"Wow. He's huge." Norms jaw drops completely as everyone rides in closer with their ilu.
"I've studied and seen so much of them on paper and in videos, but this is the first time seeing one in person."
Lo'ak happily laughs at the way Norms face lights up so peacefully, simply amazed with Payakan as he swims in closer to greet everyone.
Lia isn't far behind, mimicking the same facial expressions Norm does.
"Holy crap. He's magnificent."
"He sure is." Aonung suddenly joins in with his thoughts, and it's no surprise that your kids roll their eyes at him. Anytime he found a place to bud in or speak to Lia, he took it.
"You should see when the Tulkun all come in from their migration patterns. It's a large celebration every year."
You never guessed it could be an issue, but he really has been a bit too ... welcoming, if that's even the right term, since Lia arrived. Barely any room for her to explore with just her family considering he and Rotxo had to be around.
Which wasn't all bad.
"Hey buddy." Lo'ak moves in first with Tsireya sitting behind him on the same ilu, and they wave for Lia and Norm to join as he introduces them.
"This is my Uncle Norm — and my Cousin Lia. I've told you about them before. They came to visit. I hope it's okay that I brought them."
Payakan sounds, and although you don't know every note and tone he uses — it's enough to get by and read his emotions.
He's happy to see more people, quite thankful to have a larger family around.
It was definitely something he could get pleasingly used to.
"You want to go for a ride?" Lo'ak asks them both, and Norm hesitates for a moment.
Lia, however, is already jumping on as Tsireya helps her over and they grab on to one of Payakan's fins.
"Come onnnnnn." Lia calls to her father. "It'll be fun!"
He's such a sucker for when she wants to do something, but it helps. She's the whole reason he ever gets out anymore.
You watch as he climbs on, so focused that you don't even realize Jake's hand reaching around your lower waist as he pulls you in closer to his chest.
As soon as the kids are off, you and Jake are as well.
The skimwing has no trouble keeping up, and as Payakan slows down for a moment so Norm can adjust — you come across the front of them and Lo'ak gives you a beautiful smile of a greeting.
Something you return as Jake points it out to you, and it warms your heart knowing how happy and loved your youngest son feels in this moment.
Jake brings you both back up for air, and not even a full minute has passed before you hear the other kids play fighting out in the distance.
"You know, you could have gone a bit slower. I would not have fallen off that way!" Spider's clearly soaked, and pulling himself back on the ilu. It seems he didn't have a tight enough grasp on Kiri, and was sent flying backwards as she dove in.
"I said I was sorry!" She can't help but laugh despite how sincere she meant to sound.
Taytsi and Da'mik seem a little closer lately— usually he'd be with one of his siblings or Rotxo, but he's taken to riding with her any time he gets the chance.
Da'mik spider Kiri Lo'ak Tuk Lia norm Rotxo aonung Tsireya
"I say throw him back in, Kiri." Lo'ak calls out. "He deserves it."
"What the hell did I do?" Spider calls out defensively.
"You're bad mouthing her when it's your own fault for not holding on, skxawng." Lo'ak responds before he ducks back under, and Tsireya isn't far behind as they free dive together.
Norm flips his braid out of his face, and wipes the water from his eyes before he hangs on to the edge of Payakan.
"Whew. That was definitely the fastest I've gone under water. I see how someone could wipe out completely."
"You wanna try the skimwing?" Jake pulls you up closer to them, and Lia's already off with Rotxo as they free dive in as well.
"No, nope. Definitely not. I'm fine right here, Jake."
"What's the matter?" You tease Norm. "- Sea sick?"
"Maybe a little bit." He admits. "We've been living in the mountains so long, the air pressure difference gets to me sometimes. It's an adjustment."
"Is everyone still doing okay?" You finally bring yourself to ask.
"They are. It's the same old same old with our routines and such. Mo'at misses the kids though. There's no doubt Kiri was always her favorite." And he pauses for a moment, as if pondering if he should say more or not.
"—she was devastated about Niikeym, though. She knew before I could even tell her."
And there's a small moment of silence between you three.
"Maybe when this is all over we can visit more." You offer. "I know none of us can promise how long that will be, though."
Jake reaches out to brush his hand against your thigh, comforting you as you lightly frown.
"We'll have a reunion one day." Norm reassures. "I'm sure of it."
"I can't— would— let—- Get — OFF!" Tuk sounds as Lo'ak has made his way over to her, and is trying his damndest to get her in the water with him.
"Awww, come on. I won't let anything happen to you." He reassures her, and he opens his arms wide as he grins convincingly.
She still frowns, quite unsure if she wants to try swimming this far out. Usually she stays on her ilu and watches the teenagers as Kiri sits with her.
You observe as Jake and Norm are continuing their talk — not even listening as you see the kids coming together.
Tuk finally braves it out, and she jumps into the water beside Lo'ak as he brings her in and kisses her on the forehead so kindly.
Tsireya makes her way up finally, and she greets your youngest with an even wider smile and a pinch to her cheek.
"Look at that, Tuk. You're in the deep end!"
As much as you don't want to cry at seeing lo'ak and Tsireya with her — it hits you right where it hurts (or in this case favors) you the most.
"What's wrong?" Jake asks as he notices that you reach up to wipe away at your eyes.
"Nothing. Just watching the kids."
Kiri seems to decide to abandon Spider, and Da'mik wastes no time in having Taytsi drive him in closer so she can tackle Spider as they both go straight into the water.
Lia is now circling around on her ilu, unsure if she wants to jump back in so soon as she enjoys being above the others.
It's nice to see everything from higher up like with her Ikran, and she does have to pace herself as she can't breathe for as long as they do. Nor are her arms as strong for long term swimming.
Aonung is swimming around the outside of the children, before he makes his way in once he finds Lia.
His head barely above the surface as he makes minimal sound while approaching. It isn't intentional that he scares her the way he does, he just wasn't thinking about that part before he popped up fully and greeted her.
"Holy mother of-"
Geez, Lia almost sounds like Lo'ak there for a moment with her choice of words.
Her hand comes over her chest as she settles from the jumpscare.
"Why are you being so weird?"
"Weird? Weird how?" He asks, almost offended.
"You've been all over me since I arrived. You weren't like this for the funeral." And she's not afraid to call it out, either.
Instead of just his eyes, he seems to roll his entire head in disapproval of the terms used.
"That was you at the funeral? You sure looked different then."
"Yeah? You don't remember them introducing us then? It was a very brief moment." She almost forgot herself with everything going on, and all things considered it wasn't a main point of that night.
They didn't really speak or anything last time, so it's not like she can really blame him for forgetting.
"Yknow, my cousins did warn me to keep an eye out for you.. said you were some sort of self absorbed prince with occasional good moments."
"Is that what they said?" He seems to question as he raises his chin up, and calls for an ilu as he levels himself with her.
"Absolutely. Lo'ak said you even had bruises to show for it once."
"Ahh.." Aonung snickers. "Yet so did he."
"I wonder what they're on about this time." Norm mumbles a bit too loud as you look over to him, both of you sitting side by side on Payakan as the kids and Jake are spending time in the open water.
"Pretty sure she said something about Lo'ak. I'm not so good at reading lips. Not even if it comes to English."
"He's so... attached." Norm points out. "It's.. odd."
"What? You think Lo'ak didn't do that with Tsireya at first? Or you with Trudy? Or me with Jake?"
"Oh, don't go there and don't say that. She's not interested in dating."
"What makes you say that?"
"She doesn't seem to care if they're human or what gender they are, and yet she's still by herself — for one." Norm phrases.
"—For two, she's been so focused on trying to get her training and studies up enough to join Neytiri for raids."
"Wow. That's a big job. Even Jake wouldn't let the kids do that. It's-"
"-too risky. I know. I'm not exactly thrilled about it, but I'm usually on the ground helping pick out the loot boxes and sort things, so it offers some comfort at least. I'm not in five different positions trying to lead them like Jake was."
"That's true. I don't know how Jake ever managed all that."
"Easy. Hes hard headed and stubborn."
And the both of you chuckle together as that. "—Being a Corporal has nothing to do with it."
"I'll back you there.
When he's got his mind set on a task, it's like hell trying to get him to focus on anything else. Even if it's just washing dishes or helping me prep food — if he's got his laptop open doing something for you or max — he's gone."
"At least he wasn't so bad when the kids were babies."
"Yeah, thank Eywa for that. The smallest of little noises made by any of them and he'd come running to check on them."
"I know he and I have our moments as being strict fathers, but I get that Jake means well. I'm aware he's probably worse off than we are at knowing how to express those feelings properly."
"If I had a frying pan I'd whack him with it just for the sake of getting him to come out with his feelings on occasion. Sometimes he just boils up or fades out. It's gotten better the last few months, though... thankfully."
There's a loud scream of excitement from Tuk, and she's up in the air as Lo'ak tosses her to Jake.
"Tom was similar in that way." Norm explains. "When he struggled with training, he would have to step aside for a while and think of a new approach. He always wanted to be the best, succeed the first time, failure was never an option to him."
"I sometimes forget you knew him. It's been so long."
"I forget on occasion, too. I don't think I'd ever seen twins so identical before. Usually there are small differences in their facial features, or one has more fat on their face or chin — little tiny things." He adjusts his posture for a moment.
"But not them. Aside from hairstyle, wheelchair, and tattoos.. I wouldn't be able to pick them out."
Norm turns to you as you sigh so deeply.
"It's crazy to think that we all came here to explore and get to know another planet — just to become part of it in this way.
I just wish it could have offered what I wanted to spare them from."
And norm watches the way your face falls when you overlook the kids together.
"I promised myself if I ever became a mother, I wouldn't let anything happen to them."
"Hey." Norm says softly, and he scoots over closer as he wraps an arm around your shoulder brotherly.
"Don't go there, okay? We're all having fun, the kids are enjoying themselves. Take in these moments for what they are. I know it's hard, but appreciate them as they come. One day they'll be memories and I know you won't want to look back knowing you sat here sulking."
"I guess you're right with that." You admit.
"Duh, of course I am. Now go join them."
"I'm okay. I'm enjoying sitting here just fine. I like watching them."
"I don't think so." Norm adjusts so he's standing on Payakan, and leans down to shove you in the water.
Despite aging, there was no difference in the mentality of bullying one another. You'd always be at mercy of this.
"Norm!" You call out after you reach the surface, and swim back to Payakan as you struggle to get back on at first.
"I'm going to kill you."
"Not in front of the kids, you're not!"
He seems stuck at the tail end of Payakan as you've chased him down.
You're soaked and cold now, standing with your arms out and legs apart as water drops down your hair.
"Payakan, if you're up for it — I need you to jolt forward really fast, we can knock him off in no time."
He doesn't even respond, already on it as you're a bit more used to the way he moves.
Norm, though - he falls into the water and faintly yells at the sudden movement.
Jake turns his attention to you, laughing as he catches the last bit of Norm falling in.
He's spitting water out as he comes back, keeping himself afloat as he glares at you.
"Okay, okay. I guess I deserved that."
And Payakan makes the cutest little laughing sound that time.
He sure seems to be enjoying days like these, when the weather isn't too bad and you can all bombard him with love and time together before it gets too dark.
You're too distracted talking to him as Jake seems to come in —- and like he's done before, he pulls himself up and brings you down with him as you go under.
He fights you at first as you're both struggling around — trying to get the upper hand before you can escape from his hold.
It's not until you both come up for air that you realize why he's holding you so tightly - and refusing to let you go as he presses your back into his chest.
"Jake." You sigh out. "Really?"
"Sorry." He laughs nervously. "Can't help it. This shots been giving me so many emotions."
"Well that's a pretty strong emotion if I do say so myself."
He leans in and bites at your shoulder. To which you turn around and smack him on the forehead. "Ouch! You ass."
"It's what you get for turning me on." He teases.
"I didn't even do anything."
"And you damn sure don't need to."
Your eyes are half open as you look at him in amazement at how much audacity he truly has in the moment. "I'm leaving you to fight your own demons."
Before you can even swim off, he grabs your arm and pulls you back in - kissing along it as he refuses to let you up.
"Let me go. Jake. Seriously."
"Nope." And another kiss. "I'm making you suffer with me.
We can sneak away for a while, you know? Norm can watch the kids."
"-and basically give away that we're going off specifically to have sex? That's awful embarrassing."
"Alright, so we'll sneak away later tonight then."
"Or you can.
Who said I needed to be part of this?"
"You don't have to be." He taunts, and moves in closer as he rubs his fingers against your inner thigh. "I assumed you'd want to be."
His thumb slightly stretching out as he barely presses against your clit.
You grab on to his wrist, and dig your nails into his arm as you try to keep the feeling at bay.
"Jake." You try to sound stern as you scold him with his name.
"I don't care what tone you use." He whispers into your ear. "— keep saying my name baby."
"You're obnoxious."
"It's our last night before we have to set off in the morning." He hugs you from behind sincerely. "-Pardon me if I'm a little touchy."
For some reason it makes your heart sink into your gut at the reminder.
Simply hoping and praying to Eywa that everything would be okay over the next few days.
"Bro! Let me down, hey!" Lo'ak is struggling as Aonung lifts him up beside him on Payakan, once again catching your attention.
They sure fooled around a lot more these days.
Spider seems to yell out something as he whisks by, and Da'mik isn't far as they use Payakan to jump off of and cover their sisters in a larger splash.
And then there's poor Tsireya always getting caught in the middle of it. She doesn't seem to mind, though. Always smiling and laughing along, even as Taytsi comes to her rescue and lifts her up on the ilu with her.
"We can leave in a bit, Jake." You reach back to touch the edge of his jawline. "- I'm enjoying watching them right now."
He holds you so tenderly as his lips brush against your neck.
"Works for me."