Courting

Chapter 28

(Ao'nung POV)

Neteyam's silence was a hammer to his pulse, sending it thumping past his ears. Careful not to overreact, Ao'nung waited to see if Neteyam would say anything else. When he didn't, Ao'nung ventured

"Teyam? Is it... is it me?" Ao'nung didn't even finish the sentence before a tear fell from Neteyam's sparkling eyes, and he felt a streak on his own face. 

"No, not- not exactly." Neteyam hiccupped. 

"Can you tell me?" Ao'nung didn't want to pressure Neteyam, regardless of the subject matter, but he wanted to know what he might have done to render Neteyam in tears. 

"What happens next?" Neteyam asked, looking lost. His head was angled, bringing his ear closer to his shoulder, and his hair tumbled over his shoulder too. 

"With what?" 

"Us."

"Oh," Ao'nung hadn't thought much about that. "I suppose we continue living as we are now, just... older.  I'll do my training and initiation for Olo'eytkan eventually. You'll keep learning our ways, adapting as you have been, and..." Ao'nung didn't want to say the next thing that came into his mind.

"And what?" Neteyam seized on that hesitation, as if it was confirming whatever he had been thinking. 

"... I thought you might learn to be Tsahik, if we are to be together... still." 

Neteyam was wide-eyed watching Ao'nung finish this sentence.

"I didn't want to alarm you, it was just a thought-" Ao'nung was interrupted by a stifled sob.

"So, so you didn't- you don't want- want me to lie with you yet?" Neteyam hiccupped through the sentence. (No i cant come up with a less awkward word other than 'lie with', deal with it.) Ao'nung was immediately just as wide-eyed as Neteyam, and stammered

"N-no, I mean, not yet, but if you w-wanted, or d-didn't. I mean-" Ao'nung took a deep breath. "If that is what you want, we can work it out. I don't think I'm- I'm ready, yet. But if you wish, and we are both ready, I could not think of something I would love more." 

Neteyam was silent for a time, and Ao'nung wondered if he said the wrong thing, until Neteyam asked quietly. 

"Can we- can you... hold me?" 

Slightly hesitant, Ao'nung said "Of course love. Should I sit up, or...?" 

"Just lay down?" Neteyam suggested, and Ao'nung did so. Neteyam shuffled closer. He put his ear on Ao'nung's chest, raising one leg to rest over Ao'nung's, and rested an arm over Ao'nung's stomach. 

"You mean it?" Neteyam asked.

"Mean what?" Ao'nung asked, running a finger over Neteyam's braids.

"That... You'll wait, until I'm ready?" Neteyam whispered, tracing lines around Ao'nung's stomach. 

"Look at me, please. I want you to hear this." Ao'nung tilted Neteyam's chin up. "If you're not ready for 50 years, if you're not ready for 100 years, I'll wait every day with a smile because I get to wait with you. If you change your mind, if you decide you'll never want it, every day will have been worth it anyway; because it was spent with you. And we won't ever have to talk about it again. Whatever you want." 

(Neteyam POV)

Neteyam closed his eyes while Ao'nung talked, and almost didn't notice when he stopped. He reopened his eyes, and saw Ao'nung smiling back at him with those teal gems. Looking back, Neteyam found there was no weight on his chest anymore, no noise in his head. 

"I heard, Ao." Neteyam snuggled closer to Ao'nung, who pulled him closer. The ridge above Neykina's eye allowed them to be sat up slightly, Neteyam curling his legs up slightly. Neteyam was now aware they were moving, or Neykina was moving, rather. There was a slight rise and fall, back and forth, of fins pushing through the water. Disregarding this information, Neteyam listened to the beating of Ao'nung's chest, slowly calming from its frantic rate earlier. He was glad he talked to Ao'nung about this, his worried ceased. 

"Thank you, Ao," Neteyam whispered, not sure if Ao'nung heard him or not, or if he understood.

"There's nothing to thank me for, Teyam. I want you to talk to me about everything; if you need to talk about this again tomorrow, we can. Anything you need to talk about, any worries, I will listen." 

"I know," Neteyam responded "I think you have helped me feel more ready. I want you, I do, soon." 

"I can't wait." Ao'nung pressed the words into Neteyam's forehead as the beat of Neykina's fins in the water lulled them into a warm, sunny sleep. 

(sorry for the shorter chapter but last chapter was huge so)