify as she slowly encouraged Lo’ak toward you from inside the tent. 

“It seems that it is useless for me to tell my troublesome grandson what to do.” Mo’at said to you as she approached, Lo’ak in front of her as she led him.

She nudged his body closer to yours, her smile revealing her hidden intentions, “But I am certain that you will be able to talk some sense into him, y/n.”

Without another word, she turned her back to you, retreating back into the tent and leaving you alone with Lo’ak. Although your blush was practically giving you away, you kept a cool composure, crossing your arms as he looked at you.

“So...” Lo’ak began, smirking as he made eye-contact with you, his adoring gaze bearing into you.

You clasped your hands in front of you, unsure of how to respond and instead mirroring his words, “So...”

The two of you were enveloped in momentary silence, and while your feelings were merely rippling underneath the surface, he proudly wore his heart on his sleeve, the way he was looking at you making you feel more shy than you cared to admit.

You cleared your throat, feeling your heartbeat quicken with every second that passed, “Well, you heard your grandma. We should really get you home.” 

You walked away quickly, your steps haphazard as you started to navigate through the various tents around you. You had hoped that it would change the mood you had found yourselves in, but Lo’ak didn’t seem to want to evaporate the unspoken intimacy between you two, following you and purposefully brushing his arm against yours. 

You didn’t acknowledge it, focusing only on the scenes ahead of you, the beginning of morning village life so revitalized with the rise of the sun. There were families cooking breakfast, the decadent aroma of food wafting in the air and mixing with the light earthy smell of the Pandora air. Walking past were warriors, their bows already in hand as they all filed out of the cave and off the cliffs, their ikrans catching them before diving off the edge. Then, there were the happy children, some of them still yawning while others were actively playing with one another, their bubbliness filling the environment with happy cheers. 

Lo’ak suddenly grabbed your arm, gently spinning you around to face him, “What if I don’t want to go home yet?”

You retreated your arm back, dodging the question, “I don’t think your parents will be too happy about that. They’re probably already looking for you.”

When you faced away from him, you stopped, unsure of what direction to head toward.

Lo’ak took advantage of that, crossing his arms as he stepped in front of you, “You don’t even know where our tent is.” He was joyfully stalling, reveling in your time alone before he’d have to face the inevitable.

“Alright, then lead the way.” You replied, outstretching your hand.

“Fine,” He put his hand on your arm, snaking his hand down until he reached yours, intertwining your fingers.

Your hand was so comfortably rested in his, so perfectly matched with one another as each of your fingers were laced between his own. The blush you already had on your cheeks only worsened and in your stomach, you felt unmistakable flutters that further warmed every inch of your body, focusing itself on your heart, its beating so rapid that it felt like it would jump out of your chest.

You glanced up at him, “What are you doing?”

He held your hand up, smiling innocently at you, “I’m just making sure you don’t get lost.”

You stood up straight, your mouth curving into a half-smile, “I can manage.” You assured him. 

“If you can manage then why haven’t you let go yet?” He challenged, his eyes shimmering.

“There you both are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you both.” A deep voice asserted from behind you. 

Much to Lo’ak’s disappointment, you retracted your hand from his, pulling it into your chest as you faced where the voice had come from.

Neteyam was stomping over, hardly noticing the moment you two were sharing as his frustrations were etched so vividly on his forehead. He glared at Lo’ak first before looking at you, his expression relaxing, “We are having breakfast. Come on. Everyone is already waiting.”

Lo’ak groaned in annoyance, crossing his arms, “I don’t want to go. We don’t want to go.“

“Lo’ak.” You let out, glaring at him with disapproval.

His expression softened hearing your voice and Lo’ak put his hand up in surrender, “Okay fine, we’ll go.”

Neteyam glanced over at you, giving you a small grin of acknowledgement before he took Lo’ak by the back of his neck, Lo’ak rolling his eyes as he reluctantly walked beside his brother. 

You had started out following them from behind, but in the distance, you could see avatars wearing human clothing, and among them, you saw a familiar face, the sight almost making you cry. You diverted away from the direction Lo’ak and Neteyam were headed, unbeknownst to the both of them as they whispered amongst each other, careful so you wouldn’t hear.

“Where did you go last night?” Neteyam asked in a hushed tone.

“Nowhere.” Lo’ak lied.

Neteyam smacked him on the head, “I covered for you this morning, so you better have a good excuse.”

“I do!” Lo’ak threw his hands up in the air, his irritated expression morphing into a proud smirk, “I was with y/n.”

“What?” Neteyam tilted his head, “No you weren’t.”

Lo’ak’s eyes lit up, as he spoke, his hands gesturing in the air, “Bro I was! We were just talking and then I was lying in the hammock and then she laid in the hammock and then—“

“Wait,” Neteyam said, putting his hands up, leaning forward as his forehead scrunched in distaste, “There is no way that a skxawng like you and someone as a beautiful as her had se-”

“We didn’t. She fell asleep next to me.” Lo’ak admitted, “Also, who said you could call her beautiful?” Lo’ak let out defensively.

“I did. What? I can’t call her beautiful?” Neteyam reasoned, but Lo’ak shook his head.

“No, you can’t because I like her. You’re not allowed.” Lo’ak’s expression deadly as he spoke.

“Geez, you’re so childish when you have a crush.” Neteyam quietly snickered, “What makes you think she likes you back? All she did was sleep next to you. That hardly means anything.”

Lo’ak scoffed, “You don’t know women like I do, Neteyam. Trust me, she does. I just know.” 

“You’re delusional baby bro.” Neteyam replied, patting his brother’s head.

Lo’ak glared at Neteyam, swatting his hand away, raising his voice too loud for comfort, “Pfft, sounds to me like you’re a little jealous, since no girl is sleeping next to you at night.” 

Neteyam, insulted, met him with the same amount of volume as he retaliated, “There are plenty of women that would love to lie with me, but I have duties to fulfill.”

Lo’ak pursed his lips, sneering “I rest my case then.”

“You skxawng I’ll—“

The all too recognizable clearing of a throat behind them made them stand erect suddenly, Neteyam relinquishing the grin that he had and Lo’ak momentarily closing his eyes, ready to be scolded.

“Neteyam, Lo’ak! What are you guys doing? Breakfast is already getting cold.” Jake rebuked, stepping in front of them.

His eyes went to Neteyam immediately, “What did I ask? I asked you to find your brother and get y/n, and instead I find you here. Where is she?”

“She was here just a-” Lo’ak began, stopping as Jake gave him a harsh glare.

Jake rubbed his temples, sighing, “Since I can’t trust either of you to find her, I’ll do it myself. Just go to the tent.”

“Dad, I want to go with you.” Lo’ak urged, but Jake didn’t heed to his request, already walking away. 

You had already made your way over to where you had seen Norm by the time they noticed you were gone. It didn’t take long for you to spot him, and to your delight, Max was with him too, his eyes glued to the tablet he was holding.

“Norm! Max!” You yelled out, catching their attention immediately.

You ran to them, and unable to contain your excitement, you hugged Norm tightly. He reciprocated your hug in his happy shock and he leaned back to look at you, his hands still clasping your shoulders, “Jake told us, but seeing you it’s surreal! I mean l-look at you! You’re Na’vi!”

You knelt down to look at Max, his mouth hung open in surprise. As he continued to look at you, he looked as if he was almost going to cry, emotions overcoming him as he stuttered, “I-I can’t believe it. I mean, I can because you’re here, but just…wow!”

You smiled at him, “It’s good to see you Max. I really missed you.” And looking at Norm, you extended your sentiment, “And I really missed you too, Norm.”

“And we missed you,” Norm’s tone sincere, “The lab’s never been the same ever since…well, you know.”

“Yeah,” Max agreed, “But now that you’re back, are you gonna be in the lab more often?” He had a hopeful tone.

“I hope so.” You replied positively, “There are so many samples I need to look at.” You joked, and the two of them laughed.

Movement from behind you caught Norm’s attention and as he looked past you, he waved, “Hey Jake!”

“What brings you here?” Max asked.

Jake approached, his tone prickly as he replied, “I’m here for y/n since apparently my children can’t follow simple directions.”

You put your hands up instantly, acknowledging your actions, “Sorry Jake, that was my fault. I wandered off when I saw Norm. Neteyam did come and find us, but I was the one who delayed everyone.”

Jake sighed, “You’re such a pain in my ass, you know that?”

“I’m just telling you the truth! And what did I say before? I always respect my elders.” You replied jokingly, crossing your arms as you lifted your chin upward.

“Come on, come on we’ve got breakfast ready in our tent.” Jake said, taking you by the arm as he led you away from Norm and Max, who you waved goodbye to.

As you walked with Jake, you couldn’t help but look at him, noticing the presence that he commanded as he walked by, the people you were passing showing their respect for him as they acknowledged him with some form of greeting.

“What now? Are you gonna make fun of my wrinkled forehead again?” Jake ribbed, dryly laughing.

“Of course not,” You replied sarcastically, “You’re the great Toruk Makto. I couldn’t possibly.”

“Ha ha. It’s not all that great, you know.” Jake let out.

“Yeah, but when I look at you now, I feel like that’s who you were always supposed to be. I’m proud to see what you’ve become, Jake.” You replaced your joking tone, with true sincerity, smiling at him with so much reverence.

“Well, I owe a lot of it to you.” Jake retreated to a humble nonchalance, although inside he was practically beaming by what you had said.

You patted his back, “This life that you built for yourself with Neytiri and your children, it’s all I could have ever hoped for you.” 

You paused, looking upward, deliberating a question that was burning into your mind before finally asking it, “And you helped raise my brother too. How do I tell him the truth?”

Jake stopped, facing you, the change in his eyes creating a wretched feeling in his chest, “I’m sorry, y/n. I meant to tell you, but Spider...he found out about everything last night.”

You wanted Spider to hear the truth from you, but not in the way that you had screamed out your speech to Jake. You couldn’t even imagine how Spider must have felt hearing it, everything you had said horrifying even to you in simple memory as you replayed it in your mind. You had no doubt that you had created gashes in the life that he knew, the life that you wanted for him. And yet, you knew that there was nothing you could do to fix the damage that you had unknowingly done by opening the floodgates to such a traumatic past, one he was unaware of, the notions of a happy origin story ripped away from his reality. 

Once you fell silent, Jake knew exactly how you were feeling and he shook you gently out of your own thoughts. For a moment, you were stuck there and then you felt that movement within you, jolting you as you stared back at Jake.

“Spider, he’ll come around eventually, I know it. Just stay calm alright? We’re about to eat breakfast and just, everything’s going to be fine.” Jake pulled you in for a hug, patting your back and once he felt you reciprocate, he knew that you had listened, despite your silence.

“How can you think of breakfast right now after telling me that?” You whined, closing your eyes as you buried your face in his shoulder. 

Letting go of you, he took the opportunity to joke with you, hoping that it would distract you, “I had it all planned out. I was gonna ask Neytiri to chop your food into tiny little baby pieces for you.”

You drooped your shoulders, your mouth hanging open in disbelief for a moment before you finally gave into a laugh that bellowed from your chest, “Maybe she should chop your food into tiny little pieces. You’re probably used to it since that’s all you’d get at the retirement home.”

It somehow worked, your mind latching onto the lightheartedness between you, and once you finally arrived at the tent, you were able to set your turmoil aside as everyone greeted you with warm smiles.

Neytiri was the first to come up to you and you greeted her politely before she put her hands on the sides of your face, her eyebrows furrowed with concern as she asked, “How are you feeling, y/n? Did you sleep alright?” 

Lo’ak, who was on the ground already sneaking a bite of one of he fruits his mother had cut, choked suddenly, the abruptness making Neteyam instantly laugh aloud.

You glanced over at him for a second as you shyly nodded, “Surprisingly, I did.”

“Really?” She said, pleased as her eyes lit up, “No nightmares?”

You shook your head, “No nightmares.”

Neytiri gave you a pleased look, “I am so happy to hear that. You must feel more at home then, right?”

You couldn’t help but look at Lo’ak again, his eyes already on you as you responded, “Yeah, I guess I do.”

She was inspecting your shoulder, touching the wrap lightly before placing her hands on your arms, “Your wound is healing well. It should be fine in two days’ time.” Gesturing toward the ground, she urged you to sit, taking her own seat by the fire. 

Tuk stood up from where she was, taking you by the hand as she led you to a seat beside her and Kiri, “You can sit here!” 

Kiri smiled at you, moving a little toward her left so you would have more room.  Neytiri began to distribute the food to everyone, an array of meat, fruit, and leafy vegetables arranged on wooden plates, the meat still warm from having just been roasted.

You had remembered how good Na’vi food was, but finally eating it after what felt like so long, it tasted better than you remembered. You devoured your whole plate quicker than everyone else, but Neytiri put more food on your plate as a consequence, which you hungrily scarfed down too. 

Jake laughed as he watched you eat, supplementing his joke from before, “Are you sure you don’t want your food in little pieces? It’ll make it easier for you to gobble it down.”

You rolled your eyes at him, “Oh shut up and eat your food old man before your gums wear out.” You replied snarkily.

“Yeah, dad! Before your gums wear out!” Tuk’s innocent voice echoed. 

No one expected her to interject at all, but when she did, you were the first to boldly let out a boisterous laugh and soon the whole tent was filled with that joyous laughter as everyone else joined. Even Neteyam loosened up, chuckling alongside everyone else, savoring in the rarity of lightheartedness.

Once you had all finished eating, each of you helped Neytiri clean up, and when you had ensured that the tent was spotless, you walked out of the tent. 

Jake pulled you to the side, his concern for you returning, “Are you gonna be okay? I mean, everything with Spider-”

“I’ll be fine, Jake,” You reassured him, “What we should be focusing on now is my dad. He’s still out there and he’s probably already picked out the knife he’s gonna murder you with.”

Jake wanted to avoid talking about this with you, but he knew it was only a matter of time before you brought it up again, “I’ve told you before, y/n. You don’t have to worry about your dad. I know how to handle this.” He was bluffing, practically talking out of his ass to try and get you to drop the issue, his inner protectiveness encouraging him. 

“I’m being serious Jake. He won’t stop until he finds you, and for all I know, he could be coming for me too. My father doesn’t know what happened to me. Whether he thinks I’m dead or if he thinks I’m alive, he’s gonna come with everything he’s got.” Your expression became determined, your strong will revealing itself in your eyes’ change.

Everything you were saying was everything that Jake had feared.

He knew the gravity of the situation and he knew that killing Quaritch was the only way to keep his family safe, but now, you were part of that equation too. Jake didn’t want to risk your life again, he didn’t want to put you in another situation where you could be hurt again. You were alive again and he promised to himself that he would protect you this time. And that meant more to him than just making sure that you would stay alive.

You had spent your whole life fighting wars you never wanted to be part of, and Jake didn’t want you to have to fight another one, one waged by your father the minute he had awoken. He wanted to protect you from the worst parts of your old life and keep sacred the person that you rarely ever got to show—the person you were with Grace and with him. 

He pulled you into a hug suddenly, “Look, you’re going to hate this, but I need you to let me handle this...alone.”

You leaned backward, pushing him away from you, your expression deflated, “What are you talking about? I have to do this with you. I know about his operations. I know how he thinks. I can help.”

“No!” He refused instantly, “Y-you’re still injured and you just can’t, alright?”

“You know that I’ve been through worse than this. I can’t sit here and do nothing Jake! I won’t!” You argued, raising your voice, the echo of your anger and frustration drawing everyone’s eyes to where you were.

Neytiri walked over, her eyes lowered at her husband as she distinguished the panicked anger in his eyes.

“Ma Jake. She is right. This is her fight too.” Neytiri pleaded, putting a hand on his back.

He avoided her eyes, planting them on yours as his voice went scarily low, his fear and anger ringing with intensity, “You’re not going to have any part of this. I won’t allow it.”

You threw your hands up in the air, backing away from him, your frustration coloring your silvery tone, “Jake, I have no excuse not to. I’m a soldier, just like you! I can fight!”

“And being that soldier got you killed!” He yelled out, huffing as he let out the last syllable. His voice broke as he continued, “It’s too dangerous. Your dad killed you right in front of me once and I won’t give him the chance to do it again. I can’t.”

He turned away from you, “I’ve made up my mind. I’m doing this without you.” And pausing, he looked over his shoulder, strict as he ordered, “I don’t want you leaving the camp until I finish this.”

Without another word, Jake left, Neytiri following after him. You faltered backward, your head downcast as you balled your fists up. You knew deep down he was right. Jake had thrown your own words into your face to settle that feeling. You wanted to fight more than anything, but you also understood Jake. You saw past his intense anger, you saw the the torment in his eyes, torment that came from his own self-loathing. 

 Although you were alive, your new form welcomed into this world again, you could see in Jake’s expression that he still blamed himself for your death, that he had not yet met reconciliation with himself over things he couldn’t control. 

It was exactly where you were at; despite all the assurances you were told the day before, you still had the remnants of what you always saw yourself as—that perfect soldier doomed to pay for her father’s sins.

You felt a hand on your shoulder and you slowly lifted your eyes, parting your hair out of the way as you looked at who the hand belonged to.

It was Neteyam, his eyes sympathetic, “It is alright, y/n. My father...he’s always like this.” His voice had a gentle intonation, a stark contrast to his usual deep voice, yet you couldn’t help but notice a hidden scorn that was present.

The rest of the Sullys came too, providing their own forms of comfort as they gathered around you. Kiri gave you a smile as Tuk took hold of your other hand, both of them echoing their own assurances.

You were silent for a moment, letting yourself calm down before you asked, the question burdening your entirety, “When Spider found out, what did he say?”

Lo’ak, Kiri, and Neteyam all exchanged glances at one another and you could tell by how their faces drooped that what you feared had come true, “Of course. He hates me, doesn’t he? I don’t blame him. Everything’s my fault.”

Kiri patted your back, “Don’t say that, y/n.” 

Lo’ak took your hand into his, catching your attention, “Well, then...let’s make him not hate you.” 

“What?” You tilted your head at him, moving forward as Lo’ak pulled you slightly.

Turning to his siblings, he motioned for them to follow him too, “Come on!”

Leading you through the myriads of tents, up and through the other rock formations present, you all ran to the opposite side of the cave, near where you had seen Norm and Max before. Stopping, Lo’ak asked one of the humans where Spider was, the woman pointing toward one of the sites in the distance.

When you had all arrived, you suddenly felt apprehensive, nervousness taking over you as you felt the palms of your hand sweat, “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

But Lo’ak shook his head, “The longer you wait to talk to him, the longer he won’t know the truth.”

He knocked on the door of the site, and when there was no answer, he opened it anyway, sticking his head in, “Spider! Bro, come out. I know you’re in there.” 

Kiri pushed her brother out of the way, coaxing him to come out gently, “Monkey boy please. It’s important.” 

There was a long pause and it seemed as if he wouldn’t come out, but then you heard footsteps approach closer and closer until he entered the doorframe. He looked like he had been up all night, the skin around his eyes dark against his pale, sullen expression.

“What do you guys want?” He asked, his voice dejected. 

You walked over, “It’s not them who wanted to see you.” Spider looked over, his eyes enflaming as he saw you approaching. You put your hands up, “I know that I’m the last person you want to see and-”

“You’re right.” Spider spat, his tone venomous, “I don’t want to see you.”

He turned around instantly, ready to close the door until you spoke again, “Just hear me out Spider, please. Give me a chance to tell you the truth.”

Spider stopped, hesitating. No matter how much he wanted to cast away who he really was, endless questions had plagued him that night. He couldn’t help but wonder about the truth, he couldn’t help but wonder how a father could reject his own son.

He loosened his grip on the door, giving in to those questions, “Fine.” Turning, he walked down the steps of the site, crossing his arms, “Tell me then. What’s the truth?”

You walked toward him, the rest of the Sullys gathered around the stairs as they listened intently.

You kept your voice calm, but inside you were shaken, the memory ingrained in your head like a painful scar, “Your mother Paz had you right before our dad led the troops against the Na’vi. She was in love with him, and when she had you, she thought that would make him love her the way he should have. But it didn’t, and she spent everyday after blaming me for that.”

“Who else is there to blame?” He snarled, his biting tone affecting everyone as they all widened their eyes at him. “How could my dad want me when you were already there to be his perfect daughter?”

Spider looked at you, the disdained contempt so furiously burning in his eyes as you maintained your gaze on him. Despite how angry he was, you kept your calm, sincerely speaking, “Fine, yes! I was the perfect daughter. When our father found me on earth, I was seven and when he brought me to Pandora, I was fourteen. My whole life, all I’ve done is train and become everything he wanted me to be. But, just because I was everything he wanted, it didn’t make my life any easier or any better.”

“What’s your point? Do you think I haven’t struggled here? You’ve been here a day and everyone’s already accepted you. I was born here and I don’t have anything close to what you’ve got.” His gaze remained hateful, his scorn emanating harshly at you.

“Spider, that’s not true!” Kiri scolded him, taken aback by his entire demeanor.

“Yeah, Spider. You know it’s not like that.” Lo’ak piped in.

He looked at them, the scorn still present in his expression, “Have you seen how your mom looks at me? She doesn’t see me as one of you. She never has and neither does anyone else. Y/n just got here and everyone’s already kissing her ass!”

You sighed, “Spider, this life that you live now is all I could have ever hoped for you! You got to be free in a way that I never could,” You looked at all the Sulllys, “You have the family that I never had and you got to grow up here on Pandora and live the life I never got to live.”

Spider maintained his hateful gaze toward you, scowling, “All you could have ever hoped for, huh? That doesn’t change the fact that you were the one he loved and not me. Did you just come here to make me feel bad for you?” He scoffed, “‘Cause I don’t.”

Spider’s words stung, the feeling making your heart recoil in a writhing pain that you suppressed. You knew there was nothing else you could say to help him feel better about his situation, but you couldn’t even be angry with him for it. To know how your parents didn’t want you, didn’t love you enough to care— you knew that pain from your life on earth before Quaritch, the life you escaped from parents who didn’t care whether you lived or died.

You got up, ignoring the agonizing pain you felt inside as you spoke to him one last time, although you felt what you were saying was futile in granting him reassurance, “Our father was wrong to choose me over you. There should have never been a choice and I’m so sorry for that. But, I didn’t come here to make you feel bad for me. I came here to tell you the truth, that even though our father rejected you and didn’t love you the way a father should have, I loved you and I still do. You’re my brother.”

You waited for a moment, Spider’s eyes fixated on you before he took refuge in the ground, averting his gaze and giving silence as his answer. Your eyes went to the other Sullys, who gave you sympathetic looks. You kept a strong resolve, pretending that you were alright as you mustered a smile, waving to them as you walked off.

“Y/n.” Lo’ak began softly, getting up.

Neteyam stood up with his brother, stopping him as he attempted to follow you. Lo’ak looked at his brother with confusion, but Neteyam nudged him toward Spider. Neteyam didn’t have to say anything for Lo’ak to catch on. Spider needed his best friends more than anything, Kiri already beside him, rubbing his back.

Lo’ak looked at your figure, slowly distancing away from where you were and with a huff, he pushed Neteyam in your direction.

Spider sat in silence for a while, Kiri, Tuk, and Lo’ak surrounding him. Kiri was the first one to speak, her voice soothing as she talked to him, “Come on, monkey boy. You know you’re one of us. It doesn’t matter what other people think.”

She paused, looking up at Lo’ak who encouraged her to speak more. She nodded, “And y/n, she means well. She’s not replacing you or trying to prove anything, she just wants to be your sister.”

“I know that!” Spider raised his voice, frustrated as he finally looked up from the ground.

“Aw Spider.” Lo’ak voiced sympathetically, placing a hand on his back. 

His eyes were brimming with tears. 

The reason why he had kept his eyes to the ground, why he let silence fill the air was because he couldn’t bear to show you how much that really meant to him. Spider had kept his hateful gaze before, clouded in irrational anger and resentment because he couldn’t face that truth. 

But, when you had told him that you loved him regardless and to hear you call him your brother after he had acted so harshly toward you, he broke down, overwhelmed with the inner desperation to feel something from the family he never knew.

Spider wasn’t sure how he would face you again. He felt overwhelmed with shame, but that shame did not arise from his own treatment of you, it arose from how angry he still was, despite that desperation he felt to connect with you. He had no reason to be angry with you anymore, but inside of him, he still felt his scorned envy festering and his frustration at keeping that anger at bay only worsened when he felt your kindness and love touch his heart so gently, so unexpectedly. You never met him with hostility, every word that you told him so delicately coated in your compassion as you spoke, so invasive to his soul that he couldn’t even look at you. He couldn’t hate you now, it was impossible to hate you, and that only agitated his inner turmoil even further.

As you walked away quickly, your steps matching the rapid fire of your thoughts, you were also overwhelmed with so much shame motivated by your traumatic past. You were haunted by those memories with each step, mocked by your incapability to do more. 

Spider grew up having everything you wanted.

But it still wasn’t enough. 

How could you expect it to be? You believed that he still hated you and that he was right to do so. Even as a sister you couldn’t fill the gap that his parents had left.

Behind you, you could hear footsteps, the sound pulling you slightly out of your head, loudening until finally they came up on your right. You looked to your side, Neteyam’s head tilted toward you, his hands clasped behind him as he walked with you, careful to sync his steps with yours. You were surprised, but didn’t say anything, expectant of him to speak, his expression reflective. You faced forward again, unsure of where you were headed, but you continued to keep walking, Neteyam continuing along with you in silence. After about a minute, he said something, his voice gentle like it was when he had first come up to you earlier.

“It must have been hard for you to live with your father, to live by his rules,” He began slowly, still looking at you from the side as you met his gaze, eager for him to continue, “You are not wrong for doing so. I speak from experience. Everyday, I try to be the son I am supposed to be, the son of Toruk Makto. It is difficult to stand taller than the shadow you are meant to follow, but still, it is something that we have strived to do.”

You stopped, turning toward him, and although he was trying to keep a mature, calm look, you could tell that he was merely trying to remain unbothered, “Don’t worry about Spider. He will come to understand, y/n. You are not responsible for what happened to him nor are you responsible for what your father has done. You were just trying to be a good daughter.”

It was so easy for you to recognize the weight that he carried on his shoulders, that weight all too familiar to you. It was the burden of being the perfect soldier and the perfect son that encouraged his words, and perhaps because no one had ever been able to share such a sentiment that he felt so inclined to comfort you.

You were touched, and even though he tried to remain nonchalant, you knew what it took to even say those words aloud, to recognize that burden just to give you at least a little bit of ease. 

You stepped toward him, pulling him into a a hug and catching him off guard, his arms frozen in the air in uncertainty to reciprocate, “You’re a good son, Neteyam. I know you are. So, don’t be too hard on yourself either.”

You let your head rest on his shoulder as you softly held onto his back, “It’s okay to hug me back.” You reassured him, “You probably need this more than I do. I know that feeling.”

Neteyam, still in his shock, managed a light scoff, “This hug is for you, not me.” He slowly rested his hands on your back, letting himself relax.

You didn’t push him any further, leaning back as you let your hands rest on his arms, “Thank you for what you said.”

“Of course.” You observed Neteyam’s expression as he regarded you differently all of a sudden, his respect for you reflected in his eyes, “You are quite the woman, y/n.”

“What makes you say that?” You played off, your expression completely skeptical.

“You are strong, even after all that you have gone through,” He stepped forward, pointing at your heart, “And you still remain kindhearted, selfless. I came to comfort you, but you managed to comfort me. Thank you.”

Then, he put both of his hands on your shoulders, smiling, “Do not worry about Spider. If I have learned anything about having a brother, especially one as difficult as Lo’ak, it is that no matter what you’ll always have one another’s backs.”

For that moment, you let yourself believe what he was saying, falling into a small sliver of hope as you looked up at Neteyam, “Lo’ak isn’t all that bad. Cut him some slack. He’s got a tough act to follow.”

Neteyam’s eyes grew, “I guess you’re right,” He paused, “He really likes you, you know.”

“What’s not to like?” You replied lightheartedly shrugging.

He gulped, touching the back of his neck sheepishly, “Yeah,” He nervously laughed.

“Well, I guess I better go.” Neteyam sighed, excusing himself, “I have a hunting party to lead and I probably should not be late.”

You understood Neteyam, and not wanting to keep him any longer, you nodded, “Of course. Duty calls.”

He waved at you, turning on his heel, but you called out to him, “Thanks again Neteyam!” 

Looking over his shoulder, he gave you one last smile before facing forward again, walking off and disappearing past the rocks. Watching him go, you looked around the cave. Although vast, you felt as if it was suffocating your entire being. Jake wanted to protect you, and you understood that wholly. But staying in the camp went against your nature and everything you believed.

You were in the place you loved and the entire world was out there. When you were alive, you had only just gotten a taste of it in those last three months when Jake had come on board, but you couldn’t bring yourself to find a way into that world, too considerate of Jake to risk anything. You let yourself wander aimlessly, your steps distracting you from how you felt. Eventually, you found yourself on top of one of the rocks that towered over the rest of the camp, settling on the edge of it and looking out in contemplation.

Your steps had ceased and you were alone again, your isolation giving way to the thoughts that were plaguing you, each one settling a new kind of worry and concern into every crevice of your institution as you brought your knees up, hugging yourself as you felt the torture of it all. Even when you cast your eyes upon the people below you, you couldn’t help but think of your place in all this. Jake had adamantly benched you, and suddenly you felt lost.

The hope that you let yourself believe had since gone and your resolve was tattered again.

You felt like a relic, a broken one that had been patched up and fixed into something unrecognizable, your purpose obsolete and your contributions meaningless, and naturally your mind wandered to Grace, your mind seeking refuge in what she always loved to tell you.

“Hey, is everything alright?” 

You went moon-eyed for a second before your gaze returned to normal, your ears still not used to the eerie similarity between Kiri and Grace’s voice.

“Hey Kiri.” You greeted her with a small voice, your eyes still ahead of you.

She quietly crept up on you and so did the others, Spider, Tuk, and Lo’ak following her. But, when she saw your forlorn state, she stopped them, going up to you herself. She sat beside you, her attention entirely focused on you as she pivoted her body to face you.

Your eyes only glanced at her as you mustered a weak smile, “You don’t have to worry about me. You should be with Spider. He needs you.”

“How can you be so caring toward me?”

You whipped your head around to find Spider standing a few paces back with Lo’ak. He cautiously approached you, his movements timid with every step until he was where you were.

“You know nothing about me and you tell me that you love me, how could you after everything I said to you?” Spider was desperate to understand, his hands going in the air as he aired out his frustrations.

Never did you expect this, and you spoke quickly, not wanting to let ambiguous silence fill the air as it did earlier, “I told you. You’re my brother.”

You waited as he bit the inside of his cheek, considering in his mind what he planned to say to you. When he had finally decided, his voice had an echo of nervousness. “And you meant it?” He paused, “When you called me your brother, did you really mean it?”

He was balling his fists up. Spider had cast his pride away, but he still felt embarrassed to even be asking you, the anger he still held in his mind feeling betrayed as his heart desperately wanted the answer.

You shifted, sitting on your knees as you spoke to him, “I only got to be your sister for a couple days before I died. Let me make up for that time. Please.”

Even though his anger refused, even though his envy of you still ran rampant in his veins, his heart gave in, softening his resolve as he let himself fall into your figure, his arms wrapping around your neck as he let the tears he was holding in finally fall, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

You took a quick breath in, your eyebrows curving upward in surprise, “There’s nothing to be sorry for.” You blinked for a moment too, wondering if what was happening was part of reality. But, as you let one of your arms caress his back, you finally felt that connection, surrendering your surprise and allowing a genuine smile to form on your face.

Spider finally let go, and for the first time, you were finally able to really take in his appearance, “The last time I held you, you were only a baby.” You paused, seeing the resemblance of Paz in his features, “You’re so grown up now.”

He didn’t know how to respond, only managing to smile as he still felt awkward, wiping his tears quickly.

You let your gaze go to Kiri, who held her hands to her heart, almost feeling that warmth emanating from the both of you. Behind her was Tuk, who still only maintained a semblance of the situation, but still she seemed to share in that same sentiment as she gave you her usual innocent smile.

Then your eyes went to Lo’ak. If it weren’t for him, you would have never talked to Spider, and you were sure that you were giving him that same grateful look that you had when he had returned your pictures to you the day before.

You mouthed to him, “Thank you.”

He didn’t anticipate it at all, his hand going to the back of his neck as he acknowledged your gratitude with a nod, a slight red tint forming on his cheeks.

When you looked back at Spider, he still seemed to be in his embarrassment and to divert from it, he changed the subject, asking you a question, “Hey, where’s Neteyam?”

The sense of normalcy he was trying to put into the air oddly made you feel more reassured than you thought, your first simple conversation finally happening, “He went with his hunting party. To be honest, I wish I could have went with him.”

“What? Why?” Lo’ak interjected, his tone came out more irritated than he meant it to, hints of jealousy flecked within it as he crossed his arms.

You stood up, answering his question plainly while Kiri and Spider gave each other knowing looks, “I should be out there.” You spun around, your view focused on the sky, your eyes following the various ikran that were flying in the distance, “But your dad made it pretty clear he doesn’t want me to leave the camp.” You sighed disappointedly.

“Well, that doesn’t mean he has to know.” Lo’ak’s confidence imbuing back into him as he walked toward you.

“Lo’ak...” You were already giving him a disapproving look, but he didn’t seem to care as he took your hand into his, smirking as he ran with you, down the towering rocks and toward one of the cliff edges.

Lo’ak was running straight toward the cliff, and he didn’t have any intention of stopping, calling his ikran with a cawing sound and with your hands still intertwined, he jumped, sending you both into that endless sky. 

You could only hear and feel the wind, your entire body weighing you down as you were sent into free fall for the quickest moment until Lo’ak’s ikran appeared below you, ready to catch you both as it gracefully flew against the winds. Lo’ak pulled you into him suddenly, one of his arms clasped around your back and once you did, you were secured. 

 He sat you in front of him, holding you close as he took hold of the saddle with one hand, controlling his ikran to fly faster. You had no other choice but to wrap your own arms around him as Lo’ak urged for speed.

It didn’t take long for him to reach a safe distance from the camp, and once he did, he slowed down slightly. He whooped proudly, exhilarated by the ride and while you felt that same exhilaration, your love of being in the air didn’t outweigh your shock.

You leaned backward, your hands still at his back as you shouted at him, “Are you insane? What could have possibly possessed you to do that?”

Lo’ak adjusted himself as he stared into your eyes unfazed while he purposely inched his body closer to yours, “I know I told you that you look pretty when you’re grateful, but how is it possible you look prettier when you’re mad?”

You looked heavenward, blushing violently at his words, “God, I really have to get an ikran of my own.”

Lo’ak immediately took notice, slyly commanding his ikran to go faster, forcing you to tighten your grip on him again.

“I don’t know,” Lo’ak began, “Judging by how you’re holding onto me, I think you’d rather stay like this.”

You gasped, “That was cheap.”

He feigned innocence, shrugging, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

You could feel your chest warm as laughter bellowed from it, so amused by Lo’ak, “Why go through all this trouble? What’s the thinking?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? It’s worth it.” Lo’ak smirked, but his eyes were dripping with adoration for you, “And besides, jumping off the cliff impressed you, didn’t it?”

“You’re so stupid.” You huffed, shaking your head as you gave him a wide grin.

As you continued to fly, you looked down, your height above the ground so high that you were even going through a few of the clouds, their integrity wisping into thin air as the wings of Lo’ak’s ikran batted them away.

Since you were still seated comfortably in front of Lo’ak, you were able to see everything behind you, and emerging behind one of the Hallelujah Mountain formations was Kiri’s ikran, Spider and Tuk riding with her as they quickly caught up to you. 

Kiri’s ikran showed up on your guys’ right side and matching your pace, Kiri yelled out to her brother, “Come on! Let’s take y/n to the Spirit Tree!”

Lo’ak looked to you first and you nodded eagerly. You all flew downward, the sight of Tree not too far from where you were. And when you reached the ground, you practically jumped off, so entranced by the Tree’s presence. You had never been there before and you had only ever seen it in the imagery that you and Grace had looked at back at the lab.

You didn’t know that the Great Mother was already well-acquainted with you. Your human body was once at the base of Her Tree, and she had chosen not to save you, knowing that one day you would return in another way.

Kiri came up to you, taking you by the arm and leading you underneath its ethereal tendrils, “You know what to do right?”

Nodding, you took hold of your queue and with the other hand, you held onto one of those tendrils, connecting the two as you closed your eyes.

When you opened them, you were suddenly back at the lab and you were confused. You were human again, feeling as if you were transported to your mind’s memories. But everything felt real, too real, all the sensations that you associated with the lab were exactly as they were when you were alive. Cautiously, you walked around, looking for anyone, but it seemed that you were alone.

Then, you heard footsteps, the sound of combat boots hitting the ground and you turned, “Look who’s back from the dead! Ain’t that a bitch.” 

“Trudy!”

She ran to you, instantly engulfing you in a hug, “I was wondering when you would come around.”

“What do you mean?” You asked curiously, tilting your head at her.

“She means we’ve been waiting for you, Miss Marine.”

You had done a good job fighting back your tears when you saw Trudy, but as you turned toward that voice, just hearing it sending warmth into your whole body, you couldn’t hold them off anymore.

It was Grace, just as you remembered her, although she wasn’t holding her usual cigarette. She was already outstretching her arms to you and you hadn’t even realized how fast you were moving until you were finally in her arms, melting in her motherly embrace. You savored in that moment, holding her tightly to make up for all your lost time together.

“Oh, my sweet sweet girl.” Grace cooed, caressing your hair as you cried into her shoulder.

You leaned back slightly, your eyes flitting to the two of them, “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you both.”

“Hey, Jake’s not giving you a hard time, is he?” Trudy asked, crossing her arms, “‘Cause if he is, you should have no problem kicking his ass.”

You chuckled, “He’s trying to protect me actually.” You paused, your tone entirely changing as you relinquished your smile into a tight-lipped expression, “From my dad. He’s alive too.”

Grace took a deep breath, rubbing your shoulders as you continued, “He wants to kill Jake and his family. Jake doesn’t want me to fight, but you know me. I can’t just do nothing.”

“You were never meant to do nothing, y/n. The Great Mother has a purpose for you that is far greater than defeating your father.” Grace said, her voice so full of wisdom.

You couldn’t understand Grace, begging for clarity as you furrowed your eyebrows, “When you said you were waiting for me, what exactly did you mean?”

“I know you’ll defeat your father, but while you’re here, the Great Mother wants you to live freely. It’s the only way you’ll be able to fulfill your purpose.”

Still, you couldn’t grasp anything she was saying, her phrasing like a riddle as it entered into the folds of your brain, disorganized in your thoughts, “But Grace, what is that purpose? How do I defeat my father?”

She opened her mouth, but as she did, she began to choke on her words, nothing coming out as her breathing labored. You reached out for her, but once you did, she was sucked into a white abyss, and nothing you did stopped it from happening. Slowly, you were back in our body, but you never would have known as you were released into a state of nothingness, absence of any reality.

You were stuck in that nothingness as Lo’ak pulled you off the Spirit Tree, your body going limp in his arms, “Y/n! Wake up! Come on, wake up y/n!”

Everyone ran over, kneeling beside Lo’ak as he put his head on your chest, checking for your heartbeat. He was relieved as he felt it thump, but you were sill unconscious.

Spider was panicking, “What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know! She’s not waking up.” Lo’ak yelled back, shaking you desperately, “Y/n! Y/n! Come back to me!”

“Guys. We’ve got company.” Kiri’s eyes were focused above her, her own voice trembling as she picked Tuk up.

Lo’ak followed Kiri’s gaze, his eyes widening as he recognized the helicopter that was whirring in the distance. 

“We have to go now. It’s Quaritch.” Lo’ak ordered, picking you up from the ground.

“But where? We can’t lead him back to camp.” Kiri responded as she followed suit, Tuk holding onto her tightly as Spider followed behind her.

“Then we’ll use the forest to our advantage and hide. Just follow me.” Lo’ak said, and Kiri nodded. 

Past the Spirit Tree and into the thick brush of the nearby forest, you all ran through the trees, distancing yourselves as far away as possible. Quaritch had seen the movement by the Tree, ordering for descent immediately. Lo’ak had moved quickly enough to get a head start, but Quaritch was determined, using his instincts to search diligently for you all.

When Lo’ak had come to the river, seeing the waterfall at the base, he pointed to it, “There’s a cave behind there. Let’s go!”

The season had created overgrown vines that cascaded in front of the waterfall, shrouding the cave from any prying eyes. Wading through the river, Lo’ak led the way into the waterfall, hunching over to make sure he had taken all the impact from the water as he carried your body.

Once they were hidden, Lo’ak laid your body gently on the surface of the cave, picking a spot with the most moss to give your body more comfort. 

“Is y/n gonna be okay? I-Is she dead?” Tuk asked, devastation already in her voice as it trembled, her tears already falling.

“She’s alive and she’s gonna be fine Tuk.” Lo’ak replied, smiling at his sister, despite how unsure he was on the inside.

“Lo’ak, you have to tell mom and dad. Call it in.” Kiri demanded.

Groaning, Lo’ak refused, “No way.” 

“Stop being stubborn and just do it! We can’t hide in here forever.” Kiri protested, but Lo’ak still refused.

“If you’re not gonna call mom and dad, then at least call Neteyam.” Kiri urged, and finally Lo’ak gave in.

He put his hands on his telecom, adjusting the setting to Neteyam’s frequency. Neteyam was already on his way back from the hunting party, but after Lo’ak’s call he took the quick detour.

Spider nudged Lo’ak, whispering so Tuk wouldn’t hear, “Do you really think y/n is gonna be okay?”

Lo’ak sighed, looking at you, brushing a hair away from your face, “I hope so.”

~

Outside, Quaritch had just entered the forest, ordering for his troops to spread out as he searched through the forest, his eyes skimming every inch above and below him for any movement.

Neteyam finally arrived, landing softly in the tree branches. Neteyam moved quietly toward the waterfall, his feet lightly tapping the branches as he skillfully made no noise in his movements. Arriving near the river, Neteyam jumped down, ensuring that no one was around before breaking though the water abruptly, startling everyone.

“Hurry, hurry! The soldiers are still out there.” Neteyam informed, urgent as he gestured for them to come out.

When he saw you lying on the ground though, he rebuked that order, going over to you and glaring at Lo’ak, “What happened?” 

“I’ll explain later. Can we just hurry and get out of here?” Lo’ak explained, already picking you up from the ground.

There was no time to ask any more questions, Neteyam forcing himself to be satisfied with that answer as he urged for everyone to follow him out. Carefully, one by one, they all exited from behind the waterfall. The sounds of gunshots in the distance indicated where they should run and once they entered into a large enough clearing, they all called their ikrans. 

Safety was almost theirs as they began to fly, but even the air wasn’t safe as the helicopter whirred in the distance. Diving back downward, Neteyam led his siblings through the low altitude, barely off the ground as they evaded shots coming from the helicopter. Then from below, some of Quaritch’s soldiers were shooting at them too, making the maneuvering all the more complicated as bullets flew rapidly in the air, bursting through the bark of trees and through the gigantic leaf stems of the neighboring flora.

It was one shot that rang through the air that forced Kiri to turn her ikran upside down, and while she was desperately holding onto Tuk, Spider didn’t have enough time to grip onto anything, his body slipping from her ikran and into the labyrinth of endless foliage, knocking him out instantly as his body hit the ground.

“Spider! He fell! We have to go back!” She yelled at her brothers.

 But it was already too late. Quaritch had got what he came for- a captive to question.

Yet, he would come to learn that the wish he had so freely made had come true.

He was getting his child back. 

~

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 |

Author’s Note

my lovers!!

get you a guy who will jump off a cliff to impress you LMAOOOO --

also, is neteyam lowkey developing a crush too?? cant really blame him cause youre amazing

anywaysss i hope you all loved the chapter! please please PLEASE tell me what you thought of the chapter! one of my favorite things is reading your comments and hearing you all pour your precious hearts out!! 

as always, thank you all for waiting so patiently for this new chapter! things have been kinda busy lately, so im sorry for the delays!! i cherish and love every single one of you lovers. please take care :)

love, 

nana <3

~~side note here: i just wanted to just break some of my choices down for this chapter, so if you’re interested, pls do read!!

while i was writing, i had an idea of the reader’s backstory, but i thought it made sense to give her a traumatic past because it would explain her attachment to people, especially quaritch and how valuable it was for her to meet grace and understand life beyond quaritch

in addition to that, i gave her a purpose from the Great Mother to really offset how unworthy she still feels to have her life and to essentially help her see that she is MORE than what quaritch made her, and grace delivering that message just makes it all the more important.

andddd lastly, if you read the first part when quaritch recalls meeting you and connecting with you, and then you read how you and spider connected together, they parallel ;0

~~ alright side note over haha thank you for reading if you did!!

taglist [tumblr wouldn’t let me tag some blogs but i didn’t want to leave anyone out!]

@fifty-shades-of-mischeif @pretty-npeach @tonni30  @itsemy01 @23victoria @soobinsrose  @starjane312 @valentineoxox @justlillythinking @mae-is-crazy @scarletrosesposts@paniniii @bloodyziggy @mister-police  @mrs-sullys-blog @niiight-dreamerrrr @promiseofeywa  @wilmalovegood @sssspencerrr @mochi-yu @d4rno @lovekeeho @dreama-little-dreamof-me  @strawberryclouds22@tsunchani @sully-stick-together @local-mr-frog @pirana10 @usernumder67 @im-kai-scotty @ghoulbli @devil-on-acid  @iamparou @nightfalldia  @a-queen-blr  @aeclark041-blog1 @justpassinbxx @persondoingstuff @melatonindaydreamz @ducks118 @macncheese69420666  @rotten-toenails  @rikidaily  @extreamlycutecuban @iizx7y @bongwaterflavoredgatorade @lovekeeho  @spicycloudsalad @perfectprofessorloverapricot   @kind45  @skyri-revia22 @blueblushedflwr  @neteyamslovr  @coldlamaspersonspy @jayinthecloset @lunamochii @littlethingsinlife @ok-boke @donaldsmac @slut4sluttybooks @zatarias-pandora  @bol0-de-morang0  @dakotali  @bajadotcom  @bitchyzombienacho @siriusblackwh0re @wadiyatalkinabeetmate @eggyongies @galaxyfruits @kiricomics @fireflystoughts  @reallysparklychaos @bwormie @fireflystoughts @n1ght5h4d3-24 @tojigirl @jiminparkk @larkkyoris @simp-erformarvelwomen @fairygirl-222 @kolsmikaelson @skyri-revia22 @junnniiieee07 @ashrocker123 @sassy-persona  @chantelle-mh @https-izuku @kaealowri  @sunsents @galacticstxrdust @graykageyama @k----a27s @neteyamforlife 

@glitter-in-my-heroin @kirikuki @katkat1918 @0-0h-0 @imthefunniestpersonalive @my-name-duh @mayabritjohn @annoyingstrawberryballoon @sometimesminsan @pearlrosegardener @aestheticcraze @animetrash12 @sbfandom @hrlzy @vhobuu @urforevermore  @usersjs-world @vampsclassiffied @razor-blayde @doromoni @lizzyloo22 @jimfiqs @hunylew @dreamergirljen @champagnelovers101 @di0nlurking @sleepyharuka @dani111@nisha-potter @goddesslilithmoriarty @zilena9 

[vandnana]

thank you for adding my fic to a list of so many other wonderful and talented writers!

you are just a GEM 💕😊

~

nana 💙

｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡

ﾟ。𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥¡𝐬𝐭 ₊˚. ›

ﾟ･ ｡･ ﾟ

ʚɞ ok wow i haven’t made one of these in a while but yeah !! kisses to all fanfic writers out there <33

Keep reading

[vandnana]

I'm obsessed with "in love with the enemy"! It's one of the best stories I've read on Tumblr! I check your account a thousand times a day hoping for an update

im going through my inbox right now and YOU GUYSSS ARE MAKING ME CRY

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE YOU ALL OMG ;(

with my WHOLE HEART, you guys make me love writing even more and you just motivate me to give you all the very best because you guys shouldn't get anything less.

YOU ALL DESERVE THE WORLD AND MORE

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL,

nana <33333

[vandnana]

In love with the enemy more like in love with this beautiful storyline. Just casually falling in love with your story telling and the whole plot. Thank you for sharing it with us ❤️❤️

my anon lover,

this genuinely warmed my heart so much!! thank you for the kindness :)

i'm really happy to hear that you're enjoying the plotline! i made a lot of changes from the prologue to now, and it means so much to hear that my interpretation of events is reaching you in this way.

I AM HONORED!

love,

nana <3

[vandnana]

I love your writing so much! 🥹💖

You have me waiting for the next chapter of “In Love With The Enemy” like

hey lover!

thank you for reading my work!! i cackled reading this LMAOOO

stay tuned! the next chapter is on the way!

love,

nana <3

[vandnana]

In Love With The Enemy [II]

Chapter 2: The Son He Never Wanted

pairing: lo’ak x female turned na’vi reader

summary: during the time when jake became toruk makto, you were quaritch’s youngest and most valued soldier, the daughter he never had. but, pandora changed you and you died during the final battle, betraying quaritch and wishing that you had been able to do more. now, you have been reborn again, as a na’vi, tasked with quaritch’s new military avatar crew to kill Jake Sully. taking advantage of this second chance at life, you help the Sullys and fall in love along the way.

genre: fluff, angst ~ slow burn, pining on lo’ak’s part.

warnings: mentions of blood, war, violence

highlights: [more tearjerking jake and reader moments, neytiri and mo’at being like mothers to reader, lo’ak continuing to be an entire SIMP, and ofc tuk being adorably annoying like always]

word count: 9,242

note: how are you all doing?? as always, i’d like to thank you for waiting for this part! i don’t want to spoil anything before you read, but i will note that i just think all the moments with lo’ak are so cute cause he just flirts with her (or tries to) and she plays along, but on the inside she gets all fluttery and is kinda clueless about everything cause no one’s ever acted like that with her so AHHHHH — I really hope you all enjoy this chapter!!

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 |

When you finally arrived back at camp, the night fog cleared all around you as Lo’ak’s ikran landed gracefully on the edge of the rock, that fog once shrouding you and Lo’ak in a bubble of joyous freedom dissipating as your return grounded you back into reality. 

Jake was waiting for you with his arms crossed. You caught a glimpse of Lo’ak’s face, annoyed as he hopped off his ikran. Once his feet landed, he relinquished his annoyed expression, though only for a second, as he outstretched a hand for you to take.

“I got this.” You replied, hopping off on your own. 

“Oh yeah, of course,” He replied, coolly drawing his hand back and placing it on the back of his neck as he feigned nonchalance.

“Do my orders mean nothing to you?” Jake yelled out, his anger clearly seething through his whole body as he stomped toward you both.

Lo’ak’s shoulders slumped, dreading his father’s lecture and dropping his hands from his neck, “No sir.”

You stepped between Jake and Lo’ak, putting your hands up, “Woah, woah, woah. Calm down old man. I asked him to take me around, okay? Your anger shouldn’t be focused on Lo’ak.”

Jake huffed in frustration, “He’s my son, y/n. He disobeyed direct orders.”

You lowered your eyes at Jake, “Oh, and you haven’t?”

Lo’ak scrunched his eyebrows at you, surprised by your boldness, but what really caught him off guard was his father’s quickness to concede to you, his expression softening. 

“Fine, fine, but next time, I won’t be as forgiving.” He turned to Lo’ak, “Take her to your grandmother please.”

Lo’ak nodded, and Jake took him by the arm, glaring, “And no detours, got it?”

He fought back the urge to roll his eyes as he replied, “Yes sir.”

“Alright, dismissed.” He ordered.

“No, not dismissed. We need to talk about my father, Jake. He’s still out there.” You urged, planting your feet in front of him.

Jake put his hands on his head, “I know he’s out there, but right now, what I’m worried about is you.” He looked down at your wound, its ache suddenly making itself known to you, but you were too prideful to admit it. 

His voice became scarily low as he spoke again, his expression grave, “You need to go get that patched up. Now.”

Jake pushed you forward, and you reluctantly moved your feet. Lo’ak took his place beside you as you both walked, Jake changing his mind about leaving Lo’ak to escort you to the tent as he trailed behind you both. 

You observed everything around you as you walked further into the cave. It was vast, practically endless, and although the night sky was shielding its stars with its fog, you were still able to see their slight glimmer in the sky. It wasn’t too far into the night, groups of Na’vi, warriors, women, and children still in clusters, all of them staring at you as you passed, clearly weary of you in your odd clothing, but seeing Jake behind you, they seemed to relax. Amidst them though, you saw a few humans, their breathers on, wearing the khaki jumpsuits that all of the scientists had worn when you were alive.

“Wait.” Your tone displaying sternness as you stopped, turning toward Jake, “I need to know.” 

You paused, heaviness filling your heart as fear began to consume it, “Is Trudy dead?”

You had assumed the worst, but you still clung to a tiny bit of hope that shattered instantly as you looked into Jake’s eyes, the glint of sadness in them affirming what you had feared. He didn’t need to say anything for you to know what that sadness meant. You felt a horrid clawing at your chest and you could only understand that feeling being the unbearable crushing of your heart. Jake hugged you as that pain settled in, and you felt so dreadfully numb, you couldn’t even wrap your arms around him. 

“What about Norm and Max?” You asked pleadingly.

He let go of you, giving you a small smile, “They’re alive, and they know you’re here.” 

Hearing that they were alive didn’t settle your grief, but you felt the mixture of emotions take over you as your relief and sadness melded together.

“I want to see them. Take me to them.” You stated resolutely, planting your heels into the ground as Jake shook his head at you, trying to push you forward agian.

“No, you’re not going anywhere until you see Mo’at.” He argued. 

“Jake, I told you I was fine, okay?” Although, the throbbing was getting worse as you spoke, “Just let me see them please? Don’t you think it’s been long enough?” You responded, your forehead scrunched in frustration.

“They’ll still be here when you’re better, y/n. Now, will you please just listen?” He pleaded with you, his eyes stern again, “Don’t make me carry you over there, you big baby.” He warned, and you finally gave up. 

“Fine,” You conceded, huffing in compliance as you crossed your arms, “I’d shoot you if I still had my gun.”

Jake shook his head at you, ruffling your hair, “Like you can aim with that injury.”

You slapped his hand away, smoothing your hair out as he pleaded, “Norm and Max aren’t going anywhere either, so just do as I say, please?” 

“Well, stop being annoying and just let me go with Lo’ak, okay?” You huffed out.

“Alright, then go!” Jake encouraged as he shifted his point toward the tent.

“Alright alright, we’re going.” You spoke, putting your hands on Lo’ak’s back to get him to walk. 

When there was finally some distance between you and Jake, you sighed, moving from where you were behind him to walk next to him instead. He stopped when you did, putting a gentle hand on your arm. You halted at the touch, blinking in confusion as your eyes traveled downward. You looked at him, anticipating what he had to say. 

When you had mentioned Trudy, he had remembered he still had your pictures in his cloth pocket, and taking them out, he nudged them toward you, “Your pocket ripped and they fell out when we were in the tree. I figured they were important to you.”

Looking down, you finally noticed your pocket, widely ripped at its width. Taking the pictures out of his hand, you fought back tears that were easily brimming in your eyes. You let a weak chuckle out, embarrassed by your own emotions as Lo’ak looked at you sincerely. 

Realizing that he was still holding onto you, he let go, clearing his throat, “The other girl in there.” He began, “That’s Trudy, isn’t it?”

You traced over her smiling face, “She was my best friend, you know. She was the best pilot in the whole unit. We would fly together.”

He listened, humming in response as you reminisced. Trudy was dead, but Lo’ak had returned a piece of her to you, and you couldn’t help but smile at him, your expression illuminating with gratefulness.

Lo’ak blushed instantly, shy under your gaze, his hand going to the back of his neck, “You have to stop looking at me like that.”

You shrugged, “Like what? I’m just grateful, that’s all.”

Lo’ak cleared his throat, finding his courage as he met your eyes again, “Well, you look pretty when you’re grateful.” The shyness you brought out of him retreating as his usual smugness took over.

You didn’t expect such boldness, scoffing as you dismissed him, “And how do I look when I’m not grateful?”

Still maintaining his cavalier, his heart pumping rapidly as he thought up his response, he smirked at you, “Still pretty.”

You were blushing, but you scoffed, lightly smacked his arm, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing you were actually charmed by his attempt at flirting. 

“Y/n! Y/n! You’re finally here!” An innocent tone rang out, making you tear your eyes away from Lo’ak.

Tuk was running toward you, overjoyed at seeing you again.

“Tuk, can’t you be annoying somewhere else?” Lo’ak groaned, crossing his arms as he glared at her.

Tuk stuck her tongue out at her brother, “Whatever Lo’ak. I bet you were the one annoying her.” She retorted, taking you by the hand and dragging you toward the tent.

You shrugged your shoulders at Lo’ak, motioning for him to follow, and he unwilling agreed, trudging after you.

Once you approached the tent, you saw Neytiri on the floor weaving amber, circular beads and golden twine together. You greeted her properly, “I see you Neytiri.”

Hearing your voice, she got up, putting down what she was weaving to greet you back, her voice welcoming as she spoke, “Come, you are hurt. I will help bathe you before mother heals you.”

She lowered her eyes at Lo’ak, her tone changing into a stern one as she ordered, “Out Lo’ak and take Tuk with you.”

He groaned as Tuk pouted, “Mama, why can’t I stay?”

“Just listen to mama, okay?” Neytiri said, and Tuk nodded reluctantly.

Lo’ak sighed, turning on his heel to exit the tent. Before he stepped out completely you called his name, his head spinning back so quickly at the sound of your voice.

You still had the pictures in your hand, and you held them out to him, “Keep them safe for me?”

He smiled at you as he took them from your hands, purposely brushing his fingers against yours, “Of course.”

You knew what he was trying to do as you felt his fingers touch yours and you stifled a light chuckle, “I’ll see you later.”

“Draw the curtain!” Neytiri yelled, and Lo’ak did as she asked, taking one last glance at you before he pulled the drapery down. 

You made eye-contact with Neytiri again, who put a gentle hand at your back, guiding you to the large basin filled with water, steam coming from it, in the middle of the tent.

On the other side of it was Neytiri’s mother, her back turned as she prepared bowls of herbs for your healing treatment, their earthy aroma filling the air.

Once she turned around, you greeted her politely, gesturing your hand from your forehead to hers, “I see you, Mo’at.”

You were surprised as she seemed pleased with you, a hint of a smile gracing her lips as she acknowledged your presence, “Y/n Quaritch.” 

She walked over to you, circling you as she studied your features, “There is never death, only change. You are proof of this. The Great Mother has blessed you with new life.”

You averted your gaze, hardly sharing the same feeling, your heart twisting as she spoke. You could feel the guilt within you rise in her presence, your father’s sins against her weighing down on your chest.

Mo’at could sense how troubled you felt inside, and even just seeing your tired expression, she could tell you were exhausted, that tiredness taking its toll underneath your eyes.

She placed her hands on the sides of your face, gently lifting your head to meet her eyes, “You have been through much, child. Be calm. You are with your people and you are home.”

You gulped, shaking your head at her, “I don’t understand,” Your eyes went to Neytiri, your gaze showing how burdened you felt, “My father destroyed your home and killed Eytukan, killed so many of your people. How can you welcome me so easily?”

Mo’at and Neytiri exchanged glances with one another, their thoughts becoming unified as each of them took one of your hands into theirs, the coldness you felt in your heart, suddenly warming through their motherly touch.

Mo’at spoke with conviction, her wisdom echoing through the tent, “Your father’s evils are not yours, y/n. You were born of the Sky People, selfish and cruel they are. Yet, you protected life and gave your own for someone you loved. You were always meant to be one of Us.”

“What do you mean? What are you talking about?” 

Neytiri looked as if she was going to cry, her voice sincere, “Jake, it was his life that you saved.” She put her other hand on your cheek, a single tear falling from her eyes, “I will never forget what you’ve done for me, for my family, my people. You have a strong heart, y/n like Jake. You are one of The People.” 

You couldn’t find any words, the inner turmoil inside of you fighting to stay as their heartfelt reassurances melted it down, almost reducing it to nothing as you felt the warmth emanating from them both enter into your heart.

You had only ever felt this feeling once in your life, and it happened with Grace. It was the feeling of being recognized by a mother, and having craved it so much, having missed Grace so much, you let yourself be captured by that feeling, no longer battling against it and leaning into that comfort.

Neytiri and Mo’at noticed the change in you, and as you relaxed, they helped you out of your clothing. Mo’at unwrapped the cloth around your wound, and you winced in pain when she pulled the bullet out, leaving the widened gash open. That pain quickly subsided when they guided you into the basin, the touch of the heated water on your skin calming the tension in your whole body. 

The two of them worked on either side of you, gently scrubbing your skin with soft, green cloths. Using a specialized herb mixture, its floral scent wafting in the air, Neytiri rubbed it in your hair, while Mo’at washed your body meticulously with another mixture, the floral scent of the hairwash mixing with the citrus-like scent of the one for your body. Eventually, all the dirt, caked blood, and yanna bark sap was gone, and with it came the layers of strain.

When they had finished washing you, they helped you out of the basin, drying you off quickly with another set of cloths. 

Neytiri came up behind you, “Lift your arms.”

You did as she said, allowing her to drape something over you, and as you looked down you realized it was the piece she was weaving earlier, the twine coming together in an asymmetric halter shape, the beads cascading downward where your shoulder was.

“I made it like this so it is open where you were hurt.” She explained. 

“This is beautiful.” You said in awe, and she gave you a satisfied smile. 

Neytiri continued to hep you get dressed, teaching you how to fasten the loin cloth properly, and when you grasped the idea, you did it yourself. Once it was secured, Mo’at gestured for you to follow her, leading you toward the array of bowls that you had seen her prepare earlier.

Beside her array was a hammock, her eyes going to it as she spoke to you, “Lie down.”

You nodded, seating yourself in the hammock then lifting your legs up to fill the length of it. You watched as she took one of the bowls in her hand, warming a thickened paste she had made between her fingers, and you breathed deeply as she slabbed it into the open flesh and all around it, the cool sting of the herbs spreading throughout your wound. As she continued to rub the paste, you could feel your eyes get heavy, your vision blurring as you fought to stay awake.

Mo’at neatly blanketed your wound with a fresh new wrap, smothering the coolness from the paste and engulfing the area in comfortable warmth, and once that settled, you had lost the fight to your own exhaustion, your eyes shutting as sleep took over you.

By the time that Jake came to visit, there was no hope of waking you up. He was still having a hard time grasping that you were really alive, but he was just so happy to see you that he hardly cared, smiling as he knelt beside you.

“Ma Jake.” Neytiri called, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He turned his head, standing up, and with his full attention she continued, “She knows about how she died.”

Jake groaned, whispering, “How could you tell her? It wasn’t something she needed to know.”

“She deserves to know, just as she deserves to know about other things.” Her tone hinting as she gave him a serious expression.

Jake looked back at you, peaceful as you slept soundly, “She’s not ready.”

“Y/n is strong.” Neytiri defended, “You do not need to worry for her.”

“It’s not her I’m worried about.” He replied, meeting her gaze again, “It’s him.”

“And you have not told him either, that his father is that demon.” She hissed at Jake in frustration, “You cannot keep them apart and you cannot keep the truth from both of them. They are brother and sister.”

Mo’at cleared her throat behind them, “Do not disturb her in her sleep with such talk.” She drew the curtain back slightly, making an opening, “I will watch her.”

Although unwilling to leave you, Jake agreed, entrusting you with Mo’at as he left, Neytiri taking the lead as they both exited the tent. When they both walked out, Lo’ak was nearby, waiting to see you and Tuk, who had gotten bored, left not too long before her parents walked out.

He started to walk toward the tent, and noticing him, Jake stepped forward, “We’re having a family meeting. Go get your sisters.”

There was no chance to protest as his parents’ glares bore into him, forcing his obedient nod. Jake and Neytiri waited for all of their children just a couple meters away from where you were. Neteyam came first and a little after came Lo’ak, Kiri, Tuk, and another with him.

Neteyam took sight of his brother and his approaching siblings, greeting the other that had come with them, “Hey Spider.”

Neytiri gave Jake a worried glance, but he dismissed her, turning to his children, his expression serious as he explained your situation and who you were, carefully choosing his words as he spoke.

“So, she really— “ Spider paused, trying to understand, “She really died and came back…as a Na’vi?”

Jake and Neytiri nodded, and Spider put a hand at his chin, his eyes showing his amazement, “That is insane.”

“She has helped this family in more ways than you know.” Neytiri revealed, “I expect you to treat her like family.”

“Yes, mother. We will make sure she feels at home.” Neteyam reassured him.

“Yeah! I love her already!” Tuk exclaimed, turning to her sister, “And you’ll love her too Kiri!”

Kiri smiled at her sister, her eyes turning hopeful as she asked, “Did she really know my mother?” She was clutching onto the pendant of her necklace, once her mother’s but passed on to her.

“Yes, she knew her longer than any of us.” Jake affirmed, giving his daughter a reassuring smile.

He looked at Neytiri, who was already giving him a disapproving expression, “And I want you kids to promise me something.”

They leaned in, waiting for what he had to say and he continued, his tone serious, “I don’t want her anywhere near the lab or anywhere near the humans, okay?”

Lo’ak was quick to protest, “Why not? You know more than anyone that she wants to see Norm and Max.”

“She will see them, alright? Just not yet, okay? Can you just do as I—“

Then came your scream. To everyone else, it wasn’t all that loud, but to Jake it painfully rang in his ears like a siren and without hesitation, he ran, Neytiri and the children running after him.

He bolted into the tent, your figure shuddering in Mo’at’s arms as she held you, your stare blank as you looked at the floor, the remainder of a nightmare hanging in the thickness of the air. It would have been better if you had just slept horribly, then you would have expected this. But, beautiful dreams had come to you before a nightmare infested them— you saw your father, his sneer as he killed Jake and his family one by one, the blood splattering on your face as he made you watch, and no matter how much you screamed, no matter how hard you tried to stop him, there was nothing you could do.

Hearing Jake, Mo’at loosened her embrace and leaned backward as Jake knelt beside you, holding you by the shoulders before pulling you in.

“It’ll be alright, y/n. You’re okay.” Jake reassured you, his hands rubbing at your back.

Neytiri came up beside you too, her hand on your shoulder.

The children though stayed outside, climbing up onto the adjoining rock beside the tent and peeking through the upper openings in the tent to see.

“Is this how you felt when I died?” You weakly let out, leaning back to look at Jake, who blinked at you, his heart aching at the question, “I know it was just a dream, but I watched my father kill you Jake. You and your family.”

Jake could feel your grief from your shaken voice, the hurt that he felt from you seeping into his own soul, “That’s all it was y/n. A dream. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

You looked away, not wanting to believe in such hope, but Jake made you look at him again, “Hey, hey, do you remember what you told me before? Before the bulldozers came?”

It was impossible to forget, one of the last memories you had with Jake, “Of course I do.”

Jake took your hands into his, his voice resolute and determined, “A father protects. It’s what gives him meaning. You died protecting me when I should have protected you. I’m not gonna make that mistake again.”

You were crying as he said those words, smiling as you wiped them away, the sorrow inside of you dissipating as he smiled back at you.

“You’re safe here.” Jake said, patting the hammock, “You can rest, okay?”

You shook your head, “I’ve been dead for what, twenty years?” You got up, fidgeting with your fingers, “I’m done resting, Jake.”

Jake faced you, “You can still sleep. You love to sleep. You were always the last to wake up in the shack, remember?” He joked.

You scoffed, “That’s because I had a cripple underneath me who loved to snore.”

You hit him on the arm, and he gasped, pointing a finger at you warningly, laughing, “Hey, I’m not in a wheelchair anymore, so don’t start a fight you can’t finish.

“I kind of miss when you were in a wheelchair though. It was so much easier to make fun of you.” You retorted sarcastically.

Jake sucked a breath in through his teeth, and you surrendered, “I’m joking! I’m joking, okay? Don’t be mad. You know I’ve always respected my elders.”

Neytiri couldn’t help but laugh along with your joke, so entertained by the two of you as she watched you interact. Even Mo’at was smiling, her heart warmed at seeing Jake with you again, remembering his agonized desperation to revive you all those years ago.

The children were all watching from above, the oldest ones so baffled to see their father so carefree, but Tuk hardly noticed, her concern mainly being on you. Without another thought, Tuk ran off, making her way to the tent, all her siblings groaning as they followed her, calling her name.

Neteyam stopped Spider though, “Maybe you should stay behind bro. My father meant it when he said he did not want her near humans.”

“And that includes me?” Spider asked, hurt and offended.

“I’m sorry. It’s my dad’s orders.” He replied, patting Spider’s shoulders before running after his siblings.

“I’m so glad you’re okay!” Tuk said as she ran into the tent, and as you heard her voice, you crouched down -: she wrapped her arms around you sloppiy.

“Tuk be careful!” Neytiri scolded, worried about your shoulder.

You stood up, Tuk taking hold of your hand as she apologized, “Sorry,” Then gently, she pulled your hand forward, “Come on! You have to meet my sister... and Spider too!” Her excitement too great to remember what her father had asked.

Jake attemted to stop her, “Tuk no-” 

But she had already led you out of the tent, everyone gathered in front of the entrance. Jake let out a sigh of relief seeing that Spider wasn’t with them. Since Tuk had given no context to who Spider was, you thought she was talking about some sort of pet, and you looked around for something on the ground before your eyes landed to the girl in front of you. Your face dropped as you looked at Kiri, the spitting image of Grace, so eerily similar that you felt as if you were looking at her ghost, your vision flashing between your memory of her and the reality of who was in front of you.

Kiri stepped forward, her own curiosity about you encouraging her words, “Hi, I’m Kiri. I’m Grace’s daughter.” She began nervously and you were even more shocked, her voice even holding the same intonations as Grace, the sound sending goosebumps down your spine.

The tears that had left you before arose again as you took in Kiri’s appearance, noticing immediately the necklace she had on her neck.

You inched closer, pointing at the necklace, “Your necklace. It was your mom’s.”

She put her hand over it, touching the pendant, “How did you know?”

“I made it for her when I first came to Pandora.” You explained, “She was teaching me how to speak Na’vi, so I gave her this, as a gift.”

You stepped backward, taking note of her age in your mind. She wasn’t that much older than you, and you were reeling, filing through all the scientific possibilities in your head.

You looked at Jake, your eyes begging for answers, “How is this possible? You told me that the Great Mother couldn’t save her.”

“Actually,” Kiri began, “I was hoping that maybe you would know.” She paused, gulping down her expectations as she tried to maintain her calm, “Do you know who my father is?”

Everyone’s eyes went to you, but you kept yours on Kiri, her eyes so desperate for an answer as she looked at you, like your mere existence could fill in the missing pieces that laid like stones in her heart.

You reached into the depths of your mind, the memories of every instance with Grace appearing before you, the last making you wince, the pain of remembering her death agonizing how you felt in front of Kiri. “I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Your apology rang deeper than your ignorance of her conception. You stood in front of her knowing that she had no mother and that it was your father who had done that to her. You averted your eyes, taking refuge in staring at your fingers.

Kiri tried to hide how embarrassed she suddenly felt, her eyes downcast as she scolded herself for being so hopeful, “Oh. You don’t have to be sorry. It’s okay, really.”

You wanted to give her some comfort. You owed it to her and casting that horrible feeling aside, you put a hand on her shoulder.

“Look, I was brought back by science, but you weren’t, you couldn’t have been,” She looked up at you, her expression pleading for you to continue, “Your mother loved Pandora with everything she had, and if that love somehow made you, then you’re a miracle, something Grace’s science, my science can’t explain.”

Kiri felt a warmth bubble inside her at your words and she looked at you with a cherished gratefulness as she clasped her hands around yours, “Thank you.”

You smiled at her, squeezing her hand before letting go. You looked down at Tuk, “So...where’s Spider? Is he a pet or something?”

“I’m not a pet.” A voice spoke from behind you, and you turned your head.

Jake glared at Neteyam and Lo’ak, mouthing his disappointment, Neteyam giving his father an apologetic expression while Lo’ak hardly cared, pressing his lips together in feigned regret.

He jumped down from where he was, approaching you, his appearance baffling. He was human, blue stripes painted on his body, his hair shaped like a lion’s mane, and the only clothing he had on was a loin cloth, similar to Lo’ak’s.

“I’m Spider,” He said, crossing his arms, “Socorro.”

Socorro.

The name was littered between the grief and sorrow that laid within you since you had woken up, the name so deeply buried in your mind that its sudden rise gave way to a singular memory, your body frozen as your mind’s eye displayed it in front of you.

You felt as if you were really there, the smell of the base filling your nose. Your father was beside you with his arms crossed, and you were standing in front of an operating room, the iodine smell wafting out as the door opened.

When the doctor came out, his surgical gear bloodied from the procedure, he pulled his mask down, meeting your father with a smile, although your father didn’t return it.

His frown projected how he felt as the doctor announced, “It’s a boy, Colonel. You have a son.”

Uncrossing his arms, he looked into the operating room, Paz Socorro, one of the pilots in the regiment, lying in the bed holding her son, their son. Paz motioned for him to come in, but he had his feet planted on the ground, tearing his eyes away from Paz and toward the doctor, his eyes moving swiftly to you.

“I ain’t got a son, doc.”

You couldn’t remember much after that, but you did remember Paz, and not fondly. She held nothing against your father for rejecting Spider, too in love with him to bear any hostility. Instead, she focused her hatred on you, blaming you for what had happened. She hadn’t always been so cruel to you, but how could you put her at fault? You were the reason why Quaritch didn’t love his son.

“Are you okay?” Lo’ak asked, your blank stare giving way to the concern that was filling his heart.

“Y-yeah.” You looked back at Spider, just the sight of him pinching at your heart, “I’m y/n.” You paused, attempting to joke, “You definitely don’t look like a pet.”

“Thanks,” Spider replied, laughing.

You managed a smile at him, but Jake could see the pain in your eyes. Lo’ak had seen it too, recognizing it as the same face you had when your father was calling out for you. You had become scarily silent, so lost in the pain of that memory that when Jake put a hand on your back, you didn’t move, your breathing staggering as you stood.

Worried, Neytiri took you by the shoulders and in your daze, your feet moved on their own as she escorted you back into the tent.

They all attempted to follow but Jake put his hand up, glaring at his two sons, his anger showing in the ferocity of his whisper, “I asked you to do one thing. One thing.”

Spider, feeling the guilt rise in him, spoke, “No, Jake it was me. I didn’t listen.”

Jake closed his eyes, frustrated as he let a breath in, “Go to bed. All of you.”

“But dad-” Lo’ak pressed on, moving forward, but Jake outstretched his arm, blocking the way.

“Get to bed.” He repeated himself, the firmness in his tone making Lo’ak back away.

Mo’at, who had kept her ear open as she sat on the floor of the tent, ascended from her position, “Do as your father says, my grandson. You’ll get to see her soon enough.” She seemed to be hinting at something, and Lo’ak only half-caught on, still annoyed by his father.

“Let’s go.” Neteyam said to his siblings, and they all reluctantly followed.

Spider trailing behind them at first, but he stopped, the call of his dangerous curiosity influencing his steps back toward the tent. Spider had watched your reaction when he said his name, your face turning pale and your eyes going blank. You were remembering something, and he had to know what it was. 

When Spider darted off, Lo’ak followed. “Spider!” Lo’ak called after him, “Wait up!”

Neteyam grunted in annoyance, “Kiri, take Tuk home please?” 

She agreed as her brother ran, but Tuk refused, “I want to go with them!”

“Tuk no! Come back!” But Tuk had already let go of her sister’s hand, passing the many tents to catch up to her brothers, and with no other choice, Kiri hastened her pace chasing after her.

Lo’ak and Spider took to the top of the rock they were at earlier, eagerly listening to your conversation with Jake.

As Jake approached, he looked apologetic, “Look, I know how you must be feeling and-”

“Do you really, Jake?” You exploded, pushing him away from you as you pounded at your own chest, “Do you know how it feels to look your own brother in the eye and know that it was your fault he was orphaned?”

Jake fell silent, battered by your agonized rage.

“My father didn’t want him because he already had me. He picked me off the street on earth, but Spider is his flesh and blood,” Your voice was breaking, so disgusted by the words you were saying that you thought you could feel bile fill your throat, almost drowning you.

“Does he know? Does he know who his parents are?” You questioned, giving him an accusatory look.

“No,” Neytiri piped in, shaking her head. 

You squinted your eyes at Jake, “How could you not tell him?”

“You know your father, y/n. Would you have told him?” Jake pleaded, wanting for you to understand his decision, “I thought he would be better off not knowing.”

You were wrong to do that, Jake. No matter how much of a monster Quaritch is, Spider deserved to know.” 

Lo’ak watched as Spider took everything in, his face twisting and scrunching as he tried to convince himself that everything you said wasn’t true. All he ever knew was that his parents had died in the battle with the Sky People, and he always wondered, allowed himself to explore those curious thoughts that longed to know who his parents really were. But as he listened to you, every word that you spoke like a knife in his chest, inching and inching further and further into his heart, he wished he had just left well enough alone.

Inside of him, like a disease that seemed to invade his mind, he was overcome with envy, his mouth in a snarl as he looked at you in your Na’vi form, Neytiri next to you as she took your hand into hers and even Mo’at regarded you, her concern shown as she stepped forward too.

Everything he ever wanted you had. 

You were one of The People, accepted by Neytiri and Mo’at, and even before he was born, you were inducted in worthiness, your legacy so grand, so perfect, that the father you shared didn’t even bother to try to love him.

Neteyam came up from behind them, placing his hands on both of their shoulders, distressed as he whispered, “You cannot be here. Dad will skin us if he finds out.”

Spider pushed Neteyam’s hand away, storming off. He looked at Lo’ak, astonished by Spider’s reaction and Lo’ak got up from his crouched position, running off in the direction Spider ran off to.

Tuk climbed up onto the rock, Kiri behind her, as she crouched beside Neteyam, whispering innocently to him, “What’s going on?”

Kiri gave her brother an apologetic, sheepish look, but he let out a long frustrated sigh, pinching his temples together in frustration and mentally scolding himself for not anticipating them. He got up, picking Tuk up and carrying her, Kiri beside him as they both ran off to catch up with Lo’ak and Spider.

He had run off toward where he slept, the quarters for both humans and avatars clustered between the rectangular metal sites, identical to the shack in the other part of the mountains. 

Before they reached the perimeter of it, Lo’ak stopped him from continuing. “Spider!” Lo’ak taking hold of his arm, “Are you okay?”

“Of course I’m not okay!” He pushed Lo’ak away, his breathing heavy as he said his thoughts aloud, spilling haphazardly in anger, “Did you not hear what she said? Everything I know is a lie! I thought that my parents had died for something right, but t-they were the enemy. My father killed Kiri’s mom and tried to destroy everything here.”

Kiri went to his side, kneeling down as she tried to calm him down, “You’re not him, Spider.”

Neteyam pushed for reason, abating how dumbfounded he felt hearing the truth, “Kiri is right and you cannot change the past. He’s your father.”

“And he’s her father too. Y/n is my sister, if I can even call her that,” Spider buried his face in his hands, so angry that he couldn’t help from tears falling down his face, “I’m nothing to him, just the son he never wanted, while she got to be his daughter. He chose her.”

“She couldn’t have wanted that for you, Spider. Did you not see how hurt she was over everything? You can’t blame her for what he did.” Lo’ak explained.

Spider scowled at him, “So you’d rather defend her than your best friend?”

“It’s not like that, okay? You don’t know her, Spider. You don’t know the whole story.” Lo’ak argued.

“Oh, and you do?” Spider inquired with fury in his eyes, “Whether I know her or not, it’s just like Neteyam said, it won’t change anything.” Too angry and too hurt, Spider left without another word. 

Kiri stood up, her heart aching as she watched Spider go, Neteyam put a hand on her back, “You know him. He will cool off eventually.”

Tuk, who was confused about what was happening, agreed with Neteyam out of concern for Kiri, “Yeah, Kiri. Don’t worry.”

Kiri glared at Lo’ak, her own disdain showing in her voice, “How could you let him just listen to all of that? How could you not be more sympathetic toward his situation?”

Lo’ak argued back, just as fiercely as his sister, “He wanted to go on his own, okay? And besides, what should I have done? Hold his hand? I was trying to be reasonable, Kiri.” 

He stepped forward, his voice stern, “Ask yourself this question, do you think it’s her fault? After everything you learned about her, after what she told you about your mom...do you think that Spider’s right for making her the bad guy? The bad guy is her father, the guy that would have killed Tuk and I if she wasn’t there.” 

Lo’ak had so much more to say, the tension between him and his sister as she maintained her glare, her pride too great to admit that he was right.

Neteyam subdued the tension, interjecting as he stepped between them, “That’s enough. Let’s go home before dad notices.”

In his anger, Lo’ak had forgotten about his dad, “Ugh, dad’s gonna kill us when he finds out.” He groaned, dreading the long-winded lecture he knew was inevitable.

“No, he’s gonna kill you.” Kiri spat, her voice laced with attitude as she walked away.

~

“How much did he hear?” Jake was rubbing his forehead, agitated as his children were in front of him.

Lo’ak paused before responding, “All of it.”

“And where were you? I told you to take them home.” Jake asked his oldest son, so obviously disappointed from the way his voice cut so callously through the air.

“Sorry, sir.” Neteyam let out, his hands behind his back.

“Ma Jake. It has been a long day and the children must sleep.” Neytiri let out, keeping her voice mellow.

“I’ll deal with Spider tomorrow, alright?” Everyone nodded and Jake, satisfied, told them to get ready for bed. 

Rolling out their mats, everyone quickly laid down, wanting to leave behind the heaviness of the day. Eventually, sleep overtook them all, but Lo’ak, who had tried so hard to succumb to that heaviness, couldn’t keep his eyes closed, his thoughts naturally wandering to you.

He couldn’t help it as he wondered if you were okay, wondering if you were sleeping too or lying awake like he was. Lo’ak couldn’t leave his inner questions unanswered and without hesitation, he slowly lifted himself up, quietly ascending and carefully stepping toward the entrance of their tent and slipping away. 

He quickly made his way to the tent you were in and once he made it to the entrance, he pulled the curtain back slightly, peeking his head in, the light of a small candle illuminating the tent in a dim amber hue. He didn’t expect to find Mo’at there, still awake and seated on the floor in a meditative state.

Somehow, she didn’t even need to open her eyes to know that it was Lo’ak, talking quietly as she acknowledged him, “Why are you here, my grandson?”

Lo’ak walked through, closing the curtain and stepping forward, his eyes going to you in the hammock, and although you were lying down, you were wide awake, only pretending to be asleep. You were afraid to, expecting the nightmares to come again, and after the day that you had, you knew that they would be worse this time around. 

And with those nightmares also came your infiltrating thoughts, thoughts consumed with problems that were ahead of you—your father, your brother, and your struggle with your new life—sleep couldn’t cure those problems, leaving you to feel guilty to even just rest.

But hearing Lo’ak come in distracted you, and you listened to him intently, focusing on him and the unusually long pause that occurred after Mo’at’s question. Lo’ak was thinking up an excuse, and in her curiosity, Mo’at opened her eyes.

Lo’ak was teetering on his heels and remembering you had given him those pictures, he pulled them out of his pocket, “Her pictures, I wanted to give them back.”

“Really?” Mo’at asked, raising an eyebrow, “Why do I feel as if you are here for more than that? You are concerned for her, no?”

Lo’ak didn’t have a response to her question, any words he was thinking of saying getting caught in his throat.

She looked behind her, her head still pivoted toward you as her eyes landed on her grandson, who had focused his gaze back on you. As if that didn’t make things any more obvious to Mo’at, she could sense his quickened heartbeat and his underlying nerves by her own motherly instinct.

Mo’at got up, a hand on her heart as she grinned at Lo’ak, her next words trusting in the voice that she felt in her soul, “Why don’t you watch her until morning for me? Your grandmother must sleep.”

“Really?” Lo’ak replied, his excitement bouncing off his final syllable.

She lowered her eyes at him, “Yes, but I can stay here if you do not wish to-” 

“No, I’ll watch her. You go and rest.” He interrupted.

She put her hands on his shoulders affectionately, “Good, good. I will be back in the morning.”

When you two were finally alone, he placed your pictures neatly on the table before slowly and quietly making his way to you. He leaned against the wall, admiring you. Even in your other clothing, your appearance rugged from the forest and blood dripping from your wound, Lo’ak thought you were pretty. But in the candle light, you were luminous, its rays cascading its amber colors onto your skin, most of your body now exposed to drink up the hues.

You still had your eyes closed, and you could feel his eyes on you. You cleared your throat, startling him as you spoke, “I know you didn’t come all the way here just to stare at me.”

“Have you been awake this whole time?” Lo’ak asked, stunned.

You finally fluttered your eyes open, “I couldn’t sleep. So what’s your excuse?” 

Lo’ak stood up, “Didn’t you hear? I wanted to give your pictures back, that’s why I came.”

He kept his tone as nonchalant as possible, despite how much he could feel his heart pounding against his chest and his palms becoming sweaty with how nervous you were really making him.

You still looked at him with a suspicious expression, “In the middle of the night?”

“They’re important to you, aren’t they?” Lo’ak scoffed, trying to keep his composure.

Everything he was saying was defying any reasonable logic, but you were amused by him, smiling as you walked over to the table, questioning him further, “So you woke up just to give me these?”

Lo’ak crossed his arms, dedicated to maintaining a cool demeanor as he responded, “Well, yeah, but my grandma asked me to watch you too,” He paused, watching your reaction as he took the opportunity to tease, “She’s an old woman, you know. She needs her sleep.”

Although you knew he was making excuses, you played along, “Are you always this thoughtful or are you trying to impress me?”

He circled around you, his gaze fixated on you as he took a seat in the hammock, laying his back into it and resting his hands beneath his head, “Why? Are you into it?” He genuinely wanted to know, his eyes glinting with a ferocious curiosity.

You couldn’t take him seriously though, laughing as you approached, taking a seat beside him, “You’re in my spot.”

He put a hand on his chest, fake pouting, “And you don’t want to share? After I interrupted my perfectly good night to come here?”

You let a breath out, and to his surprise, you actually did lie down next to him, so unconcerned as you carelessly let your arms and legs touch his, the feeling igniting his cool skin.

“You’re lying.” You said, “Come on, why are you really up?”

Lo’ak gulped, adjusting himself slightly to give you more room, but you stayed still, only moving your head to look at him. Your foreheads weren’t even touching, but they might as well have, the effect of your proximity creating a tension that only Lo’ak seemed to notice.

Even though he was curious, he didn’t bring anything up about your old life, about Spider, not wanting to make you feel uncomfortable. Lo’ak found refuge in the ceiling as he responded, “I couldn’t sleep. I was too busy worrying about you.”

He glanced back at you, looking for a specific reaction in your eyes, hoping that you were feeling the same tension he was. You seemed immune to his continuous charms as your gaze gave him no indications, unreadable as you simply listened to him, your expression as calm as before. But you did feel it, unsure of what it was and unsure of how to react to it, having never felt anything like it before.

He suddenly felt awkward, clearing his throat, “So what about you? Why aren’t you sleeping? You can tell me…or don’t. Whatever you want.”

For a moment you hesitated, not wanting to share your troubles with him, to burden him with that unbearable weight. But Lo’ak had managed to make you feel lighter and you somehow found yourself talking to him easily.

“Nightmares.” You let out, “I always had nightmares when I lived on the base, but when I moved to the shack with your dad and everyone, they stopped.” You paused, “I guess I’ve still got my old habits wired in this new brain.”

“Well, not all your old habits,” Lo’ak began slowly, adjusting himself and giving you his full attention as he turned, “You know, I never thanked you for saving me, for protecting Tuk, so thank you.”

You did the same, shifting yourself as you looked at him, “You know, it’s weird. All of you have no problem seeing me as one of you, but I’m still having a hard time believing it.”

I’ve lived here my whole life, and I still have a hard time too.” Lo’ak held his hand up, wiggling his fingers, “Ketuwong, alien—it’s all they see, even though everyone denies it. “

You softened your expression, saddened by how he had said it, his voice desperately wanting to sound detached, indifferent to the problem, but despite how hard he tried to mask how he felt, you saw right through his attempt at apathy.

You held your hand up, aligning your fingers and touching your palm to his, “It’s okay. That means we match.”

Lo’ak’s mouth parted in surprise before he quickly pressed his lips together into a smile, not one of his usual smirks, but a real one, one he rarely ever showed, “Yeah, we do.”

You hardly realized the implications of what he said, your mind rationalizing it as your heart acted on its own, beating rapidly, so moved by the way your hands touched and the way he was smiling at you. Everything stirring inside of you felt like uncharted territory, the matters of the heart having never been traversed by your soul. 

Yet, that territory did not resemble harsh landscapes or scary, rocky heights. It felt more like you were crossing through the bluest and calmest of waters, freely flowing and fluidly ferrying those feelings in you, easing and rocking them as they slowly settled within. And while you eased into those affections slowly, Lo’ak didn’t have to. He knew exactly how he felt about you, and he felt confident in his ability to make you realize the potential of your growing connection.

You retracted your hand slowly, resting it on your chest as you looked at the ceiling again, a blush settling on your cheeks. You both found yourselves in comfortable silence for a moment, peace finding the both of you just as it had when you were lying on the grass in the forest. Lo’ak was thinking of something to talk about, wanting to take your mind off of the nightmares and what had happened earlier that day.

His mind finally settled on a question and shifting his gaze from the ceiling to you he began, “So, what are you…” His voice quickly trailed off when he saw your eyes were closed.

You had fallen asleep.

He couldn’t believe it, and since you had fooled him once before, he uttered your name in a faint whisper, to which you held no response to, only breathing steadily as you laid still. Lo’ak felt the heaviness of his own eyes, but waited to fall asleep for as long as he could, ready to be there for you if the nightmares crept up in your mind again.

But they never did.

~

You awoke as light peeked through the tent, the rays from the sun infiltrating the space and signaling the morning’s arrival. You didn’t want to open your eyes, too comfortable in the position you were in. It wasn’t until you felt slight movement from next to you and the touch of a hand around your waist that you finally opened your eyes. You were lying on your side and looking over your shoulder, you found Lo’ak, still sleeping, his arm comfortably snaked around your waist and his other one positioned where your head had been.

You put your hand over your mouth, shocked and wondering how you let yourself fall asleep with him last night. Carefully, you tried to lift Lo’ak’s arm from your waist, but the movement only made him pull you in closer, the feel of his breath sending goosebumps down your spine as your back hit his chest. You tried again with a little more force and you were finally able to slip out from underneath him, lightly touching your feet onto the ground as you cautiously looked back at him, making sure he was still asleep.

To your relief, he was, and you wasted no time walking out of the tent, pulling the curtain back quickly and shutting it. You let a breath out, patting your cheeks and closing your eyes as you tried to process what had happened, trying to distract yourself from the scene in front of you. Life was already active in the camp as you saw everyone begin their daily routines, warriors already meeting, families preparing meals for their families, bundles of materials being carried around between women and men, and lastly you saw the very few children wandering, their eyes still tired as they yawned.

“I assume you slept well in my grandson’s arms?” Mo’at spoke from the right of you, the suddenness making you jump.

You felt your cheeks turn pink, your eyes darting to her. You greeted her properly, touching your hand to your forehead and extending it to her as she did the same.

Seeing the slight panic in your eyes, she put a hand up to reassure you, “Do not worry my child. I only tease.”

Her idea of a joke made you feel queasy with nervousness as you let out a weak laugh, “Ah, you’re funny Mo’at.”

She had her hands clasped together, an amused smile on her face, “But I am right, no? You were able to sleep.”

You scratched your head, looking away from her, “I was sleeping before Lo’ak got there.”

She raised an eyebrow at you, “You did a poor job fooling me.”

You gasped, “You knew the whole time? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Sometimes silence is better than talk.” 

She looked back at the tent, placing a hand on the curtain as she pulled it back, revealing Lo’ak, still soundly asleep, “But, it was not my silence that calmed your heart, was it?”

You turned violently pink as you struggled to respond to her, “Well-I mean-I-”

“Do not worry. This will be our secret.” Mo’at whispered.

In her excitement, she was getting ahead of herself, spewing her words out with pride, “But, do not hold shame over this, y/n. My grandsons are the most handsome of all the men here. If you realize you are not too fond of Lo’ak, then I’m sure Neteyam would be very good for you.”

You still didn’t know what to say, your mouth parting to speak, but no words falling out. Your shock only allowed you to nod, as you barely even registered what she had said, your mind and heart racing to catch onto the words to understand their heft. 

She gave you a pleased smile, putting an affectionate hand on your cheek before she drew the curtain fully, the pouring light from the entrance into the entire tent, the abruptness of sunshine instantly stirring Lo’ak awake.

Rubbing his eyes, Lo’ak sat up and Mo’at approached him, her hands clasped together, “I suggest that you run back home Lo’ak before you get into more trouble.”

Planting his feet on the ground he stood, grunting, “I’m always in trouble, grandma.” 

He looked over to where you were, and when you made eye-contact, Lo’ak smirked, “At least this time, it’ll be worth it.”

~

| prologue | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 |

Author’s Note

My lovers,

Okay so many things happened but round of applause for mo’at, your biggest shipper ~ SHE IS PLAYING HER GRANDMA DUTIES WELL

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!! PLEASE let me know what you thought of it in the comments! I really love reading your predictions and how you felt :)

~ ~ I hadn’t originally planned on putting Spider in my story, but I wanted to add more depth to the reader’s arc and intertwine their fates together— Spider who desperately feels like he belongs and tries so hard, and then there’s YOU who didn’t even try at all to be one of The People and has already been accepted even though you still feel like you don’t deserve to. I just couldn’t resist it :)

again thank you all SO MUCH for taking the time to read my story and for leaving such wonderful comments and just showing your love on here! 

i never expected anyone to even read any of my work and as more of you become part of my lovers clan i just feel like crying cause i just love you all so much !! 

love,

nana <3

~

taglist [tumblr wouldn’t let me tag some of the blogs, but i didn’t want to leave anyone out!] :

@fifty-shades-of-mischeif @pretty-npeach @tonni30  @itsemy01 @23victoria @soobinsrose  @starjane312 @valentineoxox @justlillythinking @mae-is-crazy @scarletrosesposts@paniniii @bloodyziggy @mister-police  @mrs-sullys-blog @niiight-dreamerrrr @promiseofeywa  @wilmalovegood @sssspencerrr @mochi-yu @d4rno @lovekeeho @dreama-little-dreamof-me  @strawberryclouds22@tsunchani @sully-stick-together @scarletrosesposts @local-mr-frog @pirana10 @usernumder67 @im-kai-scotty  @mae-is-crazy @ghoulbli @devil-on-acid  @neteyamoa @iamparou @nightfalldia  @a-queen-blr  @aeclark041-blog1@justpassinbxx @mochi-yu @persondoingstuff @melatonindaydreamz @ducks118 @macncheese69420666  @rotten-toenails  @rikidaily  @extreamlycutecuban @iizx7y @bongwaterflavoredgatorade @lovekeeho  @spicycloudsalad @perfectprofessorloverapricot   @kind45  @skyri-revia22@blueblushedflwr  @neteyamslovr  @coldlamaspersonspy @jayinthecloset @lunamochii @littlethingsinlife @ok-boke @donaldsmac @slut4sluttybooks @zatarias-pandora  @bol0-de-morang0  @dakotali  @bajadotcom  @bitchyzombienacho @siriusblackwh0re @wadiyatalkinabeetmate @eggyongies @galaxyfruits @kiricomics @fireflystoughts  @reallysparklychaos @bwormie @fireflystoughts @kiricomics  @n1ght5h4d3-24 @tojigirl @jiminparkk @larkkyoris @detectivesparrow @simp-erformarvelwomen @fairygirl-222 @kolsmikaelson @skyri-revia22 @junnniiieee07 @ashrocker123 @sassy-persona  @chantelle-mh @https-izuku @kaealowri  @sunsents @galacticstxrdust @graykageyama @liyahsocorro @aysenademir @k----a27s​

@glitter-in-my-heroin @kirikuki @katkat1918 @0-0h-0 @imthefunniestpersonalive @my-name-duh @mayabritjohn @annoyingstrawberryballoon @sometimesminsan @pearlrosegardener @aestheticcraze @animetrash12 @sbfandom @hrlzy @vhobuu @urforevermore @larkkyoris @usersjs-world @vampsclassiffied @razor-blayde @doromoni @lizzyloo22 @jimfiqs @hunylew @dreamergirljen @champagnelovers101 @di0nlurking @sleepyharuka @dani111@nisha-potter@kaealowri@goddesslilithmoriarty@zilena9 @neteyamforlife