𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄, neteyam

009. 𝙠𝙭𝙪𝙠𝙚, 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚

"He will be okay."

Following earlier on, Ilyana told Neteyam as they walked side by side long the beach. It was passed eclipse so it was dark out and the Na'vi's bioluminescent dots glowed accentuating certain patterns and features of their faces.

They stood watching the ilu swim around in the glowing water when Neteyam began to get nervous. She had not noticed, being so concentrated on petting Nìlìuu who had now swam towards her.

Neteyam nudged her side slightly with his tail as she was sat down, and he was still stood up. Ilyana looked up with big eyes and a confused face. Neteyam sighed and handed her a small 'thing' wrapped in a leaf.

"We already ate."

She laughed calmly, her voice quiet as she was extremely tired.

"It's not food."

Neteyam shook his head, smiling and he crouched down next to her. Ilyana unwrapped the leaf from its neatly folded position and held a blue necklace in her hand. It was delicately decorated with small shells and pearls to match the Metkayina traditional clothing.

Ilyana smiled, not saying anything yet and turned around, holding her curly hair for Neteyam to put it on her. He gently tied the homemade necklace around her neck and tapped her back lightly for her to turn around. Her hair was half tied up, the bottom part occupied with her thick curls and small braids with adornments, spread throughout. She returned to her comfortable position and flashed a teethy smile at the boy, hiding her eyes and revealing her dimples.

"Thank you."

Ilyana breathed out laced in thick Metkayina accent, something Neteyam was deeply attracted to about her. He was sure if he was attracted to her. But he found her pretty. Beautiful even. She had the most beautiful features making her appear as an angel.

Neteyam didn't do this suddenly as he was too nervous anyway, his ears twitched as he felt her body grow closer to his. His tail slowly and gentley wrapped itself around her waist. Securing them together as they sat, feet dangling in the water, watching the ilu swim around them.

Ilyana felt an unfamiliar feeling of comfort in this moment. Cherishing it knowing she didn't feel this often. No. This was Neteyam's affect on her. Safe.

*ೃ༄

Ilyana was set to watch over the young Na'vi. An instruction specifically set by her father, but of course, now she was around Lo'ak too much, she has skipped out on this baby sitting shift.

She was on the beach collecting shells when Neteyam had approached her.

"Come with me."

He told her, holding her hand and attempting to drag her into the water.

"No! I'm busy."

She stood still and escaped from his grasp. Besides, what happened to 'hello?"

It was then as if he read her mind.

"Hello Ilyana."

He spoke, standing directly in front of her with his head tilted and hands behind his back. She rolled her eyes and continued her search for pretty shells.

"Hello Neteyam."

"Can you please join me for a swim."

He skipped slightly as he walked beside her, now talking very formally, though his Na'vi accent still shone through.

"Maybe."

Maybe? That was nothing to Neteyam. He needed yes or no.

"I like your top."

Ilyana stopped walking and stared at the boy with wide eyes. She sighed and pressed her lips together.

"I made it."

The two both looked down to admire Ilyana's homemade top. A cream, woven top with the appearance that it looked like two seashells. It was connected around her neck with peices of string from the ocean, and adorned with shells.

"You are very talented."

Without looking up she simply side-glanced and tried to keep a straight face, wanting to laugh.

Picking a small shell from her collection she had accumulated, she threaded one through one of his braids and stepped back slightly to admire it.

"Your hair matches my top"

She laughed, he was clearly unamused as he stood facing her with furrowed eyebrows. Although he didn't have eyebrows to furrow. Simply patterns across his forehead, where eyebrows should be.

"Let's go."

Ilyana gave in, dropped all her seashells and dragged Neteyam into the water before diving in.

They swam together, staying inside the reef. As both didn't feel like being told off for a second time in only a few hours.

Ilyana would watch Neteyam carefully whenever he stopped to take in his surroundings. To him, it was surreal. The boy had lived his whole life on land, flying and now he practically lived in water.

He hadn't mastered the proper breathing techniques yet, although Ilyana had one trick left.

She explained to him how she would throw down a shell and he'd go to retrieve it before it reaches the bottom of the ocean floor.

As she threw it in, Neteyam held his breath and dove in after it. Keeping an eye on both him and the sea shell Ilyana soon got distracted by how majestic Neteyam was in the water. He cautiously swam around any creatures and made sure he was gentle when swimming through the nature.

She watched him resurface and almost let out a squeal.

"I got it! Ilyana!"

Neteyam shouted out, holding the shell in his hand as he resurfaced.

"You did it!"

She held his hand that clasped onto the shell she threw to the bottom. Both with huge smiles across their faces. Ilyana admired how excited he got but little did she know he had only tried that hard to see her smile when she saw how much her teachings had paid off.

"Get on."

Neteyam told Ilyana as he sat on his ilu. The girl shook her head and stayed in the water, refusing to sit at the back of his ilu.

"Nìlìuu is being trained."

Neteyam had to remind her. Still she didn't budge from staying in the water. He huffed and rolled his eyes before grabbing her hand and pulling onto his ilu, behind him.

The ilu swam off fast and Neteyam plastered a hand on her thigh, keeping her in place. She hesitantly wrapped her own arms around his waist, making him take a deep breath and closing his eyes - in his head, telling his ilu to swim as fast is it could.

*ೃ༄AUTHORS NOTE; the neteyam;water scenes have my heart honestly!!
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