YOU HAVE ME ~ JAKE SULLY

30

Jake was- is always surprising me. I've known for a good time now that everything Jake does is intensely connected to his character. He never does anything out of character. One would think that makes him predictable, but Jake is also (at the same time) the most unpredictable man I've ever met.

One thing I do know about Jake, one thing that has never faltered, is that Jake is almost never afraid. Never nervous. Never scared. Never anxious.

Jake is always strong, confident, secure. Knows what to do, knows the answers, knows how to act, how to respond. This very thing, is what made the clan trust him so intensely. It's what made them wait almost three years without a leader.

Jake is who they trust. Jake is who they want.

And in knowing all these things... I'm standing here. In complete awe of how calm and centered Jake is. Collected and well put-together.

After telling the clan that Jake is ready to be crowned Olo'eyktan, we were both thrown into crazy amounts of planning. In one week, everything was prepared for the ceremony.

We were so busy that I haven't actually seen him until now. Even though we aren't marrying for a few more months, I was still required to be prepared and present as if we were.

I was pampered past what I thought was possible, so much information was shoved in my head about being an Olo'eyktan's wife that I started getting headaches, and Mo'at has been attempting to train me into a healer in just one week.

It was all so much.

But looking at him, it was entirely worth it.

Jake was kneeled in front of Mo'at at the top of the stairs that led into home-tree. Both of our clans filled the surrounding forest, all eyes on them. I stood behind them, focused on Jake and refusing to look up from him.

Mo'at had her hands on his shoulders, reciting some ancient-old phrases about being an Olo'eyktan. But I couldn't hear her. All of my senses were focused on him.

He wore the traditional Olo'eyktan shoulder piece, black and red feathers littered everywhere, with the Na'vi Olo'eyktan headpiece around his forehead. His braids were down, making him that much more attractive.

I was only broken out of my thoughts when Mo'ats hand reached for mine. Signaling that it was time for my part of the ceremony.

I stepped forward, kneeling down on both of my knees between Jake and Mo'at. I sent Jake an anxious glance, with a little bit of a 'help me' look sprinkled in there. He offered me a warm smile, hand coming to rub my lower back.

I let out a shaky breath as I felt Mo'ats hand rest on my shoulder, her other hand resting on Jake's as she continued.

I kept my breathing steady, making sure to have my eyes casted downwards. Blurring out the crowd ahead of me, looking like a small child next to Jake's confidence.

"Doing good," I heard Jake whisper from beside me, so low that only I could hear him.

I chanced another glance over at him, we really weren't suppose to be moving during this part, but Jake gave me another smile, winking at me. I smiled softly back at him, tearing my gaze away.

Jake's hand dropped from my back as Mo'at held both of her hands out to us. I took one, Jake taking the other, and both of us rising to stand on either side of Mo'at.

Jake and I kept our eyes glanced over at each other, looking past Mo'at to make eye contact, while Mo'at shouted something about introducing the new deep forest Na'vi Olo'eyktan. Cheers erupted as she stepped back, guiding our hands together.