On a normal day in Awa'atlu, Ao'nung was just minding his own buisness when some visitors from another clan came seeking Uturu. First he is weary of the visitors, but one of them catches his eye. What is it about this mysterious boy that makes Ao'nu...
I follow after Neteyam, struggling to keep up with him as he jumps over the tree roots. "Ma'Teyam! Wait!" I try to grab his hand but my fingers go right through his arm, out of shock I fall face first onto the ground. "Ao'nung stop. You don't need me" I look up at him confused. "In what world could that ever be true?!" I spring up from the ground and try to put a hand on his shoulder, forgetting that I can't touch him.
"How are Lo'ak, and Kiri, and Tuk?" Is he really asking about his siblings right now? "What?" He continues staring ahead. "How are they doing with- you know" My breath hitches as I try to shake the thought that Neteyam is truly dead, instead focusing on trying to answer his question.
"Tuk is doing okay, but I don't think your parents have told her yet. Kiri hasn't come out of your family's marui in like three days. And Lo'ak is definitely not okay, just not telling anyone about it" I ramble on, ignoring Neteyam as he runs his fingers along the edge of the tree.
When I focus my eyes on the boy in front of me, I feel the tears threatening to fall again. My eyes scan over his back but I can't see the scar from the gunshot wound. Before I can finish my train of thought, Neteyam speaks again, grabbing my attention.
"I have to go Ma'Nung, I am not meant to be here..."
"Why did you have to go onto that ship?"
"what?"
"Why did you go on the ship? Why didn't you just wait for the adults to go? I understand that to you, your siblings are so much more important than yourself. But to me, I would rather die than see you hurt. And I lost everything the day you were shot, but you'll never know how much you meant to me!"
I pause, wondering if I should continue.
"and the worst part, about it all. Was that when it all happened, I couldn't hold your hand, without feeling like I was breaking a boundary! I couldn't run my fingers through your hair and hold your hand while I said goodbye, without feeling like I'm being insensitive. I couldn't save you, I couldn't- I-" I trail off.
I can hear his footsteps approach me but I don't bring my focus to anywhere but the ground. "Ao'nung, it's not your fault" he puts his hand under my chin, and lifts my head up to look at my face. "Yes it is, it's my fault. And don't pretend you think otherwise" I slow my words down as I look up and he is watching me intently.
He wraps his arms around my bag and pulls me into a hug, letting my head rest on his shoulder. "Are you feeling better now?" He pulls back from the hug, giving me a reasuring smile. "Yea, a little I guess" I mumble, trying to hide the smile creeping onto my face from how worried Neteyam looks.
"Are you laughing at me???" He jokes, making his voice go up and down. "Myesss...." I bury my face in his chest, taking a deep breath. "Ma'Nung, you know I can't stay here" I furrow my eyes at him in confusion, what does he mean?
"I have to go Ma'Nung, I'm sorry but it's my time to go" He starts walking away, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Ma'Teyam, please don't leave me. I need you, I can't live without you" This time, it's my turn to wrap my arms around the boy in front of me, resting my face on the top of his head.
I shift my head from on top of his and whisper into his ear, "Please don't go Ma'Teyam, please j- I love you and I really wouldn't be able to live without you." I ramble for a second, leaning my head on his again and taking a deep breath. I feel Neteyam's shoulders tense up as he hears what I said, me going back over everything I said.
"oh" I sit back, trying to read his wide-eyed expression. "What did you just say?" I can feel blush creeping on to my face, as he gives me a small, weak, smile. "I love you too, and don't you ever forget that, but you're better off without me..." I take a step back from him as he begins fading away. I try to wrap my arms around him to stop him, but they just go right through him again.
Feeling the tears roll down my cheek I try to grab his hand again but it fails. "please don't forget me, Ma'Nung" His voice is barely above a whisper as he puts his forehead against mine. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath in, I feel him completely disappear.
Opening my eyes again, I fall onto my knees, screaming on the top of my lungs.
Until,
⋆*.•Lo'ak POV•.*⋆
I disconnect my braid from the spirit tree, keeping my eyes closed shut for a second. What the fuck just happened? I swim to the surface of the water, taking a deep breath and looking around to see if Ao'nung came up yet. I have to tell Kiri about this... She would be the only one to believe me.
I swim back down to get Ao'nung, only to find him shaking violently like when we came here last time with Kiri. Swimming as fast as my arms would let me, I approach him and pull him away from the tree, disconnecting his braid. He immediately stops seizing, only for it to be replaced by a lifeless expression on his face.
His eyes are open, but he's not following me with his gaze. Is he dead? Lifting him to the surface of the water, I lay him on an Ilu and try snapping my fingers in front of his face. "Ao'nung! Ao'nung! Fucking answer me!" I shake him violently, bringing my fingers to his neck, checking his pulse.
Thank eywa. The rythmic tapping of his heart, calms me a bit.
"Irayo si Ma'Eywa, I really can't lose another brother right now..." I exhale loudly through the words, leaning my head on Ao'nung's chest for a second. When I lift my head back up he has his eyes open and is looking at me. "Did you just- call me your brother?" I can tell that he is kind of out of it, his voice slurring a bit.
"I mean, would you prefer it if I said brother in law" I give him a cocky smile as he chuckles a tiny bit as well. "We should probably head back, shouldn't we?" I smile as he pulls me into a hug, If I told one week ago me that I would be hugging Ao'nung, I wouldn't believe myself for sure.
"Actually, can we just stay here for a bit longer? I'm not really ready to go back and, you know, face reality" I nod in response and pull back from the hug.
"Sure"
⋆*.•A/n•.*⋆
I really have no idea how to feel about this chapter, I feel like it wasn't sad enough to my friend's standards but I'll see, I'm trying to read more 'sad' stories so I can practice making people cry and stuff ykyk
I would say that this chapter is [REDACTED] like last time, but I don't wanna start an 'I think otherwise' war again.......
Thanks for reading this ig, Have a grrrrrreatttt dayyyyyyyyyyy/nightttttttt💙
SHOUTOUT TO @chonkehbeaver for helping me write this!!!! THEY ARE THE FREAKING BEST GO CHECK OUT THEIR STORY :
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