Mornin' folks. This other day, I suddenly got in the mood for writing something, so I dug up some old plot-ideas, and this is the result. It's much shorter than the two previous ones, and not intended to be that funny, but I just had to write something. Hope you like it^^
A/N: This chapter was originally intended to be featured in the Knock on Wood series, but I decided to publish it here instead. If you haven't read Knock on Wood yet, do so. It's awesome. ^^
Norm was dead tired. Almost to the point of breaking. But finally it was over. He had been out training with Jake today, and as usual, he was barely coherent due to fatigue when he returned in the evening. He frequently wondered how the hell Jake had managed all this stuff in three months, even without the basic training that Norm had. Apparantly, Norm decided, jarheads are way better than geeks at surviving in the jungle. However, there was a bright side to it, too. Whenever they got home to the kelutral, Neytiri usually had whipped up some of her delicious stew. Which was another mystery in Norm's eyes. How had she learned to both be such a fearsome warrior and hunter and learned to cook? Oh well. He didn't care too much right after these bouts of training.
As they climbed up the double helix formed by the central columns, the wonderful scent of Neytiri's stew slammed into Norm's sensitive Avatar nostrils, and his tail started to twitch in anticipation. He absolutely loved that stew. However, he had to get some of the sweat from the training off before he arrived. Can't walk into other folks' rooms smelling like pa'li now, could he?
"Just go on before me. I'll go get cleaned somewhat," Norm said before veering off towards a branch containing lots of those plants that filled themselves with water. Jake just nodded and continued on.
Some five minutes and a rough wash with water later, Norm climbed up the last stretch to Jake and Neytiri's alcove. Inside it was nicely, yet practically, decorated, with a semi-large hammock in one corner, a large piece of carved wood in the middle that worked as both a chair and a table, and of course, the p'ah s'ivil cheys, the racks containing Jake and Neytiri's personal belongings.
"Hey Norm. How was training today?" Neytiri asked as Norm entered the alcove. For some reason, Neytiri seemed to like that Norm hadn't advanced as rapidly in his training as Jake had done. He didn't know why, but he suspected that she took some pride in that her mate was such a quick learner.
"Horrible, as usual. Is that yerik-stew?" Norm asked, pointing at the stew cooking over the small fire in one corner. Of course his nose told him it was indeed yerik-stew, but he asked anyway. Of course, Neytiri picked up on the not-so-subtle "Can I have some?" that was hidden in that question.
"Yes it is. Want some?" she asked and laughed as Norm's face lit up in a hungry grin.
The next hour was spent eating the stew and talking between the three of them. The evenings after Jake had helped train Norm usually ended that way, right before Norm would go further up the tree to let his Avatar rest in his hammock, which hung from the branches further up.
Right now, however, he had found several small ball-shaped fruits out in the forest and had brought them back. Jake was carving on a small piece of wood, with Neytiri instructing him, and Norm had lost himself in an attempt to stack the fruits on top of each other, using the hammock as a base. After yet another failed try, Neytiri suddenly turned to face him. "It's not going to happen on a hammock that unstable," she said, gesturing towards the fruits that were was lying in a heap.
"That's what she said!" Jake suddenly quipped. Then his eyes widened and ears twitched as he realized what he had just said. He looked up from the carving he had been working on to look at Norm, who sat just as wide-eyed beside the hammock. Then they both burst out laughing. Within moments, they had degenerated into a mass on the floor, both laughing till they gasped for breath.
"Hell yeah!" Norm gasped, and both males high-fived each other as they fought to regain their composure. Poor Neytiri, however, had no idea what was going on.
"Why were you laughing?" she asked, tail twitching a bit as she realized that it was probably a joke aimed at her.
"Uhhh…." Both males said in unison, laughter forgotten. Both looked at each other, neither wanting to be the one who explained that particular joke to her. Norm smirked. He had an escape route. Jake didn't.
"I think I have to go now. I'm getting tired, and there was some stuff I had to do back in Hell's Gate," he said as he got up to leave. "Night folks!" he said, before quickly getting out and up, leaving Jake there to explain to Neytiri exactly how that joke worked.
"Norm, I'm gonna pay you back for this one…" Jake thought as he launched into the explanation, ears flattened against his head in anticipation of Neytiri's not-so-pleasant reaction.