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It was late in the evening Rotxo sat cooking the fish. Lo’ak had gone on a walk with Kiri. They had been talking more lately. Lo’ak still found it hard to be around a lot of people. He tried to avoid crowds. He only talked to a few people, he had been talking to more lately but he still kept his circle small. He now talked to Kiri pretty regularly. He had even started talking to Tsireya and Ao’nung. He had slowly started getting back into the rhythm of things. They had been going swimming as of lately. It had taken a long time to get Lo’ak to go past his waist. He smiled fondly remembering the day he finally got him to.
“I can’t,” he sputtered.
“Yes you can,” Rotxo replied, holding his upper arms and walking backward.
“What if I slip and fall?” he questioned.
Rotxo knew it was more than that, but Lo’ak didn’t want to talk about it so he was not going to push.
“Then I will save you,” he pointed out teasingly.
He knew it made it easier for him if they could joke.
“I knew it! You don’t believe in me either,” Lo’ak yelled.
“You will be fine,” he said as he pulled Lo’ak toward him. Lo’ak yelped in surprise, as he tumbled forward. His descent stopped abruptly when he collided with Rotxo’s shaking form. His legs were still stuck in the same place so all his weight was placed on Rotxo."
"What the heck,” he said looking up at Rotxo.
The only reply he got was harder laughter. Lo’ak placed his hands on Rotxo's shoulders using him to stand up. As soon as he was standing he splashed Rotxo right in the face before trying to escape. Rotxo looked momentarily surprised before leaping forward and grabbing Lo’ak’s arm.
“Get back here Skxawng,” he said dragging him back toward him.
“Never!” Lo’ak yelled as kicked Rotxo in the arm and swam away.
They spent the rest of the afternoon chasing each other through the water. As they dragged themselves back to shore, breathless. They laid on the sand staring up at the sky.
“That was amazing,” Lo’ak said.
“Yes,” Rotxo said. Lo’ak had done it. He knew he could.
Rotxo shook his head bringing himself back to the present. If he had spent any longer in his head he would have burnt the fish. He quickly turned it over before turning his attention to the front of the marui, where Lo’ak was coming in. He was smiling as he came over and sat himself next to Rotxo leaning his head on his shoulder.
“How was your walk with Kiri,” he asked tentatively.
“It was good, we walked down to the beach and collected shells while we talked. Then I walked back with her to my family’s marui. Only Tuk was there today. I gave her my collection of shells, she promised to make me something out of them. Then I came back here,” He said “What did you do today?”
"Well I went on a hunt today with Ao’nung and we raced each other back. After that I had to finish up my chores. Then I came back here and started making the meal. And finally I got to talk to you,” he finished, smiling over at Lo’ak. Who in turn rolled his eyes.
“What?’ he said “Nothing,” he replied.
Rotxo got up to get some leftover fruit while still talking to Lo’ak. “You know we should really-” he began to say looking over his shoulder before walking right into the large column in the center of the marui.
Lo’ak tried to cover his laugh, but failed. Rotxo, who had fallen and was sitting stunned looking at the column, whipped his head toward Lo’ak.
“Quit laughing,” he huffed.
This only made Lo’ak laugh even harder. He no longer covered his mouth, he was full on laughing, opened mouthed and holding his stomach. Rotxo huffed, pretending to be upset before joining Lo’ak in his laughter. This was the first time Rotxo had heard his real laugh in months. As the laughter died down. Rotxo fixed his eyes on Lo’ak.
“What is that look for?” he questioned. “Rotxo,” he said warningly.
Before he could even react Rotxo launched himself at him.
“What are you doing?” he yelped, trying to get away.
Unfortunately for him, Rotxo was faster. He grabbed both of his arms and pinned up before sitting on his legs.
“I win,” was all he said before reaching for Lo’ak’s sides and beginning to tickle him.
“No!” he yelled, trying to squirm out from under him, legs pushing uselessly at the ground as he began to bat at Rotxo’s face.
“Get off,” he shouted.
Rotxo tried to pin his arms down with one of his but was thrown off balance. With a laugh of victory Lo’ak rolled out from under him before tackling him. Pushing him on to his front and sitting on his back, making sure to sit on his tail to prevent himself from being hit.
“Who is winning now?” Lo’ak said, smirking. Rotxo huffed in annoyance.
“Oh so you can’t admit it,” guess I will just have to prove it. “Lo’ak don’t,” was all Rotxo could say before breaking out into laughter. “Lo’ak I swear-”
“You swear what? You can’t even get a sentence out,” Lo’ak said, continuing to move his hands up and down Rotxo’s side.
“You are truly evil Lo’ak,” Rotxo practically howled.
“Am not,” Lo’ak replied, indignant. Stopping his attack to look offended.
“How could you say such a thing,” Lo’ak said, acting as if he had taken personal offense to this.
Rotxo, seeing that his guard was down, quickly pushed up to knock Lo’ak off. Lo’ak yelped, before scrambling away from Rotxo. Rotxo shot after him, tackling him to the ground and rolling across the ground. They came to a stop with Lo'ak pinned once more. Rotxo leaned their foreheads together, their breaths still coming in puffs. Rotxo’s breath gently fans over Lo’ak’s face as he speaks, “You are amazing. You deserve everything, especially to be happy.”
“Flel,” Lo’ak says leaning back to flick his forehead.
“Rude,” Rotxo huffs out.
That pushes a laugh from Lo’ak’s chest. Rotxo smiles, he would make a fool of himself everyday if he got to keep making Lo’ak laugh like that.