Always There - Neteyam x Aonung

XX

Ronal rushed over, stopping directly in front of the pair.

"What have you done?" she covered her mouth with her hand. Aonung stuttered, mouth agape.

"What do you mean?"

"I can smell the bond on you," she eyed her son, flicking her gaze over to Neteyam, "and on you too." She looked as if she was gonna cry. In an instant, she grabbed her son, yanking him down the beach by the shoulder.

—————

Ronal held her grasp firm on Aonung's shoulder. Neteyam stood behind them, his head dipped low, ears back. Tonowari entered the mauri slowly, eyeing the trio who stood waiting for him. His brows were furrowed, but once he looked at his wife, they released in realization.

"They have mated!" she exclaimed, releasing her son's shoulder. He instantly stepped back, Next to Neteyam, who moved closer to the other.

Tonowari opened his mouth to speak, but closed it quickly, rubbing his face.

He took his son by the arm, pulling him outside of the mauri, where Ronal wouldn't hear them. She looked satisfied as they left, assuming he was going to get a talking to.

Tonowari glanced around, moving his hand back to his face. He pushed his brows together, "This is what is going to happen. We will not talk about this, and you two will be mated again before Eywa. This will happen when Lo'ak and Tsireya do as well." He sighed, "Your mother is just..." he lowered his voice, "hormonal. That baby has been refusing to come out, and it is testing her patience." Tonowari chuckled. Aonung didn't expect this reaction from his father at all. He slowly let the barriers he had placed around him drop, his spine straightening.

"However, I am disappointed that you chose to hide this from us," Tonowari's eyes spoke a million words, there was a glint of hurt, mixed with uncertainty swirling around in them. He clapped Aonung on the back, before gripping him on the shoulder. He shoved him back into the mauri, plastering a fake mask of disdain on his face. Aonung bowed his head, watching as Ronal held her stomach, as if to relieve the pressure from the weight of the unborn child. Neteyam looked as if he was cowering in the corner. He scrambled over to Aonung, placing himself behind the Metkayina.

"You are lucky, son. I would be enraged if you decided to mate this outsider before they became part of the clan," she turned her nose up, clapping her hands together. "Go, we will talk more about this predicament later."

Aonung didn't let her finish her sentence. He yanked Neteyam out of the mauri, briskly walking away. He could hear the mumbled voices of his mother, who asked Tonowari what they spoke of outside. He didn't hear how his father had responded, as they were too far away at that point. As they rounded the corner, which led to the meeting hall, Neteyam stopped Aonung. He wrapped his arms around the older boy, pushing his face into the crook of his neck. His breath fanned over Aonung's shoulder, causing him to shiver. Neteyam burst into tears, which caused Aonung to feel a wave of sorrow wash across him.

"What is wrong?" Aonung gently pulled Neteyam's chin up, eyes level with each other.

"Your parents are mad at you, and it is my fault."

"No it isn't, why do you think that?"

"Your mother says I have demon blood, I'm not one of you all," he sniffled, droplets of tears cascading down his face.

"Yes you are, father declared your family Metkayina!"

"That doesn't matter, we are not the same."

"How are we not?" Aonung stared at Neteyam.

"I don't know," Neteyam sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"Exactly, and it doesn't matter what my mother thinks, you are my mate for life. She will come around, father doesn't care after all."

"He doesn't?" A spark flicked in Neteyam's eyes as he looked up.

"No, he says we must be mated again before Eywa, though."

"When?"

"When Lo'ak and Tsireya are."

"Okay..." Neteyam wiped his nose, letting go of Aonung. Aonung connected their hands, smiling at the other boy.

"We will be fine, Nete."

—————

There was a little confusion about ages, Lo'ak and Tsireya are both 17, set to be mated when they turn 18.

Aonung is 19 Neteyam is 18.

Not comfortable writing them younger lol