Ocean Skies - Loreya

Two's Forever, Four's Forever More Chapter Text

Lo'ak is shaken after the most recent encounter with his father. He cries a little in the forest with a fresh bruise around his throat that he hides with a choker he borrowed from Neteyam.

Then, he gets distracted.

For most of the day.

One thing he can never extinguish in himself is his desire to explore; the tropical forests call to him and suddenly, his eyes don't burn and he feels like he can breathe. As his bare feet thump along the great, twirling branches, he feels free and even a little giggly. It feels like home. He almost expects his grandmother or some of the Omaticaya kids to appear, even if he knows that's childish and they're far away.

Lo'ak isn't sure he'll ever see them again, but - while it hurts - it's okay. He's come to accept his new home in Awa'tlu. It isn't actually that new either. He's been here a great while.

Sunlight caresses his skin as he makes his way deeper than he's ever gone. Who cares if he'll get punished for ignoring his duties and the punishments piled atop his slender shoulders. He's never going to be good enough for his father, he's always going to get yelled at and hurt, so he might as well enjoy the time he can spend by himself.

He needs something to keep him sane before he falls apart into pieces so tiny they're barely the size of grains of golden sands.

Lo'ak runs along the paths and wild twirls of branches, jumping and giggling to himself - he thinks of his siblings and how much he loves them. His mind trails to his mother, and how much he treasures her, too. And then, he thinks of Tsireya and her pretty, pearly smile; he remembers how she didn't even have fangs when they first met and how, now hers are even longer than his own.

He stops to bother some shiny plants with swirling tendrils. The purple branches wrap lightly around his hand as he pokes at them; he laughs to himself, feeling his palm get tickled before pulling back, offended.

The plant had let out an invisible, stinky gas right in his face to scare him off. While he's not exactly scared, it works, because he's disgusted enough to let go and scurry away, coughing.

He wanders far enough that he cannot see any more of those plants and spots some of those cool spinny lizards that he's never managed to learn the name of. They look a little different here. He's just about to poke one when he hears a noise.

It's a voice.

Lo'ak stops to listen and then bites his lower lip.

Feeling more curious than respectful, he follows his brother's voice and peeks into a clearing - he's never been here and he nearly falls out of the tree he's hiding on at what he sees.

Lo'ak managed to stay silent and unnoticed.

Neteyam is with Ao'nung; thankfully, they're both dressed and not doing anything that might scar Lo'ak in any way. For now. He'll run away if they try to, anyway. He isn't about to traumatise himself with his brother's sex life - if there is any at all.

Lo'ak is certain they've not yet gotten to that point. He does, however, suspect, that they're bonded. He'll pry that information out of Neteyam eventually. He remembers the necklace.

He decides to listen in on their conversation. A private one that Lo'ak decides concerns him.

Ao'nung is standing face to face with Neteyam, hand in hand. They're swaying a little bit - but that isn't what Lo'ak is so surprised about. No. Not even close. Neteyam's head is adorned by a crown of fat, white flowers and the both of them are holding a thin, pale blue string of sorts, a ribbon perhaps (Lo'ak is too far to see) in their hands. It's wrapped loosely around their wrists, intervining the two of them.

Lo'ak wonders if they're pretending to have some sort of wedding ceremony or if this one is actually real, because it does indeed look a lot like a wedding. Even to human standards.

Ears perked forward, Lo'ak listens to a conversation he should have left alone; but he's a little too broken to realise he's being entirely disrespectful. So, in his head, he plays priest. Making up vows the two na'vi could be saying and imagining what he'd say if he actually was a priest.

Lo'ak knows how human weddings work. The religious one's at least.

He keeps his words silent, only mouthing them. But then he freezes, wide-eyed at what he hears.

"Do you think they will be angry?" Neteyam murmures, resting his forehead against Ao'nung's gently, smiling softly into his pale blue eyes. "Our parents."

Ao'nung huffs out a laugh and nods. "Very. Furious even. However, Eywa has showed us that she's granting us her blessing, so what do they matter?"

So, Lo'ak thinks, are they bonded or did they simply sleep together. Which one would make their parents furious? Neytiri would probably be overjoyed either way and Jakesuli had always loved Neteyam beyond words and beyond any positive feelings he's ever had towards Lo'ak. However few in between those had been.

Lo'ak thinks Jake hasn't loved him since he was around five. He was definitely the least loved after Tuk was born, that much he can tell. He doesn't remember a time he felt like he belonged anywhere.

"I don't know, Nung," Neteyam's soft voice floats along the winds straight to Lo'ak's keen ears, distracting him from his thoughts. There's ahint of amusement in his older brother's voice. "I'm worried to tell them. Shouldn't we tell our siblings first?"

Ao'nung shrugs. "I don't see why not. If that's what you want to do. I know Tsireya will be overjoyed, but your brother might try to chase me with his ikran."

Neteyam laughs, covering his mouth, tugging Ao'nung's hand up with his own through the pale blue ribbon.

An what's up with that, Lo'ak thinks. Why's it there? Is it a real custom? Should he get one for Tsireya?