Curate, connect, and discover
SIR
(gah dayum)
can we just talk about how fine this man is
I just watched Avatar for the first time all the way through, and yeah, it’s great, but the one thing that surprised me was how different Katara was compared to the fandom interpretation I’d seen and internalized before watching.
Like, before you watch Avatar, you’ve seen all these memes about Katara and her mom, and based on those memes, you assume it’s one of those lines you have to get used to hearing at least once every episode. But then you watch the show and realize that she only talks about her mom maybe five or six times per season and you also realize she only brings her up when she’s trying to comfort someone or empathize with them because that’s how she processes her grief and that’s one way she connects with people.
Or you hear the infamous line, “then you didn’t love [our mother] the way I did” and you prepare yourself for one of the worst character assassinations ever only to see the scene after nearly three seasons worth of context and realize she was kinda right. She’s been the mother, the nurturer, the comforter. She’s been patient, gentle, and accommodating where everyone else has gotten to be insensible and reckless and childish, and the one moment where she allows herself to feel her grief, suddenly she’s this evil bitch and not, y’know, a 14 year old girl whose been thrusted into adulthood in a way no other character has. A 14 year old girl who should be allowed immaturity and raw emotion and anger instead of the patience and grace she’s been forced to extend to every character without even the smallest amount of gratitude or even consideration in return.
Or you see all of the clips where Katara puts Aang in the “friendzone” and you expect to have this wishy washy back and forth where Aang is putting his feelings out there only to have Katara neither commit nor express any clear reciprocation or rejection. Then you watch and realize that, as cute as the ship is initially, that there’s never a point where Aang returns any comfort or grace to Katara despite her always doing this for him to the point of coddling. That for as much as Aang says he loves her, he never seems to outgrow his perception of her so he can recognize her as someone who feels grief, anger, and pain as much as she expresses love, kindness, and maturity. And instead of having moments where he learns to see her beyond her strength or compassion, you’re instead given moments where Aang forces his feelings onto her, both romantic and non-romantic, and Katara is expected to just…shoulder those feelings the way she shoulders everyone else’s.
Katara is the most misunderstood character in the show. As much as people recognize the complexities of Zuko, Sokka, and Azula, they struggle to do the same for Katara because they see her struggles as somehow lesser, and therefore, less deserving of sympathy. They can handle her so long as she’s being endlessly patient and loving and kind, but the moment her endless love, patience, and kindness runs out, she’s suddenly this annoying bitch who can’t shut up about her mother or reciprocate Aang’s feelings. But Katara’s trauma does matter as much as anyone else’s. No, she wasn’t banished from her kingdom. No, she didn’t lose her entire community, and no, she isn’t the only one who lost her mother. But the difference between her and everyone else whose experienced loss because of the Fire Nation is that she’s never given time to process her trauma. Aang gets to lean on Katara constantly. Toph gets to express her feelings to Katara, and yeah, Sokka also lost their mother, but unlike Katara, he isn’t put in the position of being a substitute for everyone’s parent. He even admits that he sees his sister as a mother. The only characters who ever comfort Katara or allow her to vent is Zuko and her father and that’s, like, three scenes in a show where the other characters are consistently given opportunities to seek out Katara for unconditional support.
The fandom interpretation of Katara has been so bastardized that even those who haven’t watched the show know her for this fanon version and not for who she is. She’s such an interesting character beyond her fandom limitations, though. She’s brave, hot-headed, and hopeful as well as gentle and caring. She wishes to learn waterbending, not only because she wants to fight in the war, but because she wants to continue her culture’s practices because, and people often forget this, she also lost an entire subculture within her already fractured tribe. And she wants to defeat the Fire Nation both because of her deep love and empathy for other people, but also because she wants to avenge her mother. But because some of the fans have reduced Katara to a bitch who constantly whines about her mother and friendzones Aang, you wouldn’t know any of this, and it sucks because she’s the only character whose been dumbed down to such an extent.
Give me corruption with Aonung and Jake's oldest daughter. The perfect warrior, an almost exact copy of her mother in spirit and firceness. But she's a daddy's girl, and she's swayed a little too easy by pretty Na'vi's of the opposite sex.
What started off as 'innocent' touches from Ao'nung that left her confused about the tingling sensation. The Sully Princess felt unsure about sneaking off after curfew when she's lured with the promise of 'exploring'.
But now she's starting to stay out late under the lie of meeting "The Girls" and is all too eager to be bent over by the "Pretty Reef Boy" who isn't scared to rough handle her.
The next leader of the clan enjoying the innocent look in her eyes the first time she sucks dick and he's shocked by her nonexistent gag reflex that it immediately has him deciding then and there he's not sharing with anyone, ever. Her mix of tears and drool the sweetest icing on the cake.
Her siblings don't understand her sudden change in demeanor and why she's all lovey dovey and touchy with Ao'nung who simply gives a smirk and pulls her closer, allowing his hand to rest just above her tail. Lo'ak and Neteyam sending warning glares, protective of their big sister.
Jake never even suspects. There's no way his perfect princess could ever go against their word. Neytiri has suspicions but respects her daughters privacy.
If only "Daddy Dearest" knew he lost the title Daddy the second Ao'nung had the Sully Princess shaking and sobbing from overstimulation as he fucked her cross eyed.
Okay, so you know that scene from Disney's Hercules? With Meg when she stands up while ringing out her hair and the water is beautiful behind her and Hercules is whipped? Yeah that but with Neteyam.
~.~
After relocating to the Metkayina and learning their ways, Neteyam had finally grown into one of their own, in both spirit and body. Now an adult, he grew taller, broader, his physic left many girls and women watching him like predators from a distance.
Coming back from a successful hunting trip, he carried a large net of fish on his back, Ao'nung and other men walking along side him with their own. "I'd say today was an excellent hunt,"Ao'nung had a smug look on his face, dumping the net off fish into a large basket that the clans cooks used in their little pavilion to keep track of the food brought in.
"You only say that because you got the biggest catch of the day," Neteyam gave a playful glare to his friend, shoving the next clan leader out of his way before dumping his own net of fish as well.
"Ah, come on my friend," Ao'nung placed his arm around the dark blue Na'vi, giving him a teasing noogie to the head before the man pushed him with a growl, pointing his finger at Ao'nung.
"Keep on, we'll see who's the better hunter," Neteyam challenged, their friends of the group letting out hoots of encouragement at the sound of the banter. "So you say Forest Boy," Ao'nung was quick to push Neteyam down out of surprise, taking off into the village laughing.
"Ao'nung, you skxawng!" Neteyam quickly stood up and took off after his friend, a grin on his face as he quickly caught up. Ao'nung had never been that fast of a runner.
"Watch it!" A older clansmen yelled, pulling his mate out of the way of the two young men who were too busy acting like children than the adults they were. "Sorry!" Neteyam waved back in apology, not looking to where he was running when he collided with something, or rather someone.
Someone much shorter, much softer, much plumper than him, he noted before both were sent flying to the sea from the walk way, Neteyam briefly hearing his friends chortle of laughter from above the water.
He resurfaced and shook his braids out of his face, Ao'nung holding his stomach, pointing with a laugh as the other guys joined in. "Way to use your eyes Neteyam, I should take notes," One of the hunters mocked, Ao'nung reaching a hand out now to pull his friend up.
It was only when Neteyam turned to view who he'd run into that his breath caught in his throat, eyes wide as he saw the most beautiful woman.
She stood a few feet away onto a lower part of a marui she'd climbed onto. Half bent over to ring our her hair, her eyes trailing up his person as she stood up, her eyes shining in the sunlight like the sea behind her, painting the most gorgeous picture in his eyes. One he didn't wanna forget.
"You are probably the most lucky or unlucky bastard ever," Ao'nung mumbled, a grin on his face as he wrapped an arm around his star struck friend, the rest of the hunters now looking at the young woman.
Only she was not just any young woman, she was the daughter of the lead hunter in the clan, a true treasure to any young man who could gain her father's approval, which really meant her approval.
"Who, is that," Neteyam was starstruck as she girl looked him up and down, water trailing down her body to places he wanted to explore in a more, secluded, area with just the two of them.
"Why don't you go find out," Ao'nung pushed his friend in her direction, Neteyam tripping over his feet to walk properly at first but approached the young lady who watched him walk over, a small hint of amusement hidden in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," Neteyam bowed his head in apology, somewhat guilty for having run into her, but also relishing the fact he had.
"Mmm, for someone who is such a wonderful hunter, you're not that good with watching where you're going," Her voice was firm but soft, almost playfully condescending the poor man who felt ready to drop to his knees.
"If I'd been watching, I never would've run into you, and I would've hated to miss that opportunity," He flashed a grin in her direction, the girl crossing her arms as she gave one back, "A shame this will be your only opprotunity for the day," she huffed, turning around and letting her hair hit him in the face before beginning to walk off.
"Wait, you don't have to run off, I didn't even get your name?" Neteyam called out to her, watching as she stopped only a few feet away, turning to look over her shoulder, "I said you already used your opprotunity today, who knows what opprotunity you have tomorrow," she smirked, flashing her fangs before walking away, hips swaying just a little bit more than before.
"What a fine opprotunity indeed," Neteyam hummed, his eyes trailing after her body as she disappeared around the corner of Marui's.
AGGHHHH 😍😍😍
pairing: ao’nung x fem!metkayina!reader
warnings: aged up ao’nung (20), aged up reader (19), slowburn, enemies to lovers, cussing, possessiveness, tensionnnn, future smut
summary: you partake in your clan’s coming of age ritual.
word count: 2.8k
chapter index: you wish | leave me alone | jealousy looks good on you
note: this one is a little short ;(
taglist: @melsunshine
“uh, y/n..” araia whispered, glancing behind you. flashing her a confused look, you turned to see ao’nung walking in your direction. “can we talk.” he stopped in front of you, blocking the sun. you sighed, only being reminded of how your last conversation went. “i don’t think that’s a good idea-” you started, only making ao’nung pull you up by your arms. “hey! i’m working on something!” you argued.
he picked up the unfinished top, shoving it into your hands before dragging you away to his pod. “what has gotten into you?!” you nearly lost your footing as ao’nung pushed you inside. “where’s your parents, where’s tsireya?” you looked around. “out making preparations.” he flipped down the cloth at the entrance, obscuring everyone from your view. “i have nothing to say to you, ao’nung. what could you possibly want to talk about right now?” you stepped back.
“look. things got a little out of hand, alright? can we agree on that?” he held his hands up defensively. you stayed quiet. “you know, for someone who insists that they don’t know how to be nice, you can start by not dragging me away whenever you feel like it.” you narrowed your eyes at him. he looked away, a knowing expression overtaking his features.
“i’m sorry.” he muttered. were you hearing things? “what was that?” you asked him to repeat himself, moving your hair out of your face. “i’m not saying it again.” he huffed. you smacked your lips, shrugging your shoulders. “suit yourself then.” you began walking past him. for a second, he was going to give up and let you leave, but he knew that wasn’t going to help making peace with you any easier. he grabbed your wrist. “i’m sorry, alright?” he gritted his teeth.
you surveyed him, his eyes downcast as he let go of you. “was that hard?” he scoffed at your words. “why am i here, ao’nung? what do you want?” you asked. “look..” he started, “i’ve been thinking a lot about what you said last time we spoke, and even though you’re the last person i’d ever go to for help, i want to change, truly.” ao’nung paced back and forth.
“i don’t understand what that has to do with me.” maybe you were being harsh, but some nerve he had bringing you over here. he groaned, balling his fists at his sides. “y/n.. you’re making this difficult when it doesn’t need to be.” he glared at you. “what then? you want me to show you how to be kind?” you stood in front of him, unintentionally waving around your top as you spoke to him. “yes.” he looked defeated.
you huffed out a breath, eyeing him closely. “ao’nung..” he shushed you. “just until i choose a mate. it hasn’t gone unrecognized that the people, particularly women, are far too timid to approach me.” he swallowed thickly. “have you tried initiating something?” you don’t know why you felt the need to ask, but his explanation alone was enough to make your heart race in your chest.
“no-” you cut him off, “well, why not?” you shot back. he smiled teasingly before shaking his head. “why do you want to know so bad?” he laughed. you scoffed, rolling your eyes. “oh, please. i just need to know what i’m working with.” you waved him off. “so, you will help me?” ao’nung was persistent. you groaned, “yes, okay? now just answer the question.” he sighed. “no, i haven’t.” you were confused about his answer. how does that explain the girl on his arm at the bonfire the other night? whatever.
“well first and foremost, if you’re not the one seeking out a woman, how are they supposed to know you’re looking for a mate?” you took a seat. “no one’s caught my attention.” he shrugged, joining you on the marui. he had to be joking right now. “there is hundreds of women here, you just haven’t looked.” you quipped. ao’nung glanced away, resting his head on his hands. “there’s a coming of age ceremony today for maiä’s younger sister, eligible women will be performing in celebration, let the people see you’re there and you’ll have someone in no time!” you stood up, making your way towards the entrance of the pod.
“now, interrupt me again and the deal is off-” ao’nung ran after you. “will you be taking part?” he stopped you before you could leave. you looked up at him, a confused expression on your face. “well, yeah. i’m eligible.” you walked away without another word, waving at araia as you neared your original spot in the sand. “what did he want?” she whispered, getting close to you as you resumed making your ceremonial clothes. “oh, nothing. just tsahìk stuff.” you felt bad for lying to your best friend, but araia would never let you hear the end of it if you told her exactly what was said.
she nodded, both of you moving onto a different subject until it was time to get ready. by the time it was eclipse, the celebration was already well underway. “oh, y’all look so beautiful!” your mother pulled you and araia into a tight hug. “mom, you’re going to mess up our hair!” you laughed, pulling away from her as she sighed. just then, your ears perked up at the slow thrum of beating, the sound of drums filling the air.
“we must go now! i’ll see you soon.” you and araia left your pod in a haste. thankfully no one was dancing yet, but you and your best friend still glanced at each other nervously as eligible men circled around the fire. you two met with the rest of the women, everyone buzzing with excitement as you all raved about your hairstyles and clothing. your mother insisted on changing your hair for the occasion, shells and sea glass adorning the crown of your head.
“iskxeo is looking over here.” you whispered to araia, both of them smiling bashfully at one another. “tonight’s the night. i feel it.” she fiddled with her necklace. you took a moment to scan the crowd, finding ao’nung immediately as his eyes were already fixated on you. your heart was racing at the intensity his gaze held, but eventually you blinked away, getting in line as ronal lead the group of women to the center.
“tonight we celebrate yìru as she is now of age, and by tradition; we will dance. this is eywa’s way of divine connection. i wish you all the best.” ronal stared at you for a second too long before turning to ao’nung. “you will be successful.” she bidded her farewell with a nod. once she was gone, and the music returned, no one wasted time in beginning the ritual. “you look absolutely stunning.” maiä walked up to you, your hands taking hold of her’s as you two started dancing.
“oh, please. you look stunning.” you returned her compliment, both of you breaking out in laughter as men began standing up to approach the women who caught their eye. “who are you hoping will sweep you off your feet?” you asked her. “ngolo has been hinting at me for a while now.” maiä moved both of you over to a less crowded space. “and you?” she smiled. “i guess i’ll just have to see-” you laughed nervously as you noticed ao’nung was no longer in his original spot.
you couldn’t help your wandering eyes, searching nearby couples to see if they’d find the man in question. after a few seconds, lo and behold, he was hands in hands with the same woman from the bonfire. “you alright?” maiä noticed the smile drop from your face. you shook your head, waving her off. “yes, of course! i better get to it now.” you gathered yourself together, now determined to get someone to dance with you.
prior to you and araia arriving, your mother spent the day giving you both advice for tonight. “do the dances i showed you if you really want to reel them in. works everytime.” she winked at the two of you. after making sure you were in an open space, you stood tall, your shoulders back as you began moving your hips rhythmically to the drums. from the corner of your eye, you can see movement as if someone was making their way over to you.
ao’nung came into your view, the woman’s back turned towards you as both of your stared each other down. he looked irritated, almost angry that you put yourself out there. continuing to move your hips, you felt bold enough to turn, allowing ao’nung to see your movements from a rather different angle. running your fingers through your hair, you spun around slowly, ngolo’s brother, loiotx, approaching you confidently.
“hey.” he towered over you, offering a hand. flashing ao’nung a look, you took loiotx’s hands in yours, the action enough for him to pick up on your advances. “i’m surprised i caught you by yourself.” his hands were on your waist in an instant, both of you moving in perfect sync. “the celebration just started.” you laughed. he nodded his head, “exactly.” loiotx reasoned. both of you had a visible flush on your cheeks.
“i’ve wanted to talk to you for awhile but i’ve seen recently that you’ve had a lot of interested suitors.” loiotx bent down slightly to whisper in your ear. at this, ao’nung felt himself growing annoyed by your close proximity with, well, an actually possible mate. the woman he was dancing with, had gone up to him while you were talking to maiä, and deciding to take a step in the right direction, he reluctantly agreed. it was safe to say he regretted it now.
what made loiotx different from the last two jerks ao’nung had to put in check, was that he wasn’t a bad guy. sure, he was the one supplying the kalin at your hang outs, but he was a good person. that’s what made ao’nung feel relatively uneasy. your laugh could be heard from where he stood, no longer entertaining the woman in front of him. ao’nung can count on one hand the amount of times he made you laugh, and he didn’t like it when anyone else made you do it.
not being able to hold back, he politely excused himself before marching over to where you and loiotx exchanged words. “mind if i take her from you?” you glared at ao’nung as loiotx pulled away slightly. looking down at you momentarily, loiotx sighed as he handed you over to ao’nung. “i guess it’s only fair,” he tilted his head, “i’ll see you around?” you nodded, feigning a smile as he walked away. heads were turned, so you remained cordial and continued dancing.
“what do you think you’re doing?” your lips were tight as you spoke, stepping on ao’nung’s foot on purpose before flashing daggers at him. he scoffed. “was that supposed to hurt?” he pinched your side, eliciting a quiet ‘ouch!’ before you relaxed in his hold. “seriously, aonung. what are you doing? me and loiotx were hitting it off really well.” you told him matter of factly.
“yeah, i could see that.” his jaw ticked, hoping you didn’t notice. “besides, weren’t you dancing with whatever her name is?” you’ll admit it, you were being petty right now, but who did he think he was taking you from loiotx when he was already with someone?
ao’nung let out a breath. “i don’t even know her name.” at his words, you rolled your eyes. “whatever. she’s the same girl from the bonfire.” it slipped from your mouth before you could stop it, and now you were sure ao’nung would catch onto your obvious display of jealousy. trailing his hands down to the small of your back, your breath hitched in your throat as he spun you around, your back now flush against his chest.
“do you like loiotx?” his voice low as he spoke into your ear, a shiver doing down your spine as his nose pressed into your temple. “i don’t know, do you like that woman who’s been all over you for the second time now?” you were fast with the remark, ao’nung’s face morphing into one of amusement. “who said it’s only the second time?” you felt heat pass through you.
“if it’s not, then go get her.” you pulled away, both of you standing mere inches apart. why was the tension so thick right now? how did you two even get here? ao’nung looked down at you briefly before laughing to himself. “jealousy looks good on you.” you were far from caring about what he thought anymore. “yeah? i guess that makes two of us.” you tried to push past him, but instead collided into his chest.
“you’re not being very nice right now.” you taunted, referring to your earlier conversation today about him wanting to change. ao’nung sighed. “that’s a low blow.” he shook his head, grabbing your elbow before storming off to somewhere a lot more quiet. “you obviously have a problem with me dancing with someone else. tell me why.” he backed you up against a nearby rock.
you crossed your arms. “you took me away from a potential partner, explain that first.” you voice was unwavering, your hair blowing past your shoulders gently. ao’nung’s chest was rising and falling with every breath, his eyes trailing down your face and landing on your lips. you caught on, feeling your heart accelerate with each agonizing second.
something was happening, and you couldn’t quite place your finger on it. gone was the irritation that came with ao’nung being so close to you, and gone was the hardened gazes. with the way you two were looking at each other right now, enemies just wasn’t something that would come to anyone’s mind upon first glance. “ao’nung?” you whispered his name, eyes darting across the glowing freckles on his cheeks as his large hand enveloped your small one.
flattening your palm over his chest, your mouth fell open slightly at the sporadic beating you felt from deep under his skin. “is this good enough of an explanation?” ao’nung’s voice was low, the sound alone making your knees weak. maybe it was the way he felt underneath your fingertips, or the warmth radiating off of his body that made you forget about absolutely everything outside of this moment, but you couldn’t restrain yourself any longer, throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him down to feel his lips against your own.
he returned your kiss immediately with the same vigorous manner. you felt as if your skin was on fire, both of you holding onto each other so tightly, you swore you’d leave marks for the next day. ao’nung’s eyes shut, moaning at the taste of you on his tongue. this couldn’t be happening right now, right? every fiber in your being was yelling at you to stop, yelling at you to push him away and never face him again, but you just couldn’t.
before you knew it, you two were in the sand, hands roaming each other’s bodies as if to make sure this was real. in an attempt to pull him closer, you grazed his queue, ao’nung’s movements suddenly coming to a halt. “what?” he blinked down at you, his eyes widening slightly as he got up. “this shouldn’t have happened.” he said it more to himself, but you still heard his declaration.
“what are you talking about?” you reached out, but he retracted before you could touch him again. you felt hurt, and arguably rejected as he held his head with both hands. “this isn’t- can’t happen again.” ao’nung faced you, his heart jumping at the confused expression on your face. you stood in silence, crossing your arms over your chest as you felt more exposed to him now than you did just a minute ago.
“okay,” you nodded, feeling your eyes well with tears, “this never happened.” you walked away before ao’nung could see you cry. humiliated, used, angry, every emotion you can name, you felt it. instant regret filled you as you neared the celebration, your friends smiling and looking into the eyes of their partners. you were sure your parents were off celebrating with the elders of the clan, your suspicion proving true when you walked into your family’s empty marui pod.
now that you were alone, you fell to your hammock, yelling into your palms as you cried. the one time you give into him, he turns around and, metaphorically speaking of course, smacks you in the face. he pulled you away to a secluded place, he put your hand over his heart, and yet, he pushed you away when you reciprocated? if this is what he wanted then you vowed to make him eat his words.
I am on my knees
Adult!Neteyam x (f)Metkayina!Reader x Aonung
Warnings: cheating, aonung being an absolute dick, cursing, 18+ minors dni
Word count: 5.6k words
Notes: besties, you ate this up and i love you for it. seems we all love neteyam mr steal-yo-girl, and i get it, i get it so much. enjoy x
previous part (x)
Lock broken, slur spoken, wound open, game token I didn't know you were keeping count
Your picket fence is sharp as knives I was dancing around, dancing around it
“One day, you’re going to beg me to fuck you. And I’ll do it so well, you will never be able to get me out of your mind, never be able to touch yourself again without an image of my cock slipping in and out of you ingrained in your brain.”
His words lingered in your mind as much as the aftershocks of the pleasure he took out of you lingered in and on your body. You were shaking, shaking with guilt and fear, at what you did, at what just happened, at thoughts of how you could possibly fix this, or hide this, but worst of all, at how much you wanted more. You needed more. You were shaking because it wasn’t enough. Reeling because, right now, even as fear and guilt pooled in you, they held no candle to the desire that settled deep within your soul, that seeped into every facet of your being, into every cell of your body.
You wanted him. You needed him. You wondered briefly if there were any lengths you wouldn’t go to in order to feel this feeling again, to get him to do to you everything you knew he was capable of, everything you couldn’t even imagine, but wanted to find out. As you made your way back to your tent slowly, face flushed and weak knees, trying to adjust your disheveled figure and your wrinkled loincloth, you knew the answer was no. There were no lengths.
You were excited to be able to go to sleep tonight, excited to be able to leave your mind and soul to rest and weigh in the calamitous actions that have transpired in this fateful day, and felt anxiety fill you up as thoughts of the consequences of your actions started bearing down on you. What were you going to do? How would you ever be able to look Aonung or his family in the eye ever again? You were angry at him, so angry, so bitter and hurt at the way he has treated you for so long, at the way it felt like he almost pushed you into this scenario, pushed you to a point of breaking, a point you never thought you’d reach. You were a good girl. Kind, and happy and empathetic and understanding. That’s why you and Tsireya have always had such a strong bond - two girls with no ulterior motives, no underlying agenda, no mean spirit or facetious intentions. Just pure light, emanating and spreading around you to everyone you touched. You stood by Aonung his whole life, you allowed him to change and grow while he shrunk you into a shell of yourself, of who you were, who you could have been if he actually loved you enough, actually cared enough.
Your tent was cold and desolate as you entered it, just like you felt. All alone. The longer Neteyam’s presence and his warmth and his words were removed from your own, the worse you felt, the worse the feelings pooling in the pit of your stomach, nagging at your mind and cursing you, admonishing you for your thoughtless actions and irredeemable mistakes.
“I fucked up again, didn’t I?”
You jolted violently at the voice coming from deep within your tent, enveloped in a blanket of deep, unflinching darkness. You turned towards it, and as your eyes adapted slowly, you could make out Aonung’s body, and the tiny bioluminescent freckles glistening dimly and increasing in size as he moved closer to you.
Your heart thumped in your chest as the one person you didn’t want to see, the one person you couldn’t see without fumbling into a mess of broken heartedness and misery, stood in front of you, shoulders hunched and a forlorn look on his usually peppy and unencumbered face.
“I can’t seem to be able to stop myself from hurting you, from making a mess of a good situation, a good person.”
You gulped silently at his words, trying to push the lump that formed in your throat, that didn’t allow you to speak or to acknowledge his presence, so you just watched him and waited. Waited, as he reached over and took your hand in his, his soft hands a striking difference to Neteyam’s calloused ones, and you cursed yourself for thinking of the Omatikaya boy even in this moment, when he should be pushed away from your thoughts, so far away he should be a dot on the horizon of your mind. His other hand found your cheek, that he was caressing carefully, softly, like you were a doll or a feather that would be blown away at the slightest push or breeze of the wind, which, in this moment, it felt like you were.
“Please look at me. Please.”
He willed your face upwards, putting pressure on your jaw as you refused to meet his gaze, and eventually you had no choice but to see his eyes, those beautiful sky blue eyes that you used to get lost in as a child, that used to shimmer and glow with childlike wonder when they looked at you, eyes that were now red and sad. You winced as you took them in, took him in, as the regret and sorrow almost rolled off of him and into you, amplifying your own pitiful emotions and your ever-growing self-loathing.
“I’m so sorry. I know the words mean nothing coming from my mouth, I know that. I know that no words could ever make it up for the way I’ve been treating you all this time, and how much I have taken your love, your kindness, for granted. You know, you are the only one, the only person in my life that has always stood by me, that has seen me for more than I was, but who I could one day be. I’ve always felt like a failure. My whole life, I have lived in the shadow of my parents, who I have continuously let down by not being who they wanted me to be, who they thought I could be. I have lived my whole life knowing I was a disappointment to them, a stain on their immaculate track record, that was partially erased only by Tsireya’s presence, but was still there, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. But you, you’ve always seen me, you’ve always believed in me. I have loved you my whole life, but when they both ordered me, told me I had no other choice but to be your mate, that you were the only way I could redeem myself in their eyes, you became something else. A burden, another reminder of all the things I’ll never be, all the ways I’ll never be enough for my family. I blamed you for their shortcomings, and my own, and I am sorry.”
The tears were falling flawlessly down your face, like there was no other place for them to be than on your cheeks and on your chest, on his thumbs as he was brushing them away gently.
“I’ll be better, I promise. You deserve better.”
I don’t, you thought miserably. Not anymore.
You barely got out of your tent in the next few days, dread filling you as the marui shook with every person who walked the common pathways that connected all the homes together, as you imagined it was Aonung or Neteyam, or Tsireya, or anyone else who you would have to look at and talk to and lie to. Your mate-to-be was busy, busier than usual with the Omatikaya, who were all getting better in time and as a result, needed more attention with more complicated matters, matters which took effort and patience, and you were glad. In a sick part of your soul, you hoped Aonung would have continued treating you like dirt, like he had for so long, as that would have diminished the guilt eating at you, guilt that now engulfed your every happy thought, every ray of light in you and replaced it with dark thoughts and heavy resentment for everyone involved. You tried so hard to stop thinking of Neteyam, of his hands and his lips and his words, and hated him for doing this, hated him for the effect he had on you, for turning you from an innocent soul into this, an adulterer, a liar, a mess of depraved thoughts and desires, pulsating through your body and settling in your core, that ached to be filled, that was dying to feel him, to be ruined by his touch, that was so powerful that it took everything in you, every ounce of focus and self-restraint to drown it, instead of letting it drown you.
A few more days passed and you knew it was time to face the world, and face your fears. Your eyes settled on the new bracelet now adorning your arm, crafted by him with some of the most beautiful beads, pebbles and shells you have ever seen. An apology gift, he called it. As you thought about it, and about him, a revelation hit you, spreading its gleam all around you and bringing new breath in your lungs.
A new beginning. You both deserved a new beginning. You both deserved the chance to start over. You made mistakes. A big one in particular. But so did he. So many of them. You both screwed up, but you could move past. He wanted to, why shouldn’t you want to? He was your mate-to-be, he was your chosen one, your betrothed, your friend since childhood. You both deserved a second chance. You wanted to try. You had to try, you owed it to yourself and to him to try to give this a chance.
And now was the best time to do it, as you knew from Tsireya that she was taking the Sullys to the Cove of the Ancestors today, which meant Aonung was most likely training with his father.
“One day, you’re going to beg me to fuck you. And I’ll do it so well, you will never be able to get me out of your mind, never be able to touch yourself again without an image of my cock slipping in and out of you ingrained in your brain.”
Neteyam was a mistake. A mistake you wouldn’t make again. You had to try.
You had to try.
As you suspected, Aonung was deep in training with his father, who looked up and smiled widely as his eyes fixated on your approaching form. You liked Chief Tonowari. He was kind and gentle, and he was excited about the prospect of you joining their family. You wondered briefly if he could ever understand, if he knew how much his excitement on the matter inadvertently caused you grief, and put strain in between you and his son and made the bond that much more difficult to deal with, the idea that much harder to swallow.
You greeted him, smiling in his direction and the smile faltered slightly as you and Aonung made eye-contact. He was still embarrassed about his actions, and still thought you were distant because you hadn’t forgiven him yet. You hadn’t, but your need for distance had dark undertones he could never even imagine, and you didn’t want him to.
“Are you here to train with us?” The Olo’eyktan chuckled a little at his joke. You were no warrior and he knew that. You didn’t have the stomach for such things, preferring to keep to yourself and to help from the sidelines, the gift of the Tsahik running through your veins from a young age.
“Not quite, just here to see your son.”
“If your parents don’t come back in time, you should join us for the celebration of the tulkun returning. We’d love to have you, and I’m sure my children would, too.”
“I’d love to. Thank you for the invitation.”
Elation enveloped you as the horn that announced the return of the tulkun was blown, and you immediately left your tent and dove straight into the warm, clear-blue water and called for your trusty ilu, your good friend, hurrying towards your spirit sister, that you knew was waiting for you. It was a day of bliss, of celebration, of happiness in the clan, the most important day of the year, that marked the beginning of days of festivities and rituals, and you couldn’t wait. It was like the universe, like Eywa was giving you a chance, a clear sign that the tides were changing, and you could be changing with them, embracing the new and discarding the old.
You heard her sooner than you saw her, her indistinguishable voice propelled through the water straight to your ears and through your body, filling you with relief and light. Her trills and stories allowed you to relax for the first time in so long, and you listened as she told you tales of her travels, of all the memories she’s made in the year you’ve been apart. When it was your turn, you did the same, stopping at the story you wanted most to tell, but knew you couldn’t, even to her.
“There’s more that you want to say, isn’t there? I know you’re keeping something from me, something important, something life-altering.”
You winced and scowled in her direction, upset at how well she knew you, at how connected you were. You looked around you, trying to see if anyone would be paying attention to you, and noted all Metkayina were too busy with their own stories, their own reunions, for you to matter in the slightest.
“I met someone. He makes me feel things I have never felt before. He makes me question my life, and everything in it. He treats me well, and says all the right things, but it’s wrong, it’s a mistake. He’s a mistake. I’m trying to fix it, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to.”
“Sometimes, people come in our lives as mirrors to ourselves. Mirrors to our soul, allowing us to see the truth in who we are, the truth of what we want. To shine a light on the darkness within, on the deepest parts of us we would have never seen without them. Sometimes, that’s the only way for light to enter in places it would have never reached otherwise.”
You had no answer to that, and you hoped whichever mirror Neteyam held to your soul didn’t lead to so much darkness it would overtake you and the people you loved, the people you never wanted to hurt.
The celebrations were as beautiful as they always were, surrounded by music and cheering, dancing and good food, love and friendship. You were happy if not a little nervous to spend this time with your soon-to-be in-laws, and that happiness quickly vanished as you realised you were to be joined by the Sullys.
Aonung had a small smile on his face as he spotted you, and you tried your best to focus on him and not behind him, at the man staring at you with such intensity it was making you acutely aware of your own heartbeat, that now sounded painfully in your ears and against your eardrums. The whole world drowned around you, as it always seemed to when his presence was near yours, and Tsireya had to shake you, in order to bring attention to herself and back to the present, back to them.
“Sister, are you alright?
“Yes, Tsireya. I am fine, sorry. I got lost in my thoughts.”
She laughed a little at you, but then took your hand and guided you to the strangers who were eyeing curiously.
“Sister, these are the Sullys. My dad invited them for the celebrations, as it is their first return of the tulkun. This is Jakesulli, the former Olo’eyktan of the Omatikaya and Toruk Makto, Neytiri, the former Tsakarem of the Omatikaya, and their children, Neteyam, Kiri, Lo’ak and Tuk.”
You tried your best to force a natural smile out.
“It’s nice to meet you. I have heard a lot about you all, about some of you more than the others.” You eyed Tsireya playfully and your eyes briefly moved towards Lo’ak, who you knew Tsireya took a liking to. The entire family laughed at your joke, and at Tsireya and Lo’ak’s bashful and embarrassed looks. You felt a small twinge of jealousy for Tsireya, who was able to freely choose her mate, to freely love a Sully without contention or judgement, or pressure, and was obviously loved the same in return, as the Sully looked at her like the sun rose in her eyes. You didn’t know what that felt like, at least not until you met Neteyam, a man who you couldn’t have, a man who you couldn’t keep your thoughts from gravitating towards, a man who was eyeing you like he was undressing you with his gaze alone. You swallowed harshly, trying to contend with his presence and the wetness gathering in your beaded loincloth.
After dinner, the adults dismissed you, knowing deep down you all would much rather go and enjoy your time with the rest of the Metkayina youth, who knew how to celebrate, especially on nights like this. You were young adults now, and young adults got to go off on their own, and got to have their own kind of parties that the adults could no longer prohibit you from enjoying. That’s where you were headed. It was wild, and it was hot. It was everything you were afraid of growing up, and everything you craved now, more so by the day, it seemed. Mates and prospective mates were dancing sensually with each other, cups filled with alcohol made of the plants growing in the mangrove jungles deep within the island and spilling on and around them with each undulation of their bodies. You loved it, loved your traditions that were unique within the Na’vi people, that no other clan knew about or experienced quite the same way. You smiled as Tsireya handed you a cup and watched as Rot’xo poured some of the drink into everyone’s cup, and you all signalled an I See You to each other before taking a small sip, enjoying the way the warm liquid left burning traces as it made its way down your throat.
You watched as the rest of the your companions did the same, and chuckled a little at the way Kiri and Lo’ak and Tsireya reacted to the drink, clearly their first time trying something like this.
“That’s all you get, youngsters. I don’t want to have to drag any of you back home in a couple of hours and have to face the wrath of either Olo’eyktan.” You heard Aonung say, as he removed the jug from Rot’xo’s hands and kept it for himself. “Now go, enjoy yourselves. Show the forest people how we, Metkayina, do things.”
There it was again, that mischievous glint in his eyes, and you pondered how will the alcohol affect your mate-to-be this time. It was always a surprise, ranging from kind and sweet and loving, to aloof and despondent, to angry and wanting to pick fights with whomever was unfortunate enough to be close by. He took your hand and pulled on it gently, willing you away, away from sight, away from the others. You followed him, unable to stop yourself form glancing behind you one last time, and wishing it was someone else doing it instead. When your eyes met Neteyam’s, you knew he felt the same, and you tried to remove the image of the hurt flashing across his face from your memory, knowing he wasn’t yours to care for, and you weren’t his to take away.
You and Aonung sat down on the warm, golden sand that now glowed with bioluminescent plankton whenever the water hit it, and you felt your body relax at the calming, rhythmic sound of the waves that cleared your mind and soul of the anguish that seemed to constantly plague it recently. A constant tug of war lived within you, between what you wanted, what you needed, and what you felt was the right thing to do. You didn’t know which was going to win, but you knew it was a lose-lose situation regardless. You either lost your innocence, and the trust of the people you loved, or yourself. You didn’t know which was worse.
The Metkayina young man poured more alcohol in your cup and you welcomed it, welcome the opportunity for your mind to quiet, no matter how that was accomplished. You felt the alcohol going to your head quickly, making a mess of your thoughts and lifting your spirits. You and Aonung stayed like this, talking comfortably, just like you used to do when you were younger, and you felt grateful for the memories, and grateful that the drunk Aonung you got was this, the nice and charming version of himself you have always loved, you have always hoped for.
“Remember when we were fifteen and I convinced you to sneak out and go outside of the reef to Three Brothers Rocks? It took forever for me to talk you into it, but I think you were happy once we arrived and you found pebbles and shells you never could on the beach. I remember looking at you admiring them, telling me how beautiful they are, and all I could think of is how beautiful you were.”
You smiled at his words, and how slurred they were the drunker he got, and giggled when he let out a small hiccup.
“You’re just saying that because you’re drunk.”
“Maybe, but I don’t think so. You’re still so beautiful, even more beautiful. M-more beautiful… every day.”
Your back was laying on his chest and a warm feeling cloaked you as you lowered your head on him and looked up at the stars. Maybe you could do this. Maybe you could forget about Neteyam and allow yourself to remember what it was like to love this man you’ve known all your life, the man you may not be in love with, but you could be one day, if he continued speaking to you the way he was, the way you’ve dreamt about all your life.
He started peppering kisses down your throat, sucking on your soft skin and licking where you could feel he left marks. Heat pooled in between your legs as he did, and so did the hatred in your soul when the only face that came to mind was not the one currently on you, and you pulled yourself away from him, trying to put some distance in between your bodies and some thought back into your head.
“Not now, Aonung. Please. We’re so close to the Iknimaya.”
“Exactly, we’re so close. Why wait anymore? I want you. I need you, I have for so long, I need to feel your body on me, around me. Nobody has to know.”
“Except we will know. I will know. If I am to be part of your family, to be your mate, I want to do this right. You’re drunk, very drunk, and I’m getting there, and this isn’t the way to do it, not the way I want to remember this moment for the rest of my life.”
He scoffed and pulled you by your queue back on his chest and you yelped as the action sent pain through your entire body.
“Can you just lighten up for once in your life? You have always been such a fucking killjoy. Do you think your friends aren’t fucking their mates to be? Do you think they’re all prudes like you, waiting and waiting until you’re good enough to pass your Iknimaya?”
The pain of his actions and his words overtook your entire existence, warped itself around you until there was nothing left of you but its echoes ringing in you and out of you, in the form of sobs and cries you wish you could drown in.
“Let me go.”
You got up and forcefully removed your queue from his grasp, trying to ignore how badly the pain combined with the alcohol was making your head spin, and started walking away. You didn’t get very far, as he ran in front of you and put his body in between you and your path, and you hissed loudly at him, the sadness blossoming into anger so powerful, you have never felt it before in your life.
“I’m sorry, alright? That came out wrong. Just… let’s not let this ruin this beautiful evening. I feel like I’m just getting you back, you can’t leave me.”
“Get away from me, Aonung.”
You watched in your hazed state as Aonung’s body twirled like an underwater current, and you struggled to understand what was happening, until a deep voice filled your ears and your senses, the way it always did, the way it always will.
“You heard what she said. Leave her alone.”
Neteyam’s navy blue body was barely visible in the dark of night, but his eyes gleamed with fury and intensity and so did his freckles, and it was enough to know that he was furious, and he was ready to fight.
Aonung could barely stand up straight, but laughed mockingly in Neteyam’s direction.
“Oh, the tree hugger is coming to the rescue. She’s my mate, she doesn’t need saving from you. Isn’t that right, yawne? Tell him you’re fine, we’re just playing around.”
As he reached his hand over to grab you, you flinched and put even more distance in between you, getting so close to Neteyam that you felt the warmth of his body on yours, making you feel safe again.
“Come back here, you -“
One finger is all it took, one finger against Aonung’s chest for him to be pushed back to his place, back away from you.
“Back off. Now.”
Neteyam’s voice was menacing, and you knew Aonung felt it too, as a quick look of fear flashed in his eyes and he stayed put, unable or unwilling to push the Omatikaya, who you both knew would win this fight by a landslide.
“Smart choice.”
His warm hand found your lower back and you shivered at the contact. “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”
There were no words as you walked on the beach that was still beaming with life and laughter, no words that could ever describe the feelings you felt inside, each of them stronger than the other, all of them threatening to overtake you. You saw the village come into view and knew you couldn’t bear it, couldn’t bear the thought of your tent where he could find you, where even if he didn’t, you would be all alone again.
“I don’t want to go home. I want to go to the beach.”
The tears were rolling down your cheeks mercilessly and Neteyam’s eyes softened as he nodded and motioned for you to lead the way. You were grateful for his presence and his silence, grateful for how he was barely touching you so as to not make you more uncomfortable or remind you of the man you left behind, grateful that he knew exactly what to do and what to say, grateful that he was everything Aonung wasn’t and nothing that he was.
You were dizzy still as you arrived to your beach and dizzier still as you fell on your ass unceremoniously. The amber of Neteyam’s eyes reminded you of the liquid the brought you here, that made you this way, and you knew you couldn’t look into them for too long without feeling nauseated.
He sat besides you, but left space in between you, which you appreciated.
“I’m sorry this happened. Are you alright?”
You laughed bitterly, unable to help yourself.
“Am I alright? Well, let’s see. I have been treated like dirt for years by the guy I thought I loved and that I am meant to give myself to forever, then I met a guy that makes my entire body convulse the second he comes close to me, I allow him to do things to me only my mate should ever be able to do, and I love it, and I can only think about more, about his words and the way I only feel the way I feel when I’m with him…” you took a deep breath and sighed, allowing every dark thought and secret, everything you’ve kept shackled within you come to light.
“Then the first guy comes and apologises, and says all the right words, which makes me feel even worse, makes me hate myself and hate everything around me, hate that I’ve allowed two men to drive me to this point, but still, I think that I should try. I should try to do this, be the good girl I’ve always been, keep my promise and my word to him and his family, to the clan. And then this happens.”
“So no. I am not alright. I’m so far from alright, alright isn’t even on the same planet as me.”
“I am sorry. I’m sorry I made your life harder than it needed to be. But I want you, I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid my eyes on you. I’ve watched you in the clan. You’re always kind, and helpful. You always have a smile on your face, a real, authentic smile. You’re a good person, and you deserve better. I did what I did because I want you to be mine. I thought you should know there are options out there. That you don’t need to confine yourself to someone just because you feel like you have to, that it’s expected of you. I know all about the pressures of expectations, and while I'm forced to shoulder them, I don’t want you to have to.”
Your breath caught in your throat and there was nothing to say in regards to the power with which this man controlled every fibre of your being, the pull that his voice and his words had on you. He so quickly managed to become the sun your soul orbited around. You felt your body slowly inching closer to his, even as whatever little conscious mind you still had available was screaming for you to stop, that this was wrong and two wrongs don’t make a right. It took everything out of you, but you eventually listened.
“I need to go. I wanted to come here, I wanted you to take me here, but I can’t be around you. Not anymore. Aonung is an asshole, and I will deal with him tomorrow, but what we did was wrong. What I did was wrong. I should have broken up with him, I should have told him that it’s over, that he’s treated me wrong one too many times. But I didn’t. And regardless what he’s done, I’m no better, not if I do this again. Once is a mistake, twice is a choice. I’m going home.”
Neteyam sighed and you saw there was hurt in his eyes, on his face. He didn’t say anything to you as you left him and whatever it was you had behind.
You needed to clear your head, clear the hurt and drunk thoughts swirling in your mind. You knew of a secluded spot to which Aonung used to take you when you were younger, that you thought would be perfect to wash this night away from your body and hopefully forget it ever happened. You pushed through the tall greenery surrounding you in order to reach it and stopped in your tracks when sounds of panted breaths and mixed moans filled your ears.
“Aonung, fuck. Right there!”
“You feel so good, baby. So good.”
You ran as fast as your feet could carry you, praying and hoping they didn’t hear you, and when you knew you were far enough, you stopped and curled your body forwards as you threw up on the ground in front of you, groaning as the alcohol tasted much worse on your tongue coming out than it did going in. You were having trouble breathing as this night, that was horrible to begin with, was now bordering on unbearable, as the lewd sounds floated in every corner of your mind, powering the next round of sickness that felt like it was being expelled from deeper within you than just your stomach, from the unsightly parts of your soul.
He was fucking another girl. You told him no, you told him you wanted to wait, and so he fucked another girl. Was this the first girl? The only girl? The first time? The only time?
So many questions, so few answers, so little time to think, so much grief to swallow. So much anger, and vindication, so much thirst for revenge, a thirst that you’ve never felt before, that consumed you until there was nothing left but it. You spent so much time feeling horrible about yourself, about what you did. And you didn’t even do the thing you wanted to do, the thing you were desperate to do. But now, there was no hesitation in you anymore as you ran towards the beach that you hoped Neteyam was still on, relief so powerful a drug it cleared your senses and focused them on the man you wanted, that you had to turn away, that you now got to have, that you hoped would claim you, would show you everything Aonung never could.
He was there. Of course he was. His back was to you, to the forest, and he was looking at the beach, looking at how the waves crashed into the sand, and you couldn’t help take a second to admire him, admire his beauty and poise, admire his strength and character, admire the way he was everything you weren’t, everything you wished you could be. You wanted him to show you, and to teach you, you wanted him to help you see there’s more to this world than what you’ve known, there’s more to this life than what you’ve been confined to feel. And you knew he could, you knew he would. All you had to do was ask.
“Neteyam. I’m here to beg you to fuck me.”
three parts it is, besties x
taglist (thank you ily xoxo) : @strawberryclouds22 @yeosxxx @bewbz2110 @loaksbaby @taleiak @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @littlexscarletxwitch
Neteyam: I just want to warn you, my family can be a, little different..
Reader: Oh Neteyam, what family isn't?
Jake: *Trauma Case*
Neytiri: *Badass MILF*
Lo'ak: *Would be starring on Jackass*
Kiri: *Basically Jesus*
Tuk: *Sitting the corner humming*
Spider: *Naked Mole Rat*
Reader: Oh
I'm a moron who forgot to do tags 🥺😭😂
Clouds of Rain
Neteyam X F!Reader
Part 3 of Clouds Series
Summary: Everyday you and Neteyam get closer, but now he's seen a side you want to hide
Warning: Toxic parents, a little angst, fluff moments between Neteyam and Reader, Neteyam and Reader are eyeing eachother 👀❤️
When the day had started, distant sounds of thunder echoed around the forest. Shadows crept across the moss covered floor as a storm rolled in. Many Na'vi relished in the rain, the prosperity it brought to the food and animals almost seemed mystical, but to you it brought a sorrow.
You weren't allowed out of your families tent on stormy days, even though you were seen as a grown adult, you were unmated, uncourted, so therefore, still a child in your parents eyes.
You longed for the sunshine and blue skies, but Eywa seemed to want a day of rest and restoring water to the cycle of life. "(Y/N)! Come here at once!" Your mother's voice cut through your day dream as you stared out into the vast mist of rain in the distance.
You stood from your position and walked with small steps to your mother. Your youngest sibling, a boy the age of three, sat in her lap fast asleep. You wished you could curl up like that, remembering the days she would coo at you and kiss you sweetly, that changed when more siblings came along and suddenly you couldn't do anything right in her eyes.
Kneeling in front of her, she spoke,"You are to go get us some fruit from the gathering circle, be quick, you are to come straight back, do you understand," her tone left no answer needed, it was a demand.
You nodded, going to stand but her hand tightly grapsed your wrist, pulling you back around to face her, her dull yellow eyes hard. "Answer me girl!" "Yes mama," you quietly spoke, eyes meeting her face but not her eyes, she hated when you looked at her in the eyes.
Releasing you, she waved you off and you quickly turned and hurried out. It wasn't usual for Na'vi to be abusive to their children, yet it wasn't unheard of. Your parents just happened to check every mark there was, verbal, emotional, mental, and physical. It just depended on their mood of the day to determine how your day would end.
Reaching the gathering circle, you picked the nicest looking fruit that you hoped would appease her rath, you began to walk back with it bundled in your arms, only to run smack into another person.
The fruit got squashed between both bodies, the juice sticking to your arms, chest and stomach, your mouth slightly open in shock. That was unexpected, but then again you were rushing with your head down.
"Oh Great Mother, I'm sorry!" Neteyams voice made you jolt up to meet his eyes, his face worried as he realized he ran into you. Just another foolish episode it seemed.
"(Y/n)! I'm so sorry, let me help you," Neteyam reached down to grab the fruit, but it unsavable at that point. You covered your mouth with a soft laugh, not wanting to upset the man in his rush to help you.
"Its alright Neteyam, no harm done," you assured, a smile gracing your lips. Neteyam was a light in your gray world, he could do no wrong in your eyes. The thought of the fruit left your mind, now focused solely on spending time with Neteyam.
"Come," you helped him up, his words stumbling over each other as he tried to figure out how to help, "B-but your fruit? Let me, let me help," you shook your head, waving it off, "There will be more fruit, but let's go get washed up," he let you drag him away, the fruit left forgotten on the floor.
Mother would not be happy later.
~.~
Laughing as you two walked up the edge of the village where vases of water sat, you let go and approached the water. Cupping your hands together, bringing the cool water to your face and neck, you breathed in a sigh of relief and shut your eyes, the water doing good to help rid the sticky fruit and seeds that stuck to your skin.
Neteyam allowed his eyes to trace over each water droplet that ran down your soft skin, going where only his eyes could imagine and where he wished he could touch too. Oh to be envious of water.
"Aren't you going to wash up?" Your soft voice broke his concentration, eyes looking to your face and seeing your glowing green eyes staring at him with your eyelids lowered, a look you weren't trying to give him but his thoughts quickly wondered and this caused him to rush forward, almost dunking his head into the water to cool himself off.
You giggled, having noticed his look from before and allowed your own eyes to slowly rake over his flushed body. His years of training doing wonders for him, the muscle and strength he held made your tail flick a few times before you willed it to stop and wrap around your leg.
"I am sorry, for ruining your fruit," Neteyam wiped his face of water, looking down at you though you smiled.
That pretty smile made him weak.
"Its alright, there will be more fruit later," you looked up at him, "let me make it up to you," he offered, though you grew confused. How would he make it up to you? Why did he feel the need? It was only a few pieces of fruit, surely you could replace it on your own.
"Oh? How?" You asked, arms crossing and staring at him intrigued, your hip jutting out a little causing him to gulp, trying to focus back on you as a whole.
"That's for me to worry about, now, let's go grab you some more fruit," he placed a small kiss to your head as he walked by, your face flushing as you trailed after him.
It was true you had kissed him before, a few weeks ago before he took you flying on his Ikran, but since then it had only been longing stares and a few light touches. A whisper here and there in the others ear, both of you too scared to ruin what you had going on. Scared that your realities would be crushed by the world if the true feelings were spoken out into the air.
~.~
Arriving back at the gathering circle, Neteyam grabbed new fruit to replace the ones he messed up, placing only one in your arms and he carried the rest.
"Oh no, Neteyam I can carry It really," you begged, not wanting him to follow you home. Not to the horrors that may await you. "Nonsense, allow me to help you, it was my fault," he grinned, not picking up on your worried tone.
It seemed he didn't have to, for your father's voice cut throught the air like a knife. "(Y/n)!" His deep, growl like voice caused you to freeze, Neteyam frowning when he saw the fear plaster on your now pale face. His eyes glanced behind you where two figures were appearing.
"Papa," you greeted, turning where the tall, brooding Na'vi man stood. He was one of the best hunters in the clan, your younger brother, only three years younger than you, trailing behind him with a small, smug look.
Your brother quite enjoyed when you got in trouble, but that's only because he himself didn't have to bare your father and mother's disapproving gaze.
"What are you doing? Your mother has been waiting and here you are, goofing off and laying around like you always do," Your fathers eyes made you shrink, head down into your shoulders hoping to disappear.
Neteyam placed himself between you both, chest puffing up to match your father. He didn't like how dull your eyes got, he hated how you tried to shrink instead of stand tall. "The fault is mine, sir, take it up with me. Leave your daughter out of this," Neteyam hissed, his tail lashing at the thought of what this man would say or do to you, his own child.
Your Father seemed to realize who he now faced, eyes narrowing suspiciously as they darted between Toruk Maktos oldest son, the future leader of the clan and his own child, his only daughter and oldest child.
The way the young man stood in front of you, challenging him to dare say another word had your father ask,"Who are you to tell me how to talk to my daughter? Have you courted her, mated with her," he knew the answer, but your father wanted to prove a point.
"No sir, but the fault is mine. I caused her to drop fruit and helped to clean her up, so any qualms you have you can deal them with me right now," Neteyam promised, knowing that the fact you two really weren't together stung, but he would defend you no matter what. He loved you that much.
It seemed as though Eywa had a saving grace, his own father, Jake Sully, appeared. "What's going on here?" Jake looked narrow eyed to the hunter in front of him, he knew (F/N) well, the man was very strict and harsh, but one of the best hunters to the clan.
You rushed forward, tired of all the arguing and not wanting a whole fight to break out. "Neteyam was helping me with fruit, I was clumsy and dropped it," you spazzed through your words, not turning to meet either Sully mens eyes behind you, focusing on your father instead, scared of what he would say more or do.
"I'm sorry Papa, I will be more careful from now on," Your father didn't want to cause a bigger scene infront of his Olo'eyktan, so he called for your brother to take the fruit who glared at you as if you had asked him instead of your father. "We will speak at home," your father leaned down close and threatened, eyes of green, though darker than your own, stared right through you. His words a silent threat that more than talking will be done at home.
"Yes Papa," you submitted, ears pulled back in fear and humiliation. Fear of what your father would do. Humiliation that Neteyam had to witness you like this.
Your Father and brother stomped away, your shoulders tense as you turned to see both men staring at you sadly.
"Thank you for helping me Neteyam, I'll see you around," you hurried out, words like mush as you trailed off into the direction your family had gone to.
"(Y/n)-" Neteyam reached out, but his father's hand on his shoulder stopped him, a huff of defeat in his lips as you disappeared from view.
"Give her some space, (F/n) is not one to mess with, getting her in more trouble may not be a wise case," Jake instructed, Neteyam clicking his tongue in annoyance and anger.
"(Y/n) shouldn't be suffering with them! It was my fault that the fruit fell, she shouldn't have to pay for that," he felt himself become hostile every second that passed, now beginning to pace in front of his father.
"(Y/n) deserves to be free! She is a grown woman, not a pet or a child!" He cried, Neteyam turning his body, eyes gazing after your invisible figure one last time.
"She so gentle, I want to watch her float on the clouds, not be tied down," Neteyam whispered.
~.~
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To all of my lovelies who would like to be added to the Clouds Series, Neteyam x Reader, please comment on this post!
Soft as Clouds
Neteyam x F!Reader
Summary: You weren't well known in the clan, and when you become friends with Tuk, no one believes her.
Warning: Straight up Flufff
When you were growing up, you found yourself wanting to linger in the background more than insert yourself into the everyday activities of those your age. Like now, you were currently lounging in a tree, eyes facing up at the clouds as they moved by at their own pace.
You were a gatherer for the clan, not that anyone knew. You would rise before the sun to go out and gather the sweetest, most bountiful food your clan had ever tasted, leaving it in the baskets by the main fire circle. The fruits were always plump and juicy, herbs and spices nicely placed in pouches for easy access.
You wanted to begin early to end early, opting to stay out of sight of others. Now, some knew of you, the elders for example always took a small notice on how you were much more reserved than others your age. Your parents of course knew you, but you were a failure of a child in their eyes. At your age you should've been chosen for a mate, or made a mark on the clan in some positive way, but you didn't, so they turned their attention to your more 'promising' younger siblings.
You never cared, preferring your more modest lifestyle of peaceful serenity.
"Whoa! What are you doing up there?"
But Great Mother had other plans for you.
You gazed over the side of the branch you were currently laying on, brushing your hair that had fallen into your eyes away, spotting a young girl in the forest floor below you.
This was not just any girl, oh no, this was Tuktirey, Toruk Maktos youngest child.
You let a small smile slip on your face as you slowly began a decent, swift and agile, like that of a cat.
You knelt infront of her, your eyes meeting hers that were still so full of child like wonder, "what are you doing here small one?" Tuk giggled, looking side to side as if looking for something, or someone.
"I was following my brothers, but I guess I got lost," Extending a hand to Tuk, "Well, let us get you home then," her small fingers wrapped around yours and you both began your walk, going back down the path you had made from the times you ventured out here.
Tuk couldn't help but wonder why she had never seen you before, yet she thought you were very beautiful. The aura that surrounded you was so soft and peaceful, it made her feel instantly safe.
"Why do you come out here, it's very far from home? Are you a hunter or a gatherer? Your hair is very pretty, can you do mine like that? Wait! What's your name?" Tuk rambled out, skipping beside you. A chuckle escaped your lips, you liked Tuk, she was very silly.
You stopped and knelt down beside her, her yellow eyes stared into your soft green eyes and she couldn't help but think you held the forest in your eyes, "My name is (Y/n), I much prefer to gather, and I think your hair is fine just the way it is, simply because it's yours,"
You couldn't help but boop her nose, her nose scrunched as she let out a laugh. You smiled, "now, what is your name?" Tuk felt like you already knew, but she puffed out her chest proud, "My name is Tuktirey, but you can call me Tuk!"
"Such a pretty name," you gasped, standing up and resuming your walk to the village. Tuk swung your intertwined hands back and forth, both of you finding comfort in eachother.
When you had finally happened upon the village, you could hear everyone in a state of panic. Tuk groaned, her ears pinned back, "I think they realized I was gone," you knelt beside her, both of you hidden just out of sight with the plants, "then maybe you should appear,"
Tuk hugged you, you wrapped your arms around her to return the embrace. "Will I see you again?" She asked, pulling away enough to see your face.
"Of course, I quite like you," you smiled, slowly giving her a nudge to the panicked clan members.
When Tuk had emerged out of the brush, the panicked cries turned into one's of relief and joy. Many ran over to embrace her, but by this point you had already vanished without a trace.
"Tuk! Where were you, we were worried sick!" Jake exclaimed, sweeping his youngest into his arms and giving her a extra tight hug. "I tried to follow Neteyam and Lo'ak but I got lost, but it's okay!" Tuk laughed, "I found (Y/n) and she helped me get home!"
Jake and Neytiri exchanged a look, as did some of the other clan members. Your name was no familiar, almost positive there was no one in the village who has that name.
"Tuk, what are you talking about?" Neytiri wondered, taking her child from her mate and settling her on the ground in front of her, "There is no one named (Y/n) in the village," Neytiri began to examine Tuk for a head injury, but Tuk pulled her head away in annoyance, "I know what happened, (Y/n) helped me, she's right,"
But when Tuk turned around to where you had been, you were gone, "she was right here," Tuk cried, but her parents chalked it up to fatigue from being lost all day.
"Come, you must eat and rest," Neytiri pulled Tuk along by the hand, which Tuk did almost sulkly, glancing back one more time to see you emerge and give her a wink before disappearing behind everyone's backs. Tuk grinned, now happily walking with her Mom.
~.~
Weeks had passed and Tuk now snuck off any chance she had to find you, sometimes waking up early to join you on your gathering. You were like another big sister to her, you were so soft and gentle with her, it almost reminded her of her own mother. You would show her the best places to gather fruit and herbs, show her how to move silently through the forest so not to disturb it.
In return, Tuk gave you simple companionship. You always thought it was fun being alone, but Tuk gave you a shining light of what having someone around could be like.
When Tuk would return from wherever you two had disappeared to, she would tell her family all about it, now causing Jake and Neytiri to worry that she was making up stories to make herself feel important like her siblings.
"Ma Jake, I'm beginning to worry about Tuk," Neytiri spoke one day when she watched her youngest venture off into the brush before she could stop her, "it is not safe out there but yet she continues to go, we must stop her," Jake could only hum in agreement.
"What's the name of the person she speaks of? (Y/n)? Are we sure she's not a person in the clan?" Jake questioned, Neytiri feeling her shoulders sag in exhaustion cause she had asked any gatherer, hunter or healer she could think of and no one knew about you.
"Maybe we should send Neteyam with her one day? Make sure she's really safe? See what he can find out?" Neytiri fired off question after question, Jake taking her hands into his as he calmed her down, "That's sounds like a great idea, if there's anyone who can find out it's him, come, let's find him,"
They both set off to find their eldest, who they were sure was going to throw a fit hearing about their plan.
~.~
Tuk panted, running up to a clearing where she saw you relaxing by a small pond, toes and feet floating in the clear water. "I'm here! What are we going to do today?" Tuk skipped over, taking a seat next to you as your turned your gaze to her, a smile coating your face.
"What would you like to do?" You asked, Tuks face scrunched up in thought before asking you, "Could we go for a swim next to the waterfall?" You thought about it, before nodding. It was very close to the village, but you were looking forward to spending time with Tuk.
"Awesome!" She cheered, pulling you up off the ground and began the walk, with you giggling behind her.
The water had been very liberating of any stress or thoughts that plagued you. You sighed in bliss, leaning back to float in the water as your eyes gazed up at the clouds, the soft white making you forget everything.
Tuk had jumped in, splashing you and causing a laugh to erupt from your stomach as you flipped over, watching the young girl giggle and continue to splash you with water.
You began a water assault back, both of you not even paying attention to how loud you were being which caught the attention of Neteyam nearby who had been searching for Tuk under the instructions of their parents.
"Tuk!" He called, walking into the rocky terrain that held the waterfall where he saw Tuk soaked and wading waist deep in the water, her breath heavy as though she ran for miles, yet a smile plastered her lips.
You were no where to be seen, ducking under the water to find a rock that had caught your eye.
"Tuk, it's time to come home, let's go," he helped her out of the water, not noticing you surface up to your shoulders in the shade of a tree that grew on the nearby bank.
Your hair had rested on your face a little and your shoulders, the shade making your eyes almost glow as you analyzed Neteyam. He was your age, currently training to be the next clan leader and yet here he was, fetching his sister.
Tuk through a glance over her shoulder to see you in the shade, throwing up a quick wave goodbye and taking off in front of her brother.
Neteyam had caught her look and couldn't help but turn back, catching a quick sight of you.
A beautiful, young woman who was lounging in the water covered by shade. Your eyes are what caught his attention the most, but just as quick as he'd seen you, the next second he blinked in shock before opening them to find you gone, the water only rippling from where he saw you, well, where he thought he saw you.
Neteyam was now becoming a quick believer of Tuk's stories.
~.~
Now that Neteyam had caught a glimpse of you, he started to see you everywhere. Although, it was out of the corner of his eyes, because when he would turn to see you, your figure was gone, the place he had seen you now empty or void of anyone or anything.
He had told his parents that he didn't see anyone with Tuk, but that was only because he feared how crazy he would sound. Seeing someone who wasn't entirely there and then them being gone the next second. They'd send him straight to the Sky People for evaluation.
Neteyam had followed Tuk out of the hut one late afternoon, Tuk turning to him confused since he has never followed her before, "What are you doing?" Neteyam just smiled, playing an act to follow his parents instructions, "Well, I've missed hanging out with my favorite littlest sister," he roughed up Tuks hair, causing her to hiss and push his hand away, "so I figured we could spend the rest of the day together,"
Tuk glanced sideways towards the path, a bit unsure about how you'd reac to Neteyam coming along, "I don't know, you probably wouldn't be up for it," Neteyam raised an eyebrow, his thoughts consumed on what a child would be doing that he himself couldn't or wouldn't wanna do, especially so late in the afternoon.
"Well, if you're sure," Tuk grinned, taking off down the path faster than Neteyam had expected, "Tuk! Wait for me!"
~.~
You had been lounging in a tree again, this time basking in the setting sun's glow. You felt so warm, the lights rays bringing a sense of belonging to your being.
"(Y/n)!" Tuk exclaimed, running into sight as you glanced down at her, your lips showing your usual soft smile that you saved for her.
"Neteyam is following me, come on let's hurry!" Tuk tried to rush you, but you only laughed, "Why are we hiding from your brother?" Tuk felt her cheeks puff up in annoyance, "Come on (Y/n)! I don't want him to find you!" It wasn't often Tuk would throw a childish fit with you, so you knew this must be important to her.
You quickly climbed down, taking her hand and pulling her out of sight just in time for Neteyam to come around the corner. He stopped and took a quick look around, running a hand through his braids aggravated. "Come on Tuk! Mom and Dad don't want you out here by yourself,"
Neteyam continued on through, running right past where you two hid in a flower bush before emerging a minute after he disappeared.
Tuk laughed but quickly stopped when she saw your disappointed face, "I'm sorry," she mumbled, kicking the dirt with her ears pinned down.
"Let's walk and talk," you took her by the shoulder softly, "Is there a reason you keep running away from your family? I understand you want to be friends, but surely I'm not worth worrying your family over?"
You led her down a path as Eclipse began to set in, the forest coming to life with lights and sounds. "Well, I thought you might want to be kept alone, like how you were before we became friends," Tuk answered, but you knew better, "but?" You pushed, Tuk groaning before replying.
"Well, Neteyam has his hunting parties and future clan leader responsibilities, Kiri has healing and grandma, Lo'ak and Spuder go on treks through the forest, I just wanted something that was mine for a while," while a bit childish, you could see what she meant. It was nice to have something all your own, even if it wasn't necessarily yours to keep or own.
Tuk kept her eyes trained on the ground in front of her, hands rubbing together embarrassed. Tuk thought that you would be upset with her, but she was shocked when she felt your hand rub soothing circles on her back as you continued to walk together.
"Do not feel bad, sometimes we wish for things that cannot always be, but if it makes you feel better, you will always be my first and best friend," Tuk felt giddy knowing that you felt the same as she did. You truly were a big sister to her.
"I think it's time we returned for the night," you told her, Tuk nodded, feeling a little tired. "Come," you picked her up, her arms wrapped around your neck and head rested on her shoulder.
You smelled of flowers and mist, a calming scent that soon had Tuk drift off to sleep. Which means she couldn't return to her parents on her own, meaning you had to face the leaders of the clan.
Entering the village, you took notice that many had already gone to dinner, leaving a clear path straight to the leaders tent, where you could hear inside Jake Sully, the Olo'eyktan and Neytri, his mate and Tuks mother frantically asking Neteyam where Tuk was.
You held Tuk up with one arm, softly clearing your throat to make your presence known as you lift the drape, all three coming to a freeze as they saw you, a stranger, with Tuk fast asleep in your arms.
You dipped your head in greeting, eyes over looking the two males and straight to the female who quickly walked to you with fear and concern for her baby. "She is alright, just sleeping," you whispered, not wanting to wake up Tuk as Neytiri gently slipped her from you.
Neytiri nodded a head in thanks, though her eyes held confusion. Your eyes slipped over Jake Sullys form, a small gesture of hello from another head nod before you allowed your eyes to stay trained on Neteyams shocked yellow.
'She is real,' is all Neteyam could think as you both played a stare game, you breaking it off with a soft smile before disappearing. He found the sudden ability to move, dashing to the drape only to pull it back and find you gone, like a phantom.
"I think, that's (Y/n)" Jake mumbled, his mind wracking to find any sense of familiarity of you, but found none. Neytiri felt a small rumble from Tuk, glancing down at the small girl to find her awake and giggling softly, "Told you she was real,"
~.~
Neteyam couldn't get you out of his head, now actively looking for you, but you weren't anywhere to be found. Tuk had told him all about you, and this time he listened, but she wouldn't tell him where you go.
"(Y/n) doesn't like to be sought after, you can only find her when she wants you to find her," Tuk laughed like it was the most simplest thing in the world, but it just made Neteyam frustrated.
He knew so little about you but felt a strange need to be near you, hear your soft voice again and find out more. Call it a crush, infatuation or even obsession, he just wanted to see you again, even if for a last time.
It was only when he took a stroll through the brush on a warm afternoon, that he found you. Only you were laying patch off soft moss, eye shut as you looked at piece with the world.
The world itself seemed to be happening around you, each breath you took was like a breeze from Eywa herself. Insects and small animals passed you by, as if you were just one with them.
Neteyam had approached you slowly, footsteps light as he observed your face. It was beautiful in his eyes, your soft lashes caressing your cheeks, lips parted ever so slightly with each breath you took in. Your hair seemed to flow around you in the vast green foliage.
He was too lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice you open your eyes and look back at him. Your green eyes traced his features as well, taking in the rough yet handsome face he was gifted with. He truly was his mother's child.
When he saw your green eyes staring back at him, he fell back from his squat in shock. You softly hummed, a smile so small but just for him.
"What are you looking at?" He coughed, his face feeling warm from your stare.
You sat up slowly, his eyes glancing at how your body was bending, hair falling over your cheeks to frame your face.
Eywa help his sinful thoughts.
"Oh you know," you drawled, "The clouds,"
~.~
Ooo I love this, I can't wait to see where it goes
illicit love
synopsis: what are the odds of someone confusing you for a world famous scientist, kidnapping you, and sending you to another planet at age 18? apparently it’s very high odds because that’s exactly how you found yourself on pandora.
pairings: lo’ak x femhuman!reader
warnings: mentions of death, mentions of child abandonment, swearing, kidnapping (accidental)
word count: 4,000
a/n: this is gonna be a series... this is only the prologue, please bare with me. ik lo'ak isnt in this part like at all but he will be in the next part i alr writing it.
theodora willisin was grace's apprentice before grace got a location change to pandora. though theodora was sad, grace promised to send back as much intel as possible to keep up with her studies and eventually join grace in exploring pandora one day.
it took theodora 10 years, but by 26, she was on a cryo ship, being sent off to pandora. she didn't have any rda affiliation. she was just a young 16-year-old girl who had admired grace's studies. one day she decided to take all her savings in hopes that she could walk into grace's office and beg on her knees, explaining how she left her whole life behind to become grace's apprentice. grace, of course, loved the enthusiasm and accepted her immediately.
during her time on earth, theodora became a very well-known scientist. she was famous for her studies on the na'vi. she was so well-informed for someone who lived on earth. of course, her studies were only fueled by grace's information. this wasn't a secret, but the girl made groundbreaking discoveries regarding language, fluency, and pronunciation. and don't get me started on her wildlife studies. she and grace could talk about trees when they studied together on earth, and she couldn't wait until she got to pandora to discuss everything new she had learned with grace.
but there was one thing that theodora hated that she had to leave behind. her two-month-old baby. nobody knew she was pregnant except her mother. bless be to eywa that her mom was an obstetrician (a baby-delivering doctor). she hid her pregnancy from the world, and thank god she had a good workout routine and breastfed a lot because that helped her shed all her pregnancy weight just in time for her to be shipped out to pandora. theodora dressed herself in disguise and dropped her baby off in the early morning hours on the steps of her neighborhood firehouse. by the time she got home from abandoning her baby, she had to shower and get ready, so she would get on the ship by her assigned boarding time.
as horrible as theodora felt about this, she tried to look on the bright side. going to pandora to pursue her studies was her dream. she has an avatar growing on pandora, ready for her upon her arrival. she was finally living her dream, and nothing could ruin it.
except something could. the trip to pandora and getting settled had been a success. theodora was living her best life researching, studying, and living on the planet she had spent her entire life studying. unfortunately, when she got here, she was given the heartbreaking news that her boss had been killed in a war that broke out. she was the last and only person to get on that previous cryo capsule. the natives saw the ship in the night and set out to destroy the sky people who dared to land here right after they had sent everyone back.
when they got to the ship, it was empty, but there were traces of human life trailing in the direction of the lab. jake decided to investigate the situation himself. when he arrived, he was met with max and norm, which had a new person with them, and they quickly explained. they said that theodora was merely a scientist who studied under grace when she worked on earth. she had no weapon training, but she dedicated her life to studying the planet, the people, and the culture. theodora posed no threat to the na'vi. she wanted to join their everyday life and help, maybe even become one of the people.
of course, that was wishful thinking because neytiri was very hard on the young scientist. giving the human attitude and throwing threats around as if they were compliments. the young scientist knew this was nothing personal as the na'vi had just gone through a war with sky people, so she never took anything to heart. hadn't gotten to use her avatar yet as she was still gaining the trust of the clan's people. she decided to occupy her time, so she went on walks in the forest to study the trees.
unfortunately, one day she got way too close to a baby thanator that was asleep on its own by a stream. the mother, hunting nearby, caught a whiff of the unusual scent near her cub. one thing led to another, and there was one less human on pandora. but as theodora's life flashed before her eyes, she couldn't find it in herself to care because she could only think about her daughter. the one who she abandoned and didn't even give a chance at a happy childhood. she remembered the letter she had written and left with her baby. she wished she had written more. she wished she had written about how she was ticklish and an adorable baby. she wished she had written about how she was easy to care for. she wished she had written about how she never cried. she can wish and wish and wish all she wants, but it kills her on the inside that the only thing she had written was
'her name is y/n.'
jake was upset because he knew max liked having someone back at the lab again, given that norm was usually out studying in his avatar form. he could do nothing; it's not like a native killed her. her death was an accident. neytiri said it was eywa, getting rid of the skydemon from their home. max couldn't bring himself to get rid of her avatar, so he left it in the corner of the lab, knowing nobody would ever be able to use it. it was a memory of her.
you were walking out of the mall, having just gone shopping for the party you were invited to this weekend. it was the talk of the campus, the biggest frat was having a huge party, and it was invite-only. if you got invited, you were on another fucking level. did you really know what that meant? no. did that matter, though? absolutely fucking not. you were just ready to get blackout drunk with your friends after the stressful week of finals everyone just had. and you and your friends were the only freshmen to be invited, so you had to go!
you were at a crosswalk waiting for the light to change when you considered taking a different way back to campus. you figured it wouldn't do any harm, and honestly, the change in scenery was lovely. you got to walk through the park and see the wildlife. you even got approached by a few stray kittens weaving in between your feet. you laughed as their fur tickled your ankles, but your attention was stolen by a man in what looked like jungle exploration gear??
"theodora? theodora!! oh my god! i thought they sent you to pandora years ago," he said as he shook your shoulders.
"um? i'm sorry, who are you?" you asked the man, currently regretting your decision to walk back to campus a different way.
"oh, that's not important right now. there's an empty cryo capsule because someone bailed at the last minute. i thought you were on pandora already!! come on, the scientists will be stoked that i found you here and brought you with me!!" he said as he dragged you into this weird-looking corporate building.
the weird jungle dude passed you to other scientists dressed in white scrub suits. you don't know what is going on; you just want out! you cannot miss this party this weekend. your entire reputation counted on it.
"ms. willisin i'm gonna give you a rundown on everything that is going on. this is the first ship that were sending to pandora in the past 18 years so things may be a bit hectic. you are going to go into a cryo capsule that yu will be held in until you reach your destination you know everything else any questions? no? good? get in the capsule," the scientist said as he started to push you into the capsule, but you resisted.
"i don't know who you think i am but my name isn't willisin–"
"you're right. your name is theodora. now get in the damn capsule. i don't get paid enough for this," he said as he fought against you to get you in the capsule. unfortunately for you, the man was stronger than you, so he managed to get you in the capsule and slammed the door shut before you could even register everything happening.
"let me out!! my name isn't theodora. you have the wrong mother fucker!!! it's cold in here. get me out of this box!!" your screams were useless as the cryo capsules were soundproof so that the rocket's takeoff wouldn't affect the passengers. you felt weaker and weaker as the cold consumed you until you started to fall asleep. the rumble of the ship only aided in putting you to sleep, but the last thing you saw before you closed your eyes, looking out the window in your capsule, you saw the planet you live on. earth.
why can i see earth right now?!?!
that was the last thought to pass through your head before you fell into a deep sleep.
you feel weird when you wake up again, almost like you're floating. bright lights block your vision as you feel hands frantically moving your body to get you out of your capsule. you were barely awake as you walked, basically dragged, around this weird science lab. "sit here and don't move. the head scientist will tell you what to do next." the woman said before she walked away. by the time she turned the corner, you were at least cognizant enough to know what was happening. your memory from before you fell asleep started flooding your mind again as
these people kidnapped me. am i even still in our solar system?? where the fuck am i?
so many thoughts drowned your mind, but one thing was clear to you.
you gotta get out of here, but you knew you had to be smart about this.
"theodora! hello, it is wonderful to meet you. wow, you look great for 44 years old. is that how scientists dress on earth now?" the man who seemed to be the head scientist approached you, hand extended in a greeting. you firmly shook it, playing your role and faking a laugh at his joke.
if i act like this theodora person. they'll pay less attention to me, and i can find an opening to leave. but i know nothing about her!
you were stumped, that is, until the man next to you started listing off every accomplishment and groundbreaking discovery 'you' had made. that's your ticket, though. he mentioned that this theodora person was obsessed with trees and made some huge discoveries regarding them, so why not play that card?
you smiled brightly at the scientist before you and cut off his praise.
"excuse me, dr…?" you said, trying to get his name.
"naylor. dr. naylor"
"dr. naylor, i would absolutely love to sit here and chat with you about… me, but i am just dying to see the trees in person, so if you would excuse me." you said as you slowly started to walk towards a door in the room that looked like an exit.
"that's fine, dr. willisin, don't forget your mask!" dr. naylor said, pointing at a mask that was hanging on the wall. you simply nodded and placed the mask on your face as you attached the bulky pack thing to your hip.
as soon as you were outside, you walked toward the forest line, casually waving at scientists who gave you weird looks, probably due to your attire. still, you could care less because you weren't even supposed to be here.
as you got a few feet into the trees, you looked back to make sure you were completely out of sight before you started running as fast as you could. god bless that you were athletic, having earned a track scholarship at usc and being the most scouted track star in america. you had some legs on you, so you weren't planning on stopping soon. that is until you stop because an arrow gets shot into the tree right before you. you looked around to see where it came from, noticing a blue figure hiding in the shadows. you didn't even think twice about running. if your love for horror movies taught you anything, it was that you do not stop when you hear a noise in the distance. you run faster than your ass can carry you and pray to any god out there that whatever the hell is trying to kill you would kindly stop.
you didn't know how long you had been running and dodging arrows until one of them struck you in your left arm. it, thankfully, had been a smaller arrow. at least in comparison to the others you had seen as you had been running. it went through your arm cleanly, and even though it hurt like a bitch, the adrenaline you were feeling right now made it feel more like someone pinched you really hard rather than being shot in the arm.
running for just a few minutes more, you moved the branches and leaves out of your way until you came up to what looked like an empty, abandoned lab. it looked the same as the one you had left earlier, so you assumed it was a lab.
you busted your ass, sprinting to the door as arrows were shot by you, one skimming your calf and another grazing your cheek. quickly, you clutched the door's handle, swung it open, and slammed it shut behind you. the arrows had ceased. whoever was trying to kill you gave up. you finally give yourself a minute to catch your breath, and as your adrenaline dies down, you start to feel every scratch and cut on your body. not to mention the arrow that was stuck in your arm.
you can't believe this is happening right now. first, you're kidnapped from your home planet, then you're trying to escape an arrow attack, and now you're standing in this lab making eye contact with two men, one who looked like yet another scientist and another who was wearing similar exploration gear as the guy you saw before you were so horribly kidnapped.
"are you fucking kidding me?! i ran all that way just to end up in another fucking lab?"
the two men standing before you were in shock. not only was there a human girl standing in front of them, but she looked an awful lot like theodora. the two men's attention was caught when they heard you groaning in pain.
"who are you?" the explorer guy asked you, still in his shocked state of mind.
"what do you mean who am i just ran from here. and tell your trigger happy friends out there to knock it off with the arrows this shit hurts!!" you said as you sat on the steps in front of the door. you applied pressure on your leg injury so you could at least slow the bleeding.
"we haven't had visitors in over 18 years. i'm gonna ask you again who you are." this time it was the scientists who spoke up.
god, you were starting to hate these scientists, explorers, and everything else on this planet.
what planet even is this? it didn't even matter to you. you just wanted to be home.
"that doesn't matter. what day is it? i have a frat party this weekend and these crazy fuckers kidnapped me and put me on a ship that was leaving earth!" you said, annoyed that they weren't answering your question?
"well, first, why don't we introduce ourselves, yeah?" the explorer spoke again. your eyes moved to him, and if looks could kill, boy, would he be dead. "my name is norm, i'm an anthropologist, and i focus most of my studies on nature and the natives of this planet."
the other man spoke up next. "um, my name is max. i am a civilian scientist on this planet. i'm in charge of the linking between humans and their avatars?"
"humans, avatars, anthropology. what the hell is this shit? just tell me where i am and what fucking day it is." norm and max hadn't had to deal with the wrath of an angry woman in a while, so they were just about as terrified as when they had first met natives.
"you're on pandora. it's 2193. what year was it when you left?" max said after swallowing his fear.
"its been six fucking years??!?! i was 18 years old when i fucking left!!!"
"well… happy birthday?" norm tried to lighten the mood, but something in your head clicked; you had never heard of a planet called pandora.
"am i even still in earth's solar system?"
"no, you're 4.37 light-years away. look, we don't know how you got here. we havent had any outside contact with earth in ages so whatever scientists you came from are not associated with us."
"bullshit, there's shit everywhere in here that says rda on it and that was the name of the people who took me. i saw it all over their techy nerd stuff. you're lying so you can get me to go back there. you guys robbed me of six years of my life." you didn't know how to feel. you couldn't feel your body anymore. everything was just so overwhelming.
"six years is how long it takes to get to pandora. they didn't explain that to you when you boarded the ship?" norm question, to you, was stupid because you had just answered that.
"do your ears not fucking work? i didn't get on the ship, i was dragged onto it against my will. these idiots kidnapped me because they mistook me for some woman named theodora willisin, and i don't even know who that woman is." you sighed. you were starting to feel tired again, tears filling your eyes. you didn't know where you were or who these people were; you were just tired, and the injuries you sustained weren't helping you keep your eyes open.
your voice was quiet as you spoke again. it was almost inaudible compared to your voice's earlier volume. "please, i'm not even supposed to be here; i just need help. i wanna go home, and this arrow is hurting my arm, and i'm tired and–" you couldn't even finish your sentence before you passed out.
although they didn't know you, norm and max were quick to come to your aid. it had been several years since they heard that name. they don't know who you were or where you came from, but they couldn't lie and say that they didn't understand why these scientists had mistaken you for theodora. your resemblance was uncanny. norm quickly moved your form from the steps you passed out on. he placed you onto an empty lab table that they had while he snapped max out of his trance, telling him to grab their medical kit.
the two men patched up your wounds and moved you into the room that theodora used to live in when she lived with them. they closed the door and allowed you to rest.
max told norm immediately to link with his avatar so he could inform jake about the young girl they found. max wanted to make the natives nearby aware that the girl wasn't even meant to be there.
norm quickly made it to jake's home, finding the olo'eyktan spending time with his youngest daughter. jake could read the worried look on norm's face and quickly approached the man so he could know what was wrong.
"what is it?" jake got to the point.
"there's a human girl in our lab who passed out from arrow injuries." norm said.
"only arrow injuries? did they not kill the skydemon?" neytiri asked when she heard that there was a sky person on their planet again. that could only mean one thing, though. they were all back.
"what do you mean there's a human girl in your lab? kill her you know the rules around here norm there's no acceptions for any skywalkers."
"that's the thing. she's not a skywalker, she's not a sky demon. she's an 18 year old, well now she's 24, but she was a college student who was kidnapped. they mistook her for theodora and she lost six years in cryo. i don't know how she was able to dodge the arrows from your scouts but jake i can't kill that girl. she's harmless. she didn't even know that pandora existed until she woke up from cryo. she's terrified." norm explained to his friend. hoping jake could find it in him to let norm and max just take care of the girl.
"norm–" jake started, but norm cut him off
"look, we can't send her back, it's impossible, just let us raise her. she won't come near the people. she won't cause any issues. it'll be as if she's not here. i had to come tell you because she was almost killed trying to escape the people who kidnapped her."
"her mask has a tracker in it. she will lead them to your lab." neytiri voiced. over time she had grown fond of norm and max, them being the only skypeople trusted. she didn't want this skydemon to harm those she cares for, especially after norm said they mistook her for that scientist who died all those years ago.
neytiri hated theodora. the woman was clumsy, always walking around making trouble for herself that others would have to save her from, and now there's another one. another cursed skydemon is here to destroy her home. she would not stand for it. neytiri stood from her place next to tuk and walked over to her bow and arrows. jake looked over to his mate, seeing how she was walking out of their home with her weapon. "woah, hey, neytiri. hold on a second, just wait." jake said to his wife.
"no. i shall go kill that girl like i meant to do with the last one," she said, but norm spoke before she could leave.
"her mask doesn't have a tracker! we checked it after she passed out and even broke it and i threw it far away somewhere just for good measure but from the looks of it they gave her one without a tracker because they thought she was that famous scientist."
“see, ma neytiri, mawey. it is okay. they said they would keep her there. there's no need to interfere if she isn't a threat. she doesn't want to be here just as much as you don't want her here yawne." jake said, soothing his mate's tense shoulders, feeling her release her breath, giving in to his comfort.
"she wont bother you guys. we'll make sure she has boundaries and never crosses onto native territories. we'll even give her one of our tracker masks so we can keep an eye on her. just please don't kill her. for some reason she means a lot to max. i think he's seeing something that i'm not. that's not important, just please if she wanders off i will be the one to go get her. just don't kill her. please." norm was begging at this point. to neytiri, it was weird, but she assumed it was because he really meant what he was saying. jake was already convinced, so once neytiri put her bow and arrows down, the tension in the room dissolved. everyone could finally release the breath they had been holding.
"thank you." norm said before he made his way to his ikran, flying back to the lab.
Out There
Neteyam x Reader, Ao'nung x Reader,
Summary: How do you tell your child the reason you fear the world now, that's where Ao'nung helps fill in the pieces.
Warning: Mentions of character death, Neteyam and Readers daughter is basically Moana from Disney, Ao'nung is stepfather, angst, depression mentions, Post Partum Depression is mentioned,
Note: Was requested from @lazyfnafvideogamesparty I hope you like it!
When you had first met Neteyam as children, you felt the universe pull you two together. Your eight year old self could remember the silly crush you had on him, merely from watching him practice and train with his father and brother.
You found the way he drew his bow back to be an art form, the way his body stood still like a statue waiting for the perfect moment before letting a breath release and the arrow go flying to hit its target dead center. You yourself were training to be a warrior, making the perfect excuse to talk to him and ask for 'tips' when really you would waste the day away laughing and goofing off other.
Neteyam never thought he had to be perfect around you, just himself. The way you would grin while flying your Ikrans together, the breeze blowing your hair back to show him the beautiful face you possessed made him go crazy. The nights you two would sneak under the stars and in the forest, whispering anything and everything to eachother.
Eywa had shown a blessing on you two when under the starry night at seventeen years old, two seedlings had drifted in front of you both. Both seeming to do a dance as they twirled around you and Neteyam, bringing eachother closer, eyes meeting in love and infatuation with one another.
That night you both had mated in front of Eywa, his family and yours happy for the both of you, knowing you two were the best Warriors the clan had to offer, you completed eachother.
However, when the war started back only a year later and forced you to flee to the ocean islands, did everything change for the worst. You and the siblings had to learn the way of water to survive, Neteyam making it bearable as you would work hard during the day but at night you would sneak off together to have a moment of peace and forget everything.
Neteyam and you had impressed some of the warriors in the water clan, showing your strength and bow skills, you were a power couple. Ao'nung would even praise you, even if he tried to play it off as, 'Average for Forest Dwelers,'.
The friendship you three had was something many longed for in their lifetime, Ao'nung and Neteyam had become like brothers during the hard times, leaning on each other in times of doubt and sorrow. You were always there to lift your mates spirits, Ao'nung feeling happy to know you and Neteyam fit eachother perfectly.
Only if it could last forever.
When you had found out you were pregnant, you couldn't wait to tell Neteyam, the grin on your face had you practically glowing. When you began to search for Neteyam, a horn had sounded, calling warriors to action as the Sky People had began another assault.
Pregnant or not, you were going to fight. Sky People weren't going to scare you away, not now, not ever.
Flying into battle, you let out a war cry as you pulled your bow back, firing arrows and taking out Sky People machines left and right. Smoke rising from the part left crashed into the sea and rocks by your hand.
Glancing to your left, you spotted your beloved firing arrows the same as you, causing a cheerful yell escape which caught his attention. You both raised a hand to signal excitement to one another, only for the world to freeze as a bullet shot through Neteyam.
A Sky Person had taken a shot at him with their last breath, your smile quickly morphing into a shock filled gape. The air couldn't escape your lungs, and you couldn't see clearly past the tears that fell rapidly down your face.
Landing your Ikran, you sprinted towards Neteyam who laid on the ground surrounded by other Na'vi. "Neteyam! MaNete!" You cried, falling to your knees beside him on the rock as he gasped for breath.
"Ma(Y/n), I'm sorry," he coughed out, body going ridged from pain and slowly losing oxygen. "No! Not like this! We have so much to do, I love you Neteyam!" You felt your voice waver as you brought his hand to your face, cradling to your cheek as your eyes strained on Neteyams beautiful yellow.
Neteyam could only stutter out one last saying, "I love you," before he suddenly lost eye focus, body going slack and his hand that was in yours going limp.
"NO!" You screamed, ears pinned back and tail whiping wild as you felt your soul break. "Neteyam!" You wailed, "Please Great Mother, not him! Not Neteyam!" You begged, Ao'nung appearing to freeze at the sight.
His best friend was gone, you now grief stricken. He could only lay a hand on your back in comfort as your screams and wails echoed up to Eywa.
Neteyam will never know his child, never know he even had one. All because of the damn Sky People and their greed.
~.~
Sixteen years had passed since that horrible day, your own vibrant life had been ripped away from you. You felt hollow inside, the only warmth you held was for your child and Ao'nung, who stepped in to help raise her.
When your daughter was born, you could only cry as she looked just like her father. Many commented that she would be a great warrior like him, but you would die before she ever saw war. You vowed to protect her, to never let her see a Sky Person or the death and turmoil that was associated with them.
"Unipey! Where are you going?" You asked, watching your daughter try and sneak off. "Mama, I'm just going for a ride, I will be back before Eclipse!" "Not today, there were some sights of Sky People, you will remain here where I can keep an eye on you!" You ordered, watching the frustration build up on her face.
"So what? I have trained, I know how to handle myself," Unipey was so tired of being treated like a child, she was one trial away from adulthood and yet you made it seem like she would break with one wrong step.
"I do not care, you will not leave this Island, go help the weavers make baskets or the healers with their herbs," Unipey pinned her ears back, frustration brimming under her side eye glare but she nodded, stomping back to the way you both had just come from.
When she disappeared from view, you let out a sign, "You're being too tough on her, you can't protect her forever," Ao'nung came up behind you, his hands coming to rest on your shoulders. You felt yourself lean back into him, looking for support.
When Unipey was born, you had fallen into a depression, Ao'nung was there everyday to help. It felt like betraying Neteyam, but Eywa had sent a sign that you both could rely on eachother. It wasn't until Unipey was almost a toddler that you allowed yourself into Ao'nungs arms every night.
"She will be fine, I need her to understand why I need her close by," you gazed up at him, feeling a rush of emotions, "she is all I have left of him. I can't lose her too," you whispered, head nuzzling into his chest as he allowed you to silently cry.
"Would you like for me to talk to her? I don't want to stress you out," his hand placed on your stomach, where you were beginning to show from another life inside. One you and Ao'nung had created.
"Please, before Great Mother doesn't stop me from snapping her teeth that she keeps barring at me," you hiccuped, feeling lost and confused with what to say to your daughter. Unipey really was like Neteyam, always head strong and knew what to do. Fearless too.
~.~
"Mama doesn't know what she's talking about, I know how to handle myself! Boys and other girls younger than me can go out on hunting parties and recon trips, but I'm stuck at home like...like a toddler!" Unipey ranted, pacing back and forth in front of the beach. Her toes just barely touching the water and foam.
"Unipey, come sit," Ao'nung appeared, taking a seat on a nearby rock and patting a spot beside him, beckoning her over. Unipey groaned, trudging through the sand and ploping herself down next to him.
"You know what your Mother does, she does-" "with love, yes Papa, you've told me, like, a hundred times," her yellow eyes couldn't roll any further back, Ao'nung silently chuckling as the face she made reminded him so much of Neteyam.
"Unipey, your Mother was once like you, always wanting to venture out and see what there was to see," Ao'nung paused for a moment, "Even your father would go-" "Why do you have to bring him into this? I don't even know him, I know of him, but i..don't know him," Unipey looked down, ears twitching in sadness.
Unipey has heard her whole life what an amazing person her father was, yet she would never get to experience that. She's heard many a tale about how both of her parents were the best warriors around, but her mother only acted like a scared guppy.
"Because he is the reason your mother protects you how she does," Ao'nung firmly stated, Unipey looking up at him with slight doubt.
"Your Mother used to fly into battle with the world on her shoulders, so free and wild. Many would yell in excitement knowing that she would be there to protect them and help guide the way to victory. Your Father was always beside her, both a view of fearlessness and ferositicy," Ao'nung couldn't help but think back to those good days, the days when you three would tear havoc in battles side by side.
"But your mother, she couldn't save your father," Ao'nung felt his tail twitch with anxiety, his eyes feeling the pressure of unshed tears. Unipey felt every muscle tense up, she had never heard that before.
"Sky People had come, your Mother had just found out about you. (Y/n) was so excited, she tried to rush to tell him but was called to fight, they saw eachother on the battle field, but the Sky People bad taken your father from before her eyes," Ao'nungs voice cracked, a small tear rolling down his face as he remembered the wails that had escaped your mouth that day.
"So you see, she can't lose you too. I think you both are wrong in your ways of going about this whole thing, but your Mother just doesn't want to go through that pain again," Ao'nung looked to Unipey who's eyes held tears, a crushed look on her face.
"Mama, is scared not of war, but to lose me?" Unipey felt her world crashing down, she had held so much anger and resentment toward her Mother, but now all she felt was regret and guilt. Regret for the days she cursed her mother to the air around her, wishing for nothing more than her mother to go away. Guilt for being selfish and not asking why.
"You both long for the thrill of battle and war, but she had experienced the rough side that you haven't yet, so not hate her for trying to keep you safe," Ao'nung brought Unipey in for a quick hug before shooing her off to you.
~.~
Unipey rubbed her hands together, peering around the corner to see her Mother packing away the fishing nets that were used for the day. "Mama?" Unipey called out, you turning to see your daughter standing with an almost scared yet shy stance. "Yes my love?" Unipey found herself drawing a blank, not knowing what to say next.
You stood, walking towards your child with a quick step, "What's wrong? If it's about earlier than-" Unipey threw her arms around you, her head tucked into your chest as she began to cry softly.
"I'm sorry Mama, I didn't know before," you brought your hands to caress her head, confusion closing your mind.
"What are you talking about? Are you hurt?" You pulled back, eyes scanning your daughters face for injuries but all you saw was a broken child needing comfort. "I didn't know about Father, about what you went through with him, I'm sorry for not listening," Unipey thought you would be upset with her, but she saw tears line your own eyes, as you brought her back in and hugging her to your body.
"No, no, it was not your fault. I never should've been so hard, I'm just terrified to lose you, war can be dangerous and it doesn't pick sides," you ran a hand through her hair, a specific bead braided in that was Neteyams. The one from when you both became mates, giving it to your child help remind you who she came from and who you two created.
"I just wanna be like Father, I've heard all these stories and I'm always compared to him, " Unipey sniffles, looking up to you from your embrace, "Please Mama, let me show that I'm my Father's Daughter,"
Ao'nung appeared behind your daughter, giving you a quirked eyebrow causing you to smile softly and nod.
"Alright, come. We will prepare for the next raid together," you took Unipeys hand, leading her to the pod your family resided in.
"What do you think Father would say if he was here?" Unipey wondered, looking to you, catching a small shift in your eyes as you thought back to your first love.
"That he's proud of you," you whispered, pressing a kiss to your daughters head.
Listen
Ao'nung x F!Deaf!Metkayina!Reader
Summary: Ao'nung has loved you since childhood.
Warning: Fluff, Ao'nung is a jerk to everyone but reader, some angst (I love emotional revelation of feelings), characters are aged up 18+ but no warnings here! Ronal ships reader and Ao'nung,
Note: was a request from @keyratch hope you enjoy it!
~.~
Growing up, you always knew you were different. You couldn't hear the ocean waves, couldn't listen to the music of your clan for celebrations. You couldn't even harmonize with your mother as she sings to lull you to sleep.
Being born deaf, your parents tried so hard to pray to Eywa for a sign. The Tsahìk, Ronal, tried every herb and technique she knew, but nothing could change who you were.
What Eywa had decided for you to be.
You never blamed Eywa though, for the Great Mother had blessed you to feel a connection to her. You could feel her in the sand; the warmth of the sun that she blessed you with, the coolness of the ocean as you swam to admire the creatures she's created.
Even as a small child you had been drawn to the beauty of the Pandora.
The smallest sea shells you would collect and braid into your hair, stringing some together to make a necklace, bracelet, or head peice. The brightest floral you would gather to present to friends and family, just because the beauty of them made you think of others.
Ao'nung had only been eight when he met you for the first time. While training with his father on spear throwing he had caught sight of you collecting sea shells.
He was so distracted by you, he grabbed the spear wrong and cut his finger. Letting out a small hiss of pain, he instantly sucked on it, causing his father to gaze at him and then at you. Tonowari couldn't help but chuckle, "I see the silent beauty has caught your eye," Ao'nung was confused by his father's words, but quickly denied having even spotted you.
"Well that's too bad, because here she comes right now," sure enough you had seen the leader with his son, Ao'nung and had started over in their direction when you saw the big was hurt.
Ao'nung could only feel himself freeze as you closed the distance fast, suddenly reaching out to grab his hand as he tried to back away,
"H-hey! What are you doing?!" Ao'nung flinched as you pressed on his finger, the one he'd cut being too caught up looking at you. You never said anything, just brought out a healing leaf from your hip pouch and wrapped his finger quickly and efficiently.
"Thank you," he mumbled, you smiled and let go of his hand, signing to him, 'Would you like to play after training?' It had puzzled him why you didn't just ask out loud, but after looking to his father for assurance, he nodded to you causing you to smile and nod, turning back the way you'd come and headed away.
"Father, why didn't she just ask me?" Ao'nung questioned, looking up at Tomowari who smiled sadly at him, "she is deaf my son, she cannot speak for she never learned how, she cannot hear you," Ao'nung didn't feel any different towards you, maybe more curious, but he never felt like you were weird.
~.~
After that day many years ago, Ao'nung had grown, and so did his love for you. What started out as amazement and adoration as children, had since grown into feeling as if you were the only one for him.
The way you helped his sister with day to day chores, such grace and beauty weaving baskets and collecting herbs for his mother. The complete definition of selfless as you taught the children of the clan their sign, who else but you with your patience and grace.
The tingles you left on his body when you would tap his hand, shoulder, arm, anything to get his attention. You left him yearning for your attention day and night. Left him in agonizing pain at the thought of having you with him under the stars but couldn't.
Yourself however, would be a prize to any fine young Na'vi, but to your own self image you were at the bottom of the food chain. Your biggest insecurity being your deafness. You would never hear your mates words of love and comfort, would never hear the giggles of your own future children should Great Mother bless you with any.
You never had anyone express interest in you, although Ao'nung made sure of that, not that you knew. He always glared, growled or warned any man who looked in your direction. He made sure to linger a hand on your waist while talking, a smug look over his shoulder at the hunters who had tried to talk to you, a smirk at the Ilu keepers who tried to get to close.
When the Sullys had arrived, you had been busy helping Ronal with her duties as she was trusting you to take over while she got ready to give birth.
You didn't get to see Tsireya and Ao'nung as often as they were busy with teaching the new comers the traditions and expectations of the clan.
'(Y/N) go fetch Ao'nung, he should be down on the beach,' Ronal requested, you nodded, standing from your sitting position and heading out of the Marui, starting your trek to the beach.
You had found a few flowers on your way, taking a moment to pluck them from the ground and arranged them nicely. Maybe Ao'nung would like something to help brighten his mood.
Stopping once you reached the beach, you felt your eyes widen in disbelief as Ao'nung and his friends were surrounding Kiri, pointing at her and laughing. Kiri was clearly uncomfortable and trying to walk away, luckily Lo'ak came and started to intercept the boys, only they turned their hateful ways onto him.
You felt your fists clench up, nervously twisting the flowers. You started walking in that direction, Neteyam showing up as well from beside you, making yourself known too.
Ao'nungs ears pressed back, his body feeling hot with embarrassment that you'd caught him being rude to someone.
"Oh look, big brother to the rescue-" Ao'nung reached his hand out, silencing his friend who bowed his head obediently. "I need you to respect my sister from now on," Neteyam threatened, his eyes glaring into Ao'nung who nodded, trying to ease the anxiety in his chest as you approached too.
You tapped Kiris hand, the girl turning to you as you looked her over, as she tried to calm you down, 'I'm fine, no harm done,' she assured, you face turning into one of doubt but giving up in the end.
The three siblings went to walk away, but Lo'ak suddenly turned around and went back to Ao'nung, his smirk and quirked eyebrow making you upset a little. Why was he acting this way? Was he really this mean to them?
Ao'nung didn't know what had happened when Lo'ak punched him, one second he was standing and the next on the floor with his friends helping him up. They all jumped Lo'ak who held his ground to the best of his abilities, but soon found his brother Neteyam jumping in to help him.
You gasped, hands covering your mouth in disbelief, the flowers falling into the sand forgotten. Why were they doing this? 'Kiri, we need to stop them' you told her, but even she could only look on in a mix of horror and laughter.
Deciding that enough was enough, you inserted yourself into the fight, Ao'nungs friends quickly backing away as you pulled them off.
Neteyam hadn't seen you enter the fight, when he felt his shoulder get touched he quickly turned and went to punch the person, barely being able to stop himself before he hit you.
You had flinched inward, arms raised quickly to protect yourself, eyes shut incase of pain. "(Y/N)!" Ao'nung threw himself to you, shoving Neteyam out of the way, his hands gently grabbing yours to bring them down.
You squeaked, the cutest sound Ao'nung had ever heard, and opened your eyes to see Ao'nung checking you for injuries despite his cheek being bruised and lip busted. His eyes held fear and worry, hands moving from your arms to gently hold your face.
An adult nearby had brought his father and Toruk Makto, but he didn't care for the shouts that were happening, he could only focus on you. He brought his hands into view, 'You okay?' Ao'nung questioned, though your face contorted into worry as you held his face, feeling bad when he flinched from your thumb brushing his cheek.
He grabbed your hand and held it at his side as he turned to Neteyam, "Don't you ever touch her again!" If it hadn't been for his father pulling him away with you in tow, he would've attacked the oldest sibling.
"Maybe don't start things your girlfriend tries to finish!" Lo'ak yelled back, getting dragged away by his own father.
Upon entering the Marui, his mother hit him upside the head, "skxqwng! You brought (Y/n) into this?! I pray for the resilience to not break your bones!" Ao'nung averted his mother and fathers gaze, his head down as he couldn't even look to you either. Ashamed you had caught him at his worst moment.
"I leave (Y/n) to take care of your wounds, Great Mother help you find some sense!" Ronal hissed, Tonowari leading her out of the Marui to give you two some privacy.
You slowly walked over, placing a hand on his arm, Ao'nung letting you lead him to the mat and both of you sitting down facing eachother.
'What were you thinking?' You inquired, waiting for his reply as you began to mix a paste together. 'I wasn't thinking, but they deserved it, freaks all of them' he huffed, sucking it back in when you roughly applied the paste to his cheek.
His eyes found yours as you stared at him with hurt, 'What does that make me then? I cannot hear, I cannot speak well, they can communicate freely, I have to look for eyes and attention,'
Ao'nung felt his throat constrict, his hands clamy. You were so beautiful in his eyes, but the way he treated them made you think ill of yourself and that's not want he wanted.
You looked down, eyes glossy from unshed tears. His hand on your chin made you look at him, your lip trembling as your ears pressed back.
Ao'nung let go and signed only one word, but it made your body erupt in flames.
'Beautiful'
~.~
Since the incident with the boys on the beach, Ao'nung tried to be kind in your presence when the sullys were around but when the opportunity to trick Lo'ak revealed itself, he couldn't help it.
When he returned though and found you looking at him with those eyes again. Eyes filled with pain and now disappointment, he knew had to do the right thing.
'I'm sorry,' he apologized, finding you alone by the beach later that night. You turned from him, arms crossed. You weren't going to look at him or reply.
He fell to his knees in front of you, grasping at your hands desperately. You huffed, eyes glaring into him. Ao'nung used to pray he would never see that day you gave him that look, but after what he'd done to Lo'ak he could say he deserved it.
Hands trailing from your hands down to your elbows, he slowly let go and began to speak, "I'm sorry, I know I've been stupid and they don't deserve that, I'm not sure what I was thinking," Ao'nung kept his eyes trained on yours, watching you look exhausted.
"Why risk the danger? What if he'd gotten hurt? Or worse, you," you felt your lips pull back in a snarl, though he could only find pleasure in the fierceness of your face. His heart beat fast knowing you cared about him.
"I wish you would think with this," you placed your hand on his chest, feeling his erratic heartbeat, "not with this," you playfully pushed his forehead, a smile appearing on your lips. You couldn't stay mad at him, not when he smiled at you as softly as he did now.
He grasped your hand, bringing it back to his chest. You felt your own speed up to match his, both of you filled with deep affection for one another, not that the other knew.
You both stared at eachother for what felt like hours, yet only a few minutes had passed, just enjoying eachothers company.
When you had broken out of your daydream however, you quickly pulled your hand away and stood up, eyes darting everywhere but him as you shakily signed, "we shouldn't be doing this, I have to go,"
Ao'nung couldn't stand fast enough when you pulled away, tripping over the sand as you ran. Everything had just been perfect, what had happened?
~.~
You helped Ronal to sit, her stomach slowly getting bigger as the days went on. "Baby is good?" You wondered, a grin on your face of excitement as she nodded, her own smile gracing her features.
'Baby is strong, maybe a boy like Ao'nung,' she replied, you nodding in agreement, 'Ao'nung differently is strong,'
'Yes, he will be a great Olo'eyktan, if only he hurry and choose his Tsahìk,' she let her eyes slip to your figure out of the corner of her sight, seeing you quickly look down and away. Not out of embarrassment it seemed, but out of disappointment.
Ronal frowned, she did not like seeing you so hurt, especially by her own child, lest he be stupid enough to do it.
Ronal placed her hand on your cheek, bringing your face back up to make eye contact with her, 'why do you look so sad? What has happened?'
You tried to brush her off, 'it's nothing, I'm sure whoever he chooses will make a lovely Tsahìk,' you began to ramble, hands moving quickly, 'Ney`ite is the best diver, Alyara is known to sing beautifully, from what I've seen and been told,'
'He deserves someone who can help him feel better on rough days, someone who can actually listen and help with his problems, who loves and cherishes him as he is,'
Ronal tapped your hand, causing you to heat up in realization, you'd been rambling for too long. 'Someone, like you?' She quirked her brow, a knowing smirk on her face.
You shook your head, eyes feeling glossy with tears, 'what do I have to offer him?' You felt a hiccup erupt in your throat from trying to hold in your sobs, 'I cannot listen to his problems, I cannot comfort our children with words when crying, no one would look to me, Eywa may love me as she created me, but surely Ao'nung loves another,'
Ronal felt her eyes catch the sight of a figure standing behind you. Ao'nung could only stand frozen as he saw what you thought of yourself. He's never loved anyone like he loves you, and it's his fault for making you think otherwise.
Ronal grasped your hands firmly, shaking her head at you. Ronal reached a hand for Ao'nung who walked over, his shadow startling you as you looked upwards, his face looking hurt by your own tears.
Ronal placed your hand in his, his fingers gripping your own softly but firm, like a silent promise to never let go.
The Tsahìk bowed in exiting the Marui, leaving both of you alone.
Ao'nung knelt to face you, your cheeks hot with humiliation that he had to see you like this. You tried to look elsewhere but he placed his hand on your cheek, turning your face towards him.
He let go, feeling a moment of Deja Vu as he thought back to two nights ago by the water. When you both had been just as close in the sand.
"You are not less than anyone here," he signed, feeling his heart excelerate with emotion.
'(Y/n), I don't need to hear your voice to know your words are strong and kind, I don't need your words of comfort when your touches are enough,' he placed your hand on his chest, just as he did those nights ago. He hoped you would feel his heart that's beating full of love for you.
You could only feel a bizarre rush of emotions, anger at yourself for letting Ao'nung find out this way, fear in what is to come, yet, love from knowing he felt the same as you did.
'I'm sorry you did not see yourself as adequate when you are more than I could ever dream, the love you hold for our clan speaks words where your lips may fail,'
You felt your lips quiver, tears falling down your face as you tried to hold yourself together.
'I see you, (Y/n), and I would love for you to become my Tsahìk, my mate,'
You laughed, 'I would love to spend my life with you, I see you, Ao'nung,' you pressed your forehead to his, his own tear or two slipping from his eye as you both enjoyed this moment of peace together.
He raised both hands to your face, cupping your head as he brought your lips to his, the soft, plush feeling of your lips nearly driving him mad with desire. Your own hand finding home on his chest and shoulder as you felt weak from lack of air.
Pulling away, you made him stand up with you, his eyes showing curiosity. You smirked at him, 'Wanna go somewhere more private?' Ao'nungs silence spoke for itself as he dragged you out of the Marui, right past his parents who had a sudden look of realization.
"Oh Great Mother," Ronal sighed exasperated, "Looks like our youngest will be close in age to our grandchild," Tonowari mumbled, flinching from Ronal who began to hit him from saying such words, "skxqwng!"
~.~
Beautiful Sounds
Neteyam x Metkayina!Deaf!FReader
Summary: Neteyam finds a way
Warnings: Fluffffffff for daayyys, angst 👀 we are caught up in our feelings, not proof read
A big thank you to @iikatsukii for this idea! I hope you like it, I tried my best 😭😂
Part 2 to this little beauty:
Neteyam thought he could never love anything so much until he met you. Learning your clans ways brought new insights to how the world can be so different but still beautiful. You were an example of that.
Even though you couldn't hear, you learned how to dance with elegance from the vibrations in the sand, he saw the patience you had with children, taking the time to guide them and understand what they needed, sometimes better than their own parents.
What really took his heart was how you found the simple joys of everyday life. The look of bliss on your face when the ocean sprays you with its salty mist, the contempt in your eyes as you looked at your family and friends. The love you expressed through your hands and body when you hugged or kissed him.
He thought you deserved to hear more than anyone, which is why after two months of communicating and deliberation with Norm and Max, they finally made the first set of hearing implants for Na'vi. A beautiful aqua to match your skin tone, and water proof so you could hear underwater as well.
As Neteyam watched from the shoreline as you raced your sister on Ilus, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He's practiced so hard with you and the others with sign language and yet he still continued to mess up sometimes. You never got angry or upset, just flashed your beautiful smile and repeated what he was trying to sign so he could practice again.
He'd especially been practicing for something special to you when the time came right, of course getting past Tonowari and Ronal wouldn't be easy. Taking one last glance at your figure, he turned and headed for the Marui pod that he knew your family resided in.
~.~
Ronal hissed and threw a shell at Neteyam which he ducked out of the way of, "You dare ask me such a question! That demon device will ruin her!" Tonowari just shook his head at his mate, she was nearing the end of her pregnancy and was very cranky.
"It'll help her hear! She can finally here all of you and everything around her!" Neteyam raised his hands in the air, trying to calm the angry pregnant woman. "Ronal, maybe she should give it a chance," Tonowari reasoned, Ronal growling lowly.
"You want to change her? You asked us mere days ago to mate and now you want this!? I pray to Great Mother to have the strength to not bury you alive! Skxawng!"
"No I don't want to change her! I want her to experience things that I know she longs for," Tonowari placed his hand on Ronal's shoulders giving her a look to calm down. Ronal did so, but not happily.
Both turned towards the young man, which he took as a continuation, "I promise, I love everything about her. The way she looks at the horizon with longing, wanting to go there and explore. The way (Y/n) wants to join in on everything everyone is doing but knows she can't hear everything, you may not have seen it, but I can. I hate that she cannot experience the wonderful sounds of the world, but if I could help her make one thing...The thing I know she may long for the most happen, I would crawl through viper thorns to do so, so please, let me try this," he begged at this point, taking a knee before the leaders of the clan.
Glancing at eachother, Tonowari spoke for both, "Very well, if she wants to try it, you have our blessing," Neteyam grinned, thanking them as he ran out the Marui pod to find you.
"You know he would never hurt her, Ronal?" Tonowari smiled at his mate gently, who rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Maybe Eywa will give me strength to not bury you, Tonowari,"
~.~
You huffed air laughing as Neteyam grabbed your hand, dragging you through the trees that surrounded the island.
Tapping his hand, he turned to you so he could watch, 'Where are we going?'
'Somewhere private' he replied, your smile wide as you let him carry on guiding you.
Coming to a beach front, your eyes saw a wonderful sight of a hand weaved blanket on the beach with some delicious fruit you adored. The sun was almost the horizon, the beauitful shades of orange and pink beginning to shine on the clouds and sky.
He led you down and helped sit you on the blanket, his eyes holding nothing but love for you. You returned the gaze, hand caressing his face as he lightly pecked your lips.
"I have something, for you," he gestured, you nodding, eyes staring at his figure so you wouldn't miss anything.
Pulling out a blue box from his hip bag, he opened it to reveal two small, weird looking devices. Your eyebrow furrowed, glancing up at him confused. Was this a forest thing? Why did it look like something sky demons made?
"Oh right, um," Neteyam mumbled to himself, licking his lips as he put the box down, hands moving slowly as he thought each sign out.
"These," points to the box, "help you, hear," he tried to keep it short and to the point. Yet this only confused you more.
"I cannot hear, how can these help me?" Your hands were moving quickly, 'I don't understand-' he took your hands into his, holding them close to his chest to try and regain your attention, your eyes narrowed with unease and confusion.
He let go slowly, his hands moving the same time as his lips, "These go in here," he gestured to your ear, "and when turned on, they let you hear," you slowly nodded, Neteyam picking up the box and holding it to you, the sunset reflecting of your eyes as you nodded to him.
Closing your eyes as you felt his hand gently place the small things in your ears, the other holding your cheek in reassurance.
He pressed on something, a small high pitched noise filled your ears which made your eyes shoot open. You looked around frantically, hands covering your ears and the devices from the shock of hearing something for the first time.
Neteyam placed his hands over yours, holding your head as your eyes turned to him with fear. He breathed in and out, eyes trained on yours as you began to copy him, slowly relaxing.
You both moved your hands, your ears twitching as you heard something else. A soft roaring and crashing sound that made you look to the water, eyes filling with tears as you signed, "waves?" His face lighting up and nodding, taking your hand as he helped you up.
You stared out into the giant mass of blue, the sound of the waves flooding every sense you had. The distant calls of birds and animals soon followed, all overwhelming but yet so majestic in your eyes.
Your hands came to cover your mouth and muffle your sobs as you began to cry. The world sounded different than you had ever thought, it sounded better.
Neteyam wrapped his arm around your shoulder to comfort you. Your shoulders slowly stopped shaking as you gazed up at him.
"(Y/n)" he whispered, your face morphing into one of disbelief. He sounded as gorgeous as he looked.
You tapped his lips, a grin on your face as you turned your body to face him completely now. "You can hear me?" He asked, your smile wide as you nodded. "There's something I want to ask you. I thought I would ask like this, but I want to ask you in your own way," he gently caressed your face as you nodded, feeling a small rush of adrenaline from all the excitement.
You never thought he would go through all this trouble for you, this just showing you how much he truly cared.
He held your hands, giving them a squeeze before taking a step back to see your whole body. Also incase he had to run from rejection.
'You are so beautiful,' he started, your eyes narrowing in curiosity, wondering where he was going with this. You were very flattered though as you shyly shuffled.
'When I look at you, I think of home' he started fumbling a little bit, but you smiled at him which gave him strength to keep going. "I want to spend the rest of my life, with you,'
Your mind suddenly went blank, realizing what he was asking, 'Will you be my mate?' He finished with a shy smile, but you were only staring at him with a blank expression.
A cold shiver ran down his spine, you weren't saying or doing anything. Just starting at him.
"(Y/n)?" He asked softly, taking a step forward to grab your fingers, but you jerked back suddenly, your ears flattened as you turned and ran.
Neteyam could only stare heartbroken as you disappeared from view, the sun now down below the horizon.
~.~
'You did what!?' Tsireya signed, but you didn't see it as you were hiding your face in your hands in shame. Tsireya tapped you, your glossy eyes looking at her disbelief ones. 'You left him without an answer? I thought you loved Neteyam!' 'I do!' You began, teeth gritting together, 'why would he want me?' You sobbed, tears begging to flow passed your waterline, Tsireya looking at you in empathy. 'I cannot hear, I cannot talk well, I only babble like newborn baby,' you began to hiccup, 'He gave me these to help me hear, I wish to talk to him like he can with me, but my voice is ugly,'
Tsireya grabbed your shoulders, her look fierce as she shook her head, "No! Your voice is beautiful and unique!" She knew you didn't take the sky peoples devices out, so you could hear her.
And hear her you would.
"Neteyam begged mother and father for weeks before they agreed! He planned these hearing devices for months. He loves you, all of you!" Tsireya exclaimed, your whimpers making her hug you close. "If you wish to speak to him, we will help you," Tsireya declared, her heart breaking for her older sister.
(Y/n) spent her whole life looking after others, even with the loss of hearing. Tsireya felt a few tears slip through her own eyelashes as she's never seen you this upset before. You were always smiling for everyone, the first one out and the last one in. You never told anyone how you truly felt.
Tsireya promised to Eywa she would make it right.
~.~
You avoided Neteyam for days, diving out of sight when you caught a glimpse of the oldest Sully sibling, your heart filled with guilt. You never meant to hurt him, but how could you face him before you were ready.
The Sully siblings, aside from Neteyam, knew what you were doing and tried their best to help both sides, but they still felt bad for their oldest brother.
Your own siblings helped you morning and night in getting your words more precise and clean, the pronunciation being the hardest as you technically never had to speak Na'vi or English before.
You sat in that beach shore cove Neteyam had brought you to only days prior, your eyes clenched in frustration as you tried again.
"oil ngatee kameee," the simple phrase of 'I see you' fell from your lips as you groaned in your throat. You were never going to get it, they sounded slurred together and it was hard to understand.
Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and tried again, "oel ngati kameie," this time it sounded better, but you really had to think and enunciate with your lips.
Head falling into your hands, you felt a few tears slip out. Why did Neteyam choose you? There are better girls, ones who weren't at a disadvantage like you were.
Standing up, you turned to see Neteyam right behind you.
You gasped inwardly, taking a few steps back. Neteyam only stared at you with a inquiring look, but you could see the hurt in his eyes too.
'I'm sorry,' you signed, looking down so your bohemian knotless braids covered your face. You couldn't face him. 'I'll leave now,' you made to scurry past him when he grabbed your hand, your breath hitching as you were frozen in place.
He carefully walked around to face you, his face looking solem at your stiff body. 'Why?' He questioned, you feeling tears staring to build up. 'Many girls better than me,' you answered, his shocked expression taking you off guard. 'No one is better than you, I only want you, now and forever,' he signed passionately, your tears streaming down your face as you shook your head.
'I sound like a baby, I cannot talk like an adult,' you desperately tried to get him to see, but he only shook his head at you.
'I have never heard your voice, but your quiet huff bring music to my ears. My heart yearns for yours so that they may beat together. Make their own sound, together. As one," Neteyam emphasized, never seeing you look so down heartened as you did right now.
Lo'ak had finally cracked and told him that you'd been practicing your voice and speech so that you could be better. Better for him. When all Neteyam wanted was you. He was so lost these last few days, never seeing you and his thoughts running wild on why you rejected him.
'Please, I stand here with my heart for you. I only want you, (Y/n)," he whispered, pressing his forehead to yours, his eyes closed in pain as he wished you could see yourself how he does.
"Neteyam," you whispered, his eyes shooting open as your lips twitched. "Yes," you said answered, his face changing rapidly between emotions.
"Y-yes? Yes you'll be my mate?!" He exclaimed, his eyes turning glossy as he realized you'd just spoken to him. You laughed and nodded, Neteyam cackling as he picked you up and spun you around.
"She said yes!" He yelled out, both of you now laughing like idiots as he fell back, both of you landing in the sand.
You rolled over, lips connecting with his with urgency as he gave it right back. Both of you in each other's embrace, fitting perfect together like a puzzle.
'I love you,(Y/n)' he signed, eyes filled with adoration cause you to smile back shyly, "I love you, Neteyam,"
Even though Neteyam had given you the blessing of being able to hear, the most beauitful sound you'd ever heard was his voice.
You couldn't wait to listen to it for the rest of your life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@eywas-heir @jimfiqs @minkyungseokie
@bealone-prm @thecrazyswamp
@he110hon @urforevermore
@iikatsukii
Hear Me
Neteyam x Metkayina!F!Deaf!Reader
Summary: Neteyam thought you were the most beauitful thing in the world, yet you never seemed to respond to him.
Warning: Reader is Deaf!, Fluff, Angst (went you squint)
*not my best work, I've just had this in my head for the last few days and needed to get some form of it out*
When you had been born, the first child of Tonowari and Ronal, a great celebration had been held. They sang songs of what you would accomplish in the future, praised your name to Eywa for a blessing of a child. It didn't take long for your parents to notice you were, different.
You never reacted when someone approached or called your name. You never flinched from loud noises, only when something jumped out or you turned to suddenly see something you didn't know.
Your speech was different too, only able to make simple noises than actually talk. Able to communicate through the Clans Sign Language, but never completely with words.
Ronal prayed to Eywa for an answer, visiting the Spirit Tree to seek help. Only for a vision of silence to flash behind her eyes when she had made the connection to the tree.
You were deaf. Eywa blessed you with many things, beauty, grace, compassion and kindness.
But not the ability to hear.
Never able to hear the beautiful songs of the Tulkun, never to sing in tune with your brothers and sisters, yet you were an amazing dancer.
It took many months and years of everyday practice and routine for you and your clan to adjust to you. What you lacked in hearing, you made up in sight and touch.
You could feel the slightest change in area, quick to take others down with a elegance to it that had many young Na'vi boys swooning. You could feel the vibrations in the sand, the netting, the water. Able to change course and react before something happens.
When the day of the Sully's arrival had happened, you had been out on the Ilus with your sister, Tsireya. You lounged in the water, eyes closed as you felt the waves caress your body before shadows flashed your eyelids, eyes opening to see five Ikran's flying overhead to the main village.
Reya motioned for your attention, your eyes meeting her figure as she signed to you, 'We must hurry, they've signaled an arrival'
You nodded, connecting with your Ilu and both of you racing to the beach front. Exiting the water, you noticed six dark blue Na'vi standing there.
Reya seemed to have caught the attention of the second oldest son, his eyes quickly averting from her figure. You smiled, nudging her slightly as you made your way through the crowd that had gathered.
Many men and boys quickly moved aside for you, a smile in return you graced them.
Your brother Ao'nung had been pointing at them with a cocky smirk on his face, his friend Rotxo laughing along. Although, you could only tell he was laughing from the way his shoulders and diaphragm moved.
Feeling that it was something bad being said, you went between the both of them, slapping the sides of their arms as a warning. Reya had also slapped them, both boys quickly stopping their verbal assault.
You made eye contact with the oldest boy, a Na'vi around your age. His eyes were so bright, you could see the flecks of gold against the yellow. He made a gesture of hello, you smiling and slightly nodding your head in acknowledgement.
Your Father's sudden appearance beside you made you slightly jump, too caught up in the boy to notice the sand shifting beside you.
Meeting his face, his eyes read for you to back up so you did, your Mother soon making her way to the crowd aswell.
You could only watch as the exchange happened, the father of the other group seeming to plead with your own father. Ronal poked and prodded at the family, pulling the second sons hands into the air to show his five fingers.
Looking to Reya for help, she simply signed, 'They seek to stay, wanting refuge with us' causing you to become confused, your eyes narrowing toward the group. What could be happening that forest Na'vi come here of all places?
Seeing your father and mother start to dismiss them, you reached out for your fathers arm, his eyes snapping to you, your Mother also looking intently as you signed one thing.
'Help' and gestured to the family.
Your parents made eye contact, seeming to understand. They turned back to the other family, nodding and exchanging words before addressing the rest of the clan.
Your Father gestured to your siblings, his hand coming onto your shoulders as you assumed he introduced you. You smiled, slightly bowing your head in greeting.
Your brother of course didn't like whatever was being said, stepping forward to speak out but your father quickly shut him down.
'Show them the way' he told you, Reya grabbing your hand and leading the family away.
You glided next to your sister it seemed, your eyes casting out to the open blue water, the air gently touching your cheeks as the wind blew. Neteyam wondered about you.
You haven't said anything, yet you and your family communicated using, hands? It confused him, water Na'vi. Tsireya had explained to them how and when things would happen, she was the only one talking to them out of the pair of siblings.
Maybe you were just being nice? Nice hello gesture and that's it? You wouldn't talk to them, would look at them. We're you freaked out of their "Demon Blood"? Was being a different type of Na'vi really that off putting?
"Here we are, I hope its to your liking," Tsireya smiled, stopping at the new home of the Sullys, you accidently bumping into her as you hadn't been watching where you were going. You laughed silently, a hand on her back as an apology.
"Lessons begin this afternoon! I hope you all settle quickly," Tsireya bid goodbye, taking your hand and motioning for you to follow. You waved goodbye to the family and followed your younger sister, both of you a vision of beauty in the sunlight.
~.~
You had already been down in the water when you felt the splashes nearby, turning to see your siblings and Rotxo dive in, swimming over to you. You greeted them, looking past to see the Forest Na'vi trying to follow but kept going up to the surface.
The four of you were confused so you followed them up, motioning to them confused. They began to talk, but you waved your hands, unable to hear them.
Tsireya came up, asking for you aloud what was wrong and why they weren't just breathing.
The youngest sibling, a little girl, struggled to keep up so you took it upon yourself to help steady her in the water, the oldest boy watching you closely with Tuk.
Tuk began to thank you, your eyes meeting Rotxo who was closer, 'Tuk says thank you,' you smiled at the girl as Rotxo told her she was welcome. Tuk and Neteyam looked at eachother, both confused on why you wouldn't answer yourself.
Neteyam and Lo'ak had told them they didn't understand anything they were doing. "What is this...finger, hand motion thing you guys do? We have no clue, yet you always speak it, especially with her," Gesturing to you who was spinning Tuk in a circle in the water, the youngest one laughing in joy. You didn't acknowledge them, even though you were the center of the conversation now.
"Don't bring her into this," Ao'nung growled, teething baring. "I will teach you, as will (Y/n), believe me, you'll learn it quick with her," Tsireya assured, splashing water at you to gain attention.
You stopped, Tuk giggling as you turned to face them. Eyes dashing at each of the siblings, they all just stared making you nervous. Did you miss something important? Were you supposed to say something?
Ao'nung waved you off with a soft smile, making you return it. Your Father appeared on the shoreline, waving his hand to signal for you.
Letting out a yell in acknowledgement, you handed Tuk off to Neteyam. His eyes stayed trained on you as you swam off, your body cutting through the water like a sharp knife, but yet it didn't disturb the water. The water seemed to bend around your body.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Tsireya asked, smiling at Neteyam, "yeah," he trailed off before realizing what he just said outloud. "I mean, for a water Na'vi," he added quickly, Kiri rolling her eyes at her stupid brother.
'Morons, all of them,' she thought.
"So why doesn't she respond?" Lo'ak asked, his eyebrows contorting in confusion.
Ao'nung and Tsireya shared a look, Rotxo simply shaking his head.
"That is not our information to share, but please be patient with her," Tsireya pleaded, her big eyes making Lo'ak melt, "she is very bright and smart, but please, just be patient as you learn more about her,"
The Sully siblings looked at eachother before confirming with a nod to the water Na'vi.
~.~
Neteyam stared at you from a distance, you currently teaching some of the younger children how to dance. The way your hands moved, elegantly and flowing, like water. A smile on your face, eyes focusing on a child who grabbed your attention, their hands moving. You did it back, again, no verbal reply.
"Is there a reason you're staring at the Olo'eyktan's daughter?" His father gained Neteyam's attention back, his eyes wide. "I wasn't staring at her," Neteyam replied, looking back down at the fish they were currently gutting and cleaning for dinner.
"I mean I can see why, your age, beautiful, good with kids, anything else you wanna add?" Jake joked, Neteyam feeling his face get warm. "He hasn't said a word to her," Kiri chirped, Neteyam glaring with sharp eyes, his teeth bared in warning.
"Oh? Now you're telling me my oldest son can't talk to a girl?" Jake pressured, Neytiri sending him a look, a look to tread lightly.
"Its not that, it's that she never responds," Neteyam clarified, but he knew it really was because he was worried to talk to her.
"That's cause she's-" Neytiri slapped a hand over her mates mouth, her eyes basically shutting him up.
"She's to tell them, not you," Neytiri warned, Jake nodding, Neytiri releasing him.
~.~
At the clans dinner, many banged drums and danced to the beat. Chanting and singing drawled out into the night sky, footsteps marking in the sand by a large bonfire.
At the center of it was you, your head bobbing as you felt the vibrations through the sand, your feet and your spirit. Tsireya beside you as you guided her through the movements, her eyes suddenly catching the oldest son, turning you toward him and motioning for you to grab him.
You did just that, teething gleaming from a smile as you grabbed his hand, gesturing for him to come dance. "No thanks," he tried, but you just pulled him up and dragged him out to the sand.
"No, (Y/n), I don't dance!" He tried to explain but you just carried on, smiling and waving at him to join. He was soon grabbed by other Na'vi who had started a dance circle, hands and arms linked as they jumped and chanted. You laughed, a weird chortle but Neteyam could only grin back.
When the ceremonies had started to die down, you grabbed his hand and gestured him to follow, his eyes trying to find his family to see if they were watching him slip away.
"So where are we going?" He questioned, of course you didn't hear, you just kept running through the bushes, leading him somewhere special.
"Is there a reason you never respond?" He tried again, still nothing.
Finally having enough of a one way conversation, he grabbed your hand, stopping the movement going forward. You turned, face showing confusion.
"Where are we going?" He annunciated slowly, you waving your hands, pointing to your ears.
"What? If you're listening then reply," he urged, frustration growing. You hummed, trying again.
'I can't hear you,' you signed, but he only groaned, eyes rolling. "What are you saying," he growled, angry at himself and you. This was all so annoying.
You took his hands, placing them on your ears and pushing them down. "What you don't wanna listen? Don't wanna hear?" He raided an eyebrow, you looking at him with a quirked eyebrow, hinting at something.
He just shrugged, so you placed your hands on his ears, smashing them down. "Ow! Now I can't hear-" it dawned on him, mouth dropping open as his eyes stared into yours.
All this time you hadn't meant to ignore or be rude. You were oblivious or an airhead. You just couldn't hear. He grabbed your hands softly, bringing them off his head and holding them close to his chest as you both stared at each other.
'Understand?' You signed, Neteyam still struggling to figure out all the signs your clan had but nodded slowly, almost like he knew what you did say.
"You can't hear? Nothing?" You had learned to read lips a little over the years so you briefly nodded, Neteyam looking at you in a different light.
He'd always thought you were beautiful to begin with. Your smile alone could distract him, make him weak in the knees. The way you cared for your clan and his family even, made him feel warm inside. Of course, not many words were expressed between you two, but he couldn't help an attraction, a pull almost, towards you.
You could say the same. His strength that was displayed everyday was very invigorating, his protectiveness over his family made you feel safe as well. The way he seemed to go with the flow even if he didn't want to reminded you of water. The softness of his hands squeezing yours brought you out of your day dream.
He smiled at you, your eyes bright with warmth as he allowed you to continue the way you had been trying to go moments before.
Coming to a open pool of water, hundreds of jelly like fish swam. All glowing bright, iridescent colors.
Neteyam looked around in awe, turning to you in amazement as you let out a chortle, him finding it the most beautiful sound ever.
He watched the way your skin glowed in the light of the fish, your eyes reflecting both the light and the night sky. 'Beautiful' he signed, one thing he did remember from Tsireyas instruction earlier.
You felt your face grow warm, suddenly bashful under his gaze as you looked downward. Many boys had told you you were pretty, but hearing it from Neteyam, a boy from another clan. Someone who had just stayed learning your ways was different. It made you feel nervous, yet excited.
He reached his hand out, cupping your chin to make your eyes met again. "Don't hide from me," he grinned, you not hearing his words but felt the love behind them from his hand on your face that you leaned into as it moves up to your cheek, cradling you softly.
"I know you can't hear me," he let go of your face, his turning inward as he tried to remember everything Tsireya taught him earlier. "I see you, (Y/n)" he gestured, you suddenly beaming as you titled your head giddy like.
"I see you, Neteyam," you signed back, his arm coming around you to pull you in close. Maybe you couldn't hear his words, but you sure did feel them.
Stoop I'm hurting right now 😭 let them have their love
Aonung x Omatikayan!Fem!Reader
Summary – You and Ao'nung fail miserably at trying to stay away from each other, unfortunately, that means your parents are quick to notice...
Contains: complex parental relationships, heavy development on platonic/family relationships, fluff, angst, Avatar TWOW spoilers (i feel like thats obvious but wtv)
Word count: 5.8k (I'm a few days late so i panicked a wrote a lot...)
pt.1 & pt.2
Will probably do one or two more parts :))
(the song will come in later :) )
You opted out of lessons for the day, honestly you haven’t needed them for a while, you just liked being with the group, but now you and Ao’nung have a facade to keep up. You sat in the Marui weaving the necklace, even though you were frustrated with Neteyam right now, you still wanted to make this.
You’re sure that these projects shouldn’t take this long, but it was your first one, so you gave yourself some grace.
"So this is where you’ve been hiding out all day?” You look up to see Lo’ak standing at the entrance. You rolled your eyes, “Yeah, unliked someone, I can afford to miss a few lessons” you teased.
He threw his side bag at you, causing you to laugh, before he sat down across from you. “Ao’nung looked like a lost puppy without you around” he quipped; you resisted the urge to smile. “And you’re over here pouting like a child.” you rolled your eyes again
“I am not pouting, I am wishing that you would leave me be.” You kicked at him and he put his hands in the air.
“All right all right, I won't bother you anymore.” He laughed, dodging your kicks, but you landed one on his chest which pushed him on his back. “You are the meanest sister Y/n” he grumbled as you laughed.
-
It was hard to ignore Ao’nung, he was always around, and he did kind of look like a lost puppy... usually you would banter or explore the reef together, but now he stuck with Rotxo and you with Neteyam and Kiri. Stealing glances at each other and finding flowers in ‘out of the ordinary’ places became a routine, as did meeting at the edge of the reef every night.
You’re sure that your family is growing suspicious of your nightly disappearances by now, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to care.
Lying on the rocks stargazing with Ao’nung quickly became what you looked forward to everyday. You talked about anything and everything, life in the forest, growing up in the reef, family. Whatever you could talk about, you would.
“Our parents talked to each other about us.” Ao’nung stated, you sat up and looked at him, confusion splayed across your face. “Apparently, we are a ‘bad influence’ on each other...” he smirked
Ao’nung stayed lying on his back. You furrowed your brows, “But we haven’t even spoken to each other for days, at least in front of others”
“Your parents say I've caused you to be too moody” He laughed, you rolled your eyes and smacked his chest.
“Well, what about you lover boy? What bad influence have I had on you?” you teased, getting close to his face.
Hs smile dropped and he looked away awkwardly, before you could question it you noticed a dark spot on his cheek. With how dark it was, you hadn't noticed until you were this close. You grabbed his face and turned it to get a better look, he protested but you had already seen it.
“Ao’nung is this a bruise?” You questioned urgently, you looked him in the eyes, but he kept them averted. You frowned “Ao’nung...” you pleaded.
He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck, “I uh...” you nodded for him to continue. “Mom and dad say that you’ve caused me to get into too many fights...”
This was the first you were hearing of this... “What are you talking about?” you moved closer, placing a hand on his bruised cheek “Does this have to do with my brothers?” you asked, ready to chew out the sully that couldn’t butt out of your business.
“No no it’s not them” he sighed, pausing for a moment. “There were some guys talking about you and Kiri and... well they weren’t being respectful” you didn’t want to know what he meant by that. “I don’t know, I tried to ignore it, but they started asking me questions about you and-” he gestured to his face.
You frowned and cupped his face in your hands, “Atleast they look worse” he added, amused. You rolled your eyes.
“You do not have to defend me, we’re supposed to be mad at each other remember?” You sat back and he leaned forward.
“I know but I couldn’t just let them talk like that about you and your sister...” he was only inches away from your face, you smiled. He went from being what you needed to be defended from from, to being the defender.
If you had told yourself a year ago that you’d be sneaking around and lying to your family for some boy who almost got your brother killed, she’d be feeding your head to your mothers ikran…
“Well please be careful next time” you placed a kiss on the bruise “now it's not just my brother against us...”
He smiled and grabbed your wrists, pulling you forward as he laid back down. You landed on his chest, a chuckle escaping your throat before you nestled into his side, arm wrapped around you. You could hear his heart beating, this was the closest you had ever been, you swore you could have fallen asleep like this.
-
You didn’t talk about Spider much, aside from conversations with Kiri and Jake comforting you, it was a touchy subject. Neytiri always tried to hide her scowl when he came up in conversation, Neteyam and Lo’ak didn’t have much to say other than they missed him. It was like he was supposed to be forgotten.
You knew he wasn’t technically a part of the family, he was raised by the lab guys, but so were you. The more you thought about it, the more it bothered you. Spider was your brother, and they just kind of brushed off your worry about him.
“He is human. He will be fine” Neytiri would always say. Neteyam and Lo’ak repeating the same sentiment, just more sympathetic and reassuring.
What If I was the one that got caught?
You wanted to ask them, but you were scared, of their reaction, their answer... so you didn’t.
But you wondered, and the more you did, the more you came to the conclusion that they probably wouldn’t have done much to get you back. You know that you're not the same as Spider, but how would Jake and Neytiri view it?
It was useless thinking about it, harmful even, you knew that, but you couldn’t help it. So you found yourself spending more time with Kiri, she was the only one who could understand the heartbreak you harbored over your brother's capture.
Out in broad daylight it was hard to have a private conversation in such a bustling village, so Kiri called for her ikran and held out her hand for you to mount after her. You raised a brow questioningly but took her hand before she had to explain.
Before you knew it, you were flying above the village, circling as you closed your eyes and breathed in the air. It had been so long since you’d flown, spending most of your time swimming or in the Marui. Kiri did a few more laps before landing atop the mountains on the island, the view of the trees was somewhat nostalgic...
“I thought you’d like it up here” She commented, placing her hand on your shoulder as you both sat on the edge, legs dangling far above ground.
“I don’t know why I never thought of this” you breathed, your shoulders relaxing, you didn't even know you were tense.
“Well, you were a little distracted” she bumped her shoulder against yours, you swatted her away, blushing.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” you denied, and she laughed
“I am not dumb sister. Our brothers may not notice the looks he gives you but sooner or later they will” she smirks, leaning in closer. You look away and continue to deny her accusations, it grows quiet for a second and your mind drifts back to spider, Kiri notices your change in demeanor.
“Y/n you know I was just teasing you right?” she offers, placing her hand on your shoulder. you shake your head “No I know Kiri, I just...” placing your hand over hers “I miss my brother...” you whisper.
She breathes out and scoots closer, you lay your head on her shoulder and she moves both your hands to the ground, still holding onto each other. “I know, I do too.” Is all she says, she doesn’t try to overcompensate or comfort you about how he’ll be fine, she just understands.
That’s what you always liked about Kiri, even when you were upset over something stupid or didn’t even understand your own feelings, she listened and understood. You were both adopted by the Sullys with scientist mothers loyal to the Na’vi, granted, Kiri was adopted from birth and had her mothers recording to connect with, but the fact still remains that theres more than just being ‘family’ connecting you.
“I remember when we were little and he’d always try and carry you around” She started, “Norm and Max didn’t trust him, but you begged and begged to go outside, they could never say no to you.” you giggled at the memory.
“Of course, Neteyam and Lo’ak would start arguing about how they’d be better fit to carry you” she drawled, you could practically hear how she rolled her eyes.
“And I'd get so sick of it that I'd just end up running off or getting carried by you.” you added.
“Lo’ak would complain that you were slowing us down but back home he’d whine to mom about not being the one to look after you” she giggled
“I still don’t get why it was such a big deal” You mumbled
“You were curious about the world, you took it all in like you were one with it” Kiri explained “Max was so protective though, you barely got any time out, so when you did, we didn’t want anything happening that could confine you back to the lab” she played with the ends of your hair as she spoke. “And none of us trusted the others to not mess it up.”
You thought for a moment before sitting up and laughing “So all of that was just a way to one up each other?” you threw your head back “No wonder you guys kept it going when I became Na’vi”
She laughs with you, “Your brothers are all stupid” she states, playfully punching your shoulder “And old habits die hard, I don’t think Neteyam ever gave up”
You smiled “Teyam is...” you thought for a moment “my twin. I might just have to get used to it” you shrugged, a grin spreading across both your faces.
“Well, if you ever need a moment to not be used to it” She leaned in “I think I'm the only one who knows about this place” she whispers playfully, like she’s telling you a secret in a crowd of people, before winking.
You lamely stuck out your tongue as she snickered. Before anything else could be said, the horn that signals the return of dinner hunters sounded, you looked at each other before getting up and mounting her Ikran.
-
You decided to sit with Lo’ak in one of the village dinner circles, you’re not sure why, but you were surprised to see Tsireya and Ao’nung among the group. You were almost directly across from Ao’nung, and it was hard to resist scooting closer to him.
“Can he stop ogling at you?” Lo’ak leans in to ask, you roll your eyes “Maybe when you stop ogling his sister”
He scrunches his nose “I’m just saying it's weird, you guys have been at each other's throats for days and now he can’t keep his eyes off of you?” He questions, raising his brows, his argument is reasonable, but you’d rather not encourage him. You just shrug and go back to tearing up your fish to eat.
“Hey maybe he’s into that” He adds, jabbing his elbow into your side.
You whip your head around to him, eyes widened, mouth agape, a sound of disbelief escaping your mouth. He only laughs and picks up a piece of your fish, placing it in your mouth and closing it with his hand.
You spit the food at him, and it was your turn to laugh as he frowned at you. Tsireya laughed at the interaction between you two and Lo’ak’s scowl fell into a bashful smile as they shared glances at eachother. You made eye contact with Rotxo and Ao’nung, you rolled your eyes as they smirked at Lo’ak’s awkward crush.
“Maybe I ought to tell her you’re into that huh?” you chuckled into his ear, bringing back his scowl, he flipped you off before swatting you away.
You spent dinner chatting away with the Metkayina your age, and Lo’ak reminding you multiple times to “eat or your food will get cold” or a finger in front of your lips that pointed down to your food as soon as you stopped talking.
Tsireya complimented you on your tweng, sparking a conversation on weaving and accessories. You shared stories of the different bracelets and additions to your necklace, how you helped Neytiri weave Tuk’s first clothes, and when she outgrew them Neytiri wove a piece of it into your necklace before it was repurposed.
She showed you the beads from her first underwater ceremony she performed under her mother, with this, others joined in. Rotxo telling the story of the bones on his necklace, Lo’ak showed off the teeth of his first kill in the forest, Tsireya listening intently. Ao’nung spoke of the beads on his armband and the giant tooth woven into his necklace. the one he took off and insisted you wear while together just the night before.
The conversation was lively and shifted from topic to topic, until some started to yawn and parents came to collect their children, until only a few of you were left. Rotxo and Ao’nung shoved at each other as Tsireya and Lo’ak were immersed in a conversation about the forest, others continued their conversations. You stared up to the sky before a smile fell on your lips and stood up.
You walked around the group, as you passed by Ao’nung you flicked his back with your tail. You kept walking but glanced back and made eye contact with him, you smiled and continued to the shoreline on the other side of the village. You sat in the sand drawing for a few minutes before you heard him coming.
“Took you long enough” you teased, standing up to be face to face with him.
“I didn’t want to be too obvious” He twirled the hair that framed your face with his finger. Grinning, you took a step back.
“I think it’s a little unfair” You drawled, taking slow steps backwards, “That i've learned to swim” with every step you took back, he took one forward. You stopped and you were face to face again “but you haven't learned to fly”
His face dropped; your grin only grew wider.
You resisted the urge to yell as you shot through the air, Ao’nung’s hands holding onto your hips tightly. It was dark but not so dark that you couldn’t see, you flew out past the village and reef. Tsyía cried out, it had probably been a while since she had stretched her wings like this. A smile etched onto your face as you soared through the air. Last time you were over the ocean you were filled with dread, now all you can feel exhilaration.
You couldn’t help the cheers and laughter that escaped you as you accelerated, the waves below you crashed into each other, the sound reminding you of thunder, spraying water on your skin. Slowly you ascend upwards, the ocean now far below you.
“How ya doing back there fishlips?” you smirked.
“I’ll be fine as long as we don't faAA-” you cut him when Tsyía jerked down suddenly, leveling just above the ocean and tilting to the side so the tip of her wing could glide against the water. You laughed as his grip tightened and he jumped closer to you. When he realized what you did, he smacked you on the side of the head.
You snickered “Don’t worry, I won't let you fall” you titled your head back to look at him, delighted look on your face. He still looked uneasy, but he nodded with a smile, he placed his hand on your thigh and wrapped his other arm completely around your waist.
Admittedly, the position was much more secure and comfortable, but you shifted, his skin on yours felt like fire compared to the cool air nipping at you.
You leaned forward more as Tsyía started to circle, not wanting to stray too far from the village. You let your body hang towards the sea as she started to tilt, the circles getting tighter, spurring on her speed. You laughed, thrill and adrenaline buzzing through your veins.
As Tsyía twisted to the point you were almost upside down, out of the corner of your eye you saw Ao’nung reach down and graze the surface of the water with his fingers. Thank Eywa you secured both of you to the saddle.
You noticed it was starting to get late, so you decided it was time to start heading back to the village, a shame since Ao’nung had just started to let loose. You evened out and made a steady pace back to the reef.
Your head fell back resting on Ao’nungs chest as you looked down at the ocean.
“It’s beautiful, isn't it?” You hummed, listening to his heart as it beat steadily.
“I can only wonder what the forest looks like” he pressed his lips to the side of your head. “You must show me one day” he whispered.
A smile grew on your face, you nodded, breathing in the air as it whipped against your face.
As you landed on a secluded part of the beach, you prepared to dismount but Ao’nung beat you to it. He stood to your side, wordlessly he held your hips in his hands and lifted you off and onto the ground, your hands landing on his shoulders for stability.
You pouted, insisting you could do it yourself but he simply laughed, leaning into whisper in your ear “I know.”
-
You weren't there when Kiri had her seizure, Neytiri and Ronal had taken through the island to collect difference herbs and plants, you ignored Ronal’s subtle remarks about you being too clumsy or ungraceful, it took another kind of patience to calm your mother so she wouldn’t attack the pregnant Tsahik.
You were sorting what you had collected when Neteyam and Rotxo came rushing into the Marui with Kiri in their arms, Jake not far behind them already making a call to the biolab. Before you could ask what happened, or even get a good look at your sister, you were ushered out of the Marui.
You stayed close to the entrance, peaking your ear in, you heard Neteyam explaining to Neytiri that she had a seizure under water.
That’s when you started to hyperventilate. Lo’ak noticed but Ao’nung was the first to act, pulling you into his arms and speaking to you softly, repeating instructions from your breathing lessons. His voice low and firm.
You weren’t calm at all, but you had your breathing under control now. Lo’ak placed a hand on your shoulder, telling you that the lab guys would be here soon, and Kiri would be fine.
It didn’t take long for Norm and Max to run their analysis, but Neytiri had grown impatient and brought Ronal to take over, trusting her position as Tsahik over any human technology. As they walked out of the Marui you perked up and ran over to them.
“Spell! Pa!” You called out to them. Growing up everyone called Max ‘Dr Patel’ and Norm ‘Spellman’, you of course being so young, couldn’t pronounce it and settled on just the ‘Spell’ and ‘Pa’ part. No one ever corrected you, so you never really grew out of it.
They turned around, their mood immediately changing once they saw you. Norm, being in his avatar, picked you up by the armpits and swung you around before placing you on the ground for a hug. “Birdie! How are ya kid?”
Just like how your brother was given his nickname because of how much he crawled around, you were called Birdie because of how you supposedly ‘squawked’ as a baby, you're just glad it didn’t stick like Spider’s did.
Max placed a hand on your arm before pulling you in for a hug, ironic how now you were the taller one.
“I’m good, just worried about Kiri” You pulled away they looked at you sympathetically. “Don’t worry kid, she’s gonna be fine”
You let them both place a kiss on your forehead before retreating to the Marui so they could talk with your dad. As you took your place next to Lo’ak, both he and Ao’nung were giving you amused looks.
“Birdie” They both questioned in unison, you rolled your eyes. “Something neither of you have the privilege of calling me” you state as you flick Lo’ak forehead.
Before either of them can say anything else, you hear Tuk exclaim that Kiri was awake. You peak inside to see your mother holding her hand, Tuk leaning over her, as she starts to cry.
It breaks your heart; you want nothing but to rush in and comfort her but you know she needs space, so you stay back. Lo’ak frowns the same as you rubs your shoulder saying he was right, that she is ok.
You lean back into Ao’nung’s chest as you gaze at your sister, he wraps his arms around you, placing his chin on your shoulder. You were to wrapped up in your sisters distress that you didn’t notice Ronal walking out of the Marui until she stopped in her place, glaring at your display.
“Son.” her voice is cold, Ao’nung jerks his head up, his ears immediately dropping. She doesn’t say anything, she doesn’t even acknowledge you, she just coldly glared at Ao’nung before nodding for him to follow her.
Wordlessly he lets go of you, he gives you an apologetic look before following his mother.
You can tell your heart is only going to break even further...
-
“What did I tell you son?!” His mother barked, he held his head down, his fists clenching.
“You do not reprimand Tsireya for hanging out with Lo’ak!” He points out.
“Tsireya is not starting fights and slacking on her work because of him.” His mother hisses. She circles around him, picking up his hand to show him his bruised knuckles. “That girl is inept, her connection to Eywa scant.”
He frowns “You cannot know that mother-!” “Do not talk back boy.” She cuts him off.
He helplessly looks to his father who has been observing the whole time, he sighs and stands up. “Ronal, dear, you are being hard on the boy”
“I am talking sense into him. He has already made a fool of us; I will not let the son of the Olo’eyktan court a forest girl when our Tsakarem is already a fool for the forest boy.” she snarled. Ao’nung dug his nails into his palms.
“They have come here to learn our ways and become reef people” Tonowari calmly stated, Ronal narrowed her eyes.
“You let them into our clan and now you let our children mingle with them.” Her voice was steady. “If it weren’t for Tsireya, that girl would be considered an option for Tsahik?”
“Mother! It is not like that” Ao’nung defends
She turns her attention back to him, hissing “I have seen you two, do not think your midnight escaped have gone unnoticed.”
Shit.
Ao’nung looked down, embarrassment coursing through his body.
“I have stayed quiet but I will no longer. Stay away from her.” She hisses before turning and leaving the Marui.
Ao’nung stands there, words caught in his throat. Tonowari places a hand on his shoulder. “Listen to your mother, son.”
-
You tried to not cry when Ao’nung didn’t show up that night, you knew it was probably his mother, but you still couldn’t help the shame and betrayal that stung at your heart. You waited for hours, you twirled the last flower he gifted you between your finger, the petals falling off wilted.
When you showed up at the pod in the middle of the night, tears running down your face, arms wrapped around yourself, you were surprised to see Neteyam and Kiri up. They were whispering about something, probably her seizure, but as soon as they saw you, it was long forgotten.
They soothed you and help you close as you cried, they didn’t ask what happened, they could probably guess pretty easily, they just cradled you until you fell asleep in their arms. Your face buried against Neteyam’s chest; Kiri’s arms wrapped around your middle.
You felt guilty for interrupting their conversation but the next morning they insisted it wasn’t a problem, that they were glad you came to them. So you spent your entire morning huddled in the corner of the Marui with Kiri, neither of you having the energy to socialize.
Maybe you were being dramatic but you really didn’t want to face Ao’nung or Ronal.
You and Kiri had talked about her seizure, how he was sure it was because of the questions she asked her mother, but that was it. You fell into a comfortable silence until Tuk can barreling in.
“Kiri! Y/n! C’mon you have to come see!!” She squeals, jumping up and down in the entrance. When neither of you seemed receptive, she came in and started dragging the both of you. Kiri protested until She got a glimpse of what was happening in the reef.
“The Tulkun are here!!” Tuk yelled. You stared in awe at the giant creatures filling the reef. Kiri and Tuk both jumped into the water, ready to meet the Tulkun, but you simply walked to the edge of the dock gaping at the sight.
“Y/n” you heard him say your name, you looked down nervously to see Ao’nung on his ilu in the water under you. “I am sorry about last night but please” he reached his hand out to you “Come meet my spirit brother” The apology in his eyes is genuine, you could tell it had pained him how you were visibly hurt and on edge.
Hesitantly, you took his hand and he pulled you down, quickly grabbing a hold of you to place you on the back of his ilu. His hand braced your thigh as he sped off into the crowd of Tulkun. You watched in amazement, the creatures circling far below and bonding with the Metkayina.
A Tulkun jumped out of the water, twisting as it fell back in, the children watching laughing and trying to copy the movement.
“There he is!” He exclaimed “My spirit brother!” He quickened his pace until a Tulkun broke the surface, stopping you both.
“Omui!” Ao’nung grinned “How are you” he placed his hand next to the Tulkun’s front eye. Omui responded with a noise that you couldn’t understand and Ao’nung laughed. “I have been fine, mother and father think I have caused too much trouble though” He signed as he spoke.
The Tulkun made another noise before it’s eyes shifted to you, you tensed up.
Ao’nung patted your thigh, “I want to introduce you to Y/n, she is a girl I have met...” His shy grin explaining more than his words, you blushed equally as hard.
Another noise was made, and you leaned closer to Ao’nung. “I have no idea what he is saying” you admitted
He grins at Omui before looking back at you “He says you are beautiful, that I have fine taste” you feel as if a volcano erupted in your face, a hand coming up to hide your shy smile.
Nervously you signed back “Thank you, you are just as beautiful” He cried out again with what you can only guess was amusement.
You laughed as Omui and Ao’nung shared stories with each other, slowly you started to understand the Tulkun. Tsireya and Lo’ak swam by to greet Omui, briefly talking about you and Ao’nung right in front of you.
You reached over an smacked Lo’ak every time he or Tsireya made a comment about it, ignoring his complaints of getting punished for what Tsireya says.
The rest of the day was spent celebrating, telling stories, and dancing. The music was played from the beach, many Na’vi joining in with their instruments and singing. Many danced atop the Tulkun, there were obviously more experienced dancers, as the seemed to be the focus, but plenty simply danced with each other song to song.
Tsireya and Rotxo insisted on you and your siblings joining them in a group dance. You weren’t completely clueless, as many of the songs and dances had been performed at feasts and other small celebrations, but you and Lo’ak still stumbled and ran into each other continuously, bickering about who’s fault it was.
Often you and Neteyam took turns dancing with Tuk, she jumped around with no regard to the beat or rhythm, until Kiri swept her up in her arms once she was tired out. This left you and Neteyam together, he clearly found amusement in how uncoordinated you were, but he always caught you and was patient when helping you stay with the beat when you fumbled.
Neteyam laughed as he watched the the dismay on your face when Ao’nung and Rotxo pulled you all along in a dance the required hopping from Tulkun to Tulkun, and many seemingly advanced steps. You screeched as you fell an embarrassing amount of times, but Teyam always covered for you, ‘falling’ far less gracefully more than a few times or catching you.
You were dizzy and tired out by the time you made it back to Omui, falling into the water when Lo’ak and Rotxo made an abrupt stop. You groaned and stated you wouldn’t dance anymore, they picked at you for a bit but eventually dispersed, leaving only you and Ao’nung who sat on his ilu with you while you regained your energy.
As it got closer to night, more mellow, soothing songs were played. Ao’nung grinned and held out his hand as he stood on top of Omui, recognizing which song would come next.
“What if we are seen?” You whispered, hesitating to take his hand.
He glanced around before turning back to you, reaching his hand out further “Then we are seen.”
(Play the song now I think?)
And with that you placed your hand in his and he pulls you up, you glance around and realize you’re now farther to the back of the reef. He wraps his arm around your waist and holds your hand in his, slowly swaying you both to the music.
You kept glancing around as people started whistling to the song, instruments playing in the background, but your attention snapped to Ao’nung when he started softly singing the lyrics.
Wasn’t really thinking, wasn’t looking, wasn’t searching for an answer
You stared at him, he continued to grin as he swayed you to the music.
In the moonlight. When I saw your face...
You bit back a smile as he leaned in closer
Saw you looking at me, saw you peeking out from under moon beams
There were plenty of actual performers on the beach singing, but it felt like all you could hear was him. His eyes were completely fixated on you.
Through the palm trees, swaying in the breeze.
He dipped you, moving your hand to his chest as your head fell back, a laugh escaping your lips.
I know I'm feeling so much more than ever before
You held your head up but he kept you in the dipped position, his face now only inches away from yours.
And so I'm giving more to you than I thought I could do~
He pulled you so you were now standing up, he stepped back, now engulfing both your hands in his.
Don’t know how it happened don’t know why but you don’t really need a reason
He leaned closer, he brought one of your hands up to his lips and pressed a kiss to it, a grin spreading across his face. You giggle shyly, not wanting to look away.
When the stars shine
His fingers now intertwined with yours, your arms extended outwards in a slow fall to your sides,
Made to love each other, made to be together for a lifetime
He twirled you, not letting go of each other of your hands, so you were now locked in an embrace with his holding you from the back.
In the sunshine
His breath tickled your ear, causing you to giggle
Flying in the sky
He held you tighter and shook you gently, you laughed, your head falling back to rest on his shoulder
I know I'm feeling so much more than ever before
He slowly released you; he planted a hand on your waist as you turned around to face him again
And so I'm giving more to you than I thought I could do
He closed his eyes, getting into the song, leaning in closer.
He wrapped his arm around your waist again, taking your hand in his, swaying to the music. You stared at each other. His forehead rested against yours, as he twirled you, he placed a chaste kiss on it. You giggled as he continued to sway with you.
Now I know love Is real
You tilted you head so that your foreheads no longer touched, instead your noses did
You had heard this song once before; you could only remember the last few lines, so you softly sang back to him.
So when sky high as the angels try, leaving you and I,
Your lips were only inches apart as you whispered the last words to each other
Fly love...
You stared at each other for a few moments before Omui sprayed water out of his blow hole, interrupting the moment.
“Omui! Gross!” Ao’nung yelled, but you could only laugh, he turned to look at you, his frown softening as he watched you.
You swam back to the docks on his ilu when it got dark, your cheek pressed against his back, arms wrapped around his waist, his hand over yours. You could faintly hear his heartbeat, strong and steady.
“Ao’nung.” You jumped at the cold voice. You peaked from behind his shoulder to see both your parents standing on the dock, your parents looking at you disappointed, Ronal and Tonowari angry.
“Both of you.” The Tsahik pointed in the direction of her Marui “Now.”
Tsar Bomba
I went through everything once more in my mind. I was forced to go through it all over agin. The smell of smoke and burning flesh. The screams of anguish. The guy who kicked in our front door. The voice and the laugther of the madman who set mother ablaze...
Every. Single. Detail.
Picture Anger by BluDrgn426
Music Tsar Bomba by Avatar
© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016
Accompanying MASTERLIST
Dividers by @/thecutestgrotto
SHORT LIST, CHARACTERS BELOW: AVATAR, AVATAR: WAY OF WATER
Grace Augustine
Jake Sully
Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite
Norm Spellman
Trudy Chacón
Tsu'tey te Rongola Atey'itan
Aonung
Jake Sully
Kiri te Suli Kireysi'ite
Lo'ak te Suli Tsyeyk'itan
Miles ' Spider ' Socorro
Neteyam te Suli Tsyeyk'itan
Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite
Norm Spellman
Rotxo
Tsireya ' Reya '
Accompanying WHAT / WHO I WRITE FOR
Dividers by @/thecutestgrotto
SHORT LIST, LINKS BELOW: AVATAR, AVATAR: WAY OF WATER
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL AVATAR 2009 with a Human ! S/O who adores Christmas - Characters included: Jake Sully, Neytiri, Tsu'Tey
AVATAR : WAY OF WATER headcanons
AVATAR : WAY OF WATER with a Moth from Sky Children of the light - Prologue - Part 1 - Part 1.5
Rotxo x Metkayina reader
My Angst Avatar Way Of Water Headcanons
AVATAR : WAY OF WATER with a Human ! S/O who has psoriasis - Characters included : Neteyam, Lo'ak, Kiri, Ao'nung, Tsireya
- Spoilers ahead, trigger warning for death and a small suicide mention -
My Angst Avatar Way Of Water Headcanons
I'm sad and you will deal with the consequences
Last time it was languages, now it's the aftermath of Neteyam's death
Neytiri hates humans, she wishes they never came to Pandora in the first place. It keeps her up at night and causes never ending stress, a flurry of 'what ifs' while Jake sleeps soundly next to her. Her father, sister, Tsu'tey, would be in her sleep, blaming her for allowing a demon into her family. Neytiri believes without humans, her friends and family would be breathing and her clan prosperous. She wouldn't have Neteyam lifeless below her.
Jake hates his humanity, he tries so desperately to understand and sympathise with his fellow man, but flashes of Neteyams eyes frantically searching for help before losing their life, his ears relaxing when before they were twitching erratically forces him to be harsh. He will give second chances, after that, anyone who refuses to help the Na'vi is dead to him.
Kiri has images of Grace dying as nightmares, the failed body transfer replaying in her head at heightened points of stress, it's why she relaxes with nature, it let's everything leave. Just Kiri and her two mothers. When Neteyam died, she felt him at the funeral become one with Eywa. She hears his shallow last breaths in her heartbeat, and wishes she could hear his one last time.
Lo'ak can't look at his mother without seeing Neteyam, he tries, he really does. But everything about her reminds him of a brother he feels responsible for letting die. In the water he sees his brother being enveloped into the ocean, forcing Lo'ak to break the surface and cry, screaming and begging for help to save him. Sometimes he tries to drown with Neteyam, to see him again and make for lost time. For those arguments that broke them apart the last few months of his living.
In the early staging of grieving Neteyam, the Sully family sleep in his bed and cry themselves to sleep, hugging each other and begging for a miracle from Eywa. And while Neytiri would never admit it out loud, she began to doubt Eywa in those first few months, she believed that her great mother despised her for the destruction surrounding her and her family. The metkayina clan feels great pain and loss in the stages of grief, hearing their cries at night.
Ao'nung feels guilt about not getting to know the Sully's more, he tries to befriend them now and while they're so welcoming, he feels like he doesn't deserve it for what he did. For all he knows, Lo'ak could've been killed because of him. Even without the what ifs, he notices Neytiri and Jake never look him in the eye, they don't forgive him for what could've happened. It keeps him from speaking to them for too long, because he was responsible for Lo'ak's safety, and he used that against him.
Quaritch begins to have an identity crisis over who he even is. All he knows that even if he isn't Spiders dad, he wants to be better and feels regret for not being there. Although, he's far too deep now. Miles hates him, for good reason, but it stings like a nagging bug biting into his flesh, poisonous thoughts stabbing into him like he was nothing. He knows it's deserved for what he remembers he done, but he isn't that man, and he wants to prove it. Doubts begin spiralling his mind and everybody notices, Neytiri's words of 'a son for a son' kept him sleepless and borderline insane. He could've lost spider that night, would life be better? Would it be worse? He'd never know, and that's the worst part.
Tuktirey sleeps with her parents ever since Neteyam died, never leaving her family's side and hating when they have to split up. She never spent enough time with him before he died, even if it was most of her time, it would never be enough. Tuk asks her mother for Neteyam's necklace, hugging it with her and Jake. After a few months in the family slept separately again, in solitary peace, but every once and a while she'll cry quietly and slip into her mother's arms.
Tsireya feels too guilty to continue a relationship with Lo'ak at first, she can't look at him without feeling like she could've helped in some way. She feels worthless and one day the dam breaks, both her and Lo'ak expressing their true feelings. They bonded over that day and became inseparable ever since, it made things better for most of the Sully family, to have the least willing to move on be helped in such a way that he would have a distraction.
Jake and Neytiri become overbearing and protective over their children, always knowing their location and rushing to find them if they've been gone for too long. It puts pressure on the kids and ends in fights that drift them apart. Of course they work through their issues eventually, but things like this are common when losing children and I don't doubt that the Sully's would have this happen after Neteyam.
Spider is semi accepted into the tribe, however, he wants to go back to the forest. He never outright speaks his thoughts, but everybody can tell, he can't keep up with swimming or holding breath, he's smaller and weaker than Na'vi of his age and is almost useless to their way of life. He wants to go back to the way things were, before humans came back.
Spider regrets saving his dad, he wouldn't tell anybody, ever, and would try hiding all evidence or possibility of them finding out, he doesn't want to lose what he feels is his family. His dad may be 'alive' but deep down he knows it's not actually him, no matter how much more willing the man is to be apart of his life, Spider wishes he could've let him drown.
-SPOILERS AHEAD-
AVATAR : WAY OF WATER headcanons
Spider has ptsd or some kind of fear of Neytiri after she threatened his life and regrets getting so attached to the Sully family. I have no doubt Kiri and Neytiri have a strained relationship now over how she treated Spider.
Spider is allowed in the Metkyina villages but rarely ever gets acknowledged and when it happens its about him being unwelcome
I don't think Neytiri hates all humans and is mainly wary of most of them, but hates Spider in particular because he is the son of the man who led the assault on her home and murdered her father plus a lot of her people.
Aonung still teases Lo'ak and Kiri but never takes it too far like he use to, same with Rotxo. They all hang out a lot along with Tsireya and some other Metkyina members their age.
Tsireya talks to her spirit sister over Lo'ak and her spirit sister laughs at her for falling in love with such a dumbass, Payakan called Lo'ak an idiot for so long when he refused to outright confess, both tulkuns ended up gossiping in secret.
Tuk likes collecting seashells and building little homes for small creatures in the reef
Kiri lays face down in the sand a lot and it concerns everybody until she just looks up like 'hi :)'
Bob, Jake's Ikran, likes stealing the Sully's food when they aren't looking. When they got to the Metkyina's Jake told him to stop, unknown to them he still does it but only with Tuk because she gives it willingly most of the time.
The Sully family speak in English when they don't want anyone in the Metkyina clan to know their business, Lo'ak started teaching Tsireya english so they had an excuse to spend extra time together.
Tuk can understand English but speaks really hesitantly, overthinks the words and takes really long forming words. After Neteyam died she starts begging her family to teach her because Neteyam offered to once and she turned it down.
Neytiri struggles in English but understands it perfectly, she prefers Na'vi and only uses it when speaking to RDA members or Jake. She uses few English words due to Grace's school shutting down, and she doesn't believe RDA members deserve the effort. Sounds very formal when she does try.
Jake taught the kids English and sometimes catches himself talking to non English speaking Na'vi like they can understand him, gets embrassed right away. Sometimes he forgets Na'vi for a moment before remembering a second after. Not long enough to cause the other party to be confused, just long enough to be awkward. Tends to speak formal one second then the next like a drunken teenage boy.
Lo'ak speaks broken English because the only times he speaks it is with Jake, Kiri and use to speak it with Neteyam. He can understand it perfectly well but just can't find the proper words to express emotions and actions. Speaks informally if the constant use of 'bro' is anything to go by.
Kiri is fully fluent in English, it started from watching Grace's videos and having Jake help her translate it to English and Na'vi, then she started speaking to Jake and Lo'ak in English, and soon Spider, Norm, etc, etc. She speaks informally.
Neteyam could understand both English and Na'vi perfectly, however he could only speak a bit of English while he was perfectly fluent in Na'vi. Sounded formal in English unless he was speaking to Lo'ak.
Uhh this is like 90% language hcs lmfao lemme know if you want more ig
The mother of all mothers
Firelord Zuko 😍
+ close up
Oh wow this is so beautiful!
"Little... soldier boy, come marching home. Brave... soldier boy, come marching home." 🍂
Tuk and the Kanu'ektu kids
Tí'eylan seykxel
(strong friendship)
Metkayina sa'nok
(Metkayina mother)
I'm admitted to School of Design, Jiangnan University. 😁😁😁 Well that's pretty surprising. It's a very nice university in my country, and it's in Wuxi, Jiangsu, which is kind of far from where I live. 😂 I supposed it's time for me to change my icons on media platforms, so I drew a new icon, featuring one of my personas/avatars, Yuwah. Yuwah's origin is Yutyranus Huali, and the last time I mentioned him I actually didn't spell the dinosaur name in the right way. 😂 Swipe to see my previous icons on media platforms! (From left to right:Lofter, Weibo, Tieba, DeviantArt, ArtStation, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr). (It seems that I can't change my avatar on Art Station atm…)😂 #icon #avatar #yutyranushuali #yutyranus #persona #dinosaur #cartoonimage #江南大学设计学院 #江南大学 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzus4_phIjM/?igshid=45uxa3di65fg
Redesigned my Zukitty also WARRIOR NAME DROP‼️‼️‼️
When Seapaw returned to Shadowclan after the siege of Windclan, his father Hawkstar named him Seascorch to honour his loyalty to the clan of Fire. He didn’t know why, but every time someone called him by his new name, he felt a wave of guilt. That was until his confrontation with Hawkstar, when he finally knew why - that name carried the weight of his wrongs. He ran from Shadowclan to follow his destiny and help the Avatar stop Shadowclan’s reign of terror, and when he did, he renamed himself Seahaze (the name his uncle had always suggested) to atone for what he’d done. :33333
WOW lore drop????? COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH