Not a Soldier Yet |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

19. Confessions

Neteyam did not give Tonowari and Ronal the names of his tormentors - the Olo'eyktan admired him for it, but he also felt it was foolish. He voiced his opinion to Jake, but the forest na'vi could not achieve getting Neteyam to tell them who threatened him. Ronal had pulled him aside, checking him over; she held masked pain in her clear blue eyes as she put some sort of stinging ointment on the bitemark that marred Neteyam's shoulder. If anybody noticed the nail marks under his ribs, decorating his side, they did not mention it.
Ao'nung and Tsireya had been sent outside the moment Tonowari realised why Neytiri had brought her oldest son to their home. Ronal, with a hand over her stomach, was doing her best to comfort the other weeping mother. Neteyam stood by their side, staring at the ground, shoulders slumped. He came to realise that fighting back is what he should have been doing from the very start - and yet, he knew he would not do it even if the other boys came to torment him again. It was no longer about making his father proud or taking the heat for his siblings.

His submission had turned into self-sabotage. Only once had he taken a knife to his own skin before. It was not so long ago, when he had told one of his tormentors, he could not remember who, that he bled on purpose, not because they others made him.

Silence fell over the adults as someone burst into the marui.

"Son," Tonowari barked, anger seeping into his voice. "I have told you to stay outside-"

"Father, I love Neteyam!"

"Is this true, Ao'nung?" Ronal let go of Neytiri, who was watching the scene unfold with perked ears and a swishing tail. She even forgot to sob in her surprise at Ao'nung's words. Ronal turned to look at Neteyam, who was blushing furiously and trying to hide behind his mother. Neytiri refused to let the anguish show on her face at her son's unusually shy, timid way of behaving. She only blamed herself for not being there for him. The dark-blue skinned woman placed a comforting hand on Neteyam's uninjured shoulder and pulled him forward, nothing but love emitting from her movements.

When Ao'nung nodded, Tonowari gestured for his son to step inside. Ao'nung stood next to his father, heart beating rapidly in his chest. Unlike Neteyam, he was not blushing, rather, Ao'nung was standing proudly. Until his father's next words sounded.
"You disappoint me, son. You say you love this boy, and yet you did nothing to protect him and now he bears bitemarks and scratches on his body. You call this love? This is what I thought you?"

Ao'nung's eyes widened, lips parting in a silent gasp. He said nothing - there was nothing he could say. Ronal nodded along to her mate's words. "You know who is behind this, don't you?"

Ao'nung frowned. He had been listening to their conversation from under the marui all along and knew that Neteyam was keeping it a secret. For what reason, he did not know. They shared a look, pale blue meeting vibrant gold. Neteyam shook his head, his eyes pleading. They were oblivious to Ronal watching them as she whispered to her mate and Neytiri.

"I do not know," Ao'nung admitted. A lie so easy on his tongue even he was caught off guard by it.

Neteyam breathed out in relief, stepping back. Still, he said nothing.
Neytiri walked over to Ao'nung, pulling her own son along. "What does this love mean, Ao'nung?"

Only then did Ao'nung notice Jake was also in the marui. The male had been so still, and so silent, he was almost invisible.
Neteyam rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I love him too, mum."

Both women turned to him, surprised. Even Tonowari huffed in astonishment. Neteyam marched to stand next to Ao'nung and took his hand.

"How far has this love gone, son?" Tonowari directed his question at Ao'nung, who knew immediately what the older male was asking.

"I -"

"We kissed, sir."

Tonowari nodded once. "Is that all?"

Jake stepped up to Neteyam, putting his hand up in front of Tonowari, asking for the other to stop speaking without saying a word himself. Neteyam tightened his grip on Ao'nung's hand, lips pursed and ears flattened. The Metcayina boy next to him watched the two interact with undisguised wonder.

"May I have a moment alone with my son, please?" Jake asked gently, placing a hand on Neteyam's elbow - on the arm that was held by Ao'nung as well.
Tonowari granted them privacy, insisting they stay inside the Olo'eyktan's marui rather than stepping outside. The leader led his mate outside, hand on her lower back and gestured for Ao'nung to follow them as well. Tsireya was sitting outside by the water, legs folded underneath herself. She had a little flower in her hands, twirling it sadly; soft sobs were shaking her lithe body. The chief led his mate to their daughter, kneeling by her and pulling her close. The na'vi nearby scattering hurriedly to give them privacy.

Inside the Olo'eyktan's marui, Jake stood in front of his son. Neytiri stepped out, giving them time alone. She did not want to be in the way of a moment between father and son.
Jake was not angry; he was not disappointed either as he spoke in a hushed voice. "My Neteyam - my beautiful son. Why did you not tell me that you found someone here?"

"It's still new," Neteyam admitted - he did not know why he was suddenly flooded by relief. "I thought it was too early."

Jake chuckled, caressing his cheek tenderly. "So, my big boy kissed someone, huh?"

Neteyam could not stop a shy grin from forming on his face. "He kissed me first. I- uh... It was when Kiri brought him to you. I ran away then and rejected him I guess."

"But he stuck around, huh?" Jake hummed, letting his arm fall to his side. "Did he scare you?"

"I thought he was being cruel, like the other boys in the village," Neteyam affirmed, watching his father's eye flash with pain for a second.

"Oh, my boy," Jake sighed. "I don't know how I allowed this to happen to you. You're going to have to tell us who these boys are before they really do something to you, you know."

Neteyam nodded slowly. "Ao'nung knows."

Jake paused, brows furrowing. Ao'nung had just told them he did not know who those boys were. Jake let out a winded chuckle. "Alright, I see how it is. Then he better be the one to protect you since you won't let me."

"Yes, sir." Neteyam gripped his father's arm reassuringly.