Revenant 18+

> 6 <

...

'Send in a smaller squad, we'll cover more ground that way.' The Colonel pointed to each member of his crew, watching as they all nodded in agreement before walking off to gear up.

He then turned to a glum looking Spider, who was sat by one of the many widows - eyes glued to the view of the raging waters below.

Within a few steps, he was beside the boy - his own eyes now watching the waves move and crash rhythmically.

'We'll be leaving for the villages soon.' He stated cooly, nonchalant in his approach - watching in the reflection of the glass as Spider nodded but stayed silent, his moving dreads catching out of the corner of his eye.

He almost reached out, curious what had rendered the boy so quiet before remembering there was one more person who needed to know.

Someone who was snoozing away in one of the many hidden backrooms, practically dead to the world.

Turning away without another word, the Colonel walked briskly away from the bustling main control room and down a narrow hall, the closed doors moving as a blur from his swift pace.

He had left you in one of the very few rooms that were completely sealed off, small vents on the ceiling that let in breathable air.

Loosening the mask around his neck, he lifted it over his face before hooking it onto the small machine strapped to his waist just as he approached your door.

Lifting his hand, he pressed on the keypad and waited for it to slide open, tail swaying slowly in anticipation.

He kept his footsteps light and muted as he walked into the considerably colder room, careful to not startle you while his eyes adjusted to the slightly dimmer lights.

The furrow of his brows was almost immediate when his gaze landed on your curled up form, tucked away under the table.

It shielded you from his view, your waist and up swallowed by its shadow and metal. He would've passed right by and missed you entirely if not for your long smooth legs and the curve of your striped tail, drawn in tight beneath you.

Stepping closer, he placed a hand on the table as he bend down to get a better look at you - curiosity at the forefront of his mind.

Your face was nothing short of angelic, the skin smooth over the plumpness of your cheeks - you were the definition of peaceful.

He had only seen you like this once before, perched on the edge of the helicopter as your voice carried down to the creatures swimming in the cool water below.

He hated how beautiful you were in sleep, how the sight of you stirred something low and restless in his chest. He could feel his body reacting before his mind, muscles tightening with the urge to guard, to claim, to keep you safe while you were vulnerable.

Nothing had changed.

In true marine fashion, he repeated it in his head like a rule.

Nothing had changed.

You were new, intriguing but also temporary. When your purpose here was finished and Jake Sully was broken beneath his fist, you would be gone. You'd be back home and away from him.

He pushed down the scowl that began to tug on his lips, gently clapping his hand against the table above to wake you up, knees bending as he lowered more to your height.

He watched your ears flatten at the noise, even in sleep, a reflex too ingrained to hide before you eyes fluttered open a heartbeat later, hooded and lazy as you took him in, gaze sliding over his features with an unhurried familiarity that stirred something low in his chest.