"breathe"
"good!" Y/n yelled after Jake Sully as he rode his Skimwing. "position!" she shouted as he dived back down.
Y/n and Tonowari watched while they were in their own Skimwings. Y/n looked at her father who nodded his head at her signalling her to start riding her Skimwing.
Y/n ordered the animal to go forward and it complied. Tonowari was riding his right next to his daughter.
Jake than came up out of the water and was able to find balance on the animal. he looked at Tonowari, who gave an approving nod, and then at the girl.
"you learn fast." she told him as they slowed down. "you managed to ride a Skimwing without falling in three weeks."
"that's good, right?" he asked.
Y/n smiled and nodded her head which made Jake smile and cheer loudly.
"Y/n!"
the girl looked behind her and saw her little sister beckoning her to come over. she was with the forest kids and her other sibling.
Y/n frowned a little when she spotted Ao'nung. on the beach when they were training, he had told her he would tell their parents about how close Neteyam and Y/n had gotten since the new family arrived.
Ronal would literally have Y/n's head if she ever heard about that, especially since she was already trying to find a mate for her.
"is it alright if i go with the others?" Y/n turned to her dad. Tonowari smiled and shooed her away.
Y/n got off her Skimwing and called for an Ilu. the Ilu quickly arrived and let Y/n connect with them.
"we're going swimming on our Ilus." Tsireya told Y/n as she swam to them. "would you like to join us?" she smiled softly, hoping her sister would say yes.
"of course." Y/n grinned and looked at the others. "how good have you all become?" she asked them.
"i can ride on an Ilu faster than lighting." Lo'ak boasted.
Y/n looked at Neteyam who rolled his eyes at his brothers big ego. Y/n chuckled and looked back at Lo'ak. "oh really? want to prove it to me?"
"what?" Lo'ak asked timidly. he then looked over at Tsireya who tilted her head and smiled at him. "ye-yeah! okay!" he said to Y/n.
Y/n smirked and nodded her head. "alright, let's race." she said.
everyone backed away from them and formed a line behind them. Tsireya went to the side and looked at the two.
Y/n positioned herself on the Ilu, leaning more forward. she then looked at Lo'ak who did the same.
the kids behind them cheered and waited for Tsireya to let them start. "you will swim to the big rock over there and back. whoever comes back first, wins."
Tsireya brought her hand up and then down. the two kids were off and started riding. Y/n went underwater as Ilus were much faster there. Lo'ak followed her and sped up. when his Ilu rode past hers, he smirked at her and nodded his head.
Y/n smiled and almost laughed when Lo'ak started losing control. Y/n changed her position so she was now laying on her back, still holding on tight to her handle.
she rode past Lo'ak and gave him a mock salute. Lo'ak looked at her and then he fell off of the animal.
Y/n swam past the rock and slowed down when she got to Lo'ak. "faster than lightning, huh?" she grinned.
"shut up." he grumbled. Y/n laughed and gave him a hand. he took it and got on the back of her Ilu.
as the others saw Y/n and Lo'ak, they all cheered.
Lo'ak had his arms crossed, annoyed at everything at the moment. Y/n smiled and let Lo'ak get off and call for his own.
"that was unfair." Lo'ak spoke up. Y/n raised an eyebrow at him.
"really?"
Lo'ak nodded and mounted his Ilu. "yeah, you're the chiefs daughter." he said. "you've been doing this ever since you were born."
Y/n nodded understandingly and grinned. "true. but you said you were faster than lightning."
Lo'ak stopped talking and rode away. the kids laughed at him and followed. "where are we going anyways?" he asked.
"just explore." Tsireya told them. Kiri immediately started swimming away with Tuk following behind her.
Tsireya and Lo'ak started swimming away too. "do not go beyond the reef, Reya!" Y/n called out.
Tsireya whined and turned around. "come on, Y/n!"
"no! if dad would find out that you went beyond the reef, i would get in trouble!" she shouted.
"fine." Tsireya huffed and swam underwater. Lo'ak looked at the bigger kids before following Tsireya.
"what's beyond the reef?" Y/n looked to her left and saw Neteyam right next to her.
"a bunch of dangerous animals." she answered simply. "some animals show no mercy and just kill. Tsireya is too young to go beyond the reef and isn't supposed to anyways."
"why isn't she supposed to go?"
Y/n sighed. "she's future Tsahìk. mom prefers her to be on land but she loves the ocean and can't stay away." she smiled softly as she talked about her sister.
Neteyam listened to Y/n talk fondly about her sister. he knew that her family is a big part of her life and mattered to her.
"how would it work when she's the future Tsahìk and you're the future Olo'eykte?"
"well, the family decided that if we would get mates, they would just be our mates and nothing more." Y/n looked at Neteyam. "they won't get any title or anything, they're just... ours."
Neteysm nodded his head. Y/n looked back when she heard Ao'nung and Rotxo whispering and snickering behind them.
Ao'nung looked at Y/n and smirked. he started riding his Ilu in circles around the two. "so, how are you two doing?"
Y/n rolled her eyes and didn't answer but Neteyam did. "i'm doing great." he looked at Ao'nung and Rotxo as they circled them.
" 'nung leave us." Y/n crossed her arms and lazily looked at her brother.
"and miss this romantic moment?" he swam closer to his sister. Neteyam blushed at the statement and looked down.
Y/n looked at Neteyam and then glared at Ao'nung. "i will gut you." she whispered and took her knife out of her holster.
Ao'nung smirked and backed away. "calm down, we're leaving." Rotxo followed Ao'nung as their Ilus swam away.
"let's swim." Y/n suggested and swam away. Neteyam followed and went underwater. he swam faster and swam back up to the Metkayina girl.
Neteyam smiled at her and made his Ilus splash her with water. Y/n gasped and turned her head to Neteyam. he laughed and swam away from her.
"Neteyam!" Y/n exclaimed and chased after him.
her Ilu rode fast and up to Neteyams. she told the Ilu to swim behind his so he wouldn't see her unless he turned his whole body.
Y/n started to stand up on her Ilu and got ready to jump. she was crouched down and put her hand on the connection between her and the Ilu.
as she jumped, she disconnected the bond and landed on Neteyam.
Neteyam let out a yelp and fell off his Ilu. the two fell in the water as the Ilus swam away from them.
Neteyam swam up to the surface and inhaled. Y/n came up after him and laughed. "what was that for?" Neteyam wiped away the water from his eyes.
"you know well what that was for." Y/n splashed him with water again. Neteyam splashed back and soon they began a water fight.
they splashed water on each other until Y/n jumped on him again and shoved his head underwater.
Neteyam swam further u der the water, leaving Y/n confused. she didn't see him in the water. "Neteyam?" she called.
what she didn't see was Neteyam swimming up from behind her. he wrapped his arms around her legs and lifted her up.
Y/n screamed and flopped back down into the water. when she resurfaced, Neteyam was laughing and holding his stomach.
"calm down, it was not that funny." she deadpanned.
"you should have seen your face, ma Y/n." Neteyam laughed.
he didn't seemed to have noticed that he said 'ma Y/n' when they were the only ones there.
Y/n blushed and smiled. "come on, let's swim." she said and swam under the water. Neteyam followed behind her.
Y/n started to do a coupe of tricks, like turning in circles, doing twists and turns, and just all sorts of things.
Neteyam watched her in adoration. she looked beautiful swimming and underwater. she looked beautiful no matter where she was.
he swam up for a moment before diving back down. Y/n didn't seem to notice that he went up so he just swam back down to her.
Neteyam swam down to the bottom and turned his body so he was looking up at Y/n. she was turning in circles but she finally stopped.
her back was still arched but her face was mere inches away from Neteyams. Y/n looked down at Neteyams yellow eyes as he looked into hers.
Y/n's back was no longer arched and she was now flat against Neteyams body. Neteyam brought one of his hands up to her cheek and she put one of hers on his upper arm.
Neteyams heart began beating faster as Y/n started moving even closer to him. as his heart got faster, he struggled to breathe. bubbles began coming out of his mouth and his body twitched.
Y/n pulled away and pulled him up. she swam up to the surface and let him breathe. "are you alright?" she touched his shoulder.
Neteyam coughed and nodded his head.
"you still need to learn how to breathe." Y/n told him. Y/n started clicking her tongue and called for an Ilu.
one Ilu arrived and made a clicking sound. Y/n mounted it and connected their queues.
she gave Neteyam her hand. he grabbed it and she pulled him up. she told the Ilu to swim to the shore.
as the Ilu swam, Y/n spotted Lo'aks and Tsireyas Ilus swimming together. she smiled at the scene and continued to shore.
when they arrived to shore, Neteyam got off the Ilu and stepped on the rocks. he helped Y/n off the Ilu and onto the rocks safely.
"thanks.". she whispered. Y/n sat down on the rocks pulling Neteyam down with her. she crossed her legs and Neteyam did the same. "remember how to breathe, follow my breathing."
Y/n inhaled deeply and then exhaled through her mouth. Neteyam followed her motions as she watched him. "remember, breathe from down here." she pressed his stomach.
Neteyam nodded his head and felt her hands. she placed one of them on his chest and one on his stomach.
she chuckled as she felt his heartbeat. "slow down your heartbeat." she said without looking up at him.
"right." he whispered. he breathed in and out a couple of times and his heart started to slow down.
"good. now from down here." she pressed down on his stomach.
as Neteyam breathed in and out, Y/n turned her body away from him and faced the ocean. she told Neteyam to do the same and he did.
Y/n put one hand on his stomach and listened to the waves crash.
"the way of water has no beginning and no end." Y/n started reciting something Ronal always told her children. "the sea is around you and in you. the sea is your home before your birth and after your death. our hearts beat in the womb of the world." Y/n closed her eyes and sighed. "our breath burns in the shadows of the deep. the sea gives and the sea takes. water connects all things. life to death. darkness to light."
as Y/n finished, Neteyam had stopped practicing his breathing and looked at her. she looked next to her and looked at Neteyam.
"that was... beautiful." he smiled softly. Y/n smiled back and looked out to the sea. she stood up and stood by the edge of the rocks.
Y/n inhaled and brought her hands above her head. she looked over her shoulder and noises her head to Neteyam.
she jumped in, head first, and waited for Neteyam. soon she heard someone jump into the water.
Neteyam floated down to Y/n and waited for her to tell him what they were going to do. "wait here." she signed to him.
Y/n swam away from Neteyam, looking for a coral or a different type of seashell. after a couple of minutes, she found a coral and swam back to where she left Neteyam.
when Y/n got back, she didn't see Neteyam in the spot she left him. she looked up and saw his legs.
Y/n swam up and faced Neteyam. "hey." she said. Y/n held up the coral for him to look at. "i'm going to throw this into the ocean and you are going to retrieve it."
Neteyam nodded his head slowly, kind of understanding what she was saying. Y/n smiled to him and threw the coral.
she told him to wait for a second before telling him to dove after the coral. Neteyam swam underwater and Y/n waited for him to come back up.
"hey, what are you doing?" Y/n looked behind her and saw Rotxo behind her.
"Neteyam is diving for a coral i threw." she said.
"right..." Rotxo slowly nodded his head and then looked around. "where's Kiri?" he asked.
Y/n smirked and looked at Rotxo. he looked around and then back at Y/n. when he saw her look he backed away a little. "what?"
"you like Kiri." she said smirking.
Rotxo stuttered and blushed, looking at everything but Y/n. "wh- what are- what are you talking a-about." he scratched the back of his head.
"she's not here." Y/n shook her head.
"then you are no use to me." he walked away from her. "bye!" he waved his hand.
Y/n chuckled and shook her head. Y/n heard the water splash behind her. "Y/n!"
Y/n turned around and saw Neteyam holding the coral in his hand. "i did it! i have it!" he exclaimed in happiness.
"you did it!" she grabbed his hand and looked at the coral. "good job." she smiled at her.
a horn was blown telling everyone that it was dinner time. Y/n climbed up the rocks and then helped Neteyam up.
they walked together to the dining area, completely ignoring the fact that they were holding hands.
the two were talking about how Neteyam got the coral and almost lost his breath while he was under water.
when they got to the area, almost everyone was inside and stopped doing whatever they were doing and looked at the two.
Neteyam and Y/n stopped talking and looked at everyone in confusion on why they were looking at them.
Y/n looked over at her her family and at Tsireya. her sister gave her a soft look and looked down at their hands.
Y/n looked down and saw that her and Neteyam were holding hands. she jumped away from him and walked to her family.
Neteyam watched her, already missing her hand in his. but nonetheless he walked over to his family and ate with them.
"what was that?" Tsireya whispered to her older sister as she sat down next to her.
"nothing." she whispered back.
"Y/n?"
"yes, mother?" Y/n turned her head to Ronal.
"you and Tsireya are coming with me to collect some stones." she told them.
Y/n and Tsireya looked at each other and smiled. they have always loved going there, it was always so beautiful.
Y/n looked at the Sully family and saw Tuk and Kiri talking to each other. "can Kiri and Tuk come with us?"
Ronal looked up at her daughter in surprise. "what?"
"it will be a good learning experience for them." Y/n turned back to her family and started eating her food. "we want that, don't we?"
"yes." Ronal whispered. "fine they may join. we leave in five minutes." she said and stood up.
Y/n stood up too and walked to the Sully family. as she got closer she could see Lo'ak giving Neteyam some kind of shell.
"hello, Sullys." Y/n greeted them. Jake turned around and nodded his head to her. Neytiri did the same while the kids just said hello. "i have come to ask you if it was alright that Kiri and Tuk could come with us for stones." she asked Jake and Neytiri.
"is it far away?" Neytiri asked.
"no, they would be back in one hour or less." she answered.
Jake looked at his wife who needed her head. "they can go, if they want to." Jake told her.
"yay!" Tuk cheered and pulled on Kiris hand.
"wait, why don't we get to come?" Lo'ak pointed at himself and his brother.
Y/n smiled apologetically to them. "this is more of a girls thing, sorry."
"when do we leave?" Kiri asked the girl.
Y/n turned around and looked at her sister. Tsireya waved her hand telling her they were going. "now." Y/n answered and pulled the forest girl to the ocean.
Tuk was following them and was falling a bit behind. "wait for me!" she whined.
Kiri and Y/n laughed and jumped into the water. Tuk was soon in the water too.
the three started swimming to where Ronal and Tsireya were. Y/n had finally spotted them and there were some caped jellyfishes near them.
they swam closer to the women and stopped in front of Tsireya.
Tsireya grabbed one of the caped jellyfishes and told Tuk to swim closer. she trapped the jellyfishes queue and made Tuk connect with it.
"this will help you breathe." Y/n signed to them.
they have one to Kiri and got one themselves. Y/n started picking the glowing stones and put them in a bag that she kept with her.
she saw Tuk swimming around just happy to be there, while Kiri was waving her hands and some glowing fishes started to follow her motion.
Y/n looked at Kiri and smiled. she truly is something special.
『••✎••』
please do not forget to vote, it really motivates me to write more <3
fun fact it took me an hour to find that gif and i made 30 like banners different coloured to choose one of them.
also olo'eykte is olo'eyktan just like the female word for it.