#cyb3rclouds

the people of the ta'unui clan had centuries worth of memories. memories rooted in their culture. stories, traditions, and celebrations that carried on for generations.

and all of it was gone.

the home their ancestors built with their bare hands had been set ablaze before their very eyes. all that they owned were reduced to nothing but a pile of ashes, mixing with the grainy sand beneath their feet.

when the fire finally died, the smell of smoke lingered in the air. it clung to the warm skin of the na'vi mourning the loss of their home. a dull shade of gray stretched across everything. the sky, the sand, and even the ocean seemed dull in this moment. it hadn't been a particular sunny day to begin with, but it was now gloomy, and a heavy feeling came with it.

the ta'unui moved slowly, everyone trying to come to terms with what just happened. some cried, others began to move inland, gathering the wounded and helping one another.

y/n on the other hand, did not move.

you sat on the sand, legs tucked underneath you as your eyes were locked on the body lying in front of you.

the attack didn't last long. the sky people came with their machines that caused nothing but destruction. they forced the people from their homes, binding their hands and pushing them to their knees. the soldiers shouted at them to stay down and used their weapons to shock them.

they demanded to know the location of a man who had never even set foot on ta'unui land. you knew of jake sully, all na'vi people did. everyone knows the story of toruk makto.

but you did not know him. and neither did your people. and for that, you were being punished.

you could still feel the stinging sensation of being shocked. that part of your skin bruised and becoming sensitive to touch.

your grandfather had tried to protect you. he used his body as a shield, shouting for them not to touch you. for this, they shocked him more times than you can count. his body jerked with each surge of pain, old bones too fragile to bear the cruelty being forced upon them.

you had cried out. cried for them to stop, cried for the eywa to do something, anything. instead, they shocked you next. the pain tore through your body as you screamed out. the jolts of pain knocked you off your balance and caused you to fall face first into the sand.

now, the tears fell from your eyes silently as you watched his body lay limp against the sand. he was still breathing but it was clear that he wouldn't be for much longer. his eyes fluttered open as he silently took your hand into his.

"my 'evi..." he whispered, "do not let them break you."

even in this moment, his voice was still kind, even through the pain. you pressed your hand over his. but when his fingers no longer moved, you stayed there long after his breathing stopped.

soon, others approached you. their hands rested gently on your shoulders, their touch being offered as comfort as they also mourned the death of a beloved elder.

that night, the clan gathered what little they could to hold a funeral. you watched as his body was laid to rest with the ancestors. your throat felt tight and your heart heavy with grief. you watched the sea engulf him until there was nothing left.

the next morning, you moved with no real purpose. all you could feel was the weight of your heavy heart that still felt broken.

you barely even felt the words of your leaders. they spoke of what had to be done. now that their home was no longer, they had to leave. everyone had to leave. seeking refuge while the olo'eyktan, tsahìk, and the other elders decided what to do about their home was the best option.

since the ta'unui was a large clan, it would be impossible for everyone to seek uturu in one place. it would be too great of an ask. the leaders explained that they divided everyone into smaller groups and would integrate among the other sea clans. when the names were called and the destinations were announced, yours was among those chosen to travel to the metkayina.

your closest friends were chosen to go elsewhere. you didn't have many friends, but the ones you did have meant everything to you. it hurt to know that you would now be separated. for a moment, you wanted to argue, to beg the elders to let you go with your friends. but you knew there was no use, the decision had already been made.

when the time came to leave, you and your friends embraced one another one last time. promises to come back together, but you all knew they were just empty promises.

you stood on the shore for a while by your lonesome. it was time to leave, time to leave the only home you've ever known. you sighed as you pulled a woven band from your wrist and pulled your hair back, twisting it into a tight, low bun.

the journey to the metkayina didn't take long. you stayed near the back, quiet. before you knew it, the woven homes of the metkayina came into view, blocking out the light from the beaming sun.

the sun hung over the reef, the warmth bringing a warm and bright energy to the day. a very lively clan. everyone was out and about, attending to their daily duties. something the ta'unui used to be.

the day was going as usual before the call of a conch shell echoed through the village. heads turned and people began to gather around or peeked from the woven walkways near their homes.

it didn't take long to be approached by the olo'eyktan and tsahìk of the metkayina, tonowari and ronal. their presence was both commanding and calm. you greeted them respectively when they stood in front of your group. the two exchanged a brief look before stepping forward.

whispers of the tragedy had reached their ears but they did not know the details. one of the elders explained what happened to your people. after a conversation that felt like forever to you, the leaders granted your people uturu. it was then that you were welcomed into what would be your new home.

ao'nung stood off to the side, watching his parents welcome new na'vi into their home. a quiet uneasy feeling settled in his chest. he wasn't the only one who felt it. he could tell. around him, people whispered about the newcomers.

the sight of refugees seeking sanctuary after fleeing from the destruction caused by the sky people had him feeling tense. his parents already opened their arms to the sully family and the memory of the recent battle was still an open wound.

it had only been mere days since his friend died. the pain of the funeral is still fresh.

the ta'unui were reef people, they were like him. he should be more accepting. but the mere thought of taking in people who were running from the same devil that took his friend made him feel uneasy.

ao'nung and tsireya stood near their parents like they usually did in these moments. ao'nung's arms were crossed over his chest as he looked over the new arrivals, examining as well as judging them. most of them looked exhausted and dazed from their travels. then his eyes landed on her.

it was a girl. and if ao'nung had to guess, she had to be around his age if not the same age as him. there was something about her that didn't match the rest. she stood slightly apart from the others. her posture was firm despite the fatigue she was most likely experiencing. her hair was tied back tightly, not a single strand out of place. this left her face open but ao'nung was unable to read the expression she wore.

she didn't look at him.. or anyone, really. and for reasons ao'nung couldn't explain, that made it harder for him look away. it was obvious that she stayed in the back so she wouldn't draw any attention to herself. and yet, ao'nung found himself watching her anyway.

ao'nung forced his gaze away before clearing his throat and straightening his posture as he stood beside his father. it didn't matter who she was. the ta'unui were guests, nothing more.

once introductions were finished, the ta'unui were divided by families into the available marui's that the metkayina had. since you had no family, you were placed with one of the families that you had arrived with. two parents and a baby. you knew of them but you weren't very talkative with everyone back home.

the family made space for you without hesitation. they were very friendly people and were also fond of your grandfather. you nodded your head in an attempt to thank them but did not verbally speak. your movements were polite but still distant.

inside, the marui resembled the marui of the ta'unui but had a few slight differences. it wouldn't take long for your people to become familiar with it.

it didn't take long to get settled. there was nothing to unpack, everything you own had been charred beyond recognition. you sat by the entrance of the marui, facing the water. you felt like the view should've given you a sense of peace but it did not. if anything, you still felt empty.

that evening, the metkayina held a small celebration to welcome the ta'unui into their home. when the sun set and night took over, the festivities began. bodies populated the beach as music filled the air. the ta'unui and metkayina gathered together to celebrate unity.

except to you, it didn't feel like unity.

you stood off to the side, simply watching. you had thought about staying in the marui by yourself, but somehow that sounded even more boring than standing around at the party.

the metkayina were friendly in your opinion. many passed you by, giving acknowledgement with a traditional na'vi greeting. wanting to be rather respectful in this new space, you returned each gesture. but for you, it was nothing more than simple politeness.

as your eyes were scanning the crowd, you heard your name being called in an excited tone.

“y/n!”

you turned to see tsireya approaching you with a bright smile on her face. a smile you assumed was normal for her and she wore it proudly. she was the daughter of the olo'eyktan and tsahìk, and the one who had shown you to your marui earlier that day. names had been exchanged then. and while she seems very kind, you weren't necessarily in the friend-making mood.

the young metkayina girl weaved through the crowd gracefully, two boys trailing behind her. the taller one followed reluctantly, arms crossed. there was a shorter one beside him, he seemed less annoyed but it was still very clear that they were being dragged along. you didn't know their names but you recognized the taller one from earlier. he had stood next to the olo'eyktan when uturu was being granted to your people. names could have been said, but you weren't paying much attention during that part. but now being dragged by tsireya, you assumed he is also a child of the leaders, most likely the oldest.

“you should come dance with us," tsireya exclaimed, her voice lively and sincere, "it is a celebration after all!"

you shook your head, “i’m fine here.”

tsireya frowned lightly, probably not used to hearing now, "are you sure? maybe just for a little while?”

“she already said no, tsireya.” a voice spoke from behind her.

your gaze lifted to the boy behind her. the taller one more specifically. the irritated face on his face was obvious, probably from being pulled along by his sister. the two of you made eye contact before you looked away.

a quiet pause followed before tsireya sighed, "alright. but if you change your mind, come find me."

you forced a small, polite smile and nodded, mostly to get them to leave faster. tsireya's bright smile returned before she finally turned away. the shorter boy also sent a small, awkward smile your way before following after her.

the taller one, however, didn't move.

your eyes flicked back to him. you weren't particularly short but he still had a few inches on you. his arms were still crossed, and his posture was solid. you tilted your head slightly as he looked at you. no speaking, just staring. the irritation was still there but you weren't sure if it was directed towards you or not.

you opened your mouth to ask what his problem was, but his voice beat you to it.

"you're with my group tomorrow. do not be late." he spoke sternly.

you blinked, momentarily confused. until you remembered what tsireya had told you earlier. she said you had been placed in ao'nung's group to learn the way of metkayina life. so this must be ao'nung.

even though both the ta'unui and metkayina were both reef clans, each clan operated differently. slightly different traditions, techniques, and even culture. so since you were new, you had to learn to live among the metkayina people.

you stared at him in silence, unsure what to say. or if you should say anything at all. after a moment, ao'nung broke eye contact first. he cleared his throat, muttering something you didn't catch before finally turning away and disappearing back into the crowd.

once he was finally gone, you exhaled slowly, your shoulders relaxing. you could feel the music around you growing louder, as well as the conversations and laughter that flooded the air.

maybe going back to your marui wouldn't be so bad after all.

the light from the morning sun spilled through the gaps of the marui. you could hear the soft chatter or the people passing by and the chirps of ilu’s. it was a sound that you grew to love. but it was a sound that made you feel at home.. and you were no longer home.

you sat on the woven floor of the marui, pulling your hair back into a tight bun that wouldn’t unravel while you were in the water.

“y/n, you should eat before heading out. the day will be long.” nari spoke, sliding a few pieces of sliced spartan fruit in your direction.

nari and omatu were very kind. they were friends with your grandfather and they had taken you in with no hesitation when you reached the metkayina. they had a small son, koa. he was still a baby, being that he hadn’t even reached his first trip around the sun yet.

you were grateful for the couple. but they still weren’t your family. and you weren’t going to pretend that they were.

you hummed in acknowledgment while staring at the slices of fruit placed in front of you. you weren’t hungry, and truthfully, you didn’t care much for the day ahead.

“not hungry..” you mumbled as you got ready to leave.

by the time you finally stood, most of the other newcomers had already left to meet their assigned groups. you knew you were late. ao'nung would definitely notice. but that didn’t stop you from taking your time.

once you stepped out of the marui, you made your way to the beach where your group was supposed to be meeting. by the time you reached the shore, the group was already gathered. around a dozen ta’unui and metkayina youths stood in a loose circle near the shore. most were checking their fishing nets and spearguns, making sure they were secure.

you spotted him immediately. aonung stood near the front, arms crossed. you noticed the shorter boy beside him but tsireya was nowhere to be seen. you assumed that she must be teaching a different group.

rotxo noticed you first. he tapped ao'nung before pointing at you. aonung’s eyes flickered towards you. you were approaching the group slowly before settling in the back.

“you’re late.” he spoke loudly, causing others to turn towards you.

you blinked, feigning confusion, “am i?”

ao'nung fought the urge to roll his eyes at your words, “you were supposed to be here at sunrise.”

“doesn’t look like i missed anything.” you said as you looked around. if they had been out here since then, they hadn’t done much.

“we taught them to tie nets the metkayina way.” the shorter one spoke. you looked at him, you should really learn his name. you couldn’t keep calling him the 'shorter one'.

your eyes narrowed as you picked up one of the fishing nets on the ground. your fingers ran over the weaving pattern. the metkayina’s knots were different from the ta’unui. stronger, but a bit messier.

“do i have to tie mine like this?” you asked, looking up at ao'nung.

“yes-”

“no.” the shorter one responded, “that’s just how we tie ours, but if you wanna do it differently, go ahead.”

you nodded, “thanks..”

“rotxo.” he smiled.

“rotxo..” you repeated before picking up an untied fishing net and settling in the back to start tying it.

“why’d you tell her that?” ao'nung asked, turning to his friend with an annoyed expression.

rotxo waved him off, “it’s fine. it’s only the first day.”

ao'nung rolled his eyes before walking over to different groups, checking their nets to make sure they met his standards.

after a while, it was finally time to begin the actual fishing process. your net was tied the way you liked and knew since you were young. you were also given a speargun. the spearguns were identical to the ta’unui so you had no issues with that.

what you did have an issue with however, was how aonung wanted the group to move forward. instead of doing this individually, he wanted everyone to be in small groups. you frowned. fishing had always been something you did alone. this was not a time for a group activity.

when ao'nung finished explaining the formation, everyone began walking towards the water in small groups. you didn’t move at first. then, without a word, you picked up your net and walked in the opposite direction of the group.

“where are you going?” ao'nung called out after you. you were already thigh-deep in the water, away from everyone else.

“fishing.” you called back simply, glancing over your shoulder before diving into the cool water.

you moved through the water like you always had. steady and deliberate. the sea was the one thing that still made sense to you. it may be the only thing that was your constant. always there when you needed it to be.

fishing never took you long. the small glider fin fish were easy to catch. they didn’t move very fast and they traveled in large groups. and since your fishing and netting skills were efficient, it was easy to catch many of them at once.

when you finally returned to shore, the others were hauling in half empty nets. you, on the other hand, dropped yours on the sand. an impressive amount of fish spilling across it.

ao'nung walked over, arms crossed as usual. you started to believe this was his natural resting stance.

“you didn’t listen.” he said, stopping in front of you.

you met his stare, “you wanted us to fish, so that’s what i did.”

“you ignored my direction.”

“because i know how to fish. i do not need to teach me what i already know.”

ao'nung stared at you for a moment, looking you up and down before letting out a low grunt in frustration.

“just.. try following directions next time.”

you let a small smirk touch your lips before turning to walk away.

that evening, as the clan gathered for a communal dinner, you didn’t join them. instead, you walked away from the area until the sound of talking and laughter faded into the distance. you stopped where the trees tangled together and stretched over the water, creating the mangroves that the homes were built upon.

without thinking, your hands found familiar grooves in the bark. you pressed your feet onto the thick roots as you pulled yourself upward with practiced ease. the climb was like a second nature.

back in the ta’unui village, you used to climb the mangroves all the time. it started around the time that your insomnia got bad. you were ten and your parents and grandmother had just died from an illness that had mysteriously struck the village. your parents were a part of the unlucky few that didn’t recover, and even the tsahìk’s help hadn’t been enough.

after that, you couldn’t sleep. you spent long nights looking for ways to make the time pass. climbing the mangroves became one of them. over time, it became something else. it was a small escape for you.

you bit into a ripe fruit you picked earlier. the sweetness being the first edible thing you’ve tasted all day.

from up here, the village looked peaceful. you could still see the warm orange glow from the communal fire down below. a gathering you couldn’t bring yourself to join.

and for the first time since arriving, you let yourself feel it. the quiet ache of being surrounded by people and still feeling completely alone.

the next two and a half weeks seemed to fly by.

your arm was healing well, with the help of rotxo. the cut had finally closed so you no longer needed to wear the wrap. now, a thin, pale scar ran across your forearm. you didn't know if it would fade over time or remain there permanently, but you didn't particularly care.

learning the metkayina customs had also come to an end. the ta'unui people were now fully integrated into the clan. most of your days were spent fishing and bringing in your load alongside everyone else who may have done so in a group setting or by their lonesome.

your new home life was improving too. you started making a real effort to get to know nari and omatu on a deeper level. they had been nothing but kind, even when you were doing everything you could to shut the world out. you eventually decided to give them a chance.

koa had grown attached to you. his eyes always lit up when he spotted you and every morning when he woke up, he was already reaching for you.

which meant this morning, he was in your arms again.

"are you sure you don't mind watching him?" omatu asked. he and nari had things to take care of so they asked if you could watch koa for the day.

"i don’t mind.” you answered simply.

nari was on the other side of the marui, mashing a yovo fruit in a mortar bowl for koa. she glanced up just in time to see his small hands tangle in your hair to grasp a small fistful. he tugged, but not hard enough to hurt but instinctively, you gently freed your hair from his grasp, sweeping it over your shoulder.

nari noticed how long your hair is, of course. it was impossible not to. your curls spilled down your back, far longer than any na'vi she had ever known. most hair she was used to reached the hips at most. even her own hair fell only to the middle of her back. yours, however, flowed past your waist and hips, the ends brushing your thighs.

every morning, you pulled it into a tight bun without a second thought. and every night, you loosened it so your scalp could breathe while you slept. but the real length, the most natural state could only be seen in moments like this.

"y/n."

you turned to look at nari. you didn't speak but your attention was on her so she continued, "you have beautiful hair. was it always this long?"

the eye contact you were once holding suddenly broke as you looked away. the topic of your hair specifically wasn't painful, but it did require you to talk about your family. and that was something that you rarely did.

you cleared your throat before nodding, "yeah.. my grandmother used to wash my hair with herbs so it would grow longer. that's why my grandparents and parents had such long hair.. if you remember them."

nari and omatu shared a brief look. they did remember. not the way you did but it was enough for a memory to flash through their mind.

"i remember your grandmother.." omatu spoke gently, "she helped patch me up whenever the tsahìk was busy."

nari and omatu were only teenagers when your parents along with your grandmother passed. but the memory of the sickness never truly left the village.

it had come so suddenly. you were only ten years of age when it swept through the ta'unui village. it started small, just a fever at first, but it quickly worsened. the tsahìk did everything she could, using every remedy she knew but unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

"my grandmother used to say our hair carried the memory and value of our ancestors." you continued after a moment, "that if we cared for it, it would carry them with us. so she taught me how to wash it with herbs."

nari's eyes softened, "that's a beautiful thing to be taught."

the rest of the morning passed quietly. nari finished mashing the fruit and carefully fed koa while omatu gathered a few things they needed for the day.

you took that time to brush your hair back into your everyday hairstyle. using your fingers to brush through the curls before twisting it into its usual bun.

once koa was clean and fed, nari carefully handed him back to you. the couple thanked you once more before stepping out the marui and starting their day by joining the rest of the village.

after they left, you didn't stay inside for long.

koa had grown restless in your arms. his small noises grew louder as he kicked his legs. silently telling you that he wanted to move around. you smiled faintly before reaching for nari's prrsumg and tying it to your chest before placing koa inside.

once he was secure, you stepped out of the marui and made your way towards a quiet part of the beach.

the morning sun was already warm but not overwhelming. there was a light breeze that moved through the village. one that you appreciated as you walked down the netted pathway.

when you finally reached a mostly vacant spot, you stopped at the water's edge and lowered yourself onto the sand, the ocean stretching endlessly ahead of you.

you took koa out of the prrsumg and carefully placed him on the sand in a seated position. koa looked around him with eyes full of wonder. he planted his hands in the sand, fascinated with the way it felt beneath his fingers.

all reef children are born in water and taught how to swim from the moment they could move. koa most likely knew how to swim but you didn't want to push any boundaries that nari and omatu may have so you settled for just sitting at the shoreline with him.

you watched closely as he struggled to crawl a short distance, letting out a pleased sound when he succeeded. you kept close, one hand hovering as he explored. when he paused and sat down again, you scooped a bit of water and lightly splashed it toward him.

koa blinked, startled at first. then he began laughing. the sound was soft and full of joy. and it actually made you smile. you splashed him again and his laughter continued.

you were focused on koa when you heard voices approaching from farther up the beach.

you glanced up just in time to see a small group walking along the shoreline. four boys moving easily through the sand, with ao'nung at the center. you looked back down quickly, hoping they hadn't noticed you yet.

his friend, koro, was the first of the group to spot you.

he slowed, nudging kalen with his elbow before tipping his chin in your direction, "isn't that the ta'unui girl"

kalen squinted before a smirk spread across his face as he glanced at ao'nung, "oh yeah, the one you said is a headache."

your shoulders stiffened but you didn't move. they weren't close but they weren't trying to be quiet either. they knew you could hear them but didn't seem to care in the slightest.

the third friend, ongu's eyes dropped to koa, who was still sitting happily at the shoreline, splashing his hands in the shallow water.

"she has a kid?" he asked.

the words made you look up fully.

ao'nung still hadn't spoken. his expression flat as his eyes landed on you. the eye contact was brief before he looked at koa. for a brief moment, something in his gaze shifted. something uncertain.

when a small wave rolled in, you instinctively reached out, steadying koa before the water could knock him over.

"he's not hers." ao'nung said finally, his tone sharp.

even as the words left his mouth, he wasn't entirely sure of them. he had seen you with the child a few times at the communal dinner and how comfortable the two of you were with one another. but he still wasn't sure of the relationship.

koro opened his mouth to speak again, but ao'nung shot him a look. it was brief but firm enough to silence him. koro was always the instigator within the group but he still operated as one of ao’nungs minions.

as the group passed, ao'nung's eyes flickered back to you. your gaze met for half a second before you looked away.

without another word, ao'nung turned and continued down the beach with his friends following. you waited until their voices faded before finally letting out a slow breath.

koa caught your attention when he managed to splash water onto your leg. you let out a genuine chuckle before turning your attention back to him.

you stayed with koa for a little while longer, until the two of you began to grow tired. gently, you brushed the sand from his hands and legs before placing him back in the prrsumg. almost immediately, he curled into your chest.

the walk back to the marui was unhurried. the village was alive around you. the chirps from ilu ponies and adults as they swam beneath the woven walkways. metkayina and ta'unui alike passed you, some offering nods, others simple smiles.

that was when you spotted rotxo.

he was walking in the opposite direction, a fishing net slung over his shoulder. his pace slowed when he saw you, his expression brightening almost instantly.

"hey, y/n." rotxo smiled, stopping in front of you. his gaze flickered down to koa, who blinked up at him curiously.

"this is koa. i live with him and his parents." you explain.

"he's cute." rotxo commented before looking back at you, "you know, my grandma's been asking about you."

your shoulders tensed slightly, "really?"

he nodded, "yeah. she wants to meet you. is that okay?"

noticing your hesitation, he was quick to add, "no pressure. i just thought i'd ask."

you appreciated that. how nice and patient rotxo truly was. he never pushed and never demanded more than you were ready to give.

"alright." you said after a moment, "for a little while."

rotxo's grin widened, "she's going to love you."

rotxo led the way through the village, slowing his pace so you could keep up easily with koa resting against your chest. the farther you walked, the quieter it became.

"this way." rotxo said, turning toward a smaller marui tucked slightly away from the others.

you followed him inside. the space felt strangely homely to you. maybe it was the warm, lived in vibe you were feeling.

rotxo, stepping into the marui behind him. the space felt weirdly homely to you.

"grandmother?" rotxo spoke as he approached an older woman that was seated on the woven floor.

your gaze landed on her. she looked up, an older woman with wrinkled skin that was decorated in symbolic tattoos, her grayish hair braided loosely down her back. her eyes settled on you almost immediately.

"i am mei'alu.. and you must be the girl rotxo keeps taking my wraps for." she said, her voice warm. her gaze dropped to koa who was now half awake against your chest, "who is the little one?"

"that's koa." rotxo answered, "y/n watches him for the family she lives with."

mei'alu looked at you curiously, "the family you live with? you do not live with your own family?"

you frown slightly as your gaze dropped, "no. my family... they are with the ancestors. it is just me."

the marui was quiet for a moment before mei'alu patted the ground beside her.

"come," she said gently, "sit, both of you."

you did, carefully easing yourself down. mei'alu moved with practiced ease as she reached for a small bowl beside her, sliding it toward you. you peered inside to see dried fruits.

"eat." she said simply, "you look like you haven't."

it was true, you had only eaten a small fruit for breakfast since you were so focused on looking after koa.

you hesitated only a second before accepting it, "thank you."

as you ate, mei'alu spoke to the two of you. simple stories about rotxo as a child and even pieces of her own life when she was young, you listened. being in this space gave you the same feeling that you had when you lived with your grandfather.

after a while, you decided it was time to bring koa back home. when you stood, mei'alu and rotxo both rose with you.

"you are welcome here, y/n." she said, "any time."

you met her gaze. you didn't reply verbally but you nodded your head. she smiled softly anyway as rotxo led you back outside.

as he walked you toward your own marui, the noise of the village slowly returned.

you liked that rotxo's grandmother did not pry. did not ask questions. she simply made space for you. and that was something you appreciated.

the next day, at sunset, you were pulling your daily catch from the water. the woven net, heavy with glider fin and lìngpay fish, weighed against your shoulder.

as you stepped up onto the shoreline, shaking the excess water from the net, a familiar voice called out.

"need help?"

you looked up to see rotxo jogging toward you. an easy grin on his face. ao'nung followed a few steps behind him, arms crossed as usual.

"i've got it." you said, shifting the net higher on your shoulder.

rotxo knew better than to argue. you would've stopped him if he tried anyway.

"thank you for yesterday,"you added, "your grandmother was really nice."

rotxo smiled, "i told you she would love you."

ao'nung stood beside him in silence. his gaze flickering between the two of you. he didn't say anything, but the crease along his brow ridge deepened. a subtle tension settling into his posture.

"i should go hand this in." you said, adjusting the strap at your shoulder.

rotxo nodded, "yeah. i'll see you later?"

you met his eyes and gave a small nod, "yeah."

without another word, you turned and walked off. only when you were fully out of sight did ao'nung finally speak.

"since when are you so close with her?"

rotxo looked at his best friend, "what?"

"the ta'unui girl." ao'nung clarified, "we barely knew her a few weeks ago."

"i don't know. we just started talking." rotxo shrugged.

"and you introduced her to mei'alu?"

"she's actually pretty cool. i think she just doesn't like you." rotxo laughed before walking off.

ao'nung didn't laugh at his joke. his eyes just lingered on the path you'd taken. the ease in your expression when you spoke to rotxo. it wasn't something he thought would bother him.

but it actually did.. more than it should have.

the sound of all the overlapping conversations began to die down as the communal dinner came to an end. everyone was finishing their meals before standing, exchanging goodbyes and heading back to their own marui's.

koa was fast asleep against your chest, his tiny breaths warm against your skin. he had fallen asleep only minutes after you sat down. nari and omatu were grateful that you came along. they both knew koa would've cried the entire time if he didn't get his way.

when you finally stood, nari rose with you.

"thank you again, y/n." she spoke softly, "you have been such a big help today."

before you could respond, omatu added, "and we can take him now, if that's okay."

you nodded, untying the prrsmung as nari gently reached for the sleeping child. she carefully gathered him into her arms, mindful not to wake him.

"you know, i think he really likes you."

you didn't respond to that. just a simple nod before stepping back. you watched as the couple gave you one last smile before heading back to your shared marui.

you were about to follow in their footsteps, only to find someone blocking your path.

ao'nung.

"where did you go after i dismissed you?" he asked, arms crossed as he looked at you with questioning eyes.

you blinked, completely thrown off by the sudden interrogation, "what?"

"where did you go after i dismissed you?" he repeated, his words firmer this time.

"none of your business." you scoffed as you tried to walk around him.

ao'nung shifted quickly, blocking you again, "why didn't you go to the tsahìk like i told you to?"

"who says i didn't?" you responded, tilting your head slightly.

"she did." ao'nung answered flatly, "said only one person came to her and that person wasn't you."

silence settled between you for a brief moment. then, without warning, ao'nung reached forward and grabbed your arm.

you winced, partially from the pain and but mostly from the shock of ao'nung touching you. his fingers wrapped firmly around your forearm as his eyes scanned the makeshift cloth you wrapped yourself. a scowl on his face as he turned your arm slightly to inspect it.

before the boy could ask any questions, you yanked your arm free, your movements just as rough as his.

"don't touch me." you snapped.

ao'nung rolled his eyes before looking at you. "you did that yourself."

"i did."

"why? my mother could've-"

"because i don't need help from a tsahìk!" you cut him off, your voice getting louder in frustration.

the expression on ao'nung's face was unreadable. but you didn't dwell on it, nor did you care to.

"i can take care of myself." is the last thing you said before brushing past him and leaving him standing there, alone with his thoughts.

ao'nung turned around, watching your retreating body in silence. confusion flickered across his face as your words replayed in his head.

"what was that about?" a voice asked beside him. the boy didn't have to look, he knew the voice of his younger sister.

still deep in thought, he just shook his head before walking away.

the next morning started out much like the one before. you pretending to wake when, in reality, you hadn't slept at all.

by the time you stepped out of the marui, the village was already alive. the morning sun cast a warm light over the village as you made your way down the netted pathway.

when you reached the part of the beach where your group usually met, it was mostly empty. probably because you were later than usual so the group already started without you. but there were two figures standing near the shoreline.

ao'nung and rotxo.

ao'nung noticed you first, his frown immediate.

"what are you doing here?"

"am i not supposed to be here?" you asked, slight confusion in your voice.

"not today." he answered flatly.

your brow bones arch closer together as you look at him, "and why is that?"

"because," he said, taking a step closer, "you shouldn't even be near water until your arm is healed."

a dry laugh suddenly escapes you, "you're joking, right?"

ao'nung's expression however, did not waver, "do i look like i'm joking."

the humor in the situation quickly disappeared as you exhaled sharply.

"my arm is fine."

"it's not. you can't swim or fish with an open wound like that. you'll just make it worse." ao'nung explained. his reasoning made sense. but you weren't trying to hear any of it.

"i said i'm fine." you attempted to walk around him, only to have him shift in front of you, mirroring his actions from last night.

your voice dropped, low and irritated, "stop doing that."

"then stop trying to walk away when i'm talking to you."

"it's my arm." you shot back, "and i said i'm fine. i don't need your concern."

ao'nung scoffed, "it's not concern. it's common sense. you cut yourself yesterday. you can't get back in the water this fast."

“common sense? so you think i’m stupid?”

“i know you have common sense, y/n." he sighed, "but you don’t listen to anyone but yourself, even when you really should.”

for a long moment, neither of you said anything. the tension between you was so thick, you could physically feel it in the air. when you didn’t respond, ao'nung continued to speak.

“you’re not getting back in the water until your arm is healed. so go rest. that’s an order.” he said, dismissing you.

your jaw tightened, “you can’t order me-”

“actually, i can. my father put me in charge of this group. so technically, that means i'm in charge of you.”

your gaze shifted to rotxo, who had been standing off to the side quietly. his eyes met yours and you hoped he might take your side.

but rotxo only shook his head, avoiding your gaze, “your arm did look pretty bad. you should rest.”

you let out an exasperated scoff before turning on your heels walking away, refusing to give either one of them another moment of your time.

you didn't stop walking until the sound of others faded behind you. you finally arrived at a more vacant part of the beach. you slowly walked along the shoreline, the wet sand seeping between your toes as the small waves brushed your ankles before slipping away again.

you exhaled slowly, trying to release the frustration that was bubbling inside of you. aonung's words lingered in your mind. the nerve of him ordering you to do anything was almost comical.

he doesn't know you. he doesn't know anything about what you've had to endure and what you've survived. an injury like this was nothing and it definitely wasn't going to stop you.

while on your walk, you could feel an oncoming headache. the ache worsening with every step. you sighed and reached up, tugging at the band you used to tie your hair into a low bun every day. once your hair was free, the tension eased immediately. the curls fell loose, spilling down your back and over your shoulders, framing your face.

when you went to slide the woven band onto your wrist, your eyes caught on the cloth wrapped around your forearm. aonung said you shouldn't be back in the water again but you felt differently. you treated yourself pretty well so it should be okay.

you lifted your arm, flexing your fingers. you felt a faint throb beneath the cloth. but it wasn't enough to stop you.

"it's fine." you muttered to yourself before making your way back to the village. eventually you walked into the community space where all the ilu gear was kept. after scanning the racks, you grabbed a harness at random before clicking your tongue and letting out a sharp yip.

moments later, a sleek head broke the surface. your ilu let out a chirp at the sight of you. a smile tugged at your lips as you put the harness on her and slipped into the water, the coolness feeling good against your heated skin.

you mounted her and clicked your tongue again. with a surge of movement, she darted forward, cutting clean through the turquoise water. the ocean surrounded you and it washed away all the lingering thoughts of ao'nung's voice.

the water welcomed you instantly. the deeper you went, the more beautiful the world became. you held onto your ilu as you swam past schools of tiny fish, colorful coral, and plants of many different shapes and sizes.

down here, everything was simple. it was just you, your ilu, and the water. this was the only thing that the cruelty of life hadn't managed to ruin for you.

but unfortunately, as you swam faster, a sudden sting pulsed through your arm. you slowed down to look down at your injured arm. a non audible gasp let your mouth when you saw that the cloth had come undone. it was unraveling and the saltwater was seeping into the slightly open wound. the pain continued to spread so you immediately had your ilu take you back in the direction you came.

the afternoon sun was starting to dip, the sky abandoning the cool blue and becoming different shades of yellow and orange.

rotxo made his way to the community space, carrying a few ilu harnesses in his hands. tsireya's group had left a few near the shore after their lessons and she asked if rotxo could put them back for her.

it wasn't unusual to see another person here but rotxo wasn't expecting to see someone sitting by the edge of the platform, legs dangling loosely above the water. he didn't recognize the person at first. he didn't know anyone here with hair that long.

then he noticed the makeshift bandage the person was struggling to tie. the same bandage he saw this morning. concern creased on his face as he took a few steps closer.

"y/n?"

the person's head snapped up, and sure enough, it was you. but you looked.. different. softer, somehow. rotxo was a bit surprised. your hair was always tied back but now it was hanging loosely over your shoulders and you almost looked like a different person.

rotxo's eyes fell down to your arm, seeing the now inflamed wound that you were trying to tend to.

"your arm.. what happened?"

"nothing." you answered, lowering your gaze back to the problem at hand.

his tone softened, "you went in the water, didn't you?"

"don't tell ao'nung." was all you said in response. you didn't need the self centered boy to know that he was actually right.

rotxo sighed as he took a seat beside you, letting his legs hang over the edge, "your secret is safe with me."

the corners of your mouth twitched. it wasn't a smile but it was close enough.

"thanks."

"did you at least clean it?" he asks, putting his attention back on your arm.

you nodded, "yeah. i just need to apply more of the salve i made and a new wrap. i was trying to salvage this one but obviously it's not working."

he nodded thoughtfully, "i can grab one from my marui. my grandma has plenty."

you glanced at him, "you live with your grandma?"

"yeah." he confirms, "it's just me and her. she's always telling me that i remind her of my father though. not sure if that's a good thing."

you let out a soft sound that might've been a laugh. you didn't say anything more and just listened.

rotxo tilts his head slightly, "you know, she'd probably like you. you remind me of her a little."

"really? how?"

"stubborn. and always thinking you know better than everyone else."

your lips parted, letting out a quiet scoff, "thanks.. i guess."

"it's mostly a compliment." roxto grins. he looked at you, finding himself focused on your hair once more.

"you look.. different with your hair down."

"yeah, well. don't get used to it." you said.

he let out a soft chuckle, "wasn't planning to."

you smiled softly before you went back to adjusting the wrap. rotxo stood to his feet, dusting off his hands, "i'll bring you a new wrap. wait here and you know, try not to bleed out before i get back."

"i'll try."

as he jogged away, you found yourself staring down at the water. you actually felt better after your conversation with rotxo. for the first time since you arrived here, you didn't feel completely alone. maybe, just maybe, you found someone who didn't make you feel completely out of place.

sleep began to feel more like a burden.

the night before had been long. or, at least it felt like it. you laid in your hammock for hours trying to force yourself to sleep, but it never came. you could feel it happening. it had only been around a week since you came to the metkayina. the first few nights were fine. but now, your relationship with sleep was deteriorating, and you knew the exact reason why. your insomnia was returning. it was returning because of the loss of your grandfather.

you tried to fight it, but last night, you lost. every time your mind began to drift, the image of your grandfather's body laying lifeless on the sand flashed through your mind, causing you to jerk awake.

the rest of the night consisted of you staring at the ceiling of the marui as you listened to the soft sound of nature and the faint movements of others sleeping nearby.

when morning finally arrived and everyone around you began to stir awake, you pretended to do the same.

you rolled up your hammock and placed it to the side neatly just as nari called your name to offer you breakfast. the young woman sat cross-legged on the floor, mashing fruit in a mortar bowl. most likely for the child strapped protectively to her chest. since koa hadn't grown any teeth yet, his food had to be softened so he could eat.

nari paused her movements to glance at you. you didn't eat breakfast with them and she had noticed your absence at the communal dinner. she was concerned if you were even eating at all.

this was a difficult transition for you, she and omatu understood that. losing both your grandfather and your home in a single day. but they wanted you to know you weren't alone, even if you acted like you were.

nari's green eyes watched you paused for half a second before turning to her. and just like anyone expected, you declined her offer. you turned away before your fingers pulled your hair into your usual tight bun before heading out.

"do you think she hates us?" omatu asks from behind nari.

nari sighs, adjusting her prrsmung, "she doesn't hate us. she's.. adjusting."

he shakes his head, "she barely looks at us."

"just give her some time."

by the time you arrived at the beach, your entire group was already there. ao'nung caught sight of you first. you could basically feel his judgemental stare as you approached.

"you're late, again." he spoke. the irritation in his voice evident.

"i'm aware." you answered. you looked around, seeing your peers checking their nets and spearguns.

ao'nung walked closer to you, arms crossed, "lucky for you, we're fishing individually today. but it's not like you would've listened to me anyway."

you smirked, "you know me so well already."

ao'nung squinted his eyes as you walked away. once you collected your net and speargun, the group walked deeper in the water. the fatigue in your body seemed to fade as the temperature of the ocean woke you up.

you swam a little further out than the others. a small smile on your face as you swam through and along all the ocean life around you. you took a moment to appreciate it before you began fishing.

fishing was one of the skills you spent years trying to master. and you were exceptionally good at it too. you managed to catch many glider fish before something caught your eye.

the flat skate fish were considered a delicacy to the na'vi who lived among the reef. they were incredibly hard to catch because of their rather fast speed. but you knew a flat skate fish when you saw one because of the bright purple streak that ran down along the top of its body.

your fingers tightened around your speargun as you slowly swam towards the fish, wanting to catch it off guard.

the closer you got, the more your heartbeat began to quicken. you had never actually caught one of them before. you'd seen your grandfather do it once when you were younger. his movements were fast, precise, and most importantly, patient.

you tried to mimic that same patience now, slowing down as the fish swam closer to the ocean floor. and as if it knew you were on its tail, it darted away without warning.

you moved instantly. with a powerful kick of your legs, you swam forward as you fired the speargun. it missed, grazing the sand just beneath the fish. turning to another plan, you tried blocking the path using your net. unfortunately for you, the fish moved faster than you anticipated.

as you lunged forward, your arm scraped sharply against a jagged piece of coral. the pain was instant. a hot sting that burned up your forearm. but that didn't stop you. you could see and feel the blood staining the water but you continued to swim forward.

you only accepted defeat when the flat skate fish was officially out of your sight and you were left with nothing but the throbbing pain in your arm and your own frustration.

you let out a groan of agitation before swimming to shore. when you surfaced, the pain in the cut only began to worsen. you glanced down to see a deep gash along the side of your forearm. it wasn't life threatening but bad enough that it needed to be cleaned and wrapped.

when you reached the shoreline, only ao'nung and rotxo stood there, talking. most likely waiting for everyone to return.

rotxo noticed you first, his eyes widening when his eyes caught sight of the deep crimson liquid leaking from the cut on your arm that ran from your wrist to your elbow.

"y/n- are you okay?!" rotxo exclaimed as he rushed over to you.

ao'nung looked over, seeing the wound for himself. he immediately followed in his friends footsteps towards you.

you slowed your pace as the two boys closed in. rotxo's face was painted in pure concern while ao'nung's expression was different. you didn't have time to dwell on it though as the ache caused you to contort your own face in agony.

"y/n what happened? you're bleeding." roxto asked, reaching for your arm. you took a small step back, holding the wounded limb against your chest.

"coral." you stated flatly.

ao'nung's eyes stared at your arm as the blood dripped down, hitting the sand.

"you need to go to my mother." he stated firmly, "she'll clean it before it gets worse."

you shook your head, "it's fine."

you quickly maneuvered around the two as you began to walk away. but ao'nung wasn't letting you go that easily.

"what? it's not fine. it could get infected." he spoke, his voice stern and face twisted in confusion.

you stopped, turning to face him, "i said it's fine. i can handle it."

rotxo shifted awkwardly as he felt the tension so he tried to diffuse the situation.

"maybe just let her-"

"no." ao'nung cut him off, "you can not handle it. that cut is deep and you need to go to the tsahìk. now."

for a moment, it went silent and nobody said anything. you just glared at ao'nung as he did the same to you. rotxo's eyes darted between the two of you uncomfortably.

finally, ao'nung sighed, "fine. do whatever you want, i don't care. you're done for today."

while no words left your mouth, the roll of your eyes did all the talking for you. you immediately turned on your heels as you walked away and headed back to the village.

by the time you made it back to your marui, your forearm was covered in blood. the pain hadn't dulled and it was throbbing.

when you entered the marui, the space was empty. you sighed in relief, not wanting to deal with any questions from nari or omatu. after looking around for a bit, your eyes landed on a spare strip of woven cloth. you pressed the fabric to your arm, wincing as it made contact with the open wound. after wrapping it around your arm, you tied it, not securely but just enough to stop the bleeding for now. and it would do the job until you had something better.

you then grabbed a small sanded basket near the entrance before you were on your way. stepping away from the village, you made your way towards the forest. the air became cooler as the trees blocked out the warmth of the sun.

the materials you needed weren't foreign to you. you knew exactly what you were looking for. leaves from a paywll plant and pieces of fungi that grew on the trunks of koaktutra trees.

your footsteps were rather light as you maneuvered through the forest with precision.

you spotted the paywll easily. you approached before drawing your knife. you crouched down and sliced a few broad leaves cleanly from the base. once you felt like you had enough, you placed the leaves in the basket and slid your knife back in the sheath that you wore on your hip.

moving on, you continued searching for the nearest koaktutra tree. they weren't hard to find either, as they were actually very common in the forest. when you finally came across one, you didn't waste any time taking as many as you would need.

after you gathered the last of you what you needed, the ache in your arm began to intensify. the makeshift bandage had already darkened with blood. you pressed your hand to it, exhaling slowly. you needed to head back and tend to your arm as soon as possible.

so you turned, retracing your steps through the trees. the walk back felt longer but that could just be because you were in a rush.

by the time you returned to the marui, the sun had started to go down. this meant that eclipse was near.

as for your arm, the bleeding had stopped for the most part but you were still in pain. you took a seat on the woven floor before sorting through what you gathered. spotting nari's mortar bowl that she used this morning, you reached for it and got to work.

using your knife, you sliced open the paywll leaves, squeezing the sticky translucent insides into the bowl.

as you worked, omatu entered the marui. his expression was calm but weary, suggesting that he had been busy all day. when his gaze landed on you, he smiled softly.

"ah, you're back. perfect timing." he said, not noticing the bloodied bandage on your arm, "i have to meet nari by the seawall terrace, do you mind watching koa for a little while? you can use nari's prrsmung in case you get tired of holding him."

you eyed koa for a moment in silence. after a beat you hesitated before nodding, "sure."

omatu thanked you, carefully handing koa over before leaving the marui. you glanced down at the small child in your arms. koa blinked up at you, his green eyes staring at you curiously. the shade of green resembled his mother's. while he shared features with his father, he was definitely nari's twin.

knowing that you had to finish what you were working on, you decided to use nari's prrsmung. you grabbed the fabric before tying it around your shoulders and torso, securing koa snugly against your chest. once he was settled, you returned to your task.

you could feel his gaze on your face as you placed the fungi in the bowl. grabbing the pestle, you began mixing the two ingredients until it turned into a smooth lavender paste.

you learned this remedy from your mother and grandmother. they were both healers in your community, known for their great knowledge.

when you were younger, you'd sit beside them as they worked. watching the way they crushed herbs and mixed many different ingredients before applying it to the wounds of the person they were healing. they taught you everything you know.

you carefully unwrapped your arm, cringing at the sight of the gash. dipping your fingers into the paste, you gently spread it across the wound. the sting faded almost instantly and was replaced by a soothing coolness that made your shoulders drop in relief.

then, without even realizing it, you began to hum. a soft tune your family used to sing while they worked. the melody filled the quiet space around you as you tended to your wound.

koa, still strapped to your chest, tilted his small head as he listened to your voice. when you paused, he let out a soft coo. it was like a tiny plea for you to keep going.

you couldn't help but chuckle under your breath before you continued humming the melody. koa's head slowly nestled against your chest as his eyes fluttered shut, your voice soothing him.

once the salve was fully applied, you carefully wrapped a clean cloth around your arm and tied it securely. the hard part was now over and by the morning, the wound should begin to close. through, you knew it would leave a scar.

by the time you finished, eclipse had come and the sky set darkness over the village while the bioluminescence of the ocean and flora began to glow.

soon after, nari and omatu entered the marui together. their eyes softened at the sight of you sitting quietly with koa half-sleep against your chest.

"thank you for watching him, y/n. we appreciate it." nari said warmly.

you shook your head lightly, " you're welcome."

nari smiles, "we're about to go to dinner, are you coming?

you immediately shook your head at the question, "uh, no. i'm just going to eat a few fruits here."

nari's smile faltered, though she quickly nodded. she didn't want to push you. you were moving at your own pace and she wanted to respect that. so instead, she stepped closer to take koa from you so she and omatu could head to the communal dinner.

but the moment you began to untie the prrsmung, koa started crying. his small arms stretching back toward you.

"uh oh." omatu laughs, "i think he likes you."

koa's cries only grew louder as his mother pulled him away from you. his round eyes glossy as tears spilled down his cheeks, gums on full display as he wailed in distress.

"shh.. it's okay." nari cooed, trying to soothe her child. but it didn't seem to work.

you looked between the two young parents as they tried to calm koa to their best ability. when nothing seemed to work, their gazes fell on you.

"uh.. you know," otamu trailed off, "maybe it would be best if you came with us. just so he stays calm."

you opened your mouth to refuse when koa let out another sharp wail. the sound made your ears twitch. you closed your eyes, strongly exhaling through your nose.

"fine.."

nari and omatu exchanged a small, triumphant glance before handing koa back to you. once he was placed back in the carrier, his cries came to a halt.

the three of you were then on your way. as you reached the communal area, most of the clan had already gathered. chatter and the scent of roasted fish filled the air. you felt so out of place as nari and omatu led you to an empty spot. you hesitated before lowering yourself to sit.

without asking, nari began filling a leaf plate with food. once she was finished, she placed the leaf plate in front of you.

"oh, you don't have to do that." you said quietly, glancing down at the plate. pieces of roasted glider fin fish along with sliced fruit.

nari only smiled, "i know. but i want to. please, i want you to eat."

you didn't argue again. for a moment, you simply stared at it. before you finally thanked her and began to eat. koa started to fall asleep against your chest as you ate the food from the leaf plate in front of you.

you didn't speak, and you didn't need to. the noise around you filled the silence for you.

on the other side of the fire, ao'nung sat with his family. normally, he would've been eating with his friends. but tonight his parents wanted to hear how things were going with the new arrivals.

tsireya's report came first. her group consisted of mostly younger children, many of them just reaching the age to tame an ilu. she spoke with an excited tone about the progress she was making.

for tsireya, this was a joy. while she is the tsakarem, she is a teacher at heart.

ao'nung on the other hand, hated this.

to him, this was a chore. he didn't want to teach or guide anyone through the basics of fishing. but the responsibility had been given to him and he had to honor it. he knew he had to follow through on what was expected of him. even if he resented it.

as his sister spoke, ao'nung's focus drifted. he was barely even listening anymore. he had finished the food he grabbed for himself and now he was just looking around, trying to find something interesting to put his attention on.

his eyes wandered across the gathering when he saw her.

the ta'unui girl, y/n.

she saw across the fire, a few people slightly blocking her from aonung's view but he saw her perfectly. she sat with a young couple and a small child sleeping against her chest. it was sweet but an unusual sight since she was very hostile and proud whenever the two of them interacted.

but what really caught his attention was the bandage wrapped around her forearm.

even from this distance, he could tell it wasn't something his mother had done. it was wrapped unevenly. it was functional, of course. but hardly the work of a tsahìk.

"mom, did a ta'unui girl come to see you earlier?"

"from my group?" tsireya asked, "one of the girls in my group scraped her knee but she was fine."

ao'nung shook his head, "no. from my group. she cut her arm on some coral this morning."

ronal looked at him before answering, "only the young girl from tsireya's group came to see me today."

ao'nung's frown deepened. of course she didn't go.

his gaze returned to y/n as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. it didn't make sense to him. no one ever refused help from his mother. if you were hurt, you went to the tsahìk and that is how things always worked.

but you had chosen to ignore that.

ronal was one of the most respected tsahìks among the reef clans. her skill and guidance were trusted by everyone. even the sully family went to her when they needed help. and yet, this stubborn ta'unui girl decided that she knew better?

he didn't understand it. and that bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

a part of him wanted to be angry. and another part was curious. because what kind of person risked an infection or worse? was it because of pride? and for some reason, he wanted to find out.

“this one is broken again.”

tsireya’s soft voice spoke loud enough for her brother and close friend to hear. her slender turquoise fingers turned the ilu harness over as she examined it.

ao'nung groaned, "i just fixed that two days ago."

the community space was cluttered with all types of ilu and tsurak riding gear. the trio were tasked with cleaning and checking the gear since it was a rainy day and nobody would be out.

ao'nung walked over and took the broken harness from his sister's hand to get a better look at it.

"don't snatch." tsireya said flatly, rolling her eyes at his roughness. he just ignored her.

"it keeps breaking." ao'nung muttered, "why don't we just throw it out?"

"no! i'll just ask someone else to fix it... since you clearly don't know what you're doing."

rotxo let out a quiet laugh from where he was hanging the clean tsurak tacks on the rack to dry.

"y/n might know how to fix it," he said casually, " i can ask her."

"really?" tsireya's face brightened instantly.

ao'nung scoffed, shaking his head, "the only thing y/n knows how to do is get on someone's last nerve."

"she fixed her arm just fine." rotxo pointed out.

"she got lucky. and it was messy. my mom would've done better."

rotxo shrugged, "still did a pretty good job."

tsireya glanced between the two boys, her head tilting slightly, "you don't actually know her, ao'nung."

"i know enough." he replied flatly.

"do you?" she pressed gently, "because it seems like the only reason you're so bothered by her is because she doesn't act like one of your little followers."

ao'nung rolls his eyes, "she's stubborn. and she always refuses help.. like she's too proud or something.

"or maybe she just doesn't trust easily. you gotta remember, she lost her home and her family. this is not easy for her." rotxo says.

tsireya's lips turned into a frown at rotxo's words, "she lost her family?"

"yeah.. i don't know the details because she doesn't talk about it but she told my grandma that she is the only one left. the family she lives with now are just family friends."

for a moment, ao'nung said nothing. the harness in his hands stilled. his fingers, which had been pulling and inspecting the woven fibers, went slack. what rotxo said didn't fit the image he had built of y/n in his head.

"hey," tsireya said, breaking the silence, "we're hanging out with lo'ak and kiri tomorrow. you should invite y/n."

rotxo hesitated, "i mean, i can ask. not promising she'll say yes."

"no harm in asking." tsireya smiled softly as she stood to her feet to continue the job they had gotten distracted from doing.

ao'nung stayed silent for a moment before shaking his head and continuing the task at hand.

the next morning, you stood in your marui gathering everything you needed to fish.

you did a quick scan of the space, checking for anything you might've forgotten, when you felt a presence behind you. you turned just in time to see rotxo standing at the entrance, careful not to step inside.

"oh, hey." you greeted.

"hey... is this a bad time?"

"no. i was just about to go fishing." you said plainly, "did you need something? or did you want to hang out?"

he shook his head, "no- well, kind of. i was actually hoping to ask you something."

you nodded your head, waiting for him to ask what he supposedly came here for.

"one of our ilu harnesses is broken." he explained, "tsireya tried fixing it and ao'nung.. just made it worse."

that earned a brief, snicker from you.

"i told them you might know how to fix it. you know, since you did such a good job with your arm. but if you're busy, it's totally fine. i can just ask someone else."

as he spoke, your eyes wandered down. it was then that you noticed he was holding a bulky piece of gear.

"is that it?" you asked.

rotxo nodded, to which you stretched your arm out. he quickly handed the harness over. you took it from his hands to inspect it. after about a minute, you responded.

"i can fix it. but it won't be done until tomorrow."

rotxo's shoulders visibly relaxed, "that's perfect. thank you."

your lips faintly twitched upwards, "you're welcome."

you turned away, placing the harness beside your personal belongings before reaching your speargun and net. you then headed for the exit.

"i'll see you later?" you said casually.

"wait-" roxto blurted, making you stop in your tracks.

when you didn't say anything, rotxo continued.

"there uh, actually was something else." he scratched the back of his neck, "we're all hanging out after eclipse and i wanted to know if you want to come."

your expression changed immediately. pure confusion. confused as to why he was extending this invite to you. you weren't a very social person and you were almost sure that rotxo was aware of that.

rotxo noticed and hurried to backtrack, "you don't have to! i just thought i'd ask since we're friends."

the silence stretched between you as you stared at him.

"i'll think about it." you finally said.

his smile returned, easy and genuine, "great. we're meeting in the forest if you decide to come."

you nodded once, then stepped past him, leaving him in the marui entrance. as you walked away, rotxo exhaled. as scared as he was to ask, he was relieved that you didn't flat out tell him no.

the rest of your day passed in a familiar rhythm.

you swam with your ilu for a while before finally turning to fishing. once you started, you didn't stop until the net was nearly overflowing with fish. after bringing in your catch with the others, you didn't go straight home.

instead, you climbed the mangroves with ease. settling onto the thick roots with your legs dangling below. you ate a utumauti fruit you'd gathered earlier as you watched the sky turn into a range of different colors as the sun went down for the night.

by the time darkness fully settled over the village, you climbed down and made your way back to your marui.

once inside, you set your gear down near the entrance. you rolled your shoulders to ease the ache in your muscles from the day's work. as you straightened, you noticed nari seated near the center of the marui, a leg extended in front of her. she was pressing a cloth against her calf.

your eyes narrowed slightly as you stepped closer, "what happened?"

nari glanced up, "oh, it's nothing. i accidentally cut myself with sea glass. i was about to see the tsahìk."

you crouched down in front of her without another word, gently taking her wrist and pulling the cloth away to see the injury. the cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to sting and the skin around it was already reddening.

"this isn't bad, i can do it instead. so you do not have to walk all the way over there." you said.

"you don't have to, y/n."

"i know. but i can. come." you beckoned her over to your corner. nari hesitated before carefully scooting over to where you kept your things.

she watched as you carefully moved. you retrieved a bowl of water and the bundle of herbs that you had collected. your heads steady as you cleaned the cut before applying the salve with practiced ease.

"you are very good at this." nari said quietly, the ache in her calf slowly fading.

you didn't look up, "i've had a lot of practice."

a comfortable silence fell over the space as you worked. after a moment, nari spoke again, "sometimes i feel.. guilty."

your hands paused briefly. you looked at nari with questioning eyes.

"you help with koa and now you're helping me with this. it feels like you're always doing something for us." nari swallowed, "and i'm the adult. i should be taking care of you."

"you already did." you answered before grabbing a wrap.

"i did?"

you looked at her once again, "you allowed me into your home. and i am grateful for that."

for a moment, nari didn't speak. her eyes softened as she watched you wrap her calf. she gently placed a hand over yours.

when you pulled back after tying the wrap, her gaze drifted past you to the other things you had.

"what's that?"

you turned to see that she was talking about the broken harness that you agreed to fix when rotxo had brought it earlier.

"rotxo asked me to fix it. it keeps breaking."

nari smiled softly, "he's very fond of you."

"he also invited me to hang out with them today, after eclipse." you mentioned, thinking nothing of telling nari.

her brow bone lifted slightly, "that's right now."

you glanced instinctively toward the opening of the marui, the night sky had taken effect by now.

"i told him i'd think about it but i'm not going." you shook your head.

nari shifted where she sat, careful of the fresh wrap on her leg, "i know none of this has been easy for you, but i think you should go. don't think i haven't noticed that you do everything alone. there is nothing wrong with choosing company, even if it's just for a little while."

you stayed quiet.

"and if you are uncomfortable, you can leave. but at that point, you can say you tried."

that made something in your chest unclench, just slightly.

"...i'll go." you said at last, "for a little while."

nari grinned, happy with your decision. as she reached out to give your hand a reassuring squeeze, her gaze briefly dropped, catching something out of place.

"wait." she said gently.

you paused, looking down as nari scooted closer. her fingers brushed near your hip. she lifted the loose end of your songcord where it had begun to slip from its tie on your loincloth.

you hadn't even noticed it was loose. nari retied it for you quickly, tightening the knot just enough to keep it secure.

"thank you." you said as she pulled her hands away.

"you're welcome. now go, before you change your mind."

you exhaled slowly before rising to your feet. you took one last look at nari, then stepped out of the marui and headed toward the forest.

once you left the netted pathways behind, cool soil greeted your toes. you walked for several minutes, ducking and moving different types of foliage out of your way.

your steps grew slower when you began to hear voices and laughter. you assumed it was rotxo and the others. you easily weaved through the fauna until the forest opened into a small clearing.

it was tucked between the tall plants and thick roots that connected to the mangroves that supported the village. because it was night, it was dark but the bioluminescence provided enough light for you to be able to see.

as you stepped closer, rotxo noticed you first.

his face lit up immediately, "you came."

tsireya turned at his words, her expression brightening the moment she saw you. she rose from where she had been sitting and hurried over, her energy warm and open.

"y/n! i'm glad you're here. i've been wanting to talk to you for so long."

you tilt your head slightly, "really?"

she nods, "yeah, but of course my dad had to put you in my grumpy brothers group instead of mine."

a few feet away, ao'nung shot her a sharp glare as he leaned against a tree. tsireya ignored him like she always does.

"come on," she said, gently pulling you further in, "let me introduce you to everyone."

she stepped aside, revealing two unfamiliar faces.

"this is lo'ak and kiri."

they both looked up and greeted you quietly. you were about to return the traditional gesture when you realized something. their anatomy was vastly different from yours. their darker skin tone, the thinner shape of their arms and tails, even the color of their eyes and texture of their hair were unlike yours. all signs pointed to them being from the forest, not the reef.

but before you could say anything, something dropped down from the trees.

a body landed lightly on the ground, laughter following a second later, "see, i told you guys i could climb all the way up there."

kiri laughed, "monkey boy."

"and that's spider." rotxo added casually.

but you were no longer listening. your gaze was now locked onto this spider person as he finally turned your way.

your breath hitched and your body went still, recognition immediately slamming into you. the mask did nothing to hide it. it was the same pink skin that was present when the sky people invaded your village. the same pink skin that watched as your people were bound and forced to their knees. the same pink skin that let your village burn until nothing remained.

the clearing suddenly felt too small, the air too thick. every sound faded into a dull ringing in your ears.

ao'nung's eyes squinted as he noticed the way your jaw tightened and the mix of emotions that flashed through your eyes. he leaned forward in wary alertness.

rotxo noticed a second later, "y/n? you okay?"

but you didn't acknowledge him. your gaze stayed on the small human in front of you.

"you were there." was all you said.

the clearing went quiet. everyone looked at one another in confusion.

"you were there." you repeated, your voice shaking, "you watched them burn down my village."

spider's breath caught when he realized what you were talking about. his expression morphed from confusion into one filled with saddened guilt. he left the ta'unui feeling utterly defeated that day. he knew there was nothing he could do but he still felt like he could've possibly done more.

"shit- i'm sorry. i tried to stop them."

"no you didn't." you snapped as you took a step forward, "you let them burn down my home. you let them kill my grandfather. you let them-"

the anger levels in your body took control of your muscles as you surged forward. hands caught you before you could reach the human. rotxo grabbing one arm and ao'nung grabbing the other.

you thrashed around in their hold as spider looked at you with guilt written all over his face.

kiri stood abruptly, "that wasn't his fault."

you stopped moving as your head snapped toward her. your gaze flickered between her and lo'ak.

that's when it all clicked.

the forest features and the unfamiliar anatomy were the same on the men that shocked you and demanded the location of the man they were looking for.

"toruk makto.." you said coldly, "you're his children. the reason they came. the reason my home is gone."

lo'ak shook his head, "that's not-"

"your father," you interrupted, "your family is the reason i have nothing left."

"y/n that's not fair, it's not their fault." rotxo tried reasoning with you.

but the raw anguish had already consumed you and you were beyond reasoning with. all the emotions you were bottling up had finally come pouring out.

you lunged forward again. ao'nung tightened his grip, pulling you back against his chest.

"y/n stop."

"let go!"

everyone could hear the sheer emotional pain in your voice. you twisted violently, ripping yourself from his gasp. your chest heaved as you stared at them. at spider and the sully children. you could see it, the pure caution in their eyes as they stared back at you. before leaving, you bared your teeth in a loud, feral hiss.

once you were gone, no one spoke for a few minutes.

ao'nung exhaled slowly as his gaze dropped to the ground. and that's when he saw it.

a colorful piece of thread with trinkets tied to it laid in the dirt near where you had stood moments ago. he bent down and picked it up.

it was a songcord. more specifically, it was your songcord.

he stared at it in silence as the weight of what had just happened settled heavily over the group.

it had been a few hours by the time the group finally returned to the village.

rotxo had thought about going after you but ultimately decided against it. he knew you didn't want to be followed and he wanted to give you the space you needed.

ao'nung on the other hand, still had your songcord.

instead of going straight home with tsireya, he muttered something about having something to take care of first. she didn't question him. lo'ak, however, took the opportunity to walk her home. their fingers connected as they interlocked them. the physical touch being nothing new to them.

ao'nung gagged exaggeratedly as the overly sweet pair passed him.

when he finally reached your marui, ao'nung stopped just outside the entrance. he stood there longer than he meant to. his weight shifting, suddenly unsure of himself. he had seen you angry before, mostly at him. tonight had been different. that wasn't just anger. that was grief. raw and unfiltered grief that you hadn't dealt with yet.

you had mentioned losing your grandfather. that was news to ao'nung. you were always vague about your past and according to rotxo, you weren't fond of talking about it. but tonight it seemed like you lost all composure.

ao’nung cleared his throat before stepping inside, just enough to announce his presence.

instead of you, he was met with nari and omatu who were taking out their hammocks, getting ready to rest their eyes for the night. but you were nowhere in sight.

"oh. hi aonung." nari said, surprised, "we weren't expecting you."

"hi.. do you know where y/n is?"

nari shook her head, "no. wasn't she with you and rotxo?"

ao'nung exhaled, "she left early."

"well she hasn't come back yet."

ao'nung nodded once. he didn't know what to say next. he shifted his weight as his fingers tightened around the songcord before he lowered his arm.

"can you tell her i stopped by?" he finally said after a moment.

"i will." nari promised.

ao'nung quickly turned to leave before she could ask why.

as he walked away, the village felt quieter than before. his thoughts kept circling back to the clearing. from the way your voice had cracked to the fury in your eyes.

he glanced down at the songcord again. he shouldn't still have it. he could have left it with nari. and yet, he kept walking away from your marui.

ao’nung slipped out of his marui with practiced ease.

the village was asleep. the deep navy blue sky stretched overhead, and the bioluminescence lit both the sea and forest. a cool, gentle breeze blew through the vacant woven walkways and ao'nung followed it quietly toward the beach. this wasn't his first time sneaking out and it definitely won't be the last.

he was meeting his friends koro, kalen, and ongu further down the beach. they liked going on night swims past the reef when everyone was asleep and no one was around to see them. during the day, ao'nung had to play a role: the perfect son, the future olo'eyktan.

tsireya handled being tsakarem with effortless grace. she was the golden child, always doing exactly what ronal and tonowari expected of her and more. even after lo'ak arrived and disrupted everything, she still tried to please them. ao'nung, on the other hand, cared about his future duties... just not in the same way.

he liked the authority, attention, and respect that came with his name. but right now, he only cared about being young. he wanted all the advantages that came with youth. the freedom and the fun before he had to settle down and get serious about the responsibilities that would soon be his.

so on certain nights, he would meet up with his friends for a late night swim away from the prying eyes of others.

as ao'nung descended toward the shoreline, he slowed.

a lone figure sat atop a large basalt boulder near the water's edge. from where he stood, he could only see their back, knees drawn to their chest. the posture was still and closed off.

but he recognized that low bun instantly.

you.

it had been a few days since what happened in the forest. ao'nung hadn't seen much of you since then, which wasn't surprising. it was obvious that you weren't a fan of crowds or gatherings to begin with. but even rotxo had mentioned that he hadn't spoken to you. since you were out of sight and out of mind, ao'nung had forgotten about you and the songcord altogether.

ao'nung fully stopped now, watching you from a distance. you sat alone on the dark rock, staring out at the tide as it rolled in and out, over and over again.

a part of him wanted to approach you. ask why you were out here so late, when you should be in your marui, asleep.

and for a moment, he considered it.

then he remembered his friends and how they'd leave without him if he wasn't there on time. so instead, he pretended like he hadn't seen you at all.

ao'nung resumed walking toward their usual meeting spot, casting one last glance over his shoulder at the unmoving figure on the rock. then he turned and continued down the beach.

by the time the sun had risen again, ao'nung was back in his family marui fast asleep. it had been another successful night without being detected.

the day unfolded like any other. he went freediving with rotxo and tsireya, the familiar rhythm grounding him. tsireya, as always, left early. her duties as tsakarem never allowed to stay long.

the day continued like normal, ao'nung went freediving with both rotxo and tsireya as usual. since tsireya had duties of tsakarem, she never stayed the entire time. ao'nung was used to it so he barely even noticed.

when evening came and eclipse slowly crept its way in, the two boys guided their ilu's back toward the village so they wouldn't be late for communal dinner.

ao'nung steered his ilu into the shallows with ease, disconnecting their kuru's and slipping off of the animal. he reached over, loosening the harness before detaching it. he ran as a steady hand along the ilu's neck before letting it swim away.

rotxo surfaced beside him moments later, mirroring his movements almost exactly. neither of them spoke as they headed toward the communal racks.

when they arrived, ao'nung effortlessly slung his harness on the carved tree bark without a second thought.

rotxo, however, hesitated.

"what?" ao'nung asked, glancing over when he noticed his friend's pause.

rotxo pointed to an empty spot along the rack, "the harness. the one that kept breaking, we usually kept it there."

"so?"

rotxo sighed, "i asked y/n if she could fix it since you couldn't. she said she would but that was before what happened. so i don't know if she's still planning on it. and i'm not gonna show up at her marui. i'm pretty sure my face is the last thing she wants to see right now."

ao'nung didn't even think for a moment before responding, "she'll fix it."

rotxo blinked and turned toward him slowly. “are you… making excuses for y/n now?” a grin tugged at his mouth, “you feeling alright?”

ao'nung rolled his eyes, "yeah, whatever skxawng. let's go."

he reached out a ruffled rotxo's hair as he passed. rotxo laughed, shoving him away playfully before following.

as they left the space, ao'nung's gaze unintentionally drifted back to the empty space of the rack.

dinner passed in a blur.

ao’nung sat with his family like he always did, surrounded by voices and laughter. the smell of roasted fish and vegetables filled the air.

tsireya talked animatedly beside him, recounting small details from her day. their parents listening and nodding occasionally.

ao’nung spoke when spoken to but mostly ate his food in silence. his mind was elsewhere at the moment.

ever since rotxo had brought you up in their earlier conversation, his thoughts now contained memories of that night in the forest.

the way the moment had gone from chill to tense instantly. ao’nung had seen anger before. he had been angry before. but that was something else entirely. it was grief and fury in its purest form.

his jaw tightened as he chewed, appetite fading. he forced himself to finish anyway. leaving any food behind would only earn him a look from his mother, and he wasn't in the mood for that.

when dinner finally ended, ao'nung rose with the others and followed the familiar path back to his marui.

at this point, the village had begun to settle. lights around the village started to dim and the lively energy died down as families prepared to rest.

ao'nung pulled his hammock out and got ready to sleep along with the rest of his family. he went through the motions but when it was finally time to fall into a slumber, it never came.

he shifted to his side, then onto his back again. no position felt comfortable and his thoughts also refused to settle. they just kept circling the same moments over and over no matter how hard he tried to push them away.

ao'nung exhaled through his nose and brought an arm up, resting it over his face. he didn't know. he didn't know you lost everything. it was one thing to lose your family but now knowing you lost everything you once had, the way he first treated you sat like an uncomfortable pressure in his chest.

with a frustrated huff, he went to roll onto his side again. it was then that his fingers brushed against the thread tied securely to his hip.

his songcord.

the familiar texture grounded him for a moment. he knew his songcord like the back of is hand. he could blindly recount each piece and what they mean. it was his story, and he was proud of his story.

but as he fiddled with his own songcord, he suddenly remembered that there was another songcord in his possession... one that wasn't his.

ao'nung sat up, looking around the marui to see his family sleeping soundly. he carefully got up and approached the area with his belongings. he quickly moved a few things around before seeing the songcord. it was less decorated than his but you couldn't mistake a songcord for anything else.

ao'nung stared at it in the darkness for a moment before standing to his feet and exiting the marui.

the village was quiet, just like the night before. a light breeze swept through the air, brushing against ao'nung's skin as he moved. the bioluminescence along the reef lit up the world in beautiful vibrant shades. even the syuratan along his own body shimmered faintly, adding to the beauty of the night.

he moved with urgency. or at least, it must have looked that way. in truth, he wasn't certain he was doing the right thing. for starters, he wasn't sure you would even be where he was headed.

bare feet sank into damn grains of sand as he left the woven pathways behind and stepped fully onto the beach. and there you were, exactly where he had seen you the night before.

you sat in the same position, knees drawn to your chest as you stared out at the water.

ao’nung slowed without realizing it. for a moment, he considered turning back and letting you keep your solitude. but after a few more seconds of watching you sit there, unmoving, he shook his head and continued forward.

the soft patter of footsteps against stone made your ears flick. your hand immediately went to your knife as you turned, body coiled and ready to attack the unknown.

but instead of an unknown threat, you were met with ao'nung standing there with his hands up in surrender.

“i come in peace,” he said calmly, as if he’d expected that reaction.

you squinted at him, head tilting slightly as confusion crossed your face.

“can i sit?” he asked.

after a beat, you reluctantly shifted over, offering him space without a word. ao’nung lowered himself onto the rock beside you, careful not to invade your space too much.

"it's late." you muttered, sliding your knife back into its sheath, "you should be asleep."

"yeah, so should you." he replied quietly.

your gaze flickered to him for half a second before returning to the water. silence stretched between you.

"couldn't sleep," you said flatly.

ao'nung took the opportunity to really look at you.

you now sat with your legs crossed, but your posture was different. shoulders slumped and folded inward. exhaustion was etched plainly across your features. your bun was still tied low, but it wasn’t sleek or neat. loose curls had slipped free, framing your face, flyaways lifted gently by the breeze. it looked like you hadn’t bothered fixing it, like you hadn’t had the energy to care.

he wondered how long it had been since you’d slept. and whether it was by choice.

"for how long?" he asked.

you turned sharply, "why are you here?"

ao’nung didn’t answer right away. instead, he extended his hand.

"you dropped this."

your eyes followed the movement, landing on the songcord coiled in his palm.

for a second, you didn't react at all.

then, softly, almost to yourself, you said, “i didn’t even realize it was gone.”

ao’nung watched your fingers slowly close around the songcord as you took it from his hand. you turned it over once, thumb brushing along the woven fibers.

“i meant to give it back sooner,” he said, voice low, "i stopped by your marui but you weren't there. told nari to tell you i stopped by but she probably just forgot."

you hummed under your breath. “i probably wouldn’t have cared even if i did notice it was gone.”

that made him frown softly, “why not?”

your grip tightened slightly.

"because everything on it is from a place that doesn't exist anymore. every bead, every knot. it came from my village. from my family," you voice lowered, "so what does it matter if i lose it too?"

ao’nung stilled.

you exhaled, slow and controlled, “it’s just proof of what i've lost... everything."

“that’s not true,” ao’nung said.

"don't."

“i’m not trying to pity you,” he added quickly. “i'm just saying that losing where you come from doesn’t erase it. and it doesn’t mean you’re the only one who’s lost something.”

your jaw tightened. “you’re defending them.”

“i’m not,” he said. “but i am saying it's not their fault."

"they were the reason it happened. my grandfather died watching our home burn. i sat there and watched him take his last breath, all because we didn't know where toruk makto was. so tell me how i'm supposed to separate that."

"they lost their home too y/n. they had to leave the forest in order to come here. and they lost their brother to the same hands you lost your grandfather. and i... i lost a friend."

that stopped you.

you looked at him like you were seeing him for the first time. not the loud, arrogant son of the olo’eyktan, not the boy who ordered you around just because he could. but someone who understood your loss in a way you hadn’t expected.

"i understand your grief, we all do." he continued, "and i know i don't get to tell you how to feel. but you're angry at the wrong people. we all share the same enemy."

you turned back toward the water, shoulders slumping as the anger bled out of you, leaving only exhaustion behind.

you looked at the songcord in your hands once again, "how'd you know i was here?"

"saw you here last night when i was sneaking out." ao'nung explained.

you shifted on the rock, drawing one knee up again as you stared out at the dark water.

“i sit out here when I can’t sleep,” you said after a moment. “it’s better than laying there and staring at the ceiling all night.”

neither of you spoke after that. the silence wasn’t heavy this time. the tide rolled in and out beneath the rock, steady and patient.

after a while, you glanced at him.

“thank you." you said.

the gratitude was brief, but ao'nung could tell it wasn't just for the songcord.

he blinked before shrugging, like it wasn't a big deal.

"you're welcome." he stifled a yawn immediately after, rubbing a hand over his face.

you huffed softly. “you should go home.”

“probably,” he admitted.

he stood, brushing sand from his hands before pausing. he looked down at you, expression serious in a way you hadn’t seen before.

“at least try to sleep,” he said. “even if it’s just for a little while."

“i'll try." it wasn't a promise but you weren't brushing his words off either.

that seemed to satisfy him enough. ao’nung turned and started back toward the village. you watched his figure slowly retreat until he was out of view.

when you faced forward again, the breath you let out wasn't a heavy one, and you weren’t entirely sure why.

the morning passed quietly as the rhythmic hum of a traditional ta'unui tune drifted from your lips, steady and familiar, grounding you as your hands worked.

you sat just outside your marui, legs folded beneath you, the broken ilu harness spread carefully across your lap. the same one rotxo had asked you to fix some time ago.

you had meant to do it sooner. but after your unexpected run in with the sullys, fixing the harness had been the last thing on your mind. instead, you kept yourself busy with anything you could find, filling your days with small tasks so you wouldn't have to think about that night and how you let your feelings pour out.

it wasn't until your conversation with ao'nung the night before that you finally allowed yourself to slow down. you figured it was time to fulfill the promise you made to your friend.

you adjusted the woven fibers on the harness, exactly how you were taught by your family. it took longer than expected, but by the time you finished, the harness felt solid beneath your hands. you slung the harness over your shoulder before standing and walking back into your marui.

it was still fairly early, the majority of the village still not having woken up. you were used to it, though. being that you haven't gone to sleep to begin with.

as you were putting the harness with your things, a soft cry broke the quiet.

your head turned immediately toward koa's bassinet. he was stirring as his face scrunched uncomfortably. you crossed the marui in a few quiet steps, crouching beside him.

"hey," you murmured softly, brushing your thumb along his cheek, "it's okay."

the simple sight of your face and the sound of your voice was enough to calm him a little. his cries fading into quiet whimpers as you carefully lifted him into your arms. he settled almost instantly, tiny fingers gripping the fabric of your top.

you swayed gently, humming the same ta'unui tune under your breath. his breathing evened out, warm and steady.

it didn't take long before his eyes fluttered shut again. for a moment, you just stood there, holding him.

it was strange how natural it felt. you never thought of yourself being good with kids. but somehow, you found yourself caring a great deal for koa. and he seemed to be extremely comfortable with you.

you cautiously eased him back into the bassinet, wrapping his blanket around him. only once you were sure he was asleep again did you straighten, quietly gathering your things.

the scent of food reached your nose before you even stepped inside the marui that belonged to rotxo and his grandmother.

when you entered, you were met with the sight of mei'alu crouched near the center, grinding ingredients in a shallow bowl. beside her, the cooking shell rested over a small but steady fire.

the smoke curled upwards, traveling through the home and drifting into the open air outside.

mei'alu did not look up right away.

it wasn't until you spoke and made your presence known.

"oel ngati kameie, mei'alu." you greeted softly, pressing your fingers to your forehead before lowering them in a proper, traditional gesture.

mei'alu's hands stilled for a moment before she lifted her head. her eyes softened immediately when they found you.

"ah," she hummed, "oel ngati kameie, 'eveng."

you stepped inside fully. the marui felt warmer than the morning air outside, the fire casting a soft orange glow against the curved woven walls. the scent of crushed herbs wrapped around you, feeling both familiar and comforting.

“i assume you are here for my grandson.” mei’alu said knowingly.

you nod, “yeah. i came to give him something."

“he will return soon. i sent him to fetch some water.” she motioned for you to sit. “come.”

you set the harness down carefully before kneeling beside her. moments later, she placed a board in front of you, a large root vegetable resting on it.

“mince this.” mei’alu instructed.

you drew your knife from its sheath and began working, slicing the vegetable into even cubes before finely mincing them with steady precision.

the older woman beside you glanced over, a pleased hum escaping her throat. she was far more accustomed to rotxo’s uneven, rushed attempts at slicing and crushing ingredients.

when you finished, mei'alu nodded toward the simmering pot, "put it in the stew.”

you gathered the finely minced vegetable and scraped it carefully into the mushroom broth. the scent shifted immediately as it hit the heat, earthy and rich.

you picked up the wooden spoon and stirred, folding the new ingredient into the stew with patience, even movements. the liquid thickened slightly beneath your hand.

“slowly,” she reminded.

mei’alu watched you for a moment, her sharp eyes taking in more than just your technique.

“you look tired,” she observed.

you didn’t pause your stirring. “i am fine.”

“that is not what i said.”

your grip on the spoon tightened just slightly.

"i just woke up early." you added after a moment.

mei'alu made a quiet sound, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to press further.

just then, footsteps sounded outside the marui.

rotxo ducked through the entrance first, a woven water pouch slung over his shoulder. he stopped short the moment he saw you kneeling beside the fire, spoon in hand.

his eyes moved from you, to his grandmother, then back to you.

“you’re… cooking?”

“helping,” you corrected calmly.

behind him, ao’nung stepped inside. he paused at the sight of you as well.

his gaze swept over the scene. you held his gaze for only a second before you placed your focusing back on the pot.

mei’alu finally stood, satisfied with the preparations. “good. you are back. set the water down, the food is ready."

the two teenagers blinked at you once more before obeying.

by the time the stew was finished, the four of you had settled into a loose circle around the fire. mei’alu served each of you without fuss, pressing bowls into waiting hands. when she handed yours over, she gave you a pointed look.

“eat,” she said simply.

for a while, the only sound in the marui was the crackling of the fire and the quiet rhythm of soup meeting lips.

rotxo’s gaze drifted toward the entrance, stopping on the harness. he leaned slightly, squinting.

“…is that-”

"i fixed it." you said before he could finish.

a few feet away, you could feel ao'nung's eyes flickering to you.

when you finally glanced up, your gaze met his for half a second. before a conclusion was drawn from this eye contact, the two both of you looked away.

soon, the meal ended and the four of you began cleaning up. even though you finished cleaning the utensils that were used, rotxo and ao'nung kept getting berated by mei'alu when they didn't put things away in the way she wanted.

you hid your smile as you stepped out of the marui.

the air was lighter now, the sun didn't feel as hot as it did earlier in the day. you lowered yourself onto the edge of the walkway, letting your legs dangle.

for a moment, you just sat there, staring down at the water. you could see the small and medium sized fish swimming around freely. this gave you both a peaceful and calming feeling.

behind you, footsteps approached. you didn't turn as the person lowered themselves beside you. a small silence stretched between you, the water moving lazily beneath your feet.

“i wasn’t sure you’d still fix it.” rotxo said finally.

“i said i would.” your replied, your gaze remained on the water under you.

“that’s not what i meant.”

a quiet sigh left your lips. after a moment, you lifted your head and looked at him.

“i shouldn’t have left like that." you admitted softly. “or said what i did.”

rotxo shook his head immediately, “i should’ve told you who was going to be there. that’s on me.”

“still, i definitely could’ve handled it better though.”

“you were hurt.” he replied, “they, out of all people, understand that.”

you sighed, "yeah, i get that now."

the words lingered between you as a comfortable silence settled again.

“i appreciate you fixing and bringing the harness." rotxo broke the silence.

"i felt bad. so i wanted to apologize for taking so long… and basically ignoring you.”

“it’s all good.”

you glanced at him. “really?”

“yeah.” he nudged your shoulder lightly with his. “besides… you’re kinda stuck with me now.”

a breath of laughter slipped from you before you could stop it. then, another set of footsteps approached.

“bro.”

it was ao’nung’s voice.

both of you turned this time.

he stepped out onto the walkway, the repaired harness casually slung over his shoulder. his expression neutral as he got closer.

“mei'alu told me to come get you, she needs your help with something."

rotxo stood, brushing his hands along his thighs. “don’t fight while i'm gone.” he teased before heading back inside.

the silence returned, thicker this time. ao’nung remained standing for a moment longer before stepping forward. he lowered himself into rotxo’s vacated spot beside you.

he pulled the harness from his shoulder, turning it over in his hands as his fingers traced the reinforced binding.

"you fixed it better than i did."

you looked over at him, “honestly, i think you just kept making it worse."

ao’nung exhaled softly through his nose, something close to amusement slipping through. “that sounds more accurate.”

for a moment, neither of you spoke.

you looked back toward the water before speaking again.

“i probably wouldn’t have fixed it without you, though.”

his gaze shifted to you immediately.

"what?"

you hesitated. not because you didn't mean it, but because saying it out loud meant admitting it.

"after our talk," you began, quieter now, "i realized that i was blaming the wrong people. i was so angry at them and even though i didn't admit it... i was angry at rotxo too. but none of them deserved that. you were right, we all have the same enemy."

ao’nung’s jaw shifted slightly as he looked at you.

"i wasn't trying to prove anything, by the way." he said after a moment.

"i know. you just helped me see it from a different perspective."

and this time, when your eyes met, neither of you looked away too quickly.

the moment stretched as the two of you just sat in one another's presence. a harsh contrast to a few weeks ago, where the silence would have been replaced with an argument.

your clashing personalities had led to a mutual misunderstanding. but now, it seemed like you and ao'nung had finally found some common ground.

“so,” you said, breaking it, “you said something else last night.”

ao’nung’s brow lifted slightly. “yeah? and what was that?"

“when i asked how you knew i was out there,” you continued, “you said you saw me when you were sneaking out.”

he didn't react immediately, just letting you finish voicing your thoughts first.

“why were you sneaking out?” you asked.

ao’nung leaned back on his hands, gaze drifting toward the horizon.

“i meet up with my friends,” he confirmed. “once a week, we swim past the reef.”

your eyes narrowed slightly, "past the reef?"

"it's fun to get away from the village for a little bit, especially at night. my parents would kill me if they knew so we sneak out."

"does rotxo go too?"

ao'nung shook his head, "we invited him the first night. mei'alu caught him before we could leave and he was grounded for like two weeks."

the memory caused him to laugh. only something like that would happen to rotxo of all people. and you could absolutely see that occurring.

"when's your next meetup?" you asked.

"next week, why?"

"can i come?"

ao'nung blinked, "really?"

"yeah, why not"

"it's not exactly... safe." he warned.

“you think i don’t know that?” you shot back.

“if you think you can keep up with us,” he said, a challenge threading through his tone, “you can come.”

you tilted your head slightly, "oh, i think we both know the answer to that.”

that earned an amused scoff from him.

"alright, i'll meet you by your rock in a few days."

you nodded once. a comfortable silence settled between you again. that was, until rotxo came out to join you.

you felt slightly different, actually having something to look forward to.

the basalt rock stood where it always did, dark against the clear blue water.

eclipse had long since passed, and the woven walkways laid empty beneath the glow of bioluminescence. the sea hummed softly against the shore, steady and endless.

you sat atop the flat surface. legs crossed as your eyes fluttered closed. rolling your shoulders, stretching out the lingering aches from the day.

most nights when sleep refused to come, you sat on the rock and meditated. it helped ease your mind, so you wouldn't go insane. it was exhausting being so tired and still unable to sleep. you missed when rest came easily.

when you finally opened your eyes again, you let out a slow breath. you stared out, awaiting ao'nung's arrival.

for a fleeting moment, doubt slipped in.

what if he didn’t come?

ao’nung was many things. proud, stubborn, and definitely infuriating at times. but unreliable had never seemed to be one of them. but still, your brain wandered into that possibility.

your thoughts barely had time to spiral before a low, sharp yip cut through the night air. the sound caused you to turn your head.

ao’nung stood on the sand below, tilting his head, a silent motion for you to come down.

and you did, standing from your seated position and not stopping your movements until you were right in front of him.

"you ready?" he asked.

you nodded and the two of you were on your way.

"do your irritating friends know i'm coming along?" you found yourself asking.

ao'nung shook his head, "nah... but they're cool."

"they thought koa was my child." you deadpanned, "and rotxo said he doesn't really like them."

"they're just not rotxo's crowd. so i keep them separate. but you should be good. if anything, they're probably scared of you."

and even if you didn't say it out loud, the thought of ao'nung's annoying friends being slightly afraid actually swelled you with pride.

ao’nung slowed slightly as the meeting spot came into view. male voices conversing and laughing carried through the air. as you got closer, you could finally make out the three figures at the shoreline.

koro was the first to notice the new individual arriving with his friend. he straightened immediately as you got closer.

“…why is she here?” he asked flatly.

kalen turned next, eyes widening in surprise. ongu couldn't help the way his face scrunched up as the two of you approached.

“relax,” ao’nung said casually, stepping forward like this was the most normal thing in the world. “she’s with me.”

“with you?” koro repeated, confused.

“yes, she's coming.” ao’nung replied.

an awkward silence followed. the three teenage boys just staring at you in confusion. to their knowledge, you and ao'nung couldn't stand one another. so what changed and more specifically, when?

"behave and we won't have a problem." was all you said as you stared at all of them.

kalen clapped his hands once, “fine. less talking. hope you can keep up, headache."

koro and ongu snickered at that. the nickname 'headache', calling back to what ao'nung used to refer to you as when you first joined his group.

you rolled your eyes, not even entertaining his statement. you were more comfortable with just showing them up in the water instead of verbally responding.

after mounting your ilus, you slipped into the water, disappearing beneath the surface.

together, the five of you swam past the reef, the village lights faded behind you as you were swallowed by the open ocean.

out here, the world felt much bigger.

schools of hammerbrow fish split around your group as you cut through the water. trails of bioluminescence followed in your wake, as if the sea itself was tracing your movements.

the five of you raced aimlessly, laughter and muffled shouts echoing through the water.

koro whooped loudly as he surged forward, the sound distorted beneath the waves but his excitement was obvious. ongu lingered further behind, more interested in atmosphere than actually winning.

kalen, on the other hand, was determined. he banked sharply left, his ilu twisting effortlessly as he tried to gain speed.

but you and ao’nung were already ahead. his ilu stayed just a few inches in front of yours, the two creatures cutting through the water side by side.

your ilu spun smoothly beneath him and surged forward again. in one swift movement, you shot ahead.

by the time you all finally slowed, it was clear who had won. the five of you surfaced together, breathing hard as the dark ocean stretched endlessly around you.

"not bad, headache." koro joked.

you rolled your eyes, though this time the gesture carried far less attitude than before.

you pushed a few loose strands of hair back into your bun while the boys started arguing about who had actually come in second place.

for the first time in what felt like forever, your chest felt light. you felt at peace.

but like everything else in life, moments like this didn’t last.

your ilu suddenly chirped beneath you.

your brow bone furrowed as her body shifted uneasily in the water, fins beating in short, restless motions. through the bond, you felt the nervousness.

“easy, girl,” you murmured, running a hand along her neck.

her response came instantly as she dove underwater. the sudden movement forced your gaze downward into the glowing depths below.

at first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

then, you noticed the faint movement of creatures moving towards the surface. your eyes narrowed as you tried to make them out through the dark water.

as they got closer the bioluminescence helped your vision as you finally realized what they were. and once you did, your heart dropped.

you broke the surface immediately to warn the boys.

“tsyong!” you shouted.

the reaction was immediate.

“go!” ao'nung barked.

your ilus surged forward, diving beneath the surface without needing to be told twice. powerful fins cut through the dark water as the five of you raced toward the distant glow of the reef.

behind you, three tsyong tore through the ocean in pursuit. they moved with terrifying speed, their massive bodies slicing through the water as they quickly began closing the distance.

you already knew there was no escaping this without a fight. there was no outrunning them and definitely no tiring them out.

as you swam, your fingers found the handle of your knife. you pulled it free from its sheath and glanced over your shoulder.

and just as you expected, one of the predators was directly on your tail.

ahead of you was a colony of dense coral. a quick plan formed in your mind as you approached it. there was no time to question whether it would work.

it was now or never.

you angled your ilu sharply and shot toward a narrow opening between the jagged coral. your body pressed low against the saddle as you slipped through the gap.

your ilu cleared it easily. the tsyong, however, did not.

the creature lunged after you without hesitation, but its large body got wedged between the rough coral walls.

it thrashed violently, struggling to free itself.

you circled back without wasting a second.

as the predator fought against the coral, you surged forward and drove your knife straight into its eye.

the thrashing stopped almost instantly as dark blood clouded the water. you almost felt relieved but you knew the attack was far from over.

ahead of you, the second tsyong had already locked onto the others.

but unlike you, the boys had numbers on their side.

koro glanced back once before signaling with a sharp flick of his hand. the three teens split immediately.

kalen swerved sharply to the left while ongu dove downward. koro continued to swim straight. the tsyong hesitated for half a second before following after koro.

koro urged his ilu faster, weaving through all the wildlife swiftly as the creature stretched out its tentacles, eagerly waiting to catch him.

suddenly, kalen struck first. he surged in from the side, driving his knife deep into the predator’s flesh before darting away. the tsyong wailed in pain, twisting harshly as it tried to turn on its new attacker.

ongu then rushed in from below, slashing its underside. his ilu followed the strike immediately, clamping its powerful jaws onto the wounded flesh.

koro wheeled his ilu around and charged into the fight. all three of them began to strike all at once. within seconds, the wounded creature faltered and its movements slowed.

the three boys backed away, letting the creature sink, drifting lifelessly toward the ocean floor.

as you retracted your knife from the creature, you felt something dart past you. your head snapped toward it instantly.

an ilu.

riderless.

your eyes widened as the realization hit. something was wrong.

without hesitating, you turned your own ilu and followed the path it had come from.

it didn’t take long, only a few seconds before the sight ahead made your heart sink.

ao’nung.

and the third tsyong.

the predator’s long tentacles were wrapped tightly around his torso, dragging him closer to its awaiting jaws.

the barbed limbs constricted around him as the creature pulled him in. the two hooked claws inside its mouth snapped open, ready to tear into him.

the claws raked across his side, sinking into the teenager's flesh. his scream was muffled by the water as blood spilled into the ocean around them.

but ao’nung didn’t stop fighting.

even through the pain, he dragged his knife free and began hacking at the thick limbs coiled around him, slicing desperately at the tentacles constricting his body.

you didn’t waste another second. disconnecting from your ilu, you pushed forward through the water, knife already clenched in your hand as you surged toward them.

ao’nung’s movements were slowing by the time you reached him.

before the tsyong could even notice your presence, you drove your knife straight into its eye like you did to the other one a few moments ago.

the creature convulsed aggressively.

but you didn’t stop.

you struck again.

and again.

the blade plunged deep into the ruined socket as the predator thrashed in blind panic. dark blood flooded the water, and the tentacles finally went slack, loosening their grip around ao’nung’s body.

the creature drifted downward into the darkness.

but you didn’t have time to watch it fall. all your attention was on ao'nung.

he was barely conscious when you reached him. one hand weakly pressed against the wound along his side as blood seeped through his fingers.

you called for your ilu as you grabbed hold of him, pulling his arm over your shoulders to keep him afloat.

the animal responded immediately, swimming back toward you. you made tsaheylu quickly, steadying yourself as you held ao’nung against you and urged the ilu toward the surface.

his body was already going limp in your arms.

your heart pounded as you continued to swim upward. the moment you broke the surface, you sucked in a desperate breath and screamed across the dark water.

your voice carried across the ocean as you called for his friends. or anyone in this instance.

your distressed screams ended in success when kalen, koro, and ongu came racing toward you within seconds.

the moment they reached you, their expressions shifted from confusion to horror. ao’nung’s body sagged heavily against you, blood staining the water around his side.

koro’s eyes widened as he grabbed ao’nung’s other arm to help keep him upright.

“what happened?” kalen demanded.

“tsyong,” you said quickly, breath still uneven. “he's losing blood, we have to get him to the village, now."

the boys exchanged alarmed looks and koro swore under his breath. without another word they turned their ilus toward the reef, panic creeping into their movements as they pushed forward through the water.

but as the glowing outline of the reef drew closer, their speed began to falter. reality hit them all at once.

“we can't bring him to the tsahìk like this." ongu said suddenly.

koro grimaced, "we'll get in serious trouble."

they all knew what that meant. sneaking past the reef, night swimming, and disobeying the clan's rules. all of it would cause bringing great shame to their families.

"bro we can't let him bleed out!" kalen snapped.

their arguing only grew louder until you tightened your grip on ao’nung and cut through the panic.

“i can help him,” you said firmly. “we don’t need the tsahìk.”

all three boys turned toward you at once.

"what-"

"we don't have time."

you quickly directed them toward the basalt rock along the shore.

“that rock,” you clarified, “take him there and wait for me."

once the water grew shallow enough, you disconnected from your ilu. the moment your feet hit sand, you broke into a full sprint toward your marui.

the run to your home felt longer than it actually was. your bare feet barely touched the woven walkways as you cut through the sleeping village. your heart pounding as you pushed yourself faster.

when you reached your marui, you slipped inside as quietly as you could despite your racing heartbeat.

nari and omati slept soundly in their shared hammock, their slow breathing steady and undisturbed. koa rested in his bassinet nearby, small chest rising and falling peacefully.

your eyes immediately moved to the corner where your supplies were kept. you dropped to your knees and began gathering what you needed with quick, practiced movements.

for a brief moment your eyes flicked toward koa. he shifted slightly in his sleep, small fingers curling against the blanket wrapped around him. you hesitated only long enough to make sure he hadn’t woken.

you then slipped back out of the marui, immediately breaking into a run again. the ocean air hitting your face as you rushed back toward the shore.

by the time the basalt rock came into view, your lungs burned and your legs ached. but you didn’t dare slow down.

koro, kalen, and ongu were gathered on the flat surface, crowded around their now unconscious friend. panic rippled through them the moment they saw you approaching.

“hurry!” kalen shouted.

you didn’t slow down until you reached them. dropping to your knees beside ao’nung, you quickly took in the sight before you. he had been laid slumped against the stone while kalen pressed both hands against the wound, desperately trying to slow the bleeding.

your stomach twisted at the sight.

but your hands were already moving. you opened your satchel and began pulling out the supplies.

"move your hands." you told kalen.

he hesitated for only a second before doing as you said.

the four of you looked down at the deep gashes carved across ao’nung’s abdomen.

koro frowned. “you know how to treat that?”

"yes." you replied without hesitation, "now stop talking."

the next several minutes passed in a blur.

the boys watched in tense silence as you worked, using everything you had brought with you. your movements were quick and practiced as you cleaned the wound. you lathered a few leaves with a healing paste before pressing them against the gashes.

finally, you wrapped a clean strip of cloth tightly around his torso, securing everything firmly in place.

only when you finished did you lean back slightly, assessing your work.

you watched as his breathing had begun to steady.

“he’ll be fine,” you said quietly.

for a moment they stood there awkwardly, shifting their weight as if unsure what to do next.

then koro cleared his throat, “…thank you."

you nodded once in acknowledgment.

another silence followed before kalen glanced back toward the marui's.

“we should probably get back,” he muttered.

ongu immediately stiffened. “what about him?”

kalen gestured toward the sleeping boy. “he’s not exactly going anywhere right now.”

all three of them then looked at you. and you understood the unspoken question.

“i’ll stay with him,” you said.

they thanked you one more time before leaving. you watched as their retreating bodies returned to the village to sneak back into their homes, minds at ease from knowing that one of their oldest friends was going to be okay.

once they were gone, the air fell quiet again.

you turned your attention back to ao'nung. he hadn’t stirred. his chest rose and fell slowly beneath the bandages you had wrapped around his torso. carefully, you shifted closer and adjusted the bandage slightly, making sure it stayed tight enough.

when you were satisfied with how it looked, you sat back against the smooth stone.

you then leaned back, resting your palms against the rock behind you, a small sigh escaping you.

the night had grown calmer now, the ocean stretching endlessly under the soft glow of bioluminescence. gentle waves lapped against the base of the basalt rock, the sound steady and soothing.

the adrenaline of the night finally settled into your muscles, and the exhaustion hit all at once.

you rubbed at your eyes, stifling a quiet yawn as you shifted beside ao’nung.

for the first time in a while, your mind felt strangely quiet.

and before you even realized it, sleep finally came.

i hope you all enjoy this chapter, i took a small semi-break from my socials bc i was feeling depressed but i think i'm back.