꧁𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎꧂

○twenty|four○

●Neteyam felt himself start to wake up because of the smell of breakfast. The teen untangled himself from his two little sisters who were still asleep. He felt around for his other siblings out of instinct but figured they must have gotten up already. He groggily got up and had only one eye barely open as he went to sit in his spot.

He closed his eyes again and tried his best to stay awake but he was exhausted. Once again, he started to lean to the side but his whole body tensed up when he felt warmth instead of an empty space. He immediately opened his eyes and flinched when he saw Nayliä looking down at him with a watery smile. His heart started racing and for a moment he thought that maybe he was dreaming.

"Mom?" His voice was tiny but anyone could hear the hope that he clung to.

Nayliä nodded at him rapidly, "Yes, love, it's me."

Neteyam's eyes got impossibly bigger and for a split second he didn't move or even breathe. Then before he knew it, he was scrambling to hug her. If this was a dream then he would make the most of it. He didn't mean to but he dug his nails into Nayliä's back causing her to wince but she still hugged him fiercely. The usually strong boy felt tears fall from his eyes and he squeezed his eyes shut.

Seeing her eldest son crying struck a nerve in Nayliä and she rushed to wipe his tears away.

"Aw baby, don't cry. You're going to make me start crying too."

Neteyam leaned into her hands but it didn't stop his tears. All the emotions he had been holding back came to the front of his heart and he couldn't stop them.

Neytiri and Jake watched on with smiles and teary eyes. They both didn't want to ruin the moment and kept to themselves while getting breakfast ready.

Kiri and Lo'ak sat in their usual spots but Kiri was holding little Malík while both she and Lo'ak had a quiet conversation with their youngest brother.

Neteyam looked at his mom that he thought he would never get to see again.

"How are you...when did you.." He couldn't get the right words out no matter how much he tried.

"Shhh, I'll answer all your questions when the others wake up, okay?"

Neteyam nodded at her and reached for her again and she happily held him close to her.

"What's with all the-" Tuk gasped and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't still asleep.

"Mama?" The little girl stood up and clenched her fists. Her ears and tail drooped lowly. Her face scrunched up and her bottom lip wobbled.

Without letting go of Neteyam, Nayliä looked at her youngest daughter.

Tuk's features twisted into one of anger but she still had tears dripping down her chin.

"How could you? You left us! You left me!"

Neytiri frowned and went to intervene but Nayliä held her hand up. She wanted to make things right on her own.

She reluctantly pulled away from Neteyam and approached her clearly heartbroken child.

At first, Tuk was happy but she was so hurt and didn't know how to express it. Her young mind couldn't fathom why or how her mother came back and she was frustrated with her own emotions.

Her outburst made everyone pause and look on with wary eyes.

Nayliä got down on her knees so that she was at Tuk's level.

Tuk sobbed and her body shook with each gasp that left her.

Nayliä grabbed her shoulders and her ears dropped when Tuk flinched at her touch at first.

She looked Tuk in the eye and flickered her gaze to and from both of Tuk's eyes.

"All those nights, you prayed for my return and told me about your day, I was there. You couldn't see me but I was always listening. I remember you telling me about your time with Liia and Kiri making new toys. Do you remember the flower that landed on your beautiful hair?"

Tuk nodded.

"That was me." Nayliä laughed and choked on a sob at the same time, "Baby, I know you're angry with me but I've missed you so much. I never left you, not for a second." Her voice cracked and she hoped that her daughter would be able to forgive her.

Tuk jumped into her arms and buried herself in her mother's loving energy.

Nayliä looked over her shoulder when she felt another pair of small arms wrap around her.

Liia looked up at her with so much relief and love that it made Nayliä falter for a moment.

"I missed you, mama."

Nayliä grinned at her through her own tears and wrapped her arms around her as well.

Liia felt like she had finally woken up from her neverending nightmare. For the longest time, she was stuck in a loop of despair and hopelessness from the time she opened her eyes to the time she fell asleep. Most of the time she was caught up in her own head reliving her mom's last moments.

So, seeing her, feeling her was like taking a fresh breath after drowning in her thoughts. She didn't care about how her mother was back. She was just glad that she was here.

Nayliä hugged her two girls and she looked at her other children and mates. She waved them over for a group hug and everyone joined in almost instantly.

The family finally felt complete again. There were no more feelings of being lost and confused. Their home felt like a home and there wasn't too much empty space anymore.

It took a moment but once the girls and Neteyam had calmed down, Nayliä ushered Kiri to let her hold Malík.

"I want to properly introduce you to your younger brother."

Tuk was the first to react and she gasped and moved to get a better look at him but her smile quickly faded. She squinted her eyes and scrunched her nose up.

"He's ugly."

"I-" ●

◇A/N◇

{Tuk's reaction is based on my own personal experiences so I hope I portrayed it the right way lol}