between hands and heartbeats - neteyam sully x reader
: ˚⋆✮ in which: you and neteyam are officially courting, but no one seems to notice. either way, neither of you are trying to hide it.
: ˚⋆✮ a/n: continuation of healing hands! this could be read as a stand alone though (i think). might be last post for a couple days, unless i do a smaller headcannons post or something.
part 1
if anyone were asked, they would say nothing had changed.
the clan had grown used to the two of you circling around each other, closer than friends but less than anything more. they hadn’t noticed how the distance between you had long since stopped being space and started being intention.
what they mistook for hesitation was restraint.
neteyam did not reach without permission. he had stood before your parents and his with his shoulders squared and his voice steady. he spoke plainly, not promising anything he couldn’t keep. he did not ask for ownership or claim over what yet is not his, he asked for the right to court you properly, to learn you, walk beside you without secrecy.
your parents had not been surprised, neither did his.
they shared knowing glances, aware of the way both you and neteyam found your way to each other in any scenario. they had been expecting this.
when permission was given, neteyam nodded firmly, as though he had been entrusted with something fragile and intended to keep it that way.
it wasn’t a secret, of course it wasn’t.
neteyam had his intentions clear from the beginning, having always been deliberate.
it was just that no one had seemed to notice, nor did anyone ask.
he stills trains at dawn, leads patrols, carries himself with that calm, unshakeable steadiness that makes him trustworthy without question.
the only difference, really, was the fact that he no longer did it alone.
but neteyam doesn’t act like he’s hiding something, he acts like its already decided.
: ˚⋆✮
lo’ak is the first to feel it.
it starts small, neteyam waiting more than usual.
not in the obvious way, not tapping his foot or glancing around. just… standing. lingering near the edge of the clearing when he knows your gathering herbs.
then there’s the touches.
neteyam is not a casual touch type of guy. he rarely gets close to others, restricting his touches to shoulder claps and handshakes.
except you.
sure, your a healer, its your job. but lo’ak notices something when you treat neteyam after a hunt, something usually only his grandmother would do for small injuries such as this one.
neteyam sits where you gesture without complaint, skin littered with light bruises he got from protecting others. he didn’t mind them anymore, not since you told him to stop overthinking every small mistake. in fact, he would look forward to these moments, where you’d gently treat him and he’d get to hold you close.
you kneel infront of him, focused and professional, until you notice him smiling lightly whilst staring at you and you scold him.
“you are smiling like this injury isn’t bad.” you mutter, fingers gentle but unimpressed.
“i am smiling because you are beautiful” he replies calmly.
lo’ak, hovering near the tent entrance, snorts. “oh, so now your relaxed. where was this calmness in the patrol, huh?” he provokes.
neteyam doesn’t look at him, doesn’t even blink. not when he could focus his attention fully onto you whilst he holds your hand.
not gripping, not dramatic, just resting there, thumb brushing your knuckles in a slow, absent movement like his body has memorised yours.
lo’ak’s brain short circuits.
“… why are you holding hands” he asks carefully, glancing in between you two,
you glance up, neteyam doesn’t.
“it helps him stay still” you shrug
neteyam hums in agreement, still staring at you intently.
silence falls as lo’ak stares in disgust “i think i’m witnessing a crime.” he eventually says.
“get out” neteyam replies as lo’ak practically runs out of the room, not wanting to stay there any longer.
“finally, he’s gone” neteyam sighs, placing his hand onto your cheek as he brings his mouth to yours, kissing you gently whilst he pulls you onto his lap.
you pause in between kisses, giggling as he chases you for more “cmon, baby. i missed you.” he huffs.
“and i missed you too, but we both have duties to fulfil” you declare, getting up from his lap.
“fine.” he finally quits “but wait till we’re mated, then you’re going to become my priority, and we won’t have to leave each other again.” he murmurs, staring into your eyes with a delicate expression.
and you believe him, because you know neteyam would never tell you a empty promise.
as you leave the tent, mo’at approaches you.
“have you treated my grandson?” she questions.
“yes, tsahìk.” you nod.
“good. he seems to refuse to be tended to unless you are doing it.” she mutters before walking off, leaving you with a warm feeling in your chest and a small smile painted on your lips.
: ˚⋆✮
naturally, you find yourself at the sullys for dinner, something you had been doing often your whole life, especially recently.
neteyam sits beside you, as he always does, but now his hand rests openly against your wrist, thumb brushing your skin in absentminded rhythm whilst he listens to his father speak. he does not move away from you when he feels the gaze of his family towards him, because he doesn’t have anything to hide.
jake notices the closeness between you two, but doesn’t say anything.
neytiri notices more, the way neteyam angles his body toward you, the way he reaches for you before he reaches for his food. her eyes soften, seeing her son so content and soft, reminding her of herself and his father. she turns to jake, subtly nudging her head in your direction, as he smiles lightly, reaching to grab her hand.
lo’ak, on the other hand, keeps glancing between you like he’s watching something click into place far too late.
he nudges kiri “has he always done… that?”
kiri glances over, then back at lo’ak, unimpressed. “yes”
“no,” lo’ak insists “he didn’t used to do that infront of her”
across the table, you’re laughing at something neteyam whispers in your ear. his smile is softer than usual, eyes warm in a way lo’ak doesn’t remember seeing.
kiri hums. “you just noticed?”
lo’ak straightens. “noticed what?”
“that they’ve stopped pretending” she says plainly.
lo’ak opens his mouth. closes it. watches again.
“but we knew,” he says. “everyone knew. dad knew. mum knew. eywa probably knew.”
“mm” kiri agrees “but knowing and seeing are different”
neteyam shifts closer to you unconsciously as jake speaks, shoulder brushing yours. when you glance at him, he meets yours eyes instantly.
lo’ak gags. “why is he staring like that”
neteyam looks up as kiri snickers “like what.”
“like you’re about to carve her name into a tree”
“oh he already did” jake says whilst taking a sip from his drink “last nights patrol”
neteyam whips his head towards his father as blush creeps up his neck “what- how do you know that?” he stutters
you snort as jake replies, “tarsem told me” he shrugs. neteyam turns towards you with a look of betrayal as you squeeze his hand and quickly cover your laugh.
lo’ak snickers as neytiri calmly cuts into the conversation. “eat. all of you.”
: ˚⋆✮
the fire has burned low by the time dinner ends.
neytiri nods your way before she speaks “come,” she says gently. “help us.”
kiri is already standing, collecting dishes as you rise to follow. neteyam’s hand lifts from its resting place on your waist, his fingers moving to brush your wrist softly.
“i’ll be back” you murmur.
he nods and lets you go.
: ˚⋆✮
the water is cool against your hands as you kneel beside neytiri, rinsing bowls. kiri settles on the opposite side, humming softly as she works.
“you’re careful with him” kiri says lightly, not looking at you.
you pause, just for a breath.
“he’s careful with me” you reply.
neytiri’s ears flick. her mouth curves, not quite a smile, but close.
“he carries the weight of others easily,” she says. “it is good that someone reminds him he is allowed to rest.”
your throat tightens. you focus on the water again.
kiri finally looks up, eyes warm “you help him not be hard on himself.” she nods appreciatively.
no questions. no warnings. just understanding.
when you return the last bowl to its place, neytiri rests a hand briefly at the small of your back, a gesture so fleeting it might have been imagined. but you don’t imagine it.
when you return to the fire, neteyam kisses your forehead gently “i’m going for a quick walk” he murmurs, as you send a small smile his way.
: ˚⋆✮
for a while, there is only the sound of leaves crunching underneath jake, neteyam and lo’aks feet.
lo’ak breaks first.
“so” he says, dragging the word out, “you gonna tell me, or?”
neteyam doesn’t look at him. “there is nothing to tell.”
lo’ak scoffs. “bro.”
jake exhales from his nose, amused. “son.”
neteyam finally glances sideways, brows lifting slightly. “i have not hidden anything.”
“that’s what’s wild,” lo’ak says. “you weren’t sneaky. you were just..” he gestures vaguely.
jake nods “he treats her well. reminds me of myself and your mother”
neteyam’s shoulders ease as lo’ak grins.
“i still can’t believe you pulled this off without asking me. since when was the mighty warrior such a ladies’ man?” he snickers, wrapping his arms around neteyam’s head.
neteyam huffs “shut up skxawng”
: ˚⋆✮
neteyam had just resumed his seat beside you again when tuk’s voice cuts clean through the evening.
“wait!”
everyone turns.
she plants her hands on her hips, eyes wide with triumph. “are you two mates now?”
silence.
neteyam stills. you feel it instantly, not panic, not fear. just awareness.
you glance at each other.
he finally speaks up. “not yet.” he says evenly.
lo’ak chokes on a laugh as kiri smiles into her hand.
jake clears his throat. “tuk” he says authoritatively.
“i knew it! you hold hands, he lets you shout at him, he looks at you like he looks at his bow…” she lists.
neteyam blinks. “respectively?”
tuk nods “like it matters.”
that does it. you laugh, soft and unguarded and neteyam’s fingers tighten around yours without thinking as he begins to smile too. laughter bubbles around the room as tuk looks way too satisfied with herself.
: ˚⋆✮
later, when the village settles and the world softens around you, neteyam leads you home.
he pauses before turning towards you. “do you uh, want to see that tree?” he grimaces, still embarrassed.
“is that even a question?” you giggle, as he huffs sarcastically.
he stops beneath a tree where the light gathers gently at the roots, as if eywa herself illuminated the earth to make way for the two of you. faintly you can see the outline of both yours and his name, running your fingers across the bark. neteyam’s hand lingers on your waist as your breathing syncs without trying.
“im sorry,” he says quietly. “if that embarrassed you.”
you shake your head “tuk or this?” he lets out a small laugh “i liked that she said it out loud”
he hums “i did too.”
his hand finds yours again, warm, familiar, steady. he pressed his thumb gently against your knuckles, the way he does when you’re tending to him.
“i guess everyone knows now” you say.
“i think they knew before we did.” he murmurs, wrapping his arm around your shoulders as kisses your forehead.
he nuzzles your hair, voice soft in your ear, “you know im always yours”
your rest your hand on his chest “and im always yours.”
for a moment, there’s only the quiet hum of the evening and the knowledge that this, this closeness, this trust, this love, is finally perfectly yours together.
