Chapter Text
"oh?" she smiled, taking the blue fabric into her hands. "and that was all you were doing out there? no forest boys today?"
"mother!"
"what? you haven't stopped talking about him since you met. i think i have the right to ask." she has a smirk on her face as she sits back down in her hammock. the baby should be born any day now- but is stealing all of her energy in the meantime.
"...yes, i did see lo'ak today." [name] sighed, embarrassed.
"and? what did you two do?"
"you're so nosy, mama. we just... talked, okay?" he purposefully leave the part out where he met the killer tulkun.
"it is not nosy! my son has been off all day with a boy from another clan and i can't ask questions?" she obviously wasn't really upset, just playfully arguing.
[name] rolled his eyes, setting down his bag by his bedroll and kneeling by the firepit. his mother set back to work with the ball of twine in her hands.
a steady chop rang through the marui as he set to work cutting vegetables, making dinner so his mother wouldn't have to. a pleasant chatter filled the room as the mother and son spoke to one another.
"the start of your sibling's songcord is almost done. you father is supposed to make her birth beads for all of our songcords- and i've already picked her birthstone."
the night was warm and full of love- just a family preparing for their newest member.
---
"yawne, would you stop by the tsahìk's marui today while you're out? she has an herb for me, says it will help with my discomfort."
two days later, she had still not gone into labor. she wore a frown on her face as she spoke to her mate, walking circles around her home in hopes it would coax the baby into being ready.
[name] sat on the floor, eating a sweet fruit and listening to his parents interact.
"of course, paskalin. you get your rest today, alright? you-" his father's voice was cut off by a loud horn blaring through the village.
[name]'s ears perked up and a smile bloomed on his face- he could pick up one distinct word from outside. tulkun.
he turned back to his mother as he stands up. his father has taken her arm, and they're both smiling, making their way towards the door.
"well? go!" she beamed, gesturing out at the sea.
[name] ran from the marui as fast as his legs would take him, diving into the water with the others. excitement coursed through his veins as he found an ilu and looked at the dozens and dozens of tulkun- looking for one in particular, of course.
it didn't take long to spot his spirit brother. sunutxoa was a young tulkun, just a couple years older than [name], who had just gained the first of his tattoos the year before.
sunutxoa vocalized happily as he saw his na'vi brother, who quickly swam from the ilu to hug the big creature.
"my brother, i have missed you." he signed as he pulled away from the embrace.
"and i missed you. how have you been?" the tulkun clicked, joy clear in his tone.
the two spoke under the water for as long as the possibly could before [name] had to resurface for air- and even then, he didn't stop signing with his brother.
they hadn't seen each other since the last migration, after all- they had so much to catch up on. as they spoke, exchanged stories, he found himself lost in the words. he trusted few as much as he trusted sunutxoa. he found himself saying things to him that he hadn't even thought about saying yet.
"i met a boy."
the tulkun blinked, showing his attention and interest.
"take me to meet him." the tulkun made his wishes clear- he wants to meet the boy who has made his brother so happy in his absence.
and of course [name] couldn't say no to his brother- not to the tulkun he's spent his entire life with. so he swallowed his pride and held onto sunutxoa's fin, directing him towards his favorite fishing spot, hoping lo'ak would be there.
"sunu, i need to tell you- his spirit brother, you... you may not like him. i did not like him at first either, i understand- i'm a little scared of him still. but i trust this boy, and if this is his spirit brother, then i trust him too." he speaks aloud this time, now that he's above the water and sunutxoa is focused on swimming.
the tulkun glanced at him, confused.
"who is his brother?" he blinks.
[name] takes a deep breath before responding.
"lo'ak is brother of payakan, sunu."
sunutxoa looked at his brother with an almost unreadable expression. what had gotten into [name] in the last season for him to interact with the killer tulkun?
"don't give me that look! i know, i know how it sounds- but i trust lo'ak, ok?"
'my poor brother has lost his mind.' sunutxoa thought to himself. at least he was there to protect him now.
the tulkun had half a mind to just turn around and go right back to the village- but it seemed it was too late for that. in the distance, he could see a boy riding on a tulkun. he could tell that [name] noticed too by the way he perked up.
"[name]!" the na'vi boy called, waving as his tulkun carried him closer. sunutxoa kept his distance as they approached. payakan circled him in curiosity, happy to see another tulkun after all this time- but sunutxoa circled him suspiciously, as if payakan would attack at any moment.
"this is your spirit brother, then?" lo'ak asks, smile on his face, then beginning to sign to the tulkun. "it is very nice to meet you."
his spirit brother's worries seemed to fade ever so slightly at the boy's kindness. he blinked a response, but quickly turned his attention back to the other tulkun.
payakan was completely enamored sunutxoa. it had been years since he had been with another tulkun like this- so close he could see every marking, every expression, every gleam in his eyes.
the two tulkun were very close in age; maybe a year difference at the most. and as payakan slowly examined the beautiful swirling ink tattooed on the other's skin, he felt a twinge in his heart as he realized- the other tulkun in his generation were completing their rights of passage, becoming adults. payakan could not.
the young na'vi boys chattered endlessly above the surface, but payakan didn't hear a word- too focused on the tulkun in front of him. sunutxoa kept his cautious and standoffish deminor up, but watched as payakan's eyes studied his tattoos. he moved a little- proud of the markings he'd earned.
sunu watched as payakan's big yellow eyes studied him, and he couldn't help thinking- he has the kindest eyes. i didn't think a killer could.
he found himself not being as nervous as he thought he would as [name] and lo'ak swam to shore to sit with each other.
"i am happy to see you again, [name]. how are you? how is your sa'nok?" lo'ak asks, smile on his face.
"i'm good! she's good, too- the baby will be here any day, you'll have to come and meet them."
the omatikaya boy's face lit up at the offer.
"really? i... would really like that." he said, shifting to sit a little closer.
"of course," [name] leaned back against the rocks as he spoke. "i like being with you, forest boy. more than i'd like to admit."
"yeah? well- i like being with you, too." the corner of his mouth twitched up in pride. he leaned back against the rocks, looking up at the sky.
"it's almost eclipse," [name] said, with lo'ak humming in response. he shaded his eyes with a hand and looked up like the other boy.
and with that, the sky went from light to dark- revealing the beautiful night sky full of thousands upon thousands of stars.
as the temperature fell with the darkness, [name] found himself closer to lo'ak than he'd ever been before. if he said anything, it could easily be played off as being cold- but he didn't say a word. lo'ak slowly wrapped his arm around the other boy's shoulders, keeping him close.
"do you like looking at the stars?" lo'ak asks, looking down at [name]'s face, only illuminated by his pretty blue tanhì. [name] answered with a little nod, still looking up at the sky as he listened.
"you know, my dad came from a star." he said, taking one of [name]'s hands in his own and pointing out one in the night sky. "that one- right there."
[name] smiled, cheeks blushing a light purple. lo'ak looked down at him when he didn't say anything- then blushed himself, seeming to realize what he had done.
"sorry." he whispered, letting go of his hand. [name], however, shook his head and slipped his hand back into loak's.
"don't be sorry." he said simply, then gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
they stayed like that till they couldn't anymore- knowing they needed to get home before someone sent out a search party.
but before [name] could step back into the cold water, lo'ak cupped his face in one hands and pressed their foreheads together.
"see you soon." he whispered as he pulled away.
[name] blushed, smiling wide.
"see you soon."