It was still early in the morning when the sober blue light brightened their home. Neytiri sat at the kitchen table as she wrote to her husband, making every effort not to get distracted by the sound of her children running around the house as they got ready to start their day.
"Mama! Have you seen my shoes!?" Tuktirey shouted from the middle of the stairs.
"If you don't put them away, don't expect them to stay put!" The woman answered without sparing her a glance, too occupied and already used to her child's antics.
Tuktirey whined as she turned around to run upstairs but found herself pleasantly surprised when she saw Neteyam waiting for her at the top of the stairs dangling her boots in the air with a knowing look.
"You ought to start looking under your bed." He sighed kneeling to help her.
"I know, I know!" She giggled.
"Every time, TukTuk. I mean it."
"Stop spoiling her. Let her go barefooted if she has to!" Lo'ak grumbled walking past them. Tuk did her best to hit him in the back, making him turn around to pull on one of her braids gently not to hurt her, but strong enough to rattle her.
The siblings said their goodbyes to their mother and made their way to town. The snow made the long walk a drag, but while emerged in conversation the time went unnoticed.
"It's so hard to go back to work after such good times." Kiri grabbed Lo'ak's arms as she struggled to walk on the pearly white street. The downtown was busier than ever, and their conversation contributed to the endless bussing of the market.
"I wish it was Christmas every day!" Tuk jumped on top of a snow pile, almost shaking from the excitement of going back to school.
"Or new years, wouldn't that be exciting?" Lo'ak mentioned as he swept her off the ground, hiding his worry the moment he noticed the worn-out state of his sister's boots, afraid that the cold would get to her feet.
"Teyam, do you have a coin I could spare?" Tuk tugged on his brother's sleeve.
"Money? What on earth for?"
"The girls are trading nail files and I am in debt! I owe too many!"
"She got those gambling problems from you." Neteyam smacked the back of Lo'ak's head with a smile.
"Why am I to blame for this!?"
"Will this do?" Kiri took from her pocket a few of them and handed them to Tuk who gasped in surprise.
"Why did you do that? You spoil her too much." Lo'ak grumbled.
"I know what it is to want little things and feel less than other girls, especially at her age. You too had silly worries when you were younger, and Tey always gave in to your whims. You never saw me complaining, did you?"
"Whatever..." Lo'ak rolled his eyes walking a little far ahead.
"Between this and my drawings, I will wipe out my debt in no time!" Tuk said proudly from her brother's arms.
The siblings parted ways. Lo'ak took Tuk to school, and Neteyam walked along with Kiri toward the house of their nightmares.
It was a big house. Just the sight of it made Kiri's stomach turn. Neteyam smiled sympathetically at her as he pulled on the bell next to the front door. In no time there a maid opened the door for them allowing them inside.
It was cold and quiet in there, but the thing they hated the most was to have an actual conversation with the woman who stared at them from her chair next to the fireplace. Neteyam was the first one to greet her with a warm smile as always, and Kiri followed silently.
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...
