Rotxo - Tumblr Posts

Rotxo x metikayan reader?

Y/n isnt a healer or a fighter, they enjoy singing and dancing for the clan

Other then that I've got nothing so go crazy!!

Rotxo x Metkayina ! Reader

Pronouns used : They / Them

Note(s) : The readers ilu is named Kailani, no reason other than it'd be clunky to constantly write 'the ilu'

"When you bond with a ilu they do not bond for life, they are not owned by anybody, you will be able to make the bond soon but first you must-" The gentle yet firm hold I had on my ilu, Kailani, was loosened in confusion as my words trailed off, the lesson put a hold as the children watching my demonstration jumped. The distracting event that caused this being an unusual flap of strong wings and an earsplitting animal cry.

This did not sound like the creatures I had ever been familiar with.

My eyes snapped up and landed on the ikran's in the sky, tilting my head as Kailani done the same, chirping in confusion and fear at the five flying creatures. They were from the forest, forest people do not come to our islands unless they were warning or in trade with my people. The latter has not happened for years. The children began muttering, looking completely mesmerised by the ikran's, I sternly began speaking to them.

"Although it is unlikely this is a warning of danger, we must be respectful to them, understand?" My ears downcast in worry as my heavy tail stiffly stuck to my leg as a hope for closeness. The multiple lessons on culture or gathering materials were stopped, all children were now on the back of the adult's or teenager's ilus to ride over and witness what was happening.

One hopped behind me on Kailani and held on tight. I gently stroked the head of Kailani and muttered 'forward', repeating comforting words in my head to calm both me and the the unsure ilu down, sucking in a hurried breath and slowing down my now steady heartbeat as my head peeked underwater. I expertly navigated the corals and stones leading to the beach where they'd land, worried for the safety of my people made you almost completely unaware of my own surroundings, yet still pushing forward until I saw the sand form a slope to the beach.

As my head slowly rose from the water I breathed in the air, waiting until Kailani didn't have much more room to swim so I could gently take the child off her back, pushing them to join their mother who hurriedly motioned for them to come closer.

I had come just in time to witness them be in conversation with our tribes Olo'eyktan and Tsahik, Tonowari and Ronal respectively. The forest people had strange features, while I was of course fully aware forest people had darker skin, thinner arms, different eyes and fluffy tipped tails, however these ones had more fingers than they were suppose to, and strange hair above their eyes.

This was very crudely pointed out by the Tsahik who was only convinced to give them shelter by their close family bond, the Olo'eyktan motioned to the group of teenagers consisting of his two children, Ao'nung and Tsireya, along with Rotxo, telling them how they'd be of assistance to learn the ocean people's ways.

He then turned to me, informing the family of outsiders how I am one of the best at teaching young ones to prepare for ilu's and even a warriors ride. Therefore it would stand to reason I would be excellent at teaching them our people's ways, as if they were young children learning for the first time.

My heart sped up slightly at the thought of working with Rotxo, I had been nervous around him for years and so rarely joined in on hunts where he was involved. It helped greatly how I'm not a healer or one of the warriors in training for my tribe, therefore I would not be in close proximity to healing him as he was fairly reckless, nor would I be training with him regularly. However, now I wouldn't be able to back out, it made me nervous, but also made me excited.

On the next sunrise me and the others would begin teaching the outsiders, and while I had never prided myself on appearances, preferring your cultures dances or songs, I took extra time doing my hair and perfecting how our clothing was worn. I'd told myself it was in order to show a good first impression for the tribes guests, however, I was fully aware of the true reason.

With an extra pep in my step, bouncing lightly on the cloth which connected my own marui and another's, then jumping from them into the water. I happily twirled around the rich wildlife around me and drifted towards the main part of the beach. Popping my head out of the water, I noticed Tsireya and two of the forest people, but nobody else. Slowly standing up and exiting the water, I looked around completely confused on where Rotxo and the others were.

"Where is everybody?" I questioned Tsireya, she smiled knowingly at the very obvious 'hidden' meaning to my question.

"Rotxo." She paused with heavy emphasis on his name "Is with Ao'nung, Neteyam, the eldest brother, and Kiri, the eldest daughter. We will be teaching Tuk-" She gestured to the youngest. "-and Lo'ak." Tsireya gave a softer smile to him and almost whispered his name, I honestly wanted to laugh at how she teased me for my crush yet was head over heels for a complete stranger, but I held my tongue.

"Alright, should we begin with breathing exercises?" I sucked in a sharp breath and tried to not seem too down, they need teaching and I was chosen for this reason, not to drool needlessly over a boy.

When the first lesson was over, Tuk and Lo'ak had done well in learning how to hold their breath effectively, and while they couldn't hold it anywhere near me or Tsireya, the forest siblings were better than when they had started. The group were all going to disperse when I heard loud splashing.

"First lesson over for you as well? Thought you'd take less time" The eldest brother rolled his eyes at Lo'ak's passive aggressive comment, smiling and sassily smacking the back of his head. He was going to reply when a bundle of hair bounced to Tsireya and loudly spoke.

"Because we're done with lessons can I learn songs!" Tuk dragged out songs and tugged on Tsireya's arm, who looked down at her shining yellow eyes and laughed a little.

"Well, I am the wrong person, look over there if you want to learn dance and song." She teasingly whispered, shaking her shoulders and smiling bright at how my face practically lit up in seconds.

"Oh! Yes, well what type do you want to know? We have plenty of wonderful songs and dance for you to learn! Of course it cannot compare to your own culture which has more music than us, however it is still needed for certain ceremonies and-" I continued rambling as Tuk's excited look got happier every second, bouncing on her feet and begging for you to teach her.

"Tonight I will teach you! Do you all wish to join as well?" I looked at the other siblings in anticipation, who nodded and agreed with eager smiles. I turned to the other Metkyina's present. "Tsireya, Ao'nung-" I shyly looked down, my face beginning to burn a little "Rotxo... Do you want to join in teaching?"

"Why not? Some of our practices do require many of us." Tsireya grinned, turning to her brother who rolled his eyes. Muttering some choice words to which she slapped his arm and looked with eyes wide at me and Rotxo. Ao'nung's mouth gaped for a second before chuckling.

"Sure, fine." He agreed, Rotxo only joining due to this, I gratefully smiled at the chiefs son and motioned for them all to join me.

"We shall go prepare," I turned to the forest siblings "You will all meet us here after we eat, okay?" They all nodded, a small grumble from Lo'ak on if he has to but agreeing with a grin for a certain friend of mine nonetheless.

We shall rushed to our marui and gained permission to ask for some instruments that players would be willing to lend us, along with playing for when he would dance. When the time had come, I noticed Tsireya and Ao'nung whispering to each other, worried on if something was wrong I decided to approach them.

"Are we missing anything?" Tsireya shyly looked down.

"I forgot to ask one of the instrument players, is there any way you could go to Apikalia and ask if they will join?" She asked, I nodded given we still had a few minutes until we were expected to start.

"Of course!" I began my way across the beach, skipping and happily humming a tune to myself while in waiting, jumping up to the cloth bridges. However, as I looked into Apikalia's marui not to find them, but to find Rotxo.

I jumped in surprise and he proceeded to do the same, holding a hand over his beating heart. My face burned hot, I looked down and began stuttering, I realised I was set up by Tsireya and her brother.

"Oh, you're already looking for them? I will go-" My sentence was momentarily cut off as Rotxo rushed forward and grabbed my hand. Only a few feet away from me.

"Why are you avoiding me?" His voice was high and offended, but also worried. I opened my mouth in shock, closing it soon after when his eyes almost welled with tears, shiny and deep whenever I looked in them, demanding an answer.

"I didn't want to, I just..." Gulping, I thought. Better now then never. "Can't face you." I closed my eyes and breathed in deep, slowly preparing myself to answer.

"Because...?" He trailed off, Rotxo's eyes had fear in them. For what I was unsure, but if I hid my feelings things would never progress.

"Because I love you. Rotxo. I see you." My hands subconsciously done the motion, looking up into his shocked eyes. They softened as he stepped closer to me.

"And I see you." His grip left my hand, instead going to my shoulders and leaning in close. I done the same, both of us closing our eyes, both our lips meeting in a sweet and shy kiss. Neither aware on how to do this, but both confident in our abilities as long as it was us. Together.

When we separated, I looked down.

"We were set up..." I awkwardly twiddled with my hands. "Tsireya and her dumb brother." I mumbled and crossed my arms, moving back two steps.

"Oh, I thought we were genuinely both searching for Apikalia." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head shyly when I laughed, moving his other hand down to hold my own. Both of our heads turned to the opening when someone awwd and another gagged.

"You two are so adorable." Tsireya held a hand over her chest in adoration, laughing loudly when I stuck my tongue out like a child.

"You're so gross." Ao'nung cringed at us. We both, embarrassed, realised we were still holding hands. Yanking my hand off and glaring daggers at the other boy.

"At least we have each other, what do you have?" I sassily crossed my arms over my chest, Rotxo held a hand over this mouth trying desperately not to laugh at him.

"They're not wrong-" Tsireya began teasing her brother but he playfully hissed at me and began leaving.

"Come on, they're expecting us and we're late, losers." Ao'nung chuckled when he heard me stomping over, jumping into the water and avoiding my playful slap to his head.

"He's right, let's go." Tsireya joined her brother swimming to the beach, I smiled and looked back to Rotxo who was shyly walking closer to me.

"So you want to hunt with me tommorow? I know you don't like hunting but, it's either you or Ao'nung." He shyly held his hand out, to which I took and grinned.

"Of course I'll join you, idiot. Don't think I'll be any good though."

Even more old avatar art I never posted. I think I was supposed to do one of Jake and Tonowari wearing dad grill outfits but I never got around to it lol

Headcanons about how the Avatar characters sing

Neytiri: we all heard her singing her songcord in A2. Ninat may be the best singer, but if something happens to her, we all know who the new best singer will be. Her voice is beautiful on its own, but she loves to sing with her family and the rest of her clan.

Jake: I love him, but this man cannot sing. He tries his best, but it always sounds like a dying titanothere. Whenever the olo'eyktan and tsahik have to lead the clan in a traditional song, he lets Neytiri take the wheel.

Neteyam: he takes after his momma 💙 he has a beautiful singing voice, but even though he's so talented he never tries to take the spotlight and prefers to sing in a group.

Kiri: she's a little insecure about her oddly mature-sounding voice. She has trouble staying in tune and staying on beat whenever she sings in a group, so she normally keeps her voice soft during clan songs, but sometimes, when she's all alone in the forest, she'll sing a song that's all her own. Spider is one of the few people who's ever caught her singing by herself and she made him promise not to tell anyone, though Spider thought it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.

Lo'ak: he takes after his dad. He can't carry a tune to save his life, and he's so jealous of Neteyam's voice. He's convinced Neteyam sings extra loud when they're together just to rub it in his face. But even though he can't carry a tune, he has a fantastic sense of rhythm. If he would stop trying to copy Neteyam and focused on his own talent, he would be a great drummer for clan songs.

Spider: Once when he was a kid getting tutored in "boring human crap" by Norm and Max, he made up a song to remember the Pythagorean Theorem, (please click the link if you haven't heard the Jack Champion pythagorean theorem song, it's so goofy) and he drove all the adults crazy singing it. Ever since then, he's loved singing, and he has a nice voice too, but there's just one problem. White boy got no rhythm 😔. He couldn't stay on beat if his life depended on it, but he makes up for it with enthusiasm.

Tuk: she loves to sing just like Neytiri, and she'll make up songs when she's playing or learning new skills. She hasn't quite grown into her voice yet, but she'll probably sound just as beautiful as her momma when she grows up.

Tonowari and Ronal: the only time they sing is when they're together, leading the clan through ceremonial songs. Even though they don't sing very often, their voices compliment each other wonderfully.

Aonung: He's going through a phase where he's Too Cool (TM) to sing 😎... until Ronal smacks him upside the head for not participating in clan song rituals.

Tsireya: she has a very sweet voice, but it's so soft it can easily get drowned out when she's singing in a group. Her true passion is dancing, and she would much rather dance than sing during clan celebrations.

Rotxo: he's a little shy about singing, but he has a decent voice. He also prefers dancing.

Quaritch: you wouldn't know it, but he actually does enjoy singing and he's not half bad at it. He's got a deep, kinda raspy singing voice that's good for classic country songs. He only sings when he's really relaxed and happy though, so most people have never heard it. Spider thought he was hallucinating the first time Quaritch started singing Johnny Cash songs while they were flying alone on Cupcake. At one point when it was just the two of them, Quaritch sang "A Boy Named Sue" but changed it to "A Boy Named Miles" and Spider couldn't tell if he was making fun of him or not. Spider liked the part of the song where the boy beat up his deadbeat dad though.

Wainfleet: He screams Lynyrd Skynyrd whenever he flies on his ikran 🎶 FLYYYYYYY FREEEEEEEE BIRDDDD YEAHAHH *sick guitar solo*🎶

heya, lovely! can you do a big sis y/n sully and fali after the battle at the three brothers when all the kids (the sullys + tsireya, ao'nung) are huddled together during a bad storm and the parents cannot return from the hunt till it passes so tuk starts crying since they've been gone for half a week. y/n and fali being the eldest comfort their siblings/pseudo siblings. maybe even show a bit of tsireya and ao'nung's dynamic with fali?

summary: a rumor of treasure sends the sully kids + co. out into a storm they weren’t quite aware of.

a/n: okay so , i kind of took some creative liberties with this. hopefully you don’t mind !! but , that being said , the first half is like really well written and i’m super proud and then the second half . . . let’s just say i wasn’t prepared to write so much. i think it’s still good , of course , but i’m also desperate to get requests and works out. it’s still a very fun read , though , so i hope you enjoy. feedbacks + reblogs are always appreciated !!

tags: @rafeslovergirl @wxnderingthoughts @liyahsocorro @bonnibuckets @hjkshshjkhklhkl @itssiaaax @grierpilots @fleurbeass @23victoria @nyotamalfoy @gcldtom

warnings: sibling vibes, getting lost, a dangerous storm, a very bad ending (whoopsies), me slowly giving up writing well nearing the end

words: 3.6k

stuck

[y/n] had to admit, this was probably the stupidest idea she’d ever taken part in. unfortunately, the repercussions for such an act made the idiocy of it all even more obvious.

it’d been a perfectly fine day. wonderful, actually! [y/n] was busy with fali, the two of them bonding over some unbearable chores ( a punishment after they’d been caught past curfew ) as the beautiful weather kept them warm, even if the sun was leaving her skin sizzling.

to make it even better, when fali noticed the way she tensed under the beaming sun, he immediately grabbed ronal’s lotion and lathered some on her back. at that, [y/n] fought the urge to absolutely melt beneath his touch.

but, of course, as it always went, it had to be their younger siblings that ruined everything.

after the new layer of sun protectant had been applied, the two continued to unload the traps, hissing everytime a crab grabbed ahold of their sensitive fingers.

“bitch,” fali cursed loudly, flinging the crustacean back into the water to keep its pinchers from drawing any blood.

as [y/n] guffawed at the action, she immediately tensed feeling the change in atmosphere. from behind her, the ominous shadow of her brother sent her repeating the words, “uh oh,” in her head.

[y/n] turned slowly, eyes wide as she looked up from where she crouched on the dock. “can i help you?”

of course, the answer was always “yes.”

and so, that’s how [y/n] and fali found themselves aboard ilus that shot through the water. the sunlight burst through the surface, each wave distorting the reflection in the slightest. the magic of the sea always sent [y/n] into a phase of absolute awe.

apparently, tsireya and lo’ak had found some weird treasure-like thing out in the distance, just past the three brothers, and upon telling the rest of their siblings ( plus rotxo, although he was an honorary sibling at that point ), they all wanted to see. all they needed was a responsible young adult to chaperone them!

at first, [y/n] wanted to say no. they were already in enough trouble from the night before, and she definitely did not need neytiri and jake any farther up her ass. but, of course, fali had a way with words ( more like giving her the cutest eyes ever that instantly made her fold ) and off they went.

fali was a seeker of adventure. that in itself was more than clear. so, it was natural for him to bite when he heard of the journey that awaited him and the kids. plus, treasure? that sounded pretty sick, even if it ended up being something completely worthless.

despite the fact that he’d already been reprimanded just hours before, fali decided to take into account that his parents could only kill him once. a little more rules broken didn’t mean anything! that’d just be a problem for his future self.

fali felt a smile form on his face at the feeling of [y/n]’s arms wrapping around his waist from where she sat behind him. his own hand traveled back, resting softly against her thigh as they sped through the waters atop their shared ilu.

lo’ak and tsireya led the way through the reef, an event that caused [y/n] major second-hand embarrassment for everytime that lo’ak tried to impress the girl who rode beside him.

behind [y/n] and fali, ao’nung and rotxo caused quite the ruckus. it was often that fali found himself turning around to gesture for them to stop after they would push each other into some boulders that sat on the sea floor.

following dumb and dumber, kiri and tuk sailed gracefully. they watched the scenary pass by in peace, their gazes always stuck staring in awe thanks to the nature that paved the way.

neteyam, of course, brought up the caboose. he kept his eyes open for anyone straggling, often having his ilu bump into ao’nung or rotxo to keep them moving. they were lucky they even got along nowadays, otherwise the interaction would not be treated so dully.

but, alas, there was no more bad blood between any of them. not after a month ago, not after fali risked his life for neteyam. not after the sets of siblings joined forces for the first time to save payakan, a beautiful beast that kept the rest of the sully family from dying mid-battle.

it was a miracle that they all still lived after that traumatic night. even though it still haunted all of them day and night through physical scars and mental memories. it would never be forgotten, and maybe it was a blessing. or, it was a curse.

either way, they were alive and, for the most part, happy. that part was clear based on the way each of them smiled as they ventured through the reef, each of their eyes flickering towards the new scenery they had never seen before.

it was only when tsireya and lo’ak slowed down in front of them that they all regained full attention, suddenly remembering why they were even out there in the first place.

[y/n] tensed in the slightest, eyes narrowing as she scanned their surroundings. she took in every minute detail, a habit picked up by her upbringing as the eldest sibling. [y/n] knew that neteyam was doing just the same from the back.

“this way,” tsireya signed, an action that was then passed down along the line so that everyone was caught up.

[y/n]’s hands gripped fali’s biceps as the ilu made its way forward, the pace slow and steady. it was only when they entered the cave of complete black that she began to truly panic.

fali’s own worry was only triggered by the girl that clung to him, his thumb rolling softly overtop her skin to provide comfort. when they entered the dark cave, their bioluminescent freckles were the only sources of light beneath the dark surface.

[y/n] whipped her head around quickly, checking that everyone was there. after a quick head count, she felt a tad better, although she still used her hands to usher and corral them into a tightly packed herd.

“leave the ilus,” tsireya ordered quickly, eyes widening in concern when she noticed how tightly packed the cave was. “it is deeper within, and we can only fit one by one.”

“sounds joyous,” [y/n] responded just before she allowed fali to help her off.

once everyone was free from the confines of their ilus, they began to progress within the shelter. the farther they went, the tighter it seemed to get, an unfortunate reality due to the shoving that went on between the boys. [y/n] even had to give fali a look when he began to push around ao’nung and rotxo. he immediately stopped, of course, because he knew better to listen to her than get in trouble.

“just ahead,” tsireya offered quickly, eyes flaring at the way each other their movements got slower due to the lack of oxygen. “there’s an air pocket.”

“and treasure,” lo’ak added very quickly, an action that had tsireya slapping him on the back of his head.

he bristled, grumpily rubbing the location in which she hit him. his grumbling did not stop, not until they finally each swam through the small tunnel and resurfaced in the even smaller cave that, thankfully, had oxygen.

“oh, thank eywa,” [y/n] gasped once she found her way up, flopping down against the gravel. “i thought you guys were trying to kill us for a moment there.”

“ha ha,” lo’ak said with a roll of his eyes. “you are just so funny, [y/n].”

at that, the older sister was quickly on her feet and preparing to tackle him to the ground when neteyam gave them each an unimpressed stare.

deciding to stay cool and mature, [y/n] chose to instead stick her tongue out. of course, as a result, lo’ak hissed back.

“shut up,” ao’nung groaned from where he leaned against the walls of the cave. kiri nodded in agreement, eyes widened to only emphasize her point.

after a few moments of silence, tuk cleared her throat. “so, are we gonna just wait here or…?”

“right,” lo’ak trailed, not missing the chance to roll his eyes. “if i hadn’t been distracted—” he stared at [y/n]— “i would’ve showed you that—”

tsireya groaned, shoving him softly. “it’s down this way.” her nimble hand gestured down what seemed to be a gruesomely long and dark tunnel. at the sight, the entire group went silent.

rotxo was the first one to break the silence. “yeah, i’m good.”

“are you trying to kill us?”

“i have claustrophobia.”

lo’ak groaned, dropping his head back in annoyance. “come on, guys. there’s literal treasure back there.” [y/n] watched warily as he stepped toward the tunnel, his tanhì reflecting colorful light against the black walls.

“and what if there isn’t?” fali prompted, eyebrow muscles raised with his arms crossed across his chest.

tsireya blinked, jaw dropping as she tried to answer. instead, lo’ak stepped forward and assumed the task for her ( an action that had all the girls in the room unimpressed ).

“we saw it.” he sounded very sure of himself, but that confidence soon crumpled to nothing once the rest of the group just stared, then blinked, and then burst into laughter. “wha—guys!” he protested with a groan.

“sorry, bro,” neteyam attempted, dropping a hand on his shoulder to which lo’ak quickly shoved off as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “but, we will never trust your judgement of sight alone.”

“yeah!” tuk cried. “remember when you said that you saw that thanator creeping into camp.”

“oh, yes,” kiri agreed with a devious grin. “and after causing quite the scene, it was just tsukin dressed in his hunting gear.”

[y/n] bit her lip, trying to keep a smile off of her face. normally, she would be all for the teasing, but based on the expression that lo’ak wore, she was all too familiar with the jokes hitting a certain point. so, she kept her cool.

stepping forward, one hand raised, she offered in a cool tone, “okay, so, let us ponder.” silence settled in the cave, eight pairs of eyes resting on her frame. “if there is treasure, what would we do with it?”

tsireya stepped forward, a hand pressing to lo’ak’s chest before he could ruin their campaign once again. “well, from what lo’ak and i saw just the other day, it isn’t simply… treasure.” [y/n] narrowed her eyes, not quite understanding what she was getting at. “i mean to say, it is like a, uh, how did you describe it?” she turned to lo’ak.

“it is a statue, i suppose,” lo’ak answered with a shrug.

“yes, statue.” tsireya bit her bottom lip, the corners of her mouth up turning into a small grin. “so it is not as if it has any value since we are fully unable to haul it out of here, but it is beautiful and worth the look.” she blinked before smirking. “if you are brave enough, that is.”

oh, how tsireya knew exactly how to tempt that crowd. so, it was absolutely no surprise at all that [y/n] then found herself clinging onto fali’s shoulders as they swam through the dark, twisting, thin tunnel.

the textured ledges that jutted out caused many sputters and groans of pain down the line and back. at one point, [y/n] found her hair tangled on an edge and she was yoinked backwards, a burst of bubbles leaving her mouth as she let out a sound of pain and annoyance mixed into one.

luckily, the tunnel was no nearly as long as they thought, and soon enough, they were pouring into yet another cave. this time, however, each of them froze in their tracks as they stared in adoration at the gorgeous artwork that sat in front of them.

bioluminescent plants climbed up and down the walls, spilling onto the ground and growing up the figure that sat in the middle of the room. the statue, worn down by time, was a little dull on the edges, and it was a beautiful white marble. streaks of gray and black wrapped around its curves, adding a mark of nature on the na’vi made form.

thanks to the familiar shape of long pointed ears and a tail that wrapped around its waist, the figure was very clearly based on one of their ancestors.

[y/n] furrowed her eyebrows, swimming around it to catch every angle. her supple fingers gently trailed overtop what used to be a face, the only thing left after years of underwater living being small dimples of where the eyes and mouth used to reside. she softly petted the nose of the figure, a smile drawing on her face.

and that’s when it finally settled within her bones that something was wrong.

chills pricked on [y/n]’s arms as she looked around the dark cave, eyes flickering over the kids who were each grouped up and conversing with each other. kiri was busy admiring the work with tuk at her tail, lo’ak and tsireya were most likely flirting, and ao’nung, rotxo, and neteyam were arguing about something. panic settled in [y/n]’s gut when she noticed the words “storm” and “rising water” being exchanged between the trio of boys.

she swam up quickly, fali at her heels, and she stopped at the top of the cave. [y/n] pressed her hands desperately against the rocks, feeling for anywhere the water might escape, feeling for anywhere she could try and take a peek at the outside world. she cursed at herself when she found no luck.

by then, eyes were cast upon the older girl, worry settling on each and every one of their expressions. a hand on her shoulder caused her to whip around, sending fali floating back in alarm.

“what is wrong?” he questioned carefully, eyes filled with concern.

“i do not know,” [y/n] admitted truthfully. “but something feels… off.”

that’s when ao’nung decided to finally step up. “the water is warmer,” he offered. “it feels as if the tide is moving north, and that usually means—”

“a storm,” tsireya finished for him, worry evident on her face.

[y/n] turned to fali with a tight swallow. his face was frozen, clearly trying to figure out a plan. he was always good at on the spot thinking, but something about his closest friends and family members being the ones in danger sent him spiraling in the wrong direction.

“we must leave now,” ao’nung took charge quickly, spinning around and ushering tuk and kiri towards the place in which they entered from.

[y/n] felt as if time seemed to travel far too fast. before she knew it, she and fali were bringing up the back of the line to make sure everyone swam out quickly, not leaving any stragglers behind. tsireya and rotxo led the way, tuk padded by kiri and neteyam for safety.

the reality of the situation truly sat in when the air bubble in which they’d previously conversed in turned out to be half way full. they all silently decided that stopping wasn’t worth it, and instead gulped one last big breath of oxygen before exiting the cave once again.

by the time they resurfaced outside of all of the caves, finally back in the open sea, [y/n] felt her stomach rise to her throat at the sight of the storm. wind blew far too aggressively, and the tides were coming in strong. screams left their throats as they narrowly avoided a wave that almost crashed directly on their heads.

quick thinking resulted in their ilus left behind — although, there was also a possibility that the creatures already left them at the feeling of the storm coming in — and the group of kids climbing onto the boulders.

the cave they had previously swam in also had another layer on top, this time with oxygen and safe shelter provided. at least, enough to keep them from ( hopefully ) dying in the storm.

they now huddled, backs pressed against the rock walls as wind burst outside, an occasional very large wave absolutely drenching the boulder and sending screams echoing across the shelter.

[y/n] and fali sat closest to the entrance, but in their arms they held practically every single kid. faces pressed into their chests, the two young adults sharing looks of concern, worry, and pure prayers to eywa.

[y/n] clenched her eyes shut at the feeling of tuk trembling beneath her hands, sprinkles of sea spray causing her to feel sticky and wet. when fali pressed his head against her’s, she whimpered softly. she would remain strong for as long as the children needed it, but deep down, she was terrified.

they sat, huddled together, throughout the entire storm. from beginning to end. beneath every harsh wave, between every strike of lightning. instead of letting their fear best them, they only decided to just hold each tighter and tighter.

by the time the storm finally settled down, they were each soaked with cold water, the wind whistling through holes in the cave. each kid was shaking, although some held it together better than others.

[y/n]’s heart ached as she held tuk to her chest, quiet sobs wracking her small body. [y/n] rubbed her back with a soft touch, pressing an occasional kiss to the top of the young girl’s head. “it is okay, tuk tuk,” she whispered, eyes flickering up to watch fali and the rest of the boys wander back and forth across the cave, voices hushed and serious as they discussed how to approach their problem.

“i want mom and dad,” tuk cried into her shoulder, face leaned into the crook of her older sister’s neck.

[y/n] frowned. “i know, darling, and we will see them as soon as we can. but, we need to figure out how to get home first.” she pulled tuk away from her body for a moment, forcing her to lock eyes. “i promise you, mom and dad are okay, and they will be looking for us as soon as it is safe.”

meanwhile, tsireya and kiri were busy under the water, looking for any source of help. food, a safer shelter, maybe their ilus… but, no such luck.

as the girls busied themselves with a search, the boys wandered from one side of the cave to other, jumping into the water as they tried to track down exactly where they were. curses were exchanged as lo’ak and neteyam’s necklace intercoms didn’t seem to work thanks to the wreckage left by the storm.

the first sign of hope came from kiri and tsireya when the two girls resurfaced, smiles highlighting their features as they sputtered for breath after a long swim. “guys!”

at that, everyone gathered around, even [y/n] and tuk after the older girl quickly cradled her baby sister and brought her over to the group. “what is it?”

“i think we found a better place to sit and wait.”

luckily for them, the beach they found was unoccupied and quite helpful. the storm sure left a mark, but that also meant firewood that was much more easily accessible. 

it didn’t take long for the group to set up an actual camp. sticks and leaves, gathered by the younger girls, helped create small tent-like structures. [y/n], rotxo, and lo’ak dealt with fishing and food, and neteyam, ao’nung, and fali were busy dragging large pieces of driftwood to support their shelters as well as make an actual bonfire.

“ao’nung, would you please be cooperative for once?” fali grunted, the trio dropping the piece of wood for the eighth time in just a few feet.

ao’nung shot him a look. “i’m trying my hardest, but you keep stepping on my toes.”

“i am not!” the older boy argued, eyes narrowed. neteyam rolled his eyes at the sibling-like banter.

“lo’ak, do you lack braincells?” another argument took place just a few paces away.

“[y/n], do not act as if you are so much better than me!” the younger brother threw a piece of mulch at her, an action that she did not respond kindly to.

it was only when rotxo shouted in delight at the feeling of a fish tugging at his line that they suddenly forgot all of their previous issues.

across the beach, tuk was squat carefully as she organized sticks and leaves into two different piles, even going as far as to stack the leaves from largest to smallest. “woah!” she cried at one point, staring at a very large leaf with a gaped jaw. “it’s as tall as me.”

tsireya laughed, picking the greenery up and holding it next to the girl. “i think you have a few inches on it.”

hours passed by, but progress was made. so much progress that they each had their own tent by the end of the night.

of course, they still chose to stay up quite late, gathered around the warm fire as they exchanged different stories. a lot of personal sibling attacks were made, of course, especially towards lo’ak who seemed to be a permanent indigo shade after his older siblings told tsireya of every single one of his embarrassing childhood tales.

the later it got, the more they yawned, and soon it was spreading like a disease. [y/n] smiled at the sleeping figure of tuk.

but, of course, the light in the distance kept any more of them from drifting off.

"looks like it's time to go home."

“looks like it’s time to go home.”

Avatar: the way of water

Sleepover

Ronal: ok time to go to bed…night

Aonung: Night mom

Tsireya: Night

Tuk: -goes to sleep-

-lights go out….do they even have lights anyways!-

Lo’ak: oh oh oh oh Riley

Ao’nung: please stfu

Kiri: most of us are trying to sleep

Neteyam:……..hello darkness my old friend

Tsireya: -trying to hold in laughter-

Ao’nung: can y’all go to bed

Tuk: have you ever had a dream?

Kiri: Y’all don’t deserve to live

Ao’nung: -annoyed- go to sleep!

Tsireya: -trying to sleep-

Lo’ak: try to make microwave popcorn

Kiri: y’all are annoying af

Neteyam: language infront of the child

Ao’nung: Tuk passed out

Tuk: I’m still awake

Tsireya: who’s snoring

Rotxo: -snoring like a fucking bull-

Ao’nung: -slaps him awake- stfu

Rotxo: bitch wtf

Ronal: GO TO FUCKING BED OR ELSE IM BEATING ALL OF YALL

Everyone: -silent-

Ao’nung: a potato few around my room before you came

Ronal: -comes in and slaps tf out of Ao’nung- GO TO BED

Ao’nung:…..ok

Ronal: -leaves-

-everyone didn’t get an ass woppen but they had to deal with Rotxo snoring the whole ass night-

Merry Christmas

Avatar: The way of water

New addition

Ft. You

Ao’nung: so this is the new addition to the group?

Tsireya: yes! Everyone meet y/n

Y/n: hi

Rotxo: hi welcome to the group! I’m Rotxo. Don’t mind Ao’nung he’s always mean

Ao’nung: WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALWAYS MEAN

Lo’ak: It’s true hes mean but he’s joking …most of the time

Kiri: hi I’m kiri. That’s Lo’ak and neteyam. And that’s Tuk

Tuk: hello!

Tsireya: and you already met my brother and Rotxo

Y/n : yup

Spider: what I miss?

Tsireya: and that’s spider boy

Y/n: hi im Y/n

Ao’nung: ok so we all introduced ourselves. Now what

Y/n: i don’t Really know…

Rotxo: we can go to the spirt tree!

Tsireya: yeah we can do that. anyone in?

Kiri: me

Tuk: is Kiri gonna drown again

Kiri: no tuk I’m not gonna drown again

Spider: I wanna go

Y/n: You’re gonna be sitting on a giant lillypad so not you

Spider: man

Ao’nung: I’m going ofc

Lo’ak: I’m in

Neteyam: me too

Tsireya: TO THE SPIRIT TREE

-time skip to the spirt tree-

Ao’nung: we’re here!

Y/n: wow…it’s beautiful here

Tsireya: we know

Rotxo: -dives underwater to where the spirt tree is-

Tsireya: you know how to swim right?

Y/n: kind of just not very fast

Tsireya: just breath and hold my hand

Y/n: -holds Tsireya’s hand- ok

-y’all both dive underwater to the sprit tree with the others and nobody drowns but spider was left sitting on the beach waiting for y’all to come back-

Avatar: The way of water

The Ocean Trio (someone give me a different name for them if you can)

Ao’nung: I’m so bored!

Tsireya: Aren’t we all?

Rotxo:-napping in a hammock- zzz

Ao’nung: I’m about to flip him out that hammock.

Tsireya: don’t

Ao’nung: -turns the hammock upside down so Rotxo falls out- wake up

Rotxo: -falls on the ground with a thud and wakes up- owww I was having the best dream!

Ao’nung: don’t care didn’t ask

Tsireya: why does it have to be so hot outside!?

Rotxo: don’t know. Im just tired

Tsireya: yeah and im not about to be baking in the sun

Ao’nung: I like my light blue skin thank you very much.

Rotxo: oh yeah cause you were about 5-7 years old and you went back to your parents looking like a grape!

Ao’nung: ITS NOT FUNNY

Tsireya: i was only 2 or 3 at the time and so confused

Ao’nung: yeah the look on our parents faces.

Rotxo: couldn’t be me!

Ao’nung: how about you go baking in the sun!

Rotxo: I will and I will not turn purple! -walks outside-

-a few hours or minutes later-

Rotxo: -comes back looking purple-……Umm

Ao’nung: HAHA! PURPLE ASS BITCH

Tsireya: Pfft

Rotxo: wait till my mom sees me like this. Just wait.

Ao’nung: -on the floor dying laughing- I can’t!I just can’t!

Tsireya: Are you dying

Ao’nung: yes

Avatar: The way of the water

At school….CAUSE WHY NOT ft: my oc Rio..and the RDA

Lyle: ok class I’m gonna be ur sub for today cause idk where your teacher went.so do whatever idc

Rio:….WOOOOOO

Ao’nung: can I go home

Lyle: sure

Ao’nung: -packs his stuff and leaves- BYE BITCHES

Rotxo: UR GONNA LEAVE MEEEE!?

Kiri: can I burn the school down?

Neteyam: -looks up from his book- I’m sorry WHAT

Lyle: Hell yeah go for it

Kiri: -goes to burn the school down-

Lo’ak: do they not care?

neteyam: I’m so fucking scared

Rio: you should be

Lo’ak: can I eat in class?

Rio: -drinking a Dr.pepper- this is my last soda….

Lyle: sorry but you can’t…RIO PUT THAT DRINK UP BEFORE I CALL UR FATHER!

Rio: ARENT YOU MY ADOPTED FATHER?

Lyle:….oh right…PUT THAT DRINK UP

Lo’ak: naw man getting mad for no reason

Rio: HOW TF

Lyle: LANGUAGE

Jake: -over the intercom- EVERYONE EVACUATE THE SCHOOL IT IS ON FIRE EVACUATE!

Lyle:…..you still wanna drink ur drink and eat your snack?

Neteyam: I’m about to jump out a Window

Rotxo: -plays take me to the king- TAKE ME TO THE QUEEN!

Neteyam: -sighs- this is gonna be hell…

Rio: -chugs the Dr.pepper and chokes- ah shitttttt

Lo’ak: welp Rio dead

-the next day cause magic!-

Quaritch: NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I HAD A BAD NOTE IN MY 100th YEAR OF TEACHING!

Rio: god damn it

Rotxo: can I go to the bathroom?

Quaritch: no

Rotxo: ok then

Neteyam: I didn’t do anything…

Ao’nung: -sleep in the back of the class- zzz

Lo’ak: -also asleep-

Quaritch: NOW RIO! WHY WERE YOU DRINKING SODA AND CUSSED OUT THE TEACHER? KIRI WHY TF DID YOU TRY AND BURN THE SCHOOL DOWN?!

Kiri: HE SAID WE COULD

Rio: can I leave?

Quaritch: no

Rotxo: can I go to the restroom?

Quaritch: do you have a pass

Rotxo:….yesss

Quaritch: that’s a fucking lie

Rio: -eating an Oreo-

Quaritch: -takes the bag and eats them-

Rio:…..-calls lyle- DAD UNCLE QUARITCH TOOK MY SHIT AND ATE IT!

Lyle: -hangs up and calls quaritch-

Quaritch: hello?

Lyle: -Cussing him out over the phone-

<3

A Drop in the Sea - Chapter 1: Pride

Aonung x F!OC

The Metkayina and the Ta'unui reef clans have long had a close relationship. Ever since Aonung was born, the clans have come together every two years for a fortnight-long celebration. Following the attack on the Ta'unui by Quaritch and his men, tensions have been high between the two clans. In hopes of righting past wrongs, Tonowari invites the Ta'unui back to Awa'altu for the first time in four years. With the celebration comes the reunion of friends old and new.

It has been four years since Aonung has seen Payiva, the second daughter of Ta'unui's Olo'eyktan. They have known each other all of their lives, but things are different now. Aonung is eighteen years old and learning how to be a good leader. How will Payiva react to seeing him after all this time? Will they be able to rekindle their friendship, even as his clan harbors the man responsible for the attack on her own people?

Being the Olo’eyktan’s son undoubtedly had its perks. Being the next Olo’eyktan meant that certain things could be … overlooked. Aonung was not too proud to admit that he used said privileges from time to time. 

Well, maybe Aonung was a little proud. He was definitely smug as he lounged on top of his ilu in the midday sun. It was almost too easy to convince the Omatikaya brothers that Ronal had personally requested their assistance in assembling new maruis on the edge of the village. 

The task, while not entirely difficult, was tedious, but Neteyam and Lo’ak feared no one more than they feared Ronal. With valid reason, Aonung thought to himself. His mother was intimidating on a good day, and she was still not entirely fond of the Sully family, even three years after their arrival in Awa’altu. 

The forest boys and their sisters have grown on Aonung, though he would never say that to their faces. Their friendship certainly did not stop him from taking the opportunity to pass off his chores and spend the day sunbathing on the water.

Aonung was not the most sociable of Na’vi and escaped to solitude whenever he could, which was not often. On rare occasions like today, Aonung usually took his ilu, Voxpor, to the far side of the island for a lazy swim. It was one of the only spots where he could almost guarantee that no one would find him. 

Aonung sighed, rolling back his shoulders to assuage the tightness of his muscles. Tonowari had woken his son before sunrise to take him on an early-morning fishing trip outside of the reef. Aonung had gone without complaint, happy to be of use to his father and eager to learn anything the Olo’eyktan had to offer. Not that Aonung would say anything otherwise - his father demanded too much obedience for that. 

Still, his body was sore from the bashing of the morning waves. While Aonung had gotten taller and filled out a bit over the past few years, Tonowari was still larger and better equipped to handle to rough water. Not to mention that Aonung had still not been permitted to ride a tsurak, much to his annoyance. Voxpor had to swim twice as hard to keep up with the Olo’eyktan. 

Checking the sun’s position in the sky, Aonung resigned himself to the fact that he would have to head back to the village soon. He could not stay out too long, or someone would catch on to his plan. As much as his mother might dislike Neteyam and Lo’ak at times, Ronal would have Aonung’s tail if she found out he had shirked his chores for sunbathing. 

Upon his return the village, Aonung was greeted by his sister. Tsireya stood on the dock, hands on her hips and lips pursed. Aonung groaned internally as he prepared himself for chastisement. Generally, Tsireya was the most tender-hearted of the family, much more soft-spoken than the rest of them. She had, however, inherited what Aonung termed the “mom voice” from Ronal. It meant Aonung rarely did anything without getting shit for it from his mother or sister. 

Tuk adored her older brothers. Tsireya liked to think that she was the oldest sibling. Aonung could only hope that Kawnu was young enough to always look up at him with the same awe that Tuk did Neteyam. The youngest child of Tonowar and Ronal was only three, but he had so far shown signs of sharing Tsieya’s calm disposition. The infant hardly ever cried, which Aonung had found concerning at first. 

Surely, babies should cry every so often. Right? 

It worried Aonung anytime he was entrusted to watch Kawnu. If the baby did not cry, how would Aonung know if he needed anything? His mother told him that all Kawnu needed was his older brother’s attention, and the rest would come naturally for Aonung. He did not believe her. Nothing about babies seemed natural to Aonung. 

Admittedly, after Ronal gave birth, Kawnu became Aonung’s favorite person in Awa’altu. Because the child never cried, and certainly never talked back, Aonung found it rather easy to spend time with him. 

Once upon a time, Rotxo had been Aonung’s closest friend. He still was, but when Aonung came into one of his “moods,”  Rotxo made it clear that he now had new, Omatikaya friends to spend time with. Plus, whenever they did hang out, Rotxo always found a way to bring up Kiri, whom he had a not-so-subtle crush on. 

Really, Aonung was surrounded by people he enjoyed, but only in measured increments. 

“Sister,” he said by way of greeting as he jumped onto the dock. Aonung proceeded to tie up Voxpor’s saddle, not needing to see Tsireya to know that she was glaring at him. 

“Aonung, did you tell Lo’ak and Neteyam that Mother asked them to build the new maruis?” Tsireya asked in that motherly way of hers. 

Aonung shrugged, walking backward toward the food storage. “I might have said something along those lines.” 

“Aonung,” Tsireya growled, storming after him. “They are your friends. You can not use them as your own personal workers.” 

Aonung rolled his eyes at his sister, though a tiny pinch of guilt strummed in his chest. Truthfully, Aonung did not know how exactly to have friends. Before the Sullys arrived, he had never really had friends aside from Rotxo or Tsireya - and Tsireya did not count. Neither did the group of wannabes that followed him around from time to time. They had been fun when Aonung was younger, like a built-in group of yesmen. After they did jack-shit while Aonung got his ass handed to him by Lo’ak and Neteyam, and then conveniently disappeared during Lo’ak tirst at Three Brother’s, they had lost their appeal in Aonung’s eyes. 

“Aonung.” 

Great Mother. 

“Fine,” he groaned. “I will say sorry to the forest boys in the morning. Happy?” 

Tsireya raised a brow. “Now, Aonung.” 

Realizing this was not something he could easily get out off, Aonung dragged his body in the opposite direction of the food he so desperately wanted, toward the Sully marui. 

Thankfully, it was just the brothers inside the marui. Just as Lo’ak and Neteyam feared Ronal, Aonung had no desire to be on Neytiri’s bad side, any more than he already was, anyway. 

“Look who decided to show his fish-kissing face,” Lo’ak drawled, looking up from his food. 

“Lo’ak,” Neteyam warned his younger brother, though there was not much heat behind it. 

Aonung waved Neteyam off, scratching the back of his neck. “No, I deserved that. I should not have told you to build those maruis.” 

Lo’ak narrowed his yellow eyes. “Is this you apologizing right now?” 

Aonung stiffened, feeling uncomfortable. “Yeah, I guess.” 

“Usually people say ‘I am sorry’ when they apologize,” Neteyam commented. 

Aonung was becoming annoyed. “Usually people do not believe obvious lies,” he snapped. 

“Aonung,” Tsireya said sternly from behind him. 

Looking to the sky, Aonung cursed under his breath. “I am sorry.” 

The brothers exchanged a glance, then promptly burst into laughter. Aonung scowled at them as they sat, bent over and holding their stomachs.

“Fuck off,” he muttered, pushing past Tsireya so he could finally get some fucking food.

“See you later, Fish Lips!” Lo’ak yelled.

This is why Aonung did not like spending time with other people.

A Drop in the Sea - Chapter 2: Enamor

Aonung x F!OC

The Metkayina and the Ta'unui reef clans have long had a close relationship. Ever since Aonung was born, the clans have come together every two years for a fortnight-long celebration. Following the attack on the Ta'unui by Quaritch and his men, tensions have been high between the two clans. In hopes of righting past wrongs, Tonowari invites the Ta'unui back to Awa'altu for the first time in four years. With the celebration comes the reunion of friends old and new.

It has been four years since Aonung has seen Payiva, the second daughter of Ta'unui's Olo'eyktan. They have known each other all of their lives, but things are different now. Aonung is eighteen years old and learning how to be a good leader. How will Payiva react to seeing him after all this time? Will they be able to rekindle their friendship, even as his clan harbors the man responsible for the attack on her own people?

CH1

The Metkayina was a peaceful clan, and Tonowari has done much to ensure they stay that way. Part of that was keeping good relations with neighboring clans, primarily, the Ta’unui - one of the only other clans in the Eastern Sea. 

Both Tonowari and Tsungetsa respected each other as Olo’eyktans. Both men came into power at a young age, and it was Tonowari’s idea to bring the clans together periodically to retain a close relationship. Tsungetsa agreed, so every two years, the Metkayina and Ta’unui came together in a fortnight-long celebration.   

The last occasion was cancelled, due to the events involving the Sky People. Seya’altu, the village of the Ta’unui, was attacked by the demon Quaritch and his soldiers in their search for Jake Sully. Tsungetsa, honoring his word to Tonowari out of duty and respect for not only the Metkayina Olo’eyktan, but Toruk Makto, did not tell the humans where Jake Sully was. However, Tsungetsa did not take lightly to his clan or his mate being threatened. Seya’altu had been partially destroyed in the attack, and they had not felt fondly toward the Metkayina ever since. 

Therefore, this year’s celebration was crucial to rebuilding that connection between the clans. All of Awa’altu was in a tizzy, preparing for their guests. As an offer of peace and empathy, Tonowari insisted that the Metkayina host the celebration this year.

Aonung felt as if Ronal was practically breathing down his neck. Lo’ak and Neteyam had done a shit job building the maruis for the Ta’unui, and Aonung was blamed for it. It took him two days to tear everything down and build it back up again by himself. Blisters covered his palms by the end of it. Aonung named each one after Lo’ak, Neteyam, Rotxo, and his sister. He took carnal pleasure in popping each one, imagining that the blister was the Na’vi after which it was named. 

The nerves hit Aonung the night before the Ta’unui were set to arrive in Awa’altu. It was not a common emotion for the Olo’eyktan in training, and Aonung wished he could say that it was due to the responsibility Tonowari had been pushing onto him for the past week. No, it was not the fear that he would fail or embarrass his family in front of Tsungetsa. Nor was it worry over the importance of this specific celebration. The nerves stemmed from the fact that tomorrow Ta’unui would be here with his mate, his children. 

Aonung was almost sick to his stomach over a girl, and it drove him out of his mind. 

It only became worse the following morning, making him distracted. Lost in the memory of the last time the Ta’unui were in Awa’altu, Aonung did not hear when his name was called. That was, not until a fish hit him square in the face. 

Aonung hissed, swiping at the offending fish and baring his teeth at his attacker. 

“Lo’ak,” Kiri admonished. “Do not waste the food.” 

That morning, Ronal ordered her eldest children and the Sullys to move all the prepared food to the largest of the cooking maruis. The Tsahik did not want to appear disorganized in front of her guest, or worse: lacking in food. 

They were currently organizing the baskets they have gathered throughout the village. Cooking maruis were primarily circular to allow optimal space for preparation and storage. Baskets upon baskets were stacked against the walls in order of when their contents would be needed. The salted fish that Lo’ak threw at Aonung was intended for tonight’s welcome feast. It now lay limply on the reed floor at Aonung’s feet. 

Lo’ak was too busy laughing to listen to his sister. “Bro,” he wheezed. “You should have seen your face!” 

Aonung stepped forward, ready to pound the leaner boy into the ground. Lo’ak dodged behind Tsireya, causing Aonung to scowl. Coward. 

“We said your name like ten times, bro,” Neteyam said as he hauled another basket of fish onto a stack. He turned back to Anoung with a questioning look, wiping his hands on the outside of his thighs. “Could you not hear us?” 

“Do not mind Aonung,” advised Rotxo. The short-haired Metkayina boy brought in the last of the food baskets, placing it in front of Kiri with a sweet smile. Aonung barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “He is just nervous about seeing the Olo’eyktan’s daughter.” 

Now Aonung had to restrain his scowl as he glared daggers at his friend. “That is a lie.” 

No, it was not. 

“The Tsakarem?” Neteyam questioned, looking intrigued. “Is she not already betrothed?” 

“And like ten years older than us,” Lo’ak piped. He gave Aonung an impressed look. “I didn’t know you were into older women, bro.” 

Aonung swung his head to Lo’ak, mouth agape. “I am not! Pxe’ali is only six years older than me, not ten.” 

Kiri tilted her head, shooting a questioning glance to Rotxo, who had made himself comfortable at her side. “Are you not already the heir of the Metkayina, Aonung? Do you plan to be Olo’eyktan of both clans?” 

Aonung groaned in frustration.

Rotxo shook his head. “No, he-”

“I can speak for myself, Rotxo!” Aonung snapped. He turned to the others. “I do not see Pxe’ali that way at all.”

Rotxo decided to chime in again. “There are two sisters. Aonung had been enamored with Payiva since we were children.” 

“Rotxo!” Aonung was going to strangle him. 

“What?” Rotxo shrugged, unperturbed. “It is true.” 

“Rotxo, do not tease Aonung,” Tsireya said. Rotxo’s ears bent back at the admonishment. 

“I am not ‘enamored’ with anyone,” Aonung stated. “Least of all Payiva te Tsyika Ley’ite.” 

Lo’ak bent forward to whisper in Tsireya’s ear, though everyone could hear him. “The use of her full name suggests otherwise.” 

Before Aonung could pounce on Lo’ak, Tsireya be damned, a horn sounded in the distance. Aonung’s heart rate picked up at the noise. 

Tuk came racing into the marui, her braids bouncing as she went. “They’re here! The Ta’unui have arrived!” 

“Shit,” Aonung muttered. They were earlier than expected. “We need to get to the beach.” Ronal would scalp Aonung if he and Tsireya were late to welcome the visiting clan.

They swiftly left the cooking marui, practically sprinting across the tightly-woven nets that connected the village together. Most of Awa’altu was already waiting on the sand. The Ta’unui party had already crossed the reef barrier. Aonung shoved past the others, shouldering his way to the front of the group. 

Soon enough, he was standing at the front of the gathering crowd, next to his father. Tonowari glanced at Aonung from the side, only giving his son a nod in greeting. On the other side of the Olo’eyktan was Ronal. The Tsahik held Kawnu on her hip, though she stared stoically ahead. Tsireya joined shortly after that, completing their pseudo-family portrait. 

Just as the Ta’unui began dismounting their ilu and tsurak, Tonowari bent toward Aonung, whispering in his ear. “Do not cause problems, Aonung.” 

Aonung simply nodded, keeping his eyes downcast. He could not keep his toes from burying in the sand, however. 

The Ta’unui Olo’eyktan and Tsahik stepped onto the beach, their eldest daughter positioned next to her mother. Aonung could not help but make comparisons between their family and his own. 

The Metkayina and the Ta’unui had much in common due to their close proximity to each other. They shared the same turquoise skin and bright blue eyes, as well as their broader frames that were so unlike the Na’vi of the forests or planes. Both sea clans rode ilu and tsurak, displayed intricate tattoos as signs of honor and prestige, and - most of all - they both made sacred connections with the tulkun. 

Tsungetsa was just as tall as Tonowari, though perhaps not quite as wide. Rather than being bare-chested, Tsungetsa wore a shawl around his shoulders. The Olo’eyktan kept his hair braided and pulled back, which was common for the hunters of his clan - something that Aonung had found odd as a child. 

Ley was every bit the Tsahik that Aonung remembered the woman to be, if not a bit colder than the last time he had seen her. The Tsahik’s coral necklace clinked with every step she took. Unlike her mate, who stared straight ahead, Ley’s eyes were searching the crowd. Aonung saw the change on her face the moment she found Neteyam and Tuk in the crowd. The swirling ink on Ley’s brow rippled so severely that not even the string of shells across her forehead could disguise her glower. 

Aonung was reminded that it had not been easy to convince the Ta’unui to come for their celebration. He wondered how much of that resistance came from Tsungetsa or his mate.

Like her mother, Pxe’ali te Tsyika Ley’ite was regal and held her head high. Her disposition was much warmer, and if she saw the few Omatikaya in the crowd, she did not balk at them. The Tsakarem wore a net-like shawl woven with shells that matched the ones in her hair. While the Ta’unui had a different braiding style than the Metkayina, her hair was similar to that of Tsireya.

Pxe’ali had always been kind throughout their childhood, and beautiful in a delicate way. She and Tsireya got along well, both girls having trained closely under their mothers. Aonung had never been sure how to interact around the Tsakarem. As young children, Pxe’ali rarely wanted to play Aonung and Rotxo’s favorite games. Then, by the time he was ten or twelve, Aonung believed himself to be too cool to spend his time with girls. 

The last time their clans came together, a year before the Sullys arrived, hormones raged through Aonung’s body and he could hardly look at Pxe’ali, let alone interact with her. Now Aonung looked at the young woman, six years to his senior, and he felt nothing. 

Any and all anticipation that Aonung felt was due to someone else entirely. Somewhere in between ignoring and running away from Pxe’ali, Aonung became entangled with her younger sister. 

If Pxe’ali was a nice, cool breeze on a summer’s day, then Payiva was a hurricane coming to ruin everyone's plans. 

Aonung never intended to become friends with Payiva, it just happened. He did not know when exactly, or which of the celebratory years Payiva had cemented herself into Aonung’s life, but he suspected that she had forced his hand. Even when Aonung declared that girls were frilly and not worth his time, Payiva had thrown him to the ground and shoved sand into his face, showing Aonung just how frilly she was. 

After that, Aonung decided that Payiva was not a girl, not a real one anyway. Such mentality made it easy to disregard any pretty features Payiva may have developed by the time they were fourteen, when Aonung did everything he could to avoid her older sister. Payiva and Rotxo had teased him endlessly for it, which only served to cement the certainty in Aonung’s head that he did not have any of those odd feelings for Payiva. 

That was four years ago, however. Aonung was eighteen now, as was Payiva. Much had changed since the last time they saw each other. Aonung had changed, and he assumed that Payiva had too. Their lives were about more than games now. Despite what Rotxo told the others, Aonung was much more nervous to see his old friend than he was to see a pretty girl.

Regretfully, he should have been concerned about both. 

Payiva walked a step behind her parents and sister, hidden so that Aonung did not see her initially. That was good, he thought to himself, because if Aonung had seen Payiva approaching, he might have found somewhere else to be. Only one word came to his mind at the sight of her. 

Stunning.

The girl had always resembled her father most, if not in her features, than how she presented herself. Payiva walked like a warrior, exuding grace, though perhaps not intimidation. She was shorter than Aonung remembered, but then again, he had grown taller. Like Tsungetsa, Payiva’s hair was completely braided, though she let the long braids fall freely, almost reaching the small of her back. 

The youngest daughter of the Ta’unui Olo’eyktan and Tsahik was not as intricately decorated as her family members. The only thing that graced Payiva’s upper body was a simple shell necklace. It was not unlike what Metkayina women wore every day, Tsireya included, but standing next to her parents and sister, the choice almost felt too bold.

Payiva’s eyes, one of the deepest sets of blue irises that Aonung had ever seen, examined the crowd. It was not the searching look Ley had done earlier, with a target in mind. Nor did Payiva have the same open curiosity that her sister did. She just appeared to be taking the Metkayina in, assessing the situation. 

When her gaze landed on Aonung, he instantly stood taller. His back straightened on its own accord, shoulders pinned back and chest slightly puffing. 

Her eyes moved straight passed him.

Aonung blinked. 

Payiva hardly glanced at him. As if he was not worth the time. 

Annoyance quickly took over Aonung’s confusion. Even if they had not known each other their entire lives, Aonung was the next Olo’eyktan. He was worth more than a simple glance, especially from some rebellious second daughter without an official title. 

“I see you, Tsungetsa te Tsyìka Lì'itan,” Tonowari boomed, bringing his hand up to his forehead and then away toward the other Olo’eyktan in greeting. Ronal and the siblings copied the gesture. “I see you, Ley te Tsyika Pe'ite.”

“I see you, Tonowari, my friend,” Tsungetsa replied, foregoing the more formal usage of family names. It was a silent message to Tonowari that their grievances were to be put behind them. “I see you, Ronal.” 

Aonung did not dare glance at his mother to see what she thought of the informal greeting. He doubted that Ronal would allow her reactions to show on her face anyway.

Tonowari reached out and grasped Tsungetsa’s forearm. “We welcome you back to Awa’altu, old friend. It has been far too long.” 

A smile spread across the other man’s face. He returned Tonowari’s grip, slapping his hand on the other man’s shoulder. “That it has. Your family has grown!” 

All heads turned to Kawnu, whose head was resting on Ronal’s shoulder. 

Tonowari grinned. “Kawnu, greet the Olo’eyktan and Tsahik.” 

Kawnu pressed himself closer to Ronal’s chest but brought his hand to his head in greeting nonetheless. 

Tsungetsa laughed. “A bit scary am I, boy?” 

Aonung tried not to tense. Kawnu was a quiet child, and unused to meeting new people, let alone someone who held the same rank as their father. He was only three. 

Ley stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her mate’s shoulder. “Leave the child be, Tsungetsa. He is only small, and you are quite large.” She turned to Ronal with a sweet smile. “You have birthed a beautiful child, Ronal. Though that is no surprise to me.” 

Ronal did not easily smile, but still, she dipped her head in thanks at the other Tsahik’s praise. “I have glad you can now meet him.” 

“As am I,” Ley agreed. The Tsahik then proceeded to fawn over how beautiful Tsireya had gotten over the past few years. Aonung held back the roll of his eyes. Typical. 

“Maybe we should settle our people before interrogating poor Tsireya, yawne,” Tsungetsa suggested. 

“Of course,” Ley sighed, returning to her eldest daughter’s side. 

The sisters stood quietly the entire time, Payiva looking more bored than anything else. Aonung’s hackles continued to rise at her blatant lack of decorum. 

“Aonung and Tsireya will show you to your maruis. Then, of course, we eat!” Tonowari announced. 

Aonung groaned internally. His father was always offering him up as a tour guide. Nevertheless, he dutifully moved to follow Tsireya, who was already making conversation with Ley and Pxe’ali. 

Before he passed Ronal, Aonung’s mother grabbed his arm and yanked him down. She whispered into his ear, “Tell the Omatikaya to keep their distance from Ley. She will not take kindly to them.” 

Gulping, Aonung nodded. He could only imagine how well Lo’ak and Kiri would take that advice. Aonung could only hope that Lo’ak would not try to push any buttons this week. Eywa knew that it would come back to bite Aonung in the ass. 

A Drop in the Sea - Chapter 3: Contemplation

Aonung x F!OC

The Metkayina and the Ta'unui reef clans have long had a close relationship. Ever since Aonung was born, the clans have come together every two years for a fortnight-long celebration. Following the attack on the Ta'unui by Quaritch and his men, tensions have been high between the two clans. In hopes of righting past wrongs, Tonowari invites the Ta'unui back to Awa'altu for the first time in four years. With the celebration comes the reunion of friends old and new.

It has been four years since Aonung has seen Payiva, the second daughter of Ta'unui's Olo'eyktan. They have known each other all of their lives, but things are different now. Aonung is eighteen years old and learning how to be a good leader. How will Payiva react to seeing him after all this time? Will they be able to rekindle their friendship, even as his clan harbors the man responsible for the attack on her own people?

CH1, CH2

Awa’altu was larger than Payiva remembered. As a child, she loved to spend her days running around the village and its surrounding biome. There was always something new for her to discover, a new place to hide from her mother. 

Now, all Payiva could do was compare Awa’altu to her own home, Seya’altu. The Ta’unui village had always been smaller, though never had it been more obvious to Payiva than it did now. 

“We just built a new section of maruis for this year’s celebration,” Tsireya was telling Pxe’ali and their mother. “Everything should be prepared for you already, but do not hesitate to let us know if you need anything.” 

Payiva resisted the urge to assure Tsireya that it did not matter if there was a hole in the ceiling, Ley would not be complaining about a single thing. It was not in Ley’s nature to complain to her hosts, it was much too rude for the Tsahik. Instead, she would air her grievances to her family, who had no choice but sit and listen.

The rest of the clan trailed behind them, waving and calling out to old friends as they passed. Payiva was happy to see them so joyous, the past few years had not been easy for her people. This celebration was a well-deserved reward for the Ta’unui. 

Behave, Payiva’s father had whispered into her ear after they dismounted their ilu. And be nice.

Payiva was not as politely demure as her sister, or entirely concerned about decorum, much to her mother’s dismay. She had a track record of being blunt in the most inappropriate of situations and an issue of not knowing when to hold her tongue. On more than one occasion, Ley had been heard saying that the Great Mother had blessed her with two daughters and thankfully, Pxe’ali was first. 

Payiva was not fit to be Tsahik, and everyone knew it. 

“Aonung was actually the one who made most of the maruis you will be staying in,” Payiva heard Tsireya say. 

Tsungetsa clapped the boy on the back, rattling on about the importance of an Olo’eyktan knowing craftsmanship. The scene almost made Payiva nauseous. Aonung was the son her father wished he had, and Tsungetsa was nothing if not obvious. Ley was no better. Payiva was certain she heard her mother coo something at Aonung as well. 

They treated Sreng, Pxe’ali’s mate, the same way. The young male had been chosen to become the next Olo’eyktan almost ten years ago, and Ley still treated him like he was an Eywa-given gift. It bothered Payiva more than she would like to admit - the amount of adoration her parents gave to Sreng over their own child, but it allowed her more freedom to do as she wished. 

Aonung’s back was to her, so Payiva took the opportunity to observe the boy while he was not staring at her like an ilu watching a fat fish. 

He had grown, both in height and in muscle definition. The last time they had seen each other, Payiva was the same height as Aonung, if not taller. She now only reached his shoulders, and he was likely to grow more. Payiva could not say why, but this annoyed her. 

She did not quite know what to think of him. They had been friends as children, such was the nature of being the children of clan leaders: you tended to gravitate toward one another. Aonung was never friendly by any means. Payiva actually remembered him being ornery and selfish, unused to not getting his way. But he would play games that Pxe’ali had long since grown out of, and that was all that really mattered. 

He was handsome, Payiva supposed, in the way that most Metkayina warriors were: tall, strong, and proud. Aonung had long curly hair like his sister, though his braids led back to a topknot, with half of the strands falling freely. Payiva rarely wore her hair unbraided - something that bothered her mother. While she liked the typical fashion with which Ta'unui women wore their hair, wearing her own hair like that annoyed her more often than not. Payiva could not understand how Aonung or the other Metkayina hunters dealt with their long tresses outside of the reef. 

Aonung glanced back over his shoulder at her, but Payiva quickly turned her gaze toward the village. The last time they had seen one another, Aonung practically overflowed with pride and arrogance. There had been times, between just the two of them, that he had been open - vulnerable even, but Payiva was not sure that she wanted to test those waters again. She most certainly did not want to add to what was likely an already overinflated ego.  

Tsireya led them to their maruis, which Aonung supposedly built by himself. Payiva would have to make sure the structure was sound before she could comfortably fall asleep tonight. 

Their party came to a stop. “We will let you settle in before the feast,” Tsireya said, her cheeks dimpling with a sweet smile. “Welcome back to Awa’altu.”

As the Metkayina siblings departed, Payiva did not gush over them as her parents did. She gave Tsireya a kind smile, but gave no such gesture to Aonung.

Truthfully, Payiva had no reason to ice the young man out. They had parted on good terms, but she did not know how to interact with Aonung anymore, and it was an awkwardness that Payiva did not appreciate. It felt like she was in unfamiliar territory. Being overly friendly with the next Olo’eyktan was not looked upon the same way at eighteen as it was when they were adolescents. 

Payiva had already squashed a number of rumors two years ago, when she became an adult, about her friendships with the young hunters in the clan. While she recognized the fact that she would likely end up mated to one of the young men eventually, Payiva did not intend for that to occur any sooner than necessary. 

Admittedly, the rumors were not helped by the fact that Payiva occasionally liked to experiment with one or two of the boys. 

Either way, Payiva was still deciding if resurrecting her friendship with Aonung was worth the potential hassle. She did not have as much patience for spoiled princes as once before.

Ley would have a field day if she heard that her youngest daughter was sweet on the Olo’eyktan’s son. Having not only one, but two daughters as Tsahik would be a dream come true for Payiva’s mother. Payiva’s ability to be a spiritual leader be damned.

The last thing that she wanted was to be shackled to such a position. Payiva had seen the life of a Tsahik through the eyes of her mother and sister, and it was not for her. Payiva lacked the patience for healing and the discipline for leadership. Even skills like weaving and cooking evaded her. 

Hunting, however? Payiva was born to hunt. She relished in the feeling of an early morning hunt, the cool waves beating against her skin as she cut through the water, and the silent moment right before catching her prey. Payiva did not care if she was using nets or spears, hunting was the one time she felt right.

There was no joy in killing the creatures, as Payiva once explained to Pxe’ali. It was more the thrill of being in the water and providing food for her clan. The knowledge that her people would not go hungry because of her handiwork was something that no one could take from Payiva. 

By no means could a Tsahik not be a warrior - Ronal was a prime example of such. But being Tsahik would always come first, and Payiva could never do that.

“Stop being so grumpy,” Pxe’ali whispered. “We are here. Let us enjoy the celebration.” 

Payiva took a deep breath in, then nodded. Being cordial and standoffish were two different things, and it would do her no good to be the latter. 

She put her things down in the marui before turning to her older sister. “I just hope our sister clan makes food as well as I remember.”

taglist:  @holysaladapricothero 

this arts >>>>

💙🐋🐬🐟🐚🌊

𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑

EVERY FRIEND GROUP SHOULD INCLUDE

A Bisexual

Another Bisexual

A Third Bisexual

A Straight Guy that will inevitably realize he is also Bisexual

The married couple where one of them realize they were gay during the pandemics

(Kiri cof cof)

And a Short King

He so cute🥰

Older Rotxo Design!!

He’s such a silly guy

Someone New

“Someone New” || Avatar: TWOW

Synopsis: You and Rotxo have been courting each other for a while now. Tsireya notices this and gets jealous,but in secret Y/n and Rotxo have mated.

Warnings: Mentions of sex, jealousy, angst & fluff, secret relationship, a little Tsireya & Lo’ak at the end

Request: I'm a total sucker for torment, so i come to humbly ask for a part two on Tsireya and sully y/n, but i wanna see how thing's between the two go when their older and y/n reluctantly falls in love (genuinely in love at that, slightly more relaxed and less guarded and defensive compared to when others had tried courting them) with Roxto after a while of him courting them? Y/n is scared that their parent's might separate them from him like with what happened with Tsireya? Perhaps the pair become secret mates and it's later revealed?

A/n: Yes!! I’ve been planning on doing a part 2 but never knew how I wanted it. This was great idea, I appreciate it anon! Hopefully I did this nicely!! 💛 Even though I totally forgot the whole plot to the other 😛.

Rotxo x Metkayina! Reader | Taireya x Metkayina! Reader | Tsireya x Lo’ak

You and Rotxo were sitting together on the sand talking with one another. Then you heard laughter coming from afar, being as curious as you were you turned your head in the direction only yo quickly turn back to your mate.

Tsireya was coming near.

The two of you haven’t talked since the incident when you two split. It’s been almost a year since then. Over time you’ve tried to get over her but somehow failed.

But one day though, you’ve finally caught feelings for another. Rotxo. You were overjoyed that you’d be able to move on from your past love.

Your feelings towards Rotxo were very obvious to everyone, including Tsireya. To say she wasn’t happy about it would be an understatement.

She was furious. With herself and you. Had it been so long that you’ve finally gotten over her? Have you finally found another? Her heart started to crack but deep down she knew it was for the best.

For the both of you.

It hurt seeing you happy with someone else but she has to suck it up and pretend like she wasn’t hurting on the inside.

Meanwhile you and Rotxo has had a blast getting to know each other over time. Even to the point where you’ve started courting one another. Your parents never knew, you told him that you’d be devastated if the two of you got separated.

So he agreed to keep it between the two of you.

He always brought you gifts like seashell necklaces or pearl bracelets and you’d always accept them with a huge smile on your face. Tsireya saw this too. She was fuming with anger inside her but nonetheless she kept it to herself.

Your parents found you on their own, but they were overjoyed once you had found a potential mate! Very supportive of you and Rotxo.

You and Rotxo have been so close relationship wise that you both thought it was time to take it to the next level.

He brought you to the closest place to Eywa where every couple goes to mate.

It was beautiful, to the glowing tendrils & the night sky above you. It was perfect. “Rotxo, I love it here. Thank you for bringing me.”

The two of you were so close, so close that your noses were touching. “It’s my pleaser, my love.” The two of you looked into each other’s eyes before you closed the gap into a passionate kiss.

You both slowly started to descend on the rock beneath the both of you. You reached down to untie is loin cloth, but before doing that you looked up at him with curious eyes.

“Love, are you sure you want to do this with me?” He cupped your chin to tilt your head towards him. “I’d want to do anything with you, my love. It is okay.”

Then before you knew it, the both of you were bare before each other. Everything was so perfect. Down to the part where he was entering you and when you connected your Kuru’s to each other. That whole night was every thing you could imagine and more.

Somehow Tsireya over heard you that night. She was going to see Eywa until she heard the both of you. She was seething with anger as she went back to the island, storming off after that.

It was time for dinner with her family anyways, so she’s right on time. She went to dinner angry though, her mother asking her what was wrong but she shrugged it off. Saying it was from her having a bad training that day.

She went to bed angry too. It was horrible to think she could pray to Eywa for you to come back to her. Only to have mated with someone else before she could even get there.

You didn’t even have a proper mating ritual ceremony for crying out loud, so why were you mating? She didn’t know, she couldn’t think all that good at the moment with her tears flooding her vision every few seconds.

That night she cried herself to sleep.

You and Rotxo were no secret to anyone anymore after that. After you two made it official you almost told the whole village!

The only person you told the people to not tell was Tsireya. It would hurt your heart to tell her.

Hell, even her parents knew!

One day though, her parents were talking about hosting your and Rotxo’s mating ritual ceremony. She over Heard them that night too. When they heard a sob they turned their heads to the curtains to find a silhouette of their daughter out side walking off.

They groaned to themselves for letting it slip knowing their child was awake.

Tsireya knew she had to tell you how she felt about you still.

The next day she thought about confronting you about it telling you how she felt so she can get over you already.

You were in your Marui doing crafts when she came in. Her fuming with anger made you confused “What is wrong Tsireya? Has something happened?” “Yes, something has happened and I need to you tell me why!”

Her voice had a booming anger to it which frightened you. You’d never seen her get so angry like this. “Why did you and Rotxo mate last night? Why ____?” She had a pleading look on her face while you had a shocked one.

Her question was met with silence and she looked at you in disbelief. She started confessing her longing feelings for you afterwards, mentioning that she had to get them off her chest.

She wanted you to say something. She wanted you to come back to her, but she knew that couldn’t happen. “I am sorry Tsireya, but I have already chosen.” You we’re just as hurt as she was. Seeing her like this. She just looked at you and scoffed, walking out of your tent.

You started to tear up at her words, you didn’t know that she had felt that way about you still. But it was already too late.

She thought that to get her mind off the whole thing she would take a swim on her Ilu. It’s been almost an hour since then and she’s calmed down, feeling better.

She was playing with all the fish in the water when she heard something. There was a horn that caught her attention, so she got on her Ilu and went back to the village.

She came back to see her people surrounding what looks like newcomers. She swam off her Ilu and got off the water to take a closer look.

Then she saw a boy. With a darker blue skin tone and braided hair. Her heart couldn’t help but race at the sight of him. He caught her eye and looked back at her, then followed up by a short wave.

She giggled and turned her attention back to her people. Her eyes wandered around until she found you. She quickly looked away,seeing standing by Rotxo with your arm around his. You smacked his head when he had fun of the two boys in front of you with a glare.

Her father and the Olo’eyktan of the Omatikaya comes to terms that they will stay and learn their ways to not be failures.

Tonowari mentioned that Tsireya & Ao’nung would show them around with no take backs. “But father-“ “It has already been decided.” He had a firm tone to his voice when she said that.

Tsireya was more than happy to show them around and get a chance to talk to the boy she had her eyes on.

Maybe this’ll be her chance to find someone new. To have a new relationship with another just like you did.

That was the first time she met Lo’ak.

© 2023 whatisthatmae - please do not steal my work,upload, nor copy any of it on any other websites. All of the rights of my work goes to me. If you have any inspiration please tag me as well!

Floral Hair Adornments || Ao’nung x fem!Omaticaya reader

Masterlist

Summary: You braid Ao'nung's hair, though at first he is hesitant about the idea. However, as you work on his hair, he comes to appreciate the result and is pleased with the outcome

Warnings: none

Word count: 1687

Author: Rouge

A/N: prior to reading, it’s important to know that: the reader is female Omaticaya ✤ today’s prompt: putting flowers in their hair

As a member of the Omaticaya clan, you had a deep respect for the ways of your people. When you joined Jake Sully and his family in the journey to the Metkayina clan as they fled to seek refuge, you knew that it would be a challenge to understand the reef clan customs.

____________________________

The air was thick with the sounds of the sea, the chirping of insects and the calls of strange animals echoing in the distance. As you made your way through dunes covered with lush unspoiled vegetation, you couldn't help but feel drawn to the coast.

The Metkayina clan was known for their love for the sea, and you were curious about their way of life. You had heard many stories about the reef people, about how they lived in harmony with the ocean and the creatures that called it home. As you approached the shore, you saw a group of young Metkayina men gathered around a fire, laughing and joking with each other.

One of them caught your eye. His name was Ao'nung, and he was the chief’s son. He was unlike any other Metkayina you had ever seen. He was brash and overconfident, always pushing his limits and testing the boundaries of his abilities. Ao'nung was also known for his arrogance and rough demeanor, and he had a reputation for being disrespectful to others.

As you approached the group, Rotxo, a close friend of Ao'nung, noticed you and leaned towards one of the other boys to whisper something. Soon, a burst of loud laughter erupted from the group.

Curiously, you asked, "What are you laughing at?" Though, deep down, you knew they were likely mocking your appearance.

"Look at her skinny tail, it's like a twig," one of Ao’nung’s friends said, gesturing with his hands.

"Yeah, and her legs and hands are so thin, useless," another chimed in, laughing while giving you a cold glance.

You tried to brush off their comments, but it left a sour taste in your mouth. You couldn't understand why they found it amusing to mock someone's appearance like that. “Ha-ha. Your current behavior is quite amusing. Were you not taught that making fun of others is impolite? Perhaps it's not something you can understand with your limited intellectual capacity, though…” You commented bitterly, slowly raising one of your brows.

As you spoke to him, the young boy felt his cheeks flushing with anger. How dare you pick on him, he thought. He clenched his fists and tightened his jaw, trying to hold back his emotions, but it was no use. "What's your problem?" He snapped at you, his voice laced with bitterness.

After glancing around and stopping your glance briefly at Ao'nung, you spoke up, "You started this, and there's no reason to be so unkind to me." You then turned and left, walking along the shore and letting the little waves bathe your blue feet, knowing there was no use in sticking around with young Metkayina boys. As you walked away from Ao'nung and his friends, you felt hurt and upset by their cruel words. However, you didn't expect to see Ao'nung following you shortly after.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, looking down at the sand after lining up with you. "I didn't mean to hurt you. My friends can be harsh sometimes, and I should have stopped them."

You were surprised to hear him apologize, but also felt a sense of relief that someone from the group seemed to care. You replied, giving him a brief glance, saying "It's fine, really. I've gotten used to the mocking."

Ao'nung couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt gnawing at him as he reflected on his past behavior. He had been so cruel, mocking not only the way you looked but also Sully's siblings. He could remember the way you had looked at him, hurt and defeated, and he couldn't shake the feeling of regret. He knew that he had been in the wrong, and he wished that he could turn back time and make things right. The memory of your brief glance made him cringe, and he couldn't help but feel like a monster for making you feel that way. “Listen, Y/N, can we start all over?”

You stopped in your tracks and placed your hands on your hips, giving him a withering look. "Are you seriously asking me to forget everything that was said? You were absolutely horrible, not only to me but especially to Kiri and Lo'ak. But, I don't like to hold a grudge, so we can give it a shot."

Ao'nung turned to you, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "Tell me more about yourself then," he said, a hint of eagerness in his voice.

You raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by his sudden interest. "What do you want to know? And are you seriously going to leave your pals behind?"

"Everything, and yeah, I bet they can hang out a little without me," he replied, a grin spreading across his face. "What do you like to do? What do you dream about?”

You hesitated for a moment, not used to opening up to strangers. But there was something about Ao'nung's expression that made you feel comfortable, so you began to share your interests and aspirations.

As you talked, he listened intently, his eyes bright with fascination. It was a refreshing change from the teasing and mocking you had experienced earlier, and you found yourself warming up to him.

When you finished speaking, Ao'nung smiled. "You're really something," he said. "I hope I can get to know you better."

“Maybe,” you replied a little softer than you intended. As you walked along the dune near the shore, you couldn't help but admire the beautiful wildflowers growing in the sand. They were bright and vibrant, contrasting with the neutral colors of the dune. You felt a strong desire to pick some of them up and take them with you. You turned to Ao'nung, eager to share your admiration of the flowers with him. "Look at these flowers! They're so beautiful, aren't they?" 

Ao'nung glanced at the plants, but didn't seem to share your enthusiasm. "I guess they're okay," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

You couldn't understand how he wasn't mesmerized by their beauty. "Don't you think they would make a great decoration for our homes?" 

Ao'nung shook his head. "I think it's a little silly to pick flowers just for decoration. They belong here, in the wild, where they can grow and thrive."

You realized that he had a point, but you still couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. The flowers were just so lovely, and you wanted to take a piece of that beauty with you. "Can I braid your hair?" You asked suddenly, a little shyly.

Ao'nung's eyes widened in surprise, and then he burst out laughing. "Braid my hair? That's not necessary and a little ridiculous!" He exclaimed, rolling his eyes a little.

You gave him a look. "It's not ridiculous," you said. "You owe me something after all, for the mocking you used on me. And I would be happy to braid your hair, if you'll let me. Perhaps I could completely put the past behind us and give you the opportunity to know me better.”

Ao'nung hesitated for a moment, then he shrugged. "Fine, but don't expect me to like it."

You picked two plants and apologized to Eywa for picking them without a particular purpose. Then, you turned to Ao'nung and as he sat down on the sand, and knelt behind him, carefully undoing his hair and slowly brushing it with your long, thin fingers. You braided Ao'nung's hair with skill and precision, weaving the strands in a beautiful pattern. As you finished, you delicately placed the two flowers you had picked earlier into his hair, creating a stunning adornment. “There. It looks good! Check it out, if you want.”

Ao'nung was hesitant at first, not used to wearing flowers in his hair, but he trusted you and let you work your magic. When he looked at his reflection in the water, he was surprised to find that he actually liked the way he looked.

"Well, it's not bad, actually. It's a bit too feminine for my taste, but I'm sure my sister would have loved it. Tsireya enjoys decorating my hair with various types of adornments herself," he told you, smiling a little.

As you and Ao'nung were enjoying the view, a loud whistle caught your attention. You turned around to see Rotxo approaching, and as soon as he noticed Ao'nung's hair adorned with flowers, he burst into uncontrollable laughter, holding onto his stomach. "What the hell, Ao'nung! I had no idea that you preferred your hair to be so tidy!”

Ao'nung had enough of Rotxo's teasing about his hair, and he straightened up, fixing his gaze on him. "Enough, Rotxo," he said firmly, "It's called fashion, and if you can't appreciate it, that's your problem. I like it, and that's all that matters."

Ao'nung's words elicited a chuckle from you. It was surprising to know that he had an understanding of fashion, given he was portraying himself as a bad boy. "We should start heading back to the village, the eclipse is coming soon," you suggested.

Rotxo approached Ao'nung and attempted to adjust one of the flowers in his hair, but Ao'nung swatted his hand away with a loud hiss as he showed Rotxo his sharp fangs.

As Rotxo gave his friend's shoulder a little push, the three of you began making your way back to the village. "I wonder what others will say about your new look, Ao'nung," Rotxo pondered.

Ao'nung shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't give a damn."

As the three of you arrived at the village, the sky was already darkening, and the first signs of the eclipse were beginning to show. The air was getting cooler, and the wind had started to pick up. The village was abuzz with activity as people gathered to spend time with their loved ones.

Ao'nung turned to you and gave you a sly wink, and you couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the connection between you two and a sense of warmth and connection with him, despite the awkwardness from earlier. The eclipse was a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight, and you were grateful that the promise of a new beginning was on the horizon.