One Last Change ﾟ✧ ﾟ Aonung x Oc

III. The betrayal

Ao'nung was really annoyed with her. Ar'ney managed to ignore him for the last week, and he realized that he truly doesn't enjoy this. No one dared to act like he didn't matter. He was Olo'eyktans son! How dared this demon blood freak act like he was nothing to her? And Rotxo? He happily agreed to take over her learning, and now Ao'nung was stuck with her older brother. It would be bearable, but Neteyam already knew how this boy treated his sister. He wasn't happy about this.

When she came home that night with tears in her eyes, he already considered killing that bastard. She was mad at herself for getting emotional and letting her hopes up. He was mad at Ao'nung for even giving those hopes a place to thrive, even if only for some hours.
"I should've known. It was so stupid. I am so stupid."
They were sitting on one of the stones that were sticking out from the water, far away from the village, as she didn't want to worry their parents or siblings.
"Don't do this. We all want someone to introduce us to this new world. And you have every right to feel hurt."
He put his hand on her back, trying to comfort her as much as he could. Ar'ney cried hard during this conversation. Her wet cheeks were glowing under the moonlight. Her frustration made her sadness unbearable, she missed her home more than before. It was like a deep wound that never healed, opening with her every wrong move.

A laugh escaped her mouth through sobs.
"It's so stupid." She wiped her tears and try to steady her breathing. She wasn't fully calm, but she could control herself in this state. Her emotions were often considered a problem when she was younger. For elders, she was just too emotional for a future Tsahik. So through meditations, she learned how to control her inner storm. It wasn't a perfect way to take care of this, but as long as she could calm down in a matter of minutes, it was good enough.
"With big changes come big emotions. It's normal to be at the edge." Neteyam smiled like no one else could. He was like a silent river for her when she was feeling a mountain stream. Often ready to overflow any second, only to become calm the moment he spoke."I cried like two times today."
He was always trying to show her that what she was feeling was okay, by putting himself as an example.

When she was scared out her mind while getting her Ikran he told her how he almost ran away from the mountains.
When she was mad at Mo'at when she wouldn't give her a break, he told her how he got into a fight with dad because he didn't want to take part in some important meeting.

He never let her feel like she was too much. He was her rock. And sometimes at night she would pray to Eywa that Neteyam saw her as his rock too. Even though he would never tell her this, scared that it would burden her, she was his rock too. Growing up together made them feel like it was them against a world sometimes. When as kids they were running away to the forest from their angry parents and duties, or now sitting on a rock and letting the other one cry their emotions out. It's just like they promised years ago. They started this together and end this together. Back then, it was about some trouble they got into, but the meaning behind those worlds stayed with them.

After just two days of training with Rotxo she was riding with ease. Boy happened to be a wonderful teacher that actually listened to her and give direct answers. Even tho he was close friends with Ao'nung, he was nothing like him. For example, he had the guts to apologize to her for his behavior the day they arrived in the village. After that, their friendship had good ground to grow. Often they stayed longer than the others training. She asked him if he wouldn't prefer to go hang out with Ao'nung and his pack and he explained that since his younger brother got his way there, he only meets with Ao'nung one-on-one. "I see my brother enough already. He's at this annoying age, you know? I'm just trying my best not to kill him."
So they stayed longer, sometimes since eclipse, mostly learning sign language and proper breathing. Neteyam and Kiri sometimes joined them, Rotxo never hiding his happiness when said girl showed up. Though, Lo'ak was nowhere to be seen during their free time as Tsireya was taking him somewhere to practice.
That week was tiring but rewarding for everyone in Sully's family. Older kids got themselves two new friends, no one was getting into trouble, and by extension their parents were happy. But nothing good can last forever.