Chapter Text
Thursday August 28th
Neteyam had been awake for hours.
Not the kind of awake where you felt rested, but the kind where your eyes burned and your thoughts refused to slow down. The hum of the road filled the car, blending with the soft rhythm of his parents’ voices in the front seat. He didn’t really hear what they were saying. His mind was elsewhere stuck between what they were leaving behind and whatever waited for them at the end of this drive.
Lo’ak slept beside him, curled awkwardly against the window. Every now and then his head bumped the glass, a dull sound that made Neteyam glance over instinctively. He remembered the night before how Lo’ak hadn’t slept at all, how he’d whispered Neteyam’s name in the dark like he was afraid of being alone with his thoughts. They’d usually talk until the sky began to lighten, but this time it was different. Neither of them knew what this new place held for them the changes it would bring so that night they sat in silence. Neteyam looked away and stared at his phone without really seeing the screen.
“Tuk,” Jake said from the front, tired but patient, “We’re not there yet.” “I didn’t even ask,” Tuk muttered, though she absolutely had twice already. “It’s still a couple more hours,” Neytiri added gently, eyes still on the road. Tuk sighed loudly. “This drive is forever.” Neteyam closed his eyes for a moment. Forever sounded about right. “Kiri, will you play a game with me?” Tuk asked, turning towards her sister. “Tuk, not now please.” Kiri said back, probably having a headache. Tuk sighed, laying against Neteyam trying to sleep as well.
Even if she had a headache it didn't stop her from texting Spider about their location and how much longer they’d be stuck in the car. Neteyam noticed the way she kept checking her messages, like she was afraid of missing something important. He understood that feeling too well.
Neteyam didn’t like that they had left without him, none of the Sullys did. But with time running out and Spider still away at camp Quaritch had sent him to, they hadn’t really had a choice. Even so, Jake had promised that the moment Spider was back, they would come get him. That promise lingered with them, easing some of the tightness in their chests and quieting the worry in the back of their minds, at least a little.
“I hope you like the house,” Jake said suddenly, glancing back at him. Neteyam snapped out of his thoughts feeling his chest tighten just a little bit. “Yeah,” he replied automatically. “I’m sure we will.” It was easier than saying ‘I don’t know.’ Easier than admitting that he didn’t want to be the reason his dad worried more than he already did. Kiri and Lo’ak had been loud with their disapproval when they found out about the move even if they did understand. Neteyam had stayed quiet, swallowing everything down like he always did.
By the time the car slowed and turned into the neighborhood, the backseat was completely silent. Lo’ak was still asleep. Tuk hadn’t moved. Kiri’s face was peaceful in a way Neteyam rarely saw when she was awake. The houses were nice. Clean. New. The ocean shimmered in the distance, close enough to see but far enough to feel unreal. Everyone else would wake up soon. They’d stretch and smile and talk about how pretty it was here. Neteyam pressed his fingers into his palms and breathed out slowly.
He would smile too.
Not even fifteen minutes later, Neytiri pulled into the driveway. The gentle jolt of the car coming to a stop stirred Lo’ak from his sleep, and he blinked groggily as he straightened in his seat. “We here?” he asked, rubbing at his eyes and yawning away the last remnants of sleep. “Yes,” Jake replied as he opened the car door. “Can you wake your sisters for me?” Lo’ak nodded, turning toward Kiri as Jake waited for Neytiri. Moments later, she brought his wheelchair around, carefully helping him settle into it before leaving again to grab the rest of the bags from the trunk. Neteyam stirred Tuk awake before getting out to help his mother with the bags.
“So,” their dad asked once they were finally inside, his voice echoing slightly through the open space, “what do we think?” “It’s nice, Dad,” Kiri said, slowly turning as she took everything in. “Could use some plants though.” With that, she was already heading upstairs. Tuk didn’t even wait. The moment her feet hit the floor, she bolted down the hall, determined to claim a room before anyone else could.
Lo’ak drifted in the opposite direction, drawn toward the large windows that looked out onto the garden. He paused there, eyes lingering on the stretch of green outside. Neteyam stayed closer to the center of the house, quietly walking from room to room, memorizing doorways and corners, trying to get a sense of the place, how it felt, how it fit around him. “Don’t wander off too far,” Jake started, “we still need to talk about schools and…” “Jake,” Neytiri interrupted gently, resting a hand on his arm. “Let them be. We can talk about it later. Let them explore for now.” Jake hesitated, then nodded, watching as his children scattered through what was meant to be their new home.
Neteyam caught up with Lo’ak just as he stepped out into the garden. “It’s a big house,” Neteyam said quietly, the sound of his voice making Lo’ak jump. “Yeah?” Lo’ak replied, glancing over at him. “You already looked around?” Neteyam nodded, his eyes still drifting over the open space as if he were trying to memorize it. “Come on,” he said after a moment. “We should find our rooms.” Lo’ak hesitated only briefly before nodding and following him back inside.
Kiri had already claimed the room with the best view of the garden, which didn’t surprise Neteyam in the slightest. Tuk, on the other hand, picked the room closest to the bathroom very smart, in Neteyam’s opinion. That left 3 rooms. 2 Identical in size, sitting directly across from each other and one down the hall. “So,” Neteyam said, stopping in the hallway, “which one do you want?” He already knew the answer. Lo’ak lingered beside him, eyes flicking briefly toward one of the doors before he looked away. “No, you choose,” Lo’ak said quietly.
Neteyam felt something twist in his chest. Lo’ak had been doing that a lot since the accident, stepping back, giving way, like he was walking on eggshells around him. Neteyam forced a small, steady breath and reached for the door Lo’ak had glanced at. “Then I’ll take this one,” he said simply. Lo’ak looked up, a smile flashing across his face before he could hide it. Neteyam stepped into his room, taking a moment to look around. The space was simple but bright, with a large window that faced the distant beach. Outside, a few people were still walking along the shore, their figures moving slowly against the fading light. He might’ve stayed there longer, might’ve let himself think a little too much but before he could do anything else, his parents’ voices called out for them from downstairs.
“Alright,” Jake said once everyone had gathered, clapping his hands lightly to get their attention. “School starts this coming Monday.” “So… like always,” Lo’ak muttered. Kiri shot him a look, but Jake kept going. “The movers will be bringing the rest of our stuff over the next couple of days, so I’d like at least two of you to stay at the house in case they show up.” Kiri had already pulled out her phone, thumbs moving quickly, probably texting Spider again. “Kiri,” Neytiri said gently but firmly. “Pay attention.” With a sigh, Kiri locked her phone and set it aside. “Tomorrow we’ll need to get groceries,” Jake continued. “So start making a list of anything you want us to have in the house.” “And we should decide when to buy school supplies too,” Neytiri added, earning a nod from Jake. The kids exchanged looks but eventually agreed, even if it was clear none of them were thrilled about how packed the next few days sounded.
“So,” Kiri said after a moment, glancing around, “just to be clear, where are we sleeping?” Jake smiled a little too casually. “That’s why we brought sleeping bags.” The room filled with groans almost instantly. “The furniture is coming tomorrow,” Neytiri assured them, trying to soften the blow. “At least we have a couch and a table,” Tuk pointed out optimistically. “And dinner?” Neteyam asked. Jake paused. “…Right. Dinner.” Neytiri chuckled softly. “We’ll order something,” she said, and just like that, the tension eased at least a little.
After dinner, the kids slowly drifted off to their rooms, the house growing quieter with each closed door. “Neteyam,” his mother called. He paused mid-step, his shoulders tensing just slightly as he turned back to her. “Have you thought about what I said?” Neytiri asked softly. He had. More than he wanted to admit. But acknowledging it felt like opening something he’d worked hard to keep shut like it would only make everything heavier, more complicated than it already was. “I’m fine, Mother,” he said, keeping his voice steady. “I don’t need therapy.” Before she could respond, Neteyam turned and headed to his room, leaving the words hanging in the quiet hallway.
He let out a quiet sigh as he unzipped his bag and pulled out his toothbrush and toothpaste. He unpacked slowly, deliberately, like rushing might make his thoughts catch up to him. “Night, bro,” Lo’ak said from the hallway before disappearing into his own room. Neteyam smiled faintly, the expression barely there, before reaching back into his bag for his sleeping bag, an old T-shirt, and a pair of joggers. He tucked them under his arm and headed toward the bathroom. Kiri was just stepping out, already turning toward her room. “Night, Kiri,” he said softly. “Night,” came her quiet reply before her door closed.
The bathroom was silent except for the faint hum of the lights. Neteyam stood in front of the mirror and pulled his shirt over his head. His breath hitched before he could stop it. There it was. The bullet wound. The scar it left behind was uneven, slightly hollow, wrong in a way he still wasn’t used to seeing. His fingers hovered near it but never touched. He looked away quickly, pulling on his sleeping shirt like it could erase the reminder.
This is better, he told himself. We needed to leave. Things will be better here.
He didn’t linger long enough to doubt it. He finished up quickly, eager to be done with the day, and stepped back into the hallway. As he passed Lo’ak’s room, he paused. Quietly, carefully, he opened the door just enough to look inside. Lo’ak was sprawled out on his sleeping bag, completely passed out, hair a mess and one arm hanging off the side. Neteyam shook his head with a fond, tired breath. He stepped inside just long enough to close the blinds, dimming the moonlight, then slipped back out without a sound.
Back in his room, Neteyam laid out his sleeping bag and settled into it, staring up at the ceiling for longer than he meant to. His parents’ voices drifted up from downstairs, low and hushed, probably talking about the house, about everything that still needed to be done, about how to make this place feel like home. With a quiet sigh, he turned onto his side and closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep.
Tomorrow was a new day. A new place. A new start.