Heart To Heart || Neteyam Sully

4. Mr. Rude

"Honey, you're so cold

You leave me on patrol."

Third person POV

Neteyam unwillingly led Eiwa to an isolated area. He was curious why his mother told him to help one of them. But he has learned not to question her. She was the Tsahik of the Omaticayans after all. You can never truly know what she knows.

"Your name is Neteyam?" Eiwa asked to break the awkward silence.

He only nodded, as they continued to walk. Eiwa rolled her eyes, "I know you think I'm one of them, and I'll not stop you from thinking like that. Just know that you are wrong."

Neteyam did not respond to her this time.

A few moments later they arrived at a hollowed tree. Eiwa could tell it was a place for medical care as she spotted a few used up cloth on the sculpted tables around the interior of the tree. She looked around at the space. There were containers made of leaves arranged neatly on shelves that were carved into the tree.

"Sit down on the log there, I'll pick out some herbs and prepare a few things," Neteyam told Eiwa. Eiwa nodded and made her way to the log across from where she was standing.

She winced in pain, accidentally using her left arm to support herself as she sat down, "Shit!"

It wasn't long after that Neteyam came with a tray of herbs, natural pastes and a clean cloth. He set it on the log and sat beside Eiwa. Carefully, he untied the fabric Eiwa used as a tourniquet earlier. She grimaced as the pain gradually increased.

"Sorry not sorry," Neteyam sighed, "It's going to hurt even more. The healing paste will help at the end though."

Eiwa nodded as she watched him clean the blood off around the wound area. Then she looked at his face. He was focused on what he was doing, and it seemed that he had done it often.

"Are you like a healer?" Eiwa asked. She was beginning to feel curious about him.

"No," he plainly answered. "Many often get hurt after they fight your people."

Eiwa looked down, feeling a bit guilty.

"Now, I'm going to take the bullet out okay?" he said to her. "Take a deep breath in three... two... one."

Eiwa breathed in deeply as she was told and gasped as Neteyam pulled the bullet out.

"The most painful part is over," Neteyam dropped the bullet on the wooden tray. "You can relax now."

"Do you mind if I ask you questions?" Eiwa asked, not being able to stand the stiff silence following that. "Since you're not initiating any conversation, I'll start it."

Neteyam nodded, "Go ahead."

"Alright," Eiwa smiled, "I'll start with the simple ones. Umm... How old are you?"

"Eighteen," he answered bluntly as he began applying some herbs on the wound to stop the blood flow.

Eiwa nodded, "Are you an only child?"

"No."

"How many siblings do you have then?"

"Four."

"Four?"

"Yes."

"What are their names?"

Neteyam stopped and looked at Eiwa, "You'll meet them later."

Eiwa sighed but continued to throw random questions at him. Yet he always answered it in a very blunt manner. After a while Eiwa began to get tired of it, "You know, this isn't working. Your answers are not conversational. It's like you're answering a quiz."

"Quiz?" Neteyam looked at Eiwa and faked a confused look.

Eiwa rolled her eyes, "Don't pretend to act curious."

"I'm not," he shrugged

"You were faking your expressions," Eiwa scoffed. "You must've thought you were subtle with it."

"Did not."

"Did so!"

"If that's how it works, that would mean you are lying about why you are here, even though you said you are not, simply because I think you are."

Irritation began to build up within Eiwa, "Just— just finish whatever you're supposed to do."

Neteyam smiled at his successful attempt to rile up the new girl as he wrapped her wound with a long cloth and secured it. "There. You're all set."

Eiwa eyed him suspiciously as she checked on her arm. Neteyam had gone back inside to dispose of the used cloth and return back the untouched herbs into its place. When he went outside, Eiwa was already standing near the entrance. "Thank you," she tried to give a sincere smile.

"You should thank my mother," he responded suggestively. "I wouldn't have helped you with it if she hadn't told me to."

"A 'You're welcome' would've been enough," Eiwa muttered as she was preparing to turn around to leave.

"You should—" Neteyam stopped her, "probably clean yourself before it gets dark. You're kind of... dirty."

Eiwa scoffed in disbelief, and muttered in frustration, "Course. It's not like blood is all over my body because I just bled nonstop the entire day, dick."

"You know I can hear you right?" Neteyam raised one of his eyebrows.

"I know," Eiwa faked a smile.

"Now do you want to know where you can do that or not?" he asked.

Eiwa stayed quiet as she swallowed her pride and nodded softly. Neteyam smirked to himself, earning him a glare from Eiwa.

"There is a ladies pool around that corner," he pointed to the direction behind me. "Turn right when you see a tree with colorful vines around it. Try not to get your wound wet though. Unless you want to bleed again. I really don't mind."

Eiwa could only glare at him for a second longer before she stormed off.

Neteyam chuckled to himself, and crossed his arms as he watched the new girl walk away, "So easy to get riled up."