-oeyä yawnetu- Ao'nung x Reader

Chapter 6- Forgiveness

I just wanted to start this chapter off with a HUGE thank you to everyone who has read this story! I love you all so much!!
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Ao'nung's POV

I went back to my family's marui, trying to think up an apology that would seem sincere. I've never been good at apologizing. When Rotxo and I fought a few years back we didn't make up for months. Probably because I'm stubborn. I can tell Y/n is, too. I walked through the doorway, and Tsireya didn't look happy to see me. She glared at me, her ears flattening. I knew she was mad. She really liked Lo'ak, and I put him at risk. "I'm sorry, Tsireya."

Her head snapped towards me, her brows furrowing. "You're sorry?" she inquired.

"Yeah," I thought for a moment, "Lo'ak didn't deserve that. It wasn't his idea."

She rolled her eyes, "I figured as much. He's smarter than that."

Debatable.

"I'm sorry Tsireya."

She smiled at me. "Thanks, Ao'nung. That means... a lot."

I smiled back at her, trying to ignore her hesitation. I knew she didn't forgive me yet. Why would she? None of the Sully's would forgive me either. I put Lo'ak in serious danger, after all. "Tsireya?"

She hummed in response. "How do I apologize?"

She spoke without looking at me, "To Lo'ak?"

"To all of them," I sighed.

She nodded, understanding. I hated apologies almost as much as I hated goodbyes. Like goodbyes, apologies were so uncertain. Just like a goodbye could be permanent, an apology could be the end. The person you were apologizing to wasn't obligated to forgive you. It left so much room to mess up. They might have been willing to forgive you, but if you let the wrong words slip, it was over. A relationship gone before it even started.

I can't let them hate me so soon.

Was it better to just go see them or overthink an apology? I could sit here and think up solutions and answers and reasons to every single response they could have. I could rehearse and repeat all the words I can think of that mean "I'm sorry". But what good would it do? They'll find a phrase that wasn't on my radar, and I'll freeze.

I put my head in my hands, pushing the heels of my hands into my eyes. I felt a hand rubbing circles on my back. "Ao'nung..." she whispered, "quit overthinking."

I moved my hands, looking at her with squinted eyes, readjusting to the light. I slowly stood, making my way to the door of the marui. I took one last glance at Tsireya. She gave me a tight-lipped smile. There was something behind her eyes. Worry, maybe?

My feet hit the pathway outside, as I sighed again. I hope they can forgive me.

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Y/N's POV

I sat on the floor of our marui, with Lo'ak. Mother gave me some healing herbs to help Lo'ak, and I was put in charge of babysitting him. Dad didn't trust him anymore. It's not like he ever trusted him in the first place. I removed the wrap on his leg, reapplying a paste made of crushed herbs and rewrapping it. He scrunched his nose, and his ears flattened. I felt bad, but the risk of infection was high, and I think he'd rather have short term pain than have complications down the line.

My ears perked up, hearing footsteps outside. I looked up, expecting mom or dad, but then I heard a knock. They wouldn't have knocked. 

I looked at Lo'ak. He shrugged. "Gee thanks," I rolled my eyes, smiling. I stood, walking towards the doorway. As I got closer, I spoke, "Who is it?"

I didn't expect Ao'nung to be at my family's door. Especially not when I was tending to the wounds on my brother that were a direct consequence of Ao'nung's actions. I felt my lips part slightly, feeling like I should say something, but no words came out. I was astounded. I couldn't believe he had the guts to show up here. I looked side to side, silently praying that someone would walk by and notice my discomfort. No one did. Lo'ak leaned to the side behind me, trying to get a glimpse of who was at the door. I turned around to see his face drop. His eyes flicked from mine to Ao'nung quickly. I turned back to Ao'nung. "What?" I said with a polite smile.

"I'm sorry." 

I think my face must have visibly fell. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Ao'nung was apologizing? "Don't apologize to me," I said, looking back to Lo'ak who was still sat on the floor of the marui.

"May I come in?" Ao'nung asked.

"Sure," I gave him a skeptical look.

He stood awkwardly in front of Lo'ak, having not been invited to sit. "Lo'ak," he pursed his lips, "what I did was fucked up and I'm sorry. You don't have to forgive me now. Or ever, for that matter, but I ask that you consider it."

Lo'ak looked just as surprised as I was. He turned his head towards me, his eyes not leaving Ao'nung's face, almost like he was examining for sincerity. After a moment, his eyes landed on me, silently pleading for help. My eyes flicked between Lo'ak and Ao'nung, trying to derive any ulterior motives for his apology. He seemed sincere. So, I let my eyes soften, and my ears slowly returned to a relaxed position. I nodded to him.

"I guess I'll forgive you. But if this shit happens again, or if you lay hands on my sisters, it's over."

Ao'nung's head went down, and he nodded. His eyes left the floor, and landed on me, again. He sucked in his cheek, facing me, "I'm sorry to you, too."

"It's not my place to forgive you. But since Lo'ak did, I'll give you a chance."

His eyes widened, slightly, and a smile played at the corners of his mouth. "Okay," he half chuckled, "thank you for the second chance."

We nodded in sync, and he spoke up again, "Do you know where I could find Kiri? I owe her an apology as well."

I smiled, hoping this was the beginning of healing, for all of us. I looked back at Lo'ak, cocking my head to the side, he shrugged. "She's probably at the beach," I laughed.

"Do you want to come look with me?"