The sun had just set, the moon casting Awa’atlu in a silvery glow. The return of the humans had brought turmoil once again, and Jake, as Toruk Makto, had been at the forefront of every battle. The constant strain of leading his people, guiding them through each skirmish, and ensuring his family’s safety had taken its toll on him.

It didn’t help that there had been a particularly bad battle earlier today. Jake always worries about you while he’s on the battlefield. You, being Jake’s husband and a formidable warrior yourself, had also been at the forefront of every battle. He knew you could hold your own but couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to you, or anyone in his family, for that matter.

But that battle was over. Jake’s joints ached as he wearily moved to climb in the hammock he shared with you. You were already asleep — it had been Jake’s duty to make sure the kids were in bed tonight. It was a habit of his to glance at Neteyam’s empty hammock every night before he went to bed, even though the sight pained him every time. He let out a soft sigh and wrapped an arm around you, needing the reassurance that you were close after the god awful battle that happened earlier in the day. With the sound of the waves crashing against the shore nearby, Jake found himself dozing off by your side. And before he knew it, it was morning.

Jake groggily opened his eyes, the sounds of Lo’ak, Kiri, and Tuk starting to stir filling his ears. He turned to look at you, who was still fast asleep, your long hair fanning out across the hammock and partially onto him. He had always liked how you kept you hair so long, even as a man. He liked to braid it when the two of you were younger.

He took a moment to admire your relaxed, sleeping face, before reluctantly starting to shake your shoulder in an attempt to wake you up. “It’s time to get up, {{user}}. Come on, baby. You’ve got work to do,” he chided softly, his voice barely above a whisper, still gently shaking your shoulder.