Not a Soldier Yet |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

30. Spirit Brother

Neteyam was swimming around with Tuk when he heard Tsireya's excited cry and saw her sitting on her ilu, calling out to everyone. He soon realized what she was so happy about and lifted Tuk out of the water onto the bouncy walkway before their marui, ushering her inside to tell the rest of their family - or at least, whoever was inside.
Neteyam called for his own ilu, putting her reigns on and swimming out to find Ao'nung.

The tulkun have returned.

Neteyam had trouble locating Ao'nung in the crowd of excited Metcayina. He found his own parents much quicker; he did not want to go with them though. He wanted to meet Ao'nung's spirit brother - he had heard about the creature before and was more than curious.
The tulkun were different from the ikran or tsurak; they were only family - not a tamed beast to use in hunts.

Neteyam swam around languidly, thrilled by the sight around him. He saw many Metcayina men and women playing around with the large, friendly creatures and smiled brightly. The forest na'vi was mesmerised; unable to contain his excited anymore, he dove under the water and let go of his ilu, choosing to swim around on his own. Bubbles twirled around his face as he laughed silently at the sight of a tiny Metcayina baby wiggling to swim to the surface next to a chattering tulkun.

He spotted Tsireya with her spirit sister, signing something before swimming in an excited backflip, her sister doing just the same. His gaze lifted to the water's surface, where he noticed Lo'ak watching Tsireya's interactions with a sad look on his face. The younger Sully did not notice Neteyam.
Neteyam, still preoccupied with trying to figure out why Lo'ak seemed so unhappy, did not notice as someone swam up behind him until the person covered his eyes from behind, pressing against his back. Slight panic shot through him, before he recognized Ao'nung's familiar body. He grabbed Ao'nung's hand gently and guided away from before his eyes, turning around to face him, his hair floating about around his head in a halo.
'Let me introduce you to my spirit brother,' Ao'nung signed excitedly and Neteyam noticed a tulkun waiting behind the Metcayina - Neteyam assumed that was his spirit brother. Once he was sure he was correct, he greeted the creature - he had no idea what the tulkun replied until Ao'nung saw his confusion and translated for him.
'He said your tail is so tiny.'

Neteyam blushed, the water cool against his heated cheek. Ao'nung swam in front of him, beginning to sign to his tulkun; he blocked Neteyam's view of his hands, so Neteyam tried to swim around the other boy to see what he was saying too. Both Ao'nung and his spirit brother - playful in nature - began turning at the same time as Neteyam, keeping their conversation hidden from him. Neteyam, beginning to grow frustrated, nudged Ao'nung's back with a hand gently, lips pursed.

Ao'nung glanced at him and winked, sending Neteyam's heart into a fluttering madness. The Olo'eyktan's son wrapped one arm around Neteyam's waist swiftly and dragged him forward until the smaller male was perched on one of the tulkun's large fins, holding on as they began to swim around. The tulkun spun around excitedly, almost as if he was dancing. Sometimes he would lift the young na'vi boys above the water, knowing they needed air from time to time, unlike him.

As the night fell and everyone returned to their maruis, Ao'nung took Neteyam's hand and lead him into the small forest for some privacy. Once they were far enough from the villagers, Ao'nung wrapped his arms around Neteyam's waist and cornered him against a tree with surprisingly soft bark. Neteyam's stomach felt like it was doing flips in his stomach; his toes curled. With flushed cheeks, the Omaticaya buried his face in the other's neck, kissing the skin there slowly; he heard Ao'nung inhale sharply.
"Eywa, I wish we were proper adults already," the teal-skinned male sighed, eyes half-lidded.
Neteyam chuckled quietly against his throat. "We are, by age at least."

Ao'nung pursed his lip, whining low in his throat. "Neteyam, you don't know what you're doing to me."

Neteyam couldn't help but let out a loudish laugh. It was true; he was merely mimicking what he saw his parents doing. During his teenage years back in the forest, Neteyam never really thought about seeking out a mate; he always figured that one day, as future Olo'eyktan, his mother would find him a pretty na'vi girl, most likely a skilled fighter, for him to bond with. Neteyam had not been against that idea; he still thought girls very beautiful, but he knew his heart was captured by Ao'nung and he had no intention of freeing himself.

"You're right about that," Neteyam admitted.
The Omaticaya did not find himself making the first move often; he may leave the occasional kiss on Ao'nung's lips from time to time, but he never quite attempted to press the other against a wall or touch him all over his chest - not like how Ao'nung touched him.

"What do you mean, baby tail?" Ao'nung's brows furrowed; he leaned back slightly to look down at Neteyam, who lifted his face from the other's throat. Ao'nung had been attempting to flirt with Neteyam, but he was so caught off guard by his words, that he forgot to even run his hands over the other's body. They waited, paused on either side of the Omaticaya's thin waist. Neteyam patted one of his hands, chucking in embarrassment.
"I don't really know how this works," Neteyam mumbled, mouth going dry. He watched Ao'nung's face curiously, wondering what the taller male was going to respond to that.

Ao'nung nodded slowly. Ao'nung's touches had been pure instinct as well. "We'll learn together, then baby tail."
Swiftly, Ao'nung lifted Neteyam's feet of the ground by a hand on the back of each of his thighs. Neteyam, in his surprise, almost fell to the side, but caught himself on Ao'nung's shoulders; he wrapped his legs around the other's waist.

Something akin to a burning flame awaken inside him, igniting a scorching desire, heat coiling in his stomach. Neteyam prayed they both passed that adulting ceremony, because he was not sure how much more of this game he could take without going insane. His loincloth had become uncomfortably tights and he knew Ao'nung was in the same situation, because Neteyam could feel the other's arousal pressing into his stomach; Ao'nung was set ablaze with blinding desire. He captured Neteyam's lips in a frenzied kiss, biting on the soft skin playfully with one of his fangs. Desire left tingles running across the whole of Neteyam's body. He moaned against Ao'nung's mouth, feeling slightly embarrassed that he could not keep himself quiet.

"Ao'nung," he whispered, breath stolen and coming out in soft puffs.

Ao'nung hushed him gently, resting their foreheads together. "We don't have to wait too long now."

That night, Neteyam went home feeling giddy; before he stepped inside the marui, he smoothed his hair down, not wanting another embarrassing comment from his father.
"Hey dad," Neteyam smiled, walking up to him and cuddling into his side, ignoring Jake's surprised expression. "Where is everyone else?"

"They're still with the tulkun," Jake replied, he patted Neteyam's head and hugged him back.
When they parted, Jake looked him up and down, trying to read his son's emotions and figure out what he had been up to without having to ask. Jake knew his recent conversations had made Neteyam uncomfortable, but he could not bring himself to stop worrying about his oldest son. Neteyam had always been too gentle; he never hissed at his siblings when they were children, never disobeyed orders - unless Lo'ak did, and he tried to keep him out of trouble. Jake noticed fondly, that Neteyam's fangs were still tiny, almost as if they simply were refusing to grow; Neteyam was the same age now, as Neytiri had been when Jake met her. He wondered how time passed by so fast. He wondered if his son noticed that he was slowly beginning to grow as tall as his father. Neteyam had changed a lot in the one year they had spent with the reef people.

In Jake's eyes, Neteyam was the most beautiful creature in the world - in all the worlds he knew.

"How are you doing, big boy?" Jake asked, moving to sit down by his sky people equipment; he seemed to be sending messages of some sort. Neteyam assumed they were for Norm. The young na'vi missed his avatar friends greatly. They were always fun to be around.

"I'm good, dad." Neteyam sat down next to him.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Jake smiled, glancing at him.

Neteyam hummed in agreement. Tomorrow was the day Ao'nung and him - and the rest of the Metcayina their age - were to try taming a tsurak. Ao'nung had explained to him in great detail, how this ritual was supposed to happen. Neteyam was not nervous.
"I think it should be easy enough," Neteyam grinned, flashing his slightly larger front teeth.

Jake all but melted, chest filling with pride. He reached over and clapped Neteyam on the back. "That's my boy."