The final day, part 1

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The day after the incident with Y/n, he lay in bed, his breathing uneven and erratic.

A damp patch of seaweed rested against his forehead, helping to regulate his body temperature. His shoulder, where the bullet had struck, was wrapped in healing leaves and more seaweed to boost the effectiveness of the applied herbs.

Footsteps echoed faintly outside his hut, growing louder until the blinds were pushed aside. A woman stepped in—her presence as commanding as ever.

She carried a bowl of soup in one hand and a small piece of bread in the other.

Y/n cracked open his eyes to see who had entered. His body felt heavier than ever, weaker than the last time he'd ended up like this.

If he had a penny for every time he'd been hurt bad enough to be bedridden, he'd have three. Not a lot, but oddly enough, it happened this many times.

She approached and sat beside his bed, setting the food aside for later.

Y/n: Y...you kn..ow you d...on't h...ave to d…o this.

His voice was barely a whisper, each word a battle.

???: By now, you should understand—it's my duty to care for my clan.

Y/n: Re...ally? Last I ch...ecked, y...ou didn't p...erson.allly t...ake care o.f people.

She averted her gaze, visibly flustered.

???: True... but last I checked, you're my mate now.

Y/n gave a faint, crooked smile.

???: How are you feeling now?

Y/n: Be…tter th….an y…esterd…ay. Tha.nks, Ronal.

Ronal: Quiet. You need to rest and eat if you want to recover.

Y/n: Heh... "Coughed violently," you shouldn't… be here… you sho..uld be focu…sing on other things.

His words dissolved into wheezing, his breath catching painfully in his throat.

Ronal: Quit that idiot talk. Right now, you are my focus.

Y/n chuckled lightly—then spiraled into another coughing fit. Ronal acted fast, reaching for the water she had set aside, pouring it into a wooden cup.

She gently helped him sit up and brought the cup to his lips. He drank slowly, eyes fluttering shut as his breathing settled.

She studied him closely, her usual tough exterior giving way to a more serious concern.

Ronal: Y/n... no more lies. How long has the poison afflicted you?

Her tone was sharp and authoritative. Y/n smiled faintly, then surprised her.

Y/n: Wha.t poison?

Ronal: You didn't know?

Y/n: Nah, I ju…st thought th-e pain wa.s from being shot in the shoulder.

Ronal: The wound, yes... but there are traces of a plant toxin. Lethal if untreated.

Ronal: Why didn't you get this treated right away? From me, especially if you were this much in pain?

He looked at her with tired eyes, attempting another barely formed smile.

Y/n: You... know, y…ou sound li-ke you care...about me. There's no point… in treating someone... if they're just gonna die.

She reached for the seaweed on his head, gently feeling the warmth radiating from his skin.

Ronal: Enough. Rest. I'll bring fresh seaweed and herbs.

She stood and walked to the doorway, pausing to glance back, her hand resting on the frame.

Ronal: You aren't dying, not after I took you in as my mate.

With that, she disappeared beyond the fold, leaving Y/n staring at the empty space she left behind.

The actual reason he hadn't gotten his shoulder treated was that he knew his end was near. It was as if death were lurking around him.

And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. If he died, the Sully family would finally be free of his involvement.

Neytiri could return to Jake, where she belonged. Kiri's feelings? Probably just a side effect of her heat—confused instincts. Nothing real.

Who could really love someone like him?

Not after what he'd done: breaking Kiri and Spider's bond... forcing Neytiri into betrayal, Jake's trust... and Tonowari? A decent man, now gone—because of him.

And if any of the RDA's secrets ever got out? That'd be it. Game over. But at least he wouldn't have to deal with it.

Y/n: Yeah... wh.at a fucking c…oward… I'm just... a sack of shit no one would miss... hehe.

He raised an arm to cover his eyes as a tear slid down his cheek. The smile faded. His teeth clenched.

He didn't really want to die.

He wanted to live—maybe even have a family someday. The thought made him scoff.

Y/n: Me? A fa-mily? What a jok-e.

But then came the question: Did he regret any of it?

...

Hell no. He probably had more fun than ever.

This guilt? This voice in his head telling him to change? That was just the dying part talking. He'd thought about death before. This wasn't new.

His thoughts were interrupted by soft footsteps—light, hesitant.

Tuk peeked her head inside, cautiously scanning the room. Seeing no one but him, she slowly stepped in.

She stood there, frozen, her expression wavering on the verge of tears.

Y/n: W…what ar…e you do.ing, Tuk?

She stepped closer, eyes shifting away from him, unable to meet his gaze.

Y/n: W-

A sudden coughing fit overtook him. He reached for the cup—but missed, barely grazing it.

It might have fallen if Tuk had not rushed over and grabbed it, lifting it for him to drink.

He took a few gentle sips, then set the cup down with small effort.

Tuk's eyes shimmered with tears, her hands trembling.

Tuk: I... I'm sorry, Y/n.

He turned to her, frowning slightly.

Tuk: It's 'cause of me you're like this… right?

Her voice trembled. She glanced down, her small frame shaking.

Y/n: Wh..at are yo.u talking abou..t. This isn't y…our fault. Wha..t. Makes you thi.nk that?

He raised his left hand slowly, cupping her cheek gently. She leaned into his palm, tears streaming down as she placed her own hand over his.

Tuk: If I didn't mess up in the forest—if I didn't trip and hurt my ankle... you wouldn't have used your pouch on me…

Y/n smiled softly and wiped away a tear with his thumb.

Y/n: He-y, it was m-y decision to use i-t on you, So it is-n't you-rs fault.

Tuk remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ground.

Y/n: F-ine. How about you help me w-ith something th-en.

Tuk glanced at him, her ears flattening slightly.

Y/n: Pull a li-ttle on the ground over in that c-orner n-ext to my stuff.

She glanced back to see where he was talking about before getting up to walk to the precise spot y/n mentioned. When she pulled at the ground, a small compartment opened, revealing the picture book that y/n was creating for Kiri. Hastily, she returned and placed the book on his bed beside his hand.

He lightly grasped onto the book before opening it and going through the pages, seeing all the pictures he was able to get off the computers from Highground camp.

Tuk: I thought you were done

Y/n: N-no. I am sti-ll missing a few pictures to put in.

He flipped through the pages until he reached the last one, where a group of photos still needed to be placed in their spots along with a pen attached to the center.. 

He abruptly turned his head toward the tuk, where she crouched low to the ground, her face barely peeking out as she intensely stared at the book. Her tail lightly wagged, like a dog eager to play.

Y/n: Tuk, I need you to grab som-ething off the Sam-son. Can you do that for me?

Tuk: Me? You… you really want me to?

Y/n: Y-eah, who else would I ask?

Tuk: I-it's ju-

Y/n: Hey, cu-t that thinking o-ut I'ts not your fault. Stu-ff like this hap-pens a-ll the time, and plus you're the only ado-rable, small sneaking navi around that could get past Norm.

Tuk felt a slight blush at being called adorable, but she still found comfort in the reassurance that his words seemed to offer her, confirming that her actions did not affect y/n's current state.

Tuk: Well… okay, I'll do it. What do you need me to get?

Y/n: I left a camera in the middle seat. Can you grab that for me?

Tuk: Hmh, don't worry about anything until you feel better. I'll be your arms and, uh, legs, alright!

Tuk hurried out, leaving Y/N alone once more. He sighed. Only the sound of waves and distant footsteps disturbed the quiet.

His eyes wandered back to the photo album next to him. He set it on his lap and turned to the last page. Carefully moving the photos aside, he picked up a pen. After a deep breath and closing his eyes for a moment, he began to write.

*Time skip*

Y/N was still writing, but it was in his journal this time, not the photo album. He needed to get everything down. One thing he knew for sure: he had to make damn sure Kiri never ended up with that loser, Spider.

He figured he'd done a decent job destroying their friendship, but he didn't want to leave any room for anything. Not when Spider was clearly waiting for a chance to make a move on Kiri.

The only way to stop that? Tell Kiri everything Spider did behind her back—maybe even throw in a few lies for good measure.

His thoughts were cut short by the sound of fast footsteps pounding the ground. They were light, but determined it was definitely Tuk.

Just as he expected, she burst through the blinds, a little out of breath, camera clutched tight in her hands like a prize.

She ran up to him and held it out with both hands, proud as ever.

He took the camera, gave it a once-over, and ruffled her head. Her whole face lit up, her tail wagging like crazy from the praise.

Y/n: Go–od job.

Tuk: Hehe!

Y/n: Now then, Tuk, would you be interested in putting the pictures in with me?

He raised an eyebrow at her, a half-smirk on his face. Tuk's eyes lit up as she nodded rapidly, practically bouncing with excitement.

She scrambled to the edge of the bed, flopping down onto her belly. She was a little too far, so after a moment of awkward eye contact, she scooted forward and rested her chin in her hands, her eyes on the photo book.

Her tail thumped softly against the floor as Y/n handed her a small stack of printed pictures. He released a quiet sigh, a genuine one this time, then broke into a small smile.

They began sorting the photos together, carefully placing them in the empty spots and writing small labels underneath.

As they worked, Y/n began to notice something strange. Tuk kept stealing glances at him. Quick ones—like she didn't want him to catch her—but when he turned his head to look back, she quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be entirely focused on gluing down the next photo.

Y/n: Is there something on my face?

Tuk: N-No!

Her face flushed instantly, and she fumbled with the photo in her hand, pressing it down too quickly.

Tuk: I was just… you really like Kiri, huh?

Y/n: Of c-ourse I do. After all, she's my mate and... she lets me do things that other navi would dislike...Hey Tuk, do you want to hear a secret? Hey Tuk, do you want to hear a secret?

Tuk: Yeah! 

Her ears perked up quickly. The moment he said, "Secret," she was entirely on board. She leaned in slightly, eager to hear what the secret was.

Y/n: Alright, you ca-n't tell Jake about this, but Kiri isn't my only mate.

Tuk: Wait, what? You're… cheating on her???

Y/n: No, no, no, heh, I really should have phrased that differently. But Kiri understands that I want more than one mate, and she's okay with it as long as I show her affection, which I certainly have.

Tuk looked down, fiddling with her fingers as if thinking about what he said.

Tuk: Umm… I guess… if Kiri's okay with it, then… it's okay?

Y/n: Huh, uh! Just r-emember, this is a secret, and if you tell a-nyone, well, I'm sure Kiri won't be hap-py about it.

Tuk: Don't worry, I'll keep your secret safe with me!

Y/n chuckled softly as the two finished, placing the photos down. Finally, after days of effort, the photo album was complete. It took him a bit longer than he would have preferred, but at least he finished it.

Y/n: N-ow there's one more thing I need your help with…

"Extremely small time skip brought to you by the small TUK"

Y/n was panting quite heavily as he lay above his sheets before turning his head back towards tuk as he grabbed the photo album and gave it to her as she looked at it for a moment, confused by why he was giving it to her.

Y/n: If anyth-ing were to happen to me, give this to Kiri for me, will you?

Tuk: but you're going to be fine y/n… right?

He didn't respond at first, which caused tuk to be concerned before he finally spoke up.

Y/n: Don't worry, something like this won't kill me. It's just that I want you to give it to her randomly so that it will be a surprise.

She didn't quite believe him, but the only thing she could do was believe in eywa will watch over him and ensure he is okay.

She clutched the book tightly to her chest before nodding.

He gave her one last head rub as he sent her off; however, just as she was about to leave through the folded doorway, someone pushed the fold aside, revealing Ronal, who had returned to check on him.

She was surprised to see the small Navi girl but didn't pay her much attention as she walked over to y/n, examining him and noticing how sweaty he was.

Ronal: I believed I instructed you to rest, not whatever is happening here.

Y/N: What? Moving a bit won't hurt; it's imp-ortant to keep your body active.

Ronal: Tsk. At least you're speaking more clearly now, and I notice your coughing is less harmful.

Y/n: Heh, what can I say?

Ronal: A thank you would be a start. Unless... you would rather show your gratitude.

She gave him a measured look but unmistakably laced with playful challenge.

Ronal: "coughing," But that can wait until you're better.

While they were talking, he noticed that Tuk had been standing there the entire time without making much of a sound.

Tuk reaction:

(When I saw this image, I just knew it was the right one for her.)

Y/n: "Coughing" Tuk, why don't you go and hi-de the book so you can give it to Kiri later for me?

Tuk: Okay!

She dashed out of the room, leaving the two alone. Ronal positioned himself near the bed as she removed the old seaweed from his head and swapped it for a new piece, also replacing the material on his shoulder.

Y/n: "exhaling" that feels nice.

A chill enveloped his body as the seaweed was applied to his wounds, soothing the heat emanating from them.

Ronal: Good, that's a good sign.

She looked him over with a practiced eye, then gave a slight nod, satisfied—for now. Just as she parted her lips to speak, a knock sounded at the entrance.

Ronal: Enter.

The folds of the doorway were moved to the side, and to their surprise, three people appeared instead of just one.

The first to enter was Tsireya, closely followed by her brother and his friends. In Tsireya's hands, she held much better food than the bread and soup Ronal brought to him.

Ronel: Daughter, what brings you and your brother here?

Tsireya: Forgive the intrusion, Mother. I wished to check on him... and bring something more filling.

Ronal: Mm. Thoughtful, as always. And you, Aonung?

Aonung: She dragged me along. Figured I'd stop by since I kinda know the guy.

Ronal: Well then, I'll give you kids some time alone.

Just like that, Ronal stood up and started walking away, but not before leaving one last remark to her daughter.

Ronal: I will be outside, taking care of some minor stuff, but make sure to check him over if he starts to act weird

Tsireya: Y-Yes, mama.

Ronal walked away, finally leaving the four kids behind. Tsireya walked over and sat where her mother was sitting as she placed the food she had brought with her onto the bed.

Y/n watched, waiting to hear her have some kind of remark regarding his current consciousness. He expects something along the lines of "Told you so." But then again, they aren't child, so it never came.

Aonung walked around, checking his place out before finally ending up on the opposite side of his bed.

Aonung: So… how's it going, skxawng? Still breathing?

Y/n: Oh you c-an just fuck off.

Aonung smugly smirked before laughing at his responses and hitting his shoulder, which y/n quietly winced in pain.

Tsireya: Quit it.

Aonung: Just some harmless fun.

Y/n: I'll be fine, Tsireya, don't worry.

Tsireya: I'm concerned because you didn't listen to my advice to speak to my mother before going on that date.

Y/n: Yeah… but if I re-member, you agreed in the end.

Aonung: Well, well. Looks like my sister's got a thing for one of the demon-blooded. That's new.

Tsireya shot him a look—sharp and immediate. Aonung froze in his steps, then coughed, clearly trying to throw off the moment.

Aonung: Right. Anyway, so, uh, how you doing, man? Been a while since we really talked... y'know, since everything.

Y/n: I've been better.

Aonung: "chuckles awkwardly"  Yeah... maybe we should hang out more.

Y/N: What, so that you can leave me o-utside the reef like Lo'ak?

Aonung: "sighs" Yeah. I deserved that. I was being a skxawng. I should've known better. I mean, I'm the Metkayina chief's son. I was supposed to be better, not act like a reef-brained idiot.

Y/n: Great. Sounds like we're finally on the same page.

Aonung: "Rolls eyes." I said I'm supposed to be better, but that doesn't mean I'm starting today.

Y/n: Why don't we go another round, then? Let me remind you what I'm made of.

Aonung: "smirking" Please. I'd wipe the floor with you this time.

Tsireya: Aonung. That's enough.

Aonung: simply having some fun.

Y/n shifted his gaze to the third figure in the room—someone he hadn't really spoken to before. Honestly, he was still trying to figure out why the guy was even here.

Y/n: And you are... who, exactly? Sorry you've got such serious background character energy.

Aonung stepped over and clapped a hand on the other boy's shoulder.

Aonung: This is Rotxo.

Rotxo: Yo.

.

.

.

.

.

Y/n: So, uh, not trying to be rude, but why are you here?

Rotxo: I actually get that a lot, but I'm basically anywhere that my bro is.

He rested his hand on Aonung's shoulder, showing off their friendship to each other. Y/n just kinda simply…well, he just nodded as he turned his attention to the sea navi woman that was beside his bed.

Y/N: So... what happened after I blacked out yesterday?

Tsireya: Mother started working on you right away. But... Neteyam came running the moment he heard the crash. He looked worried. It seems like he cares about you deeply, Y/N.

Y/N: Yeah. We're best friends. Always have been.

It's amusing to reflect on how their relationship began. Y/n was hanging upside down with Loak, spider, while he threatened him. Later, he offered to help Y/n pursue Kiri, his sister, and they eventually became best friends.

Tsireya: I'm not sure that's everything. The first thing he did was ask how he could help. He wouldn't leave until he knew you were safe.

Y/N: "soft chuckle" That sure sounds like him.

He knew what she was getting at. And maybe there was more. Maybe. But right now, in his heart, Neteyam was just simply his best friend.

.

.

.

He can't die

Every time he sees that… whatever it is, premonition thing, it always ends the same with Rda soldiers aiming their guns towards neteyam with his back towards them, then he stretches his hand out towards him as gunshots rang out.

No matter how you look at it, at that distance those shots would be fatal. Is there any way he could change it?

All he could hope was that these premonitions were just bad dreams. Hell, he hoped the one with Kiri was also a bad dream because dying at 19 was something he hoped wouldn't have happened….

He could almost laugh a little at how much everything had changed. Before, he didn't really care about living, which was the main reason he even signed up to do that mission. But now? He would have liked to live a little longer.

There was so much to do, like… well, like fucking more hot blue aliens. But of course he wanted to see Neteyam, Kiri, even cute little Tuk grow up and see what kind of people they would become… oh even Loak as well.

Tsireya: Y/n? 

Y/n: h-huh? Sorry, you said something?

Tsireya: No, it's just your crying.

He blinked, confused, and lifted a hand to his cheek. She was right, his face was wet. He must've let his guard down more than he realized.

Y/n: Sorry, just thinking of the past.

Tsireya gently placed her hand over his. He looked up to meet her eyes.

Tsireya: I'm here if you want to talk about it.

Y/n: I appreciate it, but there's no need to be concerned. It was just a memory from the past.

Tsireya: Here, maybe you feel better after having so much needed food in your system, hmm?

Y/n: Jeez, you're making me feel like a kid getting taken care of by his overprotective mother.

Tsireya: Well, I do spend a lot of time teaching kids. What's wrong with having someone worry about you?

Aonung: Perhaps if you're weak, you gotta get stronger not just for yourself, but for your people. For the ones you care about.

Aonung raised his fist while talking like he was trying to show strength. However, that was quickly shut down as Tsireya stood up and walked over to give him a quick whack to the head.

Tsireya: Come, let's give y/n some time to enjoy his meal, and y/n, as I'm sure my mother must have told you the rest.

Y/n: I appreciate the food! I bet it's wonderful if it's coming from you.

Tsireya raised her hand in an attempt to hide any sign of a blush on her face. The three made their exit from his home, with Tsireya being the final one to leave, as she did a kiss gesture towards him before leaving.

He just laughed lightly while his eyes drifted towards the food that she had left behind for him.

(Food pic)

It looked amazing. The wooden carrier had leaves on it, which could be used as both food and a way to keep the carrier clean. Above it was sliced fruit of some kind with nicely cooked and cut fish.

Tsireya knew how to cook, and that was for sure.

He started eating the food while keeping his eyes on the doorway, expecting Ronal to come in. However, there were no signs of her return at that moment, as he couldn't really hear anyone who might be her outside.

*Time skip of Square root pi*

Y/n had a bowl up to his face as he was chugging down the soup that Ronal had brought to him, after all, it was the least he could do since she went out of her way to get him some soup.

His ears twitched slightly as he heard footsteps approaching his home. It must have been Ronald coming around to check up on him even if she didn't need to.

As he expected, someone put their hands on the folds and moved them to the side as they walked inside, but that was where the expected turned into the unexpected.

It wasn't Ronal that walked in, but instead it was another S tier MILF Navi… Neytiri.

Word count:3807

I decided to split the chapter in half, as I want to keep my promise of a chapter a week. So here is this chapter.