#omaticaya!reader

hes the kinda boyfriend to defend you no matter what, like with his fucking life

hes got that warrior older son mentality, he will not hesitate to punch a mf for you

loves just slinging an arm around your shoulders just cause

also really likes messing with your hair, whether it be braiding it or putting it into twists or locs or just running his fingers through it, he just likes touching your hair

if you dont rlly have a parental figure, trust he will do your hair for you

if youre ever in the forest (non metkayina / au where he lives) he helps you bond with an ikran :D

(if metkayina / never see forest together) you help him bond with an ilu for the first time, and later a skimwing

if youre shorter than him in any sense, he likes carrying you around on his back / shoulders

also if youre human, he does call you 'little one' like how he calls spider little bro because youre short 😭

if youre as tall as him / taller than him, hed probably lowkey melt

hed do the nervous swaying on his feet and look at you how jake looked at neytiri when they were young

like his tail will swing all nervous and he'll try to hide it but he cant

hes a fluster bug deep down just like his dad 😭😭😭

he just loves teaching you things

random stuff he learned from his parents, random facts about the flora and fauna of the forest, lore about eywa and stories he grew up hearing

he really likes making you things too

random decorated knives and holsters, even a bow if you want one

he teaches you on the spot how to use a gun

funsies

also need to add this man would never yell at you

he may get frustrated or upset but he'd never yell (also no i dont believe he ever yelled at lo'ak, he was either warning him or trying to talk him out of a bad decision, at the end of the day theyre brothers and shit happens pls dont come for my head)

hes that one meme thats like "my partner and I dont argue, they tell me to stfu and I do" 💀

he loves just making memories with you

he wants to show you the world

the edges of the planet are yours to explore and he wants to make sure you can see it all

even in memories through the spirit tree (if you can access them) he has this strong desire to just take you places and show you things and its so 💔💔💔

you never tell him how he dies in your memories w him because he'll forget the next time you see him anyways

and you wanna enjoy what time you have with him

"y/n/n, look! ikran racing over there, on your 12, see?!"

dude the way his eyes glimmer with wonder get the fuck away from me

When your family sought uturu along with the Suli family, Tsireya was more than willing to help you guys learn the metkayina ways, especially you.

And of course, everybody in the clan noticed, except you.

Poor oblivious you. 

You only thought she was being nice. 

How could it be anything more than that?

Now, you sit in your family's maurui, weaving some nets the way Tsireya had taught you earlier that day, as your brothers playfully tease you about it.

“Sa’nok, you should've seen how close Tsireya was sitting next to y/n!” your younger brother exclaimed, “‘Oh y/n, let me show you properly!’” He mimicked her. 

“‘Oh, thank you, Tsireya!’” Your older brother was now mimicking you. 

Heat rushed to your cheeks as you huffed in embarrassment, “It’s not like that!”

“Then what is it like, Y/n?” your little sister, who sat quietly beside you until now, looked up at you. Her big eyes filled with curiosity, with a slight twinkle in them. 

“She was just being helpful. That doesn’t mean anything.” You looked down as the heat now crept up to your ears and to your neck, you continued with your weaving, hoping to Eywa that they would drop the subject. 

Your parents shared a knowing look; it was now your mother who spoke up. 

“Ma’ite, you know there is nothing wrong with liking Tsireya,” she said softly from the small cooking area situated in your maurui, now fully turning her attention to you. 

“I know, sa’nok,” you smiled, your eyes scanning over your family’s faces, all of them giving you reassuring smiles until your eyes landed on your younger brother, who stuck his tongue out at you. 

• . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. •

At breakfast, Tsireya was unusually quiet, but Ao’nung didn’t seem to mind as he tried to eat his food as quickly as possible before going out.

“Tsireya, ma’ite, what is on your mind?” Ronal asked, concerned by her daughter's quietness.

“It is nothing, sa’nok,” she mustered a small smile, trying to reassure her mother, but Aonung spoke up.

“She’s just thinking about her future mate, sa’nok,” he snickered to himself as he ate the last bit of breakfast on his plate.

“Aonung!” Heat rushed up to her cheeks and ears as Aonung smiled innocently at her and left the Maurui.

“Ma'ite,” Ronal paused for a moment, “Y/N is very kind and skilled, I approve,” she nodded, continuing to eat her breakfast. 

“Thank you, sa'nok,” 

Although Ronal did not approve of the Omotikaya, especially the Sully family, she saw how easily you adapted to their ways, how you seemed like you belonged and most importantly, how happy you made her daughter. 

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As the sun began to set, you found yourself sitting on the sand, admiring the sky that was now painted with oranges and pinks. Your parents were with Ronal and Tonowari and your brothers were with their new friends, giving you some time away from their teasing and with your own thoughts.

“If it isn't my favourite forest girl,” Aonung said as he came to sit beside you.

During the time of your stay, you and Aonung had formed somewhat of a close friendship… After you dragged him by the ear and forced him to apologise to Kiri.

You two sat in silence for a while before Aonung spoke up, “You know she likes you, too, right?”

You looked at him, taken aback, as you let out a surprised breath, “What?”

“Don’t act like you don't know what I’m talking about,” he lightly nudged your shoulder with his.

You sighed softly as you looked at your feet, which you slowly buried beneath the sand. “It’s not that easy, you know?” 

“And why is that?”

“Because,” you started, but quickly stopped yourself, “She’s the future tsahìk and there's just no way she would ever like me,” 

“Trust me, my sister likes you.”

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Tsireya paced anxiously through her family’s maurui, biting her fingernails, as a million possibilities ran through her mind. 

After a long, restless night, she had finally decided that she was going to confess to you… today. 

And she was really second guessing herself right now.

Is she really gonna do this?

Maybe she should do it on another day?

No. 

She promised Aonung and her friends that she would do it today. 

So she’s gonna do it today.

• . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. •

After the end of a very long day, you decided to skip the communal meal, and watch the sunset.

But now the sky was completely dark, and almost everyone went off to their own maurui’s. 

And Tsireya was worried sick. 

You told her earlier that day that you would sit next to her at the communal dinner and tell her all about the adventures you and your friends had in the forest, but now, you were nowhere to be found.

She went to your family’s maurui, but you weren't there and she asked anyone she saw if they had seen you, but they didn't.

As she walked along the shore, she was completely consumed with dread until she saw someone sitting on the rocks near the far end of the beach.

Relief filled her chest as she ran over to see you, but was overtaken by worry when she saw your shoulders shake and tears rolling down your cheeks.

“Y/n?” 

You stopped crying for a moment, aggressively wiping off your tears, and turned around to face her. 

“Tsireya?”

She slowly climbed up on the rocks and sat next to you. She saw how red your eyes were and your puffy cheeks, engulfed you in a hug and you started crying again, only now you were crying harder. 

The two of you sat like that for a while, until you pulled away from her embrace. 

“Thank you, Tsireya,” you smiled softly and wiped the rest of your tears. 

“Are you okay? Did someone upset you?” 

“No,” you shook your head as you turned to face the ocean again, pulling your legs to your chest and resting your head on your knees. 

“I just… Sometimes I miss the forest. And I have dreams about being back there and having fun with my friends.” You both stayed silent before you spoke up again, “And mom and dad keep fighting, and my brothers, they look happy but I know they miss it too.”

“Oh,” Tsireya looked at you, guilt creeping in. 

How could she not have noticed this? 

How could she be so selfish to want to court you and expect you to possibly live in Awa’atlu with her?

“But I really like it here, you know? And I really like spending time with you,” you turned your head to look at her, and smiled softly before looking back at the ocean.

Oh.

Oh… 

“I like spending time with you too,” she smiled softly and a comfortable silence settled between you two, well, comfortable for you.

Tsireya tried pushing the nerves away, trying to gather all the confidence she had within her.

“Um…” She spoke up after a moment, surprising herself, “I- I made you something,” she said, taking out a beautiful seashell necklace from her pouch.

She worked on it for weeks, walking along the shore, diving as deep as she could to find the prettiest shells just for you. 

You sat up straight at the news of this surprise. 

“But I don't have anything for you,” you frowned, your eyebrows knitting together. 

“Don’t be silly. It’s a gift,” she paused, “A courting gift,” 

“Than- What?” You stopped yourself, thinking that you must have heard her incorrectly.

You took a good look at her, making sure that she was being serious. 

Did she really want to court you? 

No, that's impossible.

There’s no way that she’d like a simple forest girl like you…

Right?

“Y/n,” she took your hands in hers, “I really like you. I like your kindness and your adventurousness, so if you're okay with it, may I please court you?” she asked softly, tracing patterns in the palm of your hand.

You stayed quiet for a moment, while Tsireya was dying inside, thinking that it must all be a dream, right?

But as you looked at Tsireya, as you looked her in her eyes, you could see the hopefulness within them, hoping you would say yes.

“You may,” you whispered and she let out a relieved breath, putting the necklace on you with shaky hands. 

And as the hours ticked by slowly, the two of you sat on those rocks, talking about anything and everything as if you didn't have all the time in the world… until you yawned.  

Tsireya insisted on walking you back to your family’s maurui, even though you told her you weren't that tired, but she still walked you back, wishing you a good night’s rest and promised you guys could carry on the conversation before she softly kissed you on the cheek. 

As Tsireya walked back to her own family’s maurui, she couldn't help but think about how grateful she was for Eywa to bless her by giving her the best gift, you.

@aquariel88

“I think I might know when you can confess.” Rotxo commented with a big smile.

You spent hours diving, searching for the perfect shells for Tsireya's gift —gladly, that counted as training—. Your fingers hurt a little, but your sisters told you it was a good job for your first metkayina necklace, in their opinion. Expecting a perfect confession, you practiced the words again and again, until the day arrived.

Rotxo was right, it was the time of the month when Tsireya had to go to a specific cave. That cave was a few meters away from the shore and you could only enter by diving. Rotxo showed you the place previously, so you wouldn't get lost just in case. That cave was important for the Metkayina, since inside it had various kinds of flora and fauna reserved for special rituals of the tribe.

So there you were, asking Tsireya if you could go with her. She never rejected anything you asked, and of course she was happy to have your company.

“Sure! There's plenty of things we need to collect. We better hurry up.” Her smile and little dimples almost made you faint right there.

«It's okay, just keep it together.» You said to yourself.

The journey was full of little games, races and smiles under the water. The animals surrounded you like if they knew you needed reassurance, so you thanked Eywa for that.

When you finally arrived, the inside of the cave looked even more beautiful that the time you were there with Rotxo. Tsireya asked you to collect some plants outside the water, while she searched for shells and rocks.

«I can't do this.»

«Yes, yes I can.»

«Damn, what if she says no?»

«Her smile it's so cute.»

«My heart is racing so fast.»

«Am I gonna die right here, before my romantic life starts?»

Your head was occupied with all those thoughts, so you didn't realize Tsireya was talking to you.

“Huh?”

“I asked if you have everything.” She gave you a friendly look, you didn't know she found your distraction cute.

“Uh… yes, sorry.”

“Okay, then it's time to go.” She smiled again and was about to dive, but you called her name. “Is something wrong?”

“No… well, it depends on how you see it.”

“What it is? Are you hurt? Do you need more time before diving?”

She went out of the water, leaving her basket and bag aside. Her hands grabbed your shoulders —you felt the skin burning under her fingers—, and she study your face and body with a worried look.

“It's not that.” The embarrassment was evident because of a blush. “Please, sit with me.”

Both of you sat at the edge of the pool. Her hand was close to yours, but you felt like you couldn't grab it yet.

“I need to tell you something.”

“I'm here to listen to you, always.”

“I have been feeling weird since a lomg time ago…” you started.

“Should we go with sa'nok?”

“No, no. I know what's happening. You see… this strange feeling of my heart almost exploding It's there just when I'm with you or thinking about you.”

Your eyes avoided looking at her, otherwise you knew you wouldn't be able to continue.

“Since we arrived, you have been an amazing friend to all of us. But the months passed and I just wanted to be near you, hearing your voice, your laugh, or even just being by your side.” A sight was heard in the cave, you needed to take a breath. “I realized how comfortable and safe I felt with you, well… you make me feel that way. You are a beautiful and amazing na'vi, and I know I probably have nothing special to offer, but I would like to court you.” Your voice trembled, but your hand was able to take the necklace from the bag attached to your waist. “And I would understand if you don't feel that way, however, I wish you can accept this.”

You offered the necklace, but she didn't take it. Panicked went through your spine, so you looked up. She was staring at the gift, completely stunned.

“I know it's not the best you have received, perhaps I know there are other na’vi who could give you something better, but-”

Her hands landed at each side of your face. You looked at her surprised by the sudden action. If Tsireya knew puppies, she would say you had puppy eyes at that moment.

“What-”

But she cut you again. Actually, her lips did. The texture was like a gummy and the flavor was salty, something that you would crave in your heart for the rest of your life. The feeling of having her that close was something new, but it definitely felt right.

“You're beautiful.” She whispered. “I mean… It's beautiful! The necklace, yeah.”

“T-Thanks. Sorry, but does this mean…”

“That I like you too, pretty girl.” She giggled and you could promise she never looked that cute before. “And I would love to court you too.”

“Oh…” You smiled like an idiot.

“‘Oh’? That's it?” She teased.

“Sorry, I don't know what to say.”

“It's okay.” She passed a hand through the locks of your wet hair. “I'm just teasing you.”

She leaned again. Your foreheads and noses touched. You sighted, relieved because nothing went wrong, but you were still in shock.

“Can you put it on me?” She asked gently.

Your fingers secured the necklace in her nape. When she turned and looked at you, the image of her wearing her first courting gift made you feel ikrans in your stomach.

“You look beautiful too.” You smiled.

“Thanks for it.” She touched the shells decorating her neck. “And by the way, you are wrong.” You looked at her confused. “You have a lot to offer and I would love to see it.”

It was not long before his voice reached every corner of the room. "Why are you getting up?" Neteyam asked, his tone devoid of sleepiness.

"My limbs feel sore, so I need to move a bit. I think I’ll get dressed and have a little walk," you explained with a sigh, "I'll be back soon, you can get back to sleep," you promised, but hesitated to take another step.

Before he even spoke, you knew he was standing behind you. Even though he hadn't touched you yet, you could feel chills running down your spine as he whispered right into your ear, "Nìawnomum, there's no need to leave this place to move your body, oeyä 'eve." His lips brushed your earlobe slowly, and you whined quietly.

After turning you around, he grinned widely when he saw that you were turning bright red up to your pointy ears. Neteyam cupped your face, as he had done countless times before, planting kisses along the outline of your jawline while his fingers reached to your lower, exposed regions.

You couldn't resist giving in no matter how hard you tried, and this time was no different. The contact between his thumb and your clit caused you to inhale sharply as you turned your head away from him as you were trying to hide the blush showering your face, though it made no difference, since he already kneeled down, grabbed your thighs, and bit lightly on your soft skin while kissing your flesh tenderly.

In no time at all, your moans would be heard outside the hut, and you knew that they'd only get louder, so you decided it was pointless to hide your pleasure.

Knowing he could bring you to the point where you would be unable to control your own actions gave Neteyam immense satisfaction, and it was impossible to deprive him of it.

That's the exact look he gave you when he pulled away so he could push you back onto the bed.

"I have not moved an inch even though you told me I could by staying in here with you. So, among other things, you are a liar too, Neteyam," you responded and watched his eyes widened; in spite of your willingness to give him all the satisfaction he wanted, you continued to make your usual sarcastic remarks.

Hissing, he said, "You'll regret those words soon enough." After these words he tenderly kissed your breast.

You closed your eyes and drove your nails into the cot; your pulse increased at the mere thought of his taste.

While he pinched your nipples and kneaded your breasts, you ran your fingers through his hair and wrapped your legs around his slender waist.

His kisses were like torture as you needed him right there and then already, yet Neteyam seemed to gloat whenever quiet whimpers escaped your parted lips; he slowly kissed your body, tasting your warm skin, trembling like a leaf on a northern breeze under his every kiss as he kissed his way down, between your legs. Soon, using two fingers, Neteyam rubbed his fingertips along your outer lips until he found you were wet enough. Even though you knew he was holding back in order to get you to apologize, something you didn't intend to do, your body was begging for something much greater. "Nì'ul!" you moaned without thinking, trying to push your hips more into his touch.

Neteyam heard your pleas out and stuck another finger into you, never separating his lips from your pussy.

Your hips trembled as you whimpered, "Deeper, Neteyam."

A brief chuckle passed through his lips, but as soon as it vanished, his fingers curled into you, even though it wasn't enough to satisfy your desires.

Reaching out, you took his hand in yours, positioning it so as to allow him to reach deeper; your pleas for greater things were mixed with cries of pleasure.

His thumb put more pressure on your clit as he watched your facial expression with a wry smirk dancing in the corners of his mouth.

You were only a few seconds away from climaxing when he pulled his fingers out, leaving you looking at him with contempt in your eyes.

"I told you you'd regret it," his huge smirk just annoyed you more, and you attempted to get up from the bed to leave the hut, but he pulled you back under him, pinning your shoulders down with ease.

In an effort to switch places and bring yourself on top, you exhaled, "You're the worst, Neteyam."

As his gaze traveled across your body, he focused on the places you loved to be touched most; he was in a submissive stance, but looked at you as if you were at the bottom.

Even though you knew it was nearly impossible to change that, you still wanted to try. Before you reached his abdomen with your palm, you planted kisses on his neck, moving down to his collarbones. As you stroked the base of his cock, you felt him twitch under your touch. You couldn't help but sneer - it was unusual for him to react that way, which made you even more eager for what would follow. When you first took him in your hand and started pumping, his cock was already rock-hard.

The pace increased faster than usual; you were so excited that you couldn't stop yourself. You pushed him off yourself and rolled on top of him, and he gladly obliged. While bending down, you licked his tip and took him little by little into your mouth. Your greed made you move even lower, causing his balls to come in close contact with your lips as you left behind all signs of restraint.

When Neteyam was close to finishing, you pulled away slowly, ensuring that your tongue slid along his entire cock. In the midst of playing with a hair strand, you leaned against his ear. "What's wrong? You want more?" Your voice was nothing but a whisper; his body was tensed under you as you straddled him slowly, gently grinding your pussy against his erected shaft. "Don't worry, I am not finished yet, yawntutsyìp."

Tugging at his left earlobe, you sucked at the crook of his neck, savoring the warm taste of his sweaty skin. You were almost ecstatic at the mere thought of this man being willing to share his corporeality with you. After you'd finished, you sat up slightly, grabbed his cock, lined it up with your entrance, and lowered yourself onto him until he was inside of you. Upon entering your core, soft moans escaped your lips and you sat on his lap more firmly, regaining your balance and moving your hips fluidly.

Neteyam caressed your breasts and traced the outline of your spine with his hands; his lips parted as he watched you with a bliss. After you leant forward, your chin was raised by him and he kissed you, his tongue running over your teeth briefly before he went deeper, holding you close to him throughout.

"I assume your limbs are not that sore anymore. Why don't you just lay back and relax?" He suggested in the softest tone he could muster.

After nodding, with a last roll of your hips, you rolled off him and lied down on your back, grateful for the cold sheets underneath you.

"Are you willing to apologize for what you said previously, for calling me a liar?" Neteyam asked, tracing the curve of your hips with his index finger. When you opened your mouth to protest, he harshly pressed his lips against yours to silence you in an eager kiss.

Your gaze was fixed on his face as he climbed on top of you and yanked your thighs apart. After jerking his shaft a few times, Neteyam pushed into you without the slightest sign of hesitation. His movements were slow and not without impact as you moaned his name and the occasional harder or quicker, both of which he conveniently chose to ignore.

The fact that he had been waiting for his turn made you realize that he would probably take his sweet time with you. Soon, however, his hips thrust into you faster, his cock so deep inside your pussy that your bodies became one. Moaning, you felt your pussy clenched around his shaft, spasming rhythmically, leaving you trembling in his arms; it was one of the most intense orgasms you’ve ever experienced. In spite of this, he didn't slow down and you could see drops of sweat forming on his brow as his speed increased.

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you caressed the skin of his nape with your nails, whispering sweet nothings into his ear - you expressed how much you loved him, what he meant to you. You clung to him, rocking back and forth in perfect sync, lusting for more even if you'd already reached your climax.

The last time he pushed himself forward, he wanted to get as deep inside you as possible, and you welcomed his cum when it filled you.

As Neteyam gasped for air, he laid on top of you, occasionally kissing your cheek. 

In the midst of a long silence, you teased, "So? Are you not interested in my apology anymore, oeyä yawntu?"

As he gazed down at your face, still flushed from the intercourse you two shared, he propped himself on his hands. "Don't even start, little one, or I'll get angry again."

Biting your lower lip, you flicked his nose. "I'm just teasing. You know I mean no harm. Nga yawne lu oer.”

Glossary:

oeyä yawntu - my beloved

oeyä - my

oeyä 'eve - my girl

yawntutsyìp - darling

nga yawne lu oer - I love you

nìawnomum - as you know

at first, he finds your curiosity annoying

he finds all of you annoying, really

but like... he feels youre just really dumb for being so curious

like how kiri was connected to the water, and he found it super weird

basically how he feels about you

like bruh do you not know what fuckin coral is????

"ouuu whats that one?"

"thats... thats more coral."

"what about that? its so slimy feeling!"

"its kelp, skxawng"

hes surprised you forest people can barely even swim too, did you not have creeks or rivers??

youre swimming around w him post lo'ak standing up for him after he deserted him in the middle of the ocean

youre not a big fan of him atm, but hes also the only one down to go out and let you explore and watch over you

yknow post kiri seizure, lo'ak running off, all that fun stuff

he doesnt even know why hes gone out with you, but he also knows deep down if something happened to you, hed never forget himself

plus hed get into some realllll trouble

youre halfway to the spirit tree and find some starfish

you thought they were so cool and pick one up, and swim up to him so he can tell you what it is

"whats this thing?"

"starfish."

OH GOD YOUR SMILEEEEEE

"good name."

he was trying so hard to contain this weird giggly smile

he swam to the little hive of starfish to pick up another

"look. all sorts of colors. whats your favorite?"

and he finds a starfish thats youre favorite color 💔💔💔

in a way, he likes youre curiousity

he finds it soooo adorable

tsireya makes you a shawl out of kelp and you genuinley wonder what it is

its like... almost so dumb its adorable

like dude kiri has a shawl almost exactly like it that mo'at made for her 😭😭 fym what is it???

he then realizes you probably said it cause you were trying to process but were lowkey struggling to

he brings you new things to see or takes you to new things until you literally run out of them

the way your eyes light up just like... get to him, your amazement and awe makes him wanna explode out of cuteness aggression to be so for real

the way you try all their new foods and adapt to their way of life is so like tjwnrnwkjdowjw to him

like youre so respectful even tho youre so annoyingly curious and ask questions nonstop

"oooo whats that?"

"its akula and tuna, and some kelp"

"is it good?"

"a little spicy," he shrugs, "but good. one of my favorites. try it. thank eywa first"

"no shit." you glare at him sarcastically before thanking eywa for your meal in silence

you place a large bite into your mouth and instantly, a facial change

he stares at you, trying to read your expression

you feel the spice hit you like a brick, but it evens out around the fried kelp. its good. so fucking good

"woah. thats awesome."

he smiles, "you like a lot of food, dont you, forest person?"

you quickly nod, "I like trying new things, dude"

"good to keep an open mind, forest"

Kiri went up to Oo'rah with you, alone, to give you some moral support whilst taming your ikran. You wanted to do it solo, but she refused after figuring out you were going to try and go all alone. She wanted to celebrate your feat with you, in the moment, not later when you just decided to mention it on an adventure through the forest or something. She was used to having you jump on the back of her ikran to get anywhere long distance, not having that anymore was a big deal. You were gonna tame your own ikran after years of debate and fear of it, and fly yourself around, it's a big deal to her even if it wasn't to you.

You hold a rope of vines in your hand as you slowly approach the large animals, growling and flapping their wings wildly. Kiri creeps behind you, a light, teasing smile on her face.

"What am I doing again?" you ask, breath quivering.

She giggles, "Use your heart. Your ikran will choose you."

You softly exhale, "Okay, okay..."

You step forward, eyeing a teal and gold ikran. It flies away after shrieking at you. A green one flaps its golden-lined wings at you, but again, it flies away. The noise of the wings and screeching makes your head ache, the noise penetrating your brain.

You glance back at Kiri, giving her a nervous look. Your heart isn't 'leading you' anywhere. She gives you a nod and a comforting smile, trying to push you forward. You take a deep breath before moving forward, hands clutched around the vine in your hands.

"How do I know if they choose me?!" you question.

"They'll try to bite your head off, skxawng!"

She stands to the side, fingers grazing over the rock wall behind her. You stare at her with a shocked expression, silently wondering if she's being serious or not. You hope not. You honestly didn't know what you'd do without her coming with you to tell you how to do this, but you knew either way, you'd figure it out. Still, the ikran who wants you as their bond partner wants to fight you in an instant? Feels a little counter productive, doesn't it? Maybe you have to prove yourself to the ikran, you aren't sure.

You approach a purple ikran, gold lining their wings. They don't flap their wings and snarl at you before flying away or jumping up to the surrounding walls. They growl at you and hunch down, preparing to battle.

You look back at Kiri, "What now?!"

"Tie the rope around the mouth, jump on, and make the bond!"

You nod, turning back to the ikran as it lunges at you. You yelp, falling to the ground to avoid it.

"That looks like it hurt," Kiri comments and snickers, playfully teasing you from afar.

You swiftly rise to your feet, spinning on your toes to face the animal. It roars at you, defensively flapping its wings as you swing the rope around in your hand like a lasso.

The ikran raises its wing before pulling it down to smack you down. You fall to the ground, but quickly pull yourself back up. At the next opening, you toss the rope up and manage to swing it around the ikran's mouth.

You move to the back, leaping onto the ikran as it lays its head low, swinging it wildly to try and shake the rope off. You try to grab the ikran's kuru while you grab yours, trying to keep your feet steady on the ground.

"Make the bond!" Kiri shouts with a laugh, entertained by your struggle.

The ikran shakes you off, rope still tied around its mouth. You scrape your arm against the rock in the fall, but manage to get yourself back onto your feet. You lunge at the ikran again, kuru in hand. You quickly make the bond with the ikran, effectively taming it and calming it down. Its eyes dilate, heartbeat syncing with yours.

"Quick, the first flight deals the bond!" Kiri smiles as she runs to you, proud of you, but also worried you won't seal the bond in time. "Go, quick, rookie!"

"How do I fly?!" you frantically ask, looking out at the forest below.

"Just think 'fly'!"

Kiri sits in front of you, a light smile on her face as she tends to your wounds. You sit in front of a fire, hunched over to give Kiri the best angle you can so she can fix you up. Mo'at sits beside her, tending to other wounds across your back.

Somehow, you'd gotten pretty beat up. Kiri says she remembers how all these wounds were created, but you didn't in all honesty. Your back is covered in scrapes and friction burns, and so is your left arm and shoulder. Kiri tends to your back while Mo'at tends to your arm.

Mo'at finishes rather quickly, moving to speak to Neytiri. This leaves you and Kiri alone as she caresses your back with her fingertips, gently pressing ointments and gauze across your spine.

She slowly exhales with a hum, "You did good, for a rookie."

You roll your eyes, playfully, "Hush. You didn't even have to fight your ikran. Your dad, he didn't even leave a trace of blood! And here I am, all scraped and bruised up..."

She rolls her eyes right back, placing a leaf over the ointment on your back that she planned on then wrapping in gauze. "So? Doesn't mean you didn't fight back and tame your own ikran, your way. You did it, Y/n. You tamed an ikran. Be proud of yourself!"

"Fine, fine," you begrudgingly mumble, "I'm so very proud of myself, Kiri."

She smiles. She knows you're not being truly serious, but she'll take it. She moves to sit in front of you, then quickly wraps you in her arms, engulfing you in a hug.

"I'm so proud of you, Y/n/n," she smiles, gently rubbing your neck.

When you were kids he would find it difficult to be vulnerable in front of you or expose that he needed some type of physical contact to feel better, since he felt that he had to be a great little warrior in front of you so that you wouldn't make fun of him. But the first time he fell off a tree (when Spider, Lo'ak and you were trying to grab some fruits) you quickly managed to hug him and put his head on your neck, stroking his hair to calm him down while Spider went to look for Jake. Since then Lo'ak was sure you would always be there for him, no matter how vulnerable he can be.

One day, at 12 years old, you were searching for materials to make new matching beads for Lo'ak and you. The sound of the river didn't let you hear your friend approaching. He scared you when you turned around and saw him a few steps behind you.

"Skxawng, you scared me." You laughed. When he didn't make fun of you, you notice the way he was looking down, trying to hide a few tears.

"What's wrong?" You asked, worried.

"My... my dad." He cringed at his own broken voice. "Ugh, never mind. It's ridiculous, always the same bullshit.

"No, no. Lo'ak, whatever you are feeling is valid. Come here, you wanna talk about it?”

Both of you sit next to the river, with a basket full of materials behind you. You embraced him and he let himself cry on your shoulder. "I was just trying to help. Neteyam was bringing this huge animal for the meal, I tried to help him, but I slipped. l couldn't grab anything to stop my fall because of the huge animal and I ended up stepping on my brother's bow," You grabbed his hand and squeezed it trying to comfort him. "Neteyam wasn't even mad, he knew it was an accident, but my dad told me that l had to be more careful, that it was my fault if Neteyam couldn't hunt in a few days because he had to make a new bow. He can hunt with his knife! But it's always my fault in my father's eyes, as if I don't know that l always mess up things.” He sighted. "He said.. yelled that if l wasn't able to help, I had better not get in the way.”

That broke your heart. Lo’ak was a bit of a rebel and curious soul, and sometimes he could get in trouble because of that (because he wanted to show people that he was good enough in many aspects), but he never had bad intentions.

Maybe to other people he didn't care when he was scolded and apparently just got mad and defensive, but you knew he was sensitive too.

"Okay. Maybe your dad is stress right now. You know that recently the clan have had problems hunting enough for the meals." Lo'ak nodded. "However, that's not an excuse for treating you like that."

When he calmed down, he lay down looking at you with red puffy eyes. You tried your best to make him laugh by splashing a little bit of water to his face.

"Don't worry, we are gonna go hunt together and help Neteyam to make a new bow."

"Deal."

"Can I go now?" Your best friend asked.

“Any more trouble, I jerk a knot in your tail. You read me?” Jake asked while you cringed at the fact that he still thought his sons were little soldiers.

“Yes, sir. Lima Charlie.” Lo'ak was giving him an ‘I don't give a fuck’ attitude, just like every time he just wanted to stay away from his father.

“Go on.” Jake said after giving him another scolding look.

You followed Lo’ak, watching his tail swing angrily. You bit your tongue trying to control the disgust you were feeling towards the na'vi that always gave you a sweet pat on your head every time you felt down. Because it was unfair the way Mr. Sully treated Kiri, Tuk, and you with patience the days you guys were just not able to handle life, but he didn't let his sons explain when something didn't end up as expected.

All of the Sullys were so worried when Ao'nung told them that Lo'ak was nowhere to be found outside of the reef, but you almost had a panic attack in front of Neteyam because you would not be able to handle losing another friend. The burning pain of not knowing where or how Spider was was enough for your heart. So, of course, you weren't happy when you noticed the antipathy of Mr. and Mrs. Sully.

Your sweet touch helped Lo'ak to maintain himself calm, but your own calmness disappeared when you listened:

“Where were you?” it was Neytiri's voice.

«Oh, great mother, she did not just say that to Neteyam.»

“Yeah. What happened to ‘keep an eye on your brother’?”

“Sorry, sir.” the oldest Sully brother answered.

“No. Where were you?.” Your voice resonated between a heavy silence. Jake and Neytiri looked at you confused, Lo'ak turned around, thinking what he heard was a hallucination, and Neteyam was shocked.

“Excuse me?” Jake said, unhappy by your sudden disrespect.

“You are the parents, not Neteyam.” You repeat, starting to feel a little angry. “An older child is not supposed to be a third parent. You are the responsible ones for the security of your children.”

“You think I don't know that, y/n?”

“Well, sometimes it is not how it looks.”

“Y/n, I know I'm not your father, but you need to respect me. Especially when I-"

“Respect is something that is earned. And yes, I'm thankful for all the things you guys have done for me, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna pretend you are not being mean with your son.”

“Y/n, is not the right time...” Neteyam tried to talk to you.

“It is. All these years, I've been respectful about your parent technique, but I will not stand it anymore.” You got close to Jake. “You are understanding with Kiri, Tuk, and me while you are mean to Neteyam and Lo'ak, using the excuse that you are trying to protect them. But you don't act like a father. You act like a soldier who can not forget.”

“You don't know what you are talking about.”

“Maybe I don't know all the things you went through on Earth, and I'm not judging you because I know you were hurt too. But because you were hurt doesn't give you the right to hurt others! Especially when they are your family.” Lo'ak watched the way your tail swung side to side in an anxious move. “You don't think words can hurt? Because day after day I see one of the most important na’vi for me, thinking they are not good enough for anyone because of you, and thinking that they are not worth being loved.”

That made Neytiri flinch and look at her son with a hurt expression.

“Listen…” Jaks said after giving a quick peek to Lo'ak, who was now standing next to you.

“No! You listen, because you never do!” You weren't yelling, but your voice was loud enough to make Jake realise he had never seen you like that. “You don't know where Lo'ak was or how he ended up there. You can't tell me you believed what he said about Ao'nung trying to stop him.” Neteyam didn't know where all of the sudden confrontation came from, but deep down, he was a little bit happy that someone was telling his dad about the things he didn't see. “And still you don't let him explain what happened. You never listen when Neteyam tries to tell you things fail, not because he wasn't being responsible, but because he's still a kid, not an adult.”

Neytiri wasn't happy about your attitude, but seeing Lo'ak shocked made her realise that maybe all the things you were saying were somehow things Lo'ak (and Neteyam) wanted to say.

“We know you try to protect us, and you want us to be strong, but you forget that we are still kids. They need you as a dad, not a soldier. They need your love and comprehension. And yes, you need to scold them sometimes, but not make them feel unhappy with themselves.”

“That's not my intention” was all Jake could say.

“That's what you are doing.”

You sighted, tired of all the emotions you went through in just one day. You grabbed Lo'ak's hand and walked away, while Jake, Neytiri, and Neteyam admired the way their son and brother looked at you with pure love.

Lo'ak and you were sitting on a big rock, admiring the beautiful ocean and purple sky. Both of you haven't said anything since you arrived there, wanting to be left alone and in peace after the confrontation.

“You know you are incredible, right?” Lo'ak was the first one to break the silence.

“Yeah? Well, now your parents hate me.”

“I'm sure it will pass, Neteyam will help you.”

“And what about you? You're gonna leave me to die in your parent's hands?” I smiled a little bit.

“No, no. I will never do that.” He said, looking at you, almost directly to your soul. You didn't expect to feel nervous under his gaze, but his eyes were telling you a lot of things that he couldn't process into words. “Thank you.”

“You don't have to thank me, Lo’ak…”

“Y/n, thank you.” His fingers found your hand, so they started to caress your hand gently. “I admire you so much. Sometimes I don't know if I wanna be Neteyam or you.”

“You have to be your own person.” I grabbed his hand. “Because Lo'ak is just as perfect and enough. And I know that because I see you.” I said with a soft tone.

A shy but playful smile appeared on his face. He looked cute when he didn't dare to make eye contact with you for a few seconds.