13

✺ ┅*❋ ❋*┅ ✺

dating

Firmly holding Aonung's neck Neteyam walked him in front of himself to his father who was sitting on the terrace of their Marui. Because of the loud angry steps of Neteyam Jake noticed them approaching and turned to them confused. Jake slowly got annoyed because his sons are getting in trouble every single day that they have been here within the new clan. He stood up and looked at the two younger boys with a questioning look. Aonung face is pain-distorted because of Neteyam's harsh grasp.

"Tell him what you told me!" Neteyam demanded angrily while pointing to his father as he glared at Aonung. Jake eyebrows drew together as he awaits for Aonung to say something. He only sighed in shame and looked at Jake feeling very guilty.

"Lo'ak went beyond the reef." He mumbled and couldn't look into Jake's eyes. Neteyam exerted pressure on Aonung's neck which made him shove his hand away. "Because of me." He added embarrassed because of his actions.

"And?" Neteyam pressed. Concern spread over Jake's face as it was quite dangerous for young Na'vi beyond the reef who aren't a warrior yet. Lo'ak didn't had any fighting practices in the water and didn't knew how to use weapons of the Metkayina clan.

"Leyra went after him when I told her where he is."

Jake closed his eyes for a second and pinched the bridge if his nose with his fingers. "When did that happened?" He asked slowly, not wanting to freak out because his youngest son and the girl he cared about like his own daughter were missing.

"In the morning." Aonung answered quietly.

"Why didn't you said something sooner?" Jake raised his voice slightly because of his losing temper. Leyra is a good warrior, so it shouldn't happened something very bad, but that they were gone for a very long time as it was almost evening concerned him even more. He couldn't think about the worst case right now.

"I thought he would find his way back. It wasn't far away." He mumbled and was clearly intimidated by Jake and Neteyam's presence didn't made that better. "I'm sorry."

"Come on, we have to tell Tonowari. We need to find Leyra and Lo'ak." Jake said as he grabbed the arms of both boys and pulled them towards Tonowari's Marui.

┅

The best Metkayina warriors were searching for the two missing people beyond the reef and within the water all around the village. When the horn rang out, a few people of the clan and the Sully family gathered together to await the returning of Lo'ak and Leyra. They found them in the shores of the water. They thanked the two warriors that found them and climbed on to the terraces where the people stood. They were holding hands as they stood in front of Tonowari and Aonung on the lower platform.

Lo'ak was clearly glaring at Aonung and he didn't care that the leader was there. Leyra didn't look happy either as she looked at Aonung enraged. Aonung feared that this will escalate in a fight again, but Jake appeared at their side and put a hand on Lo'ak's chest to stop him from attacking Aonung.

"Hey, you both okay? Let's have a look at you." Jake said as he looked over Lo'ak's body and then over Leyra's. They were covered in small cuts because of the coral reefs they were hiding in. Blood leaked out of the scratches in their faces and they looked painful, even if they are only small cuts. "They are fine." He said to all of the gathered around people. "They are fine." He repeated to himself glad that nothing serious had happened.

Neteyam came out from behind the other people and made his way to his brother and Leyra. Kiri and Tsireya were standing arm in arm with a relieved look on their faces with Tuk at their side behind Tonowari and Aonung. The two brothers shared a look and Lo'ak gave his older brother a small nod, reassuring that he was fine.

"Are you okay?" Neteyam quietly asked Leyra as he sneaked his arm around her waist. She embraced his torso and leaned against him. "Yes." She answered and looked him in the eyes. They definitely need to talk all together about the relationship they have and define it.

Neytiri came over to all of them and went straight to Lo'ak. "I pray for the strength that I will not rip the eyeballs out of my youngest son!" She hissed at him and pretended to pluck his eyes out. At that he only flinched a little and looked at her emotionless. "For bringing her in danger!" She added and took Leyra's hand motherly, that was in Lo'ak's hand before and hugged her briefly.

"No." Tonowari spoke up at her words and looked to the family. "My son knows better than take him outside the reef." He put his hand on Aonung's shoulder forcing his son to kneel in front of the family. "The blame is his."

Jake nodded and outstretched his arms a little bit. "Okay, Let's go." He said and wanted to go with his family but Lo'ak interrupted them.

"No. This is not Aonung's fault." He quickly said and got looks from Neteyam and Leyra unbelievingly that he wanted to take the blame for what Aonung did. Leyra slowly shook her head to Lo'ak, meaning that he shouldn't continue to speak. He only glanced at her.

"It was my idea. Aonung tried to talk me out of this." He said firmly and Aonung's ears flatten at this. He was the one being terrible to the forest family and yet Lo'ak takes the blame for his actions. Leyra made eye contact with Aonung and she could see that he felt very guilty and was really sorry. Neteyam looked at his brother confused. He knew that this wasn't the truth. Tonowari shared a look with Ronal because they both knew that it was Aonung's idea and he would get punishment later.

"And you." Tonowari looked at Leyra. "As a young warrior you shouldn't put yourself in danger for a foreign boy."

"Sorry, Sir." Leyra quickly said and bows her head out of respect before she looked at Tonowari again.

"Come on." Jake said strictly as he grabbed Lo'ak's arm and walked past Tonowari. "I'll handle him." He reassured Tonowari. Leyra didn't knew if she should follow, but Neteyam took her hand and followed his family to their Marui.

"Is this true?" Tonowari turned to his son as he pulled him up again. Aonung just looked down guilty. "Aonung, what were you thinking!" Ronal scolded.

As they were walking Lo'ak spoke up again. "Dad, you told me to make friends with these kids, that's all I was trying to-"

"I don't wanna hear about it." Jake interrupted him annoyed as he stares at him disappointed. "You have brought shame to this family."

Lo'ak's ears flatten at the words from his father and he couldn't look at him so he looked past him. He unconsciously grabbed Leyra's hand who was standing beside him for support as he looked at his father neutral, trying to not show his feelings. Leyra and Neteyam widened their eyes as they heard Jakes words and they felt bad for Lo'ak. Leyra squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Can I go now?"

"Any more trouble and I'll tie a knot in your tail. You read me?" Jake hissed in a strict town.

"Yes, sir. Lima Charlie." Lo'ak answered back staring at his father and went away as he got the okay from him. Leyra wanted to go after him but Neteyam still had her hand in a firm grip so she just looked at him as he distanced himself from his family.

"Where were you?" Neytiri turned to her eldest son. "Yeah. What happened to keep an eye on your brother?" Jake joined and looked at him expectantly.

Neteyam lowered his head because his parents were disappointed in him, "I'm sorry, sir." He mumbled.

"And you my sweet girl." Neytiri looked at Leyra and stroked over her cheek. "You shouldn't waste your time with my fool boys. You only get in danger because of them." She continued as she looked at her. Neteyam looked to his mother sadly because he knew that she was right. She deserved someone better than him or his brother.

"No, you are wrong." Leyra responded firmly and looked at the two adults with a strong gaze. "You only see their bad decisions and actions but you do not see them." She didn't care that she could destroy her relationship with Neytiri and Jake right now but she couldn't just watch them treat them badly. She turned to Jake." They aren't your perfect little soldiers, Jake. They are your sons. The only one you have. Let them be young and they will learn from their mistakes themselves."

A smile formed on his face as Neteyam looked at her in awe. He liked her even more because no-one ever stood up to his parents for him. Jake however seemed lost in his thoughts at her words and he knew that she was right. Leyra has said everything she wanted and left the family behind her as she tried to find Lo'ak.

┅

"Why did you speak for me?" Aonung questioned as he walked beside Lo'ak as he looked at him curiously.

"Because I know what it's like to be one big disappointment." Lo'ak answered the truth and looked back at him. Lo'ak didn't want Aonung to feel what he felt his whole life but he didn't know that Aonung felt like this his whole life too. He always would be in the shadow of his little sister because she is just the perfect child.

┅

"Ouch! Be gentle." Leyra exclaimed as Neteyam cleaned her cuts on her body.

"Kiri!" Lo'ak hissed as he sat across from Leyra while Kiri was cleaning his wounds.

The four of them were in the medical hut after everybody's emotions cooled down. Leyra and Lo'ak had to have their wounds to be taken care of or else they would get infected.

Leyra had to think about the last time she was alone in the medical hut with Lo'ak and Neteyam and her cheeks turned slightly red every time Neteyam catches her staring at him. Neteyam had to think about that too as he was so close again to her.

"I know what you are thinking about." He whispered to her so the other wouldn't hear him. He put a healing paste on her body as he smirked while looking at her. "Do you want to repeat it?"

Leyra's eyes widened and her cheeks turned red once again. She smacked him on his arm. "Shut up and not now." She mumbled as she glanced behind him to see if Kiri and Lo'ak noticed their conversation but luckily they were distracted.

"First we have to talk about us." She said sternly while she looked at him. Neteyam feared that she would just drop them and didn't wanted nothing to do with them.

"Just don't get yourself hurt again." Kiri said and collected her things as she finished with Lo'ak's wounds. Leyra got nervous as Kiri was about leave and let her alone with the two boys. "Don't come late or else Mom and Dad get more mad." She left the hut with these words, directed to her brothers.

The brothers looked at each other as they stood in front of Leyra. Leyra looked between the two and wished she would just vanish into the ground.

"We both like you. A lot." Neteyam started the conversation that needed to happen and Leyra nodded slowly.

"We didn't wanted to scare you, so we kept it to ourselves." Lo'ak continued while looking down at her as she was seated on the bench.

"But then, well, you know what happened. We kinda lost control of ourselves."

"We just want to explore our feelings with you and really get to know you."

"We both came to an agreement, so whoever you choose at the end, we will be happy for the other. No hard feelings."

They rambled on and on. Leyra could sense that they were very nervous of what she would say, but she is very confused right know as she looked between them as they spoke alternately. Neteyam sensed her hesitation and his excited face slowly dropped at her neutral expression.

"Please say something." Neteyam pleaded as he kneels before her to be at the same eye level as her and Lo'ak sat down beside her.

"You don't like us like that, do you?" Lo'ak assumed because she didn't answer to any of their statements. His heart dropped as he thought back to the kiss in the ocean earlier that day. Maybe they only kissed because they were glad to be still alive.

She pressed her lips together because she didn't wanted to hurt them but she had to say something. "That's not it." She started. "I really like you both, but I don't think this is a good idea." She referred to the request of dating both at the same time. Neteyam's head dropped at her words and it felt like a bullet was being shot through his heart.

"I don't want to hurt either of you. And what would your parents say?" She continued as she took Lo'ak's hand.

"I don't care what my parents say. It just happened that we both like you and if you choose one of us we would be happy either way because you would be a part of the family." Lo'ak answered her.

"But what if-" She stopped herself because her voice started to tremble. Neteyam slowly caressed her knees with his fingers to encourage her to continue speaking.

"What if I can't choose?"

"Then you don't have to."

"What if I will love you both?"

"Then we both will be your mates." Neteyam said to her while looking at her in hope.

"Let's try it. Whatever happens, happens." Lo'ak added and looked at her.

"Alright. Let's try it." Leyra answered and gave them a smile.

✺ ┅*❋ ❋*┅ ✺

[art by me]