"𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘮,
𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘦."
Life in Awa'atlu was as predictable as the way water flowed across the sea, with everything set in motion with routine and order - that is, until the Sully's arrived...
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Training was extremely awkward. Nobody seemed to know where Neteyam went after I left, and I hadn't seen him all day since then. On a normal day, he'd be the first one here, greeting me with a grin and feigning to be startled to see me, even though I knew he'd been aware of my presence from afar. Not today; I waited for him, fiddling with a stray leaf that had sprouted from the tree, until he came, leisurely strolling as though he didn't want to be here. He was behaving strangely; he only gave me a half-smile and didn't attempt to strike up a conversation, instead going right into the lesson. Usually I would be the one avoiding his gaze, but this time he was doing it to me. Is this how he felt with me? This mix of sadness and irritation? He wasn't making jokes either; he was just simply instructing me.
"Where did you go earlier?" I say this in an attempt to start a conversation.
"Hm?"
"Earlier? When I came back with Ao'nung, you were gone."
"I just had to do something."
"Oh."
The awkward silence returned again; only the sound of the rattling arrows in their bag and the impact of the bullseyes Neteyam was making echoed through the forest. Though it seemed as though he was ignoring me for some reason, it was still impressive how effortlessly he was making them, or how effortless he made it look, I should say. I purse my lips slightly as I attempt to copy him, barely making it onto the target.
Damnit.
"Tighten your arms and straighten your back," he says. He doesn't turn to face me like he normally would and continues shooting his arrows.
I scoff. "You know, I seem to remember someone telling me that it was rude not to look at someone when you're talking to them."
He pauses and turns to me. I had his attention now, but I was now unsure of why I wanted it so badly. Looking at him, his eyes were physically the same; nothing had changed, but somehow his gaze felt different. Almost cold.
"What's up with you?" I say, talking a little step closer to him.
This insatiable curiosity was uncharacteristic of me. Why was I so concerned about what he was thinking, and why was I so offended that he was practically ignoring me? This was unusual. I shouldn't care. But the problem is that I did.
"I don't know what you mean, Za'ranin." He responds, but his whole demeanour is off. His ears were dropped slightly, and his grip on his bow was unnecessarily tight.
"You're acting all weird; did something happen when me and Ao'nung left?" I ask, glancing down at his hand when I notice his grip tightening a bit more.
"No."
"Are you sure, because when Ao—"
"Can you shut up about Ao'nung?!" He suddenly raises his voice.
