AVATAR TWOW: The Heart of a Na'vi

𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐖: 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐕

—LO'AK—

Lo'ak silently tailed behind his brother. He was curious, seeing Neteyam sneaking away for the fifth time now. It left him wondering if his brother ever slept. Moreover how long the elder had been sneaking away.

Does he not like sleeping with us or what? Lo'ak thought, squinting and keenly gazing at the elder from afar, trying not to lose sight of him.

Lo'ak patted his Ilu to a halt, noticing Neteyam getting out of the water.

He slowly drew near, and looked up, catching a glimpse of the blurry night sky. He took a breath and saw Neteyam's blurry figure over the dock, as well as Ao'nung's.

Lo'ak quirked a brow. He saw the fish boy getting closer, and closer...until his arms wrapped around his brother's abdomen, pulling him in. Neteyam shoved him away, though Lo'ak could see the waggish smile on his face.

Lo'ak hoped he wasn't visible. He blew out a breath, he hadn't known he was holding. He was muddled. As he kept on staring, he realized how touchy their dynamic was. Neteyam lowered his eyes, seeming meek as fish lips' hands ran up his neck, resting them on his cheeks. They kissed, Neteyam's tail and ears going into a frenzy.

What?!, Lo'ak's eyes enlarged, gasping, choking as the water jammed his throat, and all he could see were bubbles. He was appalled. Weirded out. Concern. He didn't know what to feel.

He regained his breath and looked at his Ilu. He was going back. He couldn't bare to watch more.

As he lay in his pod, gazing at the ceiling, all he could think about was Neteyam. How he looked timid; with his ears limp, and gaze diverted. It was strange.

He recalls their younger days and their conversations with dad. The story he had told them about love and mating. And how one day they would breed with the women they choose. They would bond, and pleasure themselves (now older, he knew what it implied), and seal it with a kiss.

Lo'ak grumbled. He turned to his side conflicted. Neteyam was with a male. The thought was bizarre and foreign. Never in his life had he heard about two Na'vi males in love. It was always men and women.

______________________________________

Morning reached quickly. Lo'ak ate his fish silently, incapable of looking at his brother, who was jovially playing with Tuk.

"Is all good?" His mother had asked him, as he wasn't being his usual noisy self. Her tone was soft, and her golden eyes were bothered.

"I'm good mom," Lo'ak replied grimly, chewing at his fish idly. Neteyam turned to look at them.

"Rotxo asked us out on a swim," He said. "We won't go far, so when you feel better you can join."

"That sounds like fun," Neytiri smiled, looking at her sons with warmth.

"Can I go?" Tuktirey chimed, climbing onto her older brother's lap. He wrapped his arms around her, nodding a yes.

"Yay!" She giggled.

Neytiri furrowed her eyes. "Where's Kiri?"

"With Tsireya, they're weaving or something like that, I don't know" Lo'ak dully replied. Neytiri hummed, and after a few minutes, she had gotten up to be in the embrace of her mate.

"So, you going?" Neteyam spoke, voice snipping through the dense quietude.

Lo'ak slowly nodded. "I don't have anything better to do."

No one saw it as Lo'ak did that night; hands gripping tightly, lips eating at each other, and the slight sounds that came out of Neteyam's lips. It was a sight he couldn't unsee and was forever carved in his memory, gradually eating away at his conscious.

They were at the beach, playing ball with a shell, passing it with their tails. All were laughing and grinning. Even Tuktirey was roaring with joy.

Lo'ak was dazed, staring at nothing in particular. He was too engrossed with his mind that he didn't see the shell aiming for his face.

"Ouch!" Lo'ak groaned, cupping his nose.

"What's wrong small tail? Shell too strong for your tail?" Ao'nung laughed. Rotxo shook his head with amusement.

Neteyam picked up the shell and asked his brother if he was okay, worried.

"Yeah, I just wasn't focused. C'mon, it won't happen again, big bro" Lo'ak said, assuringly. Neteyam gave him a look, later giving the shell to Ao'nung.

Time stalled. Lo'ak couldn't deny it (as much as he wanted to). How they gaped into each other's eyes, blue meeting golden—Ao'nung's careful stare, analyzing him and Neteyam's confident one, challenging him. Some might've thought they were sizing one up; having a staring contest.

Lo'ak felt like punching himself (square in the face). He had been oblivious, blind to it before.

Yet he was still the only one seeing it. The exchange unraveled before him, making him wonder if anybody else knew, and how long it had been going on.

Rotxo took the shell from Ao'nung's grasp, holding it out to Tuk. "Here," He cooed. She beamed, taking it with a Thank you, and throwing it to one of her Metkayina teammates, resuming their game.