Courting

Chapter 13

Ao'nung was busy putting off the training he and Tsireya were supposed to lead that morning, with Kiri, Lo'ak, Tuk, and Neteyam. Ao'nung shivered at the thought. His father had said he was allowed to see Neteyam during these sessions, but Ao'nung wasn't sure if he could handle it. Every time the mere thought of being near Neteyam crossed his mind, Ao'nung was immediately lost in thoughts of the golden eyes, the beaded braids, the sleek muscle, and the accentuated waist in his warriors belt. The waist he had so recently wrapped his arms around as he and Neteyam... and was every time snapped out of it by the sound of thumping footsteps past his marui. He wore a consant scowl as he was taken out of his thoughts. It was these images in his head that worried Ao'nung, making him unsure if he could handle being civil but also ignorant of Neteyam. Ao'nung assumed his father also meant they weren't to be dating at all, and Ao'nung didn't know if it was best for him to continue being around Neteyam. Just looking at his boyfr- 

No. Ao'nung thought. He couldn't be anymore, they couldn't be anymore. Just looking at Neteyam gave him goosebumps, every part of the Omatikaya was perfect. The smile, his gleaming white canines just overhanging his lip, his glowing eyes creasing in laughter, the confident flirting. All these things and so, so much more, made Ao'nung mad. Mad at his father, mad at his own stupidity for being caught, mad at himself for letting Neteyam distract him, mad at- 

Ao'nung once more had to stop his own thought process. No, he wasn't mad at Neteyam. He couldn't be... could he? Neteyam had convinced him to stay out, sleep on the beach. Ao'nung had enjoyed it, so much. But how could Neteyam do that to him, surely he knew the risks of it. Neteyam's own father was evidently very tough on his own kids, as was Tonowari with Ao'nung and Tsireya. However, Neteyam didn't have the future of Chief looming over him. Now Ao'nung's lingering scowl was now directed at the one person he would have thought most unlikely to earn his contempt ever. Before he could continue this undesireable thought process, the marui entrance was shadowed by Tsireya.

"Ao, what are you doing? We have to teach the Sully's, come on!" She crossed her arms. Ao'nung deliberated for a second, caught off guard by the nickname he had last heard from Neteyam. Tsireya seemed to miss this, or she chose not to comment on it.

"Do I have to?" Ao'nung groaned, wishing he could stay in this marui for the rest of the day. He didn't want to see Neteyam if he could avoid it. He didn't want to look at the expression his not boyfriend would give him when Ao'nung had to distance himself. Selfishly, he wanted to distance himself so Neteyam's emotions wouldn't make him rethink his own decision. Despite the extreme unenthusiasm from her brother, Tsireya just walked further into the room and pulled him up. Despite the difference in their size, his sister lifted Ao'nung into a standing position with great ease. Her training was different from his, but she was fierce as any one of the boys her age, and then some. Groaning dramatically, Ao'nung followed Tsireya, scowling once more when the sun was so bright on such a miserable day.

Neteyam was eager for lessons today, though they weren't as important as of late. Learning to sign and make themselves useful was something the Sully siblings definitely wanted to and needed to continue learning, but they were getting the hang of breathing and swimming. Even with the disadvantage of their slimmer frames and tails that were not meant for swimming, the Omatikaya children had adapted well and quickly. Ilu riding was become easier for Neteyam, and he was excited to show Ao'nung. All this excitement fell away very, very fast. When the two Metkayina siblings arrived with Rotxo, Neteyam couldn't stop a smile when his eyes found Ao'nung's. Except they didn't. Neteyam was expecting, perhaps wishfully, that he would be the first place Ao'nung's eyes fell. But they didn't, and Neteyam found himself staring at a blank gaze towards the horizon. Smile faltering, Neteyam was puzzled. Waiting for Tsireya to explain what they were to be doing that day. Over the weeks Neteyam and his siblings had been learning, Rotxo had taken the lead on signing, often with Kiri and Tuk. Tsireya would help practise breathing and swimming technique, while Ao'nung and Neteyam mainly focused on Ilu riding and learning about hunting and gathering. Neteyam had been making an effort to learn signing with Kiri outside of their morning sessions, allowing more time with Ao'nung. Though as he thought about it, Neteyam realised Ao'nung could also teach him to sign. His thoughts had managed to bring him back to Ao'nung, as they so often did, and this caused Neteyam to once more meet Ao'nung's eyes as Tsireya finished her explanation and instructed everyone to go do whatever it was they were doing that morning.