◇A/N◇

{I'm rushing through the whole convo with Tonowari/ronal and Jake bc I'm so sick of writing it lmao sorry yall}

●There's a point in one's life where they face a situation that makes them feel as if this is their breaking point.

Where they can no longer breathe.

Where they physically try to reject their suffering.

Where they run out of tears to cry.

Where they are completely helpless and vulnerable.

Even the Sun will one day exhaust its energy and fade into darkness.

That is why Nîryni clung to her moon. She knew he would shine light back into her heart during the darkest of nights and remind her of just how bright she used to be.

♡

Nîryni was leaning her head onto Lo'ak's shoulder as they sat outside.

He had an arm around her to bring her closer. His thumb rubbed her skin tenderly and occasionally he'd press a soft kiss to her head.

On her lap was Tuk and she softly stroked the girl's head unknowingly luring her to sleep. Tuk had her head tucked under the girl's chin and curled up close to her. One of her hands held onto her brother's while the other held onto Nîryni.

Nîryni wasn't exactly sure why they were so close but she'd like to think it's because she's an only child and it felt good to teach and share her experiences to someone younger than her.

Neteyam stood up behind them, pacing quietly as he listened to the sound of loud voices. Every now and then he'd check on Nîryni to make sure she didn't need anything.

Kiri was looking into a small opening of their home and watched their parents argue with furrowed eyebrows. Her tail would often rub itself along Nîryni's foot as a silent offering of reassurance that she was there for her.

Nîryni appreciated all the love she received but she still felt empty.

She didn't bother trying to even think about what Jake and Neytiri were discussing.

She just felt numb.

When they first arrived she mindlessly started to walk home. Neytiri was the one who gently guided her to their home instead.

Nîryni was glad though as she wasn't ready to return to an empty home just yet.

"Nîryni, can we speak with you?"

Neytiri's soft yet raspy voice made Nîryni glance up.

All she did was slowly hand Tuk over to Lo'ak who watched her worriedly. Tuk whined quietly from the loss of warmth but attached herself to her older brother.

Neteyam put a hand on her shoulder, she grabbed it and looked back at him gratefully.

"I'll be fine."

He nodded at her firmly.

Nîryni hesitantly stepped into the place that held a lot of precious memories.

Jake and Neytiri watched her closely and they could see the dead look in her eyes and it pulled at their hearts.

"We have to leave."

Nîryni didn't think she could take it anymore. Not only did she lose the only family she had but now they were abandoning her. And Lo'ak would be going too. He felt like her lifeline and she needed him right now. Without him it all fell apart.

Tears involuntarily filled her eyes but she made no move to make them go away.

"Please." Her voice was small and could've been mistaken for the wind. Her ears pinned themselves to her head causing her feather earrings to jingle quietly.

The first few tears left her eyes, "I don't have anyone.." I need him. I need all of you.

Neytiri stepped closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We won't force you to leave your home but we want you to come with us," she rested her hand against Nîryni's chest, over her beating heart. "We are family now."

Hope blossomed into Nîryni's soul and she looked over at the woman with a small sniffle.

"I thought you were going to leave me." The crack in her voice at the end of the sentence had Neytiri wasting no time in pulling her into a tight hug.

"Oh my sweet girl, we would never abandon you."

Jake hesitantly walked over and placed his hand affectionately on her head.

"Your dad is strong, stronger than most people I know. He's going to be okay and we'll find him. Right now he would want us to make sure you were safe first." He sighed and looked down then back at her, "I know you hate me right now but I swear to keep you safe." What he didn't say was how he was worried that Quaritch would discover that she was Sìkve's daughter and would try to use her as leverage.

Jake knew Sìkve was no hero. He would burn the entire world if it meant keeping his daughter safe. That was something him and Jake had in common. The need to protect their families at all cost. It was something they bonded over which led to them becoming brothers.

Nîryni pressed her head into his hand more and he knew that she was trying to reassure him that she didn't hate him and that she understood why he did what he did.

He smiled down at her tiredly but she couldn't return it.

♡

That night was the hardest one she had ever experienced.

Behind her was Lo'ak with an arm under her head and the other lazily across her hip. Her back was pressed firmly to his chest and her hand was interlocked with his.

Even with being close to her love, she could not sleep.

Inside her mind she conjured up images of what her father could be going through and it frightened her enough to make her nauseous.

In silence, she looked around the place that felt like a second home to her. On the floor close to the entrance was their packed up belongings.

Neytiri and Kiri had come with her to pack up her things. It had felt odd to walk in her home for the last time. Deep down she hoped that when she entered her dad would be waiting for her but of course that was impossible. But to think that she would be leaving with no clear return date was a little unsettling.

Eventually she didn't want to think about it anymore so she turned over to nestle her head into Lo'ak's neck.

He groaned slightly and drowsily woke up, "Ryn? Everything okay?" His raspy voice showed just how tired he was.

She nodded and kissed his neck to apologize, "Sorry for waking you." Out of reflex she backed away to give him some space.

He frowned, "Can't sleep?"

She shook her head.

"Come here pretty girl." He used both arms to pull her flushed against his body.

"I remember when I asked your dad for permission to court you. I was so nervous and almost backed out. It took the whole family to hype my ass up to do it."

Nîryni smiled at the thought and he continued talking softly.

"It went better than I thought it would. Your dad said he had expected it and told me all he wished for was for you to be happy."

Nîryni drew small circles on the boy's chest but his voice was making her sleepy.

"He's gonna be okay and you'll see him again soon. In the meantime, I'm here for you, Nîryni, no matter what."

A single tear dripped down her face yet Nîryni had already started to doze off in the comfort of her moon.

♡

Walking down the makeshift path the clan had made for their leaving members was easier for Nîryni than she thought it would be. Maybe because everything and everyone that made that feel like home would no longer reside there.

Lo'ak held onto her hand tightly until they reached their Ikrans.

"Fly close to me, okay? If you get tired you can ride with me." The boy was extremely worried about her and slightly burdened by guilt.

"Okay."

His ears fell at her low response. He wasn't sure how to make her feel better and felt like he was failing at being there for her.

Nîryni read him like an open book and felt bad for making him feel that way. To her surprise she didn't blame anyone anymore for what happened. Who knows how close those demons would've got to their home if Lo'ak had not spotted them.

"Lo, it's alright." She leaned in to press a chaste kiss to his lips. She had planned for it to be short but Lo'ak held onto her hips firmly keeping her in place. Nîryni gave in and melted into him, tangling her hands into his hair. Their teenage hormones were in full effect.

"Uh, guys?"

"Shut up Neteyam, they're so cute!"

Both Nîryni and Lo'ak pulled away from each other slowly and turned to see the rest of the Sully family watching them.

Neytiri had a soft smile while Jake and Neteyam looked uncomfortable. Kiri wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at them. And Tuk sat in front of her mother, gleefully watching and kicking her feet softly. She found their kiss to be magical and adorable. It reminded her of her parents and she hoped to find her own happily ever after one day.

Nîryni shook her head slightly embarrassed and hopped onto Vitali.

Vitali was a female Ikran with a blend of purple at the tips of her wings that faded into blue closer to her core. Black lines that looked like lightning were all over her body. There were splashes of yellow at the tip of her head and tail.

Nîryni completely adored her but once they were connected Vitali picked up on the girl's sadness. She decided to fly extra stable to not add more troubles to her rider.

When they all were finally in the air everyone glanced back at what they were leaving behind. Well, almost everyone. Nîryni kept her eyes forward with an unrelenting gaze. There was nothing back there waiting for her anymore.

♡

They had been flying for hours now with still just huge bodies of water and small islands every now and then.

The silence was getting to a certain teen. It gave her time to think about too much, like her father or home that she wasn't too sure she'd see again.

Nîryni was now bored out of her mind so she slid into Lo'ak's flying space. He snapped his head to her and could see the hidden grin she had.

He guided his Ikran to bump into her carefully.

Nîryni full on smiled and yipped at him before diving down. He chased after her without question.

"Guys! Be careful!" Jake's voice rang out loudly.

Neytiri hushed him when she noticed they were only playing. She hoped it would make the younger girl feel better.

Nîryni hovered right above the water and reached her hand into the refreshing liquid.

Lo'ak kept a steady pace flying over her head. His eyes softened watching the way Nîryni lit up as she splashed the water.

But then she looked up at him with those soft eyes. His breath got caught in his throat. Nîryni was beautiful and he couldn't comprehend the fact she was his.

She lazily smiled at him then pulled up so they could fly side by side again."Keep up, babe."

Nîryni soared towards the clouds with Lo'ak right behind her.

He loved chasing her. It ignited something deep in his core and he deemed it one of his favorite things to do. There were times he knew he could catch her easily but where was the fun in that?

Nîryni laughed as she reached a certain height and waited for Lo'ak.

When he reached her, they exchanged glances then let their Ikrans fall back into a free fall. Their eyes stayed connected until the last second.

They took turns flying over and under each other with loving stares and laughter.

Their happy atmosphere was contagious and made the others feel better about their long trip.

♡

There were no more signs of smiles as Lo'ak's feet touched the warm sand of the Metkayina clan. He ignored the stares and rushed over to help Nîryni down from her Ikran. She didn't need the help but they both enjoyed the small touches.

"On me." Jake motioned for them to stay close to him. He walked with hands open and away from himself to show he meant no harm.

Nîryni held Lo'ak's pinky finger and stuck to his side as usual. Neteyam and Kiri were behind them but close enough that Kiri was able to feel Nîryni's tail brush against her.

Two unidentified teenagers approached them with antagonizing eyes.

Nîryni looked over the taller one with slight interest. The difference between the two types of Na'vi was almost astounding to her.

Ao'nung stared at the dark skinned girl in surprise. His eyes traveled up and down her body unsubtly. She was very different from the girls he was used to but she was extremely pretty.

Lo'ak eyed him wearily then bared his teeth slightly and pulled his future mate closer to him. Neteyam noticed and stepped up to glare at the unknown boy from over Nîryni's shoulder. Nîryni just shrugged and ignored it, considering it was boys just being boys.

Jake turned his head to see the tense atmosphere, "Easy. Easy. Just be cool."

Lo'ak and Ao'nung were in a staring contest when a splash of water made them back off.

Another Metkayina teen came out of the water, gracefully flicking her hair away from her face.

Tsireya looked over at the newcomers. She was intrigued to know what brought them to her home.

A sigh left her when she noticed Ao'nung and Rotxo were teasing who she assumed were brothers.

"Do not. Rotxo, Ao'nung." They backed up when she pushed them slightly. Ao'nung looked over at the girl who caught his eye again causing Tsireya to see who he was staring at.

And Eywa knows how hard her heart pounded in her chest as she came face to face with the most charming boy and girl she had ever seen.

If Ao'nung was obvious then Tsireya was beyond that. She couldn't stop her eyes from wandering across the other girl's face.

She noticed the gorgeous headpiece dangling from the girl's hair and resting down her nose.

The girl's bright yellow eyes that seemed to flash boredom and interest in waves were captivating. Tsireya briefly craved to have them looking at her. Then Tsireya glanced at her body and saw the way it curved inward at her waist but her hips were attractively wide. Something that her people would say was a sign of great strength.

Next she looked over at the boy who looked to be around the same age as her. He looked more on edge than the girl next to him. His eyes were sharp and focused on her brother.With the protective arm he had wrapped around the teen, Tsireya had a feeling he gave good hugs.

Nîryni felt a pull in her chest making her smoothly glance at the smaller teen with narrowed eyes. Lo'ak followed her lead and so the two gripped each other's hand tightly as they looked at the curly haired girl standing before them.

"Hey." Lo'ak lamely greeted her while Nîryni smirked and gestured 'I see you' with her free hand.

Tsireya looked down shyly with a giggle then her eyes flickered between the two of them rapidly.

The sound of heavy winds and a large splash had Nîryni and the Sully family looking to locate the cause of it.

A beast of a man came out of the water with his head held high and a charming smile. His entire demeanor screamed strength and leadership.

Jake stepped forward to greet him, "I see you Tonowari."

He returned it with a welcoming energy.

The crowd of people parted as a woman made her way through them. Her hips swayed slightly and her head tilted to the side curiously yet her eyes were judgemental as she reached her husband's side.

"I see you Ronal." Jake acknowledged her cautiously, his family followed his lead.

"Why do you come to us Jake Sully?" Although Tonowari was more openly expressive than his wife, his voice was firm.

"We seek uturu."

Ronal's eyes widened, "Uturu?" She looked at her husband in disbelief then back at Jake.

Her reaction made Nîryni feel nervous causing her tail to sway faster. Lo'ak subconsciously touched his own tail against hers to calm her nerves.

"A sanctuary for my family."

Ronal studied his body language closely then moved to get a closer look at the family.

"We are reef people and you are forest people. Your skills will be useless here." Tonowari didn't mean to sound so blunt but it was true.

Jake's ears flattened and he rushed to plead their case once more. "We will learn your ways, right?" He glanced at Neytiri who offered her silent support.

Ronal walked behind the other woman, grabbing her tail to inspect it. Neytiri spun around with a warning look but Ronal paid her no mind.

She paused as she grabbed Tuk's arm, "Their arms are thin,"

Seeing Tuk clearly uncomfortable made Nîryni step closer with stern eyes and a clenched jaw.

As soon as Ronal let go of her arm, Tuk sped over to grab onto Nîryni's waist and leg to hide. The teen put a comforting hand on her head in response.

Kiri was the next victim due to Ronal grabbing her tail next. "And their tails are weak. You will be slow in the water." Kiri winced then yanked her tail away from the woman.

Unfortunately Ronal noticed her hands and eyebrows in the process.

"These children aren't even true Na'vi." At her words the people surrounding them gasped and whispers spread like wildfire.

Nîryni couldn't believe that neither Jake nor Neytiri stepped in.

"Yes we are!" Kiri's voice stood strong among the murmurs. Neteyam put an arm around her shoulder while glaring at the Tsahìk.

Ronal's eyes then flew to Lo'ak's hand, the same one Nîryni was holding. She grabbed it, breaking their connection, and lifted it high amongst the crowd, "They have demon blood!"

Lo'ak lowered his head in shame almost instantly.

Nîryni wasn't having it and grabbed his hand out of the older woman's grasp. She stepped in front of Lo'ak protectively and silently glared up at Ronal.

The Metkayina woman narrowed her eyes at her dangerously at the sign of defiance.

Years of facing her dad's and Jake's glares made Nîryni feel completely unfazed. The urge to hiss at her was strong but Nîryni didn't want to cause more problems.

Neytiri huffed proudly at Nîryni's territorial display. At all the tension, Tuk instinctively tucked her face into Nîryni's side to make herself seem smaller. The teen put an arm out in front of her to shield her from the unwanted stares.

"Look! Look." Jake held up his own hand showing off the extra finger. "I was born of the sky people but now I am Na'vi."

Ronal finally took her eyes off of Nîryni and went to stand next to her husband.

Lo'ak put his arm around Nîryni's waist with his hand resting on her hip. He wasn't afraid to admit that Nîryni taking up for him was hot as hell. It also made him feel good that she cared so much about him.

Jake sighed in relief, "You can adapt," he gestured to his family, "We will adapt, okay?"

The two leaders still seemed highly uncertain about allowing the family to stay.

Neytiri took a few steps and raised her head a little bit too pridefully, "My husband was Toruk Makto. He led the clans to victory against the sky people."

Ronal scoffed and had to bite back a laugh, "This you call victory? Hiding among strangers?"

Neytiri lowered her head and Ronal took that as a sign of submission. "It seems Eywa has turned her back on you, chosen one."

Neytiri's head snapped up with a hiss leaving her. The Tsahik returned it only louder.

"I apologize for my mate she's-"

"Do not apologize for me."

"-flown a long way and she's exhausted."

A silence covered them that was broken by Tonowari. "Toruk Makto is a great war leader. All Na'vi people know his story."

Tonowari looked directly down at Jake who had bent down to pick up Tuk.

Nîryni zoned out. What? The conversation was boring and her attention span wasn't that good.

She looked to the girl that caught her attention earlier. Her turquoise skin looked so soft. Nîryni wondered how it would feel to touch her finned limbs that were very different to her own.

Golden eyes met sapphire eyes and Nîryni tilted her head up slightly but refused to look away. Tsireya couldn't handle the intense gaze and bowed her head almost in embarrassment.

Nîryni winked at her just as she heard, "What do we say?"

Tuk grinned, "Thank you."

Tonowari nodded at her, "My son, Ao'nung and my daughter, Tsireya will show your children what to do."

Tsireya almost ran over in front of them, "Come I will show you our village."

♡

Nîryni was grabbing her stuff off of Vitali with the help of Lo'ak.

"Do you need any help?"

They looked at Tsireya with different but similar expressions of surprise.

"Uh sure, you can gra..." Lo'ak trailed off when her arm brushed against his as she grabbed a few bags. Her touch left goosebumps on his skin. He looked at her from the corner of his eye with full interest then he looked at Nîryni. Nîryni just smirked at him with knowing eyes. He shook his head with a smile.

Tsireya was completely unaware of their shared glances and waited patiently for them to finish grabbing everything else.

When they were ready she skipped ahead of them with a grin.

The family followed her and looked around at their unfamiliar surroundings. Tuk hopped along the path with Nîryni gazing at her in adoration.

They didn't have to walk for long before Tsireya stopped in front of an unclaimed marui.

"This is for you. Your new home."

Jake nodded more so to himself than the others, "Yeah this will work. This is great. It's nice right?"

Neytiri sighed deeply and dropped the sleeping mat she was carrying in disapproval.

Nîryni turned her head into Lo'ak's shoulder to hide her laughter.

Tsireya felt a little out of place and started to make her way out. "I'll leave you to get settled." She looked at the other teens but mostly Nîryni and Lo'ak, "I'll be back tomorrow morning for training."

♡

"Okay Sully's fall in."

They all crouched down into a circle but Nîryni stayed close to the entrance and looked outside.

Multiple stares on her figure had her turning to look at where they came from. They stared at her expectantly. Expecting what, she wasn't sure.

Lo'ak looked at her unimpressed, "That includes you dumbass."

She shrugged and leaned against the wall. "What? Technically I'm not a Sully just yet."

"That armband says differently."

"Yet my queue remains untouched." She rolled her eyes but it was obvious she was just teasing him.

Lo'ak stood up with a half grin, "We can change that right now."

"Oh my God, please don't." Jake put a hand to his forehead wondering how he ended up with such a shameless and horny ass son.

Nîryni snorted, "Sorry pops."

He raised his eyebrow at the new name but decided not to question it.

"Wait, does that mean you're like my sister now?" Tuk's voice was filled with hope.

Lo'ak pulled Nîryni into his lap so she sat at a higher level then him and he was able to snuggle his face into her chest.

"I mean, in a way yeah." Nîryni leaned her head against her boyfriend's.

Tuk squealed in excitement.

Neteyam chuckled at her enthusiasm. "You probably shouldn't go around shouting that in case someone thinks they're siblings."

Kiri nodded, "Yeah that would be gross."

Neytiri hummed in agreement, "Yes that is very frowned upon."

Jake sighed loudly, "We are losing the plot here."

A collective "sorry" rang out.●