⥤ Chapter Seven : Mind, Body, and Heart ⥢
Nightfall comes. Jake motions for his family to gather together, his eyes bringing in (Y/N) too.
They come together in a circle. "Okay, I need you kids on your best behavior, I mean it." He emphasizes this to his sons. "Learn fast, pull your weight, and don't cause trouble. Got it?"
Tuk gives an innocent nod. Lo'ak and Neteyam both answer with, "Yes sir." (Y/N) feels herself becoming distant. She gives Jake a weak nod, before standing up. She steps out of the hut, and sits on the net walkway.
Lo'ak feels his heart ache at her sad expression.
She dips her feet into the water, hearing Tuk distantly cry, "I want to go home."
"I felt even more outcasted here. The reef people would kick us out if they knew what I was. Maybe coming was a bad idea..."
She sits in the water for quite some time, contemplating her decisions. Her thoughts wander to worry about her brother as well.
A presence joins her at her side, dipping their feet into the water too.
"Now I know that look." Kiri gives a small smile. "What's wrong?"
The girls lean into each other, feet swirling the water together. Some fish come by to swim by Kiri specifically.
(Y/N) admires the fish, knowing Kiri.
"Have you felt that 'weird feeling' again?" She asks her best friend.
Kiri shrugs. "That day, before we found the Avatars, I felt it."
The two sit up, (Y/N) turning to a better view of Kiri. She wants to give Kiri her full attention, so that her friend feels comfortable sharing.
"It's like she's here." Kiri smiles, watching the glowing fish swim around her. "She's everywhere."
"Kiri has always been in touch with her surroundings. Norm told us about her mom... And I'd like to believe that Grace was rewarded for her fascination with Pandora."
(Y/N) wraps an arm around her. "Eywa gifted Grace with you. Her body was too weak to live on, so she allowed her to live on through you."
Kiri smiles at (Y/N)'s words. A calm moment passes, before she playfully pushes (Y/N) into the water.
(Y/N) resurfaces as Kiri laughs. Then, she pulls Kiri into the water by her hand.
Lo'ak hears the splashing, just as the rest of his family tries to settle in for sleep.
He sneaks out, not wanting to wake anyone or bring attention to himself.
He smiles, seeing his sister and best friend in the water.
"How does Eywa feel in the water, rather than the forest?" (Y/N) asks Kiri. The girls swim side by side, lightly treading water.
Kiri looks below at all the sea creatures swimming around them. "It feels different here, like ... everyone here is more connected."
"I would later learn what Kiri meant. The Way of Water connects more – connects all."
Kiri dives down, noticing some reef glow under the night sky. (Y/N) wants to follow, but hesitates. She tries to remind herself that this is a new body, she is stronger.
She takes a few deep breaths, before holding in a big one. She dives down after Kiri.
She takes in the new environment around her, and watches Kiri in admiration.
"I wondered what was going on in Kiri's mind. To see and feel everything, in all its beauty. To have a deeper understanding."
As the girls swim, their attention focuses on the wildlife and vegetation, rather than on the thought of 'how long have I been holding my breath?'
(Y/N)'s Avatar body doesn't panic for air, like asthma did to her human body. She feels calm, and her lungs hold out for her.
It begins to feel like a dream. One of those dreams where you can breathe underwater, one of those dreams where anything is possible.
A strange sensation interrupts her, tingling, as hands grow sticky. She rubs her fingers against one another, as they slowly web together. She develops webbed fingers.
Kiri notices her friend acting strange, watching her hands change. Kiri finally notices (Y/N)'s skin as well. Under the water, (Y/N)'s skin has developed a green hue to it – similar to the Metkayina.
(Y/N) rubs her eyes, as they begin to sting a little. Kiri worries too much, and urges her friend to resurface.
The girls pull themselves out of the water, and back onto the netted walkway. As (Y/N)'s body is above water, her skin slowly goes back to resemble a blue color. (Y/N)'s hands return to normal, the webbing seeming to dissolve as her skin dries.
(Y/N) is still rubbing her eyes, though. Kiri goes to hold her friend's hands still, seeing (Y/N) blink with two eyelids. After a few blinks, she's back to normal.
The two girls laugh at the experience. Both of them with faces that say 'did that really just happen'. Kiri, as always, is accepting of her friend.
"Kiri concerned me, telling me my skin and hands changed the longer I was in the water. And my eyes? How could that be possible?"
Lo'ak sees the girls have resurfaced somewhere else. He sees the girls laughing, not knowing they are laughing about (Y/N)'s strange changes.
His heart skips a beat. After his family going through so much, he sees it getting better with (Y/N) by his side.
YOU ARE READING
alien; lo'ak
FanfictionIn which twins, (Y/N) and Spider grow up alongside the Sully family. When a new threat comes forward, conflicts arise as the twins must choose between being human and being Na'vi. [ Lo'ak x Reader ]
