It was definitely going to rain, but that was expected. It was summer, after all, and the crops needed it. There was nothing to be concerned about. Really.
But when a crack of thunder split the leaden sky and opened up the heavens, Teomitl jumped anyway. His knife clattered from suddenly-clumsy fingers onto the tile floor, but for a moment he was too rattled to move. Lightning. Thunder. Rain. Blood in the water, and the ahuitzotls feasting—blood on his hands, and he’d licked his teeth and tasted the salt of it—the ahuitzotls singing in his head as he fought across the boats—
“Teomitl?” Acatl. His voice was low and careful as he laid a gentle hand on his arm.
“I’m fine,” he snapped without thinking, and bent to retrieve his knife before his expression gave anything away. It wasn’t his fault that the last time it had rained this hard had been...
There was a rustling noise from nearby as Acatl packed away their lesson supplies. “I think our lesson’s over for today. Why don’t we send to the palace kitchens for something to eat?”
Teomitl blinked at him. “What?” he asked, knowing he sounded like a fool. But Acatl was uncomfortable in the palace, rarely staying any longer than he had to; when they ate together, it was often in the market stalls. For him to suggest a meal in Teomitl’s courtyard was...odd.
Acatl didn’t quite smile, but there was a faint, fond softening around his eyes. “Tlaloc can’t touch us now. Let’s make some better memories of the rain.”
Obsidian & Blood, Acatl & Teomitl
It was definitely going to rain, but that was expected. It was summer, after all, and the crops needed it. There was nothing to be concerned about. Really.
But when a crack of thunder split the leaden sky and opened up the heavens, Teomitl jumped anyway. His knife clattered from suddenly-clumsy fingers onto the tile floor, but for a moment he was too rattled to move. Lightning. Thunder. Rain. Blood in the water, and the ahuitzotls feasting—blood on his hands, and he’d licked his teeth and tasted the salt of it—the ahuitzotls singing in his head as he fought across the boats—
“Teomitl?” Acatl. His voice was low and careful as he laid a gentle hand on his arm.
“I’m fine,” he snapped without thinking, and bent to retrieve his knife before his expression gave anything away. It wasn’t his fault that the last time it had rained this hard had been...
There was a rustling noise from nearby as Acatl packed away their lesson supplies. “I think our lesson’s over for today. Why don’t we send to the palace kitchens for something to eat?”
Teomitl blinked at him. “What?” he asked, knowing he sounded like a fool. But Acatl was uncomfortable in the palace, rarely staying any longer than he had to; when they ate together, it was often in the market stalls. For him to suggest a meal in Teomitl’s courtyard was...odd.
Acatl didn’t quite smile, but there was a faint, fond softening around his eyes. “Tlaloc can’t touch us now. Let’s make some better memories of the rain.”