Italicize - someone's thoughts or a story from the past
Bold - sign language
"Ow!"
"Ow!" A voice yelled, and Ja'lia turned her head to see Tuk whining in pain as Lo'ak had pulled her hair for the umpteenth time that day. "Sorry, Tuk," He muttered, loosening his grip on his sisters' hair as he undid the braid, and started over.
Kiri watched with a sad smile while Ja'lia made a bracelet with some shells and a couple of the beads from Neteyam's hair. She thought that it would be a good way for her to make sure that Neteyam would always be with her, both physically and mentally. It had been a hard topic for everyone in the Sully Mauri pod to talk about who would receive what beads, but it was a necessary evil as they forced themselves to move on, so they could heal.
Everyone had gotten to pick what beads they wanted, and it went in order of the parents, siblings, then friends, and they were all happy with what they'd gotten. Ja'lia and Kiri decided to integrate Neteyam's beads into a new piece of jewelry, while Jake, Neytiri, Tuk, and Lo'ak decided to add them to their hair.
However, Spider had yet to decide what he wanted to do with his beads as he often seemed secluded and conflicted with his own emotions. The human boy had asked for everyone's advice, and evidently, none of them seemed to give him the answer he was looking for as he stared at the four beads in his hand with clouded eyes.
But when Tuk cried out in pain again, Spider looked up at the youngest child with furrowed eyebrows, "Bro, maybe you should let your mom or Lia braid her hair," Spider said, but Lo'ak shook his head in refusal.
"I promised Tuk that I would learn how to braid her hair," Lo'ak grumbled as he once again loosened his grip on his sister's hair.
"If I wanted my hair ripped out of my scalp, I would've asked Mom," Tuk muttered, leaning forward to place her chin in the palm of her hand. Lo'ak glared at his sister and mumbled unintelligible words under his breath while everyone else laughed.
The teen had been trying to learn how to braid his sisters' hair for hours, and it seemed that he was making zero progress, but none of the other teens could blame him because Tuk wasn't the best at describing things. Tuk often spoke face with quick movements of her hands, confusing Lo'ak who tried to intently listen to Tuk's rambling. But Lo'ak wouldn't give up on learning.
He couldn't give up. It was now his responsibility to be there for his siblings, even if that meant spending the entire day tearing Tuk's hair out of her head until he got her braids exactly the way she wanted them. The young girl was quite particular when it came to her hair. This braids too loose, or this one's too tight. Did you do this one with your eyes closed?
She acted like she was an expert when it came to braiding, at least in Lo'ak's opinion she did. Lo'ak was almost at his width's end when it came to Tuk's demanding requests when he finally sighed and decided that he would need to ask for some help.
So, he looked up at Ja'lia who concentrated on the bracelet in her lap, and called out her name, "Lia?"
Ja'lia's head snapped in Lo'ak's direction as she saw the pleading look on his face. A giggle escaped passed her lips because she knew what he was asking. He wanted her help braiding Tuk's hair, especially since Neytiri would be back soon, and if Lo'ak wasn't done, that meant Neytiri would have to do it, and Tuk would have Lo'ak's tail if he subjected her to their mother's firm grip.
As soon as Ja'lia started to walk towards the two Sully children, they both let out a sigh of relief because they both knew that Ja'lia would pick up the agonizingly slow pace that was doing Tuk's hair.
When Ja'lia sat beside Lo'ak, she immediately took the three strands out of Lo'ak's hand. "This is how you hold her hair. Relax your hands. It takes practice, but once you get used to it, you can braid hair without blinking an eye," She said, showing Lo'ak how to hold her hair.
"Feel how relaxed my hands are," Ja'lia instructed, and Lo'ak placed his hand on Ja'lia's as he barely felt any tension in her hold. "The issue with you braiding her hair is that you grip too hard at the scalp. Once you loosen your grip, braiding should be relatively easy," Ja'lia explained as she braided Tuk's hair.
Lo'ak focused his attention on Ja'lia's hands as she effortlessly braided the three-strand braid he had been trying to do for hours. "How did you do that?" Lo'ak grumbled as he felt jealous that Ja'lia was able to do it so easily.
"Practice, Lo'ak. Now, you try," She said, and Lo'ak looked at his sister's head before picking more hair up, splitting it into three strands as he slowly started to braid Tuk's hair. He was half-expecting Tuk to yell at him for gripping too hard, but when he didn't, a sense of pride welled in his chest as he quickly finished his first braid.
Tuk reached her hand to the back of her head to run her fingers over the braid, and she released a sigh in contentment. "Finally," She cheered, and Lo'ak scoffed.
"Hey, braiding is hard, especially when you're so picky," Lo'ak defended, picking up more of Tuk's hair.
"Braiding isn't hard," Tuk retorted.
"Yes, it is."
"No, it isn't."
"Is."
"Isn't."
"Is."
"Isn't."
"Isn't."
"Is."
"I'm so glad you finally agree with me, Lo'ak," Tuk smiled while Lo'ak grimaced at his younger sisters' antics.
The other teens around the room laughed at the petty argument between Tuk and Lo'ak as the boy continued to braid Tuk's hair while she continued to criticize his every move, just to get under his skin. It was the first argument the two had had in a month, and it was a new record.
Usually, the two couldn't go a couple of days without arguing, but nothing but words of kindness had been uttered by the two Sully children since Neteyam's funeral.
So, instead of stopping the two like they normally would, they allowed the argument to continue as they tuned them out to continue the activities they had started earlier that day. Ja'lia got up to go get her materials to make her bracelet before she walked back over to sit beside Lo'ak and Tuk, who were still bickering back and forth.
Her focus soon became trained on the bracelet in front of her as she let her thoughts take over. It still hurt that Neteyam was gone, and it probably always would, but for some reason, his beads seemed to make the ache in her heart hurt a little less.
With each day that passed after Neteyam's death, it became a little bit easier to breathe, and a little bit easier to go a day without crying. Of course, all of them had their moments where they just couldn't do anything that day, but everyone understood their pain. No one had been forced to do anything they felt they couldn't do on a certain day.
Instead, they were given the day off to do what they felt best, whether it would be to cry, go for a walk, stay in the pod, or even sleep. All of them grieved differently, and it wasn't their job to judge each other on how they processed their feelings.
But the one thing that wasn't allowed, was for them to be alone. None of them were allowed to be alone if they couldn't do anything for the day. And the one person who always seemed to be consistent when staying with someone was Lo'ak. He had seemed to step up, and it made Ja'lia wonder when he had time to grieve. If he was grieving at all. The two teens hadn't exactly talked, or even gone on a date in weeks, and Ja'lia was kind of craving alone time with him.
Although, she would never make her feelings known because to her, it seemed selfish that she wanted to hang out with him privately. The Sully family had gone through something traumatic, and their time to be with each other would come, but Ja'lia wasn't sure if it was now, even if she wanted it to be.
Eventually, Lo'ak finished braiding Tuk's hair, much to the girls' delight, and she instantly jumped up to show Kiri, so her sister would give her an honest opinion. Kiri inspected her sisters' hair with narrowed eyes while Lo'ak watched the two girls' anxiously waiting for approval or disapproval. Kiri occasionally lifted a braid off Tuk's head or ran her fingers down them, and when her lips curled into a small smile, Lo'ak sighed.
It seemed that Kiri approved of his work.
Lo'ak smiled proudly to himself before both of his parents walked into the pod, and looked at him with curious eyes. "What happened?" Neytiri asked.
"I braided Tuk's hair," He beamed.
Jake and Neytiri gave each other wary looks before Tuk came over to show him his work. Jake nodded in approval while Neytiri did the same thing Kiri had done moments prior. The mother smiled at her sons' work.
"Good job, Lo'ak," She nodded in approval.
"Thank you," Lo'ak smiled, glancing at Ja'lia who was distracted by the almost finished bracelet in her hands, and suddenly an idea popped into his head. "Mom?"
"What is it, baby?" Neytiri questioned.
"Can Lia and I go on a date?" Lo'ak asked, and at the mention of her name, Ja'lia's head snapped in Lo'ak's direction with wide eyes.
"I don't see a problem with it, but did you ask Ja'lia about the date? Because it seems like she didn't know," Neytiri smiled, causing Lo'ak to sheepishly rub the back of his head.
The boy looked at his girlfriend who blinked at him, and he asked her the question he asked his mother, rephrasing it so that it would fit what he should ask her, "Would you want to go on a date tonight, Lia?" Lo'ak asked with hopeful eyes.
"Of course," Ja'lia immediately agreed.
"Well, since Ja'lia wants to go, I don't see the issue as long as your father's okay with it," Neytiri shrugged, looking at Jake. "Yes, you two can go. Have fun." Jake said, and Lo'ak grabbed Ja'lia's hand, not even giving her the chance to say goodbye to anyone.
The two teens walked to the beachside before looking both ways and sprinting toward the forest to go the their cave. Lo'ak let go of Ja'lia's hand as he picked up his pace to run faster, turning their sprint into a race that Ja'lia knew she was going to lose.
It's not that she was slow, it's that Lo'ak was incredibly fast as he pumped his legs hard against the soft sand.
Ja'lia groaned as she pushed her body to go faster because she was practically eating Lo'ak's dust. The boy turned around to look at Ja'lia with a smirk on his face that Ja'lia desperately wanted to wipe off, but soon the two made it through the forest as they dodged branches, and leaped over fallen tree branches.
Lo'ak immediately rushed into the cave pushing the vines to the side, allowing them to fall in Ja'lia's face. When Ja'lia made it into the cave, she shot Lo'ak a glare as she placed her arms above her head to catch her breath. "You are such a cheater," She breathed out.
"How am I a cheater?" Lo'ak questioned.
"You didn't give me any warning," Ja'lia said, glaring at the boy while walking toward him.
"Me?" He asked, feigning innocence, "I would never."
"No?" Ja'lia questioned, taking calculated steps toward Lo'ak who would take one step back with every step forward Ja'lia would take.
"Absolutely not," Lo'ak affirmed, and Ja'lia teasingly smiled at her boyfriend until his back was pressed against the wall.
Once she had him cornered, she stood on her tiptoes, placing her face directly in front of his. "Are you sure?" She asked, burying her face in his neck to place little kisses on his delicate skin. Lo'ak's hands immediately went to Ja'lia's waist as he took in a sharp breath at the feel of her soft lips against his skin. "I'm sure," He shivered when he felt her nibble at his collarbone.
"Yeah?" Ja'lia placed a kiss on the corner of Lo'ak's mouth, and the boy removed one of his hands from her waist to bring it to the back of his neck so that he could place his mouth on hers. But Ja'lia immediately pulled away, emitting a whine from Lo'ak's mouth. "Lia!" She ran her hands from Lo'ak's neck to his chest, scraping his body with her fingernails. "Yes, Lo'ak?" Ja'lia whispered innocently.
"Why won't you let me kiss you?" Lo'ak questioned.
"I will if you admit that you cheated," The girl smiled, and Lo'ak huffed. "I didn't cheat, though," He argued.
"Then I guess you don't want me to kiss you," Ja'lia shrugged, taking a step back before Lo'ak pulled her body flush against his. Ja'lia smiled up at him as he looked her in the eyes before rolling them, "I'm sorry that I cheated," Lo'ak grumbled.
"What was that?" Ja'lia questioned, and Lo'ak glared at her.
"I said, I'm sorry that I cheated," He said, enunciating his words.
Ja'lia hummed before standing on her tiptoes once more to firmly press her lips against Lo'ak's. The boy immediately responded to her kiss as he brought his hands up to caress her cheeks. This kiss was slow and loving as the two teens expressed unsaid emotions through physical contact. It had been the first time the two had kissed in weeks, and it showed as the slow and loving kiss soon turned fierce and passionate as both of their movements picked up.
Lo'ak moved his hand to the back of Ja'lia's neck while the other one went to her waist as he deepened the kiss, causing Ja'lia to feel breathless, lightheaded, and weak in the knees which caused Lo'ak to instantly switch their positions. He pressed Ja'lia harshly against the rock wall, causing her to gasp at the contact of the cool wall on her skin.
Soon, his lips latched onto her neck while his hand hesitantly explored new areas of Ja'lia's skin he wouldn't have dared to touch a few months ago. One hand traced her lower stomach, and he ran the other down her side before placing it back on her hip for fear that he might take it too far. Lo'ak's touch ignited flames all over her skin and goosebumps started to form.
The boy seemed to love Ja'lia's reaction to how his touch made her react as he kissed her skin before slowly making his way back up to her lips. His kisses seemed to become more sloppy, and quick, and Ja'lia knew that she needed to stop him, so she took his lip in between her teeth, and lightly bit down. Lo'ak pulled away, gasping for air as he saw Ja'lia's flushed cheeks and the fast movements of her chest.
"What's wrong?" Lo'ak asked in concern.
"We are going too fast," She panted, and Lo'ak's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry," He immediately apologized, stepping away from Ja'lia.
"It's okay, Lo'ak," Ja'lia assured, and Lo'ak didn't seem too positive about her words. "Hey, it's not your fault. It's not like I stopped you, I didn't want to, but I'm not ready to go that far." She explained.
"Are you sure? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me," The boy whispered, and Ja'lia took a step forward, placing her hand under his chin to force him to look up at her. "Lo'ak, I'm telling you that it's fine. I'm fine. We just got a little carried away, that's all," She smiled, and Lo'ak sighed.
"It's just - we haven't done anything since," Lo'ak paused, taking a deep breath. "Since Neteyam's funeral, I've been wanting to go out with you, hug you, kiss you, but my family needed me."
"I understand, Lo'ak. I appreciate that you're there for your family. It's one of the reasons I love you," Ja'lia said, taking his hands in her own.
"Can you say that again?"
"Say what again?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
"Can you say that you love me again?"
"I love you," Ja'lia said. "I love you so much that it hurts. I'm in love with you with, Lo'ak te Suli Tsyeyk'itan."
Lo'ak felt his breath catch in his throat as Ja'lia stared up at him with straight admiration and love. He loved the way she looked at him. It was like he was the only one in the Universe that she wanted, the only person she could see, and that's when his eyes widened. Ja'lia had said that she saw him, but he hadn't said it back.
"Lia," Lo'ak said, startling the girl. "I see you."
Ja'lia's smile widened as she pulled Lo'ak in for one last kiss before pulling him out of the cave. "Where are we going?" He asked, and the girl turned to look at him. "I want to go stargazing," She laughed, and Lo'ak shook his head in amusement.
As the two continued to walk, Ja'lia finally found the spot she wanted to lay down on, and she let go of Lo'ak's hand before plopping herself onto the ground. Lo'ak quickly followed her actions before he pulled his girlfriend on his chest as they stared up at the sky.
It had been a clear night in the Mekayina clan, giving them a perfect view of the stars. The two teens lay in silence while looking up at the sky, and Ja'lia lifted her head to glance up at Lo'ak who seemed to be deep in thought. "What's wrong, Lo'ak?" Ja'lia asked.
"I miss him," He whispered.
"I know. I miss him, too." Ja'lia said, interlacing her fingers with Lo'ak's.
"I just feel so guilty," He croaked.
"It's not your fault, Lo'ak. I promise." She whispered.
"You know, I want to visit him at the Spirit tree, but every time I build up the courage, I chicken out."
"I'll go with you, Lo'ak. But if you don't feel that you're ready, then take some more time, okay?" Ja'lia said.
"I will," He agreed.
Silence fell over the two once more while Lo'ak contemplated his feelings, and Ja'lia felt herself drifting to sleep before a bright flash of light flashed across the sky.
At first, she thought she was seeing things, but when it happened once more, Ja'lia tapped Lo'ak's chest to grab his attention. "Look!" She pointed toward the sky as another star shot across the sky.
Lo'ak watched the sky in awe, and he realized that this was the second time he had ever seen shooting stars. It was a magical experience, and then he remembered his father's words. If you wish upon a star, the humans believed it would come true. So, it raised the question in Lo'ak's mind.
"Lia?" Lo'ak whispered, earning a hum in response. "Have you ever whispered upon a star?"
"Yes." She responded.
"What did you wish for?" Lo'ak asked curiously.
"I wished that you would love me the way I love you."
"I guess you got your wish then, huh?" Lo'ak laughed, placing a kiss on Ja'lia's temple.
"I guess I did."
Ja'lia closed her eyes and allowed sleep to take over her body, and one thought rang through Lo'ak's mind, and that was that he had to be the luckiest boy alive to have someone so kind and caring to be his girlfriend, to be the love of his life.
As he stared at the sky, he made a wish that he would one day marry Ja'lia so they could have a family of their own.
"I love you, Lia." He said softly, pulling her tighter against him before falling asleep himself, before he fell asleep, something told him that this was only the beginning of his and Ja'lia's story.
They had a lot more adventures to face together, but as long as they had each other, nothing would stop them from loving each other until the end.
Unedited. 07/22/23
Word Count: 3,412
Hey everyone - this chapter is adorable, and it's also the END of Lo'ak and Ja'lia's story until the next Avatar movie! So, I hope you all enjoyed!
I love the ending of this book, and I can't want to continue their journey in the future. The next chapter that I'll be posting will be a sneak peak of my next book, so PLEASE check it out!
Don't forget to vote and comment!
I hope all of you have an amazing day, and you have officially completed Shooting Stars | Lo'ak!