Work Text:
It's purely by word of mouth that Ao'nung gets the best news he's heard in weeks. Neteyam is sick.
Listen, he isn't a sadist or anything. It's not like he's glad Neteyam is sick.
He's just happy to hear Neteyam is sick.
Neteyam, the Suli's golden child. He learned slower than his siblings so he just worked twice as hard. His sign language is on par with the Metkayina's and while his swimming can never measure up thanks to his body, he's still gotten a million times better. Neteyam who mastered their hunting techniques only a little after his brother. Neteyam who still fumbles with their weaving styles sometimes but accepts the criticism and advice with a smile and attentive nod. Neteyam, the perfect little king of the jungle.
Ao'nung has been trying desperately to get a rise out of him, to see what makes him tick. Unfortunately so far all he's managed to do is make the boy: laugh, ignore him, or beat the living shit out of him.
Some might say that the last one counts as a success towards his goals but Ao'nung would beg to differ. His goal is to make a fool out of Neteyam, not a fool out of himself by parading around with a black eye from the wimpy looking forest boys for a week.
"Where are we going?" Rotxo asks curiously as he trails after Ao'nung and his friend that he was speaking to when he got the news, Apataki.
"Neteyam's sick, did you hear? It's only polite we pay him a visit." Ao'nung grins, snorting at the horrified look his little brother gives him.
"You aren't seriously going to go pick on a sick guy, are you?"
"No. I just said, dummy, we're just dropping in for a courteous little visit."
Apataki snorts and covers it up with a shoddy attempt at clearing his throat, "Yeah, Rotxo. We're just being friendly! Isn't that right, since you like him so much."
Rotxo sputters at that, "I do not! He's nice, yeah. You don't have to make it weird though!"
Right as the Suli's marui comes into clear view Kiri steps out turning her head like an ilu turning to look at it's next meal as she locks eyes with them without hesitation.
"Shit-- what's her deal..." Apataki swears almost tripping over his feet when her creepy yellow eyes pin them down like she knew they were going to be there.
"Freak," Ao'nung hisses under his breath and slows down despite his impatience to see Neteyam right now. And he isn't even talking about her fingers or the hair on her face. Kiri is just really damn weird.
"Hi Kiri!" Rotxo yells and Ao'nung tries not to wrinkle his nose at the big stupid grin on his face, what he sees in her Ao'nung will never know.
She doesn't say anything yet, waiting for them to come closer, "Lo'ak's out fishing. He's not here," her mouth says as her eyes dare them to ask for anything more.
"We aren't here for your little brother, we wanted to check on Neteyam. I heard he came down with something." Ao'nung has to exercise every ounce of restraint in his body to keep from smiling as he speaks.
"He's sleeping," she says without missing a beat. A likely story in Ao'nung's humble opinion.
"Aw that's too bad. Rotxo really wanted to make sure he was okay..." Ao'nung says, loud enough to be heard from inside the marui and ignoring the betrayed look his little brother gives him.
"Ao'nung, that's not fair." He hisses and Kiri's face darkens like storm clouds coming in over the horizon.
"I'm awake, Kiri. They can come in." A soft hoarse voice calls quietly and Ao'nung grins victoriously.
Kiri bares her teeth at him in return, "Watch yourself."
Ao'nung shrugs innocently as they step past the hanging covers that Neytiri put up over the doorways and into the marui.
"Hey, Rotxo. Ao'nung, Apataki."
Ao'nung pauses to take in the sight even as his little brother shuffles over to the boy's side to crouch next to him, visibly worried.
Kiri whisks past them and kneels beside her brother. His braids are mussed from being laid on for too long, hanging over his ears and cheeks, splayed across his slumped shoulders. His skin is bare for them to see, his accessories gone in an attempt to make him more comfortable most likely. He's sat up, a thick, beautifully-woven blanket rumpled in his lap as he smiles kindly at Rotxo.
"I'm alright, thanks for coming by," Neteyam mutters softly, a droop to his eyes that shadows his iris and makes them glow green in the dim marui. There's a flush to his skin and he raises a hand to pat Rotxo's head.
"Yeah, of course." His little brother hums, taking Neteyam's hand out of his hair and holding it gently, "Neteyam, you're burning up. Shouldn't you see the Tsahík?"
Ao'nung watches wide-eyed as a shiver runs through Neteyam's body and his breath shakes quietly. There's something ridiculously captivating about his bare neck, how Ao'nung can see all the muscles move under the skin as he swallows and speaks.
"We did. She said I'll have to wait it out. I'm alright, really." Neteyam smiles even as Rotxo looks at him, eyes wide with concern.
"She also said he needs as much rest as possible so we're keeping visitors to a minimum," Kiri snaps. Immediately Rotxo looks up, alarmed.
"Oh! We'll go then! Sorry to wake you, Neteyam. Get better soon, yeah?"
"Yeah, I will. Thanks for coming." Neteyam waves a little before raising his fist and coughing hoarsely, Ao'nung watches, fixated as his braids swing and another shiver shakes his whole body.
"Lay back down, moron. You're gonna make it worse."
"Come on Kiri, he was just being nice," Neteyam says even as she forces him back down, pulling the covers up to his chin. She wrings a waterlogged cloth over a bowl before laying it across his forehead, turning to them with a deadly scowl and making a shooing motion. Ao'nung is about to speak up when Rotxo forcefully drags him out by the arm.
"Hey!" He tugs his way out of his little brother's hold as they stand back in the glaring sunlight of the walkways, Apataki rushes after them with his tail tucked between his legs.
"Bro, don't leave me in here with that girl!" He whispers, checking over his shoulder nervously.
"What was that for?" Ao'nung hisses and Rotxo glares back.
"Cause you were about to be a jerk again! Come on, let's go."
"Seriously? What's your thing with Neteyam, anyways?" Apataki speaks up in Ao'nung's defense.
"He's nice and I like him! He's like-- like a cool older brother." Rotxo huffs, turning to walk away. Ao'nung catches him by the shoulder, his blood already boiling.
"Then what am I, huh?"
Rotxo's face falls, "It's not like that-- Ao'nung you're always gonna be my brother. Neteyam's a friend, I'm just saying that's kind of his energy, you know?"
Ao'nung scowls and looks past him with an angry huff, "Yeah, whatever. Let's go."
Apataki rushes after him as he stalks away, leaving Rotxo to catch up.
- - -
He's back, it's just after lunch and most people are out doing leisurely things. Honestly Ao'nung doesn't know what he's doing, he couldn't even think of anything to say last time. But he's pissed that Neteyam is apparently better than him at being a big brother too so he sticks a hand in between the flaps and lets a ray of afternoon sun pierce the shadows.
"Hello? Anybody home?" He calls before sticking his head inside, lifting the cloth over his shoulder.
His heart stops when Neteyam's gaze catches his. The bright sunlight makes his eyes the most intoxicating golden yellow Ao'nung has ever seen and his hair is loose from its braids. A flurry of curls cascade over his ears and rest against his neck and shoulders.
"It's you..." he rasps and Ao'nung's heart jumps from being dead in his chest to pounding in his throat. Honestly this guy is just infuriating.
"Yeah. I didn't get a word in yesterday. Where's your sister?"
"She's out getting some sun. I felt bad keeping her trapped in here with me day and night."
'Of course you did,' Ao'nung thinks, rolling his eyes in his head.
He delves into the marui, the cloth falling closed behind him makes his vision dim for a second before it re-adjusts. Neteyam watches him come closer warily, breathing shallowly through his mouth, the cloth Kiri had put on his forehead has fallen into the sleeping mat below him, into his inky hair. He sits down and picks it up, dropping it back into the bowl as Neteyam stares at him from narrow yellow eyes. He is curled up on his side under the blanket but must have propped himself up at Ao'nung's entrance. His elbow is pressed against the floor to support his tilted shoulders, Ao'nungs breath comes short when his head flops over, pressing his ear to his hiked up shoulder.
"Why are you here, Ao'nung?" It is a raspy whisper now that he's close enough to hear. And from here he can see the sheen of sweat on his face and bare neck.
"I can't check in on my favorite forest boy?" He scoffs mockingly.
"No. You can, but I know that's not me." Neteyam hums quietly. His tired eyes gazing up at Ao'nung from his tilted back head. It seems being sick has made Neteyam even more brutally honest, bulldozing through Ao'nung's barely veiled insults without hesitation.
"How do you know?"
"You and Lo'ak are alike, you and I have nothing in common." Neteyam says it simply and something about "you and I" makes Ao'nung's chest stir.
"You don't know that. We're both the oldest sons of Oloeyk'tans," he points out.
"My father is not Oloeyk'tan anymore. He is dead to our clan." He whispers, face unflinching and cold as stone in the dead of night. Ao'nung would shudder if he wasn't so busy staring at Neteyam's lips.
"We are older brothers. Eldest sons."
"And that's all there is. There's nothing else you can come up with, is there, Ao'nung?" He whispers his name and backs him into a corner even where he lays on the floor, sweating and burning up from the inside out.
"Whatever. It's enough." He defends, his own voice dropping quieter as Neteyam's whispers bind him.
"I am not your favorite, Ao'nung. Why are you here?" Neteyam never lets a catch go once he's decided to hunt it. He never lets a question go unanswered. Never lets him go.
"You can't decide that," Ao'nung snaps in return. Anger prickling behind his brow, "And I don't need a reason."
"No, maybe not. But I do. I want to know, Ao'nung." He breathes deeply and it shakes out of him before he slips down to the sleeping mat again. His eyes never leaving Ao'nung only becoming shadowed by his lashes. "Tell me."
"You make a lot of demands for a sick man." He mutters, unable to tear his eyes away from where Neteyam stares up at him, head pillowed on his bicep and forearm, his hair drapes over his skin in it's tiny ringlets like patterns in tattoo ink.
"You'd deny a sick man his simple demands?" Neteyam hums, and mirth dances in his yellow eyes even with the shadows beneath them; he has not been sleeping well, it seems.
"I don't feel obligated to make up an answer for you."
"You really expect me to believe you came to see me just to see me?"
"Yes." 'More than you know. I wanted to see this more than I'll ever admit.' Ao'nung will take this craving to the grave.
Neteyam chuckles the same way he always does but it's followed by a raspy cough. Ao'nung dips his hand into the bowl of cool water and lifts out the soaked cloth, wringing it between his hands he folds it the way his mother does and motions for Neteyam to roll over.
The boy hums as if vaguely interested and slips his arm out from under his head, resting his hand over his chest he rolls onto his back. Ao'nung doesn't hesitate to drag his fingertips across Neteyam's brow, pulling his hair out of the way before he lays the cloth down. He watches like a man possessed as Neteyam breathes in sharply, a shiver running through him and Ao'nung can't help but hope it was because of him.
"You didn't strike me as the type..." Neteyam whispers, his eyes are open wider now as he stares up at Ao'nung, unable to see him clearly from the corner of his eyes when they are half-closed like that.
"My mother is Tsahik, you know," he grumbles and leans into Neteyam's field of vision, watching his eyes flutter back to sleepy and half-lidded.
"I do. But just because you know how, doesn't mean you will," Neteyam mumbles, his eyes never straying from Ao'nung's.
"You're talking in riddles again, forest boy." He pulls the covers up over Neteyam's chest, watching how they rise and fall with his breaths. He chokes on the air in his throat when Neteyam grasps his hand before he can pull it back. He had assumed Neteyam would be slower thanks to his illness, he should have known the boy wouldn't be stopped.
"You won't tell me why you came. But will you tell me why you're doing this?"
"Because I can." He says this only to avoid his thoughts, that he has no damn clue why. He huffs and despite all his instincts he can't pull his hand away. Neteyam's fingers are searing warm, it feels like his hand will melt if it stays there but the slight tremble in the boy's fingers make him keep it there anyways. He is beginning to grow rather fond of Neteyam shaking and looking up at him.
"But why would you want to??" Neteyam's brow wrinkles as he frowns up at Ao'nung and it would almost be cute if Neteyam was not the worst.
"Maybe I like seeing you all miserable." He huffs defensively and Neteyam's face flickers.
"That would make sense... So I don't understand why you said it like it's untrue."
Ao'nung bites his tongue. It isn't a lie, he's sure that's why he came here, and that's why he's doing this too. Neteyam is just stupid, that's all.
"Well, whatever. I guess you don't have to tell me." Neteyam sighs and tugs gently on his hand. "Whether you're doing this out of cruelty or something else, I don't mind..."
Ao'nung stares wide eyed as Neteyam pulls his hand closer and presses it against his cheek, it's hot and soft under his palm and his fingers come to rest over the firm bridge of Neteyam's nose, his thumb on the space above his upper lip. "What are you doing?" he whispers, heart pounding in his ears.
"You can keep your hand here, right? It's cool," Neteyam mumbles and Ao'nung can feel his warm breath on his wrist and he's starting to feel like maybe he's catching Neteyam's fever.
"I-- can..."
"Then will you? Because you can." He smiles, and Ao'nung gets the feeling Neteyam is trying to tease him. But he slips a little closer and runs his finger tips under Neteyam's eye, pressing his thumb beside his nose and cupping his cheek in his palm.
"Yeah... Sure." Neteyam's skin is softer than anything Ao'nung's ever held and he almost feels bad, he knows his hands are calloused and not nearly as soft. His fingertips come to rest in Neteyam's hairline and he can't help but notice that that's soft too.
Neteyam's breaths out a sigh and his eyes slip almost shut, just a sliver of glowing green behind his lashes. His hand on Ao'nung's wraps around his wrist as he leans into him, his other hand slips out from under the blanket to slip around his forearm. Ao'nung knows that this is just Neteyam siphoning away his temperature regulation like the thieving brat he is. But Ao'nung can't help but feel like this is a little more intimate than he was ready for.
"The other one," Neteyam whispers, his left hand leaving Ao'nung's forearm to reach towards him, his fingers uncurling in the air and for a second all Ao'nung can do is stare.
Finally, he hesitantly drops his other hand into Neteyam's, gasping a little when Neteyam tugs it away. Claiming it without hesitation.
"Watch it. They're still my hands." He grumbles, his face feels hot as Neteyam presses his second hand to his other cheek. He's the picture of pathetic, clinging to Ao'nung's hands and wrists as he presses his face against his palms, Ao'nung can't get enough of it.
"Let me borrow them?" Neteyam peeks an eye open and while Ao'nung can see the joke there, something in Neteyam's eyes tells him he means it, that he wants to have them and it makes Ao'nung's mind fray at the edges.
"Yeah..."
"You're not being as-- what's the word-- oppositional as you normally are." Neteyam smiles and he can feel it under his hands.
"I'm just pitying you. 'S all." His finger twitches in Neteyam's hair and the boy meets his eyes firmly.
"Do you think I'm pitiful, Ao'nung?"
"Obviously..."
Neteyam frowns gently and his eyes slip closed again, "You'd be the first." This time his eyes close completely and Ao'nung can't help but feel like that means something, trust or some other important thing. Ao'nung just stares at the way his eyelashes splay over his cheeks.
It is silent for a time and then Neteyam's hands release him, he feels like he should probably pull his hands away but he just can't bring himself to do it. Neteyam's eyes peek open and he raises a brow at Ao'nung.
"You can have them back, I'm done," he whispers and Ao'nung relishes his breath against his wrists and his soft, warm, skin under his hands
"And if I don't want them back yet?" Ao'nung mutters and Neteyam eyes him curiously.
"I don't know why you wouldn't. They're pretty useful." He runs a fingertip along the outer side of his hand from his third knuckle to the heel of his palm.
Ao'nung swallows thickly, pressing his fingers into Neteyam's face, the skin gives easily and Neteyam's eyes flutter again. He can hold Neteyam's jaw and his thumbs will rest on the corners of his mouth, his fingertips along Neteyam's cheeks.
"Obviously. But, maybe I don't have a better use for them yet." He watches how the corners of Neteyam's mouth turn under his thumbs and the fat beneath his eyes bunch and smiles up at him beside the end of his index finger.
"Is that right?" Neteyam's breath is warm, his skin is warm, his gaze is warm. Ao'nung feels like he'll melt if he stays this close to Neteyam but he just can't pull away.
Ao'nung doesn't answer, staring at the other boy as Neteyam nods his head back to get a better look at him. Ao'nung let's his hands slide as Neteyam moves under them, his outer fingers wrapping around the back of Neteyam's skull his index touching the sharp corners of his jaw that is normally hidden under the remaining baby fat around his face. His thumbs come to rest on either side of Neteyam's throat and he can feel him swallow.
"If you keep looking at me like that you might really make me believe you..." He hums and his voice vibrates Ao'nung's thumbs as he cups Neteyam's neck in his hands.
Normally this might be a threatening place for his hands to be. Thumbs against Neteyam's throat and his fingers in easy reach of the artery and vein that are keeping him conscious and alive.
But with Neteyam's hot skin burning under his fingertips and his yellow eyes staring him down from his flushed face, hair loose and spilling beneath him, it really doesn't feel like he's the one doing the threatening.
Ao'nung can feel his heart pumping and the heat crawling across his cheeks and down the back of his neck.
"Believe me when I said what?" he mutters, watching breathless as Neteyam grins at him and cups the back of his hands again, his searing fingers feeling over the tendons and bones of his knuckles and pressing his fingertips into the skin just like Ao'nung had done. It sends his mind spinning at a dizzying rate, the thought that Neteyam might be feeling even a quarter of what he is feeling right now.
"When you said I'm your favorite..." he rasps, and Ao'nung's thumbs shiver against his throat and he can't seem to swallow around his tongue.
"Yeah?"
"Mhmm." Neteyam's voice seems to vibrate directly up to the base of his skull and with the way Neteyam smiles, for a second Ao'nung thinks he might know it too.
Ao'nung feels short of breath and the marui is suddenly too dim and too warm and he fears his hands might be shaking as Neteyam's fingers burn against his skin. "You're gonna kill me," he gasps, knowing that this is driving him insane but unable to tear himself away.
Neteyam grins wider and curls his fingers around Ao'nung's hands, squeezing tight and making his breath hitch in his throat. "If I do, will you let me keep your hands?"
Ao'nung is silent for a moment, unable to get out a word as his skin sets alight everywhere Neteyam is touching, his brain seems to fry itself and his throat had never been more clogged and more dry at the same time. Swallowing thickly he manages a gasp of air as his hands go limp in Neteyam's hold, "Sure..." he whispers.
"Mhh, thanks." He almost purrs the tiny gratitude and Ao'nung is so scattered he almost wants to cry, blinking rapidly as Neteyam buries his chin back in Ao'nung's palms, he closes his eyes and sighs softly against his skin and Ao'nung almost chokes on his own tongue.
"You're being so generous. It's not like you at all." Neteyam opens his unreal eyes and lets them glow in the shadows staring up at Ao'nung who leaned completely over him somewhere along the way.
"I just pity you." That's what he wants to say.
Something, anything, to deflect and to keep this disingenuous and fake. But Neteyam is pinning him down. It's almost funny in a sad way, that even sick and lying beneath him Neteyam is so much stronger than Ao'nung. He can't say anything at all and Neteyam seems to know, nosing Ao'nung's palm gently and smiling up at him.
"Not that I don't appreciate it of course."
"I'm just-" he croaks and Neteyam waits patiently for him to try to get his wits about him, clawing for what remains of his sensibilities. "I'm just humoring you, for now." Ao'nung tries to look away, to save himself from drowning in Neteyam's eyes but he can't. Even if he tilts his head away his eyes stay, sinking deeper into the lush yellows and greens.
"Thank you." Neteyam hums and his lips brush against Ao'nung's callouses like a kiss from the wind and he can feel his lungs aching for air but he's drowning and he can't even be bothered to care. "Ao'nung," Neteyam whispers and it's the same name he's always had but when he says it it sound like a sweet soothing, something to whisper to the dozing off or mumble in the ear of the dearest.
"Yeah?" He watches Neteyam's eyes search his face and his smile is gentle and saccharine. His heart is pounding in his ears as his lungs beg for air, but Neteyam's gentle eyes never yield.
"Kiri is almost back." He mumbles against Ao'nung skin, warm and soft and it tickles just enough. Warmth blooming across the back of his neck and filling up his head till he fears it might spill right out his nose.
"What?"
"Hey. I thought I told you, you aren't supposed to be here."
Danger bells ring like bird calls at dawn, deafening even his thundering heart, whipping around he jumps to his feet at the sight of Kiri in the doorway, silhouetted by the sunlight she looms over him like a haunting wraith.
"What the hell are you doing here, Ao'nung."
Glancing pitifully at Neteyam the boy grins at him before sitting up a bit, taking the cloth as it slips from his brow he meets Kiri's thunderous gaze. "He wanted to make sure I was doing okay."
"Likely story, bitch." She spits something foreign at them and stomps forwards and Ao'nung paces back. He can hear Neteyam giggling and he really just wants to die.
"I'll go, I'll go!" He backs up to the other door, stumbling out into the glaring daylight Kiri stares at him between he curtains with a look that could give nightmares.
"Come back soon!" Neteyam calls softly and Ao'nung is punched with a exotic mixture of vengeful fury and giddiness.
"No. Don't." Kiri snarls as he ducks away from her molten stare and makes track for the pathways. He desperately hopes his face isn't as red as it feels.
- - -
"What the fuck, Neteyam? Why was he here? What was he doing?!" Kiri gasps, absolutely horrified and Neteyam can't help but snort, coughing into his hand as he lays back, dropping the warm cloth back into the bowl of water.
"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me."
Kiri hisses and glances back at the door Ao'nung had retreated through taking his temperature with the back of her hand.
"You've cooled off a bit. Feel better?" She grumbles, giving her big brother a bitter look.
"Mhh, I think so." He grins.