This is a series of little moments during Neteyam and Enyu's married life, based off this lovely ask HERE.
Neteyam leaned his forearms against the wooden fence, where he stood on the outskirts of the training enclosure, surveying the potential new recruits. They were all young- baby faced but had the word determination pouring out of them. He remembered that not too long ago that was him.
The recruits were in the middle of target practice and kept nervously glancing in his direction- like they always did whenever he would spontaneously visit. He knew he must have looked intimidating, dressed in his full warrior’s garb, along with his usual serious and intense expression he kept reserved for the public.
“T’qeres, that one there keeps holding his aim too long.” He called, jerking his head in a young one’s direction.
T’qeres, a member of his team, moved to immediately correct the Na’vi’s stance, showing him how to correctly hold his bow.
A peel of laughter Neteyam instantly recognized, distracted him. He spotted Enyu a few feet away walking along with some of the members of her harvest group and much to his annoyance, Yaćksön was there too. Seemed like the harvesters were done for the day.
He openly stared. Observing her beauty, her carefree disposition and how she’d tilt her head back, exposing her neck to the world. Good, he thought. Let them see the marks he’d left there. Let them see she was taken. Let them see she was his.
“For fucks sake. You’re doing that thing again bro. You’re all intense and shit. It’s kinda scary.” Lo’ak came over to lean against the wooden fence of the enclosure as well, pulling Neteyam’s attention away from his mate.
“What thing?”
“The staring thing…at Enyu.” He replied, jerking his head in her direction.
“So? She’s my-”
“Wife? Mate? Woman?” Lo’ak rolled his eyes. “Yeah ‘Teyam, I know. Just like I knew all the other thousand times you’ve reminded me and anyone else who’d listen.”
Neteyam raised an eyebrow, “Then I don’t see the problem here…”
Lo’ak cackled loudly, catching the attention of a few others milling about. He was immensely amused by his brother’s behaviour. He was such a goner.
“Nothing man. You do you. I mean, I don’t know why I’m surprised, you two have always been disgustingly obsessed and cute with each other, and I’m talking way before all your feelings reveal and shit. But now, it’s like ten- no a thousand times worse.”
Lo’ak glanced back at Enyu who was in deep conversation with another Na’vi. “She seems happy though, which is good.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, you skxawng?”
“Just making sure I don’t need to knock you out is all,” he shrugged. “I'm glad you’re happy though. I know I’ve been a shit brother at times…I’m thankful Eynu was there for you when I should’ve been. It kinda sucks that you’ve moved out though. Fuck, I still can’t believe you guys are mated mated but I really am happy for you two.”
Neteyam side-eyed his brother, it was rare to hear him speak this way. They didn’t usually do heart to hearts, much less about his marriage. Half the time he was constantly complaining about him and Enyu being too “annoyingly gross” and he hoped someone would "shoot him if he ever got as pathetic as Neteyam".
“What Teyam?” Lo’ak huffed.
“Nothing. I’ve never heard you say the word happy so many times before. It’s a little unnerving.” He grinned and elbowed his brother. “I’m kidding. Thanks bro…everything you said, that all means a lot. I mean it Lo’ak.”
“Hey guys!” They both turned to see Enyu heading towards them. Straightening up, he had to force his tail to reign still, but it was no use, it swung excitedly at the sight of her.
Lo’ak intercepted her before Neteyam could, tossing an arm around her shoulder. “Hey Tiny, how’s my favourite sister in law today?” He asked, enjoying his brother’s scowl. He wasn't in the mood to witness any lovely dovey shit that day and it was always fun to mess with his brother.
She smiled. “I’m your only sister in law, Lo but I’m great, thanks. How are you?”
Neteyam returned to his hunched position on the fence ignoring their chatter about their days and tried not to show his annoyance.
He had just corrected another Na’vi’s form when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, hugging him. Enyu pressed a kiss against his shoulder before nuzzling her cheek against him.
His serious expression didn’t change but he did reach down to absentmindedly play with her fingers. They stayed that way- her hugging him, both silently watching the end of training until it was finished. Spoken words not needed.
~
The quiet of the night was pierced by a guttural roar then a low rough grunt. Neteyam’s taut body went limp as he heaved, coming down from his high. Heaven. Bliss. Ecstasy.
He let out a shaky laugh then glanced down at his pretty little mate between his thighs. She was all swollen shiny lips, a proud grin and wide, pure eyes. “Did I do good?” She rasped, her voice sounding raw.
“Uh- I think you broke me actually, so I’d say you did more than good, Flower.”
Her proud grin grew and a little purple brush tinted her cheeks. She sat up gingerly and wiped her hands on the edge of a blanket then got up to drink some much needed water. His eyes followed her, greedily enjoying her bare form. She was beautiful.
“I didn’t hurt you did I? I kind of lost control coming down to the end there.”
Enyu swallowed a mouthful then shook her head. “No. I- I liked it actually.”
He threw a hand behind his head to see her better and smirked cockily. “Oh yeah? You mean when I got rough?”
Her blushed deepened and she nodded sheepishly, avoiding his stare. “You’ve been rough before but. That was different. Good, different.”
“Hmm.” He clicked his tongue then said, “Good to know.”
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” He laughed.
“Like- like that! Like you want to devour me!”
“I do want to devour you though. Always.”
“You just did! Three times ‘Teyam! You’re lucky I’m even standing right now.”
He sat up and used a stray blanket to wipe at his sweat slicked chest, then to his lower regions to rid the traces Enyu had missed. “I guess I’ll have to try harder next time. I mean if you could stand, I probably didn’t do it right,” he joked.
“Neteyam Sully. You are insatiable, you know that?”
“Thank you baby.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Alright, enough you. Turn over,” she ordered with a jerk of her chin.
“Yes ma’am.”
Enyu straddled him, perching on his lower back as she warmed up barli oil between her palms.
Neteyam laid flat on his stomach, head resting on his folded arms as she massaged his neck, then shoulders. Strong, nimble fingers working out all his knots and kinks, slowly moving down the expanse of his back.
“So something interesting happened today.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Saubru offered me her job.”
“What?” He tried to try to lift up but she rubbed at a stiff muscle which caused him to fall back with a grunt. He moaned in a mixture of mild discomfort and pleasure as she kneaded the spot. “Are you serious, Flower?
“It’s insane right?”
“I mean it’s Saubru, so yeah, I didn’t believe the- ah! Shit baby, easy. I didn’t believe the rumours when I first heard, and I don’t think she said anything to my dad. I can't believe she's actually retiring. What- well what did you say?”
“That I’d have to think about it. I don’t know Tey. This is huge.”
“Hey, hang on, stop for a second. Come’re.”
She flopped next to him and he tugged her close, slotting his thigh between hers.
“What’s making you want to say no?”
She thought for a second, “I’m good at what I do, I’ve been a harvester for years now. What if this doesn’t work out? I’ll have to find something else if they replace me.”
“And what’s stopping you from saying yes?”
“Saubru. She the reason I like tutoring in the first place. She’s a legend. She’s ancient, it’s a simple role but at the same time big role to fill. It’s a really big role to fill, I mean these are young minds she’s shaping. What if- what if I don’t match up?”
“Are you kidding me? Enyu, the sheer fact that she’s a legend and she asked you- out of everyone in the entire clan, she asked you. That says something.”
The Na’vi in particular was the clan’s current oldest member. She was an educator. The best of the best. She not only currently taught Tuk but also taught Enyu and Neteyam when they were kids. The elder taught Neytri and Enyu’s parents and some said she even taught Mo’at! And she was pretty old herself.
He kissed her forehead and smoothed his palm up her back. “You’re amazing, you know that? And whatever decision you make, I’m proud of you either way.”
“What do you think I should do?”
“No, this is all you. I can’t tell you what I think.”
There were only two thoughts in particular. One, no more Yaćksön hanging around his wife and two, no more Enyu leaving the clan to forage anymore. She’d be safe and sound at all times and he wouldn’t have to scold her anymore about leaving her group to wander off alone or not paying attention to her surroundings.
She clambered onto his back again to resume her massage. “Of course you are. Well I don’t know what I’m going to do yet but I have time. She gave me two weeks to decide. And get this, she said she’d be my tutor until and everything! Can you believe that? Saubru? Tutor me?”
“That’s crazy, Flower! Oh- wait, if you say yes, Tuk is going to freak.”
When Enyu eventually finished ridding him of his tension and he was completely pliable beneath her hands she laid on top of him, pressing her chest against his back and snuggled into his neck. His eyes were closed and he was on the cusp of sleep.
Groggily he said, “Mm, you have magic fingers, you know that? The things you can do, oh my-”
“Tey!” She giggled.
~
“Once upon a time, in a land called Pandora, there lived a little sweet Na’vi. And she lived in a cave far far away all by herself. But she was lonely and needed a friend. So one day she- ‘Teyam! You’re not listening to me! You have to pay attention.”
Enyu pressed her lips together to stifle her laughter at the pair, turning in the crook of her mate’s shoulder to hide her amusement before she too got scolded by the bossy little girl.
It was late at night- way past Tuk’s bedtime to be exact and they were in the middle of an unanticipated story time session. She and Neteyam were laid stretched out in their bed of soft blankets and leathers with his baby sister cuddled on top of his chest as they tried their hardest to pay serious attention to her.
“I was just resting my eyes Tuk, I promise I’m listening.” He grouched, he was not entirely happy with the way the night was playing out. He had other plans in mind. Adult themed plans.
Tuk tilted her little head, squinting as if she didn’t believe him. “Why are you so grumpy? I'm telling you a nice story.”
Neteyam puffed out his cheeks then gave his sister a smile and tickled her side. “I’m grumpy because it’s late and you’re supposed to be in your own bed. We talked about this, remember?”
She glowered at him- clearly offended, before clambering off him- all bony knees and elbows poking his ribs and gut, and straight into Enyu’s arms instead. His sister then stuck out her tongue in retaliation at him, smiling when Enyu cuddled her closer.
Wiping his hands down his face in frustration he let out a low groan as Tuk continued her storytelling.
Tuk’s story- like always, was an odd mix of human and Na’vi tales, big bad wolves who huffed and puffed, Na’vi’s who’s noses grew if they told lies and ikrans who could fly to space.
She eventually fell asleep- dead to the world, nestled between her and Neteyam, cheek smushed against Enyu’s chest, one hand still clutching her brother’s fingers. She loved and always demanded cuddles whenever she spent the night with them. It was no use getting her to sleep in the little pallet of furs Neteyam had made specially for her.
Enyu’s eyes snapped up, locking with her husband’s tired glare, when she felt his tail caressing her thigh.
“This is becoming a problem.” He whispered.
“I think it’s sweet.”
He leaned up on the arm that wasn’t currently occupied in Tuk’s clutches and scowled at her as if she were insane.
“Sweet? Baby, this is the third time this week…you can’t keep saying yes and letting her have her way. What about me? I’m your mate.”
Mirth danced in her eyes at the cross expression on his face. “MaTayam, are you…jealous?”
“Yes. She is purposely hogging you!” He hissed quietly, glancing down to make sure that Tuk was indeed deep in sleep before he continued. “She sees you all day in school now and then comes to our home and stays here all night, cuddling you!”
Enyu pressed her lips together, praying to Eywa to help her keep it together. It was always entertaining when her husband got like this but she couldn’t dare laugh. She had made the mistake of doing it once before and he’d called a family meeting. Lo’ak and Kiri had both shot her daggers during his entire speech.
“This ends tonight. I’m putting a stop to it.” And with that he extracted his hand then turned his back on them, intending to sleep.
With an impatient huff he turned and leaned over once again, giving her a chase kiss on the lips and a grumpy mumbled ‘I love you’ before going back to his sulking position.
Since she and Neteyam had moved into their own little tent two months ago, Tuk who was probably more excited than the two of them combined, was their most regular visitor.
She had been inviting herself over for ‘sleepovers’ and Enyu being the sucker she was, always found it hard to say no. At first it was cute- and it still was, but the more it occurred, the more frustrated her husband got.
To put it straight…he was having a hard time sharing her but she understood, some nights she wished it were just the two of them.
~
The next morning, after breakfast was served along with a rather aggressive game of ‘I spy’, Neytiri came to pick up Tuk.
The seven year old was quite pouty when Neteyam sat her down to gently break the news that the sleepovers could no longer be as often.
“But why?”
“Because…well, you know how Enyu and I are mates right? Well I want to be able to spend some alone time with her when I come home.”
Tuk screwed up her face as if what Neteyam said was the most absurd thing she ever heard. “But I want to spend time with her too.”
“And you can, I’m not stopping you, I’m just saying that we could maybe have less sleep overs.”
Tuk, who was sitting in Enyu’s lap, leaned back against her chest with a little huff. She hugged the older Na’vi’s arms as though Neteyam was planning on taking Enyu away in that very moment.
During the last war some months ago, Tuk was in Enyu’s care for hours while they were hiding down in the cave. Since then, they all realized how much more Tuk sought her out, it was if she got clingier to Enyu.
“You’re just being selfish, Teyam.”
He rubbed his forehead, “Tuk, I promise I’m not trying to be, it’s just Enyu is my wife and-”
“Well she’s my best friend! You just don’t want to share her!” Enyu hid her smile in Tuk’s hair.
“Tuktirey…mom, can you please help me out here?”
“Hmm?” Neytiri paused mid chew. “Oh I could, but you’re doing so well. Think of it as practice for when you have your own little ones,” his mother said with a knowing smile. She shot Enyu a wink and went back to munching on the breakfast spread Enyu had laid out, like an unbothered queen. Enyu had a sneaky suspicion that the entire ordeal was quite entertaining to her mother in law.
Eventually after much back and forth, Neteyam taught sister the word 'compromise'. Tuk was a natural negotiator and managed to bargain her way to sleepovers, six nights a month.
The moment his mother and sister left, Neteyam tackled Enyu, with a mumbled ‘finally’. She shrieked and laughed as he pressed her into their bed, playfully covering her with kisses on every inch of her face before finally claiming her lips.
Those kisses turned heated and hungry and her body, so responsive to everything he did felt hot and needy, aching parts begging to be touched.
Her mate kissed down her body, lapping, sucking at the column of her throat, across her collar bones then pausing to give special attention to her feather covered breasts, where his hand was already inching toward.
“Don’t you dare.” She grabbed the back of his braids, raising him so he could see how serious she was. “You keep ruining them faster than I can replace them.”
“Then stop talking and take it off already.” He ordered in that bossy tone of his that always seemed to make her brain short circuit.
“Baby. I’m not going to ask you again. Time is wasting, I could have made you come by now. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes.”
She hurriedly removed it and squirmed when he feathered his lips across her chest.
His fingertips had just curled around her loincloth, with every intention of ripping it away when they heard Kiri call from outside. “I’m coming in! You two better be decent and not fooling around at this hour. It's too early for me to be sick.”
Neteyam didn’t let Enyu go though, if anything, he slipped right between her thighs, tightening his tail around one of her ankles to keep her from trying to escape.
“Tey-” She tried to protest.
“Kiri, you need to leave, now!”
They heard her snort. “Nope, I’m here to see Enyu, we have plans, so you better let her out or I’m coming in. I swear I’m already feeling the nausea brewing, you guys don’t want me barfing right?”
Neteyam face planted into her chest with an agitated groan and Enyu snickered. Kiri was not bluffing, she’d really walk right in. Ever since he and Enyu mated, Kiri and Lo’ak had been both unbearable. Always gagging or faking upset whenever he and his mate interacted.
“Yeah alright, give her a few to get dressed Kiri,” he called. But before he got off his mate he caged her in, hands on either side of her head as he whispered in a deep and dangerous tone. “I will deal with you tonight, wife. I’m thinking I need to remind you of why we need alone time together.” Her body broke out in goose pimples and she felt heat pool in her lower abdomen. He nipped her ear and pinched one of her nipples before finally getting up.
When she didn’t move he held back a smile, “Flower. Kiri’s waiting.”
“Huh? Oh right.”
~
“We’re going to have to start packing soon. The big move is starting up.”
“We still have some time, we won’t be leaving until the last group anyway.” Enyu combed through the section she had just parted, then began to plait the hair, skilled, nimble fingers moving quickly.
“Well, I was actually thinking of us leaving with the first fleet, instead of going with my parents. We’d get to settle down early, explore the new lands a bit. Just the two of us… kind of like a honeymoon, maybe? You know since we never had one.”
Honeymoon’s were a human tradition, and when Enyu had first heard about it she jumped at the chance of her and Neteyam having one. Only they never seemed to have gotten around to it.
Her husband had been Second in Command for the past five months but he was still adjusting to the role and all the new responsibilities that came with it- it was no simple task. And only a month ago she too switched jobs. She now worked with the school, teaching little ones- Tuk’s age and under. So the reality was that it was a bit difficult for them to just escape on a romantic getaway at a moment’s notice.
Enyu’s hands paused in Neteyam’s hair when she heard his suggestion. “Really?”
Neteyam turned to face her- his first half done braid slipping from her fingertips. Her eyes roamed over his freshly washed hair which framed his face in a way that had her thinking dirty thoughts.
He shrugged, “I mean, it’s just a thought. The school is going to be on break until after anyway, so it won’t really affect you and-”
“Yes.”
His lips quirked, “Yes? Just like that?”
“Yes. I want to go,” she replied with an excited beam. However it faded quickly and turned to worry as her mind whirled. “Oh Eywa! We have so much to do then. We have so much to pack and I have to make sure our new bedding is completed in time. I have laundry to do and-” she gasped, “Oh Great Mother, Tey! How could we forget, we still have to go through the hmmm-”
In true Neteyam fashion, her husband cut her off with a kiss. “Breathe, Flower,” he said, when he pulled back.
She frowned. “But you don’t under-”
“Enyu… baby. Don’t make me shut you up like I used to before,” he teased in a warning tone, raising his eyebrows.
That sure did it, she giggled girlishly when she remembered all those times in their friendship, how he’d shut her up by tickling her until she had tears streaming down her face, gasping for air. Now, whenever she’d go on one of her tangents he’d just kiss the heck out of her. She liked that much better.
He circled her ankles and tugged her close, resting her spread thighs over his folded ones, large hands smoothing over her soft skin. “Hi wife.”
She smiled. “Hi, husband.”
“Shit. I love hearing you say that, I don’t care if Kiri says it’s corny…are you all calm now?”
She shrugged and reached up to tether her fingers in his loose hair, marvelling at its softness. “Mmm not really. This hair is doing all sorts of things to me.”
His bark of laughter was like music to her ears and when he scooped her up, callused fingers kneading into the flesh of her butt cheeks as he rested her high on his abs, he said, “You’re making me blush here, Flower.”
“Well, what are you going to do about it?”
His eyes glinted dangerously and she bit the inside of her cheek to ground herself, when it caused her to shiver. Those were her magic words, lately whenever she said them, he took it personally and made it his duty to really ‘show her what he was going to go about it’.
“Nothing yet.” He placed her back down- much to her disappointment, then turned his back to her once again and shook out his hair. “I’ll deal with you later tonight when we get back from the Eywa prayer.”
She scowled but moved anyway to continue sectioning his hair. “You know we have time right? How about after I’m done with your hair?” She asked hopefully.
“Mmm, I don’t think so.”
“You’re being mean today. I don’t like it.”
“Because I’m not giving you sex?”
“Yes.”
He laughed. “Aw baby, I’m sorry…but I’m just giving you a little taste of your own medicine. You know I always give in to you…but just this once you get to feel how I do when you’re always inviting my sisters over or ditching me to hang out with my mother and grandmother.”
“Well I don’t like it.”
Her mate laughed again. “Well now you know how I feel.”
~
There’s just something about freshly washed new furs and leathers that always made Enyu happy. She loved the process of putting it all together, meticulously arranging the soft blankets and cushions then getting to lay in it after.
Which was what she was currently doing, humming cheerfully and shaking and wiggling in an odd but cute dance. Her mate shot her an amused look from his position in the middle of the tent where he was carving a beautifully intricate design onto their new family table. He loved seeing her like this. Carefree. Happy.
When she was finished making the bed to her liking, she stood and looked around with a huge grin. Their new home was slowly but surely coming along quite nicely. It was much bigger than the one they had at high camp, and they had a lot more furniture. Thankfully the move wasn’t as daunting as she’d thought.
Last week, when Neteyam had set up her cute little kitchenette she squealed and then proceeded to generously thank him for it. He and his woodwork friend had spent what little of their free time over the past few months, diligently working on making sure it was perfect. And it was. Perfect.
The tent was filled with a comfortable silence. Neteyam- still carving his design and she- nestled in their bed as she mended a tear in one of his loincloths.
“Teyam, do you have any single males in your unit? Handsome ones preferably.” She asked, breaking the silence.
His chiselling stopped and his head flashed so fast in her direction that an audible crack of his neck was heard.
“Come again, baby?”
She looked up and huffed a laugh at his expression. “Not for me silly. I’m still on my mission to help F’vallii find a mate, remember? I'm wingwomaning.”
“Oh, right.” He returned to his task and said, “Um yeah, there’s A’oak, Tqeres and Bwo. No wait, not Bwo, he just started a courtship.”
“Hmm, well you know F’vallii right? Do any of them seem like they’d be a good match for her?”
He glanced at her with an unsure frown and a single curled lip. “Flower, my guys are warriors, they fought in two wars and have nerves of steel but even I know your friend would chew them up and spit them out. F’vallii is intimidating as shit.”
“No she’s not- okay fine, maybe a little but she’s got a secret soft side and she just needs someone sweet and patient and I’m running out of options. She is oddly very specific about what she's looking for.”
“What about that Avator guy, umm Steve? He’s a little older than her but he seems sweet as you say. He’s good friends with Spider.”
“Steve. Hmm. I don’t know him, I'll ask Spider to introduce me.”
She got up to put away her sewing, stopping on the way to give him a kiss on the cheek, “Thank you Tey.”
~
They were fighting. Enyu hated it and Neteyam hated it. But if there was anything marriage had taught them it was that it was better to get it out than keep it bottled up.
“I already said no, you’re not going without me.”
“You’re being ridiculous Neteyam! I’m not even going to be gone for long!”
“I don’t give a crap about that because you’re not going. Like I said, it’s not safe.”
Fury blazed behind her eyes. “I’m going. I’ve always wanted to and now I am. And plus I’ll be fine, it’s not like I’m going by myself, it's a big group. Even Spider will be there. I’ll just stick with him if it will make you feel better.”
“Spider is going to be preoccupied with protecting his own mate. I know my sister, she’s a handful.”
“Fine, then I’ll stick with another warrior, like I said it’s a big group.”
“Great Mother…woman, why do you insist on being so stubborn?”
“Net-”
“For shit’s sake, En’yuna, would you listen to me?! I’m only looking out for you here!”
“I don’t need you to, Neteyam! You can’t always protect me from everything! I hate that you feel like you have too!”
“Feel like I have too? Feel like I have too? Baby, you are my wife! You are mine! Mine! And I protect what’s mine. So if I want to protect you, I damn well will, you better get that through your pretty little head right now. And for the last goddamn time, you are not going!”
She folded her arms and looked away, hot tears staining her face, brows furrowed and lips pressed together. She thought that he was being unreasonable and was three seconds away from walking out the tent. They were getting nowhere.
Neteyam rubbed the heels of his palms into eyes and blew out a frustrated breath, trying to calm himself. He hated that she was crying, even more he hated knowing that he was the cause of her sadness. They’d been fighting for almost an hour now- since he’d gotten home to be exact, going in the same circle. Over and over. They needed to stop.
Hugging her from behind, he pressed his lips against her temple and spoke in a firm but softer tone. “Flower, please hear what I’m trying to say. I’ve been on that terrain before. It’s dangerous and littered with predators. Not only that but there are land mines left behind by the RDA that we still haven’t found. I get that your friends are going to the waterfall and you want to go too…but I do not and will not trust them with your protection.”
She sniffled and remained stiff in his arms but he took it as a good sign since she didn’t try to break free from his hold.
“I promise you, I will take you myself the moment I get the chance to, and they are more than free to come along if they so choose. But you are not going, not without me. I’m sorry baby, but I won’t allow it. Please don’t try and fight me on this anymore.”
A beat of silence filled the tent and he held his breath as he waited for her response.
“Fine,” she said relenting, wiping her tears away. “I’m still mad at you right now though. So I’m going to go for a walk.”
“Baby-”
“I’ll see you in an hour.”
Neteyam hated watching her walk away but he knew he would only make things worse by stopping her.
Some of her ex-roommates, their friends and a few other Na’vi’s had planned a grand trip to visit the Great Indomi Waterfall. Enyu had always wanted to go and had happily told him the news as soon as he came home. Only he had all but told her a big fat NO, thus ensuing their argument.
With a frustrated groan, he threw himself onto their sheets and closed his eyes. A headache was brewing.
They didn’t fight very often, so this was rare for him. Thinking over their argument, he knew he could have handled it better. He should have. He felt a pang in his chest, as if something was missing. He missed her already. And so he laid there, mentally counting down the hour. If she wasn’t back when time was up he was going after her.
Around the forty minute mark, he got up and removed his warrior garb. He straightened their bed as best he could to how she usually liked it then peaked at the meal she had prepared for them.
Shit. He’d gone and ruined their special night. It was supposed to be date night.
“Hey.” His heart leapt. She was back.
“Flower…I’m sor-”
“Wait.” When she came closer, his heart broke a little more. She wasn’t crying but eyes were red rimmed and puffy.
“Can you just hug me please?”
He rushed forward immediately to wrap her up and she melted into his embrace, hiding her face in his neck, centring herself with his scent. Like they had done many times over the years, they swayed back and forth basking in each other’s comfort.
They were going to be okay. After all, they had each other for the rest of their lives.
~
I honestly had so much fun writing these moments.
Please reblog, like and let me know if you enjoyed it in the comments, I love hearing from you all :)
Take care for now.
P.s I'm tagging those of you who asked during the series but now that it's ended, please feel free to let me know if you want to be removed from future posts like this :)
BF2L, Slow Burn - Neteyam x Original Na'vi Female Character
Summery: Neteyam and Enyu, childhood best friends are both obliviously in love with each other. This is their story.
Important to note before reading:
Warning: This Part Contains Sexual Themes
Some characters have been aged up. Neteyam is 23.
En'yuna or Enyu for short (pronounced as N Yunna or N U), is my own creation.
Full recognition, rights and credit is given to the owners of Avatar.
~
Part 14 - Epilogue
“Boo,” said a low voice in her ear. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against a hard chest and Enyu smiled when a face nuzzled her temple.
“Nice try. I heard you coming.”
“I’ll get you next time then,” Neteyam said playfully. “So tell me, how’s it feel to be mated to the clan’s Second in Command?”
“Hmm. I don’t know…I guess he’ll have to actually mate me first before I could tell you how I feel,” she said, smiling, trying to rile him up.
“Ooh. Ouch. Message received.” He squeezed her tighter, hiding his grin against her jaw. “I’m working on it baby, I’m working on it.”
She turned in the circle of his arms, hands reaching up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I’m teasing of course. I know things have been crazy, and hey. I am so, so proud of you. You’ll make an amazing Second….Your butt looked real cute up there too,” she teased, enjoying the blush that bloomed across his face.
Neyetam was officially the clan’s new Second in Command. He finally accepted the position they had offered him, but under his own terms to which Enyu was very surprised that the council actually agreed to. She could not have been prouder. The ceremony only ended a short while ago. It was a simple but joyous occasion and the celebration festivities would be starting soon.
Jake had called up and publicly thanked and honoured Ts’olbia- Neteyam’s predecessor and the clan cheered and praised the retiring Na’vi. Their shouts and native hoots however, were even louder when Jake proudly introduced his eldest son as his new Second.
Ts’olbia bestowed Neteyam with his new warrior belt, both showing the Na’vi sign of respect, before the council members each blessed her future mate with their marks of approval.
Enyu had stood on the side lines along with the rest of the Sully family and had the biggest grin on her face the entire time. Neytiri had linked arms with her, watching her son with misty eyes that were filled with pride and Lo’ak who stood on her other side bellowed the loudest in cheer amongst their little group.
It had been three months since the final battle and a lot had changed.
They still lived at High Camp. The last few months were mainly about rebuilding and healing. They buried their dead, grieved and were slowly moving on with life, growing stronger each day.
A plan of action was also in the works to relocate the entire clan. There was no hurry though. Jake wanted it to be a one and done deal which is why he thought every detail and step should be well thought out. The move itself would be a huge task on its own.
“What do you say we run home for a bit, hmm?” Neteyam raised his eyebrows looking down at her rather suggestively.
“Tey…we can’t…the celebrations. People are going to wonder where you are.”
“Come on Flower,” he whined, “just for a short while? I miss you.” He pecked her lips then murmured against them teasingly, "I'd take you right here if I could, but we both know I won’t like anyone else seeing all of you.” Pulling back, his eyes pleaded with her like a child who was being told no. “I promise, I’ll be real quick. I just want to taste you. I haven’t had you in days."
It was her turn to blush now. Biting her lip, an image of Neteyam’s head bobbing between her thighs flashed in her mind.
Although it wasn’t technically “proper”, Enyu had been living with the Sully's- and to be more specific as per his request, sharing his private quarters for the last three months. She had salvaged what she could of her things from the wreckage of her shared home, thankful that the Sully residence was still standing tall.
Neteyam had held a family meeting on their first night, where he’d asked his own family for permission to take her as his mate. Everyone except Lo’ak and Jake gave immediate consent, both choosing to grill Neteyam about his ‘intentions' with her instead. They took it rather seriously and Enyu felt immensely touched.
Three months later and they were still not mated yet- not for lack of trying though. Both of their schedules were so busy it was really only in the very late hours of the night or early hours of the morning they got to spend time with each other alone. There was always either something to do, or someone around.
And even though she and Neteyam both agreed to save a certain “act” for when they officially mated, it did not stop them from exploring each other in other ways. Enyu craved those nights, she savoured those moments. Lately they’d both been too exhausted though, choosing to prioritise their sleep instead. She was eagerly looking forward to the days when things got back to normal.
Which is why Neteyam’s current proposal was all too tempting. They could be quick, right?
“Please Flower? I’ll do that thing that you like…What do you say, hmm?” Enyu was about to fold but Kiri interrupted them before she could say anything.
“Break it up love birds. Neteyam, dad’s asking for you, something about the council or whatever. Oh and congratulations by the way. Enyu. I need to talk to you. Now.” Ripping her from her brother’s arms, Kiri pulled Enyu through the crowd of Na’vis littered around the forest where the ceremony was held, ignoring Neteyam’s cry of protest.
Finally out of earshot she released her and let her guard down, allowing Enyu to see that she was upset about something.
“Kiri, what’s wrong?”
“I need you to tell me I’m being stupid right now.”
Enyu gave a confused chuckle. “What? I’m not-
Kiri scoffed with an eye roll, “That Väriä bitch was flirting with Spider again and he was smiling. Smiling! And before you say anything, yes, I know he’s nice to everyone and that’s probably all it was but I don’t know…Things have been weird lately, he’s been distant- not that I care of course.” She folded her arms, obviously upset that she was even having these feelings.
“Liar. You care, Kiri and it’s okay for you too. But you need to be fair as well, you told him you needed space, he’s giving it to you-”
“I didn’t mean this much space, Enyu! It’s like he’s completely avoiding me now- gosh, you should’ve seen them, Väriä was all over him, smiling and batting her lashes- rubbing his arm! Ugh, I could kill her right now! He should’ve never become a Na’vi. Women keep looking at him now!”
Enyu bit down a laugh, her friend was jealous and seemed to be having a hard time processing her feelings. It was cute, she never really got to see her friend in this light.
Looking vulnerable now, Kiri said in a softer tone, “Maybe he wants to move on. Do you think he’s tired of waiting? I still haven’t given him an answer yet.” It was not often that Kiri spoke this way, she usually had her emotions in check, not wanting others to see this side of her.
“You’re being stupid,” Enyu said plainly, “Look, do you really need me to stand here and give you the big long speech about how head over heels that guy is for you? Because I will if you want me too.”
Kiri’s lips reluctantly turned upwards. “I hate how that idiot makes me feel.”
Enyu laughed and linked their arms as they slowly strode back to the festivities. “No you don’t, otherwise you wouldn’t be coming to me to remind you of his feelings for you. You love him. Face it.”
“I hate when you’re right.” Kiri grumbled.
“Thank you Enyu, you’re the best Enyu, what would I do without you Enyu,” Enyu mimicked Kiri’s tone jokingly. “Now go tell your Monkey Boy how you really feel and stop being stupid.”
~
Three Years Later
“Are you crazy, Tiny?! Sit down before your stupid mate hounds my ass for witnessing the endangerment of his precious unborn baby!”
Enyu was balanced on top of a stool, struggling to hang a new tapestry onto the high wall of her and Neteyam’s tent, when her brother in law entered. “Hey Lo, I was jus-”
“Yeah, yeah I know what you were doing. I’m seeing it for myself. Now get down already will you. Let me do that,” he said in mild upset, taking the heavy artwork from her to hang it himself. “Swear Enyu, you’re going to give my brother a heart attack at the rate you’re going. Can’t you, I don’t know…just sit still until baby Lo’ak pops out?”
A peel of laughter escaped her lips. She sat in the little hammock seat Neteyam had built for her, still chuckling at Lo’ak’s scolding. Leaning against the backrest, she swung slowly and massaged her protruding stomach. “I keep telling you Lo, I am not naming our baby after you,” she said “and for the last time you guys need to calm down. I am growing a baby. I am not disabled nor am I incapable of doing the simplest of- ooooh did you bring me berries? Can you pass them to me please?”
Lo’ak cackled at her sudden distraction. He picked up the stool and used it to sit in front of her as he passed the bowl over. “I don’t get how you eat those things, they’re barely ripe.”
“Tastes good to me,” she shrugged, immediately biting into one, humming as the sour flavour burst across her tongue, soothing her craving, “ooh you are the best Lo’ak, but yeah the baby seems to like it too, so why not?”
He leaned forward and gave her stomach a little poke, “Hey there little baby Sully, it’s your favourite uncle Lo’ak here. Helllooo?” He pouted. “Your baby won’t say hi to me today, Enyu.”
Extremely amused, she moved his hand to lay flat against her left side, pressing slightly and waited. Lo’ak’s entire face lit up when he felt the baby move, tail sailing excitedly behind him, just like it always did whenever he felt the baby’s kick. The first time he felt it, he completely freaked out. It was hilarious and Neteyam teased him for days about it.
Munching on the fruit, she eyed him suspiciously over the bowl propped high on her bump. “Why are you here so late? He didn’t send you here to check on me again, did he? Because I-”
Lo’ak’s offended scoff cut her off. “Can’t I just come visit you on my own free- yeah okay fine he sent me,” he confessed quickly, seeing the disapproving look on her face. ‘Yikes, she already has the mom look down,’ he thought, horrified.
“I knew it,” she mumbled, still focused on deseeding and swallowing her fruit. Enyu didn’t mind his company though, she had been slowly going stir crazy before he got there. She always got antsy whenever her mate was late, which to be fair was not very often.
“He’s still stuck in that meeting with the council, it’s like the elders just like to hear themselves talk sometimes,” he grouched with an eye roll. “He shouldn’t be too long again I’m guessing. He paged me to check in, said you were craving these sour suckers.”
He got up and stretched his back. “I’m hungry. Have you eaten dinner yet? Real food I mean and not just half ripe fruit,” he said, looking at her tidy kitchen with a frown. Usually it was a cluttered mess from her new hobby, “experimental cooking”. Mo’at had been teaching her for the past year and lately she’d gone rogue, putting her own spin or creating new dishes, and Lo’ak was her favourite taste tester. She made "yummy shit", his words not hers.
She nodded, still chewing. “Grandmother came by at dinner time, brought over that tastey fish I like…then made me drink that disgusting tea that she so insists is good for the baby,” she said, screwing up her face. “There’s plenty left overs. Let me get you some.” She moved to get up but he shot her an exasperated look.
“For God’s sake Enyu. Sit. Down. I can get my own food.”
He rummaged around her kitchen comfortably, both of them bickering about his lack of love life. She had been mated to her husband for almost three years now and since then she had made it her mission to find someone for Lo’ak. If only he wasn’t so picky. His excuses were ridiculous for some of the people she suggested to him. They were either too bossy or too pretty, too nice, too talkative, too quiet. On and on it went with his ridiculous excuses. He didn’t seem too concerned with finding someone at the moment though, so she guessed that she shouldn't either.
Mid-argument, she heard a voice call from the entrance. “Knock, knock. It’s me Kid.” It was Jake.
Ever since he accidentally walked in on her and Neteyam in an embarrassingly compromising position a year ago, he always made sure to announce his presence before entering their home.
“Come in!”
“Hey Kid…how’s it going? How’s my grandkid today?” He asked, doing a terrible job at hiding his intent. He’d obviously come to check up on her since Neteyam wasn’t here.
‘Sigh, what was she going to do about these Sully men?’ She thought incredibly amused.
She was nine months pregnant, almost ten now and ever since she found out that she and Neteyam were expecting, all three Sully men had been slowly driving her crazy with their overprotectiveness. It was cute but at times they were if not a little overbearing- especially her husband. Mo’at had told her to give him a break, citing that it was his first baby and he was allowed to be worried and overbearing.
Since Na’vi’s usually carried for twelve months, she sighed at the prospect of having to endure their hovering for another three months.
“I’m on duty already dad,” called Lo’ak from the kitchen, around a mouthful of food, “and get this, she was trying to hang that tapestry over there…while standing on a stool.” He finished with a dramatic scoff that clearly read ‘Can you believe that?’
Jake's eyebrows rose high and he shot her a disappointed look. “Swear dad, I’ve never met a more stubborn female in my li-”
“Okay, okay enough! Thank you Lo’ak,” she hissed sarcastically. “You guys, I am not as fragile as you clearly think I am…I can do things on my own. And just because Neteyam panics and nags and frets, does not mean that you two have to as well. Alright?” Her eyes narrowed when she saw Jake looked like he was about to protest.
“And all due respect Sir but you were never like this with Neytiri when she was having Tuk.”
“Yeah well no offence Kid but she had already birthed two other babies before Tuk and had years experience raising three. And let’s face it, my wife is tough shit.” A proud grin graced his face but it only seemed to send a pang of upset Enyu’s way.
“I’m tough shit too!” She said feeling offended and rather emotional all of a sudden. Not only was Jake technically calling her weak but her sour berries were all done, Neteyam still wasn’t home yet, Lo’ak had hung the tapestry crooked and…and her berries were still finished!
“Oh fuck…” whispered Lo’ak, he knew that look on her face all too well by now…she was about to cry. He shot his father a ‘what the hell’ look then quickly moved to her side, stilling the swinging seat. “Hey there Tiny,” he soothed, holding her hand as if she were a ticking time bomb. “You- yes, you are such tough shit. Toughest of them all. Dad doesn’t know what he’s talking about, alright?”
She bit her lip and nodded as uncontrollable tears welled up in her eyes, one drop breaking free to roll down her cheek.
“No no no, why are you crying? I just said you’re tough shit,” Lo’ak said panicking now. “Please don’t cry.”
Unable to control it, Enyu broke out into a full on sob while covering her face with her free hand to which both Jake and Lo’ak looked incredulously alarmed at her.
A wide eyed Jake crouched on the other side of her. “Shit I’m sorry Enyu, I was just joking around.”
“I kn- know,” she hiccupped, “the baby just has m- me a f- feeling little emotional right n- now,” she said, trying to laugh through her tears so they would know she was okay, only it came out a bit hysterical.
Her pregnancy so far had been a whirlwind. Neteyam was actually the one at first to realize she was expecting. He’d said she was “acting strange”. Apparently her eating on time and in such large quantities warranted his suspicions, so he took her to Mo’at who confirmed it.
They were both ecstatic at the news and so were his entire family. Enyu had never seen a group of people more excited about the arrival of a baby before. They were protective, supportive and Enyu felt so incredibly loved that it made her tear up when she thought about it.
Mo’at and Enyu went for daily walks in the morning before she left for her work and although the grandmother was technically retired, she placed herself as Enyu’s one and only healer for the entirety of the pregnancy- the former Tsahìk trusted no one else with her.
Tuk would take every chance she got to rub Enyu’s stomach, lighting up whenever she felt a kick. Sometimes Tuk would get the baby too rowdy which wreaked havoc on her poor bladder. Tuktirey took her role as an aunt very seriously and in true fashion believed that naming the baby was her responsibility. Almost everyday she had a new name to suggest.
Neytiri and Kiri were her rocks. They stuck by her side through three gruelling weeks in her third month of pregnancy. Nothing stayed down, everything was sore and in the final week, she contracted the purple fever. And while Mo’at was her healer, they both stayed with her the entire time- cleaning up after her, rubbing her back as she constantly retched, soothing her while she cried. They took such good care of her.
And sure, as much as she was sick and aching, it was her husband who hurt too. Neteyam couldn’t bear to see her in that state. It messed with his emotions, the fact that he couldn’t do anything to take away her discomfort, tore at him.
Jake was great, she was so grateful for his relationship with his son. At times when Neteyam seemed overwhelmed with her stubbornness or her mood swings or even in those weeks that she was so sick, she couldn’t get out of bed, she was grateful that Jake was there to support his son. Someone who had been through it all already, someone who had his back.
Lo’ak of course was his usual protective older brother self around her…only ten times worse now. A big plus, he was her go-to guy for her food cravings whenever Neteyam wasn’t around.
Also, aside from the fact that he kept trying to get her to name the baby after him, he and Spider had an all out war happening. They were forever fighting over who would be the baby’s favourite uncle. Both constantly whispered to her stomach whenever they saw her, hoping that whatever they said could sway the baby somehow.
All in all, she and her baby- who wasn’t even born yet, were well loved and well cared for, and yet, here she sat balling her eyes out because her berries were done? Pregnancy hormones made no sense to her.
Trying to pull herself together was no use sometimes. The tears came whether she wanted them too or not.
“What in Eywa’s name…I told you to check on her, not make her cry!” Her husband was finally home.
“Bro, what are you looking at me for?! Dad’s the one who made her cry!”
“By accident! It was a joke! I was joking.”
All three Sully men were standing, frowns marring their faces as they spoke, not even glancing her way.
“My wife is bawling her eyes out right now. What the hell did you say to her?”
“He said she wasn’t tough shit.”
“WHAT?”
“Lo’ak! You’re not helping right now.”
“Yeah well sorry Sir but I am not taking the fall for you right now, he already chewed me out last week for making her pee herself because I “made her laugh too hard” and I refuse to be on the receiving end again.”
“Dad, what did you say?”
“I didn’t think it was that bad! All I said was-”
A giggle pierced the air causing their squabble to cease and three heads snapped to Enyu.
“Guys I’m fine, honest. Pregnancy hormones is all,” she sniffled with a watery smile, “Sorry for making you all worry.”
“Flower..” Neteyam crouched between her legs, hands automatically caressing her stomach.
“Honest, I’m okay.” She smiled, placing her palms over his.
“Can I make it up to you Enyu?” Jake asked, looking sheepish.
“You really don’t have too, I was just being emotional…but if you really really want to, can you get me some more of those yellow berries while you’re out tomorrow?”
All three men laughed at her request and Jake nodded. “You got it Kid.”
The other two eventually left and then it was just her and Neteyam.
“I missed you today.”
Enyu didn’t respond, she knew he was talking to their baby. She smiled as he sang and chatted with her stomach, almost as if she wasn’t there, enjoying the look on her husband’s face whenever the baby pressed against his palm.
“Alright Flower, bedtime.”
“Okay. Oh can you just straighten out the hanging for me please? Lo’ak left it a bit crooked.”
~
A wail roused Neteyam from sleep. Blinking up at the ceiling of their home with a sleepy groan, he glanced at his still sleeping mate beside him then sat up to comfort his fussing baby.
She was the most perfect thing he had ever seen in his life, and even after only being in their lives for six months, he still couldn’t believe she was theirs. Elteyä was the splitting image of her mother but she had Neteyam’s eyes and her darker markings matched his.
His baby had eight fingers, ten toes and usually slept with her little bum in the air. She was a good baby, all gummy smiles and constant babbling, fussing only whenever she was hungry, or needed to be changed.
“Hi my little love, are you hungry?” Neteyam scoped up his daughter, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, inhaling her sweet baby smell deeply. Her cries quieted instantly but she whined a bit, rubbing at her mouth against his chest, confirming that she was hungry.
“I wish we didn’t have to wake your mama up.”
Neteyam placed her between him and Enyu, in their bed then leaned over to gently wake his wife. As done a thousand times before, she woke with a little yawn, automatically shuffling closer on her side then guided her hungry baby to her nipple, smiling sleepily as Elteyä suckled greedily, tiny fingers clenched into the swell of her breast.
Neteyam leaned against his arm watching them, he never tired of seeing them together. The mother of his child was incredible.
Enyu shifted their little one to latch against her other nipple, lovingly stroking her finger over her cute twitching nose, humming as Elteyä’s eyes peered up at her. She was all smiles for her mother and paused mid suckle, to coo and gurgle before she was back to her feast.
Enyu watched patiently as Neteyam took the baby from her, wiping at her plump little milk stained lips with a cloth. Enyu bit her lip as her husband placed the cloth over his shoulder and burped their daughter with ease, gently rubbing and patting her back, soothing her to sleep once again with soft coos and humming of his own.
She was surprised at how well they both adapted to parenthood. Albeit, it was great having his parents around to teach them everything they knew.
Their baby looked so cute and tiny in her mate’s arms, he was such a wonderful father. It did things to her when she saw him like this.
When he placed Elteyä back into the well crafted little cot he and Lo’ak had built, he returned to bed and eyed his now very wide awake mate knowingly. As soon as he laid down she pounced. Swinging a leg to straddle him, she kissed him hungrily, immediately rolling her bare hips against his, moving to kiss down the column of his neck as she urged his hands to touch her.
Allowing his mate a few moments to take the lead and feel like she was actually in charge for once, Neteyam flipped them suddenly and took control of the kiss, giving in to what she wanted. Pulling back to look down at her lust hazed face he asked, “Did you drink the tea? I want to be in you tonight.”
Wetness pooled between her thighs at his words but she was quickly distracted when she remembered her goal. Growing nervous, she didn’t meet his eyes. “Umm, about that…I don’t want to drink the tea anymore.”
He frowned, not understanding, so she went in for the direct truth. “I want another baby.”
Neteyam froze, eyebrows raised high as he looked down at his wife. “And I know you’re thinking it’s probably too soon but-”
Unable to contain his excitement, a slow smile grew on his face and he flipped them over so she was in his lap once more. “Enyu, baby are you being serious right now?”
She nodded with her own grin, feeling more excited from his positive response. “Yeah I’ve been thinking about it for a little while now and I’m sure. I feel ready. What do you think?”
He kissed her and whispered a “fuck yes” against her lips. “You know I want as many babies as you're willing to give me.”
Enyu laughed, careful not to be too loud. “How many do you want? And don’t say ten like every other time we’ve talked about this.”
He tilted his head in thought as his hands sensually smoothed up her thighs, her hips, waist, then ribs, to cup her breasts gently. “How about six?”
“Six? No.” Rolling her hips against his thigh, in the rhythm he set for her she huffed a small laugh when his tail smacked across her bottom in disagreement. Her laugh simmered into a low moan when he took a nipple into his mouth. “How about two?” She suggested.
He released her with a soft pop and a bead of milk dangled from his bottom lip. Licking it away he said, “Five.”
When he clenched his thigh muscles, her eyes rolled up, then closed, head dropping back as he sped up her rocking- she was making such a mess on his thigh. He loved it. Panting she shook her head then said in a garbled voice, “Two.”
“Four,” he mumbled against her neck, sucking that sensitive spot of hers while he fondled one of her breasts.
“Tey.” She was there already, He knew her body better than his own, he’d mastered the art of controlling it.
“Come for me Flower.”
And then she did. She fell forward, biting into his shoulder as his hands continued to guide her hips across the hard muscled expanse of his thigh. She squealed when he tossed her backwards, pushing her legs apart to eye her mess. His jaw ticked as he considered his next steps.
“Four.” He said again, his voice sounded rough, he looked like he was seconds away from ravishing her.
Still panting and coming down from her high she nodded and said, “Maybe. How about three for sure and four for maybe?”
“Deal.” He stalked closer, looking completely wild. Eyes locked on hers he licked at the inside of her thigh, cleaning away the remnants that leaked there.
“Tey,” she whined. She knew he loved teasing her but she wasn’t feeling in a very teasing mood at the moment.
“What do you want, Flower?” He asked in faux concern.
She hissed at him, baring her fangs for a second. “I want you to touch me already.”
“Such a fierce Flower,” he cooed with a taunting chuckle. Giving in to her demands like always, he stoked between her thighs, sinking two fingers into her and groaned. “Shit Enyu, you’re soaking me.”
“Well what are you going to do about it?”
He paused, not liking her tone and grinned wickedly at her pathetic whine when he removed his fingers. Leaning over her body, he whispered in her ear. “Oh little wife, you really want to know what I am going to do about it?” He asked dangerously.
All the air rushed out of her when in one fluid motion he pushed all the way inside of her, stretching her deliciously. He remained still, allowing her to adjust to the sudden intrusion. He nipped her ear, bringing her attention back to him.
“I am going to put a baby in you, is what I’m going to do about it.”
~
It was date night for the first time in a while. They left their two little ones in the trusted care of Mo’at who was keenly soaking up as much time with her precious great grandbabies who she doted upon every chance she got.
There was usually a fight for who got to babysit on date night, so Enyu and her husband decided to let their family fight amongst themselves. All they needed to know was who to drop the kids off too.
Neteyam took her flying that night, she hadn’t been since the birth of their son five months ago.
They were currently cuddled together on the very same tree where they’d had their “talk” years ago. Where he’d told her his family was leaving.
Enyu leaned back against her husband’s shoulder. She sat between his legs as they enjoyed the scenery before them.
“When did you realize you had feelings for me? Beyond friendship.”
Neteyam blinked and considered her question before answering. “Hmm. To be honest there was a build up. I think it started escalating after our fight about Yaćksön. You know I was honestly terrified at that moment, it occurred to me I could actually lose you to some other guy. I was jealous, insanely jealous…but yeah it was after that I started noticing all these things about you that I hadn’t before.”
“Like what?”
“Simple things at first. How much your touch affected me. Your smile, how you walked, hips and tail swaying, teasing me every time. Your lips, swear baby I thought you were taunting me every time you’d bite your damn bottom lip.” She let out a laugh. “These,” his hands cupped her breasts softly, “how did I not notice these before?” They laughed and he released her, hugging her again.
“It wasn’t only physical things though. I never realized how safe you made me feel.” She tilted her head against his shoulder to see his face. “Being the chief’s son, growing up with all the expectations. I know I was a hard ass, still am, I’d hear people talk. But with you, I could be my complete self around you, Flower. Didn’t have that with anybody else.”
He tucked a stray hair behind her hair and kissed her forehead. “So yeah it started there. Then during that time I was an idiot and decided to avoid you, I started having these thoughts. About you and me, if we ever stood a chance. What our future could’ve been if I didn’t have to leave, what our babies would have looked like,” he chuckled sadly. “Stuff like that. But to finish answering your question. When my feelings really sucker punched me? It was right here.”
“Here?”
“Mhm. You crawled into my lap, determination written all over your cute face. Telling me that I was your home. Telling me, you were leaving with me and my family, and I couldn’t tell you no. That I just had to say yes…and it hit me, knocked the air right out of me. It was like finally waking up from a dream, only to find out it was all true. You were very real all along.”
Enyu turned and climbed into his lap, just like that night. He chuckled at the sight of the tears in her eyes. “It’s hormones,” she tried.
He snorted, “Sure baby. You’re not going to be able to use that excuse forever. You know I knew you before we had kids right?”
“Whatever. Now kiss me already.”
“So impatient,” he teased and then he kissed her slowly, lovingly, tears and all, savouring her taste, before pulling back to stare into her eyes.
“I love you Neteyam.”
“I love you too En’yuna. My fierce Flower.”
~
I can't believe it. The final chapter. I had such a blast writing this fic. Thank you to all of you who have read. I appreciate all your likes, reposts, lovely comments and follows.
Even though this is the final chapter, this will not be the last we see of these two, I feel like I have so much more to write about them.
If y'all are interested I can maybe post some mini scenes from Neyetam and Enyu's life together.
So feel free to send me asks about them.
I've only been on this platform a short while now and all in all it has a great journey. Special shout out to my first and amazing follower @queen190
As always:
I'm sorry if there were any errors.
Please reblog, like and let me know if you enjoyed it in the comments :)
i will soften every edge, hold the world to its best | 6
summary ;; This is the reality of Jake Sully: the father and Olo'eyktan of the People cannot coexist, Eywa teaches her lessons in the toughest ways.
PART 5 | NEXT (wip)
pairings ;; dad!jake sully x reader, mom!neytiri x reader, sully family x reader
genre ;; pure angst and family feels
notes / explanations ;; well this took a hot minute. am back on my bs
WARNING for violence and t0rture, reader discretion is advised. Please excuse my mistakes if you see any!
Jake moved on pure primitive instinct, unbridled arctic rage honing all his senses into one laser point of focus. It wasn’t survival, and it surely wasn’t prey running from predator, there was nothing noble about what he was trying to achieve.
That avatar was going to die today, and Jake was going to make it hurt. No fair game. No warrior’s death. No respect.
Devoid of the shape of humanity or the ties that bound him to it, he was the embodiment of a creature’s killer intent, body taking over and consciousness disappearing to the backseat as he catapulted his tomahawk at the avatar, taking advantage of the miniscule opening provided by a magazine change needed after emptying all of his bullets to a Jake luring him into wasting his resources away.
The dull squelch of the hand-carved ax’s head plunging into flesh couldn’t be dampened by the avatar’s choked and short shout, and Jake was jumping out of cover in no time, a bull to red, advancing towards the man, footsteps not hidden out of having no concern for it at all, let him panic or try to struggle for all Jake cared.
Opposite of what he expected, the rifle wasn’t picked up or fumbled to aim at him. The avatar, pale in the face and pupils having devoured the yellow, fear trumping the pain of his arm almost sliced off from shoulder, crawled away on his back from Jake in full speed, getting up before Jake could reach him, and started staggering into the forest, dropping the tomahawk in the process.
Jake stopped in his tracks for a moment and picked his weapon up, the dark liquid glistening purple in the light of the Tree of Souls, droplets of blood making the moss light up as they hit the ground. His chest heaved in controlled, loud breaths, mouth pulled back in a snarl, watching the pathetic son of a bitch trying to get away.
He was one of the lot who’d shot you, hurt you, tortured you — simply to get a reaction out of Jake.
He was the one who pulled Jake away before he could fix his mistakes, undo the damage they had done, and get you back.
Jake was so close. So close.
You were there. You were right there. He could still feel you in his arms, his shoulder imprinted with your tears, shiest of smiles at a better future he could build with you from the burnt soil of your relationship.
If it hadn’t been for him…
That man was your murderer.
He deserved the hell of a father’s making.
This avatar was a marine — and the fucking idiot was running into the oblivion blind worse than a normal civilian would in this situation, had all those years of training evaporated in one second? Jake’s steps were determined, yet lax following after the guy, nose picking up the trail of blood left behind, eyes watching the red splatters. This was all Hansel and Gretel for him, playing follow the breadcrumbs.
The sound of thumping, frantic running, bumping into obstacles, crashing into flora, all was distinguishable from the natural song of the forest Jake had gotten so familiar with in these fifteen years. No response came from the avatar, but Jake wasn’t hurrying. He would have him. Let the bastard tire himself out first — but he wouldn’t let him die. No. He could smell the fear, the blood, anger at bay, all ice, knowing the trees would carry all the sounds he needed to Jake. He could hear exactly where the avatar was. and If he was hoping he’d bleed himself out faster than Jake could reach him to save himself from what was going to happen, well…
He’d better start praying for mercy to whatever deity held his worthless faith, because Jake had none of it. They had no mercy for you, his sinless, innocent child, all but wails and yelps and blood, and apologies for it.
Every time Jake thought of you in that tremendous pain to the brink of delirium, he burned in his heart’s ice until he was black and purple all over. Your smile was so real, your embrace was tiny and warm in his arms and he had a chance, the only chance no parent could ever get in this life. Jake had dissolved together with that mirage.
The part of him engulfed in flames wanted to end this quickly and painfully—to burn it all, break that man in, scream his lungs out, the other part of him, frozen fury that scalded over in the loss of you, wanted to draw it out, wanted to inflict never-ending pain, to bring the avatar back from the brink of death over and over again just to repeat it in a cycle.
His child. His baby.
The ties that held Jake together were getting pulled tight, the pressure building like deep water currents, thinner threads snapping and crackling, body being pulled to all five directions from all five limbs. Awareness went out and barged its way back in hot flashes, he couldn’t comprehend the passing of time and how long he let your murderer catch the delusion of shaking Jake off his tail — but, his instincts knew to reveal himself before the avatar could be claimed by blood loss.
Dangling hope right in front of his face just to snatch it away wasn’t enough. It could never be enough compared to you who had dragged your own corpse back home, muted to your own pain cocooned between those who should have meant nothing but home and safety to you. Torture. You had lived torture in your last hours with help just one step, one word away.
Nothing would ever be enough.
Jake emerged from the thick flora like the grim reaper himself who would always be waiting right at the spot of the reaping wherever the soul ran away to, detached and unimpressed, blank face not reflecting the scorched soul inside. The almost passed out avatar jolted awake when he smelled the smoke from Jake’s shadow falling on him, and could only press his back further to the body of the cluster of big rocks he had taken shelter against as if somehow becoming one with it could shield him away from Jake’s wrath.
The man’s breathing was getting louder and shakier the more Jake stood there motionless. “C’mon then,” he said between clenched teeth, spasming hand dropping from his mutilated shoulder, squaring up the last drops of his courage. “Get on with it.”
Jake’s whitened fingers were making noise against the handle of his tomahawk, but his voice was hauntingly hollow, unfeeling now that he had the man right in his palm. “Thought I should let you live what you did to my daughter first.”
The avatar began to scream. “Fuck you, man, we didn’t do none of this shit to that kid—”
Jake’s tone didn’t change, but it cut worse than a knife. “You killed my kid.”
His eyes widened, breath hitching, the reality of what was coming to him finally sinking in and Jake witnessed every panicked second of it. “Fuck…” His gaze wildly alternated between Jake and the tomahawk, raising his better, trembling hand up for feeble defense. “Look, look, listen, we didn’t kill her, alright? We patched her up, okay, she was going to be a prisoner, what happened happened because you engaged in battle, we wouldn’t do that to a—AGH!”
He was interrupted by Jake sharply shoving the head of the tomahawk into his injury, just putting it in there, not moving it further down. “Do you have children, marine?”
The man palmed at the weapon, fingernails digging into the wood, but no matter how much he pushed, it didn’t budge one bit. “Stop, stop! Fuck—”
Jake repeated again, firmer. “I asked you a question, do you have children?”
“No!— No, god, argh!”
He spaced out for a while, watching him squirm and trash to get away with defeated, half-assed attempts, also unable to because of how much of an immovable object Jake was making the weapon buried in the open wound be. It would hit the bone if he used more strength.
With a fixed, stony stare, Jake removed the tomahawk, waiting for the man’s deplorable whimpers to recede before breaking him the news like reading it off a doctor’s report. “You won’t get to have any.”
He didn’t look like he cared about something like that, but the man knew his fate insinuated by the words. Nevertheless,it didn’t mean he could be free from the survivor’s instinct’s mood swings his body was putting him through. Denial to bargaining within minutes. “Just kill me already, you deserter piece of—”
“Oh, no, no no,” Jake reassured, the only flicker of emotion he had shown since he’d cornered the avatar. “You won’t get to die for a long time, either.”
The avatar grunted, head falling down before he started to shake it. “Please just let it end—man, just let it end, I’m sorry, okay, please!” A whole body-trembling begging shifted to anger the more Jake remained non-responsive. Watching. Just watching. The hole in his chest getting wider the more he fed this man’s suffering to it — it wasn’t enough. “Just fucking do it! Pussy ass bitch! Come on you blue motherfucker, kill me! Kill m—”
“Are you the one who shot my daughter?”
“What?”
“Are you. The one. Who shot my daughter?”
The avatar’s face twisted. “It wasn’t me—it wasn’t—asshole, you already killed the guy, I didn’t fucking do anything!—”
“You... didn’t do anything?”
A beat. The forest fell silent in Jake’s ears. Just like how the noises you made had abruptly died down as he was putting pressure on your wound.
And like that, the thick haze that had Jake desensitized blew over, unadulterated anger rushed to his body, acidic and nauseating, soul stitching back to his limbs by a million needles and he began to shake, face contorting, teeth showing itself, the hiss that lacerated his throat was the most terrifying one of his life yet, it didn’t sound like it belonged to a sentient being, twisted by a grieving, demented animalistic horror. The avatar’s breath hitched, whatever protest and voice he had escaping deep inside his body, ears pinned back to his head.
“Of course,” Jake glowered, swallowing the scorching stones blocking his throat. He closed his burning eyes, and was greeted by the image of you, opening them back again, and shaking the ax as if it was an accusing finger.
And without a word of warning, his hand shot down and grabbed the avatar from the neck of his tactical vest, hurling him over the chest-level array of big rocks forming a pointy bed above, ignoring the cries of pain as the abused, torn open flesh of the wound dragged through the sharp teeth of the gravel, dousing them in blood. “Please, please, stop!—I’m sorry, I was wrong, that wasn’t right, shit, shit!”
Jake snatched the man’s dominant arm that was coincidentally the same one dangling by fractured bone and tendons from the shoulder. His soul had known what he wanted right from the start before his brain had processed it. “This hand,” he spat, holding it from the wrist, gnashing his teeth. “that pulled the trigger at me…”
Murdered his daughter for a second time.
All a soldier’s worth for. One hand to hold the stock tight against the body and one to fire. All that to take a single life.
Leaning the hand down against the rock in a sudden move, Jake slammed on the blunt, pointy end of the tomahawk on it like he was hammering a nail, the sickening crack of the bones breaking got followed by the avatar’s fractured scream.
Jake saw you hunched, cheekily laughing in the blue and purple of the creek, freckles glowing because of the eclipse, silhouette illuminated by the floating bioluminescent bugs.
Spinning the tomahawk in his clammy hand in a full 360 turn, he smashed it down once more, stronger. The metal broke skin and sank into spongy muscle. His ears were buzzing, ringing from how the shrill yells.
Jake was hugging you after what seemed to be years, and your little arms were clinging to him for life — you were sand slipping from his fingers.
Jake hammered again.
You were telling him how mean he was to you, your voice suppressing the avatar’s.
He brought it down one more time and felt the tomahawk recoil from hitting rock.
You were bashful as you repeated how Jake would always love you.
Guttural breaths getting louder with effort each hit, he kept slamming it down until everything was his beautiful little sweet girl.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Again and again and again and again and again until there was no resistance from the limb anymore and the man had gone silent and it was all mashed meat he was pounding—
And then he almost plunged it to your bleeding, battered corpse, your stomach covered in reddish brown from the dried brown, body ashen blue, and Jake cried out in terror, jumping back and losing strength in his legs as the tomahawk flew from his hand and he fell over.
His lungs constricted, refusing to take any breaths in and his heart ricocheted around in his ribcage, he was gaping at the wall of rock now washed red as if it was some white rose painted red in Alice in Wonderland.
Jake sat there for the longest time, dissociated.
In those moments, he wasn’t Toruk Makto, he wasn’t Olo’eyktan, he wasn’t the pillar of a family of seven. He was simply Jake Sully.
However, he wasn’t allowed to be stripped down to the bone until all that’s left was a mourning father. That was Jake’s reality.
He had to cast the crippled man aside, the tragedy of his child away, and bring the leader of the People out right as your ghost rippled in his vision, watching spitefully within the forest — because all you wanted was for him to be your father, and he couldn’t even fucking do that after your death.
This avatar was a valuable asset, a hostage to question. For the sake of his people.
He wasn’t allowed revenge.
A single drop of tear rolled down expressionless face. When he looked down, Jake’s hands were still stained with your blood.
The only instance a child should be covered in blood is when they come out of their mother’s womb, little lungs being burned with existence for the first time, crying from the pain of being separated from Eywa’s arms, birth mother a complete stranger to them.
The gore of you barely clinging to life, unmoving, drenched in your own blood, wiped and wiped to the point Neytiri had to change buckets of water until it turned light pink was overlapping with the joyful image of your newborn self she had lovingly and gently cleaned of the remains of labor with wetted mothsilk, skin too sensitive for water for the moment, the blue coming alive as the blood and other clotted bodily fluids were cleansed.
It wasn’t the broken, ice-cold, lithe body of a young girl Neytiri had cleaned in the torment of her excoriated, unraveling mind, it was her baby’s. Her baby, her poor baby with a gaping hole in the middle of your body, memories marauding Neytiri’s lucidity.
She lived the moment of your first cleansing over and over again.
You were a particularly indomitable cryer, Neytiri had known you would be infamous for your battle cries right as she was brought back from the blackout of post-birth by your overly-healthy wailing — or perhaps you would best Ninat as a singer when you’d unapologetically blossom, but one thing was ascertained: her first daughter was a fierce, fiery blue ball of ardor compared to Neteyam, who was almost shy and reluctant in disturbing people around him in his weeping that a collective worry for his health had plagued the whole clan.
As you squirmed, smeared in chunks of her flesh and blood, as if you wanted to jump off from her arms and start walking already, Neytiri had smiled up at her Jake, your father, unable to take his eyes off you, stuck between awe and laughs that came and went. “She has your heart,” she’d told him, spent and hurting, but wonderfully alive. “Strong.”
He’d traced his thumb through her drenched hairline. “Lungs, you mean?” His scent, wind and hearthfire, had enveloped Neytiri when Jake had leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I think they’re yours.” The teasing about how you had made Neytiri scream in labor wouldn’t have gone unpunished if she wasn’t on the edge of sleep held up only by your crying, so, he’d gotten a light hit on the side of his face instead. But Jake knew how to apologize, he’d always been spectacular at it. “I’d say she takes after me in appearance, look at her little ugly face.”
To Neytiri, you were beautiful, face dark purple from how strong you were screaming, and a mini-village elder with the wrinkles, swinging those little fists — things that made you lovely in her eyes. Her first daughter.
She had learned motherhood from Neteyam, but she would learn to understand her mother and her choices through you, someone she thought couldn’t be more different from her — Neytiri, all Mo’at could have been, and Mo’at, all Neytiri might have become, once. She prayed you would love her as much as she’d begun to love you the second you were in her arms.
To think the enormity of her love hadn’t reached you — it was one of the greatest failures of Neytiri’s life. If it had, you’d be wounded, but perfectly conscious and well in her mother’s tent. If it had, you would have been beyond comfortable telling those demons had hurt you.
In that all-consuming devastation, the woven towel she was using to wipe the thin sheet of sweat that formed on your body slipped from her uncoordinated hands and fell on your chest, and Neytiri had to hold back the breath that spiked to become a hiccup by covering her mouth, and immediately, her curled hand was engulfed in a smaller, five-fingered one. She came eye-to-eye with Kiri after raising her head, putting her other hand on hers at the girl’s more disheveled and messy self, heart dropping to her stomach at the fatigue varnishing an extra layer of moisture in her daughter’s drooping eyes.
“Oh Kiri,” Neytiri mumbled, caressing her cheek and brushing the tangled hair away from her face.
“Why don’t you go get some rest, mom, hm?”
“Even if I somehow agreed to that, I could never agree to leaving my daughter alone in this.”
“I’m fine.” Stopping to take a breath, she sighed, collecting the towel and starting to fold it. “Well, not really fine, but don't worry about me. We’re all miserable here. And that’s natural.” Fiddling with the corners of the cloth, she leaned in a bit and lowered her voice, light reflecting from the yellow of her irises making it look like they shone from within. “I… I know she’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. Eywa has bestowed us a gift she has never given to anyone before and it’s for a reason. I feel that everything will be set right.” She shook her head up and down, determined. “Dad will do it. I know he will.”
Neytiri trusted Kiri with her intuition and understanding when it came to the inscrutable intentions of Eywa, she was closer to the Great Mother than any Tsahik was — so close that she would drift away too much from her family. And deep down, Neytiri was heartsick by this invisible line that separated her from her daughter, any parent in her place would be unsettled like this.
She was also hog-tied to close the distance growing between them because of the human boy Spider and how she would find camaraderie in him in their ‘orphan’ status as she called it. Kiri was already faraway in her obscure existence and unwittingly separated herself as if she didn’t see herself as a real part of the family some days, and Neytiri hated that the ‘kinship’ she’d formed with Spider was planting these ideas into her head when she was her and Jake’s daughter, no more, no less. To overwrite those feelings, she tried so hard to reach Kiri, but was unsettled by the feeling of being hated sometimes, again, more or less for her stance in placing Spider at the outskirts of their family.
But oftentimes Kiri would express her affection through small, otherwise unnoticeable actions, just like this one, a caring touch and reassurance that could melt an ice cube — and Neytiri basked in the babiest of steps between them. And maybe this was how Jake had it with you, too, she had never thought about it like this before.
Taking in Neytiri’s solemn silence, Kiri grumbled, suddenly agitated about something. “I just… I just wish I had isirka resin and xhikul seeds for this paste and cover her wound with it. Grandmother’s extract isn’t enough to stimulate the bone marrow and ugh—” The girl groaned with the obvious guilt at groaning in the first place, as well. “I’m sorry, mom, I don’t know what—”
“It’s alright, Kiri,” Neytiri said, weariness blending with tenderness, knowing you’d agree too. You would have probably told her to not waste her energy and wait around when there wasn’t anything left to do anyway. “Maybe it’s you who needs some rest. You’ve worked hard. Harder than any of us. You do need rest, too.”
Kiri was quick to refuse. “I’m trying something new, I can’t go anywhere.”
“I’m sure one of your brothers—”
Her earpiece buzzed alive. “Neytiri, do you read me?”
The unexpected timing of it caught her off guard, her hand flying up to the device, drums of alarm going off in her head by the croaky, despondent note to his voice. The impact of their previous argument evaporated from existence just by hearing his distress. “Jake?” She focused on you, not observing any difference, and frowned in worry, her pulse picking up pace as Kiri also locked her attention to her the moment she heard her father was on the line. “What happened?”
“I have here one of Quaritch’s dreamwalkers—whatever they are.” Neytiri’s mouth opened and closed at the reveal, forehead creasing. “Alive. Somehow survived to get to the Tree of Souls.”
Her hand instinctively descended to touch your cool and clammy arm closest to her. “Tree of Souls…? But you were—”
“Yeah. Yeah, he… I couldn’t. I couldn’t…”
She stared at your face, all thoughts draining from her mind. “What are you saying, Jake?”
Silence.
“Jake,” Neytiri implored, her voice snuffed out towards the end. She tried again. “Jake, I don’t understand. What does this mean..?”
“Son of a bitch pulled me out before I could… before I could finish talking to her.” Kiri reached for her when she let out an incoherent, disbelieving voice, getting more panicked as Neytiri clawed at her tightening chest with his next words. “I failed, Neytiri. I couldn’t… She…”
Neytiri was physically helpless to respond, and Kiri couldn’t hold back from inquiring seeing the state she was in. “Mom? Mom! What’s wrong?”
“This man, if it wasn’t for this man, I had it.” Jake kept talking at an increasing speed the longer Neytiri didn’t say anything. “I had her right in my arms, making future plans, smiling, everything was perfect, and then he—” His breath quivered. “He fucking—” And he stopped the sentence abruptly to get some semblance of control back because Eywa knew Neytiri was losing it ever so slowly. “I need you here with me right now, please. Please, I…”
Neytiri refused to acknowledge what Jake couldn’t say out loud. You were still breathing, she felt your chest rise and fall even if the pattern was weak. You had life left in you. Jake saying he failed made no sense to her, she didn’t believe it.
“Neytiri, I need to question this… this filth, need to learn all I can about what’s going on, but I can’t do it on my own. I’ll kill him. In a heartbeat. I want to squeeze the life out of him with my hands right this moment and I— I can’t… We have to know how they could have gotten this far, what they’re planning—and now right to the Tree of Souls too, and…” The rambling that got chaotic and disconnected faded off eventually, as if he’d lost his voice. “Shit.”
And throughout all that, Neytiri had gone from confused, in denial, at the threshold of grief but not nearly in there anchored by your pulse, and lusting for blood within minutes. Kiri was taken aback by the anger radiating from her. “Bring him here!”
“I can’t. He could have a tracker on him—they could have put it in his body. I can’t risk that.”
Neytiri stood up with only one thing in her mind, and it didn’t match Jake’s. “Where are you?”
“You gotta let me pass, buddy, come on! You wanna take my head off or something? Why are you being like this!”
Hands up and quick on his feet, Lo’ak was trying to negotiate.
With an ikran of all things. Not even his.
Yours.
Mom storming out like a wronged, vengeful spirit had been the perfect chance for him to do a quick supply run sneak off, but your overgrown big bird with the exact same attitude as you was getting in his way and blocking Lo’ak off by snapping its jaw at his head and opening its sunset fire tinged wings every time he attempted to cross over to his own ikran. They were basically at a standstill and he had no idea why.
Lo’ak just wanted to help. Help you.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
Shit.
Neteyam. Making his way to him with such speed that got his braids swinging and of course he’d sniffed Lo’ak out like a nantang. Followed the odd silence, probably. Eywa, he should have thought this out better.
“Skxawng, do you not remember what dad said?”
“I do,” Lo’ak hummed and hawed, and that was the problem. He’d never felt this guilty about disobeying dad’s orders before, it was making him squirm. “But look, Kiri said she needed isirka resin and xhikul seeds or whatever to treat her, I’m going—”
Neteyam’s jaw had flexed when he said whatever, but there was no visible agitation after he gave a sharp breath through his nose. “So let’s call mother or—”
“They’re busy with some sky person dad caught—”
“I know. The same ones who did this to our sister. I know, Lo’ak.” Neteyam aggressively gestured to the exit of the cave system, shaking his arm while speaking. “What do you think will happen if you go off on your own and land yourself in bigger trouble than she did? Huh?”
Lo’ak threw resentful looks at your ikran. “I can’t stay put like this. I have to do something.”
“This again? There is nothing we can do.” He hadn’t said that in his normal drilling of dad’s orders — Neteyam had the same pain of acceptance that were Lo’ak’s bruises etched onto his face.
And that made Lo’ak want to throw up all over the place. He’d experienced countless sicknesses his siblings had fallen to over the years, none of those were as fatal as this and he didn’t know what the fuck to do. What was he supposed to do when his sister was dying? What did one do when a family member was in this situation anyway? Nothing seemed right to him.
And something was finally, finally within his power — and Lo’ak would of course rise up to the challenge without hesitation. He wasn’t just going to sit down and let that possibility of your salvation slip by. “But there is. Kiri said—”
“Lo’ak if you leave right now and somehow get caught dad will never trust you again. He was the most open he’s ever been, don’t betray him like that.”
He was getting annoyed that Neteyam was ignoring the whole point, though it wasn’t as if Lo’ak didn’t know. He was fully aware, and that’s why this was supposed to be a secret. Dad couldn’t be hurt by what he didn’t know now, could he? Not only were you getting Kiri’s remedy, which he was sure as his name was Lo’ak that would end up most effective, but he also wasn’t breaking his promise to dad when the tiniest thread of trust in his son was knotted by the man just recently.
Neteyam grabbed him by the top of his head in a brotherly manner but his hold was of steel, the boy tried to grumpily push him off but he didn’t budge, staring right into his soul. “Use what’s in this for once and just tell dad or mother, they’re down in the forest already anyway.” When he let go, Lo’ak stumbled back, rubbing the sting off, and the semi-playful older brother was back. “And one of them will actually know what to look for.”
His immediate response was refusal. “I know what I’m looking for—”
“What does isirka look like?”
The sounds your ikran was making was eerily close to laughter and Lo’ak felt heat rush up to the tips of his ears. “It’s a tree.”
Neteyam didn’t have brow hair like Lo’ak did, but the way he raised the lines was always more expressive than how he did it. “Xhikul, then?”
“Flower, skxawng.”
“Wrong.” Lo’ak’s tail started beating the air at the condescending tone. “Kiri is talking about the fruit. Xhika is its flower.”
He rolled his eyes, turning away. “Whatever—”
“Is it whatever?” Neteyam grabbed Lo’ak by the shoulder and spun him around so rough that he got dizzy. “Are you calling my sister’s life whatever?”
Lo’ak was going to explode from how wrong this was going and how insistent Neteyam was to twist his words. “That’s not what I meant bro!”
“You are so careless.” Neteyam’s tail had shot up ramrod straight, the little bush of hair at the end of it all puffed up, ears perking in all directions. He wasn’t necessarily yelling but was tense all over, something he did whenever they were playing back in the day and he was about to pounce after staying still enough to implant a false seed of safety. “You don’t even think about what can happen if you were to bring a completely different ingredient! You don’t think!”
“Sorry that I’m trying to help! What are you doing?”
“Keeping us safe. Keeping you safe.” He pressed his lips together on a thin line, but couldn’t hold back whatever was bubbling inside. “I’m not losing another sibling, Lo’ak!”
Only a small gasp escaped Lo’ak when he opened his mouth in retaliation. He couldn’t have found his voice even if he found something to say to that rawness in return, anyway.
The gut-churning guilt doubled.
“Hey… I—”
“Go,” Neteyam whispered, tilting his head together with the lone word. “Since you’re dying to help, help Kiri. She’s exhausted. I don’t think grandmother will refuse.”
“What about you?” And there he goes again. Wrong words. Neteyam was looking more closed-off than before. “I’m not accusing or anything—”
“I can’t go in there.”
“What?”
“I can’t,” Neteyam took a deep breath and loudly let it go, tail deflating, the arch of it depressing as hell for some reason. “I can’t look at her.”
Neteyam just gave a forlorn smile in return to Lo’ak’s heavily concerned looks demanding he continue but not knowing how to word it, his back looked weirdly lonely as he was tending to your significantly calmer ikran to join back the horde.
Buried in negative thoughts all the way back and ignoring the pitiful looks from the rest of the clan, he met Kiri outside of the healing tent talking to Spider, and he could see Tuk’s back covering the view to you in his peripheral.
They were whispering about something and it was obvious even from a distance where they were nothing but stick figures. At least try to look less suspicious, Lo’ak thought.
The only part he caught from the conversation was Spider saying, “Just describe them to me,” — Kiri was really leaning in towards him.
“What’s going on?”
The two looked like they were caught in the middle of scheming, and it clicked almost immediately.
If Lo’ak had thought of going off on his own, so had they.
“You aren’t going anywhere, bro,” he said, draping his arm across the human boy’s shoulders. “Neteyam’s literally patrolling.”
“You have to be kidding me,” Spider groaned, visibly disappointed. It warmed Lo’ak’s heart to see he was totally down for sneaking off the camp for you. “You said your dad told him to rest.”
“Yeah, he did. Except Neteyam never rests. He has a dancing glow worm up his ass.”
The conversation couldn’t continue because Kiri did a double take at something.
“Tuk!” Kiri took a few steps aside, squinting as if she didn’t think she was seeing it right. Then her expression burst into panic, her hands flying forward as she ran to the tent, Spider and Lo’ak could only stare, baffled. “Tuk, oh Eywa, what are you doing!—”
“I’m giving her water, she’s thirsty.”
“What?”
He actually rushed to the entrance of the tent, nearly falling headfirst in, having stumbled on some rock. Your mouth was actually open. And Tuk was really trying to get you to drink from the bowl she was holding against your mouth.
You choked at one point, still unconscious, but it was a sign of life. Lo’ak didn’t know if the shocked screech came from him or Kiri.
BF2L, Slow Burn - Neteyam x Original Na'vi Female Character
Summery: Neteyam and Enyu, childhood best friends are both obliviously in love with each other. This is their story.
Important to note before reading:
Some characters have been aged up. Neteyam is 23.
En'yuna or Enyu for short (pronounced as N Yunna or N U), is my own creation.
Full recognition, rights and credit is given to the owners of Avatar.
~
PART 10 - The Talk
Neteyam was waiting for her that afternoon when she returned from her day of harvest.
They didn’t actually end up napping the day away as planned but agreed to go flying that evening instead. He actually already did have important plans which he said he’d tell her about when they had their talk later.
Fingers intertwined, he had walked her to her tent that morning making her promise him that she would eat breakfast before leaving for the day. Unable to help himself then, he had intertwined both of their hands and pulled her flush against him by putting their joint hands behind his back.
Enyu had to tilt her head all the way back in order to see his face. He’d stared down at her- their chests pressed together, mirth dancing in his eyes. “Do you love me again?” He asked very seriously.
“I don’t think I ever stopped.” She responded with a lazy grin across her face. ‘Gosh she really must have been drunk off his touch.’ If Spider and Lo'ak were around they’d have said that they were being “cheesy and gross”. He leaned down and pressed his nose against her cheek, his lips hovering against the corner of her mouth and she tiptoed a bit to get a little closer- such a greedy Na'vi she was. “I’ll see you later, yeah?”
Nodding with a smile she had turned and kissed his chin sweetly, giggling when he refused to let her go as she tried to pull away. They had eventually separated when they saw Väriä and Hvatia exit the tent. Väriä had scoffed and rolled her eyes while Hvatia blushed a little and averted her eyes after seeing them before scurrying off after Väriä.
“Hey, lemme just drop off my bag,” She said beaming at him when she saw him sitting outside her tent. Neteyam grinned back at her and flicked her with his tail when she passed him.
Enyu felt like a giggling fool while walking to the ikran enclosures with her best friend. He was very touchy and smiley with her and it was doing all sorts of things to her. She missed being this happy. She missed him.
Last night after their cry fest and then this morning after their- well what does one call what they did that morning? Cuddling? No, it felt way more than that. Whatever it was though- it seemed to have caused their entire dynamic to shift so drastically that she honestly refused to overthink it. She had her best friend back and that was all that mattered to her. Whatever this “new” change in their relationship was though she was definitely not complaining- she was going with the flow.
~
The wind whipped through her hair as they glided through the air. The sky changed colours slowly- day turning into night. Her screech echoed around the valley they flew through as she yelped loudly in glee- it was an incredible feeling. Leaning back into the safety of her best friend's arms she looked around at the beauty of Pandora before her.
Xalkan, Neteyam’s ikran soared them high up, twisting and turning, stooping low through branches. Enyu adjusted her visor and turned her head against Neteyam’s shoulder to smile up at him. He grinned mischievously, wrapped his arm tighter around her and charged Xalkan on to move them faster. The mountain banshee looped high up, twirling them around, flipping them sideways- left, right, upside down. She squealed loudly, laughing and crying out with a mixture of both fear and enjoyment.
After a while as the sky grew darker they glided smoothly for some time and eventually, Neteyam guided them over the top of an extremely tall tree. Its branches looked so long and wide it reminded her of how grandmother Von’yia had described Hometree to her.
Xalkan landed gracefully on the upper part of the trunk and Neteyam jumped down to the branch below, disconnected his queue and then reached up to lift her down. The banshee immediately flew off leaving them alone.
They explored the tree, climbing through the branches and chatting idly about this and that. He told her excitedly about Tuk losing another baby tooth and she told him about Väriä’s unexpected apology to her to which Neteyam only hummed at without comment. They teased and bickered each other, racing through the branches, pulling at each other’s tails- like they did when they were children.
Reaching to the top most branch, a wide and long landing, they settled down- feet dangling over the ledge and admired the view before them. The stretch of forest was glowing, lush and alive. Woodspirits fluttered all around them basking them in a warm glow.
“I think this is the part when you explain everything, Tey.” She said softly, holding her breath a little.
Neteyam pursed his lips and sighed nodding. “Yeah, I think so too.”
Taking a deep breath and staring out at the scenery before them, he started. “That night that I had training with my parents? Spider and my siblings were attacked.”
“What?” She asked softly in horror, her eyes widening, ears twitching in alarm.
“They went exploring at the old shack and spotted some RDA Avatars. Lo’ak called it in and when we got there Quaritch had gotten his hands on them.”
“Quaritch? Who tried to kill your dad Quaritch? Spider’s father Quaritch? But I thought he was dea-”
“I don’t know how either, not like it matters anyway. He's here now, in an Avatar’s body. That night was a close call. It was so stupid and they had taken Tuk with them.” He said in quiet anger. “If we hadn’t gotten there when we did, I don’t even want to know what would’ve happened. Quaritch was hunting my dad and now that he knows he has a family, he’s going to come after us too. He’s vicious and out for revenge. He said he’s not going to stop looking for us- that he wants blood.”
“Spider said he figured out that he’s his son. If my mom hadn’t gone back for him, the kid would be gone right now.” Shaking his head he continued. “I thank Eywa that we got there when we did. The look on Tuk’s face that night- I’m just glad that she’s so resilient.” He looked at her with a sad smile.
“Why didn’t you just tell me Tey? You and your family had a traumatic experience. I-I would’ve understood.” She was horror struck by his revelation. But this didn’t make sense to her at all.
He swallowed guiltily. “I know. I know you would’ve and I was going to. Honest. That night I returned, I was just pissed off and I was a dick to you. I’m sorry Enyu. It was a lot that night and Kiri and Tuk were a mess- I just needed to be there for them. I was going to tell you the next day but- but then.” He hung his head and fiddled with his fingers.
Enyu reached over and squeezed his knee, comfortingly. Whatever it was, it was eating him up.
As if it were all too much and his memories were stifling him he got up and walked a few steps away- her hand falling away too. She watched as her friend tried to get his emotions in check. Watched as he ripped his visors off and rubbed the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache.
“The attack, that’s just part of it all. There’s something else. The main thing.” He was not meeting her eyes now.
“Okay...Tell me.” She said, her heart beating fast.
“My parents- well dad really, decided that since Quaritch is after our family- and for the safety of the clan, we’re going to leave.”
A beat of silence passed through them.
“Leave…” She repeated in confusion.
“Yes. My family’s leaving the clan. Dad said he’s going to make the official announcement at tomorrow’s convene. He’s already spoken to the council and the ceremony for the new Olo'eyktan will be held the day aft-”
“Wait, wait- ceremony? How did we even get there?” She got to her feet quickly and marched up to him. “Neteyam- wha. I- I don't understand. You said your family is leaving? To go, where? And when are you going to come back? You’re not making any sense right now!” She was doing what she knew best- panicking.
Neyetam stared down at her quietly for a few seconds. “That’s just it Flower. I don’t think we are- coming back that is. We’re going to seek Uturu with the Metkayina clan.”
Enyu stepped back as if he’d slapped her. She felt tears sting her eyes. She’d always known that she was an emotional Na’vi but this past week alone had just taken its toll on her. And now here she was once again.
“Uturu?” she whispered, her ears tilting downwards. “So what- that's it, then? You are leaving just like that? No- no conversation, no input from anyone else. Just- just pack up and leave? For Good?” She looked at him in complete disbelief, shaking her head.
“It’s to protect the clan Enyu! Believe me, at first I didn’t get it and I was so angry with my parents. But now I do. It’s a sacrifice! And yes I do hate it but it’s the best thing we can do for the clan- to protect them! To protect you!”
“Oh what a load of bullshit!” She screamed, quoting one of Jake’s famous curses. She was getting angry now. “I know you don't actually believe all of that, I know you. I know you better than I know myself Neteyam Sully. You’d want to stay here and fight! You’d want to find another way. Not runaway!”
“Well I don’t exactly have a choice in the matter right now okay En’yuna!” He shouted back at her just as angrily. “Why do you think I was so distant, huh? Huh?” He rounded on her, invading her space. “I found out that I am going to lose everything I know and love just like that.” He snapped his finger. “Everything that I've worked toward, gone! My Rank, gone! My people, gone! My home, my friends, my memories, my- My Flower.” He hissed her nickname as if it were a curse.
Neteyam glared at her now. “I realized that I was going to lose you Enyu! What the hell am I supposed to do without you by my side? I’ll admit that I was blinded by my fear and anger and I acted like a piece of shit. I thought if I just bit the bullet and cut ties with you it would be easier. Clearly I was stupid! I couldn't eat or sleep- I felt like I couldn’t breathe! All I ended up doing was hurting the both of us. I hurt you, Enyu, and I will never forgive myself for it!” He had frustrated tears in his eyes now. “If those few days apart taught me anything, it is that you are like a drug to me. You’ve consumed me- wormed your way and embedded yourself into every nook and cranny of my being and now- now I have to give you all up. I didn't choose this!”
He looked away when he saw that she was sobbing quietly. She’d tossed her visor off and tears were rolling down her flushed cheeks. It broke his heart, he was hurting her all over again.
Shaking his head he continued in a softer tone, “I figured that, since I couldn’t live without you, it- well I figured it might’ve maybe been the same for you. I wanted to make sure that you’d be okay without me. That day you saw me arguing with Väriä, I- I threatened to report her to the council. Made her own up to the fact that she was purposely palming off her work. She confessed to everything and I told her she needed to get her act together and to leave you alone. Not- I obviously wasn’t nice about it and I’m sorry that she took it out on you.”
He started talking to her like he had it all figured out now, it pissed her off. “My grandmother, she’s going to be staying. I asked her to make sure that you remember to eat, check in on you from time to time. I knew about your bow lessons with Lo’ak, so I asked your roommate, Hvatia, to offer you lessons when we leave. And I-” He huffed and scratched his forehead. “I threatened that fool, Yaćksön, to stop his stalling and become official already. You never said anything but I knew it was bothering you.”
Realizing that he’d gotten too worked up and feeling antsy from Enyu’s silence he sighed and continued in an even softer tone. “I’m sorry. I didn't mean to yell before, okay? This all just really sucks and-” He shook his head unable to continue- his own tears blurring his eyes. Their bickering was one thing, but he hated fighting with her, he didn’t want to do that anymore. They already didn’t have much time left together. “Please say something.” He pleaded, stepping closer to her, willing her to look at him, his hands reaching out to her.
“Don’t touch me.” She hissed angrily, slapping his hands away. “What do you expect me to say to all of that, Neteyam?”
“Enyu. I'm sorry.” He said frowning at her as if she were a wild animal. She was livid.
“No tell me! What do you want me to say? You chose NOT to talk to me! You cut me out instead. You ended us because YOU were leaving. You’re an ass. Väriä, Yaćksön, Hvatia, your grandmother! What in Eywa’s name was all of that huh? You figured you’d just what? Fix all my problems- hire a babysitter to feed me and then what? I wouldn’t notice that you’d be gone? I am not a child! You don’t make my decisions for me!” She knew that she was sounding petulant now but she didn't care. He was breaking her heart all over again.
“Flower…” She smacked his chest with her palms as he inched forward. It didn’t deter him though, he kept coming closer, invading her space, gripping her biceps.
“No! Stop! Let me go!” She was shrieking and sobbing inconsolably, hitting and pushing at his chest. Neteyam crushed her to him, hugging her fiercely. One hand anchoring her waist, the other in her still loose hair. It reminded him of the day he’d gotten wounded. The day he’d hugged her too then, trying to soothe her anger.
She sobbed hysterically, still trying to push him away as she cried. “I just got you back Tey, I just got you back. And now you’re killing me all over again.” She sagged against him, feeling so tired. Lack of food and sleep- her constant crying the past few days, it was all catching up to her.
He hugged her tighter, his own tears falling, chanting in her ear, “I know Flower, I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
~
After a while she quieted. Hiccupping and sniffling every now and again but she was quiet. Too quiet. Neteyam had moved them into a seated position. He leaned against a thick branch and he’d placed Enyu between his propped up thighs. He wrapped around her, hugging her with his arms from behind- chin and nose brushing against her temple comfortingly, leaving her to her thinking. Her knees were drawn up as she numbly stared out at the forest.
“Tey.” She said quietly after a while, when she'd finished her thinking. “When are we leaving?”
He frowned at her question but answered anyway. “My family leave the day after tomorrow.”
“Okay then.” She said simply, her voice still a bit raw from all her crying.
“Flower?” He peered over to see her face better.
“You’re a right skxawng if you think you’re going to migrate and just leave me here. I just got you back and I refuse to give you up again. And forever? Never. I am going with you.” Enyu held a 'no nonsense and that’s final' look upon her face.
Tilting her body sideways so that he could see all of her better and with a shake of his head he said, “No.”
“This is my choice. You can’t tell me no.” She said defiantly with a small sniffle.
“Well I just did En’yuna. Don’t push me right now.” He was deadly serious, giving her one of his “try me and you’ll find out” looks. “Did you not just hear everything I just said? We are doing this for the protection of the clan. My family is leaving and you will stay here, where it is safe. Do you understand me?”
“No, I do not understand you! You told me last night that you would die without me. We were separated for TWO DAYS Neteyam. Two days! And now you’re telling me that you’re leaving- for an indefinite amount of time and that I have to stay here? Without you? No.” She twisted even further kneeling now so that they were at eye level- her eyes flashing menacingly, hands balled at her side. “I am going with you.”
“Oh Eywa!" He prayed in a frustrated manner- looking up to the sky then back to her. “En’yuna. Would you listen to me woman? It is not safe. I’m trying to protect you here.” He said, trying to reason with her.
Getting tired of their conversation she shot back. “Well that’s just stupid then. How are you going to protect me if you’re not here? Hmm?”
“This is your home. You’ll be leaving it for probably the rest of your life. Are you really willing to give it all up?”
“Are you really willing to give me up for the rest of your life?” His ears twitched in guilt. She gestured to the vast forest before them. “This is not my home. This is where I live.”
She placed her palms flat on the hard panes of his chest and he gripped her wrists, trying to anchor his emotions. “You- you are my home, Neteyam. So please don’t make me beg. Just- just take me with you, okay? I go, where you go.” She climbed into his lap now, palms slipping up into his hair, going to the nape of his neck. “All you have to do is say yes.” She said, smiling sadly, shaking him a little. “Just say yes.”
Neteyam looked at the Na’vi before him in awe. Was he really this blind all along? Was he really that dumb? He’d always known that he loved Enyu but how did he not realize before that he was head over heels, obsessed, madly in love with her?
During their time apart he had done a lot of thinking. His family still weren’t talking to him. Even Tuk who’d refused to show him her new lost tooth was short with him. They loved Enyu and he’d hurt her. He didn’t blame them for hating his guts.
Lo’ak had knocked the shit out of him and his father had to physically pry his raging brother off of him. Lo’ak had cursed and hissed at him, he told him that he was an idiot and that he would lose Enyu for good- that she’d end up right in the arms of a shit like Yaćksön, if he didn’t pull his head out of his ass.
A while back Kiri had told him all about the night Tuk begged Enyu for a baby. ‘Their baby.’ At the time he laughed it off, kids always say silly things. But during their time apart, missing her, grieving the loss of her, she consumed his thoughts and he couldn’t help but picture a little blue tailed Na’vi baby with his eyes and her temper. Eywa, did that sound so amazing to him.
He wasn’t ever ready to part ways with her, he just knew he had to do what was necessary for her protection and he was willing to do so, but now here she was- so fiercely fighting for them to stay together, so determined to stay by his side. And he loved her even more for it.
Neteyam wanted Enyu for himself, she was his. Sure he was going to have to figure out how to tell her that in the right words but for now he was just happy that she wanted to give everything up to go with him.
Never would he be so stupid again to let her slip from his fingers. He already lost so much time with her, yet he knew right then and there he wanted more. Neteyam wanted forever.
Fingers crawling up the sides to the backs of her thighs he gripped her firmly, leaned back a bit more and tugged her to sit against his stomach- away from a certain growing member. Eywa, it’s like he had no self control around her anymore! He just got her back and he didn't want to scare her away so soon.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” She asked, her smile growing wider, her teeth biting into her bottom lip.
Neteyam wanted to kiss her right there and then, but held back. That mouth of hers would be the death of him.
“Yes Flower.” He said, smiling at her beaming face. "Yes."
~
What a rollercoaster this part was! Sheesh!
So....I may put out a poll or two to get some feedback about the upcoming chapters of this fic. I've never written smut before but I'm willing to try if that's something y'all will be interested in for Tey and Enyu.
Also I'm thinking of diverging from the original plotline and keeping them with the Omatikaya clan.
Got a lot to think about really.
But anyhoo, as always lovelies:
I'm sorry if there were any errors.
Please reblog, like and let me know if you enjoyed it in the comments :)
gummygunk
stormborns
baratheonpilled
ellievsbear
snowghoul
dededos
pixelskylines
germansingergirl
