Neytiri x Female Human Reader (period comfort)
You can feel it coming, the sharp pang in your abdomen.
Pain travels up your spine and curls around your stomach, gripping your muscles like a vice.
You don’t know how you're going to explain this in a way that isn’t mortifying– God knows how the Na’vi will react. You can already feel a thick wetness form between your legs, hesitantly looking down you can’t help but notice a red stain has steeped its way into one of the last pair of pants you had managed to bring with you to Pandora, hopefully you can get the stain out later…
You quickly rush to hide away in the small but secluded and private home you had managed to create for yourself with the aid of the Omatikaya– a small hut woven from reeds and wood, fit with a hammock you could rest your pounding head upon, and a soft patterned mat to cushion your feet.
You had only taken the first step before your eyes caught a glimpse of the Na’vi that had helped you grow accustomed to these alien lands, the Na’vi who had guided you– albeit begrudgingly. Neytiri. Despite how long you had spent with the Na’vi you had never grown used to how they tower over you, slender bodies built for hunting and climbing in the expanse of Pandora’s massive jungle, looming over you by a good two or three feet. Neytiri was soon only a few feet away from you, the corners of her lips curling upwards ever so slightly in greeting. You couldn't help but stare into her eyes, large pools of viridescent gold that glimmered in the sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, a stark contrast to the striped azure of her skin. In moments like these you almost felt ashamed to be human, to stand in front of a being so majestic with your small chubby stature and plain skin, you felt… unremarkable. Even the way that Neytiri’s braids fell across her shoulders seemed graceful, the small colorful beads they’re adorned with clinking softly as they graze each other.
“Come, it is time to eat.”
“Uhm, I don’t… I think I’m just going to head to bed.”
“You wish to make a bad impression on the clan, I told you, dinner is eaten toge–”
She paused as she noticed your features scrunch, brows furrowing as your lips twisted in pain. Your period was always at its worst on the first and second day, the pain and discomfort would tamper down slowly, but until then…
Your lower abdomen protested as a slew of cramps brought their havoc, a sharp jolt of warm pain curling underneath your belly button and traveling to your thighs.
“Are you sick–?! I didn’t see you get injured, you must not be– Your bleeding?!”
Your cheeks immediately flushed with shame as she rushed to your side, kneeling down as her four-fingered hands glided across your skin, frantically checking for anything that could’ve caused this. If you didn’t already feel inferior to them, then now was the moment. Growing up your cycle had always been a gross downside of womanhood that needed to be kept silent and to yourself, it wasn’t ladylike nor cleanly to discuss such… icky matters, your Mother had made sure to teach you that. Yet even if that wasn’t the case, standing here with fucking period blood dripping down your thighs and an eight foot tall alien fussing over you could never have been a comfortable situation.
“I’ll call for my Mother, she is Tsahik–”
“No! No, please don’t, I’m fine really!”
“Fine?! There is blood and you say you are fine! I have known you long enough to know you are not completely stupid, I’ll bring you to her and you will be healed, no arguments!”
“I’m not– I’m not… sick… It’s just a human thing. Or, I guess it’s more of a human female thing.”
That got her to pause for just the briefest moment, her ears flattening slightly as she observed your shamed expression, face flushed and eyes tilted downwards.
“What is it your talking about?”
“It’s my period… Every woman gets one for about seven days, give or take, every month, unless you're infertile or you’ve gone through menopause. We bleed because we shed the inner lining of our uterus, but it’s not exactly pleasant and I’ll probably have to deal with cramps for the next few days... It’s gross…”
“You are not gross. Nothing about you is gross. You are strong to deal with so much pain every month, a warrior does not get struck and think the blood that falls is gross.”
Her voice was nearly stern, steady and resolute as if to suggest anything but what she was saying would be idiotic, that this was absolute truth.
You didn’t know how to respond, never being one who was used to such open affirmation. A part of you nearly expected her to sneer in disgust, see it as another flaw of the human body that seemed so frail compared to hers. You know logically that she had never mocked you (Except for every once in a while when you nearly hurl yourself off a tree or accidentally stab yourself with an arrow– but her teasing has never been malicious) yet nevertheless you feel compelled to hide away your shame, not wanting her to notice. So instead you gave her a shy nod to at least show her you heard, your head hung low and limbs suddenly awkward and gangly. She seemed to notice your discomfort, because after a pause that felt too long she spoke up again, her voice surprisingly… soft. Tentative almost.
“When… When you are having your… ‘Period’ is there anything that could relieve your pain…?”
“Uhm… I guess back home I would’ve had a heating pad, and put it over my stomach, but I don't know where I would find one here.”
“My hands are very warm. Come.”
Before you could part your lips to protest, Neytiri had turned on her heels, leading you away.
You scrambled to follow her, nearly tripping over the roots and branches that laid in your path. Before long the two of you had reached your makeshift home, and she had gracefully laid upon her side, resting on the hammock you slept in. She ushered you forwards with gentle motions of her palm, you felt nearly nervous at the idea of being so… close. You didn’t want to be touched when blood was still stubbornly sticking to your inner thighs.
“I need to clean myself…”
She simply nodded, she didn’t push the subject or ask questions you dreaded to answer, she seemed tuned to your distress, offering a steady assurance rather than anything prying or judgmental. You were grateful for it, for the fact that once she saw the topic was sore she didn’t press on it, merely offering her aid. Silently she gathered you a bowl of water and a clean rag, before turning her back to something unseen, but you could hear the quiet rustle of her hands and the steady clinking of wooden cups.
You stripped yourself of your soiled clothes, grabbing the rag and soaking it in the warm water thoroughly. The blood came easily off of your skin, and the feeling of warmth and softness the rag brought was greatly appreciated. Before long you were cleansed of the gore and tissue that only moments ago had made your cheeks red with shame.
Foolishly you hadn’t brought anything on Pandora that could help you with this, no advil, no pads, no tampons– it’s not like you can just grab your keys and head to the nearest CVS, given the fact you're surrounded by a dense alien jungle. Frustration squeezes your chest, both at yourself for being enough of an idiot to get yourself into this mess in the first place, and at whatever malicious deity cursed human bodies to bring so much pain. Looking around there's not much to work with, unless you wanted to attempt using some of the softer leaves, but… that just sounds like a recipe for a UTI, which you definitely wouldn’t want to explain to Neytiri. You've suffered enough humiliation already. For a moment it seems as if all hope is lost, until you spot a small basket sitting discarded by your clothes.
You had nearly forgotten about it, but right now it seems like a blessing. In it are dozens of little scraps of cloth and rags, perfect for making a makeshift pad, especially given that you know they’ve all been cleaned. Without wasting any time you grabbed a pair of underwear and carefully laid one of the thicker cloths inside, putting it on alongside your softest pair of sweatpants and your baggiest shirt. At long last you finally feel comfortable, you stride over and grab one of the larger baskets, reaching inside your fingers meet the silky fabric of one of your blankets, lifting it into the air, you wrap it around yourself like a cozy shawl. You rest your weary body inside your hammock, curling against its soft woven arms.
Your muscles begin to relax and soften as you lay back, looking around Neytiri is nowhere to be seen, the quiet patter of her working hands had quieted down a while ago but you had paid no mind at the time, too focused on your own dilemma. Where is she? Had she gotten tired of waiting for you to finish and just… left? Maybe she was right to do so. The rest of the clan would wonder why the Tsakarem had not come to join them for dinner, and it would raise even more questions if she was seen with the sky person instead of her own people.
God, how could you be so stupid?
You had assured her that you were okay, she knew you weren’t dying or anything. Neytiri is the only living daughter of the Tsahik, she has a duty to her people! Were you so arrogant that you thought she would tend to you instead? Especially for something so simple as your period? Looking back on it, she had asked you to lay with her, offering her comfort. And you refused, insisting you needed to be clean. Did she think you were trying to find an excuse to be left alone? Did she think you were distancing yourself?
You curse yourself, your teeth mindlessly beginning to grind together as your mind races through the possibilities for her absence, each one making you feel more pathetic than the last. The only thing that halted your train of thought was the abrupt protest of your abdomen, another painful cramp crashing over you in an unending wave. You twisted in your hammock as if that would ease the discomfort, one of your hands drifting downwards to desperately clutch at your throbbing stomach. You attempted to rub soft circles into your heated skin to soothe the torment, but it was inescapable, like a wild beast keeping you trapped in its jaws.
Before you knew it, hot tears were laying their salted trails across your cheeks, childish and uncontrollable. A soft whimper slipped free from your trembling lips, you felt absolutely pitiful. At the very least there was no one to witness this feeble display, and you clung to that thought just as hard as you clung to your abdomen in your pursuit of comfort. You were alone.
Alone and away from home, writhing in pain, surrounded by an unknown land with no one here to comfort you. A broken sob rattled from your chest, tears now staining your chin as they slowly trickled down your face, blurring your vision. Earth may have been a desolate wasteland, but it had its pleasantries, in moments like this you yearned to be able to stretch yourself upon the welcoming fabric of your mattress, to nestle underneath dozens of your warm blankets as you put on a show on your laptop or brought sweet chocolates to your lips. You wanted familiarity, a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on. Here your only company was the bioluminescent trees and flora that loomed above you.
Well, you thought you were alone.
Your eyes immediately shot up, only to be met with the sight of Neytiri holding an expression of pure concern over her face, her lips slightly parted in a small ‘o’ as she gazed down at your ailing form. She had never seen you in a state like this before. Never. You looked so very vulnerable, looking up at her with wide watery eyes and trembling lips. Her heart lurched at the sight, she could practically feel the pain radiating off of you, and she couldn’t take seeing you like this. Normally you would laugh with her as you stumbled like a child over the roots and branches of the forest, so clumsy… so small… Your lips would crinkle into a mellow smile as she teased you, revealing those odd little teeth devoid of fangs. When she first encountered you she found them disgusting, another weakness of the sky people that were poisoning her home, but… She’s spent so long by your side now that she can’t bring herself to see you that way. Not her human.
“W-Where– Where did you go…?”
Your voice tumbled from your lips before you could think, before you could collect yourself. You couldn't control the desperation lacing your words, nor how soft you sounded.
“I went to gather herbs from my Mother, they- they will lessen your pain. I didn’t mean to leave you, I- I thought you had seen me go…”
Her voice was hushed and urgent as it fell from her mouth, a new sense of guilt now blooming in her chest. Within her willowy hands she clutched what looked like a steaming mug of tea, coils of smoke wafting from its rim. Her other palm held a small collection of roots, seemingly washed in preparation. Just as she had before she quickly rushed to your side, although this time her hands hovered over you almost hesitantly, her wide amber eyes fixated on you.
“Please… I did not mean to cause you harm… Let me soothe you, you said warmth made it better, yes? Let me hold you, please…. My warmth will make it up to you.”
For a moment you just looked at her, still slightly stunned from her sudden appearance, and the sheer tenderness that was woven into her words. It wasn’t even a question, before your mind was even finished registering her words you found yourself nodding. She immediately climbed in next to you, the hammock swaying under her weight. She handled you with utmost care, before you knew it her tender hands were sliding underneath you in order to lift you up and allow herself to slide under you, effectively laying you in the snug embrace of her lap.
Tears still clung to your lashes, you couldn’t tell if the heat in your cheeks was from flustered embarrassment or your earlier sobs. Your brain had felt like it had short-circuited, everything was happening so fast and so sudden and she was so very close to you–
“Relax,” her voice suddenly crooned, “Eat this, it will ease your pain.”
She didn’t allow you any time to object before her palm had brought the root she carried to your lips, a part of you hesitated at the pungent and earthy aroma that assaulted your nose as soon as it was close, but despite that your trust in her was unwavering. With a grimace carving its lines in your face, you tentatively opened your lips. Immediately you were forced to fight the urge not to spit the disgusting thing out, its taste was absolutely abhorrent. The plant was bitter and raw in all the worst ways. The more you chewed the more it coated your tongue with what might as well have been dirt, hard pieces of root forcing you to bring it to the back of your mouth and grind your molars against it nauseatingly. You struggled as hard as you could to choke the wretched thing down, your brows knitting together with tension as your throat took its first gulp. An involuntary gag tore from your lips the second you were finished, small bits of dark root still lingering on your lips, the taste of soil nowhere near gone from your mouth.
And Neytiri had the gall to chuckle!
She tried to hide the crescent of her smile with the back of her hand, but the melodious sound of her giggles still fell upon your ears. The nerve!
“Ugh…” You groaned, your voice hoarse and somewhat strained, “You're so mean t’me… Making me eat that horrible thing and laughing!?”
Neytiri was still smiling as she brought the mug to your face, though you had to admit it was a relief to now see her mood somewhat brightened. It was your fault she was upset in the first place, couldn’t hold back your stupid tears– was it your mission to ruin everything you touched? Nevertheless, you were reluctant to drink whatever concoction was stirred inside the wooden cup, your nose wrinkling in distaste.
“Come now… Herbs from my forest heal much better than whatever the sky people must give you. I bought this to wash out the taste, drink.”
You still weren’t buying it, stubbornly turning your chin away. She simply flicked your forehead like you were a misbehaving child, scoffing at your refusal.
“Drink or you do not get better!”
“Ugh, fine! But it better not taste like shit…”
She tilted the mug into your waiting mouth, and surprisingly it was… pleasant? The liquid was warm but not burning, soothing your poor throat and washing out the remaining residue of the root. It reminded you of chamomile and honey, it tasted almost homey in an odd way, even if you were lightyears away from your actual home.
“The tea is made from paskalin and dapophet, my Mother used to brew this to heal me as a child.”
“You don’t have to do all this y’know…”
She seemed genuinely confused, her wide eyed gaze fixated down on you filled with innocent concern.
“This. I- I’ve been such a burden to you– you should be eating with the clan right now! But instead I've forced you to coddle me!”
For a moment she was purely silent, stunned into disbelief.
“Are the sky people so wicked they don’t care for their sick?”
You felt a four fingered hand press against the crown of your head, your hair pushed back as she slowly stroked your scalp. You were no better than a spooked Ikran, pressing into the gentle warmth of her fingers. Your building confusion was nothing of interest compared to this, her hand fell down the cascading locks of your hair like ripe nectar falls down the throat of the starving. Her voice was tender. Always so tender. Yet somehow even as she cradled you in the bowl of her palm, it felt almost scolding.
“You are vulnerable. You are bleeding. You are hurt. And you expect me to toss you aside? Is this normal for your kind or do you truly consider yourself so undeserving?”
“It's not– Humans took so much from you, you shouldn’t have to give me anything else other than your mercy! Plus y-you don’t understand– it’s gross–”
In a flash of movement your chin was caught in the trap of two of her fingers, forcing you to stare at the newborn determination brimming in her iris.
You whined, suddenly unable to meet her eye.
“No, you clearly do not know. You speak of yourself as if you are nothing, a burden. Stupid! You are deserving of care, of comfort, of… love.”
“You- You shouldn’t hold me so close, I’m- I’m a sky person–”
“I am not blind! I admit I was… uneager to aid you, but I see you deeper than that. You are kind, you are curious, you are so eager to learn and help… But you do not have to beg for scraps here, if the sky people from your home saw this ‘period’ as gross, that is their stupidity, it is not the way of the Omatikaya. We care for our people.”
Now was her turn to grow flustered, in an uncharacteristic moment of shyness she began to stammer before continuing her rant.
“W-Well- even if the clan has yet to fully accept you… I- I see you.”
You settled your head against her chest, finally raising your gaze to meet hers. It was beautiful. Pandora’s sun had begun to slink slowly down the horizon, letting the bioluminescent fauna of Pandora ignite the darkening sky. Their opalescent light reflected against her pupils, painting their gilded emerald hue in glittering mirrors of blue.
“Sleep. I will stay until you wake.”
You nestled further into her, resting against the gentle warmth of her patterned skin. She began to resume her ministrations against your scalp, each soft stroke against your hair lulling you deeper and deeper into your dreams. Even if it was utterly disgusting Neytiri wasn’t lying about that root, your pain had weakened from a blaring roar into nothing but a dull whisper. So had your thoughts. The self-doubt and insecurity that plagued your every moment ebbed away as you let your limbs go limp against her embrace. Replacing them was her words, her affirmations.
Maybe you missed Earth less than you thought, because in this moment, you yearned for nothing more than to remain here for eternity.
