Flowing Melody || NETEYAM

I Vow I Will Always Be Yours

Fae felt ridiculous.

Her hair looked the nicest it had in months, and she had her light, airy flowing cloths back on, which had been forgotten in the corner of her hut for months. Reya had braided flowers around her crown, and down in her flowing waves. Dimly, she was aware she most likely looked like she used to, sure her face was slightly gaunt, and her waterline and nose tinged pink. Reya had simply called her beautiful. She had not had those words spoken to her in months.

Fae was giving herself a pep talk of sorts, the sun rising along the sea, sending streaks of reds and pinks and oranges dancing across her blue skin.

She would go and knock and she would accept whether he was really there or not with a grace she was yet to muster.

She paced, occasionally picking up a large smooth shell and sending it skimming into the sea. She was sheathing and unsheathing Neteyam's knife from her side, twirling it absentmindedly in her hands, she had grown comfortable with the blade, moving with it like the current of the ocean.

"Okay okay, you can do this. Its easy, just walk and go and knock. Easy. Youve done it a million times before, this time is no different."

She was muttering, completely unaware of her surroundings until she heard the familiar padding of sand under bare feet not too far behind her.

She froze, eyes on the rising sun as a voice broke the morning air, a voice like clarity, like the first fruit on trees, like the heart of the ocean fuelled each syllable that fell from his lips, so painfully seared into her mind.

"Heard you been avoiding me, sea star?"

She spun, hair fanning out behind her, the sun highlighting the hues of soft browns, catching the rays of light as she stared in fearful innocence at his face, eyes wide with regretful awe.

There he was, her Neteyam. He was stood proud and tall like an experienced warrior, leaning against lo'ak slightly for support, rolling his shoulders back nervously, an anxious look on his face. His lean muscles dipped as he shifted, his face slightly more defined and shoulders broader. He was just as she remembered him, even more so. His braids looked freshly done, hanging around his face as his tail swished behind him as a way to release his pent up anxiety.

He pushed away from his brother gently, lo'ak giving him a brief hand on his shoulder before he stepped back, letting his brother walk towards his Fae, an encouraging smile as he watched.

"Speak to me, Fae." Neteyam almost begged as he got closer, Fae still frozen in shock, the water lapping at her feet. Unbelieving that this was really happening.
"Yell at me if you wish, hit me or curse me. Just...just let me hear your voice again."

He stopped short of touching her, and Fae could now see the worry written in his eyes. His golden eyes that glowed softly in the morning light, the hurt that was engraved on his face.
Fae'voila had caused him that hurt.

She stepped forwards, not speaking a word as she hesitenlty pressed a fingertip and then her whole palm against the whitened, circular scar on his chest. She closed her eyes briefly, her mouth opening slightly to let a shaky breath out as she felt it. The thumping of his heart, she automatically leaned closer to him, feeling how his very much real and very much alive beat beneath her soft palm quickened, as if leaping at her hand, lapping for her attention.

She looked up carefully, meeting his eyes through her slightly damp lashes, he was still stood still, letting her do what she needed to do. His fingers agitated against his side, nervous energy spilling from him.

She counted his beats, and then let a wet laugh escape her flushed lips, throwing herself forwards and against his chest joyously. He let out a suprised grunt, catching her in his arms, wrapping himself tightly around her waist as she pressed her nose against his neck, smelling his scent of trees and moss and mountain air.
She brought her head back, sudden guilt washing over her as her face fell, she touched her hand to his heart again, keeping it there, pressed between their warm bodies.

"You are just as you were the day i lost you," she breathed, and he sighed a breath she was unaware he had been holding.

"And you are just as lovely."

Neteyam pressed his forehead against hers.

"You must have been so scared, dearest, in so much pain. I am sorry i hurt you. I am sorry i did not come see you. I failed you when you needed me, ma Nete. I am endlessly sorry for my cruelty."

"You could never be cruel to me, my love."

Neteyam whispered into her hair, his chin resting ontop of her head, bringing her impossibly closer to him. His hand touched her damaged ear, the top half blown away by cruelty, the scarring was ugly, Fae would be first to admit it. An ugly splash of white against her fair skin, she shyed away from his hand in shame. But Neteyam did not shy away, instead placing both of his hands on her cheeks, wiping away her tears with his thumb, as if to remind her she was beautiful.

"They hurt you?" Neteyams voice shook slightly, looking deeply into her eyes, not letting her try to run or to hide from him.

Fae did not speak, instead she melted into his hands, closing her eyes briefly and breathing him in, her long lashes damp against her cheeks.

"Thought i taught you to duck, fish girl."

Neteyam grinned, causing Fae to scoff half-heartedly and with no heat, pushing his chest lightly.

"shush skxawng," She lifted his knife from her side, placing it into his hands firmly. "i kept it safe for you."

He smiled at her his smile that she had grown to love and then miss more then anything. Taking the knife gently from her hands and sheathing it back onto his hip.

"You are very brave. I am very lucky, since i have...returned, my mother has reminded me of that a lot."

He suddenly did not seem so at ease, as though his mind had caught back up to him, the nervous energy reentering his body as he shifted from one foot to another.

"Dying is not something i recommend," Neteyam joked awkwardly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck, the other still around Fae's waist.

"I was worried, i will admit. I thought," He hesitated as he continued, his bravery failing him for just a second. "I thought perhaps i had been gone too long, my family assured me you were still mine, but...but i still doubted."

She drew back, looking up at him with a confused expression, as though he was being unbelievably silly, taking his hand in hers and placing it on the necklace she wore everyday and everynight proudly, he blinked when he saw it, recognition flashing in his eyes, and then relief that she had still received his gift to her.

"Foolish boy. I would have waited until my own very last breath, i would have foresaken it all to only see your face again, and i would have bargained with Eywa herself to hear your laughter. I killed that human that threatened your body with my own two hands and your knife, i could only do that because of the courage you gave me. I did not come not because i did not love you. I couldnt come in fear of gaining you to only lose you again. I couldnt, i couldnt do it."

She broke down slightly, tears flowing, wetting Neteyams chest where they fell. Neteyams harms tightened around her as she mentioned the lengths she went to, his girl going to any length to protect him, even after he was gone.

"Ma sea star, look at me, hey look at me," he gently took her chin between his two fingers, encouraging her to meet his longing gaze, "you will never lose me again. I will not leave your side, but you must promise me to never leave mine aswell. You must promise me with your heart, trust me with it again. Trust me to never shatter it like when i caused you pain."

She let tears fall, the golden light encasing them in a halo, sun-warmed water bathing them in new life, gifting them a chance to try again.

"I promise you," she whispered to the world, to Eywa, to him, sealing her word with the press of her salty lips against her love's warm ones.

"You could never hurt me, Ma Neteyam."