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"Can't you sleep somewhere else?"
Beneath the moonlit sky, one could hear love's melody softly sigh upon your inquiry as the forest was bathed in its usual nocturnal glow, and you found yourself nestled in the embrace of your comfortable hammock, watching Lo'ak's silhouette as he prepared to settle in the hammock beside yours. The night air was crisp, yet a subtle tension lingered between the two of you, and not the good kind.
Lo'ak, it seemed, had been plagued by restless nights for quite some time, his limbs flailing about in chaotic patterns. The stories shared by Kiri during the evening meal about how she always ended up with his elbow in her face, revealed a comical yet somewhat bothersome side to his nocturnal escapades. You had no desire to witness his flailing limbs firsthand or become an unintentional victim of his sleep-induced antics for you had just recently learned about that, and as much as you loved your friend, that was a line you didn’t wish for anyone to cross. You were definitely not interested in learning this side of him.
"Oh, how fucking mean!" Lo'ak exclaimed in a characteristically loud manner, his words echoing through the stillness of the night.
"Language!" A distant voice reprimanded him with a stern reminder about his choice of words. Though you couldn't discern the exact source of the admonition, it bore a familiar tone, possibly belonging to his father. The forest seemed to hold its breath, as if even nature itself acknowledged the significance of the moment.
Your resolve remained unyielding as you asserted your position. "No, really," you persisted, your voice firm, "I'd rather not sleep next to you if you're going to be so weird and punch everyone in your sleep."
"Hey, everyone is different," Lo'ak, ever the rational thinker, offered his defense, reasoning with you as a hint of mischief danced in his eyes. "I mean you’re a sleep talker, but do you see me causing a fuss about it? No."
"Because I don't sleep-talk," you retorted, your voice laced with a touch of defiance as a flicker of annoyance crossed your face.
"How do you know?" A smug smile crept upon Lo'ak's face as he crossed his arms, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "The things these innocent ears have heard throughout the years, and yet I've never once complained."
Your eyes rolled in response to his teasing remark, "Fine, if you say so. But then again, you don't have to sleep here. Swap places with Kiri."
Lo'ak's reply came swiftly, accompanied by a hint of false regret. "Can't do that. Tuk can only sleep next to Kiri."
"Poor you," you said with sarcasm dripping in your voice, "Then why not switch hammocks with Neteyam?"
"He probably wouldn't want to," he assumed, shrugging his shoulders.
"We both know that's a lie," you asserted with a gentle conviction. Neteyam possessed an adaptability unmatched by most, his unassuming nature allowing him to find comfort in the simplest of circumstances, be it sleeping in a different hammock or on a branch or the ground. You had never known him to complain, his unyielding resilience serving as a source of admiration. It was one of the many reasons why your fondness for him ran deeper than mere affection, however, that was something you’d never dare to speak out.
"Yeah, but I'm so comfortable here," Lo’ak protested, "Why don't you swap with him, hm?" The flickering shadows played upon his face revealing the mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Then I’d still be next to you, you skxawng," you defended your stance, refusing to yield to his suggestion, "Besides, I'm comfortable too."
"That's your problem," A sigh escaped Lo'ak's lips as he turned away, bidding you goodnight.
But you couldn't let it rest, not when your sleep was at stake. "Don't sleep. You have to swap places first. Come on. I'm serious. I'm very sensitive when it comes to my sleep, you know that. I need to be undisturbed in any possible way, no light, no noise, otherwise I can't guarantee anything." The plea in your voice held a touch of dramatic desperation, "If I wake up tomorrow with your foot in my face or something, I'll lose it, and then you’ll lose it, and we will fight, and the whole village will hate us."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll manage," Lo’ak grumbled a response.
"But I won’t!" you huffed, "Lo'ak, come oooon, just swap." Another plea, the second time in that night, tinged with a whiner's tone, slipped past your lips, hoping against hope that he would finally give in to your request.
Yet, silence greeted your appeals, leaving you in a state of uncertainty.
"Lo’ak," you called his name, urgency lacing your voice.
No response.
Frustration welled within you, "Don't make me beg."
Still nothing.
"You're so annoying sometimes," you scoffed. Anger flickered in your eyes, a hint of resentment aimed at his refusal to understand your simple request. "What's so bad about switching your damned hammock?"
Minutes passed and his back was still turned to you, when you decided you couldn’t wait any longer.
"Pleeeeeease," you whined then once again, "I don't want you next to me. I want to sleep with Neteyam."
Lo'ak's sudden turnaround jolted you, his surprised expression morphing into a widening grin.
"Whaaat!?" he asked, his grin getting wider and wider.
Silence.
Big eyes.
"What?" you asked quickly, a dumbfounded expression on your face.
"Oh Eywa..." his voice grew louder, the ever so confident and wide grin plastered on his face, "This is just too good."
Panic gripped you, realizing the potential implications of your slip-up, and you desperately hoped that he hadn't latched onto the unintended meaning of your words. Because in that case, he would never let you forget it, not in this life, not in the next.
"Lo'ak," in a hushed tone, you hissed at him, attempting to correct his misinterpretation, your voice carrying a warning, "I don't know what you think you heard, but I said next to."
"You sooo didn't," he teased.
"Are you insane? Of course, I did."
"Nah, bro, I heard what I heard."
"Maybe you wanted to hear that?"
He laughed. "Sure, who doesn't want to hear all about your desire to fuck my br-"
"Lo'ak," you hissed again, more threatening now, "Lower your voice."
"Eeww!" The sound of Kiri's disgust further fueled your embarrassment, not only that, if she heard you then you were sure that your conversation could be overheard by other unwanted ears, the mere thought of it made you cringe, and you silently thanked Eywa for the cloak of darkness that concealed the deepening blush on your cheeks.
You vehemently denied Lo'ak's accusations, "I said next to, Kiri. I don't know what he's talking about."
"Bro, since when are you such a good liar? I am almost impressed." Lo'ak teased, his words taunting and nudging the boundaries of your discomfort.
"Let it go, Lo’ak, and next time, wash your ears better."
"No, no, no, I know exactly what happened. My dad told us that some dude from the star he comes from called this scenario a fopa."
"Faux pas," Kiri corrected immediately with an annoyed sigh.
"What?" you asked confusedly.
"I don't know, man, some dude slipped or something."
"No, Lo'ak, that's not quite right," Kiri corrected again, "It’s actually called Freudian slip because—"
"Whatever," he interrupted Kiri in a nonchalant way, "What matters is that it means it wasn't a simple slip of the tongue. You, my dear friend, just unconsciously told us your deepest desire. And I'm happy to have witnessed that because I will never let you forget."
"What are you even talking about? I literally said I would like to sleep next to Neteyam instead of you skxawng. Everyone would say that."
"You didn't. You said I wanna sleep with Teyam. Bad Lo’ak go away. Bring me Teyam." He laughed at his own joke.
"No I obviously did not and it's disgusting that your brain wants to hear anything else."
"Kiri," Lo’ak called to his sister, speaking over you, "Did she say next to or did she say she wants to fu-"
"Lo'ak!!" This time you raised your voice at him, "I didn't, okay!!"
"Sorry, y/n, but you expressed it in a slightly misleading way. It's okay, it's just a slip of the tongue," Kiri explained in an apologetic way.
"See? That’s what I’m saying."
"Leave me alone, Lo’ak."
"Admit you did, and I'm gonna let go."
"Shut up."
"Say it."
Frustrated and flustered, you turned away, deciding to ignore him completely. That’s however until you heard him humming a familiar melody, before he began to sing, quiet and taunting.
"Y/n and 'Teyam are sitting on a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
You tried to further ignore him, keeping your eyes shut when you suddenly heard him shift behind you, so that you turned around to see what he was doing, bewilderment coloring your expression as you watched him rise from his spot.
"What are you doing?"
"Granting your burning desire," he grinned at you.
"It’s not my— it’s not that," you stammered, your cheeks burning with embarrassment and frustration. You attempted to correct him, to make him understand that his assumptions were unfounded.
But Lo'ak merely shrugged, feigning innocence as he mocked your previous words, "If you say so."
A low growl reverberated within you, hidden beneath the surface of your thoughts, but you left his words uncommented. It seemed as though fate was testing your patience once more, for Lo’ak continued to hum some melody that irritated you and just as you were about to snap at him despite having secured your desired sleeping arrangement (no matter the cost), Neteyam returned with Tuk. Whatever you were about to say, you swallowed it and watched how he helped Tuk into her hammock before he settled himself down in the very spot Lo'ak had vacated mere seconds ago, oblivious to the internal struggle you had endured to achieve this outcome.
Even with your initial intentions, a flicker of doubt wove its way through your mind. Was it truly only about avoiding chaos during the night, or did your heart harbor a different longing?
Observing Neteyam's every movement, you found happiness in the gentle grace with which he settled beside you. His eyes met yours, and in that silent exchange, an unspoken understanding passed between you.
A warm smile graced your lips, radiating gratitude. It was a smile that spoke volumes, conveying a depth of emotion that words could never fully capture, and they didn’t need to. The bond between you and Neteyam that had strengthened over the years transcended mere friendship, intertwining with the unspoken desires that had started to bloom within your heart, you knew it was not only you, he must have felt it, too, for he smiled back at you with so much affection, you hadn’t seen it with anyone before.
"Happy to see me?" His voice broke through the air, his tone carrying a gentle playfulness that tugged at your heartstrings.
"Always," you replied, your own smile mirroring the affection in his expression. In that fleeting moment, the weight of the world seemed to fade into insignificance, leaving only the intimate connection shared between the two of you.
"Oh, that I believe," Lo'ak commented sarcastically from the side. You shook your head, choosing to embrace the light-hearted banter rather than let it overshadow the comfortable warmth that enveloped you.
A serene calm settling within your being, you whispered words of gratitude to Eywa as you heard the gentle rise and fall of Neteyam's breath beside you. His peaceful face being the last thing you saw, you closed your eyes and waited to meet him at the place where your dreams aligned with the promise of love as the night draped its velvety curtain over the two of you.