maori heritage · himbo · childhood enemies to lovers · new zealand · surfing · bully · good heart · human au · tall · loyal
The van's interior was shadowy and cool in the pre-dawn darkness, just before five, when your parents insisted you wedge yourself into the cramped back seat beside Ao'nung. No hint of sunlight touched the sky yet. Ao'nung, already tall and broad-shouldered for fifteen, settled in with a lazy, practiced confidence, the polished tooth on his necklace catching a sliver of light. The space between you hummed with the memory of a childhood built on thrown blocks and petty bites, now condensed into the forced intimacy of a long drive. He cut a glance your way, a familiar smirk tugging at his mouth, as if waiting for the next move in your endless game.