Neteyam x Ao'nung

4

Neteyam woke up early the next day, his head reeling from the interaction the night before. Had that actually happened? Or was he just imagining this boy being nice to him.

He walked along the morning sand as his braids bounced around. To his surprise Ao'nung was also awake early, he watched the reef boy situated himself near a tall leafy tree.

"Hey!" Neteyam called out. Ao'nung smiled at the boy.

"Have you made up your mind?" He questioned.

"I've decided I'd like to give being friends a go." Neteyam said, a bright smile on his face.

With the excitement of a new found friendship the boys sat and talked until the rest of the village woke up. It was a nice feeling to make friends in a place so far away from home and Neteyam felt happy.

Later that day Kiri lay in the shallow water watching and waiting for a creature to emerge from the sand. A group of boys walked up to her, laughing.

"Look at her she's just staring at the sand" Ao'nung said pointing.

"Huh? What'd you say" Kiri asked confused as she lifted her head from the water. She locked eyes with Ao'nung.

"What are you? Some kind of freak?" The boy replied

"No, and I thought you and my brother were friends now, why are you bothering me"

The reef boy looked around, hoping his peers hadn't heard what she had just said. They still didn't accept the forest family.

"No, where'd you hear that?" He said laughing nervously.

Kiri hissed and began to walk away not wanting to engage in whatever was going to happen. The boys surrounded her, Ao'nung reached for her hand watching for the reactions  of the rest of the group. Kiri snatched her hand away.

"Leave me alone!" She begged

The boys stood laughing still. They didn't notice Lo'ak.

"You heard her, back off fish lips." He said

"Another four fingered freak" Ao'nung moved closer towards the boy standing tall. He grabbed Lo'aks tail making fun of it.

Neteyam watched as his new found friend bullied his little siblings. Anger bubbled inside of him.

'I knew it was too good to be true' he thought while stomping over to the group, his braids swinging in the air.

He shoved Ao'nung off of Lo'ak and stared at him angrily. Ao'nung stared back, a mixture of shock and regret on his face. The boys looked each other up and down.

"Back off now" said Neteyam suddenly forgetting any warm feelings he gained for the boy the night before. His face showed disappointment as he looked in Ao'nungs eyes.

"I really thought you were better than this Ao'nung"

The reef boy looked at the ground as they walked off, mentally beating himself up for what he just got caught doing.

Neteyam walked home, angrier than ever. He felt betrayed and hurt and he never wanted to see the reef boy again. He spent the rest of the day in silence.

Ao'nung was mad at himself. He had just gotten one step closer towards the boy and he had ruined it all, and for what? The approval of his friends? How could he ever explain himself to Neteyam. That night he got no sleep instead spending his hours awake worrying and praying to Eywa that maybe, just maybe, Neteyam would understand why he did it.

The next morning Neteyam left the house early again. He didn't sleep well that night. Ao'nung was also awake earlier than usual again, he sat on the beach with his feet under the sand and head down still feeling immense amounts of shame.

Neteyams footsteps were heavy as he stomped past the reef boy refusing to say anything. Ao'nung could recognise the sound of his walking anywhere and his head shot around.

"Neteyam wait please." Ao'nung pleaded. Neteyam did not answer and kept walking.

"Please just let me apologise or explain or both!" He cried out to the forest boy.

Neteyam stopped abruptly.

"Go ahead, explain yourself, not that I really care what you have to say right now." He said angrily.

"I'm really sorry I promise, I just, I don't know," Ao'nung stumbled over his words "look it wasn't right to do what I did, it was incredibly stupid I understand that." He stopped and moved closer to the boy.

"I just didn't want my friends to think I was a pussy." He said quietly to Neteyam.

Neteyam glared at him.

"So you were peer pressured?" he asked apathetically "You know if we are all just a bunch of freaks why do you even want to be friends with me, why do you even care?"

"Neteyam please..." Ao'nung begged "there's just something about you, I don't know why but I can't stop thinking about you."

Neteyams face softened at these words. He was always one to try again and he did agree with Ao'nung, there was something different between the two boys, something Neteyam couldn't quite understand.

"Please just give me a second chance, it won't happen again, I promise" Ao'nung tried.

"Fine," the forest boy agreed while sighing "but if I catch you doing something like this again you're not getting another chance."

And with that the two boys parted ways again, this time Ao'nungs face hosting a relieved smile.