Hey guys, sorry these updates are taking a little longer than before. I've started school back up and I've finally recovered enough to return to work, so I've been a little busy. Don't worry though, I'm going to keep writing, I abandoned this story once, I'm not doing it again!
****WARNING: Explicit content in this chapter*******
When Neytiri shook them awake the next morning, she was polite enough to look away as they rubbed the tears from their eyes.
"Who was it?" She asked after stepping back to where Trudy was standing on the adjoining branch.
"It was my mother," Tsu'tey said, his voice schooled into an even tone.
"So, something is going to happen during this trip," Trudy said, looking between the three of them, her face pulled into a strained expression.
As Jake nodded, Trudy's shoulders sagged slightly at the affirmation, and it occurred to him that he hadn't considered how frustrating this had to be for her.
They couldn't take her with them. Not only was it not safe to do so, but diplomatically speaking, it wasn't a smart move. They were already pushing their luck every time they introduced Jake to the other clans as an important figure, there was nearly no scenario he could imagine in which also introducing the very human woman would end in anything but disaster.
After all this was over, if they survived, it would be different. Right now, with less than a month left until the RDA would follow through with their plans, they couldn't take any unnecessary risks.
Jake wished it was different as he thought about Trudy waiting, with no way to contact them, just hoping they would return, hoping nothing would go wrong.
"Everything will be okay," Neytiri's voice cut through Jake's thoughts as she turned to look down at Trudy with soft, apologetic eyes, "Eywa would not put an obstacle in our way that we cannot overcome, we must trust that we are following her will."
Trudy looked like she wanted to argue, understandably struggling to put her faith in a deity she barely understood and had been mostly unaware of up until a few weeks ago, but she stayed silent, choosing instead to give a small nod, looking far from comforted.
"This is the last clan we must meet with," Tsu'tey said as he climbed from their hammock to join the two women on the branch, Jake following just behind him, "they may take a bit more effort to convince, but with Jake now holding the title of Toruk Makto, we will have an advantage. We have no idea what trial this dream foretold, but I highly doubt the Tayrangi will pose too great of a problem."
"What else could it possibly be?" Trudy was trying and failing to keep the frustration from her voice.
"We still don't know exactly what level of problem constitutes these dreams," Jake pointed out as they began to make their way down the spirals of Hometree, "it could be something as trivial as bad weather delaying us or maybe the meeting being a bit unpleasant, like with the Olangi." Even as he said it, he knew it was most likely wishful thinking on his part, but the words seemed to calm Trudy a bit, the line of her shoulders easing slightly as they made it to the commons, which was bustling with last minute preparations.
With a nod from Neytiri, Jake and Tsu'tey parted from the two women, offering gentle farewells to Trudy before leaving them, allowing them a few moments alone before they had to depart.
"I hope you are correct," Tsu'tey said, linking their hands together as they went to assist the guards that would be accompanying them.
"Yeah... me too," they looked at each other, their mouths' pulled in a tight line, neither one of them really believing the words would ring true.
-x-
Flying on the Toruk was something Jake thought he could find himself quickly getting used to. Where before, it was a task that required constant concentration and vigilance—no matter how connected or compatible he had been with his first íkran. It had needed pointed instructions, commands pushed through their tsaheylu, had become distracted and irritated should Jake's mind wander too long—something Jake struggled greatly not to do.
The Toruk, however, needed no such guidance. It seemed to be able to join Jake's mind and work in tandem with him, was able to parse out his thoughts, focus in on the relevant information and ignore the rest, as well as making judgement calls all its own.
This was not to say that he didn't miss his old íkran, who he had not seen since he'd jumped from its back and plummeted down onto the Toruk. A selfish part of him hoped that it would return to him after all this was over, that he wouldn't have to give him up completely, but he wasn't going to count on it.
No matter how much he missed his first íkran, he couldn't deny the comfort and ease the Toruk provided.
The biggest benefit to the less demanding method of flying, though that in and of itself was pleasant enough, was the ability for Jake and Tsu'tey to ride together. They were able to sit side by side, Tsu'tey's íkran flying just below them, ready to catch Tsu'tey should he decide to jump down onto its back.
It was a comfort, flying together—only slightly less so when Neytiri would grow bored and swoop in close to throw things at them. Even then, they would simply laugh and send rude gestures back at her.
Their good mood continued as the day went, spirits high as they landed late that night, only sobering slightly as they prepared to make camp for the night.
"We will arrive midday tomorrow," Eytukan said as they sat around the fire. He looked strange sitting alone, as they had decided last minute that Mo'at would stay behind—the official reason being to continue her mentoring of Trudy, the unofficial reason being the threat ahead of them, "we must conduct ourselves as though we suspect nothing to be amiss. We have no way of knowing if the dangers Eywa warned of will come from this meeting, we cannot afford to appear wary when we approach them."
"Do we have any reason to believe this will go poorly?" Tsu'tey asked, pressing against Jake's side, their fingers laced together.
Eytukan shook his head, "so long as we project strength and show them respect, they will have no reason to see us as anything other than allies."
The party fell into silence at that, placated a bit by the reassurance. Still, tension hung in the air around them as they prepared the rations of food they had brought along, the crackle of the fire the only noise as they ate.
Jake and Tsu'tey stayed plastered to each other's sides, even as they packed up any loose items and smothered the fire before climbing up into their temporary hammocks, strewn here and there among the branches of a tall tree.
They bid everyone a good night, before climbing into the fibers of the hanging bed and falling asleep, their limbs tangled together.
-x-
Jake only had a moment, as he blinked against soft golden light, to be surprised that they found themselves at his grandparents' farm once more, having never repeated a location until now. He was about to turn and voice the observation to Tsu'tey, when he was slammed back against the wall of the barn, a mouth slotting against his own, swallowing down his yelp of surprise.
It didn't take him long to recover, his arms reaching out to wrap around Tsu'tey's shoulders, pulling him in further against him.
A chuckle broke from his throat, once again muffled by the mouth overtaking his, as Tsu'tey's large hands slipped around his thighs, hoisting him up until he could wrap his long legs around the other man's waist.
Jake didn't even register the scraping of wood against his bare back, too focused on Tsu'tey's thumbs rubbing small circles along his inner thigh.
They'd used their shared dreamscape for such physical activities before, as their lives had grown more chaotic and the freedom to sneak away unnoticed became almost nonexistent. They weren't quite sure if this was one of the intended purposes of their ability, but they couldn't be bothered to care too much if not.
"Where is your mind, my Jake?" Tsu'tey asked in a low voice as he broke away from the kiss to suck a bruise into Jake's neck, no danger of it being there when they awoke, "I want your focus on me."
A moan escaped his lips as Tsu'tey's teeth graze against the bruised flesh, "feeling needy?" He asked between hitched breaths, "Not that I'm complaining."
A deep chuckle bubbled up from Tsu'tey's chest, the sound of it setting Jake's blood ablaze even more so than the touches of hands and lips and teeth, "I did not think you would."
Jake might have replied to that, continued the whispered flirtations, if one of Tsu'tey's hands hadn't left his thigh, fingers rising, finding their way past Jake's lips.
He laved at the digits, groaning around them, Tsu'tey's eyes darkening at the sight.
The Na'vi had learned a few tricks since that first time beneath the tree of souls, all signs of his past timid-ness or uncertainty in his actions was long gone as he withdrew the fingers from Jake's mouth, his nails running across the lower lip just hard enough to catch for a moment and drag it along with them.
The grip of the remaining hand on his thigh was bruising, as his other hand, slick with spit, moved behind Jake.
He worked Jake open with precise, practiced motions—crooking his fingers at just the right spot to send Jake's head rolling, knocking back against the wall.
"When did you get so fucking good at this?" Jake panted into Tsu'tey's neck, his body flushed and burning at every point of contact.
"You should know, my Jake," the other man chuckled before nipping lightly at his ear, "you were there."
At that, Tsu'tey removed his fingers, the digits still connected to the stretched ring of muscle by a string of spit and slick that had traveled down between Jake's legs.
Jake took a moment to appreciate the fact that his injuries from the waking world didn't follow them into their dreamscape, as his ribs would surely be protesting as Tsu'tey pressed him firmly against the barn wall, hard enough to keep him propped up against him as he repositioned his arms beneath Jake's legs.
A blush burned hot across Jake's cheeks at the new position, his legs spread wide, feeling open and vulnerable.
He had the wherewithal, through the haze of lust, to reach behind Tsu'tey's head and pull his long braid over his shoulder, connecting it to his own with a flick of the wrist.
The tsaheylu wasn't as strong here, they couldn't see images or hear thoughts, but they could feel emotions and sensations thrumming at the edges of their minds.
Jake was able to feel the pull of Tsu'tey's muscles as he lowered him slightly, lining up Jake's slicked entrance with his own hard length, flushed a deep navy with arousal.
Tsu'tey sunk into Jake, letting gravity pull the other man down until they were flush against one another. He stood stock still, overwhelmed for just a moment at the sensation of both the blinding heat he was now buried in and the slight burn of stretched muscle, filled to the point he was sure he would split in two.
Once he recovered, he flexed and lifted Jake up several inches before pressing him back down.
Stars burst behind Jake's eyes as he was speared down, Tsu'tey somehow hitting the hidden bundle of nerves with deadly accuracy before setting a punishing pace.
Jake could do nothing besides wrap his arms tightly around the other man's shoulders. He could feel the power in those strong arms, powerless but to hold on and accept whatever Tsu'tey was willing to give him. He was vaguely aware of words spilling from his mouth, half formed encouragement, broken apart by gasps.
He knew what this was, even as his mind reeled with pleasure—this was a momentary distraction, a stress reliever. It was comfort in each other, seeking heat and arousal, long enough to forget about the real world and the promised threats to come. Even still, knowing all that, Jake couldn't find it within himself to care.
Everything was okay, right now, in this moment, there was nothing besides the two of them. There was nothing else that mattered as Jake felt Tsu'tey's abdominal muscles harden, his movements becoming erratic and wild as he pounded into Jake like it was the only thing that mattered.
Tsu'tey buried his face in Jake's neck as he came, teeth seeking out heated, sweat-soaked flesh and sinking into it. His entire body spasmed against Jake, spilling out into the impossible heat of his body, before stilling against him, running a soothing tongue over the place where his teeth had broken skin.
Tsu'tey trailed soft, open-mouth kisses down Jake's neck and chest as he pulled out of the body pressed against him. Jake groaned at the sudden emptiness, a fresh blush burning its way across his cheeks as thick fluid trailed its way from his abused entrance, and his own arousal, still untouched, pressed, trapped between them.
Jake make a noise of protest as Tsu'tey lowered him to his feet, forcing him to lean heavily against the wall, his legs unwilling to support his weight. Any further protest died on his lips as he watched Tsu'tey sink to his knees before him.
Large golden eyes met his, the corners crinkled slightly in a loving smile, and that was all the warning Jake received before Tsu'tey descended upon him, swallowing him down like he'd done it a million times—which, to be clear, he had not. Tsu'tey had never done this, and Jake wondered briefly, through his haze of arousal, why he'd never thought to ask, because the sight alone of Tsu'tey on his knees, staring up at Jake through dark lashes, was nearly enough to send Jake over the edge.
It wasn't long before heat began to coil low in his stomach, his hands flying to grip at Tsu'tey's hair, a low warning falling from his lips. Tsu'tey responded by taking him in further, humming around the thick muscle stretching his mouth wide, his pupils blown out so far only a thin ring of gold remained.
Jake came with a strangled cry, his hands tightening in their grip on Tsu'tey's hair hard enough to hurt, snapping his hips out in a desperate motion as he spilled down Tsu'tey's throat. He heard, somewhere in the back of his mind, the sound of Tsu'tey choking, whether on the hard length or the fluid filling his mouth, Jake wasn't sure. For a moment, he was worried, worried he'd been too rough, had hurt the other man in some way. Those worries were halted, however, when he felt, like a physical presence in the back of his skull, dark, heady arousal bursting through Tsu'tey's mind.
Tsu'tey withdrew from him, an obscene, wet pop filling the space between them as his mouth left him. The other man collapsed back onto the soft earth, their tsaheylu breaking, his breathing heavy, his face burning a deep blue.
It took Jake a moment to gather himself, feeling blissed out and more relaxed than he had in a long time, before moving on weak legs to sit beside Tsu'tey, whose chest was heaving slightly, his pupils still blown.
Jake leaned down to press a kiss to those abused lips, slightly swollen and flushed, before deepening the contact, tasting himself on the other man's tongue.
It had been a good distraction, one that carried them through the remainder of the night. They didn't need to speak of the worry that burrowed into the back of their minds, it wouldn't do them any good to fret over what they did not know and could not change. So, instead, they stayed silent, pressed against each other, legs tangled, fingers laced together, and simply allowed themselves to enjoy the peace of the world all their own.