He sat on the chair, looking towards the path, and saw a figure walking in his direction. “There he is, Chirp!” Warmth spread through Ceto’s chest at the sight of Levrith.

  Levrith didn’t look up; instead, he seemed lost in thought, head down. He carried a large pot in his hand, no doubt a dish from his mother.

  “You have food?” Ceto called out as he approached.

  “Yeah, a rice and fish stew. Mum said to eat it whilst it’s still warm.”

  Ceto went to the ladder and took it, taking it into the room and placing it on the table whilst Levrith climbed up. He ladled the soup into bowls and brought them onto the balcony, where they sat. “How is your mum?”

  “Good. Dad was playing with the grandchildren.” He ate a spoonful of soup. “How was your afternoon?”

  He shrugged. “I slept. Then woke up. Watched Chirp. Rath came by.”

  Levrith froze, spoon halfway to his mouth. “What did he want?”

  “He asked if I wanted to go prawning tonight with him.” He laughed. “He was very keen.”

  Levrith nodded, eyes on the bowl in front of him. “And what did you say?”

  “I said yes.” Ceto paused, examining Levrith’s face. “Should I not have?”

  Levrith shook his head, eyes on the ground. “It’s up to you. If you want to go prawning with him, you should go. He is…”—he swallowed—“very nice.”

  Ceto felt like he was missing something. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course.” Levrith gave Ceto a tight smile and continued eating.

  Ceto spooned some of the soup into his mouth. He barely tasted it, too focused on Levrith. Something was wrong, but he didn’t know what.

  As sunset approached, he felt torn.

  “Maybe I won’t go?” Ceto said, watching Levrith closely. Levrith stood next to the cage, scratching Chirp behind the ears.

  “Why? You want to go, right?” Levrith asked, tone flat.

  “Yeah, but…” He hesitated. “Are you sure it’s all right?”

  Levrith didn’t look at him. “It’s fine.”

  “Well, if you’re sure, I’ll go.”

  “Good,” Levrith said, still not looking at him.

  Holding in a sigh, Ceto climbed down the ladder. As he made his way to meet Rath, the afternoon with Levrith kept playing through his mind. He couldn’t work out what was going on. What had put Levrith in such a mood?

  He spotted the treehouse where children often played. Rath stood nearby on the riverbank. His face lit up when he spotted Ceto.

  “Ceto! You came!” he called as he jogged towards him. “I’m glad you did.”

  “Me too.” It wasn’t entirely true. His head was still very much back with Levrith. Perhaps he should have stayed and forced him to tell Ceto what was wrong.

  “Are you ready to start?” Rath practically bounced on his feet, all eagerness and excitement.

  “Of course.”

  Rath led him back to his belongings. “So this is the net,” he explained. On the ground lay a large triangular wooden frame, a net suspended across it. “The top here will sit across your waist, and the rest will be in the water. Then as you walk, the prawns swimming will be caught in it. Pretty easy really. And this here is the lantern.” He picked up the lantern. Small bugs flew around the glowing light. Then Ceto realised it was attached to some kind of hat.

  “What is that?”

  “It’s so you can wear it on your head. I know it looks ridiculous, but the prawns will be attracted to the light and swim towards you, straight into the net.”

  “Clever.”

  Rath’s smile grew. “Here, let’s put this lantern on your head. There are straps to keep it in place, but you’ll need to keep your head reasonably steady.” Rath placed the hat on Ceto’s head and connected the straps, his fingers fumbling as they brushed Ceto’s skin. “Not too tight?”

  “No. It’s fine.”

  “All right, now you look like a real prawner!” Rath stepped back. “Let’s get in the water. But you’ll tell me if you get tired or need a break? Right?”

  It was strange and interesting work. He walked along the river, Rath beside him, the net in the water. He had to hold the frame steady, making sure the front of the net didn’t dig into the riverbed. Leather straps attached to the frame went around his shoulders, making it easier to carry.

  Sure enough, as he carefully walked, the small translucent prawns swam straight towards him, captivated by the light, and caught in the net. They were much smaller than he was expecting. He’d never seen prawns so small.

  “Can I be honest? I thought when you said prawning, we’d be swimming in the river, catching them in our hands.”

  “Really?” Rath laughed.

  “It’s how we do it. We swim, grab prawns, and shove them in our mouths. I wasn’t sure how you’d manage. I would think swimming at night, trying to catch prawns by hand, would be difficult for a human.”

  “How do you see them?” Rath asked curiously.

  “We have pretty good night vision and can see well underwater.”

  “That’s incredible.” He tucked a lock of curly hair behind his ear. “Does this way seem silly to you?”

  “No. It’s more complicated, but it’s so charmingly human.” He smiled. “And this way, we get to cook the prawns.”

  “You never cook prawns?”

  Ceto shook his head. “No. Naiads don’t cook food. Although, most of us like it cooked.”

  “Sorry, I must seem so naive.” He blushed. “There’s so much I don’t know about naiads.”

  “I still don’t know a lot about humans, and I’ve been living amongst them for years.”

  As they walked along the river, they continued talking. Rath was easy to talk to, and Ceto enjoyed himself, despite worrying about Levrith back at the house. Rath asked a couple of times if Ceto was tired, but he wasn’t. He felt good. Strong. Healthy.

  “That should be enough for now? We can cook it up. If you like, that is?”

  “I love cooked prawns.”

  They walked back to the riverbank and Rath’s belongings. The moon shone brightly in the sky, casting the world in a soft pale blue. No breeze, but the air felt cool on Ceto's still-damp skin. He wished Levrith could share this evening with him.

  Rath helped Ceto take off the net and placed it carefully on the ground, with all the prawns caught in the netting. Ceto reached for the straps holding the lantern in place, but Rath shook his head.

  “Let me.” He stepped forward. Slender fingers brushed against Ceto’s skin as he untied the straps.

  The weight disappeared from Ceto’s head, and he realised how heavy it had been. He tilted his head from side to side, readjusting to the freedom.

  Rath laughed. “It takes some getting used to.” Rath placed the lantern on the ground. He didn’t step back. He stared at Ceto for a second and took a deep breath. Then, all of a sudden, Rath leaned forward, pressing his lips against Ceto’s.

  Ceto froze in shock. Then he pulled away, eyes widening.

  “Oh. Sorry,” Rath said. “I thought—”

  “No. I’m sorry,” Ceto said. “I didn’t realise…”

  Rath stepped away, his face and ears turning red.

  “I’m sorry,” Ceto said. “But you see…me and Levrith, we’re kind of…” He trailed off, unsure how to finish that sentence. What were he and Levrith? “I’m sorry.”

  “I didn’t realise.” Rath gave a weak smile. “I spoke with him. He said you weren’t together.”

  “It’s new.”

  Silence followed.

  “Did you—did you still want to cook up the prawns?” Rath asked.

  “That would be great!” Ceto said a bit too enthusiastically.

  They picked out the prawns from the net, placing them into a wooden bowl. Neither spoke. The awkwardness hung heavily in the air between them. Perhaps he should have just left. Said it was late or that he wasn’t hungry.

  Rath set about making a fire. Ceto wondered how old Rath was. Maybe twenty. He wondered if this was the first time he’d approached someone. Ceto felt wretched at the thought.

  “I’m sorry,” Ceto said.

  Rath shook his head as he cooked the prawns in a deep round-bottomed cooking pot with some oil and spices. “It’s fine.”

  “I mean, if I wasn’t with Levrith…”

  He looked up at Ceto, meeting his eyes for the first time since he’d tried to kiss Ceto. “Really?”

  “Really. You’re cute, attractive, and easy to get along with. I’ve enjoyed tonight, spending time with you.”

  “Thanks.” Rath ducked his head, a genuine smile on his face. “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you.”

  “And I’d be happy to spend more time together. As friends.”

  “Me too. Prawns are ready!” He piled them up onto a plate and set it between them to share. Ceto reached forward and grabbed one, biting into it, the prawn crunching between his teeth.

  Rath peeled the shell and head off first and then bit into it.

  “You eat the shell?” Rath said.

  Ceto nodded. Removing it seemed finicky and unnecessary. Especially when it gave such a satisfying crunch.

  “That’s how my Great-Uncle Orin eats them. I live with him. He also says the heads are the best bit.”

  “I agree with your great-uncle.” Ceto popped the whole thing into his mouth and crunched. “Did I meet him?”

  Rath nodded. “He was there at the dinner.”

  “Are you and he close?”

  “We are. My parents died of Dethyr Fever when I was young. So my Uncle Orin and my Uncle Luca, his husband, took me in and raised me. I have a huge family. Cousins, uncles, and aunties. But the three of us were closest. It was hard when my Uncle Luca died. Now it’s just us two.” He picked up another prawn, peeling and pulling off the head.

  Rath gave a wistful smile. “Sometimes I think I’d like to see more of the world. Maybe join a pirate ship or a trading vessel. Or maybe just travel to the mainland. But I couldn’t leave my great-uncle. Of course, if I asked, he’d tell me to go and see the world.” He shook his head. “But I couldn’t leave him.” He popped the prawn into his mouth.

  Despite the earlier awkwardness, the rest of the night was pleasant. They talked and ate the prawns until they were all gone. Finally, Rath separated the logs so the fire would die down on its own. Then he strapped the lantern onto his own head, ready to return to prawning.

  Rath picked up the net.

  “Thanks for a fun evening,” Ceto said.

  “I’ll see you around,” Rath said as he walked back to the river. Ceto couldn’t help but notice that he walked with the net with much more ease than Ceto had.

  As he walked back towards the house, his mind returned to Levrith. Had he known that Rath had been interested in him? And if so, why hadn’t Levrith said anything? Was that why he’d been so weird? He needed to talk to Levrith.

  Chapter

  Seventeen

  Sitting on a wicker chair on the balcony, Levrith gnawed on his nail, gaze fixed on the well-trodden path that Ceto had walked along when he’d gone to meet Ratherin.

  At sunset a family of five had walked home along it. One of the children carried a pole with two large fish dangling from it. A little while later, a woman walked in the opposite direction, a baby in a sling cradled against her chest, basket resting on her hip. After that came two laughing girls sprinting along the path. When the sun had long gone, a man, clearly drunk, staggered home.

  It had been a while since anyone had walked along the path, now bathed in the soft moonlight. Still, Ceto hadn’t returned.

  Levrith rubbed a hand over his face. At least he hadn’t confessed his feelings to Ceto like he’d been considering and told him that he loved him. He squeezed his eyes shut. How horrifying would it have been to tell Ceto everything, when Ceto was planning to meet up with Ratherin?

  Ratherin. Pretty, young, cute, earnest Ratherin.

  Levrith tried not to be angry and hurt. He knew sex was sometimes just a casual affair. He’d seen that plenty of times on the ship. It was his mistake that he had hoped for more. That he had hoped Ceto would want him for something other than sex.

  He jumped to his feet and entered the room. He couldn’t think about this anymore.

  “I’ll read.” He grabbed the first book that he saw, the book he had borrowed from his father for Ceto. He lit the lantern, picked it up, and walked back to the balcony. He knew he should stay in the room, where he couldn’t watch and wait for Ceto, but he couldn’t help himself. He set the lantern down and opened the book.

  He read one line. His eyes flicked to the path. Concentrate. He read the line again. Then again. And again. His gaze slid to the path.

  “How long does prawning take?”

  Maybe they’re not prawning.

  An image of the two of them filled Levrith’s mind. Naked bodies bathed in the moonlight as they lay on the banks of the river. Ceto on his back, long legs wrapped around Rath’s waist as Ceto cupped his face, pulling him down for a kiss.

  “Seran’s beard!” Levrith jumped to his feet, and the book slid from his lap, thumping against the bamboo floor.

  He couldn’t just sit here thinking about it. He slid down the ladder to the ground and strode to the river. He stared at the gurgling water. Unable to stand still, he paced back and forth. Where was Ceto? What was he doing? Agitated, he ran his hand through his hair.

  “Levrith?”

  Startled, he turned on the spot. Ceto stood watching him, his back towards the moon and his face shrouded in darkness.

  For several moments, neither spoke.

  “How was your night?” Levrith asked, voice strained. “How was Ratherin?”

  “Fine.”

  One word. Fine. I’ve been sitting here worrying and all Ceto gives me is fine.

  “Rath tried to kiss me.”

  Levrith’s hands clenched. Breathing became difficult. “Did you kiss him back?” Each word forced from his mouth felt like glass shredding his throat.

  Ceto ignored his question. “Did you know?” he asked, voice rising.

  “Know what?” Levrith demanded, failing to keep his voice calm and measured.

  “That he asked me to go prawning because he was interested in me?”

  “Of course I knew,” Levrith barked, throwing his hand in the air. “It was obvious!”

  “Obvious?” Ceto stepped towards Levrith, and moonlight fell on his face. He looked annoyed. “How is it obvious?” he said, voice raised.

  “Because it is!” he yelled. “He invited you to spend time with him. You specifically. No one else. Just you and him. Alone!” He was sure people could hear him shouting, but Levrith didn’t care.

  “Is this some weird human custom?” Ceto scowled. “He asked me to prawn. Not fuck him!”

  Levrith flinched. “I—”

  “How was I meant to know?” He thrust a finger into the middle of Levrith’s chest. “And if you knew, why didn’t you say anything? Why did you just let me go off with him? Or did you want me to?”

  Levrith shook his head. “I didn’t want you to! But I… I thought you wanted to,” Levrith said, no longer yelling. “And I didn’t want to get in your way.” His shoulders slumped. “I have been sitting here the whole evening, imagining the two of you all over each other. Kissing. Touching.” He took a deep breath, bracing himself. “So did you? Kiss him? Touch him?” Levrith had to know.

  Ceto stepped closer until they were less than a breath apart. He sighed and shook his head, placing a hand on Levrith’s cheek. “No.”

  Levrith leaned into Ceto’s hand, nuzzling into his palm. Ceto placed his other hand on Levrith’s shoulder, fingers moving in soothing circles against his skin. Levrith let out a breath, the last of the pain and anger sliding from his body.

  After several moments, Ceto spoke. “I’ve never heard you yell before.”

  “I don’t think I ever have.”

  “Really?” Ceto chuckled. “Did it rile you up that much? Imagining me and Rath together?”

  Levrith grunted.

  Leaning forward, Ceto kissed his cheek. “Did you get all jealous,” he whispered, “when you imagined me kissing him?” He kissed him on the lips, and Levrith leaned into it, placing his hands on Ceto’s hips.

  Ceto’s hands went to the hem of Levrith’s shirt, pulling it over his head and dropping it on the ground. “Did you imagine me undressing him? Fucking him?” he whispered between soft, fierce kisses. “Or did you imagine him fucking me?” Levrith’s hands tightened on Ceto’s hips. Ceto’s hand slid to the front of Levrith’s breeches, squeezing his cock. “Did you want it to be you?”

  The growl that came from his throat sounded more animal than human.

  “Do you want to fuck me, Levrith?” He massaged the hardening bulge.

  “We’re out in the open,” he moaned. “And it’s too bright. Everyone is probably watching us from their houses, especially after the yelling.”

  “Then let’s get back inside.” Ceto smiled, a teasing, playful smile, as he released Levrith and stepped backwards. “Then you can fuck me.”

  Levrith nodded, dazed.

  “Race you!” Ceto laughed, turning and sprinting off in the direction of the house.

  “Wait! I have to get my shirt.” He grabbed the item of clothing from the ground. He looked up. Ceto was already halfway back to the house.

  “Hurry up!” Ceto called back.

  Levrith darted after him. He ran to the house, climbed the ladder, dropped his shirt—not caring where it landed—grabbed the lantern from the balcony, and entered the room.

  Ceto lay on the bed, completely naked. His pale, icy-blue hair hung loosely around his shoulders. Legs spread wide, Ceto reclined, his hand wrapped around his long, slender cock, stroking himself. A bead of pre-cum dripped from the tip onto his toned abdomen, which rose and fell with each breath.

  Levrith froze in the doorway, entranced by the vision before him.

  “Levrith”—Ceto licked his lips—“take off your breeches and come here.”

  Gaze not leaving Ceto, he placed the lantern on the side table. Light-headed, he fumbled out of his breeches and drawers. He dropped to his knees and crawled towards Ceto. Ceto’s hands entwined in Levrith’s hair, and he pulled Levrith down towards him, fusing their mouths, lips and tongues hungrily moving together.