Not a Soldier Yet |Ao'nung x Neteyam|

52. Mother's Heart

Ao'nung led Neteyam home, kissing him good night before he too returned to his family's marui.
Nyetiri took on look at his son's shiny red lips and smirked, walking to him and taking his hand in her own. "Ma Neteyam, are you tired?"

"No, mom, I'm okay, " Neteyam murmured, noticing a sleeping Tuk. "Why?"

His mother nodded slowly and motioned for him to step aside with her. Neytiri placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and examined his face.
"It was good, yes?"

Neteyam's eyes widened before he smiled shyly. "It was a little weird."

Neytiri hummed, ruffling his hair playfully before pulling him into a hug. "He is supposed to return the favour. Does he?"

Neteyam's brows furrowed before he slowly nodded. "Yeah, I guess. What he does is a little differently than what I did."
Neytiri waved him off, knowing what he meant without even having to ask. "That is fine as long as you are satisfied. Now, if you ever need advice or want help, I'm here for you, my son."

"Thanks, mom." Neteyam lightly kissed her cheek.
Neytiri smiled wide, fiddling with some of his braids before hugging him tightly. The night air was nice against their skin. Neteyam's cheeks were flushed when his mother helped him sit down, inspecting his knees and wrists; she blinked curiously at the thin, barely there white lines before moving to inspect his upper arms, noting that his elbows were rubbed red from leaning on something - the rock he had spent the afternoon on with Ao'nung. She chuckled quietly to herself, deciding to not ask anymore questions.

"I want to ask you something," Neteyam whispered delicately.

Neytiri searched his face for any idea on what he might want to talk about; she hummed in encouragement.

"How did know you I was-" Neteyam paused, licking the corner of his lip, trying to find the correct word. "That I would have a male mate."

Neytiri's face broke out in a silly little smile as if remembering something. "Neteyam, you used to look at our male warriors in the forest as if they invented the air we breathe."

"I did?" His cheeks flushed as his mother nodded, laughing quietly in the silent night.
"Your father never noticed the way your eyes would linger an their bodies, your mouth hanging open like your were eyeing a meal."

"Uh, okay, mom, that's a bit too much," Neteyam mumbled, vincing in embarrassement. "So I just always looked at the men?"

Neytiri nodded. "Sometimes the women, but mostly the men."
A comfortable silence fell over them for a few moments before the Omaticaya woman remembered something.
"My son. Ronal has told me of her plans to train you as the next tsahik as Tsireya does not wish to become one."

"Oh," Neteyam hummed, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. He had almost forgotten. "That was a while ago. Does she still want to do that?"

Neytiri smiled proudly. "Yes. Ronal wants you to be next tsahik next to Ao'nung one day."
Neytiri took his hands in her own and squeezed, a happy twinkle in her golden eyes.
Neteyam nodded slowly, trying to come to terms with the news he had just heard. Neytiri watched as her oldest son sighed softly, shaking his head. "Does this worry you, Neteyam? You do not want to do it?"

Neteyam shook his head quickly. "I do, I'm just worried that the people will not accept me because I am not like them."

Neytiri nodded in understanding. She rubbed her thumb over her son's hand and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "You do not have to start training right now, my son. You can take time to thing about it. It is a big decision and not the path you have been training for all your life."

Neteyam hummed in reply, slowly pulling back from his mother's embrace.
They both slipped back inside the marui.
Neteyam slipped into his little sleeping pod, snuggling his blankets and feeling warmth fluttering in his stomach, filling his every bone.

In the morning, he woke up, stood slowly, and moved to the herb mixture he had been given by Tonowari. Neteyam dipped his fingertip inside, then rubbed the liquid into the roof of his mouth.
He scrunched his nose at the smell and shuddered.

Neteyam peeked outside and noticed bright sunshine.
Ao'nung was waiting for him on the beach. Slowly, Neteyam made his way over, carefully stepping around in the sand, tryng to keep his knees from aching. For the most part it worked, until he stepped on a pebble and it poked his foot. Neteyam's face scrunched up in slight pain.

Ao'nung noticed his mate wandering towards him and bid his friends goodbye, coming to stand by Neteyam's side, a hand steadying him by grabbing his waist.
"Hello, pretty boy. You're early."

Neteyam smiled up at him softly, leaning up as Ao'nung pressed a kiss to his lips. "I missed you and I could not wait."

Ao'nung bark out a fond laugh as they began walking slowly. Together, they got on Ao'nung's tsurak, swimming off beyond the reef to a location Ao'nung wanted to show him.
Neteyam was curious. The Omaticaya had yet to spend much time out in the open waters. He was glad he had someone to explore with.

They reached the Three Brothers Rocks; Neteyam gralnced around curiously as he sat in front of his mate, his back pressed against Ao'nung's warm chest. The water were calm, no signs of vicious creatures or deadly battleships.

"It's right there," Ao'nung pointed. "There is a large system of underwater caves there and there are some with tiny islands hidden in the caves. They're underwater, but it's like a bubble protects them from the water."

Neteyam did not reply, watching curiously as the tsurak took them closer, stopping right by an opening in the mountains. Ao'nung helped Neteyam dismount and slip into the water before he himself began swimming after his mate happily.

The Metcayina was sure Neteyam would enjoy exploring and relaxing in the secluded areas.