Deep Water | Neteyam

13.

"What's the price?" Khalo asked, following Neteyam up and instantly grabbing Neteyam's hand, squeezing it.

"If I win, you two have to sit down with Spider and talk with him for a whole day about how cute you think he would match with Lo'ak as a couple and how supportive you are with him. But after that, you never talk about it again. No explanation." Kiri said, out of ideas and ignoring the weird look she gets from the side.

"If I win, you'll have to teach me, Tsireya and Ao'nung how to climb and take us on a ride on your Ikrans." Khalo said he was also out of ideas. "That's lame." Kiri said as she walked to the leftover food.

"Well, I don't have other ideas." He thought for a little while. "If I win, you have to talk to 'Spider' for a whole day about weird traditions we don't actually have here. You have to make him do a few things that nobody does here. After that, you never talk about it again. If he even gets here." Khalo said, following Kiri to the food, dragging Neteyam with him.

"If I win, you, Kiri, have to ask Spider for a date; you, Khalo, crash that question and say you and Lo'ak want one as well. After that, you just leave him alone for the day."

"Creative." Kiri said.

"Are you just gonna ignore the fact that we were here the whole time?" Lo'ak interrupts their conversation.

"And whose spider? I heard from your father that spiders are weird creations on earth, but why would one be here?" Tsireya asked into the group.

"Spider's an old friend from the forest-"

"Lo'ak, Neteyam, Kiri you take Tuk today." Neytiri broke Lo'ak up, signaling her youngest daughter to go into the pod. "Your father and I will be back at night." Neytiri said, leaving the pod again.

Khalo and Tsireya shared a look; they loved Tuk. Of course, Lo'ak, Kiri and Neteyam loved her as well, but Tsireya saw Tuk as a preparation for her coming sibling, while Khalo just loved her character.

"What are we gonna do today?" Neteyam said as he picked up Tuk, who ran over to him as soon as Neytiri left.

"I wanna go to the rocks! Where we learned to breathe." Tuk exclaimed excitedly, making Kiri smile.

"Then let's go now; we have to be back for fishing later." Tsireya agreed as she left the pod, followed by Lo'ak and Kiri.

"But we should ask Ao'nung and Roxto if they want to come along. We could make peace." She added, calling for the Ilus.

"I'll go get them." Khalo sighed as he left.

Neteyam

"I wish I'd been there. The ocean blessed you with a gift, brother." Kiri smiled at Lo'ak, who just told them about a Tulkun he met when he disappeared.Neteyam tries to think what a Tulkun was again; he thinks Khalo mentioned these Tulkuns already to mentioned to him but isn't sure, which is why he gives Khalo a questioning look.

Khalo shrugged it off with a hand movement.

"The Tulkun haven't returned yet, and anyway, no Tulkun is ever alone." Ao'nung tried to explain.

"Well, this one was." Lo'ak shot back, defiant.

Neteyam tried to hold back a laugh. He knew Lo'ak was sure about what he saw. He knew that Lo'ak was right about what he saw and who he met. Neteyam knew Lo'ak was way more into the ocean.

While he was ready to stay, deep down, Neteyam hoped they could go back.

"He had a missing fin." Lo'ak continued. "Like a stump on the left side,"

"Poor Tulkun." Tuk threw in.

"Payakan." Tsireya realized, grabbing Lo'aks arm, looking at him in some way of sadness.

"It's Payakan." She repeated, looking over to Roxto and Ao'nung.

"Whose Payakan" Kiri asked, and in response, Roxto started talking.

"A young bull who went rogue, he's an outcast. Alone. And has a missing fin."

Neteyam watched Lo'ak closely. Waiting for the reaction he knew was coming.

"They say he is a killer." Tsireya turned back to Lo'ak.

"No, no." Lo'ak said in disbelief. "He killed Na'vi. And other Tulkun."

Khalo watched the scene in silence. He knew from the past few months that he should not interfere here.

"Not here, but far in the south." Ao'nung finished. Lo'ak shook his head.

"No, he's no killer."-"Lo'ak." Tsireya cutted him off. "You are lucky to be alive."

"I'm telling you guys. He saved my life." He demanded.

Neteyam stood up, knowing if he didn't even try to light Lo'ak's mood up, it would shatter.

"He's my friend."

"My Babybro. The mighty warrior." He said as he was grabbing Lo'ak's shoulders. "Who faced the killer Tulkun and lived to tell about it, huh?" He joked, knowing it wouldn't improve the situation but still trying.

Lo'ak shook his hands off, standing up. "You guys aren't listening." He slowly moved away.

"Lo'ak, I'm listening." Tuk yelled, trying to let him feel better. "Lo'ak, come back." Kiri also tried, more to make Tuk feel better than to not let Lo'ak have his space.

She always thought giving Lo'ak space was important. Since Tuk didn't know what space was yet, Neteyam wasn't allowed to give Lo'ak space.

"I'm going after him." Khalo sighed, standing up.

Leaving Neteyam behind.

"Where are you going?" Khalo asked as he saw how Lo'ak made an Ilu ready.

"What? Are you gonna stop me?" Lo'ak hissed.

"No. I just wanted to know. So someone knows where you are." Khalo explained calmly, coming closer slowly.

"Go talk to your boyfriend."

"My boyfriend is your brother, who is surely trying not to follow you right now. But he still will. He will ask me if I have seen you, since you'll be gone by that time. And either I'll tell him 'No' and he will question me about why I didn't ask you, why I let you go when you could be in danger by now.
And also, I'm your friend, and I care about you."

"Don't make it deep, bro."-"You Sully's have to have something against deep conversations."

..

..

"So, where are you going?" Khalo asked again after the long, uncomfortable silence.

"Payakan." He spoke sharply.

"Okay. I can live with that answer. Be safe, okay?" Khalo smiled at Lo'ak.

"I will." He rolled his eyes.

--

Im so tired idk even know why

anyways i write my first classtest next week, like chill guys, school only started

also this will have probably around 25 chapters plus epilogue, maybe a little less