Chapter Text
"He had a missing fin. A-a stump on his left side," Lo'ak tried to explain as Meri walked towards the group. It was the four Sully kids, along with Ao'nung, Tsireya and Rotxo.
"Payakan," she interrupted, and it was like lightbulbs were turned on in the other three Metkayinas, all of them perking up and looking at the girl in shock.
"Who's.. Who's Payakan?" Kiri questioned while looking at the ground. Meri sat between Neteyam and Ao'nung, who stared at her questionably.
She took notice on how Rotxo and Ao'nung weren't so hostile towards the Omaticayans anymore, and she tapped Ao'nungs leg proudly.
"A young bull who went rogue. He's outcast. And he has a missing fin," Rotxo noted while staring at the floor.
"They say he is a killer," Tsireya murmured, and Meri grimaced, looking away.
"No- no!" Lo'ak tried to defend, but Ao'nung cut him off, "He has killed na'vi. And other tulkun."
Throughout it all, Meri stayed silent, looking at the floor deep in thought. Unbeknownst to her, a pair of golden eyes were observing her.
"...Not here, but far to the south," Ao'nung finished.
"No- he is no killer! He saved us, right Meri?" Lo'ak seemed desperate, looking at Meri who avoided his eyes. She didn't know what to say. After thinking for years that Payakan was a killer, just for him to confusedly save the two of them, it stumped her. It was confusing and Meri hated being confused.
"Lo'ak." Tsireya said, reaching a comforting hand out to his forearm, one that he held in his free hand, and his head turned to her, "You two are lucky to be alive."
Neteyam who was silently watching the entire interaction stood up with a cheeky smile while patting Lo'aks shoulder, "The mighty warrior encounters the killer tulkun and lives to tell the tale." His attempt at brightening his little brothers mood failed when Lo'ak shrugged his hand off.
He stood up, looking hurt, "You guys aren't listening."
"Lo'ak.." Tsireya called out worriedly.
Lo'ak stormed off, ignoring the protests coming from the rest of the group. Meri grimly looked at his retreating figure, sighing.
Neteyam turned to her, tilting his head with a questioning look. Tsireya did aswell, "Sister, what happened?"
Meri looked at Tsireya, a frown on her face, "I-I don't know.. I was passed out most of the time."
Rotxo huffed, "Of course you were. You would sleep through a tsunami if you could." Meri bared her teeth at him, annoyed at his inciting. 'Whatever', she exhaled. He will eventually calm down.
--
Lo'ak eventually did calm down. After spending the rest of the day missing, he came back before eclipse, and with the consolation of Tsireya, he was basically back to normal. Meri nearly cackled at how easily he was turned to mush the moment Tsireya even looked his way. It was cute. She did feel a little bit jealous at how her baby sister was able to find love before her, but she quickly huffed the feeling away. Meri was happy for her sister, truly.
However, seeing them being all mushy right in front of her made her deadpan. What was meant to be Tsireya and Meri going through the Awa'atlu forest turned into Meri third wheeling as Lo'ak chuckled, placing a flower in the giddy Tsireya's hair.
How did it even end up like this? Well the two siblings were tasked with gathering fruits for the village, and then Lo'ak found the pair.Tsireya immediately invited him over and it took all of Meri's inner strength to not gauge her eyeballs out and eat them. Seriously. The pair was a disgusting sight to see.
She sighed, deciding to just let the two have some privacy and walked away to finish the job alone. She went deeper in the forest, before stumbling across something that made her brow bones furrow.
It was Rotxo, terribly concealing himself behind a tree as he was quietly stared at something- no, someone from afar.
He seemed to be holding what Meri determined to be a necklace as he fidgeted with the item. It was obvious that he was trying to work up the courage to gift the necklace to the desired person, but from the angle Meri was watching from, she couldn't tell who it was.
Tilting her head in curiosity and long forgetting her chores, she sauntered over to the nervous boy.
"Boo." She placed a hand on Rotxo's shoulder, effectively startling the boy who let out a yelp. He turned around to face Meri, attempting to hide the necklace behind his back quickly but failed when Meri swiftly grabbed his hand to observe the jewellery.
"It is pretty," Meri said truthfully, looking up at the grimacing Rotxo. She wasn't lying, it really was pretty. The necklace contained a few crystals woven through with a thin piece of flax. In the center there was a seashell, a pretty one as well. There was no doubt that Rotxo spent quite a bit of time crafting it, and that whoever was the receiver would appreciate it very much.
"It is..?" Rotxo said, looking at Meri with sparkling eyes and perked ears. His gaze was so bright Meri had to put a hand over her eyes to shield them from the light.
"Uh sure.." she mumbled, before beginning to look over Rotxos shoulder to find Kiri laying on the far grass, clearly admiring the (small) Awa'atlu forest.
Meri's jaw went slack as Rotxo was quick to try to shoo the older girl away, "Oh Eywa."
Rotxo was furiously flustered, hands trying to push Meri away from the scene so he could run to the ocean and drown himself there, but to his surprise the older girl started smiling.
"Rotxo..." she 'awwed' and said boy cringed, looking away. The jig was up. Now Meri knew Rotxo had a "light" infatuation for the eldest forest girl and he was mentally preparing himself for the unrelenting teasing he would be facing for the rest of his life. But to his surprise it did not come.
Meri pat his shoulder, nodding proudly, "I shall help you." she proclaimed, and Rotxo scrunched his nose.
"How will you help me?" Meri's eye twitched at his tone, "You do not even know how to speak to a girl, skxawng. But fine, if you insist against my insightful input..." Meri said, sighing wistfully and beginning to walk away, but a hand clasped on her shoulder. Meri smirked. Got you.
"Wait." Rotxo barely breathed out. He had a flush on his cheeks, and he looked as if he was debating whether this was a good idea or not.
Meri smiled evily, "Perfect. But first you need to help me carry back the fruits to the village."
Rotxo groaned, but nonetheless followed his new mentor back to the village.