But What If || Neteyam x reader

Learning My Way

    Leaving the communal meal area you felt another pinch, turning around quickly you saw Lo'ak already speeding away. Just like when you were eating earlier you wouldn't let him get away with pinching you. You gave chase running after Lo'ak quickly, you knew Lo'ak was trouble, Neteyam had told you stories on the long flight over but your mind was too focused on getting Lo'ak back. You tried catching up with him you had gotten close a few times but failed to reach him. "Keep up (Y/N)." His fits of laughter kept egging you on, you ran far acting like fully grown children. When you reached the outskirts of the suspended village Lo'ak seemed to move faster. The long beach gave him a clear path and he booked it. Still trying to catch him you kept running too but you slowly started slowing down as he disappeared in the distance. When you could taste iron in your mouth you finally stopped, you hunched over your hands clinging to your knees as you tried catching your breath.

"(Y/N)." You heard your name behind you, you turned your head slightly to see Neteyam right next to you. "Oh hey." You stood tall to meet his face, you were only slightly shorter than him but still short enough that you had to raise your head up. "You know you shouldn't indulge Lo'ak's childish behavior." He didn't seem too thrilled about you chasing after Lo'ak. "He pinched me, I had to get him back." You extended your arm out to where Lo'ak had successfully disappeared off into. "No, you have to learn how to take care of your knife and make a satchel." Your playful smile seemed to leave you with each second, Neteyam was the most dutiful out of his siblings. You knew this, you just thought your lessons would begin the next day at the 'secret beach'. "Sorry, I guess I got carried away." You mumbled as you spoke looking away from his face. You heard a loud sigh from him as he carefully grabbed your upper arm. "Let's just find a nice place to sit and we can start." He led you to a large rock on the beach that you could both sit on together. He then quickly started explaining safety tips. He was more of a hands-on kind of teacher as he had you bring out your knife. He would take it and show you a motion then gave it back letting you attempt to do the same.

"Never cut towards yourself." He reached his hand over flipping the knife to point in his direction rather than at you. "But what if I cut someone around me?" He pulled your hands in the exact movement he had shown you moments before. "You won't, you just be aware of your surroundings." He let your hands go giving you space to do the same motion as before but alone. You tried doing all the steps but messed up somewhere along the way. "Try keeping your body centered on what you're doing." He grabbed your shoulders turning them to face forward. He leaned a bit more forward close to you and pressed your lower back forward. "You could also stand to improve your posture." Embarrassed by your poor posture you felt your tail flick and a slight heat rise to your face. "Okay, sorry." He returned to his spot and watched as you took a breath and tried again. You tried doing all the steps, keeping your body centered, and making sure your back was straight but it just seemed like you screwed up again. "Here I'll show you again." He didn't seem frustrated with you instead he seemed pleased to be teaching you something new.

You remembered him telling you about his home with the Omatikaya. You also remember him showing you how to greet others and I see you as more than just seeing someone physically. He taught you about the Three Laws of Eywa, songcords, and Atokirina. He told you more about the woodsprites upon hearing you tell him you had a small encounter with one. He told you about how the seeds are very pure and sacred spirits. You thought about your encounter with the woodsprite, it didn't touch you but it looked as if it wanted to. You wish it had, you were so lost then, maybe if it had landed on you maybe you would have followed it back into the forest. Maybe you could've helped the Sullys sooner, maybe they wouldn't have had to leave their home.

"Why don't we head back?" You gave him a puzzled look. "So soon?" He grabbed your knife's sheath and put it away. "Your mind is elsewhere, you won't learn anything if you aren't focused." He placed the knife close to you as you shook your head. "No I'm focused, I'll learn." He gave a grin as he dismounted from the rock. "You are thinking of something else I can see it on your face." You grabbed your knife and quickly hopped off the rock as Neteyam slowly started to walk away from you. "How can you tell?" You heard him chuckle under his breath before answering. "You look lost. As if you are searching for something." How many times has he seen you zone out? You wondered if maybe you did venture off in your own mind far too often. "Oh..." You didn't realize that you zone out that much, you didn't really think it was a problem but if it was getting in the way of your learning then you had to stop.