𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 | Neteyam

ALTERNATE ENDING PT.2

You swam on your Ilu beside the sully family,

Neteyams funeral,

The day you dreaded would happen, the day when all your fears would come true, the day you finally would have to accept, he's not coming back.

Without Neteyam, it felt like a white sound was constantly echoing through your head, you have zones out more than usual, everytime someone called your name, they had to say it another time before your strained voice could reply.

You'd have dreams about him and you together again, but you always had to wake up.

The flowers of his open leaf coffin drifted in the water, you would feel them glide against your cold skin occasionally. You tried not to look at Neteyams limp body, but it was hard when it was right in front of you.

You couldn't really cry anymore, you noticed that, the feeling was just numbness. Your clan was circled around you, there were tears coming from some eyes.

And finally, it was time to give Eywa his body, his body handing back the energy he burrowed. Neteyams parents dived down with his body as you got off your Ilu to stare down at the process.

You watched as Neteyam's body went down onto the golden grass. The grass wrapped around his body, with every stroke of water that went by, he slowly disappeared.

People always told you that these things happen for a reason, that you will learn something from his death, but you hated it. You've learned nothing good from it, only what real pai feels like, and if you were being honest, Neteyam taught you so many more things.

Something that really stuck with you was love, the thing he made you feel that no one else could, he did.

The funeral ended so quickly but it was so long, despite getting out of the water, you somehow still felt like you were drowning, strange.

Its weird how someone can leave such an impact in your life despite not being in there for too long.

—

Days morphed into weeks, it felt like it was all one continuous loop of suffering, but you always had to do what you had to do, that was be a good leader to your clan, they looked up to you, so you had to do what was best and that was to fake it so they wouldn't notice.

But at this point, it had started to become unbearable, so you would see him again, and that was to visit the spirit tree, the only way you could.

One night, when everyone was dead asleep, you silently dived into the water and got on your ilu to head to the sacred place.

Once there, you immediately dove under and went inside, the purple luminescent leaves shone a light so that you could see what you were doing, it was quiet too, no one could tell you if you should do it or not, maybe you shouldn't but y'know, who was there to stop you.

You saw a leaf and stared at it for a bit, almost preparing yourself, you got your Tsaheylu and connected it with the leaf.

Then suddenly, you felt like you were being transported to another universe, and you got back into reality when you were surrounded by a luminescent forest, you could only assume this is where he grew up.

You started to look around, it was beautiful, you understood why Neteyam missed it so much. Then as you explored the forest you saw familiar looking braids.

"Neteyam?" he straightened up and turned around, he had softened eyes and a smile when he looked at you. The face you had longed to see for so long.

"[Y/N]," he replied in a soft voice as you ran to hug him, his touch was warm and comforting, just like you had remembered.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, and he tilted his head a bit.

"Sorry for what?" he asked, stroking your hair in a way to calm you down.\

"I'm sorry for being a burden, if i didn't go maybe you would have made it out alive, since i slowed you down... it's all my fault."

He let go of you and placed a hand on your face soothingly, "it was never your fault, it never will be... I may not be alive in my physical form but... I'm always with you."

"Neteyam..." you said breathlessly as he let out a 'hm?' "promise me that in our next life, we will be together forever?"

He watched as tears formed in your eyes as you tilted your head down, he lifted your chin,

"I promise."

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short chapter but i hope you liked it :) i didnt because im torturing myself with angst but whatever 😋