𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ༊࿐ ᴀᴏɴᴜɴɢ x ᴏᴄ

15.

⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆ Kai'wä ⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆

All day, I know Aonung is still pissed.

I can't fucking think why, and even though he's always been infuriating I feel weird with his glare radiating across the water.

I don't know what I could have done to annoy him.

"These are ilu," Aonung calls, wading deeper as I laugh at Neteyam's jokes. "If you want to live here, you have to ride."

"Is that what he says to you," Lo'ak jokes at me, and I shove him underwater, blushing crimson.

"Tsireya, take this skxawng far away before I drown him," I scowl, crossing my arms and wrinkling my nose at the indignant and amused Lo'ak.

My best friend laughs and steers her crush away towards another ilu.

Aonung scowls, looking displeased that he and I have to be the one to help Neteyam.

"Come on then," he sighs, and we wade over to him.

Aonung notices me nervously watching him, and I quickly look away.

I don't want him to see that I'm worried he's mad at me.

"Here," I say, leading Neteyam forward and placing a placating hand on the ilu. He smiles gently at me as I steady him on top, and I nod encouragingly.

"Make the bond gently," I instruct, choosing to ignore the sour look on Aonung's face that I can't understand as I lead Neteyam's hand to the right position. "Hold here."

I slowly let the ilu go and move back to watch besides Aonung as the ilu races away.

"Bet he's gonna drown," a voice scoffs harshly behinds us, and I turn to see Ongu, Koro and Nashvi watching with malicious amusement.

"What are they doing here," I whisper to Aonung, not bothering to hide my distaste for his other skxawng friends.

"Probably came down for a good laugh," he responds uncaringly.

It's moments like these where I'm reminded why I shouldn't like him. Why I don't.

He's rude and standoffish and I suddenly find myself not worrying about his strange anger with me anymore.

"You're a dick," I hiss.

Aonung blinks, looking taken aback at my sudden annoyance.

"The sullys are trying to adjust to a totally new world, and all you've done is grumble and despise them with no reason."

"Ooh," Koro laughs stupidly, "Aonung's copping shit from his girl-"

"No one was talking to you," I snap, shooting Koro a disgusted look before turning my glare on the increasingly confused and startled Aonung. "If this is how you really are, I'm calling this shit off now."

I lower my voice so only we can hear as I hiss, "I'm not some weak little slut of yours that thinks your bimbo rude ass habits are hot. I'm not going to be your fake girlfriend if this is what you're really like Aonung."

Aonung blinks again, and I sigh, folding my arms around myself.

"I thought you were different."

Aonung opens his mouth to say something, now looking very abashed, but then an annoying hoot of laughter sounds and I see Lo'ak emerge, spluttering, from the water.

"Are you alright forest boy?"

"Told you. Shame the freak didn't just drown."

My blue eyes narrow further as Koro, Ongu and Nashvi continue to taunt Lo'ak, and I glare pointedly at the slightly sheepish Aonung.