Tuk ran downstairs with the sound of her favorite boots alerting her siblings of her presence. Each one of them was occupied with their tasks. Kiri set the table, Neteyam cleaned around and Lo'ak was too busy lying lazily on the couch to even lift a finger.
"Merry Christmas!" Neteyam lifted the little girl into his arms to take a seat near the fireplace.
"Christmas is not Christmas without presents!" Tuk whined.
"It's so dreadful being poor." Kiri sighed deeply pushing Lo'ak's feet out of the couch to accommodate herself.
"It's not fair. How come some girls can have all sorts of pretty things and others have nothing?" Tuk scrambled away from Neteyam's arms to run to the table and two treats. One of them was handed to Lo'ak who ruffled her hair in thanks.
"Well, at least we have mother, father, and each other." Neteyam tried to lighten the mood. For the sake of his siblings.
"We don't have Dad and we won't have him for as long as this war drags on," Lo'ak mumbled with a scowl.
"I wish we had lots of money and servants so I wouldn't have to lift a finger for the rest of my life. I'm tired of carrying wood, and sowing Lo'ak's socks." Kiri complained with a frown.
"I will forever be grateful for your many attentions." He grinned laying his head on his sister's lap, earning a flick on the forehead.
"I have lots of wishes but what I want the most is to marry a prince and live in a castle with lots of pretty dresses." Tuk twirled around between giggles.
"You don't need a prince for that. Lo'ak will make a lot of money with his compositions, and he will buy you as many dresses as you want. Right?" Kiri teased.
"I only do that for us. I don't need anyone else to hear it." He stood up not wanting to talk about the topic anymore.
"You must not limit yourself," Neteyam said, however, his brother didn't pay him any mind. "And Tuk, mother proposed not to have any Christmas gifts this year because our men are suffering in the army. We can't do much, but we can do little sacrifices to show our support." He barely got to finish speaking when a cushion hit him in the face.
"Don't play mature just because mom is not home!" Lo'ak laughed loudly catching the cushion that was thrown back at him.
"That's so mean!" Tuk jumped in defense of the eldest.
"Oh yeah? You don't like fighting?" Lo'ak showed her a malicious grin as he took his little sister and started tickling her all over until her joyous laughter was the only thing that could be heard inside the house. Eventually, Neteyam joined, and Kiri was also dragged along. The moment ended when their mother closed the entrance door loud enough for them to hear.
"Merry Christmas to my little joys," Neytiri spoke softly as they greeted her. She let herself sit on a chair near the fireplace, dead on her feet.
Kiri helped her take her shoes off while Neteyam prepared her some tea with water that had already been boiled and was waiting for her. Outside the sun had just begun to make its way high on the sky and the cold snow had not been kind to her tired body.
"Yesterday was the busiest day the depot has ever had. We had to get two hundred boxes of goods under the five o'clock train. Not to mention that we lacked mittens and blankets for some of them."
"So now we'll have to sit here and knit like pokey old women." Lo'ak groaned earning a scoff from Kiri.
"You couldn't even if you tried."
YOU ARE READING
To our little ones || Aonung x Neteyam
Fanfiction"My dearest, Give all my children a kiss, tell them I think about them by day, pray for them by night, and find my best comfort in their affection. I know it seems like a very long time before I see them but remind them, we may all work, so these ha...
