Making Waves | lo'ak sully

chapter 20: we care

'What is wrong, yawnetu?' Neytiri sat down next to her son, who looked away shaking his head slightly.

'It's nothing, you should go back mother.'

She looked at him. 'Lo'ak, I birthed you. I know when something is wrong. Tell me before I make you.' She raised an eyebrow, making him shift his head back to hers. 'So?'

He sighed. 'It's nothing important, really.' He said, faking a smile.

Neytiri didn't look impressed. 'Shut up and tell me the truth.'

'Mom, can you please stop pushing me. I'm fine.' He insisted, just wanting all of this to be over with.

She lowered her ears. She'll find out sooner or later. He'll tell her when he's ready, she thought. 'Alright.' She ran her fingers through his hair, making him move away. She shook her head, smiling as this is what Lo'ak always did when she touched his head. She quietly stood up to leave him with his thoughts.

Inside of their pod, it was a big party. Ngalu and Kiri were singing and dancing while Tuk gladly moved along. Jake banged his hands on the wooden poles of the structure. Neteyam just admired Ngalu as she made her way over to him, startling him and pulling him up by his hand. 'Don't think you can just sit here, Teyam. Dance with us.' She laughed. He shook his head while laughing and joined in as well.

Neytiri got back and was surprised by what was going on inside of their pod. She laughed at her family having fun. She joined in to dance as well.

When Ngalu noticed her coming back, she smoothly danced over to her. 'How is Lo'ak?' Neytiri heard the care in her voice. She softly smirked.

'He is fine. But I do think you should talk to him.' She said, hoping her plan would work.

She sternly nodded immediately, making him her number one priority right now. 'Alright.' She walked out of the pod and found Lo'ak sitting my himself with a bowl of food he didn't even look at. She sighed, knowing how this conversation will end. They will yell at each other and then one of them leaves. It's how it always goes.

'Lo'ak,' She gently spoke as she took a seat next to him. 'Are you okay?' She was about to touch his shoulder, when she hesitated and pulled her arm back to her side.

He was happy she didn't touch him, because he wouldn't have been able to controle himself if she did. But he did crave her touch, somewhat angry that she didn't do it.

'I'm fine, why can't you all just leave me alone.' He sighed.

'We care about you, Lo'ak.' She looked into his eyes, tilting her head forwards while looking at him though her eyebrows.

She said we. "We care about you". She cares about him.

Her eyes searched for a sign, a sign telling her that he was alright and he wasn't lying. She couldn't find one.

'Stop looking at me like that.' He said with a soft raspy voice, unable to contain himself.

He caught her off guard. What? 'What do you mean?'

'You know exactly what I mean.' He said, looking back into her eyes like she did to him.

'Ngalu,' Neteyam spoke as she saw the two of them. He noticed she was missing inside of their pod. He wanted to see where she went.

She jumped up, dusting herself off. 'Oh, hey.' She said back. Lo'ak looked at the sand, defeated. His ears low and his eyes sinking.

'What are you doing?' His eyes shifted from Ngalu to Lo'ak and back to Ngalu again.

'Nothing.' She said. Like their talk meant nothing. Like he meant nothing.

Lo'ak sighed, trying to keep his thoughts to himself.

Neteyam slowly lost his confused expression as he nodded. 'Okay, let's go back.' He grabbed her hand, walking back to their pod.

Lo'ak bit his lip and slammed his fist down in the sand. But Neteyam didn't leave. He pushed Ngalu back into their pod and walked back to Lo'ak, making sure he was alright.

He was the third one to sit next to him. Yet, Lo'ak wasn't as bothered by it as those other times. They sat in silence. Neteyam knew Lo'ak would like it better if they stayed quiet. So they did.

Ngalu looked at them from the Sully's hut, leaning onto a pole with her arms crossed.

They were silent for quite some time. Lo'ak felt like it was enough. 'I don't know what to think anymore.'

Neteyam looked away from the sea to look at Lo'ak. 'What do you mean?'

Lo'ak shook his head. He couldn't tell him about Ngalu. Neteyam would give her up in a heartbeat for his brother to finally be happy, and Lo'ak knew that. Sullys stick together. Lo'ak wanted to let him be happy for once, instead of giving everything up for his siblings. 'I think I'm starting to like it here. And I don't want to.' He said, sighing.

Neteyam felt a smirk creep up on his face. 'Oh really.' He said amused. 'And why is that? Is it because of a certain Metkayina girl?' He nudged Lo'ak with his elbow.

'What? No!' He said immediately.

Neteyam's smirk grew larger. 'So it is. Tsireya is a lovely girl, I must say. But I do like her sister better.' He winked. Little did he know, Lo'ak liked her better too.

'Right, Tsireya. Yeah she's a nice girl.' He confessed to his brother.

'A "nice" girl? Just nice?' He asked him, trying to get more out of him.

Lo'ak shook his head as the smallest of smirks appeared on his face. 'I'm not telling you anything, Teyam. We know how you are with secrets.' He said.

Neteyam shook his head, smirking at the boy. 'And we know how you are with love. Let me help you. For Eywa's sake. She's going to run away from you if you don't let me help.'

'It's been going very well without your help, thank you very much.' Lo'ak said, straightening his back with a proud look on his face.

'So you do admit there's something going on between you two!' Neteyam yelled as he pointed at him.

Lo'ak laughed. He laughed out loud. Like, very loud. Almost everybody in the village could hear him. It was the first time he's done that since he got here. It felt good.

Neteyam's eyes widened as he realized and laughed along with his baby brother, grabbing the back of his head. But without him moving away this time.