Burn for Me

Chapter 9: My best kept secret

3rd pov:

Once the new situationship had finished smothering each other in affection they decided it was around time that they part ways as the hour would be over soon.

"Put on your best miserable face, I'll see you soon." Tsamera gave one last kiss to his lips before leaving to try and put as much distance between the two as possible.

But even now, left alone in that tiny space, Neteyam couldn't collect himself and wipe the grin off his face.

He dunked his head into the water in an attempt to clear his head.

What just happened was nothing short of a dream, a really really good dream.

He climbed out of the coral and sat back on his Illu who was patiently waiting for him, just in time for the horn to blow, signalling the end of the hour.

Neteyam rode back to the surface, emerging out of the water, trying his absolute best to look disappointed.

He looked around at all the new giggling pairs, some of them holding hands, others a bit more shy, some of them had clearly already mated.

Then he saw her, she didn't manage to get too far, and the two of them made eye contact, they both bit back a laugh, they felt like two little kids with a dirty little secret between them, they both felt giddy, bubbles of nerves and butterflies in their bellies.

Neteyam shot her a quick wink, before looking back to the shore.

Once he had reached the sand he saw his family waiting with sympathy, they all wanted him to be with Tsamera, but this was practically confirmation it would never happen, well they thought it was confirmation.

"Oh my Neteyam, I'm so sorry, Eywa has a wonderful woman beyond your imagination waiting for you, now is just not the time." Neytiri hugged her son, who pursed his lips nodding, giving her the shell.

"It's fine mother, really. I don't know why I expected anything to happen." He shook his head, looking at the ground, 'wow I should be an actor' he thought, but in reality his focus on the sand was to stop himself from bursting out laughing.

"Sorry bro..." Lo'ak said, a guilty look on his face, but Neteyam patted his head, and smiled softly.

"Don't worry about it, it's not your fault, even if you and Tsireya put our shells right next to each other, Eywa's will is final."

"Maybe it only works on the Metakayina, you and Tsamera are both of different tribes, and she hasn't found anyone for years in this ceremony, it could be the case that the ritual works for those pure blood of the Metakayina." Jake said in deep thought, trying to figure out why this girl, who brightened his son's life so much, was not the final woman for him.

"That's not how it works dad." Kiri shook her head, looking at her brother apologetically.

"It's ok Neteyam! You always have us!" Tuk smiled, wrapping Neteyam in a hug, her head resting on the side of his hips in an attempt to console him.

"Of course I do. Sullys stick together."

"That's right, come on kids, it's been a long day, time for bed." Jake tried to divert the attention from his son, but as they walked back to their Marui, Neteyam walking to his separate one, Jake talked lowly to his son.

"You ok kid?"

"Yeah, really dad I'll be fine, it's just a crush." Neteyam shrugged.

Jake wanted to say more, more about the way the pair looked at each other, the matching beads, how well they compliment one another, but he figured his son was trying to deal with his emotions and decided it best to leave him to it.