Moonchild | Neteyam

42

CHAPTER 42

       Seeing Aluva at dinner earlier had made Erìhe feel unsettled. Not because she knew the girl liked Neteyam - but because she felt bad. Perhaps she'd been too mean in taking her bracelet from Neteyam and gifting it to Tuk.

Erìhe rolled on her side as she tried to sleep.

It had been a while since they all ate and the whole family was out. It was only Erìhe who was awake and she could not drift off no matter how hard she squeezed her eyes shut and thought nice thoughts.

It was just one of those restless nights.

Letting out a frustrated huff, Erìhe sat up on her mattress and glanced around the pod. It was dark - but her adapted eyes could easily make out everything in the home.

Tuk slept soundly on the mattress beside her as she mumbled quietly in her sleep. Jake and Lo'ak were the loudest snorers in the marui and Erìhe pinned them as the reason as to why she could not sleep.

Her eyes glossed over Neytiri who slept next to her husband, then next she looked over at Kiri who was sleeping peacefully in a fetal position - and surely it was no surprise to anyone when Erìhe's gaze lingered on Neteyam.

Neteyam had chosen the furthest corner of the pod to place his mattress - it was something he had complained about a lot recently. Just today he expressed how he would much rather sleep closer to Erìhe - even if he was not allowed to sleep next to her according to his father - just so he could hold her hand or something.

Erìhe was regretting saying no to the boys request of sneaking out pretty much in that moment. She enjoyed his company just as much as he liked hers - if not more - and so she decided to get up without giving her next actions much thought.

The girl quietly tiptoed through the dark home, making her way over to Neteyam. She already knew that the Sullys were deep sleepers, so she did not have to worry about waking anyone.

Neytiri was perhaps the lightest sleeper, but even if she saw Erìhe, she doubted the woman would tell her off.

"Neteyam," Erìhe whispered as she stepped over Neteyam's sleeping body and crouched down beside him so that her back was facing the wall. "Neteyam."

When she received no reaction from him - not even a hum or a stir - she sighed and decided to give it up - not wanting to disrupt the boys peaceful sleep.

But instead of going back to her own mattress, Erìhe settled next to Neteyam so that she barely lay on the mattress.

Neteyam slept with his back facing her and Erìhe propped her chin on her palm so that she could see him better. She smiled fondly as she heard quiet mumbles coming from him - similar to Tuk's. Incoherent, soft mumbles.

What she had thought to be peaceful dreaming soon turned out to not be so. Erìhe's smile was quick to fade when Neteyam's previously calm breathing became struggled and shallow - he was no doubt having a bad dream.

Erìhe knew this because in that moment, Neteyam turned over in his sleep to lay on his back and he wore a troubled frown as his hands balled up in fists by his sides in a pointless attempt of fighting off the bad dream.

"Neteyam?" Erìhe whispered with a frown. She reached out with her hand to grasp onto his hand so that he could hold onto something as he slumbered.

As Neteyam's hand closed around hers, his eyes fluttered open. He was met by Erìhe's concerned gaze as she noticed his lashes glued together by tears.

Erìhe lifted her free hand up to brush away the tears that had barely started to trickle down his face. Her gentle touch made Neteyam close his eyes as his breathing calmed down, "Erìhe," he whispered quietly and relief flooded his expression as he turned to his side to better face her.