Author's Note: Okay, finally. I got the last of the Avatar stories started and out of my system. I am already well on my way to finishing another chapter of a different story so try not to be too mad at me. Now that the four that bounced around in my head are out, I can focus on working on them. Thankfully this was two separate story ideas that I figured out how to morph into one, so go me! Anyway, sorry about adding another to the pile, not sure if anyone will be interested in this idea, but I hope so! Let me know what you think! Enjoy!
The sun in the sky continues to make its descent to the horizon, bathing the sky orange, red and yellow. A warm, gentle wind pulls the smell of the ocean to their noses, while ruffling the loose strands of their adornments and loincloths as well as tousling tight curls and long, wavy strands between the two figures, sitting side by side on a large, flat rock. Both of their backs are pointed toward the collection of hut-like homes, while their toes dig into the sand, water washing up to kiss at their ankles with every push and pull.
There is a din off in the distance as the other occupants of this collection of homes go about their everyday lives, unbothered by what is going on just behind to two figures. One, who's sense of hearing is far greater than the other, has his ears pulled tight against his head, scared of the cries that he hears behind him, while the other has his eyes trained on the waves, watching it dance for them.
Both figures are young boys. One is slightly short than the other, a head of tall, tightly coiled black hair, gentle teal skin and extremely light blue eyes. His shoulders, despite his young age, is broader than the boy next to him. His forearms have developing extended portions of it leading to his elbows that act like a form of flipper to help him swim in the water, as well as a long flat tail that rests on the rock behind him. His body is wider along the chest leading down to a slim waist and hips. His body is strong, despite his age, built for the environment that he lives in.
The other boy is by all means, more delicate. Long, skinny legs and arms. His hair falls in long black waves down his back, half braided and pulled up into a knot at the crown of the back of his head. None of the obvious advantages apparent on his much lither frame. A much more dexterous tail, thin and whip-like, sways behind him anxiously. Despite the length of his torso making him taller than the other boy, they are about the same age. His skin a dark shade of navy blue with eyes a bright golden color. His shoulders are narrow as well as his chest, not built with extra space for massive lungs, like the boy next to him. His chest, waist and hips transition easily, giving him a much more delicate appearance. Everything about him being long and frail.
Neither boy is apparently older than the other. Perhaps only seven or eight years of age. They sit shoulder to shoulder, staring out over the waves in front of them, quietly. As they had for the last few hours. Even when some of the other boys in the village tried to get them to come play, neither wanted to leave, too anxious. Moreso the taller boy than the shorter, but both were sensitive to what was happening to them.
"Come see your baby brother, boys." Both boys turn from where they were sitting on the rocks with their feet in the water. Curiously, they turned their attention from the waves pushing and pulling to watching the small glowing seeds of Eywa circling around the thinner boy's feet.
"Brother?" The teal skinned boy gasps, bouncing to his feet, turning to his brother, already forgetting about the fish. "Did you hear that, Neteyam? We have a baby brother!"
The other boy turns at the waist, golden eyes wide as he turns to their father. A tall, teal-skinned Na'vi, an older version of the shorter boy, with longer, tightly curled hair, half braided like the taller boy, but all of his hair is pulled up into a knot on the top of his head. Where the son's hair is the top half being braided from the scalp and pulled into a knot, the father's hair is braided along the scalp into the knot. Almost like a glimpse into the future, his body is wide and strong, muscled from years and years of manual labor. The tattoos of a mated hunter etched into his skin.
"Is mama okay?" The taller boy asks. He looks happy, excited for a baby brother, but then there is a darkness crossing his features. A fear that has been hounding him for the last few months. He had heard of the scary things that could happen to mothers in childbirth and he has been fretting nonstop since he found out.
He had spent the last few months of his mom's pregnancy practically waiting on her hand and foot. He would help around the marui and curl up with her at night, fretting. He woke up multiple times, crying, before crawling across the floor and into her arms. She always welcomed him, always cuddled him and tried to mimic his purr as best she could to sooth him.
Quietly, through his sniffles, he would pet her stomach softly and whisper into the night, "You can't hurt mama, okay? You can't. We love momma. We don't want to hurt her."
"They aren't going to hurt me, Neteyam," his mom would whisper, nuzzling his hair. "They are going to be just as sweet as my two boys."
Neteyam would press closer, wrapping an arm around her and feel the ridges of his father's ribs with the tips of his fingers. His father brings his hand from his mom's hip and up onto the side of Neteyam's head, his thumb caressing the little boy's cheek.
"Daddy," Neteyam whispers, using his fingers to poke his dad's side. He feels his dad's ribs flex slightly as he lets out a little chuckle.
"Yes, Neteyam?" He asks, voice just as soft.
"Mama is going to be okay, right?"
"With you taking care of her? Of course, she will be," his father says, letting out another soft chuckle.
Neteyam flushes, nuzzling closer to his mom as the hand that his dad put on his face lowers to his ribs, giving a gentle, reassuring squeeze, knowing that he needs it. Almost every night he has come crawling to them from a nightmare, terrified for his mom. All the while his brother snores away behind them.
"Yes," his dad says, pulling Neteyam out of his memory. Blinking rapidly, the golden-eyed boy looks up at his father, ears tight against his head.
"She is? Really?" Neteyam asks quietly, moving his feet, shoulders pulled in.
His dad leans down onto a knee and pulls both boys into his chest, nuzzling them as both boys wrap around him. "She is. Do you boys want to see them? Neteyam? Rotxo?"
"I do!" Rotxo squeals, blue eyes bright with joy and excitement, while Neteyam nods, more subdue, but the relief making his little body sag against his dad. Their father lifts boy boys, one arm around each as he carries them over the rocks, past the fire pit built in the sand in front of their marui toward their home as both boys' coil around him.
As soon as they get inside, a few of the village healers, alongside the Tsahik, are seeing to their mother and the small bundle in her arms.
Their mother, her teal skin, paler than usual and dazed bright blue eyes, turns to them as they walk in - er, are carried in by their father - her tired face splitting in two with a sharp fanged smile.
"There are my boys," she says, her voice rough from crying. Her eyes are still watery, and her hair is pushed back with sweat as she rests against a mountain of pillows while tucked into a corner of the room, away from the waning light and breeze. Neteyam's sensitive nose - much more than his family's - picks up the strong scent of blood, sweat and something else that he can't name. But it's being carried away by the wind flowing through the openings of their home.
Rotxo wiggles from his father's grip, racing over to the bundle in the arms of one of the healers, knelt a few feet away from his mother, peering down at the little body, blue eyes blown wide.
Neteyam gets lowered to his feet and he makes his way over to his mother, glancing over at the little bundle but is barely able to see it through Rotxo's bouncing. The healer softly whispers for Rotxo to be careful and speak softly as to not startle his little brother. Neteyam lowers to his mom's side and her bright, exhausted eyes turn to him. Quietly, Neteyam wraps his arms around her, hugging her shoulders tightly as he buries his face into her neck. She hugs him back, squeezing strongly before nuzzling into the side of his little face.
"You're okay, mama?" Neteyam whispers into her neck.
His mom rasps a gentle laugh, squeezing Neteyam tightly. "Yes, my sweet boy. I'm okay. Thank you for being so sweet." She nuzzles his face again before pulling back in time for Rotxo to turn to her, blue eyes blown wide as he falls into her arms, cuddling close. "Aw, here is my other sweet boy." She nuzzles his neck and shoulders. He giggles when it tickles him.
"Do you want to hold him, Neteyam?" his dad asks, pulling Neteyam's golden eyes from the scene in front of him, the sweet smile on his lips dropping slightly as he looks nervously at his dad.
"I don't want to hurt him," Neteyam says softly, looking between the gentle expressions of both his parents. The healers move around the room, cleaning up and gathering all of their things.
The Tsahik, as beautiful and elegant as Neteyam has always seen her, holds up the bundle carefully in her arms, turning to his father. In the wanning light, unlike most of the other Na'vi - excluding Neteyam - her eyes take on a more greenish hue. Her eyes find his and she stares through him, face composed and even as she turns away to face Neteyam's father, holding out the baby to him.
"He is healthy," she says, her voice smooth. "As is Rhalwari. I will be back in the morning to check on them both again. Come get me if you need anything."
"Thank you, Tsahik," the boys' father says, tipping his head in respect to her.
Ronal nods. "You are welcome, Tao'su. Congratulations."
"Thank you, Ronal," the boys' mother says, smiling faintly at the other woman.
For the first time since Neteyam's known her, the Tsahik's face splits into a beautiful smile at the other woman. She reaches past Rotxo to push loose, sweaty strands of hair from her face. "Rest well, Rhalwari. Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy."
"Thank you, sister," Rhalwari says, caressing her hand before letting the Tsahik pull her hand back. From what Neteyam knew, Ronal and his mother had been best friends for their entire lives, like his father and the clan's Olo'eykton, Tonowari. It was how his parents met. And fell in love.
With that, Ronal gathers the rest of the healers, and they leave the marui, and the family to get to know the newest member.
"You won't hurt him," his father says, turning to Neteyam. "Just get in close to mom's side and hold out your arms."
With a little coaching, Neteyam pressed into his mom's side and held his arms as his parents instructed. His father lowered the baby into his awaiting arms and Neteyam could only stare. The little body fit perfectly in his arms. Small, purpling face, blotted and pinched in anger. Little lower lip jutted out and eyes squeezed shut in sleep. His tiny body curling into Neteyam's warmth. And Neteyam... he was in love.
Neteyam's heart pounds warmth through his entire body as he curls closer to the baby, pressing his nose softly into the hair at the top of his head, smelling clean. Someone must have bathed him. With as gentle of a nuzzle as possible, Neteyam presses close. His chest rumbles in a soft purr. At first, his baby brother's twists in annoyance and anger once more, before a small whine escapes him, but Neteyam doesn't stop until his tiny face smooths out and the anger bleeds from his little body.
Tao'su gives a soft chuckle, lightly petting the top on Neteyam's head as Rhalwari pulls Rotxo close to her chest, petting down his wild curls as the boy rests his cheek on his mom's shoulder, smiling at his two brothers.
"I guess we know who will be getting him to sleep every night," he says mirthfully. Rhalwari laughs, curling closer to her other son, eyes on the other two. Her free hand running up and down Neteyam's back, but the other boy hardly notices, staring down at his little brother, purring away.
"What's his name?" Rotxo asks, looking between their parents.
"Rowee," Rhalwari says sweetly, nuzzling into Rotxo's hair.
"Rowee," Rotxo and Neteyam both breathe. Neteyam looks over at Rotxo passed Rhalwari, both of their little faces crinkling with their grins. Neteyam showing off his distinctive duel set of upper fangs and larger front two teeth.
Tao'su chuckles, gently petting down Neteyam's hair. Neteyam smiles at him before looking down at the baby, golden eyes sparkling in love and joy. He leans in close, soft voice saying, "Rowee, I'm Neteyam. I'm your big brother. And that's Rotxo. He's your other big brother. We look very different, you and me. Dad found me a few years ago but we are still brothers, okay? You can always rely on me. Rotxo and I will protect you."
Rotxo nods quickly, eyes crinkling with his cheesy grin. "And we are going to show you all the cool things around the reef. Don't worry, baby brother, we'll show you all the cool things and take you to all the cool places."
Rhalwari and Tao'su share a look at Neteyam's words. Rhalwari's blue eyes water slightly, but she blinks them away, pulling away from Rotxo to nuzzle the side of Neteyam's head before leaning back into her other son, her hand running up and down Neteyam's back. Tao'su caressed Neteyam's hair, reaching forward to tuck one of the two braids that he has framing his face behind his ear. The family passed the new baby around, admiring him and late into the night, finally putting him to rest after Rhalwari fed him.
They ate dinner and sat around, both boys getting the rundown from their father about how things were going to change. That the boys couldn't come racing into the marui super loud anymore. How they had to be mindful of their sleeping brother. And that they had to be ready to help their mother out specifically for the next few weeks while she heals.
Both boys bobbed their heads as their dad lays out all the new ground rules before heading to bed for the night. Rotxo and Neteyam had lessons in the morning and Tao'su had obligations to the clan both for himself and Rhalwari that he's taking upon himself while she heals. Neteyam and Rotxo both expressed interest in helping carry the burden, and Tao'su smiled, agreeing that they could do their mother's chores together.
"Dad?" Neteyam calls out in the quiet night, across the room to where his parents were sleeping, Rowee just a few short feet from Rhalwari, in a cocoon to keep him safe and warm from the slight chill washing over the ocean.
"Yes, Neteyam?" Tao'su asks, his voice still clear, not yet having fallen asleep.
"Now that mama had Rowee, are you going to be going on your trips again?" Neteyam asks, remembering when he first was brought to his family, that his father would take trips, days at a time every other week, but always came back with nothing. Neteyam's not sure what he was doing when he would leave, but he would always come back, take one look at Rhalwari, Tonowari, and Ronal and shake his head. Then he would gather Neteyam into his arms, nuzzle his hair and ask if he wanted to go swimming. There was always something akin to relief on his face and he would squeeze tightly to Neteyam, as if not wanting to let him go.
There is a long moment of trust and in the darkness, to which Neteyam could see through better than the rest of his family - sight, smell, hearing, all things that he was extremely good at - he saw Rhalwari's face twist in worry as she squeezed the hand resting across her waist.
"Do you want me to?" Tao'su asks, his voice soft. "I can keep going, if you want me to."
"No," Neteyam says, shaking his head, feeling Rotxo press into his back. "I don't want you to. I want you to stay here. With us."
Neteyam's not sure where his father goes, and why he went there so often, but a part of him always knew it was for him. And Neteyam missed him when he was gone. And he knew that his mom and brother did too. His mother always looked so scared when he left, sometimes hunters would go with him for part of the way to wherever he was going, before returning, but most of the time he would go alone.
One time, in fact, the last time he left, right after Rhalwari became pregnant and announced it to the boys, Tao'su had returned greatly injured, collapsing into Tonowari's arms, bruised and bloodied, using his own limited knowledge of healing to keep his wounds closed and fight off blood loss and infection. Rhalwari and Rotxo were so distraught and Neteyam sobbed into his father's arms, begging him to stop leaving. That whatever it was that he was doing, it wasn't worth it.
"We need you here, daddy," Neteyam cried, Rotxo by his side, always being cradled by their weakened father. "Please don't go anymore. Please!"
And he didn't. He stayed, healed up to where only faint scars remained. He's not sure what manner of beast it was that hurt his father, but perhaps it was the same one that left the scar on the bicep of his left arm. Like something cut him deep enough to scar but he doesn't really remember what it was. His brain at night sometimes recalls and he wakes up, crying in the shadows, seeking comfort from his parents, but he never remembers beyond a horrifying boom, a ringing in his ears and a pain in his arm. All played out in shadows and figureless forms in his mind, only to vanish when he awakens.
And the scraps on his back that healed into extremely faint scars on his back from when he escaped - water, drowning, can't breathe, monster, teeth, jaws, blood, screaming, pain, ohEywapleasemakeitstopmamahelppleasedaddy -
"I want to stay," Tao'su says, sitting up so that Neteyam can see his father's face, eyes squinting at him in the darkness. His voice pulling Neteyam out of the dark, scary place his mind went. "Are you okay with that?"
Neteyam nods, also sitting up, stuffing the fear down into the bottoms of his feet. "Yes, please. I don't want you to leave anymore. Mama, Rowee, Rotxo and I don't want you to leave. We miss you when you leave."
He smiles then, softly. "Then I won't leave anymore."
Neteyam smiles, relieved, as he lowers back down. "Goodnight mama, goodnight daddy."
"Goodnight!" Rotxo jumps in, not wanting to be left out. Neteyam and his parents giggle slightly.
"Goodnight boys," Tao'su says softly, lowering back down.
"Sleep well, my sweet boys," Rhalwari says sweetly before they all fall into silence.
Neteyam turns around, curling into his brother's arms. Both brothers pull close, Neteyam pulling up the blanket that they share to help keep warm, despite the covering at the front of their marui to try and block some of the wind. Both boys curl tightly around one another, as they have every night since the day Tao'su brought Neteyam home and Rhalwari welcomed him almost immediately, falling in love with him and sweet and loving Rotxo didn't bat an eyelash over the new boy that came into their lives, needing love and affection.
Both brothers fell into a deep sleep, one dreaming of all the places he wanted to bring his new baby brother, and the other dreaming of a memory that he's had so many times since coming to live with his new family. A dream of a hand being held in his own. Something loving and comforting coming from it. He remembers running his tiny fingers over the much larger hand. Fascinated by how big it was comparatively, and that it had five fingers.