Look at me (on the horns of a dilemma)

Introduction: The water is a great first best friend

Lo'ak learned how to swim when he was four. In a gorgeous afternoon with the strongest sunlight, making the sea bright as it was made of diamonds. The Sully family went all together to enjoy the beach that day, Jake told Lo'ak that they should take opportunity of the calm time and practice his swimming because Lo'ak was the only Sully kid without having trained that fundamental ability fully yet.

The beach's ambient was full of different sounds, from birds singing to the laughs of people enjoying a good time. A landscape brimming of life.

A little Lo'ak was standing in the coast, suffering for the hot sand on his feet, waiting his mother to finish of spread sunscreen on him. That time he didn't wear water wings, just his new red goggles pair that Neytiri gifted to him in the morning. Lo'ak's siblings were already playing on the sea with Jake.

"Mom, did you finish?" He asks, the sand it's burning and he wants to put his foot on the fresh water.

"Wait a bit more." Lo'ak lets out a moan. While Neytiri was invested on put solar protector on Lo'ak's blue skin, her son was shivering of excitement, observing how his father plays happily with Kiri and Neteyam on the shallow end of the sea. Fighting, splashing water on each other.

I want play too. The toddler babbled on his mind.

"Alright!" Neytiri says, she grabs softly her kid arm. "Be careful Lo'ak, you are learning how to swim. Ok?" her fingertips lift Lo'ak's small chin, making the child look at her directly.

"Yeah, I promise." Lo'ak swore quickly, walking moderately until the spot where the weaves touch the sand, the child sighs of relief when his poor feet make contact with the water body. Neytiri takes the place of her husband and starts to be part of the playful trio.

"Lo'ak!" Jake approaches to his son, stopping where there's half meter distance between them. "Come here, son." Incites Lo'ak to get more into the sea for his own. "Don't have fear."

The toddler still doubtful, but with short steps, he walks to Jake, little by little the water cover his small legs. Lo'ak's gaze is planted on his father face. The yellow, almost white sunlight highlighting Jake's golden eyes and black hair for delight of Lo'ak.

Stunning

When he gets to Jake's side, his father raises him up, embracing Lo'ak to his chest, Jake takes his son where the sea is over his waist.

"Ok buddy, you remember how we did it the last time?"

"Yes." The last try was weeks ago but Lo'ak has an amazing memory, he knows that his father is going to make him lay on his stomach while keeping him afloat with his hands on Lo'ak's belly.

"Great." Jake positions him, using his strong fingers to hold his boy. Lo'ak maintains his head above the water for now. "Move your legs up and down." His son obeys. "Good boy. Put your arms in front of you and move them in the same way." Lo'ak loves his dad compliments, so he does what Jake said immediately. "Now, do both coordinately." Lo'ak always hated this part, he gets easily frustrated when his movements are dumb and seems impossible to coordinate. Because his fuming frustration, his limbs start to accelerate, making the water splashes. "Calm down Lo'ak, you shouldn't fight against the sea. Inhale and exhale, step by step." Lo'ak take Jake's advice, Stops doing the exercise to breath slowly for thirty seconds (As his grandma taught him.) to begin with it again, this time more aware about his body and what he wants his limbs do for him.

"Fantastic..." Jake smoothly moves Lo'ak in circles. "Dip your head, don't forget to catch air first."

Lo'ak submerges his head under the water, he almost tough that he was transported to another world, a crystalline light blue world where he can see everything through his yellow orbs if it weren't for his father hands, he would think the fantasy that he was a fish. Unfortunately, he can hold his breath just five ten seconds maximum.

"Good job." Jake hugs his son when Lo'ak sticks his head out water.

"Dad, we can do it on..." Lo'ak forgot what word formulate. "The other way?"

"On your back?" The kids nod his head. "Of course."

Gently, Lo'ak lays on his back, position where he is capable of appreciate the heaven. But the sun is so powerful that annoyingly it blinds him, Lo'ak can't help but form a disgusted expression.

"Hahaha." He hears how his father laughs. "You need some shadow buddy?" Jake tilts his head, blocking the sunlight of Lo'ak's sight, two of Jake's braids touching his son face. "Better?" An amused tone comes out from Jake's lips. Lo'ak doesn't answer in words, instead, he makes a pretty smile while he absorbs on his mind the radiant expression full of joy from his father.

They stay doing the exercises for minutes until Jake breaks the comfortable silence.

"You wanna try swim for our own?"

Lo'ak was scared and excited of equal measure for that proposal. He's quiet for a little moment, but as always, his fearless nature wins over the apprehension on the back of his mind.

"Yes." After that, his father put him on his stomach again.

"Ok. Ney!" Jake calls his wife, who turns around. "Help us with this!" Neytiri gets closer to them until Jake lift his palm, saying "Stop" when she was a meter of distance. "That it's enough. Lo'ak is gonna to try swim for himself. Wait for receive him there." Neytiri extends her arms, indicating that if something bad happens, she is going to be for her youngest child. "Well, I will count until three."

Lo'ak prepares himself, paying attention to the countdown.

I can do it

"One..."

I gonna beat Neteyam on this

"Two..."

I'll make dad proud

"Three!"

In the beginning, his movements are tenses and insecure but rapidly he could take confidence, flowing along with the water, like he was born for swim. When he arrives on his mother's embrace, Neytiri kiss his temple.

"Yeah, you did it!" The na'vi woman praises him.

Lo'ak's gaze search his father. "I did it well, dad?"

Jake goes to them; he grabs his son from Neytiri and lifts him up towards the Sky. "You did it amazing my boy."

Lo'ak couldn't obtain more big gratification, butterflies filling his chest. Son and dad are bathed on warm orange light from the sunset. Lo'ak stares intensely Jake's eyes, the youngest Sully thought that the most beautiful thing was the sea.

He was wrong, the most beautiful...Mesmerizing thing was his own reflection on Jake's golden orbs.