Not So Perfect [Avatar The Way Of Water]

28

Miyara's pov:

8 years earlier:

"Are you sure you're even true Metkayina?" I heard Aonung's voice somewhere behind a few big plants as I got out of the water, followed by Yrritsyo. I frowned as I looked back at my friend who was just as confused as me.
"Yes, I am," a girl said.
"You look like a walking stick," Oimliän's voice erupted, "someone as tall and skinny as you can snap like a twig.. and you will."
Aonung loudly laughed at Oimliän's insult toward the girl, I frowned and rolled my eyes since I would have to stop Aonung again.
"Your boyfriend's a real charmer," Yrritsyo sighed as he crossed his arms and looked down at me.
"He's not my boyfriend," I scoffed as I began to walk to where Aonung was as Yrritsyo once again followed after me.
"Could we go through one day without you having to correct his behaviour? Perhaps he'd learn to think if you don't," Yrritsyo scoffed as he quickly stepped infront of me and pushed the leafs aside for me like he always did.
"It's not about that," I said stubbornly, "he can't just go around and bully people like that."
"It's not your job to correct him," Yrritsyo said, "why do you even care about his reputation as the bully?"
"I don't," I frowned, "I just-"
"-like to save him from himself, yeah I gathered that," Yrritsyo said as we looked at Niokä, Oimliän and Aonung bullying the tall girl that lived in the Marui Pod next to mine, she seemed to be a year younger than me but was already at least two heads taller than myself.. she was even taller than Aonung who was slowy rising above my own height.. I would never be taller than him again I realised.
"I mean, look at those arms," Aonung laughed as he reached for the girl's arm but she pulled her arm back.
Oimliän reached out as well and managed to grab onto her arm, holding it tightly and bruising the girl with his grasp.
"Ow!" She said trying to wiggle herself loose, "let go!"
"Let her go!" I said stepping infront of the girl and slapping Oimliän harshly on his hand, a loud smacking sound of my hand landing on his hand  erupted and was loudly heard. Oimliän pulled his hand back and rubbed over the place where I had struck him as it turned red. Oimliän hissed at me and leaped forward, pushing me to the ground as he wanted to smack me back like I had smacked him but Aonung took a hand full of Oimliän's long hair and harshly pulled him off me and smacked Oimliän across the face.
"Bro?!" Oimliän said in disbelief as the side of his face was turning red because of Aonung's smack. This was the first time that Aonung had defended someone against his friends.
"Don't ever touch her," Aonung hissed as I frowned confused at the boy I was betrothed to for the last three years. I never saw him stand up for me like that, he would hiss at his friends if they wanted to insult me but not once had he smacked them across the face for me even though I started it by smacking Oimliän.
"Whatever bro," Oimliän said as he got up and dragged Niokä with him who shot him a disappointed look. Aonung clenched his jaw before leaning down to me, seeing as I still sat on the sand from when Oimliän had pushed me down.
"Are you hurt?" He asked me, scanning for bruises or wounds.
"No, I'm fine," I said as he extended his hand for me, but I slapped it away as I got back up to my feet and dusted myself off. I looked back at the girl who was being comforted by Yrritsyo, he always comforted the ones bullied by Aonung as I would be the one to try and talk sense into him, so far with no luck.
"Are you sure?" Aonung asked me as his light blue eyes met with my bright colored ones, a strange feeling washing over me as he looked at me with concern.
"Yes," I scoffed ad I folded my arms, "of course this never would've happened had you not been bullying this girl."
"It was a joke," Aonung said as a smirk curled upon his face and I rolled my eyes.
"Just stop," I said stubbornly, "try to be kind for once, it's not that hard."
"I'm kind to you, am I not?" He questioned as he nudged his head slightly sideways, "it does hurt me a bit that I only get your attention whenever I'm teasing other people."
"It's bullying, not teasing, Aonung," I grunted annoyed, "and perhaps I would show you more attention if you stop being so irritating and bad all the time. It would also save me from your creepy friends if you just stop being so mean."
"Even so, I'll save you as many times as I have to," Aonung said softly, my eyes widening as I debated wether I had heard it properly.
"What?" I questioned confused.
"I'm just saying that I'll always protect you, Miyara," Aonung said as he stepped closer to me, "I promise you."
"Perhaps I won't need your protection if you stop bullying others so I don't have to come and drag you out of it," I scoffed shoving his promise off, "that's the only reason you even need to stand up for me."
"Even if it wasn't I would still protect you should you need it," he said, "it's my job to always protect you."
"Well, then I fire you," I said raising my brows as the boy stared at me amusingly.
"No, can't do," he chuckled, "the promise has already been made," he looked over at the girl who was staring at our interaction, "bye stick girl!"
"Aonung! I swear to Eywa I will rip that bun off your head!" I said as I managed to slap his shoulder before he ran off after his friends, laughing loudly at my outburst. I sighed as I turned around to the girl who eyed me curiously.
"You're my neighbour," she said, "you're betrothed to that bunhead ."
"That's me, bunhead's future wife," I rolled my eyes, "are you alright, did they hurt you?"
"No, you guys were just in time," she said softly, "thanks and I'm Teungyi by the way."