Atwow - Blog Posts

Futures

Neteyem and Ao'nung lead the Metkayina

Ao'nung becomes the Ole'kytan of his clan with Neteyam as his mate

Neteyam always planned to go back to the Omaticaya but he finds his home is with Ao'nung

It hurts him the most of his siblings, the forest always feeling like home, but he brings his culture to the oceans too

He and Spider cultivate and explore the forests along the coast

They aren't the same, but he helps them to expand

They create homes there where a few immigrants will eventually settle, but they also make themselves a little home in the trees

It's much like the one he grew up in and he and his siblings each have a hammock there

It's their safe place as a family

Ao'nung is his clan leader but he's this right hand, it's also the way they officially merge/ally their clans

The two have two kids

They have an oldest boy and a younger daughter, a parallel they both snicker at

Their boy takes after Ao'nung in personality but Neteyam physically. He's headstrong and stubborn, a trouble maker in a way that reminds Neteyam of Lo'ak

Still, they both work really hard so that he doesn't end up with the same pressure they both grew up with

Having an oldest son brought up a lot of painful memories but they work really hard to break the cycle

It takes a lot of healing but they get there

Their daughter, on the other hand, is a very laid back, very relaxed personality

Not much phases her

She's a strong diplomat but truthfully has little motivation to take on leadership, she's a complete opposite to her Dads but a refreshing reminder that war is over

She makes them slow down and enjoy their time again

They joke a lot that Ewya gave them their children to heal them just as much as they were to raise them

Spider mates Rotxo young, they're the second pair to officiate their relationship (Lo'ak and Tsireya are first)

Spider works a lot in dealing with the remaining humans post-war

All soldiers are forced back to Earth under threat of death. It's a scary change to Na'vi culture, but Jake ensures it's a must. The citizens of the colonies are treated similarly, the only exception being those with children

They're allowed the raise their children on Pandora until they can be sent back or they're to leave immediately with their children left behind

This is where is hurts Spider the most as it drudges up bad memories, but still, it's a must

He works in managing those sent back and those remaining. He helps them to adapt to Pandora and understand before they're sent to Earth

Similarly, he helps the fostered children left behind to understand the world they've been left on

It's coincidentally how he and Rotxo get their first daughter

Anea is the second child of the next generation and the second human born on Pandora. She becomes one of three born there. Spider and Rotxo adopt her at about 6 months

Their next children won't be for another 6 or so years when they adopt two Ash na'vi boys.

Spider becomes very close to the Ash clans during the war and they're the sons of a dear friend that dies in a skirmish a few years after the war (the end of the war doesn't necessarily bring immediate peace)

The boys take some time to adapt to their new lives and parents, but soon they have a little family of 5

The older boy is a lot like Neteyam and Ao'nungs oldest and they bond quickly, but the younger is much shyer

He becomes attached to Rotxo and so Rotxo often has to work with the younger boy as his shadow

Their last child is several years later and is a little metkayina girl. She's a lot like Tuk was and finishes off their little family

Spider spends a lot of time helping the younger children of the village and teaches them about Ewya with Kiri since he's unable to do some of the typical jobs

still, he works as a diplomat and helps Neteyam in exploring the coast

Rotxo becomes a warrior and works closely with Ao'nung as another level of support. He's a warrior and a diver, but volunteers at the cook fires regularly

Kiri is the last to mate but the first to settle into her calling

She takes after her birth mother as a teacher

Although she stays with the Metkayina, she spends many years traveling and visiting the other tribes. She helps them to connect with Ewya and explore the other cultures

When she settles, she mates to another Metkayina woman and raises a human son, the last human born on Pandora.

The child is slightly younger than Spider and Rotxo's Anea, but he is the last of his kind

She raises him with her mate but initially adopts him herself with her mate coming in when he's a few years old

Despite being able to fight and her experience in war, she doesn't lift her weapon again once the war finishes

She sets up schools her travels before settling down with her own, though she still goes on occasion to continue it on

She becomes a master storyteller and learns to be patient with the children, deciding to teach so that history won't repeat itself

Eventually, she also teaches about Earth

Her lessons cover anything and everything she can

She makes it her mission that stories will never be lost, not like when hometree fell

Lo'ak and Tsireya are the first couple to mate and the first to get together, much to Tonowari's disbelief

Tsireya becomes Tsahik and Lo'ak a warrior

It's a bit of chaos with them being mated and their older brothers being mated on top of also being Ole'kytan and Tsahik respectively but they make it work

They're probably the simplest couple and they just seem to fall into place

They have three girls, the oldest being an accidental pregnancy about a year into their relationship

All three are little menaces but both are absolutely wrapped around their fingers

The oldest has a few year age gap with the younger two but their youngest are barely a year a part

All three are very close and team up often with Spiders boys to cause trouble throughout the clan

Neteyam still has to clean up after his brothers and it seems the tradition passed onto his son with his cousins

They have a lot of trauma to heal from but they went through a lot of it together

They're one anothers rock

They boast about being the ones everyone goes to for relationship advice since they're been together so long

They were also the most experienced with babies aside from Rotxo because of Tsireya's youngest sibling

There was a brief period where Lo'ak had to lead the forest people for their father and it was probably the hardest part of their relationship

They were apart but also on opposite sides of handling it with Tsireya a healer and Lo'ak a fighter

In the end it did make them stronger though and it's what ended in their mating

Love languages

Spiders love languages are acts of service and quality time

He spent a large amount of time alone and figuring things out for and by himself so having people put the attention on him is his weakness

He's embarrassed to admit it but he loves attention. Kiri is the only sibling to realize how much he'll preen under it and teases him for it relentlessly

Similarly, he's one to show his love by trying to help them and give them his time, however, the favor is only ever returned by his siblings. Hence, it gets him flustered to be the target of help or focus

Lucky for him, Rotxo is exactly this type

Rotxo's love language is also acts of service but also gift giving. He loves to make things for those he loves and puts his time towards them to show it

Much like Spider, reversing this onto him will fluster him to oblivion

Hence, their courting is the bane of all the kids existences

They're both usually in the background and so neither can handle it when they're brought to attention

Spider will go hunting for coastal animals for Rotxo since it's a rarer event in the Metkayina meals to have land food

He and his brothers take it upon themselves to help change that, but Spider will specifically snag cuts of meat for Rotxo since he loves to cook

He also makes Kiri help him find herbs and such similar to what they had a home which he helps Rotxo explore when he cooks

There's a lot of nights they end up eating scraps cause Spider isn't exactly the best one to show him how to cook. A, he has little talent for it and B, he couldn't eat half of what he grew up around

Rotxo ends up tentatively approaching Neytiri (who actually terrifies him despite him growing up with Ronal) to get help in cooking Omaticaya foods

She's adopted Spider at this point, but their relationship is still not nearly as close as it is with her other children so it's one of the ways she starts to mend that bridge

Rotxo and Neytiri bond over feeding their families and sharing their cultures recipes

Rotxo also puts more effort into finding human-friendly foods. He refuses to accept that his mate can't have the good foods he loves just because of some measly poison

Spider has accidentally been poisoned several times but doesn't have the heart to tell Rotxo to stop trying or to deny trying his creations

If they cook together, Spider is on chopping and cutting since he has the best knife skills and the least cooking skills

Rotxo is a solid chef but has a questionable palette at time and has made some rather interesting meals that only pass by the questionable tastes of teenage boys

By the time they're young adults, Neteyam and Tsireya have to step in and help them make better decisions

While Spider brings gifts from land, Rotxo likes to bring Spider gifts from the water

Even with his mask, Spider isn't able to get but so deep before the pressure bothers his head

He's a strong swimmer and keeps up normally but there's certain limits his human body can't breach

So Rotxo will dive for him and bring him little gifts

Shells and rocks are common for his braids or the jewelry he's now covered in but Rotxo also brings him little bottom-feeders so he can see it all. He'll bring the little creatures to show Spider before he'll thank them and return them

Spider just sits on his ilu or whatever rocks they've found and grins, watching this giant race to and from to show him whatever it is he's found this time

On the note of jewelry, they're both covered in necklaces, beaded clothing pieces, and bracelets that they've made for one another. shells, stones, bone beads, and whatever else they find adorn them both. Rotxo can't always wear so many in the water so he'll wrap his spear and daggers in them and leave the rest to decorate their marui. Spider, on the other hand, has most of his on at all times

It reminds him that he's wanted, that someone loved him enough to make them

Spider grew up working with some of the elders and mothers making garments for the clan and so he gifts Rotxo with belts and shoulder-guards he made with his cultures skills and Rotxo's styles and resources.

Neytiri has to help a lot, women is keeping them both together in a lot of ways

Rotxo sorts through his clothes to try and wear them all, he loves the feeling of being loves and shown off when he wears what Spider has made him

Gift giving between the two is constant

They also are one of the best teams when they work together

While other couples (Lo'ak and Tsireya) work together and struggle to get through tasks, they play off of one another constantly

They meet in the middle very well and are just very in tune with one another

With their jobs, Spider working among the clan or on the coast and Rotxo being a diver and warrior, they don't get to work together as often as they like so when they do, it's a sight

They're the type to finish one another’s task without care or notice. Both grew up as someone's right hand and being in the background so hard work is nothing new

Similarly, they're deadly as a duo

Spider will literally use Rotxo as a spring board and combine strength and agility in a deadly combination

They have each other's back at the end of the day no matter what

Everything comes back to wanting the other to never feel alone or unwanted

They just love to take care of one another man

Neteyam is gay. Like, no doubts about it, man is a homosexual.

That takes him a long time to admit though; his entire identity surrounded being the oldest and a warrior, it wasn't until he reached the Metkayina that he finally had a moment to breath and realize why Ao'nung was so distracting to him

It's like he can finally breathe, not even for the sake of questioning his sexuality and more so cause he finally feels like a piece of the puzzle clicked together

Homie has identity issues galore

It takes Jake back a bit to realize Neteyam is gay though, in part due to internalized earth stuff but also just because he has to admit that Neteyam is a teenager and still feels teenager things in a war

It's him realizing Neteyam only grew up in war, that its already been his childhood

Spider is demiromantic, bisexual, and trans. He has almost zero preference towards gender romantically or physically but feelings take a minute for him to develop. However, when they do, he falls hard

I love trans!Spider but don't use it all the time cause it's a process to work in canon

However, FTM Spider was sort of a clumsy coming out

Na'vi are intersex, it's very fluid, even if some still believe there should be some version of a binary

So no one quite understand why the humans are so strict on their genders or why it's such a big deal for Spider than he is a he and not a she.

He just sort of breaks down with Lo'ak and Kiri who panic and try to fix things. He thinks it's a big thing and no one really gives a shit, he's still the little stray human, but some of the older teens and stuff realize how much he cares and make an effort to make him feel good about it

He worries it'll make him more of a freak but he has a gaggle of siblings, and later friends, who reassure him that they couldn't particularly care less

His coming out is what triggers Kiri's

Kiri is an asexual lesbian who uses she/they pronouns

Unlike the romantic preferences, being asexual is a little bigger of a deal but Neytiri specifically will shut down anyone who gives her baby any shit

Being ace is a bigger thing because there is so much emphasis on intimacy and seeing one another, however, Kiri very passionately proves to anyone that she doesn't need sex to connect with anyone.

Lo'ak has actively gotten into fights to help when people start shit with them

Kiri didn't really have a sexuality crisis though

They just kind of knew, something her brothers are endlessly jealous of

Tsireya is her first crush though

Lo'ak is the one who gets it bad but Kiri admittedly fell hard for her

She was gorgeous and sweet, cared about the environment around them in a way no one their age ever seems to

Plus she stands up for her and Kiri wanted to show her what she sees so bad it made her stomach curl

But she stepped back for Lo'ak, as bittersweet as it was, she felt so good just enjoying the innocent feeling

It just felt good to have normal teenage feelings in the midst of a war

Lo'ak is bisexual, however, he would tell you he is Tsireyasexual

He is one track minded

The most loyal partner ever tho

Like, if you're his person, he is honed in

Being bi was never really a huge thing for him but he was the last one of all the teenagers to come out

He just forgot

He was sitting with Tsireya while everyone hung out and Tsireya pointed out a cute guy to him and they took in the view together while everyone kind of just ??? this is new?

It wasn't, homie really just forgot to tell people

It was a given to him

Funnily enough, he has the same taste as Kiri

Tsireya is not the first girl they both liked

While he is bi, he does lean mostly towards girls

He's a sucker for pretty

It's bad, Tsireya flutters her lashes at him and he'll do damn near anything

A simp (TM)

Tuk is too young rn to really care but when she's older, I think she's pan

People her age are much fewer and she just likes friends

Her first crush is Rotxo's little sister cause she keeps following him to hang out when Tuk is a preteen

She's hella obvious and all of the older ones think it's hilarious to tease her, she's worse than Lo'ak when he first saw Tsireya

She's bringing her shells and little flowers, trying to show off in games and dress pretty

Tsireya and Neteyam take mercy and help her get her act together but nothing comes of it

Once it starts tho she's a hopeless romantic

She has a new crush every other week of her early teen years but never gets to be a better flirt

She's a mini Lo'ak that way

He tries to coach her and says she didn't get it from him but it's obvious

Ao'nung is demi. He leans towards men physically but he is almost as bad as Neteyam in terms of thinking himself responsible for everyone

Tonowari tries desperately to break him of that mindset and Ronal is constantly trying to take pressure off of him but it's just in his nature

So he, like Neteyam, doesn't think about relationships much

He has, however, been a hopeless romantic with a laundry list of brief crushes over the years

He falls hard for Neteyam though when he arrives

Mainly because he finally feels seen, he's a big one on emotional connections

No one at home understands the pressure on him so when Neteyam shows up, shepherding siblings and standing as his fathers right hand, he doesn't know what to do

He tries to cover it up, worried still for the safety of his clan, and scare them off

A little selfish part of him was afraid of the feelings and wanted them gone

Clearly that doesn't work but, once they realize they both like one another, it doesn't take him long to latch on

He and Neteyam become close rapidly and fall into a relationship fast once things are started (a genuine surprise to literally everyone)

A very devoted partner; he learned from his Dad and takes being a good partner seriously

it took him a really long time to feel confident in himself so once he and Neteyam are together, he's devoted to becoming a strong partner to demonstrate a strong relationship to his partner

Metkayina are extremely family based and he will not let them down

Tsireya is pan

She has so much love in her she doesn't know what to do with it

Falls hard and fast, Ao'nung has spent years trying to keep her from falling for everyone who she connects just a little bit with

Actually did have a crush on Kiri too, though she had one on Lo'ak at the same time

Might by poly but she never investigates it

She's very spiritual and spends a lot of time with the ancestors so her partner needs to care too

Like she makes Lo'ak ask the ancestors for their blessing when she accepts his courting

He was scared shitless and got teasingly (?) threatened by her deceased uncle

She cares deeply about helping others to the point of being naive - she has gotten hurt before because of it so she needs some reassurances in relationships

Lo'ak is not her first relationship but he is the first really healthy one

She's prone to trying to fix people honestly, she doesn't get what she puts in a lot

However, when she does, she's a little angel

Gifts, cooking, help; whatever she can do to show her love she'll do

Wants to be Tsahik so she's terrified Neteyam will take the job

He lets her happily, preferring to be a line of defense for his people regardless

Rotxo has no clue what he is

He just knows he likes Spider

He's a giant softie

Like gentle giant himbo vibes but fiercely protective of his family

Very proud of his home and his heritage

He has two moms so sexuality wasn't really a big deal growing up, however, he just didn't really care

He just likes who he likes

He had a bigass crush on Ao'nung for a bit but later realized it was just a deep platonic love

Unlike most of the crew, he doesn't fall easily

Like he has had maybe 2 crushes his entire life

So falling for Spider is a shock

But he's just happy to find his feelings returned

He's a big provider type, likes giving gifts and taking care of his friends

He has a lot of issues about feeling useful and needed; he grew up in Ao'nungs shadow and so feels like he needs to fight to be seen

Hence part of how he and Spider bonded

While very gentle, he's very passionate about being a warrior once he finally feels like he has a reason to be

Does a lot of soul searching after the Sullys come

He still has a lot to learn about himself but feels much more at peace now that he doesn't feel like just Ao'nungs best friend

Songcord

Tuk was the one who realized that Spider didn't have a songcord

He had been around for a while at this point, having become a constant around the time Kiri learned to walk. She doesn't understand why her Mama hates him and says to stay away - Lo'ak and Kiri like him a lot and they have more fun chasing him then Neteyam! Neteyam is too fast and Spider is her size.

He's nice and lets her climb him and carries her even though her big siblings say she's getting too big - which, if Spider can carry her she is most certainly not too big - and plays her games while the others go to their training or apprenticeships

Sometimes he even brings her feathers and pretty things for her hair!

So yeah, when she gets to have her ceremony and holds her songcord for the first time, she's beyond concerned to find out that Spider doesn't have one

While they’re little, the cords hang in their hut until they're old enough to decide what to do with them. As it is, Lo'ak wants to braid his in his hair and Neteyam wants to put it on his bow like his mother. But there's a gap, one thats probably accidental, and she knows Spider should have his there

So she makes it her mission to be the best little sister ever and make one for him

After-all, if no one else is gonna do it then she, a craft master, is most certainly qualified

Grandmother makes most of the cords in the early stages so she inconspicuously asks for the twine to start it and how to make a bead. She asks why she needs it and Tuk tells her it's for her mother. Grandmother looks hopeful at that and gives it to her easily so Tuk knows she agrees with her. It's not till years later that she'll realize that Grandmother thought her mother had a realization...or another pregnancy. But she likes to think the first.

But...making beads is harder than she thought

She uses bone she found near the cooking fires - which, gross, Spider better like it - but whittling it is hard with only sharp pieces of the bone and rocks she found

The bead she makes is jagged and not very round and she almost cut herself a dozen times cause it's sharper than it looks but finally she has something that resembles the first beads on her cord. The knots are easier and she adds it to the start with pride. She adds a little of his blue paint cause it's his and that way it starts with him and her. Right as it should.

But even her cord has more than one bead.

Making this one was hard but Spider is her big brother and she can do it - besides, the look on her siblings faces when she presents his gift will be worth it.

So she starts wandering the outskirts of high camp with the cord on her belt. While she searches, she hums the first chords she can add. A happy little tune with a dramatic flourish; perfect so he remembers her when he sings it.

However, finding anything of use near the camp is proving futile. Nothing she finds is strong enough for a bead and the feathers are muddy and gross.

With her fathers determination, she sneaks past the bushes lining camp and into the forest

She makes it approximately 5 feet before Neteyam scoops her up.

Neteyam groans and Tuk finds herself propped up on chest, legs locked around his hips. She whines and squirms but unfortunately Neteyam is a seasoned big brother and there's no success in her attempted escape.

"Tuktuk, what do you think you're doing? You know you're not allowed outside of camp." The look on his face is disappointed and her tummy twists at the sight, but she has a good reason!

"I needed better bead stuff, the stuff in camp is yucky or is too hard." She whines but it isn't until he responds that she realizes her mistake.

"Bead supplies? Tuk what do you need bead supplies for?"

And so the surprise is busted

But...maybe she could get help

"..Spider doesn't have a songcord. I have one, you have one, Lo' has one, and Kiri has one...but he doesn't...so I'm making it. But I only have one bead."

And Neteyam doesn't know how to respond to that

Spider has been around since he could walk, they were together while Jake and Neytiri visited Kiri in her incubator, he realistically should have several beads by now. His chord should have his birth, his family, his first bow, the feather of his first kill...but Spider isn't Na'vi. He's not of the People...but it's Spider

Mom really wouldn't like it

But...it's Spider

And so he finds himself snatching Kiri's arm while she leaves her lessons. Covering her mouth when she shrieks and Tuk grabs her leg. Which, he doesn't really know why she did that, but it's Tuk. He pulls her between the huts while the other kids move on and mumbles his apology.

"Tuk, 'Teyam, what in Ewya's name are you doing?" She hisses, ears bent back, and eyes narrow. Her tail swishes angrily behind her and Neteyam realizes belatedly he could have done this better.

"We need your help. It-It's for Spider, we're making him a songcord. Tuk made him a bead but...we need help making more. You work with Grandmother, can you help us?"

And if Neteyam knows anything, its his sisters weakness for their oldest friend.

It's a long pause while she processes but soon, she relaxes, and he feels the tension leave his shoulders. Her tail slows and she takes a deep breath before she replies; "..fine. But if we do this, we all do this. Get Lo'ak and meet me behind Grandmothers. Quietly. She's out with Mother but I don't want to explain this before its done...you know Mom will be pissed, right?"

And Neteyam does...damn he does, but he nods.

With determination, they're off.

And so that is how he finds himself in a clumsy circle with his siblings surrounding him. Bone and wood are in the center of their circle, small paints with them, and a jumble of small blades. Kiri has seen Grandmother do this before and so she leads them through making their beads with a different ease than Tuk found by herself

Tuk spends the time weaving feathers into the bottom of the chord and adding bits of paint to the finished beads. They make a bags worth, albeit a small bag, for Spider too. He'll need more. Their beads by no means look to par with their own but they try their best. Each painting and carving with as much patience as they can muster.

It takes them the rest of the day but soon they have a small pile ready. Kiri takes the pieces and spends the next day tying the knots and attaching them as secure as a 10 year old can.

It's time consuming but in a few days of work between apprenticeships, meals, and whatever else may keep them within sight of the adults, they have a songcord

Its messier than theirs and small, the knots aren't as tight and the symbolism in it is meager. They wanted to keep it happy but without parents to record his beginnings, its small knots of Spider growing up in basecamp with the first beads being the familial bead they each made of themselves. They added feathers from some of their favorite varieties to the bottom and, in place of training memories, added times he won a game or did something cool. It's different but so is their brother.

They decide to present it to him together, since it was something they all made. Normally he would have a ceremony for it but they decide that his could be them.

They steal him away in the evening, right before it's time for him to head back to camp. They want him alone so the adults can ruin the moment; while some of the younger adults have accepted Spider into their ranks, they don't know how the older warriors would respond.

Tuk is the one who catches him and pulls him into the treeline. They settle into the clearing where they usually play and, anxiously, they give Tuk the cord. She walks forward and nervously holds it out. The older trio sit in nervous silence as they wait for Spider to respond.

"I...guys what is this?" Spiders face is bright red and they'd worry if it weren't for the smile trying to win over his face.

"It..its your cord, Bro. Tuk said you don't have one so...we made it." Lo'ak responds first and scoots closer, Tuk at his side. "I-I made the first one and then I got the feathers and the pretty rocks on the bottom. Kiri and 'teyam and Lo' made most of the beads but I helped paint 'em. The bag has more for later cause Kiri knows how to knot 'em in. And...And we made the song too.." Tuk grins, nervous but clearly excited. She turns and runs to her sister who begins to hum

Kiri closes her eyes, humming softly the little song her siblings made for him. Spiders grinning at this point, 12 years old and teary eyed. He scoots closer and pulls the siblings into a hug as she finishes.

"Thank you, thank you-" He cuts himself off laughing, the others joining in. There they stay until eclipse is waning over their heads and time is up.

Spider braids the cord into his hair and it's with him when Quaritch catches him. They don't know its significance to take if from him but he clings to it in his cell, humming the song to himself as he waits for help thats not coming.

Friendships

Kiri and Spider have been best friends since the beginning

They met when Kiri was still an infant and Spider around 2. He still wasn't allowed to leave the labs but he snuck in to one of Kiri's checkups

He was a climber and a builder - hence his name - and so it was hard to keep him out of where he wanted to be

So when the toddler heard another cry in the building it was only a matter of time before he found it

He wanders, stumbling through the offices he's confined to and sneaking until he reaches the Avatars

Jake is there, Kiri in his arms, sitting next to Ms. Grace's tank. He's talking and it sounds like a story which Spider loves so he of course toddles his way over. He climbs into the Na'vi's lap without regard for his size, skin, or the fact that he's only met Jake a handful of times.

Jake, to his credit, catches the tiny human with a free palm under his butt. Paying no heed to the flabbergasted look on the mans face, he peers down to stroke the girls cheek

He flies for a moment while Jake tries to keep them apart but then the girl has his hand in her palm

She blinks up with big eyes and Spider offers a giant toothless grin: there was no going back after that

Neteyam comes with Kiri

He's Spiders age but double his size, 2' taller for the 2 months he's younger

Still, Spider doesn't let the few kids his age on Pandora get away. He's a social butterfly and opts to conquer Neteyam's introverted ways.

And so he toddles after the blue boy everytime he comes with his sister

Kiri is growing fast, especially next to human growth standards, but she still has a ways to go to meet Spider, so her big brother will have to do

It's 3 months of toddling after him, pulling his tail, and playing with the pretty beads adoring his hair while Neytiri tries desperately to keep the little human away from him

But, once again, containing Spider is mission the adults surrounding him have yet to accomplish

And so Neteyam finds himself with a little blonde flea attached to his side

He chases the younger boy through the halls, giggling at the tiny hisses Neteyam lets out when he catches him. He pulls his tail and climbs onto his big boy bed - he can use the grown up bunks now! - while Neteyam tackles his obstacles with ease.

The other boy is shyer but Spider has learned how to rile him up by now

They play for the hour or two that Jake spends with Kiri getting monitored in the labs. If Neytiri is there then it's harder, but Spider can normally get a story for them at least.

It continues on for a while with Kiri joining them as she starts to crawl, then toddle with their hair or her brothers tail in her fist

And it seems that gets Spider a little too comfortable

Namesake on full display, he tries to climb the bunkbed ladders of the bunk room while Neteyam is chasing him

He's gotten far too big for most of Spiders tricks to slow him down so the child thinks this is his chance to get a rare upper hand

Except bunk beds are tall and metal is slick and maybe Spider isn't really that much of a big kid yet

He really does try to catch himself but its too slippery and he hits the ground hard

The scientists around the lab don't like it when he cries and really does try to keep it in, but his arm really hurts and he can't help but let it escape

He waits for Neteyam to mock him or tell him to stop but instead finds himself craddled against the boys chest.

"Shhhh, shh, 's okay Spi, just stop cryin'. I-I'll get my Daddy and Uncl' Norm." Spider only shakes his head and cries more, clinging to the other boys beads.

"No'uh, 'm okay. 'm a big boy."

Neteyam stutters for a minute before he nods. The two boys stay curled on the floor for a few minutes then with Spiders arm cradled between them.

"Don't worry, 'm here Spi. Every'tings okay."

Their relationship is never as close as the others growing up but there's an understanding between them the others never have

They're equals, the two oldest brothers.

They might be opposites but they've got one another's backs...even if that's just taking left while the other takes right to corner Lo'ak at highcamp.

Neteyam never made friends easily

Spider forced himself into the picture and his siblings never really got a choice in the matter

Sure, being the Ole'ekytans son meant some of the other kids would clamor for his attention but he never did good at being more than casual

Responsibilities stack on him like like the berries on Tuks tarts: he doesn't have the time or strength to devote to anything else

His siblings are enough though. There's a war and he can't loose focus or they'll get hurt

He left them once and lost Spider - he won't let it happen again

It gets lonely though

He chases after his kid brother and protects his sisters from as much as he can but...there's no one to look after him

Then he meets Ao'nung

Ao'nung is brave and cool and gets it in a way his siblings just can't

He may not have grown up in a war but he has a little sister and another on the way - he knows the responsibility of an important father and its addicting to have that person in his life

They lean on eachother, quietly, and he finally has something for himself

He tells him things he never told anyone else

He talks about his fathers expectations and pressure, his mothers trauma, his worry over the human they left behind, and his fear for Kiri's future. He talks about Lo'ak running into danger and Tuk losing her innocence and Ao'nung talks about his anger. About the fear he has of whats to come, about Tsireya and how he worries this will break her. He's weak around him and Neteyam savors it.

Time goes by and he gets hurt. His arm might never be the same as it was and his ear still rings with the echoes of gunshots but he has his brother back and his family is safe

Neytiri finally, finally lets Spider come home but it's not over

He doesn't think it ever will be

But Ao'nung slips his hand into his and maybe he'll be okay

Maybe he doesn't have to do this alone

Rotxo was Ao'nungs first friend

They were friends from the first time they sat through lessons together and they've been attached at the hip ever since

Rotxo knows Ao'nung will be a great Ole'ekytan but he'll need a right hand and Rotxo is ready to step up

For a long time he thinks maybe he'll be more than that but the Sullys arrive and they both find that path a different way

Still, they're eachothers person

They back one another up no matter what and there is rarely one without the other

In training they pair up, have joint moves that they make just for themselves and know the others gaps or weaknesses like its their own

Tonowari didn't want to train them for war but they didn't want to risk being unprepared

So when the sky people reach their waters, they spend every hour they can steal with one another

They spar and wrestle and carve more weapons

Their hands shake with fear and adrenaline but they keep their thighs pressed to the others and carry on

Rotxo gains muscle mass and Ao'nung learns to use a bow Neteyam carved. They grow their skills, their strength, but also their fear

Unlike the Sullys, they didn't grow up with war on the horizon

They don't know what's coming and cling to each other while they can.

No matter what, they know they can rely on the other

It isn't until they see Quaritch dead that they'll let go of the breath they're holding but they hold the other up until then

Nothing could pry them apart and nothing that tries will walk away

Spider brainrot

I've seen this before but he did his hair in the dreads to try and mimic Jake; no one ever really taught him how to maintain or care for his hair. After getting taken, his hair is in such bad condition they shave it to his scalp.

It grows back curly and darker than he expected. It takes a while to thicken but Kiri rubs salves and oils into his hair to help. When its finally back in decent shape she and Tsireya go to town braiding an styling it.

He ends up with longer hair eventually that is in Viking braids to the back of his head, then it's a messy bunch of curls down to his shoulders.

Once he is accepted into the family, Neytiri helps him braid in family beads to remind him that he's theirs now. It's small but she needs him to know she's there.

Tuk likes to collect shells and pretty stones to make jewelry and she ends up using some to braid into his hair - her other siblings don't let her but Spider can seriously not say no to her

He and Tsireya get along a lot better than anyone expected

After getting tortured and having to deal with so much so fast, her calming presence does really well for him. Plus, he has all the blackmail she could want on Lo'ak

They also are both secret gossips and will sneak away for "lessons" where they ride her ilu and talk shit

Rotxo takes a special liking to Spider and it freaks Ao'nung and Lo'ak the fuck out

Netyam (cause he's alive here bitch) is hovering constantly trying to make sure he's not getting bullied but they just genuinely vibe together

Rotxo has a crush on Spider and Kiri. They both know about him liking the other but not themselves.

Spider is demi/bi, Kiri is demi/ace, Lo'ak is bi, Neteyam is gay, Tisreya has no damn clue, Ao'nung is bi but closeted, and Rotxo is pan.

About half the younger na'vi love Spider cause funny little monkey boy and y'know, life is already weird and the other half woul lowkey drown him if left alone

That goes for Lo'ak too but that's just cause he's a little shit

Spreading the Rotxo x Spider agenda

Listen they're buddies

Rotxo has no clue what the hell he's supposed to do with this little demon when he shows up after Three Brothers Rock but he keeps showing up and he's actually kind of cool

He's like Lo'ak but slightly calmer?? He'll dive headfirst off the cliffs but he'll also sunbathe for 3 hours and that's the energy he needs

At first, their relationship is sorta tense; Lo'ak gave them a run for their money the first time they tried the mean girl routine but a few still try to pick on Spider

Seeing his siblings band around him and he himself attempt to bite and claw his way out of it is sort of his introduction to the group

(aka that's when he realizes they're cool, Kiri dragged Spider with them about a half hour after they got settled)

Meanwhile Spider lowkey thinks Rotxo is a little bitch tbh, it takes until Rotxo punches a guy for him to separate him from Ao'nung at all

Once they start actually talking its game over

Rotxo falls first but Spider falls harder

Spider grew up with absolutely 0 belief that anyone would ever be romantically interested in him and so he never really paid that stuff any mind

So when Rotxo tentatively offers him a courting gift, he has literally no clue why everyone is freaking out cause they're just bros???

But Kiri insists on braiding the little beads into the front of his hair and Rotxo damn near goes down when he sees his gift accepted

Listen he acts all big and tough but he's a big damn softie

Homie is a marshmallow

His next gift was a pair of woven gloves that honestly are absolute crap cause Na'vi don't normally need them but Jake may have quietly dropped that it could help Spider with riding

because yes, Jake is in on it and dammit he needs to make up for the lost Dad time

Spider thinks they're the shit and starts trying to make more pairs. At first, Rotxo thinks his weren't good enough until an even shittier pair ends up on his Marui in the morning

Kiri eventually sits Spider down to be like ",,, you know how na'vi courting is...right??"

But he thinks she is trying to get him to notice his feelings for Rotxo (which she is) and court him (she groaned so loud the birds flew away)

So they both start attempting to court the other, not realizing that the other already is

It isn't until Tsireya sits them down 3 months in and sounds it out for them that they realize anything

At that point though they just settle into a courtship filled with competition

Cause now someone needs to win

Gifts, lessons, help, etc fly between them to everyone's amusement and frustration

Eventually, Rotxo gets a little too confident and gets him a blend of herbs from Ronal that is not human safe and that's when they finally have to call it quits (Spider is adamant that almost killing your boyfriend means he won)

Rotxo is the second person that Spider tells what happened to him in his captivity

(Kiri was the first, they spent hours one night lamenting everything that happened with their feet in the water)

Unlike Kiri, Rotxo had no idea what the sky people are capable of

It's he who finally gets Spider to tell the Sullys, Tonowari, and Norm what happened

Rotxo trains him with Neteyam to get Spider's strength back up, trying to help him regain his abilities from before and feel capable again

Spider never really got real lessons on much of anything, it was all that Neteyam and Lo'ak taught him after Jakes lessons or the few times he snuck with them on a hunt

So his fighting style is a weird mix of instinct, forest techniques, and the military skills he picked up in Bridgehead

Rotxo thinks its hot lowkey but Ao'nung and Tonowari decide he needs real training

(Especially if he's gonna be a part of their clan someday)

Thoughts??? I have many

Spixo?? Roter?? Tf are they called??

Anyway

Rotxo has identity issues and has a crisis when the Sully kids show up

They're different. They aren't of their people and they're weird - they have extra fingers, tufts of hair over their eyes, their skin is dark, their eyes the wrong size, their tails too thin - he could go on

Yet they're so proud

There's a sense of purpose in them, they aren't quite kids like he, Ao'nung, or Tsireya are.

It scares the hell out of him

He lashes out at Lo'ak and Kiri, goes for their weaknesses when Ao'nung does

He wants them to leave, take their war with them, and let his family stay safe and tucked away on their beaches

They don't, clearly, and yet he comes to care for them

They're freaks but they're his freaks

Tsireya coming home with blood on her hands, teary cheeks, and Lo'ak in her arms terrifies him. However much he grew up that day he thinks she did double

Ao'nung is suddenly fast tracking his apprenticeship as Olo'eyktan

And he's left behind

Spider comes with the worst day of his life thus far

He once would have gutted anyone who said he would accept a sky person in his home but so much has changed and he can't bring himself to do anything without Ao'nung there to lead him

So he throws himself into his training, wanting to stop what happened to him and his friends from ever happening here

If what happened in the forests happened here he thinks it would kill him

Then Jake convinces Tonowari to let them use a gun

Tonowari - the man who is practically a second father to him after growing up between his children, who hated this war more than anyone he knew, who barely let them use offensive moves before their 15th year - is scared for them

He's awful with a gun

Metkayina kids don't get to carry a gun, it's not allowed to be their primary weapon, it's only for emergencies, but he saw what happened to Neteyam and he needs to know how to use it

He's off in the woods along their beaches trying to practice. Training was over hours ago but he doesn't take to it like the older kids (he and Ao'nung are the youngest learning right now - they strong armed their way in and he thinks it broke Tonowari a little bit inside)

Every shot is just a little off, he can't get the target quite right

Metyakina are spear wielders, their weapons bring them close to their enemies and they use their strength to bring them down. Bows are a necessity but archers are few in the specialty: it's just not what they do

The gun is heavy in his hands, hard to balance and kicks back every time he tries to shoot

Why the hell a weapon bites the user he has no fucking clue -

"Brace your back foot. You're leaning too much, it's not a harpoon."

...

Rotxo will swear for the decades to come that he did not jump, fuck you-

Then the little sky-person is there

He met Spider when they brought him home

The boy was pale, thin beyond what he suspected was natural if the slight sway to his stance had anything to say. He was mottled in bruises and striped with scars but there was a feral strength in the kids eyes

He stuck close to the Sully kids, blended right into the little pack they made up

The other kids flanked him at nearly all times. He never saw the blonde alone and they seemed happy that way. The kid was haunted but he guesses they all are now

They didn't talk much. Lo'ak threatened him with raw fear in his eye that if he and Ao'nung even tried an ounce of what they did to him then peace talks and found friendships be damned, he'd make them regret it

Spider would hang out with them, but he didn't talk much. Most of the others still resented him. They feared him or hated him and Rotxo suspects he knew that

That said, he doesn't know what to do when Spider walks up and forces his gun down to his level

He moves his hands, steps back and adjusts his stance, then steps back with an approving nod.

"Alright. Aim a little lower, you aren't in the green. Shoot, it'll be better."

He hits the target in the neck, then the tree behind it. The gut the third time.

"Uh..thanks."

Size Difference

Spider is tiny next to Rotxo and it terrifies him 

He’s short for a na’vi, around 8’8 as opposed to pushing 9’3 to 9’6 but he’s bulky. Metkayina are slim and nimble but his muscle adds a sturdiness to him uncommon for his people 

Still, he’s a almost two and a half foot taller than his boyfriend 

At first it was nothing. He’s 15 and his hand reaches half way around Spiders thigh when they wrestle, his other hand easily encapsulating his calf. Spider is hard to catch but if Rotxo can, he can easily out strengthen him 

It’s fun. It’s as close to carefree as they can be in a war

Sure, Rotxo sees the bruises and scuffs more on Spider than the others but the blonde wears them with pride. His siblings scoff at him and add poultice - rubs he learns the herbs for and will gather himself - but he thinks nothing of it 

The sky people haunted his dreams growing up. The other boys dared them to come down and face them, but Rotxo fought tears every night when laid down after those stories. His mothers would wrap him in their arms and whisper they’ll never come. But they did.

Spider is different. He’s not theirs, he’s Ewyas child through and through. But while they’re young, he’s invincible 

He wears scars of torture na’vi children wouldn’t face even in nightmares but he laughs and fights and plays just like the other Sully kids 

He doesn’t realize for years that they were just grasping at what was left 

They’re 18 when he realizes the strength he holds over the other

They’ve been courting a few months, slower than most due to the differences between them, and Rotxo finally manages to pin him down in their training 

Spider never lets himself get brought down. But Rotxo knows him too well - he knows what to expect and finally, finally he manages to get the upper hand 

He pins Spider down with one hand to his chest. Then, he twists until he straddles his thighs. A teasing grin adorns his features and be dramatically goes to deliver a killing blow

He wraps a hand around Spiders throat with all the playful theatrics that normally make up their relationship - but he stills when he realizes his fingers easily reach one another behind his head

His entire neck fits easily in Rotxos palm, his chest is covered by the other hand and he knows it would take just a little pressure to end him 

The sky people aren’t so invincible anymore

Spider seems to realize the vulnerability just before Rotxo, but he doesn’t run

Any other time he would growl, bite and kick and thrash until he gets himself out. But he just lays there

His cheeks are flushed a bright red and his lips slightly parted, but his body doesn’t tense

He trusts him and that’s more pressure than anyone could ever put on Rotxo 

Officially mating is…a process to say the least. But it only reaffirms that Rotxo has to be strong enough to protect his family 

Spider trusts him. He gave himself to Rotxo and took him in return. He knows Spider would die for him - he has to make sure he won’t 

He’s protective, sure, though still not quite as bad as the humans siblings. Still, he spends all his time trying to bulk up and be stronger 

Being a warrior was just a job once, now he finally feels the purpose in it 

He has a family to protect and he’ll be damned if he fails him