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SPANISH TRANSLATION:
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The sun slowly set in the distance, casting a glow of yellows and reds across the sky. With the younger kids spent from the day's training and activities, they decided to cut their adventure short. Tomorrow they would explore the natural coves and caves more and skip riding training to give their sore muscles and minds a bit of rest. Neteyam stretched his arms above his head, back aching from all the riding he'd done that day.
"I told you, you have horrible form." Aonung spoke up from his right.
Neteyam made a sound, casting him a quick glance before he went back to swinging his arms side to side mid walk, the stretch burning.
" Up ," Neteyam jerked, Aonung's hand pressing on his lower back, "If you don't keep your spine straight, the pain will be worse in the morning."
He pulled away just as quick as he had touched him, seemingly satisfied with the adjustment Neteyam made. Neteyam willed the warmth in his cheeks to go down, tail flicking behind him as his thighs strained with the movement of sand giving way beneath his feet. Aonung's eyes fell to it, head tilting ever so slightly but it still caught the other's attention.
"What?"
"Does it always move like that?"
Neteyam frowned, "Doesn't yours?"
"Yours looks like a water snake, so alive," His brows raised with another flick of Neteyam's tail, "Mine isn't so expressive."
"Ah, it helps with balance when climbing."
"You are not climbing now."
Way to state the obvious , Neteyam scoffed out a laugh.
"It can mirror emotions too."
"So you cannot control it?"
Neteyam looks like he's thinking for a moment, watching the group slowly create more distance as he and Aonung fall behind.
"I can if I need to."
Aonung nods but he doesn't ask anymore questions, curiosity satisfied for the moment.
"You don't need to slow down just for me. I can find my way back."
Aonung laughs, "I'm not so sure about that. You think about too many things, forest boy. How will you keep track of everything?"
"I do not-"
"You do. Why don't you just stay quiet and let me guide you, hm?"
Neteyam almost swallows his tongue, not sure where that had just come from but he nods anyway, averting his curious gaze away from Aonung who seemed keen to crawl under his skin.
It was strange to walk with him like this, alone and quiet among the sandy beaches with the lul of small waves in the distance - almost peaceful and…Nice. He couldn't think of another word that suited the situation.
"Why are you being nice?"
He didn't mean for it to come out like that but it was too late to take it back now. Aonung didn't look surprised at his question, pursing his lips.
"Father told me to play good. That is what I'm doing," He gave the other a small smile, "Besides, your siblings cause you enough trouble as is."
Neteyam snorts in agreement, rolling his eyes. He really wished they would stay out of trouble.
"Thank you." He says after a moment and Aonung just looks at him.
They stay quiet the rest of the walk, taking in the world around them and Neteyam is indeed very thankful for the silence. It gives him a few moments to really breathe - not that it's helpful with Aonung there. He doesn't know why the other unnerved him so sometimes; it was really bad when they had breathing practice and Aonung constantly scowled at him. His breath hitched again, Aonung's shoulder brushing his as they manoeuvred across a bumpy patch of sand. He could feel his tail whip behind him in tandem with his unsteady heartbeats and even worse- he could feel Aonung's eyes drifting to it every single time it happened.
When their eyes met, Aonung whipped his head around like he had been caught and Neteyam was relieved to find a flush to his skin that mimicked his own.
Aonung didn't bid him goodnight when they reached the village, just gave him a hard look like he was piecing something together and then abruptly leaving Neteyam to stand there awkwardly. It was really strange indeed.
Neteyam thought that the end of their exchange for the day but when dinner came and the clan ate together for their first day of celebrating the new season, Aonung sat down beside him with nothing but a sharp gaze. Neteyam swallowed and kept his eyes on his food, body wound tight with uncomfortable anticipation for a situation not yet present. His tail flicked next to Aonung then, just grazing his leg and it made both of them jerk. It drew the attention of a few others too, mainly their siblings and mothers, causing both of them to look down to their plates quickly like they were caught doing something they shouldn't.
Aonung's lips twitched up at the edges, ears flicking as his eyes inched away from his plate and to Neteyam's restless form.
He gently laid his tail down next to Neteyam's.
Neteyam's chest pounded.
-
"Not like that, like this."
Aonung tugged the string from Neteyam's hands, turning it and removing some of the shells he added to put a small round pearl in first.
"The order is not important but it must end with a pearl on both sides," He took Neteyam's hand, putting the string back in it, "Try now."
Neteyam nodded, brows tilted down in a deep frown.
Aonung raised his head just enough to look over Neteyam's shoulder and caught sight of his tail, the appendage raised and the tip moving around in quick flicks.
"You're frustrated."
"I am not."
Aonung pointed at his tail and Neteyam sat upright, hissing at it and pulling it down and around his waist, "Stop looking at it."
"Why?"
Neteyam's jaw clenched as he looked at Aonung sitting in front of him with his legs crossed and multiple strings of woven charms laid out in his lap.
"I don't like it." He said, letting out a shaky breath in an effort to calm his emotions.
"You do not like not being able to get it on the first try." Aonung said, quickly continuing when the other glared up at him, "Calm down, big brother, there's no one around. Take your time to learn."
Neteyam just scowls down at his hands but the tension in his body from before is gone. When he's not worrying about keeping up appearances, his hands work better, calmer and more careful with their task. He snaps it quickly, weaving the strings like any Metkayina would. Aonung is sure his mother would approve of them and tells the other boy that.
"That is good. They will hang them in the village for the celebrations."
Neteyam's eyes shine brighter, a smile finally on his face, "Are you certain? I can try again-"
"No, they're perfect."
Aonung doesn't see the look Neteyam gives him. Instead he looks past him, at the happy way his tail tilts from side to side where it had calmly settled down into the sand behind them. Aonung finds it rather cute.
Later they help the other villagers with decorating, hanging the many strings of charms around their dwellings and the circle pool surrounded by curved mats and vines where the people convene for special occasions. The air is lighter, the Omatikaya family finally settled in and the kids getting along, which greatly calmed the underlying unease of the people. They can hear soft songs and laughter and the sound of people swimming as everyone helped put everything together. Neteyam looks happier now, a relaxed smile on his face as the others compliment his craftsmanship. Aonung can't help but check if his tail mirrors it - and it does, slowly swishing from side to side at Neteyam's ankles. He wonders if it feels different when he's relaxed.
"Are you obsessed or something?"
Aonung's throat goes dry, "W-What?"
Neteyam's eyes have a mischievous glint to them, wholly focused on Aonung's.
He shifts, putting the basket of charms on one of his hips, "You haven't stopped looking at it all day, is there something you'd like to know?"
Aonung scowls, "No, why would I? I was just looking because it's so freakish."
"Hm, it is quite freakish." Neteyam feigns disappointment, "Look at it."
He moves, flicking his tail to slap at Aonung's chest softly, drawing a flustered noise from Aonung who quickly steps back.
"That's odd, stop it." He shuddered and made a face but it was for a completely different reason than disgust.
Neteyam laughs and Aonung can't help but find it beautiful. Though he does keep his eyes to himself for the rest of the day as they finish up the decorating and part ways to join their families.
He finds Neteyam at dinner again that night and sits down without a word, mirroring the nod Neteyam gives him in silent greeting. They don't talk, listening instead to the songs that are sung and watching the glowing fish that swim beneath them.
This time Neteyam lets his tail brush Aonung's ankle on purpose.
His breath catches as Aonung's fingers tighten their grip around his bowl and meets his eyes without hesitance.
Tuk interrupts them before either could really react and his breath rushed back to his lungs as he opened his arms to catch her. She complains about being tired and asks him to name the fishes that swim below to which he complies, holding her to his chest as he tries to recall each one Aonung had told him. He can see Aonung looking at him from above Tuk's head but he keeps his eyes on the water. He swallows a deep breath when Aonung gets up to leave.
When Tuk's finally asleep, he stands as well. His mother asks to take her but he shakes his head, squeezing her hand in reassurance. He smiled as she sunk back into his father's shoulder, happy to see her smile again. The walk to their marui is short and he finds Kiri already on her mat inside, dozing off. He touches her head gently before sliding Tuk down next to her and quietly tells them both goodnight.
" Neteyam ."
He halts in the doorway of their home, catching sight of Aonung leaning on a post just a bit off to the side.
"Aonung." He dipped his head.
Aonung's shoulders relaxed and he pushed away from the post, pointing to the beach.
"Would you walk with me?" He asked softly.
Neteyam nods, falling into stride with Aonung as they follow the path down to the beach.
-
"You have a good memory."
"Hm?"
"You were correct in naming all the fish I taught you."
He wasn't aware Aonung had kept listening to him after all.
"Ah," Neteyam chuckled sheepishly, "I try."
Aonung hummed, turning his eyes to the water.
"Did you see the little ones in the shallow areas?"
Neteyam shook his head and Aonung motioned for him to follow. The water lit up around their ankles in swirls of blue and green where they waded in.
"They are shy and only come out at night." Aonung explained softly, pointing out the small holes in the sand where small fish poured out to dart through the water in strands of pink.
"Woah, look at them move."
"Very fast, almost impossible to catch." Aonung agreed.
"Thank you for showing me. They're beautiful."
The metkayina boy ducked his head.
They walked among them later, up along the shore with the schools of darting fish unbothered around their feet. Neteyam looked calm, watching them as they went with a gentle smile on his lips. Aonung was pleased to see his tail mirroring the emotions on his face when he glanced down.
"Have you finally decided to tell me about it?"
"About what?"
The smile on Neteyam's face had fallen when he spoke, "Your staring. Is my tail being different really such a bother?"
Aonung stopped walking. The tone Neteyam used unsettled him and he reached out quickly before thinking, grasping Neteyam's wrist to stop him.
"I didn't - I," Aonung shook his head with an exasperated smile, "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I didn't realise that is what it might've come across."
"So it is not that?" Neteyam glanced at his hand and Aonung dropped it.
"N-No. There's nothing wrong with it, I swear."
Neteyam tilted his head to the side and Aonung tried his best to not look at his tail twitching in irritation.
"I was just-" Aonung groaned, "It's fascinating. I cannot get over the way it moves and acts so much like you do. I can't stop looking at it."
The other blinked, his yellow eyes boring into Aonung.
"You… want to study it?"
"What? No- I want to touch it." Aonung blurts. He cringes visibly and puts a hand to his face.
"I mean, if you'd let me, I would like to know what it feels like."
Neteyam looks unconvinced and his voice wavers a bit when he mutters out a soft 'okay.'
He moves closer, turning to the side and looking back over his shoulder expectantly. Aonung swallows, eyes flickering between Neteyam and his tail. He's careful when he reaches out, not prepared at all really. He didn't expect Neteyam to agree and now that he had, Aonung was struggling to contain himself. His touch is barely there at first, fingers ghosting along the smooth skin of Neteyam's tail. He traced the small scars he noticed, gently touching the raised skin and wondering where Neteyam had gotten them all. Probably from sharp branches, now that he thought about it. He swallows again, fingers running over the thin leather weaved over his tail close to its base. Neteyam shudders and Aonung can see the raised bumps exploding all over the dark skin of Neteyam's back.
He can't help but slide his fingertips up it and Neteyam's spine, enjoying the shivers he gets in response. His heart beats quickly when their eyes meet and Neteyam bites down to stay quiet.
"I- I may have misspoken."
"How so?" Neteyam said from between clenched teeth.
"I have been fascinated by your tail. But only because it's yours."
He receives a frown and Aonung gathers up all his courage to step closer. Neteyam stands taller as he moves in, hand falling to his tail again to close around it. Neteyam's eyes are dark and his cheeks hot but he stands his ground and Aonung thanks Eywa that he has not killed him yet.
"Do you want me to stop?" Aonung breathes.
Neteyam's hand is tense where it falls to his, still wrapped around the tail, like he's holding back and the thought makes Aonung's skin heat up further.
He tugs then, drawing Neteyam in by his tail and kissing him, swallowing the sound Neteyam makes.
Aonung really liked his tail.
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