Beautiful Lie |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

Chapter 19

"You are limping."

Neteyam did not turn to face the other male, simply blinking once to calm his instant annoyance before looking at him menacingly from the corner of his eyes. He glanced down Ao'nung's body before his eyes landed on the male's face again.

Ao'nung's frowned, scrunching his nose. He held his arms up in surrender. "I'm just stating an observation."

Neteyam rolled his eyes, continuing along the shore with his basket of collected herbs, dragging his legs a little. "I have a bite mark on my neck also. But you can't make observations about that, can you?"

Ao'nung's eyes widened before his ears twitched nervously. "You were with both of them?"

"Both of them," Neteyam repeat after him firmly. "At the same time."

"Eywa—"

"Nah, it wasn't her, " Neteyam chuckled, finally turning his head to look at Ao'nung. The Metcayina pursed his lips, face flaming with colour. He cleared his throat helplessly.

"I am officially considering facing an akula without any weapons–" Ao'nung fumbled around with his basket of herbs, dropping a few.

Neteyam only smirked, walking slowly and watching the Metcayina flail around. "You are jealous, Nungie."

"What is with you and this sudden use of horrible nicknames?" Ao'nung snorted as he leaned down to pick up his fallen herbs. "And I am not jealous."

Neteyam swiftly stepped up behind him and slammed an open palm on the Metcayina's backside; Ao'nung stumbled forward with a yelp, his entire basket of herbs toppling over and falling into the soft golden sands. "I am starting to believe you switched souls with your moron brother."

Neteyam hummed innocently, waiting for Ao'nung to stop making a fool of himself. "Hey, Nungo, what does it mean when this crab, Krìdril, chooses to befriend you?"

"Oh, you mean the crab from a few days ago?" Ao'nung frowned, picking up his scattered findings, stuffing them angrily into his basket, crumbling the leaves. "It hardly befriended you, jungle boy. It just got curious."

Neteyam shook his head in protest. "No, it sang to me."

Ao'nung paused, blinking in surprise. He lifted his head, turning to face Neteyam. "Krìdril don't make noise. The most they can do is click their claws but even that is hardly menacing." 

"If you say so. I must have hallucinated it from being too fucked out."

Ao'nung choked, hitting his fist against his chest to catch his breath. "You are unbearable."

"I could punch you again for being annoying," Neteyam replied, clear warning in his tone, though his face had a coy smile on it.

Ao'nung grumbled under his breath before light-heartedly kicking sand Neteyam's way, completely missing him. Neteyam snorted loudly, shaking his head.

"As if you'd hit me." Ao'nung's mouth pulled into a clear pout, lower lip jutted out childishly as he gave his best, but most insincere pair of puppy eyes. "Our relationship is obviously way past that."

"Right," Neteyam replied, shaking his head and looking away, cheeks flushing. "What relationship? Remind me when you asked me to be in one?"

Ao'nung paused, glancing around nervously. "You want me to ask you?"

"I'll save you the heartbreak." Neteyam reached over and patted Ao'nung's shoulder. "If you asked now I would say no. Taking it slow, remember?"

Ao'nung grunted in response, ears flattening as he looked away. "How can you take something slow if there isn't anything?"

They walked slowly towards the village, comforted by each other's company. "You mock my sister, almost get my brother killed and put in me compromising situations in front of my father, fish lips. You're gonna have to work for it. I'm not going to just let you into my life like nothing happened."

"Right, jeez. I get it. I already said sorry for all of those things!" Ao'nung yelped, frowning deeply.

"Don't worry, I will still let you kiss me and hold me sometimes," Neteyam replied swiftly, adjusting his grip on his basket.

They spent the rest of the afternoon loitering around the village, chatting and fighting playfully. Once the sun was beginning to disappear into the waterline of the ocean and eclipse neared, Neteyam returned home, expecting the marui to be full with everyone already inside; Neteyam only found his father there. He was working on something, likely a knife.

Neteyam tensed, goosebumps coating his body as he stepped inside, lowering his head and greeting his father respectfully. Jake watched his son, returning the greeting before his attention drifted back to the knife he was making.

Neteyam set up his sleeping mat, when his father suddenly stood, face stern as he walked over to stand in front of his oldest son's kneeling form. Neteyam stood up hurriedly, avoiding his father's eyes but staring at a spot behind his head.

"Neteyam," when Jake spoke, voice full of regret and softness, Neteyam allowed himself to relax just the slightest. He unclenched his jaw and let his tongue slip away from the roof of his mouth.

"Yes, sir?"

Jake sighed, looking exhausted. He rubbed his forehead in despair before placing a hand on his son's head, frowning as Neteyam flinched, shutting his eyes as if accepting a violent reaction from his father.

"I am sorry, son," Jake whispered into the silence of the falling night; he looked truly miserable and ruined by the guilt that was tearing into his gut. "I failed to realise what I was doing. This awfully human concept was burned into my brain and I let it cloud my judgement."

Neteyam blinked curiously up at his father, eyes wide in wonder. "Father, it is fine. I understand you were disappointed in me, I–"

Jake shook his head, shoulders slumping forward. His hand slipped down to Neteyam's shoulder,  grasping it gently. He caressed the skin there with his thumb. "No, I brought human bullshit into this family and I lashed out because of my own repressed feelings. You did not deserve that and I don't know why I acted the way that I did."

"It's the war, dad. I know you're still scared."