broken peace; neteyam sully

𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

Ok'xana brings her plate to be washed in the stream, Neteyam following only steps behind.

She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. "You still want to talk?" she asked cautiously.

"Yes," he replied eagerly, then he knitted his brows. "Why, you do not?"

She nodded, "It is fine, let us go to the beach."

He frowned, turning to Lo'ak, "Little bro, I'm going with Ok'xana to talk. If anyone asks, I am...looking for fruit in the forest."

His younger brother smirked and said, "My mouth is zipped." Then he winked and Neteyam felt that he could throw up.

"Not like that," he said with wide eyes.

Ok'xana watched with confusion as Lo'ak blew a loud kiss to Neteyam.

"Let us go," she said, nudging his shoulder. "It will soon be late."

"Yes, I'm coming," Neteyam said, sending one sharp look at his brother before following on her tail.

She stalked forward with long strides, him easily being able to catch up, but staying a couple of steps behind.

She then found her signature root where she always seemed to stay and slumped onto the sand with her back against it.

"Finally," she said, letting her head fall back against it.

Teyam noticed that she had changed into something more fancy since that morning; the branch of dried pink coral that simply hung by a loose leather cord around her neck. It draped over her breast and made her skin appear more vivid.

Her hair, though, was still in a loose bun atop her head like it had been in the morning.

Of course, Ok'xana had noticed him staring and now couldn't help the red that swelled in her stomach and spread through her veins.

She put on that mask that protected her and said harshly, "Are you going to stop looking?"

He shook his head and then blinked at her. "I am sorry," he said shamefully.

"I suppose daddy never taught you to keep your eyes to yourself?"

He bared his teeth as he recognized her poisonous sarcasm. His father would tell him to take it like a man, his brain on the other hand...

"And mommy didn't tell you to be nice to others?" he said slowly.

She looked hard at him, swallowing before she admitted, "My mother was killed."

His expression fell, as he could only utter, "Oh."

She nodded, looking again at the sea. They were now latched in an uncomfortable silence, neither daring to move or even breathe too loudly.

Ok'xana then spoke up, saying what was inching her mind. "Look, as you can tell, it is difficult for us to be friends. It would be so much easier for me to just hate you but if you want, I will try...to accept you."

"I also do not like you much but I can try to be...kinder," Teyam explained slowly.

"Okay," she decided, "we will try to be friends?"

"Yes," he said, peering down at her sitting across him with a smile painting his face. "Friends."

She glanced up smirking, "I cannot promise that I will not find you annoying at times."

"Ah, nothing I am not used to already." They laughed together. He then added, "And I cannot swear that I will like you all the time."

"We can still get angry at each other of course. But now we know that it will all be silly teasing," Xana said.

"Can I sit down beside you, then?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes, go ahead."

As the boy sat down beside the girl, both their eyes quickly scanned each other's figures and just as quickly snapped back to face the ocean.

They ignored the buzzing air that surrounded them, exciting a newfound dizziness in their heads.

Ignored the question that was lingering on both their tongues; why every time when they met eyes, did their bodies light up?

Neteyam, now almost feeling more at peace with himself and his thoughts toward her, let it dawn upon him that she was very beautiful. At least now that she was not sending him harsh glares and spitting in his face with sharp words.

Her face was nice. And yes, there were tons of Na'vi girls in Awa'atlu with pretty faces, but there was something else. As though the way she smiled carried this essence of Eywa's goal.

Like she was a messenger of peace itself, although it did not add up when she had shown to be formed of chaos.

He focused on her from his peripheral vision, noting that her eyes were frozen on him.

His skin flamed up and he could feel the rise and fall of his chest turn strange in the struggle to stifle the sensation that ran up his spine.

Ok'xana laughed quietly, turning away. This had caused Neteyam to frown.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing..." she said with a wide smile. "You are just blushing a lot."

He glared at her, shifting to the side to lift himself up. "Fine, I can leave."

Her hand reached around his wrist, stopping him. "Wait," she began, her smile falling, "we said we would be friends."

He shook his head, "You are teasing me!"

"Stay."

He obliged, sitting back down. She got onto her knees and shuffled closer to him.

His eyes traveled over her, his lungs again betraying him.

She took his hand nervously and placed it on her cheek, "Look I am blushing too. It is normal," she said.

As they stayed that way, his roughened fingertips on her soft and suddenly hot cheek, both their bodies began to tremble slightly. Neteyam eyes darted between her large, gaping pair and shifted to her lips every few moments.

He noticed that on her nose, she had a notable birthmark. It was shaped like an inverted 'U' with a small spec in the middle. Her freckles dotted over it, causing it to appear as a galaxy with specs of stars.

Ok'xana realizing he was looking at it, set his hand down and sat down stiffly before him.

She felt feverish as she rubbed a hand over her heart and the other brushing her nose.

"I don't know if I want to be your friend," she said slowly.

He let his head fall back, a laugh bubbling out of him. Her face broke into a grin.

"You give up too easily, water girl," he said looking at her.

"Okay, okay," she said, "I will not give up. Do not worry."

He nodded, smiling awkwardly at her.

Both of them understood how much easier it was to be around each other when they were laughing instead of suffocating.