Flawless [Neteyam x Ao'nung ]

Chapter 22: Leaving

Neteyam and Lo'ak have not spoken to each other since the incident.

Well, Kiri has tried to get them to come together and talk things out, but they refused whenever the topic comes up. Neteyam fueled with guilt, and Lo'ak fueled by a puzzled mind with no direction of how to settle it together. 

Ao'nung has tried to urge Neteyam to talk to Lo'ak, someway somehow, but Neteyam gets physically anxious whenever the topic comes up. The thought that he hurt his brother was like a never-ending nightmare in his head, not believing he'd ever stick so low in doing something like that through his rage. 

Things since then just hasn't been the same, even during their ceremony to be official within the clan, the tension was too thick that even Ao'nung's father noticed it - but he never mentioned anything about it.

Now it's the day the Sully siblings leave to go back home, and Ao'nung has so many mixed feelings about how things have ended here. Ideally, he thought things would be smoother, he'd have his last remaining days with Neteyam being at peace, savor the moments before time runs out.

But it's been anything but smooth.

They can't have a single moment of peace with all this going on, especially since deep down inside they knew it was their fault.

Their relationship. 

All signs point to how this isn't or wasn't supposed to happen, but yet they blindly still tried to work things out on the low - now having this backfire right to their faces. 

Maybe this was their sign that the fantasy they created filled with flowers and a glowing blue sky was a complete illusion. Maybe their feelings aren't even real, and it was just the curiosity of each other that blossomed into this. 

Well, not like it matters anymore.

Only the memories stay, and that's it.

Now as Ao'nung stands on this beach, watching as the Sully's pack up their things on the Ikran, it physically pained Ao'nung how the next time he'll face Neteyam again, he's going to be Kiri's husband.

And he wasn't the only one suffering from this pain.

Drifting his aquatic eyes to the side, Ao'nung sees Rotxo monotonously helping Kiri load her things on the ikran - the two not saying a word to each other. 

Everyone feels the heaviness of this moment, yet no one was brave enough to slice into it.

Well, except for one.

Tuk finished loading her things and just barely glanced at everyone before settling her attention on Ao'nung - who's standing beside his parents and Tsireya.

Ao'nung wasn't expecting her to approach his parents so willingly, smiling softly, "Thanks to this clan, I feel like a better warrior, so thank you," Then she looks at Ao'nung, "I'm sorry."

I'm sorry.

The words that held onto more meaning than anyone could comprehend, and it sliced right into Ao'nung's heart - but he didn't let it show.

He held it in and blocked it off with a smile, giving her a brief nod. Ao'nung's father did glance at him silently, but didn't say a word.

It started with Tuk, then came Kiri to say her goodbye's, followed by Lo'ak - who didn't spare a look at Ao'nung - but did give a strong hug to Tsireya. 

Lastly to have it be Neteyam. 

Ao'nung didn't want to look at him. He didn't want to see him dismissing himself from his parents, or Tsireya, but when he was standing in front of him - Ao'nung was forced to face him.