Tìyawn

Chapter 29

Aonung walks in, seeing Tìyawn sat with her back faced towards him.
He goes to sit next to her.
Tìyawn turns to face away from him.

"Hey" he says in a soft tone and turns her around to look at him.
"I'm sorry. If I knew that they knew I would have warned them before" Aonung says.
"It's okay it's not your fault. I just feel like a bad person. They were all stood there excited. Even Rotxo. And I just walked back inside" Tìyawn says.

"It's okay they know that you don't like celebrating they understand now. It was just that stupid Käi" Aonung says.
Tìyawn smiles, "so you don't think im a bad person?"
"Absolutely not. You are allowed to not like celebrating your birthday if that is how you feel. And people should accept the boundaries" Aonung says.

Tìyawn hugs him, "thankyou."
They pull away from the hug and she looks at him.
"What is it?" Aonung asks.
"I should tell you why I don't like celebrating my birthday" Tìyawn says.
"No Tìyawn you don't have to. It's fine" Aonung says.
"You are my mate. Therefore, you should know" Tìyawn says.

She sighs, as she gets herself ready to tell him, "when I was five, I learnt that Mo'at was not my mother. She told me the truth. And of course like most children I was confused. But I also sort of understood. Because she explained to me how me and her are completely different. And told me about her mate who passed way before I was even born. So it wouldn't make sense for me to be her child anyways so I understood."

She looks away from Aonung, looking straight ahead, "since then till my fifteenth birthday, I'd wait every year. Hoping my parents would come back. Whilst everyone celebrated I stood outside and waited. I wasted those fifteen years of my life."

"But now that you know who they are, aren't you glad they never came back?" Aonung asked.
She nods, "that's exactly the reason that makes me not want to celebrate it even more. When i was fifteen, I decided to stop waiting for them. Because I got to a sensible age and I knew that, they were never going to come. And the reason I chose not to celebrate my birthday anymore is because I'd just be reminded about me waiting for them.  I didn't want to be reminded of that."

Tìyawn looks back at Aonung, "and now I know who they are. And it makes me hate myself even more. Because why was I looking for them. Those monsters who tortured a young boy. They kept me away from my brother. All those years I spent waiting he was getting tortured and I will never stop hating myself for that."

"But Tìyawn that is not your fault" Aonung holds onto her hand, "you were a child who was just looking for your parents love. It's understandable to want them there for your birthday and having hope they'd show up. You didn't know who they were until now, you can't blame yourself.

Tìyawn looks down, "I'm trying so hard not to I really am" she then looks back up at Aonung, "I just feel like I've failed him as his sister. Every time I see him all I can think about it what they've done to them. And then I think about how much I wanted them. They're horrible people, I was so stupid."

"Tìyawn listen to me" Aonung is now holding both her hands and turns her to face him.
"You are not stupid. Now if you chose to go with them in that moment, after finding out who your parents are, then I'd call you stupid. But you knew they were wrong.  You knew they were bad people, you acknowledged that and killed them. You are not stupid, you are not a bad person. You are my Tìyawn. You are a strong woman who is thoughtful, kind, strong and really brave" Aonung says some encouraging words to her.

He then sighs and smiles, "god even Spider loves you with his whole heart. He would never want you to take any blame or guilt on yourself. He looks up to you. You are perfect the way you are Tìyawn. And I mean that."

Tìyawn nods, giving him a half hearted smile.
"My love, you are the best when you smile" he puts his fingers in each in each corner of her lips and makes her smile properly.
She sighs and laughs.

"Where is Spider?" Tìyawn asks.
"He is with my mother. I thought you might need a break" Aonung says.
She shakes her head no and stands up, putting her hand out to him and helping him up.

"We told him we'll spend the day together right. Let's do this" Tìyawn says.
"Are you sure?" Aonung asks.
Tìyawn nods, "it will help me get my mind off things when I spend time with the two people I love the most."
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They walk out their marui to walk to Tonowari's.
As they're walking, Rotxo approaches them. 

"Tìyawn I am genuinely sorry. I didn't know you didn't like all the birthday stuff" Rotxo apologised to her.
Tìyawn looks at him and smiles, "it's okay Rotxo. You didn't know so it's fine. You did nothing wrong."
"Are you sure? Because I'd hate to see you upset especially on your" Rotxo says, leaving the birthday out the sentence.

Tìyawn looks at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence.
"You know. The thing I can't say because I don't want to upset you" Rotxo says.
"Rotxo. You can say the word birthday. That does not upset me" Tìyawn says.

"Right well yeah birthday. I wouldn't want to upset you on your birthday" Rotxo says.
"You did not upset me I promise" Tìyawn says.
Rotxo hugs her, "you are my best friend, you know that right?"
Tìyawn smiles, "I know."

"I'm standing right here you know" Aonung says.
"Yeah you're my best friend too" Rotxo says, "but Tìyawn is special."
"You bet I am" Tìyawn says as she pulls away from the hug.
"So are we good?" Rotxo asks.
"Always have been" Tìyawn smiles back.

But her smile fades as she sees Ronal running to them, "Aonung! Tìyawn!"
"Mother what's wrong?" Aonung walks forward and holds onto her arms as she looks at them in distress.
"Spider. He's gone" Ronal says.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Tìyawn asks.
"I'm so sorry I took my eyes off him for a second because he was asking for something to eat so I was looking and I turned around to ask him if he wanted fish but when I turned around he was gone and I searched everywhere and I just" Ronal begins to panic.

"Okay. It's okay" Tìyawn says in a calm voice, "he should be around here somewhere.

Jake is seen running towards them, "I can't find him anywhere. He's nowhere here. I've even asked some of the kids."
"Wait where's Käi? Did he leave?" Aonung asks.
"He left five minutes ago" Jake says.
"And Spider went missing five minutes ago" Ronal whispers as she comes to a realisation.

Tìyawn and Aonung run forward, jumping onto their Skimwings and they head towards outside the reef.
Rotxo follows along with Jake, Ronal and Tonowari.
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