TSU'LAIKA SAT SLOUCHED on the edge of the deck, as she squinted from the blazing sun to look up to her best friend and the new guests stalling to dive into the clear blue water. Her eyes lit up as she heard more footsteps on the dock, lifting herself up to dive in, as --

"-- Hey, one hand! off the dock" Ao'nung pointed as he asserted, the girl furrowing her eyebrows as she shot her head at him, before her face lit up, smirking as she uttered,

"As you wish" she uttered as But their smiles faded as the girl slowly turned her head back to before she dove into the water with Reya and Rotxo

"Come on!" Neteyam called to Lo'ak as they jumped in. Before Tuk and Kiri screamed in excitement as they jumped, all the Sully's faces lighting up at the beauty of the sea that lay before them.

SHE TRIED not to look like an idiot swimming with one hand, maneuvering through the dense water, going on autopilot as she swam down, over to a colorful reef.

She gestured to Tuk, who followed, to tap on one of the mushrooms, causing a school of lilac fish to scatter from the bowl shape past, creating a simple mandala pattern with their form. The little girl's face lit up as Tsu smiled at her reaction.

Neteyam smiled from above as he saw the two swimming together, showing each other sights of the beautiful sea creatures. He occasionally glanced in awe at Tsu'laika's curls that shone brighter underwater.

Tuk gestured to someone hovering above them to join the two, having to gesture twice with more convincing force, Tsu furrowing her eyebrows as she squinted up, seeing the scattered braids of — Neteyam.

As they made eye contact, they shared bashful smiles, Neteyam secretly glaring amorously at Tsu'laika's freckled, glowing face. He was caught off guard by Tuk and her repetitive poking on his arm for his attention towards a bigger creature swimming above them.

As Kiri grabbed Tuk's hand from behind her, to show her another side of the reef, Tsu and Neteyam panicked. They were left alone, with no idea of what to say, or do — not underwater.

But before they knew it, a bright flicker forced their eyes to squint as another school of fish above them glowed a metallic pink, surrounding the two as they watched in awe. These were the 'pink payoang'.

Tsu chuckled, her nose lightly scrunched as some of the fish lightly brushed her cheeks, like tiny kisses. Neteyam smiled as her eyes remained tightly shut, before his eyes widened as the fish had now swarmed to his face.

His hands attempted a wave to his cheeks to scratch the tickles, Tsu'laika slapping them down as she widened her eyes, quickly shaking her head as she giggled, slowly lifting her hands as the fish glowed brighter. He pursed his lips as he nodded, gathering himself from her previous expression that looked like she was going to kill him in that second.

Neteyam's jaw tensed at the sight of Tsu'laika's upturned eyes as she lightly furrowed — a forgotten memory of symbolism in Pandoran animal life, of the spirits, of Eywa's presence. What she could remember was that pink payoang are hardly around divers, rarely ever seen.

Her eyes widened as she watched Neteyam literally light up in pink as the payoang 'kissed' his forehead and cheeks, absentmindedly smiling, as she scolded her mind for the terrible retrieving of memory.

Neteyam's eyebrows furrowed, as the fish departed from between them, to swim behind them. Their cheeks flustered as the fish slowly pushed their backs so that they were closer together, as Tsu'laika's hair floated towards her face, her mindlessly moving it away, seeing Neteyam's hand do most of the work at shifting it, keeping his distance respectful. He didn't know it was possible, but she was even more beautiful up close, like a goddess in the flesh.

The glance after her face cleared of white locks included dilated pupils, for different things as fish hovered around them like an aura, the pinker lighting coloring Neteyam's eyes as he froze before the girl, who's freckles lit up in pink. His eyes relaxed, while his mind panicked. Her eyes widened, as her thought process froze on her.

And at that, her slow self finally recognized the tension, pursing her lips as she looked down, Neteyam scratching his head as he awkwardly looked away.

And the moment had vanished.

Tsu'laika's attention was now caught as Reya signed "Come! Swim with me, sister". To which Tsu'laika mindlessly signed "Got to go" to Neteyam, as he lightly furrowed his brows as she swam with one hand towards Reya. With Neteyam swimming to surface alongside Lo'ak and Tuk.

Tsu joined Reya and Rotxo as they swam across another reef. Reya gently held Tsu's bandaged hand, as they swam facing upwards, furrowing their eyebrows as the other siblings desperately rushed up to surface.

Reya smiled as she signed, "Swim together with us." To which the siblings gave her blank stares, so she gestured with her arm to come down.

"What's wrong with them?" Ao'nung signed to Reya, Tsu and Rotxo as the Sully's ignored their requests

"D'You peed in the water, again, skxawng?" Tsu giggled, bubbles floating up from her as Ao'nung peered a dead stare at her with a faded smirk

"They are bad divers" Rotxo signed to everyone, breaking Ao'nung away from the dour stare at the girl

"Stop. They're learning" Reya snapped back, Tsu nodding as Ao'nung rolled his eyes

Tsu was first to swim up to surface, then the others followed. The girls gracefully swaying their hips as their heads finally cut out of the water.

"Are you okay?" Reya asked the siblings as they panted heavily

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Tsu'laika added as her eyebrows furrowed, her focus mainly on the older Sully boy, waiting on his response, before --

"You're too fast! Wait for us!" Tuk whined as she repeatedly rubbed her eye

"Just breathe. Breathe" Reya advised the one who continued rubbing her eye as Tsu nodded in agreement

"Swim with Tsu in the meantime, she's slowed down since her 'accident'" Rotxo told the little girl, Tsu bitterly smiling as she quickly rolled her eyes, before nodding to the little one

"You guys are not good divers," Ao'nung commented as he finally reached the surface "Maybe good at swimming through trees but --" he stopped felt a slap on his head, looking to his sister who whined.

"Come on, bro" Lo'ak blurted as Tsu pursed her lips, furrowed eyebrows from embarrassment of her heedless 'older brother' as she watched Neteyam let out a bitter chuckle, looking away as he poked his cheek with his tongue.

"We don't speak this finger talk, guys. We don't know what you're saying" Neteyam frustratedly added soon after, Tsu lightly chuckling as she realized her mindlessness

"We will teach you. Tsu and I are great teachers" Reya looked to the girl who lit up as she heard her name, turning to Neteyam, who had already been looking at her. Without breaking the contact, she lightly nodded.

"Where is Kiri?" Rotxo asked after the awkward silence, everyone looking around on the surface

"Kiri?" Tuk called out, with no answer

"Who?" Ao'nung asked, which made Tsu want to slap his empty skull from the ignorance he always seemed to carry

"Where is Kiri?" Rotxo repeated, "Did you see her?" they all skimmed through the waters, finding no sign of her, diving into the water for a deeper search

TSU SAT WITH HER HEAD UPSIDE DOWN, on the sun-heated rock surrounded by the waters, the ends of her hair swaying with it. It was almost eclipse, and the sun felt warmer, if that was possible.

Kiri still indulged herself underwater, Tuk had just jumped in, with everyone hanging around the rock's perimeter.

During the comfortable silence, Tsu furrowed her eyebrows, abruptly lifting her head up, with the rest of her to follow.

"Where are you going, Laika?" Reya calmly queried as her head popped out of the water to see the girl walk on the bridge of sun-heated rocks leading to the shore. Everyone patiently waiting for a response as she continued walking, turning her head back to yell --

"Getting fruit for us!" she continued parkouring over the dark rocks, trying not to slip over as --

"With that arm strength?" Ao'nung scoffed, everyone noticing her abrupt stop in her rushed journey to the shore, still with her back towards them.

She frustratedly sighed, pursing her full lips to peer down to her wrapped left arm, shutting her eyes and biting her tongue from yelling out something she'd regret.

TUK JOYFULLY skipped on the bright sand, her hand firmly held by Neteyam, who walked dominantly beside her. Next to Kiri, ambling with her folded arms, next to Tsu'laika, faced forward with her signature catwalk.

Besides Tuk's conversation with her imaginary friends entertained by Neteyam, the walk was long and quiet. Tsu convinced herself that leading the way to the market for fruit didn't require conversation; what would they talk about?

Luckily, the basket of a variety of fruit was already organized for them to just grab, for Neteyam to just grab. The girls carried a few fruit to lighten the weight as his walking slowed down. Tsu grew disappointed at the fruits contained, they weren't the best ones according to her.

There was silence once again, just less uncomfortable, before Tuk asked the golden haired girl --

"Tsu'laika, Are you a princess?" the little girl looked up to Tsu'laika, ignoring her sister's restraints as the golden haired girl blushed, chuckling as she replied --

"Yes, I am," she hesitated, before continuing, "Princess of the sea" she whispered, lifting her chin up as she smiled at the lit up face of Tuk, feeling more questions being formed. Kiri lightly chuckled at her brother's intrigued face, and softened gaze, a lightbulb lit in her head as --

"-- Hey, Tuk!" Kiri nudged the girls shoulder, winking at Tsu, smirking at Neteyam's blank stare, "Race you to the water!"

Kiri and Tuk sprinted forward as they attempted sabotaging each other in their race, leaving Neteyam and Tsu'laika far behind with the basket of fruit.

And they were Alone, again.

Neteyam cleared his throat, his braids swinging forward as he pursed his lips, his heart pounded in his chest.

What do I say? D'you like...singing? No! That's stupid, bro!

He panicked,

"You're --"

"What's th --"

They spoke simultaneously, stammering to an awkward chuckle as Neteyam gestured with his head for her to start. She pursed her lips, her hands tangled behind her, awkwardly avoiding eye contact, skipping forward to be two steps in front of him,

"...So you're a warrior? Back home?" she finally met his eyes, as he stammered with lifted eyebrows. Her eyes trailed from his flexed biceps, down to the knife wrapped around him. He let out a nervous chuckle, before abruptly pulling himself together as he replied,

"Uh -- Y -- Ha -- Yes, I fight proudly alongside my parents" his braids swung as her eyebrow's lifted, and ears twitched. She smirked, slowly nodding as she continued,

"And...you have no problem climbing trees? Of course you don't" she pushed, looking at her left arm as he stammered once again

"Where are you going with this, princess?" he chuckled, his eyes darting from her left and right eye as she grew a cheeky smile, while he grew fearfully uncertain. She quickly rolled her eyes at his frozen expression, before whispering --

"C'mon, follow me" she quickly grabbed his left arm with her right, as he stammered, catching up with her pull as she ducked under branches and over them

Kiri and Tuk cheered after their race, looking back for the two they left behind. Their ears simultaneously twitched when they found no sign of dramatic braids or of golden curls, only of the fruit basket they dropped down, the sisters making eye contact.

"Neteyam?! Tsu'laika?!" Tuk's little voice yelled out to no answer, as Kiri scoffed to herself at their absense. Them two. Alone?

"Are we...about to become aunts, already?" Kiri whispered to herself, trying her best to decipher where she might've underestimated her brother's capabilities when it came to girl's. With one question spiraling in her mind : Where the hell did they go?

authors note

nervous Neteyam >>>

wanna guess where they're going? 🤭🤭🤭

been staying up late just to watch the saved collection of neteyam edits fr fr

also if you wanna watch avatar 2 online just go to swatchseries.is frr

vote and comment babe !!

dedications

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love y'all <33

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