⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆ Ta'kari POV ⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆
So I'm sorry WHAT THE FUCK just happened.
One moment I was fucking around with Za'tarae, and the next I'm backed against the wall, and Aonung and I are inches apart.
And I can't deny what it did to me.
So fuck me, I find Aonung hot.
I always was able to admit he was good looking, and there had always been a minimal level of appeal there, but he is undeniably, insanely attractive.
It isn't just that he is crazy tall and stupidly muscularly broad, he is ludicrously attractive.
His voice was so rumbly and sly, and although his nervous bashfulness had been endearing and adorable as I shamelessly flirted with him, I can scandalously admit I thoroughly enjoyed being backed against the rocks with him towering over me.
I sneak a glance up at him as we move into the village, still walking in silence and avoiding each others gaze.
His jaw is clenched and I can see all the muscles in his neck are tensed. The veins in his arms are very prominent in his tense fists.
His ears are flattened, and every so often, he looks like he's trying to hide a wince.
I'm slightly embarrassed by getting caught, but I think we are both secretly wondering what would have happened if no one had interrupted.
Would we have kissed?
I am not exactly an innocent woman, but why does something so trivial and meaningless as a kiss with my mate seem so drastically, life-alteringly important?
It probably wouldn't matter to Aonung, Tsireya has quite explained his previous sluttiness, and I can't comprehend why, all of a sudden, a kiss seems like such a big deal.
Or an almost kiss, for that matter.
We reach the Tsahìk marui and find Ronal waiting, cross armed, for us.
"How'd the two of you sleep last night?" Ronal says, squinting slightly.
"Fine," I say, smiling forcedly.
"And you just slept-"
"No," Aonung says sharply. "No no no. We are not doing this today. Why the fuck would Ta'kari and I do anything in a marui where my parents and sister or her best friend are sleeping?!"
"So it wouldn't be in the marui?" Ronal asks skeptically. "I'll have to be more careful about you two going off-"
"No!" I blurt, flushing furiously. "Aonung and I just slept Ronal, that's all."
"Well either way," Ronal says, shooting a suspicious look at her son, "I was glad to get some peace and quiet last night. And watch your language Aonung."
Aonung rolls his eyes and I awkwardly adjust my top.
"So... Tsireya said you wanted to talk to us about the ceremony?" I prompt.
"Yes," Ronal smiles, shaking her head slightly. "It is tradition for the ceremony to take place on the night of the high moon."
"The... the what?" I say, unsure.
Ronal squints at me a little.
"It must be Metkayina tradition," she says finally. "In Awa'atlu, the night of the high moon is when the moon is full and bright."
"Isn't that just full moon?" I ask. "Isn't it every month?"
"No, my dear," Ronal laughs lightly. "The high moon comes only once a decade, and Eywa has blessed us."
"When is it?" I ask, my nervous dread blooming in the pit of my stomach.
"A month," Ronal says happily.
Aonung exhales, and I blanch.
"A MONTH?" I hiss.
"Yes my dear," Ronal says, smiling. "So we have much to prepare- to dress you and teach you our-"
"I've prepared for this Ronal," I say respectfully. "Through much of my teenage and childhood years. I know the etiquette and dances and traditions- I wasn't just lazing around in Ta'unui you know."
Ronal laughs.
"I'm glad, Ta'kari," she says, patting my arm. "So we shall make your ceremonial outfit, and go over the traditions together. Tsireya can teach you, along with Ze'nna and Ke'na."
"Really?" I say excitedly.
"Yes," Ronal says, smiling. "I saw the three of you talking this morning, I'm glad you're starting to meet the members of our clan."
I return her smile, and Ronal turns to stare between Aonung and I.
"Alright, what happened," she says with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" Aonung asks, scowling.
"There is a lot of tension in this room," Ronal says. "Not in the same way there is when the two of you are fighting like little kids-"
"We do not," Aonung says crossly.
"Of course," Ronal says, rolling her eyes at her son and winking at me. "So what happened between the two of you. Unless..."
"Unless what?" Aonung snaps, glaring at his mum.
"Unless nothing happened. If the two of you got interrupted."
I gape at her.
How did she know.
"Nothing was happening," Aonung snaps. "So if you'll excuse us, I want to hunt."
"I'll come with," I say, eager to leave before this conversation continues.
"No," Ronal says. "You'll stay here today, Aonung's grounded."
"He is?" I say, frowning. "Why?"
"Because my skxawng son gets into fights, and he needs to learn to control his temper," Ronal snaps, glaring at Aonung, who just glares right back.
"Of course, I don't blame you dear," Ronal says, her smile reappearing startlingly fast as she turns to me.
"Than- thank you?" I say awkwardly.
"Of course, now go have fun inside the bay," Ronal says.
"Fine," Aonung grumbles.
"Thank you Ronal," I say, gesturing to her before following Aonung out of the Tsahìk marui and into the home marui. "I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologising?" Aonung says, turning to frown at me as he flops onto a mat in the main area of the marui.
"Uh- about the ceremony? That it's so soon? That now everyone's really gonna know we're to be mated?"
"To be mated," Aonung says, wrinkling his nose.
"It does sound weird," I agree. "Very fancy way to say fuck."
Aonung lets out a startled laugh.
Eywa, that is a very attractive laugh. His jawline is sharp and the muscles in his neck work as he laughs, and his eyes sparkle in a very mesmerising way.
What the fuck is wrong with me.
Why the fuck am I being such a perv right now.
"But also, that this kind of cuts you off," I say, shrugging. "Looks like your slutty days are over."
Aonung gapes at me.
"I- uh- no- uh- I"
"Eywa," I laugh. "It's okay, Aonung, really. I'm not offended, you're allowed to have your youth and fun."
"I wasn't that bad," he protests. "Tsireya's being dramatic. But from what I hear, you and Ta'ru-"
"How do you know about that?" I hiss. "Not- not that... uh..."
Aonung laughs again.
"Looks like little miss perfect isn't as spotless as she thought," he chuckles.
"I'm not little or miss or perfect," I growl.
"Alright," Aonung concedes. "Except for the first one."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I glare, as he chuckles at me from the ground.
"Nothing."
I glare at him, and he laughs again.
"Don't take this the wrong way," he says, sitting up on his back to prop himself on his elbows. "But you're fucking tiny."
I growl under my breath.
"I'm taller than Tsireya," I protest.
"By an inch at most," Aonung laughs.
"Well I'm strong," I argue. "And I'm better fighter than probably anyone on this island."
"Really?" Aonung asks skeptically. "That good?"
"I wasn't even fighting Koro," I point out.
"Maybe you're just aggressive," Aonung smirks.
"I am an amazing fighter," I say, frowning. "You don't believe me?"
"Better than Ta'ru?" Aonung asks slyly.
"Shut up," I growl. "Much better. One time, I pinned him down and-"
"Eywa, I don't need to hear what my mate did with someone else," Aonung says, covering his ears.
I slap his hands away.
"And beat him," I finish, rolling my eyes. "As if I'd tell you what I did to Ta'ru while he was pinned down."
I smirk triumphantly as Aonung opens his mouth in incredulity.
"Just joking," I say, winking. "But just so you know, I'm full of surprises too."
⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆
I'm sorry but I love maneater/not innocent Ta'kari idc.
Cause istg I'm not gonna read another ff where the girl is totally innocent and naive cause they make them sound like children and that is weird af so we got this Ta'kari (fucking icon)
Anyway, getting excited for the ceremony?
I don't care if you arent, let's choose a great outfit for Ta'kari on the next a/n 😘
Love you all <3