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This is too fucking cute I cannot
To You, From Me by Naethan Apollo is a rocorro song
not sure how much i love this one but 🤪
Spider is a provider type and it shows when his partner is sick or otherwise out of commission
He will spend as much time as he can (mostly when Rotxo is asleep) hunting and gathering so he can feed/provide for him and, later, their kids
He is also the one that will be weaving and trading for new blankets, clothes, baskets, etc - how much it helps is questionable but he is a king of comfort and wants to make sure that Rotxo won't worry for anything since he's a huge stresser
He will take the kids for the day once they reach that part of their lives and huddle them into his pod so Rotxo has some peace, he's a hoverer but gets self conscious about it
Despite Rotxo being a major cuddler and Spider having very little strength against his partners puppy dog eyes, he normally won't stop jumping around trying to 'help' until Rotxo pulls him down and makes him just lay down with him
Spider is a very independent person which follows in how he is when he is sick, Rotxo is not...which also follows into him being sick. Given he's fucking huge, he normally gets his way if he tries to octopus arm him
Spider is an act of service type but is normally put on less physical tasks in the village due to the species difference. Given Rotxo is the same way and gets to fill that role more often. Spider uses sick days to show off a bit lmao.
Rotxo is a big baby when he's sick tho so he loves the attention and thrives on having an excuse to be a baby about whatever he wants
The only downside is he WILL get someone else sick without a doubt
When he is injured, however, he gets angsty and protective - he feels way too reminded of his own vulnerabilities and mortality which only makes his seeing his mate and childrens that much worse
Spider will be the type constantly watching the door and trying to lock down the marui or pod subconsciously - given how little he grew up with, he's very protective of his space and people
Rotxo struggles with this a bit more when he is injured since he doesn't like being confined and it makes him feel weak and disrespected if he isn't allowed to protect them - babying is only fun on the rare occasions the na'vi gets sick
Spider is the type though who wants to hunker down when he's hurt but will try to suppress it. He's prone to pushing himself too far when he's badly hurt since he's bruised up or sore a lot of the time
When he's sick, he's the type to ignore it and work through it, even though it's 10x worse for him to keep pushing when his body isn't made for the environment
He's also an isolator since he has value issues in not wanting to be a hinderance
Rotxo spends a lot of time forcefully babying him when he is sick which is more than they care to admit since homie has no concept of what his limits are (or he just refuses to admit them)
The woods of their coast is unfamiliar territory even with his life spent on these beaches. Twigs and prickly grasses nip at this feet and crack beneath him but he knows avoiding them is a lost cause.
Rotxo is made for this island, is and always has been, but he can't help but feel displaced only a mile or two from his marui.
The RDA don't expect them here, though, only in the water. Ao'nung and Neteyam make excellent decoys back at the cove. While they provide a distraction in the water, an easy, unsuspecting target, Lo'ak, he, and Spider bring their numbers through the woods surrounding it. Soon, they will line the cliffs edge and, hopefully, interrupt an expected attack.
Lo'ak found scouts in hiding out in the caves lining the cliffs three days ago. The systems stretch through the cove and provide easy cover, just far enough from home to provide a sense of safety but so close that the intel they gather could prove dangerous. The potential heirs of two clans will be far too titillating to avoid, as such, it should be easy.
Should be.
Rotxo glances to the trees above him, not seeing him but knowing his mate is near.
This is a simple mission. Tonowari and the older warriors are dotted amongst them in case something goes wrong but they're here to prove themselves. To gain experience.
And not get shot.
Rotxo really doesn't want to get shot.
He hears a purring chirp and ducks, alert and stiff in his bones. Unlike the Sully kids, he didn't grow up in war. He wasn't raised with bullets in his ears and fear is gripping him with icy hands.
There's no time to be scared though, Neteyam is warning them.
He ducks into the underbrush, scarcer that the tree people were used to but thick enough they taught him how to hide. The coastal trees are thin and so only the best climbers could take from above. Spider, of course, is with them. He mumbles a prayer to their mother and starts for the cliff face.
Ao'nung lets out a loud, barking laugh and he can hear the strain. his friend has never been the best actor and he's scared. A branch snaps next to him and he jerks up, Tsireya is kneeling half sprawled from a bush. She looks embarrassed and offers him a sheepish smile before Lo'ak is corralling her up and hidden again.
It makes him want to laugh, how clumsy she is, how clumsy she's always been -
A gun shot rings loud and clear through the forest and suddenly movement is all around him. Birds are taking off into the sky and his friends, his family, are rushing through the woods without fear.
Ewya, how are they not afraid?
He chokes but he grips his spear. It's time to be brave, they could hurt his Moms, his sisters, and everyone he cares about. They have to go and he has to do it. He can do it.
Ewya must have her arms around him because his legs are strong as he rushes forward, the branches and undergrowth whip past him but he doesn't feel it. The metkayina boy whoops and then there's a gun aimed at him.
The human is small, terrified, and looks so much frailer than Spider. Perhaps he would have hesitated before, but he saw Neteyam after 3 Brothers Rock. Before the thoughts can settle in his mind, he's throwing his spear and the man goes down with the hit.
His weapon stands taller than the full body of his kill. It's not the first life he has taken, but it is the first he won't pray over or thank. He rips his weapon from the corpse and lets it fall with a dull thud, taking the gun and cracking it against a tree. It's too small for his hands and he won't risk another enemy finding such a prize.
More gunshots ricochet behind him and he rushes forward, finding himself beside Tsireya at the cliffs edge. He scans her body, quick as he can, and finds her okay. She nods and then she's leaping into the water below.
He spares a glance, unsure why she would give up her high ground, and feels the blood drain from his face.
There must be a dozen men on the ground and Tsireya marks the 4th person he can see of his own. Another shot and screaming is sounding from behind him, if there's that many there, who is up here?
The estimation they had only predicted a half a dozen men, maybe a few spares but maybe a few less. He's never trusting Lo'ak to count again.
He turns, planning to jump, but then he's hitting the ground. Above him, the butt of a gun is slamming down. It hits his temple and his vision slurs around him. He swings his arm, heartbeat pounding in his throat, and tries to dislodge the marine across his lap. He lands a hit and feels the weight tip but then the gun is coming down again.
A bruise begins to bloom across his cheek as he fights, blue skin torn and bloody from the branches beneath him and the man currently using his rifle like a bat. He wobbles up, trying to sit up and gain back the favor his height offers.
The man is wide eyed and frantic but the enjoyment in his eyes is what makes Rotxo pause. There is blood on the mans pale skin, bruising and mud across his face, and more dogtags than should be his own across his neck. Still, he smiles, bloody lips and all, and raises his gun.
Raises his gun at him, oh fuck -
A blonde blur snarls and the man goes down with a choked off shout. The gun is lost from his hands and then he hears a shot and Rotxo surges forward. Panic is lacing through him but dies in his throat at the sight of his mate, gun in hand, and standing overtop the body of his attacker.
Blood and mud are caked across his knees and over his torso. Rotxo's own stripes are covered on the blondes skin by the mess but he's there and in one piece. Relief floods his system and he stumbles up, finding himself in the humans arms before he can make it the rest of the way up.
"Fuck, fuck! Spider, a-are you okay? I-Thank you, I.." The words are failing him. He doesn't know what to say in this, thank you for killing a man for me? Thank you for being okay? Are you okay? You're not shot but please don't die of internal injuries when we get home?
"Hey, hey, hey, Ro, I need you to look at me, okay? It's okay, Baby, we're both okay. You can't go now, gotta get home first." His mask is smeared and dirty but he manages to meet Spider's eyes through it. Rotxo barely can speak and the blonde is pulling him between a tree and the large lake rocks that dot the hill. Later, he'll mourn how calm he is. How the blood on his mask and the bruises on his skin are so okay, but for now, he just focuses on finding home behind the glass.
Leaning forward, he presses his forehead to the cool glass and cups his hand to the back of the others head. Spider huffs on a laugh. The sound is small and affectionate but laced with fear but Rotxo decides they'll spare a moment.
Just a moment.
He breathes in the wood, the salt of the sea, and the scent of pinewood that clings stubbornly to Spider's tan skin. He counts the moles on his shoulders and tries to skim over the scars he'll memorize later.
"I-I'm okay. 'm okay. Where are your brothers?" Spider takes a long breath and he gets a glimpse of the boy he's buried, the child he left back with his peoples home tree. "in the water, I-I think. We need to get down there."
He starts to pull away and Rotxo starts to stand. Just as he leaves the cover of their hiding place, he catches sight of dark blue skin. Comprehension takes a moment to set in before he realizes that the blue isn't one of his friends, that they're in the water or safe at home, and that they most certainly don't wear a military uniform.
"Sure you do, Kid. Only place your goin' is back to your Daddy." Spider looks at him and there's fear on his face, real, deep fear. He remembers holding the human in the weeks after his escape, waking him from the nightmares following for the past 3 years, and the scars that mar his back. Spider squawks and reaches back but the recombinant has a firm grip on the blondes hair.
Spider is kicking, fighting, but the man isn't letting go. He's tall, cocky in the way he stands, and appears unphased at the teenaged warrior he's choosing to ignore. Wainfleet is embroidered on a tag across his chest and the name is familiar. The mans hand moves, Spider surging forward for freedom, and then its around the boys neck. It's just to hold him in place but the mans hands are so big they wrap around nearly completely. Spider chokes, ducking his head, and tries to fight but his grip only tightens.
"He's been real patient with you, Kiddo, but you know he's not a patient man. C'mon, time to get you home. If you stop your kickin', maybe I'll even let you stay awake this time." The man looks away from Spider, looks to Rotxo, and reaches for his gun. This one is big, big enough for a na'vi, and fits in his hand like an extension of himself. He aims it straight to Rotxo and his finger goes to the trigger.
Except, Rotxo isn't afraid. He expects the white-hot panic to flood him again, to feel his limbs heavy and lagging behind with the will to run away, but instead all he feels is rage. Red hot, protective, rage.
Spider looks small in the mans hold and looks so, so afraid. Rotxo reaches down and grips his spear. Wainfleet pulls the trigger but Rotxo is faster, aimed low and charging for his hips. While he may not look small now, he was the smallest in their youth. He knows how to take down a bigger opponent.
He surges and tackles the mans waist. This one is trained far better than his previous kill and doesn't go down just yet, but his grip on Spider does loosen. He snarls, low and instinctual, and feels every bit the animal the RDA calls them. It feels strong.
With a knock of his spear, the gun is knocked askew from where it was aimed. He takes the moment where Wainfleet struggles with the surprise to take a sweep for his head. The instinct to block has the gun falling from his hand and then, with a strong kick from Spider, his mate hits the forest floor.
With his lover out the way, Rotxo throws himself at the larger man. He's taller, but Rotxo is stronger. "You don't get him. Not again."
The solider laughs, loud and wild, "Fuck, Miles, you really do take after Sully. Got yourself a feral little toy and all, huh?"
The gun is cast aside now but Wainfleet reaches down, pulling a knife from a holster on his hip, and cuts across Rotxo's shoulder. His aim is strong and lands true, cutting deep across his collarbone. He gasps, pain flaring across his chest, but swings down his arms anyway. He lands a hard punch to the mans face, then another, and reels back again only for his wrist to be caught. He pulls, trying to free himself, and catches a glimpse of Spider, red faced and wheezing. His hands are shaking frantically as he checks his mask and the adrenaline comes rushing back.
Wainfleet lands a good hit to his face again, then aims to stab his shoulder where he cut before, but Rotxo pulls from his grip and pulls him up by the shoulders. He lifts the recombinant and slams him down. He can't get Quaritch for what he's done, but he certainly can give Wainfleet a taste here.
Blood pools in the mans mouth and he chokes, shoving frantically and thrashing against his hold similar to how Spider did moments ago. The mirror makes bitterness flush through him and he lifts him again, slamming harder now and relishing in the dull thud of the mans skull on the rocks below.
A gun cocks off to the side and his gaze flies to his mate, now on his feet and scrambling to the bushes they hid in before. He grabs the spear he's now left discarded at his side and throws it with practiced aim. It's lower than needed to be but the soldier falls with a spear through his gut. It'll be a painful death but Rotxo can't find himself to care.
"You don't get to hurt him." He growls and reaches for the gun before he hesitates. The man is groaning beneath him, incoherent and bloody, and Rotxo decides he chose his grave. He stands, legs shaking and tired, and pulls the man up. A birds cry fills the air and he hunches, an arrow flying past his curls, and he feels strong. His mate is safe, his family is fighting beside him, and he proved himself today. He feels strong when he lifts the man beneath him, pulling his weight onto himself, and walks to the edge. With a long breath, he drops the bloodied man over the edge and into the water below.
He stand, still and tired, but satisfied. The man hits the water below and he notices the movements in the woods have gone. It's calm, undisturbed as if nothing happened here at all.
He breathes in the salty air, tanged with blood, and lets his shoulders drop. A muted sort of pride lays in his chest knowing he defended his home but there's sadness there that knows he just kissed what was left of his peaceful life goodbye. War has met them here and it's clear his time is up.
"Rotxo? We did it...They're gone, only a few are injured. But..." A pause, "Well, we lost two. Menang and Eleora are with the mother but, it-it's time to go home." A soft hand grabs his elbow and he jerks back to reality.
Tsireya is gentle, safe, and he leans down to kiss her forehead. He turns and Spider is there, red faced and looking stricken, no doubt somewhere else. But he's safe, wrapped against his brother's side.
He walks forward, checking his lover for injuries, and nods to Lo'ak who lets him take his brothers weight while his own lover slips back to his arms.
"C'mon, lets go home."
Platonic soulmates
Kiri claims him as her platonic partner when she's like 16 as a way to establish him as part of her family
At first it causes some raised eyebrows, people suspecting they are more than friends or something shady is happening until it is clear Spider is content with his respective partner and they are content with just having their brother at her side
They each have a little matching braid in their hair with beads for the other, it's a little reminder and a little claim when nothing in their lives are stable
They are also best friends with Lo'ak and act as a trio but he's more popular and less of a "village freak" so to speak and so their dynamic has always been a little bit different
Before she was born, Spider was always intrigued by Grace and her pregnancy. He would curl up by her tank with his toys or tablet, babbling to the tank and to the sister he didn't yet know was his
The occasional floating visitor kept Neytiri from separating him from Grace and later baby Kiri
They have about a 2 year age gap but it's not exact with Na'vi aging
Kiri was convinced braiding Spiders hair would create a tswin if they tried hard enough as a small child
Spider didn't really get it but let her play with his hair whenever she wanted, just liking the attention and the soft touches
Spider had a crush on her for about a year when they were 12 and 10 but later realized it was moreso just a lot of care he didn't know how to process
Kiri is the reason Spider learned what love is
Lo'ak and Kiri grew up tag teaming Jake and Neytiri with comments about their 'other brother' or 'Dads human kid' in attempts to get them to accept Spider as family
It sort of worked on Jake but scared Neytiri more
Kiri is the only one who can always find Spider when he runs off, but Spider is takes hours trying to find them when the rolls are reversed
It helps them both to know that someone always comes looking
Neytiri reluctantly lets it be that Kiri added a bead to her and their siblings songchords for Spider
Spider thinks Kiri is the strongest person he's ever met (though if you ask he'll say Jake)
She was who kept coming to mind when the RDA tried to search his mind and he had to blur her face and voice until he could barely remember them for fear of what it could mean for them
Their relationship is how Jake learned of platonic bonds in Na'vi culture and how valued they are in their society
It's also part of why he starts trying to bring Spider into the family more and more as the kids grow older
Spider thinks that Kiri will want him around less after Neteyam is shot but she leans on him tenfold
They're one anothers anchor
Kiri forgives Spider for saving Quaritch but its something they're never able to completely forget
On the same page, they never forgive Neytiri for pulling them away when Spider was taken and places blame on themself and their mother on bad days since they didn't go back
Kiri is the only one who really knows what humans can and cannot have of the Na'vi - she had to learn since Lo'ak and Spider kept daring one another to do stupid things
Kiri hates the dreads and ends up twisting and braiding his hair with Rotxo when they get to Awa'talu
Spider and Rotxo dye Kiri's tips red like her mothers with berries and paint - which almost got them killed by Neytiri but Kiri loved it
When Rotxo starts courting Spider, Kiri helps him by adding some of Rotxo's stripes to his paint (it's the first pattern that wasn't hers he ever wears)
Spider spends days with Kiri gathering gifts when Kiri tries to pursue their first real relationships
He also dyes the girls tail red with his hair dye knowledge when she breaks Kiri's heart
okay okay so I have thoughts and want opinions on what ya'll want for the last kiddo
Avatar baby - (A lovely suggestion where the munchkin is made of their DNA and grown like an avatar body)
Bio baby - Someone carries the baby (pls comment your preference, this one would take some finagling but like intersex Rotxo and trans Spider are both canon in my lil universe so i feel the need to add it
Random adoption - baby just fucking ,, showed up, parents aren't overly important but Rocorro raise her
Specific adoption - Similar to the boys, she's adopted from someone specific
pls comment or send asks with y'alls thoughts, I'm v curious about what y'all think
In order to build up their forces, Jake begins reaching out and visiting some of the other clans. As they grow older, the kids end up acting as diplomats
Spider ends up on an extended stay with the Ash clans when he's about 17, a stay that influences him a lot in helping him to understand himself and grow in his comfort within his body
The Ash clans are a people of oddballs, some rejected from their first clans, others raised in the clan of outcasts, and all of them creating a clan focused on bettering oneself ]
He befriends a Na'vi named Rutu.
Rutu is an older, Ash-raised Na'vi with a strong personality
He's stubborn, straight-forward, but a goofball and relentlessly loyal
He basically corners Spider into a friendship, arguing that a good diplomat will stick around and make friends and that, as a warrior of the clan, Rutu is necessary to focus on
Truth be told, he's full of bullshit but loves to see how people tick. Spider, being human and 'damn near feral', he latches onto him until a tight friendship forms
He's mated to a traveler woman, Neipx, who is a nomad Ash woman. Being as she's gone so often, he spends a lot of time helping Spider and ultimately travels with him to some of the other Ash clans.
He is also the one who convinces Spider to mate officially with Rotxo and helps him to come to terms with his weaker body and shorter lifespan - he's missing a hand and has come to have no fear left of death
He convinces Spider that Ewya will take her children when she's ready - there's no point in fearing what cannot be changed, nor in living in fear when peace waits behind death
So when he gets a message that Rutu was killed in a skirmish with a stray human camp at the base of their mountains, he rushes there
Rotxo stays behind with Anea and the clans, wanting to travel with them but unable to safely with a 6 year old human
No one expects him to return with a 3 year old and an infant in his arms
Wiaklik is the older and Vipeì the younger; their mother was killed in the air raids and, with Rutu being lost so unexpectedly, they're alone
Spider didn't expect it but Rutu left a letter detailing his will for them should it come to it and wanted them to grow up to see the world as an adventure to explore as he did
So he sends them to Spider, to Rotxo, and hopes they can offer what he no longer can
He tucks them into their marui and sits on the beach for hours with Rotxo, sobbing and explaining who they were to one another. How, in another life, maybe they would have been one and the same. Finally, he admits that Rutu left the boys to them
Rotxo is scared at the premise but doesn't hesitate. He's worse about taking in strays so to speak and knew they would be theirs from the moment Spider carried them across the sand
They give the boys their family name, a wish Rutu gave so that they wouldn't feel as alone as Spider and himself did growing up
It's an...adjustment to say the least, but they make do
Wialik wants his Daddy, or his Mama, and doesn't understand why his Uncle Spy is here and they aren't
He becomes their trouble child
Even as he grows up, he doesn't always feel quite like he belongs, but he does love his family
He rebels, argues, fights, but he always comes home
He gets into more fights than Lo'ak over his Uncle and sisters humanity
Rotxo is Uncle Ro, Spider is Uncle Spy, and Rutu is Dad
Rocorro are his dads but he struggles with the name, seeing as Na'vi have better memory, and only really calls Rutu his Dad unless he's really upset
Surprisingly, he gets along well with Neteyam
Neteyam calms him easily and soothes his temper, he also helps Wialik to cover his rebellions up if he thinks he actually regrets the behavior
Wialik becomes a warrior to help him get a grip on his temper and his energy, when he can't do that, he hunts
He's one of the best in the clan when it comes to a spear
Rotxo is the one that helps him with controlling his emotions and Spider the one who helps him work through it
Despite his temper, he really does love his family and is fiercely protective
Especially of his baby brother and later sister
He tries to big brother Anea but she shuts that down real quick - smaller or not, she's the oldest
They aren't the closest, but they share their responsibility well
Vipeì is who he is closest to, even when their personalities are so different
Like his Dad hoped, he becomes an avid explorer when given the chance. Though he stays with the Metkayina, he spends a lot of his childhood exploring the woods when he can
It helps him feel more balanced
When he first comes home, he's fussy and when he leaves home, he's still fussy
Spider likes to point that out but he's secretly very proud of his sons backbone
He has a very bantering relationship with Spider
They both bicker constantly but it's their way of being close without having to get mushy (cause Wialik is 100% that teenager who can't say I love you)
Rotxo has a more laid back relationship with him and he's who he goes to for advice
He stayed up with him a lot when he was little and confused about his parents
Rotxo would sneak him away to visit the ancestors and hold him afterwards
Despite having not lost a parent, he has a good relationship with his moms and understands the love a bit better than Spider can
He's pivotal in helping Wialik come to peace with where his life is heading
Raising Wialik is the team effort for the ages
Vipeì is the opposite
He's a newborn when they adopt him and latches on to his Papa and Da
Wialik is his protector his whole life, but he's very close to Anea
He's soft-spoken and shy - more like his birthmother than Rutu
While most expect him to latch onto Rotxo, he's Spiders shadow
He doesn't really remember either of his parents as he was so young when he lost them
Wialik and Spider help keep the memories alive along with regular visits to the spirit tree, but he feels more like he's hearing about an uncle than his dad - the opposite to his big brother
Anea is the only one who knows those feelings
He was a very quiet, very cuddly baby
He wanted to be held near constantly
They have to carry him around in a chest wrap as soon as they're back to working
Spider works more on land and has to carry him more so there are A LOT of pictures of him with a child the size of his entire torso strapped to him
But he loves the water as soon as he's safe to enter it
He spends his childhood in the tide pools and with the ilus, who he grows up to care for a lot of
Similarly, he spends a lot of time making maps of the reefs, coast, and the travel routes Spider and Neteyam take on diplomacy trips (which he jumps onto as fast as he can)
He is very close to Kiri who pushes him to be a bit more proactive in defending himself and speaking up but also encourages how entranced he is in with the world around them and the places he goes
Homie is decent with a knife but looks like a toddler with a gun when you hand him a spear
It looks ridiculous and does even worse with it
His official job is mostly caring for the animals and gardens, but his mapping also takes up some of his adult life
Spider helps him with it a lot in his free time and will help him improve them while Rotxo is the one to help him plan out excursions and how to do them safely
He finds a mated pair he ends up with as a teen and travels with his mates once Spider is convinced he's a decent enough diplomat on his own (aka once he's sure he'll actually do diplomat things and talk to people rather than just explore)
He's a good big brother to their youngest sibling but does end up with a bit of baby brother syndrome
Overall he's a very laid back boy, he's responsible and their easiest child while his brother is their hardest
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
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
Anea
Sorry this took so long, coming up on finals and it's been hectic lmao
They are 22 (Rotxo) and 23 (Spider) when they find their first daughter
Kids were a desire they hadn't sorted out yet - biology and the war were too in the way for them to even truly consider options (Rotxo thought about it a lot though, it was one of the ways he got through what was going on, imagining a little blonde na'vi or the kids they could adopt, uncaring of logistics or realism)
They find Anea when she is 6 months old
Bridgehead falls and the war is reaching it's conclusion with this being one of the last major battles. However, the people left behind are hardly peaceful and the repopulation efforts had begun
Most of the people are pregnant or came with older children in the case of repopulating citizens, however, a few had already had their children. As many that can be sent to earth are but, again, there's the question of what to do with the children left behind
Some will, again, stay with the children too young to travel but there's very little humans allowed to stay on Pandora - as such, there's few caretakers
Unfortunately, many of the children don't survive the war. Between attacks, illness, and accidents of a planet not made for them, the surviving group is limited to a small handful
Spider spends as much time as he can helping to foster and situate the children remaining - the copy of his own childhood sends him into a bit of a spiral
The difference this time is that his presence has the Omatikaya and Metkayina more prone to opening their arms to them
Part of him doesn't think he could let any of them go, but slowly they're taken into the families of those around him. Kiri takes one with her mate, some of their friends take others, but Anea somehow stays
He can't keep himself away from her but it scares him. Rotxo is there helping but he keeps them apart - scared of what facing the feelings would mean
He should have known better than to try
Rotxo scoops her up before he has a chance to one day, noting his mates attachment and wanting to confront what was happening
The little girl is tiny. She's 6 months old but barely reaches past his wrist and he feels his heart stop.
She's not scared of him, despite the fact that few Na'vi have interacted with her up to this point. Rather, she whines and nestles down into the warmth of his body. She's asleep before he can even reach Spider
He doesn't ask so much as tell Spider that it's time to bring her home
Rotxo is a very broad man, strong and muscled at this point in his life, but now he's reduced to a gushy mess over a little creature too young to care if she has him wrapped around her tiny finger
Norm is on cloud nine when they finally ask to adopt her
He knew they were going to take her the whole time - he practically raised the dumb fucks and he's tired of the skirting around, get his granddaughter a name and get on with it!
Kiri ultimately names her. They tell her the news and she melts, whispering Anea when she leans down to kiss the infants head
Naming her took some effort given their situation. Figuring out the family name, who would go where, etc was a little bit of a hassle since they wanted to respect Rotxo's family but make sure Spider was included
Ultimately, they use Socorro so she is connected to her humanity but Rotxo is the parents name they claim. She's human, but they give her a na'vi name so she never feels separated like her father did
And so, Anea te Socorro Rotxo'ite is born
Rotxo is 300% whipped for this little girl
He's terrified of hurting her but he's so beyond taken with her that he doesn't know how to function
Spider has to be the responsible parent who reminds him that she needs to be put down and that Rotxo can't stay in the shed 24/7 with them and he needs to go outside
While you might assume the tattooed warrior that will forever tower over this part of his family is the protective one, it's Spider
Spider didn't realize how lucky he was to survive his childhood until the others didn't
He takes protecting Anea to a whole new level and does everything in his power and beyond to protect her
Kiri thinks it's hilarious but is admittedly pretty bad as well with her own son, a slightly younger boy she adopted when they took in Anea
Anea and her cousin are raised in the shed behind Rocorro's marui until they're around 5 and able to wear a mask
When she's able to go outside, she takes after Spider a lot
She's a climber and an explorer, wanting to see and be in everything since she couldn't be before
Rotxo is the worst enabler and teams up with Lo'ak to get her into things she probably should not have access too
Surprisingly though, Tsireya is the one she chases after the most
Anea is a complete water baby and spends as much time as she can floating and playing in the water
Tsireya very proudly believes she is blessed by Ewya to show how she belongs with them, a diver through and through
Personality wise, she's very curious and can be headstrong but is kind of shy with new people since she grew up so sheltered
She's very comfortable with her clan but new people will have her in one of her dads arms or behind them in an instant
She's not a sickly child, but she has a lot of allergies and needs special food a lot
She is also asthmatic which was a very...intense day to figure out
She and Rotxo are close her entire life
As she gets older, she likes to study plants and helps maintain the reef
She takes a lot of interest in the science of pandora and ends up apprenticing under the aging scientists she grew up with
With some help from Ronal, Norm, Tsireya, and Kiri (a terrifying combination that scares the shit out of her Dads and uncles) she ends up working to combine some of Earth's science with the spiritual practices of Pandora
Despite growing up in the tail end of a war, she really isn't much of a fighter
She can defend herself but much prefers to stay concentrated on her studies where she can help it
With help from Spider, she has a much healthier connection between her humanity and her connection to Ewya
Physically, she's latina
Her family was Spanish
They know her mother and father were colonists but her mother is MIA in the documents they found and her Father died of illness shortly after arriving on Pandora
There are records of several siblings that returned to Earth and a brother that didn't survive
Rotxo is the one haunted the most by her family
She doesn't worry much over them, she only wishes she could have seen her siblings or could reach out to them
Spider is, surprisingly, more accepting of the mystery that is her biological family
He knows what it's like to wonder but has learned the hard way that blood only means so much
But Rotxo wonders where they are, if they watch over her, and feels like he lost a chance in never meeting her siblings
It hurts him that they're separated but the conflicts with Earth mean there's nothing that can be done
He never really stops wondering about them
He braids them into her songcord when she's little, smaller beads that dangle from the main cord before her adoption
She braids it into a half crown on her head when she's older
She has long, medium brown hair that reaches her mid back in waves. She braids it a lot but rarely sticks to one hair style for long
She has tan skin, freckles from the sun, and a honeyed complexion
Rotxo likes to joke that she has Spiders eyes
She's a very relaxed older sister and is truthfully very similar to Tsireya
However, she is a bit of a jokester with them like her Uncle Lo'ak or Spider when she gets wound up
She likes to team up with one of her Dads or uncles to play little tricks on her brothers or the clan - using new spices in their food is a favorite
She has ADHD and so Spider has to help her work out her energy a lot
That is, unless Rotxo uses it to make her spar with him
He loves that she's so peaceful but he's seen too much not to make her a strong warrior if it's called for
Tw: Violence. references to past torture
Spider wasn't like Kiri, he wasn't born with Ewya's blessings in his hands
Despite all he finds of himself later, he was still born human. He had to prove he was hers, something he did early on
She started to show her favor while he was young, when he integrated himself into the Omaticaya with the Sully kids and her child, she would send little signs to those near
Her creatures would approach but never attack, her flora would hold him strong so he wouldn't get hurt racing across their forest, and temperatures rarely teetered where it may hurt him. They were little things but she thought her people would see
For once, they didn't
Her people wouldn't see her little human, but that was alright. She could show them - she is forgiving and she is loving
So, she guided their paths together
Kiri, her sweet child, was the first to see and with her, she brought her Grandmother
but...that was it
They could not (would not) see him
It would take years for her to finally wake her children, but it would come at a price she didn't want to pay
It isn't until after the battle of Three Brothers Rock that it becomes clear that Ewya has held Spider dear to her
It's on the ship, Neytiri's knife at his chest, when something changes
Quaritch panics, throws Kiri, and he is shoved forward. Neytiri is stalking up to Quaritch with a feral gleam in her eye but, in her anger, she pushes too hard
He falls, one hand to his bleeding chest and the other to the ground, but it's in vain
His face cracks against the debris across the floor and glass shatters into his face
There's shards pressing into the soft skin of his cheeks and forehead, his eyes clenched shut against the needles sneaking in, but fear hits him when he takes in a panic breath
Kiri screams his name and lunges forward, no longer bound to her fathers arms
Quaritch yells a loud, guttural scream of his name but Neytiri takes the opportunity to plunge her knife into his throat. He gurgles on his blood before she is at his side, eyes focusing vaguely again on his face
She curses, cups his cheek and mumbles words he doesn't catch
Jake is cursing and trying to cover his face but... he's fine
His face hurts but he takes in shuddering breaths and he's fine
He takes in another
Nothing happens
He looks up at Jake with wide eyes, shaking and unsure, but he's breathing fine
It takes the man a moment to catch up and this his movements still as he falls back onto the ground. Sitting, he stares at the little human
His Dad is dying off to the side, his sister throws herself into his arms and grins with tears in her eyes
"She has you, she Sees you, Spider, she has you!" Kiri is laughing, loud with sobs choking her between and he lets out a half barked laugh as he falls into her hold
Jake brings them both into his arms, panting and mumbling prayers with grateful pants of breath.
Neytiri doesn't move but her shoulders go lax in relief
He gasps, coughing and crying, and he's seen
Things make more sense with Ewya's blessing painted across his now-bare face
The scars of wearing the mask for so long fade as the days go by and the bloody marks from shattered glass heal
Injuries that should be months away from better start to scab and soon he's only lined in pink scars, the soreness there but his body healing like a na'vi
The sand and sun don't burn his shoulders or feet, something Norm swore would happen
The ilu let him on their backs and the fauna are suddenly that much less threatening
It's a clear sign if any that Ewya has put an end to their shit
Spider remains pale and small, still human but not as painfully so
Kiri remains on cloud nine, thriving in the knowledge that her people finally see her brother like she has
It's safer for him, no one able to dispute his place, and slowly he's blended into the family he always wanted
There's a lot of conversation that needs to be held but...he's safe
It feels like a happy ending
Problem: it's not an ending
There's still a war on the horizon and he's still a human man
His skin still tears, his lungs still burn at a na'vi child's pace, and his body still can't handle everything his siblings can
He's still almost killed by his boyfriends courting gift, a fish seasoned with a little more potent spices than what a human can handle
It's something his siblings know but the adults now find themselves confronted rather plainly with
Neytiri is still learning to accept him, still bringing him into her brood, when she has to face that falling out a 30' tree isn't a skinned knee to a human boy
He's no where near the top, something Jake tells her would have been far worse, but 8' up in search of coastal fruit will still break a humans leg
It scares her in a way she was unprepared for
She carries him back home with Kiri at her hip mocking her and her charge relentlessly, Spider flushed red and indigent at his siblings banter
It's when she lays him down and begins to wrap the injury when she see's the next little sign of his blessing
The little sign to tell her that he's hers
The freckles along his thigh, tiny and dark next to her own, resemble the bioluminescence that cover her body
Really though, it's the little pattern that looks so much like her sisters that makes her pause
Na'vi spots and stripes are a matter of pride, something they pass down to their children and a little visual symbol of their family connection
Her children often would paint their families stripes across his skin in something that always enraged her, but this is small, an organic addition she never noticed
She feels ridiculous crying over freckles to her mate later, but for now she just leans her head down to Spider's and brushes her lips across his forehead
"Ohe see ngenga, my tìrol"
This is how I view Rotxo in my writing, he needs some focus
So first things first, physically, Rotxo is short for a na'vi
Poor boy is the na'vi equivalent of a human 5'8" - he's not really that short but also, he will be bullied relentlessly
However, he is b u i l t
He's bulky and puts on muscle easily. (Though he has a little bit of a dad bod cause as he should - like as close as fat muscular as a na'vi body can be lmao)
He keeps the sides of his head shaved and the top in a half braided, half curly look that reaches about his mid-shoulder blades
Google says na'vi are 10' so he's like ,,, 9'6"? short king
Partially why he relishes having a human mate cause like ,, he can't talk shit
He wears an obscene amount of beads and jewelry - he is the oldest brother of his 8 siblings (poor boy has three older sisters and three younger, he is one of two boys in the whole house) and they don't mess around in decorating their big brother
Onto personality, he's a big softie
But he's aggressively protective of his family - something he got from growing up with Ronal as his third mom
He grew up prepared to be Ao'nungs right hand, but he didn't always have the drive to be a warrior
He liked the idea but never felt connected to it. It was just a part of the future he was meant to reach
it wasn't until he was pulling desperately at a bomb on Payakans fin and watching Lo'ak sob over his bleeding brother that he realized why he was going to be a warrior
He always mentally attributes his finding reason in his training to Lo'ak and his strength
So he starts training and learning to fight with a newfound passion
Having always been Ao'nungs right hand, its his plan to follow at his side once he's chief and protect their people
Family is the most important thing in their culture and Tonowari has been such a prominent figure in his life that it's his goal to live and die for them
...he needs some help with the self-love and valuing his worth too man
It's part of how he and Spider bond
He's made a majority of his life around Ao'nung and being there for the clan that he forgot to care about himself or really learn about himself as his own person
He finds out he likes cooking while trying to figure out how to not poison Spider after an unfortunate courting accident
He and Lo'ak bond by combining fighting styles and their culture
It's the culture that also helps him bond with Kiri, a surprise to everyone except Spider who knew they'd get on from the start
However, his favorite hobby is fishing - which he gets teased for relentlessly
For all his mischief and jokes, he's an old man at heart
He 100% can and will disappear become he was just vibing out on the water for hours and lost track of time
During which he also attempts to bring home little gifts constantly
He gets it from his little siblings but he's the type to bring you a rock he found and say it was pretty and reminded him of you
So all of his friends have jars of shells, rocks, flowers, etc that he finds for them
However, he also has a habit of collecting strays
He just takes shit home
An octopus was the worst until he showed up two orphaned ash boys that never left
Spider is passionate that its why he fell for him and very smugly holds up that he has a solid argument
But honestly Rotxo just cannot stand someone being alone
He grew up surrounded by so much love and so many people he cared for that the thought of someone being alone when he could fix it makes him feel sick
He is fucking terrified of crabs tho
Tsireya hung one from his loincloth when they were children and ah...things got pinched
Ao'nung used it to torture him growing up and now the one thing he struggle to accept as Ewya's are crabs
Honestly crustaceans in general
He hates them
Learning Spider could eat them was a blessing and a curse
Cause one, easy food to find and two, he gets to see them die (sorry Ewya) but that also means he has to help catch crabs for his family
As teens, it wasn't horrible. But by the time they are grown with 4 kids, it's actually his nightmare
He is a practical joker
He brings it out in Ao'nung too and they can rival Lo'ak and Spider for the amount of mischief they get into
Though theirs is normally innocent and not death or war inducing
The worst thing they ever did was sink a fishing ship - Lo'ak and Spider got kidnapped, they're doing fine
Constantly torn between big brother instinct and little brother instinct
He's the big brother but also,,, 3 big sisters feels like he should have a pass
He isn't as close to them as he'd like
The oldest two are mated to other water clans and the oldest still home is distant, they don't get on super well, but he was close with all three when he was a child
Well, they played a lot.
His mothers are both very doting parents and very loving, but for some reason there was always a disconnect with his directly older sister
The other two are still friendly and loving when they visit, just not as common in his life anymore while she is just ... separate. She hasn't been herself in years
It makes him the acting oldest and he takes that very seriously
He has three little sisters and then the youngest of the family is another boy, all of which are a decent amount younger than him
It wasn't planned that way but he likes having the gap between them, it gives him enough distance to care for them but enough closeness to enjoy them still
They're as much the bane of his existence as they are the joy of it
He will boast about them relentlessly while also trying to drown one because 8 kids was simply 7 too many
Tuk loves the littles though and so he spends a lot of time babysitting with Spider or Neteyam - the two that really get the big brother thing in the two ways he normally expresses it
All in all, he is a big family-loving, lowkey gym buff, softie that needs to learn to love himself
But, until he does, he has a small army prepared to do it for him
I need to keep expanding on this but I needed these thoughts out. Rotxo really hasn't gotten the development he deserves and I can't wait to see how he gets fleshed out
What do you think the sullys family reaction to spiders torture would, be I honestly don’t think they’re going to address it in avatar three but I wanted to hear your opinion on it? (make it as dark as you want👹)
Hey!!
I do love a good dark angst 😈 but I def read this wrong and wrote the wrong headcanons lmao so sorry for the wait
I’m doing this in headcanon format for simplicity, N$FW/darker content below the cut.
TW: (All implied, nothing explicit) underage, violence, torture, S harassment/possible implied SA (depends on how you read it, tag is to be safe), humiliation, blood, starvation, isolation, emotional manipulation, abuse
——
Spider didn't meant to tell them, he fully intended on taking it all to the grave unless something might help them in the war. But that was it - he wanted to move on
When he gets back, Jake and Neytiri scare him
He tries not to let them but he keeps thinking that Quaritch is back and he didn't get home whenever they come up behind him. Out of the corner of his eye they don't look like the people he wanted to be his parents. They don't even look like friends
They're kinder though, Jake especially, and slowly he feels himself being brought in
He won't ruin it with some stupid trauma response
He flinches away from them and can't sleep near them but sometimes Jake rubs his head or Neytiri will run her fingers over his shoulders when she passes. He swallows down the anxious nausea and relishes in it.
He. Can't. Ruin. it
He wears a shirt now and loose shorts that offer more coverage than his loincloth. He keeps a knife on a beaded belt over the shorts in an awkward combination of fashions and keeps his hair loose so it can't be grabbed so easy. The dreads are gone and so are his stripes but he thinks it's okay, he's just growing up. No one needs to worry.
He thinks he's done well at hiding it but it seems he underestimated the couple drastically.
Kiri ends up being the one to approach him
The family whispers about what to do, how to help, or if they can. They spent the first couple months mourning their own losses and caring for Neteyam but Spider hasn't gotten better. Tired of the indecision, Kiri slips out of their marui and stalks after her best friend
He's with Rotxo on the beach, drooping and tired but relaxed with the other boy. They've been spending more time together and he seems more comfortable around the Metkayina lately.
They don't look like his Dad, like the recoms that claimed him, and Rotxo would never hurt him. None of them would, they're safe.
He snaps awake when Kiri lands a gentle hand on his shoulder. He jerks closer to Rotxo who supports him but urges him closer to his sister.
"Sorry, sorry..can we talk?" Rotxo gives him a look and Kiri holds out her hand so...yeah. Spider stands and she leads him to the treeline
She sits him down with their feet in the sand and leans her head on his shoulder. She's playing mean and she knows it, knows she's his weakness and always has been. His stomach twists and he knows she's going to get what she wants.
"What happened?"
He bites his lip, brows pinched, and tries not to give anything away. "Was tired, it was a long day. Ro helped me with his ilu."
"You know that's not what I meant." He shrivels and leans his head into her hair. She smells salty and sand clings to her messy waves but she's always been his person.
"I...they're monsters, Kiri. Monsters. I...They hurt me." His voice cracks and his head is in her hands, dipping their foreheads to meet. "I just want this to stop..." He was fine. He was.
But she holds him and he finally breaks.
She listens while he chokes on the tears, telling her how his back hurts with the healing injuries she didn't know were there. He cries over the wrong feeling of fabric clothes but he doesn't feel safe without them. She wraps him up in her arms and they lay there. The stars are out now but they don't move and he doesn't realize that, suspiciously, no one comes looking. No one ever does.
When they finally stand, they don't go home. She leads him to the med tents still set up from the battle and sits him on the bed. Silently, she removes his shirt and gingerly applies salve to the stripes reaching around his body. Her tears land on his shoulders and his own on his thighs but he's not humiliated like he was before.
"..are there more?" He shifts, nods, and she does the same process to his thighs. Those aren't as bad, mostly from rough handling and straps but she continues her quiet ministrations none the less. Finally, she finishes, and they go home
He hasn't slept well in weeks, tossing and turning and afraid but she nudges him into the pile of her brothers and drapes herself on top. Lo'ak blinks wearily at him but Neteyam just wraps an arm around his clothed chest and pulls him tight. Lo'ak and Kiri have a silent conversation and soon he's the center of a very cozy pile of limbs and heat
His brothers flank him on either side, Tuk joining between himself and Lo'ak halfway through the night, and Kiri curled at his head with her head cushioned on Neteyams chest
It's the first good sleep he has since he got home
The peace is ruined come morning though
He's the last one to wake, Tuk mysteriously is missing, and the family is sitting around bowls of food. Kiri looks at him, shaky, and gestures him to her.
They sit there, Spider holding a bowl of his favorite stew, and no once speaks. He curses himself internally, not wanting to break.
Jake breaks the silence, "Spider, kid, I, ah, think we need to talk about what happened. Kiri said you're hurt and you haven't been acting right. I know, I do, that the humans are cruel. I know we didn't come but Sullys stick together. You're family now..." He swallows, guilty and nervous, " please talk to us."
He denies it, tries to stop it, but Neytiri steps in. Her voice is low and calm, like she uses on Tuk, but there's an anger in her eyes when she scans his shoulders.
"Ma Spider, tell us what they did. Your brothers and sister may leave if you wish, but you are safe. Tell me what I avenge."
He grips Lo'aks hand and Kiri's, head low, and breaks.
He tells them about the whipping, the starvation. He tells them about the machine that splayed him open and how he didn't give them up. He talks about choking on his blood and watching his memories, about Quaritch saying he sees him. How traveling with him was so much better than base until it wasn't. He tells them about walking to the shower with eyes on him, about being gawked at and hungry eyes. How he was left alone for a week and a half with his songcord and fear. What happened when they found it. Quaritch humming his song and making him bleed.
When he's done, Jake reaches for him and he flinches back harshly into Lo'ak. His brother, to his credit, just bundles him up and holds him tight with his ears drawn back in warning. Kiri has a hand on his back and Neteyam slips between them and the adults. He doesn't give them details, just the gist, but he feels lighter.
His family does not.
Jake spends the next days with Tonowari and Norm. Rage is filling every inch of him but he sits at the table and plans
He uses the information given to try and figure out how to fix it. It won't happen again, he'll destroy them, but he doesn't know how he'll get his son back to the way he was
He blames himself and brews. He feels weak and raw and can't process how badly he's failed. Norm, of all people, tries to tell him its not his fault but he doesn't think he'll ever not hate himself for leaving a child to be tortured
Spider wasn't his yet and his kids weren't safe. He knows that, but he knows no one came for him and Tommy either
He never thought he would be that person - he thought he would be better
He hates that his kids know
He hates that they were there and know what happened. That they know how he failed their best friend
He's afraid to interact with Spider, he's scared to scare him ultimately. But he also needs Spider to trust him. He and Neytiri are trying to figure out how to ask him if they can adopt him through a claiming ceremony, but right now he still jumps if they touch him
Toruk Makto knows he did the right thing. Jake Sully will never forgive himself or humanity for the lines they cross.
Neytiri is an active threat to humanity
She never trusted Spider, never felt safe with him, but she couldn't hate him
She left him and she'll always carry that, but children are precious and a Na'vi warrior would never hurt an enemy child
Na'vi don't hurt their children. They don't leave them or starve them or beat them. She already hated Quaritch but she hates him more now
But its the forced Tsaheylu that haunts her
Spider would never have that bond. That's what she thought, but the one time he does he is mocked and hurt.
The idea that humanity could hurt anyone with such a sacred thing, let alone a child of their own species, brings her to enough rage to burn down all of Bridgehead, innocents be damned
She hated humanity but now she has a human she loves. Spider is hers now, Jake brought him in after the battle and claimed him as theirs. He's hers
They'll burn for touching him
He's hurt in ways warriors rarely ever reach and so she snaps
She's already a merciless fighter but it's tenfold now. She will leave no survivors when sky-people come and she will see their blood pay the debt they owe
But for now, for now she takes care of her little ones. She helps Neteyam heal his arm. She teaches Lo'ak how to fight, helps Tuk get faster so she will survive, and helps Kiri become a healer to rival her mother. Spider is still learning to relax with the adults but she's his silent protector and soon he lets her heal his back.
She wraps his injuries and holds him when he's weak. He's small in her arms and she curses anyone who would lay a hand on things so precious
Rage fills her but she spends the time waiting to strike with her children and helping them heal like she never did
Neteyam won't let this happen again
He spends his time with Ao'nung and Rotxo
They're the next generation and he won't let things get so bad when its their turn
A part of him will always resent his parents for what they did. He loves and respects them more than words offer but he almost died saving his little brothers and they're still hurt so damn bad
He gave them everything he had and it wasn't enough
So he plans
He combines Omaticaya and Metkayina fighting styles. He compares defense, strategies, and discusses how they'll work together
He, Ao'nung, and Rotxo spend hours fighting and wrestling, training themselves to be strong
They'll be leaders one day and they won't be loosing their friends again
Part of him is haunted by the cruelty though
He idolizes his dad and can't imagine how the people he came from could be so cruel and make him
But he understands his mothers hatred now
And he thinks he knows it too. They took her sister and now his brother.
He's never hated someone before but he thinks he hates Miles Quaritch.
His mother just might have to fight him to deliver the killing blow
Lo'ak is protective
Anyone looks at Spider the wrong way and he's ready with a fist to the nose
He was the one that went back for Spider
He was the one that ran into the ship
Spider is his brother and best friend, his family is stepping in now but it's his job to be there
Older or not, Spider isn't as strong as them. His skin rips and his body exhausts so much easier than theirs does. He wasn't there before but he has to be now
Anyone who thinks about messing with Spider needs to go through him
His body itches with energy, with the need to do something but there's nothing for a 14 year old to do
So he just stays nearby
He distracts Spider, surrounds him with the friends they've made, and keeps him safe
He takes him on ilu rides and to visit Payakan. He introduces him to the plants around the coast and shows him the reefs with Tsireya.
He honestly becomes a menace, it's cute but Spider has to try and dodge him to get alone time
But he's a little brother and he does what little brothers do
He pesters. It annoys Spider to no end but, honestly, he doesn't think he would stop him if he could
Kiri tries to heal him.
She can't fix things but she resolves to be by his side
She spends the evenings with him just talking and laughing, he tells her things no one else gets to know and things feel a little bit normal in a twisted sort of way
They lean on each other through the healing and hurt. They coach each other through the feelings as best they can. They're best friends and always have been
She won't let that change
She wraps his wounds and learns how to ease the pain from her mother
She spends hours with Ronal and Tsireya to learn how the ocean fixes hurts and shares how the forest does the same
Its her self proclaimed job to make sure his injuries heal but so does his mind
Tsaheylu is sacred and so she talks to him about Ewya, his father, and the fear he still has
It is on him to get through it in the end but she staples herself to his side to make sure he doesn't do it alone
She makes Neteyam help too but honestly her brothers are stupid so its on her to be the support
Overtime, she and Tsireya gather together a collection to make Spider more Na'vi-esque clothes that offer him the coverage he wants
They try to make him feel like Spider again, braiding his hair, covering the bruises and scars, and painting his arms in new stripes to look more akin to their own.
He goes through stripes of each of his friends families, mimicking their patterns in little ways for them to lay their claim
She isn't the most affectionate person but for him, she finds herself making it happen
She loves him so for now, being there will have to be enough
Tuk is just a kid, she doesn't know what's happening
Spider is. . .different and she's smart enough to know it's bad
But her family won't tell her what happened or what's wrong
Spider just looks sad and her family are acting weird, but he's getting better
It's slow, but she's gonna help and it'll be faster
So she brings him toys and climbs on him, drags him deeper into the sleep pile each night and offers him the treats she steals from the cookfire
While her siblings get breathing lessons, she brings him to the tidepools and makes him weave shells into her hair
She does all the little things that her family do for her to make her feel better and thinks, quite proudly, she's making him better
Everyone gets sick sometimes, sometimes it's just in someone's head. Besides, Spider always is sicker than her brothers and sister - she just has to be persistent
He'll get better. She's sure of it.
As per my last post on their kids, I said they want a lot of kids hence the higher numbers. If you have specific ideas please tell me!
spider and rotxo being dads??
Hi!
How did you know that kids are my weakness holy shit my dude
I have so many thoughts okay -
I feel like Rotxo has a giant family. Like he has his moms and then he's one of 8. He has like 3 older siblings, then him, and then there's 4 little ones.
He wants a giant family. Like, he's down to recreate his moms vibe, but having a human for a mate changes things. Spider wants kids but had 0 expectations, he's sort of just down for whatever he gets. Everything in his life is a blessing he didn't expect - he puts it all in Ewya's hands
I imagine they have a little human girl that was orphaned when they invade Bridgehead City. There aren't many kids there but there's enough; repopulation was always the goal of taking over Pandora. Most of those with children either choose to stay under Na'vi regulation or leave them to go back to Earth. The war is not over yet but this is the Na'vis first big win.
Rotxo is 22 to Spiders 23 when they find her. They feel too young but she's there and needs parents. The humans aren't handling the changes but so well anyway and Spider can't put her down. However, the decision is made when Rotxo picks up this infant (I imagine like 6 months old) and she isn't afraid. She's barely to his mid-forearm but she just coos and goes to sleep.
She's their oldest by a wide margin. I imagine after her, they pick up a couple of orphaned Ash Na'vi children, two boys.
The war is making orphans and its Spiders weakness. Rotxo is just down to collect kids at this point, he's just thrilled to have a family with his mate without having to have difficult conversations about finding a way to carry them. (I imagine they could have children with inter-sex na'vi and/or trans Spider but it would be harder and the size difference could be potentially very rough so like, it's safer to adopt and for once there are kids that need it (I feel like orphans are more of a rarity with Na'vi since all kids are a gift, orphans are normally taken by family and aren't as common to just happen))
I want other peoples thoughts on if they should have more? I kind of imagine at least one more metkayina girl but thoughts?? I will 1000% build on this if people are interested, you have no idea how much I have thought about this @tuberculosis-chic
please this was such a fun ask
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
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
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."
Aged up characters, sweet domestic fluff, mated couple, slice of life - Rotxo is about 25 and Spider 26
Rotxo X Spider Socorro Sully
Word Count - 778
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They sun has only begun to rise when Rotxo stirs. The early amber light is beginning to filter into the marui he has called home for nearly 8 years now.
He stifles a yawn and stretches his shoulders back with a satisfying crack. He's careful not to stir the warm body tucked into his side.
Spider isn't supposed to spend the night often, the shack a little ways from their home being for him to sleep in at night in order to keep his mask off for a few hours at least. Rotxo knows it gets uncomfortable at time and has seen the seemingly permanent indents on his lovers skin where it presses in.
Still, Spider is nothing if not stubborn and is hard pressed to make leave when he's decided he's spending the night. For a brief moment, he ponders scooping up the other man and making him return to the building the humans so kindly crammed into the limited space of Metkayina beaches, but the thought filters away as quickly as it came when Spiders eyes begin to crack open.
Gently, always gently - his hand is the size of his mates head, he strokes back the braids and curls that have fallen over his face.
He selfishly tries to lure the blonde back to sleep. He caresses the skin above the mask, stroking gently like he knows he likes after so many years together, and watches Spiders eyelashes flutter lazily.
Distantly, his ears swivel to pick up the sounds of the fisherman and cooks leaving the lazy warmth of their own homes to begin the day. Thankfully, and admittedly a bit smugly, he thanks Ewya for their marui's distance from the others.
Spiders shack needed more stable room than the majority of their structures could offer. As such, his marui was built a little ways back from the water in order to allow the couple the chance to share their home. The shack is only a handful of yards beside the marui with foliage tucking it into the treeline to remind him of his first home.
It is a bittersweet addition to be forced to keep the human they've known so long now separate, but they'll be damned if they don't reap the rewards.
"Ro?"
Internally, Rotxo sighs at the admittance that the day was unfortunately starting. Still, he can spare an hour before patrolling the nets and reef.
"Mornin', Nì’it fko."
Spider opens a judgmental eye and scoffs. Nevertheless, he burrows deeper into the larger mans warmth. A pale thigh wedges itself between his blue and soon he is on his back with the human splayed across his chest.
"The sun is just beginning to rise...we could spare an hour." He directs down a cheeky grin that only spreads at the matching one from his mate. "You read my mind."
He snickers softly and lays a hand on the others back. His fingers stretch from the humans mid back down to the base of his spine in a familiar sight. They have grown up together at this point but the realization still leads him with a bit of awe.
"Mmm...you're warm. Probably cause you stole my blanket."
Spider peers up with narrowed eyes and Rotxo knows the sort of day they'll have. "Na'vi don't even use blankets."
"Maybe we should. And your blanket shouldn't be big enough for me if you don't want me to use it." The blonde scoffs and lightly smacks his chest, right over the still-healing tattoo he earned a few weeks past. The na'vi winces.
"Its that big because my thief of a mate would take it even if it just covered his dick."
"So my dick is big?"
They stay still for a long moment before Rotxo cracks and lets out a loud laugh. Said blanket is pulled up and he wraps it around the man in his arms. "There. Now we both have the blanket."
Spider snorts and Rotxo thinks he'll sling another retort before the smaller man lays his head back down into the crook of his neck. With a quiet hum, he begins to trace the twirls of ink and the stripes of darker blue on his skin. "Tsireya is helping me make another one."
"Of course she is. I'm sure Lo'ak introduced her to them. They're fucking amazing."
Spider just laughs and closes his eyes. The sun is coming in fully now but they can steal a bit longer. He closes his eyes and nuzzles his head down into blonde braids.
"Oel ngati kameie. Nga yawne lu oer."
He can feel the other mans smile against his skin.
"Oel ngati kameie. Nga yawne lu oer."
______________________________________________________________
Translations:
Nì’it fko - Small one
Oel ngati kameie. Nga yawne lu oer. - I see you. I love you.
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
Home
Spider was never meant to find Home
He knows that. No matter what Kiri whispers to him, what Lo’ak insists when the young warriors of the Omatikaya attempt to chase him off, or what Neteyam mumbles when Neytiri whips around with venom on her lips - he knows it, because if it were wrong, it would mean that everything that’s happened was for no reason. He can’t go that route, and so Home is just a concept he’ll never know
His siblings tempt to sway him many times over the years - they feel so much like Home it hurts, but he’s not so selfish to risk it for them when he knows he already took it from their mother
He’s seen his father in the photos the scientists don’t know he has, video logs that show a man that’s only been a horror story his whole life
But what scares him is he sees himself
He sees his eyes, the scowl when he’s angry, the cinch in his brow. He scowls at the image and sees his own face stare back.
So yeah. He doesn’t have a home. He has siblings though, and that’s more than he deserves. So Spider is okay. Really, he is.
But then his Dad shows up
—-
Quaritch is everything he thought he’d be and…not.
He’s angry. The man is full of hate and a need for revenge. He destroys the ground beneath his feet and spits on the life that’s surround them. He doesn’t know Ewya but he hates her none the less.
But he’s protective. Possessive of what’s his (and yet another damn thing he got from his father) and it seems Spider is included in that
He hates it but a part of him feels protected - it’s safe in the that’s holding a poison blade is. He’s one slip up from hell
But hell was bridgehead. It was the feeling of his deepest parts being pried out and displayed like the pages of a storybook
No one cared as they saw some of his best and his darkest days.
No one cared when the whips came out. When he bled so much he worried it was fatal
No one cared when he starved, when the distant sound of wildlife made his stomach twist with need.
Except Quaritch.
Quaritch snuck him food, bandaged his back, and pulled him down.
His hands may have delivered some of the blows or his lips produced the words to trigger nightmares but he cared.
Love is complicated, but he knows his Dad loved him
He thinks he may have too
Quaritch saw him.
He didn’t know. He thought he did but he didn’t but he wanted to he knows he did -
Then Neteyam almost dies. No one came for him. They left him, gave him up, except his brothers didn’t
Neteyam and Lo’ak fought for him.
They risked their lives when they had the chance to get away
Spider pieces his home together after that
Home finds him in the nights after when he rests with Kiri on his shoulder and Lo’ak’s hand loose in his grip. Tuk is curled into her mothers chest and Jake stands a silent guard at the door. Neteyam is flat on the bed of one of Ronal’s medical tents. His brother has been asleep for a few hours now with Norms assistance, but his family is too afraid to leave his side
He’s been awake the whole time. He hurts in ways he didn’t know he could until his capture but the warmth of his closest friends is too precious to loose right now. Still, he can’t sleep. Adrenaline is running under his skin and anxiety is inching up his throat. Jake is outside, safe and strong, but his tracker could lead the rest of the sky people here again, never mind Norms tempering, or his memories could have a clue, they had to be recorded, or -
Jake lays a large hand on his shoulder.
He jumps and a scared gasp escapes his throat before he processes the subtle differences. The thinner fingers, callouses Quaritch hasn’t had time to form yet, the gentleness.
“You need to sleep, Kiddo.”
Spider shudders and bows his head. “I will, just…can’t. I’ll go lay down in a few hours. When they’re okay.”
He can practically hear Jake roll his eyes. “I’m here. You’re safe, they’re safe. You need to sleep, Son.”
They both freeze, blood cold and eyes wide, as the silence envelops them.
Then, of course, Lo’ak snores and the moments gone. Jake laughs softly and suddenly exhaustion is pulling at his eyelids. A cushion slides behind him and a hand gently lowers him down.
“Sleep.”
The pieces come faster after that.
He cries with Kiri for hours. Laments his father, spills everything he felt. She’s the first one he tells the truth too. She knows more than he thinks anyone else ever will
He tells her Quaritch is alive. He tells her its all his fault.
She cries, yells, and then they just lay there. She tells him how scared she was of her mother. How lost she felt without him there.
He looks at her as she cries and another puzzle piece slides into place
Lo’ak and Neteyam came together when they came back for him, but it doesn’t feel settled until later.
They’re on their ilu with Spider behind Lo’ak as they race out to meet Payakan. He’s giant and beautiful and damn terrifying, but Lo’ak describes him as his soul brother. An extension of himself and a badass of a friend. They tell him how Payakan saved them. How he helped get Spider home
He’s scared and excited and now sure what to make of the beast, but then Lo’ak is leaving him on the ilu and falling into the water
He rises on a fin the size of a small marui with a loud whoop that can’t help but make Spider laugh in astonished awe
“Paya, meet my other brother, Spider.” Then a wave of water is splashing over him as Lo’ak laughs in a way he hasn’t heard since the forest
His breath leaves his lungs as he laughs and laughs, happy for more reasons than one. Neteyam meets his gaze from across the surf and smiles then one quick nod. He holds his gaze and feels the warmth spread in his chest.
“Team up?”
“Team up.”
Tuk has been his little sister since he held her in his arms for the first time. Neteyam snuck him over when they were barely into puberty and put a baby the size of his torso into his arms
He remembers her being the most terrifying thing in the world. He was so sure she would be terrified of him, that he would make her cry as soon as she was in his arms and the other kids would realize he’s a monster
But Tuk has always been Tuk and she just grinned and pulled his hair. Her Tswin fluttered with her affections and he knew he would do anything for her
He had never seen her angry, truly angry, until she stumbled into him cleaning the cuts along his hips and back. The cloths on the floor are bloody and his skin is angry and mottled but he had been decent at hiding the level of it until now. Behind her, Neytiri stops in her tracks as she takes in his scars
Tuk’s eyes fill with tears and then he has a bundle of 5’7” child in his arms
Her eyes flash and she looks like her mother when she growls out; “What happened? They hurt you?”
He stutters, not knowing what to say when Neytiri kneels down in front of him. She takes the ointment and the bandages in front of him, moves his arm from his side, and begins to apply. Her hands are shaking and he realizes he’s never seen her frazzled
“You’re a child.”
He looks up, Tuk now angrily crying in his arms while she cleans and gently bandages the wounds. “I..I know…look, I’m sorry Tuk saw, I-I didn’t think anyone was coming back for a while..”
“You’re a child. Children are precious. I-I didn’t realize they…that…” She scowls down at the drying blood and puts the wrap down. She pulls him forward so he rests against her with Tuk snug between them. “I’m sorry, Spider. This will not happen again.”
His face is red and words don’t seem to work but he manages a scared nod. “O-Okay?”
She nods, decisive, and resumes her work. Then, lifts a dirty dread with a disgruntled finger. “These next. My children will not be seen looking uncared for.”
And that’s that. He has a family, a home, and it’s all he ever wanted.
He doesn’t think it could get better.
Part two coming cause holy shit it's 2000 words