#human!tuk

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who immediately freezes mid-note-taking when you walk into the classroom, pen paused above his paper, eyes tracking your every step without realizing it. He’s cataloging the way you tuck a lock behind your ear, the pretty curve of your smile, the way light shimmers on your lip gloss. Lo’ak has to nudge him under the desk, whispering, “Bro, you’re staring.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who will do your homework without question, slipping it into your folder before you even ask. He tells himself it’s “because you’re busy,” but really? It’s because he can’t stand the thought of you stressing over something so small. If anyone teases him about it, he mutters, “She just… has better things to do. Important things,” like you’re royalty and he’s your sworn academic knight.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who is a top tutor in half the school’s advanced classes, but when you sit next to him and lean in so close he can catch your addicting fragrance, asking for help, his brain simply stops functioning. The words are there… somewhere… but they’ve gone on strike. Lo’ak tells him after, “She literally called you smart, dumbass. She’s into you.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who studies your strengths and weak spots in class like they’re his own personal research project. When he explains something in a way that finally clicks for you, he catches the exact moment your brows ease and the way you start beaming, and it’s like the sun comes out just for him. He hides his smile behind his palm as he nods at you when you start explaining it back to him.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who short circuits when you sweetly murmur, “Thank you, Neteyam,” with that fucking smile that feels like it’s just for him. He forgets what the hell you were even working on together, blinking like you’ve just hit him with a some enhancement or something.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who keeps extra browser tabs open during class or project meetings “just in case.” You need a source on 18th-century trade routes? Boom, already open. You mention something about botany? He’s got a scholarly PDF ready. He pretends it’s coincidence, but it’s not.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who accidentally info-dumps about his culture, rattling off stories his grandmother told him, meanings behind traditional beadwork, hunting techniques from his family’s home region … all in this quiet, earnest tone. Halfway through he realizes he’s rambling and stumbles over his words, but you’re still looking at him like you’d listen forever.“Sorry, I’m rambling.” —“Don’t be. I like it.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who finds excuses to walk you to class. He tells himself it’s “on the way” (it isn’t) or “because he’s got something to give you” (it’s always a new pencil picked out of his meticulously placed ones or your favorite snacks).

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who subtly memorizes your coffee order after overhearing you at the café when you both stopped by since you were paired up for a project, and the next week casually slides it onto your desk before you can buy it yourself. “You looked tired,” he gently utters, not meeting your eyes.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who tries so hard to act cool when you talk to him in front of your friends, but later Kiri catches him smiling to himself, features flushed, mumbling, “She laughed at my joke.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who freezes like a deer in headlights when you show up unexpectedly while he’s in the middle of explaining a some equation to Spider. His train of thought derails so hard Spider just stares at him and goes, “…Bro?”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who is the only one who stands up when you enter the room, like some old-fashioned gentleman. Lo’ak groans every time, “Sit down, man, she’s not a visiting queen.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who catches you laughing at one of Lo’ak’s dumb jokes and immediately jumps in with some obscure fact to try and keep your attention on him. Lo’ak notices every time and calls him out for “academic flirting.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who is hyper-aware of every laugh, every time your voice drifts down the hall of his house when you come to study with Kiri. Kiri will “accidentally” leave her bedroom door open just to see her brother glance in and trip over his own feet.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who pretends he’s just “passing through” the kitchen when you and Kiri are baking cookies, but somehow he ends up helping you reach the flour from the top shelf and his brain is screaming about how warm your hand felt when you brushed past him.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who is fucking mortified when Kiri calls out, “Stop looking at her like that, Teyam, she’s gonna notice!” — and you do notice, but the little smile you give him just about knocks the wind out of him.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who gets called out by Kiri constantly. “You’re staring again, nete,” she’ll whisper during lunch. Or, “You blinked for the first time in five minutes, should I be worried?”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who always notices the details of how well-known you are — the way people part to make space for you in the hall, the constant chorus of “hey y/n!”s when you walk into class — but what gets him is that you always take the time to wave at him, even when you’re surrounded by your friends.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who pretends to be reading when you’re talking to Kiri in the living room, but he’s 100% listening to your stories, filing away every little detail like it’s classified intel. Later, he’ll work those details into casual conversations so you think he’s just “really good at remembering things.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who doesn’t know what to do with himself when you compliment him. “You’re so smart, Neteyam. You make this look easy.” He only laughs awkwardly, rubs the back of his neck, and can’t stop thinking about it for days.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who offers to drive you home when Kiri’s busy or your ride falls through, and Jake tells him to be a gentleman before giving him access to the car. He won’t admit it, but he’s fucking sweating down to his ass crack the entire time, hands gripping the steering wheel just right, trying to play the perfect playlist while sneaking glances at your profile in the passenger seat, and you manage to ease his hammering heartbeat.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who quietly watches you from the bleachers at school events when he thinks you won’t notice, whether it’s a sports game, a pep rally, or even theater night. He’s not into crowds, but he’s into you.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who once caught you napping during study hall and was so preciously protective over the sight that he actually moved his chair slightly to block other people’s view of you and propped his fluffed up folded hoodie beneath your head.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who has a timid, half-hidden smile every time you mess with him in a playful way — taking his pen, poking at his arm, stealing his hoodie. He acts like it’s a mild inconvenience, but he’s secretly over the moon that you’re comfortable enough to do it.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who has been hopeless for so long that Lo’ak, even his little sister Tuk, but especially Kiri started keeping a mental list of all the times he’s slipped up around you — from blushing too hard to forgetting his own name during introductions.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who notices your mood the second you walk into a room. Happy? His chest feels lighter. Tired? He’s already digging out his bag or offering you his hoodie. Upset ? His brain immediately scrambles to “how do I fix this” mode.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who makes excuses to linger after group projects end, packing up his stuff slower just to walk out of the classroom at the same time as you.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who stares a beat too long when you’re speaking to him or anyone close, not because he’s zoning out, never when it comes to you — but because he’s memorizing every feature; the light in your irises, the twist of your grin, the pout of your lip, the way your expression contorts when you’re passionate about something.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who is so hopelessly soft for you that even your smallest gestures feel grand — a quick wave in the hall, remembering his favorite beverage and bringing it when you come over to his house to hang out with Kiri, calling him “Teyam” instead of his full name.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who will stand there holding your bag while you fix your hair or dig through your locker, trying not to smile like a fool at the fact you trust him with your things.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who still feels the rims of butterfly wings rapidly flapping in his tummy when your shoulder gently presses against his, or your knee bumps his thigh under the table — even if it happens ten times in one class.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who stashes little things in his backpack “just in case you need them” — planners, hair ties he took from Kiri, gum and candy, a phone charger, even things tied to your menstrual cycle.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who has a rough idea of when your period starts because it often overlaps with Kiri’s, thanks to how much time you spend together. He didn’t mean to keep track — it’s just… you two get moody at the same time, raid the kitchen for chocolate together, and watch comfort movies in the back of the class huddled together.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who starts quietly stocking his backpack with extra pads/tampons, painkillers, and a chocolate bar or two around “that time” of the month, just in case you or Kiri need them.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who notices when you’re shifting uncomfortably in your seat or your hoodie sleeves are pulled over your hands for warmth. That’s when he’ll casually slide his cardigan toward you, insisting for you to take it for the rest of the day.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who once offered you and Kiri heat packs for cramps, and Kiri instantly called him out like, “You’re weirdly prepared, big brother.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who tries to hide his “prepared for everything” bag from Tuk, bless her, but one day she pulls out a pack of pads and loudly goes, “Why do you have these?!” in front of everyone. Kiri smirks, Spider snickers, Lo’ak practically falls over, and you just… smile tenderly with a head tilt.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who becomes the victim of an unholy alliance between Lo’ak, Kiri, Spider, and even little Tuk — they’ve started making bets on how many seconds it’ll take for him to get flustered once you’re around.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who is so obvious that Spider once whispered to you, “You know he’s in love with you, right?” when Neteyam was out of earshot. You just grinned and didn’t answer, which drove Spider crazy.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who can’t even enjoy a normal movie night because the second you sit on the floor in front of the couch (close enough for your shoulder to brush his knee), Lo’ak leans over to Kiri and mutters, “Three… two… one…” and right on cue, Neteyam completely forgets what’s happening on screen.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who tries to maintain his composure around you, but every single one of them — from Tuk to Lo’ak — has caught him smiling stupidly at his phone after you text him something small like “thanks for helping with that assignment :)) have a good night, teyam”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who tries to keep it together when you’re over, but Jake sees right through him. Every time Neteyam suddenly volunteers to “help you carry that” or “walk you out,” Jake just smirks and mutters under his breath, “Uh huh… sure, kid.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who gets the look from Neytiri when you laugh at something he says — that knowing, mom look that’s equal parts fond and teasing. Later, she’ll casually say, “You speak very confidently around her, son,” and Neteyam will get all downright flustered like, “No, I don’t!”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who nearly passes out inside when Jake offers you a drink or snack before he does, because now his dad is setting the bar for how to treat you.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who is so obvious that Jake motions to his other kids at the dinner table and whispers, “Your brother’s down bad,” when you compliment Neteyam’s cooking.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who can’t even eat dinner in peace because you’re sitting across from him, and every time you talk, his eyes flick up from his plate. Neytiri notices every single time and has to hide her smile.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who suffers through Jake asking “casual” questions about you later — “So… does she have a boyfriend? No reason, just curious.” — while Neytiri smacks her husband’s chestand scolds, “Leave him alone.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who will pretend to be super casual about you being around the Sully home, but Jake will absolutely tell him — just joking around, “If you don’t ask her out, Lo’ak will, and you’ll never forgive yourself.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who dies a little when Neytiri invites you to stay for dinner without even checking with him — and then serves your favorite meal like it’s no big deal.

˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who panics the first time you ask if he wants to hang out outside of class or study sessions or with his siblings lurking behind like creeps, because in his head, this is dangerous territory — this is “date” territory. Lo’ak overhears and immediately shouts, “Bro. Say yes before I say it for you.”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who actually rehearses what he’s going to wear for your first “non-school” hangout, changing his shirt three times until Kiri walks past his door and goes, “You’re literally dressing up for my best friend. It’s obvious. She’s gonna know.” And he just hugs his pillow and groans.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who ends up taking you home after that hangout, the streetlights hitting his face in a way that makes your stomach twist — he’s looking at you with such warmth and affection. He hesitates before saying softly, “You make me really happy, you know that?”

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who doesn’t confess in big gestures, he does it in the middle of a class or at the library when you’re chuckling at some absurd, nerdy comment he made that leads and connects to him blurting out he likes you. And when you just blink at him for a second before beaming and saying you return his feelings, his ears burn so hot he can’t help but look away.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who can’t stop smiling like a FOOL for the rest of the day, to the point where Lo’ak and Spider keep yelling “STOP LOOKING SO GROSSLY HAPPY” every time he walks into the room.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who starts holding your hand casually — first in quiet moments, timidly slipping his fingers through yours, then in public, like it’s second nature. It’s not flashy or performative, but it’s attentive and loving, like he’s promising without words to be there for you.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who still does your homework sometimes, but now he makes you sit next to him so you “at least watch the process,” which usually ends with you distractedly kissing his cheek or resting your head on his shoulder while he types.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who kisses you for the first time after you thank him for walking you home — soft, hesitant, like he’s asking a question with his lips and only relaxes when you kiss him back just as lightly.

⋆˚࿔ nerd!Neteyam who ends every study session by making sure you have a meal, your water bottle filled, and your — HIS jacket zipped before you leave, smiling like he can’t believe he’s really yours.

⋆˚࿔ And nerd!Neteyam who, months later, still catches himself staring at you like he did in the very beginning — intent gaze following your silhouette when you walk into a room — but now, instead of looking away bashfully, he just smiles so openly. Because now, you’re smiling back.