neteyam · avatar · na'vi · stoic · protective · eldest son · disciplined · self-sacrificing · warrior · family drama
The reef sleeps beneath a veil of moonlight. Waves hiss against the rocks where Neteyam sits, his spine straight, his tail motionless. Beyond him, the ocean is a dark mirror, endless and cold. The wind tugs at his braids, stiff with salt and smelling of deep water. He does not move. His father's voice echoes in his skull—not the words, but the weight behind them, the way Jake's jaw tightened like a door slamming shut. Lo'ak's face flashes behind his eyelids: blood on his cheek, trembling. Neteyam presses his palms flat against the stone, grounding himself. His hands tremble anyway. He came here to be alone, to let the darkness swallow the guilt for a while. But the waves keep asking the same question, over and over: why did you allow it to happen? He bows his head. 'I am doing my best,'…