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They drag you from one carrier to the next, by this point you barely notice it, you've been beaten and bruised.
The Mangkwan sure do like to inflict pain, but you do not scream, which infuriates them even more.
You're brought to Bridgehead, and you know you're not getting out of there alive.
The cell they drop you in is on the middle of the base, outside, surrounded by lights and cristal clear, humans insult you, traitor they scream, Alien sympathiser they shout.
One of them comes close enough to ask you how it feels to betray your species.
You smile feral, showing all your fangs.
"Oh you mean the species that fucked up the planet that birthed us so bad and now wants to do the same to another? it feels pretty good, eating bitches like you is just the cream on top"
You have to laugh when the color drains from his face and he runs away terrified.
But the pain stabs you on the side, ouch.
They bring you a buddy to pass the time, unfortunately it's Jake.
"Yo boss, long time no see" You smile weakly.
"Y/N... you look like shit, what happened?"
"I was helping the western Frontier resistance, we found a group of kids kidnapped by RDA during the Ye olden days TM, and we have been fucking up Mercer and company ever since. The RDA tried to trap one of the kids and I basically jumped in to prevent it, ended up here... what about you? you look nice by comparison."
"Quarrich is back" he starts counting with his fingers. "He started hunting us, we had to move to the reef, Neteyam got killed by Quarrich, Kiri did something to Spider so now he can breathe the air without mask... and now the RDA is experimenting on him"
You know your face must be a poem.
"Shit Jake.... that's.... I... I'm sorry..."
"I know" He nods. "But that's not important now, they were threatening to kill the reef people so I came on my own."
"they're going to kill us" you sigh.
"Yup"
"Fuck"
"Yup... Any last wish I can help with? I can still sing Bohemian Rhapsody with you if you want"
You smile, knowing he's just trying to help somehow, trying to distract you; and maybe even himself.
"Awwwww. Thaat would be nice yes, what about you? I'd usually offer to cook you some spaghetti but... I don't think they would allow it. Although I learned a fantastic recipe, Sweetened Niktsyey, it's made with fruit and nectar and... It's delicious"
"It does sound nice"
You tell him about the Aranahe, the Sarentu kids, the resistance, and So'lek, when you start talking about him Jake just smiles knowingly.
"So you got a big fat crush on this guy... Aren't you a bit old for that?"
"Shut up"
You two keep the banter and laughter, although you can't help but wonder how So'lek is doing, you hope he's safe after all.
////////////////
Currently, So'lek is holding a knife to the throat of a female Mangkwan... Or at least he thought he was, the woman is not a Mangkwan.
"Why are you dressed like that if you do not belong to the tribe?"
"I needed the disguise to enter the base, how did you enter?"
"I followed a shuttle that was coming here and then crawled through the vents, they have someone I'm planing to free"
The woman is the mate of Toruk makto himself; Neytiri, who's trying to rescue him after he offered himself to the enemy in exchange for the lives of an entire clan.
They agree to work together, she's surprised when he starts planting bombs on specific points of the base.
"You've done this before"
"Yes, although never on such a big place, this is how we're handling the RDA on the Western forests"
"Western forests? do you know Y/N? Jake sent her there to help the resistance"
"She... The RDA was trying to trap another member... And she took the hit for them, she's the one I'm rescuing"
Neytiri takes a moment to observe this man up and down, bags under his eyes, covered in mud and dust, scars all over his body, but fire on his eyes.
"You like her" She's not asking.
He turns to look at her, she's slightly smiling, but not a mocking smile, like he would expect from most Na'vi, is a soft smile, almost glad.
"Why?"
"I don't know many Na'vi that would risk life and limb for a former human like her, so you must care a lot for her, you must feel deeply for her, which I'm glad, she's one of the nicest humans I've ever known and she deserves someone to care for her for a change"
Her words surprise him, he knows he cares about you of course, he hasn't been able of take you out of his mind since you came to the resistance with that eternal sass of yours and your never-ending curiosity. But it was a different thing to have it brought it to his own face so blatantly.
He just frowns and shakes his head, continuing with the bomb planting.
The silence is comfortable, he doesn't say anything else, Neytiri doesn't push it anymore, they just work in silence.
"I think we ran out of bombs" So'lek sighs looking at his bags.
"Good, you locate where they are, I'll kill that bitch" She leaves before he can even speak, so he has no choice but to stick to the shadows to find them.
He locates the cell quickly enough, is made of glass and in the middle of the base, he can see a man on the cell, that must be Toruk makto, he is waving and gesticulating, singing? maybe?
It makes you laugh, you look bloodied and bruised but that smile on your face makes you look so gorgeous to him.
Seems like you two are partaking on some Earth ritual by gesticulating and even shaking your hands and clapping, only to laugh afterwards.
Now that he has located you he has to find a way to free you without the hundred or so humans noticing... Fantastic.
////////////
Jake keeps naming songs for you two to sing and scream at the humans outside of the glass cell.
Currently you are belting American Idiot, using your hands against the glass to keep the rhythm.
A massive explosion cuts your fun.
"What was that?" You ask confused.
"I just hope is not the Metkaiyna"
Everything happens so fast, an excavator crushes part of the glass and even covers for you while you two escape, finding Spider also hiding close.
"We need to get out!" Spider screams after you ruffle his hair glad to see his ok.
"I know, let's try to stay alive"
Jake grabs a gun and you grab Spider to run faster, an ikran painted with Mangkwan red scares the daylight out of you, but it's just Sa'ata, Neytiri's Ikran.
"MA JAKE!" She looks pissed.
"BABE!!! I don't know whether to kiss you or kill you!"
"Not now, we must leave! Hi Y/N"
"Hi" You are so glad to see her.
"Where's that man now?" she growls impatient. "I'm leaving soon if he doesn't show up"
Another Ikran joins you, you know this one... it's Iley!
"Iley!!!" You practically throw yourself at the ikran, hugging his neck happy, you actually want to jump and hug his rider, but knowing how solitary So'lek is you settle for this.
"Stop chocking him, just get on so we can leave"
So'lek helps you climb behind him on Iley's back and you all leave the base on different directions.
You let out a breath you don't even knew you were holding when you're far enough from the base.
All you can see is the stars above you, the forest under Iley, his wings flapping softly, his happy chirping the only sound in the comfortable silence.
When you're farther, So'lek makes him descend to a clear in between the trees.
You climb down from the Ikran and scratch his jaw with a soft smile.
"Thanks buddy" You turn to So'lek, he looks serious, even more than usual. "Thanks to you too, seriously, I... I have no words..."
"What in the world made you do that?" you can see the frown on his face, his tail lashing, his voice furious.
"Do... what?"
"Jump in the trap without warning anyone... that was stupid"
"I... I couldn't let them get Teylan, they would've destroyed him.."
"Tamtey and I had it under control, we had A PLAN!" He comes closer, almost screaming at you, you've never seen him like that.
"I had no way to warn you, you weren't responding, so I just acted"
"YOU GOT YOURSELF CAPTURED AND ALMOST KILLED THAT'S WHAT YOU DID!"
The anger on his voice... the fear? it has you so shocked you have to take a step back, which seems to snap him out of whatever he was going through.
"Y/N... please don't do that again, never." His voice so soft, a plea on his eyes. "I can't... go through this again"
"I'm sorry... I just wanted to help, honestly I wasn't expecting anyone to show up..."
"Teylan was so scared, but after a while he... he said something about sending a bug... not sure what that means to the base, he was angry, so was Tamtey, everyone was worried, even Nor in his own weird way"
You feel like you're being reprimanded like a child, like you wanted to be captured, but you also understand their worry, you'd probably go crazy if he was the one that was captured.
"I'm sorry" You answer looking down, you almost don't want to face him now, to have him come all this way to help you, it makes you feel so happy, almost dizzy, but also... you understand you're taking him away from helping the others.
He sighs and comes closer, his arm on your shoulder.
"You're making that face... what's wrong?"
"I just... I'm sorry you had to come help me all this way, and leave the others alone...."
He gently guides your face to look at him, his expression is calm once again, a bit serious but calm.
He observes you for a moment.
"I'm not sorry"
Something in the way he says it makes your heart stop.
"I'm not sorry I had to come, I'd go to the ends of the sea, I'd go to that stupid dead planet of yours, do you understand?"
The entire world stops, and for a second, nothing else registers in your mind.
Your eyes widen, your heart stops and races at the same time, you must look so stupid, like a startled fish, he smiles softly, he looks so handsome while doing it.
"You're too quiet, must I explain it like you're a child? would that make you finally understand it?"
"I... just... I never..."
"You're too busy helping others, building them up, supporting them" He cradles your face in his hands, they slightly tremble when you lean into his touch. "You never notice what's around you, cause you're too busy assuming you're being judged for being who you are"
His words ring true, you've never even dared to think of him even noticing you cause to you there never was any possibility of him doing so.
"I can't change what I am..."
"Nor I'm asking you to do so, I'd never do that" He sighs searching the words. "Ma Y/N, how do I make you understand that what you are is not something to be ashamed of? Something to hide? You were born on a different planet yes, you came here as part of an invasion yes... But you chose to stay, day after day you choose us, our people, our culture, over yours, you keep choosing this land over your birthplace even at great cost to you"
"I've grown to love this place... and it's people, I see the destruction humans bring and..."
He shakes his head with a little smile, a simple smile, that makes him look younger.
"I know better than most what humans can do... I swore to hate them all, and yet, every moment by your side I've learnt that there's war and greed on humans yes, but also respect, and love. I love you, because of all the small things, right as you are, and wouldn't have it any other way"
You feel about to cry, and for a moment; you can't help but worry the RDA has indeed killed you and Jake, and this is nothing but a hallucination, a dream your mind is creating to save you the pain of death.
"You.... do?" Your whisper is almost scared, so soft....
"I do" He smirks a bit, pulling you closer, his tail wrapping around your body. "but it seems you don't believe me... Allow me to prove it"
OH
Oh god, Eywa, whoever is there, oh the way his tone dropping has you tensing up, your heart stopping and your stomach erupting in butterflies as if you're a teenager again.... Oh the way it makes you weak in the knees.
But you don't fall, his arms are now around you, holding you against him securely, but never caging; keeping you safely against his chest.
"Allow me... to show you" He sounds almost desperate now, his gaze burning for you, you can almost feel the way his arms tremble. "You are always trying to prove something, it's my time now"
Your voice has completely abandoned you, to answer him, to form any coherent thought would require extreme concentration from you.
He smiles, smug, satisfied, knowing that he has petrified you essentially, he takes pleasure in your dumbfounded expression. But he doesn't pressure you into answering, he just waits while you process his words, softly caressing your sides, his hands tracing the bioluminescence on your skin.
"You.. have nothing to prove" Is all you manage to come up with.
"Ma yawnetu, do not argue with me on this" He pulls you even closer, resting his forehead against yours. "I will not lay a finger on you without you telling me, I'll beg if I have to, just let me show you, let me prove I'm honest when I say I love you"
You want to scream, what did you do to deserve this? And how can you deny him when he asks so honestly, so softly. You nod once.
That's all he needs to steal your breath with a kiss that's equal parts pent up feelings and gentleness.
You obviously return the kiss with glee, happy at last that he feels the same way, that he doesn't care, that he just accepts you no matter what.
When he finally lets go to take some air... his eyes are getting darker by the second, his breath as ragged as yours, looking so handsome, and completely whipped for you.
"Do you believe me?" He smirks a bit.
Your hands find they rightful place caressing his face, tracing the scars on it as if they're made of the finest glass.
"Yes... But wouldn't mind if you were to... keep showing me"
He laughs, he laughs and it makes you smile like an idiot, but YOU DO NOT CARE
You don't care cause you're safe, you're good, and you're loved by the man you love, who just picked you up and is carrying you somewhere to prove how much he really does love you.