Beneath You. 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗬𝗔𝗠

O21. BIGGER CONNECTIONS & FEELINGS

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE. ✧˖*°࿐
❝ BIGGER CONNECTIONS & FEELINGS. ❞

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"It's crazy to think you're alive."

"Do you want me to be dead?"

"I-" Neteyam shook his head at hearing Emea's words. "No! I just meant it in a way that I'm happy you're here with us, with me. It's been a couple of rough days but, I'm happy I have you here."

Emea smiled at him, dimples appearing on each of her cheeks that caused him to poke it. "You promised you'll protect me and you did. You protected me. Yes, you could've had prevented me from being shot, but it was still out of your control. You saved me, though, getting to action once you saw me bleeding. I wouldn't have been here, but I am because of you."

Neteyam smiled at her. He rested his shoulder on the shoulder that wasn't wounded, making sure their hands were still together. Intertwined. Such a beautiful sight for him—and for her—since he always wished to hold her hand.

"Let's go to the Cove of the Ancestors," Neteyam nudged her softly before he called for their ilu, reaching his hand out for her. She smiled and grabbed it, getting behind him while they both were led to her sacred place.

As they made it there, they were quick to go under to connect with the spirit tree. Emea looked at him.

"Eywa is stronger today," she signed. "Connect with it, wait to see what happens."

Neteyam nodded before he made the connection with the spirit tree, closing his eyes as he felt a surge of energy coming to him. It wasn't long before he came to see what he was given.

In front of him, a child was held. The way it moved and the way people around it shed tears. Neteyam quickly noticed, though, the way the child contained similar features to those of Emea, and he came to understand it was her.

Everyone around her were holding hands, smiling through tears. The place was a haven and she had lived, her eyes, her beautiful eyes, opening to see Neteyam. She had smiled a little before her parents took her away in their own arms, cradling her, and shedding tears of happiness.

He came to know the point of view he was looking through, being able to see that Emea's grandmother was smiling down at the child with proudness and happiness. He saw the way everyone looked at Emea and he came to understand that he would've felt the exact same way if he were to come in contact with her.

The vision later changed to one of where he stood by a child. Braids were made in its hair, flowers and beads coursing through strands. It had been holding a knife in its hands and Neteyam eyed the designs. It was one similar to the one Emea held in her pod, one she didn't use.

"But won't Mother feel the pain of it?" The child looked up at him and Neteyam smiled.

"We'll be there to help her."

At the realization, Neteyam jerked back softly, coming to his senses. He came to see Emea on the top, her gaze looking around her with wonderment. She turned to look at him once she felt him by her side—she heard him—and she smiled a little.

"I feel her more," she whispered. "Whatever you and I saw, I'm sure it was her doing."

Neteyam stayed by her side and watched around them, too, admiring the scenery. What he saw came back to him and he couldn't believe he saw he and Emea with a child. He didn't see Emea, but the child looked exactly like her in terms and it had a knife she never let anyone touch.

They were both quiet until they weren't.

"You're in love with me."

Neteyam glanced at Emea as soon as those words escaped her mouth. She clearly wouldn't catch on, would she? After all, she isn't exactly dumb and she notices things not many would notice. So, Neteyam could only smile at her and shrugged, looking away.

"I don't know," he smoothly waved off. "Do you want me to love you unconditionally?"

Emea looked at him and smiled a little, squinting at him playfully. "Just say you love me. I won't be mad at all."

Neteyam got closer to her, eyeing the way her breath hitched in her throat. He grabbed a piece of loose hair framing her face before placing it behind her ear, admiring the little braids that contained beads because of Tuk. The child held braids just like hers.

"What if I do say it?" He mumbled to her, almost as if they were sharing secrets. She hummed, shrugging.

"You'll see once you confess."

Neteyam looked at her and he smiled, chuckling at her words. She smiled cheekily at him before glancing at the sunset, ignoring the way she could feel him staring at her side profile.

"My feelings," Neteyam spoke in a hushed tone as if he spoke any louder, he would wake the village, "for you, are simply too much to handle when you look ethereal. You are a sight to be, Emea."

Emea looked at him and he had looked away, staring at the sunset she had been staring at.

"Do you mean that...?" Emea whispered back to him, watching him under her lashes. That look simply made Neteyam's heart speed up.

"I do," he nodded. He grabbed her hands. "I saw something down there but, I need you to tell me that you feel what I feel because whatever I was shown, made me feel more connected to you."

Emea slowly nodded, coming to terms with her own feelings.

She had known for a while, but she wasn't used to the way she felt. She had never felt this way for anyone until Neteyam came along. She wasn't used to feeling nervous or feeling like she was turning red every single he complimented her. It was hard to believe.

Now, Emea knew she was pretty, but the way Neteyam described her made her feel even more comfortable in her own skin. She didn't know to be ethereal or anything. She just knew she was enough for her and that was fine with her. But now, she had someone who looked at her as if she hung up every star in the sky.

"You make me feel everything."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I know I know, avatar isn't
that famous anymore but I
love them :(

I will go more into depth about
Emea's feelings next chapter and
how she find out so don't worry
I love her 🫡

Now night night 🙂