#child of eywa « kiri » || ic

[avtrr]

moaat asked:

❛  i want to help you , but you have to let me in.  ❜ (for Kiri)

found family prompts.

She gave in a low sigh, her ears lowering a bit. “ I know... I'm just scared... You really don't think I'm a freak, do you grandma? ”

Kiri would usually feel self-conscious about herself, about her avatar appearance and now with all these weird things happening around her, she felt even more of an outcast, even among her own family.

[goldenchunkycat]

The way she looks at me you | Chapter 1

- Pairing: Neteyam x Na'vi!Reader x Ao'nung x Lo'ak

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Summary: Love isn't always reciprocated. You learn to live with heartbreak and move on to live your life, even if it's hard. But when you find comfort in someone unexpected, Neteyam starts to realize that he did have feelings for you. He was just to used to your love. But...is it too late ?

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Warnings: IT'S TWOW SCENARIO BUT THEY ARE ALL AGED-UP (NETEYAM, AO'NUNG AND READER ARE 19, LO'AK IS 18) AND THERE'S NO WAR AT THE END, very clumsy/shy/socially awkward and naive reader, reader is a Na'vi but not a Metkayina nor an Omatikaya (OC Na'vi ? Like an ice Na'vi or something like that, she has a squirrel tail so her nicknames is 'Squirrel'), Neteyam is kinda mean in this one, blood, xenophobia, bullying, swear words, fight, angst, fluff too lol, smut

Chapter's warnings: Unrequited love, swear words, argument, reader is self-deprecating, bestfriend!Lo'ak needs its own warning, public humiliation, bad English (not proofread)

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Taglist: @soxfix / @pwallettes / @arminsgfloll / @dazecrea / @annamarieisbae / @namioff / @nao-cchi / @tiddieshakeshownu / @yeosxxx / @miwackmn / @avadakadabra93 / @sopiasleeps / @itszzmoon / @todod0k1 / @almighty-raiden-shogunate / @dakotali / @findingourtreasure / @purplepursepaint / @artologia-blog1 / @sushibatebue / @dakotali

It started as a crush. You would look at him, at the way he was skipping by you on his Ikran's back, beautiful, proud, just like a warrior. Neteyam was the best match in the clan, and you were not the only one who agreed to this statement. So why would he look at you ? Stranger you. You were sure that he was something you could never have, you were just you.

Pretty 'you' who would craft and imagine new way to live, to improve everyone's life, adamant that progress and science was the future. Pandora was wonderful and the biodiversity too, so many possibilities, there was so much to discover ! But you were not a Omatikaya, you were not fitting in.

And yet, despite everything you thought and everything you said to Spider, your brother in arms and in misfortune, you were pretty well accommodated to the Na'vis way of life. You were not like him, you were not... wild. In fact, you were rather shy and silent, kind and attentive. And just like Spider, you waere a stray among the Sully family. They liked you, sure, but you weren't a part of their culture, even less than your brother.

So you learned their way, you tried to fit in. You tried to hunt; you ended up being the one hunted. You tried to dance; you ended up on the ground with half of the tent. You thought that maybe, with your knowledges about Pandora's biodiversity you could be a good healer; you almost poisoned someone. So why would someone like the mighty Neteyam look at someone like you ? Yeah, it would not happen any time soon, it would not happen at all. You would keep watching him from afar and imagine what your life would have been like if you were born 'more useful' - your words.

Moreover, you had been raised by the scientists/biologists before being entrusted to the Omatikaya, so some of their…traditions, were deeply fixed in you. The clothes, for example. You could not get used to the idea of running around half-naked and butt-naked when you have been taught to wear clothes since you were a child. All the more reason why you fit in even less than Spider who walked around shirtless all day long. You were 'too human' despite the fact that you were a Na'vi. The Omatikaya did not like to see you walking around their village in pants or t-shirts - you never wore anything else and Norm always made sure you had what you needed. It made you more...different.

So you slowly drifted away from the Sully and started to sleep in the Avatar's basement, at the lab, blaming your lack of self-confidence for losing your best-friend, Kiri. The last year was even worse, because the Sky People were back, and you could not help anyone.

"Oh Eywa, just go and talk to him ! It's honestly getting on my nerves. I can barely see you now, Spider says that you're hanging out at the lab when you should be with us !" Kiri growled, emphasizing on the word 'us' to let you know that she was disappointed in you and in your choices.

"What would you want me to say ? Oh, hi ! I'm that dumb girl who almost killed someone last week when she tried to cook , nice to meet you Oh! son of the Olo'eyktan, best hunter of his generation and best match of the clan !" you rambled at an incredible speed, kicking the air while laying on your back.

"Well, you should probably stop at 'Oh, hi !'." a voice said from behind you. A voice that the you two were very familiar with.

"Kiri, push me off the cliff, please." you begged your friend on your knees, wanting to get swallowed and disappear in the ground.

"Hum, I'm not about to do that. Face the consequences." Kiri wheezed, looking at her older brother as he sat on her left, at the other end of you.

"You know, he's good."

"What..?"

"The man who ate what you cooked. He's feeling better. You shouldn't blame yourself for something like that, he just has a weak stomach." Neteyam smiled, trying to reassure you, seing how distraught and uncomfortable you were around him.

"Oh. Yeah. Good."

And it was like that every time. When Neteyam would come talk to you, you would blush and stutter, not being able to form a whole sentence. You would end up listening to whatever conversation was going on and quietly disappear without anyone knowing. According to Lo'ak who absolutely loved making fun of you, you were 'a lost cause'. And you knew that you were a lost cause, you just could not do anything about it.

"Bro, why don't you just tell her ?"

"What ?"

"It's mean, you know that she's head over heels for you. We all know it." Lo'ak rolled his eyes, annoyed at his older brother for acting like he did not know what he was talking about. "I don't know what's going on in your head but if you don't like her you should just tell her."

"Yeah."

Neteyam did not like being reprimanded by his younger brother but even he could tell that he was unfair with you. He was nice, just like he was to anyone else, but he should not, knowing well that you had feelings for him. He was far from stupid, he always noticed the way your freckles would glow whenever he would smile at you, the way you would stumble over your own feet when he would help you climb a rock. He thought that you were cute. But that's it. He felt bad for not being able to reciprocate your feelings, but he was not in love with you. He had to take care of his family, he had to improve his skills in order to become a great leader, just like his father.

The boy knew that he had to talk to you, and the sooner the better. But he couldn't bring himself to break your heart.

"We don't want her around here."

"Please..."

"With all due respect, Toruk Makto, she's not one of us. Your family decided to raise her, she's your responsibility."

Behind the curtain, your face went pale. You felt like you had a lump in your throat. You knew all of this. That you were not an Omatikaya, that you were basically a stranger who was lucky enough to find shelter chez the Sully's family. And yet hearing it from someone else was hard. But what hurts you the most was the fact that Jake was pleading to the new chief to let you here. He did not wanted you around anymore.

"We can't take her, she has nothing to do with what's happening, she doesn't deserve it !"

Silence arose in the tent and you knew. The Olo'eyktan decision was final. Now, you had nowhere to go, no family, no friends, and no news of Spider. You were going to be alone, maybe that was your fate after all. Maybe the Sullys had only delayed the inevitable…

You lowered her head and walked on, your steps a little faster each time. In the distance, you heard Jake's voice calling out your name but it was too late, you were already gone.

"You don't know where she could have gone ?"

"No, and I already checked the lab. Norm says she hasn't been back there since…what happened with Spider." Kiri interjected, her voice growing smaller as she continued her statement.

Jake hugged his daughter before taking his head in his hands and sighed, "This is my fault, I should have been more careful, less…desperate."

Watching his brother pacing back and forth, the oldest of the siblings finally spoke with a detached tone while giving wooden beads to his mother who was sitting next to him, "She would have stayed here anyway. She had to find out one way or another. We gotta pack."

"Are you fucking serious ?! Do you hear how insane you sound ?!" Lo'ak snarled and walked briskly over to his older brother who immediately stood up. Their father stepped in between the two boys and their mother put down what she was busy with, standing up, causing silence in the dwelling.

"She's not one of our own."

"But… I like her… I don't want her to stay here !" Tuk cried with tears in her eyes, frowning at her mother. "And you !" She directed her angry gaze at Neteyam, "I'll never understand how she could fall in love with a skxawng like you !"

The eight-year-old girl rushed out of the tent crying, ignoring the calls of her family members. Kiri looked at her older brother with disappointment and at her mother with a hint of sadness before walking away to look out for her sister, leaving only her brothers and parents in the tent.

"Just because you're afraid of what's going on between you doesn't mean you have the right to talk about her like that, skxawng."

Before he could even be reprimanded by his father, Lo'ak had stomped out of the tent, deliberately shoving his brother in the process. Jake sighed and rubbed his face, facing his mate.

"Neytiri, I know I am asking a lot from you. To flee, to leave your people and your home. But no matter the physical differences between Squirrel and us, she is still a Na'vi. We have raised her since she was in her cradle, you have seen her grow, you have taught her to speak, to walk. Just because she has more fur on her tail or slightly larger ears doesn't mean she's not one of us. She's in the same boat as all of our children."

"Why leaving her here, then ?" Neytiri hesitated, knowing full well that she had been harsh in her words. It was true. She had raised her as her own daughter, why treat her any differently than Kiri ? Especially since her younger daughters saw her as an older sister. It did not matter how many days and nights she had spent in the lab with Spider - that is, more than she had spent with the Sully - she was still a member of their family. But Jake wasn't entirely honest, she wanted to hear the truth from him.

"Because she's different !" Jake raised his voice in frustration. He knew those were the words Neytiri wanted to hear, and he had finally said them. "It's just that- We could have saved her a life of running away because she's not like us. They would never have been able to know that she was with us. I wanted to spare her…"

"My Jake… You are good. She'll go with us. As for you…" she turned to her older son who shook uncomfortably under her piercing gaze, and then continued, venom in her voice, "That's not how I raised you. Your brother is right, no matter what happens between you two, you have no right to talk about her like that. A woman in love is not a foolish woman, she deserves your respect. Go get her."

"Yes mom..."

Lo'ak could recognize those cryings with his eyes closed. He was so used to it. After getting mad at his brother he had gone back to the place where everything had changed. The place where everything had been turned upside down many times. He knew that you were going to be here. Where your brother was taken from you. And he was right. So when he arrived, he let the sound of the weepings guide him.

"Hey, crybaby."

"Leave me alone…" you whined, the words coming out of your mouth unintelligibly, causing Lo'ak to let out the laughter he was desperately trying to suppress. "Stop laughing at me !"

"Alright...crybaby." 

What he said caused another round of tears and snot, which made him laugh even harder. You really were a funny person, no matter what you did. So knowing that his brother had so little regard for you and your feelings made the young man's blood boil. He sat beside you and decided to keep quiet, choosing to contemplate his surroundings. This broken pod, this damaged machine. This place must have had a lot of value in his parents' eyes, and it had taken on even more value when these Avatars had run away with Spider. Because he was not able to protect all of you.

"He won't come home again…" you muttered, stroking the grass at your feet and hiding your face in your bushy tail.

Lo'ak looked at your small frame sitting in the middle of the clearing and opened his mouth several times, trying to find the right words. He knew that no matter the years you had spent by their side, never would one of them replace Spider. Part of him resented his mother for not fully accepting you two, but part of him was glad it had happened. Because through it, you two orphans had created a bond that no one understood. But now, the Sky People teared your brother away from you and if it was not enough, his family was going to abandon you.

"He will. I don't know how but Spider will come back. I don't care if I have to go get him, I will. When I'm old enough to do what I want, I'll bring Spider back to you."

"Pfff-" you sniffed, resting her head on your knees as you weakly laughed at Lo'ak, "You're too scared of your mother to run away."

"What are you talking about ?!" Lo'ak said indignantly as he rushed toward you, tackling you on the ground "Take back what you said !"

"Skxawng !"

While the two friends were having fun fighting - or rather being beaten in the case of a certain someone - Neteyam, who had just arrived, had stopped a few steps away from the scene, watching them fooling around. Her idiot brother - his words - had quickly found her when he was the reason he had just been reprimanded by their mother, what right did he have to enjoy himself ?

"Lo'ak ! You know very well that you have no right to be here." Neteyam interrupted them, making his presence known as he approached the two disheveled-looking young adults.

You pushed Lo'ak from above you and tried to stand up. Tried. Since your strength had not moved Lo'ak an inch. You glared at him when you saw his condescending look and gently sank your fangs into his shoulder, effectively making him push himself off of you.

"You're insane !"

"You should have had moved ! And I didn't even bite hard !"

"You should have had more strength !"

"You want me to bite you again ?!"

"You kitten !"

"Argh ! Take it back !" you rushed after the boy who ran away, past Neteyam, leaving him alone in the clearing as he watched, amused, your retreating forms. He had never seen this side of you. It was…funny.

"Well…" Neteyam shrugged, following the two children young adult to go back home.

Watching the Sully bid farewell to their friends and former clan members was difficult for you. It reminded you that no one would come to say goodbye. Because no matter what relationship you had with the Sullys, with Jake, who was the leader, you had never been accepted by the Omatikaya. You were too different.

Your skin was not blue like theirs, it was more of a blue-gray, your eyes were not yellow or amber, again, they were grayish, and your tail was unlike those of the forest people, it was extremely bushy. All those differences, as well as the mystery of your origin had created a mistrust towards you that you had not been able to dissipate as the years had passed. It was not for lack of trying though. But even your behavior was different from that of the Na'vi women. They were proud and talented in at least one field, never hesitating to speak up their opinions. You were sure that you had none of these qualities.

"Are you done with packing ?" Kiri asked as she walked towards you, a pained and jaded expression on her face.

"Yes, for a little while now, your mother helped me." you smiled at your best friend, gently stroking the Ikran's head who was following his rider like a shadow. "I thought that…maybe…you were going to leave me here…"

Kiri remained silent, not knowing what to say. She did not want to lie and let you believe that your family was planning on taking you when they had chose to run away, but she couldn't bear to see that embarrassed little smile on your face.

"You can't live without us, you can't even fish." Lo'ak said as he shoved your shoulder, causing you to crash into Kiri who grunted in displeasure. "Whoops, I didn't think you couldn't remain standing up either."

"Whoops, I didn't think you couldn't remain standing up either." you repeated in a high-pitched and mocking tone while rolling your eyes.

Lo'ak grabbed you and headlocked you, rubbing your scalp until the only thing you could feel was a burning sensation.

"Hey- Hey! Don't use my secret move on me !" you complained as you tried to get out of his grip, clawing at his forearms while trying to sink your fangs into his skin. Playfully, obviously.

But Lo'ak was used to your ways, so he had made sure to put his arm as far away from your little canines as possible. "You shouldn't have taught me that then." he laughed out loud, continuing his torture on your helpless body, while Kiri watched what was going on with a smile.

"It was to defend yourself from the bullies ! I'm not a bully, let go of me skxawng !"

"Kids." a firm voice caught the attention of the group of three. You turned your heads at the same time and were greeted by Neytiri's stern gaze. "Behave, you still represent the Toruk Makto."

Lo'ak quickly let go of his hostage and looked around, pretending to be innocent under your outraged gaze. Trying to make yourself very small, you nodded towards Neytiri and preferred to move on the other side of Kiri, far from the young man who was abusing you. Before leaving you discreetly but strongly pulled his tail and moved quickly away from him, sticking your tongue out as you did so. Gesture which did not go unnoticed by the female warrior's sharp eyes, who chose to turn a blind eye and who smiled as she leaved to return to her mother. The three troublemakers decided to sit in silence, their mounts not far behind.

"By the way, aren't you going to say goodbye ?"

"Already done." Kiri shrugged, fiddling with the end of her shawl that had been offered to her by you on a cold day.

"I don't want to."

"Just say you don't have any." Kiri laughed and shoved his shoulder, making you laugh as you tried to hide your face behind your hand.

"Dumbass."

"Moron."

"What am I hearing ? Insults ?"

Neteyam approached his brother and sister, Tuk walking happily beside him, busy eating a fruit her grandmother had given her. 'An exception', apparently. When she saw you, her sister at heart, she rushed into your arms, stuffing the sticky fruit into Neteyam's hands, who laughed softly while he was screaming in his mind in indignation.

Opening your arms wide, you welcomed the little girl with a tight embrace, blowing gently and affectionately on her ears, a genuine smile on your lips.

"I'm so glad you can come with us ! I don't know where we're going but I'm sure that there will be lots of new things and places to discover, it will be amazing !"

"At least one of us is happy about this." Kiri rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time today.

Smiling, you opened your mouth but suddenly froze, your gaze slowly turning to the boy who had joined you. Your freckles suddenly started to glow as you tried to cover your face behind your fuzzy tail, effectively hiding yourself and Tuk who just beamed, happy to be able to touch the tail that she liked so much. Neteyam's smiled widened and he chuckled, taking a sit next to you, sitting closer in purpose. He loved seing your face glow, you were cute. On the other side, the two siblings were trying really hard to muffle their laughing at seing the elder girl plead for help with her big round eyes. Lo'ak tried to talk only to choke on his own breath by dint of containing his laughter. 

Kiri smiled and eventually asked her older brother, "Dad didn't told you were we are going ?"

"No. I really tried to worm the information out of him but he won't tell me."

"Ugh, it's so annoying." Kiri huffed before laying and side-hugging you, "Thanks Eywa you're here."

You loosened up a bit and laid on the tight embrace of Kiri, thanking Eywa that you had someone like her to take care of you. Funny brother number one, good looking brother number two and cute little sister number three were just a bonus. After all, Kiri was the first who approached you. Out of curiosity, sure, but still the first.

"Are y'all ready ?" Jake asked as he got on his Ikran's back, his actions soon followed by his family members.

"No." Kiri complained despite knowing that it wouldn't change the situation.

Her father turned a deaf ear and took off, waving one last time to the people watching him from below. They all looked longingly at the mountains that had protected and sheltered them. They flew over the forest and remembered the places where they had played, the childhood they had enjoyed. But it had all been taken away by something Jake knew all too well, human greed. Now they had to find refuge elsewhere. Far from everything they had ever known.

As you reached the shore, you watched, saddened, the looks on the family's faces. Your gaze turned to your best friend who had tearful eyes, sorrow clear on her face as she seemed to say goodbye at the forest one last time. Lo'ak, back straight, did not seem to be hurting as much as the rest of his family. You could see that he was moved, but you would not blame him for not mourning a place where people had been so mean and distant to him. Conversely, the expression on Neteyam's face surprised you. He had an iron grip on his mount's equipment and his jaw was clenched. He watched his home disappear out of the corner of his eye and you could have sworn you saw his eyes shining with unshed tears. It was hard for them, of course. But it was even harder for their mother, who had lived here longer than any of them. She just looked away, refusing to believe that this was a farewell. Jake, like you, frowned at the sad scenery that was playing out before him. But it was his role. A father had to protect his family.

You spent days and nights flying over the landscapes of Pandora. Mountains, deserts, coasts, oceans. You had spent nights huddled around the fire in the hope of warming up, after telling each other stories of adventures each had experienced - Tuk's were the most amusing, while Neytiri's were the most fascinating and enriching. They told of the adventures of a warrior, when her clan was fighting against the sky people, when she had ridden the big Thanator. When she told her adventures, you could not help but look at her with shining eyes. Neytiri was strong and formidable, an admirable person, indeed. You could not help but look up to her, you were so different.

After spending nights crying in silence, hoping no one would notice you snuggled up in your hide, and days dozing on the back of your Ikran, nearly falling into the infinite water below you, you were proud to say you had crossed 'mountains and tides' to get here. At this place where Jake wanted them to go. You had crossed an imposing coral reef, with natural pools and strange inhabitants, and then flew around the village to alert everyone of your presence. You were not to be seen as enemies. At least, that's what you thought, after your strange parade.

You and the Sullys ordered your Ikrans to land on the edge of a beach, facing the largest tent and everyone who had gathered to see who dared to trespass on their village. On wobbly legs, you stepped onto the ground and, immediately, your eyes widened at the feel of the sand beneath your feet, your tail wagging like a happy cat's behind you. It was the first time you had touched the strange gritty thing under your feet. Of course, the Sully kids often went exploring, but whenever you strayed too far from the lab, you turned around, refusing to go any further. So, before leaving the forest, you had never seen a beach and you had never touched sand.

"Warm..."

"I would rather say hot." Lo'ak whined as he followed you, stopping at your right, Neteyam right next to him while Kiri stood on your other side.

"Well, get used to it, it's our home now. I guess." Kiri whispered, eyeing the others, just like you, mentally taking notes of everything that made them different from her friend and her family.

Their tails, their hands, even their clothes. Everything was different from what you all were used to. But you two were far too tired to enjoy it. Especially now that you were surrounded, and the other Na'vis did not look happy.

The crowd parted to let two young boys who were probably your age past. They passed Jake and Neytiri without even greeting them - not that they cared as they were too busy trying to calm the crowd - and headed to Neteyam's side, not even trying to hide their hostility. The two Sully respectfully greeted the other two who merely walked behind them, glaring at their wagging tails. You stifled a laugh in the palm of your hand at the sight of Neteyam's surprised expression. It was obvious that these boys had not come here with the idea of making friends. To your dismay, this little noise was enough to attract the attention of the taller boy, who frowned at the sight of you. He nudged his friend's side, pointing with his head at your imposing bushy tail.

The two boys snickered and approached your distressed form, who had round eyes, like a deer in the headlights. The three Sully watched the scene unfold in slow motion, ready to pounce on them if they bothered you; the taller boy reached for your extra appendage, ignoring your obvious discomfort, but just as he was seconds away from grabbing it, a girl appeared, smacking his hand and scolding him.

Lo'ak relaxed and quietly approached you, noticing that you had wrapped your tail around your hips like a belt. He took one last look at the trio before paying attention to what was happening in front of him. The leader of the clan arrived and each of the Sully's greeted him respectfully, the boys receiving a glare from Neytiri who silently told them to behave.

"Tonowari." Jake greeted the leader, solemnly, trying to be friendly despite the urge of his situation.

"Jake Sully." Tonowari greeted back, nodding to Neytiri, acknowledging her presence. "What brings you here ?"

"I come to ask for asylum for me and my family."

The rest of the conversation was just background noise for you, who were clutching your tail tightly in your hands, looking a few times behind your back at the three young adults. Your gaze met several times that of the boy with the bun. You could swear he had not looked away from you since the beginning, as you felt a piercing gaze on the back of your head. Repeating to yourself to ignore him, you closed your eyes tightly and accidentally bumped into Lo'ak, who looked at you, confused, before bumping back into you. Frowning, you pushed him a little harder, earning a glare from him as he suppressed his urge to pull your furry ears for fear of being severely reprimanded by his parents. So he contented himself with looking at the satisfied expression on your face, relieved to see you release your hold on your tail.

"-they're different from us." a woman said, bypassing Jake and Neytiri to examine Tuk's slender tail, before striding over to Kiri, grabbing her hand and looking at her five fingers with what looked like disgust. "They have demon blood…"

Kiri forcibly removed her hand from hers, clearly displeased. The pregnant woman overtook you and grabbed Lo'ak's hand, putting a show in front of her people to show his fingers, humiliating him publicly, under the helpless look of his brothers and sisters.

"Me too ! Look, Ronal, look at my hand ! Five fingers !" Jake raised his hand high, using himself as an example.

"Um… And besides, you brought… a pet ? A distraction ?" the woman directed her gaze at your small silhouette next to Lo'ak, who, under the pressure of the stares, tried to hid behind him. "What's that ? What's that tail going to be used for, cleaning up ?"

Humiliated, the target of the mockeries, you, felt your face heat up and your freckles light up. Knowing full well that what Ronal was waiting for was a reaction from one of them to justify her refusal to host you all, you remained silent and bit your lip, lowering your eyes so that no one would see your eyes glistening with tears.

You were sensitive. Your relationships with your peers had not always been peaceful. There was a time when just a reproachful look could make you cry. All the more reason why your friendship with Lo'ak had surprised many. The boy only teased you all day long, laughing at the way your tail would ruffle when you were upset. But, thanks to him, you had also made tremendous progress. But perhaps, in this village you would regress. You were sure of it considering the turn of events.

Feeling Lo'ak move next to her, you looked up at him to see a frown on his face, as he glared at the chief's wife. Knowing full well he was about to do or say something stupid, you grabbed his tail, as you were so used to do when you wanted to warn him about something, or prevent him from doing something stupid. Apparently, Neteyam had the same idea because his hand landed a few milliseconds later on yours. You two looked at each other briefly, and then you quickly pulled your hand out from under Neteyam's. Now you had another reason to be embarrassed. But this time, instead of holding back your tears, you had to hold back your screams of joy. You had just touched your crush's hand, it was a memorable moment, unforgettable. It had not taken much to divert your attention from the laughs of the other Na'vi.

By the time you had recovered from the physical contact with your best friend's brother, the tension in the air had increased - by the time Neytiri had spoken, and then subsided as Ronal and Tonowari gave in to Jake's request. Blinking once and then twice, completely lost as you were just coming out of your own little world, you were greeted by the sight of the girl who had scolded the two boys, smiling as she asked you to follow her.

Following the march, the family moved towards the tents which were a bit further from the main tent. Kiri and you couldn't help but look around, ignoring the looks of others - or not being aware of it in your case, amazed by what was in front of you. Stretches of water as far as the eye could see, racks filled with fish instead of meat, fish that none of you had ever seen before. Everything was strange and different, yet so fascinating.

"Maybe after we settle in we could go exploring…?" you asked softly to Kiri who nodded.

"I'm coming with you." Lo'ak turned around and said, slowing down so he could be at your level.

"You're not invited." you answered, sticking your tongue out at him while grabbing Kiri's arm, using her as a shield the moment Lo'ak had taken a step in your direction.

The three young adults tried their best to stifle their antics for fear of incurring Jake's wrath. Minutes later, Tuk joined them teasing her big brother with her sisters. Gradually, the volume began to increase and the shoving became harder while Tuk enjoyed jumping on the bouncing net path. They attracted the attention of villagers, which in turn attracted the attention of Jake, who turned at full speed in their direction, already preparing to scold them. Neytiri stopped him before he could open his mouth, putting her hand on his forearm and shaking her head.

"They are young, they still have a lot to learn and now even more. Don't prohibit them from having fun."

Jake fell silent and watched his little family from afar, watching them trying to stifle their laughter at the sight of Lo'ak getting his tail pulled by Tuk, who had made it her duty to defend you. He smiled softly and continued on his way, telling himself that some amusement after this long journey could not hurt anyone.

Neytiri nodded to herself, satisfied with her mate's choice. As she was about to follow him into the tent, her gaze fell on her eldest son who was at her right, having followed them closely throughout the journey. He stood apart from his siblings, watching the scene unfold from afar. Frowning, she put her hand on his shoulder and invited him to come forward slightly.

"Aren't you going to play with them ?"

Neteyam shrugged and looked away, following his father. But the last look he gave them did not escape from his mother's sharp eyes. A look of envy, and perhaps of jealousy…

To be continued...

[circemme]

Not that bad - Neteyam x reader

POTENTIAL SPOILER

Beware of potential spoiler of The way of water

I'm sorry for the mistakes, english ain't my first language

W/C : ~1400

---

The sun just hit its highest position for Awa’atlu, warm enough to slightly burn skin, to the pleasure of most. Sadly, you weren’t most people, not there. The sky people had been back for two years now, and the forest quickly appeared small for their ambitions. Slowly, the different clans started to reunite, even the most remoted. Your people were nomad, and you were used to travel. At first, when your mother told you that you had to go with your siblings to represent your clan, you were more than pleased, it was a great opportunity to meet other Na’vis clans. However, you forgot something important: your people always stayed into the coldest region of Pandora.

            Your skins were from a blue lighter than other, your hair usually longer, your eyes a shade of purple, and you were taller and thicker than most Na’vi. Your people were perfectly adapted to the hard weather of the Northern region.

            But here, you were as weak as a human. Your light skin was suffering from the sun, and you couldn’t handle the temperatures. For the couple of days you’ve been in Awa’atlu, you stayed hidden from the sun most day, and only hangout during nigh time. You were the youngest of the chief’s children, so it was safe to say that you were spoiled, so at first nobody tried to force you to brave the sun. Nobody till they Olo’eyktan’s children, Ao’nung and Tsireya decided to invite you to help prepare a festival with them, not uncommon when so much Clan were reunited. You wished you could have skipped it, but you were a guest, and it wouldn’t have been fair from you not to help your hosts.

            Your head was hurting when you finally reached the meeting place, and you were far from being the first to arrive. “Guys, this is the daughter of the Orkif’er’s clan” introduced Tsireya. “And those are the children of the former Toruk Makto, Lo’ak, Kiri, Tuk and Spider. You already know my brother Ao’nung”. Without even realising it, you founded yourself staring at the last one. Not even once in your life you witnessed a human, and you wondered how some creatures so weak could have done so much damage to Eywa.

            “Sorry, I’m late” suddenly said someone, behind your back. You turned yourself and met the gaze of the prettiest guy you’ve seen since you reached Awa’atlu. “I’m not sure we’ve been introduced, I’m Neteyam, those idiots’ brother” he said while reaching your hand with his. His palm was warm, but in a nice way. “Nice to meet you, Neteyam” you said with a big smile, that did not leave him cold.

---

            A few hours later, you were living one of the greatest times of your life. You learned to ride under water as a child, your people were cutting circles in the ice to plunge and collect some seaweeds. This aspect of the Orkif’er clan’s life wasn’t really known, so everyone was surprised to see how fast you were able to master an ilu. Also, underwater, the warmth of the sun wasn’t as violent, and it was surprisingly pleasing to evolve in this environment.

            By chance, everyone had been paired into smaller group, and you ended with the oldest and the youngest of the Sully’s family, Neteyam and Tuk. The little girl was the sweetest, always smiling and laughing under the protective gaze of her brother. You had for mission to bring some seashells, but to be fair, the girl wasn’t really much of a helper. However, you ended up collecting enough in a few hours, so you came back to the beach, and sat together for a while. To be fair, Tuk did not stay still for a long time, and she left you alone with her brother.

            “She’s adorable” you said to Neteyam as Tuk started to follow a bunch of big fish whose name you couldn’t remember. “Yes, she is” answered the boy, “but she always comes straight toward danger”. “Isn’t it a family thing?” you asked, aware of the reputation of the Sully.

            Even if your clan was cut from the rest of Pandora, war either tore people apart or bring them together. The second option happened, and you’ve heard a lot of stories about this alien that became one of you, an alien that became Toruk Makto. You also knew that him and his family seemed to always be in trouble, and from what you saw, Lo’ak’s behaviour helped you understand why.

            “I guess it’s true” sighted Neteyam “but we’re working on it, I promise you”. You realised that you’ve hit a sensible point without realising it, and you felt sorry for the boy. A blank field the air between the two of you.

            The both of you were around sixteen, a sweet age. But the war took it all, and you both were way too mature for your age. You knew it was the case for yourself for years, but it was striking with Neteyam. “How it is like, the snow?” asked the boy, breaking the silence. An honest smile stretched your lips. “Eywa’s masterpiece. The purest white ever, sparkling under the sun, falling from the sky. It’s beautiful and dangerous, it protects and destroy, it froze your body but melt your heart.”

            Your enthusiasm was contagious, and Neteyam started talking about the true Eywa’s masterpiece, the forest. The both of you talked for hours without realising it, Tuk coming back every once in a while, to show you some dumb trick she learned. You absolutely forgot about the striking sun, about any notion of time, until Tsireya and Lo’ak came back from the ocean to join you.

---

            The night had come, and it was time to celebrate. Your face was painted in a weird but beautiful way, you started doing your own tracing, but Tsireya decided to add some typical Metkayina patterns, and Kiri ended up adding some bright colours from Omaticaya. You added a few pearls to your long breads, and add a lot of jewelleries. You felt beautiful, and a part of you he would too. It was a simple crush, a little teenage found another teenage cute, but you felt that Neteyam could be more, if Eywa wanted it.

            “Come on, it’s time to go” called you Tsireya, and you followed her. Each family was reunited in the center of the village, so you went with your older brothers and sister. You spotted the Sully family beside the Olo’eyktan’s family. You realised how impressive the parents were. Jake himself seemed powerful, but his mate was really beautiful and intimating. Even if you were far apart, she caught your gaze and you lowered it, embarrassed. That woman was something, and Neteyam looked so much like her.

            After a while, and a few beautiful songs, the gathering finally ended, it was time to dance. You were a good hunter, and a good warrior. You couldn’t be everything. That being said, you weren’t the greatest dancer, so you really hoped you could avoid exposing yourself. Before you even tried to escape, a small hand grabbed yours and trained you in the dance spot. “Tuk… I really love you but please, found someone else to dance” you asked the little girl. She answered with a huge smile “no”.

            Your saviour came from behind. “Come on Tuk, go dance with Kiri”, said Neteyam, and you were ready to kneel before him from happiness, ‘till he opened his mouth again, “I’m going to dance with her”. “Neteyam, no! Don’t do this to me, I promise you, you don’t want it either and…” you tried to defend yourself, but he grabbed your shoulders and placed you in front of him.

            You were taller, your people always were, but you felt so shy in front of his piercing gaze. You started watching other couples to see how they would dance, and you realised that both men and women had the same gestures, so you decided to stop thinking and just follow Neteyam’s step. It was surprisingly pretty fun, and you ended up laughing the one time you stepped on his feet.

            After a while, you both were tired and thirsty, you decided to get off the center of the village and to take a drink near the ocean. “It wasn’t that bad, was it?” asked Neteyam. You offered him a big smile. No, it wasn’t.

Posing your head on his shoulder, your realised that, in the end, you could survive the strong sun of Awa’atlu. It wasn’t that bad, after all. Especially with your new friends beside you.

[meenawrites]

Kiri and Spider

Don't mind me, just been thinking about these two a lot as I brainstorm their relationship in the fic I want to write. 

First off, Kiri. We can instantly tell that Kiri's connection to Spider is unlike her connection to anyone else around her. They are soft with each other, share the secret of her connection to Eywa, and are physically affectionate with each other moreso than she is with any other character (aside from Tuk who has the privilege of being a cute kid). From the way Kiri acts in the movie, I got the impression of her being at the age where she thinks all boys are stupid (which, fair), especially in the scene where she's being bullied by the Metkayina boys and Lo'ak steps in to defend her. She's seen to be rolling her eyes and looking visibly annoyed at both sides here. And yet, she never seems annoyed at Spider in the brief scenes we get of them through the film, even when he playfully pulls her tail, they just kind of prance happily around each other. 

Now I think that Spider has no doubt in his mind that he loves Kiri. You can tell in the way he looks at her when she's not looking, the way he searches for her and knows where to find her first. They have unbreakable bond that I think lies in the fact that they're both kind of misfits. He's a human orphan who's Pandoran at heart who frankly no one wants, and while she has a loving family she's the anomaly that was born from a soulless Avatar. I think they bond over their outcastedness (I know that's not a word but bear with me) and that's what keeps them so close. 

Another thing that stuck out to me is that she calls him "Monkey Boy". No one else calls him Monkey Boy among the Sully kids. It's purely an affectionate name between him and Kiri which further denotes how close they are to each other. 

I know some people say oh but Spider's adopted by the Sully's or whatnot but as we can see throughout the movie until perhaps the very end, Spider is unwanted and independent because of it. I haven't read the comics but I know he had foster parents he never really connected with and were more caretakers than anything, the scientists don't really seem to care for him in that parental capacity either. Let's not forget that Neytiri can barely stand him and hates that he's allowed to get close to her kids. And Jake, Jake distinctly called Spider a stray at the beginning of the movie. This is further reinforced by the fact that when Spider is captured, neither Jake nor Neytiri have any thought of going after him when we all know that had it been any one of their kids, even Kiri who is their adopted child, they would have started a war to get them back. 

The icing on the cake for me is the moment on the boat where Kiri's mom and Spider's father have knives to the children's throat. It's no coincidence that it's those two specifically who are being threatened in this scene. They chose Kiri deliberately to be there because they've been hinting at the depth of their bond throughout the whole movie. If it had been Lo'ak instead of Kiri for example, the vibes of the scene (for lack of a better word at the moment) would have been very different. But Kiri and Spider being there and begging to spare the other's life in that moment regardless of the peril their own lives are in further solidifies for me that those two have a bond that isn't like her bond with her brother or parents or Tsireya. 

The way I personally think this is heading is the trope of childhood best friends to teenage crushes to lovers. I think Cameron is setting these two up to have a romance that will define the future of the Na'vi / human relations, kind of mirroring Jake and Neytiri's relationship from the first movie, but on a much larger scale this time, possibly in attempts of co-existence. 

Anyway, just something I wanted to put out there for my own benefit and anyone who shares the same thoughts as me. 

[lost-girl-2021]

Definitely want to hear more HC!

Here's some random notes I had about Spider & co. in my Days Into Decades fic :)

Spider eats the weirdest combinations of food. He had to make a lot of his own food and never had anyone tell him he couldn't put ketchup on his pizza, so he tried all sorts of gross shit. Jelly on ice cream? Surprisingly delicious. Cheeze whiz smooshed between two crackers? Yum. His friends have valiantly tried to stop the madness, but he just tries to force-feed them his concoctions as a result. All of the adults are reasonably disgusted by this, but I feel like Quaritch and Jake would both try to one-up the other by trying the grossest things Spider can come up with, after hearing that the other tried it. ("Sully ate whipped cream on a slice of tomato? Fuck it, give me one.") Spider one-hundo percent uses this to his advantage.

Spider and Lo'ak get stoned every once in a while. The latter doesn't really smoke often because he's in sports and his girlfriend doesn't really like the smell, but his and Spider's drug dealer is Kiri. Kiri is all about communing with nature and sees no problem with relaxing with Eywa's creations. She's not really a drug dealer, but she supplies the boys with stuff in exchange for random tasks (Spider once had to be a model for her art club).

Neteyam does not smoke. He tried once, got way too paranoid and ended up sitting in his closest for four hours. He does however, like to record the others when their high, because it's extremely entertaining. Kiri says the most out of pocket shit, like existential questions, then tries to count all of the pieces of wood in the floor. Lo'ak usually just sinks into a bean bag with a bag of chips and relaxes. Spider either gets really zoned in on stuff and doesn't talk for hours or will not shut up.

The Sully's have entire albums dedicated to each child, but also have albums from each year, sometimes more than one depending on how interesting things get. Because of the sheer number of photographs they have, there are also a lot of pictures of Spider scattered throughout. Somewhere in the chaos, Jake has a picture of Neteyam and Spider grinning, both missing a tooth after a badly timed hug when they were four.

Jake and Neytiri have a lot of kids. Sometimes, especially as kids, Spider just got tossed in the mix and they didn't even notice. When they were really young, Kiri, Lo'ak, and Neteyam slept in a pile on their parent's bed everyday for naptime. More often than not, Spider would end up in the tangle of limbs, snoring away. Even as they got older and had sleepovers, they'd end up on top of each other in their sleep. Spider always slept best on those nights, even when they would camp out on the living room floor and stay up as long as they could.

Spider thinks he's the most intimidating person ever. Like, all of his friends are taller and stronger than him. He looks young for his age, often mistaken for a freshman at school. But, he dresses in baggy clothes and ripped jeans, even has a wallet chain. He skateboards and draws on his beat-to-shit converse in sharpie. He frowns at people and sometimes even colors his nails in black marker. Because, he's a degenerate, okay? But, in reality, most people just think he looks like a kid playing dress-up. Like, old ladies see him at the grocery store and go oh, what a nice young man, doing the shopping for his parents. He thinks they're talking about how scary he looks, but really they think he's thirteen and such a cutie-pie. He is not observant, guys.

He constantly misplaced his inhaler as a kid. As a result, the Sully's (specifically doomsday prepper Jake and his apprentice, Neteyam) have inhalers all over. Neteyam keeps one in the glove compartment and another in his backpack. Jake has like, four of them scattered around the house just in case and asks Spider if he has his nearly every day when he drops him off at school. When Quaritch eventually gets custody, he'd totally buy like ten of them. One in the car, one in the kitchen, the bathroom, his bedroom, Spider's desk drawer. And he totally makes Spider physically show him the inhaler every time he goes to leave the house. Everyone is paranoid as shit about it and Spider takes this as nobody trusting him to be able to remember something so simple (even though my boy is forgetful af)

Spider has (undiagnosed) ADHD. Like, he cannot focus in school most of the time, even when he likes the class. He usually copies notes from someone and tries to go over it all again after school. He forgets stuff all the time, constantly losing his phone (it's usually in his jacket pocket and he just forgot to take it out when he got home). He likes being outside a lot, so he can burn off some of the energy when everything becomes too much.

This is all I have atm, but a lot of it won't be in the fic, so I thought I'd put it on here.

[avtrr]

❛ you’re the first person who has accepted me for who i am.❜ (for kiri)

found family prompts.

Golden eyes stared upon her adoptive brother, her ears twitching slightly. Her lips curved into a small smile.

“ It's not because we're of different species that you're less of my brother, Spider. My father used to look like you, too. So was my real mother.”

Though the idea of her adoptive father and her biological mother once being like Spider was still weird to her.

[avtrr]

“ Je'di? ”

kiri repeated in her rusty basic that her father had taught her. An ear twitching curiously as she looked at the togruta with a curious smile.

“ is that what you are? ” her tail swished as she lowered herself to look better at the other alien.

starter for @exitiosae

[avtrr]

❛ just face it , you’re stuck with me now - whether you want to or not. ❜ ( for kiri, from ahsoka ! )

Her tail flicked as a soft chuckle escaped her lips at the other alien words, a smile of amusement taking over her features.

“ I have to deal with Lo'ak, so I'm sure you're not going to be a huge problem. ” Kiri said with a soft laugh, her tail swishing back and forth in excitement and curiosity. Ever since she met Ahsoka, she could feel something especial about the Togruta, a strong connection to Eywa, even if she wasn't native of Pandora, neither being a Na'vi or an Avatar like her and her adoptive father.

Even so, she doubted those “Jedi” people could be more trouble than her brother, Lo'ak.

[avtrr]

“ hey! so i’m having a really crappy day. you wanna raid the canteen and watch a movie at my place tonight? “ (again whoever. move night. lets go)

familial prompts.

“ Oh, that sounds like fun, I'm in! How is it you skypeople call it... a girl's night? ” kiri replied with a smile, her tail swishing excitedly from side to side.

[avtrr]

@tulkuns cont. ❝ it’s times like this i really miss home. ❞ (kiri)

His eyes held a softness to them that was foreign to most since he first met the Sully's. Ao'nung wanted to be a say words that could make things a little problematic, so he looked at her and let a goofy smile take over for a moment. "Well, home always is simply where you feel most comfortable.. what's the phrase that your dad always says? Home is where the heart is?" His soft blue eyes looked towards the striking yellow that stood out against her darker blue skin. His hand went to rubbing the back of his neck, not entirely wanting to admit how little he knew on the subject of leaving home. The farthest he ever truly left to was when he went to three brothers rock and even on hunting grounds with his father's accompaniment. "It can be hard to imagine leaving a place you've been around your whole life, but now you have a newfound expansion of a family you had… we just have fins." He lifted his arm and gestured towards his forearms, his head tilting to the side.

Her large golden eyes stared into his blue ones for a moment, a shy smile appearing on her lips at his goofy one. She was sitting by the shore, hugging her legs close to her chest.

“ Yes, you’re right, he does say that. ” She replied, watching as the water reached her feet. “ But sometimes I miss the forest too. And my former clan. ”

She missed her grandmother too. Mo’at was a wise woman that alway had something to teach her about Eywa. She had been the first to notice the girl's strong connection with the Great Mother and Kiri wanted to ask her so many questions.

Kiri smiled again as he showed her his forearms, letting out a small giggle. “ The fins are cute. ” Oops, did she just say that out loud?

[avtrr]

kiri's tags