Author's Note: Sorry for the wait! Enjoy!
Neteyam woke up earlier than he normally would to the sound of his parents murmuring to each other as they get started with their day. It's still dark outside their tent - even though their home is usually dark as it is a network of caves in the floating mountains, but they have all gotten into a routine of waking up early to start their day. His parents are up usually an hour to an hour and a half before the siblings, which is natural.
His mother laughs, her voice low and husky as she leans in to let his dad kiss her cheek. She shakes her head at whatever he murmurs into her ear, fangs flashing in her smile. Papa, who was carefully attaching his necklace, making sure it rested comfortably against his throat and between his collar bones, grins at them. He murmurs something low and while his dad huff, amused, his mom grins back at him.
"Ma Jake," he chastises teasingly, this time loud enough for Neteyam to hear over Lo'ak's light snoring next to him.
"What?" He whispers, mock scandalized.
Neteyam sits up slowly as his papa shakes his head and his mama leans away to walk over to her chest in the corner next to dad's. She removes her modesty piece and digs around for another.
Tsu'tey catches the movement and turns to look at Neteyam. "Did we wake you, Neteyam?"
"No, papa," the eldest Sully child says, keeping his voice low and soft as to not wake his siblings. Neteyam is careful, hissing a bit at the pull on his side, but waves away his papa's concerned look and careful push to his feet. Neteyam rubs at the space around the leaves stuck to his side as Tsu'tey makes his way through the tangle of his children's sprawled limbs.
Tsu'tey reaches out to grab onto Neteyam's hips, motioning for Neteyam to grab hold of his shoulders and they carefully maneuver Neteyam to his feet. Neteyam winces, looking down at his side to see the crusted leaves are still holding to his skin.
Carefully, Tsu'tey helps Neteyam out of the tangle of his siblings' limbs without tripping on a tail or leg.
"Do you want to see your grandmother?" Tsu'tey asks, noting how delicately Neteyam is treating his side.
"Yes," Neteyam rasps, glancing over at his mother, who was grabbing Neteyam's mask from where he had taken it off in the middle of the night because Lo'ak smashed into it once really hard at some point, waking up enough to apologize as Neteyam's eyes watered, while Tuk, who did it a bit later, never even woke up. Neteyam removed it after that, worried that he would regret it otherwise.
His breathing, thankfully, isn't too bad. He is nearing the tail end of this cold, being regimentally fed medicine and having been mostly isolated for a few days helped. Now he just needs his side, which is burning and throbbing, to heal and he'll be back to the way he was before. With the help of his parents, Neteyam manages to sneak out of their hut without waking his siblings and head to his grandmother's hut. It's still early enough that the clan is stirring but not fully up yet. Sentries left to guard and keep watch are checking in.
Neytiri leaves Tsu'tey, Jake and Neteyam in her mother's hut, promising to return soon with her. Not more than thirty seconds later, Nim limps into the hut, head lowered, and shoulders pulled in. She looks up, between them with one big golden eye and one that's partially melted. Her ears flatten at the sight of Tsu'tey, mimicking his respectful hello with a wave of her own hand before brightening a bit at the sight of Jake and Neteyam. She waves her hand in greeting to them before limping closer. She looks down at Neteyam's side in a silent question.
"Yes, I came to see if grandmother would make me some more medicine," Neteyam says, offering a little smile, strained as it is.
Nim nods, limping over to gather supplies that Mo'at is going to probably use. She carefully collects what she needs in her arms, limping from spot-to-spot placing everything into a basket so that she can have an easier time carrying it.
"Can I help you at all, Nim?" Jake asks, keeping his voice soft and gentle. He always does - or tries really hard to - since having brought Nim to their home. He needed her to feel safe here with them. Tsu'tey smiles gently at his soft-hearted mate.
She turns her melted ear towards him, to show she heard him, but shakes her head in dismissal. She was okay. But the tiny smile of her lips that she tried to hide, showed that she appreciated the offer, even if she wouldn't say.
"Why are you up so early, Nim?" Jake asks, sitting down next to Neteyam, making himself appear less threatening. "Can't sleep?"
Nim hesitates, she glances over at Jake, her golden eyes flutter a bit before she whispers, "Nightmare."
Jake's ears fold back and sympathy washes over his expression, Neteyam leans into his side, heart also clenching in pain for the young woman as his dad says, sadly, "I'm sorry. Is there anything that I can do to help you?"
She shakes her head a bit. She turns toward them, head still tilted down, submissively, but she smiles thinly. She tips her head a bit more in thanks for his offer. Carefully, she makes her way over to them, hesitating before passing over the basket she was holding to Jake's outstretched hand. Then she maneuvers herself to the ground with a thump, unable to lower herself slowly.
Jake cringes but passes the basket back to her. She takes it and lowers it down at her side. She looks at Neteyam, giving a little nod toward his side.
"Good morning, Nim," Neteyam says softly, carefully turning so that she can have access to the wound.
Her smile is thin. She nods, casting a glance at Tsu'tey nervously, but relaxes when he settles down behind Jake, letting his mate act like a physical barrier between the timid, frightened young woman, and the empathetic man who just doesn't want her to be afraid. He wraps his arms around Jake, pressing his lips into the Olo'eyktan's shoulder, keeping his hands were Nim can see them. Her tense shoulders relax some more, and she looks over at Neteyam's side.
Neteyam hisses, pressing his cheek into his dad's shoulder as Nim carefully peels away the front set of leaves, frowning a bit.
Catching the look, Tsu'tey tenses, which makes Jake tense up.
"What's wrong?" Tsu'tey asks, his voice tense but he tries to keep it as light as possible despite the worry flickering across his face.
Neteyam's ears flicker, looking at Nim as she stares down at the wound. Jake pulls from Tsu'tey a bit to glance at the wound, but he's not sure what he's looking for beneath all the crusted goop that Mo'at keeps putting on it, which has efficiently sealed the wound closed on both sides. Jake just hates the whimpers of pain that escape him whenever Neteyam needs to get it scrapped off.
"Nim," Jake says slowly, drawing her eyes to him. He takes a breath, trying to keep his voice calm as to not scare her, "what's wrong? You seem worried."
Nim looks down at the wound, then back to Jake, unsure. A flash of fear crosses her face, as if worried that what she says will make the kindness that Jake has on his face go away, which makes Neteyam incredibly sad. He knows that as much Nim likes Jake and trusts him as much as she can bring herself to trust a man, that she will always be afraid of men. Even seeing Jake as her savior is never going to be enough to assuage Nim of her fears. It makes Neteyam sad. He wished that there was something that he could do to help her - as she doesn't mind him either, both as an extension of Jake and as a boy and not a man - but his mother has told him to let it be on her time. If Nim was willing to accept help, it had to be her choice.
Neteyam wants to help but knows that there is a real chance that there is nothing that he can do aside from picking up where his father leaves off when he becomes Olo'eyktan, and that's to ensure that she has a place there with them. That she feels welcomed and loved here amongst the Omatikaya.
Neteyam is pulled from his thoughts when Nim, quieter than a whisper, says, "His wound... is infected..."
"Let me take a look," Mo'at says, walking around Neteyam and his parents, Neytiri a step behind her, chewing on her lower lip in worry. Mo'at lowers next to Nim, gently patting her shoulder before she carefully inspects the skin on Neteyam's stomach, tilting her head slightly. "Yes, the wound is starting to get infected." She looks at Neteyam. "Is it overly sensitive?"
Neteyam shakes his head. "It hurts, but no more than usual." He's not scared. He's not worried. He gets infections all the time when he's injured. He's never been injured this badly, but it's not unusual. But it was just another thing for his parents to worry about. No doubt his cold already tanked his weak immune system as it was. Which thankfully that was clearing up.
Just take it easy - as he unfortunately has been doing up until now - and take a lot more medicine. He has to keep the wound clean and go in for even more regular check up with his grandmother. He knows the drill before his grandmother even has to reiterate it to him. But he nods away as Tsu'tey rubs at his back. His papa is more anxious than he is, but he won't say that.
Papa always worries about him too much.
He has to lay down while his grandmother thoroughly cleans his wound, he just stares at the top of the hut, controlling his breathing while trying to focus on anything other than the pain as she dresses the wound, and his parents help him roll over so that the same can be done to the other side. Grandmother has Nim make him a new, but somehow more disgusting medicine to choke down.
And some more, and some more, before she finally deemed him alright to leave. Something for pain. Something for the infection. Something for the fever. Something for the cold. On and on the list goes until Neteyam is certain he's not going to be able to finish whatever it is that his parents are going to insist that he eats for breakfast.
Nim sat quietly by her side, leaving only to get whatever was requested for Neteyam's health. Once that was done, as Neteyam and his parents were getting ready to leave, after Mo'at assured Tsu'tey - at Neteyam's request - that he was okay to help with training the Metkayina so long as he stayed in First Base and took it easy. It wasn't fair, Neteyam knew, using his grandmother against his papa in such a way, but he knew that if he didn't, his papa would insist that he just rest for the day and honestly, Neteyam was going stir crazy.
But as they were leaving, a concoction that Nim had been quietly brewing in the background was passed to Mo'at once she disinfected herself and turned to the girl to start tending to her burns. Nim, with her back to them, removes the shawl over her shoulders to reveal the patterns of burns carefully healing under Mo'at's tender care. Respectfully, they all turn away and close the flap to the hut as they go.
Neither Mo'at, nor Tsu'tey said anything about whether they realized what Neteyam did, but Neytiri sends him a look. She carefully presses into his side as he walks very slowly, having more strength today than he did yesterday, and whispers, "Naughty boy," into his ear before kissing his forehead. He shoots her an apologetic look, but she just smiles more, giving him another kiss, this time to space between his eyes.
"Sorry, mama," he says, flushing a bit.
She huffs, urging him to lean on her, amused. "Don't be, my sweet boy. It's just nice to see that you have a bit of a wicked side yourself."
"Is it wicked?" He asks, frowning slightly.
She shakes her head, leaning in again but this time to nuzzle him as she says, softly, "Sweet boy, your papa loves you so much that sometimes he forgets to let you spread your wings. If you feel bad about it, I'll help you apologize to him, but a word from the wise," she lowers her voice more so that Neteyam had to strain his ears to hear her despite her being right next to him, pressing into him, "I don't recommend pinning people against one another, even with it being as harmless as that."
"I didn't..." he hesitates, blinking as a touch of shame washes over him. Then, quietly, he says, "I'm sorry."
Neytiri smiles, wrapping an arm tightly around him, being careful of his side. "Oh, how I love you, sweet boy."
Neteyam flushes a bit, but still feels bad. He looks at his papa, who was walking ahead of him slowly, fingers tapping at his thighs, but his stride is confident, assured. Despite his worry, he's always keeping it as in control as possible. Neteyam envies his papa's stead-fast attitude. How strong and assured he always seems to be despite when he's worried.
Neteyam pulls from Neytiri a bit to reach out and touch his papa's wrist, not able to wrap his hand around it due to not being able to keep up with his papa's slightly faster speed. Tsu'tey feels the touch and slows to a stop glancing back at him with wide eyes, blinking curiously. He slows down enough to pull Neteyam into his side to help support his weight as they walk.
"Did you need me, Neteyam?" he asks, placing his hand on Neteyam's ribs to press him close.
"I always need you," Neteyam says softly, knowing it'll make his papa smile. And it does. "I know you're worried about me, papa, but I promise I won't push myself. We'll stay by the pit today so if you're worried, you know where to find me."
Tsu'tey's smile faulters slightly, and he sighs, pressing his cheek into Neteyam's hair. "I can't talk you out of this?"
Neteyam wraps the arm not pressed gently around the front of his wound around his papa's waist, leaning into him. Tsu'tey welcomes the feeling, giving his ribs a squeeze as they head toward the firepit. The clan is trudging in for breakfast before most start their days. Jake is walking ahead of them, met up already with Tarsem and a few of the older hunters, reporting in about anything that might have happened the night before.
Tsu'tey and Neytiri lower Neteyam carefully up against a rock formation near the pit. He was about to offer to help them grab food but Neytiri sends him a look before heading off with Tsu'tey. Tuk steps up next to him a moment later, rubbing at her face and yawning. Neteyam smiles at her, opening his arms in welcome. She carefully lowers into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her head down on his shoulder. Neteyam shifts a bit to take pressure off of his side but welcomes the familiarity of his baby sister dozing in his arms.
Neytiri is displeased when she returns with food, frowning at Tuk in Neteyam's lap, but settles next to him, gently rubbing at her back, trying to coax her to eat something while Neteyam nibbles a bit on his meal, which wasn't a whole lot, he noted.
"Your grandmother gave you a lot of medicine, so I know that you're probably not super hungry," Tsu'tey says at his silent question, lowering down onto Neteyam's other side. "We'll give you something to snack on later but try to eat all of that if you can, son."
Neteyam smiles, relieved. "Thank you, papa."
Eventually, Lo'ak and Kiri join them, with Spider, who stretches out a foot to touch Neteyam's, with a cordial, "You doing good, bro?" To which Neteyam offered a smile and nod. Arvok, Tarsem and Jake joined not long after with more food. The adults are talking as Tsu'tey gently pulls Tuk from Neteyam's lap, cradling her like a baby, kissing her face and nuzzling her until her giggles bring her to full awareness. Then she's happy to gobble up all of her food.
"You were up early this morning, bro," Lo'ak says, pushing his empty leaf away from him. He looks to Neteyam. "Still not feeling well?"
"I'm feeling a lot better," Neteyam admits, a little dry cough escapes him but it's so much better than those wet coughs that he can't breathe through. "I'm starting to get an infection, though, so I have to really take it easy, so we are going to stick around here for the next few days while I heal up."
"Are you okay?" Spider asks, frowning. "Shouldn't you be - " he catches the wide-eyed look sent his way by Neteyam and quickly says, "Uh, never mind."
"I'm okay, bro," Neteyam says, nudging him with his foot. "If I'm laid up one more day, I'm going to lose my mind."
"Okay," Spider concedes to that, nodding. Then, with an easy shrug he says, "So, we just stick around here."
Neteyam smiles as Kiri asks the oldest child, "You plan on sticking around for the lessons? Dad isn't punishing you for being out in the storms."
Lo'ak and Neteyam flinch, catching Jake glancing over at the kids with a knowing look, while Spider shrugs. His face, though, is twisted in remorse, obviously feeling responsible for his part in all of that too. Jake, who was on Spider's other side, reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze before pulling back and turning to keep talking to Arvok and Tarsem.
Once breakfast was over, Neteyam managed to eat everything his papa put on the leave for him, shaking his head vehemently when gently asked if he wanted more. If he ate anymore, he was going to throw up. After that, Spider and Tuk followed Kiri to go get the supplies that Neteyam planned out that they would need for today. He spent a lot of time thinking about how they were going to do the first few days of lessons when Neteyam wouldn't be able to move around much. So, he came up with a few ideas that he thought would be useful. Now that he for sure can't leave until the infection is cleared up, he's glad for thinking about it.
The adults finally had to depart, Tsu'tey and Tarsem both particularly uninterested in leaving the kids alone, but Neytiri and Arvok dragged them off. They have plenty of work to do around the clan, and Lo'ak goes to get the Metkayina. While he's waiting there, trying to organize his thoughts, Neteyam doesn't miss the hunters gathered around, idly, as if just hanging around for no reason.
But Neteyam knows. If Tarsem hadn't put the bug in their ear to stick around, then they noticed that Neteyam wasn't leaving and that the Metkayina were being ushered toward him and they chose of their own volition to ensure that he wasn't left alone. After a few coughs, one of them dropped off a cup of water for him, which he was thankful for, offering for the man to sit and join him while he waited, but he declined, tipping his head in respect, before slipping away to join two other hunters, parked conveniently close by, sharpening their blades.
The Metkayina gather around after being led back by Lo'ak, Rhalwari being carefully lowered by Tsuy'asha and Tonowari. They eye Neteyam carefully, looking him up and down, studying all of the healing scratches and the wound covered by leaves just above his hip. They take in the paleness of his face, still noticeably lighter than it should be, but definitely not as bad as before, with his cheeks tinged with color. And his eyes, that were dull and spiked with fever and pain, are now bright and full of life once more. Healing.
Neteyam's smile is a friendly one. "How is your leg?" Neteyam asks, nodding to Rhalwari's wrapped up limb.
Her smile is gentle. "It's okay. How are you feeling?"
"Oh," Neteyam laughs softly, reaching up to touch one of his braids, watching the four light blue beads twirl between his fingers. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. But's it's so sweet of you to ask."
That earns him a few loose smiles from those gathering around him, their own leaves filled with food in front of them.
"They aren't used to life in the caves, yet," Lo'ak says, lowering down next to Neteyam and the female hunter, Zestira. "They slept in a little but," he shrugs, "they'll get used to it."
"The cave is dark," One of the boys says, Rotxo, Neteyam remembers after a moment. He yawns, rubbing at his stomach. "We used to live out on the beaches, so forgive us if we're getting used to the darkness." His smile is friendly, like his mother's, and Lo'ak's returned grin is welcomed.
Tonowari, who was eyeing the hunters around them, looks over at Neteyam and quietly asks, "How is your side?"
"I'm healing," Neteyam says easily. "Thank you for asking. But please, don't worry about me, I mean it. I really am doing okay."
"You saved our lives," Tsireya says softly from her brother's side, who was opposite Lo'ak by Neteyam. Lo'ak stares at her probably longer and more intensely than he probably realizes, which makes Neteyam roll his eyes in secret. "Concern is the least of what we owe you, Neteyam."
"I did almost get you killed too," Neteyam says, keeping his voice light, but inside he still sees it. The ground - water and rock - rushing up towards them. He can hear Spider, Tsireya and Ao'nung screaming in his ear - his parents and siblings screams as the edge of his hearing. There is a pain in his side, radiating, burning, just like the one at the base of his spine from a hard yank to his tail that pulled him from his black out. And Aphrodite, his beloved ikran, screaming in his head - her pain and terror mixed with his own. Her wing was punctured, yet she felt the shot to his side as if it was her own. To her, they were both dying.
"That wasn't your fault," Tsireya says kindly, but there is a flair of dark fear in her eyes at remembering that moment. "You were hurt really badly. You couldn't help that."
Neteyam doesn't respond to that, he just looks down at his lap, one hand resting on his thigh and the other still messing with his braid and the four light blue beads there. He lets out a little sigh before glancing over at the boy next to him. Another son of an Olo'eyktan. Ao'nung is staring at him, like the rest of them, but his face is pinched in fear, dark shadows under his eyes, belying his inability to sleep.
Neteyam knows that feeling. The first time he saw someone get shot. He was young. He had just earned his ikran. He was out flying with his uncle and his uncle's hunting party. They had sent their ikran away and were traveling across the floor, tracking a herd of hexapede. They never got to find them, though. It happened out of nowhere. No one saw it coming. One moment, they were quietly moving through the forest, the next loud noises are splitting the air in two.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Then a hunting party of six became three. One of the oldest members of the hunting party, older than even Neteyam's uncle, who fought the Sky People last time, helped drive them from their home, recognized the sound. He turned, shoving Neteyam to the ground, before falling dead to the dirt. He fell beside Neteyam, eyes wide but empty staring through him with a hole spitting blood out of his forehead.
An eternity spent staring at one another before Arvok grabbed Neteyam off the ground, yanking him along by his hand as the other hunter shot her arrows into the forest before chasing after, tears of rage sliding down her face. But those eyes, Neteyam could still see that hunter's eyes every time he blinked. Those eyes, the feeling of his big hand on Neteyam's chest, shoving him out of the way...
Neteyam can still feel it.
And he still dreams of it. That paralyzing fear. The uncertainty. Just staring back at the dead bodies of his clansmen. How, had he not been pushed, he might be dead right now. But now he knows that feeling. Now he knows what it feels like to be the one that got shot in the defense of others. And he doesn't feel bad about it at all. He's not upset about the part he played in this. He's not upset that he was shot in place of someone else. In fact, he prefers it. He knows that he's going to survive. He knows that he's going to be okay.
He would rather it be him than someone else.
But yes, Neteyam knows that paralyzing fear. Not being able to breathe or sleep. Tsireya was there, but while she seems to be haunted, Ao'nung was the one that held his blood in his body. He was the one that whispered into Neteyam's ear when he blacked out, begging him to come back. He was the one that Neteyam could hear begging him to be okay as he regained control over Aphrodite after waking up. And Neteyam knew then and there, as he was sent back in time, at that moment, while Ao'nung begged him to be okay, Neteyam could hear himself as his uncle dragged him away.
"Please, be okay. Please, Great Mother. Please, be okay." He could hear his words and Ao'nung's overlapping.
So, he said what he wished his uncle had said to him that day, as he tried to process what he was seeing, what had just happened to him. To them.
"Be strong, mighty warrior," Neteyam says, reaching over to put his hand on Ao'nung's chest. His hand feels cold against the heat of Ao'nung's skin, but it seems to jolt him into alertness. Blue eyes focus on him, blinking rapidly, as if he hadn't realized he was staring, lost to the memory. "Be strong, mighty warrior," Neteyam says again. "Be stalwart. Be fearless. Be strong."
All eyes turn to them, Ao'nung's parents looking worried. His words make something break on Ao'nung's face, if only for a moment. Something agonizing and pained poking through the cracks before cold emptiness takes over once more. A mask used to protect himself from those scary things that haunt him. Neteyam can understand that too. He wears a mask to hide, too.
They really weren't so different from one another.
Ao'nung nods slowly, swallowing thickly. "I'm trying," he says, voice low.
"It takes time," Neteyam says kindly. "Start with making it through the next minute, then the next hour, then the next day. It'll get easier. I promise. And when you're ready to talk, I'll be here."
Ao'nung stares at him, blue eyes wavering but he nods slowly, lips pressing together tightly. He doesn't respond, but Neteyam doesn't need him to. He just presses his hand a bit into the other boy's chest, holding his gaze a moment longer before looking around at the gathered Metkayina, pulling his hand back to himself. "Alright, so as I'm sure you all heard, lessons start today. Due to my current state, we are going to start at the absolute basics of learning the ways of the forest. We are going to start with something extremely basic but essential for life here. Plants."
Just in time, Spider, Kiri and Tuk return, each with baskets of plants for this lesson. The Metkayina make room for them as Neteyam's siblings start making a few piles of plants inside the circle so that everyone can see it.
"My sister, Kiri," Lo'ak says, waving his hand to Kiri. She glances up at him, then looks around the group, waving her hand from her forehead to them, which the Metkayina return. The Metkayina look at Tuk, her single red bead, to Lo'ak, and his two green beads, to Kiri, with her three yellow ones with one hanging off of each of her three braids, and then Neteyam, with his four blue beads. And to them, it seems, the picture is complete as all four Sully siblings now have faces and beads put together.
"My sister Kiri is to be our mother's successor when she becomes Tsahik," Neteyam says, a touch of pride in his voice for his sister's accomplishments. "So, she's going to be taking over this portion of the lessons."
Kiri nods, smiling faintly at his words before gesturing to the pile of laid out plants. "Eat," she says, nodding to their leaves and food, "I'll talk while you do. Ask me questions when you have them."
As Kiri talks, Neteyam and his siblings throw in their input every once and a while, but mostly listen. The Metkayina, especially Ronal, Tsireya and Tonowari have a lot of questions. Kiri is careful and articulate, explaining what the plants are and what they do. How the clan uses them and so on. She passes them around, giving general ideas on how to locate them if they are needed. She goes from plants used in food, for food, then to medicine and even poisonous ones. But she waited for everyone to be done with eating before introducing the poisonous ones.
It wasn't the most interesting thing to learn about, but definitely important. Everyone tried to be as focused and alert as possible to learn about these strange new things, but Neteyam knew that most of it was stuff that was going to have to be gone over multiple times and seen in practice. But that was to be expected.
Ao'nung didn't speak for the rest of the lessons, at least, not any of the parts that Neteyam was part of, but he did keep stealing glances at the heir of the Omatikaya. Neteyam would meet his gaze with a soft smile, but the boy never held it for long and would always look away first.
Time, Neteyam tells himself, he needs time.
The hunters hung around, drifting in and out of the corner of Neteyam's eye. His parents popped in regularly to listen in and offer some insight or just to check on them. And Neteyam was pulled away many times to see his grandmother, to get his wound cleaned and more medicine. He was proud of himself not needing his breathing mask all day, they left it behind that morning because he felt strong enough without it. He did take a few puffs of it at his grandmother's hut after the fifth time walking there over the course of the day, exhausted, and asked if they could bring it back to the hut later that night, which Jake, who escorted him this time, readily agreed to.
Before they were able to head back, Lo'ak popped his head in. "Hey bro?"
"Yes?" Neteyam asks, holding the mask to his face as his grandmother reapplies medicine and clean leaves to the wound on his back.
Jake, who was standing close by with his arms crossed, glances over as Lo'ak steps into the room. "Kiri's worried that their brains are going to melt out of their ears with all those vacant eyed stares that she's getting so she wants to pick this up again tomorrow."
Neteyam nods, breathing deeply into the mask. "Sounds good. I'm getting pretty tired, so I think I'm going to go back to the hut to rest."
"All good, bro," Lo'ak says, smiling up at Jake who pats his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. He looks back at Neteyam. "I just didn't want you to go all the way back there just to learn that we let the Metkayina have the rest of the day to themselves."
"Sure, thanks Lo'ak."
Lo'ak nods. "Want me to help you back to the hut?"
"I'm okay," Neteyam says, waving him off. "I'm going to hang out here for a bit more and then go back. See you tonight."
"Okay, later!" With that, Lo'ak departs, disappearing as quickly as he came. Neteyam waves a bit while Mo'at huffs behind him.
"I swear," Mo'at says, amused. "I don't know where that boy gets all of his energy." Neteyam grins at that, looking over at his dad, who was staring off after Lo'ak, a conflicting look of love and sadness written across his face, but it clears away into the familiar stoicism his dad wears when he's not sure how to process his feelings. When they become too big or rush him before he's ready.
Neteyam knows who he got his mask from.
"Hey dad," Neteyam asks quietly.
"Yeah?" Jake turns to look at him, eyebrow raised.
"Is papa around here somewhere?"
Jake tilts his head slightly. "I think so. Do you want me to go get him?"
Neteyam shakes his head, taking another breath from the mask before lowering his voice, just in case his papa was to stop by, he didn't want him to overhear. "I'm making him something. It's almost done. I'm adding the final touches and I think I can finish before dinner. I just was wondering if you could make sure he didn't come back to the hut until then. I don't want the surprise to be ruined."
Jake's eyes brighten a bit, and a smile pulls at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, do I get to see it?"
Shyly, Neteyam says, "You can when I'm done with it. It's not quite perfect yet. I want him to like it."
Mo'at huffs again behind him, smoothing her hand over the leaves before grabbing hold of his braids and pulls them to his back, smoothing them down lovingly. Jake's mile grows a touch more. "I'm certain he's going to love whatever you make him."
Neteyam flushes, hoping that was true. "I hope so. I just need to finish it up before he comes back home tonight."
Jake grins, offering a little nod. "Sure thing, baby boy. I'll keep him busy."
Neteyam returns the grin. "Thank you, dad."
"You're welcome, just... take it easy, okay? I know that you didn't do a whole lot today, but please, for our sake, please take it easy." Jake's eyes flash with worry before clearing up again.
"I'll be okay, dad. Don't worry about me."
Jake stares at him, considering before shaking his head. "Sorry, baby boy, but that is never going to happen. I'm going to worry about you kids until the day I die. Now, let me get you back to the hut and go see what he's up to."
Neteyam nods, carefully climbing to his feet with his father and grandmother's help. He turns to Mo'at leaning up to nuzzle her cheek lovingly. She smiles, nuzzling him back as he says, "Thank you, grandmother. I'll see you later."
"Goodbye, tiyawn, rest up." She sends a look to Jake, who nods at whatever unspoken thing passed between them.
And with that, Jake helps him back to the hut so that he can finish his gift to give his papa during dinner tonight. Then get a good night's rest for lessons tomorrow.