#its because i am THE ELDEST SISTER!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rheasesposts · 1 year

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bittersweet

sully!family! x fem!daughter/sister!navi!reader

summary : Y/N and her family were forced to leave their home, and tensions rise as they continue their lives in a new place.

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“Give it back!” Y/N shouted, annoyed at her twin brother, Neteyam, for stealing her rider’s mask. “You are like a child.”

He dangled it above her head, “That is what we are, sister.” Y/N finally snatched it from him and immediately called for her Ikran, Belli’a. “Dad won’t be happy you’re going out at this time.”

“He doesn’t care about me anyway.” Was Y/N’s end statement before she dove off the home base and into the dark sky. Neteyam watched her until she was a speck in the air then ran to find his other siblings.

“Where is Y/N?” Lo’ak asked as soon as Neteyam found him in their family’s tent. Their parents looked at their eldest son and awaited his response. Neteyam contemplated lying to save his sister, or telling the truth to save himself.

“She flew off.” Neteyam gritted out through his teeth and regretted it. His parents were up and asking questions after Neteyam answered. “She didn’t say where, she just left.”

Jake and Neytiri disregarded him and called for their Ikrans. The two searched the area for their daughter with no luck of finding her. They began the search near the forbidden section, hometree, considering it was still releasing toxic gases from its burnt trunk. Neytiri spotted an Ikran on a canopy and swooped to see if it was Y/N’s. It was. She waved her arm to Jake, and he came down to his mate. They got off their Ikrans and trailed down the tree to the floor. Jake tracked her footprints to a part of the forest where a river was still flowing despite being blocked by big branches of hometree. They located Y/N in the water, but she was simply floating in it, arms and legs spread, face and mind cleared of any thoughts. The bioluminescent rocks under her made her seem as if she was a part of Ewya with her peaceful nature. But Jake and Neytiri didn’t care for that as of this moment.

“Y/N!” Jake stomped into the river and pulled his daughter up by her arm. Her startled eyes met his, and she tensed under his gaze. “What are you doing out here? Flying off?”

She attempted to take back her arm from his grip but to no avail. “I was just enjoying the freedom and peace.”

“That was your last moment of it for a long time because you’re grounded.” Jake fired back at her, and Y/N yanked her arm out of his hand.

“I am double grounded?” Y/N spat at the man in front of her.

“Yes, if that’s what it takes for you to not disobey direct orders.” Jake said with a venomous tone. Neytiri didn’t know whether to step in or let the two settle it, just them.

“This is ridiculous.” Y/N spoke and started walking the path to her Ikran. Jake quickly caught her wrist and turned her back to him.

“Don’t walk away when I am speaking to you. I am your father.” Jake seethed at his defiant daughter.

“You’re acting like an officer. I am not your soldier.” Y/N replied and shook him off once again. “Fathers don’t yell at their children for a small mistake. Fathers don’t make their children scared to talk to them. Fathers don’t want their children to fear them when they walk towards them.”

Jake softened his features and looked to Neytiri then back at Y/N. “Is that how you feel?”

“Obviously, or I wouldn’t have said it.” Y/N snapped and turned away from her parents prying eyes, wanting more information on her feelings.

“Why didn’t you say this before?” Neytiri finally got in the conversation and approached her daughter carefully.

“You didn’t care about my thoughts.” She pointed her sentence at her father. Jake glanced down in guilt and gazed back to the girl. “Also, I like to keep my grievances to myself.”

“That isn’t healthy.” Jake commented, and Neytiri shot him a warning look. “Y/N, I apologize if I have made you feel that way, and I don’t want you to be upset at me.”

“Too late.”

“He is trying.” Neytiri told her daughter, defending his apologies.

“Please, Y/N. We can come to a resolution.” His daughter glared into him, and he swallowed harshly at her cold eyes. “I see you, my daughter.”

“Fine.” Y/N relented with an unwavering stare at her father. “I accept your apology, father.” He inched closer to her, but she stepped back. Jake was hurt by that, but respected his daughters boundaries and just motioned for her to go back to the Ikrans. The three flew back home and were even silent when they entered the tent where the rest of the family was sitting.

Y/N didn’t acknowledge anyone and went straight for her bed in the corner and put her back to everyone. Jake stared at his daughter well in to the night, wondering where he first went wrong with her and how they ended up in this hostile relationship. Neytiri did the same, but comforted Jake more so as he spoke of his thoughts out loud to her after all the children were sleeping.

—

The next morning was an early one since the raid of the RDA’s supplies was that day. Y/N was up before any of her family and was sharpening her knife as her parents woke up along with Neteyam and Lo’ak. The five quietly collected their battle gear and walked out of the tent to let the two not going sleep. Y/N put on her chest armor and forearm cuffs then called for Belli’a and straddled her. She waited for the family to do the same before heading off to her post. Y/N was a lookout for the raid.

She stood on her Ikran as the train appeared from the distance and neared the Na’vi waiting in the forest. Y/N resumed looking at the sky for any RDA people to come flying in. Her bow was out and arrows were ready to fly if instructed. The train was close enough to where it would be great to set off the explosion so it wouldn’t wreck all the materials inside. Which is exactly what happened. Jake sent the signal and the tracks were blown up with the train railing into the dirt.

Y/N perceived an aircraft heading towards them and shot an arrow at the plane before telling her father of the intrusion of the sky people. Neytiri and her squad were on it immediately as soon as Y/N informed them. Y/N’s job was done, or so she thought before she witnessed her idiotic brothers landing on the battlefield.

“Idiots!” Y/N mumbled to herself then flew down to where they were to scold them. “Father definitely told you two to stay in the sky.”

Neteyam jumped at his twin sister’s voice erupting from behind him. “I only came down here because this moron came first.” He pointed to Lo’ak who was in the line of passing weapons.

Y/N rolled her eyes and pulled Lo’ak and Neteyam by their ears to their Ikrans with them complaining like children about how it hurt. “Go! Now! Before Dad sees.”

Jake saw his three children on the field and was on his way to them but a missile was dropped next to them and only Y/N was hit. Lo’ak and Neteyam had climbed their Ikrans already and were in the air before the bomb fell. Neteyam roared in horror for his sister as she got lost in the debris. Jake hurried to pull metal and dirt away from where he thinks she tumbled.

“Y/N!” Jake yelled. A cough was heard over a train door, and Jake ran to find his daughter on her back, holding her arm. He kneeled down to her and stroked the hair from her face. “Hey, hey, I am gonna get you up.” Jake hauled Y/N onto her feet to which she groaned at the soreness. He had an arm around her waist while Y/N’s head leaned against his bicep. “Stay awake, ok?”

“Dad!” Jake heard from above, and Neteyam was there hovering. “I can take her!”

—

Y/N was silent as Kiri chatted and bandaged her arm. It’s not that she didn’t enjoy what Kiri was saying, she just couldn’t focus when she knew her father was about to rip her a new one for being on battlefield. Her other arm held up her aching head as she hit it on a metal object out there as well.

“Y/N.” Her father barked from outside the tent. Y/N closed her eyes and prayed to Eywa before standing shakily and exiting the healing tent. “What was that out there? Why were you down there?” Neytiri was once again a neutral party to the side.

“My brothers were being idiots, and I was getting them out of the way.” Y/N tiredly explained. Jake clenched his jaw as he observed his injured daughter. Her face was busted from whatever it hit, and her arm now had a gash the length of his hand. “Can you yell at me tomorrow? I think I might pass out, and I don’t want that to be counted as disrespectful.” Neytiri led her daughter to her bed as Jake followed behind.

Neytiri brought Jake out a little away from their tent and said, “You are too hard on them, her.” She kept a space between them as he tried to reach out. “This isn’t a squad, it is a family.”

Jake’s eyes filled with unshed tears as he said, “She is hurt because of those knuckleheads. But she knows better than that.”

Neytiri shook her head and went to tend to Y/N who was calling for her. Jake rested on a rock and watched the Na’vi bustling around, organizing weapons and carrying conversations. He only stopped his lurking when Tuk came over and said he looked sad. He instantly smiled and said not anymore.

—

The next few days were a whirlwind for Y/N after her siblings were held captive in exchange for their father to traveling to the island, Awa’atlu. Y/N was still weak from her run in with train pieces so as her father pleaded with the leaders of the Metkayina clan, she rested her head on Neteyam, and he let her. Their Tsahik surrounded the Sully’s space and accused Lo’ak and Kiri of not being real Na’vi.

“Look, look. I was born of the sky people, and now I am Na’vi. All right?” Ronal narrowed her eyes. “You can adapt. We will adapt. Okay?” Jake declared and kept his children out of Ronal’s sight.

“My husband was Toruk Makto.” Neytiri established and inched toward Tonowari. “He led the clans to victory against the sky people.”

“This you call victory?” Ronal snarked. “Hiding among strangers? It seems Ewya has turned her back on you, Chosen One.” She directed that comment to Jake, and Neytiri growled at her. Ronal returned the gesture.

“I apologize for my mate.” Jake stepped between the women before a fight broke out.

Neytiri snapped, “Do not apologize for me.”

Jake gave her a pleading look as he said, “She’s flown a long way, and she’s exhausted.”

“Jake!” Neytiri hissed.

“Toruk Makto is a great war leader. All Na’vi people know this story. But we, Metkayina, are not at war. We cannot let you bring your war here.” Tonowari expressed to Jake.

Jake clicked his tongue before saying, “I am done with war. Ok? Just wanna keep my family safe.” Y/N shut her eyes completely, pure exhaustion taking over, and Neteyam held her up delicately. Neytiri glanced back at her hurt daughter and back to the Clan leaders.

Ronal followed to where Neytiri looked and her eyes eased a little. Her and Tonowari had a nonverbal conversation with their facial expressions and came to a conclusion.

“Toruk Makto and his family will stay with us. Treat them as our brothers and sisters for they do not know the sea. So they will be like babies taking their first breath. Teach them our ways so they do not suffer the shame of being useless.” Jake was relieved to hear of Tonowari’s decision and prodded his children to thank the man. “My son, Aonung, and daughter, Tsireya, will show your children what to do.” A boy popped out protesting, but Tonowari put his hand up to silence him. “It is decided.”

“Come, I will show you our village.” Tsireya joyfully led them through the nets and docks of the island. Neteyam eventually just had Y/N on his back since she was too tired to even walk. The family was taken down a woven path to a marui where they would live. She left after everyone was inside the hut.

“Okay, Sully’s fall in!” Jake said and gathered his children and wife in a circle. “Come on, take it in, let’s go.” Y/N was shaken awake by Neytiri, and Y/N laid on her mother as her father spoke, “I need you kids on your best behavior. I mean it. Learn fast, pull your weight. Don’t cause trouble. Got it?” Lo’ak was specifically targeted by that one so he nodded.

“I want to go home.” Tuk cried.

“Tuk, this is our home now.” Jake patted her back. “We’re gonna get through this. Only if we have each other’s backs.”

“What does your father always say?” Neytiri chimed.

“Sully’s stick together.” Their children blankly answered.

“Yes, that’s right. Now with a little more feeling.” Jake says and his children do it once more before he dismisses them. Y/N stayed in the marui because she was too sore/tired to get up more than she was. “Neytiri, I am going to learn as well. I will see you when I get back.” Jake placed a kiss on his mate’s forehead then left the hut to find Tonowari.

“Are you alright, my daughter?” Neytiri crawled to Y/N who laid on the floor in a ball. Neytiri put her hand upon Y/N’s head and soothed the knots in Y/N’s flowing hair.

“I’m fine. No need to worry.” Y/N whispered and held her eyes shut. Y/N’s headache was back and stronger than before, but she didn’t want her mother worrying and her father complaining. But Neytiri was smart enough to know her daughter’s signs.

Neytiri grabbed a cold leaf and put it to her daughter’s head, and Neytiri could see the relief it brought to Y/N’s body. The mother and daughter ended up snuggling and falling asleep on a blanket with Y/N’s head on Neytiri’s chest.

Jake returned to the marui, ready to tell his wife of the skimwing he managed to dive and fly with, but once he saw her and his eldest daughter cuddled, he couldn’t bare to wake them up and disturb their peace. So, he busied himself with making food for his family for dinner.

“You were so embarrassed!” Neteyam laughed out as he walked into the hut with Lo’ak and Tuk. Lo’ak shoved his brother into the wall and begrudgingly sat down next to his father who was raising his brows at the two’s conversation. Tuk giggled as well and scaled onto her father’s back.

“Where is Kiri?” Jake asked Neteyam, and hugged Tuk once he rearranged her to be on his lap. Lo’ak side glanced his brother as Neteyam thought of an appropriate response.

“Getting lessons from Aonung and Tsireya.”

“At eclipse?”

“Yes.” Neteyam shortly answered. Neytiri woke up after all the banging of wooden plates and bowls by Tuk who apologized as soon as she saw her mother and sister opening their eyes.

“What have you made, Ma Jake?” Neytiri got up and scooped Tuk into her arms. Y/N just rolled over and tried to fall asleep again. “Y/N, to the circle.” Y/N huffed and legged to plop next to Neteyam who gave her a soft smile.

“Just a stew from the fish I caught.” He replied and poured it evenly into the bowls. Kiri barged into the marui with an angry face and everyone knew not to interact and let her eat peacefully.

——-

Y/N, the next day, settled on the pale sand of the shore and kept a lazy eye on Kiri who was in the shallow water, searching for tiny creatures.

“What is she doing?” Y/N distantly heard and perked up to see Aonung, Roxto, and two other clan members standing on the shore, pointing at Kiri. “She is just looking at the sand.”

“Hey! Fish Brains! Leave her alone!” Y/N retorted to the annoying boys. Kiri got out of the water and gazed at her sister and the Metkayina, confused.

“What did you say?” Kiri innocently questioned.

“Are you some kind of freak?” Aonung snickered, and Y/N finally got off her back and pushed the clan leader’s son away. “Woah!”

“I said leave her alone! Now, back off!” Y/N reprimanded the boys and put Kiri behind her. They kept pulling and tugging on the girls that Y/N had enough and punched Aonung in the face. All commotion stopped and the four boys stared at her. “What? Never been punched?” Aonung kicked her to the ground and fired a punch into her nose. The other boys started dragging her limbs as Lo’ak and Neteyam appeared.

“Hey! Leave her alone!” Neteyam whacked Aonung off Y/N, and Lo’ak began fighting Roxto and the other two. Y/N was more bloodied and internally screamed once she realized her father was going to rip her to shreds once he saw her. The fight trickled out after awhile, and Kiri left long ago, not caring for such stupid activities. The three Sully siblings left looked to each other and accepted their fate as they made their way to the family marui.

“What were you thinking?” Jake yelled at his kids, and Y/N rolled her eyes. “What is the one thing I asked you to do?”

“Stay out of trouble. Listen, it was my fault.” Neteyam tried to ease the tension and take the blame.

“Neteyam, do not be daft. I threw the first punch.” Y/N defended her brothers, and Jake’s conflicted eyes met her unattached ones. “Triple ground me.”

Lo’ak jumped in, “I’ll go apologize.” He left and so did Neteyam, leaving Jake and Y/N to settle their staring contest.

“Why’d you do it?” Jake sighed.

“They were picking on Kiri and I.” She replied and held a hand to her face to stop the tears from falling. “I couldn’t just let them bully her.”

“Look, I know that, Y/N, but that was Tonowari’s son. He is higher up here. His father didn’t like to see his son beat up by the guest’s kids.” Jake reasoned with his daughter. A rogue tear escaped Y/N’s eye. “Oh, babygirl.” Jake embraced Y/N, and she finally didn’t resist him. “Is there more to this story?”

“I, just, I want to go home.” She meekly murmured into her dad’s shoulder. “I don’t belong here.” Jake clutched his daughter until she released him. “I have to apologize, too.”

——

Her and Aonung made up, but it fell apart just as quickly as she found out through Neteyam that Aonung took Lo’ak outside the reef and left him there. Now, there was a search party out for her younger brother, and she wasn’t even allowed to assist in the rescue by her father’s orders.

“I have the boy!” A warrior called as he swam on his Ilu up to the shore with Lo’ak behind him.

“Lo’ak!” Y/N shouted and ran to him and checked him for wounds, she found minimal damage, so she hugged him. He gratefully enveloped her. Neytiri and Jake appeared next to them and so did the clan leaders with Aonung and Tsireya at their sides.

“Is he hurt?” Tonowari worriedly asked the Na’vi girl.

“No, no he isn’t. No harm.” Jake spoke instead of Y/N, and she narrowed her eyes at her father. “Thank you for finding him.”

“My son has to own up to his mistakes.” Tonowari stopped Jake from taking his family away. “Aonung?”

“No, sir. It was my fault. I suggested for us to go beyond the reef. Aonung just wanted to please me.” Lo’ak said, stepping out of Y/N’s arms. Y/N sneered as she realized she was saving Aonung’s ass from being punished.

Tonowari and Ronal glared down at their son, “Is this true?” Ronal grunted.

“I’ll deal with this.” Jake pushed Lo’ak along, and Y/N trailed, not wanting Lo’ak to be alone. “Cause anymore trouble, and I’ll tie your tail into a knot, you read me?”

“Yes, sir. Lima, Charlie. Can I go now?” He didn’t really wait for a response and left his older siblings and his parents to watch as he departed.

“Where were you?” Neytiri scolded Neteyam, and Y/N stayed near him in comfort.

“Yeah, what happened to keeping an eye on your brother?” Jake continued, and Y/N could see the disappointment in her father’s face. She knew it all too well. Neteyam knew there was no escape, so he only nodded.

“It isn’t Neteyam’s responsibility to always be at Lo’ak’s side.” Y/N snarled, and her father snapped his head to her. “And he wasn’t there because he was helping Tuk with her Ilu.” Neteyam and Neytiri inhaled sharply from her defiant words.

Jake breathed through his nose, staring at the girl with an unknown look. He was trying to understand her. And it frustrated him when he couldn’t immediately because this was his little girl, and he was meant to know what she was thinking and what she wanted from him.

“I hear what you’re saying.” He quietly told her. She waited for the “but,” but it never came. “Lo’ak could’ve been hurt out there.”

“That doesn’t mean it is Neteyam’s fault, or job to be his nanny. If anything, it is Aonung’s blame.”

Jake clenched his hands and faltered, “Y/N, I understand. I do not want you angry with me.”

Neytiri dragged her eldest son away as Y/N and her Jake had a stare down. Neither were backing down, and Jake cursed internally at her stubbornness that definitely came from his genes. The only indication of breathing from either was the steady movement of their tails swishing in time with their chests.

“You make being your child difficult.” Y/N snapped. Jake clicked his tongue and looked up at the dark, twinkling sky. “Do you see that?”

“Yes.” Jake was increasingly preparing to give up on his daughter. Y/N shook her head after he didn’t elaborate or say anything else, so she began walking somewhere where he wouldn’t be. “Wait.” He caught up with her. “I need to guarantee safety for all my kids, and at times that means I have to be harsh.”

“That doesn’t justify you treating Neteyam, Lo’ak, and I like soldiers.” She retorted, but her cruel stare became softened as her father eyes glazed over. Jake suddenly sat on the sand and patted next to him for her to do the same. His daughter hesitated but did so.

“I had a twin.” Jake informed her and didn’t look at her. “Back on Earth. He was supposed to be the one to come here and explore.” Y/N could see where this was going and played with the sand. “He died before he could be sent here. I took his place because I had nothing else back on Earth.”

Jake finally stared at her. “I met your mother, she taught me the way of her, my, people, and then I was part of the Omatikaya clan. The sky people destroyed HomeTree, I tried to stop them. Your grandfather died, and your mother was heartbroken. She didn’t like for awhile.” He wistfully smiled as he thought back to those days. “But she accepted me again. And we defeated the sky people. And then I found out she was pregnant with Neteyam.” Y/N swallowed hard. “I didn’t know she would birth two babies that day, but when I saw you come into the light. I knew I would do anything to keep you safe.” Jake and Y/N met eyes. “I can’t let anything happen to you, or your siblings because I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“I see you.” Is all Y/N said.

——

Ronal cried out the next day at the sight of her Tulkun floating dead in the ocean beside her calf. Once Jake saw who did this, he had to instruct Tonowari to tell the Tulkun to leave, so they wouldn’t be hunted, including his family not being hunted. Lo’ak had a thinking face, and that frightened Y/N. Soon, Lo’ak left the discussion area and ran to get his Ilu to find his Spirit Brother, Payakan, with Neteyam and Y/N hot on his trail.

“I have to tell Payakan. He is outcast.” Lo’ak unhooked the armor for his Ilu.

“Lo’ak!” Neteyam boomed. “I have to keep your skxawng ass here.” He snickered slightly as he said that.

“He is my brother, I have to tell him.” Neteyam had an angry expression as he got up in Lo’ak’s face.

“No, I am your brother.” Neteyam growled, and Y/N already knew Lo’ak’s plan as he pushed Neteyam away and jumped on his Ilu. Y/N immediately jumped into the water, and her Ilu got her and she told it to follow Lo’ak’s Ilu. She could hear others also coming, but Y/N focused on keeping Lo’ak out of danger.

The two arrived to Payakan around the same time. Lo’ak took notice of the tracker on Payakan that was the same at the one that was on Ronal’s Tulkun. “Help me!” Lo’ak yelled to his sister, and he started pulling at the tracker. She did too, and the others approached and grabbed at it.

“Call dad! Just go! Tell him where we are!” Neteyam struggled to say to Lo’ak through his tries of pulling the tracker off of Payakan. Y/N got onto her Ilu and put the rope from her Ilu’s harness onto the tracker.

“Go!” She commanded her Ilu, and it began trudging in the water, trying to move with the force of the tracker. Aonung and Neteyam set it loose, and Y/N was off into the sea, attempting to find a place to drop the device. She sensed something following her and found a crab-like vessel chasing her. She swerved the Ilu and dropped the tracker in the sand.

She narrowly avoided the vessel and found a place to lay low until her brother searched for her. But that idea fell through after she witnessed Tsireya, Tuk, and Lo’ak getting caught in the net.

She hurriedly tried to stop it from going out of the water, but she was too slow. Y/N looked to her left to find Kiri capturing another vessel in tendrils on some sort on a plant, ultimately saving herself, Roxto, and Aonung. Neteyam swam beside her as she thought of a way to discreetly get on the ship. Neteyam and Y/N communicated with opposing looks and made their move when Payakan shot up onto the ship. The twins jumped out of the water and scaled the ship to where their siblings and Tsireya were tied.

“Lo’ak needs saving from his big sister?” Y/N teased and cut his cuffs. He rolled his eyes as he smiled at her. “Tsireya, take Tuk.” The Metal girl nodded and led Tuk to the ocean with her.

“We need to get Spider!” Lo’ak pleaded with his older siblings who shared a weary glance. “Please, we can’t leave him!” Y/N stomped her foot in disagreement, but Neteyam knew what that meant and nodded to Lo’ak. So, the three scoured the ship for Spider and climbed the pipes above. They found him being escorted by sky people, and Neteyam knocked one out as Y/N dealt with the other one, kneeing his face and causing him to pass out. Lo’ak whooped with Spider as Neteyam pushed them along. Y/N snatched the gun from the ground and shot at the Avatars aiming their guns at them. She hit every single one in the heart.

“Go! In the water! Now!” Y/N shoved Spider, and he told the other two, and they listened. Y/N took a deep breath as more people shot at her area, and she was out of ammo with no bow either. She regained her mental strength and sprinted to the water. The Avatars took their chance and ruthlessly fired at the Na’vi girl. She felt it before she could locate it.

“Y/N! We did it!” Lo’ak happily exclaimed and fist bumped Spider. Y/N spat water from her mouth and held her side. Neteyam zeroed in on her and caught the way she was choking on something that wasn’t water.

“Y/N, what’s wrong?” Neteyam swam to her, and looked under to find the source of bleeding. “Lo’ak! She is bleeding!” Lo’ak swam over to them, and Tsireya got off her Ilu, so Neteyam could put Y/N on it ride to the rocks nearby. “Hold her up, Lo’ak!”

As they got to to rocks where their father waited, he opened his mouth in terror as his daughter was actively bleeding out. “Gently! Watch her head!” He bellowed to his sons as they set her on the rocky ground. “Y/N, babygirl, hey, hey, I need you to hang on. Neteyam, apply pressure on the wound!” He flipped her fragilely and saw there was an exit wound. “No! No! Ok, Y/N.”

“What is it?” Jake couldn’t answer his eldest son as he held his daughter’s pale blue face in his hands.

“I wanna go home.” Y/N sputtered to her dad. “Dad, I wanna go.” Y/N could see the hope draining from her father’s eyes as he nodded.

“We’re going home. I’ll take you home.” Jake reassured her. Neytiri arrived and screamed in out loud at the state of her child.

“No! Y/N! My sweet daughter! Eywa! Please, please! My baby!” Neytiri cradled her daughters’s head and arms. “No!”

“Mom, I,-“ The light in Y/N’s eyes vanished and her breathing ceased. Neytiri shrieked and cuddled her dead daughter closer, hoping her love and desperation would bring her back. Jake looked to the sky with tears falling, he couldn’t hear his own thoughts as his mate and Neteyam wailed and knelt over Y/N’s body.

“Where are your sisters?” Jake asked Lo’ak numbly. Lo’ak provided the answer and Jake gathered Neytiri and Spider before retrieving his daughters.

——

Jake, Neytiri, and Neteyam lowered Y/N into the bright, yellow tendrils in the sea and watched as Y/N was swallowed by them and laid to rest with the ocean floor. After her funeral, the three traveled to the Cove of the Ancestors to see Y/N.

Jake was transported to a memory of young Y/N shooting her first thanator without Jake’s help.

“Look, Dad, I did it!” She excitedly squealed, and Jake softly grinned at his little girl and a tear fell from his eye. “Why are you crying? Is it not dead?” His daughter turned around frantically, but Jake only laughed and spun her back to him.

He caressed her face as she was now the older version of herself, “I am just happy to see you.”

She have him an odd look, then older Neteyam appeared behind him, tearing up as well, “You two are acting strange, but I am happy to see you, too.” Neytiri was in the shadows watching with a faraway smile as her daughter was reunited with Jake and Neteyam. “Well, I have to go prepare the thanator, and get you carry it, loser.” The little Y/N was back and was saying that to Jake. He only laughed in the memory with Neteyam chuckling behind him, holding his hand to the bracelet she carved and made him that same day from the thanator teeth.

#jake sully #neteyam #neytiri #avatar #avatar x reader #kiri sully #loak sully #neteyam sully #sully family #tuk sully #sully family x reader #jake sully x y/n #neytiri x reader #neteyam x you #neteyam x y/n #neteyam x reader

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greeneywa · 1 year

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Ao'nung Dating deaf and Mute sully reader headcanon

First of when you first arrived, he didn't think much of you you were just another 'freak" on his island. He also find you pretty weird like, your ears don't react of flickers to sounds, you always seem in your own world and you never said a word.."what is wrong with her" he tought.

But he quickly changed his mind when he went swimming with you and your siblings

When your brothers get back to the surface he sign to his sister "what is their problem"

You sign to him "they're not good divers"

Tsireya look at you shocked before signing

"you know the sign language ?"

"how" ao'nung sign.

"I am deaf and mute so I've learned the sign language to communicate with everyone"

You sign with a smile on your face.

Tsireya and rotxo smiled at you before joining your siblings while ao'nung give you a long stare with soften eyes before following his sister.

After that he was strangely soft with you yet he still pick on your siblings but not on you, when you were around he was all nice asking you if you need help, if you want to hold his hand to guide you in the water and then you remind him that your deaf not blind.

He quickly understand that he was crushing on you, he have that uncontrollable need to keep you close and protect you for him you are too precious and soft for this cruel world you need him to take care of you...neteyam and lo'ak find it very ironic coming from him..

The day he confess to you he went straight to the point by going to your family's marui

With his parents as for a "important meeting " jake and Neytiri we're scared you were their calmest child..you couldn't have done anything wrong right ?

But they soon calm down when Tonowari told them the reason of this meeting

"Jake sully.I A'onung come to you today with my family to tell you that I am hopelessly infatuated with your daughter Y/N I want your blessing to court her and maybe with Eywa's grace bond to her.." you were flutter by how romantic he was he then look at you and softly smiled you blushed and smiled back

Jake and neytiri gave him their blessing and since then you were to most spoiled female on the Island. He come to pick you up every morning, hunt for you and give some handmade gifts all the time, take you on ilu rides at night and stargazing, ya'll even create your own secret anguage to communicate more intimately

His friend never dare to pick on you because of your inability to talk like they used to neither other metkayina teens .

He want to keep the affection display in private as the chiefs eldest son he got a image to keep so he don't do much in public some people even doubt that he is your boyfriend he don't act cold you know but he treat you as any random girl he met.all the sweet things like nicknames, cuddles, hugs, kisses etc are strictly prohibited in public and only allowed behind closed doors

But in private its a different story..

Hehe

@tinkerbelle05

Want a part 2? Or a fanfic based on this?

#aonung x reader #avatar 2 #atwow x reader #avatar the way of water #omaticaya #neteyam #aonung smut #aonung #avatar twow #rotxo x reader

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iwanty0uu · 2 months

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❄︎ all characters are 19+ y/n being 20, second female character being 19, and male character being 21, contains swearing and mentions of violence ❄︎

𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐...

The door to your childhood home flung open, throwing your keys on the kitchen counter you threw your shoes off and closed the entrance behind you.

“Aye why the hell you makin allat noise in my house baby girl?” your bald daddy asked you, setting aside his newspaper and putting his feet on the coffee table infront of him that was used for everything but coffee. The tears were already rushing down your flushed face, hands shaking as you found yourself trying to hold onto his shoulders for balance from behind the couch he sat now disturbed and concerned.

“Hey hey- whats wrong who did this to you?” his paternal instinct kicking in, “This aint about dat boy fat headed ass boy because if it is- Ima shoo-“

You interrupted

“Daddy its about him and your horrible daughter that you n mommy spoiled rotten who think shes obligated to have everything I got when i barely got any-fucking-thing myself. She just fucked up my relationship and ion know what else to do like..” you paused to catch your breath, in attempt to calm yourself down, you only created more noice and panic as anxiety settled in.

It felt as if the world was moving at 300 frames per second and everything was overwhelming. Your eldest brother sensed the drama in the living room and exited out of his own. I swear when it came to people business he found it with ease like a rat with cheese.But after seeing his little sister who claimed “thugs dont cry” practically bawling in fetal position next to your father in the couch, he couldnt help but mind your business. You are his business.

“The fuck am I hearing about Nataly?” He asked? “Bro that bitch cheated on ME fuck the nigga at this point with my boyfriend.”Anger settled into your bones as you called your mother to air out her business, hoping the family would judge her the way they did you all the times you made the same mistakes that she did.

“Yo ma” you answered calming down slightly, playing with your leggings, “Whats wrong im at work.” her phone propped up to see your beautiful but upset face, “Que pasa mí amor?” she asked, her once typing fingers stopped moving as she focused her attention on you.

“You’re daughter’s a slut. Caught her ass fucking my boyfriend.”

“Well thats your little sister…its wrong but she is still your sister.”

“WHATCHU MEAN SHE’S STILL MY SISTER? You dont see anything remotely wrong with what she did????” You asked at this point begging for empathy.

“Yes but-“

“Nah forget it she prolly got that cheating shit from you thats why daddy left your ass now.”

The “dun dun” of the now ended FaceTime was the only noise that filled the quiet room..your father started blankly at you.

.. “How did you know .. you kids were never supposed to know?” he whispered, almost as if he was still trying to save the secret, to keep it in Pandora’s box.

“Close your mouth before a fly goes up in there Lachlan.. I seen a video of her and her side nigga in her phone when i was younger..”

“NAHHHH THIS SHIT IS NEWS TO ME FUCK U MEAN MA CHEATED?? I just thought the d was not fire..” Lachlan now yelled, no longer trying to control his temper, disbelief and confusion.

But just like that, your relationship with your mother’s side of the family, and your sister was practically done for, until familiar footsteps entered the household.

Oh so now everybody and they mother wanna pull up today huh?

#black reader #black coded reader #attack on titan #iwanty0uu #fem reader #aot x y/n #aot fanfiction #aot x black reader #ony x black reader #onyankopon x reader #aot onyankopon #onyankapon #onyankopon x black y/n #black y/n #black tumblr

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peachhcs · 1 year

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The 5 times Neteyam loved you and the 1 time he said it.

Neteyam x fem!reader

Word count: 15.6k 😳

Summary: pretty self explanatory I think, but the 5 times Neteyam loved you and the 1 time he finally said it 😌

Warnings: near character death, talk of absent parents, gun & knife violence, blood

ITS FINALLY HERE!! THE LONG AWAITED 15k+ fic I took like a week to write 😭 This is cliche but I haven’t seen anyone else do this prompt before. I listened to the people and put this into one large fic, so I hope y’all like it!! The ending is..a little rocky, but it’s what you get after forcing myself to finish this. There is a prologue in this & I wasn’t originally going to include it, but I liked it too much to delete it from the story LOL

If you guys want a Lo’ak version, I have one in the drafts, but idk if that is something y’all want. My requests for fic ideas are open, so send some in if y’all want! Thanks for all the love!! (ps, not quite proof read so if there’s some spelling or grammatical errors my apologies)

MASTERLIST

PROLOGUE.

It was no doubt that you were an extreme pleaser. Growing up as the eldest sibling to your parent’s five, it was your job to stay in line. Set the example. Follow the rules. Be the golden child. It was the whole reason why you and Neteyam bonded so quickly when you met.

He knew how it felt to be the perfect one. You both carried the same burden, the same pressure, the same expectations set by your parents. All you wanted was to please them and get the praise you desperately craved.

You saw Neteyam for a few weeks now. It started one day in the woods when you were out exploring. Foana and Ni`awtu insisted going out into the forest. You knew being the eldest that you couldn’t possibly leave them to their own devices, so you reluctantly followed after them.

That same afternoon, the Sully kids decided embarking on their own expedition. The clan was so large and spread out in nearly every part of the forest that you hardly knew every single person. You knew of the Sully children and their great father Jake, the Olo’eyktan and Toruk Makto, however you did not know them.

Everything changed for you and your siblings that afternoon when Foana wandered off. You had no idea that a certain Sully boy would change the entire trajectory of your life that day.

You were distracted with admiring the beautiful flora that you didn’t even realize your younger sister disappeared. A tiny tug on your tail made you spin around, hissing at Ni`awtu standing shyly behind you.

“Ni, what do you want?” You answered annoyed that she interrupted your gazing. Seeing her little worried features made you scrap any annoyance you ever possessed in the first place.

“It is Foana. I do not know where she went.” The fear laced through the young girl’s voice. Your eyes shot up, now realizing that the youngest sibling was no longer around the two of you.

To make matters even worse, you only brought your knife with you expecting a quick and short trip.

“Ni`awtu, you were supposed to be watching her at all times. Argh.” You pushed past her, beginning to sniff out any possible trails Foana may wandered off on.

“I am sorry, sister. I swear, I thought she was right behind me.” The familiar wobble of Ni’s voice and her trembling hands told you she was close to tears. Sighing, you collected her into your arms.

“Do not worry, it is not your fault. We will find her.” Being the eldest meant you could not be mad at your little siblings for long. You also could not let them take the blame for things—even if it was their fault at times. That was just what came with growing up as the eldest. You took nearly all the blame.

The two of you walked the tree lines, scanning every possible inch for that little rascal. She hardly knew the forest like you, so she couldn’t have been too far. If anything, she was probably cowering underneath a leaf or behind a tree because she did not know where she was anymore.

Your ears perked up when you heard voices ahead. In a quick maneuver, you shoved your sister behind you incase it was a threat. Not many from your clan ventured this far out into the forest by the old shack. It was forbidden by the Olo’eyktan—so whoever was ahead couldn’t possibly be Na’vi.

There was a tiny laugh, though. It caught you off guard and your defenses fell for just a moment. There came another laugh, louder and one you recognized this time.

“Foana.” You muttered and ran ahead through the brush.

When you came through clearing, you grew surprised seeing your little sister playing around with another younger Na’vi girl.

“Y/N, look! I made a friend!” Little Foana sensed your presence and motioned towards the other little girl. She smiled up at you with a toothy grin.

“Foana, what in Eywa are you doing all the way out here? You do not wander away from me or your sister.” Your mom voice came out, loud and booming. The little one looked down in shame realizing she was in trouble.

“I am sorry, sister. I did not mean to. I just..I saw a flying lizard and had to follow it. I found her on the way.” She stuck out a thumb at other girl. Another sigh escaped your lips knowing she must’ve also strayed off her path and probably had people looking for her as well.

“Tuk! There you are! Why did you wander off?” A new voice entered the scene. She raced past you, scooping up the girl in her arms.

“Sorry, Kiri. I found a friend, though.” Tuk pointed at your sister who gave a similar toothy grin and a wave.

“It is okay, sister. Just make sure you tell someone next time, okay? Neteyam, I found her, it is okay.” You didn’t realized there was entire group behind you now. Two boys, no three boys, stood behind you. Two Na’vi and the singular human boy you knew lived around here.

“Tuk, I told you to keep up with us.” The shorter Na’vi boy went past you to ruffle up her little braids.

You hadn’t moved a single muscle since their sudden arrival. You were too awestruck in the way they comforted the girl. Neither of them showed any signs of anger or annoyance that she wandered off. It was so unfamiliar to you—all of that sincerity and comfort to one another.

“Oh, please excuse us. I am so sorry. I am Kiri. This is Tuk, Lo’ak, Neteyam, and Spider behind you.” The girl that came in first finally acknowledged your presence with a warm smile as she introduced what must’ve been her siblings.

“Oh, no need for apologies. I am Y/N. This is Ni`awtu and Foana.” You did a bow of greeting which your sisters quickly followed after.

“It seems as though our sisters have befriended one another. We were so worried when we realized she had wandered off.” Kiri laughed and pinched Tuk’s little nose. You smiled at the affection.

“Yes, us too. I was glad I found them both unharmed.” You pulled your sisters closer, trying to show a tiny bit of affection like the other siblings displayed.

“Let’s just be glad we didn’t need to call dad in. He would have beaten our asses if we told him we lost Tuk.” Lo’ak laughed and then his older brother smacked him on the head. The unfamiliar terms and use of some English words intrigued you. Not many Na’vi knew English besides the Olo’eyktan—obviously being from the sky.

You began putting two and two together. The five fingers of Lo’ak and Kiri. Lo’ak’s use of English phrases you didn’t quite understand. These were the Sully children. The Olo’eyktan’s kids.

“Oh my Eywa, I am sorry. You are children of the Olo’eyktan. It is a pleasure to meet you.” You rushed out, flushed you had not picked up on it beforehand. You bowed again, urging your sisters to do the same.

“Woah, we’ve never been greeted like that before.” Lo’ak snickered and the older boy hit his head again.

“Lo’ak, stop it. Do not apologize. We are Omatikaya as much as you are. It is really our father who gets bowed to.” The older one spoke to you in a kind tone that had your face heating up in a way it had never done before.

“Well, it is still a great pleasure to meet all of you.” He grinned at you. There was something igniting inside of you just looking at his smile. Something you had never felt before.

“Can Foana and I have a playdate sometime?” Tuk spoke to you, her little voice adorable as ever. However, you were unfamiliar with the term she used.

“Playdate means like a hang out.” Kiri must’ve seen your confusion. You quickly nodded.

“Of course, anytime as long as neither of you wander off again.” You joked some, smiling down at your little sister. She grinned excitedly.

“Perfect, you may bring her over anytime or we can bring Tuk over. She has been so excited to start making new friends ever since our parents allowed her to go out more.” Kiri was so soft spoken and so gentle. Her presence alone just made you feel so warm and welcomed.

“You could bring your other siblings, too. You have two others, right?” Lo’ak spoke up more. You quickly nodded, a bit surprised he even knew that. It wasn’t like your family was well known like they were.

“Tsanten and Naria.” You did not miss the way Lo’ak’s face blushed at the mention of Naria.

“Well, bring them all and even yourself, we love the company.” Kiri beamed and you couldn’t help but smile yourself.

You hardly received invitations out often. You were always busy taking care of your siblings, cleaning up, staying in, following your parents’ orders. It didn’t leave much room for fun and going out.

Neteyam was still glancing in your direction. He just couldn’t seem to pull his eyes away from your pretty hair flowing loosely down your back, or the way your eyes lit up when Kiri extended the invitation to you and the rest of your siblings.

He knew of your family through passing here and there. You were the eldest, just like him, yet he never saw you out much. Either you were hidden away in your tent, or out hunting. He knew you were a hunter because Beyral spoke of your name often.

You intrigued him. He liked the way the confusion floated over your face when Lo’ak or Tuk used phrases you didn’t understand. He liked the protective nature you held over every single one of your siblings—similar to him. How you held them close to you. He wanted to know more about you. He wanted to make you smile again because it sent an unfamiliar feeling of butterflies in his stomach that he enjoyed.

He wanted more of you. If only the two of you knew what your future held.

ONE.

Neteyam was protective over everything in his life—his parents, his siblings, and now you. Being the eldest, especially to the Olo’eyktan, it was his job becoming the protector when his father wasn’t there.

He fought off anyone who poked fun at Lo’ak or Kiri for having five fingers. He made sure someone was with Tuk at all times when she went out to the forest. He helped his mother anytime she asked whether it was with food or his siblings.

There was no denying how similar the two of you were. It was what drew him to you. You held the same protective nature as him. You took care of your siblings the same way he did. You understood the burdens he carried because you held them high on your shoulders as well.

It was when the two of you were together that he could let go of everything, even if it was just for a little bit. When the day was done and everyone was sound asleep for the night, tucked safely into their tents was when the two of you snuck out to spend time together.

It was more of a private relationship for the time being. Being the next Olo’eyktan in line, Neteyam knew that if he told people he was seeing someone it would spread like wildfire across the village. People would start talking and they probably wouldn’t ever leave you alone once the word was out. He wasn’t sure if you wanted that on top of everything else and if he was being honest, he wanted you to himself just a little while longer.

His feet worked quickly jumping from tree branch to tree branch. The luminescent forest was his guiding light through the night and he took one final swing to his destination. When he got his footing, there you were right where you met almost every night.

Your back was slumped against the tree and you hadn’t noticed him yet, instead, your gaze was focused on the glimmering stars above. Every time, Neteyam was so in awe of you. He knew how stressed you were throughout the day having to do this and that, so seeing you here waiting for him in the most relaxed state gave him a sense of pride.

“Oh, hi.” You finally noticed his looming presence. The boy grinned, walking towards you.

“Hi, sorry I am late. I had to make sure Tuk was truly asleep for the night.” The sound of your laugh made his heart swell in his chest. He snuggled himself in beside you with his head resting on your stomach.

When you put your hands across his back, all of his muscles finally relaxed. The stress slowly dissipated and everything felt right being in your arms. During the day, he was a leader who held no fear. At night when he was with you like this, none of that mattered. He didn’t have to put on the facade for you.

“She never falls asleep on time. I think she is afraid she will miss out on something. Foana is the same way.” He hummed when he felt your other hand begin brushing through his braids.

“That explains why she is always following Lo’ak and Kiri around.” Your stomach rumbled with laughter again and the vibrations were so calming to Neteyam. If he could, he would have your laugh on repeat.

“Your training, how did that go today?” Another thing Neteyam adored about you was how you never failed to ask him about his day. Any detail he told you, you remembered and talked about it the next night. He had never been listened to like that before. It made everything inside of him feel warm and appreciated like he had a purpose.

“It was okay. I think dad is getting mad at me because I can not seem to understand things as fast as he wants me to.” Neteyam sat himself up so he could look at you properly. His back fell against the tree in the same way yours did, still keeping your bodies close.

“You will get it, do not worry. It takes time learning all the ways of the Olo’eyktan. Your father probably struggled as much as you did once.” You clutched his bicep to give it a comforting squeeze. Neteyam’s gaze fell away to the sky, though. His mind beginning to turn elsewhere.

“Yes, but he was already strong when he fell into the position. He was an adult already. I am merely a teenager still.” He heard you scoff beside him.

“You are just as strong, Neteyam. Do not tell yourself you are not. You are learning and your father just wants what is best for you.” You always knew what to say to him to make him feel better. His gaze finally fell back to you, your gentle gaze making his face blush.

“I think my parents are catching up to the fact that I may be seeing someone.” You giggled, looking away as you changed subjects. Neteyam, however, stiffened up at your words.

“What do you say?”

“Well, I just laugh it off and say I am not. They do not ask much more after that.” He could not read your expression because you weren’t looking at him. He didn’t know if you were upset you had to deny it or something entirely different.

He certainly wished he didn’t have to be so private about his personal life, but he was afraid his mother wound disapprove—not that there was anything to disapprove of you. It was mostly the others in the clan. People would start talking. They would start seeking you out. You would have to start learning the ways of Tsahik, maybe (Hopefully in his mind). He wanted to make sure you were completely comfortable to be put into such a spotlight like he was before anything was really said about the two of you.

“Neteyam? Are you alright?” Your voice snapped him from his thoughts. You were already looking at him when he met your pretty golden eyes.

“Yes, sorry. I was lost in thought.” He gave you a gentle smile to reassure you.

“About what?” You loved to pick his brain though. His expression twisted and he found the need to place his arm around you and pull you closer towards him. Your head fell absently against his chest.

“It is not important.” He had this thing where he would sometimes hide his emotions from you. He did not want to burden you with this one right now.

“I feel like it is, though. I will not make you tell me, but you can if you want to.” Another feature he absolutely adored about you. You never pried, but made it known that he could tell you anything. He squeezed you a tiny bit closer as if there was anymore space left between you two.

“Are-are you..upset that our relationship is not..for the entire clan to know?” He blurted and then avoided your gaze so he wouldn’t see your expression.

“No, not necessarily. I like the privacy.” You answered honestly, but Neteyam wasn’t sure if he believed it yet or not.

“Are you lying?” You sat up more to look at him. He was gnawing at his lip, worried that you were lying.

If he could give you the world, he would. He wanted to give you everything. He wanted to show you off and take you on dates that weren’t in the dark. He wanted to hold your hand and kiss you in front of people so they knew you were his. However, he could not do any of that in fear that someone would be mean to you or say rude things. The entire clan was kind, but there were few who said things when they did not approve. Neteyam only knew because he heard the things people said about his father when he became Olo’eyktan.

He is demon blood. How would he know how to lead a clan?

Can we really trust him with our people?

What does she see in him?

Those children, they are demon blood. Five fingers.

They are not true Na’vi.

He could only imagine the things they could say when he announced his possible chosen woman. He wanted to keep you out of that. He wanted to protect you from it as much as he could.

“No, I am not lying. Why would I lie?” You gave a small chuckle; however, Neteyam was still not eased.

“Right, sorry. You would not lie about that.” He looked down, embarrassed he even thought you would lie to him. A gentle hand cupped his face and directed his attention back to you.

“What is going on in that head of yours? Tell me, it seems to be bothering you.” You observed his entire face and Neteyam was flushing under your intense stare.

He took your hands in his, squeezing gently and blowing out a long breath.

“I want to give you the world, but I can not. I only do not tell people about our relationship because I am afraid they will say things we do not like. I do not want them to hurt you and say things like they do about my father and mother. That is the only reason I have kept us from them. Not because I am embarrassed or anything of you.” Neteyam spilled his entire heart to you right then and there. He watched your face for a reaction and subconsciously prepared for a negative one.

Instead, you just grinned and stroked his hand with your thumb.

“I did not think you were embarrassed of me. I know you have a lot on your mind all the time. You do not need to explain yourself to me. I do not mind keeping our relationship private.” Your head tilted to the side, still grinning.

“I just want to make sure you are completely ready to have every eye on our relationship when and if we tell people. It is a lot of pressure and people will be talking. I do not want to just push you into that if you are not ready.” Neteyam continued.

“I am ready whenever you are ready. You worry too much about me.” You laughed and Neteyam’s head fell against your chest. You cradled the back of his head with a smile.

“So you are sure you are ready to handle it? You can tell me no.” He looked back up at you, scanning your face for any possible secret resentment you weren’t telling him.

“You forget I have thick skin. I grew up with parents who were perfecting my every move. If I can take them, I think I can handle being your girlfriend in public.”

It was then that Neteyam knew you were it for him. You held no fear in your eyes that he seemed to be harboring deep down in his depths. You were ready to be by his side under any circumstance.

He brought your face into his hands so he could pull you forward for a kiss. It was everything he could not say and everything he wanted you to know. The night was young and so were you two in that moment.

TWO.

Tonight was a big night as Neteyam ran around the hut like some mad person. He was shoving Tuk’s toys away, cleaning every single space, forcing his family to be on their best behavior—especially Lo’ak.

You were joining his family for dinner so they could properly meet you. Despite all of his siblings already knowing you, it was his parents who did not have much knowledge about you. It was mostly just name in passing, but one they never asked much about.

When Neteyam told his parents he was even seeing someone in the first place, their reactions were pretty priceless.

“Hey, mom, dad?” The eldest Sully walked into their hut while his parents worked away at their own separate projects. They turned his way at the sound of his voice.

“Yes, what it is ma son?” Neytiri questioned. The boy was flushed and picking at his fingers, unsure of how to even approach the subject.

It wasn’t that his parents were against him dating around, but he had never shown much interest beforehand, so he wasn’t sure how they were going to react now.

“I..I um-well, you see, I met this girl a few weeks ago. She is very kind, strong, intelligent, a hunter. I-I would like you to meet her one night over a dinner, maybe?” He carefully watched for their reactions.

His mother, wide-eyed, looked over at her husband. They exchanged a few glances, probably speaking with their eyes, but Neteyam had no idea what they were silently saying. He worried it was bad things.

“Oh! Yes, yes, of course. We would love to meet this girl. Who is she? Is she Omatikaya? Does she live around here?” His mother stood, embracing him while asking the hundred questions she had. His father sat back with a tiny, proud smile on his lips.

“Her name is Y/n. She is just a few huts down. She is a great hunter and warrior. Beyral speaks of her sometimes.” Neteyam explained your background as best as he could. Both of his parents were beaming widely.

“Yes, I have heard that name a few times before. She sounds wonderful, I am so excited to meet her. I had no idea you were seeing someone.” Neytiri was the most enthusiastic for her eldest. He had nearly reached all of his requirements that would make him one of the People and it was only a matter of time before he would begin looking for a future mate.

Tuk went on all day about her excitement that you would be joining them tonight. Neytiri worked all day preparing a great meal with the help of Kiri.

“Bro, I can’t believe you never told us about dating around with Y/n.” Lo’ak snickered as he helped with some of the cleaning. He earned a slap on his head for that comment.

“Well, it was not much of your business, was it?” Neteyam retorted and the younger brother only shrugged.

“I knew you were sneaking out late at night. I could just never have proof.” Another snicker and another slap. Lo’ak finally let up on his annoying teasing.

“Tuk!!” A little scream broke the boys from their conversation. Nearly everyone in the hut looked over to see a little Na’vi girl run in. Tuk was smiling widely, bringing her friend in for a hug.

“Foana! What did I say?—“ Suddenly, you appeared, grabbing at your youngest sister. Neteyam noticed your other three siblings just behind you. You met his eyes before darting them over to his parents who were glancing your way. Your entire face flushed.

“I am so sorry. Foana begged me to bring her to say hello to Tuk and then..well, I could not leave everyone else out.” You quickly explained yourself in small embarrassment. Neteyam rushed to greet you.

“Tsanten, Naria, what’s up?” Lo’ak happily got up to greet your other siblings. Ni`awtu stood shyly behind your back.

“I am so sorry for them.” You whispered to Neteyam when he was close enough. He only grinned.

“Do not apologize.” He kissed your cheek and then stepped aside for his mother who approached.

“It is nice to finally meet you, Y/n. I have heard many things.” Neteyam watched the exchange, still a tiny bit nervous for his parents approval of you. You smiled, nerves also evident behind your eyes.

“It is so nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Sully. I have heard so many things about you.” You bowed your head using the I see you gesture.

“Please, call me Neytiri. It is so nice to meet all of your siblings, as well.” She grinned again at the other little kids talking with her own children.

“Oh, thank you. They will not be staying, they just begged me to bring them to say hello.” You rushed out, eyeing each one of them to make sure they were being well-behaved in the home of the Olo’eyktan.

“Oh please, we have so much food. They can stay.” Your eyes shot to Neteyam. He only gave you a small shrug, ultimately it being your decision. He figured it would be easier to get your siblings’ introductions out of the way now too.

“Oh, no, you do not have to do that.” You shook your head, but Neytiri was persistent.

“It is no trouble. I insist.” She gently touched your arm. Neteyam could tell you were not used to such hospitality. He also touched your arm and you glanced his way. He nodded, saying if his mother thought it was okay, then it was okay for them to stay.

If anything, it would hopefully keep Lo’ak out of trouble or saying things he shouldn’t if he had other people to talk to that he liked. That was Neteyam’s biggest concern of the night, really.

“Okay, thank you, really.” You thanked Neytiri by bowing your head once more. She grinned and then walked away.

Jake came next to greet you. Neteyam knew you were worrying about him more than anything. He was Olo’eyktan and Toruk Makto after all and it was the most important to get his approval.

“Hello, Y/n. I am glad to finally meet you.” You bowed to him which he did the same back.

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Neteyam watched as you urged your siblings to bow before his father as well. They listened to you, doing as told.

You held such power over the little ones, but not in a bad way. Neteyam wondered if they listened to you more than your own parents. You had told him many stories of you becoming the main parent for your siblings growing up. Your parents were very absent. They were always on hunting trips, so it often left you caring for them. The eldest Sully could tell it wore you down—slumped shoulders, tired eyes, callouses on each of your hands, cuts, and bruises.

“Please, please, come in. Make yourselves at home. Our hut is your hut.” Jake ushered all of you in further. You smiled at him, not quite understanding the phrase, but you knew it was a kind one by his tone and expression.

“Y/n! Y/n! Guess what I did this week?” Tuk grabbed at your arm. You smiled down at her and crouched to her eye level.

“What did the mighty Tuk do this week?” Neteyam smiled at the way you ruffled up her hair.

“I caught my very first fish!” The little girl jumped up and down in excitement.

“That is amazing, Tuk! I am so proud of you!” You squeezed her tightly.

“Tell her how big it was.” Neteyam encouraged. His little sister held out her arms wider than herself. Your eyes widened.

“No way. That is bigger than you!” She giggled in excitement.

“I know! Everyone was so excited for me.”

“I certainly hope they were. That is a great accomplishment little Tuk.” You stood and Neteyam beamed at you. He saw your face flush a bit.

“You know she adores you, right?” He reached up to push some of your hair away from your eyes. You were wearing it loose like usual and some of it was pinned back with little petals hooked into it.

You blushed again. Neteyam loved how he could always make you blush like that.

The night went on just the way Neteyam planned. His parents asked you and your siblings many questions which you all happily answered. Just by the smiles and exchanges, Neteyam knew his parents loved you already which relieved him. He was worried something would go wrong. Lo’ak even managed to keep his comments to a minimal and mostly because he didn’t want to look like some fool in front of Naria.

Later, after helping his mom clean up, Neteyam went looking for you. He stopped short when he saw you sitting with Tuk, Foana, and Ni`awtu. You were playing some game with some sticks with them. There was a large smile on your face as you laughed at what Tuk would say. Even your sister, Ni`awtu, was smiling despite how shy she came off as.

Neteyam felt a hand come around his back. His mother appeared next to him, also watching the scene unfold. The sun began to set and eclipse was near. The forest was illuminating around you four. It was the prettiest sight Neteyam had ever seen—you with his little sister playing her games she always made up.

“She is a wonderful woman, Neteyam.” He smiled, glancing his mother’s way for a moment.

“So you like her?”

“We love her. If you do decide one day, she will make a great mate.” A small wave of relief washed through the older boy. He was so glad his parents approved of you.

Now it was just a matter of telling the rest of the clan. He knew most of them would be as supportive as his parents, but there was always the handful that had something to say. Neteyam would do his best to protect you from those who would say things.

Although, for now he would just enjoy the scene in front of him. He wanted to keep the warm feeling bubbling up in his chest for as long as possible. You were utterly perfect in his eyes.

“Neteyam! Come join us!” Tuk had noticed his presence. His mother squeezed his arm before letting him go. You made room for him to join the circle. The two of you exchanged a glance, knowing exactly what the other was saying.

You were definitely a keeper.

THREE.

Neteyam knew you were an excellent fighter. You were the best in the age group every time you went for trainings. He was always so in awe anytime he watched you skillfully use your bow and arrow to hit the targets on the ground from above. Or, your stealth as you dodged in and out of the trees. He knew he could never be as great of a fighter as you were.

However, with that also came the fear he held every time you left to go on missions. This one in particular was an especially dangerous one. His father appointed you to the head and it even shocked Neteyam a bit when he was told to hang back on this one but you were going.

You sat on the ground between his legs as he worked separate little braids into your hair for you. The only time you ever wore braids was for these missions or when you went hunting.

Neteyam did not want you to know he was worrying and playing every single worse case scenario in his head, so he kept quiet as his fingers worked quickly through your hair. However, his leg was bouncing right beside your head and that was hard for you to keep ignoring.

“Neteyam, are you alright?” You placed your hand over his knee. He realized it was bouncing and quickly stopped.

“Yes, I am fine.” You twisted your head around, pausing his braiding for a moment. The look on your face told him you didn’t believe him.

“Liar. What is wrong? Tell me.” You urged and Neteyam knew he couldn’t keep being quiet anymore.

“I am just worried is all. It always happens when you leave for missions like these.” He admitted, forcing a smile so you didn’t see all of his worry. You frowned a bit.

“You know you have nothing to worry about. I am a warrior. I always have been. When have I not come back from one of these?” Your tone was more of a “duh” tone. It didn’t ease Neteyam’s fear though.

“You never know what can happen, though.” He quickly make his defense. Instead of meeting your eyes, he just continued to work away at your hair.

“I suppose I do not, but you trust me, right? You trust your father. He would not send me into something dangerous.” Of course, Neteyam trusted both of you. It was the Sky People he had no trust in. He had seen them fight and the way they always had the upper hand with their crazy machine guns.

“Of course, but I am even not going. Is that not saying something?” He made a face and you were unsure what to say.

Neteyam finished off the last of your braids. The ends jingled together with the beads he added in. They were some of his own and he smiled at the fact that you two were going to match.

He turned you around and dipped his fingers into the bowl of paint beside his leg. You stayed still as he traced it around your face. He thought how jealous Lo’ak would be that you got to wear the war paint he didn’t on missions.

The two of you were silent. The feeling in the air changed ever since you didn’t know how to respond to Neteyam’s last statement.

You stood to look at yourself in the mirror when your face was done. The blue and yellow streaks went down your cheeks and around your eyes.

“Here, do not forget these.” Neteyam stood with your riding visor. He gently reached up to hook it around your ears.

You never flew with a riding visor, but then Neteyam made you one because he was worried about the wind drying out your eyes. You had happily accepted his very thoughtful gift and ever since then, you never rode without it.

“I am a warrior. I will make it back.” He felt comfort in the way you squeezed his arm. Your gaze was on him with a reassuring expression.

“I know you will. I just worry about you.” He cupped your face into his hands, bringing you towards him more.

“I have been doing this my whole life. I have my transmitter, too, so you will be able to listen in.” You placed the collar just above your necklaces and then hooked the earpiece into your ear. Neteyam remembered how thrilled you were when Jake gifted it you.

“We’re off in five minutes, everyone. Be ready!” Jake spoke through your ear. You glanced towards the opening where others headed out to their ikrans.

Neteyam brought your forehead against his. He closed his eyes, breathing you in and savoring every single detail about you just in case.

“Good luck. Be safe.” You smiled at his Earth phrases and brushed your hand along his cheek.

“I will see you soon.” He brought you in for one more kiss. His lips worked a bit rough like it was the last kiss he would give you. He was worrying that much.

You were the one to pull away, knowing you had to be out there very soon. He leaned into your touch when you kissed his cheek and then hurried out of his grasp. Neteyam hurried outside of your hut to watch you take off.

His dad took the lead as he dove off the cliff first. You were quick to follow, disappearing from his view almost immediately. Others in the clan who stayed behind clapped for the war party. Neteyam’s worry was only piling higher in his stomach, already anxiously awaiting your return.

—

Hours felt like days in his mind as he paced around his own hut. Tuk was in the corner playing with her toys and Kiri eyed on her older brother as he paced.

“Brother, you need to stop worrying so much. You know she will make it back. Y/n is very strong.” Kiri tried reassuring the anxious boy in front of her.

“I know, I know. This mission was a dangerous one, though. Dad did not even let Lo’ak and I go, yet he had Y/n go?” The logic still didn’t make much sense in Neteyam’s head. He wasn’t trying to discredit your abilities, but if you were going, he should’ve at least came along too.

“You have to remember that Y/n has been a warrior her whole life. Even when she was a kid. She was out hunting when she could walk. This is in her nature. Your father knows that and he knows she is a very useful asset to this mission.” His mother piped in from the other side of the hut. He didn’t even known she was listening to the conversation.

“Yeah, what mom said. She’s been fighting like this her whole life. She knows how to handle herself.” Kiri added on.

“Yeah, plus, she doesn’t always need you at her side and call.” Lo’ak had piped in now and Neteyam glared at him. Since when did his whole family become involved in this conversation.

“I am just trying to protect her.” He said in defense to what his younger brother said. Lo’ak just shrugged.

“Ma son, I know it is scary to not know what is happening, but we need to trust the Great Mother and everyone on that mission. They know what they are doing.” Neytiri squeezed Neteyam’s arm for comfort. The boy sighed, but nodded.

As if on cue, people started shouting outside of their hut. In the distance, ikran calls filled their ears. Neteyam instantly knew what that meant—the war party was returning. Everyone in the hut ran outside to greet them and check for any major injuries if any.

Jake’s ikran landed roughly atop the rocky cliff. You flew in not a moment later. The crowds were thick around the edge and it was hard to truly see what was going on. Being as tall as he was, Neteyam still could not see that well past the others trying to get a closer look.

He did not know where you were. You must have gotten down from your ikran, because it’s back was empty and there was no sign of you. Neteyam tried to push through some of the crowd, but it wasn’t much use because no one wanted to move.

“I heard it was bad. Many people were injured.”

“I can not believe he let that little girl go on such a dangerous mission.”

“This was one of their toughest missions yet.”

The words floated around his head as he heard people muttering to one another. He tried not to picture the worst for you. You had made it back, he knew that, but were you severely injured? Neteyam’s heart was practically beating a hole in his chest trying to find you.

Finally, he caught sight of some familiar braids and war paint near the edge of the crowd. He recognized Tsanten and Ni`awtu at your side hugging you.

“Y/n!” He finally was able to break out of the group. He hurried to you, joining in on your siblings’ group hug. He felt the way you clutched the back of his head with one hand and the other held onto his arm with a firm grip.

“Are you okay? Are you injured?” Neteyam pulled back to back to examine your face for any injuries.

Despite the minor cuts and scrapes, nothing looked too alarming to his knowledge. You had a pretty large gnash on your back, but it wasn’t bleeding out profusely or anything.

“No, I am not injured. Just scraped up.” You gave him a tiny smile. He was glad he got to see that again as he cupped your face and placed a quick peck onto your lips.

“Come on, I am sure Mo’at has medicine for these cuts.” You let Neteyam lead you away from the crowds and back to the huts. He sat you down on the ground and then disappeared to find his grandmother.

When he returned he had a handful of herbs, creams, oils, and bandages in his arms. You giggled at the sight.

“I did not think you were much of a healer.” He dropped everything at your side and then kneeled down to your level.

“Well my grandmother is the Tsahik after all. I happen to know one or two things.” Neteyam argued, his lips dancing with a tiny smile.

He gently worked to take your visor off and then wiped away the war paint. He knew you didn’t like to talk about the missions right away, so he enjoyed the comfortable silence between you two instead.

Neteyam’s hands were gentle as he rubbed the special herbs against your skin. You would occasionally hiss when it hurt a little bit more and he would mumble something about how he was almost done and you were doing so well.

He certainly wasn’t a healer like his grandmother or Kiri who had a special hand at medicine, but it meant a lot to both of you when he would heal your wounds for youor, when you would heal his after a long hunting day.

“Many, many people got hurt today.” You spoke after some silence. Neteyam hummed behind you.

“It was that bad?”

“Their machines are just so powerful. We are no match with our bows and arrows sometimes. They had to have known we were coming because they attacked back at us so harshly.” You shook your head some and Neteyam knew there was vivid images replaying in your mind.

“It is so hard to understand why they want us dead. If they were just a bit kinder then maybe there could be more peace worked out.” You continued on with your little rant, frustration becoming set in your body language. Your shoulders fell tense under the Sully boy’s hands.

“You know how hard they have tried with us. Someone always gets hurt. I suppose after all the failed efforts they have no other choice but violence, unfortunately.” Neteyam knew all about the schools his mother once attended in her earlier years. It seemed like the Sky People tried making an effort, but nothing ever held permanently.

“I know, it is just so frustrating. Tsanten and Naria are growing to that age where they will be old enough to go out on their own. I worry for them and what those demons could do to them.” A scowl sat on your face. Neteyam turned you around, cupping your face in his hands.

“I know how terrifying it can be. I worry for my siblings everyday, but you are very strong and you will be able to teach them well.” You smiled, but it didn’t stay for long as you casted your gaze away from him.

“I just wish I was not the one to always do it. My parents pay no attention to them anymore. They are always away. It should not be my job to teach my siblings every single life skill they will ever need.” You pushed yourself up from the ground, leaving Neteyam’s grasp.

He watched you wander to the entryway where you stared at the people moving about outside. Many were still tending to those who were wounded more worse than you.

Neteyam wasn’t a complete open book, but when he was with you, he felt comfortable enough to share the things bothering him the most. You, on the other hand, had a more harder time opening up to him. He knew you trusted him, but he couldn’t pull everything from you. He knew you parents were strict and absent people, always being away, which is why you held so much responsibility and burden. However, he didn’t know much more than that. You always closed it off.

Hearing what you were saying now, though, it was more than what you would usually say. Neteyam got up to join you at the entryway.

“You are right, it should not be your job, but unfortunately it is. You do a great job at teaching them and raising them.” His hand fell against your back. You leaned a tiny bit closer to him while your gaze was on Foana and Tuk a few feet away.

“I worry that they think I am too hard on them, but I am really just trying to help them survive on their own.” In that moment, Neteyam realized something. His whole life, his parents taught him how to hunt, fish, make kills, but their biggest motto was “Sully’s stick together.”

While yes, he was learning things on his own, he was also learning that he wouldn’t have to be alone because his family would always have his back. You did not have that.

You were the one who would always have your siblings’ back, but they wouldn’t always necessarily have yours. You were teaching them to survive on their own, not to depend on one another like he was taught growing up. Independence was a key feature of your family dynamic. Dependence was the key feature of his family dynamic.

“You are not too hard on them. You are doing what you know and hoping they will learn it too. It is a great feature to know you will always be dependable for them. However, you can always depend on me if you ever needed something.” You met his gaze and Neteyam smiled warmly at you.

“Your words are too kind. Thank you, my love.” Neteyam’s ears perked up. He had never heard that nickname before from you. You giggled upon seeing his surprised reaction.

“No, thank you, pretty girl.” He engulfed his arms around your shoulders to bring you into his chest. You chuckled and he knew you didn’t quite understand his nickname he gave you, but it didn’t matter.

He thought that maybe you going out on these missions weren’t so bad as long as he was the one to patch you up afterwards—and he always was going to be the one patching you up every. single. time.

FOUR.

Neteyam ventured out on a day-long hunting expedition with his father, brother, and even your own little brother. You remembered how excited Tsanten was when Jake approached him one night to ask if he wanted to tag along to get some pointers from the older guys.

It warmed your heart to see Neteyam’s family being so welcome to your own. Tsanten didn’t have your dad to take him out like this, so being able to finally go out was like a dream come true for him, especially with the Olo’eyktan.

You had a pretty slow day considering Neytiri decided to take Tuk, Kiri, and your other three sisters out for what she liked to call a “girls day.” She extended the invite to you, but you figured with everyone out of the hut was a great opportunity to get some cleaning done.

With a job that would usually take hours, it only took about two and you were done by noon. Toys were put away; the rug was cleaned; things were put back where they belonged—the entire hut looked spotless.

You ended up venturing over to the Sully residence to see if Neytiri and the girls returned yet. You thought it was empty approaching since it was practically silent until you saw Mo’at sitting near the back grinding some of her herbs together.

She caught your eye before you could walk away. You had never really spoken to the Tsahik before. Most times, you would send your siblings in if they had gotten hurt and waited outside for them. You knew she was a woman of few words despite being so highly respected within the clan.

You bowed to her.

“You must be Neteyam’s…oh what do they say..girlfriend?” The older woman cracked a tiny smile causing you to flush.

“I suppose so, yes. I apologize for interrupting you.” You nodded to her bowl of herbs. She waved you off though, beckoning you inside.

“I come here sometimes to get away when I want to be alone. There is always someone bursting into my hut needing fixing.” You smiled a bit, sitting down beside the older Na’vi.

“I understand. It is always nice to get away sometimes.” She smiled, glad you understood her.

You felt a bit strange being in Neteyam’s home without him there. Ever since the family dinner, you had only been over a handful of times, so being here alone with just his grandmother was definitely different. The usual organized chaos that filtered through his home was replaced with tranquility as the day grew shorter.

“You are a hunter and warrior correct?” Mo’at spoke up again. Flushing that she knew that about you, you nodded.

“Those are very useful skills to have as a Na’vi like you. I am impressed, especially with how much my grandson tells me about you.” She waved her finger around. You were sure that if Neteyam was here he would be embarrassed she had said that.

“Thank you, Mo’at. My parents grew up that way, so they raised me the same.” Your parents had always been die-hard warriors, so it was practically in all of your blood to become just like them one day.

“I do not see your parents around as often as I used to.” Who knew the Tsahik knew so much about your family. You scratched the back of your ear to find some excuse that didn’t sound horrible to tell her.

“They are always on hunting trips. They like to travel a lot.” Not a complete lie, but not exactly the entire truth.

“I see, I see. They always seemed to be very ambitious people.” You nodded. Yes, ambitious was certainly one way to describe them.

“It is mostly just my siblings and I around the hut. They like to take very long hunting trips.” Mo’at nodded once again.

“Yes, Neteyam says that you are the main caretaker of your siblings.” You flushed again. How much was Neteyam actually talking about you when you weren’t around? A lot, apparently.

“That task can be rather daunting, but he says you handle it very well. All of your siblings seem like very respectful people.” She continued before you could respond. You smiled. That compliment meant a lot coming from Tsahik of the village.

“Thank you, that means a lot coming from you.” She grinned at you while continuing to crush and grind away in her little bowl.

“Would you like to try?” She looked down at the bowl. You flushed realizing she was asking you to help grind up her herbs.

“Oh, sure.” She switched places with you and you began doing exactly what she had done. You crushed them down into tiny little bits and pieces.

“This could be your job one day.” Mo’at eyed you as she added in another handful. Your entire face deepened into a darker shade of blue.

“Oh..I do not know about that. Maybe?” You liked Neteyam a lot, but you two were teenagers still. His selection for a mate was still so far away and he would not become Olo’eyktan for quite some time.

“You like my grandson, no?” For a woman of few words, Mo’at seemed to have a lot to talk about with you.

“Yes, I do. He is a lovely young man.” You weren’t sure, but you thought you saw her grin from the corner of you eye.

“I do not know much about..what does Jakesully say..teenage love, but I know my grandson likes you a lot. He talks and talks about you so much. I know it can be scary stepping into that kind of love, but I usually do not steer wrong when I watch my children fall in love. I was not wrong about Jakesully and my daughter.” Hearing all of this coming from Tsahik meant so much to you. You held a lot of respect for the older Na’vi and now she was sitting beside you giving you advice about relationships like you were one of her own.

“Your hunting and warrior skills matched with your caretaking skills would make a wonderful Tsahik one day if that is what happens.” She squeezed your arm and everything in you felt so warm and comforted. No one had ever said things like that to you before and hearing it from Mo’at made it even more special.

“You are too kind. Thank you.” You flushed for the hundredth time in the last twenty minutes. Mo’at grinned once more.

“I know a kind soul when I see one. Eywa would not have brought you and Neteyam together if she was not wanting you two to be together in that way.” Obviously, Mo’at would know best when it came to Eywa. You smiled, glancing back down at the herbs.

Maybe one day this would be your fate.

—

Neteyam returned from his day-long hunting trip exhausted and ready to collapse into his hammock for a long nap. His mother was there to greet him with a kiss to the cheek and to his surprise, his grandmother was sitting inside eating her bowl of food.

“Hello, grandmother.” He bowed to her and she nodded back.

“Hello, my grandson. How was the trip?” Neteyam shrugged some, dropping his belongings to the ground for now. It was as best as it could be with Lo’ak being his usual self plus an added friend along for the ride.

“It was very informative. Father gave us great tips.” That part was not a lie. Jake always gave his sons great pointers for making their kills.

“That is great, I am very glad. I had a nice visit with your Y/n today.” Neteyam’s eyes widened a bit.

“You did? When?” He suddenly worried his grandmother told her embarrassing things about him or exposed how he would talk about her all the time.

“She stopped by here looking for you, I think, but I was here instead. I offered inside and we had a very nice chat. She is a wonderful young woman.” Neteyam couldn’t help but smile hearing that. You were amazing. He was glad to hear his grandmother liked her as much as he did.

“She would make a very wonderful Tsahik one day. She has nearly every skill necessary without even having much training for the position.” Mo’at eyed her grandson. Neteyam’s entire face flushed, but he also felt a sense of pride. You were great at nearly everything, he wasn’t surprised Mo’at thought that.

“Well, I hope one day it will happen. We are still young and—“

“Tsahik knows everything, son. It will happen.” Neteyam watched his grandmother beam at him widely. He flushed once more and then tried to hide the smirk forming on his lips by looking away.

In his head, he knew you were the one for him, but that was never definite. Hearing his grandmother basically confirm it was enough for him. You were it for him. Through and through.

FIVE.

You hadn’t snuck out during the night in awhile. Neteyam suggested it would be a nice way to get your minds off of things and just be with each other for a bit since your siblings were always interrupting or needing something.

Neteyam swung along the oh so familiar path to the tree he had taken so many times before. Eclipse had just begun and every time he was so amazed at how the forest lit up around him. It made Pandora that much more magical.

Like always, you had beaten him to the spot. Except this time, you weren’t alone. Your ikran was perched a few feet away and you had your riding visor on. Neteyam grew suspicious, but you only grinned at him.

“I thought we could go for a ride. We haven’t flown during Eclipse in so long.” You freckles were glowing and Neteyam could see the large smile on your face and your eagerness to fly.

“I did not bring any of my things and I only have my—“ You cut him off by revealing your hands that were hidden behind your back. You held his riding visor in your hands.

��I knew you would say that, so I planned ahead.” Neteyam could only smile at you. You always thought of everything.

“What if we get attacked or something?” Neteyam was still skeptical. He loved riding at Eclipse with you, but he felt under prepared if anything happened while you two were out.

“Nothing will happen, I promise. If it makes you feel any better, I have my bow. Come on, we have not ridden in so long.” You were tugging at his hand and he couldn’t resist your pleas. He took his visor from your hands and smiled.

“Okay, fine. Let’s do it.” He would do anything to be able to make you smile like you were right now. He called for his ikran while you hopped up on yours.

Once you two were both on, you exchanged a glance. There was a playful smirk on your lips as you pushed your visor down. Neteyam grew curious of the look.

“Last one to Ayram Alusing loses!” And then you were off before Neteyam could even process what you had said.

He quickly took off with you already five paces ahead of him. He had no idea how you gained so much speed already while he struggled to even pick up momentum. The wind blew against his face, making it burn some of his skin that was not protected. It was definitely not working in his favor tonight.

“You are losing, Neteyam!” He heard you call from ahead of him. He growled some and focused all of his energy into catching up to you.

He was finally able to catch up to your side. He smirked over at you.

“Who is losing now?” He teased and pushed ahead ignoring the harsh breeze as best as he could.

The two of you soared through the sky, the Hallelujah Mountains just ahead. Neteyam had the lead, but you were just on his tail, literally. If you reached out, you could probably touch the end of his ikran.

You had a competitive spirit, so there was no way you were letting yourself loose to Neteyam. From his peripheral, he saw you creeping up on him.

“You can not win everything, Y/n!” He called over to you, but there was something in your eye telling him you were definitely not losing this round.

He tried focusing through the bond to get his ikran to pull ahead as the first two mountains came up. However, you blew right past him like magic and crossed the imaginary finish like. Neteyam sighed in defeat as you pumped your arms up and down for another victory.

“I told you I would win. You do not win against me.” The eldest Sully still smiled nonetheless, enjoying seeing you so happy. He would lose a hundred times to you to be able to see you as happy and carefree as you were right now.

“My apologies, I should have known I had no chance.” Neteyam held his hands up in surrender. The little smirk continued to dance on your lips as you took off to keep flying around the mountains.

The boy stuck close to your side, the two of you smiling widely as you weaved in and around the large rock formations. You would occasionally dive over the larger branches hanging out to make it a game.

Neteyam felt like his parents where he knew they still snuck out at later hours of the night to do this. It was so thrilling, yet so relaxing at the same time. The breeze had finally died down and it no longer felt like bullets pelting his skin as he rode.

“You want to rest here? There is an open spot.” You pointed up ahead at a clearing in one of the mountain tops. Neteyam nodded and followed you to the landing.

You jumped off your ikran, taking in your surroundings. The entire area was glowing its bioluminescent glow. Each flora, leaf, tree moss, everything was shining bright acting as the light in the dark night.

“That was easily the best ride I have had in awhile. What about you?” You flipped your visor up and turned to Neteyam. In a swift move, he snaked his arms around your waist to bring you closer.

“That certainly was a great ride, but maybe next time you will lose the race here.” He grinned and earned an eye roll from you.

“In your dreams. You may be future Olo’eyktan, but you can never win against me.” You shook your head and Neteyam only chuckled.

“And you may be future Tsahik one day, so that competitive nature may need to die down a bit.” He smirked and your face flushed. You broke away from his grasp to look up at the blue-purple sky.

“Your grandmother speaks of the same thing.” You smiled, thinking about your time with Mo’at a few weeks ago.

“Is that what you two talked about that one day?” Neteyam questioned, always wondering what his grandmother could possibly be saying to you when he wasn’t around.

“She is a very kind lady. She knows what she is talking about.” You laughed some. Neteyam cringed knowing she definitely embarrassed him during that conversation.

“Did she say anything about me?” He had to ask even if he didn’t want to know.

“Oh, so many things. She loves you.” You found a comfortable spot against one of the trees to stargaze. Neteyam joined you.

“Anything embarrassing?” Your tiny giggle told him all he needed to know. He internally face palmed.

“If I told you, it would ruin the fun.” You grinned and Neteyam knew that Mo’at definitely embarrassed the shit out of him. Wonderful.

“Well, I am serious about your future Tsahik fate. Just think, you and I head of the clan one day. It would be perfect.” Neteyam threw his arm around you and you giggled at the image appearing in your head.

The Sully boy pictured it too. It looked very similar to his mother and father right now. You would still be a warrior while also caring for the people when they needed it. He would wear the large feather chest piece and headpiece his father wore—planning hunting trips, war parties, overseeing the entire clan. The future was so close yet so far. He knew it would be before him soon.

For now though, he wouldn’t worry about that and enjoyed the time he was spending with you by his side. It was enough waking up in the early hours of the morning, spending hours on specific skills, he didn’t need to wish it upon himself right now.

“Well, if it does happen, at least the people seem content with your choice of..me.” You giggled at your wording. Neteyam smiled.

“It is a miracle no one has talked much. I think they know my father will be at their throats considering I am their son if they did say anything about you.”

“I knew it would be fine. You worry too much sometimes, you know.” You poked at his chest, making him squirm away from you.

“I am merely just caring about you. It is not worry.” Neteyam attempted to defend himself, but it was clear he had a weak defense.

“You also worry. Do not be afraid to admit it. It is charming knowing you worry so much.” Another grin came from you.

“Well of course I am going to worry and care. It is who I am.” You pulled him back towards you so he could cuddle into you.

“And I love who you are.” You cradled his head, pulling your hand through his pretty braids.

He almost said it. He almost had the courage to tell you.

Jake taught Neteyam the phrase when he once asked what it meant after hearing him tell it to his mother. Jake explained how it was much more intimate than I see you. It was something the Sky People would tell those they cared deeply for.

Neteyam had been wanting to say it you for ages, but he never thought it was the right time. He didn’t know how you would react. Would you freak out? Would you say it back? Did you love him? He for sure loved you, but he wasn’t sure if you reciprocated his feelings that much. He didn’t want to scare you with such a meaningful phrase. It seemed like the right time, but it also didn’t at the same time.

Instead, he nuzzled his head further into you and breathed you in. He savored the way your hair smelled—somehow it always smelled like fresh flowers. He listed to your heartbeat, nearly putting him to sleep. The moment was taking him over. It was complete bliss and comfort being in your arms.

THE ONE TIME HE SAID IT.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

You planned a cute little picnic in the forest for you and Neteyam. He was dragged out of his hut with instructions to keep his eyes closed or he would ruin the surprise. Your grip on his hand was tight as he was dragged through the forest, occasionally knocking his head against a low hanging branch you forgot to push out of the way.

“Y/n, that was the third branch. Where are we going?” He laughed trying to figure out where he was, but it wasn’t much luck considering he was blindfolded.

“Just be patient. You will love it.” You hoped he would love it. You worked to put it together all day yesterday, so if he didn’t like it you’d be damned.

Trusting you, Neteyam kept accepting hits to the head and scratches to the arm knowing it had to be worth it in the end.

When you two finally arrived at your destination, you pulled the cloth from his eyes. He squinted, not used to the bright light, but when his vision finally leveled out, he was in awe of what he saw.

The little clearing had been decorated with numerous vines that wrapped around each tree branch. Flower petals were scatted along the ground. It looked like something from his dreams.

“Surprise! What do you think? A picnic in the forest.” You held your arms out, excitement bouncing across your face. Neteyam was still speechless at the effort that must’ve been put into all of it.

“You did this all for me?” You nodded, leading him further in.

“Of course I did. I had some help from Kiri and my sisters, but you deserve it after all the work you have been doing.” You turned to him, grinning widely. Neteyam cupped your face trying to find the words to express his gratitude.

“You are the best person ever. Thank you, my love.” He pecked your lips and then went to see what you had packed for your picnic.

You joined him on the blanket Neytiri let you use while Neteyam immediately began eating anything he saw. You laughed at his actions.

“Someone has not eaten yet today?”

“Oh, you have no idea. I have been out since the eclipse ended training with my father.” You grinned, glad you could feed him.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

Since it was a spur the moment surprise, neither of you thought to bring any weapons with you besides the knives you always carried. It was a part of the forest only Na’vi went. There was no possible way danger could lurk around the corner or behind a tree.

“If you could come back as anything you wanted, what what you want to come back as?” Neteyam laid across the blanket staring up at the clear sky. Your head was beside his as you laid the other way. Your stomach’s were full of food and now you were just relaxing in the sun.

“Anything?” That was a hard question. There was so many things you wanted to be.

“Anything.”

“I think I would want to come back as an ikran. They are so beautiful and just imagine being able to go anywhere you wanted basically. Flying through the sky with your rider. It sounds like such a dream.” You adored your rides with your ikran and being one would be a whole other level you would want to experience.

“I think I would want to come back as one of the good scientists like Norm or Dr. Max.” Neteyam’s answer surprised you and even himself. Sky People were evil and even some didn’t fully trust the good scientists who stayed behind, but he wanted to know what it felt like to live as human.

His father told him and his siblings countless stories of his time being apart of the Sky People and it always intrigued Neteyam.

“I know it sounds crazy, but my father told us so many stories as his time as one of them. It just seems so interesting to me.” He continued his reasoning when you didn’t respond.

“I understand it. I think it would be interesting to live as them for a day.” It was strange to Neteyam. Sky People could live like his people whenever they chose to, but he could not live like them. There was no science to make human bodies for Na’vi people who wanted the experience.

He got a lot of exposure from Spider, but it wasn’t really the same. Neteyam wanted to see it, feel it for himself.

“I have just always felt human because of my father’s blood. Even though I do not have the five fingers like Lo’ak and Kiri, I still have half of his blood in me.” Neteyam tore his gaze to his hands. His long, thin fingers that were just like his mother’s and Tuk’s.

His parents liked to say he took on more of Neytiri’s genes while Lo’ak gained Jake’s.

“It is okay to wonder and want to feel it, Neteyam. You are half human, half Na’vi. It is good you are curious.” You reached up to caress his cheek and the boy leaned into your touch.

“It just feels wrong, though. The Sky People are demons. They hurt us. Why do I want to wonder more about them?” In a sense, he also felt guilt. He knew how much his mother despised those people and even sometimes Spider because he was one of them. Why should he want to know more when all they did was hurt people?

“Do not feel guilty for wondering. Your father was them once upon a time,” He grinned at your english phrase you used. Him and Lo’ak were definitely rubbing off on you. “And he is a good human. You can still wonder and want to be like them and still be good. Norm and Max are good Sky People. It is your blood, your ancestors. Do not feel bad for wanting to wonder.” Neteyam liked the reassurance you were giving him. He was worried he sounded crazy or something.

He was about to respond when his ears twitched for a second and he suddenly got a random chill across his arms. A faint rustling noise floated into his ears. He quickly sat up.

Normally, he wouldn’t have been so alarmed, but the way his skin started to crawl told him it wasn’t some animal lurking.

“Neteyam? What is wrong?” You sat up seeing his quick change in demeanor.

“Shh, be quiet for a second.” He held his finger to his lips. His eyes bounced around the area you two were in and he grabbed for his knife.

The rustling noise continued and it got closer to where you guys were. Neteyam grabbed your arm, making you stand up with him. His actions were frightening you because you didn’t know what was going on.

“Someone else is here.” He whispered to you. He felt his heart beating a bruise into his chest at the idea of someone else lurking close by.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

A noise and then an arrow was flying just above your heads. You screamed out of instinct and fear. Neteyam’s hand was back on you about to hide behind a tree. When he spun around, two larger hands with a much stronger grip grabbed ahold of the two of you.

You screamed again. Neteyam hit them with his knife causing a minor distraction. He spun away from the prying hands, until four more people emerged from the bushes, large guns in their hands. He suddenly stopped, knowing he couldn’t take them with just a knife.

“Well, look at what we have here. Looks like we crashed someone’s date.” Neteyam knew it wasn’t a true Na’vi by the way they wore full clothes and spoke in english to him. It was Avatars.

The one, tall with a buzz cut haircut, crouched down to be at his eye level. Neteyam hissed at him as he scanned his entire face with his eyes. He held his knife out for defense.

“I heard you talking a few moments ago. You said your father was from the..Sky People. Your father doesn’t happen to be Jake Sully, does it?” With the English Neteyam did understand, he knew this guy was bad and clearly had his dad on his radar.

“Oe rä’ä tslam nga.” (I do not understand you) Neteyam growled out. The avatar looked at him, quirking his eyebrow and exchanging a glance with his accomplices with him.

You continued to struggle in the hands that held a tight grip on you.

“If you tell me where your father is, I’ll let her go.” He nodded towards you. Neteyam only hissed at him once more, knife high, ready to strike.

“Or we can do this the hard way, it’s up to you. You are definitely your father.” The avatar man grabbed Neteyam’s hand. He examined his fingers, raising his eyebrow once more.

“Sure didn’t get his genes though, that’s for sure.” The others snickered around them. Neteyam pulled his hand back, unsure of what to do. If he went for a hit, they wound shoot and he didn’t want that to happen.

His eyes gazed over at you. You met his gaze, the same unsureness resting in your look. If you were scared, Neteyam couldn’t tell because you hid it well.

He couldn’t call in his dad because that would just lead this guy right to him. He was out of any good options.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

“All you have to do is tell me where your dad is and no one will get hurt.” Neteyam thought of an idea.

He slowly raised his hands in means of surrender. The guy looked at him, curious. Neteyam set his knife down by his feet and then slowly moved his hands to where his transmitter sat on his neck.

He pushed into the buttons and began speaking in Na’vi since these guys clearly didn’t understand it as well as he could speak it.

(Let’s pretend this is Na’vi because I can’t translate the entire conversation 😌)

“Dad, we’re under attack, I need help.” Neteyam glanced warily at the man standing before him who watched his moves carefully.

“Neteyam? Where are you?” His dad came into his ear, urgent and worried.

“In the forest where the open clearing is. Avatar men with guns. We’re surrounded.”

“We? Who is we?”

“Y/n and I. We need your help.” The guy wasn’t exactly picking up on what Neteyam was saying which was good. His plan was working so far.

“Okay, we’re on our way.” And then he was out. Neteyam knew two things after that: one, his father was a much better fighter than these guys were. He was Na’vi, he had years and years to adapt. He could take these guys out easily. Two, his dad wasn’t going to give himself up to this guy and if they could defeat him, it wouldn’t even be in the question.

“He is coming now.” Neteyam spoke in english so the guy understood. He quirked his eyebrow once more, almost surprised.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.” The others chucked around them. Behind his back, Neteyam made a small hand signal to you that he hoped you would understand.

Suddenly, there was a screech. You had bitten the arm that was holding you. Neteyam used that distraction to grab his knife from the ground. He went for the guy’s leg.

You wrestled out of the grasp. The others went for you, but being the skilled warrior you were, it was easy to take them out. You swung your leg around, taking one out with your foot.

Neteyam slashed the leg of the guy and went for his gun. His father had taught him and Lo’ak how to use one, so he knew exactly where to go to blow the amo out of it.

He used his knife to slash another one’s arm. It was pure chaos. Blood sputtered every which direction and the others were trying to fire their guns at you two. You were quicker than them, though. You knocked them from their hands and kicked their legs out.

One particular cut Neteyam made went across the entire face of one of the avatars.

“Quaritch, we need to fall back. We can’t take this many losses right now.” One of them urgently spoke to the one Neteyam slashed the leg of.

“I need Jake Sully. I am not leaving without him.” He argued bitterly.

“We’ll come back when we’re better prepared! At least we know they’re close by.” He seemed to finally give in. He called something Neteyam didn’t understand and all of his accomplices began retreating back into the forest where they had come from.

Relief flooded through Neteyam. They were leaving and the both of you were still safe. However, his relief didn’t last for very long.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

He turned to you, a smile spread across his lips until he saw the way you clutched your stomach. Your hands were trembling as they slowly revealed what was happening. Your knife handle was sticking out and blood was dripping from your skin.

There wasn’t a smile on his face anymore. His relief disappeared and was quickly replaced by fear.

“Neteyam..” You sputtered, swaying on your feet. He was quick to catch you before you hit the ground.

“No, no, no, no, Y/n. It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay. Look at me. Look at me. You’re okay.” He was sputtering, clutching your arm and staring at the way your knife was lodged into your stomach.

“Why am I so warm? Is it warm?” Your entire face was losing color by the second. Neteyam, even though he tried not to show it for your sake, was panicking.

“You’re fine. It’s going to be fine. You’re going to be fine. Help is coming. They’re coming to help us.” He knew better than to pull the knife out, but you were practically pouring blood everywhere.

“Am I dying? Is this what it feels like to die?” The blood loss was making you go into shock. Neteyam was cradling your head, trying to stay calm for you and himself.

“No, you are not dying, my love. You are going to be okay. You are not going to die. I will not let you die.” If he had his bow and arrow, maybe he would’ve been able to take down those other guys easier. If he had a better weapon, anything other than a knife then maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

You were not dying.

Your breathing started becoming rigid. It was broken into heavy pants and you were sputtering again.

“If-if I don’t..If I don’t make it..Can you-will you take care of them for me?” Your siblings. Neteyam visibly shut his eyes for a moment. How would he explain this to Foana? Who would take care of them if you..no you were not dying.

“Do not say that. You are going to take care of them because you are going to live. My dad is coming. Everything is going to be okay.” It was mostly just so Neteyam would believe himself too. Everything was going to be okay.

His ears twitched and perked up when he heard sounds of ikrans coming. His father’s ikran came into view along with his mother’s. They landed and then rushed to where you two were.

“Dad! Someone put her knife into her. She..she is losing so much blood.” Neteyam’s voice broke that time. He couldn’t hold it back any longer.

“Shit, shit.” Neteyam watched as his dad gently flipped you to your side. Luckily, there was no exit wound, but the blood kept coming.

“I-I do not feel very good. I-I-“ You were heaving at this point. Your eyes were glazing over and your entire skin had gone from a deep blue to an entirely lighter shade.

“Y/n, you need to stay with me. Please, please stay with me.” Neteyam cupped your face, trying to keep your eye contact with him.

“We need to get her to the village. To Max and Norm and Mo’at.” Neytiri had a look of pure horror on her face seeing you like that.

Your eyes couldn’t stay open much longer. The blood loss was becoming fatal. Neteyam began shaking you when he saw your eyelids drift closed.

“Y/n! Y/n!” He was in too much of a panic to even check if you were breathing or not still. He could not lose you. Not now.

“We need to get her to the village, right now. Neteyam! Are you with me?” His father was practically yelling at this point. However, his eldest son fell into what was his own shock.

He did not and could not move seeing your almost lifeless body in front of him. He didn’t process it as his dad lifted you up to his ikran. His mother had to pull him to his feet, trying to snap him back into attention. Nothing worked, though.

All he could think about was you. You, you, you. You were in love. His future woman. His future mate. You were the sister to his siblings. The sister to your siblings. You were their care taker. Who would..who would take care of them now?

He should’ve told you. He should’ve told you the other night on your night ride. It was so close on the tip of his tongue. Why couldn’t he find the courage to tell you then? What if he never got to tell you ever now?

Your body became so lifeless in his arms. Pale skin, gone eyes, blood nearly everywhere. This couldn’t be the end. There was so much life ahead for the two of you. Your future plans. He couldn’t possibly do it all without you.

His mother somehow managed to get him onto her ikran. She flew quickly through the sky after her husband who clutched your body tightly.

When they landed, you were rushed directly to Max and Norm. Mo’at was brought in to give you a heavy sedation medicine so they could pull the knife out without damaging anything serious. It was near chaos. No one but Mo’at was allowed where they were inside the labs.

Neteyam chewed on his bottom lip. Guilt, fear, anger, sadness, everything at once was eating him up inside. He figured he should be the one to tell your siblings what happened, so he did.

Their faces were enough for him to finally break down right in front of them. It should’ve been me. It should’ve been me. It should’ve been me. The phrase repeated in his head like a broken record.

All five of them sat on the ground of your hut hugging one another close. For a moment he hated your parents for not being here in this moment. They had no idea what was happening to their daughter right now.

Neytiri offered their hut to your siblings without hesitation to stay in.

Hours were ticking by it stated to feel like days to Neteyam. There was no word on the progress or your condition. It was merely a waiting game at this point. The knife was lodged deep and you lost a lot of blood.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

Mo’at finally emerged after what seemed like almost six hours where a large group had gathered outside of the lab doors—Neteyam and his family included. All of them deeply concerned about your well-being.

“The knife has been removed. She is stable, but she is sleeping still and will be for a few days.” A tiny bit of relief washed through Neteyam knowing the operation was at least successful.

—

The days went by and you had finally awoken. Once visitors were allowed, your siblings were the first to check on you, of course. Neteyam hung back, a bit anxious and nervous to see you again.

He felt so guilty for what happened. He could not protect you after saying countless times that he would at any given moment. His failure caused him to hang his head low and avoid looking people’s way when he went out.

Kiri, Tuk, and Lo’ak were the next group of visitors. Neteyam still hung back. Maybe it was fear that was holding him back?

Could he possibly look you in the eye again after seeing you with a knife lodged into you? Not really. His fear made him feel upset in a sense. Why could he not face you? You were his love, yet he could not find himself to step foot into the lab.

A few more days passed and eventually the doctors and Mo’at agreed to move you back into your hut for more comfort. Neteyam avoided the entire village that day, in fear that he would see you.

What was wrong with him? One minute he could not stop seeing you and now he was afraid to even make eye contact with you.

It made him feel even more guilty.

One night, he sat outside by one of the drop-off spots. His head pounded and every single thought he ever had was swirling around like a school of fish.

He didn’t feel another presence until he caught sight of his mother sitting down beside him. She had began recognizing his absent behaviors and his avoidant gazes anytime he was around people. She knew how hard this was on her son.

“Have you seen her at all?” She crafted her words gently. Neteyam shook his head.

“I cannot. It pains me and the guilt is eating me alive.” He grabbed his chest like something was actually messing with him in there.

“Well, she is asking for you. She is confused why you have not seen her yet. You should go see her, Neteyam.”

“I can not. Every time I look at her I remember the horrid images of the knife deep in her stomach as the blood seeped through. It was the worst part of everything. I promised her protection and I can not even do that anymore.” He wanted his mother to understand, but he knew she wound not. Not completely, at least.

“Neteyam, this is not your blame. You did everything you could and no one is blaming you. I promise you, son.” Her arm outstretched to bring comfort to her son. She rubbed his back, trying to get him to understand.

“Then why do I feel so, so guilty like it is my fault?” He pleaded for an answer. His mother tried to come up with as best of an answer as she could.

“When you care for someone as deeply as you do, whatever happens to them begins to feel like it is your fault. It is not your fault, though. You take the blame because you think there is no where else to place it. My son, you did everything you could. No one is upset at you or mad or angry. Y/n is not upset with you. Do not think that.” Neteyam’s head hung low.

“I think it will fix a lot of things if you go see her. You will begin to realize this was none of your doing or fault.” Neytiri urged once more and Neteyam knew he couldn’t keep refusing. He had to be mature. He was almost Olo’eyktan and he couldn’t even face his own injured (almost) mate.

“Okay. I will go see her.” Neytiri smiled, giving her son a nod of encouragement.

The Sully boy stood and turned in the direction of your hut. He started bracing himself—for insults? Anger? Sadness? Frustration?

The closer he got to you, the faster his heart would beat against his chest. From inside, he could hear your siblings talking and at times arguing with one another.

He tapped on the wood before pushing aside the flap that covered the inside. Tsanten and Naria looked his way.

“Neteyam! You’re here!” Foana was at his legs, hugging him much like Tuk did. He smiled down at the little girl.

“Hello, Foana. Tsanten. Naria. Ni`awtu.” He bowed before them. Their looks told him they had never been greeted that way before.

In the corner, Neteyam caught sight of your figure. You were sitting upright carving something when you finally noticed his presence in your home.

“Neteyam, hello. Come in, come in.” You urged him in further. He slowly went to you and your siblings filtered themselves out knowing you two probably needed some space.

“You look so much better. How are you feeling?” He questioned taking in your skin that returned to its usual blue shade. You smiled some.

“I am definitely feeling a lot better. How are you?” You took ahold of his hands. The questioned seemed silly to him considering he wasn’t the one who got stabbed.

“I am doing okay. I am not the one who got stabbed, though.” He stifled a small laugh. You rubbed at his fingers and he was just glad to be able to feel your hands in his again, not the lifeless feeling they once were.

“Well, I have not seen you yet, so I was making sure you were okay.” Neteyam grimaced just a bit. He felt guilty for not visiting you sooner, but he just couldn’t bring himself to face you in the state that you were in.

“Yes, I am okay. I am sorry I did not visit you sooner. I..I just felt guilty about all of this and I was being selfish with myself.” His head hung low, ears dropping. You grabbed his chin though, shaking your head.

“There is nothing to feel guilty about, Neteyam. You did everything you could. Eywa gave me life again because she knew my time was not over yet. This was not your fault.” Your words were reassuring. He forced a small smile.

“Plus, you forget how strong I am. I have thick skin. Literally.” You laughed this time. The joke was corny, but it made both of you smile.

You allowed yourself to pull Neteyam closer and he situated himself so his head laid in your lap. He closed his eyes at the feeling of your fingers raking through his braids. It was a familiar feeling he had grown to miss while you were recovering.

“Hey, Y/n?” You turned your attention to the boy in your lap.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.” Neteyam’s heart was pounding, nervous for your reaction. He wasn’t sure if that was an Earth phrase you knew or understood, but he hoped it was.

A tiny smile danced on your lips. You caressed his cheek, leaning down to kiss it.

“I love you.”

The rest of the evening was spent wrapped in each other’s arms.

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topguncortez · 1 year

Text

Merry Christmas, Baby(ies)

pairing: Jake Seresin x Shy!Wifey ➳synopsis: Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, The Seresins were preparing for a birth to announce ➳warnings: pregnancy, child birth, c-sections, a little bit of trauma, Jake's family, a dash of angst. ➳Word count: 5.5k Opposites Attract Masterlist | Hangman Masterlist

➳ note: no, this isn't the fourth installment of the Opposites Attract world, I am still working on that (cause idk where I wanna go with it) but MERRY CHRISTMAS YA FILTHY ANIMALS:)

Since Jake was little, he had always loved Christmas. His mother always went all out, pulling out the boxes of decorations the second the last plate from thanksgiving was clean and put away. She would spend the next week decorating the house from head to toe. Garland, pine cones, lights, candy canes, and Christmas trees covered the house. Each room had its own sort of decorative vibe to it, and had its own box that went with it. Jake’s four older sisters could care less about decorating, but Jake was a momma’s boy and would spend hours helping his mom hang ornaments on trees.

That same love for Christmas followed Jake throughout his teenage years and even to adulthood. His first deployment was over Christmas and he somehow managed to get a small Christmas tree on board and set it up in his room. He could remember his first Christmas with Y/N, and fell even more in love with realizing that she too, had the same love for Christmas. They went all out buying their own Christmas tree, and setting up their own Christmas traditions. Their Christmases seemed to get even better when they had kids.

This year though, instead of going to Texas like they usually did, Y/N had invited Jake’s parents and sisters to San Diego for Christmas Eve. However, Jake didn’t know that was Y/N’s plan and had already invited the Dagger Squad over for Christmas Eve as well. It sent Y/N into a bit of a panic as she looked down at her eight month swollen belly, but she put on a bright smile and said:

“The more the merrier!”

But now, she was slowly regretting saying that, as she looked at the house full of guests. Jolene and George had arrived on December 22nd, because Jolene wanted to help get groceries and wrap gifts for her grandkids. George would have cared less about being there so early. The next to arrive was Jake’s sister Andrea, and her husband Kyle and their kids, and Jessica and her partner Emily showed up on the 23rd, staying in an AirBnB near Jake and Y/N’s house.

“I thought it wasn’t supposed to be this hot,” Y/N groaned as she sat down on the back patio watching the kids play with their cousins.

“It’s not even that hot,” Jake’s twin sister, Hillary said. Hillary and Y/N hardly got along, but Y/N tried to remain civil towards her.

“Do you need anything, sweetheart?” Jolene asked, walking out to the backyard. Part of the reason why Hillary didn’t like Y/N was because she got along somewhat well with Jolene. Jolene was almost exactly how the song described; red hair teased to the high heavens, pale skin, and electric green eyes just like Jake’s. Y/N was surprised that at least one of her kids didn’t have red hair.

“I’m good, thank you, Mrs. Seresin,” Y/N smiled.

“Oh baby, you have carried five of my grandbabies now,” Jolene smiled, “You can call me Jolene.”

Y/N blushed and nodded as Eli ran up to her and climbed on the couch. He cuddled into her, pressing his face into her bump. She smiled and ran a hand through his messy blonde hair.

“What have you been doing, baby?” Y/N asked her youngest, as of right now, son.

“I gotta take a break,” He sighed and flopped his arms out dramatically, “Can’t keep up with Alex and Tyler and Ella and Derek and Joanie and-”

“Hard being the youngest, isn’t it,” Andrea, Jake’s eldest sister said, “Tyler and Joanie aren’t being mean are they?”

“No Auntie Drea,” Eli shook his head, “My legs just little.” Y/N giggled and Eli climbed back off the couch and ran towards his cousins.

“Gosh he reminds me of Jake,” Jessica said and sat down next to Y/N, “What about these two? Who do you think they’ll be like?” Jessica placed her hand gently on Y/N’s bump.

“Maybe if she found out the gender,” Hillary mumbled and sipped her wine.

Y/N brushed off her comment, “I think they’ll be like Jake. I think they all take after Jake in some way.”

“Especially Ella!” Andrea shook her head with a laugh, “That girl reminds me so much of him. She even has his little half smile. And those dimples! Gosh, they are twins.”

“Gossiping about me?” It was as if Jake had heard them say his name and he leaned over the couch. He placed a kiss on the top of his wife’s head, “How are things?”

“She’s been complaining about the heat,” Hillary rolled her eyes.

“You would be too if you were carrying twins and ready to pop,” Jessica said defending Y/N, “Besides, momma deserves to be comfortable. Can’t imagine what it feels like having your house bombarded like this during the final weeks.”

“It’s because she’s a trooper,” Jake came around the couch and sat down next to his wife. He put one arm around her and his hand went to her bump. He rubbed it gently and bent down to place a kiss on it.

“How is fixing up the nursery with dad?” Andrea asked and Jake sighed.

Over the years, Jake had slowly started to patch up the rocky relationship he had with his father. After the birth of Eli, Jake had realized that George had hardly ever wanted to see his grandkids or talk to them, and it hurt Jake. His sisters told him that it wasn’t just Jake’s kids that George didn’t gel well with, it was all his grandkids, but Jake didn’t see it that way. George was always so kind and caring when it came to his sister’s kids, but was kind of cold when it came to Jake’s brood. So, Jake sat down with him and talked to him about how it hurt him and George had apologized.

“Trying to tell me how to put a crib together, like I haven’t put together three in the past ten years,” Jake rolled his eyes, “It’s fine. He’s inside, probably complaining about me to mom. Which, I don’t care about anymore.”

“Well that certainly changed,” Hillary mumbled. And Jake glared at her, “What? You used to care so much about Dad’s opinion and approval of you. Everything changed when you met. . .”

Y/N shifted in her spot and looked down at the tea mug in her hands. Jake clenched his jaw and pulled Y/N in closer to him. He knew of Hilliary’s dislike for Y/N and couldn’t figure out why. All Hilliary ever said was Y/N was just too different than Jake, and it would never work. Jake thought it was maybe because she wasn’t at his wedding. But then again, no one was really at the wedding since they just did it on a whim. His mother and other sisters were a bit upset about it, but they forgave him for it seeing how in love Y/N and Jake were.

“This has nothing to do with Y/N,” Jake said, “I’m too old to be begging Dad for his approval. It’s his loss for being a jerk and not wanting to get to know his grandkids.”

“It is, Jake, and I’m sorry that he’s being like that,” Andrea said sincerely, “He’ll come around someday. Maybe once he has another heart attack.”

“That’ll be the damn day,” Jessica laughed, “I’ve been with Emily for over fifteen years and he still asks about how we’ve had kids.”

“Science has not caught up to the old man,” Jake shook his head.

“He’s still ordering things from infomercials. . . you think he’s understanding how in vitro fertilization works,” Andrea added and all four Seresin kids broke out in laughter.

— — —

“I don’t want to wear tights!” Ella pouted and Y/N sighed.

It was Christmas Eve and the house was already filled with members from the Dagger squad. Bob was the first to arrive like always, this time dragging along his girlfriend Maggie. He was bringing her over for the first time, and thought a perfect time to meet the whole Dagger Squad would be at Christmas. Christmas with nine aviators and their families was an interesting event. Every year they got too drunk off of Fireball and spiked Eggnog. Everyone knew that Christmas was a make or break, those who could hang with the squad got to stay.

Jake was already down stairs with the boys, being the best host like his mother taught him to be. He was mixing drinks and creating laughs at the built in bar that he so badly had to have in the house. Jolene was getting along great with Penny, Y/N’s mom Clara and Sarah Kazansky (who Jake and Y/N always invited her and her kids to Christmas).

“Ella, you have to wear tights with your Christmas dress,” Y/N tried again to get her six year old to put her white tights on. She wanted to try and cover the large scrapes on her knees from falling off her skateboard last week, but Rooster told her she looked cool and now she was against covering them up.

“No!” Ella crossed her arms over her chest.

“Fine then, I’ll tell Santa no gifts.”

“Santa’s not real. Uncle Fanboy told me last week.”

“Dammit,” Y/N mumbled under her breath and made a mental note to talk to Fanboy about ruining kids' dreams, “Please. Put your tights on.”

Ella shook her head again and Y/N gave up on trying to put tights on her, knowing that this battle was one she was not going to win. Y/N waddled down the stairs slowly as Ella ran up to her dad, Uncle Rooster and Fanboy. Jake picked up the girl and spun her around in a circle. Rooster couldn’t help but chuckle at the exposed scrapes on her knees.

“Wasn’t winning the tight argument?” Jake asked as Y/N made her way to the kitchen.

“No, and I’m not fighting with her anymore. Even pulled the Santa card, but someone,” Y/N looked at Fanboy, ''said he’s not R-E-A-L.”

Fanboy whistled as he picked up his drink and got off his barstool, going to both Payback and Stella. Jake chuckled and set Ella down to go run off with her cousins and friends. He moved to stand behind Y/N, running his hands over her very tight bump and frowned.

“Are you having contractions?”

“No,” Y/N said, “It’s been like this all day. And my back is killing me. I put the band on to try and help but it’s not.”

“Maybe it’s back labor,” Rooster said, casually sipping his drink. Y/N glared at him, “Hey! Remember the last time you said you weren’t in labor?? Yeah, Floyd ended up catching that crotch goblin.” As if he knew he was being talked about, Eli ran by with a can of whipped cream in his hand.

“Who the hell gave him that,” Jake said, and went to chase after the three year old. Y/N looked up to see Javy and Payback with smirks on their faces.

“I’m not in labor. I still have three weeks to go,” Y/N said and grabbed a glass of lemonade, “This isn’t like last time and I am not about to ruin Jesus’s birthday by having twins.”

“Would beat the bible story,” Rooster smiled and Y/N rolled her eyes. She walked towards the living room where some of the other women were. She sat down next to her mom, who was deep in conversation with Penny and Jolene about something. Dragon was sitting on the other side of her and tapped her arm.

“What’s with Ella’s knees?” The Trace girl asked.

“Her and Alex were seeing who could go down the hill at the park the fastest. Ella took a tumble and now refuses to wear tights,” Y/N said and Dragon stifled a laugh.

“God she’s like Bagman.”

“You didn’t tell them it was dangerous?” Hilliary asked and Jolene scolded her, “What? Ella could’ve gotten seriously hurt. I mean, Eli just had a cast on his arm like two weeks ago.”

“They’re kids,” Jolene said, “Kids get hurt. They break bones in the morning and are running in the afternoon.”

“Oh boy do they. One time Y/N was. . .” Clara fell into a story about how Y/N and her brother Thomas got into a scooter race around their cul-de-sac and crashed into each other, resulting in both breaking their wrists.

The rest of the night went along without a hitch. Jake and George had spent all day cooking up two turkeys and a ham for dinner. Jolene, Andrea, and Jessica cooked most of the sides. Y/N tried to help, but Jolene had told her to sit and watch, not wanting her to do anything too strenuous. Even though they had cooked tons of food, people still brought dishes to share. Y/N was slightly overwhelmed by the amounts of food on her kitchen counters. But she knew how the Dagger Squad was, and knew that almost every single thing would be gone and they would happily take leftovers home.

Jake had gotten the kids plates and set them at their own table off to the side of the main dining room. That was one thing that Jake had added when he built the house. He had put in a big main dining room that would then open up to a smaller dining room so for dinners like this, the kids weren’t completely shunned to another room and out of sight. He hated that growing up, how the kids were always in another part of the house, out of sight out of mind. Javy, Payback and their wives also liked the idea so they could see their children as well.

Y/N let out a slow breath as she pushed the green beans around her plate and rolled her shoulders back. The pain in her lower back was gradually getting worse, and she tried to push through it with no complaint. Jake had been watching her the whole night, seeing as she asked her mother several times to rub her back for her. He knew that this was probably the early stages of labor, but Y/N was stubborn. Hell, everyone knew how stubborn she was, the birth of Eli Seresin proved that.

“Babe,” Jake whispered over to her, putting his hand on her thigh, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Y/N said, her voice shaky.

“Are you sure? Are you having contractions?”

“No,” Y/N said, and squeezed his hand, “I promise, I’m not having any contractions.” Jake nodded and leaned over to kiss his wife. She giggled into the kiss, and pulled him in close.

“Really?” They broke apart, both looking like two teens that had just gotten caught by their parents, but in reality it was just Hilliary giving Y/N a glare, “Is that how you got into that situation?”

Y/N looked down at her swollen belly, and ran her hand over it. Jake had had enough of his sister’s sly comments towards Y/N for the past few days. He knew how much the things Hilliary said bothered Y/N. He had spent one too many nights comforting her while she cried and asked why his twin sister hated her. He respected Y/N’s wishes on not confronting his sister, but between his dad being on him for different things and seeing his wife cower under his sister’s glare, Jake had enough.

“What is your problem?” Jake asked and Y/N felt her heartbeat start to rise. She felt all eyes snap to both of them as Hilliary looked like a deer in the headlights, “You’ve been a bitch this whole time.”

“Jacob!” Jolene scolded.

“He’s not wrong,” Andrea mumbled, taking a sip of her wine.

“I haven’t done anything to her,” Hillary pointed out, “Just pointing out that not everyone wants to see you two making out at the dinner table.”

“That was hardly making out,” Jake scoffed, and rolled his eyes, “God, Hillary! You’ve not had a single nice thing to say about Y/N since you met her! She’s been nothing but nice to you!” Jake yelled.

“I don’t have to be nice to her!” Hillary yelled, “She hasn’t done anything but stay at home, shoot out kids, and munch off of our-”

“Oh,” Y/N gasped as she felt a sudden rush of warmth between her legs. She looked down at her chair and then back up at Jake who’s jaw dropped. Clara was thankfully sitting next to Y/N, and grabbed a napkin off the table to try and cover up the wet spot on her dress. Rooster and Bob stood up from their spots and ran over to the other side of the table.

“Fucking great,” Hillary grumbled, “And now she’s turned Christmas all about-”

“Would you shut up for a damn second!” Dragon yelled at the Seresin girl, “Are you okay?”

“Sweets,” Jake said, and grabbed his wife’s hand.

“It’s early,” She looked at him frightened, “Oh god.”

“I’ll get the car!” George spoke up, and Jake and Jolene both looked at him in shock. George Seresin never had anything to do with his childrens’ birth. In fact, Jolene didn’t have him in the room during a single one of her four kids’ births. He sat in the waiting room until it was over.

“Her bag is upstairs by the-”

“I got it!” Jessica said, and ran towards the Seresin bedroom.

“Val, Maggie, help me take the kids down stairs,” Stella said, standing up from her chair and over to where the kids had noticed the commotion at. There were little sounds of protest as the women corralled the kids down to the basement, but the second that Fanboy stood up and said that Santa was on his way, they all cheered and followed him to the basement.

“What do you need?” Jake asked his wife, as Rooster rubbed her shoulders as she started to feel contractions.

“I’d like to change my clothes,” Y/N let out a breath, “But I want to get to the hospital first.”

“Are you gonna shoot out these two on the floor like Eli?” Rooster asked and Y/N glared at him, “Hey, I just want to be prepared in case I gotta catch a kid again.”

“You didn’t even catch the last one,” Bob said and Y/N let out a groan.

“Dad’s out front with the car,” Jessica said, walking back into the dining room, handing Jake the go-bag, “We’ll stay here and put the kids to bed and everything.”

“Thank you,” Jake said, and helped Y/N to her feet.

“Oh, they're gonna hate us,” Y/N groaned, “We won’t be here to open gifts.”

“I will record it,” Andrea said, “And Kyle promised to dress up as S-A-N-T-A. They will be distracted. Now, go have these babies.” Andrea kissed Y/N’s cheek and then hugged her brother.

Hillary was standing in the corner of the room as she walked Jake carefully guiding his laboring wife to the car. She never thought that the argument was going to lead to her water breaking and that fact that her nieces or nephews were going to be born early. Hillary let out a gasp as she covered her mouth with her hand. She knew the dangers of having babies early, she was a nurse for christ sake, and she knew the dangers of having twins early. Hillary somehow found it in her to run after Jake and Y/N, catching a glimpse as Rooster shut the car door and George pulled out of the driveway.

— — —

Y/N let out a small scream as she braced her hands on the bed, swaying back and forth gently as she worked through a contraction. Clara was rubbing her back, and Jake was holding her hair back in case she were to get sick again. Y/N was used to contractions and going through labor without pain meds. She had Eli on her bedroom floor, totally unmedicated. But these contractions were the worst she had ever felt and she was waiting until she could get her epidural.

They had been in the hospital for a little over four hours, and it was officially Christmas Morning. Andrea had sent Jake a picture showing the three older Seresin kids were asleep in Jake and Y/N’s bed. Jake had also sent an apology to the Dagger Squad group chat, but they were all more excited to find out if they were welcoming two boys, two girls or one of each into the family. Jolene and George were sitting in the waiting room, both of them not wanting to leave their son and his wife, both too excited to meet their grandchildren.

“God it hurts so much,” Y/N cried and Jake looked over at the contraction monitor, “Momma.”

“It’s almost over,” Clara said, rubbing her daughter’s back. She had been there twice before to see her give birth and it never got easier to see her daughter in pain.

“Jake, can you find the doctor?” Y/N asked and Jake nodded, running to the nurses station, “Where’s dad?”

“Getting more ice chips,” Clara answered, and Y/N started to move to sit back down on the medicine ball. Clara grabbed a hair tie off her wrist and tied Y/N’s hair up in a bun, “Do you need water?”

“I need a fucking epidural,” Y/N groaned as Jake walked back in, the anesthesiologist and their main nurse, Vera, behind him, “Thank god!” Jake laughed as the nurse handed Y/N the paperwork and the anesthesiologist walked her through the steps of the epidural. Even though Y/N was having twins, she still wanted to do a vaginal birth, and both her midwife and OB agreed to make that happen the best that they could.

“We’re going to get you positioned on the bed,” The anesthesiologist said. Jake, and Clara helped Y/N sit on the side of the bed, Jake standing between her legs like he had done for the first two kids. He ran his dull fingers over her hair, scratching at her scalp lightly. Clara stepped out in the hallway, giving them some privacy as James rounded the corner.

“Babies time?” James asked and Clara shook her head.

“Getting drugs,” Clara said, “You know. . . these are our last grandchildren.”

“I have faith in Carson to stop being an idiot,” James said, putting his arm around his wife, “Until then, yes, these are our last grandbabies.” Clara laughed and James kissed her forehead.

“Deep breath, Y/N,” The doctor said and Y/N sucked in a breath and squeezed Jake’s hands as the needle went into her back. She felt that same warm sensation she had felt before and let out the breath she was holding. Jake kissed her forehead, and whispered words of encouragement as they got ready to place the epidural needle in.

Y/N closed her eyes as she felt the needle prick her skin. Jake held her hands tightly as Y/N let out a slow breath through pursed lips, and counted down the seconds until it was over. She felt her body relax a bit as the needle was removed from her skin.

“All done, you should feel it start to set in soon,” The doctor said, and Jake helped Y/N lay down on her side in bed.

“Need anything else, Y/N?” Nurse Vera asked and Y/N shook her head, “You’re dilating at a good rate. Going to have some Christmas Babies.”

“Yay,” Y/N said, giving her a smile. Jake squeezed her ankle, and rubbed her calf.

— — —

It was about fifteen minutes later that Y/N started to feel weird. Jake had gone to the bathroom, leaving Y/N alone momentarily. She blinked her eyes a couple times, feeling her head start to swim and her hands tingle. Something was wrong, something was very, very wrong.

“Jake?” Y/N called out to him, and tried to pull herself out of bed, but was too weak to even raise her arm up. Jake had just walked out of the bathroom, and his eyes went wide. Her color was gone, and he could see a thin layer of sweat all over her body.

“Sweets, talk to me, what’s wrong?”

“I-I-” Y/N felt out of breath as she tried to reach for Jake but couldn’t even move an inch. Jake reached for the call button, pressing it rapidly. He cursed, and ran for the door, going to the nurses station.

“Something is wrong with my wife,” Jake rushed out in a panic. The nurses at the desk quickly got up and followed him into Y/N’s room, as alarms started going off.

“Baby B is in distress,” Nurse Vera said.

“Her heart rate has dropped,” Beverly, Y/N’s midwife said, “We need to move. Call up to an OR.” Beverly hit a button above Y/N’s bed, and a swarm of nurses and doctors came in, pushing Jake out of the way to get to Y/N.

“Jake!” Y/N called out to him. Nurse Vera grabbed the oxygen mask from the wall, and put it on Y/N’s face. Other nurses and techs got Y/N’s hospital bed ready to move towards the operating room. Jake tried to get close to her, but another nurse pushed him towards the back of the room.

“Ready to move,” A tech said and Beverly nodded. Y/N looked around the room, her vision becoming blurry both from tears and from the blood rushing out of her head. She tried to reach her hand out towards Jake.

“Jake!” She yelled a little bit loud.

“You’re okay! Just breathe! I’ll be right there!” Jake called out to his wife. Y/N kept her hands on her belly protectively as they took her right down to the operating room. He tried to follow them out into the hallway but he was stopped, “Get your damn hands off of me, and let me go with.”

“You can’t go with her, I’m sorry,” A nurse said, “You need to go wait in the waiting room.”

“The fuck I am!” Jake yelled as Clara and James ran around the corner.

“What’s going on?!” Clara asked, “Where did they take her?!” If there was one person no one wanted to piss off it would be Clara Y/L/N.

“Your daughter’s heart rate dropped and the twins went into distress,” The nurse explained, “She’s being taken back into an emergency c-section. We will update you when we can. But I’m sorry, you can’t go back with her.” The nurse turned on their heel and went towards the direction they took Y/N without any further explanation. Jake ran his hands through his hair and pulled at the ends of his blonde locks. Clara let out a soft sob as James pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.

“Let’s go wait,” James said, and put a hand on Jake’s shoulder.

James had slowly become more of a father figure in his life than his own father ever had. He always knew what to say, and gave Jake comfort in moments like this. Jake nodded and wiped a tear from his cheek, as he followed his in-laws out into the lobby. Jake’s own parents had left to go and help Andrea prepare things for Christmas morning. He sat down in an uncomfortable leather chair with a sigh.

Jake looked around the waiting room and saw that it was pretty much empty except for a few people. Most people were probably asleep in their beds, holding onto their loved ones as they prepared for an exciting Christmas Morning of opening gifts and spending it with their families. Jake’s lip quivered as he thought about his family. How his wife was all alone and vulnerable, being cut open and having their last babies delivered. He wanted nothing more than to be laying in bed, surrounded by his five kids and his wife in matching Christmas pajamas that were way too hot for anyone to stay in for too long.

Jake put his arm on the armrest of the chair, and leaned his head on his fist. He knew this was going to take awhile, so he thought he might as well get comfortable and wait. He slowly fell asleep, and dreams of future Christmases with his family filled his mind.

— — —

Y/N sucked in a deep breath, well as deep as she could take, as she started to wake up. She wasn’t sure what had happened and everything was a blur. The lights were bright and she kept her eyes closed, as she tried to sit up, but let out a loud groan. It felt like she had done about a million crunches, and her hands went to her belly, finding that where her bump once was, was now a large scar. Tears started to fill her eyes as she tried to fill in the blanks on what had happened.

“Sweets?” Jake called out softly, his hand going into hers. Her eyes opened and she looked at Jake, “What’s wrong?”

“Where are my babies?” Y/N whimpered out.

“They’re okay,” Jake said, running a hand over her hair. She looked better than she did when they whisked her away. Her color was somewhat back, and her eyes looked more alive. She tried to push herself up again, but Jake gently pushed her back down on the bed. He took the remote for the bed, and sat her up a bit. She whispered out a thanks, and then pointed towards the water cup on the table in front of her. Jake grabbed it and helped her sip from the straw.

She gently pushed the cup away from her, “What happened?”

“Your heart rate dropped,” Jake said, “And it caused the boys to go into distress. They took you for an emergency c-section. Everything went okay, they are resting down in the NICU.”

“Boys?” Y/N quipped, “I have two boys? We have two boys?”

“We had two boys,” Jake smiled and Y/N returned it with one of her own. He leaned forward and kissed his wife, “I’ll go get Nurse Vera so you can go see them.” Y/N nodded and Jake went to go find the nurse.

It was the most painful experience ever, getting from the bed to a wheelchair so she could go see her newborn twins. Jake pushed her down the hallway, going ever so slowly to not hit anything that would jostle Y/N’s body. Clara and James were currently in the NICU nursery, making sure that somewhere was there for each of the twins. They had let Jolene and George know that they had two more grandsons to add to their family.

“Alright, you ready?” Nurse Vera asked as Jake wheeled Y/N up to the door of the nursery, “We’re going to have you guys do skin to skin, each of you will take a twin, and then switch. We want you to try and see if they will latch.”

Y/N nodded and Jake pushed the chair into the room. She gasped seeing the two incubators in the otherwise bare room. There was a rocking chair in the middle of them.

“Do you want to sit in the rocking chair?” Vera asked and Y/N shook her head, “That’s alright. We will start with baby A.” Vera put on a gown, gloves and a mask. Jake stood behind Y/N’s chair and watched as Vera carefully took the newborn out of the incubator, “He is four pounds seven ounces, and eighteen point four inches. He’s your little one. Jake, I'm going to have you untie the back of Y/N’s gown and pull it down slightly, exposing her chest.”

Jake nodded and did what Vera instructed. Y/N felt a bit vulnerable, but then Vera placed the baby against her chest, and Y/N felt tears in her eyes. Vera draped a blanket over Y/N and the baby, to keep them both warm. Jake gently caressed her shoulder and looked down at his son. He could tell that he had her nose but his green eyes, and Jake could see the faintest color of red in his hair.

“Maxwell,” Y/N said and looked up at Jake, “Maxwell Glen Seresin.”

“I love it,” Jake said, and kissed the top of her head.

“Alright Jake, take a seat in the rocker please, and strip the shirt off,” Vera said and Jake sat down in the rocker and took his shirt off, “This is Baby B. He is five pounds ten ounces, and nineteen point two inches long.” Vera placed the baby against Jake’s chest. Jake immediately tilted his head down to sniff the top of the newborn's head. His heart clenched a bit, realizing that this was the last time he’d ever get that newborn baby smell.

“Jasper Thomas,” Jake said looking at his wife, “What do you think?”

“I like it,” Y/N said, rubbing her son’s back, “Jasper and Maxwell,” She sighed and looked at Jake, “Merry Christmas, baby.”

“Merry Christmas to you too,” Jake smiled, and then looked down at his son asleep on his chest, “This is the best Christmas ever.”

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bowieandqueen11 · 1 year

Text

Celebrating Roman Roy’s Birthday Would Include...

Request: OOOOOH i have one if you don't mind. how about hcs for celebrating roman's birthday? cause as we know when it comes to roys there's inevitably Something Traumatic happening on every holiday, i just want him to have a good day with someone who loves him🥺

Love honestly so true he deserves someone to just love him without condition :( I am FEELING

Warning: strong language, implied eating disorder and mentions of childhood mental/physical abuse!

(I do not own Succession or its characters, all rights go to creators. Gif credit goes to @bettercallgerri.)

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°

Roman Roy decided very early on the day to make an incredibly sensible decision. For the next twenty three and a half hours, he was going to ignore his phone every time it started vibrating in his jacket pocket, and irritated the skin against his breast. He was going to squeeze his eyes shut, and pick at his fingernails when at one in the afternoon, on the dot, his sister would send exactly the same generic fruit basket for his birthday as she did the previous year. He would crinkle his nose in irritation when the eldest Roy sent him a comic voicemail about how ‘he was still that little pup that threw a fish at him’ during their camping trip, despite his age.

And worst of all, and perhaps the most difficult for Roman Roy, he wasn’t going to feel depressed once about how his father had forgotten his birthday again. Well, not until he received the stereotypical rushed job of a blank card and sloppy signature of his father typed at the bottom the next day, sent as if he were signing a cheque. He wrote it off as being just another transaction: signing away all the love he owed Roman, justifying it as the price one has to pay for success. Only then would Roman allow himself to excuse off to the bathroom for a moment, before curling up into a ball and crying into his knees as he had done for every birthday he could remember.

He just wanted to spend one day: one single, solitary, sought after, scorned day to spend with the one person in his life he had always loved without hesitation. With the only person who truly saw him. Who loved him for who he was right now, and who, you knew, he should be. So, he decided the rest of his family could go fuck themselves for a meagre twenty four hours, while he made the most of snuggling up to you in bed.

Roman’s always been a naturally restive man at heart, and so it wasn’t long until that little goblin smirk of his came peering past the duvet and over your shoulder.

‘You know what?’, he murmured, resting his elbow by his head so he could turn and lie facing you properly. ‘Fuck it. We should just, I don’t fucking know, stay here all day until we have become one with the comforter.’

‘As lovely as that sounds’, you stretch up and groan, slapping Roman’s hand away as he reaches up to tickle under your armpit. ‘I have plans, I’m afraid.’

‘You- fucking- what? You have plans, are you fucking me right now?’ For a second he jumps up, his eyes squinting as he stares at you crestfallen. But then he sees the smile you’re trying to hide twitch at the corner of your lips, and he falls back down onto the mattress unceremoniously. While he reaches around and tries to thump you in the face with his pillow, you take the opportunity to wrestle his arm and loop it around your own. He gladly gives in, settling down next to you again as you continue: ‘I may have plans, but you’re very welcome to join in with them. If you’re nice to me, that is.’

‘I’m always fucking nice to you’, Roman mutters, but he reaches up to accept the kiss you’re trying to place on the side of his stubble. ‘Good’, you turn back to look at the alarm clock on your bedside table, ‘because we have to be up and out in approximately fifteen minutes.’

‘You are full of fucking surprises, you know that? God, I love you.’

Ever since you and Roman were seven years old, and his father had hit him for the first time after sneaking you up the side of his bedroom window for a sleepover his father had strictly forbidden, as he deemed Roman getting up bright and early for his fencing lessons the next morning to be far more important, you had kept a list in your head of all the mundane things Roman had been punished for as a child. Every birthday since then, you tried to strike one off the list, and this year you had decided to plan ahead, and asked Karolina to hire out a park for you a couple of states away for a water fight.

It was silly, and stupid, and childish, but when Roman sauntered into the kitchen after his shower and saw you trying to shove pretty hefty super soakers into your backpack, his face lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning. Hence the two of you flying off in your own private helicopter, trying to place a little wriggle room between Roman and the rest of the Roys; you felt almost ridiculous for a moment, whizzing past buildings and waving treelines with only a couple of water guns on you, but Roman was gripping onto your fingers so tightly the whole journey that the embarrassment flooded away. The whole time, his foot was tapping against the edge of yours like a wasp’s sting, his bottom lip nearly bloody from how hard he was chewing it. Whether it was from anticipation, or whether he had the foresight to anticipate the abuse he was going to garner from his father for the wasted journey and tabloid pictures you didn’t know. You held his hand back just as tightly, praying for him to have just one happy day.

Thankfully, once you arrived, Roman literally leapt out of the helicopter like some kind of Doberman. He shrugged off his coat and threw it back into the cabin, before rustling in the bag to grab his loot. Before you could even question what he was doing, a chilled gust of water came splatting you straight up the face, and hurtling you backwards. Let’s just say, Roman’s high pitched hyena laugh was heard all around the fringes of the daisy-strewn field, as he went skidding across the blades like a wanted criminal.

Sometimes, you would hold your hands up as if in defeat, and he would come strutting over to you with his gun in the air and one hand on his waist. Stating that you had run out of water, you wanted to wipe that smug smile off his face as he came and tried to pull your hands behind your back. He walked you both backwards until you were pinned against the tree, and although he’s doing his best to look all sexy, and mysterious, and sheriff like as he tries to unlatch your fingers slowly from the triggers, it was a huge mistake. Using the distraction, you pull his own gun from him and pull his shirt forward, spraying water straight down his bare chest.

‘Oh, you fucker!’

If anyone could see the two of you: sprinting about like children in the mud, not caring as bits of wet dirt skidded up and stained your suit shirts. Parading through the flowers, laughter pealing like bells wherever you went. They would think you were free, and perhaps, for a moment, you both were.

At one point Roman comes swinging down from an oak tree and scares the living absolute fuck out of you. For a second he looks afraid: that remnant of his father’s ‘love’ making him feel sick to his stomach, but that is quickly alleviated when you come over and trace down the slight stubble of his neck. Your pointer finger comes to trace up his chin, and then over the top of his lip, before you lean up and gently melt your lips against his awaiting ones.

The two of you decide (once you’ve managed to unlatch spider monkey from you) to swing your legs up over the tree branch and sit up there for a while, like you used to do when you were teenagers sickly sweet in a hidden, reciprocated love. Back in the days when Roman would carry himself, wounded and crying, to trudge around his father’s estate and find wherever your newest hidie-hole from the world was. It didn’t matter if it was underneath one of the neighbouring orchard trees, or out sitting on a lounge chair on his bedroom balcony, or tucked up inside one of the pool sheds, hidden between unused surfboards and half-chewed pool noodles, Roman had a sixth sense when it came to finding you. You, too, always knew he was coming: mainly from the sound of impeding sniffles, and you had your arm out and ready for him to come curl up into. Against his side, he would crest himself like the fallen son, trying to make himself as small a target as possible against your chest.

Sometimes you would tuck a book out from your bag and read to him. Other times, the two of you would just chatter like soft sunlight amidst the dark blots of his father’s pristine possessions. Most of all, Roman would usually fall into an uneasy sleep against your neck, and would only rise again once the irritated call of his newest nanny rang out from the veranda.

It had taken him a while to realise he could feel safe in your arms, rather than just hide away, but when he did, he would rest his head on your shoulder and wish he could stay alone with you forever.

So he was more than delighted to re-enact his favourite parts of his childhood with you, even if he can’t fully settle his whole heart into it. You try your best to seem as nonchalant as ever: leaning your head back until it scratches on the bark, swinging one leg over until it catches the sharp gleam of the cresting mid-afternoon sun. Roman’s hunched over, sitting in between your legs, and although he’s being set alight with some kind of giddiness that he can freely be with you now without having to hide, his body’s response is still set to flight or fight. His fingers dance over your legs like a skimming dragonfly, running over the inseams before landing on your ankles and squeezing.

Becoming over alert of how his eyes keep darting away from you, as if he’s still awaiting the strike he knows is punishment for daring to show love towards anyone, you reach out for him. After an awkward moment of manoeuvring, the two of you manage to reach an agreement on how to sit: you still leaning back, and Roman now lying against your chest, with his legs straight out against the skittish twigs. He looks ethereal against the soft rolls of honey that seemed to drape around the two of you, the crimson burnt fringes of the leaves protecting him from the outside world. And yet Roman still jumps when he feels your fingers brush against the edge of his face, as if you had been trying to burn him.

It’s taken time. It takes time. It will take time. But to you, using all the understanding and patience in the world would be worth it, if it allowed Roman Roy to live. So you just hold him around the waist, and wait for him to become comfortable. You whisper quotes from your favourite books into his ears, and the sky slowly begins to roll over with lavender and a deep blushing maroon, you tell him about the new memes online from Connor’s campaign. He snorts at that, almost twitching awake in your grasp, but you appreciate the way he tries by leaning backwards and languidly blinking, pressing a brushing kiss against your bottom lip.

Before the two of you return home, he decides he wants to see how ‘the peasants live’ by eating in a normal restaurant. Although he shudders at your implication that he’s turning into Cousin Greg, it ends up being one of the happiest dining experiences of his life. Roman had always had a difficult relationship with food: between his mother’s teasing about his looks at the dining table when he was a toddler, to his father smacking him for bad table manners, to every adult dinner party revolving around sub-plots and back-stabbing, he’d found it all difficult to swallow. Being with you, thankfully, made the experience a little easier.

He even found himself laughing when the sushi you had tried to feed him with your chopsticks came flopping down onto the table in a mushed heap of rice and wasabi, and the joy didn’t leave his face as you came up to cradle his face and wipe bits of salmon away from the lines of his lips. The whole time, he was incredibly aware of how carelessly he allowed his knee to rest against your own; he was conscious of how other customers might notice the way he held your hand over the bar stools between courses, but for the first time in his life, he allowed himself the freedom not to care.

One of the waitresses makes a comment about how sweet the two of you look together on the way out, and oh my god does Roman ride that high the whole way back to the park. Cue him being a full peachy, blubbering, hyper mess, with giggles only a dog could hear slipping out of his mouth every ten metres down the pavements.

You give him his present when you get home: you’d collated over the last couple of months some of your favourite pictures, both of you and Roman over the years, as well as full family shots. You had asked Connor, Kendall and Shiv to add some of their favourite memories in the margins of the shots, until the black and white photobook was bursting with neatly looped letters and little drawings of dicks (kindly added by Ken.)

Roman chokes when he sees it. He fists his hand into his mouth, shrugging as his eyes widen, brimming with tears as he flips through the pages. He starts getting over hyper, repeating over and over and over again that ‘yeah, yeah- it’s nice, I like it’, because he thinks it’s some kind of trick. Because he can’t handle the thought of his siblings loving him without some sort of condition. Because just one kind word it’s what he’s been seeking from them his whole life, and your eyes widen in horror as you realise why he’s taking a step backwards. Why his bottom lip is jutting out. Why he looks like a noose is tightening around his neck. You glance down, and you can see it in all the pictures: in every frame, his siblings are looking dead-on, deadpan into the camera, and he’s glancing up at them. In the pictures with you, he’s clearly choking down the love that’s bursting out of his every being as he gazes at you in every. single. one.

It guts you to realise it’s taking you so long to reciprocate just a little of that love that’s been suffocating him his whole life.

He regresses into Logan Roy mode, and it breaks your heart all the more; he wanders over to the cabinet to pour a tumbler of whiskey for the two of you, before settling himself down on the edge of the settee. He pulls out his phone, getting prepared to come back to himself: to scroll through the news channel and chat with you about the events he’d missed while taking a few hours off for himself.

Yet he doesn’t complain when you tenderly take his hand, choosing instead not to let him wallow. You lead him over to one of the armchairs over looking the cityscape, pushing on his chest until he collapses down into it. With a content sigh, he watches you go choose a book from the collection you had curated by the television, before coming back to squeeze yourself in beside him. He’s half sitting on your lap, but neither of you really give a stuff as he winds his arms around your neck and settles against your heartbeat. With his head on your collar bone, and your finger mindlessly drawing patterns in the tufts of hair behind his ear, you begin to read aloud to him. From time to time you peer behind the spine and catch his eye, and it makes you fumble over your words a little when you spot him. He’s gazing up at you as if you were perfection incarnate, and for the first time in his sorrowful life, Roman Roy begins his next year on this planet with one hopeful thought smacking around the inside of his head: perhaps this year, he won’t have to suffer just for being Roman.

#succession #succession imagine #roman roy #roman roy imagine #roman roy x reader #roman roy headcanons #kieran culkin #x reader #succession fanfic #succession fanfiction #kendall roy #shiv roy #logan roy #connor roy

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devieuls · 10 months

Text

The way of love pt.VIII

Neteyam Sully x Tayrangi Fem Reader (Na'vi)

Warning of the Serie: MDNI. Dom Neteyam x Fem Reader; SMUT; ANGST; FLUFF; Dirty Talk; Fangs; Bites; Blood; Spit; Power Play; Jealousy and Possessiveness; Foreplay; violence; Swearing; Teasing; Unprotected Sex; Enemies (because of you, Neteyam treats you well). Aged characters: Neteyam 19 y.o / You 18 y.o. SERIE

Synopsis: After a great loss happened in your family, you are forced to take a role that before did not belong to you, following a path that you will feel like your only in time. Just when you thought you were finally overcoming the loss, your clan shows up with those you blame for the great offense received. You are the daughter of the first Olo'eykte of all clans and are about to take your mother’s place to lead the Tayrangi clan, but first you must follow Neteyam (the eldest son of the man you detest with all your heart) To train him, despite your contempt for the Sullys and everything about them, you inevitably bond with the boy, unknowingly falling in love with him.

CHAPTER WARNING: ///////

Lenght : 4.6k

Notes: I’m praying that you like the series, because it’s getting closer to the end. Leave a comment to make me understand how it’s going, luv u <3

NA'VI WORDS: TANHI: Star; KARYU: Teacher; 'ITE: Daughter; kenten mì kumpay: a sense of being in an environment where you’re prevented from acting naturally or doing what you want to do; nga yawne lu oer: i love you

Character Cast: NEY'NARI: Your dead sister; IKEYNI: Your Mother; TSENTEY: Your Father; YÌMKXA: Your Ikran; ULEYTE: Your bestie; TUL'PEY: Your future Mate

PART: 1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 4 ; 5 ; 6 ; 7 ; 8 ; 9 ; 10

· · ─────── · 𖥸 · ─────── · ·

"Does she know?" Lo'ak’s tone became serious for a moment. "No, not yet. I’ll tell her about that when the time comes. " "Our father will skin you alive,bro" said the youngest. " Probably…" The conversation turned to the end.

You had taken a basket of Spartan fruit and steamed Teylu; you would have liked to hear the conversation between Lo'ak and Neteyam but most of the words were a mix of Na'vi and that language you couldn’t understand. When you were ready you came out of the hut, you looked at the boys with a slight blush on your face. "I took what I came looking for… please, take the water…" You whispered with a thread of voice as you passed the two boys. You could see out of the corner of your eye that Neteyam had tried to touch your elbow when you passed in front of him, but he retracted his hand after his brother’s gaze fell on him. You didn’t give much importance to this detail, taking it for granted that he had made this choice in order not to make you feel further uncomfortable with his brother. When you returned to your family’s hut you noticed that your mother and Neytiri kept talking about some strange event they had faced when they were young; Jake arguing with your dad about warrior stuff while the one you recognized as Tuk and Kiri were talking to each other. You put the basket on the table and then you were invited by the little one to sit with her and her sister, at the beginning you were reluctant to approach them but then you had the courage to sit down with them; Kiri hadn’t looked at you most of the night while Tuk was anxious to meet you.

"I’m Tuktirey! You’re Neteyam’s friend, aren’t you? Your hair is so beautiful, wow!" the voice of the little girl was ringing but pleasant to listen to as she touched some of your braids, admiring the small jewels that were wedged between them. "I love your clothes and your jewelry! You are really beautiful, y/n!" she continued, making genuine and sincere appreciations on every part of you, only to be stopped by Kiri who could feel your slight embarrassment as you thanked little Tuk. "Tuk, if you keep this up, she’s gonna run like a hawk" said the girl who must have been about your age, as she touched Tuk’s braids, making her peel off slightly from you. "I am Kiri, but I think you know us at least by name, Neteyam never misses the opportunity to talk about us" her eyes rolled as if she already knew that 100% he had done it, in fact she was right. "Coincidentally he did it just today, It’s not like we had a lot of time together outside of class hours or formal events," you bit the corner of your mouth slightly as your eyes fell on the floor. Kiri noticed that there was something deeper, but remained silent to not make you uncomfortable, after all she had just met you.

At that moment the two young Sullys also entered the hut with some Dapophet leaves that contained the water all of you would need for the long night. The lanterns that were placed inside the hut began to light up with the arrival of the eclipse of the day, while the two boys took their seats near you and the two sisters.

Neteyam sat between you and Tuk, often holding her when she needed the affection of his older brother. You found out that Tuk was particularly close to Neteyam, you could tell by how she whined at the thought of going back to the Omatikaya clan without her brother, and how she complained that Lo'ak couldn’t braid her hair like Neteyam, or by her laments for how Lo'ak always prohibited her from following him into the woods. It softened you the dynamic between them, you could see yourself so much in Tuk, at least 'the old you', the one a little rebellious and mischievous, but endured by the older sister. You also laughed at the way Lo'ak was reprimanded by Kiri when he said something extremely stupid or when he appeared in the stories as a powerful warrior. After a long time you felt happy, you no longer had the burden of thinking about tomorrow or your duties, In one night, your shoulders shook thanks to those who until last month considered 'demons'. The thing that left you most enchanted was how Neteyam smiled and tried to keep all three brothers quiet, almost like a father to them. When it came your turn to speak you found yourself bickering with Neteyam, as he was too modest to be complimented on his skills or improvements; Sometimes you two find complaining and contradicting eachother about some funny scenes that happened while you were training, like the fact that he almost drowned that morning while trying to stay under the water as long as possible.

Suddenly Tuk opened her mouth to talk, drawing your attention. "Neteyam, you and y/n are mated? Becaus-" Lo'ak plugged Tuk’s mouth with Teylu, getting a tender pout from the little girl. "Tuk, you’re talking too much, eat something" Lo'ak said embarrassed as Neteyam blushed and looked slightly away as he scratched the back of his head. "No, just friends. We’re just friends, Tuktirey" you said smiling, while Lo'ak held back a smile that was certainly containing a laugh. Your eyes shook him in the moment, while Kiri had managed to connect the dots in her mind. Kiri looked first at Neteyam and then at you, noticed how the brother swallowed in embarrassment and tried to hide the blush on his cheeks, and how you looked at Lo'ak badly for his expression and embarrassed smile. The marks on Neteyam’s chest and the small scratches behind his back, and then he noticed some hickeys in the upper thigh and closer to your intimacy. She nodded in silence, while a dark veil covered her face after realizing, feeling bad for you, since most likely you did not know yet. "Friends? You seem so close though" Tuk said with his mouth still full, as Lo'ak sighed with relief as he hadn’t mentioned that little detail that only Neteyam could have told you. "is because I am his Karyu, in this month he spent more time with me because of the lessons that with the other Na'vi of the village" Neteyam’s head nodded agreeing.

The evening continued along the same lines: funny stories, Tuktirey insisting that you and Neteyam were a couple, Lo'ak and Neteyam trying to silence her in their strange language and Kiri maybe contemplating death and then talking to you gently. Towards the end of the evening, the Sullys went to sleep in Neteyam’s hut, as they would leave the next day late in the afternoon. You were happy to have met the Sullys, you had discovered how they were simply Na'vi with their flaws and merits; it made you laugh as Jake seemed so trained when Neytiri spoke over him or corrected his grammar, you found them tender… Now that you were lying in the part of the hut dedicated to you, you couldn't help but smile as you looked out of the window hole, still lying on your carpet, talking quietly to the stars and the wind. This was something you often did when you needed to vent both positively and negatively, it made you feel so close to your sister, and you hoped she would hear you tell her about your experience with the Sullys. A gentle breeze came into your room and made you smile, thinking it was Ney'nari’s answer, interpreting that breeze as your sister’s encouragement to move on and continue to bond with that family you were afraid of before and disgusted with.

"Y/n… y/n, are you awake?" a voice coming from outside made you get up from the ground and look out the window, and then notice Neteyam looking for something on the ground, as to hit the window to attract your attention. "I’m awake. What are you doing here at this hour?" you said noting the late hour. Neteyam’s face rose and smiled as he looked out the window. "I told you, I can’t sleep if you don’t say good night, Ma Tanhì," his voice was slightly lowered, so as not to attract the attention of sleepers in the village. He approached your window, albeit slightly higher from where he was. "Skxawng, go to sleep. If they found you there they would skin you" you whispered, trying to make your voice heard only to him. You had to hold back a smile for that gesture as foolish as it was sweet, which had particularly impressed you. "Then say good night, so I have quiet dreams." His eyes chained to yours, watching the little smile that was born on your face. "Goodnight, 'Teyam," you said quietly as you put your cheek on the palm of your hand, noting how happy and uplifted Neteyam seemed after your words. "Good night, ma eywa," you blushed when he called you "Eywa," you didn’t expect it and he knew it. He looked up to you as you smiled like a carefree child thanks to him. After seeing you smile like this, he would surely have had more than golden and serene dreams.

Your gaze fell on him again, his eyes open as he watched you as if you were his entire universe, so much love in those golden eyes that made you blush and smile. You looked at each other in silence for a few minutes, while he was mimicking you with sweet words that you could understand even without hearing his voice. "ma eywa, sweet dreams… nga yawne lu oer" The boy’s voice made all the love and adoration he felt for you, making you smile. You sent him a kiss with your hand, which he took theatrically and carried to his heart, doing the same with you before leaving. Now your back was leaning just below the window, while your hands were resting on your chest, at heart level, squeezing that flying kiss that Neteyam had left you. Neteyam had become the cure you needed after all the years you spent hiding your unhappiness from the world; small gestures like these simply brought you closer to that precipice that was love. You should have been afraid, you were a woman already mated for years, soon the rite of Tsaheylu with Tul'pey would have come, but your mind was poisoned by Neteyam. You fell asleep with a sweet smile on your face, asking Eywa to pass the night quickly so that you could see Neteyam again as soon as possible, you were already missing his sweet touch and scent.

Eywa welcomed you into the dream world and granted your wish, bringing the morning quickly. When your eyes opened, the rays of the two suns hit your face, and for the first time it didn’t even bother you. You got out of bed with a smile on your face and when your parents saw you so sunny they were strangled, they smiled at you and you needed some berries and fruits that they had gone to get from the shed. "Ma'ite, today you shine more than the suns." Your father’s voice made you smile and nod as you savored the sweet juice of the Yovo fruit. "It’s true, what delights your heart so much, ma'ite? We haven’t seen you like this for years." Your mother continued, before passing a hand through your braids and giving you a maternal smile. It was true, Ney'nari’s death had marked you in everything: the smiles were false and if they were true you noticed with how much weakness you held them in face; your character more off and calm to emulate that of your sister, totally making you another person; the way you seemed to sprinkle joy and tranquility made them think for a moment that their sweet, rebellious and old y/n was back. "It’s just a beautiful day, no big deal." You whispered with slight blush on your cheeks as you squinted under your mother’s caresses.

After breakfast, you changed your clothes and rushed out of your hut, hoping to see Neteyam soon. You arrived in front of his hut and welcomed by Tuk, who had apparently just woken up, but did not deprive you of her sweet welcoming smile. "Looking for Neteyam? he went to the village with Lo'ak a little while ago" Her sleepy voice made her even more tender, made you think if Neteyam had the same tenderness as a child. " Thank you Tuktirey" You answered her and then laid a hand on her head, slightly upsetting her braids, while she laughed softly. You thanked Tuk before going to the center of the village to look for the two brothers. You met Lo'ak right away, and he seemed quite insistent on not letting you go looking for Neteyam, not understanding why he was so ambiguous. "Lo'ak, please, let me go find Neteyam" you said gently, repeating yourself several times before abruptly departing from him, following the sound of two voices, one of which sounded vaguely like Neteyam’s. Once you got to where the voices came from, you could distinguish Neteyam’s shoulders and back, but not with whom he was speaking, even though the female voice was unequivocal. "Shit, I tried to stop her…" Lo'ak said once he reached you, spinning Neteyam and showing the figure of a beautiful and tall Na'vi, with long black braids adorned with feathers and flowers typical of the forest; Her clothes were obviously well-made, and you could tell she was of a high status other than that she was definitely a warrior. Your eyes passed from her to Neteyam, failing to understand who Na'vi was close to him.

"Who's she?" Your voice was slightly absent as you looked Neteyam in the eye, looking for sincere answers, but reading only embarrassment and fear in those golden pools. "'Teyam, w-who is she?" you repeated again, not understanding why he didn’t answer right away, and why he wasn’t reassuring you "MaTanhì… she is…" His voice was broken as he searched for words he could not find. Your heart beat in your throat as you felt Lo'ak gently take you by the wrist, as if to take you away from there. "His mate. I am Reyin'al te Sxeke Ninat'ite…" Replied proudly the woman who before was behind Neteyam and who now wrapped her hands around his arm. "… Tsakarem of the Omatikaya" The surprise crept into your gaze, your eyes widening in disbelief before the stark reality that was revealed before you. "Tsakarem of the Omatikaya…" You yanked your wrist from Lo'ak’s grip, as if to get rid of it. Your heart seemed to have stopped like your breath, your eyes that were before on the woman, now they returned to the face of Neteyam who did not have the courage to look at you.

All the happiness that was before in your body evaporated like water under the scorching sun, your eyes went out of disbelief and it hurt you that Neteyam now didn’t even look you in the eye, giving you a tacit statement to what the girl had said. You would have wanted him to say 'No, it’s a misunderstanding' or something to cheer you up, but he didn’t. You searched in vain for his gaze for endless seconds, and then you tightened your jaw and nodded at the Na'vi who answered you, and then you turned around and left as your heart fell apart. You heard footsteps behind you following you, but you didn’t turn around for a second, because you knew if the steps were Neteyam’s, you would collapse in front of him. You found yourself immersed in a whirlwind of emotions as you ran away from him, a tumultuous tornado that tore your soul apart. A wave of pain swept over you, like a fist to the chest that left you breathless. Your heart, first filled with joy, broke into a thousand pieces, leaving a deep wound burning inside you while. The feeling of emptiness warmly welcomed you, as if something essential had been ripped from you. Anger enveloped you like a burning fire, a flame that blazed in the depths of your being. The bitterness is mixed with tears running across your face, cursing you for not being strong enough to hold them. The confusion struck you, and along with it the overlapping questions in your mind, looking for an answer that can make sense of what you heard. You felt lost in a maze of conflicting emotions, unable to find a way out. Sadness envelops you, a heavy mantle that oppresses you and makes you feel deaf to the words of the boy who was following you. Your world has fallen with such speed that even your certainties were dissolved.

A warm hand but too strong to be Neteyam’s kept you from running away. Once you turned to the owner of the hand you noticed that the person who followed you was Lo'ak, and a sense of desolation covered your face. "Y/n… I tried to-" Lo'ak’s voice snapped when he noticed your shiny, slightly red eyes, immediately realizing he had no excuse. " He would have told you… he was waiting for the right moment." He said before he looked away from you, lest you feel uneasy at the tears that streaked your face without your will. You swelled your chest several times, trying to regain the gift of the word, which had been taken away from you by that storm of emotions that had exploded in you. " Isn’t it too late for that? He had plenty of time to talk to me about her." Your broken voice made an idiot hear the boy in front of you, as if anything in his brother’s defense would be in vain. "Y/n.. I understand, I tried to keep you from looking for Neteyam because of that, because I knew he wanted to talk to you first," he continued, letting go of your wrist. "If so, he would be in your place now." Your tone was sour and poisonous, to this statement of yours Lo'ak did not know how to respond without looking like a complete idiot.

He knew you were right, you were absolutely right to feel that way and to be angry. Before he snapped to follow you, the look of Neteyam watching you leave gave him the courage to do what his older brother couldn’t. He was sure Neteyam would tell you, he wasn’t a liar, you could trust him and his word, but Reyin'al’s sudden arrival had ruined all the plans. Neteyam had never loved Reyin'al, they had grown up together, known by the whole clan as the two strongest and most admirable warriors, Mo'at had paired them from an early age saying that their union would bring greatness to the Clan. Despite this, Neteyam had always seen Reyin'al more as a friend than a mate, he had grown up with the love stories of Neytiri and Jake and dreamed of meeting his soulmate like them. He had always felt too close in that relationship, so much so that he had never really tried to make it work, he wanted to try 'true love', fight to meet it and have a sweet ending like his mother’s. Neytiri had always supported his son’s dream, clashing with Jake who agreed with the decision of the elderly Tsahik, reminding him several times that she was destined for another man but still chose her partner. And Neteyam had finally figured out how his mother felt about her father when he saw you, falling in love with you day by day.

"Just yesterday he was under my window, sending me kisses and sweet words, and then…. receiving this poisoned knife. Don’t tell me you’re gonna tell me because I don’t believe a word of it." You hissed before you walked away from Lo'ak, hearing him say something remotely like "Kenten mì kumpay…" Blood was boiling in your veins for trusting him. The pain spread in you like a fire burning in your chest, a feeling of weight that oppresses your breath. Every beat of your torn heart seems to recall the bloody wound that made you lose your breath, a excruciating pain that spreads in every fiber of your being. Feeling you vulnerable as your knees found peace on the grass, near the precipice where it faced the sea.

A reluctant hand landed on your shoulder as you growled. "Lo'ak, go away." Your tone was high, it was releasing all the pain that was building up in you. "Ma Tanhì… I-" You walk away from that delicate touch as if you were struck with burning iron when you realized that voice belonged to Neteyam and not to Lo'ak.

Neteyam had found the strength to follow you and his brother only after a few minutes of derealization and shame, but when he managed to reach you you were already gone and it was Lo'ak who showed him the way to find you. His remorseful look was on your back, hoping to see your face and explain the situation. "Go.away." You spelled it with clenched teeth, giving him your back as you wiped away tears that seemed not to want to stop coming out of your eyes. He swallowed, taking a long breath to start talking. "Ma Tanhì… let me just explain, please" His voice was broken as he tried to explain himself, seeking your consent to speak. You rose from the ground and looked him in the eyes with contempt and disappointment, your shiny and slightly swollen eyes destroyed him more than your words could. You shook your hands in a fist to try to condense your anger as Neteyam’s gaze became increasingly guilty.

"Explain? What do you want to explain. You have a partner and you didn’t tell me." Your words hit her skin like arrows. "You knew about Tul'pey, and you didn’t tell me about that 'Reyin'al'." Your voice was filled with hate as you yelled at him against words that scratched his skin and soul. "I wanted to-" you stopped him with a wave of your hand, and then growled at him. " You lied. You lied and deceived me." Neteyam’s jaw twitched as he listened silently. "You made promises." You started pushing him backwards.

The tension was now palpable in the air, not the usual pleasant tension, a destructive and cramped. Your eyes burn with anger and disappointment, your hands hit hard on his chest making him back, trying to vent all his frustration and pain in one blow. Driven by the anger and wound that had crept into your heart, you struck his chest at other times, letting each blow be a cry of protest against his actions. Each punch, slap or push was accompanied by sharp words, screams of pain and growls that intertwined with your anger. But unlike Tul'pey, Neteyam accepted your desperate cry and took each blow in silence, letting you vent on his body if it would help you feel better. "I hate you. I hate you, Neteyam. I hate you with all my heart," you yelled at him in the face as you held back every tear, as your fingers sought a foothold on him, scratching his chest before pushing him again. He wanted to hug you and let you cry over him, but he understood that now your wound was still fresh and bleeding brutally.

"I want you to leave. Now. Never come back. Go away with your parents today. I don’t want to see you again." You said to then walk away from him, while your hands were still shaking from the rush of emotion that passed through your body. "Go away. Take away your promises and your partner. I put myself at risk for you…. and you ruined everything! " This time Neteyam’s hand approached you, and then was struck by your hand. "Everything I said, I really meant it. Every promise, every compliment, everything was true… She's not you. I never wanted her, I want you, ma Tanhì…" Your eyes still looked at him with disgust as your heart betrayed you by beating so hard for those words. " You lied. You’re a liar. I don’t believe you." You answered with clenched teeth, before screaming to relieve the tension. "I didn’t lie to you… please, ma Tanhì, listen to me." His voice was broken as he tried to get close to you, being rejected. He felt guilty, he promised never to make you cry again, love you and make you happy, but now he was holding in his hands the pieces of your broken heart. "Go away. I said you have to go away!" You yelled at him, his eyes lowered to the ground. He didn’t know whether to listen to your request and let you go or be deaf to your voice and insist on his position.

Neteyam took a deep breath, approaching you and taking your arms, looking you in the eye. "Ma Tanhì, listen to me and if you want I’ll leave. I never wanted to be with Reyin'al, we have been mated all our lives, without choice. I fell in love with you, just you and every aspect of you. I feel horrible, a monster, seeing that I hurt you so much, it was not my intention… I swear to Eywa" A tear twisted Neteyam’s face and laid his forehead on yours. You took a deep breath, repressing all those feelings sent from your still bleeding heart and growled at him. " I would have told you, I swear, I would have… Reyin'al came unannounced and ruined everything, believe me. Let me fix this… I-" "Do not touch me. Don’t touch me anymore." You said growling, then try to get away from his grip. "I'm begging.. Don’t reject me" he whispered in a tone of voice that died in his throat and let all his pain shine through, but also the desire to keep you close. "Go to your partner. Just go." you made sure to spell the words, then feel his hands let go and hesitate before leaving. " Go. GO AWAY!" you yelled at him again, clenching your jaw and struggling with the conflicting feelings that were being born in you.

It was clear that Neteyam wanted to continue the speech, you could read it in his face: his shiny eyes that hesitated on your hands and then your eyes, as his jaw twitched, the way his tail sent you specific signals, or the way his voice died in his throat. He accepted your request and disappeared into the forest, while you dried your tears and your hands spoke the cold ground beneath you, as if to seek some comfort. You wanted him to stay, but at the same time you wanted him to leave; to kiss you, but you wanted to hurt him, to hear his words, but you were deaf. You spent a few hours in that place, letting nature embrace and welcome you, remembering that you could ask for advice and receive comfort from your sister by making Tsaheylu with one of the voices trees that was placed just a short distance from there. You needed guidance and someone who understood your emotions, so who better than your sister to help you figure out the way to go?

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