Ma Meuia (NETEYAM)

15

"Tsireya I'll meet you to help with my sign and breathing later?" She nodded and I walked away.

I wanted to explore the trees behind the huts, I was hoping it would give me a little sense of home. I had been getting used to the water, I didn't miss home as strongly and I felt like Neteyam had a part in that. But with what happened yesterday, I was longing my tree. 

Once I walked past the treeline, I heard a snap behind me and I hissed when I turned around, dagger in hand.

It was Neteyam, he held his hands up as if to show me that it was just him.

I rolled my eyes, and put the dagger back into its sheath on my chest.

" Why are you here?" I asked him bluntly.

" I wanted to talk to you."

" I think we talked enough last night."

He shook his head, " No, No we didn't. I was wrong, Ri"

I rolled my eyes again, already walking away. If he was apologetic then he would show me he was. I wasn't canceling my plans because he felt guilty.

Of course I still loved him and I couldn't ever stay mad at him but that doesn't mean I would make it easy for him. And a part of me still felt like I was too dependent on him, that I gave him too much power over me.

" Riti! Wait up!"

I didn't slow down, already climbing over the vines and the stumps. It wasn't like the forest, they were different types of trees and their was sand underneath my feet. It didn't have the same feel. It just wasn't home.

I didn't think too much about the disappointment I felt.

Neteyam couldn't stand to let me have any peace as always.

" I don't know what I did wrong with Lo'ak."

I said nothing still looking ahead, it looked like there was a clearing up ahead.

I answered him anyways, "Lo'ak doesn't need a babysitter, Neteyam. He needs his older brother. His older brother who is supposed to believe in him and be on his side when no one else is."

We had gotten to the clearing where a small pond laid, the water was crystal clear. I kneeled down so that I could get a closer look.

It was so deep it looked like there was no bottom. It had been overgrown with moss, flowers and there were no fishes anywhere to be seen.... Or any creature in the pond.

"You know I'm really sorry, right?" 

Neteyam came up right behind me sliding his hands across my stomach. The butterflies erupted, I knew what he was doing. He was using his touch to fog my head, get me to cave into his apology. It wasn't working....

" So you've said" I removed his hands although it killed me to do it.

"I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for blaming you. I'm sorry for trying to separate myself from you. I'm sorry for calling you childish.I'm sorry for invalidating your feelings. I'm sorry for-"

I pushed him into the pond, honestly I got it the first time.

He gasped spitting out pond water, " I guess I deserved that."

I smiled a little, "I understood the first time you Skxawng."

He swam towards me at the edge, and leaned up on his forearms using them to push his body up towards me but not getting out of the water completely. His face was right underneath mine.

He whispered "Does that mean you forgive me," as I stared into his eyes

I pretended to think about it, taping my chin, "Hmmmm I don't know. I still need to think about it."