Fate's Game | Lo'ak Sully

Part 35 - Sunset

🪷 ⚔️ 🌊

There was supposed to be a particularly pretty sunset that night, so Neteyam decided to gather everyone on the beach to watch it all together. Of course, everyone joined in as they wanted to see the spectacle, including Fay'tari who was still in disbelief as to what she'd been told that morning.

They'd found a rock that they could use to rest their backs on, perfectly facing the direction the sun would be setting in. They went to sit in a line beside each other, Neteyam telling Fay'tari to sit by him. Little did she know, that Tsireya and Neteyam had planned the gathering together, meaning when Tsireya told Lo'ak to sit next to her also, both him and Fay'tari had been planted together.

Upon realising, neither of them complained nor looked displeased, choosing the safest option which would be to stay silent. Both deeming the seating arrangement to be a sorry accident, they stayed civil, even conversing with everyone else as the evening went on, though they never spoke directly to one another.

That was, until Kiri decided she felt cold all of a sudden, which conveniently made both Tuk and Aonung agree, who were at the opposite end of the line. Tsireya, knowing she'd made Kiri say those exact words, suggested that everyone should bundle together more, so that they could keep warm. Without much of a choice in the matter, everyone began to shuffle over, eventually leading to Lo'ak and Fay'tari who were in the centre, being forced to sit with their shoulders touching.

When they did, it hazarded Lo'ak to apologise quietly, not receiving any words from Fay'tari but a look that read as a reciprocated sorry.

The night went on, the sun beginning to lower even further as conversation upon conversation could be heard.

As she was just listening and not taking part in any of the chats, unless she was spoken to specifically, Fay'tari began to feel increasingly tired. She yawned a few times, indicating her exhaustion to the individuals in close proximity to her.

This was when Neteyam's plan began to go even better than it already had been going.

Fay'tari all of a sudden closed her eyes, her head rolling forward, going limp. As he saw it happen, he nudged her shoulder slightly, causing her to fall to her side, landing her head onto Lo'ak's shoulder.

Lo'ak had seen his brother do this, though he couldn't exactly criticise him for it as it'd make too much noise. All Neteyam did was shrug, a sly look taking shape after he did. Neteyam then leaned forward, signalling for Tsireya to take a look at what he'd done, making her shoot him a thumbs up as she smiled triumphantly. Quickly realising he'd been conned once again, Lo'ak lay he head back onto the rock behind him and ignored his brother and Tsireya's sillyness.

All that was heard thereafter was the slight giggling and snickering coming from either side of him, making him almost join in.

They're ridiculous, he thought.

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Fay'tari was in a deep slumber, not even being woken up by Aonung's continuous heckles, who still hadn't realised why everyone else was being so quiet. Lo'ak stayed as still as he could, his head propped up against the rock.

When the sun set, a sharp green flicker of light could be seen, making Tuk almost scream but remember that Fay'tari was asleep closeby. She jumped around as she whispered, "Wow!" repeatedly, making Tsireya and Kiri giggle.

They all stayed put for a while, resting until it was time for them to leave. Tsireya and Tuk left first as Tsireya was anxious that Neytiri would be angry her daughter was up so late, as she'd normally be asleep by that point. Kiri followed soon after, finding her company rather insufferable; To name names, she meant Aonung. Next to go was Neteyam, who practically forced Aonung to leave too as he didn't trust him to be left alone with Lo'ak and Fay'tari.

As he was pulled up from his seated position by Neteyam, he finally realised what was going on next to him, at first looking a little confused but then a slow smirk appeared as it usually did. Lo'ak looked at his brother for help, assuming Aonung was going to attempt to either wake the girl up or make him wake her up by accident.

As his brother got ready leave with Aonung however, Lo'ak pleaded him with his eyes not to go, shaking his head back and forth and provoking Aonung to laugh at him. Neteyam shrugged once again, winking at his little brother before he left for good.

Even though Lo'ak hadn't much choice to stay or go, he wasn't at all uncomfortable. In fact, he was rather glad Neteyam had done what he did, even if it was a malicious move. He didn't admit it to himself nor anyone else, not even Tsireya, but ever since that night on the island, anytime he'd try to fall asleep, he'd feel a wave of discomfort rush over him. He felt colder than usual, imagining the head that rested so gently on him all those nights ago. If he wasn't sleeping, he was thinking about it. Constantly. Unlike Fay'tari, the boy wasn't the best at organizing his flowing thoughts, letting them run wild and slowly drive him to feel increasingly isolated from Fay'tari.

But then, in that moment, in that small breeze of a moment, he felt okay again.

Like he was sat in that shelter all that way away, a storm circling outside, with the same girl resting herself on him.

The same uncontrollable heart beating.

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(If I suddenly become much too formal in the way I write, do let me know; I've been assigned to read Jane Eyre so I'm being influenced quite a lot - nineteenth-century style)