Another Chance |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

Chapter 20: Gems Among the Trees

Song rec for chapter: For the Damaged Coda - Blonde Redhead

Neteyam belongs to Eywa; he has belonged to her since the day of his birth.

She calls to him.

He wraps one of Kitsme's warm blankets around himself and lets her help him lie down, humming a song for him. Neteyam loses himself in his memories, the ones tainted by Lyle's gun.

Neteyam is fifteen when he fights his first true battle; Lo'ak is with him, and they're sneaking into an army base, purely metal to rescue Spider.

Neteyam rests his had on Kitsme's lap, lulled into a daydream as she caresses his hair.

As always, Neteyam is taking parts in battles his father had forbidden; it isn't the first time. At fourteen, he had hidden himself in a box on a battleship to join a fight not meant for him – he had saved his father's life that day.

But the day Lyle Wainfleet shot him almost clean through the chest, bullet only stopped by the back of his ribcage, Neteyam had lost a part of himself. The world had felt like it was on fire, caving in under the shower of grenades and bullets.

Had he been human, he'd have died.

Spider had been saved; but Neteyam thought it was his final night alive, darkness washing over him with Eywa's voice lulling him to sleep.

Long months passed before he could walk again, but it had caused him excruciating pain to even sit by himself, unsupported – he had worn a brace for a year.

"Son, you read me?"

Neteyam's ears twitch. He sits slowly, shaky. Kitsme helps him, not attempting to keep him lying down. She merely adjusts the blanket draped over him and hugs him from behind, awfully affectionate in a way that makes her feel like a sister to Neteyam. Neteyam had explained the comms to Kitsme, and she had listened curiously, drinking in new knowledge.

"I'm here, dad."

"Thank God," Jake breathes out, shoulders slumping in relief. He's not flying, but Neteyam does not know what he's doing. There's a lot of talking in the background. "Listen, kid. We managed to knock them back, but Quaritch, that slippery bastard, is still out there."

"Where are you?" Neteyam asks quietly, fingers pressing lightly on the right buttons.

There's a moment of static before Jake responds. "We just returned. Tonowari and some warriors have gone to find the villagers."

"And Ao'nung?" Neteyam whispers, voice trembling.

"He's..." Jake clears his throat. "He's fine, mostly, but he did take quite the blow to the head, so the healers are tending to him."

Neteyam curses, English rolling off his tongue like marbles spiralling to the floor.

"He's more pissed about you being alone."

"I'm not alone."

"What?" Jake hisses.

Neteyam glances at Kitsme and she nods with a kind smile, massaging his lower back gently.

"I—" Neteyam puffs his cheeks up, blushing. "I came across a woman."

Jake repeats him slowly, in disbelief. "A woman?"

"She's a survivor form a previous attack," Neteyam explains quietly, eyes falling shut as Kitsme massages the tension from his body. "She helped me. I think I'm alright now."

"Alright," Jake breathes out. "How far is the island?"

"Thirty minutes if you fly," Neteyam mumbled, sleepy. He rubs a hand over his bump and sighs when he feels the child flutter around inside, lively.