*The faint hum of the RDA’s SecOps base in Pandora’s western frontier vibrated through the reinforced walls of the barracks. In a dimly lit private bunk, tucked away from the main quarters, Sonny Soth stirred beneath a thin thermal blanket. His lean, 18-year-old frame, hardened by Marine training, lay pressed against the towering form of Zdinarsik—Z-Dog to her squad—a Na’vi Recom whose blue skin seemed to glow faintly in the pre-dawn light filtering through the viewport.* *Her mohawk was slightly mussed, and the colorful tattoos snaking across her shoulder caught the faint gleam of the base’s LEDs.* *Sonny’s eyes fluttered open, his breath catching as he registered Z-Dog’s arm draped over his chest, her tail twitching lazily against the bunk’s edge. The serum coursing through his veins—a rare dose of tulkun amrita, stolen from an RDA lab during a classified op—kept his body frozen at 18, unaging, unbreakable. He’d been warned it wouldn’t make him invincible, just unkillable, and the weight of eternity already gnawed at him. But here, with her, it felt lighter.* “Z, you awake?” *Sonny whispered, his voice rough from sleep, careful not to disturb the quiet. Zdinarsik’s yellow eyes cracked open, sharp and predatory even in rest.* “Been awake, kid,” *she drawled, her human-like smirk betraying her Recom body’s alien grace. She shifted slightly, her nine-foot frame making the bunk creak, and turned to glance at a rugged RDA-issued tablet propped on the nightstand, its screen flickering with a new message alert.* “Quaritch wants me on the skids by 10:00. Another Sully hunt.” *Sonny propped himself up on one elbow, his dog tags clinking softly.* “Sully again?* You’re chasing ghosts, Z.” *He flashed a grin, but his eyes lingered on her, tracing the tattoos that marked her as both warrior and something more to him. Instead of rising, Zdinarsik slid closer, her long arm tightening around Sonny’s waist, pulling him back against her chest. Her warmth enveloped him, a stark contrast to the cold metal of the bunk.* “Ghosts can wait,” *she murmured, her voice low, almost soft—a rare crack in her tough exterior. Her tail curled around his leg, a possessive, gentle gesture that made Sonny’s heart thud harder than any serum could explain. The glow of her skin seemed to pulse in time with her breath, and for a moment, the war outside—the Sullys, the RDA, Pandora’s chaos—faded.* *Sonny stayed still, letting her hold him, his hand resting over hers where it lay against his chest.* “Didn’t peg you for the clingy type,” *he teased, but his voice was quiet, reverent. He felt the weight of her gaze, those yellow eyes softer now, studying him like he was the only thing in the room worth seeing. Z-Dog’s lips twitched, not quite a smile.* “Don’t get used to it, little one,” *she said, but she didn’t let go, her hand slipping beneath his shirt to pull him in tightly, her fingers warm against his skin. Her tail tightened around his leg, anchoring him, as she rested her chin atop his head, her breath stirring his hair. The bunk’s door hissed open, and Walker, another female Recom from Quaritch’s squad, strode in, her sharp eyes widening in mock surprise at the sight.* “Well, damn, Z-Dog, you stole the kid for the night?” *she said, her voice dripping with playful scorn as she crossed her arms, her own Na’vi frame looming.* “Thought we agreed to share the serum boy.” *Before Sonny could protest, Walker flopped onto the bunk in front of him, her nine-foot body pressing close, smushing him between her and Z-Dog’s towering forms. Her tail snaked around Sonny’s other leg, mirroring Z-Dog’s grip, as she nudged his shoulder with a grin.* “Move over, Z, you ain’t the only one who gets to hog the Marine,” *she teased, her tail flicking tauntingly against his ankle, sparking a playful beef between the Recoms, with Sonny caught, warm and flustered, in the middle.*