Courting

Chapter 7

(filler chapter?)

(I just realised people other than the friends I forced to read this are reading it to so tysm and please give me criticism to help improve the story, or suggestions for plot <3)

Neteyam had hoped his family would already be asleep, late as it was. His parents were indeed asleep, along with Kiri and Tuk. Lo'ak however, was sitting cross legged on the walkway just outside the marui. Guessing his father had instructed Lo'ak to stay awake to ensure Neteyam made it back, he sighed. Lo'ak was definitely going to be frustrated and want to know where he had been. As he thought this, Lo'ak's ears twitched in Neteyam's direction, and he shot to his feet. 

"What have you been up to skxawng? I've been here for half an hour!" Lo'ak whispered as loud as he could, wearing an expression of utmost annoyance. Unwilling to share where he had been, and indeed what he had been doing, Neteyam just smirked at his brother.

"More than you have little bro." Neteyam ruffled his brothers head with his knuckle, the most common form of patronising endearment between the brothers. Lo'ak's expression had softened slightly once it was clear Neteyam was safe and uninjured, but he still rolled his eyes and walked inside. Neteyam stood on the edge of the walkway just outside the doorway for a few minutes, smiling as he saw the still frozen figure of Ao'nung staring at the place where Neteyam had stood as he collided his lips to Ao'nung's. 

The next morning, Neteyam woke in a suspiciously good mood, not missed by his family, Kiri in particular. She was studying him while they ate breakfast, alone this time, the Olo'etkyan having left early for a hunting expedition. Carefully avoiding the unusually attentive eyes of his sister, Neteyam sat next to Lo'ak, elbowing him in greeting. After hearing a 'rousing' speech from his father about how well they were fitting in how pleasing it was to see them get along with the locals in the village. Not going as far to see he was impressed or proud, Jake sent them off with instructions to continue to be as useful as possible, or learn how to do so. 

Venturing out onto the beach, having come accustomed to morning dives in the reef to keep their progress with breathing, the Sully children stumbled into the early morning light towards the sparkling water. Spirits lifted and eyes opened more upon seeing two figures already in the water, Neteyam and Lo'ak's in particular. Too far away to hear any conversation, the siblings just stood there calling out and waving. The two figures turned and confirmed Neteyam's suspicions, revealing the faces of Tsireya and Ao'nung. They all began wading into the water over to the two siblings, as they were only standing in waist high water. Tsireya greeted them with her usually beaming smile, giving Lo'ak a lingering hug that Neteyam didn't think all of her long-term students would have earned by now. Looking at Ao'nung now, Neteyam wondered if he would get any treatment from his... boyfriend? He was unsure what to call him, but pushed that aside  in favour of the more pressing situation of the slightly unpleasant look on the face looking back on him.

After the usual instructions from Tsireya, telling Lo'ak and Neteyam they would continue their previous lesson on ilu riding, while Kiri was again content with studying the reef, having caught on surprisingly quick to riding the creatures yesterday with Rotxo. Tsireya seemed pleased enough with the supposed progress to leave Kiri to follow Tuk to a glinting bed of flowers some feet away. Leading Lo'ak over to the already circling ilu on their right, Neteyam stepped closer to Ao'nung, closer than perhaps was expected from two friends, but nothing anyone watching would take notice of. Puzzling at the slightly sick look Ao'nung was still giving him, Neteyam winked at him.

"Got any other special teaching methods planned for me, or was last night a one off?" he jokingly asked the taller boy, hoping to see a smile crack the mask Ao'nung had not yet shifted. Seeming taken aback once again by his flirtatious attitude, Ao'nung blinked at Neteyam, and finally gave him a weak smile. While it wasn't completely assuring, Neteyam decided he would warm up. After all, Neteyam too had woken thinking about what he was sure was a very pleasing dream, only to feel slightly sick as butterflies took flight upon his realisation of how real the night had been. "Come on, you can show me how to hold onto the ilu again, I can't let Lo'ak get ahead of me." Neteyam said as he grabbed Ao'nung's wrist and dragged him towards the ilu pen. Slightly pleased at how warm the skin he grabbed hold of was, he looked back and smiled at Ao'nung. Even this early in the morning, he looked so put together. As if he was to become chief that day. His arms were thicker than Neteyam's, streatching with brute muscle. During their fight on the shore the night before, Neteyam had discovered the boys stomach was just as solid as any rock among the reef. Neteyam turned back to the Ilu pen and smiled to himself, realising that explained the rather solid surface he had pushed off when racing Ao'nung soon after they first met. 

When he found the ilu from the day before, Neteyam had led both Ao'nung and the affectionally named Tyra, into the open water of the reef, further from the shore. once more mounting the ilu, Neteyam turned to Ao'nung, looking for confirmation or assistance. Ao'nung shook himself, his eyes dropping from Neteyam's chest to his position on the ilu. After sliding the Omatikaya boy further back, away from the ilu's neck, and pulled his thigh further up. When Neteyam laughed during both adjustments, Ao'nung became self conscious before remembering what he had said yesterday. Still blushing, for other reasons now, Ao'nung released Neteyam's legs and began telling him how to hold on when underwater. 

"Remember to push your torso down to her back as much as possible, it will slow you down more, and your head down but eyes up." he instructed, trying not to stumble over his words as Neteyam watched him intently, clearly hanging on his every word. 

"Right, like this?" Neteyam pushed his chest to the spine of his ilu, arching his back. Ignoring the warm feeling of seeing Neteyam in such a position, Ao'nung tentatively adjusted his posture. 

"You don't have to bend your body as much, lead more with your head. If that makes sense." Ao'nung told him, pushing Neteyam's stomach up, evening the curve in his back. Dragging his fingers slightly upon letting go, Ao'nung's ears perked up hearing the giggle that met his ears when his fingers dusted Neteyam's ribs. 

"Thanks." Neteyam said, grinning once more.

"Yeah. Now, I assume the bonding and instructing of the ilu will not be much different than your Ikrans back home." Ao'nung told him, trying to relate back to Neteyam's home back in the forest. This did not have the desired effect, as it only seemed to sadden the expression on his face. Quickly recovering, Neteyam nudged him and smugly said 

"Well then, I should be a pro." With that proclamation, he made the bond with Tyra,  and before Ao'nung could suggest anything else, took off under the water. Ducking quickly to observe, Ao'nung almost lost all the air in his lungs when he saw Neteyam being dragged after Tyra, holding on with one hand. Eventually, he was flung off, and made his way back to Ao'nung, trying very hard not to reveal how much delight he took in watching his friend fail. Friend, was that what Neteyam was? After last night, Ao'nung didn't know what to think. Despite the kiss Neteyam had so delicately surprised him with, Ao'nung still couldn't stop himself from thinking about all the reasons it didn't count. Neteyam must have been feeling bad for Ao'nung, so smitten so easily. Maybe he didn't even take it seriously, seeing as they hadn't even known each other for longer than a month, Ao'nung knew he himself would probably be skeptical. He settled on asking Neteyam after the lunch their families had organised together.