Khalo
Time had passed. Neytiri's and Jake's visit to the spirit tree was in the past. Once again, Khalo was offered to go with them, but he again refused.
He had followed his duties as if nothing had happened. He spent time with his sister, when she wasn't with Lo'ak. Which was most of the time.
The Sully's were still thinking about whether they should move on or stay with the Metkayina. If Khalo was honest, he didn't really care.
He spent some time with Tuk too, even though these times were a little sad. Tuk was not the same as before, and neither was Khalo. None of the young ones were. But Tuk tried to make it look that way. She tried to show herself as the happy little girl she was before.
And deep down, she sure was, but the grieve she felt was still too strong.
But Khalo went along with the act. They built sand sculptures, made bracelets and went swimming with their Ilu's occasionally.
Tuk hadn't visited the spirit tree either. She didn't want to go alone, but Lo'ak wasn't going, Khalo wasn't, and Kiri couldn't.
Which was the reason why Khalo didn't. At least that was what he told himself. Deep down, he knew he was just scarred.
Khalo didn't know why Lo'ak didn't go.
He hadn't talked to Lo'ak in quite some time. Since the funeral.
It didn't take Khalo long to realize that Lo'ak was avoiding him, and not even looking at him. And Khalo didn't feel like he had to be the one to talk to Lo'ak first. Even if he eventually would.
Tsireya noticed that the two of them didn't talk anymore, and even if it hurt her, she knew why Lo'ak was avoiding him, and she knew how her brother was picking it up.
Lo'ak gave himself the blame for Neteyam's death and feared that Khalo would blame him too. Khalo didn't blame him, but Khalo was always the one to rather just stop a friendship than ask what was wrong. Khalo told himself that he didn't care all that much until it destroyed him, and he asked what was wrong anyway. At that point, it was soon too late; Khalo had detached himself, and just wanted to know for his inner peace.
Tsireya dearly hoped they would make it up in time.
But she didn't want to interfere. Both her boyfriend and her brother grieved a heavy death, not to mention that she grieved herself. All that changed the way they acted right now.
So rather than try to solve it, and ruin her own relationship with Khalo and Lo'ak, she just tried to spend as much time as possible with both of them.
Khalo had started to spend the time he wasn't spending on his duty's, Tuk or sleeping and eating, with his grandmother, Ma've.
She knew how he felt, and she knew what he needed right now.
But she knew he had to spend some time with Na'vi sooner or later,
"How is Kiri?" She asked, handing her grandson some fruits.
"Great." Khalo responded, taking the fruits and beginning to cut them into pieces.
Ma've sighed at her grandson. She knew how it was to grieve a lover's death.
She herself preferred it to be alone in her grieving time and did so until this time, but she knew for herself that it did her no good.
"When did you last talk to her?" She pushed further.
"I don't know." Khalo's grabbed the knife tighter.
"Khalo."
"Yes?"
"You need to talk to them."
Khalo nodded.
"I just want to be alone." HE admitted.
Ma've nodded. "I understand." She stood up, grabbing the next things they would need for dinner.
"When I lost your grandfather, I felt the same." She explained. "I didn't talk to anyone in days, not even your mother."
Khalo didn't respond, acting like he was too busy with the fruits to actually listen to what his grandmother had to say.
"It took me a long time to realize, that being alone after his death was what I wanted, but definitely not what I needed." Ma've took the fruits, handing Khalo the fish to cut.
"Grieving together, can help. You are not to forget that your siblings and friends are grieving the same death as you are."
"I know." Khalo started to cut. "But I feel like even though it's the same death, their pain is so different from mine.
Ma've nodded. "And that's why you came to me. You think I get how you feel right now, because I have been in a similar situation. But you are wrong. Each of us grieves differently. Each of our situations is so different. I spent a long time with your grandpa, before he died; you only got a little time with Neteyam. That doesn't mean any of the pain you feel, is less hurtful than mine is and was, but it means it isn't the same. It never could be. All of you are grieving the death of the same person, but none of you can understand the way, each of you misses hinm right now. Some are missing their brother, some their friend, and you your lover. It's not comparable. Not even when you feel like it is. But all this doesn't mean you have to get through this alone. Don't let Neteyam's death get in between you. It should bring you even closer. Remember him together as the person he was to all of you."
"When did you get so wise?" Khalo asked, avoiding directly answering what his grandma had just said to him. He had to process it first.
"For some of us, it comes with age." She winks at him. "But not for all."
Khalo took his grandmas' advice. He was determined to talk to Kiri the next time he saw her. The next time came too soon for him.
She sat on the beach, the little one, where Ao'nung and his friends were mocking her. Khalo didn't even know how he got here; he just suddenly did. And she was, too. So he joined her and sat down right next to her.
"Hey." Khalo said, as he buried his hands a little in the sand.
"Hey." Kiri responded.
It was an awkward silence, that followed. Both of them were just looking at the sea, doing nothing.
"How have you been?" Khalo asked then.
"Okay, I guess. And you?"
Khalo nodded.
"Yeah, me too."
Another silence followed.
Neither of them had something to say; that was easy to say.
"Where's Spider?" "Did you visit Neteyam?"
They both said at the same time.
Awkwardness followed.
"No." Khalo finally said.
"You should."
"I know."
"We can go together."
Khalo turned his head to look at her. "What?"
"I can go with you to the spirit tree." Kiri's eyes sparkled suspicioulsy. "Just you and me."
"But you-"
"I know." Kiri sighed. "It doesn't mean I can't come with you."
Khalo hesitated. If it was the main reason or not, Kiri not being able to connect with Eywa ever again to see Neteyam played a huge part in his decision not to go yet.
"I'll be fine." Kiri demanded. "You just have to promise me that you tell him that I'm sorry I can't visit him, myself. Independent of the fact, wether or not he knows that he is-" Kiri didn't say it, but Khalo knew.
"Do you believe he knows me?" Khalo then asked. He had already thought of the possibility that the Neteyam in Eywa might not know him.
"What? Of course, he does- did. You two were so close."
"No, I mean in Eywa." Khalo interrupted Kiri.
"Yes." Kiri said calmly. "He will."
Khalo took Mameí and Kiri Rahil. He asked her to. He thought that even if Rahil might not be able to see Neteyam again, he should be at least near.
"I'll wait here." Kiri said, gliding off of Rahil.
Khalo hesitated to go underwater.
"Are you sure?" Kiri nodded.
"Yes, now go. I bet he's waiting." Khalo could see tears in Kiri's eyes, and he couldn't help but start to cry for himself.
"Okay." He whispered. "I'll tell him you are wishing to see him but can't." Khalo informed me before going underwater with Mameí.
The two of them took their journey down slowly. Even though Khalo had attended many funerals and seen many bodies being taken from Eywa, he never visited someone in Eywa. He only visited Eywa, because he was told to, and wanted to feel his connection with Eywa from time to time.
When they finally reached the spirit tree, were Khalo wanted to form his connection, he let go of Mameí, trusting her to stay nearby.
'Okay.' He thought to himself, before slowly forming Tsaheylu with the tree.
He looked around, and immieditaly recognised where he was.
He was in his and Neteyam's little forest.
He turned around to recognize where exactly he was. He could figure it out though.
So he decided to just start to walk in one direction that felt right, and soon after he was where he and Neteyam climbed their tree for the first time.
"I've been wondering when you finally show up." He heard the familiar voice from his right.
He turned around to see his Neteyam standing there.
"Neteyam." Khalo couldn't help himself, but to just directly run to Neteyam to pull him into a hug.
He felt Neteyam close his arms around his body, making him feel as comfortable as he was back when everything was normal.
"Neteyam.." He whispered, hiding his face in Neteyam's neck. Khalo inhaled his scent. He missed it. He missed everything about him. Tears started to form in his eyes again.
"What took you so long?" Neteyam asked, not letting go of Khalo.
The shorter one didn't quite get the context. Did they schedule to be here, or did Neteyam know that he was dead?
Khalo couldn't tell.
So he just shrugged his shoulders.
Hiding his face even deeper in Neteyam's neck.
They stood there for a little while, before Khalo chose to do what Kiri asked him too. He begged out of the hug a little, grabbing Neteyam's hands. Before Khalo spoke up, he looked at his lover again. From head to toe.
"Kiri wants to see you, but she can't." Khalo took a deep breath. "She misses you." Neteyam smiled sadly, and Khalo knew that he knew.
"Tell her I miss her too." Neteyam requested, and Khalo nodded.
"But I have to show you something." Grabbing the shorter one's hand a little tighter, he pulled him through a few bushes.
"That's my home." Neteyam said, as Khalo walked past him, to see an overwhelming view.
"Wow." He just said. "Well, I know the forest has a lot of trees and stuff, but..." Khalo didn't know how to continue. He was overwhelmed. They were on top of a mountain, most of the trees being beneath them, but a few bigger ones were outshining the smaller ones, but even the smaller ones were huge compared to what their little forest had.
"I know." Neteyam smiled, as he turned to Khalo. "I want you to meet someone." Neteyam pulled Khalo with him.
Khalo was a little scared by the way that Neteyam wanted to take it, but what was the worst that could happen here? He couldn't die in here.
When Neteyam finally stopped, Khalo bumped into him. "Sorry." Neteyam laughed it off, still holding Khalo's hand.
"This is Seze." Neteyam explained, as Khalo spotted the Ikran standing in front of them.
"She was my mother's first Ikran. She died in the first war." Neteyam explained as she patted Seze's head with his free hand.
Khalo nodded, doing the same.
"She's beautiful." Khalo whispered, and Neteyam nodded. "She is." Neteyam turned to Khalo again. "But you know who is, too." Neteyam grinned stupidly.
Khalo rolled his eyes.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Khalo now grinned too.
"You are too."
Neteyam's smile dropped.
"What do you mean? I'm clearly not beautiful; I'm handsome." Neteyam could not help but laugh at the expression Khalo had now on his face.
"Khalo." Neteyam said now seriously again.
And Khalo knew what was coming next.
"Yes?"
"You should go back." Neteyam let go of Khalos, cupping his face with his hands instead.
"I love to see you again, but you have to let go. I'm with Eywa now."
Khalo closed his eyes. "I know."
"Don't stop your real life to spend time with me."
"I won't"
"Move on."
"I can't," Khalo opened his eyes again. "We were supposed to be." Tears started to leave his eyes.
Neteyam slightly shook his head.
"I will always love you, Khalo. For eternity. But you have to move one." Neteyam moved closer to Khalo, his nose now touching Khalos. "Find love."
"But I love you." Khalo cried, looking into these beautiful yellow eyes.
"But I am dead, Khalo." Neteyam smiled at Khalo. "Find love; be happy. I'm with Eywa. When you are ready, you will be here too. And either I am waiting for you as a friend, or as your boyfriend."
"I don't want to come here and just be your friend."
"I love you, and I'm dead. Would I love you and be alive? Then I wouldn't want that either, but I am pleased to be just your friend, if it means you can have a long, happy life with someone who will get old with you."
"I want it to be you."
"I'll be forever 15 Khalo."
"I wanted it to be you."
"Me too, Khalo me too. But you have to let go off me."
"Can I kiss you one last time?" Khalo whipped his tears away.
Neteyam moved away from Khalo, his hands slowly leaving Khalo's cheeks. His eyes were filled with sadness, and Khalo knew what that meant.
"Will you do me two favors?"
Khalo sobbed. "You won't even do me one."
Neteyam smiled sadly.
"Check on Karai for me, and tell Lo'ak to move his skxawng ass here and make up with you."
"That's three." Khalo whipped his tears away once again.
Stepped a bit away.
"I'm here if you need me, Khalo. And I will be happy to assist your life from now on as a friend." Neteyam broke Khalo's heart.
And Khalo knew he just had to accept it.
--
Half of the scene wit Ma've only exist because Lorrnzoenzo requested it, so thank you very much for that.
And since we are already on the topic of requestments, I wanted to ask if anyone had a request for a new story, could be about literally anything, but more information is in the next chapter since I've already written my A/N for it, and I'm too lazy to copy or rewrite itt
Next chapter will be the epilogue