~.* Bonded for Life *.~

.* 8 *.

Before I had even realised it, the day had finally come for Jake to become a man of the Omaticaya, and the ceremony was being prepared. It was a long process for him, but to have Jake be seen as a na'vi, meant that the two of us could be accepted truly by the clan, they may even respect him more than me.

Due to the special occasion, Neytiri had helped me craft a new necklace, made of braids of beads, decorating my chest like flower petals - it felt more revealing than the other I usual wore, but Neytiri insisted I needed to get used to the breeze compared to the 'sky people's way of overdressing'.

Slowly entering Home Tree. I noticed Jake hadn't returned from flying his ikran, I had only tended to 'Om before deciding to return to Home Tree, so the marine had decided to truly enjoy his day.

"Ma Y/n." I turned to my left, and saw Neytiri smiling at me, I skip lightly to her, placing a hand on her arm, greeting her with a smile.

"What do I need to do for Jake's ceremony?" I ask, we had started walking down, slowly to the middle of the tree roots, and we continued to talk.

"It is tradition to make a white paste, you shall help paint him with swirls and stripes. Ma sempul will continue the ceremony from there." Neytiri discussed, squatting down next to me and grabbing a carved bowl.

"Should I be the one to paint him? I'm sure you understand what to do better than me." I answer her back, concern causing my ears to twitch, she chuckled lightly to herself.

"Well, you know Jake best, and ma Y/n, I think it would be good for you two." She smiled, looking to her side as if she wasn't making a plan. I widened my eyes, making a joking hiss at her.

"Ma Neytiri, are you trying to make me Jake's mate?" This caused her to laugh, and I lightly smacked her arm, making her laugh harder. "That will not happen!"

"Why not? You two are so close! I see that you are well suited..." She spoke melodically, while making me feel like a pair of teenagers gossiping about a crush. "What is stopping you?"

I paused, placing the bowl filled with a white powder that I had yet to mix a liquid into, I looked up to Neytiri gazing at me with her big, curious eyes.

"Well... As na'vi, we are full of life and energy, but as sky people, we are... tired, dull." Neytiri placed a hand on mine, granting me sympathy as I spoke. "We spoke about how we prefer life here... But we are still sky people... Anyway, I don't think he would want that." I look back to the bowl, holding it while reaching for a neighbouring bowl of water to mix in. Neytiri held my arm, causing her to grasp my attention.

"Why do you assume? I see the joy on your faces. I will not force you, but if he chooses you, I hope you choose him too." She smiles at me, making me return the gesture, even though it was such a small pull at my lips.

"Irayo*, Neytiri..." I return to my bowl of powder, mixing in some water, and mixing them with my fingers. Neytiri gave me her already mixed bowl and began to stand.

"I am going to find Jake, the ceremony will start soon." She smiled, leaving me with the task to make the paint that I would have to paint onto him. But of course, how am I supposed to paint Jake without a brush? And where am I painting?

"Wait, where am I to paint Jake?" I see her face pull into a mischievous grin.

"From the top of his head, his arms, and to the tip of his cloth." She quickly left the area, knowing that she would have heard me gasp in shock. This woman knew that this would be an intimate ceremony and chose me to do it. She knew how to be a matchmaker I suppose, but this was not what I was planning for.