Intertwined [Neteyam x OC]

Chapter 14

Kill the lights
Oh, baby, close your eyes
The way you're looking at me
You've got me mesmerized
Something I can't escape
Feel like I'm lost in space
You've got that good loving
- 'Loverboy' by A-Wall

The next day, Neteyam and Aliyah entered the family hut together to see Jake and Neytiri happily talking to each other. Aliyah hesitated and whispered, "I don't want to ruin their mood right now, let's do this another time!"
As she turned to leave, Neteyam's hand pulled her back, "Don't be afraid, they'll believe you. I promise."
She sighed and hesitantly stepped forward, scraping her throat to announce their presence. Jake and Neytiri's heads whipped in their direction, both of their smiles fading as they noticed Aliyah's somber expression.
Neytiri tilted her head, implying that they should sit in front of the two adults, "What's wrong? You look troubled."
Aliyah sighed and felt Neteyam squeeze her hand in encouragement, "When I connected to the Spirit Tree, I saw a strange vision. It wasn't exactly as happy as what I expected to see."
Neteyam added, "She told me yesterday, and I think it's not something we should ignore."
Jake frowned, "Okay, sure. Tell us." Aliyah described the scene she witnessed in her vision, and Jake and Neytiri shared worried glances. Neytiri's eyes fell on her oldest son as Aliyah finished her story.

There was silence for a while, before Neytiri took Aliyah's hand gently, "Eywa is trying to tell you something, Aliyah."
Aliyah's eyes fluttered and her voice sounded panicked, "I know, but what? That Neteyam is going to die? What am I supposed to do with that!" Her gaze dropped to her hands in her lap, "It haunts me, Neytiri. I don't want it to happen."
Jake placed a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, stop. We'll protect everyone if anything happens, you know that." He looked over at Neteyam, who was staring at Aliyah with worry on his face.
Jake continued, "Look, we know you two have a ... special ... connection. But everything will be fine, I promise you." Both Aliyah and Neteyam blushed and locked eyes for a second at hearing Jake mention their connection. Did they know?
Jake squeezed Aliyah's shoulder, "Thank you for telling us, Ali."
Neytiri nodded, "We won't ignore Eywa's message for you. We will never let anything happen to either of you." She brushed her fingers through Aliyah's hair, "My sweet Aliyah, I couldn't wish for anyone better for my son."
Aliyah's mouth fell open, "Uhm, what do you mean?"
Neytiri looked over at Jake before answering, "You're ... together? Right?"
Aliyah couldn't find words, so Neteyam intervened, "Mom, we're ..." He sighed, "It's ... complicated."

Jake and Neytiri shared some awkward glances, and he broke the silence, "Oh... we thought... never mind!"
He tried to steer the conversation in another direction, "I'm guessing you didn't see your parents then?" Aliyah shook her head in disappointment. Neytiri frowned sadly, "You will see them again, Aliyah. You share such a strong bond with your mother and father, don't forget that. Believe that your connection will help you reunite with them."
Aliyah smiled softly, "Thank you, Neytiri. I won't stop trying." She hugged both of the adults, before excusing herself and leaving the hut. Neteyam came after her at first, but she shook her head lightly, showing him that she wanted to be alone for a while. He nodded, kissing her forehead and letting her go.

---

Aliyah spent about an hour swimming alone, with the water washing over her and clearing her head of the dark thoughts lingering around. She felt lighter as she finally emerged from the water, wringing out her hair. She sat down on the beach with her eyes closed and her head tilted back, enjoying the rays of the sun hitting her smooth skin.
Suddenly, her face felt cooler and she noticed the sun wasn't shining on her anymore. She opened her eyes and saw a boy standing in front of her.
He was smiling warmly, "Hi! You're Aliyah, right?"
She got up to stand in front of him, crossing her arms, "Yes, I am. How did you know?"
His mouth formed a beautiful bright smile, "Well, it's not like there are a lot of forest people running around here." He winked playfully, "You're kind of a celebrity!"
She couldn't help but smile at his comment, "So who are you then, mysterious boy?"
He held out a hand, "I'm Ma'ko!" She shook it and noticed he had a firm grip. His arms were pretty muscular. In fact, his whole body was muscular, and he was a lot taller than her. His hair was long and curly, and apart from a loose bun at the back of his head, he let it flow down over his broad shoulders. His smile was bright, and you couldn't help but return the happiness he radiated. He was a very handsome boy, and Aliyah blushed as she noticed she was staring at him a little too long, "Oh, sorry! I've just never seen you around before."
He raised his eyebrows, "Well, you guys mostly hang around Ao'nung, Rotxo, and Tsireya. I saw you sitting alone and thought it was the perfect time to introduce myself!"
Aliyah smiled, "Good, I always want to meet new friends."
Ma'ko joked, "Friends already? I thought it would be a lot harder to get you to like me."
Aliyah pushed his shoulder playfully, "Hey, I'm super friendly! And extremely fun, by the way."
Ma'ko tilted his head, "Oh yeah? Wanna race?"
Aliyah squinted her eyes, "Oh, you're on."