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Neteyam is surrounded by water, and, with a spark of panic, he realises his vision is blurry and his head is spinning with dizziness. The world seems to swirl around him, even more so because of the suddenly suffocating water. The only thing he can find to hold onto, the only constant, is the stabbing pain in his chest, and the vague sensation of doom settling over his body.
He angles his head in the direction he hopes is upward, feeling his chest tighten as he loses air. It seems vaguely brighter in that direction, so he kicks his legs as hard as he can, a hand clutched over his chest as he emerges from the water a moment later, the wind whipping across his face.
His brain is turning foggy, and he isn't quite sure what it is he says, but words roll off his tongue and the air around him turns heavy with fear. Hands are on his arms, his chest and his back, hauling him onto something he thinks might be an ilu, and then suddenly they are racing through the water.
He must have blacked out for a minute, because the moment he finds himself lying down, sharp rocks pressing into his back, the pain in his chest more prominent than ever, and blurred blue figures leaning over him, that may or may not be his mother and father.
There are sounds of crying and panic, and Neteyam wishes he could reach out and comfort whoever it is that is in so much pain, but his arms are too heavy to move even an inch, weighed down by who knows what.
His breath hitches and words roll off his tongue again, broken and strained. As he struggles to regain a breath after he has spoken, and the movement causes crashing pain to pound through his entire body, Neteyam realises he is going to die.
He isn't sure how to feel about it and doesn't really have the energy to try and work it out, as it seeps from him in a steady stream as the seconds slip by. Too fast.
He supposes it could be worse. At least his family are here, or at least he thinks that's who it is- he can't see clearly enough to distinguish their faces. At least…
At least…
At…
Neteyam blinks his eyes open, then immediately shuts them. The sunlight is blinding. His chest throbs. He feels exhausted.
He takes a few deep breaths, allowing himself a moment to regain feeling in his fingers and toes. Then he blinks his eyes open once again, slower this time. The blinding sunlight is blocked a moment later by a small figure, alight with excitement.
“Neteyam!” Tuk exclaims. “You're okay!” Small arms engulf Neteyam’s torso, catching him by surprise, but he quickly reciprocates the motion.
“Tuk,” he says, holding her tight, ignoring the pain in his chest. He says her name again, voice hitching as tears suddenly prick at his eyes. He squeezes her tighter, resting his head on her small shoulder, tears slipping down his face. He doesn't quite remember what happened, and what lead to this situation, but he remembers the foreboding sensation of doom and realises that he could have lost her.
Another pair of arms wrap around the two of them a moment later, then another and another and another. He could have lost all of them.
A few moments pass and Neteyam manages to get his breathing under control, tilting his head to make eye contact with Kiri, who was holding him tightly.
“I'm glad you're awake, big brother,” she whispers, just between the two of them. Neteyam gives her a smile, and she pulls a hand out of the family hug to wipe the tears away from his eyes.
After a couple of minutes, his father pulls away, and the others follow, only Tuk remaining on his lap, the others choosing to sit on the floor around him.
He glances around at each of them, noting the fading bruises and scratches dotting each of their appearances. “What-” the words catch in his throat as he goes to speak. “What happened? How long have I been out?”
They all share a glance, before turning back to him. Lo’ak starts first.
“You’ve been out for almost two weeks. You were shot,” he says. “The two of us were on the boat saving Spider, and you got shot when we jumped into the water. When we got you to land, you were really out of it, and you were in and out of consciousness and whatnot. I-” he stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath and making eye contact with the floor. “We thought you died. I think you might have for a couple of moments, and then Mum and Dad had to go deal with that asshole sky man, but Tsireya saved you. I don't know how, but she said her Mum was teaching her stuff, which apparently was enough.” Lo’ak visibly gulps, and the air is heavy with tension.
Neteyam doesn't get a chance to respond, because not a moment later Tuk starts speaking, full of excitement. “And then- and then the water started burning and we went on the boat and Mum and Dad fought the stupid sky man, and the boat sunk and Mum and I got stuck inside and it was very scary until Kiri saved us with her glowing fish friends!”
Neteyam laughs at that, entertaining Tuk’s excitement. A stab of pain shoots through his chest at the movement causing him to wince. His Dad shoots forward at the display of discomfort, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“You okay?” He asks, concern painted all over his face.
“Yeah,” Neteyam says, though it feels forced. “Yeah, it just hurts.” He clutches a hand on his chest, biting his lip to try and will the pain away.
“Hey Tuk,” Kiri says, from somewhere beyond Neteyam. “Come and help me out with this.” Tuk jumps up from Neteyam’s lap excitedly, taking Kiri’s hand.
Their Mum stands up too, joining the two girls on the other side of the marui.
“Just breath,” his Dad says, not taking his eyes off Neteyam. Neteyam follows him, taking a deep breath in, and releasing it slowly, again and again, a few times, until the pain subsides into a more tolerable ache.
“You okay now?” he asks. Neteyam nods, and his dad engulfs him in a quick hug, before getting to his feet and crossing the marui.
Lo’ak immediately takes his place, wrapping his arms tightly around Neteyam. So tightly. Neteyam returns the gesture and notices a moment later that Lo’ak is shaking. His tears fall down Neteyam’s back, prompting Neteyam to hold him tighter.
“I thought you died,” Lo’ak chokes out, in no more than a whisper. “And it would have been all my fault. I thought you died .”
“I'm not going anywhere,” Neteyam assures.
“Oh hey,” a voice says from beyond Lo’ak. “You're awake!”
Lo’ak immediately jumps away from Neteyam, and Neteyam looks up to see Tsireya standing there, a basket held at her side.
Neteyam chuckles slightly to see Lo’ak blushing furiously as he vigorously wipes his eyes. Tsireya enters their marui, kneeling in front of the two brothers.
“I thought I'd bring you these,” she says, offering the basket, which is full of large, purple fruits. She has a bruise under her eye, Neteyam notices, as he takes a piece of fruit from Tsireya, Lo’ak doing the same. Tsireya gets to her feet, placing the basket with their other food supplies, before returning to the ground in front of them.
“It's great to have you back,” she says, embracing Neteyam lightly.
Neteyam looks over to Lo’ak, to see him pouting in Neteyam’s direction.
“Do you want a hug too, Lo’ak,” Tsireya asks, her voice teasing. Lo’ak only pouts further in response, and Tsireya launches at him, almost tackling him into a hug. She pulls back a moment later, leaving Lo’ak a flushing mess. Neteyam chuckles at him, Tsireya giggling as well.
A moment later, another person appears at the door of the marui. “Tsireya, Mother wants to talk to you.”
Aonung.
He glances at Neteyam a moment later. “Oh. You're awake. Uh… welcome back,” he says, then turns back to Tsireya. “She wants to talk now. ”
“Okay, okay,” Tsireya says, climbing to her feet. “See you later, Lo’ak,” she says, exiting the marui and following after her brother, but not without giving Lo'ak a wink first.
Neteyam snickers, as Lo’ak somehow becomes even more flushed.
A few hours pass and his family go on to do various jobs. His Mum and Dad disappear to talk with Ronal and Tonowari about various matters, and Tsireya comes back, this time with Rotxo in tow, to take Lo’ak, Kiri and Tuk for some swimming lessons. Tsireya advises that Neteyam avoid any strenuous swimming, or exercise at all, for at least a few more days, until he regains his strength, and gives his body more time to heal. Over the past almost two weeks he has apparently shown some great progress in healing but he isn't quite ready to do much.
So eventually, Neteyam is left alone. Not completely- he moved himself to sit on the edge of the platform, legs dangling in the water, so he could watch his siblings, Tsireya and Rotxo swim- but alone enough to feel the sinking weight of loneliness and missing out descend slowly upon him.
After about half an hour, Neteyam notices Aonung has joined the group that is swimming. He must have just come back from a job or something, Neteyam reasons, but doesn't put too much thought into it.
Another half an hour passes, and Neteyam is beginning to grow bored. He also finds himself getting antsy because he can't work out why his gaze keeps returning to Aonung. He’s been watching him for the better part of the half-hour, and despite trying not to mind him much attention, Neteyam can't help himself.
It must be something about his form, the way he glides effortlessly through the water. Neteyam hopes he'll be able to swim that gracefully one day. Maybe that's what has his attention.
It could also be the way Aonung’s skin glitters every time his head emerges from the water, the late afternoon sun catching the water droplets at just the right angle. It's strangely beautiful, but Neteyam chooses not to entertain that thought too much.
He does, however, watch as Tsireya gestures Aonung towards her. He swims the short distance between them, and Tsireya says something to Aonung, glancing in Neteyam’s direction. Aonung’s face dulls a bit, and he rolls his eyes, scoffing. Tsireya says something in response, and Aonung rolls his eyes again, before diving beneath the water and disappearing from Neteyam’s view. Tsireya gives Neteyam a wave, and he reciprocates the motion, before she, too, dives beneath the water, re-emerging a few metres to the left, right behind Lo’ak, spooking him.
Neteyam can't help but giggle at Lo’ak’s surprised expression, but is cut off a moment later when a huge splash beside him has Aonung leaping out of the water and landing beside Neteyam.
He adjusts himself to sit more comfortably, then slumps forward, resting his chin on his fists. He doesn't look at Neteyam.
“Uh… hi,” Neteyam starts. “What are you doing?”
“Tsireya made me,” Aonung says, curtly. “She said you looked lonely.”
“Oh… okay.”
Silence falls between them, and Neteyam avoids looking at the sparkly water drops on Aonung’s face, instead opting to look at the water in front of him.
After a few minutes, Aonung speaks again. “Tsireya has assigned me to help you recover or some shit,” he says. “Apparently she thinks we could get along well if we stop fighting and hating each other. If you don't want me to help, please tell me now, and please tell Tsireya, so I don't waste my time.”
Neteyam isn't really sure how to respond. He’s a little caught up on what Aonung said Tsireya said. He didn't hate Aonung. He didn't exactly like him either, but he wasn't the worst person to have around. He did really want to fit in here, with the sea people, and the only way to do that was to get over all the little disagreements and disputes he (and Lo’ak) had with Aonung and his friends. Aonung helping him in his recovery process could be extremely annoying and Neteyam could hate every moment of it, or, he thinks, it could give them a proper chance to get over whatever it was that sparked their disagreements. He and Aonung could become proper friends, which, Neteyam thinks, could really help integrate him and his family into the clan.
So he chooses not to answer Aonung. A couple of minutes pass, and Aonung looks up at him, meeting his eyes. “So... I take it you want me to help you?”
Neteyam shrugs, trying to appear nonchalant. “I wouldn't be opposed to your help.”
Aonung sighs, looking back down at the water. A few moments pass, and then he gets to his feet and offers a hand to Neteyam. Tentatively, Neteyam takes his hand, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. He lets go the second Neteyam is stable and starts down the pathway. Neteyam follows, and the two of them come to a stop after a short distance. The water here is shallow, only up to knee height, unlike the water where they'd just been sitting, which was far deeper.
Aonung jumps off the path and into the shallow water, feet sinking into the sand. Neteyam follows after him, though with a bit more caution, not wanting to strain himself at all.
“What are we-” Neteyam begins, but he's cut off by Aonung.
“Tsireya told me you weren't to do anything too strenuous for a few days, so we're just going to sit here.”
Aonung drops to a seated position in the water, the slight waves washing against his chest. Neteyam follows, carefully getting down to a seated position. The seawater pushes against his chest, causing the wound to sting a bit, the area still quite sensitive.
“The seawater will help the injury,” Aonung says, not looking at him but instead looking out a little deeper, where they can see Tsireya, Rotxo, Lo’ak, Kiri and Tuk.
Tuk sees the two of them, waving excitedly. She disappears under the water a moment later and then re-emerges in front of Neteyam.
“Hi Neteyam!” she says, latching herself onto him, arms wrapped around his torso.
“Hey Tuk,” he says, patting her head. He swears he can feel Aonung’s eyes on him, but doesn't turn to check.
A moment later the other four emerge before them, taking seats in the sand too.
“How's it going, guys?” Tsireya asks.
“We’re fine,” Aonung says. Neteyam nods in agreement, playing with Tuk’s hair.
The seven of them spend the next little while in the shallows, playing a few small games, and enjoying each other's company. Well, mostly. Neteyam couldn't say that Aonung’s company was the most friendly, but at least they aren't straight-up fighting.
The next day, Aonung takes Neteyam back to where they'd been the previous afternoon. They sit in the shallows for a while, and Aonung helps him to practice his breathing, something Neteyam is yet to master. He avoids touching Neteyam’s chest or stomach to help though, unlike what Tsireya had done to Lo’ak in their first few days here, choosing to guide by word instead.
The next few days pass much the same. They manage to get over the awkwardness and discomfort between them mid-way through the second day, finally starting to talk about the occasional thing. It wasn't yet friendly , as such, but it wasn't straight-up ignorance. They bonded a little over teasing Lo’ak about his very obvious crush on Tsireya and trying to work out whether Tsireya could tell or not, because sometimes it seemed she knew every little thing about Lo’ak, and other times she seemed so oblivious to his affections that it hurt.
A week passes and Aonung decides it’s finally time for them to venture into deeper water. They start in the shallows, where they usually sit, but instead of staying they continue in deeper. The water slowly rises up to Neteyam’s waist, then his stomach, then past his chest and to his neck. He begins moving his arms as they continue inching forward, and he can feel Aonung’s eyes on him.
They soon make it to the point where Neteyam can no longer touch the bottom whilst keeping his head above the water, and Aonung stops them there, treading the water.
“We’ll just stay here for now,” Aonung says, and there is a strange softness to his voice that Neteyam hasn’t heard before. “You can reach the bottom a couple of feet that way,” he points to where Neteyam found himself unable to reach the sand anymore, “so if you start to get tired we can just move back a little.”
The water lulls around them, slowly rising them up and then dropping them down again. Neteyam kicks his legs and circles his arms, feeling a rush at the movement he hasn’t been able to do for weeks. He hadn’t realised how much he was missing the sensation of swimming. He hopes Aonung will take him out for a proper swim soon.
He also finds himself tiring quickly. His arms and legs grow weary more quickly than he expected, and he finds his breathing is getting laboured. He makes to swim the short distance to where he can stand, but suddenly something slimy catches onto his ankle, halting his movements. His laboured breathing goes fast, and suddenly he is struggling against the water. He thinks Aonung notices, but he can’t be sure, because suddenly he is going down, down, down, his head sinking beneath the waves.
His braids float in front of his face for a brief moment, before suddenly his vision turns blurry, and his heart starts racing a million miles a minute. He can’t think, looking around in the blurry water, and he is suddenly reminded of what it felt like when he first got shot. It was just like this, the water surrounding him, unable to see or think properly, and stabbing pain in his chest. Arms had wrapped around him then, and hauled him out of the water and then… and then…
Neteyam opens his eyes to find Aonung looking down at him, concern written all over his face. A hand that is on Neteyam’s cheek disappears a moment later. Kiri appears in his view, Tsireya is there too, and his Mum appears in his field of vision a moment later.
“Hey, are you okay?” his Mum asks, resting her hand on his cheek, then leaning down to give him a slight hug. She kisses his forehead as she pulls back, then takes his hand in hers.
Neteyam attempts a nod, at which point he realises that his upper body and head are resting on someone’s lap, and not the sand. He realises, with a jolt of surprise, that it is Aonung who he is lying on. Something in his chest stutters. He chooses to ignore it.
He makes to try and sit up but finds himself unable to, his muscles too weary to move much. Tsireya moves around him, mumbling something to Aonung that Neteyam doesn’t quite catch. Kiri places a hand atop Neteyam’s head, running a hand through his hair.
“Do you think you can walk?” his Mum asks, after a few minutes of quiet. Neteyam shakes his head. He can’t even sit up yet.
“I’ve got him,” Aonung mutters, and an arm is suddenly placed behind his back, and another under his legs. He finds himself clutching tightly onto Aonung’s arm, as he lifts him up, pressed against Aonung’s body. The five of them make their way across the sand and onto the pathway, heading in the direction of the Sully marui.
“Damn you’re heavy, forest boy,” Aonung mutters. It's said quietly, so only the two of them can hear it, and has a strange intimacy to it. The stutter in Neteyam’s chest returns for a moment before he wills it away.
“I bet you’re heavier,” Neteyam mutters back. Neteyam prides himself on his strength, but he honestly doubts he’d be able to carry Aonung for more than a moment.
They arrive at their marui a minute or two later, and his Dad looks up in a panic when they enter.
“What happened?” he asks, crossing the hut in two long strides.
“I took him out a little deeper, and he had a panic attack,” Aonung says, straight to the point.
“You okay now buddy?” his Dad says, ruffling his hair. Neteyam could have sworn he had become a little more affectionate since Neteyam’s near death.
Neteyam nods. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
Aonung finds a spot in the marui and gently places Neteyam on the floor. Neteyam realises he is still holding onto Aonung’s arm, and lets go quickly, dropping his hands to his sides.
“You good now?” Aonung asks, and the concern is still there. Neteyam nods, which prompts Aonung to turn and leave.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Tsireya says, giving a wave as she follows after her brother. Neteyam finds himself dozing off a few minutes later.
The next morning, Neteyam, Aonung, Tsireya, and Lo’ak are sitting on the rocks in a circle, Tsireya guiding them in some more breathing exercises. Kiri joins them a moment later, just before Tsireya is about to start, Rotxo just behind her.
Tsireya begins, guiding them all to take deep breaths into their stomachs and to slow their hearts. She places a hand on Lo’ak’s stomach, and another on his chest, and Neteyam can’t help but giggle a little into his palm, at the way Lo’ak flushes immediately.
“Your turn, forest boy,” Aonung says quietly, right beside Neteyam’s ear. Neteyam feels a flush rise on his own face, and he isn’t sure why, but it only intensifies when Aonung places a hand on Neteyam’s stomach and another over his heart. Neteyam closes his eyes, doing his best to breathe deeply.
“Breath here,” Aonung says quietly, pressing lightly against Neteyam’s stomach. “Your heart is still fast, you need to slow it down.”
Neteyam nods, doing his best to breathe with his stomach instead of his chest. It's hard though, with Aonung's hands on him, but apparently he manages, because after about five minutes Aonung's hands disappear, and he whispers in his ear that he's doing well.
It's quiet around them, with only the sounds of the waves crashing lightly against the rocks and their breathing. After a little while, Neteyam hears Aonung shuffling beside him. He wonders what he might be doing, but doesn't open his eyes, because he doesn't want to lose his rhythm.
A moment later something barrels into Neteyam. His eyes fly open and he shouts in surprise as he falls sideways, and Tuk is upon him. He hears Tsireya and Lo’ak laughing from behind him, as Tuk nuzzles into his shoulder.
“Hi Tuk,” he says, after he gets over his surprise. “What are you up to?”
“Mum told me to find you guys, it's time to eat,” she says, climbing off Neteyam and climbing into Kiri’s lap instead.
Something moves beneath Neteyam’s back, and he suddenly realises he's toppled into Aonung’s lap. He sits up quickly, climbing to his feet, the others doing the same, and wills away the flushed feeling on his face.
Another week passes, and Aonung has helped Neteyam start swimming again. They haven't done too much yet, but Neteyam has become comfortable with treading water again, and they went on a quick dive together. The panic attack had seemed to be a one-time thing, fortunately, though Neteyam has woken up in a cold sweat a couple of times, after having vivid nightmares. He’d sit and watch the stars whenever that happened, tracing the constellations with his gaze until he drifted off again.
Neteyam leaps off the pathway into the water, swimming past some fish and coral, and coming up beside Aonung. He sees Kiri in the distance, befriending some of the fish, and Tuk and Tsireya chase each other around in some sort of game of tag. Lo’ak comes up beside Neteyam, signing ‘hide me’ as he curls up behind Neteyam. Rotxo and a couple of Aonung’s other friends are spread around the area as well, and Neteyam watches as Tuk evades Tsireya again, darting behind some coral, and Tsireya glances around, looking for a new target. Neteyam swims to the side, revealing Lo’ak, and Tsireya comes charging in their direction.
Aonung grabs Neteyam’s arm, pulling him out of Tsireya’s way, as she catches Lo’ak in barely a couple of seconds. Neteyam chuckles, turning to look at Aonung, who is laughing too.
Neteyam thinks it is safe to consider them friends. The first couple of days were awkward, but once they’d gotten over that and found some steady ground they could share, it didn’t take too long for them to start getting along.
‘Follow me,’ Aonung signs. The gesture is subtle, like he doesn’t want anyone but Neteyam to see it. ‘I want to show you something.’
Neteyam gives him a nod, and Aonung turns on his tail, swimming away from the group. Neteyam follows after him, doing his best to keep up, but Aonung is fast. Neteyam makes a noise in his throat, trying to get Aonung’s attention.
He turns back, and seeing the distance between them, stops in his path. Neteyam gestures upwards. He can feel himself running out of air, so he swims to the surface, gasping for breath when he breaks through. Aonung appears above the surface a little ahead of him, swimming back to meet him.
“You’re fast,” Neteyam says. “Do you think you could slow down a bit?”
Aonung nods and holds out a hand. Neteyam takes it, a little confused. “Hold on, forest boy,” Aonung says, suddenly diving beneath the water, and taking Neteyam with him. This is much faster than before, Neteyam finds, and holds onto Aonung’s hand as tight as he can, not wanting to get left behind, as the water rushes past them.
It doesn’t take long before Aonung is suddenly diving down, down, down. Ahead of them, Neteyam spots a small cave-like entrance to the rocks, surrounded by coral and half hidden by seaweed. Aonung comes to a stop in front of it, gesturing that that is where they are going. Neteyam suddenly feels nervous, but follows warily after Aonung as he enters the darkness.
It’s dark and rocky inside, and Neteyam can feel his chest getting tight. He wants to turn back and go where he can actually see but he continues on for Aonung’s sake. It doesn’t take long though, and suddenly the blurred blue figure in front of him is swimming upward. Neteyam follows, bursting out of the water into a massive cavern.
The walls are dotted with hundreds and hundreds of small glowing creatures, too far away for Neteyam to work out what they are, but they wriggle around and make this place look like a night sky. Water fills the cave to about the middle, coral and seaweed and various other plants growing out of the rocks, but above them, some sort of strange vines hang from the roof amongst the glowing creatures. As Neteyam looks around, the only word he can come up with to describe this place is beautiful.
He turns to face Aonung and says exactly that. “This place is... beautiful.”
Aonung gives him a smile, and gestures for Neteyam to follow him to the wall. They sit side by side on a little rocky outcrop, the water moving slowly around their waists. It’s quiet between them, Neteyam happy to just gaze around the space and take a proper moment to appreciate it.
Aonung speaks, suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet. “You’re the only person I’ve shown this place to,” he says, and Neteyam feels his chest become warm, as he looks at Aonung in surprise. “I usually come here when I want to get away from everything. Dad can be a bit overbearing at times.”
Neteyam chuckles at that. He completely understands the feeling. “I know what you mean,” he says. “My Dad can be a bit much as well.”
He’s about to ask Aonung a bit more about the cavern, when something suddenly bursts out of the water beside him. He jumps in surprise, reeling backwards, as the creature lands in the water again and disappears beneath. A few seconds later it jumps up again, a little further away, disappearing under the water before Neteyam can even see what it might be. Aonung chuckles, a lot closer than Neteyam expects, and he turns to see Aonung right there. He must have unconsciously grabbed onto his arm in his surprise. Neteyam flushes a little at the proximity, though he still can’t understand why, and quickly detaches himself from Aonung.
They sit there for a little while longer, talking about various things until Neteyam’s stomach grumbles and they realise just how much time has passed. The others are probably beginning to worry about them, so they swim through the dark tunnel and out of the cave.
An ilu is passing by them, fortunately, so Aonung mounts it, dragging Neteyam on behind him. Awkwardly, Neteyam wraps his arms around Aonung’s waist, as the two of them fly through the ocean, reaching their friends not a moment too soon.
Later that evening, it is decided that the group of them will be having a sleepover of sorts. Neteyam’s Mum and Dad have decided to go out for a date night, leaving the four kids to get up to whatever antics they have planned. When Tsireya finds out, she suggests a sleepover. Everyone is quick to agree.
“Okay kids, have fun,” their Dad says, as he climbs onto the ikran, behind their Mum. “Don't cause too much trouble while we're gone.”
“We won't,” Neteyam assures. “I've got my eye on this lot.” He ruffles Lo’ak’s hair.
The ikran spreads its wings a moment later, leaping into the air and disappearing from view, all in the space of a couple of seconds.
The sky is darkening when Tsireya, Aonung and Rotxo arrive, entering the Sully marui and planting themselves on the floor. Tsireya places a basket on the ground in front of them, filled sweet smelling little fruits. Tuk pounces immediately, stuffing one in her mouth.
It doesn't take long for them to find themselves sitting in a circle, a game of truth or dare suggested. Tuk begins, locking eyes on her first target: Lo’ak.
“Lo’ak, truth or dare,” she says, and Neteyam giggles at her sudden seriousness, ruffling her hair.
“Uh… dare,” he replies.
“Jump in the water,” Tuk says. On the surface, the dare might a little underwhelming, but it's dark now, the water outside their marui illuminated only by the stars and moons, and Neteyam thinks it looks freezing. It probably is.
Lo’ak seems reluctant to obey the order, hesitating. “Truth,” he says instead, and Tuk sighs.
“Do you have a crush on anyone?”
Neteyam's eyes dart towards Tsireya, and his sure everyone else glances towards her too. Lo’ak, however, instead of answering, jumps to his feet and sprints off the edge of the pathway, landing in a huge splash of icy water. Everyone laughs, as Lo’ak’s head emerges above the water, a look of annoyance on his face. He climbs out of the water, dripping with it when he sits back down in his seat from earlier.
“That was freezing. Thanks, Tuk,” he says. Tuk giggles.
An hour or two passes, and everyone is beginning to grow tired. Tuk has already fallen asleep, leaning into Neteyam's side, and Lo’ak looks about ready to pass out as well.
“I'll be back in a few minutes,” Aonung says suddenly, standing up. He exits the marui, disappearing from view in a few moments. Neteyam finds himself watching the spot where he disappeared.
“Oh my,” Kiri says, having come up beside him at some point. Neteyam tears his eyes away to look at her.
“What?” he asks.
“You have a crush,” she says. The other three perk up at the statement, glancing between Kiri and Neteyam.
“Huh? What are you talking about?” He feels a sudden heat rising in his cheeks.
“You just did dopey eyes after Aonung,” she says, voice full of excitement. “You have a crush on Aonung!”
“I do not!” Neteyam exclaims, trying not to speak too loudly so as not to wake Tuk. The four of them ignore his statement launching at him.
“Big bro has a crush,” Lo’ak says, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and rubbing an affectionate fist into his hair.
“As if you can talk,” Neteyam mutters, as the four of them bombard him with questions and comments. Tuk moves beside him, awoken a moment later by the noise.
“What's happening?” she asks, blinking her eyes open slowly.
Tsireya takes her hands, moving them around in excited motions. “Neteyam has a crush,” she says, in a sing-song voice, and Tuk squeals.
“Who is it, who is it?” she asks, climbing onto Neteyam's lap and bouncing with excitement.
Tsireya whispers in her ear, and Tuk squeals again. “You have a crush on Aonung?” she exclaims, full of energy.
“I don't have a crush,” Neteyam whines, but he knows it's fruitless against a force such as this. He doesn't have a crush. He especially doesn't have a crush on Aonung. There is no way he has a crush.
Aonung appears a moment later, and the teasing stops in an instant.
“You guys talking about me?” he asks, his voice almost teasing.
“Nope,” Neteyam says before the others can say something embarrassing. “We were just about to go to sleep, weren't we?” He says, eyeing everyone in a way that says ‘you better not say anything.’
“Sure you were,” Aonung says, sitting down between Neteyam and Rotxo, as Kiri, Lo’ak and Tsireya return to where they were sitting before. Tuk stays on Neteyam's lap, and he hugs her tight, leaning back against the wall.
Tuk falls asleep again within less than a minute. They all talk quietly amongst each other, Kiri falling asleep next, then Rotxo. Lo’ak dozes off about ten minutes later, his head resting in Tsireya’s lap. Tsireya falls asleep a few minutes after, and then it's just Neteyam and Aonung left.
The conversation falls quiet between them, just the sounds of the ocean around them. Neteyam finds himself looking at Aonung. Looking at the way the moonlight glitters off his face, the darkness turning his turquoise skin a deep, beautiful blue.
Beautiful. The thought rings in his mind. So many new things are beautiful to Neteyam. The rising and lowering of the tides, all ushered by the force of the moons and the power of Eywa. The creatures beneath the water, small glowing fish with too many legs, and the strange creatures that allow them to breathe beneath the waves. The cave Aonung showed him earlier that day, hidden from the world, yet full of the constellations of the sky, and trailing vines and little creatures. Aonung. Aonung is beautiful, not only in his pretty face, which Neteyam can't take his eyes off of, but in the way he cares for the animals and the world around him, in the way he takes care of Neteyam, having helped him find his place again.
Oh.
Oh.
Something in Neteyam’s mind clicks, as he realises that Kiri is right. He does like Aonung in that way. Something warms in his stomach, as he tears his eyes away from Aonung.
“I’m gonna go to sleep,” he mumbles, moving himself a little so he can lie down. Tuk rests on his chest.
“Good night,” Aonung whispers, and Neteyam closes his eyes, trying not to think too much.
Neteyam is drowning again. There’s water all around him, he can’t see properly, and everything is blurry. He tries to fight it, he tries to swim towards the surface of the water so he can breathe again, but the current pulls him down. It’s fruitless, as he gets pulled into the darkness, and he feels himself growing dizzy, growing weary. He tries again, kicking his legs as hard as he can, pushing and pushing but it's no use…
Neteyam opens his eyes. He’s drenched in sweat and his throat is tight. He sits up, gasping for breath, but the air just won’t fill his lungs enough. His breathing is rapid, as he tries to intake as much air as he can, but it’s not working and his chest tightens as tears start to drip down his face. It’s dark around him, and he can barely see where he is, and that just somehow makes it worse.
He thinks he’s shaking, but he’s suddenly not sure about much. All he can hear is the blood pounding in his ears and the choked sounds he’s making, and all he can think about is the fact that he can’t breathe properly, and he thinks that if this doesn’t get under control soon he might die.
Suddenly there are hands on his shoulders. He’s not sure who it is, and he’s not sure what they’re saying, but he knows they are talking. He tries to focus on it, tries to ground himself, distract himself from the overwhelming panic he’s feeling.
Something cuts through the pounding in his ears. “It’s okay, Neteyam. You’re gonna be okay. Just focus on my voice.”
It’s Aonung talking. One of the hands on his shoulders is moved to sit on his stomach. “Breath with me. In… and out…”
Neteyam does his best to follow the instructions. His breaths are shaky and broken at first, but after a couple of minutes of following Aonung’s guidance, they begin to even out.
“You’ve got this, you’re gonna be okay.”
In… and out…
In… and out…
In… and out…
Neteyam thinks it's over now. It’s a relief to feel his lungs filling completely, and to be able to hear and see properly again. He doesn’t know why he does it, but he collapses forwards into Aonung, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tight. Aonung hesitates for a moment, but his arms wrap around Neteyam too.
He supposes he does know why. He likes Aonung, doesn’t he? He likes the way Aonung looks at him, likes the way Aonung’s companionship gives him a bubbly feeling in his chest, likes the way Aonung is holding him now.
He likes spending time with Aonung, and something in him dearly hopes Aonung feels the same.
He rests his head on Aonung's shoulder, as the tears that haven't yet gone away continue to slip from his eyes. Neteyam feels Aonung rest his chin atop his head, as he starts playing with his braids. Neteyam continues to take deep breaths, hoping he doesn't become overwhelmed again and fall into a panic. He hopes it never happens again, but the rational part of his brain assures him it may happen at some point, especially after what happened to him.
Instead, he tries to focus on the feeling of Aonung's hand in his hair, and his chin on his head. Neteyam feels safe here. He hopes Aonung might let him do this again at some point.
“Thank you,” he finds himself whispering. He isn't certain that Aonung hears it but he's pretty sure he did if the hold around him tightening is anything to go by.
Eventually, Neteyam pulls away from Aonung, and he feels cold when he does so. He doesn't say anything and neither does Aonung, but when Neteyam crawls a little way across the marui to sit by the doorway, Aonung follows, sitting beside him.
Neteyam looks up at the sky, at the constellations above them and at the infinite universe. It's so much more beautiful at this time of night when barely anyone is awake, and only the sound of the ocean is in the air. It's so very peaceful. And it is even prettier beside Aonung.
Neteyam hopes he won't regret it in the morning, but he lays his head on Aonung's shoulder, still looking up at the sky.
He's not sure how much time passes, but he soon finds himself growing weary. Aonung puts his arm around Neteyam's shoulder, pulling him closer, and Neteyam finds this makes him even wearier. He's not sure when he falls asleep, but he knows that at some point Aonung's head was resting atop his.
The next morning it is raining. Neteyam hasn't opened his eyes yet, but the sound of the raindrops splashing in the ocean and tapping against the top of the marui is quite relaxing. He listens for a little while, but when he feels someone moving beside him, he opens his eyes and sits up, stretching his arms above his head.
Kiri is laying on her side beside him, and he looks over to where Tuk is splayed out like a starfish. He suddenly remembers why he's in a different spot than he was when he initially went to sleep, what happened in the middle of the night. He glances to his other side, where Aonung had sat, to find him missing. He glances around the marui, but he's nowhere to be seen.
Just as he's about to get to his feet, an ikran swoops by the entrance, his Mum and Dad landing on their feet in front of him. Before he can even say anything to them, Tuk, somehow now awake, is already atop their Mum, then Dad a moment later.
“Hey sweetheart,” his Dad says, giving Tuk a hug and lifting her up. “Did everything go okay here?” He asks, turning to Neteyam. Neteyam nods, getting to his feet.
“Yeah, everything was all good,” he says, giving both his parents a quick hug. “I was just about to go look for Aonung.”
With a nod of approval from his Dad, Neteyam quickly exits the marui, starting down the path. He is met with a rush of cold, damp air, and raindrops on his head. It's foggy, and he can't see more than 50 feet in any direction.
He passes between the maruis glancing into them to see if Aonung is there and asking the occasional person he passes. His hair is soon soaked, and he’s shivering as he finds the marui Aonung and Tsireya live in with their parents.
“Have either of you seen Aonung,” he asks. Tonowari and Ronal, who are both present share a concerned glance with each other.
“No,” Tonowari answers, and Neteyam’s stomach drops. He'd checked most of the village before he got here, and Aonung was nowhere to be found. Neteyam deemed it very unlikely he'd be swimming, especially this early in the morning and in this weather.
A thought then crosses his mind. He remembers the cave Aonung showed him being surprisingly warm, and considers that maybe he'd gone there for some reason.
“Actually,” Neteyam says, hopefully before Tonowari and Ronal can become too worried, “I think I know where he is. I'll return to you if I don't find him.”
He doesn't even wait to see or hear their reactions, running out the door, and calling for an ilu. He leaps on the first one to come to him, the waves freezing cold around him.
They push through the water, coming up quickly upon the entrance of the cave. Neteyam bids the ilu farewell for now, diving beneath the surface and kicking hard until he reaches the entrance. He pushes the seaweed aside, and swims through, coming up and breaking the surface with a gasp. The air around him is definitely a bit warmer, and the water is too. He glances around and finds Aonung floating on the water, eyes closed, a few feet away from him.
“Aonung?” He asks, unsure if he's even awake.
“Huh?” Aonung’s eyes flick open, and he raises his head to look at Neteyam, his legs and feet sinking beneath the water. “Oh. Uh… hi Neteyam.”
Neteyam feels a strange sinking feeling in his stomach at the way Aonung said his name, but ignores it, swimming over to him.
“I was worried,” Neteyam says. “Why did you disappear?”
Aonung hesitates. His eyes shift over Neteyam’s face, but don’t meet his eyes. Then he turns his head, looking over at the wall nearby. His mouth opens, but no words come out. He looks back at Neteyam. The water swirls around them, as Neteyam waits for Aonung to say something, waits for him to answer the question. One of the strange creatures from the previous day leaps out of the water, coming down with a splash beside them. Neteyam still isn’t sure what it is.
Aonung’s mouth opens again, and he finally meets Neteyam’s eyes. “I was… scared,” he says. He holds eye contact, taking a deep breath once the words are out. Neteyam tilts his head in confusion.
“Scared…? About what?” he doesn’t mean to sound invasive or make Aonung feel uncomfortable, but he isn’t truly sure what Aonung is scared about.
Aonung hesitates again, opening and closing his mouth a few times as if tasting the words on his tongue. “Let’s just put it this way,” he starts. “I woke up this morning, and please don’t hate me for saying this, but when I saw you I thought you looked beautiful.”
Neteyam’s heart jumps and hurts at the same time. He could never hate Aonung. Not anymore at least.
“And then I remembered what happened last night, how you had another panic attack, and I helped you. It hurt me to see you hurting. And then you hugged me, and I felt so loved and appreciated, and I realised I wanted to love and protect you. Everything clicked this morning. And it scared me.”
It takes Neteyam’s mind a few moments to process what Aonung has just said. He stares at him, the cogs slowly turning in his mind until suddenly it clicks. Aonung likes me. The same way I like him.
“Sorry,” Aonung says, turning away, and Neteyam realises he’s been thinking too long, and Aonung has taken it as a rejection. “I shouldn’t have let my tongue run away like that. Sor-”
Before Aonung can get too far, Neteyam reaches out to him, grabs his shoulders and pulls him into a hug, wrapping his arms around him. Aonung startles, at first, but it doesn’t take more than a moment for him to wrap his arms around Neteyam in return. Neteyam feels safe.
“I like you too,” Neteyam says, or rather whispers, against Aonung’s shoulder. It feels like a confirmation, like setting in stone what he’d only realised himself last night. He hears Aonung release a breath, his body melting into Neteyam’s. Their legs tangle together beneath the water, as they kick to stay afloat, and he thinks he can hear their heartbeats slowing to beat in rhythm, together.
He pulls away, just a little, so he can see Aonung’s face. “Can I kiss you?” he asks, his voice so quiet that if anyone had been just a foot away from them, they wouldn’t have heard. Aonung nods, and Neteyam leans in slowly, filling the tiny gap between them, and placing his lips on Aonung’s. He’s never done this before, and despite the slight awkwardness, his chest fills with warmth. Aonung’s hand cups his jaw, and the other rests on the back of his neck, deepening the kiss. Neteyam wishes he could stay here forever.
That night they find themselves on the rocks, looking up at the stars. Aonung has his arm around Neteyam, and Neteyam rests his head on Aonung’s shoulder. Their legs swing in the water beneath them.
“Sorry for disappearing this morning,” Aonung says, breaking the silence between them. They’d returned to the village shortly after Neteyam had found Aonung, and they’d shared their kiss. Tonowari and Ronal had thanked Neteyam for finding Aonung, as they’d begun to grow worried. The rain had stopped shortly after, and the clouds had parted. They’d then met up with Tsireya, Rotxo and Neteyam’s siblings again, for another day of swimming and learning about the ways of the Metkayina clan.
And now they’d come here.
“No need to apologise,” Neteyam says, smiling up at Aonung. Aonung gives him a slightly baffled look.
“Why not? I shouldn’t have disappeared, I made both you and my parents worried.”
Neteyam leans up and presses a kiss on Aonung’s cheek. He visibly blushes, even beneath the starlight. “If you didn't disappear and I didn't come to find you I wouldn't be able to do that.”
“And I wouldn't be able to do this ,” Aonung says, demeanour changing in an instant as he presses his lips to Neteyam's. Neteyam's heart flutters as he feels himself flushing, eyes closing.
After a minute or so they pull apart and look towards the sky again. Neteyam returns his head to Aonung's shoulder. Neteyam traces the constellations with his eyes, gaze flitting over the thousands of stars above them.
“The stars are beautiful tonight,” Aonung says quietly.
Neteyam murmurs in agreement. “The stars are even prettier with you.”