Spending your morning with the Metkayinan Tsahìk just proved that you knew more than the normal learner. Because you have spent so much time with your grandmother studying and obtaining information about rituals and healings that follow the Tsahìk's job, you were an advanced learner. Picking through herbs and ground up serum from buzzard wasps was not how you usually liked to use your time before noon, but working with Ronal was mandatory. She was amazing though, even if you were forced into a situation with her son. The way she spoke was full of passion and strength, mixing items together to create the perfect incantation for sickness astonished you. You felt comfortable knowing that at least the arrangements that the Metkayina Tsahìk is given is not far off from the Omaticaya ones.
You were distracted during the morning lesson though, remembering you would have to spend the afternoon with her son. He was anything but pleasant. He was a bully, prejudice, and just a rude guy. Of course he wouldn't always be this way if he wanted to be the Olo'eyktan, these qualities being considered childish by most. He'll grow out of it someday, but for right now he was in the thick of it. But even you could understand that you were in your own era of attitude, liking to bother the boy simply because you knew it would annoy him. It made you laugh to see him upset, and him with you vice versa. Maybe if he hadn't made fun of your features when he first saw you you wouldn't feel so abhorrent of him.
You blew your braids from your face, strands of hair awkwardly sticking to your face in the constant humidity of the beach. It was rarely this weather in the jungle, having constant shade instead of sunlight peering directly into your eyes. You hoped you would come to like this type of scenery, even if for now it bugged you. You held back your eyes from rolling once you saw Ao'nung sitting by the water, waiting to 'spend time with you'. These mandatory play dates were going to be the death of you. Your eyes then focused on the boy, slightly squinting to look further on his physical appearances.
As you came closer your eyes began to focus on the stripes on his celeste colored skin, you being able to compare the look of them to the swirls in the water. His eyes were shaded as he looked towards his hands, the sky blue irises that peered down over his four fingered hands, the wide finned wrist that were evolved for swimming better, his braided locks that were bound back with a tie, the water that dripped water from a loose hair down to his mouth, the speckle of water that sat perfectly on his lips-
"What are you looking at?" Ao'nung suddenly asked, you flinching slightly to his voice.
Instead of replying you scoffed at his words, walking closer to the boy. You then crashed down next to the boy around a foot away, trying to keep space. You slowly pulled your knees to your chest, relaxing your chin on top. Ao'nung looked over you as you did this, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips as he turned his gaze toward the huts on the island. You moved your sight to where he was focusing on, your eyebrows furrowing as you noticed Ao'nung's friends laughing at him as they stood on the bridge.
"Who are they laughing at? You or me?" You questioned, Ao'nung shrugging.
"You because you're you and me because I have to be around you." He answered, rolling his eyes as he looked at the water now. You turned your head toward's Ao'nung, squinting at him in confusion.
"Is there any bone in your body that doesn't want to try and hurt my feelings?"
"Is it working, tree swinger?" He asked, a blank look overcoming your face.
"Obviously not.. Your insults are dry, like sand." You say, your face still looking mad as you now focused your sight down onto the ground. As the water washed up it barely reached your toes, your feet dipping in the coolness.
"How do you feel about having to.. You know?" He asked, your ears peaking up at his question. You felt an awkward rumble in your stomach, your lips pressing together tightly.
"How do i feel having to~ what?" You mocked, Ao'nung shaking his head.
"Don't make me say it. I could throw up thinking about it." You looked towards Ao'nung with a bewildered look from his words. He sat there silently, eyes still staring coldly to the ground. You then scooted further away from him, the space between you growing.
"Do I repulse you that much?" You questioned in a rasped tone, Ao'nung's ears lifting up slightly to this.
"Aren't you?" He asked, a confused look taking over your face.
"Aren't I what?"
"Revolted.." he stated, turning his head towards you, "with me?" He questioned, your eyelids fluttering to the question. You were quiet for a moment, taking in and out a slow breath as you thought.
"I.. I'm not 'revolted' in you. That would be stupid to think that way. That's why you're stupid for thinking that way." You scoffed, Ao'nung shrugging.
"Then I'm.. I'm not revolted in you either. That won't stop me from think you're a freak." He smirked, you reaching over and hitting his arm. Ao'nung let out a small hiss, holding over the spot where you striked him.
"Whatever.. Eventually you'll have to deal with the fact I'll have to be with you forever." You spoke in a ghostly way, circling your index finger around Ao'nung's face. He swiped your hand out of his face with a soft laugh, making eye contact with you for a moment.
He breathed a soft sigh out of his nose as he looked over your features, a blush growing on your cheeks as you awkwardly turned your head away from the boy.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" You asked, a soft scoff escaping your throat as your eyes flashed between Ao'nung and the sand. The boy smirked slightly before he turned his head, rolling his eyes.
"Your jaw is thin, your skin is deeper blue, your face is different.. Your whole family looks uncanny, you know?" He joked, your eyebrows furrowing. His words constantly spoiled your mood.
"You act like you don't look strange to me, fish lips. Your eyes are blue, your face is wide, and your eyes are far apart. You look like your little friends in the water.." you smirked, covering your mouth as you giggled. He shook his head, pulling one knee closer to his chest.
"At least I am a true Metkayinan. I will always be better than you here." He spoke, eyes far off as he focused on the water. Your lips pressed thin at this 'fact', your head turning away as well.
"It's not like I wanted to be here.. I could have been the Olo'eyktan and Tsahìk if I was worthy enough in my tribe. Now I'm stuck as.." you took a breath, voice beginning to crack as you thought further, "as this. Whatever it is.. And now I also have to be glued with you. I couldn't even leave if I wanted. I won't complain to my family about it because it's not like we could go anywhere.." you huffed, eyes now dipped below your knees to cradle yourself into a cocoon. You didn't know why you were venting to him, it's not like he was going to feel pity for you. You were too different.
"I'm stuck with you too, you know. I don't have a choice in who I mate with and now I'm forced to with a tree swinging forest na'vi who will never learn to hold her breath." He finished in a harsh tone, taking a gulp as he continued, "Even if you never came I wouldn't have had a choice.." he sighed, you shrugging.
"Well.. I'm sorry to disappoint..." you mumbled, the silence growing between the two of you. You lifted your head from your knees, about to stand but was instead interrupted with a question,
"The sky people.. They're after your family?" Your ears peaked up to this question. You obviously weren't allowed to bring this up in conversation.
"I.. I wouldn't say after us. They just don't like my family because of my parents- I mean, they killed a lot of the sky people and sent them back to their star, so.." You breathed out, lips thinning by the end. Ao'nung nodded.
"Mm.. Are you a warrior like your parents?" He asked, eyes moving back to yours. You nodded your head, a smile growing on your lips.
"Yes, very much so.. When the sky people came I would be a spotter with my brothers and when I went home I would be a healer for those who were hurt.. I wanted to be everything at once, so I was." You spoke, a relaxed breath escaping from your throat. Ao'nung was quiet in thought, eyes looking over your stature.
"Are you a warrior?" You questioned, Ao'nung nodding.
"I haven't been able to fight in a war, but I believe I am. The Metkayina haven't had trouble with other tribes or creatures in a very long time.. I hunt with the men and I have killed an akula." He smirked, your haired brow raising.
"I'm guessing that's impressive?" You asked, Ao'nung nodding his head.
"Akula are vicious creatures, their teeth are like knifes.. My father wears the teeth of his first akula kill on his neck, and I wear the tooth of my first." He spoke, lifting up his necklace. You hummed to this, moving yourself closer. You reached toward his necklace, lifting the tooth gently before lightly sliding your thumb against the aquamarine blueness.
"This is the material of your knifes.." you mumbled, Ao'nung nodding his head slowly.
"Yes, every knife is made from an akula tooth. We eat their body, use their bones for weapons, and teeth for adornments and knifes.. But only those of high social standing have these," he then pointed to his necklaces, his fingers lightly touching your hand, "it is mostly for leaders in our tribe. One day I will have a full row of Akula teeth to wear as an Olo'eyktan." He stated, you letting out a soft 'huh' as you laid the necklace back on his chest.
"Can you get me one of these knifes you talk about?" You asked, a small smirk taking over your mouth. He hummed, tilting his head down to you.
"If you ask nicely." Ao'nung gained a playful smirk of his own, your stomach having butterflies for a moment. You only felt that way because.. because.
"I.. Shut up." You huffed, sitting a foot away from him once more. He let out a laugh.
"I guess you aren't getting your knife. It's how we live you know, if you want a good one before your brothers get to them I'd ask now if I were you." He hummed, leaning back on his hands. You let out an annoyed breath before shrugging.
"Fine.. Can I have an Akula knife.." you spoke, noticing the look on Ao'nung's face as he dipped his head down, "please." You ended, the boy reaching his hand over and patting your shoulder.
"See? That wasn't so hard 'princess', was it?" He asked, you rolling your eyes as you shrugged off his hand.
"Stop calling me that, you sound like a perv." You kicked sand from under your feet, Ao'nung dropping his hand back to the ground.
"Your dad calls you it, what's so different with me?" He asked, you scoffing. He was trying to trap you on purpose. You then stood from the sand, stretching out as you looked over the water.
"Has your sister talked to you about the arrangement yet?" You asked, hands moving down to your back as they clung loosely to each other. Ao'nung let out an 'uhm' as he stood next to you, you taking a breath as he did so. The Metkayina were tall people, which surprised you since they were next to the water.
"She has tried to. I didn't feel like talking about it with her.." he stated, you turning your head to Ao'nung with a smile on your lips.
"But you will with me?" You asked, Ao'nung tilting his head away from yours in an bothered way. You shook your head, playfully bumping your arm into his to tell him it was a joke. He leaned back again, taking a breath as he looked down to you.
"Have you talked to your siblings about it?" He questioned, you shrugging at first.
"They don't want to bring it up I think. It makes it real for them. For a long time I stated I would be mateless so I could be a leader and a Tsahìk.. So I guess they're just not sure what to do around me. They've actively been avoiding me." You scoffed, rubbing your hand against the back of your neck,
"So, no. I haven't-"
"But you will with me?" He smirked, you waving him off.
"Who else can we talk to about than each other? Well.. I'm sure you've talked all about it to your friends, right?" You asked, Ao'nung shrugging.
"They're afraid to bring it up incase I kick their ass for it." You smiled at his words, covering your mouth to not laugh. He was sometimes funny, even if he was a jerk.
Your eyes looked up to the sky and focused on the coming eclipse, a comfortable sigh escaping your lips. This signified your 'date' with Ao'nung would soon be over, which you thanked Eywa for.. even if you would have to see him again sooner than you'd like. Every day for the rest of your life you would have to deal with him. Even if now he seemed.. bearable, Ao'nung looked like the type to cross you just to have fun. As soon as the planet above covered the light in the sky, you turned your head towards Ao'nung.
"I will be leaving then.."
"Good, now I can get away from your forest stench." He stated, the annoyance growing in your stomach again. Just when you were starting to like him he says something out of pocket.
"Whatever water boy." You rolled your eyes, slapping his arm slightly before walking off.
'At least he's cute.' You widened your eyes to this thought, rubbing your hand's over your face quickly to erase it. He wasn't cute.. was he? He was tall and didn't have a horrible face.. His eyes reminded you of the ocean, which was beautiful but you hated because it reminded you you weren't home. His body was strong yet so different from yours it was hard fo comprehend.
'I'd rather mate with spider than that gill breather.. No I wouldn't.' Humans were kind of repulsive to look at to you honestly, even if the ones you knew personally like Norm and spider were friends.
—
The walk home was peaceful, the sounds of droplets tapping the water and small clicks of Ilu resting making the surround sound comfortable. Before you entered your home you took a breath, heart beginning to beat. You were uncomfortable to enter your own home because no one wanted to talk to you. It wasn't your fault you were thrown into this mess..
Your ears peaked at Tuk's giggles, your siblings mumblings, your father sharpening wood, and your mother humming a tune. You closed your eyes as you focused on the sound, not even your heart beat could interrupt it. It made you smile to hear them happy. Peaceful..
'If I wasn't home they would be happier.' The thought moved quickly through your head, your eyes widening. You blinked it away the best you could though it rung in your ears. You were the reason why they could be happy right now, being able to be content in a home. You were the glue between your family and the Metkayina now, not just a Sully. You took in and out a slow breath as you tried to calm yourself, plastering a fake smile on your face before walking into the hut.
Silence took over your family immediately, Tuk's giggling stopping as she looked to you. Your smile slowly fell, lips pressing tight together as you looked over them. You huffed slightly and sat down next to your mother, back facing your siblings as you felt their stares burn into your skin. You placed another smile on your lips, turning your head to your mother who was preparing breakfast for tomorrow. Her eyes moved to yours, her hand reaching up and cupping your cheek gently before moving back down. At least she didn't change. Even your dad was beginning to grow weary of being around you.
"So.. (Y/n), how was your time with the Tsahìk?" Lo'ak asked, making an 'ow!' as Kiri pinched his arm. You turned your head to your younger brother, shrugging your shoulders.
"Mm.. It was okay, I already knew everything she was telling me. She said I'll need 'advanced learning' whatever that meant. I've been working with grandma for years, so it won't be hard." You smiled, Lo'ak nodding his head. Your siblings didn't dare to ask about Ao'nung though, all of them thinking it would be a touchy subject for you.
But you wanted them to ask, even if it was a touchy subject you wanted to be talked to. There was no reason you had been in a longer conversation with Ao'nung out of all people today compared to your family. It felt like your twin brother was steering clear of you, even if he was your confidant. You weren't identical but you were closer compared to any of your other siblings, until now apparently. You didn't have the energy to confront them on it, even if you truely wanted to.
"Ronal had spoken to me today." Your mother started, your eyes moving to hers, "She wants you to train with her son, learn from him." You widened your eyes, eyebrows furrowing as you shook your head.
"But, my brothers and sisters-"
"There is no fight here (Y/n). You will obey, my love. I'm sorry.." She spoke, lowering her head to you before going back to the food.
"Unbelievable.." you breathed out, standing from your seat.
"(Y/n), please,"
"I'm not mad at you.. I just need space." You breathed out, lifting your hand towards your family before walking out.