Chapter Text
Aonung smiled from ear to ear, showing his teeth, and his eyes curved crescent. It deemed innocent. You untied the luggages from Dawan and formed a knot with the cloth bags around your neck to carry the load.
You load more off from him and a hand grabbed the last one before you could.
The Metkayina prince took all of the sacs from your hand and carried it on his shoulders. Another free hand came up to your nape, trying to undo the knot but you grabbed his palms.
Looking at him straight in the eyes and signalled an ‘I got this’.
You paused while staring at him. The heir surely have long eyelashes and those eyes where it lets you drown. Maybe the way your nape hurts just by looking at him from your heights is the reason you felt some sort of irritation you don't hate, or either the curves of the end of the mouth grew wider-
There goes the smug grin.
You rolled your eyes. His left hand was still grasped by you near your nape except now it was wrapped. You shooked of his hand and just when he retreated it back, the weight behind your back eases off. And his arm swift behind your back.
Huh?
Aonung’s left hand caught the falling bag behind you and immediately flung it over his other shoulder.
Did he just fiddle with the knot when you grabbed his hands?
yep. he definitely did.
Aonung walked past you, heading towards assumed your pod and you follow along behind. As your ruby eyes indulged on his back muscle whenever slight stretch were posed, your heart heaved heavier.
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(past)
“Are you some kind of a.. Freak?” . You paused when you heard a certain familiar voice. A voice that belonged to the person you were supposed to be wedded to. Instinctively, you hid behind the bushes. Why? Because somewhere in your gut says its better to be the audience.
You watched as Aonung gestures his fingers, mocking the Omaticaya girl. Kiri, was her name, if you remembered. And the sweet girl just brushed him off with a polite no. You watched as she get up and strut away from the group of Aonung and his friend
You met her before, when both of you were helping the elders with some light chores. The Toruk Makto’s family have taken shelter here days before your arrival. Coincidentally after your parents went back home, leaving you to adapt to the reefs. They were such humble folks considering the noble title when they used to have at the forests that you even looked up to the Toruk Makto’s wife, Neytiri, and helped her with some stuff despite being a guest yourself. Unlike the way your clan members act, the Omaticayas and Metkayinas are way gentler which makes you feel at ease in their presence.
Now what would a kind girl like her do to make him say that-?
Oh. You mouthed it, as you looked at their hands.
“I mean look at her hands,” Aonung said after insults and attempted to snatch her hands, trying to shame Kiri even more towards his gang. The worst part is all of them laughed.
You can feel the steam came out of your head from trying not to explode and jumped your fiancè. Aonung was gentle and maybe a tad bit clingy. Or annoying. But being a pathetic bully had never crossed your mind about him.
That’s it, you’re gonna blow this moron face off, you thought. Two punches will suffice.
You were about to show your presence until a younger male Omaticaya boy waddled his way towards him.
“HEY!” the boy called . The party’s attention turned to the voice. “Back off, fish lips,” he continued. You were dying to control your laughter there and then, pressing your palms on your hands. The insult was spot on. You will definitely use it upon him.
“Ooooh, another four-fingered freak,” Aonung mused at the younger Omaticaya, pushing his shoulders as the boy tried to closed off the distance, trying to appear intimidating.
How petty he is that it makes your blood boil. Well, but somewhere inside you kept on distracted by the laughter he let out. Just a tiny bit.
The gang surround the younger Omaticaya and kept on pushing the poor boy in turns. They were having fits of laughter and it actually seeped the tiniest bit of patience left in you not to interrupt.
You then spotted an older Omaticaya male, probably the big brother, walking towards the scene in mean, intimidating steps.
His presence alone were similar to ‘The Guardians’ back at your home. The male shoved Aonung away from his brother and glared. Heavy.
"Oooh big brother come~"
The heir gave off a similar look and held back his friend who were trying to rile the male up. His gaze similar to those who looked as if accepting challenges.
"Leave them alone," a deep low growl left the Omaticaya male.
His pupil formed a straight line within the yellow orbs of his. “From now on, I need you to respect my sister,” he continued.
“Back. Off.” The Omaticaya male point his fingers towards Aonung as a warning. “Now.” The heir were about to fight until his wandering eyes suddenly caught you in the bushes.
Your eyes met his for a split second. He immediately put both of his hands up in defeat. ‘Probably scared you would tell his mother about the scene,’ you scoffed your thoughts.
He carved a grin. Shifting his gaze at you for less than a millisecond. And back to the male while backing off.U
ndeniably, ganging up on a girl is pathetic that it throw you off. Though there were just teases and harsh words, you can’t help but putting yourself on Kiri’s spot. Your eyes trailed the darker blue siblings leaving with the older brother hands behind the younger. Aonung’s friends insult grew louder.
“They are just cowards,” a long haired boy poked.
“Freaks,” a frizzy haired continued.
“Shameless skaxwngs,” a taller boy chained.
“Demons,” another finished and they had a fit of laughter. Aonung smiled with his teeth showing. You really wished he would use that pretty smile of his on something less stupid than this.
The last insult wrapped the younger Omaticaya boy’s patience and he turned around.
“Lo’ak,” the older brother called.
“I got this bro,” the boy replied. And your stomach was twisting. Something bad would happen.
He walked towards Aonung.
“See, look at these hands,” he wiggled his fingers. “Aliens, I know” he admitted. “But I can do a cool trick, y’see,”
Aonung was intrigued. Tilting his head at the younger boys words with his degrading eyes, he watched the younger Omaticaya’s antics.
“First, im gonna curl my hands like this… and…”
Aonung flew backwards as a fist landed on his cheeks.
Gasps leaved everyone's mouth. Including you.
"That's what you called a punch, bitch!" the younger spat. "Don't ever touch my sister again,"
Aonung was supported by his friend from the blow. Pissed, the heir hissed and tackled and rolled on the sand. Yet somehow still received another blow on his other cheek.
The fight grew havoc as the group joined in.
Punches, tail-pulling, ears yanking, scratches. The older brother watched the scene in front of him, scratched his head and let out a whisper ‘Whatever’ before he dived into the fight joining in.
Kiri was laughing at the immature acts of the young boys, covering her smile.
It was amusing, you had to admit but it is better to snitch on an adult before the olo’eyktan punish them heavily. You then set off to call upon some resting warriors nearby.
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“Stop playing around, the kids will follow your steps,” you hissed, slapping his toned arm.
He exaggerate a surprised expression, turning to face you. You return your focus to the fish you are cleaning, separating their limbs, washing the blood off while muttering praises to Eywa. Aonung was seasoning the cleaned fish, putting it on a clay tray for them to be cook.
“but have you seen those jungle kids features? It’s weird!” his mouth trailed off.
SLAP. You hit his head. What a big oaf.
Again, he jutted his lips.
“Don’t call them jungle kids, that’s rude.” “they are our guest, and what’s more, the Toruk Makto’s family,” you busied your hands while continuing your speech. “it is an honour to welcome them,”
“Uninvited guests,” he scoffed and you rolled your eyes.
When you are about to wash the fruits, Aonung pushed you gently aside with his body, hinting he would take over your part.
He leaned his head on your shoulders, nuzzling his nose to your hair. A habit for whenever he felt guilty. You can't bring to yourself to get angrier. What he did was wrong but it isn't your place to be fumed. The Omaticaya siblings deserved an apology.
“Hurts?” you asked eyeing at your side. He nods sluggishly.
“deserved it,” you whispered with your nose brushed the top of his head.
He hid his face in your neck, letting out a grunt. You chuckled, and the laughter rang sweet in his ears.
He doesn’t want his betrothed to think he is immature, and surely, he thought he should do better as the Olo’ekytan’s son but that Lo’ak boy is damn annoyi-
A cough trailed from behind. Tsireya.
“Hate to disturb you love birds but can I have the seasoned fishes, please?” she said, hands brushing the kitchen pod’s entrance’s curtains.
You pushed Aonung away from your sides gently and handed out the clay plate. She then gave out a thanks.
The sister peeked at her bruised contorted faced brother and hand signed ‘you reap what you sow’ at him and let out a silent giggle when your focus were on something else.
Tsireya knew you would scold him based on his judgemental actions towards their guests and that is just a more reason for her to tease the brother. He let out a silent snarl at his sister, jarring out his fangs.
The younger sister ran off with the plates and jingling giggles, bouncing on her way.
Aonung went on with his work, stuffing spices and mixing in cut vegetables. You leaned at the walls and watched as he concentrates.
“I was there,” you disrupt the silence.
“I know,” he huffed. Aonung doesn’t intend to show you himself when he was with his friends. He just wanted to gain the influence to appear stronger. He knew that. But acknowledging it is never in his dictionary. He washed his hands, finished with prepping.
You watched his back. The silence accompanied with sounds of knife slicing, water splashing from outside as the children play near the shallow water.
“Then..” you dropped your head and looked at your own fingers. The scene where he ganged up on Kiri kept on replaying in your mind. You can't help the stupid thing you were about to ask but what could a 15 year old overthink about?
“Say, if my dad is an ilu and I have long necks like them,” “would you treat me like you treat them?” you asked.
A stupid question but somehow you wanted his answers.
“na’vi can’t mate with ilu, silly,” he turned his body towards you, letting out small laugh. Until you looked up at him with a serious yet sad eyes.
He went quiet. What should he say? That he would still treat you like always even if your neck were long? Even if you have an extra finger? Even if you have a horn? He knew better than to lie and glossed over his words after what he just did with the Omaticaya. But what should he say? Both of you wouldn’t be engaged in the first place if you ever had any flaws.
Aonung sucked his bottom lips. Afraid to meet your gaze.
‘What should I say?’
And you left the pod, leaving the heir alone after gaining no answers.
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(present).
The darkness of the night starts to embrace Pandora. Bunch of Metkayinas villagers that passed by you kept on signing their respect at you. Gesturing the finger on their forehead.
The night wasn’t quiet. You were supposed to be the main character for the party held after you arrival at the Reefs. Future bride of their prince came back after 6 years of being apart since both of you last saw each other.
Yett here you are outside your pod, hanging your legs from the bouncy pathways, swaying back and forth. Deep in thoughts and watching the children ran along the sand. You escaped your duty from your homeland by being here and the sounds of water were not as merry as here at Metkayina village. The salty fresh air that cleanses your senses, the opposite of dusts and flames that you were born into.
A past memory popped into your mind.The question you asked from the heir never bothered you since you never had an extra fingers nor extra legs to be offended with in the first place. Yet you stared at your hands. Maybe the way he didn’t answered burdened you. Maybe.
Of course, it is a political marriage anyways, you shouldn’t expect much. You swayed your legs, somehow enjoying the somberness of the reefs at night.
A shadow then loomed over you and you looked up.
Aonung.
His long curly hair draped over his shoulder with a half bun. His tattoo covering half of his face as if he was born with it. Sharp and mean face.
Yet the eyes is always so kind.
The heir took a seat next to you. He copied your dangling feet.
“Why aren’t you at the party? Shy?” he looked at you from his shoulder, earning a kick at his feet. He laughed. It wasn't a lie that you sort of missed the voice of his.
“Are the foods delicious?” he asked again, seeing how you chose to stay quiet.
You nod.
“Were the dancers good?”
You nod.
“Were your neck growing longer?”
You-. You turn your head aggressively at him and there he was, grinning and showing his teeth and canines. With the low ramble of chuckling.
“No,” you huffed.
He finally heard your voice.
“Too bad, i kinda liked the idea of your neck as long as an ilu,”
You went red. How did he know what’s on your mind is a mystery itself.
“Who knows you will come to me like they do whenever I call you- Ow!” you slapped his bicep hard. And he laughed more. Annoying skaxwng.
“go away if you wanted to keep on being a nuisance,” you grunted. You droop your head back to the waters underneath the pathway you were sitting on.
Aonung put his hand on top of yours which was resting on your sides and tangled it. Tight and firm.
“I’m sorry,” he said out of the blue.
What for?
“why?” you asked.
“I hesitated,” “too immature, and shallow minded,” he continued. Claiming the insults, he threw at himself.
You looked at him in a weirded out look ‘You shouldn’t be apologising to me’ as you thought.
“I apologised to Kiri, after you went back home,” he continued.
“Those stuff doesn’t bother me,” you said.
“well...” the heir looked at your eyes and his pupil dilated slightly. It’s hard not to notice. “can’t say the same for me,” he grinned a shallow smile.
You gulped. It was most definitely guilt that stucked on your throat. However you can’t tell him.
Yet.
You closed off the distance between both you and the heir. Aonung immediately dug his face in the nooks of you neck, feeling how his nose grazed your shoulders, each of his eyelashes flutter when he closed his eyes, his mouth hanged as if hesitating. But none could compete with the hot breathe that left the Reef Na’vi. You know this was how he naturally was whenever he felt guilty but the difference between the 15 year old body and now is too much.
“I’m sorry for asking you stupid questions,” you turned your head slightly as it rests on top of his own.
He let out a breathy laughter. You twitched. His breathe tickling your nape.
“if you haven’t asked me that, I would have been something worse than a skaxwng right now,” Aonung said.
“Aren’t you already are?,” you scoffed.
He let out the usual nasty wide grin. The fingers tangled with yours loosened as he kept on stroking each and every part of the digits.
Aonung brought your hands to his cheeks and lean against it.
You were stumped. Stoned. Stunned. Whatever the word is that could describe how shocked you were.
“even more, now,” he smiled.
You pulled your hands and looked to your other sides to escape from his gaze. Your ears flinched, pulling backwards at the stirring emotion of yours.You were not used to this. Gentleness.
You were supposed to get away from him. From this.
Seeing your reaction, he brushed it off. He put his hands on the back of his head and lie down.
"Have you ever count the dots in the sky?" he voiced out, asking.
"No, have you?"
"Every night," "sometimes it appears the same as last time, other times they formed shapes when together,"
You leaned with your arms behind you as a support and watch him ramble.
"Then, does tonight was the same as last?" you asked him and looked at his lips then back to his eyes.
"I stopped counting," he said as his eyes watched the sky.
"Why?"
Because you are finally here.
He shifted his gaze back at you and smiled. Wide.
The heat crawled your cheeks and ears and before you could utter a response, he got up and pulled you up to stand.
“Now let’s dance, shall we?” he invited as his hands pulled yours towards the brighter side of the village.
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