Not a Soldier Yet |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

58. Vulnerable

Neteyam slowly walked up this mother, who was chopping some strange fruit that he had never seen in his entire life before.
"Mom, is there going to be a day or so when the marui's going to be empty because everyone is busy?"

Neytiri paused, staring up at him with wide eyes before she slowly began to chuckle; reaching up to grab his hand, she pulled him down to sit next to him. "You would like to spend time alone with Ao'nung."

Neteyam flushed, nodding. He carefully crossed his legs, grateful that his knees no longer ached with every little move he made. At least physically, he was healing. "Yes, I do. I need your advice too."

Neytiri smirked playfully, nudging his arms. "Advice? What kind of advice does my oldest son need?"

"Ah," Neteyam breathed out, embarrassment filling him, coursing through his veins. "Um... Ao'nung is always- He is the one-"
Neytiri placed a calming hand on her son's heated cheek. "Calm down, ma Neteyam. Do not be afraid of judgement. Not from me."

The young male nodded slowly, averting his gaze; Neteyam's tail was swishing around behind him before settling down, wrapped around his waist. Neytiri knew her son was new to the way these things worked and she wanted to make sure he felt comfortable talking about it. She hardly brought it up first herself, always waiting for him to come to her as she knew he would. That was just the way Neteyam had always been.
"Okay," he took a deep breath. "I think Ao'nung is always doing the most work when we are mating. I want to help him too but I don't know how we're supposed to be holding each other for that."

Neytiri watched her son as he spoke, admiration shining in her eyes. She set her knife aside as she finished chopping the fruit. She offered a piece to her son; Neteyam took it and brought it to his nose to sniff the foreign, funnily coloured thing. Neytiri laughed, shaking her head fondly, remembering all the times his son had done the exact same thing as a child. Carefully, Neteyam took a bit. He seemed satisfied by the taste.
Neytiri handed him another. "You can ask him to lie on his back. That way you can sit on him. That's really the best way to do it. You can do it facing him or with your back to him. I have been told the men enjoy it either way."

The forest na'vi nodded his head, trying to picture the position in his head. "I think I should wait with that. I feel like it would hurt my knees."

"Smart choice," Neytiri grinned, still handing him pieces of fruit. Neteyam took the pieces from her hand each time, a little overwhelmed by the taste.
"Are there other things people do?"

"While mating?" Neytiri asked, not even a hint of embarrassment on her features.
Neteyam only nodded.
"There are many things you can do with your mate, ma Neteyam. You are not the only one who can use his mouth for pleasure, you know. Ao'nung could do the same."

"Oh, Eywa," A voice rang out, sounding utterly devastated. "I can't believe I keep hearing your conversations about this, bro."
Lo'ak stepped inside the marui, dripping wet and panting. "Please, let my ears be spared, mother and let me stay inside."

Neteyam chuckled quietly as their mother threw a piece of fruit to Lo'ak, who failed to notice, resulting in the fruit splattering against his forehead, reddish fluid dripping down his nose.

"Dad?" Neteyam came to stand next to his father; Jake was watching the sunset while cleaning his gun.
"Yes, my boy?"

"Do you think we will ever be able to save Spider?" The younger male sat down next to his father, digging his toes into the soft sands of the beach.

Jake paused, turning to face him. He set his gun aside and let Neteyam cuddle into his side. He lifted a hand and began to fiddle with his son's braids. "He's a strong kid, I'm sure the moment we have even the slightest chance of getting him, he will know and break free."

"What if we never do and they just take him away forever?" Neteyam asked, lips pursed.
Jake let out a heavy sigh and pulled his son into his lap. In that moment, the ex-marine did not care that his son was a grown, mated man. Neteyam was always going to be his little guy, his first child. Jake loved all of his kids equally, but right now, Neteyam needed the extra love and attention to be able to recover from his past. Jake was willing to give it to him, no questions asked.
"That won't ever happen. Even if they took him to him Earth, I would still go after him to bring him home."

"Mom does not see him as a part of our family."

Jake shook his head, locks falling forward over his strong shoulders. "She never will, I'm afraid. But Spider is important you guys and she understands that."

Neteyam spent time with his father, walking along the beach for hours until he spotted Ao'nung and Lo'ak having a conversation. Bewildered, he made his way over to his mate and his brother, saying goodbye to his father as he did so. Jake laughed. amused at the scene before collecting his gun and going home. Neteyam stopped to stand next to his brother, tilting his head in a silent question. Both males turned to him, just as surprised to see him as he was to see the two of them having a decent conversation without trying to choke each other.

"What are you two doing?"

Lo'ak snorted, crossing him arms. "Just discussing future in-law things."

"Technically, he's already your brother-in-law, Lo'ak. Those aren't future things. They're the present." Neteyam leaned against a tree, mirroring Ao'nung, who watched them, utterly confused by the English phrases being thrown around.

Lo'ak's mouth fell open, as if only now coming to realize something. "Holy shit, bro. Ao'nung is your husband?! Why did I not realize this before?"
Ao'nung rolled his eyes, finally catching up to the conversation between the two brothers. "I don't know what this Broda Ilo thing is-" he said the words carefully, knowing very well he messed them up. "But I'm glad you realize that your brother is indeed my husband, sxwang."