Chapter Text
The marui is thick like poison gas, filling up every corner with the stench of rotten fish. His throat’s tight as he stared into his mother’s eyes, in the face of her rage– hands curled into fists at her side, disgust too weak of a word to describe her expression.
“Calm, yawnetu.” His father soothes and places a gentle hand over his mother’s stomach. He lets out a light rumble to soothe her.
It doesn’t work.
His mother hisses.
“Leave us, Tsireya.” Ronal commanded, eyes never leaving her sons.
His sister opens her mouth, eyes wide, stuck between loyalty to her brother and avoiding her mother’s fury. He glances at her, downward jerk of his chin– Go. There’s no need for both of them to get in trouble.
She bites her lip at his gesture but leaves the marui in a hurry, head low in apology.
Once she left, his mother loomed before him. “You bring shame to this family,” She hissed. “To treat a guest with such disgrace is not the Metkayina way.”
“Mother, you heard him–”
“I do not care for his lies!” She interrupts, scowl deepening, “I know you left him out there– leaving him to the mercy of the Great Mother– knowing he cannot swim as we do.”
“Ao’nung.” Tonowari’s voice finally broke in. Somehow, his disappointed look stings more than his mother’s rage. “This is more than a silly quarrel. You have endangered the son of Toruk Makto, you have placed doubt on our peace. Do you understand the weight of this?”
His ears flick back. He opens his mouth, prepared to defend himself, but nothing comes out.
His father shakes his head in disapproval at his silence. “This is not the behavior of a future tsahik.”
Ronal stepped forward, her finger prodding into Ao’nung’s chest. “You will go to him. You will not return to this marui, you will not eat, and you will not rest until he has given his forgiveness.”
“Mother, what?” Ao’nung sputtered, his heart sinking. “Where will I even find him?”
“That is your problem, not mine.” Ronal snapped, turning her back on him in dismissal. “You should have thought of that before you decided to shame our family.”
Tonowari gave a single, slow nod toward the entrance. Not a suggestion; an order.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
The forest air was heavy and humid, sticking to Ao’nung as he navigated slick, moss-covered stones. Of course Lo’ak was here, he notes bitterly, this place would probably be a taste of home.
Ao’nung restrains a groan at the sight of the omatikaya by the freshwater pools, sitting on the rocks, feet kicking around in the water. It’s fine, he can play nice, no matter how much he doesn’t want to. He walks up, slipping past the wet stones and standing before Lo’ak in the shallow lakes.
“My mother requested I apologize.” Ao’nung announced, his voice flat and brittle. No proper greeting offered as he stood in the knee-deep shallows with his arms crossed.
Lo’ak’s head snapped up, yellow eyes narrowing as he processed who stood before him. He waited, his tail twitching irritably, slapping against the rocks, waiting for more to come.
The silence stretched between them,
“That’s it?” Lo’ak’s voice came in a low rasp.
Ao’nung only offers him a dismissive shrug, “that is all.”
He turns around on his heels, prepared to forget the entire endeavour, but he’s stopped when a hand clamps firmly around his wrist.
“You can’t be serious.” Lo’ak sneers, “that’s your attempt at an apology? After what you did.”
Ao’nung looks at where Lo’ak has wrapped his fingers around his wrist in disgust. Four-fingered freak. “Yes,” He responds evenly, “that’s my apology.”
“You could have killed me!”
“Well, you’re clearly fine.” Ao’nung counters. Unfortunately.
Lo’ak rolls his eyes like he knows what Ao’nung’s thinking. “I’m sure that you’re real disappointed in that.”
“I’m not.” He lies, when he knows a dark part of him did hope that Lo’ak would be swallowed by the ocean, and everything in his village would return to normal before the sky demons had arrived. “I came to make sure you were alright.”
“You came because your mother wanted you to.” Lo’ak glares at him, “you don’t give a damn about me. Even though I haven’t done jackshit to you.”
Ao’nung’s nose wrinkles at the unfamiliar word but the venom behind it is unmistakable. He contemplates rising to the rage but he decides that he would much rather go to bed and let the day pass from him. “Whatever.” He attempts to push Lo’ak off from him but he won’t let go.
He has a, surprisingly, strong grip on him.
“Release me.” Ao’nung spits out but his grip only tightens.
“Maybe when I get a real apology.”
“I gave you one already!”
“Like hell you did!” Lo’ak yelled.
“Enough with your demon words!” Ao’nung doesn’t hesitate to yell back. He won’t allow this freak to talk to him like that. “Who do you think you are to speak to me like this!”
He forces himself to keep his head up as Lo’ak presses into him– chest to chest– teeth blared in a show of aggression. “Why? Just because you're Olo'eyktan's son doesn't mean you get to treat me like shit.” He does his attempt of a hiss, sounding more like a scream. “I’ve tried so hard to fit in with these people– strangers – and you’re making it impossible.”
Ao’nung feels a ping of guilt running through him at the admission but he buries it down, swallowing any retort that would imply he felt bad for Lo’ak, “that’s not my problem.” He said, voice dropping to a cruel whisper. “Why should my people accept you? You’re not even a true Na’vi.”
The insult hung in the humid air, jagged and final. Lo’ak’s expression shifted, his features contorting into something primal. His scent– once earthly, darkened into a thick, charred smoke that stung Ao’nung’s nose. A warning.
Ao’nung refuses to flinch. He lifts his chin, masking the sudden skip of his heart with a scoff, “I don’t care for your silly attempts at intimidation, forest boy. I said what I had to and–”
He winces when Lo’ak tightens his grip on his wrist. Before he could say anything, Lo’ak shoved him. Ao’nung staggered back, heels catching on exposed roots and hitting shallow water with a heavy splash. The silt and mud clung to his skin.
“How dare you," Ao’nung hissed, gasping as he glared up through his wet hair.
“That’s where you belong bitch.” Lo’ak snapped, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.
Screw forgiveness.
He lurches up, tackling Lo’ak with the full weight of his rage. They collided with the ground, a dull thud echoing against the stones. Ao’nung felt a spark of twisted pleasure when Lo’ak winced, his head snapping back against the earth.
“And how does that feel?” Ao’nung spat, pinning Lo’ak’s shoulders into the wet gravel. He dug his nails into Lo’ak’s forearms, the resistance of the forest-born Alpha only making him push harder. “You freak. You don’t belong here.”
Lo’ak snarled. With a violent, explosive heave, he tossed Ao’nung off, the two of them spinning into the deeper water in a tangle of thrashing limbs.
A’nung was familiar with these waters, catching Lo’ak by the waist and slamming him back against the jagged rocks of the shoreline. He leaned in, forearms against Lo’ak’s chest to keep him pinned.
“Are you done now?” Ao’nung huffed.
“Yeah right.” Lo’ak’s eyes held no defeat. In one swift, desperate motion, he surged forward, using the slickness of the rocks to slide his body, catching Ao’nung off balance and flipping him. The world tilted as Ao’nung was pressed back into the shallows, the cool water rushing over his ears. Lo’ak loomed over him, his hands clamping on Ao’nnug’s wrists, pinning them against the silt.
They stayed there, chests heaving in unison, the only sound the rushing of the river and the frantic thrum of their pulses. The air between them was thick, the sour scent of hibiscus and charred wood bleeding together.
For a moment, all Ao’nung can do is stare at the omatikaya. Staring as the thin boy pants, amber eyes still burning with rage but also… hurt.
His heart pangs, with what he refuses to label pity.
“I’m a freak, right?” Lo’ak whispered, his voice cracking halfway through his sentence. “Say that again.”
Ao’nung stays silent, focusing on the rest and fall of his chest. Lo’ak releases one of his hands from his wrist, now cradling the side of his face, thumbing his lips like he can force the words out from him.
“Say it again.” He says, like a secret.
His eyes trail down, noticing the tenting in Lo’ak’s tewng. Suddenly, his chest feels tight, like he’s witnessed something he shouldn't.
The word slips from his lips hesitantly, “freak.” He whispers.
He gasps as Lo’ak presses his lips against his.
He’s even more surprised when he kisses him back.