lopx [l·op'] vin. panic ~ Kiri Sully x fem!metkayina!reader

1

The warm ocean water surrounds you as you dive in, a smile forming on your lips as you and your ilu swim forward. The colorful fish and plants flew past as you sped up and then stopped spotting one of your favorite spots on the sea floor. A circle of small grey algae-covered rocks. Sitting atop your ilu you contemplated what to do next, and feel a tap on your shoulder. You flail forward, falling from your ilu as it swims behind the rocks, and turn to see Kiri smiling at you.

Breathing a sigh of relief you smile back as she signs "Mind if I join you?"

Feeling your face heat up, you agree and take a seat on one of the rocks, Kiri taking a seat next to you.

You and Kiri sit in comfortable silence for a moment, both just enjoying the peacefulness of the underwater world. You steal glances at her every now and then, admiring the way the water plays with her hair and the way her eyes light up when she spots a particularly interesting creature.

Suddenly, a school of colorful fish swims by and Kiri points them out to you, signing excitedly. You nod in agreement, and she takes your hand in hers, as a particularly large orange fish swims between the two of you.

You steal another glance at her, and this time she catches your eye. She smiles at you, a knowing look in her eye, and you feel your cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Looking down at the sand you sign, "If it's okay, can I ask what the Omatikaya Clan is like? I've never left the village before."

She nods, "It's okay, I was the same way when I heard we were coming here."

"The Omatikaya Clan is in the forest, well now it's in the Mountains," her eyes light up when the word 'Mountains' leaves her lips.

"The floating Mountains, I think you would really like them," she smiles, and her nose crinkles, which you find quite cute.

Wait- What? You found it cute? You could already feel the blood rushing to your face, now covered in blush as you buried your face in your hands. Although, if Kiri noticed, she didn't mention it.

She looks back out into the water, a serene expression on her face. "I hope one day you can come to our clan and see it for yourself. I think you would love it there."

You nod in agreement, feeling a sense of longing to see the Omatikaya Clan and the floating Mountains she described. It sounded like a magical place, unlike anything you had ever seen before.

Watching as another school of fish swims by you feel a hand in your hair, flinching you watch as Kiri untangles a piece of kelp from your hair. Her hand just slightly brushes your cheek as she tosses it to the side.

Watching as her eyes follow the next school of fish, you wonder why you had never noticed the pretty gold flecks in her yellow eyes, and how they reminded you of the setting sun. Suddenly, you felt panic rising in you as she met your gaze. You tried to look away, but she gently lifted your chin, forcing you to meet her gaze.

"Is everything okay?" she signed, her eyes full of concern.

You tried to speak, but your throat was tight. You felt like you were suffocating, unable to express the overwhelming emotions that were flooding your body. You tried to pull away, but Kiri held firmly, refusing to let you go.

"Please, talk to me," she signed.

Finally, you found your voice, the words tumbling out of your mouth before you could stop them.

"I'm sorry, Kiri. I'm just..." you trail off, your hands falling by your side.

"It's okay," she reassures as her hand brushes past yours.

Feeling a shiver run down your spine at her touch, you can't help but wonder why you find her so pretty as the sun shines down on her from the surface. But before you can dwell on it further, Kiri looks up at you with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Race you back to the village?" she signs, a playful grin on her face.

"But you didn't bring an ilu, did you?" you sign standing and helping her up from the rock.

She frowns before signing back, "I guess not, would you mind if I rode back with you?"

You shake your head, feeling the rush of excitement course through you once again. You couldn't help but wonder if this was Kiri's way of trying to distract you from your earlier panic attack. But you push those thoughts aside and focus on the present, eager to race back to the village with her.

You both climb onto your ilu, Kiri sitting behind you, her arms wrapped around your waist. You can feel her breath on the back of your neck, and your heart races as your ilu takes off, speeding towards the village.

The wind rushes past you, and you feel alive, the adrenaline pumping through your veins. You glance back at Kiri, and she catches your eye, a smile on her face. You can't help but smile back, feeling a warmth spreading throughout your body.

As you reach the village, you slow down, coming to a stop near the shore. Kiri hops off your ilu, and you turn to face her, feeling a sense of sadness wash over you. You didn't want this moment to end.

"Thanks for the ride," she says, a smile on her face.

You nod, feeling a lump form in your throat. "Anytime," you reply, hoping that she could see the sincerity in your eyes.

You watch as she joins her brothers, feeling a strange pang of longing. You couldn't help but wonder when you would see her next, but for now, you were content with the memories of talking with her and the rush of racing back to the village.