hard love - (neteyam x aonung)

pt.24

Aonung's Pov:

The hot spring was nice and warm, it was relaxing to take a break, my headache was starting to ease.

Rotxo, neteyam and lo'ak ran around splashing each other and I couldn't help but smile at the three, tsireya was beside me, sheltering herself so she wouldn't get splashed Kiri did the same.

"Where's antohi?" Kiri asked and I felt a frown pull at my face hearing neteyam's little girlfriends name.

"Oh she has to help out with her family" tsireya said, holding my shoulders hiding as she watched the other boys try to make the biggest splashes at each other. 

"Aonung!" Rotxo called, waving me over. I shook my head at his request so he swam over instead, lo'ak and neteyam stayed back trying to tackle each other.

Rotxo smiled brightly at me, making me feel bad. "wanna play chicken?" Rotxo asked me and I looked at him confused. "What the hell is chicken?"

"Oh!" Kiri exclaimed. "I love that game!" She said smiling at rotxo who nodded in agreement. "What do you do?" Tsireya asked, standing beside me. Kiri clapped happily. "You sit on one of your teammates shoulders and then you go up against your opponent, trying to knock the top person off and whoever falls off your opponents shoulders first loses!" Kiri smiled happily as rotxo nodded a long.

"That sounds fun!" Tsireya smiled looking over at me. "I guess" I shrugged.

"We should play!" Kiri exclaimed going over to grab tsireya's wrist and swimming over to the other boys.

Rotxo looked at me for a hopeful answer. "Fine" I grumbled seeing his pleading face. We swam over to the rest of them, lo'ak was help tsireya get on Kiri's shoulders.

"Rotxo you with me?" Lo'ak asked once tsireya had gotten up, the two instantly fist bumped as rotxo began to get on lo'ak's shoulders.

I rolled my eyes watching the girls and them good around.

"You playing to?" I heard neteyam ask, i shrugged glancing over at him. "I guess I will" I mumbled. Neteyam nodded. "We can be a team" he smiled, I glanced around at the others. Great.

"Okay sure" I sighed.

Neteyam smiled going behind me before dipping in the water.

I was completely surprised when he started to lift me up, his hands on my thighs.

I almost fell backwards just from surprise. I quickly grabbed onto his wrists that gripped onto my upper thigh and he started laughing. "Calm down aonung" he smiled.

"Fuck you!" I hissed, trying to slow my heartbeat. "You gave me no warning!"

Neteyam just chuckled before beginning to walk over to the others with me on his shoulders, I rested my hands on the top of his head.

"Yo aonung" rotxo called. "Let's do a match!" He said pumping his fists in the air. "Your on rotxo" I smirked, trying to ignore neteyam's hand placement and my racing heart.

Rotxo and I battled it out while lo'ak and neteyam held their ground. Rotxo gripped one side of my arm trying to push me off side ways but I clung onto rotxo's arm steadying myself easily before using both arms to try to shove him off.

It back fired on me though because he slipped his hands under my wrists and we began to both push at each other before rotxo decided to let go and gravity instantly took me.

"Aonung!" I heard neteyam's cut off voice before we both plunged into the water.

We both resurfaced, I shook off the water dripping down my face as rotxo started flexing.

"Oh yeah!" He cheered. "Who are the bestest chicken winners!" He cheered. "We are!" Lo'ak finished for him.

"No!" Kiri said. "You ain't gonna beat us!" Tsireya said, smirking evilly. The two girls both looked determined.

Neteyam swam over to me, touching my arm but I stepped away, he instantly looked sad. "I'm sorry" he mumbled. I just shrugged as we both silently and awkwardly watched the four fight for the winning title.

I should apologize to neteyam.

But I didn't. instead I moved closer to him, our shoulders brushed as he turned surprised before smiling at me. We stood like this while watching them battle, we didn't have to say anything.

It was comfortable now not awkward.

Baby steps 🥺
Word count: 720