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"Are you sure you want to help? You are 8 months pregnant," Neytiri rolled her eyes as she bumbled along on top of a direhorse. "Yes, Jake, I'm fine," She sighed. "I just don't want you to be in pain. We both know how you were last time," Jake said as he placed his hand on her own. Neytiri sighed in resignation. "Yeah... I know... I don't think I am though, I've got no pain and no swelling. I should be ok,"
For context, when Neytiri was pregnant with their son, Neteyam, she was a mess. Morning sickness dominated her life for the best part of 6 months. Her feet grew so large she couldn't fit in her walk without them throbbing, and her back ached like nothing else before. At around 7 months, her body decided to scare the awaiting parents by throwing some false contractions her way. Neteyam eventually arrived, and that was a hassle in itself.
"You promise you'll say something if you hurt?" Jake asked as he looked into her eyes. Neytiri couldn't say no: Neteyam gave her the exact look when he was in trouble and didn't want to be yelled at. She sighed and smiled instead. "I promise. It's not like I have anything to prove here, is it?" She laughed.
~
"Jake, my loincloth doesn't fit anymore," She whined. "What do you mean?" Her mate asked, pushing the hut flap aside. She glared. "Exactly what I said," She snapped. He put his hands up in defence. "Sorry," She sighed. She glared at the ripped cloth. "I don't understand! This fit me when I was pregnant with Neteyam!" She cried. "Well... you're carrying differently, sweetheart," Jake said as he sat next to her. "With Neteyam, you carried quite high... but this one is quite low," She smirked at him. "You know a lot about how ladies carry, has my mother been talking to you?" She asked. Jake laughed. "No, but my baby sister has many children. I spoke to her when you were very ill,"
Neytiri snorted. "Ugh, what am I gonna wear?! I can't just walk out with my chest cover on!" She yelled in frustration. Jake took her hands and kissed them. "Listen," She took a breath and bit her lip. "You can borrow one of mine, and we will get you fitted with your mother tonight. Ok?" He smiled. "Is there any point in getting fitted for another cloth? I didn't think we were having anymore after this one," She frowned. Jake laughed, "We said that after Neteyam... and Kiri,"
~
Morning came around and Jake found himself awake long after the sun rose. He let a smile grace his face. Ever since Neytiri fell pregnant with Neteyam, they were always up earlier than the sun thanks to her morning sickness, and just after the sun rose when Neteyam was born. It was a rare luxury to be in bed after the sun. He reached for his day cloth but found it wasn't there.
Neither was his mate. His pregnant, irritable, short-tempered mate. Jake's eyes widened and he flung the hut flap open, desperate to locate his mate of nearly three years. He jogged down the length of the wooden walk way flicking over every hut. Not a single person was in it.
Oh god.
He turned his jog into a run but halted abruptly when his sights came upon a disorganized mixed line of na'vi warriors and avatar drivers, just by the pond. He watched with a frown as Neytiri paced up and down. A small smile wormed onto his face at the sight of her in his cloth. Ordinarily, it would have drowned her, but it fit perfectly over her large stomach. He took a few steps closer and listened.
Some of the men were grumbling and challenging her authority. That was a mistake: if Neytiri didn't stand for injustice, she didn't stand for anything. She pulled her fingers to her lips and whistled loudly. Jake winced as did many of the other warriors. Her glare was enough to send an entire clan into hibernation...
"Are you quite finished acting like wild animals!?" She yelled. Jake frowned as more of the soldiers tried to challenge her. She squared her shoulders and focused her glare on the unruly four Avatar drivers who tried to challenge her. “I can assure you, that despite being 900 months pregnant, I am MORE than capable of sending your sorry behinds back to the great mother herself!” She rested a hand on her swollen bump and glared down the line of disobedient soldiers. Jake watched as two of the original four stepped back into line with sheepish expressions. She fixed her glare on the remaining two. "Is there a problem... warrior?" She hissed. Jake decided he had enough and began slowly making his way over.
It was one thing to disrespect a woman (not that he agreed with it, but some men were utter scum) but it was another thing to disrespect an official trainer, who also tripled as the Olo'eyktan's wife and Tsakarem of the clan. "I don't understand why you are here. You aren't my boss!" The bigger of the two hissed back. Jake quickened his pace. It wasn't because he was worried for Neytiri, he knew she was more than capable of holding her own. It was what she would do to the driver that worried him. "Wrong! I AM your "boss" you fool!" She yelled. "You will respect me as you would any other trainer!" The soldier took a step forward.
Neytiri did too.
Jake's speed increased. People began to whisper. "Alex, back off man!" One of the original four hissed. "Back down, "Alex". Or I will make you sorry," Neytiri whispered. Jake watched as, with wounded pride, Alex took his place in line again. He stopped and listened. "As punishment for challenging me, you will fight me," She finished with a smirk. The line began to whisper. Jake didn't like this. She was risking their baby at this point. "If you think you're so big to verbally challenge your trainer, then surely you won't have a problem fighting me?"
Alex began to babble excuses. "Why? Are you worried that you messed up? That you've made yourself a fool in front of your fellow warriors?" She egged on. Jake knew what she was doing: he did it to Tipoxi when he challenged his authority. "You're pregnant, I can't fight you!" Alex exclaimed. "Oh, but you can get mouthy instead? Uh uh, not happening,"
Alex sighed loudly but stood opposite her. Jake stood at the end of the line, next to a small warrior. The latter gaped. "Shush, I'll step in when I need to," He whispered.
Neytiri stood in a defensive crouch. "No throat jabs, and no belly jabs," She warned. Alex stood in a... pose. Jake raised an eyebrow at the poor attempt at a defensive stance. Neytiri was going to wipe the floor with him. Not worrying as much, Jake crossed his arms over his chest.
Somebody whistled, and the fight began.
Jake watched as Neytiri, despite being 8 months pregnant, kicked her leg out with the same grace as she did before she was pregnant. Alex dodged and Neytiri kicked out at his legs. He dropped to the ground but rolled into a crouch. She swung her arm at his face and when he dodged again, she delivered the same kick that landed Jake with a bruised jaw and black eye for a week. Alex groaned loudly. Neytiri kicked his leg gently. "And you would be dead. Get up," She snapped. She flicked some hair out of her face and placed a hand on her bump again. Jake couldn't help the smug smile.
Alex stumbled up and blinked at her. "Now, for disrespecting me earlier, you can do fifty laps around the pond. Go!" She yelled. Alex immediately stumbled off into a jog.
Jake stayed hidden at the end of the line and watched as she composed herself with a smile. "Right, now he's been taken care of," She looked down the line of... what could best be described as scared warriors with the same grin Jake held.
He walked forward, making himself known. She grinned at him. Jake placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to the line. “Pick a sparring buddy and I’ll show you some defensive stances,”
The line began to mix and Jake leant to her ear. "That was very attractive," He whispered. Neytiri blushed and turned with a frown. "What, putting a soldier in his place?" She asked. He shook his head, "No. Putting him down... with that authority." He chuckled. She smiled at him.
"I am glad I could be of service to you... but I need you to do something for me," She whispered. Jake nodded. "Yeah, what is it?"
Jake watched as her eyes seemingly brightened. "Take me to the nearest birthing hut. My waters broke,"