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“I just need to get some fresh air.” A tense and frustrated Lo’ak said, leaving his family’s home.
His siblings and mother frowned as he left, all of them picking up on his discouraged energy. Jake could clearly tell as well, concern showing on his face.
“I’m going to go talk to him.” Jake said, gently placing a kiss on Neytiri's cheek and leaving. He soon found Lo’ak sitting on an empty part of the shore, drawing frustrated and random doodles in the sand with his fingers.
Lately, Lo’ak had been having a rough time. He found himself getting into arguments with his family more often over seemingly miniscule reasons, distancing himself, and getting more frustrated and irritable a lot faster. His family definitely noticed the difference as well.
Jake walked over, looking down at his sulking son. Lo’ak was sitting with his arms crossed over his legs. When he saw his father, he groaned softly and buried his head against his legs. “Dad, why are you here?” He asked, voice muffled.
Jake took a seat next to him in the sand, gently rubbing the nape of his neck. “C’mon, buddy. Can’t a dad come and check on his son to see if he’s alright?” He asked, reaching over and gently playing with his braids.
“Even if it’s clear he isn’t.” Jake added gently, acknowledging his son’s upsetness.
Lo’ak sighed, turning to look beside him at the sand.
“Nothing makes sense anymore, dad. I feel like when I was younger, I didn’t even realize how different I really was. It just didn’t seem to even cross my mind that I was this weird hybrid thing.” He said sadly.
Jake frowned as he heard that. He didn’t like that term in the slightest.
“Hey, don’t say that. You aren’t a hybrid; you have mixed heritage. That’s perfectly fine, Lo’ak. There will never be anything wrong with that. It’s who you are, and who you are is great, son.” Jake said, taking the boy’s chin and turning it so he was looking him in the eye.
Lo’ak looked at his father, listening to his uplifting words. He wanted to believe him, he really did, but with the way people looked at him, and the way people thought he was a ‘freak’, it was just hard to see himself as anything other than that.
“Why did we have to be so different, dad?” Lo’ak asked, resting his head against his father’s shoulder.
Jake wrapped an arm around him, holding him close to his side. “Oh, Lo’ak.” He sighed softly, his heart going out to his son.
Jake had been there before; feeling like he was a phony. Like he wasn’t ever going to be ‘real’ enough. The eyebrows, the fingers, the nose; he felt like he didn’t truly belong for a while.
However, as time went on, he learned how to not let it bother him. He was one of them now, and he couldn’t be happier.
Unfortunately, Lo’ak was in a very particular position himself. “I feel like I don’t really fit in anywhere. Not with Na’vi, not with humans. I’m just…” Lo’ak sighed out of frustration, as well as hurt and heartbreak. “…me.” He finished glumly.
Jake gently cupped his cheek. “And what is wrong with that?” He asked. Lo’ak looked up at him with now wet and surprised eyes, taking in his father’s tender, but genuine words.
“My Lo’ak is an amazing guy. He’s smart, courageous, brave, and he’s got a kind heart. I love him so, so much, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Jake said, meaning every word.
Lo’ak’s bottom lip began quivering as he held in tears. He wasn’t expecting his father to give him that validation so openly, but he was happy that he did.
“Dad…” He trailed off emotionally, burying his face against Jake’s shoulder as the man wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a hug.
“It’s okay, boy. I know things are confusing, especially now that you are a teenager. This is the most complicated and confusing part of someone’s life; I felt the exact same way when I was your age.” Jake admitted.
Jake empathised with all of his teenagers, knowing it was difficult already as it was just being teens, let alone with them being physically different from the others.
Jake knew a lot about being physically different from everyone else; he had lived through it even before becoming Na’vi.
It broke his heart that his children had to go through that as well, but he swore to himself that he’d always be there for them to help them through it and uplift them when others put them down.
“It’s alright. You are allowed to be sad, son. You should give yourself the time and grace to feel hurt and upset.” Jake said as Lo’ak cried softly against his shoulder.
Jake stroked his hair, letting him cry it out. Lo’ak had been holding this in for a long time, he could tell. His poor baby boy…
Jake continued to just hold him for a while, showering him with comfort. Lo’ak needed this right now, he needed his father right now. So, there he was.
“W-when will this confusion end? When will I feel confident again? When will things start m-making sense again?” Lo’ak asked tearfully, clinging to his father for support, desperate for answers to his questions.
Jake swiftly moved him to sit in his lap. “I wish I could tell you, baby boy. I really wish I knew.” He said softly. Jake rested his chin on top of Lo’aks head.
“What I do know though, is that you will get through this. I don’t have a single doubt about that.” Jake said, rubbing circles on his vulnerable and sniffling son’s back.
It was silent for a while, the only sound being the waves crashing onto the shore.
Eventually, Jake felt Lo’ak pull away slightly to look up at him. His eyes were still wet, but his soft sobs had died down to the occasional sniffle.
Jake gently wiped the boy's tear streaks with his thumb. “You alright, sweetheart?” He asked.
Lo’ak nodded. “Yes, sir.” He said. Jake leaned down and gently placed a soft kiss on the boy’s forehead.
“Hey, if you ever need any advice, or help, or a second opinion, or you just need someone to talk to- I’m here. I’ll always, always be here for you, Lo’ak. I’m never too busy for you.” Jake said, looking into his son’s identical yellow eyes.
Lo’ak grinned. He felt safe and sound in his dad’s arms, like nothing could ever hurt him. Nobody’s words meant a single thing with his dad there to remind him that he was perfect the way he was. “Thanks, dad.” Lo’ak said, earning a smile from Jake.
The father and son spent the rest of the night enjoying each other’s company until dinner time.
Lo’ak and Jake didn’t always see eye to eye. They got into disagreements more and more these days, as Lo’ak had quite the rebellious spirit and quite the smart mouth.
However, Lo’ak knew that he could count on his dad to be there for him and have his back, and that was the best feeling in the world.