But What If || Neteyam x reader

Passing Time By

       You had all sat on a large rock together in a circle, the rays from the sun kept you warm and a light wind swept through. The water making the same crashing noises it always made. "Breathe in..." As she took in an audible breath you looked to Rotxo as he brought his hand close to him. You did a similar motion as you started to collect the air around you. "And breathe out." At the release, you still mimicked Rotxo's hand movements as if they were some form of guidance. "Imagine flickering a flame." Tisreya places a hand out before her and the other over her heart. Rotxo is still audibly taking in a breath and still giving a motion along with it. "You must slow down your heartbeat." Leaning close to Lo'ak she places a hand on his chest and his stomach, all of you are still doing your breathing exercise. "Breathe in." Trying to breathe in through your mouth and nose at the same time became more relaxing as you continued. "Breathe from down here." You still took in air making eye contact with Kiri, both of you were solely focused on the lesson. "Breathe out slowly." You had filled your lungs up with so much air it was hard to let it all go. "Lo'ak, your heartbeat is fast." Your ears couldn't help but itch. "Sorry." Still trying to focus on your own breathing you tried not to smile. "Try to focus." You were still letting the air flow out steadily. "Okay." That was until you saw Neteyam give you a cheeky grin, and a smile made its way to your face. Rotxo caught into your looks as well earning a few chortles from the three of you. You looked to Kiri to see if she was smiling only to be met with her disapproving look and an eye roll. You had been so busy snickering that you had completely missed what Tisreya said afterward.

~{°○・＊☆＊・○°}~

The best part of your week had been learning about Neteyam's dream hunt Uniltaron, his stories had all been short as he told them to you after lessons, and your lessons always seemed to run until eclipse was close. As you walked he did his best to think of new things to tell you. You had loved it when he had told you stories before but now they were really starting to become the best part of your days. The way he would describe every little thing so that you could get a full grasp on how everything worked was deeply appreciated. Some days it was just him explaining the importance of an animal or a garment, other days he was telling you about how he was the youngest Omatikaya to make a clean kill at the Sturmbeest hunt, or about his own knife like tonight. "The handle was crafted with leather and wax thread from the fronds at the top of a beanstalk palm." Another common action you two would newly do was every time he told you a story one of you would reach out your hand to the other. "I would often use it back home to help mother with meal prep or out on hunts." The action started during his first story when he reached out his hand to you to help you off the rock and from then it became a continuous event. "Now Ao'nung and Rotxo will have to show Lo'ak and I how to use them here." The Marui was close and only creeping closer. "I'm sure you'll excel at whatever those two will teach you." You both let each other's hands slip away when you both stepped in front of the entrance. Neteyam held open the doorway just like he did every time. And like always you gave him a wide smile and thanked him. For the rest of the nights, your gaze fell on Neteyam as he helped his siblings get ready for bed.

~{°○・＊☆＊・○°}~

The Deary sky loomed over the village, it had been this way since morning. When you took a long breath the fresh smell of pandora reached your nose, you didn't think you would love a smell like this. "Hold your breath." You were with Kiri, Lo'ak, and Neteyam. You all had decided to continue your breathing exercises as Tisreya and the others had to attend to their other duties today. "Release." Kiri was directing you all and just like before you brought your hands up to guide your body. "Hold." Kiri had her hand on your upper back feeling your lungs the entire time. "Inhale again." You brought your hand to your stomach in an upward motion, you made sure not to go too high as you would often start breathing with your upper half when doing so. She let you all inhale for a few seconds, you followed Tisreya's instructions on how to breathe and went through them all in your head. "Hold again." Lo'ak sat across from you looking focused, you all were. You all wanted to find your place in the village, Neteyam and Lo'ak at least knew they wanted to be warriors, but you weren't so sure about being a warrior. "Release." Everyone's steady breathing could be heard, it was almost perfect. In the scene in front of you, You, Kiri, Neteyam, and Lo'ak all sat together in a circle. Tuk was with her parents in the nearby Marui almost finished with your new garments. "Hold." And the weather, you secretly wished it would always be like this, the sprinkling rain hit your body like little sparks igniting the best of you to come flooding out. "Again." You didn't think you had been more focused in your entire life, feeling Kiri's hand leave your back your eyes lingered in peace just watching Lo'ak and the setting behind him. "Lo'ak, breath in through your nose and mouth." His eyes whipped in her direction, "I am." Kiri scoffed under her breath and sat closer to her brother and placed a hand on his back. "In again." Restarting yourself your eyes started wandering, blinking when a raindrop made its way a little too close to your eye. Looking to your left there Neteyam was, your eyes slowly crept up to meet his eyes staring into yours. "Hold."