Adaptable || Neteyam X Reader

Ch. 9

As I walk to the ilu holding place memories come flooding back. Pictures of my best friend, Tahia, fill my mind. She passed a little more than a year ago.

Tears blur my vision and a couple escapes from my bottom eyelid. I quickly use my palm to wipe them away.

It's not likely for my lips to be absent of a smile, but memories of Tahia never fail to do so.

Tsireya doesn't notice as she sees Lo'ak and a pearly white smile erupts on her lips as she waves enthusiastically at him.

We wade through the water as the depth grows deeper around our bodies. We swim to the Sully family and Neteyam gives me a sheepish smile. My body mindlessly hovered to his side.

"Hey, Y/n." He looks into my eyes and his smile fades. I give him a short, emotionless smile before turning to Tsireya who begins speaking about ilu.

I can feel him watching me and from my peripheral vision, I see that his lips hold a frown. I don't pay attention, my mind clogged by my defense walls.

I don't remember much of what else Tsireya said, my head not in the same place. When she stops talking and I think she said something along the lines of "Time to learn." Neteyam nudges me with a concerned expression as we break into our pairs.

"What's wrong?" He asks worriedly.

I shake my head and look down. "It's nothing."

Neteyam raises an eyebrow at me. "Really? Because I don't think it's nothing when your permanent smile has been replaced by a saddened expression."

I feel something like fluttering in the pit of my stomach, but I ignore it though as I'm not feeling in the mood to explore my emotions.

I don't say anything as I glance up at him before resuming to look into the water where my fingers fiddle with each other.

I feel his larger hand gingerly slide to cup the side of my face. He uses his finger to move my jaw up so that my eyes meet his.

"What's wrong?" He repeats. I gulp and struggle to avoid eye contact.

"I...I'll tell you later." I sigh. "I don't have the energy to right now."

He nods and seems satisfied that I at least answered. His hand falls back to his side in the water. I miss the feeling. I look to where Tsireya and Lo'ak are, dipping my head under the water to watch.

I observe Lo'ak's first time trying to ride the ilu and Neteyam joins me. If it were any other time I would have smiled at his clumsy attempt. Not now though.

I hate how much my mood has spoiled but I don't want to put in the effort to cheer myself up even though I know it would help.

Neteyam laughs at his brother's fail and turns to me, but when he sees I'm not giggling he gulps down his amusement.

I call for an ilu who quickly swims to my side and I pet the smooth skin of the aquatic animal. I motion for Neteyam to do the same and he seems hesitant. I give him a small, calming smile that holds much sadness and guide his hand across the skin of the ilu.

He seems surprised at the smoothness of the animal but after a moment he smiles and begins to run his hand along the ilu.

I point upward toward the surface and Neteyam gets the hint to move in that direction.

Our heads break through the surface of the water and I turn to communicate with him.

"Ilu are beautiful creatures and our main animal when navigating through the water, especially for longer distances. They swim faster than we can and bond for life with only one Na'vi." I say as I pet my ilu. "C'mon, I'll bring you to the holding pen where the ilu that haven't bonded with anyone yet are."