Lovely Heart

The Hot Springs

Today he felt lightyears better, he rushed to the beach, because he knew that's where he would find Aonung. He finds the boy and runs up, "Aonung" he says "thank you for taking care of me, i feel so much better" he laughs "i can tell, you're more energetic than usual" and Neteyam smiles. Words going unsaid Aonung wondered if he even remembered anything from when he was sick, he was so out of it. Soon Loak and Rotxo joined and they got to work. Neteyam had mastered the spear so he was allowed to use his bow and arrow so they got a lot of fish by the rocks. They moved onto throwing out nets. Throwing nets was easy but there was an art to it, they chucked them out and waited to haul them in with whatever was unlucky enough to get caught.

Loak dived into the shallow water, nearly hitting his head to retrieve the nets. They all worked together to bring them back to shore. Taking the nets back, with the fish they rested on the shore. "Next time we will go outside the reef" Aonung said and Rotxo and Loak celebrated amongst themselves, sitting and making plans for tomorrow. Neteyam shyly looked over at the boy, his hair dripping wet and sun glistening on his thick arms. He caught his eye and looked away sharply, pretending to focus on the small crab holes in the water. "My dad and his group of friends used to love the days they went beyond the reef. It's very fun for the young warriors to learn to navigate the waves and deal with predators" he said, holding his knees loosely. "That's the feeling I would get at the Hallelujah mountains" he said fondly. Aonung looked over at his face, that was still looking at the sand. "Tell me what it's like..to fly" Neteyam played with his fingers in his lap "It's like... an ilu, you can't breathe the air past your face is going too fast, yet you can. The mountains are easy to navigate once you get used to them and you feel so free. It truly is my favourite thing. Riding with my family was so much fun, I think of those memories quite yearningly"

Suddenly he stood up and grabbed Neteyam, putting him on his shoulders. "What are you doing!" he said urgently "I'm cheering you up" He adjusted on his shoulders, "im fully grown! I'm heavy!" he swayed him around, spinning and jumping till he was laughing and grinning ear to ear. "You're not heavy, I can lift you easily forest boy!" He ran into the water and put him down gently, holding him close in his arms as he stood again. Neteyam looked up into his eyes, and thought he saw the sun. They were so light and beautiful- beaming at him like it was daybreak. And at that moment, Aonung thought he was flawless. Loak noticed and raised an eyebrow at Rotxo, who shrugged in return.

The heat dried them but now the afternoon was cool. Neteyam was falling asleep when Aonung talked to Rotxo, suggesting something just out of ear shot. Or maybe he was too sleepy to hear. Loak loudly saying "oh cool! I've never been, let's go!" woke him out of his daze. The sun was setting, he sat up from the sand, his back covered. "Go where?" he inquired, brushing sand off of him. "The hot springs" Rotxo answered. Aonung held out a hand for him, and he grabbed it and stood up. "I didn't know we had hot springs here" "come on" they said jogging up the beach, Neteyam at their heels smiling.

They reached the shallow pool and the cool air started to feel hot on his body. They skipped past the people and into a separate pool, "Here it is" Aonung said, gesturing his hand. The water was light blue and foggy, steam perspiring. Big flat rocks filled the spaces inbetween. He looked down as they got in and he dipped his foot in slowly, feeling the warmth for the first time in a long time. Smiling he shivered as his shoulders went under "nice right?" Aonung said, sitting across from the boy. Rotxo and Loak laid back and sank into the water. He was reminded of the times in the hot season, where he went to cool down in the lake but the water was hot. Loak kicked Rotxo and he smirked, kicking him back "stop kicking me Rotxo" "you started it bro" he laughed. They bantered and Aonung shot Neteyam a look, to which he replied with a smile, half laughing. "Change your hair before you try to come for me cuz" "your sister said she liked it" he joked, resulting in a splash of hot water to the face.

"Aonung and Neteyam are the only ones who have no hope with girls" he said, side eyeing Loak with a grin. They decided to team up against the two boys, it was their time for a bit of fun. "I mean Aonung is always showered in girls as the next Ole'eyktan, they want to smooch himmm'' he looked at Loak unamused "Unless there's someone we don't know about?" Rotxo said to Loak mysteriously. "Is there someone" Neteyam said, asking him directly. He went to say no when Rotxo spoke up, "Meri is all over him, i bet she will be his mate, she would make a good tsahik" Loak exclaimed and hit Aonung encouragingly on the shoulder. "I thought so too, you guys look good together" Neteyam said, trying to fake a smile at him. Aonung made an expression that was indescribable, twisting up his face. He played with his hands, suddenly starting to feel feverish and tired from the steam and hot water. "She's not really what i had in mind" Loak and Rotxo's eyes darted from person to person but Neteyam and Aonung held eye contact, as if they were the only ones in the spring. Neteyam felt his heart ache, he wished he could enter Aonungs mind, even just for a second. What did he want? What were his desires? And, did he have a chance to be with him- even if it wasn't forever.

Neteyam looked to Loak "my brother, you are too obvious" he said in english, "what did he say" said Rotxo, Neteyam scowled and blushed, peaking Aonung's interest "he said he needs to be home soon" said Neteyam, and Loak laughed "you better watch your back because i will kill you" he said in english to Loak. Rotxo and Aonung looked to each other completely left out of their secret affairs, curious but knowing they would never tell the truth. He stood up and held onto the rock, he had no idea so much time had passed in the hot water. His body on display, Aonung couldn't help but stare. Stare at his slim waist and long legs, and his perfect eyes, misted from the steam. He longed to grab him by the waist and whisper in his ear sweet nothings until he blushed. Neteyam and the boys got out and started to walk back, it was a cold night. He shivered from the temperature change- the rest were fine, although the way he blushes when thinking of the Metkayina boy, it should heat him up for decades. He longed to listen to his mothers singing, and talk with her about how much he loved him. But he knew it didn't work like that, and the love was empty.

He went to sleep that night under a warm woven blanket, by a small fire that had died. When the cold wind picked up and tried to take him, he resisted and cuddled up further. Aonung lay awake in his pod, Tsireya rolled over, and opened her eyes to see him lying on his back looking up at the roof absently. "Brother, please. What troubles you?" He whispered, "you would never understand" and she put out a hand, not knowing how to comfort him other than this. Like they did when they were kids he held her hand to go to sleep.

Aonung ate with his family, in preparation to go to the reef. His dad looked at him "son." "Yes sir?" "You're eighteen, don't you think it's time you decided on a girl?'' Ronal looked at Tonawari then him, studying his face. "If you're not sure, we can arrange something for you" he stayed relatively quiet, deciding that if he ignored it- it would go away. "What about that girl Meri? She would make a lovely mate" He shoved food in his mouth, to buy him time to think of what to say next. "I'm going with Neteyam and the boys outside the reef today, i don't have time for dates" he looked to his son's blank expression "just think about it okay?"