𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 - 𝕷𝖔'𝖆𝖐

𝕱𝖎𝖛𝖊

The Na'vi children all sat with one another, Lo'ak speaking about his adventure yesterday.

"Tulkans are always found in big groups." Naya explains.

"Not the one I met." Lo'ak argues. "He was by himself and-and he had something stuck in his fin."

"What do you mean?" Kiri questions, holding Tuk in her lap.

Before Lo'ak could answer, Tsireya spoke up.

"Payakan." She exclaims and Naya's face turns into a worried one.

"Who is Payakan?" Neteyam asks.

Ao'nung answered him this time,  "He's a rogue Tulkan. Legend has it, he's killed many Na'vi."

"What? That's not possible!" Lo'ak argues. "Payakan isn't a killer, he saved my life!"

Naya stayed silent as Tsireya reasoned with him.

"Lo'ak, no Tulkan is outcasted for no reason. Payakan killed many Na'vi." Tsireya tells him.

"No he didn't! He's not a killer, I know him. He's my friend!" Lo'ak shouts, getting up.

"Lo'ak-" he cuts Tsireya off.

"No! None of you guys are listening to me!" Lo'ak says to all of them before storming off.

"I-I'm listening!" Tuk calls out after him and Naya rubs her head, sympathetically.

"I'm gonna go find him."

And that was what she did. But instead of just finding him, she followed him on her Ilu, past the reef to where Payakan was.

Naya dove underwater, hiding and watching Lo'ak interact with the big beast.

She was shocked and in awe of how Lo'ak was with him. He seemed more happy, light and free.

She smiles, knowing the boy was enjoying his time.

Naya stayed there for a couple of minutes until she sees the Tulkan look in her direction. It couldn't see her, could it?

Then Lo'ak and the Tulkan began swimming her way. She panicked, not wanting Lo'ak to find her and think she was a stalker or something.

But alas, of course he found her. Both of them swim up to the surface to speak.

"Naya?" Lo'ak gasps from holding his breath for so long. "Did you follow me here?"

Naya looks down, embarrassed.

"Why?" He questions, seriously confused.

"I was worried about you." She says, honestly.

Lo'ak had this giddy feeling overcome his body. She cared about him.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to invade your privacy." She solely says.

"No, it's alright." He chuckles. He turns back to Payakan after giving Lo'ak a throaty sound. Lo'ak looks at Payakan and a blush overcomes his face.

"Is this the girl you've been talking about?" Payakan asks Lo'ak.

"Hey, shhhh." Lo'ak nudges him, causing Naya to giggle.

"It's great to meet you, Payakan." Naya smiles while signing those words.

Payakan nods at her, saying the same thing.

"Do you wanna go for a ride?" Lo'ak questions with an adventurous smile. Naya smiles back at him, meaning yes.

"Okay, I need you to hold my hand and put your other hand on Payakan's fin." Lo'ak instructs and she does so before nodding. "Alright, hold on!"

Payakan begins swimming immediately, throwing Naya off guard. Her grip slips and she loses orientation. Lo'ak notices this and quickly slips his arm around her waist, holding her.

"You okay?" He asks and she nods in return.

Naya puts her both hands on Payakan's fin while Lo'ak holds onto her with one of his hands.

She smiles at Lo'ak's protective touch.

Now, the two of them were resting on Payakan's back, watching the stars.

"You see that star." Lo'ak points out a quite bright one and Naya nods. "My dad came from there. It's called Earth."

Naya tilts her head at the name of the planet. Earth. It sounded like a place that was made out of mud and rocks.

"Sounds cool," she says. "Has your father ever talked about Earth?"

She was compelled to find out more about the planet. Maybe it would help her learn who her parents really were.

"He doesn't like to talk about Earth very much. But back there, he was a Marine, a soldier. He talks sometimes about these expeditions he went on. But other than that, no." Lo'ak explains to the curious girl. There was a silence following his words and Naya closes her eyes, taking in the salty smell of the ocean and the crisp air of the night.

She hears Lo'ak move from beside her and she turns to look at him, placing her hands on her stomach.

Lo'ak props himself up on his elbow and watches her for a moment.

"What is it?" She asks, rubbing her face, thinking there was something on it.

"Just that cute face of yours." Lo'ak said before he could even stop himself. Naya's mouth turns upwards into a smile as she slaps his chest, playfully.

"Oh hush, Lo'ak." She giggles, not able to make eye contact.

"Why?" Lo'ak teases. "Would you rather me call you something terrible?"

"Yeah, like what?" She asks.

"How bout..." Lo'ak thinks for a moment, not able to think about one bad thing to say about her.

"That's what I thought." Naya smirks, getting up, him doing the same.

"Yeah, well how bout you're a fish girl that likes to hang out with seaweed." Lo'ak says. Naya lets out a fake gasp and pushes Lo'ak into the water.

She laughs as she sees him resurface. Lo'ak spurts out some water from his mouth while coughing.

"Not funny!" He whines while she just continues laughing.

"Yeah, take that, jungle-boy." Naya shoots back, still laughing about Lo'ak's fall. Lo'ak devilishly smiles at her while he begins to get back up on Payakan. While doing so, he grabs both of her arms and pulls her down into the water.

Naya'il shrieks out of shock as both of them tumble in the water.

Both Na'vi resurface and Naya has a pout on her face.

"Oh come on, don't be mad." Lo'ak apologizes and Naya lets out a breath of air. Naya looks at him for a moment and as does he to her and they both break out into laughter.

Neither of them could stop giggling at their childish stupidity. Both of them swum there, laughing.

"Sorry, Fishy."

"Oh, be quiet, Jungle Boy."