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Aonung holds the shell in his hands and inspects it. A shell is a token of friendship, a camaraderie of sorts. Neteyam gave him this shell, white and completely smooth. The edges were rough but that was to be expected.
He tucks it into his jar of trinkets, mostly filled with things Neteyam and Tuk gives him. There's pearls, shells, pretty pieces of dried coral and even rocks they find in the woods.
Whatever pretty small thing they can find they bring it to him. He's honestly not sure why but he thinks it's an ongoing game. Kind of a rivalry.
It started when Tuk gave him a piece of sea glass that matched his skin tone, a light turquoise color. Neteyam had seen it and said he could find a nicer one, a bigger one that he could actually use. Tuk stuck out her tongue and quipped something about how he couldn't no matter how hard he tried, that her gift was the best.
Aonung had laughed it off but when both siblings ran off into the sea after a hard glare he knew he had become the victim of some childish competition.
Now every time he gets a gift from one of them he must rate it out of ten, and whoever gets the highest gets bragging rights for the entire day.
Now the thing about Aonung is that he is very straightforward. If he doesn't like something then he will say something so he is a judge they can trust. And they both know Aonung doesn't really like either of them so there won't be any bias.
But slowly, over time, a bias has grown. Tuk is a child, she is comical and utterly funny in the most oblivious ways. She's kind and caring, brings Aonung everywhere with them. She doesn't want him to feel left out of their activities, even when he really wants to.
Then there is Neteyam, warm hearted, teasing Neteyam who always has the best banter. Out of all the Sully children, Aonung is closest to Neteyam. Kiri is always in her own world and if not then with Rotxo. Tsireya and Lo'ak are always off being Tsireya and Lo'ak with their blooming love.
So Aonung gets stuck with Neteyam and Tuk. Well that's how it started but now he instinctively gravitates towards them when in group settings.
Neteyam more because he's usually alone. He's usually collecting his daily shell or pearl or something pretty he can give Aonung. He always succeeds, he always finds something pretty.
He's so far losing the battle though, Tuk somehow always manages to find something pretty and practical so she always gets a higher rating.
The few times Neteyam does get a higher rating, his face just lights up. Aonung likes that, how his praise makes Neteyam's pride puff up.
He brags about his rating all day until the next day when he obviously tries harder to find something nice. Aonung cherishes everything he gets, has even planned a whole armband and harness set to use the trinkets for.
This has been going on for almost three months now so he has collected a very impressive amount of supplies. He'll probably end up making something for them too, just because he wants to.
" Aonung!" Tuk yells and he whips around, Tuk holding a big conch shell in her hand.
" Look! Look! I found this while swimming, i made Lo'ak grab it for me. Isn't it pretty?" She says excitedly and Aonung takes it from her hand.
" It's beautiful. I've always wanted a conch for myself but i could never find one a decent size. This is perfect." He praises and ruffles her braided hair, Tuk's smile almost glowing from the phrase.
" Aonung? Are you still there?" Neteyam's voice asks as he walks in, holding something in his hand.
" God damn it, you found him a conch?" Neteyam asks and looks at it with a mix of disdain and admiration. It's impressive.
" Yeah. Lo'ak helped me." Tuk sways side to side and Neteyam looks betrayed.
" He said he would help me. Now he's helping the enemy." He groans.
Aonung laughs and puts the conch shell on his table, crossing his arms.
" Alright forest boy, ready for your rating?"
Neteyam sighs and rolls his eyes, then seems to remember what's in his hand.
" Wait i have a redemption gift. Here." He opens his palm and Aonung's mouth goes dry.
There's three shells sitting there, one pink, one purple and one red.
The colors of a shell means different things when given to a person. White is general appreciation, pink is adoration and purple means royalty. Fitting for Aonung.
But red, red is given as a courtship gift to a soon to be mated couple. It means life and love, spending your life with someone. It's the first act of the mating ritual.
" Uh." Aonung says dumbly and takes the shells sheepishly, putting the two shells into the jar. He keeps the red one for himself and throws it into his satchel before closing it like he was hiding something.
" What? Did you not like it? Fuck, that was my last hope." Neteyam curses and Tuk laughs.
" Ha ha. You lose old man."
" Old man?!" Neteyam yelps and Tuk just continues to tease.
They're too distracted with their own fight that they fail to notice Aonung turning bright red. He knows Neteyam probably doesn't realize the meaning behind the colors but still.
He's been part of the Metkayina for almost three years now, he can't be this stupid.
And just when they turned old enough to be mated too.... Fuck.
" Neteyam wins." He concludes and it causes an uproar from Tuk.
" I do?"
" What?!" Tuk shrieks as Neteyam has a slow smile on his face.
" I do! Ha! My four shells beat your one shell." He says and Aonung thinks this is the only time he's ever seen Neteyam act so childish.
" But I got you a conch. All he got you was a few shells." Tuk argues and Aonung sighs.
" Purple means royalty. It's rare and it's a miracle he even found it. It's the highest respect." He shrugs.
" But you didn't even rate it! How bad did i lose? I need to know." Tuk says and Aonung sighs.
" Nine for Tuk, 9.5 for Neteyam."
" Oh. That's not so bad." Tuk says and Neteyam scoffs.
" I got him a red shell, that means loyalty and respect. That with the white and purple shell deserves at least two points higher than her, come on drop her to a seven." Neteyam gestures and Aonung's eyebrows raise.
Oh. So he got the colors confused. Loyalty is the orange one, not red.
" Nuh uh, deal with it. You may get bragging rights but at least he can use mine!" Tuk says and angrily storms off, her brother following close behind still arguing.
Aonung watches them leave then sighs, pulling out the red shell and inspecting it. It's dark pink on the inside, bright red on the out and it reminds him of the red sea glass Tuk brought him a few days ago.
He looks back at the pieces of leather he prepared for the armband, ready to be woven.
Maybe he'll actually get started on it today.
———————————————————————————
Aonung hesitates before adding the red shell, dead center of the armband. It's followed by pink and white shells, black pearls and turquoise sea glass to match him. The red shell happens to be biggest so it fits well on the middle, the rest being spread out.
He sighs as he sews it into the leather, tightening it so it doesn't fall off. He uses leather thread and wax to keep it in place, weaving around it so it looks imbedded.
" God he'll be the death of me." He whispers to himself.
" Who will?"
Aonung flinches when a hand leans on his shoulder as Tsireya tries to get a better look at what he's doing.
" Jesus Reya, you couldn't have given me a warning?" He shakes off the hand and she rolls her eyes.
" What are you making?" She asks and sits down opposite of him, looking at the jar full of things.
" An armband."
" Can I see?"
" Yeah just wait." Aonung says as he sews in the last pearl, tying it off in the back so it doesn't fall off.
He hands it to Tsireya and watches her eyes widen. She looks at him with shock until it slowly morphs to a smile.
" Oh my god, why didn't you tell me!" Tsireya drops the newly made armband and lunges forward to hug Aonung.
" Wait no no! It's a misunderstanding!"
" What do you mean?" Tsireya asks as she pulls back and Aonung sighs.
" Neteyam gave it to me."
" Oh my god-"
" He got the colors mixed up! He thought it meant loyalty not courtship." He yells over his sister before she could finish and she gives a skeptical look.
" No way. Neteyam is too good at memorizing to do that."
" Well he did." Aonung shrugs and takes the finished armband, slipping it on.
He asks Tsireya to tie it for him and positions it so she does, tight enough to not slip but not so much his blood circulation is cut off. Because that was the first mistake he made with his very first armband.
" Do you seriously think it was a mistake?" Tsireya asks and Aonung nods.
" You wouldn't be wearing the shell if you thought it was." She points out and Aonung sighs.
" Well it is. So just...drop it."
Tsireya leans on her hand and watches her brother adjust the armband, eerily silent for a moment that doesn't last long.
" If it were real, would you say yes?"
" I don't know." Aonung shrugs.
" Do you like him?"
" Don't know."
" Are you lying?" Tsireya tilts her head and Aonung sighs.
" I don't know."
Tsireya laughs and hugs her brother again.
" I hope you say yes."
" It's not even real."
" But if it is."
" It's not."
" Then I hope you give him one, for real." She says and Aonung just furrows his eyebrows.
" Why?"
She shrugs and stands, taking her brother with her.
" I think you two will be cute. Mom called us by the way, that's why I came here."
" You couldn't have told me sooner?! Mom is probably pissed." Aonung stands quickly and runs out of the marui, Tsireya laughing.
———————————————————————————
" Hey." Neteyam says softly as he sits down next to Aonung.
He's preparing the nets for tomorrow's hunt when Neteyam finds him, alone at the docks.
" Hey." He says quietly and his ears fall back, fighting back the urge to sit away.
" Did you like it?"
" Like what?"
" My gift."
It's like his heart stops. Aonung turns to him so quick Neteyam is surprised. Then he accidentally drops the nets and they fall into the water, Aonung cursing as he leans down to get them.
" What are you talking about?"
" I heard that giving someone a red shell means something. Like a brotherhood."
Orange shell. Aonung thinks.
" It doesn't." Aonung says sternly and continues to knot the pieces of rope together.
" Oh." Neteyam's voice sounds sad and he crosses his legs.
" Did i get the color wrong?"
" Yes."
" What does red mean then?"
Aonung swallows and looks up at the sky. The eclipse will be soon, he wonders if he should actually tell him or not.
" It's not important."
" If it wasn't important then why are you wearing it on your armband?"
" It's a nice shell despite it's meaning."
" Does it mean something bad?"
" no....not really." Aonung's ears twitch.
Neteyam leans in closer and bends down to look at Aonung's face.
" Please tell me."
" I don't want to embarrass you. Or myself."
" What do you mean?" Neteyam asks, tail swishing now in curiosity.
Aonung finally throws the net beside him, giving up since there is a constant distraction sitting next to him.
" It's the first step of courtship. I means you...want to be my mate. It means you love me." Aonung says with difficulty.
It takes a lot of willpower to get the words out and when Neteyam says nothing he looks sideways towards him.
" Oh." Neteyam's eyebrows have shot up and he looks faintly pink.
" Um. I didn't know..."
" Yeah. It's fine, i know it was a mistake." Aonung says and stands up.
" By the way, the shell you were thinking of is 0range. Orange means brotherhood." He says before he walks away, ignoring Neteyam's call of his name.
He wants to go home, wants to redo the armband so he doesn't have to carry a mistake around everyday. But still....the thought of it is nice.
He's 19 now, a man by Metkayina standards. He has a tsurak, has his own marui and even got the marks you get when you reach adulthood. The tattoo had taken a full day and two weeks to heal.
His face hurt horribly and turned red with inflammation afterwards but he is proud of it now. He looks like his father, like a warrior. But here he was, turmoiled by a simple mistake made by a friend.
The band sits on the arm without the tattoo, because he hates covering it. It spreads from the back of his left hand all the way up to his chest and half his back. He'll get his other arm done as well in a few months while his left arm heals fully.
He stares at the armband when he takes it off, fingers ghosting over the shell.
He should replace it with something else.
.....But maybe tomorrow.
———————————————————————————
It's a week of losing until Neteyam finally comes across a decent gift. It's an orange shell, large enough to he used as a plate.
He grabs it off the sea floor with excitement when he sees another one sitting right next to it. It's red, so deep and colorful Neteyam hasn't seen anything like it. The red shell he gave Aonung before was lighter and more subtle but this shell was incredibly vibrant.
He looks around it to see if there is any more and is amazed with what he sees.
An entire patch of red seashells, all as beautiful as the one before it. They shimmer on the surface when against the sun and Neteyam only has one thought.
I want Aonung to have them.
So he opens the small bag he has around his waist and puts in as many shells as he can, as well as the large orange one. He counts 23 before his bag starts to get too full and he swims up to the surface where Lo'ak is waiting for him.
" Found it?"
" Yeah let's go."
———————————————————————————
" Look i found a purple shell for you!" Tuk yells and plops herself down right in front of Aonung on his floor.
" Good job Tuk." Aonung praises and puts it into the pile of blue, white and purple shells he's gonna use to make Tuk her necklace.
Tuk sits there quietly as Aonung works, watching him string the necklace together and even giving some pointers of what she wants. Aonung has to slap her hand away a few times as he perfects his craft but Tuk just rolls her eyes at him.
" Aonung?" Neteyam yells and Tuk looks back.
" Teyam!" She calls for him and in the next second Neteyam is sticking his head in through the entrance.
" Oh good. You're here." He says and sits down next to Tuk.
" He's making me a necklace." Tuk says proudly and Neteyam grins, patting her head.
" It'll look great on you."
" Thanks." Tuk says sheepishly and continues to watch Aonung work endlessly.
" What do you have for me now tree boy?" Aonung asks and Neteyam turns nervous.
He fishes out the orange shell out of his bag and sets it in front of Aonung, polished so it's not rough to the touch. The bottom is also sanded so it sits flat against the surface of wherever he puts it.
" You can use it as a plate or something." Neteyam says softly and Aonung smiles.
" Finally found an orange one huh?" He teases and takes the shell, examining the polish job.
" Yeah. Um...i also have something else." Neteyam says softly and looks down at his bag, almost psyching himself out.
He pulls out a necklace made of red shells, small and dainty but there's three akula teeth strung with it. There's black pearls and white shells, looks like a necklace made by the Omitikayan elders.
That's what Neteyam was going for when he made it. In the Omitikaya it is tradition to have jewelry that represents important people in your life. His mother has his grandfather's necklace, his father has his clan brother's.
Now Aonung will have his.
" I'm starting to think you are colorblind." Aonung laughs but takes the necklace in one hand, wondering how Neteyam even managed to get akula teeth without dying in the process.
" You know you got me red shells again right?" Aonung asks, half expecting Neteyam to say something about thinking they were dark orange.
" Yeah....I know."
Aonung stares at him with his jaw open and only snaps out of it when he drops the necklace he was making, Tuk yelling out to him.
" Nung!"
" Oh. Sorry sorry." He quickly gathers the falling pieces and Neteyam puts a hand on his baby sister's shoulder.
" Tuk can you give us a minute?" He asks and Tuk huffs but nods anyway.
" Yeah, but don't distract Aonung, i want him to finish the necklace."
" Don't worry, I won't." Neteyam reassures and she nods as she leaves.
Aonung has given up on trying to clean up and now just looks up at Neteyam.
" Are you serious?"
" Yeah." Neteyam nods.
Aonung looks conflicted as he holds the necklace with both hands now. It's a beautiful necklace, fitting for a warrior. It contrasts his skin tone but he knows the Omitikaya uses red in their jewelry a lot.
" It matches your armband." Neteyam points out and Aonung instinctively looks down at it.
" Yeah..."
Neteyam goes still but his hands feel like they’re trembling. He's nervously picking at his cuticles as Aonung stares blankly at his gift.
" I um, I didn't want to just give you a shell. I wanted to actually make something you can use so I asked Tsireya to help me make it."
" Where did you get the akula teeth?" Aonung asks because that was the most surprising part of the necklace.
" Um I asked the town elders. They said your father might be able to get me some so I asked and he agreed."
" You asked my father?"
" Yeah. I got the pearls from your mother. The string is leather so it won't snap, my mom made the fastenings so it's easy to take off and put on."
" Did you get the whole family to pitch in?" Aonung laughs and Neteyam rubs his neck.
" Well Lo'ak went with me to get the shells and my dad had to watch us to make sure we didn't get in trouble so basically yeah." He nods.
Aonung chuckles and sighs, still in disbelief.
" I can't believe you asked my parents to help make my gift."
Courting gift, he wanted to say but he couldn't find the courage.
" I wanted to ask for their permission anyway, they were very supportive once they realized why i was asking them for supplies." Neteyam beams and it makes Aonung's heart jump.
Aonung takes off his necklace, the one he has been wearing every single day for years and replaced it with Neteyam's.
" Do you like it?" Neteyam asked after he watched him put it on, still nervously rubbing at his hands.
" Yes. I love it." Aonung responds.
Neteyam lets out a sigh of relief and shakes his head.
" I thought you would reject me."
" Why would I do that?" Aonung asks and he shrugs.
" Because you looked so mad the first time i gave you the shell. I thought you didn't like it."
" I didn't like the idea you gave me a red shell thinking of becoming brothers." Aonung says pointedly and Neteyam nods.
" Right. I should've double checked the meaning first."
Aonung looks down at his lap and then has a panicked thought.
Holy shit he was going to be mated with Neteyam.
Holy. Shit.
" By the way, just to clarify i meant the orange shell as in loyalty. Not brotherhood." Neteyam says quickly and Aonung smiles teasingly, even though he is internally panicking.
" You don't see me as a brother?"
" No. Definitely not." Neteyam says and his eyes soften.
Sweet eywa give him strength.
" So....we're going to be mates then." Aonung says awkwardly and Neteyam rolls his eyes.
" Don't say it like that."
" Like what?"
" So boring."
Aonung exasperates and pinches the bridge of his nose.
" I don't know, this is my first time being proposed to I don't know what to do."
" You could start by at least kissing me." Neteyam says so confidently it makes Aonung stutter.
This is stupid. He feels so stupid. He's a warrior! He's been through war, war with his soon to be mate. He is the future Olo'eyktan and sitting across from him is his future Tsahik.
And yet Aonung feels like an idiot for sitting there with an open mouth and nothing to say.
Luckily his future mate has a lot more courage than he does at the moment because he leans in, holds Aonung's face in his hands and holy shit he is burning up.
Neteyam's eyes wander down to the necklace, then up to his lips then his eyes.
" Can I?" Neteyam asks softly and Aonung gulps, nodding.
When their lips meet it feels tense. Aonung is afraid but he doesn't want to pull away. He slowly pulls Neteyam into his lap and hugs him by the waist, carefully bringing him closer.
Neteyam smiles against him and then pulls away, still holding onto his face.
" I see you Ma'Nung."
The nickname falls easy from him and Aonung's heart skips a beat.
" I see you Ma'Teyam."
Neteyam smiles wide and freely before kissing him once again, planting kisses all over as they fall into fits of laughter.
It'll still be months till they mate. The courting period takes a few weeks and both families must bless the union but they have no doubt it'll arrive in no time.
The son of Olo'eyktan finding a mate is a celebration for the whole clan, and they're impatient in their wait.
———————————————————————————
" Wrong." Ronal says and Neteyam instinctively groans in frustration.
He keeps getting the salves mixed up and he feels more and more irritated every time.
" Which one was that?"
" Cooling, i asked for anti inflammation."
Neteyam clicks his tongue and tries again, organizing the glass bottles so it's easier to recognize.
" Morning." Tsireya says as she walks in with a basket full of kelp, ready to be used as bandages.
" How's it going?" Aonung asks as he follows her with the second basket, this one with fish for dinner.
It's been a few years since they became mates and a month ago Ronal decided it was time to train Neteyam for his new job as future Tsahik.
" He is still learning. He doesn't understand the uses yet but he is patient." Ronal says and in her own way it is praise for Neteyam.
" I was never really good at differentiating was i?" He turns to Aonung and he smiles.
He kisses the top of Neteyam's head and rubs soothing circles on his neck.
" Be gentle with him Mother, don't scare off my husband."
Ronal scoffs then chuckles, reorganizing her salves.
" He won't leave you, eywa knows he loves you too much."
Neteyam turns red and hides his face.
" Mother." He complains and Ronal just smiles at her son in law.
" My dear, no need to be shy. Come on, let's try again." She says and Neteyam nods, still embarrassed.
Aonung steps back to stand next to his sister who is separated the kelp for easier use.
" I told you he likes you." Tsireya whispers and Aonung scoffs.
" It's been three years will you ever let that go?"
" I'm basically the reason why you two idiots found each other."
" Please, you are not."
" Without me you two would've never done something about your feelings."
" We would've!"
" Just be glad i helped him make that necklace." She gestures to the red shell necklace on Aonung's neck, still glittering in the sun.
He puts a hand on it protectively and looks towards Neteyam, right as he's celebrating getting the answer right to Ronal's question.
He smiles fondly and thanks Eywa for his husband, for bringing them together. And for giving him the strength to say yes that day because he knows damn well he would've tripped over his words if it hadn't been for Neteyam.
His Neteyam.