"Pink + White" Neteyam x Oc

Chapter fourteen; Family dynamics

"Mom! Guess what, you're not gonna believe this-" Siri'tri ran into their home but stopped in her tracks feeling a disappointment wash over her. Her mother was laying on the floor unconscious with an empty bottle beside her.

"Shit." Iri muttered as she picked up the bottle and smelled it. It had been strong alcohol. With a sigh, she put the bottle away and pulled her mother into a sitting position checking her pulse and breathing. This wasn't the first time.

Iri knew her mother had a problem but she hadn't told anyone, not even Tsireya. Most of the time she felt like she was the oldest one in the household. Her mother tried to explain that she was just a young soul. And while it might have been true, it took a toll on the family dynamic. Still, Siri'tri loved her mother greatly and they would have fun such as surfing together sometimes. Su'vi even made her the outfit she was wearing right now. But those were fun things, not parenting.

Siri'tri stood there for a while in case Su'vi would have woken up but with no success, she left the room. Iri felt her throat tighten up but no tears were found anywhere near her eyes. She felt frustrated, all these years of emotions building up and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't release it. Her frustration grew into anger and she felt like smashing things.

When she was little, Iri used to bite her hand but her father caught her and told her that it was not a good thing to keep anger inside. Tom'aey showed her his way of dealing with anger.

"Come on Riri! Beat it! Slap it! Crush it! Kill it!" Tom'aey cheered as his little daughter was letting her anger out on a sack of old flower. The girl was jumping on it screaming and beating it with her tiny fists and tail.

After Siri'tri got tired, she flopped on her back and her long curly hair fell to her face. Tom'aey sat down beside her and asked her. "Now that you're calmer. Why do you feel this anger? What caused it?"

"Roxto ate my sweets! I'm going to skin him alive!" Five-year-old Siri'tri fumed.

"Hey kiddo, take it easy. Your brother is three years old. Sometimes toddlers are dumbassess unlike big girls like you who should be able to forgive."

"Why can't I then? When I get mad, I wanna throw things!" She got up and stabbed the sack with her little sea glass knife. Tom'aey grit his teeth before answering.

"I'm afraid that is a trait you've gotten from me. Riri whenever you feel this, never hurt yourself or anyone else. Instead scream, yell or kick things that are already dead."

"Dead people? But they're in the sea?"

"No, not people Riri, like a rock or something." He tried to explain.

"But that's going to hurt my toe dad! You said not to hurt me." She giggled.

"Riri, you're making daddy wanna punch that bag too."

Siri'tri giggled and started punching it again before whispering. "I'm sorry bag, dad said this was okay.

"I can't wait to see your humor evolve when you're older." Tom'aey laughed picking up his daughter and heading out of the beach carrying Riri on his shoulders.

Siri'tri grabbed her head and crouched trying to breathe away the anger. She knew it didn't work but she didn't have time to process it right now. It was supposed to be a happy day. She felt a hand on her shoulder and out of instinct, she grabbed the person by the neck and held a knife to their chest.

"Hey! Woah, are you still that mad at me?" Ao'nung panicked raising his arms. Siri'tri sighed and let go of him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you."