#🌂 // failure

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: neteyam x metkayina male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: As Neteyam settles in with the Metkayina, he too falls for their golden boy and finds that they have a lot in common.

part 2 ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 6677

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: little angsty and existential

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: there's a part 2 coming up, pretty different from part 1, in fact i came up with part 2 before part 1. also been working on this since the tsireya fic, 3 days ago.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

His name was (y/n). Or at least, that's what Neteyam had heard, and he had heard about him a lot in his short time in Awa'atlu. He, however, hadn't gotten the chance to speak with him.

The Metkayina liked him. Even Ronal, the bitter Tsahìk that so very hated Neteyam's family, and Tonowari treated him like one of their own. Though he supposes that in Ronal's eyes, all except for the Sully's were "her own" (Neteyam was a respectful kid, raised to be, but even Ronal drew some bitter thoughts he'd never disclose).

It wasn't exactly hard to tell that he was a special person to the clan, like any part of him could be weaved into anybody's songcord.

Neteyam watched from afar as he dismounted from his ilu. As he dug his toes into the sand of the shore, several people greeted him at once. He met each one with their name and a heartfelt grin.

Neteyam once knew what it was like to be loved by everyone in his clan, once knew each of their names, once knew how long it took to greet every single one as each just had to greet him. Once, he had greeted each one just as graciously. As time flew by, it felt like another one of his duties. Now, he no longer did at all. He missed it, strangely.

Then, as you finally turn to him, your smile falls. It wasn't like most others when they saw his dark blue skin and leaner physique; your lips didn't form a scowl. Instead, you flashed him a small smile before turning away.

Somehow, it looked kinder. Neteyam didn't know how.

He didn't really need to, anyway. All he needed was to keep up the formality, greet you with a smile just like the rest, because this would be the farthest your interactions would go.

After all, as far as the Metkayina were concerned, he was a demon and you were their golden child.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Whilst Ronal and Tonowari treated you like one of their children, your relationship with their actual children was unknown to Neteyam.

And certainly to Lo'ak.

The Sully brothers watched on as the golden child and the Tsahìk-to-be bantered.

Tsireya was to be giving them lessons on Metkayina life, but it seems she was too distracted for that. She laughed at your joke, her grin wide and mouth uncovered, and you laughed along with her. Truly, it was a sight to be hold, the gold of the Metkayina shining brightly. It was almost blinding.

As you continued down the beach, still so far from the Sully's but close enough for prying eyes, Lo'ak scoffed. Neteyam turned to his brother with confusion and began to speak, but Lo'ak beats him to it. "Do you think they're like siblings or something else?"

"Why would you care?" In truth, Neteyam knew exactly why Lo'ak cared. As the older brother he was, he just wanted to him admit it. On his end, there was a curiosity digging at his chest, but he was too polite to go digging for the truth.

Sensing his brother's underlying intentions, Lo'ak comes up with another reason. "If we're going to be living here for the rest of our lives, I think I have a reason to care."

For the rest our lives. Right. Neteyam wasn't going back. He clears his throat, a new mischief in his tone, "If you want to know so badly, ask them yourself."

"What?" Lo'ak exclaims rather loudly, catching the attention of those around him. It seems he doesn't care, though. "No way, bro!"

It catches Tsireya's attention as well and Lo'ak doesn't notice. She looks towards the two of them, her–no, Lo'ak specifically, Neteyam can tell. Her big eyes seem somewhat worried. She turns towards you, suddenly nervous, and the two of you exchange a few more words before you make your way towards them with quicker strides whilst Tsireya tags along more calmly.

Neteyam sort of knows then that Lo'ak and Tsireya will be alright.

When the two of you are close enough, Tsireya's first focus is on his brother. When he moves his gaze more towards the two of you, he finds your eyes to be on him.

You meet him with that small smile again and he feels the need to return it with his own.

"This is (y/n)." Tsireya introduces you. You give a small wave. "He has graciously offered himself today to be my assistant."

"Hold on, assistant?" You pause, putting a hand on her shoulder and veering her towards you.

"Remember, you're not supposed to be here." She replies with a kind of sass Neteyam hadn't really expected, considering the previous breathing lessons he'd gotten from her.

"But I can be," You bite back, "and I am."

She shakes her head at you and pushes your hand away from her shoulder. "Co-teacher."

"yay!"

Tsireya rolls her eyes but otherwise ignores you. "Trust me, he's a very good rider and teacher. I think you'll do well under his guidance. Follow me."

When the family makes it into the water, even the generally displeasing Ao'nung and Rotxo greet you kindly, an action that makes Lo'ak's hairy eyebrows raise with shock. Neteyam simply brushes it off as one of the things you sort of do to people.

The class starts off first with a demonstration on the positioning, done by you of course. Tsireya said that since you'd so kindly offered yourself once, you could do it again.

Afterwards, you broke off into separate one on ones.

Neteyam watched Lo'ak obviously be paired up with Tsireya, then he made sure Tuk was safely away from Ao'nung and his friends. Lastly, he wondered which one of them would teach him; although, it didn't seem like he'd have to wonder for long.

"Hello." You greet him. It's the first time you greet him verbally, let alone the first ever word you direct towards him.

He gulps, his words suddenly stuck in his throat. "Hey."

Your following interaction isn't so awkward because he doesn't have to say anything.

Neteyam follows as per your teachings. At first, it doesn't seem very different from riding his ikran, aside from the lack of death risk. Even after seeing his brother fail rather miserably, he retains some confidence.

However, all of it comes crashing down after his first try… and then his second and third. Frustration begins to build within him and you can sense it.

"Ma Neteyam," You snap your fingers and finally gain his attention, "it's alright. Nobody gets it on their first try."

He nods to himself and rolls his shoulders, preparing for another try; but you place a hand atop his where it holds the ilu. Instead of saying anything, you simply offer him a look. Your eyes are a deep blue, he notices, expressive in the way that he can tell silently that you believe in him. He looks away before he gets too lost.

He grips onto the Ilu and lowers himself over its body. He feels its breath and imitates its strength to hold onto its body tighter.

This time, he won't fail. This time, he'll impress you.

Neteyam takes a deep breath and leads the ilu into a dive.

The rush of speed feels exhilarating, it reminds him of flying on his ikran for the first time. The water surrounding him rushes past his body refreshingly like the air when he flies; but water is denser, and just like air, it tries to push him off. He grips onto the ilu tighter with both his hands and calves. Knowing that he is resisting something so strong, and well at that, feeds into his excitement. 

He feels the ilu's strength like it is his own and grips tighter, but slowly, he feels his resistance to the current slipping.

Suddenly, he thinks: he can't make a fool of himself.

So, he holds onto the grip and pulls. Despite him and Neteyam not being familiar with each other, the ilu understands and comes to a sharp stop that nearly has Neteyam falling over backwards, but he holds on.

Far away from you, Neteyam emerges with the widest grin he's worn in a long time. He raises his fist and can't help but to let out one of his cries from home. "Ìley!"

"Ìley!" His joy grows as you mimic the foreign cry in celebration with him, "Neteyam!"

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Neteyam initially thought you would leave your interactions curt and only speak with him when necessary. He did try to keep up a positive outlook, that the Metkayina would eventually come to see him and his family as part of the clan, but it seemed far off.

Whilst Tsireya stayed with them to explore the ocean, you had other duties to attend to. Eventually, you had to bid him farewell. It wasn't with an excuse, nor with a "goodbye", it was with a "see you later".

Maybe he was digging too far into simple farewells, but those words felt like a promise.

The promise, however, wouldn't be fulfilled soon; and it isn't until the day after that you finally get to talk again. Even then, the next day gave way to the eclipse, and after that, he couldn't find you.

Just as he gave up and began the walk back to his family, he encountered you accidentally.

Though he sought you out for the better half of the day, he didn't know what to do now that he had you alone. So, too awkward to say anything, he sat down on the knitted pathway above you and watched.

As expected, you notice his presence but do not turn to him yet, too preoccupied with feeding your companion.

"I'm sorry I haven't talked to you in a while, Neteyam."

"It's alright," He empathizes with the shake of his head, "you're a popular guy."

"Am I now?" You snicker.

"I haven't been here for long, but I can tell."

"I'd rather call myself busy. But truly, I'm sorry. First it was Ao'nung today wanting to explore the ocean with me, then it was Tsanten wanting to test my hunting skills again." You sigh, clearly exhausted after everything that's happened today. "You know, sometimes I think it's just an excuse to hunt with me."

Neteyam was simply content in hearing you talk, you did something that just made simple sentences so entertaining, but you turn to him and hand the conversation over. "I didn't get to talk much about it with you yesterday, so how was riding your ilu?"

"It's strangely like flying an ikran," He zones out while he collects his thoughts, "which is something I miss. I think I like it so much because it feels like I'm defying something that wants so badly the opposite. It feels like I'm fighting gravity and succeeding. You know, I found and trained my ikran. No offense, but it doesn't really feel the same when you didn't find your companion, like my ilu."

With that said, he looks to you again. You watch him with attentive eyes that made him feel so seen... It kind of makes him nervous. He looks away, embarrassed, "Sorry, I'm ranting."

"No, it's alright."

"Okay, well, um, I like the rush too. Going so fast is really fun—sorry, I'm," He shakes his head at himself, for he was being impolite. "talking too much."

"Neteyam, it's alright, really." You reassure him, wading over and placing a hand next to his. "I like listening to you."

"Oh."

It was meant to be encouragement so that he'd continue speaking without shame, but now he quiets down. Heat begins to pool in his cheeks and Neteyam wants to drench them in water, but not only would he have to get in the water with you, it would also be akin to splashing water over magma.

"Sorry, that was–Su, I'll get to you later."

"Su?" Neteyam's curiosity overpowers his awkwardness and he turns to look.

"Short for Syulang." Seeing as he was more interested in you now, you allow your ilu to get the attention she wants. She digs her mouth into your palms, vigorously searching. "Su, you already got your dinner. I don't have anything else for you."

You raise your hands in the air, showing her that they're empty. When she sees them, she almost seems to roll her eyes at you. Instead, she huffs and leaves like a toddler having a tantrum.

Out of the corner of his eye, Neteyam catches a tsurak. It looks ominous and angry, only showing its eyes above the surface. He has half the mind to point it out until you say something that catches the tsurak's attention. "Zìk, I know you're around here somewhere."

The tsurak swims over sort of begrudgingly and passively accepts your pets.

"Zìk? Like tìngäzìk?" Neteyam asks.

"Yeah, actually." You snicker, "Tìngäzìk is quite the problem. He was pretty hard to tame. Most of them are, anyway, so maybe I'm a little too on the nose. Nowadays, though," After you feed Zìk, he actually seems to be enjoying your touch; or maybe the fish is still in his mouth and he's enjoying that. "he does seem to like me. Not that I really know."

Something else interests him. "I thought only those that completed their iknimaya could tame one."

"You'd be right."

"So you have completed it? But you're so–" He cuts himself off with a cough, as he hadn't realized just how rude it'd be to say that.

"Young? Yeah, I know. Everybody loves to tell me." You brush it off with the shake of your head; it's a relief. "How about you? Have you completed it?"

"No, I've yet to complete my Uniltaron." Something in the back of his mind vaguely reminds him that the Metkayina don't have a Uniltaron. "My mom is afraid of me doing it because of how badly my father was hurt while he did it."

"Ough," You wince, "what is it?"

"Singing." Neteyam chuckles, "I don't know how my dad got hurt during that."

"The great Jake Sully, huh?" You ignore Zìk's idle gnawing at your hand and hop up to sit next to Neteyam. "Anyway, the Metkayina have a different iknimaya. When I completed the trials, I got this."

When you pull your necklace up to show him the tattoo on your chest, Neteyam gasps softly. His eyes seem glued to the sight. It's rather cute.

"It's so cool..." He subconsciously traces a finger over the ink, not realizing just how intrusive he was being. He doesn't, however, miss how soft your skin feels. The tattoo looks like a heart to him, the kind his father had taught him to be the symbol of love for the sky people. "What does it mean?"

"It means "loved by the people", it more than displays a characteristic of mine, it's also a wish for it to stay that way forever."

He purses his lips, "And "the people" are?"

"The Metkayina, of course." As if Neteyam needed another reminder that the Metkayina didn't like him. He frowns, only with enough conscience to make it small so that you may not see.

"...but I'm open to anyone's love."

If that was targeted, Neteyam chooses not to believe it.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Neteyam never thought he'd miss home. He thought he'd always be with the Omatikaya.

Maybe this is how Kiri feels, like an outcast. He had listened to her multiple times over their life together, listened to how different she felt, and had never understood. After all, the two of them were surrounded by their people, the Omatikaya. Where their shelter in the mountains was, they were, and they were truly what home was.

But now that he lived within the Metkayina, he feels so out of place. It feels just like what Kiri described: being surrounded by her people but still feeling so different from them. The Metkayina and him were of the same species, they were all Na'vi, but at the same time, they were different. It wasn't just that either. All those people knew each other, thought themselves family, while he watched from the sidelines.

He missed home.

He's suddenly interrupted by you sitting next to him, although you don't seem intent on sitting idle for long. "Kxì, Neteyam."

"Kaltxì." He greets simply.

"Do you want to explore the ocean today?"

"Fpvìl..." He trails off, just to seem as though he was considering it. He really didn't want to do much in the ocean today, or on the shores. He felt rather dispirited. "Not really."

"Oh, well." You don't let the rejection last long. "How about the jungle, then?"

The jungle? Neteyam suddenly perks up, eyes wide and hopeful. "Can we?"

Ever since he caught a glimpse of a possible pathway within the dense tree line, he's wanted to go inside. Still, he wasn't so sure if he was really allowed to. His father would probably call it a distraction in the path of discipline, as Jake wanted to make sure his children fit in so their differences could be overlooked.

He thought you were just an excuse to go against his father's word and explore the jungle; except, you were more than that.

"Of course."

The island's jungle was nothing like that of the mainland. The trees, for one, were much more sparse; the shrubbery crowding the ground was short and the humidity was much harsher. It reminded him of home, though, and it was the closest thing he would have here.

However, the jungle was still beautiful. It was home to a variety of plants Neteyam had never seen before, and each had their own charm. There was a particular plant that resembled a giant fern, he couldn't really name it. Their stems were intertwined at the base and spread outward at the top, fading from blue to orange. Their leaves were ginormous, growing like feathers, and blue at the end. The plant's blue reminded him of the moonlight at home. Other plants, like fan-like flowers, deserved their own admiration too.

It didn't take long to reach the heart of the jungle. Even though the ocean was far, just like the people inhabiting it, the island embraced water. Wide waterfalls from the mountains and cascades all flowed into a center lake, their humidity forming rainbows anywhere he looked.

Finally, Neteyam took a seat and simply admired. You sat next to him. "I'll never get tired of this."

"You've been here before?" He asked.

"Mhm." You nodded, "Many times, actually. It's a good escape, this place, away from the people."

"I thought they loved you."

"They do, just.." You sigh, slouching slightly. "they're a bit overwhelming at times, you know?"

"Oh, yeah." He chuckles at the thought. He hadn't experienced it in what felt like a long time now; it was only a couple weeks in reality. He missed it, as annoying as it was at times.

"You do?" You ask, somewhat shocked.

"My father is Jake Sully." He said, as if it explained it all. It didn't, though, so he continued. "Everybody wanted to know what he was doing; and then, he was Olo'eyktan and I was, in turn, "prince". Everybody wanted to know what I was doing. Everybody wanted to talk to me and everybody had something to say."

"It's the same for me." You stretch your toes in the water and lean further back along the lake's shore. Neteyam hears a couple joints crack. "Ah, it's nice being on your own sometimes."

"But it doesn't feel the same once you've been alone for too long."

"How do you mean?" You ask, confusion spread throughout your face.

"You're not content." He fiddles with his fingers absentmindedly, picking at the lines on his hands. "People have filled every minute of your life, so when they're gone, you feel as though something is missing."

He wasn't really making sense to you. "But you're not alone."

"I'm not." He affirms, "But I'm not with friends or family, either. The Metkayina don't like me."

"Hey, I like you." Butterflies spread throughout his chest, prod at his nerves like they want to escape. He tries his best to ignore them.

"I know." He doesn't–well, hadn't–but he says it anyway. "So then, what about the others?" They think I have demon blood.

"You're right." You purse your lips.

Great, he was making you sad.

"You know what?" You suddenly stand with a renewed vigor. "Let's just forget about it all. Let's forget about other people and just explore, huh, 'Teyam?"

You wear the widest grin–that he thinks looks real pretty on your face–and offer him a hand which he takes immediately. With his hand in yours, you pull him to his feet with such strength he almost tips forward. Instead of making fun of him for it, you laugh and he can't help but join in.

"Come on, let me show you my favorite place."

Before you could show him many more of your other "favorite" places, the eclipse came down and you had to come home. That night, at the pods, you leave him with another promise, that you'll show him the rest.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

You step off your ilu, greeting several people. Neteyam learned the other day it was sort of a routine for you.

As you walk from waist-deep in the ocean back to the shore, you swing your wet hair from behind your shoulder. You gather it in your hands and ring it out. Like a small waterfall, salt water spills from your hair and returns to the ocean. You swing your hair back over your shoulder and run a hand through your hair to push back the stray hairs from your face.

Neteyam finds himself a little mesmerized, but he snaps out of it when his brother speaks up.

"Look at him." Lo'ak grumbles, his chin resting boredly on his palm. "The Metkayina's perfect "little" boy."

Neteyam laughs inwardly. Right, his brother still wasn't sure whether you and Tsireya were promised to one another or not. He would've told him, but it was a bit funny seeing him be so jealous. "So you are admitting he's perfect?"

"If everyone's saying it, does it matter if I say it too?" Lo'ak argues.

"Eh," Neteyam shrugs, shaking his head side to side in a "more or less" motion. "I do think so. That means that you think he's prefect too."

"Well, he isn't." He huffs.

"Mhm." After beating his brother in the argument, Neteyam turns back to you. You're much closer now, but still a few ways off, and you're still saying hello to people. Just seeing you do it feels tiring. At least it gives him more time to admire you.

Your necklace hangs low below your neck, its bead arrangement falling tragically over your tattoo and covering the main attraction. Still, the image of it is ingrained in his mind. The symbol of a heart really suited you.

When, finally, you're close enough, you give him a wave. Lo'ak thinks it's more directed towards the two of you, so he begrudgingly waves too. In that moment, his brother reminds him of your tsurak Zìk, but his thoughts are interrupted when you call to him.

"Ma Neteyam, you ready yet?!"

He only shoots you a thumbs up, for many people were already staring at the two of you and he didn't want to attract more attention, even though they'd begun to be more indifferent towards him.

"What does he mean ready?" Lo'ak's eyebrows furrow. He turns to his brother like he's a traitor.

"Sorry, bro, can't say." Neteyam simply replies, though he really can, he just loved to confuse his brother and see his hairy brows knitted together. He stands from his spot next to Lo'ak, readying to leave with you.

"I'm your brother, what could there possibly be that you can't say to me?"

"A lot of things." Neteyam finally turns away from Lo'ak entirely, leaving him to gape and catch bugs in his mouth.

"Let's go." You grin at Neteyam. In contrast, even though you see Lo'ak's weird expression, you only regard him with a small wave. "See ya, Lo'ak."

Far from his brother, Neteyam finally turns his head to give him a little shit-eating grin. Lo'ak only mouths to him words so rushed he can barely read them, You're falling for the golden boy??

And to that, and his brother, he proudly says yes. To himself, however, he doesn't quite know.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Have you ever been up there?" Neteyam points, ambitiously, to the top of the highest mountain. It was merely the size of his thumb from here, but he knew that meant it would be so much bigger once he got close to it.

Honestly, what did he expect you to say? "No. That is at least a 3 day journey."

"I can make it an hour." He replies confidently. Oh, he was absolutely counting on you saying no.

"How?" You ask, falling into his plan.

Neteyam simply smirks and calls for his ikran. The call is nothing like you've ever heard before. Within a matter of minutes, she stands before you, posed majestically atop her claws. She was larger than most ilu and her skin was a beautiful green.

You'd only seen banshees during the Sully family's arrival to Awa'atlu. Needless to say, you were amazed.

"Hey girl." He takes her head in both his hands, petting her cheeks with his thumbs. She screeches positively. "I missed you too."

"Woah." You approach slowly.

In comparison to ilu, banshees seemed very intimidating; and ilu, harmless. Perhaps, in that way, banshees were more similar to skimwings. Though, skimwings tended to keep their antagonistic behavior against those that they weren't bonded with. If the same held up with banshees, you were about to find out.

Neteyam senses your hesitance and extends a hand towards you. "Don't worry. She won't bite."

You gulp, "Y'sure?"

"Loved by the people but not by animals?" He tries to rile you up. He understood why you were apprehensive, but he didn't think someone like you–talented in just about anything–would have doubts about approaching an ikran.

"Animals and Na'vi are different, Neteyam." Still, you push on and offer the ikran a hand. She sniffs it first before turning back to Neteyam. Seems she's more interested in catching up with him than you, which is a relief because now you don't have to worry about dying.

Neteyam hops onto her neck, forming the bond. He beckons for you to follow. "Just sit down behind me and make sure to hold on, tight."

You follow his command and wrap your hands around his waist. Suddenly, he freezes, even though this is what he'd instructed you to do. To pass his misspeak off, he hooks one of your wrists above the other to tighten the hold, although it takes a toll on his nerves.

He clears his throat and declares, "Alright, we're off."

His ikran was new at carrying two people at once, not counting Tuk's little weight, but he knew she had the power to hold strong; and that, she did. She handled the two of you just like normal, and for that he'd make sure to thank her with treats.

"This is so cool."

Neteyam thinks it's a crime that you're not screaming yet, so he pats his ikran at the base of her wing and tells her to go faster.

He, of course, remains passive. This kind of speed, this environment, it's something he loves; but mostly, it was something he was used to.

You, on the other hand, "Wooo! This exactly like you described! I've never been so high before!"

He chuckles at your enthusiasm, "How does the wind feel?"

"Like it bites!" You laugh excitedly, daring to even stick a hand up and feel the air push it back. "Feels so refreshing, though!"

Having your affirmation, Neteyam decides to dive. "Alright, get ready."

"For?"

He doesn't reply, as your surprise would be spoiled and that was the fun of it. Instead, he leans forward, leaving you to do the same in anticipation. It's only a matter of seconds before the ikran dives.

"PELA'ANG NETEYAM!"

Your arms around his waist squeeze around him tighter, and he only thinks about it for a second. Your reaction, he finds more entertaining, even if you do scream in his ear.

The dive feels like you're riding on the back of a throwing spear, cutting through the air towards its destination. The air screams into your ears like a warning, its fight against your body like a constant geyser.

"Teyam–" You call. He doesn't respond. "Neteyam! Pull up!"

At the rate you were going at, you were going to crash into the lake, and today was not the day you wanted to return to Eywa.

"Scared?"

"'Course I am!"

Perhaps it was your sudden fear of heights or his experience, but he still felt as though there was plenty of time left. Neteyam laughs at your nerves, but to your benefit, he pulls up before he usually would.

"Phew." Your head falls onto his back. You're exhausted of his antics.

"How was it?" Neteyam asks innocently, like he wasn't just about to possibly cause your death.

"I thought we were going up to the mountain." You grumble.

"Oh, we are, just..." He doesn't actually have an excuse, not that he feels like needs one. "I mean, that was funny, wasn't it?"

"To you."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Neteyam made good on his promise and you arrived at the mountain within the hour. But, because of your many duties–communal breakfast, hunting, meaningless conversations–it was going to be night soon.

You only had so much time, but you sat not doing much of anything anyway. The peak of the mountain was hardly anything worth exploring. It wasn't so big and only inhabited plants that dared to grow high. What the peak really offered was a view.

"Can hardly see the pods from here." You remark, sitting on a fallen log behind him.

"Yep." Neteyam sits on the cliff, boldly swinging his legs over the edge. He was less looking at Awa'atlu and more at the jungle. "This place is very blue."

The tips of the giant ferns were blue, and they faced up towards the sky. The heart of the jungle was a large lake, and Neteyam learned up here that the tree line surrounding it wasn't so long. Apart from the vague blob of a shape the large clearing drew, there wasn't much else worth admiring. So he turns his gaze up, towards the other islands.

"Does every island have a village?" Neteyam asks, gesturing towards the many islands he could see. There were enough to fill from Awa'atlu to the horizon.

"There's only so many major villages on the larger islands, but yes. There's at least one Na'vi on every single one of those islands... mmph, well," You chuckle, "maybe not that one." You point towards one barely the size of one of your necklace's beads.

Neteyam doesn't reply, so the conversation naturally stops there. He turns his gaze towards something else, the empty space without islands. The ocean was blue, and so was the sky, and it felt like a monotony; but also, the ocean was a deep blue, like him, and the sky lighter, like you. Maybe that meant something.

"How do you handle being so perfect?"

"What?"

"I mean," Neteyam turns to you and holds your gaze, "you're the youngest hunter yet still very competent."

You shake your head with a sigh, "I'm not perfect, Neteyam."

"But the people think otherwise." He stands only to sit next to you. "They love you."

"They don't love me because I do all these great things. They don't love me for being a good warrior or a good hunter, not for taming a tsurak or for being able to throw spears well." You scoot closer to him. He hates seeing that frown on your face. "They love me because of who I am."

In other words, "They see you."

"Yes."

That's how the Omatikaya saw him. Not for being the son of his father or his mother, and not for the duties he fought hard to uphold; they saw him, and ironically, he only realizes after leaving them. Would the Metkayina ever see him the same way?

As the sun and the moon lined up for the eclipse signifying night time, the conversation comes to a stop. It was something that happened daily, and to you, something you'd grown used to. Neteyam, too, had grown used to it, but he was sure that if it stopped, he'd miss it.

"We should head down."

"Yeah."

Neither of you move.

When the last of the daylight leaves, and the moons take over, Neteyam looks down again becomes something catches his attention. "Woah."

Many things glowed purple under the moonlight: the tips of the ferns, specks in the lake, and specks in the village. They were a wonderful sight, flickering vividly under the moonlight like another set of stars. His gaze found the moving lights of the village, likely large groups of Na'vi coming together for dinner. They come from the bright seawall terraces, blend in with the long lines of luminescent fish within the water, then emerge again at the beach; because as important as whatever they were doing was, being with their people for something as simple as eating was more important.

The Metkayina would never be Omatikaya, they would never be the people he grew up with, but he could find solace in them still; for they were all Na'vi.

He would just have to prove it to them first.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Neteyam dips his hand in the water. The salt stings a little against his bruised knuckles, but he ignores it. He cups a good amount of water and brings it to his lips. The wound on those sting too, but it's nothing compared to the pain he felt when he actually received the injury. 'Sides, he's felt worse pains from covering up for Lo'ak plenty of times before. This was nothing.

He pulls his hand away from his lips and observes it. Blood runs down his fingers. It's crimson and thick, much the same as his bond with Lo'ak. He'd done it several times before, and he'd do it again, to stand with his brother; because if not him, who else did he have?

"Neteyam!" Back from a hunt, like always.

Wiya, he didn't want you to seem like this, but if he hid himself from you, you'd be even more suspicious.

He cups a larger amount of water and wipes his face again, hoping to get rid of all the blood staining his skin. He rubs with his hands, but when they part from his face, you're squat next to him curiously.

Neteyam suddenly stands, forcing you to stand too.

Though he had made it up in his mind that he couldn't hide his injuries from you, he's nervous of the outcome. You'd be curious, you'd ask, he'd tell you, and you'd come in defense of your brothers.

So, he looks away from you, though unfortunately you're on his right, the side of his lips that got split.

"What happened to you?"

He purses his lips, his hands balling up into fists at his sides. So much for this friendship, he thinks.

When Neteyam doesn't respond, you take the other side of his jaw between your thumb and forefinger, gently pulling him to look at you.

Before he turned his head to you, his gaze had been downcast, and that translated to when you moved it. He catches a glimpse of your tattoo, loved by the people. It only solidifies the outcome in his head.

"Neteyam." You say, your voice stern with him for the first time. "Who did this to you?"

It's not something he likes, that tone, especially coming from you, but he obeys your silent pleads to explain. "Ao'nung.. and his friends called Kiri a freak. They mocked Lo'ak. Called us all "not real Na'vi". Lo'ak picked a fight with them and I had to back him up."

You're silent for a long time, instead of spewing your anger at him. Anticipation builds up in his chest as he awaits your response, but it doesn't come. Curiously, he allows himself to look up at you and catch your eyes.

Angry. You were angry. But you don't look, not at him, you look towards the ocean.

"(y/n)?"

"Ao'nung just left for a hunt." Your hand leaves his jaw as you part from him, "I can catch up, teach him a lesson."

You only take a few steps, each laced with a heavy intent, before he stops you. He's quick to step in front of you, taking one of your hands in his as another precaution. "You really don't have to. I already taught him a lesson when I punched him, and Lo'ak went to go apologize already."

"Apologize?" You ask. He can hear the absolute shock in your voice. "For standing up against his insults?"

Neteyam nods slowly, knowing that it's not fair either. "Yes."

"Who told him to apologize? Because if there's anything I know about Lo'ak, it's that–"

"My father." He says before you can waste your breath. He knows that, after hearing that it's Jake that commanded his son to "make peace" with his own bullies, you won't stand against him. Because the mighty Jake Sully knew better.

But some things, he doesn't know for sure. "Even your father doesn't defend you?" A nasty scowl grows on your lips. That knowledge provokes you even more. You begin your furious march again, unbothered by his hand.

"(y/n)." He gives a harsh tug.

"Neteyam." Your sudden stop causes you to stomp on the sand. Its grains kick up explosively in the air like a reflection of your anger. "I have to defend you."

"If you do that, your tattoo's wish won't be fulfilled!" He protests, throwing his free hand up into the air. "(y/n), if they see you coming in defense of a demon, they're going to be pissed."

"A demon?" You step closer to him, shaking your head solemnly. "You're not a demon."

"They think otherwise..." He mutters, looking away.

"I have to show them what I see." You put a warm hand on his cheek and Neteyam feels as though it dwarfs his face; it doesn't help the spreading warmth on his cheeks either. "Neteyam, I see you."

His heart hammers within his chest like it'll burst. He doesn't know what to say. "I–"

"Physically, you may be different, but you and me, we are the same. We are Na'vi. You don't deserve the way they're treating you." Everything you said, it's all he wanted to hear. "Oel ngati kameie, ma Neteyam."

He dared, because he couldn't help it, to place a kiss on your lips. It's only a peck, but it brings joy to your eyes.

"You see me, so you know that I am capable of showing the Metkayina that my family and I are not different. I can come in defense of myself, as I did against Ao'nung. Oel ngati kameie, ma (y/n), " He saw you. A boy so kind, a boy that loved him so much, that he was willing to sacrifice what everybody thought of him just to love him. But it wasn't something that he wanted. "but I don't need your help. You don't need to give away everything just for me."

"But nothing's stopping me from doing so."

"That is precisely why I need you to trust me." He pushes your necklace away and places his hand above your tattoo. "Because you may know what I deserve, but I know too that you don't deserve to lose everything. Okay?"

And though it pains you so, you will do what he asks. You bring his hand up and press a kiss to his aching knuckles. "Okay."

[wubyreal]

whole hog for marina?

(Turn back if you don't want spoilers about her deep dark secrets)

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

I randomly thought of it, and Marina stuck since then. In universe, she is named after the marina where her parents first met. Her nickname is Chrysanthemum, which is her favorite flower. Her childhood friend group is a nod to the Chinese Four Gentleman, which is comprised of the chrysanthemum, orchid, bamboo, and plum.

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

Early 20s

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

She has been betrothed to Seric Von Plum ever since she was a child. He is the son of her dad's best friend. Unfortunately Marina hates his guts and instead dates and flirts with other people as an act of rebellion. Her logic is if she finds someone richer than Seric, then her parents will call off the engagement. Her crushes are superficial, mostly liking people for their looks and status. She managed to date Liza, but the relationship fell apart because Marina is too crazy and annoying. Despite everything, Nadir is her one true love who is a nice regular commoner.

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

Chocolate coated flower petals and red velvet desserts

💼 - What do they do for a living?

Noblewoman as determined by her family's legacy. Pirate when she became crazy. Mercenary during her runaway arc.

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

Bossing people around, eating sweets, being hot, shooting, fencing, and joyrides

🎯 -What do they do best?

Really really good at shooting

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

She loves joyrides from sailing, flying, and driving. She hates being bossed around by people or forced to hang out with annoying people.

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

The day she first met Nadir as a child and when she first met Liza at school

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

When Liza defeated her in battle thus making her become tainted. When she couldn't convince her parents to undo the engagement with Seric

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

It's the final design for her tainted arc. She has gone through many design changes. Funnily enough my brain defaults to her with the short gray hair even though the look is temporary. I guess I haven't designed her post-redemption or post-timeskip. There are still many designs to do.

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

She has an inspiration chart with lots of mean bitchy girls. Special shout out to Tinker Bell, Azula, Princess Morbucks, and Panty Anarchy. There are also some retroactive inspirations that were unintentional. She is similar to Mitsuru Kirijo from Persona3, except no niceness.

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

High fantasy with gothic post-apocalyptic stuff

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Cis bi

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

1 younger sister that she treats as a minion

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

Good relationship. Her parents doted and spoiled Marina as a child. They put up with Marina's antics cause as long lived elvenlike people, it's best to let her let the energy out of her system until she tires out and wises up. They never foresaw her making a pact and becoming evil. Marina is a daddy's girl that pretends to hate her mom but secretly does love her.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

She's really fun to meme and has interesting dynamics with many of my OCs as the crazy one contrasting with the straightman. I also like her design a lot.

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Just like Ruby I think about and meme her every day. Writing and drawing happen when inspiration strikes.

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

No. Nadir will not allow that.

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Failure and that she's completely irredeemable. She's doubles down on being annoying because no one gives her a chance to change, see her for who she really is, or understand her actual needs.

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

Theda Thorne for trying to seduce Nadir. Derrick for being Liza's younger brother. Moriti for not putting up with her bullshit. War for betraying her. Elmindreda Endymion for absolutely no reason. Skurret just for being ugly. She beefs with a lot of people.

🎓 - How long have you had the OC?

Most likely 2015

🍥 - What age were you when you created the OC?

I don't remember the exact age. Some time in high school.

[peachiesnake]

My little tl;dr and questionnaire for @sonic-oc-showdown !! tl;dr/questionnaire:

Genesis was born as Project Genesis! Due to his constant emotional outbursts and effectively ripping a hole through the ARK, Genesis was deemed a failure and put on lock down in the worst corner of the colony. There he was mistreated horribly to the point of becoming selective mute and losing the smile he always had. Shackles were also placed upon his wrists that effectively drew out his chaos energy and made him useless, only a select few could remove them with a certain key. On a late night walk with Shadow at her side 3 years later, Maria happened upon Genesis' pod, she wasn't supposed to even be in that area. She sets him free every few nights and he hardly ever speaks but when he does his voice sounds torn and like it hasn't been used in forever. Eventually they find out they found Genesis and allow him to live with the siblings as their big brother. (SKIPPING THE FALL OF THE ARK AS IT'LL GET TOO LONG HERE) Genesis awakes in a pod decades later, after the events of SA2, and finds himself with mild amnesia, not really understanding why hes not on the ARK but instead inside a home to a rabbit and doctor named Vita. They spend their time looking for Shadow and Maria not knowing shes passed.

Questionnaire:

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

I knew I wanted something that meant first or original! I couldn't find anything for a while that I really liked until I asked my bf his thoughts and he just said Genesis!

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

His mental age is 18! But he can as a trauma response age regress.

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

Hes with a rabbit named Vita!

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

He loooooves Taro! Specifically the raw root that you get slices of at hotpot!

💼 - What do they do for a living?

Doing usually what he wants but for a majority of his time in the beginning he spends it looking and hunting for Shadow.

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

Not really, he plays around with Cream a lot when Vita visits Vanilla!

🎯 -What do they do best?

Pretty much everything that's physical like Shadow, but hes exceptional at puzzles!

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

He loves gardening! It can calm him down usually. He HATES being in groups, when there gets to be too many people even if he likes them he can feel trapped.

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

The second time Maria and Shadow came to visit! He wasn't sure of them at first, even scared. But he could see the kindness in Maria's eyes and felt a familial buzz in his ears looking at Shadow the second time around!

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

The abuse he endured that almost made him catatonic but was forced to live with because they threatened to do it to Shadow too if he didn't cooperate. (empty lies he had no choice but to believe).

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

No actually!! He had one other design to him that was a bit more gnc but I didn't like how the quills looked so I scrapped it.

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

I was originally making me and my friends as sonicsonas!! Just some silly fun but then I became deathly attached to Genesis and Vita and made a story with them with my bf!

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

I'd definitely say more psychological horror/thriller. A lot of what makes Genesis, Genesis is his mental state and how he views things. When he's done most of his healing then maybe slice of life?

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

He's male, but you can call him they or it too he doesn't care so long as you don't call him a girl. His sexuality is gay and he's aro!

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

Two!!!!! Shadow and Maria. :)

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

His relationship with Gerald was actually good! Though he very much still felt like a new kid around him despite knowing Gerald cared for him even a little. Genesis didn't meet doom, during the events of Shth he was looking specifically for Shadow to kill him and midway had a horrible mental break.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

He's got a huge heart despite it all!!!!!!

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

NOT ENOUGH!!! I have a full time job that usually takes a lot of my energy away, esp as the holidays are approaching.

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

I mean! Not officially. More like au's or for what if's.

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Yelling, small spaces, being restricted in any way, the dark. ect

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

He doesnt have one yet! I made some fun art with Moss' oc Franz but nothing official. If anything, he fights Shadow but thats more personal and less rivalry.

🎓 - How long have you had the OC?

A couple months!! Hes just a baby :)

[spaceytrashcat04]

Another TW au thing that won't leave me alone

Troom Troom!Yuu

(If you don't know what troom troom is you should definitely go check their crafts out on YouTube 🤣)

🧤 Talks like a troom troom narrator, poor and incorrect vocabulary included ✨️

🧤 Yuu only shows exaggerated emotions. They're genuine, but it takes a while for people to get that

🧤 Troom troom Yuu comes with unlimited amount of bubble wrap, hot glue, ductape, glitter, velcro, foam, and stupid life hacks

🧤 Stock sound effects play after almost every sentence. Noone can figure out where they're coming from

🧤 WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO YUU?? WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS ANNOUCING THINGS THAT HAPPEN??

🧤Makes the stupidest 'simple solutions' known to man with the worst materials and they work! But only for Yuu and oddly enough Kalim? Attempting to replicate their crafts always end in failure.

🧤 Probably the best at sneaking up on people and spying 🔎. Which confuses the hell out of everyone because once they're told they're there they realize Yuu is literally just standing 3-5ft away with a hole cut in an see-through umbrella 🌂

🧤 Yuu will not stop bringing food to class in the most convoluted, silly ways possible. Other students are baffled. They're allowed to eat food in class? But Yuu takes out a glue stick to chew on during class anyway.

🧤 Overblots are easy with Yuus collection of life hacks and crafts.

🧤Carter refuses to post the videos Yuu keeps trying to make and Trey no longer lets Yuu help him bake

🧤 Post Ch. 1 - Yuu makes Riddle elevator boot attachments with the use of hot glue. He's now about Jade height but it looks so tacky 😭, it did not solve his temperament problem like Yuu predicted it would and he can't get them off

🧤 Ch. 2 - Yuu gets information out of everyone easily -including Ruggie- with stupid crafts. (One is a giant cardboard box with a face on it) But does not figure out it's Ruggie controlling people until Midway through Leona's breakdown.

🧤 Ch. 3 - before departing to the ocean Yuu makes groucho glasses and mustaches out of hot glue, bubble wrap, and ductape. While Floyd and Jade stop and battle Ace and Deuce they swim in with no problem. Unfortunately they get distracted, end up bribeing the security gaurd with bubble wrap for photos of their adventure, and do not grab the photo.

🧤 Is always wearing either crocs or flip flops made of hot glue. 🔥 😎

🧤 There has never been an emotion breakdown Yuu can't solve with bubblewrap and crafting

🧤Noone is actually sure how much Yuu understands life itself (and things like physics and gravity) but things keep working out for them soo

🧤 Jamil loosing ✨️ his ✨️ shit ✨️ after Yuu and Kalim force him to do therapy crafts with them and nothing he's making with Yuu's instruction is working.

🧤 People begin believing Yuu is some kind of crafting God or eldrich horror that loves to toy with human emotion and occasionally walks around with color changing sequin fabric on their tongue 👅 😉

🧤 While on vacation in chapter 4, Crowley is haunted with the voice of Yuu narrating the entire thing and instructing him on how to do life hacks to solve simple vacation problems.

"Pour body lotion into a straw and seal the-" 'I don't wear lotion!' "pOuR bOdY loTiOn iN a StRaW aNd-" 'for the last time! I don't wear lotion!' "POUR BODY LOTION IN A STRAW AND SEAL THE ENDS WITH A LIGHTER'

He succumbs and comes back to campus wearing hot glue flip flops.👟 😩

🧤 Vil is horrified by all of Yuu's makeup hacks. They're all so tacky and messy. Almost murders them after they convince him to mix his highlighter and foundation together and glue glitter to the bottle in leopard print.

🧤 Imagine Vil's face when Yuu shows up to his dorm in bubble wrap clothes, a side-shaved mullet tied into a braid, and crocs

🧤 Persuasion skill so high they make Azul jealous. And then they make Azul organize his contracts with glitter pens and mascara

🧤 They do a special set of mushroom hacks for Jade! He's thrilled! Noone else is!

🧤 There's a craft where you make a hole puncher into a bunny head for Easter using a lot of fur, glue, and the teachers hole puncher-

Yuu- "Yuu sneaks 🕵‍♂️🔎 up to the desk and sets the white bunny 🐰 free 🏃‍♂️💨. This is about to get interesting 😉😌. Mr. Furs notices the fluffy head 😵‍💫. Oh my gosh 😵! What furry beastie is this 👁👅👁!? The student explains - its just a hole puncher 🕳👊! Get a sheet of paper 📝 and it will quickly gnaw a hole in it.🐇🦷😃"

Crewel head in his hands - "Just-... Get out"

Yuu - "Oh no 😞! Yuu gets sent to detention by Mr. Furs for scaring him 😨😩. I guess this craft backfired 😎😔."

Everytime Crewel throws the horrifying bunny creature away it appears back at the foot of his bed. Eventually he leaves it on his desk in the classroom to terrify students

🧤 Mallus isn't sure about these 'crafts' and 'life hacks' this child of man keeps teaching him to do but he tries all of them and is happy to be included

🧤 There's glitter everywhere around campus and in the dorms. It's uncleanable and omnipresent

🧤 Yuus cooking hacks somehow make Lillia's cooking worse

[mitspeiler]

Elijah after hunting down a hog

awooo

I will be skipping the space lore and making stuff up for filmverse generation 2

✨- How did you come up with the OC’s name?

It's just a nice name with jewish origins

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range)

elijah will primarily be in his 20s during his tale, a late bloomer compared to his parents

🌺- Do they have any love interest(s)?

Yes, Golshanak the witch, Golze for short

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

braised beef ribs

💼 - What do they do for a living?

Despite his weenie-lookin' portrait, a mercenary. In real life he would become an accountant and hate it

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

He's tried every hobby under the sun and become discouraged and quit. Mostly he reads

🎯 -What do they do best?

He has mastered a single perfect swordstroke after years of practice.

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

Feel like he did something important and fail respectively

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

a single time as a child he had to stand in for his brother Olivier at a school play and did okay at it. This was his biggest win for a long time

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

He was offered the lead in the next production and botched the first ever performance and never acted again

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

yesish. this is what he looks like as a teenager. he has a big glowup as an adult

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

middle child syndrome and Battinson

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

soft regency romance. unfortunately he will get isekaied into an endless tower

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

probably cishet

🙌 - How many sibling does your OC have?

Six. From oldest to youngest, Marguerite, Olivier, Jeanne, Elijah (that's him!), Otto, Alfred and Judith

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

He loves them and they love him back. However, he feels inadequate, because he wants to perform feats as great as them, and that's a lot to force yourself to live up to.

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

A lot like his father, Elijah is a character who I designed to be very plain and boring but somehow caught the attention of my friends and forced me to make him interesting

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Not that often though I talk about him with some frequency because one of my friends is obsessed with him

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

nah

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

fear of failure

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

He doesn't have one, but he should. Closest he has is sibling rivalry with his two oldest siblings.

🎓 🍥- How long have you had the OC?

Like two or three years my guy

[mtnkat3]

Oh my loves .. good morning! I hope you got a good nights sleep!

Well..cause I kept waking up.. thinking about you . Then well..got kinda uhm.. happy when I looked.. & all kinda thoughts running rampant.

But I think I was ...a cat around rocking chairs because that tumblr game last night. It happened too close to bedtime & think I was fighting spiralling in sleep. The thought you don't want me.. scared the crap outta my soul! Makes my heart jump & skitter & drops my tummy to the floor.

That one.. oh my loves .. it kinda smacked me back into focus. Which my precious Beloved Bears Angels mates to my soul knows.. all too well.. both makes me blush.. & makes me superbly happy.

Yes I feel vulnerable & exposed. I wanna be looking up into your eyes when I lay my soul bare. To read the nuisances of your body's & soul's reaction to how I'm feeling.

All I keep hearing.. God.. you .. Soon. Soon.. I pray this means before Thanksgiving! Whimpering sob. Christmas? Because I am about to make some pushes into the trailer I need, & the things I still need to get to move. Then I'm gonna start scheduling with apartments to view. Money spending time. Sigh. But. For the best purpose of all..

Making my way to you .

Because that you are gonna give up on me scares me more than me stepping out the door. It's my biggest fear. Losing you .. my soul's mates .. that would make me the biggest failure in the universe.

It's the biggest catalyst to push.. inspire.. motivate me. To keep going. Not let go. To not give up.

I think it's why God had things happen this way. I needed the Guidance, Teaching, guiding hands, Wisdom to help me keep going & give me the Strength & Perseverance.

As much as its sucked for us to be separated, it's also been vital in my growth as a woman, a Christian & a friend.

I am worthy of your love.

You are more than worthy to have the best of myself I have to give!

But you also know .. me.

The good, bad, ugly.. the wild crazy maverick kat.. the scared lil girl that wants to hide all my darkness & fears. The warrior queen that's armored to protect the marshmallow parts of me.

God & you alone will know the depths of me.. even the imperfect parts I reveal by these writings cannot truly describe .. me. I've just lost .... the poet.. the author.. the artist.. the musician parts of my soul. I want me back. I want to share me.. with you .

That's way more important & vital to me than complacency!

I am nervous. But I will not wait for my life to be my own anymore.

The big difference.. wh wants to control & demean & belittle.

You have always made me feel like I'm flying!

Ok. Tucking my soul back into my furry self & hiding myself back from the world. Time to close this.. pray to keep working my path right so when I see your eyes.. I can soar in them!

I love you .

.

I believe.

I will work as I await you on my cliffside my precious Beloved Bears .. Angels ..

~True love never dies & true love always waits!.~

Your humble, frustrated, impatiently patiently waiting, listening closely, carefully & quietly.. Your complex quirky warrior queen daughter.

~Tijgeress kat Phoenix. 🌺🐾🐯✝️

🤓👩⚓🙇‍♀️🙏🌂🔗

⛓🧰🏋️‍♀️📝📋📦🏗🧱⚙⚒🛠⚔⚖🗽🦅🕊

🥧🍁🧣🥾🍋🥤🥨🍯🍼☕🍫🍎🍑🍒

🐯🐾🐐🦉🐢🐛🦋🌱🌺🌹🌻🌷🌳🧶🧵

⌚💡⚡🌠🚀🗝🔱⚜💝🐻🦌🧩♠️♾🎯🧭🕯🎶💋

Su.11.13.2022 10.36am est.

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: jake sully x male reader (+sully family)

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: There were many struggles that came with fatherhood—you must find a solution for each one.

ᴀɴᴏɴ: jake and reader are like the dads of the sully children, basically the sully's having gay dads??

ʀᴇ𝐐: yes ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 6565

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: mentions of death (lighthearted) never happens tho, swearing, much worrying about children, surrogate neytiri referring to your kids as hers too (idk just in case)

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: so. i've got a lot of things to say. that's why i'm putting a second a/n at the bottom. - two gays cannot have an avatar child if they can't have children therefore surrogate Neytiri <3 - my first attempt at writing a full sentence in Na'vi, y'all are probably not fluent in it but i hope it's correct. - regrettably, there's only one scene with Tuk and only one mention of Spider - less about the relationship between jake and reader, more about the children

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Neteyam was a blessing.

Him and Neytiri both.

When she agreed to be a surrogate for your children, you were both over the moon, over each of the three of Eywa'eveng.

Neytiri knew it best, the stress of having a child. Though it was all her, her body, her belly, her birthing, you and Jake stuck to her side and stressed with her. You could see her pain, in her eyes, and Jake said he felt it himself.

The musings did not help Neytiri through the pain.

Omatikaya welcoming ceremonies consisted of everyone in the village, close family, friends, acquaintances, everyone rounded up to welcome the newborn. But this one was special, for there was one mother and two fathers. Strange as it may have been, the three of you knew there'd be plenty more to come.

When Jake held him up towards the sky, calling the name, "Neteyam", you knew the name truly belonged to him, even if the newborn had yet developed characteristic traits.

The first year was not pretty. If it weren't for Mo'at and Neytiri–and thought it may be harsh, it is the truth–Neteyam would probably be dead.

Jake always knew there was a thing with babies. They didn't have a sense of danger. On Earth, some of the deadliest stuff they could find was a fork and an outlet. On Pandora, however, there were much worse things.

He was aware of this, both of you were, of the Hammerheads, Thanators, Viperwolves that each posed a dangerous threat to your child. Even herbivores, like Flathead Rams, could trample over your baby like he was nothing. He couldn't roam, either, for he didn't know the difference between a poisonous plant and a safe one, and the differences were scarce. Not to mention, they grew close to the ground. Even the carnivorous plants were huge enough to swallow him whole.

So you both watched him, most of the time.

When the hunt called, however, it was only one of you. You took turns.

Why? Because the mighty Toruk Makto, Olo'eyktan of the Omatikaya, once war chief of three tribes at once, was not exempt from taking care of the baby.

Besides, he kind of liked it. He liked looking at his boy, knowing that in all ways except biological, Neteyam was his.

He loved when the little baby wrapped his four little blue fingers around one of his five large ones. He was so tiny, so defenseless. He had to take care of him. Couldn't let him out of his sight.

He was also so, so cute.

Neteyam lets out a little yawn, stretching all his limbs except for the hand holding his father's finger.

"Aww," Jake coos. "dinner's in a bit. The game's not even here yet. You can sleep."

As time passes, and Neteyam drifts off in his father's warm, large arms that encompassed him, Jake gets lost in the sight and his thoughts. Neteyam was his child. He never thought he'd have one.

He doesn't register the sound of you propping your bow up on the wall, or your footsteps, or a portion of the fresh hunt being placed next to the fire.

In fact, he doesn't really notice you at all until you sit next to him.

You wrap your arms around him, one around his back, the other around his stomach below his arms and Neteyam, and settle your head into the crook of his neck.

Jake laughs lowly, your nose against his neck's skin slightly ticklish—he didn't think the Na'vi were ticklish, hadn't learned it until he was victim to your fingers. "Kxì, my love. Tired?"

"Ngenga pllertxe fura tawtute lì'fya... ‘Ìnglìsì. Tìftang si." (You're speaking that sky people language... English. Stop it.)

Ever since the first time, he's memorized the words, therefore knows their meaning. "You know I don't speak Na'vi well. Right? Or are you too tired to remember?"

"Perfectly conscious enough to remember." You laugh lazily, "Just love to tease you."

Jake presses the side of his head against the top of yours, the best affection he can offer with Neteyam in his arms. "Zola‘u nìprrte’. Happy?"

"Yes."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Where Neteyam was yours, Lo'ak was Jake's.

But first, came the unexpected Kiri. A month after Neytiri affirmed that she would have your second child, Norm and Max called with a panic.

One morning, as bored eyes strayed from scientific screens and microscopes, Norm discovered a bump on Grace's avatar's body. There were many theories, but each was discredited. The tank was safe, you were all sure, even if you did not know anything of the amniotic fluid within it. It wasn't scratched, didn't show any signs of opening, it displayed nothing at all. So what could be the cause?

The answer went unanswered for another two months. Until, at the third month, Norm realized that the size lined up with that of a human pregnancy. It was already the size of a seven month old baby bump. Which meant... soon enough, the vacant avatar would be having a baby.

There was hardly a discussion of who would raise it. Jake knew that he was indebted to Grace, that even though he had yet another child on the way, whatever came of Grace's avatar was his to take care of.

Kiri was born first. Lo'ak was soon to be on his way. However, the season for the first communion with Eywa was approaching. Though having the three of them commune with the Great Mother at the same time would be wonderful, the first communion was not to be delayed.

While Jake helped Neteyam attach his queue to the Tree of Souls, you helped Kiri.

Her eyes, her smile, toothless even, her dilated pupils... She was elated. She was so happy, and you mirrored her smile too.

This wasn't your kid, wasn't Jake's either, but you would raise her as one of your own.

Lo'ak and Kiri... they both came out with five fingers and little eyebrows. It was a scary thing, to have children that looked different from everyone else. Jake knew that, with an Avatar body, it was possible. Seeing it himself, though...

Neteyam, being oldest, required a little less care. He slept by himself at his crib. The newborns slept with you whilst the two of you waited for Neytiri's hunt.

Lo'ak was cuddled up in his father's arms, Kiri in yours. Her fingers were wrapped around your smallest finger, what Jake would call his ring finger. "Five fingers.." You muttered to yourself. You'd counted them many times over.

Jake hears you. "And eyebrows."

"Just like you." You muse with a laugh. Jake laughs along too, but you notice the difference; his laugh lacks its usual humor.

"What is it?" You ask, concerned lace with his words like the weaving of a necklace.

"Nothing." He shakes his head. He couldn't worry you, especially because he wasn't even sure if these five fingers and eyebrows would make any difference.

"I can tell there's something." You remain stubborn, scooting even closer to him. It was one of the qualities he actually loved about you, as annoying as it could be. "You can't evade me, darling."

"Darling? You picked up the word?"

"Jake." You're deflecting.

"I know." He sighs, "I know. It's just... They're different, Kiri and Lo'ak, different from others their age. It's not something I want for them."

"You think it'll affect the way they are treated?"

"Yes."

"Darling." You repeat the pet name more stern now, calling for his attention. He lifts his gaze from his baby boy to meet your eyes. They're yellow, they're golden, just like his. "You were different. But now you are not. You're Olo'eyktan, one of the us; one of the people, one of the Omatikaya. These children are yours, and they are mine. They are part of the Omatikaya."

"But they–"

"Extra fingers, extra hair on their face. The eyebrows are expressive, lovely. The fingers are good, help with dexterity." You tilt your head forward, "They will be fine."

Just as the same as he yearns to hold you, he wishes he believed you. For now, however, he settles on your only point of contact being your lips, and his assured belief about these children being that you and he would love them to the ends of the Earth.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The differences meant nothing to Jake, there would be no change in the way he treated them. Soon enough, he'd sort of forgotten, for the most part.

What couldn't be forgotten, though, were his Olo'eyktan duties.

The problem was, you were gone for a little while. The second problem was, Neytiri was taking care of Neteyam. Now that didn't quiet seem like a problem, but she was taking care of him before you left and before he realized he had important Olo'eyktan stuff to do. He couldn't just bother Neytiri to take care of his kids! The third problem was, they were his kids! He couldn't just leave them. They were hardly two months old.

So now, he was left with a dilemma. Baby carriers.

For humans, it was a little embarrassing to, as a father, be wearing one of them. But to the Na'vi, it was just another part of life, a necessity.

Jake was a Na'vi now. He had to get over human societal norms.

"Hanging in there, baby girl?" Jake asks Kiri–as if she can understand him–who unfortunately has to take the tight space on his back.

After getting the silent answer he was expecting, Jake begins his work. As expected, no Na'vi seem to pay him any mind. They greet him just the same as any other day, the only difference being the small coos directed at his children. He's just happy they love them.

As Jake checks his daughter is safe on his back for the umpteenth time, he hears something wrong.

Click.

He stares ahead, obviously disturbed. His eyebrow furrows as he finds the camera, with a diminishing flash, being held by the scientist he regrettably called a friend.

"Norm, don't you have shit to do?" The swear word doesn't faze him, for the babies were too young to even register the word.

The scientist adjusts his exopack over his shit-eating grin. "Research, Jake." He gives off a hint as his amusement with each word he speaks, "I’m capturing the Mighty Toruk Makto in his natural form. Which is adorable." He winks.

"Uh-huh." Jake replies; contrasting his friend, he remains unamused. "Kiss the dark side of my blue–" Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Mo'at. Shit, Mo'at. She knew English and he needed to talk to her.

"You are a lucky man, Norm." Jake turns on his heels, leaving Norm behind as he heads towards the Tsahìk.

When he does so, though, Kiri turns her head as much as she can to stare at the human scientist curiously. Norm takes the opportunity.

Click.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Lo'ak and Kiri were, relative to their brother, the same age. They also looked the most like each other, excluding their father. They both had the characteristic traits of an avatar, traits that set them apart from the rest of the clan. Because of this, you thought they'd be inseparable, best friends. Instead, they fought, and fought, and fought.

It was weird, even, that Kiri often sought out her older brother's company over her baby brother's.

These peculiarities' origins, however, were solved when you realized the common point of these arguments. Lo'ak. Lo'ak was a troublesome kid in that he loved freedom, and even more, loved to be possessive.

Within seven years, many things were taught. Jake, for one, learned much of the Na'vi language. In fact, it was practically English to him. Sometimes he forgot what language he began the sentence with, and he would end up starting with Na'vi and ending with English or mixing in a couple words in the middle.

As far as the kids were concerned, it was gibberish. At least, for a couple years. After they dominated the Na'vi language well enough, they began to learn English. Their main teacher was their father, not their sempu, so when things like this happened...

"I hate you times infinity, Lo'ak! Penis face!"

It was his fault.

After the kids' argument was swiftly dealt with (the toy had to be threatened to be cut in half, and then they stopped), Jake places the toy in Kiri's hands. "Kid, go find your brother." He sighs, "You can play with him."

"I don't wanna play with him." Lo'ak crosses his arms, stomping his foot. "He's a sucker."

"Hey, now, that's not a good thing to say about your brother." Jake presses a harsh finger against his son's shoulder. "What would Neteyam think?"

"It's true! And he needs to know it!"

"If your sempu was here, you'd be–"

"Sempu's here." You call. The kids didn't really realize you heard the beginning of what Jake was going to say. Instead, they run to hug you. Kiri drops the much beloved toy they so desperately wanted earlier, in favor of wrapping her arms around your waist.

You scoop each of them up, each held by one strong arm. Even so, knowing that the position is weak, they steady themselves by wrapping their small limbs as far around you as they can. "Now, what was it that you needed me for?"

"Nothing, sempu." Kiri shakes her head, pressing her head against your shoulder. "Just a little dispute."

"Yes. A dispute." Lo'ak agrees with the wide nod of his head, though he pronounces the word much worse than Kiri does. Seems he slacked off on their latest English lessons and somehow ignored the word "penis" that Kiri vividly recalls.

"Ooh, dispute? Where'd you learn that big word, huh?" You coo, rubbing your nose into her hair. She laughs at the feeling, it's almost ticklish.

"Dad." She replies simply.

"Yeah, well, they also managed to learn the word "penis" from me." While you gawk dramatically at your children, Jake sticks his tongue out at them just as childishly. Little suck ups. He mouths.

Lo'ak sticks his tongue back out at his own father, to which you slap him gently on the hip. "What situation requires that," You think of a suitably negative word , uglily scrunching up your nose so that the children can have something to laugh at. "despicable word?"

"Lo'ak," Kiri is quick to tell, "was trying to steal my toy!"

"No I wasn't!" Lo'ak huffs. If he were on the ground, he'd have stumped his feet. Instead, they kick the air.

"Yes you were!" She retorts.

"Which one, the one so sadly on the floor?"

At the mention of its position, they both turn their gazes towards it. Kiri dares to mutter a little "uh-oh" as her eyes find it. Whilst they are distracted by the dread building up in their bodies, you look to Jake. Go find Neteyam. I'll deal with these two.

Silently, he nods, and slips away while the children begin to make up excuses. As he walks down the river bank, he hears a shout from the house. "You're a big fat liar!"

If memory served right, Neteyam wanted to visit Neytiri. Out of all of their kids, he took to her the most.

A part of him, at the back of his mind, wonders how all his children will react once they learn who their mother is.

He doesn't indulge in the thought. Instead, he focuses on the task ahead. The path from his home to Neytiri's was one he memorized, and he made sure when he built his home that it wouldn't be a long distance.

He doesn't expect to find the two of them, Neteyam and Neytiri, outside of the house. Neither does he expect his son to be so vigorously training even after training hours.

"That's it. Remember your stance." Neytiri advises Neteyam, patting his shoulder. "You're doing great."

"Hey!" Jake greets the two. The sudden call surprises Neteyam, which makes his shot fly off to the side.

The boy frowns, but his lips soon lift as he turns to greet his father. "Hi dad."

"Hello, my son." He nods. His smile turns a little more stern as he turns to Neytiri. "Hello, auntie Tiri. What's going on?"

Neytiri opens her mouth to speak, but Neteyam taps her thigh and mouths a little something. It's not hard to read his lips, nor had he tried to hid it so hard, but Jake looks away out of respect.

Auntie Tiri nods and looks back up to Jake, "I figured he needed some practice."

"He practiced this morning."

"I know." She raises one hand up in surrender, "Practice makes perfect." She ruffles Neteyam's hair. Though coming from his dad it was annoying, it is apparently endearing coming from his aunt. "Could I talk to you in the house?"

"Of course."

She hardly waits for him to reply before she pats Neteyam on the head again and says, "I'll be right back, keep practicing."

Neteyam nods excitedly. However, Jake stops him. "No, put that down." It dampens his son's spirits, but he nods. Both of them know that something could go wrong if Neteyam practices unsupervised.

Neytiri rolls her eyes, but doesn't protest. Instead, she heads inside, Jake close behind.

"What is it that–"

"Your son, our kid, " She begins with firmness. "he came to me asking me to help him improve."

"What? He's only seven." Jake reasons, "Why would he?"

"He's your oldest." She replies simply. "Your heir, the next Olo'eyktan. There's a lot of pressure that comes with that." She spoke with experience. Between you, him, and her, she had so much more experience. He wonders sometimes how they've come to this arrangement, if she could be a better mom than he, a dad.

"Yeah… I know. But I don't give him any pressure. I make sure of it." Does he really? Are each of his words premeditated, thought out?

"He's only a year older than Lo'ak and Kiri, but he already has it ingrained in him that he has to protect them." Neytiri crosses her arms, giving him a pointed look, "Like you said, he's seven. He still deserves to be hugged and kissed."

"I try to."

"You try to?"

"It's hard when, you know…" He sighs, "your parents coddled your brother more than you."

She purses her lips, thinks it over. "I may not know about you and your brother," She begins on a lighter note. "but I know that you can relate your experiences with him with our children, your sons. At least you know what not to do. Just make sure they know you love them, and that they are still children that should play, while you still can."

"Yeah." He nods, "I will."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The children played with each other, for once not beckoning their parents into play or sparking arguments between each other.

So for the first time in a long time, you had some moments of peace.

"He reminds me a lot of Neytiri, Neteyam." You spoke in a hushed voice, wary of their young ears.

"How so?" Jake squeezes your shoulder, his arm wrapped around it.

"His smile. It's a lot like hers. Toothy, isn't it?" He was smiling right now. Though it didn't compare to some of his biggest moments of joy, his smile still displayed his growing teeth. It was adorable.

He only has to think of it for a moment before agreeing, "Yeah."

"He's good with his bow. Don't doubt that he'll make a great hunter one day. And his love for Ikran..." Your face lights up at the memories, "even though he doesn't have one."

"About that, love..." Jake begins solemnly.

You turn to him, away from your playing children, at his serious tone. "What is it?"

"Neteyam," He glances over at the boy. Thankfully, he hadn't heard him speak his name. He lowers his voice and continues, "Neytiri told me he's been trying to get better at using a bow."

"Hm, well, he's probably trying to impress us."

"And that he wanted to protect his siblings. He feels," He purses his lips, "like its his responsibility. It's what he worries about."

"Does he?" You huff, "He has asked a lot lately, about the dangers of the jungle. I thought he just wanted to look out for himself, but now that I think about it..."

"He wanted to know so that he could keep his siblings safe." Jake finishes for you.

"Hey, I wanted to play with it!"

"I had it first!"

Before either of you can act, Neteyam stands first. He gives you only the smallest of glances before pushing his siblings away from each other.

"What? Hey!" Lo'ak shouts.

"Go away, Neteyam!" Kiri struggles against her brother's hold.

At his sudden interference, the toy falls to the ground. Neteyam kicks it to his feet. "Stop fighting!" He hisses at the both of them, making them falter. "It's either one or the other. Got that? You can take turns."

"Me first!" The children scream simultaneously, Kiri finishes her sentence first by a millisecond.

"Ugh." Lo'ak groans, but he begrudgingly kicks the toy in her direction. "Fine, you can have it first. But you get ten minutes!"

Kiri grins, picking up the toy, "That's good enough."

With the argument over, Neteyam smiles. He turns back towards his own toy, but not before sparing a not so subtle glance in your direction. Seeing your encouraging smiles, his own grows larger.

"He didn't need to do that."

Jake nods, "But he did, anyway."

"You're right." You shake your head with a sigh, "We should wait for the right moment to tell him."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

That moment doesn't take long.

Lo'ak had grown restless at home, and even more at the village, so he proposed one thing: to let him and his siblings explore the jungle. It wasn't a surprising proposal, you'd allowed them to do so many times before. Neteyam, Kiri, and Lo'ak often explored the jungle; so, you allowed it without a thought.

The jungle was a beautiful place, one you were proud to call home, so you were happy that your children were falling in love with it too.

However, as curfew grows closer and your children do not return yet, your worry begins to grow.

The children had shown time and time again that they knew curfew, knew the way home, knew to come back safely. You trusted them to come back.

Your rapidly growing concern and restlessness burst, and you must find them yourself. As much as Jake had reassured you, as much as you wanted to trust them, something was clearly wrong. You had to find them.

As you mount your ikran, though, they emerge from the tree line.

Neteyam and Lo'ak prop Kiri up, helping her walk. They've got her arms around their shoulders. Together, the three of them, they're mismatched. Lo'ak wishes to run, Neteyam doesn't want to injure Kiri further, and she is weak.

You're quick to whisk Kiri up and bring her inside, whilst Jake grabs a hold of his sons and brings them in too.

You place Kiri down on your hammock, "Where does it hurt?"

"My side." She yells back, her eyes spilling fresh tears. She was scratched up everywhere, from her arms to her knees, but the most concerning gash was on her side. It was a long cut, spanning from her belly button to her chest.

"I got you, baby girl." You assure.

While you rush to patch up Kiri, Jake squats in front of his sons and questions them. "What happened?"

Neither boy wishes to speak, but between the two of them, the culprit is clear. Still, he knows that he has to wait for them to speak up. If Neteyam speaks first, Jake will know what the boy has burdened himself with. If Lo'ak speaks, he will know that the boy has the responsibility to admit his own faults.

Regardless, because none of them speak, Kiri does. She clearly wished to have the culprit, which inadvertently caused her injuries, be punished. "Lo'ak led us to a forbidden area!"

"No I didn't!" Lo'ak bites back.

"Yeah, I did." Neteyam steps forward and puts an arm in front of his brother in order to shield him from his father's impending scolding. "I convinced them it wasn't such a dangerous place."

There it was. Neteyam taking the blame. He took protecting his siblings so far, that he was willing to take the blame and the punishment for what Lo'ak did. Jake hated it, hated that he reminded him of his brother so much.

"Neteyam, you and I both know you know the dangers the most." Jake points a finger at him, "So step back."

The boy follows his instructions, but for once, not obediently. He looks down at the ground and backs off with a subtle scoff.

"Oh, so now you decide he's not to be believed?!" Lo'ak huffs, crossing his arms. "I didn't–"

"You did." Jake interrupts him, "And I need you to admit it."

"Fine!" Lo'ak shouts, "I did it! But I didn't think it would be so dangerous."

"I know that, son." Jake says, placing a hand on his shoulder. Lo'ak tries to shake it off, but he ultimately fails to do so. He settles on ignoring its heavy presence. "But you're still responsible for the consequences."

"I didn't mean for Kiri to get hurt." The boy mumbles.

"Tell that to her."

"I'm sorry, Kiri." He mumbles that too, but Kiri hears it anyway.

Though she rolls her eyes, something Lo'ak can't see because you cover her body with your own as you work away, and accepts the apology, "Fine." She hisses slightly, which Lo'ak mistakes as directed to him. The sound makes him falter.

"The two of you, listen to me." Jake places his other hand on Neteyam's shoulder, pulling the brothers close to each other.

"You should listen too." You tell Kiri. She nods.

"You should all to take care of each other, equally. That means protecting each other. Not just you, Lo'ak; not just you, Kiri," He nods in each of his kids' directions, "not just you, Neteyam. You got that?"

Neteyam nods immediately, while Lo'ak nods with a scowl and eyebrows knitted. He was displeased to be asked to act just like his stuck up brother.

"Hey." Jake shakes his son not so gently to make sure he is paying attention. "Lo'ak, I need you to protect your siblings. Because, in this world, it's not just you. It's all of us, it's this family. Your brother, your sister, they need taking care of. And if we're not there, who will do that? You. You have to."

"It's not an "if he can't do it, then I have to"." You cut in to add, "It's not a toy to be passed around. It is something you should all be doing, all the time."

"Today was just an example. Tomorrow," He gestures to the side with the nod of his head, "if things do not change, worse things can happen."

"Okay." Lo'ak nods. Though the solemn look on his face is new and different, it meant he was taking it seriously.

Jake nods too, "Good. Neteyam," Knowing that the boy will be much more affected by his words, Jake keeps it simple. "that means it's not all up to you. Don't take the fall for things you didn't cause."

"Okay." Neteyam agrees too.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Auntie Tiri loved to visit the kids. Though she knew she wasn't their mother in the family sense, she still thought of them as her own children. You weren't one to complain, much as you teased her, because it meant you and Jake could have some time of your own.

"Second time this week?" You laugh, greeting Neytiri at the entrance. "It's only just beginning, too."

"If I birthed them, I at least get to raise them." Neytiri argues. The words don't make much sense to the children, thankfully, or else you would have a lot of explaining you weren't quite ready for.

You roll your eyes and let her in. As she passes you, you walk outside. Behind you, you hear screams of delight as the children see Neytiri.

After Jake says his temporary goodbye's, he follows you outside.

He lets out a sigh of relief as the even fresher air of the outside washes over his face. "It's been a while since we got to be alone, right?"

"Just two days, my love." You remind him. "Neytiri visited two days ago."

"Hmm," He snickers, "right."

He lets out a yawn, stretches his limbs far up into the sky. As he brings them down, though, one arm not so subtly wraps around your waist. Even less subtly, it pulls you close to his side. "Wanna go for a walk?" He offers nonchalantly.

You chuckle, placing a hand a on the one he's got around you. "Sure."

The benefit of being alone with each other often was that your children were not responsibility for the tiniest of moments. It also meant you didn't have to speak of them.

But usually, as your children are the light of your life, most things end up being about them.

"Your hair's starting to dread up, love." You remark, wrapping the end of one of his locks around your finger. It was just a little strand, but the hair above clumps together.

"Ah, well, I don't have the time." He sighs, "Between Olo'eyktan duties, giving advice to folk, taking care of the kids..."

"I could braid it for you." You offer.

"I heard that takes a long time." He says, but he's done more than hear it. He's witnessed it, seen your children slouched over themselves, falling asleep whilst your fingers still nimbly worked on their braids. "Don't know if I've got enough."

"Well, we can keep it dreaded." You shrug, "Whatever you like."

"What do you like?" He retorts.

You roll your eyes. "Whatever you like to wear will be what I love, Jake."

"That's an awfully sweet," He begins slowly, coaxing a soft smile out of your lips. "lie. Too uncharacteristic of you, my darling."

You laugh. The sound is... young. It sounds young. You've known each other for seven years now, been parents for most of that time, and you've matured so much since the first time he laid eyes on you. Those laughs, ones without the worry of your children or responsibilities, had seemed forgotten. He's glad it's still there.

The conversation falters and you fall to comfortable silence; but something picks at Jake, at the back of his mind.

"Is there..." He pauses, not too sure if he really wants to mention it. He's already started, though, and he does feel as though it is something that should be talked about. "anyone Lo'ak reminds you of?"

"Lo'ak..." You hum as you think, "well, Lo'ak is his own person. He's a special kid. There's no one quite similar to him. Why do you ask?"

"He reminds me of myself. My younger self." Jake says. It was the original thing he wanted to say.

"Oh."

"Reckless, quick to jump into a fight, defensive, couldn't take the blame... I couldn't take anything seriously." He lists off things, each one putting a dampener on his mood. "A child in a man's body."

His lowering spirits were affecting yours, so you stop your walk to make sure your next words are registered fully. You take his hands in yours and begin, "Some of those things aren't always bad. Defensiveness means, well, you're protective of your loved ones. And not taking things so seriously... you can always make me happy. You can lighten any situation. As for the recklessness, well, it was always funny when you failed at some Na'vi things."

"Hey!"

"What I'm trying to say is, you're still defensive, you're still humorous in harsh situations. These are both things of your younger self and the self that stands before me." You bring a hand to his cheek and he nuzzles against it. "They are part of who you are; and those same things, they're part of who Lo'ak is. If we tried to change them, Lo'ak wouldn't be himself. All of those traits are bad at varying degrees. If we teach him correctly, he can still be himself. Less reckless, more serious, but still himself."

Much as an annoying rascal he was now, it was the Lo'ak Jake still loved, has loved for seven years. He couldn't imagine his son any other way.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Everyone loved Neteyam. It was hard not to.

Lo'ak and Kiri, on the other hand, often received many stares. It was harder for them to make friends outside of the family; harder to avoid the comments about their fingers and eyebrows. Though Lo'ak had a penchant for an argument (which had lessened ever since you began parenting him better) this was where he and Kiri agreed.

When Neteyam played with his friends, Lo'ak and Kiri often stuck together. Their differences and toy-sharing difficulties were pushed aside.

Neteyam often tried to coerce his friends to play with Kiri and Lo'ak, they were only a year younger after all, but it usually devolved into asking them why they had such funny fingers.

Jake and you often noticed it. You saw your children's awkward, uncomfortable faces. But you knew things would only be worse if you interfered. Children were often like that, picking at the little things. Just kissing your children would earn them the nickname of "sempuyä 'evi". Besides, they needed to be independent.

It was a matter that sparked concern between you.

"I was right about their differences." Jake grumbles. He subtly observed his children from above, at a high point in the village. Less people were going to spot his vigilant dad behavior up there.

"They'll make friends eventually, find people who don't care." You reassured him, but you spoke it into the world because you were really wishing for it to happen.

"Like you?" He muses.

"If you want a comparison point." You let out a little laugh.

Jake wraps an arm around your shoulder and pulls you close. Just then, a little someone breaks through the crowd of nosy kids and sticks their hand out.

Rather than judging your children or pointing out their differences, they exclaim "Wow that's so cool!" so loudly that you can hear it from up there. It warms your heart.

Lo'ak eventually found friends that actually deserved him. Kiri, on the other hand, well, the friends found her. Unfortunately, it was after that that she discovered she actually preferred alone time better than having so many people around her, disturbing her thoughts with constant chatter. So, she didn't often talk with her friends. The only thorn on her side, though, was the human kid, Spider. She tolerated his presence often. She actually even seemed to like his voice.

But while they had gotten over that problem, Jake was still worried.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Your children had yet again become a year older. In the past year, you'd taught them all so many things. You made sure Neteyam, Lo'ak, and Kiri were all protective over each other equally; that Lo'ak learned how to control his recklessness and maintain his humorous attitude; that Kiri felt connected to Eywa.

You knew that, when you allowed them to be on their own, they would be just fine.

After seven years of taking care of your children so actively, you no longer had to worry so much. It was sort of a relief.

Naturally, though, you sort of missed it.

"I want another kid."

"What?"

"Another girl would be nice." You hum to yourself, "She'd be the cutest little thing."

Once the initial shock wears off (because you don't just mention that out of nowhere) Jake finds himself agreeing. He, too, missed coddling his children. "Yeah, she would."

"Did you ever get a copy of the picture Norm took of you?"

"Of course not." Jake grumbles. "It's embarrassing."

"Only because you make it." You snicker, booping him on the nose. He responds by scrunching it up and flinching back. "I think it's rather cute."

"I only think Kiri was cute." He wipes his nose. "We can talk to Neytiri and–"

"I want her to be yours."

"What? But–" Jake shakes his head profusely, his eyebrows knitted together. "I can't have another kid turn out like... like me."

"Five fingers and eyebrows?" You ask.

"Yes." He replies immediately. "I can't have her be... different. Lo'ak and Kiri, they struggled to make friends because of their differences."

"You know that Lo'ak made his own friends."

"It took time." He argues, "Don't you remember his face, every time he came back home? It was horrible. In fact, he asked you to pull him onto your lap and kiss his cheeks over and over just for reassurance. Which–"

"Which he asked for because he loves me, not because it's uncharacteristic of him." You say, implying that Lo'ak loves you more.

Jake rolls his eyes. "I don't want to see another kid go through that again. I just want another normal kid that'll make friends flawlessly."

"There's nothing wrong with being special." You take his hands in yours. His hand was only bigger because of his extra finger, which wraps around your hand. You bring it up to show him, "Nothing better with being normal."

"Why... why can't you do it, then?"

"Because," You begin, smile lighting up your face. "even you still haven't gotten over your differences." Jake looks away. His silence to the accusation is as much of an answer as affirmation is. "This child will be proof that your differences don't make you any worse than a regular Na'vi. Because you are on of the people. You are the Olo'eyktan. You are one of us."

"How do you know?" He grumbles, but he was starting to believe you. "Did Eywa tell you, or something?"

☾⋆☆⋆☽

With Tuktirey, you couldn't be any happier.

And she came out, as promised, with four fingers and hairless browbones.

She was a pudgy little thing, and everyone loved her. You could see it in their eyes and their smiles that the kids loved her at first sight. Their toothy grins would grow even wider when they each got to carry her; even if Lo'ak nearly dropped her.

Though she couldn't even speak and hardly babbled, you could tell that you would come to love her.

You held Tuk in your hands, laying your head over Neteyam's legs. He made for a bony pillow, but you loved him so much you could get over it. Jake hugged Lo'ak with one arm. Kiri was sprawled horizontally over the both of you, her head laying on your stomach. Your muntxatan nuzzled his nose into your neck as he spoke, "I met your sempu while I was training."

"He fell from the tree branches onto the mud at my feet." You explain less graciously, causing an uproar of laughs from each of your children.

"Ah-ah," Jake breaks up the mocking laughter, "you say it's like Eywa sent me to you, no?"

"Okay, fine, I guess." You roll your eyes playfully.

Jake laughs. You can feel the deep rumble of vibrations going through his neck against your shoulder. "It was love at first sight."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ 2: it's a cute prompt, of course, could fulfill it with headcanons, however I wanted some Lo'ak and Neteyam struggle + scared father Jake - one of these scenes (if you saw it, you know the scene) was made using the dialogue of this incredibly fucking cute fanart. It's just Lo'ak instead of Neteyam here. - I made Jake a better father because his kids deserve better

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: sully kids x hard of hearing metkayina male reader (platonic)

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: In a search for a way to communicate with you, the family has to master Na'vi sign language. Along the way of teaching them, however, you learn more about yourself.

ᴀɴᴏɴ: can you do a male Metkayina clan reader BUT the reader is hard of hearing because of the water from swimming.

ʀᴇ𝐐: yes ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 6148 ~ extra ~ gn reader vers.

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: feelings of shame and embarrassment, struggling to hear and understand people (and yourself), hints of angst

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: we don't have resources for their exact sign language so i made some things up (since na'vi sign language isn't the same as asl) as well as iknimaya trials and traditions.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Ever since you were a kid, you had always loved the ocean. The Metkayina clan was a tribe of the water, the ocean, so it made sense; but unlike others your age who preferred to play with each other, you enjoyed being completely surrounded by Eywa's children within the ocean.

You had no qualms with solitude, as all you needed was the sea; but eventually, it proved to be a problem.

The sea gives and the sea takes; it gave you a world to love and took your hearing.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Tsireya introduced you to Sully's in their first lesson as one of the Metkayina who truly loved the ocean. "This is our best free diver," She put a hand on your shoulder, "(y/n). You're lucky I managed to find him."

Instead of responding in some negative way at her comment, you grin and offer a small wave.

"How so?" Lo'ak questions.

Tsireya doesn't answer outright. She giggles, "You'll see."

The chief's children and you jump into the water, demonstrating the proper way to dive in that best transitions into swimming. The Sully's, on the other hand, jump into the water as though in play.

You could see it in their eyes, their amazement. The sea was an entirely different world from the one above, it was something you loved about it.

Only the Na'vi and their animal companions mingled on the coast above. The ilu could be compared to their banshees, nothing special; and the people, though physically different, were still Na'vi.

You didn't doubt that these water creatures were unlike anything they'd seen before, and you were happy that they were astonished with the wildlife you, too, loved.

You turn back forward to swim, knowing that they'll follow. You show them the form, using your tail to help and keeping your body like a spear to be able to cut through the water.

You lead them deeper into the sea, but Ao'nung taps your shoulder. You turn to follow his finger, which points up.

The Sully's were taking a breath of air. Right, that's probably something you should teach them, but you were probably not the best teacher.

Within the water, your safe haven, you tended to forget many things, so you signed to them, keep going, forgetting they didn't know how to sign.

You keep swimming, this time checking up on them as you reach an underwater slope. They were bad swimmers, it seemed, which is an idea sort of incomprehensible to you, as every Metkayina was basically born in the ocean. They pushed off of coral and rock formations to push forward and keep up.

They don't even make it to you when they go back up for air.

What's wrong with them? Ao'nung signs.

They're bad divers. Rotxo replies. Though fingers and hands hardly conveyed emotion, you knew from Rotxo and Ao'nung's generally jokester demeanor that he was making fun of them.

Stop, they're learning. Tsireya scolds.

Whilst they talk to one another, you get distracted with something out of the corner of your eye. It was bioluminescence, hardly noticeable during the daytime, which is why it's so curious. You forget the lesson at hand and follow it.

The chief's children and Rotxo swim up to talk to the Sully's where they will actually understand each other. It is only after Tsireya promises to teach them sign language, which Neteyam ignorantly describes as "finger talk", that they notice you and their dear sister's disappearance.

The bioluminescence you had caught came from a lone hammerhead squid, which is even more peculiar because it was alone. Perhaps it was paranoid, because when it saw you, it began swimming away with determination.

You struggle to catch up with it.

It dives behind large coral, hoping to lose you, but you always catch up. Hammerhead squids found safety in numbers, so they usually didn't go so fast, which means it would tire out soon.

Knowing this, you kept up the chase. Regardless, however, it puts up a good fight.

It shoots out its ink prematurely. The black liquid disperses in the water, clouding much of the view ahead of you. Instead of swimming through it, you dive under, although you almost bump into a sharp rock. Narrowly, you avoid it, swimming up quickly once you're past the ink.

Though you move past it, its original outcome–clouding your view–succeeds. When you clear the ink, you suddenly bump into someone.

Sorry. You sign, rubbing at your forehead where you'd bumped into her, so so sorry.

The girl before you is one of the Sully's. Her eyebrows furrow, confusion in her face, but you misinterpret it as anger. Great, it's the Sully's first day in the clan and you were already giving bad impressions.

I didn't mean to bump into you.

Her eyebrows furrow further. Ultimately, although she doesn't like it, she decides to surface so that the two of you may speak. She points up and you understand.

Once you're up at the surface, she says, "I don't know what you're saying."

You had long since memorized the way one's mouth moves when they say those words, and their variations, so you explain, "I was apologizing for bumping into you."

Though the next couple words come muddled to you, you just barely catch her saying "alright" and a wave of relief washes over you. "What's your name?"

"Kiri." She gives you a polite smile.

"Nice to meet you, Kiri." You nod. "I didn't realize we'd lost you while diving. Why'd you wander off?"

"Oh, I um," She worries that you may think her a freak, so she waters it down. "I got distracted."

You chuckle, "Yeah, I get it. Happens a lot to me too. It's like a different world, isn't it?"

Her face lights up when you agree with her, "Yeah, it is." She ached to observe it again, to be surrounded by Eywa'eveng. "Do you mind if I..?" She gestures down.

You tilt your head, confused. "You what?"

"Go down again." Kiri mutters, little ashamed to say out loud that she'd rather be underwater than talk with you, but you manage to read her lips.

"Oh, of course I don't." You shake your head, "Actually, I was in the middle of finding something. Do you wanna come with?"

Though she much preferred to take the sights all in on her own and on her own time, she had to admit your offer was interesting. "Okay, sure." She nods.

Kiri follows you back underwater, and keeps swimming after you. Reminded of the other Sully's, you make sure to keep your head straight and swim at a slower pace.

As you keep swimming past large coral and columns of algae, trying to catch a glimpse of the squid you were searching for before, Kiri gets distracted by something particularly special out of the corner of her eye.

She stays in place, entranced, and almost swims for it before remembering the task at hand. However, when she turns to you, you're swimming back to her.

Txampaysye. You sign, but of course she wouldn't understand. So, you wave your hand in the water to create ripples in the current and signify the water. Then, you pass a hand from your stomach to your throat and out your mouth to signify breathing. Breathing underwater.

Somehow, she understands. Though the butterfly-like Txampaysye catches her attention, uncharacteristically of her, she gestures for you to keep going. She'll have time another day.

Just a bit of swimming later, you find the squid again. It doesn't notice you. You point at it and Kiri's head tilts with curiosity.

How could a squid be bioluminescent in the day? The sunlight's rays still reached it.

Do you want to catch it? You closed your hand, from splayed fingers into a fist very quickly, the sign for catch. It was pretty straight forward, so Kiri understood; what she didn't understand, and what she was against, was the idea.

The question was only formal. You swim forward without waiting for her answer, thinking she wanted to catch it.

You approach it as silently as possible, keeping your arms to your body and swaying up and down, using your feet like a fin. You keep your tail rigid and in place, for paddling it side to side as opposed to up and down like your legs would create unnecessary noise.

Once you are close enough, you lunge with a quick, sharp movement. It doesn't have time to react before you catch it between your fingers and palm.

Triumphantly, you turn to Kiri with your hand raised, failing to notice her growing anger. You swim towards her with enthusiasm.

Fyìp ioang. You sign.

For a moment you think you may be misinterpreting confusion as anger again, but you quickly realize you're interpreting correctly. Kiri pries your fingers apart, freeing the creature who spurts the last of its ink (only a little) and leaves.

Her eyebrows are furrowed, a look you hate, and she points up towards the surface again. You follow, embarrasment beginning to spread through your body.

"You shouldn't be taking animals against their will." She scolds, pointing an accusatory finger at you. Her anger was loud and clear in her voice, loud enough for you to hear.

"Sorry." You purse your lips and mumble so low you can't even hear it yourself, "I was only curious."

She huffs, "Your curiosity doesn't mean you can imprison them just to poke and prod."

"Yeah," You point your gaze down, "you're right."

"Just don't do it again." With that, she begins to swim away, not caring if you follow her.

With shame, you dive back into the water, in search of one of your favorite places to soothe yourself.

She was right, of course, but your curiosity was often one of your driving points. It was why you spent most of your time in the ocean, what kept you entertained underwater. On the other hand, it was also why you'd lost so much of your hearing.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The next morning, on their way to their second lesson, the Sully's find you.

Lo'ak, after yesterday, now understands why Tsireya was lucky to find you before. He thinks they're pretty lucky today, too, as it seems you're going to head into the ocean. "(y/n)!" He calls for your attention, but you don't hear him.

You're just about to dive in, so Lo'ak hurries up to meet you. He catches you by the shoulder. "Hey."

"Hey." You greet him with a smile. "What's up?"

"You left us yesterday. Where'd you go?" He asks curiously.

"I'm sorry, what?" You ask, having not heard him entirely.

"Where'd you go?" He repeats.

Again, you don't hear him. You purse your lips, the shame of not being able to understand people creeping in. "Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you."

"Where did you go?" Lo'ak repeats for the third time, slowing down his speech.

"Look, I'm really sorry–"

Neteyam catches up, slinging an arm over Lo'ak's shoulder. "What my brother means to ask is where you went yesterday, when you were supposed to be teaching us."

"Teach you?" You tilt your head as you think. Did the Olo'eyktan assign you something? Tsireya only took the opportunity because she saw you yesterday. You can't think of anything, though. "What am I supposed to teach you?"

Lo'ak sighs, "When you were teaching us how to free dive?"

The sigh makes you purse your lips. Your stupid ears were making people frustrated again. Still, you couldn't say anything when you didn't understand them. "...what about it?"

Tsireya comes to save you, noticing the struggle between you and the Sully's. "(y/n), here," She begins, pushing Lo'ak's hand off your shoulder, "struggles to hear, if you guys haven't noticed."

She signs to you, taking advantage of the fact they don't know how to sign. Do you want them to know your story?

You shake your head, to which she nods.

"It'd be much appreciated if you guys spoke louder, spoke clearer, and moved your mouths wider." She demonstrates the way they should speak as she instructs them. "It helps him to be able to read your lips until you learn how to sign."

"So he can hear us?" Lo'ak asks.

"Barely." You respond, reminding him that you are in fact in this conversation.

Neteyam nods, rubbing a burn into his brother's scalp. "Sorry, Lo'ak needs to remember these sorts of things."

"Shut up, bro." He pushes his brother away, causing him to skid sideways a few paces.

"(y/n), you would be a great help in teaching them sign language." Tsireya turns to you, signing as she speaks.

You understand, but you purse your lips. "Today? I sort of wanted to explore..."

"Doesn't have to be today, no," She shakes her head, "today is about breathing. If you want to leave, that's perfectly alright."

She smiles at you. Oh, Eywa, you loved Tsireya. She was so kind.

You take her permission and give a wave before diving into the water.

You swim farther into the ocean, trying to wash off your embarrassment with the cool water. It burned in your cheeks, anyway.

When the Olo'eyktan and Tsahìk found out about your hearing loss, you had already reached a point where there was no way to be healed. Everyone blamed your parents, their neglect for your ears and the proper care after a swim. But in truth, you knew you were also to blame.

It had been a long time since you were a burden. The Metkayina accommodated for your hearing loss. You were lucky to be born in the clan who originated the language that didn't require hearing. You had long since come to a comfortable life because of it.

When you realize that the embarrassment won't wear off so easy, you lay down on the sea grass covered sand—or lay down as best you can. The current pushes your head and limbs up.

Your intent was to relax, but the bioluminescent squid from yesterday pops up above you. You react quickly, reaching out and trapping it in your hand again.

You. You sign, awkward because you're one-handed, You embarrassed me in front of Kiri.

You'd missed two of its tentacles in grabbing it. It crosses its arms, giving you attitude, then pointed at you instead. Somehow, you understand.

Alright, fine. You huff, It's my fault. You release the squid, but this time it lingers. You forgive me?

It waves two of its tentacles up and down as if to nod its head.

You pluck a small fish from its school and hand it over as an extra peace offering. Sorry, fyìp.

It stares blankly at your offering. Clearly, it was refusing it, because it was definitely capable of catching that fish on its own. Also, you were ignoring the lesson Kiri taught you. You release the fish, which scurries back to its school, signing sorry again.

Why do you want to hang out with me?

The tentacles at its sides raise up in a shrug.

You lost your group. You purse your lips, extending your hand so that the squid may sit on it, even if it is redundant underwater. Are you trying to find a new one?

It shrugs again, though accepts the spot you give it on your hand.

Well, I suppose we're the same in that. You and I, we're special. I'm hard of hearing, and you're bioluminescent. You laugh inwardly, Although, those are two different things.

Fyìp does a twirl in your hand. It seems pleased.

Alright, let's go. I'll show you some of my favorite places.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

After the Sully's breathing exercises, Neteyam is eager to find you. He dives into the water, both practicing his breathing and speed.

For the third time, he's lucky to find you returning to the village for dinner, this time you were fortunately not caught up in exploring the sea.

Neteyam waves his hand in greeting. You do the same, though you hadn't realized he had more to say.

(y/n). He signs.

Immediately, your eyes light up. Neteyam is delighted.

Who taught you that? You sign. Your hands are a flurry of speed, but he manages to catch the words anyway.

He recognized "you" and "taught" and the distinct lack of "I", so he can assume what you asked. Tsireya. He signs simply, for she hadn't taught him much more than that and your names.

I'll teach you too.

He recognizes "I", "teach", and "you", and understands. He nods excitedly, then points up towards the surface. You follow.

"You're learning." You grin as you surface.

"Yeah." His smile turns bashful, "I want to learn so I can talk to you better." He even exaggerates the movement of his lips so that you may read them.

"Aww, that's sweet." Though you've only known him for so long, you give him a hug. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me." He shakes his head, still holding your elbows gently even as you part from the hug, "It's just what I should do."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Oh, you skxawng! You're late, you're late, you're late!

Too caught up within the serenity that the sea brought you, you had forgotten that you were supposed to be teaching the Sully's sign language!

You swim towards the shore with much hurry. Your body was preoccupied with a mission, to get there fast, and your mind was berating you for being stuck in your head so much. Because of it, you're not exactly focusing on the world around you.

"Oof!" You grunt as you bump into a column. It was one of the ones that supported the Marui pods above.

You pull yourself up onto your elbows on the pathway between pods, spitting out the water you'd caught in your mouth when you bumped so stupidly into a column.

Your squid friend jumps up too, sticking to your leg then climbing up to your shoulder. Its sticky tentacles feel weird on your skin, but you pay it no mind. Instead, you focus on cradling the spot on your forehead where you collided.

When Fyìp lands on your shoulder, you turn to it with a huff and go back to rubbing your head. Then, once you actually notice, you double take back to it.

"You can go above the surface?"

Now, no longer muffled by the water, you can just barely catch its squeal. Huh, so it was making sound all this time.

It twirls around your shoulder as if to say yes.

You turn your head back forward, resting your chin on the pathway. "I'm so stupid–wait." The Sully's and the chief's children are having the lesson quite a few ways ahead of you. They didn't seem to notice you. "It's them."

Fyìp's eyes almost seem to light up when it sees Kiri.

"Gah, should I really be joining them now? I'm so late!" You frown, thinking it over. "I'd be so lost," You narrate your thoughts for Fyìp, "every time I think about something to teach, what if they already taught it? What even is their teaching plan? I shouldn't have gone out today. Should've stayed to talk to Tsireya."

Thanks to your awful hearing and tunnel-vision, you don't notice Fyìp yapping in your ear. Only when it slaps you on the shoulder–it was a small animal, hardly hurt–do you pay attention to it.

"What?" You whine, now rubbing your shoulder.

Fyìp points forward vigorously, pulling its tentacle forwafd and back repeatedly.

"It'll be so embarrassing."

It crosses its arms in front of itself like a no. Even though you're sure it will be, Fyìp's insistence reminds you of your promise to Neteyam. It wasn't broken just yet.

"Okay, fine."

At your affirmation, Fyìp drops back into the water. You follow suit.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Learning a new language, later in your life, was always hard. Although, Jake Sully was the only one in his family with that experience.

"Lo'ak, why are you home early?" Jake and Neytiri rush over to him, sitting down as he does.

"Sign language is so hard." Lo'ak groans, his head down.

"Learning another language is hard," Jake affirms, putting a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "but it's like everything else. With practice, you'll get the hang of it."

"At first, he was terrible at Na'vi too." Neytiri grins, causing Jake to roll his eyes.

"Yes, and I became better." He gives her a pointed look, to which she only replies by baring her fangs playfully.

"Well, it's more than that." Lo'ak frowns, looking down at his hands, the very reason he was so different. "I have five fingers! Everyone else has four. Whenever there's a sign that requires fingers, everyone stares at me and Kiri. Their looks are so blank, but I can tell what they're thinking."

"So why didn't you say something?" Jake asks. "It's unlike you to not do anything."

It was a good question that left him silent as he thought. He didn't really know the answer, not as he dug through the surface of his mind. As he searched deeper, he found an answer, but he didn't really want to believe it. "It's because... Tsireya and (y/n) were there."

"And..?" Neytiri prods for him to continue.

"I don't want to disappoint them..." Lo'ak purses his lips, "or be a burden to them."

"Son," Jake places his hands on both Lo'ak's shoulders, causing him to finally look up at him. Jake wanted to be sure that Lo'ak understood the sentiment behind his words. "you're only learning. You can't disappoint them. And if they get upset at you, then that's their fault because they do not understand you and who you are."

"Next time," Neytiri speaks up, catching their attention, "make an arrangement. Find a way to work around it. Alright?"

Lo'ak nods, "Okay."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Usually, you were the one sought out within the Metkayina if they ever needed you because you were always doing something in the ocean. The sea was vast and cluttered, from seawall terrace to the shore, it was all within the realm of possibility of where you were.

But, for once, you're seeking someone out.

"Kiri!" You call, "I was looking for you."

She emerges from the ocean, ringing the water out of her hair. Too caught up in the sights and feeling Eywa in the sea, she had missed dinner. You could relate to that, so you had to make sure she was taking care of herself.

"What is it?" Kiri asks, treading carefully on her words.

"I saved you some dinner." You hand her a leaf dish of fish.

"Oh." Only once she sees the food does she remember her growling stomach and hunger. "Thank you." She takes the leaf from you gingerly but begins to scarf it down once it's in her own hands.

"It's no problem." You begin, "Sometimes I accidentally skip dinner too. I know the feeling of great hunger in the morning."

Kiri nods in understanding.

"Make sure to get the water out of your ears." You enthusiastically demonstrate by tipping your head to the side and tapping the side of it. "You don't want to end up like me."

Kiri almost chokes on her food. She coughs and puts it on the sand temporarily. "Like you?"

"You know," She doesn't know how you can retain a smile like this. "bad hearing and all."

Ever since you'd lost the majority of your hearing, the adults started using you as an example of what not to do. Not only did they advice the young ones while using your example, they also advised your peers. At first, it was embarrassing, but you began to understand why you were an example and had long since grown used to the embarrassment it brought.

"(y/n), are you using yourself as an example?"

"What?" You tease, "Wanna end up like me?"

"No, (y/n), that's not what I mean." She takes both your hands in hers. "You shouldn't be using yourself as an example of what happens if you don't take care of yourself."

"Why not?" It was pretty normal to you now. You purse your lips, "Everyone uses me as an example. I am what happens if you don't–"

"Because," Kiri breathes out in disbelief, "you're more than an example. You're your own person. You're more than your past mistakes."

"You're right," You snicker at the thought, "just like last time."

"I'm just saying what has to be said." She reassures, rubbing her thumbs over the back of your hands, "Value yourself more."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The trend of you seeking other people out, when it'd always been the opposite before, followed along for Lo'ak.

After your sign language lessons, you retreated into the ocean to clear your thoughts. Now that you had what you were looking for, you had to find Lo'ak, which thankfully doesn't take long.

"Lo'ak!" You call as your eyes find him.

He himself seemed to be searching for you too, so when he sees you, his eyes brighten. He covers the ground between you two quickly. "Hey, I was just looking for you."

"Me too. Do you wanna go first?"

He nods, "I found out a way we can work around my fingers."

"Your fingers?" You tilt your head forward.

"Yeah." He shows them off, wiggling all five for you.

"What about them?"

"Oh," He realizes the question wasn't because you'd somehow forgotten how many he had, but because you hadn't heard the rest of his sentence. He speaks with his mouth wider for you, "I found a way to work around them."

"That's what I was trying to find you for, actually." You snicker, "I found a way to work with them."

"With them?" He hadn't thought it possible.

"Yep." You grin, "Oh, but you were going first. Go on."

"Right, um," Lo'ak lifts one of his hands with the other, up to your view, then he pulls his last finger down. "I was thinking we could tie down my pinkie."

"Your pinkie?"

"My last finger, the smallest, it's called the pinkie."

"Okay, right." You nod.

"Tie it down with like a, um," He snaps his fingers while he thinks. "rope or something until I learn to stop using it."

After hearing his thought, you burst out laughing. It leaves Lo'ak confused. He stands there awkwardly, arms falling down to his sides with a building shame because he can't understand what you were laughing at.

"Sorry, um," You shake your head to wipe the laughter from your face, "that's too cruel, Lo'ak."

"Cruel?" He asks, eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah, don't you think? It's just like what your sister taught me. We shouldn't take things against their will." You hold his hand to bring it back between the two of you and press his pinkie down against his palm. The force you put on his knuckle and the position is rather uncomfortable for Lo'ak, and it shows in his face. "See?"

"Yeah, you're right." He mutters, then realizes his mistake. "Sorry, I mean, you're right." He enunciates louder and clearer. "Just that... I couldn't really find any other way."

"Well, I was thinking we could just use your middle fingers as a unit." You bring his pinkie back up and press your fingers on his middle fingers, "What do you call them?"

"This is the middle finger," He wiggles it and specifically avoids accidentally showing it off to you, even if you probably don't know what it means. "and this is the ring finger."

"Okay." You nod, understanding quickly. Then, you press your fingers against the ring's left and the middle's right and hold them together. "We can consider these as my middle finger."

You hold your hand up next to his, pulling your other fingers down to show him the middle. He almost laughs and tells you the meaning, but decides it's funnier if you don't know.

"Say, "happen" for example." You use his hand as if it were your own, as yours was holding it, and press the side of yourd against it. Then, you bring it to the side quickly whilst pushing your fingers wide apart. "To mimic my middle finger, you can use your middle and ring fingers together."

"But... wouldn't it be confusing?" Lo'ak argues, looking up into your eyes.

You turn away from him, biting your lip, "Much the same as you're... accommodating for me by learning sign language, we must accommodate for you too. It's only right."

"Accommodate..." He hated that word, and clearly, you were just as ashamed to use it. It had been used all throughout your lives because of your particularities. "Let's not say that."

You turn back up to him, a glimmer of hope within your eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Let's not say we're accommodating for our differences." He turns his hand, the one that rested upon your palm, and uses it to hold yours reassuringly. "Let's just say that we're doing this for each other."

He loves the way your face lights up with a smile. "That sounds good."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Thanks to Tsireya's efforts, the Sully's had learned the ways of the Metkayina.

They were still different, they were Omatikaya, and they and the Metkayina would always have their differences. However, despite their leaner bodies, they could catch up with you in the water; despite other physical differences like smaller lungs, they could stay underwater almost as long as you. They still preferred bow and arrow over spear and ikran over ilu.

Soon enough, they were good enough at free diving that they were allowed to perform their first Iknimaya trial, catching a small shell thrown into the sea.

Of course, it was the first because it was the easiest, the Metkayina completed it when they were young; but still, it called for a celebration.

Ronal denied a coming of age celebration. It was past the season for it, the tulkuns weren't home yet, and the Metkayina didn't know the Sully's enough for it to have any real sentiment.

It didn't matter to you, though. All they really wanted was a celebration with friends (which Ao'nung so gladly volunteered to not participate in).

You brought them into the sea for the celebration. For once, it wasn't a test of their breathing, speed, or swimming form. It was just exploring, enjoying the water; and they hadn't done that since they tamed their ilu.

As you dove into the sea, Fyìp swam to be near you. It seemed unbothered by the stares of awe he received.

Kiri grinned, signing to you, Fyìp ioang?

Yeah! Call him Fyìp now. You offer it a spot on your palm, which it accepts. You thrust your hand forward to show them all. He warmed up to me, forgave me.

Forgave you? Lo'ak signed. After your arrangement, he'd really gotten good at sign language.

Though the celebration was not meant to be a test, it was a great demonstration of how they were on their way to master sign language.

I believe I told you about the lesson Kiri taught me. I caught Fyìp to show it off to her, and she taught me I shouldn't have done so, even through all my curiosity. You nod at the thought, Wise words.

Kiri tucks a hair behind her ear, It just made sense to me. Not something wise or anything.

Sure. You huff out a laugh, then turn around to swim further in. Fyìp clings onto your shoulder.

The sights were already amazing. The Sully's were no longer limited by depth or obstacles now that they knew the way of water, so now they could see everything the sea had to offer.

You turn back to them again with an offer, You guys wanna see one of my favorite places? Knowing that they'll definitely agree, you turn back around and start leading the way.

It doesn't take long before you are standing before a marvel.

It was a cove of coral, fish, and many more ocean creatures. They were all colorful and eye-catching, but the main attraction was the ilu. It was similar to the Banshee Rookery in the Ayram alusìng.

We don't always tame ilu bred from other ilu at the village. Sometimes, we come here, though rarely. You explain.

These ilu were wilder, more aloof, but they still retained their friendly nature with the Na'vi. So long as you do not anger them, we can hang out with them.

The Sully's were practically let loose around the area. As you already knew much of it, you laid down on a rock at the heart of it and simply watched. Fyìp stuck around you, catching stray fish for dinner.

Kiri easily communicated with the ilu. Even if they were already friendly, they seemed even warmer with her.

Lo'ak managed to find the more playful ilu and had somehow gotten himself into a game of tag. He seemed to be one of the runners. He ducked behind coral, up and around rock arches. He was holding his own, despite the ilu naturally being much faster. Tsireya found herself watching too, and was laughing at Lo'ak's panicked face as he narrowly avoided being caught by an ilu.

As Lo'ak and Kiri both found their own things to do, it seemed Neteyam was stuck with Tuk. But she wasn't a burden to him. What kind of big brother would he be if she was?

He held her by the hand and admired some of the smaller creatures with her, although it seemed as though she had other intentions.

She escaped Neteyam's grasp and began swimming away with vigor. For a moment, Neteyam panicked, rushing after her with alarm. However, he soon relaxed once she saw she was going to you.

She waved hello adorably with a grin then signed. As the youngest, she had a bit more trouble with signing, but you understood her. Why do you like being in the water so much?

Well, it's very serene. You reply.

Neteyam caught up. He seemed interested too. Is that it?

You shrug, Sort of. There's some other reasons, but... You took in Tuk's hopeful eyes. She was far too cute to be denied. I could tell them to you.

Please? Will you? She swims closer, holding onto your wrists so that you may still sign.

Perhaps Tsireya rounded them up; otherwise, you have no idea why, as signing doesn't make sound, but they all round up around you. Even Fyìp swims closer.

It was a bit nerve-wracking, having all those eyes on you, but you had grown close to all of them. Nothing bad would come of it if you told them.

Okay.

Tuk's smile grows wider, she swims away so the others can see you too.

Ever since I was a kid, the ocean was so entrancing. It was majestic, a different world from the one above. The other kids my age, they preferred to play with one another. I preferred to explore the ocean. Even though I was hardly used to the world above, I still preferred exploring underwater.

Tsireya taught you that the sea gives and takes. While it gave me a world to love, it also took my hearing because I was negligent towards my ears. Eventually, the sea was more than just the world I loved. It was also the only place I could be normal.

Lo'ak and Kiri listen more carefully when you mention the word normal. It was something they both struggled with.

Everybody needs to sign to speak. You don't need your ears to listen to them, you only need your eyes; and my eyes, I still have. Underwater, I swim and speak and listen just like everyone else.

Tsireya swims closer, a frown on her face. She holds your elbow endearingly, You are just like everyone else.

Yeah, you are. Neteyam does the same, swimming closer. You are Na'vi.

We are Na'vi. Lo'ak signs.

Though we are all different, we are all Eywa's children. Kiri signs. It doesn't matter in what way we are different, my fingers, our blood, your hearing...

Lo'ak's eyebrows... Neteyam signs. Said eyebrows furrow at the teasing. Lo'ak retaliates by squeezing Neteyam's exposed neck, as his brother always does to him. Neteyam pushes him away.

You guys, you all understand. You smile, I'm so sorry that the Metkayina treat you differently.

Lo'ak shakes his head, If it is something we must teach them, we'll make them learn. He smiles, So long as we have great teachers like you and Tsireya to back us up, right?

You roll your eyes–he thinks it's endearing–at him but nod. We'll teach them that we're all the same.

Tomorrow will be a good day for that. Tsireya signs, Let's not forget we are celebrating your first Iknimaya trial.

Fyìp does an encouraging twirl that makes everyone smile.

To tomorrow. You sign.

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: earth 42 miles morales x spider gn reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: the prowler and the spider had an infamous rivalry—the prowler was always improving, and the spider refused to die.

ᴀɴᴏɴ: Earth42! Miles had a s/o who was bitten by a spider as well (maybe just an AU where 1116 Miles didn’t get bitten by the spider or there was another one) and they are both rivals under the masks but literally love eachother without them bc they don’t know each other’s identity?? And some angsty if they were in battle and he was beating them tf up and literally about to kill them and removes the mask and MORE ANGST AHH.

ʀᴇ𝐐: yes ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1.4k ~ alternate universe (within alternate universe) where the reader is bit instead of earth 1610 or earth 42 miles

part 2 (crackfic)

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: swearing, violence, blood, near death experience

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: we had so little of earth 42 miles so personally i dont like him yet but the request is good

☾⋆☆⋆☽

You had to hand it to him, he was good. He brought a new little gadget each time to take advantage of one of your weaknesses, which thankfully allowed you to discover them yourself and patch them up; but that didn't take away from the fact that he was inventing these little things so quick, or that he was noticing your mistakes.

The Prowler delights himself in your shocked little eye goggles when you punch him with your powers and it doesn't affect him, "D'ya like that? Can't use your little electricity powers on me anymore."

"Personally, I call it Venom, but I suppose," You pull back, regaining your bearings, cracking your knuckles, "it's too much to ask for a little respect."

"Getting tired?" Prowler closes the distance between you easily with his physics defying boots.

"Not at all." You press yourself onto the wall behind you, climbing on with your hands and feet to prepare for an attack. "Just caught me at the end of my shift, 's all."

"Exactly."

You ignore the little comment and aim up to shoot a web towards the ceiling, but then... click. Fuck, you were out of web fluid. He really was paying close attention to you.

You push yourself off the wall instead, diving towards him to topple him over. He dodges with his boots, leaving you to stumble onto the ground. He brings an empowered punch down while you're off your feet, but you roll over to the side, onto your back to dodge.

The ground beside you shatters as his punch lands, incredibly loud. Your ears ring as you hop back onto your feet.

"What's next? Lasers? Cat machine guns?"

"Cat machine guns?" The Prowler laughs, standing straight again. "What are you, nine?"

"Are you not nine? I thought we were the same age." You punch, but he blocks it with his sturdy gauntlets. You hop back before he can counter.

"Oh, you definitely did not." He lunges forward, aiming a punch to your head, but you dodge under and sweep his feet. He falls harshly onto his back, leaving him stunned for a second. You try to take advantage of it, but as you pull back your arm for a punch, your spider-sense warns you of something from behind.

You dodge to the side. As you regain your ground, your feet slip and you fall against the wall. For a moment, as the both of you focus up, you look around the room. What triggered your spider-sense? There was nothing or no one here, no one except for the Prowler.

Speaking of, he stands, clutching his head with one hand; and he's laughing.

"That was one of your tricks, wasn't it?"

Your powers allow you to regain your composure much faster and you take the opportunity to punch him.

The Prowler falters, taking a few steps back but keeping himself on his feet, "You punch like a baby."

"I don't want to kill you." You reason.

"Kill me?" He laughs, "With what, kindness?"

As he stabilizes himself, something else triggers your Spider-sense, and you dodge at nothing again. Another comes from behind and you stumble forward, right into his range. The Prowler punches, and it connects.

"What's up with that, anyway?" The punch knocks you back against the wall and you climb up desperately out of his reach. "You never kill. I always come back."

"It's my one rule."

"No one's asking you to keep it."

Another thing triggers your Spider-sense, then another, different directions, you can't keep up with them at the same time. Trapped in a corner, you let out a burst of Venom to try to decimate them before they can even reach you.

"What a pathetic little Spider."

The Prowler swings up, allowing his gauntlet to burst out with its usual mechanical power... and your Venom. The shock brings you to the ground, where you writhe in its cold tile with a searing pain and aftershocks of electricity. You're pretty sure you broke something–or pulled something, you really can't tell.

"Reusing my Venom?" You snicker with the last energy you have, "Running out of ideas, Prowler?"

"A blabbermouth 'till the end." You can hear the humor in his voice as he brings a punch down.

Crack!

His hands stays there, atop your head, his other one pins your shoulder to the ground. So this was it.

"I don't suppose," You wheeze out, "my rule applies to you?"

He ignores that comment, staring down at you. The mask tore in the area of one of your eyes.

His mask was always ruthless. It resembled a gas mask, preparing for the worse, but it also projected an image: his narrowed, emotionless eyes. To top it all off, he almost seemed to have the horns of a devil.

"You have nice eyes."

He was about to kill you and he was cracking jokes... he was about to kill you, and you never got to say goodbye to Miles.

"I wonder what you look like." He grabs a hold of your mask harshly with his gauntlet, "Did you ever wonder what I looked like?" and he pulls.

Now, without the mask in the way, you spit blood onto the tiled ground.

Suddenly, he seizes up, like he's frozen in place.

"Don't you think you're dragging this out?"

The Prowler lets go. He falls to his knees beside you, beginning to sob. He gathers you in his arms like you're glass, like he wasn't so hellbent on stopping your heartbeat just a few seconds ago.

Powerless, you simply rest in his arms. "This is a change, isn't it?"

"God, where do you find the strength?" He questions, chuckling a dry laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"A lot of coffee, let's say."

"Shut up."

The mask on his face disassembles itself, and–oh.

"Miles?"

"I'm so fucking sorry." He buries his head into the crook of your weak neck. His sobs make you feel the need to protect him, to kiss the tears that stain his face away, but you can barely move.

You can still, however, heave a sigh of relief. "Look, I'm not dead yet." Though your mouth was lathered in disgusting coppery blood. "Surely my little genius can carry me to safety?"

"Yes." He stands, shell shocked, with you in your arms. You felt so light, so weak, and it was all because of him. "I'm–"

You bring a weak hand to cup his jaw, the highest you could bring it. You can feel the wet tears gathered there. "You can be sorry later."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

You examine yourself in the mirror of the Morales apartment–thank that little spider that you've got healing powers–when you hear the front door open, meaning Miles is back with some first aid shit. "Miles, how am I supposed to explain this to my aunt?!" You call.

Miles stumbles towards the bathroom, the rustle of the plastic bag accompanying his footsteps.

He didn't know how you were so quick to forgive all the injuries he'd given you, all the harm he'd caused. He didn't know how you weren't screaming at him, how you didn't want to kill him. He had done you wrong so many times and you weren't even angry.

But when he stops in the bathroom doorway and you turn to him, he sees the look in your eyes. It's the same as always, full of love for him, appreciation for him; like everything good in the world was embodied in him.

New scars were forming on your face, the same that littered his body, the telltale scars of being struck by lightning. "I guess we match now."

He stares down at the rolled up sleeves of his hoodie. He'd never shown them to you, the very scars you caused him unknowingly. They were like lightning up his arms and his legs and his torso, only missing on his face. He was a dangerous storm, and you had dared to love him.

"I love you." He drops the bag and brings you in his arms again.

Your knees give in, for you were still weak, but he had you. He was there to support you, to keep you up. "I love you too."

"I'm sorry." He says again.

"I know." You reply simply. "...you are what keeps me going, by the way. You're the reason I find strength even in the worst of times."

"Te amo, te amo, te amo..." Miles whispers over and over again. (I love you.)

He didn't need to question why you weren't angry with him, so long as you loved him.

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: prince alhaitham x knight male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: brief scenes of the forbidden love between a prince and a knight.

ʀᴇ𝐐: no ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1.2k

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: implied sex, not super descriptive foreplay, briefly mentioned: implied christianity, violence, and homophobia.

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: inspired by the song of achilles, which i just started today and haven't finished yet because i am pacing myself.

lmk if you want a short series.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

They tell you that when the knight saves the princess from the dragon, he is rewarded with her hand in marriage.

They don't tell you what happens when the knight is not noble-born. They don't tell you what happens when her father is greedy and stubborn and scornful. They never tell you what happens when a prince is saved instead, nor when God himself dictates such a marriage as punishable by His law.

They teach you that you must lay down your life if it means the royals get to breathe in your stead.

When they took you from your wailing mother's arms, they thought you fodder for the war they were apprehensive of; another stick used to prod the fire.

When you showed promise, a slight reluctance to potentially harm your peers in mere sword training turned to an acknowledgement that this–forgoing others and even your needs for the sake of improvement–was necessary, they thought themselves lucky to have found you.

Yet, when you climbed up the ranks and earned yourself a spot amongst the noble knights, they still looked down upon your dirty blood.

When the prince was kidnapped by a dragon seeking his silver hair that shined like the iron of your armor and steel of your sword, every man in the king's army took to arms, but only one returned.

The prince you once only stole glances of now stared up at you with new adoration, like you were the very sun that made his hair gleam, and looking forward was all you could do to not flush under the heat of his gaze.

You did not earn his hand in marriage, but a place at his side, forever and always. Except you were not even deemed one of those sworn companions he had forgone, only a bodyguard; though his still.

If it meant he got to breathe, you should be happy to take the blows directed his way.

And that you are.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

His Highness Alhaitham had come to like you, has grown to love you, and he does not wish it to be this way.

If you laid down your life for his, wouldn't it be selfish?

He speaks these words into your embrace.

The moonlight bathes over his hair, making it gleam silver. The thousands of branches and leaves of the bush he's pressing you into prick into your skin and the clothing–unbecoming of a knight–that you wear, and you can't find it in you to care.

You only care for the peaceful silence of the night; the assurety that he has you for himself, and you, him for yourself; and each other.

"You cannot leave me. It'd be selfish of you."

"Can't I be selfish for once?"

Haitham scoffs. He always tells you that you have to give up your selflessness. You can't use it against him now, it's unfair. "Not this time."

"Why not?"

He looks up into your eyes and finds amusement in them, at this, he is displeased. "Take me seriously."

Your gaze softens and you reach out to hold his cheek, your fingers grazing over the soft silver of his hairline, "I am. I couldn't live in a world without you."

"And you'd be selfish to let me live in a world without you?"

The amusement returns to crinkle your eyes. "Yes."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

You yearn to love him publicly. Not to show the kingdom he is yours, but to show the kingdom that you love Alhaitham like he is the light and the darkness, like he is the tile at your feet, the leather against your fingertips, the air in your hair, and the honey on your lips.

You love Alhaitham like he is the whole world, but you must stave yourself off with quick glances across the dancefloor.

He yearns, also, to pull you between the bodies of loving dancers and twirl like you belong. He yearns for his tailcoat to swish in the air like the skirt of a pompous dress while he spins in your arms.

The two of you yearn for a lot of things, but he is not yet king, and you are but low blood.

In a rare moment, the suitors have left the uninteresting, polite prince who shows them no favor. In the next, he nods his head vaguely out, and you know what he means. You head out first, for he is surrounded by more bachelorettes the second after.

You don't know how he frees himself from them, but you don't find it in you to care. He is right in front of you, and he looks like, "the most beautiful person this night."

He rolls his eyes and surges forward, pressing his body against yours in a starved embrace, "You only say that because you love me."

"It is true that I love you," You shamelessly admit with a laugh, "but it is also true that you are breathtaking, my dear."

"You call me that as though we are fifty."

You would love to be fifty with him.

"I call you that because I can."

He fixes his body and stands up a little straighter. You raise a brow as he takes up the stance of an overly touchy dance partner.

The music still streams in through the balcony doors, the moonlight illuminates your "stage". He wants to dance. It is clear before he even says it.

"Will you–?"

"Yes." You capture his lips in a kiss.

You don't know how to dance. You are lackluster, for you never had classes, and so is he, for he was only taught how to lead the dance.

It's awkward, so he tucks his head into your neck and settles for a sway.

You don't care, you only desire to keep him in your arms. You kiss where you can reach and sigh almost dreamily, "I was hoping to dance with you. Even if we were as uncoordinated as this."

"You never liked dancing." Haitham laughs, tickling your neck with his breath.

"I didn't like seeing you dancing with all those people. Or your attention being forced away."

"You were jealous?" He snaps his head back to look at you in this sudden revelation.

"What?" You furrow your eyebrows, suddenly embarrassed, "No."

He knows the truth. "Sure."

You can't bring yourself to fight him on it.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

You wish to love him publicly, but you must stave yourself off by doing so privately.

As you press Haitham against silk sheets and gift kisses to his increasingly bare skin, marking your appreciation with your lips, you are loving him so.

The knights at his door must know, with the way you are pulling airy moans from his throat.

Is it that they support you? Alhaitham can't think, not with the contrast of your rough, worked body against his soft, spoiled one.

He will think, later, basking in the afterglow that maybe you have called them off. That maybe it is your reputation that leaves them quiet, or that you have threatened their lives already.

Whatever it is, he is grateful. He is grateful for their silence, and he is grateful for you.

When you lay down your life for his, he is going to go down with you. He will not live in a world without you. Even when you will call him selfish for it.

After all, if you get to be selfish, he might as well keep his princely right to have his way.

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: neteyam x olo'eyktan metkayina male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: There's a bit of time before your ceremony—you take advantage of it.

ʀᴇ𝐐: no ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1370 ~ neteyam & reader are in their late 20's

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: swearing

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: i have to write one of these sometime

☾⋆☆⋆☽

There was a buffer of time before the ceremony—your ceremony. You didn't exactly know what caused it, be it the current Tsahìk still getting prepared, or the Tsakarem or current Olo'eyktan, or perhaps even the venue. And if it was the reason, you thought it rather peculiar, because your family weren't ones to take long in little things such as preparation.

Whatever the case, you took advantage of it.

Neteyam took you in. He gazed upon your bare skin, lacking all jewelry and ornaments, even your Iknimaya band, knife and sheath. Though the sight was one to behold, a small panic settled in. "Should you not be getting prepared?" He rushed over.

You only chuckle at his concern, "If it worries you so, we can go back to my preparation pod. However, I must take the moment to speak with you."

"Why is that?" He takes the offer silently, leading you along back to your pod.

"There's a lot in my mind. It runs like those dire horses you tell me about." You give a small laugh, "And..."

"And?" He asks impatiently.

Though you had sought him out, you don't quite have the courage to tell him what you wanted to. "...my family isn't ready yet. That's what I think, anyway."

He huffs, "Surely it won't be long."

"However much time it takes, I'll spend it with you."

It was a simple sentiment, but nice either way. Spending time with your best friend, right before the biggest ceremony of your life—maybe second to your mate ceremony, where you showed off your beloved that you would spend your every moment with; it was something that usually happened before the Olo'eyktan crowning, but you hadn't found the one yet.

Once you settle down, relaxed atop the only chair in your pod, Neteyam can't help but worry. You were the one to become Olo'eyktan, yet you remained calm. He, on the other hand, paces anxiously.

"Are you worried?"

Instead of answering, he stops before you and asks, "Why are you bare?" You were practically naked, stripped from your usual ornaments and garments. It was a sight to drink in, but he had to find an excuse for his staring.

"My loved ones must paint my skin before the ceremony. They all learned a different technique to the painting. Their marks will signify their shared love for me."

He nods, slowly, "Your family?"

You give half a shrug that doesn't quite answer his question, "My family, sure."

"Okay, well, yes, I'm worried." Neteyam takes a deep breath, revisiting the breathing techniques you'd taught him years ago, the very ones he didn't have to think about doing anymore. Right now, they slip from his mind. "Of course I am, you're about to become Olo'eyktan."

"I am."

"And you're going to—how are you so calm right now?" His hands remain stiff in his hair, mid run through.

"It's what I've been trained for all my life." You say simply, "I knew this day would come and I'm, well, prepared for it."

He lets out a small laugh. "I was to be Olo'eyktan once." He thinks it ironic. "I was trained for it too. My people looked up to me. That pressure weighed heavy on my shoulders. How does it evade yours?"

"In truth, I don't know, Neteyam." You beckon him to sit next to you. Mindlessly, he does. "Perhaps it is that I have more, we'll say, nerve-wracking things on my mind right now."

Right. You had told him that your mind was running like a dire horse, though the word should be galloping. "Like what?"

You can't really say it. As you stare into his pretty eyes, the small cluster of algae that was your courage shrunk like it was drying.

Neteyam fills in your silence with his own words. "What could possibly be more nerve-wracking than becoming Olo'eyktan? Won't it be hard to live up to your father's name, his legacy? Being the leader of the archipelago and its many islands, all under the Metkayina tribe?" He shakes his head, thinking of many more things. "More nerve-wracking than–?"

"You're beautiful."

It was a passing thought, one that popped up in your head as you watched him speak. You didn't mean to blurt it out at all, only realizing after he points it out with his shock.

His lips press into a thin line, that expression of his you'd come to be familiar with. For a moment you think only bad could come of it, but instead he looks away, his expression turning bashful. "I should be the one saying that." He mumbles, his mouth opening far too little.

Your heart flutters. You scoot a little closer, bringing a hand to his cheek so that you may turn his once attentive gaze towards you once more. "Why is that?"

"Well, it's your day." Though you had turned his head towards you, his eyes still avoid your face. "Your ceremony, your new title, your new tattoos, your new songcord bead."

He closes his eyes, shaking his head with his words, "What even is there to call beautiful about me?"

"I don't know."

He rolls his eyes, but does not roll his head with them, too fearful of losing your touch.

"Sorry, I mean," You snicker, looking away to gather your thoughts. Neteyam takes the opportunity to stare at you. You're beautiful this way, beautiful any way, beautiful all ways. "If I had to choose one thing..."

You turn back to him, suddenly, and he doesn't tear his eyes away. "Everything."

"That isn't one thing." Because he can't tear his eyes away.

"Then I choose all of it." Neteyam brings a hand to hold onto yours. "Your smile, your hair, your eyes, your laughter; your immense need to care. All of you that I see."

The way his face lights up, it's gradual, piece by piece, but it doesn't take long. It starts at his ears perking up, then his smile widening, his cheeks raising with his lips, and his eyes creasing at the corners. His smile doesn't grow into a grin, however, and it doesn't take long for the entirety of his face to turn sheepish. He buries his head into his hands and laughs a small little laugh. His legs, both, kick restlessly.

He says something in English you don't quite know. Even in all your years together, he hadn't taught you the word. "I'm so fucking childish."

"What does that mean?" You ask, "Fu–?"

"Don't say that word." He warns, suddenly coming out his blue-skinned, handmade shell. "It's not exactly a good one."

"Okay."

"Is what you mean–" He shakes his head at himself, closing his eyes. How could he be so doubtful? He really wasn't sure of it, your feelings. He wanted to be sure. "That you... like me?"

"Yes," You bring both his hands in yours, "I... want you to be my mate."

"But I'm..." He stares down at his hands. Still dark blue. "and you're Olo–you're going to be Olo'eyktan."

You were always kind, always responsible, always aware of your future role. Because of this, your words were always premeditated. You couldn't tarnish your reputation in the clan. But right now, you don't see the need for it. "What do I care for it?"

Neteyam laughs at your brashness.

"Nga yawne lu oer. That is all that I care for. Though, for many years, I battled with that." You admit, "It is why I haven't told you of them, of my feelings for you. I should've told you much sooner."

"I'll say, your crowning day was probably not the best day," He declares with a laugh, "I should've told you as well."

"Well, we have only but the present."

He curses at how easy it is for you to be smooth. "Fu–" He smothers the curse against your neck, instead of into his hands again. He wraps his long arms around you, securing your larger body in his embrace. You return the hug much more gently.

"Will you accept my proposal? Be my mate? Because I'd like to invite you to paint me for the ceremony, and that is the job of a loved one."

Oh, for Eywa!

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: lo'ak x human gn reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: The Sully's couldn't take a human when they left—so when you get the opportunity to visit, will something between you and him change?

ᴀɴᴏɴ: I want to request lo‘ak x gn!human!reader where they are in a relationship but reader has to stay behind when the sully family leaves. However they come with Norm when he flies to Awa‘atlu after Kiris seizure but upon arriving they see that Lo‘ak has grown really close with Tsireya.

ʀᴇ𝐐: no ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1113

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: jealousy, misinterpretation

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Against all odds, Lo'ak had fallen in love with a human.

To him, the differences did not matter. Despite being a human, for he wasn't raised with human beauty standards, he thought you the prettiest person he'd ever seen. You were kind, helping him through moments where his dad was way too harsh on him, helping him with all his conflicting feelings. He loved you and your toothy smile and the way your eyes creased when you were happy, and he loved making you happy. But he'd never have the courage to admit it.

But, to his mother, you were another one of the sky people that could not be trusted. Unlike Norm, and Jake beforehand, you had not yet proven your worth. Much the same as the sky people should stay where they belong, she believed the same for you. Spider and you bonded in that way, staying despite Neytiri's disapproval, being grouped with the sky people. But now he was gone, practically dead, and so were they.

He told you that it was out of his hands, but you knew that he secretly felt like leaving would also be a way to protect you. Though he would always prefer to protect you himself, his five fingers covered in blue skin would make him a target to the sky people, and he couldn't let any harm come to you.

When you parted, he had told you he loved you, and that he'd continue to love you; and you told him that you see him, and that you would continue to.

But as time passed, you grew reckless. You hadn't realized just how much of your day was filled by Lo'ak. You missed him so much.

So when the opportunity arose that you could see him again, you had to take it.

His name was already on the tip of your tongue, your face lit with a grin. You almost say it, Lo'ak, but then you see her.

She's holding his hand.

She's really pretty. Her hair is black and silly and rolls down her figure like waves. Her skin is bright teal and her eyes, mesmerizingly blue.

She wasn't smiling, for Kiri was… injured, or in a deep unwakeable sleep. But if she was, you wouldn't doubt Lo'ak would love it.

Kiri… you couldn't think about them now. Right now, Kiri needed your help. The tricky matters of whether one’s love persisted are lower than the love you know you still have.

While Norm immediately pushes ahead, Max sticks behind just that little bit. You pull him back, "Max, is there anything I can do?"

"I… well, I don't think so. Sorry, little one." He goes on ahead as well.

You frown, settling with watching from the sidelines and hoping Lo'ak doesn't notice you, but of course, he does.

Seeing you again, especially after the incident with Kiri and the spirit tree, it felt like you were a light in the darkness.

He stands from his spot, much to the girl's passive confusion, and covers the distance between you two with quick steps. He was eager to talk with you, but after leaving her like it was nothing? "Hey, (y/–"

"There's more important things to pay attention to." You huff, crossing your arms and continuing to stare forward.

"Right." He sounds hurt. Fuck, you hate it. Sensing your sadness, or the distance you put between the two of you, he backs off. Instead, he resigns to standing next to you.

You wished nothing more than to hug him. To speak his name and hold his much larger hand in yours. But you didn't know what the girl meant to him; you didn't know what you meant to him anymore.

She was very pretty—you don't doubt he'd fall for her. And you know, maybe it'd be good for him. He already had a lot on his plate: his father's pressure, his troublesome love for freedom, the sky people blood that ran through his veins, even if a small amount; he didn't need his love for a human to highlight his differences. If he got someone so pretty, a Na'vi, he could blend in.

It was plausible. That's what scared you.

Up until the Metkayina clan's Tsahìk asks for workspace, you stay side by side, yet silent. Having to leave the room is an excuse Lo'ak takes to speak with you.

"(y/n), I missed you–"

"Look, I don't want to talk about it." You turn away from him.

"What?" Lo'ak's eyebrows furrow, such a visibly human reaction that it stands out. "Talk about what?"

"Us." You respond simply first, calmly. Then the next words come out with a rush. "Me, you, that–ugh..." You wipe your face with your hands, vigorously, continuously, "I said I didn't want to talk about it. Besides, I know what you're going to say anyway. We don't need to talk about it."

"Us?" He almost blurts out his thoughts, but he knows it's best to think first. What were you talking about? The distance? "I promised you I'd still love you. That hasn't changed–"

In frustration, going against the fact you wished to stay silent, you shout, "Then who's she?"

"She?" Who was she? It was her.

Tsireya.

"No, no, you're–she's not–" Lo'ak almost chokes on his own saliva. He takes a moment to clear his throat, for worse than misinterpretation was impulse. "She's not my yawne. Just a friend."

"Just a friend?" You repeat, desperate for affirmation.

"Yeah. Yes." He says, "I swear. You're my yawntu."

"Eywa, fuck–" You mutter, holding your head in your hands once again, but for a different reason now. I'm an idiot. A product of jealousy. How could I not trust him?

"Hey." He calls. "Hey, come here." He brings you into his arms, an embrace you've longed for for months. "I don't blame you." He smooths his fingers over your hair, the closest to your exopack covered face that he can touch. "I probably would've done worse under the same situstion."

"I'm so sorry."

"That's alright." He reassures. "That's okay."

When you pull away to look up at him, he shoots you an adorable grin. "I see you." He says.

"I love you." You reply. Though a silence follows for a while... you can't help but be curious. "What's her name?"

"Tsireya. She's got a big heart, and she's a great teacher. She's helping all of us learn the way of the water." He doesn't know why you ask about her, after that, so he asks. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, she's pretty."

"Let it be known I'm not the one who said that."

"Lo'ak."

"I mean, you're prettier."

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: neteyam and lo'ak x hard of hearing metkayina male reader (platonic)

ᴅᴇꜱᴄʀɪᴘᴛɪᴏɴ: some things i missed (forgot) while writing the last one. set before its ending

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 628 ~ original

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: getting things wrong, feelings of embarrassment

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Hey, La'ok." You tuck a hair behind your ear, "Sorry I couldn't hear you the other day."

"It's nothing." Lo'ak shakes his head, "I was actually being rude. I didn't know you had–wait a minute."

"What?"

"Did you just call me La'ok?"

Your purse your lips, genuinely confused. "...is that not your name?"

Lo'ak's eyebrows raise. He closes his eyes as he registers the situation. La'ot. You thought his name was Lo'at. He laughs into his hands, shaking his head. It's a laugh of disbelief, self-deprecating in a way. "La'ok!"

"What's your name?"

"Lo'ak." He exaggerates the enunciation.

You read his lips, "Lo..." His face rises with hope. "..at?"

"What?" His head jerks dramatically, "No, no, Lo'ak."

"Lo'at." You repeat again, not catching the way his tongue remained neutral at the bottom of his mouth.

"It's Lo'ak. Not T, K." He corrects.

"Lo'ak." You nod, pursing your lips, "Okay. I uh, think I've gotta go."

"Do you?" He asks. He hadn't heard your name being called, and if it was you probably wouldn't either. He also didn't think you were really someone with many tasks in the clan.

"Yep." You say, your voice akin to a meep.

Before he gets a chance to respond, you run towards the water with a hurry and dive in. Fyìp finds its way towards you immediately.

Fyìp! You sign with the equivalence to a whine, That was so embarrasssing!!

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Neteyam finds you as you're coming back home for dinner early. You're tapping the water from your ears when he approaches.

"Hey." You greet, noticing him.

"Hey." Neteyam mirrors. His face displays an enthusiastic grin. "How was the ocean today?" He signs as he speaks.

You pay attention more to his signing, as he was noticeably putting much effort into it. You read his signs out loud, "How was.. the fish, yesterday? I thought it was pretty good."

"No, um.." He doesn't let the failure get to him. Instead, he shakes his head and tries again.

"How was the... algae, today?" You blow a raspberry as you think, "Little slimy, green, just like always?"

Neteyam restarts, thinking the signs over in his head again. He was on the right track: ocean, fish, algae, all things related to water. He just needed to get the sign right, he'd already gotten the "today" part. "Okay." He tries again.

"Nete..." You frown, "I don't know what you're trying to say."

"Alright, maybe I'll try something else." Neteyam sighs. He rethinks it all again. "Alright. Do you like ilu?"

"Do I enjoy swimming?" You nod, "Of course I do, but less than resting underwater."

"No, that wasn't it." He shakes his head, letting out a small groan. He rubs his hands together, warming them up to ready himself.

"Do I... excited, dive?" You frown, "I don't think I'm reading those correctly."

He sighs. Seeing how far he was from what he wanted to say, he puts his head in his hands. "I'm not doing well..." He whines into them.

You take his hands in yours and pull them away from his face, primarily so that you may actually read his lips and or listen to him, but you know the message the gesture conveys anyway. "Don't worry. You're still learning."

"Well, I won't–"

"No more self-deprecating thoughts." You interrupt him, squeezing his hands. "You'll get better eventually. I promise you'll get better with time."

Neteyam huffs, but he nods. "I don't know how you'll fulfill that promise though."

"Fpivìl..." You say as you think. When you find an idea, you snap your fingers. "I'll teach you better, I'll be more proactive at thinking of lessons. Are you a visual or auditory learner?"

"What?"

"We'll figure that out too."

Neteyam had to say, your enthusiasm was contagious.

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: neteyam x metkayina gn reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: Even as a member of a clan of Ocean folk, on an island within a huge archipelago, you have found a special place in the forest. You decide Neteyam is worthy enough to know about it.

ᴀɴᴏɴ: i'd like to request a neteyam x reader where reader shows him some secret spot beautiful part of the ocean or the reef or the jungle and he's mesmerized and they have a soft moment <3

ʀᴇ𝐐: yes ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1592

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: swearing

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: this is cute

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Nete."

"Hm?"

When Neteyam turns, he finds your smile first. Then, he takes the rest of you in. You've got your hands behind your back and you're bouncing on the balls of your feet. It's cute, but... he raises a browbone, "What is it?"

"I've got something to show you." You declare excitedly.

"Something?"

"Well, a place."

"Hm," He thinks about it, "that sound suspicious."

"Trust me." You swing your hands forward, crossing them before swishing them away from each other, "It's something good. I'm not up to anything bad."

He's still not convinced. "Right."

"Come onnn!" You whine, bouncing more furiously on your feet. "It's really great, I promise."

"Okay." He replies, which brightens your grin that much more. "Let's go."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

He expected something within the sea, not within the jungle. Though he had been curious ever since he'd step foot on Awa'atlu, his father stated that it was important to focus on the sea and its way. He didn't mention the idea of the jungle at all, but he knew that his children had taken notice of it. It was implied in his speech that they mustn't explore the Jungle.

But something else implied was a not yet.

"You know, I don't think we're allowed here."

Neteyam followed close behind you. Though he was used to forests and jungles, he wasn't used to this one. It was beautiful still, and most importantly, different from the Hallelujah Mountains and the jungles below. Plus, a lot more humid.

"You'd be right about that." You chuckled. "But hey, what's the fun if you don't break any rules?"

Neteyam purses his lips and slows down, something you take notice of. You turn back to him, inquisitive look on your face. "Nete? Something wrong?"

Breaking the rules. It was getting close to curfew, his father had (though implied) prohibited him from entering the jungle, and who knows what the Metkayina thought about this place.

But what was the harm in it? He was just exploring. The shame builds in his shoulders, but he shakes if off. You were going to show him something. He'll be damned if he doesn't at least indulge you. "Nothing."

Your lips grow into a smile, and with the wave of your hand you beckon him forward.

There's a pond ahead, cutting through the trees. It doesn't have much of a shore at all, only small rocks about the size of Na'vi feet in order to cross.

You jump across the rocks quick and nimble, as if you'd done it a thousand times before. He doesn't doubt that you have. He follows along behind you, though the pond catches his eyes. It was extremely bioluminescent, glowing light purple at the edges and baby blue around the center. Water plants grew anywhere and everywhere, as reeds around the rim and big leafy pads with flowers around the middle. They added a nice green to compliment the other colors.

Distracted by the pond, Neteyam almost slips. Almost.

Before he can even dip so much as a toe in the water, you grab a hold of his wrist and successfully stop him from falling in. "Careful. This pond is poisonous."

"What?!" Neteyam exclaims, quick to move his foot onto the rock pathway.

"Looks harmless, right?" You chuckle at his reaction, turning forward again. "Don't fall in. I don't want your blood on my hands."

He huffs, "You underestimate me."

"Oh?" You begin, your tone condescending. "Says the one who almost fell in."

He hisses playfully.

Once you cross to the other side safely, you turn around. Neteyam's gaze follows you curiously.

He doesn't have the time, nor the reflexes fast enough to stop you as you dip your toe in the water. "What the fuck, (y/n)?" He shouts, "You just told me–"

"Ta-da!" You bring your foot out of the water and demonstrate it with pride. "I'm poisoned!"

Neteyam knew poison when he saw it (probably) and he knew this was not poison. Instead, your toe was covered with a mysterious dark green plant he couldn't name. "(y/n)..." He groans.

"Not poisonous, clearly." You snicker, bringing your foot in the air and flicking the plant off your toe. "Just mucky."

He rolls his eyes.

The glow of the surface did well to hide the mucky web of plants below. If he had fallen in, it'd be like getting mud all over him, and then you'd have to take a detour to the lake. That required time you didn't have.

"Let's just keep going."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

You had picked up light conversation as you headed to your promised place. He didn't know much about it, though he asked you plenty. You wanted to keep it a surprise. Him being in the dark meant he didn't know where it was, or where it began; but when he steps into the clearing, he knows this is the place.

He takes slow, cautious steps. His head turns this way and that way every time something new catches his eye and something new happens every second.

It is so beautiful.

Two more steps forward, and he stops entirely. It's just his head, his eyes, and they move constantly. He takes it all in.

It is amazing.

It is a menagerie of bioluminescence, natural glows, every color he could even name, all clashing yet all mixing wonderfully. When you take him by the hand to a log so that you may sit down, he hardly registers the movement.

Ahead of the log, ahead of you, is a small waterfall. The heart of the island held a set of multiple waterfalls, all leading into lakes, all leading into other waterfalls, until they reached the lake at the very bottom.

This place, this clearing, had its own waterfall. The heart of the island wouldn't be a very ideal place to hang out. The waterfalls were so very loud, and there were so very many of them.

Here, however, it is just far enough and just small enough that Neteyam can hear everything.

And everything mesmerizes him.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it."

You smile at that. It was a sight you had grown used to, yet a sight you loved. It was beautiful, the way each glow of a differing color shined on his face. It was beautiful, how his big eyes were blown even wider as he strived to see everything. It was beautiful, the smile trained on his lips.

"See, I don't know anything about the Omatikaya." He doesn't look at you, too entranced with everything else, but you can tell by the perk of his ear that he's listening. "And I'd like to learn about them, about you. But I do know... I do know that they–you lived in a forest. And I thought, well, maybe you would enjoy this."

"Enjoy is..." He lets out a breath that turns into a laugh, "an understatement."

"Yeah." You say, grin growing as wide as his. "I can see that now."

"The ocean is beautiful. The wildlife there, is wide and diverse. I don't see animals here, not often. I only see small things that run when they see me too. I see bugs that, in a second, escape my sight. The big things, the predators that the Olo'eyktan warns us about, I never see.

"We Metkayina, and possibly every animal around us, have adapted to the ocean. The sea, the water, the fish, the Tulkun, we have in abundance.

"So we often forget this is here."

"The plants are here." Neteyam points out the obvious, because it is what is at the forefront of his mind. He doesn't notice how dumb it may be.

"Yes," You chuckle, "the plants remembered. The plants, these ones, they stayed here. And they looked at this place, this little waterfall, and decided this is where they wanted to thrive."

"It's a beautiful place." He remarks.

A silence... then, "Maybe not as beautiful as you."

Neteyam turns to you, finally, for the first time he set foot here. Shock is written all over his face, but the compliment doesn't draw his features into a sour picture. "What?"

"Sorry, I–Well, I thought, you know..." You sputter for an excuse, but then realize you don't need one because fuck it. "Okay, you know what? You're beautiful."

"I–You, uh, th–um..." He, too, sputters for something to say. Anything at all. He only finds three words, only three little words that were suitable enough. "I see you."

Your brow bones raise, along with everything else on your face, with surprise. "In the midst of all of this?"

"Yes." He nods his head, scooting closer to you. Your knees touch. "I see you. Because this place is everything to me, a piece of my home in the Metkayina jungle, but you're the one who showed it to me, and you're the one I truly care about."

"A couple seconds ago," You begin, your exhale coming out a shocked laugh, "you wouldn't even look at me."

"(y/n)." His voice gives off the tiniest whine when you point it out.

"Okay, sorry." You shake your head with closed eyes. When you open them back up, his eyes are still trained on you, fully attentive. They're big and round and golden, unlike your blue ones, and they look perfect. "I see you."

In the midst of it all, where everything glowed, where everything was beautiful, where everything was colorful, where everything called for your attention, you saw each other.

He saw you, and you could only see him.

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ellie williams x male reader (platonic) jesse x male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: ellie comes back to town for resupply and catches up with an old friend

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 781

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: swearing, angst, post character death, post Seattle, awkward, very awkward, angst with a hopeful ending, ellie's pov, somewhat vague as to whether it's post santa barbara

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: inspo. don't ask me why both tlou fics have ellie pov

☾⋆☆⋆☽

There he is. Jesse's boyfriend.

It's rude to think of him as just Jesse's boyfriend. He was his own person, after all; but Ellie has reason. She knew Jesse better than him, after all. Jesse was one of her best friends, despite being the main reason she couldn't act on her long-time crush for a good while.

He was admirable, a young patrol-leader, courageous and smart. Most of all, he was loyal. He even followed her to Seattle.

Oh, fucking Seattle.

He looks like him, in a way. Ellie doesn't want to be rude, but their hair...it's the same. It's coarse and greasy, but so is everyone else's. Commercial shampoo isn't a thing twenty years after the collapse of the world and "major capitalism" anyway, but that's not the point.

He does look different. His eyes, his nose, his face is different, his own. But his hair.

It's shorter down the sides, obviously to keep it out of the way, and yet pieces still remain in front, perhaps a fashion statement, a rare sight when survival calls for practicality; perhaps, instead, a simple inevitability. The back remains long, down, unlike Jesse's, past his shoulders, Ellie recalls he used to wear it up more often than down. Before he and Jesse got together, he wore it in neat braids. Afterward, they got messy—maybe tugging from heated sessions, maybe, more probably, Jesse tried braiding it for him.

"Your hair." Ellie finds herself saying, interrupting your words. She wasn't paying attention, it was rude of her, but she can't see anything else.

"My hair?" You look confused, taking a piece in your hand, but then, oh, your hair. "I haven't had time, since..."

Since Seattle, Ellie thinks, but Seattle isn't Seattle to you, it's Jesse's death.

"Right." Ellie leans back, to stand on her heels. Right.

"I've had to, you know, take over patrol organization a bit, plus, um, new duties, yeah?"

"Yeah." She says, again another short response.

Yeah. Jesse handled a lot of patrol organization, alongside Mary, who now has to help Tommy around because of his knee and all, meaning she needs more people to help her; and also Tommy's knee means he can't go on patrol anymore and...it's just such a mess. And since Ellie left too? And Dina's busy with JJ? Three—four people that can't patrol anymore.

I'm sorry, she thinks to say, but she can't.

"You put it up for patrols?" She asks. It's a stupid question, the answer is an obvious yes.

"Yea–" It's a short response, too, awkward. "I meant, I, uh, don't have the time to braid."

She knows it's not true. She knows you at least have time in the mornings, but then maybe you just don't because it reminds you of him. The way his hands felt in your hair, clumsy, sometimes the braids are too tight and awfully angled, or sometimes they're too loose, but it's Jesse, so who cares?

I'm sorry, is yet again on her tongue, but she can't.

"How's–" What was she going to say? What were you saying, before she'd mentioned your hair? Fuck, she doesn't know.

You speak up abruptly, eyes flitting down, then up, "It looks like his, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." She agrees. Just that. What else is there to say? Well, there is... "I'm sorry."

"I know, Ellie." You say. It's simple.

She said it to you once, at the funeral; again, at the wake. A third time last time she came by, a fourth the time after. This might be the fifth, but she can't account for times she's been drunk, or whatever the fuck she was dealing with fresh off the horse from Seattle.

"I–" She wishes to say it again, anyway. She wishes to say more. Jesse loved you. Jesse wouldn't want you to be sad. Jesse...

"I know." You know, of course, she's already told you all of that, you don't even need her to speak her mind to know it. "Listen, I have to..." You gesture vaguely that-a-way.

"Right. Yeah." Ellie nods her head, bounces back on the balls of her feet and backs off.

"I'll see you next time?" You offer, your hands meeting together, intertwining, fingers breaking then holding again; a teeter, a restless thing. Nervous, no, awkward.

"Yeah." Ellie nods her head.

You're off.

But she speaks again, stopping you. "Hey, um!" She clears her throat, her sudden impulsive thought catching up to her, but you've already turned around, and she must finish. "I'll braid your hair? Next time?"

You smile, huff out a breath through your nose, maybe it's amusement, pity towards Ellie's attempt at what, making up? Or maybe it's appreciation. "Yeah. Yeah, sure."

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: sully kids x hard of hearing metkayina gn reader (platonic)

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: In a search for a way to communicate with you, the family has to master Na'vi sign language. Along the way of teaching them, however, you learn more about yourself.

This is a gender neutral version of a previous fic! If you have read it, it is the exact same thing.

ʀᴇ𝐐: yes ~ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 6776 ~ male reader vers.

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: feelings of shame and embarrassment, struggling to hear and understand people (and yourself), hints of angst

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: to check the original notes, check the male reader vers. (this version has more words because I included the extras) - There aren't actually many pronouns or moments referring to the reader in my fics that aren't in second point of view. Knowing this, I only skimmed through. If you encounter anything I missed along the way, don't hesitate to tell me. I WILL make the necessary changes.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Ever since you were a kid, you had always loved the ocean. The Metkayina clan was a tribe of the water, the ocean, so it made sense; but unlike others your age who preferred to play with each other, you enjoyed being completely surrounded by Eywa’s children within the ocean.

You had no qualms with solitude, as all you needed was the sea; but eventually, it proved to be a problem.

The sea gives and the sea takes; it gave you a world to love and took your hearing.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Tsireya introduced you to Sully’s in their first lesson as one of the Metkayina who truly loved the ocean. “This is our best free diver,” She put a hand on your shoulder, “(y/n). You’re lucky I managed to find 'em.”

Instead of responding in some negative way at her comment, you grin and offer a small wave.

“How so?” Lo'ak questions.

Tsireya doesn’t answer outright. She giggles, “You’ll see.”

The chief’s children and you jump into the water, demonstrating the proper way to dive in that best transitions into swimming. The Sully’s, on the other hand, jump into the water as though in play.

You could see it in their eyes, their amazement. The sea was an entirely different world from the one above, it was something you loved about it.

Only the Na'vi and their animal companions mingled on the coast above. The ilu could be compared to their banshees, nothing special; and the people, though physically different, were still Na'vi.

You didn’t doubt that these water creatures were unlike anything they’d seen before, and you were happy that they were astonished with the wildlife you, too, loved.

You turn back forward to swim, knowing that they’ll follow. You show them the form, using your tail to help and keeping your body like a spear to be able to cut through the water.

You lead them deeper into the sea, but Ao'nung taps your shoulder. You turn to follow his finger, which points up.

The Sully’s were taking a breath of air. Right, that’s probably something you should teach them, but you were probably not the best teacher.

Within the water, your safe haven, you tended to forget many things, so you signed to them, keep going, forgetting they didn’t know how to sign.

You keep swimming, this time checking up on them as you reach an underwater slope. They were bad swimmers, it seemed, which is an idea sort of incomprehensible to you, as every Metkayina was basically born in the ocean. They pushed off of coral and rock formations to push forward and keep up.

They don’t even make it to you when they go back up for air.

What’s wrong with them? Ao'nung signs.

They’re bad divers. Rotxo replies. Though fingers and hands hardly conveyed emotion, you knew from Rotxo and Ao'nung’s generally jokester demeanor that he was making fun of them.

Stop, they’re learning. Tsireya scolds.

Whilst they talk to one another, you get distracted with something out of the corner of your eye. It was bioluminescence, hardly noticeable during the daytime, which is why it’s so curious. You forget the lesson at hand and follow it.

The chief’s children and Rotxo swim up to talk to the Sully’s where they will actually understand each other. It is only after Tsireya promises to teach them sign language, which Neteyam ignorantly describes as “finger talk”, that they notice you and their dear sister’s disappearance.

The bioluminescence you had caught came from a lone hammerhead squid, which is even more peculiar because it was alone. Perhaps it was paranoid, because when it saw you, it began swimming away with determination.

You struggle to catch up with it.

It dives behind large coral, hoping to lose you, but you always catch up. Hammerhead squids found safety in numbers, so they usually didn’t go so fast, which means it would tire out soon.

Knowing this, you kept up the chase. Regardless, however, it puts up a good fight.

It shoots out its ink prematurely. The black liquid disperses in the water, clouding much of the view ahead of you. Instead of swimming through it, you dive under, although you almost bump into a sharp rock. Narrowly, you avoid it, swimming up quickly once you’re past the ink.

Though you move past it, its original outcome–clouding your view–succeeds. When you clear the ink, you suddenly bump into someone.

Sorry. You sign, rubbing at your forehead where you’d bumped into her, so so sorry.

The girl before you is one of the Sully’s. Her eyebrows furrow, confusion in her face, but you misinterpret it as anger. Great, it’s the Sully’s first day in the clan and you were already giving bad impressions.

I didn’t mean to bump into you.

Her eyebrows furrow further. Ultimately, although she doesn’t like it, she decides to surface so that the two of you may speak. She points up and you understand.

Once you’re up at the surface, she says, “I don’t know what you’re saying.”

You had long since memorized the way one’s mouth moves when they say those words, and their variations, so you explain, “I was apologizing for bumping into you.”

Though the next couple words come muddled to you, you just barely catch her saying “alright” and a wave of relief washes over you. “What’s your name?”

“Kiri.” She gives you a polite smile.

“Nice to meet you, Kiri.” You nod. “I didn’t realize we’d lost you while diving. Why’d you wander off?”

“Oh, I um,” She worries that you may think her a freak, so she waters it down. “I got distracted.”

You chuckle, “Yeah, I get it. Happens a lot to me too. It’s like a different world, isn’t it?”

Her face lights up when you agree with her, “Yeah, it is.” She ached to observe it again, to be surrounded by Eywa'eveng. “Do you mind if I..?” She gestures down.

You tilt your head, confused. “You what?”

“Go down again.” Kiri mutters, little ashamed to say out loud that she’d rather be underwater than talk with you, but you manage to read her lips.

“Oh, of course I don’t.” You shake your head, “Actually, I was in the middle of finding something. Do you wanna come with?”

Though she much preferred to take the sights all in on her own and on her own time, she had to admit your offer was interesting. “Okay, sure.” She nods.

Kiri follows you back underwater, and keeps swimming after you. Reminded of the other Sully’s, you make sure to keep your head straight and swim at a slower pace.

As you keep swimming past large coral and columns of algae, trying to catch a glimpse of the squid you were searching for before, Kiri gets distracted by something particularly special out of the corner of her eye.

She stays in place, entranced, and almost swims for it before remembering the task at hand. However, when she turns to you, you’re swimming back to her.

Txampaysye. You sign, but of course she wouldn’t understand. So, you wave your hand in the water to create ripples in the current and signify the water. Then, you pass a hand from your stomach to your throat and out your mouth to signify breathing. Breathing underwater.

Somehow, she understands. Though the butterfly-like Txampaysye catches her attention, uncharacteristically of her, she gestures for you to keep going. She’ll have time another day.

Just a bit of swimming later, you find the squid again. It doesn’t notice you. You point at it and Kiri’s head tilts with curiosity.

How could a squid be bioluminescent in the day? The sunlight’s rays still reached it.

Do you want to catch it? You closed your hand, from splayed fingers into a fist very quickly, the sign for catch. It was pretty straight forward, so Kiri understood; what she didn’t understand, and what she was against, was the idea.

The question was only formal. You swim forward without waiting for her answer, thinking she wanted to catch it.

You approach it as silently as possible, keeping your arms to your body and swaying up and down, using your feet like a fin. You keep your tail rigid and in place, for paddling it side to side as opposed to up and down like your legs would create unnecessary noise.

Once you are close enough, you lunge with a quick, sharp movement. It doesn’t have time to react before you catch it between your fingers and palm.

Triumphantly, you turn to Kiri with your hand raised, failing to notice her growing anger. You swim towards her with enthusiasm.

Fyìp ioang. You sign.

For a moment you think you may be misinterpreting confusion as anger again, but you quickly realize you’re interpreting correctly. Kiri pries your fingers apart, freeing the creature who spurts the last of its ink (only a little) and leaves.

Her eyebrows are furrowed, a look you hate, and she points up towards the surface again. You follow, embarrasment beginning to spread through your body.

“You shouldn’t be taking animals against their will.” She scolds, pointing an accusatory finger at you. Her anger was loud and clear in her voice, loud enough for you to hear.

“Sorry.” You purse your lips and mumble so low you can’t even hear it yourself, “I was only curious.”

She huffs, “Your curiosity doesn’t mean you can imprison them just to poke and prod.”

“Yeah,” You point your gaze down, “you’re right.”

“Just don’t do it again.” With that, she begins to swim away, not caring if you follow her.

With shame, you dive back into the water, in search of one of your favorite places to soothe yourself.

She was right, of course, but your curiosity was often one of your driving points. It was why you spent most of your time in the ocean, what kept you entertained underwater. On the other hand, it was also why you’d lost so much of your hearing.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The next morning, on their way to their second lesson, the Sully’s find you.

Lo'ak, after yesterday, now understands why Tsireya was lucky to find you before. He thinks they’re pretty lucky today, too, as it seems you’re going to head into the ocean. “(y/n)!” He calls for your attention, but you don’t hear him.

You’re just about to dive in, so Lo'ak hurries up to meet you. He catches you by the shoulder. “Hey.”

“Hey.” You greet him with a smile. “What’s up?”

“You left us yesterday. Where’d you go?” He asks curiously.

“I’m sorry, what?” You ask, having not heard him entirely.

“Where’d you go?” He repeats.

Again, you don’t hear him. You purse your lips, the shame of not being able to understand people creeping in. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“Where did you go?” Lo'ak repeats for the third time, slowing down his speech.

“Look, I’m really sorry–”

Neteyam catches up, slinging an arm over Lo'ak’s shoulder. “What my brother means to ask is where you went yesterday, when you were supposed to be teaching us.”

“Teach you?” You tilt your head as you think. Did the Olo'eyktan assign you something? Tsireya only took the opportunity because she saw you yesterday. You can’t think of anything, though. “What am I supposed to teach you?”

Lo'ak sighs, “When you were teaching us how to free dive?”

The sigh makes you purse your lips. Your stupid ears were making people frustrated again. Still, you couldn’t say anything when you didn’t understand them. “…what about it?”

Tsireya comes to save you, noticing the struggle between you and the Sully’s. “(y/n), here,” She begins, pushing Lo'ak’s hand off your shoulder, “struggles to hear, if you guys haven’t noticed.”

She signs to you, taking advantage of the fact they don’t know how to sign. Do you want them to know your story?

You shake your head, to which she nods.

“It’d be much appreciated if you guys spoke louder, spoke clearer, and moved your mouths wider.” She demonstrates the way they should speak as she instructs them. “It helps them to be able to read your lips until you learn how to sign.”

“So they can hear us?” Lo'ak asks.

“Barely.” You respond, reminding him that you are in fact in this conversation.

Neteyam nods, rubbing a burn into his brother’s scalp. “Sorry, Lo'ak needs to remember these sorts of things.”

“Shut up, bro.” He pushes his brother away, causing him to skid sideways a few paces.

“(y/n), you would be a great help in teaching them sign language.” Tsireya turns to you, signing as she speaks.

You understand, but you purse your lips. “Today? I sort of wanted to explore…”

“Doesn’t have to be today, no,” She shakes her head, “today is about breathing. If you want to leave, that’s perfectly alright.”

She smiles at you. Oh, Eywa, you loved Tsireya. She was so kind.

You take her permission and give a wave before diving into the water.

You swim farther into the ocean, trying to wash off your embarrassment with the cool water. It burned in your cheeks, anyway.

When the Olo'eyktan and Tsahìk found out about your hearing loss, you had already reached a point where there was no way to be healed. Everyone blamed your parents, their neglect for your ears and the proper care after a swim. But in truth, you knew you were also to blame.

It had been a long time since you were a burden. The Metkayina accommodated for your hearing loss. You were lucky to be born in the clan who originated the language that didn’t require hearing. You had long since come to a comfortable life because of it.

When you realize that the embarrassment won’t wear off so easy, you lay down on the sea grass covered sand—or lay down as best you can. The current pushes your head and limbs up.

Your intent was to relax, but the bioluminescent squid from yesterday pops up above you. You react quickly, reaching out and trapping it in your hand again.

You. You sign, awkward because you’re one-handed, You embarrassed me in front of Kiri.

You’d missed two of its tentacles in grabbing it. It crosses its arms, giving you attitude, then pointed at you instead. Somehow, you understand.

Alright, fine. You huff, It’s my fault. You release the squid, but this time it lingers. You forgive me?

It waves two of its tentacles up and down as if to nod its head.

You pluck a small fish from its school and hand it over as an extra peace offering. Sorry, fyìp.

It stares blankly at your offering. Clearly, it was refusing it, because it was definitely capable of catching that fish on its own. Also, you were ignoring the lesson Kiri taught you. You release the fish, which scurries back to its school, signing sorry again.

Why do you want to hang out with me?

The tentacles at its sides raise up in a shrug.

You lost your group. You purse your lips, extending your hand so that the squid may sit on it, even if it is redundant underwater. Are you trying to find a new one?

It shrugs again, though accepts the spot you give it on your hand.

Well, I suppose we’re the same in that. You and I, we’re special. I’m hard of hearing, and you’re bioluminescent. You laugh inwardly, Although, those are two different things.

Fyìp does a twirl in your hand. It seems pleased.

Alright, let’s go. I’ll show you some of my favorite places.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

After the Sully’s breathing exercises, Neteyam is eager to find you. He dives into the water, both practicing his breathing and speed.

For the third time, he’s lucky to find you returning to the village for dinner, this time you were fortunately not caught up in exploring the sea.

Neteyam waves his hand in greeting. You do the same, though you hadn’t realized he had more to say.

(y/n). He signs.

Immediately, your eyes light up. Neteyam is delighted.

Who taught you that? You sign. Your hands are a flurry of speed, but he manages to catch the words anyway.

He recognized “you” and “taught” and the distinct lack of “I”, so he can assume what you asked. Tsireya. He signs simply, for she hadn’t taught him much more than that and your names.

I’ll teach you too.

He recognizes “I”, “teach”, and “you”, and understands. He nods excitedly, then points up towards the surface. You follow.

“You’re learning.” You grin as you surface.

“Yeah.” His smile turns bashful, “I want to learn so I can talk to you better.” He even exaggerates the movement of his lips so that you may read them.

“Aww, that’s sweet.” Though you’ve only known him for so long, you give him a hug. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.” He shakes his head, still holding your elbows gently even as you part from the hug, “It’s just what I should do.”

☾⋆☆⋆☽

“Hey, La'ok.” You tuck a hair behind your ear, “Sorry I couldn’t hear you the other day.”

“It’s nothing.” Lo'ak shakes his head, “I was actually being rude. I didn’t know you had–wait a minute.”

“What?”

“Did you just call me La'ok?”

Your purse your lips, genuinely confused. “…is that not your name?”

Lo'ak’s eyebrows raise. He closes his eyes as he registers the situation. La'ot. You thought his name was Lo'at. He laughs into his hands, shaking his head. It’s a laugh of disbelief, self-deprecating in a way. “La'ok!”

“What’s your name?”

“Lo'ak.” He exaggerates the enunciation.

You read his lips, “Lo…” His face rises with hope. “..at?”

“What?” His head jerks dramatically, “No, no, Lo'ak.”

“Lo'at.” You repeat again, not catching the way his tongue remained neutral at the bottom of his mouth.

“It’s Lo'ak. Not T, K.” He corrects.

“Lo'ak.” You nod, pursing your lips, “Okay. I uh, think I’ve gotta go.”

“Do you?” He asks. He hadn’t heard your name being called, and if it was you probably wouldn’t either. He also didn’t think you were really someone with many tasks in the clan.

“Yep.” You say, your voice akin to a meep.

Before he gets a chance to respond, you run towards the water with a hurry and dive in. Fyìp finds its way towards you immediately.

Fyìp! You sign with the equivalence to a whine, That was so embarrasssing!!

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Oh, you skxawng! You’re late, you’re late, you’re late!

Too caught up within the serenity that the sea brought you, you had forgotten that you were supposed to be teaching the Sully’s sign language!

You swim towards the shore with much hurry. Your body was preoccupied with a mission, to get there fast, and your mind was berating you for being stuck in your head so much. Because of it, you’re not exactly focusing on the world around you.

“Oof!” You grunt as you bump into a column. It was one of the ones that supported the Marui pods above.

You pull yourself up onto your elbows on the pathway between pods, spitting out the water you’d caught in your mouth when you bumped so stupidly into a column.

Your squid friend jumps up too, sticking to your leg then climbing up to your shoulder. Its sticky tentacles feel weird on your skin, but you pay it no mind. Instead, you focus on cradling the spot on your forehead where you collided.

When Fyìp lands on your shoulder, you turn to it with a huff and go back to rubbing your head. Then, once you actually notice, you double take back to it.

“You can go above the surface?”

Now, no longer muffled by the water, you can just barely catch its squeal. Huh, so it was making sound all this time.

It twirls around your shoulder as if to say yes.

You turn your head back forward, resting your chin on the pathway. “I’m so stupid–wait.” The Sully’s and the chief’s children are having the lesson quite a few ways ahead of you. They didn’t seem to notice you. “It’s them.”

Fyìp’s eyes almost seem to light up when it sees Kiri.

“Gah, should I really be joining them now? I’m so late!” You frown, thinking it over. “I’d be so lost,” You narrate your thoughts for Fyìp, “every time I think about something to teach, what if they already taught it? What even is their teaching plan? I shouldn’t have gone out today. Should’ve stayed to talk to Tsireya.”

Thanks to your awful hearing and tunnel-vision, you don’t notice Fyìp yapping in your ear. Only when it slaps you on the shoulder–it was a small animal, hardly hurt–do you pay attention to it.

“What?” You whine, now rubbing your shoulder.

Fyìp points forward vigorously, pulling its tentacle forwafd and back repeatedly.

“It’ll be so embarrassing.”

It crosses its arms in front of itself like a no. Even though you’re sure it will be, Fyìp’s insistence reminds you of your promise to Neteyam. It wasn’t broken just yet.

“Okay, fine.”

At your affirmation, Fyìp drops back into the water. You follow suit.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Learning a new language, later in your life, was always hard. Although, Jake Sully was the only one in his family with that experience.

“Lo'ak, why are you home early?” Jake and Neytiri rush over to him, sitting down as he does.

“Sign language is so hard.” Lo'ak groans, his head down.

“Learning another language is hard,” Jake affirms, putting a reassuring hand on his son’s shoulder. “but it’s like everything else. With practice, you’ll get the hang of it.”

“At first, he was terrible at Na'vi too.” Neytiri grins, causing Jake to roll his eyes.

“Yes, and I became better.” He gives her a pointed look, to which she only replies by baring her fangs playfully.

“Well, it’s more than that.” Lo'ak frowns, looking down at his hands, the very reason he was so different. "I have five fingers! Everyone else has four. Whenever there’s a sign that requires fingers, everyone stares at me and Kiri. Their looks are so blank, but I can tell what they’re thinking.“

"So why didn’t you say something?” Jake asks. “It’s unlike you to not do anything.”

It was a good question that left him silent as he thought. He didn’t really know the answer, not as he dug through the surface of his mind. As he searched deeper, he found an answer, but he didn’t really want to believe it. “It’s because… Tsireya and (y/n) were there.”

“And..?” Neytiri prods for him to continue.

“I don’t want to disappoint them…” Lo'ak purses his lips, “or be a burden to them.”

“Son,” Jake places his hands on both Lo'ak’s shoulders, causing him to finally look up at him. Jake wanted to be sure that Lo'ak understood the sentiment behind his words. “you’re only learning. You can’t disappoint them. And if they get upset at you, then that’s their fault because they do not understand you and who you are.”

“Next time,” Neytiri speaks up, catching their attention, “make an arrangement. Find a way to work around it. Alright?”

Lo'ak nods, “Okay.”

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Usually, you were the one sought out within the Metkayina if they ever needed you because you were always doing something in the ocean. The sea was vast and cluttered, from seawall terrace to the shore, it was all within the realm of possibility of where you were.

But, for once, you’re seeking someone out.

“Kiri!” You call, “I was looking for you.”

She emerges from the ocean, ringing the water out of her hair. Too caught up in the sights and feeling Eywa in the sea, she had missed dinner. You could relate to that, so you had to make sure she was taking care of herself.

“What is it?” Kiri asks, treading carefully on her words.

“I saved you some dinner.” You hand her a leaf dish of fish.

“Oh.” Only once she sees the food does she remember her growling stomach and hunger. “Thank you.” She takes the leaf from you gingerly but begins to scarf it down once it’s in her own hands.

“It’s no problem.” You begin, “Sometimes I accidentally skip dinner too. I know the feeling of great hunger in the morning.”

Kiri nods in understanding.

“Make sure to get the water out of your ears.” You enthusiastically demonstrate by tipping your head to the side and tapping the side of it. “You don’t want to end up like me.”

Kiri almost chokes on her food. She coughs and puts it on the sand temporarily. “Like you?”

“You know,” She doesn’t know how you can retain a smile like this. “bad hearing and all.”

Ever since you’d lost the majority of your hearing, the adults started using you as an example of what not to do. Not only did they advice the young ones while using your example, they also advised your peers. At first, it was embarrassing, but you began to understand why you were an example and had long since grown used to the embarrassment it brought.

“(y/n), are you using yourself as an example?”

“What?” You tease, “Wanna end up like me?”

“No, (y/n), that’s not what I mean.” She takes both your hands in hers. “You shouldn’t be using yourself as an example of what happens if you don’t take care of yourself.”

“Why not?” It was pretty normal to you now. You purse your lips, “Everyone uses me as an example. I am what happens if you don't–”

“Because,” Kiri breathes out in disbelief, “you’re more than an example. You’re your own person. You’re more than your past mistakes.”

“You’re right,” You snicker at the thought, “just like last time.”

“I’m just saying what has to be said.” She reassures, rubbing her thumbs over the back of your hands, “Value yourself more.”

☾⋆☆⋆☽

The trend of you seeking other people out, when it’d always been the opposite before, followed along for Lo'ak.

After your sign language lessons, you retreated into the ocean to clear your thoughts. Now that you had what you were looking for, you had to find Lo'ak, which thankfully doesn’t take long.

“Lo'ak!” You call as your eyes find him.

He himself seemed to be searching for you too, so when he sees you, his eyes brighten. He covers the ground between you two quickly. “Hey, I was just looking for you.”

“Me too. Do you wanna go first?”

He nods, “I found out a way we can work around my fingers.”

“Your fingers?” You tilt your head forward.

“Yeah.” He shows them off, wiggling all five for you.

“What about them?”

“Oh,” He realizes the question wasn’t because you’d somehow forgotten how many he had, but because you hadn’t heard the rest of his sentence. He speaks with his mouth wider for you, “I found a way to work around them.”

“That’s what I was trying to find you for, actually.” You snicker, “I found a way to work with them.”

“With them?” He hadn’t thought it possible.

“Yep.” You grin, “Oh, but you were going first. Go on.”

“Right, um,” Lo'ak lifts one of his hands with the other, up to your view, then he pulls his last finger down. “I was thinking we could tie down my pinkie.”

“Your pinkie?”

“My last finger, the smallest, it’s called the pinkie.”

“Okay, right.” You nod.

“Tie it down with like a, um,” He snaps his fingers while he thinks. “rope or something until I learn to stop using it.”

After hearing his thought, you burst out laughing. It leaves Lo'ak confused. He stands there awkwardly, arms falling down to his sides with a building shame because he can’t understand what you were laughing at.

“Sorry, um,” You shake your head to wipe the laughter from your face, “that’s too cruel, Lo'ak.”

“Cruel?” He asks, eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah, don’t you think? It’s just like what your sister taught me. We shouldn’t take things against their will.” You hold his hand to bring it back between the two of you and press his pinkie down against his palm. The force you put on his knuckle and the position is rather uncomfortable for Lo'ak, and it shows in his face. “See?”

“Yeah, you’re right.” He mutters, then realizes his mistake. “Sorry, I mean, you’re right.” He enunciates louder and clearer. “Just that… I couldn’t really find any other way.”

“Well, I was thinking we could just use your middle fingers as a unit.” You bring his pinkie back up and press your fingers on his middle fingers, “What do you call them?”

“This is the middle finger,” He wiggles it and specifically avoids accidentally showing it off to you, even if you probably don’t know what it means. “and this is the ring finger.”

“Okay.” You nod, understanding quickly. Then, you press your fingers against the ring’s left and the middle’s right and hold them together. “We can consider these as my middle finger.”

You hold your hand up next to his, pulling your other fingers down to show him the middle. He almost laughs and tells you the meaning, but decides it’s funnier if you don’t know.

“Say, "happen” for example.“ You use his hand as if it were your own, as yours was holding it, and press the side of yourd against it. Then, you bring it to the side quickly whilst pushing your fingers wide apart. "To mimic my middle finger, you can use your middle and ring fingers together.”

“But… wouldn’t it be confusing?” Lo'ak argues, looking up into your eyes.

You turn away from him, biting your lip, “Much the same as you’re… accommodating for me by learning sign language, we must accommodate for you too. It’s only right.”

“Accommodate…” He hated that word, and clearly, you were just as ashamed to use it. It had been used all throughout your lives because of your particularities. “Let’s not say that.”

You turn back up to him, a glimmer of hope within your eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s not say we’re accommodating for our differences.” He turns his hand, the one that rested upon your palm, and uses it to hold yours reassuringly. “Let’s just say that we’re doing this for each other.”

He loves the way your face lights up with a smile. “That sounds good.”

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Neteyam finds you as you’re coming back home for dinner early. You’re tapping the water from your ears when he approaches.

“Hey.” You greet, noticing him.

“Hey.” Neteyam mirrors. His face displays an enthusiastic grin. “How was the ocean today?” He signs as he speaks.

You pay attention more to his signing, as he was noticeably putting much effort into it. You read his signs out loud, “How was.. the fish, yesterday? I thought it was pretty good.”

“No, um..” He doesn’t let the failure get to him. Instead, he shakes his head and tries again.

“How was the… algae, today?” You blow a raspberry as you think, “Little slimy, green, just like always?”

Neteyam restarts, thinking the signs over in his head again. He was on the right track: ocean, fish, algae, all things related to water. He just needed to get the sign right, he’d already gotten the “today” part. “Okay.” He tries again.

“Nete…” You frown, “I don’t know what you’re trying to say.”

“Alright, maybe I’ll try something else.” Neteyam sighs. He rethinks it all again. “Alright. Do you like ilu?”

“Do I enjoy swimming?” You nod, “Of course I do, but less than resting underwater.”

“No, that wasn’t it.” He shakes his head, letting out a small groan. He rubs his hands together, warming them up to ready himself.

“Do I… excited, dive?” You frown, “I don’t think I’m reading those correctly.”

He sighs. Seeing how far he was from what he wanted to say, he puts his head in his hands. “I’m not doing well…” He whines into them.

You take his hands in yours and pull them away from his face, primarily so that you may actually read his lips and or listen to him, but you know the message the gesture conveys anyway. “Don’t worry. You’re still learning.”

“Well, I won't–”

“No more self-deprecating thoughts.” You interrupt him, squeezing his hands. “You’ll get better eventually. I promise you’ll get better with time.”

Neteyam huffs, but he nods. “I don’t know how you’ll fulfill that promise though.”

“Fpivìl…” You say as you think. When you find an idea, you snap your fingers. “I’ll teach you better, I’ll be more proactive at thinking of lessons. Are you a visual or auditory learner?”

“What?”

“We’ll figure that out too.”

Neteyam had to say, your enthusiasm was contagious.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Thanks to Tsireya’s efforts, the Sully’s had learned the ways of the Metkayina.

They were still different, they were Omatikaya, and they and the Metkayina would always have their differences. However, despite their leaner bodies, they could catch up with you in the water; despite other physical differences like smaller lungs, they could stay underwater almost as long as you. They still preferred bow and arrow over spear and ikran over ilu.

Soon enough, they were good enough at free diving that they were allowed to perform their first Iknimaya trial, catching a small shell thrown into the sea.

Of course, it was the first because it was the easiest, the Metkayina completed it when they were young; but still, it called for a celebration.

Ronal denied a coming of age celebration. It was past the season for it, the tulkuns weren’t home yet, and the Metkayina didn’t know the Sully’s enough for it to have any real sentiment.

It didn’t matter to you, though. All they really wanted was a celebration with friends (which Ao'nung so gladly volunteered to not participate in).

You brought them into the sea for the celebration. For once, it wasn’t a test of their breathing, speed, or swimming form. It was just exploring, enjoying the water; and they hadn’t done that since they tamed their ilu.

As you dove into the sea, Fyìp swam to be near you. It seemed unbothered by the stares of awe he received.

Kiri grinned, signing to you, Fyìp ioang?

Yeah! Call him Fyìp now. You offer it a spot on your palm, which it accepts. You thrust your hand forward to show them all. He warmed up to me, forgave me.

Forgave you? Lo'ak signed. After your arrangement, he’d really gotten good at sign language.

Though the celebration was not meant to be a test, it was a great demonstration of how they were on their way to master sign language.

I believe I told you about the lesson Kiri taught me. I caught Fyìp to show it off to her, and she taught me I shouldn’t have done so, even through all my curiosity. You nod at the thought, Wise words.

Kiri tucks a hair behind her ear, It just made sense to me. Not something wise or anything.

Sure. You huff out a laugh, then turn around to swim further in. Fyìp clings onto your shoulder.

The sights were already amazing. The Sully’s were no longer limited by depth or obstacles now that they knew the way of water, so now they could see everything the sea had to offer.

You turn back to them again with an offer, You guys wanna see one of my favorite places? Knowing that they’ll definitely agree, you turn back around and start leading the way.

It doesn’t take long before you are standing before a marvel.

It was a cove of coral, fish, and many more ocean creatures. They were all colorful and eye-catching, but the main attraction was the ilu. It was similar to the Banshee Rookery in the Ayram alusìng.

We don’t always tame ilu bred from other ilu at the village. Sometimes, we come here, though rarely. You explain.

These ilu were wilder, more aloof, but they still retained their friendly nature with the Na'vi. So long as you do not anger them, we can hang out with them.

The Sully’s were practically let loose around the area. As you already knew much of it, you laid down on a rock at the heart of it and simply watched. Fyìp stuck around you, catching stray fish for dinner.

Kiri easily communicated with the ilu. Even if they were already friendly, they seemed even warmer with her.

Lo'ak managed to find the more playful ilu and had somehow gotten himself into a game of tag. He seemed to be one of the runners. He ducked behind coral, up and around rock arches. He was holding his own, despite the ilu naturally being much faster. Tsireya found herself watching too, and was laughing at Lo'ak’s panicked face as he narrowly avoided being caught by an ilu.

As Lo'ak and Kiri both found their own things to do, it seemed Neteyam was stuck with Tuk. But she wasn’t a burden to him. What kind of big brother would he be if she was?

He held her by the hand and admired some of the smaller creatures with her, although it seemed as though she had other intentions.

She escaped Neteyam’s grasp and began swimming away with vigor. For a moment, Neteyam panicked, rushing after her with alarm. However, he soon relaxed once she saw she was going to you.

She waved hello adorably with a grin then signed. As the youngest, she had a bit more trouble with signing, but you understood her. Why do you like being in the water so much?

Well, it’s very serene. You reply.

Neteyam caught up. He seemed interested too. Is that it?

You shrug, Sort of. There’s some other reasons, but… You took in Tuk’s hopeful eyes. She was far too cute to be denied. I could tell them to you.

Please? Will you? She swims closer, holding onto your wrists so that you may still sign.

Perhaps Tsireya rounded them up; otherwise, you have no idea why, as signing doesn’t make sound, but they all round up around you. Even Fyìp swims closer.

It was a bit nerve-wracking, having all those eyes on you, but you had grown close to all of them. Nothing bad would come of it if you told them.

Okay.

Tuk’s smile grows wider, she swims away so the others can see you too.

Ever since I was a kid, the ocean was so entrancing. It was majestic, a different world from the one above. The other kids my age, they preferred to play with one another. I preferred to explore the ocean. Even though I was hardly used to the world above, I still preferred exploring underwater.

Tsireya taught you that the sea gives and takes. While it gave me a world to love, it also took my hearing because I was negligent towards my ears. Eventually, the sea was more than just the world I loved. It was also the only place I could be normal.

Lo'ak and Kiri listen more carefully when you mention the word normal. It was something they both struggled with.

Everybody needs to sign to speak. You don’t need your ears to listen to them, you only need your eyes; and my eyes, I still have. Underwater, I swim and speak and listen just like everyone else.

Tsireya swims closer, a frown on her face. She holds your elbow endearingly, You are just like everyone else.

Yeah, you are. Neteyam does the same, swimming closer. You are Na'vi.

We are Na'vi. Lo'ak signs.

Though we are all different, we are all Eywa’s children. Kiri signs. It doesn’t matter in what way we are different, my fingers, our blood, your hearing…

Lo'ak’s eyebrows… Neteyam signs. Said eyebrows furrow at the teasing. Lo'ak retaliates by squeezing Neteyam’s exposed neck, as his brother always does to him. Neteyam pushes him away.

You guys, you all understand. You smile, I’m so sorry that the Metkayina treat you differently.

Lo'ak shakes his head, If it is something we must teach them, we’ll make them learn. He smiles, So long as we have great teachers like you and Tsireya to back us up, right?

You roll your eyes–he thinks it’s endearing–at him but nod. We’ll teach them that we’re all the same.

Tomorrow will be a good day for that. Tsireya signs, Let’s not forget we are celebrating your first Iknimaya trial.

Fyìp does an encouraging twirl that makes everyone smile.

To tomorrow. You sign.