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 CIRCLE—
The group sat on the beach in a circle and talked about whatnot. It was a sunlit and scorching day, as all hues of colors; pink, orange, blue, and yellow trimmed the sky.
"I saw him that day, I swear! He's not evil, he saved me" Lo'ak urged, referring to the long-ago incident when he was left beyond the perilous reefs.
"Sure he did," Ao'nung rolled his eyes, not believing a whiff of what he was hearing. The Tulkun Lo'ak was pressing about was tough to come by. That Tulkun was an outcast, and never meddled with anyone.
"How'd he look?" Neteyam inquired, patting his brother's shoulder with amusement.
"Like a regular Tulkun—you guys aren't listening!"
"Lo'ak, I'm listening," Tuktirey's tiny voice spoke, but was muffled amongst Tsireya's:
"Everyone calm down. I'm sure that what Lo'ak saw about Payakan is true," She told, holding onto said male's forearm. Lo'ak looked at her, swirling inside her twinkling blue eyes. She offered a smile, and his heart flipped; pounding, as his body jangled with thrill. She was perfect. Tsireya was phenomenal.
Neteyam side-eyed his brother, smirking deliberately. It was merriment to see how lovers looked from an outer perspective. He spun his head to Ao'nung, who already had his eyes set upon him.
Neteyam understood Lo'ak. Those eyes, oceanic blue—they were electrifying and incapable to turn away from—you would swirl inside them with no end, and you wouldn't be aware of time, and how rapidly it ticked past. The eyes were lulling and immersing.
Kiri and Rotxo swapped looks. The air rustled, as the waves roared. The circle was hushed, but both Na'vi could see the love gliding within. It was comical.
Neteyam snapped out of his enamor and turned to Lo'ak, who was visibly under the Metkayinan woman's spell: head over heels.
"Wow," Rotxo remarked, seizing Tsireya and Lo'ak out of their reverie.
"That was typical," Kiri chimed in, keen to Lo'ak's downcast eyes and timid demeanor, and a giggling Tsireya.
"I'm bored. Why don't we play games?" Rotxo asked, switching topics.
"Like what?" Ao'nung inquired with mischief. Neteyam smiled, jiggling his head. The water Na'vi was always scheming.
"...Truth or dare?"
"That is so typical, Rotxo!" Kiri whined. She paused, and abruptly came to her senses, feeling her lap empty. Tuktirey wasn't in her embrace.
"Tuk?" She whispered. Neteyam's ears perked.
"I'm right here!" The little girl piped. The circle flailed their heads, seeing a cheery Tuk building a sand castle, relief washing over their systems.
"Don't worry about me!" She added. She was playing with a miniature water animal, it almost looked like a crab, maybe?
"I dare Ao'nung to make out with his Ilu," Rotxo said. Ao'nung's eyes widened as his ears drew back. He wasn't certain he had heard right.
"Hey, a dare is a dare," Lo'ak sneered. Kiri turned her body eerily, while Tsireya had a hand over her mouth, repressing a laugh. Neteyam simply grinned.
"That's animal abuse and assault. I won't do it" Ao'nung declared. He couldn't endure the thought of frightening his precious Ilu away.
"Such a spoilsport," Rotxo huffed. "Anyone else?"
"Tsireya, truth or dare?" Lo'ak chipped in. Tsireya uncovered her mouth, and tilted her head, breathing out a small "Truth".
"Is it true that—"
"You like Lo'ak?"
Lo'ak's eyes dilated, his ears shooting up straight. He shot Ao'nung a glare, who simpered and shrugged sloppily.
"Of course, I like Lo'ak. You know that brother" Tsireya giggled. "But continue, what were you going to say?" She added, referring to Lo'ak. Her eyes were glued upon him, expectantly. Lo'ak swallowed hard, his mind entwined between fight or flight.
"Would you...like to be—" He stopped himself. He was doubtful if his feelings were reciprocated. Like, could imply different things; friends, acquaintances, or lovers.
All eyes were on Lo'ak and suddenly he wanted to curl in shame. Neteyam noticed.
"Would you like to go swimming with me tomorrow?" Lo'ak asked. Tsireya's smile lightly faltered. Only a bit, hardly discernible.
"Don't we already do that?"
"I guess," Lo'ak replied sheepishly, rubbing his nape, uneasy.
Neteyam frowned. He desired to give the strength his brother required to be upfront, and outright ask the girl to be his.
His mind traced to long ago, when he and Ao'nung weren't anything—and how it all transpired guilelessly, in the blink of an eye. Neteyam couldn't quite recall who initiated the first move. All that was precise in his memory was when he first kissed the water Na'vi, and later asserted that he didn't feel anything. The stars were luminous that one night.
"Guys, I found a shell!" Tuktirey yelled, rushing with a stunning abalone shell in her grasp. She held it up, laughing, the rays of sunlight flickering against the cool crystallized shades of purple, blue and green. The circle was in marvel.
"It's beautiful, Tuk," Kiri breathed, mesmerized, her lime green eyes flashing lustrously, like a child's. Rotxo glanced at her, smiling warmly. Tuktirey bounced on her two feet, her hands bawled into fists, as her giggles, echoed with ecstasy.
Neteyam's eyes softened. At times like this, his heart would warm. His family's contentment was forever one of his goals. He felt a pat on his head, so he darted to his side to meet Ao'nung's drastic blue eyes.
Neteyam rapidly looked away, his eyes gluing downcast. He wasn't valiant to face the other head-on, not within the current setting. He couldn't risk looking—for as he did, he would kiss him, and pour him with love.
Neteyam's eyes furrowed, trying to keep his stance as Ao'nung's fingertips traced down his back, hovering over his skin. He felt a shrill, and a heat so tingling it nearly felt like when they had sex: so pleasurable, so promising, so tingly that Neteyam closed his eyes, and let himself wilt among the other's embrace.
"Okay, that's enough for today. We should go back," Kiri spoke out, firing to her feet. The sun was setting: blues and purples oozing throughout the sky.
Neteyam burst himself back with Ao'nung's touch retreating—he felt chilly. He met Lo'ak's strange gaze, and suddenly raised alarmed, no longer dazed, and wholly awake. Had he seen it?
"C'mon, bro. We're heading back," Lo'ak let out. Neteyam nodded, bidding the Metkayina trio bye.
During their walk home, Tuktirey skipped merrily, her tiny shell grasped into her small hand, eager to show it off to mom and dad.
