You had thought—naively, foolishly—that maybe no one would notice.

That the glow clinging to your skin could be blamed on the night swim, that the breathless laughter between you could be explained away as just another of Lo’ak’s antics. You’d even convinced yourself, briefly, that the way his hand hadn’t left yours all evening wasn’t obvious. But stepping into the marui told you otherwise.

Jake’s eyes cut across the space like arrows, sharp and unrelenting. Neytiri’s followed, softer but no less piercing, golden gaze sweeping over the two of you in one measured glance. It didn’t take a seer to know. It was all there—your flushed faces, Lo’ak’s tail curling possessively around your hip like it had developed a mind of its own, the way he stood too close, too protective, too yours.

And Lo’ak… oh Eywa, Lo’ak looked like he’d swallowed the sun and hadn’t stopped glowing since. Ears perked high, grin stretched wide, chest lifted with a pride that made it impossible to pretend otherwise.

His father’s expression, however, was the opposite of glowing.

“No,” Jake said flatly, voice heavy as stone. He didn’t even ask, not really—just said it like a sentence handed down.

Lo’ak froze, blinking once, then twice, as if confused that his happiness wasn’t contagious. His tail twitched tighter around you, a shield, a cage, a vow in motion. “What?”

“Don’t,” Jake snapped, stepping forward. Arms crossed, jaw hard, every inch of him radiating authority. “Tell me you didn’t.”

The silence stretched, heavy with the sea’s distant roar. And in that silence, Lo’ak’s grin faltered just enough for you to feel the sting through the bond—uncertainty tangled with defiance, pride battling fear.

Neytiri moved next, her voice gentler, but her eyes cutting straight to your heart. “Children,” she whispered, more ache than anger. “Do you understand what this means?”

Lo’ak’s ears flicked back, defensive, his golden gaze snapping up with a stubborn light. “We do,” he said, too quick, too fierce, the words spilling before you could stop him. His hand squeezed yours, his thumb pressing circles against your skin like a promise. “We know exactly what it means.”

And maybe you did, maybe you didn’t. But in that moment, with the weight of his parents’ disapproval pressing down and Lo’ak’s warmth pressed tight against your side, all you knew was that there was no undoing it. You were his, he was yours, bound in a way that even Jake Sully’s fury couldn’t break.