strong - neteyam x oc

aftermath

Neteyam

Leading his brother away from the group, it hadn't taken long before Lo'ak stopped him, "What are you doing bro?"

"Taking you to calm down. Come, sit," Neteyam sat the two down.

"I don't need to calm down-"

"Yes you do," Lo'ak's eyes were red, a hard gaze still on his face.

And they sat. Neteyam knew no words could fix the situation right now, but when Lo'ak would get like this the boy simply needed silence. Needed someone next to him and ready to listen if he was ready to speak, and Neteyam had usually been that person. The two sat together for a long while, almost up until dinner, yet no words had been exchanged. If Lo'ak still hadn't been ready to head back to the Pod, his older brother wouldn't force him too either; sometimes he'd leave to get food for the two and they would stay together longer. The sky was orange and red, reflecting its colors back onto the water, "Why?"

Neteyam looked to his younger brother, "Hm?"

"Why does he have to stay- what does dad see that I'm not."

The question forced Neteyam into silence for a few seconds, and the answer had finally seemed to hit him, "He sees himself in Spider, just as he does you." Lo'ak's head turned to his brother, not understanding. Neteyam realized this trying to put the hours of thoughts into words, "You are a lot like dad, but unlike you who was born Na'vi.... Spider wasn't. Just like father. I think how father also struggled to pick a side for a moment during the first war.... perhaps he saw that Spider did too."

In the older boy's head, it had made the most sense, it was reasonable and being with his father so often during his Olo'eyktan training; he had grown to learn what his father was thinking. Though sometimes his behaviors didn't make sense. Neteyam looked to Lo'ak trying to see if he understood anything he just stated, "So why did Spider- after everything we all had gone through...."

Both of the boy's ears lowered at the thought, and the older boy knew the truth was the best, "I don't know. I can see where father is coming from but Spider-" His ears lowered more, not being able to answer his brother's question. Perhaps it was the adrenaline in the moment, or the time he spent with his father. That in that moment it was what had seemed best, not thinking of the consequences. There were so many different things that could've ran through the human's head, but Neteyam hadn't felt it was out of spite or to betray them in a sense. With how much Spider yearned to be with them, how much he fought to equally protect them- he couldn't see any real harmful intent in the boy's action.

"But what?"

Neteyam sighed, "I don't feel it was to betray us, but we can only know the answer if we ask ourselves Lo'ak," He watched his brother tense in disapproval, "It may not be what we want to hear, but isn't that closure better than being left to guess?"

Their eyes met, and he could see Lo'ak questioning everything before relaxing again, "Yeah.... I guess you are right."

Neteyam stood, pulling his brother with him, "You do not have to forget- to forgive. But speak to him when you are ready, I will join you if you'd like."

"Yeah.... not soon, right?"

"Nope, whenever you are ready, you do not owe Spider time Lo'ak. None of us do," Lo'ak looked up to his older brother in understanding, nodding in response. Then his eyes welted with tears once more, Neteyam pulling his forehead into his shoulder.

"It still hurts," He softly cried, Lo'ak never cried often, but when he did it was never over something small. Despite the younger boy's passion to be like Neteyam- to prove himself to his father. He found comfort in his brother that no one else could give, because despite their bickering and his subtle jealousy in the older boy. The two could see they both just wanted to make their father proud, and it brought the two together more instead of tearing them apart. It brought a safe space for the two who shared the same struggles. And they shared many vulnerable moments together; anger, sadness, fear, even hope.