𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 | Neteyam x Aonung

Twenty-six

Neteyam collapsed to the ground milliseconds after the chief was no longer in sight, a long and intense whine escaping his lips. He sat on his trembling knees, his upper body seeking relief by lying on the net in front of him. "I can't believe it," the exhausted warrior sighed. He never imagined that his existence would result in the loss of someone's future Olo'eyktan position, which made him more than sad. The boy wholeheartedly believed that he was so ridiculously pathetic because he hadn't thought this through at all.
Neteyam sat back straighter, slightly pulling on his own braids, as he locked sorrowful eyes with Ao'nung, who sat next to him.

"I'm so, so sorry!", the forest na'vi apologized while grabbing the other's hands and burying them in his own. But, instead of Ao'nung showing any reaction or answering him with real words, he just leaned forward and gently moved his arms around Neteyam's body, hugging him tightly. "It's not your fault, Tey..", he whispered right into the boy's ear and carefully caressed his back.
For the next few minutes the two didn't do anything else but sit there in silence, needing only the other's presence to feel complete and safe. A small sniff could occasionally be heard from the younger one, but the reef na'vi just held him even tighter in response, transferring warmth and compassion.

In Neteyam's opinion, crying in front of someone felt extremely wrong and definitely not good, as he never felt any acceptance from his surroundings when doing so. In such situations and moments, the warrior's emotions would be better described as discomfort and awkwardness. That's why he always tried to maintain his inner self and despised it when the mask he'd built up over the years began to fall apart, as it was doing right now.

"I don't want you to feel bad, Neteyam", the older boy muffled quietly into the other's neck. "I still wanted you to be my mate despite knowing the consequences, okay? I told you that with you it just felt different and not like it has ever before, and that I want our mating to be the most perfect time for the rest of our lives ".
Neteyam's face lit up slightly as he lifted his chin to look Ao'nung deep in his mesmerizing blue eyes. He parted his lips and quickly wiped away the tears that had stained his flushed cheeks.

"I don't care what happens to me after as long as I have you by my side," Ao'nung said firmly as he cupped the other's face with his relatively larger palms. For a few seconds, the two simply lost each other in their heartwarming gazes, their heartbeats slowing and synchronizing.
The older one then drew Neteyam closer and pressed their soft lips together in a genuine and loving kiss. It wasn't long, but it was filled with far more love and compassion than this moment could provide.

"Neteyam?", a sudden, high-pitched voice suddenly drained the color from their faces as they could feel each other flinch before not wasting any time with pulling away.
When Ao'nung turned around to look in the direction the voice came from, he was met with no other little girl than Tuk herself, hiding behind the net with only her head visible. She seemed quite upset.
"Tuk, is everything all right? What exactly are you doing here?", Neteyam inquired, his tone tinged with concern and his heart still racing from the unintentional scare. But instead of replying to her brother, the girl just ran up to him with fast steps before almost throwing herself around his neck and squeezing as hard as she could. Just because she was still quite young didn't mean that Tuk didn't understand the tensed argument of her dad and brother or that Neteyam felt devastated at that moment.
She couldn't do much for him, but if just being there was enough, that's all she'd do for now.

Sighing, Neteyam gently hugged her back with a small smile spread out on his face. If he had to be completely honest, Tuk and him have always been a little closer than the others, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love them all equally as much.
"Dad doesn't mean it like that, Teytey", the girl muffled onto his neck and tightened her grip.
"I know, Tuktuk, I know..".
Neteyam wasn't sure if he really knew or if Jake really didn't mean it, but he had to play along for the sake of him and his little sister. It would not be fair to her young mind to be upset because of something he did.

Suddenly, Neytiri's loud voice could be heard from all over the village, calling for her youngest daughter and apparently searching for her. Tuk let go of her brother with a gasp before hesitantly and quickly hugging Ao'nung and running out again with her small steps.
"She's adorable..", the reef na'vi muttered, face still turned to the entrance.

"Neteyam, let's do something while we wait", he then immediately suggested with a hopeful grin on his lips, grasping the boy's hands and placing them in his own.
The warrior just chuckled lightly and straightened his back again. "What are your plans?"

"Please allow me to get to know your ikran."