CHAPTER 37

Erìhe's smile grew tenfold when she heard his words - suddenly she no longer felt anger or embarrassment.

It was as if Neteyam had handed off his previous confidence to her - he cursed himself for it.

He was left flustered and short of breath while Erìhe smiled at him victoriously. It was as if they had somehow - on whatever grounds they could - made this a competition too. Which was ridiculous, really, since neither of them had been sure of the others feelings.

"Really?" Erìhe asked.

Neteyam swallowed harshly as he watched the girl shuffle the smallest bit closer to him. They were both sat cross-legged across from the other and by now their knees were brushing against each other's.

"What?" Neteyam said blankly. There did not seem to be a single thought behind his eyes as he gazed at her. In reality he was just very distracted by the way she was looking back at him.

Erìhe chuckled softly, her eyes looking down at her paint-covered hands momentarily, "I asked if you really liked me," she grinned.

Neteyam was blinking rapidly as he looked at her. "Well - yes. I do - I like you," he figured that there was no point denying it anymore. He had wasted enough time chasing her already. If there was any hope of her liking him back - he might as well find out now.

Erìhe's eyes fluttered to meet his, and before he could even register it, her hand was resting on his knee and she was drawing closer. Neteyam glanced down at her hand. The yellow paint from her fingers was now also on his skin - but he was soon distracted by her face right in front of his.

"You do?" Erìhe was by now aware of the effect she had on him. He fought to control his expression, but the blush that crept on his cheeks and the swishing of his tail gave away his excitement and nervousness. "You like me?" She teased him.

Neteyam's hand gripped the wrist of her hand that was rested on his knee, "Yes," he said breathlessly. "A lot," he added under his breath.

Not being able to hide her smile, Erìhe drew ever so slightly closer. Their breaths mixed together from the proximity of their lips.

Neteyam's eyes closed as a frown found its way on to his face while his free hand lifted to perch itself on her waist.

He was about to give in - he was about to kiss her - when suddenly something came to him. "Wait," he said with his voice barely a whisper.

Erìhe still wore her smile as she leaned back ever so slightly - just so that she could admire his face.

Neteyam looked down as he furrowed his eyebrows, not daring to look at her as he spoke, "What about you?"

"What about me?" Erìhe almost smirked at the nervousness mixed with excitement that was evident in his voice.

"I said I liked you," he whispered.

Erìhe's smile fell ever so slightly. Just the corners of her mouth drooped the smallest bit and there was a change in her eyes. He sounded so vulnerable and scared - it registered to her that this was because of her kiss with Ao'nung.

Neteyam did not want to be some other guy she kissed just because she could.

He needed to know how she felt.

He had to hear her say it.

Neteyam's other hand made it's way to hold her waist as well as his thumbs drew small patterns on her sides. "I need you to say it," he said in a voice so quiet that she would not have heard him had their faces not been so close to the other.

Erìhe lifted her hand to gently place it against the side of his face. She ran her thumb down his cheek delicately, dismissing the paint that was left behind on his skin.

"I like you, Neteyam," she whispered, her eyes trailed from the paint that now tainted his skin to his eyes. Erìhe's gaze held nothing but genuine love and there was no mistake that she spoke the truth. "A lot."

A hesitant grin broke across Neteyam's face as he heard her quoting him from earlier. He let his right hand travel from her waist up to her shoulder - sending a shiver down Erìhe's spine as he tips of his fingers softly trailed up her arm.

"May I kiss you?" Neteyam asked in a soft voice.

The corners of Erìhe's mouth lifted as she heard the slight quiver in his voice. He seemed to be nervous - scared of rejection or just overall scared.

"I was about to ask," Erìhe replied, a toothy grin making its way on her face as her head tilted ever so slightly while she smiled at him.

Neteyam's hand traveled to the back of her neck as he dipped his head, "I'll take that as a yes," he whispered, a smile on his lips as he noticed her cheeks turning pink.

Erìhe sighed softly before leaning closer. She was done with waiting.

Tilting her chin higher, Erìhe was able to touch her lips to his just as both of their eyes fluttered shut. Delicately, both her hands cupped either side of Neteyam's face and she could feel the heat of his skin under her palms.

Thousands of butterflies had erupted in Neteyam's stomach - he was almost afraid that she would hear the flapping of their wings. She really did make him so nervous.

He was aware of the paint on her hands but he did not care, he wanted her hands to be exactly were they were, caressing his face softly as their lips danced together. Her soft lips moved in synch with his as they kissed each other softly - gently, without words letting each other know how much they meant to the other.

As Erìhe leaned back slightly to sit more comfortably, Neteyam leaned in, chasing her lips with his - not wanting for their kiss to end. The girl chuckled against his lips as she turned her head ever so slightly to the side so that he could no longer kiss her.

Neteyam's eyes opened and he studied her expression, trying to see what could be wrong. Seeing Erìhe laughing airily, he could not hold back his smile as he let out a chuckle as well. "Come here," he said softly before pulling her closer by her waist, positioning her so that she almost sat on his lap.

Erìhe's eyes turned into crescents as she smiled widely - she knew what he wanted. With a grin still on her face, she lifted his chin up with her thumb and index finger, causing him to look up at her before placing her lips back on his.

Neteyam hugged the girls waist as he eagerly returned the kiss - one hand placed higher on her back as the other held her close. He had to crane his neck to meet her lips as her face was now much higher than his, but in that moment it did not matter one bit.

He had finally gotten what he had wanted.

Perhaps he'd never wanted anything more than he'd wanted Erìhe - despite their lifelong competition, there was no denial that he had yearned for her the most.

As Neteyam thought of the fact that he was kissing her, another smile made its way on his face. Soon his grin was so wide that Erìhe could no longer ignore it and she was forced to pull away again.

Her arms were locked around his neck as she looked down at him. "You need to stop smiling so much," she laughed as she played with the ends of his hair, causing him to shiver as her fingers brushed gently against his queue.

The queue was protected by the hair braided around it, but Neteyam's senses were heightened in that situation and he was aware of even the slightest shift of Erìhe. "I can't," he replied as he lifted his hand to hold her neck, bringing her face down so that he could place a short, soft kiss on her lips once more.

"We should head back," Erìhe placed her fingers on his lips, once again stopping him from being able to kiss her.

"Probably," Neteyam agreed as he leaned back so that her fingers were no longer in contact with his lips. He remembered how they would have to sleep on opposite ends of the marui if they returned now. He could not care less if he'd get a lecture from his father for staying out late again. "But I don't want to."

"Neither do I," Erìhe giggled as she swept a few braids behind Neteyam's ear, admiring the beads that were woven into his hair.

Neteyam felt as his face flushed and his tail flicked from side to side. She had never laughed like that around him. The sound was so pure and innocent - so genuine - Neteyam knew that if she'd laughed like this around him before, he'd have fallen for her so much earlier.

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A/n:
Not proofread or edited because I CANT DO IT

Also here's this crappy fifteen minute sketch of Erìhe and her friends that I made lmao

Idk if it's weird to make drawings about your own fanfic but I've done it before so - also I just kind of wanted to show you what I imagine the others to look like <33

Also if anyone wants to give tips on how to write kisses and shit feel free to comment or pm me 🫡🫡 HAHAHA