You will fall (Neteyam x Oc)

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 25
BEACH BUDS

Sao'Nae huffed and left her father on the woven path, making her way to the Marui and passing her mother who angrily sat on the floor by her loom---not that Sao'Nae cared too much. Emotions were still high. I mean, Ronal disappointed in her sweet golden child? I guess there was a first for everything.

She quickly rushed through the archway leading to her room and sat down on her cot, somewhere she'd been not even thirty minutes prior. To think that it only took her mother thirty Eywa-foresaken minutes to absolutely ruin her day.

She laid down and stared at the ceiling for a minute, contemplating everything and more. She tried to imagine the hormones running through her mother's body, how sick and tired she must feel all of the time, and for a second she understood that she might've just been cranky. Then again, that's no excuse for calling your daughter a disappointment because she might---MIGHT---have a crush on a boy.

" This is so stupid...." She muttered beneath her breath, rubbing circles onto her face.

" Sao'Nae---"

" Fuck---" Sao'Nae felt her heart leap from her chest as a voice chimed behind her, almost causing her to fall on the floor, though she found her steady and stayed laid down. When she regained her composure she glanced behind her, seeing Lo'ak grinning in her window like a dopey blue baby.

He chuckled softly, " Quiet, your Mama's in there." He whispered, " Come on, the gang's waiting by the beach."

Sao'Nae sighed and shook her head, " I can't, Lo'ak. I'm basically grounded. My father said---"

Lo'ak rolled his eyes and leant back, his grip on the 'windowsill' being his only stabilization, " Who cares what your father said!" He said lowly, " You deserve this, don't let them dictate your entire life!"

There was a pause as Sao'Nae thought about it. What my parents don't know won't kill them, she thought firmly, fidgeting with the ends of her fingers, " The longer I think about it the less I want to do it...." She uttered, watching as Lo'ak's face fell, " So that means we have to go quickly before I change my mind."

The boy grinned and laughed silently, reaching through the hole and attaching his hand to Sao'Nae's wrist---beginning to help the girl through and onto the ground... 

" I knew you weren't a pussy." He cheered quietly, knowing Ronal was only a couple feet away, though in all fairness she couldn't hear very much when she was angry. Sao'Nae knew that wrath all too well. The two ducked down and snuck through the village, Lo'ak purposely staying on her left side to keep prying eyes off of her. The ocean was filled with Metkayina at this time of day, so keeping Sao'Nae hidden was an absolute must---unless she wanted Tonowari on her ass like white on rice.

The two teens couldn't help but laugh at one another, bumping shoulders and hitting each other lightly. Whenever Sao'Nae would shush him it only made him giggle more until eventually the two were far enough near the brush of the forest to easily sneak. Lo'ak seemed as of he'd done this many times, his ears perched and alert, everytime someone passed them grabbing onto Sao'Nae's wrist and pulling her low into a crouch. The girl did little to fight him, instead doing exactly as he asked. I mean, Sao'Nae was a reef girl, Lo'ak was a Forest boy. If Sao'Nae was going to listen to anyone while in the brush of the mangrove trees, it was an Omatikaya.

The two came along where the gang had the bonfire the night before, each person sitting in their designated spot. Lo'ak smirked victoriously and raised his eyebrows, " Who said I couldn't sneak all the way to the chiefs Marui and return with our dear Nae'nae?" He joked, raising his arms in the air and plopping on the ground, " I believe someone owes me a weeks worth of Ikran cleaning~." He chided in a singsong voice, poking his sister Kiri.

Once the two made their presence known Neteyam immediately stood up and rushed to her, never minding the fact that both of her baby siblings were near.

" Ma'Tanhì, I saw that whole thing with your mother earlier? Are you okay?" He asked frantically, his accent thick as his hand went up to brush some curly hair from her face.

Sao'Nae found herself glancing behind him, where Ao'nung was, before looking back to Neteyam's golden eyes, " I'm fine...I really am, Ma'Teyam." She couldn't help but lean into his touch, feeling as though she'd never get to feel it again after all the horrible things her mother said, " I am okay."

Tsireya crossed her arms, " What was going on with you and mother? You guys never argue."

" Ewya forbid...." Ao'nung mumbled.

Sao'Nae huffed and looked over at her brother and sister, " Do not worry about it. It was just a stupid fight." She assured, " It meant nothing."

Neteyam's ears lowered, his head bowing as if he knew what the dreaded subject was. He reached out his hand and took Sao'Nae's within his own, " It was about me....Wasn't it..." His words were so incredibly soft that Sao'Nae almost didn't hear it, but she did. She glanced over her shoulder at the boy she'd grown to love being around and gave a sad frown.

" We'll talk later."

That's all she could say.

Lo'ak played with his fingers and licked his lips, " So, what do we do? I'm guessing your mother forbade you from speaking with Neteyam." He said said pointing between the twos hands, " Seeing as your...you know....all like that."

Sao'Nae nodded, " Yes. She said I was to no longer be your teacher, that Ao'nung and Tsireya would take over my lessons full time and that I was to focus on being Tsahìk."

Ao'nung could recognize the tone in his sister's voice, he'd heard it many times from his own voice after his father yelled at him. Something was bothering his twin. He could feel it in his queue.

The boy hesitated, " Sao'Nae...What did mother say that affected you so much? Typically it's all in one ear and out the other for you..."

Sao'Nae gently held Neteyam's hand and sat down on the sand, " She said I was a disappointment." She admitted, " I don't know why that bothered me so much."

Lo'ak subconsciously let out a snort, thinking of all the times Jake had called him a disappointment as he listened to the reef girl speak. He raised his head slightly, " Don't worry, you get used to it."

If only Lo'ak could've seen the look Neteyam and Kiri had given him...

Sao'Nae sighed, " My mother and I have always been, somewhat close. I mean, I was her eldest daughter which means I was to be the next Tsahìk...I'd been preparing for it my entire life. Every lesson and every battle...I thought I was doing good. And then I met some people and I realized I didn't have to just---" She froze and shook her head, " It's stupid."

Ao'nung scoffed, " Stupid? Sao'Nae you are a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them."

Tsireya nodded, " I know the burdens our parents put on you is great, but even still, you will be Tsahìk one day. With or without our mother's approval."

Sao'Nae shook her head again, " That is where you are wong, little sister. If I don't conform to what our mother believes me to be, she'll pass the role to the next most eligible..."

Lo'ak's eyes widened, " Tsireya-"

" Tsireya." Sao'Nae nodded.

Neteyam shook his head, " No. No we wouldn't let that happen."

Sao'Nae smiled sadly at the man and chuckled, " Okay, solider boy. And like I said----"

" We'll talk later."