Moonchild | Neteyam

40

CHAPTER 40

After Tsireya had left, Erìhe and Neteyam remained laying down on the beach as they looked up at the sky.

Watching the sky was really just a reason to remain beside the other with their sides brushing - it always had been and it still was.

"So?" Erìhe voiced after a long while of comfortable silence.

"So?" Neteyam repeated and rolled on his side to look at her better, propping his chin on his arm, "What is it?"

"Lo'ak and Tsireya," she grinned while turning her head to meet his eyes.

Neteyam laughed as he laid back down beside her - purposely closer so that the length of his arm was in contact with hers. Feeling her skin brushing against his never failed to bring the boy a sense of comfort and belonging. He couldn't take many things with him from the forest, but the most important things he'd brought were his family and Erìhe.

Especially Erìhe.

"They're cute," Neteyam said dismissively. He was about to bring him and her up, but Erìhe spoke before he could draw another breath.

"Lo'ak is such an idiot - but I know he'll treat her right," Erìhe continued.

Neteyam rolled his eyes. He really was happy for his brother and Tsireya - though in this very moment he kind of just wanted to talk about them. Him and her. "Yeah."

Erìhe realized the tone of his voice and rolled over on her stomach so that she was now partially laying on top of him - her arms folded on his chest under her chin. "What's wrong?" She asked while watching him with a questioning gaze - eyes curiously large and lips slightly parted.

Neteyam's heart rate increased significantly and he felt his face burn red. He was sure that Erìhe noticed this as well, as a small teasing smirk tugged the corners of her mouth.

"Nothing," he breathed out as his arms instinctively wrapped themselves around her waist. Erìhe did nothing but raise a questioning brow - it was enough to get him to talk. With a sigh, Neteyam rolled his eyes before looking back at her. "I just wonder what we are," he whispered as he rested his head back on the sand so that he could be more comfortable.

Erìhe blinked, then looked up at the sky briefly as she thought it over. Why had she not expected this reply from him?

She'd been wondering the very same as well. They'd kissed. Twice. And they held hands - a lot.

It seemed like Tsireya assumed that something had been going on - and she hadn't been wrong.

But what were they?

"You okay?" Neteyam gently nudged her with his arm. Of course his pulse hadn't calmed down yet - it rarely ever did when around her - but he was merely trying to play it off by acting cool.

Erìhe nodded slowly, the movement jostling him ever so slightly, "Yeah," she replied, "I just - well I haven't given it much thought, I suppose." Of course that was a lie. The truth was that she'd overthought it so much that she was left lost - so lost that saying she hadn't thought of it was easily the better option.

But to Neteyam this just felt like she didn't care enough. "Oh."

He sat up, gently pushing her off himself as he brought his knees closer to his chest, resting his arm on his knees.

"Oh," Erìhe voiced when she realized her mistake. "I didn't mean it like that, Teyam-" Neteyam's eyes shot back to her at the nickname, "-I swear."

Neteyam cleared his throat as he suddenly felt very flustered. She was making him go through a rollercoaster of emotions in such a little time. "Then what?" He asked quietly.