Soul Tied [Neteyam x Aonung]

You Have To Ride

Upon arrival in the shallows, Aonung stood in front of them.

He made a clicking sound with his mouth, a moment passed, and a big finned creature swam up beside him.

He caressed the creatures head as it nuzzled into his side.

"These are ilu. If you want to live here, you have to ride" he spoke, his eyes landing on Neteyams as he said that last part.

Neteyam blushed slightly, caught off guard at the remark.

"We'll split into pairs, it'll make it easier to teach you. Kiri you can go with Rotxo, Loak with me, and Neteyam your left with Aonung" Tsireya spoke before calling another ilu over to her.

The two boys made eye contact again. Aonung smiled, and tilted his head to the side, inviting Neteyam to follow him.

"Be safe and stay close" Neteyam spoke sternly to his siblings before he turned back around to follow Aonung.

He made his way over to where Aonung was standing. It was about waist deep in the water for the two of them.

"So Neteyam is it?" Aonung asked, stroking the ilu. Making eye contact with Neteyam

"Yes, Aonung right?" Neteyam asked

"Yeah, now come here" Aonung said tilting his head to the side again, beckoning Neteyam forward

The ilu swam to Neteyam as he walked, nudging his side, then lifting its head up rubbing against Neteyams neck.

"He likes you already" Aonung said smiling

"He does?" Neteyam asked patting the ilu.

"Yeah he does. Now, ilu are similar to your Ikrans, only in the water" Aonung spoke " also much more gentle" he added reaching for the ilus bond, pulling it forward.

"Make the bond gently, you know how it goes" he spoke again

Neteyam reached behind his head, grabbing his bond to pull in front of him. Not looking away from Aonungs eyes.

He bonded with the ilu, closing his eyes for a moment, embarking in the creatures graceful nature.

"Sit here" Aonung said pointing to the ilus back.

Neteyam easily mounted the ilu, hooking his left leg around its left fin, his right leg dangling above the right fin.

He sat there for a moment, getting used to the feeling, but somehow knowing exactly what to do.

"Like this?" Neteyam asked.

"That's actually perfect, now hold here" Aonung said holding the reins on the ilus head.

Aonungs eyes wondered down the boys body, seeing many scars littering his dark blue skin.

From small lines, to a massive gash trailing from the boys right shoulder up to his neck, peaking just past his necklace into his jawline.

He wondered what or who could have hurt this beautiful, kind boy, with such violence as to leave permanent marks on his body.

Aonung decided to keep quiet, and not ask the boy what happened. Something was telling him that the boys scars weren't a topic he liked to talk about.

"When you're ready, take a deep breath, and dive in. Come up when your ready" Aonung spoke

Aonung smiled watching as the boy took a breath, before diving into the water.

The rest of the group stopped what they were doing, to watch.

Neteyam sped through the water, holding on tightly. Somehow his body knew what to do, it knew how to turn, knew how to balance.

He soared through the water, picking up speed. He dodged the coral and seaweed, that stood in his way.

Circling his way back to Aonung.

When he resurfaced just meters from Aonung, he breathed out loudly.

"YEAH, GO TEYAM" Loak cheered in the distance.

"How'd I do?" Neteyam asked turning his head to face the boy.

"That was amazing, you're really a natural" Aonung said coming up to the boy smiling.

"Thank you, I try my hardest" Neteyam said smiling at the boys compliment, getting off the creature.

"Yo bro, that was amazing. How did you do it? Can you teach me?" Loak said swimming over to Neteyam, jumping on his back, almost making him fall over.

"Good job Teyam" Kiri said moving to push Loak off his back

"Thank you guys, I don't know how I did it, somehow I just knew" Neteyam said smiling to his siblings.

Aonungs eyebrows furrowed. How did this boy, who's never set foot in the ocean before, ride an ilu so gracefully as if he's been doing it his whole life.

"Well done Neteyam, I've never seen anyone ride as great as that, well apart from Aonung" Tsireya said "You have a good teacher" she added, looking Aonung right in the eye, winking.

The group continued their ilu riding lesson. Hours went by and soon Loak and Kiri were nearly as good as Neteyam.

They gathered back in the shallows, eclipse threatening to break past Polyphemus.

"Well I think we've had enough for today, it's nearly eclipse. See you tomorrow" Rotxo spoke waving to them before turning around headed back to his mauri.

"Goodnight everyone" Tsireya said

"Goodnight" Kiri and Loak said, turning around.

"Night" Aonung said, speaking to Neteyam

Their eyes locked together once again.

"Night" Neteyam replied, breaking the eye contact, following his siblings back home.

Aonung watched him closely as he walked, a curious look spread across his face.

867 words
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