Neteyam Sully - Blog Posts

The Spirit

Prologue Ch1 Ch3

Pairing: Older! Neteyam x reader

Summary: now that the war was brought to the sea clans the sullys aswell as the metekayina family that gifted them uturu, decided to run, this time farther, not just a days travel, but nearly a weeks worth, towards the end they were met with dense mountains, and then they found a tribe of navi, with wings, and they learn about the tsyal people and about the original navi.

Warnings: none, use of non cannon na’vi words

Word count:2.5k

Notes: i mainly focus on world building and what the tsyal clans traditions and ways of living are so it’s probably a bit boring but i hope you guys like it 💋

The first morning after their arrival the forest and reef na’vi were gathered by Tehe’Ewna “Today will be your first impressions of the clan for today we are going to take you to the cove of tales, if you want to live among us you must understand us, learn our core values, our way of life, our stories, and our traditions. These are things that will be essential to living among us and being able to adjust.” Tehe’Ewna even spoke with grace, her words flowing together in a melody, “this will take up your first week before we move on to having you learn our ways physically, though before body must come spirit.”

As she explained what the plan was he became curious. when the sully’s had arrived to the metkayina it was almost immediately he was learning to breath to dive and to live in the water, there had been little to no spiritual teachings other than going to the cove of ancestor’s since most clans had nearly identical spiritual practices, it made Neteyam wonder just how different this clan was.

It was not a long walk to the cove, it was a relatively short path from the ground caves that were their new homes to the deeper part of the clan where the entrance was located at the base of one of the surrounding mountains.

inside was narrow winding tunnel also relatively short, it widened as they got closer to the destination and inside was a circular cave clearing in the mountain, the entrance itself was accentuated by a winding arch of vines.

There was a semi-circle of stones meant to be seating for times of storytelling, there were carving in the stone, intricate details, and the entirety of the cove was adorned with bioluminescent moss and fauna, illuminating the cove in an ethereal glow.

Woven tapestries hang along the rock walls of the cove alongside paintings, depicting stories and the history of the clan.

Small altars are placed at the base of a waterfall and along the edges of the cove.

Neteyam was awestruck, there was nothing like this in the metkayina nor the Omaticaya, as they all took seats the winged na’vi began “this is used as a home of stories and celebration, today we start at the beginning, the oldest and deepest of our tales, the phoenix.”

As she spoke, she drew their attention to the largest of paintings. from the back of someone, they were depicted with wings that were bigger than a young Ikran, horns taller than Neteyam’s head twice over, their wings were starched out to the fullest capacity, and they had a glow around them, small tendrils of magic.

“She was the first daughter of Eywa, she was created to keep the balance of Eywa’Eveng gifted with wings to soar through the skies and a soul deeply attuned to the life force that connected all things. For ages, she upheld her purpose, nurturing the natural balance and guiding the creatures Eywa had brought to life. But her loneliness became a persistent ache, leading her to yearn for beings who could walk, speak, and share her life in a way that Eywa’s animals could not. Among her wings and horns she was given a gift from Eywa above all else, she didn’t just protect balance, she was balance, in one hand she held life and creation, in the other she held death and destruction, so she went against the great mothers wish, and used this gift to birth the Tsyal and the na’vi race,”

the group was in awe, this was a tale they had never heard from any clan or elder, but they could sense she was being truthful in her words, “we were unlike anything Pandora had seen: graceful, intelligent, with wings and horns that reflected our creator. The Phoenix infused us with her wisdom, courage, and resilience, believing we would be her partners in upholding Pandora’s balance. Eywa, sensed this break in the natural order, grieved at the Phoenix’s defiance. She reminded her daughter that every life on Pandora was interconnected and that introducing a new species—one not woven directly by Eywa’s own hand—would create ripples in the delicate web of balance she maintained. Though Eywa did not destroy the Tsyal, she distanced herself from the Phoenix, trusting that her daughter, who was made from balance itself by the great mother’s own hand, would face the consequences” as she spoke, she had an air of passion, immersed in the story she told.

“This choice left the Phoenix with a profound sense of guilt. She had been created to nurture and protect the balance of Pandora, yet her own actions had introduced a new force within the ecosystem, one that came from her personal desires rather than Eywa’s vision. She had been driven by passion and yearning. We as a people were born of blessing and burden so intertwined one cannot be separated from the other, because of this the Tsyal dedicate ourselves in nurturing the balance, we address any imbalance such as over population personally, we always remain in tune with Eywa insuring to never go against her wish for balance and equilibrium. Every aspect of life has been cultivated to ensure this.” They were all captivated by this story no one more that Kiri.

“why would the phoenix go against Eywa if she was made to carry out the great mothers wishes?” Neteyam wondered the same of the first daughter, “she did not mean to, she was led by desire, and while she was creating to keep balance, she was also given free will, to make her own decisions apart from Eywa, just like us, while people can tell us what to do it is up to us whether we follow their words or not” she had a look of amusement on her face as if telling a clueless child something painfully obvious, which she essentially was.

“is she was the first daughter why have none of us heard this before?” Tuk was the next to speak, “Well as we grew, we left these mountains, to dense forests, swamps, and plains, our horns and wings were no longer needed, disappearing over many generations, we were met with new environments, and we adapted.” She had a gentle smile as she spoke her response “and it was not just wings and horns that were left behind, so were traditions, annual celebrations, and festivals. All of these were left behind in the face of change, and the new beginnings they faced.”

The day was spent like that, her sharing the traditions and ways of the new clan, it took Neteyam by surprise, he learned things he had never known, she was right, every aspect of life was in line with balance, never taking more than necessary and dedicating themselves to Eywa.

As the week continued, he learned more of the clan. The diet was plants grains and little meat usually from small animals, fish was a delicacy saved for celebrations and major events. He learned mating traditions, what is done in grief and death, and at the end of the week they were taken to the spirit tree, to them it is the Kaltum cave, or the heart of Eywa

The day started earlier than usual with extra people, a warrior Taylan, a healer Xan ’kore, and a group of younger ones, Kahlo, At’ok, and Ni’alu. In the outskirts of the clan was located a mountain so tall no Ikran, not even Makto could fly over it, there was an entrance at the base of the tunnel that had shocked Neteyam when it was revealed because of just how well hidden it was, as they entered there were winding tunnels with steep incline, he ended up holding Tuk so she wouldn’t fall.

as they were walking the healer spoke “the sacred tree embodies the balance of nature and spirit, it is said the phoenix herself planted the seed, marking the birth of the na’vi and so that it would forever be a reminder of the importance of balance.” She spoke from the front of the group; he was in the back along with Tuk and Tehe’Ewna.

Over the week he had gotten to know her better, he would often accompany Tuk to her lessons with the other children of the clan Tehe’Ewna and others there to be the teachers, they would weave and do crafts to entertain the children.

Surprisingly Tehe’Ewna was curious of the previous two clans Neteyam had called home, she would tell him more about the clan and rituals and other things he would need to know, Tuk also took a great liking to her, constantly asking questions and the three of them exploring the mountains with him and Tuk on his Ikran.

As they descended the tunnels him Tuk and Tehe’Ewna in a slower pace then the rest, a little behind. And while Neteyam was at least a head above her when walking her wings surrounded him, at first when they would go for walks in the forest with Tuk she would try to restrain them and prevent them from making him uncomfortable, she quickly saw he didn’t mind and that she was able to relax and not dwell or focus on them.

After about 15 minutes of walking the tunnels, like the cove of tales, became wider and taller, only what they lead too was infinitely more beautiful.

Inside the circular cavern was full of luminescent fungi and moss with crystals imbedded in the walls, but in the middle held The Kaltum Tree, its trunk tall and gnarled, with a wide base that tapers as it reaches higher, giving the tree a presence that feels ancient and wise.

The bark luminous, etched with patterns that resemble constellations, giving it a celestial appearance.

These patterns glow softly, only adding to the beauty of it, The branches extend upward and outward like great, feathery wings, These branches are draped with clusters of bioluminescent flowers Each one emitting a warm, radiant glow that casts colorful shadows on the cave walls, making the entire cavern come alive with shifting colors.

The leaves of the Kaltum Tree are long, thin, and iridescent, shimmering like jewels when touched by the ambient light of the cave. When they rustle in the faint underground breezes, they make a soft, musical sound, like chimes, enhancing the mystical ambiance.

The branches stretch wide and high, filling the cavern with a protective, sheltering presence, it brought the phoenix to the front of his mind, imagining this is how her presence would feel.

The air feels warm and carries a faint, sweet fragrance from the tree’s blossoms, the entire atmosphere was full of energy, it made him speechless, the spirit tree back home and the cove of ancestors was one thing, this place was so much more.

“When one feels they must reflect, or receive guidance this is where we go, many receive visions during the path for self, seeing glimpses of their place in the clan, what their future may hold, and even their mate.” Tehe’Ewna spoke to the group she herself in wonder.

“This is the most sacred place in these mountains, we call it the heart of Eywa because people sometimes receive visits from the great mother herself, to show the path she is intending for you to follow, most end up legends, their stories told for generations.”

In the Omaticaya, not everyone faces Iknimaya, you are given challenges to prove your worth as a warrior, you must catch a banshee, in the Tsyal, all are faced with the Yulun’ay, the journey to self.

There are six total aspects of the journey, the first is the journey of reflection, you spend about a week strengthening your bond with Eywa, you journey into the mountains facing the elements, and learning to sustain life, while keeping balance.

The second is the crafting of the totem, this is crafted during their time in the mountains from what they can find, branches, stones, feather, leaves etc. it is meant to reflect oneself, their personality, and their journey. Once they come back to the clan, it is blessed by Tsahik and is placed in the cove until it is put in their home as decoration.

The third is the sacred marking, much like the metkayina, they are inked, like the walls of the cove, their skin imbedded with ink from burnt herbs, so that when they have children and grandchildren they can point to it and say “this is from my Yulun’ay”, it also marked them, in their role as a protecter of the balance.

The fourth is the gift of wings, in the Kaltum parent and close loved ones give gifts, titled as a Nah’ru, wings of spirit, they serve as representation of life, freedom, and guidance, and as a reminder of the new stage of their life, once the person has all their gifts the family member all put their hands on their gift, infusing it with their love, and support.

The fifth is the yalaru, the dance of transition, it is a communal celebration of the clan, the participant performs a dance, telling the story of their journey to the clan, symbolizing their passage into adulthood. Elders and parents join in, creating a unified circle that represents the past, present, and future of the Tsyal.

The last step the sixth is the acceptance of responsibility, in a private ceremony in the Kaltum, you pledge to serve and protect the Tsyal Clan and keep the balance of Eywa’Eveng. It is said to bind them spiritually, many say that they feel as though the tree itself acknowledges the commitment, then you are to choose a path, crafters, hunters, healers, or spiritual guides, then a mentor will choose to teach you how to follow the path.

It is entirely different, almost completely a spiritual journey, instead of proving your ability to provide, to hunt, to fly, you become Intune with Eywa, reinforcing your belief of balance, Tehe’Ewna told him that balance is more than just taking and giving, it is existence itself, dark and light for example, one cannot exist without the other, no light without dark, and vice versa.

This is their way of life, something taught from birth to death, imbedded in everything they do, their ways have been evolved to continue to uphold balance in every aspect.

Tehe’Ewna made an example for them, connecting to one of the lower falling leaves to connect their kuru with

Connecting with the Kaltum is was euphoric, he felt only peace, he could feel the souls, the memories, the hopes, the dreams, the love, of all the souls connected to the tree, he felt Eywa, and the phoenix, the feeling of protection, of home, filled his system, he was floating, drifting away from the cove, the people around him, in that moment he was intertwined completely with the ancestors, with all the life on Eywa, we was nothing, yet he could feel everything, like a dreamless sleep.

Let me know if you guys would like to be tagged in future chapters💋

The Arrival

A continuation of this ch2 ch3

Pairing: Older!Neteyam x reader

Summary: now that the war was brought to the sea clans the sullys aswell as the metekayina family that gifted them uturu, decided to run, this time farther, not just a days travel, but nearly a weeks worth, towards the end they were met with dense mountains, and then they found a tribe of navi, with wings, and they learn about the tsyal people and about the original navi.

Warnings: none

Word count: 1.6k

Neteyam was mad, he was angry, not only was he forced to move from the forrest, his home, but now, now that they had finally been able to settle, they were leaving again. But of course, perfect soldier boy Neteyam could not say that, could not show it, he had to be calm, and take whatever orders he was given, he had to build his walls higher, stronger as not to show his disagreement with the path his father had chosen.

Since he was little, he has had this weight on his soldiers, being future leader of the Omaticaya he had to learn to hunt, to fight, all the skills to be a good leader. His days were taken up my training and more training and when he wasn’t training he was keeping an eye on his siblings and spider, and when he wasn’t doing that he was either sleeping, eating, or bathing, and on the off chance he wasn’t doing on of those his mother was showing him and introducing him to potential mates in the clan. And when his Iknimaya came around he had spent months preparing, perfecting everything he has spent his life learning, and it paid off, he was able to bond with his banshee, Sikra, on his first try and the celebration was one of the only moments he could truly relax.

When they moved to the Metkayina even more weight was pilled on he had to be perfect, to not cause trouble, to not so much as breath in the wrong direction, he had to relearn everything he knew. And now that he and his siblings had gotten used to this new life and began to settle, they had to run again, to flee.

One difference is that it was not just the Sully’s who were running, it was also the metkayina Olo’eyktan and his family, after the RDA had killed Ronal’s soul sister they lead an attack on them, failing and causing more damage, now it was not only the Sully’s in danger but them as well, they showed great distain for this suggestion but in the end came to see this was how they could protect the clan and keep themselves safe as well. They had done a similar thing to what Jake had done in the forrest by passing on title of Olo’eyktan and Tsahik to others so that the clan will continue to thrive in their absence.

The journey to the Metkayina and been nearly a day of travel, but now his father had decided that there would be no chance of being followed, and Neteyam was tired, it had been nearly a week of travel for the two families and it was crowded, the Metkayina of the group having no Ikran to fly once they reached land. Because of this Neteyam had been stuck with Ao’nung for the past 3 days, though he was annoying he had become less so once he started to accept the sully family as a part of the Metkayina, and all of that had been undone within the first few hours of flight and had progressively gotten worse.

Though it was starting to seem that any chance of finding a clan was slowly dissipating, when they had first reached land, it had been hilly field progressively the hills got higher and closer together until they became tall rigid mountains, forcing the group to fly higher than ever to get past them.

As the hope of finding a clan let alone one that would take them was fleeting the mountains got slightly less rigid, less cold and continued to do so as their journey continued, once they started to see signs if navi life the mountains had gotten more manageable to bypass and they were able to see a clan, a clan that had even Ronal gasping in wonder and awe, these people they were seeing were flying, each had a pair of wings on their back that allowed them to be carried by the winds, Neteyam was transfixed by them, they had horns that twisted and curled, wings that varied from the purest of white to the deepest of black, many seemed to be in the same state, gawking at their foreign brothers and sisters, before backing away, turning to land.

That’s when Neteyam saw it, the clearing, the steep mountains surrounding it, the land was beautiful, and as he followed his father to what seemed to be the heart of the clan the amazement in his eyes only grew when he saw the people up close, well closer than before, they were creating a crowd in the air, people talking flight to see the runaways, once they landed the crowd didn’t lessen nor did the noise.

Some people, warriors, started pounding their chest yipping and calling as Neteyam and Aonung got off Sikra, finally getting to touch land again.

It was only a few more moment before everyone was off the Ikran and grouped together. Then the crown started to calm and part creating a path for a group of people came through elders, whispering among themselves, not yet getting close enough to contact the new navi.

Neteyam went to the front as the eldest of his siblings, standing with his parents, greeting the elders in front of him “I see you”, as he makes the gesture with his hand to show good faith, though they stayed unmoving, until he heard it, another call, this one alone, and ringing throughout the crowd, a clearing was made even the elders parting to make room and bowing their heads, it was an older man around his dad and Tonowaris age as well as a woman next to him, they were Tsahik and Olo’eyktan they landed, harsh eyes landing on the navi. He seemed to frown, but not in a way that made Neteyam think he disapproved.

“what could possibly bring forrest and sea people to these mountains?” he aims the question at the two couples, “we seek uturu, a home, we have been driven away by sky people, forced to flee to protect our clans, we will learn your ways best we can, we will make ourselves useful, we simply ask that you teach us.”, Tonowari spoke with emotion and confidence, trying to show this man the hardships that have brought them here.

The Tsahik was unlike his grandmother and Ronal and any other he had seen during clan meetings or trips to other clans his father had taken him on, she wore a top made of feathers that matched the ones attached to her, they were arranged in a way that came up and covered her neck, she had similar pieced decorating her wrists and ankles.

She came up to them getting close her eyes blazing across Neteyam’s skin and moving to his brother, she grasped his Hand lifting it up to inspect it “you are deformed” she stated looking to his brother before once again moving on, as she went around inspecting the families the Olo’eyktan continued to speak with the past leaders, “you all are made for the Forrest and sea how will you adapt to us, you have no wings and your pets will not be of good use, they will not be able to replicate our wings, you do not have our gifts, you are utterly useless here” the man was harsh challenging our will to be here, his father spoke once again “ well be weavers, crafters, gatherers, healers, we will make ourselves useful.” His father spoke with certainty in his voice, which is when someone new joins the crowd.

Taha’ Ewna Neteyam would come to know, she flew over with a grace he had never seen, she wore clothes similar to Tsahik, with feathers in her garments and decorating her head, Neteyam was enthralled, she was different from any Navi he’d seen before, so we’re her people, her wings were huge, they must’ve been the length of two of him, and he was tall, somewhere between his father and Tonowari, her skin was smooth and glowed in the sun, she cheeks were sharp peaks on her face and her eyes piercing green, like the leaves of a tree. This must’ve been how Lo’ak felt when he saw Tsireya , as she came beside Olo’eyktan most likely her father and her eyes landed in him his thoughts stoped as her eyes met his , he once again said the greeting and spoke the words, at least he think he did, he felt his brother nudge him before the Tsahik spoke, “ we will grant uturu to you, and you will be taught our ways” the whole group seems to let out a breath, relief.

“My daughter will show you to your homes,” the girl looked over and gave them a friendly smile before she took a step closer to them, “hello, I am Taha’ Ewna, bring your Ikran so I may show you your new homes.”

As she lead them through the village there were many who gawked, unlike the Metkayina, who had hid their children, the newly discovered clan allowed the children to be curious only stopping them so they wouldn’t over step, she showed Tonowari and his family to their home first, it was cave type quarters carved to act as a home to navi, and it wasn’t a long walk before she showed the Sully’s their new home, “I hope your first impressions of the clan were good ones, we have never had outside navi anywhere near the mountains let alone welcomed to the clan, so I hope you can forgive out ignorance if we showed any” as she spoke she wore a kind smile to show she was genuine, “tomorrow me and others will come to collect you so that you may start to learn our ways, until then hope you settle nicely in your new home.”, she bowed her head before leaving and the Sully’s were left to unpack, but Neteyam still couldn’t stop thinking about her.

It probably mid but I hope you guys like it 💋

Rotxo fell in love with Neteyam and I couldn't stop thinking about him or his beautiful smile.

Rotxo and Neteyam showing their feelings for each other (in their different ways)

Neteyam next to Rotxo on the beach and getting up caressing Rotxo's head followed by leaving

Neteyam and Rotxo holding hands before Rotxo confesses his feelings to Neteyam while he due to the surprise does not know what to say to Rotxo in response

That look between them was only the beginning between Neteyam and Rotxo with their story.

Talking his ear off

Talking his ear off || Avatar: TWOW

↬ Contents..drabble,fem! Omatikaya Reader,fluffy like a pillow,forehead kisses

↬ a/n..I love this trope! Enjoy 💛

Neteyam just had gotten back from his hunting party today. His father let him lead this one for more training to take his place, and to say the least he was exhausted.

All he wanted to do is come home to you and talk about your day, which is always much better than his. In time he grew to love hearing you ramble.

Talking about one thing and then something else happened and that topic excites you even more, so you randomly switched topics without knowing. It was his favorite part of his wholee day. Just sitting in your tent listening to you talk.

It was relaxing for him really and after what had happened today?

He needed to be relaxed so badly.

He walked to your tent in a hurry, not even thanking for taking note to his people congratulating him. Your tent was not far away but it was farther than his family’s tent, so it was a bit of a walk but he finally got there.

You were humming to yourself when you heard your tent flap open. When you turned around you saw your mighty boyfriend Neteyam standing there with an exhausted look on his face.

You gasped while looking at him standing on your feet “What happened Ma Neteyam? Are you alright?” You look over his body checking to see if he was hurt, but turns out he just had a few scratches here and there which is expected.

You quickly sat him down on the floor, you also following suit cuddling up against him trying to get comfortable. Then your breathe in his scent. He always smelled like fresh pine and rain. It calmed your nerves deeply.

“I am fine my love..please,tell me how was your day?” He has a genuine smile on his face when he says it too. He loves hearing about the adventures you’ve had while he was away. It makes him relieved that you were safe and enjoying yourself.

“Ah, well Me and Kiri…” you told him about your whole day, about how you helped Mo’at & Kiri doing Tsahik work and healing others, how you took Tuk exploring in the forest(safely), and how you yourself caught something today. Trying to provide for your people too.

You got so caught up in talking you noticed how you didn’t even let Neteyam talk about his day. You gasped “I’m sorry Ma Neteyam! I got so caught up in my day I didn’t even ask about yours! Please for give me.” You felt bad that you were talking so much.

Sometimes people get annoyed with you for talking so much about yourself, you don’t mean any harm. You just get so caught up in what you were saying. Sometimes you feared Neteyam would do the same but surprisingly,he has not.

“It is alright love, I promise.” He chuckled at you, he thought that he had been obvious that he liked hearing you talk. You have an eyebrow raised at him in confusion.

His laughter died down soon though once he noticed it.

“I love hearing you talking about your adventures love. It warms my heart just thinking about it.” You smiled brightly at him after he said that. He wasn’t bothered by you talking so much at all. It makes you fall in love with him even more than you already have.

“But please Neteyam,” you giggled at him in joy “please tell me about your hunt. Was it a big animal you caught?” “Hmm, you know how Lo’ak is.. always getting into trouble, somehow.” He told you all about his hunt, to but he kept it short to hear more about you since you cut yourself off.

You giggled when he mentions Lo’ak or one of the soldiers missing an arrow. It was also fun for you hearing about his day since you spend so much of it away from each other.

“Enough about me love. Please, tell me more about your day? It seems much more interesting.” You hum in content and continuing on, enjoying your time together.

© 2023 whatisthatmae - please do not steal my work,upload, nor copy any of it on any other websites. All of the rights of my work goes to me. If you have any inspiration please tag me as well!

Neteyam x Tawkami! Reader HC’s

Neteyam x Tawkami! Reader HC’s || Avatar

Synopsis: Reader’s and Neteyam’s relationship head cannons

Warnings: Fluff, kissing

A/n: this was something quick I thought of just now. I’m making another fix about the Tawkami Reader!

Neteyam x Tawkami! Reader

☆ You and Neteyam see each other in private majority of the time

☆ You like to bring him flowers or new crystals you found from Green Home

☆ He would always keep them with him, appreciating them.

☆ He even weaved one into his Song cord when you two became a couple, taking it as a big achievement

☆ He would always be infatuated by your clans way of life. All the greenery you wore and and the head pieces adorned on your head.

☆ He would definitely teach you his way of life, in contrast to yours it was very different

☆ The times that your clans would meet up with each other every once in a while you and Neteyam would always sneak away

☆ Would always sneak into your hammock late at night to sleep behind you when his clan would be at Green Home

☆ Sneaks kisses when you walk past each other or in his tent, sometimes make out sessions if your quiet enough

☆ Would take you Banshee Riding late at night for dates

☆ Sometimes for date nights you would show him all the new experiments with the plants and wild life.

☆ Maybe even a nightly chase if you’re at it, him chasing you on the huge branches of trees

☆ One day you made him a flower head piece matching yours to wear whenever he came to visit, you were a bit possessive

☆ Has his hand on your lower back or waist, always has some kind of physical contact with you

☆ I think Neteyam would get jelous if he saw some of the boys in his clan trying to court you, not knowing you were being courted already

☆ You’d have to reassure him that you’re all his for life, even if you haven’t mated yet

☆ His family LOVES you, especially Neytiri like I mentioned in the other one.

☆ Jake thinks you’ll keep his son in line so he respects you as his future mate

☆ Kiri loves talking with you, taking advice on how to be a better healer

☆ Lo’ak loved that you would go on Banshee rides with him during the day. Someone who finally has fun with him

☆ Spider however tries to avoid you, you aren’t fond of the human kind after they attacked the forest, so he stayed out of your way

☆ But he still had respect nonetheless

☆ Tuk was definitely your favorite, Neteyam bright up one time that you loved her more than him

☆ He doesn’t have to worry about that though, he’s still your only love. ❤️

© 2023 whatisthatmae - please do not steal my work,upload, nor copy any of it on any other websites. All of the rights of my work goes to me. If you have any inspiration please tag me as well!

Can you do a fluff with Lo’ak where they had just got done with the raid and after his dad had yelled at him that he went to the reader with comfort?? Also I hope you had a great day!!

Come to you

Come to you||Avatar

Synopsis: After the raid that the warriors went on earlier that day, Lo’ak gets a scolding from his father & he comes to you in comfort.

Warnings:The slightest bit of angst, mostly fluff, kisses, ( no severe warnings! 😂)

A/n : this was shorter than expected! I wanted to make this longer but my attention span is little 😅. Thank you anon for the request 💛! I hope you have a great day too anon! My requests are open, so out anything you would like! I’m also shifting into the Wednesday Fandom aswell so request some for that too if possible. Enjoy!

Lo’ak x GN! Reader

You and Mo’at are in her tent grinding and mixing plants to make ointments and new medicines for when the worriers come back home. You were in your own world when suddenly Tuk yelled out “They’re back! ____! Kiri! Spider! Hurry up!” You rushed to put your things down and hurriedly ran to the big crowd that surrounded them.

You pushed through the crowd saying ‘Excuse me’ & ‘Sorry’. Once you got to the fromt your eyes immediately went to the Sully’s. Currently Neteyam and Lo’ak were getting scolding from their father. Neytiri stepped in and was talking some sense into Jake while also trying to take Neteyam to his grandmother to heal him.

Lo’ak had to stay behind while still getting scolded by his father. You couldn’t stay long so you had to leave and go to your tent. Jake dismissed Lo’ak and he had a sad but also angry look in his eyes while he tended to his Ikran and stormed off to find you. While you were mixing new ingredients to make his new medicine you wanted to try, Lo’ak stormed into your tent and sat in front of you. You just sighed and set your stuff down...again.

“What is wrong Lo’ak?” You look at him in his eyes waiting for him to speak “I’m upset at my father. He always scolds me, it makes me feel like a big disappointment to everyone.” He has a sad look on his face and you held out your arms for him to take comfort into. He rushed into your arms quickly which you almost fell backwards on the floor but you caught yourself.

You held him close to you as you ran your fingers through his hair. He sighed calmly as you pressed a light kiss to his forehead “You know you’re not a disappointment to anyone Lo’ak, your father is just hard on you. I don’t think he has to be that hard on his sons but he has a reason for that.”

The atmosphere is calm inside your tent. You’d often find crystals in the forest to keep and collect. One of the humans has a collection too, they said that they use them to do something called ‘Manifestation’. You wanted to try it out, so it will hopefully give you more opportunities from Eywa to show you in the direction you desire.

You often manifested that Lo’ak and his fathers relationship will greaten sooner or later. Hoping that they will finally stop butting heads with each other. You’ve went to Great Mother as well, praying to her that they will finally get along.

It has only been a few minutes of you continuing your work when you suddenly hear a light snore on your chest. You look down and there you see it, Lo’ak has fell asleep on you. You lightly chuckled and tried not to move as much to not wake him. Then an idea came into your mind. You leaned your face down and lightly kissed his fore head, this his left and right cheek, his chin, his cheekbones, his nose, and then his lips.

That’s when he started to stir a little in his slumber. You sighed lovingly down at him watching you lover sleep peacefully. He always looked so handsome when he was sleeping, you just now realized. After a few more minutes you decided to wake him, as it was eclipse and his family was probably worried about where their son was.

Then, another Idea came into your mind. You saw a bowl of water, over next to you. The you slowly looked back at Lo’ak whilst trying to get the bowl. You finally grabbed it and you counted down in your head ‘5,4,3,2,1!’. Then he woke up immediately and had an annoyed look on his face and he stood up, whilst you were laughing your ass off at him.

“You should’ve seen you face Lo’ak!” You held your hand over your mouth trying to hold back more laughter. “Oh yeah?” then he suddenly poured the rest of the water on you! You stood there shocked, while Lo’ak was across from you laughing. The you stood up aswell and then started laughing with him.

Your fun has to come to and end when you remember why you woke him up. “You have to go to your tent now Lo’ak, it is eclipse.” He groaned while you pushed him out of your tent. “It was fun spending time with you today love.” He turned around and gave you a passionate kiss on your lips as a goodbye and you watched him walk away to his tent with a smile on his face.

“Goodnight ____!” He yelled with a wink afterwards you just smirked in return “Goodbye Lo’ak.” You said with a smile and a wave, then you went back into your tent to wind down. You were happy with yourself that you could lift your boyfriends mood before he went back home today.

© 2023 whatisthatmae - please do not steal my work,upload, nor copy any of it on any other websites. All of the rights of my work goes to me. If you have any inspiration please tag me as well!

Neteyam x Vitiligo Metkayina! Reader

Part 3 (last part)

I’m going to try and not make this too long 👌🏾

Pronouns : she/her

Y/n’s pov

You cant be serious. How could he just confessed to me so openly like that? I look at him in shock before I look away. This was new to me, this whole experience was. I was lost for words. So much that my mouth was completely dry from having it open for too long. I could tell his expression was awaiting on me to answer, so I did. “You..like me?” I paused for a moment before I continued. “I could say I’m very..glad,to hear that from you. As I do like you too but I have just one question. Why? The other boys from my clan don’t see me in the way that you do. So why do you like me this much?” I asked desperately, I hope he’s not just playing with my feelings right now.

Neteyam’s pov

Did she really just ask me that? What I liked about her? I look at her kind of offended. “Are you saying my taste in women is bad? I think your a very pretty girl ____, but that’s not just the only reason why I like you.” I said hoping she doesn’t cut me off as I continue.

“You have this sort of..mysterious thing about you that has me wondering. Wanting to know more things about you. I love the way you smile at me even if it’s not a big one,it still counts. We relate to so many different topics, I love the time that we spend together ____. Every moment I try to spend it with you during that day. That’s why I like you.” I say all of this very confidently. I’ve never shared my feelings this openly to anyone about this sort of topic. It’s new. It’s special at the same time too. “ I hope that you can accept my confession to you ____” I hope she does, back at my original home I never had the time to..have a crush you could say. Now I have a little more time on my hands to do so.

Y/n’s pov

“Neteyam. Do you mean all of this?” If so, please tell me now.” It almost sounds like I was begging at this point. I needed to know the truth before I say my true answer to him. He nods at me, I look in his eyes to see if she’s telling the truth. Being the Tsahik in training had its perks. I read him spiritually, to see if he was lying to me. But I saw now lies, therefore he was telling the truth. I sighed and told him my answer.

“Neteyam. I like you too. I realized it a few days ago, but I really do. I do accept your confession.” I say with almost tears in my eyes. I can’t believe this was happening. He ran up to me and hugged me while lifting me on the air. He started laughing and so did I. For a moment he stopped and I looked down at him to see him already looking at me. I looked deep into his eyes and leaned down..that is how we had our first kiss.

—————————————————————

It’s been at least 3 days since that whole confession happened and me and Neteyam are taking it slow. You could say we are a couple,I don’t really count things as dating unless two Na’vi bond. But we’re too young for that at the moment. Neteyam has been thinking about telling our parents about our relationship. I’ve been against it every time he brought it up.

I’ve only been against it because I don’t know how my mother will react. I’m not too worried about my father, he’s always been an open man. Hopefully he can accept us too,even though me and him don’t get on good terms he’s still my father either way.

I sighed as Neteyam asked for what it feels like the 10th time today. I stop in my tracks and groaned annoyingly. “ Ugh! Fine, we can tell them. As long as you stop annoying me.” I said glaring back at him while he looks as happy as day.

——————————————————-

We told his parents first. They are a lot more open to new things, rather than mine. I would say the most shocked one had to be Jake, his father. Neteyam has mentioned that a while ago he had told his mother that he liked me,so it wasn’t a surprise to her. None the less, they were happy for the both of us that we were finally together.

Now on to the hard part..my parents. They had been in the Marui for a while now. I sighed as I couldn’t be any more nervous. Neteyam saw this and said “ Hey, it’s going to be okay. If anything happens I’ll be right by your side.” He says as I nod and headed my way in.

“Mom, dad, I have something I would like to tell you.” I said trying to be as confident as I could. “Me and Neteyam are together, as a couple.” I said with a stern face trying to his my nervousness if it ever came through. They look at each other amused before laughing.

Me and Neteyam look at each in question when I ask “What? Why are you laughing?” They stopped laughing and said “Daughter, me and you father already knew. Your nosy brother told us that same night. He was eavesdropping.” My mother said as she rolled her eyes at the thought of my brother. “Even though you don’t need our approval, we accept you and your relationship with the boy.” My father said witha proud look on his face. I looked relieved and thanked them for their consent as Neteyam & I walked out of the Marui.

We looked at each other with a knowing look. Knowing that this relationship with definitely go far. Very far.

THE END!!

Neteyam x Vitiligo Metkayina! Reader

Part 2

Pronouns: she/ her

Neteyam’s pov

I sighed and just kept walking until I see ____ at the spot we were supposed to meet at, I saw her sitting by the shore line and I started to pick up my pace. I have the bracelet in hand, nervous to give it to her. I don’t know what her reaction will be to it. Maybe she won’t like it? Maybe she’ll pretend she does then leaves it to someone else? I don’t know, but I’m going to test my luck and see.

Once I’m close enough to her I tap her shoulder lightly to get her attention. She was kinda startled as she jumped at little, but she calmed down when she realized it was me. “Hey” I Said a little nervous. “Hey Neteyam, how are you?” She asked while still looking at the waters. “ I’m doing just fine actually. How are you?” I asked raising and eyebrow. “Stressed.” She said as she sighed afterwards, and looked at the sand. I looked at her in question, I guess she could see my confusion as she looked at me and said “ My mother has been putting a lot of pressure on me as of late.” Her eyebrows are furrowed together as she continues. “ It has been stressing me out, all of the spiritual stuff that she is trying to teach me, just doesn’t make any sense anymore.”

She looks as if she’s about to cry at any moment now. I feel saddened at this, and said “ Hey, if it makes you feel any better my father puts a lot of stress on me to be the next leader of the Omatikaya. It’s not easy,but it’s a very important job and the people need a new leader when my father has finished his reign.” I said as I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looks up at me with almost teary eyes and looked in my eyes deeply. We’ve made eye contact for a few seconds before we started to lean in and almost on cue, Ao’nung has came to get ____ for their mother. We pulled away fast and she looked a little embarrassed while I made an awkward cough. She sighed “ Well, I have to go. I’ll see you soon alright? Thank you for comforting me.” She smiled lightly as she walked away with her brother who gave a glare as the walked away. I could only roll my eyes and look back at the water. Then I remembered I didn’t get to give her my gift.

Y/n’s pov

I felt kind of frustrated at my brother for interrupting the moment between me and Neteyam on the beach you could call it. I don’t know particularly why I felt this way. It felt like we were about to kiss, and the setting was just right with the sun setting behind us. I’ll ask my sister about it later, I don’t know if I could say that.. I like him. Yeah, I’ll just ask her for safe measures.

———————————————————

After the meeting I had with my mother I immediately try to find Tsireya. I looked at the first place I know she would be, in the water and there she was,but I see her with Lo’ak. Their time is gonna have to be cut short as I started walking to the water. “Tsireya!” I called out the first time. I guess she didn’t hear me so I called out to her again “ Tsireya!”. This time she turned her head to look my way. I motioned her over to where I was so I could ask her. “ Yes sister? What do you need?” She asked politely, she was always the sweetest out of the 3 of us. “ I need to talk about something with you. It’s very important.” I say in a hurry. She looked kind of worried as she looked at me but she waved off to Lo’ak and started walking with me.

The moon was shining brightly behind us when she asked “What is it? Did something happen?” She asked. “Actually.. yes.” I said hesitantly. She nodded for me to go on. “Let’s sit somewhere first.” I look over to some places to sit while we talk and she nodded her head again.

“So?” She asked curiously. I sighed as I went all in “ Today while me and Neteyam were spending time together at the shore, I felt..something.” she nodded for me to continue so I did “ Then we almost kissed toe what it seemed like. Lately I’ve been feeling this weird feeling, like every time I see him I get all nervous and I have butterflies in my stomach and my hands get all sweaty.I’ve been feeling that way just a few days after him & his family arrived here.” I said. “What does that all mean, sister?” I asked impatiently.

She laughs a little and I looked at her confused for a moment. “What’s so funny?” I asked confusingly “Nothing its just-” she started laughing again. I groaned and said “ Just spit it out already!” “Those feelings older sister, mean that you might or most likely have a crush on him.” She giggled at me. I sat there shocked, I’ve never really liked anyone before. Mostly because the boys from my clan never really liked me because of the way my skin looked, but that’s fine. “Okay.. thank you for telling me.” She nodded and we both headed back to our Marui for the night.

——————————————————

The next morning I saw Neteyam, now that I know what these feelings that I have for him are.. I get nervous. What if he doesn’t like me back because of the way I look, just like all the other boys? Or what if he just doesn’t like me in the way? All these thoughts were in my head all at once to the point that I didn’t even see where I was going until I bumped into Neteyam.

Neteyam’s pov

This morning I woke up with determination. I’ve realized that all this time and all the signs were showing me that I desperately like ____. Today was going to be the day tagt I tell her. As well as give her the bracelet, but in my free time I’ve made her something else as well. It’s a necklace, similar to what my mother has and the first bead is from when I’m going to give it to her. A first memory if you will…that’s if she accepts it. I was walking through the beach until I bumped into someone “ I’m so sorry!” They cried out. I looked down and there she was muttering apologies.

Then she looks up at me and then stops. “Oh. It’s just you, Neteyam.” She says bluntly. “Yeah, it’s just me.” I said laughing at the look she gave me when she realized it was me she bumped into. “Hey, can we talk for a moment?” I asked her, the she nodded and we started walking together. “I have some gifts for you.” I said as I showed her the bra tabs necklace that I’ve made her. “Gifts? Thank you. I appreciate them.” She says with a small smile,but also in a monotone voice. Before she could say something else I stopped her in her tracks and said “ And I have something to tell you.” She looked up at me in confusion but also nodding for me to continue. I sighed and said

“I like you.”

So reacetly some tiktoker had posted a pic of "Aged up" Neteyam with a pickle on it on a slideshow. I know that you people follow that person who made that fic.

And i honestly i agree to what this person is saying.

GOD FUCKING DAMN. IS THERE A PT 2??? this man has me meowing n everything 🙈🙈 i love how u wrote him author 🙏

Hii idk if you take requests rn but if you do can you please write something where you are showing Neteyam music videos from earth on a tv in the lab and when your celebrity crush appeared you said « he so hot » forgetting that Neteyam was there and he fuck us bc he is jealous (like he didn’t know what your type in human were so he is possessive) 😩😩😩

IS IT TIME FOR JEALOUS NETEYAM PART 2? I THINK IT IS BESTIES!

this got away from me, the horny is taking me over once more (she says on a daily basis) also it's 12am and i'm too tired to proofread so if you see any mistakes, pretend to be shocked when they disappear tomorrow morning and don't judge me too harshly okkk?? xxx

i hope you enjoy besties x smooches

wc: 2k words

warnings: aged-up!neteyam, female human!reader, jealousy trope, smut (fingering, edging), strong language, cursing, kinda mean!neteyam, praise kink, small degradation kink, i guess that's all light day for me

na'vi compendium: tewng - loincloth, tiyawn - love

As a human living on Pandora, your life was never boring. Anything that the Na’vi would ever find mundane or ordinary, anything that humans on Earth might think is just another thing in a vast array of distractions always present in their day to day lives, to you, it was all new. Everything was just another opportunity to learn and grow, to experience life in a way that you weren’t quite made for, but that was full of lessons, surprises, full of excitement and adventure, full of… entertainment. 

That's all it was. A... lesson. It was important for you to understand where you came from, or more accurately, where your parents came from, and that included looking at videos of what they considered art. And boy, was it art, alright!

A video that you've now memorised by heart was playing in one of the recreation rooms, because seeing it on a small screen just wasn't quite enough. The beautiful music video featured incredible vistas of Earth like you've never quite seen it before, a choreography that highlighted just how fluid and dynamic humans could actually be when trying, a symphony of voices blending together beautifully, lyrics that melted your heart, and the most beautiful human men you have ever laid your eyes on, and you were almost upset that that what was what was missing from Pandora, and instead was all you got was old scientists who even at the best of times were not quite the same... sight.

It pained Neteyam to admit that when you asked him to come and hang around the labs, something he didn't like doing in the best of circumstances (but always did because of you), he definitely didn't expect this. He didn't quite understand the feelings plaguing him, feelings that never tried him before, as he watched your face, completely entranced and mesmerised, looking at the big screen where human men were singing and dancing in a way he found silly, but to his massive shock - you didn't. You and Neteyam shared an opinion on most things, have done since you were but children, growing up together in this world that scared you both, but that you braved together. So why was it now that this was changed this little fact that he was so fond of, that he held on for dear life, that he cherished with everything he had?

Is this what he was feeling? Sadness? No... it didn't quite feel like sadness. The twitching in his eye and the way his hands balled up in a tight fist is not what he associated with feeling down. Anger? Neteyam didn't get angry too often, but the times he did, it felt hot, like burning embers pushed down his throat. So not quite anger, either. It felt... bitter, like a poisoned fruit. His stomach tightened at the way you were almost drooling over these men that you didn't know, that were just like you, and nothing like Neteyam. Is this what you wanted? Is that who you craved? A human, someone whose hands fit in yours perfectly and whose body was made to hold your own without towering over you?

Neteyam felt the ugly feeling surge through his veins until it was like iced-water replaced all his blood, and he suddenly recognised the feeling from a distant memory of the past, one he shared with his dad.

"Jealousy, son, is like... a wave, that comes and goes, and can ripple over your feet or can drown you in sorrow, and anger and pain. It's watching someone get something you want, it's feeling a precious thing slip through your fingers, no matter how hard you try to hold on to it. It's cold and powerful, it's the ugliest of emotions, and it's inevitable. Just don't let it consume you."

"Hey! I was watching that!" You screamed in Neteyam's direction in an attempt to understand what just happened, why he took the remote away from you and turned off the projector, leaving you a confused and dazed mess. Your already struggling mind got even more scrambled, as your friend placed a large hand on your chest, pushing you to the ground and getting on top of you, hovering until your faces were so close, they were almost touching, until his breath was warm and musky and deepening the quiet, steady haze overtaking you. Your eyes widened taking him in, flared nose and deep frown marring his beautiful face, but nothing held a candle to his own eyes, yellow orbs of molten gold, so precious and unique to you, so, so beautiful and right now, almost swallowed by his black irises that were more dilated that you've ever seen them before.

"Neteyam... what are you doing?"

"Why am I here, huh? Why did you ask me to come, so I can watch you drool over human men? So I can see how much you want them?"

"What are you talk-"

His words confounded you, almost as much as his tone did. He sounded... jealous. He couldn't be. Right? You and Neteyam were just friends... just friends. Sure, you've shared a few drunken kissess and flirty comments throughout your life, and you've found yourself catching him looking at you in a way that indicated something... more, but he was Neteyam. Neteyam, the prince of the Omaticaya. Neteyam, the future Olo'eyktan. Neteyam, the most intelligent, caring, kind, compassionate, beautiful, sexy man you've ever seen... and a Na'vi. He had a line of women at his beck and call, so in time, you've come to terms with the fact he would never look at you, merely a measly human, and why should he? There was so much separating you, so much you'd never be able to overcome. And yet still, here he was, eyeing you like he hungered for you, like he ached for you, and your core throbbed at the view, a soft moan barely contained as you felt his twitching cock brush against your thigh.

"Is this what you want, what you crave, friend? All this fucking time, I thought there was a chance you might want me, the way I want you, the way I need you. And turns out I never stood a fucking chance, huh?"

"Neteyam, no, I -"

"What, what do you have to say for yourself?"

His hand was tracing your body softly, inching from your neck and collarbone, down your chest and waist, ghosting over your hips, until he found your shorts, clinging to your body in a way that drove him crazy, that let little to the imagination, that made him wants to explore every inch of you with his fingers, and his tongue.

"Is this for them?" when his hand slipped in between your thighs, feeling the wet patch that formed there in the short time he was on top of you, you pushed them instinctively together, trapping his fingers as they started to move, the moan unable to remain trapped inside of you anymore. The shake of your head was so aggressive it gave you whiplash, but you wanted him to know, needed him to know that it was him, only him, always him.

"No, Netey-, fuck! No, it's for you!"

The growl that escaped him made your heart still in your chest, the raw, powerful emotion something you have never seen in Neteyam, who was always a calming, tame presence in your life. It took him no time at all to remove the shorts that he's dreamt of seeing around your ankles for so long, a reality that he would cherish later, once his mind was no longer poisoned by the bitter hold of jealousy.

"You're lying. I saw the way you're watching them, I saw the look in your eyes. You just want a little human man your own size, huh?"

He takes a second, just a second to admire your body, that he's seen in all his filthiest, most beautiful dreams as it welcomed him, spread for him, bent for him, arched for him, but nothing, not even the absolute best of them, compared to the sight that would be forever tattooed in his brain from this point on. Your disheveled face, parted lips and blushing cheeks, messy hair as you were sprawled on the floor, looking at him with blown up pupils through your long lashes, your chest heaving up and down, nipples poking through your tank top... it all drove him fucking crazy. He wanted nothing more than to fuck you, long and hard, and show you that you deserved better than a human, that he can make you come in ways you haven't even imagined before.

"I'm not lying, Neteyam. I never thought you'd ever want me, so I moved on. But I need you, I want you, please. Only you. Only you, please."

His cock twitched and hardened even more at your words, more than he ever thought was fucking possible, and it hurt, the strain caused by his tightened tewng, the desire to fill you up more overwhelming by the second.

"Is that so, baby girl? You want me to fuck you?" his hand pushes your lace panties to the side, smirking at how drenched they were, and his breath hitches in his throat at the way your swollen folds glistened with slick, at the way your smell inundated his senses and pushed him to a primal state, in which nothing else in this world existed but you, and the desire to fill you up with him cum and watch as it dripped out of your small, perfect cunt.

"Yes! Yes, please!"

"Have you been good enough to deserve to be fucked, pretty girl? Is this what you think good girls do? Acting like a little slut, salivating over men that could never satisfy you?"

You whimper as his pushes two fingers in you, curling them so they drag against the spongy part in your core in a way that makes you squirm under him. The stretch is just enough to feel pressure building in you, not enough to reach the height in needed to be released, and you start grinding, fucking yourself on his fingers, hoping to get yourself there, hoping to reach the orgasm you needed more desperately with every passing second. Your actions anger him, as he pulls his fingers out swiftly and straddles you once more, a dangerous glimmer in his eyes that felt like no light could escape from.

"Answer me."

"I-I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"That's right, baby girl. And why is that?"

"Because I'm yours. I'm all yours."

"Fuck, that's right, baby. You're mine. All fucking mine."

"Open your mouth for me." You do as you're told, and watch as he brings his fingers to your lips and pushes past them, until your mouth is coated in your slick, and you close your lips around them, swirling your tongue on and in between them, until you gather every last drop. He groans a wild, erotic groan, feeling the way your clean yourself off of him dutifully, and he lets his mind fantasise about the day you'll be chocking on his cock, your beautiful eyes drowned in tears as the girth becomes too much to handle, drops falling down your face as you try to take more of him, your tongue flat against him as he thrusts in and out of your mouth, as he comes down your throat. He slowly removes his fingers, even as you cling on, and they come out with a pop, and you smile at the sound, teeth finding your bottom lip as they sink into it, trying to suppress the smirk threatening to form on your lips.

"Such a filthy girl. Gonna make you feel so good, baby. Gonna show you why I'm the only one for you."

"You took my fingers so well, tiyawn. Now let's see how well you take my cock."

taglist: @fanboyluvr @theycallmesia @yagirlheree

OH LORDDD THE ANGST.... IM INVESTED

Cruel Summer | Chapter I: August

Pairings: Neteyam x (f)Human!Reader

Word Count: 9.5k words

Warnings/notes: angst, allusions to/mentions of smut, friends-with-benefits, mutual pining, 18+ minors DNI

Synopsis: You and Neteyam have been friends since you were children, and you taught each other everything, from English and Na'vi, to movie references and hunting, to everything about your own and the other's bodies. It was the perfect friendship-with-benefits, on paper. But how long can it last in the face of all that stands to tear it apart?

A/N: I'm so excited to say my new Neteyam series is officially here, and I hope you enjoy the first chapter!! This was for some reason one of the easiest and at the same time, one of the hardest piece i've ever written, like some parts came to me almost instantly and others I STRUGGLED WITH, besties. I hope it's not super disjointed and that you're as excited as me to embark on this journey. Thank you for your patience and can't wait to hear your thoughts. As always, I deeply appreciate your replies, reblogs, likes and follows, they mean so much x ly besties xoxo

: ̗̀➛ listen to August here : ̗̀➛ masterlist (x) : ̗̀➛ series masterlist (x)

Your back beneath the sun, wishing I could write my name on it

Will you call when you're back at school? I remember thinking I had you

There was so much about you and Neteyam’s relationship, if you can even call it that, that was wrong and unsightly, that was forbidden and hidden. But, as you stood in the forest, propped on your elbows, taking in the sun shining brightly through the leaves and his toned, azure back, on which patterns of the forest branches rippling in the breeze formed, you couldn’t care less if you tried. In these moments, fleeting and irreplaceable, life was everything you’ve ever wanted, more than you could have ever dreamt, and enough to keep you going. In these moments, there were no humans and Na’vi, no impending doom, no animosity over your presence in the village, no hatred emanating from Neytiri’s entire being whenever her intense and prying eyes spotted you or Spider in the crowd or amongst her kids, no woman that would soon be bearing Neteyam’s children, there was nothing else, but him and you and the promise of hushed confessions and wandering hands, of lingering stares and breakable heaven. 

You couldn’t help be drawn by the silent invitation of his body, so tempting and beautiful, so big and different to yours, but just similar enough to allow for… certain enjoyable, mind-blowing pastime activities that were sure to occupy the time and every ounce of free space in your mind, and your soul, and your entire being. Your hand trailed on his back, from the nape of his neck to the band of his loincloth, moving over the scratches that you left on him just a couple hours ago, over the healed scars he got from battles and hunts that you could name and describe each of by heart, and you drew your name on his back with your fingers and the air beneath them as ink, hoping this way you’d mark him, this way you could keep him forever. Pushing the unpleasant thought aside, you playfully tugged at the purple fabric covering him. He turned around on his side to face you, his defined abs and chest fully on display, and the way he eyed you, desperate and needy, full of hunger and desire, made your stomach churn and core throb. 

“What do you think you’re doing, ma Vol?” 

Your mouth curved in a mischievous grin, which turned into a full-blown laugh as he grabbed your much smaller hands in one of his large blue ones and with very little visible effort, stretched your arms above your head and manoeuvred you on your back on the mossy, comfortable grass. He hovered over you, his smile mirroring your own from just a few moments ago, and he tapped the mask currently providing the oxygen needed to keep you alive with his index finger, the sound ringing in your ears like bells in a church. 

“I would give anything to not have this in the way right now.” 

“Me too. Death by make-out with a hot blue 9 something foot tall alien? There are worse ways to go.” 

He shook his head at you and scoffed, but you could tell he was amused. The desire you felt for him instantly diminished as the thought of the fact he would be heading home soon enough, home to his family and his new mate, crept unwelcome in the back of your mind and slowly moved forward, until it was everything, until it was the only thing. 

“Do you have to go back soon?”

He sighed and let you go, plopping himself back on the grass next to you, chest up and looking at the sky and the clouds moving above you, and all the shapes they made as they passed you by. 

“You know I do.” 

You knew. You’ve known for years, ever since the first time you and Neteyam started this game of hide and seek with the rest of the village, with each other, and with yourselves, that this was temporary, that one day, he would belong to someone else, and all you would be able to do is watch.

Salt air, and the rust on your door, I never needed anything more

Whispers of "Are you sure?", "Never have I ever before"

Your and Neteyam’s lives could not be more different. You were human, a tiny, inconsequential human, left behind after the war, unable to be hooked to cryo, so you stayed with the scientists who were fortunate enough to be allowed safe haven on this planet that was now as much their home as it was the Omatikaya’s. You knew nothing of Earth, other than stories told to you by your surrogate family and from whatever form of art they had with them, that brought them the comfort of a home long forsaken, but never forgotten. In time, it brought you comfort, too, knowing what Earth used to be like, knowing that humans were not just monsters, but had it in them to be smart, and kind, and funny, to create beautiful music, and poetry, to combine words, words that everybody had access to and everyone could speak, combine them in such a way that it brought tears in your eyes or happiness in your heart, that made you think and ponder about the meaning of growth, the meaning of love and laughter and life and death. It was beautiful, they were beautiful, and - you hoped - so were you.

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

You and Neteyam shared many firsts throughout your 19 years of friendship. Despite your differences, despite your incompatibility and despite so many challenges facing you, despite both knowing it was most likely wrong and shouldn’t have happened, you always found solace in each other. You found yourselves in each other. You were each other’s first kiss, first sleep over, first flirtatious touch and first wandering hands, first make-out, first second base and first third base, first secret affair. Everything you knew about each other’s bodies, about your own bodies, you learned together. What makes each other tick, what makes each other tickle, what makes each other cum. In time, you knew everything about the other and you made sure you took advantage of that knowledge as often as you could. 

The first time you and Neteyam ever kissed was when you were both 12, both innocent children, both curious. At that time, he was not a lot bigger than you, as it turns out humans stopped growing in height a lot sooner than Na’vi did. Now, your full body reached his lower ribs, but at the time, he was only about a head taller than you. It was short and sweet, and so so innocent, and yet, it never left you. That kiss, which at the time was just fulfilling a curiosity more than anything else, started a complicated and convoluted journey that was full of potholes, full of tight swerves and icy roads, full of dangers and darkness, but a journey worth taking nonetheless, because in the short periods of clear skies and sun-kissed warmth, it had the most heavenly sights and luminous vistas, and it was everything. 

The first time you shared a bed, you were 15. Actually, a bed is a very loose term. In reality, it was just a mess of sheets in one of the recreation rooms that no other human or avatar really frequented, outside of you and Spider. It was large and tall, and had a huge screen where you usually watched movies whenever the Sullys came by to visit. Neteyam taught you Na’vi and he, being the dutiful son and soldier that he was, would come by to learn English at least once a week when he was young, knowing it would one day come in helpful against the humans. He didn’t say it, but you knew he also did it to be more like his dad, yet another way he emulated the Toruk Makto.

His favourite way to learn is with you, as you were also learning as you went along, and both of your favourite way to learn is by watching Earth videos, and movies and tv shows, and trying to figure out what the references meant, what the idioms meant, how to use slang that made no sense to your ears without the scientists explaining it to you. When you were alone, sometimes, you liked to make your own meaning for phrases, and laughed at your own little private jokes that no one else would ever be privy to. One of those evenings, that started with studying, and a marathon of Friends, ended with tangled limbs and soft snores, covered in blankets and the warmth of each other’s bodies. It was so innocent, and so childlike, and so was the second kiss you’ve ever shared, that happened in between giggles and The One Where Ross Finds Out, where the tension that erupted between Ross and Rachel and the kiss that resulted off it, prompted a philosophical discussion around physical displays of affection and what the big deal about it was. After trying it out for yourselves, you concluded it was overrated.

That didn’t last long, as your first make-out came soon after, a little less innocent and definitely less childlike. You discovered maybe there was some truth in those shows, and you discovered that you both enjoyed the tingling on your skin and the butterflies in your stomach that each other’s touch provided. That lasted for a few years, and eventually progressed into this, whatever this was. Initially, it was just curiosity. Then it became about how good release felt, how necessary it was, how much the pleasure helped both of you unwind and go about your day, forget about frustrations about the labs, and training, and parents and surrogate families, it could all be solved by each other’s bodies. It was purely self-indulgent, it was friends with benefits at its finest.

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

But I can see us lost in the memory

August slipped away into a moment in time

'Cause it was never mine

But life never stopped around you, and the world didn’t stop around you, as much as it felt like it had when it was just the two of you. You both grew up, and while you were still the same human, still doing the same things and having the same limitations that would always plague you, Neteyam’s world was a constant whirlwind of which you were just a small breeze. In time, he took his Iknimaya and Uniltaron, he became a man, and a revered warrior, despite being only 19. Early last week, he even got a mate, and will soon consummate that mateship, and he will be bonded with her for life, and you will be just a part of the past, just a small reminder of his childhood, just a dull ache in a mass of growing pains. 

“What are you thinking about, ma Vol?” 

You smiled softly as his nickname pulled you out of your musings. Vol. He first called you that when you were kids, and he found out that on Earth, the eight month of the year, when you were born, was called August. The Na’vi had a name for August, and it was vospxìvol, and after the first time the word ever left his lips, so did any other name for you disappear from his mind. To everyone else, you were Y/N. To him, you were his Vol. His never-ending summer, your warmth surrounding him for all time, your day eclipsing his darkest nights. 

You wanted to be honest. To tell him what you thought about, what occupied your every other thought, what weighed on your heart so heavily it felt like it would overtake you, every day, all day, was him. It was how much, despite your unspoken agreement that this was purely physical, it got to mean more to you in time. It was how much you loved him, desperately and unconditionally, impermeably and forever. You wanted to tell him that you knew the rules, you knew that whatever this was couldn’t last, wouldn’t last, but there’s nothing more you wanted in this life than a way to make it last, to make him yours. That you curse your life every day that you will never be able to understand this world the way you were meant to, that you would never understand the bond the Na'vi have with it and with the beings in it, with each other, and that the thought of his queue, the most intimate part of him, a direct influx into his thoughts and feelings, connecting to someone else’s, made you sick to your stomach, made bile and acid gather in your mouth until it burned everything in its wake as you had to swallow you back down where it belonged. 

You felt stubborn tears pricking at your eyes and forced yourself to push them back away. Neteyam was your best friend, was the man that knew you more intimately than anyone else ever would and still, there were somethings better left unsaid, some cans of worms that would spoil even the most unfastidious of appetites. 

And I can see us twisted in bedsheets

August sipped away like a bottle of wine

'Cause you were never mine

“Just thinking about how I’m going to be able to explain all of these marks on my body, you fiend. I think I’m running out of ideas, there are only so many rashes Norm won’t get worried about, and only so many clothes that will cover all traces of you on me. I don’t have the luxury of shopping for more clothes, you know?” 

Neteyam laughed and you knew you were out of the woods and that he wouldn’t pry anymore. It was time for you to go back, time for you to deal with the unfairness of the universe in your own room, under the cover of darkness and solitude, drowning your senses in music and mindless entertainment. 

“Take me home?” 

He turned his back to you and knelt, waiting. You smiled at his unspoken way of telling you to get on his back, and obliged, attaching to him like a backpack. In reality, this was easier for him than walking next to you, as you were slow and a far cry from his nimble and athletic capabilities. Plus, it meant he got to keep you close a while longer, got to feel his heart beating on his back and your chest moving as you inhaled, and your breath in the crook of his neck. It was much better than walking. It didn’t take long for Hell’s Gate to appear into view, the big, mostly decrepit ruin of a city left behind by the humans large enough that it could be spotted from miles away. It was Jake’s decision as Olo’eyktan to have the Omatikaya village close-by, an attempt at keeping close to the scientists and uniting the two worlds, both of which you had a foot in, but nothing more - enough to not be homeless, never enough to truly belong in either.

“What are your plans for the rest of the night?” 

The silence was very loud, and you sighed in a desperate attempt to fill it. 

“You know you can say you’re going to see her. I’m not under any illusion that you have no contact with the woman you’re gonna spend the rest of your life with when you’re not with me.” 

It was his turn to sigh, and you found yourself regretting ever asking. 

“I know, but still…” 

“Yes?” 

“You and me… it’s… I -…” 

You chuckled bitterly. Neteyam wasn’t a man of many words, but he was a man who always knew what those words would be when they did come out of his beautiful mouth. He never blabbered, or got flustered, he was the most poised and sure of himself person you’ve ever met. And yet here he was, mind blank and uncertain tone, and you felt relieved, at least to some extent, that he wasn’t completely unaffected by this whole situation, that you weren’t going through this completely by yourself. 

“I know.”

“I love you, you know?” 

That you did know. 

Remember when I pulled up and said, "Get in the car"

And then canceled my plans just in case you'd call?

Back when I was living for the hope of it all

Neteyam’s mind tortured him today more than most other days, as so many memories of your life together enveloped him, and the warmth they provided was quickly dispersed by thoughts of a face, a new face, a known and yet strange face, the face of the woman he’s been promised to. They wrestled with images of your face, beautiful and alien, so different from everything he knew and yet so familiar, of your body that he knew so intimately, that he knew better than his own, images of it trembling under him, of your parted lips and the moans that escape it, of your eyes he dreamt about each night shut tightly as each orgasm washed over you, of your hands that always found their way to his back or his ass, pushing him deeper in you, or in his hair, pulling on it or tugging it behind his ear.

It’s been almost two years since the first time he’s known you like this. The first time, it was awkward and strange, there was so much fumbling and so much that neither of you knew, and despite how many movies you watched, there was very little information on Na’vi and human… relationships, so it took a lot of trial and error to get to where you were at now, a point of no return, a point of unspeakable pleasures and feelings that ran so deep, they’d put most oceans to shame. Feelings that he hid, because speaking them out loud would lead to only heartbreak. What you two had worked. It’s worked for so long, neither of you knew anything else. You were best friends, you knew everything about each other. So why would he ever risk it? Why would he ever ruin it, since there was no future anyway?

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Neteyam knew that what you did was wrong. It was wrong, but it never felt wrong. It felt so right. Despite all of your differences, despite all of the ways you could never be together, despite the fact that he could never form tsaheylu with you, nothing compared to the feeling of you falling asleep with your limbs all over his torso, with your head in the crook of his neck. Nothing compared to the connection he felt when he sank in you and you looked in each other’s eyes, and it felt like he could hear all of your thoughts, feel everything you were feeling, and he knew you did, too. In those moments, he thinks you both knew that what you had was far away from what it was always intended to be, and far away from how simple he thought it was when you first started it.

Because now there was someone else. Another woman, a woman that he’d have to bond with, have babies with, start a family with, a woman he had to love. A woman that wasn’t you. And while the thought of it made his skin crawl, so did the thought of disappointing his parents and his clan, who he would lead one day, by refusing, by not following through, by admitting he’s been engaging in these sort of relationships with a human, an alien. A demon. His mother could barely stomach you and Spider as her kids’ friends, Neteyam knew she’d have a heart attack is she were to hear about the activities you and her son got up to on a daily basis. 

Your chuckles ceased his train of thought, and he was glad. 

“You can put me down now, Teyam.” 

The gate to the big metal complex was so close to Neteyam he could feel the smell of metal inundating his nose and coating his tongue. He hated this smell, and he hated this place. You were the only good thing about it. 

“Sorry. Got lost in thoughts.” 

He heard the unmistakable sound of an oxygen mask being removed and his heart booming in his ears as panic took over him instantly, but he had no time to react to it as you turned his face towards you and placed your lips on his in a needy, desperate kiss that made him weak in the knees, that redirected his galloping heart from panic to desire, to ache… to love. Once you broke the kiss, Neteyam watched as you gasped for air and helped you tightened the mask over your face again, and then jumped from his back and onto the ground. 

“What was that for?” 

“Just saying thank you for a good day.” 

Just saying please don’t forget me once you reach her tent tonight. 

There was still a lot of commotion in the labs as you made your way through the corridors to reach your bedroom, and despite your body telling you it’s exhausted and needs sleep, you instead put on a lab coat and joined them, since you knew that going to bed meant unnecessary suffering and putting your mind through scenarios it didn’t need to think about just yet, not when they would all become reality soon and there was no point in living through it twice. You were surprised to find Spider in one of the cell culture labs, chatting animatedly with Norm. He smiled widely as he spotted you, and you tried your best to reciprocate and push aside all the ugly feelings plaguing you. 

“Hey, everyone.”

“Hi, gorgeous.” 

You knew Spider had a crush on you, and that he has had a crush on you for a while now. You weren’t sure if the crush was on your per se, or just on the only person who shared a similar age and species with him, but you didn’t have it in you to ever question him or turn him away. He was a good friend, and a good guy, and who knows? Maybe it was fate that you two were the only human children on Pandora, maybe it was fate that you were here together at the same time. Maybe despite your mind convulsing in pain just at the thought of him, thought of anyone else but Neteyam, he was who you would end up with, your only chance at lasting love, at a family. Maybe life was less about what you want, less about what makes you happy and more about the greater good, the greater purpose, the ability to make something out of nothing. Maybe. 

“What have you been up to today, kid?” 

“Not much, just training with Neteyam. Can’t you tell by my bulging muscles?” 

Norm removed his eyes from the microscope they were glued to, in order to eye you intently up and down. 

“All I can tell is that rash is not getting any better. You need to use the hydrocortisone cream I put in your room.” 

You prayed that neither men couldn’t see the blush that made your cheeks so hot from the inside out, you were struggling to keep your hands by your side and not fanning your face aggressively. 

“Will do, Norm. Need any help?” 

He thought about it for a while, then pointed to one of the incubators. 

“You can split the cells? I was going to ask Harry to do it, but since you’re here and want to help…” 

You smile at the chance to keep your mind occupied at least for a little while, at chance to not think about whatever it was that Neteyam was doing with another girl, with someone else that wasn’t you. 

The next few weeks passed in a blur, and so much has changed in your life, it was hard to keep track. The humans have officially returned to Pandora, and in their return, obliterated endless amounts of precious forest, of natural resources, of life that will never come back, that will always be mourned and missed. You were all forced to move camp, deep in the Hallelujah mountains, where the Flux Vortex was too powerful to allow for detection. It was painful and scary, and you felt numb as you had to say goodbye to the only home you’ve known for 19 years, to the forest and to the village. You couldn’t imagine how to villagers felt, how the Sullys felt… how Neteyam felt. There was only one thing that made this time bearable, and that was the fact that Neteyam’s mateship was postponed until things settled down. It was only temporary, and it meant very little in the grand scheme of things, but you were just happy you didn’t have yet another earth-shattering event clawing at your insides, ripping you to shreds. 

The relief didn’t last long, though, as Neteyam might not be sleeping with another girl, but he was also not sleeping with you anymore, either. The move and the new quarters meant a lot less privacy and a lot less space. You were fortunate enough to have your own room in the new labs, but the room was tiny and sharing a wall with Norm and Max. Neteyam was forced to move back into his parents’ tent, which meant the two of you never got a chance to be together at night anymore. He hasn’t come to visit you since the last time he took you back to Hell’s gate, and that was almost 2 weeks ago.

Today, you were hoping to change that. Today, you would ask him to take you to a different floating rock, or on an Ikran ride, or anywhere else but here, in this place that felt stifling and suffocating, this place that couldn’t, wouldn’t feel like home, no matter what. You missed him. You needed him. He had been the calm in all the chaos of your mind your whole life, and especially now, the spiralling felt particularly dizzying, the current particularly hard to navigate. 

As you were mindlessly pipetting some treatments of some cells, your mind wandered to the Sullys, all of whom were away today. The kids were in the forest, exploring woods that were no longer particularly safe to navigate. You knew they didn’t care, but still couldn’t help roll your eyes at the sheer irresponsibility. They asked you to come, but getting into any more trouble with Neytiri, or risking running into any humans didn’t particularly appeal to you. On the other hand, Neteyam and his parents were on a family hunt, a sweet tradition that has begun soon after Neteyam completed his Iknimaya and continued since, running of 6 years. 

Spending time with the Sullys was for sure one of your favourite ways to pass the time. The kids have always loved and welcomed you and Spider into their lives and their family, no matter how much Neytiri might have tried to influence them otherwise. Though Kiri found Spider her closest friend, you and her still loved hanging out together, loved being in each other’s companies, loved speaking for hours on end about everything and nothing. Kiri was drawn to humans, as Lo’ak was, and they took to your culture, your different ways of being, and thinking and existing, more so than any other Na’vi you knew. You assumed a lot of it had to do with their own differences to the clan, differences that while to you were insignificant, to them and to the Omatikaya, it meant the difference between a true Na’vi and a half-breed, an alien. Their slightly atypical appearance, which they shared with Jake, could be overlooked in him, as he was the Olo’eyktan, the Toruk Makto, the man that helped Eywa save their planet and their clan from certain death, but unfortunately for both his kids, that courtesy rarely extended to them.

Neteyam and Tuk looked all Na’vi, and could both pass as twins of their mother’s appearance at different stages of her life. Neteyam was the prince of the Omatikayan rule. He was tall and handsome, he was lean and muscular, and while his face was his mother’s, his body was definitely his father’s. Neteyam was a warrior. Through and through, he was forged in fire, with metal bones and razor-sharp teeth. He was forged to be unbreakable, to be the hope of the clan, the heir to the throne, the perfect son, the greatest soldier. Neteyam was one of the youngest Na’vi to go through his second birth after completing his Iknimaya and Uniltaron. He is the last man to get a bow made from the original Home Tree, that was burned to the ground almost 20 years ago. He was the epitome of the Omatikaya, and he wore all of these hats proudly, and he fought permanently to be worthy of them. Neteyam didn’t know what it was like to disappoint his parents, or his people. Unlike Lo’ak, he couldn’t afford to. Because of Lo’ak, he couldn’t afford to. He was willing to give anything… everything up in order to live up to the unrealistic expectations placed on him, because to him, that’s the only way to live. You admired him, admired his resolve and admired his will. You didn’t understand it, but you were human. You were selfish in nature, and you didn’t think that was a bad thing. You didn’t think being a little selfish sometimes was bad. In your mind,  you shouldn’t have to live only for others. You only had one life, a short life, and that life should be lived, and that life should be enjoyed. That was a cause of a great deal too many arguments between you and your best friend, and it is something you will never see eye to eye on. 

Norm’s aggressive entrance made you yelp out in surprise, and so did his face, contorted in pain and fear, so unlike the kind, calm and chipper one you’ve gotten to know throughout the years. 

“Get ready. Jake radioed me, the kids were attacked by the humans. They’re coming back now, so let’s make sure we have supplies prepared, so we can patch them up.” 

You felt a shudder overtake your body, and your hands, holding a pipette in one hand and a centrifuge tube in the other, felt limp and weak, felt like the weight was too much for your body to reasonably take. 

You got up from your chair almost robotically, feeling our mind blank as the information stewed and settled in it, until it reached a point it was the only thing ringing through your otherwise deafened ears. 

“Come on, honey.” 

“A-are…” you couldn’t even finish the sentence, couldn’t even bring your mouth to speak the words that were haunting your soul, that were constricting your heart.You were out of your mind with worry, so much worry, it was permeating through every cell of your being and bringing out toxins you didn’t even know resided in you, poisoning your blood and and making you pant, making you want to scream in anguish at the possibility of your honorary siblings, of him, being in any way hurt, in any way touched by any of the humans. 

“I think they’re alright. A little banged up, and probably terrified, but I think they’re ok. Jake didn’t say much, so let’s be prepared for everything. Get suture kits, and gauze, get numbing cream, the works.” 

You were grateful for Norm, now and always, for how he’s been more of a father figure to you than you could have ever anticipated or even hoped for. He’s loved and cared for you and Spider like you were his own, and you will never be able to repay him for all the attention and affection, but you strived to make him proud, strived to be a good student, a good scientist, a good person, a good daughter. That’s one of the reasons why you spent a lot of your time in Hell’s gate in the adjacent forest, and less time in the village. One of the reasons. 

As you got out of the labs and were hit by the warm thin air of the Omatikaya stronghold, you gasped as your eyes landed on Neteyam, who had deep cuts that leaked blood, like your eyes were leaking tears, both dropping carelessly, his on the ground, yours gathering at the bottom of your mask. His face cleared up as it spotted you in the crowd, and a quick look of easement panned across his features, and for a second, just a second, it felt like there was no one else in this world but you two, like this planet was an empty void kept alive and spinning by the magnitude of your love, by the gravity of the feelings pulling you towards each other, electrifying the air around you.

Your feet carried you forward with a mind of their own, and before you knew it, you were running, dropping the bag of supplies on the floor and pushing people out of the way - or at least trying to, not very successful when you were as strong as a literal toddler. The relief you felt overtook all your other thoughts, all your discernment of your circumstances and you surroundings, all the self-awareness of the situation and the knowledge you had to keep your feelings under wraps. It all went out the window as you jumped in Neteyam’s arms and circled your arms around his neck and your legs around his hips and although he winced in pain, he immediately tightened his grip and you and pulled you in closer. 

You moved until you came face to face with him, and you eyed him attentively to make sure he was alright, that he was really here and safe. 

“Are you -?” 

“I’m fine, ma Vol.” he smiled at you, and you could tell he was trying to tell you something by the way his eyes moved from yours to behind you. You were scared to follow his gaze, terrified to look behind you and see Neytiri glowering at you, and the confused, maybe scandalised faces of the rest of the Na’vi. So you didn’t. You got down and moved in line to all the rest of your surrogate siblings, doing a similar ritual, so as to not stand out from Neteyam’s. Lo’ak was happy to kneel and open his arms wide for you, and you appreciated this boy you loved so much more in this moment than you could ever tell him. He always knew what to do, he understood you well, just like you understood him. 

You finished with Spider, who looked a little more hurt than all the rest of them, and you knew it’s because, unlike them, his bones weren’t made with naturally occurring carbon fibre, so his body suffered a lot more every time something didn’t go to plan. It pained you to see him like this, hurting and bruised, and it hurt you more to see the anguish and fear haunting his eyes. You touched his arm and smiled softly as heat spread out where your hands traced his injuries, and when he looked at you, he shook his head, signalling for you to not question him any further, at least not for now. You nodded silently.

As the only two humans who were born on this foreign planet, you and Spider had a special bond. You had to, you had to stick together, because no one else really understood what either of you were going through except the other. He would always be the only one who understands the pain of being stuck in this body that was weak and feeble, that only one who understood the loneliness, the deep-seeded and monstrous loneliness that plagued you, the only one who understood what it was like to want something you can never have, like a chance to be one of the people, the chance to have a family, the chance at being accepted, the chance at being loved fully and without restraint, without pushback, without secrets. Spider has loved Kiri his whole life. You knew that. You also knew how hard he was fighting against it, how hard he was trying to convince himself he liked you instead, the only person on this planet that was made for him, whose body was compatible with his. Forbidden love is one of the many similarities you two shared. 

A small scream woke you up from your musings and you all snapped your head towards the sound that you now saw came from a woman, about your age, one that you knew very well, one that, despite every rational thought telling you otherwise, you hated with every fibre of your being. The woman. The dreaded woman that would one day be the mother of Neteyam’s children, the woman he’d wake up next to every day of his life, the woman he’d touch, and hold, and fuck. The woman he’d love. The woman that wasn’t you. 

“Oh, Great Mother! Oh, Eywa!” Her steps were wide and rushed, and in no time at all she made her way through the crowd and stopped just in front of Neteyam’s body, and carefully traced her long, slender fingers on his body. She looked panicked and forlorn, desperate to make sure her mate-to-be was unharmed. She gasped as her gaze landed on his many bleeding scratch wounds, and took him by the hand as she pulled on his arm, willing him to go with her.

“Yawne, come on. I will prepare healing salves for you in my tent. Let’s go.” 

You tried to swallow the bitterness that gathered in your mouth to no avail, as the lump that seemed like it had settled in your throat, never to leave you again, prevented it. You felt the familiar sting of tears gathering in your eyes and demanding to be released down your face, and knew you had to pull it together. This wasn’t the time. This wasn’t the time to think of how you’ve always been the one to heal Neteyam, it was always your hands trailing over his wounds, it was your hands that sutured his bleeding gashes, the one that made sure he wouldn’t ever scar, because the thought of anything marring his beautiful skin hurt you. 

“Uhm, we’re here, too, you know?” Lo’ak send a small snarky look in the girl’s direction, and Neytiri hissed at her son, threatening him to keep quiet. The girl didn’t acknowledge his words, opting to continue pulling Neteyam away forcefully. Lo’ak didn’t like her. You didn’t know why. Unlike you, he didn’t have an obvious reason. Maybe it’s how she acted like the rest of his family didn’t really exist, like they were somehow below her. Well, not the entire family. She liked Neytiri and Mo’at, and she liked Tuk. It was just Lo’ak and Kiri that she seemed to ignore. 

Your eyes remained fixed on Neteyam’s body, that was slowly getting farther away from you and closer to another woman’s tent, and you couldn’t help think how this was a fitting metaphor for your relationship and your future. He peered behind him and immediately found your face, and the look he gave you will haunt you forever. A look that told you that he loved you, that he was sorry, but he had no choice. A look that said “I wish things could be different, but they’re not”. A look that crushed your spirit and told you everything you never wanted to hear and nothing that could heal the pain currently poisoning your heart. 

Spider placed a hand on the small of your back, and with one last look at your best friend, the man you loved, you turned your back to him, to her, and to the love you felt in every cell in your body and focused on the people who needed you. You motioned for Spider and Lo’ak to follow you to the labs.

“Come. I’ll patch you up.” 

It was late at night when you finished everything you had planned on doing, and you dragged your feet tiredly to your room, eager to be alone, eager to be able to drop the facade you have had to maintain for the entire day and just release the anguish in your soul with a good crying session and some comfort show you have seen one too many times. You got into the shower and put the temperature as close to boiling as you possibly could, feeling the incessant need to burn a couple layers of skin, to remove the traces of Neteyam that will always be tattooed on you, the feeling of his lips on your body, that you could feel like he was here right now, the pressure of his hands as they tugged at your hips, as they wrapped around your throat, as they caressed your cheeks and pushed the hair out of your face. The tears that fell down your cheeks were removed as soon as they dropped, leaving only the memory of them, the images of what triggered them, of the anguished thoughts and deep pain that sank its teeth into you like a wild animal, tugging at and tearing apart everything they touched. 

As you got out of the shower, you heard the unmistakable sound of the door sliding open, and of something falling on the floor with a loud clank, and you knew exactly who it was. Your entire body was red and puffed from the shower, including your face, on which it was obvious that you have cried for the past 30 minutes. Fuck. 

With a loud sigh, that you hoped would lower your rapid heartbeat and shallow breaths, you opened the door and came face to face with Neteyam, who was knelt on the ground, trying to pick up what he dropped on the floor. 

“Sorry.” He says meekly. “I wish I could control my tail better, but it’s always an accident waiting to happen in these tight rooms.” 

You gave him a small smile that was not reflected in your eyes, and moved past him to sit on your bed. You fixed your eyes on the ground, noting how awkward and tense the atmosphere around you was. It’s never been like this. Ever. You and Neteyam have always been comfortable around each other. Always. No matter what ever happened in your lives or around you, no matter what depths your friendship reached, no matter how many boundaries you erased or walked past, it’s always felt natural. This didn’t. 

“Why are you here, Neteyam?” 

“What do you mean why I am here? I can’t be here?” 

You scoffed. 

“You can, you just never are anymore.” 

“Vol… come on. You know it’s different now than it was in the village, in Hell’s gate. We’re going to get caught.”

“Yeah, well, we wouldn’t want to get caught. God forbid anybody knows you fuck me in your free time.” 

“Vol…”

You knew you were being unfair. You knew it deep in your soul that he didn’t deserve any of this. You both agreed to this. You agreed to this a long time ago, and, if you were being honest with yourself, it was you that initiated it. 

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

The first time you and Neteyam had sex, you were both drunk. It was your 18th birthday party, and Norm and Max organised a bash that would have apparently made even Earth bashes seem tame. There was food and music and dancing, and yelling and laughter and a lot… a lot of drinks. 

So many drinks, in fact, that in the early hours in the morning, you and Neteyam stumbled back to your room, barely being able to make out the shape of the bed before crashing unceremoniously on it, giggling like a school girl when you did and the world refused to settle around you like you did in it. 

“You’re so drunk.” Neteyam said, hiccuping slightly.

“No, you’re drunk. I’m fine.” 

It was a nice change of pace, seeing Neteyam so free, so uninhibited, so… happy. His life was always busy, always messy, always difficult, having to parent 3 kids he didn’t bring into this world, picking up their slack, making sure they were safe and free, while he lived shackled to his family and his clan’s expectations, to the promise of being chieftain one day and all the sacrifices that came along with it. 

“At least I can sit up.”

“Well, you’re about twice larger than me, so you know…” you were wiggling your fingers in the air, trying to make a point, although the point got lost in the abyss, much like the rest of your mind.

“Yes?” 

“Fuck knows, lost my train of thought.” 

“Goddamn, ma Vol, you are really drunk.” 

He came and lay in your bed next to you and you immediately fastened your limbs around his torso, like he was the flame and your soul was the moth that couldn't stay away. 

“So what? It’s my birthday. I’m an adult now! If I can’t get drunk on my birthday, when can I?” 

“I guess that’s fair.”

“Do you ever think about having sex?” 

Whatever thoughts Neteyam might have had evaporated quicker than water droplets in a fire, and he found himself speechless, not a totally uncommon occurrence in your presence.

“Cause I do. I think about it all the time. I mean, we watch so many movies, and series, and all humans seem to do is have sex. I heard Norm getting it on with one of the Omatikaya chicks in the village for a while now, and, all I can think of is when the hell is it going to be my turn? My turn to know what it feels like, to get to see what the big deal is, you know?”

“I know you think about it. I know you think about it with me. I can feel it, I can feel you, whenever we fall asleep together. I know you want me, Teyam. I mean, we’ve come this far, right? Might as well go all the way.” 

“I hope you want me. Because I want you. You’re my best friend, you know everything about me. I want it to be you.”

Neteyam was doing everything in his power to ignore his increasingly harder-to-ignore erection and the way he was twitching at every word that came out of your mouth. Of course he wanted you. You were hot, and you were his. His best friend, the person he’s shared so many intimate moments with, the person that taught him everything he knew about girls, about pleasure, about so many things. But this might be a step too far, a step you could never take back. Neteyam always hoped that one day, by some miracle of the universe, you would get an Avatar, and you would get a chance to be one of the people. There’s nothing he wanted more in this world then to get to keep you forever. But, as the years went past, the possibility of that seemed less and less probable, and Neteyam knew he would have to find a mate one day, and he would have to love her and keep her, forever. He would sleep with her, and mate with her, and she would have his kids, and doing these things with you… he didn’t know how he was supposed to move on with his life like your presence didn’t permeate through every fibre of his being. 

“I do want you, Vol. But I don’t know if it’s such a good idea.” 

“It’s a great idea, Teyam. Think about it.” You chuckled to yourself, eyes shut tightly and fingers rubbing your temples, as if trying to summon the words into your brain.

“What was I saying?”

He laughed at your disorientated predisposition, realising he wasn’t in a much better condition. 

“I forgot.” You kicked your feet up in the air as you remembered. 

“Oh, yeah!! It’s a g-great idea. Because we’ve made out before, right? Multiple times. Because we’ve s-slept in the same bed before, so we know that works. Because we know each other, and we won’t tell anyone else, right? It can just be our little secret, and we have p-plenty of those anyway. Because, because… Because this way, whenever you'll get yourself a mate, you know that you will know what to do and won’t fumble around. I’m doing you a favour, if you think about it. It’s the perfect plan honestly. Foolproof.”

It was hard for Neteyam to argue with your logic, but that may be because the part of his brain that processed logic was dead now. 

The first time you and Neteyam had sex, it was awkward and painful. Turns out there is a lot more fumbling and a lot more preparation and a lot more pain involved than what it is ever portrayed on the screen, and even more so since the man you were sleeping with was twice your size, and those proportions extended to… well, everything. It took a lot of lube and a lot of patience, but you knew you would have wanted no one else to have this experience with. There was no one else in the world that could have made this what it was, something that you would cherish for the rest of your life. He was kind and considerate, and he brushed the tears from your face with his thumbs when the initial pain got too much to bear, and he waited for you to adjust to his impressive length, that felt like it would tear you apart at the seams at times, and he kissed your forehead and whispered about how well you were doing, and how good you felt, and how there was no one else he would rather be doing this with, no one else in the world, not for the rest of time.

The first time promptly led to the second time, and although it took time for you to learn each other’s bodies, in a couple months, the pleasure you felt when he touched you was indescribable, the thrill you got whenever you saw him become putty under your touch boldened you, empowered you, made you want to do this every day, all day, for as long as you lived. In time, you learnt that you liked when he praised you and he loved the sounds he could coax out of you - the louder you were, the harder he got. You both enjoyed being in control once in a while, him most of the time, you - on special occasions. The dance you partook in was intricate and complicated, it was heaven and hell, it was pleasure and pain, it was everything you shouldn’t have and everything you couldn’t keep yourself from. 

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

As you looked at the man sitting on the ground across from you, eyes so cried out and tired they were seeing red, you knew you had no right to spit such words in his face, but the hurt and heartache, the anger at the unfairness of it all, it was clouding your judgement, making you want to hurt him like his present and upcoming absence from your life was hurting you.

“I know you’re upset about today. I’m sorry.” He looked pained, and he refused to look at you. He looked… spent. Exhausted and sad. Way sadder than you imagined he would be, if this was just about today. Something wasn’t right.

“Why would I be upset about today? You did what you had to do. I mean, she’s going to be your mate soon, right? It’s her hands that should be healing you anyway, not mine.” You eyed the wounds on his body that were now clean, but still red, and still mostly open. “Those are going to scar, by the way.” 

He stood up suddenly. A step is all it took to reach you and his hand on your chest shot bouts of electricity all throughout your body, that you struggled to ignore. It took very little effort for him to push you back onto the bed until the warmth and softness of your blanket touched the skin that wasn’t wrapped in a towel. He followed suit, his body hovering on top of yours, and you felt his braids tickling your face and neck as his eyes bore intensely into yours. 

“Stop. I know you are upset. I wish it could have been you. You know me, Vol. You know I wish it could have been you.” 

You shook your head slightly, dreading how the tears were falling down the sides of your face and nestling in your ears. You didn’t know. Not anymore. 

“You should go, Neteyam. This isn’t right. You’re engaged to someone else. I watched her today, watched how worried she was about you, how desperate to help you, to take you away so it’s just the two of you. You’re going to mate with this girl any day now. There’s no room for me in your life anymore. Not like this, anyway.”

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

The first time you and Neteyam made love came after you were both spent from taking orgasm after orgasm out of each other. You were laying on his chest, tracing each twinkling freckle on it with your index finger, making patterns, making galaxies out of the stars proudly adorning his skin, the most beautiful stars to ever exist, to you. 

Almost as if thinking out loud, you spoke quietly, barely above a whisper.

“You are so beautiful. It hurts me sometimes, the gaping differences between us. How dull and boring I am compared to you. How daft my skin, compared to your shiny, glowy one. How sullen my eyes look when I see them in the reflection of your bright ones, sparkling like the sun. I would give anything to look like you. Anything to be like you.” Sighing, dropping hot wet tears on his chest, you continued. “Everything would be so much easier if I looked like you.” 

Almost uncharacteristically, Neteyam’s hand cupped your cheek gently and tugged slightly until your eyes met.

“Stop. Please. You are the most beautiful person I have ever laid my eyes on. You always have been. Your eyes are like the planets my satellites orbit around. I see them everywhere I go, every moment of my day, every dream I dream at night, there’s nothing else besides your eyes, besides your face, and your lips. Besides the words that come out of them, that somehow guide my every thought, focus my world and let me go on. You are more than beautiful, more than any word invented in any language that we speak. You are everything, ok? Everything.” 

That did nothing to stop your tears, that fell even harder down your cheeks, forming a puddle on his chest. 

“You can’t say these things, Neteyam.”

“Why not?” 

“You know why not.”

“You can’t make me fall in love with you. And you can’t fall in love with me. What we’re doing is already complicated. Already beyond what either of us could explain to anyone we love. And that’s ok, because what we have works. But it won’t work if the feelings run deeper than what depth we’re comfortable swimming in. You’re going to leave me one day, and if you leave me and I’m in love with you, it will break me. So you can’t say things like that to me.”

He had a playful smile on his face, but his eyes were forceful and full of intensity as he got on top of you and looked down into yours. 

“I’m not going to fall in love with you, and you’re not going to fall in love with me. We got this, Vol. But I will never leave you. I could never leave you. You’re my best friend. You’re everything to me.” 

You let out a soft sob that was silenced by his lips pressing on yours and the sound was replaced by pleasured moans and whimpered sounds, of silent confessions that marked the end of comfort and the beginning of the end. 

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

Back when we were still changing for the better

Wanting was enough, for me, it was enough to live for the hope of it all

Cancel plans just in case you'd call and say, "Meet me behind the mall"

He sighed as he got off from on top of you, his own tears falling on your face as he did so. He didn’t look at you as he spoke. 

“The engagement is broken.” 

The relief that flooded your mind didn’t have time to wash over you before he continued.

“Because I’m leaving. I’m leaving the Omatikaya, and so is my family.” 

You and Neteyam shared many firsts. Your first heartbreak, the one that would break your spirit and your soul and your bones and ground them into a fine dust to be blown away by the wind, would just be one of many others. 

So much for summer love and saying "us"

'Cause you weren't mine to lose

Taglist: @liluvtojineteyam @pinkpantheris @netemoon @fanboyluvr

kicking screaming and sobbing rn I LOVED THIS

First Love/ Late Spring

A/N: I had no right to listen to Mitski and write for Neteyam but here I am. I’ve been working on this on and off since December but finally decided to get serious and post it. Hope you guys like it!

Word Count: 5k+

Warnings: Masturbation(F receiving). Breeding Kink if ya really dig. Angst. Talks of self doubt and insecurity. All Characters are aged up 18+.

You are responsible for cultivating your own online experience, please do not interact if any of these tags are triggering to you. Minors DNI.

Summary: Neteyam has passed his Metkayinan Iknimaya, and is now free to choose a woman. Why did you ever think he would choose you? Neteyam X Na'vi Reader.

One word from you and I would jump off of this ledge I’m on, baby.

Tell me don’t so I can crawl back in- Mitski, First Love/Late Spring

As the beloved niece of the reigning Olo’eyktan, in your life you had wanted for nothing.

Had spent the last nineteen years in isolated bliss. The island of Awa’atlu and your tribes familiar inhabitants were all you knew. Your life moved to a steady beat, as sure as the morning eclipse. As rhythmic as the tides.

And you had been content, really you had. Too busy to be bored. Too beloved to truly dwell on the gap. On the absence of a mate no matter how much your Uncle; Tonowari urged you to accept one of the many offerings of courtship. Lonely maybe, but happy.

Useful. Focused.

Ever since the Sully’s arrival, you have felt anything but.

Descending from the skies on ikran back, they left plumes of sand in their wake. Shook up everything you had ever known as they stood there on the beach, adrift. Out of place, different then anything you had ever seen with their dark skin and thin tales. That morning had been a whirlwind of harsh words and brief but tense negotiations.

So much change had happened in such a small amount of time that it was hard to wrap your head around-

The leader of the Sully Tribe, Jake, had begged Uturu for his family. And ever benevolent, your Uncle Tonowari had granted it to them.

Overwhelmed by crowds, you don't recall much more of that day except for the desire to run away. To escape the strained aura’s of the hesitant clans people and the exhausted newcomers. You’d gone to away, eager to get back to your herbs and tinctures. To the safety of familiarity to digest the entire situation.

You’d been stopped in your tracks, rooted in place, by a pair of striking golden orbs.

A stare like none you’d ever known. His eyes resonated with you. Plucking a cord n your chest that echoed throughout the rest of your body. You’d never felt anything like it. Never been so affected by a stranger.

Never been so affected by anyone.

Even now, months later, thinking of Neteyam that look he’d given you on his first day here makes you hot. You dream about it, about him often. He plagues you, has taken up permanent space in your subconscious.

You wake most mornings to phantom touches. To his voice ringing in your ears and an empty bed mat that feels too cold.

This morning is no different. Your eyes flutter open with a gasp and your heart is beating madly in your chest.

It's early. You have only moments before you will be expected to wake and start your daily routine. Really, you should’ve been up by now-

Instead you lie in your corner of the family mauri, the privacy curtains pulled around your bed as you shoulder into the woven blankets. Your hands slip down- lower on your belly and into the dip of your tweng.

Between your legs you’re hot, soaked and pulsing as you always seem to be these days. Your clit swollen almost painfully as you press your fingers to it, rubbing firm little circles as you search for some kind of relief. Humping harshly into your small hand, cupping your sex desperately as you recall Dream Neteyam.

He’d pinned you to a tall palm, your belly pressing against the rough bark as buried his nose in your hair. All panting breaths and wandering hands.

“You’re so beautiful”

“I’m right here”

“Let me have you, I have to have you”

Dream Neteyam says all the things you want to hear as he ravages you. He’s sure footed, cocky in that way that you knew he could be. He’s pushy and needy and you’d give him anything if he asked for it, Eywa all he had to do is hint that he wanted it-

“Spread your legs for me, sevin ”

You bite your lips bloody, your fangs digging into them as your thick thighs clamp shut around your hands and your pussy spasms. You want to cry out as you come. Fight the urge to whine because it’s not enough, you’re still so empty.

Neteyam’s name is always on your tongue as you come down from your self induced high.

“Y/N? My Child, are you awake?”

There’s no time to bask in the afterglow, you wrench your hands away. Wiping the mess on your blankets as you shoot up straight-

“Yes? Yes. I’m coming, i’ll be out a minute” You try to keep your voice from breaking and just barley succeed.

Ronal who had peeked a head into the empty mauri isn't convinced, but accepts it anyway “Hurry now, we have to get going. The tide pools will be filling and we need to restock the sea-tsam(kelp like herbs), you haven't even eaten breakfast yet. Up!”

You only release the breath stuck in your chest when she’s scurrying back out of the home- one of these days you’re going to get caught.

Your people are free with their sexuality, there’s no shame in pleasure whether it be self inflicted or given by another. But it would make those pesky questions arise- if you’re so needy, Y/N- why do you refuse every eligible bachelor that comes your way?

You huff, thinking about that very thing as you get ready for the day. Bruising through your long hair almost violently as you chew it over.

If you need to be fucked so badly, why are you three years into adulthood without a mate? You don’t even have a possible suitor- your friends are having babies, building lives, and you’re still living with your family.

It used to be that you we’re hyper focused on your role in the clan. On your training as part of the Tsakarem. On preparing Tsireya for the day she reaches adulthood and takes over her mother’s title.

You had always been family oriented, and the clan had accepted it-

But now there were whispers. Inquiries, never spoken to you but always about you. It’s an oddity that such a pretty young woman with such high standing is choosing to be alone.

Is there something wrong with you?

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The only thing that’s wrong with you is your inability to focus on the most mundane of tasks as of late.

After a quick breakfast, you’d taken off. Determined to knock the long list of chores down.

You’d collected herbs until your fingers hurt and the satchel slung across your chest was full to the brim. You’d tended to the Elders, and checked in on the mother with newborns, still so fresh to the world that they’re connected to their Sa’nok kuru, constant Tsaheylu necessary at such a young age.

Healing isn't always glamorous, and while you’d much rather be mixing potions and sketching in your journals- you check fevers. Change chamber pots. Kiss the scraped knee’s of young ones.

You’re supposed to be heading back to the Healer’s Mauri, the large hut where Ronal waits for you-

But instead you get sidetracked.

It’s all you seem to do these days.

Lounging in the soft warm sand is so much easier then running around the village.

You’d come across your cousins who were circled by Roxto and the elder Sully’s, and it hadn't taken much convincing for you to tag along on whatever little adventure they had planned for the afternoon. It had led you to one of the smaller isles, a tiny thing that was mostly white sand beaches and deep rocky cove tunnels.

Lo’ak and Ao’nung practicing their breath holds, taking turns weaving through the underwater caves. The two had went from going for each others throat’s to thick as thieves, and your glad. Lo’ak’s troubled, but he’s not trouble. Not the way that your cousin's other asshole friends are.

Roxto and Neteyam wade through the crystal clear shallows, hunting for clams that are abundant at this time of year.

You’re sat with Kiri and Tsireya, the three of you staying in the beach and giggling about current clan gossip. Chattering endlessly.

Neteyam’s shoulders are broad and glisten in the bright afternoon sun. You can barely tear your gaze away from him. Hungrily, needing to glance back every few seconds-

“The celebration is in less then a month's time” Tsireya states, a small grin playing on her lips as she takes in the scene.

She knows about your feelings for the eldest Sully son, you’d confessed them to her in a fit one night. Unable to keep them caged in your chest anymore. She can understand the appeal- her own eyes had been glued to the family since the arrival.

What she can't understand is why you wont tell him- or at the very least why you’re being so damn shy about it. You had never been this demure before.

“I know, the preparations have been a real pain in my ass” You reply, turning on your side to face her. Arm bent at the elbow, chin propped in your hand. “Tonowari has me assisting with getting the ceremonial mats woven. It’s not fair”

“I think he just wants you to be…a more active participant this year” Tsireya chooses her words wisely, ignoring your side eye “It’s sweet”

“It’s annoying” you hiss, eyes rolling harshly. Your tail swishes behind you, a firm pat on the sand.

“This is the celebration that’s held for the hunters. The ones that pass their Iknimaya’s?” Kiri asks, intrigued. She’s inquisitive and you’d assured her early on that she could ask you anything, that you’d help her understand the customs of your people.

“Yes and it’s so much fun. You’ll see, the Hunters come back from Motnaui(ritualistic hunt) and we spend the day roasting their catch, thanking Eywa for her abundance. There’s dancing and singing- “ Tsireya’s eyes sparkle as she talks about it, glazed with nostalgia.

You let her rant a bit more before cutting her off, “And mating. Most of the hunters will stake their claim on any courtships that have been started”

Because yes, it is a celebration for the newly joined adults of the clan, but goes hand in hand with the fact that it is their first chance to choose a mate.

“We have something like this back in the forest, it's the start of Fertility Season right?” Kiri verifies and you nod. “Does it coincide with the rains here, too?”

“Mhmm, most newly mated pairs will spend the week or so tucked away…-” Tsireya’s cheeks get red and you roll your eyes.

“Coupling” You interject and she shoots you a look that has you tittering. Awe, your sweet young cousin, still a year away from her own Iknimaya. Innocent and shy when it comes to such topics.

Kiri doesn't look scandalized- she’d come to adulthood back in the forest. Though she hasn't chosen a mate she had partaken in many of the festivities.

“Yes, coupling” Tsireya continues. “Its all beautiful really, its my favorite time of year. Right after the return of the Tulkun of course”

Its nice listening to your cousin's version of the celebration. You think that yeah, your own view of it all used to be mostly the same. That was until you’d reached adulthood, and had spent the last cycles without a mate of your own. This week that Tsireya found so beautiful had just been wet for you. Yourself and other unmated , able bodied Na’vi took on the duties of the disposed clan members.

It was an honor to take care of your people while they were vulnerable.

It was embarrassing to have not found a mate of your own yet.

You wonder if this year you’d spend the week in the rain again.

“You don't seem excited” Kiri whispers and you force a smile onto your face almost instantly, not wanting to come off so extremely transparent.

“It’s not that I’m not-”

“Y/N hasn't mated yet”

“Obviously Tsireya, thank you for pointing that out” you deadpan at the girl but she continues on, not phased in the least by your attitude-

“But I do think that will change this year”

Kiri perks up, big eyes interested, a brow arched “Really? Has someone caught your eye? Every time any one even tries to start courting you, you give them the cold shoulder”

“That’s not true, I’m nice about it” you defend your actions “I just haven't been interested in any of their offers”

“‘Their’ being half of the unmated men in this clan” Kiri’s sarcasm rivals your own, you flick a small shell at her forehead.

“It hasn't felt right and Eywa wouldn't want me to settle. '' The words taste condescending as they roll off your tongue, you don't blame them for scoffing at you but it's true.

If you had accepted an offer in the past, you wouldn't be free to follow your hearts desire now…your eyes flick back to the shore. Back to the broad shoulders.

“I’m sure whoever you choose will be honored,” Kiri chuckles. “Surprised though, probably. I overheard a couple of Elder’s making bets that you’d make another suitor cry this year”

The peel of laughter that Tsireya lets out is shrill and loud,

Roxto and Neteyam’s heads turn, far out enough now that the surely cant hear the conversation but can hear the shrieks of joy. Roxto grins and signs something that you can't quite make out and Neteyam gives a small wave.

You can feel the big stupid smile on your face, it’s no surprise that Kiri acknowledges it.

“You didn't answer my question. Is there anyone in particular that you have your eye on?”

You gnaw on your bottom lip. You’d been wanting to run it past her for weeks. Desperate for her insight but too embarrassed to muster up the courage and ask for it.

“Tell her, tsmuk’tu” Tsireya urges gently.

“I have been hoping that…Neteyam might choose to court me. After his Iknimaya” You admit it, carefully watching her for her reaction. Your own ears are pressed to your head, your fingers winding around each other nervously.

“I was wondering why that idiot was going through his rites again” Kiri nods, like she’d found the missing piece of a puzzle.

One that she wasn't willing to share with the group.

“What’do you mean? If he wants to be a hunter, he has to” You point out the facts, the law of the village.

“Well yeah, but I mean look at how our dad did it. He didn't jump through all of the hoops, he just tamed his Skimwing on his own time. My brother has been adamant about wanting to be apart of ceremony”

You ingest Kiri’s words greedily, letting them expand in your chest. It’s hope, the fragile kind, the scariest kind.

“Maybe he just wants to prove himself as a hunter. We’ve heard his skill is legendary to the Omiticaya” you suggest and Tsireya pushes at your shoulder, shaking her head.

“Maybe” Kiri shrugs her shoulders “But mating is important to Neteyam. He’s always wanted a big family, I think he really idolized our parents' marriage. Mom said he must’ve taken an interest in a mate if he’s making such a big deal out of being a recognized adult here”

A big family. Neteyam wants to be a father.

The thought is heady. The seed has been planted in your head and you know there is no way that you will ever be able to dig it out.

“Do you think that-”

You're cut off by booming laughter, by clatter and chaos. Who else could it be but Ao’nung and Lo’ak coming back from the caves, they had the worst possible timing. You shoot daggers at your cousins fat head.

“What are you girls whispering about over here?” 'Nung teases as he drops next to you in the sand,

“That would be none of your business” You snipe, “Skxawng ass”

“Why so hostile, cuz?” Ao’nung starts “I was the one who invited you out here? You don't want to spend time with little ol’ me?”

“I spend too much time with you as is. I was hoping you had drowned down in those caves so I could get a break- NUNG!” you squeal as your cousin shakes his head, wringing out his wet hair all over you. The water is shockingly cold against your sun soaked skin.

Soon enough, Neteyam and Roxto come in from the waves, baskets full of multicolored shells. More than happy to share as they join the small circle.

“You had such a bountiful catch!” Tsireya applauds, happily accepting the oysters that Roxto offers.

You’re awkward around Neteyam on a good day- there's something so intimidating about his beauty. So tall and angular. But today? After the admittance you’d made to his sister? You can barely look at him.

You feel heavy and clunky and ugh, why does he make you so nervous? You’re playing with your hair, twisting the thick tendrils around your fingers idly when Neteyam turns to you.

“Do you want some?” He asks, already prying the tough shell open with his knife.

“Oh, yes please. They’re actually my favorite” You grin, and at least your voice doesn't project all the nerves you feel.

“I know” He hands you the oyster once he opens it and you try not to pay too much mind to how his fingers brush yours.

“How would you know that?” you slurp at the rich juice, grateful.

“Roxto was telling me about it” He says simply, already working open another shell to hand out.

“Oh yeah! Y/N remember when you ate so many of these that you got sick at dinner! I’ve never seen someone puke that much, it was never ending” Roxto chuckles, igniting laughter from the group.

You wince, the memory is not a particularly good one and you don't enjoy reliving it. Especially not in current company. You can feel your cheeks heat intensely.

“It was so bad! You got it all over dad’s lap and he didn't know what to do” Ao’nung adds hysterically “He just started panicking- picked you up by your tail and tossed your ass outside”

Tsireya breaks, giggling behind her hand and Kiri all but chokes. Lo’aks shaking his head good naturedly as Ao’nung and Roxto are in stitches- the only one who doesn't laugh is Neteyam. No, instead he gives you a gentle kind of smile, before going back to his task of shucking.

You’re only the butt of the joke for moments more before it ping-pongs to Lo’ak, who has almost cut one of his odd five fingers off in the process of prying open an ornery shell.

“Oh! Look brother, how pretty” Kiri points out the large blush colored pearl that Neteyam had almost swallowed.

“That’s good luck!” You grin “They don't usually get that big”

Huh. Good luck you say?” Neteyam picks it out of the shell, holding it between his thumb and pointer as he examines how it shines in the sun. Beautiful…

You’re frozen when he reaches out, the pearl in the palm of his hand.

“Here” he offers it to you.

The purple flush that completely takes over your face crawls down your neck too. You're completely flustered by the simple gesture of good will.

You should tell him that you can’t take it- that he should give it to Tuk, his little sister that loves making jewelry. Instead you’re hungry for anything, will accept any scraps of himself that Neteyam will give to you.

“Irayo” you beam as you accept the pear, tucking it away in your satchel for safe keeping. “I love it!”

He just gives you another one of those ever soft boyish grins, his eyes pools of liquid amber.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

As the weeks go by, there’s a certain light to you. A bounce in your step,

“Your aura has changed” Ronal informs you of the fact as the two of you sit in the Healers Mauri, plumes of heavy incense filling the space with fragrant smoke.

She’s far into her pregnancy now, but that has never stopped her from completing her duties. The salves she mixes with an expertise that comes from years of trial and error are potent and coveted.

Your lips quirk into a private smile as your fingers continue their threading. Working on a personal project in between your chores. “Has it really?”

She assesses you, her turquoise eyes all knowing as she takes you in. You’re a woman grown now far from the small child she had taken in with her husband all those years ago. In theses last few months you have blossomed, like a flower unfurling. She had an inkling of why-

“You are thinking of accepting courtship this cycle, yes?” It’s not a question, but a statement. One she already knows the answer to.

“I am” you whisper. “If he decides to pursue me, that is”

The comfortable quiet is back, both of you focusing on your respective tasks. You’d always been content just to bask in your Aunt’s presence.

“The Sully boy would be a fool not to court you” Ronal breaks the silence bluntly and you really should've had expected that she already knew.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Where dread usually lives in your heart at this time of year, lies only excitement. Joy, that fragile hope as you prepare for the festival. Anyone who knows you can see the change, you throw yourself head first into ceremony prep. Spend hours sitting with Tsireya eagerly sowing together new pieces of clothing for the festivities.

You sing as you tend to your house work, sweet little tunes that your family is surprised to hear.

Tonowari is beaming, endlessly happy that you are going to give a member of the clan a chance. He’d been questioning your self induced isolation for years, and was eager to see which of his warriors had stolen your heart. Ronal refuses to tell him even though he knows she knows,

“It is not mine to share” his wife rebuff’s every time he questions.

As the day of the Iknimaya draws closer you try to make sure that Neteyam knows that you are open to courtship. You spend a decent amount of time with his family anyway, Tsireya and Lo’ak always connected at the hip and Kiri growing into a close friend.

You ask him about his training, tend to any wounds he may aquire diligently. Laugh at his bad jokes, and listen to his stories of home. He misses the forest, you can tell. You selfishly hope that there isn't a pretty Omaticayan girl waiting for him.

At dinner, in the largest communal mauri, filled to the brim with clans members who are all but vibrating with excitement for the close looming festivities, you navigate the people.

In your hands, a large plate made from a recycled shell piled is high. Fish roasted over the fire, steamed rice and root vegetables that you had harvested yourself.

You’d watched Neteyam along with a handful of other training warriors limp into dinner late. They look tired and worn down.

He’d plopped down next to his family without getting himself food, and that just wouldn't do.

“Jake, Neytiri- I see you” You greet his parents as you approach. The sit close together, always intertwined in one way or another.

‘He idolizes our parents marriage’

You understand Kiri’s words as you watch Toruk Makto and his mate, as you appraise their close bond.

Jake grins, Tuk in his lap. Greeting you right back, easy to conversate with. Neytiri is quieter, hard to read. Intimidating, just like Neteyam who favors her so much in looks. Still the older woman signs the greeting back to you.

“You look really rough” is not what you meant to say to their son. Neteyams brow bones rise and you could kick yourself. Definitely would later.

“Thanks, I feel it” Neteyam responds with a tired chuckle.

Instead you laugh too, albeit awkwardly, trying to remedy the situation “What I mean is, you didn't get yourself food- and I know how exhausting training can be. Here, please eat. I’d hate for you to lose strength this close to your rite”

He accepts the plate of food graciously and you try to ignore the heavy feeling of eyes on you. His families, the clans. People have noticed you, have noticed this act of service. There’s only one thing it can mean.

“Irayo Y/N, I appreciate you” he thanks, making room for you on the log that he’s sat atop “Would you like to sit with us?”

“Very much so- but I promised Elder Raou’wal that I would help him back to his mauri. His legs don't work like they used to, and I don't want him to fall again-” you curse your nature, the fact that you offer your help so freely.

All you want to do is take that seat, so close to Neteyam that your thighs would press against one and others.

“That is very kind” Neteyam soothes “It’s okay, another time”

“Yes, another time” You know you sound like an idiot. You feel like an idiot. Standing before him and his family uninvited.

You need to make a quick escape, overwhelmed by all of the attention. “Please, get some rest before tomorrow. I’ve had to tend to over worked warriors all week”

Neteyam’s grin…is something else. Something not so sweet. Something that makes you flustered, that he’s looking at you like that in front of his parents, in front of the tribe. “Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Will you be there, tomorrow?”

“Of course I will” your response is quick, eager and it just makes that look on his face more intense.

“Good. Then I know everything will go well” his words make your heart beat so loudly your ears ring.

You don’t even know what to say, can barley keep your cool as you utter goodbye to his family, all of them quite obviously amused as you begin to scurry away.

You know the blush is burning up your whole face, that everyone can see your feelings as clear as day.

But-

You can’t leave him like that. Not with him facing is Iknimaya in the morning, with all of its promises of danger.

“May Eywa be with you, tomorrow and always” you give him the quiet blessing, truly hoping that the great mother looks over him.

He softens, physically. All of him slumping, as though you had put a balm on a jagged cut.

You don't wait for a reply.

Tonowari watches the exchange from his place at the head of the room,

Oh.

That is who had caught your eye, the warrior that had broken your resolve.

He shares a look with Ronal, his eyes comically wide and she laughs lowly at him.

“Ah my love, you have always been so slow”

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The Iknimaya rituals go as they always go, a long day full of young, strong hearted Na’vi eager to prove themselves. Most of them don’t succeed, at least half of them will need to wait until the next cycle to attempt it again.

Your family is at the center, you stand proudly behind Olo’eyktan Tonowari and Tsahik Ronal as they guide the young clan members through the rite of passage. Tsireya beside you, knowing that next cycle it will be her and Lo’ak attempting their own rites. Ao’nung cheering on young hunters that he had trained himself.

You love all of your people, the Metkayina one beating heart under Eywa’s watchful eye- yet you can't tear your focus away from Neteyam.

Your eyes are glued to him, and him only. The entire time. You watch, anxious and in awe. He’s so strong, all lean muscle and sharp mind. He mounts his Skimwing on the first try, much to the surprise of his peers. The people cheer him on, whopping loudly.

He’s beautiful, capable and skilled. He’s…stolen something from you. Abducted your soul, enthralled your thoughts in a way that almost felt intrusive.

You watch as the son of the first becomes a son of the sea, a man in both the Metkayina and Omiticaya tribes. A feat that almost none have accomplished.

The Motnaui is tradition, the freshly rited hunters will join the seasoned on a days long hunt. The time in the open ocean solidifies their bond to the tribe, their place that they have earned. Their chief will join them. Tonowari is eager, ecstatic for the time he gets to spend with his new hunters. With his ever growing tribe.

Everyone gathers to see the hunters off, so much love filling the crowded beach. Your people a buzz, tearful. Joyous.

You trail your fingers over the colorful Lei that lies around your neck. It matches the floral wreath nestled atop your head; the orchids are vibrant shades of fuchsia pinks and sunset yellows to represent your family.

They come in all shades, neon greens and baby blues, lilac purples and vibrant reds.

They are traded between your people at this time of year. Elders give them to children, sisters to their brothers. Tonowari wears many around his neck, the visual representation of how beloved he is to his clan.

To give a Lei can be friendly and platonic, sure. Especially if it is one of the dozens that are made just to be handed out- if a person wears multiple for clear decoration and celebration purposes only.

It can also be a very clear invitation for courtship- or at the very least consensual coupling. If a woman takes her lei off her own neck and presents it to a man, it is a sign of ownership. Marking that the specific male is taken for the duration of the fertility season.

You need to give Neteyam yours before he leaves, you want him to know that he has you. That you are his- and that you want him to be yours. That you will wait for him as he hunts and when he returns, he can have all of you.

You’re trying to find him in the crowd, your eyes scanning for the familiar dark blue skin that stands out so shockingly amongst your people-

Neteyam is with his family, all of them exuding proud energy. His mother cups his face in her lithe hands, his sisters hold onto his arms. His father pats his shoulder and his brother stares at him like he’s hung the stars.

You don't want to intrude on the moment, but you have to catch him before he leaves-

It’s like watching a horrible accident, like being witness to carnage that you just can't stop.

Seychelle, a clans member two years your junior, is beautiful. She’s a skilled singer and the daughter of a high ranking fisherman. She’s tall and shapely with pretty eyes, and its her first cycle as an eligible adult. As a woman grown who is available to mate.

She walks right up to Neteyam and his family boldly. Unafraid or ridden by anxiety like you always seem to be. All flirty smiles and fluttering lashes.

You’re too far away, can't hear what she says but you wouldn't want to anyway. Your chest is caving in and you feel like you can't breathe, your ears ring with the lack of oxygen.

You could challenge her. You have a high standing in the clan. You have first choice when it comes to mates,

But instead you just stand there. Bare witness to her taking off her bright orange Lei and slip it around Neteyams neck. He accepts it without a fuss, grinning and you can see his mouth form the words “thank you”.

Your nose burns and tears prick threateningly at your eyes but you know you can not let them fall. Not here.

You do what you do best;

You run away.

Not bothering to explain your exit to anyone, you probably couldn't form words around the lump in your throat anyway, you run as fast as you can. The world feels very far away, like it exists without you in it.

Your family mauri is empty, everyone's still at the beach and you don't even bother making it to your bed. You collapse right inside the entrance as the tears finally over take you and your eyes flood over.

What were you thinking?

How had you read this whole thing so wrong?

Your mind is dangerous, cruel in its confused, hurt state. It assaults you and you sob into your hands. You feel stupid now, in the special clothes you'd donned. Your hair twisted meticulously-

He had never been interested in you, you’d taken his innate kindness and skewed it. Neteyam had just been nice to you and you being the simple minded girl you were- had tried to force it into something more.

You curse yourself, curse your heart. Curse that fragile hope that you had clung to so desperately.

You cry until you feel sick, your eyes swollen and back tight from sobbing. You’re dizzy and tired by the time you crawl over to your bed. You don't even get under the covers, just stare blankly at the wall of the mauri as tears roll down your cheeks.

Who knew one person could produce so many tears? You wonder when your body will run out. You don't know how much time passes, only aware that darkness starts to fill the space as the evening eclipse arises.

“Oh, YN” the silence is broken by your cousin's soft voice.

Tsireya had wondered where you had gone, had been confused about your departure until she clocked Neteyam with a Lei around his neck that was quite obviously not yours.

“I’m sorry” Is all she whispers as she slips into the bed next to you, her arm winding around your middle.

It starts a whole nother round of tears. Of crying, mourning what you thought you could have.

“I-I-I’m so s-stupid” you stutter, snotty and muffled. She shakes her head, tears of her own starting to form as she holds you tighter.

“No, don't say that cousin. You’re not stupid” Tsireya soothes as she pets your hair. It hurts to see you in such a state. This had to be a mistake, she had been so sure of Neteyams feelings for you. Everyone had.

You shake your head, because you know you are. You knew you had little chance and still you’d paraded yourself in front of him like an idiot.

Never again, you vow to yourself.

To your shattered heart.

Wow, okay I didnt expect this to be so big, but I got so caught up in Metkayina Lore building that I kind of got sidetracked. Safe to say 90% of this story is going to be canon divergent. All of this Lore is my own creation and not Mr. Cameron's.

I have to give a shout out to two authors in the Avatar fandom that have inspired me the most as I write this.

@tiredmamaissy has really carved out a niche when it comes to the sexual nature of Pandora. I love the way she portrays Na'vi relationships and if this story leans a bit A/B/O its because I cant see the Na've not going to Heat's/Ruts now. She's just so good.

@loaksky when I tell you that reading her work makes me want to hone my craft, I mean that shit. She is a wordsmith in a way that you don't see much anymore. I am obsessed with how she long hand story tells and I def feel inspired everytime I read one of her fics. Queen of will they wont they/ slow burn.

USDFDHEFHDG THIS GOT ME GIGGLINF AND EVERYTHING i loveeeddd it <33

𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 — (𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐘𝐀𝐌 𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐘)

— language, just two flustered dorks & a ton of fluff, sort of love at first sight (?), friends to lovers, brief fake relationship, eventual jealous!neteyam, kissing, heavy angst & character death.

just this once. you were supposed to help tsireya out just this once. but how are you supposed to help out your best friend when it involves distracting one of the most sought-after warriors from their clan? how are you supposed to distract him for a single day without catching feelings for him? you find yourself in a position where you realize it's impossible for you to meet neteyam "just this once".

a/n: this is just a prologue to the actual story, so i don't expect it to do well lol (please don't let the general fluff deceive you, this story doesn't have a happy ending !!)

"hellooo, earth to na’vi?" tsireya called, waving her hand in front of your distracted gaze.

it was early in the morning when she managed to find you tending to the ilus by the reef, her unannounced visit catching you off guard. you only sighed at her words as you turned to face her.

"you should stop spending so much time with that forest boy, you're starting to sound like him." you muse, prompting a soft laugh from your best friend.

the moment you got up and started your descent back into the village, tsireya trailed closely behind. you narrowed your eyes as she followed you silently. she was up to something.

"what is it?" you sighed. despite your attention focused on what was in front of you, you could sense her growing smile from behind.

"about that forest boy.." she grinned, already sensing your intrigue.

"i’m listening." you hummed, exchanging quick greetings with the passerby clan members.

"i need you to distract his brother." she whispered, her words only making you quirk a brow.

it had been two weeks since the sullys first arrived. like tsireya, you were happy to welcome them into the clan. the only difference, however, was that you had no time to be around them.

as awa'atlu's hidden jewel, you had spent an ample amount of your time practicing your dance choreography for the clan's future celebrations instead.

today's duties would be no different.

"you know i'm far too busy with rehearsals to waste time with some boy." you sighed, noticing her disappointed frown.

"it’s not like you have a choice! my father requested you teach them the history of our upcoming dance festival." she pouted.

in all honesty, you weren't surprised—coming from a family whose legacy is known for passing down the title of being the clan’s sole principal dancer, you would be the most suitable for the task.

"so you're trying to sneak off with your crush while i’m at work?" you jokingly scoffed.

"and what if i am?" she grinned.

"you’ve become shameless, tsireya." you laughed, nudging your elbow into hers.

"come on, do it for me! you’ve already been ordered to meet with them today." she insisted, tugging at your arm. you only stared into her doe eyes as she silently waited for you to give in—which of course, worked.

"if it's my duty, i suppose i don't have a choice. but you owe me for this." you sighed before shortly erupting in giggles as she pulled you by the hand to the sully’s pod.

—

making your way over, tsireya was first to knock. the sound of her sudden presence only caused lo’ak to stumble over his brother's wooden carving. peeking your head in, the two of you couldn't help but laugh as you witnessed neteyam scowl at his brother.

"tsireya! and.. tsireya’s friend? what’s up?" lo’ak greeted as his brother only turned his head at the mention of another face.

"lo’ak, this is my closest friend—the one who'll be joining us today at the reef." you silently waved as tsireya introduced your name.

"nice to meet you." he hummed, pausing for a brief moment. there was a sudden hint of hesitation in his eyes.

"you.. haven't heard anything about me from the others, have you? you can't trust a single thing ao'nung says." he jokes nervously.

"oh, trust me, i’ve already heard a lot of things about you from tsire—mmph!" your words were cut off the moment tsireya palmed her hand over your mouth, hissing.

fortunately, your banter was cut short the moment his elder brother made his way over to the three of you. slowly releasing her hand from your face, tsireya cleared her throat.

"ah—this is neteyam." she coughed. a few moments passed in silence before she noticed how you froze up.

“introduce yourself.” she whispered, nudging your arm with her elbow to speak. your back naturally straightened in response as heat rose to your cheeks.

“i’m—uh, nice to.. meet you?” you stuttered. shit. it was your first time meeting him and you’ve already embarrassed yourself, you mentally cursed.

“hey nice to meet you, i’m neteyam.” he silently mused.

nobody laughed but him.

neteyam only mouthed a small 'what?' as everyone stared at him for a few moments. you, however, couldn't hold back a chuckle.

it wasn't the joke itself that was funny—no, the joke was absolutely terrible. instead, it was the confused expression on his face, as if he hadn't just dropped the worst joke imaginable.

“bro, are you trying to win worldwide fame for unfunny jokes?” lo’ak sighed.

“i thought it was pretty funny.” he shrugged, his eyes silently searching for your reaction.

“yeah, funny.” you scoffed, meeting his gaze for a stilled moment.

his expression was serious, but you noticed the way it slightly softened when he looked at you. as if the way he looked at you just felt different from the way he looked at everyone else.

you can't quite put your finger on it, but there's just something that makes you think you might just get along with him.

tsireya only grinned as the two of you unknowingly locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity.

"well, if you don't want the day to pass us, i suggest the two of you join at us at the reef!" tsireya waved, grabbing lo’ak’s hand. as you watched their figures retreat, neteyam’s tail tapped your leg.

“shall we?” he hummed, slightly bowing down like a prince as he took a few steps before you.

“why of course, my liege.” you mocked whilst doing a slight curtsy. you couldn’t help but reciprocate his coy smile as you followed him to the edge of the docks.

you were the first of the four to dive into the water, submerging your entire body until your hair was completely soaked. you watched as neteyam stood over you from the dock while lo’ak and tsireya jumped in.

“you do swim, do you not?” you smiled, looking up at him from below. for a few moments, he didn't respond. you frowned at the fact that you couldn't read his expression.

what are you thinking? is what you wanted to ask him, but the two of you had just met, and you didn't think it would be appropriate to pry, no matter how curious you were.

what neteyam couldn't tell you, however, was that he couldn't get into the water because he was too focused on you.

what were the chances of the sun's horizon hitting your face the exact moment you were before him? the orange rays shined brightly onto your features.

golden hour looked beautiful on you.

"…what a ridiculous question." he scoffed, dismissing his thoughts. you only smiled as droplets of water splashed onto you the moment he dived in.

"you finally joined us." tsireya laughed, swimming further out with lo’ak on their ilus.

following their lead, you called for your ilu, diving underwater to grab onto the saddle and resurfacing shortly after. the moment you returned to neteyam’s side, he couldn't help but watch as your ilu nuzzled it's face against his.

"mine’s got quite the charm." he hummed, though you only snorted at his smug remark.

"what?" he questioned, eyeing your unimpressed reaction.

"these ilus are mated, neteyam." you laughed, watching as he mouthed a silent 'oh'. you were quick to swim further ahead, calling out to him as you turned back.

"come on, forest boy. we have places to explore!" you smiled, turning around to follow after tsireya and lo’ak. neteyam only shook his head, scoffing a laugh before following shortly behind.

—

a few minutes into the journey, you suddenly paused, sitting still atop your ilu for a brief moment. your eyes focused on the horizon as you basked in the warmth of the sun on your face.

"what’s wrong, tired already?" neteyam teased, making his way to your side.

"don’t get funny with me." you scoffed, playfully pushing him off his ilu with your leg. you erupted in laughter as you watched him slowly rise back up to the surface, glaring.

"very funny, now help me back up." he sighed.

you hummed and offered your hand as you waited for him to settle back atop his ilu, though your smile only faded as his next action caught you off guard.

the moment he grabbed onto your hand, he pulled you down with him. you could only yelp as you already felt yourself falling in. rising back up to the surface, you gasped for air, turning to face neteyam’s satisfied expression.

"you’re a pain." you scoff, running your fingers through your hair and out of your face as neteyam stole a glance while you weren't looking.

once again, neteyam watched as the orange hues clashed with your teal skin—sunkissed and glowing with shades of gold displayed naturally onto you.

he figured if anyone was the embodiment of the sun's beauty, it'd be you.

you eventually met back up with tsireya and lo’ak, spending the following hours swimming through the ocean till sunset. the four of you conversed on your ilus, floating still above the deep ocean. along the way, you taught the two brothers about the tradition of awa'atlu's celebrations.

"the clan continues to hold the festival annually to mark another year of living among the reefs. it’s a symbol of the clan's life and our peace." you remarked.

"…and you dance for such a grand occasion?" lo’ak awed.

"mhm, so does ao'nung. our festival is to take place in the following weeks, your family arrived just in time." you hummed.

as the sun began to set, your conversation had gradually come to an end. you began to wonder when exactly tsireya would need your 'help', though your question was shortly answered.

"you know, i was actually hoping to assist a certain someone with their diving skills before the day ends." tsireya coughed, narrowing her eyes at lo’ak. anyone could see how smitten he was with her by the way his tail instantly swayed at her words.

"alright, let's get on with it then." neteyam hummed.

shit.

in that moment, you realized exactly what you needed to do, mentally cursing neteyam for being so blissfully ignorant. and if it wasn't clear enough already, tsireya’s glare spoke for itself. as she tilted her head at you, the question 'what are you waiting for?' was written all over her face.

"ah, wait—actually, neteyam!" you called, your words causing him to turn back.

"i was wondering if you could accompany me—back to the.. beach." you blurted, his questioned expression only made you gulp.

"there’s a certain spot that me and tsireya like to visit, it's beautiful past dusk."

"i’ll.. i’ll be busy, for the next few days—so today may be the only time in which i’ll get to show it to you." you reasoned.

as neteyam turned back to tsireya and lo’ak for their thoughts, he was met with his brother glaring at him to agree and tsireya smiling happily.

"it’s a very lovely place, neteyam. i’ll make sure to bring lo'ak there as well." she exclaimed.

"then.. if you're happy to have me, i’d like to come along." he smiled, waiting for your directions. you sighed at his words, feeling a giant weight lift off your chest as tsireya made her way to your side.

"well, i’ll meet back with you before eclipse! have fun." she smiled. you only sighed as she mouthed a quick 'thank you' before swimming off with lo’ak. you turned back to face neteyam, huffing quietly as you realized you wouldn't be returning home anytime soon.

—

the orange skies of pandora were slowly replaced with purple as the sun began to set. the two of you walked down the path that was dimly lit by torches as younger children ran past you giggling. a few were quick to run into your arms, calling out your name as they laughed.

"what are you all doing out this late? your mother is probably looking for you, hurry back!" you smiled, ruffling their hair.

"please show us your dancing again!" the youngest begged, tugging at your sash. the others eagerly nodded as they stood in front of your crouched figure.

"how about i let you all come by and watch me rehearse tomorrow morning instead?" you smiled, handing them a small seashell that you'd previously collected from the ocean.

despite your wager, the kids persisted, begging to stay. neteyam did nothing but watch in silence as you spoke to them. he couldn't help but smile, feeling feel his heart tighten at the sight of seeing qualities of his youngest sister in them.

soon after, the eldest child, perhaps around six or seven, showed up and saw you and neteyam with their siblings. their ears turned down in embarrassment as they completely misunderstood the situation.

"you guys! can’t you see they're on a date? come on, let's head home!" the eldest scolded, muttering apologies to both you and neteyam while you stood up.

"what? wait, we aren't—"

your words were cut short as neteyam took your hand and interlaced his fingers with yours. his hands were huge, his fingers were slender, and his touch was warm compared to your own.

"that’s right, you should all head home before your parents get worried." neteyam smiled, watching them all apologize before quickly running back home to their pod. you only narrowed your eyes at him the moment they left.

"what? they would've never left had i not gone along with it." he smiled.

the two of you carried on walking down the path, though you found yourself unable to muster up anything as you realized his hand was still holding yours.

neteyam, however, was quick to notice your silence. like the respectable son he was, he was quick to let go, apologizing.

"wait—sorry, i didn't realize—did i make you uncomfortable?" he stuttered, mumbling apologies.

"what? oh—no! no. i just.." you struggled to find the right words to say as he continued to stare down at you.

"sorry, your eyes make me shy." you weakly mumbled, covering your flustered face with your hands for a brief moment.

after what seemed like minutes, you slowly peeked through your fingers to see neteyam’s reaction as he continued to fall silent. safe to say, it was the complete opposite of what you were expecting.

"are you.. blushing?" you questioned.

"what? no." he retorted almost instantly. for some reason, seeing him in such a state brought back the casual expression you once had.

"don’t tell me.. i got the ever-stoic neteyam to blush?"

"no, it's.. the cold." he huffed, pointing out the fact that the sun had just completely fallen.

"the cold, and not what i just said?" as you watched him look away to the side, you hardly found the words to carry yourself casually.

"no."

he was blushing harder.

you took a deep breath in, eyeing back and forth between him and his hand. finally, you chose to take the latter, grabbing his hand into yours as you pulled him to the spot you and tsireya spoke of.

"wait, what are you—"

"does this answer your question?" you voiced, weakly smiling as you walked further towards the outskirts. watching your figure guide him forward, all neteyam could do was smile.

"yeah."

you let go of his hand once the two of you reached the spot. otuer than the shoreline leading to the reef, it was a secluded sandbank far from the village that was surrounded by enormous rocks. it had a view of the full moon right above the ocean in the center. neteyam only stood there in awe of the view.

"what do you think? was it worth the wait?" you smiled.

"definitely.” he sighed, walking toward the shore and stepping his feet into the water. his smile as he turned back to face you made your heart skip a beat. maybe once, twice, shit—maybe even three times.

there’s just something moon-soaked and dawn-flavored about him, something kissed by the stars and loved by the night. neteyam was a warrior who was your opposite in every way. and yet, in some ways, the two of you seemed to be the exact same.

you were only supposed to help tsireya distract him, just this once. but the damage was already done the moment your eyes met.

something began to spark.

the two of you continued to revel under the moonlight until tsireya finally returned with lo’ak. as neteyam showed his brother the view, tsireya was quick to pull you over.

"so, how was it?" she smiled.

"it wasn't as bad as i thought it'd be." you shrugged, your gaze fixed upon neteyam’s figure as his back faced you. tsireya, being the observant person she was, made note of this. there was nothing you could do that your best friend couldn't notice.

"then, i sense the two of you have gotten close?" she teased.

"don’t start, tsireya. i was just helping you for today." you sigh, your thoughts contradicting your words.

"whatever you say." she hummed.

"but just so you know.."

"you’re not very hard to read." she grinned, walking back towards the two brothers. you swore your felt your eye twitch at her words.

as tsireya pulled lo’ak over and continued to gaze up at the moon, you faced neteyam, one last time.

"i guess this is my cue to go." you hummed, watching his tail sway back and forth like a cat.

"yeah." he smiled hesitantly.

"…"

"will i.."

"will i see you again?" neteyam questioned. you paused for a brief moment, contemplating your next, careful words.

"i don't know." you responded, observing his slight frown.

"but i hope so." you whispered.

"yeah?" he smiled.

"i hope so too."

@ novarity / 6idgets — do not translate, repost, or copy my work to other sites.

I LOVE THIS SM AJSDHFASJDFG

Of Duty and Desire | Chapter 2 | Neteyam x Metkayina!reader

A/N: Thank you so much for the love I got on the first part 🥰 and thank you for your patience waiting for this one. I hope y’all enjoy it, and while you’re waiting for the next part, allow me to shamelessly plug my other finished fic here.

5.2k words, which in the words of my roommate @britany1997 “you write long ass fics.” (I know, Brit, I know)

Chapter 1 Chapter 3

It had now been over a year since the Sullys' arrival in the reef, and you couldn't imagine your life without them anymore. Tuk was as good at diving as any Metkayina child her age. You and Lo'ak bonded over your ongoing friendly competition over who was the better ilu rider (you were, but he was getting better everyday). Kiri had truly blossomed in the reef, and nobody treated her differently anymore.

But out of the four of them, Neteyam was the one you felt closest to. Even though you enjoyed laughing and joking together, you both understood what it meant to have a responsibility to your clan, a sense of duty to your people. It was a shared experience that was part of the reason you had become friends so quickly. When you would feel overwhelmed or frustrated by the high expectations of your parents or Ronal, he was always there to listen and cheer you up.

On warmer nights, when you felt stressed, you would sneak out to enjoy the peace of the water on the beach alone. You spent so much of your day busy with things to do that you felt as though you rarely had a moment of peace with yourself.

On one such night, you walked along the edge of the beach before settling down in the sand, the waves of the water gently lapping at your feet. The night air was warm, and you lay back on the sand to look up at the stars. You stayed like that for some time before the sound of crunching sand behind you broke the peaceful silence.

You sat up quickly in alarm and found that it was Neteyam walking along the beach. He seemed just as surprised at finding you there on the beach by yourself. "You startled me," you told him as he drew near. "And you startled me," he countered. "I didn't think I would find anyone out so late." You hummed and explained, "I couldn't sleep." He sat down in the sand next to you. "Nor could I," he replied. "Do you often come out at night?"

You shrugged and leaned back on your hands. "Sometimes," you admitted. "I enjoy looking at the stars." Neteyam looked up at the clear night sky. He searched for a while before a slow smile appeared on his face. "Do you see that one there?" He asked, pointing at a star. You looked after him, but you weren't sure which he was referring to. "Which one?" You questioned.

He moved in close next to you, bringing his face right up next to yours. His shoulder leaned against yours as he lifted a hand to point at the sky. "There," he said softly as he pointed at a star flickering above. "The yellowish one." You stared up at where he pointed and noticed the yellow star he was referring to. "I see it," you said quietly with a small smile.

You turned your head to look at him, and you suddenly became aware of how close he was to you. Neteyam seemed to have the same realization because he pulled away gently and looked away self-consciously. "My father came from there," he explained as he looked back at the sky. "That very star."

You looked back up at the flickering light in amazement. "That is incredible," you whispered. "Your father is legendary amongst the Na'vi." He shrugged nonchalantly. "It is hard to see him as such when I have seen him embarrass himself countless times," he told you with a wry grin.

You suppressed a laugh. "I suppose to you, he is just your father," you mused. He smiled down at you. "Everyone sees him as this fearless leader," he explained, and his voice suddenly became very somber. "But I know what really scares him." You watched him expectantly, trying to think of all the great beasts that could inspire fear in such a renowned warrior. Then, with a sly smirk, he leaned in close and whispered, "My mother."

That time, he actually did make you laugh. "Tonowari is the same," you told him, and Neteyam nodded emphatically. "That is understandable. Ronal is very formidable," he said. You shrugged your shoulders casually. "She's not so bad," you defended. Your mother was a lifelong friend of the tsahik, and you had become very familiar with Ronal and developed a better understanding of her strict demeanor during your time as her apprentice.

Neteyam shot you a disbelieving look. You sighed before admitting, "She is formidable, yes, but she is very loyal and fiercely protective." You sifted the sand between your fingers and looked up at him with a smirk. "But I see how she can be scary. Even Tonowari thinks so."

Neteyam chuckled at you. "Something about the role of Olo'eyktan seems to attract fearsome mates," he observed humorously. You hummed in amusement. "I hope I will inspire the same fear in Aonung one day," you joked.

You weren't quite sure what it was, but you sensed a slight shift in Neteyam's demeanor. It was the prolonged silence between your statement and his reply, almost as if you had unwittingly said the wrong thing. You looked over at him, but when he glanced back, he offered a faint smile. "Perhaps you will," he said finally. "But for now, I have to admit, you don't seem very intimidating."

You scoffed lightheartedly and tossed some sand at him. "How dare you," you told him with false offense. "I will be even more fearsome than Ronal and your mother combined." He chuckled at your theatrics and brushed the sand off of his arm. "If that is true, then you will be like a palulukan," he stated.

You tilted your head at him in confusion. "A palulukan?" you echoed questioningly. Neteyam seemed to remember that the fierce, feline creature he spoke of did not live around the reef, and therefore you had no knowledge of it. "Palulukan, the bringer of fear," he explained. "They are large, dangerous predators in the forest. There is nothing they are afraid of, and there is nothing that is not afraid of them."

You smiled thoughtfully at his words. "That does sound fearsome," you conceded. "And I thought the ikran were intimidating." Neteyam huffed in amusement. "They certainly can be," he agreed. "But they are excellent companions when they're bonded." You hummed in consideration and replied, "That doesn't make them any less intimidating."

Neteyam was staring at you with a thoughtful face, a slow smile forming on his face. "Would you like to see them?" He asked mischievously. You looked over at him quizzically. "Right now?" You clarified. He shrugged, his lips still turned up in a grin. "Sure," he replied. "But we don't have to if you'd rather not."

You felt your own lips twist into a smile. You had wanted to see the great beasts the Sullys flew up close since they first arrived, but for some reason, you had felt a little awkward about asking them. Now, you finally had an invitation to go.

"I would love to see them," you told Neteyam sincerely. He stood up eagerly and held his hand out to you. You took it, and the two of you headed over to where they kept their ikran. The great, flying creatures preferred to stay up on the rocky precipices above the water, so the two of you had to walk quite a distance, but neither of you minded when you were in each other's company.

When you made it to the base of the cliff, Neteyam made a strange calling sound that carried up the side of the rock. After a moment, you saw the silhouette of his ikran glide over the edge of the cliff and settle down in front of you. You couldn't help but laugh in amazement as Neteyam stepped forward to greet his ikran.

"Do not look at his eyes," he warned as you approached carefully. You averted your gaze obediently and instead focused on the size of its powerful wings. "He is beautiful," you told him earnestly. "You chose well."

He chuckled as he stroked his ikran's neck. "He chose me," he corrected you. "Ikran are not like ilu or skimwings. They only bond with one rider. It is one of the trials of the Omatikaya." You listened attentively as you wandered around the ikran in admiration. "It must be very difficult," you noted as his ikran rustled its wings a few times. He huffed in amusement and muttered, "Very."

You wanted to touch the ikran, but you hesitated, not wanting to agitate it by accident. As though he could read your mind, Neteyam offered you a reassuring smile. "You can touch him," he told you. Giving him a quick glance, you carefully reached out and brushed your hand along its leathery skin.

His ikran snapped its head to look at you, causing you to jerk your hand back quickly. Neteyam chuckled at your reaction. Coming up behind you, he placed his hand on the back of yours and brought it back up to the body of his ikran, guiding your hand over its smooth, green skin.

You gave a small laugh of amazement. Under your palm, you could feel its tense muscles around its wings. "He is very strong," you observed. Neteyam hummed quietly in response right beside ear.

You turned your head to face him better. Even in the dim light, you could make out every detail of his face, the pattern of the stars on his face and his amber eyes that seemed to glow. In the silence between you, he seemed to be studying your face as well, his eyes flicking back and forth between your own.

Neteyam seemed to pull himself out if his thoughts. He withdrew his hand from yours and stepped back to stroke the head if his ikran. You ran your hand over the leathery wings as you took a moment to shake yourself out of your thoughts as well.

"It was a startling sight when your family first arrived," you said, finally breaking the silence. "Few of us had ever seen Na'vi fly in the sky." He smiled over at you thoughtfully. "Would you like to fly?" He asked, his corners of his lips turned upwards playfully.

You turned to him in surprise. "Are you being serious?" You questioned skeptically. He shrugged. "If you'd like," he replied simply. "We already came all the way out here." You looked back at the powerful creature beneath your palm, and you couldn't deny the excitement you felt at his proposal.

"Are you sure?" You asked nervously. "Is it safe?" Neteyam's face softened as he smiled at you. "I will keep you safe," he assured you. "I promise."

You could hear the sincerity in his voice, and looking up in his face, you knew he would keep his word. "Okay," you said softly, then added playfully, "but you better not let me fall." He laughed at you. "I won't," he promised.

Attaching his queue to his ikran, Neteyam hoisted himself up on its back. He held out his hand to you, and after a brief hesitation, you took it. He pulled you up to sit on the space behind him. Since there was no saddle to sit on, you drew yourself close to Neteyam's back.

"The takeoff will be the worst part," he warned over his shoulder. "Just hold on to me, I won't let you fall." You wrapped your arms around his torso and replied softly, "Okay." The ikran crawled away to the edge of the cliff. "Ready?" Neteyam asked, and you could tell by his voice that he was smiling. Wrapping your arms tighter, you replied, "Ready."

His ikran lurched upwards and quickly began beating its wings. The sudden movement made you gasp and squeeze Neteyam's torso even tighter. Your heart was pounding in your chest, and you were almost starting to regret agreeing to this, but almost as quickly as it started, the frantic flapping stopped.

The wind was rushing through your hair as you glided gently through the air. The wings of the ikran moved gently to maintain its height, but it was not as hard or as fast as when it left the ground. After the startling takeoff, you couldn't help but laugh in giddy delight over the thrilling feeling of being in the air.

Neteyam cast a quick look over his shoulder at you and returned your wide smile. He held your thigh securely as his ikran turned right over the water. You could see the reflections of the stars above you in the water below. Neteyam brought his ikran just above the surface of the water, its wings barely skimming the top.

You marveled at the feeling of flying. The warm air felt cool as it rushed around you. The world seemed to be moving slowly around you. You felt your stomach flutter as you swooped upwards, and you began climbing through the air again.

"This is incredible!" You shouted over the sound of the wind. Neteyam laughed in response. "Not like an ilu, right?" he called out. You laughed too before replying, "Not at all."

You continued rising through the air steadily, and when you leveled out, you gasped at the sight below you. Everything was so beautiful. The bioluminescent plants below lit up the village, and the sea was sparkling with the light of the stars.

You leaned your cheek against Neteyam's back as you took in the image of everything under you. It was so incredible that, for a moment, you thought that maybe you were dreaming, but you knew this couldn't be the case. You never could have come up with this feeling in your sleep, and the rushing air around you and the warmth of Neteyam's body against yours was too real to be a dream.

You weren't sure how long you were both in the air, but it didn't feel like long enough. Eventually, Neteyam had his ikran settle down on the beach right at the edge of the village before he leapt down off its back. He took you by the hand and helped you dismount easily.

"That was exhilarating!" You gushed in excitement. He grinned at you and admitted, "I was worried you were going to back out last minute." You pushed him playfully. "Not me," You laughed. "I wasn't going to miss out on being the first of the Metkayina to fly!"

He chuckled at your giddy bravado. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said. "It's easy for me to take flying for granted." You shook your head in amazement and sighed. "Thank you," you told him, staring up at him earnestly. "It was very generous of you to take me." He had a soft smile as he gazed down at you. "It was nothing," he replied gently. "If you ever want to go again, just ask." You grinned and nodded. "I'd like that," you said softly.

A brief silence settled over the two of you as you looked up into his face. In the same way as earlier that night, you found yourself studying his face again. His smile was contagious, and the way his eyes looked down at you so softly made your face grow warm.

After a moment, Neteyam sighed reluctantly. "It is getting late," he mentioned. "I think it would be best for us to go home." You closed your eyes and sighed as well. You knew that he was right and that you should do the same.

He gave his ikran an affectionate pat before disconnecting his queue. His ikran took to the skies, blowing the sand as he flapped away. You both watched for a moment before turning back to the village.

Neteyam walked quietly back with you to your home, careful not to disturb anyone around. When you arrived, you turned back to face him. "I will see you tomorrow," he whispered softly. You couldn't suppress the smile on your face as you responded, "I will see you then."

You watched for a moment as he walked away, still wearing a faint smile on your face. As you settled into bed, you replayed the night in your head. You could still feel the rush of wind on your face, the warmth of his body against your own, and you could hear his laugh ringing through your head.

You stared at the canopy above you for a long time, growing more and more perplexed. Neteyam was a close friend, and you had always thought he was kind and intelligent, but now, your thoughts were wandering back to the feeling of your face resting against his back, his steadying grip on your thigh as you swooped over the water, and the way he looked at you in the silent moments between laughs.

What perplexed you was that you found yourself missing his touch, missing his presence. You wanted to hear more stories about the forest and to see his face light up as he told them. You wanted to hold him close again as you flew into the late night sky.

Worst of all, you felt a faint, dangerous desire growing in you hoping that he felt the same way.

A welcome distraction came the following week after your late-night adventure with Neteyam. With the water growing warmer again, you and your clan were overjoyed to welcome the return of the tulkun. Along with the rest of the Metkayina, the day that they returned, you spent hours in the water with your spirit sister, Tanati. She was a talented storyteller, and she regaled you with her adventures away from the reef.

Every year with the return of the tulkun, the Metkayina held a great feast at night. All along the beach, there were several fires lit. A great supply of food was provided, and the night was to be filled with music and dancing. Everybody dressed in their finest clothing, and you even changed your hairstyle for the occasion.

This was your favorite time of the year. The whole clan was buzzing with excitement as they prepared for the feast. Being reconnected with Tanati brought you so much joy, and the happiness of the rest of the clan made it all the sweeter.

You sat with Tonowari's family as you all began eating. A wide variety of fish and vegetables as well as sweet nectar from the tropical plants on shore were all distributed among the people. You laughed with the Sully children, Tsireya, and other friends as you ate in the diminishing light of the evening.

After a short interlude of time to eat, Tonowari stood up, drawing the attention of the rest of the clan. "Tonight," he called out loudly for everyone to hear, "we celebrate the return of our tulkun brothers and sisters!" Cheers rose up from the masses. As they died away, he continued, "We are reminded of the cycle of life, and we celebrate new life as well as the lives of those who have gone on to be with our Great Mother."

There was a brief silence as everyone reflected on his words. Both the Na'vi and the tulkun had celebrated the births of children as well as mourned the deaths of loved ones in the community that year, but it was important that the balance of life be honored and celebrated, especially on a night like this.

"Now," Tonowari said, "let us sing and dance in celebration to honor our tulkun family." More cheers rose up from the people, and soon after, drums began pounding in the open air.

As the music began, you perked up. The opening song was an easy dance for everyone to join. You grabbed Neteyam's arm in excitement. "You must join us!" You said eagerly, pulling him gently as you stood up. He let out a small laugh and shook his head. "I don't know these dances," he pointed out, resisting your pulling.

You gave an imploring smile. "This is easy!" you explained. "Just watch." He didn't budge, but he looked up at you with a playful grin. "I will watch," he agreed before adding, "from here." People were already lining up to begin the dance, and since you didn't want to miss out, you dropped his arm with an exaggerated sigh and rolled your eyes with a smile.

Before leaving, you held a hand out to Kiri. "Join me," you offered her pleadingly. After a brief hesitation, she grabbed your hand and skipped across the sand to join in the dance. As you all began moving, you demonstrated the fluid motion of the dance to her, your arms moving around you and your body rocking in a motion that imitated the pull of the sea waves.

As you danced, you didn't see the Omatikayan boy staring at you. He had a soft smile on his face as he watched you dancing with his sister, admiring your graceful movements in time with the drums. He almost regretted not following after you to dance, but he enjoyed a better view from where he was sitting. While watching you, he didn't notice his mother's discerning gaze watching him instead.

As the night wore on, the dancing continued. You hardly stopped, only taking the occasional break to catch your breath. Neteyam's eyes always followed you as you dance. You were practically glowing as you moved, and he marveled at how you looked in the flickering light of the fires adorned in your pretty accessories with your new hairstyle.

At one point, Aonung took you to dance. The two of you were facing across from each other in a line. Neteyam stared hard as the two of you mirrored each other's movements in time with the music. You were beaming as you twirled in the sand, and Aonung seemed to reflect your delight. Neteyam watched you dance with him for entire song, unable to tear his eyes away from you, and Neytiri didn't miss it.

Later on, you sat out a song to catch your breath. You wandered over to where the Sullys sat. Tsireya was already seated next to Lo'ak and was explaining the significance of the moves to him. You sat down beside her, breathing heavily from all of your dancing in the sand.

Neteyam moved to sit on the other side of you. "You have not danced once," you scolded him playfully. "Even Lo'ak joined in." It was true. Tsireya had actually managed to convince him to join her in the sand, though he moved awkwardly as he tried imitating the motion of the dance.

"Believe me," he said, "watching that from here was much more enjoyable than joining in." You laughed at his words. "At least he's joining in the celebration," you retorted playfully. Neteyam didn't respond, he just smiled at your joking attitude.

The dance ended, and the participants and onlookers alike laughed and cheered. After a brief respite, the musicians began a new song. You nudged Neteyam's arm gently. "The night is nearly over," you said. "This is your last chance."

He looked at you, and you saw a slow smile spread across his face. Without saying a word, he held his hand out to you. You beamed and took it immediately. Standing up together, you headed over to where the line was forming. "I still don't know the dance," he told you with a grin. You laughed and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go to move across from him. "Just copy what I do," you said.

This particular song was slower, and so it was easier for him to follow along. With every step, every turn, and every move, his eyes stayed intently focused on you. He mirrored your movement almost perfectly, and you smiled as you drew close together. In the dim evening light, his face was illuminated by the fires around you, and his normally yellowish eyes were almost a flame-colored orange

The same flustered feeling you had felt the previous week began fluttering in your chest. Your movements were automatic as you became transfixed on Neteyam. He seemed to be a faster learner than Lo'ak when it came to dancing because his movements were fluid and almost perfectly in time with yours. Watching him perform the Metkayina dances so well made you beam with pride, and you felt as though nobody else was present but the two of you.

The whole time, Neteyam's enchanting smile never wavered, and you hardly realized when the dance had ended. The two of you stood in the sand for a few moments, slightly winded and grinning widely. The sight of the other dancers walking away from the open dancing space pulled you out of your daze finally, and together, you and Neteyam headed back to where his family was sitting and his mother was watching closely.

You sighed happily as you plopped down in the sand besides Tsireya. She nudged you playfully, and you nudged her back with a grin. On your other side, Neteyam sat down with a quiet grunt. "I thought you said it was my last chance," he said cheekily, nodding at the next round of dancers lining up in the sand.

"This dance is for mated couples only," you explained. "It will be over soon. Then, we will sing together before the celebration is finished." He nodded his understanding at you, his eyes fixated on the dancing couples on the sand.

"This is a wonderful tradition," he said earnestly. "I only watched from a distance last year." You followed where his eyes were fixed on the moving figures. "It is one of my favorite nights of the year," you admitted with a sight of contentment. He glanced back at you with a soft smile and said, "I understand why."

The dancing came to an end at that moment, and all of the couples returned to where their groups were seated. Ronal stepped up at the center of the beach with all eyes on her expectantly. After a few moments of quiet, she opened her mouth and sang the opening verse to the Song of Thankfulness.

As her clear, melodic voice rang out, you and the other women joined in the song, repeating the same line. Eventually, the deeper voices of the men joined in the song. There were no instruments used, it was all just a chorus of voices that carried across the beach. You closed your eyes and lifted your face to the stars as you sang, absorbing the moment of peace and happiness with your people.

As the song came to an end, you opened your eyes reluctantly, not wanting the night to end. From the corner of your eye, you could see Neteyam watching you, but when you turned to look at him, his gaze quickly darted away. From your other side, Tsireya moved to stand, and you knew it was time for everyone to retreat back to their homes.

"Good night," you told Neteyam quietly as you began to stand up. He quickly jumped up from his sitting position and offered his hand to you. With a soft smile, you accepted it, and he pulled you up gently from the sand. As you stood up, he held onto your hand for a beat and gazed down at you, the dying fire casting flickering shadows across his face. "Good night," he said finally and let go of your hand.

You missed the feeling of his touch immediately, and you were grateful that it was too dark for him to see your face blushing. You managed to pull your attention away Neteyam and turned to the rest of his family. Lo'ak and Kiri were also standing to their feet to go home. Tuk had fallen asleep long ago and was being carried by her father while Neytiri watched closely as you turned away from Neteyam.

"Good night," you told them with a polite nod. The weariness of dancing was finally affecting you, and you were eager to fall asleep. They all bid you goodnight in return, and you turned and walked back to where your family was waiting.

The Sullys headed back to their own place. After all of their children were tucked away to sleep, Neytiri gave her mate a squeeze on the shoulder and motioned with her head to the entrance of their tent. Understanding her silent request, Jake followed her outside.

Outside of their tent, Neytiri turned to face him. "You need to speak to your son before he does something stupid," she whispered to him in English in case any of the Metkayina were nearby. Jake raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You're gonna have to be more specific," he responded quietly. Neytiri made a disapproving face. "Your eldest," she clarified. "He has grown very fond of the tsakarem girl."

Jake let out a little sigh. He had noticed his son's affection for you as well, but he hadn't really considered it particularly urgent. "What do you want me to do?" He asked. Neytiri stepped closer to him and spoke in a low voice. "He needs to—" she paused to find the right word in English. "He needs to separate from her."

Jake gave her an uncomfortable look. He knew that you had been very kind to all of his children, and he didn't like the idea of pushing you away from his family. Neytiri caught the meaning in his face and turned away from him in mild exasperation. "She is tsakarem," she whispered insistently. "She is spoken for. This can only end badly."

After a moment, Jake's lips pulled upwards in a sly grin. He hummed thoughtfully and walked up behind his mate, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her against his chest. "I think I've heard this story before," he whispered teasingly in her ear. "A young warrior from a strange land being welcomed into a new life, learning new customs, meeting a pretty tsakarem who is spoken for."

Despite herself, Neytiri began smiling softly as Jake nuzzled her cheek affectionately. "In fact, I remember falling in love with you on a night like tonight," he said gently. "It didn't turn out so bad for us, did it?"

She sighed reluctantly. "This is different," she insisted quietly. Jake gave a light chuckle. "How?" He questioned. Neytiri opened her mouth to answer, but she found that anything she could say about her son was almost identical to the situation she had lived through herself, and for the first time, she could truly understand the headache she probably gave her parents all those years ago.

"We are here under uturu," she said finally. "If something happens, they can revoke their shelter, and we will all be in danger again." Jake sighed, knowing that she was right. "I will speak to him," he conceded quietly.

Neytiri nodded without reply. After a moment, she muttered, "He gets it from you. You are a bad influence." Jake chuckled again. "Charm and good looks are the Sully curse," he said as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

Neytiri's mouth twisted in a grin at his words. They both stood there for a while with Jake holding her from behind. Even though they didn't say it, they were both reflecting on the beginning of their relationship, him being a strange foreigner and her being betrothed to another man.

Despite the fact that he was going to try to discourage Neteyam from being with you, Jake couldn't help but feel that if his son was anything like him, he wasn't going to listen.

Chapter 3

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