IKIGAI / Jake Sully

16

"That hurts."

"That sucks" I sent back having to rip my dress to wrap around his knuckles.

Jake slumps down on the sofa keeping one arm propped up behind his seat while I finish cleaning the one he used to get us kicked out of his own party.

"I can tell you're not happy with me" Jake starts keeping his gaze avoided from me

"Why would I ever be mad at you?" I respond sarcastically tying the fabric.

"Ow."

"You didn't have to start a fight"

Jake just rolls his golden eyes and scoffs under his breath.

"What's the matter baby? Mad because I'm not like those rich boys you grew up with?" He responds with the most arrogant tone.

"You can drop the ego Jake." I shoot back and he just puts his hands up to signal his innocence.

"Ok. I'm sorry." He responds blandly "I'll behave."

"Why does it sound like you're not actually sorry"

"Because i'm not" Jake replies shrugging

"Really? Is that your final answer?"

"What do you want me to say Levy?" He groans throwing his head back onto the sofa. "That I fucked up? I feel bad for hitting him? He had it coming"

"You're impossible..." I sigh

"That's why you like me, right?" He shoot back making me want to rip out his vocal cords out. But instead I chose to just drop his hand back on his leg and get up. 

"I'm going to bed."

Jake reaches for me and pulls me back to him as I stumble into his lap.

"I'm sorry" he sighs finally giving in "I will behave. I mean it"

I think Jake was being serious about attempting to not start any fights. But like a magnet; fights find him.

"Are you still talking? You know I have no problem throwing you off the cliff" Jake shoots back to another man who tries to over step their boundaries.

We were summoned to a wedding in the east near the wetlands and marsh. Mo'at was suppose to come along but found it better suited that I go in her place.

"Jake." I mumbled. He looks down to me and sighs knowing he promised to be good.

Most of the time he's able to ignore it. Other times like this time he loses all sanity. We were sat together next to a close friend of mine, Riki who's older brother happens to be Dorin's best friend, Tura. So I should have known it wasn't going to end well.

"Levy! I missed you so much!" Riki cooes hugging me. But as I was talking to Riki I didn't realize the death glares that her brother and Jake were sending each other.

Jake threw his arm over my chair to make it known that he wasn't going anywhere and that he wasn't going to be intimidated by mere frat boys.

"I thought you two didn't get married" Tura says blunty not caring about small talk.

"Why are you so worried about us" Jake snaps back tilting his head to side.

"Touchy. Touchy." Tura snickers taking a sip from his cup. "Levy, do you know the rumors about your mate?"

"Don't speak to her"

"Or what? Olo'eyktan? We're not in your region. Your word holds no value here." Tura challenges

"I don't need to be an Olo'eyktan to beat the shit out of you."

"Jake" I say turning to him, only to have Tura clap in response.

"Yes, yes. Jake calm down." Tura laughs "I know you aren't use to this type of lifestyle. Just that peasant shit"

"This peasant's about to remind you why I'm Turok Makto" Jake growls. Lunging over to connect his fist to Tura's face, sending him to the ground.

"Stop!" I shout trying to separate the two. Tura grabs out a knife to impale Jake's side.

"You are definitely his fucking friend" Jake says "Can't fight so you pull weak ass moves"

"Dorin was the rightful heir." Tura shrugs "Sad really Levy..you downgraded from being a princess to a low class bug"

And with that disrespect Jake runs past me and hits him again. I think it took the entire wedding party to break them up.

Jake was out for blood and he wasn't willing to leave until Tura was unconscious.

It takes 5 men to hold Jake down just due to the fact that he was taller and bigger. But I honestly know Jake only stopped because he got what he wanted. Tura incapacitated.

He sits outside waiting for me to finish apologizing knowing he was about to get in massive trouble for this.

"Don't even. Tura was out of line." Riki tells me letting out a sigh. "He'll be fine. But you know Tura is just as surprised as all of us. We never thought that you would pick someone like that is all."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well you know...Jake Sully I heard he has a new woman every night and today only proves he is capable of worse"

I can't help but laugh at that statement only because the Jake I know is the complete opposite.

I just let out a sigh when we get home.

"Jake?" I call gently he was sitting on the balcony just looking out into the night. His legs bent over with his arms thrown over them.

Lately I can tell these things have taken a toll on him. Fights never bothered him before so there's something else and i can't pinpoint it.

I walk over to place my head on his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

Jake pauses which feels like forever and just says "uh..yeah. It's stupid."

"Are you sure?"

There is silence and the only thing heard is the trees blowing in the wind.

"Promise me something" he starts sticking his pinky out "promise me that you are actually happy with me and if you're not....you'd tell me"

"Jake"

"I know it's dumb. But just humor me." He says glancing over. "Please." Is he having doubts?

Is being told by so many people that we aren't right for each other actually getting to him now? Is that why he made that comment about not being like rich boys?

I loop my finger around his and curl it in.

"Pinky promise."

I wiggled myself into his lap. Laying my head on his thigh. "Are you worried that they are right?" I ask him

"Yeah" he admits

"Do you think they are right?"

His hand run across my cheek for a moment, letting it fall right by my collar bone. Jake struggles with being the one for me while also not knowing if he deserves to be the one. 

"I don't know."