Neteyam x Ao'nung: in the cover of the leaves

9- Tolerance

"Get into teams of three!" Aroha directs the group cheerfully. Following her command, the Metkayina teens break off into trios, each of which then choose another team to go against.

"I'll be on your team!" Aitua runs up to me, her shaggy hair bouncing as she moves.

"Are you sure you don't want to be in a group with your friends?" I ask.

"You are my friend skxawng! Besides, you owe me." She pouts, blowing a loose strands of hair out of her face.

"Okay then, I guess we'll be in a group with Ao'nung." I glance from her to the boy in question.

Aitua leans in towards my ear, whispering, "why him? There are so many other people here."

"I can hear you idiot." Ao'nung spits.

"Sorry, I just, want some alone time with Nete." She smiles.

"It's a three person game dumbass." Ao'nung finishes, turning away to find another team to go up against.

"Hey have you guys picked your opponents yet?" A familiar voice calls out behind us.

"Not yet, do you guys want to go against us?" I respond.

"Yeah, although we're totally going to destroy you." Kai takes on an evil grin.

"In your dreams." Ao'nung smirks back at him. Kai, Ihaka, and another guy Ive never met make up our opposing team, all of which have competitive grins plastered on their faces.

"Try me." Kai laughs under his breath.

"Teyam let's go." Ao'nung pushes my shoulder forward with the hand of the arm he has rested across my back, urging us towards a free table with Aitua close behind. Once there, each team sets up their side, filling each cup up with Pandoras equivalent to beer.

"How do you play?" I whisper into Aonungs ear as Aitua finishes filling the cups.

"You really don't know?" His eyes widen.

"I know the idea but I've never played so I'm not sure."

"Okay, so, the team who goes first will pick an order to play and whoever they pick to go first will get two fossils to try to bounce into the other teams cups. If both land in a cup, they get to keep going until they fail. On the other teams side, the person going first has to drink any of the cups the other teams fossils land in. So we kinda have to pair up with the opposite team, do you get it?"

"Yeah, that's about what I thought."

"Who's going first?" Aitua turns back to face us.

"Me obviously." Ao'nung smiles, pushing to the head of the table.

"Who's going first?" Ihaka asks from across the table.

"It's my birthday bro." Ao'nung pretends to look offended by the question.

"Okay okay you first." Ihaka laughs, tossing the two round fossils over to Aonung.

"You got this." I pat his back.

"Why wouldn't I?" He smirks back at me.

"Just go." Aitua urges him on. Quickly, Aonung takes his turn, only landing one of the cups.

"Where's the bravado now hier?" Ihaka teases, laughing as he swings the cup back.

"I'm just going easy on you?" Ao'nung smiles.

"Yuh-huh." Ihaka sounds unamused, collecting the two balls and setting up for his own turn. He doesn't land anything.

"Wheres your bravado now bro?" Ao'nung teases back.