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After what seemed to be a relentless search, Hakoda had finally stumbled upon the man he had been searching for. A small smile played on his lips as he took in the view of Bato lazing upon a couple of rocks at the river bed, the early morning sun rays hitting him perfectly.
"So..Do you come here often?"
"Ah. I see you've found me."
"That would imply that you were purposely seeking my attention."
The king of the rocks had no response and Hadoka chuckled lightly at his second-in-command's antics.
"I guess.." started Hakoda as he took a moment to appreciate Bato's newly formed sheen on his tanned skin."I should inform the men that you're alright."
One of Bato's eye cracked open immediately, his tranquillity slowly slipping away as he asked what seemed to be the quite obvious, "Why?"
There was a long pause until Hakoda had finally attained Bato's level of enlightenment, to which he responded with a faint chuckle before heading toward the set of rocks that lay beside the river. Shoes discarded and pants rolled above his ankles, he had finally came to rest next to his partner in war crimes.
They stayed like that for a while, both enjoying the sounds of the birds chirping above and water flowing beneath when a deep, exasperated sigh came from Bato. Hakoda was sure it would've alerted the other soldiers of their location, if only they were in earshot.
"Why do you do this Koda?"
Bato's voice was gentle but his nervousness did not go unnoticed. Tilting his head upward to have a better look at the man behind him, Hakoda smirked, "The same reasons as you."
Grunting in discontent, Bato staggered of the rocks as gracefully as a newly born calf and placed himself beside Hakoda who had now become one with the rock. A bright smile on his face as he said, "Walk with me."
It wasn't a question but a command to which Hadoka wordlessly obeyed, slowly following the lanky man along the bank; no shoes or knives, just two men braving the forces of nature. The wind wailed around them in sharp tones, reminding him of the cold nights he had spent hunting back home.
Home.
A weary expression fell upon his face as he thought about all that he would give so blindingly, just to hear his son's laughter and to look into his daughter's sparkling blue eyes that reminded him so much of Kaya's. Sadly, the war had only just begun and because of this, there was only one person left on his very short list, whose presence allowed him to be as vulnerable as he desired.
"Bato, how much longer? I don't think my feet can take any more blisters than it already has."
The sweet sound of Bato's laugh filled his ears and suddenly he didn't mind having a couple more blisters on the souls of his feet. He trudged along until soon enough, the sound of water striking endlessly upon a surface beckoned him to reign in closer. His feet moved before he could permit them, leading him through a cluster of bushes and vines where it introduced him to a beauty he had only seen in his mother's ink wash paintings. This time, however, he didn't have to imagine the colours of the landscape as right before him, a loom of silver liquid poured along the rocks high above them before diving into a sparkling, blue-green pool with such tenderness that it dispersed smoothly over various stones like a sensual lover's kiss, taking Hakoda back to the first time Bato had made love him.
"Beautiful isn't it?"
Hakoda took a moment, letting his eyes roam along with the lush greens of forest which contrasted perfectly with the whites of the waterfall and then back to the man in dressed in blues that complimented his skin tone exquisitely, "Y-Yeah."
Clearing his throat, he manoeuvred around the moss-covered stones that dared him to miss-step as he neared his final place of resting; a fallen tree which laid firmly into the edge of the stream. It was there he took a seat and allowed himself to take in Bato's physique as he awaited the man's arrival.
It didn't take any longer than a minute before Bato had lost his footing before quickly regaining his composure and a wide smile spread across Hakoda's face as he commented, "What good sense of agility you have, Bato of the Southern Water Tribe!"
"Why thank you, good Sir!"
Hakoda let out a hearty laugh and Bato looked back with a mischievous grin on his face. He was now in the range where Hakoda could smell the seaweed paste in his hair. Another reason why Bato was now his home.
"How about we get to those feet now?"
Bato's question drifted him out of his daydream, causing him to look down questionably at the man who now stood, boldly between his legs. "What do you mean?"
No response was given once more and Bato shifted out of his previous position, placing himself onto the log alongside Hakoda. Warm, calloused hands wrapped around Hakoda's ankles, reinforcing the suggestion made earlier.
All of Hakoda's senses seemed to shut down just a bit as his brain tried to register that Bato was indeed gently splashing water onto his feet. As if sensing the constraint on his face, the other let out a soft sigh, an affectionate expression upon his face, speaking lowly, "A man who protects his people deserves to be taken cared off also, you know?."
There was a heavy feeling in Hakoda's chest and his eyes latched onto the beautiful man beside him in fear that he would suddenly vanish.
"Why do you do this?"
A small smile found its way onto Bato's face, his cheekbones seeming more accentuated as he replied, "For the same reasons you would."
The morning sun was beginning to shine aggressively, which provided Hakoda with an excuse to remove his tunic without seeming forward, although, they both knew that it was.
Fighting the blush that edged along his neck, he asked, "Do you want to... check out the water?"
There it was again; Bato's small cheeky smile that went all the way up to his pale blue eyes. Hakoda found himself thinking that it bore resemblance to the grey clouds placing themselves daintily along with the blue skies on a rainy day. He shook his head and hopped off the log, reaching his hand out for the other to hold.
Together they waded into the plunge basin of the waterfall, the water stinging their skin coldly yet they pushed through. Bato's tunic had become drenched until his chest printed out firmly against it but he didn't seem to mind, his eyes glued onto the man before him.
Hakoda released his hair from the small top not it was uniformly in and combed his fingers through it expertly. He was putting on a show and they both knew it.
He didn't care.
He liked how Bato stared wearily at the water rolling down his chest, along his abdominals and down into his happy trail. After all, he didn't participate in the rebuilding of his village and other rigorous exercises that came along with being chief, to not reap the benefits of a ridiculously ripped body. Especially at his age.
Raising an eyebrow, Bato removed his shirt and flung it towards Hakoda's face as if to say, "Shut up." causing a round of laughter to erupt from their throats.
Maybe it was the push and pull of the water that brought them closer together or maybe it was their primitive attraction to one another. It didn't seem to matter to Hakoda who gently gripped the man's waist, bringing their lips together with a burning desire for affection that he deprived himself of for weeks at a time. Bato matched his intensity, immediately parting his lips and allowing his mouth to be explored and conquered by Hakoda's hot, wet tongue.
Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours as they waded around, disrupting the water's serenity with variations of sparing techniques from their younger days of training to seductive ones they learnt as men. Touches of laughter turned into steamy kisses that made Hakoda wonder how he had ever lived without them and when their bodies couldn't take the coldness of the water any longer they were soon clambering out of the water to find dry land.
Bato laid against the trunk of a tree, breathing heavily as he took in a few breaths whilst Hakoda made himself small between a pair of long legs, leaning back into his lover so comfortably that Bato chuckled heavily.
"Looks like you found your rock."
Hakoda let out a snort as he sank a bit deeper into the tall man and closed his eyes.
"We need to get back."
A loud sigh came from the man behind him and usually Hakoda would have smiled but now he felt weary.
A warm kiss was placed against his neck, making him shiver involuntarily before another was placed gently onto his temple and then his ear. Bato understood.
"What's the plan, Chief?"
Hakoda shut his eyes and inhaled, deeply, trying his best to relish in the smell of Bato's seaweed hair paste and natural scent before relaying his plan to him softly, his hands running along the length of Bato's thin, legs ever so often.
This is what it would be like as long a the war continued; him always awaiting the other to make the first move and then feeling a solemn pang in his chest when it was over. The thought ran through his mind constantly as they made their way back to the camp, the silence filled with unspoken words and the sounds of their untied boots, scuffling against the ground.
The sounds of the men became louder and there was a gentle tug on Hakoda's wrist, coaxing him to turn around briefly. Tilting his head up once more he asked softly, "What is it?"
Bato's cheekbones rose prominently as he bent down, cupping Hakoda's face into his hands before whispering back, "Wherever you are that's where I hope to be, Koda. Whatever moment is shared between us is cherished, no matter how short."
There was a stinging behind Hakoda's eyes, tears threatening to escape but he held them in well. His eyes ran along the creases on Bato's forehead, the sharp cheekbones that complimented his long nose perfectly and then his lips that were parted slightly. Angling his face even higher, he let Bato know what he wanted and without hesitation, the man complied pressing roughly onto his mouth, teeth gnashing slightly against each other as Bato softly bit on his lips, demanding entrance. Hakoda let him have it.
"Why are you doing this?" He whispered out harshly, the thrill of being caught and Bato's choice of words both swirling around in his mind. Desperately searching the other man's eyes for something, he backed away slightly, hands still hovering over Bato's rapidly rising chest.
There was another pause and Bato seemed to be fighting something internally as he took in Hakoda's now tousled hair, reddened lips and widened eyes. What a sight it was.
"Because I love you, Koda."
Time stilled for Hakoda but Bato's only quickened and before Hakoda could muster up the courage to reply, the tall, charming man had left his side, already removing a well-hidden sack out of a tree. Taking one last glance at Hakoda, Bato let out one of his small smiles as he pulled a baby Fox antelope out of the bag.
Holding it by hits legs he made his way through the bushes with a loud shout to gain the soldiers' attention, immediately gaining a few cheers for his 'new kill'.
Bato had made up a plan all along and Hakoda cursed himself for ever doubting it.
Moving toward the bushes to follow the man, Hakoda paused. Taking a deep breath he quieted the deafening thoughts in his head before entering the campsite.
"Chief! What a catch you and Bato made!"
"Thanks to our Chief and Second-in-Command we men shall eat merry tonight!"
Looking on at the sight before him he took in the men, all dressed in their warrior clothing giving Bato congratulatory claps on his shoulders and ruffling his hair, the slender man still refusing to meet his eyes. It hurt Hakoda a little but pushed that aside, making a note to strangle him later for putting him through such an emotional ride.
Forcing a smile onto his face he laughed with the men that congratulated him and took the cup of Sprits that was hand to him. The men noticing he was about to make a toast had quieted all looking expectantly at him.
"Whilst your compliments are greatly appreciated," Hakoda started. "This one was all Bato."
He made sure to look pointedly at the man of the hour as he raised his cup and declared, "To Bato!"
"To Bato!" Exclaimed the men, immediately followed by cheers and more claps on the back.
"So Cheif," one of the men had called out to him, gaining his attention. "Tell us how you caught it!"
More cheers erupted from the men who were clearly intoxicated and Hakoda was again bombarded with all the attention whilst Bato slyly made himself smaller, sneaking off into his tent.
"Actually! I believe Bato deserves to tell the story tonight!"
Looking smugly towards Bato's frozen stance, he continued, "I'm surprisingly worn out for the day and you know what they say-" He rose a finger in the air as if to make a valid point. "A man who cares for his people deserves to be cared for too. Therefore I shall be in my tent if you need me."
Taking one last glance a Bato's flustered face, Hakoda bid his goodbyes to the men who were readily agreeing with the saying before proudly making his way to his tent for his well-deserved rest.