Deep Water | Neteyam

9.

Neteyam

Neteyam and Khalo were still in the forest, when the next morning arrived. Neteyam was the first one to wake up, seeing how the reef boy was still lying on him.

"Khalo, wake up." Neteyam said, slightly pulling the other's arm.

"No." Khalo responded in half sleep, snuggling his head back on Neteyam's chest.

"We need to go back to the clan, if we not want to get punished again." He tried again, this time with a real reaction from Khalo. He rolled off the other's body, now lying besides him, still resting his hand on Neteyam's chest. Khalo didn't know why, but feeling Neteyams heartbeat under his hand, reassured him. He didn't think of wasting a thought about his parents, or even his homophobic acting brother.

"Come on." Neteyam said, standing up, grabbing Khalo's hand from his chest to pull him up. "You have to stand up." He tried again.

Khalo's heart wasn't willing to understand why Neteyam had to break this moment.

"I hate standing up in the morning." Khalo exclaimed, finally letting Neteyam's hand pull him up.

"Oh really? I couldn't tell." Neteyam joked ironically.

"Ha ha."

Khalo rolled his eyes, starting to go through the trees. "You're mad now?" Neteyam laughed, following him.

"No." Khalo answered in a sharp voice. Again, Neteyam laughed, but this time reaching out for Khalo's hand.

Khalo smiled to himself. So did Neteyam. Everyone who wasn't blind could tell their love language was physical touch.

"Good morning Mameí." Khalo greeted his Ilu in the sweetest voice, while he walked into the water. Not breaking their hand connection
"She gets a sweet greeting? And I'm getting being mad at, just for not wanting you to get in trouble?" Neteyam scoffed, walking to Rahil. Khalo once again smiled to himself, after letting Neteyam's hand go, finding the reaction of Neteyam way too funny to admit he was joking. What wasn't even necessary, Neteyam knew himself.

After the both of them got on Mameí and Rahil, they started to head back to the clan.

"Wanna swim the last meters?" Khalo then asked. "We can let Rahil and Mameí go, and swim." He explained unnecessarily. "Sure, why not." Neteyam agreed, gliding off of Rahil.

"But swear you won't swim too fast. You know I'm pretty slow." Neteyam said, patting Rahil before she left together with Mameí. "I swear." Khalo swore, before he started to swim. "Common." He called, looking back for Neteyam, reaching his hand for him.

Neteyam and Khalo were joking around, when they came closer to the clan's home.
"I know another beach, it's pretty unknown." Khalo said, turning into a different direction than before. The forest boy didn't answer to that, just following Khalo. Admiring him in silence.

Neteyam saw himself in Khalo. The way he spoke of the sea, the clan, the Ilus, reminded him so much, of how he was once the person to be so excited about the forest. Never getting bored by their home.

"Shit." Khalo mumbled, breaking the loving atmosphere, which made Neteyam ask what was wrong. "I think they're fighting." Khalo said, speeding up.

Neteyam who at first didn't see what was going on, now spotted his younger siblings Kiri and Lo'ak surrounded by Ao'nung and his friends. "Shit." He repeated.

"Let's get some hel-" Khalo started, but before he knew, Neteyam was already on his way to help his siblings.

'This isn't gonna end good' Khalo thought to himself, before he followed Neteyam.