Born of Sky & Sea - Part 1
Aged Up! Spider vs Aged Up! Neteyam x Fem! Human! Reader
✨word count: around 2k words
✨warnings (for Part 1): aged up! minors do not interact! angst, tension, slight flirting, no smut (likely smut in Part 2, but not overly explicit, probably), reader’s perspective, slow-burn romances, set-up storyline, set-up for arguing later.
✨summary: Your life is about to flip. A choice is gonna be put in front of you… maybe right in front of you. Friendships are tested, quiet moments grow louder, and relationships start to shift in ways you never expected.
✨a/u: Hey! So this is my first “official” fanfic and definitely the first one I’ve posted. It’s kind of long so this is Part 1! I have no clue when that will be out but hopefully soon. There WILL be mistakes and I haven’t completely read through so… anyways PLEASE let me know if anyone has any suggestions/recs for next time! I love constructive criticism. Thank you all!!
—————————————————————————————
You had grown up just like Spider.
A human child who couldn’t go back to Earth. You both would spend time out exploring Pandora, always close to the Sully family. Spider was always closer to them though, spending more time with them and their kids, and outside the lab in general.
But you enjoyed being in the lab sometimes, learning about the flora, the fauna, and the planet as a whole. Like, not only going out to look at the nature, but also reading about it and studying it.
Spider wasn’t one for reading. He would much rather go and find it out for himself. And he would treasure the days you were willing to go out there with him.
At 14, Spider first noticed you. Like REALLY noticed you. How your hair swung gracefully all around you as you ran through the forest, how you would always get so focused in your books that you didn’t even hear when someone called your name.
He never really knew what it was. That weird feeling he got around you. It made him happy though. Real happy.
But a while ago, you two, along with the Sullys, found a home in the Metkayina Clan. Norm and Max would often come visit you, but overall it was a big change from having the safe place of the lab, even for Spider, who hadn’t been there as much.
You, Spider, and the Sullys saw this new place as your home. Although it was hard for everyone at first, their people have also adjusted to you being here, and everyone was thriving. In a moment of desperation, Kiri even connected with Eywa and was able to bond Spider with her. This made him able to breathe the air and start growing his own kuru. She then was able to do this with you.
Since arriving, Lo’ak had gotten close with Tsireya, Kiri with Roxto, and Tuk was just enjoying life.
But Neteyam…
Neteyam acted like he was focusing on training, on becoming a better son to THE Toruk Makto, on being a good warrior, a good Na’vi. And everyone could tell he had other things on his mind, that he was distracting himself. You could tell though.
Little did you know, it was you he was thinking about.
Of course, he was aware of the fact that you were a human—a Sky person. He was a Na’vi. Even if he had “demon” blood in him, he was a Na’vi.
The only person who really knew about his feelings about you was Jake, their father. It’s not like Neteyam told him, but he could tell. But he could also tell the same for Spider.
—————————————————————————————
You were out sitting on some rocks you swam out to. It was a real nice day, maybe even a perfect one. So you sat, feet in the cool water as your hands carefully beaded together a beautiful necklace.
You thought about putting this really pretty shell on it, one that shone a bunch of shades of blue in the light, but it was too pretty. You would save it for something… more important.
So immersed in your work, you never even realized someone had swam up to the rock and was standing right behind you. That was, until you heard his voice, and you did not need to turn around to know it was him.
“That looks good, Sevin,”
Spider says, talking about your necklace. He always called you Sevin. It started when he was younger, as it was one of the first Na’vi words he picked up. Of course, when he was young he meant it platonically and you knew that. But over time he stopped saying it as a friend, but you didn’t know. And he didn’t tell you.
“Thank you, Spider,” you replied, still not turning around to him. You had to finish tying it up before you did.
“Your necklaces are always perfect.”
“Nothing is perfect.”
It took all Spider had in him to not say that you were. He instead replied,
“No, but they’re pretty close.”
“Well, thank you.”
“Yeah… you’re welcome.”
You smile, and you finally finish the necklace and lay it down next to you. As you do, Spider moves and sits down on the other side of you. Close, but not too close.
He never had any intention of sitting still for too long. But when he was with you… man, he could sit there for hours without a single word said. It was different with you. Easy.
You guys sat there for a little bit before Spider decided to speak.
“Can I ask you something…?”
But before you could answer, Neteyam came riding up on an Ilu, definitely knowing he was interrupting something.
“Come on, Dad wanted me to get you guys. It’s getting late and there’s gonna be some kind of bonfire soon. Get on.”
So you guys did, carefully carrying your necklace as to not break it. You all rode back to the tribe in silence.
—————————————————————————————
Later that night, you and almost all the tribe were at the bonfires. There were multiple, and you, along with the Sully kids, Spider, Tsireya, Aonung, and Roxto, were at one somewhat far away from the rest.
You all sat around the fire, the warm glow flickering across your faces. Smoke curled lazily into the night sky, and the sound of water lapping against the shore close by.
Lo’ak grinned, nudging little Tuk. “Alright, I’m gonna teach you guys how to play a Sky person game called Truth or Dare.”
“Truth or Dare? What’s that?” Tsireya tilted her head, curious.
Lo’ak smiled and explained the rules. Everyone mostly understood, and Lo’ak decided to ask someone first.
“Kiri, truth or dare?”
“Dare!”
“Okay…”
All of you played for a little while before it was Tuk’s turn to ask. She turns to Spider.
“Spider, truth or dare?”
“Uhhh… truth!”
“Do you like anyone??”
Everyone started paying a little more attention, smiling and laughing all around. He thinks for a second before finally answering.
“Yes.”
With that, there was a bunch more laughing and giggling throughout the group, people asking “Who?” and “Are they from this tribe?” and all other sorts of questions.
“Come on, all of those are separate truths!”
“Okay, okay, guys, that’s enough. Spider, your turn to ask someone!”
Tsireya exclaimed as everyone settled down. You made eye contact with Spider for a second, not in a weird way, just a… “friend” way.
Spider thought who to ask before deciding.
“Neteyam, truth or dare?”
“Hmm… I’ll also choose truth.”
“Do you like anyone?”
Neteyam looked down, smiling a little. He had to act normal, but he decided not to lie.
“Yeah… I do.”
Everyone got even more riled up at that.
The laughter and teasing slowly died down as everyone slowly left the fire. Lo’ak and Tsireya had wandered off toward another bonfire to talk about something in private. Tuk had been called by one of the older kids to help gather driftwood for tomorrow, and the rest of the Sully kids were chasing each other along the shore or splashing around the water. Soon, it was just you and Neteyam, the firelight across your faces, the soft sound of water against the rocks loud in the quiet between you.
Neteyam got up and moved next to you, closer than he had really been before, but not uncomfortable.
You adjusted your necklace, now finished, resting it carefully on your neck. Neteyam’s gaze lingered on your hands for a moment before he finally spoke.
“You know… you’re really good at that,” he said softly, nodding toward the necklace.
“Thanks,” you replied, shrugging lightly, trying not to seem like it mattered too much. But the small smile tugging at your lips betrayed you.
He didn’t say anything else at first, just shifted slightly so he was comfortable beside you, letting the quiet stretch between you. The fire burned as the night stretched on just like the silence. Neteyam was thinking about something, but he couldn’t quite explain it.
“Things feel different here,” he said after a moment. Not a question. Just a thought.
You nodded.
“Yeah. They do.”
He was quiet again, staring into the fire like it might answer something. You wondered what he was thinking about, or if he was thinking about anything at all.
“I think about a lot.”
You glanced at him.
“I know.”
That seemed to surprise him. He looked at you then, really looked at you, and something unreadable crossed his face.
A voice then called his name from down the beach.
Neteyam stood, then hesitated, offering you his hand. You took it, letting him pull you up. His grip lingered for half a second longer than necessary before leaving.
As you walked away from the fire, you couldn’t shake this weird feeling.
—————————————————————————————
You and Spider were sitting in a Marui, a stack of fruit baskets between you, sorting and peeling fruit for the clan. It wasn’t hard work, just repetitive enough to let your minds wander.
Spider twisted a piece of peel around his fingers, frowning. “I still don’t get how they do this so good.”
You smiled, looking at his unevenly peeled fruit.
“You’re overthinking it.”
“Am not. I just need a sharper knife.”
“Maybe you need to learn to peel fruit better.”
“Mhm.”
He said, looking over at you and your fruit. He points to it and decides to ask you how.
“Hey, how’d you do that?”
“It’s not hard… Here. Let me show you.”
You move over to where he’s sitting, right behind him so you can take his arms, slowly helping him peel the fruit. You talk gently.
“Just like this…”
His breath caught as he felt you around him, your voice soft in his ear as you do.
He adjusted, following your movements, the peel coming away smoother this time. You stayed there for a second longer than necessary, hands still over his, before pulling back and both of you standing up.
Spider looked down at the baskets of fruit, but then at you. Damn, were you stunning.
“Thank you, Sevin.”
“Yeah… of course.”
Both of you were facing each other, not moving, just looking at the other. Then you bent down and picked up some baskets, him following your actions.
The day went on as normal, but he definitely stayed up that night thinking about it.
—————————————————————————————
A few days later, something happened that you would have never expected. And with someone you would have never even guessed.
The water was nice, especially in your favorite cove. You didn’t think anyone knew about it, or knew you always went there.
But then again, Neteyam seemed to know just about everything about you that you didn’t think anyone noticed.
You were swimming through the crystal clear water during the day, as it was one of the least busy days of the season and almost nobody had any work. That was until you heard a noise towards the front of the cove. Was it… footsteps…?
It was.
In walked Neteyam, clearly not surprised to see you.
“Neteyam. Why are you doing here…?”
You asked as you got out of the water, standing in front of him.
“I saw you leave this morning. I knew you’d be here.”
“That didn’t answer my question.”
“Okay… I wanted to see you.”
“You wanted to… see me?”
“Yes. Don’t make it difficult.”
“How’d you know I’d be here?”
“I know you like it here. And you always come back… relaxed. It’s good for you.”
“I didn’t realize anyone knew I came here, or that it existed.”
“I knew.”
You looked at him. Just looked at him. Then you realized how close you were.
“Your eyes are… pretty.”
You didn’t say anything. It was almost like you couldn’t. It was like your voice was caught in your throat. You couldn’t help but look between his eyes and mouth as he leaned forward.
Eywa, he was close…
Part 2 hopefully out soon!! Thanks for reading so far! 💗
