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Neteyam has always had a thing for praise. It is what drives him, and pushes him a little more.
He's fully aware it comes from his complicated relationship with his father. The man had once been loving and active father, now suddenly shifting to a war leader, demanding respect in his role from everyone. That included his own children. Neteyam doesn't quite remember when he started calling his father "sir," or even why it has become the new norm for their family. It is a family of warriors who have inherited some of his father's past life antics. They are, after all, composed of human and Na'vi DNA, and there is nothing Neteyam could do about that.
Back to the point, he had been working hard to get his father to say that he was proud of him. An expectation was burdened on him simply for being the first, although Kiri is about the same age as he is. He had to take care of everyone, to be the one to take the fault. It is his duty as his father's son. He must stand in his father's place when he is not here. He must be strong, he must be vigilant, and wise, and -
Honestly, it is quite tiring. All he really wants is some voice of appreciation for all that he does. His mother, the strongest person that he knows, is still succumbing to the new lifestyle that they are to embark on. It wasn't for lack of fighting, as he got to overhear, but it was for them. She would fight tooth and nail every sky person if she could, but for him and his siblings.. the extent she is willing to go is a limit not reached yet.
So here they are, in Awa'atlu, attempting to hide from sky people while failing to ride ilus and hold their breaths underwater. Or maybe that is just him. Kiri is doing just fine, better than fine, even. It all came too naturally for her. Lo'ak couldn't care less about actually learning, not when there is a pretty girl directing him to breathe and trouble to get into. Tuk is a bit too young and that just leaves him to take the time and effort.
Always the first one up and last one asleep. Making sure Tuk is okay, apologizing every time Lo'ak does something, so on and so forth. What Neteyam needs is-
"Hey, pay attention!" He feels a smack and he jumps. Aonung looks to him, clearly annoyed with his lack of attention. Neteyam readjusts himself. "You should be better at this by now."
A 'sorry' lies on the tip of his tongue, but he holds it back. It is just a habit to keep apologizing. He certainly won't apologize to Aonung.
"You should be a better teacher by now," is his comeback. That earns him another smack. He is reprimanded for squeezing his thighs too tightly, instructed to just feel the creature. Neteyam tries, closing his eyes despite the distrust he feels for his so-called teacher.
"Good boy." Neteyam feels himself shiver and his eyes fly open. His legs tighten and the ilu makes it known. "You screwed up again." Aonung's disappointment is etched in his words, but he is only looking at the animal beneath him. He strokes the side of its face, and Neteyam's eyes are suddenly glued to his strong hands. "You're doing so good. It won't be long now."
Each word has his core twisting and mind blanking. Aonung is smiling at the ilu as he speaks praises into it, and Neteyam cannot help but wish it was directed at him. His body reacts as if it is, the heat in the pit of his stomach traveling south. He needs to get out of here. He is quick to halt his connection with the ilu and hop off, praying the cold water will aid in his little problem. Aonung makes a surprised sound when the water splashes on him. Neteyam is moving before he can speak.
"I need to go! Thanks for the lesson." Aonung holds his arms out in a 'wtf' notion, but Neteyam is already out of the water and running. In the distance, he hears his stupid brother yell "where is he going?" Aonung scoffs, petting the nose of the ilu.
"What's his problem?" He asks it, but all he gets is a satisfied purr in response.
Neteyam figured he could forget his little incident. He didn't even admit to himself the reason he had to go so suddenly. Being attracted to Aonung in any way is out of the question. Aonung has made it clear how he feels about his family, since he left Lo'ak beyond the reefs a couple weeks ago. Their relationship, despite Lo'ak and Aonung making up, has been on the edge. He deserved to be dragged by his queue to his own father to admit what he had done. He could've killed his brother, and Eywa forbid he has to apologize for his death.
There isn't enough sorry's in the entire Pandora to make up for if that were to occur.
Yet here they are.
Today is basket weaving. It doesn't require Aonung to be so close to him or to talk as much. Neteyam already has the basics down, it's just a matter of practice and time. He sits on the other side of his two siblings, keeping an eye on them. Lo'ak is trying to multitask by talking to Tsireya about her childhood. Tuk had visited earlier but found basket weaving to be boring, instead returning home. She made sure to give him a big hug on his way out.
Aonung circles them, as if he is better than them. He rolled the first time he saw the Metkayina man take his first lap around, hands behind his back. Aonung is annoying without even trying, much like his brother. No wonder they get along so well now. He is off in his own world at this point, going through the motions with his fingers as his mind goes elsewhere. He thinks of home, or what was home. They have nothing anymore. This place is only a temporary solution to a pressing and forthcoming issue. Sky people are coming and they are coming for his father. They have proven that they are willing to kill, burn, or destroy whatever to achieve that. That includes him, so he'll be-
"Good." Aonung's breath tickles his ear. He jumps. "You've done a nice job here, you kept it nice and tight."
Heat fills his face so quickly, turning a shade of purple. He turns his head away from Aonung, thankful for the fact his brother and sister have not looked up to this interaction. It should be innocent, he is merely complimenting his basket. But the way it sounds coming out of his mouth.. Neteyam swallows his accumulating spit, but it feels as if he swallowed a rock. Despite this, he nods.
"Thanks." He keeps his voice level, but drips a little sarcasm in there because fuck Aonung. Aonung is still too close to him when he huffs, amused. Now it's fuck, Aonung.
"Keep going," insists the lighter Na'vi, clasping a warm and thick hand on his shoulder. He rises up and walks away.
Neteyam and Kiri make eye contact. She looks like she is going to say something, but Neteyam gives a nonverbal sign to "shut the fuck up." She makes the motion to zip her lips, returning to her task.
Aonung is back to circling them all again, stopping once to smack Lo'ak when he leans a bit too close to the chief's daughter. He'll have to get over it.
Neteyam finds himself rolling his eyes again.
Aonung flicks his eyes up to him and Neteyam holds his stare, unwilling to give in to the silent challenge. The other man is smirking as if he knows the outcome of this. Aonung walks his way around him as he maintains contact. Neteyam begins to feel a tad uneasy as he draws closer, uncaring for the other three around them. Aonung squats down, face to face. Neteyam squirms.
It feels like forever, how long they stay like this. Aonung even tilts his head, just like he does, putting on a smile. Neteyam draws himself back, earning a sarcastic coo. "Aww come on. You were doing so good." The praise has his breath stuttering, pupils dilating. Aonung could see it all unfold.
Neteyam swallows his pride, pushing Aonung. He makes a surprised noise when he falls.
"You cheated!"
"No, you lost." Neteyam replies, getting up. "I'm going to swim." He ignores the giggles from Aonung's loss and the frustrated grunt. He was going to swim, it was not a lie. If you were to ask him why, he would bend the truth.
He needed to get this feeling out somehow.
He dives, a new action that he has worked on to perfection. He takes his time in exploring and admiring the underwater. Water is Pandora come to life. Her breath is in all that breathe, but the ocean? It is life itself.
He breath holds for several minutes before it begins to falter and he swims up to the surface. He gasps for air, closing his mouth so he can practice his proper breathing methods. This goes on for a few seconds before he his ears flick. He turns around in the water, Aonung right behind him with that stupid smirk.
"Anung!"
"I want a rematch." Curt as always. Despite his shock, Neteyam scoffs.
"You seriously came all the way out here just for a rematch?" He gets a shrug in response, swims a little closer.
"Scared, forest boy?"
"Fine," Neteyam snaps. And they start. Neteyam had a sneaking suspicion it was not truly a staring contest, but a test of wills. For what, he didn't know. He couldn't read the mind of the stupid boy in front of him.
Aonung brings himself closer and closer until their faces are inches apart. Neteyam huffs out in protest.
"Do you really need to get this close?"
"hmm." They keep this going until fingers dance along his waist.
"You're cheating!"
"How so?" The fingers glide along his sides again. Neteyam splashes the water.
"Tickling, you ass."
"I am not tickling."
"yes you are."
"I am not"
"Yes yo-"
"Be a good boy and focus on the game, will you?" Aonung says it so lightly, as if he didn't temporarily rattle the other boy's mind.
"Ao-" Neteyam starts but he is hushed. Hands are still roaming the planes of his body. Neteyam hates that he lets it happen.
"Think I wouldn't notice?" Aonung tsks, as if he did something wrong. "One time is coincidence, twice is.." He tilts his head, as if he couldn't find the word. Neteyam knows he is playing with him at this point.
"get away," he asserts, raising his hands to push Aonung away. Fingers wrapped around his waist suddenly tighten, keeping Neteyam at their close proximity. He receives a sound of protest for it. "Stop it!" He thrashes in the hold, effectively ending the game.
"Aww come on. You were doing so well." Aonung wraps one arm around him, using his other hand to grip his chin. "Keep looking at me."
A small sound escapes Neteyam at the strength that is keeping them both afloat since he certainly forgot to keep himself up.
"I - I" Neteyam tries to speak, but he has yet to process what all is happening. How nice of Aonung to keep him up to speed.
"You like to hear just how perfect you are, don't you? Just how great you are at everything you do, huh?"
"Please," whispers the golden boy. He gets a snicker in response.
"You want to hear how pretty you are? How nice you under my hands? How much I'd love to ruin the perfect son?" Neteyam whimpers as Aonung digs his fingers deep into his hips, sure to leave a mark. "Answer me."
"Fuck you."
"I'm sure you'd like that." In the distance, Neteyam hears his name being called, and he is thankful for the interruption. Yet Aonung takes a preparatory breath and dives underwater, concealing himself.
Tsireye appears.
"Neteyam have you seen my brother?"
"No I-" He feels a hand travel up his thigh, getting dangerously close to his forbidden spot. He chokes on his sentence. "I haven't seen him!" He forces out.
"I guess he went home. Do you want company?"
"NO!" He says a bit too quickly. "I'm good, just chilling." A sharp sensation travels along his inner thigh and Neteyam didn't recognize what it was until Aonung bites down. He lets out a quipped sound.
"Are you okay?" Tsireya walks closer to the shore, intent on coming in.
"I'm good! Thought I felt something on my leg. I'll talk to you later!" He feels the water slosh as Aonung peeks his head from behind him, the rest of his body hidden.
"Okay, bye!" She leaves and Aonung resumes his hands around his waist.
"You are tiny." Neteyam whips around, pushing himself away.
"Quit with your games."
"You're fun to play with, and you seem to enjoy this."
"I do not!" Neteyam scolds with a hiss. Aonung seems indifferent to it.
"You sure about that?" Aonung grips his member, receiving a different kind of hiss. Neteyam cuts it off with a pitched moan as he gives his arousal a squeeze. "I can hear how much you don't enjoy this." Aonung is getting closer to him, running his teeth on the open space in front of him.
"God, Eywa, please."
"Say it." Aonung stops all his movements, patiently waiting. Neteyam blinks in confusion, a sudden halt in his high.
"Huh?"
"Say it."
"Say what?" Aonung doesn't give him an answer. he hums before he pulls back completely. Neteyam almost reaches forward to pull him back but the other man shakes his head.
"When you figure it out, let me know." Aonung dives back underwater before Neteyam can reply, swimming to the shore and walking off. Neteyam watches it all happen.
Shame fills him. Why had he let this happen? And with him. Aonung had managed to find a weakness in him and he capitalized on it. Neteyam lets out a frustrated yell, slapping the water once more.
As much as he hates it, hates him, he has to admit to himself that he liked it. A bit too much.