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"Good morning" Tìyawn greets Rotxo with a smile, as she makes her way to the training grounds.
"Someone's awake and happy" Rotxo chuckles.
"Am I not allowed to be happy?" Tìyawn asks.
"I mean you did get a kiss last night, I wouldn't be surprised" Rotxo then moves closer to whisper to her, "i got a kiss too."
"You did?" Tìyawn squeals.
Rotxo nods, "she kissed me right here."
He points towards his left cheek, "I'm never cleaning this side of my face again."
Tìyawn chuckles, "do that, and she'd never come near you again. She likes her men clean."
"Men? How many has she had?" Rotxo asks.
"That's not for you to know" Tìyawn teases back, knowing that Kiri has never been interested in anyone as much as Rotxo.
"Hey guys" Tìyawn hears Ao'nungs' voice as her back was faced towards him.
Rotxo gives him a nod, before looking at Tìyawn who looked slightly panicked.
"I'll leave you two love birds alone~" he turns around to walk away.
Tìyawn sighs in defeat before turning around to see Ao'nung stood in front of her.
"Hi."
"Hey."
They both spoke at the same time.
"Did you sleep okay? Last night?" Ao'nung asks.
"Y-yeah. I slept okay" Tìyawn responded.
Ao'nung tilts his head and looks at her confused, "I'd never take you to be the shy type after kissing a guy."
"Shh!" She shushes him, looking up as she quickly places her finger above his lips.
Moving in closely, she whispers, "someone might hear."
Ao'nung smiles, slowly bringing her hand down, "that's why you're acting shy. You don't want anyone to know?"
"A lot of people don't like me here. I wouldn't want to cause anything for you. Or for myself for that matter" Tìyawn responds.
Ao'nung chuckles before giving her a nod, "I won't tell a soul. Can't say the same for anyone who was at Tsireya's party last night."
Tìyawn looks at him confused, before realising what he meant, causing her to slap her head in the palm of her hand.
Ao'nung smiles, "i think we should forget all this. I don't want it affecting your training."
She sighs, "you're right. I'll think about all this later."
"Great, then I guess we should get going" Ao'nung begins to walk ahead.
"Where?" Tìyawn follows after him.
He walks past Rotxo, talking the spear out his hand.
"Hey!" Rotxo shouts.
"It was mine first!" Ao'nung shouts back before handing it over to Tìyawn.
He turns his head to the side to look at her, "we're going hunting."
"We're- what?" Tìyawn looks down at the spear, and back up at Ao'nung, who already got himself under water.
"Oh. Okay" she whispers to herself.
She places the spear behind her, tying it through, to keep it secure.
"Come on forest girl. Time is precious" Ao'nung smirked.
"It sure is" Tìyawn mumbles back before she follows after him, getting on a Tsurak.
Without realising, Tìyawn had made herself ahead of Ao'nung, before getting back to the surface.
"I thought you said time was precious" she calls out to him.
He looks back at her with a smirk, "well I'll be damned."
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"I can't do this anymore" Tìyawn sighs.
"Come on. You've given up already?" Ao'nung asks.
"My arms hurt" Tìyawn pouts, as she's stood next to a pile of animals she's hunted, whilst holding onto the spear, of yet another dead octopus.
"That won't feed the whole village" Ao'nung chuckles.
"You've bought me out here to feed the whole village? Ao'nung I thought you're training me to become a hunter" Tìyawn tilts her head.
"Yes. And as a hunter, you have to help provide for the village" Ao'nung responds.
"On my own?" Tìyawn asks.
"You'll be doing it on your own for me to say the least" Ao'nung shrugs.
"Ao'nung!" Tìyawn complains.
"Alright alright" Ao'nung chuckles, walking towards her.
As he strolled towards her, a surge of emotions cascaded through her being.
Her heart quickened its pace, the sound resonating in her ears like the rhythm of a familiar yet exhilarating melody.
A mixture of anticipation and uncertainty swirled within her, intertwining like the intricate threads of a tapestry.
A warm blush crept up her cheeks, a telltale sign of the profound effect he had on her.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Tìyawn asks.
"Like what?" Ao'nung responded.
His gaze wandered, alternating between her lips and her eyes, caught in a mesmerizing struggle for attention.
The intensity of his stare on her lips conveyed a subtle longing, a desire hinted at by the gentle parting of his own.
"Like you want to.. kiss me?" Tìyawn whispered back.
"And what if I do?" Ao'nung whispers back, his fingertips tracing around her knuckles, "would you let me?"
"If you stop making me work so hard" she looked up at him with a frown.
He gives her a nod, understanding her request.
They leaned in towards each other. The air was thick with a palpable tension, a fusion of longing and trepidation that crackled like electricity between them.
Their eyes locked, each revealing a vulnerability only meant for the other to witness. As their breaths synchronized, their lips drew closer, an irresistible gravitational force guiding their every movement.
The world around them blurred into insignificance, leaving only the magnetism of their connection.
And then, with the softest of touches, their lips met—a collision of emotions and desires that sent shockwaves of intensity cascading through their intertwined souls, a union of two beings finding solace in each other's embrace.
As they reluctantly pulled away, a delicate strand seemed to linger, connecting their lips even as the physical contact ceased.
Their breaths danced in the space between them, a shared rhythm that bore witness to the profound intimacy they had just experienced.
"You can't seem to get enough, can you?" Tìyawn whispers.
"You're cute when you frown. I can't seem to help it" Ao'nung whispers back."
Caught in a moment of shared understanding, their smiles bloomed like flowers in the warmth of spring.
His eyes crinkled at the corners, a mirror to the joy that radiated from within him.
Her lips curved in response, a reflection of the happiness that danced in her heart.
In that fleeting exchange, a world of unspoken sentiments passed between them, an unbreakable bond formed by the simplicity of a smile.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚
Ao'nung walks into the marui, after a day of training Tìyawn.
He finds his mother sat down, doing what he called "Tsahìk business."
"Mother" Ao'nung calls out.
Ronal looks up at him and back down to her working hands, with a smile, "Ao'nung. Your training with Tìyawn ended already?"
"Yes.." Ao'nung responded, confused at his mother questioning.
"Well you usually like to spend a long time with her" Ronal chuckles.
Ao'nung rolls his eyes, before sitting down, "so you believe me? That she is the woman I am meant to be with?"
"Of course" Ronal responds before looking at him once again, "you know, your grandfather had a similar dream, before he met your grandmother. Having a dream of your soulmate, it is normal. And you are able to choose how to play with that fate."
"If you believe me, then there is something I must tell you" Ao'nung says to her.
"What is it? What is troubling you?" Ronal asks.
"When I had this dream. Tìyawn.. the woman she was bought up from. The Tsahìk of the Omatikaya.." Ao'nung gave her a face, almost giving away what he was thinking.
"She died" Ronal states.
"Ha-Has she? Is there no way to change this?" Ao'nung asks.
"Unfortunately not" Ronal responds, "you know that I have many connections to Eywa and the spirits of the cove. I have heard and connected to many people. She happens to be one."
"I don't know what to do" Ao'nung looks at his mother.
His gaze fixed on his mother, a flicker of concern clouding his eyes like a passing shadow. The lines of his forehead creased, revealing the depth of his worry.
Ronal gives him a heart full smile, before placing her hand above his, "let her see the truth for herself" she whispers.
"But she will be hurt" Ao'nung responds.
"We will all experience a sufferable amount of pain, once in our life Ao'nung. But we must face them. She must face the truth. That way, she is able to let the Sully's know too. This is something that they must grieve together. Let her grieve Ao'nung, it is the only way" his mother gives him the harsh truth, and yet in a way that was explained heart fully.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚
Tìyawn was making her way out her marui, when she bumped into Ao'nung, who seemed to be walking in.
"Ao'nung? What are you doing here?" Tìyawn asks, "I thought you'd be eating with your family."
"Actually, I was hoping to see you" Ao'nung responds.
"You were hoping to see me?" Tìyawn asks, "what for?"
"I wanted to take you somewhere. Somewhere special" Ao'nung gives her a smile.
"Are you sure? I mean, your father would want you there for dinner, with the other villagers. You know, with the image of you becoming the next chief" Tìyawn chuckles.
"My mother knows. And unfortunate for my father, it's my mother who makes the decisions in the relationship" Ao'nung laughs, before putting his hand out to Tìyawn for her to hold, "so, shall we?"
Tìyawn smiles and nods, "let's go."
She takes his hand, the two of them walking off together.
"You seem a lot more comfortable with me, compared to this morning" Ao'nung smiles, noticing how she held his hand firmly.
"I guess you've got me to feel comfortable with you" she smiles back at him.
"I'm glad" Ao'nung responds, "I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable on this date I'm taking you on."
"Date? How do you-?"
"Lo'ak. Lo'ak told me, that you would both do stuff together. And you call it a date" Ao'nung explains.
"Oh.. Lo'ak just told you that?" Tìyawn asks.
"I might have gone to ask him what I could do, to really win your heart" Ao'nung chuckles, "even though going to Lo'ak might not be a good thing. I'm sorry."
"No, I'm glad" Tìyawn responds, "it's nice to see you two have become friends with one another."
The two of them continue to walk, onto a rocky slope.
"Careful" Ao'nung tells her, as he holds onto her tightly.
She looks at him, noticing how much care he takes, with letting her walk.
How concentrated he is, on not wanting her to fall and hurt herself.
She smiles, before looking away again, "so, where are you taking me?"
"It's a surprise" Ao'nung responds.
"So you like giving out surprises?" Tìyawn smiles.
"Only to you" Ao'nung flirts back.
They continue to walk until they get to the sea where Aonung calls for an ilu.
The ilu comes to him and he gets on before turning to look at Tìyawn.
He holds her hand out to her, "get on the back."
Tìyawn takes his hand and jumps on the back.
She puts both her arms around his waist, making Aonung smile. He then looks forward and begins to ride.
They ride on the ilu to the reef. They reach by eclipse. The sky was pitch black, and the sea looked beautiful as it glowed.
"It's very beautiful here" Tìyawn says, as she looks at the fish glowing underneath.
Aonung smiles, "the sea's always beautiful. But the beauty shines when it's dark out."
"We should swim underneath" Tìyawn says.
He looks back at her, "let's do it."
They both get off their ilu and swim underneath.
Tìyawn looks around, admiring the beauty of the sea.
She realised that Rotxo was right.
There were loads of beautiful sea shells.
Aonung noticed Tìyawn looking at them and swam further down, picking some up and putting them in his pouch.
He also notices a pearl inbetween the shells and picks it up.
Aonung then swims back up to Tìyawn.
What were you doing down there? Tìyawn signs.
I was just looking Aonung signs back.
They continue to swim underneath and Aonung introduced her to all the animals under the sea.
That one looks like you Tìyawn signs to Aonung and then points to a fish. She laughs as he rolls his eyes at her.
Tìyawn taps Aonungs shoulder and points forward.
He looks forward seeing two fish touching their nose with each other.
Tìyawn and Aonung both smile as they are watching them.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚
Under the moon's gentle embrace, the night at sea came alive with an enchanting symphony of sights and sounds.
Tìyawn's hands placed above Ao'nungs' torso whilst her arms rested around his torso.
She looked around, with her face in awe, as they had reached the cove.
"This is our most sacred place. The cove, of our ancestors. Usually, it is best to visit here during eclipse" Ao'nung turns his head to the side as he speaks.
"It's beautiful" Tìyawn whispers.
"It sure is" Ao'nung responds, his lips just inches away from touching hers when their faces were positioned so closely.
They had swam towards the spirit tree.
"What is that?" Tìyawn asks, her fingers dipping into the water as they were both circling around the tree, whilst sat on the ilu.
"This is our spirit tree. A strong presence that helps us be closer to Eywa. To be able to connect to her and our ancestors. Those who we have lost, in our life" Ao'nung explained to her.
"It must be very special" Tìyawn looks at him, "I'm happy you bought me here."
"It'll be better for us to get closer" Ao'nung tells her.
"Will it be okay? For me to go down there? I'm not Metkayina, so I don't know if-?" Tìyawn looked towards him.
"Of course you can. Anyone is welcomed here. Even if you are not Metkayina. Yet. You still have the respect to be here. To me, you are one of us" Ao'nung smiles at her.
She smiles back at, "thank you."
"Come on. You never know who you might see" Ao'nung kept on a positive face, despite knowing what she was to witness.
The two of them swim down together, still holding onto each others hand as they do so.
"You must use your tswin to connect" Ao'nung signs to her.
She nods, understanding what he had said to her.
She holds onto her tswin gently yet firmly, as she pulls it over her shoulders, opening the palm of her hands, as the tendrils swirl through, connecting through the roots of the tree.
She closes her eyes, Ao'nung then swimming towards her and taking her hand once again, and the concern begins to plaster all over his face.
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As Tìyawn is connected to the spirit tree, it's empty at first.
"Tìyawn" she hears her name being called out.
Tìyawn turns around to see where it had come from. She stands in shock as she sees who's stood in front of her.
"Mo'at" she calls out.
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