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Am I Enough PT 19

AIE 19

Bucky X Reader

Warnings: Adventure Time, there is only implied smut and some really cheesy writing.

A/N: Here we go again its time for some fluff and good times.

You should have known just leaving on a trip would be a pain to manage when you were friends with the Avengers. Especially when Tony is involved, he seemed determined to place you in the finest hotels and of course pay for everything. You quickly put a stop to that. You would work for the trip. You would allow him to do some places but you would allow him a couple to make him feel better about it.  If that wasn’t enough there were the opinions of everyone on the team. All the comments of where to go when, where to stay away from, what season was best to visit certain places.

It seemed Steve and Natasha were the most worried about you being able to protect yourself, so you began your lessons in self-defense. They had wanted you to do it for a while but this seemed as good an excuse as any to finally get you started.

Every day they dragged you out of bed at an ungodly hour. Every day they taught you a new hold a new throw. You were getting rather tired of the whole thing, so you decided to tour the great nearby countries and the States.

So off to Canada you went, exploring both the cities and the wilderness, for some reason it seemed that Steve was “free” during your trip so he tagged along. It was mostly because he had never been and wanted to see what they had to offer. It was great, so different from your everyday life in the big city. Steve was a blast to hang out with. He was all for the hiking and sleeping under the stars.

This made your decision all the more final about traveling. It gave you a sense of peace and meaning. You wanted to see more and do more. When you got back, to the tower you continued to work, but your plan involved once a month going on vacation for a week, at least until the Autumn when you could afford to go to Europe. So you had approximately 5 months to fill in.

Next, you went to the Caribbean, you soaked in the sun and rays, you drank on the beaches and learned to dance from the fabulous men that inhabited the island.

There were a few days that you would always cherish. This particular trip Wanda and Pepper had joined you. You had been sipping a cocktail, laughing and talking with your ladies when a man caught your eye, leaning against the bar chatting with some friends. His hair was dark and slicked back, his jaw was sharp and his eyes were an emerald green. As if sensing your eyes his flicked up to meet yours. A blush runs across your cheeks and you glance down at your drink.

This doesn’t go unnoticed by your companions. “Hey, seems you caught some heart eyes there.” Wanda teased.

“So you going to go over and say hi. He is rather handsome.” Pepper encourages.

“I can’t. I mean I just… I mean come on really.” You can’t help the stutter.

“We are not saying you sleep with him, go have some fun. That is what vacation is all about. Go dance.” They look up to find him coming toward you. “Well never mind here he comes and yes you are going to dance with him. It will be fun.”

You feel a tap on your shoulder, right before you feel his breath on the skin of your neck. “Pardon me,” His voice is like honey and sends a shiver down your spine. “Might I steal you for a dance or two?”

You couldn’t even use your voice if you wanted to, instead, you merely nod and he sweeps you into his arms. As if fate was smiling on you “Havana” came on. it was like you were swept into the music video. He swung you around the floor making you dizzy with excitement. The lights flooded together creating one big blur. Every once in a while you could see the smug smiles of Pepper or Wanda. He leaned into more as the song went on, molding his body with yours. By the end you were breathless, staring up into the eyes of the man that had captured your attention.

When the song ended he kept hold of your hand and gently led you to a table on the terrace. His name was Damien, turned out he was down here, from Washington State, for a wedding that weekend and the group he left was the bachelor party. When you showed a face he assured you he wasn’t the groom-to-be, pointing out a guy wearing a fake mustache and looked absolutely plastered. The group saw you watching and proceeded to throw thumbs up at Damien, showing their approval.

You both blushed at this. “And that will be the only time you meet them.” You chuckle. “So what brings a woman like you down here besides the warm beaches and the wonderful charming men.”

It seemed the alcohol was making you more loose with your tongue. “Smooth sir, very smooth. Well, this year I decided I needed to live more, so I am traveling and working. Once a month I take a week off and take off to parts unknown to me.”

“Wow, that is rather cool. What brought out the adventurer in you?” He leans in closer as if genuinely interested.

“To be honest and not be a downer. It was a guy actually, we broke up and we still work together, let's just say things got rather intense, more like people meddling and trying to help too much. Decided to get away and do something I have never really been able to do.” You sneak your eyes up to meet Damien’s. “Sorry, that was just me spilling out crap.”

“Hey no need to apologize, sometimes you need to get the junk out before you can start exploring other things. I happen to know something about that. But enough about that tell me your interests maybe we have something in common, past the bad relationships.”

You spend the next couple hours rotating between dancing and talking. Once the noise got too much you both slipped away with a quick nod to Wanda. You spent the next hours walking down the beach and taking in the scenery. He dragged you into the sea at one point and you splashed in the moonlight. A moment of pause came when you were both breathless and caught each other, staring down into your wet face and messy hair, your breath catches in your throat as he slowly tips his head down to yours. He captures your lips in a searing kiss. You lose the sense of time and place, the waves gently lapping against your legs.

Separating he leads you out of the water and back towards the hotel, the whole way gripping your hand. He keeps looking back at you as if to make sure you were still there. He pulled you close to kiss you never want to go too long before tasting you once again.

Together you walk up to the terrace. Damien seems to get nervous as he turns towards you. “Would you like to come up to my room?” You hesitate. Was this too quick? Too soon? “You don’t have to say yes I won’t pressure you or anything.” He rubs your shoulders.

It seemed all the encouragement you needed. “Yes, I want to. I just had a moment, but with you I’m good. I want to.” With that, he led you upstairs and into his arms once again.

The next few days were filled with Damien. You woke up in his arms for the rest of your vacation. He took you out you explored the island and spent your nights dancing in more than one way. You lounged on the beach as he rubbed sun lotion on your skin and chatted with Wanda and Pepper.

When it came time to say goodbye it was brief and sweet, you were leaving before him. You exchanged number with a promise that when you made your way to Washington you would get in touch, he would show you the sights. He kissed your cheek before turning away whistling.

When you were onboard the jet the girls started there not so subtle digging. “So he was handsome, seems like a genuinely good guy.”

You should be used to it but you weren’t, a blush places itself on your cheeks. “He was fabulous, I enjoyed our time together. I haven’t done something like that in ages.”

“This was a big thing for you finally moving on from Bucky or what? So you going to contact him?” Pepper inquires.

“You know I don’t honestly know. We both agreed it was a nice vacation fling but that nothing may come from it.” You were genuinely confused on what you should do. You had no answer for her, were you moving on from Bucky? Was this the start of something else? This was the first real time this had happened to you. The whole situation was kind of a thrill, one that satisfied cravings but you didn’t feel the need to put all your emotion into.

“Hey you do you, I think you should get in touch with him when you head that way. Keep him in your back pocket just in case.”

You laugh at that. “Thanks, Wanda, I might just do that.” Relaxing into the seat you contemplate your situation and the future and what it may bring. More like who it may bring and how you would handle it next time.

All in all your future looks bright and exciting and if this part was any indication it was going to be fun and full of once in a lifetime experiences.

You were now on your way to the east coast, your copilot was Sam this time. You were headed for a drive, having landed in Florida you rented a convertible to drive all the way back up to New York. Getting in the car you put your sunglasses on and lower the top. You take first shift and begin driving north. Not making it far, you spy a fairly quiet beach with a fantastic view. The next few hours are spent laughing and swimming on the beach. You eat lunch at a bar that opens up to a marina, you start feeding the pelicans bits of bread and laugh when Sam says they were giving him the evil eye.

On the road again you continue to travel until you see signs for Disney World. Turning to same you pull a very serious look. “Would you be my Prince Charming?”

“Of course, my princess, my every breath is for you.” He poses one hand outstretched toward you, bowing in his seat. You place your hand in his and he kisses your knuckles.

“Perfect now lets away.”

As you walk through the gates and spy Cinderella’s Castle you feel like a 6-year-old. You squeal grabbing Sam’s hand rushing to get closer and take it all in. Wrapping your arm around Sam you quickly pull him in for a picture.

From that moment you were always moving always trying to get to something new. Trying to find the Hidden Mickeys, you began spouting out all your little random Disney facts. You had to appreciate Sam being with you, he could be just as much of a kid as you, going on all the rides, taking pictures with the characters, and eating all the sweets you could find. By the time the parade and fireworks were happening you both were entering a sugar crash and totally exhausted. Collecting your last bit of souvenirs you head out looking for a nice hotel to stay in for the night. You shower and put a Disney movie on to help you sleep.

The next morning after a nice continental breakfast you head out. There was much to see and only so much time. The rest of the week past in much the same way. You would see something and pull over spending time and move on. There was a ton of seafood eaten. Lots of little knick-knacks for everyone. It seemed you couldn’t stop at one place without finding something that was perfect for someone on the team.

By the time you made it back to New York, your trunk was full and your friendship with Sam was completely solidified. You would happily die for the man. Learning a lot more about his past, his family, even future hopes, and dreams. He told you about the nice girl in the armory.

You pulled into the parking lot of the tower, looking up the side and you just couldn’t wait for your next adventure.

@veronicalei @ohlookfanfiction @theassetseyeliner @bustanut2k18 @luckynumber1213 @owhatshername1 @chipilerendi @caelestiside @anbrax5553 @fandom-writers @boundtomyfate @annie-are-you-okay @megs4real @marvelous-imagining @mizzzpink @coffeeismylife28 @yknott81@winter-in-wakanda @genlovesdcb @loveyourselfcreateyourself @buckyappreciationsociety @sammysgirl1997 @unicornqueen05 @magpiemischief @steggy4ever @greeneyedgirls4 @melconnor2007 @iamwarrenspeace @justreadingfics @buckyismyaesthetic @gondorgirl01 @winterbuttmunch @s7sense @couchpotato24-7 @saysay125 @magellan-88 @sweetlittlepieandberrycustard @hollycornish @photography-for-you @geeksareunique @prettybubblesintheair @joannie95 @ktrivia @101killer @flowerchildqueenlovely @lostinthoughtsandfeelings @sarahp879  @stevieang @whiw0lf @n7siha @lordemjay 

movie

The chilly November evening was telling us that winter was soon, as we snuggled up in the blankets that were laid on the couch. The warmth of our bodies preventing us from feeling cold. Our eyes fixed on the movie that was playing on the screen, legs intertwined. My eyes becoming drowsy and heavy each passing second of the movie. Was I tired? All I did was babysit some kids for five hours. “You sleepy?” they asked while rubbing my thigh gently and glancing at me. “Huh; no I’m just a bit tired” “Just a bit?” he asked while his other hand went on back drawing shapes and patterns. “Yeah” I leaned into his touch. He hummed at my response and switched off the tv. By now my eyes were struggling to stay open. “Damn you are way too tired, did the kids drain out all your energy?” he asks staring at my sleeping figure all coiled and cuddled up against his body with admiration. “Well I planned this Friday movie night today you know but it seems that you’ve already been done for the day.” Ian mumbles while walking towards the bedroom with me on his back clinging onto him like a koala. “mhmm” is all I can reply back. He placed me on the bed gently and made sure I didn’t sleep in a weird way that may lead to body pain. He gets into the bed after switching off the lights and pulls the blanket on top of us. I feel the other side of the bed sink, I move from my place and wrap my arms around him with our legs intertwined. Snuggling my way in the crook of his neck his scent filled up my nose calming me down. Ian started massaging my head and my eyes could not stay awake, neither can he sleep due to my slow breathings on his neck. Our eyelids become heavy each passing second and we finally drift off into our dream land.

a/n- thanks to a friend of mine for editing <3

breathe

TW- contains sensitive topic like panic attack, if you feel uncomfortable while reading feel free to not read and check out my other posts <3

It must suck doesn’t it, when everything in your life is against you and your on the verge of giving up in life.

Tears streamed down my tear stained cheeks, eyes and nose puffy. I was seated on the bathroom tiles with my knees close to my chest. It got difficult to breathe every passing second. My hands trembled as I went to grab the phone lying next to me. The screen lit up and my fingers moved fast along the screen searching for his contact name. 

“Hello” I heard his voice from the other side of the call after few rings. “L-Liam I-I-I can’t breathe properly” my voice shaky as I started stuttering followed by heavy breaths and hiccups. “I’m coming home right now love. Be on the call with me ok. Now just as we practiced last time- inhale.” My hands were shaking, legs fidgeting but I listened to Liam and held my breath. He heard me inhale as he was walking to his car, I suppose. “Good; now exhale.” I heard his engine start as I breathed out. His soothing voice filled my ears as it calmed me down slowly. 

“Now love can you repeat doing that for me? Focus on the little gaps between your heavy breaths it’ll help in reducing your hiccups and difficulty in breathing and don’t forget to close your eyes while doing that, ok.” “Ok” I replied to him focused on my breathing as he told me to do while closing my eyes. The sound of engine stopped and I heard the car door being shut. Liam was still on the call hearing my breathing, making sure I did the breathing exercise correctly and praised me for every breath I inhaled. 

I heard the front door open and soon did the bathroom door. Opening my eyes and looking up I met with his brown orbs. In no time I was picked up with his hands carrying me and supporting my legs and back as I cling on to him like a panda clinging on a zookeeper’s leg. My arms wrapped around his neck with puffy eyes and crying silently on his chest.

“You did so good sweetheart on controlling your panic attack while I wasn’t there with you” he said walking towards the bed. His scent filled my nostrils. He smelled like pumpkin and late autumn. He put me on the bed. “Did you drink water?” Liam asked and I turned my head indicating a ‘no’, with puffy eyes and red nose. He got me a glass of water. His eyes filled with love stared at my figure gulping water. Patting my back and keeping the glass on the nightstand he brought up the blankets on top of us and cuddling and telling me that I was safe now.

take care

“You okay?” I heard the concerned voice across the bedroom as I lay down on the bed staring at the ceiling. “I guess” I say shifting my eyes from the ceiling towards the concerned eyes of the figure sitting on the gaming chair. 

He had stopped playing the game. He motions his hands forward and pats his lap. I follow what he says and sit on his lap facing him and hugging by the crook of his neck. I nuzzle my face on his neck as he hugs and pats my back. “Rough day? he asked continuing his game, “mhmm” I answer closing my eyes, letting his scent fill my nostrils. 

“Would you like to talk about it?” he asked one hand rubbing my back and the other on the keyboard pressing buttons. I tell Noah everything that had happened during these past days. I felt better after telling him. “Damn, didn’t know I was in love with wonder woman. It must be hard for you, did you even think about yourself ?”

I replied him while nodding my head as a no. My eyelids were becoming heavy. “ well it’s now your time to get plenty amount of rest; since you’ll be here for some days I’ll take care of you and make sure you eat properly” he says while picking me up from the chair and walking towards the bed. “I’m not sick for you to take care of me” I replied as my voice became sleepy. “well you can’t argue with me love”. I felt the soft mattress touch my back and my body shifted into a comfortable position on the bed as he put the covers on top off me, joining me in bed. I shifted my body towards him. We both cuddled and fell asleep while listening to each others heart beat and breathings. 

a/n- please ignore the grammatical errors <3

so this is love

I was walking down the street, returning home from work. It was calm- the leaves fallen on the ground in different shades of brown, orange and yellow, the ambrosial of sweet potatoes, cinnamon, pumpkins, cooked butternut squash and much more, telling that fall had arrived. A hand had made its way around my shoulder; I'd recognized the scent of cloves and vanilla from the perfume. I knew who it was and a smile had already formed on my lips.

"Good evening" said the voice as we continued walking. "evening; how was your day?" I asked while wrapping my hands around his. "Good to be frank never had a day off for myself, walked the dog and slept in the whole day" Fabio answered, we continued talking loving the presence of one another. The hair on my neck and arms rose up due to chilly breeze and the next thing I knew was being pulled in and hugged by Fabio, while my body was covered by his long coat.

"better?" "much better". We stood on the quite street as the classics of 1950's love songs started playing from one of the houses. "may I ?" Fabio asked while locking his eyes with mine that showed pure love, affection, they held trust and felt the same when we first met or when he was there by my side at my worst times saying that 'it was all going to be okay'.

I nodded smiling as he guided me in the middle of the street, it was late and there weren't vehicles on the road. I felt his hands on my waist while I wrapped mine around his neck. We moved our bodies serenely to the sound of music, staring into each others eyes with deep affection. Our lips were inches apart, Fabio closed the gap between us. His lips were perfectly synced with mine as if it were a red string of fate bringing two people deeply in love with one another back together. It felt warm, fuzzy, slow and ardent. They felt home and comfort. It was one of his ways to tell me that he was never going to let me go.

The calm music expressing true love, leaves falling on the ground, harvest of cranberries and two people madly in love in the middle of the street dancing and kissing. It felt like the time was moving slow. It was perfect.

a/n- please ignore the grammatical errors. Credits to google as well for help <3

Yan!Buc-ee's worker x reader headcanons

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who took the job to help support his family's farm and pay for his school supplies.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who paused chopping meat when he noticed you entering the store with runny mascara and shoulders heaving. 

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who for some reason felt a twinge of embarrassment about his bright red polo and khaki uniform. Did it make him look tacky? Was his hair messier than usual? What if you didn't like the cowboy hat he was forced to wear? What if his chopping skills weren't as good as you wanted them to be? Why is he sweating all of a sudden?

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who had to ask you to repeat your order, all the while feeling embarrassed, unable to tear his gaze away from your glossy lips as you spoke.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who, for some reason, blurted out that the Beaver Nuggets complimented your eyes, feeling his gloved fingers start to cling to his sweaty hands as you finally smiled and said, 'Thank you.'

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who got yelled at by an old lady for watching you leave the store with two brisket sandwiches and a bag of Beaver Nuggets instead of taking her order.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who parked at school the next day and saw you again. However, this time, he witnessed you being forcefully pushed out of a truck and onto the concrete of the school parking lot.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who realized that the boy who shoved you out of the large red truck- your boyfriend, was the school's prized quarterback

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who had heard about what your boyfriend had done to anyone interested in you, so he kept his distance and watched from afar as he witnessed the actions.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who can’t stand always seeing him coming into the Buc-ee’s with you. A hand on your waist and the way your face looks. You look so scared. Why would you be with him? He makes you look like his old bloodhound, shaking and about to drop dead at any sudden movement. 

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who realizes that when you bought those two brisket sandwiches, they were for you and your boyfriend.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who realizes that the reason you had been crying that first night he saw you was because of the boy in front of him, asking for a smoked, chopped beef brisket and barbecue sauce on a soft white bun.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who smiles and says ‘yes sir’ when your boyfriend asks if he remembered the order, snapping his fingers to make sure he was even alive.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who couldn't help but look at you and pray to his mama that you remembered him that night. That one boy that made you smile when you cried because of your horrible boyfriend.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who got caught by your boyfriend for looking at you one night. He just couldn't help it now could he? The way your face illuminated when you were looking at something in the freezer, it was breathtaking. 

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who got yelled at by your boyfriend for 'lookin' at my woman,' before security had to kick him out escorting the quarterback out of the store, with you following closely and apologizing for your boyfriend's behavior. He might need an inhaler if you kept making him forget how to breathe.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who finally snapped after school, watching your boyfriend hit you for the last time, grabbing your hair and pulling your scalp. Did he just call you a whiny bitch? You're not supposed to swear! How could he?  He delivers some soap in his mouth for that dirty mouth of his.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who marched up to him and landed a clean punch right on the jaw, causing the quarterback to stumble back. Oh no, did he just spit out some blood? And why was he crouched down, glaring like that? But wait, are you alright? Why are you looking at him like that? Are you afraid of him? That was the last thing he wanted!

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who then found himself brutally beaten to a pulp by the football team the next day at lunch, with you watching from afar, looking as guilty as ever.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who got patched up by his mama after school, telling him to stay away from those 'big shot boys.' 

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who jumped when she suddenly started squealing, kicking her feet, and giggling when he told her that he had done it to save a girl. It's not like that; you're just a friend, a girl he's been talking to almost every night since that first time he met you.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who showed up to school the next day with a busted lip and patched-up eye. Will you like him? What if he looks gross like this? What? Are you thanking him? You’re just so sweet!

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who asks if you want him to drive you back to his place. It’s really nothing much for him. He’s just looking out for you is all. What- you want to actually do it? You want him to drive you home? 

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who holds his breath and fiddles with his pencil the rest of the day waiting for the end of school to come. What if you tried to kiss him? How would your lips taste? Sweet? Sour? Just right? No, he can't! You have a boyfriend!

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who makes sure to get you into his car while your boyfriend is stuck at practice. You can just tell him you drove home with a good friend of yours!

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who listened to you told him where to drive, making sure to go just under the speed limit. He’s just being safe, don’t worry! He definitely isn't doing it so he can be with you longer, where did you hear that from?

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who asks if you want to visit the local lake with him since you seem so stressed out lately. Huh? You’re scared people have noticed you’ve been down? Don’t worry, he’s just perceptive like that watching your boyfriend beat you to the point of blood dripping from your bruised body.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who lays down a picnic blanket on the bank of the river for the both of you to sit on. It’s just so relaxing with him here, isn’t it? Is your boyfriend starting to leave your memories with thoughts of him? No? Well you should, he’s honestly such a big waste of your time and energy. 

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who softly grabs your hand, squeezing it telling you everything’s going to be ok. 

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who watches you panic and fold up the blanket throwing it back into the car when you say it’s past your curfew while the sun sets.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who decides the speed limit is just a number. He’s watched NASCAR on that old brick of tv for a reason after all.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who sneaks into the backyard of your house to help you climb into your second-story room.

Soft!Buc-ee's employee who gently grabs your waist, making sure not to squeeze too tightly as he lifts you up, allowing you to climb onto the trellis.

"If that boyfriend of yers messes with ya one more time, y'all just send 'im my way. Whoa now, don't ya go fallin'!"

hi omg i love your oldest sister fics!!!! Maybe another where she is one of the most feared warriors in the clan ? and when they leave rhe forest she meets someone (romantic) at the new clan ? the sully family is probably not accustom to seeing her be romantic and in love.;)

summary: [y/n] sully is in love, and everyone is scared.

a/n: I LOVE THIS IDEA. LIKE SO VERY MUCH. thank you so much anon for this beautiful experience, it was so fun to write. i actually am really proud of this, given it's pretty long ( 4.6k words, oml !! ) and i put a good ( insane ) amount of effort in. i also kept using this as a way to take a break from studying, so thanks for keeping me from burning out anon! feedback, reblogs, and reqs are always appreciated !!

tags: @pinkhotdogsfr @eywas-heir @historygeekqueen

warnings: literally none, maybe some language, a bit of angst at first ( just sad — i made myself very unhappy ), emotionally hurt + comfort, a sickening amount of fluff, really long, [y/n] x oc but this oc is actually such a sweetie pie i love him, [y/n] being the cutest little patootie of all time

change is scary

every omaticayan knew of [y/n] sully. they knew she was a fierce warrior, a strong warrior. they knew she took after her mother, the archery gene running strong through her veins right next to her urge to protect.

they all knew that, being the oldest child of their olo’eyktan, she was expected to fill the position of the tsahik one day in the far future, and her training reflected just that. not only was she deeply connected with eywa thanks to the teachings of both her mother and grandmother, but she was intelligent when it came to war. she sat in at every single war meeting with her father, silently taking note of everything that was exchanged.

after seventeen long years of listening and learning, [y/n] was considered one of the strongest warriors in their clan. she was well respected, more respected than even some of the elder warriors.

part of her soul felt pride. pride in herself, in her abilities. but, another part of her soul felt empty. almost like she’d missed a third of her childhood because she’d been busy shaking the hands of generals from other clans.

but now… now all of that, all of that time wasted as she straightened her shoulders and stood tall in front of clan leaders, time wasted as she stared at raid maps, time wasted as she trained with the most skilled warriors of the omaticaya… it was all going down the drain.

“we must leave. it is unsafe here.”

she fought tears, told herself she was far too mature for them. she swallowed screams, told herself she needed to set an example for her siblings. the only time she broke was the night before they left, leaving her on her knees before the tree of souls, begging eywa, “why? why must you do this to me? just when i was this close?”

[y/n] was not sad. no, she was angry. but she had nobody to be angry at. it wasn’t like her parents were wrong for wanting to keep her family safe.

maybe if i’d killed that avatar when i had the chance, she cursed herself, remembering when her arrow’d been pointed directly at the heart of quaritch, only being interrupted by the other avatar that shot at her. thanks to the will of eywa, he was a terrible shot and she came out unscathed.

she held a stoic look upon her face during the ceremony in which her father passed along the title of olo’eyktan to tarsem. it wasn’t that she had anything against tarsem and his mate—in fact, she thought they were considerably good choices. but that was supposed to be her. that was supposed to be her ceremony.

by the time they had to leave, [y/n] had nothing left, no energy left to try and hold it down. so, instead she remained silent, because if she decided to say a farewell to even one person… she knew herself well enough to not trust the floodgates.

as they flew, her butt growing sorer and sorer by the second, she remained distant. the air was calming, the breeze allowing her a moment to breath.

she was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she didn’t notice her family exchange glances, all silently deciding to leave [y/n] to work through it herself. they knew her, and they knew she would not let them help. i’m fine, she would say, and she would keep saying it until they finally gave up.

it was only when they reached their new home in the metkayina clan that she began to show herself again, but even that was the tiniest peek.

as ronal circled the group of foreigners, her hands trailing over them as to check out what features they offered, [y/n] immediately felt on alert. her ears perked, eyes narrowing at the tsahik, a growl growing at the back of her throat.

when she held up lo’ak’s hand for the entire clan to see, as if shaming him for his lineage—a lineage that he was born into without a choice, [y/n] stepped forward, teeth bared. immediately, neteyam pulled her backwards, just as jake did with neytiri.

her action pulled ronal’s attention, their eyes locking. the tsahik circled her, watching as [y/n]’s tail swished, lip curled in disgust.

ronal did not miss as her eyes flared for even a split second as she stopped in front of the girl, grabbing [y/n]’s face with one hand. the air immediately got tenser, tonowari and jake sharing very similar expressions of concern, the latter grabbing his mate before she could make any dumb decisions.

[y/n]’s tail fell to a pause, her air stuck in her chest as she stared directly into the metkayina woman’s eyes.

“if you are seeking refuge, i suggest that you don’t threaten anyone.”

[y/n] bared her teeth at that, fangs making a show just for her. “if you are seeking to make enemies with the toruk makto, then why don’t you just say that?”

now, in this moment, most members of the metkayina clan were justifiably upset. speaking to their tsahik like that? well, of course they would be angry. but, in the crowd of metkayina stood one boy, his eyes unable to leave that girl. that girl who was full of anger, of spite, of bitterness for the world. she was captivating.

as the rest of the crowd gasped at the seventeen year old’s words, he couldn’t help but laugh, immediately covering his mouth as his friends sent him a look and an elbow in the ribs.

the only other person to smile at her words was, shockingly, ronal. the tsahik felt the smallest grin rise to her lips, taking her hand off of the girl’s face and taking a step back. as soon as she was back with tonowari, it was like the look of amusement had never been there.

once she’d stepped back, silence seemed to settle in the air. it was heavy, weighing on [y/n]’s shoulders just as much as the look her father sent her. behave, remember? he seemed to be telling her.

her mother’s look of pride made her feel a bit better, though.

as a way to regain the attention of the crowd, tonowari cleared his throat. “toruk makto is a great war leader. all na’vi people know his story.” he then locked eyes with jake. “but we metkayina are not at war.” [y/n]’s eyes followed tuk, watching as the small girl walked over to her father, allowing for the father to pick her up and hold her in his arms. “we cannot let you bring your war here.”

jake nodded in agreement. “i’m done with war, okay. i just.. want to keep my family safe.” at that, they seemed to pull closer together, neytiri grabbing the hands of her two eldest daughters.

“uturu has been asked,” the mother added, her eyes meeting those of tonowari.

the silence was deadly. [y/n] could feel pins of anxiety, her breath getting shallower. and what if they send us away? where else would we go? just keep trying and trying to find someone to take us?

after what seemed like forever, tonowari turned away from them and towards the people. “toruk makto and his family will stay with us.” immediately, relief flooded her body, her head dropping in appreciation. “treat them as your brothers and sisters. they do not know the sea, so they will be like babies taking their first breath.” at that, [y/n] felt her mother cringe beside her. and, as a wonderful way to finish their introduction to the metkayina people, he added, “teach them our ways so they not suffer the shame of being useless.”

she felt neteyam’s grab her tail at that, tugging it to keep her from saying anything stupid.

“okay,” jake sighed, relieved. he turned to his family. “what do we say?”

“thank you,” they all mumbled except for tuk whose tone was very genuine.

[y/n], however, remained silent. at a sharp look from her father, she swallowed. “thank you,” she added, exhaling a deep breath.

beside tonowari stood two kids, a boy and a girl. “my son ao’nung and my daughter tsireya will show your children what do,” he informed the family. [y/n] stifled a chuckle as the boy, ao’nung, tried to argue his way out of it. “it has been decided,” tonowari shut him down.

tsireya, however, looked more than happy to do it, and based on the way her baby brother was staring at the metkayina girl, lo’ak didn’t seem to mind either. “come, i will show you our village.”

if there was one thing that shocked [y/n] during her time in awa’atluI, it was that she horridly terrible. terrible at everything. from riding an ilu to being a quick swimmer. it was awful. and maybe the whole brink of the problem was the fact that she could barely hold her breath for a time, making it nearly impossible to learn to do anything else.

it’d been a few weeks of relearning the ways of life, and it felt as if she was making absolutely no progress. the simple things, such as food and even dancing, came easy to her. but learning to make food and dance was not going to make her a successful warrior, and even tonowari knew they needed to train her to fight with them based on the stories that her father told of her. ( he also recognized her the moment that ronal faced her off—how could tonowari forget the face of one of most mature eight year olds that he’d ever met way back in the day when he visited the omaticaya for a war meeting. )

but, for the love of eywa, [y/n] was useless. completely and utterly! and the fact of it made her sick to her stomach.

ao’nung was her first teacher, and he was a complete imbecile. tsireya was patient with her, but her optimism made me feel even guiltier by the day. eventually, one day out of the blue, the two children of ronal and tonowari brought forth a male.

this male was around [y/n]’s age. he was tall, muscular, and based on his tattoos, he was an announced warrior of the metkayina. tsireya introduced him as fali.

it turned out, based on further conversation between [y/n] and tsireya, that fali had grown up with the two kids. he was the son of respected warrior, a warrior that was considered ronal’s best friend. in a way, fali was like their big brother.

at that, [y/n] thought that… maybe they could be friends. maybe they had more in common!

she was wrong, and after a days of knowing him, she came to the conclusion that their older sibling roles happened to be the only thing in common.

while [y/n] was smart, responsible, respectful… fali was stupid, annoying, and careless. it was driving [y/n] up the wall! if he was the “older sibling,” why did he egg ao’nung on? if he was the “older sibling,” why did he dare the younger boys to go beyond the reef? if he was the “older sibling,” why was he so… reckless?

so, to say that [y/n] was exhausted with both him and the entirety of trying to rewire her brain, well… that would be a major understatement.

but, alas, she was still expected to learn. unfortunately for her, she took the role as the older sibling quite seriously, and she tried to set a good example out of herself!

now she treaded water in the middle of the reef, the sun beaming down on her face and shoulders. in front of her floated fali, the boy drifting stomach up with his hands rested behind his head.

[y/n] did not look amused, as unfortunate as fali found it. he was letting the sun practically burn his face off, and she wouldn’t even smile!

after an excruciating amount of time, fali let out a yelp of surprise when he felt her hand grab his tail, yanking him downwards. when he resurfaced, she had the faintest shadow of a grin. she nearly drowns me and she still can’t smile fully. what is wrong with her?

while [y/n] thought fali to be reckless and far too carefree, fali found her to be way too uptight. i mean, sure, old habits die hard after being raised as the future tsahik, but couldn’t she let loose once in a while?

“can we please start?” the girl asked, tone exasperated.

he rolled his eyes, a smile playing at his lips. “well, i apologize. i didn’t realize you were so eager to learn. i mean, you usually just complain.”

[y/n] sighed, sending him a look of annoyance. he does not shut up, does he? but, he wasn’t wrong… however, she didn’t let him know that her heart dropped once he decided to actually start teaching her for the day.

it was an unusually long lesson, but it was filled with the same issues as every other day. fali telling her what to do, [y/n] being unable to do it, [y/n] getting mad at herself, fali trying to help her fix it, [y/n] telling him that she’s fine, fali stepping back and watching her battle herself… it was always a pleasant time.

this time, however, things just seemed to be a little more on edge. she seemed to be a little more annoyed. at him, at herself. she was a balloon ready to burst, and fali was bracing himself for the moment that she did.

it was after the sixth time in which she failed to breath correctly that he knew it was going down. he watched her face flush, eyes narrowing as she continued to try and fix it.

“no, [y/n],” he offered, voice soft. she always made him feel guilty, guilty of ever getting annoyed. he knew that she was trying her best. “just… breathe from here. pretend as if there’s a flame within your belly, offering your lungs support and warmth.”

“i’m trying!” she snapped, eyes brimming with tears before she quickly turned away, eyes avoiding his eyes.

the two faded to silence, simply sitting on a rock in the middle of the reef, staring at the setting sun ahead of them. the horizon was gorgeous, a beautiful orange contrasting the blue of the sea.

they sat there, in silence, until just before eclipse.

as they neared curfew, [y/n] inhaled deeply, preparing herself to get up and leave. but, a gentle hand on her knee stopped her. she turned to fali.

“do you know what i think?” he began, voice gentle. “i think that you are more than capable to do this.”

[y/n] scoffed. “if that were true, i would be out there, not stuck with… with you!”

at that, he huffed a laugh, running his fangs over his bottom lip. “i’m going to ignore that comment and continue getting to my point,” he jokes, his eyes widening at the smallest flicker of a smile on her lips. “i believe that something, whether you realize it or not, is keeping you from being successful—my guess being that it’s subconscious—but i digress. i believe that you are scared, [y/n]. scared of doing it right, scared of becoming one of the metkayina because once you are one of our people, you feel like you are betraying your home.”

the girl beside him shook her head in disbelief. “you believe? or you know? because you sure said that—that soliloquy—as if you know me.” [y/n] stood up, taking a few steps backwards. “i have known you for seven days, fali. seven days! and suddenly you decide that you can analyze me?”

fali laughed at that. “seven days is enough for you to decide that you hate me!” he pointed out, a disbelieving smile playing on his lips.

“well, you wear everything on the outside. every bit of stupidity, recklessness, carelessness.” she grit her teeth. “you are an open book, and i am closed. that is the truth.”

“i wear what i want to wear,” fali argued, standing up to face her, the two getting closer by the second. they got closer by the insult thrown. “you think i am dumb, but i am not. i am smart enough to make it so that people like you—people who do not care to look past their own bubble—cannot see my vulnerabilities.”

[y/n] bared her teeth. “you think me ignorant? blind, even? i have seen more of the world than you, i have fought dream-walkers, watched as my baby siblings had death looming above their heads. you are clueless to what is beyond awa’atlu.” a growl built in the back of her throat, their faces extremely close together. “i build my—my ‘bubble,’ as you called it—because i know what is beyond your dimwitted understanding!”

the two were silent, the tension electric between them. behind them the sun was set beyond the horizon, eclipse having already passed. waves lapped at the rock, the incoming high tide making it so their feet were splashed with the salty water.

as they stared at each other, a sense of understanding seemed to bless both of them. fali’s eyes never left those of [y/n]... her ( beautiful ) narrowed eyes. and [y/n] didn’t miss the way that the moons reflected on fali’s aquamarine skin, his bioluminescent freckles splattering the sides of his face.

[y/n] could have sworn she felt herself lean in, towards him, until the familiar call of her mother brought her back to reality.

“[y/n]?” neytiri called from their marui.

the girl swallowed, stepping back quickly. she cleared her throat before yelling back, “coming!” and with one last look at fali, she dove into the waters.

the next few days were odd, to put it simply. suddenly, there was no aggravation towards each other, but it was much more tense in an… awkward way.

a part of [y/n] was filled with spite, and by the time they got to working again, she was doing better than she had been for weeks. she was actually making progress! and it was all to shove it in fali’s face.

unfortunately for her, fali was much more hesitant when it came to helping her. he refused to touch her stomach as to help her breathing, his movements stiff and scared, resembling that of a baby hexapede.

but, [y/n] didn’t need him…? the others found it extremely peculiar. one day, she’s out past curfew, and right after she suddenly fixed nearly all her mistakes. very odd indeed…

it did not take long for her first free dive. her breathing improved astoundingly, her swimming technique also getting better from watching tsireya when she showed kiri and tuk around the reef.

“do you see this shell?” fali held it up, the sunlight reflecting off of its shiny exterior.

she rolled her eyes. “yes, i see the shell.”

“that’s good.” he blinked, eyes shifting away from her’s with a sheepish grin. “uh, anyway,” he continued, clearing his throat. “i assume you understand the drill? i drop it, you find it.”

“yes, fali,” she sighed. “i am fully aware of how this works. now, i would rather get it done with soon so i don’t have to live in anxiety anymore.” [y/n] locked eyes with fali. “please just drop the shell.”

and he did. she swallowed as she watched it float down, the depths looking much more abyssal-like than they normally did.

“remember,” fali’s soft tone grabbed her attention, “there is nothing to fear. you are stronger than you know, and if you begin to doubt yourself… think of you returning with the shell and rubbing it in my face.” at that, [y/n]’s face flushed, embarrassed. he smiled at her expression. “yes, i know that’s the only reason you’ve suddenly been trying, but… if it works, it works.”

and for once, she smiled. actually smiled. and fali felt himself burst with pride. somehow, it felt better that it wasn’t one of his stupid jokes, or his silly slip-ups. no, he made her smile just by talking to her. by being fali.

stunned, fali only remembered that he was supposed to be helpful when she stared at him expectantly with those bright [e/c] eyes of her’s. he lifted his hands, miming lungs filling with air as he reminded, “deep breath. this is all yours. nothing to fear, only to look forward to.”

with that, the girl dove in.

underneath the surface, she felt at peace. for the first time ever, [y/n] wasn’t freaking out while submerged in the salty water. instead, her jaw seemed to gape in awe at the scenery around her.

the deeper she went, the more starstruck that she was. there were layers to this reef that she hadn’t even been aware of. layers that she’d only heard from tales of her siblings, not truly understanding how magical they actually were.

as she kicked her feet towards the ocean floor, she heard fali’s voice in her head. “the way of water has no beginning and end.” she caught sight of the shell. “the sea is around you and in you. the sea is your home, before your birth and after your death.” she stifled a cry of joy as a school of fish swam around her, tickling her sides with their soft touches. “our hearts beat in the womb of the world. our breath burns in the shadows of the deep.” she was nearly there, her hand outstretched to grab the small artifact. “the sea gives and the sea takes.” she got it! oh, eywa, she got it! it was in her hand! oh, how proud fali will be! “water connects all things.” she began to swim up, a smile stuck on her face. “life to death,” she resurfaced, “darkness to light.”

“fali!” she cried, spinning around in a circle to catch the eyes of the boy. “fali, look!” she held it up, her expression beaming with pride.

and fali couldn’t help it either, his own smile taking over his features. “[y/n]!” he exclaimed, jumping off of the rock and swimming to her. “you did it! oh, eywa, you actually did it!” he stared at the shell as they tread water. “oh, how proud i am!”

her silence caused him to turn, staring her in the eyes. “[y/n]?”

she swallowed, her eyes locked on the shell in her hands. “fali,” she began, voice quiet. “i have a wallowing fear that you were right.”

at those words, fali gaped silently. instead of answering right away, he began to tug her towards the rock, allowing for them to get out of the water so her could properly comfort her.

once she was settled on the rock, she carefully placed the shell down, pulling her knees close to her chest. she felt like a child again, helpless against her emotions. “i was scared. not of the ocean, not of swimming, not of drowning.” she looked up, locking eyes with fali. “i was scared of abandoning my people.”

a tear dropped from her eye, and fali immediately had her hands resting on [y/n]’s biceps. “hey,” he called softly, forcing her to look him in the eyes again. “you are not abandoning them. you are… learning. you are learning how to adapt, how to survive. in fact, i think that is more in touch with your culture and ancestors! you are just like them, trying to adapt and survive in a world that is trying to kill you.” she smiled a little at that. maybe he wasn’t so stupid. “you are not weak for fearing change… you are normal. it is okay to be normal every once in a while, as much as you enjoy being the big sister that is oh-so mature and oh-so strong.” his finger lifted her chin up, a soft smile on his lips. “because people who love you do not mind how mature, or strong, or stupid, or careless, or responsible, or up-tight you are. because you, [y/n], are what you are.”

once he was finished, he noticed that [y/n]’s tears were dried, a smile on her face. a look in her eyes had him floored… oh, she was so beautiful, wasn’t she?

luckily for fali, she seemed to think the same of him, raising her arm, grabbing the back of his head, and bringing his smiling lips against her’s.

the sully family knew and loved [y/n]. of course they did! she was their’s, afterall. but, they also knew that she was never this easy-going or even this happy.

both jake and neytiri knew they’d seared little moments of trauma into the brain of their eldest daughter, and they hated knowing that, but parenting is never easy. especially when she was expected to become the tsahik way back when.

but, ever since a few weeks ago, ever since she finally overcame her own issues regarding leaving the omaticaya, ever since she finally found someone that she loved as much as she loved her family ( and he seemed to love her even more ), she was a new person. a better person. a person who actually seemed to enjoy life.

neteyam and lo’ak were the first to become skeptical. ever since her successful free-dive, she’d been so.. giddy. it was not their big sister.

kiri started to catch on when she noticed [y/n] disappearing four hours at a time, and when she came back, she was ten times happier.

neytiri and jake were so wrapped up in the fact that their eldest was finally living a happy life, they didn’t once question, “hm, why could that be?”

it was only when [y/n] returned home a little late one night after the rest of the family, minus tuk since she was still quite young, had a busy day full of duties. she blamed it on finishing an errand with her new best friend, fali, but neytiri scanned her daughter’s body for any sign of injury. neytiri was just that type of mama bear!

“[y/n],” she began, eyes narrowed at her neck. “did you get bitten today? are the bugs bad on that side of the island?”

[y/n]’s face flushed almost immediately. she swallowed, grabbing her hair to cover her neck. “yeah—” she attempted, before tuk interrupted. [y/n] immediately cursed herself, remembering the stupid excuse that fali and her’d made up to cover-up their “hang-out” when tuk had walked in unexpectedly.

“uh, no, mom,” the youngest said matter-of-factly. “she was playing shark with fali. obviously.”

immediately, the sully family burst into confusion.

“[y/n]!” neytiri scolded, although her eldest daughter didn’t miss the amused smile that played on her lips.

kiri burst into laughter. “that’s why you’ve been so happy? because a guy? who even are you?” she teased.

lo’ak was absolutely losing his mind, face flushed from the laughter he was overcome by at the reality of it all. his big sister, little-miss-uptight, getting her first kiss before him and neteyam? unbelievable!

neteyam was absolutely shocked, face frozen in disbelief. “you? fali?”

jake, of course, was on immediate protective dad mode. “fali? the son of vi’ieo and fpai?” he questioned, eyes squinted at [y/n].

all [y/n] could do was sit there, a hand covering her mouth. of all people, tuk had to expose her. it’s always the ones you least expect.

but, despite the surprise of it all, the sully family was extremely happy. [y/n], the one who entered the metkayina by trying to one-up the tsahik and also deal with her own absolute soul-crushing homesickness, was making a life here in awa’atlu. and they couldn’t be more proud.