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hab • bro • mania
noun
delusions of happiness

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THE GUILTY WALKS as the three teenagers headed into the hut, anger seething through Jake they disobeyed him again why can't they ever listen to him? It bounced around his head as the older man tried to keep himself calm, it not working as he glared at his kids.

"What was the one thing I asked? The one thing!" Jake asked his kids who were bloody and bruised from the fighting looking not as bad as the others they fought.

"Stay out of trouble," they all said sighing a little, "stay out of trouble right," he said back to the guilty looking teenagers, embarrassed by the yelling.

"It was my fault," Neteyam came for Lo'ak to save him while Elyä watched her eye a little starting to get purple and yellow and three long deep scratches in her arm bleeding, the guys definitely got a little on her as she beat his ass.

"I don't think so, you've gotta stop taking the heat for this knucklehead," Jake spat staring at his youngest son who acted a lot like him, it freaked him out.

"Look dad. Ao'nung was picking on Kiri," Lo'ak said tired of being yelled at like he was everyday, "Called her a freak."

"Go apologize to Ao'nung," Jake commanded to his son who looked at him with a fierce glare that nearly matched his own, why did he have to be like him? The questions continued to swarm his head like bees constantly asking and asking.

Elyä and Neteyam looked at each other all bloodied and close to laughing, this situation was funny so what if they fought? It's not like they are dying anytime soon? Or were they? They never knew they lived for the thrill.

"What?" Lo'ak asked his dad lost on why he had to apologize, what he did was not wrong.

"He's the chiefs son. Do you understand?" The angered father asked his sons glancing at the girl who was just awkwardly stood there embarrassed, red seeping onto her hands as she held the wounds that will definitely will scar like the one over her eye.

Scars are meant to heal but the memories lie there forever, even if you try to forget them, like death you never forget.

"I don't care how you do it just go make peace," Jake sighed, these kids will be the death of him, "just go."

Lo'ak shook his head going to find Ao'nung and apologize not really wanting too but going anyways as to not cause more trouble.

Elyä stood not really moving from her spot as Neteyam walked halfway out the door but was stopped by his father, "hey, how did the other guys look like?" He asked knowing they probably looked terrible.

"Worse. A lot worse," he chuckled as his father nodded his kids were taught well.

Jake glanced at the carbon copy of Tsu'tey and A'kaya their deaths haunting him in her form, he can't disappoint them even in death.

"Get out of here," Jake commanded Neteyam softly knowing he'll get patched up soon by Elyä, Ronal or someone good with calming and pain, "what you still doing here Lyä?" Jake asked the girl who looked close to tears and really fragile like a porcelain doll.

"I'm sorry if I disappointed you Jake," she said with her full chest holding in the tears still bleeding.

"Hey, Elyä you can never disappoint me. You did what was right, you are a strong warrior a lot like your parents. You made them proud kid." He told the now crying teenager, "hey, hey Lyä it's gonna be okay, I can never be disappointed in you."

"Would my dad be?" Elyä asked a tear escaping down her blue cheek like drizzling rain that shivered your soul.

"He never be, he would be proud look at you, you are a strong warrior like he was," Jake told her softly hugging her, "everything will be okay," he mumbled trying not to hurt her as she cried.

"I can't stop feeling like I disappointed him," the warrior sobbed on his shoulder as he held her.

"Everything is okay you could never disappoint Tsu'tey look at you I see a strong warrior who will do anything for your people," Jake continued to tell the teenager who was sobbing on him.

"How did he die?" Elyä asked her mom always deflected that question the grief to hard on her.

"I'll tell you once you get patched up, now go back to Neteyam he looked concerned," the older man commanded looking outside where the teenage boy stood waiting for her.

"Go, go," he laughed grinning at her making her smile back happy he actually listened to her.

Now only good can come from the pain even if it stung and you bled from it, but you can change even if everyone leaves.

THE AGONIZING PAIN of getting patched up, "shit," she mumbled flinching as Ronal cleaned her wounds Neteyam watching already have been patched up a bit. "Stop smirking at me you dick," she said as Ronal added a bandage around Elyä's scaring arm that seared with pain.

Ao'nung walked into the room a guilty expression plastered onto his face, something had happened.

Neteyam glanced at the chiefs son before heading out of the hut a lost look taking over his face like a harsh storm, "go tell me what he said Nete," she mumbled as he walked out nodding.

Ao'nung's bruised face held guilt like a chip on his shoulder as he told Neteyam what he did.

"You motherfucker," Neteyam glared anger coursing through him his brother was probably killed because of this idiot, "you know what I'm gonna make you do."

He gripped his braid glancing inside the hut to the girl who was all now patched up nodding his head saying follow him.

They made it to where Jake and Kiri was annoyance and anger coursing through the two fifteen year olds as Neteyam held tightly onto Ao'nung's braid pushing him towards his dad.

"Tell them what you told me," he commanded the chiefs son as Ao'nung pushed him away telling Jake what he did.

"Oh great mother Eywa I'm gonna kill you," Elyä rasped side eyeing the boy not even wanting to look at him knowing that Lo'ak could be dead all because of Ao'nung's prank.

Jake stood up fast concerned going to get Neytiri to tell the two needing to do a search party for his youngest son.

Nightfall showed up painting the sky into a starry night taking away all the color that lived there before, eclipse was here and there was no sign of Lo'ak, he better not be dead no one could bear that burden right now she thought before noticing the crowd of Metkayina by the docks.

"The boy is back!" A man screamed alerting everyone as Lo'ak jumped off a guy's ilu saying I see you walking onto the dock.

Jake got into the dock checking on his son noticing the scratches and some blood on him, "hey let's have a look at you, he's fine he's fine only a few  scratches," Toruk Makto told the people calmly, slowly Neytiri broke through the crowd, "I pray for the strength to not rip the eyeballs out of my youngest son," his mom said like putting her hand out acting like she's taking out his eyes.

Lo'ak backed away annoyed before walking up to Ao'nung rage that was buried deep slowly escaping him, he nearly died if it wasn't for that Tulkun.

"No. My son knows better than to take him outside the reef," Tonowari said pushing his son to his knees, "the blame is his." He put his hand on his shoulder on a way to keep him there.

Elyä watched intrigued by the events happening in front of her,

"Okay, let's go," Jake commanded his son just wanting him home knowing he's safe and not causing trouble or dying.

"No, this isn't Ao'nung's fault this was my idea," Lo'ak told them coming to the chiefs son rescue having already known what it feels to be a disappointment on the daily.

Elyä looked at the young boy who was like her brother confused, he wasn't that big of an skxwang sure does he do reckless things but not this bad.

"Ao'nung tried to talk me out of it," the teenager continued lying going to save the boy who has been nothing but a dick to him he knew it was a bad idea but Lo'ak already was a big disappointment to his family why not be a even bigger one.

"Really," Lo'ak sighed sincerely, "I'm sorry," as Neytiri called his name annoyed.

"Come on," Jake commanded his son a now harsh tone into his voice that he used earlier, oh how Elyä wishes she could hug Lo'ak tightly and stop the feeling that he wasn't a disappointment to her but a strong warrior.

The family headed to the hut, "dad you asked to make friends with this kids," he sighed basically begging in his voice.

Elyä stared at him sadness evident and glued onto her face, he glanced at her as she smiled softly to him happy he's okay.

"I don't want to hear it. You brought shame to this family," the warrior held in her shock to Jake saying that the urge to say something to him but Neteyam stopped her, "El do not do that you know how he is with Lo'ak," he whispered in her ear holding her hand.

"Can I go now?" The fourteen-year-old asked tired of trying with a dad who barely cared or tried to understand him.

"Anymore trouble and I'm gonna knot your tail, you hear me?" He said in a strict tone that could make a banshee flinch, "yes sir," he said before walking off.

"Where were you?" Neytiri asked the two warriors, "where do you think Neytiri?" Elyä said flatly before Jake cut her off to ask Neteyam again, "yeah what happened to keeping an eye on your brother?"

"Sorry sir," the older boy replied partly whispering, "go on you two," the parents commanded the two still holding hands wanting to leave that suffocating conversation.

Love can flourish even in the darkest of minds but the two never thought it would happen to them.

ESME'S CORNER!
I'm finally posting! sorry for taking so long I was struggling with this chapter and school was kicking my ass I'm so sorry. But please vote and comment! Thank you all for 1.6k on this book!

Word count: 1,775 words