#te fanfic

[sunnyshiftyy]

Sometimes forever doesn’t mean forever - TE one shot

Book: The Elementalists, AU TW: I think none? Rating: PG Pairing: Beckett Harrington x f!MC Words: 649 (short but sad) Summary: Basically hurting and angst? A/N: Long ago, there was a prompt that read ‘Sometimes forever doesn’t mean forever’. On a whim, I whipped this up, and lost it deep in the pits of my notes app. When I found it again, and read it, I actually liked it enough that I wanted to share it with the world. This is definitely an AU kinda thing. None of this in my actual headcanon storyline!!! It's a little different to what I normally write, but that's what will make me grow as a writer, right?

Now, I’m submitting this for the @choices-february2023 challenge for day 26 with the prompt ‘Fairy Tales’ (because forever is a fairy tale? My logic..)

Tags: @theclassycandy , @choices-february2023 , @choicesficwriterscreations

Let me know if you want to be tagged in future fanfics or TE content!

And on that note, I hope you enjoy!

Beckett’s POV

I don't know how this happened. I guess I should've done better. I should have been better. But I wasn't.

You know what she would say to that? 'You don't need to be better. You're you, and that's what I love about you.'

But she isn't here now, is she? So I can self destruct as much as I want.

Who am I kidding. The sunshine factor or what's-it-called has it's aftereffects. I won't self destruct. At least not on purpose. That's not what she would want for me.

I hate crying. Not because 'it shows weakness' or whatever nonsense ignorant fathers stomp into their sons heads. Because it's messy. Everyone gets all worried about you, but it's all a show. They don't care about how you feel. They care about the 'why'. Or about their own feelings. No one feels good when another person cries. They want that queasy feeling gone.

Luckily, I'm alone. No one to fake care about me now. Also no one to actually care about me now. The only one that did just left.

Did it come as a surprise? Yes and no. Initially, I was too stunned to say anything. But she made some sense after a few minutes. As much as she can make sense, of course. It's funny how she always managed to put two opposite ends together. Making complete sense and at the same time not. That's something only she could do.

When she came in, her face didn't raise any alarms in my book. I should have known. I should have been paying attention.

And then... I still can't make sense of what happened then. It's only been ten minutes, but it's already blurry. Maybe because of the tears I was holding back the entire time.

It's like something triggered a flight or fight response. That something obviously being me. She usually freezes. But this isn't the usual.

The whole time she was talking, I could not get myself to respond. Because I couldn't process exactly what she was saying. I have never heard her say such irrational things before. Oh Gods, she must've hurt immensely...

The things I did understand were 1) she had overthought everything about us and 2) she wanted us to stop being us.

I didn't think she meant it. That might sound very bad, but it's the truth. Just 24 hours ago she told me she couldn't live without me.

It hurt when she said, 'But I'll have to' a few minutes ago. She thought she was doing it for the good of us both. Then I finally started talking. I'll spare you the details, it was all very dramatic. It was one of those rare moments where I stopped thinking. I let the words do their thing. Very dangerous, but it didn't end too bad this time. To conclude, we both confessed we might die without each other.

I told you it was dramatic. My mind is going to love bringing this moment up again and again, letting me relive the painful awkwardness of it all.

Still, she decided to take the odds of death. I think. The uncertainty makes this all more frustrating.

All I can think about is that one night. That one night we talked about things we never told anyone. She cried, I almost cried, and we laughed and made all of it feel less life threatening. She didn't judge. She never judges. She understands.

That night she told me, 'I want to be with you forever.' I know she believed it then. I believed it then.

Sometimes forever doesn't mean forever.

Forever means as long as possible. Seems like we've reached our expiration date.

Forever is a promise, maybe even a wish. Forever doesn't even exist.

Forever is the only thing you know for certain isn't going to be happening.

And still, we all keep hoping on forever.

Hope you enjoyed!

A/N: If you want to know more about my OC’s in my TE universe, click here. If you want to read more, here’s my masterlist with all the fics on it! (dated <3) Another thing: you can find sneak peeks of future fics and other posts on my masterlist (indicated with coming soon!) Last thing: my asks are still open! If you want headcanons or anything, don’t be shy, ask some more :)

[thewingedswine]

Enjoy one of Nona’s slutty doodles✨

[lanasblood]

HOW DO I MAKE YOU LOVE ME | neteyam x reader

pairing: neteyam x f!omatikaya!reader (no mentions of y/n)

summary: you remember all of your attempts to make Neteyam fall in love with you, using various methods, experiencing numerous failures, and you finally come to a conclusion or the five times you failed to win neteyam’s affection and the one time you succeed.

word count: 10k (!!! damn)

warnings: actually none but let’s say hurt/comfort, reader is a simp, 5+1 prompt, confessing, mutual pining, mention of blood, requited/unrequited love, !!adult neteyam!!, flashbacks to childhood and teenager years

note: inspired by the five love languages and the weeknd’s song mentioned in the title.

* gif‘s not mine.

The soft rustling of the teal leaves falling silently to the ground, as light as an ikran feather, is one of the most soothing sounds heard on the still night. The wind touches them gently, as if caressing them, before whirling them up again in a powerful gust, starting the cycle all over again. The moons stand high in the sky, and the stars sparkle like little gems that can beautify anything. The night is quiet, and the soft breeze seems to calm everything down and lull it into a deep sleep. The bright light of the bioluminescent plants lays gently on the moist meadows, illuminating the darkness. It is like a magical tale, perfect and without blemish. Yet, there is one who can't sleep in this harmonic time: you. With your arms and legs stretched out, you lie on your back, feeling like hours have passed since you started staring at the night sky without moving a muscle. You have even decided to sleep outside your hammock to hear and feel the sound of the wind, hoping to finally sink into the dreamland. But, as you know, this has done little to help. 

All because of him. You sigh in annoyance.

For as long as you can remember you've had this crush on the eldest son of the Olo'eyktan, you don't know when you developed it, let alone how it really started. You just know that it might have been cute at first – a nice girl from a small clan who has feelings for the older boy next door, but as time went by, it wasn't cute at all; on the contrary, it robs you of precious sleep and will most likely cause you to age prematurely. 

Despite not knowing how and when exactly this crush thing has started, you know that it has gotten worse the more time has passed, and the more time passes, the more failed attempts to get his attention you have behind you. However, there's one event you categorize as time zero - the starting point of your attempts - that you remember vividly: 

You were a mere child and couldn't take your eyes off Neteyam, who was only slightly older than you. Confidently clutching the stem of the rare flower you had been searching for days, you made your way through the lush forest, searching for Neteyam. As you thought about the plan you had concocted, your heart beat rapidly in your chest. You had heard from a reliable source that Neteyam was a lover of rare flora, and you hoped that this gift would make him see you in a different light. 

When you spotted him in the distance, his tall figure was moving gracefully through the trees. Taking a deep breath, you approached him, holding out the flower to him.

"Hey, Neteyam," you said, trying to sound casual. "I found this and I thought you might like it." 

Neteyam stopped in his tracks and turned to look at you, his expression unreadable. You held out the flower a bit higher, hoping to see a glimmer of appreciation in his eyes.

"Thank you," he said simply, slowly taking the flower from your outstretched hand. Looking at the flower now in his hand, the corner of his lips turned upward, causing your heart to flutter.

You told him happily, "It's a very rare flower," beaming a bright smile at him. 

And the next thing you knew, you were holding your breath as he bent slightly forward to your height and patted your head in praise, "It seems you're already a careful gatherer, baby neighbor. Keep it up!"

You felt your heart sink faster than a prey could run when he turned and continued on his way, leaving you standing there alone in the forest. You had hoped that your gesture would be enough to make him see you in a different light, but it seemed that it had made no difference at all, or even worse for he had called you the worst possible nickname to exist in all na'vihood. 

As you made your way back to the village, you couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment and frustration settling in you, the deep frown on your face mirroring your inner world. You had tried so hard to get Neteyam to notice you, but it seemed that he was simply not interested.

How do I make you love me?

After a few cycles and many more failed attempts in between, you realized that your little crush was not so little after all. Especially after Neteyam passed his Iknimaya at such a young age, your admiration for him grew every day. The feeling was almost unbearable as you found yourself constantly near him but not receiving the acknowledgment you wished for.

That was until one day, you decided to change that because your hormonal teenager brain had this glorious idea to spend some alone time with Neteyam. You had observed that he enjoyed hunting during his free time when he wasn't bound by his duties as the Olo'eyktan's firstborn. This is why you eagerly joined him on his next hunt, determined to impress him with your own hunting and tracking skills. Looking back, you now realize that your confidence may have been misplaced for your skills were basically non-existent at that time, but back then you were convinced that you were able to hunt.

So, you followed Neteyam deep into the forest, crouching right beside him in the underbrush, watching the herd of talioang grazing in the distance. Their blue and orange skin glinted in the sunlight, and you could hear the low rumble of their voices as they communicated with each other. 

"Do you thi—" Neteyam's hand swiftly covered your mouth, halting your words before they escaped, his touch gentle yet firm. It was electrifying, sending shivers down your spine. He motioned for you to be quiet and directed your attention towards the herd. As he removed his hand, you couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement in your blood. This was your chance to prove yourself.

Neteyam slowly and silently made his way towards the herd, you right on his track, moving from one piece of cover to another. Your eyes followed every movement of the muscles on his toned back, you felt your heart pounding in your chest, and your palms were slick with sweat. Even though you had never really hunted before, you were determined to succeed but Neteyam's captivating presence proved to be a distraction that made it difficult for you to concentrate on anything else. 

As you got closer to the herd, you could feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins. Neteyam signaled for you to stop, and you froze, trying to make yourself as small as possible. He reached out and brushed a twig aside at your feet.

"Watch your steps," he whispered close to your ear, and you could feel the warmth of his breath on your skin, sending shivers down your spine. Your heart raced as you realized how close he was to you, and you wondered if he could hear it pounding in your chest. Longing to feel his lips against your skin, you couldn't help but turn your head slightly towards him, but you knew you couldn't let your desire distract you from the hunt.

"I do," you whispered back. Trying to calm your racing heart, you focused on the task at hand, scanning the ground for anything else that might make noise. But when you moved, you felt Neteyam's body shift slightly against yours, sending another jolt of electricity through you, and you wondered if he felt it too.

"No, you constantly step on something," he told you, still whispering, but voice stern. 

Feeling caught because there was a high possibility that he was right for you hadn't paid attention to your surroundings in the last couple of minutes, too busy doting on him, you couldn't find arguments to defend yourself, "I do not." 

Neteyam firmly pressed his finger on his own lips, signaling you to be quiet yet again. Your heart beat faster as you met his intense gaze, and you felt a rush of desire wash over you.

"Too much noise," he mouthed, his voice barely audible, and looked back at the herd. Following his gaze, you saw that the talioang had picked up on something, and they were starting to look nervous. You and Neteyam held your breaths, waiting for the right moment to strike. 

Suddenly, Neteyam gave the signal, and sprang into action. You just weren't really ready when he gave the signal, so with the first step you took, you stumbled on something growing on the ground and fell over with a short cry. Neteyam who had darted towards the nearest talioang, already drawing his bow and arrow, stopped right in his track when he heard you fall. You looked up at him when he quickly turned to you and then back at the herd but it was too late, the animals already reared up in surprise, and scattered in all directions. However, you were too shocked by your fatal mistake to pay them any attention. You were frozen in place, lying in the dirt, watching Neteyam looking back at you with a slightly agape mouth. The blood rushed to your head and you could hear your heart pounding in your ears. 

You ruined it. 

Neteyam's disappointment was tangible. You could feel his eyes on you, and you knew that he was angry. You would be, too. Struggling to express your remorse, the words got caught in your throat as you attempted to apologize. The weight of disappointment were heavy on your shoulders, and you couldn't shake off the feeling of letting him down.

After a long, awkward silence, Neteyam turned to you with a deep sigh. "You need to be more careful," he said, "When you're hunting, you have to be aware of everything around you. One mistake can ruin the whole hunt."

You nodded, feeling ashamed, you were sure your face was as purple as a yovo fruit. You had wanted to impress Neteyam, but instead you had embarrassed yourself in front of him, had blown any chance to show him that you were capable.

How do I make you fall for me?

Over time, you learned from your previous mistakes. Wanting to impress him proved to be harder than anticipated, but having a conversation with him was easier than expected. You needed to show him how much you appreciated him for who he was. As a result, you began to pay closer attention to the way he interacted with others, especially his younger brother Lo'ak, and you started to incorporate some of those phrases into your conversations with him.

One bright day, you nervously approached Neteyam, hoping to strike up a conversation with him using your newfound knowledge:

"Hey, Neteyam," you greeted tentatively, "Whatcha doin'?"

You left out the bro on purpose, fearing it would be overkill. Even so, the words coming out of your mouth sounded strange to you, and for him apparently too, as he rapidly looked up from his task upon hearing your voice, and his otherwise neutral face looked at you with a slightly frowned forehead and attentive eyes, studying you for a moment before he was quick to collect himself and greeted you with a slight smile.

"Not much. Tuk asked me to repair this old basket for her," he said, motioning with his hands on the basket between his legs, "And I'm trying." 

You nodded, trying not to seem too eager, "That's really kind of you. I bet she'll be thrilled once you finish it," you said with a smile. 

Neteyam simply hummed in response and went back to his task, his concentration returning.

"I mean, I would, too. Tuk is very lucky, it must be nice to have a brother like you," you complimented him.

"But you do have a brother," Neteyam reminded you matter-of-factly, "We used to attend the same training sessions so many times."

"Yeah," you continued, feeling your cheeks flush with embarrassment. "But, uh, he is not as skilled as you are." Good save. "And he never did such kind things for me when I was little. The only thing he did was teach me how to fight." 

"That's a valuable skill," Neteyam commented.

"Well, what I mean is, he's an ordinary brother, while you are one of a kind, Neteyam. Your siblings are incredibly lucky to have you," you said, emphasizing your point.

Neteyam smiled to himself, his canines slightly showing, as he went back to working on the basket. You couldn't help but feel a flutter in your stomach at the thought of him noticing your flattery.

"I appreciate that," he said, acknowledging your compliment.

After a few minutes of silence, you took a deep breath and you mustered up the courage to ask him a question, "May I say something?"

He looked up at you again and nodded. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

You decided to take the chance, "I just wanted to say that you always seem to know just what to do and say, and that's very impressive. You're responsible, always respectful, and very patient. Not just with me but with everyone in our clan. And I want you to know that I really appreciate it, Neteyam." I appreciate you.

Neteyam's expression softened as he listened to your words. "You have a kind heart to express that," he replied, a hint of a smile still playing at the corner of his lips.

You took a deep breath and continued, "I know you don't share much about your personal life, but if you ever feel comfortable talking about it I would love to learn more about you."

Neteyam's smile reached his eyes. "Thank you, I will keep that in mind."

You felt a warm glow of happiness in your chest as you realized that your words affected him. You were willing to put in the work to get to know him better.

Encouraged by his response, you asked, "So, do you have any concrete plans after your Uniltaron?"

Neteyam's expression faltered a bit upon hearing you mention his upcoming Dream Hunt, he seemed almost reserved all of a sudden. "I do have a few, but they are personal," he replied, "I prefer to keep them to myself."

You felt a pang of disappointment. "Oh, I understand," you said, trying to hide your dejection, "I'm sorry. It was not my place to ask."

"You don't have to apologize," he responded, "But some things are best kept within the family."

"Yeah, I get it," you smiled weakly, feeling like you had hit a wall, "Thanks for talking with me, Neteyam."

He nodded and went back to his task, leaving you feeling deflated and uncertain about how to get closer to him.

How do I make you want me?

The previous attempts to win Neteyam's attention had proven unsuccessful: The gifts you gave him didn't have the desired effect, your attempts to impress him by spending time with him backfired (you want to forget that memory of the hunt so badly), and the conversations you had with him remained superficial, never delving deeper into meaningful topics. It was clear that you needed a new approach, a fresh idea to capture his interest which brought you back to point zero.

You walked through the forest, scanning the undergrowth for any signs of the flowers you had been studying for quite some time – the kind you gifted Neteyam when you were little. It turns out that the rare flower wasn't that rare after all, it only bloomed a short time a cycle, which is what made it so valuable. However, if they were dried and powdered, very useful medicines could be made. At some point you had started collecting this flower, as well as other herbs and plants for Tsahìk, and in return she had taught you how to make rich creams and pastes from them. And you could also consume this flower in meals if you let it cook over the fire for a long time. Pondering if it would evoke nostalgia within Neteyam, while you plucked them carefully from the ground, you wondered if he ever remembered the day you gave him that flower in the first place.

Gathering a variety of edible flowers, aromatic herbs, and other nourishing ingredients from the village, you spent all morning helping the women in your clan prepare a wholesome and delicious meal for the warriors. In anticipation of Neteyam's training session, you decided to take this thoughtful approach to show your support and care.

As the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, you volunteered to bring the full basket of handmade food wraps and lovely cut fruits to the training area. 

The warriors were engrossed in their practice, their movements fluid and powerful. You scanned the crowd, searching for Neteyam among them.

Spotting him in the midst of the intense training session, his lean muscles glistening with sweat under the warm sun, you couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration. His movements were powerful and precise, each strike displaying his skill as a warrior. His strength and determination did something to you, feeling a magnetic pull towards him. 

Balancing the basket of food in your hands, you approached the outskirts of the training area, careful not to interrupt the warriors' focus. You set up a blanket and arranged the food on it attractively. Your intention was not only to impress Neteyam but to show your support for the entire group.

"I swear, Eywa send you here," you heard someone say next to you, a bit out of breath, while impatient hands reached into the basket and helped you place the food, "I'm starving!"

"Lo'ak, are you allowed to end your training like this?" You questioned, and turned your head in the direction of the warriors — the training was obviously still in full swing, but it was precisely then that you met Neteyam's gaze who was already looking over at you, a mixture of surprise and curiosity evident in his eyes. 

"Not really but it smells so good, I'm ready to be skinned for these delici— Oh, I'm taking this one, yeah?" He started unwrapping one of the food wraps and hastily bit into it. 

"Hey, wait for the others!" you admonished him, but his wrap was already half eaten.

"Mm, das bom!" you heard him smack loudly, "S'rusly, yur da best."

"I'm glad," you responded, suppressing a laugh. Lo'ak acted like he hadn't eaten in days. 

Noticing the spread of food, the warriors collectively ended the training session, and the men started approaching the nourishing dishes, including freshly grilled meats, vibrant vegetables, and flavorful herbs.

Sensing an opportunity, you went towards Neteyam, a food wrap in your hand, and a warm smile gracing your lips. "I thought I would spare you the long way, in case you're starving like your brother," you joked, gesturing with your head towards Lo'ak behind you, who was taking two more food wraps and calling dips on the rawp.

Neteyam's gaze shifted from the feast you had prepared to the food in his hands and then at you. His gaze lingered on you for a moment longer than necessary, and a soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips. 

"That's thoughtful of you," he replied, his voice carrying a subtle warmth, "It's been an intense training session, and this is a welcome surprise."

You stepped back, allowing him to enjoy the meal with his fellow warriors. Observing from a distance, you noticed the camaraderie and laughter that emerged as they gathered around the spread of food, indulging in the flavors that were carefully crafted.

Throughout the meal, you found yourself drawn to Neteyam's presence. The way he spoke with passion about his experiences, the way he listened attentively to others, and the way his eyes sparkled with a hidden depth — all of it only fueled your growing attraction.

As the training session continued, you lingered nearby, engaging in conversations with other warriors, offering encouragement and companionship. While your initial intention was to impress Neteyam, you found joy in connecting with the community as a whole, so much you almost didn't realize that the day's training had come to an end.

"Thank you for the meal and your company," Neteyam said softly as he walked next to you back to the village, carrying the basket for you with a genuine smile gracing his face. "It meant a lot to all of us."

Your cheeks warmed at his words, "I didn't do much, the others—"

"You are here, that alone is more than enough."

You nodded, a sense of satisfaction washing over you. "I'm glad I could contribute," your voice was filled with sincerity, "Supporting you and the clan is important to me."

A surge of hope welled up inside you, but as the conversation continued, you couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. Despite your efforts, the romantic tension you had hoped for seemed to elude you. The conversation remained pleasant yet distant, and it became clear that Neteyam saw you more as a friend than a potential partner. With a heavy heart, you realized that your attempt to catch his interest had once again fallen short.

And make it last eternally?

For quite some time now, you have firmly believed that you have left those days behind you, imprisoned in childhood memories, overlapped by numerous teenage embarrassments. After all, now you are an adult with serious duties and commitments to attend to, and there's neither time nor room for such childish infatuations. Crushing on the future Olo'eyktan. Please. Plus, once you found out how many other girls in your clan, both older and younger than you, adored him, you figured it is best to move on. You were frustrated at times, but you resolved to carry on, cherishing the friendship you shared with Neteyam while silently letting go of your unrequited feelings. At least, that's what you thought...

… until three eclipses ago.

Mere moments before the eclipse, the all-too-familiar soft light danced in the room,  casting a golden hue that revealed the tiniest pollen floating around inside Tsahìk's crowded tent. It had been a long time since so many people had been injured at once, yet no one was ready to explain or report what had happened.

As two new figures entered the tent, one of them supporting the other, you heard a familiar voice speaking calmly, "Focus on not getting blood all over grandmother's tent rather than worrying about my wounds."

"Nah, I'm just- Ouch! Careful, bro!"

"Sorry, brother, but you have to cooperate with me here," Neteyam uttered while carefully helping Lo'ak onto the mat made of woven grasses that Kiri had prepared for them with blankets. 

"I'm just saying—Ahh," Lo'ak hissed as Neteyam applied pressure to his open wound with his bare hands, while Kiri hastily tied together any available cloths for his wound care. "-it's not very mighty of you, you know."

"What is not very mighty of him?" Kiri wanted to know, now taking over and applying pressure to his wound as well to stop the bleeding. As you shifted to Kiri's side, you handed her more cloths that she could wrap around Lo'ak's leg.

"His wounds, of course," Lo'ak grinned when he saw you and gave his older brother another amused sideways glance, before continuing, "but I'm sure he will be in great hands now. Right, bro?"

Just a quick glance at Lo'ak was enough to see that he was far worse off than Neteyam. While his wounds did not appear to be life-threatening, he was bleeding profusely from his thigh.

Tsahìk had already rushed to the four of you, throwing a disapproving look at Lo'ak, "Oh, my boy, let me have a look." With her expertise, she quickly got the situation under control, ordering Kiri to get more cloths while you stood by her side to assist her.

"My child, attend to his wounds," Tsahìk instructed you, but to your surprise she nodded towards Neteyam instead of Lo'ak as she pushed a bowl of fresh water into your hands. "My granddaughter and I can handle this young clumsy man here." Her stern gaze was once again fixed on Lo'ak, who, in turn, only grinned at her.

"Grandmother," Neteyam began soothingly, ready to protest, "there is no need to—" but her piercing eyes silenced him, causing him to follow you wordlessly to the other side of the tent.

And that's how you found yourself sitting in front of Neteyam, tending to his wounds with the gentle touch of your hands, caring for each cut and bruise.

"You need to be more careful," you said softly, breaking the comfortable silence as you wrung the cloth in the water that had already turned a muddy reddish color.

"I'm content with the present circumstances," he replied, his voice laced with a touch of amusement. You gave him a sarcastic look, which he reciprocated with a warm smile.

"Well, I suppose then you'll be content with this as well." Pressing the damp cloth into his hand, you stood up and leisurely made your way to Tsahìk's supplies to fetch some healing ointments, and you took your time doing so.

Upon your return, Neteyam watched you attentively, his eyes tracing your every movement, and you wondered if he had been watching you the whole time. There was a newfound curiosity in his gaze, a glimmer of something more. 

"My words came out wrong," he said when you sat back on the ground in front of him. The air was filled with a mix of anticipation and unspoken emotions, a subtle tension hanging between you. "You're right, I should be more careful. I always strive to be. It's just that there's little one can do in the face of an ambush."

"An ambush?" you asked with big eyes, "Oh, Great Mother! That's what everyone's been trying to conceal. And I was wondering the whole time what could've possibly happened to cause so many injuries."

"They probably didn't want to cause an uproar." You listened to his words, sensing the weight they carried. The mention of an ambush brought back memories of past dangers and harrowing encounters. The gravity of their lives was never far from their thoughts, and you understood the weight that rested on Neteyam's shoulders.

"You don't always have to be the strong one, Neteyam," you said softly, voice carrying reassurance, when you continued cleaning the cut on his chest, noticing that he tried not to wince under your touch, "It's alright to lean on others, to let them care for you." 

A flicker of emotion danced across his face, a fleeting moment of vulnerability before he regained his composure. His hand reached out to touch yours resting on his chest above his heart, the contact gentle yet charged with unspoken emotions.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, and in that moment it felt like the boundaries between healer and wounded blurred, "Thank you for being here, for tending to me." His eyes locked with yours, an unspoken promise passing between you, turning your cheeks in a light purply color.

"Now," you cleared your throat with the intention of changing the subject, fervently hoping that he wouldn't notice your flushed cheeks, "here comes the actual healing part."

Gently, you dipped your fingers into the jar of ointment, scooping out a generous amount. With deliberate movements, you applied the soothing balm to his wounds, careful not to cause any further discomfort. The ointment glided smoothly, creating a soothing sensation that seemed to envelop him in a healing embrace.

"What I meant before is that I am glad that you are the one taking care of me," you smiled upon hearing those words, feeling his gaze on you as you concentrated on his upper body. A gentle warmth radiated from his wounds as your fingertips grazed his skin, mingling with the tender touch of your hands. The ointment possessed a subtle fragrance, hinting at the natural remedies it held within.

As you continued to apply the ointment, your fingers delicately tracing the contours of his chest, exploring the intricate landscape of his injuries, a comfortable silence settled between you. The rhythm of your ministrations became a quiet conversation, a wordless understanding of care and compassion. With every gentle caress, a subtle shiver passed through him, a reaction that spoke of both vulnerability and an underlying trust in your touch. There was a closeness in this shared moment, a connection forged through the tender act of healing.

Neteyam's gaze remained fixed on you, his eyes revealing a depth of gratitude and something more profound. It was as if the vulnerability of his wounds had peeled away a layer, exposing a vulnerability of the heart. The strength he embodied as a warrior was softened in this vulnerable space, allowing a snippet into the depths of his mind and soul.

"It never stings when you patch me up, why?" Neteyam asked, his voice laced with wonder, tilting his head slightly.

"The secret is to mix yalnabark with 'omsyul," you replied, your voice gentle yet filled with a hint of playfulness.

"Care to share this secret with my grandmother? And Kiri, too?" Neteyam's request was teasing but also genuine, and you couldn't help but be touched by his thoughtfulness.

"Actually, Kiri is the one who taught me this," you admitted, a fondness in your voice.

Neteyam's forehead furrowed slightly, "Then why does it always burn when she patches me up?"

With a twinkle in your eyes, you playfully suggested, "Sibling love?"

A mischievous smile curved his lips. "Or perhaps your touch is blessed by Eywa?" His words hung in the air, filled with a newfound flirtation that took you by surprise. 

"Oh, come on now, exaggerate much, do you?" you responded, attempting to brush off his words with a hint of irony, not fully realizing the impact they had on you.

Undeterred by your sarcastic retort, Neteyam looked deeply into your eyes, his voice filled with sincerity and a touch of vulnerability. "The caress of your hand weaves a tapestry of enchantment, casting a spell that captivates my very soul."

His words echoed in your mind, resonating with a blend of tender affection and longing. You wished he had said those words when you were younger and so in love with him, meaning every syllable coming from his kissable lips. What you would have given to hear him say it.

A blush spread across your cheeks as you struggled to find the right words to respond. The air around you seemed charged with electricity, the tension between you both palpable.

"You said I should exaggerate," Neteyam added, a witty glint in his eyes, as if to remind you of your earlier banter. 

Your younger self would have etched his previous words into a tree to make them eternal — words you longed to hear from your crush, words that felt like a dream.

"Crush?" he asked with interest, and your eyes widened with the realization that you had spoken your thoughts aloud. "On whom?"

"Um," a jumble of thoughts flooded your mind at once, too late for an excuse, "You?" 

Your confession left him momentarily speechless, and your heart pounded in your chest. 

It's in the past, so it's okay to admit it, you told yourself, trying to calm down a bit.

"You have a crush on me?"

"Had," you corrected quickly.

"You had a crush on me?" he asked again, as if needing confirmation. It seemed to sweep him off his feet, a revelation he hadn't expected.

"Everyone did, everyone does," you confessed, trying to downplay the significance.

"Everyone except you?"

You shrugged, unsure how to answer, "I guess I'm… over it."

"Why?" he inquired.

"Come on, Neteyam," you sighed, trying to mask the bitterness in your voice, "don't act like you didn't know."

"I swear by Eywa this is news to me… I have never…" he hesitated briefly with his words, "It doesn't even make sense."

Make sense?

"Don't make me regret telling you," you said, your voice tinged with frustration, "It's not about making sense, and it's not a big deal either, don't you agree?"

"Yes, but I try to understand."

"What is there to understand?"

"Why would you even crush on me in the first place?"

Oh. 

"You're right," you tightly gripped the cloth, forcing a smile, "why would I."

Even though you reluctantly admitted it, it hurt you and scratched at your ego. You were now more than grateful to have never openly communicated your feelings. As an adult, you could handle it, but you know exactly that this reaction would have devastated your childhood self. You were not accustomed to this insensitivity from Neteyam, considering he always maintained a noble and respectable demeanor. This showed you even more how repulsive the idea of having you by his side was to him.

"Also, I'm sorry," you turned around in a swing, your voice filled with sadness, disappointment, and above all, anger—anger at him for acting like a skxawng and anger at yourself for being a skxawng by confiding in him, "that the thought of me being attracted to you disgusts you so much. It won't happen again, rest your mind."  

He seemed lost for words, blinking once, twice, and opening his mouth only to close it again, processing your words. Part of you yearned for him to say something, to prove you wrong, but nothing came. His gaze lingered on you for a long moment, altering between your eyes, the unspoken words hanging in the air. 

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere," you said, your voice tinged with resignation. You prepared to turn away, ready to retreat from the turmoil of the moment. But just as you began to pivot, a sudden, gentle grip on your arm stopped you in your tracks. It was Neteyam, his touch both unexpected and tender.

In that instant, conflicting emotions surged within you, caught between the instinct to push him away and the captivating gaze that held your attention. Without uttering a single word, he drew you closer, wrapping you in a tight embrace that left you completely defenseless, your body momentarily frozen in surprise against his bare skin.

Your initial response was to resist, your mind still reeling from the whirlwind of confusion. Yet, as his arms enveloped you, a scent as enchanting as the forest's vibrant essence and the serenity of sacred woods wafted into your consciousness. It was a harmonious blend that stirred your senses, mingling the fragrant allure of nature with the grounding whispers of sandalwood.

Inhaling deeply, the captivating aroma cast a spell upon you, dissolving the remnants of anger and frustration that had once consumed your thoughts like a distant memory as he held you firmly in his strong arms, the warmth of his body seeping into your very core.

In this suspended moment, time appeared to lose its grip as the only audible sounds were the rhythm of your synchronized breaths and the rhythmic beat of your hearts.

"I'm sorry too," you heard him whisper in your hair as he pulled away from you and left the tent, leaving you confused.

It was in that moment, surrounded by the fading light and the soft whispers of the forest outside the tent, that you realized the painful truth: nothing would be the same between you and Neteyam because

no matter what you did, you would never be able to make him love you.

And exactly this is the reason of your sleepless nights, which is why, in the middle of your melancholic nostalgia, you decided to take a little walk to the lake nearby to pass the time until daybreak which leads you to the lake. You currently sit on a mossy tree stump above the shimmering water allowing your feet to hang freely just above the glistening surface of the lake, instead of sleeping safe and sound like the rest of the village. The purples, greens, and yellows of the bioluminescent flora and fauna smile at you but you fail to smile back. Your heart heavy with a mix of emotions and your mind full of questions, you try not to think of more memories, each one feeling like a dagger, piercing your already fragile heart. 

You try to understand, yet it's difficult for you.

After so many failed attempts and moments of acceptance in between, he still manages to confuse you with his mixed signals. The moment, when he hugged you, replays relentlessly in your thoughts as if burned in your mind, a vivid recollection that carries the weight of his proximity, the tempting linger of his scent, and the electric touch that ignited a fierce tension within you. It was an encounter that left an indelible mark, an irresistible dance between desire and restraint, etching itself into the deepest recesses of your longing soul.

You groan into your hands. You want to hate him. So much.

Three eclipses have come and gone since then, way too much time to think between that and the part where you made the decision to distance yourself from Neteyam. This time for real. You wake up earlier than everyone else, dedicating yourself to your work, skipping communal meals and shared gatherings entirely. You complete your tasks and retreat back to your home, like a ghost in the clan, yet living unscathed within your own space, seeking solace in the sanctuary of solitude.

Almost every hour, you find yourself battling with conflicting emotions. On one hand, you long to see him, to be in his presence, and to feel that familiar connection. But on the other hand, you remember his last words and the way he looked at you when he learned about your past feelings. Distance will be best for the both of you. The ache in your heart hasn't subsided, but you know the step is necessary for your own well-being, it's a shield you've built to preserve what little strength remains within you.

Yesterday, your changed behavior was noticed by Tsahik, so she confronted you directly, but she neither questioned you nor expected any form of explanation. Her words still echo in your mind, partly because forgetting the moment will be difficult with the way she looked at you with her kind eyes, as if understanding the depths of your heartache.

"My child," she laid her hand gently on your shoulder, her voice carrying the wisdom of the ages, "Sometimes the tides do not turn in the way we hope but that does not diminish the beauty of the love within your heart. Always remember that Eywa has woven the threads of affection and devotion. Thus, have trust that the stars will align one day, for love, in all its form, is a gift to cherish."

The words resonate deep within your soul, as you sit by the tranquil water, the soft glow of the plants casting an ethereal light around you, a gentle breeze rustles through the verdant foliage. In these moments of isolation, you reflect on the times you've spent with Neteyam, the moments that sparked the flame of attraction within you. You question whether those were genuine or merely figments of your imagination, the doubts swirling in your mind, clouding your judgment and feeding your insecurities. 

The stars above seem to mirror the twinkle in your eyes, a bittersweet reminder of the unfulfilled desire for you can't comprehend why your heart continues to long for him despite your mind trying to move on. Your thoughts are deep in contemplation when—

"Can we talk?" The voice startles you, and you flinch sharply, almost letting out a scream. Your heart pounds heavily in your chest, the fright taking hold of you. Quickly, you turn around, only to see that out of everyone, Neteyam approaches you, his figure blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," a crooked smile forms on his lips.

You look up, meeting his gaze with a guarded expression, unsure of what to expect from this encounter. His presence catches you off guard, causing your heart to skip another beat. The sight of him stirs a mix of emotions within you—longing, uncertainty, fear, but also a flicker of hope.

"You didn't," you lie, your voice tinged with coldness.

He nods his head towards the space beside you, "May I?" 

Neteyam's eyes hold a certain earnestness, a silent plea for understanding. You just shrug your shoulders, and he interprets it as a yes. He takes a seat beside you, his movements graceful and measured, his tail gently swaying in the air, your shoulders and thighs nearly touching. 

The silence between you is tense, charged with unspoken words and residual feelings. You let your feet dangle above the water. As you wiggle your toes, you feel a gentle coolness from the air mingling with the refreshing touch of the water below.

He clears his voice, "I've noticed your absence these past few days."

"Oh?" Your ears perk up with curiosity, surprised that he has noticed, "I was busy."

"You were missing from the meal servings as well," he notes, his words carrying a hint of concern.

"Yeah, I haven't had much of an appetite lately," you reply, sounding detached.

You aren't sure if you have misheard, but it seems like Neteyam has whispered softly to himself, "Me neither," although it can also be your mind playing tricks on you.

"You see, I, uh..." he pauses, seemingly struggling to find the right words which is so unusual for him, "Can I speak openly with you?"

"Don't you always?" Your voice still laced with a hint of coldness.

"Indeed," you noticed from the corner of your eye a brief tension in his hands that gradually relaxes, "I just wanted to let you know that there is no need for you to feel obligated to skip communal gatherings because of me." 

You can't help but scoff at that, however, he remains undeterred by your reaction.

"It's okay if you don't want to see me — I will keep my distance if that is what you want, but, please, don't avoid the clan in an attempt to avoid me. Don't isolate yourself."

"Funny," you say bitterly, your gaze still on the water, "that you think you have that much power over me."

"That's not what I wanted to say, it's—"

"It's fine, Neteyam," you interrupt him, turning your head to him, your jaw clenched, "I get it. If the future Olo'eyktan says so, I'll comply. See you at the morning meal."

You attempt to get up, but he gently grasps your wrist, halting your movement.

"I can sense that something has changed between us, and it weighs heavily on my heart," his voice carries a hint of vulnerability.

"Things change," you respond as he loosens his grip, but you refrain from attempting to get up again, waiting for the conversation to end, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes," he shifts, causing your thighs to briefly brush against each other, "I've had time to reflect on our last conversation."

"Actually, let's not—" you try to interrupt him, but this time he doesn't let your words stop him.

"Let me say this one thing and after that you don't have to talk to me again."

You meet his gaze, which is filled with honesty and a touch of guilt. You nod and look at him, noticing how he rubs his hands on his thighs and takes a deep breath.

"I was caught off guard," he admits, his voice softer now, "When we talked, I mean; and when I learned that you used to feel an affection for me — I didn't handle it well. I'm sorry for the way I reacted and for the pain I may have caused you."

You remain silent for a few seconds remembering the unpleasant conversation from last time, before you speak, "We don't have to talk about it, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay!" You notice the tension in his muscles. "You see," he takes a deep breath, "I didn't understand why you would crush on me."

"You made that very clear," you remark.

"I regret my poor choice of words, and for any offense it may have caused. I immediately noticed that my words had an impact on you, but I was too overwhelmed to correct myself in the moment," he admits, a hint of regret in his voice, "Please know that the idea of you being attracted to me never has and never will disgust me," his eyes lock with yours as his voice gets quieter when he adds, "It scares me."

Upon hearing that, your features soften slightly, a flicker of empathy crossing your face, and the question leaves your mouth before you can think about it, "Why?"

Now he's the one shrugging, "Everyone has their own doubts and fears."

You're not satisfied with that response, and you want him to open up to you for which you are willing to meet him halfway. So you begin an attempt to make him elaborate on his statement, "I'm scared of many things." you watch him intently as you speak, "Accidentally plucking poisonous plants instead of the usual herbs, falling down the hallelujah mountains, being eaten alive by nantangs." And most of all, rejection. "I can't help but wonder what fears could reside within a mighty warrior like yourself."

His mouth twitches slightly upwards when you say that, but is quickly replaced by a neutral expression. "The possibility of someone seeing through my façade," Neteyam admits sighing, his voice laced with a mix of confusion and self-reflection, "Of someone truly knowing me," he holds your gaze, a certain vulnerability in them, "That terrifies me."

You are left speechless, completely caught off guard by his answer.

"But," you stammer, trying to find the right words to express your thoughts, "you're Neteyam, you're... perfect in everything you do. I never considered the possibility that you might have these thoughts."

He shakes his head, disagreeing. "No, definitely not, I am far off from being perfect. That's why I couldn't understand why you would have feelings for me," he confesses, vulnerability shining in his gaze. "Because I never saw myself the way you did. But maybe, just maybe, this is why I've been blind to the possibility of something more between us."

"If you're only here to make me feel better about myself..." you start, your voice trailing off.

"No," he groans in frustration. "That's not it."

"Then what is it?"

He chuckles at your reaction, "I get nervous when you look at me that way."

"What do you mean?" You are the one getting nervous because of his statement for he doesn't look nervous at all, on the contrary, he looks very relaxed and almost overconfident. 

"Yeah, can't you tell my hands are all sweaty?" he lets you know with a smirk while he studies your face.

"Neteyam," you blink in confusion, "Are you okay?"

"You're not listening," he sighs, his smile dropping slightly.

"Then talk openly," you urge impatiently.

He takes a deep breath and looks you directly in the eyes. "I've come to realize that you mean more to me than just a friend."

Your features falter and your eyes widen, as the realization dawns upon you that your feelings have not been unrequited after all. "No."

"I have a crush on you, too," he whispers euphorically, confirming your thoughts.

"No, Neteyam, not now," you shake your head quickly, your mind filled with way too many thoughts and too much confusion. Instantly, you stand up as if stung by an insect, trying to maintain your composure.

"It didn't start now, it was always there," he admits, standing up as well, now towering over you and studying your face and your reaction again. "But I fear that I've missed my chance. And now, it seems like it's too late."

Ignoring his words entirely, you fixate your serious gaze on him, "You can't do this to me."

"What?" he blinks, seeming to comprehend your words, "Why?" his gaze momentarily shifts from one eye to the other with a swift glance, reflecting his confusion.

"Because all my life, I did everything to try to make you notice me. I went beyond my comfort zone, I did everything I could. But from you," You look at him, gesturing towards his entire figure as if the reason were obvious, "there was nothing. Not one single acknowledgment from you. I accepted it. I moved on. I made peace with the thought of just knowing you and supporting what is good for you," You find yourself almost breathless, your words tumbling out rapidly, but each one carries sincere meaning. "You can't come now, years later, and pretend that you have a crush on me. I can't go through that again."

He takes a step forward, clearly taken aback by your outburst. "I... I'm not pretending to—"

"And I'm so tired," you interrupt him, your voice faltering, "Now that I've finally let go of you, you can't say things like this."

"Let go?" he repeats, his voice filled with disbelief, "Of me?"

"Yes, Neteyam," you persist firmly. "Let go of you. I don't want you anymore."

The night air feels heavy with unspoken regrets and unfulfilled desires as the silence underlines the shared acknowledgment of the chasm that has opened between you. Neteyam's expression shifts from disappointment to determination, a flicker of hope dancing in his eyes. "How do I make you love me, then?"

It feels ironic that he's asking you that question, considering you used to be the one who always wondered how you could make him love you whenever you saw him. You groan in frustration, feeling overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. 

"I worked so hard to accept things as they are. That is not fair, Neteyam." A mix of sadness and anger can be heard in your voice.

"Please listen," he pleads, reaching out to touch your arm. You close your eyes, turning your head away. "I've been blind to your feelings, consumed by my own worries and obligations, and I didn't see what was right in front of me, hurting you in the process. I'm sorry I caused you pain. If I had known sooner…"

"What then?" you interrupt, your voice filled with bitterness. "Do you think everything would magically change, and we'd be deeply in love with a family of our own by now?"

Neteyam pauses for a moment, processing your words, and a hopeful smile crosses his face. "Yes, that's a possibility."

You groan in exasperation and attempt to push him away, your frustration boiling over. "No, Neteyam. I can't keep living in this cycle of uncertainty." 

As you push him away from you, your heart heavy, you walk away with determined steps, wanting to bring as much distance between him and you as possible.

"I love you!" he shouts after you, causing you to freeze in your tracks and turn around in utter shock. "I love you. And if that's not enough, then so be it. But I would rather be damned than let you go now, heading who knows where in the middle of the night. If you don't want me, I won't approach you, I won't come near. But don't run away from me."

Desperation visible in his voice, his words reach deep into your heart; the intensity echoing in the air, leaving a profound impact on both of you.

"I've been waiting for your love for far too long," you respond bitterly.

Taking cautious steps in your direction, trying to close the physical and emotional distance between you, he asks, "Why waste more time?" It feels as if an invisible force draws you together, intertwining your fates in this pivotal moment but you remain stubborn, too exhausted and clouded from the painful burn in your heart.

"I don't want you," you declare, the words slipping out uncertainly, as if trying to convince both him and yourself.

"Then look me in the eyes when you say those words," he challenges, his voice stern, gaze unwavering.

"I don't want you," you repeat, louder this time, trying to emphasize your resolve. However, instead of looking into his eyes, your gaze fixates on his face, tracing the patterns of his glowing freckles that your mind has memorized long ago.

The moonlight bathes the scene in a gentle gleam, and you both stare at each other in complete silence, the space between you filled with suffocating tension.

A knowing smile suddenly forms on his lips. "I don't believe you."

"I don't want you, Neteyam!" you exclaim, raising your voice even more, repeating the words over and over, in a desperate attempt to convince him, "I don't want you, I don't want you, I don't want you!"

He studies you intently for another moment, his eyes filled with hope.

"Your tail gives you away," he says triumphantly, his smile growing. And that's when you finally let go of your suppressed emotions. Your lower lip begins to tremble, and before you know it, you find yourself in his warm embrace, his strong arms pulling you impossibly closer to him.

"I want you," you confessed against his chest, your voice barely audible and filled with so much vulnerability, "After everything, I still want you." 

"Shh, you have me," he whispers, his voice soothing and reassuring.

You sob, the weight of your emotions finally breaking free, and he tenderly pats your head, his fingers gliding through your hair. His touch brings a sense of calmness to your racing heart and gently dries your tears.

"I'll make up for all the time lost, I promise," his voice reaches your ear, soft and full of sincerity.

His words continue to soothe you, and at one point, he hums a faint melody that resonates deep within you, gradually bringing an end to your sobs.

"Do you recall the day you asked about my plans after my Dream Hunt, and I hesitated to provide an answer?" He asks after you calm down, his voice carrying an infinite sense of solace.

Your arms still around him, you nod against his chest, every word of that conversation etched into your mind.

"That day," he continues, "I have sworn to myself to admire your eternal beauty from afar, to cherish your body, mind, and soul until the end of my days," he whispers softly in your hair, "with the hope that one day I will hold you close and claim you as my very own."

You take a deep breath, feeling overwhelmed by his words and the emotions swirling within you. Slowly, you lift your head from his chest, your teary eyes meeting his with awe.

"I... I never imagined you felt this way," you whisper, your voice hoarse and fragile from your sobs. "To think that you've carried these feelings for me all this time, it's... I don't know what to say."

"Interesting," he comments, eyes with a gleam, lips playful, "You were just as oblivious to my feelings as I was to yours, so I guess that makes us even." A mischievous bunny-like smile plays across his face, transforming him into the youthful version of himself that you have fallen deeply in love with, no longer the mighty warrior following in the footsteps of the great Toruk Makto, but the young man who has captured your heart long ago.

You can feel tears welling up in your eyes again, overwhelmed by the weight of his words and the intensity of your own emotions. With a shaky breath, you reach to your waist, gently intertwining your fingers with his.

In the warmth of his arms, you find solace for your burning heart. His arms hold you tightly, offering a sense of intimate security that you've always wished for. But then, something shifts. 

The intensity of your emotions begins to wane, and as you look up at him through tear-filled eyes, you see his gaze fixed upon you with unwavering love, trying to read you as he cups your face with his large hands. His thumb gently brushes away a lingering tear on your cheek, his touch delicate against your skin. A soft, affectionate smile graces his lips as he leans forward and presses a gentle kiss against the place where your tear was mere seconds ago. The sweetness of the gesture stirs your heart, a silent affirmation of his loving nature. He continues to kiss away your tears, each touch a soothing balm to your wounded soul.

A powerful desire burns between you then, as his soft lips linger near yours. His eyes meet yours again, seeking permission, and you respond with a silent nod. Right then and there, the world around you fades into the background, and all that matters is the connection you share. With a surge of passion, his lips meet yours in a fervent kiss, the longing coming to an end, hearts intertwined. 

The tender touch of his lips against yours feels like an electric jolt that sends shivers down your spine. You both pull back slowly from the passionate kiss, breathless yet connected. Your eyes meet, gazing into each other with a depth of love that words can never describe.

His eyes hold unwavering sincerity as he caresses your cheek with his thumb. "You've captured my heart in ways I can't fully express," he confesses, his voice filled with affection. "And if you'll allow me, I want to show you every day how deeply I love you."

A deep blue blush tints your cheeks as you struggle to find the right words to respond. He doesn't seem to mind as a soft smile spreads across his face. He leans in, his forehead resting against yours, adoring the tranquil moment between two souls.

Enjoying each other's presence and your newfound attraction and happiness, you spend the rest of the night hand in hand wandering around mindlessly, exchanging loving gazes, talking about everything and sweet nothing's at once like two fools in love.

"Do you remember that day?" You hear him ask cheerfully as his free hand wanders to the songcord attached to his loincloth. You follow his movement and your eyes widen as you recognize the dried petals, intricately woven into one of the beads. "It was so unconventional, going against tradition. Who has ever seen a girl giving a flower to a boy? No one. But you didn't care. You were true to yourself, and you gifted me your favorite flower, and it meant so much more than just a little gesture."

Taking aback by his words and the bittersweet memory you can't help but smile widely as you inspect his songcord but confusion grazes your face at the same time.

"Wait—What do you mean? Lo'ak told me it's your favorite flower."

"No, he told me it's your favorite."

"Well, it became my favorite after I learned that it's yours."

A boisterous laugh escapes him as he throws his head back, his chest almost vibrating, and it is so contagious that you can't help but join in, the air filled with heartfelt laughter.

"It's gonna cause quite a scandal, but Lo'ak definitely deserves a good punch when he wakes up." You laughed, knowing that he meant that half-heartedly.

He delicately cradles your hand back in his, your fingers intertwining as he brings them up, his lips softly brushing against your knuckles in a loving kiss. The touch sends a warmth through your body. 

"Speaking of scandals," you say sheepishly as you reluctantly let go of his hand, "maybe it's better not to enter our village hand in hand just yet?"

He chuckles at your suggestion.

"Maybe," he agrees, his eyes filled with adoration, his face leaning slightly forward, "Can I have one last kiss before that?"

You look at him challengingly, he mirrors your expression, a playful glint in his eyes, coming closer to your face. 

Your lips almost touching for the second time this night, you whisper, "Only if you catch me." 

With that, you run off, your heart blooming with excitement, and his laughter follows you through the enchanting forest as the sun rises, casting its warm rays across the sky, and you know that the future holds nothing but love for the both of you.

for anyone asking, neteyam does in fact catch you and gets his kiss(es) <3 thank you for reading, liking, commenting, reblogging 🤍 btw, what is your love language? 💕

[moonchildxoxx]

Are we a moment, or a lifetime Part 2

A/N: You are responsible for your own media consumption.  MDNI 18+ 

Warning: talk about terminating a pregnancy, Fetus called a baby multiple times, and semi graphic birth scene ( it’s really not that bad)

Pairing: Tsu’teyx human ! Female! Reader

Word count3,673k

Synopsis: it continues right from part one

[ Request are open]

Master List

Rules

[Previous] // [Next]

"We need to keep this quiet" He murmurs, his voice quiet. The last thing she needed was everyone hounding her, demanding answers about this. Mo'at nods, agreeing that this should be kept quiet before turning and going to a small side room, searching for something. He keeps his arms firmly around her , his face buried in her hair as he murmurs reassurances and tries to soothe his own racing mind "It'll be alright"

He repeated, as if he was trying to convince himself more than her. Mo'at re-emerged with a small, woven basket. It was full of various things, but he couldn't see what exactly through the woven cloth She set it down beside him, gesturing for him to look inside. He gently shifted her out his lap for a moment so he could lean forwards, looking inside the basket. His long fingers pull back the lid, his brow furrowed as he looks at the contents.  The basket was filled with various things. Some herbs, some berries, and a few other bits and pieces he doesn't notice Mo'at motions to them, pointing at specific things "Make sure she takes these everyday. Some of the herbs will help with the nausea, the berries will help replenish the energy. I will try to find more" Tsu'tey just nods silently, still trying to process that he was going to be a father. 

The next few months had gone by slowly and quietly. Tsu'tey had kept her pregnancy a secret, much to the growing frustration of the scientists as she avoided them more. He was almost overly protective of her , following her everywhere and trying to keep her from anything even slightly dangerous or tiring. Mo'at had been of great help, bringing over herbs and berries to help with her sickness and any other issue she had had. But as she grew, it became more and more obvious to the others that something was wrong

She was more tired, her stomach was obviously bigger, and everyone was starting to notice. They tried to bring her to the lab for tests and scans, but Tsu'tey stood in their way, refusing for them to do anything more. He knew they would poke and prod and study her, not even considering her as a person anymore. 

He would bring her to Mo'at every time she had even a slight pain or issue, worried that anything unusual was a bad sign. Mo'at assured him that it would be okay, but every time she looked at (Y/N) distended stomach, you could see the worry in her eyes. Tsu'tey was always at her side, his touch gentle and warm. He would soothe  her nausea with a few berries and a cool rag, and soothe his own worries by pressing his giant hands against her stomach and talking quietly to you both.

The other's, particularly the scientists, were becoming more and more frustrated at her and Tsu'tey's secrecy, getting more demanding and more desperate to get (Y/N) in the lab. Tsu'tey's temper was wearing thin and he eventually snapped at Max when the scientist tried to force her in for a scan. It had been a long day, and she was feeling particularly exhausted from being on 

her  feet all day. Tsu'tey had taken her to the lab to work on a project with Max and Norm, but she was starting to feel faint. Max had tried to gently persuade her into the medical room, saying it was just a quick check to make sure everything was going okay and that it would only take a couple minutes. Tsu'tey had lost his temper and shoved Max aside, forcing him to get away from her. "No" He snaps, his voice low and quiet. His golden eyes almost glow with anger as he glares at Max. She'd never seen him this angry. He turns to look at (Y/N), the anger leaving him immediately as he looks at her face. Her face was pale and her hands were shaking from the effort of staying upright. Tsu'tey instantly steps in to support her, gathering her in his arms and gently holding (Y/N) against his chest. Max was frustrated , his jaw

clenching. "I don't see why we can't just do a quick scan. We don't have to do anything invasive, it's just to check everything's going well" Norm  intervened 

"Max-" But Max cuts him off, his eyes locked on Tsu'tey

"it's literally our job to collect data" "And what are you going to do when you get that data and if you don’t like it , huh?" Tsu'tey snaps back, his whole body tense.

"What if you get some readings you don't like, what then, huh?" He keeps one arm firmly wrapped around her , holding her to his chest while he glares at Max, almost shaking with anger "If the fetus is unhealthy or showing signs of abnormality, then it may need to be terminated-" Max keeps going but Tsu'tey doesn't even give him the chance to finish the sentence before his fist clenches at his side, his knuckles turning white even as he holds her with his other arm "There will be no 'terminating'" Tsu'tey practically growls that last word, his body practically shaking with anger "This baby is not a data point. It's not an experiment. It's our child" Max's eyes narrow, but he holds his hands up "okay, fine, it's your child. But don't you think a scan could be helpful? I mean we can find out the gender, we can see how it's developing-" (Y/N) cut him off “ Tsu'tey I want to go home”  In an instant, all of Tsu'tey focus switches to her.

 He instantly notices how pale she was and how tired she looked, and gently scoops her up in his arms, holding her against his chest. He shoots another glare at Max and Norm as he starts carrying her out towards their home. He practically ignores her protests, gently shushing her and murmuring reassurances as he carries her back to their home. As soon as they got home, he carefully set (Y/N) down on the soft, woven pile of blankets that served as their bed. He carefully lowers himself down behind her, pressing up to her back and gently wrapping an arm around her waist. He nuzzles his face into her neck and breathes out a long, slow breath, finally letting his guard down for a moment

He presses his hand gently to her stomach, his long fingers splayed across her skin. He can feel the swell of her belly, the bump of the baby inside. He kept his eyes closed as he breathed her in, nuzzling his face against her. She nuzzled back ,she was exhausted

He tightened his grip around her waist as he pulled her  even closer against his chest. He can tell she was tired, her whole body shaking with exhaustion. His lips pressed against the back of her shoulder as he tried to soothe her. She fell asleep on him. He feels (Y/N) relax against him as she sleeps , her breathing slowly evening out. He keeps his arms around you, holding her tight against him and burying his face into her hair

He stayed awake, watching her face as she  slept. His mind still races, but his mind is calmer than it was earlier. Now she is here, safe and sound and asleep, he can finally allow himself to properly relax. She stayed asleep. He stayed awake for a while longer, simply watching her sleep. He gently pulls the covers up around her, making sure she is properly tucked up and comfortable. After a while, he slowly feels himself start to doze off too.

 She slept till early morning. The sun raised slowly, filtering through the woven shelter and casting it in a soft, warm glow. Tsu'tey slowly wakens a few hours later, opening his eyes to see (Y/N) ace softly lit by the morning sunlight He slowly sits up, propping himself up on one elbow as he looks down at her. She was starting to stir, her  eyes fluttering open. He watches her for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he watches her  wake "Good morning" He murmurs gently, reaching out to brush his fingers gently over her cheek He lets his hand cup her face, his calloused fingertips gently tracing over her skin, as if he was trying to commit every little part of her  to his memory She nuzzled him. He feels her nuzzle against him, and his smile widens slightly. He leans down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He lets his arms wrap around her, pulling her close against his chest as if he can't get close enough to her. Her  skin is warm against his, and he nuzzles against her  hair and the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her. He feels his own anxiety from the other night ebb away, replaced by a warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest. She gently grunted " I want this baby out " she muttered. He couldn't help but let out a small huff of a laugh at her comment, his chest rumbling with a quiet chuckle. "I know, I know" he says, his hand gently rubbing her  stomach. She lay back yawning again. He follows her down, lying back with her as he continues rubbing her belly. He can feel the baby moving under her skin, shifting around inside her .He leans in, gently pressing his lips to her stomach He murmurs against her stomach "your mommy is getting impatient with you" He lets his lips linger, pressing soft kisses against her  skin. She laughed softly " hey you would too if you carrying a watermelon He smiled up at her, his lips still against her stomach  "You're right, I would" He glances down at your belly again "it's your fault, you know" he jokingly murmurs to the baby "You've given your mother a difficult time" He gently starts massaging her  stomach, his hand large enough to span almost all of it at once His fingers gently rub in soft circles, as if he's trying to soothe the baby as well as her. He can feel the taut skin of her  stomach under his fingers, still stretched tight around the bump (Y/N) started to doze off again. He notices her starting to fall asleep again, and he can't help but smile a little. He knows she’s tired, and knows she needs the extra rest. He nuzzles against her  stomach again, then leans in to press a kiss to her  cheek "get some sleep" He gently pulls the covers up around her, making sure she is warm and comfortable. He shifts to lie behind her, his large, muscular body pressed up against hers  as he wraps one arm around her waist and pulls her close  

The next month or so passes in a similar fashion, Tsu'tey being overbearing and overprotective.

Every time she not feeling well, he's at her  side, and he's constantly trying to keep her from getting tired or exerting herself  As her due date approaches, he gets increasingly apprehensive and nervous, spending almost every minute at her side and fussing over every small issue she had until she hit a breaking point. “Why don't you go for a short huh?" (Y/N) suggested He glances at her, raising an eyebrow. His first response is to protest and say he doesn't want to leave her, but he can tell she was feeling smothered and fed up with how overprotective he's been, and he sighs "You really want me to?"  “ I think it'd do you some good besides I'm not leaving our marui" He lets out a small huff of a sigh, knowing she was probably right, and reluctantly nods "Alright, alright. I'll go" he says, already missing her before he has to leave. She nuzzles him. He nuzzles her back, letting his forehead rest against hers for a moment "I'll see you later" he says softly, before reluctantly pulling away from her and grabbing his bow. She grabbed her tablet and read for a little while before taking a nap. It takes a few hours before Tsu'tey comes back to the marui. He's carrying a couple of fish in one hand, He sees her  lying there with the tablet and a part of him relaxes, relieved to know she hasn't left the marui like he was afraid she would, She was curled up asleep in the nest. He sets the fish down, before gently laying down beside her. He tries not to disturb her, as he knows how tired she had been. But he can't help gently nuzzling his face into her hair, breathing in her familiar scent

He lets out a soft sigh as he wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her close against his chest. He can feel the bump of her stomach against his , the baby growing more restless and running out of space in her belly. He gently shifts himself to where he's lying behind her, spooning against her back and resting his hand on her stomach. He lets his fingers rub in gentle circles against her  skin, hoping to soothe not just the baby but her as well

As her due date approaches, Tsu'tey becomes more and more stressed and restless. He spends every single minute of the day by her side, refusing to leave her unattended at all. He has nightmares nearly every night while he's supposed to be asleep, about the baby being born dead, or dying soon after, while she is bleeding out and fading right before his eyes. He'll occasionally wake up in a cold sweat, but tries to stay quiet to avoid waking her up. He stays as quiet as possible as he pulls her closer to him, his arms wrapping around her  and holding her tight against his chest. He buries his face into her hair, trying to calm his hammering heart and steady his breathing

(Y/N) hummed in her sleep nuzzling him. He buries his face in the crook of her neck, his nose pressed against her skin. He lets himself breathe in her scent, taking in just how alive she was. He can feel her  heart beating against his, the steady thump of it calming and reassuring him. He lets his hand rest on her stomach, feeling the bump of the baby. They've gotten so big, it's easy for him to feel every kick and squirm they give. He can't keep the smallest smile off his face as he feels them stirring inside her, but the anxiety and stress over the impending birth is still weighing down on him

He tries to shake himself out of the dark thoughts, instead focusing on the baby. He rubs her belly in small circles, silently praying to Eywa that it goes well, that everyone will be okay. He tries to keep his voice soft and quiet, but he can't stop the quiet words from leaving his lips as he murmurs against her skin, "please let it be okay, please let them both be okay..."

He keeps his nose against her skin, breathing in ragged breaths as he tries to will himself to sleep.

But the dark dreams keep coming back, the images of the baby crying out weakly as she slowly fade away, the blood staining his hands and clothes, the image burned into his mind. His grip around her tightens as he shakes those images away, nuzzling against the nape of her neck. He wills himself to think of happier things, of the baby being born healthy, of the first time he will get to hold them, of the joy that would bring.

It had been a long, hard few months . (Y/N)  had been monitored by Mo'at carefully, and Tsu'tey was more overprotective than usual, watching for any signs of distress.

The days ticked by, slowly approaching the moment. She was laying back on a sleep mat Tsu'tey by her side keeping her up. Mo'at knelt between her legs, guiding her through the process. She was gripping Tsu'teys hand tight. He was kneeling beside her , leaning his head on her as she squeezed the life out of his hand. Mo'at occasionally spoke, encouraging her to push and reassuring  her that she was doing well "Good, good, push. You're doing so well" Mo'at's voice was as encouraging as she could be, trying to get her to do what was needed. She could already make out the head. Tsu'tey pressed his forehead against hers , his fingers intertwined with hers . "You're doing so well, you're perfect" He breathed, his breath hot against her skin as he tried to distract her from the pain "Nearly there, you're nearly there. Push again" Mo'at knew it would be hard, but she also knew (Y/N) was strong. "That's it, you're almost there" (Y/N) cried out, the pain intense and burning. She couldn't do it anymore, she felt like she was going to pass out. "I can't, I can't-"

"Yes you can, you're doing so well" Tsu'tey assured her, his free hand moving to the side of her face, trying to soothe her , she let out a low, guttural sound, gripping Tsu'tey hand even tighter. The pain was nearly blinding now, and she was exhausted but she was almost there. So incredibly close.  "One more push for me, come on child. You're doing so well" The encouraging words from Mo'at spurred her on, gritting her  teeth as she used all her strength to push one last time. The push seemed to last forever, but the moment it was done, a soft wail filled the air. The sound of a baby crying.

Mo'at smiled, gently picking up the baby and holding them in her hands. A moment later, Tsu'tey raised his head from (Y/N)  shoulder and looked at the baby

"Is, is it-" he couldn't form a coherent sentence. His chest was heaving and he was shaking from the adrenaline.

“It's a girl"  Mo’at's words were said softly, her voice quieter than usual as she spoke. A girl, a beautiful, perfect little girl. The crying baby was placed on (Y/N) chest, still covered in birth fluids and the cord looped around her.  You could see the pure disbelief and love on Tsu’teys face. He was in shock "Congratulations"

Mo'at's normally sharp voice was quiet, a small smile on her face. She reached out and patted (Y/N)  thigh gently "You did well, child”. 

Tsu’tey leant over her , his lips brushing against her forehead, his breath hot against her skin. "You did so well" He murmured, his voice cracking slightly as he looked down at the little squirming baby in her arms.

The baby seemed to calm as she held her, her crying ceasing and being replaced with little sounds like tiny chirrups. He reached out and stroked a finger down the baby's cheek, his touch as gentle as he could. He couldn't believe how small she was, this tiny little baby, this perfect little thing .Tsu'tey raised his head again to look at (Y/N). She was exhausted, and covered in sweat and blood, but she never looked more beautiful to him . “She’s perfect” He murmured, his voice a mix of awe and tiredness. He carefully sat down on the ground next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. The baby was still in her hold, and she could feel the protective way Tsu’tey was wrapped around her (Y/N) nuzzled her baby. The baby squeaked under her affection, her tiny limbs wiggling again as she let out a soft sort of purring noise. Tsu'tey watched the two of you with a soft expression, his fingers tracing small circles on the baby's tummy

"What are you going to name her?" Mo'at's sharp voiced interrupted the moment, her eyes on her and Tsu'tey as she watched (Y/N) with the tiny baby

“Kamari " Tsu'tey's eyes flicked away from the baby and over to her, a quizzical look on his face "Kamari?" He repeated, tilting his head a little as he tested the name  she nodded, a satisfied smile on her face. It was the first thing that popped into her mind when she looked at her. Tsu'tey thought about it for a moment before giving a small nod "Kamari.." He said again, his eyes falling back down to the baby in his arms. "You like that, little one?" Kamari gave a small noise as if she was agreeing with her father. The baby wrapped one of her tiny hands around Tsu’teys finger, gripping it tightly. Her hand was so tiny, yet her grip was remarkably strong.  Tsu’tey chuckled breathlessly as he gently tugged his finger, watching her not let go with an adoring look in his eyes “Oh you're totally screwed " spoke (Y/N) Tsu'tey gave her a side eye, his mouth tilting up in a small smirk "What do you mean by that?" He asked, his thumb tracing soft circles over the back of Kamari's tiny hand "She's got you wrapped around her little finger". "She's not the only one, you know" He murmurs, his eyes flicking up to look towards her, that smirk on his lips. Then his gaze falls back to the baby in his arms, his expression immediately softening Kamari let out what sounded like a little squeak, her tiny fingers grasping onto her father's finger with her surprising strength. Mo'at chuckled quietly, crossing her arms as she watched Tsu'tey interact with the baby

"You're in trouble already, Olo’eyktan “ Tsu'tey huffed in response to Mo'at's comment but didn't disagree. He knew exactly what she meant, He was completely enraptured, this little girl was the perfect combination of you both. He knew he was falling in love already . The baby let out a tiny gurgling sound, wiggling its tiny little arms as it snuggled against (Y/N) chest.

© Moonchildxoxx 2023 | all rights reserved. do not republish, repost, steal, modify, translate or claim my work as your own.

[wheneclipsefalls]

Grovel Part 3

Pairing: Aged up Lo'ak x Fem Omatikaya Reader

Grovel Masterlist

Warnings: aged up characters, past cheating, angst, mentions of blood, trauma, nightmares, description of injuries and death, war flashbacks, fear, swearing, drinking, etc.

Summary: Lo'ak is everywhere all at once.

A/N: Sooo...a little unsure about how the writing quality of this turned out but I hope you enjoy anyways. oh also I really don't know how or why I made this chapter so long haha

“And that speech…” Talu paused to give a wistful sigh. Words were not necessary to convey how romantic she thought Lo’ak’s courting proposal was. “Sister I can only hope for the same from Neteyam soon.” The sparkling grin she threw your way proved to be anything but envious, cheeks tinting into a happy shade. 

Your own returned smile was mediocre at best, fingers still running over the mysterious pieces of your new top. No, of your new courting gift. That would never stop feeling strange, especially knowing it had come from a man that you had written off as a memory so long ago. If Talu sensed your apprehension, she didn’t show it. Nothing could stop her giddy babbling as she went about straightening your shared kelku. 

“I admit, I would not have guessed Lo’ak to be the first of the two to profess such feelings but then again this is my sister we are talking about.” Her eyes shined with pure admiration and love. “He would be a true skxawng to not tuck away his childish hesitations in favor of chasing such a gem.” 

“Talu-” You go to reprimand her dramatics but it falls on deaf ears. 

“And just think, with any luck our matings could coincide and then before you know it our children will be learning to hunt together. We could even create a connected kelku. I’ve seen a few families do it before!”

“Is that not a little much?”

Talu squealed, feet kicking like a small child. It was hard to cut off such ramblings when she was in this state. So truly disconnected from the judgments of others, letting her joy flow from her without reserve. 

“It is like becoming sisters all over again. Double sisters even. Or…” She paused thoughtfully. “However you say it.” 

“I don’t think there is such a term.” You muttered, tucking away the healing ointments into a basket. That sparkling top still lay across the floor of the marui. It had no place in your home, or at least you didn’t know where it would be. Even heaped across the floor it felt far too grand in this humble abode. 

“How have you not tried it on?” Talu gasped, kneeling down to carefully collect the garment as if handling a rare gem. “Go on! It will look dazzling on you, I know it!” 

You reared back, fingers twirling nervously away from where she offered it to you. 

“I don’t know if I will.” 

“Why not?” Talu’s head tilted to the side, tail dashing back and forth in anticipation. “Don’t worry about breaking it. I can help you get it on carefully.” 

A small smile curved at her kind invitation but you no longer knew how else to respond to her new enthusiasm. You had no interest in explaining and consequently reliving the events of you and Lo’ak’s history but neither did you want her fantasy of your twinned mating to blow out of proportion. 

“What I mean is I don’t know if I will wear it at all. Lo’ak’s courting…well…I don’t think I will accept.” 

Her ears dropped immediately, eyes widening as her tail came to a halt. Talu didn’t wait for an explanation. 

“I do not understand. Was his presentation not…sufficient?” 

You were shaking her head before she even finished. Scrambling back down to your knees to meet her at eye level. 

“No, of course it was but…I am not sure whether or not I would like to accept his courting in general. Lo’ak can be very…” You paused, searching for the right words that would get her desperate attention off of you while properly masking the past. “Annoying,” you finished lamely.

“Annoying?!” A laugh of disbelief coated the word. Her tail swooped up slightly and a spark of hope surfaced again. “By Eywa, what are you talking about?”

You knew it was the wrong choice of words the second they left your mouth. Hoping to conceal your heated blush you hastened back into straightening the room. 

“What do you mean by that?” She rephrased.

“Well Lo’ak has always been a little headstrong and…loud…and….oh he always called me names and pulled at my tail-”

It was difficult to continue now with Talu’s rampant giggling filling the room.

“All of those reasons are from when you were children. Of course he was not great for the nerves, no boy was at that time, but it has been years.” Amusement danced in her eyes, that level of disappointment already washed away. It’s not as if you could blame her truthfully. Your reasoning was lacking at best. 

“Give the male a chance to show he has changed. If his appearance is anything to go off of then we know at least one thing has changed-”

“Talu!” You hissed, chucking a woven blanket at her. Your sister’s laughter did not subside as it made contact and she dramatically rolled to the floor. Despite her suggestive joke you couldn’t help but find her joy contagious and before you knew it both of you were bursting at the seams until your stomachs ached. 

“Lo’ak has his work cut out for him. It will take more than pretty words and a few tattoos to win my sister.” She finally spoke once you were starting to catch your breath. There was no mistaking the pride in her tone. “As it should be.” She reassured you, placing a hand atop her head before exiting the kelku. 

Neteyam’s proposal came mere days later. You wondered if part of the rush was due to being upstaged by his brother but that theory was set to the side when you witnessed Lo’ak’s helping hand in the festivities. He had been the one to set off the glowing plants at the end of Neteyam’s speech, painting eclipse in a vibrant glow that washed over the smiling couple. And when Talu had given her joyful, yet contained, acceptance, Lo’ak had smiled at you from the bushes. 

Gifts came pouring in left and right, your front doorstep littered with fresh kills, baskets, berries, and woven ornaments every other day. Each gift was specifically marked from each brother, obvious that neither wanted the credit for their work to be placed on their sibling. It was almost humorous were it not for the guilt you felt in disposing of your gifts hastily. 

Talu had given you a fair share of glares when you had passed off the neat meals to some neighboring families or tied small trinkets into some of the little girl’s hair in the village. No one knew that they were from the youngest Sully son but Talu’s disapproval was enough to make you hesitate at times. And yet, that first beautiful garment remained draped over your table at home without being touched for days. 

Despite her common persuading, Talu often brushed off your resistance as your way of playing hard to get. The looks she would exchange with Neteyam when Lo’ak was brought up had your intuition sparking. You wouldn’t put it past your older sister to conspire with the eldest Sully son in the ways of helping Lo’ak woo you. 

Those suspicions were borderline confirmed as the gifts switched to very specific items and fruits that caught your fancy. One morning in particular you had woken up to your mouth watering at the smell of peanut butter coming from the entrance. Such a rare delicacy that the Sully’s had introduced you to so many years ago, your senses had become quickly attuned to its pull. 

So you ate it.

Tucked away in the corner of the marui where you could shovel it into your mouth without judgment, but you had eaten it all the same. And as the last glob of strange texture stuck to your tongue it was becoming harder and harder to feel guilty for indulging in the pleasure. 

So you stopped.

From then on out when the gifts came you sorted them into trinkets that would be shoved away and repurposed to treats you would allow yourself to enjoy. Lo’ak dropped off meals so often that it became almost unnecessary to join communal dinner. Although you would never admit it, you couldn’t resist the slowly cooked meat or even the fish that he had seasoned and prepared in such a unique way you could only associate it with him. All the same, you let yourself have it.

After all, if he wanted to waste his time hunting and foraging for your delight every day that was his prerogative. And what you did with those free offerings was yours. 

A bitter part of you couldn’t help but feel satisfied by the constant effort he was putting in. Perhaps this is what he truly deserved after breaking your heart. He could race across the forest every day trying to win your affections without result and maybe that would finally teach him to handle people’s hearts more carefully. 

In any case, this obsession would subside sooner or later and he would be chasing after another girl. Until then, it seemed logical to enjoy the splendors while you could. 

However it became increasingly more difficult to avoid his presence as the gifts poured in, especially in the company of others. Some days it felt as if Lo’ak was everywhere all at once. Helping a clan member move into their marui, joining the afternoon hunting party, taking notes at his father’s meetings. The list went on and on. It was more than you expected for the youngest son of the Olo’eyktan to have. 

And Lo’ak never missed a day. You never woke to an empty threshold and he never stopped averting his attention your way no matter the situation. Even if some days all he could afford was a loving gaze, one that made your stomach turn itself inside out. 

Your fingertips had grown wrinkly under the river’s current as you continued to scrubs at the cloth viciously. So many to get through cleaning for the healer’s tent before you could sufficiently rest from today’s labors. Still…you remembered a time where it was worse. So much worse. 

It was never too late to count your blessings. 

“The orange would look good!”

Your ears perked, recognizing the voice although it had changed over the years. Sweet Tuktirey emerged from the treeline, her older brother in tow. It was difficult to wrap your mind around how much the girl had grown since the Sully’s departure. Where once skipped a tiny optimistic child of sunshine now bloomed a beautiful young woman on the precipice of adulthood. Still only a teenager, Tuk had seen more than most people should in their early years.

It was a relief to find that the trials of war failed to dim her light. 

“I don’t need another one.” Lo’ak insisted.

Your scrubbing intensified but your breath held. Perhaps they wouldn’t see you. 

“Just a small one right here.” Tuk halted her brother sternly before carefully selecting a stray braid to bring forward. “It would look so pretty!” She giggled and Lo’ak scoffed.

“Pretty? What type of vibe do you think I’m going for?” Hands on his hips and eyes narrowing it was still easy to see the glimmer of teasing there. It only made Tuk laugh harder. 

“Whatever it is, it's too late to save you from it now.” The words barely left her lips before a shriek followed and she was racing away from her brother’s chase after her tail. The edges of your lips curved upwards. “Lo’ak!” She screeched, now trying to elbow her way out of his grasp. 

They wrestled along the rocky shore until his younger sister was gasping for a truce. Dopey grins matched as the two finally broke away to collect themselves. Your eyes refused to be diligent as you kept forcing them back at your task. 

Their laughter died down suspiciously quick and through the gentle breeze you could just barely pick up on whispering. The weight of their attention bore down on you. The scrubbing picked up tenfold. There are still three rags left but maybe-

“Y/N!” Tuk called, practically skipping your direction. There was no hope in hiding now.

You flipped over in mock surprise, a warm grin naturally taking place as you saw her rush your way. 

“Hi Tuk.” Infusing friendliness into your tone and body language you tried to keep your eyes pinned on the younger Na’vi and not her shadow that followed behind. 

“What are you doing?” She immediately swooped in to kneel beside you. 

“Tuk, don’t bother her.” Lo’ak called, gently jogging to catch up. His hair was down today, decorated braids swinging with every step. 

“I’m not bothering her!” She shot back with a huff as he came to a halt before them. Lo’ak’s dark eyebrows dropped, giving his sister a doubtful look. 

“She is fine.” You gave a firm assurance but purposefully veered your attention back at the sudsy rag. Otherwise you were sure to notice insignificant details like the return of his battle band and the way it gave a further optical illusion of his slim waist. 

“Are these from grandmother’s tent?” Tuk gestured to the pile of rags. 

“Just giving them a quick wash.” 

“All by yourself?” Her surprise at such a thing warmed your heart, even more so as she reached to grab one of the rags.

“Oh no, Tuk. It is alright. I can manage.” Your concerns are quickly shushed as she swats your hand away. “I don’t want to make you late.” 

From the look on Lo’ak’s face that is exactly what was going to happen. Whatever engagement they were currently going to was sure to be starting soon. 

“Well…” She dropped the rag, pausing for a moment. “I can’t really stay long…”

“Do not worry.” You laughed softly, placing a hand on her arm but there was a flicker of mischief in her smile. 

“But Lo’ak can help!” Within one yank to his arm she had her older brother falling to his knees. 

“Oh no Tu-”

“He’s great at washing rags! Best in our family, actually.” 

The bizarre lie almost had your panic melting into humor. You expected Lo’ak to intervene again but despite the roll of his eyes and reprimanding look shot Tuk’s way, he was already shifting to get comfortable and reach for the next rag. 

“No, really.” You caught the rag from his fingertips and alongside it his gaze as well. Pools of gold studied you with a diligence that made your skin burn. 

“I can walk myself the rest of the way.” Tuk happily chirped, rising to her feet. Ripping the cloth away you scrambled to gather the rest of the supplies. It didn’t help when two four-fingered hands gently helped you gather the mess silently. 

“I appreciate it, Tuk, but I really should head back as well.” 

Her shoulders dropped. Within a stride Lo’ak was in your space. Instinct almost had you reeling backwards before you realized it was to simply hand over the rest of the supplies. 

“We can walk you.” He offered, voice warm and smooth like falling molasses. 

“No thank you.” Two steps backwards and your lungs could finally fill with air not drenched in his essence. 

“But you’ll be at the party tonight, right?” Tuk perked over his shoulder, eyes wide and already on her toes for an answer.

“Party?” 

“More of a small get together, near the old shack.” Lo’ak corrected. 

“Anything but small. There will be food and music and an excuse to dress up.” Her hairless brows wiggled, a glee that was intoxicating. 

“I don’t know I-”

“Oh you can wear that new top! I’ve been dying to see it on someone! Lo’ak would barely let me look at it while he was making it, let alone try it on.” Supple lips formed into a pout.

“Okayyy,” He drawled, slinging an arm around her shoulders. Tuk shrunk under the weight, squirming as he began to pull her back. “I think you’ve bugged the poor woman enough.” 

She hissed back at him, ducking under his arm to be released. A few comments shot between the two in English but Tuk reluctantly began to inch away. 

“We do hope you can make it.” There those eyes were again, studying you for any change. Perhaps he was waiting to see if you would shout, run off, even raise a hand at him. If so, it would be a relief to see him finally catching on to his standing with you. “Call for me if you need help. I will come.”He promised and Tuk quickly ran up to wave goodbye.

 Just as you thought the coast was clear, making your way upshore, footsteps came up fast. You turned and startled slightly to find Lo’ak so close again. He held something wrapped in leaves. 

Lo’ak held it up with a half grin. 

“Lunch, paskalin [honey].” Before you could shoot back your protests he had it tied to your bag strap and was jogging away. You watched his retreat longer that you would have cared to admit. Not your fault. Lo’ak had a way of catching you off guard. That’s all it was, you told yourself. It had nothing to do with the way sunlight danced across his shoulder blades. 

Lo’ak made it seem like attending tonight’s party was optional. A stance that Talu clearly did not share as she braided small flowers into your hair. You could try to convince her otherwise, maybe even make up a lie but you knew better than to underestimate Talu’s ability to shackle you into social events. When she had an idea in her head nothing would sway her away. 

Yet another reason your theory of her aiding the younger Sully son concerned you. Although you’d hate to believe it, it would surely only take witnessing a few of her conversations with Neteyam to confirm such meddling. And with how often Neteyam swept her away, there was simply too much time for scheming to take place. 

“Don’t you think it is a little rude not to wear it?” Talu huffed, holding the sparkling top out to you. The same one a certain Sully had gifted.  

“Seems more rude to give him false hope by wearing it.” 

“Oh come now, you can’t seriously claim there is no hope for him to cling to.” Talu rolled her eyes, carefully turning each piece of the top so it laid in the right direction. When faced with your deadpanned expression she let out a sight, shoulders dropping. “I’m just saying it would match nicely with the flowers.”

“I’m wearing the purple vines.” You reiterated, eyes narrowing.

“Alright alright,” She carefully laid down the garment and turned to show her surrender. “Have it your way.” 

It would be foolish to believe that her acceptance would be anything more than short lived. Bracing yourself for the night ahead you carefully dressed and began crafting a game plan. Anything that would keep Lo’ak off your back and therefore sail you through the party swiftly. 

Tuk was right. This ‘small gathering’ was anything but intimate. While it was clear that not all clan members were not invited, it was obvious which demographic they were catering to. Almost every young single warrior, healer, and gatherer had shown up with dazzling garments and the motivation to whisk the night into a frenzy. Frankly it was surprising that Tuk’tirey was allowed at this party at all. 

Then again, she came with three taller, older escorts flanking her sides. 

You could practically feel Talu’s grin, although she strategically turned to hide it. She had a way with men that seemed to serve her well. Never reveal your cards too early. 

It was a success for as far as you could tell because the future Olo’eyktan barely made out simple greetings as his eyes were drawn back to your sister like a moth to flame. It was starting to get uncomfortable. And although you couldn’t be more happy for your sister, it became clear that taking your turns around the gathering would serve you better. 

The old shack was something you had never ventured to see. As children with the Sullys you had refused to get anywhere near it. Even now as it was almost entirely swallowed by Eywa’s forest and your friends served drinks from inside, it felt as if hallowed spirits still drifted through its ugly halls. There were too many memories held in that strange kelku. And while none of them were yours, the familiar RDA symbols had it feeling all too personal. 

Steering away from the looming structure you found solace in a circle of young females. Most were warriors that you had little interaction with but you had spent enough time Penyau in the healer’s tent to consider her a friend, so her presence was sufficient. You were only half listening as the topic flowed from upcoming gatherings to new gems found in the nears caves. Nothing that you were interested in chiming in on but the circle of females were your armor against Lo’ak. And that’s all that mattered. 

At least, that is what you assumed until a finger was tapping you on the shoulder. 

A flurry of golden eyes immediately snapped to the space behind you. It was clear who stood there even before you turned around. 

“Good evening, sisters. Do I mind if I borrow Y/N for a moment?”

“More than a moment if you’d like.” One female responded with a suggestive smirk and that earned her a series of giggling laughter. It gave Lo’ak more than enough courage to lead you away. 

Once out of their ear shot there was no more reason to play nice. 

“Dinner.” Lo’ak said simply, gently handing over the leaf of meat. 

His gentle expression was met with a scowl.

“I can get my own food, Lo’ak. I am in no need of being fed like a child.” Although, the food was currently being served inside of the shack and you would rather starve than set foot in there. However, that information was none of Lo’ak’s business. 

“Of course you do not need it, paskalin.” His deep chuckle was accompanied by a smile that was far too resilient. “But I have committed to courting you and part of that is proving my ability to provide. So as far as I’m concerned I will treat you as if that responsibility has already fallen on my shoulders.” 

“Well, it’s not.” Sharp words and a quick shove had your hands empty once more. Although his tail drooped there was an indistinguishable flame of determination present in his countenance. This man was going to be the death of you. “And I’m not hungry.” 

“Too full from the peanut butter?” He guessed with a crooked smile. It cracked your composure for a split second. Both of those dark eyebrows raised. They taunted you because one way or another Lo’ak had come to figure out the truth and he knew there was no way to refute it. 

Jaw clenched and arms crossed, your eyes flashed back with that same fervent challenge. Even as that handsome face threatened to melt you into a puddle you held your ground. How arrogant could he be to still dare showing his face at you like this after everything? Those white teeth on display as if he had won the prize. Beaded braids pulled up into a neat bun to show off his defined shoulders and chest like a true whore. Wearing that frayed tewng that danced like true seduction in the wind as if he would be getting anything close to lucky tonight. 

It was baffling to try and understand where he got such nerve. 

“Well if you are so persistent on making yourself useful then maybe you should shift your efforts towards getting me a drink instead.” It wasn’t often that you partook in strong drink. The idea often felt childish and pointless. Tonight however….tonight it sounded like an Eywa-send in getting through these interactions. 

Anything that would soar you through this nightmare would be welcomed with open arms. 

“Of course, tanhi.” Lo’ak shook his head with a fond grin. 

Before he could depart however, you caught his arm. He halted immediately. 

“From there.” You pointed towards the furthest corner of the shack. A small gaggle of Na’vi were sprawled out across the floor in giggling fits. It was clear from the look in their eyes that not a single worry could fall upon them. Their drink was strong, no doubt about it. 

“You don’t want that.” 

“And how do you know?”

Lo’ak set the food down to mimic your stance, arms flexed as they crossed. 

“That shit will knock you into next week.”

“And you somehow know that is what I don’t like?” You challenged. “Who's to say I don’t drink it on the regular? Unless you somehow had ways of stalking me all the way from Awa’atlu.” 

You expected him to sigh and admit defeat with reluctance. Maybe throw in a few claims to battle your own but Lo’ak was never one to meet your expectations. He took two strides forward. He had no right to invade your space but somehow the idea of stepping back looked like defeat. 

“That, paskalin, is from Awa’atlu. I should know because I brought it. And I will tell you honestly that pxir [type of alcohol] is nothing like the sweet drinks we make here. It is mostly drunk by men two times your size.” Lo’ak tucked a curl behind your ear. “It will fuck you up.” 

It was not the first time Lo’ak had your teeth grinding to the point of your jaw aching, and you feared it would neither be the last. Even as children he had a way of getting under your skin, tugging at your hair, making teasing comments that had you hissing back at him. That special skill had not been lost, but now…now you knew how to deal with cocky Sully men. 

“I don’t remember asking for the lineage, skxawng.” Your nimble fingers drew your thick hair over one shoulder. “But if you don’t want to get it for me, I’m sure I could find another capable suitor that will.” 

To his credit, Lo’ak’s mask stayed in place. It was the rising of his shoulders that gave away your success. A deep breath was drawn into his lung and that smile waivered like grinding gears that had grown rusty. It shifted into something resembling more of a sarcastic grin. 

“Fine.” He huffed, his show of pearly whites demonstrating anything but joy. “Have it your way, tanhi.” 

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding when he went to retrieve a share of pxir. He couldn’t return soon enough. If you had to endure his intoxicating scent and teasing grin for one more moment without aid, the night would end in violence. Lo’ak kept his own small bowl of drink after handing you one. 

He waited, watching you closely. Perhaps he thought you were going to back out. A small voice in your head said that it might have been best but it was too late to retreat now. So with the best mask of confidence you could muster, you held the bowl up in cheers and took a large gulp. 

The taste was fowl!

Absolutely horrific as it seethed your throat with fire. How did any of the Metkayina chose such a drink in full consciousness? Lo’ak patted your back as you choked on the few remaining drops that had gone down the wrong tube. The gesture was quickly swatted away. Your own annoyance only rising as you looked down to see that he had already finished his bowl in silence. 

“It’s a shock to the system I know…no Y/N don’t-”

Three more gulps and that scorching fire was settled in your stomach and the bowl empty. Your nose tingled like it was about to erupt as your eyes squeezed shut. 

“Woah hey, easy there.”

“Another.” Your tone came out like gravel as you handed him the bowl. 

“Uh yeah right.” He scoffed, taking it away. The liquid only spiked your courage, pushing you to face the male head on but then…it unfortunately had you sense of gravity shifting as well. Lo’ak quickly wrapped a securing arm around your waist as you stumbled a few steps. Shit, this stuff worked fast. “Here, eat something.” 

He brought a piece of yerik meat to your lips and that made you squirm to get away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” You snipped.

“Pxir is worse on an empty stomach, trust me.” 

“That easy huh?”

Lo’ak sighed, bringing the food down. “Okay I deserved that but-”

“I don’t want your food, Lo’ak.” There was still enough coordination left to wiggle yourself out of his grasp and stomp to the other side of the gathering. In all fairness, the ground did move side to side with every step but you managed just the same. 

Unfortunately, you couldn’t escape him even while dancing. Toruk Makto’s youngest son remained leaned against a tree on the outskirts, eyes pinned on you diligently. It felt as if you could never get a break from his weighted presence. Why was he not enjoying the party like everyone else? Was it really worth skipping out on getting drunk with old friends just to babysit you?

Walking, let alone dancing, was a struggle but you made a crooked path to him as fast as you could, one hand pushing against his chest. Lo’ak barely flinched.

“You’re watching me.” You accused him. 

“First experience with Metkayina alcohol requires supervision.” 

“And you have to do it from the shadows like a stalker?” Your words were already slurring together but it was hard to tell if that was how it sounded out loud or simply the distortions of your inhibited brain. 

“I’d be more than happy to keep a closer eye on you but it seemed like you wanted space.” He shrugged, eyes darting to where you swayed back and forth. 

“You’re right. I do.” One pointed finger stabbed at his chest with each word. Eywa, he was so warm. 

His mouth opened to treat you to yet again his annoyingly low baritone but then….

“Your sister is calling you.” 

Your claim had his brows raising before slowly turning around to look. It seemed that Eywa was on your side tonight after all because Tuktirey was in fact trying to get down one of her beaded chains from a high branch. How it got up there was a mystery to you but one that you had no interest in solving. 

A forced breath puffed from his nose before he turned back towards you.

“Just,” His lips pressed into a thin line, ears tucking back. “Stay here. Eat something.” That leaf of meat was tucked into your hand before Lo’ak was stalking towards his younger sister. 

As if.

You carelessly flung the leaf away, taking in this new breath of freedom. Eywa only knew where Talu was and conversing with the girls once more no longer seemed appealing but there was still one thing on your mind. The same thing that would erase all other thoughts and help you survive. 

Lo’ak had taken his share of the pxir with him so you were forced to find your own means of acquiring some. Going into the old shack was still not on your agenda but surely you could think of some plan before getting there. And just like that an idea hit you.

Quite literally. 

The male let out a small grunt as you incidentally knocked into him. Immediately strong arms were steadying you back into place with a half hearted laugh.

“Apologies, sister. Woah hey, you got it?” The male was tall and strong, a wall of muscle with a battle band meaning he must have been a warrior. His features held a flame of familiarity but you couldn’t recall his name. However, looking down at the bowl in his hand you realized he perfectly met your two requirements. 

He wasn’t Lo’ak.

He had pxir. 

“Irayo [thank you], I’m just a little…knocked off my axis.” 

He had a pleasing smile. And his braids were shiny. A few clumsy bats of your lashes and the male was already rising to play the hero. He guided you carefully to a stump where you could sit, saying another quiet apology and offering his services. 

“There isn’t anything I can do for you?” At first you figured he was nothing more than a sweet gentleman who somehow got his hands on the strong drink by luck. However, when your eyes locked with his you could see the faintest tremble of a smirk wanting to take place. 

Not too well behaved after all. 

Just what the doctor ordered. 

“Well, I am a little thirsty.” You couldn’t quite remember what a seductive expression would look like and doing that while riding the line of innocence and suggestive was nothing more than a train wreck. 

He wasn’t picky though. 

Neither was his price high as he brought you bowl after bowl of strong drink. The two of you began to make games out of it. Seeing who could drink the fastest. Seeing who could still stand up straight. These little contests became funnier with every sip, although this mysterious man had size on his side and therefore started to smoke your ass at every game. 

You couldn’t remember how you made it back to the dance floor. You weren’t even sure if you were doing anything more than swaying in place but it didn’t really matter when you had him to cling on to. The drinks kept coming even as your head grew heavy and eyes blurry until the scene was just pretty streaks of color. You couldn’t remember the last time you saw him take a sip but he never asked you to stop, making trip after trip for more.

A wave of victory washed over you upon spotting Lo’ak’s scowl from the sidelines. This was the perfect plan indeed. So perfect that you must not have been that drunk after all. You had the Sully boy off of your ass and a handsome male keeping you from falling down as you drank away the worries. 

At some point in time you recalled heated voices coming from above. Another taller frame pressing against your opposite side until you are sandwiched. The heat of wandering hands. Your giggles that rang in your ears in such a funny way it had you laughing again. 

It was warm. Oh so warm.

And his hair danced in the breeze beneath your fingertips, shells and beads clinking together.  

And fragments…the night only existed in fragments.

Ones that trickled off into nothing. 

The nightmare had come on fast. Like a strike from the sky then suddenly you were transported back into that heated tent. Blood spilled from seeping pools along the floor to small clumps that might just never come out from under your nails. Tendons and bone and metal balls. Things that were never meant to be together but time after time you were forced to dig out these demon bullets from warm bodies. 

You hit the floor with a thud. Footsteps scrambled across the space. 

The explosions continued in the background. Like fire in the sky that these demons had somehow figured out how to harness. And as you frantically stitched up a gushing wound you couldn’t help but wonder where it had hit. Who it had hit. Your work was getting messy. Not only from your shaking hands but the squirming of the man beneath you. His cries would never leave you.

Arms wrapped around you but they couldn’t stop your shaking. They couldn’t stop the endless line of battered bodies they came through the tent. 

Rumble and crack, sounds that rattled in your chest the same way it shook the ground. You stopped looking at their faces, afraid of who you could see. Had you already stitched up a friend? A child? Your sister…no, she was on your left. She never spoke on these days, covered in blood up to her elbows. 

How long had it been? 

How much longer did you have to go?

Your fingertips were becoming slippery but you wouldn’t look to see what they were covered in. Not when another person was carried to your feet. Not when…not when those screams sound far too young to be more than a child. 

No more.

No more no more no more no more.

Please no more!

“Mawey, tanhi. I’ve got you.”

Another crack. Another vibration. The lump in your throat was sure to be a sob but no one would hear you even if it were to bubble up. It would be drowned in the sea of anguish. Just the way no one would see your shaking hands through the mist of teary eyes. Your throat knotted. You couldn’t get oxygen through just in the same way the chest beneath your hands couldn’t. It heaved and heaved before halting. 

His heart had stopped.

Would yours stop too?

It didn’t matter. There was no time to think about your own oxygen. Just keep going. Don’t stop. Never stop.

“Open your eyes, sevin, please. Open your eyes for me.”

And you were a coward for shifting away but how could they ask you to look? How could they expect you to see the carnage that was once your friends and family? How did war have a way of turning passionate souls into nothing more than fractured skin and bone? It was all you could see now. 

Just blood.

And bone.

And your crooked stitches from cowardice hands. 

“Y/N!”

In a snap you were met with a different view. A canopy of fabrics above, not the same as the healer’s tent. A firm chest pressed against your back and sweet words that resembled nothing of screams. 

The explosions were here though. And each rumble of power was followed by a strike of light and that sharp rippling sound. 

“Please.” You whispered.

“I know, I know. I’ve got you.” A voice soothed and you could only drown in the wetness along your cheeks. Rocked back and forth side to side but the explosions never stopped. 

New sounds accompanied the first and it was only the throb in your throat that revealed it was your own sobs being let loose. Warm skin pressed against your forehead, lips that weren’t outlined in blood. 

“It’s over.” The voice promised. 

You wanted to tell the truth. To say that it would never be over. It could never be over. Not when the memory infiltrated every space in your mind, corrupting what little light was still there. 

You didn’t have enough air to say it, however. Your own cries were what filled the night as the voice whispered soothing promises. Fingers ran through your hair and a heartbeat was beneath your cheek. 

Your eyes gave out before the rumbling did. 

The gentle sway was relaxing. The sound of rain doing even more to calm you slumber as you snuggled deeper into the soft blanket. Fingers grasping at the material, you breathed in the scent with eased contentment. The essence alone was enough to tempt you into falling right back asleep.

Perhaps you could stay here forever. Snuggled in your bed.

That way you would never have to open your eyes because doing so was sure to spin you off your axis. The pounding in your head could only be blamed on last night’s overindulgence but Talu hadn’t come to wake you up yet, so it was fine. 

The branches of your top dug into your side upon turning over and you squirmed to shift it. Much less soft than the usual tops you wore to bed. Did you not change before falling asleep?

Sifting through your memory, however, all you could retrieve was the sound of a calm heart beat and a fresh fragrance that wrapped around you. The same one that filled your lungs from the blanket. 

Your eyes snapped open. 

This was not your room. You could tell from the first glimpse at the overhead marui structure. And with one more inhale that essence led you to believe you knew exactly whose home you were in. Head aching and body feeling like it has the strength of a rag doll you slowly turned to observe your surroundings. With a cringe you held your breath. One look over had your apprehensions confirmed. 

Sprawled out across the kelku floor on the opposite side of the space lay Lo’ak, sound asleep. 

He had one arm tucked beneath his head with a small blanket thrown over his lap that barely covered anything. Long legs strewn messily along the woven floor, his soft lips were parted with just a whisper of breath passing. Glossy braids outlined his chiseled features into something softer. Something that had you turning away abruptly. 

The action only rewarded you with a spinning room, lifting from all sense of reality as you tried not to hurl your guts on his floor. Taking deep breaths you eventually calmed your head and stomach enough to start thinking through your next course of action. 

You hadn’t even attempted to stand up and it had already been a close call, so sneaking away gracefully seemed like an unlikely feat. Still…Lo’ak was asleep. And if his heavy breathing was anything to go by, he was well under.

Rain still trampled the scene outside but the thunder and lightning were gone, at least for now. Your eyes pinched shut, cheeks heating as you tried to to push away the memory of Lo’ak rocking you in his arms. 

All the more reason to get out of here without having to interact. 

Lo’ak’s groan made you freeze in place, one leg already reaching outside of the hammock. He shifted, propping one leg up before letting out a sigh. You prayed to Eywa he was a heavy sleeper. 

It wouldn’t have mattered in the end, however, because when both feet were planted and you went to stand it only resulted in a collapsing with a screech that would have woken up the neighbors, let alone the male sleeping a few paces away. 

Rushed footsteps sounded before two hands tried to help you back up.

“Hey, take it easy.” The tone of his voice had dropped to a rough rumble, thick with the last string of sleep. 

You gulped.

Shoving him off was too much of an effort at this point and to your dismay it seemed that the only way back on your feet was to accept his help. He didn’t give you a chance to try running again, instead helping lift you back onto his bed. With a groan you threw your arm over your eyes. 

It felt as if your head had been trampled beneath a Bone Helm Rhino’s feet. 

“Lo’ak,” You said slowly. “What am I doing in your home? Or more specifically, in your bed?” 

“You really should drink some water.” You could hear him shuffling, mostly likely going to get you some.

“Lo’ak.” Tongue wielded like a knife you took the little energy you had to muster up some remnants of intimidation. 

He sighed. 

“Don’t worry. Nothing like that happened last night. I promise.” 

Despite your frustration, you believed him. Your clothes were still in tack and it appeared that Lo’ak had spent the entire night sleeping on his floor so you could take the bed. Another part of you was more frustrated by the gesture. He was being such a gentleman it was borderline sickening. Why couldn’t you be left alone to hate him in peace? 

“Oh really?” You countered. “Then what did?” 

Although you could feel his stare, the arm over your eyes added a false sense of protection from his intensity. 

“Exactly what I said would happen. You got drunk off your ass and needed someone to take you home.”

Your arm dropped sharply, heating rushing to your face.

“And you thought that meant taking me to your home?” The sound of your own raging voice caused a ringing in your ears. Lo’ak remained unfazed, a leaf of water already waiting in his other hand. 

“I would’ve walked you home tanhi but…” He cringed slightly.

“But what?” You pressed, eyes narrowing. 

“Well it was my horny brother that would have kept you up all night so I figured it was my responsibility to help you find some place more…comfortable.” 

Your nose scrunched. So many tiny pieces of information yet nothing was coming together to create a true picture of what had been your prior night’s experience. 

“He stayed over?” It shouldn’t have surprised you. Talu and Neteyam were progressing at such a fast rate you sometimes wondered if mating was only a few weeks away. Staying the night was only bound to happen before then, especially with those secretive looks that you were forced to witness. 

“Still is.” Lo’ak urged the leaf forward, which you reluctantly accepted. Even the cool water burned your battered throat. “I didn’t want them waking you.” 

“Sure.” You deadpanned.

“He is not the quietest-”

“Ew! Lo’ak, I don’t want to hear about that.” You reeled back, desperately trying to erase invading images of your sister and the future Olo’eyktan as fast as possible. You loved your sister but hearing about her sex life was not on your list of priorities. A sentiment you wish she had in common with you but there were far too many times that she pushed for information on your end.

Lo’ak laughed and leaned back onto his haunches. 

“Well neither do I but it’s information I am burdened with.” His fingers ran through his braids. “Shared a marui with him in Awa’atlu for far too long.” Lo’ak muttered. 

“So it’s a good thing you’re here. Won’t have to witness it for yourself.” He patted your knee with a smile before rising to refill the water. You scowled at his back, amiss that he couldn’t properly see your disdain. 

With the clouded sky it was difficult to tell how long you had been there but you were ready to suffer the physical strain of walking back in this horrid state if it meant avoiding addressing the elephant in the room. 

“Well excuse me if I’m not quick to thank you but I really should be getting back now.” 

He eyed you cautiously from across the room. Putting on a tough facade was difficult when your limbs would hardly coordinate as your head pounded relentlessly. You didn’t manage to swing your legs over the hammock again before Lo’ak had crossed the room and was handing you more water. 

“One thing I know about Neteyam is that he likes to take his damn time. It’s going to be a while.” 

“Oh please, all men claim that.” You scoffed, taking the water from his hands. “Surely even the walk back would be enough time.” You scoffed after downing the liquid. 

“Tanhi, you are brutal.” Lo’ak said with an amused chuckle. 

“No, I’m realistic.”

“Pessimistic.” He corrected, eyebrows raised in a challenge. 

You tapped a finger against your chin as if in deep thought. “Hm let me guess, you are the great exception then? Your claim to a woman's pleasure being sincere for once.”

Those golden orbs darkened slightly, his tail swishing in a slow rhythm. “I don’t have to claim anything. Actions speak louder than words.” 

That glimmer of mischief sparked just the same as it did when he was a child. However this time it held promises of things far less innocent. You wondered how many Metkayina women had fallen prey to that vibrant spark. His appeal was undeniable and yet another reason the sight of him made your blood boil. 

When were you ever going to catch a break? Your racing heart could surely use one. 

“Typical.” You scoffed, finally relenting to being trapped, flopping onto your back. 

Lo’ak chuckled and rose, towering over where you laid. From this angle you could see far too much, every chiseled muscle in his body contrasted by the low light. 

“Well if you ever want to examine the evidence up close yourself, I am at your beck and call.” He tucked one stray strand away from your forehead and retreated before you could reprimand him. Heat sparked down from your face until reaching your collarbones. 

He was such an asshole. Thinking there would ever be a day where you would want that. You were not another doe eyed female he could win over. Even if your eyes strayed far too long as he began adjusting the waterproof fabrics to hang from the marui’s openings. That superficial attraction meant nothing but that you were in the prime mating season of your life. Hormones were a powerful force but not enough for you to forget what he had done. 

If any other typical warrior were to take his place the effect would have surely been the same. In fact you remembered feeling that pull to another male last night.

Your tail curled around your thigh. What had happened to him? Flashes of dancing and drinking with the warrior were strong enough to be real but beyond that everything else was a blur. All you knew is that he was more than willing to bring you drink after drink. 

Did he see you leave with Lo’ak at the end of the party? There may not have been any true long term interest for the male but you would still feel bad if running off with Lo’ak had snipped him in some way. Especially when getting further entangled with the Olo’eyktan’s youngest son was the last thing you desired. 

When Lo’ak scaled the side support beam to flank down the next cover, you caught sight of scabbed marks along his knuckles. 

“You hit him?!” 

“What?” Lo’ak casted you a glance from where he hung from the beam, thighs flexed around the base to keep him in place. 

A fiery glare was shot at his hand.

“Oh this,” He peeled the hand from the bar, casually using one arm to keep a grip. “Yeah I met your special friend last night.” The frown upon his lips showed that he had anything but fond memories of the interaction.

“What a character he is.” Lo’ak grumbled lowly, more so to himself than you. 

Like lightning a flash of anger coursed through your veins. Clenched fists and wobbly legs scrambled to push you back into an upright position. 

“Lo’ak te Suli Tsyeyk’itan you had no right!”

His legs unfurled and he hung from the bar with one hand, the other out in form of surrender.

“Now wait a minut-”

“You think that just because you want to court me that it puts me off the market for all other men? It’s not their fault that you are too stubborn to let me ignore you peacefully! So what now? Are you going to punch every male that looks in my direction?”

“That’s not what happened.”

“Can’t even handle the slightest bite of competition?” 

His eyes narrowed, ears pinned backwards as he leveled you with a fierce stare. It was too late. You were on a roll. 

Ignoring the swirling of the room you stomped over to him, finger poking aggressively into his chest as you spoke. “If you don’t like seeing me with other suitors then I suggest you skip to the inevitable outcome and find yourself another woman to annoy! Maybe she will take your constant nagging as a compliment.” 

Your chest heaved from the effort, lungs filling with oxygen rapidly as silence fell. An eerie silence that made you shudder from the drafting wind. Lo’ak watched you, voice stoic of emotion before fixing the last flap and dropping to his feet with a thud. Towering over you like a shadow in the night, it was difficult to force yourself to keep from stepping back. 

Two more steps and he was close enough to feel the heat of his skin. 

“Napau is a crook and disgrace to the title he held. Any man that schemes to take advantage of a woman under strong drink against her will does not deserve to breathe the air Eywa gives. He is lucky that I only had time to get a few hits in.” Lo’ak’s voice dropped into a low register that burned with seething fire. 

“He knows what will happen if he crosses my path again. Or Neteyam’s for that matter.” Dark promises whistled in his words, an intense sincerity that had your own nerves rattling. You could only imagine how Napau would have fared under that same intimidation last night. 

And then Lo’ak was gone, calmly walking to the other side of kelku to secure the next flap. 

A mixture of embarrassment, regret, and dread swirled in your chest. If what Lo’ak said was true then last night could have ended so much worse than it did. A million possible scenarios crammed themselves to the front of your mind until you could feel nausea settling in. During the party you couldn’t even remember Napau’s name and yet that was almost the man taking you to bed. 

“You…You told Neteyam?”

“He saw enough to confirm the origin of my actions. Napau won’t bother you again, tanhi.” He didn’t turn to face you, pulling on the rope tight to keep the fabric in place. 

“What does that mean?” A part of you was reluctant to ask but you needed to know what became of him and even more so what had almost become of you. 

It seemed Lo’ak was even more reluctant than you to talk about it when his tail dropped and he let out a heavy sigh. He remained diligent in waterproofing the marui despite the heavy topic. 

“It means he got off with more mercy than he deserved. As I said he was not worthy of the warrior title he held so that was remedied and now he knows better than to come within half a mile of you or me.” 

“His title was revoked? How is that even possible? Without the proper authority-”

“Neteyam will be Olo’eyktan soon enough. One word to my father from him will be enough, trust me.” He peeked over his shoulder, watching the way your eyes ran from side to side as you processed the information. It was too much to sort in your hazy mind, too many emotions that couldn’t be felt separately. 

Lo’ak softened.

Leaving the flap aside he made gentle steps in your direction, careful not to scare you away. 

“Don’t let this weigh on you, tanhi. It has been solved.” Voice smooth and tender, it didn’t matter because it was clear your mind was somewhere else. 

“What did he do exactly?” 

That struck Lo’ak into a posture as stiff as a board. His tail froze and eyes melted back into that stormy gold color. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Well I do.” You insisted, catching his arm when he went to turn. His whole body froze this time, eyes darting down to where you clasped his forearm. Lo’ak had grown tall, taller than most Na’vi thanks to his father’s Avatar genes. It therefore required your neck craning backward to stare up at him properly. 

“I am grateful to Eywa that you do not have to remember such events.”

“But-”

“However, I can assure you that he got no further than a few unwanted kisses and squeezes before I stepped in.” Lo’ak stayed in place, no longer in a rush to fix the kelku as you let his words marinate. It was harder to feel the true wash of relief when your own shouts against the Sully son had been reframed into something more brutal. Apologizing felt like the last thing you wanted to do, especially since a part of you could not let go of your lingering anger towards him. 

Lo’ak had saved you. 

Why couldn’t you have saved yourself?

All because your stupid pride and spite towards the male had clouded your judgment into behaving foolishly. This is not who you were. Never before had you indulged in such reckless behavior and yet within the first couple weeks of the Sullys returning this is what Lo’ak got to see of you. What type of sorcery did his mere presence hold to shove you into madness? 

Lightning struck from above, thunder falling far too quickly after. 

Nails digging into Lo’ak’s arm, you watched the sky carefully through the front entrance. 

“It bothers me too.” 

His voice snapped you back to attention as hard as the crackling lightning. 

“The storm.” He clarified, meeting your startled gaze with a soft composure. “The sound is all too…familiar.” 

There were no further words needed to understand what he meant. The Sky Demon’s erupting fire had been relentless. Always taking. Always destroying. Crumbling your land before you in a matter of blinking. Awa’atlu no doubt had not been exempt from such cruelty.

“Should I feel sorry for you then?” The cycle of storm started up again and with the next crack of lightning your voice came out shakier than intended. 

Lo’ak’s shoulders fell.

“No tanhi,” He sighed, pausing for a moment. “I’m not telling you this to gain your sympathy. I only want you to know that I would never judge you for feeling that fear too.” His eyes flickered down to where you still dug into his arm as the storm carried forward. 

You quickly snapped away, taking a few steps back for measure. Veering your attention away from the entrance, you hoped the lack of visual would keep you from crumbling further in terror. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” You mumbled.

“And we don’t have to.” 

Such a different tune than the one Lo’ak often sang but one look at his expression showed that he was not lying. 

“But you know where I am if you ever do.” He gave a half smile and crossed to put the last flap over the entrance. You weren’t oblivious to the occasional glance he casted from the corner of his eye to check up on you. 

Having the marui enclosed completely did aid in dampening your anxiety. It gave you a moment to look around and fully take in your surroundings. It had only been a few weeks since the Sullys had returned to the forest so you were surprised to see his living space so thoroughly crafted. Small candles lit a soft glow that seemed to fill the area with warmth. 

Thinking of Lo’ak you would have expected his space to be covered with a messy floor and toppled gear but what you found was quite the contrary. Neat baskets held smaller household items while his weapons were securely kept in hanging shelves. Spears, bows, knives, and other Sky Demon weaponry. Your eyes were caught on the ominous guns before getting snapped away by the sound of thunder. 

Your arms snaked around your own waist, willing your heart rate to slow. 

Soft lips threatened to break beneath your sharp teeth. Although exhausted it felt as if your body was on a buzz, a vibration that would have you shattering to pieces. 

“How do you deal with it?” The question sprung without thought. 

“With what?” You had his attention now, his hands swiping at the rain covering his arms. 

“The storm. If it bothers you so much, how do you manage?” Although initially embarrassed by your impromptu question it did help to shift the weight over to Lo’ak instead of you. Anything to avoid bringing up the way you had cried in his arms. 

Lo’ak surprisingly lit up at the inquiry. A smile curved at his lips and the air of a secret you were not privy to filled his aura. 

“I have a secret weapon.” He said proudly, motioning for you to follow him as he quickly dropped to his knees and shuffled through baskets. At the mention of weapons you were already hesitant, stiff as a board. However, for as far as you knew everything that could do harm was on the other side of his marui, so you slowly dropped to your knees beside him. 

Lo’ak pulled out on those glowing squares that the scientists were always tapping on. You’d seen them many times in your trips to the outpost but never were interested in becoming familiar with it. This one was smaller, though. So small it fit in the palm of his hand. Then he pulled out another metal object that was an oval shape. 

With a few taps on the tiny pad the oval began singing. You shuffled backwards, almost hitting the hammock behind, as if the small device would attack. When it made no other movement you relaxed and awkwardly crouched back into place. To his credit, Lo’ak tried to hide his laughter. 

Sky Demon music is strange. So different from the lively drums that accompanied their ceremonies. From the foreign words to strange layers of sound it was always too overwhelming. But this song stood apart. 

No language to throw you off but whistling of high and low that would meld into perfect harmony. Lo’ak watched as you creeped ever closer. Despite its soft essence the music gently floated over the sound of thunder and lightning until it felt like the only air filling the marui.

Your tail curled lazily along the floor. Hands bracing yourself forward you drank in every note and phrases that formed together. There was no way of predicting which message would sprout from one to the next but somehow it maintained that perfect fluidity. Like the roots of the trees that intertwined all greenery together, this song was its own habitat. 

“Beautiful.” Lo’ak murmured, like a whisper of a secret. 

“Beautiful.” You couldn’t help but agree, but when you looked up his eyes were only set on you. Warmth crackled through your veins. 

He rose to his feet second after and you craned to look at him. 

“I will go drag my brother out so you can go home. At least make sure he’s decent.” His right ear twitched as a glimmer of amusement snuck through. “But you are free to stay as long as you like.”

The rain was still coming down in sheets outside. When Lo’ak pushed the cover aside you could see another flash of light from the sky. He stepped out into the shower without hesitation, braids becoming shiny in the rain. For a moment you considered protesting, insisting that he wait until the storm had passed, but you feared the contradiction. Only a mere moment ago you were stumbling to return. 

“Tanhi, you were right.” Lo’ak called over the pounding rain. “It did bother me to see you with him.” 

There and gone within a flash. You were left to sit in his kelku with lips parted and head more dizzy than ever. Despite how much there was to unpack you allowed yourself to sink into the sweet melody. Curling up with the blanket that had fallen to the floor you decided that you didn’t have to go back, not just yet. 

“Kaltxi [hello], traitor.” You huffed after breaching the entrance. There was no sight of Neteyam but you could still smell his specific essence in the air. Talu’s ears twitched up at the sound of your voice, pausing from where she was cleaning her room. 

“Oh come on, don’t be like that.” She chastised you but a smile was already forming along her lips. She tugged the trunk from the corner quickly and sat down atop it. Elbows resting on her crossed legs and eyes shining with interest, her keen attitude was far too much for your hungover state to handle. “Tell me everything!” 

“Where would you like me to start? Waking up today in another man’s bed? Or maybe I could tell the story from when you decided to toss me off to him so you could entertain a certain prince last night.” Your arms crossed and nose scrunched as you glared down at her. 

Your agitation only increased when Talu let out a short laugh. 

“Toss you off? Tsmuke [sister] I could not have pried you away from him last night.” Her correction was accompanied by her own body language mimicking yours, lips tempted into a playful smirk. It made your own countenance falter. 

“What are you talking about?” Narrowed eyes pinned her into place but Talu already wore a giddy grin. 

“I tried several times to take you home last night but you would not have it. You were glued to Lo’ak’s side, kept talking about how good he smelled.” Her smile only grew as fire burned into your cheeks. “He even offered to walk you home but it was you that insisted upon staying with him. You were absolutely smitten.” She giggled.

“I was absolutely drunk!” You hissed, tailing coiling around your own ankle. You ran your fingers through the root of your tangled hair, eyes squeezing shut in horror. This is not how Lo’ak had told the story. Why would he have spun it differently? “And you just let me fall all over him? Let him take me back to his place so you could fuck his older brother?!”

“Mawey tiyawn [calm down love],” She urged, voice far gentler than your own as she stood and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “Lo’ak promised nothing would happen and I believed him especially after…” That usual soft composure sharpened into something fierce. You knew exactly what she was remembering. You were confident that Talu would snap Napau in half herself were it not for Lo’ak getting their first. Despite her sweet and tempered demeanor your sister could be vicious once provoked. She had a protective streak that no one could dampen. 

“Yes yes I know.” You groaned. 

“So then you know that it’s all handled then. Neteyam is on his way to talk to Olo’eyktan right now.”

“Don’t remind me.” You spoke on an exhale, arms dropping to your side. This headache was never going to go away and now it had more ammunition to swirl it into chaos. Was it really as bad as Talu described? How were you ever going to face him again? And yet Lo’ak had not spoken of your clinging once. 

“He was quite heroic.” Talu smiled, finger moving to start releasing the knots in your hair. “I thought after how scared you were with Napau that you would want to return home immediately but you melted so easily in Lo’ak’s arms. A few minutes of playing with his hair and you were happy as a clam.”

You covered your heated face, stomach twisting as you imagined the scene. 

“Bury me ten feet under.” You whined, slumping into her arms. Talu shushed your worries, nimble fingers doing wonders for your chaotic hair. 

“Oh now don’t be so dramatic. I’m sure Lo’ak would never hold it against you.”

And he didn’t. In fact, he went out of his way to spin another story with the omission of your embarrassing desires. Why would he do that? He had been given the perfect ammunition. The perfect proof that you were interested in him and yet he had done nothing with it? Threw it out before even utilizing it. 

Surely there was some leverage to be gained after all of his courting to now find you falling all over him. 

None of it made sense and perhaps the remnants of pxir were stronger than you anticipated. It seemed as if the world had been spun on its top. You were nowhere closer to unwinding this web now than you were a few hours ago so you might as well rest. With that in mind you unclasped yourself from Talu’s arms and told her you were going to lay down. 

Hallway out the door way she stopped you. 

“You aren’t mad, are you? Truly?” Her voice wavered with hesitation for the first time since your arrival. “It wasn’t my intention to bring him home but once you were in such good hands….well, the night was so perfect and-”

“It is fine.” You reassured her, hand lazily landing on her shoulder. 

“Thank you.” Talu whispered, her eyes melting into a warm honey hue. You shrugged it off. 

“I hope he was worth it.” You snorted but one look at the Talu’s sneaking grin and swatting tail told you so much more about their night of fun than you would have liked to know. 

Thankfully the storm did not continue much longer. Rain continued to wash over the forest but thunder and lightning had taken its absence. It allowed you to fall head first into a deep sleep, although your dreams were riddled with passing memories. Glimpses of Lo’ak’s hands coming up to wipe away tears. The stretch of blue skin along his shoulder and throat that you snuggled into until his essence was clear. Even the deep rumble of soothing praise as you let yourself fall back into his chest. 

Hours later a shuffling of footsteps by the door pulled you out of sleep. Feeling much stronger now, you slowly padded to the entrance with pinched brows. Lo’ak was already gone but another cooked meal was left in his place with a homemade umbrella perched atop to keep it dry. 

You thought nothing of it, although begrudgingly grateful for something to fill your stomach. But then you saw something else neatly fold into a leaf, a note tucked at its side. 

To keep the darkness away

-Lo’ak

And left behind were those two objects that had played such sweet music in his kelku. His secret weapon, now yours to wield.

Any and all feeback is appreciated! It makes a huge difference for motivation and updating<3

Part of taglist: @hauntingvenus @yawnetu @baybaybear1 @affinity101022 @tsireyasluvr

[maverickbabes]

1 + 1 = 3

1 + 1 = 3

Ole'ekytan!Neteyam! x Pregnant!Tsahik!female!reader

Neteyam is 28 and Reader is 26

Warnings: contractions, amniotic fluid (water breaking), unknowningly going into labor, cursing, tsaheylu, worried Neteyam, fluff and cute ending.

Summary: You were helping Mo'at doing tsahik things when suddenly you start to feel pain (contractions) in your abdomen, not knowing your water broke and you're in labor.

prrnen - baby/infant yawne - beloved mawey - calm

tisraw - pain sraw - painful oe tisraw - I'm in pain

yawntutsyìp - darling

You waddled towards the hut where Mo'at was, carrying a basket full of herbs and flowers against your hip. A sharp pain shoots through your abdomen and you dropped the basket then placed your hand on your bump as you grabbed the doorway frame for stability.

"Ooo okay little one" You said letting out a shaky breath while rubbing your bump. "Y/n. What is it? What's wrong?" Mo'at questions as she rushes over to your side. "Nothing Mo'at, just a small cramp is all" You assured her as you knelt down to pick up the basket before walking into the hut.

A few minutes go by and you are sitting on the mat, crushing up some herbs while Mo'at sort the flowers to their designated jar. Small sharp pains pop up every now and then but they only last for a few seconds so you thought nothing of it.

they were just small cramps, nothing else. right?

Another huge sharp pain shoots through your abdomen causing you to groan in pain as you hunch over, trying to relieve any of the pain. Mo'at turns and comes to your side as she places her hands on your bump. She closes her eyes and gasps in shock.

"What Mo'at, what is it? Is prrnen okay?" You asked worried that something was wrong. "Prrnen is coming" Mo'at says quick and you watch her hastily grab the supplies she needed. You open your mouth to say something but another contraction hit you making you buckle over.

"Come, we must get to your hut" She says putting your arm around her shoulders so you have some leverage. You guys practically sped walk back to you and Neteyam's shared hut, where you overhear Mo'at telling one of the na'vi to get their Ole'ekytan.

You let out a groan as you leaned on the pole for support while the contraction hits you. "You must lay on the mat dear child" She says and you give her a quick nod as she helps you down onto the mat. "Where's Neteyam I can't do this without him" You ask through gritted teeth while Mo'at sets out her supplies around you two. "Mawey child" Mo'at says then places her hand on your arm.

As if on cue, Neteyam comes bursting through the front entrance flap with a worried look on his face. "Oh ma yawne" He says quickly closing the flap as he rushes to your side then kneels down immediately grabbing your hand. "Ma 'teyam" You say then cry out as you squeeze his hand hard.

"Drink this" Mo'at instructs, putting the cup to your lips and tilting it as you drank the liquid. Mo'at begins to untie your loincloth while Neteyam looks at you and moves the stray hairs out of your face. "AHHH" You screamed out as you dug your nails into your mate's hand. Neteyam winces as he feels your nails dig into his flesh

fuck he was not excepting that

Mo'at checks how dialeted you are and smiles "It is time" She murmurs and you both nod your heads in unison. "Okay y/n I need you to take a deep breath then push for me" Mo'at instructs and you give her a small nod before taking a deep breath and started pushing. "Ahhhh" You let out as you let your head fall back, tears streaming down your cheeks while Neteyam gives you small kisses.

"Just a few more pushes for me sweet child" Mo'at encourages you and you brought your head back up to look at her. "I can't do it" You whimpered as you cried and Neteyam grabs your chin then turns your head in his direction.

"You can do it yawntutsyìp, I know you can. Just a few more pushes then we can meet our child" He reassures you and you give him a weak smile before taking a deep breath and used all your strength in this push. The sound of a baby cries filled the air and you let out a exasperated sigh as the tears flow freely.

"A beautiful baby girl" Mo'at says in awe as she hands the newborn to you. "Oh my, she's perfect" You whispered and Neteyam looks over to see his beautiful baby girl. Mo'at gets up and leaves the hut, making sure the front flap was closed to give you two privacy.

Neteyam sniffles then smiles as he grabs your chin then leans down giving you passionate kiss. "We have a baby girl" You tell him smiling and he gently grabs his daughter's tiny hand and nods. "We have a baby girl" He repeats and you both chuckle as you two admire your guys beautiful daughter.

[teymars]

PEARLS OF STEEL ⊛

Pairing: adult!neteyam x fem!metkayina reader ⋆

MDNI - 18+ - SMUT UNDER THE CUT!

warnings- smut, minimal plot, dom!neteyam, fluff, neteyam w piercings, oral (m & f receiving), overstim, some praise, tongue piercing (midline), dick piercing (PA), fingering, degradation (minimal), choking, swearing, no use of y/n, aged-up!neteyam.

plot summary- Neteyam has been courting you as of the last few months, since his family arrived at Awa’atlu. From the beginning, you were aware of his tongue ‘piercing’ which he received shortly before meeting you. The metallic ball never really bothered you, he claimed his brother dared him to get it done- which he couldn’t back down to. Eventually when things get heated, you discover his tongue isn’t the only place decorated by pearls of steel. You also discover the many benefits of these accessories. //

notes: this is my first ever fic here so I am open to constructive criticism, I hope you enjoy!

Divider by: Benkeibear 🤍

There was an undeniable tension lingering in the air that separated you from him. Neteyam sat on the floor of your shared marui, tail twitching as he focused on adorning his usual jewelry silently. Your cerulean-gaze simmered into the deep-blue skin of his back, making him subconsciously shift in unease. “Do you really have to leave so early? I’m sure the-” “Sweetheart, you know I have tasks to get through! I’m sorry but I really gotta get going. We will see each other again at dinner, okay?” Neteyam interrupted in a soft tone.

You pouted at the man as he turned to face you. “Don’t look at me like that, baby.” He practically whispered before standing and coming to crouch in-front of you, a faux seriousness on display. Neteyam’s attempt at looking earnest caused you to break into a smile, which he soon matched. His mouth parted open slightly in a grin, giving you a glimpse of his shiny piercing. “please.” You whispered before leaning in, clasping his lips in a soft kiss.

Neteyam groaned quietly against your lips. Unable to resist the temptation of your advances, he pressed you slowly back onto the sleeping-mat. Soon your mouths parted in practiced unison, allowing your tongues to intertwine in a fight for dominance. The slightly cooler metal of his piercing rubbed smoothly against your tongue, feeling as though it came from every angle. Lust seeped from your core like the sweat between his heated body and yours. Neteyam pulled apart slightly, taking a moment to breathe. “We should-” “no, no please.. Teyam!” This time you were interrupting him, followed by an attempt at interlocking your swollen lips again.

Without a word, the man backed away from the encapsulating heat of your mouth. He began sucking wet kisses along your neck and collarbone, the steel pearl of his tongue grinding softly into your skin. Things typically never escalated this far between you two, although you definitely weren’t complaining. His open-mouthed kisses reached your chest and he paused all movement. “Is this okay, sweetheart?” He whispered in question while gripping a tassel on your woven top. You nodded frantically before arching your back so he could access the knot of your clothing. Within mere moments the top was tossed out of sight and mind, leaving you bare in-front of his increasingly lustful gaze. “So, so beautiful..” he cooed, causing your cheeks to heat up rapidly.

Neteyam began to suck and lick lightly over one of your tits, allowing his piercing to roll against your hard nipple. These actions had you gasping and arching deliciously beneath his towering form. In response to a particularly sensitive lick, you grasped his braids tightly between your fingers and yanked his head. Neteyam glared up at you. “You’re such a brat sometimes, you know? Always so fucking needy.” His smooth voice lowered as his hot breath fanned over your chest. A whine curled from your throat as he continued the same ministration on your tits. “ahhsh, cold!” You seethed, only to be ignored as his focus remained on your body. “You like this, don’t you?” Neteyam accentuated his assumption with continuous rolls of his pierced tongue against your skin, slowly trailing down your torso and past your navel. All you could do was nod frantically at him, trying to contain an itching moan.

“You’re so wet for me already, baby.” He observed as your pheromones penetrated his senses and your loincloth continued to soak up some of your arousal. “Fuck it.” Without further elaboration, he began to untie your loincloth. Only briefly did he gaze into your hazy blues in search of confirmation. Satisfied by your approving glance, your clothing was now completely discarded. Neteyam soon removed his own loincloth for fear his painful erection would ruin it anyways.

The warrior gazed at your slick coated cunt with complete admiration flooding his golden hues. “Shit, look at you all pretty and spread out for me.” He murmured. “Be a good girl, baby. let me take care of you, okay?” Another heat driven nod from you initiated his continuation, as he began to press warm kisses to your inner thighs. “Neteyam? I need you, here..” you gestured. His ears perked at your sudden announcement, his cock throbbing with desire as he registered your words. “You’re such a whore for me, aren’t you?” Neteyam questioned rhetorically. “Be patient.” He cooed, now rubbing circles into your thighs as his chin lowered until his nose pressed into your mound. Neteyam’s tongue shot out briefly in a kitten-lick, testing the waters and gauging your reaction as the tip smoothed over your pulsing clit. You shuddered at the fleeting sensation before being thrown into an ocean of tingling feels. Neteyam proceeded to lick a wet stripe through your folds, up to your clit before sucking down on it lightly. “You taste soo good, holy shit.” He mumbled.

Within seconds your hand had clasped into his braids again, urging him to keep going. The man groaned against your pussy, sending vibrations through your system like a domino effect. It was then that you felt the cold sting of a familiar bead rolling across your aching clit. “Fuck!” You gritted out as jolts of pleasure shot like lightning through your body. This sensation was shortly followed by his long, thick fingers prodding against your entrance. “You’re gonna take my fingers so well, aren’t you, Tìyawn?” Neteyam taunted as he pressed one finger into you firmly, quickly returning his mouth to your clit. He was obsessed with the way your body reacted to his mouth, particularly his piercing. He got to work thrusting his finger slowly into your heat, then adding another. He then curled them tightly into your sweet spot as his piercing inflicted buzz after buzz to your clit.

All these new feelings overwhelmed you quickly, a tight knot formed in your stomach that bubbled and fizzed with energy. “Wait! I think-” Before Neteyam could even process your words, the knot snapped and a shrill moan broke past your lips. Your release flooded around his fingers like a raging river as you clenched onto him hard and convulsions overtook your spent frame. “That’s it, slut. Cum all over my fucking fingers.” Neteyam growled while still proceeding with his thrusts into your drenched cunt. He wasn’t shocked in the slightest by your abrupt release, he only continued to push you past the brink of a second orgasm.

“Teyam, I can’t-”

“Mawey, you will.”

“Please! It’s too much..”

“Ma Yawne, you should have thought about that before getting all needy. Now you can take all that I give you.”

Neteyam’s fingers increased to a bruising pace inside of you, his mouth returning to lick through your folds. He thoroughly enjoyed the flavors of your release on his tongue, drinking it up like he would become severely dehydrated if he stopped. The painful twitching of his cock began to become a problem though as his desperation for release had risen drastically. Despite this, he continued pumping you with vigor until the familiar clenching around his fingers resurfaced. You moaned loudly as a second release shook through your core, falling off the cliff into overstimulation. He groaned happily against you, enjoying his meal. You lay there for a moment, catching your breath and recovering from the sensitivity enough so that you could focus on his next movements.

Slowly, the man removed his fingers from your abused hole and stood tall, gazing down at your fucked-out expression with eyes matching that of a starving Palulukan. He held your eye contact, soundlessly sucking his soaked fingers clean followed by flexing a smirk. Only then did you gain the confidence and strength to look away, partly in embarrassment, just for your stare to fall upon his dick. It stood tall and rigid, matching his skin colour apart from its dark purple tip. You were completely awestruck by his size and beauty. At first, not even noticing the very familiar steel-pearl adorned on his leaking tip. “You have one there too??” You whispered hoarsely, questioning the obvious, while also observing the way beads of precum shimmered on it- as he had never mentioned it before. “Yea I do, that was also part of the dare, I regret it though.” He spoke with a slight grit behind his words, clearly growing impatient despite basking in the light of your curious face gazing almost innocently at him. You cocked a hairless-brow at his words. “It was a stupid bet and I don’t want to be constantly reminded of my foolishness, the tongue piercing isn’t so bad but this one, I plan to get it removed.” He explained, cupping your cheek in his large hand. You simply nodded, trying to understand his issue despite your clouded mind.

His confession soon left an idea coursing through your foggy brain. Smirking, you reached forward and gripped what you could of his shaft between your curled fingers. Neteyam grunted in satisfaction at the new feeling, observing the way your small hand ran up and down his shaft painstakingly slow. His breath completely hitched as your thumb teasingly danced over his tip, pinching against the ball of his piercing in order to collect some of his pre. The man’s hips stuttered forward abruptly, chasing the overwhelming sensation as if he would die without it. “Shit! stop doing that, love.” He spoke slowly in a low tone, sounding more like a threat than a request. You rubbed your aching thighs together, attempting to diminish some nerves. This only made you whimper quietly as the overstimulation came back to the forefront, hitting you with the force of an Akula.

Deciding to ignore any further feelings of doubt and sensitivity, you took his cock and licked a long stripe underneath from base to tip. Neteyam let a moan slip past his lips at the sensation, his veins pulsing beneath your hot tongue. You then curled your wet muscle over his head, sucking at it and flicking the piercing lightly. The most guttural moan escaped his throat as his head lolled backwards in ecstasy, moments later his hand was wrapped tightly in your hair. He lost some control, snapping his hips fast towards your face. You gagged loudly as his cock rammed into the back of your throat harshly, causing tears to form in your murky eyes. “Fuck—shit! I’m sorry..” Neteyam whimpered out as his hips continued fucking into your constricting throat. “So good, sooo fucking tight! Haah!” The man babbled as his thrusts fell into a rhythm, causing you to choke loudly on his length. “I warned you- not to..” He paused. Feeling his piercing rolling into the back of your throat was driving him to the edge, fast. “Eywa, I’m close..”

You attempted to hollow out your cheeks only to be interrupted as he pulls out, giving you a chance to breathe again. Neteyam began fisting his cock eagerly in-front of your face, grunting loudly as he twitched with the need for release. “Where do you want it?” He asked abruptly, though it didn’t take long for you to decide. “I want to swallow it..” You said with mustered confidence, reopening your mouth as his hot release began shooting right onto your tongue. “fuck, fuck, fuuuck! cumming- I’m cumming!” He rambled as his orgasm continued to spill onto your face, into your mouth and drip down your chin. You swallowed eagerly and the sight only increased his satisfaction. After a while, the two of you finally pulled some air back into your lungs. He proceeded to wipe the excess cum from your soft face with a spare cloth.

“damn baby, that was fucking amazing-” Neteyam spoke softly while kneeling down in-front of you again, feeling completely relieved. He then took in your half lidded, completely exhausted face. “Shit! Yawne, I’m so sorry, did I hurt you?” You shook your head, smiling at him before collapsing onto the sleeping-mat. He was content with your response. Wishing to thank you for it all, Neteyam was quick to lean down between your parted legs again. His only intention being to eat you out until he couldn’t feel his tongue anymore. You were far too tired to stop him, let alone mind it.

“Maybe you should keep the piercing after all, hmm?” You whispered, earning a cheeky smile from Neteyam. “Maybe, Paskalin.”

For anybody who wants to know how he got the piercings, ask Norm.

And that’s it, idk if I would ever do a pt.2 but I hope whoever reads this found it enjoyable :)

Edit: thank you so much for the likes, comments, follows and reblogs! I really appreciate it and I’m glad you guys enjoyed my fic, more coming soon! Please feel free to send me suggestions. I LOVE YOU ALL !!🥰💕🤍

[luvv4j4ybe11]

𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝑺𝒆𝒂𝒕, 𝒀𝒂𝒘𝒏𝒆.

✧ 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒚𝒂𝒎 𝒙 𝑭𝒆𝒎𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏!𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

✧ 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚~ 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒚𝒂𝒎 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒔

✧ 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔~ 𝑫𝒐𝒎!𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒚𝒂𝒎, 𝑺𝒖𝒃!𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒌, 𝑨𝒃 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑(?), 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒅𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒍 𝒃𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚, 𝒕𝒆𝒚𝒂𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆/𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒌, 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒍 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒇𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒊𝒕, 𝒍𝒎𝒌 𝒊𝒇 𝑰 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑬𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚<3

✧ 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔~ 𝒀𝒂𝒘𝒏𝒆=𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅, 𝒀𝒂𝒘𝒏𝒕𝒖= 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆, 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝑺𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒏=𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚(𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔)

✧ 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒚 @chilumitos 𝒂𝒏𝒅 @eloquentreverie

It was a chill day for you and your boyfriend, Neteyam. Just enjoying each other’s presence while the sound of rain hitting the roof soothed you both. You had your leg thrown over Neteyams larger one, the other laying out straight as your arms (barley) wrapped around his large frame. Your hand was comfortably placed on his toned stomach, as his was resting on the hilt of your ass.

Subconsciously, you start to tracing his abs in small shapes and patterns when your mind starts to fill with thoughts of getting on top of him and riding his abs until you make a complete mess all over him.

The thought makes you squeeze your thighs together, but that was stopped by his stronger one wedged between your legs comfortably. His thigh was just inches away from your throbbing cunt, making the urge to just wrap your small legs around his thigh and grind down onto it till you came get harder to ignore.

He smirks once he catches the change in you scent, trailing his hand up and down the skin of your ass. “Mhm, what is it, Babygirl?” His voice is enough to snap you out of your thoughts, but also enough to make your pussy leak even more. You take a few breathes before answering, trying desperately to calm yourself. “Nothing, why are you asking?” You say softly, continuing to delicately trace his abs.

He grumbles lowly at your response, siting up and pushing your small body onto his lap, causing you to let out a little startled noise at the quick movement. He looks down at you with hooded eyes, getting high off of your scent.“Maybe because I can smell how much your pretty pussy is leaking.” He says lowly while hooking his finger under your chin, leaning down to kiss your lips softly, braids cascading down his shoulders and hitting the sides of your face gently. “Now, what were you thinking about, Babygirl?”

The question has you staring at him blankly, a chill of anxiety ran down your spine at the thought of him seeing you differently if you were to tell him. “Uhm..” you start off, the intensity of his stare making you feel extremely small, and nervous. “I was thinking about..riding your abs” you say tentatively, looking down at the waist bead he made you when you first got together.

To your surprise though, your confession doesn’t make him disgusted, or make him storm out of your room in complete surprise and disgust. Instead, he just laughs, he fucking laughs. But it wasn’t judgmental of course, it was genuine and loving. Everything he ever is to you. “Shut the fuck up, Neteyam!! That’s not funny!!” You say through your own giggles, hitting him in the chest roughly.

“Yes it is, Sevin!” he replies, his laughter dying down softly. A pout forms on your face, pretty doe eyes boring into his siren eyes. “How?” You question, attitude laced in your tone. “Because, you said it like someone just died.” You laugh at his response, replaying your words in your head. “Whatever, Neteyam!” You quip, sarcasm apparent in your tone. “But, FYI, I only said it like that because I thought you were gonna have some type of negative response to it.” You add, voice honest and truthful.

He turns his head to the side and looks at you with a confused/sad expression, long braids falling down his shoulders and ears perking up with the same emotion. “Why would I have a negative reaction to that? You know I would never, ever, judge you, babydoll.” He says reassuringly, placing his large hand on your head and rubbing your scalp softly. “I know, I just..I got in my head, I guess. I’m glad you don’t find me weird or anything though.” You confess through a soft chuckle, making him laugh before he moves his hand from the top of your head to your chin, holding it firmly.

“I could never, babydoll. Truthfully though, I find it pretty adorable how pent up you get to the thought of me. My needy little girl just can’t help herself when she’s around me, huh?” His tone makes you pussy throb and ache, instinctively bucking your hips against his strong thigh. “Mhm..” you hum, eyes flickering from his own to his lips, you lean in to kiss him, but that’s stopped by his strong hand on your chin. “Awh, does my baby want a kiss?” He teases, rubbing his lips against your own, but not giving you the chance to kiss him back because of his firm grip on your chin.

“Mhm!” You whine, rubbing your needy pussy against his thigh quicker. He pecks your lips softly before kissing you fully, his pace slow and steady. The pace makes your head spin and clit throb, hips speeding up the longer he kisses you. You whine when you feel his warm tongue against your own, mindlessly kissing him faster to feel more of him. He wraps his hand around your throat gently, a silent warning to follow his pace, not yours.

Once you feel his hand wrap around your throat, you knew you were a fucking goner. Turning into putty in his hands almost automatically. The amount of slick that was coming from your pussy soaked your shorts, leaving a trail all over Neteyams thigh. He groans lowly at the smell of your arousal, breaking the kiss reluctantly, a line of spit connecting your plump lips together.

He damn near rips your shorts in half when he takes them off before he lays down, pulling you onto his abs roughly. You hover over him slightly, scared of hurting him even though he’s so much more bigger than you.

“Teyam, I-“ you start

“You aren’t gonna hurt me. Now, take a seat, yawne.” He orders, placing his hands on your hips and pulling you down onto him.

Both of you gasp softly once you feel his hard abs against your soft, puffy pussy. The feeling so new and foreign. Your hands find purchase just below his ribs, slowly rocking your hips back and forth against the muscles. Whining softly when you feel his firm abs hitting your clit every time you move.

“Oh..fuck, teyam..” the grip on your hips gets tighter, soft groans filling your ears the more you rock against him. “Mhm, that’s it, babygirl. Such a pretty little slut for me.” He coos, pressing your cunt on him tighter, making you moan louder and hips rut against him quicker.

He lifts you up from his abs slowly, you moan at the loss of friction, but he was too focused on the lines of slick that connect your puffy lips to his stomach. He moans lowly at the sight, pressing you against his abs once more before lifting you up, even more lines of slick connecting you two together. “Awh, babygirl, look at the mess you’re making on me.” He coos before scooping your slick up with his fingers and putting them in his mouth, sucking on them hungrily.

You whine and squrim against him, getting both equally turned on and frustrated that he’s holding you up with one hand just to watch your pussy leak onto him. “Teyammm! Put me down!” You demand, the feeling of your orgasm slipping away from you quickly. “And why should I do that? I like watching how you helplessly flail around because I won’t let you ride me like a little bitch in heat.” He states, a pout forming on your face from his words. “You’re so mean.” You huff, tears welling in your eyes once your almost orgasm finally leaves you.

He cups your cheek lovingly, rubbing his thumb against the soft skin. “Oh, l’m just the worst aren’t I? My baby getting all mad because I won’t let her cum?” He prods, a fake pout on his face, making a smile creep up on your own. Without warning he places you back down on his abs, locking his hands behind his head. You gasp in surprise, placing your hands below his ribs for support.“Go ahead, babydoll. Wanna watch you cum for me.” He orders, never breaking eye contact while he speaks to you.

You felt so ‘on the spot’ without his big, warm hands guiding your movements, suddenly not knowing how to start off or where to put your hands. “Teyam..” you call for him, but all you get in return is a “nuh-uh, babygirl. I’m not helping you. Want you to be a good girl for me and show me how badly you wanna cum.” You stare at him with a pout on your face before slowly moving your hips, the feeling of his abs repeatedly hitting your clit makes your moans get louder and needier, your orgasm slowly getting closer and closer.

He flexes and relaxes the muscles continuously, causing you to jump and grind into him more. The constant friction on your sensitive clit starts to prove to be too much for you, making tears start to well up in your eyes and thrust get sloppier. “T-tey, I can’t. It way too much.” You blubber almost incoherently, but he still caught it. He doesn’t stop flexing his abs though, and you don’t stop moving your hips. “Yes you can, Yawntu. I can feel how much this pretty pussy is pouring on me. You’re almost there, baby.” He encouraged, the praise being enough to make you chase your high. Making him smile proudly. “There you go, babygirl.”

His words have your pussy pouring out slick like a river, you both glance down at his abs to see that they’re completely soaked in your juices, the dim light of your room making his pretty skin seem like it was glowing. He chuckles at the sight before looking up at you, in a trance by how gorgeous you look on top of him. “Mhm..What a pretty little slut, getting this wet from riding my abs?” You let out a small “uh-huh” before you feel the coil in your stomach getting tighter.

Noticing this, he flexes his abs and keeps them flexed, biting his lip at the little whimper that comes from your mouth when he does that. “Teyam, I need you to touch me.” You demand. But he doesn’t move, no matter how badly he wanted to squeeze and pinch at your sensitive skin, he kept his hands behind his head. “Please!, tey, please! I’m sorry!” He chuckles at your needy tone before rewarding you with a “good girl” and letting his hands roam across your body.

You let out a downright pornographic moan once his hands touch your sensitive tits, small hands wrapping around his slender wrists. He pinches and fondles at the soft skin gently, making all sorts of pretty noises and pleas fall from your plush lips.

His left hand reaches up to cup the side of your face sweetly, while the other continues to play with your sensitive tit. “Mhm, you gonna be a good whore for me and cum all over my abs? Hm?” He questions, wrapping his hand around your throat firmly. You let out a broken “yes,sir” before a loud moan leaves your lips as the coil in your stomach snaps, your cum completely covering his whole stomach.

“Shsh, I got you, babygirl, lemme help you.” He places his hands on your hips to help you ride out your high, stopping once your moans die down and turn into soft heavy breathes.

You look at him to be met with hooded eyes and a smirk, one that told you that you definitely said something you’re gonna regret. “What?..” you ask, the word heavy on your tounge as you look at him with a furrowed brow. “Sir, huh?” He asks, making you cover your face in embarrassment. “No way I said that! It was an accident! Oh my god!” You blurt, but he silences your rambling with a passionate kiss.

“I didn’t mind it, you know.” He says once he pulls away from the kiss

“oh really?” You question, a devilish smirk on your face

“Mhm.” he responses, eyes fluttering from your lips to your eyes. “Well thank you for tonight, sir.” You tease, leaving a quick kiss on his cheek before getting up quickly, but he was quicker, grabbing you by your waist and putting you on your back.

“Uh-uh, tonight is just getting started, yawntu.”

𝑨/𝑵~ Hii! I only proofread this two times, so I apologize if there’s errors/repeats it’s literally 12am rn💔 but lemme tell yall I was blushin and kickin ma feet while writing this one frl😭, I need to write for neteyam more bc whew😩 what a fine man he is. I hope you guys enjoyed this tho🥰🫶🏽 bc now I’m off to sleep, stay safe and hydrated, I love you guys🩷

𝑫𝒖𝒄𝒆𝒔🫶🏽,

𝑳𝒖𝒗𝒗4𝒋4𝒚𝒃𝒆11

~

~

~

𝑻𝒂𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕~ @pandoraslxna @neteyamgfs @faintfill @tsireyasluvr @aperiraa @fioooweeooweeeoo @loakstahni @brioffthegrid @wheneclipsefalls @chershire23 @blue-slxt @tallulah477 @itchaboi-itchyboy @neteyamsyawntu @neteyamyawne @inolaphoenix @renaimel

[strongheartneteyam]

Realize where you belong.

Pairing: neteyam sully x female!human!reader/female!dreamwalker!reader

Neteyam is aged up.

Chapter 2

CW: angst, reader hates her life, neteyam is like her "secret admirer" but he eventually becomes obsessed, so, it gives off some creepy vibes, possessive neteyam, forbidden love, neteyam is REALLY protective over her, neteyam isn't really fond of humans (hates them) and only makes an exception for reader, TRIGGER WARNING for a few depression symptoms (such as reader holding back tears and looking miserable really often), stalking, obsessive behavior & possessiveness

Synopsis: Reader is unhappy with her human life. She works for the lab as a cook. She's a Dreamwalker and she spends every free day she gets walking through Pandora's forests. In one of those days, Neteyam sees her but she doesn't notice him. He falls in love, seeing how happy she is amidst nature. Neteyam finds out she's actually a human in an Avatar, so, he finds a way to go where her real body is. He hates to admit it but, seeing her in her human body, he realizes he still loves her. After watching her, he notices how she's always happier when she's in her Avatar, so, he develops a deeper connection to her. However, he becomes obsessive. Reader has only heard about him, the famous son of Jake Sully and future Olo'eyktan, praised for his great achievements as a young Omatikaya. After getting reader's attention, Neteyam asks her to choose to live forever in her Avatar, becoming his mate and making tsaheylu with him, gaining a new home as a fresh member of his tribe. Reader is scared and torn, since, even though she's intensely attracted to him and only truly enjoys life when she's Dreamwalking, she doesn't really know him and she's afraid of dying when trying to go past Eywa's eye. But Neteyam just won't give up on her that easily.

♡ This is Reader's Avatar

☆ This is the official playlist for this story, the songs I listen to while working on it.

•

Finally, this fanfic is out!! lots of people seemed to love the tiny sneak peek I posted so... I hope you guys will love the fanfic itself too hehe I'm so relieved I could finally post it ooof My environment is the worst EVER rn & i haven't had any motivation or focus to write lately BUT i seem to be getting out of that damned writer's block I was in (ITS THE WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD UGH HATE IT TO DEATH)

Not proofread. My life is a hurricane, so, we don't work with proofread stories here. Hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me, my angels :')

na'vi words:

yawne - beloved

tsaheylu - the neurological bond the na'vi make with their mate, through their tendrils, at the end of their long braid.

Chapter 1

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

I love your touch, cold as ice

And I love every single tear you cry

I just love the way you're losing your life

Oh, my baby, how beautiful you are

Oh, my darling, completely torn apart

Gone With The Sin (HIM)

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

Neteyam would look at you every moment he could. He didn't have that much free time since he was the Olo'eyktan's son and had so many responsibilities weighting on his shoulders. But he would always make any sacrifice he needed to make to find time to see you. Even if it meant using the few hours he had to himself to contemplate you. His sad, gloomy-eyed, beautiful girl. You were not actually his yet, but, he was determined to make that change.

Neteyam saw you holding back tears way too damn often, so, he was always deeply worried about you, and, that was one of the reasons why he was always creeping around, high up in branches of trees located in Hell's Gate, watching over you, almost every day, ready to help you, defend you from any danger, to say "screw it" to how out of the blue it would be if he - a stranger, a male na'vi stranger - just came up to you and said "hey, I've been watching you for a while, and… I'm so, so in love with you. Please, leave this damn idiotic human life you live and let Eywa help you be transferred to your Avatar body for good, just like she helped my father. You're so insanely pretty like this - and I have never felt attracted to any female of your demon kind before, so, believe me when I talk about your beauty - but you look even prettier when you're in your Avatar form. Let me make you my mate, let me make you the future Olo'eyktan's mate. I can give you a far better life than the one you have now"

He knew he was just a weird alien boy (as the humans would probably say), stalking you, always up in the highest tree branches he could find and reach, watching a girl while she cooks - as it was your job - like a hunter watching their prey. But he meant no harm. On the contrary, he meant to take care of you, to save you from it all. Because he wasn't blind. Neteyam saw how unhappy you looked while peeling potatoes (he knew what they were because his dad who was once human told him and his siblings about how delicious that vegetable from Earth tasted, especially when it was made as French fries) to cook on the high-tech stove the humans used to prepare their meals in and prepare mashed potatoes to those damn lab guys who invaded his Planet and did nothing but harm.

Neteyam thought it to be unnecessary. His future mate could easily prepare the same potatoes in a bonfire he would light up for you in the Omatikaya forest. He knew they would taste even better roasted in the natural fire than just plainly cooked in that energy fueled cooking device the humans used. He could give you a life so incredibly better than the one you had right now, it pained him to see his yawne working so hard to feed every damn scientist in that cold, air-conditioned lab while not being as appreciated and thanked by them as you deserved to be. You could be preparing food to feed his children instead, the sons and daughters he would give you, if only you accepted becoming his forever mate.

He hated the humans. They didn't know how to lead a proper life. But you were different.

Neteyam knew how breathtaking you looked in a na'vi like body because the first time he saw you, you were in your Avatar body - as you were a Dreamwalker - and that's when he fell in love with you. But he learned to love your human body too. He could never hate you, even in your human form. You were the only human he did not despise.

The day Neteyam first saw you, he was out in the forest to hunt and gather food, collecting bladder polyps, lionberry seeds and trying to kill a hexapede, so, he could bring all of it home and him and his family could eat a nutritious dinner.

That's when he heard a squeaky, funny laugh. It was a female voice, he recognized. Neteyam followed that sound just like he was a sailor and the girl whose laugh he heard was a mermaid, bewitching his senses and drawing him closer.

When he saw you, it was like his heart was going to explode in a thousand pieces, so fast it was beating inside his rigid ribcage, so strongly the blood was being pumped through his arteries. He knew he had to make you his mate, to have you forever.

Neteyam had always been a practical and rational young man, he had to be. He was the eldest son and had to look after his 3 younger siblings and not show a single sign of weakness when his father would scold him in a harsh tone, whenever any of his siblings - specially his younger brother, Lo'ak -, got into trouble and somehow, Neteyam ended up having to take responsibility over their actions. "But that girl… that beautiful, ethereal girl… she makes me believe in things I've never even considered before. I know it sounds stupid to say that about a girl I just met, only some minutes ago but I don't care", he thought. Only he and Eywa herself knew the raw, powerful feeling he was experiencing at that moment. He just wanted to let go for a while. To not force himself to be all brains, zero heart for once, just once. And you were gifting him the opportunity to do just that. Your beauty was so enchanting, it could leave any creature in awe.

His father had once told him about Christianity, one of the most popular religions back on the glory days of the Planet Earth, and, of course he didn't follow those beliefs, his spirituality was completely based on Eywa, the Great Mother, the spirit and moving energy of Pandora, but, if the beings called "angels" his father talked about were real, Neteyam was utterly sure that they could only look like you.

You were perfect. Every curve of your body, every bioluminescent freckle, every pattern of your stripes, your long dark braided hair falling like water on your flawless back, as you kept smiling and touching every single flower you could see, playing in a foolish way, just like a child. He felt a primal urge coming from his guts to make tsaheylu with you right there, right at that moment.

So many thoughts roamed through Neteyam's mind: "I need her… right here, right now. She's… ugh… I've never felt anything like this before… What's going on with your stupid mind, Neteyam?! You can't just choose any girl to be your mate, you'll be the next Olo'eyktan, remember?! The best choice would be a girl who has a calling to be Tsahìk. Maybe your parents will try to arrange a marriage, to find the perfect match for you. Damn! Who am I trying to fool? She is the only perfect match for me…"

Neteyam started to watch you go about the forest every chance he got.

When he found out you were actually a Dreamwalker, a human in a body created in a laboratory, a hybrid of demon and na'vi, a freak... It was like his world was falling apart, piece by tiny piece crashing on the floor. How did he not notice your fifth finger before?! Was he that much under your spell, that blinded by how beautiful and charming you were?, he asked himself.

So, he told himself he was going to find a way to at least see what your true form looked like. He hissed at the thoughts and feelings you had caused him the whole way to Hell's Gate, where the laboratory was and where he knew all the humans that stayed in Pandora and had an Avatar stayed.

When Neteyam saw you in your human body, he got hit by something as strong as lightning. The moment he sniffed your sweet scent (the smell you had in your Avatar had notes of your original human scent, as your DNA was used to build that body), the moment he recognized that melodious voice… The expression in those eyes, that smile, that laughter… it was you. His yawne.

He didn't understand how that was possible, what he was feeling. Nevertheless, he realized he still loved you. His heart still beat fast for you. It didn't matter which physical form you took. Na'vi or human. You were you. And he loved you. Madly.

His people had a great contempt towards the ones who Dreamwalked. They were "demons in false bodies", like his grandma and his mother always said. And Neteyam himself felt the same. Worse, he had felt disgusted by the love and desire you made him feel, back when he watched you wandering around the Omatikaya lands, when you would jump like a little kid, so happy playing with the bioluminescent, neon plants of the forest.

But, still, that feeling lingered inside him. The attachment, the deep affection, the devotion… He could not comprehend it.

All Neteyam could grasp was that he hated all humans, but you were the only exception.

Even though you were originally human, you had a na'vi heart. He just knew that. As crazy and impossible as it sounded, he figured out it was true. And that blew his mind. That sorrowful girl he was seeing cooking in a small technological kitchen was not the same one he had seen at the forest. But it was, at the same time. It apparently made no sense, but it actually did. You were not where you belonged. You did not belong imprisoned among those four walls that the other humans kept you in. That you were keeping yourself in. You belonged free amidst the Pandoran trees. You did not belong in those big human clothes. You belonged in a comfortable loincloth and a big leaf necklace covering your beautiful breasts, letting the wind hit your skin.

You seemed out of place in that environment you were currently in. And that made Neteyam feel something so overpowering. He knew it was useless to try and fight it. He was not even sure if he even wanted to fight it anymore. That feeling was good. It felt just like what he felt when he thought you were a na'vi girl. He even felt attracted to you, even though he still thought you looked much prettier in your Avatar body.

He was fully aware you were one of the demons. But you were not like the rest of them. You were special. He could tell that. He could tell you'd be a hundred per cent happier if he could convince you to become na'vi. And that's exactly what he was planning to do. He still did not know how, but he would find a way.

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Biting/Marking

Tsu’tey x Fem!Omatikaya!Reader

kinkmas masterlist

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, Biting, Marking, Very protective Tsu’tey, P in V

translation:

Paskalin - sweet berry

Tsu’tey watched from a distance, though you could practically feel his eyes on you.

From the jump, Tsu’tey had a bad feeling about the younger warrior you were training, and now he watched silently as you continuously pushed the boy’s hands off of you.

He could step in, but he warned you before the day had even begun, this was your problem to deal with.

“You’re not going to do anything?” His fellow warrior chuckled

“I told her to stay away from him.” Tsu’tey crossed his arms, a small pout on his lips

The other man put his hands up in surrender, no need to argue with Tsu’tey, especially when it came to you, of all things.

All he was waiting for was you, just a glance in his direction and he would stride over and put the boy in his place.

But you were stubborn, Eywa you were so stubborn.

Fury flooded through his veins as he saw the boys hand slip around your waist.

“Someone’s jealous.” Another friend teased, earning a glare from Tsu’tey in return

When he glanced back to you, his eyes finally met your panicked ones. In his mind, that was his go ahead.

He sauntered over, a look of disgust taking over his face.

“No! Go here, up here!” You tried to maneuver the boys arms up, to no avail

Tsu’tey cleared his throat, making the boy, look up in surprise “Everything going well over here?”

“Just fine.” The boy answered before you could

“N-no! Not fine! It’s like you’re purposely messing these forms up!” You complained

“Let us show him then, hm?” Tsu’tey suggested

You didn’t argue, so Tsu’tey manhandled you in front of him, he took a second to sweep your hair off of your shoulder, letting it fall down your back. The small move revealed a healing bite mark on your skin.

Tsu’tey watched the boys reaction to his mark on your skin. His eyes looked between you and Tsu’tey in surprise, while his face screwed in disbelief.

“I was doing that!” The handsy boy whined, gesturing to you

“You’re done for today.” Tsu’tey declared “Go home.” He waved him off, taking you by the hand

The boy stomped off, looking back every so often with a sour look on his face.

Tsu’tey’s eyes flickered around at their surroundings, “Come with me.” He didn’t wait for her answer, choosing to pull her along to a nearby wooded area, where they could have privacy.

“Are you really upset-“ You started, but you shut up after Tsu’tey gently pushed your back to a tree

“You let him touch you?” He asked, not really expecting an answer, but still, you shook your head no.

His hand rose up to your shoulder once again “I guess one wasn’t enough.” He pressed down on the bruised bite mark, making you wince. “Not enough to show them all what belongs to me.”

“Maybe I should give you more.” He suggested, his lip curled up slightly

“No!” You tried to push yourself off of the tree, but he only shoved you back.

“Oh? Why not?” He tilted his head, his hands now had you pinned to n the tree

“It hurt.” You complained

“It hurt.” He mocked you, “I think that’s the point, you know?”

“You’re such a baby, Tsu’tey.” You accused “Nothing happened!”

“But something could have happened.” His hand found your cheek, he leaned in, hovering slightly over your lips. “You didn’t think this… mark, was such a bad idea when I had my cock buried in you, what’s wrong now Paskalin?”

“That’s not fair!” You complained, trying to lean in to let your lips meet

“Maybe that’s just what you need.” Tsu’tey entertained, “My cock… To show you what’s right, yeah?”

You pressed your body against him, and he could feel the heat emanating from you. His hands moved up your body, memorizing every curve of your skin all over again.

Your breath came in quick, shallow pants as his hands roamed your body, exploring every curve and crevice with a hunger that made you gasp. His fingertips were like lightning, scorching your skin with pleasure.

Tsu’tey leaned your back against the rough bark of the tree, and you felt the thrill of anticipation as he moved in closer. His lips met yours hungrily, and he explored your mouth with his tongue.

You felt his hands slide down your body, and your breath caught in your throat as Tsu’tey began to untie the top that barely covered your breasts

He trailed kisses down your neck as he worked, and when he finally peeled your skimpy top away, you shivered with pleasure.

His lips moved lower, and you moaned softly as his mouth found your breasts. His hands moved around to your back, and he pulled you against him, bodies melding together as one.

Tsu’tey lifted you off the ground, your legs wrapping around his waist as he carried you deeper into the woods. His hands explored your body, his fingers slipping over your nipples, softly caressing the sensitive buds. Your nipples hardened in response, your body trembled as he scoffed at how easily you were already ready for him.

He laid you on the ground, his hands tearing at your loincloth, and you fumbled with his, both eventually were ripped off, joining you on the forest floor.

He looked down at you, his gaze hungry as he ran his hands down your body, his fingers tracing circles around your nipples.

You reached for him, your hands clinging to him as he bent to take your breast in his mouth. You gasped as his tongue moved over it, his teeth nipping and teasing you until you were moaning in pleasure.

He moved up to your collarbone, a sweet kiss placed there before a sharp pain. Hit bit you.

“Tsu’tey!” You groaned out, your hands pulling him up by his jaw

“Mine.” He growled, taking the second to lean it once again and kiss you.

His lips were rough, and his hands were rougher. He brought them down to your waist, roughly pulling you against him.

His hands moved lower, his fingers slipping between your legs as you gasped in pleasure.

Tsu’tey loved that you were his, and he loved to show that off. He moved over you, pushing himself down to your legs.

He slowly licked his way from your ankle to your thigh, teasing you with each stroke of his tongue. His hands moved up your body, caressing your curves as his mouth reached your center. He parted your delicate folds with his tongue, exploring your inner depths and making you quiver in pleasure. He traced circles around your clit, taking his time to make sure you were ready for him.

When he finally gave in to your pleas, he moved his tongue in circles, flicking it against you in just the right way. He sucked on your clit, making you gasp with pleasure, and then pushed his tongue further inside you, as far as he could. His hands moved up to your hips, holding you in place while he tasted you.

He moved his mouth all over, teasing you with every flick of his tongue. He felt your body tense and convulse as you reached your climax, and he smiled as he felt your body relax in his arms. He kissed it one last time, and then he pulled away, leaving you panting for more.

He moved back up, his mouth glistening with your slick and his spit as he leaned in to kiss your neck.

“Tsu’tey! Please!” You sighed into his ears

“Please what? What are you begging for?” He asked, letting his teeth graze your neck

“I want you.”

Tsu’tey’s eyes glanced down at you. “You have me, don’t you?”

A pout formed on your lips as you tried to buck your hips against his.

He pushes your hips down, “Now you know that will get you nowhere.” He tuts “You only have to ask.”

“I did ask.” You tried to pull him in by his shoulders but he stayed solid in place

He only laughed, taking a second to spread your legs and settle himself between them.

“What is it that you want?” He asked once he had already lined his cock up with your glistening pussy.

“I want you inside.” You flushed, now embarrassed because he made you use your words

“See? Look at how easy that was.” Tsu’tey smiled as he tilted his hips to line up with yours.

He gently pushed the tip in, you were holding your breath. It didn’t matter how many times you and Tsu’tey had been together, it was always a bit of a stretch for you.

“Feeling alright, yawne?” He asked, his own words trembling now

You nodded, because that was all you could do.

Tsu’tey got a mischievous look on his face “Good.” And he pushed the rest of himself inside.

The sun was setting, casting a golden hue on the forest floor. You were lying there, eyes wide, breathing heavily, feeling your body quiver with anticipation.

He began thrusting, slowly at first, then faster and faster. You could feel yourself being taken higher and higher with each thrust. He grasped your hips, pushing himself deeper and deeper into you.

You shuddered beneath him, your body trembling as he moved faster and faster. His breath was coming in ragged gasps as he drove himself into her, your bodies crashing together as you moved closer and closer to the edge.

“Oh you’re almost there aren’t you?” Tsu’tey asked, though he already knew your answer

You answered him with a frantic nod, with urged him to fuck you harder, chasing both his and your own orgasm.

As your body started to tense, you feel your pleasure growing and intensifying. Every nerve in your body is alive with sensations, and you can feel the waves of pleasure cascading through your body.

Tsu’tey smiled down at you as he fucked you, hard and intense. Your eyes were barely able to stay open and keep eye contact with him.

“Come on, yawne, stay with me. You’re r-right there, I know- Yeah I know.” He caged you against him, pressing you fully in between him and the forest floor.

Your breathing deepens and quickens, and you feel your muscles start to contract in anticipation. You feel your entire body trembling with anticipation, and each wave of pleasure is more intense than the last.

Your breath catches as you reach the peak of pleasure, and your body rocks with the intensity of the orgasm. Every muscle is tensed and you can feel the heat radiating from your core. Tsu’tey could feel you squeezing around him, the feeling that kept him going, rutting into you hard, hitting the deep spots.

Your body quivers and quakes as you reach the ultimate climax. You feel your entire body trembling with pleasure, and each wave of pleasure is more intense than the last.

Your body is wracked with pleasure, every cell in your body alive with it. Every sensation is exquisitely intense, and you can feel the energy radiating through your body.

Tsu’tey was throbbing inside of you, your gushing walls suffocated him and he knew he was about to cum.

As the intense pleasure slowly fades, you feel as if your entire body is alive with pleasure. Every nerve in your body is still tingling, and you can still feel the warmth radiating from your core.

Your eyes find Tsu’tey once again, but his eyes were closed. As your orgasm fades, you feel him push deep inside you, his hot cum filling you up and sending shivers of pleasure through your body.

A sharp pain brings you back to him, his teeth had sunk into your neck, biting you again today, another mark to show you off as his.

“Maybe that’ll work.” Tsu’tey growled into your ear

Your whines slowly fade as Tsu’tey pulls out. “Don’t ever, ever, entertain that behavior from him, or anyone else, ever again.” He whispered against you cheek, leaning back in to kiss your lips before he began to clean you up.

@danniackerman @loaksslut

[photmath]

Wrong Impressions | Trent Alexander-Arnold (Part Two)

Pairing: Trent Alexander-Arnold x Reader

PART ONE written by the lovely @karotland, would strongly recommend reading that first.

Summary: Stoic, serious Trent walks around campus with murder on his face and is quite the no-nonsense class partner, frustrating you with his anti-social antics. Flustered and feeling guilty after he finds out about how you insulted him, you seek him out at a house party to apologize only to find a whole new Trent, leaving you with a lot of questions.

Word Count: 6.3k

Warnings: SMUT (18+), suggestive and implied, drinking, cursing

Note: Huge thank you to my girl Karo for letting me write a second part, ilysm and I hope I didn't disappoint (plz lie) <33. This was quite fun, can't believe I agreed to it but I'm so glad I did in the end! Kk love you bunches bye.

After finding Maddie back up on the balcony, you plopped down hard onto the seat next to her. She gave you an all-knowing look, lips tugging into a smirk.

“What?” you furrowed your eyebrows.

“You have a look,” her eyes narrowed as she tried to piece together the pieces. “Did you talk to Trent?”

“Yes,” you reply matter of factly, straightening up your posture. “And you were wrong, turns out we won’t be the 0.1% exception because he’s going to talk to me starting Monday.” You wiggled your hips in the chair as you gave her a satisfied smile. However, instead of congratulating you for not being a part of this ‘mathematical wonder,’ she gave you a displeased look.

“You do realize what today is?”

“Friday?”

“You won’t talk to Trent until Monday?” she raises her brows, “even though you’re in his house now? And he’s—” she peers over the balcony, “—right down there? Actually, they’re making their way over here.”

You rose to the balls of your feet immediately, looking down at the raucous boys and Angela from over the balcony. There you saw Trent once again laughing at something Jude said with his arm slung over him as if he’d escape from underneath him.

“How am I supposed to make out with Jude if you’re going to be clinging onto me all night?”

You roll your eyes, sitting back down in the chair with a huff, “It’s not like I’ll be alone. I can chat with the others.” You knew Maddie was only joking, having been split up from her numerous times at other parties.

“And Trent?”

“And Trent.”

“Good,” Maddie smiles, finally satisfied with your answer. But she isn’t done yet, her lips curling up into another grin, “I saw that earlier.”

“Saw what?”

“The look you gave him.”

You didn’t like how vague she was because you looked at Trent now a couple of times throughout the night, but you didn’t think your facial expressions were very obvious.

Her gum smacked loudly as she blew out a bubble, “Were you jealous?”

“No,” you crossed your arms.

“Oh come on, you see him talking to Angela and you go all quiet and suddenly say, ‘I’ll be back.’ And then off you go, stomping until you get to him.”

“I wasn’t stomping,” you laughed, rubbing the nervousness out of your arms. Why did Maddie’s words have this effect on you? Sure you were jealous, but you were jealous because Trent never once gave you that ounce of socialization.

Maddie shook her head once before dismissing the conversation, “Do you want to go inside? I’m getting a bit cold.”

You nod hastily, glad the attention is drawn away from you because god how loud was Maddie talking? Anne seemed to still be preoccupied with the others talking about another ex from her past, but noise traveled between floors it seems and you learned just how easily Trent could overhear conversations.

Sliding back inside, the purple lights and booming music greet you once again. Instinctively, you scan the kitchen and living room for a place for you to stand and chat with friends but your eyes connect with Trent’s as the front door opens. His smile is faint but quickly interrupted once Jude tumbles in from behind him and beelines towards the kitchen where a teammate of his is pouring shots.

Trent, on the other hand, takes his time. He holds the door open for the rest of them to come inside and once Angela comes in last, she perks her head up at him. Trent looks down at her quizzically and whispers something into her ear, making her laugh while he just wears a smirk. You feel the little green monster again, like a gear wanting to turn but a rock was wedged in the middle of it so now it’s grinding loudly in your ears.

You shake off the feeling, turning completely around and facing the direction of the kitchen. Jude downs the shot and then immediately hands one to Maddie—who somehow slipped out of your grip and found her way towards him. She throws her head back once she grabs it from him. You stay mingling around the kitchen, chatting with friends and meeting the ones you don’t recognize.

Feeling a hand brush up on your arm, you turn around to see Trent giving you a soft smile as he moves behind you. You return the friendly smile back, but you aren’t familiar with the feeling that washes over you once he continues to walk past you. Disappointment perhaps? It would be a lie to say that you hadn’t thought he was coming up to you to chat. So watching him now practically steal Jude away from Maddie, you’re left a tad bit annoyed.

Just as you’re about to make your way out of the kitchen and into the living room where a few others are dancing, a calloused but warm hand wraps around your wrist and stops you. He carries a bottle while staring at you, gesturing to Jude and Maddie, “Do you want to take a shot?”

You briefly glance back at the two, their heads nodding eagerly as they await your answer. Well, why not. You concede, “Just one.”

Trent smirks, lining up four glasses and then pouring what you assume is vodka although you can’t make out the title on the bottle. The four of you down the shot at the same time, you cringing at the burn that goes zipping down your throat. But then you and Maddie holler the moment you two recognize the song that starts playing through the speakers. She reaches out for your hand to dance with her in the small space between the counters and island of the kitchen.

You don’t notice Trent’s lingering gaze on you, or the smile that can’t leave his face as he watches you throw your hands up in the air as if you didn’t care who watched.

An hour into more chatting and dancing, you found yourself desperately searching for an open restroom because seriously who was taking so long in the guest restroom? Trent nurses a red cup to his lips as you find him, standing on your tippy toes to ask, “Is there another restroom that I can use?”

Trent glances at the restroom across the hall and then motions his head upstairs. He speaks but his words are inaudible from the speaker being right next to the both of you. You scrunch up your face and tilt your head and for a brief second, he seems amused. He leans down to yell into your ear, “Follow me!”

The brush of his lips against your ears sends you in a daze. Your feet stay glued on the floor until he passes you, holding out his hand for you to follow him. And his hand. It feels like it’s on fire as he intertwines your fingers tightly with his. He gives your hand a squeeze, maybe to make the grip tighter but you don’t know. He weaves you through the mass of sweating and dancing bodies until he gets to the stairs, you both walking up still hand in hand even though no one was in the way to separate you. The corridor is dark as he stops to open a bedroom door, finally releasing your hand gently as he turns on the light.

You recognize it immediately as his bedroom, the few photos that line his dresser and the same bookbag and football bag that he carried on the floor next to it. His green sheets are neatly tucked into his bed frame, his room overall very clean for a guy.

“You can just use mine,” he points to the door across his bedroom.

“Thank you so much, Trent,” you sigh. You quickly rush into the restroom and almost freeze again at how clean it is. Seriously there was no way his restroom was one wink cleaner than yours.

Once you finish, you expect the room to be empty but Trent is still there standing against the doorframe. A couple beads of sweat line his forehead as he swipes them, then looking up at you, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” you smile. “I’m okay.”

“The weather,” he indulges, “getting cold, hmm?”

You break into a laugh, feeling a little nervous to have all his attention in his bedroom after using his restroom. You stand a couple of steps in front of him, peering up at him, “It is, didn’t expect the temperature to drop so suddenly in the past hour.”

“Bummer,” he mentions. “I wanted to sit on the balcony.”

Gosh, his eyes are really brown.

Trent bursts into an abrupt laugh, his head falling forward and dimples deep into his cheeks as he peers up at you. You feel a little giddy getting this sudden reaction at him, chuckling back at him despite your heart swelling at the way he’s looking at you.

“Thank you, darling, for noticing the color of my eyes.”

You slap your hand over your mouth, eyes wide as your cheeks rush with heat, “I said that out loud?”

“You did.”

“Oh my god—”

“It’s okay,” Trent muses, he picks up his head and leans it against the doorframe. Chewing the gum he suddenly has in his mouth, you’re memorized by the way his jaw clenches over and over again. Embarrassment is now mixing with another feeling as Trent continues to look at you through his hooded eyelids. Your cheeks feel a little flushed, and you knew your mouth was not going to want to stay closed tonight if he were to continue. Because gosh, the urge to impulsively speak never felt so strong until now.

You brush off whatever dust was on your shorts, deciding to be strong, “We should head back.”

He nods, turning off the light and closing the door. You make it downstairs faster than he does in order to lose yourself in the crowd. Not like Trent would miss you, he had his eyes on you the moment he walked back into his house.

You don’t even realize you’re searching for Maddie until your phone pings, Maddie’s message reads that they’re on the balcony getting some air with some friends. As you make your way to the balcony door, you internally groan knowing you’d be a little cold but there was still some alcohol running through you that could keep you somewhat warm.

You seem to be interrupting a conversation as you sit down on one of the couches, Anne screaming at you to agree, “Tell Jude I’m not lying.”

Jude’s arm is slung over Maddie as he laughs loudly, his head falling onto her shoulder. You chuckle, “She isn’t lying.”

You fall into conversation quickly among them, only glancing up once Trent walks out. He shuts the door behind him and sits down in the only empty space next to you, spreading his legs and arms out wide as he settles in.

“Get too hot in there for you?” you question.

He nods, “Music’s buzzin’ the ears.”

You don’t mean to stare at him, but the chain necklace he wears sitting against his already tight white tee leaves little to the imagination and makes you give him a double take. He looked so good underneath this one dim light out on the balcony. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it wasn’t, but the desire to be closer to him consumed you. However, you fought it, not wanting to embarrass yourself more.

Not realizing the conversation stirred onto you, you give the others a puzzled look as they turn towards you.

“Yeah, I don’t ever see you with a man,” Anne agrees. Your eyebrows furrow immediately, feeling breathless as you realize where the conversation is going. “We all thought Johnny would be endgame, you know?”

“Aww, do you remember when he planned out that ‘date-but-not-a-date’ for her and then he had to cancel because he got a flat tire?” Maddie asks, snickering. “It was so romantic. A picnic underneath the stars, did you guys ever reschedule?”

You wanted to dig yourself into a hole and never show face again. In front of Trent? This was quite possibly one of the most embarrassing moments of your life and it was astonishing at just how many moments from tonight made that list.

It takes you everything to not look at Trent’s reaction but he stays quiet. You find the courage to say, “We actually did.”

“You two were so cute,” Maddie gushes.

Jude jumps up from his seat, “I fuckin’ love this song!” The speaker from inside the house played a very dulled-out song but it was still a bit distinguishable. And suddenly you were thankful for the existence of Jude Bellingham, especially the loud, always-interrupting person he was when he was drunk. He starts dancing alone, his cup still in his hand as he looks towards you, “Come on, dance with me.”

You get up quickly, wanting the comments about Johnny to stop before they get any deeper. Your hand stays intertwined with one of Jude’s as he dances off-beat. He was too drunk to find it or even care about it, you going along with him. The girls cheer out loud for the both of you, and you don’t even want to look at Trent to figure out what he’s thinking about.

And you definitely don’t want to care about what Trent is thinking about when the door opens and Angela comes stumbling out. She dances with the two of you for a few seconds before plopping down beside Trent, in the very seat you were in just seconds before. You can’t help it, you glance in his direction and his eyes are already on yours, stoic but glimmering.

“He’s gonna kill me,” Jude whispers loudly in your ear. You’re almost sure that Trent heard him, but you can’t even think about it because Jude’s body stumbles forward. You try to grip onto his shoulder to steer him upright but his cup goes flying in between the two of you, spilling dramatically on both of your chests.

Gosh, how full was his cup to drench your entire blouse?

“Jude,” you groan.

“Sorry,” he mumbles sheepishly. He lets go and plops down on the couch, groaning as he holds his head in his hands. Looking down at your blue blouse, you notice just how thin the material of it is and quickly shield your exposed chest with your arm. The girls' eyes widen as they turn looking for something to cover you with. Before you can even think, Trent stands up and brushes your arm and back, motioning you towards the door.

“I—”

“I can give you my jacket.”

You nod, ignoring Angela’s sulking, relieved to get some kind of solution for your problem. Trent intertwines your hands together and leads you to his room—again. His thumb brushing against the back of your hand doesn’t go unnoticed by you, you even look down at where they conjoined. The swooning feeling in your chest comes back.

“This is so embarrassing,” you mutter as you finally reach his bedroom, your arm still splayed across your chest as he closes his door.

He chuckles, “Well Angela does exist so…”

“Trent!” you scold. He digs through his closet and pulls down a dark red hoodie. He slips off the hanger and hands it to you.

“I can um—dry your clothes if you’d like.”

You cringe, “That’s even more mortifying.”

Trent shrugs, “I can be discreet, darling. Plus, why are you suddenly shy after you were practically spitting out everything that was on your mind earlier?”

You snatch the hoodie from his hand, “Earlier my nipples weren’t peeking out of my shirt, Trent.”

He smirks, stifling a chuckle out of his mouth and nodding his head, “I guess that’s true.”

You smack his shoulder with his hoodie and go into his restroom. Only in there did you notice just how ridiculous you looked with the giant stain on your blouse that drenched you. You attempt to squirm out of the shirt but only then do you remember about the stupid few buttons on the back of the shirt. There was no way you were going to be able to twist the shirt without popping a few strands. You grumble, knowing you needed Trent’s help.

“Trent?” you call out softly. There’s some rustling on the other end of the door before he hums out a response. “Do you mind unbuttoning my shirt?”

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah.” There was no other way to hold the shirt up without it being on the verge of completely falling once those buttons unclasped. You held onto it for dear life as Trent opened the door hesitantly.

Trent’s fingers tentatively grab a hold of the first button. His fingers feel too big to maneuver such a tiny button out of its threaded loop. The lack of air in the restroom doesn’t seem to help either. He felt like he was choking, as if he was holding onto his breath as he focused on the task and not your bare back.

“Almost done?” you ask, trying to control your shuddering breath. You hoped your back wasn’t a replica of your arms that were now clad in goosebumps.

“I can’t even get the first button,” he spat. His voice was curt, almost agitated that it made you grow a little impatient because he had been trying for a while now. But his voice also seemed to resonate in your ear drums, reverberating back and forth because of how close he was to you. The warmth of the room felt palpable. “My fingers are too big.”

“Just focus harder,” you grit, getting hot.

“That’s what I’m doing.”

You let out a shaky sigh, it catches Trent’s attention and he tries to shudder it away but it only makes his hands shake even more. He rests his palms against your back and it makes you squirm, not expecting the feeling of his hands on your skin.

“Sorry,” he rasps, finally getting his hands to stop shaking and unclasp the first button. “Thank fuck.”

Your knees buckle at his words, him dropping one of his hands to settle onto your waist and stabilize you. Your hips bump into the front of his and you immediately regain balance. His fingertips burn into your waist as he asks, “Are you okay?”

“Think I’m still a little tipsy.”

Trent snorts, “I don’t think so.”

“How would you know?”

His hands go back to work on the second button, “Think you sobered up quite quickly once they mentioned Johnny. Or,” he stops talking and his fingers still, “once Angela walked out. Don’t think I didn’t see your face.”

“I was dancing with Jude, I didn’t even notice her.”

“Yeah?” he chuckles. He makes sure to snicker right into your ear, “Did you forget you danced with her too?”

The last button unclasps and you immediately feel it loosen against your back. You turn around, still clutching onto your shirt, as he wears a lousy smirk. He had caught you in a lie but you weren’t going to let him win just yet.

“Like I said, I’m still a little tipsy I can’t remember.”

Trent’s one-sided grin only grows and his eyes darken from amusement to something else that you can’t quite read. You weren’t familiar with the different emotions of him, only certified in his one stoic facial expression but this was an entirely different person you were meeting tonight. One that you definitely enjoyed. This was the most you ever heard him talk.

His head falls down, glancing at the mirror and then back at you, “Alright then, darling, whatever you say.”

“You’re such an ass,” you whine, pushing him out the door with one hand.

He laughs, “Sober!”

You roll your eyes, wishing the last bit of alcohol gave you the confidence to withstand his gaze. Usually you could banter with him any way you wanted but for whatever reason you felt like you were going to say the wrong thing by accident tonight. You had already slipped up about his eyes and god you hated how you could feel that you were going to say something more. Something potentially less innocent than the color of his eyes. He had a tendency to make you not want to bite your tongue in general.

His hoodie smells a lot like him as you pull it over him, earthy and piney. You bunch your shirt in your hands, and glance at yourself one more time in the mirror before you open the door. Trent leans against his dresser, slipping his phone back into his pocket once you step out.

“Ready to go back out?”

You bite onto your cheek. You weren’t. You seriously didn’t like the way Angela was riling you up for whatever reason. Trent had already said they weren’t dating, shut that idea down quickly but it…gnawed at you? You weren’t even sure what you were feeling.

“No way,” he whispers.

You look up at him and he has an open-mouthed smile on him, was he shocked? But he also looked like he just figured out how to do a hard math problem. Your eyebrows pinch, “What?”

“I didn’t think it was true, but—I heard you talking to Maddie on the balcony when she asked if you were jealous. You lied to her, didn’t you?” There’s a smile on his face that’s he trying to control, as if he were going to burst into a shit-eating grin so wide but he was holding himself back.

Immediately you shake your head, denying, “What?”

And there it is, the laugh. His head falls back too. “Bah, c’mon, don’t try to lie to me now.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“You shouldn’t be,” he said. His voice drops down an octave, “There’s nothing going on between Angela and I.”

“Why would I be jealous of you and her?”

He shrugs, “I don’t know either.”

Seriously, how could he just hear every damn whisper? There was no way you were going to dig yourself out of this. And quite frankly you were a little fed up, from Jude spilling his drink on you to Trent taking forever in the restroom to undo your shirt. Your patience had run thin.

You groan, rolling your eyes as you cross your arms, “It was the alcohol.”

He chuckles, stepping towards you, “You usually yap, alcohol or none.”

You roll your eyes again, “I was jealous because of how easy it was for you to talk to everyone except me.”

He tilts his head, taking another step towards you until you have to tilt your head to look up at him. His smile is sincere, “We’re talking now. Even if you’re lying just a little, I’ll take it.” He holds up his first two fingers with a small gap between them.

The giggle from your throat can’t help but to escape, despite it being hoarse. His eyebrows barely furrow as he notices it but doesn’t comment on it. Thank goodness.

“Besides,” he continues, “it’s much easier for you to hear me in here than it was out there.” His hands wrap around the hood, pulling it over your head and squeezing the strands together so it tightens around you.

“Trent!” you yell, you only make out the bottom half of his body and it suddenly comes a lot closer. He’s laughing as he nudges you against the wall, but backing off so you don’t feel trapped.

You pull off the hoodie once you find your balance, “What was that for?”

He shrugs so nonchalantly that you push him back. He stumbles onto his bed with the widest smile you had ever seen from him. It looked so unnatural as it was aimed towards you that it made your cheeks feel more incredibly hot.

“Wow,” you breathe out. His eyebrows shoot up, amusing you once again. But those doe eyes catch your attention. They were so expressive without effort and it damn near put you in a trance. A trance that would’ve led you straight into his lap had you two not felt heavy steps coming upstairs.

Trent looked immediately to the door and noticed it wasn’t locked, leaping off his bed and in a few long strides he was locking it. He then turned off the overhead light and used his phone’s screen as a source of light. You hadn’t realized his blinds were open until the moon casts its shadow down into the room.

“What the fuck?” You let out the breath you held after watching him run. There’s a sudden knock on the door and the handle jiggles but it doesn’t bulge.

“Trent, I have to piss man,” Jude pleads. Trent presses his finger to his lips as he glances towards you. You would be lying if this didn’t somehow send adrenaline through you. He was seriously hiding in his bedroom from Jude of all people.

There’s another frantic knock, and then the shoving of the door. Jude’s groan sounds so loud, “You fuckin’ twat.” It’s the last thing he says before he walks down the corridor and Trent chuckles quietly.

“You’re cruel,” you tease, walking towards him. He still hadn’t turned the light back on.

“All the other rooms are open,” he shrugs. “He’ll be fine.” He opts for turning on a lamp, turning it on the lowest setting and it’s so dim that it might as well be off.

As he walks towards his bed, he stops, turning back to you. His eyes narrow slightly as you put your hands on your hips, “What now?”

“You said Johnny and you were just close?” he starts. Of course. “But the picnic?”

“Friends can’t just go on picnics?”

He chuckles, “Did he know that?”

“Well he does now. There’s nothing between us. I didn’t like him like that, the girls just always teased us.”

Trent nods, satisfied with your answer, “Okay, enough about him.”

“Please,” you reply meekly.

“You’re the one who usually talks, maybe you should yap more.”

“Quit saying I yap.”

“Yapping about the weather, about class, about—”

You walk over to his bed and throw a pillow at his head. He goes splatting onto his side, you not realizing just how hard you actually held onto the pillow once you swung. Oops…

But he’s up in an instant, on his feet and pushing you back until you hit your back against the wall. A small ‘oomph’ slips out of your mouth that he lets go of your wrists, looking down at your face with a flash of worry, “Sorry—”

“Asshole.” But god were you so turned on with his chest being merely inches away.

And his face is back, “Oh, you’re okay.”

His watchful gaze looking down at you makes you swallow the slick remark down your throat. Wow. Where were his hands at? And just how far were you from him? It was either his eyes or that stupid useless lamp that made you lose sense of distance.

“Are you…okay?” he rasps. You watch as his throat bobbles as he rakes over your face, making you fight every urge to look away from his hard gaze.

“I’m fine,” you manage. His lip twitches as he glances down, it’s only then did you realize that his hand managed to go around your waist. You didn’t know how you didn’t feel it, especially because it went entirely underneath the hoodie. His bare hand was touching the skin of your back and your throat bubbled as he took his time slipping it out. Do not make a sound. Do not make a sound.

You didn’t have to make a sound to realize his movement awakened every fiber in your body. The hoodie suddenly felt ridiculously hot, like walking outside in the middle of summer with it on. If you weren’t leaning on the wall, you would’ve lost your balance right then and there.

And just as Trent’s fingertips are about to let go of you entirely, he lets them stray. In reality, they only touched such a small space of you but they felt suffocating, as if they were engulfing the entirety of you. Exploring you without hesitancy.

For whatever reason, whatever luck that wasn’t on your side, his lamp began to flicker until it went out completely. And just like that, a sliver of the moon’s light shined on his face.

“Did that—”

“It does that,” he mutters. “It’s old, have to give it a good tap.”

“Oh.”

Words escaped you as you felt him lean a little more into you. The sudden brain that never stopped thinking of a witty response was quiet, only thinking about how close he was. How his eyes seemed so tender. The softest they had ever been before. And gah! Even when there’s so little light his eyes look so brown.

“You had on a nice shirt.”

“Everyone saw my nipples,” you say, wanting to slap your hand over your mouth. Why did you choose to say those words at this very time?

He laughs, it’s gruff and it only goes in one ear, giving you goosebumps on that side. “Well, not everyone.” His head dips closer to your ear. “Only the girls saw them.”

“Then how did you know,” you look up at him as he reels his head back slowly. His fingertips slide to the back of your hip, finally putting his palm down and you stifle what might be a moan. Seriously, you need to get yourself together.

“It wasn’t rocket science to put two and two together, darling.”

And you couldn’t do it anymore. There were so many words and so little touch shared in the time that you’ve been pressed against the wall. You guide his free hand to your waist and settle yours around his neck. There is a brief look of shock in his eyes but it goes away as quickly as it appeared.

His breath hitches as your fingertips scratches the nape of his skin. His eyes flicker down to your lips and if he wasn’t going to make the first move, then hell you might as well go for it. Your hand slips down to his chest, balling up the white fabric and pulling him down. His lips crash onto yours feverishly, his breathing heavy as he pulls you closer to him.

You aren’t expecting to feel him through his jeans when your hips clash, so the gasp that leaves your mouth is unrestrained. God. Your hands are slipping down his chest and finding the hem of his pants but it’s so dark, the moon only shining on his face. His lips graze your neck as he squirms once you press your palm against him. His teeth sink into the skin near your shoulder as you pull on the button of his pants.

Before you could unbutton them, he pries your hands off of them and raises them over your head, pinning them down with just one hand. Did he have to look so hot doing that? You couldn’t help the whimper that left your mouth, him smirking as he pressed his hips further into you. He was so hard that you wondered if he was in pain, and how quickly you could slither out of his grasp and relieve him.

But he pulls back, and the frown you make is by instinct. He brings down your hands slowly to your side and you frown even harder, “Why did you stop?”

“Are you sure?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m not drunk.”

“Walk in a straight line then,” he jokes, tugging the hem of the hoodie towards him.

You roll your eyes, a grin overtaking your scowl as you let him pull you towards the bed. You were so turned on it was ridiculous. He sits down on the bed and you can make out his head turning in your direction, waiting for you to join him.

“No more teasing,” you warn, unbuttoning your pants and shrugging them off. “Just sex.” You don’t even wait for him to pull you down, you settle in his lap as if you had been in this position many times before with him.

His eyebrows rise at your bright pink underwear, but he’s more amused with your words, “What’s the magic word?”

“Trent,” you grip onto his shoulders tightly as he laughs. His hands settle on your hips, teasing the area of where your panties met the hoodie. “Please.”

“Okay.”

The smile that raises his cheeks is so charming that you can’t help but to gently pinch them. But you kiss him as if he’s withholding coffee from you. So rabidly that he had to fall back onto stretched elbows to keep himself up. He dragged himself up to the center of the bed and pulled you with him.

The two of you groaned at the friction of your hips once you sat back down on him. His hands slipped underneath your—his—hoodie and immediately settled on your hard nipples. They had been bruising against the fabric of the hoodie, so the moan you let out was pure relief as he squeezed them. Your hand already wrapped around the length of him through his boxers.

“Fuck,” he grunts, hiking up his hips and shimming out of his pants. His grip is tight as he then peels off the hoodie, leaving you exposed but it doesn’t take long for him to find your breasts with his mouth and hand. And of course his other hand wandered and teased the hem of your underwear. His knuckles brushed against your clit through the fabric that you didn’t have any shame sinking further onto them and rocking your hips.

Once he flipped the two of you over, his touch was careful but firm. Very attentive to the sweet sounds of your arousal and the whimpers of every touch. He wasn’t shy about being vocal either. Especially when it came to his ragged breathing, the feeling of his breath creating goosebumps on your skin in its wake.

The feeling of his cold chain sliding down your body put you into a frenzy that you almost felt bad for how hard your thighs clamped around his head but he didn’t seem to mind.

And that chain continued to bounce against you with each thrust and that alone had you wrapping your legs around him and pulling him down to kiss you. You could feel his lips turning into a sloppy smile that it made you laugh as you pecked his cheek afterward.

Even if his face radiated with innocence, his hands sliding down to give you one more tease sure didn’t. You squirmed once his thumb landed on your clit and sure as hell wasn’t ready for the sudden pinch of your nipple with his other.

“Oh my god—” his lips slid down your jaw and neck, sucking on the supple skin. You didn’t even care if he marked you, your attention so far gone because between the feeling of him so deep inside you, his thumb circling your clit, fingers alternating between a pinch and a ghost of a touch around your nipple, and his warm mouth and breath on your neck, you weren’t even sure what to focus on. It all felt so unreal.

And yet somehow he held you as you rode out the numbing feeling taking over you. Vision clouding as you felt him slip out of you as he tenderly massaged your breasts and then let out a small gasp as he came as well. He nuzzled his lips onto your cheek and neck, breath heavy as he collapsed beside you. He pulled you closer to him and then ran his hands over your thighs in a soothing manner.

God. You almost wanted to cry at how euphoric you felt but there was no way you were going to let go of that much pride in one night.

His eyes flutter open as you already look back at him. He lets out a shy laugh, “Didn’t expect you to be so quiet.”

“I was shocked the entire time.”

“In a good or bad way?”

“In the best way.”

He beams, pulling you closer to him and kissing your forehead, “Seeing you in my fucking hoodie. I couldn’t control myself anymore.”

“I was waiting for you to rip it off of me,” you sassed.

“I knew I should’ve bent you over in the restroom and fucked the brat out of you.”

“I’d love to see you try,” you encouraged and he picked his head up, surely offended, but you were on the tallest cloud that you didn’t care. “Plus, your hands were shaking so much that I don’t think—”

Trent shut you up with his lips. His hands taut around your neck as he shushes you in the way he should’ve done hours ago.

--

Come Monday morning, you were starting to grow restless staring at the empty seat next to you. Trent had a minute to spare before class started and he should’ve been here a minute ago. The two of you texted over the weekend, nothing spectacular but nothing too boring. You hoped you hadn’t bothered him with too many words and scared him away. Maybe your watch was a minute behind—

A white cup suddenly lands harshly in front of you, a strong hand wrapped around it until they let go. The smell of coffee seeps out of it so strongly that it itches your brain. You look over to see Trent, a frantic but bashful smile on his face as he sits down, never taking his eyes off of you. He has his own cup as well.

“That rain, such a sudden downpour,” he chimes. “So heavy that I almost ran late.”

You can’t help that gleeful smile that stretches all the muscles of your cheeks that you don’t know existed; you must’ve look crazy, you are sure. Every facial muscle hurt in that second but you don’t care as you wrap your arms around him. He laughs as he pecks your cheek and then gives your waist a squeeze.

It was sunny outside. No chance of rain or even a cloud.

---

taglist: @lunamelona @akg2000 @0rangesuga @ell-alexanderarnold @emunds

[sunnyshiftyy]

On The Stairs - TE one shot

Book: The Elementalists, pre-story, 2016 (Katrina 26, Beckett 16) TW: A little angsty, controlling parents. Rating: PG Characters: Beckett Harrington, Katrina Harrington, their parents, and Julia (OC) is mentioned. Words: 1352 Summary: Katrina tells her parents that her girlfriend Julia is attending the gala that’s happening tonight, and emotions run high. A/N: Backstory: Her parents were already aware of Julia, but dismissed it as a phase (Julia, not Katrina’s sexuality). They came to terms with her sexuality pretty quickly, but Julia is ‘just a middle class girl’ and that didn’t suffice for them. They were still trying to set her up with other socialites, despite the clear message from their daughter to stop doing so. (Katrina having a girlfriend is a headcanon) Tags: @theclassycandy, @choicesficwriterscreations

Let me know if you want to be tagged in future fanfics or TE content!

And on that note, I hope you enjoy!

“Katrina, are you serious? You’re telling us this now?”

The hushed angry voice echoes around the corner, for Beckett to hear. He’s pressed against the wall, five stairs from the ground, not daring to move, in fear of making his presence known. It has been a long time since his parents were this upset with his sister. The most recent incident was probably when she last rejected a marriage proposal. Although, it wasn’t the biggest ordeal then, because, frankly, she’s declined any and every advances up until that point. Maybe the last time they were really mad was when she started posting candid pictures of her friends and her on social media. The family’s reputation would suffer, according to his father. Mom did agree. But Beckett’s sure that, if it depended on his mother, the matter wouldn’t have been blown up like that. From that point on, Katrina posted way less, and only ‘proper’ pictures. But ever since that day, she’s been quietly rebelling against it by making them just a little more genuine and fun, picture by picture.

“What are we going to say to the Campbell’s?” He hears footsteps pace around, and recognizes the sound as his dads.

“What are you going to say to them? What’s with the Campbell’s?” Katrina responds, surprise in her voice.

“Their son, he.. we thought we found a good match for you, sweetheart,” her mom says. A silence falls, and Beckett can’t tell what’s happening, but he doesn’t dare sneak a look around the corner. If, after all this time, they actually found another guy for her to marry… That explains the aggravation.

“Oh! That’s just amazing!” Katrina sarcastically spits, now furious. “You know I won’t agree to that. With no one. Why do you even bother? At this point, that’s almost forced marriage!”

“We want the best for you, and you know that marrying someone of status guarantees that. It’s the best option,” her dad argues, still irritated. Their mother cuts in.

“Are you sure about her?”

“Yes, mom, I’m sure! I really like her. She’s an actual good person, and doesn’t just like me for my money.” Beckett thinks back to the time he met Julia for the first time. A weekend in February, when his parents weren’t home. Katrina had texted him that friday, saying she had a surprise. Most of the time, that means either junk food or books, but this time, it was a living, breathing human. Dressed just like a person in public school would. But that never bothered him. She smiled, shook his hand and told him she always wanted to have a brother. Apparently that last thing was a joke, and then she laughed and said, ‘I’m going to like this one.’ The three of them ate pizza, the girls on the couch, he, very carefully, at the coffee table, because they aren’t supposed to eat on that designer sofa. They played Mario Kart and Uno, and told him all about college and their PhD’s. He would agree Julia’s a nice person. He has enjoyed having her around for the limited times she was. It feels like they’re a tiny friend group, that not just exists of him and Kat.

“Maybe if we find you a girl of status to marry-?” her mother starts to suggest. Katrinas’ sigh appears frustrated, but very controlled.

“Mother… I just want to attend a gala with the girl I like, and be happy and not worry about if my parents are going to judge me or set me up with another stupid socialite!” The volume of her sentence progressively increased, so much so that she ended it twice as loud as she began it. His sister rarely is this defiant to their parents. And she doesn’t need to be, most of the time. Everything she does is always right. Always perfect. No mistakes or mess ups. He wouldn’t dare to assume such a tone. He would be grounded for a long time. But, judging by the pictures incident, he doesn’t think Katrina will get any consequences for that. Because ‘she’s Katrina’. She can’t do anything wrong. A silence follows, and her next words sound a little more composed. “I’m an adult now, and have been for the past eight years. I have proven to you over and over again, not only in these past years, that I am responsible, and I take my responsibilities very seriously. My studies, my hobbies, and especially my family. If I wasn’t sure about her, I wouldn’t have invited her. So, if you like it or not, Julia is my guest, and she is coming.” She ends her sentence and Beckett hears her footsteps rapidly storm his way. He bolts up the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible.

“You better hope that girl acts respectable! I will not stand for anyone, inside or out the family, to humiliate us. Do you understand?” their dad booms after Katrina. Her heels hurriedly clack against the marble, louder and louder. Beckett opens his door and slips in, softly closing it, just as the footsteps reach the top. Then they go quiet. He breathes out. But the doorknob slowly turns again.

“Hey.” She sticks her head in his bedroom. She’s pressing her lips together and blinking heavily. And yet, she manages a small smile. “Thanks for spying on me.”

“I wasn’t..,” he gets out, before realizing denying it would be useless now. She probably saw him. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She sighs and sits on his bed. He joins her. She stares at the ground for a little, trying to fight the tears. The tears win. “I knew they would make a big deal about it. I knew it! So I don’t know why I’m so.. sad.” Beckett sits there, perplexed by her spontaneous heart-to-heart, listening to her words. She’s right, about expecting it. Making big deals out of everything, good or bad, is their parents thing. “I just want to have a nice evening,” she expresses. Then she wipes her cheeks of the droplets, and the mascara that came down with them, and turns to him.

“Beckett, please promise you’ll never judge anyone for who they love. And don’t let mom and dad tell you who you need to love. Promise me that, okay?” Her watery eyes look in his, and he nods.

“I promise.” His heart is still beating fast from everything that’s just happened. And seeing his sister cry is not the funnest thing. It gives him this uneasy feeling he can’t place. He’s only ever see her cry twice before. They were way younger then. Katrina hugs him, and he reluctantly lets her. Uncomfortable. That’s the feeling.

“Bean, I love you. And when you grow up, you’re going to be an amazing person. And don’t you forget that I’m always proud of you, no matter what mom and dad think.” He stops himself from sighing. She has a flair for the dramatic according to him, but he knows she’s trying to be genuine. And what she’s saying is commendable. Katrina always knows the right thing to say.

“Thank you, Kat.” He thinks for a second, but then decides it passes the check. “I’m proud of you too. Not that you need my approval…”

“Thanks.” She releases him and he sees her face has almost fully cleared up. Some streaky traces of black are the only remains of what just happened. She wipes her cheeks again, and stands up, composing herself as she looks out of the window, at the sparse lights divided over the garden. “Whatever, there’s no use crying over this anymore. Julia is coming, and everyone is going to have a wonderful time. I’ll prove mom and dad wrong. And they will like her.” She suddenly stops her monologue and looks back at her brother. “Sorry, I got carried away. I’ll go change.” She hurries towards the door and disappears behind it, but before closing, she pops her head back in, and looks down skeptically. He follows her gaze, stopping at his feet.

“I would wear other shoes with that...”

Hope you enjoyed!

p.s this fic was a kinda prequel to another of my fics. (It doesn’t actually chronologically follow obviously, but it set up a lot of the themes of that fic.)

A/N: If you want to know more about my OC’s in my TE universe, click here. If you want to read more, here’s my masterlist with all the fics on it! (dated <3) Another thing: you can find sneak peeks of future fics and other posts on my masterlist (indicated with coming soon!) Last thing: my asks are still open! If you want headcanons or anything, don’t be shy, ask some more :)

[wishuroses]

.⠀ ݁ ⸜⸜ 𓂃 𓇼 starry-eyed, neteyam sully.

✶ pairings: neteyam x human!reader

✶ warnings: fluff, mutual pining, reader is a loner but neteyam still loves you, mentions of teyam’s toes (def needs to be a warning), love confessions, definitely not proofread whatsoever, uppercase intended!

✶ word count: 856

✶ a/n: the gears in whatever’s left of my brain are finally turning yes lordt. happy reading! :-)

Contrary to popular belief, you loved being alone. Pandora is beautiful, of course, but with the way you were currently laid on your soft bed, belly first, calves crossed in the air, wrinkled pajama shirt tickling the back of your thighs, and your nimble fingers grasping the spine of the book you were heavily invested in–you’d say you were having one hell of a good time.

Unfortunately for you and your poor, unassuming heart, your me-time was cut short when you heard a loud thwack resound through the air, followed by a multitude of items falling off a nearby table.

You jolted upright, eyes fluttering around the dimly lit room in a panic to make eye contact with–

Oh. It’s Neteyam.

The clumsy boy was already crouched on the floor, stiff hand hovering over a fallen object and staring back at you with wide eyes, like he’d just been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to.

“Tey?” Jeez, you’d have to put a bell on him. This wasn’t the first time he’d snuck on you like this, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. “What’re you doing here? You scared the hell outta me!”

“My apologies.” He responded, ever so politely, towering back to his full height to place items back onto your desk accordingly. The ghost of a smile can be heard in his voice.

“It’s okay, Tey. It’s fine.” The sharp sound of a book being slapped on your bedside table permeates the space. “You didn’t answer my question though.” He rolls his eyes. “It’s so late. Way past eclipse.”

Neteyam hummed before turning to you, yellow eyes shining with mirth. “I missed you. Is that not a good enough reason?” he leans against your paint chipped wall, rough accent feeling like warm sugar against your ears.

With a scoff, you flop backwards on your bed, legs and arms sprawled out–something akin to a starfish. No, you thought as your sleepy-soft eyes burned holes in the ceiling, that is not a good enough reason. But you suppose it could suffice.

“Teyam, you know how your mama feels about me.” A pause, a soft shuffle, then the weight of a head dips across the expanse of your clothed tummy. Like routine, you bury your fingers in his braids, nimble tips grazing against parted roots. He gets butterflies every time you do this. “If she finds out you came here, I’m definitely gonna turn up missing.”

(You knew miss Neytiri was never fond of humans, and you understood that–embraced the fact–but you didn’t know what the hell you expected when she nearly launched you off her son when catching your hand wrapped around his wrist, standing a little bit too close. Everyday you thank Eywa for Jake knowing how to ease her out of things. Everyone knew he was her main weakness.)

“..Whatever.” Neteyam figured that was something that might occur, but at the same time, you knew he’d never let anything happen to you–and he made sure to drill that into your head every single change he got.

Your eyes dip down to stare into his, lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed almost sarcastically. “Yea whatever. Now get up ‘n help me make a pallet. I just know your knees are screaming for help.”

Neteyam perked up at this, and this time he sat upright. You could tell he attempted to hide his excitement, but the telltale sight of pointed ears eagerly flicking upwards gave it all away. “We are having a sleepover?”

“Yea,” the way your grin eclipsed your eyes had Neteyam’s heart ricocheting against his ribcage, “of course we’re having a sleepover.”

After a few minutes of whispered conversations and sounds of jostling fabric (chatting for five, and it took ten to make sure Tey’s feet weren’t touching the cool laminate flooring–he had passionately expressed how much he hated his toes being cold), you both were laid cozy on the blanketed floor, curled up against each other, Neteyam’s warm body encompassing your much smaller one.

Sleepovers with you rarely occurred, if not rare; he knew you were fully content on keeping to yourself, and he respected that graciously–it would never make him look at you differently, not ever. Not you. Neteyam feels the world fall on its side when he glances down to find you already eyeballing him, looking mutely through thick lashes like he’d just hung the stars.

The exchange was silent–almost as silent as you tended to be–yet it was comfortable. Neteyam could bask in you for hours, no matter what you did or didn’t do.

It was then Neteyam realized he would do anything for you, gift you the moon and a thousand other planets in the solar system if you’d asked him. A pair of lips pressed themselves against the crown of your head, your eyes blinking shut at the action.

“I love you.” He whispered, three-fingered hand reaching to cup the side of your face.

A small smile graces itself across your features, your own hand laying atop his, gently returning the gesture. He knew you loved him back.

You both decide to call it for what it is.

[rivatar]

Practice Makes Perfect

Pairing: AU!College!BasketballPlayer!Neteyam (21) x Fem!Human!Cheerleader!Reader (20)

Warnings/content: MDNI, smut, p in v, creampie, mean & fuckboy Neteyam, degradation, mirror sex, fwb, think that’s it but lmk!

A/n: This is for the day 2 prompt of Pandora’s Glow — Mirror sex + FWB! Credits to @luvv4j4ybe11 & @aperiraa for the event! And credits to @cafekitsune for dividers!

W/c: 1.2k

Neteyam was eyeballing you during practice every chance he got.

He was one of the team captains and this often got to his head; no not often— all of the time. He was the typical cocky athlete who would send nudes to every hot girl, just like all his friends and teammates. He had girls falling at his feet so of course he fucked whoever he deemed pretty enough. Anything to get his dick wet and satisfy his endless sex drive.

To him, this glorified his manhood. Getting laid is the pinnacle of proving you’re the best. And Neteyam was the best. A star athlete with a full ride at your university, his family was well-known and wealthy, and he was favorited not just among his peers, but the professors, coaches, and other faculty too. He charmed the elders with his perfect boy persona, and hell— sports is what matters most to everyone so they all fall for his bullshit since he plays a part at getting them those big wins at nearly every game.

Your sport, however, was hardly deemed a sport by most. Including Neteyam. You worked hard your whole life, competing in All Star competitive cheer. Between the lifts, jumps, flips, and sheer stamina, you firmly believed cheer was damn well a sport, and a difficult one at that.

Due to renovations on the other gym where your team normally practiced all year, you were now forced to practice in the same gym as Neteyam and his team this season. Now him and his minions could openly laugh and make fun of you and your girls, like the himbo pieces of shits they are. Whether it was during stretches, muscle conditioning, or practicing the routines and stunts, the guys were always poking at y’all with sexualized and demeaning comments whenever they could and when the coaches weren’t close enough to hear. It usually went like:

“Bend over a little more, babydoll!”, “Could they make the skirts just a little shorter, please?”, “Amazing eye candy, ladies!”

They were often replied to with heavy eye rolls and a few “fuck off”s by all of you. The pure disrespect towards your sport was almost more than you could bare. Being viewed as an object to the male gaze was gonna be the death of you.

That was why you didn’t know why you ever agreed to this little situation with Neteyam after he cornered you and sweet talked you months ago. Now, it was like a daily routine.

…

“Mmm, fuck!” You held onto the sink in front of you for dear life while Neteyam rattled your shit from behind.

After both your practices wrapped up for the day, he gave you a look you knew all too well. One that said he wanted to fuck, now. The man always had his mind in the gutter. Neteyam always picked the place for the matter, sometimes a little riskier than you’d prefer, being that you didn’t want to be kicked off the team. But this time, following after his tall, broad figure as non-suspiciously as possible, he entered the family restroom down the hall. And that was how you ended up with his dick deep in your pussy.

He flipped your cheer practice skirt up to get a view of your ass, choosing to leave it on and pushing your panties to the side when he shoved his dick inside you.

“You know what this tiny little skirt does to me, you slut. Damn near asking for it, huh?” he said with venom lacing his words, giving your ass a hard spank.

You whimpered at his words. He was right, you were being a slut and you knew it. But you couldn’t resist him, much to your dismay, so you let your dignity take the hit.

“All wet and tight just for me? Or is it from ogling the other guys, too? Wouldn’t surprise me knowing you,” he chuckled darkly, “I mean you literally dance around for the entire public anyways, you little attention whore,”

You blushed deeply, heating up all over. You chose to look down at your feet that were struggling to hold you up from the sheer force of his thrusts.

Then you felt a rough hand beneath your jaw, forcing you to look up and into the mirror right in front of you. You were such a mess— hair misplaced, sweat lining your forehead, and some drool and tears leaking out on your face.

“Watch yourself get fucked by me,” he grunted, and held your face in place so you were forced to acknowledge the scene you were creating through the mirror.

He was hitting your cervix so perfectly, making your body tingle all over. You let out a long and drawn out moan as every inch of your body felt like it was on cloud 9.

“See how pretty you look when you’re moaning?” He said into your ear, “Just a cockslut getting exactly what she wants. You’re lucky you’re so hot or you wouldn’t be getting this from me,” he added while nibbling your ear.

You clenched around him and attempted to drop your head down and focus on the pleasure. He didn’t let you move one bit though, with his painful grip on your hip and his other hand directing your face to the mirror.

“Nuh uh. Watch it. Want you to watch yourself cum on my cock,” Neteyam stuttered a bit, feeling his orgasm approach quickly. “Better do it now pretty girl, I can’t hold back much longer,”

He gave you harder and somehow deeper thrusts while snaking his hand around to rub tight circles on your nub. And that was all it took for your coil to snap.

“Ahhh fuck!!” You screamed as your orgasm wracked through your entire body, almost closing your eyes shut.

“Eyes open,” he tapped your jaw, “Look at you go,” He praised you as the feeling soared through your body.

Your jaw was hanging open in a silent scream as you watched your legs shake and felt your pussy convulse on him.

“Now, eyes on me. Watch me as I cum in you,” He gritted through teeth.

You watched him through your eyebrows, your head feeling light and struggling to stay upright, your arms on the sink still holding you up. You watched in awe as all his muscles tensed up deliciously and he threw his head back while guiding your hips back on him as he shot his hot load in your cunt. You noticed all the little micro-expressions in his face as the sweet release rushed through his body too.

Coming down from your highs, you both glanced at each other briefly, suppressing little laughs. You fixed your skirt the best you could although he left an absolute mess in your folds, with his cum slowly seeping out of you. So you knew you needed to get out of there before anyone saw cum dribbling down your legs.

He smirked, knowing why you were rushing to get out. “Might wanna wash that before next practice,” he teased and winked at you, feeling proud as you swung the door open and ran off.

Taglist: @neteyamssyulang @bambithewriter @professional-yapper @eywaseclipse @neteyamsoare @nonamevenus @loakstahni @zafrinaxyz @anemonelovesfiction @strongheartneteyam @etherynn @plantgirliewholovespandora @ladykat37 @xylianasblog @vogueweb @inolaphoenix (lmk if you’d like to be added or removed!)

[askinkiskarma]

if anybody has ever read cruel summer, i hope you're gonna be even a tenth as excited as I am about this incredible drawing by the amazing @oakbuggy of a scene from the second chapter of my story. this was honestly one of the absolute best birthday presents i've ever gotten (not only cause i get to stare at two hot people for prolonged periods of time), and i will cherish it forever and ever. thank you to all the beautiful, incredible, phenomenal pookies (@sulieykte, @jakexneytiri, @pandoraslxna, @blue-slxt, @neteluvr, @tiredmamaissy, @neteyamsoare, @neteyamsyawntu) i am fortunate enough to call friends for commissioning this piece for my birthday.

enjoy, besties x

[vivid-ink]

'The Love Shack' Epilogue - Silwey's Reaction

Relationship: Neteyam(23) x fem!Omatikaya reader(21) Series warnings: 18+ MDNI Word count: 1,563

Read the entire completed series in my masterlist HERE

Author's Note: Because so many of you asked - here is a little epilogue drabble with Silwey's reaction to the news of Neteyam & Neyomi's betrothal. 😁 It's short and simple entertainment with a little bit of fluff at the end. I hope ya'll find this satisfying, enjoy!

***~~~***

Neteyam watched as the last of the wagons, laden with their kills, was carted off to the clan’s cooks and butchers. The hunters had triumphed again today and the butchers would be kept busy for the next day skinning, carving and preserving the meat from their very successful hunt. As with most jobs that his hunter-warrior profession demanded, success often brought with it tired and aching muscles at the day’s end, as well as skin caked in the natural grime of sweat and dirt.

Rolling his neck and stretching it from side to side, he heard the vertebrae in his neck give a few satisfying pops. His skin felt clammy and itchy from the drying mud in places and he couldn’t wait to settle into the hot spring with you later for some rest and relaxation. He caught sight of you warming down with your hunting platoon off to his left in the near distance. Your stance was confident and you effortlessly commanded the attention of your platoon while you debriefed them for the day. He smiled to himself. You were so beautiful and so capable. It made him proud to have you at his side.

As your commanding officer, he outranked you and you reported to him in all things work during the day, but at night, he was completely at your mercy. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to have your body against his, over him, under him and around him. It had been a blissful week since the night you’d confronted each other and admitted your faults, since you’d made love to each other and pledged yourselves as each other’s intendeds. The news was still formally under wraps, but the tsahìk would be making a formal announcement and performing a blessing on you both on the clan’s next day of rest, which was in two days.

Betrothal aside, you’d both agreed that things would not change work-wise. There would be no biases and there would be no public displays of affection; work was work. Given the good amount of ‘practise’ you’d both had in the last three moons in the lead up to the present, pretending there was nothing going on and ignoring the personal turmoil you’d both been stubbornly suffering, keeping things professional was a piece of cake.

A few of the men from Neteyam’s platoon yauped in farewell, waving at him as they departed for the day. One of them, Entu, called out as they passed, “It’s good to have you back, bro! The olo’eyktan really made us work for our meals the other day!”

Neteyam’s deep laugh rang out and he fixed the young warrior with a mocking grin, “Are you saying I’m too soft on all of you?”

“No, but you’re more reasonable. At least I can still feel my legs today!”

“Good work today, boys! Kìyevame (see you again soon)!” Neteyam called in return, stooping to scoop his woven satchel from the foot of the rock he’d left it against. He slung the satchel across his shoulders and spied a pair of slender feet and legs approaching him in his peripheral vision. They strolled into view as he straightened up and he was greeted by a lovely face, just not the one he expected.

“I’m glad you’re back too.” Silwey’s voice was sweet as it usually was when she wanted to endear herself to him. She flashed him an alluring smile and cocked her head to the side, peering up at him through playful eyes.

“Why? Your legs less sore today too, are they?” Neteyam remarked, adjusting the strap of his satchel across his front.

Silwey’s chuckle bubbled melodiously up her throat and her expression turned frisky, “Not sore, no. My legs are good today, good enough that they’d be keen to take a ride later if you catch my meaning.”

Oh, her meaning was clear.

The insinuation of the sensual ride she had in mind was made even more unambiguous when she reached out with a bold hand to curl her fingers into the top edge of his cummerbund to pull him closer.

Neteyam stopped her with a gentle hand around her wrist, “Look, this needs to stop-”

“I was disappointed when you didn’t come back to me the other night after your family emergency.” Silwey interrupted, stepping up to him and eyeing him coquettishly, “And then when you didn’t show up for patrol the next day, I was worried.”

“Worried for my wellbeing?” Neteyam pursed his lips, his patience beginning to wear thin as Silwey ran her other hand up the smooth muscle of one his pectorals despite his earlier attempt at a rebuff.

“Mm yes, and also worried that I wouldn’t get another taste of you.” Silwey said in a sultry purr and she swiped a daring finger against his chest before lifting it to her mouth to suck it clean.

Neteyam grasped both of her hands and removed them from his person, not unkindly but firmly enough to get his point across, “Please stop. Look, you’re a beautiful woman and I enjoyed your company, but I’m spoken for now and this behaviour needs to stop. Anything more after this and you’ll be breaking the bounds of propriety.”

Silwey retreated in surprise, pulling her hands from his hold, “Spoken for? You’re betrothed?”

“Yes.”

She gave a caustic laugh then, still reeling from her shock, “That’s a surprise, considering you were perfectly willing just last week to spend your time in my company before your brother abruptly called you away.”

Neteyam scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, trying to find a way to explain the situation without too much detail, “It’s a fairly recent development, but entirely genuine. The tsahìk will make an announcement in two days. I’d appreciate your confidentiality around the matter in the meantime.”

“Oh now Neteyam, you can’t just leave it at that.” Silwey wheedled, her irritation bleeding into her tone despite her attempt to come off as casual, “Who is this lucky woman?”

Before Neteyam could respond with another dismissive excuse, the sound of a gently cleared throat came from behind him and he turned his head to find you standing there. Meeting your eyes, he grinned warmly at you. Speak of the devil.

“Sorry Neteyam, a word?” You interposed, shooting a half-hearted smile of apology at the other woman.

Silwey was less than welcoming of your interjection. Her plump lips tightened sternly and she huffed at you, “You know, these interruptions of yours are becoming a rather untimely habit. I was having an important discussion with Neteyam.”

In truth you’d overheard the bit of their conversation prior to your interruption, but you feigned innocence nonetheless, “Oh, sorry. Was it about today’s hunt?”

Silwey’s initial expression was one of annoyance that you were nosy enough to pry, but then her countenance turned cunning and she graced Neteyam with a sly look before declaring, “No, actually. Neteyam has just shared with me his happy news of being recently betrothed. He was just about to tell me who she is.” She sneered at him, clearly thinking she was being clever for having outed his secret, “Come on, tell us. I’m sure Neyomi would like to know too.”

Ordinarily, Neteyam would have growled out a warning at Silwey’s nerve, but he simply smirked at her today.

Reaching out to lace the fingers of one of his hands with yours, Neteyam pulled you to his side and planted a lingering kiss to your temple, before responding to Silwey, “Well, since you asked, you’re looking at her.”

Silwey’s eyes darted between Neteyam and you, her large golden eyes widening a fraction as realisation set in. Her mouth popped open next and she sucked in a stunned breath, sputtering, “O-Oh! Ah, congratulations t-to you b-both. Have a good evening, I’ll see you around.”

You had to press your lips together hard to keep yourself from laughing. Silwey’s retreat was clumsy and her embarrassment was apparent. It was the most inelegant you’d ever seen her, considering she was normally incredibly self-assured.

“Guess our secret’s out.” You remarked to Neteyam, “You know, she’s not going to keep it to herself.”

“I don’t think there’s any point.” Neteyam observed.

Silwey had withdrawn hastily to a small group of warrior women who appeared to have been watching on with equally wide eyes at the entire exchange. They were muttering amongst themselves now, Silwey in the middle, with raised eyebrows and gesturing hands.

“Shall we give them a bit of a show?” You suggested puckishly, looking up at Neteyam who was already leaning down towards you.

“First, you make me commit sacrilege under my parents’ roof and now you’re breaking clan protocol before the tsahìk’s announcement.” Neteyam’s warm lips moulded to yours and you instinctively looped an arm about his neck to draw yourself closure. His tongue swept against yours and you opened your mouth to allow him to deepen the kiss, completely uncaring of your public audience. He separated from you with a sucking pop, “I wonder if my family realises how much of a rule-breaker you are.”

“Your mother broke all the rules. She became a warrior, abandoned her duty to be tsahìk and mated your father.”

Neteyam chortled at your quick quip, his quiet laughter rumbling against your lips, “And it appears I am my father’s son, with the same taste for rule-breaking warrior women.”

***~~~***

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