"𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘮,
𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘦."
Life in Awa'atlu was as predictable as the way water flowed across the sea, with everything set in motion with routine and order - that is, until the Sully's arrived...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
My gaze flickers from his eyes to his lips, slightly licking my own. I felt his grip on my waist tighten ever so slightly, and he was so close that I could clearly hear the rattling of his hair beads. The foreign feeling in my stomach flipped again—it was butterflies, Neteyam was giving me butterflies. My heart was pounding faster, as though it was about to jump out of my chest and run. Slowly, the sound of the music was drowned out by the sound of my own heartbeat; I was fully aware that others were present, but it felt as if it was just the two of us on the island, slow dancing in each other's arms. I returned my gaze to him, meeting his eyes once more—those eyes that were inspecting every inch of my face with a look I couldn't quite describe. My own fingers twitched, itching to touch his hair, itching to pull him closer. Under his gaze, I struggled to find words; it was wrong, I shouldn't want it, but I was in a trance. I closed my eyes. I was going to give into temptation, and at that moment, I didn't care what would happen next.
"Lo'ak!" I hear the familiar yelp of my best friend, and my eyes snap open again.
The outburst was not loud enough to disturb the others dancing by the bonfire, but when the warmth of Neteyam's body leaves me as he whips his head around towards the cry, I know he heard it as well. With no time to address whatever happened or threatened to happen between us, we both rushed over with no questions asked. Tsireya has a small disgusted expression on her face, mixed with one worry, but it's clear she's doing her best to hide it with a small smile as she pats the back of Lo'ak, who's slightly hunched over a bush and holding onto a tree for support.
"Lo'ak, you good??" Neteyam asks, his face contorted with a mix of annoyance and concern for his brother. Lo'ak only groans in response, giving him a thumbs up before he gags again and vomits in the bush.
I grimace and step back before looking at Tsireya. For someone who can't stand the sight of vomit, she was doing really well in trying to be there for Lo'ak, though she cringes with every heave he makes.
"I think he might of had some of the... um, special juice." Tsireya mumbles a little. I patted my friend on the shoulder, reassuring her that it wasn't her fault.
"ROTXO!" I practically yell, and as if summoned, he pops up with Kiri right behind him.
He takes one look at the scene in front of him and holds his hands up in defence. "Hey it wasn't me, it was Nung." He shrugs, going to sip from his cup again, but I just knock it out of his hand.
Ignoring his complaints, I scan around the area so I can scold Ao'nung too, but he's nowhere to be seen from where I was standing, so I make a note to hit him later.
Kiri can't help but laugh at her brother, and Neteyam just rubs his temples in irritation. "You skxawng, why would you drink?!" He then remembers something, whipping his head around to look at Kiri as if to ask if she did too, and she quickly shakes her head. Whether or not she was lying couldn't be told by her demeanour, especially not compared to her hunched brother.
