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♯┆blue world .ᐟ ━━━━━━━━━━
The disappointment consumed the air within their marui. Suffocating and possessive. Ronal's stare was stern and sharp because she threatened them. Her hand dragged through her curled hair with frustration as she continued the pace the woven floor beneath them. Time was ticking and slow as they waited for their father to arrive for the cruel scowling.
And the more time they waited, the room continued to grow more heavy— more angry. Loud stomping could be heard, the marui bouncing beneath the heavy feet of their father entering the pod.
Maleia's back straightened before her head dropped to the ground, not wanting to see the ashamed expression on Tonowari.
Only a frustrated sigh cut through the tension. The gruelling silence. Maleia wanted to do nothing but curl up into a ball. Protecting herself from this.
"I expect this from you, Ao'nung..." Tonowari's deep voice broke the silence once again as he began to speak. Maleia sucked in a sharp breath of air. Ao'nung's head snapped towards his sister. Her head faced towards the ground, arms crossed over her stomach as she picked at her own skin. Maleia was scared— terrified.
She had never been in this much trouble before. The most Maleia had done to get herself into troubling situations was by going missing deep into the ocean.
"Maleia!" Tonowari shouted, her name sounding like he never wanted to say it again. Like it was something disgusting on his tongue, "I expect better from you."
There it was. Expecting better. That was all Ronal and Tonowari expected from Maleia. Was for her to be better. And because she did not stop Ao'nung from fighting, everything seemed to be her fault.
Ronal snapped her head towards her daughter, "You are future Tsahìk! You are supposed to be responsible. This behaviour that you have shown will not be allowed." Maleia closed her eyes as she thought of thousands of words to respond with.
To explain to her mom that being Tsahìk was something that she didn't want. That she wanted to love her home without the responsibility of being Tsahìk.
That all she wanted was to be free.
"Mom, it is all of my fault," Ao'nung attempted to take responsibility but the blame was already Maleia's, "Maleia had nothing to do with this. She tried to stop me and I would not listen to her."
Ronal looked between her daughter and son. Attempting to find the truth between the two of them— who was more responsible?
Tonowari nodded his head once before grasping Ao'nung's shoulder into his hand. And Maleia felt like she could breathe again, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
"You may leave, Maleia, but I do not want another mishap like this again!" Ronal warned with her sharp tongue before Maleia walked out of the marui.
And that was when she saw Lo'ak. He walked from his own pod, anger consuming his movements as his arm wiped the blood from his dripping nose. "Lo'ak!" Maleia exclaimed and he stopped immediately upon hearing her voice shout out for him.
He turned around to her direction, Maleia sprinting towards him with intention. Everything afterwards happened so quick.
Lo'ak stumbled back on the sand when her arms embraced his shoulders, wrapping herself tight around his neck. His arms moving to wrap around her waist whilst his chin rested atop of her head.
His thumb moved up and down on her back, knowing that she was seeking comfort. "What happened?" Maleia asked when she realised he needed this just as much as her.
Lo'ak sighed into her hair, "The usual." Same old, same old. Lo'ak getting into deep trouble with his father earning ridiculous consequences for his actions. Maleia turned her head up at him and pulled back, fingers moving to wipe against his small cuts.
"What happened to you?" Lo'ak asked before grabbing the hand soothing his wounds, pulling it against his beating chest.
Maleia looked down to the sand beneath their feet. Her words came out in a whisper, disbelief, "They blamed me."
Lo'ak widened his eyes before snatching his hand back and held onto her shoulders, "They blamed you? That's bullshit!" She furrowed her print at the unusual word. Though, she didn't question it because it was probably something he learnt from Jake.
"It is fine... Ao'nung took the blame in the end," Maleia responded to Lo'ak.
Lo'ak tutted, "Speaking of him. I have to go apologise. Also... bullshit."
