Intimate Betrayal (Neteyam X Female OC X Lo'ak)

Forgotten

Lai'ra sat alone on the shoreline, the moonlight cast a pale glow on the restless waves. Her heart heavy with worry and grief, she found solace in the rhythmic ebb and flow of the ocean. In the silence of the night, a faint voice reached her ears, whispered on the gentle breeze. "Lai'ra..."
Startled, she turned her tear-stained face to find Tonowari standing behind her, his presence a mixture of comfort and bittersweet longing. Her gaze averted, as if unable to bear the weight of her emotions being witnessed. Tonowari sighed, a melancholic release of empathy. He settled beside her in the sand, his arm enveloping her trembling shoulders, offering a shelter in his embrace. His cheek found a resting place atop her head, a gesture of quiet solidarity and understanding.
Tonowari's voice carried a gentleness as he spoke, his words mingling with the rustle of the night breeze. "Have you gone to The Spirit Tree to visit your parents yet?" he whispered softly, aware of the weight that burdened her heart.
Lai'ra's eyes remained fixed on the dark horizon, her voice barely above a whisper as she responded, her words quivering with pain. "No..." she uttered, her voice choked with sorrow. "I'm not ready, Sempul. I... I killed her, watched as the light left her eyes. The memory haunts my dreams, suffocating me, even though I know it wasn't her. I'm not ready to see them yet."
A heavy silence settled between them, emphasized by the waves crashing. Tonowari understood the depths of her anguish, the unbearable burden she carried. He left a gentle kiss on her head as he reached out and gently squeezed her hand, a gesture of solidarity and unwavering support.
The silence was disturbed as footsteps approached them. They both turned their heads to see Jake approaching them. Jake nodded at Tonowari, silently urging him to give them a moment. Tonowari stood up and put his arm on Jakes shoulder and squeezed gently. The silent touch spoke volumes of empathy and unity. The weight of their unspoken bond was palpable, an unbreakable connection forged through shared experiences of almost losing a child and a common purpose. With that reassuring touch, Tonowari silently conveyed his trust in Jake's ability to understand Lai'ra. Tonowari departed, leaving Lai'ra and Jake enveloped in the quietude of the night. Jake took a seat next to Lai'ra.
Her voice trembled with a mixture of anguish and resignation as she spoke the words that had weighed heavily on her heart. With her eyes tightly shut, she took a deep, shuddering breath, as if trying to gather the strength to confront the harsh reality that loomed over them.
"He's not going to wake up is he..." She choked out in despair, as if the weight of her words threatened to crush her spirit. Her hands, clenched tightly, digging into the cool sand beneath her. The question hung in the air, echoing the doubts and fears that had plagued her restless mind. It was a painful admission, an acceptance of the possibility that Neteyam might never emerge from the depths of his coma. The weight of uncertainty settled upon her, pressing down on her heart with an unrelenting force.
In the deafening silence that followed, Lai'ra's grip on the sand tightened, her knuckles turning white with the intensity of her emotions. She could almost feel the grains slipping through her fingers, a heartbreaking metaphor for the slipping away of time and hope. Jake felt the weight of her words reverberate through his own being. His heart ached in tandem with hers, mirroring her deep-seated sorrow. Gently, he reached out, his hand seeking hers amidst the sand. As their hands intertwined, a fragile connection formed between them, a bond fortified by their shared anguish and love for Neteyam.
Jake's gaze bore into hers, a reflection of the love and pain he carried in his heart. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from Lai'ra's face. "Lai'ra, the only thing I'm sure of, is Neteyam's love for you. It kept him fighting. I have faith that he'll wake up. He's got to."
Lai'ra clutched onto Jake's hand, "I love him Jake, I don't know if... I'll survive this if he doesn't."
Jake's grip tightened around Lai'ra's hand, his voice filled with unwavering determination. "I understand, kid. The thought of losing him is unbearable. But we can't lose hope. We have to believe in the strength of our bond as a family."
Lai'ra's voice quivered as tears streamed down her face. "I've never been so scared."
Jake pulled her close, enveloping her in a comforting embrace. "I know, it's okay to be scared. But we have to be strong for Neteyam. We'll keep talking to him and trust that he will find his way back to us."
Lai'ra's fingers dug into Jake's back as she held him close, finding solace in his fatherly embrace.
"Come on kid, let me walk you home. You haven't slept in days, and I don't want you withering away." He whispered as he patted the back of her head. Lai'ra nodded and pulled away. They both stood up and walked back to Lai'ra's Marui, she turned to give Jake a hug before walking inside and finally laying down.

As Lai'ra laid in her bed, the memories of the night before the battle flooded her mind. Seeing the grief on Neteyam's face, the tears of anguish that poured from his eyes, it haunted her. She began cursing herself as she put her face in hands, her body trembled as sobs racked her frame. The regret consumed her, wishing she would've stayed with him, told him the truth about wanting to be with him instead of being rash, all because she didn't want to hurt either of them. And now, she may never have the chance again and it was killing her.
Tsireya and Ao'nung crept through the doorway, seeing Lai'ra in this state broke their hearts. They immediately rushed into bed with her and held her tight in between them.
"Shhh, it's okay. We're here." Tsireya cooed, her voice a gentle whisper as she ran her fingers through Lai'ra's hair. Time seemed to stand still as the trio clung to each other, their shared embrace a sanctuary where tears were met with understanding, and where the weight of sorrow was shared.

"D-Dad?" The raspy voice escaped Neteyam's lips as his eyelids fluttered open, revealing the figure of his father, huddled in a chair beside his bed. Jake's eyes widened with a mix of astonishment and overwhelming joy.
"Oh my God, Neteyam! Thank you, Eywa, thank you!" Jake's voice cracked with emotion as he stumbled forward, enveloping his son in a tight embrace. His hands trembled as they found their place on Neteyam's head, caressing his hair with tender affection.
As the intensity of the moment subsided, Neteyam's gaze wandered around the room, his eyes filled with a confusion born from the absence of memories. The fog obscured the events that had led him to this point, leaving him grasping at fragments of a shattered past.
"Dad... What happened?" Neteyam's voice emerged as a whisper, tinged with a mixture of bewilderment and sorrow. His brows knitted together, attempting to bridge the gap between the present and the past. "Why can't I remember?"
Jake's expression shifted, the lines on his face etched with worry. He tightened his grip on Neteyam's shoulders, as if trying to ground both himself and his son.
"You were injured, Neteyam," Jake's voice quivered with an underlying pain. "In the war, you were shot. It was touch and go for a while, and you slipped into a coma... But you're awake now, Lai'ra...she's going to be so relieved. I should go and get her."
The mention of Lai'ra's name sparked a flicker of recognition in Neteyam's eyes, mingled with a surge of anticipation. His mind grappled with the echoes of a love he couldn't remember, yet somehow sensed in the depths of his being.
"L-Lai'ra?" Neteyam gasped, a mixture of hope and confusion tugging at his heart. The thought of her existence breathed life into a void, igniting a yearning he couldn't comprehend.
Jake's heart sank... "You... You don't remember Lai'ra?" Jake's words trembled, his eyes searched Neteyam's face for any sign of recognition, clinging to a fragile thread of connection.
"Of course, I remember Lai'ra, Dad. Are you telling me that we found her?" Neteyam's eyes lit up as the floodgates of nostalgia burst open, carrying with it fragments of their childhood adventures, their laughter echoing through the corridors of his mind.
"Oh no... What's the last thing you remember, Tey?" Jake's voice trembled, as he braced himself for the revelation that would confirm the depth of Neteyam's amnesia.
Neteyam's brow furrowed, his mind straining against the haze of forgotten moments. He delved deep into his own consciousness, desperately seeking a foothold amidst the fog. "I... I remember leaving the Omatikaya Village," he began, his voice tinged with frustration and longing. "But after that... everything is so foggy, Dad."
Jake's heart shattered for Lai'ra, he knew that this wasn't going to be easy for her. He held Neteyam even tighter, his grip a lifeline amidst the tumultuous waves of uncertainty. "It's okay, son. It's okay," Jake's voice quivered with a mixture of grief and determination. "We'll figure this out together. We'll find a way to bring your memories back."