~+ Outcasts +~+ Lo'ak x fem reader +~

Chapter 11: {Atala's PoV}

The following week is happy. While things are certainly not perfect, it is better. The Sully children are grasping the Way of Water well enough to comfortably swim alongside those of us who are familiar to the water. This allows me to bond closer with Kiri and Neteyam. We often spend our days on the beach, enjoying the warm weather and sea.

One morning, Lo'ak approaches me, looking irritated. "What's with the pout, forest boy?" I say to him.

He turns to me, his pouty expression diminishing. "Dad says I have to 'go make peace' with Ao'nung." He rolls his eyes. "Something about needing to be 'fully accepted' by the chief's family."

I look at him thoughtfully. "Well, you did 'fight' the next Olo'eyktan." I say "So maaaybe you should listen to your father?"

Lo'ak rolls his eyes again. "I'd have to anyway. He would make me."

"Go get it over with now. I'll wait in our cove so we can talk shit about Ao'nung when you're done." I think this is a fair compromise. Lo'ak will often come to me, complaining about someone, and I will listen and usually agree. I think it helps his temper, to have someone affirming his opinions.

Lo'ak reluctantly agrees and leaves to talk with Ao'nung. I don't expect him to be gone for more than an hour. But he is. And another. And another. Soon it's dark out and I walk to the main village area to see if he's around.

While I don't find Lo'ak, I find his brother who is dragging Ao'nung by the ear. I slip into step beside them. "What's going on? Why are you dragging Ao'nung?" I ask Neteyam.

"This skxwang left Lo'ak outside the reef!" Neteyam nearly shouts. 

What the fuck?! Ao'nung isn't kind but this is a new sort of low. I can't even confront him right now. I'll have to do it later.

"Get him to Jake or Tonowari. Now." I say, walking away.

"I was already - ok never mind." Neteyam says, following me.

I spot Jake first. I call his name to get his attention. His gaze lands on me, then Neteyam and Ao'nung. 

"What's going on?" Jake asks.

"Go on, tell him what you told me." Neteyam says, jostling Ao'nung. The Metkayina boy swats Neteyam away and looks at Jake. 

"As a joke I left Lo'ak out by Three Brother's Rocks." Ao'nung explains. "We're cool now! I do that to my friends all the time."

"Yes, your friends who have lived here their entire lives and know how to navigate outside the reef!" I say, my voice rising to a shout. Neteyam rests a soothing hand on my shoulder, not that it helps much. But I can appreciate the effort.

"You two," Jake says to Neteyam and I. "Get a message out for some search parties. Ao'nung will come with me."

Ao'nung looks scared. If the former Toruk Maktok was mad at me, I would also be scared. I leave Ao'nung to his punishment and Neteyam and I go to organize a search.

We call out to people that the Omaticaya boy is missing. Most people don't get involved until they see Tsireya salute to us and call for her Ilu. After that, many volunteers are hurrying out into the sea to try to find Lo'ak.

In the distance, a shell horn sounds. I hurry over to it and sure enough, I see Lo'ak swimming towards the village. I slump onto Neteyam with relief. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. 

Several people help him onto the walkway where everyone is gathered. He looks annoyed and like he wants to be left alone, not being crowded by random strangers. His family approaches and Neytiri gets to him first. 

"I pray to Eywa for the strength to not pluck the eyeballs out of my youngest son!" She cries before pulling him into a hug. He shrugs it off. Jake launches into a lecture about how stupid he was, he could have been hurt, how dangerous it is, etc.

Tonowari and Ronal lead their son over, interrupting the speech. "My son knows better than to take a newcomer outside of the reef." Tonowari places his hand on Ao'nung's shoulder and forces him down. "The fault is his."

"No!" Lo'ak says suddenly. "It is my fault, I made Ao'nung take me."

That's definitely not true. I'm still confused as Jake grabs Lo'ak by the arm and takes him to the Mauri pod, probably to punish Lo'ak. I pause, debating on what I should do. On one hand, I should confront Ao'nung for being so stupid. On the other hand, I should make sure Lo'ak will be alright after what is sure to be a hard conversation. I choose Lo'ak.

Thanks to my moments of hesitation, the Sully's are far ahead of me, already having been at their home for several minutes. I'm not fast enough to catch the entire speech. I only make it for the last sentence.

"You are a disappointment." Jake says sternly.

"Can I go now?" Lo'ak says, his voice wavering. From anger or sorrow, I don't know. 

"Go." Jake says.

Lo'ak leaves the Mauri pod. If he knows I'm here, he doesn't acknowledge me. I pause in my little shadowed corner. I very badly want to storm in there and berate Jake for how unnecessarily hard he is being on Lo'ak.  I don't, of course. I decide to go help Lo'ak. I think I know where he went. 

Just as I suspected, I see Lo'ak pacing on the shore of our cove. He looks angry, his tail lashing, ears back. I approach him quietly, only making my presence known when I walk in his line of sight. "You wanna talk about it?" I ask calmly.

"Talk about what?" Lo'ak asks darkly. "Ao'nung literally outcasting me or my father saying I'm a dissapointment?"

"Either one is fine with me." I say. "I'll be on your side for both."

Lo'ak stops pacing and stands in front of me. "No wonder they outcasted me!" He raises his hand, displaying his four fingers. "Freak, alien, demon blood. That's all they see."

I think for a moment. Then I take his hand and pull it down. "That's not all I see. Oel ngati kameie. I see you, Lo'ak."

He lets out a deep breath and seems to relax. "Oel ngati kameie. I see you, Atala." His gaze meets mine, with an intense expression. "Thank you."

I can feel my neck and face warming. "What for?"

He looks at me as if I am joking. Then he realizes I am serious. "What for? Thank you for always being on my side, being an amazing friend, defending my sister, helping me really grasp the way of water, never making me feel like an alone outsider - really, the list just goes on and on."

I'm just staring at him now. I hadn't realized I had touched him like that. I'm moving closer to him. My hands are on his waist and the base of his neck. Do I really want to do this? Yeah, I do. I get just inches from his face. "Is this ok?" I say, my voice barley a whisper.

Lo'ak doesn't respond, both of his hands go gently onto my hips and closes the distance between us. The kiss is light, only a few seconds, but it's amazing. His lips are soft, and even though the kiss itself is light, I can feel the passion that's burning in the air between us. I already know we'll do it again sometime.

"Oel ngati kameie, Atala." Lo'ak says as we pull away.