#was explaining dune to her having just seen it

[itistimetodisappear]

Uh oh workmate is racist

[weepylucifer]

phenomenon i observed: reaction youtube accounts where it's a couple doing the videos together and the account is named after the man and the woman has a "pretty"/"cute" nickname while the man has a fun and unique Youtuber Name that hints at his lore and personality and the woman is just kinda there. every time i see one of these i wonder what'll happen to the channel if these people ever break up

[torukmaktoskxawng]

tsamsiyu ta'em - calm before the storm

Masterlist - part seventeen

Summary: Just as the chapter's title suggests. It was the calm before the storm…

Pairing: Ronal/Tonowari/Original Female Character

Tag: #tsamsiyu ta'em fic

posted on ao3

Word Count: 11k+

Warnings: Fluff! Some awkwardness that happens after one makes a confession lol. Trauma regarding torture, loss of a child, body dysmorphia, etc. There's a plot twist at the end of this chapter ;)

Taglist (bold indicates "could not tag"): @motheroffae @undeniableadrenaline @mooniequeen @shit-i-say-shit-i-think @heart-an0n @amiets2 @slutforsmut4ever @yeosxxx​ @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @sucker4angstt @inolaphoenix @ilovechickenwings @tojisleftarm @andyfromku @ivysully @lightandshadow31 @jamie-poopoo @brittney69 @avatar-lover @ikeyniofthetayrangi @cardi-bre91

A/n: Hiii 🥰 I'm very sorry for the hiatus that I originally promised wasn't going to be a hiatus. To escape life, I dove into other fixations such as Destiny 2, the Fallout show, Dune Part 2, and Bridgerton... yeah, I did some bouncing. So far, my summer has been fantastic! Anyway, here's another chapter before I inevitably disappear again 😂

Enjoy!

If there was anything Kayla was extremely grateful for, it was that Spider didn't have a heightened sense of smell as the Na'vi did.    

She could smell both Ronal and Tonowari on her skin, and while it internally delighted her, she felt her skin prickle at the thought of Spider of all people being traumatized and learning about her very recent courting by smell alone as they share close quarters with one another. The thought mortified her more than anything, more than the idea of eventually having to tell Jake.

Thankfully, Spider returned home that day none the wiser, Ronal and Tonowari already long gone even with their scents still lingering in Kayla's nose. She felt like a teenager again, embarrassed and trying to hide it from her parents. However, she quickly stomped down that thought at the harsh reminder that she's a grown-ass woman and Spider wasn't a very judgemental kid. He was also someone who had caught onto Ronal and Tonowari's interest in Kayla early on and wouldn't be surprised if he learned the truth. 

With that in mind, Kayla emerged from her kelku the next morning wearing the new top the Metkayina clan leaders had gifted her. For a very brief moment, she felt exposed and uncomfortable, the woven beads cool against her skin, but then, she looked down at herself and felt her body relax to see that the top covered just about as much as her threadbare red shirt did. It wasn't even close to revealing as some of the tops Kayla had seen Na'vi women wear, even with the low cut. A small part in the back of Kayla's head felt delighted to realize that this top was definitely made for her.

She still wore her shorts, but the small change in attire was still noticeable as she quickly learned. Na'vi eyes silently observed her as she walked through the village, and even though she heard the Metkayina whisper as she passed them, they weren't hateful or disgusted, but more in awe. Her skin crawled because she didn't know if she preferred it or would much rather have them feel indifferent to her again. 

While their eyes all noticed her top, Kayla almost felt the need to throw her shirt back over herself at the thought that the Metkayina might also smell her new scent as well. It would explain the way their noses would twitch and their ears all perk up and turn in her direction when they haven't even noticed her presence yet. 

If Spider noticed any of it, he didn't say a word, instead, he informed Kayla that he would be deep-diving with the other reef boys that afternoon. Something crawled in her stomach at the reminder of Ao'nung and other reef boys leaving Lo'ak alone outside the reef before she sternly told Spider to make sure either Lo'ak or Tsireya was with them. Apart from the small, suspicious stare, Spider didn't question her, taking his new bow in hand and heading out to meet his friends, waving back to Kayla as he went and promising to be back before supper.

Walking along the beach, Kayla recognized the tsahik from a mile away, fingers entangled in a worn fishing net. As Kayla walked over to the other woman, she watched the way Ronal's ears lifted and moved in her direction. Ronal looked up from her work and recognized Kayla from a distance, and by the time the dreamwalker approached her, it wasn't hard to deduce how pleased she looked, eyes dancing approvingly over the avatar woman's figure, reaching a hand out to lightly adjust the top on Kayla before nodding once with confidence,

"It suits you perfectly. I was afraid it would not be able to hold up against your beauty."

Despite having a young Na'vi body, Kayla felt as though her heart was ready to give out, her feet barely catching when she initially stumbled in reaction to Ronal's compliment. Kayla's eyes quickly averted, the tip of her ears feeling warm as she quietly thanked the tsahik and changed the subject, making plans to see both her and Tonowari later. After making a brief conversation as to what each other's plans were for the day, Kayla had turned to leave but nearly jolted out of her skin when she felt a gentle tug on her tail. She couldn't help the feigned glare she threw back at Ronal, internally delighted by the rare mischief she saw in the Metkayina woman's eyes, but trying not to show it. Kayla's fake irritation only appeared to amuse Ronal forward, the tsahik tilting her head at the avatar while appreciatively staring her up and down once more, forcing the heat from Kayla's ears to travel down her neck. 

The avatar cleared her throat and then finally departed, hiding her own smile as she thought back to Ronal's well-hidden playful behavior. It was nothing like the woman who sharply tugged Kayla's tail the day they first met, further showing just how much things have changed around here.

Summoning an ilu, Kayla makes her way through the reef, reaching the atoll wall where all the various pools travel up one side like stairs, catching various sealife whenever the tide rises up and down. Dozens of Metkayina are fishing and gathering in these pools, with nets, and baskets at their feet. Kayla zeros in on one particular Na'vi and swims over after letting her ilu take off, climbing up onto the slippery wall to make her way over to her friend.

Rutxa looks up and appears smug at the sight of Kayla, blue eyes pointedly narrowed on the avatar's new top while dramatically sniffing the air, "You look... enamored. Had a good evening?"

Kayla's eyes narrow, "Don't play dumb. I bet you're just dying to weave a story about it."

Their grin remained playful, humming dramatically as if deep in thought, "Perhaps if you tell me all about it, I won't have to... fabricate any details."

Kayla lets out a humorous scoff, shaking her head, "You're horrible."

"Yes, that was what my mother called me. Don't abuse it."

The laugh that bubbles out of Kayla coincides with the screech of an approaching ikran. The sound makes Kayla pause and look up to the sky in order to discover which ikran. She only had to briefly catch the color to know the banshee was Neytiri's bonded, and a small wedge of dread made its home in Kayla's chest.

Neytiri lands her ikran gracefully, several yards away from any Metkayina as they go about the pools of the atoll wall. The Na'vi woman looks around before her eyes land on her intended target. Kayla half expected her sister-in-law to bristle at the sight of her, but she felt a small bit of genuine confusion when all she saw was a woman who was trying to appear small and guarded. If Kayla wanted to verbally taunt, she would've pointed out to Neytiri that she almost looked guilty. The two women stare at each other for some time before Neytiri takes a deep breath and starts slowly walking forward, her face pinched with dread at the idea of the long-awaited conversation she was no doubt forcing herself to partake in.

Kayla takes her own deep breath and then motions Rutxa to wait here before drifting over to meet Neytiri halfway. While it felt as though they walked forever to reach each other, both women found themselves standing right in front of one another only seconds later, neither saying a word while their eyes never fully meeting, both hesitant to say anything at first due to their ongoing impasse. 

Neytiri looks Kayla up and down before she swallows her pride, both visibly and internally as she opens her mouth, "Your clothes. They are lovely."

The Sully sister's eyes dart off to the side, her words are stiff but courteous, "Thank you."

"Did the tsahik make it?"

The mention of Ronal made Kayla's ears twitch, "What gave it away?"

"It would explain why she asked me about making a bow for Spider. And--" she takes a small whiff of the air around her mate's sister, "You smell like her. Tonowari, too."

"... I see. Don't tell Jake."

She raised a hairless brow at the other woman, "I will not need to. He will smell it."

Kayla pointedly doesn't blink, finally staring directly into Neytiri's eyes with a stern expression, "Which is why I am avoiding him at the moment."

Neytiri quietly observes Kayla, yellow eyes piercing into one another's gaze, trying to sniff out each other's thoughts. The Omatikaya woman is wracked with bafflement. It is a beautiful thing for one to finally find their mate, or, in this case, mates. It should never be something to be ashamed of, as newly mated pairs often run to their families to excitedly share the news. The fact that Kayla would rather hide and avoid Jake baffles Neytiri. She wanted to hiss and scold both of the former sawtute for what was clearly a spat between siblings, along with a dash of pride, but at this time and place, she knew Kayla wouldn't accept nor appreciate her scolding. 

Still, it bothered the Na'vi woman. Neytiri knew the two siblings had a lot of conflict between them, but to go as far as to not share such wonderful news with each other? Neytiri would give anything to be in Kayla's position. She would've given anything to be able to excitedly share life updates with her own sister once more. Sylwanin used to love hearing how Neytiri's day went before bed, even though Neytiri wasn't in turn thrilled to hear about what her sister and Tsu'tey would get up to in the woods. Then again, Neytiri was the only person her sister trusted with that information, and it shattered Neytiri's heart to think how she had taken that for granted. She will never make that same mistake again, and any secrets Sylwanin entrusted to her will die with Neytiri.

Hence why she couldn't bring herself to deny Kayla when the other woman was clearly trying to tell her not to share her secrets with Jake. Neytiri exhaled through her nose and nodded in defeat, "I will not breathe a word." 

Kayla stiffly nodded and briefly looked away, peering over her shoulder to see if Rutxa was still waiting for her. Neytiri's conflict was easily undetected, watching Kayla when the avatar wasn't looking with a pained expression in her eyes. Everything that had come between the two women lately was pounding against Neytiri's skull, begging her to say something, to make things right, to finally confess her sins out loud. It has been plaguing her ever since the boy-- ever since Spider confronted her about her distaste and mistreatment toward him. Ever since he made her stand in the eyes of her inner demons, her hidden thoughts no longer feel as hidden as they used to be and she's been struggling to accept everything he said was true. 

'Denial is a river in Egypt.' It's a phrase she's not familiar with, but it's something she remembered Grace used to say when Neytiri was a child. When the scientist explained what it meant, somehow it threaded its way into Neytiri's head, and she had yet to forget about it. No one could deny Neytiri's grief after everything she's been through, but neither could anyone deny how unfair she had been to Spider his whole life. Despite knowing how innocent he was, Neytiri refused to See him. Despite eventually accepting Jake and loving him for who he is, she couldn't do the same for Spider, and despite knowing how that hurt the child, she didn't care. Or at least-- not at the time. The fact that she didn't care for a child and his feelings was something she came to terms with long ago, but staring Kayla in the face and simply stating she wasn't Spider's mother haunted Neytiri in her sleep. 

The expression Kayla gave terrified Neytiri, guilt riddled her mind and heart. She didn't originally care how her words might hurt Spider, but the guilt she felt when her words affected Kayla felt like she took an arrow through the stomach. It only got worse when Neytiri took the time to look around and see everyone else's reactions. Those who mattered most to her, her husband and her children, all had looked at her as though they didn't recognize her. They looked at her as if she was some sort of monster. After spending time to herself, replaying her words to Spider and everyone's faces, Neytiri finally admitted to herself that they were right. She was a monster. She might not be like Quaritch, but she shouldn't go around and pretend she was better than him, especially after they both held a child at knifepoint for the sake of another.

Neytiri had looked down at her reflection in the water that same day -the day Spider called her out- and suddenly realized she no longer recognized herself. Even though there were things no one could blame her for, there were still moments in her life where Neytiri knew she could've done better. Yes, she let her children play with Spider, but she never once acknowledged him. She didn't have to claim him as hers, but she could've at least made the boy feel welcome. She could've invited him to a family dinner at least once, or given a comment or two on how to properly hold a bow when she caught him trying to teach himself. 

So many instances flash over Neytiri's eyes, instances where she could have shown kindness or care to a little orphaned boy who had done nothing but admire her family and love her children with every fiber of his little being. But she didn't. And when she thought back to the young woman she used to be... before Hometree and before her father... before Tsu'tey and Sylwanin... that young woman would have shown such kindness to Spider. By Eywa, that young woman might have even grown to love him as she had grown to love Jake.

Regret will forever be her friend as Neytiri finally comes to accept that she was wrong. Feeling a little more courageous with Kayla's eyes no longer on her, Neytiri spoke up once more, albeit a little more softly, and with the most sincere regret, "I am sorry."

Unaware of Neytiri's internal conflict, Kayla's eyes return to hers, squinting with disapproval, "It's not me you should be apologizing to."

Neytiri pressed her eyes shut for a moment, the guilt bleeding into her expression as her ears pinned back against her skull, "I am sorry to you as well. I had threatened your son. I almost killed him in front of you."

"He's n--" Kayla's words caught in her throat, then she swallowed them down and looked away again, trying to hide the small pain in her voice, "Thank you."

Neytiri nods, voice a little more sure, "I would not be any better than the monster who took my son away from me if I took yours."

Kayla wanted to be firm and agree, but her tongue swelled in her mouth, with something itching at the back of her mind that told her not to sound petty and vindictive. A question kept nagging at her, the same question Kiri once asked her. What would she have done if she was in Neytiri's place that night? It was a scenario she couldn't imagine in her head, even if she could imagine a lot. 

She hesitates, her posture relaxing and less guarded as she softly asks, "Can... can you explain it to me? So that I can try to understand?"

A visible wince flashed over Neytiri's expression, her eyes wide with distress in response to Kayla's question. Neytiri wasn't sure she could describe what she felt... not without breaking down, that is. Then again, it had been the first time anyone had asked her how she felt instead of just assuming and giving her time to herself. She didn't want that anymore. She's had plenty of time to herself, and a part of her was angry at everyone who continued to give her a wide berth. Solitude was something she no longer needed, and she wanted everyone to stop treating her like she was going to break.

Perhaps talking about it was something Neytiri needed just as much as Kayla in order to feel some sort of comfort. The idea makes her take a deep breath and slowly answer, "It is not the same as losing a parent, in my eyes. I lost my father, and even though I miss him every day, we are told that our parents will join Eywa before us and that they will be waiting for us there when we eventually do the same. For a child... it's different. A parent should always go before their child. That should always be the way of things... and that was stolen from me. You might not know this, but you should be prepared for when Ronal has her child. When we are born, the first tsaheylu is with our mother. To form that strong and emotional bond. To lose the first child I ever bonded with--"

Kayla's tail and ears lower, blinking rapidly to contain hidden pain, her imagination running wild with everything Neytiri had described. It helped that Neytiri was trying to explain it... but Kayla couldn't imagine how it must feel for a grieving mother to say all of this out loud.

Neytiri sucks in a sharp, wheezing breath, but it wavers and her lips begin to quiver. Her eyes grow wet with tears as her hand reaches up to try and gently claw at her chest, visibly and verbally shaking, "The pain for my father and even my sister do not compare... I feel as though I have a gaping wound in my chest that will not stop bleeding. It's always there, ever flowing, and I cannot take a breath without remembering it. My baby who I had kept safe inside me for so long... suddenly ripped from my arms before he could find love... or have a family... or be the olo'eyktan he was always meant to be... I had always wanted to see him as a father, and now I will never have that."

Saying it out loud felt as though she was living Neteyam's death all over again. Fresh tears spilled down Neytiri's beautiful face, carving a familiar path down her cheeks as a sob interrupted her explanation. Her chest squeezed painfully, and her sobs only got worse as Kayla suddenly reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, purposely hiding Neytiri's face as the grieving mother continued to cry her heart out, wishing she could just be numb. Neytiri didn't miss the way Kayla buried her own wet face to hide from the world, nuzzled into Neytiri's shoulder. The female Na'vi continued to sob, and even though the grief was still too fresh, it helped to have finally put it all into words. It helped to know that someone was trying to understand her when she felt as though everyone else could only pity her. 

"I'm sorry..." Kayla whispered as Neytiri's cries began to subside, "I could never imagine what that feels like."

Neytiri didn't miss how her shoulder felt wet where Kayla's face lay, and something inside the Na'vi woman snapped into place. She didn't want Kayla to imagine. She didn't even want Kayla to understand because that would mean having her sister-in-law go through the same agony she went through. Neytiri didn't want anyone to go through the loss of a child, let alone her husband's dear sister. The thought of having Kayla go through pain similar to hers nearly brought Neytiri to anger. Determined and dry of her tears, Neytiri pulled away, lifting her hands to rest gently on Kayla's shoulders, fixing her with a sharp eye.

"I do not want you to ever experience this pain. I do not want you to end up like me, ma tsmuke."

Kayla shook her head, "There's nothing that says it's wrong to end up like you. You're a good woman and a good mother. You're fiercely protective of your children. Any mother would thrive if they were even remotely like you," watching doubt and pain creep back up Neytiri's face drives Kayla to quickly add, "And I was wrong if I ever suggested otherwise. I never blamed you for protecting your children, Neytiri."

"I know," the Na'vi woman whispers, eyes briefly lowering to the ground in shame, "But I should have never belittled you for protecting yours."

The two women stand in silence once more, now filled with understanding as two mothers protecting their young. With her newfound determination, Neytiri raises her head high, straightens her posture, and stiffly nods, "If you'll allow me, I will go apologize to the boy."

Kayla is silent for the moment, carefully watching Neytiri before slowly replying, "... I better not hear that you hurt him again."

"You won't." 

And with that, both women nod and part ways. Neytiri moves back in the direction of her ikran while Kayla stands still and watches her leave. Wiping the remaining tear tracks on her face as she walked, a thought crossed Neytiri's mind, making her pause in her tracks. A brief memory of Sylwanin flashes through her mind, happy and glowing as she tells Neytiri that Tsu'tey had begun courting her. It was a small pain in her heart at the memory, a small pinprick of a needle, faint but still causing her heart to bleed at the thought of her sister. Swiftly turning back around, Neytiri briefly sees Sylwanin in the flesh, standing there with a beaming smile before the facade fades, and reverts back to Makayla, whose head was tilted while quizzically watching Neytiri. 

Neytiri's breath stuttered for a moment before the words began to tumble from her mouth, "For what it is worth, ma tsmuke, I am happy for you. If Ronal or Tonowari or either of them hurt you, I will kill them for you."

The words briefly stun Kayla, eyes wide and jaw open with shock, before the spell breaks and she finds herself laughing. The needle in Neytiri's heart fades, along with the pain of her sister's memory. Neytiri found herself smiling as well, proud that she pulled such a reaction from her new sister.

~~~~~~~~~

As promised, Spider came home before dinner, and Kayla looked up from cleaning her AR with a smile, "Hey, kiddo."

"Do you have to do that a lot?" Spider tilts his head down at the weapon with curiosity, then briefly looks back at his charge, "Will it not work otherwise?"

Kayla rolls her lips, unsure of how to explain to a child who prefers the life of a Na'vi compared to humans. She shakes her head, "It could jam, for one. I have to clean it for the same reason you have to eat. It needs to function."

Spider nods and says nothing else, which sounds off a dozen other bells in Kayla's head, quick to understand that his questions and attempt at small talk usually meant something else was going on and he was deflecting. She knows that behavior all too well. She sets the weapon aside and gives all her attention to the teen, knowingly smirking at him, "What's up?"

His eyes immediately dart away, arms folding in around him as if to protect what little there was left to hide. He looked embarrassed, ashamed he had been caught as he mumbled under his breath, "Neytiri apologized."

Her expression melts into something solemn and sincere, nodding once, "I know."

"Did you make her?" He asked with suspicion in his gaze.

"No, but she asked me if she could."

"How come?"

Kayla shrugged, feigning innocence as she tried to play nonchalantly, "I'm guessing she was under the impression I didn't want her anywhere near you."

He stared at her for a while, unconvinced, "Right."

Then he moved on to the next topic, "'You gonna break your link tonight?"

Kayla groaned quietly, playfully rolling her eyes up at the ceiling of the marui, "Yeah. Norm radioed earlier to pester me, and I figured I'd see how everyone was doing. 'You need me to tell him anything?"

"My spares' got plenty of battery. I'll be good for a while. Tell everyone I said hi."

"You got it."

~~~~~~~~~

She wakes in the link bay with a queasy stomach and a splitting headache.

It wasn't nearly as bad as the last time she broke her link, but the moment the blinding lights of the biolab flashed in Kayla's face as the lid of the gurney was lifted, she felt her stomach turn and she had to bite the inside of her cheek. 

Sitting up with a stifled groan, Kayla holds her head in her hand, trying to stop the bright room from spinning. Norm, dutifully standing beside her with his arms crossed, decided not to beat around the bush, even in her weakened state, 

"You can't keep doing this, ya know. Staying back there for long periods of time is going to kill your body here, one day at a time. It's safe to say you've reached the limit of human-avatar links."

"Maybe that's a good thing, Norm," Kayla muttered, able to roll her shoulders back and sit up straight without feeling dizzy, "With data like that, the RDA won't be able to get the go-ahead with building avatars for civilians. This can keep them at bay for a while."

"But it's not a good thing for you, Kayla."

"I know. I just..." she tried waving it off, avoiding Norm's narrowed gaze like a child being scolded, "I just need a little more time."

Norm scoffed, unimpressed, "You're stubborn. Just like your brother."

When that doesn't pull a reaction out of her, Spellman decides to break more bad news, "There's more. Scouts have reported seeing a rogue ikran dressed in military gear flying through the mountains, and it's pretty close to our base. They've confirmed the rider to be Colonel Miles Quaritch."

Clouded eyes flick briefly to Norm, widened with shock before Kayla looks away again, exhaling her opinion, "Fuck."

"I thought maybe you could tell Jake for me when you get back."

Kayla is silent for a few moments before she replies, "No. No, let's not tell him."

"What?" Norm rustled.

"If we tell Jake, he'll just wanna come back and track Quaritch down. Maybe that's what Quaritch wants. Right now, Jake needs to be with his family instead of looking for revenge."

Kayla's eyes return to her friend's, wide and pleading, "Please, Norm. Please don't tell him."

They have a silent stand-off, the occasional sound of machinery breaking said silence. Eventually, Norm's posture sinks in defeat, making him look smaller and older than he actually is, "... Fine."

"Swear it."

"I swear it... unless he asks me."

Kayla scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Fine."

"... When you say you need more time, I meant when I said you're just like your brother."

She silently watched him with confusion but didn't verbally ask what he meant, waiting for him to elaborate. Norm looks off to a far wall, recounting very distant memories he hadn't thought of in years, "He was also running out of time, and he was getting desperate. He said he needed more time; time to see Neytiri again."

When Norm looked back at Kayla, he noticed she was purposely keeping her own gaze glued to the floor, her long matted hair covering most of her face, mumbling to a point where he struggled to hear her, "It's not like that this time."

"You're lying." Norm immediately retorts, taking a gamble on his theory when Kayla doesn't immediately try to defend herself. They both knew she was lying only to herself, and Norm didn't hesitate to point it out, "Something's changed."

Seeing no point in lying or keeping it secret, Kayla sighs, "Tonowari and Ronal have officially asked to court me."

Norm's eyes widen, "And...?"

"I agreed but asked to wait on the rest of it until I'm officially one of the People."

"Smart..." He couldn't help it. He needed to lighten the mood and feel a little smug. Norm deserved that much as a boastful smile spread across his face, "Also 'I told you so.'"

Kayla scowls, her eyes finally looking up at him to express how stolid she felt, "Dick."

He snorts, unaffected, finally moving to sit down next to her on the gurney, "So... do they know about... you know... the fact you can't have kids?"

Her posture visibly stiffened, "It didn't come up, no."

"That's probably something you need to discuss with them, Kayla, and soon."

"I know."

His hand reaches out to lightly tap her knee, "I am not saying that it'll be a deal-breaker for them. I don't think they'll care, to be honest. But you don't keep secrets from the people you love."

"Hey," she nudged him back, trying to force a teasing smile on her face, "Why do you think I'm telling you all this?"

"How sweet," Norm scoffs goodnaturedly, "But that's just you trying to deflect."

~~~~~~~~~

It was strange being able to sleep in the shack again, and even more strange to be the only occupant. Kayla looked around the tiny man-made space, eyes flicking to her bunk, the desk, the small kitchenette, and then the vacant wheelchair she never had the heart to throw out when she first arrived at High Camp. It now lay folded up and leaning against the corner wall, former white letters that spelled 'Sully' now unrecognizable. A fond smile graced her lips when she thought back to the three weeks she and Spider stayed here and the teenager struggled to figure out how to balance on the accessible chair as it rocked on its back wheels. The attempt ended with him falling and rolling backward and leaving Kayla in a fit of uncontrollable laughter that he eventually joined.

The thought of her boy made her chest squeeze uncomfortably for a moment, the feeling of loneliness suddenly very apparent in this small shack. How strange that she was sitting in a place she had once tried to call home, but now she felt homesick for an island that was oceans away, or in her case, one neural link away. Realistically, she could go lay down in a link bay and wake up in her marui, awaken to Spider's nivi swinging slowly just off to the side of hers as he sleeps. Kayla shook her head and smiled to herself, amused at the idea of walking to the link bay only to be intercepted by either Norm or Max, both men who had adamantly told her not to link back until it was early morning in Awa'atlu so both her human and avatar form could receive separate reprieve. 

As much as she would like to entertain the idea of rest, the lingering silence in her shack made it feel as though the walls were closing in around her. Kayla knew she wouldn't be able to sleep if she were alone, so she kept herself busy instead, starting with her overgrown hair.

Looking into the mirror that night, a small sense of normalcy returned when she had managed to cut her hair to the same short length she had when she first arrived on Pandora. While her reflection didn't initially scare her anymore without any matted long hair or sunken eyes, Kayla still had a hard time recognizing the woman in the mirror without blue skin or a piercing yellow gaze. It felt wrong and her skin prickled and itched with this revelation. A twisted part inside of her wanted to try and scratch her face off until she recognized it, but she refrained from doing so, knowing how delusional it sounded. It felt as though she was living in someone else's body and she needed to return to hers despite the logical voice in her head reminding her that she was born in this body, as a human, not a Na'vi, and she was foolish to believe otherwise.

The unrealistic voice in her head argued that there was nothing wrong with being a little foolish.

~~~~~~~~~

Waking in her avatar gave Kayla a wave of relief, sitting up in her hammock and stretching as if she had never left. The worries of the night before are immediately forgotten as she and Spider venture out of the home to search for friends and family.

The three reef children Spider has been associating himself with were the first of the day to greet them, and it was clear that the silent news of the Metkayina's clan leaders' courtship was not lost to their children. Kayla was surprised when Tsireya ran up and hugged the older woman's waist, the girl giddy and unable to contain her bright smile. Spider tilts his head curiously at the interaction but otherwise says nothing. 

Kayla took a peek at the girl's brother and saw a slightly different story. Ao'nung was glaring, but not at Kayla or Spider. Ao'nung was scowling at Rotxo, the latter of whom looked gobsmacked while staring up at Kayla, unable to hide his shock even as he turned to his best friend to see his reaction. Ao'nung only scoffed and shoved Rotxo's surprised face away with one hand, mumbling to Spider that they should get a move on.

"Where are we going?" Spider asked curiously. 

"Father wanted to show you how to weave our fishing baskets."

His play on words wasn't lost to the group, certainly not to Kayla and Spider. The adult avatar managed to hold back the wince at the thought of Spider silently noting how Ao'nung didn't say 'my father', but did her best to pretend she didn't even notice. Instead, Kayla decided to follow Ao'nung and Spider to the chieftain's marui, while Tsireya and Rotxo had split up to do some chores, promising to catch up with the other reef and Sully kids later. 

Tonowari greeted them as they entered, both he and Kayla sharing a secret smile as she crouched down beside him. Having many obligations around the village yesterday, the olo'eyktan had only been able to see Kayla from a distance and had yet to get a better look at how she appeared in her new top apart from what Ronal had described to him. Kayla could tell how much he enjoyed seeing her wearing his courting gift by the way his large hand grazed over her skin, encompassing her back whenever both Ao'nung and Spider were occupied with the task he had given them.

The two teenagers were busy weaving large pieces of what would eventually become a fishing basket between them, taking up a lot of floor space with the amount of dry grass, seaweed, and pliant wood being used to fashion and form such a large item. Tonowari was mostly instructing Spider on how to do it since Ao'nung was already skilled in basket weaving, but the chief's son was also impatient and this served as a way to tame such impulse. The olo'eyktan works effortlessly alongside them, his words gentle yet stern,

"Work together, like brothers. You are building a house. You're building your village. You're building a family."

Kayla restrains her smile, despite how warm her chest felt while watching the three of them work together in weaving. She allowed herself to play at the idea of this image being hers one day without trying to get her hopes up. As she watches Tonowari instruct Ao'nung and Spider to take turns weaving their basket pieces together, she gives into the desire to call them 'my boys'... but only in her head.

~~~~~~~~~

Flashing lights, spinning faster and faster while his eyes are forced wide open to watch, feeling as though something sharp was penetrating his skull, embedding itself into his memories...

His screams go unheard this time, and no one comes to stop the machine, not even Quaritch, as the blood drips from his nose, bare skin cold against metal. Spider feels as though his head is going to explode--

Sitting up in his nivi, Spider finds himself gasping for air while his eyes try to get accustomed to darkness... no flashing lights in sight. His hammock gently swings with him as he moves, his mind taking an embarrassingly long time to remember where he was. Spider takes a bunch of large, greedy gulps of air, his breathing mask hissing in tandem, while he looks around the marui to remember he isn't alone. 

Kayla was sitting up in her hammock and carefully watching him. Spider's mind briefly felt shame for being responsible for waking her, but he was too busy breathing to form an apology. It's not like she would accept it anyway. The two of them have already spent countless nights waking up due to Spider's nightmares, and Kayla has been adamant in assuring him that he wasn't at fault for any of it. Once she knows Spider is aware of her presence, Kayla silently stands up and moves over to the kid, standing over his nivi as he's sitting up, starting to relax.

When trying to talk, his throat felt raw and his voice only added to it, "... Hey."

"Hey," Kayla bravely reaches out to cup the back of his head, her hand a gentle, warm weight that feels a lot better than a cold, metal slab, "Was it the scanner again?"

He nods, but the moment Kayla goes to step away, something inside him panics. It felt stupid and childish, but Spider couldn't stop the impulse that made his arms move around Kayla's torso and pull her into a tight hug, pressing his mask up against her ribs as his body started to uncontrollably shake.

Kayla froze, arms raised in the air with hesitancy, blinking multiple times to ensure she was still wide awake and not just imagining this. The teenager only burrows further into her as if she had just found him lost in a shopping mall. For several seconds, she didn't even dare to breathe so as not to spook him before she eventually began to relax and gently settle her large arms around his shoulders, her voice softer than before,

"Alright... it's alright, Spider. You're safe now. What do you need?"

"Just," Spider huffed, feeling incredibly stupid yet distressed at the same time. He knows he shouldn't be acting so small and meek, but the idea of going back to sleep terrified him, "Talk. About anything."

The marui is filled with silence as Kayla wracks her brain to come up with things to say, and then decides that now might as well be as good of a time as any, especially if it meant helping distract Spider from his nightmares, "... Ronal and Tonowari have asked me to be their mate."

Initially, he's quiet while digesting the news, but he's honestly not surprised. He thinks back to the way both clan leaders and even their children had been treating him differently today and the day before. It explains the certain looks Spider has seen other Metkayina give Kayla and her new attire... and it would possibly explain Neytiri's sudden apology to him.

Instead of pointing all of these signs out to his guardian, Spider just snorts in his mask and keeps his arms around her waist, "I told you so."

"Shut up," Kayla huffed under her breath, but even he could tell there was no heat behind it, especially since her arms only tightened around him, "I'm not taking an 'I told you so' remark from a sixteen-year-old, especially since I already got that from Norm. I'm dense, okay?"

Spider laughed and let the silence linger for a minute before reopening his mouth, "... So? Did you accept?"

"Not entirely. I told them I wanted to wait until after my Iknimaya is complete."

"Makes sense. That's usually the way it goes. Courting sometimes lasts years for the Na'vi, so it's not entirely something they wouldn't be used to. You did the right thing."

Kayla's tail leisurely sways behind her, the tone in her voice sounding hopeful, "You think so?"

He closes his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to feel like a child for once, to be held and comforted before he answers quietly, "Yeah. I do." 

~~~~~~~~~

While it was an honest answer, there were slightly different intentions behind it. Spider was impressed by the way Kayla handled her courtship, and any respectable Na'vi would approve of her mature decision to wait. However, Spider now felt as though he was racing against the clock, and at least this way, he still had some time to prove himself useful.

Now that he was proven right that Ronal and Tonowari did, in fact, wish to mate with Kayla, Spider felt the need to work harder and become a more willing and helpful individual. He did what he could without the ability to connect with a tswin and tried to always give a helping hand whenever and wherever. Offering help wasn't hard, especially if he offered it to Tsireya since she always had something for him to do, but some Na'vi still have a hard time accepting Spider's help for... obvious reasons.

But even if the Metkayina didn't want his help, the human teen wasn't just going to lie down in defeat. He found many ways of helping around the village, either by his friends' side or himself, now that everyone wasn't as worried about leaving him alone. Other than to help with chores, Spider barely spent time with his friends outside of work, too busy trying to keep himself relevant. He wanted-- no, needed to pull his weight, too ashamed of the idea of being useless to the point he would get left behind again. As silly as he felt for still having such fears... it was still warranted. He wanted to give the Metkayina a chance to trust him and consider him a viable part of this village so they wouldn't make him leave. As much as he missed the Forest, he couldn't bear the thought of going back alone. So if his friends and his... guardian were staying here, then so was he, and he was determined to prove that he deserved to stay here.

These thoughts plagued him almost every waking moment and thus distracted him from the world around him. While Spider was busy gutting and cleaning some fish Lo'ak had caught, he was approached by the very clan leaders he sought to impress, but hadn't noticed their presence until they spoke,

"Hello, Spider."

Spider's posture straightens instinctively in response to Tonowari's strong voice. Looking to his right, the teenager glanced up and met eyes with the olo'eyktan, standing tall beside his mate and greeting the boy with a pleasant smile. Spider stood up and appropriately greeted the clan leaders with a gesture of his hand and a small, almost sheepish smile, "Hello."

"Is your bow of any use?"

It was difficult to see behind the mask, but Tonowari could've sworn Spider's eyes brightened at the mention of his bow, "It's solid and nicely made. Thanks again."

"Of course."

Spider briefly glanced at the silent Ronal, and he felt as though he imagined  the smile on the tsahik's face and quickly looked away to pretend he didn't see it, "Uh... is there anything I can do for you two?"

While Ronal may or may not have been smiling, Spider dared to describe Ronal's tone as sounding almost light when she spoke, "There might be."

Tonowari chuckled at her being vague and decided to specify for the boy who looked between the two of them with such confusion, "We came to ask for your blessing."

The boy tilts his head, "My... blessing?"

"To court your guardian, Makayla te Suli."

Spider appeared uneasy by their motive, crossing his arms over his chest while the confusion was still evident, "Why are you asking me? Shouldn't you be asking Jake?"

Ronal snorts lightheartedly, "Makayla has been vocal about who we should and shouldn't be asking for permission. It's not her brother's approval she wants, it's yours."

He stood there, motionless, trying to figure out the ever-growing puzzle in his head that was made in Kayla's image. He didn't know why she would tell both of her future mates to seek him out over Jake, someone who was related to her by blood, despite their differences. While Spider understood that Makayla felt responsible for him, that didn't mean he was suddenly entitled to any life-changing decisions she had to make. It's not like her decision to join Ronal and Tonowari's family would affect Spider... much.

The idea of being left in an empty marui came to mind, but he quickly stomped the image down, glancing off toward the ocean as he finally gave the two clan leaders his answer, "Then... yeah, I guess it's fine."

~~~~~~~~~

They must have told Kayla his answer, because once she returned home, Spider was met with a cautious look in her eyes,

"And you're really okay with this?" She asked without even greeting him.

Knowing what she was talking about without even asking, Spider only looked at her with the same confusion he had given Ronal and Tonowari, "Yeah?"

"Kid, I'm not doing anything that's going to make you uncomfortable."

Guilt ate away at his stomach, his sole purpose of trying to remain useful to the Metkayina still at the forefront of his mind. He didn't want Kayla to hold herself back for the sake of his comfort. That would only make him a burden and that was the last thing he wanted. He needed to prove that he didn't need her should the day come when she moved into the chieftain's marui and he was left behind.

Trying to keep his expression neutral, Spider tried to explain this to her without having to go into detail about his insecurities, "They're going to be your family someday, not mine."

Realization dawns on Kayla as her eyes widen, "Is that what you want?" When he doesn't answer, keeping his head lowered, Kayla tries a different approach when she feels as though she was onto something, "'Cause personally, I'd rather have you with me on this. I go where you go, kiddo and anyone who gets with me will have to deal with that."

Stunned, he looked up at her with disbelief, unable to help how accusatory his voice sounded, "Why? Why do you care so much?"

There it is. A question that should've been asked a long time ago, but Spider had always been afraid to ask, so confident that he wouldn't like the answer. As for Kayla, she had always been afraid of the day he'd finally ask her because she wasn't sure if she would be able to say the right thing or even give an honest answer. Half the time, she knew she was winging it when it came to taking care of Spider, but... isn't that what most people have been telling her parenting is all about? As much as she wished to continue being stubborn about it or outright refuse it, Kayla had to admit to herself that even if she would never be Spider's mother, she was the closest thing he had to a parental figure. And... she knew, deep down, that's what she wanted but she had been putting her own wants aside if it meant that's not what Spider wanted.

But clearly, he wanted to make sense as to why she wanted him to be comfortable with their new clan leaders, along with everything that came with them, so finally, Kayla took a deep breath and put it all out on the table, "Because you're a kid, Spider, and you deserve a family. I'm asking you if I can officially be your family. And who knows, maybe one day Ronal, Tonowari, and their kids could be your family."

Spider sucked in a sharp breath of air without realizing it, the soft hiss of his mask filling the marui. His nerves made him want to instinctually laugh it off like she was joking, but he didn't picture Kayla to be the kind of person who joked about such things, especially when he was involved. Replaying her words in his head, he almost believed he imagined it; like it was muffled in the back of his mind because that's what he wanted to hear her say... and yet the words had matched up with her mouth as she spoke... had he imagined it?

There was a small, nasty voice in the back of his head telling him that of course, he imagined it because why in her right mind would Kayla want to be his family? He's nothing but trouble and Kayla was being courted by the leaders of the Metkayina, two respected individuals whose image would surely be ruined by Spider's very presence. 

Another small, more kind voice in his head told Spider that Kayla was right and that he deserved to have a family. Sure, it might not be the family he was born into or the family he had wanted practically his whole life, but it could be his, the family he actually needed. He thought of Ao'nung and Tsireya, two Na'vi who had become such unlikely friends... and yet they could be more? Ronal and Tonowari, who have been decent to him, could potentially be more?

Of course, there's also Kayla, the female avatar who looked unsure as she stood before Spider, staring down at him with fear as if she had said the wrong thing. He couldn't possibly hope that this was her intention, and so he swallowed the dryness in his throat before hesitantly replying,

"So... you're not asking if I'm comfortable about this for... other reasons?"

She frowned, "What other reasons?"

"I don't know..." he shrugged and found himself looking away, sheepish to admit it, "I thought you were asking me all this to make sure I would be okay with getting left alone again when you inevitably go to be with them."

He didn't see the way Kayla's eyes briefly widen in horror before she cursed under her breath, crouching down beside him while bravely placing a hand on his shoulder to gain his attention, "Shit, Spider-- I'm sorry. I can see why that looked bad. No, I'm not leaving you alone just because I intend on seeing someone. I take my responsibilities very seriously, thank you very much."

Ah, yes. Responsibilty. That's who he was to Kayla. It was a good reminder for Spider not to get his hopes up, a reminder that Kayla was a parental figure, but she could never be more than that. He didn't dare glance over at the bookshelf where his mother's picture was displayed, not wanting Kayla to misinterpret anything. 

"... Okay."

Kayla's eyebrows furrow, trying not to appear hopeful, "Okay?"

He nods, "Okay."

Kayla smiled then, more confidently and unaware of Spider's hidden thoughts, but he smiled back, regardless. She squeezed his shoulder once more before pulling away, humming with a small, playful tone in her voice as she mentioned, "You know, eventually we'll have to move in with them, right? Are you comfortable with that? You know that families usually pile together at night."

Spider's face slowly begins to contort with uncertainty, "... You and I aren't used to that."

"Nope. We're not."

Nervously, he smiles, "Shit. Is that a dealbreaker?"

The laughter Kayla let out was cheerful and full of life. It was also contagious as Spider found himself laughing as well, and despite his doubt, there was a small bit of weight that had to been lifted from his shoulders. Despite being unsure of what the future holds for him... at the very least, there was going to be someone to keep him safe. Whether or not Kayla could be his family she mentioned, there was also the uncertainty of whether or not the clan leaders and their children would think the same. Either way, his acceptance clearly made Kayla happy, and he didn't want to ruin that with his insecurities. 

~~~~~~~~~

If there's one thing Jake can confidently say about his sister, it's that if she wants him to know something, she'll tell him. 

It was obvious to everyone that Kayla was not afraid to tell Jake whatever she was thinking. She's not afraid to speak her mind to him, no matter how brutal, and while there are times that Jake secretly appreciates it, lately it's been disheartening due to recent... obvious incidents.

So, when Kayla avoided him for two days, Toruk Makto enjoyed the peace and quiet, but Neytiri gave him a knowing expression that told him he wasn't being very true to himself in those moments. He eventually had to admit to himself that the silence was getting to him and he would've preferred his little sister yelling at him than straight up avoiding his presence. He eventually gave in and sought her out on the third day. 

He finds his sister in her marui with Spider that morning, rolling up their separate nivi and getting prepared for the day ahead. Jake watches them for a moment, still unsure of how to address them if neither was going to admit they were mother and son, before announcing his presence. Kayla, once laid back and content, ready to face the day, now looked tense and wary at the sound of her brother's voice. Jake tried not to let it bother him, keeping his expression neutral as he offered to assist Kayla with any chores she had.

She agreed, with reluctance, and moved to meet him in the doorway. Jake did his best to keep his face impassive, but he struggled when Kayla walked close enough to the point he could catch a whiff of her scent. It was by no means her own, or the one Jake had affiliated as his sister whenever she was near. It smelled familiar, but it wasn't Kayla's and while it was faint, it was definitely new. It bothered him for a moment as both he and Kayla walked out of the marui together,his brain trying to conjure where he had smelled that particular scent before. While Jake wanted to mention it, he wisely doesn't say a word for many reasons. The whole scent debacle was a Na'vi thing and he could understand if Kayla wasn't entirely comfortable about the concept, and she may not understand it fully herself. 

And like before, he knows that if there's something Kayla wants him to know, she'll tell him.

Kayla had asked Jake to help her with a canoe she's been wanting to make for a while now, and so together they conjured up the necessary supplies and started hauling it all back to her pod. She trailed behind Jake, silent for the most part, and the tension in the air was palpable, almost worse than the silent treatment she had been giving her brother for a few days. Jake knew something was right on the tip of her tongue, practically hearing the gears in her head without even needing to see her face as he walked in front of her. It was the same, intense silence he remembered experiencing when she was younger, right before she came out to her brothers. Tommy, ever the nurturing sibling, was worried for Kayla and had gently told her that if there was something she'd like to get off her chest, he and Jake would always hear her out, and no matter what, they would always be there for her.

Jake felt his chest squeeze painfully at the memory, so he was glad to distract himself from it when Kayla's voice suddenly spoke up from behind him,

"Jake."

He continued to walk towards her home as it drew near, ear tilted back in her direction, over his shoulder, "Hm?"

"There's something I got to tell you--" 

She paused, and before Jake could ask her to elaborate, a soft thud from behind him gently rattled the woven pathway beneath his feet, followed by the sound of a large splash. Jake frowned and turned back around, only for his sister to no longer be standing there. In her place, was the basket of supplies she had been carrying, the contents spilled across the walkway and even rolling into the water below, the soft plopping sound of small items crashing into the water filling the air while Kayla was nowhere to be seen.

Something heavy falls in Jake's gut, as his ears point up and dance around in alertness. He reacts fast by quickly setting down his items and sprinting to the edge of the path, looking down into the water.

"Kayla!"

He sees a small shadow, quickly growing smaller as it sinks further into the water. It was the only thing that crossed his mind before diving into the sea.

The loud splash followed by Jake's distressed voice calling out to Makayla grabbed Spider's attention and steps out of the kelku, just in time to see the revered Toruk Makto diving straight into the water, abandoning baskets full of spilled supplies all along the pathway in his panicked rush. Spider's heart plummets in the five seconds Jake was underwater, and when the older man had yet to break the surface, Spider found himself running down the woven path toward the spot Jake had jumped from, even if he didn't believe he could be much help to a large, full-sized Na'vi, fearing the worst.

By the time Spider reached the deserted supplies scattered across the walkway, Jake had finally resurfaced, gasping for air while water spilled into his eyes and ears. The former marine struggled to paddle with just one arm back toward the path walk while trying to keep a fully grown female avatar afloat, her closed eyes doing nothing to help the panic begin to eat away at her brother's chest.

Despite being small, Spider scrambled to help Jake lift Kayla's body out of the water, hooking his arms underneath hers and lifting with all his might with a soft grunt. Jake helped by lifting Kayla's legs out of the water, and once she was lying across the pathway on her back, Jake lifted himself out of the water before frantically crawling over to her, gently shoving Spider out of Kayla's space so he could inspect her for injuries.

Nothing visible appeared to be wrong with her, but Kayla's eyes remained closed and when Jake initially dragged her out of the water, he couldn't help but notice how lifeless her body moved. Or, in a sense, didn't move.

"Hey!" Jake practically yelled in her face, his hand beginning to gently pat her cheek, only for the motion to grow into harsher slaps the longer she refused to open her eyes.

The panic that was beginning to rise up to Jake's throat only added to the stern, angry tone in his voice as he yelled at his sister's face, "Heyheyhey, wake up. Kayla!"

"Kayla?" Spider's voice called out, less afraid of sounding panicked while fear was evident behind his mask when directing his attention to Jake, "What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know..." Jake initially replied before pausing his train of thought, a sinking feeling of familiarity washing over him when he started to analyze Kayla's symptoms and recognize the signs. It had been over a decade... but he'd seen this happen before, and the thought scared him.

"Spider, do you have your flashlight?"

Without asking for an explanation, Spider hands him the flashlight he kept in a small pouch of necessities he had tied around his loincloth.

"There we go..." Jake mutters under his breath almost as if trying to soothe and reassure himself, turning on the flashlight before leaning over Kayla's face. He takes his free hand and forces one of her eyelids to peel back, shining the bright light directly into her eye before moving on to the other one. 

Her pupils don't move or even dilate, confirming Jake's growing fear, "Shit. She's not in there."

"What?" Spider croaked, suddenly hating the way his eyes felt warm.

"She's not in there," Jake automatically explained, "Something or someone interrupted her link." 

Jake tries catching his breath, willing himself to regain a bit of self-control. He didn't want to assume the worst, but at the very least, Kayla wasn't dead, and her avatar didn't appear to be injured. For all he knew, Kayla had simply woken up hundreds of miles away, among their human allies and the Omatikaya. He'll just have to make a call back to High Camp and they can sort out this small situation. Nothing major... 

He kept telling himself that as he bent down and lifted Kayla up into his arms, supporting her back and the crook of her legs while trying to maneuver around Spider, "Hang on-- watch out. Let's get her back to my place." 

Spider dutifully follows, bounding down the woven path just to be able to catch up to Jake's long strides, the boy's eyes never leaving Kayla's avatar, "What do we do?"

"Let me try and contact Norm."

The walk back to the Sully marui felt like forever, with Jake trying to stamp down his growing anxiety the longer it took to get back. When they finally arrived, Jake and Spider brought Kayla inside only to find themselves alone, with no one else home. Jake gently lays Kayla down and immediately beelines for his long-range radio, gripping the device harshly as he speaks into it,

"Dirty Falcon, Dirty Falcon, do you read me? This is Devil Dog, over."

Jake releases the button and waits, the pod filled with static and silence. Spider kneels down beside Kayla's head, staring at Jake's radio with a rising, fluttering feeling in his chest that makes chills rise across his skin. As he and Jake continued to sit in silence, the lack of response on Norm's end was palpable.

Jake could hear his own heart racing in his ears as he brought the radio to his mouth once more, "Norm, it's Jake. Are you there? Norm?"

Silence.

"Norm? Norm?"

~~~~~~~~~

He wasn't sure how many times he had tried calling High Camp as minutes turned into hours. Whether it was six or seven attempts, Toruk Makto had begun to inspect the radio to ensure it was even working, not wanting to entertain the thought that something might be wrong on the other end of the communication. Each time he spoke into the radio and then stopped to wait for a response, he couldn't help the glances he'd send over to Spider. Each time, as the silence lingered between each call, the teenager's face only fell further and it made Jake's chest feel like lead. By the time the suns were at the highest peak in the sky, the village stirred with whispers about Makayla te Suli's collapse. As people gradually learned what had happened, Jake found his home being bombarded with not only his wife and children as they raced back to the pod but other Na'vi as well, much to his surprise. 

Some of his children's friends were also present. Ao'nung and Tsireya were with Lo'ak when they heard about what happened to Kayla and immediately came running back to the marui with him, concern etched on their young faces. Jake watched with confusion as the reef siblings moved like a well-oiled machine. Ao'nung, as if on instinct, knelt down beside Spider, inspecting Kayla's avatar while Tsireya sternly let Lo'ak know that she was going to fetch her parents.

Jake heard this but didn't register the words until the young girl was already heading out the door, and by then it was already too late to stop her. Lo'ak quickly distracted his father from his racing thoughts when he asked what had happened to his aunt. By the time Jake recounted the events, the rest of the Sullys were speeding into the marui and Tsireya had returned with the clan leaders. 

Ronal was like a tidal wave as she bounded into the Sullys' home, a fearsome expression in her eyes that would immediately make any normal man flinch had Jake not been exposed to Grace Augustine's own ferocity, 

"And why have you brought her back here instead of to me?"

"Because she's not injured and this has nothing to do with spirituality," Jake found himself saying robotically, instinctively falling into the role of Toruk Makto to help him not acknowledge the hidden anxiety deep in his gut, "Makayla's human form must have woken up and that's why she collapsed here. She's... she's no longer possessing this body."

Tonowari hovers over his mate like a protective shadow as she bends down over Kayla's avatar, the olo'eyktan's eyes hardened with determination to find a solution as he addresses Jake, "Is that normal?"

Jake's ears pin back, eyes unfocused for a moment, "No, it's not. This only happens if someone is forced out of their Na'vi body. I've seen it before."

Ronal grabs Kayla's chin to tilt the avatar's head to look up at her, "Makayla? Makayla, can you hear me?"

The formality had puzzled Jake for a moment, staring oddly at the tsahik as she continued to carefully inspect his sister's avatar. Peering over at his wife, he noticed Neytiri looking back at him, waiting patiently with her tail gently swaying behind her, the way she normally looked when she expected him to figure something out. Whatever it was, it would have to wait as Jake shook his head and turned back toward the radio, making contact his first priority. 

"Dirty Falcon, Dirty Falcon, do you read me? This is Devil Dog, over." Jake pressed into the radio before letting go of the button, not as enthusiastic for a reply.

"What is happening?" Tonowari questioned.

"I've been trying to reach our human allies with the Omatikaya all afternoon, but so far no one's responding."

"And I take it that is not normal either?"

A shadow falls over Jake's eyes as he glares into the piece of technology in front of him, "No."

"J-- Jake! We have a situation."

A familiar voice suddenly buzzes through the device before being abruptly cut off. The whole room stills as if time had stopped. Jake hadn't noticed he was holding his breath as he stared down at the radio until his lungs burned and his heart squeezed painfully in his chest. With a start, Jake greedily sucks in air as he quickly moves to grab the radio,

"Norm, what's going on?" He harshly demands, "What happened?"

"Lab compromised-- can't--"

The connection cuts off again but Jake doesn't give up, desperate for an answer, "Norm! Come on... Norm, do you copy? Where's Kayla?" 

"She... She's gone!"

The air completely sucks out of his lungs, his brain scrambling for a reasonable explanation. He didn't have to look around to know that everyone else would be panicked and concerned as well. Ronal had stood up straight once more, standing near Kayla's feet as her expression reared back with affliction, her eyes darting to Tonowari as they both shared a look of genuine fright. Spider noticed their exchange out of the corner of his eye before looking back down at the body in front of him, his chest feeling tight as the news sunk in, his small hand leaning near Kayla's as if afraid that touching her hand would somehow evaporate her avatar's form. The lightest brush of skin against his elbow let him know that Ao'nung was still right beside him.

Jake could feel the rushing of his heartbeat pulsing loudly in his ears as he absorbed the information. All other rational thoughts jump out the window as he suddenly snaps and growled into the communication device, "What do you mean 'gone?' Norm, what the fuck happened?"

Neytiri didn't even have the heart to chastise her husband for such language in front of the children, her own mind spiraling at all of the possibilities that might have befallen her people, let alone Kayla. Tuk's hand instinctively reaches up to grab her mother's when she feels the older woman's distress, the air stale with tension as all eyes are fixed on the radio. 

"I had to force an emergency shutdown on Kayla's link in progress," Norm finally manages to explain without the connection cutting him off, "High Camp had to evacuate because we thought our location might've been compromised. We all scattered and ran to hide and avoid capture, but when we made it to the rendevous she didn't show up-- And... she's not here, Jake. We went back to camp when the coast was clear and Kayla is the only one not accounted for."

That could mean anything, but Jake wasn't ready to make any conclusions until he got the full story, "Who compromised High Camp?"

"Quaritch."

The room felt silent once more, dread swimming in Jake's gut as he closed his eyes and heaved a large, exhausted sigh. One of his ears flicked in the direction he knew Kiri was kneeling down to wrap her arms protectively around Spider without even having to look. 

"He had been sighted scouting the Hallelujah Mountains for days prior to this. We thought he might've finally found us so we dispersed."

Jake's head spun with emotions, trying not to let anger get the better of him as he clutched the radio, "Why didn't you call in these sightings to me? I would've come back."

"Because we thought he was after YOU, Jake. If you had come running back, he would've been there, waiting for you."

He took a deep breath, "Do we know for sure Quaritch has Kayla?" 

"We're still looking, but... look-- Kayla grabbed a radio before we split up and scattered. There was a tracker, and when we got back, Max tried to access it, but the signal was lost nearly halfway to our rendevous point. If Quaritch snatched her, he could be anywhere by now."

"... So why Kayla? Did he take her to get to me?"

"That's what I thought originally. But Jake-- we don't think he's reporting back to Ardmore anymore."

Norm's words clearly surprise Jake, eyes briefly widening before they return to their normal shape. Unaware of Jake's reaction, Norm's voice continues to come in through the radio, "We've been monitoring RDA radio chatter and there were never any indicators that he never called in a strike against the camp. Ardmore didn't send an army, it was just him. I think he acted alone on this, against Ardmore's orders. Or maybe she doesn't know about it. All I know is he's after something or someone, whether it's you or something else, he knows that Kayla has what he wants."

Jake feels a weight of revelation sink in his stomach, slowly peering over his shoulder, only to find that Spider was already looking back at him. As expected, Kiri was kneeling behind her best friend and her long blue arms encompassed the human teen's shoulders, tightening further when her father's gaze landed on them. Spider doesn't move or even breathe for that matter, the kid's eyes wide with what could only be described as fear. 

"I think I know what he's after," Jake muttered back into the radio, his eyes never leaving Spider's, "Let me get back to you with a plan, Norm."

He cuts contact on the radio and rushes to stand up. Kiri, assuming the worst after seeing the look in his eye when he gazed at Spider, speaks up before her father can even say a word, "Dad, you can't leave her! Not like when you left Spider!"

Jake winced, an apologetic expression directed at the boy in question before he straightened his posture, looking around at the room of Na'vi all staring at him expectedly. The weight of Toruk Makto was heavy on his shoulders once more... only this time it felt worse. The fear of failure was worse.

Quaritch likely has Kayla, and the very thought of the Recom holding his sister hostage brought that same, deep-rooted fear he had festered when Quaritch had taken his daughters. The haunted image of Quaritch's knife against Kayla's throat when they were fighting on the ship didn't help that fear. Looking over and meeting Neytiri's eyes, Jake saw that same haunted expression on her face, the look of someone who had lost so many of her loved ones to the colonel. Quaritch was responsible for her father's death, and the lives that were lost when Hometree fell. Quaritch was responsible for Tsu'tey, for Grace, for Trudy... Neteyam... Hell, he might have been the one held responsible for the death of Neytiri's sister, Sylwanin.  

Turning back and taking one look at Spider's pleading eyes, Jake was desperate to ensure that Kayla wouldn't be added to Quaritch's growing list. 

Jake's expression hardened, hiding away his thoughts while addressing Kiri, "I won't, baby girl. Not this time." 

~~~~~~~~~

A/n: In between chapters, I asked for a couple of commissions from the following:

I'd like to thank @sullyfortress for this beautiful masterpiece of Kayla!

And @rocklobster0 for making this cute chibi art of Kayla/Tonowari/Ronal! You guys are amazing individuals and are so gifted😍Thank you so much!

[theregencywriter]

Omg omg omg wait wait wait idk if anyone ever done this before but imagine meeting Colin on his travels and he thinks he'll never see you again so like yall might have shared a kiss 🤭 and then when Colin goes back him for the season and sees you his brain just short circuits and he's just shocked and his family have no idea why lol

Idk I would just love to see that lmao I love seeing Colin in distress when it comes to the women he loves

Over the sandy dunes - Colin Bridgerton X Reader

A/n : I love this request!!!! I saw it pop up in my inbox and I just HAD to write it ASAP, thank you so much for the request <3

When Colin Bridgerton left London to escape all of the recent turbulent events, he felt he could breathe again. With no Lady Whistledown looking over his shoulder or a hundred debutantes wishing for a dance, he could simply relax. It was in his sixth week abroad when he took rest along the shores of a beach in Greece. He had woken up early to catch the morning sun rise and be alone with his thoughts. He liked the guides he had, but to find true solitude with no one around was a rarity even in the smallest of towns. Laying on his back he stared up at the sky as the stars retreated upwards into the deep blue, and as the first rays of light pricked his noses and ran into his eyes he sat up to gaze upon the marvel.

His view, however, was obstructed. Up ahead was a woman on the beach, standing close to the thrashing sea and wearing a light dress with a lilac shawl that was tussling with the burgeoning winds. Normally he would have hated this interruption as he had woken up early specifically to be alone, but when looking at her form and how she seemed to sway ever so delicately he couldn't help but advance.

“Lovely day, isnt it?” As he uttered these words she quickly spun around in shock, making him realise he was probably far too close for comfort ad taking a step back. As she assessed the moment and relaxed  she spoke. “Yes, it is beautiful. I’m sorry, I thought I was alone here.” Colin chuckled. “Did you not see me laying down mere metres behind you?” She joined him in a laugh. “I have been walking along the shore for quite a while now. I fear my gaze was fixed on the horizon, nothing could break me from it.” 

A moment of silence fell between them. “Colin Bridgerton” he reached out his hand. “I am unsure if I can give you my familial name, but please, call me Y/n.” She gave him her hand and he planted a soft kiss onto it. “You speak with a similar accent, are you from London?” He enquired. “Not quite. I do have relatives in the city, but I live further North, close to Lincoln.”

Colin broke a smile. “Ah, well then, that explains it.” She looked at him, puzzled yet entertained. “Explains what?”

“Well I was unsure of how I could have never seen a face as beautiful as yours during a ball.” She looked down, and bit her lips. “If I may be honest, I was meant to debut this year, but I find the whole event to be pure drabble.” They shared a laugh. “In truth, I much prefer this to a ball. Endless exploration available at my very fingertips. It’s a wonder, is it not?” She looked at him, then towards the sunset, and she was returning his gaze once more he took her in, kissing her as she cupped his face.

This lasted for only a second before he pulled away. “I apologise, that was improper.” “Mr Bridgerton it was-” Another voice called down towards them from Colins residence. “Mr Bridgerton, there is a matter you must attend to!” Despite looking at his forlorn beau, he ran up the sandy dunes and over the hill, leaving Y/n alone.

Hours later, after sitting with the incident and realising he hadn’t allowed her to speak he ordered a carriage. According to his guided there was only one possible place anyone of her status could stay close by, but when he arrived he was informed that the family had left earlier on in the day, whilst refusing to give them their whereabouts. Upon his return to England he attempted to find her. Asking around if her name was known but without her last name, his efforts turned up nothing.

—

Colin fidgeted with his cuff, it had been slightly wrinkled earlier on yet he had no time to change it. He was never really a fan of these events, but knowing that Y/n detested them as well made it worse. The one event they conversed about, yet the subject was how she did not intend to be in attendance. His stomach churned thinking about it. How could he have left? No no, not just left, run up the dunes to get away from her. He had to take a breath and stop himself. It had been a year, he thought, he must move on. As he calmed and took a moment the doors swung open to announce another guest.

“Lady L/n and her daughter, Miss Y/n L/n”

His gaze was transfixed on her. As she came down the stairs her hand grasped by Colin, already a couple of steps up from his eagerness. “Miss Y/n, I believe I owe you a dance” He proclaimed, stroking her finger as he did and wondering about her ring size.

[cameronspecial]

When Love Turns To Tolerance

Pairing: Drew Starkey x Reader

Warnings:  N/A

Pronouns: She/Her

Word Count: 1.0K

Summary: There used to be love between Y/N and Drew, but now, she only sees the ghost of their love when she is around him.

A/N: This is inspired by "Tolerate It" by Taylor Swift

Masterlist

Y/N has always seen Drew in colour. The vibrant blue hues of his iris, the slight tan of his skin from days in the sun when he is surfing and the golden glow of his hair from the light coming into the room. She would use her best watercolours for her mental portrait of him. And he used to do the same for her. She could see his love for her while the image of her was reflected in his eyes. Now, she can tell all he sees is black and white when he looks at her. It’s like all the cones in his eyes have transformed into rods, making him see her in a duller way. He thinks she doesn’t notice his small changes, but she does because he is her mural and she knows every detail of it. 

Her eyes flutter open to see his eyes still closed. The soft rise and fall of his chest captivates her. She used to like watching him sleep. The serenity of knowing that the person she loves is peacefully asleep in his dream. Now, she loves it. It’s the only time when she can’t see the plain tolerance in his eyes and lets herself pretend that they are still what they used to be. Eventually, his eyes widen and he gets up out of bed. He doesn’t stay beside her in bed for just a few more minutes. He doesn’t kiss her good morning. He doesn’t chuckle when he notices her gaze already on him. He just rolls out of bed and heads to the bathroom to get ready for the day. 

——

They finished eating breakfast together. He washes the dishes while she is polishing their plates until they sparkle with the towel. She hums the melody of “For The First Time” by Mac DeMarco, hoping he would sing along with her. Chores used to be filled with songs and laughter. They would make games out of who could match their pile of socks faster or who could slide across the freshly mopped floor the farthest. She looks at him and is met with a blank stare. His hands soaking in the water as he removes the sods from the plate. She hates the silence, but it seems every attempt she makes at breaking it, Drew isn’t interested in it. 

——

She returns from the store and finds Drew on the couch, reading Dune. He doesn’t look up from his book. He hasn’t for about a month. Every time she walks into the room she hopes he will though. She wants him to look up at him with the gleam in his and the soft smile she loves so much. She misses it. But when he doesn’t do it this time, something in her just snaps. She doesn’t move from where she is standing, “When did your love turn to tolerance?” He looks up from his book. His eyebrows knit together in confusion but mostly annoyance at being interrupted. “Wh-what are you talking about?” he questions, putting his book down to give her his full attention for probably the first time in months. She feels herself start to cry, “When did you first look at me and saw just the woman you tolerated instead of the woman you love? Or please, tell me that I misunderstood. Tell me that it is all in my head.” Every single thing she has been keeping inside of her until now is finally coming out. 

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he tries to play dumb. Like her, he is in denial of the changes he felt. He knows he doesn’t feel the same way about her, but she is a routine to him. He is scared to lose something familiar. They are both too scared to admit the truth: he fell out of love with her a long time ago and she is sick of living in this limbo. She shakes her head, “Just be honest with me, please. Because I know something has changed.” “I honestly don’t know,” he explains. “I don’t think it just turned off like a light switch. I think I just slowly started to stop believing you were the one for me.” She knew it was coming, yet it still felt like a dagger to her back. 

“Was it something I did?” 

He shakes his head, not being able to find words to describe his feelings, “No, it wasn’t anything about you or what you did. It was more of a realization. I realized the stuff I thought I wanted in a relationship wasn’t what I wanted.” She takes a second to process his words and feels as though her heart is being squeezed. “Right and were you ever going to tell me? Because we both know it is obvious you don’t love me anymore,” she questions, running her fingers through her hair. He shrugs, “Y/N, I never really thought about it until this conversation. I felt the change but never took the time to examine it. I didn’t want to believe that something was different for me.” “Okay, well what are we going to do now that we are talking about it?” she provokes.

“I don’t know. Maybe nothing needs to change? Maybe this is just a passing feeling?”

“Drew, you may be able to live with your tolerance forever. But I can’t keep being a footnote in your thoughts when you are the content of my whole story.” 

“You’re right. You deserve better than someone who can’t love you with the same ferocity.”

“So this is it? We aren’t going to fight any harder for us?”

“I guess we aren’t. For what it’s worth, Y/N, I really did love you. It just wasn’t the type of love that was permanent.”

And then he leaves in a heartbeat. She is left in tears, watching as the man who was her sky and heart leaves her behind. She knows she is the one to bring it upon them. They probably could’ve gone on for months maybe years in denial, but she knows that when love turns to tolerance, she can’t keep letting her love go uncelebrated. So she had to be the one who broke down the column and brought their temple down to ruins. 

Taglist: @winterrrnight @loves0phelia

[where-theres-smoak-2]

Paul x Chani Relationship Analysis/Thoughts

If you all thought I was done posting about Dune, I'm not, obsession is still going strong. But this time I want to talk more in depth about Paul and Chani's relationship, and by talk I mean gush and maybe cry a little about it. Their romance is so well written that it really does make you feel a whole spectrum of feelings from fluffy adorableness to heartbreaking devastation.

Right from their very first meeting this relationship is interesting and compelling because of the dreams Paul has of her beforehand, even before he ever sets foot on Arrakis he has visions of her. Because these visions are so intriguing, sometimes being very dreamy and kind of romantic, and sometimes being really disturbing where she is stabbing him and taking his life, just like Paul we ourselves are interested in Chani, in who she is, what these visions are and so it creates an anticipation within the audience for their first meeting long before it happens.

When that first meeting does happen you can see that look of recognition in his eyes. For him this meeting is very different than it is for her. This is the girl he has been dreaming about for a long time now, he tells Mother Mohiam that he has dreamt of her many times, so he's had even more visions than even we have seen. So this moment is one that for him has been long awaited, he already feels a deep connection with her because of those dreams, I would even argue that he already has some romantic feelings for her too, considering the way they look at each other in those dreams and visions. For Chani though, he's a stranger, an outsider and even a threat. I do think that she feels some connection, some intrigue towards him though. She says 'they say you are the Mahdi' so she has heard of him before their meeting and so I think that has piqued her interest, I also suspect, as she isn't a believer herself she felt some negative feelings towards this unknown outsider that people are calling Lisan al gaib. Then she meets Paul and he isn't at all what she was expecting, which I think only makes her more curious about him.

Another really interesting scene between them is right before his duel with Jamis when Chani gives him her crysknife. Despite clearly having no confidence in him, which to be fair to her it did look like a strong desert wind could blow him right over, he was tired and traumatised when they met, she still gave him that blade and I think that is really significant. That blade isn't only sacred to her people but she says that her great-aunt gave it to her, which means it is of personal sentiment to her as well. It's really interesting to me that she chose to give him the blade considering the fact that she doesn't believe in the prophecy and when he is an outsider who she clearly thinks is about to die. I think maybe the reason why is because she has some respect for him because of the way he is protecting his mother and because he stood up as her champion. It's clear that Chani has a lot of respect for fighters, she puts a lot of value in a person based on their skills as a warrior, which makes sense considering her fedaykin background. I think she recognised his bravery in standing up as champion and so she has enough respect for him to want him to die with honour. The best way she can aide him in this is by giving him her own crysknife.

After she gives him the crysknife there is a moment when she turns to leave and he calls her back. You can see that he really wants to say something to her but is struggling to find the words. I love this moment because again it shows how Paul wants to make a connection with her, because of the dreams he had and because he already feels linked to her, but he just doesn't know where to begin to explain it, how do you tell someone that you were dreaming about them before you ever even met them? I also think Paul was maybe looking for a way to ground himself, in most of his visions Chani was acting as a guide for him, she's leading him and showing him the way, so to me it would make sense in this moment when he is confronted with this duel that could end in his death, that he would search for some comfort in her.

Another scene I really love is after he has killed Jamis in the duel, we see him walking through the small crowd of fremen and they are all patting his shoulders showing him honour and respect. There is that really beautiful shot of Chani climbing off the rock, its in slow motion and the wind is blowing causing her clothes and hair to flutter in the wind and it just looks so ethereal. Then it flicks back to Paul continue his walk through the crowd and he's also in slow motion, he looks up at her and their eyes lock on each other. Paul is in a very vulnerable position in this moment, he's still struggling with the death of his father and the massacre of his friends, now he's just killed for the first time and you can see from the look in his eyes that it has effected him deeply, he's devasted. In this moment of vulnerability we are shown him walking towards Chani. In a lot of ways the moment mirrors many of the visions he's had of her, where she is standing some distance away and he approaches her, or follows her. I just love that symbolism of him walking towards her, of her becoming his way. The symbolism is then deepened when Stilgar tells Paul he is one of them now, a life for a life and when the shot switches back to Paul you see Chani at his side. When Jessica then says that Paul has to get off world and Paul tells her no, that his path leads into the desert we are again shown this image of him standing with Chani at his side, this is imagery that continues into the second movie.

The last scene of dune part 1 is Chani showing Paul a fremen riding a sandworm, desert power, before telling him its only the beginning and then continuing to lead him into the desert. I love the little look they exchange and the smile that crosses his face as he looks after her.

One thing I did notice is that throughout part 2 in particular these two are always looking for each other and exchanging these little looks, like they can't help but be drawn to the other. Part 2 is where we really see their romance begin to form and honestly what I love the most about it was how natural it felt.

For Chani the way it grows is through her respect for him as a warrior. I think this is initially what attracts her to him. In the beginning of the movie after he fights the Harkonnens she tells him that he fought well, and you can see that respect begin to grow more. One of my favourite scenes though is the one where they're at Sietch tabr, Paul and his mother are sitting separately from the rest of the fremen and Paul realises there's spice in the food they've been given. When Chani's friend begins to tease Paul, Chani sticks up for him and gives the reasoning that they should give him their respect because he's a good fighter, I just love the look her friend gives her, its so relatable, its that, girl I know what you're about and I know you like this guy, look. I think most of us have had that moment when we realise that our friend has a crush on someone and you can't help but give them that teasing/knowing look. Just 10/10 moment there.

I think another moment when Paul earns Chani's trust and respect is after Jessica drinks the water of life and the two factions of the fremen (believers and non believers) are arguing and Paul pipes up admitting that his mother is trained in poison transmutation. It's clear that Chani doesn't believe that the prophecy is true and that it is something that outsiders use to control her people. So whilst I think it takes her aback when he declares that he is not the Mahdi and that he just wants to fight beside them and learn their ways, it also makes her warm to him even more and begin to trust him. Its why later when Stilgar sends Paul off into the desert and Chani's friend asks her if she cares for him now, she replies that he isn't like the other outsiders, that he's sincere. She had become used to foreigners using her people for their own ends but she sees something different in Paul, which honestly just makes his actions in the end of the movie all the more heartbreaking. This sincerity that she sees in him is what makes her follow him into the desert and help him. This is only a little detail but I do love the little breathy laugh/smile he lets out when he realises its her sitting above him on the sand dune, its cute that he's so happy to see her.

Her teaching him to sandwalk is another really good scene. That moment when she's explaining it to him and then he's like 'well according to my info books' was really hilarious especially the look she gives him, just hush Paul, at least he had the good sense to stop himself. But what is really beautiful about that scene is again that imagery of them being side by side, not only that but seeing them move in sync with each other as he learns from her.

Speaking of beautiful scenes the next one where she is explaining to him how wind traps work and he's just staring at her completely smitten made me melt. Her opening line in this scene is also telling, she says that she is the only one who believes he'll make it to summer. It seems like such a innocent, non descript line but it shows that she now has faith in him, she believes in him, not him as the Mahdi, but him Paul, the person. I also love how it parallels back to part 1 and how she had no faith in him pre his fight with Jamis. The scene is just also so beautifully shot, how her voice fades out as their love theme begins to softly play, we are really shown how Paul is seeing her, how he's just lost in her, and I will never get over the way he looks at her in this scene. I also love that awkward but giddy feeling she clearly gets when she catches him staring at her, like awkward crush feelings where she's feeling a bit shy and overwhelmed but she is also happy that he's looking at her that way because she too is feeling romantic feelings for him. It very much gives early stages of love vibes, when you both have feelings for each other but you haven't acted on them yet, you're still feeling the other out. I could watch this scene a hundred times over and never get tired of it.

However if you told me I could only watch one scene from the movie ever again, it would have to be the scene in the tent after they've attacked the spice harvesters. Everything about this scene is just so perfect. The atmosphere is so jovial and you get such a sense of comradery, you can tell that these people have a deep bond between them and its beautiful to watch Paul find a place among them. When he makes that impassioned speech about how they should strike further north, and if he dies he dies but the others will continue on until the fremen are free, I just love the look on Chani's face, you can literally see her falling deeper in love with him in this moment, she's spellbound by him. I also love how after he has been given his fremen names and everyone gets up to hug him, Chani becomes visibly nervous, you can almost see her thinking in her head, ok girl just stay cool and collected don't let your heart eyes show. It is again playing into that early love stage of a relationship. Then when she does lean in she doesn't fully hug him because she's too nervous too, yet the moment is so charged and full of chemistry, its so obvious that they want to kiss. They also do one of my favourite things a couple can do, I call it the magnet move, when Chani pulls away, Paul instinctively follows her wanting to maintain that closeness, like two magnets on a table, you pull one away and the other follows.

Next comes the big moment, the first kiss. This is another beautifully shot scene, and I know you are probably getting sick of me saying that but I can't help that this film was filled with such artfully done scenes, especially the romance ones, they're just gorgeous to look at, especially with the golden sand lit by the golden sun. But this moment it also very significant because of what happens later in the film, as beautiful as this moment is it sets us up for the devastation that comes later. The scene starts with Paul saying 'I found my way father' which is a call back to the conversation he had with his father in part one where his father tells him its ok to find his own way even if that path isn't as the Duke. We see him remove the ducal ring showing that he is shredding that identity, stepping off that path and instead embracing the fremen way and his fremen identity. What is really interesting is that right before taking the ring off he looks back to see Chani climbing up the sand dune towards him. What follows is basically a conversation about who they each are and where they come from. Chani asks Paul about his own home world and we get a true understanding of just how different their worlds were. They talk about her secret name, Sihaya and how she hates it and its connection to the prophecy, its about claiming your own identity and rejecting the one someone else chose for you. Paul rejects his title of duke and of Madhi and instead chooses to be Paul Maud'dib Usul the fremen. Chani rejects the name that links her to the prophecy and chooses her own path, and at this moment they are both on the same path. They get into a discussion of blood, how he comes from Dukes but that here on Arrakis they are seen as equals. This moment is so important, Paul tells her that he wants to be equal to her and this is the promise that he'll later break. Despite that, in this moment I really do believe that Paul means it and that he is sincere. I also love how sweet their first kiss is, how she is the first to lean in and how she turns to deepen it and how he then wraps his arm around her shoulders to pull her in even closer, its just the perfect first kiss.

Following their first kiss we get a montage of the passing time and again its stunning visually. Just before they kiss Chani tells Paul that maybe she'll show him the way of the fremen/desert and one of the first shots of the montage is literally her showing him the way through the desert. We see them fighting Harkonnens together and we see him growing closer to the fremen. I love the shot where they are standing on the sand dune and Chani leans her head on his shoulder, when it flicks next to the harvesters being brought in, I couldn't help but notice that the balloons carrying the harvesters looked like hearts. Then you have that shot of Paul lowering the telescope and you see his eyes have now turned blue showing that he has fully and truly embraced the fremen and become fremen.

The next scene we see of them after the montage is when Paul wakes from a nightmare on the day he's going to ride a sandworm for the first time. This scene shows us not only that some time has passed but also that their relationship has advanced a lot, they are now sleeping in the same tent and its very domestic. She comforts him as he gains his bearings after the nightmare showing how she has become a source of support for him. Him then telling her about his nightmare also shows the trust they have between them, he feels safe enough to be vulnerable around her, to share his fears with her. When it comes to the moment when he rides the sandworm for the first time its really sweet how worried we see her. She knows that he's just had this nightmare, so naturally when doing something this risky Chani probably would wish he had a good nights rest and was focused. Also I think some of her worry comes from knowing how important this is to Paul and how its the final test for him to become truly fremen. She loves him so she wants him to succeed. I also love that look she gives her friend when she tells Paul to call a big sandworm, but I also love that her friend reassures her and reminds her that Stilgar has taught him well. When Paul succeeds and rides the worm you can see the pure exhilaration on Chani's face, she is so happy for him and so proud of him and you can feel the same sense of triumph she and the other fedaykin feel. But Chani's mood quickly shifts when she sees the other fedaykin go from cheering to praying to Paul, and that worry creeps back in.

Their love scene is one of those scenes that covers a full spectrum of emotions. It's a very tender moment between them and also surprisingly steamy considering the rating. There is this tiny blink and you miss it moment where right after Chani says 'will you always be with me' they both have these little smiles on their faces before Paul replies 'as long as I breathe' honestly its such a tender moment and it really pulls at my heartstrings every time I see it. But then the mood shifts and we can see Chani's fear coming through. It mirrors the tent scene where Paul has his nightmare only this time their roles are reversed, Paul is the one comforting Chani and she is the one that is expressing her fears. Their fears are the same, they both fear the fundamentalists that worship Paul as the Mahdi. Chani recognises the dangers of this blind worship and how its is being spread by Jessica who is fanning the flames. It does kind of feel like Paul is burying his head in the sand a bit here though, he is trying to pretend that he can just ignore this problem but Chani can see that its beginning to grow out of control and that scares her. I think the fact that she asks whether he will always be with her shows that she fears losing him.

The biggest turning point comes though when Paul is reunited with Gurney. For the first half of the film Paul has been adamant and steadfast in rejecting his connections to the house atriedes and instead embracing his new identity as a fremen. But when Gurney shows up he is connection back to his previous life, his previous identity and this clearly worries Chani even though she claims that she trusts Usul. Despite her worry though she still helps Gurney when Paul tells her that he is family. She knows that this new stranger is someone important to Paul and so because she loves Paul and wants what's best for him she swallows down her own concerns and helps Gurney. The situation only gets more tense though when Gurney tells Paul that he knows where the Atreides family atomics are.

Which is when we get the second tent scene where Paul tells Chani about the atomics. Honestly this is another scene that is wrought in tension but where there is a moment or two where there is this tenderness between them too. It's interesting that whilst telling Chani about the atomics Paul is studying the ducal ring, its the first time we see it since he took it off right before their first kiss. It's clear that Chani is becoming more and more scared especially when Paul starts making plans for how he could use the atomics and says the line 'he who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.' She rightly calls him out, reminding him that he promised her that he didn't want power. Then he accuses her of not trusting him and honestly even I found her response a bit harsh, telling him that he's a foreigner just like his friend. I saw some comments, mostly on youtube, complaining that Chani never saw or accepted Paul as fremen, that she always saw him as an outsider, and they use this moment as proof of that. But I don't agree with that view at all, I think Chani's biggest fear is that she will lose Paul to the fundamentalists and that he'll be unable to outrun who he was in the past, the duke of arrakis, the future of house Atreides, he would no longer be her equal, be the man she has come to love, its because she does see him as one of them that she fears him becoming someone else. I do think that this is where Chani starts to put some walls back up, she has that little feeling of doubt creep in, she's feeling unsettled. However her calling him a foreigner really hurts him and he denies it. You can see Chani's facial expression shift when she turns to look at him. At first she looks angry and like she is about to throw off another snipe at him, but then she sees his pain and instead reassures him, telling him he wasn't to her but he is to the desert. I think Gurney showing back up has reminded Chani of how they come from different places, how he was once a duke. But Paul also recognises Chani's fears and tries to reassure her, reminding her that his loyalty is to her and the fremen and its them that's behind his motivations. Chani seems to be convinced but that tension between them still lingers.

Things only get worse when Paul has that dream about Chani dying and awakes to Sietch Tabr under attack. There is that heartstopping moment where Paul can't find Chani and you can see the very real fear when he shouts out her name. His and the audience's fear only increase when we locate Chani but she's standing on a dune exactly as the vision showed and we get that mirroring image of Paul running up the dune towards her and you can't help but panic that this is his vision coming true. The look of complete relief on Paul's face when he reaches Chani and she is ok is only momentary because it quickly turns to horror when they see the artillery hitting the Sietch. But once again it is to each other that they turn for support. I think the attack on Sietch Tabr has a huge effect on Paul's motivations going forward, he says to Gurney that he never saw it coming. Despite all of the nightmares and visions he is plagued with, this was something that he didn't see coming, that he couldn't stop and that is frustrating to him, he thinks if he did see it then maybe he could've stopped it and I think its the same with the vision of Chani's death, his visions have always been murky and unclear and as he is losing more and his fear is growing it makes drinking the water of life more tempting. What is that line that Jessica is always saying, fear is the mind killer. I think the attack on Sietch Tabr and the vision of Chani's death happening simultaneously is what finally causes Paul's fear to take over and that is when he truly becomes lost.

The last scene between Chani and Paul before they leave to go south is one of the most bittersweet and heartbreaking I've seen. Chani's line 'the world has made choices for us' is really heartbreaking because of how true it is, they only have the illusion of making choices, they are being pulled by the actions of others around them, so as much as Paul wants to live happily amongst the fremen and with Chani, outside forces work to pull him off that path and onto one of their own choosing. Jessica's actions, Gurney's, the Harkonnen's, the Bene Gesserit and the Emperor's all work against Paul and force him into a choice that he doesn't want to make. So he 'chooses' to go South and drink the water, but he also doesn't have a choice in it at all in truth. What makes my heart ache is the way he is crying in this scene, his fear that he will lose Chani. She tries to reassure him that he'll never lose her but she doesn't fully understand, she doesn't know what he does, that he's going to have to drink the water. It's that line 'as long as you stay who you are' you can see the resigned nod he gives and the just pain in his eyes because he knows that he can't stay who he is, so this promise she is giving him isn't the comfort he is seeking, its confirmation that he will in fact lose her and its just awful to watch him have that realisation and poor Chani seems to be clueless to it. But something interesting that I caught in this moment is that she calls him Paul Atreides. It's interesting because whilst she has called him Paul on occasion she mostly refers to him by his fremen name Usul, but not only does she recognise him as Paul in this moment she also recognises him as an Atreides which I don't think we've seen her do since the beginning of their relationship. Also when Paul replies he says that he will cross the storms with her and help get her people to safety. Again this is a departure from his view before this when he insisted that he wasn't a foreigner, that the fremen were their people. Already we are seeing this distance begin to form between them, its subtle but the cracks are there.

The last kiss between them in this scene is bittersweet, you can see Paul relishing it, clinging to it because he knows its likely their last kiss, for him this is a goodbye in a way. The head shake he does when they pull apart and the way he keeps his eyes closed because he can't bear to look at her, knowing what he's about to do, it really does just hit you in the gut, its so painful to watch, especially because you know he is doing this because he thinks its the only way to keep her safe, to keep the fremen safe, he has to open his mind so he can see all the dangers that might come their way, so he can guide them to the future where he doesn't lose her or his friends.

One moment where I have seen alot of conflicting opinions over is the scene where Chani comes to Paul after he drinks the water of life. I've seen alot of people say that Chani was going to let Paul die, that she had clearly already fallen out of love with him, which honestly I think I may have watched a different film to them. Personally I didn't see it as her not wanting to save him or her wanting to let him die, Chani was frantic from the moment she showed up there, she is scared and confused, we see her asking over and over what happened. My heart broke for her when she realised that he had drank the water, there is also that devastating moment when she thinks he is dead and you can see her start to tremble and crumble, there's pure pain in her eyes, so I'll never understand those with the view that she had fallen out of love with him at this point. After realising what he has done she then becomes angry at Jessica in particular, she doesn't understand Paul's own actions in drinking the water, we can see this by the way she keeps asking him why he would do it. But she knew that this was what Jessica wanted and that she had been scheming and manipulating to get her way, so Chani's anger is understandable and its why she tells Jessica to fix it because she sees her as the perpetrator in this. I think the point is that Jessica never gives Chani the opportunity to choose for herself, Chani is still trying to process what has happened and still trying to work through all the emotions she is feeling, I mean girl is understandably a mess, she's scared, confused, angry, and there are people there sprouting out nonsense about a prophecy that she doesn't believe in which is only making her angrier, of course she wasn't thinking straight. So no, I personally do not think she was going to let him die, I think she was just going through it. I also think it was terrible that she was forced into playing a part in this prophecy considering how she felt about it, also because when Paul wakes up he's not entirely the same person, so now Chani must feel like she played a part in destroying the man she loves and bringing forth this new person who seems like a stranger to her in many ways. As I said earlier she also doesn't understand his actions, why he drank the waters and I think this is largely something that causes her pain going forward to, every new action he takes hurts her because not only is he betraying her and going back on everything he had previously said to her but she doesn't understand why he is, for her this has come completely out of the blue.

Another opinion I see alot is that from the moment Paul wakes up he is dead in the eyes and that he is completely changed, that from that moment forward he never shows emotion again. This is another one where I don't entirely agree with it. I do think there is a hugely drastic change in Paul post drinking the water, obviously. I also agree that most of the time he looks dead in the eyes, like there's some kind of void there now, he seems very calculating and cold and yes most of the time emotionless. But I do think there are moments, very small moments, but glimpses of the old Paul that come through occasionally and almost every time we see these glimpses its in connection with Chani, the exception being when the Emperor says that Leto was a weak man. I also don't agree with the view that Paul was dead in the eyes the moment he woke up, that it was instant like that. The way I saw it was I thought he actually looked happy to see Chani, it reminded me alot of the few times we saw him have nightmares and he would immediately turn to see Chani, would seek out her comfort, I think its the same here, he wakes up and he's disorientated and the first thing he does is search for her, he sees her there and he hears her tell him she's there. You can see and feel her relief and when she hugs him to her, he wraps his arms around her too. She needs to know that he is ok and so she asks him and its so sad the way her voice shakes when she does because it shows just how scared she was. Once she realises that he is ok and her fear fades that's when her anger comes out full swing, especially when he says he's ok thanks to her because its that reminder of how she was forced into playing a part in the prophecy she hates, he knew how she hated her secret name because of the connection to the prophecy and so again it makes her angrier. So she slaps him and walks away. For me this is the moment when his eyes go dead and he becomes emotionless, as he is watching her walk away. We see him stand as everyone bows down to him and as he turns there is just this chillingly cold look in his eyes.

If Chani was angry after Paul drank the water, its nothing compared to how she feels after the war council. This is another instance when she is forced into doing things she doesn't want to, this time by Gurney, she goes to speak up and Gurney pulls her to the ground and tells her she'll get in trouble, she pulls her blade and goes towards Paul to intervene when the Fremen get upset at him talking without being a tribe leader and pull their weapons and again Gurney stops her. When everyone begins to bow down to Paul Gurney literally pulls her down so that she is bowing to him too. But I do think this is the moment where her heart begins to break, as upset as she was when he drank the water this moment is even more hurtful and even more of a betrayal. Not only is it clear that he is embracing the role of Mahdi in this moment and using her people to meet his own ends, but when he declares himself duke of arrakis he is putting himself above her in rank, he is no longer her equal, he is her duke and she and her people are his servants. This is what is heartbreaking to her and this is what feels like a betrayal because it comes back to that scene before they first kiss where he says he wants to be equal to her. Now he is betraying that.

I said earlier that throughout the first half of the film we saw alot of imagery of Paul and Chani side by side, this imagery of unity, but from the moment he drinks the water, we see the opposite, they are always at a distance from each other, she sees him walking through the crowd from a distance at the war council, when making the plan to attack the Emperor's ship they are sitting on opposite sides instead of next to each other, after the battle when they are gathered in the hall we see Chani look for him and sees him walking at a distance surrounded by his loyal followers. Despite this one thing remains the same and that is that they still seek each other out with their eyes, they still have these little moments where they're eyes meet and they seem to say something without actually talking.

One exception to this new distance we see between them is the very last scene where we see them talk to each other. It was actually only on a rewatch that I realised that these were the last lines they speak to each other and also the last line Chani says at all. When they are gathered in the hall and Paul has ordered for the prisoners to be brought in, we see him look to Chani and approach her. The last words she says to him are 'this isn't over yet.' Now obviously she's talking about the battle here, but I also like to think that she is talking about them too, despite everything she is still clinging to him and to them with a very thin thread at this point. It's very similar to the scene before they go south and its just as heartbreaking because once again Paul knows what he is about to do and knows its going to hurt her. So he tells her he'll love her as long as he breathes, and this line just felt like a knife to the heart, its so romantic and yet even as he says it you can feel that something is coming and like their last kiss it feels like a goodbye. I've seen some say that Paul was lying in this moment but for me I think the thing that makes it so tragic is that its the truth. At this point Paul has broken so many promises that he made to her, has betrayed her in so many ways and he knows he's about to make it worse, so he gives her this one last promise, one that he will not break. She might not believe him but despite that he needs to say it, he needs her to hear it. It's this one last moment of pure honesty and love between them. You can see that it means something to her as well, that despite how angry she is she still feels his words in that moment, we see it in the way she kind of gasps and tries not to let it overwhelm her.

But then comes that moment, the one where everything comes crumbling down as Paul says he'll take the princess' hand. I mean Zendaya's acting in this moment was phenomenal, I really did feel her pain and shock and anger. But I think the part that really hurts her isn't even him marrying another woman its the part where he says that he and the princess will rule over the empire together. Again it comes back to equality, Chani was Paul's equal and that was important to her, but here he is declaring himself a lord and he is making a move for the throne of the known universe, again putting himself in a position above Chani as well as a position of power over her and her people, on top of that by saying that he will rule with the princess he is essentially making another woman his equal in Chani's place, a woman who will also have power and control over Chani's own people. Of course this feels like a betrayal for her and of course this hurts her, I mean Chani looks like she almost wants to throw up in this moment she is so distressed by it, you see her pull her anger back up and at this point I really do think she is using her anger as a shield and as something to hide behind so that she doesn't have to confront the pain she is in.

Which brings me to the duel between Paul and Feyd. I really do think this fight shows just how deeply Paul still loves Chani and vice versa. There is that moment when Feyd knocks Paul down, its a hard enough knock that everyone around gasps and even Paul himself looks frightened, it almost looks like he is beat. But then Paul looks to Chani, I think this is for a couple of reasons, one being that if he is about to die then he wants to have one last look at her, another is because she is his source of strength and right now he needs that in order to continue the fight. But this look draws Feyd's attention and he realises the connection between Paul and Chani. Feyd's biggest mistake is turning his attention to Chani, calling her Paul's pet. You can see the disgust on Chani's face here, I think it still hurts even if its not Paul's view, it's again highlighting their difference in station, Paul's a duke of a great house, she's his pet, its degrading. But this comment makes Paul angry too. This is another reason why I argue against the view that Paul is emotionless post drinking the water because in this moment you can see the emotion in his eyes as he stares Feyd down. Its pure fiery rage and protectiveness. Watching Feyd approach Chani is what gives Paul the strength to get back up and as he moves towards Feyd you can see his anger growing. If Feyd hadn't turned his attention to Chani and taunted Paul then Feyd may have been able to beat him. We see Paul thump his chest twice and you know that he's out for blood now. When Feyd does stab him we see Paul again look to Chani, drawing that strength from her, when Feyd is pushing the emperor's blade towards Paul and he is trying to stop it with his hand, its just such a tense and horrifying scene to watch, but Paul bares the pain of that blade slicing through his hand because he knows what is at stake, because when he looked at her the first time he exposed her to Feyd, who turned his attention to her, if Paul dies now then that means leaving Chani vulnerable to Feyd and there is no telling what Feyd would do to her, the fact that he called her a pet shows that he doesn't see her as human so you know it wouldn't be anything pleasant. Which means for Paul dying is now no longer an option, his main priority is keeping Chani safe, its why he drank the water and became the Mahdi in the first place. Its the threat to Chani that gives Paul the strength to defeat Feyd. There is also something symbolic about the fact that its the same crysknife that Chani gave him before his fight with Jamis that he uses to kill Feyd, a crysknife that was already covered in his own blood.

It's also clear throughout this whole duel that Chani still cares for Paul, we see it in her reaction when he is stabbed, that fear that he will die, that she'll have to watch him die, also she must be thinking, on some level, about the first time she saw him fight, right after they first met, the parallels between the two duels are so clear. The relief she shows when he kills Feyd, the way she lets out the breath she was holding and the way she trembles, its clear that she is still in love with him. There's also a moment where after pulling the knife from his shoulder Paul looks at her and her gaze just softens and she once again looks at him with tenderness. But when the emperor finally kneels to him and everyone (but irulan and jessica) follows suit, Chani refuses to. Her anger is back and she refuses to bow to him, to recognise him as someone who is above her, she will not see him as anything but her equal. She also won't follow him down this path, won't support this action and so she leaves. That last look between them is so loaded, so complex and fill of so many different emotions. Paul is looking at her with such longing and sadness and Chani is staring back at him with defiance and anger. Then he has to watch her leave, she's a part of him, a part of his soul and he has to watch her leave. He doesn't take his eyes off her until she is completely out of sight and then he looks down and closes his eyes as if he's never been in this much pain before. Something else that is so tragic about this scene is how it mirrors but is opposite to the one in part 1 that I talked about above. The one where after his duel with Jamis we see him walking towards Chani, now he has once again become champion in a duel, but this time Chani is walking away from him.

I think the thing that is so tragic about their love story was how hard they tried to cling to each other, from halfway through the film you can feel the end coming for them, they are battling against all these external forces that are bigger than the two of them and yet they still love each other, they really did fight as hard as they could to be together. Even when he makes the grab for power, he loves her, even when she walks away, she loves him. Even at the end they are still deeply in love with each other but they've been forced onto different paths, because the world made choices for them. Honestly thinking about it too hard makes me want to cry. Maybe I am being too optimistic here but I am going to take some hope that their last lines to each other 'its not over yet' and 'I'll love you as long as I breathe' means that they will find their way back to each other somehow.

I don't think I have ever come across a movie couple that has such a well written and heartbreaking story as these two, but as much as I could continue to waffle on about them this post is past ridiculously long, honestly if you have read to the end of this, I am impressed and very grateful, so thank you. But yeah that is my very long thought dump on Paul and Chani, if you can't tell yet they've completely wrecked me.

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: An Important Mission

 ( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps)       Human: Breaching atmosphere……now.

*Shuttle shakes back and forth*

Alien: You’ve done this before, right?

Human: Hundreds of times.

Alien: So there is no risk?

Human: Well… I wouldn’t say that.

Alien: *Starts having panic attack*

Human: I’m kidding.

Human: We’ll be fine.

Alien: You didn’t tell me what this special mission was for.

Human: I told you it was classified.

Alien: Then why bring me at all?

Human: I needed your hangar bay credentials to help complete the mission.

Alien: If I am so important to the success of this mission I feel like I have earned the right to know.

Human: Once we hit the ground and confirm with the second team all will be made clear.

Alien: Second team?

Human: That’s right.

Human: Bravo team launched the same time we did and is making their way to their objective now.

Human: *Flips comms switch*

Human: This is Charlie horse to Grazer Taser, do you copy?

*Over radio* This is Grazer Taser.

Human: Any problems?

*Over radio* None yet. We’ll be at the LZ in twenty.

Human: Roger; will contact again once in position.

Alien: Was that human Alan from the mess?

Human: You’ve got a keen ear my friend.

Alien: Why would the captain send a crewman from the mess hall on an away mission?

*Shuttle shakes violently and then stops.*

Human: Hold that thought, we’ve just passed into the green zone.

Human: *pauses to check scanners and begins altering course.*

Alien: *Walks to the cockpit and looks out over alien world*

*Mountain peaks that taller than any skyscraper surround them like the jaws of some great beast. Dry and withered sand dunes fill the valleys between them as little to no sign of vegetation can be seen in any direction.*

Alien: It’s beautiful.

Human: It really is.

*Shuttle begins slowly descending into one of the valleys*

Human: Helmets on, we’re here.

Alien: *Puts on space helmet and locks seal*

Human: *Lands the ship, then comes over to inspect alien spacesuit.*

Alien: *Gets thumbs up from human and in turn inspects their spacesuit before returning the gesture.*

Human: Popping the lid.

*Boarding ramp lowers down to the surface and the pair step out on to the alien world.*

Human: *Pulls out scanner and begins reading the area*

Human: *Points* Over there.

*Pair walk away from the ship for about thirty feet before the scanner begins beeping loudly*

Alien: Alright, now what?

*No response*

Alien: *Turns around to see human pull something out of a pouch and place it on the ground*

Alien: What is that?

Human: *Over comms* Grazer Taser the package is in place, how about yours?

*Over radio* Package has been placed, mission complete.

Alien: What?

Alien: Why is the mission completed?

Alien: What did you-

Alien: *Looks closer at object on the ground*

Alien: Is that bread?

Human: Yes.

Alien: Why did you put it on the ground?

Human: To make a sandwich.

Alien: But you would need tw-

*Coin drops*

Alien: Where is the second team?

Human: On the other side of the planet.

Alien: *Sighs loudly and painfully*

Human: We’ve just made the largest sandwich in the universe!

*Starts cheering and jumping around like an idiot*

Alien: This was the secret mission!?

Human: Well we had to do this before Becky did it.

Alien: Who the frak is “Becky”?

Human: She works in maintenance and she overheard me and my friend wanting to do this and so she started telling the crew that it was actually her idea and she was going to be the first to make a planet sandwich,

Alien: So you talked the captain into letting you do this?

Human: Yeah….about that.

*Over the radio*

Captain: Will someone care to explain why two of my shuttles are now planet side?

[hoedamn-eron]

he found the box of condoms - part 2

You’re telling your parents and Paul about your relationship with your neighbour; who happens to be your best friend’s father.

Warnings: Age gap, but it is appropriate/legal. Some swearing, from a very angry Paul. An awful lot of dialogue. I have never seen nor read Dune (yet), so there may be some inaccuracies (Duke and Paul being OOC, stuff like that), but it's Modern!AU anyway. Slightly proof-read, as per usual. Word count: 2,815 GN!Reader, no use of Y/N.

Finally this is out! This isn't my best work and I was conscious I hadn't actually posted for a while so I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. Apologies to everyone! Also, this may have suddenly turned into a 3-parter.

Part 1 ● Part 3

Your parents were always supportive of you, whatever you wanted to do.

From when you didn’t want to go to college to travel, when you took up those piano lessons before deciding to give them up; they even supported you when you were fifteen and made the bad decision to go to that house party where the police were called. Of course, your parents weren’t exactly happy with the outcome, but they were firm believers that you could make decisions for yourself, whether they were right or wrong. You had always dealt with the consequences of your own actions, you’d always learned from them.

They were never really ‘disappointed’ in you; or if they were, they’d never said it out loud. You were terrified of doing so, since they had been so encouraging of you, and giving you the freedom you had. Now, though, as you prepared to tell them that you were in a relationship with a man twenty years older than you, who happened to be their very good friend, you were terrified they wouldn’t be able to look at you the same. Not that there was anything they could do about it, you were both adults. And it was your relationship.

And really, it was 2022, age gaps in relationships was becoming more the norm. If your parents -

“Is that okay for you, honey?”

Your mother was looking at you with a questioning look on her face, glass of red wine in her hand. You were having dinner with your parents, having decided to let them know about Leto. You and Leto. You and Leto being a couple. Your nerves had kicked in as soon as your mother called everyone into the kitchen to plate up and you had merely picked at your food since, a heavy feeling in your stomach, making you feel nauseous. You just knew your parents were going to flip out over it.

You stare at your mother again as she called your name. Your eyes widened. She was talking about something. What was it?

“Sorry?” you asked, realising you had taken too long to answer.

“You’re going to travel up with me and your dad for Rebecca’s wedding?”

Rebecca was your older cousin. Her and James had been together for five years before they got engaged, before finally deciding to actually plan the wedding two years afterwards. Now your family was treating this wedding like it was the next Royal Wedding, so everyone was going to be there. You were going to sit out, you were never overly close to Rebecca, since she was a few years older than you and you hardly saw her, since she lived a few states away, but your parents were keen for you to join them.

You knew why. Although supportive in your decisions, your parents were still traditional in the sense that they hate to see you ‘on your own’. They were not-so-secretly hoping you would start settling down soon, and thinking about your future, maybe getting married and having a family of your own (they had been mentioning grandchildren a lot recently) but would they still feel the same knowing that you’d been seeing Leto Atreides? Because you hadn’t even thought that far ahead. Of course you really liked Leto, it wasn’t just a passing fling, you’d been together for seven months already.

But surely it was far too early to think about that. You cringe at the thought of having to explain to your parents that you just might not want children. Would Leto even want kids anymore, he’s twenty years older than you? Would he even want to get married? He’d said so himself, after losing Paul’s mother, it took him a long time to even start considering dating again, never mind marriage. And you were only twenty-five, nearing twenty-six, and you didn’t quite have a career yet, you weren’t even remotely thinking about extending your family. Would your parents understand, if you didn’t want children? Regardless of if you wanted them or not, Leto and your father had been friends since Leto moved to the neighbourhood, and you were his child, would your parents even accept that you would even have children with Leto?

You’re getting ahead of yourself. You’re panicking. Your parents haven’t even said anything yet. You need to get a grip.

You’ve taken too long to answer your mother again.

“Do I get a plus one?”

Your mother raises her eyebrows at you as your father stopped eating, also looking at you with a look on his face that you can’t quite distinguish. You looked between your parents with an unsure look on your face before your mother clears her throat and answers, “Unfortunately not, but was there someone you were thinking of asking to come along?”

You didn’t say anything. Couldn’t say anything. Your mouth was open but nothing was coming out. Your parents were staring at you expectedly, not trying to push you but you could see how curious and more worried they became as time went on.

You groaned as you buried your head in your hands, leaning your elbows on the table. This might be easier if you didn’t look at them. “You can’t be mad at me because I’m a grown adult and I’m working with a full-time job and I nearly have enough to move out – “

“Where’s this going?” your dad asks, his usual no-beating-around-the-bush tone.

You swallow thickly. Just tell them. It’s not like you were hooked on drugs or doing God-knows-what at God-knows-what-time (not that you were an adult, like you said. Plucking up the smallest amount of courage you have, you blurt out. “I’mseeingsomeone.”

Your parents stare at you before your mother grinned, your father chuckling and going back to his food. “Oh honey, we know.”

Your mouth falls open as you look between the two. “You…you know?”

“You’re not exactly smooth about it,” said your dad. “You’re sneaking out like you used to do in high school. You don’t have to do that, anymore, you know.”

Was this a joke? Some sort of trick? You felt a cold chill go down your spine, and you were still sweating. They were acting way too calm about it. They’d already gone back to eating, so nonchalant about the whole thing. How long had they known about you and Leto? Why hadn’t they ripped you a new one when they found out? Your dad was ex-military, you were sure he was going to storm over next door, all gung-ho, guns a-blazing.

“So…you’re both okay with it?” you look between both of them, who were both still casually eating their food.

“Why wouldn’t we be okay with it?” your mother asked. “Like you said, you’re an adult and we trust you. You’re being safe though, yeah?”

“Oh God, mom, yes,” you said, feeling your cheeks burning as you avert your eyes.

“Well that’s all we ask for,” she replied, giving you a smile.

“So when do we meet him?”

You look at your dad with wide eyes. “Pardon?”

“Your new boyfriend, when do we get to meet him?”

Oh shit, they didn’t know as much as you thought.

“So you don’t…know who he is, then?”

“Why would we know?” your dad asked.

Your mother suddenly gasped. “Oh my goodness, is it Paul?” your mother laughed. “I always thought you two would be cute together, but you’d always said you were just good friends!”

You were already shaking your head. “N-no, not Paul. He’s got a new girlfriend.”

Oh God, what do you do?

You can’t lie to them, because you’re a terrible liar and they always know when you’re fibbing. They were expecting it to be someone they might know, someone your own age. Oh this was such a bad idea to do this today, you should have waited until you’d moved out. You couldn’t bear to think about the looks your parents would give you until you do.

“If it’s not Paul, then who is it?”

You had almost forgotten what you were doing and your mother’s question made you jump. You looked at your parents, who were looking at you with raised eyebrows. You had obviously taken too long to answer them. Again. You were getting a headache.

“I-I don’t want you guys to be weirded out by it, but I know you will.” You swallowed nervously, your throat suddenly feeling incredibly dry. “Just know that it…I like this guy a lot and it’s becoming a bit more serious – “

“Just tell us who it is, honey,” your mother said, looking at you nervously.

You clear your throat, averting your gaze to your mostly untouched plate of food. It was now or never. “It’s…it’s…uh, it’s – “

“You’re fucking my dad!?”

Paul had fantastic timing.

You hadn’t even heard him come in. You looked over at Paul, who was breathing heavily from his place at the kitchen door, as if he’d ran over here as quick as he could (he probably did). It was as if he couldn’t see your parents, his gaze locked on you, a mix between confusion and anger. Your eyes were wide as he stared at you, his hands curled tightly into fists at his sides, his jaw clenched tightly.

You had seen this expression on Paul before, but you never thought it would have been aimed at you.

“Well?” he demanded through his teeth at your silence.

You didn’t know what to say. You were just staring at him like he’d grown a second head, aware that your parents were looking between the two of you with equally as shocked looks. Your parents were thrown in at the deep end, and not gently told. You know your dad is about to go on the rampage to Leto’s house if you don’t calm the situation down in the next five minutes.

“I was…it just happened, one night, okay, and now we’re – “

“Fucking?”

“Paul!” you snapped, eyeing your parents, who were still looking at you with that shocked expression on their faces (although your dad’s complexion was slowly reddening as his jaw tightened). “Can you calm down?”

Where was Leto?

“Calm down? Calm down?”

“Please.” You stood from your chair, practically pleading, begging Paul to just let you get your side of the story out, for his sake and your parents. Your dad’s breathing was getting heavier and your mother’s mouth was opening and closing, like she couldn’t find the words to say. It was bad. It was worse than you thought it would be. “Just let me explain…”

Paul looked at you expectantly, waving his hand out dramatically, giving you an impatient, “Go ahead.”

You finally looked back at your parents, your mother looking at you with confusion, your father with barely contained fury. You gasped through your teeth, scrambling to calm the situation. “Look, it isn’t just a…we’re serious about each other.”

“Yeah, my dad, who you’re fucking, made it pretty clear how serious you both were.”

“Paul – “ you cut yourself off by closing your eyes tightly and pinching the bridge of your nose. Your headache was getting worse.

“When did this happen?”

Your eyes widened, practically giving yourself whiplash as you turn your head to look at your father, who had seemed to have regulated his breathing. But he still sat stiffly in his seat, his forgotten glass of water gripped hard in his left hand. You stuttered out, “When you and mom were away, seven months ago. Well, nearly eight months ago now.”

“You and…you and Leto?”

You grimaced. “Dad, it’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“No, of course not, it’s just that my very good friend has been sleeping with my kid.”

“Dad!” you snapped, appalled at his wording. “That’s not what it is!”

Paul took a step towards you, his anger flaring up again. “That’s exactly what it is! It’s weird, and sick, and you have no right – “

Your mouth fell open in shock. “No right? No right? I’m an independent, fully grown adult, as is your dad! We can date whoever we want, including each other.”

“Well I’m telling you to stop!”

You scoffed at him, actually even laughing at his sheer entitlement. You knew Paul wouldn’t be happy about the news; he was protective of his father, and of you too. But you didn’t think it would come to this, that Paul would ban you from seeing Leto. You wondered how their conversation went. Did Paul react the same? Did he ban Leto from seeing you? Is that why Leto was still MIA?

You cross you arms over your chest and shake your head at Paul. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I don’t think it’s so unbelievable that I’m asking you to stop dating my dad.”

“We’re both happy, Paul! Why can’t you just be happy for us?”

“Because it’s you, and my dad!” Paul cried, his hands flailing.

“My parents aren’t even making this much of a fuss!”

“That’s still in court,” your dad muttered, your mom giving him a swat on the arm, shushing him before she turned back to you and Paul, watching carefully.

She had yet to say a word.

Paul gave a laugh of disbelief as he ran his hands through his hair, turning away from you, barely able to calm the anger that was burning hot in his chest. “I can’t believe this. I can’t believe this is happening. My best friend. My best friend and my dad! Why? Why is this happening?

You couldn’t answer him, because truly, you still question yourself every day why Leto chose to be with you. You didn’t know why he gave you the chance, why that night happened that seemed so long ago, on the couch that you could actually see from your place in the kitchen. The memories cause your cheeks to warm, your hands to sweat, and you suddenly felt like you need to go and see him. You needed to check if Leto is okay.

You give a light shrug to Paul. “Your dad makes me happy. He’s a great guy, he’s kind and he treats me well.”

Paul rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You’re ridiculous, the both of you. You need to end this, like yesterday.”

“I don’t think you can dictate who I can and can’t be with and love, thank you,” you snapped at him.

The silence that followed was deafening.

That was new. You and Leto had never spoken the ‘L Word’ before. And you hadn’t planned on saying it for the first time shouting at his son in anger because he was disrespecting you and Leto’s relationship.

Because he wasn’t taking you seriously.

Because he didn’t think that you were deserving of Leto.

Because he didn’t think you both should be happy together.

You swallow nervously, averting your gaze from everyone in the room. “I need some air.”

You turn and head towards the front door, ignoring your mother’s calls, the first thing she’s said in ages. You grab the nearest jacket to you, which happens to be your father’s, opening the door before leaving the house, closing the door with a little more force than you meant to.

Slipping the jacket on, you set off walking, not sure where you were going. You should go and check on Leto, something must have happened with Paul since he didn’t come over. Or he was avoiding your parents, because he knew your dad well enough that he would have no qualms in putting Leto in his place (honestly, at this point, Leto would probably let him).

You turn to Leto’s house, walking up the path and quickly knocking on the front door. Your nerves were on fire, and you were already picking at your nails, still not being able to kick that nervous habit you’d had since you were six. You bit your lip as the front door opened, your heart skipping what felt like twenty beats in your chest as Leto’s brown eyes came into view.

You look at Leto, inhaling through your teeth at the beginnings of a black eye growing on his right eye. You reach forward, your body nearly colliding with his as you cup his cheeks in both hands as you look over him. “What happened to you?”

Leto gave a small grin, despite the hurt look in his eyes. “Paul didn’t take my news very well.”

You give a snort of laughter, your gaze finally meeting his. “You’re telling me.”

Leto reached up to wrap his hands around your wrists, bringing them down so he could hold your hands in his. His hands were always so warm, always enveloping yours and making you feel secure, and loved. You gave him another smile but it falters at the look on his face. “What’s the matter?”

Leto gives you a serious look. “We need to talk.”

Tagged - @shes-not-alone, @dd122004dd, @sofsofsposts, @prakhyanair

[alexagirlie]

At the Touch of You

A/N: This is one of the absolute favourite fics I've written for the Duneverse. Just 8.4k of Paul having orgasms lol. Header by me, divider by @cafekitsune

Fandom: Dune

Pairing: Paul Atreides x Duncan Idaho. Paul Atreides x Others

Rating: E

Wordcount: 8.4k

Summary: Paul attends a spice orgy at Sietch Tabr. He has much to learn.

CWs: Smut. Lots and lots of smut. Orgies. Spice use. Drug use (spice). Oral sex. Blow Jobs. Cunnilingus. Anal Fingering. Anal Sex. Rough Sex. Group Sex. Voyeurism. Pinning. Possessive Thoughts. Possessive Behaviour. Minor breathplay.

Taglist (pls let me know if you wish to be added/removed: @softhecreator @gatoenlaciudad @almostg

Paul looks down at the small innocent looking vial in his hand, rolling it back and forth across his palm. It was made of glass and contained a thick clear liquid with just a glimmer of red-orange powder. Spice.

He had been given the vial a few minutes prior by a young woman. She had been shy but insistent that he take it. The young woman, who introduced herself as Jarameen, explained that the oil was used for religious and ritual practices. Either in the privacy of your own yali with your chosen partner or during group rituals. One such ritual was taking place in two nights time if he was interested in attending.

At that point Paul's face had been bright pink and burning hot. Spice orgies, she was referring to Spice orgies and was inviting Paul to attend. He couldn't look Jarameen in the eyes. She said a quick goodbye and took off towards the market, disappearing into the crowd.

He had read little regarding the Spice orgies prior to coming to Arrakis as the filmbooks did not have a lot of information on the practice. He knew it involved the ritual consumption of Spice and making an offering to the gods of the water of one's body.

Paul was desperate to learn as much of the Fremen culture as he could so decided that he would attend, if only to satisfy his curiousity. However under no circumstances would his Mother or Duncan ever find out.

A few nights later finds Paul dressed in a loose pale coloured shirt and a simple pair of dark pants. He leaves his Yali and makes his way quietly through the winding tunnels and caverns of the sietch. He could hear the faint pounding of drums, the rhythmic sound getting louder as he got closer to the ritual chamber. It was situated deep within the sietch, passed where the living quarters were situated and the market. Paul figured it was so the noises from the ritual did not disturb others who were not in attendance.

When Paul arrives he sees a large crowd already gathered. Men and women of varying ages and states of undress. He tries not to stare too obviously at the naked flesh all around him but several bodies of particular attractiveness catch his attention as he makes his way into the room.

The chamber was crafted much the same way as the yali's, just on a much larger scale. The walls and ceiling were draped in moisture traps and decorative fabrics hiding the stone and hanging down creating little rooms and alcoves. These spaces were filled with cushions and the Fremens reclamation fabrics. Even water shared to honour the gods was reclaimed for use by the sietch.

Paul finds a spot on the outskirts, leaning back against the wall and settling in as the ceremony gets started. The beat of the drumming reaches a crescendo then stops, silencing ringing out as everyone falls quiet.

Paul watches with rapt attention as a man and woman step up onto a raised platform of rock in the middle of the chamber. They were scarcely dressed in loose translucent fabric, symbols drawing across their skin in dark ink. Face, hands, chest, it was unlike anything Paul had seen among the Fremen to this point. He made a mental note to ask Chani about the symbols the next time he saw her.

They raised their hands above their heads and tilted their heads to look up at the ceiling. They began speaking in harmony, a prayer in the Fremen tongue. Paul does not understand all the words but he understands enough to know that they are asking for the blessing of the gods, a blessing of Shai-Hulud. That they were offering a gift of their bodies water to honour the gods.

As they are speaking, an earthenware bowl is being passed around the room, from person to person. The bowl is large, and painted with a scene of the desert sunset and the Shai-Hulud moving through the dunes. Reds, Orange and Yellows. It was quite detailed and very beautiful.

Everyone participating in the ritual takes a sip of the thick liquid inside before handing it to the next in line. When the bowl reaches Paul he takes a moment to inspect the contents. The liquid is thick, almost the consistency of mud if Paul was to be honest and shimmered with the Spice contained within. Flakes of dried herbs floated across the surface.

He took a hesitant sip and the flavour burst across his tongue. There was the sharp tang of spice melange, burnt cinnamon and ginger. Comforting and strong. Paul also thought he could recognize the taste of clove and cardamom. He could not place the taste of the herbs but assumed they held significant ritual purpose since they were included in the mixture.

He let the flavour sit on his tongue another moment then swallowed thickly. The liquid slid down his throat with a strange warmth, a warmth that spread out through his body once it hit his stomach. It spread into his limbs, making them tingle and burn with sensitivity. The warmth centered on his groin and he could feel his cock begin to fill. It was achingly hard in seconds and pressed up against the fabric of his pants, leaking, the first small offering of water to the gods.

As the spice continues to work through Paul's body his head spins and he begins to sweat. The second small offering of water to honour the gods. His mind gets foggy and he has to close his eyes and take a few deep breaths to gather himself. When he opens them there is a woman standing in front of him, she smiles and Paul spots a flash of tongue as she licks her lips. It was the Priestess who was facilitating today's ritual.

"My name is Yasmin. May I assist you in getting undressed Usul?" She asked, waiting for his slow nod before reaching out to help him undo the top couple of buttons on his shirt. "The first time can be overwhelming, the Spice mixture will be potent. But I can assure you it will all be done with consent, you tell someone no and they will listen".

She gestures off to the side where a number of Fremen warriors stood on guard. They had not partaken of the ritual drug and were present to ensure all the rules were followed.

As she pulls it up over his head another set of hands come around from behind him and undoes his pants. Fingers pressed teasingly against the hardness found there. Paul's eyes fall shut and he lets his head fall back against the warm body behind him with a small moan. The feeling of a firm chest telling him it was another man. Opening his eyes he looks over and sees the face of the Priest. It seems the two work as a unit in all aspects.

Between the two they had him stripped down to nothing in just under a minute. The Priestess lowers herself to her knees at his feet, looking up at Paul through dark sooty lashes, her blue on blue eyes dark and heated.

"May we be your first full offering, Usul? May I take your water into myself as a vassal of the gods?"

Paul's body managed to find enough blood to flood his cheeks with red, arousal and embarrassment equal. He knew that sex was the point of this ritual but wasn't expecting to be asked so blatantly.

"I'm… I've never…" Paul couldn't quite get the words out, to bring himself to say out loud that he had never been touched by another before but the Priestess seems to understand.

She smiles up at him, "Then I would be doubly honoured Usul, to be your first".

Paul was not completely ignorant of what to expect next. He had snuck a few more explicit filmbooks and his imagination was vivid late at night when he would take himself in hand. Though in his heart of hearts he wished for the body touching his to be familiar, tall and broad and warm. A body he knew from sparring and companionship. A body he knew he would never be able to touch.

The first kiss of her mouth to his cock sent sparks up Paul's spine and made him weak in the knees. The only thing holding him was the strong grip of the Priest's arms around him. He was a solid, warm weight at Paul's back. Paul had a vice grip on the Priest's wrists as Paul was unsure what to do with his hands and hoped that was an okay place to leave them.

Yasmin's tongue snuck out from between her lips and just touched the tip of his cock, collecting the fluid gathered there before disappearing back into her mouth. He couldn't look away from her, as she let out a small hum of pleasure. It was as if the taste of him was everything she had imagined.

Paul's cock throbbed and they watched as it gave a visible twitch in the air. Yasmin's mouth twisted into a mischievous smirk before she leaned in again. Mouth open and wet, sinking down on his cock, inch by wonderful inch. Paul's brain whited out as her nose met his body and she sucked hard as she pulled back up to the tip of him.

Paul couldn't help the sounds he made, desperate and loud. Her mouth was hot and wet, sliding up and down his cock obscenely. Paul knew this would not last long, his orgasm was building fast, faster than it ever had when he was alone. He could feel her throat tighten around his cock and barely had enough restraint to not thrust, to not chase the sensation to his completion. He wanted this to last.

The arms around him tightened and Paul was pressed back into the body behind him. The feeling of the Priest's hard cock pushed along the crease of his ass only serving to push him closer to his end.

Paul felt a hot breath on the shell of his ear as the Priest spoke to him.

"Don't try and hold back Usul, let the pleasure sing through you and release it to the gods."

Paul felt warm calloused fingers travel up his stomach, chest, until one hand slid over his pectoral, taking a nipple between thumb and forefinger giving it a sharp pull. Paul's mouth falls open, keening as each pull sends a burning hot jolt of pleasure up his spine. The other hand joins the first, both nipples now being pinched and twisted leaving Paul a panting whining mess.

This was the last push and Paul was done for, coming with teeth clenched around a scream, his whole body tensed up and shivering through the release. Yasmin's mouth and throat worked steadily to draw in every drop, swallowing it down.

Paul didn't know this but several of the gathered people had stopped to observe the would-be messiah experiencing his first offering. Not just because of his pale skin and strange green eyes that captivated so many. But also because they were eager to see how the off world duke would take to one of their most sacred rituals. As it turns out, he took to it as if he were born to it. A truly perfect offering.

After the Priestess had finished sucking Paul's brain out through his cock she rose gracefully to her feet and took Paul's face between her palms. She slid her fingers up into his hair and used the hold to pull his mouth down to her in a kiss. It was closed-mouthed and chaste at first but she gently coached Paul into making it dirtier. Coaxing his lips open and his tongue out to play against her own.

Paul could taste the lingering saltiness of his spend mixed with the burnt cinnamon of Spice on her tongue. It was strangely intoxicating and Paul chased the flavour hungrily until it was gone from inside her mouth.

Yasmin pulled away with a laugh, placing a firm hand in the middle of Paul's chest when he made to follow.

"Go Usul, go and enjoy everything tonight has to offer".

Paul hesitated, shooting a glance over to the Priest, whom Paul could see was still hard. His cock was purple at the tip and leaking beads of pearlescent fluid in a steady stream. His mouth watered.

The Priest caught Paul's glance and was quick to assure Paul. "I appreciate the interest Usul, but I only share my water with one". His gaze locks onto Yasmin and Paul can see them share a smile full of love and adoration. He looked back at Paul, "Go, I'm sure plenty of others would love to show you all the pleasures the night has to offer".

With a smile of his own and a nod Paul did just that.

By now the drug had kicked in at full force. His cock was hard again, his mind was foggy with arousal and Spice. He felt loose and relaxed and couldn't keep the large smile off his face. The Priest had been right and it did not take Paul long to find another that was willing to bring him to orgasm.

Paul floats from person to person, taking pleasure from whoever shows an interest. Men, women, he didn't care and found pleasure in both. They used their hands, their mouths, and one memorable moment where a handsome man had pulled Paul down into his lap. He used firm hands on Paul's waist to push and pull him against his body, hips gyrating, grinding down until Paul couldn't take it and splattered their stomachs with his release.

Paul had lost track of the number of partners he had that night but by the end his orgasms produced no more water. They left him spasming and making vocal high pitched whines, eyes wet with tears. Another small offering to the gods.

Paul doesn't remember the walk back to his Yali, but he awoke several hours later with a groan. His whole body ached, his balls in particular throbbed, and he was sticky with a mix of his and his various partners' release. He rolled onto his back and raised his arms above his head trying to stretch out the kinks. Back arching he groaned again when the door to his Yali opened, the large form of his swordmaster, Duncan Idaho, filled the doorway.

"Time to get up Paul, your mother is waiting for you".

With a jaw cracking yawn Paul rolled out of bed and to his feet, padding across the room to the reclamation chamber, needing to freshen up before getting dressed. He thought nothing of his state of undress, it wasn't anything Duncan hadn't seen before in the years as Paul's combat teacher. He did however miss the look Duncan gives him as he walks past. As Duncan takes in the sheen of dried cum on Paul's body and the faint finger shaped bruises along his hips.

If Paul had been paying attention he would have seen Duncan's face twist into a look of desire and jealousy. Eyes racking over his body with clenched fists. But he wasn't and by the time he had exited the reclamation chamber Duncan had wrestled his emotions back under control and nothing showed on his face.

A few weeks later Paul receives the invitation to attend another Spice orgy. This time from the Priestess Yasmin herself, and he does not hesitate to agree to attend.

Paul had learned many things about the orgies since he attended the last. He learned that the herbs added to the Spice mixture were used to heighten sexual arousal allowing those that consumed it to reach their climax more often. There was also a contraceptive mixed in making the ritual safe from unplanned pregnancies.

He also learned that being selected to lead the ceremony was a huge honour. That Yasmin and her partner, Vishneer, had only just been elected to their positions before the last ritual. Each pair would lead the tribe through the ritual for one year then a new pair would be selected.

They painted their bodies with symbols reflecting their desires for the tribe in that year. Plentiful harvest, lots of children, courage in battle. Chani had thought the line of questions amusing but had not hesitated to answer them all until Paul was satisfied.

He couldn't wait for the night in question and a chance to learn even more.

A week later finds Paul sneaking out of his Yali again, only this time he has acquired himself a shadow. A shadow in the form of his swordmaster.

Duncan is not a stupid man, he had put two and two together and determined that Paul's state that fateful morning had coincided with a Spice Orgy the night before. It would make sense that the Priestess and Priest would invite the possible Madhi and Paul, being the knowledge seeking young man he was would attend. And it would stand to reason that attendance would mean participation.

He knew Paul had never had the opportunity to explore his sexuality back on Caladan and did not blame him for trying things now. It didn't stop the surge of jealousy over the thought of others touching Paul but that was his problem, not Paul's.

His choice to follow Paul this time was simply so Duncan could keep an eye on him. To make sure no one was trying to take advantage of his Duke while he was high from the Spice and vulnerable. It had nothing to do with wanting to catch a glimpse of Paul undone, lost in pleasure, nothing at all. Duncan had gotten very good at lying to himself.

As the ritual began Paul was determined to expand his experiences this time and learn how to give pleasure to his partners. Not just receive it as he had the last time. It was quick and easy to find someone willing to teach him what he was desperate to learn.

Soon Paul found himself on his knees, head between the thighs of a woman slightly older than himself. Her hands were in his hair, guiding his head, guiding his mouth over her core. She was so, so wet, his mouth and chin covered in it, a mix of saliva and her body's water.

She was giving him instructions, telling him what to do to make it good for her. When to rub his tongue across her clit or give it a hard suck. When to slide fingers into her, to curl them up towards her pelvis searching out the spot that makes her throw her head back on a moan. Makes her hips start to rock down against him.

Her fingers tightened in his hair to the point of pain and pulled a moan from Paul's mouth. The sensation traveling down his spine and lighting a fire in his groin. Cock throbbing between his legs, he couldn't help but to reach down with his unoccupied hand and grip tight around the base. Another moan escaping his mouth, this one echoed back to him from above.

His partner's hips began moving against his face more insistently and Paul intuited that she was approaching her climax. He doubled his efforts, fingers moving in her smoothly at just the angle she had instructed him. Sucking firming on the nub of nerves, a gentle application of teeth and her body went tense. Gasping, moaning sounds falling from her mouth and a flood of fluid spilled over his fingers and down his wrist. Her grip on his head not loosening for several minutes as she rides out her orgasm.

Once she releases him Paul leans back on his heels and wipes his clean hand over his mouth. Biting his lip he hesitates before asking the question he wanted to ask.

"Did I… did I do okay?"

His partner, Sahila lets out a breathless giggle and reaches out to run a gentle hand through Paul's hair. "Darling you were perfect".

A flood of warmth pools in Paul's gut at the words and his cock twitches where it sits still hard against his thigh.

"Would you like to continue being good for me, Usul? You said you wanted to learn how to give pleasure?" When Paul nods, she reaches out a slender arm and becomes over a man who had been hovering just out of Paul's line of sight. "Bakula. Come here my love".

The man who walked forward was massive, the largest Fremen Paul had ever seen. He was almost as tall as Duncan and he even looked a few inches broader in the shoulders. He carried himself like a warrior, even while nude.

Surprisingly it was only then that Paul noticed It. His cock. It was huge, much like Bakula himself and Paul felt a mixture of arousal and not a little amount of trepidation at the sight. As he got closer and Paul got a good look the arousal started to outweigh any other feeling he had. It was big, yes, long and thick, and the thought of getting his mouth on it made his head swim and his cock leak onto the ground.

Bakula stops at Sahila's side, taking her hand and bending down to lay a kiss across her fingers. "Yes Mistress?"

"Usul would like to learn how to give pleasure with his mouth, be a dear and lend us a hand"

She directs Bahula to take her place seated in front of Paul and then kneels down beside him. Her fingers find their way back into Paul's hair and with her voice in his ear she guides his head down.

It took a bit more work for Paul to get the hang of sucking cock, but he was soon able to get control over his gag reflex and take Bakula all the way into his throat. It was messy and made his head swim with lack of air and Paul loved every second of it.

After his crash course Sahila and Bakula sent Paul off to practice his new found skills. Over the course of the next several partners he showed how quick a learner he was. He was so focused on pleasing his partners his own need was left unfulfilled. Eventually Paul allows one of his partners to change the plan, offering to show Paul the potential of a good fuck.

Paul allows himself to be pulled away from the crowd and into a more secluded corner of the ritual chamber. Says his name is Rajani and he lays Paul out on his back and crawls between his spread thighs. The man uses his mouth and hands, first paying lavish attention to Paul's weeping cock before moving lower. Hands pushing Paul's legs up and out so he can place a wet open mouthed kiss to Paul's hole.

Paul's whole body spasms and he tries to push back against the sensation mindlessly. He is unsuccessful but it doesn't stop the trying. One of his hands flew up to his mouth to stifle the noises that tried to escape. It was wet and wonderful and as his body loosened up and relaxed around his tongue his partner slid a finger in beside. The finger was wet and from the tingling sensation Paul recognized the ritual oil from his own explorations of the substance on himself. One quickly became two then three, thrusting in and out of Paul's body stretching him open.

His cock was red and leaking against his stomach, twitching with each push when it happened. A twist of the wrist and those fingers brush up against his prostate and send him hurtling over the edge. His cock shooting spurts and spurts of cum across his chest and stomach.

It took several minutes for Paul's brain to restart. His partner waits patiently, Paul's legs wrapped around his waist and one hand is rubbing firmly up and down the length of Paul's thigh. His own hard cock a hot brand across Paul's skin, wet with oil.

"You alright to continue Usul?" He asks and Paul nods. The man spreads Paul's thighs out further and slots himself in between. Lining his cock up with one hand he pushes in, slow and steady until he bottoms out inside of Paul. Paul can't breathe. It feels so very fucking good. He thought the fingers felt amazing but this was even better and as his partner begins to thrust his cock is quick to fill with blood once again. Unbelievably fast, even with the help from the ritual drug.

Soon Rajani is thrusting in at a punishing pace, Paul moaning non stop. He doesn't see his next orgasm coming and within minutes he is once again shooting across his stomach. His mouth opens on a soundless scream as his prostate is milked through to the end before his partner slows down to a stop.

Rajani checks in again, getting consent to continue and so pulls out and manhandles Paul over onto his hands and knees, chest pressed to the ground. Paul's head swims with the rough handling, keening high in his throat.

"Good?"

He nodded frantically and pushed his hips back to meet Rajani's as he thrust back inside Paul. This angle was even better than before, each thrust hitting his prostate dead on, sending sparks of over sensitivity up Paul's spine. Strong hands gripped his hips and pulled him back hard onto the cock inside him, fucking him relentlessly. And Paul just takes it.

Unknowingly to Paul, Duncan is watching him from the perimeter of the ritual chamber, taking steps to stay out of Paul's line of sight. He is seething with jealousy, growing stronger and stronger as Paul moves from partner to partner. The other men in particular, make his blood boil.

He had almost stepped in after getting a look at the first man Paul was presented with that night. He had been tall and thickly muscled, big enough to make Duncan second guess his chances in a fight. He had only relaxed after seeing the gentle way the man handled Paul, constantly checking before increasing his intensity. The woman with them a guiding hand, instructing Paul on how to please him with his mouth.

Duncan knows he has no right to feel this way, Paul wasn't his to covet and yet he couldn't stop himself. Couldn't stop himself from imagining walking forward, ripping the man who was now fucking Paul away and taking Paul for himself.

Duncan feels a flood of shame following his disrespectful thoughts and he forces himself to look away. Paul was not his, Paul would never be his and he needed to leave before he did something he would regret.

His feet did not move and his gaze found its way back to watch as Paul came for a third time. Watches the man fucking him reach around with one hand and jerk Paul off in time with his cock thrusting inside him. Can see Paul bite down on his own fingers to try and stifle the sounds coming out of his mouth. He failed, Duncan could hear them clear across the chamber. His cock throbbed. He finally steps back, turns his back on his view of Paul and heads back to his Yali.

If he shoves a hand down his pants as soon as the door is closed and spills over his fingers in a few short strokes to the image of Paul getting fucked then no one else needed to know.

Paul enjoyed his second Spice orgy even more than he had his first. As he made his way back to his Yali he took stock of everything he had learned about himself that night. He learned that he liked to be given instructions, being told exactly what to do to bring his partners pleasure. Hands in his hair pulling tight until his eyes watered, the sting of teeth or nails in his skin. Of being held in place and used.

He also learned that while he was attracted to men and women he definitely preferred sex with men. Especially oral sex with men. The feeling of a hard cock sliding across his tongue and into his throat. Of being on his knees. The saltiness of cum.

It wasn't something he had ever thought he would like but the proof was in the constant hardness between his legs all night. And the mind blowing orgasms at the end.

As he was settling in bed his last thought was how much better it could be with a very specific partner.

Paul did not expect how sore he would be the next day as he was getting ready for training. Today he was training with both Chani and Duncan and knew he was going to die by the end. He couldn't hide the limp and Chani proceeded to tease him mercilessly. Duncan was strangely quiet about the whole thing, which Paul thought odd, normally the big man would be the first to poke fun at Paul about anything

He shrugged it off, one of them teasing him was enough, and refocused back on his training.

Paul begins taking lovers outside the orgies, experimenting with all sorts of acts and positions. His favourite encounter so far was with a man named Xand, who had Paul begging by the end with each thrust of his hips. Paul was on his knees, face down in the bed, his arms pulled behind his back, forearm to forearm and secured with a length of rope that had been as soft and smooth as silk. Xand had been using Paul tied arms as leverage, pulling Paul back onto his cock, driving it relentlessly into his prostate.

A litany of please, please, please falling from Paul's lips, getting louder and louder the closer he got to the edge. His eyes were wet with un-shed tears and all he could think about was spilling helplessly across the sheets. But he knew he wasn't allowed yet, hadn't been given permission.

Soon Paul lost the ability to form words, shapeless sounds spilling from his open panting mouth. He was so close, he just needed a little nudge to finally go hurtling over the edge. He was desperately holding on to that last little shred of his control, wanting to be good and not come before he was told he could. In the back of his mind he registers the heat of Xands body leaning over his back and a wash of warm breath hits the back of his neck.

"Go on then Usul, cum!" And Paul did, screaming and body shaking as his cock soaked the sheets below him. He lay there panting and spent as Xand pulled his cock from Paul's hole and finished himself off with a hand. Coating Paul's lower back in his cum.

Needless to say the vial of Spice oil he had been given needed replacing several times over.

Paul's new found venture into casual sex was a little bit of a well kept secret. Well kept as in everyone knew but no one brought it up, especially around Lady Jessica or Duncan Idaho.

Jessica had awkwardly tried to bring up the situation, wanting to make sure Paul understood that a Fremen bastard should be avoided. When Paul mentioned that unless it was somehow possible for Paul himself to get pregnant, she really had nothing to worry about. She never brought it up again.

As for Duncan, every time he observed someone sneaking in or out of Paul quarters just made him more and more jealous. Each day it became harder to keep his distance, harder to remember why he couldn't, why he shouldn't.

It all came to a head one day when Duncan had entered Paul's yali to retrieve him for that day's training. He expected to find Paul running late but what he found was Paul on his knees. On his knees, hands clasped behind his back and a tall, broad Fremen man driving his cock down Paul's throat.

Duncan saw red and before he could stop himself he was striding forward to rip the man away from Paul with a growl. Ignoring both their protests he drags the man over the threshold of Paul's room and shoves him out. Closing the curtain in his face cutting off the sound of him cursing Duncan out.

Turning back into the room he plants a palm in the center of Paul's chest and gives him a firm shove backwards. Making Paul stumble back until he hits stone and Duncan is crowding him against the wall. Paul's breath escapes him in a gasp and Duncan doesn't even give him time to recover before leaning in and taking Paul's mouth in a possessive kiss. His tongue diving past Paul's lips and sliding against into his mouth.

Paul's hands reach up and grab two fistfuls of his shirt. For a second Duncan thought Paul was about to shove him away but he uses the grip to pull Duncan even closer. Hitching a leg up across the back of Duncan's thigh he grinds up against him, drawing a groan out of Duncan's mouth.

Upping the game Duncan picks Paul up and pins him against the wall, Paul's legs moving to wrap around his waist. He had one arm under Paul's ass holding his weight, the other was behind Paul's head. Equal parts protecting it from the hard stone and wanting to get his fingers into Paul's curls giving a tug and drawing the most delicious sounds from Paul's throat.

Duncan chases those sounds pressing their hips together causing Paul to throw his head back on a gasp of Duncan's name. Taking advantage of the newly presented skin Duncan begins laying biting kisses down the length of Paul's neck. He picks a spot just above Paul's collarbone and latches on, sucking and biting until the skin turns purple. He sucks several bruises into the skin above Paul's shirt collar, each one darker as Paul urges him on. Harder harder harder.

He slots a knee between Paul's legs, pressing it against the wall and using it to take Paul's weight so he can free the hand that was holding him up. He starts to unbutton Paul's shirt, mouth moving over the newly exposed skin. Latching onto a pink nipple once he gets enough of the shirt open. Paul's fingers tangle in his hair, pressing his mouth harder against his chest.

"Teeth, please Duncan use your teeth" Duncan grinned against Paul's chest before giving Paul what he asked for. This time.

Soon he has Paul so worked up he is grinding down against Duncan's thigh. He alternates between both nubs until they are red and puffy before removing his mouth. He moves both hands under Paul's ass, getting a firm handful of both cheeks before pulling Paul away from the wall. His weight felt like nothing in Duncan's hold.

He walks Paul across the Yali and tosses him on the bed. Duncan takes a quick minute to tie his long hair back before kneeling on the edge of the bed. Reaching out and grabbing Paul around the hips he manhandles him up the bed until his head rests on the cushions. Paul's hair is a riot of messy curls across the fabric.

Once Duncan has Paul where he wants him his hands move up under the edge of Paul's shirt, pushing it up his chest. Kneeling between Paul's spread thighs Duncan presses his lips to each inch of skin as he unveils it. He uses tongue and teeth, leaving little red marks across Paul's chest.

Paul was making the most delicious noises and Duncan thought he deserved a small reward. Pushing the shirt the rest of the way off his lips met Paul's. His hands moved up to Paul's shoulders, up his arms lifting them above Paul's head and pinning them down. Paul offers no resistance, in fact the move seems to excite him even further, his hips bucking up into Duncan's stomach.

Duncan pulls away from Paul's mouth with one more sweep of his tongue "Keep your hands here, can you do that my boy?"

He waits for Paul's breathy yes before trailing kisses down Paul's jaw and neck. Working his way down Paul's chest and stomach, by passing his nipples even with Paul arching into the touch of his mouth as he moves past.

Once he got down to the hem of Paul's pants he sat back up and took a moment to look at the young man under him. Paul was a vision, he had kept his arms above his head and Duncan could see the grip he had on the pillows. Hard enough for his knuckles to have turned white.

He was watching Duncan back with eyes that were heavy lidded and dark with desire. His gaze was appreciative, traveling down from Duncan's face, over his broad chest and finally down to his groin where his cock was tenting the front of his pants obscenely.

Duncan soaked up the attention, Paul's obvious attraction settling something inside him. He decided to tease Paul, just a little.

"Like what you see my boy?" Paul's eyes snapped back up to Duncan's face and he blushed. Duncan took pleasure from the knowledge that Paul's blush did in fact extend down his chest. Something he had wondered about the young man for a few years now.

That pink hue only darkened as Duncan pulled his own shirt over his head, the muscles in his shoulders and chest rippling. He then made quick work of Paul's pants and undergarments, eager to see Paul fully nude once again. This time up close and not from across a crowded chamber.

He was even more beautiful and Duncan made sure to take it all in. His long, long legs which framed Duncan's hips so perfectly. His cock was longer than Duncan thought, slender like Paul and was already leaking against Paul's stomach. Duncan's mouth watered and he wanted to get that cock in his mouth but he wasn't done torturing Paul yet.

Without breaking eye contact he leans down and places a gentle kiss on one sharp hip, then the other. Brushing his nose along the crease between groin and thigh, Paul's legs spreading wider in response but he keeps his hips on the bed. Duncan spared a brief thought towards whomever taught Paul how to behave so well but shoved the jealousy aside. Paul was under him now and he intended to keep him.

It's Paul who finally breaks eye contact as he throws his head back on a moan as Duncan continues the path of his mouth down the inside of Paul's thighs. Down to his knees, his calves even the soles of his feet before making his way back up. Back past Paul's twitching cock, a quick nip at one nipple pulling a whine from Paul's throat before he takes Paul's mouth once again.

Paul had never felt so seen, so cherished by a partner and it made sense that the first time he was made to feel that way would be with Duncan. His oldest and most dear friend, the man he had been pining over since he was only 16 years old.

He opens his mouth to Duncan's tongue and utilizes all the tricks he had learned from his partners over the last few weeks. They spend several minutes kissing, Duncan's hands moving over Paul's body, his weight pressing Paul down into the bed. Things were heating up and Paul couldn't stay still any longer, his hips starting to grind up when Duncan pulled himself away.

Paul watches as Duncan gets up from the bed and with rough hands he spins Paul around and pulls him down until his head is hanging off the edge of the bed.

"Stay"

Duncan then moves to stand in front of Paul's face and starts unbuckling his belt, dropping it to the floor. Paul had a feeling he knew what was coming and was already dropping his mouth open and waited for Duncan cock.

This drew a chuckle from Duncan, "bit of a cock slut these days eh my boy?" Paul just opens his mouth wider and extends his tongue in response. He loved sucking cock and wasn't ashamed of the fact.

Paul watches as Duncan unbuttons his pants and pulls them down just enough to get his hard cock out before reaching out to grasp Paul's head between his large palms. Paul's cock leaked at the site, Duncan was huge, bigger even then Bakula.

Duncan adjusts the angle of Paul's head so his cock slides in nice and easy, right to the back of Paul's throat. Duncan pauses there and Paul moans as the salty taste of him explodes across his tongue.

Paul can tell that Duncan was struggling to stay in control, to not just start thrusting and he was having none of it. Reaching out he wraps both hands around the back of Duncan's muscular thighs and uses the hold to pull Duncan even deeper into his mouth. He fights his gag reflex and swallows around the thick length.

Duncan seems to get the hint and gives a few slow thrusts before pulling back so only the head of his cock was in Paul's mouth. "Pinch my thigh hard if you need me to stop”

It takes a couple of minutes for them to find a rhythm that worked for both of them but soon Duncan was sliding smoothly in and out of Paul's mouth. He loses track of time and just lets himself be used, floating in the pleasure he was feeling until he could no longer ignore his own arousal.

Paul was so hard, the feeling of Duncan's cock hitting the back of his throat over and over making him throb against his stomach. He removes one hand from Duncan's thigh and reaches down towards his cock, intending on getting a hand on himself to relieve some of the pressure.

Duncan was faster. He snatched Paul's wrist out of the air, "None of that my boy, you cum when I tell you, not a minute sooner". He places Paul hand back on its place gripping his thighs and begins picking up the pace.

Duncan can feel himself getting close, Paul's mouth wet and warm and so open for him. But he doesn't want to cum like this, he wants to cum inside Paul, so he pulls his cock out of Paul's mouth, pausing to admire the saliva drooling out of the corners. The flush spread across his face and down his neck. His cock looked painful, leaking and red.

Next he helps Paul sit up, steadying him as he sways from the blood rushing out of his head. Duncan gets them resettled the correct way around in the bed. Paul's head back on the pillows and himself kneeling between Paul's legs. He runs his hands up Paul's smooth thighs, knee to groin, thumbs digging in until he can push Paul's legs up to his chest.

"Hold these up for me"

Paul was quick to obey hooking his knees over his elbows and holding them spread. Duncan groans at the site, Paul was deliciously flexible and he looks so good spread open for Duncan. His rim was pink and slick?

Duncan feels a growl rumbling up his throat and he reaches out to touch, thumb rubbing against Paul rim and coming away glistening with oil. "Did you let him fuck you Paul?"

He was sinking two fingers into Paul before he had even gotten a response, sliding all the way to the knuckles with no resistance. Paul moaned out a breathy yes, prompting Duncan to follow up with a hard bite to Paul's ass cheek. The little slut was going to get wrecked and never look at anyone else again.

Paul loves the possessive move, the pain from Duncan's teeth making him jerk and keen. He isn't sure what comes over him next, all he knows is he wants more and so tells Duncan all the details from last night's partner. How the man had bent over for Paul, screaming his name. How thick his fingers felt as he slid them inside Paul, how his cock felt as he brought Paul to orgasm. How Paul was attempting to return the favour when Duncan had interrupted them. How good he tasted. Any piece of information Paul could think of to drive Duncan wild with jealousy.

Duncan knows what Paul is doing but takes the bait anyway and sets out to wreck Paul. The two fingers he has in Paul's ass quickly work up to 4 before he finally gets his mouth of Paul's pretty cock. He sucks him in until it hits the back of his throat and then applies strong suction on his way back up. Greatly enjoying the sounds he is pulling from Paul's mouth as he sets up a quick pace, angling his fingers so it brushes against Paul's prostate every third or fourth thrust.

Soon he had Paul begging, "Duncan, Duncan please! Fuck me!" He was moving between Duncan's mouth and his fingers as best as the position allows and Duncan felt deeply satisfied at getting him so worked up. "Fuck I'm going to cum, please I can't!"

Duncan wasn't ready for Paul to get off and pulls his mouth and fingers away. "Where's your oil my boy" Paul releases one knee to blindly reach under the pillow pulling out the small glass vial.

Duncan gets the lid off and coats his fingers, sinking them in Paul's hole making sure he was adequately wet before smoothing the rest over his cock. Relishing the feeling of Paul's eyes on him as he strokes himself. Duncan can already tell this will not last as long as he wants, just the touch of his own hand pushing him close. The reality of finally having Paul is overwhelming.

It's time to give the young man what he wants and Duncan uses one hand to line his cock up with Paul's hole. With the other he encourages Paul to wrap his legs around his waist before he starts to push in. There was a moment of resistance, Duncan was quite large, then he slid past the first ring of muscles, Paul gripping him tightly. After that it was one easy slide to seat himself all the way inside his Duke.

Duncan has to pause here, Paul was gripping him like a vice and he did not want to cum so soon. Paul had his head thrown back, mouth hanging open panting while his hands were gripped so tight in the bed spread his knuckles had turned white. Duncan ran a hand up the outside of Paul's thigh and gripped him around the waist.

"You alright Paul?" He asked the younger man, thumb rubbing back and forth across the soft skin of his hip.

He watches as Paul opens his eyes, the green he was so familiar with almost completely swallowed by the black of his pupils. His voice had a strained breathless quality when he answered. "… please fuck me Duncan".

Who was he to deny his lord any longer. He set out to do just that. Both hands gripping onto Paul's waist he set up a punishing pace, using his grip to pull Paul back onto his cock with each thrust. Paul was letting out a continuous stream of moans and curses, getting louder and louder as Duncan adjusted his angle until he was nailing Paul's prostate on each pass.

At one point he reaches down and grabs one of Duncan big hands, removing it from his waist and bringing it up to his throat. Duncan groans deep in his chest and tightens his fingers ever so slightly over the pale column. It was enough to cut off Paul's airway just a bit but not so much he couldn't speak and soon he was begging Duncan to let him cum.

Duncan decided to finally have mercy on his boy and was quick to give him permission. He hadn't even gotten a hand on Paul cock before the younger man was spraying his stomach and chest with his release. Duncan found the sight of Paul cumming untouched so arousing that it only took another two, three thrusts before he was following Paul into oblivion. He barely had the presence of mind to fall to the side and not crush Paul under his weight.

They laid there side by side and breathless, their sweat being wicked away and absorbed for later use. As Duncan's breathing returns to normal Paul rolls into his side and props his chin on Duncan's chest. Duncan doesn't even need to open his eyes to know that Paul is staring intently at his face. He struggles to keep a grin off his face, it wouldn't do to seem too satisfied with himself.

"What is it my boy?"

"How long?"

Duncan cracked an eye open at the vague question "how long what?" He asked.

"How long could we have been doing this?" Paul broke eye contact for a moment before looking back at Duncan's face.

Duncan chuckled "I don't think I ever would have done anything if it wasn't for the Spice orgies… and all the lovers you had taken since" Without the driving force of his jealousy went unsaid.

Paul's eyes widened in surprise and he pushed himself up on an elbow so he looked down at Duncan "You knew about the Spice orgies?"

"Yes Paul I knew about the Spice orgies" Duncan answered as he reached out to tuck a curl behind Paul's ear "you were not being exactly subtle".

"Oh" That seemed to be the end of it and Paul laid his head back down on Duncan's chest, nuzzling in. Duncan felt himself drifting off to sleep when he felt Paul suddenly bolt upright.

"Wait, does my mother know about the Spice orgies?" Paul sounded so horrified that Duncan couldn't help but to break down howling with laughter. He was happier then he could remember being since before coming to Arrakis and it was good.

Paul was dreaming. He saw the birth of his sister, Alia. Saw all she was destined to be and accomplish. He saw them retake Arrakeen with the help from the Fremen. He saw the fall of the Emperor and Paul's ascension to the throne. Duncan is a constant companion by his side, his strong right arm, his shield. He saw their wedding day, married in the traditional Caladan manner under the light of the twin moons, hands wrapped in ribbon the colour of the seas. He sees them grow old and in love and happy.

[hannahssimblr]

I jog after the three of them as they head towards the village. I don’t know how they walk so fast in their chunky boots, but they do, leaving me scuttling behind with my bag jostling around childishly on my back. “Hey, Evan,” I tap his shoulder and he glances at me, “I was thinking about what we talked about that day in the park?”

“When we were drawing?”

“Yeah, do you remember we talked about getting detention and stuff?”

He smirks, “Yeah, I remember.”

“Well guess what?” I whip my bag off my back and unzip it, holding it open so he can see what I’ve stashed inside. He stops walking and peers in with disbelief. 

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah, when you were talking about how you’d had yours confiscated I couldn’t stop thinking about how it was such a waste, you know?”

“Where did you get them?”

Jen and Michelle stop walking too and circle back around curiously to see what all the fuss is about. 

“Jude has fireworks,” Evan explains with a mischievous glint in his eye I have never seen before. Jen begins to chuckle into her hand, “Oh of course he does, fucking hell. Judie, where’d you get them?”

“Not important. I was thinking that since it’s a clear night we could let them off.”

Michelle looks uncertain, “Where, though? I don’t know, it feels like a lot of effort, and what if we get caught?”

“Don’t listen to her,” Evan says, voice now trembling with more excitement than I expected he was capable of. “It’ll be fun, c’mon, Shell, we can go over to Dollymount strand. Nobody will be there at this hour.”

“Is it safe?”

“Yes,” Evan and I say together, even though I’m not sure and he likely isn’t either. She looks to Jen who shrugs indifferently and says “Well, why not? It’s a shame to waste them. They’ll only be sitting under his bed otherwise.”

Exactly,” I sling my arm around her, “And who doesn’t love fireworks? C’mon, Michelle, carpe diem.”

“Fine,” she says, “I suppose.”

Dollymount strand, a wide, sandy beach strewn with seaweed and coke cans is dark under the moonless sky. After another wet, miserable week our feet crunch over damp sand further and further down the beach and away from the lights of Clontarf until the night has cloaked us from the eyes of any late evening walkers still looping the seafront. 

I shrug my old, ratty school bag from my back to toss it at our feet open, the array of fireworks hidden inside the open, zip-toothed maw of it. 

“I can’t see that,” Jen drawls, so I pull out my trusty Nokia phone with the built-in torch and blast a beam of light at my wares. 

“I forget what the individual fireworks are called,” I admit, “But, uh, I know I have the spinny ones and the ones that go like,” I try to show them what I mean by drawing a high arc with my hand and then making an explosion sound, “Like that, huh? And that one there goes like pew pew pew, and those ones in the middle are kind of disappointing, but they’re nice to set off in between the others, they go like-”

“Nobody knows what the fuck you mean,” Jen interrupts.

“Yeah I think we should just light them,” Evan glances at me, “Do you need a lighter?”

“Nah, I got one,” We start pulling them out of my bag and sticking them in the sand while Michelle does a cursory check to make sure they’re all actually pointing the right way, which is sensible. I probably wouldn’t have thought of that. 

My lighter throws a flickering glow over my hand and I let out a steadying breath, “Okay.”

“Careful,” Michelle pipes up from where she and Jen have retreated back towards the dunes. Evan stays put, and with his lighter he starts at the other end of the line, we light them, one my one, their bottoms exploding in sparks of fire, burning, burning…

“Woah!” Jen whoops as the first one rockets off over Dublin bay, screeching, whirling, ending with a sunburst of light that crackles and drops gracefully towards the sea. 

I laugh with delight as the second one goes, then the third, and the fourth, and as I glance to my left I see that Evan is doing the same, his face lit up with glee with the lights of the sky bouncing over his face. I recognise that look, and for a moment I could swear I’m seeing myself. 

“What do you think, huh?” I call out to him, and he whirls on me, dazed, as though he’s just remembered that I am there. 

“Pretty sweet,” and as he laughs wildly I feel such an inherent sense of knowing and understanding about this weird little emo kid that it makes my throat strangely tight.

“I know how you feel, Evan, it’s like, I can’t ever explain it to people, but nothing really feels as good as doing dumb shit does.”

“You’re right, it doesn’t.”

A dense burst of stars explodes overhead, so big and so loud and so enthralling that we stand beneath it fixated until it vanishes into the air overhead, it's crackling in harmony with the sound of the girls whooping somewhere in the dunes, “I think there's… something about guys like us,” I bellow as the firecrackers begin spluttering and screaming in their liftoff, “Most people don’t understand what it is, or why, honestly, but I do.”

“You do?”

“Yep.”

He huffs out a laugh, “Yeah. I think I actually believe you.”

Beginning // Prev // Next

[atrustfulplace]

i just went to see dune 2 with my dad, i have never seen dune 1. these are my thoughts on a movie i had absolutely no context for:

-why does it open with them napping in a desert

-creepy mom just has convos with a fetus it’s so funny

-speaking of creepy mom she was wild like “start with the most afraid” girl what???? i know your starting a cult but you could at least be slightly normal about it

- she feels freudian to me

-the bug people are lead by drax from guardians of the galaxy

-i love the blue worm juice that gives you blue eyes and hallucinations.

-zendaya is way to good for this dude oh my god. when he like talks about marrying creepy rapist girl (who i will get to, i have thoughts) infront of zendaya and everyone she knows. timothy would not need to dual the bald serial killer. i would have gutted his ass so fast if he had done that to me

-i wish she was allowed to say fuck so she could curse someone out. i saw it in her eyes she wanted to tell creepy mom to go fuck herself so bad

-tim is so funny because like he goes from “i will not be a cult leader mom! your embarrassing me!!” to “fuck yeah i’m a cult leader “ so fast

-ok so creepy rapist girl. genuinely what is up with her. she’s like a princess (i think??) and she’s besties with weird nuns. she also drugs a guy to have sex with him to get pregnant. so like she’s evil get fucked. i feel like they wanted me to like her but she shouldn’t have raped someone then.

-also there was a box that this dude had to stick his hand into??? does the box hurt him???

-ok so victim of rapist lady is so funny

-he’s literally the “you would like any man if he was white” meme

-he is genuinely awful but he is also so funny. he has three weed smoking girlfriends, who are also act like snakes and do cannibalism (cannibalism kept auto correct to cannabis, it must be a sign)

-i don’t think he has teeth

-he has this fight with timothy, which he seems like way to into, and only becomes more into it when he finds out tim is his cousin

-like dead ass this guy wanted to fuck his cousin so bad

-“your planet used to be called … dune” I LAUGHED OUT LOUD the desert plannet??? called dune??? how creative

-the existence of worms people ride leads to the horrifying yet intriguing thought of worm girls instead of horse girls

-slug man is also funny, like girl why are you submerged in tar all the time

-magic sparkly sand there. why does it sparkle? why does anyone care about it? why did i agree to see this movie without seeing the first? all unanswerable questions.

overall i did enjoy the movie. the music and visuals fucked, but also i understood basically none of it. please explain to me what was actually happening

[aquarium-ina-bag]

Where Danger Finds Me, it Follows with Tides - 7

'Cause you live in my day dreams ch. 7

Word count: 2.7k

Relationships: Wednesday x Reader (She/they)

Warnings: Mention of blood, pain, bullets.

A/N: So sorry I took so long had a project anyyywaayyyy, if I do breaks again Im able to do drabbles so ask away. I have an Idea for a side au with Jenna, just confused about how I'm gonna use this character R and actor R (Gasp spoilers, wtv) enjoy, give suggestions yatta yatta.

Small conversations spread among the bar, bottles hitting stained, polished wood and smooth granite countertops, and low music playing. It definitely wasn’t a big bar, but it was the home of drunken souls in the outskirts of Jericho. And tonight it housed hopeful, evil, and grieving souls. 

The door swung open, hitting the bell. A small three-man group raised their heads to see the newcomer as the bartender gave his regular warm smile to the eccentric man. 

"Evenin’ James, usual?" The bartender cleaned a glass, ready to serve. 

"Nah nah, I need somethin’ tougher; I’m ina surprising mood tahnigh’ hit me hard." James was practically jumping and shaking. 

The bartender started to pour him a fireball.

"Well, gee, it seems like you've got something heavy already." He slid the glass across the counter.

James quickly caught it and brought himself to the table of three men. He threw his head back and drank with speed. "Fellas, I got that damn thing that's been killin’ my livestock." He slammed his hands on the wooden table. 

The three of them laughed, and one spoke up. "The fucking big creature you saw, with the big claws and skin like a lagoon?" Dune made gestures to mock James' description. 

"Nah na! It’s real, but this one had wings! My god, the size of them nevah seen before, the tips nosebleed red, and it-it-it got deeper colah at the base." James tossed around his arms to depict this creature of the night "OH! And-and-and when I shot the bitch, the speed it took was incredible! Even though I shot it in the wing, damn it was moving maybay 300 miles?"

The group looked at the man in front of them like he was on shrooms, he sure acted like it. The bigger male chuckled, "So you’re saying some big ass peregrine falcon, has been taking your sheep, and when you shot it, it left at the speed of 300 miles per hour?" 

"No, no, Harlow, it gave me my sheep back! It done dropped the sheep back in the pen, ALIVE! The damn hooves were painted pink! Fuckin pink!" James explained.

The men were invested now. "You got two creatures in your fences now?" Harlow asked. 

"Yes! One is killing them, the other is saving them. Like an angel." James fawned over his findings.

Chuck took a sip of his beer before speaking. "Well, you said it was dark and bloody lookin’, don’t sound like no angel to me." 

"What would I call it then?" James questioned his ideas.

"I say call it a blood hawk, it’s easy to identify," Harlow said as he toyed with the ring of condensation on the wood.  "Also, go buy one of them cameras that videos motion." 

The bartender couldn’t hold his words anymore. "Say, you know what’s known for having creepy abnormalities, that Nevermore school miles away. That lagoon creature you were talking about James, I think it’s been seen there plenty of times." 

The bartender pushed a glass towards a shaggy brown-haired man, his hair long, as were the scars on his face as if he were mauled by a beast. The man’s clothes looked so mismatched and ripped; he had a beard starting to grow; and he looked homeless but still had money to buy a drink. This man couldn’t help but listen to the conversation; he made clear, surprised expressions at the words ‘Nevermore’ ‘Blood hawk’ ‘sheep’ and ‘alive’. All this man could do was hum in acknowledgment. 

"I’ll look into it once I get home." James smiled and continued to change the subject.

—————-

"Wednesday I know you usually don’t regret things, but I honestly feel so awful about hurting Y/n," Enid said with her chin on her school desk, her body droopy.

Sure, that is true Wednesday doesn’t feel regret, but everything she regrets on her mind is rooted in because of you, she regrets ever talking to you, accepting your dual, working on the project with you, letting you see something vulnerable in her—she regrets a lot when it comes to you. 

"They said it was fine." What Wednesday really regretted was letting you leave and trusting that you would take care of yourself. She hasn’t seen you all morning. The thought of you bleeding out that whole night banged on her cranium. 

Enid turned to face the goth, laying her cheek on the cold wood. "You don’t really believe that." Wednesday regrets not smothering her roommate, and Enid started to understand Wednesday’s ‘signs’. The raven stayed silent, keeping it that way the whole period. 

When it was over, she took her free period to confirm that Enid hadn’t murdered you. She checked the gym; you weren’t there. Wednesday looked where you feed birds; no luck. She entered your dorm to find clutters of paper and files scattered around your desk. As if a voice was pulling her into the room, Wednesday walked in and shut the door behind her, making a careful walk across the room to your desk. The floorboards creaking had an unusual pattern as if someone were in the room with her. The raven was on edge but still curious; determined to find out why you were gone. 

The goth inspected the papers on your desk. Pictures of the farm you two went to, papers containing information about the owner of said farm. What really stuck out were documents from the U.S. government. How in the world were you able to access something like this? The thought that you were taken by the FBI could make her chuckle. Wednesday shuffled the small stack, trying to get them back in order. When the order was found, Wednesday couldn’t stop reading.

In brief, the documents explain how an ‘anomaly’ that was captured in December of last year escaped a government vehicle, killing four of the six men in said vehicle. This creature never made it to the lab for testing, questioning, and possible execution. This creature could be conjured by American citizen Tyler Galpin. 

Tyler was out, and that was him; he was still lurking in the towns, waiting for his next victim.  

Wednesday looked around for anything that could reveal she was here, and when she turned to the glass screen door, a shine drew her in like everything else in this room. 

Unlocking it and stepping onto the concrete, she looked down to find a bullet that was almost perfectly clean. Why would you have a perfect bullet here? The casing was gone, so this was fired. 

This curious black cat bent down to pick up the fired bullet. Her head was shot backward, and scenes dashed and flashed across her vision.

Fingers that weren’t yours loading ammunition in a firearm; the bullet flying into feathered flesh, then deeper into warm blood and muscle; with her perspective being the bullet, Wednesday felt layers decompressing her. From what she could guess, it was feathers falling off, then skin, then muscles. The bullet dropped in a pool of blood; something or more of a surplus made a horrific shriek as if it was getting brutally attacked. She couldn’t tell what made it, and the warmth of blood left her after the vision ended.

Once the vision was over, Wednesday moved her head back. It felt as if someone was beating her skull; that never happens with visions, but that aside, what did she just see? Wednesday began to make a hypothesis, clearly, this was past, not future, and this bullet wasn’t yours, but she couldn’t be sure if you fired the weapon, it was shot in some bird, but why was the bullet removed like that, layer by layer? What was that screaming? 

The girl’s head was pounding, and before she left your room, she took the bullet, the papers. She wanted to find some type of DNA in the room, but her head said otherwise. 

—————-

Something was wrong; your brain was triggering some sort of defensive reaction, and you didn’t understand what was triggering it. You’re trained to keep your brain in full control, to know when you’re being psychologically attacked, and currently, the right and left sides of your brain are disagreeing with something. Before you can get the problem fixed, you need to know the problem. That could wait though.

"I really need to train back home again." You muttered to the wind, and it raced past as if responding.

You smiled as you continued to walk along the side of a gravel road. This scenery wasn’t better than the woods with Wednesday; did you even look at the view when you were with Wednesday? What were you focused on? 

This constant questioning of yourself was scaring you. Your family described you as a person, with no limits, but you had to be in control of your whole body, and recently you weren't. Maybe that’s why you're triggering a defensive response.

You stopped at a small home surrounded by flat, crop-growing land, knocking on the door before you looked yourself up and down. With a small smirk, you thought the outfit looked like a hitman in the winter decked out in dark, puffy clothes. Hey, it was close to the beginning of winter.

Once the door opened, a taller man, maybe 2 inches taller than you, greeted you with a grimace.

"Well, who the hell is you? Matrix-looking kid. All these damn new fashion trends." His accent was a deep Southern one.

You chuckled before speaking, "You, James Turner?" Your hands shuffled in that dark, puffy jacket, pulling out a picture of the man in front of you. 

"Who’s asking?" He got closer to you, and smelled like booze. 

You've shown him the photo now. "There’s a problem if someone did." You murdered someone, sir?" He could have the other night if your thesis was right. 

"I ain’t kill nobody, did I?" Bingo. James started to get a little scared, you could read it off his body language.

"Well, I heard a complaint about some gunfire, and when I asked around for you, I heard you shot something." Part of that was a lie, you didn't really ask, just lots of tabs closing at a bar. 

James looked like a child getting caught with their hand in a cookie jar; he was going to break. "Listen, somethin’ been stealing my animals. I was waiting to shoot it last night, then this big bird-like person dropped a sheep in the pen, and I shot at it."

Your face scrunched in confusion. "Why would you shoot something, dropping your sheep back off? And you said human-looking? You were going to just kill a person like that?" You took steps forward, and James kept backing up until both of you were in the house. 

"I jus wan-tah to catch em’ , Ay I don’t even think that was them! Something else was killing my animals, it was green and-and-and large, eyes like a bug." Tsk tsk James, the hole he dug just kept getting bigger.

You were so close in his space that he tripped into a seat. "So you shot something that you wanted to catch even though it helped you; it wasn’t even the creature that was killing! What were you going to do, James? When you caught it, that is." 

"I I I." He sure does stutter you noted, "I was gonna report it for stealing." 

You gripped the table, did it crunch? James questioned. "What’s the story, Turner? You said it gave back…" 

"You’re right It was, it was." He was sweating badly. 

"Good, so you understand that you committed attempted murder? Correct?" Your voice was deathly low. "It can be a pretty hefty sentence, James." 

He watched you move around his house, preparing a glass of water, before sitting across from him.

"I’m going to jail?" He looked on the verge of tears. 

You paused before speaking, a clicking sound filled your silence. "Yes, if you refuse to comply with me." You took a long sip of water, making Turner wait in anguish. "Heard you’re gonna set up cameras around this place, I want you to set up cameras around the woods, set up baits, get as much footage of this killing creature as you can, and hand all of the footage, pictures, and what you baited with to me. Sound simple?" 

"Course, anything yes, please, I jus don’t wanna go to jail." He nodded like a bobblehead.

"Perfect, and don’t think you can escape this; I've got all the information to make a court session last less than 10 minutes." You smiled and finished the glass. Quickly grabbing a pen and paper, you wrote one of your numbers and labeled it, 'Turn in footage work and info here' 

"Cya round James Turner." And just like that, after scaring this older male, you left, walking back to Nevermore. 

———————

This headache wanted to make Wednesday have a lobotomy or struck like Zeus to get Athena out. She could barely piece together the papers in front of her. Enid watched her struggle to work, pointing it out like always.

"What’s up with you? I feel like this is easy." 

"My head has been in pain since I had that vision, usually that doesn’t happen," Wednesday explained as she moved the sheets and note cards around the board. 

Enid knew that if the pain was really bothering her, this headache was something from hell. "Hm, do you want to take something? Or maybe take a break?" 

"I did; it got worse." Wednesday's face barely scrunched as she spoke. "I don’t need a break either." 

Thumps on the door broke the conversation; they both looked at each other, then Enid went to open it. 

You stood there with a toothy grin and said, "Hey Sinclair, where’s Wednesday?" 

"I don’t know if she would be up for a date, Y/n, she’s got a raging headache." Enid knew Wednesday stole from you, so she had to make somewhat of an excuse. 

You paused for a second. "I, uhm, no, I’m not here for that, she has something I ne-" 

Enid shut the door in your face and said, "They know!" Whisper yelling to the goth. All she did was nod and signal to let you in.

Enid slowly opened the door to let you in; once you did, Wednesday’s now migraine blared. She gripped the side table near her. 

"Evening Addams, I’m guessing you know why I’m here." You walked closer to her, maybe 5 inches away from her now. 

"Why," she paused to take a breath, "why do you have them?" 

You raised a brow and said, "I could ask the same." You whispered, getting closer to her ear. "You can get in trouble if you have them; I know how to take care of them." Also, you have a vision?" 

Wednesday wanted to make sure this wasn’t some fake whispering again, so she clutched the bottom of your shirt. For you, it seemed like desperation. She released you and went to take the papers.  

"Yes." Wednesday handed the papers back. Just like that, the pain was gone, and she could think straight now. 

"Doesn’t hurt anymore, does it?" This no-distance whispering with you was going to kill Wednesday; it made her feel sick again. 

She slowly nodded, and with that, you backed up and said your goodbyes, then left.

So many holes—how did you know about the papers? Where have you been all day? How did the vision connect with the headaches? How did you fix it? What trouble did you mean? Why do you have those papers? What were you going to do with it? Her loud thinking was blocked.

"So no more evidence?" Enid asked. 

"The bullet—I still have it."

"Well, it is like almost 12. Let’s look at it tomorrow. Also, who comes to someone’s door at 11? Also,  what did she tell you? I couldn’t hear, over the sound of you two practically making out with each other's whispering. Wait a minute, you didn’t even whisper; you just nodded. What was that about? Whatever, that's a question for tomorrow. I’m too tired, night Addams." Enid threw herself onto her bed and crashed to sleep. 

Wednesday, on the other hand, couldn’t do the same; she needed to get answers.

[triforce-of-mischief]

[@batrogers requested 5; Hugging them tightly, telling them how worried you were]

****

Hateno had thought that the Lightning Temple had been a pain to navigate, with random piles of sand hiding all the important things and gibdos sleeping in the shadows, but he almost missed the place now. Skyloft had introduced this dungeon as the Lanayru Mining Facility, but hadn’t been able to explain much else as he was busy clearing a path through knee-deep sand dunes. Minish, seeing Skyloft use his gust bellows, had brought out their own and was attempting to help without shooting sand in everyone’s faces. Hateno stood back with the rest, looking warily at their surroundings.

The Lightning Temple, at least, hadn’t been crawling with oversized robots.

They stood taller than even Prince, three round segments supporting a head with a single eye. They were inactive now, but Hateno didn’t doubt that they, like his guardians, would shoot lasers at trespassers. The central room they stood in was large, deadly silent, and Hateno couldn’t turn around without seeing another robot stationed on a walkway or in front of a door. He didn’t like it, but only Far seemed to agree.

Hateno looked around again, confirming that the young man was still hiding at the back of their group. Ordon was with him, while Rabbit watched Smith help in her own way by using a magic rod to form concentrated pillars of sand. The rest of the group were split between waiting or exploring, and Hateno spotted Chief among the latter. Having seen his reaction to the guardians, Hateno wasn’t surprised that his boyfriend had gone straight to the mysterious machines. He tried not to worry, telling himself that the robots were clearly unable to move. Some of the guardians had deceptively appeared to be the same, but Hateno trusted Skyloft’s complete lack of concern as his companions walked right up to them.

Skyloft turned off his gust bellows, giving himself a minute to breathe. Minish stopped as well, letting Skyloft lean on them for support. Skyloft stared at the nearest robot for a moment, then looked up to the golden cage suspended from the ceiling.

“Don’t touch any crystals,” Skyloft said, his hand absently going to the beetle bracer on his wrist. “They activate the beamos- they’ll try to kill you, and it’s hard to destroy them without getting hit.”

Hateno’s breath caught, and he frantically searched again for Chief. His boyfriend was investigating a robot- beamos- in the near corner of the room. Behind him, a glimmer of purple poked out of a pile of sand. Chief hadn’t noticed it yet, but if his attention slipped away from the beamos-

“Chief!” Hateno called, then muttered under his breath when his boyfriend was too entranced by the robot to hear. He walked as close to the beamos as he dared, then tried again. “Chief, come back, that’s dangerous.”

Chief gave him an annoyed look. “It’s corroded by centuries of inactivity and sand. The power source doesn’t even lead to anything anymore-”

“Love,” Hateno said, letting him hear the fear in his voice. “Don't mess with it, please.”

Chief sighed, then picked his way across the sand and back to Hateno. He glanced longingly at the beamos, but Hateno grabbed his arms and pulled him into a hug. He held him tight, the reminder that his boyfriend was safe, that the fatal flashes of light were all in his head.

“Hateno, I’m fine, there’s no chance of them reactivating,” Chief grumbled, though he was leaning into him.

“I’m just worried about you. I don’t want to see you hurt,” Hateno said quietly. “Sky says they can, and he knows this place better than we do. Let’s let him lead for now.”

[shyhaya]

well~ because I was watching tristamp and I am completely enamored with Vash, I wanted to post a little one-shot, because why not? It's just my current obsession ♡

(also, I started reading the manga and I'm positively dying, so there's that! :3)

So, here's a Vash the Stampede x fem! Reader

umm.. I guess there's kinda a few spoilers from ep 2 and 1 if you haven't seen them. Also, the reader —based on a new oc because I said so— is plant, just a tad bit different. No warnings except fora little bit of making out nearing the end; the rest is fluff. Enjoy! ^^

Reunited

──────•❥❥❥•──────

Thanking the old man who helped her the past few weeks, she took her traveling bag and started making her way out of town. Covering her head from the sun with the hood of the sweater, the girl walked through the infinite dunes of No Man's Land, just stopping a few times to eat something and drink water before continuing. She had a hunch of where he would be this time. She just hoped it was correct.

For the last two weeks, (Y/N) had been staying in a small town she had came across after she was separated from her partner when someone recognized him. Again. The life of a wanted outlaw was certainly difficult. Still, she didn't complain; as long as she can be with him, she won't mind dodging bullets and running from town to town. Some days, the female actually consider this funny. A century and a half ago, she couldn't have imagined she would be in this situation. But here she is, and she doesn't want to be anywhere else.

Sighing, (Y/N) hurried her pace a little. It would take no more than two days to get there, and if her hunch was right, then she will meet him again very soon. The (blonde, brunette, etc..) remembered one time she joked about having a radar when it comes to him, because she always seems to know where he is, or will be. She chuckled. Maybe she did have a radar, or some sort of sixth sense. Maybe it's because of their bond. It would be very cheesy, but that's the only thing that can explain it.

When night fell, (Y/N) fortunately had found an abandoned place to sleep in. Contrary to the days there, the nights were always very cold. She pouted while covering herself with the only blanket she has. She missed her personal heater. He is much warmer and comfy to sleep with. A small smile slipped past her lips as she closed her eyes. (Y/N) could almost feel it; she was not the only one missing someone.

"Just a bit more.." muttered the girl before falling asleep.

──────•❥❥❥•──────

The next morning she woke up early to keep going. And with early, it means before the sun rose. She didn't encounter anyone during her walk, except a few sand worms. Thankfully, she wasn't swallowed by one.

It was perhaps midday when she finally saw the silhouette of Jeneora Rock in the distance. Smiling gratefully, (Y/N) let out a sigh and started jogging. She couldn't contain the excitement. Yes, there was the possibility that he was not there, but something told her he was, and she trusted that feeling. When she saw the town more clearly, her jogging became a full run. But then, an explosion sounded just after a particularly annoying and piercing shout. Her smile turned into a frown.

"Don't tell me.. already?!" The (blonde, brunette, etc..) whisper shouted. Pushing her legs to move faster, she could see the town's people and a weird.. human-like thing? carrying a plant. "Wait, why is it carrying the plant?!" (Y/N) watched how the creature almost fell off the cliff after passing the plant to another.. wait.. a normal human can't hold a plant on their own...

Just then, the creature was being pulled up by the people and.. She let out a chuckle when she saw him. Damn, he really can't help but want to help everyone, can he? She hurried up the steps and streets to get where all the people were. Where he was. When she arrived, finally, (Y/N) saw everyone looking forward, where the creature and an old man where being held at gunpoint by a woman she recognized as Rosa. Damn, pregnant and fighting? Okay. She lowered the gun though, after a few seconds, and by her side the (blue, brown, green..) eyed girl saw a very familiar blonde.

He was showing that gentle smile that seems to never disappear from his lips. His eyes showing concern but also relief. (Y/N) will always consider him to be stunning, no matter the situation. So, incapable of tolerating the distance between them anymore, she made her way through the people to get to him, almost sprinting.

"Vash!"

At hearing his name, he looked forward, and upon seeing her, various emotions flashed through his blue eyes. Shock, surprise, realization and finally, joy. Because she was already so close, he opened his arms, full on smiling.

"Mayfly!"

(Y/N) crashed into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist, burying her face in his chest, listening to his fast heartbeat. He embraced her tight, giving a kiss to the top of her head, cradling her cheek with his right hand. She leaned into his touch, looking into his beautiful orbs, before going closer to peck his beauty mark. (Y/N) watched delighted how his face turned red, still smiling as he planted chaste kisses on her forehead, cheeks and nose. She pouted, pleading with her (light, dark..) eyes. Vash complied shyly, finally giving her a peck on the lips.

"I missed you, Sugar" She said, closing her eyes, putting her forehead to his. He intertwined their hands, and when the girl opened her eyes, he was looking at her with so much affection her cheeks burned.

"And I you, (Y/N). More than you know" the female melted hearing his words, how her name sounded when he said it. They hugged one more time before parting. Only then, when their little bubble exploded, did she notice all the eyes on them. Well, I guess we do attract attention.

Rosa was the first one to greet her, although the (brunette, blonde, etc..) could see something grim in her expression. She briefly looked at Vash, and he signaled he would tell her later.

"My (Y/N)! It's been so long since I saw you, hon!" She giggled at her words, giving her a hug and congratulating her for her pregnancy. Then, she noticed other two people that were looking at her.

(Y/N) turned completely and saw a girl, shorter than herself. She had cute blue eyes and dark blue hair. I like her outfit. She looked really curious. Beside her was an older man, his apparence unkept and with sunken eyes. Probably drinks too much. The girl approached her, and (Y/N) smiled. She looked at her side and saw Vash, who looked at the blue eyed girl, and she joined the pieces.

"Ummm.. who is she, Vash?" The bluenette questioned, tilting her head. The man beside her responded for the blonde.

"Didn't you see them, rookie? She's his girlfriend" (Y/N) chuckled by her expression, watching her puff her rosy cheeks at the man.

"Yeah, I saw that Senpai! But I thought asking to confirm was appropriate!"

Turning to her partner, the (brunette, blonde, etc..) nudged him with her elbow playfully "Won't you introduce me to your new friends, Sugar?~" He rolled his eyes but nodded, smiling. Attracting the attention of the girl, he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Guys, she's (Y/N). My girlfriend" he looked at her "Mayfly, they're the ones who helped me escape from the police" (Y/N) stifled a laugh.

"They must be very good people to help the 'Humanoid Typhoon', yeah?"

The blue haired girl took her outstretched hand "Nice to meet you, my name's Meryl Stryfe. I'm a journalist. We came across Vash in the desert. The drunk man you see beside me is my Senpai."

(Y/N) grinned at her "Nice to meet ya too, Meryl! Thanks for helping my Sunshine. Not many people would do it. You two have my gratitude" she bowed her head.

"O- oh no! You don't have to- to bow your head! It's fine!" She exclaimed, moving her hands around "B- but, if it's not a problem.. H- How come you weren't with Vash when we found him?"

The blonde and the (brunette, blonde, etc..) locked eyes. She nodded, and he took her hand in his "Well, what if we talk in the bar?" he suggested, planting a brief kiss to the back of her hand "I'm sure we have a lot to catch up to, Mayfly"

──────•❥❥❥•──────

"I thought you would end up here. That's all" she muttered, her left hand supporting her cheek while she laid on her left side; her right hand being held carefully by the blonde's left. Once every few seconds, he would bring her hand to his lips and kiss it, sometimes it would be on the wrist too. Vash listened to the details of her story of after they went separate ways two weeks ago. He had tried to find (Y/N), but in the end just kept moving forward, trusting she would somehow find him.

She had narrated the story to Meryl and Roberto back in the bar, before leaving with Vash to properly catch up. It felt like years had passed since he's held her like this, since they've been so close.

"I missed being like this, you know" (Y/N) whispered, bringing her face close to his, observing his baby blue orbs without his glasses. He kissed her nose, making her laugh. She felt his prosthetic arm rest on her hip, then on her waist, holding her closer. The (brunette, blonde, etc..) laid completely on the bed now, with her right hand against his cheek.

"I missed this too. Time passes quickly for us, but without you two weeks are a lifetime, Mayfly.." a kiss followed his words, and she melted into it, cherishing the moment. When they parted, a shy smile was present on his lips, and she went closer to bump her nose with his "I'm sorry I couldn't find you sooner"

(Y/N) shook her head, hiding her face in the space between his neck and shoulder, inhaling his scent and leaving a butterfly kiss on his skin. His breath hitched and she knew his cheeks were bright red "It's no one's fault, Vash, do not worry. We're together now, that's all that matters. But please tell, how did you get caught up in the situation from earlier?"

Sighing, Vash explained everything that happened earlier in the day, softly touching her waist and hip as a way to calm her down while he described the events that occurred. He immediately sensed (Y/N)'s body tense up when he told her Rosa had wanted to give him to the police to have the money of the bounty placed on him, so that they could afford a new plant for the town.

"I.. I understand her motives. She's a mother, her family and friends live here. She doesn't want them to die or suffer" She tightened her grip on his shirt, taking a deep breath before letting out a sigh "And still.. I know you saved her and her son, more than once, you helped everyone here.. I know what they're going through but... I- I still can't help this.. this feeling. You deserve better, Vash"

She felt a delicate kiss on my forehead, followed by one on her nose "You always say that, (Y/N).. But it's okay, it really is. You know I'm used to it" he smiled at her.

"But I don't want you to be.." the (blue, brown, green..) eyed girl pouted, making him chuckle.

"What did I do to deserve you? You're too good to be real, Mayfly" giving a peck to his lips, she nuzzled his chest, her right arm wrapped around his waist, their legs a tangled mess on the mattress.

"I should be the one saying that, Love. You're like a dream. The best dream" Just as she sensed he wanted to complain, she rolled over until she was on top of him, his hands on her hips and hers on his shoulders "And you don't get to complain, Stampede" he pursed his lips at his girlfriend, and she kissed him, deeper this time.

"Fine, you win this time, Stardust." He said with a smile, and (Y/N) smirked at him, laying on his chest "But you have to admi-" she didn't let him finish, kissing him roughly this time, biting his bottom lip and sneaking her tongue in his mouth. He whined and she kept teasing for a few seconds more, parting from him as his right hand came to rest on her cheek.

"What did I say about complaining, Vash?"

Panting, the blue eyed male looked up at her "That's unfair.." she giggled.

"All is fair in war and love, baby"

Well, not my best one-shot, but eh...

I hope you liked it :3

[anakinsafterlife]

More Thoughts on Dune

I had to go see Dune again, so I booked the afternoon showing in the Imax theatre, which was bound to hurt my ears, especially whilst fasting, but I just couldn't stop thinking about it. 😅

Having now seen the 1984 movie and the 2001 miniseries, I realize what a comparatively great job Villeneuve did with heavy issues like race and religion (1984 Fremen were all white, while 2001 looked mostly like tanned/slight darker Caucasians, with a few dark skinned extras. But both older versions are mostly very silly and, artistically speaking, poorly rendered. I can see why people kept trying to remake it).

I do still stand by my original post, because of course the director could have done better, but the movie is still a masterpiece and honestly a thousand times more sensitive and informed than the other two attempts to film it. I just feel like if they were going to go to comparatively great effort to get it right this time, why not go all the way and hire more Arab actors (there are plenty even in Hollywood), use more Arabic terms and religious accuracy, etc, instead of indulging in orientalist tropes.

Anyway, I won't go back into the rant, but basically the only negative things I noticed...

... the second time around, were 1) Added, probable anti-Russian racism in the Harkonnens. I didn't notice the first time because I was focused on the mixed treatment of the Space Arabs, but given that Dune was written in the 60s, I'm fairly sure that that the struggle between Harkonnen and Atreides represents the Cold War struggle between the USSR and the United States and Western Europe over physical resources and land power.

2) I also noticed this time copious usage of the "Yellow Middle Eastern Filter."

Even if you haven't heard of it, you have most definitely seen it. It's that yellow haze that lies across the landscape whenever American movies go to some place "exotic," like the Middle East, Mexico, India, etc. It's unspoken propaganda of the most insidious kind, as it imparts to the audience a sense that this place is dry, dusty, and dangerous. (Someone else IRL also mentioned to me that the yellow filter makes people's skin look darker, which is another valid point given the potentially racist implications and assumptions).

The yellow filter is so common, in fact, that I remember being shocked and uneasy when I moved to Dubai, some years back now, because the sky looked blue and normal and not, in fact, hazy and yellow. I didn't even know why I was confused at the time, as the filter is insidious enough that, even when you see it, you often don't really notice it. I only learned officially about the yellow filter a couple of years or so ago, and it makes me mildly furious now every time I actively notice it used in a movie.

So yes, that the yellow desert filter was used is another 'code' for Space Arabia. Which...obvious.

On the story side, I noticed that Jessica and Paul change sides in terms of their opinion of the "prophecy" and whether Paul should claim that narrative. Jessica seems initially opposed, saying, "Your father didn't believe in revenge," while Paul says that he does. But once he grows close to Chani, he eschews the prophecy, only embracing it again after he drinks the Water of Life. That is interesting, because the water gives clear prophecy that the drinkers see as absolute truth. They then attempt to fulfill those truths, which makes me think that these prophecies, like so many, are self-fulfilling. That also explains why Jessica's demeanor changed so absolutely after she drank the water. In becoming a Reverend Mother with prophetic insight, she ironically became less Fremen than she might have before. Is this a metaphor for even the friendliest Westerners losing their sincerity once they have 'tasted' the profits to be made in the Middle East/Global South? 🤔 (But also, obviously, Jessica was always a mother in this story and she would do anything to protect her son, including exploiting an entire culture and religion, *even* if it meant driving him away from her. That is, of course, why one of the first scenes in the movie is of her saving Paul's life by brutally murdering a man.)

I am so, so torn about this movie. I love it and am drawn to it in numerous complex ways that tie into my own personal history as a person who lives, culturally, at the crossroads of east and west. It also clearly articulates the struggle for power and resources that lies at the heart of colonialism and other extended occupations. Yet, again, I recognize the weaknesses of this movie as well as its many strengths.

So torn. Going away to cry now. 😢

[colin-becher-death-countdown]

As someone who loved Dune 2 and has seen Dune 1 and read the book, your confusion has made me realize that the movie probably doesn't make a lot of sense without all that context lol. I fear that may be the curse of 2 part book adaptations. Also I think a lot of key lines that explain what's going on were hard to understand or said really quickly with no time to really process them. I won't waste too much time defending Dune, I love the whole series but I'll be the first to admit a lot of it is dumb as hell. But for the record Jessica is talking to her fetus because when she drank that blue shit it made the fetus fully aware and conscious and able to talk to Jessica telepathically. When she's born the baby, Alia, has the intelligence of an adult immediately. It's as creepy as it sounds and pretty much everyone is weirded out by it.

Sorry to bring you a Dune rant. I unfortunately have terminal Dune brain worms. I sympathize with anyone who was confused by the movie. But you gotta admit the score and fight choreo where both pretty lit.

^^ me rn and earlier when my friend obsessed with Dune tried to explain the super weird side plots, it's okay Dune is just if Jane Prentiss's worms became fckn massive