The Breath of Water | Neteyam

48 • Paranoia

A/N: OMG guyssss! The story has reached 2k votes!!! Thank you all for the support!! 💕😭

•-•-•

"Oh, Ma Reya," Liyanin said, now reaching out for her sister. She embraced Tsireya's head, kissing her hair. "...I am so, so, so sorry, there is no excuse for what I said to you..." she now pulled back to look at her face. "...and what I almost did to you."

"I must admit...you were a tad bit scary," the younger girl laughed, wiping her tears. "...but, I forgive you."

"I do not deserve you at all." Liyanin sighed, pulling her sister's head back in for another hug. She sighed into her hair, rubbing the top of her head lovingly. Neteyam stared at the two, smiling softly to himself, his tears still inhabiting his eyes. He looked up to the sky, examining each star. He wondered which one was his dad's again, the events of late making his mind kind of jumbled. When he found it, he closed his eyes, sending a small prayer to Eywa, that whatever happened on his dad's star that allowed him to come here, he was kind of grateful. The light rain felt soft on his face, its cool temperature making his body feel at ease. He was then pulled out of his relaxation when he felt a slight tug on his arm, causing him to open his eyes.

"Group hug~" Tsireya cheered lightly, pulling Neteyam into their huddle. He and Liyanin laughed at her antics as he put his arms over them both. "...tonight was certainly eventful." The younger girl mentioned.

"...eventful and..." Liyanin shifted her eyes over to her lover. "...eye-opening."

"I just hope that this means you two will not only occupy your days with each other's faces."

"Reya!"

"What? I have to look out for myself too..." she laughed in response, her words making Neteyam speechless with sheepishness.

They now lifted out of their group hug, Neteyam grabbing hold of Liyanin's hand. Tsireya noticed, and rolled her eyes. "...you two are like young tsurak during zìskrrwew (winter)."

Neteyam, not knowing what that would look like, only stood there in confusion. Meanwhile Liyanin's ears grew red, folding downwards out of embarrassment as she hit her sister's shoulder.

"Your mother is probably looking for you," Liyanin mentioned, wanting to switch from that...different, topic. "...I know how protective she is of you, all of her children, really."

On their way back to the pods after riding back to the main village on their Ilu, Liyanin and Neteyam still held each other's hands, laughing and chatting, resulting in Tsireya becoming a third wheel. She rolled her eyes again, smiling a little as she realized at the damning role they've confined her to, but happy for them.

When they reached the area, they heard frantic chatter and noises, seeing some families rushing to somewhere else. The three grew confused, and went to go check it out, but before they stepped onto the netting, Tsireya hit their hands apart, reminding them that there were others nearby.

As they stepped onto the platform, Liyanin got bumped into by one of Masanai's parents—her father.

"Oh, I apologize...Zo..."

His face—it was...paralyzing.

Liyanin's voice got caught in her throat, something blocking her from finishing her sentence. She tried to say the rest of what she wanted to say, even ask him why the families weren't in their pods, but she just couldn't. He stared down at her, his eyes borderline a glare.

"Excuse me, tsakarem." He spoke, his voice guttural and sepulchral. "...that was my bad."

Liyanin had never gotten a close look at him, for he rarely would ever be around. He was a mysterious one, no one even knowing how he received that scar on his left eye that traveled across his lips. His build was big and bulky, almost the same height of her dad.