To our little ones || Aonung x Neteyam

Chapter 23: Promise

Lo'ak stood up in the middle of the entrance to the living room, his mother beside him looking as puzzled as him. His eyes set on Neteyam who was out of bed and holding a calm conversation with the man who sat next to him, too close to Lo'ak's liking.

"What's this idiot doing here?" He frowned deeply.

"Lo'ak." His mother scolded him with a quiet hiss, but he didn't back down.

"I was hoping...I could have a conversation with you." Ao'nung took a deep breath not to reciprocate his defensive attitude. "I also came to apologize to you, ma'am. The way I acted was completely out of line and not only did I disrespect you, but bust also I disrupted the peace of your home. I am deeply sorry and I can assure you It will not happen again."

He stood up, nervously watching her getting closer to him. Perhaps to slap him, he wouldn't blame her if she did because not only he had said terrible things about his son, but also hit him to the point he could still see bruises even days after the incident.

Neytiri stood up in front of him and even if she was shorter and got a skinny complexion, her eyes made him feel like a little boy about to be sent to his room. Ao'nung looked at the floor expecting the worse but raised his head again when her hands went to fix the collar of his shirt.

"I know better than to speak for my sons, Eywa knows It would not be easy to ease his temper." She nodded briefly, pointing the door to the kitchen where Lo'ak had run off to. "But I understand why you did what you did, and although some of the things you said were very...harsh, I'm happy that you can see and try to atone for your faults."

"I think is important to acknowledge one's mistakes, even if it's difficult to do so. " Ao'nung muttered, still too nervous to look directly at her.

"I think so too, and that's why I always forgive." Ao'nung was about to thank her for being so understanding, but she was quick to interrupt him. "Once."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And what did I say about calling me ma'am?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, mother." A little smile escaped him.

"Much better." She brushed a couple of curls out of his face and gave another glance to the kitchen. "Why don't you sit? I'll have Lo'ak talk to you in a moment." She left the room and so did Neteyam, claiming that he would be waiting for him upstairs, he only nodded, still a little shy after the events of the morning.

Eventually, Lo'ak came out of the kitchen with a scowl and his arms crossed, clearly unwilling to hold a conversation with him. Ao'nung wasn't much happier, but it was something that he needed to do.

"Make it quick. " He spoke very dryly, refusing to sit next to him.

"I wanted to apologize for...for our fight, It was wrong of me to act on my anger without taking a moment to think first."

"Alright? That is not what I want to hear, and you know it." His expression broke for a moment allowing Ao'nung to see the true worry behind his mask of anger. "How is Reya doing?"

"I wouldn't know what to tell you, she is not speaking to me." He lowered his head for a moment, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"Don't you say? After your little tantrum and dragging her around, who knows what you told her." Lo'ak clicked his tongue in annoyance. "You scared her, you know?"

"I'm aware." He whispered to himself. Seeing Lo'ak getting worried for his sister made him feel embarrassed.

Had he ever painted Lo'ak in such a bad light or did it start after his pursuit of Tsireya? He couldn't deny that he felt protective of his sister, and he had to admit that Lo'ak always got on his nerves for that matter.