𝐘𝚨𝐖𝚴𝐄𝐓𝐔 ² 𝗽𝗮𝘆 | ⁿᵉᵗᵉʸᵃᵐ ˣ ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ

𝖛. Choosing

Chapter five. Pay
"Choosing"

To Neteyam village was home. He had grown up there, running from a spot to another. Playing around with the other kids of the clan. Learning all about the avatars and their differences. Understanding better all that it was Spider. Where his father came from, what he and his mother had to go through. Neteyam had spent most of his childhood there.

Of course escaping to play in the forest had always been an option, even before he had known you. But at the end of the day it was there, in the Hallelujah Mountains, where he ended up.

So it broke his heart when he heard his parents speak about leaving it all behind. And the way they talked about it. The sobs of his mother and the worry of his father. The realization that it was all a lot bigger than he had firstly thought. The understanding that all that he had ever knew was about to become a memory filled with melancholy. Tears had tried to fall down, but he had gulped the sadness down. Instead he had stepped into the tent, with his head up high. He had to talk to his parents first.

Then, a much tougher conversation had to take place.

"You can't ask me that." your voice cut through the silence like a knife. There was clear bewilderment in your expression. Mixed with some deep sadness that reflected in your eyes. "You can't." you repeated strongly. Showing your fangs. Instincts won over.

Neteyam stepped forward. Always so soft with you he replied back "I know. I'm sorry baby"

That was cheating. Using the nickname that he had learned from his father, that he usually spoke out loud only in softer moments. It was a low blow.

His hands landed on your forearms, he caressed your skin as he looked into your purple glare. "You're all that matters to me, I need to protect you this time. Please... please don't make it harder for me" he begged.

Your ears fell back. "Harder for you?" you whispered sadly. "Ma 'Teyam, I—I can't stay silent as you walk away."

"No, no. That's not what this is." he tilted his head, gripping your arms. Keeping you there in front of him, not letting you go. "This is not me leaving you behind. I'm sorry baby, this is not it." His lips trembled. "I don't want you to make more sacrifices for me. I don't want you to change all your life again. I want you to be safe, here, where I know they'll protect you if it comes to it." He kept on talking as you shook your head.

"I—I don't care about that. I don't." you bit back a sob.

"But I do" he spit out. Still soft, heartbroken.

You let the moment pass. You let the words hit you hard, right at the center of your chest. You let your eyes sting. You let your lips tremble. You let yourself see him, understand him. And then you showed yourself to him.

"All of me is because of you" you then confessed with a whisper "You make me stronger. You make me...softer. You make me better."

You swallowed hard. Afraid of what it would mean if you spoke all this words out loud. "You're... all that is dear to me. And it...It scares me." The word cut your throat "I have not made a single sacrifice. Not one. You were the one who risked going against his tribe, his family. You fought for us. I just made a choice, between what I knew and what was best." Then, even softer, you reassured him "You were the right choice. And you'll always be the right choice."

Your body shook as you tried to keep your emotions at bay. Straightening your back. "So no. You can't ask me to stay behind. You can't... ask me to not make it harder for you." you grabbed his hands into yours "You have your tribe, your family. I have you. I have nothing if I don't have you. Let me choose you once again. Please. "

Something inside Neteyam tried to warn him. Tried to make him realize that this couldn't possibly be the right end, because it screamed risk! risk! risk. But all he knew was that you were his freedom, that you were the one that showed him the truth. That you had the patience, the courage, the strength, and the love that no one else had. That you were standing there, in front of him, asking something so simple. To fight together. To keep on being near until the end.

The T'herkaya way said that together you would only face certain death.

Yet you were begging him to do that. Going against all that you knew. Rejecting your origins for him. Begging him.

He grabbed your face, he couldn't bear to stay so far anymore. There was too much distance between you two. He hugged you, tightly. Tears streaming down his face as he adjusted his grip around you. Trying to engulf you whole. His hand caressed the back of your head. And then, finally, he spoke in your ear. "I'm sorry, so sorry" he whispered "I see you."

Because he understood. How could he have asked you something like that? How could he have possibly thought that you would have accepted? In your place he would have not. If you would have asked him to stay behind and watch you go he knew that he would have said no. He had already did.

Neteyam knew that between you two there was something strong. Far stronger than anything he had ever heard or felt before. He was sure that not even his parents could understand it. He had this unconditional feeling and desire to become one with you. To see you and right through you. To feel what you felt. To see what you saw. To think what you thought.

And right in that moment. As he felt your tears wet his chest. He came to a realization: Eywa needed to make it end well for you two. That or the other would have carved their eyes out just to not see anyone nor anything ever again. Only after having took Pandora down searching for revenge. His parents would have an heart attack if they heard his thoughts. So much for the perfect son. Who knew what love could make you do.

Silence fell between you. Heavy. Aching. But comfortable in its weight. You rested there, in his embrace. Hugging his waist as he kissed right over your forehead.

Your whisper broke the silence. "I don't want a life without you." you admitted. And it took so much strength to do so.

Neteyam nodded against your head. Because he too couldn't do it. A weight had lifted off his chest now that he knew that you wouldn't be separated. "This," he spoke against your hair "it will always be hard." his grip tightened. As if he was afraid that you could escape him, that you wouldn't stay long enough to hear the rest. "Together we're stronger"

Alone you're stronger.— echoed the voice inside your mind. Trying to cover his.

"Together" you repeated out loud.

ꕤ
sa talks:
What can I say?
Is it foreshadowing? Is it just me being evil? Is it just a conversation they HAD to have?
🤷‍♀️
Anyway, I admit that I love feeding you my children. I've missed this lethal duo. (Who actually is much sweeter than they imagine)
The way he's always so so so soft with her!
And the way she ignored all that they had taught her to survive just to be with him!!
my shaylassssss

As always thank your for your time!