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"Happy Birthday to you!" The Sully's cheer for Tuk, as the others are gathered around, clapping and cheering along.
"I suppose this is a song that humans sing?" Rotxo whispers to Lëy'la.
She nods, and looks to him, "my father is the reason why we celebrate the days of our birth this way. Usually, my mother said it would be a lot different. A more.. spiritual celebration."
"Make a wish Tuk!" Kiri tells her and smiles, as she's stood next to Këon.
Tuk closes her eyes as she holds her hands together, making a wish.
Eywa, please let me see my grandma again.
As she opens her eyes, she could see everyone looking at her, causing her to let out an adorable giggle.
Lëy'la smiles as she leans her head on Rotxo's shoulder, feeling happy to see her sister celebrate with a smile on her face.
"So, will you not be doing a spiritual celebration?" Rotxo asks.
She lifted her head up, to look at him, before explaining to him, "of course. Once this celebration is over, my parents will take Tuk with them to the spirit tree."
This is done, for Tuk to be blessed for living another year, where she will form a deeper connection with Eywa, and have her blessings.
Rotxo nods, "ah I see. So this is just something.. extra."
"Well.. I suppose. We mostly do it because Tuk enjoys it. The decorations, the planning. The dancing and the fun."
"I want to dance! Let's dance!" Tuk jumps before she runs to Lëy'la and holds her hand, dragging her along.
"Well, the birthday girl has called for me" Lëy'la chuckles before getting pulled away by Tuk.
The others following before they begin playing the instruments.
Usually, with the Omatikaya clan, they have an instrument which is known to be called the 'Blue Flute.'
The 'Blue Flute' is only played at sacred ceremonies/celebrations.
However, now that Lëy'la and her family were living within the Metkayina clan, it was a lot different.
But nonetheless, Tuk enjoyed it.
Especially when they had began to play the log drums, as everyone joined in to dance.
Lëy'la danced with Tuk for a while. Lëy'la who pretty much twirled Tuk around, letting her have her moment to dance, whilst she moved her feet to the rhythm of the beat, being played by the drums.
Until Neytiri had taken Tuk, and Lëy'la was snatched away by the two girls, Kiri and Tsireya.
"Hey!" Lëy'la shouted with a laugh, as they spun her around quite forcefully.
The three of them danced together, as Tsireya had taught them how the clan would dance, when the drums were to be played.
The three of them who stood in a circle, their hips swaying from side to side, not missing a single beat, before they twirl around and complete the steps once again, this time in the opposite direction.
Rotxo stood back as he watched Lëy'la, with nothing but a big smile on his face, as he watched her laugh and enjoy her time.
"She looks beautiful tonight" his grandmother joins him, as she stood next to him, both looking at Lëy'la, "you chose well, Rotxo."
Rotxo nods, "I did, didn't I?"
"I'm very proud of you" his grandmother tells him, causing him to turn and looks at her.
She moves her eyes away from Lëy'la to look back at Rotxo, "I just wanted you to know that, I am very proud of you. For how far you have come. How much you have grown, into the man that you now are. I did not have the chance, to tell your father. But I know that he will be very proud of you. Just like I was."
Rotxo smiles at her, giving her a little pinch on the cheek, "grandma, you are the best. But I'm sure you mean, like I am. Not was."
"Right" his grandmother chuckles, "I am just tired that is all."
Rotxo nods understandably, "I am happy with how my life has panned out. I have the two women I need in my life. That I all I can ask for."
His grandmother smiles, "I can not be out for long. I need to rest."
"Do you want me to take you back?" Rotxo ask.
"No no, stay. Enjoy the celebration, with Lëy'la" she comes forward to give him a hug, "take care of yourself Rotxo. And of Lëy'la."
"Of course grandma. You take care of yourself too. I will see you again, in the morning" Rotxo replied, as he hugged her back.
She held onto him, a lot tighter than usual.
He wasn't sure why, but he took it all in. All the love that she was giving him, he took it in, not knowing why she was acting the way that she did.
As she turns to walk off, her eyes were buried in water, as she walked away from the crowd.
The sound of the drums becoming quieter.
Until it was just her, in her marui, walking in and closing the curtains behind her.
She said her goodbyes. And she was happy with it, knowing that she will leave Rotxo in good hands.
Her tears of joy sparkling in her eyes, as she lay down, on her side. A smile and one last heavy breath.
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"Rotxo, come on!" Lëy'la comes forward to him, pulling him from his wrist.
"Lëy'la, I can't- I can't dance, I don't know how" Rotxo laughs.
They get to the other people in the crowd, before Lëy'la places both his hands on each side of her hips, "just let your hands follow my hips. I'm sure they can do that, right?"
Rotxo nods, "they most certainly can."
A mischievous grin appearing on his face, knowing he gets to be close to her, as she dances.
The music begins to change, as the drums are no longer playing, but instead a musical bow.
As the atmosphere had changed.
Neytiri holding onto Tuk with one arm, the other hand on Jake's shoulder.
Jake holding onto Neytiri's wait with one arm, the two of them moving together from side to side, as Jake comes to give Tuk a kiss on her fourhead.
"Happy birthday, beautiful" Jake says to her.
Along with Lo'ak, who held Tsireya from behind, his head above her right shoulder, as his chin leaned against the top of her head, as he took charge of the steps of the dance, knowing that she knew no idea how to dance the way he did.
"What is it?" Neteyam asks, his head leaned against Ao'nungs' chest, as the two of them dance together.
Neteyam being able to feel the stiffness in Ao'nungs chest.
"I just hate the way everyone is looking at me right now. Like we're doing something wrong. When we're just dancing" Ao'nung whispered back.
He wasn't used to the attention that he got, the way Neteyam was used to it, considering he was the Olo'eyktans' son at one point.
Was. Considering that their father is no longer an Olo'eyktan.
Neteyam looks up at him, "don't look around. Just look at me."
"I can't-"
"Ao'nung" Neteyam says to him, almost as though he was telling him off.
Ao'nung looks down at him.
"You love me, right?" Neteyam asks, the two of them continuing to dance.
"Yes.. of course" Ao'nung says with no hesitation, but confusion.
"Then that is all that matters. Because I love you. So forget how the others are looking at us, and what they may or may not think. Just focus on what you love and what you want" Neteyam says to him.
He smiles, "you know all the right things, to say to me."
"Of course. I am with the right person" Neteyam smiles at him.
And of course, Lëy'la and Rotxo both dancing together, the two of them, enjoying each others comfort.
Silence.
And patience.
"You look really beautiful today" Rotxo says to her, "of course you do every other day too."
Lëy'la smiles at him, as she tilts his head, "you did not need to clarify that. I already know."
"Confident, I see" Rotxo smiles.
She laughs, "thank you. And you look amazing today. I have other words to say but, I can not. Not out here."
Rotxo chuckles, "I understand. We'll wait until we're alone" he then moves in to whisper into her ear, "when your laying down below me, and I ask you to tell me, you can say everything you wish to say."
His whisper sending a shiver down her spine.
She smiles, "I must have been a great person in a previous life to have someone like you."
"Oh, I'm that much of a prize?" He asks playfully, causing her to hit his arm lightly as they both laugh.
"I love you Rotxo. Very much. I don't say it a lot, I know. But, I do" Lëy'la says.
"You do not have to say it a lot, when your actions tell me all I need to know" Rotxo replies, "and before you rip my head off, I love you too."
She smiles at him, "I know that you are scared of everything. Of the future, of the present. All because of the past" she brings her hands, cupping onto both cheeks, "but I promise you, I will be by your side. Always."
He smiles, when he feels something drop off him, causing him to look down, along with Lëy'la, who also looks down.
Rotxo moves his hands off her as he goes down to pick up a stone that had fallen off his song chord.
The stone that was given by his grandma, which she carved and made for him, after he had passed his warrior training.
A stone that was.. special to him.
He looked at it in his hand, and Lëy'la became slightly worried, knowing who gave him that stone.
For it to fall off so suddenly could only mean one thing.
For his grandmother to act so strangely towards him. The way she hugged him tightly.
Like she was to leave him forever.
How did he not realise until now?
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When I said I had writers block, that's for my other story FTFIL. This chapter I've had it written for quite some time I just need to proof read and make sure it was okay to post.
This is.. also.. the second last chapter of this book😬. I did kind of want to end it with a time skip, to where Rotxo is happy with Lëy'la and stuff, and kind of end it there. But unless you guys have any ideas that you want me to add and to continue this story, let me know.
I love you all, and thanks for being patient with me because at the moment my updating just sucks🥲.