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After a successful Great Hunt, it was natural for the Omatikaya clan to celebrate the traditional Hunt Festival. The Na'vi danced around the fire in colorful animal costumes, eating meat and drinking kava. Some of the hunters are telling stories to the children about how they hunted the talioangs, the children seem to be listening with wide, fascinated eyes.
Jakesully sat with Grace and Norm, looking at Neytiri, who was wearing a costume representing the banshee dancing excitedly and smiling as he watched these Na'vi celebrate. Lately, he has been more reserved and distant than usual, probably because of the upcoming attack on Hometree. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a reason to relax.
Tsu'tey, who was attending a festival with the hunters he was training, sat beside Jake and challenged him to drink kava with him. Jake took the cup of kava from Tsu'tey's hand and took a sip.
"Oh damn," it was bitter.
He looked at Tsu'tey, who was grinning at his reaction. To Jake, it was comparable to alcohol, even though it contained none. He drinks it in one gulp, just like he used to do at bars. Hoping that it might ease his anxiety, even just a little bit. The hunters around him saw his confident act and began to cheer, Tsu'tey grabbed another cup and drank as well. They finished drinking at the same time.
Jake laughed, saying, "Ohhh damn," even louder than before, facing with Tsu'tey's eyes observing him like he's prey. But it was kind of a different look. Not like eyes that wanted to hunt and kill, but like eyes that wanted to swallow him whole and keep him for himself. He handed Jake another kava, challenging him once again.
Jake looked at Grace, who was watching them with an amused smile. She shook her head at him, silently warning him not to. But he ignored it and accepted the challenge, confident that it would be easy.
After all, they don't know how much this body can tolerate. However, too much kava can cause symptoms such as dizziness, loss of balance and slurred speech.
When Jake finished the second cup, the hunters cheered even louder. Tsu’tey wore the biggest grin Jake had ever seen on his face.
Norm, watching nearby, reached for a cup to try it too, but Grace quickly took it from him before he could drink it.
“It’s not that easy, Norm,” she said, taking a small sip herself and leaving him disappointed. But he was still determined to drink it so he grabbed another one. Just then, a Na’vi stumbled past them and fell to the ground, making everyone laugh. He was a perfect example of what happens when you drink too much.
After the second challenge, the hunters drifted off to dance, leaving Jake and Tsu'tey alone for a moment.
"When I drink, you're not so ugly," Tsu'tey said, making Jake laugh. The eyes of him are now softer than before. But still leaves the feeling that the man in front wants to swallow him whole.
"Well, sorry," Jake joked, and they laughed together.
Perhaps the effect of kava was just beginning to kick in. Jake found himself feeling dizziness at the same time he was relaxing more and laughing more.
While they were talking, Neytiri ran up to Jake, grabbed his hand, and pulled him, asking him to dance with her. Jake shook his head in denial, but Neytiri was very persistent.
"You must dance," she said with a smile. "It's the way"
Unable to resist the pleas of the beautiful Na'vi, Jakesully stood up and also dragged Grace along.
"Oh, what? I'm a scientist," Grace complained, but she joined the dance anyway. Norm followed them, laughing.
Soon, most of the Na'vi were dancing in pairs. Jake began to dance with Neytiri, his movements were erratic, probably due to the kava he had drunk. But he laughed freely, smiling happily like a child.
Neytiri was already energized by the dance, but dancing with Jakesully made her heart race even faster. He was handsome. Too handsome. It made her feel hot and overwhelmed and she decided she needed a little break even though she didn't want to leave him.
Dancing in a crowd means there are so many eyes looking at them at the same time and not looking at them at the same time. From the crowd, Mo'at watched them carefully.
“We cannot let this seed grow,” she said quietly to Eytukan. “Her path is with Tsu'tey.”
It's clear that they don't like their daughter dancing with Dream Walker or not dancing with her future mate. Little did they know that the seed had already grown. Not one, but two seeds.
Tsu'tey, who was left behind, watched Neytiri dance with Jake. When Neytiri pulled Jake with her, she completely ignored the man she was meant to mate with. He wasn’t upset about that, but the sight stirred something uncomfortable in his chest.
Seeing Tsu'tey left alone, Saeyla approached him shyly.
"Dance with me, Tsu'tey."
"Saeyla, you know you should not," he said without looking at her.
"Tsu'tey. Neytiri is not coming," Saeyla replied softly "She is with Jakesully now. Everyone sees this..."
"Everyone but you"
Tsu'tey said nothing, his gaze fixed on Jake and Neytiri. Saeyla saw the softness in his eyes and felt her heart break. She turned and left the festival, tears burning in her eyes.
From another's perspective, Tsu'tey appeared to be watching Neytiri. In truth, he was watching Jakesully, who was laughing, spinning, and swaying his tail. Among the many who are dancing and jumping, wagging their tails, he alone stands out. Maybe it's because of his awkward dance moves, or... His charm is too strong.
He watched him intently, not noticing Neytiri come and sit next to him.
Both of them are watching the dance.
Watching Jakesully.
Their eyes followed his every unsteady step, every careless laugh. The crowd seemed to bend around him as if he belonged at the center of it. The Dreamwalker moved wrongly, laughed too loudly and uncontrollably. Still.. why does that make him more attractive?
"How can he be ugly," Tsu'tey muttered, "when he is so gorgeous?"
"Yeah.." Neytiri agreed with him.
"He is.. beautiful," she mumbled almost inaudibly.
He turned his head just enough to catch her gaze. For a brief, dangerous moment, their eyes met. Understanding flashed between them. They both looked away at the same time.
Tsu'tey's tail twitched. Neytiri realized it was no longer just her feeling.
Neither spoke. Neither needed to. The problem was the Dreamwalker, and they quietly observing the problem who was now dancing with Grace.
Jake, meanwhile, hasn't been so relaxed lately that he didn't even realized two Na'vi were looking at him without blinking like he would dissappear anytime.
He felt the kava hitting him more strong and harder, like if the world had finally softened around him. Jake beginning to feel thirsty. He thought Norm, who was approaching with kava, mistaking the cup in his hand for water. So he leaned over and grabbed his hand, drinking from it without even taking the cup off his hand. While he drank it, he found out it was kava, but he drank it anyway, thinking it didn't matter as long as it quenched his thirst. Now he had three cups of kava. To be honest, the kava was too strong.
It was becoming more difficult to keep his balance so he leaning against Norm. The tall man was perfect for Jake to rest his chin on his shoulder, so he did. Almost like hugging him.
The way Jake leaned against someone like too close to be mistaken as they are mates and carelessly laughing as reminding the two Na'vi that he is not theirs yet.
Neytiri froze. He was too close with him. Far Too Close.
Her ears flattened, tail lashing sharply behind her. That closeness twisted something hot and ugly thing in her chest.
Jake Sully was hers. Eywa help her pitiful feeling. He was becoming hers and seeing him hold another man so easily made her breath turn sharp.
Tsu'tey felt it too. His jaw tightened as he watched Jake smile sweetly at someone else, unguarded and trusting. The Dreamwalker had no idea what he was doing. No idea how dangerous it was to look that soft, that open, and too close in front of others.
The jealousy burned quietly at first, then suddenly and fiercely like blazing fire.
Without a word, they moved.
Grace and Jake laughed when Norm complained about losing his kava again. The man suddenly felt a sense of impending doom, as if someone were going to kill him. When he look around he met the cold stare of Tsu'tey and Neytiri. It was scary for him that two Na'vi who were glaring at him for no reason were near. There was a reason, but the poor man can't even think what it is. When they got beside him, he thought he was dead for a few seconds.
Neytiri grabbed Jake’s wrist sharply, pulling him away from Norm as if someone might steal him if she didn’t act fast enough. Jake was surprised by the sudden seizure of his hand away from Norm, whom he was using for support to balance. He almost fell, but luckily, he found his balance.
“Skxawng,” she snapped, though her grip betrayed her. Tight, almost desperate. Jake stumbled, blinking in confusion. But when he looked around, he realized that people were starting to disperse, easing his mind as he thought they were now heading to the sleeping quarters.
Tsu’tey stepped in behind him, close enough that Jake could feel his breath against his neck. A deliberate presence, like a warning.
Norm swallowed hard. Whatever he had done wrong, he didn’t want to find out. Grace comforted Norm saying it's okay, because she thought what she was thinking right now is couldn't be possible...
..or possible.
Jake nearly fell, getting pulled by Neytiri's aggressiveness, but Tsu’tey caught him firmly, one hand pressed flat against Jake’s chest.
Surprisingly, it was soft..
The warmth beneath his palm was really solid, soft and he felt his heartbeat.
Jake, who has been training and exercising since he came to the Omatikaya clan, has gained muscle mass. Most Na'vi are thin, but his body is not 100%, showing the human trait of it.
It was normal for Tsu'tey to touch someone's body, since he was a trainer of young hunters and it was meant to correct their mistakes. But their bodies were often hard and thin. Tsu'tey felt embarrassed for some reason as he touched his big, soft, and muscular chest. He pulled his hand away abruptly, his heart pounding, anger and desire tangled together. Trying not to look at his chest he just felt a few seconds ago.
"Thanks," Jake said, facing him with smile, grateful that he had caught him before he fell.
We can say Jakesully become a drunk person now. Type of drinker who can't keep his balance feel happiness or relaxation for no reason. Smiling sweetly and childishly for everything.
Neytiri noticed.
Her gaze sharpened as she know what had happened behind her, and she was now glaring at Tsu'tey.
They slowed down, either because they were nearing their sleeping quarters or because of what had just happened. As they approached their sleeping quarters, Jake fell down this time. Tsu'tey and Neytiri couldn't catch him, and he couldn't even find his balance in time. He fell to the ground and didn't bother him to get up. If an Avatar sleeps, his soul will go to his human body.
They worrying for him and sat down to check if he was okay.
"Jake?" Neytiri called him. He was awake or half consciously smiling and muttering incomprehensible words. It seems it was comfortable for him to lay on ground.
"You should not have let him drink" Neytiri snapped, kneeling beside Jake.
Tsu'tey bristled "You pulled him away first"
Her ears flattened "Because he was being taken"
"Taken?" Tsu'tey scoffed quietly "He went willingly.." looked down at Jake helpless, smiling faintly, tail twitching in comfort. Looks like "A Sleepy Kitten"
Jake shifted, smiling softly completely unaware of the storm he had caused. By nature's law he curled instinctively toward warmth. His head rested on Neytiri’s lap and hugged her, while his tail wrapped tightly around Tsu’tey’s wrist as if choosing both without knowing it.
Neither of them moved.
As they looked at him, they didn't know how much longer they could endure his cuteness.
Tsu'tey and Neytiri sat where they are like statues until he fell asleep, just secretly wishing they could see Jake's cuteness forever.
The blade of jealous lowered. The frustration of before decreased.
Just for now.
They both know they want him for themselves and they know it. None of them want to share.
Few minutes later Jake was back in his human body. He couldn't remember anything after the third cup of kava. He decided not to drink kava again while in his other body. After all a person who is not fully conscious can do anything. So it's better for him to be careful.
On the other side, they sensed that Jake was asleep by the faded warmth of his. Tsu'tey lifted the Dreamwalker carefully and placed him on the nearest hammock. As they looking at his soulless body, both known full well that they needed to resolve this problem quickly because they didn't want to lose him to the other Na'vi.
This dizzyingly hot night Tsu'tey and Neytiri learned one thing. "If you want to see how cute Jake Sully can be, give him more kava next time"
"...And someone could steal him"