Chapter Text
neteyam woke up cold, he was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to fall into a deep slumber again.
It has only been a few months since the war that plagued them all these years ended. his father had either sent the sky people home with the threats of death behind them or they ended up dead here, there was no in between. His mother has decided that the clan should hold a celebration that would unite all the navi to make sure that together they were strong. Neteyam dreaded the day he saw him again. Finally easing himself out of the hammock he gently walked around trying not to make too much noise.
He stepped closely to his brother and knocked him out of the hammock on the floor of their home. lo’ak landed with a thud and looked up alarmed, he glared at neteyam and bit his ankle. neteyam yelped and backed away.
“we have to prepare for the clans coming today, we have chores to do.” neteyam whispered he started to cut fruits and vegetables that would go in the stew being prepped. lo’ak got up lazily before undergoing some sort of realization that tsireya might arrive today. He laughed and looked off into the distance with a grin.
“that means the metkayina too right, I mean it’s been two years since,” the rest of family started to awaken by the sound of loud voice.
“yeah, them too boy, shouldn’t you be helping your brother?” a gruff voice called out behind him, lo’ak moved quickly and energetically chopping the food while chatting aimlessly to kiri who was dazed from sleep.
“he’s excited, why aren’t you?” a voice whispered next to him. Tuk stood with a small smile popping one of the fruits in her mouth. he knew that she knew about what he once had, she was too observant at a young age. ignoring her he turned to his mother,
“mama, are they the last clan coming for the celebration?” he heard her sigh, he continued around the room looking for bowls to separate the fruits in.
“yes, but not all of them are coming, only the tsahìk’s family and a few others. enough.” neytiri pulled at lo’ak and kiris hair they were arguing, already, with that everyone began to work. Neteyam sat while carving some wood for new bowls he started to remember that day, when he broke his heart .
—
“I don’t want you to pity me!” he yelled his anger clear as water. ao’nung flinched back from where he was standing. quickly he composed himself and went to hold neteyams hands.
“I don't pity you, I care about you, that's different. why are you acting this way? are you okay? have I done something?” ao’nung voice was pained, he was confused he didn’t understand why neteyam was being so cold lately. neteyam ripped his hands out of ao’nungs giving him a hard look. neteyam didn’t think ao’nung was this dumb? ‘why was he acting this way?’ he was shot, that’s why, he almost died. He ignored the rest of the questions that flew from ao’nungs mouth.
“i dont want to be with you anymore, me and my family leave tomorrow. this. this was nothing, I don’t think we are meant to be like you believe so. thats why I’m acting this way.” neteyam told him coldly, not even bothering to care about the other boys' traditions and how this could ruin him. ao’nungs ears went down, he froze, his heart felt like it was ripped and dunked into the freezing water during the colder seasons.
“why- you- i dont-“ his voice broke, he immediately went to apologize. “wait I’m sorry I pushed I shouldn’t-“ he felt someone place something in his hand. He couldn’t bear to look at the boy he assumed would be his first everything. he didn’t have to look at the armband in his hand he couldn’t look at anything. it wasn’t until he heard neteyam move that he realized everything.
“i hope you understand that you were just a- you were temporary? and it’s not like i didn’t want you, it’s just better this way” neteyam tried to keep his false words brief, he didn’t think his emotions would make him do this. “I’m sure you’ll find someone better, despite everything.” ao’nung still hadn’t moved he stared at the ground still hand clutching the betrothal armband like a life force. to make it even worse neteyam patted his shoulders, and barely even looked into his eyes, he knew that he’d had ruined everything. ao’nung broke down into sobs in the middle of the night, his knees scraping underneath the hard sand. neteyam continued to walk away and pretend that he didn’t want to turn around and fix everything, tell him he had lied. but he swallowed his tears all the way home. his heart breaking at the cries his past lover let out.
when he didn’t see ao’nung there to finally see his family leave he knew he'd have no other chance.
——
ao’nung sat on what the forest navi had called a direhorse. it was cold and wet and late very late. the forest was beautiful he wouldn’t lie, it was breathtaking taking, trees so tall they enveloped the sky above with its leaves. the air was so fresh he could smell everything single plant there was.
ao’nung fixed his baby brother who sat in his hold, the travel had been tiring and draining. The baby metkayina hadn’t fussed much but was obviously not happy with how he was seated. ao’nung looked around towards his family, it was only the six of them going to visit the omaticaya clan.
at first ao’nung had claimed he didn’t want to go and stated that he would rather stay home and take care of the people. however tsireya and rotxo had begged him to come so he could see the forest to see his friends again. they didn’t know what happened between the eldest boys that day before they left. they didn’t know ao’nung would never be able to love anyone if it wasn’t neteyam. he agreed at the end their persistence made him cave. he saw the excitement shining on his sister’s and cousin face. he knew that tsireya was excited to see her crush again not that she ever told him, the same with rotxo he just knew.
when they got off the direhorses his mother had walked towards him gently taking his brother from him. tsireya walked closer to her brother dragging their cousin along.
“are you nervous?” Her voice was shaky and her head was slightly downward. they walked through the clan towards a tree structure that was outright gorgeous, blessed by eywa herself in many ways. ao’nung gave his sister a timid smile, and slightly shook his head. he held her hand and looked towards rotxo to see if he was okay.
It wasn’t until he heard his fathers booming laugh and his mother's gentle chuckle when finally looked up. he looked in front of him hoping to see anyone but him .
they both looked at each other not one greeting in sight, yellow met blue, pained met dull, past met present, ao’nung met neteyam again.