Safe Space ~ Lo'ak Sully

Peaceful Nights

I had been sitting on the beach peacefully, winding down from the tiring day. My mother was off tending to something, therefore I didn't have any lessons with her today. Either way, I now sit in our usual lesson spot on the far side of the village. It's more quiet. I thought I would be alone, until I wasn't.

"Agh!" A voice booms from behind me, grabbing my shoulders, causing me to jump in fear and I let out a yell. I turn around and see Neteyam.

"Kurkung! (Asshole!)" I hit him on the arm before he moves to sit down beside me, laughing to himself. "That wasn't funny!"

"Fyengkekin! (No need to use horrific language) And yes, it was." He looks over at me. "How do I look? Beautiful?" Neteyam jokes, angling his face so I could get a better look at the bruises he got from the fight earlier.

"Oh, of course." I answer sarcastically, lifting my hand to his face and observing the marks closer. He only has one bruise on his lip, though it's very red, swollen, and noticeable. "Well, you don't look as ekxtxu (rough) as Aonung, that's for sure." I try to reassure him as I place my thumb right under the bruise on his lip. He sucks in a breath.

"Sorry!" I apologize, pulling my hand away quickly.

"It's alright." Netyam says, sending me a comforting smile. "About earlier," Neteyam changed the subject. "When we were walking on the beach... when I asked you if you wanted to do something. Still open to it?"

"Yes! Got something in mind?"

"Well, I was gonna suggest what we are doing right now but.. That doesn't seem creative anymore." Neteyam shrugs in defeat and I chuckle slightly before he moves, laying on his back. We are silent for a moment. "Actually-" Neteyam starts before cutting himself off. "Nevermind."

"What? Now I want to know!" I tell Neteyam but he shakes his head. "No, tell me!" I grab him by the shoulders and shake him playfully. "Come on, no suggestion is a bad suggestion." I try to encourage him.

Neteyam hesitates before letting out a sigh. "Fine. I-I was going to say Stargazing, but it sounds ridiculous, too tunu (romantic)." He shakes his head at his own idea and looks down at the sand in embarrassment.

"No! I'd love to!" I smile at the forest Na'vi. "I have the perfect place, come on." I quickly stand on my feet. Neteyam is shocked at my reaction and there is kekem (No action/activity/movement) from him. "'Kllkxem (Stand)! Ärìp (Move)!" I tell him before grabbing him by the arm and pulling him off his kllpa (bottom).

Still holding him by the arm, I pull him with me as we run along the sand towards the undisclosed place. I hear Neteyam laugh behind me before readjusting himself so I am no longer holding him by the arm, but now by the hand. "Are we almost there?" Neteyam whines playfully.

"Srane! Asim! (Yes! Nearby!)"

Neteyam and I arrive at the small field, the one I spend most of my time in, and I stop him before we enter the tall grass. I've never brought anyone here but Tsireya, though I've made it clear to her that it is my spot.

"Promise me, you won't tell anyone about this place." I look at Neteyam seriously. "It's my little hiding spot. The only other person who knows of it is Tsireya."

"I promise." Neteyam nods, looking at me with genuine eyes.

"Good." I smile before guiding Neteyam into the tall grass.

"Fkxakewll!" (-technically this translates to 'Itch Plant' but you should get what I mean) Neteyam laughs at the grass that tickles the sides of his face as we walk through. "Did you bring me in here to torture me?" He jokes and I laugh.

Finally we arrive at the small clearing in the middle of the field and I instantly lay down, pulling Neteyam down with me. " 'Ak! (Ow!)" Neteyam lets out a shout, shocked at the impact.

"Fnu! (Be quiet!) What part of 'I want to keep this secret did you not understand?"

"Tsap'alute si." Neteyam apologizes softly, though a small smirk plays on his lips.

***

It was far after eclipse, the sky dark and the stars bright. Neteyam and I still lay in the small clearing together. We had been talking about useless things while watching the stars and pointing out different shapes in the sky. Different things from Loreyu (a specific plant) to Akula or Dinicthoid- though I couldn't see it since I've never actually seen one in person before. The air is cool, nothing I'm not used to though, and the area quiet, except for the occasional sound of Neteyam and I's laughter.

We had been sitting in silence for a bit when all of a sudden, I heard a familiar voice, my ears perking up at the sound of it.

"What is it?" Neteyam whispers, noticing my sudden change in focus. I don't answer so Neteyam doesn't continue questioning me, instead listening along with me.

"He hasn't come back!" I hear Aonung say from somewhere in the distance. "What am I supposed to do?" He sounds panicked.

"What is he talking about?" Neteyam asks the same question I was thinking.

"I don't know. I should check." I say, a bit annoyed as I get up from my comfortable position on the ground. Neteyam gets up as well and follows me out of the tall grass.

"Aonung?" I call out for my brother after spotting him in the distance with one of his friends. My brother looks back at me, a guilty expression on his face. "What are you doing?"

Aonung looks back and forth, from Neteyam and I, a look on his face as if he isn't sure what to say. "W-What are you doing here? The both of you?" He tries to divert my attention.

"Ugh, Aonung, it's not like that." His distraction almost works. "That's not the issue though! What were you on about before? Who hasn't come back?"

Aonung is hesitant to answer.

"Aonung." I say more sternly this time. "What did you do?"

"I-I may have brought Lo'ak outside the reef to hunt and now he hasn't returned..." Aonung says quickly before trailing off.

"What!" 

word count: 1056