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"You know Monkey Boy," Kiri hummed as she applied the salve to the tawtute's rolled shoulders. Although Neteyam supposes Spider would be more of a tawtunte at the moment, with his skin reflecting more of a softer red color than a sky people pinkish skin. Neteyam observed the scene with some sort of nostalgia. Kiri was behind his brother inside the healing Marui, Neteyam himself was on the edge of the structure creeping closer as Kiri cared for the smaller. "I kind of like this color on you." Spider rolled his eyes before his body jolted briefly before stilling under Kiri's steady hand. Neteyam recognized this scene from a year ago, or what felt like a year, when he was still in his homeland, with his grandmother and fighting the demons. Curling back at High Camp with his family after the end of a raid. Neteyam felt a prod of childish humor poking at him.
"Want a kiss for the boo-boo?" Neteyam grinned as he looked over Kiri to the sunburnt back of Spider.
The elder’s shoulder slumped with a snort, followed by a short wince and a short hiss of Spider’s exopack. Spider shook his head in a short manner that told Neteyam he was rolling his eyes. Neteyam had seen it more than enough times to know that the human was already tired of Neteyam's antics.
"Guess those trees were good for something other than climbing huh, bro?" Lo'ak snorted as he reached a finger out to poke a burnt thigh. Spider hissed at the approaching appendage. Neteyam watched on with amusement, Spider's pitiful threat display didn't do much to stop the offending finger from touching his sensitive skin. Spider smacked the hand away, earning another jolt of his shoulders from the tightening skin.
"Well, do you want a kiss for the boo-boo, little brother?" Neteyam jested again, crouching in front of Spider, cocking his head to the skin. He felt his mouth split into a smile at Spider's wrinkled eyebrows and minuscule movement of his right hand to curl most of his fingers and his thumb in.
"What does that mean?" His ears flicked back as Tsireya's voice broke through the marui as she set some freshly boiled bandages down into a pot.
"A boo-boo?" Neteyam questioned turn partially to face her and to keep Spider in his peripheral. Tsireya shook her face in that elegant way of hers, shells clacking together as they hit one another.
"This," She responded by putting both of her hands in the air, thumbs out and her middle fingers were in the signature 'fuck off' position. Neteyam wasn't quite sure what to think, had they flipped each other off enough for the Metkayina to pick up on the gesture? He registered Kiri, Lo'ak and Spider all laughing, even a little howling.
"You all do it with each other, what does it mean?" Tsireya looked at her hands again before lifting them up at Neteyam even higher. Neteyam had to close his eyes and breathe before he lost it as well. Tsireya looked far too innocent to be telling him to fuck off.
"That is the last thing we should be teaching you," Neteyam chuckled as he decided to just sit down, his hips began to ache after holding that squatted position.
"The last thing we should be teaching her is that awful rap music you're so fond of," Spider hummed as Kiri moved away, putting the smoothing wax back in a basket. Neteyam noticed how her and Lo'ak's eyes perked up.
"He," Lo'ak drawled slowly, Neteyam knew he was going to strangle Spider later for this, "Like's rap music?"
"Spider..." Kiri's tail wagged as she beamed, her movements were slow as she approached the small male. Neteyam flattened his ears more, his siblings were never going to let this go, “You were holding out on us?"
"What does it mean?" Tsireya asked once again, Spider skimmed at her hands over, his blunt teeth flashing as he spoke to her.
"Think about this, take a long walk off a short walkway," Tsireya blinked at the statement. Neteyam supposes it would be difficult to explain the concept of fuck in its many contexts.
"You'd fall off the walkway and into the water," Ao'nung spoke from his spot in the corner. Neteyam was curious why Ao'nung had decided to stay with them when Tonowari urgently 'suggested' that Spider be taken to the healing marui when Spider's skin reflected how badly he was sunburnt.
"Exactly!" Lo'ak whooped, Spider picking up for him,
"It basically translates as, go have something bad happen to you." Lo'ak curled his own fingers in to mimic Tsireya, cocking his is head so that his braid swayed slightly as he chuckled at the younger. Neteyam merely emanated, it really was the last thing they should be teaching them. Leave it to Spider to be a bad influence.
"Hey Ao'nung..." Tsireya flung her middle fingers toward her brother behind her with enthusiasm. Her body leaned forward as her tail swayed with a low thrum of joy. It seemed she was feeling rather playful this late midday. Neteyam further shifted backward to glance at Ao'nung while keeping Spider and Lo'ak in his sight.
Ao'nung took a moment to peek at the gesture, then look at his sister's face, before giving a sidelong gaze back at the finger. He curled his left hand in response before flipping Tsireya off as well, a content look plastered over his face as Tsireya giggled. Ao'nung's gaze flicked over to him, Neteyam gave a smile in return as he heard Lo'ak's own fit of laughter.
A low gurgling caught Neteyam's ear, he flicked his attention back to Spider. Who appeared to be turning a flushed red, on top of his sunburn. Kiri's ear pricked as she sat beside Spider. The others behind him paused to give the sky person their attention.
"Are you still hungry?" Ao'nung probed incredulously. He was looking around Tsireya and Lo'ak to gawk at Spider. Rotxo leaned over Kiri to poke Spider in the stomach. Neteyam sighed as Spider hissed at the offending hand. The sound wasn't very fearsome and never has been. It was a poor imitation of the behavior.
"We ate not that long ago!" Rotxo continued to tease as he retracted his appendage, understanding that the older teen did not enjoy being prodded at.
"It was like 4 hours ago dude, I'll be fine." Spider eased his shoulders back into a less strenuous position, the skin flushing a deeper red, the eldest teen rolling his eyes.
"You probably should eat something bro," Lo'ak hummed as he laid back onto one of the mats, his arms under his head as he observed Spider's state. "We were doing labor."
Neteyam didn't think the work was that bad. They had finally calmed down enough to move the wreckage of the SeaDragon. Despite Neteyam not wanting either of the other two near the sunken ship, Sempul had told him both of them were required. Lo'ak and Spider understood technology well enough to keep the Metkayina from touching something dangerous, or dissembling some of the wreck so that it was moveable. This had been the only time Neteyam wished he had spent a little more time at Hell's Gate as a kid, maybe he'd have picked up a few of those skills, like reading better or learning how to work with power tools. Sempul even had Kiri helping, with her ability to read better than Neteyam.
"Dude-"
"Spider, if you need to eat something, I'll grab you something," Ao'nung spoke over whatever Spider was going to say. Spider sputtered as if the thought of someone doing that was preposterous.
"Ao'nung I'm fine, seriously." Another low rumble echoed in the Marui. If Spider had been with other sky people, then the sound would have easily been overlooked, not even noticed. However, Spider was with Navi, the same species that could hear their prey's heartbeat. Whereas their skin is much thicker, keep their heartbeats and body sounds muted. Spider’s skin was thin and allowed them to hear everything. That rumbling of his stomach might as well be Spider screaming for food.
"It's best if I get it Ao'nung," Neteyam stood up, he felt Spider's eyes wandering over him. He kept his regard on the larger Na'vi. He noted how Ao'nung's ear pricked back slightly with annoyance, which was interesting...
"There's a lot of things that could poison him, be right back little brother" Neteyam answered, despite not being asked a question. He felt a weighted gaze on his back as left the marui. He ignored it until he was out of range from the pair of eyes. He forced his tail to lower to smooth his ruffled appearance. The feeling of those eyes on him was rattling. It made his stomach twist painfully. It entered the family Marui to find it empty, which was rather wonderful. He didn't feel like explaining to his sa'nok why he was gathering some of their fruits and nuts to feed Spider. Which was rather silly when he paused by the basket of nuts to think about it.
Yet, when he pulled out a small wooden bowl, he felt bad as he put a few seeds into the bowl. He felt uncomfortable as he tossed a small handful of nuts into the bowl as well. Why would he be mortified for feeding one of his siblings? His heart raced as he heard steps walked by the Marui. His sa'nok was going to be pissed.
Kiri instead entered their home. She waved at her brother as she made her way to their parent's basket. Neteyam paused from his collecting as Kiri pulled out the camera. Her face lit up as she found the thing.
"They wanted to know what a picture and movie was." She answered as she headed towards the entrance of the home again. She halted completely as she peeked at the bowl on the table, and raised her eyebrow, "Are you trying to kill Spider?"
Neteyam hissed at her with distaste, of course, he wasn't. Spider was part of their family now. He was feeding him for Eywa's sake.
"You know Spider's allergic to ruitexi seeds." Kiri pointed with one hand as the other one clutched the camera. She scoffed as Neteyam plucked the murderous seeds out of the collection. "Don't forget his cannula."
Neteyam didn't bother to watch her leave as he adjusted the bowl. He could have sworn he watched Max eat these a few years ago. That should have made it safe for sawtute. He didn't feel like arguing with his sister, wasn't worth it. If Spider just didn't like eating them, that's all he had to say.
Neteyam finished the snack without much fanfare and hurried out of the Marui. Tail tight to his body, he just needed to get Spider fed and the feeling would go away.
"Schooch closer!" Neteyam heard Kiri order as she set the camera up on the other end of the structure. Neteyam watched as the group was gathered practically on top of each other. Tsireya and Lo'ak side by side, sitting in the front. Both grinning as Rotxo, Ao'nung, and Spider crouched behind them, with a clear space on the left for Kiri to run into.
"Neteyam, get in!" Lo'ak cheered. Neteyam took a few strides and crouched beside Tsireya, his own grin matching theirs. He glanced at the camera as Kiri ran from the little metal box. She slid next to Spider behind him.
"Cheese!" The Omaticaya teens spoke as the Metkayina tried to speak in the same manner, more or less coming out in a jumbled mess. The flash burned his eyes for a brief moment but fainted just as quickly.
"What in Eywa was that?' Rotxo enquired, Neteyam turned to watch the other Navi boys rubbing their eyes from the artificial light.
"That my friends, was a flash," Lo'ak replied, standing not so gracefully to head over to the camera as the Polaroid developed. "Come check it out! "
Neteyam sees the color fading into the small square. He still didn't exactly know how it did that, but despite the technology of it all, he did like having the pictures in the family photo album. It was just another way to remember all those good times with them.
"Do I really look that?" Ao'nung's voice caught his hear, Neteyam grabbed the bowl that he had put down. He wanted to pass it to Spider, but the smaller was being addressed by Ao'nung. Which was rather surprising itself. He'd thought Ao'nung would have asked Tsireya since she was his sister, or maybe Rotxo, but Ao'nung was holding the picture and towering over Spider’s littler figure while Spider was viewing the picture.
"Besides the eyes glowing, yeah, you do." Spider touched Ao'nung's hand while he inspected the photo. What was in the picture that caught Spider's attention? Spider knows what he looks like. Curiosity rose in Neteyam's sternum. He wanted to investigate.
"Why doesn't your eyes do that?" Ao'nung pointed to what must have been Spider in the picture. Neteyam moved closer, creping slowly to look over Spider. It was just them, together, nothing unusual from normal images. Spider traced over the polaroid gently, his fingers looked small next to Ao'nung's thicker, blue ones holding the film.
"Well, you know how you guys can see in the dark and I can't?" Spider hummed, Ao'nung grunted in acknowledgement. Neteyam recalled the incident a few nights ago where they had been investigating a cave that didn't have much syuratan inside. Spider had been stumbling most of the time, and eventually dropped his knife. That lead to him being on all four trying to feel around in the dark for it. Lo'ak's laughter echoed in his ears as Spider swore at him and Ao'nung to pick it up before he cut himself. "It's because your eyes catch more light than mines do. So that flash of light is reflected in your eyes while mine can't catch nearly as much, so they don't glow." Spider retracted his hand off the picture, and his breathe hitched as he noticed Neteyam behind him.
"Catch more light?" Ao'nung inquired again, Neteyam felt like this conversation was going to go on forever. Nonetheless Spider smiled and looked patience as he explained something that even Neteyam knew was entirely above the Na’vi way of thinking.
"Your eyes can see things that mine can't, like some of the syuratan I can't see it, because it's a type of light I can't see. Light comes in different types, and I can only see some of it." Ao'nung nodded, his face processing the idea that Spider knows something that he can't physically see.
"So, you use piik-tu-rs as a songcord?" Ao'nung glanced at the portrait in his hand again. Neteyam scrunched his nose at that. Not really, yes, they held memory, but they weren't nearly as intimate as a songcord, and to share something like that were such a large group of people? That was, deplorable. Sky people didn't do song cords, that didn't feel like that.
"Not quite," Kiri hummed as she took the picture from Ao'nung to glance at herself, she stroked the edges as she smiled at it. Kiri looked content, like she used to back in the forest. Neteyam could honestly say she looked happy with her friends, her group of friends. He was glad his sister had made more friends. As much as she enjoyed being with their family and Spider back in the forest, being with other Na'vi was good for her. "Our Sempul uses it as reminders of the good times, not as big as moments in a song cord, but things we don't want to forget. It also shows how we grow over the years."
"That sounds very sweet," Tsireya commented as Kiri handed the photo to look at. Neteyam watched her eyes wander around the little thing. He did like looking back on the photos of his younger siblings when they were just babies. When they went on family picnics. A giddy feeling wormed through his body. He missed those times.
"You keep it!" Lo'ak nudged Tsireya when she tried to pass the picture back to him. Her eyes widen with shock that Lo'ak would gift her this. She looked down at the image, before smiling at him.
"Thank you." Neteyam was going to tease them if they kept this display of affection up any longer. A light thud drew his attention from the group and towards the entrance of the Marui. It was accompanied by the light stretch pull from the ropes below. It was an adult then.
"What is Eywa was that?" Ronal thundered into the healer's tent, head on a swivel as she looked for the source of her quest.
"Was what, sa'nok?" Ao'nung echoed as Ronal's eyes locked onto the photograph Tsireya was holding. She stalked elegantly towards her daughter, eyes not straying from the polaroid unless to look at her middle child.
"The flash of light." Her voice drew slowly, with a lite at the end, if it was anyone besides the Tsahik, Neteyam would call the voice condescending. "What was it?"
"A flash," Ao'nung spoke with the same regal tone, even and slow, "of light."
Ronal snorted and drew her shoulders back before thwacking her son's shoulder with the back of her hand. "Do not mock me, boy. What is that?" Ronal pointed at the picture in his sister's hand.
"A picture, sa'nok!" Tsireya's fangs flashed as she held the photo closer for her mother, offering her the bit of paper to her even. Neteyam appraised the leader as she tilted her head side to side examining the unknown.
"You, sky-child," Ronal turned her piercing stare to the tawtute hidden slightly by Ao'nung much larger frame. "What does your kind do with this... thing?"
Neteyam noted how Spider formally greeted her with his hand rising to his forehead before addressing her question. It rang a small bell somewhere in the back of his head, they were speaking to the Tsahik, shouldn't he have made the proper gesture as well?
"Sawtute have no great mother to return, no great father either. They have no way to see a loved one after they return their energy. No tree of souls or cove of ancestors, they are gone and lost to time. Till one day, they are forgotten" Spider spoke his eyes lowered, and voice grave as he explained. Some part of Neteyam was surprised that Spider didn't attempt to correct her, calling him Sky-child. Spider hadn't ever been to Earth, could he even be addressed as one of the humans? If he wasn’t raised with them, did mean Spider was human? "That is a photo, it's how sawtute get to see their loved ones after death, by remembering the times they were alive."
Ronal considered Spider's declaration, she searched the picture once more before handing the picture back to Tsireya's smaller hand. Neteyam saw the small upturn of her lips as her stern eyes skimmed the object before she forced the beginnings of a smile to straighten.
"I see," Ronal's tail relaxed, limply hanging behind her. "If there is no great mother to embrace you at the end of your journey, then this would comfort your family." She nodded a few times before taking her leave just as swiftly as her entrance, but far less bold, more like a quiet retreat. Neteyam knew a losing battle when he saw one. If Ronal saw Spider as a sky-person, then naturally she'd assume the great mother wouldn't accept him. What does a spiritual leader say to one who has no spirit here on Eywa'eveng? How could she comfort Spider with the idea that he will be forgotten one day? Hell, how did Spider comfort himself with that thought?
"Well, that wasn't awkward at all," Ao'nung murmured as he watched his mother retreat. Neteyam found himself agreeing, not quite how he expected the conversation to go. Spider's stomach chose that moment to hiss at everyone in the tent again. Ao'nung glared at the older, "Please for the love of Eywa just eat already before I stuff something down your throat myself."
Neteyam found himself passing over the cannula. Its plastic didn't even completely leave his fingers before Spider gently threw it at the taller Metkayina. Ao'nung merely caught the offending piece in one hand and flung it back at the tawtute. "Stop it before I feed you to the Akula."
Spider rolled his eyes dramatically, "Well, you're oh for two on killing the Sully boys, I'll take my chances." Ao'nung stood there for perhaps a beat before he lunged at Spider. Neteyam merely stood out of the way as Ao'nung snatched Spider's wrist and carefully and steadily pulled him towards him.
"Watch his sunburn," Kiri warned him but otherwise had no objections to watching her best friend get manhandled onto his stomach while Ao'nung hovered above him, pinning him, but careful to keep most of his weight off the smaller. Ao'nung held both of Spider's wrists above his head, as he peered down at his friend.
"Hey kids how's it coming...in here...eh?" Sempul walked in, Tonowari not far behind him. They were both staring openly as Ao'nung hovered over Spider's thin frame. Both of the teens stopped their stare down to peer at the adults.
"Hi Sempul."
"Hey Jake."
"What," Tonowari glanced at the pair, his digits flickering between the two, "are you doing?"
"Why is he on top of you?" Sempul groaned as he rubbed his face. Neteyam wondered if he should of pull those two apart earlier. Ao'nung eased off Spider, allowing him to sit up. The pair had the decency to look sheepish.
"Spider was running his mouth, and couldn't back it up," Lo'ak offered, Neteyam shook his head and decided that was not sufficient to say what happened. Tonowari was mimicking the sentence trying to understand how a mouth could run.
"They were playing around, and that's how they landed, Ao'nung was watching out for the sunburn sir." Neteyam corrected, as Ao'nung moved to sit next to Spider. Poking his side, which Spider of course had to poke back.
"Sempul, look at this!" Tsireya hurried to her sire to show him the small artifact she was recently gifted, while Neteyam made his way beside his Sempul as he squatted in front of the squabbling pair. Neteyam refrained from scolding them. They were like children. Neteyam wondered if that's what he had been like as a kid with Spider, nudging and distracting each other whenever Sempul was trying to teach him a lesson.
"On a scale from one to ten, how badly do your shoulders hurt, kiddo?" Sempul tilted his head as he looked between Spider's face and his deltoids.
"Like a six and a half, sir," Spider responded, his playful tone gone as he regarded the patriarch of the family. Sempul nodded, considering the next steps.
"A six on the Spider scale is an eleven on the normal person scale, I don't want you in the sun tomorrow." While Spider's face remained mostly stoic, Neteyam caught how his brother's brown eyes widened slightly and his pupils contracted. He was deeply saddened by the news.
"Yes sir," Spider replied easily enough, Sempul must have picked up on the change of behavior too.
"Think about it this way, you can work on those highschool modules." The look on Spider's face is priceless. His mouth opened in a state of pure horror. "Norm said you weren't done yet."
The smallest's groan of distaste gets lost in the Sully siblings' fit of giggles. Neteyam did not envy Spider there, he himself sucked at just about every form of skypeople education. It was impractical and mostly hypothetical. Neteyam excelled much more with his tribe's educational system, hands-on and applicable.
"What if you cracked some encryptions for us instead?" Neteyam saw how his older brother perked up, nodding eagerly at the compromise.
"Ah, I meant to say earlier, that a storm is rolling in from the south, there will be no more stripping the ship this evening or the next day, everyone will be free tomorrow to stay with their families while the storm passes."
"We can watch a moo-vee right Lo'ak?" Tsireya's eyes practically lit up with excitement as she looked up to her boyfriend. Who the told Tsireya was a movie was? It must have been Lo'ak, maybe Tuk. Tuk-Tuk did love Bluey.
"Moo-vee?" Tonowari's deeper voice overshadowed a small clatter of voices that started speaking about the upcoming storm and the now lots of free time they all had.
"It's like the picture Tsireya showed you, but it moves and tells a story" Sempul points to the photograph now in Tonowari's large digits.
"How unusual," The Olo'eyktan graced as his response, giving the technology back to his daughter.
"They are good for rainy days when it's not very productive to be outside," Neteyam noted how Ao'nung then offered a hand to Spider. The tawtute hesitated briefly before taking the offered appendage. Ao'nung not yanking, be using his forearm strength to bear Spider's weight. Thank Eywa, otherwise his brother might have had a dislocated shoulder, again.
Neteyam found himself calling for his brother's attention before he left the Marui completely.
"Bro!" Lo'ak's ears perked toward him, giving him a brief look, despite his address to the smaller sibling. Spider didn't turn, little asshole. " Spider! Your snack." That finally got Spider to respond. Neteyam passed the bowl of nuts and seeds to the pale skyperson, and Spider gave meek, but formal thanks before trekking to the shack. He kept his golden eyes on the other's retreating form.
"What is an encryption?" Tonowari inquired somewhere behind Neteyam. He was going to let his father explain the conception of radio frequencies and the idea of a written language. That was more than he was paid to do.
--------
"You guys seriously haven't been inside yet?" Lo'ak hopped over the railing of stairs on Spider's shack, the canopy of the towering trees covered the structure in shade. The dark metal building stood so contrast against the beautiful forest.
"Not everyone grew up around sky people stuff baby bro." Neteyam did not jump over the railings as his younger brother, but he did give his tail a good tug. Lo Lo forgot that many Na'vi parents didn't exactly trust any form of Skypeople tech, not that he'd blame them. Since they've come back, he's not as fond of sawtute machines as he used to be. Tuk tugged his hand as she practically dragged him up the steps and towards the entrance. "It's safe, Kiri, can you help Rotxo with his mask, Lo'ak get Tsireya and I handle Tuk and Ao'nung's."
"Wait, we have to wear masks now?" Rotxo echoed, disbelief toned matching his dazed expression.
"Yeah, dude, this is Spider's space, so it's catered to him." Lo'ak's thinner arm opened the hatch to the sanitation room, and Tuk tugged Neteyam in. There, along the wall were many more Na'vi masks than usually would be used. But since Sempul announced to Norm, Spider's official introduction into their family, Norm left a few extra masks in case they wanted to have family time in Spider's hut. Not that they have yet. It just wasn't practical. There was too much to do for them to simply pause and have dinner or lunch in Spider's shack and there wasn't enough space for the siblings to roll around or for their parents and the older kids to cook dinner. He had personally only come to the shack a few times with Sempul or Lo'ak and Kiri to check on Spider after a diving incident that ended with him getting the bends.
"It's cooler..." Tsireya marveled somewhere over his shoulder while Neteyam tested Tuk's mask, sucking some air from it before placing the elastic band over her head. He grabbed the second one above him and turned around, looking for Ao'nung.
"I'm going to need to start spending the afternoon in here," Rotxo commented as Kiri locked the hinge to the exit door. The hiss of gas tells Neteyam that the other door will be able to open in a few moments. Neteyam repeats the process of taking a few breaths into the mask before making eye contact with the younger warrior. Ao'nung bends his head down as Neteyam secures the mask around his head, carefully minding the kuru. Cold metal was pressed under his feet as he connected his mask. The plastic itching his face. He immediately dropped the device around his neck. As Lo’ak opened the door.
"This is gonna be good." Lo'ak slurs together, Neteyam ducks under the door, holding onto the harsh, inorganic frame as he entered the living space. He heard smaller a feminine voice, and a heavy beat coming from a very pinpoint area. Neteyam walked to the kitchen, which was hidden just around the walkway wall on the right. Lo'ak was already there grinning like an idiot while he watched Spider, who was turned away from them. Ear buds in snug and blaring while he worked on something, hips swaying a bit while his feet tap away to the beat. Spider was wearing pants,
“Why is this good?” Tsireya questioned, her head peaking besides Neteyam’s. Her eyes darting between his brother and Spider. There was a swell of nostalgia in his chest, Nicki Minaj. She was one of his favorite artists. She was always so confident and intricate with her songs. The wordplay was one of the many things that he adored about human music. Whereas Na’vi music was often much more direct and literal, humans were artisans in so many areas when they choose to be. He recalled one afternoon in Hell’s Gate just singing with Spider, cackling like mad men when a ‘bad word’ was said. But who was going to stop them? All the adults were too busy prepping for an upcoming festival, and it was just the pair. Lo’ak and Kiri were still too young to be trusted alone, even under his watch. It was resounding how much things had changed. He wished he could go back to it.
The others had managed to creep into the kitchen now, Spider still somehow obtained complete obliviousness. He was able to get a better look at whatever the tawtute was working on. He was cutting fruit it seemed and arranging it onto a few platters and bowls. He looked to be keen on snacking through the movie. However, it was unusual to see Spider skinning the fruit, as it took to much effort, and was edible either way. Yet Spider took the peel and plopped it into a bowl off to the side, next to an air fryer. So, he was planning on doing something with the skin then. Good, he’d have to scold him about wasteful behavior otherwise.
“Because he can’t hear us at all right now.” Kiri sighed, but with a smiling demeanor. Neteyam could have sworn he hear Kiri complain that the smaller was going to ruin his ears if he played music in his headphones so loudly. Perhaps that conversation had happened more than he’d witness. “This knucklehead wants to scare him.”
The twisting came back. It was pulling his guts tight as Spider sang along, flipping the knife and pointing it as some imaginary person, his nose upturning into some minor snarl, before stabbing the knife swiftly into the wooden cutting board that the fruit laid upon. Neteyam shifted his bodyweight to his toes and his tail stopped swaying.
“Is demon music violent?” Rotxo’s ears tilted back at the minor display of aggression, not something that Spider had yet shown on the island. Spider shoulders sagged and his body alleviated tension as he pulled the knife out, gently murmuring the lyrics as he continued peeling fruit.
“No, not really, it’s just emotional.” Tuk answers, Neteyam pulled her back up from her crouch as she attempted to sneak up on Spider. Lo’ak can easily pull out of range if Spider spooks and strikes with the knife, but he’s not taking that risk with Tuk-Tuk.
They don’t get their chance to pull anything as the pale face turns around. His immediate yelp and stiff postures allows Neteyam to watch as he slowly slides to the floor, his heartbeat spiking dramatically and hammering like a drum. Spider swallows thickly as giggles echo the crowded room. His smaller chest is taking shallow breathes, hand with the knife laying itself over his pec, Neteyam ponders briefly how old Spider needs to be before he starts getting heart attacks. Harsh breathes eventually even out and Spider stands.
“Assholes.” His hands are shaking slightly as he gently places the knife on the cutting board and clutches onto the countertop, his ear buds still playing music loudly. He jerks his shoulders a little and his legs are twitching.
“Dude did you cut yourself?” Lo’ak asks as Kiri moves over him and scans his chest for any injuries. Neteyam smells it then, the light waft of iron in the room, not steel. Tsireya is moving over to Spider too. Ao’nung’s tail clunks heavily on an alloy chair, knocking it over. It causes everyone to glance back at it. The other’s blue eyes dart to the fallen chair, before landing those orbs on Spider. The thundering sound of Spider’s heartbeat pickup up once more with the screeching sound of metal hitting each other.
“Your nose,” Ao’nung forgoes the chair and points to his flatter nose as a model of where Spider’s nose is now weeping with blood. Neteyam rushes to the bathroom, picking up some toilet paper, his steps unnaturally loud on the steel floor. He yanks on the roll before hurrying back to his older brother.
“Thank you,” Spider tone is casual while the words are formal, again. It makes a hot sensation sit in Neteyam’s throat. Neteyam paused from stuffing the fabric up the tawtute’s nose, to take a puff from his CO2 mask.
“So, Bed of Lies?” Neteyam goes back to pulling the toilet paper into smaller pieces. Spider takes another piece before standing. He picks at the long sleeve he’s wearing. The pants he’s wearing are overtly on him. They cover a majority of his feet, a little pooling around his ankles. He ponders momently if they are bulkily human’s or an avatar’s cutoffs.
“Yeah,” Spider’s heart is slowing, as he carefully places the knife into the sink. Lo’ak finds the phone and pauses the music, the earbuds on the floor finally cut the tunes.
“You’re wearing skypeople clothes.” Rotxo utters, distastefully, in fact. Neteyam notes how Kiri and Lo’ak wiggles their noses, testing the air themselves. It’s chilly in the room, how can they not feel it?
“It’s cold, dude” Spider smiles. He sounded a bit nasal. Ao’nung comes over, using a gentle hand to coax Spider’s head to tilt upwards. His hand dwarfs Spider face, if he adjusted his grip he could break Spider’s neck, just as Neteyam could. The Metkayina’s eyes narrows and ear pinned back in concentration.
“Why did that happen?” Ao’nung voice was deeper than normal, or maybe it was how serious his tone was. Scarce from his typical lilted inclined voice and mocking tone. Neteyam’s tail curled. Ao’nung was right, he didn’t even consider why Spider’s nose just bleed. He’d never done that without a nose injury first. And any facial injuries were rare for obvious reasons. Spider’s shifting shoulders as enough to tell Neteyam it’s a topic he wants to avoid. So, it is a concern then.
“It’s nothing, really.” Spider’s eyes are widening, heart thudding heavily again. Spider twists his head slightly to wiggle out of Ao’nung grip and the younger lets him. He glances at Rotxo again.
“Cool air is better for my lungs, since I’m in a mask most of the day. It’s denser with oxygen, the stuff I need to breathe.” Spider looks at the taller boy before heading over to the living area before turning right into his room. Neteyam followed with his longer legs. Now he was avoiding the subject, sneaky demon. Brushing off the problem to advert lying to someone’s face. Little shit. “Humans call it dry air, easier to breathe than hot, wet air.”
“Air can be wet?” Tsireya echoed. Neteyam didn’t blame her, if he hadn’t been raised by his father and explain the differences at a young age he’d be just as lost. Tuk-Tuk ran after Spider into his room, Neteyam poked his head as the pair were collecting blankets and pillows from the avatar sized bed. One of the few created, from the insistence of Aunt Grace, before her pasting. There were a few other objects in the room. A picture of Paz, on the desk now, not on the ceiling. Harp in the corner, and some woven baskets besides the instrument. Overall, the room was lifeless.
“Neteyam, can you and Lo’ak grab the mattress?” Spider waddled by with Tuk, blanekts in both of there hands, her giggles overtaking the sound of their steps on the metal. “Kiri! Stop eating the peeled Kummix! Eat the split ones!” Spider huffed.
“Why?” Kiri sounded indignant and like her mouth was full. He grabbed the mattress by the back and pulled if off the frame by the time Lo’ak decided to grace him with his help.
“Because that’s for Neteyam, he doesn’t like the skin!” Neteyam stopped pulling the mattress.
“Wait, mister perfect doesn’t like the skin on Kummix?” Kiri’s voice was smug as she spoken. Neteyam refused to grace his little brother’s probably smirking face with eye contacting started to drag the mattress against, tilting it so it would past the taller doorway.
“When did he tell you that?” Ao’nung poked Spider’s side as Tuk has them assisting her arranging some type of nest on the floor with spare blankets and pillows. Roxto and Tsireya are sitting on the couch thumbing the dull colored blankets with much softer textures. Kiri is bringing in bowls and plates of fruits, snack meats and seeds, along with a few humans snacks Spider was able to pilfer off the sunken SeaDragon.
“He didn’t, I just learned,” Spider muttered folding a blanket under a pillow in the corner of the so-called nest. His knuckles rapping against the floor as he tucked the pillow into. Ao’nung took a hurried squint at Neteyam before smacking his tail on the floor and layering another blanket on the area.
“Why is this one heavier?” Rotxo held a grey one up, it sagged with clear weight. Rotxo passed it over to Tsireya when she started petting the material. Her ears prick with the same interest as she held the thicker blanket.
“Humans have stupid rules.” Tuk retorts glaring at the offending blanket. She doesn’t offer any more information, just scolds Ao’nung about how the blanket simply cannot not lay that way and adjusts it herself.
“Sawtute are really particular about their bodies, and have this rule were adults outside of immediate family aren’t really supposed to touch children.” Kiri tells the trio, finally setting down the different platters. Neteyam notices the way Spider shifts, tucking his legs closer to his torso.
“So, when he’s an adult he’ll be touched by other sawtute?” Tsireya offered fabric in her lap to Neteyam as he stood after placing the mattress near the couch.
“No, there will be too large of an age gap. It’s still considered taboo.” Lo’ak told her, and Spider rolls his eyes to this.
“The real reason is because sawtute don’t have queues, and you don’t have people just touching those randomly, right?” Spider tilts his head and raises an eyebrow; he raises to his feet and strides to the TV. “Well, touch is the closest thing humans have to connecting with each other. That’s why touch and bodies are a big deal to them. So those heavy blankets were made to help me get the same feeling as being hugged when I was a kid.”
“Your parents did not hug you as a child?” Ao’nung’s judgmental tone was a familiar feeling, like when they first met. Neteyam stomped down on any embarrassment he felt, he wasn’t responsible for Spider, and if his parent followed sawtute rules for sawtute children then that was the correct decision.
“I was only recently adopted, so yeah, I got the blankets.” Spider hummed quietly. “I guess I kinda get it now, after being around those other humans for so long.” It was a more solemn tone, spit out in a whisper. Hatred in a refine mutter, any more spite in the sentence and it would have been a hiss. Something told him that wasn’t a conversation that Tuk should be around for. Maybe he’ll unpack that later or ask Sempul.
Neteyam kneels besides Tuk as Kiri takes the mattress, Rotxo sliding down to join her. Lo’ak stretches on the couch before wrapping an arm around Tsireya. That resulted in a snort coming from both him and Ao’nung on the ground.
He spots Ao’nung leaning over the pile of pillows and pulling something into his heads. It’s a book. It’s large, although small in the Na’vi’s hands. More so Ao’nung staring at the pages in fascination. His facial features reflect his deep interest, eyes wondering the pages and he manages to turn the page onto a new on. His eyes are still fixed on the book’s words. Ao’nung can’t even read, and even if he could, he’d not the type to spend time reading. What in the hell does he find so interesting about English literature?
“What’s that?” Tsireya eventually asks her brother as the scratch of turned pages catches everyone else’s attention, minus the tawtute’s, who’s fiddling around with the screen.
“Pik-shrues.” Ao’nung’s heavy accent does nothing to help his pronunciation of the word. Neteyam leaned over to examine the so-called pictures. How did Ao’nung manage to mix up words and … drawings. They were sketches. Mostly done in pencil, black and white and various shades of grey, but they were good. Ao’nung flipped a page again, and there was some color on that one. It was Ao’nung done in several shades of water colored blues. He was smiling with his lips closed, eyes soft and turned downwards, like he was looking on a smaller audience. His ear tipped forward, clearly listening to someone speaking to him. Drippings from his hair wear drops of water, the sunlight captured in them. That same sun highlighting the darkest parts of his eyes. His stripes matched the Ao’nung before him, even the print above his forehead was marked to the smallest dip or change of direction. The curve of his nose was rounded and so touchable. His syuratan, while there, was low, like he was standing in the sun. It was so, breathtaking.
“When did you start drawing Spider?” Neteyam found the question asked before he had time to filter the idea. It must have been years ago, very few people had natural talents in the arts. His Sempul can maybe make a solid stick figure, but that’s it. Spider’s work was so… realistic. Spider spins about in a panic. He looks mortified. His chest puffs up, like he’s freezing.
“You guys can’t just be going through his sketch book!” Kiri leans over to snatch the book at the spine snapping it close as she yanks it from them, startling him. “It’s rude and you didn’t even ask for permission!”
Neteyam sees Ao’nung’s ears mirroring the downward position of shame. Neteyam’s tail was lither as it dropped from its position in the air, however Ao’nung’s made the thicker thump as it hit and covered the pile of pillows.
“It’s fine Kiri, I don’t mind,” Spider takes a few steps toward hers, his feet much quieter on the metal than Neteyam’s. He holds his hand over Kiri’s on the sketch pad and they share a look. Her thrashing tail and bared teeth ease and Neteyam no longer feels like his sister will tear him a new one.
Her grip eases and Spider pries the book of drawings out of her hand and passes it over to Neteyam who happens to be closer to him. Spider is quick to drop the book the moment he clutches on. Spider retreats to the screen while all the others lean in to look at the book as Neteyam flickers through the pages quicker than Ao’nung did. He sees himself, or at least recognizes his name with the first couple of drawings. They are more stick figure doodles than actual pictures, but he sees himself with Spider, according to the names anyway. However, as he keeps going through them, he sees the quality progressively get better. He’s there, along with Kiri and Lo’ak, and at some point, a baby Tuk is there, with flora and fauna from their home in the forest. The best so far was him on a pa’li, he must had been thirteen in that photo. He looked much thinner, but he still has his Kekunan on. He had his arm raise above his head; mouth widen in a warrior’s cry. It was colored wonderfully. He’s eyes were a captivating shade of gold, and sunlight was dappling his skin, and his hair inked in well, the details in the beads could even be seen. Had Spider seen this moment? He had gone with his father for the first time on the annual hunt. He had been so happy, so proud of honoring his family. Spider had drawn that exact feeling in his drawing.
He kept flicking through the pages, Tuk leaning heavily on his shoulder. There was Kiri napping, and those started showing more frequently, and Lo’ak laughing. Pictures of him became rarer while the quality of the sketches generally improved. There were pictures of them curled up in High Camp around fires in the caves. Then there was mass of black covering an entire page. And the next one. And the one after that. What had happened there? It was just page after page of black ink.
Then there were pictures of the Metkayina. There were drawings of ilu, and tsuraks, sketches of Ronal and Tonowari, children playing in water. There were more of Ao’nung, Tsireya and Rotxo exclusively for a few pages. Then group incorporations and finally a small rough sketch of Lo’ak and Kiri before there was pencil’s large X on them before the next pages showed more ilus and a crossed-out sketch of their Sempul.
“I think I was like seven or eight when I started.” Spider cracks his back as he stops look at then TV. Neteyam perked up, started what… oh. Yes, drawing. “I wasn’t supposed to hang around the forest without you guys and I mean kids get bored you know?”
He saunters over to them and jerks his head to the screen. “How’s Moana sound?”
“You know they don’t understand English right?” Lo’ak raised an eyebrow. Neteyam blinked. The language barrier would make things a lot harder. He didn’t even think about how they were one of the only Na’vi to actually comprehend the alien language. Why didn’t he think about this sooner?
“Relax, I already reprogrammed an AI to take the actor’s voices and cover it in the Na’vi language. The singings gonna be weird but it will work.” Spider shrugged and glanced at the space as the other started moving to the respective spaces again. Lo’ak coughed out a ‘nerd’, which cause Kiri to smack his shin from her spot on the mattress. There was a bit of a tangle of limbs in Neteyam’s opinion, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. They made it work. Spider was still standing without a spot. The grinding stone sat heavy on his stomach again. Spider invited them into his space, and they took it over without concern for him.
“Ah, you can sit in my lap, like when we were kids,” He suggested, as the opening scene started to play. Spider head moved just barely to the right and his left eyebrow raised. Skepticism. Why was he dubious? They used to do it all the time? Eywa, when was the last time Spider sat on his lap? When they were what, six, seven?
“I want to sit on your lap!” Tuk hops into the open between Neteyam’s legs. Her tail curled around his thigh tightly and she forced his arms around her torso. She stuck her tongue out at the older boy. A snort left the tawtute as he stuck his own tongue out. He slid into the vacant spot she had left between Neteyam and Ao’nung in the ‘nest’.
“I think your sister wants to sit in your lap.” Spider wheezes, sitting down and crossing his legs. He looks even shorter when they all sit down. His neck craning as he flashes a grin at Tuk. She giggles, causing Neteyam to give his easy smile. She did indeed. But that grinding didn’t go way. Something about Spider’s words make him feel sicker. He reached over and popped a peeled Kummix in his mouth. When did Spider even noticed he wasn’t a fan of the skin on the fruit? Spider took a few of the air fried peels and popped them into his mouth.
“This is what the Sawtute planet is like?” Rotxo asks as the first song began to play. Neteyam wondered himself why the skypeople ruined their world. It looked so perfect for them, beautiful, and bright.
“It used to be that way, at least that is what Jake and Norm said.” Spider glances back at them, “But that was many generations before they were born. Jake said were he lived it was very rare to even see the sun because there was so much smoke in the sky.” Neteyam threw his ears back at that. He truly didn’t understand how his Sempul even survived such a home. It sounded miserable. He can only imagine that Eywa'eveng was eye opening.
The movie was nice, easier to watch when it was in Na’vi. But Neteyam always liked the Disney movies, thought the magic about them was pretty, in a childish way. Maybe the whimsical parts even reminded him of home a bit. But they watched it and answered the Metkayina trio’s questions here and there. And of course, Tuk had to of sang ‘You’re welcome’ in English, it was only fitting, as it was her song. Well, that and ‘Let it go’, but Neteyam rather her forget that one entirely. She sang it for months after she first heard it. Never again, never.
“You’re doing that thing again.” Ao’nung’s voice cut into the movie. He poked Spider on the hand.
“What thing?” Lo’ak leaned over their shoulders to look. Neteyam felt the brotherly urge to smack the younger’s face with his tail.
“The thing you do when your cold, like make a bunch of bumps on your skin. They’re on your wrist and forearm.” Ao’nung pulls at Spider’s long sleeve, pushing it up. Showing more goosebumps along his arm. “You’re still cold with all that on?”
“If someone would just give me my blanket back!” Spider gave a side eye to Lo’ak behind him, who decide to curl up further under the weighted blanket.
“Fat chance,” Lo’ak hissed, throwing some more of the fabric onto Tsireya.
“Switch him Tuk-Tuk.” Neteyam is already pushing at the little girl’s back. Trying to get her off him. Her whine’s in protest were prominent. Neteyam doesn’t want to pick a fight with a child, but if Spider cold, he needs to priority the safety over comfort of his siblings.
“I’m fine-“
“I got it.” Ao’nung replies nonchalantly to Tuk’s complains and completely ignoring Spider, slings an arm around Spider’s waist and hauls him into his lap likes its nothing. Spider looks stiff, and awkward. Like ilu in a tree, not really sure what to do.
“Warmer?” Ao’nung slung his arms over Spider’s shoulder, pressing him closer to his chest. Spider’s heartbeat wilder for a few moments, before it slows, ticking even slower than it had been when he was beside them. It was a bit more muffled, as he was mostly behind Ao’nung’s thicker skin. However just enough of his chest was expose for Neteyam to hear the even thuds and slowed breathe. He noted the unclenching muscles easing into Ao’nung larger frame. He wondered if Spider had been that dwarfed whenever the older boy sat with him. Spider’s head rested just underneath the breathing mask pulled around Ao’nung’s mouth, as it rarely moved for snacks, unlike Tsireya and Lo’ak. She seemed to be taking a liking to popcorn.
As much he’d like to settle his mind back into the just observing the story happening before them, Neteyam can only focus on the shack around them. His other senses dominating his thoughts. The smell of coffee still lingered in the kitchen. It wasn’t that he was unfamiliar with coffee, he did grow up around scientist. They were always drinking either coffee or alcohol, one was the stimulant and the other was a coping mechanism. Another weird habit of humans. It seem to be different to a warriors drink. Where as the Na’vi’s fermented drink only relaxed tensed muscles, humans were able to completely forget things, or ‘black out’.
He’s Sempul had mention back on Earth he had a problem with the liquid. He used it too much to deal with all the bad things he had done as a human. As a way to make living life easier. He remembered his father confessing it one day on an outing one day. It was something he wasn’t proud of, but he didn’t want to hide his past from his children. He wanted them to be better than him. To never rely on some object, Na’vi or human, to run away from their problems. It had been a lesson about his mistakes. But coffee, his father still down enough coffee to keep up with the other humans. Not something he’d given up, despite his mother’s insistence.
Then there was the fact that Spider could draw, very well in fact. Why didn’t he know Spider was an accomplished artisan? The pictures he drew were so much prettier than the pictures his father took. It so much more real, less mechanical. Had he been taught in his human class how to draw like that? He knew humans taught all their children about music. He’s father knew how to read music, even his uncle, Norm, Max, all the other sawtute back at Hell’s Gate. It would explain the harp he spotted in Spider’s room. It was large, and probably heavy. That’s probably why he never saw Spider play any music, he never took his instrument to the village. It made sense. Spider couldn’t play any of the Omaticaya flutes, and the drums were a bit too big for Spider so yeah, that’s why Neteyam didn’t know Spider had been practicing the arts. That was perfectly reasonably on his behalf, not his fault. He was busy learning from his Sempul and caring for his village. He couldn’t be galavanting around with the tawtute kid and his siblings while he needed to grow up and start acting like an actual member of the tribe-
Why was he so worked up about this?
Why was he defending himself about not knowing silly little things about Spider?
It was just Spider, it’s not like he needed-
He took a deep inhale. He’s fine, he’s fine. As long as all his siblings and his family and his new tribe were fine, everything was okay. The past was the past. He just needs to move on, look forward. Nothing that he can change. He didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t. He was an obedient son, a good son, a good family member, a good brother, and good friend. He didn’t do anything wrong.
When did he stop knowing Spider?
When the thought finally takes a coherent form, it hits him like stone. He’s jaw was taunt. Eyes fading onto Tuk’s braids. He was fucking drowning with a CO2 mask on. He almost giggled. Did he even know who Spider was anymore? The same toddler who used to be his brother? The same kid he had purpose avoided like the plague since the RDA returned? The same boy whose words he’d brush off when he was training to become a man? His friend he wouldn’t acknowledge after he was reborn to the people? When was the last time he gave Spider a hug?
Who was Spider Socorro?
“So, what did you think?” Lo’ak probes the group for a response. The credits were rolling. He missed the last part of the movie. Oh.
“That wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’m not going to lie. That was kind of cool!” Rotxo tests out the Na’lish phrase. Something that their family speaks, using Na’vi words with English syntex, and it sounds weird as can be. But apparently, it was making a spread with his siblings speaking it as much as they could.
“I’m still trying to process that the crab ate his grandma!” Tsireya is muttered with incredulity. She blanched at the thought. Neteyam had to laugh. Earth animals didn’t care nearly as much at family ties.
“They lived like us.” Ao’nung adds in. He’s hunched over Spider mostly. Golden hairs just manage to spill underneath Ao’nung thick forearms. “It’s insane to think about that. They were almost just like us.”
Neteyam needs a moment to think about that. They were almost just like the Na’vi long ago. Living in harmony with their planet. He almost wanders if somehow, they could go back to being like that. If they could be as … good, as Spider. The thought felt sticky in his brain. It’s been a while since any of his thoughts had a positive reinforce mention around the tawu- his brother.
“Can we please watch Barbie: A fairy Secret?” Tuk is practically bouncing in his lap. It’s definitely dark outside, and near her bedtime. She’s going to hate it, but its true.
“Lo’ak, Kiri can you take Tuk home?” Neteyam turns to his siblings, the look in his eyes demands that they do not argue. Took him years to learn, but he had watched his mother enough. He had it mostly mastered.
“I suppose our families will want to know where we are as well.” Tsireya, stood and stretched her length, her hands not able to extend completely from the confining ceiling. “Thank you for showing us that moo-vee, and preparing those snacks, Spider.”
Spider’s legs extend from over the top of Ao’nung crossed ones. He looked up from his still seated position and smiled at the younger girl. “You’re welcome, thank you for coming over, I appreciated it.”
Those words sound so honest. The top of Spider's head was against Ao’nung sternum as he glanced up act her. He looked harmless. Spider was harmless. He was happy to just have people with him. Spider would never end up like his father, what had he been thinking? Eywa, he, he had to apologize. He wronged his brother for years, and yet, he still was so kind to him. Peeling off the skin of a fruit just because he knew Neteyam didn’t like them. Spider still cared about him. What was a man to do?
Spider pressed a hand into Ao’nung hip and pushed himself from the other’s lap. Kiri and Rotxo stood from the mattress and begun pulling it back to Spider’s bedroom. Lo’ak and Tsireya collected the blankets off the floor that they and the mattress pair had used.
“Need any help their oh mighty adult?” Ao’nung teased. Spider gave a lightly swat to Ao’nung’s knee as he stood, rolling his eyes in that way that screamed Kiri.
“No infant, I’m not yet an elder.” Spider joked back and offered his hand to Ao’nung. The Metkayina snorted before taking the outstretched hand. Neteyam bit his lip as he watched Spider’s shoulder flex upward as he held Ao’nung’s weight as the larger male stood up.
“Good night Ao’nung, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Spider crossed his arms and jutted a hip out. Ao’nung smirked before squatted down, eye to eye with Spider.
“That was sarcasm, wasn’t it?” He tilted his head and squinted, that smirk still on his face. And for some reason at that moment, Neteyam wasn’t sure how he felt about Spider’s adoration for Ao’nung.
“What do you think?”
Ao’nung placed a hand on Spider’s head before ruffling the golden dreads on his brother’s head. Spider wheezed a laugh bit before grabbing the massive wrist with both hands and pulling it away from his head.
“You’re done.” Spider sassed, and went behind Ao’nung to push his back towards the door. Ao’nung merely stood himself out of the squat and sat on his heels as Spider shoved him to the door.
“And what if I don’t feel like being done?” Ao’nung bemoaned, thick tail wagged as Spider huffed to counter Ao’nung’s larger weight. Neteyam watched as Spider yanked on the base of the tail, effectively jolting the younger out of his immovable hold.
“Then I’ll let you deal with your Sa’nok.”
“Never mind,” Ao’nung begins to move with Spider still pushing forward.
“That’s what I thought.” Spider shook his head as the others head to the door. He nudges Ao’nung to the exit and Ao’nung bumps Spider lightly with his hip, “Remember to put the masks back on the chargers’ guys!”
Various echoes of good night fill the small space, the shiny panels of the shack bouncing the loud metallic sounds everywhere. It made Neteyam want to plug something over his ears. But he ignored it until it was just him and Spider left in the extended home. Spider turns from the door to the living area; however he doesn’t say a word to him. He just bends down to collect the leftover platters and bowls from the various snacks. He picks up a few kernels from the floor that Tsireya, or more likely Lo’ak, must have dropped. Neteyam takes his place by the pile of blankets thrown together and folds them. The silence stretching. It leaves an itching in his skin when Spider turns from him and heads to the kitchen.
He follows like a lost pup after his mother, yet despite his clear attempt for attention, Spider just washes dishes. What was with the personality swap? Not even moments ago he was laughing and joking. Neteyam thought Spider would have loved the private time together, he used to. Spider always had the biggest grin on his face when Neteyam told him he had some time off and would play with him that day. Spider used to chase after him in the forest and they would spot animals together, and play pretend warriors, and they would teach each other things and they would just talk about everything-
“What are you still doing here?”
The tone takes him off-guard. It’s cold, tired, it sounds done. What the hell did he do to irritate Spider so much that he won’t even look at him?
“So…Ao’nung?” His brain isn’t working, that’s not what he wanted to start with. That came off, judgmental. He didn’t want Spider to think he was mad at the smaller. But it was the first thing to come to his mind when he did have the sense to respond.
“I’m that obvious huh?” Spider laughs and its bitter. Neteyam can taste it. It's unpleasant. Why would Spider make that sound so rancor? It was cute, Spider got his first crush. Neteyam remember when he got his first crush. His was a cute singer, the daughter of Ninat, Ilik. She was like the sun, warm and gentle.
“Not really, well maybe to me,” Neteyam rolls his shoulders as Spider leaves the bowls to dry in the rack.
“Relax Neteyam, it doesn’t mean anything,” Spider places the knife and the cutting board he used earlier away in their proper spots. “He’s about to go through his Iknimaya anyway.”
“Why would that matter?” Neteyam tries to reassure his brother while the guilt chomps away at his feet, slowly consuming his flesh. He knows why, he fucking knows why. He did it, he made Spider believe that he wouldn’t be important after second birth. He did it. Eywa knows he did it.
Spider seems fine playing along with his game, “Because Ao’nung is the olo'eyktan’s son Neteyam, he’s going to be expected to pick a mate who he can have heirs with, you know that.” Spider’s tone goes from monotone to flat. Annoyance at Neteyam then, that’s something.
It makes him feel like a jerk, he’s focusing too much on whT Spider can’t have. But at least his brother is speaking to him.
“Still, what’s it like having your first crush little brother?” Spider bristles. Neteyam can see it in the way Spider shoulder’s raise.
“Not my first actually,” Spider clips as he turns around to look at Neteyam, his hands resting on the sink, he eyes glued to Neteyam’s soul. He was scanning, searching for something in Neteyam’s eyes. His lips thinned.
“You’re kidding.” Neteyam is flabbergasted, a word Norm taught him, one of his favorites because it sounds so silly, “Who?”
Spider shakes his head, inhaling as he walked from the kitchen so the broom hiding in the corner, he sweeps the area, distraught singed into his eyes while his face remains neutral.
“Come on, was Tarsem?” Spider pulls a face and looks in astonishment at Neteyam
“Tarsem is way too old for me, besides I don’t even know him that well.” Neteyam shrugs. He always thought Tarsem was nice to Spider, at least compared to some of the clan’s kids.
“Maktil?” Spider pulls another face.
“Maktil threw a rock at my head.” When did Maktil become hostile to Spider? He remember Maktil making a beaded bracelet for Spider as children, and Spider weaving an anklet in return.
“Tsy’op?” Spider laughs and shakes his head.
“No, Tsy told me she wasn’t allows to talk to me anymore when we turned ten. Besides, we weren’t that close. She was more your friend that tolerated me,” Spider swept the dirt into the pan before disposing of it. “It doesn’t matter, I can’t pass iknimaya anyway, so I’ll never be able to choose someone.”
“What if you were chosen?” Neteyam looked for the loophole. Just because Spider couldn’t choose someone, didn't mean he still couldn't have someone, he’d just have to be a bit more patient. “You’re kind, loyal, and funny. You’d be a good mate Spider.”
“I used to think about that actually,” This gets his attention. Spider had thought of this inside and out already, hadn’t he? The smaller male moved to the living area with broom in hand. “Act like a princess in distress and wait for somebody to come save me.” Spider bit out the harsh remark.
“It could happen-“
“No.” Spider cut him off. That was unfamiliar, Spider never cut him off. “No one’s coming to save me Neteyam. I had to learn that the hard way.”
A thought tickled the back of his mind. He’s not talk about Ao’nung, he’s not. No one’s coming to save him. He should have saved him. He’s not talking about the Iknimaya. He didn’t save him; he had the chance, and he didn’t save him. Spider not talking about the right to have a fucking mate. He was right there. No one’s coming to save him. You abando-
“I always thought it would have been him though, he was so nice, and sweet. Made me feel like a person,” Spider’s voice goes soft, like freshly spung yarn for the mother loom. “Turns out, it was pretty conditional. If his parents didn’t like me, he didn’t like me.”
“Yeah?” Neteyam wants to combust, he’s not ready to deal with the million and tens ways he fucked up Spider. As a kid his biggest concern was whether he could convince Sa’nok to let him have a dessert that night, Spider was having existential crisis about dying alone because he was an alien born on the wrong fucking planet all because his father was a genocide manic that couldn’t keep it in his pants. Neteyam felt like tipping over and just not getting back up. “You still have a thing for him?”
Spider pauses as he picks up the dustpan. He’s eyes trained on the dirt that invaded his home. His mouth twitches, and his eyebrows furrow before he finally shook his head. Neteyam watched Spider with equal concentration, “No, not anymore. I’m never going to come above his parents’ approval.”
Spider's still a kid by human terms. He knows this and it hurts him that his little brother by maturity is fighting with the idea of love. Something that shouldn’t have to be so…political.
“Don’t get me wrong, I did consider briefly what it would be like if Kiri or Lo’ak chose me, you know,” Neteyam doesn’t because those are his siblings and he’s never had to wonder if he’d ever get to adulthood. “But they really are my brother and sister, and it’s just too weird for me to think about.” Spider began brushing his teeth. The paste foaming up in his mouth as he cared for his more delicate body. Neteyam leaned on the doorway, watching as Spider did his nighttime routine.
“What about me?” Neteyam’s lips form the word before he can stop it with some common sense. Why would Spider want someone who hurt him for years?
Spider chokes on his spit, coughing as the foam dripples from his mouth. He grips the sink as he laughs for a moment. Spider wipes his nose where some of the paste has somehow gotten into his nose. He keeps laughing and Neteyam feels stupid, like there’s a joke that everyone seems to understand but he doesn’t. Worst yet, he wonders if he is the joke. He doesn’t like the glint in Spider’s eye. For a brief moment it’s cruel, like it wants to take a knife and stab it into his chest a thousand times before Spiders drops his head, exhaling like he’s run from Hell’s Gate to High Camp.
“Na’vi are incredible at seeing, but you're shit at listening,” Neteyam wants to feel offended, or at least feel entitled to whack the little twerp upside the head. But something tells him he’s earned the insult. “That’s something I’ve learned when I was stuck with the RDA, sky people are real good at saying shit without saying a thing. You. Don’t. Listen.”
“Excuse me?” Neteyam puffs his chest. That twisting feeling be damned, Spider does not get to insult his people.
“You think you get to walk right back in like you never hurt me?” Spider stared at him, eyes hard and beady, “The fucking audacity.” He swapped to English because his words don’t exist in the Na’vi language.
“I dreamt of the day you’d choose me; I cared so fucking much about you.” Spider spits into the sink, his side eye is dangerous, he uses some water in his palm to wash. He clutches onto the metal like it’s his only life line and Neteyam is breathless like Spider socked him with a jack hammer, “Then when you became a man, you wanted nothing to do with me. I sometimes I wander if you see me, or you hear about me from the whispers of everyone else, Neteyam.”
Neteyam gets it now. Spider has accepted that they weren’t brothers for a long time. He’s respected Neteyam’s decision at every turn, even his own abandonment. Neteyam stopped seeing Spider. He only listened to whatever everyone else had to say about his best friend and he let their words guide him, rather than his own eyes.
…
"When I realized that you'll always choose the people, your family over me, I guess I got a healthy reality check, so thanks" Spider’s hooded stare was stuck on himself in the mirror. Neteyam felt like he was floating. How did even began to respond to that? He left Spider at every opportunity. Each and every one.
“Spi-“
“Good night Neteyam.”
…
The bathroom door closed. Spider alone in his domain, and himself staring at the wall between them. A wall that he had managed to build with his own two 3-fingered hands. Would he and Spider have been friends in some other life where he had 4-fingers instead and had hair on his brow. Would all the guilt just leave him in a world where he was just as much of an outcast as the rest of his siblings? What would have that world be like?
Would he and Spider be…?
He stumbled away from the door; a crinkling sound brought his attention to the floor. Where he was stepping on Spider’s sketch book. He grabbed it and opened it. Flipping through the pages as he scanned the pictures of him and compared them to Ao’nung’s. They were so careful, so so careful. Where he saw a monster and demon, Spider saw an angel, perfection. Neteyam saw a liar and killer, and Spider only saw a protector.
Maybe this is the human side that he took from his father, no discernable trait, just his foolishness, his inability to see until he destroyed the things he cared about. Tearing it apart until it was ruined. He shredded their relationship and he didn’t even care, all he saw was justice, like everyone said it was. Neteyam was the demon, he was the fucking demon his mother always warned him about.
He needed out of here.
Away from the mess he made.
But he’d leave Spider alone.
He glanced from the door of the bathroom where he heard the water running to cover the hiccuping sobs coming from Spider and the exit, where his family wasn’t too far from the shack. He could slip out and pretend this conversation never happened. Where he never had to realize any of the shit, he had inadvertently done. He’d be abandoning his Spider again…
There was really never a decision, he knew the choice he’d make. He had made it hundreds of times already.