What If? (P1) || Jake / Reader || Draft

Fixations

(Sorry for any typos, my phone keeps correcting you to tzuyu lmao- my fandoms are being exposed.)

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You and Jake are sat across from each other in the dimly lit tent for most of today, your faces illuminated by the glow of computer screens. Scans, intel, reports... whatever needed to be looked at for the day.

You're scrolling through maps of the area, trying to identify potential weak spots in setting up defenses - while Jake is now up and pacing back and forth, his expression only tensing harder the more he walks.

"Jake, would you rest for a bit? You're making me nervous."

Your tail is calm as ever, wrapped around your leg - all while his is straight up in stress mode.

Clearly something's happened recently that he hasn't shared just yet.

"Look, I'm.. starting to think Tsu'tey may have had a good idea those few weeks ago.
   I spoke with Eytukan and Mo'at this morning about any updates."
   He shares, cautiously.
"... and with their advice and ideas... I'm starting to think we need to take the fight to them."
   Jake says, his voice low and urgent.
"I don't think we can just sit here and wait for them to attack us. We need to strike first."

You simply shake your head.
    "That's too risky. If we make a move too soon, we could end up losing everything. We need to focus on protecting our people, and our clans territory.
   If we go for Toruk now, and gather the people, their homes will be exposed. You know this, babe."

Jake pinches at the bridge of his nose as best he can, now with his eyes closed.
     "Eytukan had a point, though. They may not know where we are since the buildings been out of commission before Grace arrived here... and there are plenty others closer to hells gate, but that doesn't mean they won't go for other Navi land sites to pull us away.
    Protecting our territory won't mean anything if they're all dead. We need to be aggressive. We need to take them out before they have a chance to strike."

You sigh. "I understand where you're coming from, but we need to be smart about this. We can't afford to make a mistake.
    They're in the bunkers last we checked, still. It seems they're making sure we're not the ones fixing to jump on them the second they're out.
    We took the bulldozers, destroyed their mining sector, stole the aircraft and weaponr-"

He holds a hand up.

Which your thoughts were sort of a mute point, considering that's exactly what it had come to be.
   They were like prairie dogs checking for the right time to come out of their hole.

Jake stops pacing as you finally stand, and turns to face you. "I'm not saying we should be reckless. But we can't just sit here. We need to change it, we can't wait for them to come to us. We need to be proactive."

You had too many thoughts to share, and what felt like not enough time.
    "They'll come out of the bunkers." You softly speak to him as you place a hand on his shoulder. "And the first thing they'll do is try to use Hells Gate, considering it's all they've got left. They have nowhere else to go right now. They don't have the technology for bridgehead yet."

"I know things were different in your timeline, but we have to consider that may not be the story anymore." He reminds.

"If we fight on the offensive, and we attack, even with Toruk and the others - they'll find out where we are, and they'll come at us with everything they've got."
   Little does he know, it's him who's said this before.
"All of us, Jake. They'll find some way to distract or decoy things just to come in and destroy everything we've worked so hard on."