Not a Soldier Yet |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

20. Brothers and Sisters

Lo'ak was the first to fuss over him once they arrived home, surprisingly gentle with Neteyam as he looked him over and pulled him into a hug. He followed his big brother around for the next couple of days, trying to find out who had been hurting him. Neteyam was patient, he did not mind Lo'ak's attempts at getting answers out of him; but he was stubborn and refused to confess each time.

"Bro, come on, I swear I'll beat them up so good, bro, they will never bother you again!" Lo'ak jumped in front of Neteyam, almost tripping over a rock.

Neteyam knocked their shoulders together as he passed his younger brother. "You wish."

"No," Lo'ak whined, showing off his fist. "I know I can take time. Kiri can go all Pandora Jesus on them with her freaky plant powers too."

"What the hell are you talking about, Lo'ak? Pandora Jesus?" Neteyam, in his surprise, stopped walking.

"Dad told me who Jesus is. Bro, the dude can walk on water and give blind people back their eyesight." Lo'ak exclaimed. He was more energetic than usual; Neteyam suspected that Tsireya has something to do with that. "Also, he was born without his mother ever- y'know-" Lo'ak wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Neteyam faked gagging and pushed Lo'ak's shoulder. "Stop talking. You'll seem smarter that way."

Lo'ak whined in offence, reaching for a fistful of sand and throwing it in his brother's face; Neteyam gasped, blinking rapidly as the little specks attacked his eyes. Once he could see again, he ran after Lo'ak, who was laughing loudly, jumping over even elders who were weaving baskets. Neteyam ran by the same na'vi, shouting out an apology in the name of his brother, a fistful of sand already prepared for attack.
Lo'ak did not get far - as he was looking back to see how close Neteyam was, he slammed into Ao'nung, knocking both of them over. Lo'ak did not know about the relationship of the two boys. Neteyam had asked his father to keep it a secret for now and Jake agreed.

"What the hell are you doing, forest boy?!" Ao'nung let out an angry shout as his back his the ground, Lo'ak plummeting down on top of him. Ao'nung showed him off roughly. "How the two of you can be related is beyond me!"

Lo'ak glared at him, face scrunching up in anger - Neteyam slammed the sand into his face from behind, stifling his laughter at the two boys. Ao'nung was stunned into silence, mesmerized by the image of the forest na'vi laughing as he stood above them. The Metcayina stood slowly, not taking his eyes off Neteyam, who was too busy terrorizing his little brother, wrestling in the sand. Ao'nung noticed a familiar face watching them from afar. He glared viciously and walked away without either of the Sully boys noticing.

"Come on, big bro-" Lo'ak whines as Neteyam pinned him down by sitting on his chest. "That's not fair, let me go!"

"Not until you tell me what's got you in such a good mood." Neteyam leaned back, smug at having captured his brother.

Lo'ak's face flushed, and he started giggling helplessly. Neteyam watched him, dumbfounded. "She kissed me."

"Who?!" Neteyam gasped. "Tsireya? Holy shit, bro. How did you manage that?"

Lo'ak shrugged. Neteyam got off him, whipping off the sand from his body.
"I'm too cool," is what Lo'ak replied with. "I charmed her."

"More like she charmed you. I bet she's not giggling, lying around in the sand like you are, baby bro."

"Well, I bet she is." Lo'ak crossed his arms, puffing his chest out in pride. "I had my first kiss before you, big bro."

Neteyam smirked, shaking his head, to which Lo'ak's mouth hung open in disbelief. He immediately began trying to pry answers out of Neteyam. The two of them were soon accompanied by Rotxo and Tsireya herself. Neteyam wondered where Ao'nung had disappeared off to. Lo'ak began explaining that Neteyam had kissed someone in the village, to which Tsireya began giggling, hiding her smile behind a delicate hand. Rotxo patted Neteyam's back proudly, like a brother, grinning.

That evening, Neteyam found himself swimming around in the ocean, a bit further from everyone else. Ao'nung was soon to become an adult by age; but not quite by right- not until he completed his ritual in taming a tsurak and bonding with it. Neteyam knew his father had already done that and he looked forward to the day when he would also get to pick out one of the majestic beasts. The beads on his song cord were growing quite nicely while he was at home in the forests of the Hallelujah mountains; he had been ahead of the boys his age. As Toruk Makto's son, he never rested until he got things right.
Neteyam's thoughts drifted to Metcayina traditions; he wondered what Ao'nung's first tattoo will be. He did not know if he would get one on his arm, or perhaps already on his face. Neteyam was unused to the idea of tattoos. This was not a tradition of the Omaticaya. Some did get a tattoo, usually marking a significant event in their life.

Neteyam had taken to wearing his hair in a semi-high ponytail. It had grown a bit since he arrived. Unlike Lo'ak, he did not get haircuts, not even once since he arrived. Neteyam was inspired by the Metcayina males, whose hair was way longer than a forest na'vi's usually was.

Neteyam swam underwater, twirling around languidly, enjoying the soft sounds of undersea waves. He did little handstands on the ocean's floor, kicking his legs around. When he was not being drowned, it could be quite fun to play around in the water. His own coming of age was fast approaching; the thought filled him with delight. He was excited to be considered a warrior again; by learning to ride a tsurak, he would be the perfect little soldier he was before he left the forest.

Neteyam did not forget about the bracelet that he wanted to make his sister, Kiri. He used up most of his shells for his mother's necklace - Neytiri had not taken it off since - now he needed to find some more. He also knew that Tuk's birthday was coming up soon, so his littlest sister needed something. She especially loved beads lately, so Neteyam thought to collect materials to make some. Tsireya was good at making dyes; Neteyam was planning to ask her for help.

Something swam by him, making him twirl around in the water; he panicked before he realized it was just Ao'nung.
'You scared me.' Neteyam signed as Ao'nung got off his ilu and swam over to the Omaticaya, smirking boyishly.

'No, you got scared. There is a difference.' He signed back, moving closer to Neteyam and lightly touching his waist.

Neteyam rolled his eyes, ears twitching. Ao'nung was just as touchy as Tsireya was with Lo'ak. Neteyam was not used to it. Only his family touched him in a similar, although much more platonic way. Ao'nung seemed to be much more carefree now that his parents knew about their relationship. Neteyam was worried; he did not want Ulro to see him like this. The male already tormented him enough for looking like a girl - which, quite frankly, was not true. Neteyam did not look like a girl; he was smaller and thinner than Ulro and his gang because he was a different kind of na'vi.

Ao'nung tapped his side to get his attention. 'You alright?'

Neteyam realized he had been glaring off into the darkness of the ocean. He smiled sheepishly. 'I was thinking.'

'About?'

'Not important. I need air.' Ao'nung called for his ilu as Neteyam signed. He wrapped his arm around Neteyam's waist and held into the reigns of the creature with his other hand, guiding them towards the water's surface. Ao'nung did not press the matter and instead focused on pressing light kisses to Neteyam's ears, laughing at how they twitched and flicked around in response. Neteyam could not help laughing along with the other boy, splashing water into his face. Ao'nung lightly pinched his side in response. Ulro's bite mark was still visible when his hair was not covering it; Neteyam had almost forgotten about it as it did not hurt anymore. The wound was staring Ao'nung in the face, almost as if mocking him. Ao'nung was tempted to bite over it, but he knew Neteyam would not appreciate it. Biting was not a sign of love in either of their cultures.

As the hours passed and it got dark, Ao'nung took Neteyam home, so he could inform his father that they would like to spend the night outside. Jake, though not entirely convinced it was a good idea, let them go. He wanted Neteyam to be happy. If this was how, he did not see the harm.