But What If || Neteyam x reader

Distracting Denial

    When you entered the Marui you didn't see Mr. Sully anywhere at first. "Neteyam?" Neytiri looked at her son who turned to his right and left still holding Ao'nung by his braid. "(Y/N), what is wrong?" You would've followed Neteyam to see Mr. Sully harsh into Ao'nung but you couldn't ignore Neytiri. "Ao'nung just told us Lo'ak is outside the reef... Alone." You heard an audible gasp from Neytiri as she looked out to where her son was. Tuk's attention was now drawn as she leaped forward. "How long has he been out there." You took in a breath as your ears bent back. "He said since mid-day." Neytiri took a hold of your shoulder, "Stay here with Tuk," and with that, she left the Marui over to where Neteyam and the others were. You wanted to go with them, Tuk was old enough to spend some time alone, but when she slipped her hand into yours and you looked into her scared eyes. She looked like the day you met her, you crouched down and opened your arms to her. She rushed into your arms, "It's okay Tuk, they'll find him." She whimpered as she dug her head deeper into your shoulder. You just held her tighter as you were being reminded Tuk was only eleven. You rocked her while your right hand started combing through her braids.

    After some time you had gotten Tuk to let you go, her eyes were red and her body lay lazily. She had fallen asleep in your arms, it was past her normal bedtime so it made sense she was tired. Carefully you lifted her up and set her in her hammock. Before you left to go search the beaches with the other you caressed Tuk's face and gave her a peck on her forehead. "I'll find him for you Tuk." With your goodbye you left the Marui, you looked frantically in the village. You could see the Metkayina searching the reef on their Ilu's too. You whipped your head in every direction trying to find that dark blue skin, but you were still searching on land. Ao'nung had said he was beyond the reef, you looked out into the vast ocean, where could he be? "Lo'ak!" You could hear people calling out his name, it was a small comfort that the Metkayina were so readily helpful. You kept moving, still searching that waterline for him. "(Y/N)." You moved your gaze to see Neytiri and Neteyam. "What are you doing here who's watching Tuk?" You were about to answer that Tuk was asleep when you could hear the horn being blown. They must've found him. Everyone's ears perked up as you rushed to where they were. "The boy has been found!" You walked behind Neteyam as you all moved from your spots. "It's the Sully boy." Neytiri walked with a purpose. Almost faster than you could keep up with. "Lo'ak." She started weaving her way through the small group of Metkayina that had gathered. Kiri found herself next to you as her mother jumped down to her son. Neteyam would've blocked your view but he crouched down.

      When you saw Lo'ak fully you let relief flood over your body. "I pray for the strength that I will not pluck the eyeballs out of my youngest son." Well, she got over her worry fast as she made a clawing motion at Lo'aks eyes. He just looked away from her nonchalantly. "No," You turned to the Olo'eyktan. "My son knows better than to take him outside the reef." Hell yeah, he did, what was that boy's problem? Bur seeing Ao'nung kneel before Lo'ak was a little satisfying, still didn't make up for his poor behavior though. "The blame is his." You gave a firm exhale as you agreed with him. "Okay, let's go."  Mr. Sully moved to get up onto the platform and you thought everything was settled. "No," You raised a brow curious as to what Lo'ak felt the need to say. "This is not Ao'nung's fault." What? No, Lo'ak couldn't be serious, who else would leave him out there alone? "Ao'nung tried to talk me out of it." Your jaw tightened, Lo'ak knew better, there was no way suggested to go outside the reef. "Really." Especially when his father was already frustrated with him for picking a fight. "Come, on." You shook your head, he was taking the damn fall for him. Why? "Lo'ak." Was it to make peace? "I'm sorry." If so it just made you more pissed, Ao'nung should be accountable for his stupid decisions. "Come on." You could hear Mr. Sullys furious tone now, and at that moment you were too. Just not at the same person. As Lo'ak made his way up you glared at Ao'nung's back, he should be saying something. "I got this one." Now was the time to say something you little catfish. Neteyam stood back up to follow his family, you wanted to stay and try to talk to Ao'nung but he grabbed your arm. "Come, we can go and rest." You pursed your lips as you gave one more look back at Ao'nung and his parents, you knew he took Lo'ak out there to ditch him and you were going to get him to tell you the truth one way or another.

    Huffing you turned back around, you saw Lo'ak stop and try to talk to his father. "Dad, you told me to make friends with these kids." Your anger dissipated hearing Lo'ak try to plead his case. "That's all I was trying to do-" "I don't want to hear it." Your breath caught as you stood hearing Mr. Sully speak harshly to the wrong person. "You brought shame to this family." You wished you hadn't just heard that, you wished he hadn't said that. You could see the shame and sadness on Lo'ak's face. "Can I go now?" Why wouldn't he just tell them it was Ao'nung's fault? It obviously was, Lo'ak expressed no interest to break the rules here much less going outside the reef on his own. "Any more trouble and you're gonna knot your tail. You read me?" You looked away shaking your head, you just couldn't get your mind around why he lied for that stinking- "Yes sir. Lima Charlie." Sometimes you forgot they knew Earth slang. Pulling yourself back into the circle you watched as Mr. Sully let Lo'ak go. He gave a glance your way before turning around, you were going to go after him. Maybe to try and figure out why he took the fall but when Neytiri turned back to look at Neteyam and said, "Where were you?"

     You didn't take a single step. "Yeah, what happened to keep an eye on your brother?" You looked to Neteyam as he dipped his head. "Sorry, sir." Without thinking you entered ton conversation. "It was my fault, Mr. Sully, I asked Neteyam to spend the day with me." You tried not to look at Neteyam as you could feel his glare, Mr. Sully's eye darted between you and Neteyam. When he gave another sigh he spoke calmly. "You should know better than to distract Neteyam." You nodded still trying not to look at Neteyam. "Dad sh-" "Neteyam," He tried speaking but his dad already cut him off with a demanding tone. "Just go home." He still had his mouth open but his dad gave him a forceful look. "Yes, sir." With a long face, Neteyam's arms swung by his side as he stepped away. You just stood watching him leave, "(Y/N), don't do this again." You heard Mr. Sully loud and clear, it was the only words circling your mind. "I'm sorry sir." You just stood there, uncertain of what to do, Mr. Sully gave you a glance as he was about to speak to his two girls. "(Y/N), if you're here who is watching Tuk?" You opened your mouth to answer but were cut off yet again. "I told you to watch her." Mr. Sully's anger and disappointment you could handle, you had seen it plenty of times but Neytiri's was different. She almost took all the breath out of you, as your ears bent back you could feel the tear in your skin that had scarred from her arrow. "She fell asleep." The scar was fully healed but in that moment it stung. You wanted to reach for your hair to fiddle with it but felt too guilty. You just stayed there with your head hung low. "Go back home (Y/N)." You nodded as much as you could with keeping your eyes on the ground. You could feel the heat rise up and everything coming up, your throat felt stuck. Not wanting to let anyone see you start to weep you took the scenic route home.

    You didn't stop walking as you wept, you just let yourself go. If you did so you could pull yourself back together by the time you were back in the Marui. The tears just flowed down your face, they were constant and really hot. You could feel your face burning as your breath hitched and for some reason, it felt like deja vu. Like you had done this a million times before, you had, she had really. She cried for her mother and wished her father wasn't so hot and cold. Wished for unconditional love something a child deserved but she was never given. And would never receive, not even now, how could you? You had no family, that sting on your ear was proof. These people only brought you along because if they would have left you, you would have put everyone there in danger. You were just a pest they had to bring, someone to drag along, another chore to take care of. You gripped your hand in your other, had Neteyam even wanted to give you lessons, or had he just been instructed to do so? Did Tuk really give you your favorite outfit without any command to do so? Was anything they did out of kindness? Did any of them actually like you?