Courting

Chapter 31

"I thought that you might... That you would think about all the times we hung out together and think that I was just checking him out the whole time, or something." Lo'ak shrugged.

"Were you?" Neteyam grinned a little.

"No! I mean, not the whole time..." Lo'ak mumbled. "Sorry-"

"No, bro don't worry, I'm kidding. Of course I don't think that. Not that I would blame you otherwise. What do you think I'm doing and thinking around Ao'nung?" Neteyam tried to make a point.

"Do I want to know?" Lo'ak asked, eyebrows raised.

"Uhhh, maybe? Probably not." Neteyam conceded.

"Gross." Lo'ak smiled at Neteyam.

"So you want to tell Tsireya about him?" Neteyam returned to the subject matter, and Lo'ak deflated a little.

"I do, I really really do. But I feel awful. I can't figure out what's right. He promised to wait. For me!" Lo'aks voice broke. "He told me what we could be, what we could have, when I returned. But now, I don't know if I am returning at all. And I have Tsireya, and she is so much better than anything I could ever have thought I would have. But I can't possibly sleep with her when the possibility of," Lo'ak cleared his throat, and straightened his back slightly. "When Li'riyat is waiting for someone who might not come back. He was very popular, and I don't want him fighting off other prospects in the hopes I might return, when all I'm thinking about is how to talk to Tsireya."

Neteyam decided to comment on the part he thought he understood the most. "I don't believe Li'riyat would see it as anything else but an honour to wait for you." Lo'ak threw his hands up and looked exasperatedly at his brother.

"That's exactly what-" But Neteyam wasn't done.

"No, that's not what I mean. I agree, it sucks that you can't tell him, or even if you can, it still sucks. But," Neteyam remembered what Ao'nung had told him while they cuddled on Neykina's back. "Can I tell you something Ao'nung told me?"

Lo'ak nodded.

"When I was worried about the same expectation from Ao'nung, I thought he might want to mate with me before I was ready, I talked to him." Lo'ak winced at the sentence but stayed silent. "He told me he would wait for me, whenever I was ready. He said 50 years, 100 years, or never, he would wait. And even if I never did, he would have loved every minute of it, because he was with me." Neteyam was smiling widely at the memory. Lo'ak was staring.

"Was that a brag?"

"No, sorry. I mean, if you talk to Tsireya, I'm sure she doesn't want to pressure you, and I'm sure she would be happy to wait. But also, Li'riyat wouldn't see waiting for you as a chore, or something to suffer through. If he loves you, then you have nothing to worry about. I admit, having the two options at once sucks, as does not being able to talk to Li'riyat."

Lo'ak sighed shakily.

"Thanks bro." Lo'ak said, and pulled his brother in for a rough hug. Several pats on the back later, they broke apart and Lo'ak was smiling once more.

"So, are you going to tell Tsireya?" Neteyam asked.

"I think so, I'll tell her about him, and I'll ask if we can wait for a bit." Lo'ak decided.

"Did she actually ask you to?"

"Well, not explicitly." Lo'ak said. Neteyam rolled his eyes.

"So you might be overreacting?" Neteyam prompted.

"Yes, I might be. Sorry." Lo'ak scratched the back of his head.

"Don't worry bro, I'm glad it gave me an opportunity to help." Neteyam assured him. As he was about to leave - they had been talking for a while - Lo'ak asked

"So, are you ready now?"

Neteyam stopped "What?"

"For Ao'nung. You said he would wait for you. You seem pretty sure of your relationship."

Neteyam blushed, and looked down. "Um, I-" Neteyam 'err'ed and 'umm'ed for a minute or so before Lo'ak raised his hands.

"You know what? I'm good." He grinned, and so did Neteyam. As Neteyam began walking away, Lo'ak called one more time.

"Hey, bro. Good luck." Lo'ak winked and gave a thumbs up. Neteyam almost tripped

"Gross." he chuckled. "Thanks, brother." Neteyam was truly grateful for his brother and his support. Even though it was slightly odd to be so open with Lo'ak, Neteyam found he was comfortable with it.

Y'all wanted the smut so bad.

But Lo'ak is important too