The Breath of Water | Neteyam

61 • Preparations

A/N: Okay I know I said I was going to put the entire game in one chapter, but I ended up writing way more (like WAY more) than I thought, so I am going to have to split it, lmao. (Good thing too, I didn't expect to write so much 😭) But I still got a good chunk of the game into chapter 63. Lucky you 🤗 (sorry for those of you who don't like reading long chapters 😖,  just think of it as three or four chapters in one 😀) (also pretend Neteyam and Lo'ak are in their pod for the pic above 😂)

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Neteyam had headed home after kissing Liyanin goodbye; he wanted to find his brother to ask him if he could play in the games alongside him. He stopped by their pod first just to cover the bases, but alas he was not there. He then felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, almost passing out. He went inside at sat on his hammock, holding his head with his hands.

Woah, guess I have not been resting as much as I thought.

As he sat there, he let his mind wander to his win in the second phase a few weeks ago. He still couldn't fathom how he had tamed and ridden that tsurak—it was such an accomplishment that did not go unnoticed by anyone in the clan. Then he also remembered how he had passed out during the game.

Wait a second...that's right...I passed out...

...who...saved me?

Who took him to that air pocket? It surely wasn't him, for the last thing he remembered was trying not to pass out and looking for one in the first place. Maybe...Liyanin? She could control the water—but she wouldn't have known he was drowning, right?

"Oh, Neteyam." A voice called out. Neteyam had whipped his head up, the new sound snapping him out of his thoughts. It turned out to be just the person he was looking for—his brother. His scrunched face soon relaxed into a grin as he stood, walking over to Lo'ak. "What were you doing?"

"Looking for you," he replied, holding his hands together. "I have something to ask of you."

The younger boy's ears folded upwards out of curiosity, feeling like he knew what he wanted to ask him. "...okay. What is it?"

"Alright, so I have heard from a friend of mine that you know the rundown of Taronsäwem."

"...uh-huh..." he nodded, egging him to continue. Neteyam caught his tone and tilted his head.

"...You skxawng. You already know what I am going to ask, don't you?"

"No, bro. No clue." Lo'ak responded, proceeding to walk around him to get something from his hammock. Neteyam sighed and turned around to face him as he continued to speak.

"Yes, you do. But since you're going to make me say it then, okay." He walked over to his brother, grabbing his shoulders to force him to look at him. "I want you to be on my team."

This...feeling. Lo'ak couldn't understand what it was. Was Neteyam choosing him because he felt like he needed him? Or because he doesn't know anyone else here to ask to be on the team? His brain kept giving him the worst-case scenarios, but he decided to trust his heart. Neteyam had placed his fist on Lo'ak's chest, bending down to meet his eye level. The feeling of this snapped the younger out of his thoughts, his eyesight now focusing on the older's.

"I need you, man. I can't do this without my baby bro."

A wave of happiness washed over him in that moment. He never even realized his hand had placed itself on Neteyam's shoulder, the corners of his mouth turned upwards. His teeth had shown, evidence of his good mood. He let out a small unnoticeable laugh, gripping onto his brother's shoulder as he nodded affirmatively.