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villainsimpqueen · 3 months ago

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"See more than just with your eyes"

The one-shot contest winner @nonamevenus One-Shot!

This one shot is about Her Oc Na'ali and Tsu’tey meeting and building chemistry till the day they are each others.

I had so much fun writing this One-Shot!

As always my pages and fics are always and all 18+! Ageless accounts and minors will be blocked!

To the One-shot

“We will adapt!” Jake’s words rang out over the crowd, speaking not only for his family but for Tsu’tey as well.

“We will adapt.”

The day replayed in Tsu’tey’s mind like a relentless echo—Jake’s promise to the Water People’s leaders, to the clan, to everyone. Tsu’tey tried, struggled, to adapt to this clan's ways, but his cup felt too full to understand, too full even to want to learn. His only relief was seeing that Neytiri also struggled to adapt to the Metkayina ways as much as he did. But that relief was short-lived as he watched her, his friend, begin to adapt as quickly as her family.

Outsider.

He knew, deep in his heart, that he did not belong here. He belonged back at his true home, with his true clan. But he had made a promise to his brother and to his sister that he would stay with them to help protect their family—his nephews and nieces. He loved them dearly and did not want the Sky Demons to ever bring them harm. They had already managed to get a hold of the Sully kids once; Tsu’tey would be damned if they laid a demonic finger on them again without his blade slicing through flesh, taking their hands as trophies.

He hadn’t been made War Chief without reason, after all.

Not that it mattered now. The Metkayina were a clan of peace; there would be no wars. They did not engage in such things unless it was direly needed. There was no War Chief of the Metkayina; such a role would fall to their Olo’eyktan if ever required. They didn’t even patrol their own islands. But he did.

Some habits die hard.

He rode his ikran around the island, staring down at the people below. The Water People were carrying out their tasks: hunters out fishing, gatherers collecting resources, children being taught the skills and ways of their people. It was so similar to what he was used to, and yet so different that it poisoned his heart with an ache he knew nothing here could cure.

His eyes drifted from the island to the distant cays on the horizon. A soft pat on his ikran's neck guided the flying beast toward them.

Somewhere alone—where he could sit and think in silence.

His ikran swooped low, its wingtips skimming the water before landing on a low-hanging tree on one of the smaller cays. Tsu’tey carefully climbed down, sliding along the tree until his feet dug into the sand, and he began moving further inland. From the sky, he had seen that the cay encircled a pool of water in its center—a serene spot, he thought, to ponder what clouded his thoughts, what held him back from adapting like the others had.

The walk from the beach to the high-rooted trees was not an easy one, which brought back some familiarity and heartache as he made his way through mangrove roots and limbs to reach the cay's small lagoon-like waters. Right before he would break through the trees, his ears perked up as he heard splashing. Carefully maneuvering around onto mangrove roots, he peered out to the lagoon.

Bright, shimmering waters moved calmly, where crystal clear depths revealed an endless valley of thriving, rich coral reefs. Soft waves pushed onto the lagoon's shores, and each gentle wave glimmered with reflections of the sun. Small fish creatures swam peacefully in schools as Tsu’tey’s eyes moved over the lagoon. His ears twitched at a splash, narrowing as something moved through the waters before emerging.

Hair flew up, spraying water droplets around before falling onto turquoise shoulders, water-reflected cyan stripes merging and splitting down the figure's back. The braids cascaded down to the middle of the figure, and he paused as he watched her move, swimming in the lagoon. Her ears perked, and her head turned, scanning the tree lines where he ducked down, making sure to stay out of her gaze while keeping his on her.

Her cadet eyes scanned before the woman ducked under the waters, vanishing where the coral leaves descended down into the deep, disappearing into darkness.

Only then did Tsu’tey move, heading to the lagoon’s edge, looking down at the water, his eyes searching for where she had gone. Confusion formed on his features when she did not resurface anywhere else in the lagoon. Staring at the water made him clench his teeth as he backed away, not trusting its edges. His tempted curiosity damned, he perched in the sand, staring out over the lagoon.

He was not a swimmer.

“He is an idiot,” Neytiri muttered as Tsu’tey watched with her at the docks, seeing Jake trying to overdo himself all at once. He chuckled, crossing his arms as he watched his brother-in-arms get flung from the sea animal that had taken off.

“He is,” Tsu’tey remarked, a smirk finding its way onto his lips, his tail moving idly behind him.

“But at least he is trying,” Neytiri spoke, cocking her head at him, making his ears slick back.

“I will not swim. I am not meant to swim,” he answered with narrowed eyes and slicked-back ears.

“You need to learn,” his friend coaxed, prompting a hiss from him as his tail twitched.

“I do not need this.”

“Tsu’tey, it has been weeks,” Neytiri tried to press, but she was met with the sight of his back as he stormed away from the docks. A whistle on his tongue, and with the swift beating of ikran wings, Tsu’tey was soon off again, soaring the skies that led him away from the Water People’s village. Her own ears slicked back as she watched him fly away with concern, a sigh leaving her. She prayed to the Great Mother that Tsu’tey would find a home here as she had learned to find one.

The laughter of her children brought her attention away.

The cay was a place he would continue to go, landing his ikran on its beaches and swinging through the mangrove roots and tree limbs, always stopping before the tree line in different locations. His glowing green eyes cut through the treeline's shade, out onto the lagoon.

Glimpses.

He was always able to catch glimpses of the woman of the lagoon.

Today, as he leaned against one of the many mangrove trunks, he watched her sitting on rocks near one of the lagoon's sides. Her braided hair was twisted up into a messy bun, and her hand came down with a thunderous whack with a rock in her tightly fisted palm. She brought it down two, three times before moving her hand away, the other grabbing something bright orange and fleshy to her lips, sucking it into her mouth, a soft smile gracing her face.

He recognized it—the flesh of a prickly animal the Metkayina liked harvesting and eating alone or mixed with sea grain. He did not like its taste; the texture of mush did not sate his appetite. However, watching the mysterious woman of this cay’s lagoon eat it with such satisfying content made him want to experience such a simple joy.

She never stayed in the lagoon long. Washing away the animal's remains, she would stand, and his eyes would take her in with sudden awe as the sun reflected on her skin before she dove off the rocks back into the lagoon's waters, blending entirely in where he could no longer make out her shape as she vanished into the darkness.

An underwater cavern, he believed, led out to the open ocean surrounding the cay.

Typically, this is where he too would leave the cay, but today he walked out onto the lagoon's beach and moved to the rocks, where he laid down a small trinket between some rocks where it could not be washed away.

He still did not know if this water woman was real or a play on his eyes for feeling alone in this new, bizarre world he had followed the Sullys into. The small trinket he left behind on the rocks would be his proof.

If it remained there on his return the next day, then the woman was never real.

But if the trinket was gone, moved by hands—perhaps her hands—then she was, in fact, very real and now aware of his visits to the cay’s lagoon.

He had wanted to rush to the cay quickly this morning, but instead, he found himself pulling stupid kids apart from a petty fight, dragging his nephews, the Metkayina Olo’eyktan, and Tsa’hik’s son and his friends away. Having to deal with dragging them all to be dealt with by their parents had been an ordeal.

He had stayed with Tuk, keeping an eye on his youngest niece while Jake and Neytiri went to make peace and make their sons apologize for causing trouble.

“And then we saw these little tiny fish—they were like butterflies, Uncle Tey!” his small niece Tuk excitedly chattered as he sat beside her, finishing the weaving of a basket that Tuk was supposed to do on her own. He hummed at her chatter, acknowledging without fully paying attention as he fought with sea nettle to bend and twist under his fingertips.

“Uncle Tey, where do you go every other day?” Tuk's soft little voice broke his focus, making him look at her.

“A place to think and observe, little one,” he responded, watching how her little features formed into soft confusion.

“Dad says you go and sulk.”

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Your dad is an idiot,” he grumbled, causing the little one to giggle.

“But he’s trying to help you, like Mom,” Tuk said, her eyes earnest and wide. She didn’t understand the weight of his burden or the ache in his heart. She only knew the simple wisdom of a child—that everyone should try to get along, to fit in, to find joy.

He sighed, setting the half-finished basket aside. His large hand gently ruffled Tuk’s braids. “I know, little one. But sometimes… sometimes it is hard to change.”

He was glad when his ears perked up hearing of footsteps and turning his head to see her parents. He had left her with them and quickly left the Metkayinas island once more, Taking flight into the sea satly breezes as he did not even need to guide his beast anymore, the Ikran knew where he wanted to go and took him so without any hesitation in the beat of its mighty wings.

The rocks were where Tsu’tey went when he didn’t catch a new glimpse of the lagoon’s woman. Moving to them, his eyes searched the place where he had left the trinket, only to find it gone, replaced by a bracelet of frosted sea glass, woven in a delicate pattern. He took it gently, his tail swaying as he felt the prickling sensation of eyes upon him. His own eyes scanned the water, catching sight of a partial glimpse of a woman’s head breaking the surface—cadet eyes staring back at him, her ears perched well above the water.

Tsu’tey moved his hand from his side to his forehead in a respectful greeting, dipping his head down as he did so, showing the mysterious woman some deference.

Her eyes narrowed as she rose from the water, droplets cascading off her form like crystals. He kept his attention solely on her.

“You are a persistent presence here,” her voice carried across the lagoon, making his ears perk and flick.

“I do not mean to disturb—”

“Do not speak differently than your actions. If you truly meant not to disturb, you wouldn’t have come here repeatedly to stare at me for a solid month,” she cut him off, her tone blunt, as her eyes assessed him with suspicion.

“You are far from where you belong,” she commented, her cadet eyes meeting his.

“I left my homelands to ensure my friend's family stays safe while they seek refuge with the Metkayina,” Tsu’tey explained, watching her so intently that he wasn’t sure when he had last blinked.

“And yet I find you here, bothering me with your staring from a distance,” the woman countered, making him clench his teeth at her brashness. Yet, he couldn’t deny the truth in her words. Resetting his jaw, he attempted a different approach.

“And what is the name of the woman who likes being alone?” he asked, pressing lightly but cautiously.

She stared at him sharply, examining him with an unwavering gaze. Her jaw shifted slightly as she let a clicking noise escape her lips.

“Ne'ali.”

Tsu’tey’s lips twitched into a smile he had to bite back, and her eyes snapped back to him with sharpness.

“It is an honor to know you, Ne'ali,” he responded respectfully, watching as she scoffed and turned away from him, reentering the water.

“Do not disturb my serenity.”

And yet, despite his efforts, he continued to do so.

Every few days, Tsu’tey found time to leave the Metkayina village, flying his ikran to the cay where Ne'ali seemed to reside. Their initial meeting emboldened him, and he began walking out from the mangrove trees to the rocks each time he visited, finding things to occupy himself. He dangled his legs over the edge of the rocks above the water, carving wood to pass the time or to appear busy whenever she arrived from the underwater caves that led to the open ocean.

Sometimes, she acknowledged him with narrowed eyes, shooting him a glare as if his very presence aggravated her. He pretended not to notice, carving away at the limb in his hands. When he finished an animal or whatever he had created, he would leave it behind on the rocks, ignoring how, once he started entering the mangroves, he could hear the splashing of water. Once deep into the treeline and out of her sight, he would turn to see her examining what he had left behind.

Sometimes she took the carvings; other times she left them, but always placed in the cracks of the rocks where the rising tide couldn’t sweep them away.

A collection was growing.

“You do not swim?” Ne'ali’s question came more as a statement, causing him to pause mid-carving. Glancing up, he saw her approaching the rocks from the lagoon's beach. His eyes furrowed at her question, casting a sidelong glance at the ocean as if it were something terrible. His tail cracked behind him like a whip at the very thought of it.

He remained silent as she crouched down, keeping a respectable distance between them.

“I do not know how,” Tsu’tey admitted forcefully, meeting her gaze. He refused to feel ashamed or embarrassed. He had never needed to learn—his life in the forests had made climbing a priority, with flying his ikran, hunting, and fighting following closely behind. Swimming had never been on his agenda, nor had he needed it. The water holes back home were shallow creeks that barely reached his knees. Rivers? He would never go deeper than his chest, still able to walk.

Ne'ali held his gaze for a moment, her head tilting slightly as her ears flicked, thoughts passing behind her cadet eyes that she kept to herself. Then, she rose to her feet, her wide tail swaying with her.

“I shall teach you,” she stated firmly, making a motion for him to follow.

She didn’t give him much choice.

“Why are you smacking the water as if it’s a drum?” Her voice rang out over the waves as Tsu’tey’s arms flailed, colliding with the water as he desperately tried to stand on the tips of his toes, keeping his head above the surface.

“How else am I supposed to hit the water when swimming?!” His voice hissed out, barely louder than the foamy water swirling just under his chin.

“You’re not seeing my motions,” she said, grabbing him and pulling him to the shallow waters where he could rest on his legs. There, she clacked her hands, making him focus as she cupped her palms.

“See my hands?” she emphasized strictly. “When they meet the water, do they echo? No. They meet it with care. My fingers aren’t spread in all directions like branches—they’re enclosed, cupping like a bowl.”

She moved her hands and arms, letting herself float in the lagoon’s waters, demonstrating the movement as she swam around him, her head remaining above the water.

“See how I caress the water, filling my hands like a bowl? That is how you should meet the water, not like this!” She flailed her arms mockingly, slapping the water the way he had moments before.

“This doesn’t move you or keep you up! You’re thrashing around like a newborn, and even they know how to float!” Ne'ali chastised him, humor dancing in her voice as a rare smile touched her lips.

Tsu’tey’s ears slicked back, and without a word, he stormed toward the shore.

“I will not be ridiculed,” he muttered, bitterness lacing his words.

Ne'ali watched him leave, her cadet eyes tracking him as he disappeared into the trees. A soft whisper escaped her lips, meant only for herself.

“And yet, you will return to bother me more, skxawng.”

And he did return. In the following days, Na'ali was not surprised when she finally heard him approaching again. She did not turn to face him, focusing instead on the seaweed she was twisting and weaving into new netting along the lagoon’s beach. Her ears tipped slightly at the sound of his footsteps—the only acknowledgment of his presence as silence filled the lagoon, broken only by the gentle waves and the occasional leaping fish.

“I apologize for how I acted,” Tsu’tey's voice came softly from behind her. “Time and reflection have allowed me to see my ways more clearly.”

She greeted his words with a sigh, setting her half-finished net aside before turning her head to look at him. His ears were down, his tail low—a pitiful display.

“Are you ready to see with more than just your own view?” she asked bluntly, pressing him to understand if he was truly ready to listen and learn.

“I am willing to try again,” Tsu’tey answered, and she responded with a nod, standing from the sand and walking into the water. Her tail glided effortlessly through the waves as she raised her hand, beckoning him to follow.

And see, he did.

Na'ali found herself grinning when he finally managed to keep himself from flailing. Within hours, she had him leaving the shallows to swim with her to the middle of the lagoon. In less than half an hour, they reached the center, where he lay on his back, floating beside her as the sunset painted the sky in hues of gold, purple, and pink. The last of the Great Mother’s blazing suns were beginning to depart, and the moon was creeping in, ushering the grand eclipse that would bring the night.

The lagoon’s waters began to shimmer with luminescence. Na'ali tilted her head slightly, glancing at Tsu’tey. His bioluminescent freckles glowed brighter than hers, their light dancing on his skin. His eyes were closed, his face peaceful, as if he had finally found stillness within. When he opened his eyes and looked at her, the brightness of his green gaze startled her.

A forest.

She could almost see the very homeland he had left behind reflected in his eyes. His lips curved into a gentle smile that made her pause in her thoughts.

“This is peaceful,” Tsu’tey admitted softly, and his words struck her with an unexpected sense of pride. She grinned before turning to the star-lit sky.

“You should keep your eyes open more often,” she teased.

After that, he grew more daring. Tsu’tey began to swim farther out from the shorelines, not just at Na'ali’s secluded lagoon but also in the village. He swam with his chosen nephews and nieces, and his sudden embrace of the Metkayina way did not go unnoticed by the Sully children—or by their parents, who watched from the docks in disbelief.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Jake muttered to his wife as they watched Tsu’tey swimming. “He’s actually out there.”

“About time he got over himself,” Jake added with a smirk.

“No,” Neytiri corrected, her lips curving into a smile. She placed her hand on her mate’s arm, her eyes brightening with a quiet joy.

“He has found another,” she said, a note of celebration in her voice. She began to move toward their home, leaving Jake with more questions.

“You mean a woman?” Jake asked, following her as she started preparing dinner, her grin growing wider.

“Another who can make him smile, like Sylwanin once did,” Neytiri revealed, grinding herbs as she spoke. “I hope to meet this person, to see who has brought warmth back into my friend's heart.”

After all, no one with a strong heart should be alone.

The wood crackled as flames danced into the salty sea breeze, carrying the scent of fish being cooked.

“Do you plan to always stay on your own?” Tsu’tey asked, turning to look at Na'ali, who sat beside him. She was watching him as he turned the fish over the coals, the bundled herbs stuffed inside its split side. The aroma seeped into the tender flesh as the oils sizzled and dripped onto the hot stones.

Na'ali's response didn’t come as quickly as usual, and concern crept into Tsu’tey’s features. He noticed her distant expression before she blinked it away and met his gaze, her cadet-blue eyes locking onto his.

“Are you planning to make your presence in this woman’s life a permanent one?” she asked, a playful note in her voice as she deflected the personal question back to him.

Tsu’tey’s eyes crinkled with amusement, a smirk tugging at his lips. He took the bait, teasing in return.

“If she would have me,” he replied.

Something shifted in Na'ali’s eyes—a softness forming within them as her ears fluttered, and her cheekbones darkened with a deeper hue. She turned her face to avoid looking at him, but her fingers shyly grazed his, a warmth sparking through their touch. Tsu’tey moved his fingers to interlock with hers, his warm palm enveloping hers gently.

“I will not move into another village,” her voice wavered slightly, but Tsu’tey knew Na'ali was firm in her words. He squeezed her fingers gently in reassurance.

“I know. I wouldn’t ask you to,” he said softly, watching her. Hesitation only lingered for a few moments before he carefully cupped her cheek with his other hand, turning her to face him. He stared into her alluring cadet-blue eyes.

“Oel ngati kameie, I do not want to change you, Na'ali. You are beautiful as you are.”

His heart was fully on display for her, his eyes radiating warmth and affection as his hand rested gently on her darkened cheeks.

Na'ali struggled internally, years of solitude fighting against the urge to pull away, to protect herself. But the strange desire to guard that tender look on Tsu’tey’s face—one she was sure no one else could bring out in him—kept her still.

Her lungs burned as she forced herself to take a breath, her chest rising and falling with each shaky inhale. Her entire body felt alive, pulsing with warmth as her trembling hand covered his, pressing his palm firmly against her cheek. She closed her eyes, unable to continue looking into the forest that lived in his eyes.

She breathed, and Tsu’tey allowed her the space to do so without any pressure, simply staying by her side like the air she needed. When she opened her eyes again, she greeted him with azure eyes, glowing with the light of new love—a calm ocean stirring with the promise of endless depth.

“She would have you,” Na'ali whispered, clinging to his hand softly, a silent plea in her gaze.

“If he promised to stay.”

Tsu’tey brought her into his arms, holding her close. Always offering her safety, always allowing her the freedom to flee if his touch became too much. But when she didn’t pull away, his heart pounded with joy as he rested his chin on her head, his tail swaying gently. His eyes flickered to the fire before them, watching as ash and flames danced toward the starry sky.

“I have nowhere else to go,” he whispered, feeling her lean more into him.

“Oel ngati kameie, Tsu’tey.”

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