Cataractae, pulchritudo naturalis quae homines alligat.

With every step, the roar grew louder – a deep, rumbling promise that vibrated in Amor's chest. His excitement was a live wire, crackling under his skin. "Ugh, the suspense is killing me!" he whined, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet as they navigated the final, moss-slicked path.

Obsessio chuckled, a warm, familiar sound beside him. "Tell me about it! Seriously, holding out on seeing this place? Total torture. Been two whole years for me."

"Two years?!" Amor gaped, momentarily distracted from the thundering sound ahead. "Whoa, that's ages!"

"Yep," Obsessio confirmed, his voice softening with memory. "Last time was with Nana. Place hasn't changed a bit, though. Feels like it's frozen in time." A hint of wistfulness touched his Alpha-steady tone.

The sound wasn't just loud now; it was everything. The deep roar was joined by the sharp, constant hiss and sploosh of countless tons of water meeting the pool below. Mist kissed their skin, cool and sudden, carrying the clean, mineral scent of the mountain. The path curved sharply...

"Almost there!" Obsessio yelled over the din, his grin wide and infectious. "Get ready for mind-blowing!"

One more step around the rocky outcrop, and the world opened up. Amor's breath hitched, stolen clean away. His eyes widened, reflecting the impossible cascade of white water thundering down the sheer cliff face into a turquoise pool fringed by emerald ferns. The sound was a physical force, the mist a cool baptism. For a boy raised in gilded silence, it was pure, terrifying, breathtaking magic.

"Whoa..." The single syllable escaped Amor's lips, lost instantly in the waterfall's mighty song. All words failed. He just stood, transfixed, the wild majesty of the ABO world laid bare before him.

Pushing through the final curtain of dense ferns, they stepped into the clearing. Amor froze.

Before him, nature's raw power roared. A thundering cascade of white water, wider than his old gilded prison, plunged endlessly into a turquoise pool. Mist kissed his face, rainbows danced in the spray, and the sheer sound vibrated deep in his bones. "Whoa..." The breath left his lungs. "Seriously... dude... it's... it's mind-blowing. So much water... I... I can't even..."

Obsessio beamed, pure Alpha pride radiating off him. "Told ya, Ve! Seriously epic, right? Off the charts amazing!" He watched Amor's face, enjoying the pure wonder etched there.

Amor couldn't tear his eyes away. He was utterly spellbound. His eyes, wide and shimmering like captured starlight, drank in the sight. A profound peace, unlike anything he'd ever known in his sterile existence, washed over him. This was freedom. This was the unseen world he'd risked everything for – wild, majestic, and breathtakingly real.

"Fancy a swim?" Obsessio nudged him, breaking the trance.

"Swim?" Amor blinked, the concept momentarily foreign.

"Ah, crap. My bad," Obsessio corrected, rubbing his neck. "Meant, wanna cool off in the pool? Sun's beating down hardcore right now. Perfect time to chill. C'mon, let's head down!" He gestured towards a steep, winding path leading to the base.

"Oh. Right. Okay," Amor agreed, the idea both thrilling and slightly terrifying.

The descent was treacherous – slippery rocks, loose gravel, the path slick with perpetual mist. Obsessio moved with easy Alpha grace, then paused. He held out his hand towards Amor, his calloused palm facing up.

"Here. Don't wanna eat dirt on the way down." His grip was firm, steadying, an anchor against the uncertain slope.

Amor's smaller hand slid into his, a jolt of unexpected warmth spreading from the point of contact, momentarily distracting him from the perilous path. Obsessio's Alpha instinct to protect flared, guiding Amor carefully downwards, step by cautious step, towards the beckoning turquoise water.

The cool spray hit them like a blessing as they reached the base. Obsessio didn't hesitate. With a whoop of pure Alpha energy, he yanked off his rough tunic and trousers, leaving them in a heap on a dry rock. Before Amor could blink, Obsessio took a running leap and plunged into the deep turquoise pool with a massive SPLOOSH!

He surfaced instantly, shaking water from his dark hair like a wild dog, a huge grin splitting his face. "HYAHH! Freaking awesome! So fresh! Hey, Ve! Get your butt down here!" he yelled, treading water effortlessly.

Amor stood at the water's edge, mesmerized by the inviting pool but rooted by fear. The water looked deep, powerful, utterly alien. "I... I can't swim," he admitted quietly, his voice barely audible over the falls. He'd seen ornate pools at the manor, glittering prisons of tile, but never a soul had entered them, least of all him. They were just another decoration in his cage.

Obsessio paddled closer to the shallows, his grin softening into something encouraging. "Ah, no sweat! Wanna learn? It's seriously easy, promise. C'mon, just get in the water. I'll show ya."

Amor hesitated. Getting close... this close to an Alpha, practically skin-to-skin in the water... It went against everything he'd been warned about. But his heat wasn't near, his scent was calm, and Obsessio... Obsessio just felt safe, somehow. The yearning to experience this freedom, to touch the water, won out over ingrained fear.

"Okay..." Amor murmured. Hands trembling slightly, he began to shed his own simple clothes, folding them neatly beside Obsessio's haphazard pile. He stood for a moment in just his thin undergarments, the cool mist raising goosebumps on his skin, feeling impossibly exposed yet strangely exhilarated. He took a tentative step towards the water's edge where Obsessio waited, patient and smiling.

The water embraced Amor like a cool, liquid blessing. Despite the midday sun blazing overhead, the pool was refreshingly crisp. "Ahhh," he sighed, the tension melting from his shoulders. "You were right. This is... freaking amazing."

"Told ya!" Obsessio grinned, paddling closer. "Best cure for trail fatigue ever. Total reset." He moved behind Amor, positioning himself to guide the lesson. "Okay, first position. Relax your body..."

As Obsessio adjusted Amor's arms, their bodies brushed. Amor's back pressed lightly against Obsessio's chest. A sudden, unexpected jolt raced through Amor – his heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird.

What was that?

He didn't understand the flutter in his stomach, the warmth spreading under his skin. He pushed the confusing sensation aside, chalking it up to nerves about the water.

Just focus on swimming. This is normal... right?

Obsessio, however, stiffened almost imperceptibly. The proximity was overwhelming. Amor's Omega scent, usually a subtle sweetness, bloomed intensely in the humid air, amplified by the water and their closeness. It was intoxicating, a heady perfume threatening to cloud his Alpha instincts.

Focus. Teach. Don't screw this up

He subtly pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to breathe shallowly through his mouth, fighting the primal urge to bury his face in Amor's damp neck. He would control this. He wouldn't scare or hurt his friend. The lesson continued, Obsessio's voice carefully steady, his instructions clear despite the internal battle.

Thirty minutes later, Amor managed a shaky but genuine doggy-paddle across a short stretch. Triumph lit up his face. "I did it! Look, Sio!" He turned, beaming, and before Obsessio could react, Amor threw his arms around him in a grateful, impulsive hug. "Thank you!"

Obsessio froze for a split second, every muscle tensing against the sudden flood of scent and contact. Then, carefully, gently, he patted Amor's back, his own smile genuine but strained as he subtly leaned back, creating crucial inches of space. "No sweat, Ve. Seriously, you nailed it." Seeing Amor's radiant, carefree smile – a sight rarer than gold – made the effort of control utterly worthwhile. "Same here," he murmured, the words thick with unspoken relief and a warmth that had little to do with the sun.