#atwow x reader angst

[stvrlighttrena]

okay I’m almost finished with the stuff for the Ao’nung fic I’ve been working there was a slight setback: work but now I’m free and now back into the swing of things but I wanna ask people if they be interested in a crossover fic 🤭🤭🤭 it’s been running through my mind for so loooooong that I’ve already made a playlist for it. Basically its a Guardian’s of The Galaxy x Avatar fic where the reader is Jake and Neytiri eldest daughter who feels like a outcast in her own family and ya know all that eldest daughter trauma who

gets abducted and adopted by thanos who trains her along side Gamora and Nebula as assassins/mercenaries who eventually meet Peter, Rocket, Drax, Groot (and Mantis as well at some point ) who become a family amongst themselves and form the Guardian’s . The reader eventually has to face and confront her family when the guardians crash land on her home planet Pandora but doesn’t want to reconcile cause she finally found a family of her own with the guardians

[oneheda]

hello !! may i ask a neteyam fic wherein nete has been trying to win the reader's (s/o) affection again for days and reader just saying "hmp" or ignoring him because of something that he did that made her feel upset :-P silly && comfort pls! :3c

THE RISK. | ➶ neteyam sully

── .✦ a: ONE-SHOT

w.c: 3.9k

pairing: neteyam x fem!na’vi!reader (aged up characters for plot purposes!)

story description: ever since olo'eyktan training cruelly took away a significant amount of time with you, neteyam has been desperately trying to win back your warmth and affection after he’s met with cold steel from your hurt. his longing for your touch and care only deepened from within as time and your silent resentment—a reflection of the quiet yearning that had you undoubtedly tethered to him—had kept you two apart.

contains: established relationship, slight angst that ends with silly fluff (lots!) <3, or otherwise known as hurt/comfort, teyam’ gifting you tons of flowers, him being obsessed with you, calling you yawne a lot, you guys’ chasing each other, falling into a river, being wet (oh.) and in love!!

warning(s): quite suggestive towards the end, but still very PG! 😏

a/n: omg this request is soooo cute and such an imaginable trope for neteyam, given that we all know if he stayed in omatikaya he’d be so busy training for olo’eyktan likeeee? i’ve read so many one-shots with the reader being mad at him before, and him making up for it, and i loved every single one. so, i’m so excited to try this one out in my writing style and mind! +while planning this i kept thinking about—what would you as his omatikayan lover be like? wouldn’t you be hesitant about falling too deep in love with him, knowing you’d miss his busy ahh sooo bad because he’s away like almost all the time? isn’t that risky? seriously, kudos to all those who take that risk IRL fr. ✊🏻

It started with flowers. Not just one or two, but a small, growing pile of them. Each time you turned around, there’d be another tucked behind your ear, balanced on your hammock, woven into a little bracelet left near your food.

Neteyam had been relentless in his attempts to win back your affection over the past few days. It wasn’t as though you didn’t love him because you did, with every fiber of your being. But you were still upset about the argument you’d had earlier in the week. The argument arose from the widening distance between you, a gap carved by the relentless demands of his role as the future Olo’eyktan. You nodded as he explained, telling him you understood—because you truly did. Every decision he made was for the good of the clan, for a future that included you, too. But understanding didn’t soften the ache in your chest. It didn’t quiet the longing for the moments that used to be yours alone.

You didn’t want to seem selfish, didn’t want to feel like a burden, like someone relegated to the edges of his life. But how could you not yearn for him when he was the very heart of your own?

You didn’t need grand gestures or impossible promised, just to feel like you mattered, like the bond you shared wasn’t something easily pushed aside. It wasn’t too much to hope for, was it? If it was, he shouldn’t have assured you that time would always find a way to make room for the two of you.

He shouldn’t have told you he could love you without limits.

Still, you weren’t angry, just quietly hurt. So, you let him sit with the weight of your silence for a little while longer, unsure if he truly understood how deeply you longed for his presence. If he cared, he would be honest. He would decide whether he could meet you where you stood or not.

And Neteyam, true to form, was determined to make the effort.

At communal dinner, he hovered like a shadow, his golden eyes constantly flicking toward you. You pretended not to notice, focusing instead on your food, the stars overhead, and occasionally the random crack in the floor. Anywhere but his face. Neteyam, however, was not easily giving in. With a deep breath, he reached over, gently prying your hands apart from where they were clasped in your lap. His large, warm palms enveloped yours, his thumbs brushing softly against your skin. You stiffened but didn’t pull away, refusing to give him the satisfaction of melting under his touch.

“Yawne (beloved),” he whispered, voice low enough that only you could hear over the chatter of the gathering. His brows knit together in concern. “Are you still upset? I’m sorry, okay? I’ll make it right. Just give me time for a few weeks.”

But your only response was a soft huff as you turned your attention to your plate. His ears drooped slightly, and his shoulders sagged, but he didn’t give up.

Neteyam had taken to foraging during his hunting trips, returning with blooms in every color he could find. Each one seemed chosen with care, as if he had combed through Pandora’s vast forest just to find the perfect match for you. This morning, you found a particularly delicate one—a deep blue petal with flecks of gold, so soft it felt like velvet—waiting for you beside your water. Its placement wasn’t accidental; he’d laid it carefully, as though it were a gift meant to soothe whatever rift had come between you.

“Do you like it?” His voice, deep and warm, came from behind you, startling you slightly.

You turned, fingers curling instinctively around the flower. He was leaning casually against a tree, his bow slung over his shoulder and his skin dappled in the soft morning light. He looked relaxed, but his twitching ears and the slight shift in his tail gave him away.

You rolled the flower between your fingers, trying not to let your heart leap at the sight of him. “It’s pretty.” Your voice was nonchalant, almost dismissive, but your gaze lingered on him for a moment too long.

He smiled, slow and knowing, but didn’t press further. Instead, he stepped closer, his shadow falling over you. “Pretty, huh?” he murmured, his tone teasing but soft. “Just pretty? I thought it was beautiful. Like you.”

You scoffed lightly, a weak attempt to mask the heat rising in your cheeks. “Is that what you’re doing now? Comparing me to flowers?”

Neteyam tilted his head, a playful glint in his golden eyes. “Only the rarest ones.” His voice dropped just slightly, and the way he looked at you made your stomach flip.

You tried to turn your attention back to the flower, but his presence was impossible to ignore. He crouched in front of you, his movements unhurried and fluid, and his hand reached out to tilt your chin up gently.

“You know,” he said, his voice softer now, “I don’t just bring these to make you smile. I bring them because I want you to know I think of you. Always. Even when I’m away.”

For once, you didn’t have a clever reply. And he smiled, small and boyish, as if your mere attention was like handing him all the stars in the sky. “You don’t have to say anything,” he whispered. “I already know.”

That night, during the clan’s celebration, you spotted him at the edge of the gathering. The music swelled, and instead of joining the other warriors in the dance, Neteyam was there, balancing precariously on a low branch. His arms flailed dramatically, as though he were imitating a bird taking flight.

You cocked an eyebrow and took a few slow steps toward him. “Is this what future Olo’eyktan training looks like? Because if it is, we’re doomed.”

He turned sharply at the sound of your voice, pretending to wobble before hopping down with an exaggerated flourish, landing directly in front of you. His grin was wide and unapologetic.

“I’m trying to make you laugh,” he admitted shamelessly, his amber eyes bright. “I’ve missed your laugh, yawne.”

You tried to hold firm, but when he clumsily twirled and struck a ridiculous pose, your laughter broke free. He straightened, a little victorious puff to his chest.

“There it is,” he teased gently, his chest still puffed out with mock pride. “I knew it was still in there.”

Your resolve cracked, but you still rolled your eyes for good measure. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re worth it,” he said without hesitation, so sincere and immediate that it caught you off guard. He extended his hand toward you, palm up to offer you a dance but he didn’t push. He just waited, his presence steady and patient.

“I’m still mad at you, you know,” you muttered, more for yourself than for him. You didn’t move, but your fingers tightened slightly around your forearms.

“I know,” he said gently, his voice low enough that only you could hear it over the celebration. “And I’ll keep earning back every bit of you until you’re not.”

For a moment, you hesitated, your heart warring with your pride. Slowly, your arms loosened, and though you didn’t take his hand, you let it rest there between you, a quiet truce in the making.

“Said you’d earn it back, huh?” The teasing tone in your voice had a sharp edge, and you couldn’t help the way it made his eyes sparkle with mischief. He tilted his head, a playful glint in his gaze, as if trying to predict your next move. “Then prove it.”

Without another word, you turned on your heel and dashed into the back of the forest, heart pounding with the rush of adrenaline. The sounds of the celebration faded behind you, replaced by the rustling of leaves beneath your feet. You couldn’t suppress the laugh that bubbled up from your chest as you glanced back over your shoulder. “Catch me if you can!”

His reaction was instant, his own laugh ringing out through the air as his long legs carried him quickly in pursuit. Neteyam’s voice came, warm with determination, but also with a clear, boyish excitement. “Oh, you know I will.”

You risked another glance behind you and saw him gaining, the playful smirk on his lips matching the wild spark in his eyes like a predator closing in on its prey. The challenge, the thrill. It was all there in his gaze.

You’d darted across the massive branch that spanned the glowing, bioluminescent river below. Your heart raced as you pushed yourself faster, the wind rushing past your ears, but it only made the sounds of your laughter spill out even louder.

It felt like freedom, like nothing in the world could touch you in this moment.

But just as you rounded a turn on the massive branch, his speed bested yours. Toned arms circled around your slim waist, pulling you back against him with such effortless power that it knocked the breath from your lungs. You gasped, his chest firm against your back, his body radiating warmth in the cool, humid air.

The glowing river far below shimmered with blues and greens, but the only thing you could focus on was him. Neteyam’s breath tickled your ear, unsteady from the chase but layered with soft, husky laughter that sent shivers racing down your spine.

“You’re not getting from me away that easily, yawne.” he murmured, his voice triumphant, teasing, as his arms held you close. His arms tightened around you, pulling you even closer, and you swore you could feel every inch of him pressing against you. His heat, his scent, the way his hands seemed to burn through your skin.

Neteyam's breath brushed over your ear, warm and unstead, sending a hum of heat through your veins as the hairs on the back of your neck rose. You fought to steady yourself, but it was impossible. Your knees felt weak as a warmth blossomed in the pit of your stomach. It wasn’t just from the chase anymore. It was from the way he held you, so firmly, with the way his lips lingered so close to the curve of your neck so teasingly that left you dizzy in his hold. He chuckled once again as if hinting at the promise of laughter and surprises yet to come.

Before you could retort, before you could even think, he moved; both of you toppling sideways off the branch. You barely had time to gasp as he leapt, carrying you with him into the air. The drop lasted only seconds before you plunged into the river below, the cool water swallowing you both in a burst of bubbles and bioluminescent light.

You surfaced with a gasp, your laughter echoing across the glowing expanse as you pushed the wet strands of hair from your face. “Neteyam!” you exclaimed, half scolding, half incredulous.

He emerged just beside you, grinning like a mischievous child, his braids dripping water and his golden eyes sparkling. “You looked like you needed to cool off,” he teased, his voice thick with playful arrogance.

Well, you did need to cool off the hotness in your core… but this wasn’t exactly what you had in mind.

Without hesitation, you launched a spray of cool water at him, the droplets shimmering with the river’s glow as they scattered in radiant arcs. His reaction was instant; a burst of deep, joyful laughter that echoed through the humid air, rich and unrestrained. The playful challenge sparked an electric excitement between you, drawing you both into a frenzy of splashing and dodging. The world then began to blur into the glowing water and your shared laughter, a symphony of carefree chaos where nothing else mattered but this moment.

You couldn’t remember the last time you felt this alive, this carefree.

Eventually, your laughter guys laughter faded into breathless quiet. His eyes found yours, and for a moment, the world around you seemed to still. He moved closer, his face only inches from yours now, his wet skin glistening faintly in the river’s glow.

You let out a little laugh, your fingers finding it’s way on his chest, not sure whether to pull away or pull him closer. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

“I’m yours,” he corrected, his voice low and serious for just a moment as he stared deeply into your eyes, drowning in them as if they were the river instead. “And I’m never letting you go.”

Soon enough, Neteyam’s once-constant efforts seemed to slip away, fading into nothing more than fleeting memories. His presence, once a constant source of warmth, began to diminish with every passing day. The flowers he had once brought you—each one an offering of love and hope—became fewer and fewer, as if the color was draining from both the blooms and the moments you shared.

Once again, you understood and didn’t blame him, or at least told yourself. After all, your own responsibilities as a healer had grown burdensome, the increasing frequency of skirmishes and the unrelenting demand for resources leaving you with little time for anything else. Your days blurred into a haze of tending wounds and gathering herbs, each task an anchor that dragged you further from the quiet joys you once had even with yourself.

The strain of hunting weighed heavily on Neteyam too. Gone were the days when he would wander through Pandora’s vibrant forest, carefully selecting the most beautiful flowers to weave into thoughtful bouquets. Now, even the act of picking a single bloom seemed beyond his reach, a bittersweet reminder of the tenderness that had once come so effortlessly.

The communal dinners you had once savored together became strained, short-lived affairs. He would excuse himself early, his duties as the future Olo’eyktan demanding his attention, dragging him away before the last bite of food could even be tasted. He needed rest, they said, to prepare for the challenges ahead. And though you understood, the weight of his absence pressed heavier on your chest with every night he left, his absence a constant ache. The time you once had—those stolen moments of laughter, of closeness, of being seen—became rare, almost impossible to hold onto. The spaces between you grew longer, the silences more deafening.

You began to wonder if this was just how it had to be now. If love, no matter how deep, could survive when it was stretched thin by duty and distance. But fear began to creep in, insidious and unwelcome. It was twofold: the fear of losing Neteyam to the weight of his future, and the fear of losing yourself entirely to the relentless tide of duty.

It seemed that love or leisure took a backseat and only the ceaseless demands of survival drove up-front. Maybe, maybe, everything was silently nearing the end of you and him.

You missed him, so very much. But a part of you couldn’t bring yourself to let go of your pride or admit just how much you missed him. Perhaps you thought you were being unreasonable, that it shouldn’t hurt this much when he wasn’t around. So you turned away from him, convincing yourself that this distance was dignified, that it was better to seem indifferent than desperate.

Yet deep down, the fear gnawed at you. You were terrified of being too much, of clinging too tightly to the man destined to lead and maybe eventually leave you like he always did. Either due to the familiar duties or worse, death. If you moved closer, if you let yourself reach for him, you feared you wouldn’t be able to let go. And worse, you feared the day would come when you’d find yourself begging, pleading for him not to leave, not to hurt you ever again, and that would shatter you in a way you weren’t sure you could survive.

You awoke one day after he finally joined you in your hammock for the first time in many nights, and as expected, the warmth of his body pressed against yours was gone, leaving only the faintest memory, as fragile as dew kissed by the morning sun. Could it have been just a dream? The thought clawed at you. You hoped not, but the possibility felt plausible. After all, exhaustion had blurred the lines between reality and fantasy. Perhaps your sleep-deprived mind had conjured it all: the weight of his arms around you, the gentle press of his lips, the whispered words.

But just as the doubt began to settle, a soft rustle pulled your thoughts back to the present. The sound grew louder, and you turned your head to see the heart of the matter approaching your hammock once again. Neteyam.

The warrior, as if returning from a long combat, emerged from the soft morning light, his smile radiant and disarming, as if the very sight of you was the highlight of his day. In his hands, he held a woven pouch, bursting with herbs and dried flowers, their scents already filling the air between you.

“For your hammock,” he said, his voice warm and full of affection. He knelt in front of you, holding it out with both hands like an offering. “So that it smells like the forest… and not, you know.” His grin widened, boyish and unguarded, as if he couldn’t help but tease you just a little.

You blinked at him, surprised. “Did you… make this?”

“Of course,” he said proudly, a light laugh escaping his lips. “Well, okay, I asked Grandmother for help. But I picked the flowers myself. Only the best ones, paskalin (sweet berry).”

You brought the pouch to your nose, inhaling deeply. The scent was a perfect blend of calming herbs, delicate flowers, and something distinctly him—earthy, grounding, and utterly familiar.

“Thank you,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper. For once, you didn’t try to hide the smile tugging at your lips. “But it’s so early. How’d you find the time?”

Neteyam’s eyes softened as he looked at you, and he reached out, brushing his fingers gently against yours. “Yawne,” he began, his voice steady and full of conviction, “I will always find time for you. Even when I’m busy, even when it feels like the world is pulling us in every direction, you are the first thing on my mind. And I pray you never have to wait so long for me again.”

Before you could respond, he leaned closer, his smile deepening. “It’s always going to be me at the end of the line, no matter what. Remember that for me, please?”

And as if he knew what you had been thinking, his words hit you like a wave, sweeping away most of your doubt like it always did. Before it inevitably crept back in, of course. Yet something entirely else stirred within you as Neteyam leaned in closer. His proximity was disarming, his golden eyes holding you unexpectedly captive. His scent, warm and woodsy, wrapped around you like a second skin, and the sight of him this close—lips parted slightly, his sharp jawline catching the soft morning light—sent a shiver down your spine.

You nodded slowly, but it was more out of reflex than control. Your hands tightened around the woven pouch, clutching it as though it could tether you to reality, though your mind was already spinning. Your breath hitched, heart thundering in your chest as you couldn’t ignore how weak you felt under his gaze, knees threatening to buckle even though you were sitting.

He tilted his head, studying you with a faint smile tugging at his lips, so achingly handsome that it sent heat rushing through your cheeks.

“Yawne,” he murmured softly, his voice like a caress, “Are you alright?”

Your throat felt dry, and you cursed your inability to speak. You could feel the burn low in your core, an ache you didn’t know how to soothe, and you prayed he didn’t notice the flush creeping up your neck. But the way his eyes flickered over you—intently, as though he could read every thought you didn’t dare say aloud—made you wonder if he already knew.

“I, uh… I’m fine,” you managed to whisper, though your voice wavered, betraying you. But you summoned a smile for his grace, despite it all, “Thank you, Ma’ Teyam. For this, for everything.”

“Always welcome.” His smile grew, softer now, but laced with that teasing edge he reserved just for you. “Are you sure you’re alright?” His tone was light, but his hand reached out, fingers brushing against the side of your hip down to your thigh. The simple contact made you feel as though your whole body was alight. It was maddening how much power he held over you, how even a fleeting touch could leave you unraveling. You wanted to look away, to collect yourself, but the way he was looking at you—with that intoxicating mix of love and desire—had you rooted to the spot.

“Because,” he added, leaning in just enough for his breath to ghost across your lips, “you look like you’re about to fall apart. And, paskalin, I’m not sure if I should hold you… or let you crumble, just so I can pick up every piece.”

His words sent your mind spinning, and you realized then that you weren’t sure whether you wanted to push him away or pull him closer. All you knew was that the heat of him, the weight of his gaze, was utterly consuming, and despite yourself, you wanted to burn.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

Instantly, you demanded, “Pick me up. Bring me to your tent.”

There was no hesitation, no need for clarification. He knew exactly what you were asking, and it sent a flicker of something dangerous and thrilling through his golden eyes. His lips curved into a knowing smile, one that made your stomach flutter and your breath catch in your throat.

Without a word, Neteyam scooped you up effortlessly, his hands firm against your thighs as you wrapped your arms around his neck. The ease with which he held you made you feel small and completely at his mercy, and it only heightened the ache that had been building inside you for far too long.

“Missed me that much, huh?” he murmured, his voice a low, velvety tease as his forehead brushed against yours. The warmth of his breath danced across your skin, igniting every nerve as you struggled to keep your composure. “Almost thought you’d never ask…”

Your fingers threaded into his braids, pulling him just a little closer, your lips barely a breath apart. “Don’t make me regret this, ‘Teyam,” you whispered, though the tremor in your voice betrayed the longing you’d been trying to keep hidden.

“Regret?” He chuckled, a sound so rich and full it made your head spin. “Yawne, you’re about to remember why you never could.”

He carried you swiftly, his steps purposeful as the tension between you crackled like the air before a storm. Every glance he stole, every squeeze of his hands against you, eventually ended with a peck on your lips. And by the time he reached his tent, Neteyam set you down carefully, his eyes burning into yours with an intensity that stole your breath.

His thumb brushed along your cheek, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent chills down your spine. “Loving me might be dangerous, syulang (flower),” he said, his lips ghosting against yours, “but you’re the bravest thing I’ve ever known.”

And in that instant, you knew. You were going to fall for the risk of wanting him as long as you wake, no matter how perilous the drop.

AHHHH thank you for reading!! once again—likes, comments and reblogs are very deeply appreciated. 💞💞

i was wondering, should i have made them kiss? but then i was like nahhhhhhhhhh. i like how the story points to how love can be shown beyond just mere physicality (even if it gets suggestive at some point). it’s cute, don’t you think??

ANYWAYSS, i hope you guys enjoyed and thank you so much @aamircoeur for the request! i’ve definitely gotten a few in the mailbox lately & i’d love for more because i’m on a looooong vacation so i would love to write while i’m free!! if you have any ideas (esp your craziest / complicated ones as long as it’s PG) send em right up! 🫶🏻🫶🏻

[blu3n]

this man never had someone to call the love of his life and when he found you in my head he wouldn't let a single minute go by without touching you.

and when i say every minute i mean anywhere anytime whether at a party or at the mansion he would have either his hand on your waist or on your thigh anything that would let him know you were there.

Another thing is make-out sessions, I believe that if you were dating Jason Todd you would have already inaugurated the entire part of the house, whether on the table, the living room sofa, on the table - damn this man spent half his life dead he would be an animal whenever you wanted.

another thing I imagine is that he would never be too strong, he knows how strong he can be he would never hurt you for his own pleasure (unless if you wanted he wouldn't mind giving you a few slaps on your ass )

He's never had anyone who's been loving to him, so in my head I believe that Jason would feel horny all the time just by looking at you, he would get excited just knowing you were around or just looking at a picture of you on his phone's wallpaper.

Girl, he would show you in many ways that he loves you and you are not ready for Jason Todd.

[inlovewithpandora]

ꕥ — Found Someone Better / A New Tide

Genre — Chapter four: Part Two

Artists — Tonowari x fem!avatar!reader

Lyrics — After hearing the warriors talk about you Tonowari realizes just how much he wants your relationship to go public so the next time he sees you he makes his feelings known. While you’re living your life is thriving among the Metkayina, the Omatikaya clan, specifically the Sully Family is in shambles.

Music Advisory — Pre-Atwow, fluff, angst, hurt, kissing, jealous/territorial!Tonowari, mention of secret relationship, pivotal moments

Notes — This a direct continuation from Chapter Four: Part One, I would highly recommend reading it before starting this one!

Duration — 5.0k

Words From Artist — A new addition to the series is finally here! I know it’s been a while since Part one so I’m glad to be finally posting this. I know a lot of you guys have been wondering about how Jake and Neytiri feel so here’s your chance to see their side of things! I hope y’all enjoy and always feel free to comment and reblog, I love reading y’all reactions!

Current Platforms — Series M.list ・Series Taglist・Main M.list

The sun is shining brightly over the island as you approach the secluded spot Tonowari had shown you when you and him first started dating and wanted some time alone. The crash of the waves echoes against the towering rocks, and while you’re walking the beauty of it all distracts you from the long day you’ve had in the healing pod, patching up warriors and taking care of sick children.

When you get closer to your meeting location you see him leaning against a nearby boulder with a hardened look on his face. He looks different than he did when you parted ways this morning, he’s tense, his broad shoulders are rigid, and his jaw is tightened. There’s a storm in his usually calm blue eyes, and before you can get out a full sentence, Tonowari strides toward you.

“Hey, I—” your words lodge in your throat as his hands grab your waist, pulling you flush against his chest. His lips crash into yours in a kiss that’s so deep and possessive it takes your breath away. It’s not the soft, familiar kiss that you’re used to receiving from him. This kiss is rough, heated, intense, as though he’s trying to convey something through his actions.

When he finally pulls back, both of you are breathing hard, and you can feel the tension radiating off his skin. Your lips tingle from the force of his kiss, but instead of saying anything right away, you raise a teasing brow, wondering where this side of him came from. “Well,” you say, a smirk tugging at your lips, while trying to calm down your breathing. “it looks like somebody missed me today.”

Tonowari huffs a soft laugh, brushing a strand of hair out of your face while his eyes still hover over you. “Missed you? I’ve been thinking about you all day. Especially since…” His jaw tightens again as his hands slide up to your torso and back down to your waist, holding you tightly as if he doesn’t want to let you go.

“Since what?” you prompt, tilting your head in curiosity, wondering what’s going through his head because you can already sense there’s a reason behind his current behavior.

He hesitates for a brief moment, as though he’s debating how much he should say. “Earlier some of the warriors were speaking about you.” he says, his voice low but laced with restrained anger. “Saying they wanted to court you…” His words trail off, but the sharp edge in his tone makes it clear just how much their comments bothered him.

Your eyes widen slightly in surprise, but his words warm you in a way you hadn’t expected. “Oh.” you say softly, a hint of amusement creeping into your tone. Seeing this side of Tonowari was cute, this was the first time you’ve seen him jealous or territorial when it comes to you before so seeing him upset like this amuses you. “So that kiss was your way of…” you pause, trying to find the right phrase to use. “claiming me?”

Tonowari narrows his eyes at your teasing, though there’s the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips. “If that’s what you want to call it,” he murmurs, leaning closer so that his forehead rests against yours, “then yes. I want to make sure there is no doubt in your mind, or anyone else’s, about who you belong to.”

You can’t help but laugh at the seriousness in his tone, even as a purple hue creeps up your cheeks. “Well, I think you’ve made your point.” you say, wrapping your arms around his neck. “But just so we’re clear, I’ve only ever belonged to you, Tonowari.”

His expression softens at your words, and the tension in his shoulders finally eases. “Good,” he says simply, his voice still holding that protective edge. “Because I will not let anyone take you from me.”

Tonowari kisses you again, softer this time but with that same fire from before, and you melt into his embrace, letting his warmth and love wash over you like the waves crashing against the shore nearby. When he finally pulls back, he looks down at you, his eyes looking more calm and relaxed than before. Talking to you has definitely calmed his spirits but there’s still one more topic he wants to talk to you about now so he can fully have a peace of mind.

“I don’t want to hide you anymore.” He blurts out. “I don’t want to pretend you’re just a member of the clan. I want everyone to know what we have, to know that you’re mine and mine only.”

His words take you by surprise, causing your teasing smile to fade. You’ve always known how much Tonowari cares for you, but hearing him so serious about taking your relationship public brings up more questions than answers. “Are you sure?” you ask softly, your voice holding a hint of hesitation. “The clan… they might not understand. Ronal was their Tsahìk. I know she’s special to them.”

Tonowari’s face softens at your words, his thumb gently brushing over your cheek, thinking it’s sweet how you’re so caring about others emotions before your own. “They may not understand at first,” he admits, “but I will not allow anyone to question what we have. I’ll face whatever comes. We’ll show them that this is real, that this isn’t about replacing anyone.”

“But what if they judge you for it?” you ask, voice barely above a whisper. “What if they think you’re moving on too quickly, or that I’m not the right fit for you… for them?”

“Ronal will always have a place in my heart,” He says quietly. “But like you said before, that doesn’t mean I can’t move forward. I haven’t felt peace since she passed, and you—” He pauses, his voice emotions starting to catch up with him. “You’ve brought light back into my life. And I want to honor that, openly. I want to stand beside you, show the clan that you are my partner in every sense.”

Your heart stirs at his words, and you feel your own hesitation begin to wash away. He’s not just offering a public acknowledgment of your relationship, he’s offering a place for you beside him, not hidden, but seen and respected. You feel his conviction, his strength, and it gives you the courage you need. “If this is what you want,” you begin slowly, grabbing his hand, meeting his gaze with a sense of certainty. “then I’ll stand by you.”

With the decision to go public about your relationship now made, you and Tonowari settle into a comfortable silence, each of you absorbing the weight of the path ahead. But then, as if he’s reading your thoughts, Tonowari brings up the next hurdle. “You’ll need to tell Lo’ak, and I’ll need to speak with Tsireya and Ao’nung.” he says, glancing over at you. “I think Tsireya will understand but Ao’nung may need a bit more convincing. He was close to his mother, and he may have… expectations about how things should remain.”

You nod, understanding how it might talk to the children a while to grasp the idea of you and him together. “Yes, I understand. Lo’ak is a bit protective of me too, but I think he’ll see how much this means to me, to us.”

A thoughtful pause hangs between you both as an idea pops in your head. “What if we tell them all at once?” you suggest, glancing up at him. “It might be better to have this conversation together, so they can see that we’re united in this decision. We can answer their questions, face any concerns they have openly, and reassure them that they’re still our priority.”

Tonowari considers this, nodding slowly. “Yes, I think that’s a great idea. It will help them see that we’re serious, that we’ve thought this through. And it might reassure Ao’nung to see how carefully we’re approaching this.”

You squeeze his hand, comforted by his steady conviction. “It will take time, and we’ll be patient. We’re asking them to adjust to something new.”

Tonowari leans forward, pressing his forehead gently to yours. “Whatever challenges come, we’ll face them together. This is our family we’re building, and we’ll take all the time needed for each of them to feel at peace with it.”

With your hearts now settled on this new plan, a quiet confidence fills you both. You know there may be questions, and even doubts, but together, you know that you and Tonowari will make it through this, uniting not only as a couple but as a family.

—

You arrange a simple dinner in your mauri, filling your home with the scents of delicious fish and fresh herbs, hoping it will help create a comforting atmosphere for the children. Tonowari arrives just as the sun begins to set, a calm presence as he greets you with a reassuring smile. You exchange a quiet nod, feeling a shared determination settle between you as the children gather together in the play area of the mauri.

With all of them playing with Lo’ak’s toys and enjoying themselves, you and Tonowari have a few moments to talk before dinner begins and you disclose your relationship. “Are you ready for this?” Tonowari comes beside you, bending to your level as you're adding the last finishing touches to the food.

You pause for a moment, your fingers hovering over the dishes as you turn to meet Tonowari’s gaze. His eyes are filled with patience, but there’s a quiet intensity in them as well, he understands the weight of this moment. You take a deep breath before nodding, feeling the slight flutter of nerves in your stomach. “Yeah, I’m ready. I just hope that the kids take it well.”

“They will, once we explain everything so they can understand and see that what we have is serious and that we love each other.” Tonowari says, placing a soft kiss against your temple, causing your nerves to feel a little at ease now.

You take another deep breath, feeling a wave of calm and confidence from Tonowari’s reassurance. “I just want them to understand that we’re not trying to replace anyone, and that we’ve thought this through. I don’t want Ao’nung and Tsireya to feel like I’m stepping into their mother’s place.”

Tonowari nods, understanding what you mean because he’s been having the same thoughts, hoping his children accepts the news because he hasn’t brought any women around romantically since the passing of Ronal and he doesn’t want them to feel like he’s trying to replace her because that’s of course not his intention. “We’ll make it clear to them that nothing is being taken away. This is just a new chapter for us all, and we’ll face it together.”

“And Lo’ak? I don’t want him to feel like things are changing too much.” With him finally getting settled into your new lifestyle in Awa’atlu; making new friends, joining the children’s warrior training where they learn the basics, and adjusting to the Metkayina culture, you don’t want to burden him with more change or make him feel like the dynamic between you and him will become different since Tonowari’s in your life now.

Tonowari smiles softly, already knowing what to say to make you feel better. “Lo’ak will see that we’re not rushing anything, that we’re here to stay, and that things won’t change between you and him. Patience is all he needs.”

From those words the last of your nerves ease away. As the children laugh in the background, their voices light and carefree, you feel a warmth fill your heart. For a moment, you let yourself imagine this new future, a blended family finding peace and happiness together.

You glance at Tonowari again, a soft smile coming across your lips, your hand instinctively reaching for his, your thumb brushing against his skin in a soothing rhythm. “You always know what to say, don’t you?”

Tonowari chuckles, the sound low yet comforting to your soul. He looks down at your hand, his own fingers curling slightly around yours before he raises his eyes to meet yours again. “I’ve learned from the best.” He replies, matching your playful tone while his words are sincere. “You always know how to calm my thoughts. I just try to return the favor.”

His gaze softens, a hint of tenderness in his eyes as he holds your hand a little tighter, bringing the back of your hand to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss on your skin. “We will get through this together.”

You feel another wave of reassurance wash over you at his words, the small moment between you two grounding you before the bigger conversation with the children. “Yeah, we will.”

While Tonowari helps you do some last minute preparations, Tsireya’s melodic voice calls out, “Is it time to eat yet? It smells so good!” Her bright smile is enough to lighten the atmosphere, and you chuckle while checking on the grilled fish that's sitting on the cooking fire, flipping it to its other side so it can cook for a few more minutes.

“Almost, Tsireya!” you call back, looking behind her and seeing Ao’nung and Lo’ak with their hands on their stomachs, saying that they're hungry and that their tummies are rumbling. “Why don’t you all come and sit down? We need to talk about something really quick before we eat.”

The children exchange curious glances but obey, taking their places around the wooden table in the common area. Ao’nung sits down with a skeptical look, folding his arms, while Tsireya is calm and attentive, her curiosity more open than guarded unlike her brother. Lo’ak’s expression is a little bit harder to read. His gaze shifts between you and Tonowari, sensing the seriousness of the conversation but not sure what’s the meaning of it.

Once you and Tonowari sit down he’s the first to speak, his voice calm but serious as he leads the conversation. “There is something we need to share with you all.” he begins, looking from Tsireya to Ao’nung, then to Lo’ak. “For the last few months, y/n and I have been spending a lot of time together and have decided to become… more than friends. We are,” Tonowari grabs your hand, wanting to give the children a visual to show them that you both are united. “a couple now.”

When the kids hear that all of their ears perk up, wondering what all of this means. “So does that mean you’re like girlfriend and boyfriend now?” Ao’nung asks, his brow bones furrowed as he tries to fully grasp what his father is saying.

Tonowari smiles softly, nodding his head in agreement with his son. He knows the kids are too young to fully understand the differences between dating, courting, and marriage, so he chooses to keep it simple for them so they can understand. “Yes, Ao’nung, that’s right.” he says, his hand gently squeezing yours in a quiet show of affection.“We care about each other a lot, so we decided to be together. Kind of like how Rotxo’s Mom and her mate are.” He decides to use an example of a couple that the children are familiar with and Padma and her mate are the best choice, they are one of the most loving couples on the island and have been together since childhood.

Tsireya’s eyes light up with a soft, understanding smile as she takes in what you and Tonowari are saying. She tilts her head slightly, her curiosity now shifting to excitement. “Does that mean you love each other? Like… love love?” she asks with a gentle tone, her voice carrying the innocence of someone who just wants to make sure she understands the meaning of being a ‘couple’.

You smile at her, nodding gently. “Yes, Tsireya, we do love each other.” you say, feeling a little flutter in your chest at how easily she seems to accept it. “And being together makes us really happy.”

Tsireya beams, sitting up straighter. “So you’re like… best friends but better!” she says, her little voice filled with excitement as she swings her legs under the table.

While Tsireya is taking the news well and practically envisioning all the fun girly things she can do with you since Tonowari is courting you, Ao’nung wrinkles his nose, crossing his arms as he thinks about what this will mean for their future. “Is y/n going to be our new mom now?” he blurts out, speaking for both himself and his sister, his tone cautious but straightforward.

Tonowari’s hand tightens around yours briefly before he releases it to place a steadying hand on Ao’nung’s shoulder. “No, son.” he says firmly but gently. “Your mother is irreplaceable, and she will always hold a special place in our hearts. This isn’t about replacing anyone, it’s about finding a way forward. Eywa teaches us that life continues, and we must honor those we’ve lost by embracing the present and the future.”

You nod in agreement with your future mate, supporting his words and saying a few of your own so Ao’nung will know how you feel about the situation. “I don’t want to replace your mom.” you explain softly, leaning forward a little. “Ronal will always be you and Tsireya’s mom, and no one can ever take her place. I just want to be here to help, to make sure you’re happy and taken care of.”

Ao’nung’s gaze lingers on both of you for a moment longer, as if he’s trying to read you and see if you’re being sincere about your intentions with his father and honoring his mothers memory. Despite the boy being young, he’s a smart kid and he can sense energies, and he can tell yours is good and that you mean well so after a few moments of thinking he decides that he’s fine with this arrangement. “Okay but as long as we don’t forget her.”

“Never.” Tonowari promises, tightening his grip on his son's shoulder as a form of reassurance.

Lo’ak, who’s been unusually quiet, shifts in his seat. He wonders how this new relationship will affect the bond you and him have. He can see that you’re happy but since you’re technically the only family he has now he doesn’t want to lose you. “Does this mean things are going to change for us?” he asks, his voice carrying a mix of curiosity and worry.

When you hear the worry in his voice your expression softens as you reach across the table, placing a reassuring hand over his. “Not in the way you’re thinking.” you say softly. “You’re my son, Lo’ak, and nothing will ever change that. My love and commitment to you will always come first. Tonowari understands that, and we both want you to feel safe and comfortable.”

“This is a new step for all of us, but it doesn’t mean anyone is losing anything. I would never want to take your mom away from you.” Tonowari says, co-signing what you’ve said and adding his own thoughts to make Lo’ak feel more at ease.

Lo’ak studies you both for a moment before giving a small, thoughtful nod. “Okay.” he says quietly. “As long as you’re happy, I’m cool with it.”

A wave of relief washes over you, and you smile warmly at your son, your chest swelling with pride at his maturity. “Thank you, Lo’ak.” you say, squeezing his hand.

With the heavier conversation behind you, the atmosphere in the mauri lightens. Ao’nung even cracks a small smile as Tsireya teases him about how serious he looked during the talk. Lo’ak leans back, his shoulders visibly relaxing, and soon the children are chatting about other things, including the usual sibling bickering.

“Alright, let’s eat!” Tsireya says, bouncing in her seat as the smell of the food catches her attention again. “I’m soooo hungry!” She exclaims, her stomach beginning to growl as the aroma fills the room.

“You’re always hungry.” Ao’nung jokes, thinking his sister is the greediest na’vi on Pandora despite her always denying it.

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

Their playful bickering makes you laugh, finding it amusing and as Tonowari helps you bring the food to the table, you feel a sense of hope settle in your chest, hope that all of your lives will blend beautifully. This might be a new chapter for all of you, but it’s starting on a solid foundation, one that’s filled with love and understanding.

—

The Omatikaya clan has never been one for quiet moments. Even in the vast forest, the air is always filled with the chatter of family and the warmth of communal life. But since the night Lo’ak and you had vanished off the face of the earth, leaving nothing behind but your last words and final thoughts, for the Sully family the forest has grown unnervingly still.

Jake’s frustration is like a storm. He’s been a proud leader for so long, always knowing what to do, say, think, and handle every curveball life throws at him, all of those qualities couldn’t help him figure out how to handle this situation. He never expected you to actually leave after you expressed your feelings of wanting out of the marriage, he just assumed you would eventually get over it and things would go back to normal.

Jake has always prided himself on his ability to protect his family, to keep things together, but the cracks have been showing for a while now, despite him trying to make things seem perfect but with things now out in the open, he can’t do anything to cover it up.

Neytiri has also been struggling with your disappearance. The absence of her mate, the missing pieces to her family, cut deeper than any wound she’s ever received in battle. At first, it was just the hollow ache of not seeing your face at the breakfast table and not hearing your voice in the quiet moments but soon, it was the overwhelming realization that over the years she and Jake had taken you for granted, that you were the steady hand that held everything in your household together.

They realized that it was you who quietly nurtured and took care of the children, who offered kindness even when it was never reciprocated, who kept your mauri looking spotless and made sure they never had to worry about anything after coming home from a long day. Now with you gone, the house is chaotic. There were no longer quiet meals, no soft words of encouragement, no time for the mated pair to spend hours in the forest having romantic talks and sexual relations, all their time was spent taking care of the clan and their children.

Speaking of children, with you gone they’re all out of sorts, especially the two older ones, Neteyam and Kiri, who felt the shift in their family dynamic. Tuk, though just a baby, seemed to sense the tension that lingered in the air of their home. She cried more than usual, her small hands reaching for something she couldn’t name, someone she couldn’t find. Even Spider, the human boy who had spent most of his time with the Sully’s, can feel a difference in the atmosphere when he steps into the Sully’s home.

Jake and Neytiri’s marriage, already fragile, is now stretched to its breaking point. They’ve tried their best to keep things normal but with the responsibilities of caring for three children (four if you include Spider), and one of them a baby, and the heavy guilt of losing you and Lo’ak, they are slowly unraveling. Jake found himself retreating into his duties as the clan leader, burying himself in tasks he can control. Neytiri, once so fierce in her role as protector, found herself unable to be that same strong figure without you there to support her. They fight more now, their conversations growing sharper, more accusatory, as they both blamed the other for the rupture in their family.

While the Sullys grieved, they aren’t the only ones who feel your absence. The Omatikaya, the people who had embraced you as one of their own, mourned your departure as well. When word spread through the village that you and Lo’ak had left, an unsettling sadness settled over the clan.

You’ve always been a vital part of their community, not just as the mate of their Olo’eyktan but as a guiding force of kindness and strength. You were always willing to help, always there to offer comfort, and ready to teach and uplift those around you. Without you, the village felt less whole, less stable.

For a long time, there have been whispers among the people. Speculation of your relationship with your now ex-mates. Some had noticed the tension in your marriage, the way your light had dimmed over the years, wearing shawls to cover your exposed skin, the way you carried burdens that should not have been yours alone. No one was ever able to fully connect the dots and realize the abuse that went on behind closed doors. Everything was merely just suspicions that had never been confirmed, until you left. It became clear that with whatever was going on in your home you had reached a breaking point, which left the people questioning everything.

“What kind of leaders allow such things to happen in their own home?” one elder murmured during a private gathering. “If this can happen to her, their mate, what message does it send to the rest of the people?”

The elders, once steadfast in their loyalty to Jake and Neytiri, found themselves wondering if the couple was the best choice to lead the clan. For years, the pair had been admired by all Na’vi for their strength and leadership and their ability to guide the Omatikaya through war and hardship. But now, the cracks in their image had been exposed for all to see.

While the rest of the clan was engulfed in uncertainty, grief, and stirring up a quiet rebellion, one person who seemed the most silent, the most in control, was Mo’at. She watches as the weight of your absence pressed upon the village, sees how people whisper behind Jake and Neytiri’s backs, and how the elders exchange troubled glances. She observed the way the once-unshakable leadership of her daughter and son-in-law teetered under the weight of their own mistakes.

Despite knowing how everyone is pained by your absence she doesn’t speak. Not when Jake comes to her, desperate, his voice rough with frustration as he demands answers. Not when Neytiri, her own daughter, pleads with her, her eyes wild with unshed tears, her hands trembling as she asks, “Where has she gone, Mother? Tell me how to fix this.”

She’s seen the truth of things, the pain that stems from loving the “happy” couple. Mo’at had been there when you had come to her, broken and bruised, tears pouring from your eyes after another fight with Jake and Neytiri. She had seen the way you tried to keep everything together, how you bore the brunt of the hurt while still offering love and kindness. She had watched you endure it all, watched as you gave and gave, only to be left feeling unseen, unheard, and abused.

The day you left Mo’at had embraced you one last time, whispered a blessing over your head, and sent you on your way. Not because she didn’t love you, but because she did. Because she knew that, for the first time in a long time, you were choosing yourself, you were trying to search for happiness, something you haven’t felt in a long time.

So when the Olo’eyktan and Tsarakem are in her presence once again, asking about your whereabouts, Mo’at doesn’t give them an answer, not even a slightest clue of where on Pandora you could be making your new home.

“You do not deserve to know.” She says while facing them with an upset expression, her words filled with a heavy tone of judgment.

Jake’s frustration flares, his hands balling into a fist as if he wants to hit something. “She is my mate! Lo’ak is my son! I have a right—”

Mo’at’s throws her hand up, silencing him, not wanting to hear him speak as though he actually cares. “And did you act as though she was your mate? Did you treat her as such? Did you make her feel loved? Did you make her feel safe?”

Jake clenches his jaw, but he had no answer.

Neytiri’s voice is hoarse, mostly from crying and yelling at Jake prior to coming here. “Mother, please—”

Mo’at turned to her daughter, the disappointment in her eyes cutting deeper than any blade. “You, of all people, should have done better. She stood by you, cared for your children as if they were her own, bore the weight of your home while you and Jake were too blind to see. And when she cried for help, did you listen?”

Neytiri swallowed thickly, her head bowing in shame.

Mo’at exhaled, her voice softer now, but still firm. “Until you understand what you have done, until you know the pain you have caused her and my grandson, you will never find them.”

And with that, she says no more. She had spoken the truth, and though Jake and Neytiri were furious, neither of them could argue or muster a rebuttal. Deep down, they know they had failed you. They had failed Lo’ak. And now, it was too late to fix their mistakes.

Previous — Chapter Four: Part One・Next — Chapter Five

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[xan-izme]

Double Life 8 (ATSV x reader x Batfam)

Summary: A little trip to New York with not only Damian and Bruce. But the three other boys. Jason, sadly being one of them.

part 7, Part 9

You were pretty excited about Damian Bruce coming, happy about Dick and Tim coming along as well. You were very, very reluctant on Jason coming. But if Jason was left in the mansion alone, your pretty sure he would ransack your room for the case. The case was of course not in your room anymore, you're not that stupid. But if Jason kept thinking you were that simple minded, then it buys you enough time to work things out.

The ride to New York wasn't that bad. Jason didn't talk much. You just answered a few simple questions the others would ask.

As for Daimian, he was very unhappy with EVERYONE coming along at first. But then he realized that maybe he can get enough info from your mothers' side of the family. This boy had everything planed out.

Once the limo was parked, and you stepped out with the help of Bruce. You let out a small nervous sigh. You're not sure how things are going to go down.

Bruce rested his hand on your shoulder, he sensed you were nervous. You look up at him. He gave you a small smile and you did the same.

Miles was at school, in his dorm room. His roommate Ganke, was not in at the moment. So, he had some time to do some more research and try to see what was in the chip you sent him.

Yes, the chip from the Alchemex case you had to fight Redhood for. You sent it to Miles a few days ago. And you felt like it wasn't smart for you to do it with Jason around. So, you had Miles take care of it.

So much has been happening. More and more anomalies are showing up. It's getting dangerous for him and Uncle Aron every day. He honestly doesn't know how you did it. How you handled these crazy villains on your own. Of course, you have super strength and have abilities similar to a damn spider. But this is very stressful.

Hiding things from his parents hurt, and it was hard to explain why he was late for events or where he got bruises from. Why he hasn't been sleeping well. Why eating is somehow harder to do. Arguing with his parents about his behavior.

Now that he thinks about it, these were the exact things you went through. No?

The messed-up sleep schedule, the amount of food he sees you eat just get smaller and smaller. The unexplained injuries. And arguing with your mom. Yeah. He remembers those arguments. Never pretty. It was rear you ever disagreed with your mother, nor did you act out on her. But he remembers around the time when your hero life was clashing with your personal life began to take effect.

He was only there a few times when you argued with your mom. And damn did it get heated between you two. You would just sound so angry with her. You'd storm out of the house and disappear for hours. Till you come back with a Boquet of your mother's favorite flowers as some form of apology.

And of course, your mother always forgave you. You were her little girl after all.

Miles sighed as he shook his head, rubbing his hand against his face. He's tired but can't find it in himself to sleep. He just misses you. Misses hanging out with you. The two of you are barely texting and calling anymore. He understands, you're grieving and needs some time away. But he just wants things to go back to normal. He wants his favorite cousin back.

back at the party. You got everyone introduced. Tim and Dick were just enjoying the food and small talk. Bruce was chatting it up with your Uncle Aaron and Uncle Jeff. Damian was just sticking close to you as you were speaking with different family members and friends.

He got a lot of cheek pinching and being called cute when you introduced him as your little brother.

"Hey cupcake. How about you go and mingle with the other kids. Their playing some fun games." You say with a small smile. But Damian's face scrunches up in distaste at the thought

"I have no desire to do such a thing. What, do you not want me to be around you?"

"I just want you to have fun." You gently ruffle his head.

As you did that, you hear your aunt call out to you. You turn your attention to her and see her walking to you with a smile and her arms open. You smiled back and greeted her, the two of you sharing a hug.

"Oh, mi amor! it's good to have you home." your aunt squeezed you and kissed all over your face. You became a little flustered from her actions.

You seemed more better from the last time she saw you. The two of you talked as Daimian just stood closely behind you. gripping onto your shirt to try and get your attention again.

But you just rest your hand on his head. A small signal for him to wait.

Rio noticed Damian. She gave a small smile and bent down a little. "And who is this?". Damian looked up at you than to the woman in front of him.

"Tia, this is Damian, my little brother. Damian this is my aunty. Say hi." You nudged Damian to stand in front of you now. Damian cleared his throat and introduced himself. Rio pinched and cooed at Damian. She thought it was cute at how mature he was acting.

"Tia, donde está Miles, no lo he visto." You questioned about your cousins where abouts as you glanced around the crowed.

Rio let out a small sigh. "Ese chico Ha estado portándose mal, ¿sabes?. He got a 'D' in Spanish. A 'D'!"

You couldn't help but chuckle as you held Damian by the shoulders to keep him close to you. "Es un chico inteligente, tía Pero sigue siendo humano Cometerá errores" You spoke with a small smile. Trying to ease your aunt. And silently hopping Miles hasn't done anything ass-whopping worthy yet as you said this.

Your aunt sighs. "I know. He's just worrying me you know? Sus calificaciones están bajando No me hablará a mí ni a tu tío. He doesn't even have friends to hang out with."

"What about his roommate, Ganke?"

"He doesn't count." Your aunt was quick with that one. "Oh. . . well. If you want. I can talk to him maybe."

Damian was just silently listening to the conversation. Annualizing the way you and your aunt interacted. Now he has noticed, how everyone you spoke to and interacted with. Always had something to say about your cousin Miles. And how you seem to justify or excuse his behavior to others.

But to your aunt. You offer to fix. Or try to fix the problem.

"That would be great." Your aunt seems to calm at your words.

The party went on. And it was now time for Jeff to give a speech. It was a heartwarming speech. Your uncle Jeff gave thanks to his wife. His brother, and his son, who. . . was still not here.

Finally, he mentioned you. You were standing with the other Wayne's as you were surprised that you were mentioned

"To my niece. Who always was there for my son. Made sure he didn't get into any trouble and making sure he knows who was in charge." A few chuckles came from the crowed around you.

"We actually, have a little surprise for you. Miles was uh- supposed to be the one to reveal it. But it seems he's running late."

Your brow raised as you turn your head to Aaron who just smiled and turned you around to face a building with a large tarp over it.

You were, still confused. Until the tarp came down.

"Miles stayed up a few nights to get it, just right." Aaron spoke softly to you.

On the building. Miles had graffitied a large portion of it. Of your mother. And he got every detail down. To her smile down to her beaty marks. Looked so realistic. Like, she was really there. Smiling at you. God have you missed that smile.

This, made you really happy. Nothing could really put you down now.

Miles came rushing onto the rooftop. Trying to make it through the crowd of people. Soon reaching his parents.

"Ma! Dad! sorry I'm late. I got the cake. Is Y/n here?" Miles was a little out of breath as he stood in front of his parents.

"Where have you been? Y/n was looking for you and you missed your father's speech." Rio had her hand on her hip as she had a deep frown.

"And the surprise for your cousin." Jeff piped up. Rio slapped her husband's chest at the mentioning of that.

"And the Suprise for her!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." Miles tried not to show how irritated he was at getting scolded at the moment.

"No, you do not know Miles. Your cousin has been going through a rough time. We need to show her we are here for her. That she still has us to count on. We are family and you know if you were in her position she would be by your side 24/7!" Rio went off on Miles who was getting more frustrated by the moment.

And with a roll of his eyes Miles spoke. "Okay okay. Whatever. . ." Miles froze as his eyes widen. realizing his words

'shit.'

"Whatever. . . whatever??-" Before Rio could say anything else you spoke up and stepped between Miles and his parents

"Miles! where have you been? come here!" You rushed to hug your cousin "You almost died there." You mumbled into your cousin's ear. You pulled away with a smile.

"Sorry, can I take Miles away for a bit." You say with a hopeful look. They both sighed and let you take Miles away. Saving him from their wrath.

You dragged Miles towards an area on the roof for you two to talk privately. And have a good view of the art Miles made.

"You made this. For me?" You kept Miles close as you spoke. Miles let a small smile grace his lips and gave a small shrug. "It's nothing really. I took it from one of your favorite pictures of her."

You smiled down at your cousin fondly and hugged him. Squeezing him tightly. Smiles smiled. He missed your hugs. He hugs you back just as tightly. The air around you two was peaceful. You pulled away a little and ruffled his head

"Thank you. . . for everything." You spoke softly. Miles could see your eyes water up just a bit. Miles rolled his eyes as he playfully punched your arm. "Don't get emotional on me now."

the two of you laughed and just silently stare at the graffiti art of your mother.

". . . You miss her?" Miles suddenly spoke. You were, a little taken aback by his question. You turn your head to look at him. You can tell by his expression. He wanted this conversation with no masks. And just the truth.

"Everyday." You respond. Your tone, a little sad.

Silence falls upon you two once again. It was a peaceful kind of silence.

"Miles?"

". . . Yeah?"

"I love you."

Miles lets out a small smile.

"I know."

[normspellsman]

Tidal Wave

part one | part two

pairing: lo’ak x fem!human!reader

genre: angst, more angst, comfort (from tsireya to lo’ak + from spider to reader + from kiri to reader), & fluff (at the very end)

word count: 14.4k+ (holy fuck)

warning(s): suggestive content, crying, yelling, familial arguments, secrets are spilled (😬), neytiri + lo’ak arguing, mentions of violence + self inflicted injury (reader rubs skin raw), mention of incident at ta’unui clan, slightest lo’ak x tsireya, reader having self-deprecating thoughts, lo’ak being lovesick for reader, mention of lo’ak being sad, major character death, sprinkle of miscommunication / misinterpretation of actions, blood, slightest spider x reader, kiri + reader are bffs!, heartbreak?, cursing, & mentions of having little appetite

taglist: @bewbz2110 @httpjiikook @aonungsmate @cheyehc @ihave500hubbiez @heart-an0n @omnifanfic @toomuchtime02 @bigdikzaddy @anxietydrogz @myh3artttt @ancientbeing10 @yourusername1 @dearstell @goodiesinthecloset21 @iwannahaveaprettyaesthetic @thatonegirlwiththebeanie367 @arminsgfloll @optimisticblazetrash @liyahsocorro @universal-s1ut @amortencjja @sweetirilly @blushhpeachh @alohastitch0626 @btsiguess-kpop @ithinkimaslutforharry @zootymcnooty @zeeader @reallysparklychaos @zeida @coffeehurricanes @manumanulau @pumpararapam @ipang @willowcxmilee @audigay @sagaonpandora

word bank: sa’nok — mother, sempul — father, eywa / great mother — goddess deity that the na’vi believe in, tawtute — human; sky person, ikran — four winged creature used for hunting + flying, kehe — no, palulukan — thanator, sìlpeytsyìp — little hope (idk if it’s an accurate translation since i just put the words hope + little together), tulkun — whale like creatures, ilu — sea creature used for hunting + riding, yawne — beloved, & nga yawne lu oer — i love you

songs that i drew inspo from: a match into water by pierce the veil, gilded lily (sped up version) by cults, mr. forgettable by david kushner, & reflections by the neighbourhood

note: huge shoutout to @neteyamslovrr for helping me proofread this! ilysm baby 😭🫶🏼🤍 mentions of readers birthday takes place around 3-4 months after her & spider were kidnapped (so reader, kiri, spider, & lo’ak are aged up to 17-18). i imagined the events of atwow happening over a couple of months due to the fact that ronal is more visibly pregnant towards the end than when we first see her. so, just for clarification :)

Lo’ak had begged his parents the morning after to save you.

He pleaded and begged, getting on his knees as he sobbed into his Sa’nok’s thigh, covering it in his warm tears and snot. But, Jake’s answer stayed persistent: “They are strong kids, son. They will be alright,”. Of course, Jake wasn’t aware that Lo’ak and his other siblings heard what he had to say about you and Spider the night before during he and Neytiri’s heated discussion.

( “The kids know everything! They know where we live! Spider knows our whole operation. We are not safe as long as they have those two. They both can lead him right here! We are no longer safe staying here.” )

Lo’ak knew that neither you or Spider would ever give up the location of High Camp or of the Sully family. The both of you were loyal to a fault. Perhaps too loyal for your own good. It hurt to hear that his own Sempul would ever think that you would betray the family you grew to think of as your own. Lo’ak knew you better than anyone else.

Having to leave the Omatikaya and not even attempt to save you made Lo’ak resent his parents, his heart completely breaking into two as he got farther and farther from his home and essentially you. It was days before he had spoken to his parents after arriving at Awa’atlu, but it wasn’t like his parents sought out to speak to him either.

The more time he spent on the island, the more time he found himself yearning to have you by his side. To experience all of this with you. There was a constant hole in his chest that never left, deepening every time he thought of you. He had no way of knowing if you were being tortured at the current moment or even alive. He didn’t trust the RDA to keep you alive, especially once they saw how loyal you were to Jake and his family, disposing of you like you were nothing. You are everything to Lo’ak and it pained him to not know how you were doing or what was happening to you during your time in the enemy’s hands.

He could only pray to Eywa every night to keep you safe and spare you, fully aware that if she answered his call, she’d need something in return. And he was fully prepared to pay the price with his own life.

———

The torture they put you through was something you’d never would wish upon your greatest enemy.

They had ceased the torture on Spider, the orders being given to them by Quaritch. So, Ardmore turned to you and inflicted all kinds of pain and continuous torture onto you. The human boy begged Quaritch to put a stop to this, demanding him to let you go. But no matter how much Spider pleaded with the man or how many times he went over it with Ardmore, the woman didn’t budge. She was insistent on getting something out of you. But all she really got was memories and flashes of a tall Na’vi teen boy and nothing else. Things that were useless to her, so she punished you every time.

The first time you arrived at their base, their doctors had pulled you aside and assessed you. They deemed that you had multiple fractured ribs and a mild concussion, ordering Ardmore to let you heal before she decided to do anything. She agreed to it at first since she had Spider to get information out of, but once Quaritch told her that he was off limits and was going to comply with him and his team, she began to drag you out to the interrogation room and leave you in there for hours until you passed out.

It was the same routine for weeks. Wake up, get dragged to the interrogation room, receive endless amounts of torture for hours, pass out, repeat. Days began to blur together, not knowing where one began and the next stopped. It was all the same.

The first time you realized you had been in the RDA’s grasp for too long was the night Spider had snuck into your room and gently sang happy birthday to you. It must’ve been months then. Your seventeenth birthday was celebrated nearly a year before being taken hostage by Quaritch. Ardmore had deemed it best to separate Spider and you from each other, breaking down both of your support systems. That night, as you and the boy silently cried into the dark of your room, you lost all hope that Lo’ak was coming back for you.

It hurt too much to think about. But you knew, you knew that eventually, it was never going to work out. You were too different. Something was bound to happen sooner or later, ripping the two of you from each other and essentially ending the relationship you had with one another. You loved Lo’ak dearly but you knew that your love was never in the cards. It was something taboo, forbidden. You only hoped that Lo’ak was able to find comfort within someone else during this time. For you doubted that you’d ever see each other again. He needed someone like him. Not you.

———

Lo’ak had done everything he could to keep his mind off of you.

He needed to keep his mind off of you if he didn’t want to break down in the middle of the beach twenty-four-seven. So, he often spent more time training with Tsireya and got into meaningless fights whenever he could, angering his parents to no end. It worked at times, but often not, his mind always wandered back to you. Always.

“Lo’ak, what are you doing?” A soft voice asked, pulling the boy away from his never ending thoughts of the one person he desired to see.

“Moping,” he mumbled, crossed legged on the shoreline as he picked at the soft sand beneath him.

“I can tell,” she replied, taking a seat next to him. The boy next to her looked like a wounded puppy, ears drawn back as his tail laid limp beside him. Plus, he had a frown painted onto his face as he blankly stared at the sand below. “What is bothering you?” She asked, calmness etched into her voice.

Lo’ak hadn’t told her, or any other Metkayina for that matter, about you and the kind of relationship you shared. Sure he mentioned you and Spider and what happened before he and his family left to seek uturu from the reef people. But he never gave anyone the idea that he was in love with you. He didn’t know how any of them would react.

“Is it about the humans you mentioned earlier?” She added, filling in the silence that was growing between them as Lo’ak didn’t answer her previous question.

The boy only hummed, poking his fingers into the damp sand. He really didn’t want to talk to Tsireya about this. It risked the chance of his Sa’nok hearing or a stranger eavesdropping and telling everyone else in the village about how much he cared for a tawtute. It also hurt to talk about you. Because he knew once he started, he was never going to stop.

“I am sorry that they were taken. I know they meant a lot to you and your siblings,” Tsireya commented, truly feeling sorry for the young boy. She could tell that Lo’ak deeply cared for the humans and she couldn’t imagine losing someone that close to her like that.

A shrug from Lo’ak was his only response to the girl’s comfort, tears beginning to prick his eyes as he began to crave your touch and soothing lips against his. He began to forget what it was like to have your hands and lips on his own skin, making the hole in his chest increase in size.

“What were their names again?” She delicately asked, genuinely curious. Foreign things always interested the girl and she had never seen a tawtute before. So, befriending people that have, made her want to ask all of the questions she’s been dying to ask. The girl knew that her chance of meeting a human was extremely low before the Sully’s arrival, but that still didn’t stop her from wondering.

A small smile etched itself onto the corners of Lo’ak’s lips as he thought about you. Your name was probably his favorite thing to utter. It becoming a prayer during the darkest hours of the night, with you being the only one to answer his mumbled words. You were Lo’ak’s salvation and he never hesitated to remind you.

“(Y/N) and Spider,” he replied, fingers now fiddling with the anklet around his foot. You had made it for him for his fifteenth birthday. The poor boy had been so flustered while trying to tie it around his ankle that the woven material kept slipping through his fingers. You offered your help with a giggle, your soft fingertips causing fire to erupt against his skin as they trailed from his ankle bone to his calf in a teasing manner. If Lo’ak closed his eyes and tried hard enough, he could still feel the tingly sensation your fingers left behind in their wake.

“Those are…interesting names,” Tsireya giggled, testing out their names on her tongue, attempting to enunciate every letter and vowel to the best of her ability. “Humans have such weird names,” she comments, reflecting back on the time she briefly met Norm and Max when they came to visit after Kiri’s seizure.

Lo’ak only hummed in response, smile still on his face as he recalled all the memories he has of you. He missed you so much. He felt empty without you. He felt as if he had half a soul with you gone. His whole being ached to be with you, touch you, love you.

The Metkayina girl noticed Lo’ak’s almost blissful smile on his face, copying his actions. She could only assume that one of you meant more to him than the other. That the other held a special place in his heart. “Which one is it?” She asked, not trying to sound like she was prying. That was the last thing she wanted to do. She was just curious.

Lo’ak’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, “What do you mean?”.

“Which one has you wrapped around their finger?”.

The question itself made Lo’ak blush, bottom lip going in between his teeth in an attempt to stop an even wider smile from making its way onto his face. Damn, he thought, she can read me like a book. You got to be more subtle man.

The boy gave her his answer, tail perking up and swaying to and from at the mention of your name, his body betraying him at trying to hide his affection for you.

“Can you tell me about her?” Tsireya asked, enthralled at how just the mere mention of your name influenced such actions from the Omatikaya boy.

Lo’ak didn’t need to be asked twice before he began to talk about you, barely taking any breaths in between each word he uttered. If only his Mother and Father could see how much love Lo’ak held for you. If only.

———

“Ready kid?”.

You’d rather throw yourself off the highest floating mountain than go with Quaritch and his team on their mission to hunt down Jake and his family. But, alas, you had to go. You had to go unless you wanted to continue to be tortured by the old blonde Captain. You hated that woman with everything you had in you.

Quaritch had promptly requested Ardmore to cease her torturous treatment on you, stating that he finally got a lead on where the Sully’s might be and that you were crucial to the plan he and his team were putting together. He needed you to go with them and he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He saw how Jake’s son had reacted when he was teasing the boy about you. The boy cared for you and Quaritch was going to use it as leverage somehow.

“Don’t have much of a choice, do I?” You replied, eyes narrowing at the man in front of you. You absolutely did not want to go wherever they were going, but you didn’t want to stay behind and be tortured to death. So, you took the lesser of two evils (if you could even call it that).

Quaritch chuckled at your response, shaking his head, motioning you to follow after him. The man had taken a liking to you, much like he did with Spider. You weren’t afraid to express how much you disliked the man nor did you hesitate to express your distaste for the whole situation he put you in. He liked your bluntness and admired your loyalty to the Na’vi, even if it was a major inconvenience for him and his team.

You had only ridden on an ikran a handful of times before, Lo’ak only being able to convince you with his little pout and big pleading eyes. You never were a fan of heights and having to spend Eywa knows how long on an ikran to the next base Quaritch was heading to made you want to cry. At least with Lo’ak, you knew that he’d always catch you if you began to slip. But with Quaritch, you were confident he wouldn’t give two shits if you slipped off the flying creature.

“I am not getting on an ikran with you,” you commented, hands on hips as you approached the RDA Avatar soldiers and their ikrans. You were very surprised that the whole group managed to, successfully, claim an ikran within only months of being on Pandora whereas native Na’vi trained their whole lives for this. It all left a bitter taste in your mouth when you thought about it.

“You’re not, sweetheart,” Quaritch answers, turning back towards you once he reached his bonded companion.

The ikran was probably the most beautiful you’ve seen, even with your limited experience with the creatures. The whole body of the animal was a deep navy blue, streaks of gold and orange decorating its wings. The animal itself was gorgeous. It was ironic how someone so evil and ugly had managed to tame something so beautiful.

“Spider’s riding with me. You’ll ride with Z-Dog,” he continued, clicking his tongue towards the tall Avatar woman, gently petting his ikran as he did so.

Your eyes were torn from the navy creature in front of you to the woman. Your blood went cold as you made eye contact, her hard stare boring into your eyes as she robotically chewed at the gum in her mouth. Great, you thought, I’m definitely going to die.

“We don’t have all day, kid,” Quaritch commented, already mounted on his ikran as Spider sat in front of him, eyes worriedly scanning your figure as you stood there frozen in place.

Your eyes then drifted from the woman to her bonded companion behind her, its face gently nuzzling into her side affectionately. Your heart clenched at the sight of the animal. It looked almost identical to that of your boyfriend's ikran. Lo’ak’s was an almost dark blue, gold swirling around its neck and wings. His companion shared many similarities to the one of his Father, the only difference being the black patch on his protruding lower jaw. Memories of when Lo’ak took you out for rides on his ikran flooded your mind, making the hole in your chest double in size.

“Let’s go,” the woman said, snatching your forearm in her grip as she placed you onto the creature, placing herself behind you as she made tshaleyu with the animal. The winged creature chirped in delight at the sensation and shrieked once it readied itself to take flight, wings twitching.

You braced yourself for the ride, both hands tightening around one of the ikrans queues, thighs tensing in anticipation. The rides you had with Lo’ak were much more smoother and gentler. Lo’ak made sure to put emphasis on how he dismounted from the ground, trying to make it as smooth as possible for you. His bonded animal always complied, never rushing when he pushed off the ground and into the skies above. You found yourself missing that process as you desperately tried not to slip off the poor animal as it ascended into the blue sky. It was rough, to say the least.

Once you reached an appropriate enough altitude, Z-Dog steadied and leveled out her ikran, halting the rough turbulence you experienced moments prior. The creature chirped once again, smoothly gliding through the wind.

You always loved the feeling you got whenever you were up in the sky with Lo’ak despite your anxiety regarding heights. He always made sure that you were okay throughout the ride as well as before and after the fact. But with the stranger you were assigned to, you found yourself wanting to hurl in anxiousness. You only hoped that this was going to be a quick and fast flight to wherever the hell you were heading to.

———

The minute you stepped into the small room the tulkun hunters had allowed you to occupy during your stay, you fell to your knees. Sobs racked your body as your mind replayed the scenes that you witnessed only minutes prior. Arriving at the Ta’unui village. The gathering of their people like they were sheep to slaughter. Quaritch threatening the Tsahik and Olo’eyktan of the clan. Lyle shooting and killing a sea creature on his Colonel’s order. The burning of the peoples homes. The killing of a Mother tulkun. It all kept replaying in your head, even when you moved to the even smaller shower.

You tried so hard to rid of the memories in your head, of the smell on your skin, of the guilt you felt. You rubbed at your skin until it was raw and hot and bleeding. The permanent reminder of just what your race is capable of slamming to the forefront of your mind. It all felt wrong. It feels wrong being here. Feels wrong to live on Pandora where its native species had to experience the pain and constant attempts of colonization from a different species. It all felt like you were contributing to whatever Quaritch had in mind. Even if he didn’t tell you any details, you still chose to come along. Maybe staying behind with Captain Ardmore would’ve been a better option. After all, it wouldn’t have mattered if you were alive or not at the end of it for you already felt dead inside. Nothing and no one would be able to bring you comfort from what you just saw and gone through.

“(Y/N)?” A familiar voice asked, it cracking from the amount of emotion the owner felt.

“Spider,” you whispered, curling in on yourself as you saw his figure standing in your doorway, tears streaming down his face.

The boy made his way to your bed, laying on it, facing you on his side. Not a word was uttered between you two, not needing any to communicate the type of comfort you both seeked from each other. And you stayed like that, facing each other and grasping onto each other's hands for comfort as you unknowingly fell asleep, slumber welcoming you into its embrace. But even your dreams weren’t a safe place. You dreamt of fire, of blood, and of death the whole night.

Maybe Neytiri was right. You should’ve never befriended the Sully children. You should’ve stuck to your own kind.

———

The second Lo’ak heard that a boy and a girl had been with Quaritch and his team during their attack on a nearby village, he began to ready his ilu for the trip. For getting you back.

The boy had paced back and forth from the edge of the mauri to his swimming companion, bending down to slip on the various of saddles the animal needed for riding. The creature chirped up at him every time Lo’ak bent down, seemingly encouraging him as he did so.

“What are you doing?” A voice asked, confusion laced in their tone. Lo’ak knew who it was before they even spoke. His Sa’nok had a bad habit of sneaking up on everyone, being too quiet for her own good. The hairs on the back of his head always stood up on end whenever he felt his Mothers presence behind him, alerting him of the potential rage he was going to face from the woman.

“To save them,” Lo’ak mumbled, too focused on saddling the right equipment on his companion, fiddling with the straps as he tightened them. The boy knew that his parents never really cared for either of your well-beings, it being evident in their body language and actions whenever he or Kiri talked about the things they did with the pair of you that particular day. If they weren’t willing to save you, then Lo’ak would take it upon himself to. He finally knew where you were after months of not knowing and he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to have you in his arms again.

A growl emitted itself from his Mothers lips, her hand coming out to grip her son's bicep into her grasp, “Kehe!”.

Neytiri didn’t know why her son was so infatuated with you, a tawtute. She was always against her children from befriending you and Spider, glaring at your figures everytime you walked by at High Camp. Her son seemed to be closer with you than Spider. The fact always bothered her, making her skin crawl with anger. Angry that you were occupying her son's time when he could be doing other things, meeting other people, and talking to other appropriate women of the clan.

“You will not,” she continued, scowl painted onto her face as she glared down at her son. She knew that if Lo’ak were to continue with his plan and make it to wherever you were, that Quaritch wouldn’t hesitate to shoot or take him prisoner. She couldn’t have that. Neytiri needed all of her children within eyesight so she could look over them and make sure that they were safe. She wouldn’t be able to do that if her son went to you.

Lo’ak growled back at his Mother, ripping his arm out from her tight grip. The boy had his mind made up and nobody was going to stop him. He needed to get to you. He needed you.

“I will. Why do you even care? You haven’t bothered to talk to me the whole time here. The only time you talk to me is to yell or scold me for doing yet another thing wrong,” Lo’ak hissed out, teeth tightly clenched. “(Y/N) and Spider care about me more than you ever have!” He added, whole body shaking in anger.

Neytiri gasped at her sons exclaimation, lightly hissing at him, “How dare you think that? I love you, Lo’ak. But they, they do not! They are demons! They aren’t capable of such things as love.”

Lo’ak’s ears drew back to press up against his skull and his lips drew up to show off his pointed fangs, a very loud hiss escaping from between his teeth. The hiss sounded almost roar-like, drawing attention from inside the Sully mauri, ears and tails perking up in interest.

Another gasp escaped from Neytiri’s throat. Her son had never hissed at her like that. Sure he had hissed at her playfully when he was younger or out of annoyance whenever she tried to get him to open up to her. But he had never hissed at her so…possessively. The only time she had heard a roar like this was when her husband was fighting off Quaritch during the Great Battle and he threatened everything he worked so hard to build during his time in the Avatar program.

“They do! She loves me. She’s capable of it and so much more. But you are too stubborn and stuck in your ways to see her the way I do. She cares for me, loves me. That I know,” Lo’ak grumbled out, fangs seeming to get even longer as he brewed in his anger. “I see her and she sees me. Something you and Dad never do,” he finished, turning away from his Mother as he reached out to grab the final thing he needed for his ride to you.

“What do you mean, Lo’ak?” Neytiri asked, anger laced in her voice. She knew what he was insinuating, but she needed to hear it come from his mouth. To confirm her suspicions. To confirm or deny what she had been thinking for years.

“I mean that she is mine. She is the only thing that I was ever able to have. I see her. She has taken me heart, body, and soul,” he slightly hisses out, not daring to look at his Mother as he spoke. He knew that once the confession of his sins slipped from his lips, there was no telling what his Mother would do. He didn’t want to be in the crossfire once she decided to act upon whatever she was feeling, her not being a top priority in his life at the moment. You were the priority and he’d be damned if anyone stopped him from getting to you.

“No,” Neytiri whispers, “You did not. Tell me you didn’t!”.

There were many things that his Mother could be referring to, but he was pretty sure he knew what she was hinting at. It was something that he had planned on doing with you once he properly courted you and way further into the future. But, nothing ever goes according to plan in Lo’ak’s life. The first time you guys had engaged in such an act was months before you were taken hostage. You had never been to the Tree of Souls, it being nearly impossible for you to get to without proper assistance. Lo’ak had decided to take you to it as a surprise on your weekly date night. The two of you had been dating for a while but never went as far as kissing or wondering hands against skin. It all happened so fast. One minute Lo’ak was describing the connection to you, how it all worked and the next, you were under him squirming and calling out his name in pleasure. He knew that once such an act was done, he’d be tied to you forever. That in the eyes of the Great Mother you two were mates and forever bound to one another’s souls. After that, the two of you often found yourselves engaging to be together. Lo’ak felt as if it was another way he could feel connected to you without being able to perform tshaleyu. He never took the act for granted and always put your pleasure before his, worshiping every inch of your body before you could do the same to him.

Her sons silence was Neytiri’s answer resulting in her loudly hissing at her youngest son, almost matching Lo’ak’s moments prior. That was the final straw to have Jake interfere between his arguing son and wife.

“You gave yourself to her? To a demon? Agh! Shame! You have brought shame upon this family and yourself. You tainted yourself with a human. Someone who can’t give you a future!” She yelled out, angry tears running down the expanse of her cheeks. Intercourse before mating wasn’t something that was taboo in the Omatikaya culture, but it was expected of the Olo’eyktan and his family to save themselves before then, demonstrating their loyalty to the people and their future spouse. So to hear her son, the second born of the Olo’eyktan, engage in such an intimate act with a human nonetheless, made her want to pluck his eyes out from the sockets that held them.

“Woah! Woah! Hey!” Jake said, jumping in between his son and wife before either of them could jump at each other's throat. His front faced Neytiri while his back faced his son. “Hey! What’s going on?” He gently asked, bringing his wife’s face into his hands as he tried to get her to focus his attention on him and not Lo’ak.

“Your son has mated with a demon!” She spat out, disgust interlaced in her tone. The way she felt towards the situation was evident enough on her face. Her lips were drawn back to flash her fangs and her nose was scrunched as if she just smelt a pile of Palulukan dung.

Jake froze at the words his wife spat, eyes darting to his son behind him. Although he froze at the words, he wasn’t surprised. He had a feeling that you and Lo’ak were more than just friends. He often caught his son gently rubbing at the marks you left on his skin during dinner, a smirk dancing across his youngests lips. Jake’s not stupid. He was Lo’ak’s age once and understood the urges he faced. But, he was human then and the Na’vi have a completely different way of thinking and going about things like this.

Jake didn’t question Lo’ak about whether or not what Neytiri said was true, already knowing the answer. He only sighed in response and tried to coax his wife to calm down.

“Go back in the house, son. Now,” Jake demanded, shooting him a look that told him he wasn’t taking a no for an answer.

Lo’ak wanted to argue and continue with his plan on rescuing you, but he knew that his pleading would be worthless, especially after his confession. So, he begrudgingly desaddled his ilu and made his way into the pod, ignoring the looks of his siblings as he made his way to his side of the house, throwing something against the woven wall before settling down in the corner. Tears left his eyes as he sat there. He was frustrated. All he wanted to do was see and hold you, but it seemed as if Eywa wasn’t on his side once again.

Why Great Mother? Why do you do this to me?

His heart further broke at the fact that you, yet again, slipped through his fingers. It seemed as if the whole universe was against the two of you. But, the universe be damned. Lo’ak was going to get you back no matter what it took. He’d burn down villages for you, destroy planets for you. He’d do anything for you.

———

“They found out?” A soft voice asks, pulling Lo’ak out from his zoning out episode.

He only hummed in response, eyes puffy from all the crying he did that night. His Mother screamed and cried at him after she talked to Jake, calling him what everyone else does, a disappointment. He desperately tried to get her to understand how he felt about you and how much he cared for you. He wouldn’t fall in love with just anyone, so you had to be very special to be the one to hold his heart.

Neteyam had been the one to comfort him that night as Jake and Kiri consoled Neytiri, trying to get her to calm down so she didn’t disturb any other Metkayina trying to sleep or seek shelter from the storm. It had been the first time in years that Neteyam had held Lo’ak in his arms, turning him away from the sight of their Sa’nok as the elder practically held the younger in his lap. Neteyam felt bad that their Mother was acting like this. Like she too hadn’t fallen in love with a tawtute. No matter how long Jake stayed on the planet and mingled with the natives, he would always be a human at heart. It’s hard to break out of old habits and it seemed as if their Father began to fall back into his sky people ways as of recent.

( “It’s okay, tsmukan,” Neteyam had whispered, Lo’ak barely hearing over the dramatic wails of his Mother. The boy had long been done with his crying, just blankly staring at the anklet wrapped around his foot. The last remaining thing he had of you.

“She doesn’t understand,” the older brother continued, stroking Lo’ak’s braids with such a gentleness, he thought for a second that it was you who was holding him. He only ever experienced such a gentle touch with you. It felt wrong that it wasn’t. That it was coming from his brother and not you.

“She does not,” Lo’ak confirmed, burying himself further into his brothers body, actively seeking his warmth to combat the shaking of his own body. “She never will,” he continued, eyes hardened to a glare as he stared at the intricately woven floor. She will never understand, he thought to himself, anger and sadness erupting in his chest. )

“A lot of the people heard your Mother last night,” Tsireya spoke up, sitting next to the dark blue boy. She felt bad for the teen. To be in love with someone you could never have must be heart wrenching. “I am sorry she acted the way she did. I hope she soon comes to the realization that you do truly love her,” she continued, trying to offer up the best comfort she could.

“I don’t think my Dad cared. Probably already knew before I told them. But,” he croaked out, voice coming out coarse as a result from his crying the night prior, “He didn’t do anything to stop Mom from saying those things about her, about me.”.

Having his Father allow his wife to continually insult his lover and him had made Lo’ak bitter. How come he wasn’t able to defend the one he loved but it was alright for Neytiri to throw such hurtful words to her own son? It all seemed hypocritical, backwards.

Tsireya frowned at Lo’ak’s words. She truly felt bad for him. She didn’t think that it was fair for his own Mother to react that harshly to the news. Didn’t she too fall in love with a human? It didn’t make sense to her.

“Oh, Lo’ak, I’m so sorry,” she whispered out, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder in hopes to comfort him.

Nothing about this situation was ideal. Lo’ak wasn’t able to go and rescue you from the clutches of the RDA. Neytiri had scolded and reprimanded her youngest son for being in love, calling him all sorts of colorful names in the process. Jake hadn’t done anything to prevent his wife from her onslaught of scowls and hisses towards their son. The whole clan now probably knew about how Lo’ak was a sky demon lover. And Tsireya is the one comforting the boy when it should be his own family that we’re bringing him solace. It all became a mess so fast, everything crumbling down towards the ground within seconds.

Lo’ak only hummed in response to Tsireya’s sympathetic tone, too tired to give her an actual response. His eyes were bloodshot from all the tears he’s expelled over night. Lo’ak’s face was practically swollen from how hard he cried last night. He looked like a complete mess.

Eywa had to be punishing him for something for the deity that he grew up hearing about wouldn’t have allowed any of this to happen. Was it really that bad that Lo’ak loved you? That he loved a human? Surely the Great Mother held all of her children dear to her heart. So, why was she letting this happen? What was the bigger picture? What was the reason? Lo’ak wanted to know the answers to these questions so he could figure out why it was so wrong to love you when it felt so right to.

———

Pain spread throughout your lower back and hip, becoming warm as the nerve endings communicated with each other and the crushed blood cells came to the surface of your delicate skin. The minute Spider hijacked the ship and the vehicle surged forward, your body made harsh contact with the metal table in the middle of the room and the floor once it crashed amongst the jagged rocks.

“(Y/N)! You okay?” The human boy yelled out, scrambling up to his feet to get to your position against the floor.

A groan was your only answer, pulling yourself up the best you could before the soldiers and ship crew could grab you. You could feel the bruises already forming on your soft skin, heat spreading throughout the areas.

“Get them off the ship!” A voice demanded, catching your attention. Your heart dropped to your stomach upon hearing the words. They were going to take you somewhere farther from Lo’ak once more. Although you hadn’t gone down with Spider to see him and the others being held hostage at the front of the ship, you still didn’t want to be taken somewhere else where you most likely wouldn’t be able to see him again.

Hands wrapped themselves around your biceps, roughly pulling you up from where you kneeled, guiding you to the exit.

“Let go of me!” You hissed, ripping your arms from out of the strangers grip just in time to catch the mask being thrown at you by another.

“Put it on,” they demanded, putting on their own mask before looking at you as you put yours on, a scowl on your face as you did so.

The same person pushed you forward in front of them, urging you to walk forwards and down the metal stairs. You desperately wanted to push whoever was in front of you down the stairs and run towards wherever they were keeping Lo’ak and the rest. You only wanted to see him and make sure that he was okay. That he was still breathing.

“Make sure it’s tight,” a man commented, tugging on the side of your mask.

“She’s fine, dumbass,” Spider spat, pushing the man’s hand away from your masked face, putting himself between the man and you.

The man before you both scoffed and continued forward, leading the two of you somewhere on the ship where they kept their smaller boats.

Spider could sense your apprehension, grabbing your hand as the group of you continued to walk along the metal surface of the ship, shaking his head down at you as he dragged you besides him. He knew what you wanted to do, he wanted to do the same, but he knew that if you gave into that urge, they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot either of you on the spot. He needed to keep you safe not just for Lo’ak’s sake but for himself too. You were his lifeline throughout this whole awful experience. Your presence itself helped him in more ways than one whenever he felt himself start to slip through the cracks while with Quaritch and Ardmore. If the two of you were going to make it out this afternoon, he needed you safe and alive.

Another man had exclaimed for the group to hurry up before the last of the boats left without them, getting cut off at the end of his sentence with a sharp exhale and groan as his body was thrown up against the wall of the ship.

Two large blue bodies had dropped down from above, pushing and punching the human men surrounding you and Spider, effectively killing them as they jumped from body to body.

“Lo’ak,” you whispered out, Spider pulling your back into his chest, away from Neteyam and Lo’ak, being wary of their size and strength.

A smile painted itself across your lips once the familiar amber eyes you dearly missed made contact with your colorful ones, time seemingly coming to a halt as the both of you took in each other's presence.

Lo’ak seemed to have filled out a bit, his biceps and thighs much larger than they were the last time you saw them. His hair was pulled back, showing off his sharpened jawline and defined shoulders and collarbones. Back in the forest, he rarely ever had his hair up, preferring it down so your fingers could have easy access to them whenever you wanted to run your smaller hands through the braids. His midsection seemed slimmer and tighter, displaying his developing abs along his stomach. Lo’ak seemed more confident in his physique as he stood there in front of you. You could practically feel it oozing off of him. The reef clan must’ve prioritized his training during his stay, you concluded.

As you gawked at the significant changes to your boyfriend's physical body, he too had his eyes glued to your figure.

Although much hadn’t changed, you still looked beautiful as ever. You had your hair down, different from your typical braid or usual hairstyle. You deemed having your hair out of your face more practical during your time in the forest. It just made everything easier as you explored and ran about. Due to Ardmore’s negligence to your physical needs, you figured it was easier to have your hair down most of the time, having no energy to do it yourself when she gave you a break from her torturous pursuits. Your hair had gotten longer during your time away from each other, inches longer than it previously was. It framed your face beautifully Lo’ak thought, smiling at you.

But before either of you could run to each other and embrace, a soldier had begun to stir and get up, a gun clutched in his grasp.

Lo’ak whipped his head towards the noise, bringing up the gun in his right hand up without thinking, finger squeezing the trigger as multiple rounds of bullets penetrated the human in front of him. The man slumped back, falling dead to the floor.

The air then became tense, the moment processing in everyone’s head for a second. Then, Neteyam had gently grabbed Lo’ak’s forearm and urged him forward, walking backwards as Spider pushed you in front of him, following the Na’vi boy.

The two boys in front of you had effortlessly jumped down from the top of the stairs to the ground below, swiftly standing up from their crouch afterwards. Sensing your hesitation, Lo’ak wrapped his free arm around your waist and followed after his brother and Spider, holding you close to his side as he jumped down from the height. He only let go of your waist once you regained your bearings.

“Hello, ma sìlpeytsyìp,” Lo’ak whispers, free hand going up to your bare neck, softly grazing his thumb against the delicate skin.

“Hello, Lo’ak,” you whisper back, a smile on your face as you gazed at your lover. Oh how you wished you didn’t need this stupid mask so you could capture his lips with yours.

You missed the boy in front of you so much. It was hard to endure all those months away from each other. He consumed every single thought you had. So to have him in front of you, alive and breathing and not a figment of your imagination, made you want to crawl into his large arms and stay there forever.

Your small moment was interrupted by Spider, him exclaiming a thank you so much man as he turned towards the Na’vi teens.

Lo’ak had tore his eyes away from yours, staring at Spider as he thanked him and Neteyam for saving both of your asses back there. The blue boy smiled at his friend, going to express his welcome but his smile dropped as he saw the same Avatar soldiers from that night come into view, aiming their guns towards the group of teens.

As Lo’ak perked up to shoot at the familiar fake Avatars, Neteyam pulled him back just as quickly, ushering him and the lot of you to run and dodge the bullets as they fired and ricocheted off the railings and other obstacles between you and them.

“Go! Go!” Neteyam exclaimed, pushing the three of you towards a corner by the moonpool, snatching Lo’ak’s gun with a give me that!.

The older Na’vi began to shoot back at the soldiers shooting at you four, shouting at all of you to hurry and jump into the water beneath the opening in front of you. Before you could process Neteyam’s words, Lo’ak took you into his arms and rushed towards the moonpool, jumping over the railing and into the water. Cool water splashed against your body and sealed mask, making you involuntarily hold your breath as a reflex.

Upon breaching the surface, you exhaled the air you held, realizing that there was no need for you to hold it.

“That was insane cuz!” Lo’ak exclaimed, high-fiving Spider as he hollered back an excited hell yeah!. His arm around you had slipped from its grasp in order to hand out the high-five he gave Spider.

The three of you just narrowly escaped death and Lo’ak was hollering in delight from the adrenaline rush. Well, you thought, at least the sea didn’t change that about him.

The hairs on your skin stood on end once you heard the gurgle of Neteyam’s first gasp of breath after following you and the boys, diving into the water. Your body instinctively knew that something bad was bound to happen and you could only pray to Eywa that this wasn’t happening.

Everyone’s world stopped on its axis once Neteyam announced that he’d been shot, struggling to keep himself upright in the water. It was as if his own acknowledgment of being shot stripped him of his refined swimming skills, limbs not being able to keep up with the blood loss and shock of the event.

You were the first one by the boys side after the words fell from his lips, trying to help keep him afloat in the water. “It’s okay, Teyam,” you whispered, head barely above the water's surface as you kept the boy upright, “You’ll be okay.”.

You knew that your words were only empty promises. That realistically, Neteyam wasn’t going to make it. No amount of comforting whispers were going to cover up that fact or bring the boy some kind of solace from death's icy grip.

“Here! Get him up on here,” an unfamiliar voice exclaimed, drawing your attention from Neteyam to the owner.

A beautiful Na’vi girl had broke the surface of the water with a strange creature by her side. She gestured for you and the rest to get Neteyam up onto the animal so you could transport him somewhere where he could be helped.

The strange girls eyes fell on you, making your stomach drop and breath hitch in your throat. She must be of the clan that harbored the Sully family, you thought to yourself as you studied her much lighter blue skin and enchanting ocean blue eyes. Really pretty too.

“C’mon bro,” Lo’ak stuttered out, taking Neteyam out from your grip and into his, swimming towards the girl and her creature.

Spider had pulled you out from your stupor, tugging on your hand as he swam the both of you towards the group, grabbing the side of the creatures saddle as it readied itself to surge forward in the water. The boys hand had let go of your hand and went to grab your waist, pulling you flush to his side in preparation for the resistance of the water once the creature got the okay to take off. Your own hands wrapped themselves around Spider’s neck, muscles in your arms tightening in preparation as well.

Once Lo’ak situated Neteyam onto the creature behind him, he urged the animal to go forward through the bond, it hurriedly gliding through the water as it pushed against the current and new added weight on all sides.

You knew that once the five of you left the scene and headed towards somewhere else, everything was going to change. That it was all downhill from here.

———

Your hands were caked in blood. In Neteyam’s blood.

The red substance ran up your wrists and stopped at your mid forearm. The skin that was covered in it felt like it was on fire. It burned.

Your small hands that were desperately trying to slow down the blood pouring out of the boys chest were replaced by Lo’ak’s, his bigger body pushing you out of the way once Jake noticed your useless efforts and demanded his second son to replace your hands with his.

Tears spewed out from your waterline, falling down your cheeks and gathering at the bottom of your mask. Your throat burned from your suppression of sobs, desperately trying to escape from your sealed lips. You didn’t feel worthy crying and sobbing over the fatally injured boy in front of you. It was your fault he was shot. Indirectly or not, if Neteyam and Lo’ak didn’t come back for you and Spider, then he’d be fine and not bleeding out in front of his family. He wouldn't be laid dying in front of you.

You felt familiar, calloused hands wrapped themselves around your frame, bringing your body into their own.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Spider lowly whispered, bringing your face into his neck as you let out a quiet sob, leaning into his embrace. He knew that you were on the brink of breaking down and knew that you were keeping it in so as to not disturb the Sully family in their growing mourning. He saw the way Lo’ak pushed his way between you and Neteyam’s dying body, replacing your hands with his own against his brothers open chest. He knew that no one else around you would comfort you in the way that you needed, so he scurried to your side and brought you into his arms for the comfort that you craved.

You’ve never seen someone die. You’ve never seen someone die right in front of you. Your brain was scrambling to gather itself and process what was happening. But it was as if your brain couldn’t gather all the working pieces it needed and abandoned you in your own body, leaving you to pick up the pieces yourself and try to process what was happening.

Your body began to shiver as shock and adrenaline coursed through your veins, making your quiet sobs even harder to contain and actually keep silent.

The minute your ears picked up on Neytiri’s high pitched wails and screams, you knew that Neteyam had taken his last breath and finally joined Eywa in his afterlife. From that moment on, everything went by in a flash.

Neytiri, Jake, and Spider had left back towards the ship for a reason your ears didn’t pick up on, still ringing in the aftershocks of Neytiri’s screams. The Na’vi woman left on her ikran, it screeching as she made tshaleyu. The both of them took off in a blur from the speed of the animals ascent. Spider left you with a gentle kiss on the forehead and a promise that he’ll come back, smoothing down your damp hair before following after Jake. And Lo’ak. He only spared you a small glance before telling the reef Na’vi girl to stay with Neteyam’s body, gently patting her cheek before he hurried off to follow his Father and Spider.

Even though your mind struggled to process and piece together what just happened, it was still able to process the soft touch Lo’ak bestowed upon the girl in front of you and the sympathetic look he gave her before he left. How she reached out for him as he walked away and the look on her face as she watched. Oh.

Your heart broke at the realization. Lo’ak finally found someone that was suitable for him. Someone that was able to give him the future he deserved. Someone that was able to give him everything you couldn’t. And more tears fell from your eyes, heart crying out at the heartbreak.

Neytiri was right. You should’ve stayed with your own kind.

———

You didn’t stay long for Neteyam’s funeral. As soon as it ended, you treaded your way out of the water and walked somewhere secluded.

It was too much being there. It was hard watching Jake and Neytiri place their eldest son down onto the orange glowing tendrils. It was hard watching him be absorbed by them, disappearing into the glowing mass. Guilt riddled your consciousness, yelling at you that you shouldn’t be there. That it was your fault that he was with Eywa now. That you took away Jake and Neytiri’s firstborn son from their grasp too soon. You felt that your presence itself was a reminder as to why Neteyam was no longer breathing.

So, you sat yourself in a secluded area on the small island, situating yourself between the large rocks that perfectly hid your smaller frame. You didn’t want anyone disturbing you, especially Lo’ak. You didn’t think you’d be able to face him again after tonight.

“You suck at sneaking away, you know that right?” A soft voice spoke out, making you jump in response from its abrupt reveal. You had been sitting in silence for a couple of minutes before you were interrupted.

Turning your head, you saw Kiri standing there, face still painted in the white substance her Mother lathered onto her face before attending her elder brother's funeral. She held a small smile in your presence, leaning down to properly sit by your side.

You only hum and nod your head in response, turning your gaze back towards the lapping waves against the soft sand of the shoreline. You felt unworthy of the girl's presence. Like you shouldn’t stare at her for too long or else Eywa would strike you down with lightning for it. Unworthy of still being her friend even after what had occurred hours prior.

“I do not blame you, (Y/N),” she spoke up, large amber eyes glued to the side of your face. “None of us do. It was not your doing for what happened that night. You were not the one with the gun,” she continued, her blue five-fingered hand coming to rest up against your shoulder in comfort.

Growing up, Kiri always knew what you were feeling by just seeing the expression on your face. It was a bit weird growing up. She knew what you felt even before you could process it yourself. But, oftentimes, you were grateful for someone like Kiri. For someone who knew you so deeply that they didn’t need words to confirm how you felt. She just knew.

Kiri did truly mean the words she spoke. She did not think that Neteyam’s death was yours nor Spiders' doing. You two were just kids who were taken hostage and desperately needed saving. You are just kids. Your whole lives were a cause of an unfortunate event but that doesn’t mean that everything bad that happens to her family and to the other natives of Pandora were solely you and Spider's fault. The two of you shouldn’t carry that heavy burden.

“But, if Lo’ak and Neteyam didn’t come after us – ” you sputtered, tears already welling in your waterline as your throat began to tighten with emotion.

The Na’vi girl knew where you were coming from. What your thought process was and how you felt. A perk of being one of your good friends she supposed.

“But nothing, (Y/N),” she cut you off, voice firm and absolute. There was no way you were going to change her mind about the situation at hand. It wasn’t your fault. Period.

“Neteyam and Lo’ak chose to come after you and Spider. They both knew of the consequences that came with following after you. No one except Quaritch and his men are to blame,” she said with finality, not needing you to further intrude on what she said. No matter how hard you’d try to convince her that it was your fault, she wouldn’t believe you. Her mind had already been made up and you weren’t the one to blame.

Only more tears began to gather and spill from your eyes at your friend's words. It was nice to hear that she, and most likely everyone else, didn’t blame you for what happened. But it didn’t help ease the guilt you felt. Nothing could aid in the guilt you felt deep within. Perhaps with time it would go away, but even then, you highly doubted that.

“Lo’ak still loves you if that is what’s causing this worry,” Kiri whispered out, only loud enough for you to hear just in case anyone else was wandering around.

During their stay at Awa’atlu, Kiri could tell that your absence had deeply disturbed her younger brother. It was evident in everything he did. Lo’ak always had a frown on his face and found excuses to pick fights with Ao’nung and his gang of friends. It was like he didn’t have a reason to behave accordingly or live anymore. Like his sense of self was lost when you were taken by Quaritch and his soldiers. He desperately missed you and she could tell that the only thing he wanted to do was get you back and have you in his arms once again.

Your stomach turned in knots and your heart stopped at Kiri’s comment. Did he really? What about the girl that helped you that night?

“I – I’m not too sure about that. What about the girl?” You asked, face damp with tears. You saw how Lo’ak treated her that night. How he gently put his hand on her cheek and how she reached out for him with a call of his name before leaving the both of you on that rock with Neteyam’s body. How he barely spared you a glance before leaving.

You were confident that he had finally found the one the Great Mother had destined him to be with. You knew that your time together was limited, the clock starting the minute you confessed your feelings to the teen boy. It broke your heart seeing him act that way with her but you knew that he’d eventually come to his senses about you and want to pursue a Na’vi who could actually give him the future he deserved. If anything, you were pleased that he found someone like him. He would no longer be held back by you.

“What? What girl? What are you talking about?” Kiri asked, shock and concern laced within her voice. She knew that Lo’ak was too in love with you to look at anyone else the way he looked at you. So your words confused her immensely. Why did you think he no longer saw you?

The blue girl ransacked her brain for the girl you were insinuating Lo’ak was into. She kept drawing blanks, until her mind settled onto the one person that was a great comfort to Lo’ak during their stay.

“You mean Tsireya?” She asked, a barely audible giggle coming out of her mouth.

To be frank, Kiri found the situation a little funny. Lo’ak was such a lovesick puppy for you that he often refused to talk to anyone who wasn’t you. He continuously asked about you before the two of you got together, always bothering Kiri as she made her way back from the lab. He also handmade many jewelry pieces for you, even if he sucked at it and needed Tuk’s help. Why would you think his affections would change that fast?

“She’s pretty,” you hum, eyes still glued on the moving waves in the distance. Really pretty. “She’s good for him, Ri. She’d be able to give him the future he deserves. Plus, Neytiri would actually like her. It was never in the cards for us,” you finished, voice now eerily calm and void of the sadness you expressed earlier.

Kiri’s mouth fell agape at your words, eyes widening to the size of yovo fruit. What the fuck?

“(Y/N), you cannot mean that. Tsireya and Lo’ak are only friends. That’s all,” she began, trying her best to save you from your overwhelming thoughts before they consumed you whole. “He still loves you. Please believe that,” she pleaded.

You finally tore your gaze from the water and up towards the glowing amber orbs of your friend. “He left me there, Kiri. All alone with no goodbye. Barely even glanced my way before he followed after Spider and Jake,” you confessed, heart breaking all over again at the memory. It was hours before they all returned to the rock. Spider was the only one to comfort you as Lo’ak was too busy with Tsireya. The rest of the family barely even spared you a glance as they pulled each other into an embrace.

Oh, Kiri thought, ears pinning to the sides of her head. Did she interpret Lo’ak and Tsireya’s body language wrong? Were they more than friends?

Neither of you uttered another word, sitting peacefully side by side as the two of you listened to the soothing sound of the lapping waves against the shore. A war was occurring within your head and walls were built to protect you from the oncoming grenades you were sure would be thrown at you by your lover once he confessed that he was no longer in love with you. If you could even call him yours anymore.

From afar, the subject of your conversation was watching the two of you converse. He so desperately wanted to run to you and gather you into his arms and keep you there forever. But, he knew that you were no longer his. He saw how Spider treated you so gently. How he placed a kiss on the crown of your head before scurrying away to lead Jake to the ship. How he was the first one to comfort you when they arrived, beating him in embracing you and soothing you as you sobbed against his bleeding chest. And even though his heart was breaking at the possibility of you no longer loving him, he only wanted you to be happy and if that was with Spider, then he’d let you go.

———

Days had passed since your conversation with Kiri. She had never left your side since, wanting to be there for you as you navigated your grief and heartbreak. Your words still stunned the poor girl. She was sure that you were wrong but she would admit that it was awfully suspicious the amount of times she saw Lo’ak and Tsireya together. And always seeing them together, especially after you pointed it out, didn’t help. Kiri was so sure of her brothers love for you that she nearly laughed in your face once those words left your mouth. But, she too began to doubt the affections her younger brother held for you.

Kiri often spent most of her time around you, but during the times she wasn’t able to, Tuktirey had no problem keeping you company.

“No! You’re doing it wrong,” Tuk exclaimed, groaning over your lack of weaving skills.

The young girl had been attempting to teach you the new way of weaving she had learned during her time on the island. She was so excited to show you what she had learned over the months that she nearly crushed your smaller, human body in a tight hug upon hearing your agreement. The young girl profusely apologized when she heard your panicked wheeze against her collarbone, quickly getting to work after.

“I’m sorry, TukTuk. Weaving’s never really been my thing,” you apologize, gently smiling at the child next to you. She was so excited to show you how to weave the Metkayina way, her eyes practically glowed in excitement once you agreed.

“It’s not your fault, (Y/N). I struggled with it too for some time. It just takes practice,” she responded, a large gummy smile directed your way. “Plus, that just means I can make you more!” She added, trying to lift up your dampened mood.

It seemed as if everything bothered you these days. Like everything was a reminder as to why you’d never be good enough for the secondborn Omatikaya prince. A reminder of the things you couldn’t give Lo’ak. Of the things you couldn’t do to please your mate. Weaving was a huge part of the Omatikaya culture, allowing one to express their gratitude and affection towards their intended. Something that you lacked severe skill in. Sure you could make a few bracelets here and there but it was nothing compared to those of the native Omatikaya who put so much effort into their weaving, going as far as making their own unique weave pattern for their beloved. Even though you wanted to refuse Tuktirey’s plea, for it was another painful reminder that you could never have Lo’ak, you still accepted it and endured the emotional turmoil you experienced. You wouldn’t allow your own feelings to stump Tuk’s happiness and eagerness to share with you something new she learned.

“You can make me as many as you want, Tuk,” you replied, a small smile gracing your lips as you gently patted her head, ruffling her hair in the process. The young girl shrieked at your action, pushing your hand away from her freshly braided hair, giggling afterwards.

You desperately missed moments like these during your captivity. You missed playing around with the Sully children and hearing Tuk’s high pitched giggle as she ran away from your hands as you reached out to tickle her. You missed Kiri’s wise words as she spoke about whatever came to mind. You missed Lo’ak’s comforting embrace as he enveloped you into his arms whenever you needed it. You missed Neteyam’s kind nature, helping you out whenever you found yourself falling behind. You’d always miss Neteyam, his absence another reminder as to why you would never be enough for the one you loved.

A loud cough from the doorway of the marui pod broke you and Tuk out of your giggling fit, both of you whipping your heads to the figure standing in front of the opening. Your heart dropped at who was in front of you.

“Mom!” Tuktirey squealed, jumping up to her feet and towards her sa’nok.

You could tell that Neytiri wasn’t excited about your presence, her hardened glare never leaving your face even as she bent down to embrace her youngest child. Over the course of the days following Neteyam’s funeral, Neytiri was colder towards you and Spider. She rarely ever let her children see you and often fought with Jake on this matter. She always argued about the same thing. How you and Spider weren’t good for her children. How the both of you deserved to be with your people. How you bring nothing but pain to this family. That if Jake never took the both of you in, they wouldn’t be in the position. You heard most of what she was yelling about almost every night, your shared guilt with Spider growing evermore.

“I…uh…I think I should get going Tuk. I just remembered that Kiri wanted to show me around somewhere,” you awkwardly said, smiling at the young girl before quickly heading out, barely giving her enough time to say her goodbyes to you.

You sped walk out from the Sully’s pod and onto the soft sand of Awa’atlu. You knew that you were no longer welcomed in Neytiri’s presence and you respected her wishes by excusing yourself and making your way out. It was the least you could do considering all that she went through.

Hours passed by with you sitting in the same place Kiri found you days prior, just thinking. Something that you found yourself doing way too often. It was hard to get out of your head and even harder for others to help you out of it. Most days, Spider wasn’t even able to help you with your problem and he almost always was able to save you from your own mind. Today was no exception regarding getting yourself stuck in your head and going around in circles.

“(Y/N)?” A soft voice asked, effectively pulling you out from your stupor.

Your eyes shifted from where they were glued to onto the person standing next to you, making your whole body tense and stomach churn in anxiety. Tsireya.

The light blue Na’vi girl stood in front of you with a look of concern etched on her face. Her skin was covered in a thin line of droplets, a clear sign she had just came back from a swim. You wondered if she felt bad for you and approached you out of pity. If Lo’ak had told her about your past together and if she was approaching you to inform you about their new union. If she was here to tell you about what her and the other Metkayina thought of you, preparing yourself for harsh insults and words.

“Are you okay?” She asks, sitting on her knees as she leaned forward a bit, big blue eyes practically staring into your soul.

Your eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. You were usually very careful in how your body reacted whenever you got stuck in thought. Always giving yourself time to release the tension in your body and relax before returning back to the thought you put on pause. So you were very confused as to why Tsireya was concerned with if you were okay or not.

“You just…seemed lost in thought.” She says, hands gently folding together in her lap. “I’ve noticed that your hair,” she points to your eyebrows, “come together when you’re thinking. Lo’ak does the same thing.”.

Your heart sped up at the mention of Lo’ak’s name, only for it to drop again once you realize who’s talking to you. Keep yourself in check (Y/N), you thought to yourself, you’re in the prescence of Lo’ak’s mate. Of course she knows things like that about him. You shouldn’t act like this.

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine!” You reply, a half assed smile creeping up on your lips, not quite reaching your eyes like it usually does. There was no way in hell that you’d tell Tsireya what was going on inside your head. That wasn’t a burden she needed on her shoulders.

The girl didn’t look too convinced at your response but didn’t push it further. She only nodded and continued to look at you, big eyes studying your human features. Tsireya had rarely seen you around and when she did, it was very brief before you disappeared out of sight again. So she couldn’t help but look at you as you sat there. You were very pretty, she noted. No wonder Lo’ak fell so helplessly in love with her, she thought. Your beauty was something Tsireya had never seen before.

“Tsireya!” A gruff and deep voice shouted, catching the girls attention as she turned her back towards the voice. It was her Father.

“Oh. I’m sorry (Y/N), but I have to go. I do hope you feel better soon,” she quickly said before walking away, her tail swinging gently from side to side as she strides away.

The whole encounter you had with the girl made you even more confused and sad. She was so nice to you. She gave you no reason to hate her. But you couldn’t help but feel it as she left you there, longing for the life you could never have.

———

“You’re being so sulky,” Spider murmured, arms crossed as he watched you stare at your food in front of you.

Norm and Max had cooked dinner nearly two hours ago and you were the only one who hadn’t finished your plate. You didn’t have much of an appetite these days either. You were too occupied with thinking or trying to avoid Lo’ak at all costs to properly eat. You knew it wasn’t something you should be doing but you found yourself doing it anyway.

“You haven’t even talked to him! You don’t know if it’s true or not,” he continued, sick of seeing both you and Lo’ak moping around and avoiding each other at every turn. He’s told the both of you multiple times to just talk about it but the both of you were too stubborn for your own good.

You ignored Spider’s comment, rolling your eyes at the boy besides you. You really didn’t need him meddling in your business.

Your silence was Spider’s last straw as he slammed his hands against the metal table, surprising you and making you jump back at the action. Your plate shifted and jumped in its place, the fork clattering onto the floor.

“Fine. If neither of you want to talk this out on your own, then I’ll do it for you,” he exclaimed, jumping up from his seat and hauling you up from yours by your arm.

“Are you fucking crazy?” You screamed, trying to pry Spider’s fingers off of your bicep.

He only scoffed at your response and shook his head, leading you to the entrance of the lab that sat in the secluded parts of the island, tossing you a mask before shoving you out of the metal lab and out into the Pandora air.

Shortly after the events with Quaritch and the tulkun hunters, Norm and Max had decided that it would be best if they put one of their smaller labs on Awa’atlu for the two of you. It was definitely smaller than the lab you lived in at High Camp, but you didn’t complain. At least you had somewhere to go and hide whenever you didn’t want to see Lo’ak that particular day.

“You fucker!” You shouted, banging the flat of your palm up against the glass of the door. Spider only ignored your calls from the inside, eating your untouched food. You groaned in frustration as you watched the boy simply devour your cold food.

Rustling of leaves were heard from your right, making your heart stop in its confines in anxiety. Your breath hitched in your throat as you slowly turned your head to see who or what caused the noise, especially this late at night. Your stomach dropped to the floor once you saw those familiar amber eyes peek out from behind a shrub.

“Lo’ak?” You whispered, not trusting your voice at the moment.

Upon hearing your voice, the culprit perked up, completely revealing themselves to you.

“Yawne?” He asked, unsure if he should move closer to you or stay where he was. Lo’ak had been craving to be in your presence ever since his brothers funeral. He only wanted you in his arms again and even though he had you back, he didn’t completely have you.

The two of you stood there, in front of each other for a while, neither of you daring to move closer or speak up first.

It was strange to see you after not having seen you for months. You looked the same but didn’t at the same time. Lo’ak didn’t know how he didn’t notice the first time he saw you on that ship. You looked more mature. Like you had seen or experienced something you shouldn’t have.

“How are you?” Lo’ak asks, finally breaking the awkward silence between the two of you.

You internally scoffed at that question, shaking your head as you did so. Yeah, I’m totally fine. Leaving me with your dead brother for hours didn’t do anything to me at all.

“Fine,” you answer, beginning to try to open the lab door with all your might, shaking the lock. Spider must’ve locked it from the inside or something, you thought, promising yourself that you would choke the boy out once you got back into the lab.

Lo’ak flinched at your rough voice and repetitive shaking of the door, ears drawing downwards as he watched. He’s never seen you act so violent before. Never seen you so desperate to get back into the lab. Usually, back in the forest, you’d do anything and everything to stay out of the lab for as long as you could. So to see you act the opposite made Lo’ak frown, especially since it was because he was out with you.

“Yawne,” Lo’ak tried again, taking a step closer to you before quickly drawing back as you scowled at him to stay where he was. “What is wrong? Talk to me, please,” the boy pleaded, tail falling limp between his legs.

“I told you. Nothing. Nothing is wrong,” you replied, eyes never leaving the stupid handle of the door you were trying to pry open.

Lo’ak knew you were lying. Something was most definitely wrong. He could see it in your eyes. How badly you wanted to share whatever was bothering you but something withheld you from uttering the words. It made him ever the more desperate to get you to talk to him.

The boy knew that showing up at the lab unannounced wasn’t going to get you to talk to him, especially since he too was also ignoring your existence. That he’d have to try harder in order to get you to speak with him.

“Yawne –”.

“Stop! Stop calling me that! I am not your yawne!” You shouted, ceasing your prying of the locked metal door. Hearing that term come out of his mouth made you want to cry. It made you want to scream, kick, and hit him for calling you that when you knew that he called another it. He had Tsireya to be his yawne. That was no longer a title you held.

Confusion and hurt spread itself across Lo’ak’s face, brows furrowing together in confusion. What did you mean? Why were you no longer his beloved?

“Why? Why not?” He shouted back, anger quickly arising within the teen boy. “What have I done to make you angry with me?” He asked, ears drawing further downward and pressing harder against the side of his skull.

You wanted to pull at your hair in frustration and anger. You just wanted to go inside and pass out before having to face the Sully family again. You wanted Lo’ak to leave you alone in your heartbreak. To stop haunting your dreams. To stop reminding you of the life you longed to have with him.

“Nothing and everything, Lo’ak!” You screamed, finally fed up, “You have done nothing and yet have done everything to upset me. First, you leave me with Neteyam for hours. You left me alone with the body of someone who I loved. You left me alone in my grieving. I had to wash away the blood and grime from his body as you did what? Fight Quaritch? Get Spider nearly killed? Then…then you touched her so lovingly. So gently. When you barely even spared me a glance. You comforted her and hugged her so tight to yourself that I couldn’t tell where you started and she ended.”.

“I only wanted you to comfort me. To hold me as I cried. But you were too busy with her. And I understand, Lo’ak. I do. As much as it pains me to realize and say it. I know that you and Tsireya are together, a thing. It’s as obvious as the mask that I need. And it’s okay. Really. I knew that whatever this was, it wasn’t going to last. I am human and you deserve so much more than what I can give you. I cannot give you children, make the bond with you, or even be properly considered one of the People. You deserve someone who could give you that. Give you everything and more. I mean, Tsireya is Tsakarem for crying out loud! She is much more suited to be your mate than I am, Lo’ak.”.

By the time you were finished with your speech, your chest was rising up and down dramatically, trying to gulp down air as quickly as the mask would let you. You knew that once you expressed your feelings and how you felt, it would change everything. So in order to ignore Lo’ak’s intense gaze and to prevent yourself from succumbing to the need to cry, you began your attempts at trying to open up the locked door or at least trying to get someone’s attention so they’d save you.

Your hands began to hit the door again, switching to messing with the door handle after a couple of beats pass with no one coming to your rescue.

“I confessed.” Lo’ak blurted out, desperation covered his face. His ears were fully up in alert, twitching at the sound of your hands stopping against the hard metal of the lab.

You stopped your movements, standing on the stairs of the lab in shock, trying to process the words that just came out of the boy's mouth. Confessed? What did he mean by confessed?

He needed you to know that what you were saying wasn’t true. That he wasn’t seeing Tsireya and that he’ll never see her in that light as he sees you. That his heart only held love for you and no one else. That your entire being consumed him heart, body, and soul.

“I told my Mother about us. About our relationship. About how much I love you. About how much I adore and see you. About that night at the Tree of Souls. I told her everything,” he rambled, tears clinging to his waterline as he tried to hurriedly blink them away. “She wasn’t happy about it, obviously. But, I didn’t care. I still don’t. Tsireya and I have never and will never be a thing. My heart only beats for you. My lungs only breathe for you. My body and soul only long for you. Everything is only ever for you, ma yawne. I hold so much love for you that it hurts. Did you know that the afternoon I heard of a young boy and girl being held captive at the Ta’unui clan, I almost immediately took off on my ilu to get you back? That I fought with my Sa’nok over you? That’s when I told her. Everyone heard and I don’t care that they did. I would scream out my love for you on the highest floating mountain if you asked me to. I’d do anything for you, (Y/N). Please, please believe that.”.

Lo’ak took in deep breaths once he finished his speech, desperately trying to fill his lungs with air after depriving them of it. He hoped that what he said was enough to get you to see how he felt about you, how he still felt about you. And if you didn’t, then he’d try again and again and again until he ran out of air to breathe. He needed you in his life. He didn’t care that you couldn’t bare him children or make tshaleyu with him. All he needed was you and that would be enough for all of his lifetimes.

“Lo’ak,” you croaked out, hot tears running down your cheeks and gathering at the bottom of your mask. You had no idea that he felt that strongly for you. Sure he mentioned some things from time to time but he never seemed this serious about it. You could feel the emotions of his words as they hit you square in the face.

“I don’t care if you can’t carry my children or that you can’t make the bond with me. I don’t. I only care that you’re in my life and that you love me just as much. You have been such a big part of my life for so long that I can’t imagine you not in it. Nga yawne lu oer,” Lo’ak finally finishes, kneeling on his two knees to get to your height, gently taking your softer hands in his rougher one’s.

All of the doubts you had about yourself and the relationship you had with the boy in front of you vanished the moment he touched you. Like everything else disappeared and it was only you two in the world.

“I am so sorry if it seemed like I had any interest in Tsireya, my love,” Lo’ak whispered, bringing your hands up to his lips as he pecked them with a kiss, “To be honest, I thought Spider and you were a thing as well.”.

At his confession, you bursted out laughing, not being able to hold in your reaction to the ridiculous thought.

“I know, I know,” Lo’ak tsked, shaking his head, “I had asked Spider about it and he had the same exact reaction. He wouldn’t shut up about it either, telling me how ridiculous I was for thinking such a thing. As well as how much of an idiot I was too.”.

“Well,” you hummed, taking your hands out of your boyfriends and placed them onto his blue cheeks, “I guess we’re both idiots then.”.

Lo’ak chuckled at your response, shaking his head as he finally brought you into his arms, immediately burying his head into the crook of your neck as he got a sniff of your dearly missed scent. Your arms wrapped themselves around his neck as he held you close, almost completely enveloping you in his body.

“I’m sorry for assuming,” you speak up, fingers running through Lo’ak’s braids. You felt bad for immediately assuming Lo’ak would move on that fast and get with Tsireya. You knew it wasn’t something he’d do but your overwhelming insecurities took over.

The Na’vi boy only hums, burying his head farther into your neck. “It’s okay,” he said, “I did the same. Nothing to stress about now. I got you back and that’s all that matters”.

The two of you sat there for what felt like only minutes but was hours in reality. The sun had begun to poke through the horizon, sunrise vastly approaching.

“Wanna go inside? We could spend the morning sleeping and cuddling if you want,” you suggest, eyelids getting droopy as your lack of last nights sleep began to catch up with you. You shifted your head so it laid on Lo’ak’s shoulder, yawning as you did so.

Your lover only nodded in agreement, delicately moving into the small lab and removing your mask from your face, placing a kiss on your forehead as you began to snore in Lo’ak’s arms. He smiled down at you before making his way to your established room, content with how the night turned out.

As he gently laid you in the soft bed and tucked the both of you in, he knew that he’d gladly spend the rest of his life with you so as long as you pleased. That there was no one else but you that he truly saw himself with. The teen would do anything for you, no matter what it entailed.

[strongheartneteyam]

[ credits of the Neteyam pic go to cinetrix ]

Champagne Problems.

Pairing: Neteyam Sully x female!human!reader

CW: angsty, reader feeling her heart hurt, adeline being funny and shipping reader and neteyam, symptoms of PTSD (like a nightmare), sexual tension, confessions of love, angry neteyam, confused neteyam, yearning, crying, fluff, sexual content, neteyam loving reader's breasts, neteyam using his fangs on reader's body, p in v, territorial neteyam, needy and clingy neteyam, slight breeding kink, creampie

I almost cried writing this chapter and istg my pussy clenched hard while I was writing the smut part so… have a good read, I guess lol ps: I know I said I was gonna have a break from uploading my long fics (and I am!) but there was an itch in my hand to finish this story and I gave in and scratched it lol I kinda knew I eventually would. But I'm only gonna update the other fics next year. This one was an exception bc there was only one chapter left (this one lol)

Not proofread. I woke up in the middle of the night to write this, it's already morning outside and I'm sleepy and sick :(

Part 7: All I want is you

𓇼

It's hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you

You're a flashback in a film reel on the one screen in my town

And I just wanted you to know that this is me trying

this is me trying (Taylor Swift)

𓇼

In the morning, you woke up and realized you were no longer sitting on the floor, resting your back against the wall of Kiri's marui, but rather laying in your mat. You had a sharp headache but you didn't really know why. Maybe lack of enough sleep, maybe tension… Your eyes searched around for Neteyam but he was no longer there. You knew instantly that Neteyam had been the one to carry you to your mat. He was the only one awake other than you when you two were talking while it was eclipse and you knew it wasn't his nature to leave a girl sleeping while sitting down on the floor in a weird position and go home. No, he was too much of a gentleman for that.

The realization that you were about to go back to the lab in a few days and leave Neteyam behind again hit you like a train. The thought of being without him and having no guarantee that he wasn't gonna find a mate while you were gone and when you'd come back and see him again, he'd be happy with a beautiful na'vi girl by his side - perhaps even carrying his baby in her womb - broke you in a billion little pieces.

Your heart started to beat fast in your chest, like it was gonna escape from inside your body and come out through your throat. But there was also a big lump in your throat. Anxiety stinged your whole body like sharp, thin needles. 

You didn't want to lose Neteyam. Just imagining having to stare at a wall in your room at night, to see his sweet face in the crushing darkness and feel the tears rolling down your face, reminding you that you would never be able to hold him again, to feel his huge but gentle hands on your skin, to smell his comforting scent… and worse: to know he would be in some other girl's arms every night, letting her kiss him, having… God, having sex with her…

No. You couldn't let him go. It would rip your heart apart.

And if Neteyam didn't go for Munì like you thought he did, that meant that he didn't stop loving you… right? That's what you were desperately hoping for. You were almost sure you had seen him get slightly happy when you acted like an idiot and let him see how jealous you were of Munì last night. Maybe that meant he still felt something for you.

If you were right about Neteyam's feelings, you didn't quite know why he loved the mess of a girl that you were but… somehow he did, and he was sad because of you, because you refused to be his mate when that's all you truly wanted, in the first place. You had let fear hold you back once again. But not this time. You had to be brave. You had to at least try.

Putting the sheet that was once over you to the side, you uncovered your body and, in a rapid motion, you got up from your mat and got to your feet, feeling the slight coldness on the floor of the marui. Your feet walked slowly but surely among your two best human friends, trying hard not to step on or kick one of the girls as they were sleeping right next to your mat. 

You got startled by Adeline's voice echoing in the morning air as she whispered energetically to you.

"(y/n), where are you going?" Her voice was hoarse and slightly funny, because of slumber.

"I thought you were sleeping!" You whispered back as you looked at her sleepy and moody face while she laid down in her mat

"I was but I felt the need to pee and woke up. Answer my question, please!" She demanded

Your heart started beating fast and you spoke "I'm gonna try and make things right with Neteyam."

"Thank God." She dramatically grunted "I knew you liked him all along, I just wouldn't try and force you to mate with the guy, of course. But damn, I've known you since we were kids and I know when you're in love. I wanted to slap you when I saw you looking gloomy and I would ask you what was wrong and you would say that it was nothing but I just knew you were missing him and regretting refusing to be his mate. And Neteyam brought you back to your mat in his freaking arms! You can't let the guy go, you idiot! He loves you! Can't you see it? You both love each other! What was stopping you before from saying “Hey, I know I'm a bit crazy but I wanna be your mate!”?” She sighed, like she was tired of that whole situation

“How do you know Neteyam carried me back to my mat?” Surprise was all over your face

“I woke up at eclipse with your chatter, mamas.” She said nonchalantly 

“Oh…” You awkwardly spoke “So, you heard everything?” You cringed

“I heard a lot of it. Enough to know Neteyam is worth it. Now do what you gotta do. I gotta go relieve myself.” She demanded like a mother would

Your laughter echoed around. Adeline didn't realize how funny she was. You loved her. So, so much. That bitch was everything to you.

In only seconds you found yourself rushing out of the marui's door and your feet walking quickly through the warm Metkayina sand.

After a good while looking around and only seeing turquoise skinned tall Metkayina people, you finally found Neteyam. The sight of his broad, striped back did things to you. It made you remember how insanely good it felt when he was inside of you that rainy night on his hammock.

"Neteyam!" You yelled, sounding way more desperate than you had wanted to, and Neteyam rapidly turned around looked at you, his face covered with surprise

"I'm sorry! I do wanna be with you!" You spoke, breath a bit labored as you felt nervous and insecure about his reaction. The next thing you saw, you were breaking down in tears. 

"Why did you refuse me, then?" Neteyam asked,  slightly angry and utterly confused 

He did not understand why you had put you both through all that pain if you did love him too.

"I guess I was just afraid of finally having something beautiful in my life again, to feel safe again and then lose it. I couldn't bear to lose you. The truth is, I've had a crush on you since we first met too and I think I started to have deeper feelings for you at the party. Maybe we fell for each other at the same time" you chuckled wearily between tears, thinking that if it truly happened, it was beautiful and seemed like something out of a romantic movie

“Were you afraid that I was gonna leave you?” Neteyam asked, furrowing his hairless eyebrows 

“Yes…” You shamefully confirmed.

It seemed like you only ever thought the worst of Neteyam, even though he was known to be a good man and only proved you again and again how much he cared about you.

"Why would I ever leave you if I love you? It's as simple as that, tawtute." Neteyam stated

An amazed smile was born amidst your tears and your heart sped up as your brain processed those words.

"Are you saying you… love me?" It still seemed too good to be true.

"I'm saying I love you more than you will ever know, syulang." Neteyam walked closer to you and tried to touch your hand

You backed away slightly and he felt frustrated. Even as you declared your love for him you were still so guarded. Neteyam let out an impatient breath out of his feline nostrils.

“Tawtute, please, be my mate.” He asked you once again, his heart open to you once again.

“But what about tsaheylu? You can’t make it with me! What if you one day realize you regret missing out on this experience? It’s such an important thing to your people…” You let out a choked sob as you pronounced those words that felt like a stab in the heart

“Not again with the excuses…” Neteyam thought

“Listen” Neteyam asked for your attention “I do not care if you don’t have tendrils and we can’t make tsaheylu. What’s even the point of tsaheylu if I can’t make it with the girl I love? Tsaheylu is about sharing your affection, your devotion, your need with your mate and I don’t need or want anyone else but you, tawtute.”

You kept sobbing and just couldn't seem to stop.

Neteyam grabbed you and held you inside his strong, long arms, one of his hands on the back of your head, pressing it against his body and the other on your shoulder. His warm embrace felt reassuring.

"It's okay, oeyä tawtute. You are safe with me."

After a while holding you like that, he gently pushed you away from him and held your chin up so you could look at his face.

"I won't ever leave you. I promise you, with the Great Mother as my witness, I will never ever let you go. I'm yours forever. I have been yours for so long…" He gave you a calm smile and wiped your tears away

Your gleaming eyes gazed up at his face. He was so beautiful, his dark blue stripes forming intricate pattern on his forehead, a pattern unique to his body. His bioluminescent freckles adorned his big face and shone slightly even in the light of day. You were so damn lucky to have such a beautiful man be so deeply in love with you.

“So, what's it gonna be?” Neteyam's big thumb caressed your reddened face as his lips were curled in a gentle smile, showing no teeth “Can I finally get an “yes” from your beautiful lips?”

You chuckled and smiled big.

“Yes.” Neteyam's heart swelled with affection and relief “Yes, I'm gonna be your mate, Neteyam.”

“Nga yawne lu oer, oeyä tawtute.” (I love you, my human) Neteyam grabbed your face that was tiny inside his two big hands and kissed you eagerly, his lips pressing against yours like he had been needing that for so long.

Neteyam had been dreaming awake every night about how it would feel if he ever got to kiss your small mouth again. His tongue touched the slit of your mouth, deliciously warm and wet and you parted your lips so he could explore the insides of your mouth. Neteyam's large tongue licked your tongue and you moaned in delight at the sensation. You had missed his kisses so damn much… Neteyam tasted your mouth like you were the sweetest berry juice in the whole Universe.

“I missed your lips and your tongue, syulang. I was craving you.”  Neteyam said and softly placed a last peck in your lips 

“I missed you too. A lot.” You smiled at him, still tasting him on your tongue "I love you too." Neteyam smiled at you when hearing those words he was dying to hear for so long.

“Come, have lunch with me, oeyä hì'i muntxate.” (my small mate)

You agreed and Neteyam took your hand inside his much bigger one, taking you to the place where the na'vi were handling food to each other.

Many curious blue eyes looked at the both of you as Neteyam possessively held you by your waist and talked to you gently.

“I'm gonna get some fish and herbs for us, okay?” He smiled happily at you, like he either didn't notice or didn't care about how all the Metkayina at that part of the reef seemed to be watching yours and Neteyam's every move.

Quickly he grabbed the fish and took you to some rocks away from everyone else, what made you let out a relieved silent breath.

You two ate your fish, that had been prepared on a bonfire - it tasted delicious, by the way. Slightly spicy but also with fresh notes of something that reminded you of peppermint. Alien food was better than you had ever anticipated while you prepared on Earth to travel to Pandora.

"By the way, I'm sorry about your arm. I bet it hurt a lot…" You brought it up, after swallowing a mouthful of fish

"Not that much. I'm strong." He played around but Neteyam truly wanted you to see him as a strong na'vi male. He knew it was boyish but he did it anyway.

He won a quick joyful chuckle from you.

"I was gonna tell you that yesterday but I guess I got too nervous and then too emotional and I ended up forgetting to. I'm sorry, I think I tend to seem self-centered sometimes…" You spoke

"Don't worry about it. You do seem aloof and a little self-centered" You scoffed in a joking manner at his bluntness but you actually said “Ouch!” on the inside.

Damn, Neteyam truly knew how to humble someone...

“But I know that's not who you really are. People just have to take enough time to get to know you and they'll see what I see." 

"And what do you see?" Your eyes shone with wonder and your voice was playful 

"I see a smart, strong, sensitive and amazingly beautiful girl."

Your cheeks turned red. You weren't expecting so much praise.

“Ok, stop… I'm not all that.” You awkwardly stated, avoiding his gaze

“Of course you are. I don't know why you can't see it, tawtute.”

Maybe because you hadn't heard that a lot throughout your life…

To be fair, you had been called beautiful and smart many times but not the other two. Kate and Adeline would tell you that you were strong when you needed to hear it but you always wondered if they perhaps just said that because they were your closest, best friends and they only wanted to make you feel better.

𓇼

After lunch, Neteyam sneaked out with you and took you to a private place on the beach where his hammock was hanging, somewhere more secluded, where the both of you could be alone. You knew just what he wanted and you could not lie and say that you were not craving the exact same thing.

Neteyam took you in his arms, winning a squeaky laugh from you as he lift you off your feet. 

Neteyam sat you on his big hammock, your legs hanging in the air and not touching the clear sand. He knelt in front of you and before you knew it, he was kissing you. Neteyam eagerly took your lower lip between his soft, full lips, suckling on it ever so slightly and then pressing his mouth against yours. Neteyam's huge blue hands cupped both your breasts over your white cropped top and you whimpered in pleasure.

"Oeyä tawtute…" he cried out "Let me see these titties" his mouth hanged slightly open with anticipation and desire

Once you let him take your bra off, Neteyam groaned in an animalistic, primal way.

"These perfect soft titties are mine now, oeyä muntxate. Only mine."

"Yours, Neteyam." You breathed, so taken by him and the moment. Your panties were slick with your juices, so much he turned you on.

Neteyam laid you down gently but eagerly on his hammock. He wasted no time and quickly brought his lips to your breasts. He had been dreaming of that ever since the first time he saw your breasts jiggle under your shirt when you were walking fast, troubled with your scientist work. Your boobs were just so different from the na'vi females ones and it made Neteyam daydream about how it would feel to have your small buds inside his mouth.

Neteyam sucked on your nipples like he was hungry and desperate to taste your skin. He licked your sensitive buds swiftly, leaving them hard and wet with his saliva. All you could do was look down at his mesmerizing blue face, staring at his bioluminescent little freckles and moan loud. You started to worry if people could hear but you decided it was not important if they did or not and you just did not care. That intimate, raw moment you were having with your Neteyam was much more important than anything else in the Universe.

He started using his fangs to tease your breasts slowly and you whimpered at the sting but also enjoyed the bittersweet pleasure it gave you. 

“If you want me to stop, just say it, oeyä tawtute.”

“No. Keep doing it, please” You asked

Neteyam bit your right breast harder this time and you moaned loud again. The acute feeling of his sharp fangs harassing your sensitive skin made you feel an incredible sensation that lied somewhere between discomfort and delight but that ended up just being incredibly addictive. Your folds were even more soaked by now.

“Neteyam, please, fuck me, baby” you begged “I need you.”

“Fuck, muntxate, you're so needy for me. It's so hot, yawne…” Neteyam's heavy breath collided with your skin, sending shivers all over your body

Neteyam undressed you quickly and took his loincloth off just as rapidly, his cock hard and proud, slightly curved to the side.

Neteyam took his cock in his hand and rubbed his swollen tip on your glistening clit, making your body tremble.

“Neteyam… please.” You protested

“Say you want it.” He looked into your eyes, his big golden irises shining with the sight of you in front of him, his mouth in a teasing smirk. His accent drove you insane.

“Please, fuck me…” Your face showed him how desperate you were to feel him

“Do you want me to fill you up with my cock, tawtute?” He dig for more

“Yes, Neteyam, I need your big cock inside of my pussy, please, please…” It's like you couldn't take it anymore. Your cunt felt so empty without him.

After hearing those enticing words, Neteyam swiftly placed his large blue cock at your soaked entrance and pushed it all in at once, making you moan loudly in sheer, raw pleasure. 

"Eywa, how I missed this pussy! Your ekxìn pussy feels so fucking good, my little tanhì." (star) Neteyam murmured as he thrusted hungrily into you, his big, girthy cock stretching your insides and filling you up completely.

Neteyam's feelings for you were just so strong that he felt like no words would ever be enough to express his emotions so, he was trying to show you how he felt about you by loving your body instead, pouring out all his yearning for you through his kisses, his desperate caresses, his thrusts…

"Tawtute" Neteyam cried out as he thrusted roughly into you "Oeyä muntxate." (my mate) "Mine. All mine, yawntu…" (loved one) He whimpered in your ear, melancholic and driven wild by his desire and ardent affection for you "Nga yawne lu oer." (I love you) "So, so much."

Neteyam's breath was heavy and irregular as he pounded himself into you as hard as he could. He needed you so much, he felt like he would die if he could not have all of you, if he could not claim you once and for all. It was so good that he didn't last long and came inside of you, his thick warm seed shooting strongly towards your womb. He hoped to breed you but he didn't know you were taking birth control pills. Neteyam's load of cum was so big that it leaked out of your cunt even as he was still inside of you. That was so dirty and sexy that your pussy clenched around his cock as you felt his warm liquid leaking out of your stretched entrance.

After cuddling for a while, when you were looking to find your bra that Neteyam had thrown somewhere in the sand, he looked at your breasts, the two of them full of his bite marks and a big beautiful smile adorned his full lips, followed by a joyful chuckle.

“I marked you well, syulang. Now everybody can see that you're mine. Oeyä muntxate. Mine forever.” He leaned in for a kiss, pressing his soft lips on yours, so needy. Neteyam tasted so sweet but so unique at the same time. He tasted like himself. Nothing else could compare.

You chuckled. “You're so pervy.”

“But you love it.” He smiled at you, his sharp fangs more charming than ever

“Hey! Just because I'm your mate now it doesn't mean you get to be all cocky again.” You teased, pretending to be angry, as you pushed his arm away with your hand

Neteyam only smiled wider. He was over the moon that you were now finally his. All his. Until the end of time.

Neteyam yawned, body still in full bliss because of the powerful orgasm you had given him.

“I'm sleepy, oeyä tawtute. Take a nap with me.” He was already grabbing you in his big striped arms and laying you back on the hammock with him.

“You're not giving me a choice, anyway.” You chuckled and yawned too.

Soon your tired eyes fell shut, as you felt his warm breath on your skin.

𓇼

In the middle of the afternoon, you woke up crying, desperately breathing gasping for air. Neteyam woke up startled with your panicking state. Another nightmare... One of those that left your heart aching and your mind confused for long after you woke up, wondering if it had been reality or not.

“What's wrong, yawntu?” (loved one) 

When you realized Neteyam was by your side, still holding you against his warm body, you felt relieved but only seemed to cry more. You buried your head on his soft chest and he just let you cry there, petting your head softly with his hand, his slender fingers running through your locks of hair every now and then, trying to comfort you.

Eventually you stopped crying, sniffing one last time. You placed a kiss on Neteyam's chest, your lips lingering on his skin for longer than they normally would, as if to try and make sure that he was really there with you, that he was real and was not going away.

“Wanna tell me what happened now, oeyä muntxate?” (my mate)

You looked up at his face, eyes reddish.

“I had a terrible nightmare…” just the reminder made your heart ache again “I dreamt you left me. You got tired of me and found a better mate.”

“Tawtute… that's never gonna happen.”

“You promise?” You needed to hear him promise…

“I promise.” He tried to kiss you but you backed away a bit 

“What if your parents don't approve of us? Will you leave me then?” You hated how clingy and annoying you were sounding 

Neteyam started thinking that he would have to have an endless amount of patience with you. Your fear controlled you way too often. He would have to teach you how to be a little more free. But he would do it gladly.

"Listen, yawntutsyìp" (little loved one) Neteyam held your small face inside of both his huge blue hands "We will fight whatever we have to, whatever comes our way, and we will stay together forever, okay? I'm not letting anything separate me from you. Nothing, you hear me? Nothing." He promised you.

You breathed in and decided you had to try and believe him, otherwise you would end up sabotaging your relationship with Neteyam, you would end up contributing to what you feared the most: him leaving you. What you did not know was that there was actually nothing you could do to drive Neteyam away. He had been chasing you for way too long, he had fought for you like he had fought in the war against the Sky People. Neteyam was too much of a good warrior and too proud to let you go after all that. And damn, he could not imagine a life without you. Not a life where he would be happy and fulfilled, at least. He needed you to see the morning air as fresh, to hear the song of the birds as lively, to see the light of the stars as a guide.

“Okay. I trust you, Neteyam.” You stated, utterly sure of your words this time.

𓇼

♡ Epilogue ♡

You felt safe for the first time in so long while Neteyam held you inside his big arms, his body heat spreading all over you. It felt so cozy and just so… right. Like you had finally found what you needed, what you were unconsciously looking for all along.

Safety, trust, shelter… love.

Funny how sometimes when we need love the most is when we push it away the most, hurt the people who are trying to give it to us the most because we're so terrified to get hurt again, to finally trust and be let down again that we would rather keep drowning in our pain and in our loneliness. Pain can feel comfortable, as crazy as it sounds.

Turn a curse into a kiss

You could have never seen it coming, you could have never imagined back on your Earth days that your safe place to fall would be in the arms of an alien in an exoplanet, outside of your home solar system. What a weird happy ending. But it doesn't matter. There's still much more to come. This isn't the end, it's just the beginning.

𓇼

Change the meaning of your world

Love makes no sense, love has no name

Love drowns you in tears and it sets your heart on fire

Love has no fear, love has no reason

So infinitely vast and we're standing at the edge

Take my hand, erase the past forever

Love Exists (Amy Lee)

𓇼

This is the end, guys 🥲🤍 Feels so good to give Teyam and Reader a beautiful happy ending. Thank you all so much for reading my story 💕

•

Taglist:

@iman-lu

@leaveitbythewave

@creepytoes88

@live-laugh-neteyam

@swaggygurlbae

@neteluvr

@layla2-49

@a-blog-name-2003

@lala-1516

@jakesullyfatjuicypeen

@yeosxxx

@iaratezaewa

@somekindofastupidjoke

@fadedpetal

[neteyawne]

neteyam sully imagine!

summary; neteyam has the girl of his dreams right in front of him - but he cannot have her because she belongs to someone else. (does that stop him though? NOPE!)

word count; 4.2k

HIS SACRED SUN

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

Neteyam Sully thought he was able to do anything he set his mind to.

As the oldest son of Toruk Makto, he strived to live up to his fathers image. His parents never failed to tell him of his importance, helping him understand exactly who he was and giving him the confidence to overcome anything.

Until her.

She stuck out like no other na'vi he'd ever meet. Her face something captivating and so charming - yet dangerous. Lethal.

She was the girl that had him turning around for a second glance. The girl that had his heart beating like a crazed drum. The girl he'd kill for.

In his eyes, she was perfect. Perfect in every way. Perfect for him.

Except for the distinctive fact that made her so untouchable.

She belonged to someone else.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

Y/n sat with a group of teenage na'vi, all whom were giving their absolute attention to her as she stood tall, arms outstretched as she told them of her recent hunt. Her eyes gleamed with pride as she explained in detail exactly how she managed to escape the animals surprise attack

Neteyam sat towards the back of the group, where he was almost out of her view. He closed his eyes as he took in the sound of her voice

Smooth - so smooth. Like liquid. She spoke confidently. Expressively with the same radiant smile he was so infatuated with

When she finished, she sat back down as the next story teller went up. The girls around her swarmed her figure - raving on how brave she was during her hunt - or how they liked the gems that hung low on her neck

He loved how politely she'd respond to the compliments. Even blushing at some, unable to hide the flush on her cheeks.

As the teens quieted down for the next speaker, he watched Y/n comfortably stretch her legs out in front of her. The beads in her hair clinking together quietly as she moved. Her arms were behind her as she tipped her head up towards the boy who was talking to the rest of the group. He was beginning to tell his own tale

Any word the boy said went right through one ear and out the other, and he could feel his mind slipping and unable to even take in his surroundings as she became the only thing he could focus on

She could sense his gaze. He knew this because her eyes moved directly to him. She held eye contact for a beat. Two beats. Before turning away with a smile.

She didn't look at him again for the rest of the time the teens spent sharing stories. As the last volunteer to share theirs ended with a round of applause, the teens slowly began dispersing into smaller groups and began talking amongst themselves

He looked for Y/n, and after seeing her standing with a group of girls and nodding her head along to whatever they were saying - he seized the opportunity to speak with her.

He was by her side in less than a minute, and her friends gave her a surprised glance as she turned to Neteyam. They respectfully moved so Neteyam could speak with her, giving him room to talk to her privately.

"Neteyam Sully. Oel ngati kameie." She said sweetly, giving him a smile that had his tail flicking behind him lively

"Y/n. Oel ngati kameie. I had to come and say, your encounter with the Slinth was something only someone like you could fight." He said, his words holding true respect as her lips tipped upwards into a familiar grin

"Thank you, truly. But I must say, there is no one else like me." She said, a playful glint in her eyes, and Neteyam was sure his eyes could have been mistaken for hearts with the way he looked at her

He smiled, fangs and all. Just as he was about to speak - the boy he dreaded interrupted their conversation with a scowl plastered on his face

"Y/n, I was looking for you." Arutey said, moving and standing too close to Neteyam - almost as if to push him out of his way

His ears flattened against his head in disappointment as Y/n's eyes moved away from him and towards Arutey

"Yes, Arutey?" She asked, her tone sounding like she was holding in a sigh as he shook his head

"It's private." He said, almost snapping at her as Y/n frowned. She turned to Neteyam and bowed her head in goodbye. She gave him an apologetic look as Neteyam shook his head

"Do not worry about it. We will speak together another time." He said, eyes hard as Arutey stared at him with a hatred he understood. Anyone could've known how Neteyam felt for Y/n with the way he practically gravitated towards her

But he was a boy with honor, and he understood it was not his place to speak to her right now.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but Arutey's hand latched around her arm and gently pulled her backwards and away, towards him. Neteyam hated the way his hand moved from her arm and to her palms as he interlocked their fingers. They were walking away from him now - but Y/n turned around for one more glance

She held eye contact for a beat. Two beats. And then, she looked away. But this time, it was with a frown.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

He walked to his hammock with his head hanging that night. Arutey wasn't right for her. Why? Well, he couldn't answer that.

He wished his initial dislike for Arutey was for something not related to Y/n. But it was.

Maybe it was how rough he could be - Neteyam knows how Arutey behaves when he's angry. Like how he'd yelled at a younger na'vi for messing up during a hunt - the way the child's eyes welled up with tears had Neteyam ready to crack his bow over Arutey's head.

He knew Y/n would've been upset if she'd seen how he behaved sometimes, but they hadn't been together long enough for her to see that side of him yet.

Or maybe it was the boys ego - too inflated for someone as humble as Y/n.

Or maybe it was because it wasn't him at Y/n's side.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

It was Toruk Makto's yearly celebration of the day the Na'vi won their freedom from the sky people.

Though the Na'vi had many celebrations where they honored the Great Mother and the life they'd been blessed with, Toruk Makto's celebrations were always one to look forward to

Y/n's top was a beautiful shade of purple - made from the petals of Sun Lilies.

From her legs hung beautiful crystals and ornaments that glowed in the moonlight. Her hair was open and out of it's usual braids - falling softly over her shoulders and curling around her

It didn't take Neteyam long to find her. She looked like a flower in bloom with her colorful attire whilst surrounded by the greenery of Pandora

She was talking to a group of girls, laughing at something one of them said

It was a little embarrassing how much time he'd spend watching her from afar - but building the courage to go up to her was something he struggled with.

He knew he couldn't have her, because she wasn't his. But Eywa, sometimes it felt like he was made for her. He knew how silly he would sound if he said it out loud, but he knew - deep down, the love he felt for her would never leave his heart and soul.

Eventually, Lo'ak found Neteyam and dragged him to where he and a group of boys were sitting idly and speaking to each other - obviously intoxicated with something as they spoke loudly and tumbled over their words - laughing.

"Come on, don't be a loner hanging out all by yourself Neteyam." Was what Lo'ak had said to him

Neteyam just rolled his eyes with a laugh. In reality, Neteyam was even more popular than Lo'ak amongst the teenage boys. But, he didn't usually spend too much time with the other boys. They respected the fact that Neteyam liked to be alone sometimes, not even questioning Toruk Makto's son.

Neteyam finally realized Arutey was sitting amongst this group, oblivious to Neteyam's presence. Maybe it was because of how intoxicated the boy was. Neteyam watched him spill his drink as he stood angrily, storming off at something one of the boys had said

"What's wrong with him?" Lo'ak asked as the boy Arutey had been speaking with grinned. He then snickered, straightening himself a little bit as he noticed Neteyam's eyes watching him, like a predator would to its prey, before speaking.

"Just messing with him - his girl doesn't want him anymore." He said as Lo'ak looked at him confused

"What girl is it?" He asked curiously. But Neteyam's head was already turning to find Y/n

She was still sitting with her friends, unknown to the boy who was approaching her

He stood in an instant, following Arutey with furrowed brows as he watched him approach Y/n and drag her away from the party

He watched her protest, trying to get him to let go of her - but his hand held her arm tightly

It was too crowded for her friends to notice that the boy had taken her, only Neteyam had seen the distasteful interaction

Arutey must have been standing behind some tree now, out of sight from the rest of the party. He was slurring his words a bit as he yelled at her. Neteyam could hear his tense voice - but he could not see where they were, as Arutey had moved swiftly when walking with her - and Neteyam had been too far behind to see exactly where he'd gone

His voice grew louder, and Neteyam's anger was growing to the point where it was threatening to snap

Y/n Y/n Y/n

He was yelling at her. Someone was yelling at her.

Neteyan wasn't stupid, he knew the reason Arutey was yelling at her was because of him. And he wouldn't have it go on a single second longer.

His eyes were practically crazed as he searched for her familiar figure.

He followed the voice - hearing the words "You're a liar." and "Unfaithful." echoing through the forest as the voice grew louder - indicating he was getting closer-

He saw her tear streaked face first. The way her lips were parted in shock at Arutey's cruel words as he kept throwing insult after insult.

Arutey's back was to him - but Y/n saw Neteyam approaching them. He felt his stomach physically recoil by the wounded look on her face - but her expression quickly transformed into relief when she saw him

He was furious that Arutey had frightened her so badly - so mad he could've easily killed him with his fury alone. Arutey must have seen the look on her face -because he was turning around to see what she'd been looking at with such wide eyes

But before he could even get a word out - Neteyam's fist collided with his face. A sickening yet satisfying crack meeting his ears as he threw punch after punch.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

They were on each other - throwing hits so powerful it would've knocked out any other regular Na'vi, but the two teens were warriors, and not ready to back down.

Y/n had taken a sharp intake of breath when Neteyam hit Arutey - but she'd let out a cry when Arutey hit Neteyam

"Stop! Please, both of you!" She tried yelling, and the sound of her desperate voice had Neteyam turning away from Arutey and towards her with concern. Unfortunately, that single second of distraction was all Arutey needed as he threw a punch straight at Neteyam's face

"I hate you!" He yelled at Neteyam - his intoxicated mind ready to give his all in this fight with Neteyam

Neteyam merely gritted his teeth and recovered from the hit in an instant - throwing another punch at Arutey as the two of them pummeled each other with flying fists

It seemed their yells had caught the attention of the Na'vi, as they began walking into the forest to see the source of the screaming and fighting

It didn't take long for Toruk Makto to pull Neteyam off of the boy - and for Arutey's friends to pull him away from the confrontation as well

Both boys looked like they could've gone the whole night fighting each other as they were dragged away

Y/n was yelling at Arutey now, slapping the back of his head as he only sat quietly now. She was visibly upset, and Neteyam could only hear her trembling voice as his father yelled at him

"What the hell were you thinking boy? Hey, Neteyam!" He snapped, angrily snapping his fingers in front of Neteyams face - who's mind seemed to be somewhere else entirely

Neteyam blinked, before shaking his head and wiping the blood he felt trickling from his nose with a frown

"I'm sorry dad, I-" He started, but Neytiri quickly cut him off

"We leave Neteyam. Now."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

After a long lecture from his parents and a proud smirk and slap on the back from Lo'ak, Neteyam struggled to sleep, once again.

He laid in his hammock for maybe an hour before getting up. It took him a second to stand straight, as his head was still a bit dizzy from the hits he'd received from Arutey. 

He sighed uncomfortably before his feet took him out and towards the forest - away from his sleeping family.

Neteyam never got into fights. He really was one of the most civil and peaceful Na'vi in the clan. Fighting was something Lo'ak was known for doing. He didn't even know what was going through his mind when he hit Arutey - but seeing Y/n getting yelled at by that Skxawng had triggered something inside of him.

She was easily the bravest teens amongst the clan - known for her flawless hunting and charming personality. But seeing her with Arutey had always upset him. How did he, of every Na'vi to live, have the privilege to be with her?

He knew he could not interfere with someone else's relationship - but Y/n had been his friend before she began her relationship with Arutey. And Neteyam believed he had the right to protect his friend. His dearest friend, no matter what. He valued their friendship like no other.

"Neteyam?"

He turned slowly at his father voice, seeing him standing sleepily and looking at Neteyam confused.

"Come here kid, come on." He gestured, calling him over as they sat down. He saw how tired his dad was, just barely awake as he sat down with Neteyam. He knew he was in for another lecture.

"Dad, you are tired. We can speak in the morning if you want?" He tried reasoning, but Jake shook his head firmly

"Yea, you think we'll get this type of privacy in the day?" He said, laughing quietly as Neteyam gave him a small smile

Jake was quiet for a moment, almost like he was thinking, before he began speaking.

"Now, tell me what happened. What really happened that made you fight that boy today." He said softly, his tone showing no anger as Neteyam stayed quiet, looking at the ground

Jake waited patiently for Neteyam to gather his thoughts

"Dad... well, there's this girl. Her name - it is Y/n." He started, the words foreign on his tongue as he spoke

Jake raised a knowing brow as Neteyam let out a nervous breath. Jake has heard of Y/n briefly, he knew of the girls sweet nature and skills.

The words were hard for Neteyam to speak because, well, he'd never spoken out loud of his feelings for Y/n before

But they sat for maybe an hour, Neteyam pouring out the feelings and the hurt he'd kept bottled up for so long as Jake nodded along quietly, listening more attentively than ever.

When Neteyam was finished talking, the relief he felt was like no other. Jake grabbed Neteyam gently by the shoulders before speaking

"Now, listen to me Neteyam. She is special to you, I gathered that much. And if someone is special to you - you don't ever let them go. I know that from experience. You know... you're mother was promised to someone else when I met her. Now, I'm not saying to go after someone who doesn't belong to you - what I'm saying is, if you truly, in your heart -" He said, tapping Neteyam's chest gently with his finger before continuing, "If you truly feel she doesn't belong with him, that she isn't happy - then you interfere. The fight you got into... well, I hate to say it, but I'm proud you intervened. Don't tell your mother though -" Jake quickly added concerned as Neteyam let out a heartfelt laugh

"Now - go back to sleep boy. Rest, you're tired, I can tell." Jake said, gently pulling the boy up from where they were sitting as Neteyam smiled

"Goodnight dad." Neteyam said. And right when his head hit his hammock, sleep took over his body before he had the chance to fight it.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

Neteyam had spent his morning deep in Pandora's plentiful forest.

Initially, he wanted to clear his mind. But he couldn't stop himself when he saw the array of flowers that were growing plentifully and basking in the suns rays.

He'd seen his father gift it to his mother - a bouquet was what he'd called it.

It became a tradition of Jake's, constantly getting Neytiri bouquets whenever he was out or when she was mad at him. Neteyam loved seeing his mother's face light up when she'd be greeted by the familiar and beautiful array of flowers.

It took him a while to figure out how to create it - but once it was complete, he couldn't have been more proud.

It was colorful, and smelled so sweet that it reminded him of Y/n's own scent. The flowers were all different from one another - two of each kind, one flower to symbolize Y/n, and the other flower to symbolize him.

There were many, and they were tied together by vines expertly. It truly was a beautiful bouquet.

He had hidden the bouquet and spent the entire day with a cheesy grin plastered on his face looking forward to the night - when he planned to seek Y/n out.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

Y/n sat quietly tonight, not speaking much expect for a few please's and thank you's during  dinner

Neteyam frowned as he watched her - she was usually so lively and talkative. He loved eating his food quietly and listening to her talk to the clan with her precious smile

After dinner, she excused herself early and was seemingly bidding her goodnights for the evening.

Widening his eyes at her quick departure, Neteyam also swiftly excused himself as his father gave him a knowing nod - granting him permission to leave

He grabbed the bouquet he'd kept hidden, before taking a deep breath and following after her

"Y/n! Wait!" He yelled out

She turned around, looking a bit confused. But once she realized it was Neteyam who was calling her, he watched her ears lift curiously as her tail swayed awaitingly behind her

"Neteyam." She said breathlessly as he stopped in front of her, looking down towards her as his nervousness finally caught up to him

"Yes, I- are you ok?" He finally managed as she blinked a few times, shaking her head as if to assure him nothing was wrong

"Oh Neteyam, I am fine. I actually wanted to thank you for yesterday. I..." She trailed off as she stared at him, her hands clasped together tightly

"I feel horrible for what he did to you. You did not deserve that, and I - I have never felt so horrible before. I wanted to find you earlier, but I didn't think I could talk to you without - " She stopped, clamping her mouth shut as she took a deep breath in

Neteyam felt his heart sink as he understood what she'd been trying to say by the misty look in her eyes.

She thought she'd start crying if she tried talking to him after last night.

"Y/n... oh Y/n, I am the one who intervened. And for your honor, I will always intervene. Please, do not blame yourself for someones else's ignorance." He said softly, moving one of his hands forward as he tentatively reached for her face

He stopped a few inches from her face, suddenly freezing as he realized how intimate it was to cradle one's face. But it was Y/n who moved forward, resting her cheek against his palm and holding it softly.

She closed her eyes, leaning her cheek into his hand as Neteyam's heart beat quickened - so much that he was sure she could hear it.

"Actually, I stopped you for another reason Y/n. There was something I wanted to give you," He said, trying to calm his heart as his mind felt like he was about to go into the most dangerous battle of his life

She opened her eyes, her lashes damp as she looked at him with eyes so mesmerizing he struggled to form a sentence

"I wanted you to have this... I want you to know, I value you. More than anything Y/n. And if... If you ever need me, for anything at all - I am always here for you." He said, slowly moving his arm to reveal the bouquet he'd kept hidden behind his back during their conversation

He will never forget the look in her eyes when she first saw the bouquet for as long as he lived. 

Her lips parted, her eyes stunned as she took in the beautiful sight of flowers in front of her

And finally, the smile he'd missed so damn much overtook her entire face. The light from it alone bright enough to shine over even the darkest parts of him.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

He wouldn't pursue her the night after the fight. He knew she needed time, and he would wait as long as she'd wish for him to

But, their friendship evolved. 

Before, he spent his time watching her from afar. Now that they were closer as friends, he sat next to her - and Eywa, he began to see the little details he'd missed before.

Like the way her eyes would squint when she'd find something hilarious, or the way her face would be completely still, and only her eyes would move when she was hunting. She would be entirely focused - and he'd be just as still when he'd watch her

She liked swimming. They had spent many nights swimming with each other. She'd tell him of her favorite songs to sing when praying to Eywa, and how she loved sunrises. She'd wake up before every single one just to watch it happen.

He found himself opening up too - his heart giving her everything and more as he shared every bit of him to her. He'd tell her of his struggles as the eldest son, and how sometimes his mother would show him her clever tricks with her bow - he promised he'd show Y/n every single one she wanted to know about. To this, she said she wanted to know them all.

She learned everything about him - and he learned and loved everything about her. 

He didn't think he could fall in love with her anymore than before, but he was wrong.

Neteyam awoke early today, it was still dark out, but the smile on his face couldn't have been any more brighter

She'd invited him to watch the sunrise with her. Nobody else knew she'd wake to watch the sunrise - and he felt his heart physically stutter in his chest when she asked him to come with her.

It was a special moment of her day - and she wanted to share it with him.

He saw her sitting peacefully, eyes closed as her legs hung over the edge of the ledge she was sitting on

He sat down quietly next to her, and she turned to him with a smile

"Hi." She said quietly, her eyes twinkling in the dim light. Neteyam felt his heart swoon at the sight of her

"Hi." He whispered back, before the two of them turned to the view in front of them

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, her rays ready to touch the sky as Y/n turned to him

He turned away from the sun and to her, and she moved to hold his hand

"I wanted to tell you something important, Neteyam." She said, her voice gentle as his ears perked up

"Of course, is something wrong?" He asked, his voice genuinely concerned as she let out a quiet laugh

"Nothing is wrong, I just..." She trailed off as she stared at him, her eyes filled with an emotion he didn't entirely understand just yet

He remained quiet and waited for her to speak again, squeezing her hand reassuringly as she shook her head

Moving forward, she pressed her lips to his.

They were soft and gentle and sweet. He blinked rapidly, before leaning into her. His mind immediately freezing as he felt her hand gently hold his face

As she pulled back, the sun's light illuminated her face so radiantly, that Neteyam's breath was simply taken away.

She laughed at the look on his face, her smile enchanting him in a way no one else could've.

"I like you, Neteyam. More than friends. More like -"

"Lovers." He breathed out, still unable to believe what had just happened

She nodded her head, eyes beaming at him with love, he realized

"Eywa, I've been waiting for you to say that." He said lovingly with a grin that matched hers as he leaned towards her and connected their lips once again, the sun's light shining on them both as they enveloped each other longingly.

[musingmeaninglessly]

In Deep ; Neteyam x Fem!Human! Reader

Summary: When Tuk gets stuck underwater, there's only one person who can save her...

Lil bit angsty, lil bit fluffy. If you're sensitive to matters related to drowning, I suggest you skip this story.

If not, then enjoy! 💙

"Aaaand, I'm officially done."

Hands burning, you release the final inky braid of your boyfriend's that you've been working on.

Leaning his head back against your lap from his seat on the floor, Neteyam's glimmering eyes meet yours as he beams.

"Thank you, yawntutsyìp, what would I do without you?"

You don't get a chance to answer as he gently pulls your face down to meet his, the glass of your exopack chilly against his forehead. When he finally releases you, he's smiling wider than ever, but the same can't be said for the other figure present.

Sharpening her spear, Neytiri's glare never leaves you. Throughout the six month's worth of courting her son, you've never once been able to win her approval. Seeing her pride and joy be practically polluted by a damned tawtute was not her vision for the eldest Sully child.

And you felt that. Even without the prejudices against your species, what could you possibly offer her family? You lack the basic genetics that make the Na'vi so wondrous, not to mention the survival skills and intelligence. No matter how much Neteyam tells you otherwise, you feel inferior. And Neytiri's hostility doesn't help.

Yet in spite of it al, Neteyam had been defiant of his mother for the first time in his life. And it was all in pursuit of you; his star girl, his little love, his mate.

He catches your worrisome look and follows your eyes over to his mother's. With a sigh, he frowns at her silently, but her eyes remain the same, burning more ferociously than the campfire between you. No one says a thing; well, no one actually gets the chance.

"Help! HELP! It's Tuk!!"

The sound of Kiri's voice is the only thing that snaps Neytiri's attention away from you and her son. The teenage girl sprints over to where you all rise from your seats in a panic. She's gasping for breath and drenched from the ocean's waters.

Neteyam takes a step towards his sister, flashing you a worried, yet warm, look before he does so. Ever the level-headed communicator, he puts a hand on her shoulder, "Kiri, slow down. What's happened?"

"We- me, Lo'ak and Tuk- were free diving, and she spotted that new species of coral- you know, the one Norm told us about?"

Your eyes widened at that- you knew exactly which species she was talking about. A mysterious unnamed specimen with the ability to interact with the energy around it, not dissimilar to the Venus Flytrap plants you'd read about on Earth. Norm had told you all about this new discovery made by one of the botanists, detailing it's features and abilities. It was honestly quite fascinating; powerful, alive, dangerous.

"This new species, yes, I remember." Neteyam's green eyes transform with an amber hue just as Neytiri begins bombarding Kiri with a million questions.

"Well, we went to get a better look at it, and I told Tuk not to touch, but she didn't listen!" Kiri begins to cry, her face wracked with guilt. By this point, several overhearing Metkayina have joined the scene, "It's got her!"

"I can't reach her...the gap in the coral is too small..." Lo'ak suddenly appears on land, visibly exhausted.

"Can't we cut her free?" Neteyam sensibly suggests, but his siblings shake their heads.

"We tried, but whenever you cut a piece, even more grows!" Kiri wailed, prompting Lo'ak to put an arm around her. You make a mental note to suggest the name 'Hydra' to Norm once this is all over. "There's a gap in the coral-"

"-I will go!" Neytiri booms, ridding herself of her bow and spear. Lo'ak, however, stops her in her tracks.

"It's no use, mother! The gap is way too small, I couldn't fit through it..."

You squeeze Neteyam's hand sympathetically, and when his amber eyes meet yours, you get an idea. Amidst all the commotion, the panicked voices and desperate dives into the water, it all becomes crystal clear to you.

"I'll get her out."

Everyone's attention snaps over to you in an instant, not quite believing what you've just said.

"My love, it's far too dangerous! What if the water leaks into your mask?" Neteyam kneels down in front of you, sternness lacing his features. You simply shake your head.

"I'm the only one who can reach her and fit through the gap, I must go."

Neteyam exchanges a worried glance with his siblings, ignoring his mother's scornful expression. Lo'ak and Kiri nod to him, and he knows what he has to do.

"Then I will go with you."

"What's going on?"

Jake suddenly appears with Tonowari, presumably returning from some sort of meeting.

"No time to explain, Dad. Please could you fetch Y/N's spare mask?" Neteyam briefly requests, and is met with a nod of his father's head.

Meanwhile, you hurriedly rid yourself of your blouse. It's a flowing, loose fabric- certainly not appropriate for swimming. With no other choice, you're left in your bra before taking Neteyam's hand and diving into the water.

Lo'ak and Kiri promptly follow, helping you get down to the specific spot. Several other Metkayina follow you in, unable to help, but worried for the youngest Sully.

When you see Tuk, you have to do your best not to panic. She's more-or-less unconscious, limbs entangled in the coral's moving tendrils. Neteyam's grip on your hand tightens, but you place yours on his chest, wordlessly reassuring him, and he lets you go.

Lo'ak helps you over to the small gap in the coral. It's no wonder the siblings struggled, the opening is barely wide enough for a human to fit through. Yet, somehow you do, mindful of the fact that one wrong move would put you in the exact same situation as Tuk. With that in mind, you carefully make your way to her body after taking Lo'ak's knife from him.

There's really no other choice but to cut Tuk free, but you have to make quick work of it. Thankfully, your nimble fingers are up to the task as the Sully siblings watch on desperately.

But, amidst your hard work, you fail to notice that the suction lining of your exopack had come slightly free along your jaw, letting in a small trickle of water and, in turn, a whisper of oxygen out.

Neteyam goes to lunge towards you, noticing a small amount of water build up in your mask. But Lo'ak holds him back, signing that you're fine.

That's what you try to tell yourself as you hold your mask to your face tightly, cutting away at the last couple of coral tendrils. When you give Kiri the signal, she slashes an opening above you, and you haul Tuk's body out of the coral entrapment before the tendrils can grow back.

The rest of it becomes a blur. The Sully siblings are at your side in an instant, hauling you and Tuk up the surface. Your mask continues to fill with water and once it floods above your nose, you hold your breath. But, by some miracle, your head soon breaks through the water's edge above you.

Kiri and Lo'ak take Tuk from you while Neteyam wraps his arms firmly around your waist. "It's going to be alright, my love, we're almost there..."

He continues to murmur to you comfortingly through his own panic, finally reaching Jake and grabbing for the spare mask. "I'm going to take this off, alright?"

You have no time to acknowledge his words before your mask is swiftly swept off of your face and the new, dry, undamaged replacement is secured against your skin. You gasp in jagged breaths, only now processing it all as Neteyam bundles you against him.

"My brave, brave girl..." he whispers into your hair, cupping the back of your head as you both float in the water. For a moment, the both of you seem to forget about Tuk, and it's only when you hear her coughing back on the shore that you remember.

"Oh, thank Ewya!" Neytiri gasps, sobbing hysterically as she reaches to comfort her youngest daughter. "Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me child?!"

Tuk nods with a cry, before rushing over to you. "Y/N, you saved me! Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

The rest of the family smile at the two of you, Jake and Lo'ak thanking you profusely while Kiri joins yours and Tuk's group hug.

"Hey, hey, careful. She needs to breathe..." Neteyam protectively instructs, gently pulling his sisters off of you. You smile at them and mouth a silent 'thank you' to your boyfriend, before turning to hug him as he kneels to your height.

"My love," Neteyam's deep voice draws a soft smile from you as he tenderly cups your cheek, "you were so brave."

You can't help blushing at his praise, but grasp at his hand that's cupping your exopack-covered cheek and pull him closer. "You would've done the same if you could have, ma 'Teyam..."

The longer you hold him, the more pronounced the little sniffles heard from him become. Pulling back, you eye him worriedly, 'What is it, 'Teyam? Are you alright?"

Coaxing his eyes open by running the pads of your fingers beneath them, his tearful irises meet yours. "I could've lost you, little one..."

"But you didn't," you gently remind him, holding his hand over your heart, "I'm here, and I love you. Okay?"

Neteyam nods forcefully, almost as if an absence of the action would make you disappear. Yet, his eyes never leave yours. Not even for a moment.

"I love you...so deeply...even deeper than the waters you just braved for my sister..."

Now it's your eyes that overflow with salty tears and you throw your arms around Neteyam's broad shoulders. "I love you, 'Teyam...Nga yawne lu oer..."

"Y/N,"

The sound of your name breaks up the tender moment prematurely, and you spring away from Neteyam. In truth, you'd forgot that his family, and several people from the Metkayina tribe, were watching.

It had been Neytiri's voice that cut through the sweet moment like a knife through butter. You gulp, craning your neck to face the Sully matriarch, who's shrugging off her mate's hand from her shoulder.

You're surely for it now.

But to your pleasant surprise, she drops to her knees and hangs her head in..shame? Eyes wide, you look at her children and Jake, wondering what on Pandora you're supposed to do now. But they all smile softly.

"Forgive me. I've underestimated you, thought you like them. But you saved my child at your own risk. I was wrong."

You can tell that Neytiri's English isn't quite advanced enough to fully communicate her thanks. But it's there in her eyes.

"Please, forgive me..."

With a gentle nod of your head, you smile. You never expected Neytiri to see you as anything other than a Sky Person, but you really didn't expect her to grab at you and pull you into a hug.

Your arms raise to your side in surprise, and the look on your face is clearly comical enough to make Lo'ak burst out laughing- until Jake smacks him up the side of his head. Tentatively, you return Neytiri's hug. "I forgive you..."

"You are good for my son," Neytiri pulls back to look at you with a warmth you've never seen before, "thank you."

"Okay, Mother, let little Y/N breathe." Neteyam chuckles, gently pulling you back towards him. Neytiri shakes her head at her son's overprotectiveness, but fondly places her hand atop your head for a short moment before returning to fuss over Tuk.

You turn back to Neteyam and a soft hum leaves his lips and his eyes trail over your face, before he notices some Metkayina boys gawking at you. Only then do the both of you realise that you're stood in your bra and a pair of shorts.

"W-we, uh, let's get you back to the lab, get you some more clothes." Neteyam suggests, using his towering advantage to shield your body from prying eyes as his own glare at the intruders.

"Good idea," you giggle, desperate to be a little more concealed now that you're aware of your state, "I could do with a nap."

"I'm not surprised," Neteyam's face softens and he tilts his head, "may I join you?"

[wheneclipsefalls]

Grovel - Part 4

Pairing: Adult Lo'ak x Fem Omatikaya Reader

Summary: How much more of this can you take?

Warnings: aged up characters, swearing, MDNI, sexual tension, lust, slight angst, mentions of death and blood, war trauma, past cheating, etc.

A/N: Honestly not super happy with how the sentences turned out but writing the actual content of this chapter was so much fun. I hope you enjoy:)

Grovel Masterlist

yawne: love/beloved

paskalin: honey (endearing)

kelku: home/hut

tiyawn: star/little star (endearing)

mawey: be calm

tewng: loincloth

The sun barely crested over the trees before you had set out of your kelku in search of the youngest Omatikaya prince. You had been afforded very little sleep even once in your own bed after spending the night with Lo’ak. Too many images of what had occurred in your drunken state last night had been painted in your mind and it had your stomach tied in knots. The worst part of this torture was the fact that you knew less about your drunken mishaps than anyone else.

 And Lo’ak….

Oh Lo’ak he didn’t even bother to fill you in on the details properly. 

So once you had tossed in your hammock for the thousandth time in the late morning you let out a groan, rushed to get ready for the day and went hunting for that smirking Sully. That lighting fire had only squandered for a moment when you looked over at the magical music device he had left with that note.

Although early in the morning, he was sure to be in the midst of some sort of morning Omatikaya politics or hunting party. You found him surrounded by a few males for an early breakfast around a fire. You were, however, surprised to find Neteyam already there and dressed. After his ‘activities’ with Talu last night you would have supposed he’d require further rest. 

Instead, it was him that nudged Lo’ak’s arm as you came into view, tilting his head in your direction to point you out. Blood still rushing at your ears and tail swatting back and forth like a whip, you stared the prince down.

“You.” One deadly point at him and then the next at the ground in front of you. Almost as if calling an animal to heel. The venom in your voice was enough to have the other males letting out teasing jeers and shoving at him.

Although swatting back at the other males for their jests and comments, Lo’ak’s expression remained soft and calm as he approached you obediently.

“Good morning, yawne.” 

Rolling onto the balls of your feet you peeked up over his right shoulder back at the group near the fire. Far too close for comfort. You’d suffered enough embarrassment already without another nosy party there to witness. So in one move you snatched his wrist and pulled the towering male deeper into the forest. 

Although surprised, Lo’ak didn’t lag behind for long. He allowed himself to be dragged until you’d chosen a suitable private location to lay into him. 

“Why do I get the feeling I’m in trouble?” The corner of his lips turned up even as he ticked his head to the side and observed your heated composure. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” You demanded, swatting at his arm. Lo’ak didn’t flinch. 

“You are going to have to be more specific than that, paskalin.”

“Decided to leave out some precious details last night, huh?” Your tail curved around your upper thigh, ears pointed and alert as you stared up at him. “You can quit this oblivious facade. Talu filled me in on everything.”

“Ah, I see.” He sighed, those dark brows raising as he rested his hands on his hips. “Well truthfully, yawne, I figured you wouldn’t want to talk about the kiss. I thought if you remembered you would insist on us pretending it never happened but if you want to dig into it then-”

“What?” You cut him off, eyes blown wide and heart already thumping at a new speed. “A kiss. Great Mother, what are you talking about?” You were certain this was just another game Lo’ak was playing with you but when your ire didn’t die down and his face dropped slightly, that theory began to look less promising. 

“Oh, so she didn’t tell you everything then.” His ears tucked back, but there was intrigue still dancing in his eyes. It always sparkled beneath those dark lashes when his attention landed on you. It gave the feeling of being put under those microscopes they used at the human outpost. The undeniable heat of his studying gaze. 

“I am not in the mood for jokes, Lo’ak.” You ground out. 

“Really? But you’ve been so pleasant this morning-”

“Shut up.” Hardly the comeback you were looking for but despite the sharp sting to your words, Lo’ak only struggled harder not to grin back at you. You were ready to tear his eyes out, or maybe your own depending on the validity of his claim, and yet all he could do was joke at a time like this. “You should have told me everything last night.” 

Lo’ak’s half grin slowly lowered into a thoughtful pout. You veered your attention away from those plump lips, afraid of the way your imagination was already piecing together what this supposed kiss would have looked like. 

“You’re right, yawne, as usual. I only thought you were already a bit embarrassed so I didn’t believe adding the kiss to the list would help matters.” 

“Embarrassed? What by the stars above do I have to be embarrassed of?” A lot. Oh so much that you had to spend half of your energy just pushing away the leering weight of thinking about what drunken acts you had gotten up to. 

“Nothing at all.” His hands raised in surrender before reaching back to take down his tied hair. “Attraction is a perfectly natural feeling and so is acting upon it.” Lo’ak casually drawled, skilled fingers now working to gather his hair into a low bun at the back of his head. 

“Attraction?!” It came out as almost a squawk, voice cracking in the midst. “Attraction to what? To you?”

Your tone did little to ruffle his feathers as he finished securing his hair and nodded calmly. “Like I said, natural.” 

“I am not attracted to you!” Heat rose beneath your skin, cheeks sure to already be inflamed into a deep blush. You prayed that Lo’ak would read that purplish hue as evidence of the rage you felt instead of this ‘embarrassment’ he claimed to know so much about. 

“I’m not asking you to admit it.” Those signature beads dangled as he casually leaned against the nearest tree. 

“Well good because there is nothing to admit.” You fired back, hands balling into fists. 

“Alright.” 

“Good.”

“Good.” He echoed back. Lo’ak pushed off the tree before striding past you. The perfect opportunity to escape and yet you couldn’t stop yourself from trailing after him.

“I’m being serious.” You insisted, frown deepening when you heard a deep chuckle emanate from his chest. 

“I wouldn’t expect otherwise from you, paskalin.” 

Your heated glare sought to burn a hole into the back of his head but keeping up with Lo’ak’s natural pace was a struggle that made your intimidation efforts that much less effective as one of his strides equaled about three of yours. It felt like hobbling after the taller male instead of the hunt you were aiming for. 

“But you don’t believe me.” 

Lo’ak twirled on his heel suddenly. Your skid to a stop was anything but graceful as you almost crashed straight into his chest. Four fingered hands went to steady you, but you pushed them away. However, with crossed arms you refused to retreat out of his space, determined to establish some sort of dominance in this conversation that has taken such a turn. 

“Why do you care so much if I believe you?” He mimicked your posture, crossed arms showing off the veins that traveled up that swirling blue skin into pronounced biceps. 

“Because…” You sputtered for some sort of reasonable explanation, but he had brought up a point. He was right, there was no logical reason for you to care about his opinion. So what if he had a big head about it, most days you just wanted him to leave you alone. “Because you’re wrong.” 

“Am I?”

“Yes!”

“Last night you told me I smelled good seven different times.” A lump formed in your throat, eyes desperately wanting to look anywhere else but him. 

“And you counted it.” You shot back, fighting the urge to shift your weight from foot to foot. 

“You’re right I did.” Came his immediate reply and somehow his instant acceptance of your accusation was that much more infuriating. “But that’s the difference between me and you, paskalin.”

He took one stride forward, but it was enough to close the last piece of distance between you two. “I’m not afraid to admit that I want you. Neither am I afraid to admit that I enjoyed the way you played with my hair. I savored every moment that you willingly sat there on my lap and when you suddenly leaned in to seal the night with a kiss, I couldn’t stop myself from kissing back.” Lo’ak didn’t touch you, he knew better than that, but with his shadow falling over your smaller form and purred words dripping from his lips it may as well have been as strong as skin up skin. 

“And yet you have the nerve to say you didn’t take advantage of me.”

“It was one kiss. I pulled away the second you did. And when your sister said it was time to turn in for the night I had every intention of walking you home myself and leaving you alone. But you had other plans. And yawne, I’m trying my best to behave for you but I’m also a male. A male that can barely breathe when I’m around your sweet scent so when the woman of my dreams is clinging to my arm and sweetly asking to stay in my kelku where she feels more safe, I tuck her into my hammock without complaint.” 

Every muscle in your body seemed to lock up, accurately aware of the last few inches between your chest and his stomach. Even more so strung up by the shameless confession falling from those perfect lips. 

“Is that the truth you were looking for?” He asked, one brow arching. 

A long pause hung between you before your motor functions returned back online. “I never said I want you.”

“Your scent does the talking for you.” 

Your right hand balled up into a fist again, almost tempted to deliver a right hand hook that ironically Lo’ak himself had taught you as children, but then you felt the dampness between your legs. You were appalled to find that even in your anger, your body had fallen prey to the weight of his words and presence. Even Lo’ak’s own essence that now surrounded you like a warm cloak. 

“You ignorant ass!” The insult was accompanied by one push to his chest that had him stepping back immediately. You were sprinting in the other direction before he could get in another word. 

Lo’ak supposed he had no right to be surprised when you were unreachable for the rest of the day. Perhaps it was not his place to push you earlier but he also couldn’t find it in himself to keep from being anything but honest when it came to you. He knew better than to believe that one night in his kelku and a gift or two would win back your trust. The long game was a road paved by immense patience. A trait that was not his favorite to exhibit. 

However, patient or not, you deserved to know the depth of his feelings. You may not have been willing to accept them yet, but that wouldn’t stop him from expressing them all the same. Bottling it up only made his tossing and turning at night all that much worse. Especially now that your scent lingered in his kelku. It was a new form of delicious torture to press his nose into the blanket that was still drenched in your natural perfume.  

Neteyam encouraged him to continue being diligent and patient, perhaps the only piece of advice that kept him from searching for you when he found your kelku empty upon dropping off your dinner. Perhaps he had a point, even if he were to find you it was obvious that the only thing he could expect from your company was snide comments and harsh glares. And yet, Lo’ak couldn’t help but feel a craving even for that. 

So when plans changed the following day and Lo’ak was invited to cliff jump with a group you were meant to be present with, he couldn’t jump fast enough at the opportunity. A storm was meant to be rolling in a few days earlier than anticipated so it was the last opportunity they would have for a while to dive safely. Meaning that some projects were set to the side temporarily. 

He should have known better than to expect you with the group of friends the next morning. Neteyam, Talu, and even Kiri present but not you. When asked about your absence Talu had simply rolled her eyes and claimed she had done everything in her power to get you out of the house for some fun. To play hooky just this once. 

And immediately Lo’ak knew where to find you. Ignoring the protests at his bowing out, Lo’ak gave a quick wave goodbye and bounded through the forest towards his destination. 

And for once, you weren’t difficult to track down. 

Norm had asked for a group to start dismantling one of the last surviving air crafts left behind by the RDA. He wanted to get it foraged for any remaining supplies that could be of use, however, the vehicle was left in a precarious condition. Hanging high in the trees above, it looked more like a crushed tin can than the death machine he knew it was during the heat of battle. Pulling it apart to even examine for anything salvageable would take a whole group of Na’vi an afternoon. 

And yet, there you were. Alone and cursing under your breath as you tugged at the crushed side door with all your might. Lo’ak stifled a chuckle when he saw the position you were in, legs wrapped around a higher tree branch so that you could swing upside down and try to access the left side of the aircraft. 

That threatening laughter subsided into a different feeling when he caught a glimpse of the way your beaded top barley clung to your chest in this upside down position. Only a few beads hanging loosely to cover your perked nipples. 

Gulping down the lump in his throat, Lo’ak fought the urge to adjust himself in his loincloth. No doubt, you wouldn’t take kindly to his presence in the first place, let alone any evidence of his sudden arousal. 

“I knew I’d find you here.” He called from below. 

He was caught between guilt and amusement when his sudden comment had you losing grip on the branch with a surprised squeak and sliding across the top of the aircraft. His smile dropped when you peeked up from the other side of the machine and leveled him with a fiery glare. 

“Aren’t you meant to be jumping off a cliff, dumb ass?” He heard your voice echo from above as he made quick work of scaling up the tall tree. The moment his head peeked up over the last branch, small hands scrambled to push at his own. “Go back! I don’t want you here.” 

Your feeble attempts to push him off were borderline adorable as he easily lifted himself up over the last hurdle and sat back on his haunches beside you. 

“You might have a hard time cracking this thing open on your own.” 

A muscle in your jaw ticked, tempting him to run the pad of his finger along your delicate features. God, even when you looked ready to beat him off with a stick you were nothing short of exceptional. 

“Not that it will stop you.” He added.

“What makes you so sure?” You challenged, rising to your feet swiftly to climb back to the other side of the aircraft. Lo’ak followed, as if drug by an invisible cord tying himself to you. 

“Because I know you.”

The comment earned him a scoff, your tail snapping back at him when his hovering got too close. 

“You knew me as a kid, Lo’ak. I’ve grown.” 

“Undoubtedly.” A few brisk strides spun him in front of you to block the path. “Grown more capable. Grown more independent.” Lo’ak paused, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “More beautiful.” He whispered. 

“Grown less gullible.” You shot back, causing him to stumble as you pushed at his shoulders to get him out of the way. He watched you pass, resisting the urge to keep himself within your bubble. Distance may make the heart grow fonder but no one told him that distance from you would drive him into madness. 

“Still just as stubborn as ever.” 

You resumed your position on the other side of the aircraft, this time ignoring the taller shadow that followed your every step. With precarious footing you were able to grip the edges of the crushed door but could only apply a small amount of force without losing your balance. 

“Yes yes I know, Lo’ak. I’m a stick in the mud. Don’t know when to quit and run off for fun and games with the others. I believe Talu has already beat you to the punch on this lecture. I’m not interested in a repeat. Not all of us can be a social butterfly like you.” 

For a moment Lo’ak was caught in the whiplash of your self deprecating misunderstanding and a comment towards him that seemed to almost be a complement. But then your left foot was slipping and his body was reacting before his mind could catch up. One rushed leap heaved himself into your space, one hand gripping the rack atop the roof of the aircraft while his other arm slunk around your waist to pull you back into place. 

Your smaller hands threatened to break his focus as they willingly clung to his broad shoulders for support. 

“You are nothing like me, tiyawn.” Those oh so kissable soft lips turn down into almost a pout. “And that’s what I love about you.” 

Ear tucked back against your luscious hair and tail curling around your own ankle, the surprise at his comment gave him enough time to gently lift your body to tuck against his with one arm before carefully dispositing you to a safe perch on his left. Thoughts formed more clearly without your mouth watering essence creating a fog around them. 

And yet, even staring at those beautiful golden eyes that were now relaxed from your usual glare, shot in his direction was too much to handle if he had any hope of expressing himself with more than one syllable responses. By Eywa, why did the Great Mother create such an exquisite creature to torture him with?

He turned, setting himself into a different foothold that allowed him to slowly start peeling back the thin crushed metal. Every muscle tensed as he forced it back inch by inch but the harder fight was keeping his lips from turning up into a crooked grin when he felt your intent gaze burning through him. A new spice nipped at your signature scent. Just a whiff of your arousal was enough to feel a renewed hardness between his own legs. 

“You may not be some exuberant social butterfly. You may not run after danger and adventure at a rate only skxawngs like me can manage.” The metal pulled back another inch, the sounding screech almost covering up your short mixture of a laugh forced into a scoff. “But I could never be you, yawne.” He paused, daring to meet your eyes. 

“So brave. So resilient. I’ve heard the stories.” The endless hours you had spent in the healers tent as wave after wave of mauled Na’vi came through those doors. There was not an ounce of him that could even feign surprise when he heard it was you that had spent the longest cleaning and stitching wounds, rebreaking bones back into position, sometimes even scrambling to rush that tent down the stream an extra mile as the bombs rained closer. 

“I think you have me confused with someone else. Perhaps one of your other girlfriends that in fact stormed into battle with a weapon in hand. I am no brave warrior.” 

Lo’ak’s eyebrows scrunched. He couldn’t find it within himself to even care for the brief snide in your comment when faced with your wavering confidence on display. You were never one to hide your emotions well, despite what you would like to believe. The mask you wore was always cracked, leaving him a sliver to peek into what plagues your mind. 

“You fought just as hard as them. Simply in a different way.” 

“Lo’ak there is no need to shower me with flattery. I know that I stayed on the sidelines while they faced death. I am no fighter. I was never meant to be and I accept that.” 

Something seized in his chest, pushing his body into motion until he was back into your space, eyes bearing down at you with an intensity he hoped would burn through your stubborn defenses. 

“No one faced death the way you did, yawne. The others may have gone into the heat of battle knowing the potential consequences of doing so but you were among those that dealt with those worst case consequences day in and day out. You had a front row seat to loss and turmoil. Men and women’s lives hanging in the balance, that decision sometimes being made by the rush of your own hands. There is nothing about it that remotely resembles sitting on the sidelines and I don’t know what how you fucking did it.” His lungs seized for air. “I’ve had more than my fair share of war, but I could never imagine plucking up the courage to face that terror.” 

It was only after the spill of words that Lo’ak could recognize the way his blood raced. The heat that now had his tail flashing with an adrenaline that he could almost attribute to furry. Looking down at your flushed expression, lips parted and momentary disbelief at his sudden confession, he couldn’t blame himself either for harboring that anger. 

How could you not see what he did? Surely after all that you’ve endured, you should be the one spitting this speech confidentiality back at him. Telling him off for even attempting to court such a fearless goddess as yourself, and you would be right. And yet, all you could do is stare back at him with a wide eyed expression and the wheels in your head turning to keep up. 

“I’m sorry.” That timid whisper broke the silence and it was only then that Lo’ak had the sense to release his clenched jaw. You weren’t apologizing for thinking such things but rather for getting him so riled up and that had him drawing back within an instant. 

“No I…” He gaped for the right words, bottom lip tucking between his sharp teeth. “I simply…” He paused, brows pulled together as you looked up at him with curious eyes. “I wish you could understand all the pieces that make you so magnetic, yawne. I have never met someone who cares as much as you. Utterly devoted to the people, offering your whole self to a cause without a second thought. You’re not a stick in the mud, tiyawn. You’re a rare gem.”

It was not his intention to render you speechless but Lo’ak couldn’t claim to be against the view it gave. The tense scrunch of your features relaxed until those beautiful eyes were peering up at him with the sparkle of a rushing river beneath sunlight. A certain softness fell over your countenance, one that was made even more breathtaking when a pink glow blossomed over your cheeks. 

The trance you had fallen over could only last so long before you were muttering about getting back to work and sheepishly dipping past his shoulder. His lips parted for a just moment in search of digging into what change he had just witnessed but he quickly stopped himself. Lo’ak knew when it was best not to push his luck. You allowing him to stay and work was already more than he would have guessed to receive a few minutes prior, so he took that miracle in stride. 

However, there was nothing to sate the side of him that sparked with curiosity and desire when it came to you. He jabbered on about anything and everything he could think of just to shoot at a chance you would have something to say in response. For a while it seemed that nothing could steal your attention away from the task it was pinpointed on, that is until a sudden burst of frustration had you slamming your fist against the curved metal and cutting off Lo’ak’s current Metkayina story. 

“Stupid sky demon technology.” You muttered with a dark glint, trying once again to claw at the metal edge and pull back with all your might. 

The majority of your joint efforts to dismantle the aircraft had come from Lo’ak’s own hands. Meanwhile you had stubbornly continued to struggle at pulling back even the slightest slab of metal. You were being too hard on yourself. His hands were not only larger and protected by the rough calluses he had gained handling weaponry and scavenging around hard ocean rock, but he also had the prior knowledge of sky people weapons manufacturing on his side. He knew which areas were weak points that he could exploit and which pieces were unlikely to budge without better tools. 

Your hands were soft and nimble, perfectly designed for climbing trees and stitching up wounds. Designed perfectly for so many wondrous things that had him staying up at night and fighting the tent in his loincloth. 

Shaking the rotting thoughts from his head, Lo’ak cautiously shifted forward to gently pry your hands from the sharp edge of metal. One more tug and it was sure to draw blood. 

“Mawey, we will get it eventually-”

“There is no time for eventually!” You shot back. The soft tuff of your tail whipped at his cheek when you abruptly spun on your axis to walk past him. A shiver raced all the way down to the tip of his own tail. “It is supposed to be finished today. I do not have another day to spare. With the healer’s tent still half broken and so many injured still waiting on a new batch of medicine…I…I can’t…” The sentences broke into choppy waves as your jaw clenched and tail snapped frantically in the wind. 

He sensed the best thing he could do was silently wait as you spouted out your stresses into a jumbled mess. 

“There is still so much left to fix!” And although you didn’t specify he knew you were no longer just talking about the crumpled aircraft you had yet to dismantle. The war had left a mark on the village not only emotionally but physically as well. Homes were being rebuilt, roles restructured with so many gaps left from those now in the arms of Eywa forever. The list could trail on forever. Knowing you, there was undoubtedly already a list stamped at the forefront of your mind to adhere to. 

But the village would be rebuilt.

The People would heal, they already were. 

It was the emotional scars you harbored that stung under such uncertain times. The same sting that had you wound into a tight coil. 

“I just…I can’t…” You let that thought drop with a huff, small hands now pressed over your heated face. 

Wind whistled through the trees, blanketing the prolonged moment of silence. 

“Do you know what the issue is?” Lo’ak carefully leaned back against the metal side. The look that you sent through parted fingers told him there was not a universe where you would ever be interested in what he thought the issue was. Regardless, he took that lack of response as an opportunity to continue. “You are too tense.” 

You scoffed, arms dropping to cross over your chest. 

“Everyone needs a break, yawne.” The heat in your eyes tried and failed to scorch him as he glided forward across the branch. “And you,” His bent knuckle tucked under your chin. “You more than anyone, need a release.” 

That double meaning did not bode well with you. His hand was slapped away just as the pink darkened across your cheeks. 

“Let me guess, this is your charming way of offering such services?” 

“What services do you mean, paskalin?” Lo’ak couldn’t keep the comment from his lips if he tried. Yet seeing your reaction, he couldn’t fathom why he would want to. Pointed ears on alert and a burning fire in your expression that was all the more lovely than the stressed tension you had worn moments prior. He meant what he said about your responsible nature being admirable, but it was obvious that a little fun could do you a lot of good. “Any service you require. I’m always happy to help you release that tension.” 

Swiftly you ducked under his arm and skated past him. 

“Handing out offers like that so freely, surely I would need to schedule an appointment several moon cycles in advance. I think I will pass.” 

It’s meant to be another stab at his younger reputation as a womanizer, but Lo’ak couldn’t help but revel in the jealousy that dripped from your voice. Subtle yet oh so sweet. 

“No need for jealousy, tiyawn. The offer is yours alone.” He carefully crafted his path to let your arms brush as he passed by. You must have felt the surge of electricity too as you halted in place and faced the male now towering in front of you. “Everyone knows that I belong to you.”

A hitch of breath so subtle that his ears had to strain to hear it, but present all the same. 

“I am at your disposal.”

He was taunting you. 

Or well…he had been since the beginning you supposed, but somehow now it seemed to actually have a physical effect on you. 

He had offered to provide a release from your stresses, not the first time either, yet now that idea was persistent in bouncing around your head constantly.  It roused a heat to your cheeks and between your thighs at the most inconvenient of times. You had found Lo’ak attractive upon the first time seeing him back from Awa’atlu, begrudgingly albeit, but now that the idea of not only looking but touching such an exquisite form had been planted, there was no escaping your body's reaction. 

There were a plethora of reasons you could have been feeling this way and you were eagerly holding on to every single excuse you could think of. You repeated that list in your mind over and over when you lay awake at night in your hammock, pulse rushing and temple sweaty after having experienced yet another erotic dream where Lo’ak had inserted himself as the leading star. 

It was the stress. It was never his place to point out but Lo’ak was right in assuming that there was far too much tension and anxiety riddling your every day routine. It felt as if there was always something being put on your plate. Even when there wasn’t you were sure to find another task to busy yourself with that felt like the most pressing matter possible. So when you tossed and turned at night, there was no easing the coiled muscles that made your shoulders rise up to your ears. A list of responsibilities were constantly on your mind, to the point where you even found yourself grateful for the consistent meals that Lo’ak left at your doorstep. Eywa, knows you would have nearly starved without it.

Even further, there was a new development in your home. That development was named Neteyam. Neteyam who was eager to fill his days with Talu’s company and even more than eager to show his appreciation of giving her time in a very…physical manner. She spent half the nights in his own kelku but your older sister still insisted on coming home frequently to keep you company, at least make it feel like she still lived there. 

However, part of you wished she would simply move into the Sully male’s kelku just so you wouldn’t have to hear their very prolonged goodbyes that consisted of far too much tongue and far too little clothing. You could never mistake Neteyam’s taller shadow casted on the privacy curtains as they attempted to sneak inside together. As two individuals that claimed to be accomplished warriors, there was no way they could truly believe this lack of stealth to mask their rendezvous from you. Or perhaps, much like his younger brother, Neteyam did not care to be modest in his sexual activities, wearing it as a trophy like the cocky bastard he was. 

So there you had been left, splitting your nights between dreaming of Lo’ak in your bed, running through the constant checklist of responsibilities, and hearing the damning evidence of Neteyam bringing your sister to a higher bliss over and over. 

All things considered, anyone else in your position would have crumbled by now. So what if your primal nature had come out to the surface under the recent pressures? A little arousal was normal for someone your age and by no means going to be the thing that crushed your logic to dust. 

Avoiding Lo’ak had become a normal part of your routine and it had seemed like the most reasonable course to combat these feelings. On your particularly sharp days you managed to go without a glimpse of his face until dinner and even then it was from afar. You figured without any new content to fuel these dreams they would surely putter out and you would be left to focus on more important matters. 

That had not been the case.

Perhaps one of the more foolish decisions you had made because it seemed the longer you spent away from Lo’ak the more instant your body’s reaction would be at the next glimpse of him. Your craving for him only grew as you denied yourself of his presence. Even the short peeks at his smile as he sat around the fire with friends had been enough to feel saliva pooling along your tongue. 

And then there was that first night you had truly seen him dance. With such a long war season having come to a close, impromptu celebrations around the dinner fire had become almost routine. Jake Sully’s youngest son was the furthest from sheepish when it came to starting the vibrant dancing. He jumped at the opportunity, teaching those around him the dances he had learned from the Metkayina. 

And you had to admit…you were a secret fan of the sea people’s version of dancing. The men moved with such force. It provoked a sense of weight in their presence while simultaneously showcasing an admirable flow of grace. The muscle of his thighs were pronounced with every bend and stomp. Those dark tattoos rolled like waves as Lo’ak swished his hips in time with heavy drums. You wanted to run your tongue over every inch of that dark ink. Perhaps see how far those lines traveled beneath his loincloth. 

Feeling utterly mortified by your own silent lust you had tried to draw away from the dancing as soon as you were broken out of trance. Of course, you had not always been successful. More than once, golden eyes had caught your own followed by a four fingered hand reaching out in invitation. 

Never before had your natural desires taken such hold on your everyday life. There had been crushes and even lust before but this felt constant. And watching Lo’ak moving his body with the confidence and charisma you could only dream of having every night, it felt like a personal attack. Every quirk of his lips into a smirk felt directed at you in a display of the conquest he anticipated. 

So your patience had been a little more fried at the start of the next diving lesson. You had hardly heard any of Neteyam or Lo’ak’s directions to the crowd at the beginning of the lesson, too busy staring off into the trees and keeping your teeth from grinding together. 

“Neteyam says you have to slow your heartbeat.” Talu reminded you the next time your head had rushed up from under the water prematurely. Her soft hand gently placed over your chest but her sympathetic smile had only been met with your narrowed eyes and downturned lips. 

“Of course he did.” 

Your voice strained to keep the sarcasm from bleeding in too heavily. It didn’t matter anyways, not when she was already making heart eyes at the future Olo’eyktan from across the way. He took one step in your general direction and you knew then that now was time to escape the barely concealed love fest that was about to take place. 

Ducking beneath the water again you swam in the opposite direction until your lungs were scorched with the need to breathe. Over and over you had tried the exercise only to come up faster each time. 

The lack of sleep was catching up with you, enough to have you stumbling across the slippery rocks and naturally falling into Lo’ak’s arms. Rough hands steadied you back into a standing position, his tail just barely missing a brush of your thigh. He said something, most likely checking to make sure you were alright, but none of it registered. All you could feel was the heat of his skin and that natural musky scent that somehow wafted even stronger when he was soaking wet. 

Your eyes snagged his own for only a second before you were diving back into the cold water. At least beneath the surface you were able to block out the sounds and scents of the day that were too much for you to handle. If only oxygen were not an essential. Then you could stay down here forever. A perfect sanctuary to collect your thoughts. 

The next time you sprung up from the depths you allowed yourself a moment of respite. Heart pounding and lungs seizing you couldn’t imagine holding your breath again. However, without that distraction your eyes naturally wandered to where Lo’ak instructed a Na’vi male from the other side of the small lake. Water dripped from his braids and created a dancing trail down the curve of his spine. 

So much for staying away. It seems that no matter what you did, Lo’ak was there to throw your day off course. Even when he wasn’t there he haunted your dreams. You mentally cursed whatever spell he has managed to put you under. Perhaps dark magic existed after all. 

If only you could have a break, just one moment where you were able to breathe.

A release.

That’s what Lo’ak had said. His head would grow until it exploded if you ever told him he was right, but the fact still remained, you needed relief. And you needed it now. 

Lo’ak was hardly subtle in the way he peeked back at you from the corner of his eye. His ears remained standing tall atop his head and while one could claim it was to listen for possible drowning Na’vi in need, you knew that his senses were attuned only to you. And that thought…

That thought alone made something burn within you. A certain excitement blossomed as your instincts were fueled by the idea of being wanted. So many nights you had spent alone in your hammock while listening to Neteyama and Talu wrestle and giggle next door. So many dreams you had woken up from only to find yourself missing a touch that never existed. 

But here was a male in his prime and he wanted you.

And, by the stars above, you couldn’t help but secretly admit that you wanted him too. 

Why not let him sate your desires? After all, was he not the one that put you into this hazy state? Dash logic to the side and forget the consequences that would come later, it was your turn to escape the pressure around you and get lost in the strong arms of a Sully male. 

Lo’ak spotted you before the water line had even lowered down to your hips. A part of you felt bad when all it took was one look his way and he was already neglecting the student in front of him.

Everyone knows I belong to you

 You briefly heard him jumble together some messy instructions and an excuse before water was sloshing behind you. He at least had the decency to wait a few moments after you had exited the lake before trailing after.

Adrenaline pulsed through you with every step, drowning out the voice of caution long enough for you to round the corner and enter a secluded cave. It raged even higher when you heard smooth footsteps falling closer. 

So when Lo’ak finally rounded the corner himself and you got another glimpse of those charming, yet currently confused, features, something inside of you snapped.

“Are you alri-” 

His question melted against your lips into that sudden kiss. Although initially he let out a small sound of surprise, Lo’ak dove back into the kiss the moment his brain had caught up with what was happening. 

This kiss was nothing like the sweet ones the two of you had shared as children. This was ravenous - addicting. And this time, it was you that now pushed the tension between you from taunt to absolutely filthy territory. 

His lips were softer than you remembered, but created a beautiful contrast to the sharp fangs that threatened to tear into your bottom lip. When Lo’ak nipped at the flesh there in silent question you wasted no time in sliding your tongue past his plush lips. 

Lo’ak tasted of the night breeze and the smoke from communal fires at dinner. Every inhale that you could spare between the battle of your lips and tongue was infused with his unique essence. Night’s whisper that could chill your bones during a summer day. 

It had you fingers tangling quickly into his braids, his own hands gripping at your hips in response. And when you suddenly shoved him back against the cave wall, he submitted to your small show of strength without question. In fact, a delighted grin spread to reveal those white teeth and an animalistic glint in his eye. 

Whatever bug you had caught from him, lighting your primal desires with no bounds, it seemed he had caught it too. Nothing but pure hunger and desperation in his countenance, all signs of surprise or concern washed away by the cave’s shadows. 

He burned for you just as much as you did him. And a part of you, perhaps a selfish part at that, yearned to see if he was suffering even more than you have been. 

So when you dove back in to reconnect your lips with ferver, your right hand caught his left wrist before it could land back on your waist. Pushing your body flush against his, you could feel the ripple of tension across his abdomen and shoulders, but he showed no signs of rebellion when you pressed his hand back against the cave wall. 

His right hand mirrored the placement on the other side of him, nails digging into the rock. 

In no universe would you have a chance of overpowering him physically. Neither did your actions exhibit much true force in the first place, but Lo’ak allowed you to wrestle him into your desired position. 

Everybody knows I belong to you.

I belong to you.

He had every chance to spin the situation to his advantage, to finally take what he claimed to have been craving for years. But instead, it was you that got to take. Everything he had offered for you on a silver platter. 

You hadn’t meant for it to be a test, but regardless he had passed with flying colors. His patience was rewarded when you dragged his left hand back to your hips and released it to explore. You had some exploring of your own to do, lips brushing down the column of his throat while finally running your knuckles over the dark lines of his tattooed sides. 

The contrast of his calloused hands mapping out your soft skin was maddening. It had been a long time since someone had touched you in this way but you hadn’t realized how desperate you had become for a foreign touch. Or more specifically, for his touch. So confident and smooth yet voracious when he sought to leave the imprint of his fingertips along your hips and waist.  

“Fuck yawne.” His voice was wrapped with a gravelly timbre. One that traveled straight to your core. 

Such deliciously sweet torment he suffered as you bit harshly over his pulse, but Lo’ak blossomed like a flower beneath it. You could feel the way it took everything within him to not pin you to the ground and take what his body has been begging for. It was almost a more mouth watering display of strength to watch him contain his natural brawn with the veins in his arms popping, than experience the ease at which he could manhandle you. 

Leaving marks along his throat was not enough anymore. It seemed this game was creating a specific suffering for you as well, the rush of your own arousal becoming borderline painful to endure. He was eager when you tugged him down for another kiss. His knees bent slightly and back curved in order to accommodate the vast height difference. 

If you decided to, would he let you push him down onto his knees. A mighty warrior of both land and sea gazing up at you from a place between your thighs. His tongue only a few inches away from where you wanted it most.

The thought had your head spinning and nails digging into his shoulder blades. Lo’ak welcomed every increase of passion with just as much enthusiasm to reciprocate. However, you needed him closer. Needed to intertwine your bodies until there was no telling where you ended and he began. 

Without pulling away from the kiss you steadied your hands on his shoulders and bent your knees to jump. He took the silent cue in stride, managing to capture your waist in his hands just before you leaped. 

You felt as light as a feather being carried by the wind as he slowly lowered your body to slide along his chest and stomach until your legs could slink around his trimmed waist. There was no rush in the action, because for him there wasn’t any physical strain either. 

He dared to push his luck just an inch further. Four fingered hands smoothed down the curve of your spine before settling at the beginning of your backside’s curve. Permission was given in the form of your tongue swirling around his devilishly. And the Omatikaya warrior did not need to be told twice before he was sinking them down further and gripping a cheek in each hand. 

Your smaller hands gripped like claws in his ebony braids. And when you tugged back on them without warning, breaking the kiss, a wide grin spread over his features, accompanied by a husky laugh. Lo’ak Sully was not simply tolerating your devious attitude. He was fanning the flames to your fire, reveling in that rising heat. 

And heat there was. You could feel your arousal gathering in your tewng like molten lava. Surely he too could feel it seep through the fabric as your core was pressed against his pelvis. It seemed his patience could only go so far, as he used the grip on your ass to rock you down further to where a bulge had formed in his own tewng. 

It felt as if the sparks of a shooting star had rippled between you too. And you were drunk on it. Drunk on him. 

As he released another groan into your mouth, you knew that you would never be able to get enough of Lo’ak Sully. 

“Bro you can’t run off in the middle of a- oh sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Neteyam was turning on his heel before he had properly even entered the cave. He shuffled back out the way he came, but not before sending one last peak over his shoulder. 

Your gaze remained frozen to the space it had snapped to upon being interrupted. Neteyam was gone, but that didn’t change the fact that he saw you grinding against his brother while sticking your tongue down his throat. 

“Just ignore him.” Lo’ak pleaded between the open mouthed kisses he laid over your jaw. 

He groaned for a less pleasant reason this time when you wiggled out of his arms. Both of your labored breathing filled the cave as he waited for your next move. His eyes shined with hope even as his lips were on the verge of turning downwards. 

A similar feeling of disappointment had settled in your gut just as quickly. Regardless, there was no telling what you would do if you stayed one more second locked in this heated moment with him. 

And so with red hot cheeks and a stumble to your step, you sprinted to safety. 

Please comment, reblog, or send an ask with your thoughts. It does so much for my motivation<3

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[nights-legacy]

M'not Avoiding Him ~ Tsu'tey x reader

Main Masterlist ~ Avatar Masterlist

3350 words Warnings: vague mentions of injury + The Omaticaya begin recovering and rebuilding after the sky people left under the guidance of their new Olo'eyktan, Tsu'tey. Jake and you had gone through the transfer ceremony, you both start finding your place in the clan. You thought yours was going to be next to Tsu'tey because of how close you two had gotten close but that changed when you catch him with another woman.

It took a while for things to settle down after the great war and the Battle of the Hallelujah Mountains. The Omaticaya had to find a new home, the other clans returning to theirs, and the full transition to the new Olo'eyktan. Tsu'tey was taking the new position with stride. Not only because he had been training for this but also he had the help and support of Moat, Neytiri, Jake, and I.

Over that time and after Jake and I were permanently transferred to our Navi bodies With much reluctance, Tsu'tey had become accepting of us. He and Jake of course still butt heads but that will never change. Tsu'tey and I however grew closer. He seemed to really enjoy my company.

"Thank you, Ninat. I'll make sure Tsu'tey gets this." I held the bag of items that she asked me to deliver. I walked through the newly constructed village. It was nice to see the people getting back to their normal way of life. I made it to the Olo'eyktan's meeting marui. When I noticed a meeting going on inside, I walked over to a nearby branch and lounged on it.

"Hey Y/N!" I looked up and saw Jake walking my way. Behind him, many others exited the marui.

"Hi Jake. Meeting over?"

"Yeah. You could have come in. I doubt Tsu'tey would have said anything." He leant against the tree. I shrugged. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Tsu'tey asked Ninat for something. I'm delivering them for her." I said, motioning to the bag.

"Well, you can go on in. I got to meet Norm. Bye." He waved as he ran off. I got up and walked towards the entrance to the hut. I paused when I saw Tsu'tey and sighed. He was picking up a few things that were scattered. He then stood up straight and looked over something. From here it looked like a child's drawing. A rare soft smile came across his face. I smiled as a warm feeling came over me. It was crazy how small things can fill my heart.

"Cute." I mumbled. I was about to step forward when I saw a woman come into view. Tsu'tey's smile disappeared as he turned towards her. I couldn't see his face anymore. 

I couldn't hear them but I could tell by the woman's body language and facial expression that she was flirting. I watched silently as she got more and more friendly. Tsu'tey didn't seem to react much. I felt my heart constrict at the sight. When she stepped in even closer, I immediately turned away when she went to wrap her arms around him.

"Nope, nope, nope." I walk back down the path a bit. I took a big breath to calm myself down. "You don't know what was going on. It could be nothing. Don't jump to conclusions." I talked myself down while clutching the bag to my chest. Once calmed down, I slowly walk back up and towards the hut. To avoid seeing them like that again, I call out Tsu'tey's name.

"In here. Come in, eylan." He answered before I heard him quietly speak to the woman. I heard something along the lines of 'you need to go.' I walked in and the woman walked past me in a huff. "How can I help you, eylan?" He looked up at the time.

"I have the things from Ninat you asked for." I took the bag off my shoulder. He reached out and took it from me, his hand brushing over mine.

"Thank you." He smiled and turned to set the bag aside. "I didn't see you at the meeting. Was something wrong?"

"No I was just getting back from an evening flight and Mo’at asked for help then Ninat caught me."

"Oh, very well. I'm glad there wasn't anything wrong." He said sincerely. I nod and look away from him. I kept seeing the other woman hanging off him. "Is something the matter?"

"No, I'm just hungry."

"Oh, well." He grabbed the bag. "Let us head to dinner." 

"Okay."

After that evening, I sorta avoided Tsu'tey. I had started to notice the woman around him more. I decided to keep my distance. The things I normally help Tsu'tey with, I made excuses to not do. Everytime I could see the confusion on his face but he never said anything. But Neytiri did.

"Why?" She said out of the blue as she and Jake sat down next to me.

"Hmm?" I looked up at her. "Why what?"

"Why are you avoiding Tsu'tey?" Jake asked.

"M’not avoiding him. I've just been busy and can't help him like I normally do."

"Uh huh. Yeah." Jake said almost sarcastically. The looks they were both giving me told me they didn't believe me. I signed and looked back at my snack. I spaced out a little until Jake snapped to get my attention.

"It's really nothing guys. I swear." I got up. I brushed off my lap. "Don't worry about it." I walked away. I didn't mention that I had noticed Tsu'tey nearby.

I groaned as I walked towards Tsutey's hut. Mo’at had asked me to go ask him to come see her. She couldn't go see him herself because she was extremely busy. I couldn't say no to her and I had a feeling Jake or Neytiri had something to do with this.

"Sneaky little shits." I mumbled as I climbed up the tree to his home. I made it up and stepped in. Normally Tsu'tey never has anyone in his home. This time I was wrong. I gasped when I saw the woman wrapped Tsu'tey. He was backed up against the wall with his hands on her waist. Both of their eyes shot towards me.

"Y/N..." Tsu’tey's face twisted as he pushed her away. "Please listen. I..." I didn't let him finish before running out. I jumped and climbed down from the tree. I took off running in a random direction. I could feel my heart break as I ran.

Tsu'tey was following. and calling for me to stop. I didn't listen, I couldn't. If there was one thing I was grateful for Neytiri teaching me at this moment, it was how to run and disappear into the trees. I could hear him getting closer and I moved faster. Silently, I slip behind a boulder near a cliff edge and stay still.

"Y/N!" Tsu'tey came into the clearing and slowed to a stop. I could hear him turn in circles, looking around for me. "Y/N! Please! If you can hear me, it wasn't what you think. That woman does not mean anything to my heart."

"hmm?" I made a small sound of confusion before covering my mouth.

"I don't have any feelings for her! What you saw in my home, I did not return. She has no respect for boundaries no matter how many times I have refused her advances. My heart only and ever will belong... to you." He said quietly but I could hear it. If this were a human male, I would call bullshit. But with Navi men, most don't believe in playing around. 

"Tsu'tey..." My heart told me to go to him but my head was too overwhelmed, too confused.

"Ga!" He yelled in frustration. I heard the sound of flesh against a tree so I assumed he had hit one. Too overwhelmed and still in doubt by the whole thing, I stepped back to sneak away. I didn't get too far before I felt the ground give way under my feet.

"Ah!" I screamed as I fell. I tried to grab onto something but came up with nothing.

"Y/N!" Tsutey's panicked voice was the last thing I heard before pain exploded in my body before I was knocked out.

3rd POV

Tsu'tey ran over to the cliff and saw Y/N unconscious at the bottom. He let out a cry before descending down to then. With shaky hands he checked them over to assess the situation. When Y/N didn't look in danger of fatality, he relaxed a bit. He closed his eyes and took a centering breaker.

"Oh Eywa..." He muttered before carefully picking them up. Before anything else, he ran for Mo’at's hut. "Mo’at!"

"Dear Eywa!" She jumped and nearly dropped the bowl of oitment she was holding, spooked. She looked at him annoyed before seeing Y/N in their state. She motioned to a mat. "Lay them down."

"Yes." He quickly and gently laid them down. Mo’at immediately began attending to them. "A cliff gave way under her feet."

"I see." She nodded. She worked quickly and efficiently. Tsu'tey sat on the side, never leaving and never looking away. He kept vigilance over Y/N even after Mo’at had finished and stepped out.

Y/N's POV

The feeling of someone running their fingers through my hair woke me up. I groaned softly and their fingers paused for only a minute before continuing. I opened my eyes and looked up at the blurry figure above me. When my vision cleared, I realized it was Neytiri and my head was in her lap.

"Neytiri..." I sighed. "What happened?"

"A cliff's edge gave way under your feet." She explained. "Tsu'tey found and brought you to my  Mother immediately."

"Oh, Okay. Yeah, I remember that now." I muttered as the ache in my body made itself known.

"You know... He hasn't left your side since." I looked up at her confused. She motioned to the side with her head. I looked and saw Tsu'tey asleep against the wall next to me.

"Oh..." I felt my heart swell.

"There is nothing between them, eylan." I looked up at her. "Tsu'tey and Lulon."

"There isn't? Nothing at all?" I sat up too quickly. She steadied me.

"No. Much to her displeasure." I gave her a questioning look and she chuckled softly. "Lulon has been trying to pursue Tsu'tey ever since they both were able to take mates. She was relentless with it, even though Tsu'tey did not return her advances. She tried even when he was to be mated with Sylwanin and then myself. She didn't care nor listen to reason. She only halted her advances when the fight with the sky people got worse."

"Are you serious?" I asked in disbelief. She nodded. "She's a bitch."

"I have to agree." She laughed. "Tsu'tey was always cordeil in his denial of her. I think she thought she had a chance now since he was not promised to anyone. What she didn't count on was his heart already belonging to someone else." She smirked before getting up.

"Where are you going?"

"To get Mother. So she can check to make sure you are alright now that you're awake." I nodded and she left. I turned to look at the sleeping Tsu'tey. He must have been exhausted if Neytiri and mine's talking didn't wake him up. I admired him, my head falling to the side like a puppy’s.

"What am I going to do with you?" I whispered as I moved a braid out of his face. I giggled as his nose scrunched but he didn’t wake. It faded away when I noticed his bruised and bloody hand. From the looks of it, that's the hand he hit the tree with before I fell. I scooted closer and gently shook him. I softly called his name, trying to wake him up.

"Hmph." He jolted awake, hand coming up to grab my wrist. He blinked a few times before he seemed to fully come to.

"Hey there sleepy head." I giggled softly. He became alert immediately, grabbing me gently by the arms.

"Y/N! Are you alright? Are you in pain? I'll go get Mo’at. I'll..."

"Hey, hey. Calm down." I interrupted his rambling, setting my hands on his chest. "I'm fine. I do have some aches. Neytiri already left to get Mo’at."

"Neytiri?"

"Yes. She was in here sitting with me while you slept." He relaxed.

"How long have you been awake?" 

"Only a short bit. Long enough for Neytiri to tell me about Lulon and her actions." He sighed and let his head fall back.

"I see." He nodded before swallowing a little hard and licking his bottom lip. I looked at him confused.

"What is it, Tsu'tey?" 

"Did you hear me? Yesterday? Before you fell." He asked almost nervously as his eyes met mine. I smiled and cupped his cheek.

"Yes. I did." He looked down. I can see the curiosity and nervousness swimming in his eyes even as he wasn’t looking directly at me. "And my response is that I feel the same. My heart only belongs to you."

"Y/N." The rare, energetic smile I love came across his face as he looked up at me. He gathered me in his arms and hugged me right. I giggled and hugged him back. "Oh, yawne. You've made me the happiest man alive. You will not regret this I promise."

"I know. I know I made the right choice in my mate." I placed my hand over his heart. "I see you, Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan. " He set his hand over mine and set his forehead against mine.

"And I see you, Y/N L/N." We sat in each other's embrace for a little bit before a small knock filled the air. We both looked to see Mo’at in the opening to the hut with a small smile.

"I hope I am not interpreting."

"No. Come in. This is your space after all." Tsu'tey waved her in. She came in and I pulled away reluctantly to let her check me over. It was quiet for the moment. She deemed me okay and to take it easy. I nodded and she asked, "So, do I need to begin Tsahik training?"

"Oh um..." I blushed and looked at Tsu'tey for help.

"In time, Mo’at. For now, let us spend time together and become One. There is time for that later. I know from personal experience that Y/N is a quick study." He took my hand and kissed my palm. I could see Mo’at hiding a smile in my peripheral vision.

"Of course." She finished up before looking at us. "I am happy for you both.Truly. Eywa has blessed you both."

"Thank you Mo'at." I said before giving the seeing gesture. She returned before giving Tsu'tey a hard look.

"Now sit. Let me see that hand of yours you refuse to let me look at in all your worrying." She    pointed at the mat. I giggled as his ears fell back like a scolded child. He gave me a half hearted pointed Look and I covered my mouth still giggling.

"Yes Tsahik." He moved over and gave her his injured hand. I moved to sit on my knees behind him. I kissed his shoulder before setting my chin there, resting my body against his back and loosely Wrapping an arm around him. He froze up for only a second before relaxing into me, holding his free arm over mine. 

"They're cute." I heard a muffled Jake say from somewhere outside.

"Jake!" Neytiri hissing and a loud smack followed. I chuckled and Mo’at rolled her eyes.

"Just like children ..." She muttered.

"Hey! I heard that!"

"Jake!" Another smack sound.

"Ow! Damn!" Jake fell into the doorway of the hut. I saw him glare at someone who I suspected was Neytiri before looking at us. He smiled sheepishly with a little wave. "Hiya."

"Skxawng" Tsu'tey muttered before turning to nose at my cheek. I smiled wrapped my other arm around his shoulders. 

"I was rooting for you two from the very beginning." He sat up before moving onto a knee.

"Jake..." I chuckled and shook my head. He smiled cheekily before he was grabbed by his kuru. I saw Neytiri lean into view and smile.

"Congratulations." She bowed her head with an I see you before pulling on Jake's kuru.

"GA! Okay okay. I'm coming." Jake flailed a bit as she pulled him back. He stumbled to his feet and disappeared from sight. I heard Mo’at grumble.

“Just like a child.” She shook her head as she finished Tsu’tey’s hand. She stood up and grabbed a leaf wrap to cover the wounds. “There you are. Now let it heal before doing anything too stressful on that hand. I trust you can keep him in check, Y/N.”

“Of course Tsahik.” I stood up and so did Tsu’tey. Bidding goodbye to Mo’at, we walked out of the marui. We walked through the trees in silence. Tsu’tey reached out and set his hand on my hip, pulling me closer to him. 

“Yawne. I cannot express how happy you’ve made me feel.”

“I think I know a way.” I said while stopping. He stopped and turned to look at me. He gave me a questioning look as I felt his hand spread out on my hip. 

“How Yawne?” He asked.

“Like this.” I reached up and cupped the back of his neck, pulling him down into a passionate kiss. He froze up for a second before kissing me back. His arms wrapped around me. One around my waist while the other wrapped around my mid-back and he reached up to cup the back of my head as the kiss deepened. 

“I see what you mean, Yawne.” He says as he pulls back. We were both panting slightly. He ducked down to kiss me again. I smiled into the kiss and deepened the kiss. Tsu’tey pushed me back a little and I felt the bark of a tree against my back. We made out for a few minutes against the tree until an exaggerated gasp interrupted us. We both pulled away to see Lulon standing there. 

“What is this?!” She nearly screeched. 

“This is a kiss between lovers. I am aware that the concept of lovers is foreign to you but I would appreciate it if you stop bothering Tsu’tey with your obsessive crush. He has let you down nicely so I am here to tell you bluntly. He does not feel the same nor has he ever felt the same.” I said. She looked at me offended while I could feel Tsu’tey looking at me in surprise. 

“I cannot believe…” She started.

“Believe it. If you bother my future mate again, we will have problems. You should have respected it when you Ole’eyktan when he turned you down.” I said. She paled a little and looked between us. She nodded and quickly disappeared into the trees.

“Future mate?” I blushed heavily at the suggestive tone of Tsu’tey’s voice. I turned and hit his chest.

“Shut up.” I muttered. He laughed wholeheartedly and I admired the rare sight. He slowly stopped and smiled down at me. 

“Well as your future mate, I appreciate getting Lulon to leave me alone…finally. Do you know how long I have tried to deter her? She doesn’t know boundaries.” He began to rant. I watched, chucking a bit. He paused when he heard me chuckle.

“Jake has rubbed off on you a little bit.” I said. His nose scrunched up a bit with disgust before his shoulders dropped.

“Maybe a small amount.” He said. I smiled and grabbed his hand. 

“Come on. I think we both need some more rest.”

“I agree.” He pulls me along a trail. We walked for a while before he guided me to a secluded small pond. On the side of the pond was mat and some baskets. “This is a spot where I come to be alone or clear my head. I want to share this spot with you.”

“Thank you, Tsu’tey.” He went over and sat on the mat, beckoning me over. I go over and sit next to him. I feel his tail wrap around my hips and he lays down. 

“Come, lay down.” He gently urges. 

“The tough warrior, acting so gentle right now.” I tease before laying down and settling down next to him. He shook his hand before he took my hand and let out a breath of content. 

“Let Ewya bless us with a wonderous life.” He said softly before kissing my hand. The sounds of the wildlife and gentle breeze around us seemed to promise just that.

[avatarloverfrfr]

Carbon Copy

Neytiri x daughetr!Reader; Jake x daughter!Reader; Sully Family x Child!Reader

Chapter 2: Demons.

Masterlist

Previous: [prologue] [chapter 1]

Summary: Despite leaving their homeland, Y/n holds onto her mother's values. However, tragedy strikes with Neteyam's death, shattering Y/n's innocence and sparking a raging fury within her, forever changing her carefree spirit

"Devil Dog, this is Eagle Eye, Over."

As Lo'ak and my father speak through their earpieces, I tuned out. Tuk and I were the only ones in the family without them. My gaze lingers on the abandoned shack, where my parents fought Spiders father.

A knot tightens in my stomach. I hate when they use code names. Hate how foreign the tawtute li'fya sounds in my ears although I've heard them speak it multiple times. Even though my father is— was one of them.

The sound of that language stirs a pain I never lived but have inherited. A pain woven into the stories ma sa'nok and the elders passed down. A pain that will never fade. That will be carried for generations. And hearing them speak it now feels like a betrayal to My People.

Snapping out of my thoughts I catch the end of their conversation.

"Me, Spider, Kiri... Y/n and Tuk."

Lo'ak hesitates before saying our names— Tuk's with even more reluctance than mine.

"Te'lanä le-Na'vi. Oeru teya si, oeru teya si." I mutter, trying to remember the lyrics as I leave Moat's tent. She taught me the songs of our ancestors— the ones they used to sing before the Hometree was destroyed. She says Eytukan loved hearing her sing it before he met Eywa.

I once heard ma sa'nok singing it too— well not exactly. I was spying. She had been reminiscing about the past, about how life was when her father was still alive and olo'eyktan. I thought maybe if I learnt the songs from her childhood, It'd make her happy. Maybe then she wouldn't always be on edge, like she was constantly waiting for someone, for something.

"Attack! Attack!" Tuk's voice breaking up random village chatter. She zooms past, flying her Toruk toy, the one that has been passed down to Tuk from Neteyam. A scientist calls after her, but she ignores them, lost in her own battle.

I slip past Tuk and into the kelku, where Spider and Kiri are. Kneeling besides Kiri, I watch as she carefully applies medicine to Spider's arm.

"I'm definitely faster when I'm blue," he says with a smirk.

Kiri laughs, and I stare at him, a small smile tugging on my lips. Spider is odd— a tawtute. Who is constantly trying to prove himself to everyone in the village, it's impressive how brave he is even with such a small body, he's even braver than Norm. Sempu tolerates him, but sa'nok despises him for what he is. My siblings and I consider him a brother.

Hearing the hunting horn blare. My heart leaps as I bolt outside, knowing my family is in the hunting party.

"They're here!" I yell sprinting toward the ikrans descending from the sky. Tuk's excited voice trails behind me, her footsteps quick.

Lo'ak and Neteyam dismount their ikrans, their heads down. Something happened. Something bad.

"Fall in." My father's commanding voice cuts through the air catching Neteyam and Lo'ak's attention.

"You're supposed to be spotters. You spot bogies, and you call them in," he says, frustration laced in his tone as he looks them over. "Get here!" he gestures for Lo'ak to step forward.

Kiri nudges ,e toward Lo'ak while she checks Neteyam for any injuries. My mother sees my expression and immediately leaves Tuk's side to assess the damage.

"Kiri, help your grandmother with the wounded, please?" Dad's voice softens when speaking to her.

"Our brothers are wounded, sempu" I say glancing at Kiri as she rolls her eyes at our fathers words.

"Please girls, you too Tuk. Go."

We begrudgingly leave, but the last thing I hear is Neteyams voice.

"Sir, I take full responsibility."

Sir.

I hate that word, it has no warmth to it, no love. It forces my brothers into soldiers in my fathers mind. It's human. It is not the way we speak. Not the way Na'vi were meant to be. The People do not speak to one another like this, and my father knows it.

Now in the healing tent as Kiri and Grandmother tend Lo'ak and Neteyam, there was a light atmosphere as our father was out the way and it was just us kids and our grandmother.

"Aww want a kiss on the boo boo?" Spider teases.

I laugh, the weight of the prior moments finally breaking. Mo'at flicks me with her tail, silently demanding the medicine I've been holding.

"I would use yalna bark," Kiri says shoving Lo'ak playfully out the way.

"Who?" I ask, handing the medicine to Mo'at.

Kiri turns to me, scowling.

"Asked," I finish with a giggle.

"And who is tsahik?" Mo'at adds with a smirk.

I giggle even more before turning back to Lo'ak, who just shook his head, a small but distant smile on his face.

"What punishment did sempu give you this time? Me and Tuk are coming with you," I sway side to side, waiting for his response.

"Ikran duty." he groans.

We rush through the jungle, my father's orders still ringing in my ears. Plants and branches blue past as we leap over roots and weave through the trees.

Tuk walks ahead, "Come on guys, it's almost eclipse—"

Suddenly an avatar lunges from the shadows, grabbing Tuk in a crushing grip.

She lets out a sharp cry, and I stumble back my knife instinctively clutched in my hand. Before I can react, another uniltìrantokx slams into me, shoving me toward where my family stands, ambushed.

"Put it down, or I'll shoot you!" A soldier snarls, his rifle aimed squarely at my head.

"Drop it! Now!" another barks.

"Y/n, yem tsal nkell," Lo'ak urges, his voice tight with fear. My fingers tremble as I grip the knife, my knife which my songcord was connected to. Before I can decide, one of the avatars wrenches it from my grasp.

The songcord snaps.

The beads scatter, vanishing into the undergrowth of the grass underneath us.

A hiss rips from my throat, but more guns rise in response. Kiri's voice breaks through the tension, screaming for me to stop. My chest heaves. I'll find a way to get it back.

But then— pain.

A searing, blinding pain.

One of them yanks my kuru, and I collapse, knees slamming into the dirt. A scream is torn from my throat, raw and guttural, the agony unlike anything I've ever felt, like fire seeping into my very soul, severing something sacred. My stomach churns, my vision blurs, my breath stutters.

"Shut the fuck up!" The soldier gripping my queue sneers, pressing my own knife against my throat. I bite down on my lip to stop another scream, tears burning hot trails down my face.

"Hey Colonel, check it out, five fingers, We got a half breed."

The one holding Kiri lifts her trembling hand.

The leader approaches, his boots sinking into the damp soil. He studies her, then moves to Lo'ak.

"Show me your fingers."

Lo'ak lifts both middle fingers. Only something he, Kiri and my dad can do.

"Yeah you're his alright." Then he turns to me. The soldier behind me finally releases my queue, but before I can breathe, my wrists are seized.

"You might not have five fingers," he muses tilting his head, "but you sure as hell look like that Sully woman."

I hiss, baring my teeth.

"And just as crazy." he adds, smirking as he walks away.

Then without warning, he grabs Lo'aks kuru and yanks.

"Where is he?" he demands, twisting the queue in his hands.

Lo'ak grits his teeth, refusing to scream.

I force myself to look away, I can't bear the see my brother in pain. I focus on anything else, the ache pulsing through my skull, the parts of my songcord which lay there, parts of my life left sprawled on the damp jungle floor something that has always been apart of me now discarded like none of it even mattered.

The soldiers drag us back to the abandoned shack, the place where it all started.

"Lyle, pull the audio from this," the Colonel orders.

"That's Sully's woman," he sneers. "She's an animal."

Night falls.

They line us up. Tuk by my side, we hold hands as long as we can. The rain falls in sheets, masking my tears, but I can still feel them.

Yip

My ears twitch.

I turn to Tuk silently, she nods.

Yip

Sa'nok.

To anyone else, it's just another sound in the jungle. To a Sully— it's a declaration of war.

The night is silent, too silent. No birds, no animals. Eywa knows.

Yip

Yip

Suddenly an arrow slices through the air, striking the avatar holding Kiri and Spider. Chaos erupts. Lo'ak pulls a pin from one of the soldiers smoke grenades

Gunfire. Screams. Smoke.

Tuk and I sink our teeth into the arms of the soldier restraining us. He howls in pain, losing his grip on us, "You little shits!"

"Tuk, come!" I grab her wrist, dragging her toward the trees. I have to get her out. I have to—

My mother's yell echoes through the chaos of the jungle.

"Demon! I will kill you as many times as I have to!"

I spin to Tuk, breathless. "Go with Spider and Kiri. I'll be back!" I don't give her time to argue as I run the opposite direction.

Straight to where my songcord beads lie scattered in the dirt.

The gunfire is deafening, but I don't care. I scramble through the mud, searching.

One, Two, Three.. Nine—

Where is it?

"Y/n, Y/n Come!" Sa'nok's voice is close, desperate.

I dig frantically, fingers shaking.

Then— she grabs my arm. The realisation hits me like a tidal wave.

It's gone.

My bead.

The one I got when we first officially considered Spider our brother, apart of the Sully’s.

Back at the home base, we huddle outside of our kelku, listening in on our parents.

"This thing.. this thing is Quaritch."

My fathers voice is quiet, but it cuts deep. The name alone makes my stomach churn. The man who almost killed us today.

"I cannot, You cannot ask this. I cannot leave my people. I cannot." My mothers voice cracks.

Lo'ak kneels beside me, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I lean into him, closing my eyes, listening.

"This is our home!"

"Quaritch has Spider! That kid knows everything!"

Spider would never—

"He will lead them here!"

"Wherever we go, this family is our fortress."

Later that night, Mo'at tends to my kuru.

I sit cross-legged, trembling with my back to her as the flickering firelight casts a long shadow against the walls of the kelku. My scalp burns where the vrrtep grasped my kuru. The pain sharp, relentless, but it doesn't compare to the ache in my chest.

The kind of ache that makes your body feel too heavy for your bones. the kind that settles in your heart and refuses to leave.

Tears slide down my cheeks, warm against the cold night air. I try to stay still, try to be strong, but my breath stutters with each sob I try to swallow.

"I don't want to go, grandma," I whisper. My throat feels like it's closing up. "Please... you are tsahik, don't let us go."

Mo'at says nothing. She doesn't need to. Her silence isn't cruel, it's knowing. Her hands steady as they've always been, worn from time and wisdom. She dips the cloth into the warm water and presses it gently against my scalp. The sting makes me wince, but I don't pull away. Her touch is grounding.

Her hands, so strong, now move slowly, as if trying to mend more than just more wounds. She hums quietly, soft and low, the song she taught me earlier. A plea to the ancestors.

I close my eyes.

That same song... I imagined singing it one day as tsahik of the Omatikaya, standing proud beside the Tree of Souls. I imagined teaching it to those younger than me. I imagined growing old here, under the glow of Eywa's light.

"It's not fair." I say, louder this time, the words jagged and wet. "We belong here. I belong here."

Mo'at pauses.

Then she rests her hands on my shoulder, warm solid. I lean into her touch like I did as a child. " Ma Y/n," she finally says, her voice soft but unwavering, "we do not choose the road. Sometimes the road chooses us."

I shake my head, tears falling freely now. "Why us? Why our family? Why do we have to leave."

She cups my cheek, turning me gently to face her. her eyes sine in the firelight, tears but also strength. The kind of strength I don't think I can gain.

"Because Eywa walks with you," she says. "Even when you do not feel her. Even when the path is heavy, long and full of sorrow. You carry the soul of the People with you, wherever you go."

I want to believe her. I want so badly to believe that leaving doesn't mean losing everything. But my hands are still empty. My songcord although fixed is missing something. My home is behind me.

And all I can feel is pain.

I bury my face in her shoulder and let myself cry. Not like an overprotective sister. Not like the daughter of Toruk Makto. Not like someone who is brave.

Like a child.

Just a child.

Who wants to stay.

Who wants to be whole again.

Who wants to be seen.

Mo'at wraps her arms around me, and I know, I am seen. I am loved. I am not alone.

But it hurts.

It still hurts so much.

This is like stones in my heart. Tarsem is wise beyond his years. He will be a strong olo'eyktan. The leader must die. So the leader can be born. Toruk Makto must disappear.

The next morning we walk.

The forest is quiet. no birdsong, No rustling, Just the sound of our footsteps through the soil and the distant cries of the ikrans circling. It's as if the whole of Eywa is holding her breath.

I walk behind Kiri, my fingers barely brushing hers, craving comfort but unable to reach for it. Tuk clutches my mothers hand tightly. She doesn't speak. None of us do.

I glance over my shoulder. the village. The People. Mo'at and Tarsem stand infront of the Tree of Souls. the glow of Eywa's presence radiates around them, faint but steady.

Mo'at places two fingers to her forehead and slowly brings them down.

I see you.

The gesture splits something open in my chest.

I lift my trembling hand and return it.

I see you. I will always see you.

Tarsem nods once. Strong, solid. Like the leader he is.

The further we walk, the heavier I feel. Like stones are tied to my limbs dragging behind me. The weight of my broken songcord tucked into the pouch at my side, but it might as well be a thousand tons.

I left a piece of my life scattered across the forest floor.

That missing bead.

My bond to Spider, my memory of seeing him as not a human, not as an outsider, but as a brother, that piece of me is gone.

I don't know if I'll ever get it back.

I sniff and wipe my face, but it doesn't matter. My cheeks are soaked.

Ahead, sempu walks tall, like he always does. His shoulders don't falter. But I know. I know him. His silence is screaming. He's just as broken, if not more.

Sa'nok walks beside him, her gaze straight ahead, jaw tight. Every few minutes she glances back. Toward home. Toward Mo'at. Toward the forest that shaped her.

Kiri walks like she's carrying a storm inside her chest. Lo'ak is quiet— too quiet— and Neteyam's face is unreadable. Like he's already somewhere. Somewhere colder.

Toruk Makto must disappear. So the People can live.

What if I don't want to live like this?

What if I'd rather stay, even if that means fighting till my last breath?

I don't say it aloud though.

Because I know they'll say I'm young. That I don't understand why we need to leave.

But I do. I understand everything.

I'm just not ready to go.

And maybe... I never will be.

so... how we feeling?🤘🤘🧍🏾‍♀️cause i wanted yall to feel happy, sad, sad. I didnt proofread btw. why don’t yall wanna be tagged like?😒👊

Taglist:

@sparks0918 @neytirismissingtoe @ikeyniofthetayrangi @fluorynn

[oneheda]

I TOLD YOU THINGS. | 𖥂 lo’ak sully

── .✦ part 1 of: PREMONITIONS

wc: 5.5k

pairing: lo’ak x fem!na’vi reader (aged up characters for plot purposes!)

story description: after completing iknimaya, you were so sure that you and him were going to happen. but, reality reared its ugly head and your dreams were just dreams. lo’ak had suddenly severed your 16-year-long bond with him, leaving you behind to pick up the broken pieces.

contains: angst, slowburn, childhood friends to enemies to lovers, and fluff (maybe soon)

warnings: none, except hurt feelings of course.

➙ PART 2:

a/n: this is my FIRST avatar fic EVER. i did not expect to write this much for 2 days, or nearly experience zero writing block. man, was i on a roll. anyway, this was meant to be a one-shot, but it’s most likely going to turn into a 2 parter. maybe if this part does well… i’ll write the next part!

It didn’t bother you as much as it used to—losing touch with Lo’ak and the Sully family. Or at least, that’s what you told yourself. These days, dinner at eclipse was spent around a different circle of friends and family, and the once-frequent glimpses of the Sullys at distant bonfires had grown rare, fading into the past.

You had no reason to dwell on it. The here and now mattered more than old memories. Or so you tried to believe.

“Who’s ready for a round of s’mores?” D’yla’s voice rang out, cheerful and unbothered, as she raised a stick skewered with marshmallow high in the air. A chorus of agreement followed, hands lifting in unison around the crackling bonfire. Its warmth was inviting, the glow reflecting the growing camaraderie of the group.

“If it weren’t for the Sullys,” D’yla added with a grin, “we wouldn’t even have these… cotton edibles.”

You couldn’t help but laugh softly at the term, though it didn’t quite reach your chest, where a familiar pang settled instead. The mention of the Sullys was always like that—stirring up feelings you weren’t sure what to do with. They were still as admirable as ever, their deeds sung by the people of the clan. But that’s all they were to you now: stories. Praised figures. Not the friends you used to know. Not anymore.

Did it bother any of them? Maybe it did. Neteyam, Kiri, Tuk, and even their parents had made small efforts over the years to keep in touch, but life pulled everyone in different directions. The distance had grown so naturally, so imperceptibly, that it became easy to accept. Your mother’s words echoed in your mind often: “That’s just the way life goes.”

But it wasn’t completely severed—not yet. You knew the Sullys didn’t want to let go entirely. The occasional gestures were proof of that. All except for one: Lo’ak.

Of all the Sullys, he seemed unbothered by the widening chasm. Maybe even willing to let it turn into a full-fledged canyon. And for reasons you couldn’t understand, that hurt the most.

Because for the longest time, he had mattered the most.

By the time you passed your Iknimaya, the two of you had become little more than strangers. The shift was so sudden, so stark, that it felt almost unreal. But it was real. Real enough that you stopped asking his siblings about him. Real enough that you stopped asking the entire family.

They all had futures to look toward—Neteyam especially, with the weight of being the future Olo’eyktan on his shoulders. You couldn’t bring yourself to beg for answers. You wouldn’t risk making them worry about you and Lo’ak any further.

If this was the end of some childhood story, then so be it. Some endings didn’t need explanations.

That’s just the way life goes… right?

2 years ago…

“So, out of all four today, who’s caught your eye the most?” Kiri’s voice carried a teasing lilt as she lounged in Lo’ak’s tent, her tail swishing idly across the floor flaps. Her curiosity radiated in every movement, her grin sharp and knowing. “Come on, brother! You’ve been looking forward to this age for this exact reason.”

Lo’ak lowered himself onto the floor table, the one you had built for him not long ago. His eyes immediately found you in the corner of the tent, quietly inspecting your bow. You looked preoccupied, your fingers tracing over the carvings he’d etched into the wood a few moons ago. Passing Iknimaya had been all you could talk about lately, and Lo’ak—desperate to stay connected—had tried to keep up with you, chasing your conversations even as they veered further into adulthood.

He let out a slow breath, pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered, “I know, I know. I just… don’t know. It seems hard. There’s so many.”

But the truth was far messier. While you seemed optimistic about growing up, Lo’ak dreaded it. Growing up felt like the end of everything he loved—playfulness, freedom, and most importantly, you. He feared that your bold streak, the one that had always set you apart, would eventually take you somewhere—or to someone—that didn’t include him.

He wouldn’t admit it aloud, but the thought of losing you to adulthood terrified him.

The thought twisted in his chest. Would he just become a memory, a childish friend you once cared for but ultimately outgrew? Lo’ak couldn’t shake the fear that one day, when his mother inevitably started dropping hints about you and him being tied together for life, you’d recoil. You’d laugh off the idea, push him away, and that would be the end.

That every shared laugh, every accidental graze of your skin, every lingering glance meant nothing to you while they consumed him whole.

But he wasn’t ready to lose you. Not yet.

And yet, here you were, completely unbothered by Kiri’s teasing. When the conversation turned to the topic of other girls courting him, you remained so painfully supportive, offering polite smiles and offhand comments. Lo’ak knew he was selfish for it, but part of him wanted your chest to pang at the thought of him being with someone else. The way his chest burned whenever he imagined you with another Na’vi.

“So, what about you, [Y/n]?” Kiri asked, her tone light and mischievous as her sharp eyes flicked between the two of you. “Have you given Te’ylu or Ek’ran an answer yet? Or is there someone else you’ve got your eye on? I mean, with you being one of the most sought-after girls around, I’m sure there’s no shortage of people trying to catch your attention.”

You shook your head, your response clipped and quick. “No.”

Fuck.

Lo’ak’s stomach dropped. Was your nonchalance genuine, or was it a front, masking feelings you didn’t want to admit? He dared to hope for the latter, but hope was dangerous.

Because he knew, deep down, that it wasn’t fair to wish for anything other than your happiness. If you chose someone who was nothing like him, someone who made you truly happy, he would accept it. He would let you go with silent resignation, even if it tore him apart.

But a cruel thought lingered: maybe if you had known him less, for the the version of him that he could exist as in your fantasies, you would’ve love him more than for who he actually was. The flawed reality of him that you knew too well at heart. Because maybe, just maybe, you knew him too much to find him attractive.

And maybe then, instead of it being strangers he’d get teased about being with, it would be you.

8 years ago…

The sunlight danced through the canopy above, a shifting mosaic of gold and green that dappled the jungle floor. Everything smelled fresh, like rain-soaked earth and blooming flowers. The world felt bigger back then, didn’t it? The air heavier with mystery, the trees taller, their shadows deeper. It was one of those days where the wind carried the laughter of children like a melody—but beneath it all, there was something sharper. Something you didn’t notice until later.

You were following the sound of your father’s totem, the little wooden carving tied to a leather string that never left your neck. Only it wasn’t on your neck now. It was ahead of you, swaying in Sänika’s hand. The jungle was alive with noise—birds chirping, leaves rustling—but all you could hear was your heart pounding and Sänika’s teasing voice calling over her shoulder.

Her auburn hair bounced as she skipped ahead, the curls catching the sunlight like copper wire. You hated how she always looked untouchable, even when she was being cruel. There was a faint scar running down her left cheek, just a thin, silvery line that deepened when she smirked—and she was smirking now, her yellow eyes gleaming as she turned to face you near the edge of the cliff.

“You’re such a crybaby,” she said, holding it higher, as if daring you to lunge. “You care this much about a stupid trinket? You’re always carrying it around like a baby with a blanket.”

“It’s not stupid!” you shot back, your voice cracking halfway through. “Give it back, Sänika!”

She wiggled her fingers, making the totem sway above the drop, her yellow eyes sparkling with something cruel. “If it’s so important, why don’t you come and get it?”

You froze, panic tightening your chest. The cliff’s edge crumbled with every gust of wind. The totem wasn’t just important—it was everything. It was the last thing your father had given you before…before you lost him. You couldn’t lose it too.

The wind picked up, tugging at your hair, and as you stepped closer, a part of the cliff crumbled beneath your foot. Pebbles tumbled into the ravine, disappearing into the void below. Your stomach flipped, and you stumbled back, your breath catching in your throat.

That’s when Lo’ak appeared, crashing through the underbrush like he’d been chasing after you for hours. He was smaller then, his braids messier, his face still round with childhood. His knees were scraped, his braids tangled, and he looked like he’d just wrestled the entire jungle. He skidded to a stop, eyes darting between you and Sänika, quickly sizing up the situation.

“What’s going on?” he asked, though his face was already hardening. He froze when he saw you and Sänika by the cliff, his wide eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.

“Sänika she…,” you blurted, clutching your arms tight against your chest as you held back tears which threatened to fall. “She has my totem!”

Lo’ak frowned, his ears twitching. “What are you doing, Sänika? You’re being so stupid again.”

Sänika tossed her head, her auburn hair bouncing with the motion. “I’m not stupid, Lo’ak. I’m teaching her a lesson. She thinks she’s so special, always clutching that dumb little thing like it’s magic or something.”

“It’s not magic!” you snapped, your nails digging into your palms. “It was my dad’s! Just—just stop messing around!”

Lo’ak stepped forward, his tail swishing sharply behind him. “Sänika, give it back! You—!” His voice had dropped into that serious tone he used whenever you both got too close to trouble

You froze, unable to move, a tight knot of fear settling in your stomach. Sänika only tilted her head, eyes gleaming with mischief as she feigned consideration. “Hmm, you’re right,” she said slowly, drawing it out. “I don’t want to drop it.” Her smile widened, the kind that made your heart race. “I want her to come get it.”

It wasn’t a dare—it was a challenge. She held the totem just beyond the edge of the cliff, her knuckles white against the carved wood.

“Are you insane?! You’re crazy!” he hissed, his voice thick with anger and fear. Lo’ak warned you, his voice sharper now, “Don’t!”

But you couldn’t wait. You lunged forward before your fear could hold you back, your hand shooting out toward hers. The ground beneath your feet shifted, loose dirt crumbling into the ravine below, and for a terrifying moment, you felt yourself tipping forward. A strong arm caught you around the waist, yanking you back just as your balance gave out. Lo’ak’s grip was firm and unyielding as he pulled you away from the edge.

Lo’ak lurched forward, grabbing her wrist and yanking it back before she could drop the totem. She shrieked, trying to twist away, but Lo’ak was too quick. He snatched the totem from her hand and shoved her backward—away from the cliff, not too hard, but enough to make her stumble.

Sänika’s laughter rang out, cruel and high-pitched. “Aw, she almost made it!”

You collapsed to your knees, trembling as Lo’ak crouched beside you. “You okay?”

“See? No harm done,” Sänika said breezily, brushing dirt from her hands. “You’re welcome for the excitement.”

Lo’ak shot her a glare so sharp it could’ve cut through the undergrowth. “Shut up, Sänika! Don’t mess with her ever again. Go home!” he shot back, before turning to you and pressing the totem into your hands. “Here. Don’t let her take it from you again.”

You nodded, your breath still shaky. You clutched the totem tightly, your breath catching in relief. “Thank you, Lo’ak.” You muttered, looking down at it instead of him.

Lo’ak grinned, his sharp teeth flashing. “You’re welcome,” he said, his tail flicking with unspent energy. He nudged a pebble with his foot, sending it skittering over the edge of the trail. “But, next time? Maybe don’t let her play you like that so easy. You should definitely keep that in a bag or sumn’.”

The boy’s hand brushed your shoulder as he stood, his voice turning impatient. He extended a hand, pulling you up with a rare show of careful strength, his grip firm and steady. “Come on! Let’s get out of here before I really lose it.”

You took his hand, both soon walking side by side into the heart of the vibrant forest ahead. Lo’ak kicked a stone, sending it skittering through the soft, damp soil with a faint, melodic sound, and you sidestepped a low branch that swung too close. Every so often, he nudged you with his elbow, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. You shoved him back lightly, pretending to glare, but your smile gave you away. Lo’ak glanced at you, his hand brushing yours for a split second, almost absentmindedly. Without warning, you gave him a playful shove, nudging him off the path. He stumbled but caught himself, shooting you a mock-scowl, though the comfort of familiarity had already replaced the tension, like it always did. “You owe me for that. Big time.”

“For what?” you shot back, the adrenaline making you bold. “For almost letting me fall?”

“For almost making me fall.” He grinned then, that familiar troublemaker grin. “And for not letting you punch her first. Trust me, I saved you a lot of trouble. You could at least say ‘thank you, Lo’ak, you’re so brave!’”

You shoved him back, again, rolling your eyes, but your lips twitched into a grin. “Fine. Thank you, Lo’ak. You’re so annoying.”

The boy laughed then, loud and carefree. Lo’ak, always a little quicker, started to moved ahead, but you easily caught up, each of you slipping past the other in a rhythm that felt as natural as breathing. And for a moment, the fear of the cliff and the totem’s danger faded into the background, replaced by the warmth of his laugh.

Each step felt like you were walking deeper into a dream, the quiet murmurs of the forest and the gentle rustling of the leaves filling the space between you two. The ground beneath your feet seemed alive with the roots of massive trees curling up from the earth, their gnarled forms glowing faintly in the tree-filtered, low light. Every now and then, a soft hum of bioluminescent insects flitted past the glowing moss of the trees, their tiny lights like glowing fireflies darting through the air.

“To say the least, I’m not as obedient or responsible as my brother. What do they even see in me, other than what I’ve overheard—a second choice to him?”

His words hung in the air, heavier than they should have been. You bit your lip and frowned, a sharp flare of anger rising in your chest as the question twisted something deep inside you. Second choice? That was laughable. You wanted to tell him that that was ridiculous, that the only reason anyone even compared him to Neteyam was because they were blind to everything that made Lo’ak Lo’ak. He was amazing as he was. But the words didn’t come. They never did, not when it came to this. Defending him outright? That wasn’t your style. Compliments between the two of you always felt like crossing some invisible line, one neither of you had ever dared to define.

Instead, you trudged ahead, crunching softly over leaves and branches as the glowing forest swallowed the two of you whole. The world felt quieter now, muted by the creeping eclipse. You glanced back at him, watching his expression as he trudged behind you. He looked…tired. Not just from the day’s hunt but from something else, something that weighed on him more than you realised.

You were supposed to be honest with him. You always had been. Honest, but sharp. Never tender, never soft. But, this time, you couldn’t risk saying what you actually thought. What if he thought you were being weird? Laughed it off, or worse, didn’t care? You didn’t even know why you felt like this—protective, almost angry. It wasn’t like Lo’ak expected you to care to this extent which you did. You didn’t.

At least, you didn’t think you did.

“Your existence is proof that failure has a sense of humor,” you said, keeping your voice light. “Maybe some girls are just into that.”

You expected him to laugh—or roll his eyes, or shoot back something equally sharp. But instead, his footsteps faltered behind you and when you turned, he had halted to a stop, standing still, expression unreadable.

He wanted to ask if you were one of the girls you had previously described, but he mentally slapped himself before he could say something as nearly stupid and weird as that. But there were still questions he found worth asking, one he particularly settled for.

“Do you… really see me as a failure?”

The question caught you off guard and for a moment, you froze, unsure of how to respond. His voice wasn’t biting or sarcastic. It was quiet, almost hesitant, and that made it worse. It was the most un-Lo’ak thing ever. Like, he sought for your validation? Never in your lifetime would you be able to foresee that. It was confusing and unexpected, but you didn’t have it in you to ask why.

You stared at him, the weight of his question settling between you. He wasn’t meeting your eyes, his gaze fixed somewhere just over your shoulder. It wasn’t like him to look so unsure, so vulnerable. And it wasn’t like you to feel so…paralyzed. You wanted to tell him no, of course not, that he was more than what he thought he was.

“Lo’ak,” you started, your voice softer than you intended. He looked up at you then, just slightly, like he was waiting for something—an answer, a reassurance, anything. For a brief moment, you thought about telling him the truth right there and then, when he had prepared himself to be in perfect earshot. And not just the truth about how you didn’t see him as a failure, but the truth about why. That you admired him, even when he doubted himself. That you chose to be by his side every day, not because of some childhood bond or shared memories, but because it was him. That you cared about him in a way that scared you because it didn’t feel simple anymore.

And with every passing second, the pressure grew, the unspoken words clawing their way up, desperate to escape. You could feel them swelling, a tide rising fast, threatening to spill over. The silence pressed harder, suffocating, as if daring you to break it. But instead of yielding, you retreated behind the familiar walls. You couldn’t let it out. Not now. Maybe not ever. Your honest words caught, stuck somewhere between the aching weight in your chest and the trembling tightness in your throat, tangled in feelings too raw to untangle, too sharp to name. You fell back into the only script you knew, the one you two always performed so well.

“I can’t even give you a proper compliment without it feeling forced,” you said, forcing a grin that didn’t reach your eyes. “But you know I care. I’ve known you forever—probably know more about your failures than you’ll ever admit.”

You mentally winced. The moment the words left your mouth, you regretted them—not because they weren’t true to your usual dynamic, but because they didn’t feel right. Not now. To keeping up the usual pace, this time it felt so wrong and so outdated. But you pushed that thought aside, waiting for the usual retort, the banter you relied on to fill the silence.

For a brief moment, Lo’ak didn’t move. He stood there, his posture taut, muscles in his arms and chest flexing as he stood tall—much more solid than the boy you used to know. The years had done their work. He had grown into his body, shaping into something undeniably striking. His skin, painted with the marks of his people, glistened faintly under the moonlight. And as much as you tried to look away, your gaze lingered on the way his shoulders tensed with every breath, the defined lines of his torso stark in the dim light. Lo’ak pretended not to notice your gaze before you tore your eyes away.

The ache in your chest refused to be ignored as Lo’ak’s face remained unreadable, a mask of frustration that had nothing to do with the banter that used to flow so easily between you. You caught yourself looking at him, straight ahead this time, and just for a second, the thought flickered through your mind that maybe—maybe, just maybe—he’d say something to break the tension. But then, he walked past you, his shoulder bumping into yours, causing you to stumble as he moved toward the clearing ahead.

“You’re right,” he muttered, his voice cold and distant. “If I ever needed comfort, the last person to ask would be you.”

The words shouldn’t have hurt. You’d heard worse from him before, and you’d given worse in return. But, it was different this time. This time, the edge in his voice wasn’t teasing or playful. It was real.

You swallowed hard, trying to ignore the lump in your throat. “Lo’ak, I wasn’t being serious.” you said, forcing out the words even though they felt too hollow to hear.

He kept walking, his steps deliberate and heavy, as if the very act of moving away from you was an act of willpower. His jaw tightened, the muscles working against the storm of emotions threatening to break through. He hated this—hated how much he suddenly cared, how your jokes now stung instead of rolling off him like they used to. Why couldn’t he just laugh it off? Why was it different this time? He didn’t want to hurt you, but it felt like he was suffocating under the weight of wanting something deeper.

And for the first time, it scared him to admit it.

What if, without the banter, there was nothing left? What if this was all there ever was? What if a joke is all you saw of him? He didn’t know if he could bear that, but was just how things had always been between you two: always deflecting, always skimming the surface even when none of it was casual for him with you. Not anymore.

Because Lo’ak had spent his whole life pretending he didn’t care—about what his father thought, about how people compared him to his brother, about the teasing he got from others and especially you. But, this time, there was a growing part of him, a small, desperate part, that wanted you to say you saw him differently. He wanted to feel like he mattered to you in a way that went beyond years of childhood habit. He wanted more than your jokes and your teasing, because he knew you could give him that now that you were older. To see through his front, to the boy who was trying to prove he was more than what everyone joked or even thought he was.

But, you never did, And, least of all, Lo’ak didn’t know why he expected you to. Didn’t know where all of it was suddenly coming from.

It felt final, like a line had been crossed—one neither of you were ready to admit existed. You wanted to call out to him, to say something, anything, as he walked away, but the weight of fear held your voice hostage and legs tied down. You told yourself it probably didn’t matter, that everything will be fine in the morning, as it always had been. But beneath it all, you knew something had shifted and you weren’t sure if you could ever go back.

Neither did he.

Lo’ak didn’t look back. He couldn’t. Because if he did, he might’ve seen the flicker of confusion and regret in your eyes—and he wasn’t sure what he would’ve done with that. The truth was, Lo’ak wasn’t sure what could’ve hurt more: the idea that you might actually have seen him as a failure, or the realisation that your words mattered to him in ways they never had before for the first time. Either way, it felt like he was losing something he couldn’t afford to lose—his pride, his control, or maybe even you.

If avoiding you were a contest, Lo’ak would take the prize. The playful banter, once effortless, now felt stilted, a relic of a closeness neither of you knew how to reclaim. Slowly, your conversations dwindled—shorter, more polite, less… you two. It wasn’t sudden. It happened in tiny, almost imperceptible steps: a missed laugh here, a sidelong glance avoided there, a quippy comeback that never came. Until one day, you realised how quiet it had become between you.

You told yourself it was just a phase. Maybe Lo’ak needed space after Iknimaya, the details of which he somehow forgot to mention to you. Or maybe you were just imagining things. You clung to that thought, even as the silence between you two grew heavier. But the last thing you wanted was to make the cracks between you visible to anyone else, least of all the Sullys.

They’d ask questions you couldn’t answer, offer advice you didn’t want to hear. You didn’t want to admit to them that you were worried, not when Lo’ak had already made it clear that space was what he needed, no matter how uncomfortable it made things. So, you waited.

But god, you wish you didn’t have to.

Days turned into weeks, then months. The wedge delved between you two and your interactions deepened, and widened, into an unknowing expanse. You caught yourself rehearsing things you wanted to say to him, but never did out of the fear of the ‘what-if’s. Anyway, with each time you saw him, any flicker of hope was quickly extinguished by the stiffness in his acknowledgements towards you, the way he avoided meeting your eyes, or how he said nothing more than two words.

You used to stare into his eyes, studying his face, but now all you saw was his figure from a distance. You held onto the comfort of knowing he was alive, because it was the only comfort you had left since the distance between you had grown.

“Are you sure you two are okay?” Neteyam asked on the hike out, substituting the spot of his younger brother. “Has he been avoiding you, outright?”

Everything that came out of your mouth next was a lie. But, atleast you didn’t try to cover it up through a joke this time. Right? 4 weeks ago you were treading the same path, “No, no. He’s just busy.“

Two years later, after keeping up with all the lies and excuses of never being seen together, one night after the eclipse, everything came crashing down—if they hadn’t had already.

You hadn’t meant to go there, not really. You weren’t really looking for him. Not on purpose, at least. You had just ended up here, feet carrying you toward the cliffside where the air always seemed to clear your mind, where the familiar sound of the wind through the trees had once calmed your thoughts after eclipse dinner.

You walked aimlessly, your fingers toying with the rough, woven bag Lo’ak had made for you years ago. It felt strange to still carry it, but you had never been able to leave it behind. His craftsmanship, though imperfect, always had a certain warmth to it—a reminder of times before the silence, before things changed.

But then, as you approached the spot, a laugh cut through the stillness of your night, catching you off guard and freezing you in your tracks.

It was Lo’ak.

You peered higher and saw Lo’ak sitting there, but he wasn’t alone. His toned arms draped casually around someone else, a female Na’vi who had leaned into him. You could see his face was lit with the kind of ease you hadn’t seen from him in months.

And then your breath caught. For a moment. You couldn’t tell what you felt.

You didn’t know how long you stood there, staring. Long enough to feel the sting of tears prick your eyes. Long enough to realize he wasn’t going to notice you. A knot of feelings twisted in your chest, unnamable but impossible to ignore.

You told yourself it wasn’t about the girl, not really. You didn’t even know her, and maybe that was the point. If she were someone else, someone familiar, maybe you could convince yourself that this was normal. That Lo’ak was just being Lo’ak. But the sight of his hands on her waist burned into you like it was something you weren’t supposed to see.

Why was she here, and what were they doing?

Maybe it was the laugh. That stupid, familiar laugh that used to be with you, or at least it felt that way. Because all that had now dissipated into silence when that laugh, that ease, was once the thing that kept you going. It was what you’d been waiting for these past few months, but now, you couldn’t help but wonder if maybe you’d been waiting for nothing.

Maybe you were wrong to think that the next sunrise would be the one where everything would finally be okay. Maybe you were wrong about everything. Was it always going to be like this now? You and him on opposite sides of something you didn’t know how to name?

But then your gaze stilled on something—a flash of moonlight catching onto something too familiar, way too vivid.

Her hair.

The sight of it gleamed a rich, deep auburn, like firelight tangled in shadow, a colour freshly burned into the back of your mind, that used to send a cold shiver down your spine.

No… It couldn’t be.

For a moment, your mind refused to process it. You blinked, stared, convinced the memory was playing tricks on you.

But no.

And then, it hit you.

There she was. Sänika. Sitting right next to Lo’ak, her arm resting comfortably around his, at your favourite spot, yet the same spot where she threatened to throw your father’s totem over. You hadn’t seen these two together in ages, were they even friends? What was she doing here, with him? His hands around her waist? How had she slinked into his world, weaving her way through the cracks while you were struggling to even get past through to him beyond the surface?

And then suddenly, you were back there: a younger version of yourselves, swearing under your breath as you tried to avoid her, tried not to let her get to you.

“She’s such a pain,” Lo’ak had said once when you were kids, kicking dirt at the ground, his voice bitter. “I swear, I don’t know how she manages to be everywhere we are.

You didn’t know her at this age anymore, but the unmistakable curve of her cheek, once the subject of countless jokes between you and Lo’ak, was now the very spot where you painfully watched him press his lips. The damage from that hit you like a punch to the chest, and a tidal wave of anger—one you refused to admit had been building—flooded your veins. You tried to make sense of the mess swirling inside you—the memories, the countless unanswered and unravelling questions, the sudden sense that things were fully slipping away this time.

Why? Why was she the end of his answer? What had you ever done to deserve this?

Somehow, as your heart sank deeper, it became painfully clear to you—he wasn’t coming back.

You didn’t want him to, not anymore.

And so, it took everything within you to walk away, each step a battle against the ache in your chest. Turning your back on it felt like the only bit of control you had left, the only thing you could still control in a situation that was completely out of your control.

part 2 is out! thank you for reading! likes, comments, and reblogs are deeply deeply appreciated! 💕

[rayassecretlife]

Pain reliever

Pairing: Aged up!Neteyam Sully (19) x Fem!human!Reader (18)

Summary: Your on your first day of your period and when Neteyam catches on to your painful suffering, he doesn’t stop until he finds out a way to make you feel better.

Warning(s): Mature language, Period!unprotected!p in v, blood, unprotected p in v, Slight praise kink, best friends!Angst!smut

Most people would think being a human on Pandora would be interesting, and they were right… except when you have human needs and problems that the Na’vi don’t know how to handle. Sometimes it was food, or when you need ibuprofen, but this time it was your menstrual cycle.

Your period came once a month and usually you’d go to the lab for everything you needed like medicine and pads, but even medicine wasn’t helping these cramps. Your father had recommended you some things but you had already tried everything; exercise, heating pads, medicine, etc. nothing was helping. So here you were, laid curled up in a ball inside your bed.

You prayed to eywa they stopped. You had a dinner not too long from now with the sully family and your father that you did not want to miss. Though, You didn’t know if you could hold your painful cries any longer.

“Y/N?” The sudden knock at your wooden hut’s door makes you jump, releasing your legs from the curled ball you had put yourself in. You hoped it had been your father but to your surprise, a different large Na’vi male voice was easy to recognize and you quickly shuffled around so he wouldn’t see anything when he walked in, but you had little time till he entered your room.

“Neteyam! What are you, uh… what are you doing here?” You can feel your stomach cramping horribly but you fought it off, giving the boy a straight face as he approached you.

“Wanted to make sure you were coming tonight. My mother is making your favorite” His deep, accented voice informs you, sitting down on your floor to which now he was only two inches shorter then you when you were on your bed. “Are you alright? You look pale” He goes to reach for your head but you quickly shake him off, telling him you were fine.

“I’m just tired, That’s all” Hmm, he doesn’t believe you not one bit. He’s staring you down like he’s studying your frame, trying to find the source of injury. He could smell your pain, and something else he couldn’t quite make out. “What are you-“ He shushes you as he stands up, sitting next to you on your bed that surprising didn’t break due to his large figure. He finally could smell it.

Blood.

“You are bleeding, Y/N! Where! I will take you to the lab or grandmother and-“

“No!” You cover his mouth, ceasing his worried words. The boy looks at your with wide eyes, batting his ears down as you remove your hand with a sigh. “I’m… you know how Na’vi woman have heats?” He nods his head in confusion, eyes still scattering your body to find the source of your bleeding. “Woman who are human have something like that too, except it doesn’t work the same way a heat does”

“What are you saying? A heat doesn’t make you bleed-“

“Let me finish, Tey” He sighs and nods once again, showing you his full attention. “It’s called a period and it’s… it’s basically a menstrual cycle that makes us bleed but it comes from inside, nobody hurt me” You reassure the boy but he’s still confused, he can feel your pain and definitely smell your blood, so how were you not hurt?

“But you are in pain. I-I can feel it! Don’t lie to me”

“Yes because periods also cause cramping in your stomach, and it hurts. I’ve been trying for hours to make them go away but nothing is working” Your hand is clasp around your stomach and Neteyam doesn’t miss the way your face contorts with a hiss. It was clear you were in pain.

“How can I help? I do not want you to be in pain” His voice is full of worry as he scoots closer to you, ignoring your protests as he lays his large hand on your stomach. Neteyam was so clueless when it came to human biology and it was the cutest thing ever, but right now you didn’t feel like explaining it.

“There’s nothing you can do, Tey. I’ve done all I know, I think I just need a long bath before dinner” You sigh defeatedly but he refuses to let up, shaking his head at your answer.

“There is a way, I know there is—I just have to-“

“That’s sweet, Neteyam, but I-“

“Let me help you, Y/N” His eyes are soft as they stare into your own and in that moment, you knew he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He hated when you were in pain and if there was one thing Neteyam stood by, it was that there was always a way to relieve it. “Go take a bath, I’ll um… I’ll go get some of your favorite fruits! Yeah, and some of that calming essential oil my grandmother has” His words were adorable, the way his tail swung when you smiled, and how determined he was to make you feel better.

“Okay, Tey” you finally give in making him smile, standing to his feet and he grabbed hold of your hand, helping you to stand up which made you laugh. “I don’t need—actually” A small smirk appeared on your lips before looking up at the Na’vi boy. If he was going to do this, you might as well play along, right? “Carry me to the pond?” You ask with confidence but slight hesitation. You and Neteyam had never been so close before but you found it nice that someone was taking care of you, especially him.

Who knows? Maybe this could be fun.

————

“Norm! My man, I need your help with something” The avatar’s and humans were shocked to see Neteyam none the less, he never came to the lab. It was known that neteyam did not like humans, and you had been the only one he truly never despised. Your father appeared out of one of the rooms almost instantly to tend to the oldest sully boy, removing his ear piece.

“That you, Neteyam? I must be dreaming” He grabs his hand, pulling him into a firm but quick hug, both of them pulling away with a laugh. “What did you need? You never come here” like I said, it wasn’t a secret Neteyam didn’t like humans, that’s the exact reason he never came to the lab. He was just like his mother after all.

“Could I use one of your computers? I just need to look up a few things” Norm furrowed his eyebrows at the question but brushed it off due to Neteyam’s straight expression, not wanting to explain the situation to him.

“Follow me” The two make their way to one of the rooms that had been filled with computers, an empty and quiet room since others would get suspicious if they saw him on the monitors. “Don’t mess with anything. They’ll kick my ass if you break something” Norm informs the oldest sully boy and they both laugh, neteyam watching as the avatar left the room before opening the computer.

“Alright, let’s see…” He opens the browser, searching for what helps with a period cycle. It would have made other men laugh but Neteyam was rather intrigued, reading all the symptoms you could have. He felt horrible that you were experiencing so much pain, his heart felt for you. “Exercise, medicine, heating pads… she’s tried all of these!” He groans, clicking on the link, but it was then, he saw the only other thing he would be able to do. “Intercourse…”

He was taken aback by the sudden change in topic, would that even be possible? Neteyam wanted to help you so horribly that he was questioning whether or not it was even safe. You were human and he was Na’vi, would it even work? He was much more bigger then you, your body was so small compared to his own, wouldn’t he break you?

Would you even… want to do that with him? It would just be a friend helping a friend… right?

He wanted to ask norm, truth be told—but he knew he couldn’t ask him that, especially about his own daughter. You were an innocent girl and Neteyam was on the fence about ruining that. He didn’t want to corrupt you in any way, he just wanted to help relieve your pain.

Don’t be mistaken, Neteyam has had the biggest crush on you for as long as he could remember but you were human—or at least half. You were the first child that was mixed with Na’vi and human through reproduction, and most of the clan didn’t even know what to call you. Neteyam always struggled with this fact because even though you could breath their air and had some of their skills, your body was still human, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to mate with you, or even be accepted by his clan. Your love was forbidden.

But he always wanted to know if you felt the same way, or how far he’d go to show you how he felt.

That’s exactly what he planned to do, that was the only thing he could do. “Y/N?” His voice is soft but questioning as he knocks on the door to your hut, not hearing a response from the inside. He could smell your scent so closely though, almost as if you had been right behind him—but when he heard your soft hums behind the hut, he knew exactly where you were.

The splashing sound of the water fall slightly covered your hums, but he could make out your figure from behind the water, laughing to himself as he watched you dance. You were standing behind the waterfall, inside the cave that was also filled with water like a private jacuzzi. For you, the water had been at your shoulders but for Neteyam, it only sat level with his waist.

His ears are too busy listening to your voice to notice he had been walking into the water, making his way toward you like a fisherman under a sirens call. What he was about to ask scared him so much, but he also could stop himself. Maybe it was time he came clean.

He entered the cave without alerting you, watching as your bare back flexed when you ran your hands over your body. Your back was turned to him with your long hair flowing down it, voice echoing through the cave like a beautiful song. He could make out the outline of your chest and it almost made him choke, he felt so wrong for walking in on you but how could he stop himself? You were so irresistible.

“Y/N” you gasp and quickly lower yourself into the water, turning toward the tall boy with hesitancy. How long had he been standing there? Did he see anything? “Sorry for scaring you I, uh… I was looking for you and-“

“It’s okay, Teyam. What’s wrong? You look nervous?” Your eyes are big looking up at him, genuinely worried but he only found it attractive, as if your eyes could talk. His bioluminescent freckles are slowly peaking through their glow which makes your heart thump; he always looked so pretty like this. You watch as he lowers himself in the water to his knees, making his way over to you. His face was only a few inches taller then your own now, but he had been so close to you, you knew if he reached up he would touch your bare body in an instant. “Nete…?”

He wasn’t scaring you, but he was definitely making your nervous. His eyes scanned every detail of your face, and you worried he might’ve been mad at you or something with his lack of expression.

“I went to the lab” He finally spoke, clearly his throat with a sigh. “I found out another way you could feel better…” You cock your head slightly but smile realizing how nervous he had been. He went to the lab for you? “I know I should’ve asked you first but I just want to help you, Y/N. I… I don’t want you to be in pain”

You smile, pushing a piece of hair behind your ear before shaking your head. “No, no. I think it’s cute, You know. That you went there for me and all. I know you don’t like humans” He scoffs out a chuckle making both of you laugh, nodding his head. “What did you find out?” You question but only watch how his body tenses up, almost as if he had been afraid to tell you. “Oh come on, you didn’t go for nothing”

You don’t fail to notice how his face softens to you, and how his eyes move from one of your eyes to the other. You could feel his tail brushing against your leg, and his small freckles glowed in the slightly dimmed cave. His lips part slowly and you watch as he lets out a small breath before straightening his back.

“Can i…” His ears bat down as you raise your eyebrows slightly, listening to his words. “Can i kiss you?” The question rings in your head for maybe 10 seconds before you even begin to breathe again. Did Neteyam Sully just ask if he could kiss you? Your best friend? A Na’vi….? You felt as if your legs could give out under you, but you just continue to look at him, trying to study if he had been joking. He lets out a small breath and chuckles awkwardly, shaking his head. “Sorry I… I didn’t mean to-“

“You want to kiss me?” Your voice is just above a whisper when you speak, and your eyes are searching his for the right answer. He nods his head with a small smile.

“Only if you’ll let me?” He takes a small step closer and you don’t even try to move, he could hear your heart beating horribly fast, and could see the look in your eyes as your cheeks grew hot from his words. I made her blush! Great mother she’s blushing! Neteyam held back his smile as he watches you look away from him, his tail swaying under the water.

You finally look up to him and nod your head, your smile so big your cheeks hurt from it. He only chuckles, cupping your small face in his large hand before he leans down to press his lips against your own, and in that moment you didn’t even care you were naked under the water.

You move closer to him, allowing your breasts to press against his chest. You could feel his heartbeat with your hand against his body, it was racing just like yours. His arm was so strong around your waist, and his kiss was delicate like a small passionate peck. You always imagined your first kiss, especially with Neteyam.

Neteyam couldn’t get enough of your scent; your sweet, vanilla and coconut scent. You smelled like heaven, and even though you weren’t Na’vi, it was like you had pheromones that sent butterflies to his stomach. He felt this claim over you, like you were meant to be his, like you were his mate.

The two of you pull away slowly, still only inches away from each other. Neteyam was more confident to ask now, to tell you what he found on the internet.

“I read that, uh… that…” Maybe he wasn’t ready, but your reassuring hand on his arm made it all come out at once. “I read that having sex could help a lot” Your mind went blank when he said that. Did you hear him correctly? Sex? With Neteyam? That couldn’t be possible… right? A human with a Na’vi…

But you hated the fact this thought had crossed your mind so many times. The thought of Neteyam being your first and last, the thought of him being your first everything… it was an image you thought of a lot.

“I just… I just wanna help you, Y’know? Just wanna make you feel better” If he couldn’t see you, you would’ve been biting on your nails right now but instead your just staring at him, almost unresponsive as you fight the thoughts in your head. Could you even do this? You wanted to… but could you?

“I… but I’m bleeding” You point out with a slight sadness in your voice, and Neteyam’s hands grab your waist gently to pull you even closer to him then before. He didn’t care and you saw that, he just wanted to help you no matter what it was that you needed. Your mouth opened but almost insanely shut again due to your lack of response, and you couldn’t help yourself from pulling his face back into your own.

Your lips move perfectly in synch as soon as they lock, and in no time he has your legs wrapped around his large waist, kissing you passionately under this waterfall. A soft moan escapes your lips when he pushes his tongue against your own, and sets you on a ledge on the waterfall so he could stand up and be level with you. You don’t even realize your state until the air hits your skin, causing you to pull back from him to look down between you.

“I… Neteyam” You catch your bottom lip between your teeth as you notice your naked bodies. Though neteyam didn’t even realize your words when his eyes roam your body, fingertips tracing every curve until they reached your thighs. Your nipples were perked high, and you could already feel the pool form between your legs. Then there was his body; His very large body that was fully bare, his cock pressing against your calf. “Will this work…? Will it-“

“You ask too many questions, Tanhì” He trails, allowing his hands to move to your hardened breasts. You watch lustfully as he leans down to your neck, kissing your skin hungrily as if you were his last meal. Part of you was nervous, but the other part of you was curious. You wanted to feel him—touch him.

“Mmm…” You lay your head back against the stone behind you, laying a hand on the back of his head as he begins to trail kisses down from your neck. His large hands knead your breasts tenderly until his mouth is hovering just above one of them, tongue flicking against your nipple. “Neteyam…” Great mother how badly he’s always wanted to hear that… his name slip through your lips.

You let out a shack breath when his tongue pressed harder against and around your nipple, his other hand rolling your free nipple between his fingers. Neteyam couldn’t keep his eyes off your pretty yellows, noticing what made you moan even louder for him to keep going. He payed close attention to your body language as you grind yourself against him the best you could, feeling his hardening cock press even higher up your thigh.

“Tey, I… could you…” Neteyam watches you struggle through your words, your breath taken the moment his lips kissed your soft skin. You wanted to speak, but staring into his eyes as he completely worshiped your human body, was so fucking attractive and made you hot to his touch. “Touch me” You say in a breathless demand which makes him smirk and pull away from your nipple, placing more and more kisses back up your body till he reached your neck.

“I thought you were nervous?“ He points out in a cocky tone, one of his large hands laying on your thigh as it creeps up against his body. He’s practically trapped between your legs now and you love every second of it, your soft hands combing thorough his braids the more his lips moved up your neck. He was right, you were nervous but there was just something about him… something you couldn’t turn away from.

You let out a small gasp when you feel the head of his cock press against your inner thigh, just inches away from your core. Your body felt so needy for his, like he had flicked a switch as soon as he kissed you and you were suddenly all his to toy with. “Kiss me?” You ask while his head is still between your neck, nails scratching his skin gently as he pulls back up.

It felt surreal. It felt like just yesterday you were pulling his tail and now you were under him, begging him to make you feel better. When his lips touched yours, you felt those familiar butterflies in your stomach along with the tingling feeling between your legs—almost as if his touch had set your skin ablaze.

His lips were soft against yours with a hint of hunger, one of his hands snaking to the side of your face to pull you closer. You wanted to kiss him forever, you wanted to soak up as much as you could of him because you knew this was merely only to help you, but only Eywa knows you wanted more then that.

Ever since you were a little girl you always loved Neteyam. You father was Norm after all, which meant you were born very close to the sully family from the start. You watched Neteyam grow since as long as you could remember, sticking by his side whenever times got tough with his father. You were there for his first Ikran ride, and you cheered him on when he completed his rite of passage. Neteyam was going to be a strong Olo’Eyktan, that was for sure, but you always hated the fact he would have to mate with someone and forget about you.

It wasn’t hard to fall for the chiefs son, much less Neteyam. He was pretty in every way, and his way with words was always so beautiful.

“Mawey, Tahnì. We’ve got time” The boy mumbled against your lips, leaning his forehead against yours to slow you a down a bit. You blush out of embarrassment, you didn’t mean to rush, you were too caught up in the moment—too caught up in him. Neteyam watches as your cheeks burn a gentle pink which makes a smile pull his lips, and he can’t help but lean down to kiss your cheek. “It’s okay, I’m getting a little impatient too”

His words are just above a whisper when your eyes meet, his big yellows staring into your beautiful blue’s. He always got so lost in them, they were different from everyone else’s. You could feel his heart beating against his chest with how close you had been, how his tail brushed your thigh. Great mother, it was impossible to stay away from him.

Your hand, which already had been wandering his skin, is now just above his pelvis, threatening to touch him where he hurt the most. “You don’t have to suffer for me” You breath out gentle against him, and you watch as his lips part with a slight shudder when your fingertips graze the head of his cock.

“Y/N…” He warns barely audible as you small hand tries its best to wrap around him, but he was far too big and it was merely impossible. His lips reattach to yours before you could say anything else, and his hand slowly pulls yours away from him, beginning to trail passionate kisses down your body.

Neteyam knew you were a virgin, you didn’t even have to tell him. He remembered when you’d stay up for hours when norm and Jake had been away, talking about what you two wanted for the future or stupid things like when your first kiss would be.

Neteyam wasn’t a virgin. Hell, he was the chiefs son.

He had his fair share of girls since he was 17, but they were never really his priority. Most of the time he slept with girls to get his mind off of you, and how he couldn’t have you. Your father had seen the connection between the two of you at your very young age, always whispering to Jake whenever you’d braid Neteyam’s hair or fall asleep on top of each other somehow.

He was perfect for you in your dads eyes.

“This okay?” The boy softly asks when he presses the pad of his thumb against your clit, and you nod releasing a shaky breath. Your scent was far too strong, like a drug almost. His eyes are fallen to your bare body, stuck on the curves against your skin.

“It’s not nice to stare, Teyam” Your words lift his gaze back to your own, allowing him to notice your nervous eyes. You were afraid he wouldn’t find you attractive enough. Given you didn’t have a na’vi body and definitely not what he was used to, but if anything, Neteyam was more attracted to you then he’d ever been with anyone before.

“You have no idea how beautiful you are” The boy’s words come out gentle and soft, like a bandaid you lay atop an open wound to make it stop bleeding. Your cheeks are flush red as you sit up, laying your hands on the back of his neck. He watches closely as your eyes slowly flutter shut at the tingling feeling between your legs, the feeling he sent you with just his finger. You looked so beautiful like this, and you were so wet already. “Feel good?”

“Mhmmm… always feel so good when your around, Tey” His ears perk high at your words and he could feel his heart jump, glancing down at how his fingers played at your forbidden area. “Mm!” Your hand comes clasping around his wrist to stop his movements, feeling the pressure become a little too much to handle.

Neteyam can’t help but chuckle as he cups the side of your face with his free hand, pressing your bottom lip down with his thumb. “I’ve got you, Tanhì. Give yourself to me, let me make you feel better” his words ring in your ears as he reattaches his lips to your neck, rubbing faster circles against your clit right when you let go of his wrist. Give yourself to him?

“Neteyam…Neteyam” You repeat breathlessly and grab onto his shoulders, allowing your moans to fall from your lips so gentle you didn’t even notice you had been rambling. Neteyam’s cock was growing painfully hard now. He couldn’t take much more of the waiting, he couldn’t listen to your moans anymore without grunting in the pain he suffered.

“Need you to come for me, pretty girl. Can you do that for me?” You hum with a tense body, grip tightening around Neteyam’s arm as he chased your high. Whimpers are slipping from your lips without warning, and you could feel the growing tension in the pit of your stomach.

“Tey—Neteyam..!” Your words are shuttered by a gasp when you press your legs against his body, and push your head back against the stone under you, feeling yourself come undone. The boy above you whispers praising words in your ear as his finger slows against your clit, easing you out of your very intense high. Your chest was already heaving and you barely even started, and the way Neteyam’s eyes glued to your own made your cheeks grow hot with embarrassment.

“That’s it… good girl” His words make a shiver run down your spine, almost as if he’d reached in your body and touched your soul itself. He chuckles at your state, glancing down between you as he pulls his finger from your wet cunt, watching as your slick ran down his blue skin. You watch closely as he slips his thumb in his mouth, the sweet taste of you splurging against his tongue. You were sweet, tasted like one of the forest fruits he always loved to eat.

“Wait” you stop him from pulling your legs farther apart, slightly sitting up to look down at the unfamiliar part of him that had been pressing against you for so long. “Can i… touch you?” Neteyam’s eyes soften at your request, noticing how your eyes scanned his painfully hard cock. “It’s only fair, Right?”

After being hesitant for a second, the boy couldn’t help but smirk in the moment, cupping the side of your face. “What kind of best friend would I be if I said no?” Best friend… great mother, how were you going to survive? Neteyam had thought you only meant touching him, but to his surprise, you lowered yourself back into the water, now standing just as tall as his mid stomach.

As soon as you wrapped your small fingers around his cock, you felt how it pulsed against them, and you could hear the shaky breath that left your best friends mouth in that moment. God, even his cock had been pretty. He was long in length, somewhat thick but not to the point you found it impossible. The base of his cock was a darker blue like his skin tone, while it got lighter as you moved up, and his tip stood out in a lighter red/soft pink tone.

“You don’t have to-“

“I always knew you were pretty, but I never expected this” You mumble but his hearing is far too good to ignore it, which your words sent heat through his cheeks. Your hand is barely able to wrap around him, but your eyes stare up at him confidently as you stroke his length gently. “A pretty cock for a pretty boy” You smile, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth. Neteyam lets out a deep breath when he reaches his hand down to your face, cupping your cheek with his large hand.

“A gorgeous girl deserves that, doesn’t she?” He hums, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. With another glance down, your able to see the slightly blue-tinted pre that leaks from his tip, practically begging you for your tongue. Neteyam’s hand is still against your face but slowly moves to your head, noticing your hesitation.

You move your head down with his soft guidance against it, stopping when your lips were just a few inches from his leaking tip. You wanted to taste it, to discover the secrets your best friend had kept from you for so long. It was truly a dream you’ve had many times, but you were sure they wouldn’t compare to the real thing.

“Just the tip, Tanhì. Don’t want you getting hurt, do we?” Neteyam taunts above you, sucking in a sharp breath once you finally press your tongue against his skin. Your eyes close when the sweet taste hits your tongue, and you can’t help but hum around his cock approvingly. “Kalweyaveng… just like that, Y/N” He breathes, the warmth of your small mouth taking the head of his cock with a nice welcome. Your hand is still stroking the rest of him, helped by the water so his cock had been wet from the start.

You pull back slightly after awhile to run your tongue along the side of it, flicking it over his sensitive spots. “Like this?” Neteyam groans, his fingers slowly starting to grip your hair. The bioluminescent freckles against his cock begin to glow brighter, alerting you of his arousal which makes you blush. The Na’vi was holding his pretty sounds from you, trying his hardest to hold it together.

“Just like that” his words are extremely faint as he looks back down to you, watching as you place him back in the warmth of your mouth. You knew he was getting frustrated when more and more pre leaked onto your tongue, begging for something much more then your mouth. Which is exactly why he pulled your head off of him and reached down, pulling you back up to sit on the ledge.

You frown, “was I not good-“

“You were fucking perfect, Y/N. I just—fuck, I need you” He lays you back against the stone once again, his large hands roaming your bare skin. “Great mother” You laugh as he cursed himself, head dropping down to capture the skin of your neck between his lips. You let out a soft moan as your hands traveled his body, indulging in the amazing feeling of him against you. It felt like his hands were everywhere—touching you, kissing you… he was practically apart of you. You could feel every emotion that coarse through his body, every loving feeling of his heart thumping against his chest. “N-Need you, Y/N”

You smile at his whimpers, this didn’t feel like just sex; this felt so much deeper, so much more sensual and it was doing so much to the both of you. Even through the pain and need for his body against your own, your mind still fogged with fear, reaching down to feel where his cock pressed against your thigh. “Neteyam” He let out a shaky breath once your fingers graze him, your hand clasping around his length in curiosity. You both looked between you at your movements, and you could no longer tell which side to listen to—your body or your fear. “Neteyam…” you repeat, tired of fighting with your mind and he looked to you with concern, realizing the slight panic in your voice.

He noticed your face twist in resistance and quickly cupped your cheek, stopping your hand from exploring the forbidden part of his body. “Y/N, Look at me” He didn’t need the bond to feel your fear inside and out, almost instantly rushing to sooth your frantic mind. You wanted this, you did—it was just so scary. “We don’t have to do this, okay? There’s other ways I can take care of you” His accent is soothing against your ear but you shake your head, wrapping your hand around his wrist gently.

You and him both knew your anxiety was off the charts some times, but you definitely wanted to do this with him. You were in love with him, and you wanted nothing more then to show him how much you loved him. “I want to do it, I do i just-“ Your rambling is cut by his lips, softly pressing into yours sweetly. He heard you, he saw you and he definitely understood you. “Slow?” He chuckles, leaning his forehead against yours.

“Always” He kisses the palm of your hand and you feel your heart fall flush with love, that smile he so desperately loved reappearing across your lips. “Tell me if it’s too much, yes?” You nod, kissing the bridge of his nose before he stood back up, pulling your body closer to the edge so it pressed against his. Your top half felt empty without him there but you held out, propping yourself up on your elbows to watch his every move.

He took his painfully hard manhood in his hand, gently running it along your dripping wet slit. You both could’ve got off just by this motion, just off the sight of one another like this. The first time was always painful, Neteyam knew that. He wanted nothing more then to make it the most comfortable and loving experience you could’ve imagined. He didn’t want to have sex, he wanted to make love to you—make you feel all his love that’s been pent up all these years.

“I’m gonna go real slow, okay? I won’t hurt you” You smile at his soft words, knowing how afraid he was of actually hurting you in any way, shape or form. You reassure him as he slowly pushes himself past your entrance, only the tip of him steadying inside you. You bite your lips, already feeling the slight burning sensation between you. He was so big compared to you, and you knew there was much worse pain to come. “This is the hardest part, Ma’Tìyawn”

You didn’t care, you just wanted him close to you and he saw that. He saw your nervous eyes almost instantly and leaned his body down to your own so he could hover over you. “It’s okay, Teyam” You whisper and feel your breath reflect off his face onto yours, faces only inches apart. He dips his head down to your neck, pulling the skin between his lips as he pushed a further depth inside you. The pain grew immensely and your nails dug into his back, grunts escaping his mouth.

“I know, I know” He soothes beside your ear, trying his hardest to keep his composure. You felt so good around him, like your body had been made to fit with his. “Your doing so good, Baby. It’ll get better, just relax for me” Your needs are telling you to take all of it at once but you know in your mind you’ll get hurt, or at least be horribly sore in the morning. You let out a gasp when he pushes further, pushing your hand against his chest with a cry. “Good girl” He praises, glad you had told him instead of hiding your pain.

“It hurts, Tey…” He shushes you, wiping your cheek off with the gentle pad of his thumb. You still wanted this more then ever and he knew that, but he’d be lying if he said it wouldn’t be hard. Neteyam must’ve waited forever until you gave him the okay, making sure he didn’t push you over your edge. He wanted to take care of you, he needed to make you feel better.

“There you go, That’s it” His coaching words help your body relax and he takes his time pushing into you all the way, earning a louder moan from your lips when he buried himself inside you.

“I—you—fuck” He chuckles at your stuttering voice and pulls your ear between his teeth, watching them perk at his sweet voice. “So big…” Now it’s his ears perking at your praise, and you can feel his hands tighten around your body. Even through the pain you smirk, placing a kiss against his shoulder. A praise kink, huh? What else was there to him? You thought to yourself, pulling his head up in front of your own. “Just give me a second, okay?”

Neteyam smiles, planting a soft kiss against your lips before mumbling against them, “take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere, Tanhì” His big eyes stare into yours with patience, and his hand slips between you to find your sensitive bud. Your cheeks flush a dark red at his words, and it almost makes you want to utter the forbidden words you’ve always wanted to say.

I love you. The words flood your mind while your fingers touch gently along his face, moaning at the sensation he had been giving you in every way.

He sucks his bottom lip between his teeth, glancing between you nervously but you quickly pull his gaze back to you, nodding your head. He was so cute like this, so afraid of hurting you. He nods his head before capturing your lips in a passionate kiss, gently moving his hips against your own. You felt so full of him, so full you felt like you could break in half. Your cramps were slowly starting to go away with every small thrust, your moans growing louder as he buries his head in your neck.

“Y/N your… shit—so tight” He breaths against you and you let out a soft moan, his ears perking at the sweet sounds you made. “Doing so good… fuck, you take me so well” Oh how the butterflies in your stomach made you giggle, crashing your lips against his again. His hands were gentle against your body but his pace slowly increased with time, and every moan and gasp you let out would only encourage him more.

“Teyam…” The sound of his name rolling off your tongue made him almost feral, and he could only watch as your eyes roll back and your legs squeeze his body. Now, all your pain had gone away. Your cunt was soaked from the mix of your slick and blood, making it such an easy access to the boy above you. You held his face, eyes never leaving his even with every shock of pleasure he sent you. His forehead was soon covered in sweat and so was yours, all that could be heard in the forest were your loud moans that covered his small whimpers. “More, Tey. Please” Your body speaks for you and he instantly grants your wish, pulling both of your legs up to lay against his shoulders.

Your mouth fell open as his tip kissed your cervix, reaching a depth you didn’t even know he could go. This is exactly what you needed, and it made it almost impossible to stay quiet. “Your the only girl I want saying my name. My gorgeous girl… great mother, Ma’Y/N. You are so beautiful, you know that?” He moves closer and you whimper at the stretching of your legs, massaging his arm as your head fell back against the grass.

“Your the gorgeous one, Tey” You tease through a moan and he only chuckles, leaning down to kiss your jaw. This boy was your life in one person and you weren’t ready to lose him—not to a Na’vi or anyone else.

His teeth pull your ear and you giggle, nails digging into his back so hard you knew you left a scratch. That feeling is back, the one you got before that sat in the pit of your stomach. Neteyam could feel you pulsing around him, and this only made him slow down, taking his time to make every stroke deep enough to the point you could feel every inch of him.

“Neteyam… I’m…” Your words are shortened by your shaky breath but he sees right through you, and he’s quick to hold your thigh, picking up his pace just a bit to draw you to your edge. He wanted you to scream it—to tell the whole forest how only he could’ve helped you. Neteyam was so set on it. After this, there was no turning his feelings away anymore.

“Scream my name, pretty girl. You deserve it” It felt so forbidden the way he slipped inside you with ease now, how something so much larger then you was welcomed by your body like you were it’s home. He applies more pressure, both inside and outside of you, holding your leg firmly against his shoulder.

“Neteyam. Oh, my god” you moan his name louder, nails digging deeper against his large shoulders. You’re completely lost in him, and you’d didn’t care. You didn’t care about someone hearing, or what this would mean afterwards, you just needed him with you—right now.

“I’ve waiting too long for this” He grunts against your ear making your stomach flip, and you can’t help but question through a moan.

“W-what?”

But he dips his head back down to kiss you, driving his hips back against yours in a passionate thrust. He ignored your question purposely, he wasn’t going to ruin the moment the two of you were sharing. Of course you didn’t understand his comment. Hell, Neteyam knew better then to believe you loved him. You always saw him as your family, like a brother.

But that was far from true.

“Neteyam” He was far too caught up in the blissful feeling between you, and you watch closely as his bioluminescent freckles glow brighter, another kiss planting against your lips. Then there it was again; that pit in your stomach.

That pit that cried to your body for a release, that pit that built the worst pressure against your abdomen, and that pit that neteyam had put there.

But he had been pulsing inside you too, and you felt every last bit of it. Every beat, and heard every grunt that left his mouth. He was eager, just as you.

“I’m… oh, fuck! I’m coming, Tey..!” You warn against his lips. Neteyam’s answering moan vibrates all around your lips, sending a shockwave to your stomach when you’re just barely tipping over the edge.

“Come for me, Tanhì. My perfect girl, come just for me” You grow dizzy and you can do nothing but submit to him, unapologetic when you moan his name the loudest you could. He’s pushing harder and faster, just the way you needed and somehow, someway, this became much more than just sex.

He was making love to you, and you noticed it as soon as he caressed your face.

“Neteyam!” You scream, biting down on your lip to stifle any louder moans that could’ve gotten you caught. Your body feels it—the crashing of your orgasm, the tightening of your stomach, and the slick that poured from your sopping cunt. Your legs tighten around the boy just as your walls around him do, and you leave Neteyam a grunting mess above you.

“That’s it—fuck, good… good girl” The heat between you is more intense now then ever, all that could be heard was the sound of your heavy breathing and moans mixed together. “Fuck, Y/N” His body trembles and his thrust become sloppy, shoving himself against you one last time before he’s just over his edge.

He pulls himself from you with a grunt, and a long moan is heard from the both of you when his light blue release spills onto your stomach, coating you in it. His body jerks into his hand and your head falls back against the stone under you, chest still heaving with pure exhaustion.

It’s a good two minutes before either of you were able to move, but even then, you chose to stay in the position you had been in, except now you were rolled over—head laying against his large chest.

“That was…” You mutter under your breath, unable to finish.

“Unbelievable” He replies, making you look up at him with the a small laugh, except this time it was more innocent. The boy looks down at you and it’s clear he can’t hide it anymore, he can’t keep acting like his feelings for you don’t exist. “Feel better?” Neteyam asks with a gentle stroke to your arm, comforting your tired body against his.

“So much better” You hum with a smile, laying your head in the crook of his neck. “Thank you, Tey” His face falls at your words, replying with a simple anytime. He wasn’t ready to leave you, to go home without you by his side. This could be the only night you’d ever be this close, and he knew this would be the only time to admit his feelings for you, but he just couldn’t. “I’m happy with this, you know”

His forehead creases at your words, “what do you mean?” He’s nervous, you could hear his heartbeat against his chest, and it was quickening by the second. The soft pads of Neteyam’s fingers brush your hair away from your face, just in time for you to look up at him with a smile.

“This, us, you…” us? Did you mean to say that? “I’m glad it was you” And there it was, the realization between both of you. You were no longer in the dark and mist of each other, but you now saw each other clearer than day itself, and it made you wonder.

Was this ever just a pain reliever?

Ughhh I kind of hate this… feels so rushed :/

My writers block is terrible but I’m trying to write day by day, hopefully I’ll have another Jake sully smut out soon!

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[inlovewithpandora]

- Too Close -

Pairing: Jealous!Tsu’tey x fem!Avatar!reader

Request: [ @teyamsbitch ] "Why are you getting so jealous of them?" "Because they are clearly all over you, that's why. w/ Tsu'tey » post. — reader was accepted alongside Jake and also passed the transfer. (Before this Tsu’tey and reader had already mated) Tsu’tey is jealous of Jake and reader friendship especially when Jake's platonic (not to Tsu’tey) touches reader, Tsu’tey gets frustrated. Reader assures him that she only wants him.

Synopsis: When Tsu’tey looks across the room and sees Jake being touchy with you for the millionth times it burns a fire of jealousy within him.

Content: angst → fluff, Tsu’tey getting jealous, reader is confused by Tsu’tey’s behavior, Tsu’tey confronts reader about his feelings, reader reassures him he’s the only one for her, cute little jealousy fic!

Author’s Note: Thank you for requesting, I hope it fulfills your expectations and that you enjoy!

- This is my first Tsu’tey fic!

Word Count: 951

Glossary: Oeyä tìyawn - My love || skxawng - idiot, moron

Extra: Requests are closed!

Links: Navigation || Avatar Masterlist || Main Masterlist || Taglist

"Jake, stop tickling me, you skxawng!" You shout in between laughs as you try to swat his hands away from you.

You and Jake are sitting next to each during communal dinner, and as always both of you are talking, joking, and having a good time. You both have always been close knit, but with you being accepted in the clan and having to do hours worth of training together to learn the Omatikaya ways, it has brought you even closer than before.

As Tsu'tey talks to his hunter trainees about their performance today, he looks out the corner of his eye and can see Jake with his signature smirk on his lips as he stands behind you and lightly squeezes your shoulders. The calm expression that was on his face quickly washes away and a small growl erupts from his throat. Watching the smile on your face and the way Jake can make you laugh makes him envious of the bond you both have.

“I will be back,” is all Tsu’tey says before striding over to where you and Jake stand.

“Oh my goodness, Jake, stop, seriously!” The way Jake keeps telling you jokes, your sides begin to ache and your stomach starts to hurt.

As you look upwards, you can see Tsu’tey coming toward you. “What’s up, brother?” Jake says as he goes in to greet Tsu’tey.

“Move, demon!” He scoffs, shoving Jake out of his path and walks in front of you. When you notice Tsu’tey’s ears are flattened, you realize that he’s mad about something but you don’t know exactly what yet.

“Tsu’tey, what’s wrong?” You ask, concern lacing your tone.

“Come. Now.” By the deepness of his voice, you know that he means business, so you push yourself off the ground and begin following Tsu’tey to your shared mauri.

When both of you walk inside, you close the flap behind you and walk up towards him. “‘Tey, what’s bothering you? Why are you so upset?”

“Why are you and Jake so close?” He questions, straight to the point as his tail begins to move behind him. This question has been burning inside him for weeks. He’s been wanting to bring this matter up to you, but he didn’t want to seem like he was making a big deal out of nothing. Now it’s gotten to the point where he can’t bite his tongue any further.

“Me and Jake are friends, so that means we are close.”

“Well, I don’t like it.”

“Why not?” You ask with a raised brow. You know Jake and Tsu’tey have a sort of complicated friendship, but you also know that deep down, he likes Jake even though he isn’t fond of admitting it, so you can’t understand why he’s against both of you being friends now.

“The reason is unimportant.” He murmurs as he walks to the other side of the marui, now silently regretting even bringing up the topic. He had a reason, but admitting it was the tough part.

You follow his path, unallowing him to wiggle his way out of the conversation. “No, it is important if it’s making you so upset that you pull me away from dinner, so tell me the reason.” Tsu’tey doesn’t respond to you, he just continues walking as if your words are falling on deaf ears.

“What is it, Tsu’tey? Hm? Is it because we’re close or are you just jealous?” A small laugh comes behind the word ‘Jealous’ because you never thought your mate would ever be jealous of anyone, especially Jake, but when you see the way Tsu’tey’s body language change; how he stops in his tracks with his ears folding down to his skull, it all comes to pieces that your unknowingly suspicion of him being jealous is in fact true.

“Why are you getting jealous of Jake?” You ask him in a soft tone as you walk in front of him.

"Because he's clearly all over you, that's why!” His voice begins to escalate as a flashback reel races through his head of all the times he’s watched Jake touch you. In his mind, every touch was romantic, nothing about Jake’s touch seemed platonic in his eyes.

It all begins to make sense to you. You now understand why Tsu’tey seemed so irked with Jake’s presence lately. “Oeyä tìyawn, I promise you’re the only man I want. Jake is a nice guy, but I don’t see that skxawng as anything else but a friend.” You grab his hand and gently place it against your chest. “My heart only beats for you Tsu’tey. No one else can make me feel the way you do.”

A warmth begins to swarm Tsu’tey’s chest as your words kiss his ears. He knew that your soul was forever linked with his and that you would never look at another man with a loving stare, but to have you reassure him that he is your one and only love makes his need to be jealous slowly fade away.

“I see you, y/n.” His voice is much softer, coated with an affectionate tone as he pulls you closer to him.

“I see you, ‘tey. I always will.”

I hope you enjoyed🩷!

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Editor - @justmemyselfandthemoon

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[nilsavatar]

DAY 23 BITING - Part 4

Parings: Neteyam x Fem!human

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3

Genre/Warnings: fluff, ANGST, introspective, delicate themes (hibrid pregnacy, political and ideals conflict). All characters are AGED-UP. This the sequel of the @layla2-49 request used to fullfil the promp day 23 of lunakinktober 2023

Summary: Following the unexpected pairing that occurred at the Tree of Souls, after connecting as only two Na'vi normally could, Celeste and Neteyam entertain a clandestine relationship. Several times they have discussed coming out, but the girl is too prey to her insecurities as a human to do so. It is Eywa who will decide for both of them with a disconcerting revelation: they have conceived a hybrid child.

Word Count: 4,5k

Masterlist - Request a fic

In the bioluminescent glow of Pandora’s night, Jake Sully stood at the forest's edge, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The vibrant nature around him buzzed with life, yet an unsettling turmoil brew within him. As olo’eyktan of the Omatikaya and Toruk Makto, he had faced countless challenges, but none as perplexing as the transformation unfolding before him.

Celeste, a human who had become an integral part of their clan, was undergoing a metamorphosis that defied all understanding. Eywa had blessed her union with his son, yet the consequences were unprecedented. To say that the news of Celeste’s pregnancy sent shockwaves through both the scientists and the People would be an understatement. A tawtute woman carrying the offspring of a Na’vi? It was far beyond imagination. The avatar bodies—engineered through terrestrial brilliance, blending both genomes in just the right sequence to function under Pandora’s conditions—were compatible with the natives. Little Socorro was only human, though—kind of. Her body was changing, adapting in ways that blurred the lines between Earthborn and Pandoran.

The man’s mind raced with questions in the nighttime peace, hugging his half-sleeping wife in one of their occasional getaways from responsibilities and worries. Though this one was hard to forget even for an evening. “This isn’t like what happened to us,” he said, suddenly, breaking the silence of sweet slumber, thinking about Spider’s sister seated in the shade of their kelku, her hands resting on her growing belly. “I was logged in my avatar when we mated. I was Na’vi, physically. But her? There’s no scientific explanation.”

After the commute at the Tree of Souls, the clan split in two. Some supported the child as a sign of mutual prosperity, a miracle meant to exist in the balance of the world. Others, however, labeled it an ill omen, a violation of the natural order, feared what they couldn’t understand.

“It is not natural.” “Eywa may have allowed the union, but this... this is wrong.”

Jake had heard it all before. The same fright, the same resistance to change that had nearly torn the Omatikaya apart when colonizers first came back to Pandora. But this time, he got that fright. Because deep down, beneath his duty as olo’eyktan and his instinct to protect his family, he felt it too. As wild as the perennial torment that the two sides of his very identity instilled in him.

“There is no scientific explanation for Eywa,” Neytiri stated, her voice serious, resolute just as it always was when faith and Na’vi culture were at stake. It was a conviction he has never fully embraced. The need to rely on science, on logic, on the knowable, was an earthly instinct he could never entirely cast aside. That lifeline—the belief that there was a reason behind everything, something demonstrable, classifiable, repeatable—was still a part of him. Neytiri might have agreed that there was a universal design, but her understanding of it was vastly different from his. Less analytical, less tangible than the laws of physics and biology, but to her, no less real. Perhaps, in some ways, even more so.

“It’s as much a mystery as Kiri conception.” “Not of the same scale, though.”  “We must trust the Great Mother nonetheless.” Jake exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. “Trusting her is one thing. Convincing the People...”

He was right. There was division among them. Leadership weighed heavily on his tired shoulders, and the safety of his loved ones, of Celeste and the baby, depended on the decisions he would make in the coming months. As the night creatures sang their melodies, Jake took a troubled breath, seeking clarity. The path ahead was shrouded in uncertainty, and for the first time in years, he felt the sting of doubt piercing his resolve. This wasn’t just about Celeste; it was about what she was becoming and what it would have meant for all of them. He knew Pandora. He had lived, fought, loved, and lost for this world. And he knew that when the Great Mother acted, it was always on purpose, even when it felt like uncharted territory.

It started subtly; Celeste first noticed it in quiet moments—when the dizziness from exertion subsided faster than it should have, when her heartbeat, once erratic in Pandora's dense atmosphere, slowed into a steady rhythm, perfectly in tune with the nature around her. Insects that normally avoided humans drifted closer during her strollings in the forest, as if sensing that she was no longer a regular alien walking in their world. Plants reacted to her touch, sending a pleasant tingling along her fingertips. Gradually, her senses were heightening beyond the limits of her species. She could hear animals weaving through the luscious vegetation, their calls reaching her feeble ears in way they never should have.

But then, the changes became undeniable She didn’t need the mask anymore.

The moment had come without fanfare. Celeste sat at the edge of a clearing, absentmindedly sketching in her notebook as the sun warmed her skin. Tuk sat beside her, both watching Neteyam train a small group of young aspirant warriors—the few still permitted to learn under their prince’s guidance. A shadow passed over Celeste’s face, the weight of guilt settling deep in her stomach, more and more pungent. Tuk, noticing, gently patted her forearm.

“Hey, don't think about it.” Cel forced a smile, though it did nothing to brighten her tired expression. “They would have signed farce papers to train with him first. Now, half the clan despises him, and the other avoids him out of fear.” “He is still the heir to the throne.” “How much longer?” she asked, her voice tight with distress. “Tsentey's faction is gathering more support every day. If they grow into a majority, it could mean exile for you. It could...” She trailed off, her fingers instinctively tightening over the slight swell of her belly. A tear caught the sunlight before she quickly lifted her head, blinking it away. “Sorry, Tuk-Tuk. I didn't mean to upset you.” “I'm old enough to listen to you if you need me.”

Celeste glanced at her, a genuine, grateful smile breaking through the tension. Tuk—still so small, yet already so mature. The rhythms of the clan left little room for childhood. By fourteen or fifteen, many had already completed Iknimaya and faced the Uniltaron—the Dream Hunt—to find their spirit animal and take their place as adults among the Omatikaya. Tuk’s own rite of passage was approaching fast, and for sure, growing up amid the ongoing conflict with the Sky People had only accelerated that process. Yet, she was still, indeed, a child. And Celeste wished she could protect that innocence just a little longer.

“Don’t worry for me,” she said with a sly grin. “Rather tell me about Enyetan.” The young woman arched a brow, giving her a suggestive look that made the teenager blush furiously. “Don't you start too!” Laughter bubbled from the sister-in-law's lips, warm and unrestrained. The sound carried across the clearing, reaching the ever-attentive ears of her mate, who couldn’t help but smile at the rare moment of lightness in the chaos of their lives.

What no one noticed, however, was how the energy in that laughter was off—wavering, unsteady. That day, the mask felt suffocating, the air too heavy and humid against her face. Suddenly, her breathing grew shallow, her throat constricting more at every second, intense heat searing through her airways. Panic should have set in; the desperate scramble for the emergency rebreather strapped to her belt. But it didn’t. The familiar choking weight of asphyxiation never came. panic. Instead, she felt light. Open. She gulped, and the air flowed freely into her lungs.

Pure. Fresh. Alive.

Her hands trembled as she hesitantly removed the exo-pack, bracing for inevitable. She expected her vision to blur, her throat to seize, the raw, toxic atmosphere of Pandora to set her lungs ablaze. Nothing happened. She inhaled deeply. No torturous pain, no giddiness. Just... oxygen filling her chest with an ease she had never known. Cool and sweet, like taking a true breath for the first time. The world around her looked brighter, colors deeper, sounds richer, the pulse of Eywa’s life clearer in her mind.

When she turned, Tuk was staring. “Cel...” she called with big, round, unblinking eyes. “Your mask.” 

Neteyam, mid-correction a boy’s stance with a bow, snapped his head in their direction, froze in place; a rare crack in his usual aplomb. Lo’ak, across the clearing, nearly dropped his spear as he strode over with a grim intensity, eyes flashing with disbelief. “Are you insane?” he blurted. “Put that back on before you drop dead!”  It was only then, as every pair of eyes locked onto her, that the human girl realized what she had done. Her breath was even, her chest rose and fell without resistance. She just shook her head, equally disoriented, “I... don’t need it.”

Neteyam was at her side in an instant, his large, calloused hands cupping her beautiful face, his lemon-gold eyes scanning hers with an unreadable mix of trepidation and alarm. “How?” The question wasn’t directed at her so much as at himself, as he looked at her with those giant orbs that characterized him in moments of extreme concentration. Pupils blown wide to the point they almost covered the entire iris. An adaptation response to threat, to enhance vision, to assess danger, to track an escape. His entire frame was on high alert, wired for protection. To keep his mate safe from something that was beyond unfamiliar, though.

This was odd.

For months, he had wrestled with sleepless nights and unshakable guilt. Gilt for giving in to his urges, for silencing reason when he should have resisted. No matter how much he loved Celeste, no matter how natural it had felt to surrender to his feelings, he should have held back. Instead, he had let desire eclipse caution, and now, she was paying the price. Inside, a sick weight settled in his gut, he felt lousy. He had failed at the one thing he had been trained for: protect. Maybe Tsentey was right. Maybe he wasn’t fit to lead. the leader of his people. How could he secure the clan if he couldn't even take care of his woman?

She reached for him, her fingers wrapping around his shaking hand, her respire hitched. “It’s the child.” Because what else could it be? What other options could explain what was going on with her?

Silence fell, thick and heavy. She could see the thoughts written plainly across their faces—the shock, the unease, the dread they didn’t dare voice. The training had come to a standstill. Stiff postures, atonic stares. Lo'ak and Tuk, who had been watching open-mouthed, exchanged a glance, their usual roguery absent for once.

A student’s voice, when it came, was quiet but edged with something serrated. “This has never happened before.”  “Shit,” Lo’ak exhaled, running a palm down his face. Neteyam's ears darted back at his brother’s reaction, tail lashing once before forcing himself to regain composure. Then, gently, he pressed his forehead to Celeste’s, his long fingers sliding down to cover hers over their unborn child. He tried—desperately—to ignore the whispers around them, the same echoing in the back of his mind, threatening to surface. “Isn’t this amazing, tìyawn (love)? I can finally admire you all day without this horrible mask hiding your beauty.” 

Celeste giggled at his ridiculous, love-drunk words, and for a fleeting minute, her preoccupations faded. Neteyam had always possessed this quiet strength—the ability to lift the weight off others’ shoulders, to remind them of the light even in the darkest moments. But it was also his greatest flaw. He carried too much. He took on burdens that weren’t his, stretched himself thin until he was on the verge of breaking.

Still, as he pressed their entwined hands against the gentle swell of her belly, warmth spread through her—not quite human, not quite Na’vi, but something in between.

There was content for a while, the nice, peaceful fondness of being in her lover's embrace. But it didn’t last. An acute sting twisted through her abdomen. She doubled over with a cry, her breath coming in ragged bursts. “What is it?” Neteyam asked urgently, his hand instinctively landing on her baby bump, aggravation evident in both his expression and voice. She couldn’t respond; the dull ache so severe it prevented her from speaking. The sensation wasn’t just pain—it was movement. Not the ordinary flutters of a fetus developing in the womb, this was deeper, stranger, as though something resonated within her. Not far away, the plants pulsed in time with her heartbeat, their faint radiance glinting like distant stars. Celeste clutched her stomach, feeling something under her skin shift. 

Kiri, who had been meditating high in the green canopy, sat upright. “It’s happening,” she whispered, her yellow eyes as large as a lemur’s.

By sunset, Celeste was in the ambulatory unit, surrounded by meds. The air soupy with tension; the sterile, white walls felt oppressive, nothing like the vast, living jungle or the cosy, homely ambience of Hometree. She sat on the examination table, palms firm over her tummy, mind reeling while they ran test after test, talking in hushed tones laced with both awe and fret.

The weight of the exo-pack she had worn her entire life was gone, yet the air in the lab had never felt stifler. Norm and Max worked in quiet urgency, moving between holo-screens displaying her vitals, their brows furrowed. The data didn’t make sense, her heart rate had slowed, more like Na’vi's than a human's. Her oxygen saturation was perfect—too perfect—the high carbon dioxide levels in the Pandoran atmosphere should have been affecting her, but they weren't. The ultrasound showed something incredible. She had developed wichow—the specialized organs, similar to kidneys, that allow natives to extract oxygen for their bloodstream from Pandora’s otherwise toxic air. A natural filter. A biological unfeasibility for her, still there it was.

Then there was the genetic scan. And that was when everything changed.

“This is phenomenal,” one doctor exclaimed, rubbing her temples as she stared at the results. Adjusting her glasses, she leaned closer to Max. “Her DNA is evolving. Look at his—her respiratory system has adapted to filtrate Pandora’s atmosphere, but it’s not solely adaptation. It’s... transformation.” She turned to the patient, her eyes filled with both scientific fascination and deep concern. “Your body isn’t just compensating for the pregnancy, Cel. It’s rewriting itself.” “What does that mean?” Neteyam’s reassuring grip on her shoulder stiffened while she shuddered. Max didn’t sugarcoat it. “The fetus isn’t a simple hybrid,” he explained, voice calm but dour. “It's triggering changes in you. Something in its DNA is interacting with yours in a way we’ve never seen.”  She swallowed hard, “I’m... mutating.”  Jake's words came out through clenched teeth, his jaw tight enough to snap. “That’s why she can breathe out there.” 

Neytiri stood rigid near the door, her narrowed eyes fixed on the glowing monitors. She didn't fully grasp the science behind the data plashing across the screens, nor the theories the experts were debating. But of one thing, she was totally sure: they had entered unknown territory. There were no answers here, no precedents. And the deeper they went in, the more question marks and anxieties sprung up. The creature Celeste was carrying was extraordinary in every sense of the term; not yet born, and already it was reshaping the world around it. This child—this impossible child—was changing everything from its very core.

But Celeste could see the unspoken fear in her eyes.

Kiri, who had insisted on coming, stood by her bestie’s side, her yellow orbs bouncing between the readings and her own intuition. “My nephew is part of both worlds. And now, so is Cel,” she stated softly. Spider shook his head, still baffled, struggling to wrap his mind around the unsettling reality. “That’s not how genetics works.”  The future tsahìk observed her friend with a grave look. “Nawna Sa’nok’s touch lingers on you,” she declared, pressing a cool palm on her forehead. 

Spider’s expression darkened, memories surfacing of all the times he had found Kiri lying in the middle of the wilderness, lost in a trance, nature beating around her. The way plants reacted to her touch, how she had tamed her ikran with freakish ease, how she swam through the currents, breathing underwater without any training as if she had always belonged to them. “You have felt this way before, haven’t you?” he asked, voice aloof with realization. Kiri nodded. “Not like this,” she admitted. “But yes. I have felt a... pull. A connection.” Her glance glimmered to her friend’s stomach. “It’s like Eywa’s energy is flowing through her.”  Neteyam’s jaw clenched, his hold on Celeste’s stronger. “Is she in danger?”  His sister’s lips pressed together into a thin line. “Was I?” she retorted, her words heavy with meaning.

“She’s not you.” Spider rubbed things in, rough, blunt, unable to conceal his growing agitation for his twin'. “Yet she has been chosen exactly as I was. As my mother was.”  “Your mother was an inanimate body in a fucking tank! She wasn't risking anything.” His remark was harsh and cruel, the tone leathery with frustration, but Kiri didn’t flinch. She knew he didn’t mean to hurt her. If anything, he had always been one of the few who had stood by her, defended her when others doubted. But just like everyone else in that room, Spider was terrified. As much as it hurt on a par with an anvil, she could find it in her heart to justify him. Celeste reached for him, squeezing his hand with one of hers while the other rested on her hip. The warmth inside her, the link she felt deep in her bones, was changing her at a fundamental level.

“Will I survive this?” she finally asked, voice barely above a whisper. The medical team couldn’t answer that question; the entire ordeal was new to everybody. Neteyam tensed beside her. Jake and Neytiri exchanged glances, the weight of precariousness dense between them, the pressure in the unit mounting at any second.

Truth settled over them like a murky, noxious fog. Neytiri’s ears flattened, her tail rolled dolefully around her leg as if seeking comfort in making herself small. One hand clamped against her chest, the other tentatively sought her husband's touch, resting on his contracted arm. His fist was clenched so tightly his knuckles had gone white, his other hand raking through his dreadlocks as he inhaled noisily through his flat nose. They had never shown such vulnerability before, or at least not at this magnitude. As parental figures, as leaders of the Omatikaya, they had always carried their burdens with quiet strength—as their firstborn son had learned to do. But now, stripped of that armor, their fear was palpable.

This only made Neteyam even more nervous. His whole frame was taut, trembling on the verge of exploding. His eyes, wide, glassy, shimmered with unshed tears, perfectly round and reflective like polished stones. He was there, present among them, but his spirit was somewhere far away. Cel—the love of his life— could have died, and no one could have stopped it. And for what? A child they never needed? A future they never chose? Why was Eywa doing this? Why them?

Their love was already complicated—strained by their incompatible species, haunted by past pain and resentment, burdened by the expectations of his status. He had thought he could cast it all aside, that he could embrace the reward the Great Mother had granted him. But that gift came with conditions—conditions so heavy that, had he known them in advance, he might have turned away. Yet none of it mattered. He would sacrifice his own happiness if it meant keeping Celeste safe.

In the fragile months after they had first come together, he had offered nothing but solace and praise. He had consoled when she was in distress, lifted her up when she doubted herself, encouraged her to trust her decisions—even the reckless ones as this one. But now, standing at the precipice of something unknown and terrifying, he could no longer do the same. He wished, more than anything, that he possessed the human gift for lying. At times like these, it would have proven useful—even if only to convince himself that everything would be fine, that at the end of this impossible journey, they would be happy. The three of them. Three, not two. Not just him and the baby. Not just him alone. Imagining a life without her was unbearable, and he refused to linger on the thought.

For a brief moment, once the initial panic had subsided, he had even allowed himself to believe that what was happening was beautiful. A miracle. Celeste could now breathe Pandora’s air—something that would surely help her through the long months ahead. But now, with this new revelation, he could no longer meet her gaze with comfort. Those warm, sweet, frightened, yet fiercely brave eyes searched his for reassurance. He had none to give.

Na’vi do not lie. And he would not offer false hope for something that, deep in his heart, frightened him so terribly.

As agitation grew, Norm reluctantly stepped forward and stroked his foot with the caring and kind manner of an uncle. “Look, we need more tests before we jump to conclusions. Right now, the priority is monitoring Cel’s condition. If your genome keeps reconstructing at this rate, we have no idea where it will end.”

*

The days blurred together in a haze of tests, scans, and restless nights where Celeste lay awake, feeling her body shift in ways she couldn’t see but knew were happening. The lab’s artificial lights felt oppressive, suffocating. The sterile environment clashed with the instincts waking inside her. She craved the jungle, the open air of Pandora—she needed to feel the earth beneath her feet, to hear the hum of life all around her. But every time she voiced this, Jake or Neytiri would exchange wary glances, and Neteyam would grip her hand a little tighter, unwilling to risk anything.

The fear in his eyes was worse than anything else. But the changes weren’t waiting for permission.

She no longer needed the exo-pack to breathe, that much was obvious. But it wasn’t just that: her lungs had changed. Max’s latest scans confirmed it. “They’ve elongated,” he said, adjusting his glasses as he stared at the results. “Your oxygen absorption rate has increased. You’re breathing like a Na’vi now.” Celeste touched her ribs absently while taking a deep breath from the inhaler—one designed for avatars and natives alike. She had already felt it. The deep, instinctual way her chest expanded when she inhaled, the effortless intake of Pandora’s air as if she had been born for it.

And her skin, once the soft beige of an Earthborn, had begun to repigment in tone—a faint iridescence beneath the surface was spreading, veins shimmering faintly in dim lighting. It wasn’t full bioluminescence like the Na’vi, but it was close.

Then there were her senses. At night, she could see in the dark. Not just in the way humans adjusted to low light, this was different. Colors took on a richer depth, details sharpened beyond what should have been possible. Smelling the lightest traces of the rainforest that clung to Neteyam’s skin, the sticky whiff of the cerulean paint his brother painted his body with, the pungent tang of disinfectant in the lab, once a mild annoyance, now felt nauseous. Scents she had never detected in the past. And her hearing—she could pick up sounds that no one else in the lab could. Conversations whispered in corners, the rustling of fabric from another room. She didn’t tell anyone, but she could hear the low, rhythmic hum of the planet itself when she closed her eyes. It was overwhelming.

And the baby—the baby was growing fast. Too fast. At just four months, she already looked closer to six. The doctors were baffled, worried. The hybrid nature of the child seemed to be accelerating everything as if her body wasn’t just adapting—it was rushing to keep up with whatever the baby needed.

Neteyam never left her side. She felt his hands on her belly every night, felt the quiet reverence in his touch as he whispered to the child in Na’vi, his forehead pressed to hers in silent devotion. But she also felt his dread. The terror that she would slip away from him. That she would become something unrecognizable or disappear entirely.

Celeste stared at her reflection in the sterile glass of the lab’s observation window, barely recognizing herself. Her fingers trembled as she traced the outline of her cheekbones. Were they more angular than before? It wasn’t just weight loss. The structure of her visage was subtly shifting—her features elongating ever so slightly, her eyes taking on a faint amber hue that had not been there before.

And her hair. It had thickened, the strands darkening from their usual color to something richer, a shade closer to the inky black of the People. When she moved, the fine strands caught the light in strange, reflecting tones of deep violet and green—pale but unmistakable.

The changes weren’t just superficial. Her senses were growing keener by the day. She could hear Jake and Neytiri talk outside the room, even through the sturdy walls. She could smell the faintest traces of the jungle that clung to Neteyam’s skin, scents she had never been able to pick up before. The stench of disinfectant of the compound, once lightly noticeable, now felt almost insufferable.

Then there was the most undeniable proof of her metamorphosis, the most disturbing change—her queue.

the way her body responded to Pandora’s energy. She could feel the pulse of the world in a way that made her dizzy. When she stepped outside, the very air around her seemed to hum against her skin. The plants, the ground, the very life of the moon—it was as if she were beginning to tap into something bigger, something she had never been meant to connect with as a human.

And the most undeniable proof of that was her queue. It had appeared three nights ago. Celeste had woken in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, her entire body burning as if feverish. Neteyam sprang into action immediately, pressing a damp cloth to her forehead, whispering soothing nothings as she gasped through the strange, intense sensation of her own body warping itself. When the pain finally ebbed, she had felt it, something pulling at the base of her skull. A tendril-like appendage forming, hidden beneath her thickening hair. It wasn’t fully developed—not yet—but the sensation was undeniable. A strange tingling at the back of her neck, as though her body was forcing her into something closer to the Na’vi.

The moment Neteyam realized, his eyes had gone wide, caught between stupor and scare, his hand trembling as he brushed over the barely formed kuru. He exhaled shakily, his gaze raw, almost reverent. “You’re not human anymore.”

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