#hockey!kiri

[k-roi]

help y’all i can’t stop thinking about an on ice sully family universe. sully’s skate! au

Jake is a famous hockey player.

Neytiri is the daughter of a famous ice skating coach, and wants to take after her parent’s profession, so she trains Jake for free/cheap so she can get her mandated certificate hours in (he was her parent’s client, but he couldn’t afford their increasingly expensive prices so this was the best choice).

they fall in love of course, have kids, and then their kids follow their footsteps. this is a skate! au, after all!

Neteyam is a hockey player! he’s one of the youngest hockey players in their national team.

Lo’ak and Kiri are rising famous duo ice figure skating siblings (think of the shibutani siblings). their similar builds and height allow for more artistic and gymnastic leeway, impressing the crowds.

Tuk’tirey is pro-efficient on the ice, but hasn’t decided on her calling yet since she’s still young. she is, however, enrolled in her middle school curling team, and is interested in taking up speed skating when she’s older (she’s a dare devil)!

[idontgiveaflyinggrayson69]

The Bond

Author: Nat / @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69

Relationship: Neteyam x Fem!Na’vi!Reader

Summary: The bond is a beautiful thing, but it’s also the most painful thing you ever experienced.

Word Count: 14k

Warnings: Smut. Unprotected sex (wrap it up kids). Major character death. Angst. Pregnancy. ATWOW spoilers.

Comments: Hockey people look away, look away… After watching ATWOW I physically could not stop thinking about ‘what if you could feel the bond’ the way Parabatai feel each other in the Mortal Instruments and one thing led to another… This really was supposed to just be a short little imagine just to get the idea out of my head so I could work on my other projects but then I went hmmm no I think this needs some context for it to make sense and then I proceeded to write their entire fucking story cradle to grave and spent WAY too much time fact checking every single detail… There were a bunch of ways I could have expanded this, but I told myself no because no one needs a 50k+ Neteyam story... Also, this was not betad because I was not about to subject my poor beta to my current Avatar obsession.

Disclaimer: I thought Neteyam was 20 the whole movie so that’s how old he is in this, which is about the same age Jake and Neytiri were in the first film. And also, Neteyam wears a battle belt, which means he is seen as a man among the Omatikaya.

do not repost, do not claim as your own

Tsaheylu.

The bond.

The beginning and the end of everything.

You feel their breath, you feel their heart, you feel their strength. It’s your way to connect with the world around you. At least, that’s what they always told you.

It’s a beautiful thing the bond. You can ride and fly and see and hear without uttering a single word. And most beautiful of all, you get to feel your mate, if you were lucky enough to find one.

With a mate, it wasn’t just their breaths and heart you felt like a horse or an ikran. It was deeper, much deeper. You felt them. Their thoughts, their memories, the every ounce of their being. The bond ties you to them—to their soul—for life, connects you to them in a way you’d never be connected to anyone or anything for as long as you lived.

It’s a beautiful thing the bond.

--

You could remember the first time Neteyam brought up the possibility of mating.

The golden son, the next Olo’eykton, the first-born son of Toruk Makto and Neytiri, Neteyam always had big shoes to fill, and it was always something he struggled with in silence. Who was he to talk to about the shade of greatness he grew up in? His father? His mother? His little brother? None of them understood, and none of them saw him.

But you did.

For as long as you could remember, Neteyam had been your closest friend, and you his—outside of his siblings at least. Kiri wasn’t much younger than him, but she had always been closer with Lo’ak than him, and Neteyam had always had more of a protective, fatherly role than a brotherly one with them and Tuk especially.

But you? You held no expectations for him. With you he was just Neteyam—or ’Teyam when he made you laugh hard enough you could barely breathe. You did everything with him. Training, hunting, claiming a banshee. Every step, you were there, and there was no one you felt closer to than him.

You didn’t have a big family like he did, it was only you. But you had him. He was your best friend, your everything, your—

Neteyam was going to be the next Olo’eykton and whoever he took as his mate would be the next Tsahìk, so you knew it wasn’t a decision he took lightly. If his father wasn’t Jake Sully, you were sure he’d have been betrothed to a woman his parents deemed worthy of being the next Olo’eykton’s mate. You didn’t know if Eywa had her eyes on you at the decision not to betroth him because, on one hand, there was a chance he’d take you, but on the other, you knew him choosing another of his own will would break you irreversibly.

Neteyam had shown some interest in the other girls in the village, especially the ones his mother mentioned to him, but you never saw him have more than a few conversations with them, mostly about hunting, which they didn’t seem to appreciate as much as you did.

You didn’t know that they were never the one he wanted. That for him, there had only ever been one.

It was the eve of his iknimaya ceremony, the final step of him becoming taronyu, of becoming a man, that he first brought up the possibility of mating with you. Once he became a man, he could choose a woman.

The thought alone made your chest tight. You couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning in your tent before you finally resigned yourself and slipped out. A night walk in the forest would, at the very least, keep your mind occupied.

You should have known Neteyam had the same idea.

Becoming a hunter, becoming a man, becoming one of the People, and earning his place in the clan all weighed heavily on him. He lived in the shadow of his father who had gone from Sky People to one of the People to Toruk Makto to Olo’eykton in a span of a few months. He was only the sixth Toruk Makto since the first songs and Neteyam knew that even if he were to be a great Olo’eykton, he’d never be his father, and it ate at him.

No matter how hard he tried, Neteyam couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned but his mind fought his every attempt at sleep. He knew he needed sleep for the day ahead, but he wasn’t granted peace and finally he resigned himself to a walk to clear his mind. At the very least, the night would pass more quickly and bring him into tomorrow.

Neither of you realized the other was close, not at first. Your mind was so consumed by the thought of him that you weren’t looking where you were going and didn’t put the care into your steps like you knew you should. The snap of the twig under your step was secondary to you, but it made Neteyam’s ears twitch.

He wasn’t alone.

A moment later, another twig snapped under your foot and Neteyam let it consume his attention. All he had on him was his knife, but it would have to do, he was the best hunter of his age after all.

He followed your uncaring, twig breaking steps silently with his knife down, unsure of what he was following. But as soon as he caught a flash of blue skin in the dark, he let himself relax a little. When he stepped a little closer to get a clearer view, he sheathed his knife as he let out a soft laugh. He’d know you anywhere.

The sound of his laugh made your ears twitch and you tensed. You’d know that sound anywhere. “Neteyam?” You breathed as you turned around and a moment later, he revealed himself with his hands up and a playful smile on his lips as he said your name back to you.

“It is late,” he told you as he stepped closer, his tail flicking behind him. “You should be asleep.”

“As should you,” you replied and returned his smile. “You have a big day tomorrow.”

“Ah,” he brushed you off with a short wave of his hand. “I’ll be fine,” he told you. “I do not have to hunt tomorrow, just become taronyu.”

Your smile slipped for half a moment before you pushed it back up. “I know,” you replied, hoping your tone didn’t betray you.

His ears straightened as he watched you and he hoped, oh Eywa he hoped, that he wasn’t misinterpreting your hesitation as he stepped closer to you. “Once I become taronyu, I may take a woman.”

You couldn’t hide the disappointment in your eyes so you turned away from him. “I know,” you whispered. “It’s a big day for the clan. There are many fine women to choose from.”

His heart dropped, fearing rejection from the only woman he had ever wanted. “I know,” he said and let his tail brush yours as he stepped around you, forcing you to look at him.

You shivered at the touch but brushed it off as an accidental touch. “Your father is very fond of Miayho, and your mother favours Zia,” you told him softly, unable to meet his eyes.

“You’re right,” he agreed. “But I’ve already chosen.” His words made your heart drop and you tried to turn away from him again, but he cupped your cheek to stop you. “But this woman must also choose me.”

“She must be lucky,” you whispered, your heart aching.

“She is,” Neteyam smiled. “She is strong and beautiful and a little slow at times, but she is the only one I could ever want.”

“’Teyam,” you breathed, your voice breaking, but his smile never faltered.

“I’m speaking of you,” he told you and softly shook his head. “Tomorrow I am granted the chance to choose a woman, and you are the only woman I have ever wanted. I choose you, if you choose me, too.”

You were quiet as the weight of his words sunk in, but slowly you cupped his cheek, too. “I chose you the moment I saw you,” you replied and rubbed your thumb over the deep blue line that traced the arch of his cheek.

Neteyam’s smile filled your chest with warmth and you leaned forward to rest your forehead against his. Neteyam’s smile softened as he rubbed his nose against yours. He’d mate you right here right now if you let him, but it was not the way, and a day was a short wait compared to the years he had already been waiting.

“So, it is decided, then?” He asked as he pulled back to look at you.

“It is,” you blushed and dipped your head as your ears went back, already itching to reach for your braid. At your words, Neteyam’s shoulders lightened, somewhat anyway. The weight of being the next Olo’eykton and living up to his father still plagued him, but he knew as long as he had you by his side, he’d be alright.

“We should sleep, then,” he told you and bit his lip. “I intent to mate you before Eywa tomorrow.”

Your blush darkened as you smiled. You didn’t dare ask if his mother or father approved of the match, you didn’t care, you just wanted him, needed him. “We should,” you agreed and tilted your chin up. “It is a big day tomorrow.”

Neteyam’s smile widened and he dipped his head. “A very big day,” he agreed and took your hand before he led you back to the village. The sooner you both fell asleep, the sooner tomorrow would come, and the sooner you could become one.

“You could stay with me,” you told him as you approached your tent.

There was nothing Neteyam wanted more, but he also knew his father would expect him in his own bed bright and early and he didn’t want to start the big day on the wrong foot. “Tomorrow night,” he replied and dipped his head. “Tonight will be our last night apart.”

You hated when he pulled his hand from yours, but you knew he was right, that it was the way. You had waited years for this, you could wait another night. “Tomorrow,” you nodded.

“Tomorrow,” he echoed you before he stepped back. Still, he watched as you slipped into your tent safe and secure before he made his way back to his own and prayed to Eywa his father hadn’t noticed his absence. Thankfully, he hadn’t, and Neteyam settled into his bed with a smile and warm chest.

Tomorrow he became taronyu.

Tomorrow he became a man.

Tomorrow he gained you. 

His eyelids were heavy and sleep came more easily to him. One moment he was thinking of your beautiful golden eyes, the next he was passed out, dreaming of your smile and the comforting flowery scent that always clung to your hair.

--

The sun woke him bright and early like it always did and he smiled as he stretched out.

Today was the day.

“Are you nervous?” Lo’ak asked him over breakfast and Neteyam rolled his eyes.

“Why would I be nervous?”

Lo’ak’s shit eating grin widened as he shoved his brother’s shoulder, “that no woman will want to mate with your ugly face.”

Any other day Neteyam would have told his brother off and shoved him back, but your words were still fresh in his mind—I chose you the moment I saw you—and his ears went back as he dipped his head.

Lo’ak’s smile faltered as he moved closer, his ears perking up before he knocked his shoulder against his brother’s. “Bro,” he said under his breath so their parents wouldn’t hear. “Got something you’d like to share?”

Neteyam knocked his shoulder right back against his brother’s. He was quiet for a moment as he debated whether he should say anything, but Neteyam knew his brother well, better than anyone, and he knew Lo’ak wouldn’t stop pestering him until he spilled. “I may have already chosen a woman,” he said with a small smile. “And she has chosen me as well. We will be mated before Eywa.”

“Bro,” Lo’ak breathed and put his hand on the back of Neteyam’s neck as he gave him a little shake. “You asked her?” Neteyam didn’t have to say a name for him to know he meant you.

Neteyam dropped his head again as he nodded, “it is decided.”

“I am surprised she settled for your skxawng ass, but I am happy for you, bro,” Lo’ak grinned, and he laughed as Neteyam bared his fangs at him and shook him off.

“Watch who you call skxawng, skxawng,” he replied, making Lo’ak laugh hard enough that their father looked over at them and their ears went back as they quickly went quiet.

Jake watched his sons for a long moment before he stepped over and sat down next to Neteyam and put his hand on his shoulder. “Are you ready, son?”

Neteyam smiled as he nodded, “born ready, sir.”

“Good,” Jake smiled and patted his son on the back. “Your mom has the paint, whenever you’re ready.”

Neteyam’s tail flicked behind him. “Actually, if it’s alright, there’s something else who I’d like to do the paint.”

For a moment Jake’s eyebrows raised as he looked at his son before the corner of his lip twitched up as he remembered when Neytiri painted him for his own iknimaya. “Of course,” Jake nodded. “But you have to tell your mother.”

His mother wasn’t exactly happy to give up the chance to paint her first born son ahead of the ceremony, but Neteyam rarely asked for anything and she could see in his eyes that it meant a great deal to him, so she resigned herself and handed the bowls of paint over to him. “I hope you chose well, my son,” Neytiri told him.

“I did,” Neteyam replied with a smile. “Thank you, mother.”

The bowls were full and despite their small size, they felt heavy in his hands as he headed out to find you. Neteyam knew both you and the village like the back of his hand so it was easy for him to find you. you blushed as he met your gaze and he smiled before he lowered his head to you and he sat down across from you.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready?” You asked him softly, buzzing with anticipation of what was to come.

“I should, yes,” he agreed and sat the bowls of paint down in front of you.

“Neteyam,” you breathed. It was traditionally done by mothers.

“I want you to,” he smiled. “That is, if you want to, too.”

You were quiet for a moment before you nodded. “I want to,” you smiled softly and moved the bowls closer to you, the weight of their significance not lost on you as you beckoned him closer. “Now?” You asked softly.

Neteyam nodded as he moved closer. You blushed when he ginned at you shoved his shoulder before dipping your fingers into the white paint. You started with his arm, your touch light as you traced familiar patterns over his skin. Neteyam shivered, both at the coolness of the paint and your touch and it made you blush deepen as you focused on your lines, not wanting to mess any of them up, especially when you felt the weight of his gaze on you.

After his arms, you moved on to his chest and you gave Neteyam a look when the corner of his lip twitched up. “I am well aware you are a mighty warrior, Neteyam,” you told him and pulled your fingers back so you wouldn’t ruin the lines.

“But now you feel that I am a mighty warrior,” he smirked, making you roll your eyes.

You were quiet for a moment as you tried to think of a reply. Slowly, you trailed your fingers down his abdomen and let your lip twitch up when you felt him tense at your touch. “I do,” you hummed and looked up at him. “And soon I will feel all of you.”

You bit your lip as Neteyam’s eyes darkened but you devoted your attention to finishing the lines on his abdomen before you picked up one of the bowls and moved to his back, giggling as Neteyam’s tail kept flicking as you traced the patterns on his skin and once you were done, you hesitated before pressing a soft kiss to the back of his neck and giggled when his ears stood straight up.

“You are a tease, woman,” he breathed as you settled back in front of him to paint his face.

“Am not,” you replied with a smile as you dipped your fingers into the paint again. “Now stay still.” To his benefit, Neteyam was still as he watched you, his tail flicking every now and then as you traced careful lines over his face, finishing with a feather light touch over his lips.

Your tongue darted out to wet your lips as you looked him over. “You are ready,” you told him as you sat back on your haunches.

“I am?” He asked and you nodded.

“You are.”

Neteyam knew kissing you would ruin the paint you worked so hard to get perfect, but he still thought about it and it took every ounce of his self control not to kiss you. “Thank you,” he smiled before he stood and your heart fluttered in your chest as you took him in.

Your best friend. Your lover. Your mate.

A man.

You took his hand when he extended it to you and let him lead you down to where the ceremony would take place. To no surprise, his parents, siblings, and grandmother were already there and when you met his mother’s gaze, you get go of his hand. You weren’t mates yet and this was his ceremony. A ceremony for the clan.

At the loss of your hand, Neteyam looked back at you but you gave him a reassuring smile as you encouraged him on with a nod so he returned his gaze to his parents. Slowly the rest of the clan emerged and began to form the circle around him, and you.

“Neteyam,” Jake started as he looked at his son, trying and failing to restrain his smile. “My son. You tamed an ikran and completed your dream hunt. You are one of the People now,” he said before putting his hands on Neteyam’s shoulders just like Eytukan had done to him many years before. Once Jake touched Neteyam, the rest of his family and then the clan followed suit, one by one until everyone was connected as they welcomed Neteyam into the clan as a man.

You smiled at him as the people began to separate and once he could, Neteyam turned and put his hand on your shoulder, making you blush. His parents weren’t oblivious as they watched you, and Jake gave Neytiri a knowing smile as he held his hand out to her. It felt like just yesterday that she had done the same to him and he was happy for his son. He chose well, just like he did.

--

Every time a member of the clan came of age, there was a celebration. It was filled with food and dance and stories and songs; and Neteyam spent the whole night looking at you.

He was seated between his father, the Olo’eykton, and Lo’ak, and you were across from him, much too far for his liking. He could hear the people telling stories, but he wasn’t listening as he focused on you. You were the only thing that mattered to him.

You had put flowers in your hair and you wore a top he didn’t recognize so it had to be new and Neteyam couldn’t take his eyes off you. You were his everything.

It was only once the sun began to dip in the sky and people returned to their tents that Neteyam was able to steal some much needed alone time with you.

Neteyam washed the paint off and put his newly earned battle belt on by himself, but Jake stuck around with a gut instinct and gave his son a nod before he put his hand on his shoulder. Neteyam didn’t have to tell him for him to know he intended to take a mate, he remembered his own youth well and he could only hope his son found the same happiness he found in Neytiri.

Neteyam nodded back to his father, a smile playing on his lips. “Are you sure, son?” Jake asked and Neteyam nodded.

“More sure than I have ever been.”

“Good,” Jake nodded and squeezed his son’s shoulder. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

It was Neteyam’s turn to laugh and he shrugged his father’s hand off, dipping his head to his father one final time before he slipped out to find you. He was a man now, and you were his to claim.

Neteyam held his hand out to you and you blushed as you took it and let him guide you toward the Tree of Souls. If you were to be mated, then you were going to do it properly and you would be mated before Eywa.

It was only you and Neteyam before the tree and your heart raced with anticipation. By the time you got before the tree, before Eywa, you were a couple steps ahead of Neteyam and your ears twitched with every step he took to close the distance between you. Your tail flicked as he shifted his weight and it took him way too long to touch you, his hand just barely brushing your back to make you look at him.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” he said softly, giving you an out. But you didn’t want an out.

“I want to,” you told him, holding his eyes before you slowly lowered yourself to your knees, your heart racing. This was the moment you had been waiting for your whole life, with the person you had been hoping for.

Neteyam followed your lead and knelt across from you before he pulled his braid over his shoulder. You held his gaze as you did the same, your braid heavy in your hand. You had made the bond with horses and your ikran, but taking a mate was something else entirely. Your heart raced with excitement and anxiety as you gripped the end of your braid and held it up, your tendrils searching for his.

You held Neteyam’s gaze as he gripped the end of his own braid and held it out. You let your eyes drop to your braid as he brought his closer. He paused to give you a chance to pull back, and when you didn’t, he moved his braid closer, letting his tendrils intertwine with yours.

It was unlike anything you had every experienced before.

The air left you lungs and you closed your eyes as you leaned into him, resting your forehead against his as you took a deep breath to steady yourself. His touch felt like electricity as he trailed his hands up your arms. And then you were overcome with warmth and familiarity and comfort. Home, you realized. You felt at home. You pulled back to look at him, your jaw slack and pupils blown and you found Neteyam looking back at you with the same awestruck expression. Warmth and pleasure coursed through your veins and when he cupped your cheek, you leaned into his touch.

And then he kissed you. For as long as you could remember, you dreamt of the touch of your mate, but it was so much better than you could have imagined and you melted into the kiss as you rested your hands on his shoulders and moved closer.

Neteyam’s hands trailed down to your hips and you let him pull you onto his lap, both of you desperate for every touch you could steal. You pulled back from the kiss to catch your breath as you struggled to keep air in your lungs, your pull to Neteyam so strong. Your jaw was slack as you looked at him and you were sure your pupils were as blown as his were.

“Neteyam,” you breathed and rubbed your nose against his, craving his touch.

“I know, my name,” he breathed and rubbed his nose back against yours as he let you feel him through his loin cloth. It pulled a soft moan from your lips which he quickly quieted with another kiss.

“I need you,” he said against your lips and let his hand brush the top of your tail, knowing how sensitive it was, and he was rewarded with you rocking your hips into his.

“I need you, too,” you told him and pulled back so you could run your hand down his strong chest to his newly earned warrior’s belt. It wasn’t something you had ever put on let alone taken off, so Neteyam had to help you rid himself of it so you could once again trail your fingers down his abdomen and down to the top of his loin cloth.

Neteyam’s soft groan had heat pooling between your thighs and you were sure he could feel it. “’Teyam,” you whispered and covered his hand on your hip with your own. His golden eyes were dark as he looked at you and you slowly guided his hand up to your chest, needing him to touch you.

Neteyam had seen your chest more times than he’d care to admit, the necklace and beads provided little coverage, but seeing you and feeling you were two entirely different things. Your skin was warm and soft beneath his touch, but your nipples were hard and when he caught it between his fingers, he was rewarded with a soft moan from you, which he desperately wanted to hear again.

He licked his lips as he brought his hand up to your other breast. His hands dwarfed you, and you moaned and leaned into him as he pinched your nipples, learning exactly what you liked, what you needed.

“’Teyam,” you whined and rocked your hips into his once again. His touch wasn’t enough, you could feel him and you needed him. “My mate,” you whispered and trailed your hands down his back.

“I know,” he nodded. You didn’t have to tell him for him to know. He gave a final tweak to your nipples before trailing his hands down your sides to the band of your loin cloth. He kept his eyes on yours as he undid it and slowly peeled the material away from you. it only made your racing heart more intense as you rested on his lap, and your tail brushed his knees as he looked at you before he laid you back against the soft moss.

You were bare to him, but you didn’t care as he looked at you like you hung the stars in the sky. Neteyam ran his eyes over you before he reached down to untie his own loin cloth, and then there was nothing between you.

“Please, ‘Teyam.”

He nodded and ran his hand up your thigh toward where you needed him most. As soon as his thumb reached the seam of where your thigh met your hip, Neteyam could feel how badly you needed him, your wetness coating your skin, pulling a soft groan from him.

When he finally touched you, his touch was light and you let your eyes close as you moaned softly. He was gentle as he trailed his fingers up your slit to the bud at the top and he was rewarded with a loud gasp when he rubbed your clit. He watched you with careful eyes as he circled the bud with his fingers and felt how you throbbed for him.

The tips of his fingers were rough from his years of hunting, and between the roughness and sureness of his touch, you wouldn’t last long. Your high was building fast and when you opened your eyes and found his familiar golden eyes looking back at you, it sent you over the edge.

“Neteyam,” you moaned as you came, your back arching as you pressed your hips into his hand. Neteyam groaned as you drenched his hand and he kept rubbing your clit through it, loving your blissed out expression. It was only when your moans turned to whines that he trailed his fingers down your slit to your entrance.

“May I?” He asked and you nodded quickly so he pressed his finger into you, moaning at how warm and tight you were. His mate, he thought. His perfect mate.

Once you adjusted to his finger, he added a second, not wanting to hurt you. He felt your every flutter around his fingers and it made his cock ache. “I need you,” he told you, his voice rough from holding himself back.

“Then have me,” you replied and spread your legs wider, desperate for your mate.

“Eywa have mercy,” he whispered and pulled his fingers from you before slotting himself between your thighs. He didn’t have to ask, he could feel your need, and he held your gaze as he guided himself to your entrance.

You gasped as he pressed into you and he rested his forehead against yours until his hips were touching yours. “My mate,” he breathed as you ran your hands down his back, and when you wrapped your legs around his hips, you felt his tail brush your ankle. Neteyam’s breaths were shallow as he rested his forehead against your shoulder, both of you needing a moment to adjust.

You were finally tied together the way you always should have been.

Together.

Connected.

One.

“’Teyam,” you breathed once you had adjusted and you cupped the back of his head.

He knew exactly what you needed and he nodded as he pulled halfway out before thrusting back into you and started a slow rhythm, soaking in every feeling of you. You had never felt so connected to someone and you melted at his touch, unsure of where you ended and he began.

His movements were slow but sure and you were consumed with the feel and smell of him. He filled you in a way you didn’t know you could be filled and you could feel yourself get closer and closer to that high with his every movement.

It wasn’t long until your moans grew louder and you dug your nails into his shoulders as your tail thrashed against the moss. When you came, your veins were filled with warmth, a warmth that only Neteyam could feel as his hips stuttered. The feeling of his mate cumming around him was indescribable and it pushed him ever closer.

He fucked you through your high before he picked his pace up, searching his own high. It wasn’t long before he came, too, burying himself deep inside you as he filled you up. You gasped at the feeling and pulled him closer, needing every piece of your mate you could get.

Neteyam smiled into your neck as you both caught your breath, and he pressed a light kiss to your skin before he pulled back to look at you with a soft smile. “We are mated before Eywa,” he breathed and cupped your jaw.

You leaned into his touch with a soft smile. “We are mated for life,” you replied, making his smile widen.

“My mate, my beautiful mate,” he smiled and rested his forehead against yours as you both soaked each other in.

You stayed with your forehead against his as your highs melted away, and slowly Neteyam pulled out of you, murmuring a soft apology when you whimpered at the loss of him. You could still feel his every breath and heartbeat, just like he could feel yours, and when he reached to break the bond, you shook your head. “Can we stay like this?” You asked softly.

Neteyam dropped his head as he nodded and he gave you a small smile before he kissed you softly. His every touch felt like home and you melted into him. He ran his thumbs over your cheek as he looked at you, his eyes full of love for you before he let himself settle behind you. His chest was warm against your back as he wrapped his arms around your waist and you smiled to yourself as you leaned back against him.

You could feel his breath and his heart and the entirely of his being.

Whole, you realized, you felt whole. Neteyam was your other half, the part you hadn’t realized you were missing. Your everything.

The bond was a beautiful thing.

You smiled as you melted back against him. Your eyelids were heavy and it was easy for sleep to claim you, and when it did, you dreamt of your future with Neteyam—the way you’d grow together and the son he’d give you—and you smiled as you slept, unaware that Eywa had shown Neteyam the same dream.

--

When you woke to the sunlight streaming on your face the next morning, Neteyam was already awake, just soaking in the feeling of you, your braids still conjoined. He smiled when he realized you were awake and guided you onto your back so he could look at you as he rested on his side.

“Good morning, my mate,” he smiled softly.

“Good morning, my mate,” you repeated and reached out to cup his cheek. Neteyam leaned into your touch, making you smile as you ran your thumb over the arch of his cheek.

All he wanted was to stay wrapped up in you forever, but he knew you both had things to do and expectations to meet. “We should head back to the village,” he whispered and you sighed before nodding.

“We should,” you agreed, even if all you wanted was him.

He nodded and pressed a soft kiss to your lips before he asked to separate your braids. You didn’t want to, but you nodded and let Neteyam pull his braid from yours. You gasped at the break, feeling colder than you did a moment before, but even without the bond you could feel Neteyam. It was nowhere as strong as when your braids met, but he still lingered in the back of your mind and you knew you lingered in the back of his. You gave him a soft smile as you trailed your hand down his arm and he grinned at you, so in love with you.

It wasn’t hard for both of you to redress, through it did take you a few extra moments to clean your thighs, which made Neteyam smirk as he watched you, both of you taking your time, neither of you wanting the moment to end.

You had left the village as individuals, but now you returned as a mated pair. You held his hand as you let him guide you through the village toward his parents, toward the Olo’eykton.

As the Olo’eykton, it was his duty to know of every newly mated pair, and had it been anyone but his father, you wouldn’t have been so nervous. Sure, it was soon after his iknimaya, but he was still a man. But it was Neteyam’s father and Neteyam was the next Olo’eykton, making you, his mate, the next Tsahìk, and you couldn’t disappoint his family, or the People.

To no surprise, his family was already awake. Village life always started early.

“Neteyam,” Neytiri started when she laid her eyes on her oldest son, but her next words died on her tongue when she saw him holding your hand. He didn’t have to say anything for her to know. At his mate’s voice, Jake looked over and the corner of his lips twitched up as he saw his eldest son, already sensing his earlier intuition was correct.

“Mother, father,” Neteyam said and dipped his head to his parents, his hand never leaving yours, “I am taronyu now,” he continued. “Which means—”

“You may now choose a woman,” his mother finished for him, thinking back to the night she told Jake the very same words.

“Yes,” he breathed before he glanced back at you with a smile. “And I have.”

“You have?” Jake asked and Neteyam nodded as he looked to his father.

“We are mated before Eywa.”

His mother took a sharp breath in, not in disapproval, but out of realization that her eldest son had truly become a man and had left her nest. Jake touched Neytiri’s arm to ground her as he nodded to his son. “We’re happy for you,” he said for the both of them before looking at his own mate, encouraging her to say something.

“We are,” she breathed and stepped forward to cup Neteyam’s cheek. “My son,” she whispered and ran her thumb over the arch of his cheek.

Neteyam smiled at his mother before he nodded and pulled back from her touch, his smile widening as he looked at you and let his tail brush yours. Jake nodded at the interaction before he smiled at you, “welcome to the family.”

Your smile widened before you dipped your head to him. “Thank you, sir.”

“Nah,” Jake waved his hand. “It’s Jake.” He told you, though one day you’d come to call him ‘dad.’

You were welcomed into the Sully family with open arms. Neytiri had her reservations, as would any mother, but Jake adored you. He saw how deeply you cared for Neteyam, and how deeply Neteyam cared for you, and though he’d never admit it, Jake could see him and Neytiri in you two.

Neteyam’s youngest sister, Tuk, adored you and though Neteyam was her best friend, you were a close second. Kiri was happy to have another sister, and one closer in age than Tuk. And Lo’ak…

Lo’ak treated you like you had always been there. He didn’t hesitate to make fun of you like he did for the rest of his siblings, and he certainly didn’t hold back as he made fun of you picking Neteyam for your mate. It always made Neteyam roll his eyes and, more often than not, call his sibling a skxawng, but it made you smile because it meant you were truly part of the family and you loved it.

The bond was beautiful, as was the family you gained with it.

The problem was, nothing stayed perfect forever.

Everything changed the day Jake realized there was one too many stars in the sky.

Twenty years before, Toruk Makto led the clans to victory over the Sky People, all Na’vi knew his story, but the war was over, something of the past, something that had come and gone before either you or Neteyam were born—or it was supposed to be anyway.

The Second War against the Sky People was more intense than you could have ever imagined, with the guns and the fire and the relocation and the devastation and the death—so many deaths.

A very capable hunter, Neteyam was always involved in the war effort. A spotter. He tried to reassure you that it was the safest role he could have, that he wasn’t on the ground on the front lines, but it didn’t make you feel any better. There was no “safe” in a war. And you had seen too many of your people die.

As the mate of the next Olo’eykton, you could be the next Tsahìk, so Mo’at had taken you under her win, teaching you so you could one day take her place. So, unlike your mate, his parents and his brother, your role in the war wasn’t out there but back at home as you worked to heal the wounded—and make comfortable those who would be welcomed into Eywa’s arms.

You knew your role was important, but it was hard. It was hard to see the devastation and the death, and it was hard knowing your mate was out there and could just as easily be the next person who came through the tent flap in need of help.

You could never breathe deeply, let alone eat or drink, until he was home safe.

And the day he came back home bruised and bloodied, you dropped your tray of herbs before you rushed to him, even as Jake scolded him and Lo’ak.

“I’m fine,” he told you softly, but the blood on your hand said otherwise.

“You are bleeding, he is bleeding,” you said as you turned to Jake after he finished his little speech. “I am taking him to Mo’at.” Neytiri backed you up, also worried for her son, so Jake dismissed him and you heard Neytiri arguing with him as you led Neteyam toward the healing tent, your hand on his back.

“I’m fine, truly,” he repeated once you two were out of earshot of his parents.

“You are hurt,” you replied softly and stopped to look at him, taking his hand in yours. “My heart aches seeing you hurt.”

Neteyam gave you a soft smile and rested his forehead against yours. “I am fine, my mate,” he said before he kissed you. “I feel no pain when I am with you.”

His words made your heart flutter and you retuned his smile. “You still require healing,” you replied and led him to Mo’at’s tent where Kiri was helping her grandmother.

You knew you should help Mo’at, but you couldn’t find it in you to leave your mate’s side. Kiri knew what to do, she was even better than you were, and you were more than happy to let her assist Mo’at while you held Neteyam’s hand, the end of your tail curled around his ankle.

Your heart ached every time he winced at the sting of the antiseptic and you squeezed his hand as you watched Mo’at and Kiri. His wound looked worse than it was, and you let out a relieved breath as they finished up.

“See?” Neteyam smiled weakly. “I’m okay.” You shook your head but still thanked Eywa that your mate was alright.

Still, you struggled to find sleep that night, your mind consumed with the what ifs of your mate’s injury. It would be too easy for his injury to be worse, for him to be taken from you. You had seen too many lose their mates the last year and had their blood curling screams as their hearts shattered beyond repair permanently imprinted in your memory.

To lose a mate was a fate worse than death, and you knew you’d never survive it.

Neteyam healed quickly from his wounds and Lo’ak was grounded for his recklessness. Neteyam was back on his ikran long before Lo’ak was, and without his ikran, without being involved in the war, Lo’ak somehow managed to create even more trouble as he convinced his siblings to return to the old shack.

It was a harmless intention born out of boredom and frustration, but the results were life altering.

It was Avatars. New Avatars. In tactical gear. They managed to get Lo’ak, Kiri, Tuk and Spider under their knives and you didn’t want to think of what could have happened if not for Jake, Neytiri and Neteyam. But Jake knew they’d never stop hunting them, hunting his family. They may have won the battle, but the war still raged.

Everything changed after that, after they took Spider.

Jake and Neytiri knew the People would never be safe as long as they stayed with them, so they had to leave.

The words were like stones in Neteyam’s heart as he told you his family was planning to leave.

The Forest was your home, the only place you ever knew, the only place you ever wanted to know. The Forest was where you were born, where you grew up, where you fell in love with Neteyam, where you were supposed to raise your children.

Neteyam could sense your hesitation. “My father said it was for the best. He said that the Sky People are hunting us and not the People, so if we leave, the People will be safe,” he explained as he took your hand in his and brushed his tail against yours. “But I will stay with you if you ask me, my mate.” He would follow you to the end of the world if you asked.

You tightened your lips as you thought, but it was an easy decision. Just a painful one. “I go where you go,” you told him softly and squeezed his hand. “You are my home and my future, Neteyam.”

In hindsight, you really wished you had asked him to stay.

You packed your things onto your ikran and your heart ached as you said your goodbyes, but Neteyam was your mate. You couldn’t be without him.

Neteyam flew by your side as you left the Forest and even without touching him, you felt his comfort and you gave him a soft smile. As long as you were together, you’d be alright.

In the end, you found sanctuary with the Metkayina, the reef people.

It was hard to learn their ways, it was hard leaning the way of the water when the Forest was all you knew, but what you didn’t expect was how hard it was to see Neteyam lose his battle belt. His whole life he had been working toward it, working to become taronyu and earn his place among the People, and he barely had it a year before it was taken from him; before his symbol of manhood was taken from him.

Neteyam may have been taronyu, a man, among the Omatikaya, but you were Metkayina now and the iknimaya of the Omatikaya meant nothing here. He had to learn the way of the water and earn his place among the Metkayina before he’d be seen as a man.

Like Jake, Neteyam’s ears dropped as his belt was taken away and you did your best to steel your shoulders like Neytiri. You both had to be strong for your mates.

None of you were seen as adults among the Metkayina, but rather as children. It frustrated some more than others, like you and Neytiri. Neteyam took after his father and tried to take the transition in stride and did what he could to fit in.

And if the relocation and the helpless feeling wasn’t enough, you were sick a few times after the transition. Initially, you blamed it on the dietary shift. Sure, fish had been a part of your diet before, but it was freshwater fish and something you only had on occasion rather than every meal of every day. It was easy to blame your sickness on the fish, you just didn’t realize that none of the others were getting sick. Not until you were shucking oysters with Ronal at least.

Ronal was the Tsahìk of the Metkayina. She saw all and she was especially hesitant toward you and Neytiri. Both you and Neytiri were being trained to become the Tsahìk of the Omatikaya, so it was natural for you both to resume your training with Ronal, she just wasn’t overly fond of the idea.

Ronal let it go the first few times you gagged at the smell of the oysters before she sighed. “Have you mated recently?” She asked without looking at you.

Your eyes bugged at the question. “Why do you ask?” You replied and stopped shucking to look over at her.

“Because I am wondering if you are with child,” Ronal replied, and the knife slipped from your hand.

“What?” You asked breathlessly.

“With child,” she repeated simply. She had had two children of her own with a third on the way, and she had helped to deliver more babes than she could count. She knew the signs well and given the amount of time she had been spending with you over the last couple weeks, she could see them in you. When you didn’t answer, Ronal looked over at you, “it is a simple question. Have you mated recently?”

Your ears went back as you blushed and nodded. Ronal hummed and put the oyster she was holding and her knife down before she stood and beckoned you up. She hummed as she looked you over before she touched your forehead and then your stomach.

“Food aversion?” She asked and you nodded.

“Fatigue?” You nodded again.

“Have you bled?” You thought about it for a moment before you ears went back further. You had been so focused on fitting in and your mate you hadn’t realized.

Ronal hummed and stepped back. “I do believe you are with child,” she said before she returned to her oysters like your world hadn’t just shifted on its axis—again.

Your hands shook as you gently touched your stomach.

Pregnant.

You—

You’d be lying if you said you couldn’t be, you certainly found comfort in your mate’s arms many, many times since the relocation. But pregnant? Now? Could there be a worse time?

Slowly, you pulled your hands back and took a deep breath to clear your mind and ground yourself before you picked your knife back up and reached for another oyster.

“There are other things to do,” Ronal told you. “If the small bothers you, you will be slow. Tsireya will provide you with a different task to do.” You wanted to take her up on the offer, but you could hear Jake’s voice in your head telling you not to cause trouble and pull your weight, so you shook your head.

“I will be fine.”

She hummed but wasn’t surprised when you gagged again a moment later and she cast a look in your direction. You sighed as you nodded and moved your basket of unshucked oysters over to her, “I will find Tsireya.” If she smiled as you walked away, well, no one had to know.

Everyone was still so focused on fitting in and you could see the way looking after Lo’ak and keeping him out of trouble weighed on Neteyam, so you kept the news to yourself. If you told him, he’d only worry about you more than he already did and you didn’t want that.

And, well, it was no surprise that Ronal wasn’t fond of you. Forest People. Outcast. Alien. But knowing you were with child made Ronal soften. She didn’t look at you with the same animosity she did the others, and every time she saw you, she was sure to ask how you were doing. The Sullys were smart people, and it didn’t take Neytiri long to put two and two together and realize something was up with you, but she kept her suspicions to herself as she kept a careful eye on you.

You had always been the more affectionate one in your relationship with Neteyam, always touching him or seeking to touch him, but now you were reserved. At first, Neytiri thought you two were fighting, but Neteyam assured her you weren’t, that it was just the move and the swimming was exhausting you and the fish wasn’t agreeing with you, which was true—it just wasn’t the whole truth.

It wasn’t that you didn’t want to tell him. You did, you just didn’t want to add to his already full plate, and then the longer you kept it a secret the harder it was to tell him. Between Kiri’s seizure and Norm coming and Lo’ak and Neteyam’s fight with Ao’nung and Payakan and the Tulkun, there just wasn’t a good time to tell him.

It was only after yet another dinner you couldn’t keep down that the truth finally came to light.

“You are unwell,” Neteyam said as he followed you toward your hut. It was the third time this week and he was tired of you constantly brushing it, and him, off.

“I’m fine, Neteyam,” you sighed. “It’s just—”

“The move? The fish?” He repeated your words back to you. “No, I don’t believe you. Have you spoken to Ronal? She is Tsahìk and she could help you.”

You hesitated before you turned back to look at him with tight lips before you sighed and took his hand. He gave you a concerned look as you guided him down to the beach where you could have some privacy. “Ronal can’t help me,” you said as you turned to face and gently fiddled with his fingers. “Because I am not sick.”

“It is just us, my mate, you never need lie to me,” he replied softly and used his free hand to cup your cheek.

“I’m not lying, ‘Teyam,” you breathed and covered his hand with yours before you guided it down to your stomach. “I’m not sick, I’m with child.”

Neteyam froze as he let your words sink in before he softened. “You are with child?” He whispered and stepped closer to you.

You nodded, “it’s horrible timing, but—”

“But nothing,” he smiled. “This is amazing news! We’re having a baby—the first of many I hope.” You were taken by surprise when he picked you up and spun you around, completely elated.

You laughed softly as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders before you patted him. “Enough, ‘Teyam, I’ll be sick again.”

“Right, sorry, my love,” he replied and sat you down, his smile never wavering as he touched your stomach again. “I’m just really happy.”

“I am, too,” you said softly and covered his hand before you kissed him softly. He cupped the back of your head to keep you close, but you both couldn’t stop smiling so you pulled back and rested your hand on his chest, feeling the familiar, comforting beat of his heart.

Neteyam wrapped his arm around you and pulled you closer by the small of your back before he rested his forehead against yours. “I would take you here and now on the beach if you let me, my mate,” he hummed.

“Anyone could see, including your parents,” you laughed.

“Then let them see,” he hummed and when he tried to kiss you again, you shoved him back, making him laugh loudly before he pulled you close again, the tips of his fingers brushing the base of your tail, knowing how sensitive it was.

“Once the sickness passes,” you told him and guided his hand back up to your back.

Neteyam softened and he nodded, “of course, my mate. May I at least hold you tonight?”

“I’d expect nothing else,” you smiled and let him lead you back toward your hut. Once Neteyam closed the flap, you rid yourself of your top—another sign of your growing baby was how swollen and sensitive your breasts had become and the weight of the beads irritated you in a way they never had before.

Neteyam groaned low in his throat as he knelt on the bed, “are you sure you don’t want me to pleasure you, my mate?” He asked softly.

“Maybe tomorrow,” you laughed and pulled him down next to you and you laughed when his hand managed to find your breast after he settled behind you. He didn’t try to do more than hold your breast while his other hand rested on your stomach, so you let him as you pressed yourself back against him.

The reef wasn’t the Forest, but it was nice and welcoming and you could see you two raising your children along the blue water and sandy beaches. Neteyam’s tail curled around your ankle and you smiled as you tried to press yourself closer to him. You could feel him smile into your neck and it was easy to fall asleep.

He was your everything.

This family was your everything.

And if you knew what would happen next, you would have fought sleep to soak in the feeling of his arms one last time. You would have memorized the beating of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest. You would have traced every dark line that decorated his body. You would have held him a little longer.

You wouldn’t have taken the moment for granted, expecting thousands more in the coming years.

But you didn’t know what would happen so you didn’t, and the ache of regret would eat at you for the rest of your days.

The bond… it’s a beautiful thing.

Until it isn’t.

--

The village was devastated by the hunting of the Tulkun by the Sky People. They were their spirit brothers and sisters, and Jake didn’t have to say it for you to know it happened because you were here. They weren’t hunting the Tulkun, they were hunting you. When Jake took the tracker from Neteyam, you took his hand and he tried to reassure you as he squeezed your hand.

“You tell the Tulkun if they’re hit by one of these, they’re marked for death.”

Jake’s words hung heavy in the air. Neteyam gave you a look that told you everything would be okay, but your stomach still twisted. You came to the Metkayina to hide; to keep your people safe. You promised them you were done with war, but the war still followed you—and at the cost of their spirit siblings.

And because nothing ever came easy, Lo’ak was determined to warn Payakan himself. Neteyam followed Lo’ak, knowing his brother better than anyone and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw Lo’ak gathering a saddle for an ilu.

He shook his head, a frustrated smile on his lips, “no way, you’re not going, baby brother.”

Lo’ak wasn’t having any of it. “I have to warn Payakan,” he told his brother firmly.

“No. You have to keep your skxawng ass here,” Neteyam replied, gritting his teeth. For once, could he just listen to him.

But Lo’ak never did. “He’s outcast. There’s no one to warn him but me.”

Neteyam shook his head as he clenched his fist. “Bro, why do you always have to make things so hard?” Neteyam said exasperated as he touched the top of Lo’ak’s’ head, but Lo’ak quickly shoved him off as his eyes hardened.

“No. You mean why can’t I be the perfect son like you, a perfect little soldier. Well, I’m not you, okay? I’m not you. He’s my brother. I’m going.” Neteyam clenched his jaw as he stepped back, his brother’s words cutting him like a knife. If he only knew the weight of his words, but he didn’t and he never would as Neteyam swallowed back the bitter words threatening to spill out and he steeled himself as stepped closer to his brother.

“Oh, he’s your brother? No, I’m your brother,” his voice was hard as he stared Lo’ak down, but Lo’ak didn’t concede and he scoffed before he dove in the water, heading for Payakan and Neteyam knew he had to go after him.

“Neteyam!” You called as you came up behind him and he shook his head.

“He’s going to Payakan,” he told you and you were hot on his heels as he summoned his ilu, as were Tsireya, Kiri, Tuk, Ao’nung and Rotxo. But when you went to summon your own ilu, Neteyam put his hand on your stomach to keep you back. “I need you here where you’re safe,” he told you but you shook his head.

“I’m going, Neteyam.” He opened his mouth to argue, but your look silenced him. Wherever your mate went, you would follow.

His tail flicked as he clenched his jaw before he nodded. “With me then,” he said before he dove into the water and you followed his lead. You quickly settled behind him on his ilu and wrapped your hand around his waist while he held onto the reigns of the ilu with one hand, his other hand reaching back to hold your thigh, keeping you against him as he followed after Lo’ak to Payakan.

By the time you got to Payakan, Lo’ak was struggling against the red tracker buried in Payakan’s back while the others tried to help. You and Neteyam were quick to jump on and help, but the tracker was in deep and you realized quickly that the demon ship was rapidly approaching.

“Call dad,” Neteyam said to Lo’ak. “Just do it.”

He didn’t want to, he knew the trouble he’d be in, so he hesitated before he called Jake. Lo’ak’s words were muffled as you all focused on the tracker. Your heart raced as you kept glancing between it and the demon ship. “Come on, come on, come on,” you said as Neteyam tossed a rope up to Ao’nung who wrapped one end around the tracker while Neteyam wrapped the other end around the reigns of his ilu.

“Please, Eywa, please,” you whispered as you pulled and pulled and finally the tracker gave, and you all fell at the release of tension. Neteyam was quick to gather the tracker as Lo’ak told Payakan to go.

“Go, I’ll draw them away,” Neteyam told you, making your blood go cold. When you opened your mouth to argue, Neteyam shook his head. They were after the tracker and Neteyam couldn’t have it anywhere near you, your baby, or his siblings. “Take Tuk, I’ll see you after.”

You had no choice but to nod and you gathered Tuk and Kiri on Kiri’s ilu and led them into the seaweed for cover, but the submarines followed you. Your mind raced as quickly as your heart as your ilu weaved between plants and leaves, desperate for any cover, but there wasn’t any to be had. There was too many of them.

The submarines swarmed you, forcing you off the ilu and you kept your eyes on Tuk as you swam toward an air pocket, Lo’ak and Tsireya right behind you while Kiri ended up with Ao’nung and Rotxo. “They’re coming,” Tsireya said and you were all quick to dive back under, but it was useless. The submarines could move faster than you could swim.

It was over when they launched the net at you. You didn’t realize it was coming until it was too late, the net already surrounding you and the air left your lungs as you began to panic. Lo’ak managed to escape before it caught him and he pulled at the net trying to rescue you, Tuk and Tsireya, but it was no use. The net scooped you up and dropped you on board the demon ship. Your vision swam as you tried to catch your breath, your lungs burning, and before you knew it, you were bound to the demon ship’s rail.

You watched as Tuk, Tsireya and Lo’ak struggled against the bonds but you knew it pointless. You were stuck. You were stuck and your mate was somewhere out there. You felt useless as the Metkayina attacked the demon ship. When you came and begged for sanctuary, you had promised them there would be no more war and now the war was here and they’d die because of your family.

You looked Tuk and your heart sank at the terror in her eyes, and you were so focused on Tuk you didn’t notice Payakan until he was on top of you, desperate to save Lo’ak.

All hell broke loose after that.

“Don’t watch,” you told Tuk. “Keep your eyes on me, okay?” Neteyam had always been her favourite family member, but you were a close second given you were his mate. Her cheeks were wet with tears as she nodded. “Just keep your eyes on me, Tuk,” you repeated.

It was only when Neteyam jumped on board that you were finally able to take a deep breath. A smile played on his lips as he cut your bounds, then Tuk’s, then Tsireya’s before he reached his brother and cut him free. “Who’s the might warrior? Come on, say it,” he grinned as he touched Lo’ak’s head before he turned back to you.

“Bro,” Lo’ak smiled and reached for a gun while Neteyam had his back to him.

“Go, get out of here. Take Tuk. Go,” Neteyam said to you.

“Neteyam—” you tried but he shook his head.

“Go,” he repeated, begging you to listen to him, and you clenched your jaw as you tried to lead Tuk away, and Neteyam kept his eyes on you, desperate to make sure you and Tuk were safe. But when he heard the familiar click of a gun, he turned back to his brother.

“We have to go,” he said but Lo’ak shook his head.

“He has Spider. Come on, bro, we can’t lose him,” Lo’ak said and headed into the ship.

Neteyam protested under his breath before he followed after his brother. Lo’ak always had to make things difficult.

At the same time, they managed to grab Kiri. Tuk’s scream for her sister would forever be imprinted in your memory, but you had to get her to safety. Jake and Neytiri would get Kiri.

Except, Tuk fought your hold on her before she slipped free and headed back for the ship. “Sullys stick together,” she said and you grumbled under your breath before you abandoned your ilu and headed after her, needing to keep her safe.

“This isn’t a good idea, Tuk,” you whisper shouted at her, but she ignored you, desperate to save Kiri, and you were sure to be quiet as you followed her.

“Kiri!” She called when she saw her sister, slipping under the bars as you both tried to break Kiri’s bonds, but it was no use and an Avatar was quick to bind Tuk to the rail next to Kiri before shoving you back into the water. Your heart sank and you wanted nothing more than to jump up and fight and rescue them and keep them safe, but when the bullets hit the water, you knew it wasn’t an option and you called to a nearby ilu and quickly jumped on. You’d have to find another way to rescue them and you circled the water looking for any sign of your mate and Lo’ak.

You were granted a moment of relief when you saw Tsireya, but it was short lived as you realized she was alone and your heart sank. Tsireya pulled her ilu up beside yours and pursed her lips as she shook her head. Neteyam and Lo’ak had to still be on board.

Your heart twisted before a flash of cold went through your body and you gasped for breath under the water, the air bubbling around you as Lo’ak, Spider and Neteyam jumped into the water above you, bullets still raining around you.

No.

No.

You knew it. Before he could even say it, you knew, the freezing cold blooming in your chest that left you gasping for air as you resurfaced in the water.

“That was insane, cous,” the voice was muffled in your ears.

“Neteyam,” you breathed and reached out to him.

“You skxawng, I’ve been shot.”

Panic coursed through your veins and you swore you didn’t breathe as you wrapped your arm around him to keep his head above the water, the normally clear water stained red with his blood. Too much blood.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” you said to both him and yourself, even as the ice in your chest melted to a sharp ache that shot down your arm and Neteyam’s expression twisted in pain.

The panic in Lo’ak’s eyes mirrored your own as he helped you get Neteyam onto the ilu before he pulled you on too. “Shit,” he hissed under his breath. Neteyam was a mighty warrior, the best of his age, but he was weak in his arms.

“They have Kiri and Tuk,” Tsireya tried to tell him, but the words never really processed for him.

“We can’t go back,” he replied and raced for the rocks, Tsireya and Spider holding on to the side if the ilu’s reigns. You kept your hand pressed against Neteyam’s chest as you moved through the water and his hand gripped your wrist tightly, needing to hold on to you, needing to anchor himself to you.

It only took a minute to get to the rocks, but it felt like hours. Lo’ak helped you carry Neteyam as he gritted his teeth in pain. Your chest felt tighter with every passing second and you didn’t know if it was your own anxiety, or your mate slipping through your fingers.

Your hands shook as you moved around him and your ears started to ring as you rolled him onto his side. The shot was clean through.

“It’s almost always better for the bullet to be clean through.” You could hear Jake’s voice in your head and you laid him back and put pressure on his chest as you begged Eywa to help you.

It was almost always better.

Almost.

Neteyam’s hands were coated in his own blood and he looked up at you with wide, terrified eyes before he grasped your bicep, his grip nowhere near as strong as it was when he held your wrist.

“You’re okay, you’re going to be okay,” you told him, willing your voice not to shake so you could be strong for your mate. He breathed your name before he scrunched his face up like he was trying to get away from the pain. “You’re going to be okay,” you repeated before pulling your eyes away from his as Jake and Neytiri settled around you.

“No, no, no,” Jake whispered as he perched across from you.

“Clean through,” you told him before he could ask, your ears back and hands red with Neteyam’s blood, and your heart dropped at the way his ears went back. “No,” you whispered, unable to muster your voice any louder before you looked back at your mate. He had to be okay.

He had to.  

“You’ll be okay,” Neteyam told you as he struggled to force air into his lungs.

The ache in your chest began to ease to a fuzzy feeling and you shook your head. “No, no, Neteyam.” You couldn’t lose him. You couldn’t. You wouldn’t survive it.

“You’ll both be okay,” he breathed, his voice softer than a whisper as he dropped his hand to your stomach.

“I see you; I love you,” you told him, desperately trying not to cry and you pulled one of your hands from his chest to cup his jaw, your thumb tracing the dark line that decorated the arch of his cheek.

“I know, I—”

Neteyam never finished his sentence and his hand dropped from your stomach, leaving a bloody handprint in its wake.

You felt the moment he died.

The warmth, the comfort, the unmistakable feeling of him, fizzled out, replaced instead with an unshakeable feeling of emptiness.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

You were supposed to spend your life with him.

It was supposed to be you and him.

You and him.

You were lightheaded as you settled back on your haunches, your hands red with his blood and Lo’ak caught you as you swayed.

Numb.

The only way to describe the feeling was numb, like he had taken your soul with him when he died, leaving nothing but an empty shell in his wake.

And maybe he had.

The bond is beautiful, that’s what they tell you. But they never tell you of the anguish that comes with it.

You could separate your life into before Neteyam and after Neteyam. The before wasn’t important, it didn’t matter, because Neteyam was your world. He was your everything, your world spun on an axis of you and him. The People say you’re born twice, once when you are born and then again when you find your place among the people, and you were born again the day Neteyam chose you. And now all that was left of your mate was his bloody handprint and the world had the audacity to keep on spinning.

The ringing in your ears drowned out Neytiri’s blood curling scream for her first-born son, and you slouched into Lo’ak as you kept your eyes on Neteyam’s. His beautiful, golden, lifeless eyes.

You didn’t hear Jake ask Lo’ak where his sisters were. You didn’t hear Tsireya tell him they were on the ship. You didn’t hear Spider tell him to follow him. And you certainly didn’t hear Jake tell Lo’ak to stay and that he had done enough. You didn’t hear any of it as you kept looking at your mate, unable to pull your eyes away, no matter how painful it was.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

You only heard Lo’ak tell Tsireya he was going because he pulled back from you, jostling you enough to pull you from your trance to steady yourself. “Lo’ak, no,” she replied desperately, but there was no stopping him as he dove back into the water, leaving you alone with her and your mate’s dead body.

You didn’t know how long you two sat there in the silence, it could have been seconds or minutes or hours, before Tsireya broke it. “We should wash your hands,” she said softly.

You curled your hands into fists. You didn’t want to. Washing the blood off meant losing the only tangible part of your mate you had left. But you knew she was right, so you nodded and you moved on autopilot as she led you to the edge of the water. Your gaze was blank as she washed Neteyam’s blood off your hands, but you drew the line when she reached for your stomach.

“No,” you said sharply and gripped her wrist before she could touch you. Her ears went back as she nodded before she took your hand in hers as you sat back on the rock.  

You felt both empty and heavy at the same time as you sat there before Tsireya found her voice again. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, unsure of what else to say.

Your ears went back as you nodded, not trusting your voice. You opened and closed your mouth a few times before you looked over at her. “You and Lo’ak deserve better,” you whispered and touched your stomach, desperate to remind yourself of something worth living for.

Her ears went back even further as her shoulders dropped, but she followed your hand with her eyes. “He—” she started before she stopped herself. “Are you?” She asked instead.

You nodded again before you looked over at her with tears streaming down your cheeks. “I can’t do this on my own. I can’t do this without him.”

Her shoulders dropped as her ears went back again. She couldn’t imagine what you were feeling. “You won’t do this alone,” she told you softly. “You have the village behind you.”

You knew she only meant to comfort you, but her words only reminded you that Neteyam would never meet his child. “But I need him,” you whispered before you pulled your hand from her and pushed yourself away from the water’s edge.

Your heart broke all over again as you looked at your mate, laying there lifelessly, blood staining his beautiful blue skin. His eyes were still open as they stared at the sky above—at nothing. You couldn’t help the sob that escaped you as you looked at him before you reached out and softly closed his eyes. He’d look like he was sleeping, if not for all the blood.

But despite all the blood, you laid down next to him and gently put your head on his chest as you curled into him, your tail wrapping around his ankle.

His chest was silent and still and you wept into him, begging Eywa to give him back.

But she didn’t.

His chest never rose, his heart never beat, his skin never warmed, and his eys never opened.

He was gone.

Your beautiful mate was gone and there was nothing you could do to get him back.

--

The funeral was harder than you expected, having to say goodbye to his body as you, Jake and Neytiri lowered his body down to the Cove of the Ancestors. You knew that he was gone, that your mate was gone, that it was just a shell of his being, but you still wept, your tears burning your eyes more than the salt ever did.

Your lungs burnt as the air left you as you watched as the cove took his body, wrapping around him as it slowly consumed him, and just like that, he was gone, a piece of the ocean.

The way of water has no beginning and no end. The sea is around you and in you. The sea is your home, before your birth and after your death.

The first thing anyone heard when you resurfaced was your sob and you let Neytiri hug you as you sobbed into her shoulder. “My child,” she whispered as she held you close.

“It’s not fair,” you managed to get out between sobs.

“I know,” she whispered, her heart just as broken as yours.

Eywa holds all her children in her heart, but all you wanted was to hold him in your arms.

--

And if you thought the funeral was hard, visiting the Spirit Tree was even harder. Jake and Neytiri had gone soon after the funeral but took you days to get the courage to visit, to visit Neteyam.

Your tears disappeared into the salt water as you held your braid in your hand. Your heart ached in your chest, but slowly you let your tendrils connect with the Spirit Tree.

At first, all you felt was warmth as white consumed your vision, but then you were filled with the familiar view of the Forest, of your home. You smiled to yourself as you looked around, and just like that, Neteyam slipped out from between the trees, his battle belt and ikran eyewear on and your eyes watered as you looked at him, every bit the man you loved.

“Neteyam?” You asked and he smiled as he came around you, his tail wrapping around yours in a way he knew comforted you.

“Why are you crying, my mate?” He asked concerned he reached out to cup your jaw.

“I’m just happy to see you,” you told him breathlessly and you committed his smile to memory.

“I’m happy to see you, too, my mate,” he replied and you trailed your eyes over every mark on his body as your heart wept.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

Neteyam was your everything, your best friend, your lover, your mate, the father of your child.

From the moment his braid meant yours, you felt him. You felt him in a way no one else could and no one else would. You felt his being. And too soon you had felt him go.

Memories of you two as children, growing up, becoming teenagers, and falling in love, flashed before your eyes and you took water into your lungs as you sobbed, forcing yourself to pull back from the spirit tree and returned to the surface, one hand treading water as you held your stomach with the other.

A boy, you thought suddenly, the Tsahìk abilities you had been training for finally showing themselves. You were having a boy.

The bond is a beautiful thing, but it’s also the most painful thing you ever experienced, the beginning and end of everything, of all that you are.

[nancynancydrewdrewdrew]

The Olympic Sports I Think Nancy Drew Characters Would Play Based on Vibes

Ned: swimming. Oh man he has big swimmer energy. I will not elaborate. Daryl does too.

Kiri: rugby. In fact she was on the women’s NZ rugby team that just won gold. If you didn’t see her you weren’t watching hard enough not my problem

Jane Penvellyn (in a few years): DRESSAGE. Oh my god. All the Penvellyns are dressage. It’s a linage of dressage. That whole family is so dressage coded. Except for Alan, he did modern pentathlon.

Katie AND Jenna: they both do canoe and kayak slaloms and they are big rivals and lovers. Also Holt does sailing.

Tex: I know you think I’m going to say an equestrian sport but that’s WRONG he does shooting. Try to tell me that man has ever missed a rifle shot I dare you! (Ollie has though lol)

Mary: you may think I’m going to say an equestrian sport and you are RIGHT. She does cross country with her horsie :)

Isis: she is a wolf so unfortunately she can’t compete. But long jump.

Connie: Judo duh

Pua: surfing duh

Hulk: he’s actually not in the Olympics. They have rules against steroids sorry Hulk

Rick Arlen: he’s not in the Olympics either but he bought beach volleyball tickets and the cameras keep cutting to him in the stands before going to commercial

Jacques: he’s not in this Olympics. Check back in two years

Yanni: him too. You know if I had a nickel for each time a Nancy Drew game had an asshole Olympic skier as a character…

Jim Archer: fencing. He wins gold. I know you think I’m joking but look up the president of the IOC who won gold in fencing like fifty years ago and you will see that they are the same man.

Frank: mountain biking. He just gives me that vibe and this is based on vibes so there you go.

George: heptathlon!! She’s ripped and also good at cardio!

Henrik: he was a pole vaulter in the 60s. Look at how tall and skinny he is. If this was real life they’d be calling it the Van der Hune flop not the Fosbury flop.

Harlan: wrestling. Search your heart, you know it to be true!

Minette: she switched martial arts to Judo but she loses her first match and gets kicked out of the tournament because she announces every move she’s about to do.

Niko Jovic: unfortunately he is dead so he’s not gonna be participating.

Brenda Carlton: rhythmic gymnastics. The US does not perform well in that sport and she’s going to do nothing to change it.

Helena: triathlon. Imagine it. She can swim and bike and run, I’m sure of it.

Niobe: did you know that up until the 1940s they had art categories in the Olympics? Unfortunately that was like 80 years ago so sorry Niobe it isn’t happening for you.

Elka: she seems short. Gymnastics. She’s not coming anywhere near team USA though.

Anja: oh my god shot put. The lady is made to be a shot putter.

Leela: actually she’s not going to the Olympics because she spends all her time playing air hockey instead of training. Bummer. Kim and Rachel are synchro divers though.

[puckpocketed]

Naruto ice hockey AU!! a good friend suggested there should be more art of hockey equipment and then I went out and started looking at hockey equipment for references and then this wedged itself into the back of my mind until i gave up and painted it. click for better quality. Yes i have mock ups. They will not see the light of day until I finish all 3 jersey variants ! AU and design notes under the cut if you fancy <3

Lore… i used to run a Naruto blog when I was much much much younger. you are currently witnessing my old special interest cross over with my current special interest.

Bits and pieces from this AU that I’ve been rotating in my mind:

Welcome to the Elemental Nations Hockey League? :D

Every season they play for the Kaguya Cup, named after the mother of ice hockey who invented it eons ago with two sons on her hip ! Yeah sure we’ll go with that….

I present to you the Original FIVE: the Kumo Cloud, the Iwa Quake, the Kiri Mist Wraiths, the Suna Dust Devils, and the Konoha Leafs !! Sorry to actual Leafs fans but I thought about this for much longer than I want to admit and there is no other name that makes sense here. I just think they’re fun <3 (SO many translatable motifs and ideas and I can’t include them all here)

3-man units EASILY become lines. I thought about this and yeah . Yeah. Team 7 is still comprised of Naruto-Sakura-Sasuke OBVIOUSLY . there is no gender segregation in this AU because i chose joy and fun when dreaming it up. also they all wore 7 in juniors. 777. 7-UP line LMAO. jackpot line? Team 7. haven’t decided.

Naruto quick facts: winger, wears the C (eventually) undrafted in his first eligible year, taken 111th overall in his second (he was a late bloomer + canon-compliant asshole child era meant nobody wanted his ass!! Konoha took a chance on him!). Wore #7 he wears #1 because of his draft position and because he’s gonna be the best player EVER. <3 He thinks he’s normal about Sasuke (he is not)

Sasuke notes: winger, wears an A. went 1st overall. No weaknesses … the Perfect player ! except he is Not his brother Itachi who ALSO went 1st overall about 10 years ago. the world wont let him forget it . Itachi is now retired for medical reasons but works in hockey as a scout, but the comparisons haunt our little man… </3 Sasuke’s D+1 year he wasn’t ready for the ENHL and everyone started calling him a bust because he got sent down!! SAD!!!! Wears #77 as a Leaf because they all agreed it would be fair no one should have #7. Trade rumours to the Oto Thunder every season like clockwork because Orochimaru, Oto’s GM, originally tanked to get Sasuke in the draft and FAILED…!

Sidebar i believe in my heart that Naruto and Sasuke played for rival juniors teams; the Uzushio Tempest and the Uchiwa Flames…… let me cook here alright,.. i just think they developed an intense fixation on each other and got thrown out of games for fighting ! Ironically this rivalry unlocked their potential and they were in a heated scoring race thru the entire season…..

Sakura: undisputed center and the bus driver of this line!!! wears the other A! Drafted 7OA and everyone was mad about it because they wanted someone else. Wore #7 through juniors to spite them !! Currently wears #16 just like her hero Tsunade <3 Tactical mind, not naturally talented but worked hard for everything she has, an extremely effective playmaker… I think she is built like a tank… terrifying power forward Sakura…………….

They play for the Konoha Leafs obviously...! Theyre the cringefail girlies for about 2 years once they make it to the ENHL, godbless . Lots of individual flashes of brilliance but no long-term success and zero team cohesion as they are shuffled around. Naruto and Sasuke both have a go at being center but they both Suck at anchoring a line like that.. they aint made that way (to ME!!!) Konoha Leafs on the verge of collapse and wasting another 5-7 yrs of being mediocre. Then one day coach Kakashi decides ‘Hm. Maybe. i will make Sakura play with these two assholes.’ And the rest is history!!!!!!

Listen I just think she would corral their worst impulses and keep them in line…. I feel like she’s a very responsible and smart 2-way player and balances Naruto and Sasuke’s heavy offence out. They get really dangerous the moment they settle into their roles. 777. JACKPOT!!!!!!

Various team mascots are the tailed beasts? <3 I just think it would be neat….!

Lots of expansion team ideas (smaller villages) and a junior league (clan associations !) many ideas…

DESIGN NOTES

In-universe, the above design is a 3rd jersey nodding towards Konoha's heritage. Prior to becoming the Leafs in the ENHL, they were the Demon Foxes!

WHY did i choose a third jersey…? This idea popped into my head when i heard rumours the ducks were leaning into their orange county ties in the rebrand and i thought ouuuhh you know what would fuck severely… naruto x ducks brand collaboration…… oramnge…. I love orange <3

Anyway Naruto had his heart set on being a goalie before tragically being moved to forward (the skaters …they YEARN for the pipes!!!!) so he wraps his stick in that insane goalie knob style <3 Where did you get that red and blue tape from Naruto…. C’mon now don’t be shy …

Blade is orange taped bc Naruto loves orange so bad. There are various ideas about white sticks/white tape being harder to see against the ice and i think he’d like the idea of taping his blade orange bc the doesn’t need that competitive advantage lol

Konoha home jerseys are green/brown/white/red/blue (think something closer to the Jounin flak jackets) More on them later mayhaps…

Out of universe, I based the colours and design elements largely off Naruto’s outfits over the series. The black and orange is a nod to his first outfit in Shippuden — note the black on his shoulders cutting across his chest and the shape language of the piping on the abdomen.

The red piping is because reaaaalllly wanted to add his Hokage robe flames but i tried it and thought it looked lame as HELL . So i suppose we will save that for a specialty jersey somewhere down the line (many thoughts… many many thoughts….)

The blue/white/red on his skates, sleeves, and gloves is an homage to the Uchiha, who had a hand in founding the team + have people within the org. I imagine the Uchiha clan as this, idk, juggernaut of hockey dynasties…!! A finger in every possible pie. Maybe they have partial ownership of the team. They do equipment manufacturing (gloves, skates, tape!), PR, scouting… everything!!!

Shoulder patches are Uzushio’s whirlpool insignia.

The ribbed neck guard is a reference to Naruto’s first jumpsuit design. He definitely thinks he doesn’t need a neck guard until Sasuke mentions that they’re kind of cool — a blatant manipulation to get Naruto to wear one. <- they are unwell about each other you see

Naruto tapes his hockey socks different every time for good luck. someone said variety is the spice of life and then he heard somewhere else that spicy foods promote longevity and his wires got crossed and now he thinks of variance = spice = a long playing career.

[a-ikuoliver]

────────⌕ SEARCH: IO/EIJIRO-KIRISHIMA

updated 14th august 2024

masterlist • archive of our own • wip updates • my kofi please bear in mind all my works will be female/femme reader & remember to check the warnings

pretty | nsfw 18+ | 2.1k — 13/11/2022

summary:  feeling especially sadistic, kirishima uses clear packaging tape on your pussy, saying he wants something pretty to look at while he fucks you in the ass. porn without plot i cant even lie warnings: d/s dynamics, anal, praise, dirty talking, kiri calls your pussy ‘she’, free use dynamics, pet names (pretty girl, gorgeous, babydoll, angel, my girl), slight objectification/dumbification (?), cheeky aftercare moment, overuse of italics ngl

heavenly | nsfw 18+ | 4.7k — 06/11/2023

summary: you're kirishima's angel, his sweet girl, until the doors are locked. warnings: characters are 21/22, girly girl descriptors, pet names (princess, angel, sweetheart, bunny, baby), degradation (slut, whore), anal play (f!receiving), dirty talk, unprotected sex

kiri n bakugou, overstimulation v understimulation [nsfw] — 16/11/2022

eijirou’s a touch insecure [nsfw] — 18/10/2023

hockey player eiji — 13/01/2024

kirishima + jalapeno margarita [nsfw] — 06/07/2024

kirishima + blowjob [nsfw] — 14/08/2024

© all works belong to @a-ikuoliver, @gwen0m, and dlirious on archive of our own, do not plagiarise, translate, repost, feed my works into ai or recommend my work on other platforms, or bind my fanworks for sale.

[casiia]

sports i think the sully's (+) would play!

supa dupa unedited!

jake sully: definitely a football man, he forces the entire family to watch the super bowl with him and screams SO loud when his team loses. i can imagine he wanted a son so they could play together, do the cliche 'teaching my son how to throw a football' thing. jake also host family football in his backyard when his friend's come over, he has tonowari as the other team captain and forces the kids to play, making them line up so the dads can make their team.

"lo'ak- no! you have to play"

neytiri: i don't know why but she definitely plays tennis, like in my head it just makes sense. y'know when in tennis matches all you can hear are the competitors grunting while they hit the ball super hard, that's her. neytiri is basically serena williams. she has a custom made racket and her outfits change for every game she plays, her visor is blue most of the time because tuk insist the sun will reflect off the color and she will be able to see the entire time (she heard the sky is blue because it reflects off of the ocean and she just ran with it).

"tuk, you're right! the blue kept the sun out of my eyes"

neteyam: jake most definitely tried to convince neteyam to play football, "it's fun i promise" "follow in my footsteps" let's just say the countless hours of them throwing a football outside bored neteyam to death. so instead, i feel like he would play hockey. it's kinda the same concept...right? like they are both very big contact sports, ramming each other into the walls of the skating rink to get to the puck, tripping your opponents with a hockey stick making them fall into the hard ice. i assume neteyam would use it as an out to release pent up anger and aggression he holds as the oldest son, it's definitely not healthy, but it's better than nothing AND he's good at what he does so it's a win win situation.

"what, in the penalty box again? i didn't push him, i tripped. not my fault he fell so hard."

lo'ak: LO'AK! i already know he plays basketball, he wears the nike techs and everything. very big lakers fan, like i want to say his whole room is a bright purple and yellow and every night before he goes to bed he blows a kiss to kobe. he's obnoxious and knows he's better than most people, so he'll just take the ball every chance he gets and shoots. it's always great but if he does it in a close game and he misses, he will prob be benched for the rest of the quarter. he begs neytiri and jake to get neon bright basketball shoes that are super expensive because 'the brigther the shoe the better the athlete' and after years of begging, he finally gets the bright orange (ugly) shoes he's been wanting. if he sees tsireya in the crowd he points at her and says "this one's for you", completely airballs and gets yelled at by his coach..

"i'm not cocky, i just know i'm good"

kiri: uhm. kiri doesn't play a sport, she's very much the musician of the family. but if i really had to chose i think she would be good at,, ice skating?! or dance in general, again i have no idea. but let's say ice skating, she carpools with neteyam because they go to the same ice rink and the entire time it's just gossip. she's very stubborn and has to perfect the trick she does before moving onto the next one. i'm guessing that she experiences a big mental block, like she can't do spins or jumps anymore because she's afraid to fall on the ice and hurt herself; that's why she quit. she does miss the beauty of the sport but finds herself in tune with music.

"you know what elsa said, the cold never bothered me anyway"

tuk: SHE IS A GYMNAST! she's one of those annoying little girls who do cartwheels everywhere to show off. her leotards are all glittery and multicolored, she has to look her best for the judges. neytiri and jake absolutely eat it up, they make the entire family watch her beam routine once she successfully does it without falling off. when jake takes her to skyzone to practice her flips, he ends up getting stuck in the foam pit and has to have workers help pull him out. then he lost tuk. but aside from that, tuk is very hardworking and committed, she wants to be an olympian and if she's good at 8, imagine how good she will be when she's older. neytiri loves the time that they spend picking her outfits out or when she has to squeeze her little girl's hair into a bun. the memories they make in those 5 minutes keep tuk motivated, she no longer cries when she falls, she laughs that she did and gets up to do it again.

"MOM! TOO TIGHT MY HAIR IS GONNA RIP OUT MY HEAD!"

tonowari: hmm. i think waterpolo! saying this because he's metkayina but also one beefy man. he moves well in the water and is the fastest on his team, sososo very humble though. if someone scratches him or pulls him under water, he will try to drown the guy. ( sorry it's this short i know nothing about waterpolo)

"i didn't even do that, pshh you can't see anything it was underwater"

ronal: swimming?? i think maybe swim team or synchronized swimming. yes yes synchro swimming! she likes dancing of course but dancing underwater it just so much more peaceful to her. she is super close to her team and gets to pick out the music for each choreograph much to everyone's dismay.

"this is not old people music! it's good for the soul"

ao'nung: baseball player. 2 million percent a baseball player. he's a pitcher and always teases the person batting before throwing a curveball. if he gets caught he gets scolded but never benches because he's too good and they need him (gag). very very cocky boy, will never admit he's done something wrong and that causes the whole team to run. i can also see him annoyingly eating sunflower seeds and spitting the shell out between every word, no manners smh.

"huh- pft- no- pft- i- pft- didn't- pft- say- pft-" "AO'NUNG!"

tsireya: sweet baby is a cheerleader. she's a flyer and puts her entire trust in her spotters, they will never ever drop her. she loves to do very bold cheer makeup and color coordinates her outfits, her smile soso big as she waves to the bleachers with a pompom in hand. there are mean cheerleaders and she's always one of the girls to scold them "we are a team, weather you like it or not." she's at the top of the pyramid in everyone's hearts.

"yes i can do makeup on you tuk, is it scary being thrown? of course not, they will always catch me"

[naavispider]

If modern au Sully Kids, Metkayina kids and Spider played any sports, what would you think they would be?

If they lived nearer the coast, Lo'ak would definitely a surfer, for sure. I also see him as a decent soccer player for some reason. Other than that, I don't think he's that into sports, but ofc he's still decent at most of them.

Neteyam the baseball player?? Consider it 🤔🤔 Also ice hockey! He wishes he could devote more time to practice, be he has to spend a lot of time studying for college/school. Lo'ak also used to do ice hockey but grew out of it.

Kiri is so adventurous - she loves the outdoors and the ocean, and is a bit of a thrill seeker at heart. She's not good at sports, but she likes to give things a go. She regularly does yoga, paddle boarding and horse riding. She tried her hand at ice hockey but was awful (by her own account) so hasn't stepped foot on the ice since 💀

Tuk does dance, gymnastics and also the junior ice hockey classes 🥺 Like her sister she is up for anything and (being younger) can generally succeed at whatever she puts her mind to.

Ao'nung: pro surfer (Lo'ak has a secret ambition to outdo him). Also goes to Neteyam's hockey games.

Tsireya: not sporty at all, other than swimming. She's tried to do other watersports, but her balance isn't so good and she just prefers being in the water, rather than on it.

Spider: Not sporty, but would be good at surfing, football, hockey, horse riding, climbing, running and skateboarding.

[honeipie]

I LUV UR HOCKEY BOY SERIES SMMMMM

THANK YOU MY LOVELYYYYYY!!!!

i was gonna do one for kiri but i PHYSICALLY cannot get myself to write anything so im just gonna make a part two for the katsuki one🙂‍↕️

[scarlettriot]

Well friends, it looks like I'm not getting my chapters back, meaning I get to write them allll over again. Yay.

But, thought I'd make a poll out of it to see whatcha guys wanna read.

I am gonna be working my ass of on the Winter Writing Pieces mostly though.

I can give more info on the new stuff if anyone is curious. I just don't have it in me right this second. Lemme know what you're feeling ♡

[babehhlubis]

Hockey League Wild Match™

Hockey League Wild Match™ adalah permainan slot bertema hoki es yang dikembangkan oleh Pragmatic Play. Game ini memadukan semangat kompetisi olahraga dengan fitur-fitur bonus yang menggembirakan dan gameplay yang penuh aksi. Dengan visual yang berfokus pada olahraga, simbol-simbol menarik, dan peluang besar untuk kemenangan, slot ini dirancang untuk menghibur para pemain yang menyukai tema olahraga, khususnya hoki.

Fitur Utama

Gulungan & Garis Pembayaran:

Hockey League Wild Match™ memiliki 5 gulungan dan 3 baris, dengan 20 garis pembayaran tetap.

Kombinasi kemenangan terbentuk dengan mencocokkan simbol yang cocok dari kiri ke kanan pada garis pembayaran yang aktif.

Simbol-Simbol Utama:

Simbol Wild:

Logo Hockey League adalah simbol Wild, yang dapat menggantikan semua simbol lain kecuali Scatter untuk membantu membentuk kombinasi kemenangan.

Simbol Wild juga dapat muncul dalam bentuk Wild yang meluas di gulungan tertentu, memperbesar peluang kemenangan besar.

Simbol Scatter:

Piala hoki adalah simbol Scatter yang memicu fitur Free Spins. Mendaratkan 3 atau lebih simbol Scatter di gulungan akan memulai fitur bonus.

Fitur Bonus:

Free Spins:

Mendaratkan 3 atau lebih simbol Scatter memicu fitur Free Spins. Selama Free Spins, pemain dapat memanfaatkan peluang kemenangan tambahan melalui pengali (multiplier).

Selama fitur Free Spins, simbol Wild sering muncul, memberikan peluang untuk lebih banyak kemenangan beruntun.

Pengali Kemenangan:

Setiap kemenangan dalam Free Spins dapat memiliki pengali (multiplier) yang diterapkan, meningkatkan jumlah total kemenangan.

Pengali ini dapat bertambah besar seiring berjalannya fitur bonus, memberikan potensi hadiah yang signifikan.

RTP & Volatilitas:

RTP (Return to Player) sekitar 96.53%, menawarkan peluang yang solid untuk kemenangan.

Volatilitas sedang, memberikan keseimbangan yang baik antara kemenangan kecil yang sering dan kesempatan untuk memenangkan hadiah lebih besar.

Grafis dan Tema:

Tema hoki es ditampilkan melalui simbol-simbol seperti pemain hoki, peluit wasit, stik hoki, dan tentu saja, piala hoki.

Latar belakang permainan menggambarkan arena hoki dengan penonton yang bersorak, memberikan atmosfer yang hidup dan penuh semangat kompetisi.

Musik latar yang energik dan efek suara menciptakan suasana yang mendebarkan, seolah-olah Anda sedang berada di tengah pertandingan hoki.

Cara Bermain

Tentukan jumlah taruhan Anda dan jumlah garis pembayaran yang ingin diaktifkan.

Tekan tombol putar untuk memulai permainan.

Fokus pada simbol Wild untuk memaksimalkan kemenangan, dan cari Scatter untuk memicu fitur Free Spins.

Selama Free Spins, manfaatkan pengali dan Wild yang meluas untuk peluang kemenangan yang lebih besar.

Ulasan

Hockey League Wild Match™ adalah pilihan slot yang sempurna bagi para penggemar olahraga, terutama bagi mereka yang menyukai hoki es. Dengan Wild yang meluas, pengali kemenangan, dan Free Spins yang menarik, game ini menawarkan banyak peluang untuk menang. Volatilitas sedang dan RTP yang baik memastikan pengalaman bermain yang seimbang dan seru.

Dengan grafis yang hidup dan tema olahraga yang energik, slot ini memberikan pengalaman bermain yang menyenangkan dan kompetitif. Apakah Anda siap untuk meraih kemenangan di arena hoki es? 🏒🥅✨

[heartboudoir]

“We know, mom!” Kiri calls back teasingly which makes you scoff and Katsuki nudges the redhead somewhat firmly with his hockey stick even though he knows Kiri would never speak to you in a disrespectful manner.

“Kacchan I’ll race you down the ice!” Deku grins, skating over to where the goalie net is and of course the blonde can’t decline a challenge from the green haired player or else he’d never hear the end it from his other friends.

-🥅

I lean back in my chair, talking quietly to my bump about how silly her uncles are and secretly wishing I was on the ice with them. I watch them race up and down, cringing everytime they shove eachother and play fight

But I see it happen before It actually happens, catching his toe pick on a chunk of ice… and the speed he’s going, the fall is hard. Smashing his head on the ice and sliding along the wall length, making me gasp and stand up “Suki!” I yell, trying to get onto the ice when I see him not moving, denki forcing me to stay on solid ground before I start to cry “Suki…! Get up!”

[decendingfromgrace]

Ok I’m on this idea. Ice hockey player time!

Ice hockey player!Bakugou is a forward, you can’t change my mind. He takes so much joy in crashing into the opposing players. The roars of the fans drown out everything else and his snarl grows at their cries. Rushing the other team as they block the goal to cause chaos. He’s made the most winning goals of any player. They always have him break the ties in the one on one and honestly he’s a bit scary. Fastest member of the team, most aggressive on the ice. Infamous for his skills and the wicked smile he has whenever he scores. No one is brave enough to get into a fight with him while on the ice and he’s a expert at breaking them up. He supports his team, in his own way, and the team respects him for it. Aggressive yells of support and curt grunts of approval.Usually ends up with a bloody nose or a split lip but the adrenaline from the match and seeing you cheering him on makes it all worth it. Always makes sure you get a kiss afterward, weather he’s bloody or not.

Ice hockey player!Kiri is a brick wall of a goalie. They needed to get extra large pads for him due to his size. The goal itself only comes up to his lower back. No one gets past him. Even though he’s huge at 6’6, he’s nimble. It always throws off the other team when he bashes from one end of the goal to the other. He’s know for blocking with his head which makes you gasp and scold him every time but hey he blocked the puck. The most positive and supportive part of the team. Always smiling and pumping up everyone. He doesn’t get into fight but if needed he will end them. Intimidating as fuck to the other team but to those who know him, he’s a sweetheart. The type to pick you up and spin you around after they win. He loves seeing you bow along with the crowd when he blocks a shot, makes him giggle like a dork. The team loves you. They see you at every practice and every game. They make sure you have a spot reserved in the front for you. You need to support your men dammit!

Bk lives to see you get flustered over the heated stare he gives when he passes by your section. His aggression on the ice and his precision makes you weak in the knees and he eats it up. “You see that, babe?” That big smile overtaking him as you flood him with compliments. He may bask in the crowd but he thrives off of you. His bloody kisses are sloppy and adrenaline filled but after the match he simmer downs and really worships you. He gets quiet after a defeat. Steps away from the group to be alone and really shame himself for letting the team down. You’re soothing to him. Sweet murders of praise and rational enough to make him see through the muck. He will look to you for comfort and reassurance cause sometimes his high expectations he can’t reach.

Kiri goes straight to you after a match. Looking for praises and compliments on his performance. He perks up at your coos and awes over how amazing and strong he is, how dependable and handsome he is. How well he did blocking the puck. He big arms easily picking you up to be perched on his shoulder and the team congratulates him on saving their asses from the rival teams shots. When he looses he really blames himself. Trains to an unhealthy degree at times. You know when to pull him away from the gym or the rink and care for him. Compliment him even when he says he doesn’t deserve it for not blocking that one puck. You shush him anyway and continue to show just how much you appreciate all his hard work and dedication.

Both of them love you. Love seeing you in their jerseys and colors. Love seeing your rosy face from the cold. Cant get enough of your praises and kisses and they love to give it all back and then some when they get to fuck you after the game. It’s their turn to spill praises. Kneading and kisses every part of you. Overstimulating you until you’re breathless and shaking. Thanking their perfect, pretty little luck charm for helping them win.

[stay-out-of-the-box]

Kirill out there living his best life

[99yikes]

Aaaaah tough break for them tonight it seems :T Reluctantly the Leafs are my team lol

ahh it's okay ;~; unfortunately, we always tend to have bad luck against the blues 💔

"RELUCTANTLY" AKDHSKDHDJDJ MOOD 😭 but hey, that was a sexy OT win for them!!! i was listening to it while i sketched today's kiri ksdhdkdhfj

[yee-to-the-haw-to-the-hockey]

Let’s play guess the hockey player!

It’s Kirill “Kiri” Kaprizov of course!

[scarlettriot]

Breaking Point - Damsel in Distress

Pairing: Hockey Player Eijiro Kirishima x F!Reader

Warnings: Minors DNI, Swearing, mentions of penis

Contains: As the pairing suggests, Kiri is a hockey player, reader is also plus size, Kiri gets hard.

Summary: A series of unforeseen events lead you and Kiri to share a bed in the cute little inn after the game.

Word Count: 4,795

A/N: Part SIX in the Breaking Point Series! It's been a minute so I have a few reminders for ya; Reader's assigned nickname from Bakugo is Squeaks. There is also some text convo in here, Reader is Purple and Mina is Pink. Friendly reminder this is a quirkless AU.

Other Parts:

Breaking Point - Part One - Locked Out Breaking Point - Part Two - Intimacy Breaking Point - Part Three - On Ice Breaking Point - Part Four - Stitches Breaking Point - Part Five - Just Platonic

Tags: @sleepynaya, @kenmakai, @ace-of-books, @swirrley, @mistyfoxson @weebaboobs @silverhairsimp - Thank you 💋

Winning at an away game never felt quite right. The cheers for your team were always drowned out by the jeers from the other. Even the few loyal, ecstatic fans that greeted the guys when they came off the ice couldn’t really make up for the looks of disappointment on the home team's faces.

This was why all celebrations were reserved for when you got back home. One’s where everyone could share in the excitement, go out to the club that had become a regular haunt, or have a bit of a party in someone’s dorm.

So, for now, all that was left to do tonight was find some food, take showers, and rest.

Everyone trickled back to the inn, a few couples breaking off to grab a bite to eat out and others wanted to head for showers right away. You followed the latter group, not so much for the shower but you were interested to see what kind of homemade dinner the inn had waiting.

You sat in the back of Eijiro’s jeep again with Izuku beside you and Katsuki in front of him, listening as the three chattered on about the game and a particularly good play Katsuki and Tetsu had managed to pull off. And before you knew it, you were pulling up to the inn again, Hanta’s car with Mina and Denki in it too, followed shortly after.

You’d gone to your room with the intention of looking at the small menu that had been provided after changing into comfortable shorts but before you had the chance you’d gotten momentarily distracted by the sight of yourself in the mirror. Still wearing Eijiro’s sweater, it looked like your legs were bare underneath like you were practically wearing a dress, but damn was it cozy. Kept you warm all through the game and you could easily take it off and walk it down to his room right now but… one night with it couldn’t hurt.

Grabbing the menu off the desk, you sat on the foot of one of the beds, surprised at all the different options they had available. You’d been looking at the side options when muffled voices, a door slamming shut, and then a sizable thud made you crawl from the bed and poke your head outside the room to find Eijiro on the ground, head hung low.

“Man… I just wanted to shower first.” He mumbled, not even noticing anyone in the hall with him.

“Eijiro?” The redhead lifted his gaze up from the floor to meet yours. He even still had his bag beside him, hair a sweaty mess, the braid a lost cause, “What happened?”

“Toshi surprised Denks, and they’re, well who are we kidding, they’re fucking, which means, I’ve been kicked out for the foreseeable future.”

You walked over to him, standing between his widespread legs. “Is this what woulda happened if I hadn’t been outside my apartment that night you had bleach on your head?”

His eyes ran up the length of you, but he didn’t linger long enough for you to comment. “Does this mean you’ve come to save me once again?”

Sighing, you held out your hands to him, wiggling your fingers for him to take. “C’mon my damsel in distress. You know I’ll always rescue you.” He genuinely looked as if you just told him he won the lottery.

“What’s wrong?” He asked when he picked up his bag and noticed you jiggling your door handle. “Wait… please tell me you didn’t.”

“Yeah, I don’t have my key…” You admitted sheepishly, “I didn’t know the doors automatically locked.”

He has a bit of a pout on his lip. “You’re supposed to be my knight in shining hockey sweater, who’s gonna save us now?”

“I’ll still save ya.” You patted his chest, not really wanting to go down to the front desk looking like you weren’t wearing pants but you didn’t see another way out of this. “I’ll be right back.”

Eijiro let his bag fall to the floor again, leaning against your door waiting for you to come back when another door opened. “You two are the cutest couple,” Mina smirked with Hanta peaking right over her shoulder and Eijiro’s face grew red.

“We’re not a couple! Stop sayin’ that!”

“My knight in shining hockey sweater,” Hanta mocked, pretending to faint in Mina’s arms.

“I’m gonna throw my game socks at the both of you, I swear! And they’re bad, like, really bad!”

Both of them laughed like idiots, closing the door to their room.

“Are you hungry!” You yelled through the bathroom door, hoping Eijiro would hear you over the water.

“I’m always hungry!”

Right, dumb question.

“We’ve only got like ten minutes to call in an order to the kitchens, if we don’t, we’re gonna have to run out for food.”

“‘M lazy. I don’t wanna go out again!”

“Want me to read you the menu?”

“Yes! Just open the door so we can stop yelling!”

You hesitated for a moment, hand lingering over the knob of the door. He was obviously going to be well hidden behind a shower curtain. And, he was the one who told you to come in anyways. You sucked in a deep breath and pushed open the door.

Steam had covered the window and mirror, Eijiro’s dirty clothes laid in a pile behind the door, his clean ones waiting for him on the sink's edge. “So, what’s on the menu?” He asked.

Skipping over the vegetarian options that you knew would be of little interest to him, “Right. There’s an angus cheeseburger, shepherd's pie, beef stew, chicken…” You glanced up from the paper in hand and could see his silhouette perfectly. Arms moving up to his hair, watching as his head tipped back into the stream of water…

“Chicken?”

“Huh?”

He snickered, his head still with soap clinging to it popping up over the curtain, standing at his full height. “You just said ‘chicken’, chicken what?”

“Oh, it’s chicken paprikash. Sorry.” You murmured.

Eijiro ducked back into the shower. “If I didn’t know better, it sounded kinda like something had you distracted.”

“Me? No, no, I’m just trying to figure out what I want. That’s all.” That was bullshit. You knew what you wanted before you found him in the hallway but he didn’t pick on you any further, instead, he listened to you read off the lists of sides to pick from and then settled on a dish.

You could see him brace his hands against the wall of the shower, head forward with wet hair curtaining it. He let the hot water crash over his back and you could only imagine how sore he had to be after these games, the aches, and pains, not to mention the times he took on injuries. The warmth of the water had to feel heavenly.

“Still here?” His hand pushed the hair back out of his eyes and you knew he couldn’t see you through the curtain but damn it felt like he was staring right at you.

“Sorry, did you want a drink with it? It comes with one.”

“Tea, if they have it. Green or something sweet.”

“You got it.” And you turned to leave before you wasted the rest of your night watching him like a little creep.

By the time he was finished, you had the order placed and were curled up on your bed, the book you were currently reading open and your nose buried in it.

“We’ve gotta run down and pick it up but they said it should be ready in,” You looked at the alarm clock, “About fifteen minutes.”

He unceremoniously flopped down on the bed you hadn’t claimed, flat on his back, arms splayed wide. “Perfect, fifteen minute cat nap for me. Wake me up when we gotta go get it?” He turned his head towards you with a quirky grin but you agreed, returning to your book, eyes only glancing at him in the moments you flipped between pages.

And when the time came, you shook his knee and he woke right up. Dutifully following you out the door and groaning when he saw the little do not disturb sign hanging off the doorknob of his shared room.

“We can check again after dinner, they should be done by then.”

Eijiro nodded and you continued down to the dining room where you gave a man your room number and two large trays of food we brought out. If it tasted even half as good as it smelled, you were gonna be a happy woman.

You both sat on the spare bed, munching at the delicious food, picking off each other’s plates, and talking about whatever came to mind. Eijiro was happy to finish off the last little bit of your meal and then he saw the box on the edge of your tray, unopened, “What’s that.”

“Dessert.”

“I didn’t get dessert…”

“Don’t you pout,” you laughed at him and handed him over the box, “I had a feeling I’d be too full for it anyways. I just want a bite, okay?”

He was quick to open it, a slow smile taking over his face, “This is my favorite.”

“I know, that’s why I got it.” You didn’t tell him it was extra because he’d insist on paying you back which was ridiculous.

“You’re too good to me.” He gathered a bit of the treat for you, “C’mere.” Leaving you to lean over the trays and take the spoonful. You hadn’t even swallowed yet, didn’t have time to pull away when his thumb brushed against your chin, whipping off a bit that had fallen off the spoon and popped it directly in his mouth with a grin that made your heart jump.

You had to shake the feeling quickly. “Want me to go check on the room for you while you eat that?”

“That’d be great, thanks!”

You were already sliding off the bed though, walking to the door trying to calm down your racing heart.

The placard was still dangling off the door handle. “Sorry, looks like they're still goin’ at it.” His head drooped forward, taking another spoonful, finishing off the dessert.

When he brought his head back up you could actually see how tired he really was, the drive, then the game, all he probably wanted to do was get to sleep.

“Why don’t you just take my spare bed? That way you don’t have to wait until gods know when for them to be done.”

His eyes went a little wide. “You really wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course not.” He was your friend after all, one that you had started to really care for, and you couldn’t just leave him with no place to sleep for the night.

“I’d totally be fine crashing in my jeep for the night.”

“Eijiro, that’s ridiculous. The temperatures dropping and you don’t even have the roof on!”

He rubbed the back of his neck, “Right, I forgot about that...”

“Right. So, just take that bed and problem solved.”

His face was so damn sincere, “Thank you.”

After running down to the front desk a second time, in need of purchasing Eijiro a spare toothbrush since his was in the other room, you delivered it through the bathroom door and then promptly burrowed your way back into bed with your book while he completed his nightly routine.

He fished his laptop out of his bag along with a pair of headphones. “Thought I’d watch something before going to bed. It helps me shut my brain off, ya know? I can use my headphones if you wanna keep reading but I thought I’d at least offer in case you wanted to watch it with me.”

Sleep wasn’t beckoning you yet and you and Eijiro did always have the same taste in shows. “Sure, what are we watchin’?”

He threw back the covers and sat on his bed with the laptop on his knee and from memory rattled off the choices he said you could pick from, movies and TV shows he already had downloaded. After minor deliberation, you agreed on a show that he loaded up once the blankets were over him and he positioned the laptop at the edge of his bed. “Can you see alright?”

You really couldn’t, the distance between the two beds was just far enough that the screen was too small and, it seemed that even though you told Eijiro it was fine, he knew that it wasn’t.

“You could, well, you could just come over here and we could put it between us.” He suggested and you had to take a second.

The number of times you shared a sofa with Eijiro to watch TV was in the hundreds by now, laying in a bed to do the same thing was perfectly fine! You were both adults! Friends! It shouldn’t be a big deal laying on the same bed with your friend to watch a show with. So, you crawled out from under the blankets of your bed and scooted into the space he provided beside him.

He set the laptop up in the small space left between you two and pressed play. “This better?”

“Yeah, it is, thanks.”

Laying on your side with your hands tucked underneath your pillow. Only ten minutes had passed when your feet felt the chill of the crisp sheets. The last thing you wanted was to bother him but you couldn’t help but subtly rub them together to try and get some warmth back into your toes.

“Cold?”

Instantly, you stop moving. “A little. Just my feet though. I refuse to wear socks in bed. It’s so wrong.”

He lifted the laptop and rested it on his leg instead, moving his arm to invite you closer. “C’mere then. You always say I’m like a space heater when we hug. This way I can put it to good use.”

You laid in the crook of his arm, instantly feeling his body heat that he constantly generates, and felt his shin press against your feet and Eijiro laughed, “You weren’t kiddin’, they’re like little ice cubes.”

Something about his easy smile and the way he didn’t jerk away from your toes, had you feeling completely calm. Your shoulders had relaxed, you curled into his side, every notation of this being something you shouldn’t do was long gone.

You’d been so entirely at peace that you hadn’t even realized Eijiro had fallen asleep and it wasn’t long after that you had followed him.

Hours later, the moon still gracing the sky, sunlight hours away, you’d stirred in your sleep. Winking your eyes open and squinting at a bleary bright light, just at the edge of the bed wondering what it could be… Shit!

Acting quickly, you lunged over Eijiro’s sleeping body and caught the corner of the laptop that had teetered to the edge of the bed. You quietly shut it and placed it safely on the nightstand for him to put away tomorrow morning since it was obvious he wasn’t going to be doing it anytime soon with how he was snoring.

Carefully you started to move away from the sleeping giant, having every intention of going back to your own bed when he grumbled in his sleep and you froze, giving two large arms time to wrap you up and held you against his chest. Effectively stuck.

You stayed still in his grasp, heart hammering against your ribs. Innocently falling asleep together, that was one thing but, this felt very intimate. His arms low on your back, the way he moved his legs and tangled them up with yours, it felt too close, too real. You’d been considering ways to escape when you heard his snore taper off to a hum and one of his hands started softly rubbing your back.

His voice was slurred with sleep, “Don’t go, ‘mm, I like this.”

“Eijiro?” You whispered, lifting your head up to look at him because there was no possible way he could be awake and have said that, right?

Even in the dark of the room, you could make out Eijiro’s features. His red hair was a wild mess across the pillow and falling in front of his closed eyes and his lips were just slightly agape. By all accounts, he still looked fast asleep.

It was when you tried moving again that he gave a pouty little whine and it made you give in. “Alright, fine,” you shushed him, “‘M not going anywhere.”

Looking up at his face again, you could see his lips arc up into the smallest grin; proud of his victory, even in his slumber.

Your head settled against his chest, body laying atop his, legs coiled around each other.

One final thought fluttered across your mind before you fell asleep again, it was the steady drumming of Eijiro’s heart and the way it beat at the same rate as your own and how much you loved the sound.

Eijiro was woken up by the trill of his phone, vibrating so damn much it nearly wiggled its way off the nightstand but he managed to catch it at the last second. He looked down to find you still snuggled into his chest, one hand clinging to his shirt and the other, well, he could just feel it behind his shoulder.

“Sorry ‘bout this.” He grumbled into the top of your head and with his free hand tried to cover your ear.

“WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!” Was Katsuki’s greeting the moment he accepted the call.

“Morning, man.”

“Morning, man,” Katsuki mocked, “Don’t you morning man, me! Dunce face said you never went back to your room last night and now you’re not at fuckin’ breakfast. Where are you?”

Before Eijiro could answer him, you let out the most adorable noise he’d ever heard. Just a yawn as your head seemed to turn to try to get away from the conversation.

“Who the fuck was that- wait…” Eijiro’s heart started to race, “Squeaks isn’t here either. Hah, finally grew a pair, huh?”

“Bakugo- no- you’ve got the wrong-“

“‘Bout damn time, now put your clothes back on and get down here. I wanna get headed back soon.”

The line went dead before he had a chance to clarify a damn thing.

He’d worry about it in a couple minutes, right now you were soft and warm and he was going to savor every moment of this you let him have. He might not have known when the hell you got in his arms like this but he couldn’t have been happier about it.

“Good morning to you.” He mumbled when your head shift back, now that Katsuki wasn’t yelling anymore.

“Why does he gotta be so mad so early?”

“Because he needs more coffee.” He chuckles, but then you’re pushing yourself up, about to say something else only to abruptly stop and oh fuck did he know why.

What he didn’t know was why he hadn’t realized it sooner. He’d been too comfortable. Too relaxed but now there was heat rising up his neck and he knew it was flooding his cheeks too. There was no way to avoid it, no way you hadn’t felt it, fucking hell, it was pressed right up against your stomach!

He took in a deep breath and faced the situation head on. “So, yeah, that’s my dick, and if we could just not talk about this that’d be great, thanks!” And, he gave you exactly no time to say a single thing before lifting you off him and setting you down on the bed so he could quickly roll out of the blankets and make a break for the bathroom.

You sat on the bed where he left you, mildly dumbfounded over what just happened, and for a whole minute, just one thought occupied your entire mind; how’s it that big!

There was no possible way you could keep this entirely to yourself. You sprung for your phone and triple checked you were on Mina’s chat:

You: Were you just not gonna warn me that Kirishima has a MASSIVE cock!?!?

Mina: He does!? REALLY!

You were in the middle of responding when a flurry of messages came through and it looked like Eijiro wasn’t the only one who needed to correct someone about last night.

Mina: Wait a sec Mina: How do you know he has a massive cock? Mina: OH MY GODS!!!! Mina: YOU GUYS FINALLY FUCKED!

You: No

Mina: Just platonic… BULLSHIT!

You: Mina, seriously, we didn’t.

Mina: Then how do you know! Did you, like, walk in on him in the shower? Because that would have been a good time to hop on that apparently massive cock.

You: We cuddled. Morning wood happened.

Mina: You cuddled this morning and he got hard?

You: Technically we slept together. He woke up with it.

Mina: If you slept together why are you now surprised by the size of his dick?

It wasn’t even nine in the morning and you were getting a headache. Pinching the bridge of your nose. You heard the faucet turn meaning he’d be out in a second.

You: We DID NOT fuck. But yeah, big, big dick.

Mina: I want details ASAP! Like, did you actually see it? Big as in length or width? OR BOTH? You’re so damn lucky…

Her text went on but you shoved your phone away when Eijiro walked back into the room and though you tried your hardest, your eyes instantly went to his groin for a second, the faintest outline now visible in his dark sweats now that his erection had time to go down.

By the time your eyes had trailed up to his face, Eijiro had been turning for his bag but, not quick enough. He caught you staring, that was obvious, just as obvious as you seeing his still pink cheeks and the smirk he was wearing.

“So,” he changed the subject, “Sleep well?”

“Better than I have in a while actually.”

“I know what you mean.” There was a lightness to his voice. Despite the awkwardness that just happened he looked completely sincere, even a little bashful with his hand on the back of his neck admitting, “I’d do it again.”

“Yeah? Me too.”

You hurried off to the bathroom with a change of clothes while he packed away his laptop and other belongings he’d had about the room. Brushing your teeth and washing your face, then sliding into jeans and a fresh t-shirt. Your hoodie was still on the hook at the back of the door, a reminder to give Eijiro his sweater back.

He had everything packed by the time you came out, everything besides that crisp white jersey, draped over the arm of the chair where you left it the night before.

“Left it out on purpose.” He told you when you went to hand it back, “Check the weather.”

“Holy shit! It’s dropped like twenty degrees since yesterday!”

“Wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to pile in someone else’s car, but, if you still wanna ride in the jeep you’re definitely gonna want this. It’s gonna get real- oof- Well, hey there, what’s the for?”

You didn’t know why that exact moment felt like the best to throw your arms around his torso but you did it anyway. You didn’t know what made him care, or why he kept smiling those little grins that had just one corner of his mouth tugging up but it made you feel so completely content that you couldn’t physically help holding onto him for just a second, well, maybe a minute.

“Just because.” It was the easier answer rather than trying to explain to him all the feelings that were running around your head. And he seemed happy to accept it.

His arms wrapped around you, hugging you close, and he kept hugging you until you broke away upon hearing his stomach growl. “C’mon, before Katsuki calls again.”

You tugged the sweater on, slung your bag over your shoulder, and walked out of the room together. Breakfast consisted of a bar with a plethora of different options, enough for you and Eijiro to happy eat your fill even if you were running late. Breakfast also consisted of each of you having to convince Katuski and Mina respectively that you two did not fuck.

“I’m so disappointed in you,” She grumbled and pushed a piece of sausage back and forth when the guys went to go get drink refills, “You two were literally in bed with each other, cuddling, and you didn’t just go for it!”

There wasn’t enough time to explain to Mina why just going for it seemed like such a horrible idea. But, your eyes followed the pair of friends over to the juice bar, watching as Eijiro smiled and fielded the conversation away from Katsuki’s gruff attitude with two pretty girls wearing your universities colors. Loyal fans who traveled all the way to see them play.

“Don’t you even start comparing!” Your eyes went back to Mina whose arms were folded over her chest.

“What do you mean!”

“I see where you’re looking and I’m telling you not to fucking do it! You’re so much better than any of the little ice bunnies that follow the boys around. Stop comparing yourself to them. I know it’s hard but, just remember,” She wiggled her eyebrows, “you got him in bed last night, not them.”

“Mina!”

“I’m just saying!”

She didn’t have time to say anything else before Katsuki came back to the table and Eijiro shortly after.

Afterward, everyone was gathered in the lobby with their various bags, going through the check out process and talking over plans for the rest of the day.

Katsuki wanted to throw in another evening practice once everyone was back on campus but he was easily outvoted.

“We won,” Denki reminded him, “And that means we celebrate! I believe it is Mirio’s turn to host,” The older blonde cheerfully smiled, “So, dear captain, we will not be practicing tonight. We will be dancing our butts off celebrating another victory!”

Mirio slung his arm over Denki’s shoulders. “Tamaki and I are gonna stop and get supplies on the way home. Should have the place ready by seven. We won’t keep you out too late.”

Katsuki still complained but he did it quietly.

Izuku was the last of the group to check out, everyone else already heading out to the parking lot and waving goodbyes. You stood in the cool, dreary air by the jeep while you waited on the others, thankful for the hockey sweater you pulled on again, waiting for the others, and were mildly surprised when only Eijiro jogged over.

“Izuku and Katsuki are catching a ride back with Hanta since,” He gestured to the lack of roof, “and Denks is going with Hitoshi… I really won’t blame you if you wanna go with Suka or someone.”

You knew he wouldn’t but you also would feel terrible about him driving all the way back alone. So, you chucked your bag into the backseat and climbed up into the passengers. “Ready when you are!”

He wasted no time blasting the heat the second he got inside. Handing you the AUX cord and telling you to play whatever you liked. The day might have been cold but you barely even realized it, too busy singing and laughing to give a damn.

About an hour into the drive though, you got a text alert and turned the music down for Eijiro to also hear, “Izuku’s plotting.”

“Bet Katsuki’s gonna love that. What’s going on?”

“He really liked that inn and he checked to see if there was a chance we could stay there again when we play them in January.” You explained, “Not only do they have the room, but they’re also holding a party that Friday night. Apparently, they hold one every Friday in January but this one is a masquerade. He’s wondering if anyone else would wanna go to it. Mina’s already agreed.”

“Tell him I do too!” You were a little surprised by his eagerness. “I love parties! And I’ve never been to a masquerade! All the cool masks and stuff! I think it sounds fun. Do you?”

“Yeah, I’ll tell him it’s a yes from the both of us then!”

What you didn’t share with Eijiro were the texts that came in immediately after.

Mina: Of course, Y/N answers for the both of them. Mina: Are you guys gonna actually go together? Mina: As a couple!

“What?” Eijiro asked when you sighed.

“Just Mina being Mina.”

And Eijiro just nodded along, knowing exactly what you meant.