pathway., neteyam x reader

chapter twenty-two

Your parents were still in amazement as they looked at you, your mother fixing your hair behind your ears. She gently touched your cheeks, again. Caressing your face, her hands feeling warm and comforting.

"I want to see Ao'nung and Tsireya now."

Ronal gave you one final hug before nodding in agreement. Neteyam stepped forward, and your father gave him a nod of approval.

With the assistance of your parents and Neteyam, you turned to the entrance. Setting off to find your sister.

You walked unsteadily, limping as you made your way to the sand. Neteyam walked beside you as you grew more accustomed to using your crutch. He would occasionally glance at you, offering a small nod of encouragement.

"That's good, Y/N," he said.

If you were struggling too much to take another step, he'd help you. But for the most part, you refused it; wanting to learn on your own.
—

As you walked, Neteyam guided you towards where he had last seen Tsireya. She sat on the shoreline, her knees pulled up to her chest. Lo'ak and that human boy were nearby, along with Kiri, all engaged in conversation. But your sister was silent, her gaze fixed on the waves lapping at her toes.

Despite your limp, Neteyam was proud of your progress.

Tsireya hesitantly turned her head to the sound of you and Neteyam approaching.

Her ears perked up and she quickly got up from her position on the sand, nearly tripping as she ran towards you. Her emotions overwhelming her.

"Y/N!" She exclaimed, pulling you into a tight embrace. You grunted as her hug pressed against your bandaged wound, causing a flare of pain, but it was momentary and you soon relaxed into the embrace.

This, of course, caught the attention of Lo'ak, Kiri, and Spider, and they rushed over to you as well.

They gathered around you, Tsireya pulled away from the hug, she held her hands on your shoulders, her eyes observing the cast on your leg and the wrap around your wound.

Lo'ak moved closer, your head turning to look at him. "Are you alright?" You asked, which made his ears pin up, as if he was surprised you had even spoken to him.
"..yeah. I'm fine."

It seemed as if he wanted to say more but he had been cut off by Kiri pushing through the group to reach you. She had an eager smile, yet her concern for you still showed. You turned yourself over, watching their feet as you readjusted the crutch. "Kiri,"

She too embraced you into a hug, you huffed being pulled in. Your one arm wrapping around her back just as it did with Tsireya.

"I was so worried about you, we all were. I'm so happy to see you both awake," Kiris gentle eyes meeting yours.

There wasn't much to say, everyone's actions and gentleness towards you and Neteyam had said enough.

You knew that you were there, you just weren't there with them. Physically. You missed seeing their smiles, and you especially missed Neteyam. What pained you the most was the fact that he was right next to you the whole time; yet it felt as if he had been so far away.

Neteyam's parents had been informed that you had woken up, bringing Tuk along to reunite with you. You were told she had been upset for many days, she was only a child who was put in a dangerous position. On top of that, her brother was unconscious day by day, and you had become a very important person in her life. You understood how this would affect her.
As for Jake and Neytiri, they had been relieved as well seeing as you were— for the time being, doing okay.

Your brother was the only one remaining. You hadn't seen him yet, but the rest had chosen to give you some alone time to adjust to being awake again, to take in everything, just as they did with Neteyam when he first woke up.

—

You sat by the shoreline, in the same place you had treated Neteyam's small wounds after the fight with your brother.

Your crutch laid out to the side of you, and your injured leg laying out while the other one was pulled to your chest.
You observed the shells and other small gifts left by the children and other members of your clan, smiling at every detail. The sky was emitting a purple-ish hue, like it did the day of the war.

This time, everything truly did feel at peace.

You felt hands on your shoulders, looking up to see Neteyam knelt down beside you.
Your eyes looking over to his hand first then his face. You moved your gifts to your other side, letting him sit directly beside you.

Your eyes met, "How long have you been awake?"

"Two days," He replied, you looked to your lap, playing with one of the shells you still held.

"Do you remember how it felt to talk to me?" He questioned.

"It felt new." You quietly spoke, your throat had been hurting.
"You welcomed me," He pulled the bracelet you had made for him the first day you two sat side by side and conversed on that rock.

"You welcomed me when everyone else disliked my family." He placed it between the two of you, you didn't know what he was trying to say.

You turned to look at him, your ears laying flat.

He dropped his eyes to the bracelet,
"Do you still welcome me, Y/N? Even if I couldn't protect you from—..them?" A pause in his sentence.

You felt a stinging feeling in your throat, you looked to your lap once again.

You thought for a moment, taking in every word he had just said.

"I still welcome you."

You turned your head up to Neteyam again. He had been playing with the bracelet with one hand, "I'm sorry I did not protect you well enough."

"I didn't protect you either, Neteyam. You cannot take the blame."

As you locked eyes with each other, a silent understanding passed between you.

You both leaned in, his hands moving themselves to rest on your hips. You upper body slightly turned comfortably towards him. Your lips pressed together the closer the two of you had gotten.

It had not been your first time kissing him, yet it had felt new.

Your eyes closed, you could feel his grip on your hips become gentle when they'd reach around your wrap, you moved one hand to pressed down on one of his, your other hand grabbing onto his shoulder to pull him much closer. You were restricted to more comfortable movements with the way you were sitting.

The kiss lasted much longer than the first time, and you could feel those same chills running down your spine. You were also loosing breath from it, which said a lot considering you were very good at holding your breath for long periods of time.

And your heart beat was moving fast.

You would always welcome him, even if he couldn't protect you, because at least you know, he would go as far as to risking his life for yours.

! this chapter will most likely be rewritten tomorrow