FAMILY MEMBERS. | Wife: Merehau Avaiki - Journalist - DECEASED AT AGE 22
Father: Tūrama Avaiki - 46 - Historian Mother: Roimata Avaiki - 44 - Philanthropist Sister: Romina 'Mina' Avaiki - 22 - Tahitian Musician/Artist Brother: Aitonui Maraetefau Avaiki - 21 - Professional Broom Racer Sister: Poerani Tereta Avaiki - 17 - Student Brother: Tamanui Ari'itoa Avaiki - 16 - Student
Uncle: Matahireva Avaiki - 54 - Village Chief Aunty: Poehere Avaiki - 50 - Housewife Cousin: Raihau Matahireva Avaiki - 27 - Auror Cousin: Hereiti Poehere Avaiki - 26 - Alchemist Cousin: Oranui 'Ora' Avaiki - 23 - Hitwoman Cousin: Mateha Ra'iono Avaiki - 22 - Spiritualist Cousin: Tainoa Pitiaho Avaiki - 16 - Student
Uncle: Mana Avaiki - 40 - Foreign Ambassador, British Ministry (Pacific representative) Aunty: Terehe Avaiki - 38 - Tahitian dancer/dance teacher Cousin: Ihi Heinui Avaiki - 15 - Student Cousin: Hina Maihiti Avaiki - 12 - Student |
CHILDHOOD. | Ari'inui, like most Avaikis, was born on the island of Tahiti, in French Polynesia. He was the firstborn to his parents, so whist loved and doted on tremendously as a child, he was also placed under a lot of pressure. Rather than cracking under it though, he thrived.
Even as a child, Ari'inui could see that the relationship between his parents was strained. All smiles in public, and tension at home. So he resolved to be the best child he could be, always wearing a smile, behaving well, and doing everything he could to ensure he was creating as little trouble for his parents as possible. He wanted to try and please them, so they could all be a happy family, but it never could seem to heal the discourse between his parents. In spite of this, perhaps because he was such a a golden child even young, he had a very good relationship with both of his parents, and grew into the role of older brother well when his siblings were born.
Growing up in a big family, the young boy was never bored. He had his siblings, of course, but he also had many cousins to play with. Outside of the strained relationship between his parents, his childhood was a happy one. Hours spent down by the beach, wondering through the bush and hiking the Tahitian mountains all developed the fierce love of the outdoors that Ari'inui retains even to this day. His family's wealth meant that he never went without. All in all it was a decidedly privileged, idyllic, if somewhat sheltered childhood.
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SCHOOL YEARS. | Ari'inui was very excited to attend school at Beauxbatons. For the young child, it was a whole new adventure, and the fact that he already had other cousins attending made the whole transition a lot easier. From his first year, he seemed to settle into things very well. He was approachable and open, quickly making many friends, plus he worked hard and excelled in the academic side of things. His parents were very proud of him, and he was absolutely considered the golden child of his siblings, although he himself despised the comparison, as he never wanted to make the younger ones feel pressured.
As his school years progressed, Ari'inui's love for the outdoors, sports and staying active never dimmed. He developed a love for flying class especially, but herbology and care of magical creatures were also amongst his favourites.
Around this time, flying class was not the only thing Ari'inui developed an interest in. There was another Tahitian girl at Beauxbatons, a year below him, that he became very close with. Her name was Merehau. Right from the get go, the pair were inseperable, and after a year of being good friends, their friendship blossomed into something more, with Ari'inui finally asking her out when he was 16, her 15. They were your typical high school sweethearts, and made it through all the way up until Ari'inui graduated (with flying colours!). Everyone supposed he had a bright future ahead of him.
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ADULTHOOD. | After graduation, Ari'inui did an internship with the French National Quidditch team, not as a player, but with the management and organisers. He thoroughly enjoyed it, and realised that a career in the sports industry, even if he wasn't a player, was for him.
When Merehau graduated a year later, they returned to Tahiti together. Although the sports scene back home was much smaller, he continued to stay within the industry, developing experience. His keen interest and natural communication skills wound up with him often taking the role of sports commentator (mostly quidditch and broom racing), casually at first, but it reached a point where it seemed like he was commentating every game, which he loved.
Luckily for Ari'inui, Merehau was also from a pureblood family, and the fact that she was also Tahitian ensured his parents were very happy with the match. They got married when he was 20, and for a couple of years, as far as Ari'inui was concerned, everything was perfect. He was living back home, working a job he loved, married to his high school sweetheart. He couldn't ask for anything more, except perhaps some children. Then, Merehau got sick.
It seemed like one day, everything was fine, great, and the next they were calling in specialists from all over French Polynesia, then traveling to France (and beyond) to receive further care. But no matter what, nothing seemed to work. Eventually, she got too weak to travel, so they returned home. Ari'inui watched his wife waste away over the course of a year, finally succumbing to her illness a year later. Her death broke him. She was his first love, his beloved wife, the one he'd thought he'd spend the rest of his life with. He felt barely capable of functioning the year following her death, returning to Tahiti and simply going through the motions of being alive, without actually feeling like he was living.
Finally, he could bear being in Tahiti no longer- there was too much of her there. He chose not to return to France either, given that there were so many memories of his late wife, both healthy and happy during school days, and when she'd been sick and they'd been seeking treatment. So instead, he opted to join a branch of the family that was already living in London, several of his younger siblings included, and moved to London, landing a full time gig as a sports commentator.
Since the move, things slowly, ever so slowly, have improved for Ari'inui. He has still not healed, not by a long shot, but he feels hope for the first time that maybe one day, he will.
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