𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 : 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 ، lo'ak x oc

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲. "u̶n̶d̶e̶r̶ h̶e̶r̶ c̶a̶r̶e̶"

Yineri has never seen her father so infuriated, he keeps wetting his lips as he speaks to Jake about the brawl, occasionally eyeing her with a look of odium and dismay. His glare is making her squeamish—constantly altering her position to not meet his eyes. This all too familiar feeling of penitence is making her pout in disappointment with herself. She's usually calm and mature with situations, especially if they could result into a fight so this is very out of character for her.

As for Lo'ak, he's being treated under Petika's care while Neytiri chides him for getting into more trouble. To say he isn't enjoying her touch would be fibbing. His tail would flick every time she touches a part of him. He doesn't seem bothered by his mother's scolding at all; he's embarrassed of course—the girl he fancies is watching as his mother berates him, but he doesn't repent for his mistakes like he usually does. His ears stand tall and an occasional coy smile would appear on his face.

This is all invisible to Neytiri's eyes, maybe she's just blinded with rage. "Day after day, you come here with scratches and wounds. You never listen!" Neytiri's voice cracks as she points to her son, her voice is laced with a mixture of care and fury, almost breaking into a sob, "I am angry at you because I care about you, but you do not seem to care about yourself at all. Always coming home with blood on your body, even asking your brother to cover for you. I hate to say it but you are being selfish, Lo'ak." Her words make him snap his head towards her. This is the first time those words came out of her mouth- truly something he never thought his mother could say.

A sheepish tug of his lips is all he can do. Glancing at Petika only for her not to meet his eyes. Lo'ak straightens his back, uncomfortably. Thankfully, Mo'at, the Tsahìk, also his grandmother, sits nearby; she evinces a scowl to Neytiri who understands what her mother's raised eyebrows and pressed lips mean, she exhales sharply before smacking her lips out of defeat.

"Do not be so hard on your son, he is only a child to learn," Mo'at rebukes, her eyes following Neytiri as she strides forward near Mo'at.

"I know he is a child, but Neteyam learned young, why not him?" She responds in a murmur.

"Do not compare your child to other children. Each one matures differently." One thing for sure about Mo'at, is that she will always have her grandchildren's back.

Neytiri sighs, "Lo'ak is old enough. His father has already assigned him to find a mate, yet he still gets in trouble like a fish in a net. I have tried, really, I have, but he never learns from his mistakes."

"I will speak with him."

"And just like every time, he will continue to be trouble," she emits a suspire, shaking her head before taking a glance at Lo'ak who seems to be a little distracted by the young healer tending him. Her eyebrows knit at the sight, "I did not know he is close with Petika."

"You would know a lot of things if you would just listen," the Tsahìk alludes, knowing her words are hitting her daughter's conscience like a brick.

Neytiri forms a fine line with her lips. "I know, and I try. I do not know if he just can not see it or if he genuinely cannot control his urges, but for me, I always see a way out of his predicament. I just wish he would listen more to his heart than to his brain," she sighs again before walking out of the tent, sparing a glance at Yineri till she completely vanishes from the girl's view.

Gesturing Petika away, Mo'at faces her grandchild. "Listen to your mother, boy. Don't act all tough, you know she would have smacked the inner human boy out of you if I was not here," she chastises him but with a gentle smile, putting Lo'ak's nerves at ease.

"It wasn't just me, she attacked first just so you know." He takes a glimpse of Yineri briefly, the same frown reappearing on his face. The sunbeam peers through the small opening of the tent's curtain lotioning her battered figure. She looks like an angel under the sun's eye, pulchritudinous and virtuous—just like how Lo'ak used to remember her. Oh, how he just wants to hug her sometimes, tell her moments of his life that only she would understand. It's a sad sight to feel his love turn to loathing.