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elysianightsss · 6 months ago

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Mouth watering sundress

Summary: John gives you a ride home from work, and his phone number…

It was the car ride from hell.

John drove with one hand on the steering wheel and one on the clutch, his truck smelled just like him. Oak wood, cigars and spiced oranges. It had a musky undertone that made you shift in your seat, thighs clenching uncomfortably. The Chevy he drove somehow didn’t surprise you and the country music quietly playing from the radio didn’t surprise you either.

His plaid button up shirt and loose blue jeans had you staring. You could see where the muscles were too big for his shirt when he changed gears it looked like it was going to rip. You wondered what it would feel like to have those muscular arms wrapped around your body.

You played with the hem of your floral sundress, tracing the little flowers while you scolded yourself for thinking such things about your gorgeous neighbour.

“How was work?” John asked with gentle curiosity, his big hand moving the clutch to change gear.

“It was okay.” You shrugged glancing out of the window only to look back at him and see a frown on his face.

“Just okay?” His eyebrows rose as he watched little old Doris pull out in front of him in her mini with no indication whatsoever.

“Yeah. I mean my job consists of listening to people complain on the phone and trying to fix their issues. It was pretty boring, only gets good when you get the screamers.” You laugh, watching the forest trees pass by as he drives.

“Screamers?” He asks, a small laugh coming out himself, though you picked up the concern dithering there. Tricks of the trade.

“People who start shouting or screaming down the phone as soon as you answer. Mostly cause they haven’t got they wanted from the company yet.” You explain, saying it so casually.

“That doesn’t sound too fun.”

“Maybe not fun but definitely an interesting change. Gives me something to think about on the weekends too. Maybe if I should have responded differently. How can I better my answers for next time it happens.” Your brows furrow slightly realising how pathetic you just sounded.

“No friends to make your weekends interesting?”he cleared his throat hoping he wasn’t too obvious here, “or boyfriend.” He glanced quickly at you out of the corner of his eyes to catch you cracking a small smile making one grow on his face too. So infectious.

“Some friends but they work on the weekends. And I don’t have a boyfriend.” That had John shifting into the wrong gear the car making a loud scraping noise, he scrambled to quickly rectify the situation before the car stalled.

“Fiance? Husband?” He grimaced saying it, if felt like a dirty word on his tongue, leaving a bitter after taste that quickly disappeared when he spotted no ring on your finger.

“Nope. Completely and pathetically single.” You sighed, not dramatic, but simply a deep breath that showed how tired you were from everything. And boy you were tired. Exhausted from the emotional stress of life.

“Oh?” His interest clear, just as much as his curiosity was.

“Every time I like a guy or even think about entering into a relationship, it always fucks up in a monumental way and I always end up hurt. Every single time.” You let out another tired sigh. It was hard to be single when both your friends had partners, always the third wheel. It made you really hate life at the moment. Though you suppose you’d been in worse positions than in a Chevy with your large, handsome neighbour.

You pulled up to a traffic light, John pulling up the hand break before turning to look at you with a deep seriousness gleaming not only in his eyes but on his face, his body language, his entire demeanour had become the embodiment of seriousness.

“I would never hurt you. Ever.” He was so earnest. It made your heart ache, yearn for the kind of man you’d always wanted but never had. Always boys, never men.

The light turned green just as you let out a shaky breath, fingers lacing together in your lap picking at your nails in nervousness. Heat rising on your cheeks when his hand reached over to lay itself on top of yours for a few moments before pulling your hands apart, “Don’t do that. You’ll ruin those pretty hands.” He lets go just as he looks deep into your eyes, “and we can’t have that can we.”

You didn’t know what to say, the glint in his eyes, the way he tipped his head to the side a bit. Fuck, he looked wonderful. You steeled yourself and consumed every bit of self confidence you had, “You think my hands are pretty?” You stared at him, blinking a few times, definitely not fluttering your lashes. Your eyes flickered to where his jaw seemed to clench tightly for a few moments.

The intensity was building as he leaned in closer to you, it had a burning feeling building in your stomach, a fluttering you’d never experienced before the longer he stared into your eyes

Before he could even open his mouth in reply the beeping of horns from the cars behind started going off. You cleared your throat turning to face the front of the car, “The lights green John.”

“Mhm.” It’s short. Sweet. And so fucking sexy. His voice gravely and low, rumbling in his chest as he hums. Prolonging his gaze upon you just a few more moments before he turns back to the steering wheel and begins driving off.

You quietly let out a breath you hadn’t realised had built up, it did nothing however to ease the fluttering in your stomach. Only seemed to make the nausea worsen. You made a point of not picking at your nails, instead you lay your hands over your thighs, the feeling of your skin and the material of your sundress distracting you enough to not see smirk that graced John’s lips.

John lips, those luscious kissable lips that seemed almost hidden away by the full beard that had grown around his mouth. Like some forbidden fruit hidden just enough in the garden of Eden. He seemed like some forbidden fruit.

He stopped the car just outside your house, getting out to open the car door for you to get out. “Thank you for the ride home.”

“Anytime sweetheart.” He gazed down at you, his height even more daunting now that he was standing. His whole being was just large. That was the best way to describe him.

Honestly, you thought about him for the rest of the evening and all night. You thought about his muscles, the way they stretched the fabric of his shirt over the skin. The way his hands seemed to dwarf everything, you wondered how big they would look holding yours. You thought about the way he smirked after calling your hands pretty. You thought about the way his blue eyes glistened when he gave you his phone number.

It was all you thought about. All that was on your mind with no way to get rid of it, no sign that the brazen thoughts would ever leave you. It was like your own personal brand of torture.

Even when you finally managed to drift off, you dreamed of him. Dreamed that he would touch you the way you wanted him to. That he would kiss you desperately, achingly. You were hungry to be touched by him, so hungry that even the very thought of tasting him made you feel nauseous. It had been so long since anything had touched you, that your body had grown accustom to the emptiness that gnawed at you day in, day out.

But maybe it was just what you needed, to push past the sickness. To hold on tight to the warmth that wanted to cover you, that wanted to wrap itself around you. But you couldn’t help but push it away, say no in cruel anticipation of the inevitable. Love is a tender kiss for most people. For you she saves her sharpest axe.

Waking up was humbling, how groggy and unhinged you felt after a night of thinking and dreaming of John. Rolling over in bed you unplugged your phone and began to scroll through your notifications. Your heart jumping in your chest at the sight of a new text; from John.

John: Hey pretty girl. 7:36am. read.

Holy shit, he’d text you this morning. Was it when he first woke up? He was he thinking about you all night too? This man is something else.

John: No reply already? I thought I would’ve had to say something stupid first before you ignored me sweetheart. ;) 9:41am. read.

You: Sorry, got distracted. How’d you sleep? 9:42am. read.

John: Like a log. You? 9:42am. read.

You: Could use a couple more hours honestly. 9:43am. read.

John: What do you have planned today sweetheart? 9:45am. read.

What did you have planned today? Rolling around in bed thinking about a well built beast with thick mutton chops. So enthralled with the simple idea of John.

Fuck you’d never met a man so….well manly. His big muscles and his thick musky scent that screamed masculine in the most primal way possible. In every circumstance, in every part of the world and every century, he would be the ideal mate. To protect and provide-

The ringing makes you jump, the phone vibrating in your hand as you see the unfamiliar number only just added to your phone. You breathe in sharply for a moment, blowing out shakily, hands beginning to sweat. And it’s not even him in person, it’s just a phone call.

“It’s just a phone call. You can press the end button at any time.” You tell yourself, reassuring yourself before sliding your thumb along the screen, the answer swipe turning green. You put the cold screen to your ear. “John?”

“I got impatient.” His voice sounded so low and deep, must be that its first thing in the morning.

“Sorry. Got lost in my thoughts.” You mumble picking at the sheets surrounding you.

“Anything you wanna share? Or is it too soon to be prying into that pretty head of yours.”

“God you’re forward.” You breathe out a little laugh, a hot feeling fluttering in your stomach.

He laughed, heartily. “I’m just wired that way love.”

“I’m not sure if I like it.”

“Oh?” John voice was light and soft, if you were really leaning into it you’d notice the tinge of disappointment in the sound.

“It’s catching me off guard. I like to keep my cards close to my chest.” You swirled your finger along the pattern of the crocheted pillow in front of you.

“I’d happily let you play me.”

“John.” You breathe out another laugh, your heart skipping a beat.

“Like that,” he huffed low and wild, “like when you say my name. Sounds so nice coming from you.”

“It does?”

“Well with a pretty voice like that, I’m sure you can make anything sound nice.” He chuckled. And fuck you had to mute with how you giggled, kicking your feet with giddiness.

“So you want to go for lunch?” The rumbly bearish throaty sexy voice melted your knees until they felt like jelly.

“Again with the forwardness.” Your flushed cheeks hurt, couldn’t wipe the grin off your face, and he could hear it.

“I’m a man who knows what he wants and goes for it.” John answered without so much as a thought, the answer coming so naturally.

“I’ll consider it.” You pressed the red button and jumped in the shower, cold and brisk. It was the only way to bring your burning body temperature down.

John was unlike anybody you’d ever met, definitely better than an of your exs and you hadn’t even gotten to the deep stuff yet.

You wrapped a towel around your body and began to dry your hair with your other towel when you noticed your phone light up, a nervous grin tugging at your lips as you picked up the device and read the text.

John: Considered it yet? 10:02. read.

You shook your head, teeth biting into your smile. He was so unashamed and so bold. It made you question yourself, made you want more than you had once had. Made you want him.

You: I’d love to have lunch with you. 10:04am. read.

John: I’ll pick you up in an hour, wear that mouth watering sundress again ;) 10:04am. delivered.

Mouth watering sundress? Fuck, no one had ever said that to you before. Hell no one had ever offered so many compliments in one conversation before. He was truly a man of different breed. You giggled again falling into your bed and kicking your feet in the air, he was such a flirt. You loved it.

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lanasblood · 2 years ago

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JUST NETEYAM | neteyam x reader

pairing: olo'eyktan!neteyam x f!reader

summary: despite being from a different clan and expected to marry the leader of the omatikaya without knowing him, you agree to it for the sake of your family, but doubts start haunting you the moment you set foot in the clan, causing you to plan your escape on the day of your mating ceremony.

word count: 8k

warnings: arranged marriage trope, fluffffff, love-at-first-sight kinda thing, a bit of angst in the beginning, traditions, non-sexual nudity, prejudiced reader, royal neteyam, he is just such a prince it's unreal!!

note: all characters are aged up by five years. the title eyktan/eykte (leader) being unofficially reserved for the olo'eyktan (clan leader)'s mate made sense to me since both are supposed to rule together. please correct me if i’m wrong. see end notes for more.

* gif‘s not mine.

You will learn to love her. He remembered his mother's voice, and he recalled the vast expanse of the sky, where billowing clouds danced gracefully and the wind embraced him with gentle caresses. The sky, like an endless canvas, painted in hues of blue, purple, and gold, held a beauty that stirred his soul.

Instead of roaring waves crashing against the cliffs, he witnessed the majestic flight of ikrans, soaring high above the jagged peaks. Their wings, strong and mighty, carried him through the heavens, as if he were a part of their elegant dance. Gone were the humpbacked sea surfaces, replaced by the boundless freedom of the open sky. The white foam, once adorning the ocean's crown, now transformed into fluffy clouds, resembling intricately woven blankets. It was as if the heavens themselves provided a soft embrace, offering comfort and warmth.

They were little things, nothing really worth mentioning, such as the sun rays tickling his soft skin, or the laughter of his siblings echoing in his memories, not as they played with ilus in the water, but now as they soared alongside him, sharing the pure joy of flight. Even the taste of sea salt, carried on the wind, found a place in this ethereal domain. With closed eyes, he could almost feel a delicate touch of salt upon his lips, a reminder of the distant ocean and the memories it held. He missed those times. Not because he preferred swimming over climbing, or blue over green, that was completely not the case, but because he missed his youth, even from a time when his family sought shelter. He missed being careless, learning new things, having fun, and he would've laughed at his younger self who, even though rarely, complained about the number of duties and responsibilities he had on his shoulders — because nothing could compare to the duties and responsibilities he faced now as Olo'eyktan.

So for once, he liked to lose himself in memories of the sea before he pictured himself back in the sky, on the back of his ikran, where he found a world of wonder, where every little detail became a cherished treasure. The sky had become his limitless playground, an infinite expanse that awakened his spirit and filled his heart with boundless freedom.

He had been incredibly nostalgic ever since his parents had announced the arrangement for him; how overjoyed they had told him that they had found a mate for him, and he guessed it was self-explanatory why a part of him wanted to hold on to his past; not ready to take that further step.

Standing there and observing the preparations and exquisite decorations his people had arranged, he realized that the efforts he had endured for this ceremony were not in vain. The Omatikaya had gone to great lengths to create a magnificent celebration, honoring the union of a new pair; the one of their clan leader. Intricate craftsmanship was displayed in the decorations made from natural materials, the delicate floral arrangements that adorned the surroundings, and the gentle flicker of candles all held meaningful details. However, despite the beauty surrounding him, he couldn't help but yearn for the moment when it would all finally be over.

Five moons ago, he had thought not much of it, he had been convinced he'd find a way out of it, and here he was. Trapped in memories, in the infinity of the skies and seas, here, time stood still, so that eternity could begin, and right here he felt well, he felt safe.

"Bro!" A hand clawed onto his upper arm, abruptly pulling him out of his thoughts, as a breathless Lo'ak stood before him — or rather, hunched over, supporting himself with his other hand on his knees, and breathing deeply, inhaling and exhaling heavily.

"Mawey, brother." Neteyam carefully placed his hand on his brother's head and sought his face, trying to understand the situation. Lo'ak just shook his head hastily, trying to control his breathing.

"Are you okay?" Lo'ak was clearly not okay, yet Neteyam tried to maintain his composure as unpleasant images infiltrated his thoughts, his mind going through any possible worst case scenario. He hoped that nothing had happened to his family, and involuntarily, he felt annoyed that he hadn't seen Tuk and Kiri for a while, worrying about them.

"I got it, I got it." Lo'ak shook his hand off, breathing normally again. "It's.." He took a deep breath before saying it all at once, "It's your mate-to-be."

Neteyam's ears perked up in alarm. Lo'ak, having somewhat calmed his breathing, cringed, now struggling with his words instead. Perhaps he shouldn't have announced this so dramatically in front of his older brother, because he now feared that one problem would become two.

"Yes?" Neteyam patiently but firmly encouraged him to continue. He was suddenly caught in a conflict within himself, wrestling to keep his expression neutral, knowing that it would raise unease among curious ears and attentive watchers.

Apprehensive of his brother's reaction, Lo'ak didn't know how to say it, "Uh, I kinda… please don't be mad at me."

"Spill it, Lo'ak," Neteyam hissed through gritted teeth, now impatient and slightly on edge due to his younger brother's panicking behavior.

He feared the worst now but he didn't want to jump to premature conclusions. Still, something clearly must've happened and he inwardly hoped for her to be alright and safe. Yes, she was a stranger to him whom he had never seen once, but she was soon to become the closest and most important person in his life after all.

Lo'ak's gaze was filled with guilt, when he unsurely admitted, "I, uh… lost… her…?"

And that was it. All the facial features of the otherwise composed clan leader contorted as he looked at his brother in disbelief. Lost her? How do you lose a grown person?

The inner leader within him knew that he immediately had to gather as much information as possible about this situation. Finding her before the ceremony was crucial, and he should coordinate efforts with their best trackers and devise a strategic plan to cover all possible areas she might have gone.

His false, rationalized side tried to reassure him, suggesting that nothing had happened. Perhaps Lo'ak hadn't seen her in the tent, or she had been engrossed in a conversation. Maybe she simply got caught up in preparations and lost track of time. It's not uncommon for delays to happen before important ceremonies.

His emotionally calibrated side couldn't help but worry about her well-being, as well as the well-being of others. What if she had sustained an injury? What if she required assistance? And with a touch of paranoia, he feared something much worse, considering sabotage and abduction.

His reflected psychological side, however, completely dismissed these possibilities, because most likely, his family had intimidated her, and she had gotten cold feet. And if she truly matched him as well as his parents had described, then he could assess her emotional state and he had a feeling where she would be right now.

Ultimately, his strategically valuable side gained the upper hand and decided to embark on the search immediately, knowing exactly where to start.

"What did you tell her?"

Lo'ak looked at him completely lost, "Nothing, really, just that you're Olo'eyktan," he shrugged, "It's not like she didn't know that already."

And once again, he remembered his elders' words, and for the first time, a subtle sense of doubt began to creep into his mind, when he recalled what they had said:

You will learn to love her.

TWO HOURS AGO.

"I must inspect her body." You had expected many things, but not this. You had already come to terms with the idea of never being able to make your own choices again after everything you had experienced in the past couple of hours. And yet, you found yourself taken aback by this one simple sentence.

Five moons ago, you had been sitting in your family's tent in front of your parents when your mother had dropped the announcement that had changed everything. That day, you had been feeling uneasy from the moment you had gotten up, unable to quite place why. But when your mother had revealed the news, it had all become clear, changing everything.

"My daughter, you have been chosen by the Omatikaya to become their Olo'eyktan's mate," your mother had said, beaming with pride.

Immediately, your heart had sunk. While you had heard of the clan, you had remained a foreigner to their lands, unfamiliar with their Olo'eyktan, a man you had never encountered. It had become painfully clear to you that you were not ready to unite in a mating ceremony with a complete stranger, devoid of both familiarity and love.

"Do I have to, mother?" you had asked, your voice shaking with emotion.

"But yes, this is a great honor for our family. You were chosen, out of all the clans, out of all the girls in our clan, to marry Toruk Makto's eldest son," your mother had said, trying to convince you, "It's a sign of respect and trust."

"But what if I don't love him? What if we're not compatible?"

"My daughter," your mother's voice had carried firmness, "you are being unreasonable. This is not about love. It is about the well-being of our clan and the future of our people. Arrangements are part of our traditions for generations, and they have served us well. Your father and I, too, entered into an arranged union, and we have found happiness together."

She had continued, her tone resolute, "He is a commendable man. We have known of him and his achievements since he was but a child. As the successor to his father, he carries the legacy of our shared battles against our enemies." You had remembered all of the stories and tales, about a time before your time, about your father and mother fighting against the skypeople at the side of Toruk Makto. "For he led the clans to victory and if his son has inherited even a fraction of his character, you could not ask for a more suitable companion. He is talented, responsible, a formidable warrior, and an exceptional leader."

Your father had spoken up for the first time. "Your mother is right. The Omatikaya are good people, and their Olo'eyktan is a good man. He will take care of you and you will be happy together."

You had felt like you were suffocating at the realization that your own family had been willing to force you into a loveless marriage just for the sake of tradition, honor, and alliances.

"But what about my own happiness?" your voice had been barely above a whisper.

"Your happiness is important, my daughter," your mother had spoken, "But this is not just about you, you have a duty for our clan. You will become Eykte, and eventually Tsahìk, too, you will grant our clan safety and protection for generations to come."

You had known you weren't going to win this argument, feeling trapped, and so, so helpless. Looking down at your hands, you had been feeling tears welling up in your eyes. You couldn't imagine a life with someone you didn't love.

Your mother had put a hand on your shoulder. "It is okay, you will understand one day. We are doing what is best for you and our clan. Trust us."

But you couldn't have brought yourself to trust them, not after such a betrayal. You had known you had to find a way out of this marriage, but you just hadn't known how. You had looked up at your mother and nodded, pretending to accept your fate. While you had been internally determined to find a way to escape somehow, your mother had smiled at you proudly, and you would probably never forget her following words.

"You will learn to love him."

And now you stood here, in front of the Tsahìk of the Omatikaya — who was so different from the one in your clan — and were forced to undress and be inspected by her; for what purpose, you were not told, but you assumed that the degree of your flawlessness had to be determined and confirmed before you would be presented to the oh-so-great Olo'eyktan. The thought alone made your stomach churn.

"Grandmother, she clearly feels uncomfortable."

"Kiri, you know that it is not me who dictates the rules, for they are woven into the fabric of our existence itself," although her words were thoughtful and calm, her facial expression was anything but. Her gaze bore a sternness that bordered on intimidation, contradicting the tranquility of her voice. "Before the sacred union, both woman and man must embark upon this profound step."

"I don't want to," you said with a determined voice, "No one in our clan does that."

"Well, daughter of a great warrior, you are not in your clan anymore. Starting from today, you are Omatikaya, and you will learn to accept our ways if you want to or not."

A soft cough broke the silence outside the tent, followed by a deep voice asking, "May I enter?"

"Ah, I am too old and weak for such childish affairs," The elderly lady complained before muttering a prayer to herself, clearly at the end of her nerves, and it was more than evident that she was complaining about you and not the man who asked to enter the tent.

"Sure, you can come in," responded the girl standing by your side, who had been your companion throughout the day. Her name was Kiri, and amidst the chaos of the day, she appeared to be the most grounded and relatable person you had encountered; she was clearly the most normal person in this whole clan, that was for sure.

The Tsahìk waved her arms dramatically in the air before clutching her head, expressing dismay, "My days are numbered, and my strength is waning. I cannot keep up with this behavior."

A gruff laughter filled the air as the man stepped into the tent, placing the stack of white fabric on the table before he gently rested a reassuring hand on the elderly lady's shoulder. "Ma dear Tsahìk, you're lookin' healthy and mighty strong, and we're gonna keep you here with us for many cycles to come. No need to worry 'bout a thing, trust me."

"Be careful, jakesully, you begin talking like skypeople again," the woman said bitterly before her stern gaze fixated on you again, "Just where did you find this stubborn girl?"

Both the man and the elderly lady turned their attention towards you. The older woman's expression held a tinge of disgust, while the man offered an apologetic smile, as if trying to reassure you. Silence hung in the air, and without thinking, the words spilled from your lips, words that had plagued your thoughts since stepping foot on this new land that morning.

"Will I be introduced to the Olo'eyktan soon or…?"

The elder dismissed your question with a scoff, shooting a meaningful glance at the tall man beside her as if to say, Do you see what I mean? Instead of providing an answer, she posed a statement, her tone laced with accusation. "She reminds me of you. Is that why you chose her?"

The man shifted his gaze to you, offering an awkward smile before turning back to the Tsahìk. With confidence that appeared to stem from his own conviction, he declared, "She will learn our ways."

You will learn their way.

You will learn to adapt.

You will learn to love him.

The only thing you would eventually learn was to obey.

"Well, she has to learn a lot. That poor soul lacks understanding and respect for our ways and traditions. So far, I'm not convinced she's the right person to lead alongside the Olo'eyktan," the elder remarked, her words heavy with skepticism.

"Ma Jake? Are you here?" Before anyone could respond, a stunning woman entered the tent with grace and elegance, capturing the attention of all present.

"There is so much more to do, and so little time left," the Tsahìk remarked, brushing off the interruption.

The woman gently placed a hand on the elder's shoulder, mirroring the gesture of support shown by the man named jakesully earlier. Her presence exuded confidence and a calming aura, diffusing some of the tension in the room.

"Mother," she spoke in a soothing tone, her voice carrying a hint of authority. "Why are you stressing yourself out? It is a big day for your grandson, and you should take it easy."

Grandson. Your eyes widened almost imperceptibly. The family dynamics suddenly fell into place. It all made sense. You found yourself in a room surrounded by the closest members of your betrothed's family, yet there was no sign of him. His grandmother, his father, his mother, his sister were all present right in front of you.

The Tsahìk sighed and looked up at her daughter, concern etched on her face. "I know, Neytiri. But there is so much at stake, so much to be done," she replied, her voice laden with a sense of responsibility. "As the wisdom of time falls upon me and by the guide of Eywa, it is my duty to examine her physical form before the mating ceremony, and all she does is protest and complain."

Jakesully cleared his voice, "I mean, we cannot force her. If she doesn't—"

"She has to, ma Jake," Neytiri, the graceful woman who had entered, interrupted him with a serious gaze, "And she will." Then she shifted her gaze towards you, her eyes filled with compassion.

Leaning closer to her mother, she said, "You have guided our people for generations, mother. Today, let us handle the preparations while you focus on preserving your strength."

The Tsahìk seemed hesitant to relinquish control, but after a moment of contemplation, she nodded in agreement. "Very well, my daughter. I entrust this responsibility to you and Jakesully. May Eywa guide your actions."

Neytiri smiled warmly, her eyes flickering with gratitude. "Thank you, mother. We will do our best to honor our traditions."

With a sense of relief, the Tsahìk rose from her seat, her weariness momentarily lifted. She turned to you, her stern expression softening ever so slightly. "As for you, young one, understand that our customs are not merely rituals, but a connection to our ancestors and the land that sustains us. Embrace our ways, and you will find your place within our clan."

You met her gaze, a glimmer of kindness in hers as you didn't falter your firm expression whereupon your understanding of tradition began to shift, morphing into a newfound curiosity.

Jakesully stepped forward, his voice resonating with encouragement. "It may seem overwhelming at first, but with time, you will come to understand, trust me."

Neytiri joined his side, her presence radiating strength, "Neither you nor Neteyam are alone in this journey. We will walk beside you, supporting and guiding you every step of the way."

Neteyam. So that was his name. Exactly in that moment, it dawned on you that you had never bothered to ask about his name but so did no one bother to tell you before, as if it was something you should've already known.

"Where is he right now?" you just asked. If the topic of Neteyam had already been mentioned, you didn't want to waste the opportunity. The couple in front of you — his parents — exchanged a brief glance, before you got an answer.

"He is busy with the preparations, but we'll see after him now," Neytiri expressed with a gentle tone and smiled at you. "Kiri will stay here to assist you."

Once again, your question was avoided, and it was becoming increasingly strange. You chose to ignore how one by one, your future family left the tent, leaving you all alone. Kiri had assured you that she would hurry back as she needed to gather some materials. As far as you were concerned, she could take all the time in the world, as it wouldn't change anything about your situation anyway.

"Neteyam." You let the name roll off your tongue, practiced the pronunciation, and let your ears become accustomed to the sound of it. Neteyam. You chuckled to yourself, even though you refused to admit it openly, it was a remarkably beautiful name. At least you had to give him that, you would have a mate with a pretty name. And you could add that to the list of things you knew about him: His name was Neteyam and he was the Olo'eyktan.

You sighed, recalling the conversation with the young man from earlier today. Once you and your brother who took the role as your guardian for today had arrived, this guy had accompanied you through the village, like a personal assistant assigned to you. It seemed as if his main task had been to keep you away from the other villagers, as if you were a disease or plague. Something had seemed off. He hadn't answered many questions, deflecting them instead. And eventually, when the questions became too much for him, he had left you in the caring hands of Kiri and disappeared elsewhere. It had been an interesting encounter with him, for just like Kiri, he possessed an extra finger and hair that gracefully cascaded over his eyes. In retrospect, it dawned upon you that he must surely be a part of the family, and you assumed that Neteyam would likely bear a similar resemblance. Such differences held little concern for you, as they were merely superficial nuances. Before your departure, your friends from your clan had instilled fear within you, weaving tales of demon blood and disfigurement. Yet, you chose to disregard their words, wanting to see for yourself.

Still, the fact that you had not laid eyes upon him and the pervasive silence surrounding his name within the village stirred a faint sense of unease within your core. Could he truly be an outwardly fearsome beast, compelling others to shun him from their thoughts? Or perhaps, he was a cruel leader, commanding such reverence that people dared not utter his name. A sigh escaped your lips, knowing that this enigmatic figure would soon become your better half, your partner in life's journey, and he would be the one to father your offspring. The question lingered, like a whisper in the wind: Could cruelty be inherited, passed down through bloodlines?

At least now you knew your future mate's name.

"…te Suli Neteyam'itan."

"Or y/n'ite," you flinched involuntarily as you heard Kiri's voice when she reentered the tent, and instantly a slight blush crept onto your cheeks, "You know what, kind of eww because he's my brother but it's good that you already think about your children's names," Kiri said smiling smugly.

"I was not—"

"No, I mean it, repeat that in front of my grandmother and she will be head over heels for you." You highly doubted that.

You spent the next hour doing what Kiri instructed, and it wasn't nearly as daunting as you had imagined. The physical examination wasn't a thorough scrutiny of your body. Instead, you were coated in a gentle, liquid healing clay, and it wasn't uncomfortable to have a stranger touch you. Kiri was remarkably professional, but she asked you not to pose distracting questions while she worked. Later, the clay was washed away with water infused with blessings and flower petals, which filled the air with a delightful scent. Once everything was finished, you felt refreshed and rejuvenated, as if reborn. Only then did other people approach you to dress you in exquisite fabrics, feathers, and precious jewelry, and gemstones. The women all appeared kind, but none of them seemed eager to engage in conversation with you. You sat quietly on the mat, your legs folded underneath you, gazing at the wall ahead, as multiple hands adorned you.

As the preparations came to an end, you had still an abundance of questions left, a multitude of them swirling in your mind, and you voiced each and every one of them, undeterred by the avoidance of an answer.

Is he handsome?

Is he kind?

Is he warm?

Cultured?

Artistic?

Athletic?

Strategic?

You persisted in asking, refusing to give up, until you received a satisfactory answer.

"Is he dull? Not very smart? Mentally slow? I can work on those."

However, every response you received was completely off-topic, such as "We can discuss the order of the mating ceremony" or "Our Tsahìk sent over blessings for you to recite during the ceremony..." It was beyond frustrating.

"Is he, like, ugly or something? Maybe he has some kind of physical deformity, but you know, true beauty comes from within anyway and such. Well, not literally from within, but I believe in being a good person and I could deal with it."

At this point, it felt like you were having a one-sided conversation, with question after question piling up like a mountain, and not a single one of them was ever answered sensibly. Instead, you were met with empty platitudes intended to appease you, but it was all in vain: You are going to be an amazing mate, an amazing mother, and an amazing eykte.

Just as you were about to give up, you turned to the young girl who helped you put on some golden beads on your hair, the one that Kiri had referred to as her sister. The youngest Sully child had also joined your company at some point, a truly adorable and vibrant teenage girl whom you had quickly grown fond of. "Can I ask you about your brother?" you feared that the topic was about to be avoided again.

But contrary to your expectation, the younger girl beamed a smile at you and nodded her head in agreement, "Sure, ask away, what do you want to know?"

"What is he like?" You asked your voice filled with curiosity, anticipating her answer and paying attention to her body language.

"I mostly like him, more than Lo'ak at least," the younger girl began venting in a nonchalant tone, "but today I'm so angry at him, he really—"

"Tuktirey!" The stern voice of her mother, Neytiri, suddenly interrupted, causing the girl to look up instantly. The girl fell silent, her eyes wide with attention. "Come help me, please," Neytiri said with a nod towards the forest, before she swiftly exited.

Turning her gaze back to you, a sweet smile still graced her lips. "Don't worry, he's actually the very best," she whispered.

"Tuk!" Neytiri called again, prompting Tuk to rise from her spot.

"I'm sorry, I can't say anything," she hurriedly apologized before rushing towards the tent's exit.

"Tuk, please," you said, reaching out to hold her hand, trying to prevent her from leaving. "Tell me... is he cruel? Is he dumb? I can work with dumb, you know, I just need to know."

Tuk was about to respond when her eyes suddenly widened imperceptibly. You followed her gaze over your shoulder and saw the young man from earlier standing there.

Tuk smiled at you and said, "Did anyone ever tell you how pretty you are? You're going to have wonderful children, I know it." And just like that, she left. Whatever she was about to say, first her mother and now this man had stopped her.

"What is your problem?" you asked, irritation seeping into your voice as you stood up from your place. "We were having a conversation, why did you stop her from talking?"

"I would never do that to my own sister," he replied seriously.

So Kiri, Tuk, and this guy, probably Lo'ak, were all Neteyam's siblings.

"Why are you here?" you inquired, your bad mood getting the better of you.

"I'm here to assist," he answered nonchalantly.

"Okay, then you tell me," you demanded, your voice filled with anticipation. "Tell me about the Olo'eyktan."

A thoughtful pause lingered in the air before the guy responded, his gaze holding a promise of an imminent encounter. "You will meet him soon," he assured you, sensing your yearning for immediate understanding.

"I want to know now," you pressed, a hint of urgency coloring your words.

He let out a weary sigh, acknowledging your eagerness. "He is our clan leader — the clan of the blue flute," he began.

"Yes," you affirmed the initial fragments of knowledge that you already knew.

"He has held the esteemed position of the successor of the former Olo'eyktan since his childhood, as he is the firstborn child," he continued, acting as if it were the most revealing information.

"Yes," you echoed, impatience in your voice.

"And for two cycles of harvest time, he has guided us Omatikaya as our chief," he concluded, underscoring the same repeated information, now for the third time.

"Yes," you mused, the repetition of information giving rise to a discerning observation, one that definitely confirmed your gut feeling. "Okay, so you've told me he is the clan leader, he is Olo'eyktan, the chief of the Omatikaya, the firstborn, and the successor since birth... these are all the same things."

"Yes," he acknowledged, his face looking serious and his voice carrying a hint of nervousness, "but they are all facts."

You stifled an annoyed sigh as everything felt so strange here from the moment you arrived until now. It was baffling that nobody, and absolutely nobody at all, was talking about him. It almost seemed like a conspiracy, leaving you perplexed.

You realized your parents were wrong from the very beginning, and that's when you decided to put an end to it. You refused to stay any longer in this clan, let alone mate with him.

"Excuse me for a moment," You muttered as you tried to pass by Lo'ak, but he positioned himself at the exit in a way that blocked any way out.

"I'm really sorry, but you'll have to stay here until the ceremony," he explained, wearing an awkward smile on his face.

"Sure, but I really need a moment of privacy."

"Yeah, of course, I won't bother you in the tent."

"No, you don't understand," you made one final attempt, but no matter how obvious it seemed, Lo'ak couldn't grasp the situation. He stared at you with a perplexed look as you let out a sigh and concluded your statement, "Nature is calling."

"Oh," his eyes grew wide within a second, "Oh, uh," he stammered, "Yes, um, sure, you can– you can just go over, uh, there," he cleared his throat several times and pointed in two different directions with his hands, a light blush visible on his cheeks, "D-do you know the way? You do, don't you? Should I…?"

"I'll manage, thanks," you gave him a fake smile as you walked past him and headed straight into the forest. Once you were certain that no one was following you, you began to run. Every second counted now, and you had already devised an escape plan. You didn't care about your family or your clan, or the shame it would bring upon them for they had abandoned you anyway. Without a second thought, they had turned their backs on you and your future, so you were ready to do the same. You would rather be alone for the rest of your life than mate with that demon no one dared to talk about.

The soft melody of baby ikrans chirping above you, their cheerful tunes harmonizing with the gentle breeze that rustled the leaves of nearby trees, calmed your nerves a bit. Amidst the serene ambiance, you had fought your way from the woods after running quite a distance from the village, now standing in front of high rocks, your expression reflecting a sense of bewilderment and uncertainty, you looked for a way to climb them up.

Lost in your thoughts, and trying different ways, you remained oblivious to the presence behind you, until a man cleared his throat and approached you.

"Um, are you in need of assistance of some kind?" he asked, his voice gentle and filled with genuine concern.

You startled, letting go of the vines on the rocks for a moment and a flicker of suspicion crossed your eyes as you turned to the person. "Uh, I am quite fine, thank you," you responded annoyedly, your thoughts silently questioning the identity of this stranger. Where did he even come from and why did he bother you? He probably knew who you were given your extravagant looks, but who was he? "You can go back and wait with all the other gawkers for the ceremony."

The man's lips curved into a soft smile when he took a step closer to you, his hands resting calmly behind his back. "I...will. But first, I'm curious, what are you doing?" he inquired, his tone curious and laced with intrigue.

A hint of defiance lingered in your voice as you replied, "Nothing." You struggled to maintain your composure, your words betraying your actions.

"You're doing something," he persisted.

Frustrated, you sighed, "I am not."

With the sound of ikrans shouting above you, a moment of pause settled between you. In that fleeting silence, you decided to reveal your purpose, hoping he'd then mind his business and go away. "If you must know, I'm trying to find out the best way to climb over these rocks."

"Climb... whatever for?" he questioned, genuinely intrigued by your confession.

"Because I think he may be a beast. Or a demon," you revealed muttering to yourself, sarcasm in your voice but also hinting at a hidden fear.

Perplexed, the man who had definitely heard you inquired further, "Who are we talking about?"

"Oh, well, that was actually mean of me," you mumbled to yourself, reminding yourself that the man in front of you was probably loyal to his Olo'eyktan and wouldn't like you talking bad about him. That thought made you find some amusement in your own thoughts before speaking louder, "None of your business."

He gazed at you expectantly, awaiting an honest answer. The stranger didn't seem like someone who would immediately betray your secret — later perhaps — but he could be of use to you right now, maybe he could even confirm or refute your theory.

"The Olo'eyktan," you finally added, your voice softer, "No one will speak of him. No one. He is clearly a beast or a demon."

Realization dawned upon him as he nodded, absorbing your words. "Understood."

You turned your back to him, focusing on the rocks again, and suddenly you had a plan, "You know, if I grab there... yes!" you looked back to him over your shoulder, "You could assist me by lifting me up."

Confusion crept into his expression as he hesitated, contemplating your request. "Uh, one question. You do not like beasts or demons? What he looks like matters?"

You rolled your eyes, "I don't care what he looks like. What I don't like is not knowing. Now, here. Just take a hold here," you instructed, pointing to your waist. "With a lift, I... I believe I can make it over the rocks and to my ikran."

He considered your words, pondering the consequences. "People will notice you are missing, will they not?" he queried, concerned for the potential repercussions.

"I will worry about that later. Now, if you please..." you turned your back to him, still determined to proceed. "I just need a little help. Come. Hurry up."

The man licked his lips, caught in his own contemplation, before taking two slow steps forward. "I have absolutely no intention of helping you," he declared, surprising you with his refusal.

You stopped in your tracks, slowly turning to face him as if you had misheard, giving him the time to correct himself. Your eyes widened in surprise and a bit of anger, too. With sure steps, you approached him, closing the distance between you.

"I'm a woman in need of help. And you refuse?" you confronted him, your voice tinged with disbelief.

The man tilted his head to the side, his expression contemplative. After a moment of thoughtful silence, he responded, his voice carrying a touch of playfulness.

"I refuse when that woman in need of help is trying to go over the rocks so that she does not have to be my mate," he stated, his words hanging in the air, revealing a truth that caught you off guard.

Shock rippled through you, and you gasped softly, feeling as though the air had been caught in your throat. Your eyes locked onto his golden gaze, desperately hoping that you had misinterpreted what he said. But deep down, you knew the truth had found its way to you, settling heavily in your core. It couldn't be... you had seen his siblings, and they didn't possess the distinctive features of the clan. Yet, here he stood, a true Na'vi through and through, without any doubts. He was remarkably handsome, almost too handsome. Yes, you had noticed his striking appearance the moment you laid eyes on him, but then it didn't matter much since he was just a random person, but now, with this revelation, they held significant weight in your thoughts.

He wore a smirk on his lips, a glimmer of mischief dancing in his gaze. He knew.

"Hello, y/n," he approached you, his smile radiant and unmarred by the revelation. As he stopped directly in front of you, he lifted his hand to his forehead, greeting you with a formal gesture. "I'm Neteyam."

The realization dawned on you, and suddenly, the words you had wanted to speak failed to find their way out. Your tongue forgot its purpose as you just stood there, caught between astonishment and uncertainty.

An apology, you thought, your mind searching for the right words to offer at least that.

"I am deeply s..." —orry. Your voice faltered, carried away by the cool wind that brushed past you. The weight of the truth settled upon you, realizing that he was the successor of the former Olo'eyktan, the firstborn of Toruk Makto, your mate-to-be.

"Ma Olo'eyktan," you stammered, attempting to bow in respect, but he intercepted your gesture. His hands gently caught yours, intertwining your fingers in the process, and he lowered your hand in a graceful motion, bringing your hands together. His hand on yours became the focal point of your gaze, while you could hear your heart pounding in your ears.

"Not your Olo'eyktan," he corrected you in a soft-spoken manner, withdrawing his hand. "Neteyam."

You tried to read his face, searching for answers in the depths of his eyes.

"I mean, yes, your Olo'eyktan, but to you, just Neteyam," he clarified jokingly, the sound of his beautiful laugh after made you speechless.

"I am…" you began, but the sentence remained unfinished, your shame preventing you from pronouncing the word 'sorry'. "Please accept my apology. If I had known that you were you—"

He interrupted you, his gaze unwavering. "You would have what? Not told me that you were trying to escape?"

"Well, yes. I mean…" Your words stumbled over each other, attempting to form a coherent defense.

He chuckled, a sound that filled the air around you with warmth.

"I do apologize, ma Olo'eyktan," you said lowering your gaze, your voice a soft admittance.

"Neteyam," he corrected you once again, a gentle reminder. "Just Neteyam."

You nodded, your eyes looking up and meeting his again, the weight of the moment hanging between you. And then, he leaned closer, too close for your liking, and you held your breath when he whispered into your ear.

"The title situation. It towers over us. An accident of birth on my part," a shiver ran down your spine as his warm breath met your skin, "But I thought, maybe, perhaps as my mate, you could ignore it, and I could be just Neteyam to you."

You gazed at him, your heart fluttering with newfound affection. The weight of his words sank in, and you found yourself captivated by the vulnerability he revealed.

"That was, of course, before I found out that you don't want to be my mate," he confessed as he straightened up, and you couldn't ignore the hint of disappointment in his deep voice.

"I didn't say that," you quickly defended yourself, your voice laced with sincerity.

"Oh, you did," he emphasized, now a playful glimmer in his eyes.

"I did not," you insisted, your tone slightly nervous.

"You did," he persisted, his smile widening.

"It is not... mhm. I don't know you," you admitted, your voice growing softer as you laid bare your doubts and reservations.

He stretched his arms out in a dramatic gesture. "I don't know you either," he admitted, his smile ever so wide, "Except that you are terrible at climbing."

You became defensive, a playful spark igniting within you. "You try climbing a wall in all of these," you retorted, gesturing towards your elaborate clothing and jewelry. As you looked up to meet his gaze once more, you found him already watching you, a broad smile adorning his face and a dreamy glint in his eyes. It was a contagious expression that tugged at your lips, and you couldn't help but smile in response.

"What?" you asked softly, your curiosity piqued.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, contemplating his words. Finally, he spoke, his voice filled with a sincere and gentle admiration. "You are incomparable."

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, a blush rising to your cheeks. You remained silent, allowing the warmth of his compliment to wash over you.

He continued, his gaze shifting to the left as he spoke, his words a tender confession. "No one told me you'd be this beautiful. You may be too beautiful to be my mate. People will talk... given I'm a demon."

"Ma Olo'eyktan—" you started, wanting to apologize again, your voice trailing off as he corrected you once more with a playful glint in his eyes.

"Neteyam."

You chuckled softly, your heart opening up to the gentle familiarity of his name, "Neteyam," you said softly, giving in to the connection forming between you. The sound of his name on your tongue felt even more different now that he was standing in front of you, almost comforting in its own way.

The sun began to set behind him, casting a warm glow over the lush landscape of Pandora, and a golden hue around both of your bodies. The air was filled with anticipation, and you could feel the weight of the moment.

"What do you want to know?" he asked all of a sudden.

"What?" you snapped out of your thoughts, momentarily caught off guard.

"You don't know me. What do you want to know about me?" he repeated, his gaze fixed on you.

You didn't expect this question at all. "That is quite, uh…"

"Mm-hmm," he playfully encouraged you to continue, his head tilted to the side.

"Uh…"

He gave you his full attention making you nervous, a smile playing on his lips, his canines peeking out with a small smirk.

You realized that he seemed to enjoy the situation you were in. Gathering your thoughts, you mustered the courage to speak.

"I suppose... everything," you said, your voice gaining confidence. "I want to know everything about you."

He was briefly surprised, the smile disappearing for a second. "All right," he said, clicking his tongue.

"Uh, everything?" he asked to confirm, and you nodded confidently. "I was born prematurely, and everyone thought I was going to die, but I did not. I am a fair shooter, and an even better archer. My favorite food is srakat vey. I will not eat fungus soup, it is horrible. I like flying and hunting and good conversation. Most of all, I like science."

"Science?" you asked, genuine curiosity in your voice.

"Yes, the study of the physical world, especially astronomy. The stars in the heavens," he explained, a spark of enthusiasm igniting within him as he continued. "I'm quite the artisan. Probably would be an artisan if I were not already occupied."

Pointing to his scar above his chest, he added, "I have a scar here from falling off my ikran."

"Really?" you asked, surprised at the revelation. He didn't seem to be the type to have experienced such a simple accident.

"Either that or skypeople were the cause, it's long ago," he replied hinting at the mystery, and by the way he said that you were sure that skypeople were the cause of his scar, and he knew that you came to the conclusion as well, almost wanting you to see through him.

He then pointed at his hand. "A scar here from just being incredibly clumsy with a hunting knife as we were kids." As your eyes focused on his perfect hands, he met your gaze again, and the silent connection deepened.

"And I'm very nervous," he chuckled, "about mating with a girl I'm only just meeting minutes before our ceremony."

You were left speechless, absorbing the honesty and vulnerability he shared. Nodding understandingly, you appreciated his nobility. "But I cannot show it and climb over rocks and fly away with my ikran because I am Olo'eyktan of the Omatikaya, and that would cause a scandal. But I promise you, I am neither a demon nor a beast," he reassured, his eyes ever so dreamily locked with yours. "Just Neteyam."

Long, intense eye contact held between you, the unspoken emotions weaving a tapestry of unexplored possibilities. Before you could process the moment, your brother appeared out of nowhere, breaking the trance,

"Sister, we have been looking everywhere for you. What are you—" he stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening in awe as he recognized Neteyam. "Ma... ma Olo'eyktan," he greeted respectfully, bowing even.

Neteyam approached your brother and greeted him back. "You must be the man responsible for my possible future happiness."

"Sure. Um, my apologies. Yes. No—" your brother stumbled, caught off guard by the unexpected encounter.

"Well, you have arrived at the most opportune moment. She was just deciding..." his words trailed off as his eyes met yours, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips, "whether or not she wanted to be my mate."

A rush of heat flushed your cheeks, feeling exposed and vulnerable under the scrutiny of both Neteyam and your brother. You watched as the realization sank in, causing your brother's expression to shift from surprise to concern.

"Oh, she is overjoyed to become—" your brother tried to speak, but Neteyam interjected, his voice calm and measured.

"No, she's still deciding. She might go over the rocks instead. Either way, the choice is entirely up to her." The corners of Neteyam's lips curled into a gentle smile, his words reassuring and respectful.

Your heart swelled with awe. The weight of the decision had suddenly become lighter, knowing that Neteyam understood the importance of autonomy, and that he was willing to accept any outcome as long as you were the one making that decision on your own.

Your brother forced a smile, his eyes reflecting a complex blend of emotions. Perhaps he recognized the sincerity in Neteyam's words, or maybe he understood the significance of your journey toward happiness, whatever it was, he kept quiet.

Neteyam broke the silence, his voice filled with a determination worthy of a leader, and a pinch of amusement, "Now, I should get back because I suspect that by now there are some very anxious warriors who think I am kidnapped."

He stepped closer, taking your hand in his, his delicate touch sending a jolt of electricity through your body. Excitement emanated from him as he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of your hand.

He said your name with so much passion, you were almost hypnotized by him, his breath warm against your skin. "I hope I see you there." He lingered for a moment, his eyes locked with yours, a silent promise of a future yet to unfold.

With a nod and a soft smile, he released your hand and turned to leave, but then he paused and turned back, "And if so, I am the one standing between Tsahìk and Toruk Makto."

You smiled. He smiled.

His eyes met yours for the last time, and in that gaze, you found a reflection of your own desires and hopes. And then he started fading into the distance. The weight of his departure settled upon you, you were left standing there, your hand still tingling from the touch of his lips. The intensity of his presence lingered in the air, and you found yourself lost in a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts.

Your brother rushed to your side, concern etched on his face. "Don't tell me you are still hesitating," he said, his voice filled with worry and impatience.

With the setting sun as a witness, you just looked at him, a newfound sense of clarity shining in your eyes.

Well, maybe this wasn't that bad after all.

note: yes, this was inspired by that scene from "queen charlotte", and if you can't get enough of neteyam and enjoy the arranged marriage trope, I highly recommend checking out the chosen by eywa series by @randxmthxughts and the monster in me series by @andraga12, their writing is exceptional, and the way they craft beautiful narratives from chapter to chapter is truly magical, definitely don’t miss out on them!! <33

and as always let me know if you like my own attempt at this trope by liking, reblogging and/or commenting 💕

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pickingupmymercedes · 10 months ago

Text

Ways to say "I love you" - Lewis Hamilton

I'm back with more Lew ❤️

warnings: mostly fluff, bit of angsty

wordcount: +3k

important: each drabble was writen as a snippet into different moments with Lewis. There's 10 more of those, but this was getting huge, so this is part 1.

With a hoarse voice, under the blankets

Life had been hectic, as it tended to be around the weeks before the final couple of races. You and Lewis had been on the road since mid October, not really going back to Europe since the US GP in Texas. The week off between São Paulo and Las Vegas the perfect opportunity to take a few days off in California with his friends. It was tiring, but you’d never complain of having a full passport as a down feature for your job.

The week of the Las Vegas GP was packed of events and promo for everyone, and to top it off a quick impromptu meeting with the board in the media day of the GP turned into a 5 hours long debate, that went well into the night.

You got back to your suite almost at midnight in serious need of a shower and some sleep. What you didn’t predict was Lewis already tucked into the bed, sound asleep.

You tiptoed around the room to try and find your things, not being lucky in the slightest you settled for a shirt Lewis had used in the road trip from LA to Vegas. The quick shower, only meant to decompress, had you engulfed in Lewis’ perfume, from both his shower products and shirt.

Lewis soft breathing guided you to the bed in the darkness of the room and when you got under the soft covers a pair of arms guided you to his chest, the one place sure to get you blacked out in minutes.

“They're in serious trouble for keeping you for so long” his horse voice an indication he had been in deep sleep already

“Sorry, took longer than we expected”

“Can’t wait to have you all to myself. Gonna have to lock you up at home during winter”

“No need, I’ll always find my way to you”. You mumbled into his neck, already nestling closer to him, ready to drift off.

A scream

“I love you” You screamed when you realized you’d never catch him, mid airport track, hoping the wind would somehow carry your words. His head turned abruptly, his face had confusion written all over his features, he was stuck in place, too stunned to comprehend the sudden confession you were hollering to the world but couldn’t say aloud to him just hours ago. You ran to him, security, people and restrictions be damned, that was your one chance.

“I love you, Lewis. I have loved you for longer than I care to admit, I have not stopped loving you even when I said I didn’t, even when hating you was all I wanted.” within arm’s reach you admitted breathlessly, doe eyes looking at you with such intensity you were sure he could see into your soul. His hands cautiously outstretching towards yours, waiting for you to take it, waiting for your mind to catch up to the feelings you had just admitted, waiting to see if you’d finally let your heart take over.

You didn’t take his hand though, going instead for the back of his neck, caressing the soft skin at the base of his hairline with your fingers, his overwhelming gaze waiting for your next move, for you to fully give in, looking from his eyes to his mouth until his scent and his touch were all that you felt. His hold on the lower of your back, the brush of his eyelashes on your cheeks and his taste on your lips were all you could ever want. The decision of a lifetime, one that after that day you would make every day, over and over.

On a random Tuesday afternoon, the late sunlight glowing in your hair

The thing with Lewis was he was too much of an Capricorn for his own good, the earth in him urged for stability and trust, and in the familiarity and serenity of home he urged for security, not that he wanted a predictable life, but he wished that no matter what, he had someone he could fall back on.

“Move in with me” He blurred out of nowhere causing you to lightly laugh at him, scotching closer to his chest as if there was any space left between you, both laying comfortably tangled in each other in his house in London. Pillows and blankets around you on the floor, the late afternoon sunlight hitting the glass on the dining table and reflecting up at the ceiling, a movie on the tv neither were paying attention to.

“I mean it. I don’t see myself without you, I don’t want to anyway.” he almost whispered in your ears, the low volume to his voice amplifying the seriousness in his proposal. Turning your head to look at him you held your gaze into his for minutes, almost daring him to call off the offer, but he never did. His warm smile spreading onto his features when you crocked your head and smirked, specks of the late sunlight glowing where they hit your hair.

“I’d love to” you murmured, straddling him and pushing his chest so he’d lay back down on the blankets, hovering your face over his, leaving ghostly soft kisses on his lips, coming back up to look him in the eye, time and time again. Convincing yourself that it was okay to finally let your walls down for good.

“I love you; you know?!” a statement so surely presented to your, so pure. He didn’t wait to hear it back before pulling your to his chest and his lips, he didn’t have to.

When baking chocolate chip cookies

“We’re baking chocolate chip cookies!” You exclaimed as you entered his home gym in London mid-winter break, supplies in hand already anticipating half of the ingredients wouldn’t exist in his fridge.

“Excuse me?” He questioned as he set the weights down and reached for the towel to get the sweat dry from his forehead

“C’mom, vegan chocolate chip cookies” you rushedly told him already half way back inside, leaving a confused Lewis searching for any meaning to what had just happened.

As he approached his kitchen, he could hear the soft music playing in the speakers in the background while you danced around arranging the things you’d need.

“Care to explain, love?” He leaned at the stool just under the glistening spotlight and the couple of trays spread at the kitchen island.

“Your niece and nephew are coming over tomorrow” She retorted, almost a duh expression on her features as she chopped the vegan chocolate bar.

“Y/n, they know I’m preparing for the season” He lovingly replied, getting closer to you.

“Oh, they’re not exactly for you, Lew. I mean, they’re still vegan if you want to try them.” You turned into his embrace, leaving a kiss to the corner of his lips before wiggling back to where the many food items were.

“You show up at my house midafternoon, fully stacked, to bake vegan cookies for kids that aren’t coming until tomorrow and don’t really expect to eat anything but fruits ?!” He crocked his head, smirk fully on display as his eyes gleamed.

“That’s like half the reason I came. Apples and bananas are fine, but they are kids.” You shrugged as that was the most obvious thing.

“We’re really baking cookies then, I guess?!” He reached to you and grabbed the flour off of your hand, pouring it into a bowl.

“Chocolate chip cookies” You corrected him, laughing as he stole a few of the chopped chocolates still sitting on the chopping board

Not said to me

You jolted up from your sleep when you heard a loud cry, frantically looking around the room you remembered you weren’t home when your eyes found the luggage in the corner, yours and Lewis’s belongings neatly tucked in the adjoining closet, a stark contrast to the baby clothes and toys scattered around the floor and armchairs. Slowly coming to your senses, you realized the crying was in your dreams when you heard a happy babble, followed by your husband’s low voice coming from the balcony of the hotel room.

“Sshh love, we don’t want to wake mamma up now do we? She’s taking a nap so we can go for a walk down the beach later.” The little girl instantly responding with a babble at the word she knew all too well.

Getting up you didn’t have the heart to interrupt the scene that played out when you peaked from the opened French doors of the room, deciding to quietly watch from the threshold as he kept blowing raspberries onto your daughter’s tummy, the chunky toddler in nothing but her diapers, in the hot afternoon summer breeze of Italy in July, excitedly clapping her hands for her dad while sitting on his legs.

“Oh, I miss her too baby, even when she’s just in the other room… I’ll tell you a secret though, even if momma tells the world we’re twins, every time I see your eyes, I see hers, the same one I’ve been in love with for a long time. Everyone says you are my hard carbon copy, but I love that I get to look into a piece of your mommy whenever I look at you".

When we lay together by the sun

The sun in your skin felt divine, a stark contrast to the wintery end of year you’d been having back in Europe, the heat and humidity in the air bringing to your senses the familiarity of northeast Brazilian weather in the hottest months of the year. His touch on your shoulder blades providing even more warmth, big hands massaging your whole back with sunscreen.

“By all means I’m the biggest fan of your back massages, but I put on sunscreen just a couple of hours ago” you giggled looking at him over your shoulders, sunglasses on the tip of your nose.

“Just making sure you’re protected, will you do mine?” He asked after tying the strings on the upper part of your bikini and giving your bum a checky light smack.

“Yeah… come here you Briton” grabbing him by the arms you sat up on the lounger and guided him to sit in between in your legs, his back already hot from the sun exposure.

“Thank you for coming here with me, I know we made it a 4 times header not going home to rest for a bit after Mexico.” You told him while spreading the white content of the Brazilian sunscreen you’d bought, throwing away the british one, not properly suited to sun in the tropics from your past experiences.

“Any time, love.” turning to face you he pulled you by the waist, his signature smirk and relaxed eyes scanning yours. “Especially when it includes this little paradise.”

“Have I told you I love you yet?” You questioned, the toothy grin he loved so much splattered on your face, his strong arms around you, the sounds of crashing waves in the background, white sand in your toes and his skin smelling just like your favorite childhood memories did.

“Not today, I don’t think so. Eu te amo” a questioning look as he tested his Portuguese around you, crushing his lips in yours while you giggled, raising you up to his body so he could hold you in his lap, his touch also how home felt to you.

Over and over again, till it’s nothing but a senseless babble

He felt the first little droplets of rain hit his skin as soon as she screamed “run”, laughing while holding her oversized hat to her head. He sprinted towards her, grabbing her waist, effortlessly stopping them both and turning her body to him, her eyes holding the warmth that lately he could only find there, his face adorned with adoration, her dimples fully showing as her lips plastered the sweetest of grins.

“I love you” He couldn’t help himself, those 3 little words coming out as easily as breath, the thought of how hard it’d been to get them out in the first place long forgotten. She held his gaze as if trying to eternalize those memories, the afternoon summer rain falling hard around them whilst rays of sunlight hit the concrete, their clothes drenched, drops of water running down their tangled bodies.

“I love you; I love you; I love you” senseless babbles that professed his utmost emotion, holding her up to him and kissing in the pouring rain like they were teenagers in a cheesy movie.

A whisper in the ear

Being back to Europe always took you some time to get acclimated, and it didn’t help that that particular winter had been the coldest in years, so much colder than what your body was used to, so you wrapped yourself up in blankets waiting for your boyfriend to get out of the shower and join you in bed, hopefully helping you to warm up.

His parents, siblings, niece and nephew were gathered for an impromptu 5 days getaway in the mountains, in the middle of wintery January, snow everywhere and days filled with winter sports, fireplaces and laughter from the people that had welcomed you as family.

“Hey gorgeous, I thought you’d still be down there” he smirked his way to the open luggage on the little sofa by the bed, towel low on his hips and another in his hand for his face.

“Everyone went to bed, something about getting some sleep to beat you on the slopes tomorrow” You giggled the last part, knowing how competitive they could get. He chuckled and made his way towards you, getting under the blankets and bringing you over to his side, just his presence enough to soothe away the tight muscles from the cold.

“How come you’re always running so cold?” he whispered in your hair, wrapping his arms around your waist and hips and bringing you to his chest. His skin radiating warmth and the smell of your body wash, since he’d forgotten to pack his. Fingers absentmindedly tracing random patterns on your thighs, your eyes lazily trying to focus on the news on the tv but failing miserably, the world could wait until the next morning.

“I love you” was the last thing you heard he whisper, his hoarse voice heavy with sleep, his arms scooching your body closer to his while making sure the blankets covered you both before he let his own sleep take over.

As we huddle together, the storm raging outside

Sundays after races would always be busy for the both of you. The rain was falling hard as you entered the small RV as quietly as you could, founding Lewis ingulfed in his own thoughts and feelings when you finally cleared through your duties, way past the time you wish had.

Taking in how his arms and back looked tense while he rested his head on both his hands sitting in the small sofa, you brought yourself to stand right in front of him, softly running your finger on his neck until he looked up offering a sad side smile and tugged you to his lap. You hadn’t spoken to each other since before he got in his car, well over 4 hours prior, but you didn’t have to.

He needed time to process what happened, he always did. Lewis could always come to interviews looking like he had it all together, always with the right words, but you knew, from the crease in his forehead and the way his shoulders dropped whenever he breathed a little deeper, that his calculating-looking actions and words were just knee-jerk reactions.

“I love you” you said into his neck, a consolation of sorts, huddling together, sitting on his lap with his head resting on your chest and his arms holding your waist tightly. At least in that small room, neither of you had to think about the storm brewing outside, not yet anyway.

Over the shoulder

The championship had, yet again, came down to the last race and the doom could be felt even from outsiders. The last time it happened Lewis wasn’t even a Ferrari driver, but everyone remembered.

You had tried to block the subject from your conversations with him, warned everyone he had enough of the comparisons, made sure he had all the space to breath, concentrate and shield all the noise from the outside. Yet, in the apparent serenity of the hotel bedroom, the quietness would scream back at him.

“What if it’s not meant to be?” He snapped you out of your thoughts as you finished some reports on your computer. His eyes a mix of something you couldn’t quite pint point, his walls up even for you.

“Then you’re still a 7 times world champion, a driver who’s won for McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, a trailblazer in the sport, entrepreneur over a variety of assets, founder of Mission 44, British knight, Brazilian honorary citizen, Anthony and Carmen’s son, Nicolas’ brother, my mom’s favorite son-in-law… oh and Roscoe’s dad, of course.” He smiled as you got to his family, scootching over to be by your side on the balcony sofa and laying his head on your lap.

“I would hate to be an almost champion… twice”

“Yeah, we would all hate that too. And it’s okay to feel all kinds of way about possible results, but we’re not gonna known until we know, right?!” You felt him humm in response, your fingertips going through his braids, trying to sooth the tensions away from him.

It wasn’t until the soft humming of a phone in the bedroom that you realized you had fallen asleep in the balcony, his body moving almost automatically to get him up while his features revealed how he too had dozed off.

“Will you still love an almost champion?” He prompted suddenly, almost like he had just remembered he had to know, eyes twinkling under the lights.

“Babe, I stayed even in the timbs phase, didn’t I?” You smirked back earning a full soundless chuckle, those that had him reach for his diaphragm and shake his head left to right.

“You’re lucky I love you; you really are.” You heard as he looked over his shoulders just as he got back inside.

#lewis hamilton x reader #lewis hamilton x you #lewis hamilton imagine #lewis hamilton #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #formula 1

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lucienwrites · 2 months ago

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The Monster Keeper - Chapter 2

-NSFW-continuing your checks on the new monsters at the zoo you find yourself face to face with a minotaur- breeding kink- oral- size difference- 844 Words

You approached the next enclosure, excited to see what other creatures your coworkers had brought back from the rift. At the same time you felt wary, it could be pretty much anything and you were too far away from the public section of the zoo for help to reach you in time. You took a deep breath, praying that whatever it was it wasn’t angry, and opened the door. Your heart leapt to your mouth as you saw the great hulking shape shadowed against the wall. You grabbed the handle, ready to run, when you heard a deep, bellowing voice.

“I’m hungry.”

Taken aback you didn’t respond.

“Didn’t you hear me?” the voice, while powerful, didn’t sound threatening. “I said, I’m hungry.” The shape took a few slow steps towards you, into the light of the doorway. You couldn’t help but gasp. Towering over you there stood the form of a man, broad shouldered, hairy chested and rippling with muscle, but his head was that of a bull. The minotaur bent down to look at you more closely and you felt his warm breath against your skin.

“Um-“ you tried to speak but it was hard to get the words out “hi, my name is (name), I’m here to look after all the creatures from the rift.”

He looked confused, “Then, why am I hungry?” there was a look of genuine concern in his deep brown eyes.

“I’m sorry I only just got here, I’ll get you some food as soon as I can I promise.”

His stomach let out a deep rumbling sound. “Back home the cow-hybrids would feed me three times a day… and they milked me too”

“milked you?... oh!” the realisation made your cheeks flush

“but now my stomach is empty and my balls are full.” He complained.

“oh… well…” You remembered your boss’s words on the radio earlier, *Just keep them happy, I don’t care how you do it.* You felt your body begin to ready itself as you noticed the prominent bulge barely covered by a loin cloth. “Perhaps, I could help?”

His nostrils flared and you quickly found yourself pressed against the cold hard wall as the minotaur tore off your clothes, his excitement pressing against you.

“I don’t think it will fit there..”

“it will!” he insisted, ramming his tip against your tight entrance.

“Here,” you smiled, realising you could enjoy this, “Try using your fingers first, or your tongue if you like.”

These ideas seemed entirely new to him, “Like this?” he pushed his finger inside you, causing you to let out a soft moan of pleasure. Even his fingers were bigger than anything you’d ever had.

“Mm just like that.”

“And then my tongue?” You gasped as his warm, wide tongue slid between your legs, god he felt so good. The bull couldn’t stand it any longer, your taste almost overcoming him, and his time when he slammed his huge cock into you it fit. But only just. He bellowed as he fucked you into the wall, thrusting his full length into your soft folds, stretching you so you were ready to take his seed. But it still wasn’t enough. He pushed you onto all fours and mounted you, your human pussy tight around his huge girth as he bred you. Trembling you felt yourself getting close, and suddenly a rush of warmth spread through you as you heard the minotaur roar your name, his cum filling you as your body shook.

Panting he sat slumped against the wall, watching his “milk” dripping down your legs. You sat next to him, still trembling.

“Do, they really milk you every meal?” you asked between shaky breaths.

He nodded, “You people don’t do that? How do you tend to your bulls?”

You laughed “We don’t, do you really just sit around all day while the cows take care of you??”

“Well, I’m the only bull in our herd, so I just get used for breeding.”

“oh I see… will you need milking when I bring you your food too?”

He nodded. “You’re going to look so pretty when you’re carrying my calves,” He looked so happy but you knew you would have to tell him

“Actually I can’t have children,”

“oh…” his face fell

“But maybe we could find another pretty mother for them!”

At this a twitching below his loin cloth caught your eye.

“Again? Already?” He proudly shifted the cloth out of the way to display his erect shaft to you. “Wow, I’m going to have my hands full with you,” you laughed and gave him a quick kiss on the nose. “I really need to go and check on everyone else, I’ve been in for almost an hour already and I’ve only got to two of you! Oh but before I go, what food would you like me bring you?”

“fruit, lots of sweet, juicy, ripe fruit…”

“Alright, I’ll be back later to give you as much fruit as I can find! And to milk you again of course.”

“I’ll be waiting.” He stared after you as you left, already excited to spend more time with you.

#drops this and runs #monster smut #lucienwrites #smut #the monster keeper #the monster keeper chapter 2 #minotaur #minotaur x reader #minotaur x you #monster x reader #monster x you #monster fucker #monster fuqqer #monster lover #terato #nsft writing

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secondcupforyou · 10 months ago

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seventeen as horrible pick-up lines, a carat/valentine’s day special 🩷🩵

disclaimer, this is purely for entertainment purposes and does not reflect who seventeen are as people.

pairing! ot13 (separate) x gender neutral! reader

warnings! light swearing

word count! ~1k words total

author’s note! i found a list of horrible pick-up lines and couldn’t stop myself…

Seungcheol

“I can't taste my cherry lip gloss! Can you give it a try?”

“Huh? Like you want me to try it out?” you asked as you rummaged around your bag. You had been trying to find your phone to get directions for the restaurant you got reservations for. After you found it, you looked up to see Seungcheol’s pouty face. At that, you realised he was probably asking for something less explicit. “Oh, was that you asking to kiss me? You should have been more clear.”

Jeonghan

“Are you iron? Cause I don’t get enough of you.”

”Last time I checked, I wasn’t Iron Man, so I would check somewhere else.” you joked. However, you weren’t fully expecting the whining that would come after it. As you began to laugh at his reaction, Jeonghan’s complaining got louder. Through broken laughs, you tried to speak, “C’mon, I know you could do better than that.”

Joshua

“On a scale of 1 to America, how free are you this weekend?”

You looked up from your textbook as you heard Joshua’s voice. The two of you were supposed to be working on a project your professor had assigned you for the week. As you looked into his eyes, his small smile irked you just enough to complain: “Can’t you ask like a normal person? If you did, then maybe I would be free.”

Before he could respond, you began to work on the assignment once again.

Jun

“Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?”

You had lost track of the amount of times Jun had used different pick-up lines throughout the day. It started when you first saw each other today, and it hasn’t stopped since. While it was endearing for you, you could also see the annoyance building up from your friends. With a quick laugh, you leaned into his ear to whisper, “I would stop before one of them ends up punching you.”

Soonyoung

“This date is like a big bowl of Frosted Flakes. It’s grrrrrrrrreat!”

When Soonyoung said this to you, you couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe it was because of his complete seriousness as he looked you straight in the eyes, or maybe it was because of the silence that filled the room before. Either way, you weren’t expecting him to tell you a stupid pick-up line.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” you were finally able to ask as your laughs began to calm down.

Wonwoo

“Good thing I have a library card, because I'm checking you out.”

Maybe it was because you were at the library that this was so cheesy, but you don’t think it would change much. He quickly moved to continue browsing through the books on the shelves; however, you could see a hint of blush lie across his cheeks. It made you smile.

“Ya’ know,” you began, “if you didn’t read books, then this would have been more awkward.”

Jihoon

“To quote the poet Lee Woozi, ‘Even if my lips are dry, I need to say this, baby: I adore you.’”

“Did you just use your own song to try to pick me up?” you said as you attempted to close the door to his studio. You had just ran to get some snacks from the convenience store before the two of you worked on music for the night, so your hands were filled with snacks. After watching you struggle a bit with the door, Jihoon got out of his chair to close the door for you. You whispered a small ‘thanks’ before setting them down on the table.

Seokmin

“I thought happiness started with ‘h,’ but turns out it begins with ‘u.’”

“And my happiness begins with ‘seok’ and ends with ‘min,’” you laughed as you brought the cup of coffee to your lips. Looking up from your cup, you saw Seokmin’s bright smile at your joke; however, you couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by it. “That joke was so awkward. I’m sorry.”

Mingyu

“Can I get your soccer jersey? I really want your name and number.”

At first, the line went over your head. One, you don’t play soccer. Two, Mingyu already had both your name and number. Three, why would Mingyu even use a pick-up line while talking to you? Though, the longer you took to respond, the more he began to pout.

As you watched him sulk, you came to the realisation quickly, “Oh, wait, that pick-up line was directed at me?”

Minghao

“Are you a parking ticket? Cause you've got fine written all over you.”

Minghao’s face was distraught, almost as if he was currently questioning his sanity. The sight of it was comedic. You slowly began to laugh at the situation, asking the question, “Who dared you to say that?”

Once you asked that, you could see the relief on his face.

Seungkwan

“If you're a fruit, you'd be a fine-apple.”

“Damn, does that mean it’s cannibalism for me to eat pineapples,” you said as you picked a bunch of bananas. You and Seungkwan had been shopping for your groceries for the week as you had just run out of cooking ingredients. After checking the quality of the bananas, you put them in the cart you were pushing around. “Good thing I like tangerines then.”

Vernon

“Did I tell you I'm filthy rich and my mother's dead?”

“Okay, yeah, that is pretty bad,” you admitted as you picked up a piece of chocolate. The two of you had been reading through lists of pick-up lines to try to find the worst one. At first, it started as a bit of a competition, but you had slowly lost the competitiveness of it. Scrolling through your phone, you tried to find one that was just as bad to beat Vernon’s. “What about this one…”

Chan

“Math is so confusing. It's always talking about x and y and never you and I.”

“I know that was a pick-up line, but I feel like using the variables ‘u’ and ‘i’ would make it worse, “ you said as you finished up the math problem in your textbook. Chan laughed as he grabbed a pencil sharpener from your pencil case. “No, like, seriously. Imagine writing them even just a little bit differently then, all of sudden, it is a 0 or a 1.”

mirajane’s rambles! i actually have no idea how i did this in a couple hours. my found this website where they were referring to pick-up lines as “rizz” lines, and i spiralled lmao. i had fun tho

happy valentine’s and carat day, everyone! <33

all likes/reblogs/comments are appreciated!

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sarasade · 3 months ago

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It's been pretty interesting to follow the

"Why Didn't Viren Get Redeemed vs Viren Got What Was Coming To Him"

discussion after The Dragon Prince's 6th season got released.

Hot Take

I think Viren got redeemed.

Because to me Viren humbling himself and acknowledging the hurt he has caused was redeeming. His conversation with Soren was the main event. His rather heroic death was only the cherry on top of the character development cake that has been baking since s4.

I think Viren dying wasn't as significant as what he did before that and how he tried to provide Soren with some kind of comfort and closure, you know, as a parent should, before going. Viren's redemption wasn't just him dying for Katolis but acknowledging his wrongdoings and trying to salvage what he could.

That was pretty redeeming for me at least. Viren did the right thing even when he knew there wouldn't be any reward for it. Even if he couldn't stop Aaravos from destroying Katolis or manipulating Claudia even after his death. Like, man, I kinda feel for the guy.

I think it has always pretty easy to feel sympathy for Viren. Viren wants to matter and wants to be important. However, his grandiosity, as psychologists would call it, keeps him from creating genuine connections with others. His friends, wife and children are only there to prop up his ego or get rejected if they fail to live up to his expectations. It's also pretty damn tragic that Viren opens up about his deep insecurities to Aaravos of all people. Someone who was the most likely person in the world to exploit these insecurities for his own gain.

Viren had to taste his own medicide but I don't think TDP says that's an objectively good thing per se or that we should enjoy this sort of revenge fantasy uncritically. Viren is still portrayed rather sympathetically and of course there is the part about his actions affecting others and the world in unpredictable ways. It's still a tragedy because Viren's actions and personal problems have caused so much collateral damage. The Why behind Aaravos exploiting Viren and Claudia is part of that tragedy, too. There are no winners here. In a way Viren is a victim of his own narcissistic tendencies, too.

This isn't just about the final episodes of Viren's arc. To me it's essential to ask What was Viren's biggest sin he should be redeemed or punished for? Depending on your answer you may have a relatively different reading of s6 story development compared to mine.

To me it's not a specific action he took but his whole worldview. Viren is a fictional character (duh!) so his story isn't exactly literal but metaphorical, a representation of certain values and morals real people and society holds. In s3 TDP draws a pretty straightforward, though brief, comparison between Viren and reactionary right-wing ideologues. It's not exactly subtle.

It's just one way TDP goes to show how toxic and abusive Viren's core values are. that gets reflected both in Viren's personal life aka how he treated Lissa, Soren and even Harrow and Claudia (last two more indirectly). Since he also had a ton of political power as a high mage and briefly as a king we see what he did with that power. It's a pretty clear take on people who dehumanise others, fetishise power and see all living things as something to exploit. TDP explores that both philosophically and psychologically through Viren. Dark magic encapsulates this philosophy well since using magical creatures like tools or objects is essential for it to work.

Also also- I don't really get why people see redemption or atonement as something black and white. It's not bad or anything but Redeeming Yourself For Your Sins is a very Christian concept and Christianity isn't the only way to understand villain story arcs. Like I wish there could be more discussion about WHY redemption is the main analytical framework we impose on villains when villainous characters have a ton of variety anyway.

I don't really have anything to complain about Viren's death itself and I'm not surprised that he ended up dying (for real this time). Aaravos seemed like someone who'd turn against Viren the moment he stopped being useful to him so Viren's life has been hanging by a thread since s4. Viren was the best part of TDP and every scene he's been in had been a delight, well expect the s5 dream sequence because it was too long-winded and obvious, anyway, I'm sorry to see him go and I look forward writing AU fix-it fics where he and Aaravos are married and run a hot brown morning potion shop with all their four totally not dead children. RIP Viren. You lived like a messy bitch and died like a messy bitch. Iconic.

#“well someone has been reading her Pete Walker lately” yes leave me alone lol #Viren and Aaravos are very similar in the way they exploit and victimise others (another Viravos win?)#that Viren's apology sequence was the most wish fulfilment filled part of TDP.#Like imagine a cis man over forty demonstrating that level of emotional intelligence.#the dragon prince #tdp meta #tdp viren #lord viren #sarasade text #I don't actually like coffee shop AUs lol but it's a good joke #tdp aaravos #aaravos #tdp s6 spoilers #tdp season 6 #tdp spoilers

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sc0tters · 1 year ago

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Birthday Do Over | Quinn Hughes

summary: it’s Quinn’s birthday and you can’t help but fuel your need to see him.

request: yes/no

warnings: swearing?

word count: 1.53k

authors note: I wasn’t going to write this but when the request came in and it being Quinn’s birthday the opportunity was too great to pass up. Kaylin if you see that I used your answers to my cake questions, surprise? This piece is a lot of flashbacks people so pay attention to the regular italics!

You knew you shouldn’t have been doing this.

But as the three red bulls in your system kept you up you couldn’t help it as you stood in the kitchen baking.

October 14th, Quinn’s birthday and his first since you two were no longer talking.

Surely you should have been fine staying at home enjoying the comfort of your bed but instead you were in the bakery.

Quinn watched you start your dream as you bought the bakery but he never got to watch you fully live out the dream as you two broke up before it opened.

So the cake you made was from your memories of what he liked eating at late hours of the night in your apartment.

Bowls of different icing flavours were in a line “why can’t I try it yet? Quinn complained watching your hand swat his away “because I’m not ready so you need to wait.” You explained in a duh tone.

Over the last week you had been building a menu that had each of your favourite flavours that you had made throughout the years, as well as some new ones and those were what he was meant to try.

Quinn let out a huff causing you to smile “shut your eyes.” You brought your spoon into one of the bowls as the boy listened to you.

His eyes screwed shut as his mouth hung open “let me know what you think of when you taste this.” The spoon dropped a bit of icing onto his tongue causing him to close his mouth.

The sweet flavours melted into his tongue as he moved his arms getting excited “that was delicious.” Quinn announced as he opened his eyes to look at you again.

It made you laugh “that isn’t a flavour,” you shook your head as you sent him a look waiting for an answer “give me a hint baby.” The hockey player pouted as he reached over the counter to bring you to him.

His hands wrapped around your waist as you stood between his legs “it’s this one.” You brought the bowl to his nose but he still couldn’t get it “it’s my take on cream cheese-” the gasp Quinn let out made him sound like a child who just learnt Santa wasn’t real.

You smiled shaking your head “it was cheese!” The American grabbed a spoon again so that he could taste it again.

It was clear that the dials in his brain were turning as he came to terms with it “you make cheese good.” His words made you laugh “you give me too much credit.” You corrected him placing the bowl back on the table.

Quinn brought his hands from your waist to your jaw “don’t think I give you enough at all.” He mumbled running his hand over that bone as you leaned down to kiss him.

Both of you got sucked into it as the world felt like it stopped around you.

But it didn’t and the smoke alarm started going off “shit!” You groaned quickly pulling away from him.

As you whipped your icing you smiled remembering that night in the apartment that you now moved out of with the extra cash you had been making you were able to use to get more space.

It was another reminder of a milestone that Quinn missed yet still it wasn’t out of his own choice.

Part of you should have felt sorry for his neighbours as you two argued for what felt like the twentieth day in a row.

Your hand raked through your messy hair as you tried to remain calm “maybe I should go.” You shrugged avoiding Quinn’s irritated scoff “you always leave when things get fucking tough y/n!” He complained totally unaware of how much smaller you got in that moment.

If you chewed at your cheek any harder you would have drawn blood “look Quinn I love you.” You blurted out as you dug your nails into your palm “but this isn’t working anymore.” The hockey player was your world, that’s what happens when you date someone for three years.

But the reality that the arguments were now outweighing the normal conversations that you two had was weighing on you and the t was no longer at a point where you could act like it wasn’t around anymore “what are you trying to say?” The American knew what you were trying to say but he prayed that this was one time that he was so wrong.

Tears formed in your eyes “this is goodbye Q,” you frowned walking over to him as you pressed your lips against his cheek.

Before Quinn could process that you had left him the door to his apartment shut with a slam.

You were gone.

The final touches always scared you the most. It was like the moments when you screwed here were the ones where you wanted to cry.

Which was why you did a happy dance as Quinn’s birthday message was written out perfectly “perfect!” You smiled placing the piping bag on the table.

Below you sat absolute cake of his dreams, the red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting were complimented by the blue, green and white icing colours that you used.

The gold edible topper balls were for how you saw Quinn. Your shining star that could guide you anywhere.

If you had to find Quinn as a cake you would be looking right at it.

The boy grew impatient as he watched you work “this is an art Quinn.” You explained joy giving him the chance to complain “you put too much pressure on yourself.” You had been tasked with making a cake for Luke’s birthday and you weren’t going to screw this up.

You sent him a look trying to tell him to shut up “I’m trying to make this perfect.” You spoke in a duh tone as you were working on making the icing the perfect shade of red “you could give Luke cake batter and he’d love you.” Quinn’s voice made you laugh as you shook your head.

Luke was definitely the easiest man to impress.

You prayed that Quinn still lived in the same apartment that he was in before the summer. Fears that someone new occupied his home were greater than the ones you held about the ideas of him moving on.

As the sun had barely came over Vancouver you were just grateful that the doorman of the building recognised you because you would have been waiting for hours without him.

It was quiet in the building though as once you stepped into the elevator you hadn’t seen another person. Which is why you thought you were successful in getting to Quinn’s front door unnoticed.

But of course the universe wasn’t going to make your life that straight forward so as you placed the box on his doormat a laugh let you know that you were no longer alone.

Quinn leaned against the wall as he pulled his headphones out of his ears “you’re up early.” He smirked remembering how he could never get you out of bed early.

His bed was warm, and that was your excuse “Quinn!” You groaned reaching out to feel him no longer there “yeah baby?” He smiled seeing your eyes barely open.

Your pout was clear “come back to bed.” You tapped his side of the mattress “I’ve got to get to the rink.” The hockey player sat on your bed next to you as you let your head rest on your pillow once more.

He watched as your breathing slowed once more signalling that you were asleep “I’ll see you soon love.” The boy leaned over to press a kiss to your temple before he quietly tucked you into the duvet letting you bask in the comfort of his beds warmth.

You awkwardly picked the box up “I came to drop this off for you.” You explained turning to show him what you were holding.

Being a hockey player a cake wasn’t something you got in the middle of the season “thank you y/n.” He smiled seeing your cheeks turn red “I should get going.” You sucked at your teeth as you sent him a nod trying to move past him.

Quinn knew that he couldn’t let you leave again “wait,” the hockey player sighed feeling his shoulders grow lighter.

Your nod made him smile “you want to come inside?” Quinn’s offer made him feel nervous as you stayed quiet “I won’t be able to eat this cake by myself and if I get Brock over I won’t get any-” he began to ramble before you cut him off.

The giggle you let out made him go quiet “you know I’ll never say no to cake.” Your confession made him nod as he opened his door “it’s about time we caught up.” The door shut behind you both but this time it wasn’t the end of a chapter.

No this was the start of your second chance, the redo if you will. And this time you two were going to make sure that you didn’t screw it up.

This time was going to count.

#quinn hughes oneshot #Quinn Hughes imagines #quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes x y/n #oneshots #imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #nhl imagine #nhl oneshot #amber writes fics

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qlventingspace · 2 months ago

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I'd like to drop some of my thoughts about The Heart Killers here.

You know I'm kinky ace, my love of Pete in the VegasPete days was quite evident as well as my belated realization that I forgot I've always been kinky on some level.

I get that show like Heart Killers is not everyone's cuppa and it's totally fine to be sad about not being able to watch show with your favourite actors for whatever reason.

But.

But this is a show made by a queer man about fantasy queer men.

If you start hating on it (based just on what was shown to us in a trailer) just because you can't watch it and/or it's too sexual or kinky for you ... that's not a problem of the show.

That's a you problem. If you don't like, do not watch and for fucks sake do not start with moralizing.

I'm more than happy to be surprised and I'm on the edge of my seat looking towards what the show is gonna be like bc they didn't give us any concrete hints.

FUCK YES.

I also think that First and Khaotung are literally powerhouses regarding acting and I can't wait to see them in completely new roles we haven't seen them before.

It's surprising, yes, considering how fluffy and cute and comfy vibes they're excluding in their own personal lives but what do we know?! Maybe they wanted to try smth new or maybe they are multifaceted people who like the roles for personal reasons?

Not my place to speculate.

But to see people insisting on them being pushed to filming scenes like that against their will or feeling like they are 'too pure' for kink or sex scenes - that is outright disrespecting their integrity and free will and truly viewing them as only a dolls fans can play with and dictate what they can and cannot appear in.

They are talented, mindful and picky actors, who have enough of will and freedom to choose whatever roles they wanna explore.

P'Jojo is adamant about actors being okay and comfortable filming scenes like that and it was also mentioned that the final nc scenes are always first approved by the actors who star in them (as mentioned in the OF bts).

So knowing all that, insisting on FK being somehow unwilling participants of that, is reeking of homophobia and fan entitlement to actors choices. Stop that.

I went on a tangent a bit.

What I wanted to share as well though is the joy and anticipation!!

I struggle with series that literally rely just on sex scenes, while the plot, cinematography and editing is shite. In those cases sex scenes (though filmed well) are not enough to keep me interested.

In case of Heart Killers I am only excited. I know Jojo's work, so that's in itself is guarantee of quality as well as authentic queer experience (or fantasy in this case).

The soundtrack again will be a blast bc of Jojo's excellent taste and ofc Khaotung singing the smashing ost.

As for the genre I still have no fucking clue what's that supposed to be but I'm swinging wildly from action to romance to crime to comedy to thriller.

(side note: why are people now complaining about it being "soft/lith porn" is beyond me when similar people were excited about porn in different series ??? explain?

sideside note: also manymany straight media is basically porn hiding under fantasy or romance genre but I don't see people accentuating those being porn when talking about them

sidesideside note: also reducing the series that HAVEN'T EVEN COME OUT YET to mere porn is outright disrespectful to creators as well as actors)

The plot (excluding any possible spoilers since I avoid them like a fucking plague) seems engaging and interesting and full of twists and it will probably be not what we imagine or expect but that's exactly what I ehehe EXPECT of it.

As for the sex and kink.

Why should it be smth bad or morally wrong just because it's a bl? Just because it's a gay sex and kink?

I swing wildly between finding sex scenes boring, fascinating, completely no shut it off and being horny cause it's hot.

It's just how I am.

THK has the advantage that it has FK to keep my hyperfixation happy and considering the filming crew, the aesthetics and general vibe of the nc scenes will be bloody fucking beautiful.

I was fully hooked from the trailer and I can say that the combo of FK talent, sub/dom vibes, bondage and probably whole layer of christian guilt (saw you Jesus on a shirt, I'm so sorry) will be my downfall.

#pipeline christianity>kink is so real tho #nothing beats guilt and feeling constantly watched and judged like developing a kink you shouldn't have #ehehehe...you didn't read anything #sorry #HEART KILLERS WILL BE SO GOOD I KNOW IT #two theories tho #either it will end good and the couples happily together (since Jojo insists on it being romcom) > PLEASE I BEG #OR it will be the most angsty painful ending you can imagine > DON'T YOU DARE BUT I WOULD EAT IT UP LIKE THE PATHETIC PUPPY I AM #heh #this was way longer and revealing then I wanted ..#the heart killers #thk #kantbison #first kanaphan #khaotung thanawat #firstkhaotung #firstkhao #jojo tichakorn #mentions of sex and kink if that's not your tea

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gunilslaugh · 1 month ago

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The Truth

Hello my lovely dear readers,

Have you missed me? I’ve had some thoughts about coming back recently cause I miss writing fanfiction more than I thought I would. However, thinking about coming back has had me reflecting more about why I left.

In my goodbye post I said it was because of me not feeling comfortable writing fanfiction about other men in a romantic way when I have a boyfriend now. That is true and was ultimately the deciding factor in me stepping away from my blog. I did leave some other information out of my goodbye post though. That information being that I had been thinking about ending my blog before I even started talking with my now boyfriend.

Truthfully writing fanfiction began to not feel fun anymore. This feeling actually started when I made my side blog @twinklingstar1ights I thought that opening up that side blog would help bring back the joy I had for writing fanfiction and at first it did. It felt refreshing to write for more groups.

However I felt like my main focus had to be on gunilslaugh. I felt the need to upload for my followers. Especially since there aren’t many writers for Xdinary Heroes. I didn’t want to let you all down by putting writing for the heroes on the back burner. This is where I made a mistake that led to me feeling burnt out and losing motivation to write.

Another factor that led to me wanting to step away was some of the reception to my works. It seemed like all works that I was actually proud of and liked flopped and works that I lowkey hated did really well. It felt discouraging. I get and respect that people have different tastes, but when I posted works that I was so excited to post only for them to get such little reception it stung. Like I wanted to know what was wrong with them. Why didn’t you guys like them? I know that I shouldn’t have gotten so caught up on numbers, but it was hard not to.

Maybe I was too in my own head, but I started to feel like my engagement with my readers was low. My works would get a lot of likes, but that kinda felt like it. They hardly got any reblogs and even less comments. I feel really pathetic for complaining about this, but it kinda felt like you guys didn’t want to interact with me. Like the last q&a I did, only one person sent me questions. I wanted to be a writer that had really good communication with their readers. I wanted to interact with you guys. I will take this time to acknowledge those who did interact with me cause you all were my favorite. I got excited when I saw your guys' usernames or emoji anons.

My Villain Xdinary Heroes series got the most interaction. People left comments and anons sent in messages telling me how much they liked them and were excited for the other parts to be posted. That was probably my happiest time as a writer. Although that being said after wrapping up Villain Xdinary Heroes fics those interactions went away. This was probably me overthinking, but it made me feel like my works weren’t as good anymore. Obviously I don’t expect high interaction rates on every post I make. Yet for some reason only seeing like after like began to feel disappointing. Again I feel really stupid for complaining about this. Like who complains about getting likes?

Writers spend hours creating our works and only getting a like button hit just kinda feels like bare minimum I guess if that makes sense. All those posts about Reblogs>Likes is so true. Reblogs make writers 100x more happy than a like does. Don’t get me wrong I still appreciate all the likes my works get. It’s just like a said hours go into creating works and a like button takes a second to hit and it’s not as personal as a comment either. I loved hearing you guys’ thoughts and feelings about my works.

When I was writing the last of my requests before ending my blog they were just asking for their request. Which is fine, that's what a request is. However in the past you guys would compliment me or ask how I was doing, say that you hope I was doing well. I got to have that bit of interaction that I wanted with my readers. Seriously a “Hi, how are you?” or a “I hope your day is going well :)” on a request would make me so happy. I kinda didn’t realize how much I liked it until it wasn’t there. This is again I feel really pathetic for complaining about, but I want to get my truth out there. I want you guys to know all the factors that lead to me making my decision to step away. Cause in my goodbye post I basically blamed it on my relationship. The reason I did that is because as I previously stated these other reasons make me feel pathetic. That these small things grew to bother me so much.

I think if I look back to when my struggles with my blog started was when an anon sent in a request saying that they thought I wrote Gunil duller when compared to the other members. I just deleted that request cause it felt a bit back handed. Like they said that they thought I wrote Gunil dully then proceeded to request something. I understand constructive criticism, but this did not feel like that, it felt rude. It got me paranoid too. I went back to my ot6 works to reread them to see if it was true. Because if it was I wanted to fix that obviously. It was never my intention to write him dully if that’s how it came across.

When I write ot6 works I start with Gunil first, so in a way he’s the “icebreaker” to get my ideas flowing. Which could result in his part not being as detailed as the others, but I never wanted that to happen. My blog is named after him for peats sake. I love the guy (and his laugh). Anyway that comment just really got in my head despite trying to brush it off.

Speaking of ot6 works. I mentioned it before but I actually prefer writing member x reader works, but most of my requests were ot6 works. Again this falls into my taste not exactly aligning with my readers. I was putting out works that I didn’t necessarily feel like writing, but I didn’t want to disappoint you all by not writing your request. It felt like what I wanted to write wasn’t what you wanted to read. My need to please my audience out weighed writing what I wanted, which again ultimately led to me feeling burnt out.

So yeah even if I put my relationship aside I feel like the end of my blog was still coming. Writing for it was beginning to feel more like a chore than a hobby. Like I stated at the beginning of this long spiel I have thought about coming back. I would definitely be different than before though. I thought about combining my side blog and my main blog to just be a multi-fandom blog or maybe I would keep them separate, but not have my focus be on gunilslaugh. I would just write about who I want, when I want, not stress about having a fixed writing schedule. If I came back it would be like starting fresh. Gunilslaugh 2.0 Honestly I even thought about just creating a whole new blog, starting completely afresh.

All this being said I still don’t know about coming back. I just felt the need to share the whole story with my readers since you guys have given me so much support. I’m sorry if anything I wrote in this offends anyone in some kind of way or made anyone feel bad. That’s not my intention I just want you all to know what I’ve been feeling, what has been on my mind. Why I made the decision I made.

Sorry that this was so lengthy I’m done yapping now. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Maybe we will meet again in the future, stay happy and healthy.

Gunil’s Laugh <3

#xdinary heroes #xdh #xdh imagines #xdh x reader #xdinary heroes imagines #xdinary heroes x reader

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themetkayinaoracle · 2 years ago

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Save Him

You are reading: PART ONE (the teaser is from part two)

PART TWO

Adult (20) Neteyam x fem!Metkayina!Reader

Synopsis: Y/n, the eldest daughter of Tonowari and Ronal is growing into a mighty warrior and she has been promised to Txonu Te Ìkhawvo Uäeye'itan, they are to be mated once Y/N is of the proper age- twenty. When Jake Sully and his family seek refuge with the Metkayina, it is their eldest son that finds his own refuge in the arms of a woman promised to another- but will he survive to withstand the repercussions?

Word Count: 7.2k

Warnings: angst, mentions of war, an arranged marriage/mating, it gets heated at times but no smut

a/n: GUYS it was getting way too long so I decided to split it into two parts THIS IS PART ONE stay tuned for part two players 😎, also its kind of a slow burn in the beginning LIGHTLY EDITED PLEASE DONT YELL AT ME

༺♡༻

Gentle waves rolled across the sandy shores of the Awa'atlu reef, tumbling the sand and retreating, only to come back again. There was no beginning to this cycle, no end, it had been since before you were born and would continue after your death. It was this constant that you knew for certain, not much else.

The day had just begun, you could still taste the breakfast your mother had prepared for you and your siblings as you made your way through the village with your little sister.

Tsireya walked quietly, making your suspicions rise.

"What is it?" You asked softly, both of you coming to a halt in front of the ilu saddles.

She shook her head. "What is what?"

A look of incredulity fell upon your features causing her to let out a soft groan.

"I've just been thinking lately..." She hesitantly admitted.

"About?"

She took a breath, placing the saddle she had grabbed back down with a huff.

"We have less than a year. Less than a year until you're to be mated with Txonu, and then you leave. You move into your own marui and have your own family. What happens to me and Ao'nung when you're gone?"

Your face softened, "Oh, 'Reya, I won't be far-"

"No but it will be different." Tsireya argued. "You don't even know him, how do you know you would be a good mated pair?"

"In time, we will learn."

The response you gave, the same one given to you by Ronal and Tonowari, made Tsireya growl, her face screwing up in distaste.

As if, by the will of Eywa, the flap of wings stole the attention of you and your sister, Txonu and his tsurak flew into the reef having just come back from a hunting trip.

You looked over at Tsireya, letting out a huff as you saw her look of mild disgust.

Txonu is a strong hunter and a good fighter. He had been trained under your father from a young age, the future Olo'eyktan of the clan, and you his future Tsahìk. You had yet to see his stoic front dissipate, it seemed a frown was permanently etched into his skin.

Even now, as he walked to meet your father at the front of the village, the crease between his brows was evident.

"He's so...angry." Tsireya complained.

You sighed, "He's just serious."

Tsireya turned her head to look at you, taking in the sadness that creeped behind your pale green eyes.

"Do you...think you will be able to see him?"

Her voice was soft, but it felt like it had reached out to your throat and wrapped around the column, making a lump form and block your airways.

Without meeting her eyes you exhaled, "I will learn to."

༺♡༻

You and Tsireya had been out with your ilus, riding through the kelp and around the reef when someone blew into the conch shell, alerting the Metkayina people of newcomers. A flock of flying creatures through the air, making you look up into the sky and squint your eyes. Looked like Na'vi.

"Come one, let's go see." Tsireya tugged your arm, bringing your attention back from the sky.

Synchronously, you two dove into the water, guiding your ilus to the front of the village.

Upon your arrival, you noticed a group had formed around the newcomers. They were easy to spot, skinny, tall and dark blue- they were not from these waters. You dismounted your ilu, ducking underwater to swim closer to the shore before breaking through the surface. Unbeknownst to you, you had an audience of one.

Neteyam saw the movement in the water from the corner of his eye. Turning his head to get a better view, he felt his eyebrows shoot up and jaw go slack at the sight before him. A Metkayina woman walked onto the shore from the shallow water, her thick, wavy hairy dripping with sea water. His mouth went dry as he followed a droplet that had fallen from her chin travel across her chest, down to her navel, and along her right leg.

Realizing that he was quite shamelessly checking this girl out, he snapped his head back up, eyes darting to her face. Her eyes never met his, not until she was standing behind Tonowari- she was the Olo'eyktan's daughter.

The tips of his fingers began to tingle with numbness- a new sensation all together- as he made eye contact with the Metkayina girl as her head turned to meet his gaze. Neteyam offered her a small, inconspicuous smile, making her purse her lips in an attempt not to reciprocate the gesture, instead looking away.

You felt your heartbeat against your ribcage as the boy, the forest boy you had just learned, looked into your eyes and smiled. Quickly, you averted your gaze, not wanting anyone to notice the innocent, albeit flirty, interaction- but a smile fought to make itself seen upon your lips making you raise a hand to cover them.

"...Our son Ao'nung and daughters Y/N and Tsireya, will show your children what to do." Your ears perked up, only now realizing you had completely tuned out his voice while looking at the forest boy.

Ao'nung was quick to try and argue, "But father, why do I-"

"It is decided." Your father shut him down.

Again, Ao'nung opened his mouth to voice his complaints, you put a hand to his shoulder, silently telling him to cease his arguing.

He turned to face you, "If they drown, I won't be the one to save them."

"If they drowned, " You whispered harshly, "We both know I would be the only one who could save them."

Your emphasis on 'could' made Ao'nung screw his face in annoyance, moving to push your hand off of him as he started to walk away with the rest of the clan. He hated your teasing.

"Come on, my sister and I will show you around our village." Tsireya smiled, stealing your attention from your brother.

You nodded, smiling at the family before nodding your head in the direction of the maruis, "Yes, this way."

The walk through the village was quick, Tsireya doing most of the talking while you led the way through the throngs of Metkayina coming to see the guests. Your mind wandered back to the boy, who you had an innate sense of awareness of as he walked just a few steps behind you, it was like his energy, his aura was tangible- it was reaching out with its tendrils and tugging on your wrists just begging for you to turn around and acknowledge it.

You fought against the temptation.

"Here is where you will be staying." You gestured toward the large, empty marui as your sister came to stand next to you.

Jake Sully, the former Omaticaya Olo'eyktan thanked the both of you before you and your sister left quickly, giving them space.

Neteyam watched your tail swing gently as you left, the vision etched into his mind, he hopes, forever.

The next morning you watched as Ao'nung grouchily put his hair up, being unnecessarily rough due to his pent up annoyance with today's agenda - teach the forest kids the skills of the Metkayina.

"Are you excited?" Tsireya asked, a giddy smile painted across her lips.

You nodded, mouth full with your breakfast.

"The forest boy was looking at you yesterday." She said matter of factly, making you nearly choke on the food in your mouth before you hastily chewed and swallowed.

"No he wasn't." You argued, face heating up at the fact that she had noticed the exchange.

Tsireya shoved your shoulder playfully, "Yes, he was. And you were looking too. I could tell."

You stood up, cleaning the remnants of your breakfast as you spoke monotonously, "Tsireya, I am promised to Txonu, I was not 'looking' at anyone."

"I hate when you do that." She mumbled, following you out of your family's marui.

You stopped, "Do what?"

"Speak like you are an old woman. You only do it when talking about Txonu." She explained, before walking past you and diving into the water.

"I don't sound like an old woman." You mumbled to yourself, offended at the insinuation.

Ao'nung finally made his way out of the marui, "Yes, you do." He concluded, diving into the water just as Tsireya had done.

You grumbled a small 'no, I don't' before entering the water yourself and swimming behind your siblings.

Breaking through the surface of the water, just outside of the forest family's marui, you moved to climb up and onto the ledge in front of the entrance.

You have a soft knock to the side of their doorway.

"Come on in."

It was Jake Sully.

Slowly, you stepped forward toward the doorway, the privacy flap had not yet been rolled up so you couldn't see what was happening inside. You pushed the edge of the flap as you walked through, nearly making it in in one piece...that is until you were hit by what felt like a solid tulkun fin.

You stumbled, trying to regain your balance, only to feel arms wrap around you and steady you themselves.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

A response was forming on your now dry tongue, but Jake Sully was quicker.

"Neteyam! Careful, huh? Keep your eyes open."

Neteyam nodded, "Yes, sir."

You cleared your throat, suddenly feeling awkward with the way his family had all stilled to stare at the way he was still holding you to his chest.

Lo'ak, his younger brother, let out a chuckle, "You can let her go, bro."

That seemed to catapult everyone back into action, Kiri going to help Tuk tie her top on while Neytiri rearranged their belongings in the hut with the help of Jake. Neteyam was also quick to remove his arms from around you, only for a split second however, before his palm came to rest on your bicep.

He leaned closer to you, lowering his voice ever so slightly, "You are okay? I didn't hurt you, right?"

You shook your head, slowly reworking through the wonders of spoken language.

"I'm-I'm alright." You assured quickly, standing up straight.

Neteyam smiled softly, "Good."

༺♡༻

The forest people were not the best divers, your brother, and his friends, made sure to make them very aware of their shortcomings often earning him a smack to the head from either you or Tsireya.

"We don't know this finger talk, we don't know what you are saying." Neteyam said, head bobbing gently up and down as he tread water.

Your voice came out first, "I will teach you."

Both Tsireya and Lo'ak shared a look trying to conceal their laughs.

"We will teach all of you." Tsireya corrected, making you roll your eyes in embarrassment.

The next few weeks progressed as such. You and your siblings taught the forest kids the way of the water, helping them grow their skills in the sea. You and Neteyam seemed to dance along a line of friendship, both of you yearning to push past an unknown boundary, yet reeling back each time. Neither of you could make the jump, afraid of the simple fact that getting close would lead to something irrevocable.

You all sat on a rock, outside of the water as you practiced breathing techniques. Ao'nung and Rotxo had since left, deciding they had better things to do.

Lo'ak, Neteyam, and Kiri listened as you explained the way of water. Your voice slowing down as you speak, an auditory representation of your heart rate slowing. Tsireya continued the speech as you went to adjust Kiri, resting your hand on her chest as she inhaled and exhaled. A smile danced across your lips as you felt her heart rate slow with her breathing.

"Good, Kiri. Your heart rate is dropping." You affirmed.

Neteyam felt as though your grin was contagious, his own mouth stretching into a smile as he watched the way your eyes flitted between your hand over his sister's heart and her face. A long curl fell into your face, making his hand twitch, fighting the urge to gently push it back behind your ear.

Removing your hands from Kiri, who still had her eyes closed as she inhaled and exhaled, you could overhear Tsireya assessing Lo'ak's breathing.

"Lo'ak, your heart is beating really fast." She mumbled, making you snort to yourself.

"Sorry."

Almost instinctively, you turn to look at Neteyam who sits across from you. Both of your eyes meet as you two give each other a knowing look and smile.

Neteyam felt his palms start to clam up as he watched you crawl over to him from the other side of the rock. Sitting on your knees before him, he could smell the salt and...something else, something floral, wafting off of you. He decided then that whatever that smell was, it was his favorite.

You felt him stiffen slightly as you put your hands against his chest and above his naval.

"Let me see."

With a slow, focusing breath, Neteyam started to breathe as you had instructed, slowing his heart rate. The feeling of his heart rate slowing had excitement radiating in your bones. Subconsciously, you scooted closer to him, angling your neck so you could beam up at him. He felt his breath hitch at not only the sight of you smiling up at him with bright eyes, but the feeling of your thigh coming right up against his, dangerously close to his hand that was resting near his bent knee.

Your brows furrowed, "Your heart is going so fast now."

Curiosity got the better of you, his sudden increase in heart rate taking you by surprise. You lean in close, pressing an ear to his chest listening to the strong buh-bum of his heart.

If anything, this new position made it worse. He could feel your hair falling over your shoulders and gently caressing his skin, it made his cheeks burn. Unfortunately for him, Kiri had opened her eyes just in time to catch you pushing your head into his chest. She let out a chortle, making her brother send her a deadly glare while his body remained stiff- this only made her laugh more.

You pulled away from Neteyam, bringing a hand to cup his cheek while the other rested against his forehead.

"Are you feeling alright, Neteyam?"

Neteyam wished that Eywa would take him, end his suffering, or perhaps make everyone else on the rock disappear so he could be left alone- alone with you, and your hands holding his face so tenderly, listening to your voice saying his name with such softness.

"I'm alright." He quickly reassures, hands going to grab your own that had been placed on his face.

You frowned, still curious about his sudden jump in heart rate but before you could say anything else on the subject a familiar sound rang through the air and settled- unwelcomely- in your bones.

Txonu flew over the rock you five had been sitting on before circling back and sending out the call again, it was his call for you.

His tsurak landed just far enough from the rock for you to figure it was an intentional show of dislike for the forest Na'vi.

"I'll be right back." You muttered, diving into the water and calling for your ilu to take you over to the brooding man.

Neteyam's face twitched, "Who is that?"

Tsireya groaned, "Txonu Te Ìkhawvo Uäeye'itan. Y/N is promised to him."

Neteyam turned to the younger girl, nearly breaking his neck in the process. You had never mentioned a mate, but his stomach fell with a new thought now gnawing at his heart- perhaps Txonu was the reason for the wall you've put up between yourself and Neteyam.

"They are mated?" Lo'ak asked, before Neteyam could get the words out.

Tsireya made a face of disgust, "No. Not yet. Txonu is waiting for Y/N to turn twenty, when she is a fully matured woman, to mate. The pair was decided by our parents."

"They are never together. She doesn't even talk about him." Kiri said, a lilt of confusion carrying through her words.

Tsireya nodded, "He's out hunting most of the time."

Her teal eyes glanced at Neteyam, seeing his evident antipathy toward the Metkayina man.

"I don't think Y/N likes him but she says she will do what is necessary for the clan."

Tsireya's explanation made Neteyam grumble. She was betrothed to another man, a man who had made it very clear he did not welcome his family with his standoffish demeanor and cold shoulder.

The Omaticayan's eyes watched carefully as your ilu stopped just next to Txonu. The man barely turned his head to look at you as you spoke. But the conversation was too low to be carried back to where Neteyam sat, forcing him to rely on reading your body language.

"Your father has sent me to see how the lessons have been going." Txonu spoke, eyes looking off into the horizon as if expecting something to jump out and attack at a moment's notice.

"They are learning, some faster than others, but they are all advancing." You explained, looking down into the water as you spoke.

Txonu nodded, "Good. They won't be useless."

You shook your head, "No, they will become strong members of the clan."

Tsireya's voice rang in your head 'you sound like an old woman'. You shake the comment that had been ringing through your head ever since she had said it a few weeks ago before looking up at Txonu.

"If that is all I must get back to the group." You tried to end the conversation.

Txonu turned to look past you and at the Na'vi on the rock, you followed his gaze catching sight of Kiri laughing and shoving Neteyam's shoulder, making him turn to her.

"I will see you during tomorrow's feast then. You are to sit with me, not your siblings." Txonu stated before commanding his tsurak to move out of the area.

You watched as he retreated, letting out the breath you hadn't realized you were holding in before turning on your ilu and diving into the water. For a moment your ilu stilled at your command under the ebb and flow of the surface. Unable to hold it in, you let out a scream, only to be silenced by the water. The air bubbles being the only sign of your cry for help.

Collecting yourself, you had your ilu swim back toward the rock ready to rejoin the group- but it was too late, the mood had shifted entirely.

It wasn't long before your small group began to head back to the village. Tsireya rode in the front, her ilu guiding the others through the reef while you fell to the back of the group.

You were the last to hang up your saddle, the rest of the group having already dispersed when you slowly made your dismount. Forcefully, you threw your saddle over the rack, tying it in place before feeling the burning of someone's gaze.

"How did you like today's lesson?" You asked, not turning to meet Neteyam's eyes.

You could hear the soft smile in his voice, "It was nice. The reef is beautiful. I've never seen anything like this in the forest."

"My favorite is after eclipse, that's when it's the most beautiful. There is this hidden cove with a cave that glows with different plants..." You trail off, finally meeting his soft stare.

There was something about the way he looked at you with his amber eyes that made you feel as though he was looking right through you, reading your soul like a book. His freckles glowed with some sort of truth serum, pulling your most honest confessions out of you, making them simmer on the tip of your tongue. Neteyam made you feel so vulnerable, for the first time in your life you were painfully aware of being perceived by someone else.

Neteyam took a step closer as you moved to avoid his gaze again, with a sharp intake of breath.

"Show me."

Maybe Lo'ak's recklessness was rubbing off on him.

You met his eyes with raised eyebrows, making a hum of confusion.

"Tonight, after eclipse. Show me the reef."

You wrung your fingers together, "I'm not supposed to be out after eclipse, especially not with...you."

Neteyam knew what you meant, if you were to be seen out after eclipse with someone other than your promised mate- the clan would definitely talk and it would definitely get back to your parents.

But right now, he didn't care.

"Me neither. It would be our secret." He lowered his voice, eyes staring intensely into your own.

A fire burned in the pits of his stomach, he wanted-no, needed to see you tonight.

Fiddling with the beads on your waist scarf you tried to respond, tried to think of a reason for why you didn't want to do it.

"Come on. Don't be a wuss." He taunted, hands coming up to cover your fidgeting ones.

He watched as mischief grew in your eyes, the same look he had seen in Lo'ak so many times just before he did something stupid- it made Neteyam smirk.

"I'll meet you at your marui, after everyone is asleep."

༺♡༻

Ronal brushed through your curls with her fingers as you sat on your woven sleeping mat, it was something she had done every night ever since you could remember.

She hummed gently, taking her time to untangle your hair before sleep. Secretly, she wished time would freeze in moments like these knowing that soon you'd be mate and gone, no longer her little girl.

Your eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of her fingers running against your scalp, almost enough to put you to sleep. Unfortunately for the serenity that was fighting to wash over your body, tonight's plan had irrepressible excitement bubbling in your belly.

Neteyam felt a similar feeling rising through his chest, making his leg bounce and fingers drum.

"Bro, you're shaking the whole tent." Lo'ak grumbled, rolling over to face away from his brother.

His family was all either asleep or close to it, the day's events draining them. It was only Neteyam that was fully awake, sitting up on his sleep mat with his back against the side of the marui. His leg stilled and the shaking ceased, only to be replaced by the tapping of his feet as he waited- he would argue that it was rather patiently- for your arrival.

Lo'ak let out something between a hiss and high-pitched growl, as he shifted again pulling his woven blanket over his head dramatically. It was in the silence that followed that Neteyam heard it- a soft clicking, not unlike your call for your ilu.

After hearing it again, same cadence and tone, he knew it was meant for him.

Quietly, swiftly, Neteyam stood up and began inching closer to the doorway of the marui. He looked over to his parents, both sleeping soundly with Tuk between them. Lo'ak was next to fall under his gaze, his head buried under his blanket- he couldn't care less about what Neteyam was doing as long as it wasn't disturbing him. Finally, Neteyam looked over at Kiri, only to find her looking back at him with a knowing look.

She smiled at her brother's startled expression, before she quietly turned around, facing her back toward him and his daring behavior.

Neteyam let out a breath before pushing his way through the doorway of his family's marui.

"I didn't know how else to get your attention." You laughed from the water.

Watching as Neteyam lowered himself into the water as smoothly as he could to keep from making any sounds that would wake up his family.

"I knew it was you." He smiled, swimming over to you.

He made a motion to call for his ilu, making you jump to push your palm over his mouth effectively silencing him.

"No ilus, they would bring too much attention. We swim."

Neteyam nodded before looking down at your hand still covering his hand. Bashfully, you removed your hand from his mouth, only to grab his own hand in a spurt of boldness.

"Come on."

And suddenly, it was so easy to be disobedient if it meant you'd hold his hand just as you were right now.

Your grip never faltered as you swam through the waters, guiding him to the cove you had spoken of earlier. With every pass of a glowing fish or unique plant, you would squeeze his hand a few times to get his attention, effectively making Neteyam melt.

Coming to a halt at the edge of your home reef, you sign for him to go up to the surface.

"It's just outside the reef, stay close to me." You informed, gripping his hand tighter to punctuate your point.

Neteyam chuckled, "Ah, mighty warrior is going to save me?"

His teasing got a quick rise out of you, making you splash him with water. Neteyam blinked, his mouth falling open as he retaliated with a wave of water directed at you. You dropped his hand as a fight ensued, both of you laughing hard as you tried to dodge the water shoved toward you.

You readied yourself to send more water his way, only for him to grab your wrist and pull you towards himself effectively stopping your planned attack- only he underestimated his own strength and ended up pulling you so close your noses nearly bumped.

Neteyam used one hand to grab onto your waist, steadying you in the water while the other he moved to keep you both afloat, along with his legs that were kicking softly next to yours.

The breath in your lungs disappeared, forcing you to gasp gently as you placed his hands on his shoulders.

Words felt insincere as your eyes met Neteyam's. His eyes followed the trail of glowing freckles that were scattered across your face like constellations, a map written into the stars, leading him to your lips.

"Nete-"

"Don't." He cut you off quickly, his voice soft yet strong. "Don't say my name. Not like that. Not when I have so little stopping me..."

His voice trailed as your eyes fluttered shut, trying to regain your composure. Neteyam nearly let his resolve crumble as you placed your hands on his chest to softly push yourself away from him, his fingers trailing against your waist that was pulling away.

"Let's go."

This time you didn't grab his hand.

Neteyam followed you closely as you swam through the water, his mind running a mile a minute thinking about what had just happened. He had half the mind to kick himself over how boldly he acted, how little willpower he had when it came to you.

Arrival to the cove felt sudden, due to his not paying attention. The walk up the shore was silent, it wasn't uncomfortable or awkward but rather dim and empty, there was a lack of emotion- one that Neteyam felt used to be so prominent- suddenly stripped away. He watched as your feet made prints in the sand, a part of him wanting to try his best to walk in your exact steps, fearing that it may be as close as he'll ever come to touching your skin again.

Neteyam's sense of longing evaporated as the entirety of the cove came into view. A cave had formed just a few feet from the shore and the bioluminescent waves tumbling against the sand. In the darkness of the eclipse, it looked like the cave went on forever, the entire back wall- significantly deeper into the cave- was covered with glowing green plants, like the ones he could find back home in the forest.

It looked like just that, Neteyam thought, a secret passage way back to his forest, back to his home.

"It's beautiful." Neteyam breathed out, walking further into the cave.

You watched him, a smile dancing across your lips without your knowledge as you whispered your agreement, not taking your eyes off of him, "Beautiful."

Carefully, you sat down on the ground and held your knees to your chest as you watched the waves beat against the shore. You felt Neteyam's presence before you saw him, the wispy, winding, tickling tendrils of his aura licking at the backs of your arms and down your spine. Turning your head, you watched as he sat down next to you, his eyes coming to meet yours.

"Thank you for showing me this place." He whispered so genuinely, so earnestly, it made you want to take him to every hidden corner and crevice of Awa'atlu, paint him a map of your home just before etching your heart onto his palm.

You nodded, words foreign to your tongue.

Neteyam felt a knot form in his stomach, your lack of response reigniting his guilt over what had happened in the water.

His hand reached out for yours on the sand, stopping short and falling just next to your own before he spoke, "I'm sorry I overstepped."

Your ears twitched at his apology, quivering voice making your heart ache.

"You don't-"

"I do." Neteyam cut you off, "I do have to apologize. It was not my place to speak so freely."

His freckles seemed to glow brighter, making your fingers go numb and tongue go dry with the need to tell him the truth- after a pathetic fight with your own willpower you gave in.

"I wish it were."

It was almost comical the way his eyebrows shot up, making you softly giggle. You made the move to push your hand into his, nudging your fingers under his palm only for him to grab them with such care it made you want to cry.

Neteyam smiled, looking down at your hands before a darkness washed over his features.

"It still is not my place, it is your mate's." His hand let go of yours.

Your mood soured at the mention of Txonu.

"Do you... see him?"

The question made you snap your head to look at Neteyam again, this time as if he had grown two tails.

You shook your head angrily, pushing yourself up and off the floor, "That's not something you can ask. You can't just-"

"It's a simple question, Y/N. Do you see Txonu?" He argued, standing to follow your steps as you paced around the cave.

Perhaps this was a bad idea, you felt too open, too vulnerable, too close to admitting something that you’ve willed yourself to never even think of.

If only the glow of his freckles hadn't been caught in your peripheral vision, along with his handsomely furrowed brow and amber eyes.

"No."

Your answer echoed throughout the cave as if to mock you.

"But he is good. Mother says I will learn to see him."

Again, you could feel Neteyam's presence behind you before he placed a hand onto your shoulder, lips coming to the shell of your ear as he spoke lowly, making your ears twitch against his upper lip.

"Y/N-"

"Stop." You whispered, unable to handle the intimacy.

Neteyam nudged the edge of your ear with his nose, closing his eyes as he reveled in the petal-like feel.

"Stop what?" He questioned, not moving a muscle.

You let out a shaky breath, turning your head to be face to face with the captor of your composure. Neteyam pressed his forehead into yours, eyes still closed as he brought his hand up to cup the side of your face, the other hand going to your waist and turning you to fully face him.

"The pressure of your perfection is crushing me, I can't remember how to breathe when I am near you." You gasped, chest heaving softly from your revelation.

"Then don't."

With that Neteyam pushed his lips onto yours. You were desperate to take everything he had to give you, lips chasing after each movement. He brought a hand to cradle the back of your head, effectively deepening the kiss. Your lips seared and ached with repressed passion, needing Neteyam the same way you needed air. For a moment you felt anger rise in your chest toward the Great Mother. How could she be so cruel, bringing Neteyam into your life knowing it is another man that you have been promised to.

Neteyam was the first to pull away reluctantly, both hands now cradling your cheeks. You pushed yourself closer to him, desperate to shower him with your affection, pressing soft, tender kisses to each of his freckles and running your lips along each of the deep blue lines that colored his face.

The feeling of your lips moving slowly over his skin made his eyes flutter shut, head angling up having you complete access to his lengthy neck. You ran your nose along the column, stopping at the connection between neck and shoulder and inhaling his raw scent.

For the next few minutes, nothing existed to either you or Neteyam as you both took turns familiarizing yourselves with skin you've longed to touch, kiss, and worship. It wasn't until Neteyam noticed a glimmer of orange out of the corner of his eye that his attention was pulled from everything that was you, his heart dropped- sunrise.

"Shit." Neteyam grumbled, pulling away from your lips and holding you to his chest.

Lazily, you kissed the skin there before fully realizing the reason for Neteyam's frustrations. The sun was coming up, the sun starting to peek through just enough that the front of the cove was now illuminated in an orange glow- that meant the village was waking up soon.

"Shit!" You repeated before grabbing his hand and running toward the water.

Neteyam followed you as you dove into the waves, the swim back to the reef had his lungs and muscles burning but your hand clasped around his dulled the ache.

Just as you got to the rocky entrance to the reef, Neteyam tugged you back towards himself. He pulled you into one last kiss, under the water and hidden from the view of the Metkayina. Breaking the kiss you signed 'Meet me here tonight. Same time', receiving a nod in response.

It was by the grace of Eywa that the both of you made it back to your maruis on time and undetected.

༺♡༻

The fire in front of you crackled and popped, captivating your tired tired eyes. Txonu notices as you start to doze off, eyes slowly lulling to sleep, making him roughly nudge your arm with his elbow.

You hum in acknowledgement.

"Why so tired?" He grumbled, though you believed that was just his natural voice.

Your tongue was tied, trying to think of a reasonable explanation, anything other than you had spent the night pressed up against the damp wall of a dimly lit cave trying to memorize the creases of a forest boy's lips.

"Didn't sleep well." You muttered, picking at your food.

Txonu side eyed your less than adequate manners, "Good hunters, good warriors sleep. They are ready. You need to sleep."

You assumed that was his way of trying to care about you, his own special way of saying 'try to get some sleep, for your safety'. Instead it came out like a father scolding a child and it made you cower.

Tiredly, you responded, "Yes, Txonu."

The agreement received a nod from your betrothed, silencing the conversation before he started it up again.

"Have you taken your tsurak out lately?"

A sudden sense of deja vu hit your nerves, you've had this exact conversation with your father already.

With a shake of your head you explain, "No, I have not needed to fight, nor have I been hunting this past week."

"The ilu is a child's animal. Warriors have fought on the backs of tsurak's-"

You interrupted him.

"And when there is a war, I will mount my tsurak. There is no war Txonu, my tsurak may swim freely until I call for it."

Your outburst angered your future mate, you could tell by the way he gripped the bowl in his hands and his features hardened.

"The forest people will bring a war, and we will be forced to fight. Warriors should be ready." His stare intensified as he turned to meet your gaze.

You stayed quiet, wishing for the conversation to end before your anger took over- a short temper was a trait that had carried to you from your mother.

Txonu saw this as a sign of submission, allowing him to continue.

"You are either a warrior, the one I know you have trained to be, or a child that partakes in reckless behavior with their siblings. You cannot be both."

The band snapped.

Standing up roughly, you turned to look down at Txonu who was ready to chastise you for acting out.

"When the war comes. I fight. But I will not go looking for a battle like you do." Your voice was low and calm, eyes looking down your nose as you spoke to Txonu- something he found immensely disrespectful, although you couldn't find it in yourself to care as you walked away from him.

Your escape route had you passing by the Sully family, making Neteyam look up at you as you walked quickly. Within a split second, he was able to catch the glint of unshed tears in your eyes as you bowed your head. Thoughtlessly, he stood up to follow you making Neytiri raise her eyebrows at her eldest's actions. Jake opened his mouth to say something, but was distracted by Kiri placing her hand on his shoulder. She gave him a pointed look making her dad furrow his eyebrows before shaking his head and turning to say something to Neteyam, only to be met with empty space- he was already gone.

Sand was kicked with each step as you walked to a more secluded side of the beach. With a rush of anger you fell to your knees, clawing at the sand and grabbing at anything you could find only to roughly throw it away from you with choked sobs. It was only when a body crashed into yours that you were brought back to reality, everything crushing down and crumbling at your feet.

Neteyam pulled you onto his lap as you cried, pushing your face into his chest. His hand came up to hold your head to his body, large palm trying to barricade you from the outside world as he pressed his lips against your head.

"Mawey, Y/N, mawey." He spoke into your hair, rocking you back and forth.

Your cries subsided at not only the sound of his voice, but the feeling of him speaking, the vibrations moving through his chest and to your ears.

"What is wrong, yawntu?"

You shut your eyes, letting your deepest thoughts come up and form words on your tongue.

"I can't do everything they ask of me. I cannot watch over my siblings and be a warrior and learn to live with Txonu. I can't even eat with him without wanting to pluck his eyes out, I don't like him." You sniffled.

Neteyam thought for a moment, "I'll take you back to the forest with me."

You smiled softly, allowing yourself to indulge in the fantasy.

"You can be my tsahik, I will be Olo'eyktan...nothing will bother us."

The image had been drawn in your mind, making you nostalgic for something you've never had. If only it were that simple, but you knew better, you knew that were to mate with Txonu, Neteyam and his family would venture back to the forest after the threat of the sky people was extinguished- and this was the better outcome. Your mind lets you wander, only for a moment, to the possibility that the Sully's may never leave, instead you'd be forced to watch Neteyam choose another Metkayina woman as his mate. You'd be forced to celebrate their union as Txonu drove the dagger further into your heart, approving the pair along with his tsahik's blessing.

Neteyam could tell what you were thinking is causing you great pain. The way your face dropped and eyebrows knitted together, he could tell it was nothing good and made it his mission to rid your mind of such awful thoughts.

"Come on." He said, moving you so he could stand up before grabbing your hands and pulling you up.

You grunted, "Where are we going?"

Neteyam smiled, "Our cove, feast is almost over, people will be out."

"No," You protested, pulling on his arm. "Our parents would drown us if they realize that we're missing. That we are both missing at the same time."

Neteyam inhaled before speaking, a feeling settling in his bones, energizing his recklessness that he had only become acquainted with after meeting you.

"I've never found anything worth the punishment...not until I found you."

You shook your head, "Nete-"

"No. I would follow you anywhere. My eyes blinded and hands tied, I'd follow you, oeyä yawntu."

Again, you found it difficult to form words as emotions crashed over you. Never had anyone spoken so passionately to you- your heart ached.

No words seemed to be enough, but Neteyam didn't need words as he led you to exit the reef.

༺♡༻

Neteyam tiptoed back into his family's marui, praying to Eywa that everyone was asleep and he could deal with a scolding in the morning.

"Have fun?"

Neteyam shut his eyes, his stomach dropping at the sound of his father's voice.

"Dad-sir. I am sorry, I was just talking to a friend." Neteyam tried to explain in a hushed tone, everyone else was sleeping.

Jake pursed his lips nodding, "I saw the look in your eyes."

"What look-"

"She's spoken for, boy. What do you think you're doing?" Jake spoke, volume rising slightly, voice strained.

Neteyam shook his head, "Dad, I-"

"How do you think this is going to end? It's not gonna be a happy ending, Neteyam." Jake pleaded, standing up to walk closer to his son.

Neteyam growled, turning away from his dad trying to wave him off and ignore the worries that gnawed at his insides now being voiced.

A lump formed in Neteyam's throat, a feeling of dread coating his heart. He turned back around to look at his dad, eyes now pooling with tears.

Jake was taken aback, he couldn't remember the last time he had seen Neteyam cry. In an effort to comfort his son, he put his hand to Neteyam's cheek, holding his face as his tears fell.

"I love her, dad. I see her. All of her. Everything she is, I see it." Neteyam choked out.

Another wave of tears fell from his amber eyes as his dad pulled him into his chest, holding him just like he would when he was a child.

Jake felt his heart break, "It's ok. It's ok. We' ll figure this out."

Neteyam gestured toward his heart, palm coming up to tap over his chest, "It feels like there are stones in my heart."

Arms tightened around Neteyam's frame, Jake sniffled at his kid's words, "I know. I wish I could fix this." He pulled away from the hug to face his son, "I wish I could take this pain away, son."

"The Great Mother wouldn't bring her into my life just to take her away." Neteyam mumbled

Surely, Eywa was not this cruel?

༺♡༻

taglist

@halibanana @thebestrouge @meepmeepbark @ssc7514 @orinlin @sully-stick-together @fanfics-welcome @babyvinnie @an0th3rsss @crimsonincursive

a/n: im pretty sure these are all the people that wanted to be tagged (I am so sorry if I missed you)

#neteyam imagine #neteyam x reader #neteyam x metkayina!reader #neteyam x fem!reader #neteyam sully

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