EXPECTATIONS | Neteyam

FORGIVE

Aonung bit his lip, scanning the waves which were calmer then usual at that time in the morning.

It was the morning after the feast, and the silence was deafening on the rocks where the Sullys, Tsireya, Rotxo, and Aonung sat in a ring. The spot inbetween kiri and Neteyam was left empty for someone, which Aonung rolled his eyes to.

"Is she even gonna turn up?" Lo'ak muttered to Neteyam, watching Aonung as he pretended to watch the fish in the water.

Sure enough, Tefiti's ilu surfaced above the water. She nodded towards the others, who watched her dive into the shallows, climbing up the rockpools. She jerked her thick curls over her shoulder as she sat down, cross legged next to Neteyam and Kiri.

"Right on time, Tefiti." Aonung teased. He waited for a kick in the shins, laugh, a remark, anything. He looked up attempting to mask his confusion, but Tefiti was already nudging Neteyam hello. He smiled back a hint of giddiness washed over his face with a rosy blush.

Tefiti could feel Aonung's gaze burning into her as she shuffled closer to Neteyam; close enough so their thighs were touching, just to annoy Aonung even more.

The silence was once again intense, as the others looked back and forth at Aonung to Tefiti and Neteyam.

"Alright, can everyone please find a partner? For the breathing exercises." Tsireya glanced towards Lo'ak, the look of pure bliss that she was finally alone with him all over her face. She pulled him by the arm to her side gently.

Tefiti glanced around her; Rotxo was in a group with Swa'lin, and Kiri was already being dragged to the shallows with Tuktirey.

She scoffed in disbelief, turning to Tsireya who shrugged apologetically. She turned around, Neteyam approaching her on her left, Aonung pacing forward to her right.

"Come, Forest Boy." She snatched up Neteyam's hand hastily, turning around as she slightly dragged the boy to face him. "I have a much better spot-" She spun her head around, preparing to run into the near palm-treed area of the island through the shallows, but Aonung stood infront of her eyeing her carefully.

The girl sighed in annoyance, going to walk around him but he held out his arm infront of her. She looked up at his face, but he was already glaring at Neteyam. She turned around, shoulders dropping in defeat has she exhaled, nodding Neteyam back to where the others were who watched in curiosity. He stared at her back, "are you sure??" Written all over his face in permanent ink.

He glanced at Aonung, then to Tefiti before turning and walking slowly back looking over his shoulder once or twice. Aonung straightened up contently; pleased he finally got Neteyam away from the girl. He glanced down at her, who scoffed in annoyance at him, shaking her head.

"What do you want now." She looked away uninterestedly looking over at Neteyam. He looked right back at her intently waiting.

"I- knew you weren't going to say yes." He heated up at his choice of words, hiding his face. "It slipped out to my mother."

"Of course it was Ronal." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey." The boy reached out to playfully hit her on the back, but she whacked his arm away like she was programmed to. He slid his arm behind his back. "My bad."

It was silent for a while, apart from the sound of talking from the group further inward of the rocky island, which was smothered by the crashing of the waves by Tefiti and Aonung's feet.

"I'm sorry. I am this time and I mean it."

"You don't mean that." Tefiti scoffed, looking him up and down. He held his hands up in the air truthfully. "I mean it this time."

She let out a sneer much to her annoyance, which he smiled at in achievement. "You must really love me if the boy who refuses to apologise is actually apologising to me. So cute."

Her face softened into a small smile as she watched the bobbing waves. Aonung slowly slung his arm around her shoulder, watching her rest her head on his chest. His heartbeat literally skyrocketed as her arms dangled round his waist gently.

"Sully freak one is shooting me dirty looks." Aonung watched Neteyam, the Omatikayan boy doing the same.

Tefiti pulled away from the boy, who's face had turned sour, his guard up again.

"He thought you were going to swing on me... again." She smiled at him teasingly, who rolled his eyes, smirking slightly. She fiddled with her wrists as he glanced down at them and held her arms up gently.

The bruises were much less swollen, fading now from yellow to a deep purple. His face softened in surprise as he lifted her arms up higher, tracing his fingers along the skin he bruised.

"Does it hurt?" He watched her face as he held her wrist normally. The girl winced slightly, pretending to be unfazed.
"I'm sorry, I-"

"Shut up." Tefiti waved her hand in the air, dismissing his voice. She reached out her fingers, running them across the bruise on Aonung's face which swelled under his eye a dark purple. He watched her in surprise, heat in his cheeks as she dropped her fingers away.

"Wow, that is one ugly bruise. I wonder who did that." The girl laughed. Aonung pulled her into his chest gently; he couldn't help himself. He couldn't lose his best friend. He rested his chin on her curls as she rubbed her face into his teal skin. She could never be mad at him for long, even if he really did try to marry her. Underneath the loud and rude personality, he really was a good person.

"Get off now, you're killing me." She pushed him off playfully, walking back to the group. He followed close behind, nudging her.

"It's probably my huge muscles." He shrugged. Tefiti scoffed, laughing as she flipped him off walking towards her ilu.

[A/N: this chapter was focused on Aonung becuase I did him dirty In the last ones 😭 I acc love that boy sm stop. Anyways the next chapter will be more about Neteyam so vote and comment :)]