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lani-sun · 27 days ago

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☆ love you like a dog (i just keep coming back) ☆

synopsis: losing your mate means losing yourself. it's too bad the little part of you that cares for his brother didn't die with him. aged-up!lo'ak x na'vi!fem!reader. warnings: ANGST IN THIS ONE Y'ALL, graphic descriptions of death, death of a loved one (neteyam), loss, heavy descriptions of grief, taboo/complicated relationships, explicit sexual content [18+ MINORS DNI], oral fem!reciving, size kink, mention of stomach bulge, dirty talk, slight dom/sub dynamics, i don't know how to write smut sorry friends, unedited to the max i apologize in advance

☆

the first time it happens, you repent. chain yourself to charity like a fork-tongued saint, devout and forlorn. purification becomes purpose. lifeblood. you had to atone for your sins somehow, didn't you? (you still thought of lo'ak's canines, sinking into the side of your neck, one five-fingered hand threaded in your hair, the other pulling at the ties of your tewng {loincloth} like he'd die if he didn't touch you—). you know better. you know lust cannot fill the vacancy slithering through your exoskeleton, marrow-deep and unyielding. it eats at you, the emptiness. engulfs you whole, spits out a mass of azure skin, eggshell bone, bloodied teeth. and you let it. what else are you supposed to do? who else are you supposed to turn to but that personified ache in your subconscious, that nagging worm in your head that begs you to bloodlet? begs you to make it better, make it easier? dislodge yourself from the longing that keeps you reaching for a hand that has long slipped out of your grasp? you were only doing it because you needed to. because there was no other way to escape your own mind.

(it's been years. and yet, you remembered the blood, the way it had painted your hands in seeping layers of thick, tacky crimson. you remembered the way your mouth had opened in a silent scream, tongue heavy and thick in between lips forming the syllables of his name, over and over and over. neteyam, neteyam, neteyam, my mate, my mate, my mate. you remembered the way you'd shirked away from the tangy bite of metal in the air, the taste of iron down your throat akin to a barrel of a gun, the heat of a bullet. the gush of an exit wound. you remembered how neteyam's gaze had clashed with yours when you'd pressed your hands firmly to his chest, a silent plea written in the flecks of gold dotting his irises: "take me home, ma'yawne." you remembered neytiri's face, frozen in time, streaked with crystalline tears, her eldest son laying lifeless in the arms that had birthed him.)

the second time it happens, you make a choice. a calculated, deliberate decision. an instigation. kiri notices your tense silence during dinner that night, and reaches a hand over her crossed knees to pat at the side of your thigh comfortingly. she leans in as you shift, meeting her appraising gaze with apprehension floating precariously at the surface of your own. her eyes flash honey-gold, nearly glowing in the tangerine gild of the raging pyre beside you. although the feast you face is beautiful - lines of emerald rock orchid leaves, crimson mushrooms, and freshly-caught flat skate fish - your stomach contracts around nothing, appetite lost. paranoia is fast to appear. kiri couldn't know, could she? you'd been careful. you'd left before he had, had hidden the indentation of his teeth lining your collarbone that had rapidly turned a rather unsavory shade of purple—

"are you okay?" she whispers, tilting her head. there is something accusatory the way her eyes linger on the restrained trembling of your bottom lip, and for just a moment, a single ghost of a second, you find yourself wanting to tell her everything. your throat closes up, and you swallow heavily. "i'm fine," you choke out, straightening. her hand jostles on your thigh. "just tired." kiri's forehead creases—she doesn't believe you, of course—as she retracts her touch, leaving your skin feeling inexplicably colder. she doesn’t bother to ask questions, doesn’t stop you as you hastily make excuses to exit (i think i might go lie down, i think i'm coming down with something, i'll find you tomorrow, tsmuke {sister}, i promise), hands trembling as you efface the sticky sweat lining your palms on your bare stomach. you can feel kiri's gaze lingering on the back of your neck as you begin towards the pods; your skin prickles in response. she sees right through you. your fallaciousness is nothing but a shadow. a barricade made of sand.

your resolve is steely by the time you cross the reefs, the steady drone of the log drums behind you fading softly from earshot. lo'ak must have known you were coming; he does not stand to welcome you, nor does he lift his gaze from the dull blade in his right hand as you duck under the adorned mangrove-wood reinforcement of his marui [home] and step inside, the grating hiss of metal against a sharpening stone slicing through the eerie quiet. you linger at the entrance, your intake of breath sharp. lo'ak adjusts his grip wordlessly with practiced ease, forearm flexing as he draws the blade across the stone in slow, calculated arcs, as if coaxing the metal into submission. into perfection. oh. oh. there is a strange ringing in your ears, thrumming alongside the rapid, bird-like beat of your heart. you consider remaining silent, but you just can't help yourself. restraint is a virtue you find yourself no longer able to practice. "lo'ak," you whisper. it is just his name. but it speaks volumes. the air between you thickens excruciatingly. his head lifts, eyes glazing over your figure, and you self-delude when you determine you do not like the way his gaze goes slightly slack. there is a hunger in the sharp curve of his jaw, in the firmly-set, downturned line of his mouth. a need. a visceral urge that mirrors your own. it is achingly sweet. saccharine in your mouth, rotting your teeth. pounding in the space between your temple and ear like a tangible, carnal throb, spasming wildly at the sight of him. (you still find yourself jolted awake in the middle of the night by a feeling you could have sworn was the ghost of a four-fingered hand tracing unintelligible patterns into the curve of your spine, the phantom of your mate's body curved around your own. his tail curled around your calf, or his arm slung around your waist.)

you see it in his eyes, the longing. he stands, holstering the knife on the sheath looped around his thigh. his steps towards you are silent, charged with the boundless energy pouring through his veins. to chase. to hunt. to kill. to keep. he shrouds you in his shadow as he approaches, tilting his head. there is an erotism to the the way he assesses you. the cognizance he possesses of your lips, your tongue, the column of your throat. you blush midnight blue when you catch sight of the bloomed purple notch in the side of his neck. you'd done that. "this hasn't faded," you breathe after a moment, reaching a hand up on instinct to graze the spot. lo'ak's entire frame goes stiff under your touch, but he huffs out what sounds like a soft laugh. "y'got me good," he responds, and the rough quality of his voice makes you shiver. "i'm... sorry." (you're not sorry.) he shakes his head, mouth curving up in a sly smirk. "don't be." his pulse point throbs under the tip of your index finger, and it jumps when you press down. "i liked it." you try to breath normally as your hand stills, then drops back down by your thigh. "you weren't at dinner," you murmur thickly, eyes darting across his face. it it sickening, his beauty. his grace. he wears faux arrogance like a second skin, and you despise the fact that it suits him. enhances what is already there. he shrugs, lips pursing. "i wasn't hungry." he's lying. he nerve of him is laughable. there is a color of indigence in your voice when you scoff. "don't lie to me. you just didn't want to see me, did you?" (you have to remind yourself that you don't want to start a fight. you don't want to face the fact that there is a lecherous, macabre fragment of your soul that craves the feeling of his haughty hands on your skin. you want to hate him. you want to hate yourself. but this is the only way to make it better. the only way to cease the ache left behind. and neteyam would want that for you, wouldn't he? he wouldn't want you to hurt. he never did) "doesn't matter," he responds, and his answer downturns your lips. the lazily, fervid lowering of his eyelids acts as an aphrodisiac of sorts. he is playing with you. relishing in the way your eyes seem everlastingly drawn towards the curve of his mouth, the tantalizing taste of his tongue. "you always come crawlin' back anyway."

you see red. your hand lifts before you can stop yourself. it is halfway to his cheek — you can already imagine the sting the contact will induce — when his own encircles your wrist promptly, halting your motion midair. the sheer strength in his grip is nothing short of breathtaking. astounding. your inhale catches in the narrow arch of your throat, and you resist the urge to cough. your eyes jump to his face. "y'don't wanna do that, tìyawn {love}," he warns lowly, and the expanding of his pupils, the darkening of his expression, terrifies (excites) you. he lets you wrench your wrist out of his grip, flexing his hand as though he misses the feeling of yours in it. your navel stirs, a sliver of heat traveling rapidly up your spine. you imagine he can smell the change in your composition, can sense the suggestive direction of your thoughts. "i'm not an animal," you snap, vexed. "i don't crawl." he raises his hands in mock surrender. the braids at the forefront of his head following the movement of his head tipping downwards, gaze towards the ground. you realize he's laughing at you when his bare stomach contracts under the leather of his cummerbund. "we both know that's not true."

(neteyam used to make you crawl to him. he'd lean against the bed, temptation incarnate, his burning perusal of you leaving heat pooling in its wake. and then he'd tell you to get on all fours. tell you to arch your back. present to him, for him. "crawl to me," he'd whisper. "show me who you belong to. show me who owns you.") lo'ak's stare pulls upward. and then he pounces. he doesn't kiss you, no. what he gives you isn't a kiss—it’s consumption, all teeth and tongues and the scent of his arousal making your head spin, a battle for dominance that neither of you endeavors to win. his control slips, and you're suddenly aware of the way his mouth finds your neck, his teeth dragging along your skin like he wants to mark you, claim you. his touch is rough, desperate, searching for skin, gripping your hips, pressing into your thighs. he pushes you roughly towards the tangle of his sheets just as he finds the soft curves of your breasts, marveling at the way you go still under him. he tweaks your nipples, running his thumbs over the ridges, and you twitch in response. everything—everything—smells like him: fresh, damp earth, the faintest touch of smoke and salt, wet stone and metal. your cunt squeezes around nothing when you loop your arms around his neck and pull him onto you, draping his body over yours. "i said this would never happen again," you whimper when his kiss drops to the valley between your breasts, then to the line of your abdomen, the flare of your waist. he works his way down your body, worshipping his skillful entrapment. his prey. "i-i said it wasn't right."

"you did," is all lo'ak responds with, seemingly drawn towards your clothed cunt. he palms it, expelling a breath at the way your ragged moan catches brokenly at the edges. "and yet." "it isn't r-right." you swallow thickly, fighting to keep your voice steady. wordlessly, lo'ak simply undoes the ties of your tewng {loincloth}, peeling the fabric away from your hips as though unraveling an exquisite fruit. you jerk away when his breath fans over your unshielded skin. oh, he was so close. just an inch and his lips could lock around your clit. just an inch and his fingers could be embedded where you desperately needed him to touch you (inside, inside, inside, inside, as close as you could possibly get him, as deep as you could physically take him—) "you want me to stop?" he asks as his mouth drops to press a kiss to your mound, his tongue swirling around the soft flesh. you buck upward. "y'sure look like you do." he was teasing you. rapturous ecstasy explodes beneath your closed eyelids when his mouth finally, finally meets your clit, messily spreading your slick across the bottom half of his face. "great mother, you smell good," lo'ak moans out, voice muffled. your thighs close around his head before you catch yourself, your own tipping backwards. "tastes even better," he continues, euphoria painting his words in raw need. "like honey." he dips into you the second you open your mouth, trying to regain some semblance of control. "oh— lo'ak—" he hums against you, hands planted under your bottom, digging into the flesh there. your skin turns an ashy shade of slate under the strength of his grip, a frenzied voice in your mind urging you onward, rousing every part of your body that had wished for this, hoped for this, dreamed of this with your own hands attempting to replicate this feeling of blinding, sparkling warmth. your body tightens, every muscle wound to snap. "i t-think i'm gonna—" you sob with relief when the pleasure comes to a peak, shattering in his hold. your lower stomach contracts and expands uncontrollably, a rush of molten heat flooding his mouth. lo'ak pulls himself back up over you with smack of his lips, lapping up the tear tracks staining your cheeks with the same tongue he'd just had halfway up your cunt. "such a pretty girl," he murmurs, almost absentmindedly, staring down at the way your chest heaves, the way a drop of sweat flows into the indented notch right above your winged collarbones, almost as though he seeks to memorize the places his brother's hands had been. "y'can't help yourself, can you?" his tone is satirizing, though an undertone of gentleness discards the bite. "pretty girl just keeps comin' back to me, doesn't she?"

"asshole," you pant, gently framing his face with your thumb resting in front of his ear. the impassioned fire in his gaze softens, giving way to something that resembles—no, is—pure, unadulterated adoration, quiet and unspoken, yet unmistakable. it taunts you. alarms you. his amatory look returns just as quickly as it had disappeared when his hand stretches downward to undo the string of his own tewng [loincloth], discarding it beside you. his tail curls around your leg, and you hoist yourself up into your forearms to survey the unexpected movement, but before you can open your mouth to question it, his hand wraps around the base of your own tail and tugs. your entire back arches straight off the sheets. lightning shoots up your spine, and in an instant, you're presenting for him, your body developing a mind of its own. "look at you," lo'ak murmurs, swiping his cock up and down against your leaking slit, spreading your folds over his tip. pleasure wanders along your navel, and you flinch when his tip nudges your tender clit. "you should've come to me sooner, baby." no resistance meets him as he slides the first, then the second, then the third, fourth, fifth, eighth, tenth inch inside of you. your eyes roll back in your head as the aching stretch subsides, replaced by a feeling of complete and utter fullness. paradise. "i would've helped you," he continues, but his voice wavers, betraying his control. "would've made you feel g-good. would've had you like this a hundred fuckin' times." the sharp, sky-language curse falls from his bruised lips in a rushed exhale of breath. tears gather on your lash line when he thrusts up— just once, just enough to bottom out inside of you, shaft twitching against the spongy entrance of your cervix. his palm presses hastily against the protruding bulge in your lower stomach, feeling for the outline of his cock. his eyes widen, just as transfixed as you are at the sight of himself moving under your cyan skin.

he swallows your high-pitched squeal as his thumb reaches downward to draw tight, small circles around your swollen clit, his length settling into a smooth, even rhythm that had a a quick, breathless shout spilling out of your open mouth. "cat got y'r tongue?" he whispers when you go blank, blinding pleasure rendering you speechless. "c'mon, honey. y'talk a big game, don't you? show me what y'got." ("show me who you belong to," neteyam had said.) you keel, eyes rolling back in your head as his teeth move down, down down, latching onto the hardened peak of your nipple. your legs thrash under the weight of him, and his low growl in lieu of a response vibrates across your skin. an obscene, wet sound reverberates in the air around you as his head lifts from your chest, a string of saliva following the curve of his mouth. his hips buck forward even further on their own accord when your cunt tightens at the sight of him. feral, like an untamed animal, droplets of sweat canvassing the corded muscle of his abdomen. you lift yourself up onto your forearms shakily, collecting the briny fluid on the jagged surface of your tongue. his entire body quivers as he folds forward. "yeah," he breathes, taken aback, bracing one hand beside your shoulder and the other at the base of your neck, holding your mouth to his chest. your lips close obediently around his nipple, and he chokes, grip faltering. "there y'go. that's good, baby."

you barely have time to gasp his name before he begins to rut his cock deeper, pushing past your cervix to ram the head against your womb.

you nearly scream, feeling him everywhere, all over you. somehow he was touching parts of you his hands were nowhere near. his voice cuts through your bleary-eyed pleasure, the familiar drawl sending a current akin to lightning through the curve of your spine. "say somethin', baby," he coaxes through gritted teeth, hands lingering on the dip of your hips as he presses his thumbs into the bone. he rolls his pelvis steadily, the muscle flush against yours, eliminating every modicum of space in a calculated effort to get closer, closer, closer. "y'know i like hearin' you talk. always so mad at me, hmm? always talkin' back." a rhapsody of noise escapes you when his tongue swipes a line from your collar to your jaw. "don't worry, though," he exhales, his hips snapping harshly against your inner thighs. "we'll fix that."

"lo'ak," you finally croak out, hands flailing in the air to grapple for an anchor, sinking hungrily into his hair. he hisses when you tug, tail wrapping tighter around your calf on instinct, as if to hold you in place. "y-you’re so deep." your lips part shamelessly around soft, choked sounds, clit pulsating as your hips jerk, scrambling for purchase.

"yeah?" he responds, ever the cocky bastard. his grin is sly, fangs bared. you would have done terrible things to feel them in the side of you neck. you already had. "am i fuckin' you good?" when coherence fails you, and you emit strings of half-sentences accompanying a withheld moan of his name, his smile only widens, eyes of liquid gold simmering with unrestrained desire. "i asked you a question, mama, c'mon." you only nod frantically, gripping his cock like a vise when it jumps inside you. (the rational part of your mind bristles, reminds you embarrassment is a virtue you posses too little of. but you're too far gone. lost to the ocean. to the salt on lo'ak's skin left over from the hunt he'd gone on this morning. to the taste of someone who is not your mate, who is not neteyam.) lo'ak huffs softly when you flutter around him, careening forward until his face tucks itself into the side of your neck, licking a stripe over your pulse point. your body thrums, glistening desire dangerously close to a precipice, an apex, and your hand flexes in his hair, clutching a fistful of his braids for dear life. "lo'ak," you whisper, breathless. "lo'ak, i-" "i'm here, tìyawn {love}," he assures you, his lilt rough and unrestrained. wild. his canines flash as he growls, and you tighten around him; you fight the pull to break into tears because, oh, ewya—this is different. it's never been like this, so raw, so intoxicating. you’ve never felt so utterly claimed. so owned. it is inevitable. the fall, the crash, the burn. when you reach your climax with a startled shriek, lo'ak comes with you, a kiss pressed quiveringly to your throat, three words whispered delicately into the space between your collarbones. i love you. i love you. i love you. (tsireya once told you that the way of water had no beginning and no end. it is your home, she’d said. before your birth, and after your death. you wonder, therefore, it he knows. if one day, you will meet your mate at the crest of where the sun meets the sea, and he will know what you've done. how you've betrayed him. you wonder if neteyam will still love you. you wonder if he will gaze upon your face with the same devotion his brother offers so fiercely. so violently.) lo'ak loves you like a dog. you force yourself to kick him down like one. note: this is my first fic!! reblogs, likes, and comments are more than appreciated!! love you all!

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vivid-ink · 2 years ago

Note

okay since ur req is open rn i have an idea and ofc i don’t mind waiting, take ur time w it! basically it’s a neteyam x reader angst + fluff (oblivious idiots + opposites attract trope) whereby reader is loak’s bestfriend, who also has a crush on neteyam but keeps it a secret bcs she thought neteyam sees her as another troublesome little sibling like loak but what she doesn’t know is that neteyam also has a crush on her but he thought she sees him only as loak’s boring and non adventurous older brother. idk how it should go from that but can you please PLEASE ends it w fluff 🙏 thank you in advance! feel free to change anything and take as much time as you’d need bby 💓

Thank you for your request anon! 😁 I got on to this a lot quicker than I thought as my ideas for it came to me & boy did it just flow! I thought it was going to be a quick drabble, but holy moly, how have I ended up with 11.3k words of angst, drama, romance & sweet, sweet fluff! I hope you love it, anon! And I hope everyone else enjoys it too!

"Your Best Friend's Brother"

Pairing: Neteyam x fem!Omatikaya Reader No warnings apply - Just a boat-load of angst, drama, protective & possessive Neteyam, romance & toe-curling fluff. Again, I personally do not like the use of 'Y/N' so your name in this is 'Kalia' (pronounced KAA-lee-yah). Language note - paskalin means 'sweet berry' and it's a term of endearment.

***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***

~~ Neteyam’s POV ~~

Neteyam trudged through the verdant underbrush of the woodlands following the sound of playful slapping and squealing in the distance where he was sure he would find you and Lo’ak. He rolled his eyes with a sigh, wondering what mischief and hazardous activities you would both be getting up to today. Fiddling with the string of his bow across his front, he readjusted his bow to sit more comfortably across his torso. The little leather pack that contained his carving implements and bow oil bounced lightly at his hip as he walked.

Granted, it was nice having days off from his warriors’ duties. Group hunts and patrols could be strenuous depending on the game being hunted and the distance travelled, so the days where he could just relax on home ground and let loose were appreciated. Until his parents foisted the responsibility of keeping Lo’ak out of trouble on him…

Lo’ak was only a year younger than him, but Neteyam often ruminated and marvelled at how his brother’s maturity level was still leagues behind his own. Of course, being the oldest child did force one to grow up a little too quickly, but at already seventeen years of age, one would think that Lo’ak would have a better compass and not such a huge proclivity for getting into trouble.

If Neteyam was honest, the only thing that made the days he had to babysit his brother bearable was you.

You and Lo’ak might as well be joined at the hip. The best of friends since you could both walk, everywhere Lo’ak went, you went with him. Every stupid little game or dangerous stunt Lo’ak pulled, you were right there beside him. You had always tagged along with Lo’ak and his other siblings. So, for the longest time, Neteyam had not thought much of the way things were and it had not bothered him; you and Lo’ak, the disruptive duo.

However, things had begun to shift ever so subtly for Neteyam as he grew older, as you all did, growing and maturing into young adults. The older he got, the more he noticed you. His body started to react and respond to you in a way that made him increasingly aware that he was a young man and you were a young woman.

Neteyam began to notice the way your beautiful braids brushed the small of your back. He began to notice the enticing way your slim waist flared out to the curve of your hips and your bottom; the soft rounds of your breasts behind your clothing…

It had hit him quite suddenly one evening and things had never been the same since.

*** FLASHBACK ***

“Kalia!” Neteyam heard Tuk cry gleefully. His little sister bounced through his family’s shelter to throw herself at you, uncaring of the thumping impact she made against your thighs. Your laugh was jovial as you bent to give Tuk a hug, expertly balancing the wooden platter you held in your other hand.

Neteyam watched as you greeted his parents politely at the threshold, stepping into the space only when his mother welcomed you in with a wave of her hand. Neytiri embraced you affectionately and returned your greeting, “Oel ngati kameie, Kalia. Come in. What wonderful food have you brought to spoil us with today?”

The wooden platter held two mounds, one much bigger than the other, both wrapped in cooking cloth. You gently set the platter down in the centre of the space where the food mats were, “Mother and I have been practising making tumpasuk (red-orange berry) sweet bread. This batch was quite successful so we thought we’d share.”

“Ah, you know your cooking is always welcome in my household.” Jake sniggered, patting his belly enthusiastically.

Reaching back towards the platter, you picked up the smaller wrapped mound of bread and rose to your feet. Neteyam saw you scan the vicinity and his heart gave an involuntary skip when your vivid green eyes eventually landed on him and your gazes locked. A small smile played across your lips and he was suddenly drawn to how succulent they looked, a thought that made his ears heat in embarrassment.

You made your way towards him and Neteyam had to make a conscious effort to close his mouth and school his expression into one of nonchalance, lest his face betray the sensual thoughts that his brain had begun to annotate about you as you approached. You had grown very pretty in recent years and despite the nuisance that you and Lo’ak always presented, Neteyam realised that you had always been a very sweet girl. A very sweet, very pretty girl.

“Hey Neteyam,” Your voice was a tender lilt in his ears and he lifted his hands to receive the small mound as you held the sweet treat out to him in both of yours, “This one is for you.”

Neteyam swallowed tightly, hoping the heat in his cheeks and ears were not colouring his skin too obviously, “Thanks, Kalia. I’m sure it’ll taste amazing, as always.”

The soft peal of your giggling tickled his ears then and Neteyam had to resist the urge to reach out and stroke your cheek. Your cyan skin looked so smooth and he was willing to bet that it would be warm and silken beneath his fingertips. The little points of your canines peaked out endearingly from behind your upper lip as you grinned and Neteyam’s nose was suddenly perceptive of an alluring scent that he knew was not the sweetbread in his hands.

“I put more dried tumpasuk berries in yours, as well a little extra rock sugar. I know you like yours sweeter.” You murmured quietly to him.

Neteyam returned your smile, silently allowing himself to bask in the feeling of being looked after specially by you. “I do, you’re right. Thanks again.”

“Hey!” Lo’ak’s voice grated from off to the side, “Why does Neteyam always get his own special treat? I thought I was your best friend!”

“You are, which is why it’s you and I that always get up to no good together.” You agreed heartily, “But your poor brother is the one who has to put up with our shit, so I figured we better thank him?”

Neteyam’s heart sank a little. Oh, was that why he always got his own treat? You were just thanking him as Lo’ak’s babysitter big brother. He suddenly felt a lot less special than he did a few moments ago…

*** FLASHBACK END ***

That had been just over a year ago and ever since then, Neteyam had grown more and more critical of your friendship with Lo’ak. Your spirited friendship with his brother seemed more at odds now to him than it ever had before. You had matured into a young woman who appeared to have her head screwed on the right way, kind-hearted and generous with good instincts. Yet all of this seemed to vaporise into thin air the moment you were around Lo’ak.

Neteyam did not understand why you persisted on accompanying his brother on his silly little escapades, playing stupid games like seeing who could pinch and punch the other the hardest. By Eywa, Neteyam had wanted to punch Lo’ak the day he had seen the bruises and marks he had left on your shoulders and arms. The thought of someone intentionally causing you pain and marring your beautiful skin made his blood boil, even though he knew that you had willingly participated in the ridiculous exercise.

But most of all, Neteyam hated the way Lo’ak’s recklessness endangered you.

Not that this meant he cared any less for Lo’ak’s safety than yours. He loved his brother and all his other siblings immensely and there was a natural desire on his part to keep them all safe. However, his impulse to protect you felt different. It was not rooted in the same place of familial love and affection he felt for his siblings. Instead, the strong urge he felt to protect you rather stemmed from his attraction to you as a male was to a female he was interested in.

If Neteyam had his way, you would never go on another irresponsible adventure with Lo’ak ever again. And this put him at odds with his brother. However, he acknowledged that getting in the way of your friendship would be wrong and he knew it would sour things overall for all three of you.

Neteyam had to find a way to curb this newfound possessiveness that he felt for you. You were not his and he was nothing more to you than your best friend’s older brother. His role was to keep an eye on Lo’ak; keep Lo’ak out of trouble and he would keep you out of trouble by default. Simple as that. Nothing more.

Your squeals and peals of laughter became clearer as Neteyam rounded the corner of a lush coppice into a glade of fyìpmaut (squid fruit) trees. Sure enough, as expected, there were you and Lo’ak, chasing each other round the glade with bits of squashed fruit in your fists, stained almost from head to toe in bright pink squid fruit residue.

Perhaps this was a good time to tell you both that fyìpmaut fruit juice stained almost permanently on whatever it came into contact with…

~~ Your POV ~~

“Lo’ak, you sucker!” You yelled out, darting out of the way as Lo’ak attempted to grab hold of you to smear you further with squid fruit, “I’ve got way more fruit on you than you have on me!”

“Yeah? Well I beat you earlier at seed-spitting, so we’re even.”

The glade of squid fruit trees were in high season currently, the trees around you bursting with bright purple fruit. The fruit hung in bunches, much like utumauti (banana fruit). Each piece of fruit was like a long, squidgy antenna, full of magenta coloured flesh that had five or six stony seeds in them.

Fresh from your run through the woodlands earlier with rumbling stomachs, it had been Lo’ak’s idea to stop and feast on your find. What had begun as a sweet and innocent snack-stop had soon turned playful when Lo’ak had challenged you to see who could spit the seeds the furthest. Seeds were spat, a winner was crowned and then you, against your better judgement, had decided to hurl a handful of pulverised fruit at him. War then ensued, which led you both to the present moment, sticky, breathless and dyed bright pink.

Lo’ak flung another piece of squashed fruit at you, which you only just managed to duck out of the way of, laughing, “Ok, alright! Truce?”

Your best friend snorted at the sight of you, “You’ve got it all up in your hair. You’re going to have to scrub your braids out and re-do them all!”

You launched yourself at Lo’ak, tackling him to the ground in a jumble of mock hisses and snarls, before a familiar voice plucked you both out of your tussle.

“Mum is going to twist your ears so hard they’ll fall off, Lo’ak.”

Startled, you shot to your feet at Neteyam’s voice. Self-consciousness overwhelmed you and you avoided meeting his gaze. Great Mother, you must look a mess… Did Lo’ak just say you had fruit in your hair?... You began a futile attempt to clean up by swiping at the bits of fruit on your arms and legs, trying to flick and rub the tacky mess from your skin and clothing.

“Ah, here comes the killjoy. Why is Mum going to twist my ears, bro?” Lo’ak queried, joining you at your side, following your lead and partaking in a fruitless attempt to clean up.

Neteyam’s toned legs came into your downcast view as he stepped up to the pair of you, and you instinctively looked up to acknowledge him. Your saliva dried up in your mouth as it always did when you laid eyes on him. Your quiet crush on him was getting rather out of hand in the confines of your own consciousness. You would never admit to all the times you had daydreamed girlishly of Neteyam, of all the things a girl wanted a boy she liked to do to her; holding his hand; a slow dance in the fading light of a dying bonfire; a kiss…

You had never admitted your feelings to anyone and especially not to Lo’ak. He would never let you live it down, crushing on his older brother. Though you knew Lo’ak had his suspicions about the way you felt.

Lo’ak thought his older brother was a dull and uninspiring killjoy, but if you were honest, you found that Neteyam’s maturity only added to the already large number of reasons you found him attractive. He was gentle, thoughtful, extremely loyal to those he cared about and one of the most skilled warriors the Omatikaya had ever seen. And he was very handsome… compassionate, intellectual, with a lovely deep voice… Your list went on.

“Squid fruit juice stains.” Neteyam stated matter-of-factly, “It’s going to take a lot of scrubbing to get it off your skin. As for your clothing, the stains will never wash out of cloth. These clothes you’re wearing are ruined, both of you.”

You heard Lo’ak bite back a curse as he fiddled with the fabric of his loincloth. It had been a lovely moss green before, but thanks to the addition of the squid fruit juice, it was now a rather unappealing shade of splotchy browns. You sighed, looking at your own ruined chest covering and loincloth. Your clothing had been a shade of lilac and while the magenta-coloured fruit juice did not contrast quite as jarringly against the fabric of your clothing as it did on Lo’ak’s, the stains were still clearly stains. There was no way the splodges would ever pass for artistic embellishment.

“At least, we didn’t get up to any dangerous shit today.” Lo’ak mused, elbowing Neteyam who sprang away lightly from his juice-covered brother with a chuckle.

“Good. We don’t need a repeat of the rock slide incident from the other week.” Neteyam cautioned, pursing his lips, “You could have both gotten really hurt from that.”

“Eh, it was fine. Kalia rolled out of the way in the end, didn’t you?” Lo’ak slapped you heavy-handedly on the back and you winced slightly in pain.

“It was a very close shave. And watch your strength, bro. Don’t be so rough with her.” The rebuke from Neteyam was delivered in an even tone, but there was an authority behind it that made Lo’ak roll his eyes.

“We should probably go and wash as best as we can before heading home.” You exhaled, feeling the stick of the fruit juice between your fingers, “The juice is starting to dry and it’s getting itchy.”

Neteyam was eyeing you up and down with an insouciant expression that betrayed very little of what he might be thinking and feeling in that moment. You were used to this. Neteyam very rarely displayed strong emotion or had dramatic reactions. He was always calm and collected. If Lo’ak was a jaunty and splashing stream, Neteyam was a deep and tranquil lake.

However, his intent gaze only fired the coals of your self-consciousness and you began to pick worriedly through the soiled braids of your hair. You realised then that there were small, drying bits of fruit still clinging to the backs of your fingers, and you stuck your fingers into your mouth one by one, trying to the best of your efforts to suck them clean.

You heard Neteyam suck in a deep breath through his nose and he spun away from you, beginning to amble back the way he came, “There’s a split in the stream farther back where you can both wash. Come on, we want to get back before eclipse.”

Heat flushed your face and ears and you swallowed the lump of shame in your throat. You probably looked absolutely feral, covered in gummy fruit bits and your hair all dishevelled. What girl ever wanted the boy she had a crush on to see her like this? You cursed your short-sightedness. You had known today was Neteyam’s day off and that you would likely see him.

You took a lot of pride in your appearance usually. Your mother always ensured your braids were impeccably done and you had an array of jewellery and clothing that you enjoyed picking through, deciding what you wanted to wear from day to day. Part of the reason was because you enjoyed being well put together, and the other reason was that you wanted to look good for your best friend’s older brother.

Following Lo’ak and Neteyam as they began their walk back to the stream, you mentally chastised yourself. Neteyam probably thought of you as a second nuisance. He already had Lo’ak to contend with from day to day and there you always were, getting into messy situations right along with him. You knew it did not make you look good, but you loved hanging out with Lo’ak. He was your dearest friend and he made you laugh with all his folly.

Reaching the split in the stream, Neteyam nodded towards one side, “Lo’ak and I will take this side. You can wash on the other. We’ll all meet back here when we’re done.”

“OK, got it.” You nodded in understanding.

“Kalia?”

You turned to face Neteyam at the sound of your name, your ears twitching curiously as you wondered why he had called out again.

Neteyam shot you a toothy grin and he chuckled, clearly tickled by something, “Make sure you wash your face really well. You’ve still got squid fruit pieces on your nose and forehead.”

Mortified, your hands flew to your face and sure enough, your fingers met something stodgy in the centre of your forehead. Cursing under your breath you turned on heel and strode for the stream on your side, secretly enjoying the sound of Neteyam’s husky laughter even though it made your cheeks burn in embarrassment.

Wading into the stream, you stopped once the cool water pooled around your hips, not wanting to go any deeper. You had never been comfortable in deep or rushing water. From childhood, you had always had an irrational fear of water. All attempts to teach you to swim had failed, as a result. You could tread water at best, but that could not be considered proper swimming. No matter, you had never held any desire to join the fisherfolk in their work hunting fish and gathering other river prey anyway.

Reaching to draw a cupful of water in your hands, you splashed yourself all over to moisten your skin. You began your arduous process of intently cleaning the fruit stains from your skin, knowing that this was the easy part. Washing your hair would be an even bigger task. You cleaned gently around a bad scrape on your left elbow, careful not to dislodge the healing scab that had formed there.

In the repetitive monotony of splashing, scrubbing and dunking, it was easy for your thoughts to drift back to that fateful day a few weeks ago when you earned that scrape. You had acquired several other grazes and cuts on your thighs and knees that same day too. It was also one of the few days you had ever seen Neteyam abandon his usually measured and composed demeanour in a rare display of emotion…

*** FLASHBACK ***

“I’ve got more rocks than you do.” You teased in a sing-song voice as you watched Lo’ak eye the broken cliff face before you, trying to decide which piece of rock he wanted to dislodge next.

“Yeah, but the rocks in my pile are bigger.” Lo’ak countered, “They’re riskier moves than the tiny little pebbles you’ve picked off.”

It was a dicey game you were playing, and once again it was all Lo’ak’s idea. There was an overhanging arch on the damaged cliff face that stood before you and the aim was to take turns dislodging as many rocks as possible before the overhang crumbled down.

“I thought that the person with the most rocks when the overhang crumbles, wins? Not the person with the biggest rocks.”

Sticking his tongue out at you, Lo’ak picked another hefty looking stone and set his foot on it, attempting to dislodge it with his body’s weight, “Nah, I’ve changed the rules. Person with the most amount of big rocks wins.”

Several smaller stones crumbled from the overhang, smacking and rolling loudly onto the ground in a precarious song of warning at the danger they were trifling with.

“That’s so unfair, you skxawng!” You whined peevishly, “You can’t change the rules partway through the game! Stop being a dick.”

“How about the both of you just stop entirely?” Neteyam’s voice called out as he appeared at the treeline. He had left the two of you for a bit to go down to the river to refill all your waterskins, and look what mischief you had both managed to get up to in that short span of time.

Lo’ak threw his arms up in the air, exasperated, “Nah, don’t ruin the fun, Neteyam. I’ve almost won anyway!”

“Are you kidding me, bro?” Neteyam exclaimed, aghast as he looked from his brother to you and then to your respective piles of rock, “Stop right now. That overhang is going to fall at any moment and it’s dangerous. Get away from there.”

“That’s the whole point, bro! We’re trying to see who can dislodge the most rocks before it crumbles.”

“Is it the most rocks or the biggest rocks?! You keep changing it!” You squealed in frustration. Both you and Lo’ak had strong competitive streaks, and neither of you liked losing.

Sensing your genuine upset, Lo’ak acquiesced and proposed a final tie-break challenge, “Alright, alright! How about this? You see that big rock over by you and this big one here by me? Whoever dislodges it first wins the whole game, once and for all. Never mind our piles.”

“No, no way. Stop it, both of you. We’re leaving now!” Neteyam hissed gravely.

However, neither you nor Lo’ak were paying him any attention. Narrowing your eyes at your best friend, you considered his proposal. You looked at the size of the rock Lo’ak had picked out for you, noted its position and then looked over at the rock he had assigned himself. Yours appeared to be in a better position. It was not wedged in as tightly to the cliff face as his was. You reckoned you could do it.

“Deal.” You called out to Lo’ak, who hooted in triumph despite Neteyam’s snarl of vexation at his side.

Both of you got stuck in immediately, feet and hands all intent on dislodging your respective rocks. Yours wobbled in its spot and you barked out a laugh of impending victory.

Several small rocks fell from overhead then and a thunderous crash echoed from above. What happened next happened so quickly that you were unsure if it had been your rock or Lo’ak’s that had caused the aftermath. The overhang disintegrated in a flash and a slew of mud and jagged rocks came pouring at speed over the edge where the overhang had been.

A cry of surprise left you and you stumbled backwards, tripping and falling painfully onto your side. Instinctively you rolled away from the surge of the rock slide and curled into foetal position, hands and arms over your head with your knees pressed to your chest.

The deafening roar of the rock slide dissipated, leaving a swirling cloud of dust and debris. Its gritty and granular texture stung your nose and you thought you could feel the grainy scratch of the tainted air all the way down your windpipe and into your lungs as you coughed violently.

Slowly uncurling your form, you tested your joints in small movements. You were scratched and scraped, but nothing felt broken or seriously injured. You could faintly make out Lo’ak and Neteyam’s worried voices as they called out to you, and you responded through a tickly throat, “I’m here! I’m OK!”

The rock slide was massive. It had divided you and separated you from the boys where you all stood in a raised wall of rock and mud. Thankfully you were out in the open and so you were not trapped. You just had to climb over the wreckage to get back to the other side.

You saw the rocks at the uppermost part of the wreckage shift and Neteyam’s head poked over the peak, closely followed by Lo’ak who cried, “Oh, shit! Kalia!”

The pair of brothers climbed gingerly over the apex of the wreckage, sliding downward on the slope towards you.

Neteyam reached you first though and you were gradually helped to your feet by his strong and firm hands. His eyes were wide and his breaths rushed from him in harsh pants while he checked you over. He circled you, gently lifting your arms as he went around, looking for any sign of serious injury. He crouched down then to look at the grazes on your legs.

You were a little shaken by the scare of the rock slide, but you were fine and you patted Neteyam’s hands where they clutched at your hips, his eyes focused on a graze along your thigh, “I’m fine, Neteyam. Nothing is broken. They’re only skin wounds.”

His eyes locked with yours for a few moments and they blazed with fury in their golden depths. He rose to his feet and you were prepared for him to berate you, but he swivelled around to Lo’ak instead and unleashed his ire, “You fucking moron! What were you thinking? No, I’ll tell you what, you weren’t thinking! This could have ended so much worse than it has! You should know better than this!”

Lo’ak shrivelled under his brother’s wrath and Neteyam returned his livid eyes to you, “You should know better. Both of you!”

Neteyam was almost vibrating with his rage. His nose was wrinkled and his upper lip was curled back in a snarl. You shrank at the sight, your shame consuming you as his words sunk in. He was right; you and Lo’ak had been extremely reckless.

Frankly, you were lucky to have escaped with your lives.

*** FLASHBACK END ***

That was another thing that you discovered you adored about Neteyam. He forgave easily and he never held a grudge.

You smiled to yourself at the thought. Neteyam had been angry for all of ten minutes at most, before he reverted to his usual caring and concerned self. You appreciated his kindly nature for what it was. Lo’ak, on the other hand, enjoyed pushing people’s buttons and you knew he took his brother’s forgiving nature for granted by always testing his boundaries.

The true blue of your own skin stared back at you as you surveyed your torso and your limbs. Your face felt fresh and your hair, though sopping wet, no longer felt tacky. Satisfied with your scrubbing efforts, you waded back to the mossy bank of the stream where your clothing lay. You had tried to wash those too, but no amount of scouring and wringing had freed the stains from the cloth.

Dressing quickly, you met the boys back at the agreed spot.

Lo’ak’s skin still looked purple in places and his jaw dropped at the squeaky-clean sight of you, “How’d you get all of it off you like that?”

You gloated a little at your job well done and smirked at him, “Good and proper scrubbing. Something you’d know nothing about. If you did, you’d smell better in general too.”

The comment elicited an offended gasp from Lo’ak and a hearty laugh from Neteyam who, despite having not partaken in their juicy fruit war, had also taken the opportunity to bathe.

“I don’t smell bad!” Lo’ak protested, chest puffing with indignance.

You laughed and teased your friend further, “No, you don’t smell bad, but you don’t smell good either.”

Neteyam stepped up to you then and your breath hitched on your next inhale. You hoped he had not noticed. Unlike his brother, Neteyam smelled very good to you. He scent was a clean musk like fresh forest greenery with a tinge of something spicy underneath.

“You did a good job scrubbing, but you missed a spot.” The rich depth of Neteyam’s voice swept over you like a warm caress and you held your breath like you had somehow lost the ability to respire like a normal person. You saw him reach out with a hand and then his thumb swiped slowly and deliberately at something high on your forehead near your hairline.

His hand pulled away and you registered a small pink glob of squid fruit on his thumb just as said thumb disappeared into his mouth to suck the digit clean. Neteyam’s intense gaze never left yours as he pulled his thumb unhurriedly from between his lips. A delightful shiver raced down your spine, and your girlish daydreams churned their way to the forefront of your mind when you saw his tongue dart out to lick his lips one last time.

Neteyam turned then to lead the trio of you away back towards home and you vaguely registered your numb and tingling legs following suit alongside Lo’ak.

A revolted groan sounded from Lo’ak and it pulled you back to reality from the daydream you had been immersed in. Your head pivoted to meet his face, which was contorted into a disgusted moue, “What is it, Lo’ak?”

“Stop eyeing up my brother’s ass.”

Your mouth dropped open in shock. Truthfully, you had been admiring Neteyam’s rear, but you were not about to admit that. Scrambling for cover and trying to worm your way out of the hole you had found yourself in, you stuttered, “I wasn’t! I was looking at his- umm, at his-”

“Ass.” Lo’ak supplied again, deadpan.

“No!” You hissed under your breath. Neteyam was walking a little way ahead of the both of you, but you were careful to keep your volume down. “I was looking at his tail!”

A sarcastic scoff was your best friend’s response and he eyed you calculatingly, his expression dripping with his disbelief, “Because tails are so interesting. Come on, Kalia, don’t lie to me. I know you find my brother attractive. I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

Stubborn and resolute in your plan not to admit the truth, you shook your head, “Nope.”

Lo’ak laughed, the stray beaded braid that wasn’t tucked behind his ear swinging charmingly with the movements of his head, “Oh, so I suppose you just look at everyone like that? All moony-eyed? Hell, do you look at my ass like that when I’m not looking?”

“Eww! No! Gross!”

What ensued was a series of pinches, slaps and squeals as you squabbled. Neteyam halted in his tracks and he turned to see what all the commotion was about with a questioning look on his face.

Unable to resist the opportunity for another jibe at you, Lo’ak called out to him, “Oi, turn back around bro. You’re ruining the view.”

You felt the blood rush to your face and ears and you knew instantly that you were flushing a deep shade of violet. You slapped the back of Lo’ak’s thigh hard and satisfaction bloomed within you when he gave a pained yowl in reaction to it.

~~ Neteyam’s POV ~~

Seeing that you were both just bickering again as you often were, Neteyam gave a weary shake of his head and resumed walking. He had missed the meaning of Lo’ak’s cryptic comment, but he had not missed the deep blush staining its way across your smooth cheeks. He smiled to himself. You looked so beautiful when you blushed.

The bright pink of the squid fruit juice against your blue skin earlier had also coloured your complexion a lovely purple hue and it had reminded him very much of your blushing skin. The fruit juice had been smeared all over you; in your hair, on your face, your neck, your chest… And you had looked like a mouth-watering mess to him.

Neteyam felt saliva pool in his cheeks at the memory. By Eywa, he had wanted to clean your skin off himself with his own mouth and tongue. He had wanted to kiss you and taste the sweetness of the squid fruit on your plump lips. He had wanted to lick the gummy bits of fruit from your slender fingers and trail his tongue over every stained part of you until you were clean.

When you had sucked your own fingers into your mouth in the next moment, his thoughts had darkened even further. The sight of your succulent lips wrapped around your fingertips had been incredibly arousing, and he had forced himself to turn away when the next image his very male brain had supplied was of your sweet lips wrapped around something else of his.

He halted his thoughts immediately at the recollection. This had to stop. He had to find a way to distract himself from hankering after you. You were his baby brother’s best friend, for goodness sake.

A feeling of futility swamped Neteyam when the next remark his brain supplied in response to his previous statement was ‘so what?’

***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***

A few months later

Neteyam sat leaning against the softer, peeling bark of kelutral (Hometree) on one of the upper boughs. He had returned from the day’s patrol not long ago and the soft light of partial eclipse streamed in dappled rays from the leafy canopy above.

Polishing the wood of his bow was one of the few things he found therapeutic in life. It was a mundane task and repetitive in nature, but it relaxed him and gave him time to just think and be. The slightly, nutty scent of the bow oil he was using was also a comforting smell that reminded him of who he was (a mighty warrior, firstborn son of the olo’eyktan) and it grounded him in those facts.

A much more saccharine scent tinged the air around him then and Neteyam’s ears twitched, alerted to the approach of someone from the branches below him. A loaf-shaped parcel, smelling absolutely delicious and wrapped in cooking cloth was carefully placed next to his thigh and he smiled, “Hey Kalia.”

Shifting to peer downward over the edge of his seat, Neteyam met your lovely green eyes which glimmered currently with something he could not decipher in their depths.

You grinned toothily at him and your tone was earnest, “Are you busy? I don’t want to impose.”

“Nah, I’m just chilling.” Neteyam replied, patting the space next to him and watching with a genial smile as you eagerly hopped up to join him at his invitation. He picked the loaf-shaped gift up and cocked his head at you, “What’s this for? It’s your birthday tomorrow, not mine. Why are you giving me a treat?”

Your teeth nibbled at your lower lip and you turned beseeching eyes at him, “I know you like utumauti cake so I set some aside for you from the batch I made this morning. I need your help.”

“Ahh, so this is bribery, is it?” Neteyam taunted mildly, regarding you through narrowed eyes.

“Well, kind of, but not really. I would have saved you some cake anyway even if I didn’t have a favour to ask.”

“I’m just teasing you.” Neteyam’s chuckle was warm, “You know you don’t have to bribe me to help you out. What do you need?”

Tender affection swelled in his chest as he watched you beam at him in excitement at what you were about to ask. Neteyam realised in that moment that he would do just about anything to see you smile, to make you happy. He enjoyed your cooking and the little treats you left him, but they were unnecessary. You had an unlimited supply of favours from him, as far as he was concerned.

You were almost bouncing next to him with your delight as you spoke, “The river trout are migrating currently and I want to see them tonight down at fkewkxor (mighty waterfall). My parents said I could go, but only if you came with me.”

The annual river trout migration passed through Omatikaya territory each year as they swam downstream through the nearby river. The migration was a stunning vision after eclipse at the falls, the bioluminescence of the masses of trout rippling in a multihued display as they made their journey down towards and over the falls before carrying on their way.

Neteyam’s agreement fell easily from his lips. He was more than happy to accompany you tonight, “Sure. Of course I’ll come with you.” However, before his imagination could begin to conjure up delightful little fantasies of how he would spend his time alone with you this evening, a maddeningly familiar voice called from below.

“Did he say yes? Can we go tonight?” Lo’ak.

Irritation flared through him and Neteyam almost sagged in disappointment. He was conscious of keeping his expression cool though. Of course Lo’ak would be coming. He was your best friend. But you both needed a chaperone to go out after eclipse and that was where he fit into the picture. It seemed you had picked up on his annoyance anyway and you wrinkled your nose sheepishly at him, eyes beseeching.

With a long-suffering sigh, Neteyam called down to his brother, “Yes, I’ll take you both tonight! I’ll meet you at the ikran rookery after last meal and we’ll go then.”

You let out a gleeful squeal and pumped your fist into the air, and Neteyam could not help the grin that wormed its way across his cheeks at your elation. You were thanking him profusely and were just about to slip off the bough to leave him to his peace, when he took your hand to get your attention. The little gasp of surprise you emitted was endearing.

Neteyam squeezed your hand gently, his thumb rubbing in fond strokes across your knuckles, “Only because it’s your birthday tomorrow.”

He released your hand and you thanked him one more time with an appreciative smile, “Thanks, Neteyam. It means a lot. I hope you like the cake.”

***~~~***

~~ Your POV ~~

The spectacle was breathtaking. The swell of the frothing rapids at the mouth of the waterfall was a foamy contrast against the rippling flashes of bioluminescent colour from the trout beneath the surface. You could not make out the individual fish, but the polychromatic mass of them made it look like the water was alive with colour. The entire waterfall glowed in the darkness of eclipse and you could hardly believe your eyes at what you were seeing.

Neteyam had led the three of you to an enormous tree that grew almost right by the mouth of the waterfall. The tree’s boughs and branches extended and hung out over the waterfall itself, making it a prime viewing spot. Your cheeks hurt at how wide you were smiling and even Neteyam seemed just as enamoured by the vision where he stood next to you.

The trout migration was a beautiful sight, but Neteyam was beautiful too.

Neteyam was entirely focused on the spectacle before him and it gave you a perfect opportunity to stare. You knew staring was rude, but only if you were caught, right?

In the low light of eclipse, his skin almost appeared a richer shade of blue, his darker stripes a complementary cobalt against his cyan skin. The bioluminescent tanhì (freckles) on his face sparkled bright like stars in the night sky like his own unique set of constellations. Your eyes tracked his tanhì on their journey down his striking form; over his shoulder, down his well-muscled chest and abdomen; down to his hip and toned thighs…

“I thought you wanted to come here to watch the trout.”

Your head snapped up to Neteyam’s face and you found him watching you, watching him. Mortification shot through you at being caught, and your brain was blank and useless in that moment, completely unhelpful at finding something to say. You must have looked very much like a trout then with your wide, unblinking eyes, your mouth opening and closing wordlessly…

Neteyam was still watching you intently, but there was a hint of something in his eyes, something you had not seen before; something playful and hot and utterly male. It made your skin prickle with a delicious heat and made flutters burst in your stomach.

You broke the eye contact, embarrassed, and your words finally returned to you again though they were not exactly coherent, “I did! I do- I am- It’s just- Just thank you.”

You chanced a glance at him again and a corner of his lips quirked upward. Neteyam dipped his head downward, his chin lowering, but his eyes never left yours as he watched you. You shivered at the look. He looked like a hunter about to capture his prey…

“Holy shit! You have to come up here. The view is amazing and there are no lower branches in the way of your eyeline.” Lo’ak exclaimed from several branches up, “Come on, guys!”

Excited, you climbed your way up to meet him with Neteyam following close behind.

The branch Lo’ak stood on was a younger branch near the top of the tree’s canopy. It was not as thick and impervious as the older boughs lower down, but it appeared to be holding Lo’ak’s weight just fine. You hopped nimbly up onto it and began gingerly making your way down it towards Lo’ak who had his hand waiting outstretched for you. The branch bowed ever so slightly and it swayed under your feet as it adjusted to your added weight. You halted your steps.

Neteyam’s voice was a low warning from behind you where he remained next to the tree’s trunk, “This branch isn’t going to hold you both. Come back this way Kalia.”

Lo’ak, as usual, held a conflicting opinion, “Aww man, don’t worry bro, yes it will. It’s a little bendy, that’s all.”

You looked between the two brothers who both had one hand stretched out to you now as you stood in the middle. Neteyam was shaking his head in a reiteration of his point, his golden eyes fierce, impelling you to return to safety. Lo’ak’s expression was nonchalant, his eyebrows raised awaiting your approach.

In the end it was Lo’ak’s next words that sealed the deal, “Come on, Kalia, don’t be a wuss.”

You never backed down from a challenge, especially not from Lo’ak. You were not a wuss and so you turned towards him and took the several steps required the rest of the way to grasp his hand.

The branch pitched downward with a little wobble under your combined weight, but it held.

A triumphant ululation trilled from Lo’ak and he laughed, “See? I told you it’d be fine.”

You breathed out a quiet ‘wow’ as the new vantage point afforded you a clear and unimpeded view of the entire waterfall in all its phantastic glory, just as Lo’ak had said. However the branch you were on was not wide enough for both of you stand side by side, and it was a little awkward peering from around his shoulder.

Seeing your position, Lo’ak looked up at the branch above him and he grinned at you, “Here, I’ll hop out of the way so you can see better.”

The next few moments passed in a sluggish blur for you, almost as if time had slowed to a snail’s pace. The last thing you heard was Neteyam’s panicked cry of, “Lo’ak, no!”, before Lo’ak sprang upward from in front of you, reaching for the branch above to pull himself up and out of the way.

The sickening crunch of wood splintering followed as the force of Lo’ak’s well-meaning spring shattered the weight limits of the branch beneath you. Abruptly, your feet were no longer grounded as you saw the broken branch fall away. Gravity sank its sharp talons into you and then you were plummeting too towards the majestic but treacherous waters that lay in wait below.

The last thing you felt was your breath tearing from your squeezing lungs and forcing its way up your throat in a choking scream.

~~ Neteyam’s POV ~~

The piercing sound of your terrified scream echoed through the woods and Neteyam watched, petrified, as your frame was swallowed by the thunderous falls.

“Fuck, KALIA!” Lo’ak’s own screech was hoarse as he pulled himself up all the way onto the branch above. He appeared a hair’s breadth away from diving in after you when Neteyam stopped him.

He was not about to let his brother risk his own life any further, but Neteyam held no such reservations about himself, “No, Lo’ak! Stay here, you skxawng! Call for help if we don’t surface!”

It was a perilous endeavour, but what choice did he have? There was no time to waste thinking. You were down there and he needed to get to you. With his heart galloping in his chest and his heart whispering prayer after prayer to Eywa to keep you alive, Neteyam leapt from the broken stump of a branch and into the raging falls after you.

Tucking his head as his body speared into a downward dive, Neteyam felt the force of thundering water hit him before he was submerged under the surface. All around him were roiling bubbles and scattering trout as they endeavoured to avoid the foreign creature that had just invaded their environment. There was no sense of direction; he had no idea which way was up and which way was down. Neteyam felt trapped in the never-ending churn of the water, but he reached and pulled against the water with his arms and kicked out with his legs nevertheless.

Neteyam’s sole concern was you. Great Mother, he had promised to keep you safe…

You had only been allowed to go out tonight because you were under his watch; you had been entrusted into his care. His thoughts were frantic… Please Eywa, help me… help her! Help me reach her!

Neteyam realised the trout around him were upright and swimming in the same direction, which was a good sign. It meant he was the right way up. Having regained his sense of direction, he doubled down on his focus. He could not see any sign of you beneath the water, though it was difficult looking through shoals of trout. Reaching the river’s bottom, Neteyam kicked off it and propelled himself towards the surface for a breath of air.

Breaching the surface, Neteyam’s head spun around looking for you. Nothing. He dove under again, continuing his search. All he could see was trout and his chest was tight with frustration and desperation. Please, Great Mother, please!

Something small and black drifted past his eyeline in a furry tuft amidst the writhing bodies of trout... Your tail! It was the tuft of your tail! With renewed vigour, Neteyam swam towards it with all his might, his hands reaching out until he could grasp it. The trout parted as he pulled your unmoving form towards him. His emotions were a contradiction in that moment. He was relieved that he had found you, but alarmed to see that you were unconscious.

Wrapping his arms around your waist, Neteyam kicked his legs, hauling you up to the surface.

Neteyam jostled your body roughly in an attempt to wake you when your face broke the waterline. He coughed, his frenetic words leaving him in wet gurgles as he cried out, “Kalia, wake up! Can you hear me? Breathe! Kalia!” You remained unresponsive; your chest unmoving as you drew no breaths.

The water was calmer here now as he floated downstream with you. Turning onto his back to keep you atop him, he frog-kicked towards the riverbank and thanked Eywa when he could finally touch the riverbed with his feet. Swimming back far enough until it was shallow enough for him to stand, Neteyam righted you in his arms, hooking one arm under your knees and the other around your shoulders so he could carry you ashore.

Delicately positioning you on your back on the muddy bank, Neteyam’s fingers flew to the crook of your neck where it met your jaw, probing desperately for a pulse. Nothing. Pure, undiluted panic shot through him. Placing his hands on your chest like he had been taught, he knelt alongside you and started chest compressions.

“Come on, Kalia!” Neteyam urged, “Come back to me, paskalin!”

Thirty compressions later, he pinched your nose, tilted your head back and sealed his mouth over yours. He gave you two breaths, feeling your chest rise slightly with each one. He checked again for a pulse.

Still nothing.

With a wild curse, Neteyam restarted chest compressions. He knew this was your only chance at survival and yet he was so afraid that he would break your sternum with the force of his compressions. Sixteen or seventeen compressions in, your shoulders and chest punched outward and your body gave a violent wretch. River water spewed from your mouth and you took a ragged but blessed breath in. A fit of wet coughs wracked you as your body ejected some more of the water from your saturated lungs.

A startled cry of relief left Neteyam and he propped you upright in his arms, pressing a kiss into the crown of your head, “Thank you, Great Mother! Keep breathing, paskalin. That’s it! That’s good.”

He cupped your cheek, forcing your gaze to focus on him. Your eyes were wild with disorientation and fear, and Neteyam clutched you to his chest as you began to cry bitterly. The sound of your crying was heart-wrenching, but it was welcome proof to him that you were alive.

Your drenched body quaked in his arms from the chill of the river water and Neteyam let out several trills and ululations, calling for his ikran. He needed to get you back to his grandmother. Quickly.

***~~~***

~~ Neteyam’s POV ~~

To say that Neteyam was angry with Lo’ak was a vast understatement. He was absolutely livid with his brother.

He and Lo’ak had fought countless times in their lives. It was the way of things when you grew up as brothers whose personalities were at such odds with each other. Countless disagreements and countless rebukes, but Neteyam had always been eloquent, even in his ire. He had always known how to scold Lo’ak; had always known what words to use to chastise him. But tonight had clearly been one step too far.

Tonight, Neteyam knew he was beyond angry because for the first time in their lives, he had no words. He had been silent ever since he had returned to kelutral with you in his arms several hours ago.

Lo’ak had taken full responsibility and had owned up to his reckless behaviour. Both their own family and yours had been horrified by the events of the evening as he had recounted the truth to them. Lo’ak’s immense contrition had manifested itself all night as repeated apologies to whoever would listen.

His grandmother had thoroughly checked you over when he had arrived home with you. You had sustained several shallow gashes to the skin of your back where you must have hit the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. You had aspirated river water and there would still be excess fluid in your lungs despite you having coughed most of it up. Mo’at had prescribed bedrest and careful monitoring of you for the next several days in hope that you would not develop a lung infection.

It was astonishing how the axis of Neteyam’s entire world had shifted in the space of one evening. He had vowed to himself a few moons ago that he would find a way to stop his growing feelings for you. He had done this partially out of respect for your close friendship with Lo’ak and also because he was convinced you did not see him the same way.

But he had nearly lost you tonight. And there was nothing in life that gave a person quite the same clarity of perspective than the threat of imminent death.

So what, if you were his baby brother’s best friend? Tonight had taught Neteyam that life was too short not to go after what he wanted.

Neteyam kept silent vigil in the healers’ hut where you were now asleep again. He had not left your side so far. Part of him needed to see you, to hear you breathing to assuage the deep-seated apprehension in his soul that you might somehow stop breathing again. And what if no one was there to notice?

Out of the corner of his eye, Neteyam saw Lo’ak get up from his spot a little further away to come and sit by him again. Neteyam ground his jaw together so hard that his teeth started to hurt.

“Say something, bro.” Lo’ak pressed softly, keeping his voice down so as not to wake you.

Neteyam’s nostrils flared and he pressed his thumb and forefinger into his eyes in vexation, “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know. You’ve said that a billion times already.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. Say you forgive me now, please? You were right, OK? That branch didn’t hold.”

Neteyam’s gaze had been alternating only between your prone form and his clasped hands in his lap up until now, but he turned incredulous eyes at his brother then. He gave a quiet scoff of disbelief, “By Eywa, that’s what you’re sorry for? For not listening to me? You think that I want you to apologise to me because you didn’t believe that I was right? Fuck, you don’t get it at all, Lo’ak.”

Lo’ak blinked several times and his brows knitted in a confused furrow, “What? I’ve already apologised. I don’t know what more you want from me.”

Neteyam’s nose wrinkled in a silent snarl at his brother, “This is your fault. It’s always your fault because your apologies are never backed up with a change of behaviour.”

“I know, bro. I promise I’ll listen to you from now on.”

“No! That’s not it!” Neteyam’s hiss was quiet but no less vehement, “It’s not about me being right or you not listening to me. It’s about you recognising that you need to think before you rush headlong into your fun and games! I won’t always be there to protect her!”

He saw Lo’ak’s eyes flick to your sleeping form and saw the recognition dawn on his brother’s face. Lo’ak had caught the inflection in his last sentence, “Oh, so this is just about Kalia, is it? You’d be fine if it was me that nearly drowned tonight instead?”

Neteyam growled a warning, “Don’t be unkind. This is about both of you.”

“Yeah, I get it.” Lo’ak said casually, but Neteyam could sense his brother’s rising temper, could see it in the impatient flick of his tail, “In general, you’re concerned about the both of us, but right now tonight, this anger of yours, it’s all about her.”

“Of course! She died tonight, Lo’ak! She was dead when I pulled her from the river! We’re lucky I managed to resuscitate her!” Neteyam snarled, his ears pinned and his own tail lashing behind him, “You put her in danger. You have done so, so many times with your recklessness! So help me Eywa, if you can’t comprehend in your thick skull that you need to grow up and consider your own safety, then leave Kalia out of it, at least.”

Lo’ak’s lips curled in a derisive snarl of his own, “You can’t have her, bro. I won’t let you.”

Neteyam clenched his jaw. This was not the direction he had wanted this conversation to go in, but at the same time, it was a conversation that had been stewing in the background for moons now. His brother seemed all too eager to jump on this train of thought, full steam ahead.

Lo’ak continued, “She’s my best friend. I see the way you look at her, Neteyam. You want her for yourself.”

Neteyam knew he had to tread carefully here and choose his words wisely. It was both dishonest and futile to deny his attraction to you now, but he did not want it to come at the cost of your friendship with Lo’ak. Swallowing tightly, he began in a measured tone, “I don’t want to take her away from you. I just want her to be safe. I want you to be safe so that she is safe with you. You’re not good for her if you won’t change your behaviour.”

Lo’ak was shaking his head now, his breaths puffing heavily from his nostrils as he got more and more agitated, “How about you stay away from her, bro. She’s my friend.”

“This doesn’t have to be a you or me situation.” Neteyam reasoned, “My interest in her and your friendship are not mutually exclusive things.”

“No, you can’t have her!” The words were spat from Lo’ak in a vicious growl, louder now than before.

“That isn’t your choice or mine, Lo’ak! It’s hers! But I have every right to express my wish to court her!”

“STAY. AWAY. FROM HER!”

“You don’t have any right to demand that!”

“Stop fighting.” The voice was feminine croak and Neteyam startled, his head spinning back to look at you. His brother’s head had swivelled around just as swiftly and he was sure he heard the vertebrae in Lo’ak’s neck pop.

~~ Your POV ~~

It had been the most impressive quiet argument that you had ever heard, if you were honest. The brothers had done well maintaining a hushed volume up until the last few moments. You figured it was time to intervene since the conversation was getting out of hand and it was also especially imprudent for you to be eavesdropping on a conversation about, well, you.

Your throat felt scratchy and your lungs felt sore, but you were fairly clear-headed otherwise.

“Shit, Kalia, sorry we woke you.” Lo’ak was by your side in a flash and one of his hands curled around yours, “Fuck, I’m so sorry about tonight. I really am.”

His tone was remorseful and you knew he felt awful. Lo’ak was careless but he was not callous by any means. He cared greatly for you despite him unintentionally contradicting that fact at times with his reckless behaviour.

Lo’ak’s eyes appeared a little watery in the flickering firelight of the hut and you reached out to pat his cheek kindly, “Hush, I know. I’m OK now. We live and we learn, yes?” He nodded mutely.

You saw Neteyam’s face swim into view beside Lo’ak’s and your heart gave a squeeze. An assortment of thoughts and emotions eddied around in your mind at the sight of his handsome face; gratitude, affection, remnants of your fright from earlier in the evening, and a kittenish shyness at what you had heard him say just moments ago.

Looking back to Lo’ak, you took the hand that was holding yours and kissed the back of it, “You know you’ll always be my best buddy, right? Nothing will change that. Ever.” You saw the slight pout of Lo’ak’s lips lift in a grin. You needed to speak to Neteyam though, alone, to thank him for rescuing you. Mostly to thank him, but you wanted to address a few other things too…

You cleared the scratch in your throat and shot Lo’ak a reassuring smile, “I’ll catch you in a bit, yeah? Could you give your brother and I some time? I’d like to speak to him.”

You had to fight the urge to giggle because when you saw Lo’ak’s grin pucker into an unimpressed moue. He looked from you to his brother and then back again and drawled sarcastically, “Yeah sure, I see how it is. You’ll be my best friend in the daytimes and then you’ll go and suck face with my brother in the evenings.”

Both you and Neteyam hissed Lo’ak’s name in shocked unison as he got up to give you both some privacy. He called over his shoulder as he disappeared out the draping flaps of the healers’ hut, “Don’t do anything gross in there kids, I’m just outside.”

Neteyam emitted an irritated huff and he rolled his eyes. His cheeks were purpling ever so slightly and you giggled, your own cheeks heating in response. You sat in silence for a few moments, neither of you really knowing what to say or how to begin.

You looked at Neteyam in the lambent glow of the firelight. He was looking intently at his folded hands in his lap and a frown wrinkled his forehead. He looked a little upset and you realised then that while it had been you who had fallen, gotten injured and had to be resuscitated, it was Neteyam who had had to live the waking nightmare of all those moments.

You extended the fingertips of your left hand and you stroked them gently against the back of his clasped hands, “Hey, thanks for saving me. I wouldn’t be here if not for you.”

“You weren’t here for a little bit.” The words were a broken mumble from Neteyam, who turned one of his palms out to twine his fingers with yours. He looked defeated.

“I’m here now and that’s what matters.”

His fingertips were warm against your cold ones and you instinctively sought out more of his warmth, sliding your palm forward to seat it fully against his. You felt his fingers wrap around your palm in return and the motion sent a thrill through you.

Neteyam took a shaky inhale and his exhale punched out of him in a defeated sigh, he shook his head gravely, “Fuck, Kalia you scared me today. You were gone. I had to fight to bring you back and-” He stopped suddenly and his eyes reluctantly fixed themselves on the dark purple bruising where the top of your chest was peeking out from the woven blanket Mo’at had wrapped around you.

“It doesn’t hurt much.” You supplied, “You did what you had to and I’m so grateful. I was stupid today too. It wasn’t just Lo’ak who didn’t listen. You told me not to go out onto the branch. I’m sorry too. I should’ve known better.”

He pursed his lips at you then, clearly agreeing with your sentiment, “Look, I’m not going to try and stop you and Lo’ak from hanging out, but you both need to be more careful. Think about what you’re doing, assess the situation. I don’t want to have to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation ever again.”

“Not the kind of mouth-to-mouth you’d like to give me?” Perhaps it was the heady mix of tonic that Mo’at had given you as pain-relief. Or maybe it was the fact that you had overheard Neteyam admit to being attracted to you that emboldened you, but the quip was out of mouth before you could stop it.

Neteyam’s mouth popped ajar at your remark and he spluttered, “I-It wasn’t exactly a kiss.”

Your tittered even harder at his reaction and you countered with another quip, “No, I’d like to be alive when that one happens.”

He continued to gawp at you and you nibbled on your bottom lip bashfully. Eywa, you’d been crushing on Neteyam for a couple of years now, and to hear him say that he would like to court you was a girlish dream come true. You squeezed his hand promisingly and he chuckled.

He licked his lips and his eyes fell to his lap again. He shifted his other hand to join your already clasped ones and rested it over yours. Your hand was cradled between both of his now and the blazing heat of skin was electrifying. He lifted his eyes then to meet your gaze and admitted, “I didn’t think you felt that way about me.”

“And I thought you didn’t see me as anything more than your little brother’s annoying friend!” You exclaimed with a laugh, “By Eywa, I’ve been cooking you things and bringing them to you personally for so long now. I was convinced you just thought me a pest.”

Neteyam frowned and cocked his head at you, “I thought those were bribes and ‘thank you’ treats for keeping an eye on you and Lo’ak.”

“Well, they were, but it’s because I didn’t want you to stop coming.”

He smiled at you then, one of his beautiful, bright smiles that made you feel all warm and tingly inside. He brought your knuckles up to his face and pressed a kiss to them, and the soft velvet brush of his lips made your stomach quiver and your toes curl. He murmured, “So you’ll allow me to court you?”

You beamed at him with a nod and you wondered if he could see the happy stars bursting in the depths of your green eyes. A stupid part of you was a little disappointed that the first time his lips had touched yours you had not been conscious. It had not been a kiss, but still.

You wanted a kiss now and you never backed away from an opportunity to get what you wanted, “Kiss me, Neteyam, please?”

A corner of his lips quirked upward and his chin tilted down again, his eyes never leaving yours. You recognised that look. It was the same keen expression he had worn earlier that evening after he had caught you staring at him instead of the trout. Great Mother, that expression sent delightful shivers through you.

You saw him lean down towards you slowly, bracing his weight on his palms on either side of your head, and he smirked, “Lo’ak is going to be so annoyed.”

“Lo’ak knows. He’s known about my feelings for you for a while now. He’s just going to have to share.” You whispered, your heartrate quickening and your breath puffing in smaller pants of anticipation as Neteyam’s face neared yours. A husky chortle rumbled by your ear and you gave a small gasp as his hot breath tickled the side of your face.

Neteyam purred his response, “Well as long as I don’t have to share this-” He pressed a slow kiss to your right cheek, “Or this-” Another unhurried press of his lips to your left cheek, “And especially not this-” His smooth lips enveloped yours in a chaste, but lingering press, “Then I’m fine sharing. Happy birthday, Kalia.”

Bright and unbridled delight rushed through you in a series of flutters and flurries in your chest and in your stomach. You had almost forgotten. The darkest part of eclipse had come and gone. It was your birthday today. Your first kiss with Neteyam was without a doubt, the best birthday present ever. Neteyam was grinning smugly down at you and you reached up to loop your arms around his neck, pulling him down towards you again for another deliciously plush and moist meld of your lips.

It was a little uncoordinated and a little bit messy as the two of you continued your curious exploration of each other’s mouths. After all, you were both new to each other like this. However, the experience was no less stimulating. You had plenty of time to practise and get better, you mused.

Evidently Lo’ak had chosen the wrong time to peek through the gap in the hut’s entry flaps, and you and Neteyam broke away from each other laughing when his indignant voice sounded from outside.

“Eww, yuck! I SAID NO GROSS STUFF!”

***~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~***

Author's Note: Ya'll this took on a life of its own, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. I hope you enjoyed this little rollercoaster of drama! I'd love to hear your thoughts & reactions. Reblogs are so very much appreciated. Share this piece if you loved it! 🥰Thanks for reading!

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lanasblood · 2 years ago

Text

SKYRACER | neteyam x reader

pairing: neteyam x f!reader

summary: you love your life, and you love your two best friends, lo’ak and kiri, missing them deeply when they leave for the tulkun season at the eastern sea once a year, leaving you all alone with the rest of the sully’s, including neteyam. as you prepare for another farewell, everything takes an unexpected turn on a fateful night, altering the course of your lives forever.

word count: 4.9k

warnings: mention of blood, (no sweat), and tears, best friend lo’ak (platonic soulmates), lovely supporting friend kiri, tension between neteyam and you, protective neteyam, caring neteyam, angry neteyam, mention of heartbreak from previous relationship, alcohol use and parties, basically the beginning of a love story through melancholy and hardships .

note: takes place five years after the events of atwow. this is a repost. series masterlist

* gif‘s not mine.

in the depths of my mind, I kept you hidden, a treasure too priceless to be revealed, for your soul is pure, your beauty unbidden, a rose in the fields, unconquered, unconcealed.

On the night when it all began, the sky stretched above, clear and serene, while a gentle breeze rustled through the air. The moon, a slender crescent, cast its ethereal glow upon the dense forests of Pandora, drawing intricate shadows upon the tents nestled amidst the towering trees. Its radiance danced upon the still surface of the deserted lake, while the forest itself seemed adorned with a tapestry of fallen leaves and meandering vines.

Your body felt weak, your heartbeat faltered, its rhythm growing feeble, and your pulse felt strangely sluggish. With a heavy sigh escaping your lips, you sank down onto the ground, your trembling hands finding their way to the tangles of your hair. The wind, mischievous in its playful dance, toyed with the fabric of your loincloth and the flowers and feathers that adorned your form, teasing and loosening a single strand from the intricately braided locks that Kiri had graced with delicately handcrafted beads that evening.

With a desperate gesture, you pressed the balls of your hands firmly against your closed eyes, seeking respite from the world. Colors of light and dark swirled in a dizzying dance behind your lids, creating a kaleidoscope of sensations. The sharp pain that had taken residence above your temples intensified, causing another low, pained sigh to escape from your chapped lips as if carrying the weight of your weariness.

You heard your name before you felt his hand on your arm, his knee touched yours and for a brief moment, your heart almost completely stopped. You couldn't bring yourself to look at him yet; your eyes were strangely veiled as if they were watering. "What's going on?"

There was an uncomfortable metallic taste in your mouth, and you carefully put your hand to your lips, only to discover the crimson evidence of blood trickling on your lips from your nose. Images of that night were difficult to push aside anyway, but in connection with the headache, it was almost impossible to suppress the onslaught of memories.

You cursed under your breath, your voice cracked and feeble, as you looked up at Lo'ak with an awkward expression.

"Bro—" Lo'ak's voice trailed off as his eyebrows shot up, his gaze shifting to the blood on your hand and then on your face. Swiftly, he retrieved a cloth that was secured to his side near his hunting knife. "Take this, it's clean. I only used it to polish my knife."

Gratefully, you accepted the cloth and pressed it against your nose to stem the bleeding.

"You need to see Tsahìk," he said softly, his eyes fixed on your profile.

"That's—" you began to protest, but the pain cut through your words. It hit you suddenly and with greater intensity than before, almost violently, leaving you gasping for breath. You attempted to stand, but your knees gave way, and you slumped down. Lo'ak struggled to keep you upright, his arms straining to support you.

"You have to see Tsahìk," he repeated, and you could only weakly shake your head. Blood trickled down your chin in thin lines, dripping onto the edge of your upper piece, leaving dark-red stains on the feathers. "You've been feeling unwell all evening. I'm worried about you."

That's how he was, Lo'ak Sully. Caring and considerate, not towards everyone, actually towards no one, but towards a selected few, including you. Instead of enjoying the celebration held in his honor, he had barely left your side throughout the evening. Even now, he preferred sitting with you rather than accepting another drinking challenge. In two days, he would embark on another journey to the Eastern Sea as the Tulkun Season was about to begin, and you wouldn't be able to see him for a long, long time. Actually, you should be grateful; missing him would only be temporary, and you would have something to look forward to. Five years ago, when you thought you would never see the Sully's again, it looked quite different. Back then, external circumstances had forced them to leave your clan and seek shelter far away in the East, leaving you with a void deep inside you. Fortunately, those external circumstances had been resolved by now, and Lo'ak, he was both Omatikaya and Metkayina now, being the bridge between the two clans, with the tattoo on his side below his cummerbund serving as proof. You were very proud of him and loved listening to his stories about his other friends and adventures. However, the farewell was close, meaning until his return in six moons, you would miss him, so much.

"You're drunk," you managed to say with difficulty. Speaking was incredibly hard for you, and the words felt fragile on your lips. "The village is over an hour away. And I won't let you fly; I'd rather die a wretched death out here."

"As charming as ever," Lo'ak muttered but secretly agreed. "Y/n, I... Can you stand up?" Of course, you couldn't. He presumably realized that in the next moment. "I'm going to quickly run back to the party, and you'll wait for me to return, okay? I'll hurry, I promise. Do you understand me?"

Your nod came seconds too late; he had already headed back toward the direction of loud music and youthful laughter. The vibrations reached the ground, shaking the earth beneath you. You could faintly hear Kiri's laughter as someone played the blue flute in the background. The spots danced before your eyes without you having to close them, and while the pain in your temples had eased, every sudden movement felt like your skull was about to explode.

A small group of young Na'vi passed by on the other side, maybe ten meters away from you, laughing and drinking while heading straight into the forest, but without noticing you; two couples, maybe a year or two older than you, with their hands clasped and bottles sharing.

The following thought brought a crooked smile to your lips and, inexplicably, tears to your eyes. But it was true. Pathetic as it may seem at first glance, all you wanted was to be truly loved, to have your mate by your side; a man with a strong heart who would love you like Jake loved Neytiri, who would call you beautiful even in the mornings when you woke up with messy hair and a puffy face; who would create a safe haven in his arms, where you could be vulnerable and share your deepest secrets; who would make you laugh with his infectious sense of humor, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary memories; who would hold your heart in his hands and cherished it as if it were his own, loving you unconditionally, flaws and all, reminding you that you are enough. Sometimes, more than anything, you wished for that to happen. And on those days, even Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk'itan seemed somewhat attractive with his fleeting, almost coy smile directed towards yet another girl.

Another girl, yes. By now you were convinced that not just the girls but your whole clan had developed a crush, no matter how tiny or big, on the golden boy, and he liked that, of course, he did, he loved the attention and praise from almost anyone; almost, leaving you to possibly be the only person in the whole village who he wouldn't willingly exchange a word with. Not that you minded, on the contrary, you'd never gotten along with Neteyam since you were kids and you knew that it was mutual.

It wasn't that you had never been in love before, experiencing the euphoria and joy of a promising and fulfilling future ahead. But once your heart had been shattered, it became challenging for you to trust in someone else's words, no matter how beautifully spoken. This is why stepping out of your comfort zone felt incredibly difficult for you.

"We're back," Lo'ak's voice interrupted your thoughts, and as he helped you up, you realized who we referred to. Indeed, Neteyam Sully stood before you, holding the saddle for his ikran, and looked down at you, almost with a hint of pity.

"Why him of all people?" you grumbled, giving Lo'ak a weary glance. You felt like tears were ready to spill at any moment. "What about Kiri?"

"I didn't want to interrupt Kiri in her debate on equality versus equity against that flute guy. Plus, Neteyam is probably the only one around here who isn't too drunk to fly."

"No one?" you exclaimed, unable to hide your disbelief. However, before you could receive a proper answer, Neteyam himself lifted you onto his ikran, who rested a few meters away beneath the canopy of flower trees, alongside the other majestic creatures. With a swift motion that would typically have prompted an eye roll of annoyance — your current state sadly left no room for such sentiments — he positioned himself right behind you, his presence uncomfortably close, your thighs almost touching. He gently patted his ikran on the head to greet her, before he encircled your waist with his arms in a way that made your back lean onto his torso. And then, with a profound connection, he established a swaheylu bond with his ikran.

"Hold on tight," he whispered to you and nodded toward a slightly lost-looking Lo'ak behind your shoulder. His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, as he continued. "I may not be fond of you, but I really don't want to bear the responsibility for your death. Got it?"

That night was the moment when you first grasped the gravity of the situation, realizing that it was indeed something serious.

∾⋄∾⋄∾⋄∾

When Neteyam, as carefully and gently as he could, lifted you off his ikran right in front of a village that seemed unfamiliar to you and carried you with quick, firm steps into one of the tents in his arms, the night air suddenly seemed terribly cold and biting, and you realized you weren't home. All the words on your lips vanished into the darkness, and you seemed even too weak to cry.

He whispered reassuring words to you, told you he had to bring you to the nearest village he could find, looked at you with so much concern in his eyes that you were sure you were hallucinating, asked you to try and stay awake as long as you could, but as soon as you had entered the tent, everything seemed to flow into a single moment. After Neteyam formally introduced himself, an elderly woman with red feathers in her hair told him to carry you right after her, anything else would have been a waste of time. She asked him a lot; your name, your age, what had happened that evening, whether anything like that had happened before.

You were almost surprised at how collected he was and how many of the questions he was able to answer so quickly, but actually it was only logical – he also spent as much time with Lo'ak as you did, so you, too, couldn't help but learn a lot about the oh-so-legendary Neteyam Sully. As if that mattered.

Inside the tent, there was an unusual calmness, contrary to your expectations. In your own clan, Tsahìk's tent was always bustling with activity, filled with people seeking healing or simply enjoying each other's company. But in this clan, it felt different. It was quieter, almost serene, yet it carried an air of solitude. You couldn't help but notice a middle-aged man seated on one of the mats, his head buried in his hands as if he were anxiously awaiting something. Or someone. Next to him, a little girl lay with a peaceful face, seemingly asleep.

You really had no clue why this man of all people was stuck in your mind so clearly – this inconspicuous man, the only steadfast memory of that night.

The night when it all began.

The last thing you felt was Neteyam's hand on yours. Then everything went black and the only thing that remained was the picture of golden eyes and the man in the healing tent.

Vawm na txon. As dark as the night.

∾⋄∾⋄∾⋄∾

When you felt his fingertips on your wrist, you involuntarily winced and looked up. "Hey, Lo'ak," you muttered, and he immediately pulled you into a gentle hug and kissed your hairline. His voice sounded hoarse and rough and the bittersweet smell of sweet yovo fruit mixed with a bit of salt hung on his skin; and heaven, you would have loved to never let go of him again.

For a moment he just looked at you in silence and frowned before he sat across from you on the grass. Lo'ak started to say something, but his voice failed and a low sigh caught in the air around you.

"You look tired." You almost laughed, and it didn't even feel wrong. You look tired. Tuk had said the same thing earlier that morning while sitting in front of her herbal tea and half of Neytiri's infamous sari seed bread. She had preferred eating her morning meal in her grandmother's tent, because you were there too, not for relaxation, but to drink the disgusting mixture Mo'at prepared for you every single morning for the last three moons. Uttering those words, Tuk had even cast the same concerned look at you, with the same worried expression on her freckled, delicate face, just like her older brother was doing now, and it had almost broken your heart.

"I didn't sleep well last night, that's all."

When he said your name, admonishing with a sigh, his voice quivered, teetering on the edge of concern, before he hesitantly continued, "Are you… okay?"

His unspoken words hung heavy in the air, etched upon his countenance. You could see the unvoiced questions etching lines of worry upon his face, 'In the past few moons you haven't gotten back to me or anyone else, nor did you answer a single radio call, I tried to reach out to you several times, but you ignored me, you never asked to speak to me, and when my family sent you my greetings you just smiled and made promises that you never intended to keep, nothing.' yet they remained trapped within the confines of his sealed lips. The restrained inquiry and underlying disappointment were palpable, like a suppressed ache that threatened to consume him; and deep down, you knew his effort to withhold his concerns only magnified your own pain, intensifying the weight of his unspoken concerns.

"You're my best friend," he finally just said and ran his hand through his already chaotic braids.

At the same moment, out of pure impulse, you brushed a tangled strand of hair from your face. You had already heard last week that Lo'ak and Kiri would return early to transport some rations from here to Awa'atlu, thanks to Max and Norm who had decided to expand their labs to the Eastern Sea. At the same time, you didn't want to get too excited because they would only stay for a maximum of one week before being away for three more moons. Nevertheless, you had missed him. Every day since that party and their department two days later, you had thought of the moment he and Kiri left for the Eastern Sea, how he had briefly refused to leave until you were feeling better, how hard it was for you and his parents to convince him that everything was alright; how Lo'ak had promised to check in on you over the radio every evening just before the eclipse, how he had kept his promise, but you hadn't, and how you were contemplating telling him what had happened in those three months since he was gone, too anxious of his reaction; even more than the one time you had to make an important decision almost ten cycles ago:

"Why is he so mean? His radio code name is Pathfinder, and he has the audacity to criticize mine? He called me Plain Grandma, can you believe that!?"

"He also called you Slow Vipertail which is far worse in my eyes," Lo'ak had commented dryly.

"Shut up, Eagle Eye!" you had crossed your arms in front of your chest, pouting, "What is so bad about Stargirl?"

"No offense but it couldn't be any girlier."

"Well, I am a girl."

"But do you want the enemy to know that?"

"I thought our frequency was secure?"

"You never know with them." When you had continued to pout, Lo'ak had nudged you encouragingly with his elbow, "Come on, you can be Silent Thunder if you like."

"Isn't that what you call your farts?" Kiri, who had remained completely silent during your discussion, was the one who had made that comment. You had made a disgusted face in response.

"Okaaay," Lo'ak had groaned, "Then be anything but Stargirl, Eywa, just choose something or I'll do it for you. Remember, your code name sticks with you forever."

In the end, the discussion had dragged on for so long that during the evening meal, the two of you had managed to irritate every clan member within a two-meter radius. Jake had taken it upon himself to bring it to a close and gave you your personal radio code name, which you cherished to this day. Not because it had come from your former Olo'eyktan, but from a person you loved and respected like your own father; it was more than an honor to you.

You looked at him now, at Jake's identical copy, a bittersweet smile forming at the corners of your mouth, tinged with nostalgia. His eyes were like the early sun rays that morning at Tsahìk's tent; two orbs of amber with irregular, whitish spots of cream – strange that this, of all things, crossed your mind at that second.

"Eagle Eye to Skyracer," he playfully nudged your knee in an attempt to lighten the mood, "Come on, tell me why you avoid me."

And then, then you said it out loud; a single little sentence of four syllables, and his once sunlight-radiating eyes were covered by lids streaked with fine, pale blue veins, holding a glimmer of melancholy, like a fading sunset.

"Please, no," he whispered, his voice filled with sadness, as you sought comfort in the embrace of his arms, burying your head in the crook of his neck. Salty tears mingled with your lips as you clung to each other, his fingers interlacing with yours, a desperate grip that turned his knuckles almost white, the weight of the impending fate pressed upon you both.

As the realization settled within him, Lo'ak let go of you and collapsed onto the grass, his shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs and trembling with the intensity of his emotions. You immediately wrapped your arms around him again, wanting to share his emotions, knowing that this pain was as much his as it was yours, while the air around you seemed heavy with helplessness as the two of you sat there, engulfed in the depths of your shared pain.

"No!" he cried out all of a sudden, his voice choked on his tears. Saliva glistened on his quivering lips, his breath was ragged and uneven; and his eyes, bloodshot and filled with more unshed tears, refused to accept the harsh reality you just told him.

"Why? Why you?" Lo'ak's voice cracked as the words escaped through clenched teeth. His fists clenched tightly, nails digging into the ground beneath you, as if trying to anchor himself to the pain, refusing to accept the meaning behind your words. His tears mingled with yours as you still held him close, feeling his agony reverberate through your own heart.

Lo'ak's voice was laced with raw fury. "This can't be happening! It's not fair!"

The wind whispered through the grass, carrying the echoes of his anguish across the desolate landscape, but leaving his voice hanging in the air. The setting sun, a silent witness to the unraveling of two intertwined souls, cast its pale light upon the scene, casting long shadows around you.

Lo'ak's emotions gave way to desperate pleas, his voice cracking with desperation. "Please, there must be a way. I'll talk to my dad, he… he can…" he choked on his tears once more, "Anything. I'll give anything."

You stroked his trembling cheek, tears flowing freely down your own face. "I know you would. But sometimes, there are forces beyond our control, Lo'ak, I need you to understand that."

Lo'ak's resistance crumbled, his body sinking into a heap of devastation. His nose ran, mingling with the tears streaming down his face. He clung to you, a lifeline in the midst of a tempestuous sea, refusing to let go even as the waves crashed around him.

The evening wore on, its grey hue mirroring the somberness of your hearts. There were no words that could ease the ache or undo the cruel fate, so, you remained there, seeking comfort in the silence, finding comfort in each other's arms for you drew strength from one another, offering support amidst the overwhelming feelings that engulfed you.

∾⋄∾⋄∾⋄∾

The next day, as the sun bathed the forest in a golden glow, you were sitting near the quiet stream by yourself, keeping yourself distracted and enjoying the gentle tickle of water, when you heard footsteps growing louder as someone approached you. You turned around, a calm expression masking the inner storm within you, just to see Neteyam, his expression hardened with determination

Your eyes met his, and you could see anger, confusion, and concern in his gaze all at once, catching you completely off-guard; it was strange that he sought you out in the first place, and then seeing him so… emotional, that was a first.

He stood tall before you, the sun at his back, giving him an angelic glow that he surely didn't deserve, and it was ironic, too, given his angry pout that you were sure Lo'ak would've made fun of if he was here.

Neteyam's voice was laced with a tinge of bitterness when he spoke, "You've broken my brother's heart. What did you do to him?"

"You already have your answer, apparently I've broken his heart," you said sarcastically to which he scoffed. You remained composed, refusing to allow his words to rattle you, and your voice carried a hint of indifference as you added, "Trust me, I haven't done and wouldn't ever do anything to intentionally hurt Lo'ak."

Neteyam's nostrils flared as frustration mingled with his anger. The man, normally composed, couldn't be further away from that in that very moment, when he took a deliberate step closer, his gaze locking with yours. "Don't play innocent with me. You must've betrayed him in some way."

"Betrayal requires intent, Neteyam," You held his gaze, unyielding in the face of his accusations, "Whatever you think I've done, it wasn't with the purpose of hurting Lo'ak."

Neteyam's anger wavered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. His brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of the situation. "Then why? Why is he crying and suffering if it wasn't your doing? What could have caused this?"

A bittersweet smile graced your lips as you shook your head gently.

"It's true, isn't it? What Ivät said at training this mor—"

"Don't say his name," you warned, your voice carrying a deep, growling tone from the back of your throat.

Neteyam's anger softened, replaced by curiosity and even a sense of empathy. Though skepticism still lingered in his voice, genuine concern emerged, "But why? Why would you go back to him? He should be exiled but here you are, running back to him after everything he's done to you."

"Tell me again why any of this matters to you?" you questioned.

"Lo'ak cares for you, deeply. I care for him, deeply. That means everything you do eventually affects me," Neteyam explained, attempting to convey the weight of his words. "Understand that your actions have consequences for everyone around you."

"I'm not having this conversation with you right now," you declared sighing, walking past him with determined steps.

"Just tell your parents you don't want to," he shouted after you, "I can… My family could support you, you know. You don't have to do anything against your will."

"Well," you turned around, snapping at him, "you can't fight against fate, can you?"

There was a brief pause as Neteyam absorbed your words, realization slowly dawning on him that there might be more to the situation than he initially believed. His eyes darkened, and his nails dug into his palms as he struggled to control his emotions, "You can try."

You let out an ironic huff, shaking your head slightly and biting your inner cheek to prevent a sarcastic comment from slipping out.

"I am not your enemy," he continued in a softer tone, seeking your eyes, "I'm only here trying to help you, yet you—"

"That, Neteyam, is not my concern," you interrupted him harshly. You met his gaze finally, the weight of unspoken truths hanging in the air between you. "I never asked for your help, nor do I need it. If you truly care about your brother, perhaps you should be there for him and ask him directly how you can help him instead of mingling with my private life and assuming the worst of me."

With that, you turned back around and kept walking away with determined steps, leaving Neteyam standing by the stream alone with his swirling thoughts, but you couldn't deny the flicker of vulnerability within you as a twinge of guilt tugged at your conscience for the way you had treated the only person who had recently saved your life, accompanied by a sense of regret for your harsh words, realizing that you had never even thanked him.

∾⋄∾⋄∾⋄∾

A few hours later, you were sitting on the wooden floor in your family’s tent; leaning your head against the slightly dirty rolled-up rug near the entry and pulling your knees so close to your body that the hem of your loincloth slipped a long way down your thigh. The evening had long since settled over the landscapes, and it was now dark outside. In your hands, you were holding a handcrafted mug with still steaming herbal tea that Kiri had brought you a few minutes earlier, and you clutched it so tight that your knuckles were clearly visible on your skin.

Kiri was now sitting at the opposite side of you next to your hammock as she thoughtfully twisted the hem of her loincloth between her fingers, like she always did when she didn't know what to say, before deciding to leave the fabric alone.

"Now tell me, what's going on?" You sighed softly and something in your friend's gaze brought tears to your eyes, but you didn't want to cry, not again. You liked Kiri a lot, she was the girl you were closest friends with, in the entire clan, but you hated to refer to her as 'best friend', although, strictly speaking, she was. You liked Kiri actually so much that you couldn't do it to her. Not after seeing what it had done to Lo'ak. You couldn't bear to see two broken souls within a day. But your previous encounter with Neteyam had taught you something: you had to be the one whom they heard the news of, not someone else, let alone a stranger. It had to be you. That much you owed them at least. And yet, it was so difficult.

"Everything's fine. Really." A weak smile crept on your face involuntarily, while you took a sip of your tea. "Come on, Kiri. Don't be stupid, you're missing out on the evening meal."

"You as well."

"I'm not hungry."

"You're always hungry." You sat up straight and leaned one leg over the other so you could look directly at Kiri. There was something in her gaze between concern and helplessness, but you could only vaguely make it out. She bit her lower lip lightly before continuing. "I met Lo'ak earlier, he looked... he really didn't look good, and he seemed kind of absent."

"He's probably missing Tsireya already."

"He said I'd better talk to you about it."

You kept quiet at that, unsure how to respond.

"You know, Neteyam said that you-know-who goes around saying… that he has approached your parents, seeking their approval to court you once again? Is that true?"

"Yes," you answered without any emotion in your voice.

"But there is something else that saddens you."

You lifted your shoulders slightly, just a tiny bit, and you already felt the tears threaten to fall down your eyelashes. You ran the back of your hand over your face, exhaled shakily, and pressed your lips together, but the first sob stumbled over your lips before you could have done anything about it.

You muttered a curse word, and it took you a moment to pull yourself together. "I'm sorry, Kiri. I am so incredibly sorry." The tears ran down your cheeks unsteadily, and dripped onto the feathers on your chest, leaving behind light stains that faded a heartbeat later. "So far only my parents know, and probably yours, too, along with Tsahìk, of course. And Lo'ak, he knows, too. The others will find out when it can no longer be avoided, and… and this moment, it will come, but… you really cannot tell anyone, Kiri."

Kiri stared at you blankly, a single hair strand had come off her bun and fell over her shoulder in a slight wave. She was afraid. You were too. You sniffed softly and looked down, just a brief moment before you pulled yourself together and looked up at her.

"I am dying, Kiri, and there is no cure."

so basically, my first upload kinda flopped and I’m trying to find out the reason why, whether it’s my writing, the topic of the story (which I can understand since it’s not everyone’s cup of tea), or if it’s the algorithm. if you like this piece of writing, please let me know through your interaction 💕

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ttamin-arts · 2 years ago

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Older Neteyam as Metkayina Warrior

Here's how I've been saying, it took me a while but I got it.

I had a little problem with the tattoos and they are probably so wrong but I was tired and left it the way it is

I hope the image doesn't lose quality.

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laniwriter · 27 days ago

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☆ love you like a dog (i just keep coming back) ☆

☆

paranoia is fast to appear. kiri couldn't know, could she? you'd been careful. you'd left before he had, had hidden the indentation of his teeth lining your collarbone that had rapidly turned a rather unsavory shade of purple—

"i'm fine," you choke out, straightening. her hand jostles on your thigh. "just tired." kiri's forehead creases—she doesn't believe you, of course—as she retracts her touch, leaving your skin feeling inexplicably colder. she doesn’t bother to ask questions, doesn’t stop you as you hastily make excuses to exit (i think i might go lie down, i think i'm coming down with something, i'll find you tomorrow, tsmuke {sister}, i promise), hands trembling as you efface the sticky sweat lining your palms on your bare stomach. you can feel kiri's gaze lingering on the back of your neck as you begin towards the pods; your skin prickles in response. she sees right through you. your fallaciousness is nothing but a shadow. a barricade made of sand.

"lo'ak," you whisper. it is just his name. but it speaks volumes. the air between you thickens excruciatingly.

his head lifts, eyes glazing over your figure, and you self-delude when you determine you do not like the way his gaze goes slightly slack. there is a hunger in the sharp curve of his jaw, in the firmly-set, downturned line of his mouth. a need. a visceral urge that mirrors your own. it is achingly sweet. saccharine in your mouth, rotting your teeth. pounding in the space between your temple and ear like a tangible, carnal throb, spasming wildly at the sight of him. (you still find yourself jolted awake in the middle of the night by a feeling you could have sworn was the ghost of a four-fingered hand tracing unintelligible patterns into the curve of your spine, the phantom of your mate's body curved around your own. his tail curled around your calf, or his arm slung around your waist.)

"y'got me good," he responds, and the rough quality of his voice makes you shiver.

"i'm... sorry." (you're not sorry.)

he shakes his head, mouth curving up in a sly smirk. "don't be." his pulse point throbs under the tip of your index finger, and it jumps when you press down. "i liked it."

you try to breath normally as your hand stills, then drops back down by your thigh. "you weren't at dinner," you murmur thickly, eyes darting across his face. it it sickening, his beauty. his grace. he wears faux arrogance like a second skin, and you despise the fact that it suits him. enhances what is already there.

he shrugs, lips pursing. "i wasn't hungry."

he's lying. he nerve of him is laughable. there is a color of indigence in your voice when you scoff. "don't lie to me. you just didn't want to see me, did you?" (you have to remind yourself that you don't want to start a fight. you don't want to face the fact that there is a lecherous, macabre fragment of your soul that craves the feeling of his haughty hands on your skin. you want to hate him. you want to hate yourself. but this is the only way to make it better. the only way to cease the ache left behind. and neteyam would want that for you, wouldn't he? he wouldn't want you to hurt. he never did).

"doesn't matter," he responds, and his answer downturns your lips. the lazily, fervid lowering of his eyelids acts as an aphrodisiac of sorts. he is playing with you. relishing in the way your eyes seem everlastingly drawn towards the curve of his mouth, the tantalizing taste of his tongue. "you always come crawlin' back anyway."

"y'don't wanna do that, tìyawn {love}," he warns lowly, and the expanding of his pupils, the darkening of his expression, terrifies (excites) you. he lets you wrench your wrist out of his grip, flexing his hand as though he misses the feeling of yours in it. your navel stirs, a sliver of heat traveling rapidly up your spine. you imagine he can smell the change in your composition, can sense the suggestive direction of your thoughts.

"i'm not an animal," you snap, vexed. "i don't crawl."

he raises his hands in mock surrender. the braids at the forefront of his head following the movement of his head tipping downwards, gaze towards the ground. you realize he's laughing at you when his bare stomach contracts under the leather of his cummerbund. "we both know that's not true."

lo'ak's stare pulls upward. and then he pounces.

he doesn't kiss you, no. what he gives you isn't a kiss—it’s consumption, all teeth and tongues and the scent of his arousal making your head spin, a battle for dominance that neither of you endeavors to win. his control slips, and you're suddenly aware of the way his mouth finds your neck, his teeth dragging along your skin like he wants to mark you, claim you. his touch is rough, desperate, searching for skin, gripping your hips, pressing into your thighs. he pushes you roughly towards the tangle of his sheets just as he finds the soft curves of your breasts, marveling at the way you go still under him. he tweaks your nipples, running his thumbs over the ridges, and you twitch in response. everything—everything—smells like him: fresh, damp earth, the faintest touch of smoke and salt, wet stone and metal. your cunt squeezes around nothing when you loop your arms around his neck and pull him onto you, draping his body over yours.

"i said this would never happen again," you whimper when his kiss drops to the valley between your breasts, then to the line of your abdomen, the flare of your waist. he works his way down your body, worshipping his skillful entrapment. his prey. "i-i said it wasn't right."

"you did," is all lo'ak responds with, seemingly drawn towards your clothed cunt. he palms it, expelling a breath at the way your ragged moan catches brokenly at the edges. "and yet."

"it isn't r-right." you swallow thickly, fighting to keep your voice steady. wordlessly, lo'ak simply undoes the ties of your tewng {loincloth}, peeling the fabric away from your hips as though unraveling an exquisite fruit. you jerk away when his breath fans over your unshielded skin. oh, he was so close. just an inch and his lips could lock around your clit. just an inch and his fingers could be embedded where you desperately needed him to touch you (inside, inside, inside, inside, as close as you could possibly get him, as deep as you could physically take him—)

"you want me to stop?" he asks as his mouth drops to press a kiss to your mound, his tongue swirling around the soft flesh. you buck upward. "y'sure look like you do."

he was teasing you. rapturous ecstasy explodes beneath your closed eyelids when his mouth finally, finally meets your clit, messily spreading your slick across the bottom half of his face. "great mother, you smell good," lo'ak moans out, voice muffled. your thighs close around his head before you catch yourself, your own tipping backwards. "tastes even better," he continues, euphoria painting his words in raw need. "like honey."

he dips into you the second you open your mouth, trying to regain some semblance of control. "oh— lo'ak—"

he hums against you, hands planted under your bottom, digging into the flesh there. your skin turns an ashy shade of slate under the strength of his grip, a frenzied voice in your mind urging you onward, rousing every part of your body that had wished for this, hoped for this, dreamed of this with your own hands attempting to replicate this feeling of blinding, sparkling warmth. your body tightens, every muscle wound to snap. "i t-think i'm gonna—" you sob with relief when the pleasure comes to a peak, shattering in his hold. your lower stomach contracts and expands uncontrollably, a rush of molten heat flooding his mouth. lo'ak pulls himself back up over you with smack of his lips, lapping up the tear tracks staining your cheeks with the same tongue he'd just had halfway up your cunt.

"such a pretty girl," he murmurs, almost absentmindedly, staring down at the way your chest heaves, the way a drop of sweat flows into the indented notch right above your winged collarbones, almost as though he seeks to memorize the places his brother's hands had been. "y'can't help yourself, can you?" his tone is satirizing, though an undertone of gentleness discards the bite. "pretty girl just keeps comin' back to me, doesn't she?"

your entire back arches straight off the sheets. lightning shoots up your spine, and in an instant, you're presenting for him, your body developing a mind of its own. "look at you," lo'ak murmurs, swiping his cock up and down against your leaking slit, spreading your folds over his tip. pleasure wanders along your navel, and you flinch when his tip nudges your tender clit. "you should've come to me sooner, baby." no resistance meets him as he slides the first, then the second, then the third, fourth, fifth, eighth, tenth inch inside of you. your eyes roll back in your head as the aching stretch subsides, replaced by a feeling of complete and utter fullness. paradise.

"i would've helped you," he continues, but his voice wavers, betraying his control. "would've made you feel g-good. would've had you like this a hundred fuckin' times." the sharp, sky-language curse falls from his bruised lips in a rushed exhale of breath. tears gather on your lash line when he thrusts up— just once, just enough to bottom out inside of you, shaft twitching against the spongy entrance of your cervix. his palm presses hastily against the protruding bulge in your lower stomach, feeling for the outline of his cock. his eyes widen, just as transfixed as you are at the sight of himself moving under your cyan skin.

you keel, eyes rolling back in your head as his teeth move down, down down, latching onto the hardened peak of your nipple. your legs thrash under the weight of him, and his low growl in lieu of a response vibrates across your skin. an obscene, wet sound reverberates in the air around you as his head lifts from your chest, a string of saliva following the curve of his mouth. his hips buck forward even further on their own accord when your cunt tightens at the sight of him. feral, like an untamed animal, droplets of sweat canvassing the corded muscle of his abdomen. you lift yourself up onto your forearms shakily, collecting the briny fluid on the jagged surface of your tongue. his entire body quivers as he folds forward. "yeah," he breathes, taken aback, bracing one hand beside your shoulder and the other at the base of your neck, holding your mouth to his chest. your lips close obediently around his nipple, and he chokes, grip faltering. "there y'go. that's good, baby."

you barely have time to gasp his name before he begins to rut his cock deeper, pushing past your cervix to ram the head against your womb.

lo'ak huffs softly when you flutter around him, careening forward until his face tucks itself into the side of your neck, licking a stripe over your pulse point. your body thrums, glistening desire dangerously close to a precipice, an apex, and your hand flexes in his hair, clutching a fistful of his braids for dear life. "lo'ak," you whisper, breathless. "lo'ak, i-"

"i'm here, tìyawn {love}," he assures you, his lilt rough and unrestrained. wild. his canines flash as he growls, and you tighten around him; you fight the pull to break into tears because, oh, ewya—this is different. it's never been like this, so raw, so intoxicating. you’ve never felt so utterly claimed. so owned. it is inevitable. the fall, the crash, the burn. when you reach your climax with a startled shriek, lo'ak comes with you, a kiss pressed quiveringly to your throat, three words whispered delicately into the space between your collarbones. i love you. i love you. i love you.

(tsireya once told you that the way of water had no beginning and no end. it is your home, she’d said. before your birth, and after your death. you wonder, therefore, it he knows. if one day, you will meet your mate at the crest of where the sun meets the sea, and he will know what you've done. how you've betrayed him. you wonder if neteyam will still love you. you wonder if he will gaze upon your face with the same devotion his brother offers so fiercely. so violently.)

lo'ak loves you like a dog. you force yourself to kick him down like one.

note: this is my first fic!! reblogs, likes, and comments are more than appreciated!! love you all!

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xylobee · 2 years ago

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Not too proud of this but they're cute so I just had to draw 'em + it's practice <3

Decided to post this 2 days early cuz I wanna drop Post-Iknimaya Lo'ak soon :)

My other works: Here

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queentheweeb · 2 years ago

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Lo'ak X Male Omaticaya Reader

A/N: any one shots I make with the Sully kids being with Omaticaya it's because I made the sky people come back years later when they're well into adulthood

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You were working on the finishing touches of a necklace to give to Lo'ak. You've been in love with the boy turned-to man for who knows how long and you swear to Eywa everyone knows it but, his dense ass. He needed to choose you already, you've chosen him and you need it to be returned back. You weren't sure what you would do if the feelings were not mutual. You just might crawl into a hole and die.

"Y/N, get your head out of your ass and come here!" You stuffed the necklace back under your mats and exited your pod to glare at your friend. He was always so loud and obnoxious and you do love him but, not right now when you were trying to finish Lo'aks necklace.

"I was busy Tulsen! What do you want?" You exited your pod and climbed halfway down to the next pod to give the boy a stink eye. He rolled his eyes and grabbed your wrist tugging you along.

"Me and the others are going hunting and I was just thinking about you." You grinned at him patting down to make sure you had your knife and bow you always carried with you.

"Don't hurt yourself now." He shoved you playfully making you grin at him. The two of you descended down holding a conversation about what you will be hunting today when you bumped into Neteyam. You waved excitedly at him, proud of the young man he had become. He would make the perfect Olo'eyktan but, you were more proud of Lo'ak. Always will be more proud of your favorite person in the whole forest.

"Oel ngati kameie Teyam!" After greeting him you pulled him in for a hug that he returned. You got along with the Sullys, going to their dinners, flying and hunting with them, and just talking with them.

"Where are the two of you off to?" He had a hand on your shoulder while addressing the two of you and Tulsen beat you to it

"We are going to hunt and with due respect we have to go like right now." Tulsen started pulling you harshly making you frown at him. Why was he in such a rush all of a sudden? You turned back to Neteyam who was staring at Tulsen with an unreadable expression.

"Will Lo'ak be busy later on? It's a small hunt and it's early." You desperately wanted to spend time with him. He brought you peace like no one ever can and you saw him for him, you loved everything about him.

"No he will not, I will tell him to see you this evening." You nodded satisfied and let out a yelp when Tulsen tugged you extra hard making you hiss at him.

"What is your problem? You have never been this pushy or harsh." You used your free hand to grab his shoulder and force him to turn to you. His jaw was clenched as he stared down at you using his height to his advantage and it was just making you mad at this point.

"All you ever worry about is Toruk Makto and his family. When are you going to open your eyes and see what's around you?" You blinked, anger turned to confusion. Now he was just talking out of his ass and you were so confused and feeling defensive of the family you love.

"Why should it bother you that I care about them? Of course, I can see around me and see all the other people around me but, I care about them you know this." He knew that you had a crush on Lo'ak as well so you didn't understand where all of this animosity for the family was coming from.

"You're so worried about them seeing you, that you don't even notice the ones who've always seen you." Now you were just floored as Tulsen turned on his heel and walked ahead of you. You blinked before walking to catch up with him, it wasn't hard and when you did catch up with him he was determinedly not looking at you. You didn't like when he ignored you.

"So, you're just going to ignore me just like that? Not, going to tell me what all of that was about? So, I can try and understand what exactly I did wrong?" When he chose not to say anything, you hissed in frustration opting to let him wallow in whatever his problem was. You'll get it out of him sooner or later. The two of you made it to the hunting party and you went in separate directions not in the mood to deal with him. Of course, Jake was here and that little bit of happiness made you feel better. You liked Jake for many reasons, he was strong, brave, tactical, determined, goofy, and most of all he made Lo'ak.

"Y/N, on me." You perked up going to stand next to him where he pointed for you to be. "You're hunting with me today, the rest of you group up and have each other's back." He gave a few more instructions before everyone went their separate ways. You liked when it was just the two of you, you felt you did better plus if you messed up it was okay, he wasn't harsh. Those mess-ups were rare though. The two of you walked further and that's when he broke the silence "Tell me how have you been? It's been a while since we talked." You went into explanations of stuff you've been up to and even told him about the weird interaction with Tulsen.

"Tulsen is mad at me for a reason I don't understand. He told me I am too busy chasing after someone who doesn't see me, that I am ignoring the ones who do see me. I don't understand why he was so angry and he refused to have a conversation with me." You huffed, having felt better to let it out, even if it was to your Olo'eyktan.

"Well, that's because he's in love with you." That had you tripping over a root, face-planting into moss. You got up and looked up into the amused eyes of Toruk Makto

"Toruk Makto, Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya, be so for real right now? How can he do that? Why? All of my friends including him know I am in love with Lo'ak and have been for years! I even told them I was making a courting necklace for him and-" You stopped yourself short realizing what you just confessed in front of the man. When you looked up thought instead of anger or disappointment, you saw a shit-eating grin and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Took you long enough to admit it. You're all he talks about and honestly? I thought the two of you would have been together by now." Your dropped jaw slowly opened and closed as you found words to say

"You're not angry? Disappointed? Wouldn't you want someone of better status-" Your doubts were smooshed out by his heavy hand landing on top of your head with a laugh

"Slow down and breathe kid. I'm not upset or angry. Honestly, I couldn't pick a better choice for him. You complete him in ways that he doesn't even understand yet. You're one of the best hunters, you're a skilled weaver and jewelry maker. Plus my mate and all of my children adore you. You're perfect in my book." You blinked speechless, feeling happy tears come to your eyes. You started blubbering.

"That means so much coming from you. Lo'ak looks up to you so much and loves you more than anything on Pandora. This feels so good knowing I have your approval." You felt the man gently rub your head and pull you in for a brief hug before letting you go.

"Lo'ak is home right now, alone. You're not far from your pod so go to him and confess. Everything is going to be fine, we'll go hunting tomorrow." You couldn't believe your luck and with one more thank you and a firm squeeze of his arm you were off like lightning, your heart beating erratically in your chest. You were running high on adrenaline and excitement so you made it to your pod in record time, putting down your hunting gear and bow, just keeping the knife you always carried with you, and went to grab the necklace.

"Eywa please." You whispered a quick prayer and then made your way through the trees to Lo'ak's home. Being the Olo'eyktan's son he had a big pod with a privacy door. Taking a deep breath you knocked on the door gently shuffling side to side waiting for him to open the door. When he did, you found yourself blinking up at him. He got his father's height and now he was as tall as Tulsen.

"Ah, Y/N! I thought you went hunting? Everything alright?" Without you saying anything he grabbed your hand and tugged you in closing the door behind you. You took a deep breath and decided to just get it over with before you lost all your nerves.

"I made you something." You grabbed the necklace and showed it to him, placing it in his open palm as you started talking rapidly. "It's a courting necklace, I, uh, was making it a while for you and I thought well you know... if we can date? I can court you, of course, if you don't want to that's okay-" Your nervous ramblings were cut off by the press of lips against yours. You made a noise but, fell into the warmth of his lips pressed against yours as your tail swayed gently behind you.

"Mawey, Y/N, mawey." You took a deep steadying breath, your now open eyes never leaving his as he smiled gently down at you, using his thumbs to rub smoothly across your cheeks. When he saw you calmed down he pulled away to swiftly place the necklace around his neck. He leaned back down this time with a hand on your hip and his other hand on the back of your neck to pull you in closer to him "I accept your courting." Nothing more was said as he pressed his lips against yours for another kiss, both of your tails intertwining together. You were going to have to thank Jake and tell the good news to your family and the rest of Lo'aks as well.

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What do you guys think of this so?

#fanfic #fanfiction #avatar #atwow #lo'ak x male reader #lo'ak sully #lo'ak x reader #lo'ak x male omaticaya reader #Na'vi reader #avatar x male reader #atwow x reader

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onskepa · 10 months ago

Note

Saw your post about a mother's day event. Could I request a piece where the reader is Jake's sister. She's an avatar like him, & traveled with him & his family to seek Uturu from the Metkayina. During their stay, she remembers that mother's day is coming up, & makes Neytiri some gifts along with the kids. This catches the attention of some of the Metkayina, & they ask her about it. Soon enough, word of the tradition spreads, & a good chunk of the clan has adapted it into their practice. If this is too much to write, I understand. Best wishes!

Helloooooooo honey!!! Gosh dang this is a cute idea!!! Hopefully you and everyone else will enjoy it!

-------------------

Muwintxu

Sun was out, people doing their tasks, little ones causing either mischief or chaos. It was a good day at the Metkayina village. In the new sully family pod, at the edge was tuk splashing around with her feet, beside her was her super, amazing aunt!

Muwintxu as everyone calls her, or in the words of jake. His “super cute, dorky baby sister junnie” which is a name she hates.

“Hhmmmm……” muwintxu hums out in thought as she too splashes the water on her feet.

“I want night to come already” she says with a groan, tuk looks up at her aunt.

“Why?” she asks

“To measure the stars, time is different here so I gotta use the old fashion way, by calculating the stars” her aunt replies. Tuk tilts her head in confusion. But muwintxu pats her head, “it will be better if I explain it when its night time”

“Ok!” tuk cheers

“Ok it's 45 degrees more than last week….” as promised, muwintxu was teaching tuk how to measure the stars in the sky. Both of their blue tails curled in fascination.

“When we left it was february in human time….so aha! In a week it will be mothers day!” the sully sister cheers. Tuk gasps happily and goes to tell her siblings. Upon hearing the great news, they all go back to their aunt.

“Your mother hasn't adjusted well these months, so how about we give her the best mother’s day she ever had?” muwintxu suggest, all of her nieces and nephews cheer in joy. Already thinking of what to make for their mother.

“And this time please keep your mouths shut, we don't want a repeat of last year” she says while side eyeing tuk playfully.

“It was an accident!”

Neteyam, lo’ak, kiri and tuk all explored every nook and cranny of the island. Either being together or doing separate things. The fellow metkayina members took notice of the behavior, while it is nothing alarming, they were accustomed to the sully family being together and away from the population. So what is behind the sudden change?

“Excuse me, can you help me?” tuk asked a weaver one afternoon, showing him her materials. “I'm trying to make a quadruple braid but I can't do it” she explains. The weaver assists her happily, but as he does, he notices it was a band, one a bit too big for her arms.

“Is this for someone little one?” the weaver asks, tuk nods enthusiastically. “Yes! Its for my mama, mother’s day is coming up and I wanna give her a pretty gift!” she says. This caught his attention, “mothers day? What is that?” he asks, tuk began to chat away what it was, by the words of her aunt.

Little did tuk know that she would cause a chain reaction.

The weaver told his brother, who told his children, and who the children told their friend, and so on and so forth. Word began to spread massively of this “mothers day” thing. The name seemed so intriguing, and the word reached to muwintxu who was fishing the next day.

“Muwintxu?” a fellow fisher called out to her. She looks up at him, “yes?” she replies. The fisher had a few friends behind him, all looking a bit nervous. “We heard that something is coming soon, a ‘mothers day’ it was. Can you explain what that is?” he asks.

Sully girl blinked in surprise, guessing one of the kids chatted away of what it was. But, seeing it as an opportunity to connect more with the people, she was happy to explain what it was.

Ronal enters her marui, tired but pleased with her day. The first thing she sees is her two children shuffling about, covering whatever it was from her eyes. It raises suspicions. “What are you two doing?” she asks. Her children look at each other then back at her.

“We can't tell you, not yet at least” tsireya answered with a nervous smile.

“Oh? And why is that?” ronal presses further.

“Because it is a surprise, you will have to wait until mothers day” ao’nung answers happily. Ronal felt confused, she never heard of that before.

“Ay, toruk makto’s sister explained to us and the village of a day about mothers is upon us. A human tradition, "Tonowari says as he walks up behind her with a smile.

Tsireya nodes and happily relayed what she learned. “Yes, and lo’ak said they celebrated that tradition with their old clan. Apparently, mother’s day is a tradition where everyone celebrates their mothers, giving them gifts, letting them rest, and being given the greatest treatment”.

The more Ronal hears of mothers day, the more tempting it sounds. A day with no duties to worry about?

“And we, along with others, want to give it a try. Everyone is doing something for their mothers, so we want to do something for you” ao’nung says.

Ronal smiles and closes her eyes, “I do not see the harm in it”

Neytiri slowly awakens from her slumber, getting up and stretching out her limbs. Rubbing her, ridding of her sleepiness, she looks around and sees Jake, Muwintxu and her children around the cook pit, a delicious smell emits from it.

“She’s awake!” lo’ak announces.

Everyone was quick to surround her, all with happy smiles on their faces.

“HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!” they are shouted together.

Neytiri gasps in happiness and surprise.

“I thought we left that tradition behind with everyone” she says, jake and muwintxu scoff together.

“Never, mother’s day will always happen no matter where we are tsmuke” the sully sister says. Jake nods in agreement.

Everyone gave her individual hugs and kisses, jake of course hogging up neytiri’s attention.

“Daaaaaaaaad!! No fair!” tuk whines, but Jake picks up neytiri bridal style and runs around their home, their children giving chase.

“Ma’jake!” neytiri squeaks but in delight.

“MUAHAHA! All mine!” Jake taunts.

“Not for long!” lo’ak said confidently. Laughter filled their home, neytiri feeling her mood lighten by the display of her family.

After breakfast, everyone was way too excited to give neytiri their gifts.

“Me first! Me first!” tuk insisted, but was pushed away by lo’ak.

“Too bad baby sister, I'll go first” he says. But he too was pushed away by neteyam. “Sorry baby bro, but eldest goes first”.

It didn't really matter who went first, neytiri was just too happy to enjoy this day.

Neteyam gave her a head piece made of sea glass, with small beads that dangle on the side, while beautiful, it also helped keep her hair from getting into her face while swimming underwater.

Kiri made her a new shawl made of yellow sea weed with pieces of shells here and there, making a studding pattern.

Lo’ak created a new bracelet made of small sea glass and shells, making a omatikaya patter with metkayina materials.

Tuk, though with help, gifted neytiri an arm band that has familiar colors but with metkayina weaving.

Munwintxu made a new top and loin cloth that matches with her, almost in twin clothing.

And Jake said the gift is saved for later.

“You all worked hard to make these wonderful gifts, but really the best gift I can have is to live another day and see you all is enough happiness for me” neytiri says in appreciation.

After breakfast, which was done by Jake and muwintxu, all walked together through the village. Where they noticed something.

Women were being given gifts by others, children and mates all treating the mothers like queens that they are.

“Huh, wonder whats going on? '' Jake wonders.

Munwintxu chuckles, “I um ... .might have taught everyone what mothers day was and they sort of….picked it up…?”

“Again? You did it with the people back at the forest, now you are doing it here "Jake looks at his sister. Remember her doing the same thing with the Omatikaya people.

“What's next, Junnie? Fathers day? Halloween?” he asks.

“Ok first, stop calling me that, second, why the hell not? They are fun traditions!” the sister snaps back.

“Indeed, a fun tradition it is”

Everyone turns to see Tonowari, who had Ronal sitting on his shoulder. His arm on her legs to support her. They and along with tsireya and ao’nung all smile at the sully family.

“Everyone is participating on mothers day with their families! Giving gifts, showing so much appreciation, love, it is so exciting!” tsrieya says in glee.

Her family nods in agreement.

“A very exciting tradition, one that we wish to continue in future years” tonowari says.

“That is if you do not mind,” ronal adds as she looks between neytiri and muwintxu.

“Oh, not at all. We are very happy you love this tradition. My sister introduced this very same tradition with my clan years ago, and it is still very much practiced, "Neytiri says as she happily gestures to muwintxu who blushes.

“However, if there is more human traditions your have, please share with us” ao’nung encourages. This makes Jake grin. “Oh you will love one that is called may the force”

“Jake don't you dare!”

Overall, it was a successful first mothers day in the metkayina village. And many more to come.

This was short but sweet! And very fun to write, hope you all like it! Until next time! See ya!

----------

Munwintxu = introduce present (person, idea, report etc.)

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marymary-diva17 · 11 months ago

Text

Getting hurt and taken care of as well

Even due living on Pandora was wonderful and beautiful there had been times, but there are times when someone will get injured or hurt. There was many ways someone can end up getting hurt while living life here, and most of these times happened during childhood. There was always someone getting hurt that was out of their control at times, and later coming home and getting some care and attention.

Jake x neytiri

knocked off your Ikran

You had been knocked off your ikran and it was out of your control, as some teens had been goofy off doing g stunts and showing off. When one of them had chased into you sending you and your ikran, falling and crashing down to the ground. The landed was soften a bit by the leaves and grass, but there was still some pain as well.

y/n " ahh that hurt .... yeah that hurts" you are looking around and saw you ikran standing once again, but she seem a bit dizzy from the fall.

y/n " hey girl I'm happy to see you are okay ... that was bad crash"

????? " y/n"

y/n " over here" you soon looked and saw your brother landed their ikran and run towards you, they soon kneel down once they reached you.

lo'ak " that looks bad"

y/n " you don't say"

lo'ak " can you stand"

y/n " on my own maybe not I need some help up" lo'ak soon helped your onto your feet.

y/n " well all seem good I don't feel any pain while standing"

neteyam " good but we need to get you home as you are hurt, and these injuries need to be attend to"

y/n " sure I don't think I can fly on my ikran right now she needs time to recover, and after that fall I don't think it a good idea"

neteyam " you cna fly with me sister lo'ak"

lo'ak " I will call dad and tell him what happened" neteyam had helped you onto his ikran, as the two soon took off into the air followed by lo'ak. Soon the tiro had arrived back at the village and neteyam had helped you off the ikran.

???? " kids" Jake had been seen rushing towards the kids and soon stopped when he saw you.

y/n " hey dad as you can see I have had a very interesting day so how was your day"

Jake " that seems to be true now come on lets take you home" neteyam and Jake had helped you get to the home, where the family was at the moment. When they laid eyes on you they all had gasped seeing you, as your grandmother and sister began to work to help you.

kiri " this will string a bit sister but it will help with your injuries"

y/n " it okay I understand"

mo'at " so they were playing around reckless and hit you and your ikran"

y/n " yes"

neytiri " I happy you are okay my mother but please don't worry me that much"

y/n " I promise mom" neytiri soon kissed your forehead as she hand you some soup to have.

y/n " thank you"

Jake " okay we are home we checked on your ikran, she is good but you two will not be flying for a couple days"

y/n " yes sir"

mo'at " your father is right it will not be good idea until we know you are healed"

y/n " okay"

neytiri " what about those kids"

Jake " I talked with them and they will be in trouble for their reckless actions, but it will be good afterwards now we have to make sure y/n is okay" your family had attended to you that night making sure you were okay, and that there was no bad side effects will happen to you.

Jake x Neytiri x Tsu'tey

falling from a high height

It was a good day for you to be out with your siblings and spiders, as you all are enjoying your day off and just having some fun. It was all going well as the family, was walking and jumping on some branches and vines. That peace and fun had ended when tuk had nearly lost her, balance you had been closer and caught grabbed her hand but the tree branch gave away you had been able to push tuk to safety.

y/n " ......." you had fallen very the very high branch and had hit a couple other branches and leaves, during your fall before you ahd hit the ground.

????? " y/n" you had been able to hear your sibling calls you but you could see them at the moment, you had felt pain in your body. you soon enough her movement coming towards you.

kiri " sister"

y/n " hey"

kiri " are you okay"

y/n " is tuk okay she didn't get hurt"

kiri " she fine always worrying about us"

y/n " always"

neteyam " can you move your head slowly" you had moved your head slowly feeling no pain, while doing that so that was good.

lo'ak " I called dads they will be here soon"

spider " to pain of one to ten tells us"

y/n " seven maybe"

tuk " y/n"

y/n " hey tuk tuk"

kiri " someone grab me some of those herbs together I can help her, for now but we will need grandma and uncle norm"

tuk " yes spider"

spider " come on I will help you"

y/n " well this looks bad hey if I'm lucky mom will let me leave the village, after this whole situation"

neteyam " she won't not that easy"

y/n " yep"

?????? " kids"

lo'ak " dads over here" Jake and tsu'tey soon came rushing they soon stopped when, they saw the kids and soon kneeled down when they saw you.

Jake " hey sweetie"

y/n " hey dad"

tsu'tey " okay she can move that a good sign right"

y/n " ahh" you had moved your arm to feel pain soon everyone looked at you.

Jake " it her arm she might of broken it or twisted it"

y/n " I think that right" soon tuk and spider came back with the herbs, that had been used for your cuts and scraps.

Jake " okay we are taking you home your mom and grandmother, are waiting for us they have something that will help you and food as well" you had nodded your head as Jake had picked you up slowly, and soon had carried you towards bob. The family had soon left and headed home right away. when you got home your mother and grandmother are waiting there, you had been taken home and attend to.

Neytiri " until you are healed properly you will not be leaving the village that much or, doing that much climbing either"

y/n " yes mom"

Neytiri " we are proud of you my daughter now eat something" you had nodded your head and started eating some dinner. That night your siblings and parents made sure you are okay, as you will be needing care for the next couple days. Tuk had made some cute design on your arm cased at made you smile brightly.

Tsu'tey x norm

hit by hunter trap

It was morning and you had spent the night at the base with your dad, as it was too late to walk home and it was better for you to stay there for the night. So in the morning you had walked home it was bright and early, so most of the village might be awake by now. It was all going well for you until it was not, as you had been walking on tree truck when something came flying towards you knowing you off balance and onto the ground.

y/n " ahhh" you had hit the ground hard as you soon looked at where you were hit, it see a hunter rope wrapped around your leg.

????? " hey I think I caught something and it sound big by the sound, it made hitting the ground"

????? " that cool bro we can bring it home and show our dads the prey we caught"

????? " I wonder what creature we caught it most be foolish to be walking here"

???? " will you two hush you might scare away the creature or anything else, or might attract the attention of beast" you had know these three voices well as you tried getting yourself free.

???? " oh come on bro you are being to serious when we get home I can tell I brought home a good meal .... I hold my head high and say I caught a .... y/n"

y/n " oh look the mighty hunters have come"

spider " wait what did we get ... oh hey sis"

y/n " hey brother of mine"

neteyam " what oh y/n"

y/n " hello boys well it good to see you are up and awake"

lo'ak " what are you doing"

y/n " well I was walking home until this wonderful and pain gift caught me, sending him falling from there onto here making me the caught of your so called hunt"

neteyam " here let me free you" neteyam had came to help you from the trap around your leg, but even he couldn't undo by his hand and had to use his blade.

neteyam " I think you two have a long way before you two become the clan hunters for everyone sake"

lo'ak " yeah"

spider " hey sis have you see your legs " you had looked at your legs to see burn mark along with some scraps as well, you soon look at the boys.

y/n " I think you need to work on your rope material and tossing"

lo'ak " we didn't know it was you we thought it was a pray by the sound you made"

neteyam " lo'ak"

lo'ak "what I'm being honest"

y/n " well hunters why don't you help the so called caught of day get home"

spider " sure come on we had always been tasked to come get you as well"

y/n " well you have completed both task for the day good for you all"

lo'ak " I sense you are being sarcastic towards us"

y/n " oh no"

neteyam " come on let get her home and pray that uncle tsu'tey is mad at us" the trio had helped you get home as the four teens, had ran into their dads who were happy to see them but soon become shocked when they saw you were hurt.

kiri " so you three went hunting and decided to knock down y/n as well"

lo'ak " sis that was not our agenda we had gone hunting and were going to get y/n but, our plans got mixed up there for a moment"

y/n " yeah"

mo'at " well you are lucky that was not a other hunter trap are, we will be doing more work here"

y/n " oh goodie"

tuk " I thought you three like y/n"

neteyam " we do"

tuk " then why is she hunt because of you three"

lo'ak " well we were not looking and thought it was prey, we didn't know it was here until we looked at her"

kiri " it sounds like something you and spider will do"

spider " yeah it was not our best moment"

tsu'tey " how are you doing my daughter"

y/n “ good no bad damage had been caused”

norm “ good I can come home right away …”

y/n “ we are good dad the other based need you”

norm “ okay”

Jake “ boys as for you hunting trips for the time being with be supervised, for your safety and everyone else safety”

the boys “ yes sir”

neytiri “ good here some fruit for you all to eat and tea”

the kids “ thank you”

spider “ hey sis we are sorry”

y/n “ it okay but next time when you go hunting, because don’t place me in a trap” soon laughter had been heard, as everyone started laughing. The boys had nodded their heads the group had stayed with you that day, doing tasks and making sure no one else got hurt for the remaining of the day.

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certifiedlovergirlsstuff · 2 years ago

Text

when one leaves, another arrives

pairing: neteyam x female omatikaya!reader, lo’ak x female omatikaya!reader

WC: 11.8K (she’s a big one)

warnings: cursing, mentions of blood, r being emotionally messed up, lo’ak and r share a moment. should be it!

summary: when you lose someone close to you, you close yourself off from everyone else. except for one person.

A/N: i wrote this when i haven’t even seen the movie, only edits and clips on tt, so forgive me (i have now seen the movie by the time i’ve posted the fic). ITS FANFICTION LET ME WRITE WHAT I PLEASE!!! also neteyam and lo’ak are probably a bit ooc, but you know we only saw hints of their character in this movie, IM TAKING CREATIVE LIBERTY. also pretty much movie ages for our characters, r is same age as neteyam.

thank you to my lovely friend @alecmores for being my proof reader as always and leaving funny comments for me to giggle about. also if any na’vi is misspelled blame pandora wikifandom and the online na’vi dictionary.

reblogs are appropriated💗

been sitting in the drafts since feb25

masterlist

Numb

That’s all you felt, your whole body numb to the touch. Felt like you were floating, skin no longer touching the ground, only the stiff breeze that would ghost through you. You weren’t even sure if you were breathing at this moment.

Eclipse

It taunted you as your eyes stared at the heavens above. Cold, wet tears streamed down your dull blue cheeks, while another dull blue face stared lifelessly at the darkened sky. Lifeless eyes that used to hold so much love and admiration within his glowing golden eyes.

Shaking

Your body was shaking, hands unable to stop the tremors that reached your fingertips. Lips quivering as you tried to hold back the scream that wanted to rip from your throat, the whimpers of pain that built up in your chest, and were just waiting for the scale to completely tip before you crumble.

The waves were crashing loudly against your boulder, it almost felt like they were shaking your rocky asylum. There were only four bodies stationed on the jagged stone along with a burning fire in the near distance. Everything felt like a realistic nightmare, something your mind conjured to tear you away from the sugary sweet dreams that you would slip into. But this wasn’t a nightmare or dream, this was reality. Something you constantly had to remind yourself before your brain could trick you into ignorance.

There was a ringing in your downturned ears that soon started to pick up choked sobs that flicked your ears at attention. You looked away from the darkened sky and down at your three companions.

Neteyam. Once alive and full of energy, gentle touches, and commanding tones were all left behind and just a corpse with his head laying on your lap was left behind. One hand cradled his cheek, wishing to feel movement or heat while the other brushed his braids, something you always did when he rested his head on your lap. You wished to see his easy smile one more time, just for a moment, you needed the image fresh in your brain.

Tsireya was the one quietly crying, her hands holding onto Neteyam’s legs. You wanted to comfort the girl, this is probably the first time she’s had to feel the pain of losing a close relationship, the Metkayina clan not forced to see the horror of war every day for the past few years. She was a sweet girl, a caring soul, she didn’t deserve to witness this pain.

Lo’ak was the last one of your group. He was staring toward the burning and drowning ship, you weren’t sure why, but taking note that Jake and Neytiri were missing, along with Spider, Kiri, and Tuk not around; the only answer you could think of was the ship. He dropped to his knees, eyes staring down at his dark red palms, palms covered in Neteyam’s blood as he tried to save him. He took another look at the ship before facing you and Tsireya.

“I- I have to- I have to help them.” Lo’ak took stuttering breaths.

You saw Tsireya shake her head, barely heard the pleas for Lo’ak to stay on the rock with the thre- with the two of you. But you knew Lo’ak, you knew that even if his dad told him to stay, he would follow him to the ends of Pandora, just like Neteyam did with him.

He knelt in front of the shaking girl, a hand coming up to hold her cheek for a second before he walked to you. Both hands rested at the side of your head, his fingers seeping into your braids with his extra finger touching your jaw.

“I’ll be back. I promise.” Neteyam used to tell you that all the time when he was allowed a position in the raids.

Lo’ak pulled your head forward and his lips met your forehead, and they were held there for almost a minute before he pulled away and jumped off the rock and into the crashing waves. Leaving behind two shaking and emotionally wrecked girls that held onto a corpse of a friend and loved one.

“He’ll be back,” you choked out to Tsireya, “they’ll all be back.” Reassuring the both of you, needing just that tiny bit of hope to stay above the dangerous waves. Your hand continued its comforting motion of pushing Neteyam’s braids from his face.

Pandora forest

Your feet jumped from branch to branch, the ground below leaving behind a trail of bioluminescent spots before they disappeared. Light chuckles floated from your parted lips and into the open air, the breeze able to carry the sound further out. The nightlife of the forest filled your ears, something you’ll never get used to, in a good way.

You slowed down after having ran and leaped for a while, needing a minute to take in your surroundings. Your chest moved up and down pretty fast with your mouth panting for air, and fists landing on your hips to rest. Your ears flicked at each little noise, but you were trying to find the specific sound you wanted to hear, nose twitching in the air for the right scent combo.

A twig snapped and you knew already you found him. You crouched down, body low to the bark as you followed the direction the noise came from, not wanting to spook your target. You jumped to a branch below yours and surveyed the surrounding flora. You grabbed your bow and nocked an arrow in the string and waited with bated breath for any new signs. Another twig snapped, the opposite direction you just came from, you were on high alert now.

You counted in your head, to keep your heart steady and to count when the next noise might occur. It wasn’t until twenty did another sound appear, this one much closer now. You thought you were ahead in the game but looked like you just lost so you put away your arrow and sat on the soft moss, waiting for the boy.

Lost in your thoughts, staring ahead into the open air, the feeling of two hands landing on your shoulders almost made you jump and that would end up resulting in your possible death due to gravity.

“I win.” A high-pitched voice spoke into your ear.

“Neteyam!” You twisted to look at his boyish grin, “don’t sneak up on me! I’ve told you multiple times!”

He just laughed at your raised voice and moved to sit beside you, thighs touching and fingers just an inch away from touching. You wanted to make a move but were too scared so you stayed content with your slim fingers ghosting near the other.

It was well past the eclipse and both you and Neteyam knew you shouldn’t be running around in the forest at night, but it was always so peaceful and sometimes the only time either of you could be alone together without parents or siblings hovering or clan duties getting in the way.

The two of you could just get lost in nature and each other and it was the most magical thing you got to experience.

“Are you excited for tomorrow?” You voiced to the silence.

It took a minute before he responded, “nervous, but yes. I’m excited.” His pinky tapped yours.

Tomorrow a couple of young hunters would complete their iknimaya and finally earn their ikrans and then later that night they would go through uniltaron, the dream hunt. You originally were going to join Neteyam in the rites of passage, but you felt you weren’t prepared enough, so you decided to wait a bit longer. At first, you were embarrassed to tell Neteyam that you were going to take longer, but he reassured you that it was completely fine and that he was proud of you with either decision you made. It made your heart grow with love.

“Should probably head back. Long day ahead of you.” You stood from your seated position and threw your bow over your shoulders, waiting for Neteyam to follow your actions.

You looked down when you noticed he was still seated and to your shock he was already looking up at you, an easy smile adoring his stunning features. He did look like his mother, a stunning woman with a strong will and a loyal heart.

“What?” You whispered the question.

He gave a light shake of his head, his smile never fading, “nothing. Just… just appreciating.” And he grabbed his bow and stood up, eyes level with each other. Both standing at around six feet and a few inches, neither hitting your growth spurt yet. You don’t know how you’ll feel when Neteyam is taller than you one day, even if it's just by an inch or two.

The two of you stood face to face, no one talking, only watching. Eyes danced over the other's features, memorizing every stripe and every glowing dot gracing their blue skin. If you could freeze time, you would do it at this moment, not wanting to leave the quiet night. You so badly wanted to reach up and caress Neteyam’s cheek but held yourself.

Instead, you cleared your throat and broke eye contact, “race you home?” And the smile he flashed gave you your answer and you took off without a warning.

Giggles and shrieks of joy followed you two home all the way, music to your ears.

You were still numb, your ears were still ringing, and your stomach grumbled but you wouldn’t touch a single fruit. It still didn’t feel real, none of this felt real. The battle was over, the injured were being tended to, and families were reuniting with tears and hugs. But your family, your family was grieving and preparing for a funeral that none of you thought would come for many moons in the future.

You just sit in a corner with your knees pulled up to your chest, arms wrapped tightly around them, your head resting atop the joints, staring into the void. You haven’t moved from the tiny spot since you all came back to your pod, Jake and Neytiri leaving with Neteyam’s body to bring to Ronal and have him prepared for his final living goodbye. Kiri and Tuk were huddled together in another area of the pod, Tuk sitting in her lap with Kiri stroking her hair and whispering soft words. Lo’ak sat outside with his feet in the water. He probably wished Tsireya was with him but she was pulled away by her family to help with preparations. You wanted to be there for him, someone needed to be there for him, he thought Neteyam’s death was his doing when it wasn’t; it was the sky people’s war that did it.

You finally found that bit of strength to move, Lo’ak needed someone at this moment and you knew Neteyam would want his brother to know that he loved him. With cracked joints you finally moved from your spot, arms wrapped around your waist for a phantom comfort and you walked slowly towards Lo’aks’ hunched figure. Your feet stop just a few steps away from him, just watching how his back muscles moved with his breathing, how his head would move slightly when he would focus on something else.

You didn’t say anything as you sat next to him. He didn’t say anything as his eyes took notice of your appearance. No one said anything, just two sets of golden eyes staring out at the dimming sky that was slowly dipping into the endless ocean.

You took the first step, one arm reaching out to gently touch the bicep close to you and then you slowly glided the hand down his arm until your palm fell atop his knuckles. Your four fingers settled in the open space between his five digits, a light squeeze was all you gave, but still no words.

“I’m sor-“ “It’s not your fault. None of it.” You immediately stopped him.

Silence once again.

Hands still touching.

Waves playfully pushing and pulling.

You leaned your head against his shoulder, Lo’aks falling atop yours after a second. Then you moved your hand off his and threw it around his waist with your other following, wanting to give him warm physical comfort. Knowing a hug was something he needed at this moment, to feel grounded, to feel loved, to feel seen.

An abrupt cough makes your head turn over your shoulders. Jake and Neytiri stood in the opening, both their faces littered with cuts and stitches, eyes darker and dull. You pulled away from Lo’ak and stood from your spot, walking over to the two taller na’vi.

“We must prepare.” Was all Neytiri said before holding her hand out.

High camp

The air was thick with tension, everyone on high alert for the day, no, not just the day. Everyone has been on alert for the past two years.

The sky people have brought war back to Pandora, back to the Omitikaya people and your home. The demons bring fire to burn the trees and flora, to bring extinction to the animals that roam freely. Their metal weapons are much stronger than your bows, and many people die or are injured each day during a raid or battle.

Jake Sully is very high-strung, he’s quick to snap at someone out of line, and even more angered when the people he’s yelling at are his children. Neteyam and Lo’ak stand with their tails between their legs and heads tilted down, Neteyam receiving the harsher words that struck his heart.

You would watch from afar, hands rubbing your banshee in comforting motions as your heart broke at the pain written across their faces. You just waited, waited until Neteyam was dismissed by his father and he would head immediately to find you and distract you with his pretty smile.

“How is palï?” His own hands stroked down the side of her neck, soft purrs heard from her throat. You chuckled, “happy now that you are here.” Just like you were happier he was now with you.

Your smile dropped just a bit when you remembered a few minutes ago, “is everything…is everything okay?” His hand slowed then stopped before dropping to his side, eyes facing away from you.

“Just Lo’ak doing dumb shit again and me getting my head ripped off for not keeping a close eye on him.” ��Hmm.”

Men and Women were moving to and fro in the caved holding. Some were slow with their heads bent down as they conversed with the person beside them, or warriors carried their bows with their heads held high as they rushed past everyone. People were going in and out of Mo’at’s tent, many exiting with wrappings covering wounds they gained during the war effort. You could hear the faint sounds of ikrans screeching in the distance mixed with the gleeful giggles of na’vi children.

“Would you like to go somewhere quiet?” You abruptly asked.

Neteyam’s ears twitched at your question, eyes widening just a bit but then softening with a tiny curve of his lips. A meek nod was all you needed before you wrapped a hand around his wrist and pulled him behind you and further into the cool mountain. It was a small area further back, the shadows helping in keeping the carved-out piece a secret to one who isn’t curious, but you were one curious cat.

Since your parent's passing, you would travel through high camp in silence, a ghost among the living just trying to survive by yourself. You lived with the Sully’s since they were like a second family to you, but being around them, seeing the love they have for each other and how much they care about everyone’s well-being, it just twisted your heart. So at night when everyone was asleep and the camp was quiet, you would sneak out and roam around, just needing to be alone and wallow in pain and you needed to find a place within the camp where you could step into the shadows and disappear just for a few hours. And you found it.

With Neteyam still being pulled behind by you when you abruptly stopped, his chest ran into your back making the both of you stumble for a moment. Light giggles escaped without thought before you reluctantly let your grip slide from his skin, but you didn’t get far before Neteyam reached out on his own and intertwined your hands together.

You felt warm all over at the simple action.

“Ma ‘teyam, I’ve- I’ve been missing you. As of late.” You dipped your head down, flustered at the sudden words leaving your mouth. It wasn’t a declaration of love, though it was in your ears.

“I’ve been missing you too, ma tanhì (my star)” Almost a whisper to the winds was his reply, but a whisper that blew near your ear making it twitch at the caressing touch.

Involuntarily your eyelids fluttered closed and a breathy sigh left your chest. The silence only grew in tension when a finger was hooked under your chin and pushed your face up, eyes focusing in on the speckles of glowing dots dancing along Neteyam’s face and body. Your own personal sky of stars to gaze upon.

“(Y/n), there’s something I’ve been wanting to confess to you for some time now. But it seems you gave me the perfect opportunity, and I will try to say the words before they evade my mind.” His thumb swiped over your chin, along with a swift feeling of him touching your bottom lip before it was gone too soon. All you could do was tilt your head with your eyes firmly set on Neteyam’s, waiting intently to hear what’s been on his mind for this long.

He licked his lips, eyes moving side to side, “as you know it’s been a while since I’ve become one of the People.” Another simple nodding of your head, “I as well.”

“Yes. And we both have fashioned our bows out the branches of the home tree, both of us mighty warriors and aiding our clan in a time of crisis-” “Neteyam I’m well aware of these events. I’m living through them, along with them added to my songcord.” A mindless giggle showed your delight in this scene.

Neteyam gave a huff, “yes, yes. Now if you’ll allow me to speak before I lose my small ounce of bravery-” “Yes, sorry. Continue… sorry.”

A hand still twinged with yours and his thumb ran over the back of your hand, “Since we’ve become one of the People, and crafted our bows, the only thing left is to… is to find a mate.” You sucked in a breath.

He wanted to find a mate.

You understood, courting could take months and usually you’re not officially mated before Eywa until you are a full-fledged adult, so there was still plenty of time for the both of you. But hearing that he’s thinking of someone who he wants to court, hurts like a knife being twisted between your ribs.

“Have… have you,” you had to swallow past the thump in your throat, “have you already chosen. The one you wish to begin courting?” You needed to step away from Neteyam’s intoxicating self.

You tried stepping away discreetly, but before you were even two steps away Neteyam pulled you right back in, even closer than before. Toe to toe, chest to chest, your whole body so close to touching but only an inch of air separated your bodies from molding together. The hold he had on your hand didn’t loosen, only held tighter, like he was scared you could run away at any moment. During this discussion, you wished to vanish into the forest and not come back until sunrise.

“I have. I’ve had my eye on her for years, long before my rites of passage. She’s very special to me, someone who’s been by my side through many of my hardships, lifting me back up to the light from the darkness I was walking towards.” His eyes stayed on your linked hand, “she is beloved by my family, each one of them having a special relationship with her already, so I don’t have to worry about them turning her away,” he breathed a laugh. “She is a fine warrior, her skills growing each day, and might even surpass my sa’nok (mother) one day.”

Neteyam took the final step. Hands squished between your bodies, your chest touching, and every breath you took caused your top to brush against Neteyam’s chest and move it out of place just a hair. Your breaths mingled with your lips in front of each other, it took every last bit of strength within you to keep your eyes trained on his face rather than his tempting lips.

“Neteyam-” “I hope you are understanding what I’m trying to say.”

Your will broke and your eyes dropped before meeting his eyes again, “I think it best if you say it aloud. I’m a bit thick in the head.” A comment Neteyam has made to you before.

He wetted his lips, “(Y/n), ma tanhì (my star), would you allow me the honor of courting you, to eventually in the near future, become my mate for life?” He almost vibrated with energy, nervousness or anticipation, or even both was your conclusion.

“Neteyam, ma atan (my light), I would cherish nothing more and it would be a pleasure to become your mate.”

The air felt still, thick that you almost suffocated from a simple intake of air. The water felt still, even though you rode on the back of your ilu, ripples following the creature. It felt like everyone was holding their breath, worried that even the most simple release of air would cause something further to shift in the world. But nothing worse could happen, not in your mind, your worst nightmare came true and you still can’t process it.

Jake and Neytiri were at the front of your group with Tuk seated behind her mother, Lo’ak and Kiri with Spider behind followed up the rear and you were at the very back. Everyone was painted with white stripes down their face, Neytiri fashioned with a woven headpiece and the necklace Neteyam wore when he died. A hand went to your neck, another intricate woven piece of jewelry that Neteyam would wear, it also happened to be the one he wore the night he asked to court you.

The tears dripped down your face, you didn’t make an effort to wipe them away, they would just keep coming.

Many of the Metkayina stood in the shallow waters of the Cove of Ancestors, further away from your family. You saw the familiar faces near the front, the Olo’eyktan and the Tsahík, both of them stood tall and held themselves high. You saw the tear-stained faces of Tsireya and Ao’nung along with Roxo just off to the side of the leaders.

The ilu tugging Neteyam’s leaf finally stopped at its designated spot, silently telling all of you that this was the end. Jake, Neytiri, Tuk, and Lo’ak slid off their creatures and into the water, treading themselves on each side of his body, his mother and sister on the left with his father and brother to the right. You so badly wanted to join them, wanted to touch the boy you loved so badly one final time before his body was taken away from the physical plane. But you stayed back, you weren’t his mate, you were just the girl he was courting, his girlfriend- something that Jake said was between the stages of friend and mate; you were just a friend that left their home behind for a boy that stole your heart and made you a part of a loving and protective family.

So it was just you, Kiri- who you thought should have joined the others but didn’t push her into it, and Spider who watched his blood-related family give their final caresses to his skin. The kisses to his forehead by Neytiri, the fingers reaching out to his for the hand that rested atop his shoulder then a feather-light touch to his cheek by Tuk, the hand that patted down Neteyam’s tied back braids by Lo’ak- something Neteyam used to always do on the younger boy, and Jake. Jake, who still seemed in shock, that he didn’t make for a comforting gesture.

Once Neteyam was free of the giant palm leaf, Tuk and Lo’ak moved further back to where the three of you stayed. Jake and Neytiri shared a look before taking their breath and diving under the water with Neteyam between them.

You slid off the ilu saddle and floated on the right side of Lo’ak, Tuk as always was beside Kiri if it wasn’t her mother. With the water stinging your eyes just a bit, you watched as Jake and Neytiri swam down, down, down until they were just above the glowing anemone and they released their hold on their boy. They kept themselves afloat while his body succumbed to gravity or the pull toward the Great Mother, and once they touched his deep blue skin, he was covered in golden glowing light before his body was completely gone.

If you weren’t submerged under water you knew the tears would be running at the speed of a waterfall, your nose clogging with snot, and your throat choking up causing hiccups and stuttering to your breath. With a glance to your left, the sight before you broke you even further. Lo’ak, with his left hand, held out for his brother to take, was choking out sobs that were silenced by the water, only the air bubbles leaving his open mouth told you of his cries to the Great Mother.

Swiftly you reached out and linked your hands together, he needed someone to ground him from slipping away and you just needed to feel living flesh.

You couldn’t sleep, sleep had been avoiding you for weeks since your arrival to Awa'atlu, always tossing and turning on your mat. Eventually, you started to leave the mauri when the darkness would slip away through your fingers, finding yourself either sitting on the roped walkway with your feet swaying in the water or you would venture towards the sandy beaches and stare out into the open water.

You weren’t sure when he noticed your absence, but one night when you walked to the beach, you heard footsteps that were muffled by the grains on the floor and the push and pull of the water. Your heart rate picked up, you didn’t have any weapons on your person, and you chose to leave your knife with the others. But your panic died down when you saw the noise coming from someone who wouldn’t lay a harmful finger on you, but for sure would punch someone just looking at you wrong.

“Ma ‘teyam.” You all but sighed as he got closer.

He instantly pulled you into his arms, one arm around your waist and the other pushing your head into the crook of his neck. Your limbs wrapping tightly along his waist, your hearts beating as one, chest to chest. Fingers started to run through the free strands of your black hair, tiny circles by the pads of his digits.

“What is wrong ma tanhì?” He murmured by your pinned back ear.

You huffed a sigh, unintentionally tickling his skin, “sleep escapes me. No dreams enter my mind, only darkness and even that leaves me to my thoughts.”

He hummed, hands continuing their rhythmic motions, giving your bodies a light sway with the wind. Then he just stopped, hands landing on your biceps giving a light push away. His eyes held so much love within his tender gaze, “why don’t we go for a swim? We could star gaze, we haven't done it for a while.” And an instant smile split your face.

The two of you floated on your backs in the middle of the water, the water safe within the mauri pods. The quiet night was the only thing surrounding the both of you, the water was still with only a few ripples here and there causing a push to your bodies. Your backs floated atop the darkened water, hands clasped together to keep from drifting apart, braids and loose strands snaking around your heads as two sets of golden yellow eyes focused on the glowing stars above.

One Year Later

The memory vanished into the air from your mind, and the last thing you felt was your heart growing warm at the sight of Neteyam’s breathtaking smile before he pulled the both of you into the cool water.

Your legs were hugged to your chest with your thin arms wrapped around them tight, your chin digging into your kneecaps while your eyes stared out into the open water. You thought about going in, either to look at the stars as if he was floating beside you or to drown yourself and join him with the Great Mother. You knew the latter would win more in this situation, so you kept yourself grounded and forced your mind to go blank, the lull in the water helps.

You shifted a hand through the sand beside you, the texture feeling nice on your skin. Eventually, you got bored, but you didn’t want to head back, so you just laid down and let the scratchy grains cling to your skin and burrow into your hair. You turned on your side, back facing the homes with you facing the swaying trees, but you let your imagination run.

You pretended that you were lying beside Neteyam, both facing each other with only an inch of separate space. A hand from both of you resting in the middle, fingers doing a mindless dance of touching and curling, bringing smiles to your faces. You would move closer, your hand that lay on the ground would make contact with his stomach, and his muscles would flex automatically with the graze. Neteyam would move his head closer, a quick bump of your nose, giggles spilling from your lips. He would throw an arm over your waist, knuckles gliding along your back, and you would lift your hand from the ground, let your palm rest upon his plump cheek, and thumb would stroke the stripes decorating his skin. And you would clear the final milometer of air, lips a breath away, you would look into his piercing eyes and with all the bravery you could muster, would whisper the words only meant for his ears.

“Neteyam… ma ‘teyam… I see-”

“(Y/n)?”

Your hand dropped from the air and sunk into the cool sand, you didn’t even bother to turn and face the approaching voice, you already knew who it was. It was always you and one other person who would leave the home for hours and wallow in pain.

You felt his body heat, skin just barely flicking over yours. You felt his eyes on you, you knew they would drip with pity and pain for you, and you didn’t want it. You were a mighty warrior, you withstood your cuts and bruises and persevered in the battle, even your mental ones.

“(Y/n)... I’m here- I-” “Lo’ak. Stop.” You closed your eyes, the tears making a comeback. You still kept your back to Lo’ak, not finding the mighty warrior in yourself to withstand this battle, instead shrinking away from the fight.

He didn’t say anything again, you didn’t say anything again, and the silence enveloped the bubble. With the sound of shuffling you thought he got up and headed back to sleep, probably knowing how guarded you are these days, but he didn’t leave he walked around you and laid beside you.

With the past year, you’ve closed yourself off, built a stone wall high to the heavens, and wrapped around the world. Only allowing small slips into the cracks, sea shell collecting with Tuk, enjoying the flora and fauna with Kiri, weaving baskets and jewelry with Neytiri in the mauri, and you’ll do whatever you can find with Jake. With Lo’ak, there was something that pulled the both of you a tiny bit closer. Be it the Great Mother, grief, Neteyam, or all of it together, you and Lo’ak always found each other in times of comfort.

You peeked your eyes open, Lo’ak watching your every breath, an arm pillowing his head with the other hand in the open space. It felt weird that he was in the same position you imagined Neteyam, but you didn’t think anything of it.

“(Y/n), I miss him. I miss my big brother.” Lo’ak’s voice was small, cracking on the words him and brother.

You didn’t speak, something you often did these days, you just linked your sandy hands together. You gave a squeeze knowing it would silently say to him, ‘I miss him too’.

Before…everything, you were a pretty touchy person. At least when you were super close and comfortable around the individual. And because you were comfortable around the Sullys you would express your love through all forms, touch sometimes being the easiest with the quick access. But after- after he was gone, you reclined into yourself, like you were waining off the feeling of na’vi skin. But Lo’ak was someone you felt naturally drawn to just touch, and it made you hurt because you always felt that way about Neteyam. Sometimes you didn’t want to be separated for even a second, needing to have a finger touching or your tail grazing by his legs.

You were worrying a bit that Lo’ak might be taking your intimate moments, your touches as something they weren’t. You loved Lo’ak, but only as a brother. Neteyam always filled the spaces in your heart. Friend, partner, ‘girlfriend’… future mate, your future husband. No one could fill those holes, they’ll always be empty until you die.

“Have you visited?”

You blinked your eyes, focusing back on the present. Lo’ak was just watching you, waiting for some type of response to his question. You heard him, faintly, but still heard.

You didn’t say anything, the quiet your nonverbal answer.

“I haven’t either,” his thumb ran over your knuckles, “I’m too scared.”

“Why scared?” A hushed whisper.

He shrugged, “might argue with me or something. Tell me it’s my fault, which is t-“

“False. Sky people are at fault.” A constant reminder from you to him.

Silence once again. Talking always takes too much energy for you.

“Would you be willing to visit him, together?” Lo’aks’s question drifted into the air.

“When we are ready, we will go. Together.”

Two Years Later

“I would like to visit Payakan.”

Lo’ak sat up from his lying position and looked down at you, his head blocking the blinding sun rays. You just peered up at him, face completely neutral.

“W-why?” His feathered brows furrowed, “it’s not safe.”

You cocked your head, striped brow raised, “never stopped you before.” A ghost of a smile mixed with some teasing.

Lo’ak scuffed and rolled his eyes at the remark, but you saw the smile. He looked at the open water for a moment before looking back at you. You could see the tiny gears turning in his head, probably weighing some pros and cons to your proposal.

He stood up and held a hand out, his answer to your request.

With a firm grasp, you let him pull you to your feet, his growing muscles pulling you against the gravity causing a light crash with your chests meeting. His free arm wrapped tight around your back to keep you from stumbling, it caused your breath to stutter and get caught in your throat before you cleared it.

“Lead the way, mighty warrior.” A quirk of your head caused Lo’ak to move, arm off your waist but the hand still held in yours.

He called his ilu with a yelp and grabbed the saddle. You didn’t bother calling yours, you still weren’t the best at riding even after living here for two years. Neteyam usually helped with your teaching and would have you ride with him when going out. You didn’t bother with learning further, not wanting to explore without him.

“(Y/n),” Lo’ak grabbed your bicep, “come on.”

He slid on the saddle with you just behind. His left hand holding the bar tight before looking over his shoulder and tapping your thigh with his right hand, “hold on tight. Breathe deep.” And he went under.

The crystal clear water past the reef felt like a whole new world. Almost nothing for the eye to see except for a few rocks that broke the surface, but other than that everything was below the surface.

“Where’s Payakan?” You whispered in his ear, it twitched against your nose.

“Uh, should be around here. Sometimes he finds me before I do.” His head looked side to side, trying to find the giant tulkun in the vast ocean.

You wrapped your arms around Lo’ak’s abdomen and leaned your head between his shoulder blades. Your ear could faintly hear this heart beating as he touched your forearm with his fingers, his heart speeding up just a bit.

“Is Payakan friendly?” Voice slightly muffled.

“Yeah. As long as you don’t provoke him or offend him. But he’s my spirit brother, he’ll accept you happily.”

“The sea gives and the sea takes.” Words you heard from Tsireya during lessons.

Your heart lurched at the phrase. Lo’ak lost Neteyam to the rocky seas with a fire burning in the distance but gained a Metkayina spirit brother in the calm and clear seas. Eywa must keep a balance of life, but this wasn’t a balance.

“Oh! (Y/n), look!” He eagerly tapped your arm and pointed to the horizon.

In the blink of an eye, a tulkun appears before the both of you, its eyes watching intently. It made some noises of communication, out of happiness or a threat, you couldn’t tell. But Lo’ak happily slid from the saddle and swam beside his eye and gave a very open hug to the creature. Its eyes closed and hummed a higher pitch, happy.

“(Y/n), come.” Lo’ak held a hand out for you.

You quickly joined the two, Lo’ak’s hand moving to place yours along the tough skin of the animal. A smile was pulled at your lips, you weren’t sure why, but you didn’t think too hard about it. You felt extremely happy for the first time in two years and you’ll absorb the feeling into your bones.

“Payakan, this is (Y/n). She’s part of my family.”

“Hello. Lo’ak speaks very highly of you. I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet you.” Your hand moved in soothing circles.

Another higher-pitched hum, “he likes you.”

Your attention away from Payakan focused on Lo’ak. He sat on the floating fin, hips and lower half submerged in the water with his torso and up dry. He held a delicate smile on his lips, small indents on either side. His eyes which were already focused on you looked gentle, his lids dropped just a bit, and his golden irises held a tiny spark.

It caused a shiver to run along your spine.

Three Years Later

Your lower half sat in the shallow waters of the beach. Water pushing and pulling, lapping at your body giving a gravitational pull, a pull that you resisted each time. Your hands would dance atop the surface, palms skimming the pleasant texture and fingers doing quick taps that cause a tiny plop.

You watched with fondness as Kiri lay on her stomach with her body submerged below the clear waters. One arm kept her upper body from dropping into the sand while the other ran through the still grains. Something so simple and she was mesmerized, you loved it.

With a turn of your head, you noticed two figures further down the beach, one teal and the other blue. Tsireya and Lo’ak. They were sitting beside each other, you couldn’t tell much about their conversation, neither giving off blatant expressions. They seemed to be making jewelry or carving, maybe both, each doing their own thing while just wanting to enjoy the other's company.

They looked happy, at peace. You felt glad for them.

“They make a good couple.” Kiri’s sudden voice causes you to jump a bit. You just nodded, “they do. Maybe they’ll mate when older. He’s been into her since we arrived.”

You couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

Everyone is tired and wishing for rest, hoping they grant uturu to your family. Neteyam and you automatically stand beside each other, fingers grazing as you walk to the formed crowd. With your curious eyes, you try and take in everything around you, from the people to the village, and it amazed you. And then with the perfect timing, you noticed a girl slipping into the water before making her way to the shores, and you heard a slight gasp. With a slight turn of your head, you noticed how Lo’ak couldn’t take his eyes off her, he was instantly fixated on the beauty.

You bumped your hand against Neteyam’s calling for his attention.

“It seems your brother has found a potential mate,” a quick chuckle, “if they allow.” Was all Neteyam followed up with.

“(Y/n), did you hear me?” Kiri’s fingers dug into your ribs.

You shifted away from a potential second attack, “no. Sorry, a memory came to mind.”

You ignored the eye roll she gave, “I said, but it seems like Lo’ak might have affection for someone new.”

A furrow came to your brows, “where are you hearing this? Do you not see the way he acts around Tsireya? He acts like a skxawng about… ninety percent of the time, and that’s just now. It used to be a bit higher.”

She licked her lips and her eyes dipped to the ground before meeting yours, “there’s something different…in the way, he looks at- his eyes hold something when he gazes upon you.” You couldn’t believe the words leaving Kiri’s mouth, “his eyes hold something when he gazes upon you.” She was wrong, simply wrong.

“You are wrong.” You shook your head at her absurdity, “Lo’ak doesn’t see me as anything other than another sister.”

She huffed, “(Y/n), I don’t know if you ever knew this, but when Lo’ak was younger he would tell me how he admired you. You probably thought nothing of it, but he would try to follow you around like a lost direhorse. I noticed the tiny scowls that came upon his face when Neteyam would steal away your attention. Plus he’s the only one you’re physically affectionate with besides-“

“I’m affectionate with all of you. Neteyam was extra special in my heart, he was my promised mate.” You started to get defensive.

She placed a hand on your shoulder, “yes, I understand. I just notice how the two of you hold each other in the night, Lo’ak holds you firmly to his chest with his arm over your waist and you will have your face tucked under his jaw.”

Your ears twitched, “I’m just trying to say, be careful. The both of you. Someone is gonna get hurt, and we’re just starting to heal our wounds.” Were her last wise words before standing up and walking away.

Three Years and Five Months Later

“I want to go to the cove and see Neteyam.”

You turned your head to the side, and bits of sand scratched your skin. Lo’ak kept his eyes on the sky, hands clasped over his stomach. You looked away when he didn’t meet your gaze.

“You are ready?”

“Not really, but I need to see him again.” It seemed like he had more to say so you waited, “are you ready?”

This time you knew he looked at you, the movement caused your ears to twitch at attention.

“No. But his face has started to blur and I lost the sound of his voice, his laugh. I miss it all, so it must be time.” You pushed off the ground and hunched over your legs.

His hand touched your back and you flinched before relaxing. Kiri’s words from a few months ago echoed in the back of your head. “If you are not ready, we can wait. You said we would go together when the both of us are ready. I’ll wait for you.”

You peeked at Lo’ak, something about that last part struck a chord with you. You see how his brows were raised just a bit and pinched in the middle, eyes open and clear. Full of understanding and love.

You fear Kiri’s words are becoming true.

You licked your lips, “we’ll go to the cove.” And you instantly stood up and walked away, Lo’ak following a step behind.

The both of you trod water for a bit once you reached the spirit tree, fully realizing that you're finally gonna see Neteyam again after three years. With a look to Lo’ak and a nod from him, the both of you took a breath and dove under and down.

As you stared at a tendril you started to think maybe you weren’t ready to see him, but with your hand being tugged by Lo’ak, you pulled your queue from behind your back and let the moving tendrils be pulled closer until they connected with your mind.

You were back in the forest.

It was midday, and the bright sun held high in the clear blue sky, not a cloud in sight. The grass was a luscious green, soft beneath your bare and calloused feet. Helicoradian and Octoshroom stood at their tall heights, you hit a few helicoradian causing them to shrink in on themselves which brings a laugh of joy out of you.

You walk to the stream where you and Neteyam would usually hang out during the day when both of you were free to escape. As you get closer the sound of the rushing water causes your heart to speed up just a bit, you’ve missed that sound for a while without even knowing.

When you entered the clearing, pushing a few low hanging leaves away from your face, your breath caught in your throat and you almost tripped over an unseen root. Head popping away from the rushing water and in your direction, Neteyam.

He hasn’t aged a day, which, obviously. But it just causes you to freak out a bit, you’ve grown three years, would he see you as past you or present you?

But focusing back on the boy you’ve missed so much. His usual head of braids, feathers, and beads were missing, just a curtain of dark black strands falling over his face and shoulders, it must have been a washing day. He’s also free of a necklace and armband, you notice his knife and bow are near the banks.

“(Y/n), come join me!” His voice made your chest rumble. Has it always been this deep?

“No tricks?” You stepped closer.

“No tricks,” he echoed back.

“Are you naked?” Hands at your hips.

He rolled his eyes, “obviously. Will you hurry up?”

“Nìhoet (perv), turn around first, skxawng.”

“We are to be mated, I’m allowed to see.”

“Not for a while, ‘evengan (boy). Turn.”

He put his hands up in surrender and turned, his toned back showing off his defined stripes. Quickly you stripped yourself of your feathered top and loincloth and rushed into the water with a splash.

You swam up to Neteyam who turned around at your disruption to the quiet. You kept your body under the water with just your head peeking free, your hair a halo behind you.

“I’ve missed you, oeyä sayrìp (my handsome).” A hand touched his cheek before pushing the free hair away. Needing to see all of him.

A hand fell atop the one resting on his cheek with his free one sitting along your jaw, thumb gliding with your stripes as his other three fingers dug into the root of your hair.

“I’m right here, oeyä sevin (my pretty).”

You teared up at that. He says he’s right there, but he’s not. You can’t touch him or converse with him whenever you choose to, you have to make the journey to the spirit tree now just to see figments of memories you had with him. And it seems he doesn’t even know he’s dead, so you can’t tell him these qualms you have.

“Ma tanhì, what hurts you?” Both hands hold your face, caged in his clasp.

You hold his wrist and close your eyes, the tears leaking from your waterline and down your cheek. You feel him wipe them away. You have to bite your lip to compose yourself.

His lips kiss your forehead, they linger and it breaks you even further. He pulled away and you said the words that have been lingering on your tongue.

“Ma Neteyam, Oel ngati kameie (i see you).”

He smiled, that easy smile you always loved seeing, “I know.” And he pulled you close with the hands still on your face, and pressed his lips against yours.

Your eyes peeled open.

All you saw was the bright light of the tree with your queue still attached before you pulled it free. You turned your head to the left where Lo’ak was floating, he still seemed to be connected, his eyes closed and hand still held firmly in yours. You bit the skin of your bottom lip and squeezed your eyes shut.

This was the reason you waited to visit because you knew that when you saw him again, it would break you like the first time. He didn’t get enough time with you, with his family, with himself. It wasn’t fair, this was the cruelest thing Eywa has ever done to you.

With a pull to your arm, your legs automatically began scissor kicking you back to the surface. You took a gulping breath when you broke the surface, droplets of water running into your eyes and on your mouth, and your ears almost felt clogged. You pushed your heavy limps back to the ilu, biceps straining with the sudden weight before flopping on the saddle, ready to leave.

“You okay?” Lo’ak asked as he saw beside the animal, left hand on the saddle while his right touched your knee.

You looked away before making eye contact, “just tired.” Both emotionally and physically.

Lo’ak watched you but didn’t say anything, he just climbed in front of you and told the animal to go home.

When you reached the shore you quickly climbed off and walked away, needing to be completely by yourself and allow yourself to wallow or break down or just stare at nothing. You just wanted to be alone. But of course, with Lo’ak, he’ll come chasing after you.

“(Y/n). Come on, we should head home.” And when his hand grasped your wrist, you exploded.

With a blind rage in your heart, you barred your fangs and released a hiss from deep within your chest. He let go of you and you stepped away before running into the trees. The instant regret took away a bit of the fire in your heart, you’ve never bared your fangs at any of the Sullys, even in playful moments.

As you walked through the small jungle area of the island you scrubbed your hands over your face, trying to erase any evidence of your tears. Cheeks flushed with your blood rushing and eyes touched with a red hue in the whites, chest heaving with hiccuping breaths and your ribs hurt with every few beats. Finally, your knees just gave out causing you to collapse to the floor, a deep growl building in your throat.

With a scream, you cried to the Great Mother, begging and pleading for Neteyam to come back. As exaggerated as it sounds, you needed Neteyam to breathe, to live. He unknowingly gave so much purpose to your life, you planned a future with him, you talked about children when you were ready. Pandora doesn’t have the same vibrant colors you use to see every waking day, it doesn’t hum with the high-pitched energy that you felt in your bones. Everything was dull and gray, the food tasted bitter on your tongue.

In your moment of heaving air and pleading to the air, arms snaked around your waist and pulled you in tight against a solid chest. You indulged for just a moment, pretending it was your beloved, but the voice snapped the trance.

“Just pretend,” he kept his voice low, “pretend you are in his arms. Say the words to free your heart.”

Your cries died off, your brows furrowed at his words. You tried to turn your eyes on him, but he removed a hand from your waist and draped them over your eyes, blocking out everything unimportant. You heard the water crashing, the wind brushing the leaves and grass, and your ears twitching with every breath that touched the sensitive skin. His skin was a warm comfort, chest pressing with every breath released, the pads of his fingers just a bit rough from time, the arm still holding your waist was a welcome weight.

“Talk to me, ma… ma txe’lan (my heart).” A nice pet name, but you heard the hesitance, and ignored it.

You touched his forearm, “ma ‘teyam… how I yearn for you day and night. Fruits aren’t as rich and juicy, the sky isn’t as bright and clear, and the children’s shrieks of joy aren’t as full in my heart. You were the air I breathed each second and now with you gone, I feel like I am suffocating. So right now I am angry at you. You had to be the fucking fkew tsamsyiu (mighty warrior)! I- I know how Kiri and Lo’ak- how they care for the human, Spider, but- you couldn’t be selfish or- or pull Lo’ak away. You couldn’t say no, he- Lo’ak, has such a soft spot in your txe’lan. And I know, I know already, I’ve told him plenty of times, it is not his fault. He just wanted his friend back, I understand. And- and I understand your actions, your family was in danger- our family was in danger,” you heaved a breath, “I- I am not angry with you, I’m angry with the sky people. They can’t leave us alone, touching and violating our home and destroying every beautiful gift Eywa has blessed us with. We should have been able to grow old… grow a lor (beautiful) family in the forest. We would teach them the way of the bow, grow them into fkew tsamsyius or zeykoyus (healers), and they would learn from Mo’at.” Your body slumped, and energy vanished.

Lo’ak felt the tears but didn’t speak, only kissed your temple. The kiss lingered and then another kiss near your ear, another to your cheek, a fourth one to your jaw that lead to a few more. You felt him turn your head, both hands touching your neck, you didn’t dare open your eyes, too lost in the spell to break it just yet. With your hands moving to take hold of his biceps, you felt the breath of air ghost your lips.

“Please,” you begged with your heart.

His lips pressed to yours hesitantly, waiting to see if you’ll push further or break away. You tilted your head just a bit, granting better room for your lips to properly move together. And within those few seconds of kissing, you knew. You knew that the spark that was usually there every time has disappeared, telling you that this wasn’t your Neteyam and that you couldn’t see Lo’ak in any other way than as a friend, a brother.

You pushed away, shame filling your blood. ‘You shouldn’t have done this’ ‘This wasn’t fair to Lo’ak’

“I am sorry. I- I shouldn’t have…” “(Y/n), would you mate with me?”

Your head snapped to Lo’ak, eyes wild with confusion at his sudden question. He looked serious, with no hint of mischief within his glowing eyes. His hands still held a firm hold on your neck, his fingers grazing your skin. His ears were pressed to his skull, awaiting some type of answer from you.

“I- I… why would you ask such a question? Whe- where is this coming from?”

He licked his lips, “Neteyam would want you happy. He would want you to have that family, to grow old with someone who cares for you as he did.”

‘No one could care for me as Neteyam did’

“It hurts to see you in pain and I would do everything in my power to take it away-” “You do not like or love me, Lo’ak. You are just confused, I have confused you.”

He shook his head, “no, no. I do, I do like you. I hold love for you that can grow with time-”

“Lo’ak! Stop this!” You wretched free of his hold, “mating is a serious affair. You should not be proposing this pairing just because I have lost my promised one. You say that you are doing this because Neteyam would want me happy, but what about you? Would this union bring love into your life every time you think about it? Because you are blinded by- by our- by my unintended intimacy. I have taken advantage of your comfort, I have twisted your thoughts. You do not love me. You do not see me.”

“Oel ngati kameie, (Y/n). I do,” Lo’ak tried to reach out to you.

You shrunk back, “do not throw those words around worthlessly!” Your arms wrapped over your stomach, “Lo’ak, I know that you had some type of- of feelings for me when we were younger. Kiri mentioned it to me. And with time I assumed they faded because when we arrived here you were instantly transfixed with Tsireya. I saw how your eyes followed her movements, your brows raising, the- the greeting you said to her that caused giggles to spill from her lips. I could feel that this was something more. And when our training started I saw how nervous she made you, how she said your heartbeat sped up every time she touched you, the both of you sharing dazzling smiles. Tsireya makes you happy, Lo’ak.”

A sigh left your lips, “do not throw your happiness away because of me.” Lo’ak tried to take a step towards you but you backed away, throwing a hand up, “I think it best if we are away from each other for a while. I- I need to heal properly and you need to rid yourself of these thoughts for me and focus on spending time with Tsireya again.”

Four Years Later

“Fkew Tuktirey! A glorious catch! The family will be proud.” You shifted her head of braids, her laughs filling the air.

The two of you trudged back to your mauri pod, Tuk holding the fish she was able to catch. She’s grown so much in four years, now age eleven and standing at shoulder height, it brought tears to your eyes, she was already starting to be confident and outgoing. Neteyam would be so proud of her.

As she ran ahead into the home you could faint voices having a conversation, voices talking loudly and over each other. You were worried someone was getting yelled at, but when you walked in it was a different scene than what you expected.

Near the entrance, Jake and Neytiri were seated on the ground, smiles brightening their faces in glee. And you noticed that two other bodies sat across from them, Tsireya and Lo’ak, their hands clasped beside their thighs. They all looked up at your and Tuk’s interruption to the home, but no smiles faltered at the intrusion.

“Sa’nu! (mom) Sempu! (dad) Look at the fish I caught with (Y/n)!” She hopped her way over to her parents. They both gasped and applauded her catch, Jake pulling her into his lap, pecking her face in quick kisses causing her to laugh. It was a joyful sight to behold.

“This will make for a wonderful dinner tonight. A celebration of two!” Neytiri boasted. You cocked your head, “what’s the other occasion?”

You took note of Jake and Neytiri sharing a look and Tsireya and Lo’ak doing the same, you and Tuk were the only two out of the loop. It wasn’t until Tsireya gave a simple nod that Lo’ak turned to you, “Tsireya and I are to be mated.” Tuk shrieked in delight before leaping to the couple for hugs.

“I always knew the two of you would come together,” a declaration heard by everyone but meant for Lo’ak. “You were always wise, (Y/n),” then suddenly Lo’ak did the gesture, hand to his forehead before dropping. I see you. The others might have thought it weird, but it meant a lot to you, Lo’ak finally understood you.

“Oh, Tsireya, I can’t wait for you to be an official family member!” Your arms are thrown over her shoulders. The two of you giggle with infectious joy and wiggle your bodies with buzzing energy.

Four Years and Two Months Later

The waves crashed and cried, the thundering in your ears almost a welcomed melody at this point. The blazing sun of the late afternoon warmed your skin in a nice hug, and gentle kisses to your cerulean stripes.

Your back sunk into the grains of sand on the beach, the shade of a palm tree leaves bringing relief to your face. Your eyes were closed in peace with lips slightly parted to release puffs of air, hands clasped over your stomach as it rose and fell. With your hair free of braids and the wind blowing, your jet-black strands would tickle your chin or nose, a crinkle forming to stop an incoming sneeze.

Almost slipping into a calming slumber you missed the soft steps heading your way on the beach, the wind and water covering the tracks. It wasn’t until a crunching noise grew louder that you heard the sigh of someone beside you. So you peeled an eye open and in the corner you saw-

“Lo’ak. Did you need something?” You just closed your eye and waited for an answer from him. Body stays in its tranquil state.

He didn’t say anything, you only heard shuffling on his part. But you waited, letting him collect his thoughts since it’s been a while since the both of you have been alone together. It was nice to be around him again, but you knew it was for the best, for both of you.

There was a graze to your forearm and it made you tense up, the touch unwelcomed. You didn’t push him away, just turned your head and stared at the boy- the man before you. Your golden eyes squinted at his quiet demeanor, knees pulled up and head bowed with his braids falling over his shoulder and shielding his face.

“Lo’ak,” he jerked his hand away like you burned off fire, “why have you come here? It is best if we are away from each other.”

His head moved, “I’ve missed my old friend. Missed sitting in silence with you and just keeping each other company as we mourned for Neteyam. Missed having you join me when visiting Payakan, he misses you as well,” a quick laugh, “and I- I just missed being with you.”

You let the words sink in, digesting and absorbing every syllable and word. “I have missed you too, Lo’ak.” A simple confession. You saw the tiny smile on his face.

“Are you excited to be mated with Tsireya?” Wanting to have an easy conversation.

Lo’ak looked out into the clear waters, “yeah. I’m lucky she accepted me, flaws and all. She’s so perfect and gentle and sweet with everyone she meets, always having my heart squeeze with admiration for her. And she chooses me, reckless and carefree Lo’ak who’s always doing shit to get me into trouble or danger. The perfect girl chose the disappointment. It is almost like a dream.” His fingers twiddled, pulling at the joints or tapping fingers together.

“You are not a disappointment, Lo’ak.” A poke was sent to his thigh for his attention, “your family loves you very much. And, yes, some of the things they have said to you haven’t been the nicest, but they bubbled from a place in their heart from fear of losing you.”

He looked away, hands still fidgeting so you pulled the closest into your grasp as you continued speaking, “and you say you are lucky for Tsireya choosing you, but she is also the lucky one. She looks at you like you hung every star that sparkles in the night sky, you pull laughter from deep within her chest, her heart. She touches you with a fragile air, hands always clasped between your bodies or caressing your cheek as she gets lost in your eyes. I see all this from far away. And- and I envy the both of you.”

Lo’ak opened his mouth to speak but you stopped him still needing to speak your mind, “I am so happy that you are able to have this love in your life. You truly deserve the best Lo’ak and being with someone who makes your days brighter and heart lighter, Eywa has given you a great blessing.”

You saw his eyes gloss over with water forming and his tongue popping out to lick his lips. You said all that needed to be spoken, so now you let him understand your words and waited for anything to be said from his side. With his hand still in your hold you ran your thumb over his knuckles.

“(Y/n), I know these are probably the words you don’t wish to hear, but I too need to speak my mind as well.” His eyes bore into yours. You had a guess as to what he was going to say, but just nodded your head and let him speak.

“I did like you. When we were younger and I saw you in action for the first time, it was like Eywa crafted you with such care and precision. I was in awe, but Neteyam got to you first, so I kept a certain distance when it came to you. But when… when he died… I felt- I felt just a bit of hope that- that- I don’t even know now. But I do want to say… you were right. Us being separated helped clear me of confusing thoughts and feelings and allowed me to focus on the one who loved me right away.”

Four Years and Nine Months Later

The beach was crowded. Every resident of Awa’atlu was present and dressed in their finest for the union of Tsireya and Lo’ak, the first pairing of different clans. Tonowari and Ronal along with Jake and Neytiri stood to the side of their children, and their siblings at the front of the crowd. You stood between Kiri and Tuk, a hand in both of yours.

You watched and listened as Ronal stepped forward, with her being tsahík she was the one to officiate the wedding, giving her blessings and wise words from Eywa. You saw the smiles pulling at the parents' mouths and the tears welling in their eyes, their children have grown up.

Tsireya with her hair intricately fashioned with beads and shells, her top that shimmered with pearls covering every inch of skin, but her smile and teary eyes were the most beautiful part of her. Her ever-expressive face showed that she was excited to spend the rest of her life with the man standing before her, ready to start a family with him in the future when they are further into adulthood. Excited to wake up every day to his face and arms wrapping her tight to his chest and falling asleep every night to the feel of his chest moving with every breathe and feel the light kisses he would place upon her hair or forehead before mumbling how he loves her and wishes her a good night.

With Lo’ak it looked like he was holding himself back from jumping into Tsireya and tugging her into a steering kiss. He wore a newly woven armband with a feather attached and an Omatikaya cummerbund, almost like his final goodbye to the forest before he gets his tattoos of the Metkayina warriors in due time. He held her hands tightly, thumbs constantly moving to show his nerves and excitement. His smile was ginormous, it was pushing his cheeks high and causing his eyes to squint, it was adorable. His tail was swinging side to side in a rapid movement and his ears were perked high, listening to every word being spoken by Ronal. His eyes shine with love, probably thinking of getting to kiss his mate whenever he wants, day and night nothing would stop him from a quick peck or a passionate melting of lips that caused hands to wander. He’ll enjoy all the loud and quiet moments in their home, just enjoying the other company as they do their own tasks. He’ll talk about his day over dinner and she listens with focused ears and watchful eyes.

The loud cheers of the crowd snapped you from your daydreaming, imagining you and Neteyam’s future.

Tsireya and Lo’ak share a kiss before the clan, their joining of queues and mating before Eywa would take place away from the eyes of others.

With a feast held in their name, everyone was in high spirits. The music was flowing and people were dancing, the food was cooked to perfection and in abundance, and the drinks splashed causing people to let loose. You clapped, cheered, and laughed with your new clan, your new home. Conversing with people your age and allowing yourself to make new friends.

When the eclipse was high in the sky you excused yourself from the festivities and walked to a secluded part of the beach.

As you lay on the beach with your hands behind your head and eyes staring up at the sky, you yearned for him once again. Yearned for his warmth and his touch, his voice and laugh. Yearned for the domestic life you envisioned yourself to have with him, imagining your children squealing and running amuck, but bringing endless light and joy to your lives, as he’d done to yours.

With almost five years passed since his departure, everyone has healed most wounds. There were still cracks and tears within your hearts that might never mend, but you knew that Neteyam was watching all of you. He would be smiling and almost shocked that Lo’ak mated before him, but he would be happy because he knew his little brother deserves every ounce of love. Neteyam would be happy that everyone is living their lives happily and growing more into themselves, with great love filling their bones.

And with that knowledge, he’s happily waiting with Eywa until his family can join him on the other side.

...

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lietogirlsss · 2 years ago

Text

LIFE AIN'T THE SAME !

ao'nung x fem!sully reader

✷ premise : as tensions rise and your family is forced out of the only home you've ever known, fish boy meets forest girl and the rest is history (tragedy)

✷ warnings : kidnapping, swearing, injury, blood, violence, and death

✷ author's note : I have nothing else to say except I'm like really sorry, also, mentions of blood.

part 6 of the SOLD OUT OF LOVE series.

You've been yelled at before.

This time around you shouldn't be so fazed by it, right? Plenty of scoldings under your belt, plenty of punishments, plenty of earfulls. It was just another Tuesday to you.

But you stood there in the Tsahík's Marui, contemplating on wether or not you just run for the goddamn hills.

"You" Ronal started, pointing a finger at your face, you stiffened. "Need to stay away, far away, from my son"

"Mother-" Ao'nung began, an argument at the ready.

"-No! I will not hear it!" The Tsahík screeched, rounding on him. "What scandalous acts have the both of you committed under the witness of the night sky?" She dosen't give you time to answer. "I am not oblivious to the little smiles and longing stares the both of you send the other when they are not looking" she stops, circling both you and Ao'nung. "This stops now"

"You heard what she said" Says Jake, leaning closer to you. "Make sure you get it through your skull"

"You!" Says Ronal, pointing at your father this time. "You have allowed your rambunctious child corrupt the thoughts of my son! Eywa knows what kind of nonsense your daughter has been feeding him!"

Your mouth moved faster than your brain. "You're wrong, you know nothing"

"Y/N!" Your mother hissed.

"She is talking back! Has respect not been taught to you girl??"

"Mind your manners, Y/N" Jake seethed, making you grit your teeth.

"It is inevitable, Tonowari" Ronal had exclaimed tiredly, walking up to her husband who had remained silent this entire time. "Our son has lain with a half-breed"

Saying the Marui exploded was an understatement.

"Y/N, is what she saying true???" Your mother wonders, pulling you to face her.

"No! She's lying! We didn't do anything!" You replied, your head reeling.

"Y/N, kid, are you kidding me???"

You were on the verge of crying, trying to get him to calm down. "Dad please, I swear, we didn't do anything! we fell asleep!"

Ao'nung was quick to jump in, constantly at your rescue. "She is right, Toruk Makto, please, nothing happened between us, I give you my word"

"Do not come to her defense boy!" Ronal snapped acidly.

"Mother I do not see why all of this is necessary!" Ao'nung retaliated, turning to her.

"It is necessary because you have been wasting your days following this demon around when you could have been training to be the next Olo'eyktan!" She spat, making you duck your head.

"Your words are like knives to the skin, my daughter is not a demon" Neytiri intervened, practically hissing at Ronal, the expanse of her fangs being shown.

"You lie to yourself" Ronal replies. "You, of all people should know just how much falsehoods leave your mouth everytime you try to defend her true identity"

As she turns to Ao'nung you feel as if a bomb had just settled into its final countdown and you were tied to a chair, far away from it, yet so close at the same time. The greatest common factor? Was that you couldn't do anything to stop it. "This girl is not even real Na'vi! but a human who has been playing the part for far too long, she lies to us all!"

You wanted the floor to swallow you whole.

Ao'nung's gaze was enough to make sure of that.

"Ronal, that is enough" Tonowari finally says, she sends him a glare, he remains resolute.

She turns to the both of you again, instigating more fear into you, the ball in your throat swelling against your own will. "You will not be seeing eachother any longer, you will not be teaching her during lessons, you will not see her after your training, and you will not turn my son against me, that is final"

"What???" You shrieked.

"Mother you are not thinking straight, we can resolve this!"

"It is what needs to be done in order for you to become the Olo'eyktan our people need you to be"

"Whatever this is," says Jake, turning you to face him. "it ends now"

"Dad-!" You tried, your eyes hot, your throat constricting, your chest hurting. "You're really going to take her word over mine???"

He hesitates as you keened, staring up at him, waiting, wishing, believe me, please, i'm telling the truth Dad, believe me. Then something shifts on his face and your stomach sinks. "Enough" He snapped. "Any more and you're done"

Your face twists in hurt, in anger, in confusion.

"I do not wish to see the sight of your daughter's face near my son, ever again" Ronal declared.

"I'll make sure of it," He replies to your horror. "Let's go" says Jake, taking your forearm and practically hauling you away like you weigh nothing to him.

Ao'nung tries to follow you but Tonowari holds him back as Jake pulls you farther out of the hut, he is forced to stand there and watch as you get dragged back home.

When you do, you see the fleeting images of your siblings standing up from their seat before you pull your arm away from Jake's firm grasp, your hair flying everywhere.

"The Olo'eyktan's son???" He asked you condescendingly. "Really??"

"Would you have rather me go for his daughter instead???"

He sneered in disbelief. "You are way out of line"

"You believe the Tsahík's words over mine??? Mine??? " you reiterate, repeatedly pointing at your gut as your voice wavered shrilly. "Are you that goddamn deluded???"

"Well how the hell do you expect me to believe you when all you've been doing is sneaking around behind my back this entire time???" He yelled back, his forehead creasing.

"For Christ's sake we fell asleep!! I- I don't even like him like that!" You stammer, watching him walk past you.

"Jesus, you don't even believe yourself" Jake scorned dismissively.

"It's the truth!"

He whirls around. "Whatever alright???" Jake started. "You gotta learn that this is the consequence of your actions, you go running off with a boy at night??? Coming back home an hour before noon??? You're smart enough! Come on Y/N, you tell me what that looks like!!" He finished.

Letting out a shuddering exhale you frown at him. "You never listen to me!"

"No, you never listen to me! " He bounced back, taking a step forward and sending you a step away. "This isn't a one time thing, you've been acting up since we got here!- Oh who am I kidding?? It's all you've ever done, because that's what you always wanted make things harder for your mother! For me!"

You frowned, trying to hold the tears that threatened to fall as you let in a shaky inhale, boxing your arms in front of your chest as your lower lip trembled.

But your father just kept firing words at you. "D'you know how hard it is to put up with you??? With your antics? Why can't you just be more like Neteyam? Like Kiri?"

This was where Neytiri decided she needed to step in. "Jake, that is enough, you must stop this"

You try and shrug off your sibling's stares burning holes on the side of your head. "Well, fuck, I'm sorry I'm nothing like your perfect children"

"Hey!" He bellowed, making the Marui shake. "Watch your mouth!"

"Well it'll never work because I'm not your real daughter am I??? I'm just some charity case you took up to make you two look like saints!" You shrieked, balling your hands into fists, digging your nails against your palms just to put all your anger someplace else, streams of saltwater falling from your eyes and over your flushed cheeks. "Grace's kid isn't enough, let's allow those orphans from the lab to join our family too, oh poor Y/N's still adjusting with her avatar body, let's take her in too"

"You really wanna test me right now? You tryna get on my nerves??" He warned you. "All that mouth? All that attitude? Let's see where it takes you"

"If we hadn't left the forest none of this would have happened! If we stayed in the village none of this would have happened!"

"You wanna go back to the forest??" He asks you disdainfully before you see him take your drawstring bag, tossing it at your feet, your bow, your arrows, some of the clothes you haven't had the chance to put away yet.

"What are you doing???" You ask him, watching him throw all of your things in front of you, making you cringe and take a step back in fear.

"Drag your ass back to the goddamn forest then! Go! Let's see what happens!" He bellowed, pointing at the door. "You think now that you're such a big girl you can go say whatever you damn well please??? You think you're so big now huh??" He watches as you stood there, sobbing silently. "Come on! Get lost! "

Your face twists. "I hate you!" You screamed, your tears splattering onto the floor.

"You wanna go back there??? Back to the forest where they'll be waiting for you???"

"Better there than to deal with you!"

He lets out a condescending chuckle before he passes by your stunned siblings to collect the rest of your things, throwing them onto the floor. "You wanna leave so bad??? You wanna get killed out there??? Is that what you want??? You wanna get killed over having me as a dad???"

"Maybe I do!" You reply, pride taking over you like a virus.

"Be my goddamn guest kid"

You were exhausted. "You should've just let me drown in that goddamn river!! You should've never let me transferred bodies, you should have just let me died like my mother!!!" You yelled at a dismayed Jake, your throat dry and scratchy from shouting at such an intensity, phantom pains all over your body, your ears ringing.

"Why didn't you just leave me alone???" You wailed, watching just how his face fell. "Maybe then you'd have been the father I deserved!"

You didn't give him a second to even process your words before you stormed out. Running, and running, until you stopped and sat, and cried, letting your sobs let loose into the balmy afternoon air, crying like a mad woman, until your sobs practically dragged its claws up your throat as you let them out. You hadn't stopped crying when your mother found you, she tried wrapping you in her arms but you push her away, sitting on the floor and crying into your forearms placed above your knees as she took her seat beside you.

"I know you feel as if you do not belong with us at times because you think you are not like us, that you do not look like us, but know that I never paid attention to what they told me... that by taking in a Dreamwalker let alone an orphan to raise as my own would make the Great Mother furious" She whispered in such a tone that tore apart every thing you resented about yourself, Neytiri stitching it back up, without asking for anything in return and repeat, it made you feel tired, as an indescribable longing overcame you

Neytiri reached out to brush the hairs that clung to your face from the sweat and the exertion of breaking down, but you took her hand and shoved her away lightly.

What would she do with you, she thought. "You are my daughter, and nothing will change that" She tells you, stroking your hair as you continued to sob. "Not even if my nose looks different from yours, not even if you have eyebrows, not even if we do not have the same number of fingers on each hand"

"You're just saying that to make me feel better" You sniffed. "You don't mean that, you aren't even my real mom, it dosent matter"

Her heart sank. "But it does matter Ma'íte, it matters the most... look at me sweet girl" You look up at her. "you may not have come from me, we may not share the same blood, you may not see me as your real mother but I have not seen you as anything but my sweet little girl... because I know you, I raised you, and I loved you more than I could ever love myself"

You started sobbing even more. This was where you finally allow her to envelope you in a tight embrace, one where you cried onto her shoulder for what seemed like hours, she cradles you even if you were too big to fit on her lap, you didn't complain, nothing seemed to matter, you just wanted your mom.

When you finally pull apart to collect yourself was where she finally got the chance to ask about him.

"So, Ao'nung?"

You grin bashfully, still hiding your face from her. "Shut up"

"I was right, you lied"

"I know, I know"

Neytiri did not like the idea of him and you, but a bitter yet fuzzy feeling of familiarity bloomed in her gut. "Do you feel things for him, Ma'íte?"

You hesitate for a while. You were too afraid to say it, that you've fallen for him, for him, oh Eywa. "It scares me, mom" you gave in, looking up at her with your glassy yellow eyes. "There is this... this burning inside me, I don't know how to make it stop... and he caused it, he lit the fire, now it won't stop burning, it won't stop burning for him"

"It takes great courage to admit what you truly feel, to come to terms with something so difficult"

"I have only ever hated him, I don't know how to..." You stopped, trying to find the right words, looking at your scabbed knuckles in the process. "I don't know how to feel what I feel" you admit pathetically, laughing at yourself as you placed a hand over your eyes, your shoulders rising and falling.

"Your father is right in some things, wrong in others, but we both know you are smart enough to make the decision that will work out eventually" She explains, moving your hair out of your face. "Even if we do give you advice, I know for a fact you will always choose the one you think is best, even if it does mean going against us"

She wipes the last of your tears before she walks off, leaving you alone.

You were on your way to vist your íkran, seeing as you haven't took her out for a proper fly since you arrived here, you needed to get your mind off of this shit show for a second, flying always did.

Your mind had already delved too deep in what turns and spins you could practice on her once in the air but all that stops when you hear Ao'nung call you from behind. You turn around, almost giving yourself a whiplash to see him standing a few steps away from you.

Your stomach sank to the floor, bitterness and dread eating away what little happiness settled into your mind as you shook your head, feeling your eyes turn hot. "No, no-"

His eyes were glossy and irritated. He had been crying too. "Y/N, I just want to talk to you, please just-"

You bolted before he could even finish his sentence, you didn't think of him, you didn't think of what lied ahead, you kept on running, and running, and running. Even if a stitch formed in your side, even if your mouth turned dry.

He only managed to catch up to you by cutting you off, appearing in front of your path as you had taken a sharp detour towards the forest, knowing you could start climbing the trees to get a higher vantage point and the upper hand on him. But your plans were shortlived when you rammed into him, forgetting to stop at the last second. Ao'nung gripped your arms in fear of letting you get away as you writhed underneath his hold.

"Let me go!!!! " You wail, kicking his legs, scratching his skin with your sharp nails, creating harsh red marks on the surface of his skin. "Let me go you fucking shit! Let me go! "

"Don't make this harder than it already is!" He yelled back, ignoring the strong tug at his heartstrings as he watches you hate him all over again. "Will you just stand still and listen to me???"

Tears roll down your face as you clawed at his arms, kneed him in the groin, the thighs, his knees. "Let me go! Just let me go!"

"No" He replied, his voice uneven.

"Ao'nung, please" You begged, your voice strained. "Just get away from me!"

"You have to listen to me, just listen to me!" He repeated to you like you were a child.

"No! No!" You insist, punching his chest with all your might, it takes everything in him not to double over. "Leave me alone!!! What the hell do you want?!?!"

"You! I want you!" He finally says.

"No! " You shriek at him, shaking your head, quick to deny everything, closing your eyes shut. Almost as if he would just vanish if you wish hard enough. "You don't! You're lying to yourself you don't!!"

"Do you know how hard it is to tell yourself not to want something Y/N???" He boomed making you stand still. "Even though it is the constant thought that runs through your mind everyday??? I fight with myself every day, every single day, because of it, because of you!" He confessed, as you stood there shaking your head, hot tears falling from your saffron eyes.

"When you first came here I was shocked when you did not like me when every other girl here would just laugh and bat their eyes at everything I say, but you? You did not care that I was the son of the Olo'eyktan, it did not mean anything to you" He shook his head. "That was just the beginning, I could not stop thinking about you ever since, you were infuriating, and witty, and compassionate, and I hated that about you, it was only late that I realised that I was falling for you because of it"

"Ao'nung don't do this please" You plead, sobbing. "You don't want this!"

"Want what??"

"You're lying to yourself! You don't want this! You don't want me!"

"I do!" He shouts, taking your face into his hands. "I do want it!" you allow it for a second but you tear his arms away from your face, backing away. "To hell with what my mother says, she is just trying to drive us apart! That is why she insists on the fact that you are not true Na'vi, that just because you grew up around Sky People it immediately makes you one"

"But I am one!" You shout. "I am a Sky Person! My mother was a scientist who was sent to this planet with many others, but when her sister died in the Great Battle she had buried herself in her work and drank her sorrows away, she slept with scientists and pilots who treated her like shit and when she was about to give birth she was on the verge of dying so it was either her or me... and I lived" You bawled, watching him as he stood in silence.

"But I was barely allowed to step outside, I got wounds easily, I got sick quicker, then one night I had fallen into a river and cracked my skull open, they transfered me into an avatar body just like what they did to Jake. I am not Na'vi, but I am far from being a human, I have never met my mother, my father does not know I exist, and ever since that night I have been living a lie" You wept.

"It does not matter to me"

"But it should!" You fought. "Ao'nung no one in their right mind would say such things" You say. "You are delirious, insane"

"If you'd know what I went through these last few weeks you'd be right to call me that"

"We can't do this, Ao'nung" You said, shaking your head regretfully. "Come on, you saw what happened today! What do you think would happen if our parents find out we were together? If- if they knew we'd fallen hopelessly in love with one another??"

Your eyes widen. You shouldn't have told him that.

"They don't need to find out"

"What??" You exclaimed.

"Not if we left"

"Ao'nung-" You began.

"-We talked about this before yes? You asked me if I would go anywhere else in the world where would I go? And I said that I would just leave. What if we left together?"

You open your mouth to argue but nothing came out, instead you sighed in frustration. "Ao'nung we can't do that, you- your family, your sister- my siblings- you have duties to fulfill, roles to-"

"-I never wanted to be Olo'eyktan! you know this! My father and mother would not have it when I had told them-"

"You told them?" You wondered quietly.

"I did, right after you left" He answered, taking note of your expression. "We could do it. We could turn our backs on this place and never return, you could teach me how to ride an íkran and we will travel Pandora"

A faint smile cracked on your face. "It's not that simple, you know"

"We could leave tonight" He insists, making you look up at the violet tinted sky above you. "We could do it, just you and me"

You and me. Him and you.

You wanted to be selfish. And yet you denied yourself.

"We both know we can't" you shook your head. "As much as we want to leave there will always be something holding us down, have you ever been away from water too long? What would that do to you?"

"You have to leave with me" He almost begged. "I want you to leave with me"

"You don't want me, not truly" you tell him. "Look, if you had known I was not fully Na'vi would you still fall in love with me?"

"It wouldn't matter to me, it never would have, whatever you've cursed me with it made sure of that" He says through a wet laugh. "No matter how many times I told myself that you were a freak, an alien, I always kept falling back in love with you, over and over, until I stopped fighting it and allowed it"

And there it was again. That same fire, ever burning, ever encompassing, like outstretched arms encasing your heart in its amber flames.

No. You feel like you were going to hurl. You couldn't watch him like this.

You were quick to turn away. But Ao'nung was quicker than you, taking you by the hand, pulling you back to face him, he dosen't take his hands away but instead threads his fingers through yours.

"Believe me, Forest Girl" He stopped, looking at your eyes, then at your lips, then back at your eyes. "I always saw past it, I always saw you" He says. "I see you"

Your whole chest was on fire, blazing, festering, gleaming.

A smile creeps back onto your face as he wipes your cheeks clear of tears. "I see you too, you skxawng"

Then, wonders of wonders. You kissed him.

And he kissed you back.

At the back of your mind there were a hoard of firecrackers that exploded right on cue, bright, loud, euphoric, oblivion. Unabashedly, this was how you imagined it would feel like, how your lips chased at his, losing yourself in him.

Ao'nung tuned the rest of the world out, all he thought about, all he could think about, was how perfect your lips were, melded to his, he placed his hands on your waist as you placed your hands over his shoulders, he smirks as he had to lean down just to make it easier for you.

You take his face into your hands as the both of you giggled onto eachothers lips, kissing him with everything you had in you, your heartbeat thumping in your ears, the blood rushing up to your face, you felt like you were flying, screw that, it felt even better than flying.

He felt like the wind got knocked outta him, this couldn't be happening. He had his tongue down the throat of Toruk Makto's daughter- that may sound extremely unbecoming and weird but he did in fact- have his tongue down your throat.

You pulled apart first, in need of air, looking up at Ao'nung as your chest heaved.

"Looks like all those breathing lessons did have some use after all didn't they?" He smirked, you waited for a moment before you shoved him, hearing him laugh once more.

You two had just stuck around for a while, talking, laughing, kissing, even when it had started to pour, you two had just started running around in the rain, throwing mud at eachother, before you heard a horn.

You look at Ao'nung, with mud covering more than half his face and most of his body courtesy of you. "What does that mean?" You ask him.

"They are calling everyone back to the communal Marui"

You slumped subtly. "Do we have to go?"

He chuckled. "I would rather stay here and throw mud at you, you know that, but when they sound these alarms it usually means something of importance"

You sighed. "Fine"

"It is fine" He assures, walking up to you just to tower over you. "When eclipse falls, maybe... you and I could pick up where we left off?"

"I wouldn't be opposed to that" You grin up at him. "Maybe even go a little further" you suggest.

He chuckled wholly. "I guess we'll see"

"Bring some food, lay down a blanket, light a fire, tell some stories..."

He snorts. "That sounds good too, Forest Girl"

You couldn't help but laugh at him. "Don't worry, maybe we can do that too" you say, giving him a suggestive little grin.

He stares at you, appalled, before chuckling. "Don't sound so eager, not when you don't know what I have in store for you"

"Care to give me a hint?"

He hummed, leaning down a little. "I'll let your mind do it for me"

You roll your eyes mockingly, watching him walk past you as your cheeks grew warmer.

You two had washed up by the rocks that had running water pouring down all the way from the top, yet still not quite a waterfall even though how many times you told Ao'nung it was.

When you returned to the village, neither of you thought of letting the other go first to make sure that you didn't arrive at the same time, everyone from the village was there. You and Ao'nung had to squeeze yourself in between them just to get to the middle where you found your families, ultimately sperating you.

Lo'ak places an arm on your shoulder which spooked you. "Baby sis"

"Bro what the hell is happenning??' You wonder, frowning at him before you turn your attention to your father, holding a tracking device in his hands.

"They're here, baby sis" He says. "The Sky People, They've killed Tulkun, they've burned other villages down just a few clicks away from here"

Your face paled. "No-" you shook your head.

"You tell the Tulkun, that if they're hit by one of these they're marked for death" Jake declares to the assemblage, all the furious Metkayina who couldn't grasp the fact that he was going against their ways. "Call for me, I'll silence it. Saving their lives, that's all that matters! Saving your family! "

Tonowari stepped closer to him, looking at his people. "Tell the Tulkun"

And with that all of the villagers dispersed, most of them had started diving into the water, rushing to tell their Tulkun, the rest were getting ready for the inevitable battle that was about to come. You see Neteyam walking past you, realizing he was chasing after Lo'ak ; you were about to follow them when Ao'nung comes up to you.

"Y/N-"

"-Go warn Aiali'i, make sure he dosen't get caught up in this mess, the Sky People are ruthless, they'll stop at nothing, even if it means to harm the great balance just to get what they want-"

"Okay" He nods, taking your words into account.

"You gotta come back to me alright?" You say, almost threatening him. "You still gotta take me out on that date"

He laughed. "What is a date?"

"You know, when a guy and a girl go out, it's just the two of them and they eat and have fun and they kiss a lot... sometimes a little more than kiss"

"Ahh, I see" He hummed, nodding as he understood. "...Will we be the second option?"

As much as you wanted to giggle at that your face remained absolute. "Promise me"

"I promise you, Y/N"

"Ao'nung!" Both you and Ao'nung turn to where the voice was coming from to see Tsireya and Rotxo atop their ilus. "Come on!"

He turns to you. "I will come back, trust me"

"Okay"

You place a kiss on his lips before you turn around, running away. Ao'nung calls for his ilu and dives into the water, joining Rotxo and his sister.

"Rotxo, you owe me a week's worth of fruit" Tsireya grinned.

"I can't believe this is happenning to me" Rotxo says, shaking his head in dissapointment.

Ao'nung rolls his eyes.

When you find your brothers you seem to have caught them in another fight.

"I'm not you! Okay? I'm not you! " You hear Lo'ak shout. "He's my brother! I'm going!"

"Oh he's your brother?" Neteyam asks, turning Lo'ak around. "No, I'm your brother" He explained, pointing at his chest.

"Lo'ak quit being such an ass, for the love of Eywa" you say, announcing your arrival.

He lets out a disgruntled hiss. "Look i'm going, Y/N, wether you two like it or not"

He dives into the water, making you groan in frustration and follow him too. Hinewai swimming up to you, allowing you to grab onto her neck already knowing she has to follow your brother.

You spot Kiri and Tuk on an ilu. "He's going to warn Payakan! Come on!" You urge, before plunging into the water once more.

You had chased him through a maze of aquatic fauna, dodging leaves and stems, determined to catch up to him. You surface and you see him waving at Payakan who had breached as well.

"LO'AK! COME BACK!" You bellow, just as Payakan swam closer to him.

When you see him hop onto Payakan's back, running around like a frazzled monkey, it hit you. There he was, pulling onto a tracker for dear life.

You sever your and Hinewai's bond and dive into the water, pulling yourself up on Payakan's fin and running up to Lo'ak. "Did you seriously think you can pull that off by yourself?" You ask him, raising an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. "You won an arm-wrestling match against me once!"

You snicker. "Eywa, don't be so bitter about it"

"Once" He widened his eyes.

You nod at the other side of the tracker. "Come on! Jimmy it out!"

Lo'ak and you wrap your fingers around the cold metal of the tracking device, tugging at it with all your might, you look up, and you see one of the ships approaching.

"Fuck!" You shout, making Lo'ak look up.

"Lo'ak! Y/N!"

You turn to see Neteyam flinging himself on the back of Payakan like he would an angtsík. "Come on bro help us out!"

Neteyam helps Ao'nung on, who immediately takes his spot next to you. "Hey"

You nod. "Hey"

You see Tsireya hop on, followed by Rotxo. "Hurry!"

Neteyam takes your shoulder, making you face him. "Call it in! Call it in!"

"What???" You shriek incredulously.

"Just do it! Call Dad now! Go!"

Tsireya takes your spot as you move away, pressing your throat comm, landing on the chanel you and your siblings used to contact your dad. "Dad-! I mean- Devil Dog! D'you read me??"

A moment passes by, you press it again. "This is Firecracker do you copy?? Devil Dog do you copy??"

Undeniable relief washed over you when you hear static on the other end. "I read you Firecracker 5 by 5!"

"We're with a Tulkun that's under attack, gunships inbound, it's- it's about two clicks out" You manage, just as everybody behind you started arguing over who wasn't pulling hard enough.

"Who's with you??"

"It's all of us! Ao'nung, Tsireya, and Rotxo too! We're at Three Brother's Rocks!"

Static. "Get to cover. Do not engage alright?? Do not engage! We're coming!"

The line goes silent before you could reply.

"Tie it off! Tie it off!"

"You skxawng what kind of knot is that???"

"Oh move over!"

Lo'ak and Ao'nung's bickering brought you back to the task at hand, you blinked, and it seemed like the ship somehow was just a mile away.

"It's getting closer!" Tsireya wailed.

"Come on! Pull!" Rotxo shouts.

Neteyam ties the end of the rope on his ilu, you dive into the water, tying the excess rope around Hinewai's body and Lo'ak gives you the signal to pull.

So you pull, it seemed almost unviable at first with 6 teenagers and 2 ilus, but you somehow managed to pull it out, sending Lo'ak, Tsireya, Rotxo, and Ao'nung into the water.

"Get out of here!"

"Y/N, give me that" Neteyam ordered, pointing at the pinger in your hand.

"There's no way in hell Neteyam"

"It will be fine!" He assured you. "They are coming- there is no time!"

You give him an infuriated hiss, almost a grunt, before you toss the pinger towards him.

"Go!" Neteyam shouts at the others.

"We'll draw them off, just go!" You say to them. Your eyes meet Ao'nung's, he gives you a knowing look before he dives under the water with Rotxo and Kiri.

"Okay!" Lo'ak replies.

You and Neteyam set off, feeling like torpedoes underneath the water as Hinewai propelled you around the coral and the marine life. Not even 5 minutes later a cannon sets off in the water, disorienting your ilus, Neteyam drops the pinger as his ilu jolts in fear to which you grab.

"I have a plan" you signed under the water.

"No, no plan" He signed back.

You rolled your eyes. "Just let me do this, big brother"

"Fine" He signed half-heartedly.

You set off once more, opposite to where Neteyam was going. Hinewai swims fast, faster than you've ever seen her swim before, another cannon drops and explodes, Hinewai yelps in pain but you tell her to keep going. Only when it started raining cannons was when you were forced to drop the pinger and set out to find your siblings.

You take cover behind coral reefs, making sure you were still hidden when you spot subs in the water, all moving to a consecutive direction. You try and beat them there, knowing that if you followed them then you'd have a good chance of getting to your siblings before they did. Swimming through a forest of aquatic fauna, you tried your best to steer clear of any rays of light, sticking close to the ground until you bump into Tsireya, which spooked her and her ilu.

A loud mechanical whining came from behind you, both you and Tsireya turn around to see a sub coming straight at you, and you two zoomed away. Trying to lose them through the labyrinth of stems, as gigantous leaves constantly slammed you in the face.

"Go the other way!" You signed rapidly. You see her nod and you go your own directions.

Luckily the sub chose to pursue you instead of her, Hinewai made hard rights, hard lefts, almost causing you to fall off. Just then, another sub appears in front of you, blinding you with its stark white light, you don't turn away when it comes straight at you. Even Hinewai was about to bail you assured her to trust you.

Only at the last second did you maneuver her upwards, sending the two subs crashing into eachother, glass and metal flying everywhere, water gushing in their machines forcing them to flee.

You couldn't help but grin as Hinewai swam away.

Only when you spot Lo'ak swimming towards an airbell was when you disconnect your queue from Hinewai and follow him in, taking in a huge intake of air as him and Tuk screamed in fear.

"Jesus!" You exclaimed. "Are you guys okay??"

"Yeah, we are" Lo'ak answered.

"Where's Neteyam??" Tuk wonders.

"I lost him a while ago, we were trying to get the ships off your back, we ditched the pinger a couple miles that way"

Just then, Tsireya appears beside you, and before you were going to ask her if she was alright or not, the expression on her face says it all. "They're coming!"

"Okay, deep breath" you instruct Tuk as all of you dove back in the water. Swimming out of the airbell and away from a sub when another of their machines popped up in front of you, causing you to swim the other way, it was useless without your ilus and you were right. A net traps you, Tsireya, and Tuk. As they try and wriggle out, you fumble with your dagger trying to cut all of you free, and you succeed, you manage to rip a big enough hole open and slide out.

"Tuk come on!" You shout, holding out for her hand before a goddamn íkran dives into the water and grabs the net with its claws, pulling all of you out of the water making you slip. Everybody screams in fear as Lo'ak tries to hold on to you. But he couldn't keep you on and cut the others free at the same time.

"Lo'ak let go!"

"No! Just hang on! Please!"

The íkran dropped the net onto the ship's deck, all of you scrambled to your feet. You throw your dagger past one of the avatars in camo, you manage to slice her forearm open as you pull your biggest dagger out, your ceremonial dagger, swinging it at anyone who dared to come close.

"You little cunt!" The recombinant who you injured hissed, her blood splattering onto the floor. Her expression the last thing you saw before you were forced on your knees and onto the ground.

"Drop your weapon!"

"Get fucked!" You shout, before a large combat boot stepped on your hand, forcing you to let go of your dagger.

"Stop it! Stop! don't hurt them!" You turn your head, and amongst the legs that blocked your vision you see Spider getting held back by a few other humans.

"Y/N!" He exclaimed. "Let her go! That's my sister you fuckers! Let her go!"

"Yeah right" One of them sneered.

"Spider!" You shout in relief.

"Y/N! it's gunna be okay!"

The avatar riding the íkran that plucked you out of the water hopped off his banshee and pointed a finger at Spider. "Get back to the bridge, keep him there!"

Once he turns his focus towards you and your brother ; you hiss at him, bearing your fangs.

"Yeah, I remember you two" He chides, his focus bouncing from you to Lo'ak. "Cuff 'em to the rails, all of 'em!"

You were forced to stand up, you fought back as you were pulled towards the rails of the ship.

"On the ground, come on" The recom behind you says, oddly calm. When you would not submit he kicked the back of your knees, causing you to fall down. When he binds your wrists you reach out to bite his forearm, the recom laughs, as do the others around him.

"Feisty this one" He laughed.

"Told you they bite"

Up ahead, you see about a dozen, no, more than a dozen skimwings round the corner of a boulder. "Na'vi inbound! Spread out!"

"Dad!" Tuk cried.

Quaritch, you asssume, Spider's father who had come back as a recom, tore Lo'ak's throat com off his neck, making him hiss. They do the same to you, making you watch as the recom guarding you dangles it in front of your face before keeping it inside his pocket.

"Jake, tell your friends to stand down, you want your kids back? You come out alone" He spoke. "You know better than to test my resolve"

Just then, you feel the cold metal of a gun against the back of your head, making you flinch and hiss in both fear and anger, your breathing became ragged, you try and shake the gun away but the recom behind you just jabs it deeper into your head.

You knew your dad could see everything.

"I took you under my wing Jake, you betrayed me, you killed your own, good men, good women. I will not hesitate to execute your kids"

A moment passes by, your knees were starting to ache, the gun felt like it was about to go off any second now, like if you were to speak up it would blow your brains out.

"Offer's fixing to expire, what's it gunna be?"

You see a lone skimwing breaking off from the group, the rider, his skin was shades darker than any of the ones he left behind him.

"Easy shot"

Quatitch sets the gun down. "You hit him now they attack"

Suddenly, Payakan shoots out from the water, landing onto the ship, taking down several men. There were a few foolish enough to shoot at a Tulkun, it was almost like child's play to him, dragging his flippers across the deck, sending humans flying into the water, smacking them to death with his fins. He deflects a bomb, causing it to bounce back on the ship and explode. Now that the recoms were occupied with trying to kill the incoming Na'vi, they pretty much left you alone.

You spot your dagger, still lying on the ground in between the chaos, if you just managed to grab it with your tail...

The ship had started moving beneath you before you could even make a move, colliding with a rock formation making everything on the boat to fly, including you, your siblings, and Tsireya. Your dagger slides closer to you but you were too late, it slides past the cracks of the grills, falling into the water.

So you start pulling at the cuffs, knowing it wouldn't work but you would have preferred to die trying.

You watch as two ilus leap out of the water, their riders landing on the boat.

"Neteyam!" Tuk squealed.

"Need some help?" He asks running up to Tuk to cut her cuffs off. You turn to your right to see Ao'nung cutting Tsireya free, telling her to leave, he moves onto you and a grin comes to your face.

"I leave you alone for 30 minutes and this is what happens?" He wonders, digging the knife across the thick cloth.

"I like to keep life interesting, what can I say?" You quipped.

He laughed through his nose, cutting you free.

"Come on, let's go" Neteyam urges. You watch Lo'ak take a gun off the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" He dosen't answer you. "Lo'ak we gotta go!"

"Spider's still on the ship" He reminds you.

Spider was still on the ship.

"Shit" you groan, you turn to Neteyam. "We gotta go back for him"

Neteyam scratches the side of his head. "Y/N..."

"Neteyam please, he's my brother" You asked. "He'd do the same thing if any of us were in trouble"

He knew you were right. He looks at Lo'ak, nodding. "Let's go"

You run up to Ao'nung who had his spear at the ready. "I'm not asking you to come with us, you don't know him, it isn't your fight"

"No way I'm letting you go again"

"I think I can handle myself" You state.

"Yes, clearly" He says, motioning at the shitshow that was behind you.

"Y/N let's go!" You turn around, looking at Neteyam and Lo'ak about to enter the hull of the ship.

You turn back around to face Ao'nung but he plants a kiss on your lips, a few seconds shorter than what you preferred.

"There, now we are even"

You try and bite down a smile. "Go!"

With that he leaves.

You turn around to face your siblings, picking up an assault rifle from the floor, tossing the empty magazine out and replacing it with a new one.

"On my six" You say, leading the group into the ship.

"When did-" Neteyam whispers to Lo'ak.

"-I wish I knew" He shrugged.

You had ran up and down the ship in search of Spider, scaling the pipes bolted to the ceiling when Neteyam spotted him being escorted out of the ship with a bunch of humans. All 3 of you drop to one of the platforms, waiting for the right moment to ambush them, leaping down the steps. Neteyam first, taking two down with his dagger, next Lo'ak with one of their guns. Spider landing punches left and right, smashing their oxygen masks and flinging them across the ship. One of the humans managed to knock the rifle out of your hands, resorting you to fight with your fists, ripping off their oxygen masks too, and at the last second scrambling to get your hands on the rifle as one of the humans pointed his gun at Lo'ak's head.

Two shots, one to the neck, one to the chest.

He drops to the ground with a thud, you stare at his body, gagging on his own blood, convulsing like he had been electrocuted, until he stopped.

"Baby sis let's go" says Neteyam.

"Y/N, come on" says Lo'ak, taking your hand, leading you out of there.

"Thanks guys" Spider says as all of you run to leave the ship. Lo'ak's ears perk up as he looks toward the distance, you turn your head and you see a couple of recoms pulling their guns out. Lo'ak and you do the same, aiming your guns at them but Neteyam snaps at you to take cover as bullets start raining down.

All 4 of you hide behind a wall, Neteyam shouting at Lo'ak to give him the gun, he starts firing at them as well, empty shells flying everywhere. "Go! Go!" He yelled over the gunfire.

"Come on! This way!" Said Spider, hopping over the rails and into the water, followed by Lo'ak. Neteyam half expected you to follow them but when you started shooting at the recoms as they were reloading he pulls you aside.

"What do you think you're doing??? Go! I've got this!"

"And let you take all the glory? Sure" you reply, ejecting the empty magazine to load one back in, he shakes his head and chuckles before you started firing at them, taking cover when bullets started bouncing off the wall.

You urge Neteyam to go, he hesitates before he leaps over the rails, you start hitting them with everything you could before you abandon the gun and follow Neteyam down, falling rather awkwardly as you feel the side of your stomach start to ache. When you hit the water, flames engulf your body as you struggled up to the surface, trying to catch your breath, only for the bitter stinging to keep you from breathing properly.

"That was insane cuz!" Lo'ak cajoled, high-fiving with Spider.

Tsireya and Ao'nung arrive on their ilus, urging you to hop on. Lo'ak and Spider swim towards them, even you who managed to ignore the growing pain from your torso.

"Come on bro!" Lo'ak says, he and Soider stopped swimming as they looked behind you. You do the same, seeing Neteyam wince and groan, a hand placed on his shoulderblade. You make your way towards him, struggling to keep him upright when you yourself couldn't float properly.

"Bro are- are you okay?"

He spits out salt water from his mouth as he bobbed up and down. "Baby sis I'm- I'm shot"

"Shit!" Lo'ak exclaimed as his face visibly paled.

He and Spider start paddling towards you and Neteyam, it was a joint effort in order to keep your oldest brother from not drowning, they guide him towards Tsireya's ilu, hauling him up and speeding away, leaving you and Ao'nung as he tried to heave you onto his ilu. His eyes widened as he saw your chest, gleaming red.

"You're- you're bleeding" He stammered.

"This- this blood isn't mine, J-just follow them" you managed, trying to keep your wound hidden from him. When the ilu starts to move you feel a surge of nausea wash over you like a tidal wave, you struggle to hold onto his waist as your grip threatened to loosen. Black spots ate away at your vision but you blink at a rapid speed, trying to get rid of them.

Your eyes widen at the feeling of your blood seep past your fingers and drip down onto the ilu's back. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Keep him up!" You raise your head from Ao'nung's shoulder blade, hearing Lo'ak's cries of distress amongst the fuzziness and the long line of crescendo buzzing in your ears.

"Watch his wound! Watch his wound!" That sounded like your dad, you blinked again and you see all of them on the rock before you, huddled around Neteyam as Lo'ak applied pressure to his wound.

A/N: im sorry about this (then again not really) put your volume up by 4 clicks!

The ilu stops moving, Ao'nung was first to get off and he offers out a hand for you to take like he always did. You take it with your free hand and he pulls you up too quickly, suddenly the world spins off its axis, blinding pain shoots out from your wound as it stretches and widens, your knees buckled and you fall into him.

He staggers back in shock, helping you back onto your feet. His eyes widen as he gets a good look at you, moving your hair away from your eyes, cupping eitherside of your face. "You're shaking Y/N"

You managed to shake your head at him, feeling your teeth chatter. " 'M fine, 'm fine " you mumbled.

Ao'nung should have never let you walk into that ship without him, he knows that now... now that he sees the lower back of his ilu coated with fresh crimson. No.

"No, no, no" He exclaimed eyes wide, and there it was, a shivering hand tightly clasped over a dark red rupture in your stomach. He tried to take your hand away from where it had covered your wound but you would not let him. "Y/N, come on! Let me see it!"

You shook your head, feeling hot streams of tears flow down your face. "Mm-mm" you shook your head. "No" you say.

You were too weak to fight him, he managed to pry your fingers away from your bullet wound, you were bleeding out too fast, the wound had been too deep.

All of a sudden, you sink to the floor, taking Ao'nung with you. "No, no, no, Eywa please" He pleads, choking back on a sob as he struggled to pull you up with him. "Please no, no, not you, not you" He cried, eyes going glossy.

"I can't- I can't stand" you say, before you start coughing and wheezing as he holds onto your hand. "'Nung, 'Nung, don't- don't go, d-don't leave"

"I won't, I won't" He tells you, placing a bloodied hand over your face. "I promised you that remember??"

"What the hell is going on here??? " That was your dad again. It only took him long enough for him to realize you were bleeding your guts out.

Ao'nung was absolutely petrified. "Toruk Makto please- please! she is bleeding out, I don't- I don't know what-"

Your dad scoops you up into his arms, bringing you towards even ground. "D-Dad" You choked, before you dissolve into a coughing fit once more, wincing and crying as it only made you bleed out more. "Dad- D-Dad"

"Shhh, no, no, no, you gotta stay with me baby" setting you down on the rock. Ao'nung almost scrapes his knees, dropping to the ground to hold your hand.

"Fuck" You hear Lo'ak breathe as he and the others crowd you, even Neteyam whose shoulder was coated in his own blood struggled to get close to you.

"We gotta move your hand away from your stomach" Your Dad says, trying to take your hand away from your wound but you wouldn't budge, you didn't want him to see how bad it was. "No!" You exclaimed, before doubling over in pain, your breathing reduced to uneven catch-breaths, hacking your lungs out as it struggled to allow air in, some invisible plug clogging your airways. You couldn't breathe.

"Come on honey, come on, get your hand out of the way please" He practically begged, before you allowed him to take your hand off. You look at his face when he sees your wound. You see his face after he turns you over to see if the bullet went through you or not. It did.

You sniffed back your tears, coughing. "I- I don't- I don't w-wanna die" You sob.

Your dad shook his head. "You're not gunna die, you're not gunna die, just- just hang on! "

The familiar squawk of your mother's íkran was heard. You hear a pitter patter of steps and your mother appears in your line of sight, blurry and beautiful. She wedges herself in between Neteyam and Tsireya, was she shocked? furious? you couldn't really tell.

"I gotta put pressure on it okay?" Your Dad informs you, before two strong hands push down on your wound, you shoot up from your spot, wheezing and whimpering as you tried your best to get his hands away, clawing at his arms, anything to stop him. "I know honey, I know! I know! I know it hurts!"

You choke on your own spit, wheezing in pure agony as he guided you back down on the floor. "I- I- I don't wanna d-die, Da-Dad, pl-please" you rasped, blinking back tears, feeling the weight of the world on your chest, you wanted to stand up, you wanted to go, you wanted to leave, just go anywhere, you didn't wanna die here, not here. "I don't- I don't- wanna die y-yet"

"You won't honey, you won't-!"

"Da-Dad i'm-i'm sorry, i'm- s-sorry" You gasped. "Don't- don't be ma-mad, do-don't hate me"

"I'm not mad, I'm not mad, you don't have to be sorry for anything Litebrite" He shook his head, you look at everybody around you, Lo'ak, Neteyam, your Mother, Tsireya, Spider, Ao'nung, they were all crying for you. "Dad isn't mad- he isn't mad at you, okay? Dad can never hate you"

A tear falls down your cheek. "Da- Dad i'm- i'm tired Dad"

You see him lunge closer to you. "No, no, no, you gotta fight this honey, you're strong! you're strong! You're my strong little lady remember? Remember that? "

"I want to go home" You winced, looking up at the sky as eclipse was starting to fall on you.

"Okay, Okay, we're going" He assured you, Lo'ak and Neteyam nodding in agreement. "We're going right now"

You felt heavy. It was just too immense, too much to carry, you couldn't do it all. You were just a little kid. As your heartbeat slowed down, so did the world, your mind quieted. You look back at your father, a million apologies, a million words you yearned to tell him before the clock stopped ticking, so you opened your mouth, one last thing, you thought, one last thing.

"Dad," you began. "Dad I-"

And then you were still.

They stand and watch the exact moment the words die on your pale lips, your amber eyes dilate and move to the sky, taking your last breath, a shudder, and your heart silenced forever.

"Y/N" Your mother whispered, your name barely rolling off her lips. "No... no, no, no" She says like some broken record. "No! No! Y/N! Y/N! No!" Jake has to hold her back as she wailed your name, over and over, as if it was some incantation to bring you back. She cradles your lifeless body in her arms, all limp, all cold, all quiet. "Oh Great Mother no! Great Mother please! No!"

"Baby sis... come on" Lo'ak urged you, when once before he called out to you, you would run after him and nag his ear off to not pull whatever stunt he was about to do, but now, you weren't moving for him at all. He looks at his hands, drenched in your blood, just like that night by the river, one where he had thought he lost you forever. But no. It was just some sick practice run. Now he knows there was no fighting chance for you to wake up, to come back, not like before. Where he had hoped and prayed for Eywa to answer his prayers, to bring you back. She had listened to him once before but he fears that his pleas were nothing but an incoherent string of words to her now.

Netayam couldn't believe it. If he had just let you go down the rails first this wouldn't have happened. You would have walked away with a gnarly bullet wound on your shoulder, yes, but it was better than having to die from one. You needed to tell your children how you had gotten it, why you had gotten it, you needed to grow old, and die in your bed, not here, not now, not when you were a million miles away from home, from the forest. He failed you again. His mind was flooded with should haves, and could haves, and would haves, that was the worst part, he was pitting the blame on himself, something he always did, something you could never get him to move past. His baby sister once full of mischief and selflessness, gone.

Spider didn't even feel the tears falling down his face until it had pooled under his chin. You two were orphans of the war, you had no one, while also having eachother, it was the irony of it all that kept you two tethered for life. Life. The only border it couldn't cross. Not when you had moved to Awa'atlu with the Sully's, not when he had been held captive by the recoms, but when you had finally died, died like his parents, his human parents, like your mother, possibly your father. He looked up at the sky, at the stars, just like you two would do when you were sick, when you were suffering, lying down on your bouncy mattress in the dark, talking about the most nonsensical things while laughing your little heads off, he swears he could feel it again, how it felt to be in that dark room with just the stars and eachother.

Ao'nung. Oh Ao'nung. That poor little boy who had grown up believing he was going to become a fearless Olo'eyktan one day just like his father, beloved by all, seen by all. For he would be the one who would bind all of the islands together and lead them to a greater triumph, a thousand islands, a stronger nation, a village, a people. But he was wrong, he wanted to be Tsahík, he wanted to heal the sick, to cure the ailing, he has seen how his mother does it, and he wanted to be like her when he was big enough, he wanted to know what rush it would feel once his people come to him, saying they were healed, that they were okay, that he helped them be better.

He had grown up believing that he would fall in love with a pretty Metkayina girl, meek and graceful and refined, with teal skin, curly ebony locks, and aquamarine eyes he would get lost in.

But no. He had to go and fall for a raging wildfire that was you, impetuous, brash, loud, with blazing gold eyes that dare bested the rising sun, braided locks, and deep azure skin, the one that made fun of him, that cussed at him, that pulled a knife to his neck. He never understood why. He never will. Not even when he gets older. Not even when the ends of his eyes start to wrinkle. He never would.

After saving your sisters, you were laid to rest the following night.

Neteyam had given you his rider's mask, remembering when you were younger, when you longed for one even if you had no íkran to tame, it seemed so foolish at the time. Lo'ak gave you his feathered arm band, it was one of the first things you had given him when you started to learn how to weave properly, it wasn't the best work you've done, you were always so shit at weaving but he still kept wearing it. Kiri gave you the friendship bracelet you and her made one stormy night, she had kept yours and given you hers. Tuk gave you her favorite Toruk toy, the toy that had been passed down from one Sully child to another, since you had joined the family so late she figured it was time for your turn.

You were buried with the necklace Ao'nung had given to you. It was the only item of yours they had kept on you.

Ao'nung did not have much of a say when it came to burying you with your belongings like Neteyam did.

Neteyam fought for you to be buried along with that necklace, knowing he was the one that interrupted that moment with you and Ao'nung on the beach.

When it had been time to visit you, Jake took Neytiri's hand in his as they connected their queues to the glowing lilac venules of the Metkayina's Spirit Tree.

Jake flutters his eyes open again. He takes in the distinct amount of trees looming over him, the bioluminescence of the moss underneath his feet lighting up his way into the forest. He was back in the forest.

He notices he was armed with an AK-47, the orange flames coming from the torches of the Omaticayans on direhorses blazing past the gaps of the trees, there was chaos, a scattered chorus of galloping causing the ground to shake. But he dosen't see you.

Where were you?

"Y/N? Y/N?" He calls out, whipping his head around.

No answer.

"Y/N?? WHERE ARE YOU??" He tried again, beginning to walk through the forest, his pace rapidly picking up as he pushes past leaves, past shrubs, he rounds boulders and he still cannot find you. "COME ON Y/N MAKE A NOISE FOR ME, WHERE ARE YOU??"

He was running now. And he remembers, you haven't been seen since this afternoon, Neteyam and Lo'ak had been busy training with the hunting party, Kiri and Tuk were with Mo'at all day, he thought you had been with them, they thought you had been with him.

You've been gone for 6 hours.

He was dizzy, like the world was about to turn on its side and he would lose his balance. "Y/N?? Y/N?? COME ON- Y/N?? I CAN'T SEE YOU BABY WHERE ARE YOU?? JUST COME OUT PLEASE?!?" The forest was just fleeting swipes of colors to him now, branches were scraping against his azure skin, drawing blood.

He hears the subtle crying first, he searches high and low, his heartbeat threatened to leap out of his chest baring his bones and he sees you on the ground, shrouded by the extended leaves, covered by the boulders, shielding you away. Like you had been hiding from something, or was it someone?

He gets low, slinking past the fauna to get to you, he reaches out for your shoulder gently and the sudden contact with his skin makes you scream and leap away.

"It's just me baby, it's just me!" he assures, holding up his palms as the forest stands and watches as if a bomb had been set off, your wails bouncing against the tree trunks. "I'm not here to hurt you, baby- it's just me! see? Just me" you heard him tell you, his arms outstretched, beckoning you to walk towards him.

You try and form a sentence, you did, even if all that left your mouth were a muddled set of murmurs you ran straight into him, dropping to your knees as he embraces you and you let yourself dissolve in an irrational wailing mess. Snot and rears running down your face as you linked your sinewy arms around his neck and refused to let go.

Jake adjusts his position so you were sitting on his lap. "You've been gone for 6 hours- 6! I come back with your mother to find out your grandmother hasn't seen you all afternoon?? What the hell were you thinking??? Running off into the forest?? Do you know dangerous it is out here??? And you decide to stay out here till eclipse??? Do you have a goddamn death wish or something kid??" His voice cracked in anger as he yells at you in fear and relief.

You pull away to face him. "I'm sorry! I'm so-sorry! I was- I was following the woodsp-sprites and I didn't kno-know how to get b-back, I tried u-using the tricks you taught me but it g-got dark, and I heard the- the viperwolves ho-howling-"

Jake's beady amber eyes widened. He grabs your face with his large hands. "Did they catch you??? Did you get hurt???"

You shook your head, your tears falling down to his lap. "They didn't see me"

"They coulda smelled you all the same," He insists. "You were too lucky to have dodged a viperwolf attack, you know how fast those suckers are? no, not yet, But you could've."

"I know" You sobbed, your shoulders jerking up at odd intervals as you hiccuped. Keeping your eyes down. "But I just wanted to show you I could do it"

He frowns softly. "Do what??"

You finally look up at him. "Be a proper Avatar! An Avatar that can run fast and climb fast and jump far," You ejaculated. "I heard stories from Uncle Norm and Uncle Max about when you were still new to your Avatar body, how even if you kept falling off your ass you still kept on going, how you were chosen by Eywa, how you became one of the people and then you became Toruk Makto, and I just- I just wanted to be like you!" You finally shout.

Jake dosen't notice the tears that had been falling out his eyes and down to the apples of his cheeks.

He blinks, and suddenly you were older, defined face, longer limbs. "I- I couldn't help it! All the stories made me feel like I'll never be as good as you, the way that they think I'll become as great as you one day?? I figured if I worked hard enough and I trained hard enough then maybe it'll mean something! And I see it in your eyes everyday that sometimes you wish I could have done more, that I could have been good at archery like Neteyam is or how good at flying Lo'ak is or how skilled Kiri is with healing??"

You grit your teeth, frowning as the tears would not stop coming down. "Everyday I break my back trying to live up to you because I just want you to be-" You stop yourself and hesitate. "I just wanted you to be proud!"

You stop, catching your breath. "I just want you to be proud of me Dad! "

Jake swallows hard and places a hand on your shoulder. "Kid I've always been proud of you, alright?" He manages before another hot tear escapes his eye, realizing now was his time to set things right between you and him. "And- and I know I barely show it, that was on me, It was my fault for not letting you know it sooner, but never in a single second of my life had I not been so proud of the person you grew up to be ; I was too scared to let you know it because I thought it wasn't what you all needed. That if I went all tight with the five of you then maybe I'd choke out the recklessness out of you kids but I was wrong, especially with you"

You were startled.

"I spent my whole life hating my father for not being there to listen to me properly only to turn into the very man I never wanted to become. It was like fighting fire with fire, all this time I had thought it had been working but I was just pushing you farther away from me, I never wanted that"

"-but I'm right here," You tell him in a small voice, grabbing his hand, it was so much smaller compared to his, you were little again."I'm right here"

"I know Litebrite" He chuckles, his shoulders jerking up and down. "I've let you down, I'm sorry"

You swallow the ball that was forming in your throat as you wipe your eyes dry.

"None of this woulda happen if I had just listened to you more, if I had just been there, if I was just better at being a father than a squad leader maybe if I did then- then maybe everything coulda been different"

"Maybe" You shrugged, sniffing.

He points at his chest using the hand you had weaved your fingers through. "The blame's on me honey, this is my fault so just blame me"

You shook your head, teardrops falling onto your lap. "I don't wanna keep blaming you anymore Dad"

And you fit so perfect in his arms as you reached in to embrace him, he did the same, squeezing your tiny frame as he planted kisses on your hair, rubbing his hand on your back.

He remembers why this was how you came to him, why this was the memory Eywa had chosen for him to relive again. It was the first time you had called him Dad.

You hiccuped, wiping your eyes dry with the back of your hands. "I'm sorry Dad"

"You don't got anything to be sorry for kiddo"

You pull away from him once more. "But the Viperwolves-"

"You don't gotta worry about them, I'm here now, alright? I'm right here, I'll keep you safe" He says to you, pulling your hands away to dry your face himself.

"I wanna go home now" You tell him. "Can we go home?"

He couldn't help but let out a wet chuckle, ducking his head as his chest panged with unfathomable pain. "Okay, let's go home"

And so he stands up with you in his arms as he brings you out of the darkness. "So you were out here for the entire afternoon and not a single Viperwolf laid it's claws on you?"

"Uh-huh"

"Must've been scared of you"

You perk up instantly. "You think so?"

He nods. "I know so kid, wouldn't expect anything else from my strong little lady"

You give him a shrewd smile before dissolving into breathy giggles. "I'm your strong little lady Dad?"

"Uh-huh, cuz you've got a strong heart like me and your mom, nothing gets past us"

"If I've got a strong heart then... then I won't be able to die!" You say, lighting up. "Ha! I'm going to live forever!"

He stops walking and gives you a look only to be met by a pair of innocent amber eyes glimmering in the darkness. He forces himself to nod. "You won't die for a long time honey, because Na'vi? They live up to 180"

"180??? No way!"

"Yes way" Jake countered.

"You think i'll live that long Dad?"

He gives you a smile as he senses Neytiri creep up on the both of you, donning a bittersweet smile with glassy eyes. "Course you will, Litebrite" He replies, swallowing the ball that had somehow lodged itself in his windpipe, your eyes like a beacon light in the otherwise dim forest, big and full of wonder, the promise that there will always be light to pull him out of the darkness that dared swallow him whole, your smile alone being able to light the way. His little Litebrite.

"Cool"

a/n: [taps into mic] slipping through my fingers all the time, I try to capture every minute, the feeling in it, slipping through my fingers all the time, do I really see what's in her mind, each time I think I'm close to knowing she keeps on growing, slipping through my fingers all the time...

so I guess that's that, thanks for coming along with me on this wild, depressive, frustrating, sappy, confusing, ride. I had so much fun writing this series for real, not really sure if I'm gunna be writing any more series in the time being but we'll see, til then, make sure to drink a lot of water and take care, mwa :)) 🪼🫧🪸

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irayoeywa · 2 years ago

Text

the name game ✧

part four.

neteyam sully x fem!omatikaya!reader

warnings/notes - utumauti is the na'vi name for banana fruit, lowercase intended, characters are speaking na'vi unless stated otherwise. gif is not mine, divider creds to shifterium.

na'vi words used (with translations) - vitraya ramunong - tree of souls utumauti - a na'vi fruit ikran - mountain banshee marui - a woven canopy-like structure made for living in

< part three part five >

series masterlist main masterlist

vitraya ramunong, the tree of souls, is a very sacred place for the omatikaya people. it was one of the sites targeted by the RDA but fortunately was kept safe after the na'vi defended it with their lives against the sky people.

today, the omatikaya people left the hallelujah mountains to gather at the tree of souls for a day of songs and prayer. there was also a new birth within the clan so it was time for the child's first communion with eywa.

you were currently seated with your family, patiently waiting for the festivities to start. nanti was seated on your left and the spot on your right was empty at the moment because tuseya was too busy chasing ri'an around. next to tuseya was your mother while ri'ans spot was next to your father.

"ri'an! tuseya!" your mother exclaimed, berating your siblings who were still messing around and chasing after one another. they halted at your mothers words and immediately sat down. ri’an sitting next to your father and tuseya taking a seat next to you. for a moment, the only sounds coming from your family was your parents talking to each other until tuseya said something that immediately peeked your interest.

"he's so cute." she gushed from beside you. your head turned to see her with her head resting on her palms, staring at someone with a small smile and eyes full of admiration.

"who?" you asked, trying to follow her line of sight. your eyes landed on the sully family. they were standing in the front which made sense. jake and neytiri were at the root of the tree with the tsahìk and the parents of the newly born child. the kids of the family were standing at the front of the crowd. since the event hadn't started, they were still standing most like other people.

"lo'ak.” she confirmed. your eyes finally landed on the known troublemaker, lo'ak sully. at the moment he was talking to spider and kiri.

"he'll never like you tuseya, give it up." the younger girl next to you sucked her teeth, "ri'an shut up!'

"make me.”

tuseya jumped up to go after him but both of your parents started yelling at them. you laughed and shook your head. you faced the front once again and your eyes landed on the same family. but this time your attention was on neteyam.

he was playing with the youngest member of the family, tuktirey. you've seen tuk numerous times when she was running around high camp, playing with her toys.

you smiled watching neteyam pick her up. the big smile on the small child's face couldn't be missed. it warms your heart to see neteyam interact with his family in such a manner. you knew it was moments like these that he loved. training was a bit draining for him but you know he loves his family and cherished moments like these.

your gaze left tuk's face as you focused on neteyam. there was no denying that you found neteyam attractive but that's all he was to you before you befriended him. now that you know him personally, his looks just complimented the personality you got to see from him.

in all honesty, you expected him to call you ridiculous and leave when you proposed the idea of the little game to him. so just imagine the surprise when he actually agreed to play. after giving him the first letter of your name, you left immediately so he couldn't attempt to guess anything on the spot. after the second letter, you left his line of sight but lingered to see his reaction. you could tell that neteyam started to think for a half a second before lo'ak and spider interrupted them. you smiled and your heart fluttered at the fact that he was actually interested in learning your name.

"y/n why are you smiling so hard?" nanti asked. you tore your gaze from neteyam to see nanti looking at you with questioning eyes. you looked down at the ground, knowing you probably looked similar to tuseÿa from a couple minutes ago.

"just thinking about something." you lied.

"really? because it looks like you were staring at someone."

"well i wasn't."

you didn't hear anything in response so you guessed nanti just dropped it. you closed your eyes and sighed.

'get yourself together y/n' you thought.

and what happened after that was the exact opposite. after the ceremony you couldn't get the boy off of your mind. so you did what you do best, you collected your supplies, set off into the forest and began to make a neck piece. it was only when you had finished that you noticed the next piece wasn't for you, but for him.

you had never been romantically involved with any boys in the clan so you were never sure what your love language was but you were sure that it was gift giving. you stared down the woven neck piece in deep thought.

as you made your way back to high camp, you decided you were going to give the jewelry to neteyam and just make it seem like a friendly gift. he doesn't have to know you stayed up past eclipse making it specifically for him because you couldn't stop thinking about him.

it was the next day and you were at you and neteyam's usual meeting spot. you sat on the flat rock, eating a utumauti. the neck piece sat next to your leg as you ate the sweet fruit.

suddenly, you heard the sound of an ikran landing not too far from where you were sitting. figuring that it was neteyam, you quickly finished the fruit and wiped your mouth so he wouldn't see you with food residue all over your mouth. a couple moments went past before said boy was finally in front of you.

"hi neteyam." you greeted him.

“hi ____.”

your face scrunched up at the random name that he just uttered. you turned around to see if there was someone behind you that you maybe hadn't seen, there wasn't.

"are you talking to me?" you pointed to yourself in a confused manner.

his face fell, "is that not your name?"

once the words left his lips, you burst out laughing. neteyam frowned at your reaction, slightly embarrassed. especially since he was so confident on his way over here.

"oh eywa! i gave you two letters and that's what you came up with?"

"well i asked my dad-"

you shook your head, "that was your first mistake. jake sully is not going to know my name. and just for that horrible guess i won't be giving you a letter this time."

neteyam walked over and took a seat next to you, "you don't know how excited i was on my way over here."

you chuckled in response and lightly patted his back to show some type of sympathy through your laughing fit. you swung your other arm behind you so you could lean on it but lifted it when it landed on something. you looked down to see the neck piece. you had completely forgotten about it until now.

"neteyam?" you spoke softly after your laughter finally died down. he turned his head to give you his undivided attention. your face heated up slightly, remembering how often neteyam makes eye contact when speaking to you. it was intense but you also liked knowing that he was paying attention and interested in what you had to say.

"i have something for you." you picked up the piece of jewelry, showcasing it to him.

neteyam's amber eyes were slightly wide as he looked at the woven choker placed in your much smaller hands. it was embedded with blue beads. in the omatikayan culture, blue beads represented both trust and loyalty. it was common to be worn as jewelry and to be given as a gift.

“do you like it?” you asked, getting nervous because he still hadn’t said anything.

neteyam finally looked up from the choker and at you, “yeah of course i do! i’m just surprised you made this for me.”

“well i made my sister one and the style i made for her reminded me of you so i thought you might like one too.” you lied. not bad for something you thought of on the spot.

neteyam smiled, fingers slightly touching as he took the choker from your hands, “thank you for thinking of me."

your nerves were finally calmed as neteyam thanked you and put the woven choker on. he bought the lie and he likes the gift. once the necklace was finally secure around his neck, you watched him push off of the rock and stand up. he then extended his arm out to you.

"come on, i have to get home before eclipse today."

you nodded, putting your hand in his as he pulled you up and the two of you were on your way. walking through the pandoran forest, just talking about any and everything that came to mind. even though you were indulged in the conversation, your eyes never left neteyam's hand that was still holding yours. he hadn't let go of your hand since he pulled you up from the rock and now he was guiding you through the large flora and moving things out of the way so you wouldn't have to. you thought it was sweet that he was being a gentleman and that only caused the butterflies in your stomach to multiply by the second.

the walk finally came to a halt when the two of you came across the pond where you started your little game. your hand finally dropped from neteyam's grasp as you waltzed over to the body of water. neteyam smiled as he followed behind you.

you bent down, submerging your hands in the water and cupping them together, you then brought them up, splashing the water on your face. the cold water was nice in contrast to the warm temperature you had been feeling. holding neteyam's hand had caused a nervousness to bubble within you and start to produce sweat in response.

as you brought the water up to your face, you missed neteyam watching you with a fondness in his eyes. he had come to really enjoy the time he spent with you despite not knowing the most important thing about you, your name.

he didn't understand why your name was such a big deal and why you couldn't just tell him but he respected your boundaries. so if he had to receive a letter at a time to keep your company, then so be it.

you wiped your face and neteyam took notice of the jewelry that decorated your arms. he knew that you made all of the jewelry that you wore and it was very impressive, you were very talented in your craft. every na'vi learns how to make jewelry and clothes for themselves at a young age but it was clear that your talents exceeded most people he knew.

neteyam appreciated the fact that you actually cared about his well being and after you helped him gather plants for his grandmother, he found himself randomly thinking about you. you were fun to be around and you helped him relax and forget about whatever heavy responsibilities he had for a short amount of time.

he was distracted by his thoughts but the sound of your laughter caused him to blink rapidly, now paying attention to you.

"huh? what did you say?"

you giggled, "i said what are you looking at?"

neteyam stumbled to find an excuse before his eyes landed on a purple bruise on your arm.

the boy tilted his head, "what happened to your arm?"

you maneuvered your arm to see what he was talking about. once you realized what he was looking at, you started to say, "i accidentally spilled a little boiling water on my brother this morning and his reflex was punching me."

you have a brother? not only did neteyam not know your name but he also didn't know anything about your family life. you knew all his family members, rightfully so but he knew nothing about yours.

abandoning your crouched position and standing up straight you looked into the pond, watching all the fish swim in harmony and peace. an idea then popped into your mind and you turned to neteyam with a smile.

"teach me how to fish."

"what?"

"you like fishing, right? teach me how to fish." you repeated. neteyam then removed the bow and arrows that rested across his body. the string being in the front of him and the wooden part of the bow behind him.

he wanted to demonstrate it for you first so he got in position and walked through the steps before letting go of his arrow and watched it impale a small fish. the action seemed simple enough so when he handed the bow to you, you got in position and tried to mimic the actions he had done moments ago. but when you released the arrow, it missed the fish by a couple inches and making it quickly swim away.

"it's okay, that was actually very good for your first try." neteyam praised you, trying to remove the frown from your face.

"i wish i was as good as you. my family is pretty good at archery but they're all very aggressive teachers so i refuse to practice with any of them."

"i could teach you if you would like." neteyam offered.

you opened your mouth to respond but the sight of the forest darkening let you know eclipse was starting and you remembered that neteyam said he had to be home before eclipse today.

"we'll discuss the details about that the next time we see each other but for now we should head back."

neteyam nodded and the two of you returned to your meeting spot before going your separate ways.

when neteyam got back home, he sat in his family's marui sharpening his knife while tuk was doing her own thing. his parents asked him to watch tuk since it was their date night.

neteyam's lifted his head as he watched lo'ak and his friend, ri'an walk into the marui, indulged in a conversation. they greeted neteyam and tuk but lo'ak's eyes lingered on neteyam's neck.

"did you imaginary friend make that for you?" lo'ak smirked, knowing the question would annoy his older brother. which it did because neteyam rolled his eyes in response.

ri'an who didn't understand the joke looked confused, "imaginary friend?"

"yeah neteyam has this new imaginary friend that makes him jewelry."

the explanation didn't make things easier for ri'an to understand so he asked another question, "but why are they imaginary?"

"because he doesn't know her name." tuk replied this time.

ri'an looked at neteyam, "you don't know her name?"

neteyam sighed and shook his head, "not yet. she won't tell me."

"which is why we think she's imaginary. you know, maybe she doesn't like you and you won't take the hint." lo'ak laughed and ri'an joined in. tuk snickered before going back to play with her toys.

once the laughter died down, ri'an lifted his braids off his shoulder to put into a ponytail, revealing a nasty burn mark on his shoulder. lo'ak caught sight of it and stepped closer to get a better look at it.

"damn bro what happened to your shoulder?" lo'ak asked, switching from english back to na'vi mid sentence.

"my sister accidentally burned me this morning and i punched her but it was a reflex so it was an accident." he explained.

tuk looked up, "you punched your sister?"

"in the arm not in the face."

"nanti doesn't seem like the type to do that accidentally." lo’ak pointed out.

the boy had a point. anyone that knew nanti and had the opportunity to interact with her knew that she was the type to do something like that and let you know that it was on purpose. and don't expect an apology even if it happened to be an accident because she won't be bothered to give one.

"it wasn't nanti, it was my other sister."

"tuseya? hey, doesn't she have a crush on me? she's kinda hot."

ri'an pretended to gag at his friend's words before speaking, "first of all, don't call my sister hot and two, it was my other sister."

lo'aks bushy eyebrows came closer to one another to display his genuine confusion. from what he knew, ri'an only had 2 sisters. at least that's what he thought but now his friend is apparently saying that he has another sister.

"you have another sister?" he asked.

ri'an nodded, "yeah, y/n."

"how many secret siblings do you have?"

"bro i've mentioned her before."

"i don't remember that."

"of course you don't skxawng."

the two teens continued their conversation, failing to see neteyam smiling in the corner. he had stopped sharpening his knife when ri'an explained what happened to his shoulder. he almost shrugged it off as a coincidence but continued to listen to the conversation silently. when ri'an said the name, he connected it to the two letters you had previously given him and it lined up perfectly. there was no doubt in his mind that you are ri'ans sister.

he was sure of it.

taglist - @fanboyluvr @liluvtojineteyam @arminsgfloll @squidalapobre @jjkclub @angelsamor @baebinana @im-in-a-pansexual-panik

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