Chapter Text
Neytiri had started suspecting that she was pregnant not long after Kelutral had fallen. She had highly suspected it, but at the time, she had had other things to worry about (to put it mildly). They had all been through so much recently, but right now the storm had passed, and for the moment things were good. Not ideal perhaps, but still better than how it could have been.
She had woken up a short while ago, shortly before dawn and a bit to early to actually raise and start the day, so she had gladly laid back down in the hammock and snuggled back into Jake’s embrace, her head at the crook of his neck, slowly breathing in comforting and already so familiar smell of him; her mate. Mate.
What had woken her up in the first place had in fact been the slight shifting of Jake as he cuddled her against him in his sleep. In the rather hectic month since their first mating before Eywa, they had tried to get as much alone time as possible, (which hadn’t happened as much as they would have liked to) because rallying all the clans and preparing for the great battle against the Sky People was a demanding job that had occupied most of their time. (They had however managed to squeeze in a few moments here and there, moments that Jake referred to as Quickies, which he had gladly taught her about. And it hadn’t taken long for the two of them to master the act of it, much their combined pleasures, because a few times here and there were much better than no ones at all).
Now that Jake had officially become a Na’vi, his consciousness transfer a ultimate success, Neytiri was slowly adjusting and getting used to sleeping with his now life-full body. It’s was quite strange to see it, him, be so alive in sleep. While it had always been quiet an uncomfortable sight, (especially in the beginning) seeing the empty shell that the Avatar became whenever Jake fell asleep with her, before waking up in his other body, it had slowly become the new normal. It didn’t mean that she liked it however, because she didn’t. She absolutely hated it. Hated how one moment he was with her, and the next he was far away, long gone. Hated the unnatural stillness and emptiness while it continued to breath and function like normal, just without any consciousness. And her hatred for the unnaturalness of it all had become painfully clear and obvious the morning after their first mating.
When she had woken up at Utral Aymokriyä because of the suddenly approaching bulldozer’s, she had been terrified. Obviously because of her home and history being destroyed by the human made machines, forcing her to witness the harsh and horrifying reality of the Sky Peoples threats right before her very own eyes, something she and the other Na’vi had for so long only seen as empty threats. But she had also been terrified because of the fact that she hadn’t been able to get Jake to wake up, because he hadn’t been there with her. He was somewhere elsewhere, in his other body, and Neytiri had had no choice but to grab the still and lifeless body to try and drag the both of them out of the machines wrecking pathway. Neytiri was strong, both mentally and physically. She was a hunter, and a warrior after all, her body toughened and strengthened by a lifetime of swinging through trees, and both running from and hunting wild animals. But in that moment, Jake’s large and heavy body had been deadweight in her yanking, desperate grasp, and not even the adrenaline had helped her much as she in panic had called out his name again and again, desperate attempts at trying to wake him up, even if she rationally knew it was all futile, knew that he wouldn’t wake up until he himself jumped into the pod.
But it wasn’t like that anymore. Neytiri would never again have to worry about him waking up or not, would never have to witness his Avatar becoming an empty shell, because it wasn’t just his Avatar anymore; It was him now. He was a Na’vi, and no longer human, (at least physically).
With her head still comfortably resting at crook of his neck, head placed on the shoulder while resting between the collar and the lower part of his neck, Neytiri smiled softly as he once again moved one of the arms currently hugging her slightly up and down before settling back down, hugging her harder again. It made her happy, because it was another reminder that he really was there with her. Made her happy, because not long ago the two of them lying here right now hadn’t been a guarantee, had things gone wrong.
After all that had happened; The destruction of Kelutral, their ancestral home and history; Her father’s unworthy death, impaled by a projectile piece of wood; Jake’s supposed betrayal of the Omatikaya, and him becoming Toruk Makto in a bid to prove his loyalty towards them; The battle…
Thinking of the battle made Neytiri think back to her encounter with on of Pandora’s most feared and revered creatures. Becoming chosen as Palulukan Makto was something that she would never forget, and never stop honoring. While there were clans, the Anurai clan in question, that harbored stronger ties and attachment to the Palulukan, (with some even attempting to tame the ferocious beast’s as a passage of rite, just like the Omatikaya had their Iknimaya) there had previously been no Omatikaya that had ever tamed and ridden a Palulukan before. This one however, hadn’t been tamed by her. It had simply offered itself to Neytiri as a mount, a honor so great that it would awe even the most hardened souls, even if they fully didn’t comprehend it.
She could vividly remember the exact moment back in the forest, adrenaline pumping through her veins, sharpening her senses slightly, and the near devastation that had almost started consuming her. Everything that could go wrong had happened. They were all falling back, the humans with their violent weapons getting the upper hand, pulverizing them all to pieces. Na’vi and Ikran’s, Pa’li’s, and human scientists all alike falling to the ground; to their deaths, dying to protect their home and sanctuary from the invading and malicious aliens coming to bring ruin to Eywa’eveng, just like they already done to their own home. The moment Neytiri had understood the fatality of SeZe’s injuries, the all consuming rage she had felt well up inside her as the responsible humans in their metal bodies had been closing in on her as well… She herself had been ready to die right then and there, even as Jake in the ear-piece comms (that they had been given by the Hell’s Gate scientists) had told her to stay back, and not do anything stupid. With her father’s bow, now her bow, clutched tightly in her left hand, and an arrow in the other one, she had stood against the tree, her back rubbing against the hard and sharp bark, reminding her of her mortality, as if the surrounding circumstances hadn’t already made that painfully obvious. She had contemplated either leaving her meager hiding place to run forward against the approaching humans as one last attempt of pushing back (whatever the cost may be), or staying behind the tree per Jake’s pleading words…
But then a miracle had happened. Eywa had answered their prayers. Momentarily winded and taken aback by the Angtsìk and Nantang’s rushing forward through the thick forests towards the approaching and attacking humans, and engulfed with her own relieved joy as she to Jake had shouted “EYWA HAS HEARD YOU!” in the ear-comms, she had at first failed to notice the Palulukan that had stopped in it’s approach right in front of her. The first few seconds of eye contact had been excruciatingly long and nerve racking, as Neytiri not been sure of the its motives. She had then touched her stomach, only then remembering the child that she was most likely carrying (she only strongly suspected it back then) in a futile attempt to protect the little life inside her. But then, the Palulukan had slowly bowed down before her, and the recognition of understanding had slowly brought an astonished grin to her face, her body relaxing slightly from the stiff pose of caution. Then, together the two of them had soared through the forest, jumping over large tree roots and panning left and right passed the tall trees. The feeling of moving in tandem with the mighty and intelligent creature had been exhilarating, but she hadn’t let it distract her. She had instinctively known where to go, known what she had to do, high of the feeling of the rage and adrenaline. Together they had moved towards that Vrrtep. Things had to end for good, and nothing would end until he was dead and gone. Only then could Eywa’eveng breath and rest again.
The Palulukan had fought bravely and beautifully, just as eager as her to protect it’s home from the invaders, but that damn Vrrtep had killed her just as he killed everything he touched on Eywa’eveng. Neytiri would always feel gratitude for her service, and sacrifice. With her lower body trapped under the beast, she had hissed angrily at the murdering monster in front of her as he, with a mast spray of blood, had teared the dagger out of the Palulukan’s still body, raising it high before preparing to push it through her own trapped body, no way of escaping possible… until Jake (with the timing of a lucky madman) had appeared behind them shouting: “GIVE UP QUARITCH!” causing the vile man to turn away from her, and towards Jake instead, his first and foremost enemy.
Afterwards, Neytiri was sure that he had (obviously felt her struggling because of their new bond, born of their first tsaheylu) heard her shouting and sounds of struggling, the noises echoing through and against the trees, because it hadn’t taken long for him to appear. He had clearly been near, anyhow, and it wasn’t long until the valley where the so called shack stood, and where she and the Palulukan had fought Quaritch, once against became a battleground.
Continually trapped under the brave but dead beast, Neytiri had been helpless to watch as Jake solely, but skillfully (thanks to her hard training of him, Neytiri proudly got to admit) fought the Vrrtep clad in his unnatural machine body.
She continued to struggle to get free, to get the heavy Palulukan of her, screaming and shouting in rage until suddenly… she got free…
•••
Quaritch, encased inside his metal AMP suit fell to the forest floor with a great thud as Neytiri stood hunched over Jake’s unconscious and motionless body, a dagger clutched tightly in her right hand, and her bow held in her left one. You hurt Jake, you hurt her. Quaritch had been taught that lesson the harsh way. Her eyes moved back and forth between the two arrows impaled in his chest (per her hand) and his face which was etched in a painful grimace, his mouth and facial muscles twitching as the dying body fought for a few last breaths.
Neytiri, breathing heavily, stayed like that for a few more moments, till she felt sure that the monster was dead before she turned around towards Jake, throwing the bow and arrow to the side as she did so. “Jake,” she whispered quietly as she crouched down beside his still body, grabbing it.
“Jake,” she said again, a bit louder, the worry evident in her voice as she took his face in both her hands. Still she got no reply. He remained still and silent, and her tail trashed almost violently behind her. Suddenly as the dullness in her ears caused by the adrenaline temporarily cleared, she heard thudding sounds, almost like crashes coming from a few meters away. Her ears twitched, moving to pick up from where the noises were coming from. Neytiri then turned her head in the direction of the sounds and immediately her eyes landed a building of metal and glass, square in its shape and with one window broken. First then she noticed the red flashes and blaring alarms beeping from inside the building. Listening attentively, she heard the thudding noises grow fainter and fainter, until nothing could be heard except for the sharp alarm. And then suddenly, as if a thunder bolt from the sky, she felt it. Felt a presence. A very familiar presence. Him. She felt him. Jake. Her Jake. His presence was very faint, but it was him, and he was inside the building which she just then realized was compromised.
The humans used these buildings to be able to stay out in the wilderness of Pandora. Jake and Norm had told her this. It allowed them to both breathe their own air, and stay out of the way from predators (who would gladly pray on the tiny humans).
Time moved slowly for Neytiri while she stood hunched over Jake’s still Avatar, as she for a few moments just stared at the building. And if possible, time got even slower when she realized that the building that was supposed to keep Jake’s human body safe from Pandora’s many dangers, had suddenly turned against him due to the broken window currently letting in the air that was essential to her, but poisonous to him.
“Ahh!” She cried as she took of in a quick sprint towards the building, only stopping when she reached the window that wasn’t broken, smashing against it slightly. Pressing her palms against the glass, she tried to peer in, trying to spot him, groaning and breathing heavily as she did so. She then ran to the other window, the one that was broken, and threw herself inside with both arms. Jumping inside, she landed in a alert, hunched stance, the hard floor groaning and thudding slightly as she did so, not used to non human beings walking around inside. Immediately her eyes landed on a still figure laying unconscious a few meters away from her, causing her to let out another dreadful groan. The ground was covered in broken glass, but she neither cared nor noticed it, her feet hard and used to a life of being barefoot in a wild forest, and her focus completely on the still figure on the floor that she instinctively knew was Jake (even if she had never seen his human body, his real body, before). Their shared bond was so strong that nothing could have made her doubt who the figure was. She might be attracted to his physical attributes, but foremost it was his soul, the essence of who he was, that she had fallen in love with. Whether he was a human or a Avatar, Neytiri loved him because he was Jake; strong hearted, sometimes impulsive, brave, equally reckless, just, and filled with so much perseverance. And now he laid on the ground, no exopack covering his pink human face, and dread burned through her whole body at the sight.
“Ahh!” She shouted and moaned in panic as she heaved herself forward, grabbing the pods to push herself forward through the cramped hallway space. Under normal circumstances, she would have curiously stopped and thought about them, but at the moment she paid absolutely no mind to them. All her focus was on reaching Jake.
Throwing herself down beside him, she quickly hoisted him up onto her lap, with one arm around his head, and one around his back.
“Jake!” She shouted while she shook him slightly, trying to coax a reaction out of him. “Ma Jake!” She tried again, growing more worried by every tantalizing second as he stayed unresponsive, his head and arms bobbing around limply at the movement. She didn’t like the grey color that was slowly spreading over his face, and the open, glassy eyes looking upwards, emptily, absolutely haunted all of her senses.
Moaning in despair, she then started looking around at the space around them, trying to spot an exopack anywhere. Seeing as the humans depend on them while on Pandora, she knew that there had to be some inside the trailer. Too her relief she almost immediately spotted one hanging halfway of a peg on the wall beside her. Grabbing it with fumbling fingers, the mask so small in her large hand, she pulled it down quickly and put it over Jake’s face, trying to imitate how she had previously seen humans put them on. Quickly it attached over the face, and soon it started emitting a hissing sound just as a misty fog started spreading over the glass, blurring the view of Jake face. All the while Neytiri looked on with a hopeful (but still uncertain) half smile, praying silently to Eywa that she hadn’t been to late. “Oh Great mother, please, please…”
Suddenly, his eyes started fluttering, causing Neytiri to gasp sharply, but silently as she watched the just previously limp face starting to grow more focused, more aware. And then his body grew stiff as he jerked in her arms. While he opened his mouth, gasping, and nostrils flaring, his arms then flew up to the face mask, grabbing it with sharp and jerky movements. She watched him push at something on the side of the mask before all of the fog suddenly disappeared from the glass, and Jake gasped loudly, before breathing heavily and deeply as he heaved air into his starved and suffocated lungs.
A now relieved smile fully spread over Neytiri’s face, all fear and uncertainty gone as she watched him breath, felt the heartbeat of his small body grow stronger. As his rapid blinking and breathing started slowing down, their eyes met, her large yellow ones, and his blue ones that reminded her of the colour of his Avatar bodies skin tone (a funny coincidence she quickly noted).
Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched the strained look on his face be replaced by a look filled with so much love and longing, his brows softly scrunching upwards, as he looked her intently in the eye. Neytiri felt all sort of emotions well up inside her; giddiness, exhilaration, adoration, completeness… He moved his left hand up to her face, and cradled her cheek softly, caressing it tenderly, causing her to gasp softly and silently. It wasn’t long before Neytiri soon placed her own hand over his smaller one, entwining their fingers together. For a few moments neither of them said anything. They only smiled tenderly at each other, because sometimes silence says more than words can express.
After a short time, Jake, with the voice that she had grown to love so dearly, almost whispered, “I see you,” and Neytiri felt the tears that had built up in her eyes start to slowly fall down her cheeks. She was crying, but the tears originally caused by fear had now turned into happy tears, because Jake wasn’t dead, and she hadn’t been too late.
Smiling wide, and laughing under her breath, she softly replied , “I see you.” Blinking back tears and laughing softly she nuzzled her face into his hand, closing her eyes contently.
“You skxawng. Don’t you dare die on me,” Neytiri said trying to sound serious, but the ecstatic expression on her face ruined the whole farce.
Jake laughed at her words, and Neytiri snickered along with him.
“I will try not to, ma’am,” he replied with a wink. She had no idea what a ma’am was, but she wasn’t going to ask about it right now. Later.
They stayed like that for what felt like a long time, but was probably nothing more a few minutes.
“While I do love spending quality time with my wifey,” Jake said with a dramatic pause, his normal goofy self back in all it’s full glory, despite what had nearly happened not long ago. Neytiri couldn’t help but smile at him while shaking her head at him. He really was something else, Neytiri thought quietly to herself. He had nearly just died, and here he sits, cracking jokes like his life depended on it. (No pun intended).
“I think we need to move,” Jake continued. “Quaritch might be dead, but I’m sure this day is far from over yet,” he said, a tone of grim determination creeping into his voice, grounding the both of them back to the the present reality and all that it held.
“You are right Ma Jake,” Neytiri said, gliding him slowly and smoothly of her lap, setting him down gently on the floor before she stood up and turned towards the entrance, only to be stopped by Jake’s voice a few moments later.
“Uhh, Neytiri…” he said, voice wavering slightly.
She turned around back towards him and soon her eyes landed on his unmoving legs. How thoughtless of me, Neytiri thought, cringing slightly as she remembered the conversation they had had few weeks back, when he had told her about his injury, that his legs didn’t work anymore.
She walked back to Jake and crunched back down beside him where he now sat on the floor beside the pod, (which she duly noted was open) his arms holding him up from behind.
“I am sorry Jake. I forgot about your legs. I am so used to the Avatar, I guess,” she said sheepishly.
“It’s alright,” he said, smiling at her gently but intently while he shook his head. “I don’t blame you. You aren’t the only one who’s gotten used to the Avatar Neytiri.”
She gave him a small smile back before curiously turning her gaze back to his legs, running her gaze back and forth, up and down. The so called pants that Jake’s human body (and all of the other humans she had met) was wearing covered the legs completely, no skin visible to the eye. When he said that he had been injured, that his legs didn’t work, Neytiri had wondered what he meant exactly when he said that they didn’t work. She got that he apparently couldn’t move them on his own, but she wondered how they looked. Were they broken? Like physically snapped? Were they scarred and marred…? She had wondered a lot about it at first back when he had told her about it. But then, with all that had happened, and all they had done in recent weeks, she had kind of forgotten about it. But right now she had the opportunity to get some answers, so she did not spare any time.
Looking up from his legs, and back to Jake’s face, meeting his eyes, she then asked, ”Can I touch them?”
Eyebrows raising slightly in surprise(?) at first, he then after a moment replied, “Sure.” Go ahead.”
Moving her hands forward tentatively, she carefully and gently placed her hands on the fabric clad legs, almost immediately growing surprised at how thin they felt. Like sticks. Human limbs were obviously smaller in size compared to Na’vi ones, but based on the other (few) humans that she had seen, Jake’s legs seemed to be unusually thin.
“You do not feel this?” She asked while moving her hand over the limbs.
“Nope. Not a single thing,” Jake said, pursuing his lips.
“Huh,” she huffed, continuing to move her hands over the legs, feeling the little limbs under her hands some more.
Injuries resulting in the loss of feeling in limbs was extremely rare among the Na’vi. Their bodies were strong, muscles defined but slim, quick and agile, had a naturally good balance, and with bones that were reinforced with naturally occurring carbon fibre which resulted in them seldomly suffering any major injuries. Na’vi getting badly injured hadn’t started until the humans had arrived on the planet, to them alien, but to the Na’vi a home and a sanctuary.
“They are small,” she stated simply and matter of factly.
“Yes, they are,” he said with a sigh, not indignantly, but not exactly thrilled either.
“They are atrophied,” he explained, but Neytiri frowned at those words.
“A-tro-fied?” She asked questioningly, her pronunciation bumping sharply over the unfamiliar word and it’s english sounds.
“Ahh, ehh… It means… That they, my legs that is, are wasting away. Since I can’t move or feel them, the muscles are not being used which causes them to shrink and… well, die.”
“Oh,” she only replied, not knowing what else to say.
“I am sorry for you legs,” Neytiri started saying, but she was quickly interrupted by the laugh that had racked Jake’s body at her endearing words. And it wasn’t long until Neytiri joined in as well.
•••
Back to the present, Neytiri was filled with all sorts of thoughts about what would happen from now on. So much had happened after that stressful time in the shack, but the fact that Jake now wasn’t just one of the people, but really one of the people (seeing as his consciousness transfer had gone exactly as hoped). The knowledge of the fact that they would now be able to be together all the time, without anyone terminating the link, or Jake falling asleep beside her but waking up somewhere else, filled her with so much indescribable joy, and thrilled her so much that she felt possibly weightless.
Yes, the last few weeks had been absolutely mad, occupying much of their time, but they had made it. They had persevered through the many violent storms, and while those who had survived had emerged from the battle, although scarred and beaten, and bruised, they had all emerged into the dawn of a new era. It would be a time of much healing, much mourning, and the rebuilding of practically their whole existence, seeing as their old life had essentially burned to the ground (literally). Many had died, both Na’vi and human, and there was much to do in coming times, but Neytiri felt hopeful, or at least wanted to be hopeful (for the sake of their future). After much negotiation back and forwards with the Sky People who had survived the great battle, they had eventually managed to reached an agreement; the Sky People (except for a few scientists that had fought on their side) would leave Pandora and go back to earth. The compromise had been to leave some miners who would keep mining for the Unobtanium, but on a much smaller scale, and in more environment friendly ways. As long as both parts cooperated, things would hopefully stay calm and easy.
And sure, despite the Omatikaya living in a makeshift village near Hell’s Gate, and despite them all being as busy as ever (as they were remaking their old life, all with their very own bare hands, and strong wills…) things were actually quite calm around the place.
Neytiri however, knew that that wouldn’t last forever, because soon there would be tiny baby feet running around the place, probably driving her and Jake absolutely mad and exhausted from stress. She smiled happily (slightly nervous) at the thought. Neytiri hadn’t told Jake yet, since until just the other day, she had just strongly suspected it, but now that she for a fact that she was in fact pregnant, she both couldn’t wait to tell him, and irrationally feared his reaction. It wasn’t that she feared it feared it. More like she was just nerve wrackingly nervous, because they hadn’t even been married for that long, and they absolutely hadn’t talked about kids at all.
She was sure he would react well. It was Jake after all. When the right opportunity presented itself to her, she would tell him, but the suspense of waiting wasn’t fun at all. But she also couldn’t wait for that moment. Couldn’t wait to tell her husband, a brave and mighty warrior, Toruk Makto, and now the new Olo’eyktan of the Omatikaya clan, that he was going to be a father.
Head filled with plenty of thoughts, Neytiri soon fell back asleep, happily hugging her mate, because even in sleep she knew that he was there beside her, and would never be elsewhere again.
Na’vi translations:
Kelutral: Hometree
Palulukan: Thanator
Toruk Makto: (Rider of Last Shadow), Rider of Toruk
Iknimaya: The rite of passage done by young Na’vi warriors of the Omatikaya clan, which results in them taming their own Ikran.
Palulukan Makto: (Rider of Dry Mouth Bringer Of Fear), Rider of Palulukan/Thanator
Anurai: A clan that dwells near The bone sanctuary, a bone littered arid valley filled with skeletal remains of Pandorian animals. They are master artisans and craftsmen and organise themselves around pottery and carvings. The Thanaor is their revered and chosen totem animal, and some attempt to tame them.
Omatikaya: (Blue flute clan), A jungle dwelling clan with close ties to nature, and famous for their brilliant textiles and weaving skills. Music is of great importance to the Omatikaya, and they revere it the most out of all the clans.
Ikran: Banshee
Pa’li: Direhorse
Eywa’eveng: Pandora
Angtsìk: Hammerhead
Nantang: Viperwolf
Vrrtep: Demon
Utral Aymokriyä: Tree of voices
Tsaheylu: The bond
Eywa: The great mother/spirit, Gaia/Nature…
Skxawng: Idiot, Moron
Olo’eyktan: Male clan leader