Deep Water | Neteyam

5.

Khalo pov

"And now you, why don't you believe in mating?" Neteyam asked again, letting himself fall down on his back.

"I don't really know. I just don't. That's all." I said, looking at him, turning my upper body around.
"Now me, why do you believe in mating?" I asked back. I realized how could it was out here. Well, I'm not gonna admit it to Neteyam. How do I look? Like someone who wants to seem troubled by weather? No thanks.

"I think it's very important to have someone, with who you can be whoever you are, without having to think about, what they think about what you're doing. Because they just love you. Every inch from you." Neteyam explained himself, looking dreamy into the sky.

"Well, I just think what if you fight very badly, that you can't take anything back, from what you've said, but you're mated to that person? Or you got betrayed very hard, but you're mated to them? You only mate once a life. Isn't that scary?" I asked, turning back, letting myself fall next to him. I really thought it was scary. Giving your only chance to mate to someone, without knowing what will happen. And if they die, I don't know if you're able to mate again, probably not.

"Do you believe in Love at all?" He turned his head to me. I really had to think about that question. Do I believe in Love? It was connected to get mated, but not the same.

"No, not really. Besides my siblings and my parents, I never loved someone. I think it's scary to make your happiness depend on a particular someone." I again explained what I was thinking. Not only that all, but I'm definitely not made for love.

"What are you the most scared of?" I asked, after a little break of silence. I understood why Neteyam didn't respond to that. If I were him, I probably didn't know either what to say.

"That maybe, I won't be forever able to protect my brother, or just any of my siblings. My worst fear is losing one of them." He said, coming a little closer to me. "You're warm." He said. Even though I was the one freezing. Who's now the one complaining about the water? Not me.

"And you? What are you scared of?"-"To fall in love. I really don't want to. But I know, once I started to love one, there's no way back."-"Isn't that a little sad?" He asked. Maybe it is.

"Who do you love the most?" I again ignored his question.

"My siblings. I guess, they're over everything else to me."-"I love, how you love your siblings. How you protect them, but have you ever thought of, who's gonna protect you?" I said what I thought. In the last few eclipses, I realized more and more how Neteyam was always protecting his siblings, and carrying for them, like they were his own children.

Neteyam stayed in silence for a little moment. "No not really. Actually, I was always the one to protect. But that's not a problem for me. I know my family loves me."-"I think it's sad, to have no one to protect you."-"Who is protecting you?" Neteyam asked, playing with my hair. I don't know how that happened, but it would be a lie for me, to say I didn't like it. His fingers were warm.

"My twin. And I'm protecting him. I would not be surprised if one of us dies, the other one would follow." Neteyam stayed quiet. Not for just a moment, he just didn't had anything to say about that.

"If no one's gonna protect you, then I will." I suddenly said. Neteyam turned his head to me.
"What?" Yeah, what Khalo? "I'm gonna protect you."-"Why?"-"I think everybody deserves someone to protect them." I explained myself. "Me, Khalo, am promising to you, Neteyam, that I will protect you. No matter what." I said, putting one hand on my heart.