His eternal sun|Neteyam Sully1

Forbidden friendship and the Cove of the Ancestors

Some time passes and now Tsireya is searching for Lo'ak, her worry growing as she can't find him anywhere, but then she heads to the Metkayina forest, finding him next to a pool of water below a waterfall, sitting with his back to her, seemingly lost in a world of his own. His eyes gaze out at nothing, his mind a turbulent swirl of thoughts.

Tsireya watches Lo'ak from afar, her heart sinking at the sight. She can't help the concern that flares up within her, her heart clenching with worry at his troubled body language. She observes him from a distance for a few moments longer before walking over to him.

"Lo'ak." Tsireya  calls out, her tone quiet but firm, making her presence known.

Lo'ak's head whips around with surprise, almost defensively at hearing his name, not expecting anyone to be around. But he sees Tsireya and his expression softens a little. He hadn't heard her coming, his thoughts too loud and too consuming.

"Hey." Lo'ak replies, his voice hoarse.

Tsireya moves closer to Lo'ak, a hint of concern flickering across her face as she walks around, sitting in front of him,  eyeing him closely.

"Are you okay?" Tsireya  asks gently, her words simple but packed with her genuine concern for him.

Lo'ak looks away, avoiding Tsireya's gaze.

"Yeah. I'm fine, just... a lot on my mind." Lo'ak replies, his attempt to dismiss the concern with nonchalancy falls flat.

Tsireya sees right through Lo'ak's nonchalant effort to brush it aside, her eyes narrowing in concern. Her eyes search his expression, and she shakes her head.

"Don't brush it off, I can tell it weighs on you." Tsireya  says softly, her voice gentle but firm.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tsireya asks gently.

Lo'ak's eyes shift back to Tsireya's, his expression conflicted. He's torn: he doesn't want to burden her with his issues, but her concern is genuine, and he feels an odd pull towards her. He wavers, his thoughts warring with each other. He wants to refuse, but her words echo in his mind.

"Actually... there's something I need help with." Lo'ak admits hesitantly, his voice quiet.

Tsireya's eyes glimmer with relief as Lo'ak opens up, the weight on her heart lessening. Her concern for him only grows, her eyes flickering with worry as she nods, a hint of eagerness in her expression.

"What is it?" Tsireya  asks, leaning forward slightly.

Lo'ak's heart does a flip at Tsireya's readiness to help, her eagerness to assist him. He appreciates it more than he's willing to articulate.

"How do you sign 'I trust you'?" Lo'ak asks curiously.

Tsireya's breath catches at Lo'ak's request, a flicker of hope shining in her eyes as she can't help the flutter in her chest. She tries to keep her composure, but the possibility sparks her imagination anyway.

Hoping it's a romantic gesture and not just a language lesson and not daring to voice that out loud, Tsireya  composes herself as quickly as possible.

'I trust you.' Tsireya signs slowly, so he can see how it's done.

Lo'ak pays close attention, his eyes locked on Tsireya's  hands. He tries to follow along, his attempt a little clumsy, yet he's able to mimic her, though his signing is rather slow and clumsy, his movements stilted and awkward. He repeats the sining a few times, his brow furrowed in concentration, making sure he got it down.

"Like...like this?" Lo'ak asks slowly.

Tsireya watches Lo'ak's attempts closely, ignoring the wild flutter of her heart and the hopeful spark that ignites within her chest. She offers a small, encouraging smile as he clumsily attempts to repeat her gestures.