𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘮 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺

𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦

        

𝙀𝙋𝙄𝙇𝙊𝙂𝙐𝙀, 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖾𝗌

—— ఌ︎ ——

        NETEYAM SAT BEHIND Zahala on her ilu, swimming with her cousins, Rotxo, and his siblings, excluding Tuk, who was with her mother and father. Jake and Neytiri didn’t want Neteyam swimming on his own just yet, and Zahala was always happy to have Neteyam’s arms wrapped around her.

        Lo’ak and Tsireya swam on an ilu together, Kiri with her human friend, and Ao’nung and Rotxo on their separate ilus. Neteyam held Zahala by the waist, chin on her shoulder as she directed her ilu through the coral caverns.

        Ao’nung and Rotxo led the group to parts of the reef they hadn’t been to before, and Zahala smiled as she watched Neteyam’s face light up with joy and happiness. She grabbed his hand, pointing towards a school of pincer fish, both of them laughing as the fish swam around them.

        Everyone needed air, so Zahala directed her ilu to the surface, stroking his neck gently. “Where should we go?” Rotxo asked the group, Tsireya and Lo’ak sitting beside him.

        Zahala shrugged as everyone began to suggest ideas. She spotted a jellyfish, reaching out to grab it. Ao’nung slapped her hand away and she winced. “Ow! Ao’nung!” she said to her cousin, rubbing the back of her hand.

        “You are done touching jellyfish.” Ao’nung said, sitting on his ilu.

        Zahala rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t going to sting anyone this time.” she said, unbeknownst of the looks Ao’nung and Neteyam were giving her. 

        “Let me guess, you were going to sting yourself to see what it felt like?” Neteyam said, gently pulling her hair away from her face, brushing it behind her shoulder.

        Tsireya and Rotxo chuckled, knowing that was exactly what Zahala was planning on doing. “Yeah, because I think you’re weak, Ao’nung.” she said to her cousin, getting splashed in the eyes.

        Kiri spoke up. “Why don’t we leave the jellyfish alone and go to the edge of the reef where the high coral is?” she suggested, and no one was opposed to the idea.

        Lo’ak and Tsireya slipped away to visit Payakan, and Kiri and Spider left as well. Rotxo and Ao’nung had managed to wrangle a jellyfish as Zahala sat on her ilu, watching Neteyam float in the water beside her.

        “Be quiet.” Rotxo whispered to Ao’nung, the two of them holding the stinging creature at arm’s length away.

        Ao’nung nodded, and they advanced upon Zahala, pushing the jellyfish onto the skin of her waist, dropping it as she yelped in surprise. “Shit!” she yelled, sliding into the water.

        Neteyam smiled, knowing it was he who she had picked up the profanity from. Ao’nung and Rotxo laughed, watching the jellyfish swim away. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Ao’nung said, moutning his ilu.

        Zahala mocked him. “You screamed more than me. You screamed like a baby. Like Na’ana.” she said, rubbing the red spot on her waist.

        “That’s true, you did.” Rotxo added, Ao’nung rolling his eyes at her. The four of them swam back to the village.

        Neteyam pulled back Zahala’s hand under the water as she spotted another jellyfish, deciding to hold it in his own. They arrived at the village, walking together until they all had to go back to their separate mauri pods and prepare for the evening.

        There was a village festival that night at dusk, honoring those who lost their lives during the battle with the Sky People, and celebrating the victory. There would be traditional music, traditional dance, and both Zahala and Tsireya were extremely excited.

—— ఌ︎ ——

        The festival concluded late in the night, and Zahala was pulled away by Neteyam before she could get back to her mauri pod. He gently tugged her down the beach, bringing her into a kiss right away. Zahala smiled, kissing him back.

        “What is that for?” Zahala asked, swinging her arms around Neteyam’s neck.

        He kissed her cheek. “Because you are absolutely gorgeous, and I love you.” Neteyam said, watching as Zahala looked down, smiling to herself. Her face and body was decorated in an assortment of colorful paints, her long hair was down and embellished with gems and shells, and she wore a floral headdress that matched with Tsireya.

        “Thank you, and I think you are perfect, and I love you.” Zahala said, hands moving to Neteyam’s face, tracing the paint he wore.

        They stayed there, talking in close proximity before Zahala really had to go home. They kissed three more times, Neteyam holding her hand for as long as possible as she walked away. Ov’il was waiting for her in the tent, holding Na’ana.

        “I hate that kid.” Ov’il said suddenly as Zahala sat down across from him on his mat.

        “Why?” she questioned, offended, as she began to take her decorations out of her hair.

        Ov’il placed Na’ana in his lap, holding her there. “Because he loves you, and you’re my little sister. I have to hate the guy you’re dating, it’s the rule.” he reasoned.

        Zahala chuckled, shaking her head. “I know I’m not always safe, but I wasn’t safe when I fell for Neteyam, or when we started our secret relationship, or when I saved his life. Sometimes, being reckless has good results.” she said, watching Ov’il carefully.

        He understood. She knew he did. “You make the right decisions when it counts.” Ov’il said, and the two siblings spent the next hour taking the paint off of each other and removing the gems and shells from Zahala’s hair.

        Everything was right in Zahala te Ae’tuak Mayan’ite’s life. She had a boyfriend, she had friends, she finally had a good relationship with her family. Nothing could put a damper on her everlating joyous mood, and nobody dared to try.

        Everyone was as happy as Zahala; Lo’ak and Tsireya were happily together, Kiri and her human friend were contstantly laughing together, Ao’nung and Rotxo had stopped teasing Zahala, and Neteyam and Zahala were enthralled with each other.

        It seemed that Zahala saving Neteyam’s life had brought everyone closer together. The Sully family may have brought a war to Zahala, but they brought something else with them; Neteyam Sully, who was in love with Zahala Ae’tuak.

—— ఌ︎ ——