But What If || Neteyam x reader

Aftermath

"Did you get what you needed?" You nodded, stepping closer. "Good, I think we've been gone long enough." Your lips tightened in a 'yeah about that' smile. "I think we can have a few more seconds to spare." Intrigued, Neteyam's body shifted on the ilu as you sat on the edge of the walkway, not yet making your way back onto the ilu. "I have something to give you." His head bobbed up in understanding. "Ah, yes the gifts. I was wondering if you had forgotten me." He scratched the base of his neck which meant one he had noticed and two he actually thought you wouldn't get him anything. You bit your bottom lip with guilt. "No, I just took my time." You fiddled with the strands that you had added a week ago not thinking it had enough complexity to its design. "And I was kinda nervous to give it to you I guess."

You looked away, embarrassed to have felt that way before. "(Y/N)," He rested his hand on your calf, for once he was much shorter than you and you kinda liked it. "I'm sure whatever you made for me I will cherish it." His choice of words sent your face flying back to look at him. "Mm, so even if it's ugly?" Your vision became more limited by squinting at him. "Yeah, of course." He was being so nice but you could sometimes notice the neutral take Neteyam had on things when he didn't have high expectations. This behavior and wording was normally reserved for Lo'ak. "So you think it is going to be ugly?" Panic was written on his face as his eyes widened and his head shook. "No, I never said that." Grinning at him scrambling to deny it you were trying to stifle any forms of laughter from coming up. "I said I'd cherish it." Your toes were dipped in the chill water, Neteyam's hand was still on your calf and the warmth from his hand was enough to warm your whole body. "I never said it would be ugly."

He was one who could rebuild himself fast and gained his composure. "Besides, anything ma'(Y/N) made isn't anything less than perfect in my eyes." Your brain stopped functioning as soon as he said 'ma'(Y/N)'. Purple completely covered your face and you gave up on teasing him and just pulled the armband in front of you. "Here." You had your face slightly covered trying to hide the purple. Neteyam gave a chuckle as he took the item out from your hand. Once your other hand was free you looked away and to the far-off celebration. You could see the light from the fire reach out along the edge of your vision. You two had been off alone for a while and the others would be ready to interrogate you. "Wow, it is perfect." Looking back at him from the side he was still looking down at it admiring your craftsmanship. You stayed there, missing the warmth of his hand as the breeze lifted. He smiled up at you and he was so pretty you had to look away, otherwise, you might just melt and become a little slug along the seafloor.

"We should be getting back, your siblings are going to have a dozen questions, and Tuk-" Awe poor Tuk, you forgot she wanted to do a partner dance with her brother. Now you really wanted to head back. "Okay, but would you put this on me first?" He had already slipped off his old armband and extended his bare arm to you while holding the band up to you. "Sure." You took it out of his hand and tied it around tightly. He had very nice toned arms, and you couldn't stop looking at his stripes and those beautiful freckles. They looked like stars, maybe even better as you could touch them. "It looks even better on me doesn't it, ma'(Y/N)?" You felt as though a mini you was bouncing and screaming around in your head, not able to function at all. All you could do as that purple came up again was a smile in defeat and give a small reply. "Yes." You slid back down onto the ilu and got situated again. "Okay," You took a breath as you tried regaining yourself. "Let's actually go back now." He nested back to where he had been before. "Okay." And with that, you were on your way back again.

When you started walking along the beach the celebration was still very much underway. You could see people laughing and from what you could tell drinking. Your sights set on Kiri and Tuk first out of all the people you were looking for. "So what are we going to tell them?" Neteyam was looking down at you, his eyes drifting along your face. "The truth, we talked." One of his brow markings rose leaving creases in his forehead on one side. "We did a little more than talk." He was so right and so not going along with what you were trying to say. "What do you think we should tell them then?" You were going to be nearing everyone soon and depending on how much they cared to greet you both once they saw you the time frame to figure out your story was getting smaller. "We could just tell them we are courting." Your head slowly turned to him like he was crazy. "Before your parents? Nu-uh." He gave it a thought and then realized you were right. "Okay fine, we'll say we just talked."

Letting your smile flicker up and giving him a cocky hum in response you looked back to Kiri and Tuk. They hadn't noticed you both approaching. You wondered if you could get away with giving them a little scare from behind. They might hear your footsteps but then again the celebration was loud and getting louder by the moment. You gave a whisper-like cackle as you tried inching forward only to hear your name being yelled across the beach. Your shoulders slumped and your head hung low as you saw the two girls turn around. Your evil plans were tarnished and by Lo'ak no less. "Lo'ak." You gave a smile as he and Tsireya approached with a fastened pace. "Hey, where did you guys go?" You shrugged letting Neteyam make up the excuse on the spot. "We went for a late-night swim." Lo'ak was looking between the two of you with his brows furrowed, Tsireya was starting to catch up to Lo'ak. Before Tsireya could fully make it to the group Lo'ak's face changed, he had noticed something on Neteyam's face that made him let out a hard chuckle.

"Sure," Lo'ak leaned over to his brother and whispered something. Neteyam changed from composed to immediately bringing his hand up to his face as his brother laughed. You looked confused at the two, Neteyam was wiping off something on his face. You hadn't noticed any seaweed or kelp on his face before, maybe a bit got on his face from the last ride. "Are you both okay? I am truly sorry about Ao'nung." Right, the whole reason you two had gone off. "Oh, you're fine Tsireya. I just hope Ao'nung isn't feeling down about what happened." She gave her dazzling smile. "You should ask him yourself, come he is on the beach with Rotxo and a few of his friends." Eww, his friends? The little shits you got into a fight with? "Uh, sure, but let me go see Tuk and Kiri first." You tried pointing in the wrong direction, maybe you could make a getaway. "Do you need us (Y/N)?"

Jumping back there was Tuk and Kiri right next to you. "Oh, hey guys! How's the celebration going?" The escape plan failed epically. "Great, Tuk and I just got done seeing Mom and Dad." Right you hadn't seen them in the Marui, you wondered if they had on any ceremonial wear. "What are you guys up to?" As you had been trying to survey the crowd and see their parents you failed to find them and regretfully you looked down at Tuk. "We were just going to hang with Ao'nung and Rotxo." She was squinting her eyes at you, her lips turned down. You were in so much shit with Tuk, she reached her hand out and death gripped your own before she spoke. "Can I join?" It looked as if she was only asking you but you were starting to sweat now. You couldn't tell if she was actually pissed at you for whatever reason or if she was just trying to mess with you like always. "Of course Tuk." Neteyam's hand found its way to your shoulder revealing himself to Tuk who didn't break face as she looked at him too. Maybe she was really pissed.

You could also hear that Lo'ak was finally done laughing at his brother for whatever reason. "We should head over then. Come on Tuk." She didn't let go of your hand nor your gaze. "I'll stay with (Y/N)." This was your fate, death by the hands of Tuk. "Tuk." Hearing Neteyam sternly say her name, her face broke, she turned away and started pulling you. "Go Tsireya, lead the way!" Tuk pointed ahead with impatience, or maybe she was trying to run away from Neteyam. Tsireya started to lead the way with Lo'ak. You were behind them and kept getting glances back from Lo'ak and then fits of chuckles when he turned back around. You tried seeing if it was Neteyam again that he was laughing at but when you looked he was just behind you peacefully talking to Kiri who was giving him an annoyed side-eye. Maybe he was laughing at her? You shrugged and just kept going on dreading the sights of Ao'nung's friends.