(my timeline is all over the place but you're going to have to deal with it)
When both boys awoke the next morning, they found themselves smiling.
After the meeting the day before, Ao'nung and Neteyam had agreed they would broach the topic with their parents at lunch the next day, the two families deciding to have a celebratory meal of sorts. Upon returning to the marui, Neteyam had found himself swarmed by his family. Although he had been revived two days ago now, they didn't seem confident he would stay this way. Grateful for their thinking about him, Neteyam tolerated his mother holding him for an excessive amount of time, his father proceeding to do the same. Slightly more bearable was his little sister running at him and leaping at his chest, knocking him over with the sudden weight. She lay on his stomach, effectively trapping him there. Neteyam humoured her for few minutes, before he gently lifted her back up and set her on the ground.
Kiri and Lo'ak were slightly less emotional, but Neteyam still found himself locked in a hug with his two other siblings. After they pulled away, Neteyam found Kiri looking at him knowingly, a look he remembered seeing on Tsireya's face once when walking past her with Ao'nung. Neteyam felt himself blushing and turned to Lo'ak who thankfully remained perpetually ignorant. The light was now leaving the sky, casting long shadows through the marui as Neytiri asked Neteyam
"What happened yesterday, with the chief's son?" Neteyam's mother never used Ao'nung nor Tsireya's names unless she was talking directly to them, which was rare. Neteyam had managed to return home after a long day of finding other things to do rather than return to his mauri, preferably something with a view of Ao'nung working to carry bundles of heavy nets. The innocent display of love and admiration set Tsireya and Kiri to talking again, happy and amused to see their brothers allow themselves these little moments. Neteyam was unaware, later, when Ao'nung was staring open-mouthed at his boyfriend riding his ilu through the reef, smiling at the sky warming his face and lighting up the water. Rotxo was very annoyed when he had to re-explain his story of Kiri laughing at his joke. Remembering his mother asked him a question, Neteyam said
"We talked about, um, what we were feeling after, you know..." Neteyam trailed off, still unsure how his parents felt about the fact Neteyam was now bonded with the future Olo'eytkan. Technicalities of Neteyam's possible role as Tsahik in future aside, he didn't know how they felt about him having this choice made for him, and so young too. He assumed they okay-ed the decision, or Ao'nung wouldn't have had the opportunity.
"And how are you feeling?" his father asked, almost in accusation. Neteyam straightened at his tone.
"Confident Ao'nung will prove himself to you, though he needs no improvement." Neteyam told him, not bothering to keep accusation from his own voice. His father blinked and looked slightly taken aback.
"It was not a question of his worth, we just want to make sure you don't feel trapped or unhappy with the arrangement, so we can take steps to-" His father tried to amend his statement, but Neteyam cut him off.
"I am happy with Ao'nung." Neteyam noticed his parents slight recoil at the finality and permanence of the statement.
"If anything changes-" His father began again, when Neytiri beat Neteyam to interjecting once more.
"He will handle it, and let us know if he wants our help." She gently laid her hand on her husbands arm. He seemed to restrain himself from saying anything else, though he still looked anxious. Neteyam knew his parents only wanted him to be happy, and not to feel trapped within his new relationship. It was hard to share their worries, though, when Neteyam was so happy with Ao'nung. He nodded at his father, agreeing with his mother, and followed Kiri and Lo'ak, who had left the marui with Tuk to give him some privacy. He appreciated, once more, their consideration. When he caught up with them, Kiri was smiling smugly.
"What?" Neteyam asked, though he was fairly sure he knew what.
"Nothing, just," she laughed "you trying to catch up with us or you looking for him." She laughed again. Lo'ak seemed surprised at the mention of this mystery boy.
"Who's she talking about?" He asked, looking accusatorily at Kiri, who just poked her tongue out at him. Neteyam shot Kiri a look, and rolled his eyes, partly at his brother's unintentional ignorance. Before he could answer, Kiri couldn't help herself.
"Couldn't be the one he just mated with." She said in a sing-song voice, covering Tuk's ears; their little sister was skipping unknowingly alongside Kiri. Neteyam almost got whiplash looking back to her, and then Lo'ak's appalled face.
"YOU WHAT?" he yelled, stopping in his tracks. Neteyam almost yelled himself, Kiri still grinning endlessly.
"I did not!" He said indignantly, "You all saw, Lo'ak. He saved me with the tsaheylu, so now we are bonded." Neteyam stressed the last word, pointedly looking at Kiri. Lo'ak calmed, still shaking his head at Kiri, but began walking again.
"Well, you know what comes next though..." Kiri sang in her melodious tone once more. Lo'ak became outraged again and Neteyam flushed and turned away. This reaction only seemed to fuel Kiri's glee and Lo'ak's indignation.
"Is she-" Lo'ak began, now stare wide-eyed at Neteyam, who responded carefully.
"Well, she isn't technically wrong," Neteyam reasoned, thinking about the traditional steps of a relationship. Simplified, mating was the next milestone after bonding "But that's not what's happening!" Neteyam added quickly, seeing Lo'ak's expression. Kiri shrugged, innocently swinging Tuk in front of her. Lo'ak was staring suspiciously at Neteyam, as if trying to detect a difference before and after he may or may not have mated with Ao'nung.
At midday, the four siblings returned home to get ready for lunch. Brushing the sand out of his brother's hair, Neteyam thought about his upcoming announcement. Both his and Ao'nung's parents knew about their relationship now, and Kiri and Tsireya clearly suspected it. Tuk and Lo'ak remained out of the loop, like most of the time. He was worried that saying it in front of everyone would make it real for them, coaxing a different reaction from them. He was snapped out of his brooding by Lo'ak pulling his hair away
"Bro you've been doing that for like 5 whole minutes, you done?" Lo'ak asked, adjusting his hair into it's regular ponytail.
"Sorry, I was thinking." Neteyam said, shaking his head slightly.
"About Ao'nung?" Lo'ak asked, not sounding as annoyed anymore. Neteyam didn't see the reason to hold back now.
"Well yeah. Mum and Dad already know about the relationship, and Ao'nung said his own parents did too. Kiri and Tsireya haven't kept quiet about it either. Ao'nung and I wanted to just, I don't know, make it official kind of?" Neteyam told his brother, not looking at him anymore.
"I still can't believe you're gonna be dating Ao'nung," Lo'ak was shaking his head slightly in apparent disbelief.
"What do you mean?" Neteyam was instantly cautious. It wasn't unheard of for two males to date, and their father said it was a case among the Sky People as well, but there were those who still believed it unnatural. Lo'ak seemed to pick up Neteyam's worries and quickly amended
"Woahh, no hate on your love life, that's none of my business." Lo'ak held his hands up in mock-surrender "I just meant, you being with him reminds me of... nevermind" Lo'ak's braids moved quickly as he shook his head again. Now Neteyam was concerned for Lo'ak, not of him.
"Wait, what do you mean? Reminds you of who?" Neteyam held Lo'ak's arm, pulling his brother closer to him.
"It's- don't worry about it." Lo'ak tried to turn away, but Neteyam didn't relent. He knew how their parents were; not easy to talk to. While Kiri was very understanding, perhaps Lo'ak was illuding to something that he didn't want to be made fun of for.
"No, tell me." Neteyam said, trying to appear non-judgemental as possible. "Please?" He wanted his brother to know he was there to listen.
"Well..." Lo'ak seemed reserved.
"You said Ao'nung and I being together reminded you of something, was it a someone?" Neteyam prompted.
"Uh, yeah." Lo'ak said
"From the the forest?" Neteyam asked carefully, to which Lo'ak responded
"From home, yeah." Neteyam almost blinked at Lo'ak referring to the forest as home. Had Neteyam changed so quickly he no longer saw his birthplace his home? Where he had lived for 15 years? Or was it just his brain trying to adapt? Saving this existential crisis for later, Neteyam continued trying to prompt Lo'ak to talk.
"And was this person... important to you?" Neteyam asked, trying to feel out Lo'ak's feelings about this person. Judging by the fact Ao'nung had reminded Lo'ak of this person, Neteyam assumed it was a romantic interest of some kind. Also considering the note on Neteyam being with another boy, he assumed this person might've been male too.
Lo'ak nodded "He wanted to, he... um," Lo'ak trailed off, voice cracking.
"He?" Neteyam asked, suspicions confirmed.
Lo'ak couldn't respond, he just nodded, hiding his face.
"Hey, bro, hey." Neteyam rested his hand on the back of Lo'ak's neck. "You don't have to, sorry, I didn't mean to pressure you..." Neteyam conceded that Lo'ak didn't want to confide in him, but Lo'ak lifted his chin.
"No, I want to tell you," Neteyam felt himself smile at these words, happy his brother trusted him "it's just... hard." Lo'ak's voice cracked again.
"That's ok, you can take as long as you need, I just want you to be OK." Neteyam assured Lo'ak. What he didn't mention was how they both knew their emotions had been supressed for years by their father, trained to ignore them in favour of logic and keeping the families reputation up.
"I, um. Back home, someone wanted to... uh," Lo'ak was stumbling slowly, but Neteyam waited patiently, making sure not to act as if he already knew, invalidating Lo'ak's worry.
"He asked to... he wanted to," Lo'ak took a deep breath "...He wanted to court me." Neteyam kept his expression neutral, but he brought his brother closer, an assuring embrace for his now shaking brother.
"Do I know him?" Neteyam asked, wanting to help Lo'ak somehow.
"Yes, but... I don't want to-" Lo'ak shook his head.
"Hey, that's fine. You don't have to tell me. I just want you to be okay." Neteyam rubbed his brother's back.
"I love Tsireya, I really love her so much." Lo'ak croaked, his face wet on Neteyam's shoulder. "But I really liked this boy too, I feel like I'm... cheating on her, or something."
Neteyam understood his struggle, not from experience but by concept. He couldn't imagine leaving someone special like that behind, and then meeting Ao'nung here. He felt tears of his own running on Lo'ak's back.
"He said he would wait for me-" Words seemed to fail Lo'ak, as he started to shake in sobs, and he seemed to be struggling to hold himself up. Neteyam helped him down to his sleeping mat, and they sat next to each other, backs against the wall.
"Lo'ak I had no idea-" Neteyam didn't know what to say, Lo'ak continued sobbing, unable to form words. After some minutes, Lo'ak took a shaky breath and said
"I don't want Tsireya to hate me, I love her so much. But how can I leave him, waiting for me? I'm so selfish for trying to move on, when he is saving himself-" Lo'ak shook his head again.
"Lo'ak, Tsireya could never hate you. I've seen how she looks at you. And this boy, it is not your fault you love him, and I can't imagine how awful you must feel. Is there anything I can do?" Neteyam was helpless, he could not act on anything; he had no way of getting home, and he couldn't leave Tsireya. "As long as you love her, I'm sure you could talk about it-"
"No." Lo'ak said, almost pleadingly. "I can't, she deserves better than that." Lo'ak clearly meant that as me. Neteyam held his shoulders.
"She deserves you, and you are worthy of her. When you're ready to talk to her, I'm sure she'll understand. Or if you want to talk before that, I'm here."
Lo'ak shook his head helplessly
Full credit for the Lo'ak's sweetheart they had to leave in the forest goes to Txepvi (Ealirel) on AO3; the story Forest Boy. One of my favourite Ao'nung x Neteyam stories, please go read it. Find it here:
https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Txepvi_Avatar_Stories/works/44830447
go give them support bc i love it, also go read this on Ao3 if you prefer, same name and account name <3. Again it was not my idea, i copied and changed it slightly.