The Devils Hair is White | Aonung

.31

"I care about you," Aonung tilts his head to the side as he smirks slightly.

What?

"I- no you don't," I chuckle, shaking my head as I break eye contact.

"Yes I do, and you care about me," He smirks.

"No I don't," I furrow my brows.

"Yes, you do," Aonung smiles wildly.

"No I don't," I say firmly. "And you don't care about me either."

"You cared enough to come find me when your clearly in pain," Aonung points to my leg.

"Ronal asked me to," I shrug.

"You may not care about me, but I care about you," Aonung smiles slightly as he stares at me.

He's lying

He's just saying this so he can find a way to make fun of me. Aonung probably says he 'cares' about everyone and doesn't. I don't trust him.

"No," I shake my head, standing up.

I start walking away but he catches up to me immediately since I was walking slowly, and only made it one step.

He grabs my arm, turning me to face him but when he does I avoid eye contact. I look at the ground instead of his face.

"Takara," he sighs.

He reaches his hand out and places it on my cheek, trying to make me look up at him but I pull away from his hand.

"No Aonung," I look at him briefly before walking past him.

"What are you so afraid of?" Aonung calls out to me but I keep walking.

He's just playing a trick on me, he doesn't care about me. Why would he care about me? He's a selfish prick who doesn't care about anyone.

"Takara," Aonung huffs as he walks after me.

Why does anyone care about me? I don't deserve to be cared for. Navi who care for me die.

Wait

I don't care if Aonung cares for me, because then he'll die.

I begin walking even faster, I could hear Aonung catching up to me but my leg didn't hurt. My leg doesn't hurt?

Testing my luck, I decide to pick up pace. I break out into a light jog, which turns into a run, which turns into a sprint.

"Yes!" I cheer, running as fast as I can.

I forgot how much I love to run. The freeing feeling of being able to go wherever I can and be taken there by my own legs.

"T- slow down!" Aonung calls out.

I look back and as suspected, he's no where near as fast as me. I said I could beat him in a race on land, and I was right.

No surprise

I could see the village in my sights and so I slowed down. If Ronal saw me running she'd have my head on a stick.

As I'm running a long blow from a conch horn makes my ears pick up. It sounded similar to the horn when the Sullys and I first arrived.

As I fully slow down Aonung runs into my back. He grabs my waist, turning us around so I fall on top of him and he takes the impact of our land.

"The Tulkun have returned!" Aonung says happily as we stand up. "Come on."

We run towards the water, Aonung dives in immediately, calling his Ilu as he does so. I follow soon after and he swims up to me, gesturing me onto his Ilu with him.

"I want to show you," Aonung signs.

"Ok," I sign, only really knowing how to sign 'ok'

"Everybody, our brothers and sisters have returned!" Tsireya calls out from above the water.

"Hold on," Aonung signs as I sit behind him.

I hold onto his shoulders, getting comfortable but he just looks at me weirdly. Before I could ask what his problem was he grabs my arms and puts them around his waist, speeding off immediately so I have to hold on.

Wow

The Tulkun were massive, they made a Toruk look small. Each Tulkun had their own distinctive features, like tattoos or shorter fins.

There were so many Navi in the water and they all adored wide smiles on their faces as they caught up with their brothers and sisters.

It's a time for stories, of their season apart, of deaths and births. Of old friends and new loves. It was a time in which everyone could share what they've been affected by most to those they've bonded with since their starting years.

I felt my breath shortening and so I tapped Aonung on the shoulder, pointing to the surface. We swim up to the surface and I take a big breath.

It's even more beautiful up here than underwater. I smile, baring my fangs as I surpass any sadness this could bring me.

"You have a nice smile," Aonung says.

"What?" My head turns to look at him immediately.

"Want to meet my spirit brother?" He nods his head in the other direction.

I just hum, nodding my head. We submerge slowly under the water again but once I wrap my arms around him he speeds off.

All the Tulkun danced in the water with their Navis, clicking and communicating in their own way. Aonung slows down, swimming off his Ilu and towards what I presume is his Tulkun.

Holy shit

His Tulkun was massive and adorned the same tattoo Aonung had on his bicep. The tattoo was ten times as big and covered it's lower jaw.

As we approach the Tulkun Aonung pats the area around his Tulkuns eye, smiling as he does so before turning to me.

"Takara," Aonung signs more than just 'takara' but I only understood my name.

"Hi," I wave and the Tulkun clicks.

Huh

I just look at Aonung weirdly and he laughs, turning back to his Tulkun as they continue talking.

I turn around, giving them privacy as I call for my Ilu. Her name is Veewa, named after my mother.

As she approaches in the distant I check over my shoulder once more, seeing Aonung smiling brightly with his Tulkun as they catch up.

The thought of why he wanted me to meet his Tulkun get playing in my mind? I hate him, and he hates me, so why did I meet his Tulkun.

Veewa clicks and I smile down at her. Mounting her back and forming the Tsaheylu I gave her the all clear to start swimming off.

I see Neteyam in the distance and so I swim towards him. He's looking at all the Tulkun, but one Tulkun, or maybe one Navi catches his eyes.

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