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Neteyam knew he couldn’t complain, he was the oldest after all and this was for their safety, but he couldn’t help but miss his home. His body was aching, having travelled for hours on an Ikran, he just wanted to go home to the forest. He looked towards his mother where he found his little sister, Tuk, sandwiched between Neytiri and the head of her Ikran.
Lo’ak looked ready to jump overboard into the clear waters below, Kiri had stopped directing her Ikran and just let it follow the rest of them. Their dad, Jake, looked just as tired and sweaty but he kept up a strong facade for the rest of his family.
Neteyam looked around his Marui, after such a long trip he wanted to lay down and rest but unfortunately for him, he had to go learn the way of the Metkayina people because they couldn’t afford to be ‘useless’. After the way Ronal treated his siblings, the last thing he wanted to do was learn their way but they were giving them refuge.
Neteyam, Lo’ak, Kiri and Tuk met the chief’s children, who he had learnt their names as Aonung and Tsireya , on the beach.
The first thing they had showed the Sully children was the ocean and the creatures that dwelled inside it. It was truly amazing, Aonung who would not admit it enjoyed their awed expressions, he was proud of his home and some jungle freaks were not going change that.
Neteyam enjoyed the sight of the ocean but he could only be amazed for so long, his muscles were starting to cramp, his eyes red and burning from the salty waters and his lungs felt like they were closing in on themselves. Kiri and Tuk had long since left, Tuk needed a nap and Kiri piggy backed off her and left too.
Neteyam was starting to get antsy, he could feel eyes watching his every move, the chief’s son eyes followed him everywhere he went, he may be a stranger but there was no reason to treat him like he would murder their entire clan.
Aonung watched as the oldest Sully sibling dove under the water again, he couldn’t keep his eyes off him, he didn’t know why, maybe it was the way his muscles contracted when he swam or the way his baby tail swished through the water to get him more movement or maybe it was the dip from his wide rib cage that became the slim, alluring waist that would look unnatural on any other male but it just seemed to fit the small forest boy.
Aonung had been caught staring more than a few times but he couldn’t bring himself to care, if anything it gave one more thing to stare at, the yellow eyes that Aonung had never seen on a another Na’vi before seemed so unnaturally beautiful that it drew him in and he ended up staring even longer at the Darker Na’vi.
Neteyam, his name sounded so pretty, it fit him, a pretty name for a pretty boy. Aonung would never admit it out loud but he had always favoured male Na’vi over female Na’vi, but if he was to become the next chief he would need an heir, that was the only reason why only his sister knew about his preferences.
Watching his sister teach the younger brother how to breathe, oh how he wished he could do the same to the older brother, to feel his heart beat, to feel his stomach expand and contract when he breathed but he couldn’t afford any suspicion, he couldn’t risk it.
Truth be told Aonung didn’t mind his clan knowing after all same gender couples were not unheard of especially in the younger generations but if he was caught with one of the five fingered forest freaks he would be done for, all his friends hated them and he knew for a fact that his mother did not want them anywhere near their clan.
They could end up leading the sky people to the Metkayina clan and if that ever happened, lord help them.
Deep down he knew it wasn’t their fault, he too would like for someone to take in his family if people were hunting them down.
Aonung felt his heart strings tug when he saw Neteyam sitting on the beach by himself, shoulders slumped, the setting sun illuminating the glum expression on his face, even when he was upset he managed to look pretty or maybe that was Aonung’s brain highlighting all the right places to make Neteyam even more alluring then he already was.
Sitting next to the boy, Aonung looked out at the setting sun and the waves crashing down on the sand, “Beautiful, isn’t it?’’, Neteyam looked surprised that the boy had talked to him so nicely, expecting a teasing comment or a rude remark but the soft tone Aonung had made Neteyam flush a little, Aonung was a lot more appealing when he was nice. Sitting up straighter, putting on his good big brother demeaner, “Your home is lovely, I wish we here on better circumstances.’’
Smiling Aonung suddenly stood up, startling the poor Na’vi next to him, “I want to show you something, come”
It was more of a command then a request but Neteyam got up anyway, feeling sceptical but not wanting to disappoint his father more than he already had and from the other conversations Neteyam had had with Aonung, he wasn’t so bad when his friends around.
Aonung called his Ilu, stopping Neteyam from calling his own, “ It’ll be faster with one, come, hurry! Before it gets too dark.” Rolling his eyes at Aonung’s childish antics but smiling as he got on behind Aonung.
Ok so maybe Aonung didn’t think this through, he wanted to show off his ridding abilities but now feeling Neteyam’s chest flush against his back and his thighs touching his, Aonung felt self-conscious and sweaty.
Riding his Ilu to a cave he had found within the reef but far enough from the village that no one could see them.
Aonung watched with a small smile as Neteyam felt the rough walls of the cave, looking around in awe. The sun had finally set and the Bioluminescent algae glowed in the evening air.
They had sat together on the soft sand in the cave and talked about hobbies, their bonded animals, family. They had learnt so much about each other in what felt like such a short amount of time but before they knew it the sun was rising and the glowing algae had slowly faded into brown and green fuzzy clumps on the cave walls.
Aonung hadn’t noticed how close they had gotten to each other, mentally and physically, their thighs were touching, the tips of the fingers had slightly intertwined leaving a warm feeling that ran through his body.
Aonung found himself looking into those vibrant, golden eyes once again only this time it was different, it felt more intense, real, their hands had fully combined and Aonung found himself using the sand below him a life line, a way to keep himself aware of reality.
Neteyam’s face was slowly closing in and Aonung’s eyes had started to droop, Neteyam’s following closely behind. Aonung didn’t know if this was reality or not, maybe his tired brain was playing tricks on him, giving him hope just for him to crash back into reality moments later, he didn’t want this to be fake, he wanted to stay here forever real or not.
When their lips had finally met it was fireworks had gone off in Aonung’s head. Neteyam’s hands untangled from his, slid into Aonung’s thick curls gripping them softly as Aonung’s arms curled around Neteyam’s slim waist.
Their kiss was soft and slow, their lips moved effortlessly together, their first kiss. One they would both remember for as long as they lived.
When they pulled apart and Aonung saw Neteyam’s flushed face, chest heaving as he panted, a soft smile growing on his face, he knew he would risk everything for this boy, he would give up everything to make this boy happy and he would even give his role as next chief to make sure Neteyam lived a content life.
Neteyam wasn’t any better, he watched as the taller boy smiled, a warm genuine smile, his heart wouldn’t calm down, it beat rapidly in his chest as if it wanted to meet Aonung outside of his body. He’s never felt like this before and it scared him but to see Aonung smile so warmly because of one kiss, he would happily feel like this every day just to see Aonung look at him like that, warm, soft eyes that could melt his heart in seconds and that smile that made his heart wanted to jump out of his chest, that made his stomach feel like it had a million tiny butterflies in it. It made Neteyam feel all warm and squishy inside. He loved it.