❝ it's crazy how beautiful
she looked while she was
trying to kill me. ❞
As the eldest carry such burden on their shoulders, they learn to deal with one another when one hates the other and the other is infatuated.
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"You're doing it wrong, Neteyam. Again."
Emea sat in front of the boy, helping him with his "finger talk" (as he named it) to be nothing but perfect. They were in the same situation as yesterday.
"Okay, can you tell me what I'm doing wrong?" Neteyam softly asked her and Emea nodded, fixing the way his fingers were placed.
"You aren't supposed to do it that way," she showed him how to do it with her own fingers. "Do you see the difference between what I did and what you did?"
"Yeah, I see it now," Neteyam nodded, fixing his mistake. Emea hummed in satisfaction and Neteyam tried to make eye contact with her.
When he came to join her, she didn't say much. She just got to the point and started teaching him and so far, the progression has been better than the day before.
"You're doing good compared to yesterday," Emea commented, still not looking at him. He smiled before he sighed at her actions.
"You haven't looked at me since we started, Emea," she looked at him and he smiled a little. "Are you okay?" She didn't answer. "Listen, if it's about yesterday, I don't mind that you opened up about your fears. I can totally forget about it, too."
Emea frowned. "You would pretend that you didn't hear it?" He nodded and she tilted her head. "Really?"
He cleared his throat before putting his hands up, signing. "I don't want you to be afraid in any way or feel embarrassed in any way because you shared something you didn't mean to share."
Emea looked at him in shock. "Where'd you learn that much?"
He smiled and shrugged, not telling her. But, she should've known it was her younger sister who helped him considering he immediately went to her to impress Emea. He also wanted to apologize in sign language considering that Emea gets annoyed when she teaches him sometimes.
"Next question."
"But, can we forget about what happened?" Emea asked him in almost a hushed voice and Neteyam swore he could just jump on her right then and there and give her a big, tight hug. "Thank you."
Neteyam bowed his head. "Don't thank me. I don't want to cross a line by constantly reminding you what you said. I apologize."
"I'm still going to apologize just so you know," Emea mumbled before she eyed the mistake Neteyam did. She slapped his hand, correcting it. "Just because I'm looking at you now doesn't mean you can automatically do mistakes. You should be able to do these if you got taught."
"What if I'm just pretending to not know so I can get taught by you?" Neteyam sheepishly smiled and Emea looked up at him, giving him a look. He chuckled. "You will never know."
"I will drown you."
"My parents will come for you."
"My parents will banish them."
That shut Neteyam before he shook his head, laughter slipping from his lips. "I keep forgetting your important." His eyes widened at the sudden use of words. "Wait, let me correct myself."
Emea smiled a little, leaning against her hands on the floor. "Please do so."
"I keep forgetting your parents are, like, the leaders of this clan," Neteyam tried to explain it. He noted the amusement in her eyes. "Are you laughing at me?"
"I will always find it a bit humorous at the fact you speak before thinking of what you're going to say," Emea shrugged and Neteyam watched as the smile she had disappeared. "I'm going to tell your mom what you said."
"No, no, no," Neteyam's eyes widened again and he sat up straight. "No. She will kill me."
"Good."
"Do you not want me to live?" Neteyam squinted his eyes at her and she shrugged, not giving an answer. "That is mean. I'm going to tell your siblings so they can tell your parents."
"Go ahead."
Neteyam wanted to frame this whole interaction so far in his brain. This is the longest they've actually held such a conversation without it getting awkward and he even got to see a bit of her true self coming out of her shell.
"You," he pointed at her, "are mean."
"Good," Emea pointed back at him. She thought about the interaction, shying away almost immediately. "Um, let's go back to the lesson."
Neteyam nodded before following after Emea and the words she said.
Before they both realized, it was almost time for them to go back to their pods. Maybe, Neteyam thought, he'd be lucky enough to drop her off back at her pod. Maybe.
"Is that it for today?"
Emea looked at him. "Am I boring you?"
He panicked. "No, no, I'm just asking just in case you're tired."
She shrugged. "We can finish up early today. After all, I'm still impressed at the fact you gave me a whole apology. I'm proud to say the least." Neteyam smiled and beamed with satisfaction. Emea noticed.
"Hey," Neteyam cleared his throat. He looked at the floor, "since we're going in the same way, is it okay if we walk together?"
Emea looked at him. "It's fine. If anything happens, though, you're the first one to go."
Neteyam snorted, rolling his eyes. "Let's just go."
They walked off from their place, secluded from everyone but not so far. They were just walking in silence and Emea opened her mouth to speak, having noticed the way he seemed to look for praise. She understood why.
That's how she was.
"You know," she started, looking away from him, "you always do good. I'm just stricter because I can see you want to learn but you doubt yourself."
Neteyam eyed her and he looked away. "Well, I do have a lot of issues in that matter thanks to my dad. He wants me to be the better example and I just want to make him happy."
Emea nodded and listened. "I get it. You have to be the perfect role model to your siblings. If they're not in line, then you're going blame for."
"Yes!" Neteyam exclaimed, jumping. He walked backwards, facing her. "Yes. You understand. It's frustrating."
"It is," the curly-haired girl agreed. "My parents are like that so I assumed you were like that since you are also the oldest of all of your siblings. It's a burden to carry."
"It's tiring."
"I get you," Emea breathed out and he looked at her once again.
He smiled and she gave him a small one.
"Leave my brother alone!"
They both turned to look at the source of sound and came to find the back of Kiri's head not so far from them. They were both confused but anger both boiled inside of them once they saw Ao'nung and his friends circling Lo'ak.
"Do not start a fight," Emea mumbled to Neteyam but he shook his head.
"I promise I won't unless they hurt him."
AUTHOR'S NOTE.
I was going to update yesterday during New Years but it was my one year anniversary with my bf so I was just calling him (we're long distance 😔)
And yes, Emea and Neteyam's friendship is progressing but I still want there to be a bit of hesitation
