Chapter Text
:: Eagle eye here, southside all good.::
“Pathfinder acknowledged. North and west, good. What about east?”
:: East? Oh.. Uh— sure.. yeah, east. Yeah, of course.::
One eye narrowing in suspicion, the other eye isn't delayed to follow the action, “do not lie. Did you actually survey?”
:: Of course, I did! Have a little faith in me, bro. I got it covered!:: A flap of wings as it translated roughly into static through the channel. Neteyam hummed, unconvinced.
“You better be.” He warned with a huff, head shaking a little, “else, dad will kick your ass.”
:: Come on!:: Neteyam winced at the loud output, hissing, ears flicking away. ::We're at peace time. I don't understand why we even have to patrol like this... it's done, bro. Just forgot to report it.::
:: How convenient. Forgetting a report.::
Neteyam highly doubts that but Lo'ak is right, however much their dad insists to keep the rigid yet necessary protocols in place, he have to accept that it is peace time, for a few months now. They should have no trouble for at least another month with how non-existant the presence of dangerous or suspicious activities were. They, the warriors, have ensured no field was left unturned for those last few months. He can trust Lo'ak's judgment this time.
Should he?
His dad's words rang in his head. You're giving them exactly what they wanted, boy. Right on a silver platter! Don't you see? This is what they wanted all along! Lower the guard, grow lax, and next thing you know, they appear! Blindside you! Can't you see?
Glancing towards the east side of the forest, he was tempted to steer them towards the area for even just a clean sweep—a quick one if Lo'ak and the previous warrior's report holds truth.
Can't you see?
Zeze flicked her head to meet his gaze, chuffing and as one wing flicked down to turn east. Neteyam leveled it with a shake of a head, no, we'll take his word.
She didn't exactly approve of his decision but obliged anyways, turning her head forward to soar out of the east and returning to where Lo'ak and his ikran hovered from the sky.
:: See? Told you.::
Neteyam had half a mind to not rise up from the obvious taunt at least.
Instead, Neteyam rolled his eyes, sweeping his sight ahead the boundless trees in abundant shades where the ground isn't seen past the thick leaves of each branch, all the while ignoring the presence beside them flying so closely. The tip of the wings at near consistency of brushing past each other. He flew past Lo'ak rambling about something and stared at the notably tallest three in a distance, the closest to the Hallelujah mountains. His ikran clicked, getting giddy.
Neteyam quietly hushed her, trying to appear casual in putting a little distance between them.
And with a flick of his tail, he announced, “last to that tree is a skxawng!”
:: Huh?::
Neteyam leaned forward, soles pressing against the handle as he glanced beside him and snickered. Slow-poke. He looked ahead, hearing an enraged shout behind them and he urged Zeze faster, she was more than happy to oblige.
:: Hey, wait—!:: Lo'ak cursed, mumbling incoherently of thinking they were going back home and not a sudden competition—an unfair one at that, :: not cool, bro! Hey! NOT COOL!::
Neteyam laughed, whooping against the strong currents of winds slapping his being and the amplified shared sense with his ikran chirping in delight, a competitive spirit as him; an excellent pair. She flapped her wings in a big motion before folding her body with him leaning closer and grinning, going faster as they seamlessly glided through the sky. Clearly hearing the cries of his stupid brother in the channel, and vaguely behind him. Neteyam laughed louder.
"Oh, what was that, skxawng?! I can't hear you!"
:: You do! YOU DO!::
"I'm sorry, I don't talk to skxawng, skxawng!" Catching a glimpse of the tallest tree amongst the dense forest, he turned his body to the right. The ikran's left wing lifted to the air as she squawked and was later on answered, seemingly so, by the ikran making chase behind them. The ikran behind sounded offended and the pair shared their amusement.
Let's finish this, Zeze. He thought, looking over his shoulder to see Lo'ak and his similarly determined ikran rapidly gaining and Neteyam slowed down purposely, taunting. When another beat of air was felt by the tail of his ikran. Neteyam surged forward and left Lo'ak to eat their dust. Another scream filled his ears and his wince was of absolute glee.
It was decided from the start, his victory that is.
The last powerful flop of wings descending down to balance on top of the tree, Neteyam disconnecting the connection. They both watched smugly as the shameful and annoyed descent fell behind only seconds apart. Lo'ak appeared below them, disconnecting his chord and with an audible creak of wood underneath them, throwing himself down another branch of a tree.
"You play dirty." Lo'ak hissed, ears going back and eyes narrowing, fists clenched.
Neteyam smirked, another taunt as he disembark much more elegantly—like one of a winner, literally looked down on his fuming brother. He tilted his head to the side, "so says the skxawng."
Lo'ak scowled, hissing at him, making a move to ride on his growling ikran before Neteyam swiftly stopped him.
"Let's rest," he said, bouncing on the soles of his feet and slightly shaking his branch, "you have any glow worms?"
"Why should I give you any?"
"Give me some. I know you do. Come on."
Having aimed a glare at Lo'ak, defiant and sore of his loss, was forced to climb a few branches to get where Neteyam was. Lo'ak clenched a hand on the branch and pulled himself up, sitting with legs dangling below, and tail swishing as he glared at Neteyam. Neteyam only crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow. Lo'ak huffed, searching in his strapped old fanny pack.
Neteyam watched Lo'ak rummage for something and at the same time nothing. His eyes narrowed. Lo'ak was making him wait on purpose—that he knew very well because that old fanny pack is filled to the brim.
Neteyam tapped his feet closest to Lo'ak, his ikran making pitiful sounds above. "Find any dignity there?"
"You're lucky I'm even giving you some!" Holding a measly piece of three glow worms he obviously counted for Neteyam, amongst the many more he had inside. Neteyam rolled his eyes, cheapskate. "Hurry up. It's getting late."
“So says the skxawng.”
“God. Can you stop it with the skxawng already?”
“And who is the victor between us again?”
He rose above the canopy of leaves and into the open air, where his ikran unhappily whined to him, hissing softly. Neteyam mindfully closed the distance and hushed her, stroking the side of her head while the other hand wagged the treats just out of her reach. Only a little.
Greeting her the way his mother had done with her own many times, he called her name in small whispers, smiling. “Zeze, Zeze, Zeze. You were a good girl back there, weren't you?"
Zeze chirped in response, an agreement.
"You did good. Want a treat?"
Zeze chirped, mouth opening and snapping but never closing. Her neck moving like a sea snake to playfully snap a bite out of his hands—Neteyam clicked his tongue, moving his hand away, "bad girl. Bad girl. That is not how you ask."
The ikran bristled, hissing.
Neteyam held his stance, wagging the treat as motivation, "come on, you're a smart girl."
Reluctantly, the ikran lowered her head, softly growling and letting his hand stroke her head, eyes closing and the growl turned into purring. She leaned into his touch, wings producing small winds from the bouts of downward strokes.
"Good girl." He cooed, taking his hand and taking one treat from the other hand, he dangled it above her. She glanced at him, he nodded, and in a snap, the treat was gone from his fingers.
He cooed at her, stroking the side of her head, "here. Another." Dangling the second piece with a growing ikran who's eager for more, at his nod, the treat was gone from his fingers again.
"Bro!” Lo'ak yelled from below, clearly reaching the end of his rope, “be done with it already!"
In his impatience, the indicator Lo'ak was going to where he is, was the rough disturbance shaking the branches and the grumbles. Neteyam's balance compromised, he re-established balance when the branch he was on shook and trembled before the top of Lo'ak's head sprouted out and Neteyam allowed him to resurface peacefully instead of stomping down his feet like he had felt he needed to do.
Lo'ak took one look at the treat in hand and thumped his temple against the branch, groaning. The crown of his head had a few leaves stuck to it, "was it ten minutes for each or what?"
Neteyam, used to the antics, ignored him by dangling the last treat and catching his ikran's eyes, he nodded and as the treat vanished between his fingers, a sudden nipping course of electric jagged sharpness dragged against skin and his arm snapped back to his side. Fingers empty of the worm and replaced by some wet warmth threatening to slide down his palm.
He hissed. His ikran sniffing the air and narrowing her eyes at the wound on his fingers, she clicked and moved her head to bump the palm of his hand, clicking continuously and softly.
"Ooooh." And suddenly, Lo'ak was no longer uninterested as he jumped to his side, peering over his shoulder, "you should get that look at."
"Obviously," he hissed, sucking on the pad of his pointer finger where the scratch is deeper than his thumb, while the unoccupied hand stroked his ikran, soothing her.
Lo'ak grinned, eyes flicking from the wound and his face, for some reason, Neteyam grew more annoyed instead of feeling pain gnawing his hand, "yeah. We should definitely go back now, right?"
His ears drew back, tail slapping Lo'ak's back once, and he released his mouth against the still open wound, "shut up, skxawng."
"Let's go back!" Lo'ak repeated, teasing. Almost in a sing-song if he looked cared enough. Which he did.
By the Great Mother, how he badly wished he did not care as much as the rush of blood going to his cheeks instead of closing the wound.
Joining with Lo'ak's grin growing impossibly bigger than it is, despite at the heat of his glares. Neteyam knew the heat in his cheeks was of anger.
—
Never mind that skxawng lost to him again, never mind any of the loss from the near victory he almost had. Never mind any of that, because if anything else, Lo'ak looked like a new man with a new personal goal: exceeding his own records of becoming the already most annoying pest there is to ever exist.
And Great Mother grant him patience.
Lo'ak was winning for once.
"I bet you did that on purpose."
Neteyam sighed, trying to steer clear away from the persistent stupid brother, "I did not. You took my focus. I was distracted."
"Mm," Lo'ak hummed, unconvinced, ikran purring along as her left wing tried to flip his ikran's right wing, "must be so nice. Are you going to stay there until night again?"
"It is not your business." Neteyam growled, visor gleaming as he shot him a glare, free-falling to the side and unsurprisingly, Lo'ak following with a laugh.
"You know, mom said you can invite him over dinner. I mean—he's practically part of the family already!" Neteyam unhappily ignored the next part he didn't care to understand anymore than the urge to tip the two of them over and let them spiral out of control. But he vaguely thought he heard Lo'ak said it would be because they're.. personally involved and legal.
"He doesn't want to."
"Pfft. When did that stop you? Actually—why let it stop you?"
Neteyam huffed, such is the mind of a free-spirit. Lo'ak wouldn't understand, "it's late. He needs his rest, moron."
“So?”
“Of course you won't understand.”
Lo'ak paused, “what I don't understand?”
Neteyam smirked, briefly looking over his side, snorting, “idiots don't need sleep, it's why you lack sense all of the time. You're stupid, bro.”
The right of Zeze's wing was flipped, sending them barreling in air and losing balance. Neteyam laughed, tightening the grip on the reins and putting tension to his feet. His braids went from above his head to his shoulder, messy but was fixed by the wind in no time. Neteyam shrugged his shoulders, “you're so easy, baby bro!”
:: Easy?:: Lo'ak scoffed, :: I could say the same to you! What, too shy to bring a “friend” home?::
Neteyam is not that obvious to the devastating point of Lo'ak noticing his problem. Neteyam can't fathom the idea of being so transparent that Lo'ak, this time, could read between the lines.
If he had been, he should have noticed himself.
“You ask him then.” He hissed, hearing a snicker, “see if he could set aside an hour to entertain your ass.”
:: You're not going to ask him back from me when he says yes to me, okay?::
As if he would. Neteyam rolled his eyes and shook off the wing resting above his own. Persistent pest. Zeze clicked in annoyance as the other ikran responded in kind.
“If you succeed, I'm not covering you for the next two shifts you asked me of.”
A moment of silence before Lo'ak's voice burst into the intercom and consequently through his ears, stunned yet delightfully pleased in being proven right, :: so you do think he'll say yes!::
Neteyam pursed his lips and willed Zeze to fly faster.
Lo'ak chased from behind, cackling like a madman, ::—low! That's low of you, bro! Petty!::
“A loser can't be saying all of that to me! Shut up!”
A brush of air, a fleeting contact of the edge of their wings touching—Neteyam's eyes narrowed ahead as he refrained from turning his head and giving Lo'ak the satisfaction of seeing him riled up.
"I can, ‘cause we're both losers now." Lo'ak taunted with a smirk, daring to fly beside him.
Again and like many times before, Neteyam ignored Lo'ak. Ignored the implications of his words. Ignored his heart slightly dropping at the mere thought of him noticing and not doing anything about it. He ignored all of it and with it, the air was easily lighter and easier to breathe in comparison to the weight inside his chest.
Lo'ak falling silent, Neteyam relished the not-so sweet victory as the familiar figure of the high camp came to view and he, along his ikran's shared desire, flew faster. The silence was temporary, as any semblance of peace with Lo'ak, who just had to open his big fat mouth.
And, uttered in a thoughtful note, "I bet he knows—"
"He doesn't." was what he immediately snapped with.
"No, no, really. I bet he does know. Like.." Lo'ak spared him a wince, acting like he was the one in pain for his behalf, "you're pretty bad at this, bro."
Neteyam scoffed. "Like you're any better."
"Why don't you just—"
"Your next two shifts."
Lo'ak's tail snapped to the side once and then the other and the next, frowning and he huffed, his ikran's wings responded by the agitated air smashing to their side, "FINE! Have fun torturing yourself with your stupid pining!" He, for another unsurprising turn of events, went ahead as he looked over his shoulder, glare barely scathing. Very dramatic, "but don't you say I didn't try to help you!"
And Lo'ak, the pest, was gone. Just like that. Neteyam breathed a sigh of relief, "you won't hear a thing because you didn't." He muttered to himself. His ikran, ever dependable, agreed without a pause.
They flew in relatively peaceful silence. His mind flicked to the neatly wrapped cloth around his wounded finger and the sensation of what would be long, slender pretty hands tending the wound. His ikran chirped, in agreement.
—
Braids whip behind in a thick gathering of flying like his, he urged the wings to change its flow to slap vertically, of narrowly climbing upwards the entrance for the camp. Both hands held onto the reins, leaving two injured fingers stretched and relaxed since the blood had clotted and he didn't want to risk opening it again.
Zeze squawked once they broke through the entrance, stretching her wings fully before descending to the moss covered edge and other members parting ways, their ikrans squawking in return as Zeze took the empty space and Neteyam stood by her side, patting and disconnecting the link.
"Finally! I thought you were gonna wuss out!"
The sole standing under the moist, familiar texture of moss didn't linger long. Neteyam breathed slow and deep and guided Zeze's shoulder to have her move away before he thinks of using her teeth to bite the skxawng.
"What is it?" He asked, watching Lo'ak considerably brighten and at the same time, timid. It wasn't a familiar look on him, more so at the chances of Neteyam witnessing its appearance aside from that.
"You see.. I've got a date today.." Nailed it.
Immediately, Neteyam's expression wrinkled. He shook his head and walked around Lo'ak who was alarmed, yelling and chasing behind him, sprouting excuses and reasons.
"No. You cannot mate yet. You are without your uniltaron." It was uttered so briskly that Lo'ak, from behind, abruptly choked on his words.
"Bro! What the hell!"
"You heard me." Neteyam made no move to look over his shoulder. "No, Lo'ak."
"I'm not mating anyone! I'm just—hey, stop for a second!" Lo'ak grasped his shoulder and pulled him back, "look, bro, this girl's hot, alright? It's my chance to show off how cool I am!"
Neteyam rolled his eyes, shrugging his shoulder, "you're only cool when you pass your uniltaron."
"No. No, no, this one's cool this time. She's legit."
"Like the rest had been?" Neteyam said sarcastically, clicking his tongue and he faced Lo'ak to drive a point, "bro, wake up. That special girl you say? She's just distracting you. She's not "legit"."
"This isn't our first date. This is our fifth."
Neteyam scoffed, crossing his arms. There was his point, gone to the winds. He spun on his feet, resuming his walk, "oh, great. She's a lot patient than the rest."
Lo'ak growled in exasperation, walking ahead and getting in his path, stopping him, "bro. Can't you just help me out? I'm not asking you to do anything stupid, right?"
"And I'm confused, why would she ask you to have me with you? On your date? Fifth date, Lo'ak?" Neteyam shook his head, clicking his tongue and sighing. This stupid one. "You don't find it strange?"
"Well, maybe. Here's a thought! Maybe. She wanted to know her future in-law's better?" Lo'ak sarcastically said, glaring as his tail swished from behind.
"While you're on a date."
"Yeah."
"And she only asked me, and not mother or dad or Kiri or Tuk."
Lo'ak's expression twisted into rolling unease and he crossed his arms, eyebrows furrowing and yet he had finally avoided his eyes, "she isn't like the rest."
"Yeah," he agreed, nodding, "she acts better unlike the rest."
"Great Mother! Are you allergic seeing me happy, bro?"
Neteyam rolled his eyes, scoffing, "I'm allergic to seeing your stupid skxawng ass getting dumped and having to babysit you harder because you can't keep it together."
"Because I'm taking up his precious time, isn't it?" Lo'ak quickly retorted, smirking with a brief narrowing of his eyes, "you jealous even from your own bro? You can't keep it together, bro?"
There was no reasoning with Lo'ak. He is resorting to whatever this is because he isn't getting it in his way. Lo'ak is taunting him, pulling his strings—and patience. But Neteyam has seen enough and had enough of this stupidity. "You are unreasonable. Let me through."
Lo'ak was quick to change his tune with a flick of his wrist.
"Bro, please!" Lo'ak did let him through but now, his hand was gripping his arm, stopping Neteyam from leaving, "you won't stay long. She said she just wanted to greet you! Offer her sincerity to you, my older brother! What's wrong with that?!"
What's wrong with that, is that the same excuse has been worn over and over, and over again. Neteyam pulled his arm, frowning.
"You know how this works, Lo'ak. She's just like the rest. Get that through your thick skull. She won't ever love you like that." Neteyam pursed his lips, looking away from seeing any more of Lo'ak's minutely shifting emotions clearly reflected in his face. Neteyam added in a whisper, the impact was nothing as soft as it's volume, "you know that."
".. once, bro. Please."
Oh, this girl got him good. This girl got him really good it was making his blood boil and Neteyam whipped his head, braids flying as he growled and stomped to Lo'ak who hanged his head down, hand limp by his side. Neteyam's eyes narrowed at the pathetic display. "Why? Why is she so different from the rest, huh? What sets her off from the rest, skxawng? They hurt you! Do you not remember?!"
"But this one is really real, you got to believe me, bro. She understands me. She sees me."
And Neteyam will see through having that damning girl's parents see the consequences of raising a daughter like that. To use the stupidest child in their family to slither her way in.. despicable. Neteyam pulled a deep breath in, hissing, "this.. this is the last time you make a fool of yourself, Lo'ak."
Lo'ak raised his head, a shaky smile emerging, "yeah. Yeah, sure. Thanks, bro."
"After this." He said, lifting his injured fingers for Lo'ak to see and confirm by a nod.
"Okay," Lo'ak breathed, smile growing with each second. His body moving up and down, feet moving like he was running while staying in place. Neteyam closed his eyes, Lo'ak is genuinely too stupid for his own good. Always. "I'll let her know. Should we pick you up there?"
"Don't. Don't pick me up. Where do you usually stay?"
Lo'ak ears flickering, he chuckled, "she likes the view on top the camp."
Did Lo'ak like the view there, too? Neteyam pursed his lips, forced to say nothing since he had agreed to the whims of Lo'ak once more. He nodded stiffly, "I'll see you there. For now, think of an excuse because dad will not be happy for you."
Lo'ak scoffed. The smile wiped clean off his face, "when had he felt happy for me?"
"Exactly."
Briskly leaving Lo'ak to himself. Neteyam hopes his words were enough to get his actual brain being used for the better.
"We'll wait for you!"
Or, that was wishful thinking.
Neteyam shook his head, he really wished Lo'ak would not get played as a fool anymore but how many times before it finally clicked?
All the times Lo'ak silently cried during the time they were supposed to be sleeping, the later times he came home because his degree of recklessness had somehow suspiciously spiked after the play-along was conveniently cut off at the exact time frame he appeared and discreetly rejected Lo'ak's lover advancements, and if not getting himself killed, he was spending the rest of it at the Tsahik's tipi.
Every single of that instance, he was understandably angry on behalf of Lo'ak. Every time he tried to make it clear Lo'ak had been played, made of a bigger fool than he already is. Lo'ak ignored him. Lo'ak, who is not only a skxawng but foolish. Naive. Forgiving. Reckless. Everything but self-respecting to himself. It was an insult to the family.
Meeting Lo'ak's supposedly soon-to-be mate had, of course, done some damage in driving the wedge deeper of creating distance between their relationship as siblings. It was annoying. Neteyam didn't need more reason for his bond with Lo'ak to be strained as it is.
Tail swinging side by side to balance every of his steps, Neteyam walked with a purpose. But not without exchanging polite greetings to what must be every single clan member before he even arrived to their own tipi. He kept his injured hand close to his side, one ear lowering as he glanced at the healer's tipi along the way. There were a decent amount of na'vi going in and out, he counted at most it were three, most likely visiting for quick checkups. There weren't many injuries from sabotaging the materials this time around, too.
Standing in front of their tipi, Neteyam squared his shoulders and took a breath. Nothing went wrong, nothing went bad, and he doesn't have to hear any scolding—if there isn't any.
His lateness was already one flaw. Any second he linger, he was delaying the time he could be using to have his wound looked and treated for.
He took off his visor and then the choker radio on his neck, holding it together at the uninjured hand and taking a step inside, "commander," he greeted, nodding his head as he stood straight, "pathfinder, eagle eye reporting. The north, south, and west are scouted and given an all clear. There are no suspicious activities nor individuals seen."
Jake nodded, hands behind his back and turning to walk towards his chair, tapping the blue screen of the monitor, "what about the east, boy?"
"The east hasn't showed any signs to be scouted as the previous scouts reported, Sir." Neteyam answered.
"You're relying to other scouts now?" Jake said, calmly, body turning for his eyes to stare at his figure, eyebrows furrowed, "you forgotten your training? Did I go too soft on you now?"
"No, Sir. I'm sorry, Sir." Neteyam quietly said, lowering his gaze down the floor, "I will scout the east at your command."
Jake narrowed his eyes, clicking his tongue in disappointment, "you were assigned north and west. East is Lo'ak's. What happened?"
Lo'ak forgot. But of course, Neteyam isn't going to let his younger brother rightfully take the fall when he's here. Lo'ak is his responsibility, he should've picked up his brother's slack. He should've known better. His nails dug the palm of his hand. "It's my fault, Sir. I'm sorry."
"Of course, you are.." Jake mumbled to himself, which wasn't lost to him. Having heard as much as he would've shouted it to his face. "Get Lo'ak here and get that hand checked out."
"Sir, no. It really is my fault—"
"I know you're not making me repeat myself, boy."
He stopped his tail from swinging, ears drooping, and one hand clenching. He had no doubts Lo'ak will get in trouble for slacking off, and for his dad—no, not dad, commander will not accept any excuse for Lo'ak, Neteyam's jaw tightened then relaxed. He nodded in resignation.
"... yes, Sir."
Jake nodded, watching him place his gear to the hanger stuck to the tipi's wall and walk with his tail curled between his legs, pausing by the entrance as if waiting to be stopped and called back in, one ear flipping back. Jake remained silent.
That was all the answer Neteyam needed to step outside fully.
The moment he stepped a foot outside, there was a brief surge to move aside when the na'vi proved to be faster than him, anticipating his action—Neteyam was pulled into a sudden embrace, the scent of herbs and forest bursting against his senses. The wind of the highest skies and the soil of their Mother. He nuzzled to the familiar scent. Pandora thrives within his mother, the bouts of flames seeping along the edges.
"Ma 'itan. Ma Neteyam, you are safe." Neytiri murmured, stroking the back of his head, tightening the firm embrace and whispering to his ear, voice thick in its relief, she kissed his cheek, "thank you. Thank you, Great Mother."
"Mother," hugging her back, Neteyam buried his face to the crook of her neck. The tension loosing under her firm embrace, he sighed, "yes. Thank you, Great Mother."
"Do not mind your father. He is a stupid man, a man who loves you very much, yes?"
"Yes, mother." He nod, a tiny chuckle breaking away and heard, "I understand."
Neytiri smiled, pulling back to kiss his forehead, and releasing her hold on him. She stroked his hair, eyes taking his appearance and fingers stopping at his cheek. She held her gaze and flickered it very briefly over his shoulder, she tapped his cheek once, "tend to your wound now. I'll take your brother."
Reluctant, Neteyam pursed his lips. He didn't want to oppose his mother but if he was getting double the scolding.. he opened his mouth, debating, "I was ordered to retrieve Lo'ak, mother."
"I will do it, Neteyam."
"Mother—"
"He will not be scolded too much." She promised and his shoulders slumped down. As he was pushed gently down the smooth wet trail of rock and considerably away from their tipi, Neytiri patted his shoulder, pushing him one last time, "the healers are not busy. Go now."
Another push was all it took for his legs to pick up the slack and move. The last Neteyam saw was his mother watching him walk away and then her back turning to head inside their tipi. He huffed a breath, flinging a stray braid back with a flip of his head, at least that will take time for Lo'ak to make excuses.
—
Neytiri emerged from behind him. Putting two firm yet at the same time, soft calloused hands on his shoulders.
"You're too hard on them. They are not only my sons. They are yours, too." Neytiri whispered, a touch of annoyance transferring to the squeezing of his shoulders, she clicked her tongue, "be kinder." This time, she ordered.
Jake sighed, leaning the back of his head against her stomach, "I need to, Neytiri. They'll start slacking if I don't get their heads straight."
"We are not at war anymore." She said promptly, hissing and yet losing the edge in her tone. Instead, replaced by a heavy sense of exhaustion. Her braids fell by the side of his face when she looked down on him, framing his view of her and only her. The life they have made, together.
Jake closed his eyes, lips pursing and the bitter rejection of how many truths had slipped past his mouth once more, as many times as before. The disappointment Neytiri had cradled like a newborn of her own wasn't anything new at this point.
"Not yet." A hand took her own, gently encasing around as he kissed the back it, eyes opening, needing to prove his decision, "I need them alive if we.. when it comes to it."
Neytiri frowned, leaning away and taking her hands back if it wasn't for Jake securing his hold, "you speak of a bad omen, ma Jake."
"It's.. been too quiet. Peaceful." Jake said, "and my kind—"
Neytiri hissed sharply, slapping his side with her tail, "you are Na'vi, one of The People. Not your kind. Remember who you are now, ma Jake."
"—humans never know how to live in peace without bloodshed, Neytiri." He finished as though he was never interrupted in the first place. He rested the side of his face on her arm, eyes still closed and he winced at the flash of image on blood against metal, the blood leaving trails which he turned several bodies in panic over before turning the body of his downed son. Downed but alive. A scratch to the chest and much too close to the heart. To this day, had terrified him to his core, "it's a waiting game now."
Another low hiss came from Neytiri, fangs bared and clenched as Jake remained lax against her touch. She soon relaxed, if not for the sake of looking more into what he said.
"We must keep peace," she said, cautious, "Neteyam.."
"I know. Baby boy's shy, huh?" Jake looked over his shoulder, turning his body halfway to loosely wrap his arms around her waist, an impish curve of his lips, "we weren't shy. Where'd he get that?"
"Precious one. He knows to respect. Unlike you." Neytiri scolded, eyes narrowed playfully.
"I was respectful for you, my pretty girl." Neytiri glared at him, Jake continued with his tail wrapping around her thigh slowly, "how's this.. I won't scold Lo'ak," too much. "So, I'll see you later? Yeah?"
Neytiri clicked her tongue in disapproval but her tail wrapped around his, a hand stroking his cheek. The glare of her gaze softening just a tad bit, "no respect at all."
"Is that a yes?"
"Hold onto your promise." Neytiri swiftly detaches herself from him, turning to walk outside of their tipi with an almost purposeful sway of her hips—so entrancing it was more than enough to make Jake sit straight up to follow every movement with a wide grin, like a teenager. Lingering by the door with her bow and arrow, she looked over her shoulder briefly before going on her way, vanishing from his sight.
He waited for a few moments, one ear flickering behind.
Another familiar thump of footsteps replaced it after a second. He didn't know why Lo'ak had taken his precious time getting his ass here but he knows it must be because Neteyam had been lenient with him these days. Jake's grin thin to a frown and his arms instinctively crossed against his chest, he turned to face the unruly son, "get inside, Lo'ak."
A shuffling of feet and Lo'ak entered the room, his ears folding down and tail swishing side by side in an agitated motion. He kept his eyes directly from meeting his. Jake can nearly taste the inevitable screaming match from him and his rebellious son—and he wondered if Neteyam could've taken a little of his brother's carelessness into his own, get that shit moving with that mystery crush of his.
His crush where everybody in the family but him knew. Clearly.
"Why didn't you scout the east?"
—
He knew he shouldn't have trusted what Lo'ak said—what any of that skxawng said for that matter. Currently, he can bet a limb that Lo'ak is definitely getting an earful the farther and farther he went from their tipi to the medical. He cursed at himself, keeping his stride from faltering and spinning on his heels to march back to their tipi. If only his scratch wasn't making a fuss.
If only he won't be sent back with an escort. An eye to watch them. An invasion of privacy he wouldn't like being seen by others.
Neteyam stopped in the middle, where several medical tipis stood. He need only to choose one. His eyes took on to the nearest to the front, one where it mostly receives critically injured warriors and people.
A tipi he shouldn't go into. He's not that injured to the point of death.
But that is where he is.
But he's not injured that badly.
His fangs drew his lower lip, biting. Another time then, he thought, he deserves a break. Neteyam should just have it check by the other healers who are just as capable as him.
That was the plan in motion agreed by his legs that started walking towards the other medical located further to the cave if a voice hadn't halted him completely.
"You are not thinking of running away, right?" A masculine voice he vividly recalls the face of, asked. Neteyam stiffened, ears swinging back to hear better for the sigh behind him, "foolish. Come on. With me, Neteyam."