Together for Forever ♡ Neteyam x Fem oc

19. Free

Neteyam froze in shock looking at his lover and thinking, she is pregnant?

"It is true, Neteyam." Nani'ite said up to him with eyes full of tears. She wanted so badly to stand up on her own and hold her lover, to celebrate the gift that Eywa has blessed them with.

Instead, the moment was spoiled by her mother and by all the secrets they kept coming out. Nani wish she could read her mates mind, he stood still, looking as if he wasn't even breathing. She was far too weak to stand on her own, so she glanced at her sister for a helping hand. Tsireya quickly came to her sister's aid and helped her stand up, letting Nani lean on one of the pillars of the home.

Ronal sighed, "Nani'ite you must-"

"Stop," Tonowari warned Ronal, "let her."

She scoffed up at her mate but obeyed. Shaking her head and walking out of the Marui, "You should be ashamed." She mumbled to Jake as she left them inside, Tsireya followed her mother out of the home and gave the Sully's an apologetic look.

As soon as Ronal exited Neteyam grabbed Nani'ite and embraced her, not caring about anyone else in the room at that moment. She cried into his chest, tears of happiness and sadness mixed together. There were too many emotions to unpack. 

"Nani, I am so sorry." Neteyam whispered in her ear, not wanting the elders to ease drop into his words, "I am so sorry, I should've never argued with you. I'm sorry for what I said."

Nani'ite with tears in her eyes looked up at her mate and smiled without conscious. She did not care about some stupid fight; she did not care about what happened in the jungle or the attack. She was relieved that she did not have to live in secret any longer, and as long as she had him, she did not care about the consequences she would face.  

"It is okay, my Neteyam." She said up to him softly. 

"We are having a child?" He looked down to her stomach, although she was not showing he knew life was inside. She smiled up at him and nodded her head.

Neteyam smiled down at her once more before looking behind her to her father. 

"Sir, Olo'eyktan." Neteyam bowed his head slightly with respect, "I am truly sorry, for putting her in harm's way and keeping everything a secret. Please, forgive us" He grabbed Nani's hand and looked back up at her father, "but I love, and I see your daughter." 

Jake took a step behind his son, looking up at Tonowari and placing a supportive hand on his son's shoulder. He remembers all too well the chaos that imploded when Neytiri's clan had discovered that they mated. He supported his son's decision, no matter what.

"Neteyam," Tonowari said down to him, "Nani'ite is my first-born child, and she is now carrying my first grandchild. You must protect them, both."

"I promise, sir. I will." Neteyam responded. 

"No more secrets, both of you." Her father said to them.

"And no more jungle, boy." Jake said from behind, "This isn't the forest."

"Yes sir," Neteyam shook his head, his hand still in Nani's. 

"Let's give them a moment alone." Tonowari said looking at the pair.

Their fathers made their way out talking amongst each other, Neytiri followed behind them after placing a hand on Nani's shoulder, "Congratulations." She softly said. 

The couple stood in the marui alone, Neteyam grabbed her other hand and looked down in her eyes. His eyes glistened with tears, "I cannot believe it." Then a huge smile appeared on his face, "I am going to be a father!"

Nani'ite was happier than ever, she had seen the way he interacted with his siblings, especially Tuk. He would make the best father ever; a loving, gentle, protective father. 

"I'm going to be a father." He said softly this time, carefully putting his hands on her stomach and then snaking them behind to hold her by her waist. His eyes traveled from her stomach to her right arm that she had bandaged up. "Are you okay, Nani?" 

"I'm okay, I just feel a little tired." She rested her left arm on his shoulder, playing with a few of his braids and taking a look up to him, "I sort of just want to rest."

"You should," He imagined how she must feel, "What if you moved in with me?"

"At your parents?" Nani asked cautiously.

"They won't mind. At least until I can build us our own home, one right on the edge of the village by the jungle for us. Somewhere we can grow our family in."

Nani'ite smiled up at her lover and nodded her head. Her life was coming finally together. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Her mother's approval did not matter, her desire to be the perfect daughter was out of the question. From this moment on, becoming the perfect mate and mother was her new purpose in life. 

Neteyam helped Nani into her room to grab all of her belongings. He had already spoken to his parents and Tonowari outside about it and they all agreed; it would be best for them to stay together at this time. It made more sense for them to stay with his parents since Ronal wasn't fond of the couple. 

As they finished, Neteyam helped Nani walk with one arm and held her basket full of things in the other. They left her room to see her mother in the marui, Ronal looked at the two with a disappointed look. 

"Your father told me the plan."

"It is already decided, mother." Nani responded firmly.

"I'm not going to talk you out of this, but you will not be welcomed back in this home." She paused before saying, "and you will no longer be the future clan leader."

Nani'ite clenched her jaw and swallowed down the lump in her throat. She let go of Neteyam's arm and stumbled a bit, causing him to grab her arm again, "I'm fine." She whispered to him and stood on her own. Slowly she approached her mother and stood only inches apart from her. Looking into her mother's eyes with a stoic look.

Nani wasn't angry or upset; she just couldn't describe the emotion she was feeling. Was it pain? Hurt that her mother would take away the one thing she worked so hard her entire life for. Was it loss? Mourning the dream, she once had to lead her clan as her ancestors did. Pity? For her pessimistic mother whose heart couldn't even soften up a bit after her daughter nearly died. She couldn't quite place it, so she said whatever came to mind first. 

"You can take the role from me, give it to Ao'nung. I do not care, anymore. You can ban me from this home, shun me from the family, mother, I do not care. I am done being your perfect little puppet. I am free." Nani smiled and a tear slipped from her eye, "Finally, I am fucking free."

Her mother looked her the same way she's looked at her for years, that same old disappointed look. Before Nani could let her argue back, she turned to Neteyam to give her a hand. He quickly grabbed her arm and helped Nani'ite walk out of the marui without another word or look back.

One life ending and a new one beginning, Nani'ite couldn't be happier to start the next chapter.