Upon the Metkayina Clan giving his family sanctuary, and now living under Awa'atlu, Neteyam didn't foresee himself to be holding secrets.
As the eldest brother, all he wanted was to protect and follow his father, Jake Sully's (Toruk Makto) footstep...
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—THE WAY OF FLIRTS—
No one knew what they were, or what they did hidden. From the way, Ao'nung would grip Neteyam's waist when no na'vi was looking, or the way his pale blue eyes would trail down the darker boy's blue lean frame, marveling with a look of yearning.
Neteyam would usually find himself craving. Craving Ao'nung's warm lips against his slender neck, peppering it with soft kisses. He was starving, needless to say, craving the water na'vi's warm hands, grasping around his thighs, his neck, or his jaw as they kissed senselessly.
As he sat in the Marui with Lo'ak, eating the fish his mother made, tasty and crisp, Neteyam stared at the ground. He wasn't sure when it began. Or why their tendrils clicked that one night, but they did, forging a memorable experience full of insight; memories, previous wars, and their thoughts. They could hear each other's thoughts, clear as day.
They had mated in secret.
It felt like a joke to them at first—like a male na'vi couldn't genuinely be in love with a fellow male na'vi. But then they sealed the bond. Made love as the sky people call it.
At times, Neteyam's gaze would glide over those turquoise thighs, huge and muscular. As Ao'nung called his Ilu, he would stare, not knowing for how long or why specifically. He just simply stared.
"Where were you last night?" Lo'ak asked, glancing up from his fish. These past few days he couldn't sleep as the thought of home tempted him terribly, so he had gotten a glimpse at Neteyam sneaking away. Neteyam peered up at Lo'ak, a smile quelling his discomfort.
"Don't worry bro, I haven't told mom," Lo'ak blurted, clearing Neteyam's anxious train of thought.
"I thought you were sleeping?"
"Sleep is for the weak," Lo'ak said, mouth full of fish.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Neteyam grimaced, flinging a chunk of fish at his brother. Lo'ak moved his face closer, chewing louder, his breath reeking of fish tickling the older's nose.
Neteyam's face scrunched. He shoved the younger away. "Stop that," He told him.
"Stop what?"
"That."
"What?"
"Your chewing, skxawng."
Lo'ak's mouth went still. He pointed at his almost-finished fish. "You don't want me chewing fish? How else am I supposed to feed myself, bro?"
"That's not what I meant," Neteyam rolled his eyes. He shot to his feet and patted his brother's head, who hissed at him in return. Scary, he thought retrieving his arm.
Just as he was about to exit the pod, Lo'ak called and said; "If you see Tsireya, can you tell her I'll meet her a few minutes late?"
Neteyam smirked. "What for?"
"Breathing exercises, she practically said I sucked," Lo'ak said solemnly, feeling the pang in his heart like he felt that day as if it was still engraved fresh.
"Ouch..."
"I know, but you know what dude? I'm gonna wow her today."
"Okay, Mr. steal her heart" Neteyam teased, stifling a laugh.
"Couldn't you be more uplifting?" Lo'ak rolled his eyes, sarcastically.
"Yeah, sometime later. Not today" Neteyam spoke, before fleeing in a hurry, leaving Lo'ak to frown, wondering the reason behind his brother's sudden leave and late sneaking away. It wasn't the first time the younger had witnessed it. Matter of fact, it was his third time.
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"You didn't tell me we were going hunting," Neteyam said, sharpening his spear.
"It must've slipped my mind," Ao'nung shrugged, smirking. He slyly closed from behind, gazing at the Na'vi's back, smooth and dripping with water. He gripped the sides of the other's small waist, smiling as his fingertips seared with warmth.
Neteyam looked over his shoulder, beaming brightly. It was just them. No one else was around.
Usually, there was. There was Rotxo and his other few friends, but today Ao'nung didn't want them about, so he didn't tell them about his hunt.
"Who wouldn't be when I have such an eye-catching view of a Na'vi?" He flirted.
"Focus," Neteyam told him, levering him off, though he couldn't deny his little creeping smile, displaying his pearly whites. Ao'nung stepped back, holding his arms up as if to say he was all clear, with no intentions of touching him at the moment.
Pulling net after net of fish wasn't difficult for Ao'nung. He had done it all his life. Though, Neteyam appeared to struggle through.
Neteyam held his spear like a bow, having one eye closed and glaring through the water, locking the target on a moving fish. His chest heaved heavily. He kept adjusting his spear, annoyed, wondering if the fish was taunting him and making a mockery out of him as it swam in circles beneath his glare.
"Take a breath and aim at a single spot. Don't move your arms too much," Ao'nung told him against his ear, gently, his arms wrapping around his waist.
Neteyam closed his eyes, inhaling. He shifted his spear, no longer positioned upon the fish, and exhaled. He threw the spear with the best of his strength and aim.
Why's it so hard, He wondered. He could easily shoot with a bow, regardless of his moving or nonmoving prey.
"A spear requires a calculated throw. As well as strength. Like your bow. But unlike your bow, there's nothing to guide a spear. It can easily waver as it's heavy. You have to maintain it in one angle," Ao'nung explained. He had been looking at Neteyam the whole time and realized his drawback was keeping the spear still.
Neteyam stared at his spear blankly, sunken down the water. The fish still circled, quicker this time as if celebrating its survival.
"This is hard," He whined for once in his life. Two and a half months under Awa'atlu and he couldn't seem to grasp the lifestyle. Though he wouldn't admit it, he took pride in being better than Lo'ak at hunting, as the younger would always humiliate himself. But now it seemed like both were somewhat at the same level.
He came to the realization of Ao'nung's arms wrapped around him. It felt so normal that Neteyam hadn't paid any mind.
He turned his head, gently pecking the other's lips. Slow and passionate. Ao'nung's hand traveled up his neck (his second favorite spot), and caressed it. They locked lips once more, sucking into each other's tongues.
Neteyam had come to a revelation that Metkayina Na'vis had brusque and lengthier tongues.
