pathway., neteyam x reader

chapted twenty-three

"I don't think Lo'ak should be the only one to blame." Your expression forming into a small smirk, Neteyam rolls his eyes, a cheeky grin forming. "Okay. Like we did."
You hummed to this, resting your head on his shoulder, giggling quietly. "And Ao'nung too."

Neteyam's tail curled in the air, reacting to the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. You too heard it, lifting your head off his shoulder and looking behind you.
Coincidentally, your brother had been walking closer to you and Neteyam. You turned over and reached for your crutch, immediately both of them coming to help you.

Ao'nung took your free hand, helping you to stand up slowly, while Neteyam adjusted your crutch to make sure it was firmly planted in the sand at a good angle.

You smiled widely to Ao'nung, you wanted to see him just as much as he had wanted to see you.
He looked to the crutch, your wrap, and your leg. His expression full of anger, which made you wonder what exactly he was thinking.

As you began to walk towards him, slowly taking one step at a time, he held your hand and helped you walk forward. Neteyam, sensing that this was a private moment between you and your brother, did not follow, but instead gave you space to reunite with Ao'nung, just as he had done with everyone else.

"Brother, I have missed you," You told him, while lifting the crutch and planting it into the ground at every step. Ao'nung was the opposite of Tsireya.

In no way had he ever given either of you a hug just to show his love for his sisters, the way he showed his love was to take you out to swim when you were younger. To teach and up-bring the both of you.

He had a lot of your father in him, in terms of his strong character and leadership skills. He was always direct and to the point with his words, sometimes coming across as harsh or blunt, but his intentions were always for the betterment of his sisters.

The three of you took care of each other.

Ao'nung greeted you with mixed emotions, expressing his happiness to see you but not his approval of your current companion, or situation.

"I am happy to see you, Y/N. I am not happy you are with him." He let go of your hand, watching your steps closely.
He examined you, your bruised back was the first thing he saw when he was approaching you.
He looked at your wrap, and the small cuts you had on your arms and even on your face. He couldn't help but express his concern and frustration. "Look at you."

"Ao'nung, I am fine. You are too worried, brother." You huffed lifting the crutch again to take another step.

He stopped you by your shoulder, "You can't even walk." He moved his hand to point at your leg. "That family just brings nothing but danger and problems, yet you are still wanting to be around them?"

You quickly turned to look at him, "If you had just left them, Y/N you would be okay." He angrily spoke.

"It should've been him, the demon boy, what good is he to our clan?"

"You should've just left them there, you wouldn't have been hurt, I don't understand you Y/N." He hissed, letting go of your shoulder and looking at you directly, his ears down.

You had never seen your brother so emotional and upset because of you, or at least not in front of you. He usually held onto his pride, acting stubborn and arrogant. He looked as if he was about to cry, and his anger was directed towards himself.

"Would you have left me Ao'nung?" You questioned, which made his ears perk up for a bit and then down again.

"Would you have left me to die? After I had been taken from the only family I know?"

Ao'nung didn't answer, he couldn't bring himself to say the words, but the expression on his face made it clear that he still held onto his pride.

He would've done the same thing if the situation was reversed.

"You don't have to answer me," you continued, "But I know you wouldn't."

Ao'nung took a step back, his hand over his head as he looked down at the ground. He kicked the sand beneath his feet, groaning in frustration. He knew that you were right, and it was clear that it was a difficult realization for him to accept.

He couldn't deny the truth of your words, and it was clear that he was struggling to come to terms with it. Despite his anger and pride, he couldn't bring himself to abandon you, and that was something that he would have to accept.

"I know you were scared too, Ao'nung," you said, as you looked into his eyes. He could see the understanding and empathy in your gaze, and it made him feel seen and heard in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.

He lifted his head to look at you once again, "We must thank Eywa that I am alive, and that I am here before you." You motioned between the both of you. He took a step towards you, and then another. You opened your free arm, inviting him in for a hug. He hesitated for a moment, but then he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close.

It had been some time since you have gotten to hug your older brother, and it was in a most bittersweet moment too.

Neteyam watched from afar, he smiled at the sight, unknowing of Ao'nung's words.

—

"I don't trust them."

"You don't have to, brother. But, you have to trust me."