*ੈ✩‧₊˚ gentle breeze •°. *࿐

bonds

"(Y/n)! Get over here," Ao'nung says to you, dragging you by the hand to the edge of the water.

You look at him in confusion with a smile, believing that he was just going to drag you around again. You spot a group that consisted of Neteyam, Tsireya, and Rotxo.

"Hi guys, what's up?" you ask, looking between everyone.

"We're going to follow Lo'ak, he usually disappears to hang out with Payakan... so we're following him," Neteyam explains.

"We're worried about him, so we're just making sure what he said about Payakan was right and he's not getting hurt," Tsireya says, playing with her own fingers to calm her nerves.

You look between the two, your mind in thought as you wondered why only now? The group had known about Lo'ak and Payakan for a while and you'd imagine they would check on him earlier. You shake your head, not wanting to think about the reasonings. They all probably had discussed it together when you were not around, they knew what they were doing.

"Alright, I'll go with you guys."

"Good, you don't have a choice because I wanted you to come," Ao'nung says, calling for a couple ilu to come to you guys.

"Why do you want me to come?"

"Just 'cause."

"Because you know how to help Lo'ak in case Payakan hurts him," Rotxo bursts in, letting you know the actual reason why you were being brought.

"Thank you, Rotxo," you say, getting on to one of the ilu that arrived.

Ao'nung rolls his eyes before he dives into the water, the rest of you following his actions and quickly go through the reef. You all approach the edge of the reef before Ao'nung suddenly stops and gets off his ilu, sending them. When he does, the rest of you copy him and swim into a forest of seaweed. Pushing the plant away from your face, you see Lo'ak and Payakan swimming and flipping around each other.

Even from the distance you were at, you could truly tell how happy Lo'ak was with Payakan.

His face held a smile that you hadn't seen on his face, he looked more comfortable in the water, as if he was meant to be there. The tulkun with a missing fin didn't look like one while playing, it was as if he never lost a limb from how mobile he was. Even with all the negative stories about Payakan, the scene in front of you made you feel warm. Something about the two together just seemed so right.

The alarm bells in your mind didn't go off until Payakan opened his mouth and Lo'ak swam in.

You knew what was happening and you didn't know if you liked it or not.

Your eyes went wide and you looked at Ao'nung and past Neteyam to look at Tsireya, wondering if she was okay with letting Lo'ak bond with the outcast tulkun. Both you and Ao'nung had to stop Neteyam from swimming toward Lo'ak, Ao'nung's hand on his shoulder and yours on his arm.

'Stop,' Tsireya signed to him. Neteyam looked at you, as if asking for an explanation and you shook your head.

Lo'ak was bonding with his spirit brother, this was none of your place to stop it from happening. No matter how mad anyone would get earlier. It was the will of Eywa for them to bond, if not she would stop them with some force then so be it. That is what you started to believe as the five of you waited for Lo'ak to leave the tulkun.

Tsireya's face was completely focused on the tulkun, her interest never leaving the creature as she waited and held on to the seaweed. Your eyes drift between her and the tulkun, knowing her worry for Lo'ak.

A few moments past, then Lo'ak leaves Payakan's mouth and surfaces. From where you were you could see that he was close to Payakan, presumably hugging the tulkun. You look at Ao'nung and Tsireya for what to do next, but Tsireya was already at the surface.

You look at Ao'nung, Neteyam, and Rotxo, wondering why she swam ahead without the rest of you. By the time the four of you had reached the surface, Tsireya was already talking to Lo'ak.

"Lo'ak, you found your spirit brother!" Tsireya happily called out, Lo'ak looking behind him to see the group of you there all staring at him.

He sent you all an indescribable look.

You look behind you to see your father sitting on his skimwing with a disappointed look.

It didn't long before the six of you were on the bridges of Awa'altu. Ronal and Tonowari leading five of you to the main marui pod, and your father, Ewkmal behind you all, making sure none of you had lagged behind. Rotxo had been let free, presumed to be dragging there as he usually was. Despite you also being dragged to the crime, your father had been the one to catch you all. Meaning you also had to hear it.

Tonowari and your father had taken place in the middle of the marui pod, your father's arms crossed as he stared into nothing deep in thought. Tonowari had a strict look on his face as he looked down on all of you, Ronal startin

"You allowed this," Ronal starts, her eyes directing her anger at Tsireya and you, circling to Ao'nung and back to Tsireya, "you allowed him to bond with the outcast!"

You were standing inbetween Ao'nung and Neteyam, so you had a clear view of Tsireya's trembling state. Her head was bowing bow, the points of her ears were pointed down, and you can tell tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"Tsireya," Tonowari starts, Tsireya takes a sharp breath in looking startled by her own father, fear evident on her face for what he was going to say, "you disappoint me, daughter."

Tsireya takes in another deep breath, as if preventing herself from full blown crying. Tonowari's words weren't even directed at you, but you had felt as though a knife had shoved itself into your gut, your gaze lowering to the woven floor. You didn't know how your own father would react to this, or if Ronal would tell you off since you were her next in line, wondering if she would also be disappointed that you let an event happen.

As if Neteyam was watching you, he shuffled a bit closer to you, placing a hand on your shoulder to show some sort of comfort. You looked to him but his eyes were on his brother, side-eyeing him as Tonowari starts talking,

"And you," Tonowari points at Lo'ak, "son of a great warrior. Who has been taught better," you see Jake and Neytiri walk up behind Lo'ak, your eyes darting to Lo'ak with fear.

"Payakan saved my life sir, you don't know him," Lo'ak says, challenging Tonowari.

"Lo'ak..." Tsireya says, shaking her head at Lo'ak, desperate for him not to say anything that would get her father angrier than he was.

"Sit," Tonowari sternly says pointing at Lo'ak to go down, he went into a crouch as well.

"Sit down!" Tonowari yells, as the rest of you went down, Tsireya going faster than the rest of you. You share a look with Ao'nung, knowing where this would go.

Tonowari collects air between his palms before he quickly lets it out, his hands at his sides as if to calm the air.

"Hear my words, boy. In the days of the first songs, tulkun fought amongst themselves. For territory, and for revenge. But they came to believe that to kill, no matter how justified, only brings more killing. Tulkun killing is forbidden, this is the tulkun way. Payakan is a killer. So, he's an outcast," Tonowari directly telling Lo'ak, using his hands to help with his storytelling. You had heard this story so many times, knowing this story would be the reason Ronal would be disappointed you witness Lo'ak bond with an outcast.

"I'm sorry sir, but you're wrong."

"Lo'ak, you're speaking to the olo'eyktan," Neytiri starts.

"I know-"

"That's enough!" Jake yells, stopping Lo'ak from finishing his sentence.

Lo'ak shakes his head and shrugs, "I know what I know."

Ronal immediately hisses at Lo'ak as Jake gets up in Lo'ak's face.

"That's enough. I'll deal with this one," Jake snatches Lo'ak as Tonowari lets out a deep breath.

"All of you are dismissed. (Y/n) and Ao'nung, stay here," Tonowari says, you freeze in your place, scared of what scolding you might receive.

You feel Neteyam's hand leave your shoulder as you look at him and he mouths a 'good luck' to you. You give him a single nod, thankful for the simple yet encouraging gesture.

The three adults wait for Tsireya and Neteyam to be out of earshot, especially Neteyam who keeps looking back at the pod. When the two were out of sight, Tonowari stood back up, motioning for the two of you to stay low.

"You two know the story of the tulkun, (Y/n) you have heard the stories of our people so many times. Yet you let the forest boy bond with the outcast, out of all the tulkun?!" Ronal yells, your head bowing deeper.

"Mother, we didn't know-" Ao'nung started, before he was interrupted.

"You know how the tulkun bond, you should've stopped him the second the outcast opened his mouth," Tonowari says with more peace in his voice than before.

A small silence settled between all of you, your eyes slowly going back up to face Tonowari, Ronal, and finally your father who hadn't said anything this whole time. He was still staring off into nothing, as if he didn't see you there.

"Eywa didn't stop them," you say quietly.

"What do you mean child?" Ronal asks softly, her demeanour changing when her deity was mentioned.

"If Eywa didn't want them to bond, then there must be a reason she allowed it. We call the tulkun our spirit brothers and sisters, if Lo'ak bonded with Payakan then that must mean Eywa meant for them to be together," you plead with your eyes closed. To be fair, you didn't have an actual explanation and were coming up with one on the spot, hoping that this would be enough for Lo'ak's case.

Tonowari scoffed and turned away, "what is done, is done. We just hope nothing bad happens to that boy."

You nod at Tonowari's words, Ronal had turned away already and was whispering about whatever in the corner.

"(Y/n)," your fathers says out of the blue. His voice shocked you as your eyes darted toward him, wondering what he had to say to you after all of this. "You are not responsible for another person's child, but as future tsahik, you should know better than to let an outcast bond with our people."

You let out a shaky breath and nod your head, words never coming to you.

"Ewkmal, it's not just her. We all watched him, as future olo'eyktan I have to take some responsibility as well," Ao'nung chimes in. You look at Ao'nung with wide eyes, wondering why he would involve himself if he was barely being berated.

Your father nods at him, "good. Take responsibility. Both of you can go."

Ao'nung gets up first, helping you get up from your kneeling/sitting position, his hand moves to your back as if to usher you away from the marui pod. When the two of you are far enough away and on the beach, he turns to you, and puts both his hands on your cheeks to examine your face.

"Are you okay?" he asks, maintaining eye contact with you. From his point of view, he could see that your eyes were teary from the tension, yet your expression had calmed down.

"I'm fine," you say, placing your hands on top of his.

"Good. They can't be too mad at you, you used Eywa's name. Smart," he says with a smirk.

You gave him a smile back, "yeah, I made it up on the spot and hoped it would work and it did."

He quickly kissed your forehead, you felt your cheeks flush, and he let go of your face.

"C'mon, let's go find the others," he says, grabbing your hand as the both of you walked across the beach to find the rest of your friends.

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[a/n]: ok but who snitched on lo'ak and the gang bro !!!!! im trying to figure out how but bro idk theres 100% a scene that was cut like ????? DID ROTXO SNITCH ??? DID TONOWARI SEE THEM ??? idk but ur dad is a snitch hehe ! good thing he's alive to use as a plot device :D neteyam moments next chapter i promiseeeeeeeee. a habit that i noticed jake + neteyam (?) do a lot is when they're leading a group they keep their arm out to signal those behind them to be slower + take more care and that's a small detail i adore !

did you know: the tattoos that the metkayina receive from eywa are inspired by maori moko ! though in the avatar franchise it has different meanings from the ones maori receive. in avatar the placement correlates to their surroundings, you can see this with tonowari and ronal; how their tattoos are more dense near their center (or more accurately their heart). that tells us that they put more time in the heart of the village. while someone who has more tattoos on their arms (or 'outside' the heart) are na'vi who protect the reef and deep seas. in gentle breeze, we see this with ewkmal, your father who we don't get to see as much since he is usually further out protecting the clan. their tattoos are also a gift from eywa !! it's usually a symbol of finishing their iknimiya (rite to adulthood).

this is an actual ask so i can give u guys something but do u want to actually bond w neteyam or ao'nung ?