𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐒; neteyam

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THIRTEEN

"well, I don't care. I'm in love."
-new person same old mistakes, tame impala

NETEYAM DRAGGED NAMAOYI over to their tree before the sun even rose. After reuniting with the boys brother, the two close friends found they couldn't fall asleep. They were too overjoyed, the younger boy being safe overriding their thoughts to the point beyond sleeping. So, after seeing the girl struggling to stay still as well, Neteyam grabbed her hand and took her to their favorite branch on the island.

They sat overlooking the beach, the waves crashing against the shore in the brightening darkness as their feet dangled beneath the log. Nobody said a word, just relaxing while the sweet scent of the ocean air was inhaled and sent flying through their bodies. It mixed with their blood, sealing their fate of becoming one with the water. They were half forest and half ocean - one full body fighting for domination.

"Do you ever," Neteyam whispered, his voice flowing with the soft, early-morning breeze. "Do you ever think about . . . about me."

Namaoyi grinned, turning her neck to the side to look at the right of his face, only to see he wasn't joking - he was being completely serious. And so, her grin softened into a smile - just as meaningful, withholding more emotion. "All of the time."

He fought back a smile, pushing the color in his cheeks back behind his built up walls as he blinked away his pride. "Do you ever think about us?" That's when he finally looked at her.

She flushed, as deep as the ocean beside them, as he sucked in a harsh breath of air. He needed it, because she took his away. 

"Neteyam," she whispered, her voice low. "No, not now."

"Yes now," he muttered, spinning his body around so his feet were kicked beneath him. He completely faced her, because it was now or never, and he knew that. He had to show her she did too. "Please."

She shook her head, willing her tears to fade away like her confidence had the moment she first laid eyes on him. "I do not want to be, but I belong here, Neteyam, in this ocean, here. You belong there, in the jungle, and the trees. Do you not think that is hard?"

"Love is hard, Namaoyi. I will do everything I can to get you to love me the way I love you," he fought, leaning forward to grab her hand. At first, it was limp in his hold as Namaoyi stared at him, before she too turned to fully face him and squeezed his hand with her own.

"Oh, don't you see, Neteyam?"

"What?" He asked, voice low and small as he furrowed his brows. He was scared, because she was all he had, and if she disappeared now, what was there he could do but watch her fade away?

"I do love you." She paused, staring into his eyes. "I see you." And then it was his turn, as he stared at the girl, insides crumbling as he registered the words he needed to keep his heart beating. "I see you . . . so much, too much. You are like a- like an obsession, but all too real. I am completely, and utterly infatuated by you, until my days will end." 

Neteyam couldn't stop himself. Staring at the girl, watching her lips move as the words traveled to his ears. I see you, that was all he could see and hear. It was in his heart, and his mind, imprinted there, covering the holes that plagued the girl across from hims body. He pushed his hands forward and connected, the boy and the girl - finally one.

Their lips moved in sync, Neteyam hovering over the girl who leant back on her elbows. They were destined, they needed each other, which no one but themselves would ever understand. Their love was different, they were different, and although they were young, they were mature, and they just knew. They'd known ever since Neteyam had whacked his brother and Namaoyi had watched with a smile.

.  .  .

It wasn't easy to pull apart. After what felt like seconds together which was realistically hours, Neteyam and Namaoyi finally pushed themselves away from the tree and journeyed back to the village, laughter filling the smooth air around them as they constantly touched and pulled at one anothers skin. Now that they knew, and their confirmation was real, they couldn't stay away.

When Lo'ak had called the group together, Ao'nungs friends joining the Sully family and Namaoyis meeting for a strange reason Namaoyi couldn't comprehend, the girl and the boy she'd memorized the exterior of sat with their knees touching, hands joined behind their backs as to not draw the unwanted attention.

"I wish I'd been there," Kiri sighed, her chin resting in her open palm as she stared across the group at Lo'ak. "The ocean has blessed you with a gift, brother."

Namaoyi wanted to smile, but found herself incapable, as she struggled to understand how a Tulkun could be alone. She'd only ever remembered seeing them travel in packs, in groups of at least five - never alone. "Don't they travel in groups?" She asked, looking towards the Metkayinan teens on the other side of the circle.

Ao'nung looked down at her with a nod, his arm leaning against one of the nearby trees. "Yes. The Tulkun have not yet returned, and no Tulkun is ever alone."

"This one was. He had a missing fin, like a stump on the left side," Lo'ak explained, looking between Ao'nung and Namaoyi with wide eyes.

Namaoyi didn't think her feelings could switch so quickly, but when Tsireya muttered the forbidden name, they did. "Payakan," she whispered, locking eyes with Namaoyi over the sand.

Her heart dropped, her eyes flicking to Lo'aks worriedly. She'd been told Payakan played part in her parents deaths, and carried the burden of their passings until his days should end. Lo'ak couldn't have possibly known, but he had been in the danger of once swimming with him.

"No," she muttered, her hand tightening its grip on Neteyam, who instantly looked her way. Their voices went silent in her head as they continued talking away. Her parents, the Tulkun . . . the lone ranger. She couldn't believe it, first her parents, now Lo'ak, the youngest brother of her lover. It didn't sit right with her, she couldn't help but think - not again.

"You must be careful, Lo'ak," she whispered, everyone quietening once the thoughtful girl spoke up. Ao'nung, Rotxo and Tsireya had heard about her parents through their parents and their gossiping friends, so they understood how they were treading on thin ice.

Lo'ak looked at her, his judgement clouding his vision. "You guys aren't listening," he groaned as he pushed himself to a stand, walking away from the group. Namaoyi strayed far not long after, sadly letting Neteyams hand slip from her own as she began walking away.

"I am sorry, but I must go," she whispered. Neteyam looked up at her, brows raised in both sadness and worry.

"Mao-"

"I am fine, I am okay, I just-" she sighed as her words dropped to their ends, walking away with a heaviness only she could bear. Behind her, much to her oblivious soul, Neteyam had shared a knowing look with Kiri and Ao'nung before he got up and followed her himself.