Wanderer's Spirit - Neteyam Sully x OC

12 tough feelings

"And then weave that last piece through the bottom part, like this." Kiri was demonstrating how to make the flower crowns, the three girls spent hours among the forest chasing each other, teaching tuk how to hunt & of course, making crowns.

Solaris threw her hands up in the air as her flower crown unraveled, "bleh! Im no good at this."
"Oh Come on Sol, if Tuk can do it, so can you." Kiri took Sol's failing crown into her hands & began to finish it for her.
"no, i think Solly should stick to fighting bad guys" Tuk cheekily stated, the two older Na'vi laughed, "i think you're right tuk." Solaris ruffled the young girls hair as Tuk stayed unfazed, focusing on her flower crown before all of a sudden,
"TaDa!" Tuk jumped up from the ground placing her crown on her head.

"for you my lady," Kiri placed the fixed flowers on solaris' head before one on her own, "And for me."
The girls all smiled contently before they heard rustling from behind them. Tuk quickly jumped behind Kiri as the eldest sully crouched, slowly retreating backwards. Solaris pulled out her knife, ready to attack whatever had snuck up behind them,
"Eywa, settle down you three. Solaris could probably get me killed you know." Neteyam laughed as he emerged from behind the bushes, the girls sighed in relief.
"oh my Eywa, you skawng!" Kiri exclaimed,
"neteyam!" Tuk ran over to her eldest brother giving him a squeeze, "you've gotten stronger!" He responded as he hugged the girl back,
"What're you doing here Tey?" Solaris asked,
"oh i was just passing through, to go on a hunt" He responded.

"psh, we don't go this way to hunt, it's not the season." Kiri retaliates, Neteyam brushed his hand on the back of his head, "yeah no, i know. I just," He was cut off by Kiri, "you just wanted to see Sol huh."
Solaris grinned as she watched neteyam try to back track, He looked at the girl before responding, "No, i mean yeah always but no not-"

"No no we get it, Tuk & i we're just leaving actually. We'll give you two some space." Kiri grabbed tuks hand & began walking away from the two Na'vi, "What? No, i wanna stay with Sol & Netey-" Tuk tried to speak but kiri lightly slapped her hand across tuks mouth, "no you don't."

Neteyam & Solaris laughed as the two girls disappeared into the forest, "come, let's climb" Solaris said as she gathered her belongings. They eventually got to the top of Solaris' spot, the two sat on the large branch & stared at Pandora's scenery as eclipse slowly began to creep. "So you really did just come here to see me huh?" Solaris smiled widely at the boy,
"your flower crown looks beautiful." Neteyam responded, solaris playfully poked his ribs,
"don't change the subject Tey."
"okay, okay. I mean i ran out of excuses anyways." he lightly laughed in response. Solaris smiled contently knowing he came all the way out here just to sit with her.

They sat in silence for a moment before Solaris spoke up, "Did you have a busy day?" she looked at the boy, "doing leader stuff?"
Neteyam lightly huffed, "yeah i guess, same old, same old." solaris tried to small talk as she looked back out to the scenery with heavy shoulders, "What's on your mind, Sol?"

Solaris hated how easy she was to read in Neteyam's presence, nonetheless ,she turned her gaze to her dangling legs unaware of her feelings, let alone how to put them into words. She let out a defeated sigh before answering; " I don't really know, just thinking about mum & dad." she paused, taking her bow from her shoulder & placing it in her lap again.
"A gift from the dead. Apparently my mother wanted to wait till i was of age, guess she thought it wouldn't make me feel all messy inside if i had been on this planet for a few extra years." her satire lingered a over every sentence.

Neteyam continued to listen in silence, knowing it wasn't advice she needed but someone to talk to.
"I just hate this whole situation, like everyone expects me to be like them but i don't even know who they are. Just tales & stories of strangers i've never met."
Solaris rarely spoke up about her feelings towards her parents death, usually, when they're brought up, she changes the subject or shuts it down altogether.
"What do they say to you when you visit them through Eywa?" Neteyam asked shyly, unaware of if he was crossing the line.

Solaris looked out to the scenery with a cold expression before quickly looking back down to her feet. "uh, well, not much i guess. We just sit and talk.. sometimes." Her lack of response made neteyam understand she simply just didn't want to talk about this any further & he didn't want her to shut down completely.
"So, one more night before your big day," he placed a hand on her shoulder, "can go off & do whatever you please." Solaris lightly chuckled, " true, but i'm actually really happy with how everything is now, everything's almost perfect." she smiled at the boy. "I never had the chance to tell you, Arvok & I made up & he's allowing me to join in on the hunts more often!" she exclaimed.
Neteyam loved seeing her excited, "i'm so happy for you Sol, that's great news!"

As they were on the subject, Neteyam used this chance to feed his curiosity on the woman next to him. "Oh and speaking of, uh has arvok arranged a mate for you." he embarrassingly fiddled with his arm bands, "you know because you turn of age & he's super into the old ways of our ancest-"
Solaris found his embarrassment amusing but saved him the vomit of words, "No.. he hasn't." she began to play with her hair beads, "We haven't really spoken about it but i think he believes love shouldn't be forced like it was for my parents.. & yours." This was music to neteyam's ears, "why do you ask?" Solaris new why, deep down, but on the surface she was still i denial.
"oh i was just curious you know. That's all." he forced his lips into a line, giving her nothing but a poker face.

"well, uh, what about you? I mean you've been of age for a month now, have your parents thought of arranging something?"
"no, no. I mean not yet, mum still has her reign as tsahìk, i don't think their priorities are quite there yet."
Solaris hummed in response before being reminded of the strange process she must go through tomorrow.

"what's the point in all this wacky ritual stuff anyways, i feel like i'm mentally older than most the kids around our age anyways." Neteyam snorted in response, " Psh, not with that language, wacky ritual stuff" the two Na'vi laughed together as the watched eclipse begin to fall.
"Sol, i think we should think about heading back soon, it's getting late." All solaris did in response was rest her head on his shoulder causing his heart to race,
"Soon."