Pandora University *Avatar Social AU*

Twenty-One: Triggers

Trigger Warning: Panic attack, derealization, inner dark thoughts, victim blaming, PTSD reactions.

"I WANNA LAY YOU DOWN IN A BED OF ROSES! FOR I'LL SLEEP IN A BED OF NAILS!"

"Rotxo-"

"OH I WANT TO BE JUST AS CLOSE AS-"

"SHUT UP!"

Rotxo hisses when a sudden sting hits the back of his head, rubbing the area with a deep frown as he looks to Kiri, "I was inspired-"

"Then maybe go for something that'll fit the mood."

Rotxo thinks for a moment, smiling suddenly and gazing to the trees, "I WILL SEND AN ARMY TO FIND YOU IN THE MIDDDLE OF THE DARKEST NIGHT! IT'S TRUE, I WILL RESCUE YOU!"

Kiri rolls her eyes by this point; moving through the forest being her main focus in this little trip. Usually when going to the tree of souls, Kiri and her brothers would go on their ikran, but to go together as a group, they decided on foot for the comfort of everyone else. They could've gone on a direhorse, but Kiri insisted it'd be better for everyone to go for a walk instead.

Be connected with nature, adapt to something different - all that stuff.

For some, it hasn't been so bad, but the rest - eh clearly they're not used to walking.

"I swear if you continue singing, I'm shoving my fist down your throat," Ao'nung huffs from the tail of the group, annoyed by the insects on his face, "Are we almost there?"

"Maybe," Spider moves over a log, chuckling, "If you stopped complaining so much."

Ao'nung rolls his eyes, just as loud giggles echoes from above him. Connected with the trees and branches are Lo'ak and Neteyam running around on it, comfortably jumping and leaping from branch to branch with this vibrant energy oozing out from their bright smiles.

Being in their happy place.

This is probably the first time the two appear to be this content or happy in general. Well, there's different ranges of happiness. This joy they're experiencing is not the same as when they all have fun, or tell a teasing joke, or when they Ace their exam.

It's a happiness of being somewhere close to home.

A familiarity.

They have this trust and connection with the trees and animals around them, knowing how to move with this confidence that appears like second nature to them.

Tsireya softly smiles upon noticing this too, just as Lo'ak falls from a branch but uses the leaves to ease his drop before landing on his feet - looking up at Neteyam with a middle finger but a smile.

Neteyam laughs back and continues moving, not before Lo'ak climbs on a branch and chases after him.

"They're such kids," Kiri mutters, rolling her eyes, "Alright we're close."

Tsireya and Ao'nung both shared a look in exhaustion, looking back to how Rotxo and Spider also run around while playing with the plants and hiding with the trees. It's interesting to see really how Rotxo adapts easily to anything he sets his mind into. He walks around as though he's just as comfortable with the forest as the Sully siblings and Spider are.

Either that, or he's good at portraying it.

From a ahead, Lo'ak suddenly yelps a call, twitching Kiri's ear, "Looks like we're here."

Tsireya and Ao'nung never been to the tree of souls that they all go to, so to say this is a new venture for them would be an understatement.

And they definitely didn't regret it.