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chapter three. follow. ━━━━━━━━━━━━
Maleia had decided to go back into the ocean.
During the night, it was her favourite time.
To watch the sun set behind the blue waves that crashed together— the way they reflected the orange and pink glows of the sky.
It was something she did often. Usually going back home to find her family peacefully sleeping.
But, she couldn't help it.
The ocean was addictive.
Her body shivered under the cold waters as she settled atop the familiar rock from before.
The air was getting cold and attacking her body, filling her with shivers and trembling teeth before Maleia hummed a tune to forget her temperature.
"My mom used to sing that to me before I fell asleep.. as a child," Someone's voice broke all of her concentration.
She jumped at the sudden sound.
Her body falling back into the soft waves.
A loud laugh could be heard before Maleia turned her face to the culprit of her tumble. It was him.
"You should not sneak up on people like that!" Maleia warned before Lo'ak reached his hand out, she looked at it with caution.
"C'mon.. I don't bite," Lo'ak replied.
Her wet hand held onto his, feeling the strength of him pulling her from the navy waters.
She settled back onto the rock before pulling her knees to her chest, gaining some warmth.
Her head turned to face Lo'ak, looking up at the sky to find the same star pattern he always looked for— the place his dad had come from.
Not even the silence was awkward.
Lo'ak turned to face her, capturing the way she was already staring at him before Maleia quickly turned her head to not be caught.
"You're Maleia, right?" Lo'ak asked her.
Maleia nodded before reaching her head to look back at the dulling sun, "And you are?"
That was when Lo'ak hadn't properly introduced himself to her.
All she knew him as was Toruk Makto's child.
"Lo'ak..." He introduced.
Maleia smiled at the name, pretty name.
"I saw you swim out here—" He spoke.
"So, you thought you would follow a complete stranger into the depths of the ocean?" Maleia asked with a raised print.
He noticed that was one of the differences between each other. She had prints for brows, he actually had hair.
His head fell to the ground with a small smile and a soft chuckle.
Lo'ak noticed conversation between them fell easy. It was soothing to have someone to talk to in this new home of his.
He clicked his tongue, "I didn't really think of it like that."
Maleia let out a small laugh to his response.
Though, it was such a small gesture, Lo'ak couldn't help his ears twitch as he opened them to listen more closely.
"I wanted to.. thank you, for helping me back there. With your mother," He said before Maleia moved her head to look into his amber eyes.
She liked the colour of them, pretty eyes.
"It is no problem. Mama can be scary at times but she means well, for her people and us," Maleia explained.
He nodded his head, understandably.
Neytiri would've done the same if multiple strangers with four-fingers walked into the forest.
"Lo'ak! Lo'ak!" The call of his name was heard.
Maleia and himself turned their heads to find darker bodies searching the sands of the land.
Lo'ak widened his eyes, "Shit!"
Maleia looked at him confused.
She watched as Lo'ak stood and leaped into the water, turning around to her before swimming away. "I will see you tomorrow?" He said that like it was a question.
"Yes," She replied.
He smiled before swimming, pretty smile.
Maleia turned her head before the the sun, realising it had already set and night darkened Awa'atlu.
