Chapter Text
Rotxo's house was packed that Saturday night. It was his first party that he has ever hosted and his grandmother was out of the city so he took the opportunity. Well, pushed to take it since Aonung has been complaining that Rotxo has never hosted a party at his place. It was a fairly spacious home but everyone was cramped in the living room that it made Aonung sweat from all of the body heat. The permeating scent of cheap cologne, and a hint of alcohol hung in the air, mixing with the aroma of the greasy pizza boxes scattered across the kitchen island.
Aonung stood in his usual spot at the edge of the action, leaning against the kitchen counter with a red cup in his hand, half-filled with something strong that Nashvi had passed his way earlier. Nashvi was beside him, puffing on his vape, a common lung deteriorator that almost every teen in this room found essential.
“Damn, blueberry hitting the spot.” Nashvi sighed out as he exhaled the smoke out of his lips. He held it up to Aonung who merely rolled his eyes and pushed it away from his face.
“Rather lose a kidney.” He responded and took a sip from his cup, the liquid burning pleasantly down his throat.
“Suit yourself,” Nashvi said, taking another drag and letting the vapor swirl around them. “Poor Rotxo, our boy looks distressed.” He chuckled as he pointed out to where Rotxo was frantically moving all of his grandmother’s trinkets into his room so that those jocks would not shatter a single one.
“Sweet Eywa! Not my room!” Rotxo screeched as he shooed away a couple out of his room, tossing them their clothes. “Foul!”
“Yeah, he is never hosting a party ever again.” Aonung mumbled to himself in amusement. Nashvi laughed along with him and after a few puffs, he decided to help Rotxo with whatever he needed assistance with.
It was a familiar scene for Aonung— the pusling music through the giant speakers, tipsy laughter and screams, and the unmistakable tension of truth or dare unfolding in the corner of the living room. He scanned the room, taking in the familiar faces that he has seen in class and perhaps some freshmen who were invited on a whim, some dancing with reckless abandon while others congregated around kitchen counters, playing beer pong.
However, tonight was not the time for him to memorise these useless faces and shenanigans. Something or rather, someone caught his attention but it was not the usual giggling group of girls vying for his attention and time. Before he could even stare at his source of intrigue, Nashvi and Rotxo reappeared into the scene.
Rotxo looked exhausted, his curly hair slightly disheveled as he leaned against the counter for support while Nashvi caught a hold of him as he put his arm around the shorter boy.
“I swear, if I have to clean my bedsheets again, I’m going to lose it,” he grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow. “I love a good party, but this is chaos.”
Aonung could not help but smile at his friend’s complaint. He has thrown a lot of parties over the years but he never sweat about it so Rotxo’s woes were not relatable for him.
“I’m surprised you’re still standing, Rotxo. You should be more like me—lean back and enjoy the show,” he teased, lifting his red cup in a mock toast.
“Yeah, well, some of us actually care about the state of our house after this,” Rotxo argued back, casting a wary glance toward the living room where a couple of partygoers were attempting to start an impromptu dance-off. “I just hope no one breaks anything, especially anything that my grandma cherishes.”
Aonung shook his head, but his attention refocusing on where he initially had his eyes glued. “Cute one.” He muttered to himself as he rested his arm on the counter, examining the figure standing near the punch bowl.
“Queue what?” Nashvi asked him in confusion, his voice slurring as Aonung’s voice was fortunately drowned out by the music.
“I said cute one.” Aonung admitted with a louder tone, nodding towards a boy who stayed put next to the punch bowl beside the kitchen sink.
The boy was dressed in a cozy, beige turtleneck sweater that contrasted sharply with the festive atmosphere around him. His dark hair was styled in neat and beaded braids that framed his face, and he wore feather earrings that swung as he moved. His tail swayed slightly at the beat of the music as he pushed his glasses up, presumably reading something off his phone. While the world around him pulsed with laughter and music, he maintained a look of mild disinterest, as if he were an observer rather than a participant.
Rotxo, who had just joined the conversation, followed Aonung’s gaze and grinned in realisation. “Oh, that’s my classmate, Neteyam! He’s a senior who just transferred to our school.” Rotxo shrugged, clearly unfazed by Aonung’s interest. “I invited him to mingle around I guess,.”
“Looks like he’s doing a great job at that,” Aonung implied with sarcasm, smirking as he observed Neteyam glance around the room with bored eyes, clearly waiting to just go home. “I mean, he’s basically the life of the party over there.”
Neteyam differed from Aonung’s usual type of partner he would date over the school years. He was usually into the spunky ones, ones who would make him lose his mind or ones who would not be afraid of doing all sorts of wild things. However, Aonung has taken a short rest from dating during the school break as he needed some solo time. Since school had just started, he decided that he wanted to actively search for his new target before he graduates from high school.
“He’s quite nice.” Rotxo added with a small shrug, “and very reserved,”
“Yo, I have an idea.” Nashvi chuckled with a mischievious gleam in his drunken eyes. This was the start of it all, the catalyst that was about to change the trajectory of Aonung’s entire senior year in Awa’atlu high. The fruity scent of the drink he had just chugged lingered on his breath, adding to his rowdy demeanor.
“Oh god, you look like you chugged an entire bottle of alcohol.” Rotxo groaned as he grabbed Nashvi’s shoulder to keep him steady on his feet.
“I did,” Nashvi scoffed and rolled his eyes, nodding towards a group of girls who were chortling by the speakers and dancing. “I didn’t guess this girl’s panties colour right and they forced me to chug.”
“Idiot.” Rotxo muttered under his breath and waited for Nashvi to continue whatever he wanted to propose to Aonung.
Nashvi leaned in close enough for Aonung to hear, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “You should get that guy—what’s his name? Neteyam—to date you. Then, you can dump him on prom night! Just think about it—it would be the perfect little drama to spice up your senior year!”
Rotxo, immediately sensing the horrible idea, was about to interrupt but Nashvi brought a hand over the shorter boy’s mouth to avoid him from making Aonung question his morality. Well, Aonung has always been a player to begin with. The thrill of the chase had always been his favorite part of dating, and he had never been one to back down from a challenge. Plus, what was serious about dating in your teen years? He never believed that highschool sweethearts could last until marriage anyways. He weighed Nashvi's words, feeling the pulse of excitement thrumming in his veins.
“Nung, this is ridiculous.” Rotxo hissed and shook his head with disbelief written on his face, “There’s nothing in it for you but guilt, trust me.”
“Oh but there is something in it for him,” Nashvi told them both in a suggestive tone, “500 dollars.”
Aonung rolled his eyes, barely hiding his amusement. The $500 did nothing to activate his temptation further; his dad was the principal of Awa’atlu High, and his mom owned a very successful spa, making their household comfortably affluent. He could afford that kind of money without breaking a sweat, spending more on sneakers or the latest video games than he would on this petty bet. However,he was intrigued by the thrill of the chase, the chaos of the game. Plus, cash was kind of a bonus since he hated going to the ATM. He thought about how much of a breeze it was to slip into the role of the charming player, the boy who could woo anyone with just a smirk and a wink. The reputation he had built over the years made him feel invincible, and the idea of snagging Neteyam’s attention felt like just another notch on his belt. He wasn’t looking for love or a relationship; he wanted to have fun, to stir the pot and revel in some high school drama.
“Well, this could be memorable.” Aonung pondered out loud, thinking about how fun it would be to humiliate someone on prom night.
Rotxo threw his hands up in exasperation and retorted, “Memorable? You mean to say you want to create a dramatic mess that could ruin someone else’s experience? Is that really worth it?”
“Oh please, I can apologise to him anytime.” Aonung dismissed and waved a hand off, “I get it, but it’s not like I’m going to traumatize him. I’m not that cruel.”
There was a flicker of hesitation in his chest, a small voice reminding him that this could backfire in ways he had never considered, but he quickly squashed it down. He thought to himself, ‘It’s just a bit of fun, and I can control it. What’s the worst that could happen?’
As he took another sip from his red cup, he locked eyes with Neteyam across the room. The boy was still standing awkwardly by the punch bowl, as he attempted to look busy on his phone while drinking his cup of fruit punch.
“Cute, can’t even handle alcohol,” He muttered under his breath with a light chuckle.
Aonung couldn’t help but feel a spark of intrigue; there was something endearing about Neteyam that piqued his interest but at the end of the day, it was not like he was head over heels for the boy.
“You do you, Nung.” Rotxo sighed out in exasperation and gave up on advising his friend. Rotxo and Aonung have been friends since birth and Rotxo has been trusted by Aonung’s family to be the one who could remind him of bad or good decisions to make. They were there for each other during preschool, elementary, middle and then, high school. They had been through it all together, and even though they would likely part ways when they reached college, Aonung’s dad had always advised Rotxo to stay close to him, to keep an eye out.
“But remember,” Rotxo reminded him sternly like an older brother would which was ironic considering that Rotxo was a year younger than him. “I’m still looking out for you but whatever shit goes down from this bad idea, I’m not going to be involved.”
“Never was gonna involve you anyways.” Aonung merely laughed and patted on Rotxo’s back playfully as he continued to watch Neteyam who was clearly bored out of his mind.
“Heh, how are you gonna approach him?” Nashvi chimed in, his eyes gleaming with mischief, clearly a few drinks in and looking ready to witness the grand starter for the show.
“I might just-“ Aonung stopped when he heard a commotion from where he was staring earlier.
His eyes widened at the sight in front of him as he observed Neteyam, clearly uncomfortable, as a taller boy snaked his arm around his waist. His face was unrecognizable, concealed by the strands of his tousled dark curls but he seemed to be whispering into Neteyam’s ear about something.
“Someone’s messing with your target.” Nashvi mumbled to him and nudged him by the shoulder, his tone playful but there was a hint of concern in his voice.
“Who the hell does that guy think he is?” Aonung growled, a protective instinct igniting within him. He watched as Neteyam stiffened, his discomfort palpable. Aonung had just been about to charm the guy, and now here he was, completely sidetracked by this unwanted attention.
It was true that Aonung could care less about Neteyam because he was merely going to be victim for his little game but still, if anything he desired for was tampered with, Aonung was extremely possessive. Whatever was his should be his and his only even if he has not claimed yet.
Without any further hesitation, he walked over to where the commotion was. It was unnoticed due to the bustling atmosphere of the party. With fierce determination, he placed a rough hand on the unknown boy’s shoulder and forcefully turned his body to face him.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Aonung spat but then, realization settled in once he realized who the harasser was. Paytxul. Basketball captain of Atu’tani high school, the notorious rival school of Awa’atlu high, in both academics and sports.
Aonung had heard plenty about Paytxul—the arrogant captain known for his impressive skills on the court and a reputation that stretched across schools like wildfire. The guy was all flash, and his toxic charisma drew attention like moths to a flame. Despite all of his, Aonung mainly thought the guy was all bark, not bite. His team has won over Paytxul’s for 2 years and the interschool basketball competition was in less than 6 months. He was determined that he would beat him one more time.
"Oh, Aonung, I figured you’d be here" He smirked and turned to Aonung. "Claiming boys now just like how you claimed that title with daddy's money?"
Aonung clenched his jaw at Paytxul's jeering remark, his patience wearing thin. The captain’s arrogance dripped from every word, but Aonung had grown used to this kind of banter with him. “Watch your mouth, Pay. You know damn well I earned that title through skill and hard work, not connections,” he shot back, his tone steady despite the rising tension.
The music died down as everyone noticed the conflict that was ensuing before their eyes. Neteyam groaned in annoyance at the unwanted attention, trying to conceal himself if anyone was flashing any cameras on the whole argument.
“So you wanna claim that title and my boyfriend? In your wildest dreams." Paytxul scoffed as he grabbed Neteyam's wrist, pulling him to his side.
"Excuse me... WHAT?" Nashvi choked and spat out his drink.
Shock was evident across Aonung’s face as he tried to process the revelation, eyes darting from Neteyam to Paytxul. For a second, he was speechless, a mix of surprise and irritation bubbling up inside him. It made no sense to him how Paytxul would date a boy from his rival school but it was possible since Neteyam just moved from a different school anyway. He stared a bit longer at Neteyam, silently asking him to reconfirm this and he did. Neteyam let out a small sigh and clung onto Paytxul’s arm just to prove his boyfriend right.
Paytxul’s smirk grew wider, clearly savoring the shock that washed over Aonung and his friends. He wrapped his arm possessively around Neteyam’s shoulders, pulling him closer as if to stake his claim in front of everyone. “Yeah, you heard me right,” Paytxul said, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “He’s off-limits, so why don’t you run along, captain, before you embarrass yourself any further?”
Neteyam was mortified as he felt the eyes on him and he tugged on Paytxul’s sleeve, pleading him to stop. “Can we not do this right now?” He murmured but his voice was barely audible enough and only fell on deaf ears.
“Keep him then.” Aonung scoffed dismissively as if he did not care, “He is fit enough to be your personal puppy.”
Neteyam took offense at this, narrowing his eyes slightly. He was about to interject but Paytxul’s grip on his shoulders tightened, signalling him to stay silent. Aonung’s sharp eyes didn’t miss the way Neteyam tensed under Paytxul’s grip, how the boy’s expression shifted from determination to something like subservience. However, there was something subtle but it was there—an unspoken resistance, a flicker of rebellion hidden behind his golden eyes. Aonung's interest in Neteyam only grew stronger; there was more to this dork than he initially thought.
“Oh, what’s wrong, Pay?” Aonung sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Afraid your boyfriend might actually have a mind of his own? Looks like you’ve got him on a pretty tight leash.
Paytxul’s jaw clenched as he huffed, pulling Neteyam to his side possessively. “Speak one word to him in school and I’ll crush you before you can even compete in nationals.” Paytxul threatened him and stepped forward to Aonung’s face but Neteyam pulled him back.
“Can we just go? This isn’t worth it.” Neteyam grumbled, looking up at Paytxul. As a response, Paytxul merely huffed and grabbed Neteyam’s wrist as he led him out of the premises. A short moment of silence ensued but the party ignited back as if the tension melted like ice just in a short matter of time, the speakers blasted the loud music once again and everyone else continued what they were doing.
“Man, guess we have to call off our little bet.” Nashvi chuckled and whistled, equally as shocked as Aonung. “Pay’s boy, huh? You would’ve been dead meat if you went on with it.”
“Who said I was backing out?” Aonung coolly retorted back to Nashvi with a determined smirk.
Nashvi gaped at Aonung’s statement and examined his expression to see if he was joking but his friend was dead serious. Aonung was a player but to be messing around with someone who was taken was never part of his agenda. Well, now it was after knowing that Neteyam just happened to be his rival’s boyfriend. Aonung looked at Nashvi back knowingly, a silent promise to see this through. This was not all about betting anymore but now, it was personal. A game of strategy, pride, and revenge—all revolving around a boy who didn’t even know what kind of storm he was walking into.