My Sister's Boy

Ghosts of Her Past/In Another Life

Poor Neytiri.
__________

Neytiri was conflicted.

That's how she often felt when she saw her eldest and Tarsem. How the sight warmed yet, and yet haunted her. They reminded her too much of what she lost. Who she lost.

"Tarsem, kehe."

"Yawn-"

"No."

She watched the two lovingly argue. It reminded her too much of them. It warmed but hurt her heart.

"I should go with you, then."

"No. I'm pregnant, not incapable."

"I know you are capable, yawne. But I am supposed to be protecting you."

"I don't need protecting all the time!"

Tarsem looked at her as if she smacked him across the face. How the interaction made her nostalgic.

"I disagree-"

"Enough, both of you."

The two shut up and turn to the woman who was occupied in knitting two small baby blankets. One had red and yellows, the other had purples and blues. She couldn't decide on one, so she did both.

"Tarsem."

His back straightens at his name.

"Come help me with this while she hunts."

Tarsem grunted at this. He didn't want her going out alone. He didn't like it, it made him uncomfortable. His mate kissed his cheek smugly before running out with her bow.

"One hour!"

"Okay, mama!"

Silence.

Neytiri nodded to the spot beside her before continuing. He plops down beside her, arms crossed as he stared at the entrance of the hut. Oh, how that reminded her of him.

"Staring won't make her come back any sooner."

Tarsem sighed, and turned towards his mate's mother.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Knit this for me while I work on this one, hm?"

His hands clumsily tries to match her pattern. I looked like a mess to him, but Neytiri didn't think so. The middle had a steady pattern, but the bigger it got the more the colors shifted. Blended. It reminded her of a warm fire pit, or the sun and its rays. It was unique in her eyes.

"With all due respect, it looks horrible!"

"Kehe!"

She smacked his head in response to his frustrated hiss. He grunted in pain and pouted as his rubbed his head. She smiles reminiscently at this.

"It's good. It doesn't have to be perfect."

"What if the baby doesn't like it?"

Neytiri smiles at his admission, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"They will like it. And so will she. Don't beat yourself up over something so small."

"It isn't small to me!"

He growled at her, but then remembered who he was talking to.

"I'm sorry,"

Neytiri only smiled. He reminded her so much of him.

"I like it. It reminds me of the warmth of a fire. Of a sun. How it comforts."

Tarsem looked at her, eyes searching her eyes for lies. Neytiri rolls her own before handing him the barely started purple and blue one.

"Do this one. See where it will take you."

Her daughter came back to see her mates fingers tangled in thread, her mother laughing at him as he growled.

"Kehe! It's not funny!"

"But it is, Ts-"

"Mama, why do you insist on torturing my mate?"

Tarsem's ears and tail wiggling happily at her voice, eyes instantly snapping to her. He smiled at the sight of her, getting a teasing wave in response.

"See? I told you I'd be fine!"

He grunted at the memory, face dropping.

"Hush."

Neytiri watches as the two run off, in love. Her mind sees them, but can't help but comparing them to an old love. One that was violently put out by the demons she had came to hate. Maybe the two children in front of her was their second chance at love. A peaceful and complete one. In this life.

"Oh, Tsu'tey, Sylwanin! How I miss you."