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Another fight broke out between the two groups of kids again.
Mainly because Lo'ak couldn't leave it, unable to control his emotions and also Aonung who kept pushing his buttons even when he knew he reached the limit. It got so bad, Neteyam had to step in again when it got physical, tails and fists lashing out against each other until the adults had to separate them and they were dragged away by their parents. Neytiri was too agitated to speak to them, hissing as she left with the girls and Jake took over for her. He got it, he understood what they were going through but he had to make sure they would be allowed to stay for everyone's safety and right now the kids were making it harder.
"Aonung started it." Lo'ak complained, tail angry behind him and brows drawn together.
"I don't care. His parents will sort him out, it's my job to look after you two." Jake sighed, clasping both boys on their shoulders, "I get it, alright? Please, just… try to get along."
He kept them a few more moments, making sure to hear both their sides so he could speak to Tonowari about it later. He couldn't just blame them everytime if they weren't the ones who started it.
"Go apologise."
"Yes sir." They grumbled, leaving the marui.
Aonung was still with his parents when they found him and while Lo'ak apologised in front if them and excused his rudeness for interrupting, Neteyam hung back to talk to him later. He rather Lo'ak and Aonung settle their differences first.
Later he goes to find the other boy, searching among the spots he knew he went to. The sun was starting to set in the distance, casting everything in a golden glow as he walked. The sand was warm beneath his feet, soft grains giving way along his walk. He found Aonung at one of the shallow pools that looked out at the ocean, sitting hunched over with two small bowls in front of him. He was dipping a cloth into the saltwater and hissing lowly as he wiped at his wounds.
"Come to gloat?" Aonung asked, catching sight of Neteyam's shadow at his feet and his reflection in the clear water ahead of him.
"No. What are you doing?" Neteyam murmured.
"Fixing these," He scowled, pointing at the shallow cuts around his eye and on his lip, "My mother refused to tend to them because I made trouble for them."
His voice sounds bitter and while Neteyam does have sympathy for him, he also thinks he deserves it a little bit. He watches the Metkayina wiping at his wounds, pulling the skin tight and drawing more blood from the broken skin in the process. After another pained sound, Neteyam gives in.
"You're doing it wrong."
"What?" Aonung drops his hand to look up at Neteyam, "You just do not stop acting so-"
"Let me help." Neteyam interrupts before he can lose his cool, "My father wants me to make amends so just. Please. Let me help."
Aonung looks at him like he's trying to piece together a puzzle. After several strenuous seconds, he concedes, dropping the rag into the one bowl and sitting back.
"Do your worst."
Neteyam ignores the comment, sitting down next to him and guiding him to turn so they were facing each other. He placed the bowls next to them, one filled with a leafy substance while the other contained a strong smelling salve. Neteyam dips the cloth in the salt water and pulls it over his forefinger for more precision before he leaned in to gently dab the wounds. The other flinched but didn't move otherwise, hands grasping his folded legs tightly as Neteyam worked.
His honey eyes flickered over Aonung's face, fingers softly touching the skin to assess the damage. The biggest cut is one that lays across Aonung's cheekbone but it is not in need of stitches so Neteyam only rinses it with the water he caught in the cloth. Water dribbled down Aonung's cheek and throat, momentarily distracting Neteyam before he looked up again to find Aonung's eyes on him. Both of them stare, the other's icy eyes boring into him before Neteyam drops his gaze.
He looks a little unnerved and it makes Aonung want to smile. It was rare to see the oldest Sully brother squirm, especially under his gaze and he took it as an accomplishment. He couldn't even really feel any embarrassment at the situation either, finding it fitting that Neteyam was fixing the wounds he and his brother had left. His eyes flickered to Neteyam's mouth, the corner of it still bleeding a little and he felt his tongue stir in his mouth. Neteyam's brow shapes were pulled together in concentration, mouth and nose twitching ever so slightly while he worked and Aonung found himself closely observing him. He counted almost every dot on his face and the small scars left there from old wounds before he glanced at Neteyam's shoulder where his hair fell over it as he leaned in to get a closer look at Aonung's chin.
Neteyam looks up, and Aonung doesn't look away.
He frowns at the sharp eyes and huffs, "Wanna start another fight?"
"No," Aonung says truthfully, "Just looking."
"Well do you have to look the whole time?"
"Why can't I?"
Neteyam looks like he's thinking for a moment and his voice is soft when he speaks, "It's distracting."
Aonung tilts his head, watching the other shift again under his gaze. "I'm trying to figure out if you and Lo'ak hit me too hard or if you're actually this pretty."
Neteyam's finger slips and it digs into Aonung's split lip, forcing a hiss from his mouth.
"That fucking hurt ."
"Then stop distracting me." Neteyam's heart is beating in his ears and now his hands start to tremble but he tries to hide it, scooping some salve onto his fingers.
"Why?"
"You're speaking nonsense. I think your head is unwell."
Aonung looks at him through narrowed eyes and he tries not to react under the close attention, smeering the salve across Aonung's cheek.
Aonung let out a heavy sigh and grumbled out a response, "Must be, yes."
But he doesn't look away then either, engraving every detail of Neteyam's face into memory. And when Neteyam pulls away, finished with the chore, Aonung pointedly drops his gaze to Neteyam's lips before he looked back at his wide eyes again.
"It must've been a really hard hit." Aonung grinned.
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