Ocean Skies - Loreya

Not-so-golden Boy

The next morning, Lo'ak doesn't see the necklace around Neteyam's throat, so he cannot ask — he doesn't even know how to ask about this.

Either way, he has no time to think about it, because he manages to anger their father, forgetting half of his chores in favour of hanging around with Payakan and then sneaking a few kisses from Tsireya, blushing like a little kiss when she smiled at him.

Lo'ak steps into their marui and sighs softly, shaking his head with a silly little smile that falls the second he spots his father and notices how absolutely enraged he looks.

Lo'ak's stomach drops; he feels as though he's been doused with a bucket of ice-cold water as Jake gets up from his spot on the floor and marches over to him.

"Where the hell were you, boy?" Jake hisses, grabbing him by the upper arm, and Lo'ak wants to yell that he's not a child anymore and Jake should not treat him as such. But he bites his tongue. "I asked you a question, Lo'ak."

"In the forest." Lo'ak's ears lower and his tail curls around his leg, something his dad no doubt notices, but Jake keeps his thoughts to himself; insults fly and by the end of it, Lo'ak feels drained and more than a little dead inside because somehow, even though all he wanted was to have fun, he's brought shame to their family again.

Jake scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe this."

Lo'ak doesn't need Jake to believe where he was. He only needs his dad to believe that he meant no harm – but Jake never does.

"Just because we've been here for years, doesn't mean you can start slacking off!" Jake continues, teeth bared.

Lo'ak flinches when his nails dig into his inner arm, where the skin is so much softer, thinner. He swallows, not even attempting to take a deep breath because he knows he'll only end up gasping.

Jake shakes him by arm. "Do you want to risk being sent away, boy?"

Lo'ak doesn't think anyone would send them away. Not after all these years; not after one day abandoning silly little chores like cleaning a fishing net from old scales.

"Answer me!" Jake yells out, getting all in Lo'ak's face.

His hot breath fans Lo'ak's cheeks; he feels faint. "No, sir."

"No what?" Jake snaps, yanking on his arm roughly.

Lo'ak's shoulder throbs, but he bites the inside of his cheek and looks down, fighting off the tears blurring his vision.

"Oh, so now you're gonna cry?" Jake sighs out, letting him go, but he doesn't step back. "What's next? You going to tell me I'm the bad guy for worrying about our safety?"

He wouldn't dare. Lo'ak would never do that. Never ever would he doubt his father's fear of losing one of them – though, a sad little thought nags Lo'ak – Jake would probably be the least upset about losing Lo'ak. He's never been anything more than trouble.

"No, sir," Lo'ak stammers out, ears flat against his skull, tail deadly still, pressed flat against his leg. "I'm sorry for causing trouble."

"You're sorry!" Jake shouts, slapping a hand against his forehead. "Jesus, kid. You're always fucking sorry, but you never stop causing shit!"

Maybe Jake is right. Lo'ak has been careless with the chief's daughter. Loving her when he knows he shouldn't. But Jake loved their mother when it wasn't alright and now, they're a family. Although, a family Lo'ak feels like he's ruining with his carelessness.

Either way, no matter how bad he's been, he's blindsided by Jake's rage as it turns physical.

Abruptly, Lo'ak finds himself pressed up against the wall, Jake's arm flat against his throat, making it harder to breathe. The back of his head throbs and he bit his tongue from the force, tasting blood as his tongue aches.

"Dad," he gasps out helplessly, grasping at Jake's arm.

"When are you going to act responsible?" Jake's voice is soft, like he's tired by the mere thought of having to even look at Lo'ak.

Pain tingles along Lo'ak's chest from the sights; he sniffles, and his brows furrow upwards, staring helplessly at his father: the one who he always thought would keep him safe from all harm, not be the harm itself.

Lo'ak tugs on Jake's arm weakly, frozen in fear and anguish alike. "Dad, please, I promise—"

Jake laughs right in his face and properly grasps his throat, other hand by his head. "What do you promise, kid? You going to promise you'll stop fucking up and then what, Lo'ak? It'll last a few weeks before you inevitably go and do something stupid again."

There's nothing Lo'ak can say to that. Not with his brain buzzing in panic, and not with the five-fingered hand gripping his throat.

"I won't," he pleads quietly. Please, dad, believe me. I never meant to cause trouble. "Please."

Jake scoffs and lets him go, turning his back to Lo'ak as he gasps for air and curls forward, rubbing his throat. "No sleeping until you finish everything you were supposed to do today."

Lo'ak nods quickly when he notices his father watching him; Jake leaves the marui without another word and Lo'ak sinks to his knees, staring ahead mutely in disbelief, a hand lightly caressing his throat.

And nobody knows of the scolding he earned; Kiri was hanging out with Tuk and Rotxo. Neteyam was probably with Ao'nung, but when their father asks about their day, he never mentions the heir, only some guys called Pa'oke and Kofuvu, young warriors who have been training him. Jake is satisfied with Neteyam's answer, but only Lo'ak catches the way his brother sags in relief when their father turns to Kiri and Tuk, smiling with them as though he hadn't just been calling Lo'ak every insult under the sun.

Lo'ak fights back tears his throat feels really tight that evening - somehow, nobody notices him struggle, not even Neytiri. The fact that he's left alone if a blessing and a curse all at the same time.

The next morning, he pretends to be the last to wake up, curled into a tight little ball as he listens to his siblings move about, getting ready for the day while their parents prepare breakfast. In truth, he hasn't slept all night, worried about a million things all at once. 

And of course, he's had to finish all his left-over chores. Everyone else had long since gone to bed by the time he was done with everything.

That day, and the next handful of days, Lo'ak tells Tsireya that he has a lot of chores, so they cannot hang out all by themselves. She nods in understanding, still sweet and smiley as she kisses his cheek and tells him it's fine, she doesn't mind as long as he spares a few minutes for her; Lo'ak promises her that he will, but he feels guilty when he follows through with that promise.

After, he had avoided his chores in favour of seeing her and what did that get him other than Jake's rage?