bound - avatar oc x oc

part 9

"Okay Sullys, fall in." Jake called as he stepped into the marui.

"Remember? Family meeting," Neteyam said as he grabbed Lo'ak and dragged him to the floor. Akaia rolled her eyes at the boys and crouched beside Tuk.

"Come on, take a knee, let's go," Jake urged, glancing around.

"Kiri," Neytiri hissed toward her sulking daughter, who reluctantly sat next to her.

"I need you kids on your best behaviour. I mean it. Learn fast. Pull your weight." Jake's gaze rested meaningfully on Lo'ak. "Don't cause trouble. Got it?"

Lo'ak nodded. Neteyam gave his younger brother a teasing smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. Lo'ak scowled, hissing quietly as he shrugged it off.

Akaia's ears twitched at the sound of a sniffle.

"I wanna go home," Tuk whimpered.

Akaia's heart ached. She pulled the little girl into her arms.

"Oh, Tuk..." Neytiri winced as she looked at her youngest.

Jake exhaled. "Tuk, this is our home now. We'll get through this—if we have each other's backs, right?"

He looked around at all his children.

Akaia gently wiped the tears from Tuk's cheeks.

"What does your father always say?" Neytiri asked softly.

"Sullys stick together," the older children murmured.

"That's right," Jake said, nodding. "Now this time, with feeling."

"Sullys stick together," they echoed again, a little louder.

"Okay, dismissed." Jake stood up with a tired sigh.

Akaia rose too, about to follow her siblings out—until Jake grabbed her wrist.

"Akaia, I need you to look after them," he said, eyes locking with hers. "Watch them. Make sure they don't get into trouble."

She nodded silently.

Jake smiled and cupped her cheek. "I can always count on you, my girl."

Akaia smiled back and turned to leave the marui.

⸻

Outside, Akaia and her siblings met Tsireya, Ao'nung, and Rotxo on the dock. To her disappointment, Mak'korro wasn't with them.

After polite introductions, the three Metkayina teens dove gracefully into the water. Neteyam and Lo'ak exchanged a glance before charging after them, cannonballing into the sea.

Akaia giggled, then turned to Kiri and Tuk.

"Your turn," she said, winking.

The girls shrieked and jumped in. Akaia watched, amused by their clumsy strokes.

"You too scared to jump?"

A deep voice behind her made her turn.

Mak'korro.

She tried to play it cool, keeping her expression neutral as her eyes locked with his ocean-blue gaze.

"I'm not scared of anything," she replied, rolling her eyes as the faintest blush crept onto her cheeks.

"Come on, sis!" Tuk called from the water.

Mak'korro felt light-headed. Eywa, she was even more beautiful in the sunlight. Something about Akaia drew him in like the tide. Ever since he first saw her, she'd occupied every spare thought.