Chapter Text
One thing that Lo'ak loved the most was riding his ikran. He trusted him to take him everywhere and when they flew together, he felt free and untouchable. The bond hadn’t been a success on the first try like his older brother, Neteyam, but he had not given up and had tamed the biggest banshee he could have found.
Lo'ak was constantly trying to prove his worth and his disability didn't help at times. His dad had a hard time trusting him and let him contribute to missions, and everyone was overprotective of him.
Taming an ikran was his biggest achievement, especially when he wanted to convince his parents to let him join in a battle. They had reluctantly included him in their missions and Lo'ak had become a fierce warrior and hunter. Neteyam was clearly better than him, but at least, he could show them his strength in many ways. He had always had a good eye when using his bow and arrows and a good nose for tracking, even way before he had lost his hearing.
The only thing that annoyed him was that his brother had to be paired with him at all times. Firstly, because he couldn't hear instructions through radio and secondly because he tended to be a little reckless. Just a little, nothing to make a big deal out of it, like his parents constantly would.
But then, everything had turned into a nightmare when they suddenly had to leave their home to hide from Quaritch, and his brother Spider had been kidnapped. Lo’ak had wanted to rescue him, but for safety reasons they couldn’t do anything, except fleeing. So, they reluctantly abandoned their home to find refuge within the Metkayina clan who lived close to the reefs.
Lo'ak and his family came from a long way on the back of their ikrans, flying to the unknown. And when they arrived, they were not welcomed like they had hoped. His father insisted enough so the Olo'eyktan, Tonowari was willing to let them stay. He had to, anyway. It was the rule. When another clan seeks refuge, you must grant them that right.
He had become really good at interpreting people's expressions, and at reading lips when he needed to. But during the negotiations, his focus was on the scents around him, the clear blue of the water and the light shining on it, the sand tickling his feet, the breeze caressing his skin. He didn't pay attention to what was happening in front of him until he had to.
He mimicked his brother when he saw him touch his forehead to politely greet them. He even hardly noticed one young Metkayina accompanied by his friends talking to him. Something about his tail. He understood it when the boy touched it and seemed to laugh at him and his brother.
It was easy to ignore him, he just had to look away. But after a few days, the Metkayina named Aonung, according to Neteyam, started to bother him all the time. Talking to him at every chance he got and the more Lo'ak ignored him and the more eager he was to get his attention.
Didn't someone tell him? He was used to his parents having to explain his disability to others. In the Omaticaya clan, everyone had learned to speak with Lo'ak through sign language. Even him had to learn when he had lost his hearing as a child.
Maybe his siblings found it amusing to let him in the unknown, because they kept letting him talk to Lo'ak and smiled when Aonung was frustrated by his lack of reaction.
"Do you even speak?" Aonung told him, one day.
Lo'ak had made out what he’d said from where he was sitting near the shore. He finally decided to give him attention. Especially when the water boy insisted this much to talk to him. He would get bored when he would have to make efforts to understand Lo’ak anyway…
So, he stared at his lips with concentration when the Metkayina continued, "Why are you ignoring me? It's annoying."
"Because I can't hear you, I'm deaf," Lo'ak signed. "I can read your lips though."
Aonung gaped at him in shock. "Why didn't anyone tell me about it?"
The Omaticaya shrugged and then focused his gaze on the waves crashing onto the shore.
Aonung waved at him to get his attention back.
"I'm sorry for um... sorry I made fun of you the first time," Aonung signed to him as he sat right next to Lo'ak, sheepishly.
It wasn't exactly how Lo'ak would have signed this. It was clearly another type of Na’vi sign language, but it was close enough so they could understand each other.
He was surprised. He hadn't expected him of all people to be able to sign. "You know sign language?"
"Everyone does here. It helps us communicate underwater, and with tulkuns," Aonung explained.
Lo'ak made an impressed face, and then signed to him that he was mind-blown by the revelation. Aonung chuckled and he oddly wished he could hear it.
The Metkayina tapped on his arm to make sure he looked at him. "I'll show you when I help you learn our ways, tomorrow."
"So now, you want to teach us when you clearly didn't want to when your dad asked you yesterday." Lo'ak scoffed and shook his head. "Do you pity me or something?"
"Not at all," Aonung immediately signed back. "I just didn't want to babysit, but I would be an asshole not to help."
Lo'ak huffed. "As if you haven't been an asshole from the start."
Aonung rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. He stopped signing and watched the waves as well.
Lo'ak saw his mouth moved slightly from the side. He poked Aonung’s arm so he would turn to him.
"I'm sorry," the water boy repeated.
That made the young Omaticaya rolled his eyes. He didn't like when people changed their attitude when they learned that he was deaf, like he was some fragile thing.
"I'm not weak." Lo'ak emphasized with his facial expression that he was really annoyed.
Aonung shook his head. "I know, I didn't say that."
"Oh yeah? How would you know though? All you did since we got here was mocking all of us because our tails are short and then getting all triggered because I ignored you."
"My bad, I'm not usually like that..." Aonung replied with guilt in his eyes.
"Sounds like you have an inferiority complex," Lo'ak teased him with a smirk.
That infuriated Aonung and he forgot to sign. "That's not true. Shut up!"
"Oh? Did I hit a nerve?" Lo’ak chuckled.
The Metkayina didn't reply. His lips were parted, and his brows furrowed, but he had no argument to give.
"You'll see tomorrow what I can do!" Aonung finally signed before walking away angrily.
The next day, Lo'ak was ready to show the stupid chief's son that he was stronger than he thought. That he should feel threatened by his abilities.
Everything went fine until he and his siblings learned how to ride an ilu which he failed at first. He could see Aonung laughing, and he wanted to knock the smirk off him.
He had been pleasantly surprised to know that the Metkayina boy could speak in sign language at first, but now that he had properly met Tsireya, he realized that she was easier to talk to. More approachable, nicer, patient and she didn't pity him just because he was deaf. She even took the time to ask him about certain signs that she didn't fully understand and made her signing closest to Lo'ak's. A huge improvement compared to her pathetic brother who just wanted to prove that he was superior to everyone.
Lo'ak was back at ignoring him. Closing his eyes when Aonung started to sign something to him. He focused his gaze on Neteyam instead who chuckled. He probably had flashbacks himself where Lo'ak used that trick on him when they had a fight and he didn't want to talk to him.
After that, Lo'ak spent more time with Tsireya and then, they all gathered together near the seawall terrasses so Tsireya and Aonung could teach them how to breathe properly and stay longer underwater.
Lo'ak's breath hitched in his throat when Tsireya put her hands on his chest to help him control his breathing. It was the first time someone touched him like this and this long.
He noticed Aonung tsked as he watched them. His gaze following every movement his sister made until Lo'ak wondered why he was so focused on him all the time. Showing off his skills at any chance he got, doing all kinds of things to get his attention.
Eventually, Lo'ak successfully managed with his brother and sisters to breathe better in water, staying several minutes under until their lungs couldn't take it. He learned quickly because he was always eager to improve and show that his disability wasn't a weakness but a strength.
Aonung eyed him silently when he let out a victorious laugh, almost shocked to hear the sound of his voice this clearly. He could actually speak but chose not to. It was too frustrating for him not hearing how he sounded like now, so he'd rather only use sign language. Also, he felt like he didn’t always have to accommodate himself to others.
The memory of his accident was still fresh in his mind. He had fallen from a tree when he was six and the head trauma had caused him some irreversible damages. After his accident, it had been a lot of change at such a young age, trying to adapt with the sudden loss of his hearing. It really had been brutal, but he had overcome it with the help of his family.
In the afternoon, The Metkayina came to him and place his hand on his shoulder to signal his presence. "I think we started off on the wrong foot," Aonung said slowly. "Can we start over?"
"I don't know." Lo'ak sighed heavily.
“I’m really sorry I made fun of your tail and I apologized to your siblings too.” Aonung urged to sign.
Lo'ak shrugged. "Good for you."
"I actually like your tail, there's really nothing wrong with it," Aonung continued. "I've just never seen your kind before."
The Omaticaya just stared at him with annoyance. Not impressed by what he had said. He didn't need him as a friend. He already had Tsireya and was actually better in the water now thanks to her. Why would he need Aonung for?
"Please, finish ignore me!" Aonung wrongly signed with desperation.
Lo'ak frowned and accentuated his signs. "Why do you care?"
"Because I can't stop thinking about you!" Aonung finished without signing this time, but Lo'ak had read his lips.
He didn't have time to reply, the Metkayina was already gone.
Lo'ak thought about Aonung's last words. They were running in his mind and keeping him up at night. The older boy was really starting to get on his nerves. Why was he all over his space for some reasons? If it wasn't pity, what was it?
He was trying to nap in their family's marui pod some afternoon when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and discover Kiri smiling at him.
"Why are you here all alone?" she signed slowly.
"I'm avoiding Aonung," he replied with honesty. He actually hated naps. That was just an excuse to be alone when he needed some peace.
Kiri laughed and he watched her with unexpressive eyes. "Why is it funny?"
She eyed him knowingly and then sat next to him.
"He probably has a crush on you or something," she said, emphasizing on the 'crush' sign.
"That would be gross," Lo'ak quickly signed back with an exaggerated disgusted face.
"Why?"
He didn't even have an answer to that. The idea just made him uncomfortable. He didn't know what to think about it. He had always thought that there was a wall between him and hearing people, and he couldn't see anyone being attracted to him. They would be tired of his disability at one point or another or overprotect him like his parents.
He just wanted to be a normal Na'vi who happened to have lost his hearing but was as strong and as much of a warrior as anyone in this village. He would make sure of it, anyway.
Kiri nudged him to get his attention. "He's not bad looking," she added with a grin.
"Well, date him then!" Lo'ak protested.
But suddenly, he thought about Aonung's laugh and wanting to hear it. His blue piercing eyes looking at him attentively, his stupid beautiful hair when he would tie them back after their training in the water. His annoying smirk and his abs and...
His eyes widened. Since when had he started to see him this way? He had worked so hard on ignoring him and still he had noticed all of these details about him? Lo'ak could feel his cheeks get warmer and warmer, but he pretended he wasn't perturbed in front of Kiri.
She rolled her eyes when he glanced at her. "You can say he's hot, there's nothing wrong with it."
Lo'ak gasped and was trying hard to hide his flushed face. "He's not!"
Kiri moved closer and wiggled her eyebrows playfully. He shoved her away from him.
The next morning, Lo'ak was woken by his father. He rubbed his eyes slowly, but his father shook him hurriedly.
"Come on, son... Up... Fishing..."
Lo'ak still in a state of sleepiness, hadn’t quite caught everything his dad had signed.
"What?" Lo'ak finally replied, opening his eyes properly.
"We're going fishing with the clan, come," his dad repeated.
At first, Lo'ak was excited to be responsible for such a task this soon until he realized that he and his siblings would be put into groups with the young Metkayina so they could learn. He thought that Eywa was clearly against him when he was put in Aonung and Rosco's team.
Aonung smiled at him, but Lo'ak turned his head. That smirk again. He definitely hated this guy. And now he was probably going to see him every day in an undetermined period of time...
"Keep a look on Lo'ak for me." Lo'ak lip-read what his dad said to Aonung not far from him. And the Metkayina dared to nod.
This angered him. He hated when his father was overprotective and thought the worst would happen to him all the time. He knew it was because of his accident but that didn't mean he had to treat him like a baby.
As they rode their ilus to get to their hunting area, Lo'ak was fuming. Aonung seemed to notice when he got closer and waved at Lo'ak so he looked at him.
"Are you okay?" Aonung started to ask timidly.
"Can you get off my back?" Lo'ak finally told him, face scrunched up in anger.
"It was just a question!" Aonung retorted.
Lo’ak huffed. "Stop pretending you want to be my friend! You already have Rosco here."
"It's Rotxo you skxawng!" the short-haired Metkayina shouted, making an effort to sign it at the same time.
Then, he continued, "You guys are so annoying, just shut up and kiss already!"
Aonung looked at him in utter shock.
Rotxo hadn't signed this last sentence, but Lo'ak had watched his lips. He splashed water at him, very embarrassed and Rotxo rolled his eyes before leaving.
He and Aonung were alone now. Lo'ak wanted to scream. Eywa must really hate his guts for something like this to happen!
Aonung inhaled and then concentrated to sign. "Look Lo'ak, when I first saw you I thought you were so cute and I didn't know what to do so I made fun of your tail to get your attention. And I didn't know that you were deaf at the time."
Lo'ak pouted. "I knew you feel pity for me! You completely changed your attitude when I told you."
"Because I felt dumb. I thought you ignored me because you were playing hard to get!" Aonung defended himself.
Lo'ak was blushing hard. "You’re sure it wasn't because of my disability?"
"No. It doesn't change anything. Just that I misinterpreted everything..." the Metkayina assured him.
"Well, I'm not looking for a boyfriend!" Lo’ak protested, crossing his arms.
"Oh... So, you're looking for a girlfriend then? That's why you got closer to Tsireya?" Aonung asked with disappointment.
Lo'ak frowned. "No, I'm just not looking for someone in particular and Tsireya is just my friend."
"So, can I have a chance?" the water boy signed more energetically, suddenly hopeful.
"You think you're so hot, but you're not!" Lo’ak didn’t know what else to say.
"What?" was the only single sign that Aonung managed to do as he was confused.
"I think your friend is better-looking," he elaborated, knowing it would get under his skin.
Aonung scoffed. "Who? Rotxo?"
"Yeah," Lo'ak replied nonchalantly.
"Are you kidding me?" the Metkayina exclaimed, offended.
Aonung got closer to him and then pushed him off his ilu. Lo'ak didn't expect it and fell into the sea, nose and throat burning from the water invading his orifices.
And then, he felt hands grab him and his head was suddenly out of the water. Aonung had jumped off his ilu to get him.
Lo'ak coughed loudly, his eyes blurry and then he could see Aonung looking at him with worry.
"I'm sorry..." He could make out him say.
"Stop apologizing all the time," Lo'ak signed in a fury, struggling to keep his balance without using his arms in the water.
They gazed at each other without saying anything. Aonung swam closer. Lo'ak could see his big blue eyes staring into his soul and he swallowed slowly, salty water still burning his throat. He noticed the stripes, different than his, wandering across his face in beautiful hues of darker turquoise. His eyes fell on Aonung's lips, but not because he was speaking to him. He just wanted to...
But he didn't have time to process his thoughts, Aonung's face was inches away from him and he tilted his head just slightly until their lips touched. Lo'ak would have lied to say he didn't want it, so he didn't protest.
Their mouths moved slowly, finding the right pace to start. It was his first kiss, and he wouldn't have thought it would happen in the middle of the sea with some Na’vi he was supposed to hate. Why did it feel so good though?
Their noses touched when they changed the angle and shivers ran through Lo'ak's body. A million sensations were happening all at once. The water splashing on their skin, the droplets running on their faces, the warmth of Aonung's mouth against his own, the taste of salt, the seaweed smell, the tingling, the feeling of his heart thumping against his ribcage. He was almost overwhelmed, especially when Aonung's hand slid on his neck and went down to caress his shoulder blade.
Lo'ak didn't know what to do with his body, so he just stayed still at first. He was also curious what the Metkayina's skin would feel like under his fingertips. He placed his hands on the boy's chest, feeling his heart echoing with his, in unison.
They kept kissing and exploring until they broke away for air.
"I’ve liked you since the moment I saw you," Aonung confessed, forgetting to sign, but Lo'ak saw everything, every movement of his lips as his eyes were still glued on them.
"You like me? All I did was reject you!" Lo'ak chuckled, trying to find the right balance to keep his face out of the water as he signed.
"I like a challenge." He replied playfully.
Lo'ak genuinely laugh this time. When he looked back at Aonung, his eyes were wide, and he gulped slightly.
"And I really like your laugh," Aonung added. He shook his head and tried to repeat what he had said in sign language.
"I got it the first time you said it."
Aonung smiled and leaned again to kiss him, but then stopped abruptly. Lo'ak didn't know why until he saw Rotxo reappearing from afar.
He was shaking a fish in front of them. When he got closer, Lo'ak could make out him saying, "I caught a big one!"
His friend narrowed his eyes, visibly irritated to be interrupted. The Omaticaya just got back on his ilu and pretended nothing had happened.
"What were you guys doing?" Rotxo messily signed to Lo'ak with a sly smile.
Lo'ak tsked. "None of your business."
"Bro, I got the fish for us, and you guys did nothing apart from kissing, so don't give me this attitude!"
"We were not kissing!" Aonung replied in indignation.
Lo'ak watched his embarrassed face and couldn't help but smile fondly.
When they went back to the shore with more fishes and Rotxo had finished complaining, Aonung turned to him and signed just for him to see. "Do you like me back?"
Lo'ak hadn't thought about it. Well, he had thought about Aonung, because the Metkayina had been on his mind a lot lately, but he just realized it was mostly because of his attraction to him. He just couldn't accept it because he was scared to open himself to someone else and show vulnerability. He had always preferred to stay alone so he wouldn't get hurt by anyone. Aonung liked him and it was enough to let all his worries go away. There was still time to explore this little relationship they had and discover more about each other. But Lo'ak could admit it now, from the moment he saw the Metkayina, it had been love at first sight.
"I do," he finally answered with his own voice, just for Aonung to hear.