Pathfinder || OC X Neteyam

9 - Recombinants

The next few days were uneventful. Aha'ri avoided anything to do with Neteyam after their conversation after the raid. She was afraid of what her racing heartbeat meant every time she was in his presence. So she did what she did best and made herself scarce, getting updates through Kiri about how Neteyam was healing.

A part of her felt silly for wanting to know how he was doing. For not being able to stand being around him, but still finding her mind wandering back to his eyes, his freckles, his soft skin underneath her fingertips. All of it was silly and it made her cheeks flush at the thought.

But her efforts were short-lived after Neytiri asked her to fly with her, Jake, and Neteyam for a round of patrol so that she could "see her aerial skills".

There was no refusing Neytiri so she put on a smile and dove from High Camp after the three of them.

Jake and Neytiri flew up front and Aha'ri and Neteyam flew behind them, forming somewhat of a half circle. At least Aha'ri didn't have to fly directly next to Neteyam. She knew she wouldn't hear the end of her disappearance from camp recently. The last thing she wanted to do was explain to him why she could no longer look him in the eye.

That was until he banked toward her, putting himself directly behind his parents but far enough behind for them to not be able to hear them talk, and motioned for Aha'ri to do the same.

Here we go. Aha'ri pressed her lips into a line and did as he said. There was no avoiding him now.

As she banked in toward him, she noticed dark storm clouds in the distance; the winds beginning to whip at her hair and clothes.

"So can you telling me why you haven't been at camp or are you going to keep acting like I don't exist?"

His accusation caught her off guard, causing her to stiffen. Kilvan squaked from beneath her, feeling Aha'ri go tense. She avoid his gaze and instead squinted into the sun above. "It's complicated," is all she could come up with for an excuse.

She was sure there was a look of genuine concern on his face. His voice conveyed as much as he asked, "What is?"

He was so oblivious to the fact that the very sight of him made her knees weak.

She doesn't answer. There was a mixture of anger and shame bubbling beneath her skin. She couldn't tell him the truth but she hadn't expected him to care as much as he did. 

He pressed her, "Does it have to do with my brother? I know he was a bit mean after the raid but he doesn't cope very well with being yelled at by dad."

"No, no." Aha'ri shook her head. "It's not because of Lo'ak. Trust me, Lurei has said far worse things to me."

She felt pathetic. Letting a male effect her this much? Hiding from him because she was scared and a coward? 

"Then...why?"

Aha'ri dared a glance over to Neteyam and immediately looked away when she saw him watching her with such genuine worry and curiosity. It put a pit in her stomach. 

She would give anything the get out of this and far away from him.

"I-" She tried to speak but nothing came out and she let out a long sigh. But before she could try to continue, she heard a muffled voice in her ear.

Neytiri had given her an ear piece so she could listen to the coms; if anything were to happen. But the ear piece had come out of her ear some so she couldn't fully hear whoever was speaking. By the time she adjusted it, she heard Jake's response, "Eagle Eye, send your traffic."

Lo'ak's voice answered back, "I got eyes on some guys. They look like avatars, but they're in full camo and carrying ARs. There's six of them. Over."