Beautiful Lie |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

Chapter 9

Neteyam sat in silence in front of his father, staring down at his hands. He could still feel his encounter with the Metcayina warrior, and it brought him near to tears. He did not want his father to know he was not a virgin, much less that he had been with a total of three na'vi now. His father had always expressed his expectations. Neteyam had been told to stay away from sexual activities; as the Olo’eyktan’s first born son, it would make him seem unreliable to the elders and his future mate.

Lo'ak was sitting next to him, a hand grasping his upper arm in silent comfort, but all it did was make Neteyam feel trapped, like he was held in place, ready to be interrogated.

"What did you do to make him touch you like that?" Jake questioned, a deep frown on his face.

Neteyam's ears pulled back nervously, and he swallowed thickly. "Nothing, sir. I didn't do anything."

"You expect me to believe that?" Jake grunted, crossing his arms over his chest.
Next to Neteyam, Lo'ak tensed. It seemed he had expected a completely different reaction from their father. "You bit him, Neteyam. That is not nothing."

"That was only after he–"

"Enough."

Jake's warning drew a helpless whine from Neteyam's throat. His tail curled around his waist as a pathetic attempt of comfort as he shook his head. "Sorry, sir."

"Dad, what–" Lo'ak began, but Jake held a hand up, silencing his youngest son.

"Neteyam," Jake addressed him, voice stern. "Did you lie with Ao'nung?"

Neteyam's head snapped up as he stared at his father in disbelief. "No!"
Jake did not seem entirely convinced as he sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration. Neteyam felt horrified at his father's questions; he ached for his mother's soothing words, but Neytiri had decided to take Kiri and Tuk on a walk to grant Jake privacy with their sons, unaware that Jake had completely misunderstood the situation Neteyam was in. She was comforted by false ideas; Neytiri was sure her mate was being gentle and reassuring towards their eldest. She had no idea how wrong she was.

"Whatever you did that managed to make him act like this, you need to stop."

Neteyam inhaled shakily; he had no idea why his father was blaming him for someone else's actions and it filled him with so much pain that it felt like his heart might shatter into a million pieces with no chance of it ever being repaired.

"Yes, sir." Neteyam hated the way his voice trembled; his eyes burned with another wave of tears, but he blinked them away and hid his clenched fists behind his back, feeling his nails dig into the soft skin of his palm. Neteyam was surprised Jake had not asked Lo'ak to leave yet, but he was grateful for his younger brother's presence. Even if Lo'ak was closer with Kiri and Tuk, he was Neteyam's only support. His sisters did not understand him, not quite like how Lo'ak could, if only he would look beyond his older brother's perfect facade and recognised the flawed, fragile boy hiding behind the image of a mighty warrior.

Jake gave a short nod before dropping the subject and stepping outside to calm himself.

Neteyam let his tense shoulders relax; his golden gaze turned to Lo'ak, who blinked back at him in worry. Neteyam yanked his arm free. "Thanks a lot for that, Lo'ak."

The next day, even Ao'nung noticed the change in Neteyam's behaviour, so he did not bother him too much during their lesson. The Metcayina still made fun of him when he fell off his ilu or inhaled a mouthful of water, but Ao'nung stayed away from physically touching him.

Neteyam felt shame bubble up in his core; he wished he never let himself get so carried away with Naìtvì or the other's back home. He wished he could take it all back and be untouched, pure again. He knew it was impossible, and it filled him with fear that perhaps nobody would ever want him as a mate if they found out he had been used.

When their lesson ended, Ao'nung let Neteyam walk away with no attempt to keep him there. The Omaticaya did not notice the worried gaze that followed him. Neteyam stood behind some rocks, hidden from the view of the village as he stared off into space, arms wrapped around himself as a failing attempt to soothe himself. There was a lump in his throat that had not left since the night before.

Even here, being the eldest son of Toruk Makto still haunted him.

Neteyam's head snapped up when he heard two soft voices murmuring behind him. He turned to face the sound and relaxed. It was only Naìtvì and one of his friends, Neteyam recognised from the feast.

When the young warriors noticed him, they both greeted the Omaticaya. Naìtvì stepped up next to him and wrapped an arm around his waist, tickling the sensitive, striped blue skin there. His friend only stared.

"This is Kaey," Naìtvì's kind smile never left his face as he spoke softly in Neteyam's ear. Kaey was a warrior much like Naìtvì, but he wore his hair down, unlike the other male. They seemed to be the same height. Neteyam felt safe around them. He relaxed into Naìtvì's side and sighed softly.
"Nice to meet you, Kaey."

A playful twinkle appeared in Naìtvì's pale green eyes. Neteyam noted that Kaey's eyes were a bluer shade. "Kaey and I were wondering if you were up to having some fun. With the both of us."

Neteyam blinked once in surprise. Slowly, a blus dusted his cheek. It was hard to misunderstand Naìtvì's words, especially when he was rubbing his thumb soothingly against Neteyam's stomach, sometimes moving to fiddle with the strings of the Omaticaya’s loincloth.

Kaey was quiet, watching them. Neteyam bit his lower lip, a familiar heat settling in his core as he exhaled through his nose, pupils blown wide. He had never done something like this before.

"Lead the way."