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vampsywrites · 10 months

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forest boy. PT.2

synopsis: while tending to neteyam and ao'nung's injuries, neteyam proposes that you learn some omaticayan healing techniques from his mother. ao'nung does not like this at all and informs his mother. now, both neytiri and ronal are trying to win you over.

pairing: ao'nung x fem! metkayina! reader x neteyam

tags: fem! metkayina! reader, neytiri and ronal fighting for their future daughter in law🤷, tradition being challenged, neteyam pining so hard, jealous ao'nung crumbs, arguments, adding some tension hehe, bonus sweet scene with neteyam

a/n: there are so many fics where reader pins for neteyam who's promised to another, but what if it was the other way around?

w.c: 2.6k | part 1

"Ah! Are you trying to heal me or finish me off?" Ao'nung grunts, flinching instinctively as your hands press against his cut lip. Rolling your eyes playfully, you dip your hand into a bowl filled with cool paste, smearing it across his bruised cheek.

"You can take it," you grin mischievously, applying a bit more pressure to his cheek, eliciting a wince of pain from Ao'nung. Tsireya giggles from behind you, her hands busy crushing a cluster of corals into a fine powder. "You could have used Rubrum coral instead of Heliopora. It stings less."

"It does, yes, but I think this ass deserves it after what he's done," you remark with a playful smirk. Then, you turn your attention to Neteyam, who sits in the corner. "Oh, and don't think you're exempt from this," you grin.

Neteyam chuckles in response. He leans back against the woven walls of the hut, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Yes, ma'am," he concedes with a playful tone. You smile back, holding his gaze for a moment longer.

Ao'nung notices this and huffs, trailing his fingers up your jaw to turn your gaze back to him, "Can you just focus on patching me up?"

"Alright. Alright. I'm on it!" Shifting in his lap, you scoff and continue to apply the healing paste into his cuts and bruises.

Ao'nung watches intently, his breath held in anticipation as your lips clamp down on your bottom lip. Your brows furrow as strands of curled hair cascade over your face, framing your features. The focused and slightly disheveled look on your face draws him in, and he finds himself leaning closer and closer until his lips were hovering over the shell of your ear.

"You would make a great Tsahìk one day," he murmurs lowly, large hands running up the curve of your hips. Snorting, you continue to massage the paste into his chest, "Ah, shut it. You're just saying that."

"No. He is right. You would," Neteyam affirms, shifting closer until he was flush against Ao'nung's side. The Metkayinan boy shoots him a blank stare, shuffling away awkwardly with you still on his lap.

Ignoring the tension, Neteyam continues, his gaze fixed on you, "In fact, maybe you'd like to learn some healing techniques from my mother? It would be a nice way for you to—"

"We've been over this, forest boy," Ao'nung grumbles, his voice laced with annoyance. He leans back, distancing you from Neteyam's proximity. "She doesn't need healing techniques from your people. My mother offers her all the knowledge she needs."

You roll your eyes good-naturedly at Ao'nung's response. "Alright, alright, no need to get all worked up about it," you say with a playful tone, giving him a light pat on the shoulder before turning to Neteyam.

"I would love to! It would be nice to know how Omaticayans practice healing," you smile, earning a giddy grin from Neteyam in return.

Ao'nung raises an eyebrow, seemingly taken aback by your genuine interest. "Really?" he questions, a mix of surprise and skepticism in his tone.

With a nod, you maintain your smile. "I mean it. Learning about healing practices from different cultures can be valuable. Besides, it's a chance to bond and share knowledge."

Ao'nung's face contorts with a mix of unease and discomfort at the mention of the word "bond." His brows furrow, lips drawn into a tight line as a fleeting flicker of insecurity passes through his eyes.

Neteyam chuckles and nudges Ao'nung roughly. "It is her decision," he says with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

The Omaticayan's words hang in the air, and Ao'nung's expression shifts. He didn't like the idea of you getting close to Neteyam's family at all, especially considering how forest boy over here looked at you with heart-eyes every time he saw you.

Ao'nung avoids your gaze, silently contemplating his next move. A plan begins to take shape in his mind, and he smirks.

Bathed in the gentle moonlight that filters through the walls, you find yourself inside the Sully's marui pod, accompanied by Neytiri and Neteyam. Excitement and curiosity brims up within you as you tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, leaning in closer to observe Neytiri's actions.

With a wry grin, he murmurs, "Sure, a collaborative effort sounds… nice."

She delicately scoops up some of the wax, cradling it in her hands. Then, with a gentle motion, she holds it up to the light, revealing its mesmerizing luminous properties. The soft glow of the orange wax enchants you, and you marvel at the beauty of this exotic substance.

Neytiri smiles at you softly, moving the wax down so you could prod at it. In the few weeks that they've been here, she has already grown a soft spot for you. Every day, as you spend more time together, she finds herself drawn to your endearing child-like curiosity.

For a fleeting moment, her gaze flickers towards her son, a knowing smirk gracing her lips as she notices the warm expression on his face.

She did not miss how Neteyam's golden eyes remained fixed on you as you engaged in lively conversation with her.

There was a flicker of longing evident in Neteyam's eyes as his mind begins to wander. He weaved fantasies of a future where you would be by his side.

And although his family has left the forest, turning the likelihood of him becoming Olo'eyktan nonexistent, his daydreams persist.

Vivid images fill his thoughts: images of you adorned with his clan's ornaments, draped in hues of greens and browns that contrast with the cerulean of your skin. He envisions you seamlessly blending with his culture, embracing the natural and tribal aesthetics that define the Omaticaya.

The warmth in his chest intensifies as he thinks and longs for all the possibilities, momentarily escaping the reality that lies beyond his control.

However, Neteyam's thoughts are abruptly interrupted as a figure emerges from the entrance, drawing his attention away from you. His gaze shifts to the imposing presence of Ronal standing by the door.

The Metkayinan Tsahìk regards them with a stony expression, emitting a low greeting. As she saunters into the room, hips swaying, she circles around Neytiri.

"I have heard from my son that you are teaching ways of the forest," Ronal speaks, clicking her tongue.

"I highly doubt such techniques would be of any practical use," The Tsahìk remarks with a hint of skepticism. Her eyes narrow slightly as she fixes her gaze on Neytiri. "Moreover, even if they were viable, where would you source the necessary materials? These are the reefs, not the jungle, after all."

Despite her agitation, Neytiri remains composed, meeting Ronal's gaze with unwavering resolve. "I am simply sharing my knowledge. Eywa provides for us abundantly, Ronal. Nature's resources are vast, and the variety of trees on this island offers a wide array of barks that can be utilized."

Ronal's expression twists into a sneer, her dissatisfaction evident. "My methods have served us well thus far. The ways of the water have their own wisdom," she retorts, her words laced with venomous pride.

As the tension lingers in the air, you shuffle forward, gesturing towards the vacant spot next to you. With a reassuring smile, you interject, "Exploring new methods can expand our knowledge and enhance our capabilities, my Tsahìk. It wouldn't hurt to embrace different approaches and learn from one another."

Your words hang in the air, offering a gentle invitation to Ronal, despite the resistance she displays. Shaking her head, Ronal moves squat by you. "Is that so? Well then what exactly have you learned so far?"

With critical eyes, she watches as you scoop the orange hued wax into your hands.

As you begin to explain, your words tumble out in a blurred speech, as you find yourself overly eager to share your newfound knowledge.

"This is Yalma bark," you beam. "It possesses remarkable healing properties. And the best part is, it barely stings when applied!"

You then pause for a while, your enthusiasm momentarily waning. A hint of upset crosses your features, before you quickly continue, "Unfortunately...the materials needed for it are found only in the forests."

"Which is why I truly wish for an end to this conflict," Neytiri sighs, her voice filled with longing. Her warm hand clasps over yours. "There is an abundance of it back home and I would love to show you more about our ways. My mother, the Tsahik, would be delighted to have you."

Ronal's eyes widen in alarm as she takes in Neytiri's words. The room falls silent as their gazes lock, the tension palpable. A stern expression settles on Ronal's face as she clears her throat, moving to stand before you two.

"Let me remind you, Neytiri, that this girl is under my supervision," Ronal asserts firmly. Her tone carries an undertone of warning. "She is Tsakarem. A position not to be taken lightly. She is my chosen successor."

Silence falls once more and Neteyam keenly senses the escalating tension in the room. With a nod of understanding, he swiftly makes his exit, recognizing the need to give you all space to navigate the delicate topic.

WIth the departure of her son, Neytiri moves to stand, her eyes meeting Ronal's with unwavering resolve. "Tsireya, your daughter, is also Tsakarem, is she not?"

With deliberate steps, Ronal saunters over, reaching out to place a hand against your head, a gesture that carries both possessiveness and authority. "Tsireya studies as well, but Y/N here has excelled in her learning. And I hope you have not forgotten that she is promised to my son."

"Oh, you have made that abundantly clear. I don't need to hear another one of your lectures," Unyielding, Neytiri stands her ground, her eyes narrowing at Ronal's admonishment.

"Then you would know that their path has already been laid out before them! I do not need outsiders like you meddling in," Ronal snarls, fangs bared.

"You hinder them," Neytiri counters, her voice growing more impassioned.

"A-Ah, it is very late at night," you say with an awkward laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm sure we are all exhausted. Why don't we take a moment to rest and gather our thoughts?"

Despite your attempt to diffuse the tension, the underlying apprehension remains palpable, casting a shadow over the situation.

With a huff, Ronal turns to leave the pod, bidding Neytiri a curt "Goodnight." Neytiri, clearly displeased, scoffs in response and moves further into the room.

With a sigh of resignation, you bow apologetically to the Omaticayan woman and obediently trail behind your Tsahik.

As you walk together along the intricate woven paths, Ronal turns to you, her expression grim.

"You understand where your duty lies, don't you?" she asks, her voice firm.

The moon casts its gentle glow upon the sandy beach, and a symphony of nocturnal creatures fills the air. Lost in your thoughts, you stroll along the shoreline, unaware of the soft patter of feet approaching, and the presence that looms closer.

Letting out another weary sigh, you nod your head in acknowledgement. "Yes, Tsahìk."

"Hey," a low voice greets and you turn to see a familiar forest boy before you. Smiling at him, you slow down to stroll by his side, "Hey you."

Neteyam smiles bashfully, his hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck. A comfortable silence settles between you before he finally speaks, his accented voice carrying a slight tremor. "Do you usually take walks at this hour?"

"Mhm," you affirm, pausing briefly before answering in a hushed tone. "I do. It's peaceful at night… The air feels cooler, and it's a chance for me to unwind and let my mind wander."

"Especially since there's a lot of thinking going on up here," you chuckle, tapping the side of your head with your knuckles.

"And what about you?" you question.

Neteyam perks up, his tail swishing behind him anxiously. "Ah, I just happened to spot you from afar. I thought I'd join you…If that's alright."

"Of course, it's more than alright," you reply with a warm smile, genuinely pleased by his company. The moon's soft glow highlights his sharp features, casting a dreamlike aura around him. The two of you continue your leisurely stroll, side by side, as the rhythmic crashing of the waves provides a soothing backdrop.

Curiosity dances in Neteyam's eyes as he gathers the courage to ask, "What were you lost in thought about earlier?"

You take a moment to collect your thoughts, a tad bit touched by his attentiveness. "Oh. I'm just reflecting. The…'conversation' I had earlier with both Neytiri and Ronal left me in deep thoughts, pondering the choices and paths that lie ahead."

Returning the curiosity, you inquire, "What about you, Neteyam? Has something been occupying your mind lately?"

Neteyam lets out a soft hum, and the words escape his lips before he can fully comprehend their weight, "You."

As you take a moment to process his unexpected response, your heart flutters at his confession. The poor boy's face instantly flushes into a deep rich indigo, and his nervousness becomes palpable. In a hasty attempt to backtrack, he stumbles over his words, looking utterly endearing in his flustered state.

A soft chuckle escapes your lips, breaking the tension that lingers between you. "No need to be so nervous, Nete," you reassure him, a warm and genuine smile forming on your lips. "Your answer simply caught me off guard, that's all."

The boy clears his throat, a hint of awkwardness lingering in the air as you continue your walk together. After a few minutes of ambling along the shoreline, a subtle change in the atmosphere prompts you to halt in your tracks. Looking up, you realize that you have arrived at the entryway of your marui pod.

Turning to face Neteyam, you feel a tender smile grace your lips, a silent acknowledgment of the connection that has grown between you.

In a swift motion, you close the distance between you two, leaning in to press a delicate kiss upon his cheek.

Then, drawing back slightly, you maintain eye contact, savoring the lingering intimacy of the moment. Neteyam's bright eyes were blown wide open, pools of golden bronze and sunshine yellow piercing through you.

"Thank you for the walk," you murmur, your voice tender and sincere. "I will see you tomorrow, yes?"

Dazed and pleasantly surprised by the sweet gesture, Neteyam hastily nods his head, a blush still lingering on his cheeks.

With a final, gentle glance, you turn away, stepping towards the entrance of your marui pod. The soft crunch of sand under your feet accompanies your departure, while Neteyam stands there, gazing after you with a mixture of awe and disbelief, his heart still running wild from the tenderness of your gesture.

As you enter the sanctuary of your marui pod, the fabric flaps fall shut behind you. And just as you begin to settle into the comforting embrace of your hammock, Neteyam's triumphant shout echoes through the air.

taglist. @iheartamajiki @mashiromochi

You can't help but let out a soft chuckle, the sound muffled by your palm as you cover your mouth, trying to contain the infectious delight that fills you.

#💫—vampsywrites #avatar the way of water #avatar #ao'nung x reader #neteyam x reader #neteyam x reader x ao'nung #neteyam x metkayina!reader #ao'nung x metkayina!reader #neteyam atwow #ao'nung atwow #ao'nung #neteyam te suli tsyeyk'itan #neteyam sully #aonung x reader #ronal #neytiri

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randxmthxughts · 1 year

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Be Mine - Neteyam x Metkayina ! reader (fake dating)

summary: the one, where neteyam pretends to court the reader to avoid all of the nagging from his parents and a group of admirers. of course, it doesn’t take long for her to fall for him too

warnings: none really, pure fluff, fake dating trope, jealousy, loak x tsireya canon, events take place five years after the battle between the metkayina and the sky people, so aged up characters

wc: >12k

a/n: now that i finished writing this, i realized that i wrote an avatar version of bridgerton, lol </3 if you enjoy this, i love getting compliments and reblogs

masterlist

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Everybody knew about Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk'itan, ever since his family first stepped into your village. His blue skin, golden eyes, and the strange tail, were easily the talk of almost every conversation among your peers. Yet, despite the obvious physical differences, there was always something about him that fascinated you, lured you in.

Many things changed after the Battle at the Three Brothers. With the help of your soul sisters and brothers Tulkuns, and joined by the great Toruk Makto, your Olo’yektan had an upper hand and a decisive victory over the sky people. It was a victory to be passed down in stories to your future generations and to be celebrated gloriously among the clan. This year was marking its fifth anniversary, with a big celebration that would last the whole night.

Since that battle, Neteyam has truly transformed into a man, earning approving and respectful looks from all around him. His forest upbringing never held Neteyam back from growing into his place among the Metkayina: his once slim shoulders broadened, matching the most skillful divers, height increased, and his muscles started showing without even flexing. In addition to his looks, his physical appearance never betrayed his personality. It seemed like Neteyam had the purest, kindest heart amongst all, always rushing to help the villagers with their chores, big and small; whether it meant fixing up a canoe, carrying baskets of food, or sometimes even babysitting, that is if he had time. His father was reluctant to stop the training with his sons, just in case of another attack from the sky people, so Neteyam rarely had any time for himself.

Guys wanted to be his friends, while the girls were fawning over him, hoping to become his mate. It was no secret that now, being of an age to pick the one for himself, parents’ sudden attention and admiring looks were following him everywhere. But Neteyam didn’t rush to choose.

Unlike his brother, Lo'ak seemed to have his life all figured out, especially when it came to matters of the heart. Falling for Tsireya, Lo’ak had many expectations to live up to, if he wanted to be with her. After all, she was the daughter of the chief, and a tsakarem, the future Tsahik of Metkayina. And while at first, Tsireya’s parents were hesitant of the bond she was forming with the forest boy, Lo’ak’s family spoke for himself. His father had played a significant role in the victory at the Three Brothers, providing guidance and knowledge that helped secure their win. Lo'ak also worked hard on himself to earn her parents’ approval. So the day, when Lo’ak finally returned home with Tsireya's necklace around his neck, a symbol of acceptance, was the day when Neteyam felt the weight on his shoulders double in size.

You were no different from the other girls adoring Neteyam, as you had also developed a crush on him during your teenage years. It was unavoidable, really. Before you grew out of your friendship with Tsireya, the two of you used to be quite close. So when the Sully’s first moved to Awa'atlu, and Tsireya was assigned to guide the kids, you were often hanging around them too.

But it was easy for you to accept that you were never going to be an equal match for Neteyam. He had many admirers who were stronger than you, more skilled, more talented, and had respected families. Everything came into the play, and you were losing at every aspect. So, you have successfully suppressed this silly crush for years, before you could finally push it to the very far back of your mind and forget about it. Instead, you occupied yourself with your learning.

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Despite not being friends anymore, Tsireya and you have always maintained a polite demeanor towards each other. Now it did feel a little strange to be paired with her for the gathering of pxorna’ fruits, but you had to follow through. As per tradition, the entire clan was divided into groups to prepare for the upcoming celebration, and you were assigned to work together. Even though climbing tall trees wasn't exactly your strong suit as a water Na'vi, protesting wasn't an option: after all, the sweetest fruits were always at the very top. So, to make the task easier, you and Tsireya took turns climbing the trees and picking the fruits, then one would lower the bag for the other to catch and store into the big woven baskets provided. This method ensured that the bag wouldn't become too heavy for you to carry back down.

Ready to lower another batch of fruits, you call out to Tsireya to catch it. But instead of a response, all you can hear is her laughter. Surely enough, when you look down, you find her engrossed in a conversation with Lo’ak, completely ignoring you. You try to catch her attention one more time, before huffing under your breath, and deciding to climb down by yourself. You clutch the bag tightly against your chest, but as you get closer to the ground, some of the fruits start slipping out of your grip. Your hand reaches out instinctively to catch at least one, when you suddenly begin to lose your balance. You can almost imagine the damage to your back muscles, once you will hit the ground, when a pair of hands help you down on the ground.

“I got you,” you hear an accompanying voice.

“Thank you,” you blink in surprise, as you find Neteyam Sully to be your savior.

“You spilled some but they should be good,” he grins at you, as he crouches down and starts gathering the fruits from the ground.

Quietly, you empty your bag into the basket, throwing a glance at the other basket. It’s almost empty. You sigh out of frustration. There was still a lot of work to do, but Tsireya now seems to be completely distracted. At this rate, you’ll never finish.

“Lo’ak, that’s enough,” Neteyam grabs his brother by the shoulder, interrupting his chat with Tsireya. An amused smile creeps up on your face.

“Come on, bro, let’s stay,” Lo’ak gestures to the trees around him, “At least, there is work to do here. You know the area where Ronal sent us for fruit is dead.”

“I don’t care, if we have to gather fruits from the dead trees,” Neteyam tries to pull him but Lo’ak stands his ground, “Lo’ak, you know that whatever Ronal decides is not up to discussion.”

“Bro, we spent an hour climbing those trees for nothing,” Lo’ak points to the empty baskets they brought, “If we stay here, we can help out the girls and gather for ourselves too. No one has to know.”

“Neteyam, please,” Tsireya pleads.

“Ah, what the hell?” Neteyam shakes his head before breaking into a toothy grin, “But these baskets are gonna have to be full, Lo’ak.”

“Sure.”

You roll your eyes at how easily Neteyam agrees to the empty promise. You weren’t close with Lo’ak but even you knew how often he got into trouble for not keeping his word. It doesn’t take long to confirm your suspicion: while you and Neteyam are occupied with the task on hand, Lo’ak and Tsireya disappear from underneath the trees.

“Great,” you huffed, emptying yet another full bag into the basket.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help,” Neteyam says with a gentle tone.

You watch him empty out his bag into your basket too, instead of his.

“You don’t have to do that,” you feel guilty. Does he always work harder to overcompensate for Lo’ak’s behavior?

“I don’t mind.”

He takes it so light-heartedly, you wonder if it’s a daily occurrence. You stare off into the direction where Tsireya and Lo’ak had previously disappeared.

“Don’t you find it annoying?” you ask him curiously. Surely, even he must have his limits.

“They mean well, give them a break,” Neteyam chuckles, nudging your shoulder.

“You know if you keep covering for him all the time, he will never learn his lesson,” you shake your head, “Lo’ak will be the only adult who doesn’t know how to take care of simple chores.”

“He’s not that hopeless,” he laughs, finding your reaction amusing, “He’s just a kid in love.”

You don’t disagree with him, instead falling quiet. There was no place for you to talk about his brother’s behavior, you weren’t close.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be discussing your family matters like this.”

“No need to apologize, Y/N,” his gaze softens, “Besides, wouldn’t you prefer a forest Na’vi climbing the trees, instead of Tsireya? I promise I am much better at it.”

“Of course you are,” you return his smile.

The two of you get back to work, with mostly Neteyam picking the fruits, and you filling up the baskets. Despite your initial annoyance with Tsireya for leaving you, you seem to enjoy working with Neteyam way more. He’s quick and attentive, and you are grateful for him overtaking the climbing part, because you were always a little clumsy when it came to physical activities.

Soon enough, the baskets are nearly full, so you decide to regain your strength and take a break. Neteyam peels fruits for the both of you, and you sit under the trees, enjoying the shade.

“Hey, did you make that bag?” he suddenly points at the pocket attached to your belt. It was a small woven bag that you had on you all the time, in case you found beads or rocks you could put to use.

“I did.”

“It looks great,” Neteyam smiles, “I’m not surprised though. You always had golden hands.”

“That is not true,” you disagree.

“Are you joking?” his smile grows wider, “Y/N, you make the most beautiful items. I see people approaching you everyday for help. Do you know anybody else in the village who is as skilled at weaving as you?”

“Well…no,” you shake your head.

“Believe me, you really have a talent for it.”

It wasn’t just weaving that he was referring to. You were pretty handy when it came to making jewelry, also clothes, and headpieces. When you first indulged yourself in weaving, eager to learn to make beautiful pieces for yourself, you never expected that it would turn into a hobby. Your expertise soon expanded to other things too, like making resin weapons, toys, you even took up pottery. Eventually, people noticed and started approaching you with small tasks here and there, and you were glad to help out. But your clan didn’t have a name for your occupation, so you never considered yourself to fit into one.

“Remember the ceremonial belt you helped me make? It still holds up incredibly,” Neteyam reminds you with a toothy grin.

Of course you remember. It was exactly four years ago, when one night, Neteyam came to your marui, ears pressed flat against his skull in embarrassment. He had to explain the reason for his late visit in front of your parents, saying that he had only the night to make his ceremonial belt. It took you by surprise, because Neteyam wasn’t known for slacking off. He just didn’t think that it would be so difficult to make a damned belt. Scolded by his parents for not starting out sooner, he was then too embarrassed to ask them for help, so there he was instead, asking for yours. Having a soft spot for Neteyam, your parents allowed you to help him, despite the late hour. You two barely caught any sleep that night, working on the belt, making sure that it looked special, different from the other guys’. Neteyam watched your movements attentively, eager to learn, so sometimes you would pass the belt back to him to practice.

“I see you still wearing it sometimes,” you smile.

“You really helped me out back then, I was going to get skinned if I didn’t have a belt by the time for my ceremony,” he pauses, “I still owe you for that.”

“Nonsense, no one owes me anything. Neither do you,” you shake your head, “I like helping.”

“You can’t possibly help everyone with nothing in return.”

“I mean, people bring me food here and there,” you chuckle.

“No gifts?” he quirks his eyebrow.

“Not so much. I can make my own gifts,” you shrug, “But Mateä brings me seashells sometimes.”

“Seashells? Do you like those?”

“Oh, they make necklaces and cover ups look so lovely. Of course, they’re a little tricky to work with but it’s worth it,” you explain, “And Mateä always makes sure to bring the most beautiful shells he can find… Sometimes, he even lets me have the ones he picked for himself.”

You knew Mateä ever since you were kids. He was only a year older than you, but he was very mature for his age, way more than anyone you knew. Mateä was also one of the most skilled swimmers in your clan, which allowed him to swim outside of the perimeters and discover great depths. So whenever he had a small task for you, like fixing up his spear, or making an armor for his ilu, in return he would bring you the most unique-looking, colorful shells he could find.

“Why would Mateä pick shells for himself?” Neteyam squints.

"He probably just likes them," you shrug, "But there were times when he asked me to make a shell necklace for him, but then he would insist that I keep it for myself because he knew how much I liked it."

“So he makes you make your own gifts?” Neteyam snorts.

“Hey, that’s rude,” you give him a playful slap on the arm, “It doesn’t matter. I have many beautiful things thanks to him.”

“I’m only kidding… I just think that he might like you, that’s all.”

“Maybe.”

You don’t deny his accusation, partly because there is some truth to it. Mateä’s and your fathers were close friends, so they were quite happy with the possibility of you and him bonding some day. And while growing up there was no pressure on either side, the two of you had always felt that something might happen. You were never opposed to the idea anyway. Mateä was a good match for you: he was admired for his strength and swimming, and he was very respectful towards you. And even when you had your little crush on Neteyam, you still knew that Mateä was a more likely option. More recently though, you suspected that Mateä was eyeing you too. He just never made a move… not a direct one anyway.

“Is he taking you as his date to the celebration tonight?” Neteyam interrupts your thoughts.

“Are we supposed to bring dates?” you ask, teasing. Sure, some brought dates to celebrations to make their bonds known but it wasn’t a requirement.

“Exactly! My father wants me to bring a date, like this isn’t a celebration of a battle.” he emphasizes the last word with his thick accent, clearly annoyed.

“Why does he want you to bring a date?” you cock your head.

“Because I lied,” he blurts out, a guilty expression covering his face.

“Lied?”

“That I am courting someone,” he cringes, “Even though that someone doesn’t exist.”

“Why would you lie about courting someone nonexistent when you have dozens of girls ready to be swept away by you?” you stifle a laugh, “Especially Zìsmì.”

“Please don’t mention her,” Neteyam rolls his eyes, “I don’t mean to sound rude but Zìsmì is very persistent. I sometimes have to turn directions to avoid running into her.”

“That’s kind of mean,” you decide to tease him, saying that with a stern tone, like you mean it. Neteyam shifts uncomfortably.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. It’s rude of me to talk about her that way,” he begins to apologize but stops at the sound of your laughter.

“I’m only joking, Neteyam,” you tilt your head back, “Don’t worry, everyone knows how pushy Zìsmì can get. If the two of you were ever to become mates, she would dominate you completely.”

“Thank you!” he agrees eagerly, “Please tell that to my parents. They have been so persistent that I reciprocate her attention. I mean… just because she is a good hunter and has respected parents, doesn’t mean I click with her.”

“Is that why you lied?”

“Yeah… I just didn’t think it through. I only said it to get them off my back for a while,” he explains, his voice low, “But when I told them that I wanted to keep it a secret for a bit longer, they got too excited. So sometimes, they kick me out of the house to go on my secret dates.”

“Secret dates?”

“I kind of told them that the girl I’m courting hasn’t told her parents yet, that’s why we have to hide.”

“For a lie you didn’t think through, you sure had many details to add,” you’re amused by the clear regret on his face, “So they want to meet her tonight?”

“To confirm that I am not lying. After all, it’s been going for over a month now,” he sighs.

“A month?”

“I know, I’m going to get skinned,” Neteyam hides his face in his palms.

“Skinned by whom? Dad or Zismi?” Lo’ak’s voice interrupts your conversation.

Hand in hand, Tsireya and Lo’ak emerge from the trees and sit in front of you. She throws a concerned look at Neteyam.

“Dad, of course” Neteyam breathes out, still not lifting his head, “I can deal with Zìsmì later.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Lo’ak smirks, “By the way, you owe me, bro. Zismi was going to invite you as her date tonight.”

“What?” Neteyam looks up at his brother, “How do you know?”

“Oh, she asked me in the morning. She was looking for you, and then told me that she wanted to invite you.”

“What did you say?”

“I told her that she shouldn’t because you already had a date,” he shrugs.

“Lo’ak,” Tsireya groans, disappointed, “Now your brother will have to apologize to her, once she catches on the lie.”

“I am so dead,” Neteyam grunts, “If I could only have a little more time to think about it, I’m sure I can figure it out. But it’s like she’s conspiring with my parents against me.”

“Maybe you just need to finally turn her down,” you suggest, earning a chuckle from Lo’ak, “What?”

“Neteyam and rejecting someone don't go in the same sentence. He would rather run and sneak around the village, than tell someone that they annoy him.”

“I just don’t find that type of conversation pleasant. Or necessary,” Neteyam objects.

“They are necessary if the person doesn’t get the hint,” Tsireya adds, “Remember when Nauru -��

“Please don’t remind me of Nauru,” Neteyam interrupts her with a pleading voice.

“What did Nauru do?” you ask, now curious.

“Oh, you don’t know?” a grin stretches on Lo’ak’s lips, “It was insane.”

“It’s not funny, Lo’ak,” Tsireya shushes him, turning to you, “At first, it was kind of sweet. Nauru would leave gifts for Neteyam by his marui. But there was this one time she left him flowers, and, of course, she didn’t know that some of those were poisonous. Neteyam almost lost a finger because of her. She would also follow him everywhere, even show up to his hunts, almost earning an arrow in her head by another hunter. It was getting out of hand, and Neteyam had to reject her directly and ask her to give up.”

“Enough about Nauru,” Neteyam groans, “What am I going to do now? Even if I do turn down Zismi, I’d still have mom and dad to deal with.”

“You’re right,” Lo’ak agrees, empathizing with his brother, “I’m sure you’ll like someone eventually, but we both know how impatient our parents can get.”

The four of you fall silent for a moment, contemplating a solution to Neteyam's situation. But somewhere deep down in your heart, you feel a little relieved that he didn’t have his eye set on anyone yet. You are also partially grateful to your parents for not pressuring you in the same way. It must be hard having the Toruk Makto for your father.

“I know what to do to win more time, Neteyam!” Tsireya excitedly interrupts your thought process, “Remember the time Ao’nung asked Sìlälaw to play along, as if he was courting her?”

“That was pretend?” you ask. Surely, you missed out on a lot of things by not being friends with Tsireya anymore.

“Of course,” she says, like it’s obvious, “Before finding his mate, Ao’nung was getting scolded everyday by our mom and dad. So, he asked Sìlälaw to help him out, pretend like he was following her around, and she just didn’t like him back.”

“I don’t have time for that,” Neteyam shakes his head.

“No, hear her out, bro,” Lo’ak holds up his palm, “It worked once, right? Mom and dad stopped bothering you, when you lied about courting someone. Just show up this once, with anyone, and that’s it.”

“And afterwards?”

“Just lie,” Lo’ak exclaims, “Say that it didn’t work out or something, who cares.”

“And when it doesn't ‘work out’,” Tsireya chimes in, “You can win some more time by being ‘heartbroken’ and ‘not ready’ to pursue another girl yet.”

“It seems so excessive,” you comment, considering the plan, “Isn’t it easier to tell the truth?”

“The truth doesn’t work,” Neteyam lets out a painful chuckle, then turns to his brother, “Where would I even find someone to agree?”

“Now that’s tough,” Lo’ak hums, “Half of the girls are swooning over you, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

“What about Y/N?” Tsireya points at you.

“What about me?” you raise your eyebrows, confused.

“You don’t care for Neteyam like that,” she starts explaining, “And, you’ve had Mateä running after you for years now, but he still hasn’t even asked you out yet. Maybe if he sees you with Neteyam for one night, it’ll make him jealous and finally give him the push he needs.”

Neteyam snorts, like it’s an unlikely possibility.

“Mateä is never going to act out of jealousy, he’s not like that,” you object, “What if he stops speaking to me afterwards?”

“Then we will send Neteyam to talk to him. Neteyam will tell him that he’s heartbroken over you, and that you rejected him for Mateä,” Lo’ak chimes in, “He will dig for some information, nudge Mateä to confess to you. It’s so easy, like it was written in the stars.”

You can’t really find a flaw in Lo’ak’s suggestion. Maybe receiving a confirmation about your feelings is just the thing Mateä’s waiting for.

“Still, I’m not crazy. Do you even know how much pressure it would be to face all those girls?”

“Right, I shouldn’t be putting Y/N into such a position,” Neteyam supports your point.

“Y/N doesn’t have to face them at all. You can turn down those girls easily because you’ll have a perfect excuse. They would be too embarrassed to approach Y/N.”

“I guess,” Neteyam hums, “What do you think, Y/N? I mean, no pressure, but I would owe you for the rest of my life.”

“I don’t know,” you shrug your shoulders. It just feels icky.

“Come on, Y/N, for the sake of our past friendship,” Tsireya pleads with you.

“Okay… it’s just for one night, right?” you agree. It wasn’t.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

You feel like your heart is about to leap out of your chest, when Neteyam takes your hand in his. You take in a deep breath, heading towards the celebration with him. Lo’ak and Tsireya walk ahead of you.

It feels odd to be wearing Neteyam’s necklace instead of your own. That was the courtesy of Tsireya, who was convinced that once anyone saw you two exchange your necklaces, they would be convinced that the courting was serious.

“I’m scared,” you admit through your teeth.

“Thank you again,” Neteyam whispers, squeezing your hand.

“Come on, guys,” Lo’ak turns to the two of you with an excited smile, “Act natural, okay?”

You nod your head but you’re not sure how you’re going to survive through the night. The closer you get to the celebration, the more people start noticing you. Hushed voices and gasps is all that catches your attention, even though Neteyam walks right beside you. Why does everyone look so surprised? You almost feel offended by the looks you get. Were Neteyam and you really that incompatible?

The four of you take a seat around a small fire, pairs of eyes watching your every moment. You can’t help but sense Neteyam’s nervousness traveling down his body.

“You alright?” you whisper.

“Not really,” he admits, “Have you seen my parents yet?”

As you scan the crowd of Na'vi dancing and singing, your eyes land on Neytiri talking to someone. Jake stands beside her but his attention seems to be elsewhere, as he occasionally looks around him. Both of them are wearing celebratory clothing that is slightly more elaborate than any of yours. After all, it was a testament to their importance in the victorious battle.

“It looks like your father is looking for you.”

“Shit,” Neteyam lets out, nervously. You can’t help but laugh at his reaction.

“Keep it up,” Tsireya says, “The more relaxed you seem, the more believable this will look.”

She gestures at the two of you, and as you look down, you notice how close you and Neteyam are pressed to each other. It’s like you’re trying to hide from the attention you’re getting.

It’s not long before you catch Mateä watching you from afar. Your heart beats faster, when his eyes travel to your hand still intertwined with Neteyam’s. He gulps down, and you wonder if he feels jealous.

“Mateä’s looking,” Neteyam points out, “You want to take it up by a notch?”

“What do you mean?” you turn your face to him, confused.

There is a hint of playfulness in Neteyam’s eyes before he slowly leans in, his mouth close to your ear. You shudder under his breath.

“Pretend I said something funny, and laugh,” he whispers.

“I can’t pretend to laugh,” you whisper back, annoyed, “Can’t you just tell me something funny?”

Neteyam pulls back slightly to look at you. There is an amused smile resting on his face.

“We’re really bad at this, aren’t we?”

“You think?” you quirk your eyebrow at him, earning a small laugh from him.

“Okay, this can work too,” he says. You can’t help but smile at him.

But when you check for Mateä again, he’s nowhere to be found. Your smile drops. What if you hurt him? As if sensing your sudden change in mood, Neteyam gently squeezes your hand.

"Are you alright?" he asks, “Is Mateä still looking?”

“No, I think he walked away,” you mumble, standing up, “I’m going to get us something to drink, okay?”

“Alright,” Neteyam mumbles back, watching you leave.

“Are you crazy?” Lo’ak slaps Neteyam on the arm, “Go with her, or they’re gonna eat her up alive.”

Following Lo’ak’s gaze, Neteyam sees Zìsmì with her friends. He quickly gets to his feet to follow you but you have already disappeared in the crowd.

“Y/N,” Zìsmì’s voice catches your attention.

Sighing, you turn around to face her. She has a coy smile on her lips, as she takes you in from head to toe. You wait for her to talk.

“The necklace, did you make that yourself?” Zismi points to your neck, pretending as if she didn’t recognize it right away.

“It looks a lot like Neteyam’s necklace,” one of her friends says, before you could even open your mouth.

“That’s a little weird,” Zismi comments.

“You have a good eye, it is Neteyam’s necklace,” you gather as much confidence as you can, watching their expressions change, “He gave it to me.”

“Why would he give you his necklace?” Zismi scoffs.

“Because I wanted to see it on her,” you suddenly hear Neteyam’s voice, as he appears next to you, “Everything Y/N touches, basically turns into a lucky charm.”

The girls stare at Neteyam, their eyes widened. Again, you feel a little offended. Why is everyone so surprised that he likes you? Before you can react, Neteyam gently pulls you by your hand.

“We have to go, girls,” he throws with his most polite smile.

Feeling their stares like daggers in your back, Neteyam moves closer to you and wraps his arm around your waist protectively, leading you away from the prying eyes.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have left you alone,” he cranes his neck to whisper.

“It’s alright, I’m not scared of Zismi,” you turn to look at him, “Unlike you.”

“Very funny,” Neteyam rolls his eyes.

His arm is still firmly wrapped around your waist, as the two of you continue walking. The warmth of his body against yours feels almost comforting, despite the curious glances you receive. Neteyam seems to notice it too, as he tightens his grip on you, pulling you a little closer to him.

"Just ignore them," there is a hint of annoyance in his voice. You wonder if it’s bothering him more than you.

As you get closer to the big fire, you hear a loud cheer erupt from the crowd. Instinctively, you want to find out what’s happening. A chuckle of disbelief escapes from your mouth, when you see Neytiri and Jake dancing around the fire, to the fast rhythm of the drums. While Neytiri’s movements are gracious and fluid, Jake’s are… Well, Jake is trying his best. She throws her head back in laughter, when he makes an awkward movement, but no one else dares to laugh at the Toruk Makto, except for his mate. Suddenly, he sweeps Neytiri up into his arms and twirls her around the fire. The Na’vi cheer them on and on, clapping their hands in amusement.

You join in on the clapping, caught up in their infectious joy. When you turn to look at Neteyam, however, you notice that he's cringing.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“They are acting like little kids,” Neteyam huffs.

“I think it’s sweet,” you nudge him with a smile, “Loosen up, Neteyam.”

“How can I?” he rolls his eyes at you.

“If your father can relax for one night, so can you,” you push him into the circle, with a loud shout, “Dance, Neteyam!”

Neteyam stands frozen for a moment, clearly embarrassed by your sudden action. His ears lower, and he tries to step out of the circle, but Lo’ak nudges him back in. The music picks up and the crowd cheers louder, but Neteyam stands still, clearly irritated by your behavior.

You can’t watch him anymore, so you jump to his rescue, and take his hands in yours. He tries to resist at first, but it doesn’t take much convincing on your part to get him to loosen up. As you embarrass yourself with the silly movements and faces you make, you finally coax a smile out of him. You don’t care about the others watching you, you only focus on getting him to dance with you. Soon enough, Neteyam’s confidence grows, and he starts to move more freely to the rhythm with you. You hold onto his hands, feeling the warmth of his touch, and beam with adoration as you watch him give in.

Other couples start joining in, and the circle becomes more crowded. People start pressing closer, pushing you and Neteyam towards each other, with barely any space left. His hands instinctively find your waist, yours rest on his biceps, holding him in place. You’re not sure whether it’s the heat of the fire, or it’s just him, but you feel warmer and warmer, every time his eyes meet yours.

“You okay?” you smile, noticing drops of sweat rolling down his face, “It’s too hot here.”

Before he can answer, you lead him out of the crowd. You catch a look from your parents’ from afar, and can only roll your eyes at them. You know they were going to question you about tonight but you don’t want to think about it for now. At least they don’t seem to be mad?

Distracted, you turn around, nearly colliding with Neteyam's parents. They look a little lightheaded, and you suspect they've had a drink made from the pxorna' fruits you gathered earlier. Quickly, you bow low and bring your fingers to your forehead in greeting. Neteyam shifts uncomfortably beside you.

“Son… and Y/N,” Jake looks between the two of you with an approving smile.

“Y/N, are you the one Neteyam was hiding from us?” Neytiri asks curiously.

“Mom,” Neteyam tenses up, “Let’s not make her uncomfortable, please.”

Neteyam looks so stressed, you wonder how his parents believed his lies in the first place. Maybe they were blinded by the excitement?

“We’re just glad that it’s been her this whole time,” Jake says, smiling at you, “You’re very talented, Y/N.”

“Thank you,” you reply, shying away from the compliment.

“We were worried that Neteyam was lying just to avoid us,” Neytiri explains.

Neteyam and you chuckle nervously, hoping that this isn’t her smart way of cracking you.

“Are your parents aware?” she asks, scanning the crowd. You quickly draw her attention back to you.

“They are now… I am sorry that Neteyam had to keep this a secret from you, that was my wish,” you lie, “It is just that my mother likes rushing into many things, and I still needed some time to get to know Neteyam.”

You weren’t completely off; your mother did have a tendency to rush into things. If she had known that you were open to dating Mateä, she would have already told him by now.

“No need to apologize,” Jake chimes in, “If anything, I feel bad for forcing your hand.”

“You should feel bad,” Neteyam grunts but you can sense that he’s holding back from saying more.

“It’s alright, I’m happy to be here tonight with Nete,” you pat Neteyam on the back.

Dropping a nickname seems to be just enough to convince them. You notice the satisfied smiles settle on their faces.

“Ma’Jake, let’s leave them alone. After all, it’s their first outing as mates,” Neytiri murmurs, pulling Jake by his hand.

“We’re not mated yet,” Neteyam cringes, but she only finds it amusing.

“It is only a matter of time, you are your father’s son after all.”

As the two of them walk away, laughing, Neteyam takes a deep breath to calm himself down. You can sense how embarrassed he feels, knowing what you heard. But you didn’t mind it all, he has no reason to be this upset.

“Are you okay?” you nudge him but Neteyam refuses to look at you, “Hey, don’t be like that.”

“I just...I didn’t think it would be this hard,” he admits, looking down.

“What would be hard? Pretending to be in love with me?” you tease, craning your neck to see his face.

“No,” he doesn’t even crack a smile, “I’m sorry for getting you into this mess.”

“You don’t have to apologize, I am enjoying this,” you take his hand in yours, finally getting him to look at you, “Besides, we’re almost done, right?”

“Right,” he nods.

“Now, come on, pretend that I said something funny and laugh,” you playfully repeat his words. Neteyam's lips twitch into a smile before he breaks into a genuine chuckle, causing your heart to skip a beat. You love the sound of his laughter.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

“You two look so good together, I am not ready for this to be over yet,” Tsireya beams, as she plops down in front of Neteyam and you. Lo’ak follows her suit.

“Maybe you should keep it up for a little longer, bro. The way you were dancing - “ Lo’ak starts to imitate Neteyam’s dancing but Neteyam slaps him.

“Stop that, skxawng.”

“Just ignore him, Neteyam, you were great out there,” Tsireya says softly.

“Seriously, being less tense suits you,” you agree, noticing Neteyam hiding a shy smile.

“I got to admit, it wasn’t bad at all,” Lo’ak straightens up, “I just haven’t seen you dance since Naye.”

“Let it go, Lo’ak,” Neteyam grunts.

“Who’s Naye?”

“Neteyam’s first crush from back home,” Lo’ak snickers, enjoying how far he can push his brother, “Neteyam was so in love with her, he couldn't even talk to her. So this one time, during a celebration, he decided to express his feelings by dancing for her.”

“Well, what did she say?” your ears perk up in anticipation.

“She just pretended like it wasn’t happening and walked away,” Lo’ak breaks into laughter.

“That’s not funny,” Tsireya covers Lo’ak’s mouth with her hand, “It’s alright, Neteyam, we all had our share of silly teenage crushes.”

She unintentionally throws you a knowing look, for support, but Lo’ak immediately catches on.

“Who did Y/N have a crush on?” he asks.

You stiffen, feeling their gazes intensifying on you.

“It doesn’t matter now,” you try to switch the topic but Lo’ak doesn’t seem to give up.

“It shouldn’t matter then, if you say it,” he pushes, “It can’t be that bad.”

You let out a sigh, knowing that you won't be able to get out of this.

“I used to have a crush on Neteyam,” you admit as laughter erupts.

You shoot daggers at Lo’ak, who is now rolling in the sand, while Tsireya tries to cover up her laughter. You turn to Neteyam, who looks at you with a shy smile on his face.

“Before you say anything, I feel like I should clear this,” you hold up your hand, “It was just a fleeting crush before I got to know you. And it disappeared. So please don’t feel uncomfortable.”

“So you’re saying your crush disappeared right after you got to know him?” Lo’ak asks, another wave of laughter hitting him. Shit. That’s not how you wanted it to sound.

Neteyam only rolls his eyes at his brother, while Tsireya tries her best to keep a straight face.

“I’m sorry, we just sneaked some of the pxorna’ juice,” she explains.

“I can tell,” you grit through your teeth. You have now truly understood the embarrassment Neteyam felt a moment ago.

“Y/N, please don’t take this to heart,” Tsireya rests her palm on your thigh, “Who cares what happened five years ago? We know you’re interested in Mateä now anyway.”

“Yeah,” Neteyam clears his throat, agreeing, “It was a silly crush, right? It’s all in the past now.”

You nod, but you can't shake off the feeling of unease. You couldn’t help but wonder if Neteyam was relieved that he didn't have to reject one more girl, or if he was secretly disappointed that you were interested in Mateä instead of him.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

When Neteyam asked you to keep up the fake courting till the hunting festivities to make his heartbreak more believable, you agreed. The festivities were supposed to begin only in a few weeks, to mark the beginning of the hunting season, so you thought it wasn’t a big deal. You could wait. Besides, it seemed like things were looking up for the two of you.

Neteyam was finally getting some time for himself. His father had started to ease up on him, cutting short his training. Knowing that Neteyam was supposedly courting you, Jake wanted to give his son a chance to focus on that.

The past few months had been so tough on Neteyam both physically and mentally, that all he wanted to do was rest and recharge. So he would often use that free time to drop by your marui and ask to take naps on your floor, while you were working on whatever project you had. Since your parents were mostly out, letting you work in peace, Neteyam’s quiet snoring was no burden. And if anyone was visiting you to ask for help with their items, they would only throw an amused look at sleeping Neteyam and leave you two alone, helping you keep up your fake image without much effort. Sometimes, you would catch yourself watching him too, admiring the peaceful expression on his face, as he slept. Of course, this didn’t escape your parents’ attention, as they were peppering you with questions about Neteyam’s intentions almost every night. But you mostly ignored their inquiries, focused on the simple pleasure of being able to help Neteyam.

Slowly, the girls who used to fawn over Neteyam not too long ago also started to lose their interest. Especially with Zismi's parents informing Neytiri that they were considering another match for their daughter. Neteyam felt relieved by the idea that he didn’t have to reject anyone anymore.

On the other hand, you started noticing more efforts from Mateä. Even though you feared that he wouldn’t act out of jealousy, Mateä seemed to be persistent in seeing you more often than he usually did. Whenever you went for a swim, he was right there with you, trying his best to make you laugh. Whenever you would carry a heavy basket, Mateä sprung to your side to help. Not to mention the beautiful seashells he started to bring you without particular reason. It seemed like any day now, Mateä was going to confess his feelings for you. Neteyam didn’t seem particularly pleased whenever he witnessed your interactions, but you only assumed it was an act.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

As you rounded the corner to your marui, you suddenly spotted Neteyam pacing around it. You hesitated to approach him as you could hear him mumbling something under his breath. It was almost like he was practicing some sort of speech. Instead, you carefully lowered yourself into the water and swam closer to your home, hiding just underneath. You were close enough to hear him and avoid being seen. You weren’t going to eavesdrop for long, you just wanted to find out what he’s doing before revealing yourself.

Neteyam suddenly stopped talking, and for a second, you thought that he had spotted you. That is until, Mateä came into your view, stopping by the entrance to your marui. You watch quietly, as the two of them exchange a brief greeting.

“Is Y/N here?” Mateä gestures to the marui, but Neteyam shakes his head, “Oh, I guess I thought she’d be here with you.”

“Why would she be with me?” Neteyam asks, with a slight annoyance in his voice.

“Aren’t you courting her?” Mateä asks, confused, “Or are those just rumors?”

“No, it’s true,” Neteyam seems to get his act back together. For a second, you were worried he would accidentally reveal something, “But Y/N is not tied to me every minute of the day, so…”

“So it is true that you’re not mated yet,” Mateä mumbles under his breath.

“Did you have something to pass to her?” Neteyam asks impatiently, crossing his arms over his chest. What is he doing?

“Actually, I'd prefer to give it to her myself," Mateä matches his tone, clearly not liking the possessiveness Neteyam radiates.

“If it’s another thing you want her to make for you, she’s been busy lately,” Neteyam scoffs.

“It’s not a task, I brought her a gift.”

“Let me guess, more seashells?” Neteyam rolls his eyes. What is wrong with him?

“That’s right, I know how much she likes those,” Mateä steps forward.

Seemingly unfazed, Neteyam takes a step forward as well. You shift, thinking of interrupting them before things start to escalate. But Mateä doesn’t seem to be in the mood for an argument. Instead, he brushes past Neteyam towards your marui.

"I'll leave them on her table. Tell her I brought them for her when she comes back," Mateä says over his shoulder. "Actually, don’t bother. She'll know they're from me anyway."

Neteyam watches in annoyance as Mateä disappears into your marui. You can almost hear him exhale loudly, trying to calm himself down. Maybe Neteyam’s just having a hard day today, you think. Perhaps something to do with his father? When Mateä comes back out, he leaves without a word.

Quietly, you swim to the back of your marui, and get out of the water. You pause before rounding the corner, and approaching Neteyam. Upon seeing you, he forces a small smile.

“Neteyam,” you greet him.

“Hey, Y/N,” he scratches the back of his head, nervous.

“Are you here for another nap?” you tease him, proceeding into your marui.

“Actually… no,” he follows you in.

You hum, waiting for him to elaborate, as you start taking out some of the supplies you gathered from your bag. It’s then that your eye catches the beautiful green shells laid out on your table. Neteyam stands awkwardly by the wall, watching your reaction.

“Who brought those?” you turn to ask him.

“Mateä,” Neteyam answers, “I forgot to mention. He was here earlier to see you.”

“Too bad I missed him,” you say, testing his reaction, “But it’s weird that he hasn’t asked me out yet. What do you think? You’re a guy.”

Neteyam has to physically restrain himself from cringing at your words. It takes him a second to regain his calmness, before putting on that fake voice he uses around his father.

“It is weird. He should have asked you out a long time ago.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t like me enough,” you turn your attention back to the shells.

“Nonsense. He’s just a coward,” you hear him scoff.

Surprised, you look at Neteyam again, studying his face. There is a mix of frustration and shame on his face. It's hard to tell if he's getting possessive over you, or if there's something else that's bothering him.

"Is everything okay?" you ask softly, trying to gauge his reaction, “You seem to have a problem with Mateä.”

"Everything's fine. Just... he always seems to hang around you lately," he says, his voice trailing off.

“Well, wasn’t that kind of the point?” you gesture between the two of you, referring to the fake courting.

“I guess,” Neteyam hums, you wait for him to continue, “I just don’t like that he acts like a coward.”

“Maybe if you stop scaring him away…” you mumble under your breath, but he’s quick to catch it.

“You don’t want someone who is so easily intimidated anyway.”

You don’t respond, confused by his behavior. Quietly, you start painting the pot you left unfinished last night. Neteyam falls silent too, watching you. He can’t understand what you see in Mateä. It just doesn't make sense to him. Neteyam also can’t understand why Mateä hasn’t made a move yet. Does he want you to choose him over Neteyam first? Or was he giving you other options, so you don’t have any regrets afterwards?

“You said you wanted something?” you interrupt his thoughts.

“Um, right,” he clears his throat, “It’s kind of awkward.”

You put down the pot and turn to face him, suspecting that it is going to be something good.

“What is it?”

“Well… apparently we’re not convincing enough,” he looks down at his feet, awkwardly, “People think that it’s just a rumor, that I’m courting you.”

“A rumor?” you frown, “But we’re hanging out all the time.”

Is he referring to Mateä’s words? Surely, if there was a rumor like that, Tsireya would have mentioned it to you a long time ago. She was keeping you updated.

“No one ever sees us together outdoors, not after the celebration,” his voice gets a little higher, “I was just thinking that we could take it up by a notch?”

“Well, what did you have in mind?” you tilt your head, curious. Neteyam’s eyes widen at your quick agreement.

“I take you on a date?”

“A date?” you smile, “Alright.”

A toothy grin spreads across Neteyam’s face at your response, causing your cheeks to flush with heat. You can't help but wonder if the two of you were getting too involved in this, and whether it was going to get in your way. But you can't deny the excitement you feel at the prospect of a date with Neteyam. Even if it’s a pretend one.

“What should I wear?”

“Anything pretty, and don’t worry about ruining it. I won’t take you into the water,” he says confidently, like he has everything planned out already.

“Okay,” you agree, reaching for one of the shell-necklaces you made for yourself. You raise your hand to show it to him, “How about this?”

“Hmm,” Neteyam pretends to think about it, as he leans against the wall.

You watch him with an amused smile stretching your lips. You rarely get to see a playful side of Neteyam but you love it when he acts like this.

“I think I have to see it on, to decide,” he finally says his verdict, before cracking a smile.

You roll your eyes but comply anyway, walking up to him and shoving the necklace into his hands. As you turn around and move your hair out of the way, Neteyam carefully begins to tie the necklace around your neck. You can feel his hands shake slightly, as he takes his time. When he’s done, and you turn to face him, Neteyam is standing too close to you.

“Do you like it?” you meet his eyes, unable to put a distance between you.

“I do,” he breathes out.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

“Hey, Y/N, just dropping by for that pot. If it’s ready,” Tsireya walks into your marui, catching you off guard.

You had just put on a delicate pearly top you’ve made for yourself a while ago, and were trying to see if the ties in the back were in place. Tsireya gasps at the sight of you, bringing her hands to her mouth.

“Did you make that?!” she beams at you, “You look beautiful, Y/N, it suits you so much!”

“You think? Not too much?” you quirk your eyebrow, pushing her for the truth.

“Not at all,” she answers with a knowing look, “Are you going to see Mateä?”

“No, not Mateä,” you shake your head. Tsireya looks at you confused, and you suddenly feel awkward having to explain yourself, “Neteyam wanted us to have a fake date somewhere public.”

“Oh,” that’s all she says.

It’s easy to see when something is bothering her. After all, you have been friends for a long time, you knew Tsireya like the back of your hand.

“Just say it,” you urge her to speak.

“I just think that you shouldn’t drag this out for so long.”

“But Neteyam kind of needs me to keep playing into it,” you explain yet she doesn’t seem convinced, “Besides, Mateä has been showing more interest recently, so it works for both of us.”

“It doesn’t work for you and Mateä,” Tsireya disagrees, “You need to drop this, and Neteyam has to speak to Mateä before it’s too late.”

You don’t answer, considering her words. Tsireya is right, perhaps you should wrap this thing up. It was only supposed to be for one night, right?

“Unless… you like him?” Tsireya looks at you, suspiciously.

“Who?” your voice hitches.

“Seems like you’re starting to like Neteyam again,” Tsireya lets out with a sigh. She hated keeping things from you, but she also couldn’t lie.

Your cheeks flush with embarrassment. Deep down, you suspect that she might be right. Neteyam was quickly starting to work his way back into your heart.

“I am just helping him out, Tsireya. There’s nothing between us,” you lie.

“I just think that this is not worth it… you and Mateä can have something really great.”

“The pot is ready, right over there,” you point to your table.

Tsireya throws an apologetic look at you, and picks up the pot, thanking you. She senses that you don’t want to talk about Neteyam anymore, and decides to give you time to think.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

“Neteyam?” you frown, as he keeps gawking at you, without a word.

It has been a few moments since he saw you walking out of your marui, and he still hasn't said anything. You begin to feel anxious about your appearance. Is it too revealing? Are the pearls too much? You just wanted to look like you were going on a date.

"You look like a beautiful syulang," he finally breathes out, admiring your look.

“You mean it?” you take a step closer to him.

“I do, you look very pretty,” he confirms, but takes a step back. You notice that he keeps his hands behind his back, as if he's trying to hide something.

"Thank you," you reply, "What do you have back there?"

“Uh, I brought this for you,” he says, bringing forward something wrapped in a large green leaf.

You can't see what's inside, but you assume it's fragile, given how carefully he held it. As you take it from him and begin to unwrap, Neteyam observes your every move with anticipation.

"You really didn't have to bring me anything, Neteyam," you say, meeting his gaze for a moment, “It's not like a real date anyway.”

"I wanted to," he responds shyly.

As the wrapping comes undone, you see a handful of small, delicate yellow flowers. They're unlike anything you've ever seen before, petals shaped in a unique swirl in the ends. As you bring them closer to examine, you gawk back at Neteyam.

"Let me show you something," he smiles.

Without waiting for your permission, Neteyam takes your hand in his, opening your palm and holding it above the flowers, throwing a shade. The yellow flowers begin to glow with a soft, natural luminescence.

“How come I’ve never seen these!” you beam, earning a satisfied grin from him, “This is very special, thank you.”

“I’m not a very good diver, so I can’t get you those shells you like,” he confesses, “But I saw these glowing at the top of the mountain when I was flying last night, so I went back for them this morning because I thought you might like them.”

“I don’t need you to bring me shells, Neteyam, these are very special,” you carefully pull him in for a hug with your free hand, trying not to squish the flowers. As Neteyam wraps his arms around your waist, bringing you closer, you close your eyes in comfort.

You were already thinking of ways to preserve the flowers, perhaps gathering some resin, and making jewelry out of them. Or something for your hair? Your marui?

“I’ll put them into water, so that they don’t die by the time I get back,” you say, pulling back from Neteyam.

“Don’t worry, I can always bring you more,” he smiles.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Pretending with Neteyam had become effortless. As you strolled along the beach, Neteyam and you were just talking, catching up on the things that happened in the past years. Occasionally, you would make him laugh, and it warmed your heart to see him happy like that, carefree. Whenever you would notice someone watching you, Neteyam would ask you to hold hands with him to appear more serious. You agreed, of course, but Tsireya’s words were slowly weighing on you. You were letting it yourself get too invested, meanwhile Neteyam was only pretending.

As he walked you back to your marui, you could sense his growing nervousness.

“I think my neighbors are watching us,” you whisper with a smile, coming to a halt in front of the entrance.

“Are they big on gossip?” Neteyam leans in slightly, like he’s about to tell you a secret.

“Oh, very big,” you chuckle, “They are always asking my mother about you.”

“Maybe we should give them something to talk about,” he gulps down, bringing his face closer to you.

As Neteyam's eyes lock onto yours, you suddenly feel your heart race. You can't deny the tension between you, but you also can't ignore the possibility of this causing more trouble than it's worth. The thought of rumors spreading around the village about you and Neteyam kissing makes your stomach churn. Maybe this is too far.

“What do you mean, Neteyam?” you manage to ask, captivated by his eyes.

“Can I kiss you?” he whispers, so quietly, like he’s going to scare you away.

“It wouldn’t be a proper date without a kiss,” you mumble. It was supposed to be a joke, a snarky comment, but you sounded so desperate, so impatient to feel him.

Neteyam only nods, his gaze fixed on your lips. He leans in, then hesitates, as if asking for one last permission. You tilt your head slightly, your heart racing in your chest. And when he finally closes the distance between you, you feel his soft, gentle lips on yours. It's so delicate and slow that it feels like a dream, intimate and special.

When you pull away, you notice a small smile resting on his lips. You can’t help but shy away from his gaze, taking a step back.

“Well, I think that was convincing enough,” you joke, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

“Thank you for tonight, Y/N,” he says, straightening up, “Have a sound sleep.”

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Your sleep wasn’t sound at all. You tossed and turned on your mat throughout the night, much to the annoyance of your parents. Your eyes kept being drawn to the bowl of flowers, casting a soft glow in the darkness. It reminded you of stupid Neteyam, of his stupid lips, and stupid captivating golden eyes that glowed the same way under the moonlight. You couldn't get him out of your head, and it was starting to drive you crazy.

Tsireya's warning echoed in your mind - this pretend relationship with Neteyam was going too far. You knew you had to have a serious conversation with him and move on with the final stage of the plan: turn him down. If not, you could ruin your chances of finding a real relationship. Without Neteyam.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Early in the morning, with a determined stride, you make your way to the beach, where you spot Neteyam, training with his father and a group of guys. You don’t think through what you’re going to do, when Jake suddenly notices you.

“Good morning, Y/N,” he says, drawing everyone’s attention to you, “Anything I can help you with?”

You greet them, and gulp down, easily finding Neteyam’s curious gaze on you. Well, you have come so far, why not just get it over with?

“Can I speak to Neteyam for a moment? It won’t take long,” you turn to Jake.

Jake purses his lips, but nods at Neteyam, giving him a sign to go. He approaches you with a worried look on his face.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your training,” you apologize.

Neteyam obliges, when you lead him away from the beach, to talk in private. It’s still early, so most of the clan is asleep. You feel nervous under his patient gaze but you know it has to be done.

“I wanted to talk to you about us,” you begin. Neteyam nods, encouraging you to go on, “I know there’s still a week until the hunting festivities, and I promised to help you till then, but I don’t think I can.”

Neteyam’s eyes widen slightly, but he remains calm.

“Do you want us to stop pretending?” he asks softly.

“Yes, I think it’s for the best if we stop now. If we keep going on dates and…kissing, it might give people the wrong idea, and I don’t want that,” you answer, trying to keep your voice steady.

He looks down at his hands for a moment, thinking. You don’t interrupt him. He’s probably just trying to come up with the best way of telling his parents. He doesn’t seem saddened that he won’t be forced to spend time with you anymore. You’re the idiot who fell for her fake boyfriend.

“I understand, Y/N,” Neteyam finally says, meeting your eyes, “Thank you for helping me so far.”

“It’s fine,” you let out a breath, “Then it is decided. And Neteyam…we have to keep our distance from now on.”

Neteyam watches, as you walk away with a mixture of feelings. You're relieved, yet also disappointed that the fake relationship is over. You can't help but wonder if things could have been different between you and Neteyam, if only circumstances were different.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

The following days seem to stretch with a painful slowness. You feel lost, with a constant sense of longing that follows you like a shadow. The realization that you had fallen head over heels for Neteyam and can’t be with him hits you hard. You feel stupid but you can't help thinking about him all the time, trying to carry on with your day-to-day tasks. But it seems like everything is taking more effort than it used to.

Every now and then, you catch a glimpse of Neteyam from afar, and he looks just as sad as you feel. You can't help but wonder if he's just putting on a show for the sake of the rumors, to make it believable. You wish you could just talk but avoiding him is the right thing to do for now.

And as suspected, it doesn’t take long for rumors about you turning him down to start spreading throughout the clan. People notice that you two aren’t spending time together anymore and are avoiding each other. It is ironic, how they think that it's Neteyam going through a heartbreak, when in reality it is you.

When Tsireya comes to congratulate you on the successful plan, she tells you that Mateä has heard the rumors and was preparing to confess to you. But you don’t want Mateä anymore. Instead of sharing Tsireya’s excitement, you can’t hold back any longer, and break down in front of her, confessing your true feelings for Neteyam. It is freeing to finally let it out, to have someone to confide in. As she comforts you, it feels like you are friends again, if only for a moment.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

You got ready a long time ago. Your hair decorated with feathers and beads, face painted with white ceremonial patterns. In a few hours you would be joining the rest of the clan, to wish a farewell to the Metkayina hunters. The Tsahik would bless them with a prayer to Eywa, and after you sing your songs, the young men will leave. It was a tradition in your clan, that at the beginning of each year, the young hunters would travel by the water to an unfamiliar land. It was a test that every hunter had to pass, to learn to adapt in every situation and be able to stand for himself and for his allies. Sometimes, it would take them a few days to return back with a prey. Sometimes, it would last a full moon. It depended on Eywa’s guidance, and the hunters couldn’t return without receiving a blessing first.

Despite the value it held, the passage was still dangerous. It was painful for you to recall the instances when the groups returned with wounded or missing Na’vi. And although you were aware that it was Neteyam’s third time going on the hunt, you couldn't help but feel worried sick for him. Tonight, with the rest of your clan, you had to show your support, but your mind was contemplating not showing up at all. You didn’t want to see his face, afraid that it might make your heart break further.

There was still time for the ceremony, as you wandered off to the water, trying to calm down your nerves. It would be disrespectful not to go, you had to show up and pray to Eywa that she keeps Neteyam safe and sound. You’re so deep in your thoughts, it takes you a second to notice Mateä sitting down next to you. You force a small smile to greet him.

“Excited for tonight?” he gestures to the extra pieces of ceremonial clothing you’re wearing on your arms and legs.

“Just wanted to be ready in time,” you’re not sure how to respond. You knew Mateä your whole life, yet it feels awkward to be with him alone.

“I heard that you turned down the son of Toruk Makto,” Mateä emphasizes, you hum, “I will not lie to you, at first, when I heard about it, I was relieved. I thought that he doesn’t deserve you. But seeing you like this… it saddens me. I do not wish for you to be unhappy.”

“Thank you, Mateä,” you hang your head at his words.

“Listen, Y/N,” he says softly, “We have known each other since we were babies. And while I curse myself for not spending more of my time with you back then, I do not want to regret this chance too.”

You meet his eyes again, nervously. You knew him pretty well. When Mateä was sure about something, he confronted it head on. Whether it was a rejection or an acceptance, he wished to know the truth in order to move on.

“I always had my eye on you, Y/N,” he confesses, “What I didn’t realize that it was not just in a way one would look after their friend. It is shameful to admit but… it took me seeing you with another man to understand the true nature of my feelings. I like you, Y/N, and I wish to know if you feel the same way.”

You gulp down, tears filling up your eyes. The man you thought you could spend your life with was finally opening his heart to you, yet you didn’t want it. Your own heart belonged to somebody else. Oh Eywa, why couldn’t you enjoy what you had wished for?

“Don’t cry,” Mateä whispers, noticing the tears rolling down your cheeks, “Your heart belongs to him, doesn’t it?”

You can see the brave face he puts on, as you slowly nod your head. You feel so guilty and ashamed for admitting it to him. Mateä was really one of the only people in your life that you valued, and you were hurting him.

“I’m sorry,” you sniff, “If there was a way for me to make this better…”

“You don’t have to apologize, just don’t cry, okay?” he reaches out to wipe away your tears, and you nod again, “That is enough for me.”

You don’t feel like you even deserve his attention right now.

“Mateä, if I could take away the pain that I’m causing, you know I would in an instant,” you mean it.

"I know, Y/N. But you can't help who you love," he says softly, "Regardless of what you choose to do, just promise me that we can still be friends, alright?"

"Of course, Mateä, you mean a lot to me," you nod, grateful.

"Good,” he stands up with a small smile, “Now, let's go. We don't want to be late."

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

You quietly take a seat next to Tsireya, who is anxiously watching Lo’ak from a distance. Despite knowing how important it is for Lo’ak to partake in the tradition, she can’t help but feel worried for him. You lay your hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

“Lo’ak is a skilled hunter. You know that Jake takes training very seriously,” you reassure her.

“You’re right,” she nods her head, then turns to face you, “You came with Mateä... Did you talk?”

You nod, pursing your lips together. It’s not difficult for Tsireya to realize what happened. It was only logical that you would reject Mateä because of your feelings for Neteyam.

“Oh, Y/N,” she lets out, pulling you in for a hug. You feel like it’s comforting not only you, but also her.

As the rhythm of the log drums slowly picks up, everyone falls quiet. The Tsahik makes her way to an open space, and the hunters quickly surround her in a circle, kneeling down. It’s then that you see Neteyam, wearing his headpiece and armor, with bow and arrows attached to his back. You can’t help but feel a twinge of worry for him but you push the feeling aside, afraid that it might ruin his luck.

When the Tsahik’s voice fills the air with a praying chant, the hunters begin to sway in unison, seeking the blessing and guidance of Eywa for their upcoming journey. With the rhythm of the log drums, you find yourself lost in the moment too, closing your eyes and letting yourself be carried away.

Eventually, when Tsahik stops, the hunters rise to their feet. As per practice, they must bid farewell to their loved ones, in case they may not return. You can’t help but feel nervous because this part of the ceremony is usually long, and Tsahik allows everyone to take their time. You know that soon enough you will watch Neteyam making his way to his family, and it hurts to know that he won’t be saying goodbye to you too. With every passing second, you feel more anxious, and all you want to do is get away from there. So, when the rest of the clan starts moving, you stand up to leave without even looking in his direction.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

You rush through the trees, making your way into a small clearing, illuminated by the moonlight. You take a moment to breathe in and out with the sounds of nature, and eventually calm yourself down. When suddenly you hear a rustling of the leaves.

Your heart skips a beat as you see Neteyam making his way to you, with a mix of concern and confusion.

“Y/N, why did you run off?” he asks, as soon as he’s close enough for you to hear.

“Doesn’t matter,” you dismiss him, “Why are you here? You should be with your family now.”

“I already talked to my family,” Neteyam comes closer, and your breath catches in your throat, “But I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to you.”

“Neteyam,” you’re so confused at his behavior. Did he feel guilty because you looked upset? He shouldn’t be here with you right now.

“Y/N, why did you reject Mateä?” he asks suddenly, catching you off guard, “Tsireya told me.”

You don’t answer, holding his gaze. He hated rejecting girls, you can’t burden him now, before his hunt.

“Was it because of me?” he pushes.

“It does not matter, Neteyam,” you try to brush him off, “You have a hunt ahead of you, you shouldn’t be here right now. Shouldn’t be making your night about my stupid actions.”

“How can I not make this about you?” he says, irritated, “Everything is about you now, Y/N. Every moment of every night and day, doesn’t matter what I’m doing, my mind is occupied with the thoughts of you!”

“W-what?” you stutter, caught off guard.

“So for you to tell me ‘it doesn’t matter’ if you rejected Mateä for me… Of course, it matters. It matters to me, because... Because I see you,” he lets out, breathing loudly.

You stare in confusion, as Neteyam’s eyes jump all over your face, searching for a reaction. All you can do is think about how much you wanted him to say those words to you. To tell you how much he liked you, longed for you, the same way you did for him.

“I see you too, Neteyam,” you manage to whisper, reaching your hand to cup his cheek.

A loving smile breaks on his face, when Neteyam pulls you in for a kiss. He is so desperate to touch you, to know that it’s real. You’re real. Happiness overwhelms you, as you smile against his lips, your hands gently cupping his face.

“I’m yours,” he whispers, resting his forehead against yours.

“I’m yours forever,” you whisper back.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Did my best to upload this before my job interview tomorrow, so by the time I come back, I want you to leave your comments and tags!!! Seriously, I love that shit, it makes my heart melt. Especially when you submit questions

my 30k enemies to lovers fic (neteyam x ta'unui reader)

taglist: @ancientbeing10, @anm3mi ; @lovergirl-3000 ; @sunjayist ; @rensbby ; @okaylorrainee ; @cappsikle ; @raeeahn ; @yawneneteyam ; @oh-austin ; @midlife-crisisperson ; @teyums

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onskepa · 5 months

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Okie nefika aside.

LOOK AT HER!!!

Mama kataru!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

So kind and beautiful!!! Y'all there isn't enough appreciation for her!! We gotta fix that!!

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atttwoood · 1 year

Text

Jungle on the islands of the Metkayina🌿

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sunandsstars · 1 year

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YAWNETU

CHAPTER 6

Tonowari x Ronal x Na’vi!Reader

Summary: With her arrival in Awa’atlu, reader seeks to find a sanctuary for her family, one that she may find in two particular individuals Warnings: Implications of racism/Drowning, Mentions of childbirth/Uncaring of health/Abuse Word count: 3.2k

A/N: here’s the anticipated chapter 6! thank you so much for all the support guys! love you all

Taglist: @itsyoboysparkel @dumb-fawkin-bitch @drinking-tea-and-be-obsessed @fanboyluvr @mooniequeen @berrybluez @bajadotcom @alwaysinwritersblock @pandoragalora @perfectprofessorloverapricot @lvrcpid @answer-the-sirens @phantomalex14 @neteyamforlife @bat1212 @sadforeversblog @ducks118 @cleverzonkwombatsludge @1800imgay @soushswag @honeybxes @lola-bunn1 @alldaysdreamers @doggodorime @theesexystallion @scarlettwch @annamarieisbae @wallpaintt @zatarias-pandora @daoyus @ambria @simp-erformarvelwomen @simpliheavenli @tojidilfs @automaticwizardnerd @lexasaurs634 @symptoms-of-moonlight @avtprint @deviismynamewritingismygame @sunrays404 @tsireyassgurl @xx-kaitlyn-trixx-xx @that-one-daydreamer @yeosxxx @noname2246 @ok-boke @rubyrubyruuu @diosmilkymommers @annaleesworld @jiminsthickthighs @holysaladapricothero @peaches-peach-peach @enochi @thispussyshouldcomew @ihonestlydontknowwhattonamethis @kirisimpster @pompompomegranate @stevebuckysdoll @midhito @any-maybe @nyylovestowrite @omnimaki @blueberryfailureclinic @degenweeb @tejas-kris

Village life started early. Many of the Omaticayan adults were already awake and beginning their morning chores of hunting, cooking and cleaning. Laughter of the children flowed through the air and it made them smile, happy to see them alive and bubbly after the terrible war not that long ago.

Neytiri was always up before her husband, being used to the bright morning light and loud chatter of her people. Jake however, not so much, the man tossed and clung to his mate, silently begging her to stay in bed, rubbing her big stomach tenderly. The warrior patted his hand and lifted it off her, getting out of the hammock to start the day. She sighed when her eyes caught the empty one across the hut, ___ must be up already.

She wanted to speak to her, make up for all that she has done, perhaps Neytiri will make a bracelet with Sylwanin’s beads. The same ones that she pulled off her mate in the heat of the moment. The Na’vi knew ___ swept them up and kept them amongst her things, she just had to find them.

Neytiri walked to the other side of the hut, crouching down and surveying the area, trying to find a basket or pouch, anything that might hold the beads. She lifted the hammock slightly to see underneath and noted its coldness, ___ must have been awake for longer than she thought. Seeing that there was nothing, the tsakarem stood tall and sighed. Where could they be?

A shuffle behind her made her ears twitch and a big groan sounded around the home, Jake stretched his body and got out of bed, walking up to his mate and kissing her cheek. “What are you thinking about?” his eyes were shut as he basked in the morning glow.

“An apology” Neytiri whispered, “I want to remake the bracelet that I broke”. Her ears tipped down in shame, she had no right to do what she did, it was childish and unbecoming of a future Tsahìk. She should not have done this to her dearest friend and supposed mate.

Jake’s eyes opened and he hummed but froze when he took in the sight before them, “Neytiri, I do not think you should worry about that now - shit!” he backed away to run out of the hut, climbing down the tree as fast as he could.

The woman stared after him in confusion and looked to where he did, a frown instantly forming on her face. How could she have not seen this sooner? Half of ___’s things were gone, some clothes, blankets and the dried food they kept up here. Neytiri felt dread in the pit of her stomach and she held a hand to her mouth, silent tears welling in her eyes.

___ was gone.

The waves were calm since she arrived past the forest and out to sea, the Na’vi was thankful that Eywa was kind to her on the journey. If the weather was harsh she was not sure if she would have survived, the ocean was a very different place than the forest she grew up in.

It was an eight hour flight, including two one hour stops, to the reefs and ___ was jittering with nerves the whole way. She did not know what awaited her, if the Metkayina were kind and willing to take her and her boys in. She has heard about the unkindness of some Na’vi clans in stories as a child, ones that kept her awake at night, parents always used them to threaten their children into good behaviour. She could only hope these people were the opposite.

In the distance ___ noted the water turning a more lighter blue, the large creatures in the deep ocean starting to thin out and disappear the closer she got to the village Mo’at has talked to her about. In her viewpoint was an island, huge trees reaching out to touch the water and tide pools scattered around the edges of the reef. It was a beautiful sight, the air carrying a salty scent and warm breeze, warming herself as she was soon to land.

She was here.

Her ikran shrieked, notifying the strangers who looked up from their chores in the pools, whooping and diving into the waters to get closer to their village. A horn blew into the air, alarming her and the babies who squirmed in their mothers warm embrace. It was a warning signal, one that she was familiar with and was used against large predators from the forest.

They flew through Awa’atlu, ___ looking around at the different Na’vi in slight wonder, never having seen any like them before. They were a light blue, almost green, the same colour as the water below them and she noted their tails, thicker and fin-like. Tìlor swooped closer to the homes that rested above the water, finding a place to land his aching wings.

The ikran dropped onto one of the beaches, screeching out into the morning, shaking his head and chittering at the strangers who surrounded them. The Omaticayan on his back slipped off gracefully, slightly shaky legs carrying her towards the front of the people who stared at her with curious eyes, confused on what brought her here. Soft murmuring and chatter was carried out amongst the Metkayinans, questions bouncing back and forth between them.

“What is happening here?” a strong voice boomed across the people, immediately some parted to make way for the Olo’eyktan, dressed in colourful clothes and carrying a large spear, behind him a large creature splashed away, hissing. It was Tonowari, she remembered, a fearsome leader and great hunter, or so she was told by Mo’at. The tall Na’vi man sauntered up to her, copying her as she dipped in greeting, hands coming up to their foreheads in respect. “You are from the forest. What brings you and your little ones here, alone?” he questioned, eyeing the boys strapped to her body with a soft look.

___ gulped, shying away slightly. Tonowari was large and intimidating, but his aura radiated kindness, blue eyes only looking at her in curiosity not resentment. “I came to seek uturu, Olo’eyktan”

“Uturu?” a feminine voice shouted out, strong and unwavering. A women walked up to them, handing a child over to the closest person next to her. She was obviously Tsahìk, dressed in the classic forehead charm and excessive clothing. Again ___ dipped in respect, babies babbling at the constant movement their mother created. “Why?”

Ronal walked in circles around the forest Na’vi, touching her tail and gripping one of her arms, eyeing the boys as she did so. She was finding her soul, trying to seek her spirit and talk to Eywa through the interaction. “I have no place among my people, I- I had to get away from them”

“You are outcast?”

“I chose to be” ___ sighed out, eyes dropping slightly from both fatigue and the memories of Jake and Neytiri. “Toruk Makto is not as kind as the stories” Ronal quickly grabbed Sylwaì’s little arm, eyes squinting at the lack of fins.

“These babies will be slow in the water” she looked at her mate “they will have a hard time keeping up” Tonowari just stared at her and sighed, eyes flitting to their own son, Ao’nung, who has just been born a few weeks ago. He had every right to turn them away, to say no, but it was not the right thing to do, not with those babies on the line.

Ronal turned back to ___’s twins, blinking at their exposed kuru’s and purplish skin, they could not have been older than a day or two. The tsahìk clicked her tongue and walked back to her mate to stand beside him, heart heavy with the thought of this poor mother being cast out from her home, they both came to an agreement.

“We will provide you with a home to live in, food to eat and the Tsahìk will care for your recovery. You will find your role here in the clan once you are ready and my people will teach you the way of water” The clan leader raised his arms and voice, giving the statement to his clan who showed no objections. Despite the oddness of her arrival and questions still being unanswered, they will welcome her small family with love.

“Irayo Tonowari, Ronal” ___ thanked them and tipped her head, watching a smile grace the man’s face while their shaman curtly nodded.

“Let us help you with your bags, you must be exhausted” two Metkayina hunters sauntered up to the ikran, careful to not irritate the graceful beast and took off the woven bags on his back, walking in the direction of an empty marui.

It was peaceful here, ___ noted. The sounds of the forest were no more but instead was replaced with calm waves and the noises of oceanic creatures. Her marui was placed above the surface of the reef just like the rest, but was at the front of the village. She had the perfect view of the vast sea and a better sight of the planet and moon in front of them in the sky, much clearer than when she lived with trees obscuring above her.

Sylwaì and Syatxì babbled in her arms, grasping her woven top with pinching hands. She smiled down at them with love, a heavy weight disappearing from her heart.

They were safe.

Her family away from the cruelty of Toruk Makto and his wife, Palulukan Makto, ‘rider of fear’ she mused, ‘fitting’. A rustle was heard behind her where the entrance to her hut was, her ears swivelled and her head followed, wanting to see who it is.

“Oel ngati kameie, ___” Ronal strolled inside, basket on one hip and baby strapped to her chest. The boy looking around curiously, like he has never seen a marui in his small life before.

___ greeted her back formally, twisting away from the large opening she dangled her feet from and scooting more inside her home, watching as the Tsahìk sat down next to her, sorting out the various items in her basket. “You have just given life to your children, srane?” when the bluer Na’vi nodded the other sighed and tutted “I assume you have had no time to heal properly, I will help you with applying salves to sooth your aches”

“Thank you, I was in a rush to leave the forest, I did not think about my own health or comfort on my travels” Sylwaì turned his little head to the stranger and blinked his wide yellow eyes, looking down to see other baby and reaching for him. For someone who was just born not long ago, he was already growing so fast.

Ronal smiled at him and unstrapped Ao’nung, happy to let him loose while she worked on the Omaticayan. ___ sighed as she did the same to her eldest twin, stroking Syatxì as he clung to her. They worked together in silence, ___ helping in whenever she could, using her knowledge that Mo’at taught her to use ointments on herself.

The paler woman dusted off her hands and nodded at her handiwork, looking the other in her eyes, admiring the flecks of yellow, never having seen it before in a Na’vi. Ronal has heard stories of others, different tribes and races from her father, but she did not anticipate meeting one in her life. “What has happened that caused you to leave the forest?”

The question caught ___ off guard and she paused, eyes wide and slightly watering. Memories rushing back to her, the broken bracelet, the verbal abuse, the beatings she had endured…

Before she could give an answer a loud coo and a splash echoed through the marui and immediately both women looked towards where one of the babies fell out the open space in the wall. Ronal chuckled when she took in the panicked look on ___’s face, “is- is he okay?! Tsahìk?!” she put Syatxì down and crawled to the edge of the hut, about to jump into the deep waters to save the baby when she was stopped by a finned hand.

“Ao’nung will be fine, Metkayina babies learn to swim as soon as they are born, look - he is floating up to the surface” the woman pointed out, seeing her son bob up and grin a gummy smile at his mother. Ronal used her stomach as leverage as she leaned down and scooped him up, shaking her head and tutting him.

___ merely blinked, surprised, “in Omaticaya we learn to climb the trees. As babies we are strapped to our parents as they go through the forest and sometimes we roam by ourselves…but seeing this, it is different”

“you will learn, as will your two sons, who are both the same age? Babies born at the same time are rare, you are blessed by our great mother”

“Srane, I was lucky with them” ___ kissed the top of their heads, mirroring their little smiles. Ronal repeated the question she asked earlier before being interrupted, as a Tsahìk she must learn why a stranger must insist on residing with her people. Are the sky people back? Is that why she abandoned the forest? But Eywa has said the danger has passed.

“Kehe, te tawtute are gone forever, but like I have said, Toruk Makto, Jake Sully, he is not as noble as Na’vi may think” ___ trailed off, not wanting to go into great detail. Ronal simply hummed, she will not push her, but one day she will get a proper story.

A yip called outside from in the waters, one that the Tsahìk was familiar with, immediately she leaned her head outside the hole in the marui and saw her mate on top of his tsurak, waving at the two women. “You will join us for the communal breakfast, yes? The people have decided that they want to get to know you and your babies” Tonowari grinned when ___ stared at the clan leaders, flabbergasted.

“I do not understand, why do they want to learn about us?”

“You are new, they are curious, the women are also enamoured by the cuteness of your children” Ronal rolled her eyes at the thought of all the older ladies about to swarm them so early in the day but could not deny that the partial reason she came was to see them too. “Afterwards we must get you acquainted with the water, the sooner the better”

“Will we be alright to?” ___ wanted to make sure that her and the babies health was okay before doing any extraneous activities. The other woman nodded and smiled, standing up and grabbing her son, passing him to his father who moved closer to the home.

“I must take my leave and help prepare breakfast, I have left you some clothes over there, ones more fitting for our waters, come to the beach when you are ready”

The Olo’eyktan did not lie when he said the women were excited to see the twins. As soon as she wandered down to the beach she was swarmed, Metkayina cooing at the tiny blue babies who squealed happily with the attention.

“They will be strong hunters. I can feel it” one of the elderly stated, admiring the strong physique of Sylwaì. ___ only chuckled as her tail flicked, her eldest boy was as chubby as they come, she did not think the physique was all that strong yet.

“Srane, they will have good mates too. Ones that will provide many grandchildren” another tickled one of the boys wriggling feet.

“Ma Sa’nu!” a Metkayinan swatted her older mother at the prospect, flushing purple in embarrassment and apologising to the twins mother who grinned.

“I hope they will not start any time soon, they are fresh out the womb Itxaì” Ronal strolled through the chattering Na’vi, nodding in greeting to the aforementioned woman and her daughter. “Come, we must get you some food. I trust you are hungry after your journey?”

With that que ___’s stomach rumbled, now it was her time to flush in embarrassment. Tail tucked between her legs and ears flat to her skull. The Na’vi in close proximity chuckled while they wondered across the beach for some breakfast.

Tonowari sat with some of his hunting men, talking about where they will go for next weeks trip. The man looked up and grinned at his wife and new clan member, bouncing Ao’nung on his knee who burbled at one of the men. ‘Already such a strong talker’, he mused. “Sit here, the sand is warm and would be enjoyable for your boys”

Having already fed the twins earlier ___ put them down without hesitation, sighing when the wrap came undone and her back ached a little less. Ronal grabbed a large leaf to pile some fish on, handing it over and watching amused as it was scarfed, “you act like you have never eaten payoang before”

“We have fish in the rivers, but they are never like this” the dark Na’vi wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, eyes stuck on the rest of the seafood and fruit in the pile in front of them.

“Take however much you want”

She did not have to be told twice.

Tonowari let his son roam a little on the sands, watching him as the baby crawled slightly to the others, grinning in amusement at his sons curiosity. “Your children will have a good life here, we have many occupations for them, large waters to swim in, many Na’vi to befriend, they will never be alone or unfulfilled. Neither will you”

___’s tail swished against the sand, curling and disrupting the stillness of the tiny rocks, it was the complete opposite to the Metkayinans, who’s tails slapped the sand and could not twist like hers, “Thank you. You have been welcoming to us, I will do what is needed to contribute”

“And you will” Ronal piped up from beside her, grabbing her own pieces of fruit, “but in due time. Now, do you know how to swim?”

___ blinked, yes she could, she has learnt with the rivers in the forests. As she nodded the other woman observed her, eyes glancing up and down ___’s thin body. “Forget what you know. We will start anew, you must learn to breathe”

“But I am breathing. Am I not?”

“Kehe, she means from here” Tonowari chuckled and placed his hand onto his stomach and sucked in some air, chest puffing and back straightening, “to live like us you must breathe like us in the water”

“And my sons-?”

“Will be taken care of” the Tsahìk interrupted, reassuring the newcomer, she was sure that the elders of the clan would not mind caring for the twins for a couple hours today, they are too young to learn breathing techniques that they were not born to do “we start when the sun is at its peak. For now you must eat”

___ had a feeling that today will be challenging, she was in a new environment and must erase her teachings of the forest to replace with the way of water. But she will get through it.

She has to.

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#*ੈ✩‧₊˚ yawnetu #avatar the way of water #x reader #avatar x reader #atwow #ronal and tonowari #jake and neytiri #metkayina #twin babies #atwow x reader

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atxxokirina · 10 months

Text

Unspoken Words

Neteyam x Mute fem Metkayina reader

contains: pure fluff, reader is mute, "finger talk" or sign language, sweetheart neteyam, awatlu setting, lmk if i missed anything c:

summary: it's all in the name baby!

na'vi dictonary:

ma - a way to refer to someone before saying their name

tìyawn - love

paysyul - water lily

author's note! (italic is used to symbolize when you or neteyam are using sign language)

You sit at the side of the river, legs crossed as the soft water grazed against your feet. Neteyam swiftly ran brushes his fingers through your hair. Giving the top of your head a kiss before twisting two thick strands together. Your eyes flutter closed as he began to braid, comfort and stability falling over you as you lean your head back into him.

You've always felt so safe with Neteyam. Ever since he came to your village with his family, he was rather sweet. Every morning he went out of his way to personally bring you breakfast, and he even learned 'finger talk' (as he calls it) for you. Your heart lit up at each and every one of his gestures. Nobody had ever been this caring for you.

Flashback

Neteyam walks into your Marui, a tray of food in his hand as he kneels down next to you. "Hi y/n," he said, flushed. You smile and wave to him, watching as he set the tray down on your mat. You gazed down at the food before you, examining everything. It seemed to be sliced and grilled fish, along with leaf-wraped teylu. "Um-" Neteyam stammers for a moment, trying to figure out how to communicate with you. He points to you with his index finger and balls his fist, gesturing it down twice.

Are you horny?

You furrow your eyebrows at the translation, mouth slighty agape in shock. Surely he didn't mean that, right? Before you can fully react, he spoke. "Are you.. hungry?"

So that's what he meant to say. Okay.

You smile giddily, holding a hand up and shaking your head as you sign back to him. "Hungry is only one move down, like this;" You show him. "Horny, is two. You said it wrong, Neteyam." You rest your arms in your lap afterward.

Once he realizes, his cheeks immediately form a bright shade of pink. "Oh! I-I'm so sorry, y/n. I really did not mean that, I swear." He panicked a little. You could tell his embarrassment was taking up his mind, the bottom of his tail is curving up and down, flicking rapidly. You never understood how anyone could lose themselves so quickly. Ever since you were young, you'd been taught that to always stay calm and patient, to never let your emotions overcome you. But of course, the forest people did it differently than you.

You place a palm on his chest at an attempt to help him relax. You flattened your hand and move it to either side, then cupping your hand into a circle and pointing out your index and middle finger, the middle slightly curved.

"It is okay." You shook your head as a way to tell him not to calm himself.

He swiftly nodded, exhaling a deep breath. You smile as his heart beat switches back to normal, now bringing your hands away.

"But, yes, I was hungry. Thank you, Neteyam."

"Of course, no... problem."

He struggles with the last words, but is able to make it work. Neteyam waves goodbye before leaving your Marui, dipping his head underneath the curtained door.

Flashback end

After he'd finished your braid, he taps your shoulder, signaling for you to face him. Your eyes open and you turn your body around, beaming at your mate.

"Does it look good, ma Teyam?" You signed. It took him a minute to process what you said, but he understood you in no time. "It is beautiful, ma tìyawn. Just like you." He pulls you in for a soft and brief kiss, pecking your lips. You simper against his mouth, cupping your hands on his cheeks as you two rest your foreheads against each other. Neteyam does the same, taking your face in his hands, reciprocating the love and admiration that resides in you.

Withdrawing from the moment, Neteyam speaks. "I have a surprise for you." He smiles, moving a strand of hair behind your ear. You cocked your head in curiosity.

"What is it?" You ask. He reaches into the woven pouch you crocheted for him, coming out with a colorful flora. You gasp with a breath at the sight, face ecstatic. You gently took the flower from his hand, sniffing it's pistil and closing your eyes. Paysyul, your favorite flower on Pandora. You'd only come across it a couple of times— maybe 2 or 3, but even so, each time you saw one, you were overwhelmed with bliss.

A shade of rose pink with lavender sprouts blooming out of it's top, and the arouma, oh great mother, was it the best thing you'd ever smelled. A fresh, and savory-sweet scent. If pink had a smell, this would be it.

Opening your eyes, you gaze at Neteyam. Taking his hand in yours, you focus on his amber orbs. Tracing the glowing freckles scattered around his face. You placed your right hand on your chin, moving it downward downward. Thank you.

Neteyam looks at you with pure love in his eyes, twirling his finger as a signal for you to turn around again. You complied, keeping your legs crossed with each other before turning your body to face the river again.

He massages your shoulders for a moment, leaving tender kissing along your upper back. Neteyam reaches his arm around to your lap, grabbing the flower from your cluchted hands and grazing your thigh. You look down for a moment in bashfulness, smiling to yourself. He trailed up to your rigid braid, taking the flower and gently burrowing it in your hair. As you felt him insert the flower, butterflies form in your stomach, reaching up to your fluttering heart. "Done." He simply speaks.

You change your position to sitting on your knees, as does he. You face him once more, eyes shutting as he cups your cheek with his palm. It felt as if there was a dome of love protecting you. Nothing can hurt you while you're in his presence, you've always missed him, you've always yearned for this love. It was only up until now you'd saw it. He saw you, and you saw him.

A/N: I know this was rather short, but I didn't want to make it toooo long since I'm only introducing this. <3 There will definitely be a part 2, and more to come. I love you all sm, mwah!

part two here

tags: @sunghoonmyluv

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aonungsmate · 1 year

Text

A Promise Over All Else

Ao'nung x Reader [Word count: 5.8k]

All characters are aged-up to 18!! (okay not all, but-)

Warnings: Ao’nung being a jerk, mentions of death, bullying, smooching

“If we do not find someone worthy of being our mates, we’ll mate each other,” Ao’nung scoffed as you muttered a promise, seemingly frustrated by the idea of being one with you. An innocent declaration that none of the two of you expected to be rekindled in due time.

You have known the children of the Metkayina clan’s olo'eyktan and tsahik for as long as you can remember, being in close age with the two. The idea of being playmates struck your parents after seeing the two of you, along with Tsireya and Rotxo. The two of you were inseparable as young na’vi, having learned to breathe, swim, weave and heal collectively, and however intolerable the idea is to you right now, it has always been you and Ao’nung who get paired up with each other in various chores. As you grew up however, Ao’nung’s attitude towards your peers have also gone into a drastic change, as if he was above everyone, developing a penchant for sneering at every na’vi that approaches the two of you. You, on the other hand, thought of every na’vi you interact with as equals, being of no noble position as him. This very reason caused a rift between your companionship, forming your respective circles, frequent greetings turning into brief glances and side eyes, only communicating when training or when you are tasked with healing him. However, you understood the growing distance between the two of you, as you had different interests and responsibilities. The arrival of Jake Sully and his family was the one responsible for both rekindling and downfall of your relationship. An unwanted occurrence by most of the village percentile although your life would not be the same if it were not for them.

It was a bright day when the former olo’eyktan of the Omatikaya tribe had sought sanctuary in Awa’atlu. You and Tsireya were tasked with weaving nets when a ginormous silhouette of flying creatures flew over you, earning a worried glance from Tsireya. Your heart sped up at the thought of sky people discovering an obsession towards your village, you immediately clicked your tongue and called for your ilu, Or’ma. Cautious at the arrival of the ikrans, you dove with your ilu to approach the shores, noticing other villagers approach the forest na’vi, some hissing with threat. Peering from the waters, you spotted familiar faces, deciding to detach yourself from the ilu and see what the commotion is all about. A bunch of tsurak accompanied by warriors resurfaced from the waters, that flew above the people, signaling that the olo’eyktan had arrived to take care of the matters. Gulping at the building anxiety, you looked for immediate safety, finding Ao’nung’s wary stance, stalking behind the ikran, searching for any danger. Having a glance around you once more, you gave up finding your parents and ran towards Ao’nung, gripping his left arm for protection.

Landing on the sand, the new faces earned hisses from all around them, causing the tallest figure to raise his hands as if he was surrendering, followed by his family. You peeked a glance at the ikran, gasping in amazement at their strong wings, wincing in fright when you met a particular na’vi’s eyes, ducking your head behind Ao’nung’s larger frame, forcing him to shield you with the arm you were gripping, puffing his chest with a threatening gaze at the eldest son of Jake Sully. Rotxo snickered at the size of their tails, “It is too small, how are they supposed to swim?”, he laughed, earning a chuckle from Ao’nung and a swat on the hand from Tsireya. “Do not. Rotxo, Ao’nung” she scolded, her eyes widening as a warning. Your furrowed eyebrows did not help the smile of reassurance directed to your friend. A glare from one of the Omatikayan siblings made you more nervous, squeezing Ao’nung’s arm as your ears flattened down in panic.

As far as you know, you did not do anything to anger the female na’vi, so why was she rolling her eyes at you?

“Mawey, (y/n), mawey,” Ao’nung whispered, backing up when his father walked to the center of the crowd to address the problem at hand. You frowned at the words being exchanged, realizing how crucial it must be for their family to be let in, as they were in need of hiding from the sky people. Asking for uturu is no childsplay, considering that it is still the village leaders’ decision if they would be letting in those who asked for sanctuary.

Ronal went through them one by one, analyzing what use they could be of in the reef, having no physical trait to aid them in swimming. Hisses were let out when she raised one of the na’vi’s hands, having an extra finger to it, a sign that they have demon blood flowing in them.

“They are not even real na’vi!” she exclaimed, holding up the girl’s hands, one extra finger on display.

The girl whom you found glaring at you refuted, “Yes, we are!” You winced at the confused dread you sensed in her voice, finding it in yourself to sympathize with her. Being close to the chief’s children meant that you hang out with either or both of them often. You were witness to Ao’nung’s condescending demeanor, and have made aware of how painful his words are. Something that he must have inherited from his mother, Ronal.

Countless thoughts filled your mind, only subsiding when you heard Tonowari’s decision, “Toruk Makto, and his family will stay with us,” the faces of the forest na’vi lightened up, “Treat them as our brothers and sisters. They do not know the sea, so they will be like babies taking their first breath.” The mate of Jake Sully turned her gaze away, offended at the statement. “Teach them our way so they do not suffer the shame of being useless,” Tonowari emphasized, turning his attention again to Jake Sully, nodding at the family.

“Alright, what do we say?” He urged, thank you’s being muttered by the rest of his family.

“My son Ao’nung, our daughter Tsireya, will show your children what to do,” a grimace morphing in Ao’nung’s face, whilst the complete opposite reaction was written on Tsireya’s. She beamed at the family, and her brother sought an escape from unwanted duties.

“Father why–”

“It has been decided”

It has been decided.

It wasn’t too long until you had to interact with the new faces, having been invited by Tsireya to dive with them, along with Rotxo and of course, Ao’nung. You warily distanced yourself from the navy blue na’vi, sticking close to Ao’nung, since Tsireya was enthusiastic with her newly acquired duties. You waved at Tuktirey, or Tuk, as what she asked you to call her. You found her adorable, having no siblings of your own. You swam closely to the reef, glancing behind you to ensure that they were following you, when you saw them swim upwards, Rotxo looking at them with disbelief, and Ao’nung signing that they were bad divers.

‘Stop, they only need to learn,’ Tsireya signed, with you nodding in agreement, swimming upwards to follow the Sully children and encourage them to swim more. You were eager to show them the beauty of the reef, determined to get to know them better. Lo’ak stuck his face into the water, finding Tsireya’s smiling face, signaling them to swim together, as he responded with gibberish signs, having no idea how to respond. This coaxed a shy smile from you, continuing to swim upwards along with the other metkayina.

“You swim too fast! Wait for us,” Tuk whined, making you chuckle at her adorableness.

“You are not good divers, maybe swinging through trees but–” Ao’nung’s tasteless humor earned a smack on the head from his sister, fed up with unsolicited criticisms. “C’mon bro–” “We do not understand this finger talk you were doing,” Neteyam tried copying what you were doing, making Rotxo grin and Ao’nung laughed at their cluelessness.

“I will teach you,” Tsireya volunteered, and suddenly included you in her future responsibilities, “(y/n) and I will do. Ao’nung and Rotxo can help us with your breathing.”

“Wait, where’s Kiri?” Rotxo’s face twisted in worry, the whole group asking each other where she was, not noticing that the eldest daughter of the Sully’s had disconnected from the lot.

As soon as you realized where she was, you regrouped again and were told to follow Ao’nung towards the shore. He stood a meter away from the group, producing clicks and noises to call a group of ilu. Waist deep in the water, he glanced at each of you, “If you want to live here, you have to ride.”

His arms gestured at the ilu’s surrounding him, nodding at the siblings, encouraging them to approach the creatures and familiarize themselves. Your eyes gleamed at how commanding his voice was, as if the whole ocean was sitting on his palm, an attribute that seemed to be innate in the future olo’eyktan of your clan. One by one, they tried their hand at riding an ilu, Lo’ak’s attempt being the most memorable after being thrown off its back at his recklessness.

The training went on and on for weeks, with you assisting Kiri, who was surprisingly a natural when it came to the ilu, having found her underwater interacting with one, which amazed you so much she was shocked to see your beaming face at her after resurfacing with an ilu.

As the eclipse approached, so did the end of your daily meetings. The beautiful shades of auburn purple shone on the archipelagic glory of Awa’atlu, indicating the end of the day. Soon after dismissing the group, Tsireya bid you farewell, whispering that she wanted to have a few moments Lo’ak, making the two of you giggle at the thought of potentially finding someone she wants to spend her life with. Your simpering caught Ao’nung’s attention, raising his brow at what could possibly be funny that you and his sister are looking at the rest of the boys coyly. Supporting her idea after knowing that the Sully mean no harm and are actually just a family, you waved at her, tugging Ao’nung’s arm to the direction of the village knowing his tendencies to be protective over his sister.

“What were the two of you talking about?” he asked, adjusting your headpiece, seeing how disheveled your hair looked. You brushed off a sand on your arm, “Oh you know, there’s this boy,” you giggled, remembering Tsireya’s blushing face,” ‘Reya really likes the forest boy.” You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, “I’m very happy for her. Finding someone she likes and all…” A small whisper from your lips following, “How wonderful it would be if I too..”

You sighed dreamily, reminiscing about your encounters with peers, frowning at the lack of finding someone that stood out from all of your options, having no recollection of successful romantic encounters. Your sigh did not go unnoticed by your companion, receiving a questioning gaze from Ao’nung. He stopped walking and asked, “What, you want a mate all of the sudden?”

You breathed, the smell of the ocean embracing you, “I am simply pondering my options, Ao’nung. My rite of passage is not far, and it is of common knowledge that it is only a matter of time until all the commendable bachelors in our village become betrothed” he scoffed at this, his tail flicking in annoyance at the thought of you getting a mate.

“I do not want to grow old all alone. I would want a family for myself, you know that.” Approaching the direction of your marui, you smiled at him moving your hands to sign him farewell. As you were helping your mother prepare dinner, you couldn’t help but reminisce about the times when another guy your age would approach you with the most intricate shells in hand.

You have just turned 14 when a boy of your age approached you with a carefully woven bracelet. It was typical of you to spend the day with Tsireya, however due to her duties as the tsahik’s daughter, she has asked you to pair up with her brother for the day. Not minding the company, Ao’nung took you to a spot he and his friends frequented. You were humming a song to motivate you while searching for shells to give to your dearest friend when a familiar face started to walk towards you. Ao’nung squinted in curiosity when he noticed Keomä approach your spot. Keomä is usually assigned with fishing out nets before the eclipse, often swooned at by girls due to his dimpled grins. The village is not a vast place so the two of you have already been acquainted with each other.

‘What could be that bastard’s business?’ he thought, his carving halted in contemplation. Rotxo stared at him in suspicion when he suddenly stopped sharpening the bone. Meeting his friend’s gaze, he huffed and continued his task with a newfound aggressive vigor. Shrugging at his strange action, Rotxo went back to polishing his dagger.

Ao’nung was seething as soon as his eyes spotted the bracelet that was not-so-subtly held behind Keomä as an attempt to surprise you. His enraged mind was prompted to come up with unprecedented schemes to ruin the other metkayina’s chances with you. As soon as you lifted your head to meet Keomä’s smile with yours, he flouted as he finally decided on what to do.

“Keomä, have you just finished fetching dinner for the village?” you put down your collection, politely nodding at him. “Yes, it is another bountiful day,” he stiffly responded, making your head tilt as if to ask what was going on. Resolved to fulfill what his heart desired, he immediately spouted words of confession before his mouth betrayed him.

“You are the most beautiful person that I have ever laid my eyes on (y/n). Your melodic voice never fails to complete my day,” he started, making your cheeks flush in appreciation at his kind words. “I am to participate in my rites of passage in a few months. If you would..” “If your heart is to say yes,” he cleared his throat to continue, “With this crafted bracelet, I would like to ask you for permission to stake a claim on–”

Unfortunately for him, Ao’nung is not one to give openings for other metkayina. He had his heart spoken for since you were of young age, and he would not let you find a man other than him. He stood up from his sitting position with a smirk, prancing slowly towards the two of you.

“Ah, Keomä. Were you not reprimanded by Zoaiäl for your irresponsible decisions yesterday?” Ao’nung towered over the both of you, and to add salt to the wound, “The offense you have induced on yourself could lengthen the stretch before you are allowed to take part in the ceremony for adulthood, you are aware aren’t you?”

“T-that–”

“Frankly, I do not see the significance in asking her for her hand if you are only going to make her wait for your incompetent self,” his arms extended in a haughty stance, his tail jerking with a snap with threat, “Best to get going to aid your ineptness, Keomä.” His voice deepened to emphasize his point, making the poor boy shiver.

Just as your suitor stomped in anger, Ao’nung shook his head at Keomä’s pathetic attempt. Meanwhile, you were disappointed at the interrupted confession, making you glare at your companion. Ao’nung could only raise his hands with a satisfied smirk all written on his face. You went back to your prior activity with a sunken expression and ears down, making him contemplate if you liked Keomä enough to induce despondency from you.

You are not as skillful as Tsireya in healing, nor as good as Noìukä in hunting. Your modesty however, is of notable charm for most people in your village. This led to not two, but more than four suitors in a span of seven months just after the first efforts to capture your heart.

How wonderful! Not.

Ao’nung’s annoying interruptions continued on as more young metkayina tried their hand in asking you, finding it increasingly difficult to penetrate the barricades that your childhood friend had established. He was acting like a possessive mate at that point. That’s right, a mate–

That particular speculation immediately pulled you from the barrage of memories you were just recollecting. Your eyes widened at the thought of Ao’nung holding romantic affections for you. You have never considered him to be someone who would develop feelings for you.

Not that you know of.

Set on shrugging this particular idea off of your mind, you finished cleaning up with your mother and informed her that you were turning in for the night, making her meet your forehead with hers in good night, receiving another from your father with a promise from your parents that they will be joining you in bed later. You tucked yourself in your family’s mat with a strange feeling in your stomach, making it difficult to fall asleep. Instantly after a few minutes, you were off to sleep with a particular boy in your dreams.

Months have passed since the arrival of the Omatikaya na’vi and you have grown close with the siblings, which is quite the contrary in Ao’nung’s case, growing some kind of disdain for them, calling them names and sneering at them for their differences.

It has become unbearable, really.

As you grew close to the siblings, you have also gotten to know their mother, Neytiri, and the Toruk Makto, Jake Sully. You looked up to the both of them, having been told the stories of how they fought the sky people with victory. You often found yourself dining with them in their marui at some nights. The cherry on top however, was the friendship that you have found in Neteyam. He is someone that you look up to, treating him as a brother and him, treating you as one of his sisters. You have invited him and his siblings to one of your dinners, your mother and father appreciating their presence as they have finally had a chance to take a closer look at the infamous family.

“So, do you like it here so far Neteyam?” your hands untangled themselves from the net, gesturing for him to try continuing the work himself.

“It is different from the forest,” he reached out for the strands, “there is also difficulty in connecting with other na’vi, but the island is wonderful.”

You were assisting Neteyam with weaving a net when Kiri’s voice caught your attention. “Leave us alone!”, followed by a series of laughter. You frowned when you saw Ao’nung’s peers around her and Lo’ak. Hearing a hiss from Neteyam, you casted a worried glance at him when he stood up stomping towards his siblings. You pressed your lips together and stood up to follow him, your ears flicking in alarm when he shoved Ao’nung away, “You heard what she said. Leave them alone.” He huffed with his tail flicking with a rigid threat, “Smart choice, and from now on, I need you to respect my sister.”

You grimaced at Ao’nung’s lack of apology when he simply raised his hands in mock surrender, obviously not taking Neteyam’s words seriously; followed suit by his friend who hissed at Neteyam from being told off. Neteyam goaded his sister gently to the direction of the village marui with Lo’ak following, when Ao’nung voiced out another jibe.

“Buh-bye~” One of his friends waved goodbye with a singsong voice.

“They’re all freaks. The whole family,” he slyly whispered loudly, purposely making the siblings hear. You frowned when Lo’ak stopped walking, only to turn back and approach Ao’nung with anger clearly visible from his eyes.

“Lo’ak.”

“I got this bro,” Lo’ak responded to his older brother calling his name in warning. Facing Ao’nung, he raised his left hand, “I know this hand is funny. Look, I’m a freak, it’s alien” he waved his pinky, making the group snicker at the ‘weird’ display. “But it can do something really cool, watch.” He slowly started to close his hand to form a fist, ”First I ball it up real tight like this, ‘kay? Then,” his balled up first met Ao’nung’s cheek, catching him off guard to pause for a few seconds at what had just occurred.

“It’s called a punch, bitch. Never touch my sister again,” he raised a finger in threat, only to be greeted with hisses and a tackle. Your eyes met Neteyam and Kiri’s, only to gasp when Neteyam shook his head and joined in.

“Oh dear,” you hissed when two of them pulled on Lo’ak’s tail, Ao’nung being the main instigator of the action. “This is stupid!” Kiri facepalmed in embarrassment, only to chortle at the childishness of the boys, making you follow her example as you bit your lip to stop yourself from laughing out loud at how silly they all looked. It was not long before one of the villagers spotted the lot of you and helped stop the boys from worsening their injuries.

As soon as the fight is broken off, Neteyam and Lo’ak were dragged by their necks by Jake Sully himself, meanwhile Ao’nung successfully evaded his mother by calling an ilu together with his friends.

The eclipse had already begun when you went back to your home in order to assist your mother, spending time telling her of what had just occurred between your friends when an alarm resonated to gather the villagers. As soon as you were in the emergency gathering, you spotted Ao’nung being interrogated by his own parents and Jake Sully, along with a livid Neytiri, clutching Tuk’s hand.

“What’s going on, ‘Reya?” you inquired, spotting your friend behind her parents. Her eyes glistened with welled up tears, fear clearly written on her face. “It’s Lo’ak..” she started, repeating what Ao’nung confessed earlier.

You raised your hands to your mouth in shock, terrified at what you heard, “What do you mean Ao’nung left Lo’ak beyond the hunting grounds? No one but warriors are allowed there!” You swallowed at the thought of Lo’ak getting injured, or worse, losing his life in the middle of nowhere. You had witnessed Ao’nung’s tendency to play pranks countless times, but never did this particular idea strike your mind. You did not expect things to escalate this much.

Ao’nung met your gaze with his ears flattened down with regret and scrutiny at himself clearly on his face. You avoided his gaze in utter disappointment, exasperated at the endangerment of one of your friends. You thought he had done enough to make the family feel unwelcome, but this is going above and beyond the line. He had endangered the life of another na’vi. You could not bring yourself to meet his eyes without a scornful grimace on your face.

It was not long after until someone yelled that they had found Lo’ak, hugging Tsireya in relief, her tears streaming down her face. Lo’ak shook his head when he saw Ao’nung approaching him, getting blocked by his father’s distressed figure.

“Hey, let’s take a look at you,” Jake roamed his eyes on his son’s body, noticing a few scratches, proceeding to check on Lo’ak’s back to see if there were any notable injuries that needed immediate remedy. “He’s fine! It’s just a few scratches, he’s fine,” he finished examining, Neytiri coming into view with concern morphed into her face, turning into something akin to rage, “I pray for the strength that I will not pluck the eyeballs of my youngest son!” She hissed with a clawing gesture right at Lo’ak’s face, interjected by Tonowari. “No, my son knows better than to take him outside the reef.” He smacked a hand at Ao’nung’s nape, making him kneel before them, “the blame is his.”

“Okay, let’s go,” Jake shrugged off the statement, patting his son’s shoulder. “No, this is not Ao’nung’s fault,” Lo’ak intervened, obviously covering up for the olo’eyktan’s son. Ao’nung’s surprised expression made you shake your head at his foolishness, feeling bad for your friend for salvaging his bully’s honor. Lo’ak peered at him, back to Tonowari “Ao’nung actually tried to talk me out of it, really.” Tsireya only pursed her lips in shame for her brother’s poor decisions, urging her to walk away from the commotion. Soon enough, the rest of the villagers were dispersed, ending the day with you thanking Eywa that she has kept your friend safe, and with the thoughts of Ao’nung circling within your mind.

The next day, you were once again gathered in your usual spot to help the Sully siblings with their breathing. Although instead of training, the group had a newfound interest for talking, curious about Lo’ak’s frightening experience the prior day. You found out that Ao’nung has apologized to Lo’ak, regretful of his actions but also thankful that the boy covered up for his irrationality.

“The tulkun have not returned yet,” Ao’nung scoffed in disbelief, crouching down, “and anyway, no tulkun is ever alone”

“But this one was, he also had a– a missing fin! On the left side, like a stump” Lo’ak defended, pointing at his arm, a bit annoyed.

Your eyes met Rotxo’s in realization, “Lo’ak, did you just say the tulkun was missing a fin?” He nodded at you in hopes of finding more information about his friend, “You have met Payakan..” Tsireya gulped, afraid for him because of what the villagers know about Payakan.

“Payakan?”

Rotxo shook his head, fiddling with a shell, “A young bull who went rogue, he is an outcast. Alone, and he has a missing fin.” Tsireya held Lo’ak’s arm, “They say he is a killer.” Lo’ak frowned, “No, he saved my life–” “He killed na’vi, and other tulkun,” Ao’nung gritted his teeth, pointedly gesturing as if to emphasize his point. “Not here, but far to the south.” “Lo’ak, you are lucky to be alive,” Tsireya smiled as an attempt to ease his worries, but Lo’ak could only sigh, finding it ridiculous that none of his friends believed him.

“My baby brother, the mighty warrior who survived from Payakan!” Neteyam chuckled, patting his brother’s shoulders. “No, you guys aren’t listening,” “No I’m– I’m listening Lo’ak!” Tuk whined, reaching out for her brother.

You pressed your lips together, hugging yourself when Lo’ak stormed off. Blinking at his brother’s response, Neteyam went to sit beside you, offering a smile, “I guess he’s not so mighty to be this fed up in a span of minutes, huh?” You laughed, standing up to call it a day. “(y/n), you are not coming with us?” Tsireya asked, brushing off sand from her legs. “I think I am going to pass, I have not told my mother that we would be visiting,” you smiled apologetically, waving at the rest of the group. “I won’t be going as well,” Ao’nung said, standing up from his crouched position to walk towards you. He slung his arm around you, nodding at his sister, “Be back before the eclipse, Tsireya.” He shared a look with Rotxo, the latter snickering at his friend. “See you guys around,” you waved, starting to walk with Ao’nung.

You were talking to Ao’nung about his latest opinion on the Sully’s when a thought crossed your mind, something that you have been pondering since that night.

“Ao’nung, am I not desirable?”

Your question caught him off guard and stopped walking, “What?” Confusion. It was all written on his face. “I said, am I not desirable?” you repeated while facing him, slowly meeting his gaze with glossy eyes. You have been sought after before but when you turned 18, it was as if all of your redeemable qualities had disappeared. That you have become dull compared to the other girls your age. Keomä had bonded with Tifka. Rotxo is obviously pining for a certain girl. Tsireya and Lo’ak has something going on.

Ao’nung..

Ao’nung probably has someone in mind.

Your ears flattened down in shame, your insecurities resurfacing, doubts swallowing your heart as you searched for answers.

Were you not worthy of being loved?

Tears started to stream down when Ao’nung opened his mouth to answer. You were afraid that he might say something true that you cannot accept. You were afraid that he might ridicule you. You were afraid that you might be incapable of being loved. You were afraid that nobody would see you.

You were afraid that Ao’nung does not see you the way you see him.

Ao’nung let out an exasperated breath, reaching for your hands. “You are desirable.” He licked his bottom lip, “You are beautiful,” he breathed, “the most beautiful metkayina.” He tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, “You are good at healing, better than most in weaving.”

You laughed, sniffling at the sudden compliments. “You are not speaking the truth, Ao’nung. You do not have to say those to make me feel better,” you smiled, looking at the horizons instead of his eyes. You could hear the constant splashing of water against the sand, a sound that you have been accustomed with since you were little. The blues reflect the way of the ocean, colors that you have most seen in your whole life.

But you were not familiar with the way Ao’nung looked at you when you glanced back at his face. The look of yearning, as if he was pleading. Like there was a thing that he wanted to see.

That, he sees you.

Your heartbeat fastened at the thought. Of course not. He would not.

Interrupting you from more thinking, he spoke as if he was holding back “Do you have any idea why the others stopped trying to approach you?” You blinked at him, a few tears escaping from your eyes.

“I,” he inhaled sharply “I have told the others that I did not want them near you.” He brought his hand up to wipe at your tears, “I made it clear that they were not worthy of you,” your eyes clouded up again in realization.

“That I was the only one who can love you,” you gripped the arm that held your face, clutching it, afraid that you might slip away from this dream. “I do not want you to see others so I made it impossible for you to have other options than I.” Your lips quivered, “I see you, (y/n). You have owned my heart since we were children,” his face was slowly inching towards yours, “you make me feel tiny in this world,” he smiled like he was in pain, “you hold my whole being, like you would a shell in your collection.”

“You have so many people to choose from,” he closed his eyes, slowly closing the space between you, one centimeter at a time, “many shells to place in your song chord.” He opened his eyes once again when your foreheads met, “But, I want to be the one who will be in your life, recorded and embedded in your heart.”

His eyes themselves were becoming glossy, reflecting the hopeful expression on your face, slightly flushed but still just as beautiful as you were when he first met you. “I see you, (y/n). I see you like how the ilu sees the ocean,” you smiled, happy tears dropping at the mercy of his loving gaze, and finally your velvety voice reached his ears.

“I see you, Ma Ao’nung. I see you since the promise that I have spoken years ago,” without hesitation, your lips met, perfectly slotting together like puzzle pieces finally finding one another after years and years of searching. His plump lips smiling against yours, slowly but passionately finding its place on yours, so full of longing, and as you returned with fervor, his arm found itself wounding across your back, one of his hands gently caressing your jaw, tilting it to a newer angle, making you sigh as he made it clear how long he waited for you to know. For you to see him back.

Seconds felt like hours to the two of you, the background fading into nothingness when it was just the two of you, close together. Your lips parted to catch your breath, holding on to Ao’nung’s neck to balance your weakened knees. You smiled against Ao’nung’s lips, “So, all those years you were taking all of their chances for yourself?” He smirked, “A man cannot be too careful, they were simply not strong enough to go against me.”

“Or, you were simply not strong enough to handle it if I saw someone else,” you snorted at his deadpanning face. Your eyes widened in horror when you saw his face morph into something akin to a daring tsurak, his fangs visible from how wide his smile was, “You have five seconds.”

“5,” you tried to get out from his tight grasp, giggling when he started to nose at your neck,

“4,” he strengthened his grip, “not running away, pretty girl?”

You wheezed, feeling too ticklish when he moved his arms near your sensitive spots, “3,”

“2”

“Oh my Eywa, Ao’nung!” you squealed, failing to escape.

“1!”

“Ready or not, here I come!” he announced, making A’vire giggle nervously behind you. You smiled at his tiny hands gripping your tail, trying to hide his whole body from his father.

“Sa’nu, Aiwouì would not give me my tsurak back!” Ämepxìr cried, tugging at you as you bounced Aytretem in your arms making him giggle.

“Aiwouì, give your sister her toy back, or I will snap your spear in half.” You glared at your 4-year old son.

“Ma yawne, stop glaring at our son or he might just melt into a puddle,” Ao’nung pressed a kiss on your forehead, patting his son on the head, tearing up after being scolded.

“Remind me again, why did I go for you? Look at these little Ao’nungs! None of them look like me,” you whined, repeatedly glancing over your children to double check if they at least had an ounce of you.

He grinned, letting out a boisterous laugh when you let out a long sigh, “Maybe it is because I am stronger than you, (y/n).”

“Stronger?” you scoffed, “I see how it is. I hope you are strong enough to withstand the cold nights Ao’nung,” his eyes almost popped out of his skull in realization.

“No, ma– Yawntu, you know I was just–”

“I hope you have fun being strong by yourself outside my mat, Ao’nung.”

Yawne, Yawntu – Beloved

Sa'nu - Mom, mother

3K notes · View notes

fluorynn · 3 months

Text

What if…

Neteyam survived the bullet he received, yet it was Jake who lost his life in the conflict between Quaritch and the Sullys?

What if…

Neteyam gains a much more powerful and overprotective instinct to protect his family. Much more controlling, much more on the look out, much more like how Jake was with him.

“A father protects his own,” was what Jake, his father, the former leader of their fortress, always used to say. And it is set in the eldest son’s mind now to be the protector, to be the best example for his siblings. To help his mother guide them, to carry the duties of not only the eldest son but as a warrior, as son of Toruk Makto, and as now gaining a spot amongst the Metkayina as one of the best young warriors they’ve seen.

What if…

Metkayina’s Olo’eyktan, Tonowari, had a mate far before the current Tsahik, Ronal? That Tonowari once fell in love with another Metkayina female, Le’anu? Le’anu, who was not necessarily experienced in medicine or healing, not right for the role as Tsahik and yet he loved her anyway?

What if…

The eldest was not Ao’nung, but a girl, daughter of Le’anu? The little girl named Y/N, the future of the Metkayina clan. The little girl who was supposed to grow up with the immense love of both her parents, and bound to make them both proud.

What if…

The RDA conflict shown in ATWOW and brought to Awa’atlu isn’t the first Sky People conflict they’ve been involved in yet no other clan knew of it?

What if…

Because of this first conflict, Tonowari and 4 year Y/N end up losing the most important woman in their life, Le’anu in battle? Losing many good warriors and families in his clan because of these Sky demons and in return they lost as much, and keeps this conflict in secret for he made an agreement with the Sky demons, with one in particular who understood their language, a female; to not ever cross paths within their waters again, or this will repeat itself much more violently.

What if…

With a heavy, most devastating heart — one that had never experienced grief before — Tonowari re-mated just for little Y/N to grow up with the grown necessity of a mother’s love? She was little when it occurred, she needed a mother figure in her life because he clearly could not provide that, and he needed a life partner to help him take care of his daughter, to help him provide and bring hope to his clan.

What if…

This leads him to choose the next best healer, and most intriguing Metkayina female, Ronal? She was a good choice; she was a friend to Y/N’s mother, she was good to him, and most wonderful with Y/N as well. Firm but patient, attentive and caring. Yes. She would be good mate, good Tsahik, and most importantly, a good mother.

What if…

He does wound up falling in love with Ronal; the respectful and caring friendship becoming one of a very strong love, understanding, and admiration, and communication. And this love leads them into having their firstborn son, Ao’nung, and while Y/N is daughter to Ronal by heart, she has her first daughter by blood, little Tsireya.

What if…

Because Y/N’s mother was not Tsahik, she did not receive any training to become future one, and instead it was Tsireya who was chosen to become Tsahik both because her mother was one and because she was chosen by Eywa. Though Y/N did have experience, she learned from Ronal, she studied, but because she wanted her little sister to become this clan’s better future, she chose to guide her behind closed doors along with Ronal.

What if…

Tonowari grows fearful when Jakesully brings his family to Awa’atlu, seeking sanctuary from the Sky People’s war. While he was hesitant, he was not a cruel person. But Ronal, she showed her fear, showed her anger. She did not want her mate to suffer the pain he once did in losing Le’anu, she did not want neither of her children, including the one brewing in her womb, to suffer the way her eldest, her Y/N, did when losing her birth mother.

What if…

Because Neteyam is the oldest and was to be future Olo’eyktan back in the forest and held a promising future, the Metkayina’s Tsahik, Ronal has had a vision that he was to be promised to one of their People, and they assumed that he was to be mated to their youngest daughter, their future Tsahik, Tsireya.

What if…

This is why she chooses to provide sanctuary for this family — for the will of Eywa.

What if…

When this revelation comes to the surface the moment Neteyam hits the age of 18, Neytiri is willing for this to happen — to not disappoint their Great Mother, to let her son have this promising future he should have had back in the Forest, for him to ease his dense demeanor and find a happiness for himself?

What if…

Y/N was against this union, because she wants best for her sister, and she has seen the way Neteyam is towards other Metkayina women, the way he believes to only please the will of Eywa and nothing, not even love? And Neteyam is driven to try and court Tsireya to keep his high status, trying hard not to see the way his little brother may feel something for the Reef girl — because this is how Eywa wishes for it to be?

What if…

Y/N and Neteyam both find a way to torment one another within this union, irritating each other constantly, and yet it is clear to see that they clearly have a thing or more for one another?

————————————————

An idea is building up….

Neteyam x Eldest!Metkayina!Daughter!Reader

Friends to enemies to lovers maybe?

The concept to flesh out Neteyam into the eldest son who thinks he needs to constantly please everyone around him while he doesn’t exactly worry of himself being deserving of being pleased — and HEAR ME OUT, Jake, in my train of thought, may have to be deceased in this possible fic series—

And reader who sorta surrounds the idea of being undeserving of love if that makes sense? Of course, there’s still ideas to be thought out, more details, more world building but —

If this turns out well, if I continue debating and building it up….who would like to be tagged?

#avatar the way of water #jake sully #avatar james cameron #neytiri avatar #avatar jake #neteyam x reader #neteyam avatar #neteyam sully #what if…avatar #neteyam te suli tsyeyk'itan #lo’ak sully #lo’ak avatar #kiri avatar #Kiri sully #tuktirey #tuk sully #metkayina!reader #metkayina #atwow

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sivyera · 3 months

Text

PILLOWTALK

avatar 2 neytiri te tskaha mo'at'ite x fem!metkayina!reader

༺☆༻

Neytiri could feel the warm sand beneath her feet as she walked along the beach. She watched the sun rise over the sea and since it was early in the morning, not many na'vi were awake.

Her ear twitched when she heard some movements in the sea. She quickly turned her head to check if there isn't any "danger" in the water, like some sea animal that the metkayina people had.

But instead of some sea animal she saw you. Eldest daughter of Tonowari and Ronal, young, metkayina girl that was swimming in the water on her ilu. You had few small shells braided in your hair with few thin dreadlocks, the rest of your hair flew freely. But your hair wasn't the first thing that caught her attention, it was your eyes.

Your ocean blue eyes. All the ocean na'vi had blue eyes but yours were different. There was something about them.

"Neytiri." You said while you did the 'i see you' gesture as a greeting. You knew who she was, because you were there when she and others arrived. She caught your eye since she was the only one who didn't want to learn yours clan ways.

She didn't want to be in the sea nor try to learn how to ride an ilu nor diving, nothing. That was the reason why she captured your interest.

"y/n." She said as she did the 'i see you' gesture back. You thought you should be the one teaching her your ways, I mean Tonowari is teaching Jake, Tsireya and Ao'nung are teaching the kids and Ronal is pregnant so she has a lot other responsibilities...

So she's kinda left to you, you thought. You smiled and started talking again. "What are you doing here?" You asked calmly with a small smile on your face as you swam around on the water surface.

Neytiri looked around before answering you. "No practical reason." She answered to you. To be honest she wasn't really sure why she went here. Something told her to come here and just walk around. Some feeling told her.

"Why do I never see you in the water?" You asked another question as you got off of your ilu and stood in the water that reached your waist.

"I have no need to go in the water." Neytiri answered to your question with stoic face. She looked at your ilu for a moment before returning her gaze back at you.

"But you will spend some time here? It's easier to learn our ways then use yours..." You said calmly as you tilted your head at her. Your ilu snuggled into your leg under the water so you stroke it's head while looking at her.

Neytiri narrowed her eyes but after few second went back to her stoic face. "That's right but like I said I have no need to be in the water." She said and her eyes never left yours.

You smirked, rolled your eyes and went out of water to her. After few second you gently took her hand and went back to the sea with her right behind you. Neytiri's legs betrayed her and started walking after you without her even noticing.

There was something fascinating about you, something that made it impossible to look away from you. And there was also the same feeling from the early morning. The one that told her to go here at the first place.

Your ilu swam around the two of you as you walked more deep in the water, that now was touching your cleavage and Neytiri's chest, because of the height difference between you and Neytiri.

"I have something to show you." You said calmly as you sat on your ilu offering her your hand once again. Neytiri hesitated from the start but gave in and sat behind you on your ilu.

She placed her hands on your waist and hold tight. It was like she was claiming you, the grip was somehow intimate but you wasn't paying attention to it. Instead you was focused on the whole ride.

As you two ride around your mother, Ronal, saw you. She saw Neytiri who was sitting right behind you, she smirked for herself a bit. Even tho many would say that she is crazy, she was your mother and a tsahik... she knew something that you and Neytiri, anyone except her, would even think of.

༺☆༻

You took Neytiri to one of the farthest caves. To a special one, that no one new of, only you.

Neytiri gasped for air as you went on the surface one more time. As she was catching her breath, she looked around on the most beautiful cave she ever saw.

Back in the forest there were many beautiful caves but this one was another type of beauty. "Come on." You said as you got off your ilu and went to the surface.

Neytiri was right behind you as you said that. As you reached the sand, you sat down and let out a heavy sigh. You loved it here, it was so peaceful in here. Neytiri sat down next to you while she was looking at you... well almost staring at you.

She didn't mean to but her curiosity remained the same that she had when she was younger. She looked at your skin that was much lighter then her own, like turquoise. Your eyes ocean blue while hers were yellow. Your hair were different from hers, your top, accessories, everything.

"Why did you take me here?" She spoke after a while. She was still looking at you with her hands resting on the sand. You turned your head at her and smiled.

"Well this place always brings me into a good mood um- otherwise I don't know why." You said as you shrugged your shoulders.

To be honest you just wanted to spend some time with her, you couldn't place your finger on it.

You looked into her eye before smiling at her, and she returned the favour. She wasn't sure why she feels so safe around you, it was like she already trusts you with her life, but that was impossible, both of you thought.

"It is very peaceful in here, thank you." She said with a small smile. Neytiri didn't know what came into her but she wrapped her arms around your waist and brought you closer to her.

You quickly turned your head to look at her and she, without care in the world just look in front of her on the sea without moving a muscle or her hand from your waist.

Neytiri wasn't sure why was she feeling so safe and calm. Why did she even put her arm on your waist on the first place, but it felt so natural, so right for her, she couldn't help herself. Also you were like 10 years younger then her.

As you saw Neytiri's calm face, you relaxed and let your head fall on her shoulder. This was kind of intimate position, so it was forbidden for you two to even do... but there was still no kissing, that was good, right?

But no one was around, no one could see you, no one could hear you, it was only you and her at this moment. You could do whatever you wanted and Neytiri wanted to enjoy every second of this.

She was confused and her head was filled with running thoughts but they were somehow quiet. She was calm, she felt safe and like a cherry on top this felt natural to her.

It felt like she spend her whole life with you, like you two were meant to be. It never felt like this with Jake.. only with you.

a/n: hey! i think like something is missing here, like the spark yk. so i probably will write part 2 so it will make more sense? let me know what you think.

#sivyera's masterlist #sivyera #sivyera masterlist #sivyera's writing #avatar 2 #avatar 2 neytiri #avatar twow #avatar x reader #avatar 2 x reader #avatar twow x reader #neytiri x reader #avatar neytiri x reader #avatar 2 x neytiri #avatar twow neytiri x reader #avatar neytiri x metkayina reader #avatar 2 neytiri x metkayina reader #avatar neytiri x fem reader #avatar 2 neytiri x fem reader

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angelteyam · 1 year

Text

Water Girl (n.s.)

(gif not mine)

Pairing: Neteyam Sully x Metkayina!Reader

Word Count: 10,612

Summary: You were...“different”. You had always been different. Yet something shifts when the Sully family arrives, literally crash landing into your village. No one had ever noticed you, and yet, for whatever reason, the eldest Sully boy suddenly can’t seem to get you out of his mind.

Warnings: major character deaded, floof, angst, moar floof, some kissy and touchy (nothin weird)

A/N: this is….a beast. also do not judge me for briefly mentioning neteyam’s unalivement, I literally do not have it in me to actually write it out.

- -

“Hush, payíva. Listen to the ocean.”

Payíva. Drop of water.

The first of many names your mother gave you. Granted, she had many names of her own that you’d bestowed upon her too when you learned to speak: mama, sa’nu, mom, mommy. It seemed only natural for her to give you a few of your own, but a couple stuck out as your favorites.

Payíva, for when you were young, and inconsolable from having skipped a sleep, and refusing to nurse due to the pain of your budding canines piercing through gum.

Stubborn. As always.

Kxali was overtired too, and having failed every attempt she knew to mother you, and Ronal’s treatments falling on deaf ears, your mother wrapped you tightly against her bosom using one of your father’s shawls, and walked with you along the shoreline.

Eywa, you were your father’s child.

Elpawe was with Tonowari on a warrior’s hunt past the reef. The trip was supposed to last a week, but by day three, you had dissolved from your father’s absence. And though neither you nor your mother knew this, Elpawe felt the distance between you was as wide as the chasm of Eywa’s great ocean.

You were too young to understand that your father, Tonowari’s right hand, would always come back. He had to come back - not just for his mate, but for you. From the day you were born you had him wrapped around your tiny fingers, and as much as your mother’s presence could comfort you, his aura was your salve.

So Kxali did what she could as a final plea, and used a leather belt to secure a warm, deep blue shawl around her hips, before tying it around her shoulders and tucking you into the fabric. Even she could scent your father in the fabric’s weave, and as she tucked you in against her chest, your knees and arms against her as if still in the womb, your howling cries that had lasted for days on end slowed to a dull whimper.

This whimper continued still, as Kxali scaled a small boulder at the water’s edge to rest with you, her toes dipping into the waves that swirled and tangled around the rock as they made their way to the sandy beach nearby. She settled back against the rock, one hand beneath you for support, and the other came to rest against your head in soothing, graceful strokes.

Another dull whimper from your small, plump lips.

“Hush, payíva. Listen to the ocean.”

Kxali let herself breathe as if she was beneath the water. Belly full of air, and heart beating in a rhythm that matched the waves lapping against the shore. A large wave crashed against the rock beneath you, and you whimpered again.

“Hush, my droplet. The waves are talking to you. The water is with you, just like mama.”

Another wave lapped against the rock, and as if it had heard your mother, it rolled against the shore in a smooth, slow motion, whisking away and leaving a smattering of beautiful shells behind.

Hush, small one.

The ocean seemed to speak, and as another wave came passing by, a few droplets of salty water landed against your forehead and trickled down to rest on the perfectly round tip of your nose.

And just like that, the wrinkles in your forehead disappeared, the tension melted from your eyelids, and your lips parted. A barely audible sigh escaped you, and your mother smiled above you as you began to softly snore.

Your father’s child, indeed.

As you grew older, the names your mother used for you did too. Most of the time you and your father shared the same one.

Skxawng.

Although reserved for you when you were behaving particularly like him - meaning, particularly stubborn - for your father, this meant he had missed something important.

Sometimes he had missed your orbits for hunting trips. This you could understand, for when Tonowari called, your father answered. He had to answer. Your mother wasn’t always so understanding, but these happenings could be forgiven for duty.

Most of the time however, and as most Na’vi males do, your father would blow right past something even though it was staring him right between the eyes. He couldn’t see a tulkun even if it smacked him across the face with a fin some days.

A forgotten chore, or a broken spear. Or, as was usually the case, returning from a tussle with another group of males, laughing and bantering as though it had never happened, and completely covered in scrapes and bruises.

Kxali would patch him up, of course, but if there was one thing your little mind knew, it was that you did not like to see your father hurt. Even the smallest scrape on his cheek would send you into a fit, and you’d worm your way into your mother’s grasp, dipping your hands into the healing sap so you could help your sempu feel better.

Through eyes full of tears, you’d rub your tiny fingers on the offending mark on your father’s skin - not fully grasping that rubbing the sap in harder would not in fact make the injury disappear. Elpawe would smile down at you, even through gritted teeth, and once done, you’d pull away to assess your work.

“Ma sempu all better?” You’d squeak, and he’d smile.

“All better, little one.” He’d sigh, and he’d pull you in tightly to his chest, grinning at your mother behind you.

And every time, Kxali would lightly smack him on the head.

“You skxawng. You know how she gets.”

And as you grew older still, your mother and father took to calling you the same thing.

Paysmung. Water carrier.

You may have been Metkayina, but something about your natural abilities in the water and with the ocean’s many creatures had even Ronal scratching her head. Your mother barely had to teach you a basic breath hold before you were swimming off like a fish, running your hands along an ilu’s belly as you swam beneath her.

You were the one who gave Tsireya her first breathing lessons. You were the one who discovered which shells looked the prettiest in bracelets, and which looked the best against the pitch black of hair. You were the one who started testing your breathing ability by fetching shells from the ocean floor.

Nothing entirely marvelous, true enough, but when you emerged from the ocean with piles of massive shells in your arms that no one had seen before, the waves clinging to your ankles as if they didn’t want to say goodbye, and no ilu in sight for that matter, you had the entire clan stumped.

Gradually, though, as you approached your rite with no desire to take after your father’s path of warrior or your mother’s path as healer, and as you continued to spend your days beneath the ocean’s blanket of safety with no interest in a mate, the clan and all her people started to forget about you.

Not Mama and Papa, of course. But neither of them particularly wanted you to follow in their footsteps. You were different. Softer, and quieter as you had grown with age. Sometimes you could fade into the water as if you were made of the ocean itself. And when you emerged, leaving behind small tokens for your parents that now covered every surface of your marui from floor to ceiling, hung across nets and dangling from ropes that made them twinkle like stars, well…neither of your parents was intent on discouraging you.

Elpawe held sway, too. Some sort of power in convincing Tonowari to let you be. You did not have the warrior’s spirit, or the spirit of a healer like your mother. And one thing your father was very certain of was that he did not want his little payíva to be forced into choosing a fate you would not readily choose on your own.

He even managed to convince Tonowari that you weren’t entirely useless. He did teach you how to fight, so you could defend yourself if you ever truly needed to. And your mother taught you to heal basic scrapes and mend small cuts, and to tend to the elderly and the sick. Where Ronal went, your mother followed, and you followed behind when you were needed. And when Tonowari watched you emerge from the water with a net full of fish you’d guided in as if you were their commander - well, that was a done deal.

And thus, you were left alone.

Left alone as your mother and father grew in their duties. Left alone with no siblings to keep you company, and with the village’s children skeptical of you from the beginning, you had no friends besides those who lived beneath the ocean. Left alone to bond with your own spirit sibling, your very own tulkun, who would take you swimming father and deeper into the blue water than you’d ever gone before.

Left alone with no mate, and no prospects who interested you, either.

Invisible.

That is, until the Sully family arrived.

You were on the outskirts of the village, hopping along a ring of rocks that stuck out from the ocean during low tide, when a group of five ikran flew overhead, circling a sandbar at the village’s edge. They landed in a flurry of sand, hands raised and unarmed.

And far too blue.

The clan emerged in droves from their marui, and rode in from the waves at every angle on ilu and skimwings in a rainbow of colors, gathering around the new arrivals like a school of fish. You watched Tonowari and your father approach from the water, dismounting their skimwings and moving towards the strangers. Your mother and Ronal came from the back of the village, winding their way through the crowd.

You sighed, having a feeling you’d probably be needed, and leapt into the ocean, allowing a swell to carry you towards the shore. You popped up next to Tsireya as she broke the water’s surface on her ilu, allowing yourself to catch your breath.

“What’s going on?” You wondered.

Tsireya shrugged and rolled into the water, strolling up through the shallows to meet Ao’nung and Roxto.

You watched as she and the smaller of the two sons met eyes, and as she tilted her head down to giggle.

Gross.

Of course Tsireya would immediately peak the newcomer’s interest. Why shouldn’t she? You may have been obtuse at the best of times, but you weren’t blind. Tsireya was one of the more beautiful girls in the village, and from the way the younger Sully looked at her, he wasn’t blind either.

You rolled your eyes and plopped down to your knees, wiggling them into the wet sand of the shallow water. The water reached your chest, allowing you to tilt your head and watch Jake Sully’s plea for uturu. As Tonowari looked to your father and mother standing behind him. As his eyes met Ronal’s, and they shared a knowing glance, communicating in a way only mates could without words, before granting Jake Sully’s request.

You could see your mother’s eyes scanning the crowd and the water below, before they found you with a knowing smile.

You smiled in return, and tilted your head in a silent gesture. You were going back out into the water. Your mother nodded, and signed to you.

Go. Be back before eclipse.

You nodded and pushed from the sand, legs extended as you floated onto your back, allowing your belly to fill with air before rolling over and diving below the surface, angling back to the spot from whence you came.

What you hadn’t noticed was the older Sully boy watching you the entire time.

After he’d shoved Lo’ak gently with his shoulder when the younger boy couldn’t peel his gaze from Tsireya’s, Neteyam’s eyes had scanned the crowd. Half to survey the surroundings and half out of an inherent protectiveness, while the rest of the clan had come to the shore, you had remained in the water, staring at his father with nothing more than blinking curiosity.

He could barely see you in between the throng of people. But something in the tilt of your head, in the doe-eyed innocence of your gaze, and the way the ocean clung to you like a second skin had him very, very curious.

When you pushed from the shore and floated on your back, rolling over and swimming away as if you were a fish instead of Na’vi, he had to chuckle.

You hadn’t even noticed him noticing you. After all, no one except your parents up to this point had out of anything other than animosity, or because you were “different”, and not in a good way. While some - Tonowari and Tsireya, like your father - were accepting of those different from them, much of the clan felt the opposite. And as a result, the clan preferred not to notice you.

But you noticed them.

You noticed everything. The glow of a new mother’s skin. A breaking fever. A warrior’s wound when it wouldn’t heal. Things you could appreciate in silence, small things more often than not. Secrets you could share with the water.

You preferred the ocean as your friend anyway.

But this - these new arrivals, this was a big thing. Several 9-foot tall things. And at first, Jake Sully, or rather Toruk Makto, commanded all of your attention. He mystified you. A walking legend. You knew his story, but seeing him in person was a whole different experience.

He may have been a legendary war hero, but he and his family knew nothing about the way of water. More than that, the oldest of his children looked to be about your age.

They were worth watching.

So when you watched their first diving lesson from afar, lounging on a large ocean rock, and when their first breathing lesson went less than spectacular, you too had to press the back of your hand to your lips to keep from laughing.

You may have been a skxawng, but these children reached a whole new level.

One of them - the girl, Kiri, seemed a lot like you.

She explored the same spots you did, ran her fingertips along the bellies of the rays just like you did, and plucked shells from the ocean floor as if she’d been doing it all her life.

So one afternoon, as you watched her scan the ocean floor, you unearthed an iridescent purple shell from the sand and swam over to her, pressing it to her palm with a smile. She smiled in return, and you nodded, swimming away.

From that moment on, Kiri was a kindred spirit.

You were never far apart, though you tended to drift away when a particularly colorful fish caught your eye. Call it a short attention span. But usually, you never swam too far, keeping her within your eye line.

You had enough shells as it was already. So if you found any more, you’d gather them for her, leaving her little piles on the beach as she sat in the shallows. Back and forth, almost like a game, if only so you could discover what her favorite color was. You were never gone more than a few minutes before you’d return to her side and lay in the sand together, letting the sun soak into your skin and warm the chill of the water.

You didn’t even really need to speak. Kiri understood your facial expressions more than words, particularly in the way you’d roll your eyes, so you’d just sit in comfortable silence together, building small structures out of sand and decorating them with the shells you found. Sometimes, little Tuk would join you, staying strictly to the shallower waters or the beach, allowing you to bring her tokens of appreciation as well. Tuk wasn’t picky - she didn’t have a favorite color. She liked everything you brought her, big and small.

It was a strange sort of comfort, having friends who didn’t even really need you to speak. You could just exist, even in silence, and it wasn’t uncomfortable. While the ocean may have been your friend thus far, it was nice to have friends of your own species.

And the more time you spent with Kiri and little Tuk, the more Neteyam noticed you.

The more he noticed the ease with which you hopped from boulder to boulder before diving into the water. The more he noticed the little treasures you’d find for Kiri and Tuk displayed in his family’s mauri. He started to wonder where they were coming from, and how they’d found so many. And then he started to notice that wherever Kiri was, you were usually within diving range. He started to notice the piles of treasures you’d leave her and Tuk, either on the shore or on the edge of their marui. Now, they grew to necklaces and bracelets, woven from their favorite treasures you’d found. A new braid that seemed to pop against their dark hair, a vibrant, colorful shell at its end.

You were never far away from his sisters, and as he was never very far away from them either, Neteyam became the very first to take notice of you.

To be fair, no female had peaked his interest yet either. He was far too busy staying attached at the hip to his baby brother until now. With Tsireya taking Lo’ak under her wing, Neteyam had the free time he’d never had before to take in the ocean around him.

And where there was ocean, you were usually swimming within its waters.

This time was valuable to Neteyam, and usually short lived. Stolen moments like the movement of the waves, there one minute and gone the next. Of course, as the eldest sibling, he still had to keep a reasonable eye on his younger brother and sisters. But with Jake learning the Metkayina’s ways with Tonowari and your father, Lo’ak under regular supervision by someone other than himself, and Kiri and Tuk always within the reef’s circle when they weren’t with Neytiri, Neteyam had the chance to take a breath.

In the same way Tsireya had caught Lo’ak’s eyes, you had captured Neteyam’s attention.

He started to learn your ways more than the Metkayina ways he was meant to be studying. He learned the boulders you favored when they appeared during low tide, and those you favored during eclipse. He learned your favorite paths to swim, and which you hadn’t explored yet.

And boy, it made him laugh when he’d trail you to one of said favorite spots, only for you to dive into the water without even blinking, not realizing he’d been following you.

Selective hearing, maybe, or pure tunnel vision, you usually only noticed the things you were interested in, or the things that were directly in your eyesight. Neteyam was worth noticing, of course, you just hadn’t laid eyes on him yet up close, and you hadn’t yet realized the irony of the one person you were destined for being the one thing you had failed to notice.

Like two moons passing. Two arrows firing towards the same target. Now, Neteyam was just holding his breath, waiting for the two of you to collide.

If you would ever open your skxawng eyes and notice him, for Eywa’s sake.

It took you a solid week to finally realize he existed. And the only way he managed to accomplish this was waiting for you to take your spot on a boulder during a particularly sunny afternoon. He dove in from the shoreline, scanning the ocean floor for something he knew would peak your interest, and found a smooth, polished sea stone that glistened like crystal. If it wasn’t for you, he would’ve kept it.

He’d grabbed it from the sand, and rubbed it clean with a few swipes of his fingers. It was the size of his palm and oval shaped, with no imperfections. When he turned it in his hand, it seemed to sparkle, reflecting the colors of the ocean and the whiteness of the sand. When he passed it by his face, he could see the yellow of his eyes reflected on its surface. Special, and perfect, and new, it was strange the way the stone reminded him of you.

He was positive you hadn’t found something like this yet.

He pushed from the floor with his feet, aiming straight for the boulder he could see you sitting on, your feet dipped in the water beneath you. Slowly, he eased to the surface and emerged from the water.

Your eyes flicked to him, narrowing when you noticed who it was. A low hiss left your lips, but Neteyam just…smiled.

You cocked your head, eyes still narrowed, skeptical of the stranger as he swam towards you. As he approached, he raised his hands, one still closed around something.

“What is that?” You gestured. “In your hand.”

Neteyam eased up towards the boulder and grabbed your wrist, extending your palm towards him, and placed the smooth stone within your grasp.

“For you,” he breathed. Still smiling.

You stared at the stone in your hands, flipping it between your palms and holding it up towards the afternoon light, allowing it to glint in your eyes. Neteyam just grinned, watching your increasing awe in what he’d found.

When you finally met his gaze, and he was still beaming up at you with a toothy grin like you’d never seen before, you couldn’t help but blush and gaze back at the stone in your hands.

“Thank you,” you murmured.

Neteyam nodded, pushing off from the rock. He still wore that same bright smile.

As he floated back towards the shore where Kiri and Tuk were playing in the sand, he touched his forehead and released his palm towards you in a silent gesture.

I see you.

You could feel the heat spread across your cheeks. Turning your attention back towards the stone in your hands, you tried your hardest to keep your gaze from flicking back and forth towards Neteyam as he swam for his sisters on the shore.

Tried, and failed.

The way his deep blue skin seemed to ripple through the ocean water, instead of blending in like yours. The swing of his arms, and the dance of his braids as they floated behind him.

You could still feel the cool, smooth surface of the beautiful new treasure he’d brought you as it lay in your palms. And yet, your eyes stayed glued to him as he emerged from the water, stumbling a bit in the sand when he tried to shake the water from his braids. You chuckled, rolling your eyes.

Definitely a skxawng.

Later that evening, you placed Neteyam’s rock on a shelf in your marui, right in the middle of all of your favorite treasures. Tilting your head, you studied its presence among the rest of your collection, noting the way it reflected the colors of all the shells nearby, brightening their shades and making its own rainbow on the floor of the marui below you, taking the best pieces of each and turning it into something new and brighter. In all the time you’d picked pieces from the sandy ocean floor, you hadn’t found anything quite like this.

Neteyam had definitely gotten your attention.

The next day, you returned to the same boulder, sitting in silence as Kiri wandered the shore behind you. The rock was warm beneath you, and as you lay flat against its surface to bask in the sun, you heard a light splashing that was distinctly un-wave-like coming from your right.

“I know you’re there,” you sighed.

A chuckle came from the same direction as the splashing, and you felt a presence ease up from the water and climb across the boulder to lay next to you.

“How’s it going, water girl?”

Water girl.

And thus, your most recent nickname. You had to chuckle a little; only a skxawng like Neteyam would come up with a name like “water girl”. But alas, it did have a certain ring to it, and of the many names you’d had over the years, something in the way he said it made your insides flutter in a strange way you’d never known before.

It wasn’t paysmung, that was for sure. But it would do.

“Never better, tree boy.”

Another chuckle.

“Tree boy?”

You finally turned your head and opened your eyes to find him as close as he could possibly get without actually touching. His wide, yellow eyes were mere inches from your own, beads of ocean water still clinging to the tips of his eyelashes, and glistening from his forehead.

You couldn’t find it in your heart to try and lie to yourself - he was kind of pretty.

You smiled. “Water girl, tree boy. It fits.”

Neteyam smiled, and up close his smile was even brighter. It was effervescent, glowing like the rock he’d brought you the day before, and you couldn’t help but grin in response.

“Fair enough,” he shrugged, closing his eyes and turning his face towards the sun overhead, letting the warmth of the midday dry his skin.

And just like that, a peaceful silence settled in the air.

It wasn’t uncomfortable by any means, but as you watched the rise and fall of his chest, and the glisten of his cheeks as the light hit their peak, you swore a school of fish was swimming through your stomach. One of his hands rested gently against his stomach, lifting and sinking as he took slow, deep breaths. If you didn’t know any better, you could have sworn he was asleep.

His eyes fluttered open, and you snapped your eyes shut, feigning that they’d been that way the entire time, and that you hadn’t been staring at him as if committing his features to memory. You heard him chuckle softly, and when your eyes opened, he too was scanning your features.

As you watched his eyes flick from the top of your head to the pinnacle of your chest, where your neck dipped and curved into a hollow at its base, you felt your pulse quicken and a small ball of tension seemed to roll through the air around you. The school of fish in your stomach turned into a full swarm, dancing and spinning and tickling your insides.

No one - quite literally no one - had ever made you feel this strange sort of tension just from existing.

But in the same way you found him kind of pretty, he too was entirely raptured by your beauty. In the way the darker skin around your shoulders and hairline turned soft and creamy towards the center of your face. In the fullness of your lips, and the way they parted softly as he gazed at you. In the way the color of your eyes matched the blue of the ocean like no one else he’d seen, as if you were part of the water itself.

He turned toward you, resting himself on an elbow, eyes still scanning for any hesitation from you. But you were frozen, still as the rock beneath you, as he brought a hand up to brush a stray strand of hair behind your ear.

He started to smile, and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, there was a commotion from the shore. You both sat up, tilting your heads to watch as Ao’nung approached Kiri as she lay in the shallows, three other boys following him.

Neteyam’s stare instantly hardened.

“I’ll be back,” he growled. “Stay here.”

You tried to reach for him, but he dove into the water before you could grab his wrist, swimming for the shore just as Lo’ak approached the group from the other end of the beach.

You watched as he emerged from the water, as he shoved Ao’nung away from Lo’ak, and prodded him with a finger to the chest. Ao’nung raised his hands, and as Neteyam pulled Lo’ak and Kiri away, you allowed a brief release of breath.

And then Lo’ak punched Ao’nung in the face.

Three times.

You were already on your feet when Ao’nung hit the sand, but when Neteyam scratched his head and leapt into the fray, you dove into the water in an instant.

You had just reached the shore when Lo’ak was being pulled by his tail, grasping the nearest Na’vi by the ear. After all, when Lo’ak was grabbed, he tended to grab right back, and with tenfold force. Even you knew this.

Kiri was safe, and fine, on the edge of the fight and trying not to laugh. Neteyam had a clear edge over another boy, and had him pinned by the full force of his body weight. And while no one at noticed your arrival yet, when you walked right up to Ao’nung and grabbed him by the queue, jerking him away, everyone stopped moving as Ao’nung let out a particularly girlish squeal.

Ao’nung’s eyes widened when he realized who had grabbed him.

“That’s…enough,” you growled. “Honestly, behaving like a child.”

You released Ao’nung’s braid, tossing it from your hands. You could feel Neteyam’s eyes boring holes in the back of your skull, Lo’ak’s too. But the way Ao’nung was completely baffled by your intervention, when you had done nothing of the sort for years, had a strange sort of pride swelling in your chest.

You were not one for fighting. Eywa, you weren’t even one for words. Ao’nung only knew of you as the silent freak, who was not even fun to pick on because you simply didn’t respond.

Suddenly, you’d barged right in, and while Neteyam had managed to get them to back off, you had Ao’nung gaping like a fish.

“Three of you,” you continued. “Against one. Really upstanding behavior, Ao’nung.”

Ao’nung’s eyes narrowed, and the surprise wore off.

But still, you kept speaking, tilting your head and matching his squint.

“Shall I fetch your father?”

Ao’nung instantly closed the distance between you, puffing his chest and squaring his jaw with yours.

“That’s rich,” he leered, “coming from the biggest freak of them all. You’re even worse than Kiri.”

Before you even had a chance to respond, and before the telltale tears could well in your eyes, your gaze was interrupted as Neteyam quite literally forced his way between you. He shoved Ao’nung aside for the second time, with such force that Ao’nung stumbled into the water.

This time, however, Neteyam kept one arm wrapped securely around your waist, and his tail around your upper thigh.

You were pressed flush to him, as if you were a second skin, giving you a front row seat to the clench of Neteyam’s jaw.

“Stop. Leave her alone.”

Ao’nung studied his surroundings. The three others still hadn’t stood from the sand, where they lay with hands clutching their various injuries. Lo’ak stood between them and Kiri, and despite the slight sway of his stance, his fists were clenched and his brow was hardened in a gaze eerily similar to Neteyam’s own stare.

And what was worse - from over Neteyam’s broad shoulder, you could faintly make out the silhouettes of Jake, Ronal, and Tonowari approaching from the edge of the village.

They didn’t look happy.

Ao’nung turned to his friends, and gave a slight gesture.

“Let’s go.”

They left, leaving you still pressed to Neteyam, your hand now resting against his bicep. It was warm beneath your fingertips, and you could feel the ripple of his muscle beneath your touch as he let go of you, replacing the smooth skin of his back with a firm grip on your waist as his eyes turned to meet your own.

“Go,” he murmured, voice lowered as if no one could hear. “Go back to the rock. I’ll meet you soon. I have to talk to my dad.”

You nodded, looking past him as Jake stopped halfway to you, just as Ao’nung passed him with the three others. You had only seconds before he would reach you.

Your eyes returned to his, dipping below to where a cut had opened in his lower lip.

“Will you be alright?”

He nodded. “I’ll be fine. Go.”

Reluctantly, you slid from under his grasp, and turned back towards the water. You turned briefly to Kiri and Lo’ak, making sure they too were alright, before you jogged away and leapt into the water, swimming for the same boulder you’d just come from.

You stopped halfway to catch your breath, and turned your head to where Neteyam was following Jake back towards the village. Jake had a firm grip on Lo’ak’s upper arm, and was tugging him along the sand, wearing the same scowl he’d had moments prior.

Neteyam’s head was hung low, his fist pressed to his cut lip, braids only barely swinging as he trudged behind his father.

You sighed. As you turned back to finish the brief swim to your boulder, you sent a silent prayer. Hoping Jake would go easy on them - particularly on Neteyam, who had only stepped in to protect Lo’ak, and who would have succeeded had the odds been more evenly matched.

When you reached the boulder and climbed out of the water towards the surface, you stood for a moment, watching the now miniature figures of Jake, Lo’ak, and Neteyam disappear into the shadows of village. You sighed again, and having hoped you’d be able to see them from your small vantage point, you sank down onto the rock.

Feeling perfectly hopeless.

If anything, you wished you had done more. You wished you had followed Neteyam immediately, or even more that you had managed to grab him. That you had dove into the water together, and approached the group at the right moment.

You wished, more than anything, that you hadn’t waited.

It was starting to gnaw at you - that your life seemed like a bottomless pit of waiting. That you had no power other than to stand still at life’s rocky edge, helpess to do anything other than watch as moments passed you by. You were the silent one; the powerless one. The freak, as Ao’nung had put it. And even if you tried, you could quite literally do nothing to help as those around you seemed to suffer.

Now more than ever, this gnawing deep within started to feel more and more like a heavy weight. It hadn’t bothered you until Neteyam had entered the picture, but the vision of his split lip, and the bruises beneath his right eye, and the scrapes on his chest now made the tears you’d held back come bursting to the surface.

You had only known him in actuality for no more than a day, and yet the way he’d come bursting to your rescue had you not only confused, and perfectly and completely smitten, but utterly heartbroken that he’d even needed to do so.

And moreover, entirely positive that you weren’t worth saving.

Kiri was - there was no question about that. Lo’ak definitely was, especially when he was that outnumbered and still managed to do considerable damage to his assailants.

And then…there was Neteyam.

Neteyam, who had successfully stopped the fight with nothing more than his presence.

Neteyam, who when you arrived had Roxto pinned beneath him, who had Roxto powerless to fight back as he swung punch after punch. Who would have won for the second time if there had been one less to account for.

Neteyam who, in truth, did not need your help winning.

You had yourself fully convinced of this by the time you heard a light splashing coming from your left, and growing closer. You felt the lump in your throat swell as Neteyam eased his way onto the boulder, and that same lump grew larger when he grunted at the effort of bringing himself to your side.

That groan, that all-encapsulating sound of pain, had you nearly shattering as your eyes opened, and you sat up to meet him face to face.

When his eyes met yours, and you came in full view of the now purple bruise beneath his eye, and the cut in his lip that was seeping blood, and the scratches on his chest that extended the full length of his right pectoral muscle, you made a strange squelching sound, and plopped your head to his left shoulder.

If you could have only seen the way Neteyam’s eyes widened at your touch, and softened at the feeling of wetness on his skin when he realized you were crying, you would have only broken more completely.

Neteyam was not used to girls he liked crying on him, that much was certain. In fact, Neteyam didn’t have much time for girls period. So the fact that you seemed to be upset - over him - was entirely perplexing, confusing, and perfectly heartbreaking, all at the same time.

Sure, he’d wanted you to notice him. Sure, he’d wanted you to return his pathetic attempts at affection, that he hadn’t yet realized you didn’t find pathetic in the least. Sure, he’d wanted to bring the two of you closer, and he’d wanted nothing more than your worlds to finally collide.

But not like this.

Don’t get him wrong, he didn’t particularly enjoy standing up for Lo’ak day in and day out - but that was his job. Literally, as the oldest brother, it was in his internal code to defend his younger siblings. It was his job to get Lo’ak out of the trouble he somehow managed to always be getting into.

But this - this was new. This was different, and ugly, and soul-wrenching. He loathed the feeling that ate him up inside now, as he brought up a hand to rest against the back of your head.

He’d seen Jake do this for Neytiri many times. He’d seen Jake comfort Kiri this way, and he’d seen it work.

What he hadn’t picked up on was the mirroring of pain that Jake felt when he had to comfort those closest to him. Realistically, Jake just hadn’t shown this, especially when his kids were around. It would have been helpful to know how much the sound of you crying - over him - would absolutely obliterate him, but then again, Jake probably would have never discussed it, even if Neteyam asked. It would have been helpful to know that by comforting you, that by taking away your pain, he would only be absorbing it into his own skin.

So, Neteyam did what he knew how to.

With the one hand still resting on your head, he brought the other to the small of your back, pulling you in as closely as he could, stroking your skin in soothing, circular motions. Hushing you, whispering in your ear, and trying with all his might to get you to stop crying. To make you stop being sad if he could.

Because as he thought about it, he realized he hadn’t yet seen you smile.

Actually smile.

You’d grinned, of course, and bared your teeth at him in a hiss. You’d smiled with your lips closed, and he’d seen you let out small smiles, only when you were around Kiri or Tuk. And he definitely hadn’t seen you laugh yet.

The moment he realized this, he decided right then and there that if he had any say in the matter, you wouldn’t ever be sad like this again. That he would never, ever give you a reason to cry over him again.

And just like it was his duty to protect his siblings, Neteyam made a solemn vow to himself, the ocean, and Eywa - and frankly, anyone who was listening - to add you to that list.

He would never again stand for a skxawng like Ao’nung, or anyone else, making you feel like you were less than the perfect being you were. And he certainly wouldn’t allow anyone else to ever again make you feel like you were a freak. To Neteyam, you were as perfect as the stone he’d brought you the first time you met, and the moment you were done crying, he was going to make sure you knew it.

And if Ao’nung wasn’t already bruised into the ground from Lo’ak’s powerful right hook, then Neteyam was going to put him there, chief’s son or not.

Neteyam let loose the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in. For the first time since he’d climbed up to meet you on the rock, his focus shifted from where you sat silently, head still resting on his shoulder, tears slowed and breathing returning to an even keel, to the salty water stinging the cut on his lower lip.

You felt him shift, as he brought the hand that had been resting on your lower back up to his lip, and you felt him tense beneath you at the self-inflicted pressure. A low groan left him, and you finally had to tilt back from your spot against his shoulder to study his face. He was blinking from the pain, his tongue rubbing at the offending cut, smearing a trail of blood across his chin.

You brought your hand to his, pulling it away from his face to give you full view of where his once perfect lower lip bore a gash the size of your thumb. You winced, and brought your free hand to his cheek, stroking with your thumb the area that had bruised beneath his eye. And without thinking, you leaned in, gently pressing your lips to the corner of his mouth where there was no cut.

Perhaps you thought it would make him feel better. Perhaps you thought you could take away some of his pain. Perhaps you were hoping for some sort of redemption, after you had behaved quite unlike yourself for the past few hours. After you hand dissolved at the mere sight of him, and had sat there like a skxawng with your head in his shoulder, your salty tears soaking into his skin.

Still, you had no idea what came over you.

Now though, as you studied his face, and his still widened eyes from your half-kiss, and ran a gentle finger over the scratches on his chest, you felt your normal steely resolve return somewhere deep within you.

“You’re hurt,” you murmured.

Neteyam shrugged. “It’s fine.”

As he spoke, the blood was beginning to pool, even from such minimal effort. You shook your head and stood from the rock, pulling him up with you by the hand.

“Come. Let’s get you patched up.”

You dragged him down the line of boulders, chuckling softly when he nearly missed a jump, stumbling slightly from the rocky surface. As you reached the outskirts of the village, you both slowed from a jog to an easy walk, Neteyam only needing to extend his gait to come level with you, his arm brushing against yours as you made your way to your marui.

You had to swallow down the slight spark of excitement building in your throat at his touch, and forced your focus to narrow on the injured boy following you.

This was no easy feat, to be sure. But as you entered your marui, and gestured for Neteyam to sit on your mat, you felt that same steely resolve take over as you gathered your supplies.

When you turned back towards him, a pile of bowls and dressings in your hand, Neteyam yet again had his hand against the cut, and his tongue running against it’s edge.

“Stop that,” you barked, “You’re making it worse.”

Neteyam’s hand dropped to rest in his lap, and as you knelt before him, organizing your supplies at your side, you could feel him watching you. Studying you.

You chose for the moment to ignore his piercing gaze. Instead, you brought a hand to his ankle, gently pushing it aside where he had been sitting cross-legged, allowing you to scoot your way in between his legs. He allowed his arms to stretch out behind him, resting the majority of his weight on the heels of his hands.

When he had made himself mostly comfortable, you started with the scratch on his lip. If only just to get him to stop messing with it.

You cleaned it first, wiping away the smears of blood, and after you’d cleaned and sanitized it, you gently applied pressure with a clean cloth.

“Hold here,” you whispered, and Neteyam obeyed, bringing one hand to rest upon the cloth.

This gave you the chance to apply a smooth, buttery healing salve to the bruises beneath his eyes, and those smattering the skin around his neck and chest. Next, you applied the same salve gently to the scrapes on the skin of his chest, and wrapped a bandage from around his shoulder to cover them, and to allow the salve to seep into the cuts so they would heal. The muscles in his chest rippled beneath your touch, and a low hiss left his lips from the slight, momentary sting as you finished your work.

Finally, you gently pulled his hand away from his lip, removing the cloth with it.

The bleeding had stopped from the pressure, and the wound was now clotted. You took the same salve on the pad of your forefinger, and eased closer to Neteyam, your face mere inches from his own. Studying the wound, you brought a hand beneath his chin to steady him, and bending forward, you flicked your eyes up to meet his.

“This will sting again,” you muttered, waiting for him to gently nod.

When he closed his eyes, you went to work, applying the salve as quickly and gently as you could so the sting wouldn’t last.

You didn’t even notice that as you finished your work, removing the bandage from around his chest where the salve had soaked into his skin, Neteyam could not stop staring at you. You didn’t notice, that is, until you bent back, resting on your heels, and came face to face with him.

This time, Neteyam had closed the distance between you, his knees resting against yours, and has he brought one hand to tangle in your hair, his other hand swept a stray strand behind your ear for the second time that day.

And just like that, your breath was stolen from you in a small sigh that left your lips.

For a moment, everything seemed to pause.

For a moment, it was just you and him, eyes connected. His piercing gaze seemed to search yours, eyes flicking back and forth, scanning for any sign of hesitation from you. One of his hands rested on your cheek, and the other rested against the back of your neck, still tangled in your thick hair. He blinked once, twice, still studying you for any sign of pause, or resistance.

And other than the fact that you had stopped breathing almost entirely, there was none.

Your heart didn’t even have time to skip a full beat before Neteyam brought his lips to yours.

For a moment, all you could taste was the tangy bitterness of the salve against your lips. For a moment, it seemed as if your lips hadn’t actually met yet, the salve creating a slippery barrier between you where your lips couldn’t find traction.

And then Neteyam was pulling away, just for a moment, laughing breathlessly, grabbing the cloth from beside him and wiping away the salve from his lips and yours.

You laughed, really honestly laughed as he palmed the cloth against your lips, muffling the sound only slightly, and you squeezed your eyes shut as he brushed the cloth against your lips.

He was laughing too, and once the salve was gone, the both of you had to pause, catching your breath.

Of course your first real kiss would be tainted by a skxawng with a cut on his lip, that you had just spent time trying to heal.

When both of you had caught your breath, Neteyam’s eyes met yours, and he smiled at you. You already thought his smile was blinding, but now, you swore you could see the stars reflected in his wide grin. You couldn’t help but smile in return, a breathy chuckle leaving your lips.

“You skxawng,” you breathed. “I just fixed that cut.”

Again, Neteyam closed the distance between you, hands gripping beneath your thighs to draw you into his lap, where you wrapped your legs around his waist and draped your arms over his shoulders. As you rested there, safe and warm within his grasp, your gaze meeting his, Neteyam let loose a deep, weighted sigh. And again, his hand came up to rest against your cheek, his thumb gently stroking against your lower lip.

He shrugged, grinning still.

“I don’t care.”

And for the second time that evening, with bated breath, Neteyam closed the short distance between you and brought his lips to yours.

This time, you had the upper hand. This time, he angled his head to parallel with your own, allowing the kiss to instantly deepen. This time, his hands gripped and massaged at the skin of your thighs, coaxing a sigh from your lips that met with his own heavy breathing in a tangle of knotted air.

This time, instead of the bitter salve, all you could taste, all you could feel was him.

He tasted sweet, and minty, with a salty edge that reminded you of the ocean. And while his lower lip had been marred by a deep cut - which you would be thanking Ao’nung for later - the rest of his lips were plump and soft and perfect against your own. Like molten lead, or a pair of pearls fused together with time, his lips against yours matched like two pieces of the same cloth.

And slowly, a knot began to grow within you, deep within your core, that had you positively certain you couldn’t get enough of him.

Neteyam couldn’t get enough of you either. When your small, soft hands scratched against his chest, he let out a low moan that he was positive he’d never made before, and he grabbed at you with a force like he was going to sink you into his skin and never let you go, like he couldn’t exist without you.

And maybe, in truth, he could, but as you pushed from his lap and grabbed him by the neck, pushing him against the mat beneath you in a furious tangle of teeth, lips, and limbs, Neteyam was absolutely certain that while he could live without you, he definitely didn’t want to.

It was there, on the floor of your marui, that you stayed with him until eclipse had long passed. Until your lips had become bone dry, and his cut had come open again. Until all the breath had sucked from your lungs, in a way you’d never felt before in all your years mastering breathing where there was no air.

It was there that Jake and your father found you both, dead asleep, tangled up together and splayed out on your mat. A blanket covered you, and one arm was wound around Neteyam’s chest, your legs wound between his.

Jake hadn’t seen Neteyam sleep this peacefully in years - not since Lo’ak had started walking.

His eyes met your father’s, and they shared a knowing grin, before backing out of the marui to meet with Neytiri and Kxali on the edge of the village. Neither of them had the heart to interrupt the two sleeping teenagers, and both of them seemed to have a deep understanding that while the two of you had grown up apart, now, you had found each other. Now, you had found a small slice of peace, and though they didn’t particularly enjoy the thought of the mischief you two would get up to together, it paled in comparison to the thought of forcing you two apart.

Neither Jake nor Elpawe were going to let that happen.

Of course, Lo’ak took the mickey out of Neteyam when he returned to his family’s marui the next morning. The Mighty Warrior had spent all night, tangled up with a girl? In Lo’ak’s eyes, Neteyam deserved some teasing.

Neteyam took it well as always, shoving Lo’ak gently by the chest, playfully grinning as Lo’ak shoved him right back, sending Neteyam stumbling over the marui’s edge and right into you.

You caught him by his arms, steadying him.

Seeing Lo’ak behind him grinning like the devil, and surrounded by his family, you tilted your head and gestured towards Neytiri and Jake.

“I see you,” you spoke, bringing your finger from your forehead towards Neteyam’s parents.

They nodded, returning the favor, and you did not particularly like the knowing grin on Jake’s face, or the steam that seemed to be coming from Neytiri’s ears at the sight of her oldest son with a stranger from another clan. But when Jake placed a hand on Neytiri’s knee, she softened, and smiled up at Neteyam.

“Go,” she said, “And be back before eclipse this time, please.”

Neteyam nodded, not speaking, his face turning a brilliant shade of red. Chuckles arose from his siblings, and you could hear the entire family dissolve into laughter as Neteyam tugged you by the hand towards the beach.

When you reached the shoreline, plopping down into the sand, Neteyam sitting next to you, you finally let loose the laughter you’d been holding in.

Your head tilted back, you let out a loud, barking laugh, shaking your head, and looked to Neteyam.

“I’m sorry,” you breathed, in between a fit of giggles. “I’m so sorry.”

The way he was looking at you, brows quirked, studying you again, made you remember that first day on the rock, when you had studied him the same way as if you were committing his features to memory. You didn’t realize of course, that Neteyam actually was committing your bright smile and the sound of your laugh to memory, somewhere deep in his mind where he would never forget it.

And then he smiled, and laughed with you, and tackled you into the sand, sending you both into another fit of howling laughter.

When he pulled back, only for a moment, he smiled down at you, and waited for you to smile in return, before connecting his lips with yours. This kiss was new, and different - passionate, tender, and slow, his lips seemed to dance with yours. Not only that, but he brought one leg between your own, the other pressed firmly into the sand beneath you, and his entire upper body seemed fused with yours in a perfect molding of skin against skin, like roots digging beneath the earth.

Again, you found peace within each other’s touch. The world around you disappeared until it was just you and Neteyam. Even the sand beneath you faded away, and all you could feel was his chest pressed to yours, and his hands gripping at your waist and your thighs and anywhere he could easily reach. You were certain he was going to leave bruises behind where his fingers dug into your skin, but if you were positive of one thing, it was that you didn’t mind.

If you could have one wish, if Eywa could grant you one thing, it was that you could stay here forever with him on the warm sand, tangled up in his arms, his braids tickling against your cheeks, his smile mirroring yours when he pulled away, breathless and sighing.

When he did pull away to breathe, you didn’t let him stay apart from you for very long.

In the same way he’d grasped at you like you were a lifeline, you wound your arms around his shoulders and pulled him back into you, reconnecting your lips in a flurry of motion, and wound your legs around his hips, giving him access to the soft skin of your thighs.

And if you were feeling particularly bold, you’d grasp him with your legs and tackle him into the sand, pinning him beneath you in a wild spray of hair and limbs and breathless laughter.

There you’d stay for as long as you could, hands against his chest and lips fused together like iron, his own palms exploring places they hadn’t before, running up and down your back, and your thighs, and the roundness of your bum, squeezing and grasping at any soft parts of your skin that he could reach.

You’d let him, sighing breathlessly against his lips. And sometimes, you’d pull him into a sitting position, grabbing at the nape of his neck. The more you started to explore each other, the more you discovered things you liked about his supple skin, and the more marks he left on your own, in the soft spots where your neck met your shoulder. You too left a few marks of your own, in little scratches on his back, or in the equally buttery soft skin of his neck and shoulders. The more marks you left behind, the more beautiful noises you coaxed from his lips, and the more you enjoyed peppering his skin with brands claiming him as yours.

Days, and weeks, and months passed like this, in a beautiful blur of young love.

Neither of you planned for Neteyam to leave you behind.

And what was worse, you hadn’t even been there when it happened. You were there for his funeral, off somewhere in the water as Jake and Neytiri laid him to rest with your ancestors. As Lo’ak and Payakan swam by, brother with brother. When Jake and Neytiri went to the Spirit Tree, you followed them, tucking yourself deep into the branches where they couldn’t see you, and connecting your queue to one of the glowing palms.

When Jake found you on the beach a few days later, crying into your hands, he had plopped down in the sand next to you in a manner eerily similar to Neteyam.

When he’d wrapped an arm around you, bringing you into his chest, he told you - and only you - what he’d seen in the visions the Spirit Tree gave him the night of Neteyam’s funeral.

Somewhere in the middle of his story, your tears had slowed. Somewhere during his tale, you’d looked up from your hands, wiping away your tears, and leaned into his strong embrace.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know,” Jake uttered in reply, squeezing you a bit tighter. “I’m sorry too. He loved you, you know.”

You nodded, sniffling.

“I know. I loved him, too.”

Later that evening, as your mother came and kissed you goodnight, wiping away a few stray tears from your eyes, she lay next to you and sang you to sleep with the same song she’d sung during your early years.

You’d cried in her arms for several minutes, and she’d whispered in your ear just as Neteyam had. It had only made you cry more, how little things were reminding you of him, chipping away at the gaping hole he’d left behind.

As you finally drifted off, your mother still stroking your hair, she’d whispered to you in the silence, just as she’d done when you were a baby.

“Hush, paysmung. Listen to the ocean,” she murmured softly. “He is in the water now. He is with you.”

- -

You padded along the beach, one hand held above your brow to shield you from the sun, toes digging into the sand as you hopped along, jumping over shells the waves were leaving behind. The trees blew in the wind, and the waves were on your left, crashing against the sand and pulling back into the ocean.

Your hair blew in the breeze behind you, cooling you from the warmth of the sun, and you turned, smiling, to watch as Neteyam came jogging up to meet you.

Oh, Neteyam.

He was even more stunning in your dreams, if it were even possible, and his effervescent smile still had the power to make you smile in return.

He came running up to you, grabbing you by the waist and pulling you into his chest, lifting you off your feet and spinning you in circles. Making you smile, and laugh, your head ducking into his shoulder as your long hair tangled with his braids.

When he set you back on your feet, the both of you slightly dizzy, you smiled up at him, your arms still wound around his neck. His arms were still tightly around your waist, strong and muscular, pressing you flush against him.

One of his hands released a braid from where it had stayed tangled in your long, wavy hair, but while one of his arms stayed wrapped around you, his free hand came to rest softly against your cheek.

“How’s it going, water girl?” He breathed, smiling.

Suddenly, a great sadness overcame you, and even in your dreams you felt a lump rise up in your throat, constricting you.

“My Neteyam,” you croaked. “Why did you have to leave?”

“Ah, water girl,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

He closed his eyes, and brought his forehead to yours, your breathing tangling together as a few stray tears escaped down your cheeks. When your eyes finally opened, tears were spilling down his cheeks too, and you brought your thumbs to swipe them away.

You were allowed to cry - Neteyam was not.

“It’s okay,” you gasped. “I’ll be okay.”

Neteyam smiled sadly at you, brushing your hair from your face. The both of you could tell you didn’t quite believe your own words.

“I know. I know you’ll be okay, water girl.”

He brought his lips to yours, pressing them together in slow, tender circles. A breeze blew through, sending your hair blowing wildly behind you, the beads of Neteyam’s braids clicking against each other in the wind. And still, you did not break apart for as long as you could bear, only separating from him when the both of you could no longer breathe.

Once again, he brought his forehead to yours.

“I can’t stay,” he murmured. “You have to wake up soon.”

Your chest started feeling as if it was going to cave in, and a panic rose up within you like a great wave.

“No,” you choked out. “I don’t want to, I don’t want you to go.”

“I know.”

Neteyam ran his thumb across your cheeks, swiping away another wave of tears from your skin.

“I know, my love.”

A great wave crashed from behind him, splashing up against your calves, tangling you in the water.

“It’s time,” Neteyam sighed.

“No,” you protested. “No.”

You grabbed onto him as tightly as you could, digging your face into his shoulder and pulling him into you.

“Please don’t leave me,” you cried between sobs, “Please. I don’t want you to leave.”

“I know. But it’s time. The ocean is calling,” Neteyam said as he separated from you, holding both of your hands in his.

Another great wave crashed onto the shore, rising up around you and pulling Neteyam from your grasp.

“Neteyam, no!”

Neteyam looked out at the ocean, and turned back to you, a bright smile once again adorning his beautiful features. He reached for you, your fingers barely touching his, the ocean rising and pulling the two of you apart.

“Don’t worry, my love. I’m with you.”

As he swam off into the water, you watched him until he was a small speck on the horizon. It was only then that he turned, and waved at you in a silent goodbye.

As you waved back, the ocean swelled around you, wrapping you in a tight embrace that smelled distinctly like him.

Don’t worry, water girl. I’m never very far.

- -

ow this horted

thank you for reading

xoxo, carrie

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