𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒚𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 ˚ ༘♡ ·˚ ₊˚ˑ༄ؘ
summary; neteyam has the girl of his dreams right in front of him - but he cannot have her because she belongs to someone else. (does that stop him though? NOPE!)
word count; 4.2k
HIS SACRED SUN
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
Neteyam Sully thought he was able to do anything he set his mind to.
As the oldest son of Toruk Makto, he strived to live up to his fathers image. His parents never failed to tell him of his importance, helping him understand exactly who he was and giving him the confidence to overcome anything.
Until her.
She stuck out like no other na'vi he'd ever meet. Her face something captivating and so charming - yet dangerous. Lethal.
She was the girl that had him turning around for a second glance. The girl that had his heart beating like a crazed drum. The girl he'd kill for.
In his eyes, she was perfect. Perfect in every way. Perfect for him.
Except for the distinctive fact that made her so untouchable.
She belonged to someone else.
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
Y/n sat with a group of teenage na'vi, all whom were giving their absolute attention to her as she stood tall, arms outstretched as she told them of her recent hunt. Her eyes gleamed with pride as she explained in detail exactly how she managed to escape the animals surprise attack
Neteyam sat towards the back of the group, where he was almost out of her view. He closed his eyes as he took in the sound of her voice
Smooth - so smooth. Like liquid. She spoke confidently. Expressively with the same radiant smile he was so infatuated with
When she finished, she sat back down as the next story teller went up. The girls around her swarmed her figure - raving on how brave she was during her hunt - or how they liked the gems that hung low on her neck
He loved how politely she'd respond to the compliments. Even blushing at some, unable to hide the flush on her cheeks.
As the teens quieted down for the next speaker, he watched Y/n comfortably stretch her legs out in front of her. The beads in her hair clinking together quietly as she moved. Her arms were behind her as she tipped her head up towards the boy who was talking to the rest of the group. He was beginning to tell his own tale
Any word the boy said went right through one ear and out the other, and he could feel his mind slipping and unable to even take in his surroundings as she became the only thing he could focus on
She could sense his gaze. He knew this because her eyes moved directly to him. She held eye contact for a beat. Two beats. Before turning away with a smile.
She didn't look at him again for the rest of the time the teens spent sharing stories. As the last volunteer to share theirs ended with a round of applause, the teens slowly began dispersing into smaller groups and began talking amongst themselves
He looked for Y/n, and after seeing her standing with a group of girls and nodding her head along to whatever they were saying - he seized the opportunity to speak with her.
He was by her side in less than a minute, and her friends gave her a surprised glance as she turned to Neteyam. They respectfully moved so Neteyam could speak with her, giving him room to talk to her privately.
"Neteyam Sully. Oel ngati kameie." She said sweetly, giving him a smile that had his tail flicking behind him lively
"Y/n. Oel ngati kameie. I had to come and say, your encounter with the Slinth was something only someone like you could fight." He said, his words holding true respect as her lips tipped upwards into a familiar grin
"Thank you, truly. But I must say, there is no one else like me." She said, a playful glint in her eyes, and Neteyam was sure his eyes could have been mistaken for hearts with the way he looked at her
He smiled, fangs and all. Just as he was about to speak - the boy he dreaded interrupted their conversation with a scowl plastered on his face
"Y/n, I was looking for you." Arutey said, moving and standing too close to Neteyam - almost as if to push him out of his way
His ears flattened against his head in disappointment as Y/n's eyes moved away from him and towards Arutey
"Yes, Arutey?" She asked, her tone sounding like she was holding in a sigh as he shook his head
"It's private." He said, almost snapping at her as Y/n frowned. She turned to Neteyam and bowed her head in goodbye. She gave him an apologetic look as Neteyam shook his head
"Do not worry about it. We will speak together another time." He said, eyes hard as Arutey stared at him with a hatred he understood. Anyone could've known how Neteyam felt for Y/n with the way he practically gravitated towards her
But he was a boy with honor, and he understood it was not his place to speak to her right now.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but Arutey's hand latched around her arm and gently pulled her backwards and away, towards him. Neteyam hated the way his hand moved from her arm and to her palms as he interlocked their fingers. They were walking away from him now - but Y/n turned around for one more glance
She held eye contact for a beat. Two beats. And then, she looked away. But this time, it was with a frown.
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
He walked to his hammock with his head hanging that night. Arutey wasn't right for her. Why? Well, he couldn't answer that.
He wished his initial dislike for Arutey was for something not related to Y/n. But it was.
Maybe it was how rough he could be - Neteyam knows how Arutey behaves when he's angry. Like how he'd yelled at a younger na'vi for messing up during a hunt - the way the child's eyes welled up with tears had Neteyam ready to crack his bow over Arutey's head.
He knew Y/n would've been upset if she'd seen how he behaved sometimes, but they hadn't been together long enough for her to see that side of him yet.
Or maybe it was the boys ego - too inflated for someone as humble as Y/n.
Or maybe it was because it wasn't him at Y/n's side.
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
It was Toruk Makto's yearly celebration of the day the Na'vi won their freedom from the sky people.
Though the Na'vi had many celebrations where they honored the Great Mother and the life they'd been blessed with, Toruk Makto's celebrations were always one to look forward to
Y/n's top was a beautiful shade of purple - made from the petals of Sun Lilies.
From her legs hung beautiful crystals and ornaments that glowed in the moonlight. Her hair was open and out of it's usual braids - falling softly over her shoulders and curling around her
It didn't take Neteyam long to find her. She looked like a flower in bloom with her colorful attire whilst surrounded by the greenery of Pandora
She was talking to a group of girls, laughing at something one of them said
It was a little embarrassing how much time he'd spend watching her from afar - but building the courage to go up to her was something he struggled with.
He knew he couldn't have her, because she wasn't his. But Eywa, sometimes it felt like he was made for her. He knew how silly he would sound if he said it out loud, but he knew - deep down, the love he felt for her would never leave his heart and soul.
Eventually, Lo'ak found Neteyam and dragged him to where he and a group of boys were sitting idly and speaking to each other - obviously intoxicated with something as they spoke loudly and tumbled over their words - laughing.
"Come on, don't be a loner hanging out all by yourself Neteyam." Was what Lo'ak had said to him
Neteyam just rolled his eyes with a laugh. In reality, Neteyam was even more popular than Lo'ak amongst the teenage boys. But, he didn't usually spend too much time with the other boys. They respected the fact that Neteyam liked to be alone sometimes, not even questioning Toruk Makto's son.
Neteyam finally realized Arutey was sitting amongst this group, oblivious to Neteyam's presence. Maybe it was because of how intoxicated the boy was. Neteyam watched him spill his drink as he stood angrily, storming off at something one of the boys had said
"What's wrong with him?" Lo'ak asked as the boy Arutey had been speaking with grinned. He then snickered, straightening himself a little bit as he noticed Neteyam's eyes watching him, like a predator would to its prey, before speaking.
"Just messing with him - his girl doesn't want him anymore." He said as Lo'ak looked at him confused
"What girl is it?" He asked curiously. But Neteyam's head was already turning to find Y/n
She was still sitting with her friends, unknown to the boy who was approaching her
He stood in an instant, following Arutey with furrowed brows as he watched him approach Y/n and drag her away from the party
He watched her protest, trying to get him to let go of her - but his hand held her arm tightly
It was too crowded for her friends to notice that the boy had taken her, only Neteyam had seen the distasteful interaction
Arutey must have been standing behind some tree now, out of sight from the rest of the party. He was slurring his words a bit as he yelled at her. Neteyam could hear his tense voice - but he could not see where they were, as Arutey had moved swiftly when walking with her - and Neteyam had been too far behind to see exactly where he'd gone
His voice grew louder, and Neteyam's anger was growing to the point where it was threatening to snap
Y/n Y/n Y/n
He was yelling at her. Someone was yelling at her.
Neteyan wasn't stupid, he knew the reason Arutey was yelling at her was because of him. And he wouldn't have it go on a single second longer.
His eyes were practically crazed as he searched for her familiar figure.
He followed the voice - hearing the words "You're a liar." and "Unfaithful." echoing through the forest as the voice grew louder - indicating he was getting closer-
He saw her tear streaked face first. The way her lips were parted in shock at Arutey's cruel words as he kept throwing insult after insult.
Arutey's back was to him - but Y/n saw Neteyam approaching them. He felt his stomach physically recoil by the wounded look on her face - but her expression quickly transformed into relief when she saw him
He was furious that Arutey had frightened her so badly - so mad he could've easily killed him with his fury alone. Arutey must have seen the look on her face -because he was turning around to see what she'd been looking at with such wide eyes
But before he could even get a word out - Neteyam's fist collided with his face. A sickening yet satisfying crack meeting his ears as he threw punch after punch.
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
They were on each other - throwing hits so powerful it would've knocked out any other regular Na'vi, but the two teens were warriors, and not ready to back down.
Y/n had taken a sharp intake of breath when Neteyam hit Arutey - but she'd let out a cry when Arutey hit Neteyam
"Stop! Please, both of you!" She tried yelling, and the sound of her desperate voice had Neteyam turning away from Arutey and towards her with concern. Unfortunately, that single second of distraction was all Arutey needed as he threw a punch straight at Neteyam's face
"I hate you!" He yelled at Neteyam - his intoxicated mind ready to give his all in this fight with Neteyam
Neteyam merely gritted his teeth and recovered from the hit in an instant - throwing another punch at Arutey as the two of them pummeled each other with flying fists
It seemed their yells had caught the attention of the Na'vi, as they began walking into the forest to see the source of the screaming and fighting
It didn't take long for Toruk Makto to pull Neteyam off of the boy - and for Arutey's friends to pull him away from the confrontation as well
Both boys looked like they could've gone the whole night fighting each other as they were dragged away
Y/n was yelling at Arutey now, slapping the back of his head as he only sat quietly now. She was visibly upset, and Neteyam could only hear her trembling voice as his father yelled at him
"What the hell were you thinking boy? Hey, Neteyam!" He snapped, angrily snapping his fingers in front of Neteyams face - who's mind seemed to be somewhere else entirely
Neteyam blinked, before shaking his head and wiping the blood he felt trickling from his nose with a frown
"I'm sorry dad, I-" He started, but Neytiri quickly cut him off
"We leave Neteyam. Now."
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
After a long lecture from his parents and a proud smirk and slap on the back from Lo'ak, Neteyam struggled to sleep, once again.
He laid in his hammock for maybe an hour before getting up. It took him a second to stand straight, as his head was still a bit dizzy from the hits he'd received from Arutey.
He sighed uncomfortably before his feet took him out and towards the forest - away from his sleeping family.
Neteyam never got into fights. He really was one of the most civil and peaceful Na'vi in the clan. Fighting was something Lo'ak was known for doing. He didn't even know what was going through his mind when he hit Arutey - but seeing Y/n getting yelled at by that Skxawng had triggered something inside of him.
She was easily the bravest teens amongst the clan - known for her flawless hunting and charming personality. But seeing her with Arutey had always upset him. How did he, of every Na'vi to live, have the privilege to be with her?
He knew he could not interfere with someone else's relationship - but Y/n had been his friend before she began her relationship with Arutey. And Neteyam believed he had the right to protect his friend. His dearest friend, no matter what. He valued their friendship like no other.
"Neteyam?"
He turned slowly at his father voice, seeing him standing sleepily and looking at Neteyam confused.
"Come here kid, come on." He gestured, calling him over as they sat down. He saw how tired his dad was, just barely awake as he sat down with Neteyam. He knew he was in for another lecture.
"Dad, you are tired. We can speak in the morning if you want?" He tried reasoning, but Jake shook his head firmly
"Yea, you think we'll get this type of privacy in the day?" He said, laughing quietly as Neteyam gave him a small smile
Jake was quiet for a moment, almost like he was thinking, before he began speaking.
"Now, tell me what happened. What really happened that made you fight that boy today." He said softly, his tone showing no anger as Neteyam stayed quiet, looking at the ground
Jake waited patiently for Neteyam to gather his thoughts
"Dad... well, there's this girl. Her name - it is Y/n." He started, the words foreign on his tongue as he spoke
Jake raised a knowing brow as Neteyam let out a nervous breath. Jake has heard of Y/n briefly, he knew of the girls sweet nature and skills.
The words were hard for Neteyam to speak because, well, he'd never spoken out loud of his feelings for Y/n before
But they sat for maybe an hour, Neteyam pouring out the feelings and the hurt he'd kept bottled up for so long as Jake nodded along quietly, listening more attentively than ever.
When Neteyam was finished talking, the relief he felt was like no other. Jake grabbed Neteyam gently by the shoulders before speaking
"Now, listen to me Neteyam. She is special to you, I gathered that much. And if someone is special to you - you don't ever let them go. I know that from experience. You know... you're mother was promised to someone else when I met her. Now, I'm not saying to go after someone who doesn't belong to you - what I'm saying is, if you truly, in your heart -" He said, tapping Neteyam's chest gently with his finger before continuing, "If you truly feel she doesn't belong with him, that she isn't happy - then you interfere. The fight you got into... well, I hate to say it, but I'm proud you intervened. Don't tell your mother though -" Jake quickly added concerned as Neteyam let out a heartfelt laugh
"Now - go back to sleep boy. Rest, you're tired, I can tell." Jake said, gently pulling the boy up from where they were sitting as Neteyam smiled
"Goodnight dad." Neteyam said. And right when his head hit his hammock, sleep took over his body before he had the chance to fight it.
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
Neteyam had spent his morning deep in Pandora's plentiful forest.
Initially, he wanted to clear his mind. But he couldn't stop himself when he saw the array of flowers that were growing plentifully and basking in the suns rays.
He'd seen his father gift it to his mother - a bouquet was what he'd called it.
It became a tradition of Jake's, constantly getting Neytiri bouquets whenever he was out or when she was mad at him. Neteyam loved seeing his mother's face light up when she'd be greeted by the familiar and beautiful array of flowers.
It took him a while to figure out how to create it - but once it was complete, he couldn't have been more proud.
It was colorful, and smelled so sweet that it reminded him of Y/n's own scent. The flowers were all different from one another - two of each kind, one flower to symbolize Y/n, and the other flower to symbolize him.
There were many, and they were tied together by vines expertly. It truly was a beautiful bouquet.
He had hidden the bouquet and spent the entire day with a cheesy grin plastered on his face looking forward to the night - when he planned to seek Y/n out.
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
Y/n sat quietly tonight, not speaking much expect for a few please's and thank you's during dinner
Neteyam frowned as he watched her - she was usually so lively and talkative. He loved eating his food quietly and listening to her talk to the clan with her precious smile
After dinner, she excused herself early and was seemingly bidding her goodnights for the evening.
Widening his eyes at her quick departure, Neteyam also swiftly excused himself as his father gave him a knowing nod - granting him permission to leave
He grabbed the bouquet he'd kept hidden, before taking a deep breath and following after her
"Y/n! Wait!" He yelled out
She turned around, looking a bit confused. But once she realized it was Neteyam who was calling her, he watched her ears lift curiously as her tail swayed awaitingly behind her
"Neteyam." She said breathlessly as he stopped in front of her, looking down towards her as his nervousness finally caught up to him
"Yes, I- are you ok?" He finally managed as she blinked a few times, shaking her head as if to assure him nothing was wrong
"Oh Neteyam, I am fine. I actually wanted to thank you for yesterday. I..." She trailed off as she stared at him, her hands clasped together tightly
"I feel horrible for what he did to you. You did not deserve that, and I - I have never felt so horrible before. I wanted to find you earlier, but I didn't think I could talk to you without - " She stopped, clamping her mouth shut as she took a deep breath in
Neteyam felt his heart sink as he understood what she'd been trying to say by the misty look in her eyes.
She thought she'd start crying if she tried talking to him after last night.
"Y/n... oh Y/n, I am the one who intervened. And for your honor, I will always intervene. Please, do not blame yourself for someones else's ignorance." He said softly, moving one of his hands forward as he tentatively reached for her face
He stopped a few inches from her face, suddenly freezing as he realized how intimate it was to cradle one's face. But it was Y/n who moved forward, resting her cheek against his palm and holding it softly.
She closed her eyes, leaning her cheek into his hand as Neteyam's heart beat quickened - so much that he was sure she could hear it.
"Actually, I stopped you for another reason Y/n. There was something I wanted to give you," He said, trying to calm his heart as his mind felt like he was about to go into the most dangerous battle of his life
She opened her eyes, her lashes damp as she looked at him with eyes so mesmerizing he struggled to form a sentence
"I wanted you to have this... I want you to know, I value you. More than anything Y/n. And if... If you ever need me, for anything at all - I am always here for you." He said, slowly moving his arm to reveal the bouquet he'd kept hidden behind his back during their conversation
He will never forget the look in her eyes when she first saw the bouquet for as long as he lived.
Her lips parted, her eyes stunned as she took in the beautiful sight of flowers in front of her
And finally, the smile he'd missed so damn much overtook her entire face. The light from it alone bright enough to shine over even the darkest parts of him.
‧͙⁺˚*・༓☾
He wouldn't pursue her the night after the fight. He knew she needed time, and he would wait as long as she'd wish for him to
But, their friendship evolved.
Before, he spent his time watching her from afar. Now that they were closer as friends, he sat next to her - and Eywa, he began to see the little details he'd missed before.
Like the way her eyes would squint when she'd find something hilarious, or the way her face would be completely still, and only her eyes would move when she was hunting. She would be entirely focused - and he'd be just as still when he'd watch her
She liked swimming. They had spent many nights swimming with each other. She'd tell him of her favorite songs to sing when praying to Eywa, and how she loved sunrises. She'd wake up before every single one just to watch it happen.
He found himself opening up too - his heart giving her everything and more as he shared every bit of him to her. He'd tell her of his struggles as the eldest son, and how sometimes his mother would show him her clever tricks with her bow - he promised he'd show Y/n every single one she wanted to know about. To this, she said she wanted to know them all.
She learned everything about him - and he learned and loved everything about her.
He didn't think he could fall in love with her anymore than before, but he was wrong.
Neteyam awoke early today, it was still dark out, but the smile on his face couldn't have been any more brighter
She'd invited him to watch the sunrise with her. Nobody else knew she'd wake to watch the sunrise - and he felt his heart physically stutter in his chest when she asked him to come with her.
It was a special moment of her day - and she wanted to share it with him.
He saw her sitting peacefully, eyes closed as her legs hung over the edge of the ledge she was sitting on
He sat down quietly next to her, and she turned to him with a smile
"Hi." She said quietly, her eyes twinkling in the dim light. Neteyam felt his heart swoon at the sight of her
"Hi." He whispered back, before the two of them turned to the view in front of them
The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, her rays ready to touch the sky as Y/n turned to him
He turned away from the sun and to her, and she moved to hold his hand
"I wanted to tell you something important, Neteyam." She said, her voice gentle as his ears perked up
"Of course, is something wrong?" He asked, his voice genuinely concerned as she let out a quiet laugh
"Nothing is wrong, I just..." She trailed off as she stared at him, her eyes filled with an emotion he didn't entirely understand just yet
He remained quiet and waited for her to speak again, squeezing her hand reassuringly as she shook her head
Moving forward, she pressed her lips to his.
They were soft and gentle and sweet. He blinked rapidly, before leaning into her. His mind immediately freezing as he felt her hand gently hold his face
As she pulled back, the sun's light illuminated her face so radiantly, that Neteyam's breath was simply taken away.
She laughed at the look on his face, her smile enchanting him in a way no one else could've.
"I like you, Neteyam. More than friends. More like -"
"Lovers." He breathed out, still unable to believe what had just happened
She nodded her head, eyes beaming at him with love, he realized
"Eywa, I've been waiting for you to say that." He said lovingly with a grin that matched hers as he leaned towards her and connected their lips once again, the sun's light shining on them both as they enveloped each other longingly.
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