But What If || Neteyam x reader

Arriving In Va'ru

You sat outside the Marui as the sunset. You watched as the Metkayina continued their lives as if you weren't even there. You took in a long breath. The journey here had been long and tiring, your body slumped as you breathed out. You could've fallen asleep right there had your peace not been disturbed. "Kay, Sullys fall in." You felt a hand on your shoulder. "You too (Y/N)." Your eyes shot open as you lazily picked yourself up. "Remember family meeting." You watched as Neteyam pulled his brother down, as they all sat in a circle. "Come on, take a knee let's go." You slowly entered the Marui and sat outside the circle."Kiri." As Neteyam had pulled Lo'ak, Mrs. Sully was pulling Kiri except Mrs. Sully was more gentle and seemed more like a leading tug. "What?" Kiri was annoyed at what you still didn't know but based on her tone you knew sitting beside her wouldn't help. "I need you, kids, on your best behavior." You were sat off to the side by the exit. "I mean it. Learn fast, pull your weight, don't cause trouble. Got it?" He was looking straight at Lo'ak when he finished. "Yes, sir." Your face cracked a smile as Neteyam grabbed his brother in a teasing sense causing Lo'ak to give an aggravated reaction in response. Neteyam quickly moved his hand into his own space. "I want to go home." Your forehead creased as you felt bad for the treaty-eyed girl, you sat closest to her as you crept closer. "Oh, Tuk..." Mr. Sully leaned closer to his daughter as he spoke to her. "Tuk, this is our home now." He had held her hand lightly before letting it go to again talk to the whale family. "We're gonna get through this. We're gonna get through this if we have each other's backs, right?" You gave a nod, you wanted to help the Sullys and have their backs. "What does your father always say?" It was clear Mrs. Sully was talking to just her children now, you looked off to the sunset again. "Sully's stick together." You could hear Neteyam clearly from among his siblings who had given mumbles instead of speaking clearly. "Yeah, that's right, Sully's stick together. Now this time with some feeling." "Sully's stick together." You could hear them all now, they weren't in complete unison making it so you could still hear their different voices.

When the meeting ended you started to help Mrs. Sully get more settled in, you helped her set up the hammocks. "(Y/N)." you heard Mrs. Sully murmur your name as she slowly looked at you. "Yes, Mrs. Sully?" Her tail moved faster and her ears bent slightly. "Could you keep an eye on them?" She faced over to where her children were, all of them doing something to help the family settle in. You didn't know why Mrs. Sully asked this of you, Neteyam seemed to be the one who watched his siblings and did his best to keep them out of trouble. "Sure", you still complied with her suggestion and continued to hang up the hammocks. "Call me Neytiri." Your eyes made contact as you stared at her. "Are you sure?" She nodded at you breaking into a small smile, her hand reached for your hair. "If you'd like I can help you braid this." She tried running her fingers through your hair but her hand kept getting stuck in tangles that had formed when flying. "I would deeply appreciate that, Neytiri." It felt weird to use her name but she seemed happy about it so you continued to do so.

When it was night and everyone else was finally asleep you crept out of your hammock. You had been assigned to sleep with the Sullys and so you tiptoed as quietly as possible. When you reached outside of the Marui you took a small walk. Nowhere too far just somewhere you could clear your mind, you were still in the village you were just hanging your feet off of a random path on the suspended walkway. You watched as the stars danced in the sky, you couldn't take your eyes off them. You loved the stars, they were your favorite things to watch and get lost in. You could get lost for hours, they made you feel tired again. You could feel your body slip away into a dream when you watched them. They were the one thing that could calm you when everything seemed lost. "Can't sleep?" Your head whipped back, your body turned so fast you almost whipped your body into the sea.

When you saw him you were confused. "What's it to you?" It had been the Olo'eyktan's son Ao'nung if you remembered correctly. He gave you an annoyed look. "It's my business when a bunch of freaks." he motioned to your hands as he strode closer. "Come out of nowhere and take refuge in my village." You knew you had given him attitude but he didn't have to call the Sullys or yourself a freak. "We are not freaks." He gave a chuckle, "says the freak herself." In your encounter, you had stood up as he came closer. You were both face to face now. "So what if I'm a freak, it's your duty to teach the Sullys and I. So I suggest you get used to us." His brow which was really markings formed a frown. "The Sullys and you, are you not one of them?" You closed your mouth. In your mind, you were slapping your forehead and hitting your head against a rock. "Who are you? Why'd they bring you?" You wanted to go back to the Marui and into your hammock and just go to bed, although if you went back now you knew you wouldn't sleep a wink. "I'm just someone who needed to leave home." You didn't even know where home was to you, was it back on earth where the girl lived, or had it been the two vastly different places you had been living in? "I promise I won't make any trouble for you or your people. I am a very fast learner." You weren't lying, Mrs. Sully had been impressed with how fast you had learned to weave. Ao'nung stared at you with a glare. You just looked at him not backing down, still gentle with your gaze but firm in your stance. "Whatever, just don't bother me." He gave you a scowl as he invaded your personal space and then started to leave. Under your breath, you couldn't help but give a retort. "Wasn't ever planning on it, I'm not the one who started this conversation anyway." You saw his ears perk back in your direction as he gave you one more look. Quickly you turned back with a flushing face and walked back to the Marui. You entered back into the Marui as quietly as you had left and snuggled into your hammock. You stayed awake a few minutes longer before your eyelids grew heavy and you fell asleep.