umkansa - atwow highschool au

twelve

yet another longer chapter cause i just have so many ideas for these characters

ao'nung

Ao'nung brought his hand up to Neteyam's door and knocked twice. He watched as his sister and Kiri headed for bedroom down the hall which he assumed had to be Kiri's judging the choice of decoration. From what he saw it looked pretty. "Hey," Ao'nung snapped out of his daze and faced forward. In front of him stood Neteyam still wearing his pajamas. "Hey," he replied, Neteyam giving him permission to enter. He closed the door behind them and made his way to his bed. Ao'nung decided to take a seat in the black beanbag located on Neteyam's floor. "Lo'ak is in the restroom so he should be back any minute," Neteyam grinned awkwardly patting his hands on his thighs. "Cool," was all Ao'nung could get out before a wave of awkward silence. The pair hadn't had much opportunity to actually talk and build a close bond. Although they were in the same first period, it was mostly a class full of taking notes and silence. "You weren't at school today," Ao'nung stated in an attempt to start a much needed conversation. "I was not," Neteyam replied, laughing at the boy's obvious observation. The awkward silence made it's reappearance. Ao'nung wanted to be close with Neteyam he really did, he just never knew how to start conversations or talk to people first. He wasn't necessarily shy, just didn't know how to keep a conversation going. "Why?" Ao'nung finally asked looking towards the boys direction. "Why didn't you come?" The awkwardness was more the unbearable and he felt the need to keep this conversation going as long as he could. Just until Lo'ak came back at least. "Just wasn't feeling it today. Why? Did you miss me?" Neteyam grinned jokingly keeping his eyes focused on the boy located on his floor. "No I just- I guess kinda. Lunch just wasn't the same without you that's all," Ao'nung shook his head and brought his attention to the ground beneath him. He didn't know why he got so nervous around Neteyam, he barely even knew him. He heard a giggle above him and looked at the boy sitting on the bed. Neteyam was a giggling mess and it was obvious he was trying to hide it. As soon as Ao'nung made eye contact with him he let it all out. Ao'nung just looked at him, brows furrowed. What was so funny? "I was just fucking with you big guy," Neteyam finally got out, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Ao'nung let out a sigh before shaking his head. He wasn't lying. The absence of Neteyam's presence that day really did affect him more than he expected. They always walked to class together and they would have small side conversations in the big group chat they all had. Ao'nung thought Neteyam was pretty good looking. Too good looking to not have a girlfriend at least. "Do you have a girlfriend?" Ao'nung's eyes went subtly wide as his curiosity got the best of him. He had no intentions of asking him that question out of the blue and found embarrassment washing over his face. Neteyam looked at him in shock, a little set back by the sudden questioning. "Oh no, definitely not," Neteyam shook his head rapidly, a slight look of disgust displayed on his face. "Do you?" he asked in return. "Had one. But she cheated on me so..." Ao'nung trailed off, shrugging his shoulders. He found himself slightly ashamed, wishing he never brought up the topic in the first place. "I've never been in a real relationship before actually," Ao'nung's attention was brought back to the boy sitting on the bed. He was shocked. "I mean, I've had opportunities. Just never took them," "Why not?" Neteyam hesitated for a moment. Ao'nung was intrigued, and he had no idea why. He waited for his friend to respond. "I didn't like them all that much," he finally answered, biting the inside of his mouth. Ao'nung nodded in understanding. He didn't want the awkwardness to come back. He liked this. "Me and my girlfriend- well my ex girlfriend- were together for 7 months before I found out she was cheating on me. She had been cheating the last 2 months of our relationship and I had no fucking idea. I think before that I realized it was the first time I actually loved someone,"

Ao'nung could feel his heart starting to race, reopening a wound he stitched up long ago and refused to talk about with anyone else. The only person he had talked about this with was Tsireya, and that was when it first happened. "Reya was my biggest supporter. She was there for me throughout the entire grueling 3 months it took for me to get over her. I was so mad that she would do something like that to me. But I think I was more mad at myself for still having feelings for her after it all happened," Ao'nung realized he was probably oversharing and making Neteyam uncomfortable. But even if he was, Neteyam wasn't showing it. He just continued nodding, his eyes not leaving Ao'nung's direction. "I mean, it must've been hard being with someone for so long and then they betray all the trust you've built. You're not expected to get over her that fast. Especially if you loved her," Neteyam cleared his throat looking down in his lap. That was the first time he broke eye contact since they first started talking about this.