Dancing with the Bullets |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

Chapter 13 (Updated)

Neteyam wakes up to loud talking, and immediately frowns.

"Give it back!" Tuk shrieks.

Lo'ak sticks his tongue out, arm held high above his head, holding a large, shiny shell. At its base, a small hole that seems to have cracked a line down the middle of the surface. "Why? It's broken, anyway."

"But it's mine!" Tuk yells, grabbing at Lo'ak's arm and trying to pull it down.

"But it's broken!" Lo'ak retorts.

"Leave her alone, Lo'ak," Kiri hisses, pushing on his back as she steps up behind him. She makes no attempt to take the shell – Lo'ak had grown taller than her in the time they spent on the island. She couldn't reach it if she tried.

Tuk scrunches her nose and tries to trip Lo'ak, but the youngest Sully boy doesn't budge. "Why should I?"

Neteyam sits on his sleeping mat, watching his younger siblings bicker with furrowed brows. He'll give them a minute to figure it out, and if they continue fighting, he'll step in.

"Do you not understand personal belongings?" Tuk deadpans and hits Lo'ak in the chest weakly. "Give me!"

Lo'ak hums, tapping his chin with his free hand. "No."

"Why?!" Tuk shrieks.

Neteyam is glad their parents have already left, otherwise, there would surely be a scolding already taking place – and it would, without a doubt, somehow include him, even though he's just been woken up. Rather harshly, too.

"Because—" Lo'ak clicks his tongue, holding the shell up even higher when Tuk tries to jump up to reach it. "You threw it in my face. This is the consequence of your actions."

"I already said I was sorry!" Tuk cries out, more frustrated by the minute.

Neteyam sighs, standing up. Kiri glances at him, lips pursed in worry. She tries to shake her head at him, but Neteyam's already walked across the marui to stand directly beside Lo'ak and Tuk.

"Give her the shell, bro." He crosses his arms, staring Lo'ak down.

Lo'ak rolls his eyes. "You're not dad. Don't tell me what to do."

Neteyam, feeling a hint of childishness bubbling in his chest, copies Lo'ak's words with a whiny tone. "Don't tell me what to do – maybe, don't give me reasons to tell you what to do."

"She threw it in my face!" Lo'ak hisses, pointing to Tuk with the hand that he uses to hold the shell. "I was sleeping."

"You were going to miss breakfast!" Tuk cuts in, reaching for the shell.

Lo'ak pulls his arm back quickly and hides it behind his back. "That's no reason to throw things at me!"

"I said sorry!" Tuk yells, eyes welling up.

"Lo'ak—" Kiri gasps, grabbing his upper arm. "Stop it. She's a child!"

Neteyam wraps an arm around Tuk's shoulder, panic rising in his chest. "Give her the shell, Lo'ak."

"Why do you care?" Lo'ak spits at him, frowning.

"Because!" Neteyam shouts, pointing a finger in his brother's face. "Dad will blame it on me, and I'm sick of it! So, give Tuk her shell back and get your ass to breakfast."

Lo'ak blinks, eyebrows furrowed before he rolls his eyes and chucks the shell at the floor. It skids away but remains unharmed. Tuk dashes after it, sniffling.
"Whatever," he grumbles, and walks out of the marui, grumbling to himself.

Kiri shares a look with Neteyam, before walking over to Tuk, petting her hair lightly. "He is such a child sometimes."

Neteyam purses his lips, morning ruined. He sighs, shaking his head, then turns to Tuk. She cradles the shell in her hands gingerly. "Don't throw things at him, okay?"